Friday, December 31, 2010

Where has the year gone???

It's been well over a month since I checked in with the world wide web. Here I am just 7 hours before the changing of the new year and I'm a little baffled as to where 2010 has gone. It seems like we just celebrated the new year. Here it is, time again. I remember as a child thinking that the year went on and on and on and on!  Now as an adult with children of my own it's flying past me and I feel like I'm not even catching a glimpse. Granted, I know I am it just seems too short. I'm grateful for the past year and for all the blessings and trials it brought with it. I am looking forward to 2011 and hope to bring a year in review to you all tonight. ***Who am I kidding... but a girl can hope, right?!***

If I don't make it back tonight to post some of my favorite memories of 2010, I hope that each of you celebrates the ringing in of 2011 with friends and family that you hold dearest. May 2011 be the year of good health, great friends, and the year that we slow down, enjoy the moment, and realize the countless blessings that God is pouring out around us each and every day.

Happy New Year my friends!!!!


xoxo.Jen

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Silhouette



This is by far one of my most favorite pictures, ever!  I'm entering it in the I Heart Faces contest this week, the theme is silhouette! There are several entries so click the button above and stop by and check them all out!  I've found some great bloggers that I now follow through Iheartfaces.com!!

little scarecrow

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Trick-Or-Treat

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I love Fall and everything it brings along with it. This past weekend we took the boys to a small little town just north of here to do some trick-or-treating. Carter chose to dress up as a cowboy, Kody Lostroh to be exact. He had on his "cowboy pants", his chaps, his black hat and his boots. He was set.
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Tucker ended up with Carter's recycled costume from three years ago. Quite frankly, I think it was a perfect idea. It reminded me of the night Carter wore it and well that just made me all giddy inside. Tucker was as cute as Carter was in that little costume.
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There was a costume contest and low and behold our little scarecrow won the contest for his age group!!! Yay! Tucker Bear!!!!!  He could have cared less about being on the steps of the contest. As long as he had his lollipop we were good.
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Carter ran around from business to business trick-or-treating. Tucker was just wandering around here or there doing whatever interested him at the moment. He carried his pumpkin proudly, and never once did he let go of his lolli until it was "all done". Then, we'd dig into the bucket for another lolli.
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As always I thoroughly enjoyed watching them have the time of their lives. It's such a blessing to see them having such a great time. I could not decide which pictures to post and which ones not too, so again... grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and enjoy your visit!!!
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Costume Day!!

Kindergarten has proven to be a hit with Carter. He loves it! Very rarely does he complain about having to go to school or get up early. He loves seeing his friends and seeing him learn new things each day is pretty cool too!
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Last Friday he had the chance to dress up as a story book character. He pulled out his Buzz Light Year book and costume and was certain that is what he would be. The school would do a book parade that morning and all the kids would dress up as their favorite story book character.
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The teachers joined in and it was a lot of fun seeing everyone's ideas. There were witches, there were puppy dogs, monsters, princesses, cowboys, several Buzz Light Years, Hobby Lobbie, Goldie Locks, a caterpillar and the list goes on and on!
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After the parade I stuck around to help out with Carter's Fall festivities in his class. We made spiders to go on their lollipops, a tree that they made using their fingerprints as leaves, a pumpkin plate, a mask, bracelet, and they made monster mash for a snack!
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It was great to see all the little people that Carter spends the majority of his week with. I sat back and wondered how many of these little ones would go all the way through high school with Carter. Would any of them be life long friends? I remember my elementary school years very well. Several of those friendships are still with me today and I wouldn't have it any other way!!
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We ended the morning with lunch with Carter's best pal, Cody. Then we patiently awaited the homecoming parade! The boys had the greatest time. Tucker chilled in the back of my truck watching Elmo for the longest time until he heard the band coming down the street. He then took a front row seat on the side of the street. He enjoyed his pink lollipop as Carter went after each piece of candy that flew through the air!
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I love days like today. It makes me smile really big to spend moments like this with the little fellows that mean the most to me!!!
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Days go by...

