Murrily We Roll Along

Day one!

2012-02-02T08:37:00.003-06:00

Day one was a success. Wednesday's are crazy in the Murrie home. I teach two bootcamps and spinning class so I find myself SUPER hungry. But I stuck to the Vegan Diet and got through the day with no more tummy grumble than on a normal Wednesday. Actually, I teach an AM bootcamp and am typically famished by the time we get home around 11:30AM. Yesterday I ate 100% Oats with dried mixed berries (thank you Trader Joe's) with my coffee for breakfast and I got through my class and home before my stomach began to make noise. I suppose all that fiber goes a long way. For lunch I had a mix of beans and rice with blueberries as a snack. Around 4:30 I had some cashews before I headed out to teach spinning and bootcamp back to back. After my bootcamp it's always a little late to do a full dinner so tonight I had the bean and spinach dip that Ben made with Donkey chips (corn chips from Whole Foods) and topped it all off with a cold Shiner Bock.

Over all I feel just fine, I don't have more or less energy YET! I don't plan on posting a daily update but figured day one was a good day to post and every few days I'll give an update. Thanks to all who have been showing great support in this process. I guess we'll see how we feel at the end of the month. Happy eating!

February as a Vegan

2012-01-30T10:31:00.004-06:00

Anyone that really knows me knows that I love cheese, chocolate and a good steak. So the fact that I/we have decided to go vegan for February may have some of you thinking...NOT GONNA HAPPEN!

Ok, I get it, I doubt myself as well. But this is something that we have really contemplated. I consider myself to be a healthy person. I work out regularly, eat healthy, I sleep enough, and maintain a healthy weight; so why am I tired? I have read more and more about how animal-based foods cause many health problems and plant-based foods are the best for you; even reversing some health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and cholesterol. But you may say...we are supposed to eat meat...we are carnivores. If we are true carnivores, wouldn't we have the teeth to jump on the back of a cow and bite through the hide? Just saying, maybe we are not meant to eat meat, and if we are we are definitely eating too much.

A couple weeks ago we rented Forks Over Knives and were really inspired to make a change. We have cleared our home of temptations, shopped for plant-based foods and slowly worked animal-based foods out of our diet for the last couple of weeks.

I decided to blog about it every few days. I thought, if I write about it not only will it be on my mind but others will hold me accountable. The funny thing is I think this is going to be easier for Ben than for me. So, we begin February 1st and we need your support. I am interested to see how I feel; if I feel differently at all.

Happy Holidays!!!

2011-12-31T17:47:00.001-06:00

Back on Track

2011-08-18T13:20:00.004-05:00

This summer has been full of trips and adventures. I have been terrible about updating so in one blog I'll do my best to update everyone on everything that we have done this summer. Starting with our trip to VA and NC.

Ben's brother (Dan) lives in Charlottesville, VA with his wife (April) and three kids (Jacob, Addie and Teagan). We went berry picking, hiking, swimming and had an overall fantastic time catching up. Jeremiah enjoyed being a "big boy" sleeping in his older cousin's room and trying new food at the encouragement of his cousins.

We left VA and headed down to the outer banks of NC to enjoy a few days at the beach with some old college friends, Fernando and Maggie. They have a little boy (Gabriel) a year younger than Davis. The boys had a blast using their swimming lesson skills in the ocean and it was the first time we were really able to enjoy going to the water with the boys. We had some great catching up time and are beginning to think we should make it an annual trip.

In July we took a weekend road trip to St. Louis, MO to visit Ben's Grandmother and Sister. It was a very quick and full trip. On Sunday we left the kids with Aunt CooCoo for an afternoon at the City Museum while Ben and I joined a friend at the Busch Stadium for a Cardinals game (the cardinals won). That evening we went to The Muny for a touring show of The Little Mermaid. It was exhausting and hot but a great time.

A couple weeks later my dearest childhood friend, Trina, came out to visit with her two kids (Teagan and Maddox) for a few days before moving to London. Unfortunately it was the hottest, most humid week in the summer but we made the best out of it. We went to Navy Pier where we spent the morning at the Children's Museum, with lunch at Bubba Gumps and play time in the Splash Pad. It was short and sweet and I fully appreciated and enjoyed the visit.

The following weekend we went to the Lake House In MI with the Murphy's (Chris, Lauren, Vivian and Desi). This is becoming an annual trip and something we all look forward to. We spent the days with the kids in the lake, on the water trampoline, jet ski, and boat. But the evenings were full of yummy food, wine and hot tubs (followed by over 50 bug bites all over my body).

At the end of July Ben's parents and sister came for a weekend visit. We didn't do any big city adventures, just a trip to the farmers market and some quality time BBQing and hanging out. A nice mellow weekend giving the kids good quality time with the grandparents.

Finally, the past weekend my college roommate, Christy, came to visit her sister-in-law who just moved here. We spent the afternoon catching up, shopping, eating and dodging the rain. She accused me of being a "bad blogger" so I'm catching up.

Overall the summer has been full of adventure. When we weren't traveling or having company we were having play dates with some dear friends we have made over the year. Play dates at the lake, water park, zoo, or just at home the kids had a blast. Summer break is coming to an end with Jeremiah starting Kindergarten in a week. I can't believe how quickly time goes by. Thanks to all for the memories.

(Pictures aren't working right now...I'll update later)

Hawaii 2011

2011-08-18T11:48:00.051-05:00

In April, Ben and I were blessed with an opportunity to go to HI again. We began our trip in Oahu where Ben spent three days working and I spent three days shopping, snorkeling, hanging out on the beach and taking long morning jogs to Diamond Head. One evening, Ben's Navy contacts gave us a very unique opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour of Pearl Harbor. We were loaded on a boat with a couple of Sailors and taken into the harbor where we could see sunken ships and plaques that very few people get to see. It was an amazing experience.

Lahaina with an amazing view of the island Molokai. From our room you could see the whales in the ocean, it was beautiful. On Friday we spent the morning snorkeling Kaanapali, where we saw amazing sea life including several turtles. That afternoon we went to the historical DT Flemming Beach. On Saturday we packed a lunch and took the road to Hana. We hiked up the the large waterfalls and had a lovely picnic. On our drive home we stopped for some homemade coconut ice cream and several small hikes to several waterfalls. Saturday was rather relaxing, more snorkeling, beach time and dinner at the Plantation House at sunset. One Monday we scheduled a whale watching boat ride. We were a bit disappointed since we felt we saw more from our condo balcony. Nevertheless we had a great time and were sad to leave on Tuesday but were excited to see the boys.

(Pictures aren't working right now...I'll update later)

Jeremiah is 5

2011-01-22T11:42:00.010-06:00

It is hard to believe that Jeremiah is 5 years old. I feel like he was born yesterday yet I feel like I have known him forever.

This year we gave Jeremiah a choice: birthday party or a dinner show at Medieval Times. He chose Medieval Times.

We left Davis with some friends and took Jeremiah to the show the weekend of his birthday. It took some time and the promise of fighting to settle him down, but ultimately he loved the show and even enjoyed the food.

Jeremiah is a sweet-natured, shy, affectionate child. He loves super heroes, Lego's, Playmobile people, and dressing up. Here are a few of Jeremiah's favorite things.

Favorite movie-Star Wars

Favorite cartoon-Backyardigans

Favorite book-Where the Wild Things are

Favorite food-Wuesadillas

Favorite vegetable-Edamame

Favorite toy-Playmobile people

Favorite song-You Belong with Me (Taylor Swift)

Best Friends-Chloe and Vivian

Happy Birthday, Jeremiah!

