Date Night

OK if you saw the movie Date Night I hope you are thinking of the car scene & laughing because that scene kills me...now onto my story.

One of the best things in life is a date night with your husband & no kids.  They are just fantastic!  The only thing better is a surprise date night!  A date that you didn't plan, where you didn't get your hopes up and call 4 different babysitters to try to line the date up, only to find out it's Homecoming for something busy and you can't go at all.

Saturday night we had a surprise date night.  Jade's Mom took both kids overnight & to church the next day.  We were thrilled as were the kids!  So what did we do?

Dinner & a movie Saturday night, then we threw in a paint job & bedroom redo Sunday morning!

Excuse the mess - our motto - when painting - pile everything on the bed!

Both kids are officially sharing a room.  the furniture is in place, but there isn't a stitch of anything on the walls yet.  This will all change, but for now they are settled & thrilled with their new room that is now gray instead of blue.  Aubrie proclaimed Gray may be her next favorite color which made me laugh - she's such her mother's daughter with her colors!

They are enjoying their new "little beds" - more pictures to come when the room is completed and looks decent!

Growing Pains

Today my littlest went to preschool for the first time.

His Spiderman back pack is the highlight of the school experience.  It's his favorite thing!

He wanted all the pictures to show it off.

Gosh he just kills me!

He's 3 years old and thinks he's so big.

This is his teacher, Mrs. Miller.  She is my best friends' older sister & I grew up with her, so she's like a sister to me.  I'm thrilled that she has Everett because he's very busy, and I know she'll be able to handle him.  It will also be nice to have an honest opinion on how he's doing.  

I had a harder time with today than I thought I would.  It was just the open house & Monday is the first official day, but he'll be going 5 days a week for two and a half hours.  I have a hard time remembering that he is becoming a big boy, I wish he'd stay small forever!.  He wanted to stay today, and I know he will just love it.  It's a fantastic program & it will be good for him.  He needs to learn about sharing & how to sit still among all the other things they will learn this year.

If you thought I was crazy before...

buckle your seat belts!  I think I finally found the perfect bedding for the nursery.  It is by no means traditional.

They baby is going into Everett's red room while Everett and Aubrie are moving in together in a hip & cool room coming sometime this fall.  So the nursery is staying red.  I really didn't want to repaint it and I like the color just fine & Everett has gray furniture that will stay and be super cute!  Now, remember I don't want to find out the sex of the baby, however that is still a big debate in my house - my husband is VERY stubborn.  A family friend is going to sew bedding for me.  I wanted something unique and quirky like my style, and something that is gender neutral.

Ta da - the answer is garden gnomes!  Did you laugh out loud?

Dead serious!  This fabric is fabulous!  It has all the red I need, it could be for a boy or a girl, and it's happy & vintage looking.  I don't really want a bedroom theme because I get sick of those in a year or two.  This fabric allows me to buy vintage & old things that I already like to make it work - even better when kids shift around bedrooms in the future, I have fabulous treasures to move around with them.  Perfect!

This is going to be the sheet fabric - I love the gnome with glasses!

This this perfection will be the bumper - one side red polka dots & the other a village of gnomes.  I totally dig it. 

So it's unpredictable & fun.  I'm excited & can't wait to hear from the family friend to know it's going to work to get this business ordered and in the works!

Cravings

Here is what I'm craving:

Super Hot Mozzarella Sticks - I've had them 5 times this month - I know right!

Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy - I make one helluva meal.

Multi grain Tostitos with shredded cheese microwaved a bit with a side of salsa.

Homemade popcorn in the popper with lots of salt & butter.

Pizza Hut Cheese pizza.

Grilled pineapple.

Regular lays chips with Prairie Farms French Onion Dip - yes the brand matters, a Subway Melt & chocolate chip cookies. 

When is lunch?  Oh I can just see the 60 pounds flying onto my body now.  So far I'm doing great with my weight gain - I do not know how.  For some reason I craved salads with Everett - with this baby it's all junk...

Trendy? Really?

Mary at Urban Farmgirl gave me an award!  She thinks I'm trendy - what an honor! 

I always thought Maggie was the trendiest one out of our sisters.  I always tried, but I was always "ahead" of the trend is what my Mom would say!  Whatever was the trend, Mom always bought me something she thought was a bit cooler! 

If my best friend is reading this now, she's having flashbacks to when colored leather bomber jackets were hot & I got a tan leather fringe jacket or when black Nike's were the coolest thing ever & I had black plaid Reebok's.  You catch my drift. 

The deal is I share 10 things about myself with you all so enjoy - and no they probably aren't trendy but hey they are about me!

