Potty Mouth

It has begun....

The crazy time known as

Potty Training.

I know,I know, I should have started a long time ago,
 I mean he's been 3 for some weeks now!
He just wasn't ready.

{ or maybe I was just too lazy to run up the stairs to our only bathroom every 15 minutes!}

I bought him some "big boy unnerwear" complete with super heroes plastered all over them{which I must say are WAY too overpriced for some pieces of cotton that are going to be stained with nastiness is just a matter of days!} 2 weeks ago. We have tried them a few times but I usually give up by mid morning because I forget to take him to go in the middle of school.

Today is the day though.

 And it has been going fantastically! No accidents yet today! Not even during his nap { although I DID put a diaper on him for that just in case, I'm not THAT brave}! He is very excited about going "pee" and "poo" in the potty! And I am super excited about not having to change those diapers on his {much too old for going in a diaper} butt again! He is just too darn cute sitting on that seat with that little butt holding himself up so he doesn't fall in!

In other potty news...

Today, I started using Cloth Diapers again on Audrey.

I was so exited when I remembered that I can finally start using them now because we have soft water again!

Her little bum is super cute in those adorable padded fabrics.

Oh and Audrey woke up this morning with the contents of her diaper all over her bed, blankets, and her . Don't you just love it when your kids decide that they want to surprise you first thing in the morning with that? { and NO, she wasn't in a cloth diaper yet - those darn disposables }

Well, I'm not sure about you, but I'm had enough "potty" talk for one day!

  

Finally!

I did it!

 I actually did it!



I sewed something!!



And even though it doesn't look like much and the stitching isn't the greatest and straightest, I'm actually quite excited about it!



 I was having the hardest time with the dumb bobbin and the tension on my machine. I seriously had to rip out the thread at least 10 times. Very frustrating. But I got it done and can't wait to make some more.

I still have to decide what I'm going to use as a closure- any ideas on what would be best? I was thinking either Velcro or a snap.

And please, if anyone knows what I'm doing wrong or any tips for me, help a mother out!

The best part about this project was it didn't cost me a thing! Old jeans that were headed to the trash, ribbon off a gift, and a receiving blanket I didn't need anymore.

This is where I found the directions for this easy sew project.

Check it out! Her bibs turned out so much cuter than mine, but I really just have a simple sewing machine that doesn't have any fancy stitches. Hopefully I can do better at my next attempts :)

5 on Friday Saturday

{1}Since last Sunday was Clint's birthday and we were set for having another blizzard, the thought of being stuck in our house and not being able to have Clint's Uncle Michael and cousin Jadan stay over night was not an option. We decided to pack up and move to my Mom's for a couple days to ride out the storm. My sister and her kids were up staying at my mom's and it seemed like a good way to celebrate. We had lots of laughs and stayed up way to late talking. Always fun going to my Mama's house. Plus, she is cooking and baking the entire time so you feel like you can't move the whole time that you just sit around and eat some more. It was a good thing someone was able to plow out my driveway the next day or they may have had to roll me out the door. 

{2} On Wednesday we headed on a trip to the Children's Museum with a bunch of friends.

 We had a great time, even though I was rear ended by one of my friends an the way there {no one was hurt!} and we had to wait like 45 minutes for the sheriff's dept just to show up to do an accident report and then another 15-20 minutes for him to do it.

 I had thought that maybe I shouldn't drive the rest of the way with out rear light/blinker and a bumper hanging down {which Sarah, Nicole and I ripped off}, but we made it to the museum without any problems other that another car laying on the horn for me trying to change lanes without a blinker. The kids always have a blast there and Owen keeps asking when we can go again. I think it will be a little while for even though it was fun I could have done without Audrey vomiting all over herself on the way home and no napkins or wipes to clean her up. Only her blanky. Totally disgusting. Makes me want to just stay home for awhile.

{3} Ben took the van in to get an estimate done for repairs on the van and it looks like they'll just end up totaling it. The estimate was $57XX and I'm guessing they won't think that its worth it to fix it. So we are looking for a new ride.

{4} In the meantime, we are borrowing Ben's parents 15 passenger van. The kids think it is the most awesome thing ever! They each have their own row except Owen and Audrey who are in the 1st row. I do have to admit that it is very nice to not have to deal with all the fighting that normally goes on because they are all squished together, not to mention the fact that I can hardly hear them way back there. Makes for a pleasant driving experience. Ben is thinking about buying it from him parents, but I was hoping to get a Suburban. But we all know that I will give in and we'll be driving the van. So please don't make fun of me when you see me on the road. I never thought I'd become one of "them". You know "the Big Van Family" that I've always made fun of! But if I start wearing my hair in a long braid down my back and start wearing denim jumpers, will someone please knock me out?!

{5}I want to sew. It is one of my New Year's resolutions and I really need to get started. i found a really cute pattern for some baby bibs and was planning on starting last night but got to tired or lazy and put it off. I really just need to learn HOW to use my sewing machine. I'm very intimidated by it and it doesn't help that Ben always remarks that HE could teach me. That really annoys me but I'm thinking of taking him up on it. I mean he did earn a purple ribbon at the fair on a lap quilt he made. I even think he made some place mats for his Aunt's wedding. Yes, you can make fun of him, he's very secure in his manhood and is actually proud of his abilities.

Happy Birthday Clint!

Today marks an important day.

9 years ago I became a mother.

9 years ago my son was born.

On February 20, 2002 at 6:36am a little brown-eyed, thick black haired baby entered the world.

How is it that that little 8lb 8 oz baby is now so big that last night before bed when I made him let me hold him like a baby, he pretty much squished me?

How is it that that little 21 1/2" long baby can take up an entire couch when he's laying down?

Today Clint is 9.

God truly blessed us when Clint was born.