Winter Blues!

2011-01-22T11:25:00.006-06:00

Winters are long and cold. I am done with cold, snow and ice yet winter isn't nearly over. So in order to make it through I decided to list the top 10 things I love about winter.

1. Hats...I love the cute winter hats.

2. Scarves...not just warm but fashionable.

3. Snow ball fights with the boys.

4. Cute knee high socks.

5. Cuddling with the kids in my bed for story time/happy light time.

6. Pajama days.

7. Fire places.

8. Free museum days.

9. Coffee...the ability to drink it ALL DAY!!!

10. Seeing a perfect snowflake on the windshield of your car during a snow storm.

Please share your favorite things about the winter...I would love to hear them.

Is it sibling rivalry if it's just one-sided?

2011-01-01T08:15:00.004-06:00

So in recent weeks, we've started to notice how little Jeremiah thinks of his counterpart, Davis.

Example #1

Jeremiah: "Mommy, I want to go to the store and get green paint so that I can paint myself all green and be the grinch. I also want to get reindeer antlers so Davis can be the dog.

Example #2

Jeremiah: "Davis, you are a good penguin because you walk funny and you are fat."

Davis: "I'm not fat."

Jeremiah: "No, you have a fat little belly, like a little penguin."

Example #3

Jeremiah: "We can play Wizard of Oz. I will be the Lion and Davis can be the scarecrow. He has no brain."

Merry Christmas 2010!

2010-12-25T13:05:00.005-06:00

This year we were blessed to have both sets of parents and Ben's sister in town for the holiday. The kids had a blast and we had a white Christmas. Merry Christmas to all..here is our holiday card.

Well, if it gets you free sandwiches?

2010-10-26T10:53:00.002-05:00

So yesterday, Ben picked up Jeremiah from pre-school and went through the Jimmy John's Drive-Thru to get lunch for everyone. While at the order window, the woman working there was very friendly. As they left, Jeremiah mentioned "daddy, that lady waved at you." Having not noticed this, Ben responded "oh really, why do you think she did that?" Jeremiah concluded, "because she like you." There was a long silence and Ben figured the conversation had ended, until he heard J say "I think maybe we shouldn't tell mommy about this." After laughing silently for a bit, Ben asked why and J responded with "because she will run away."

Bengtson's Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-04T10:57:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we went to the Bengtson's Pumpkin Patch with the Chris, Lauren, Vivian and Desi Murphy. The place was fantastic and we had such great time. There were rides, pig races, petting zoo, a corn maze, and of course a pumpkin patch. It was very chilly and really added to the feel of fall.

Lollapalooza 2010

2010-08-30T18:33:00.009-05:00

This year we got tickets for Lollapalooza. The great thing about a music festival is that even the kids enjoy it. They had a great area for the kids with all kinds of crafts, drum circles and so forth. They even had a kids stage with fantastic kid bands. The boys spent most of their time play with the instruments.

After the kids left it was time for Lady Gaga. One word "Endurance." I was fully entertained.

Summer Misc.

2010-08-30T18:15:00.003-05:00

To celebrate the fourth of July went went to a small parade at a nearby neighborhood. They had the traditional line of fire trucks, police cars, army cars, horses and so forth that you come to expect at a parade. The kids had a blast cheering for the parade and collecting candy as it was thrown.

Jeremiah took this picture.

Ben's company received recognition at the Rape Victims Advocacy Annual Award Ceremony this year. I am very proud of all of them and mostly proud of the amazing husband that I have.

City living means train riding. I think the kids will never tire of trains.

I just like this picture. Jeremiah took it of Davis when we were at the lake house in Michigan. I don't know how he does it, but for a four year old he has an eye for pictures.

Lake time

2010-08-28T18:36:00.008-05:00

At least in Chicago people really take advantage of the brief summer. The lake has been good to us. The boys and I have found some days during the week to hit the lake. Ben had a few days off here and there and joined us for running, playing and castle building in the sand.

Jeremiah was very helpful the first time I decided to take the boys solo.

He even put the sunblock on D's face.

We have also been blessed to be invited to spend two weekends at a lake house in Michigan. The first weekend was a family weekend. We went out on on the boat, both boys went on the tube being pulled by the boat. Jeremiah was lucky enough to go out on the jet ski. Unfortunately we didn't have the camera down at the water.

Davis and the smore.

The second trip was for a friends birthday. We left the kids with my parents and had a blast at the lake. I don't have pictures of that weekend because they might get us in trouble... :)

Date with J

2010-07-22T19:01:00.003-05:00

Last month Jeremiah and I went on our first official mommy and J date. We went to the Children's Museum at Navy Pier. The place is amazing. It is three stories of endless fun. We played rock star, fireman, cooked, looked for dino bones and just had a ton of fun.

Chicago Museum (Free Days)

2010-07-12T15:34:00.002-05:00

In an effort to enjoy the city we live in, without going broke, I decided to find all of the free days of the major museums in Chicago. Since I have young children who still nap and can't manage an entire day at the museum it doesn't make sense to spend the money for 2-3 hours. So here we are, a list of museums with web-links to their free days.

Museum of Science and Industry
http://www.msichicago.org/visit-the-museum/museum-info/admission/free-days/

The Art Institute of Chicago
http://www.artic.edu/aic/visitor_info/geninfo.html

Field Museum
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/plan_visit/free_days.htm

Museum of Science and Industry
http://www.msichicago.org/visit-the-museum/museum-info/admission/

Chicago Children's Museum
http://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/hours.html

Adler PlanetariumAddress:‎
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/plan/discounts

Shedd Aquarium
http://www.sheddaquarium.org/discounts.html

Brookfield Zoo...Water fun!

2010-06-13T15:33:00.005-05:00

The best thing we have purchased since we moved to Chicago is our membership to the Brookfield Zoo. Not only did it come in handy during the long winter with their indoor exhibits, but it is proving to be just as much fun now that we are finally experiencing some warmer weather.

Last weekend we went for a couple hours and made is a mini-seaworld adventure. We feed the stingrays, watched the dolphin show and played in the water spouts. Unfortunately Davis didn't like it when the dolphin splashed him but recovered rather well.

Davis Turns 2!

2010-06-13T15:26:00.007-05:00

I know this is a little late, but what can I say, I am terrible at updating my blog. So never-the-less, Davis turned two on May 27th and we celebrated in style. We had Italian Beef sandwiches, wraps, fresh fruit and veggies, sangria (thank you Andrea), chocolate cupcakes and plenty of little boys. It seems no matter where we live we have so many little boys around. Davis had a blast and loves all of his new toys and books. Thanks to all who came.

May Madness

2010-05-20T19:01:00.004-05:00

This month has been full of more adventure than expected. My parents came to visit and during their visit we took advantage of the Union Station Train Day, free admission at the Field Museum and of course the zoo...always the zoo.

Things that make a 2 year old happy.

2010-05-06T09:18:00.005-05:00

Davis is easily entertained but rather demanding. Here is a list of the top 10 things he likes to do.

1. Fasten his booster seat buckle. Then scream for me to unbuckle it.

2. Pull all of the cushions off of the couch and make forts with them while hiding from Jeremiah. This applies to my bed as well.

3. Dump dirt from the sand box onto the porch.

4. Run over the flowers in my garden, like a jungle. We can thank Jeremiah for teaching him this.

5. Getting food out of the cabinets and stacking the cans.

6. Sneaking ice out the the freezer. We have a bottom freezer.

7. Dancing.

8. Sword fighting. Another game we can thank Jeremiah for.

9. Talk! He can hold entire conversations with you without you understanding a word. But the funny part is, if you look away he gently grabs your chin and moves it back to look at him.