1.  When I was younger I was OBSESSED with animals.  It was all I talked about - sorry Melissa for those phone calls!.  I loved cats and jumped at any opportunity to bottle feed a kitten or nurse it back to health.  I wanted to be a vet when I grew up.  Instead I met Jade & went to SIU & studied Animal Science.  Basically livestock was my forte.  I even stuck my arm up a few cattle rears back in the day - lube less - that's a different story!  It really is an odd fit if you know me at all, but I liked it.

2.  My feet have grown half a size with each baby.  I used to take pride in my small 6.5 size shoes & now I wear a 7.5.  It really makes me sad that I'm going to wear an 8 after this baby.  What the crap - I should at least grow an inch too out of all fairness right!  At least now no one will be able to tip me over with my feet that are not proportioned to my height.

3.  I still adore Snoop & Dre.  Call me old fashioned, but rap just isn't the same now days.

4.  I love mineral makeup.  I go with HSN ProMinerals - it is by far the best makeup ever.  If I didn't have wild hormones right now I'd have flawless skin b/c this makeup!

5.  I like some serious bling.  Again if my best friend is reading this - she's nodding her head.  The bigger the better when it comes to shoes, purses, & jewelry.  I like anything over the top and a bit gaudy.  It's just how I roll - I got that gene straight from my mama.

6.  I just like Mary am a salt girl - forget the cake (although I love brownies).  I could eat chips all the time - salt is my best friend & later in this pregnancy you'll be able to tell because I'll also look like a puffer fish!

7.  I love to change my hair color & style - thanks to the fabulous Maggie - it is now possible any time I want.  Plus, I get salon products at a discount.  This is why my sister is the business.

8.  I love my sleep.  If you knew me in college you know about the legendary naps I was capable of.  However, now I have kids so I don't get the sleep I like.  It's quite amazing knowing that I could at one time sleep an entire drive to Disney, but then turn into an adult with kids and sleep just a few hours in a night.  My kids sleep for the most part all night every night, but with a new baby on the way - I am kissing that good bye. 

9.  This is ridiculous, but I'm excited to wear my maternity clothes.  I got some really great stuff from Old Navy and expect to be cute this time around.  I am really looking forward to new cute clothes this year.  I'll be the size of a small barge, but hey I will be trendy!

10.  This is so un-trendy, but I bite my nails.  It's a hideous habit, but I think because I'm so busy all the time.  If I have a project I must tackle it immediately.  I always have 3 plans in my brain & I think I bite my nails to release all my nervous energy!  Terrible isn't it!

An Exciting Blog Day!

Wow!  I have two pictures of my home shown today on House of Turquoise.  I feel so honored & I have been loving the other rooms with turquoise that she is showing off!  My favorites are the studio right above my rooms because it's quirky and the children's bedrooms considering I'm redoing two kids rooms soon.

Go check it out!  I'm excited!

Sweet Caroline Da Da Da

One year ago today my family was just dying.  Maggie was in labor and at the hospital for what felt like an eternity.  I will never forget how awful she looked because I wanted to cry.  I'm sorry Maggie, but you really looked like hell that night walking the halls!  I am your big sister and I did not like it one single bit.

But finally, after I had went home - around 2 AM I got the call that sweet baby Caroline JoAnn was here.  Oh and friends, she was beautiful.

Since that day she has brought joy into our lives with her big Maggie grin & beautiful Kylie eyes.  She is a blessing in every single way.

Already loved by Pa & Aubrie - her favorite cousin!  She was SO excited that day!

Rocking the cat costume!

At the vest Christmas party ever!

Rocking the mustache!

Supporting Kentucky the home place of Kylie's family.

Nearing 1 - she is into decorating magazines just like her mother!

Happy 1st Birthday Caroline!  Your Auntie loves you VERY much!

European Vacation

I am VERY excited.  Tonight my cousin Jared has came home.  When I say home, I really mean he came a long way.  You see, Jared lives in Switzerland as an accountant for ADM.  We see him a few times a year.

He is currently living quite the life!  He lives abroad and travels to amazing places in his spare time:  Egypt, South Africa, all over Europe - you catch my point.  He basically travels the world to feel up giant rhinos and take safaris - no not really, but who else can say they honestly touched a rhino?

He's also cute, smart, working, & single - ladies any takers?  His Mom would LOVE him to find a central Illinois girl to settle him down back home.

In the meantime he has brought home 3 European friends.  So tonight we are entertaining an Irishman, an Englishman, and a German - all while Mom serves Italian Beef on our family farm - funny no?