We were really young, I was only 19 and Ben 21.

We didn't know much, but thought we knew everything about being parents.

Clint was by far our easiest baby.

He has always been the most obedient, never wanting to disappoint us.

He taught us how to be parents.

We haven't always done the right thing, or done things the right way.

But he has been an easy child that has always just put up with us as parents.

I love seeing how God is shaping his life.

And making him a young man after God's heart.

Happy 9th Birthday Clint!

We love you so much!

Thank you for making us parents- we love being your Mom and Dad!

To get caught up....

I have much to get caught up on here but just have been too lazy to do, so I'm hoping to get it all in 1 post. If it gets too long for you, feel free to leave without finishing it, its mostly just for me anyways, so I don't forget these things.

* Blake's Birthday: We celebrated by going to Carlito's ( a Mexican restaurant in town). Yummy food and Blake even got to take home a Pinata. We took the pinata to Grandma's house and let the kids have at it there with some of their cousins.

* The {Love} Party : We had a valentine's party with our playgroup and it was fabulous. The kids had a blast doing some very fun crafts that some of the Mama's planned and everyone brought yummy food. I love my friends in this group. We always have lots of fun together letting the kids run wild!

*Sledding. We conquered the great Darwin Hill again with our friends after the {love} party. The day was beautiful and unseasonable warm. The kids declared it "The BEST Day Ever". Which does make a Mama smile:)

* Talking about the weather...it. has. been. WONDERFUL! We have been really enjoying being able to finally get outside and it actually being fun and not feeling like you were turning to an ice cube the moment you stepped outside!We had so much fun making snowmen. The boys have been waiting forever for the snow to be sticky enough to do that. Audrey actually got to play outside for the 1st time since this long cold winter started. She loved it. The only thing is, she doesn't have any winter boots. only some dressy suede ones. Those doesn't exactly work for what our yard has become- a mud/water puddle lovers dream. I went to Target today in hopes of finding some but there were none to be found and they already have flip flops out. I mean seriously! It's only February, Target people- we probably have a couple months left of winter! So if anyone has any size 6/7 size toddler boots they aren't wanting anymore- I'll take em:)

 

* We are super excited that Daddy took a few days off this week. We aren't planning anything exciting but its just fun to have him around and him being able to get caught up on some things around the house. Not much gets done when he only has 1 day off a week!

 

* Yesterday, I took Owen and Audrey to their cousins Melina and Gianna's birthday party. We had a fabulous time and my sister always puts together quite a food spread. Hobo Tacos were delish and 2 kinds of cake. We were very stuffed and played out when we got home.

* We are really enjoying our wood stove. But it does keep the kids and Ben awfully busy busy with cutting down the dead trees out in our "woods" and the kids have been learning how to split wood and keeping the wood box full in the house. I love watching them out there- brings back lot of memories of when I had to do that very thing when I was little.

That should about do it for now. Hope you all have a great rest of the week :)

After 9 long months of waiting it could only mean 1 thing!

I'm still screaming inside!!!!

Why?

I have a new WATER SOFTENER!!!!!!

Seriously, the best thing that has happened this year!

For the last 9 months I have been without one.

Which has made my life pretty much miserable.

From having to run all my "whites" to Ben's family's farm (where there is a softener and washing machine) so we wouldn't have big orange rust stains on all our clothes

to having to wash all the dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher because the dishes came out dirtier than when they went in in the first place.

Not to mention the havoc its created with my sinks and toilet and shower being stained almost beyond repair with a nasty orange rust.

I've tried not to complain too much but it did grate on a persons nerve to have to load all the kids up in the nastiest part of winter numerous times a week just to wash clothes. Lots of times I thought about just letting the kids wear their underwear dirty!

I feel like you will never understand how amazing and wonderful getting this water softener will mean to me. It will literally save me hours every day! And with teaching school and managing 5 children I will forever ( for a long time, anyways) be Thankful for what Ben bough me today!

Baking at Midnight

Tonight I had a blast with some of my bestest friends ever.

We ate incredibly delicious food at an amazing restaurant.
 { I had Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Grilled Chicken - doesn't that just sound amazing?}

Laughed until our tummys hurt.

Talked about Ev.er.y.thing.

Ate delectable desserts.

Shopped at Target and didn't want to leave.

It was so what I needed.

I felt refreshed and ready to go back home to my kids.

I love being able to be "real" and know that they aren't judging me.

I love being able to talk about how tough this Mommy Thing is some days and know that they completely understand what I'm going through because they are too.

What an amazing group of friends God has blessed me with.

P.S. I just baked a "from scratch" cake just now at 12am because I had entirely way too much caffeine tonight! So worth it!

Happy Birthday to my Brown-Eyed Boy

I can't believe you are 6 today.

But then again, I don't really remember life without you.

You are my third child born in just as many years.

I remember looking at your sweet little face, with the little upturned nose.

Head full of dark black hair.

I loved you immediately.

Love at first sight.

I was so happy to welcome a third son into our family.

You were born with a strong will.

One that has made us bump heads on many things.

I realize now that God made you that way.

He wants you to be able to stand strong in what you believe.

I Love You.

 

 

You love to laugh and to make us all laugh too.

You "live" for Legos, I can't get you to play with anything else.

You and Ethan are the best of friends,always finding some sort of adventure in everything.

You still are my snuggler.

You now have blond hair but still have those piercing brown eyes.

That little nose.

I hope you will always want your Mama's hugs and kisses.

As much as I don't want you to get any bigger,

I can't wait to see what great things are in store for you.

I love you Blake Alexander.

You will always be my little boy.

Blake Alexander Smith

Born on Friday, the Fourth of February, 2005

2:18 p.m at Hutchinson Area Health Care

Weighing 9lbs 9oz.