10. Anything Jeremiah does. If Jeremiah takes his shirt off and runs around the kitchen table you can count on Davis to be right behind him.

These little things make me love his strong willed, independent attitude. I can't believe he will be two later this month.

Finding the fork.

2010-05-05T08:33:00.003-05:00

Each morning the kids eat breakfast in the living room while watching cartoons. This morning their fruit was mango. So each boy had a fork and bowl for their mango. Davis wanted more, shocking, so I went to the kitchen and got him more. When I returned to the living room I couldn't find his fork. So I said, "Davis, if you want your mango we need your fork. Where is your fork?" He ran over to the couch, lifted the cushion and found his fork. Silly bear.

You can't catch a squirrel with fishing wire!

2010-05-04T18:05:00.003-05:00

Today we did a little project. We took several pine cones, rolled them in peanut butter and added bird seed for the neighborhood critters. We hung about 6, with fishing wire, throughout our backyard and waited patiently.

While I was making dinner I noticed a squirrel tugging at one next to the birdhouse we have in the yard. I called for Jeremiah to come a take a look. We watched this squirrel struggle for several minutes until he finally broke the fishing wire and ran off with the entire pine cone. Jeremiah thought it was fantastic.

Above is a picture of one of the floating pine cones.

Below is the birdhouse that is missing the pine cone.

Jealousy and Guilt

2010-04-29T14:51:00.001-05:00

While reading the May edition of Chicago Parent I was drawn to a comment made by Editor Tamara L O’Shaughnessy in the “From the Editor” section. She said, “I didn’t expect to feel so jealous of the stay-at-home moms laughing and playing with their little ones at the park as I pass every day at lunch.”

I think that as a mother who has been on both sides I understand that jealousy. However, as a stay-at-home mom I can guarantee you that we are looking at you thinking “I wish that was me walking on my lunch break, not dealing with the kids.”

It is a rather ironic dichotomy. As a working mom you have a sense of guilt for working and not being home. You fear that others, namely stay-at-home moms, look at you as a career driven, heartless woman, who most likely had children to prove a point. As a stay-at-home mom you have a sense of guilt as well. You fear that others, namely working moms, look at you as a mindless, gym going, park playing, weak woman who most likely went to college for her MRS.

The truth of the matter is that it is mostly all in your head. I went back to work after my first child. As a matter of fact, I took a promotion during maternity leave. I was on the fast track, looking at being a director in the next year or two. I had guilt, I was jealous, and I wanted to be home laughing and playing with my child at the park. After my second child I went back to work, but because of my husband’s travel schedule with his job we made a decision for me to stay at home with the kids. Now as a stay-at-home mom I have guilt, I am jealous, and I want to be going to work: interacting with adults and making adult decisions.

I have had the privilege of being a working mom and a stay-at-home mom; both teaching me valuable lessons about the so-called pressures of society and myself. The truth is; you can’t win. No matter the decision you make you will feel guilty, jealous and want to be doing something else. Maybe not everyday but once in a while you will see that mom at the park with her kids or walking on her lunch break and think, “I wish that were me.”

Hairdryer

2010-04-18T14:37:00.003-05:00

So this is totally pointless but I have to share my stupidity anyway...I have been using the guest hairdryer for the last six months. It just works better than mine. However, it remains in the guest bathroom and I still refer to it as the "guest" hair dryer. So today I got out my handy dandy "old" hair dryer to test it out, maybe it is better than I remembered. But no, all hot air and no blow.

So I thought to myself, "I loved this hairdryer once upon a time; has it always been this bad and I didn't know or did something happen to it?" Then I realized the back opens...what...a filter. Needless-to-say I cleaned out the filter and I am happy to report that my hair dryer is back to it's old self. "Guest" hair dryer you have been good, but I will keep you for company.

Boys Dr. Apt.

2010-03-26T15:14:00.002-05:00

Today we finally went to the doctor. Davis missed his 18 month appointment and Jeremiah his 4 year appointment so we have some catching up to do. Overall they are both very healthy.

Jeremiah 4 years old

weighs 34 lbs 50%

height 75%

Davis 21 Months

weighs 31.5 lbs 75%

height 50%

Unfortunately, Davis got a cold this week and it turned into an ear infection so he was unable to get his shots. We are getting him on his first round of antibiotics ever and will return to the docs in two weeks. Jeremiah was healthy and VERY good when he got his shot.

Just an update

2010-03-26T08:43:00.002-05:00

Since we moved we have not had much luck with the Internet so updates have not been very regular. But we have had some fun now that the sun has come out some. We have a great zoo less than 3 miles from the house (Brookfield Zoo). We got an annual membership a couple months ago and have gone several times. They have a great indoor play area for the kids and we have spent many hours there.

In addition to the zoo we have finally met a couple neighbors. There are two little boys who live next door. Keith is 13 and Nick is 9 (I think). Jeremiah adores Nick and he has been really sweet to J. They played in the front yard taking turns on the scooter and skateboard. Davis is a wild child with his tricycle on the sidewalk; giving me a great workout.

Speaking of workouts; I have been teaching spin at the YMCA for the last 6 weeks. It has been great, I have met some people and am going to teach a total body fitness class next session. They will send me to some training so I don't have to pay for my own certifications. In addition, the family gets a discount membership and discounts on all classes. I plan to put Jeremiah in swimming lessons come April.

Finally, Ben and I have been able to embrace the "date night". Funny, you have a husband in town and you can do things together. My parents have visited several times and we have used their services to our advantage. We have been to several plays, played co-ed football with some co-workers (COLD), went to a rockin' roller skating party and went to a concert this past weekend at the House of Blues. I like having a city with lots to do so close, but I still miss the charm of Austin.

Over all I am trying to adjust. It has been harder than I expected. Each move in the past I worked and was able to adjust quickly with a network of friends etc. This has been very difficult, we are still looking for a church and I miss my friends in Austin. I am trying to get involved and meet people and I am sure it will take some time. Hopefully we will get this Internet thing fixed and I will be able to post more often...maybe with some pictures. But until then, I hope all is well.

Snow Days

2010-02-01T14:46:00.004-06:00

In Chicago it snows and when it does it stays for a long time. Never-the-less, the boys have had some fun in the snow for the first time.

Jeremiah turned 4

2010-02-01T13:27:00.006-06:00

With the move I neglected to post Jeremiah's 4 year birthday info. Yes, my boy is 4 (January 7th). We had a little party with the Murphy's (Ben's boss and friend). They have two kids close to our boys' ages. We had brunch, played games, opened gifts and just had a nice time chatting and hanging out with very fun, sweet people. I totally forgot to take any pictures of the actual party...once again neglecting my poor child's birthday.

So much change

2010-02-01T13:21:00.008-06:00

It has been a long time and so much has happened. For those who don't have the details here they are.

October-Ben got offered a promotion to Chicago.
October 29th-Austin house went on the market.November 2nd-Got offer on Austin house.
November 17th-closed on Austin house.
November 17th-December 8th-Stayed with friends and family until we closed on a house in Chicago.

Since then we have cleaned, cleaned, cleaned, got new windows, new window covers, stained some floors, cleaned some more, unpacked etc.

I am finally at a point where I am willing to share a few pictures of the new house. We have not done any painting yet but plan to very soon. We miss everyone in Austin a ton and hope you all know how special you are and how special you made our time in Austin.