I'm reminded of these lyrics as I start this post,

And days go by...
I can feel 'em flyin'
Like a hand out the window in the wind.
The cars go by...
Yeah it's all we've been given,
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by...
Oh and a woo-hoo...



Days fly by. There's absolutely nothing I can do to slow them or freeze them. I'm always catching myself in a moment wishing I could slow down that clock that seems to speed up each day that passes. Call me crazy but to me it seems each year goes by quicker and quicker than the last one did. Bittersweet is the only way I know to sum that up. That's just what last Thursday was for me, completely bittersweet. You see, Tucker has been fighting bedtime for weeks/months now. I'd put him in the crib, he'd climb out. We'd repeat this process numerous times each night. I finally had a mommy moment and came to the conclusion that I was just fighting a losing battle. I can't stop him from moving on to the next stage... the big boy bed was here, it was time. 
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So I took the front off of his crib and the smile on his face was priceless. It was like a little bird falling out of the nest realizing that he could fly on his own. My heart was sad. I don't want to not have a baby in our house. I want to know that I can go in there and see him so cozy in his little crib, because you know... that still makes him a baby if he's in the crib, right?!  


Nap time came, I walked him to his new bed and he climbed up just as pretty laid that little red head down and he was out. Umm, I'm sorry you're not going to fight me or get up or nothing? Seriously?!  I was floored. I couldn't believe my little turkey was laying so peacefully in this "big boy bed". Where did my baby go?


In shock I couldn't believe it. I stood at his door watching him curled up thinking about the night that I first put him in that crib to sleep. It was when he was three months old. Now look at him moving on to the next stage. He's perfectly fine with it, momma... not so much.
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That nap went perfect. That night, he climbed right back in bed and was out. That ended when the next night he climbed into Carter's bed and fell right to sleep. That's where he's been every since. Granted I may not have a tiny baby in a crib, I do have two beyond amazing, precious, healthy, beautiful boys sleeping soundly together. It's what family and siblings is all about, isn't' it? The love, the togetherness. It warms my saddened soul. 


I love being a mom. I love the little things I get to witness each and every day. I love being the one they rely on for their every need. I love that God has given them to me, and that He has trusted me to instill in them the things they need to get through this life. As I watch them sleep I pray that God gives me the wisdom to guide them as He would have me do. I pray that He allows me to show them a mother that is patient, kind, and loving. It is my prayer that they have a friendship together that will last till their dying days. They are the reason my heart beats each and every day.  
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Precious babies of mine... I love you. I could tell you that a million times a day and it still would not be enough to make you understand how much I need you and cherish you. You are rays of sunshine, your giggles I can't get enough of, and your love is amazing. I'm grateful for God sending you to me and joyed that the two of you have each other. Sweet dreams my precious boys, I love you to the moon and back!  Forever & Always.... Momma.

He's turning into a smurf...

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What about that outfit and those boots? It's the look for Fall!!  Run out today and grab this look for your kiddo, everyone's doing it! ;)  

Again, seriously?!

I'm not sure when this will end but I can promise you it will make me go broke! Take a guess by looking at the picture below as to what happened in our house.....
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That mess you see there led to me finding these in the bowl on the counter.....
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I can almost guarantee that  you're chuckling as you read this post. I must admit each time this happens I can't help but chuckle myself. He loves apples, he just likes to nibble each one from the bowl. My theory is this, for Christmas Tucker's getting a bucket of apples!!!!

Tucker's smile.

Tucker has the most heart warming smile. There's something about that red hair and those sparkly blue eyes that just make it next to impossible not to smile at him, even when he's being mischievous!  We were visiting my mom the other day and he thought that Jason knocking dead limbs out of the tree was the greatest thing ever. If I could replay his chuckle for you I can promise you it would make your day!  For now, you just have to be warmed by the smile that captures our hearts each and every day!!!
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Tucker bear, thank you for the sweet smiles you share with me each and every day. You are a light in this dark world. I love you my sweet baby!
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Hope your day is filled with tiny giggles and lots of happiness!

Momma, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys!

How stinking cute is this little rascal?!
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Seriously... total cuteness, EVEN in his momma's girlie boots!