I am excited because Mom already took them shopping with my Aunt Jackie - her twin.  She said they are an absolute riot and tonight is sure to be a great time!  We are riding John Deere Gators, fishing, and searching for skunks.  Apparently skunks don't exist over there & they must know what a skunk smells like since nothing else in the world smells just like a skunk.  So wish us luck in our adventures - it's sure to be entertaining!  Also, hope we can stink up a skunk - where they can smell it, but not be personally sprayed - or Aunt Jackie will have a long drive home with 3 stinky Europeans!

Stumped

Aubrie Grace is smart.  Yes, I am her Mom, but she really is a sharp one.  She knows all things about "aminal friends" & I swear should be an animal Wikopedia the way she talks about meerkats & red tailed hawks.

Most of her conversations I can keep up with her.  She asks eighteen thousand questions and I usually have an answer or can up with one good enough to make her happy.

But when she asks about God & Jesus - I'm often stumped.  They are never easy to explain answers - they are because he is answers.  It's amazing how children blow adults away when it comes to God.  As adults we question and over-analyze religion.  We struggle to hand over our troubles when it's really not up to us in the first place.  God always has the bigger & better plan for our lives if we trust in him.  Children always trust in God and it's quite beautiful I think.

So last night we had the bedtime conversation.  It started with the I love you.  Then I say - No, I love you to the moon & back.  Then she says - No I love you to the stars & back.  This is how we do it every night.  When I said I loved her to heaven & back - the questions started rolling in.  She thought heaven was below the stars or maybe in the ground.  Then, she wanted to know when you die, how do you get out of the ground and into heaven because it makes more sense if you are in the ground to go deeper in the ground.  Also, why do you wear white in heaven?  

I did my best, but I'm not going to lie.  Her God questions are just too smart!  She stumps me every time.  The only time I wasn't stumped is when she informed me that Jade & I rode an elevator to heaven, did a one legged dance with Jesus, & rode the elevator back down with a baby.  I didn't tell her the truth that time.  The one legged Jesus dance just sounds better!

Oh Be Still My Heart...

Today my beautiful baby boy is three.  He was born at 4:00 PM and he was a whopping 8 pounds 11 ounces & 21 inches long.  He was very chubby and the easiest baby in the world - so laid back which is the opposite of now.

I can not believe it.  Where does the time go?  When I just had Aubrie Grace as my baby - I was naive.  I thought I only wanted girls.  Remember it's all I ever knew with 3 sisters & a baby girl.  I was so wrong!  Then, I had Everett and I just can't imagine my life with out him.  He adores me more than any other person in the world.  I am always his favorite - I fear for his poor wife already!

He's wild & crazy.  He thinks he's the funniest kid around, and sometimes he is.  He never stops wiggling or moving & he says he has crazy legs.  He's a bit rough & all boy.  He loves his sister, and also loves to fight with her.  He's all about the farm & his John Deere Gator.  He also likes to paint his finger & toenails much to his fathers dismay.  He's just a blessing in every single way.  

Enjoy a very very small photo sampling of my baby boy growing up.

Everett Mason

(Named Everett after my Grandfather & Mason after Jade's Grandfather Aubrey Mason)

1 Month Old

Trying on big sisters glasses.  I'd guess around 2 months based on the horrible acne he had for awhile.

He was about one and a half here & he has the most beautiful eyelashes and eyes.  He was watching TV - he loves the TV.

This was around a year and a half as well.  He LOVED the City Museum in St. Louis - it's a great time with kids!

Around 2 - Loving the pedal tractor from Pa Stuart.

Laughing so hard at the Magic House Children's Museum in St. Louis.  I love when he laughs this hard.  Belly laughs are the best.

This is him just this week.  His eyebrows are serious the best.  They are expressive & when he uses them - which is all the time - I have to turn away to laugh.

In the next year Everett starts preschool & becomes a big brother.  I know 3 will be an amazing year for him and I can't wait to see what is in store for our family!

It's a date!

At 4:30 today - Jade & I are taking off.  We have a hot date!

You can find us here!  Literally we are in the nosebleed section right about in this area!  Jade is pumped - Cardinals vs. Cubs - a serious rivalry & he's prepared to root on his favorite team from St. Louis.  I am just going for the food, people watching, and time with my favorite person.

We get the joy of an over night stay - thank you Abbie.  You are now my favorite sister.  Tomorrow we have a sitter lined up for the entire day.  We may sleep in, we may go shopping, we may catch a movie - we can do whatever we want.  That's the best part! 

My parents dated each other a lot when I was growing up.  They taught me the importance of still keeping your spouse your number one priority in life.  I think this is one of the most valuable lessons they taught me.  There is a big difference between Annie & Jade as a couple & Annie & Jade as parents.  We need time together to enjoy our friendship & to relax and talk without little ears sneaking in.  Don't get me wrong - family dates are important too, but any opportunity to sneak away with Jade is my favorite kind of date!  Besides - one day our ornery kids will grow up and move out.  When that day comes, I still want to be together as teammates & best friends.  That is why I married him after all!