Note: this has been sitting in my draft for a while. Sorry.

Holidays

2010-02-01T13:20:00.003-06:00

This year the holidays were a bit crazy with the move, but we managed to spend time with each side of the family. My parents had the boys when Ben and I left for Chicago so they came up and spent a couple weeks with us as we unpacked and celebrated Christmas with Santa (my dad) a few days early. Then we drove to Southern IL to Ben's Grandmother's house to meet up with Ben's parents and sister for the holiday. We were so blessed this year with some great gifts for the kids and for us. Overall, it was a really nice holiday.

Davis got a little tricycle and Jeremiah had the best time helping him open it. Since then it hasbeen one of their favorite toys to play with on the hard wood floors while we are trying to stay warm.

Jeremiah's Interview

2009-12-07T11:28:00.005-06:00

Jeremiah's pre-school does a monthly news letter and each month they interview some of the children. This month they interviewed Jeremiah. This is what Jeremiah had to say.

Jeremiah's School Performance

2009-11-08T12:58:00.002-06:00

Today Jeremiah's pre-school was doing a special performance at church. So, instead of going to our normal church we decided to go to Jeremiah's school. On our way Jeremiah said that his belly hurt but we figured he had to go to the bathroom. When we got there Jeremiah went to the bathroom with Ben while Davis and I found a seat. The performances began and Jeremiah's class was up next. They all walked into the sanctuary toward the front of the church. I saw Jeremiah holding his teachers hand as they were walking. As the other kids walked to the front he would not let go of her hand so she sat with him in the front row. I went up and got him and he said his belly was hurting a lot; so we headed home. A few minutes later he felt fine..come to find out it was just nerves. I can't believe it, his first performance and he was so scared that he couldn't do it. His teacher said that he was shy but I guess we have a bit of stage fright as well.

GRRRR

2009-10-30T14:05:00.002-05:00

Today I put Davis down for his nap. I heard him upstairs crying so I went in to check on him. He had thrown his nuk and blanket bear out of the crib. I picked up blanket bear and got on my hands and knees to find the nuk. As I was looking for the nuk I looked up at Davis; he laughed and said "GRRRR". Yes, my kid growled at me.

On the Market!

2009-10-29T20:21:00.007-05:00

Our house officially went on the market today. In less than three hours we had someone come to see it. I hope that is a sign of how quickly our house sells. Wish us luck.

Chicago here we come!

2009-10-14T20:36:00.003-05:00

The last few weeks have been pretty tricky. First of all my sister and her family decided to move to Austin because my brother-in-law was looking for more work and CA was getting too expensive. They got here mid September. During their trip my brother-in-law got a call from a company in Seattle with whom he had already been working with. They offered him a full-time position. They settled into our house for a few weeks and then he took off to Seattle last week to begin working and get things settled for the kids and my sister.

In the meantime, Ben's company gave him an offer to work in the office, with less travel and the ability to use his degree (which will be complete in December). This means selling our house and moving to Chicago by December (the house may take longer). This is a bitter-sweet move. The bitter is leaving all of those we have grown to love, a city we adore and a house that is ours. The sweet is that instead of traveling 40+ weeks a year Ben will only travel 6 weeks a year. That weighed heavier than any other argument for Austin. So, that being said, we are moving to Chicago the first week of December. We will miss Austin but are excited about the new move.

Placemats

2009-10-01T15:41:00.005-05:00

My sister, her husband and two kids are here in Austin for a while before they move to Seattle...long story. Anyway, I have this dinning table with deep grooves and it is so irritating to clean. That being said we decided to make placemats with the kids. It was a fun art project and it has saved some cleaning after each meal.

Jeremiah was very excited and into the project!

This is Kaia, just one week before she turns five.

Logan is 7, he didn't need help with the glue.

First day of Pre-school

2009-09-01T11:13:00.003-05:00

Today was Jeremiah's first day at pre-school. We went to the open house last week and he loved it. He told us that he wanted to go 5 times.

I was very hopeful, but today he was very sad and didn't want us to leave. This morning he claimed to be sick, his finger hurt, then his head, then his feet didn't want shoes. Never-the-less, we dropped him off and so far no call. What have I done with my morning while Davis naps??? Updated my blog what else.

Roller Skates

2009-09-01T10:56:00.005-05:00

Since our visit to CA in July Jeremiah has been obsessed about roller skates. His cousins Logan and Kaia had some and he LOVED them. So the other day I saw some on the discount rack and could not pass it up. He was so excited when we got home. We made him put all of the protective gear on since we have wood floors and he was off.

Davis really wanted to try them and Jeremiah was really sweet to let him.

After a hard day of skating the boys enjoyed some fresh chocolate chip cookies in the cabinets.

August..Zip lines, concerts, giraffes and parks.

2009-08-31T20:12:00.016-05:00

We had a great last two weeks of August. We celebrated Ben's birthday by going on a Canopy tour here in Austin. I think we are both more dare devilish than we realized because hanging on zip lines up in the trees didn't scare either of us; skydiving is the only logical next step.

Then I was so lucky to win a radio contest where the prize was a meet and greet with Rob Thomas. It was amazing, there was like 40 people in a small radio studio. He did a few songs, answered a few questions and then took pictures. Here are the pictures from the radio station because we were not allowed to use our own cameras.

Last week I went out to coffee with some dear friends for Leslie's birthday. We enjoyed a nice cup of joe, company and a beautiful lightening storm. Saturday we spent the afternoon with some CA friends and the Beards. We went out to TDS and drove through the Animal Preserve and fed the giraffes. I didn't get any pictures of Davis feeding Stretch but he did and it was so cute.

Finally, today I spent the afternoon with a couple of old co-workers/friends from CA. It was great to see them and hang out at Zilker Park. They loved the kids and we had a lot of fun catching up.

Mohawk

2009-08-20T09:37:00.002-05:00

About a month ago Ben asked me if he could give Davis a Mohawk. I kind of just laughed it off and said "we can talk about it later." So the other day I walked into the bathroom where Ben and Davis were sitting on the floor midst haircut...or better yet midst Mohawk. Ben figured if I didn't like it he could just cut it. I hate to admit it but it is cute and fits the kids personality.

Hot Summer Daze!!!

2009-08-14T14:28:00.003-05:00

California Trip

2009-08-03T15:27:00.009-05:00

Our trip to CA this summer was fantastic. We flew my parents out as well so we could have the entire family together. We got to CA on July 18th and spent the night with Ben's parents. That morning we got up and met up with my extended family in Tehachapi; cousins, aunts, uncles, sisters, parents etc. I would say 20 plus people. We had a very fun BBQ and stayed there that night before heading up to San Luis Obispo.

We stayed at my sister's place in SLO. The kids had so much fun with their cousins and my parents were thrilled to have all the little grand-babies together. We ditched the kids with Mamaw and Papaw for a grown up movie night of Harry Potter. The next day we went Avila Barn where the kids (and adults) picked and ate as many peaches as we could. Jeremiah claims he ate 5 total...I believe it. The barn was fun, they fed animals and got as messy as they could possibly get. Unfortunately all fun things must come to an end and we drove back down to Southern CA to leave the kids with Ben's parents while Ben and I flew off to CO for a quick wedding (see wedding blog).

After the wedding we spent the rest of our visit with Ben's parents. We went to the beach where Jeremiah started a pickup game of baseball and Davis went wild in the water. Ben's parents took us to dinner at the restaurant where Ben and I had our first date and rehearsal dinner (strange with kids). We went back to our old church and were so blessed to see so many people we love and miss. The rest of the time was spent in the pool or eating In-N-Out.

We had a great CA trip. It seemed so short because we were having such a great time but now that I am home...."There is no place like home."

Disney's Goofy is not a dog!!!

2009-08-03T14:48:00.006-05:00

Today Jeremiah and I had a big debate. He would not, could not, and still will not believe that Goofy is a dog. He thinks that Goofy is a person.

I completely understand his argument:

1. Goofy wears a hat.

2. Goofy wears clothes.

3. Goofy stands up.

4. Pluto is a dog.

So I said to Jeremiah, "what is Mickey?" "A mouse" was his reply. "What is Donald?" "A duck" was his reply. We went through several characters with the same rationale. However, when we got to Goofy, he still insisted that he was a person. The mind of a 3 year old baffles me; he can extend the boundaries of reality one way but has very strict perimeters the other way. I don't think I will try to win this one, pick your battles right?

Summer Weddings

2009-08-01T09:35:00.005-05:00

This is the summer of weddings for us. It has been a while since I have had so many friends get married, but this summer we had three weddings.

We went to CA in April for my close college buddies wedding, he just so happens to also be one of Ben's frat brothers. It was a beautiful, traditional Indian wedding. I wore a traditional sari for the ceremony and changed into American clothes for the reception. The Barat was perfect, it began at 8:30AM the groom rode in on a horse and the groomsmen danced to traditional Indian drums (the groomsmen were all mostly Caucasian so it was amusing to watch them try to dance. I was able to tease them later since they were mostly Ben's frat brothers as well). The ceremony ended around 1ish and we had an amazing lunch with the most tasty Indian cuisine. After that I headed over to the Long Beach Aquarium with the kids for an afternoon of touching sharks and watching jelly fish with Ben's parents.

The reception began that night at 6:30PM..more tasty Indian food. We ate, danced and celebrated until nearly 1:30AM, I was exhausted. We got up early the next morning to go to church with Mike and Jackie for Easter. It was a wonderful wedding.

Nearly a month later I flew to Lexington, KY for a wedding of an old co-worker. It was an amazing day, the weather was perfect and Lexington is a very pretty city. The wedding was held out at an old horse stable and race course. The scenery was breathtaking, during the ceremony the horses were running in the fields and the trees were a bold green, such a beautiful setting for a wedding. I had a great time reconnecting with co-workers from the past.

Both April and May weddings were great but I was missing a very important part...Ben. July however we (yes Ben too) made a quick trip to CO for the wedding of one of my High School friends and bridesmaids.

The wedding was in a little town called Granby. It was beautiful, way up in the mountains, outdoor ceremony, and fantastic food. It was great to see my friends Katie (the bride) and Beth (her twin sister). Katie looked fantastic, the bridesmaids were in bright, sunshine yellow and her dogs presented the wedding rings. It was also very nice to have Ben there, we were able to have a nice romantic dance and a brief but nice weekend without the kids.

All in all I need a break from weddings.

hippopotamus

2009-07-16T11:58:00.002-05:00

While eating lunch today Jeremiah began asking me questions about what hippopotamus' can do. The conversation went like this...

J-Mommy do Hippopotamus swim?

Me-Yes, they are good swimmers.

J-But they also run?

Me-Yes, they are really good runners.

J-I think that if I swim in the water with the Hippo he will eat my legs off. Then I will have no legs and I will have no feet for my shoes.

WHAT! Where do they come up with these things???

Chicago Trip

2009-07-15T15:09:00.004-05:00

This summer Ben's company flew us out to Chicago for a week. While Ben trained new employees the boys and I played in the city. It was great weather and we had a great time. We spent a lot of time splashing in the fountains at the new Millennium Park, ate at all types of fun restaurants including Weber Grill and Ed Debevic's. Jeremiah enjoyed watching the bridge rise for the big boats to go through, he said that the bridge "broke". If you ask him what his favorite part was he would have to say the BBQ at the Murphy's house (Ben's boss). I am sad to say we have no pictures of the BBQ and the kids playing but they were really good and sweet. Overall the trip was a fun break from the regular day to day schedule.

Fire Truck

2009-07-15T14:44:00.005-05:00

This year was the first since we have lived here that I was available to participate in a day with the Austin Fire Department. Jeremiah, like most little boys, loves trucks so I expected this to be fantastic. The problem is that he is rather shy in this type of situation, I couldn't get a picture of him in the truck because he wouldn't get in the truck. He did climb on the side as long as I was right there. Never-the-less it was fun and I can finally say I have taken my boys to play on a Fire Truck.

Hawaii 09

2009-07-04T20:30:00.010-05:00

Ben has been traveling so much with work this past 6 months that we put all of our eggs into one basket and decided we would pack 6 months of quality time into one fabulous week in Hawaii. We have never had so much fun in one vacation.

I arrived in Honolulu on Friday, June 12th. Ben had been there for a week already for work but was ready for some down time. We stayed at the Hilton resort in Waikiki, it was perfect. We got up early Saturday morning and took the jeep we rented to go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay and hiking in Pali park; a beautiful rain forest. During our hike we stumbled across a cute little waterfall. On Sunday we hiked up Diamond Head and went to a local Swap Meet to buy gifts. Ben had to work on Monday so I watched his AM show and the headed off to a solo surfing lesson. That night we headed up to the North Shore to spend the rest of our vacation at Turtle Bay.

Turtle Bay was amazing, I would love to live in the North Shore....perfect in every way. Tuesday was spent snorkeling in the bay, drinking coconut milk out of the coconut, getting the most wonderful massage and dining in the Sunset restaurant (watching the sunset). Ben had never had a massage before and I convinced him to join me in the beach front hut for a couple's massage.

Wednesday was the highlight of the trip I think. We went cage diving with sharks, Galapagos Sharks to be exact. It was such a rush and an amazing feeling to be face to face with such amazing creatures.

That night we went to the Polynesian Cultural Center for a traditional Luau. Thursday morning we went for a horseback ride on the beach and drank Mai Tai's at the pool. Friday was a lazy day spent at the pool and beach. Saturday we had to go home. We missed the boys but were not ready to leave the island. Overall it was just what Ben and I needed.

Jeremiah the boss

2009-07-04T20:12:00.003-05:00

Today we were playing in the little pool and blowing bubbles in the backyard when Davis decided that it was time to go back inside. He walked over to the back door and began pushing the door and screaming indicating that he wanted in. Jeremiah walked over very calmly and said "Davis, we are playing in the pool or blowing bubbles, those are your options." Pretty darn funny.

Pool Time

2009-06-07T20:50:00.003-05:00

With the summer in full swing here in Austin we had to get our annual play pool. Here are some cute pictures of the boys having a great time in the pool. Davis goes in head first it is classic.

GO DODGERS

2009-06-07T20:32:00.007-05:00

Thanks to Aunt Denise and Uncle Greg the kids have adorable Dodger outfits now. I am thrilled about this as is Jeremiah. He wore my Dodger hat because it "matches" and played ball in the back yard. He was too funny removing the hat each time he ran the bases.

Sea World!

2009-06-05T09:06:00.005-05:00

We decided to brave the world of theme parks and take the boys to Sea World. We waited until Davis was ready for his AM nap and drove the hour and 15 minutes down to San Antonio, piled on the sun block and headed into the park. The first thing we did was the Shamu show, it was amazing. Both boys were fascinated and it nearly brought me to tears. These whales are so big, beautiful, and graceful. We sat in the last row of the "splash zone" so that we got the effect of the splash without the wet-fishy aftermath.