A Sweet Day

Today I hit 12 weeks. 

I am excited.  I am quickly approaching my second trimester!

Isn't this picture amazing of a real life size of a 12 week old baby.  God is amazing when you think about what takes place.

I have a small baby bump appearing that likes to slide my shirt up at unexpected moments, just to hang out the bottom of my shirt.  I think maternity clothes are very much in my near future!

I just picked out paint chips & ordered bedding.  A change of plans happened - Aubrie and Everett agreed to share rooms - only if they got tiny beds.  So two twin beds were obtained & new matching bedding in grays and turquoise.  They are very excited.  Everett loves turquoise as does Aubrie!  She of course got some hot pink sheets so that made her even happier!

It won't be long & we'll be moving them into Aubrie's room together - after we paint the walls - we think gray.  Which doesn't sound so much like me, but I love the color gray.  I want to find a lot of vintage letters & numbers to fill their walls and perhaps some art boards or frames to show off their recent artworks.  This will bring in the color I'm known for.  It will be cute and I think they will love it.  I'm excited to get to work on two bedroom redos. 

The babies room - it's still up for debate because of the ongoing - surprise or find out argument we are having. 

VBS

In past years I slightly dreaded VBS week.  It was a full week of getting home at 5:15 to shove food down my kids as fast as possible, clean them up even faster, and head back to town by 6.  Then I'd go home and come back to town at 8 to pick up Aubrie.  I always had Everett in tow & it was a challenge.  It was just full on hectic in my house.

This year I am loving VBS!  It is the first year that both kids get to go & it's so much more convenient!  They are talking about Jesus & learning Bible verses - always a great thing!  They love their crafts & songs & think that VBS is the best week ever!  I remember loving it as a child too.  I am so happy that they are having a great time! 

As an added bonus, I get to have a quiet date dinner with my husband every night this week - I am loving it!  Even better, my mother in law brings them home for us since she is helping out.  Last night I had a full hour to myself because Jade was working on our rental trailer.  I haven't had an hour by myself in a long time - glorious. 

So thank you God for creating VBS.  My children love it and so do I!

August - Thank the Good Lord - You Have Arrived!

I am seriously SO glad that July is over.  I told Jade I believe it was probably the most stressful month of my life.  I had to make some big decisions & faced some hard ones too.  I'm just really glad it's over and that August is a new month & I'm in a new sweet ride.  I'm moving forward & I'll hit my 2nd trimester this month.  Hooray!  Things are looking up.

However, I realize oh my gosh my baby turns 3 this month.  My baby!  How and when did this happen.  Thankfully he still has those thick cheeks I love to kiss, but his legs - they are getting to be like a big boy - long and skinny!  And his tummy oh my gosh - where did it go?  He rocks a 6 pack at times and it blows my mind.

He starts preschool this year.  It was a big life debate we had earlier this year because he has such a late birthday.  Well our town has an amazing pre-k program through the school called Stars.  We were extremely fortunate since good old hair Blagojavich *I probably misspelled his name, but he doesn't deserve my time to google & correct it b/c he sucks* screwed the state - most of the schools in our district were forced to cut pre-k.  I still can't get over cutting school programs - cutting education!  Our town luckily fought hard & have ours for at least another year.  Everett was fortunate to get into this program.  So he starts going to school 5 days a week this month & will even ride a short bus home. 

Even though it blows my mind - I think it will be good for him.  He needs some structure - sharing - sitting still.  His teacher is my very best friend's sister.  I have known her since 2nd grade & she's like a sister to me.  I'm thrilled that she will have my son b/c she'll be honest with me.  If you have met him - you know I need honest.  He's wild, and a class clown.  He won't be easy to tame - plus he's smart so he has that going for his antsy pants too.

Taken by the lovely Jamie from Pix by Jme

I also can't believe my beautiful baby niece Caroline will be 1.  She is about the cutest thing ever & I adore here like my own.  Seriously - where does the time go with kids?  Gosh I may have to go cry a little - man the hormones in my body are outrageous right now! 

Well I'm off to a full packed week of VBS & I may squeeze in some fried green tomatoes - fried food is my best friend lately - oh gosh!

Oh and since I'm squeezing in random - we have a trailer for rent - want some sweet landlords - call me!

Swagger Wagon

It's not like I'm rocking Mom jeans.

But we did buy a Swagger Wagon on Saturday - if you haven't seen that commercial you MUST you tube it now. 

We decided a van was best for our growing family & we are thrilled with the van we found.  It was a great deal & I absolutely am loving it!!  It's going to be a huge improvement over the Jeep with baby #3 arrives in February.