After that we went to the kids play area where Jeremiah and I went on his first ever roller coaster. He was very excited until we got onto the ride and then he told me he didn't want to do it. Unfortunately it was too late to get off and the ride began. He did OK, until it got really fast and turned a corner. We almost purchased the picture because his face was classic but we passed it up. Now when you ask his favorite thing he says the fast train, although he did not want to do it again. If Davis could talk he would tell you that he loved the foam play area for little kids. The place was so empty we had almost the entire play area and had a blast.

The rest of the day was filled with alligators, penguins, and the icing on the cake...feeding the dolphins. It was a great day, I would suggest it to anyone.

I Love to Clean!

2009-06-03T10:10:00.004-05:00

So I realized that I really do love to clean, it is therapeutic for me. I know it sounds wrong but I have finally come to terms with it and have decided to embrace it. I realized it yesterday when I went to clean a little pee from a little boy on the bathroom floor. It turned into a full out clean the bathroom and while I am at it scrub the kitchen floor on my hands and knees. While I was cleaning I thought about my cleaning habits. It seems to happen like this...

I put the boys down for their afternoon naps with the intention of resting myself...in front of the TV, with a book, taking a nap who knows. I take a seat on the couch and notice a crumb on the floor from morning snacks. I get up to pick it up and realize that there is a little trail. I decide to sweep it and notice a couple spots where Davis dribbled his milk so I grab the swiffer to mop the mess. Well, I have the swiffer I may as well do the kitchen. But if I mop the kitchen I should clean the counters first. I should empty the dishwasher and load it with the items in the sink from breakfast, this dish towel is dirty I should put it in the laundry room. Oh, look I can do a load of towels, I guess I should fold the cloths in the dryer. You get the picture I am sure.

Once I am done I think...wow I need to sit and have a little down time. Right, I just spent the last two hours cleaning and now the kids are waking from their naps. As soon as they get up the mess begins again and after I put them to bed I find myself doing the same routine. I need to find a hobby.

Davis Turns One!!!

2009-05-25T09:20:00.007-05:00

It is hard to believe how fast time goes by. It was a year ago that I was so ready to have this sweet baby boy never knowing how much he would bless us. He was born on May 27th weighing 7lbs 15oz....my big boy.

We had his birthday party on Saturday with a handful of friends. We filled up the little tyke pool, had the t-ball, soccer nets, basketball hoop, and football for the kids to play with. Do you see a theme? Davis loves balls so we thought we would do a ball theme. We had pizza and cupcakes, a perfect day for a perfect party. We had a wonderful time, I feel very blessed and fortunate to have such loving people around to love my children and be a support to Ben and I.

I look forward to another amazing year with my sweet boys.

Balloons!

2009-05-25T09:00:00.010-05:00

Jeremiah is all about sword fighting, we went to the Pecan St Festival and there was a man making balloon animals and such. Jeremiah asked for a sword and the man made him a sword and saber. This was the focus of most of his play for the next few days until the balloons became flat. So I got inspired, I went to Youtube and found some videos on how to make balloon art. It was pretty easy, I am not great but I am super cool in the eyes of my boys and they always have a soft balloon sword "For Narnia".

Eyebrows

2009-05-24T20:11:00.003-05:00

Tonight while putting Jeremiah to bed he asked if I would cuddle him for a while. Typically when we cuddle at bedtime he chats about whatever may be on his mind at the time. Tonight he asked me why my eyebrows were big (ok, I thought I was keeping them well trimmed). So I explained to him that God made me that way. Then the conversation turned to what else God made. It went a little something like this...

Me-God made the sky, the earth, the animals

J-the trees, fish and flowers

me-yeah

J-and stars, frogs, elephants

me-that is right

J-(very excited) oh, and God made pizza

My boys, always thinking of food.

Practicing Pilates.

2009-05-07T18:29:00.006-05:00

Jeremiah is totally into fitness. Working out with Ben, doing yoga or pilates with me. Today I was working out and he just really got into it...I on the other hand gave up.

Davis is walking!!!!

2009-05-07T18:13:00.002-05:00

Wow, my baby will be a year at the end of the month and he is so motivated by his older brother that he does all he can to keep up. The attempt to walk started about a month ago when he would take three steps here and there, fall and crawl. It slowly graduated to 5 steps, 8 steps and now he walks, stops, looks like he will fall but regains his balance and walks again.

Jeremiah didn't really go through this stage, on his first birthday he discovered he could walk and he was off no stopping him. It is so neat to see how they differ in their development and personality. I think this shows that Davis likes to "test the waters" and Jeremiah is a "dive in head first" kind of guy. Either way I realize now it is all about to change and my work is about to increase now that Davis is walking tall.

what's the harm?

2009-04-28T18:25:00.003-05:00

While making dinner tonight the kids were playing in the kitchen. Not anything out of the ordinary. Not until Davis grabbed the container of cheerios out of my purse, dumped them onto the kitchen floor and grinned with joy. Cheerio Heaven.

Sippy Cups

2009-04-27T19:11:00.001-05:00

I have been finding sippy cups in Jeremiah's toy kitchen. I just assumed it was Jeremiah playing with them. Tonight I found Davis stuffing his water cup and Jeremiah's milk cup in the kitchen and closing the doors. Stinker!

Nap Time

2009-04-23T10:07:00.002-05:00

Since returning back from CA we have gotten back into the swing of things and back onto a schedule. Davis knows when it is nap time and has a new way of telling me. The past few mornings he removes the pillows off of the couch and lays on them...letting me know it is time. Too cute.

Three Little Steps

2009-04-20T18:18:00.003-05:00

Davis is starting to walk. This week he took three steps in a row and has done so several times. This evening, after dinner, Jeremiah and Davis were playing chase. They both crawl very fast around the living room. I told Jeremiah that very soon they will be able to play chase running and not crawling. Jeremiah looked at me, looked at Davis and said "I will be so excited, Davis is getting bigger." I just love watching them two of the interact.

I look Stupid!!!

2009-04-19T10:33:00.004-05:00

This morning Jeremiah dressed up in his pirate bandana, construction goggles, sword and shield (tupperware lid). I told him he looked silly...he proclaimed "I don't look silly, I look stupid."

Missing Imhotep

2009-04-18T09:42:00.005-05:00

This past week we went on Vacation to CA. I traveled with the boys...by myself...I will create a completely separate posting about that with pics. Never the less, while we were gone Imhotep (EMO) or dog was being watched by an old co-worker of mine. Unfortunately it rained and when it rains he digs in the mud. He tracked in muddy prints throughout the downstairs with twigs and leafs. But the sad part is that he got out on Monday night and has yet to be seen since. He has a collar with number on it and most of the neighbors know him. Anyway, today the boys and I are going on Imoquest...wish us luck.

Jesus Loves Me

2009-04-06T19:23:00.000-05:00

I walked into Jeremiah's room tonight to hear him singing Jesus Loves Me. This is how it went...

J-For the Bible tells me so

Me-Jesus loves me this I know

J-No Mommy... Jesus no hit me this I know for the Bible tells me so, Daddy tickle me this I know for the Bible tells me so. Yes the Bible loves me for Daddy tells me so.

The chase is on...

2009-03-31T15:15:00.006-05:00

This video is a little old (about a month) but I am finally getting around to posting it. I have another one but I can't seem to get it to load properly. Enjoy...THE CHASE.

Bluebonnets

2009-03-29T15:21:00.002-05:00

One of the prettiest aspects of living in Austin is the Bluebonnets that grow wild in the Spring. Local tradition involves forcing children to sit in them and take adorable pictures. This is as adorable as a forced photo session can get around our house.

Rolling with my Homies!

2009-03-24T12:09:00.003-05:00

I don't really need to explain....I thought I had at least 13 more years.

Home furnishings - Opinions?

2009-03-24T11:58:00.002-05:00

We are trying to make our living room a bit warmer. The white walls are so blah but cost way too much to paint. So we have done a couple changes and I need opinions. We put some sconces with candles on the stairs, new curtains, cute photo frame near the kitchen and a very colorful painting in the dining room. I like all of what we have done but am unsure about the painting above the couch. Take a look and let me know.

Dodging Davis

2009-03-18T08:47:00.005-05:00

We allow Jeremiah to eat breakfast in the living room while watching cartoons in the morning. Now that Davis is all over the place Jeremiah is always on the defense with his food. This morning he got wise and found a place to watch his cartoons and eat in peace.

God made the Fish and Rocks!

2009-03-12T09:51:00.001-05:00

We are currently fish sitting "the fish" for the Beards while they are in CA. This morning we fed the fish and Jeremiah was patiently waiting for the fish to eat. He began the normal string of why questions. Why is there water? Why is the fish in water? Why are there rocks in the water? Then he said "God made the Fish and Rocks." I was impressed, he proceeded to say "and God made me, God made Mommy, God made Daddy and God made Davis." It was so sweet.

Waxing Philosophical

2009-03-10T12:57:00.002-05:00

The other day Ben was lying on the couch and Jeremiah was climbing all over him, as he is prone to doing. He then jumped on Ben's stomach and Ben said "ouch." Jeremiah, in a very consoling voice, said "Don't worry Daddy, boo-boos can only get better." Ahh, blind optimism.

Blueberry Love!

2009-03-04T13:04:00.003-06:00

Davis is teething so I decided to let him enjoy some frozen blueberries. I remembered that it really helped Jeremiah, not to mention he LOVED them. I guess I forgot the mess of the blueberry. Here are pictures of the boys enjoying their frozen berries. The top two are Jeremiah just before his first birthday followed by Davis at nine months...I still think Davis is much bigger.

9 Month Check Up

2009-03-02T17:58:00.003-06:00

Davis had his nine month check up on Friday and all is well. He is a happy, healthy baby with two teeth on the bottom (the second one popped in on Thursday night). His percentages have gone down but that is to be expected considering how mobile he is now days. He is 20.2lbs (50%) and 29 inches long (75%) close to Jeremiah at the same age, he was 19.4lbs and 28 inches long. It is funny since I can't help but to think of Davis as being so much bigger than J was. He is eating most everything we are willing to give him and Jeremiah is very gracious with his food. They are so much fun to watch together, they are very interactive and seem to really love each other.

Bath Time Fun

2009-02-26T20:22:00.003-06:00

It is so much fun to see the boys really becoming interested in each other. They play together now and laugh at each other all of the time, it is really sweet. So for grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends....here are the boys in the tub.

Hot Dog!!!

2009-02-26T14:05:00.005-06:00

Last week I watched a Arias and Titus one afternoon. The kids were having a great time dancing in the kitchen so I grabbed my camera to capture the moment.

Smart Baby or Lab Rat

2009-02-24T14:26:00.003-06:00

On Friday Davis and I took a journey to the University of Texas at Austin (UT) Department of Psychology Children's Research Laboratory. We got a call earlier in the week asking if we were willing to participate in a study on how infants discriminate small numerosities (specifically two versus three). I thought this would be fun so we volunteered.

The procedure was rather simple. I held Davis on my lap while he watched images on a computer monitor. I was asked to close my eyes because babies are very connected and sensitive to the feelings of their caregiver. I was told that the images were safe, birds, trucks, etc. so I agreed. We will be receiving a newsletter once the testing is all done and the final results are in. It was a nice experience, the staff and students were great and they all loved Davis. He got a gift upon departure and happily drooled all over it as we left. They asked if we were willing to do any additional tests in the future and we said, well I said, yes.

Nightmares

2009-02-19T17:07:00.003-06:00

At 12:40am this morning, Ben went into Jeremiah's room because of blood-curdling screams. Jeremiah was having his first nightmare. The covers were torn from the bed and Jeremiah was sitting up in a cold sweat. When Ben asked what was wrong, Jeremiah whimpered "chench coast." Ben couldn't understand.

Ben: What do you need?

Jeremiah: Chench Coast.

Ben: New clothes, do you need new clothes?

J: Chench Coast.

Ben: You have cold toes?

J: Chench Coast (screaming), no Chench Coast.

Ben: You need to blow your nose?

J: No, Chench Coast (whimpering), Chench Coast.

Ben: (long pause) Wait, french toast? Do you want french toast.

J: French Toast. Imho get my french toast.

That is our child's deepest subconscious fear. Not monsters or burglars or even giant snakes, but the dog eating his french toast.

Baby Dedication February 15, 2009

2009-02-15T15:30:00.004-06:00

Today was the annual Baby Dedication at our Church. There were 27 babies dedicated this morning. Can you find Davis? (Hint: bottom right)

Naked Exercises!

2009-02-04T10:50:00.002-06:00

I admit, I have sequence headbands, I don't wear them but they came in the package with the other headbands that I wear to keep my hair out of my eyes when I exercise. This morning we opted to exercise at home instead of the gym. I was getting myself together when Jeremiah ran into the bathroom to go potty. That is when it happened, he stripped down naked and said he wanted to swim. I told him he could pretend swim for five minutes. I walked out of the bathroom to grab my shoes and clothes for Jeremiah. That is when Jeremiah decided to meet me downstairs. When I got downstairs there he was stark naked, sequence headbands, on the eliptical machine. So I had to take a picture.

Giant Baby Gate

2009-02-04T10:25:00.004-06:00

Davis (8 months) is fully crawling, pulling up and cruising on furniture. Great! We have giant stairs, therefore we had to get a giant baby gate. We searched for the best rated one and found the only one that will fit. Jeremiah and Davis helped Daddy install it and now we have a beautiful addition to the house.

Mo Willems at BookPeople

2009-01-30T20:11:00.004-06:00

Jeremiah is a big fan of all Mo Willems books. He loves Leonardo the Terrible Monster, any and all of the Pigeon books and has just discovered the Knuffle Bunny and Elephant & Piggie books. That being said last weekend BookPeople, our local book store, had a reading and book signing with Mo himself. He has a new book The Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed and Jeremiah thinks it is fantastic. He was a riot during the reading laughing at all of the jokes and just being very sweet. We stood in line to get our book signed and Jeremiah told him that he enjoyed his books (I might have encouraged that). Anyway, here are some pics of Jeremiah's favorite Author to date.

Jeremiah's Personality

2009-01-21T09:03:00.003-06:00

We have had several funny conversations with Jeremiah the past couple of days and I have to share them.

I took Jeremiah to the child care at the gym and when I picked him up he was playing with this sweet "older" girl. When I got home I told Ben about it and he began to ask Jeremiah questions about this little girl. The conversation went something like this...

Ben: Jeremiah did you make a new friend at the gym?

J: Yes

Ben: What is her name?

J: Um, I don't know.

Ben: What did she look like?

J: Um, I don't know.

Ben: Was she taller or smaller than you?

J: Taller.

Ben: Was she older or younger than you?

J: Older.

Ben: Was she pretty?

J: Um, I don't, Um, I don't, well.

Ben: Was she pretty like mommy?

J: UMMMMM. She was like mommy.

Ben: How was she like mommy?

J: Um, well, I don't, uhh, happy, I don't know.

I figure this is just the beginning of us grilling him for information about a girl and him giving us as little as possible.

The second conversation was during lunch the same day. Ben has cut J's PB&J in the shape of dinosaurs. Jeremiah often likes to bite the top off and say "I bit his head off." Nice and morbid, but today he ate most of the sandwich and then asked for candy. We told him he needed to finish his sandwich, and Ben commented that the dinosaur's butt was still there. Thus Jeremiah quickly popped it in his mouth and exclaimed "I ate his butt, I ate his butt." We're so proud.

This morning we were watching cartoons. Jeremiah loves "Super Why" and when it came on he shouted "Mommy Super Why is on...I need to give you a kiss!"

Jeremiah Turns Three!

2009-01-12T21:01:00.003-06:00

January 7th was Jeremiah's third birthday. We were still in Tennessee, so he didn't get to have a party with friends. However, there was some cake involved, and that seemed to be his primary concern. We made a cake (which he helped decorate) and had some family over for dinner and opened some fun presents, including a very loud keyboard. Yea.

16 Hours in Purgatory

2009-01-10T20:50:00.005-06:00

For Christmas, we made the brilliant decision to drive to Tennessee to visit Shawna's parents outside of Nashville. We had the two parents, the two kids, the one dog, Ben's Aunt (who we dropped off in Arkansas), and Ben's friend, Amber, who was headed that way and hitched a ride. This is exactly what we imagined when we bought a car with a third row. The kids actually did okay there and back, no more fussing than one would expect. Jeremiah is now jonesin' for movies though, having developed a habit with the little DVD player in the car. The visit was great all around, though weather prevented us from some outdoor fun. We went to Opryland and downtown Nashville where Ben and Shawna had a date listening to late-night Karaoke. Shawna decided after this incident, that she would rather not be laid down in a "Bed of Roses" because "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." The boys had a personal visit from Santa (grandpa), rode the tractor, and pet some baby goats. Imho the dog managed to not only escape Shawna's parents' yard, but also break into their neighbors yard which featured two large huskies. He left untouched, the dogs obviously respecting his authority. On New Year's Day, we visited a longtime family friend of Shawna's. She had babysat their sons, now in their early 20's. They were surprised to find out she wasn't "way older" than them. On the drive home, we went by Scotland, AR which is where Ben's Aunt and Uncle live. Shawna had never met Uncle Tommy, and had never witnessed this little town which played a prominent role in her husband's childhood. We made it home early Sunday morning and spent Monday in a stupor.

Quatro-Pedal?

2009-01-08T21:06:00.005-06:00

For a couple of months, Davis has been doing one or two crawl steps. However, he has now officially become mobile. He generally makes it a couple of feet before diving at his desired toy, but were sure this is only the beginning of plenty o' drama. He seems to be using his powers to chase the dog more than anything.

San Antonio with the Murrie's

2009-01-07T20:40:00.001-06:00

We headed down to San Antonio to meet up with Ben's immediate family. His brother's family came in, plus his parents, sister, grandmother, and aunt. Lots of kids, lots of presents, lots of craziness. The kids had a ball, swimming in the giant pool at the Hyatt Resort. Ben and Shawna both braved the waterslide, while Jeremiah and Davis waded in the shallow end with Grandma. There was also a scorpion/spider hunt, Smores, and working out sessions. Jeremiah became very fond of his cousins or "friends" as he calls them.

First ER Visit

2008-12-22T20:33:00.006-06:00

We had a scare this past weekend when Jeremiah twisted his elbow. With how much he runs into walls and smacks his head on things, we're surprised a simple twisted elbow was the first thing that landed him in the ER. However, with how much he was complaining about it (unlike him not to continue playing), we figured it was serious. The Urgent Care office, after not finding any answers, sent us to Dell Children's Hospital Emergency Room. Shawna and J spent over five hours doing X-Rays and trying to keep the little guy happy, but to no avail. We also missed the Reaves Christmas party during this time and were pretty bummed about losing out on one of our few chances to socialize with friends. Dell sent us home with a cast and referred us to an Ortho specialist for two days later. He took off the cast and popped it back into place (this was the fifth time this had been done, so we weren't optimistic). We were also a little panicked, knowing the big Christmas gifts coming down the pipe were a guitar and bike, two things that can't be used with one hand. However, perhaps the cast help it sit because this arm-popping took. Jeremiah, though having gotten used to not using his left arm, eventually came around and is now as good as new. The good news for us is that he is now afraid enough of the doctor that we can usually use that to threaten him when he exaggerates a pain.

Holiday Pizzazz

2008-12-10T21:12:00.002-06:00

Wanted to share some holiday pictures since we went ahead and did everything on time this year.

Jeremiah's conversation with Daddy

2008-12-03T10:09:00.003-06:00

This morning we were talking to Ben on a Webcam. We try to do it each day so that Jeremiah has some Daddy time. This morning we were saying our goodbyes, the conversation went something like this...

Ben - Alright J I have to go, I love you

J - I love you

Ben - I will talk to you later

J - I will talk to you later

Ben - Have a good day

J - Have a good day

Ben - You're Handsome

J - Thank you!

Cleaning Baby...

2008-11-28T10:00:00.002-06:00

This morning we were in the kitchen making Deviled Eggs (I forgot to make them for Thanksgiving yesterday). When Jeremiah announced to me "mommy, I want to clean something" I must be doing something right.

Not Bad...

2008-11-19T18:18:00.008-06:00

Tonight when I gave Jeremiah his dinner he very sweetly said "thank you mommy" took a bite and said "that's not so bad". What is that saying about my cooking???

kidding me...

2008-11-19T18:15:00.002-06:00

This afternoon after Jeremiah's nap we were putting his pants back on. He wanted to do it himself and was having trouble getting the second leg into the second hole. He muddled under his breath "you've got to be kidding me". I think I say that way too often.

Halloween

2008-11-04T20:40:00.007-06:00

I can't believe another Halloween has passed. Last year Jeremiah had the flu so this year was much better. Shawna's parents were in town and we all had a great time going to carnivals, dressing up and trick or treating. Jeremiah was a Doctor, Dr. Murrie AKA McCutie. We stuck Davis in Jeremiah's old chicken costume; Jeremiah was nine months and Davis is only five (fat Baby). Here are some more pics.

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-18T19:17:00.000-05:00

We went to the pumpkin patch on Friday with my parents. The kids had a great time, we went on a hay ride, fed the goats, pet horses and picked our pumpkins. For more pics click on pictures.

Pictures in the Kitchen

2008-10-18T16:27:00.000-05:00

We let Jeremiah take some pics of us in the kitchen the other day and he did a better job than we do.

Family Yoga

2008-10-11T17:20:00.005-05:00

This morning, before the Farmer's Market, Shawna and Jeremiah enjoyed some Family Yoga at Ruta Maya, a coffee shop on South Congress. Jeremiah calls it "exercises."

Town Lake

2008-10-11T17:14:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, we took a walk around Town Lake and enjoyed everyone being in town and in a good mood. More pics here.

Austin Wildlife Expo

2008-10-11T16:57:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, we went to the Austin Wildlife Expo and saw all sorts of fun creatures and outdoor activities. Best free entertainment ever!

My athlete

2008-10-01T20:51:00.001-05:00

What can I say...Jeremiah is a man of all sports.