Sledding today!

After running some errands this morning we brought Ben and Hunter for their first sledding session of the season. Ben had so much, fearlessly taking on the big hill with daddy; he also went down the little hill all by himself. He tried to socialize with all the bigger kids, and at one point he took off and tried to go up the big hill all by himself. So cute to see him so independent! I held Hunter Joe, who did not like his sled that much? And his nose was runny, so I wanted him to stauy warm and huddled to momma. It was a very good time. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Ben had warm Over-teen (Ovaltine) when we got back. Too cute. Love Wisconsin.

Leena Rocks!

So Does Adam. Leena and Adam visited last Sunday and it was a great time. Leena got me stick my butter-greased hands under the skin of a naked raw chicken, and we used a ricer to make smooth garlic mashed tatoes. Nifty tool. Leena brought me her homemade truffles. A little sweet wine, a little small talk, a great movie (Garden State). Oh, and did I mention the mounds of leftovers we pigged-out on? Love Food. Love how much Leena loves food. I will miss you both, but am so excited to learn more about Australia (Leena and Adam move in like 20 days; Leena is going to study food writing there). And hopefully they'll send me some tim tams (Australian cookies that are apparently YUM). You'll be back in no time!

Reluctantly, I learned something.

So, I'm still listening to The John Tesh Radio show and scrapbooking happily. The family is asleep. Bliss. But I heard something I have to write down in order to remember: Talking on the phone and reading computer screens causes back pain, (duh?). A physical therapist Tesh sited reccommends gently pushing your chin towards your spine 5 times an hour to relieve the pain. Well, howdy do, I've been doing it for an hour or more here and it feels really good. I'm in a scrappin groove, too. Working with some old foam stamps and acrylic paint. Stuff I can only do when I really have time. It's Soooooooooo fun. Will share tomorrow morning.

Is that silence I hear?

Silence? No, actually it's the John Tesh radio show... the only radio station that comes in the basement. But Footloose is on! Yeah, baby. I love me some Footloose. My feet are tappin' and I'm a scrappin'. These are some older layouts I wanted to share. Almost no one has actually looked at my scrapbooks. My best friends, family, everyone lives hundreds of miles from me. This is a great forum for me to show you all. Especially my momma. Can you imagine my momma hasn't even looked at most of my scrapbooks? Sad. Come on everybody.... Footloose!

That ain't right.

Dude. It's 9:30am, and we've already had a long family nap (sans Theo who is makin' the family bacon'). Ben was up and roaring at 3:30 this morning. That is not a typo. See, Theo got home last night (he was used-truck-hunting, our tax return desire). Ben did not get his necessary nightly dose of daddy. At 3:30 am when Ben woke up and found Daddy putting him back in bed, he was so excited he could not be put back to sleep. Kind and thoughtful as always, Theo let me and little Hunter Joe sleep. Until 4:45 I think? (Ben is dancin' around the living room to the KIA commerical with the Sound Of Music song on it, "Ahdoo, Ahdoo" he says as he flops around in circles not-so-carefuly avoiding Hunter beneath him). So anyway, by 7:00am we were headed to a nap. Once upon a time I was a morning person. Really a morning person. In college I was the first in the shower when we travelled to speech tournaments always. I spent 3 years at the gym by 5:15 in the morning. What happened? Is it kids? I am grouchy zombie in the morning now. Even after my coffee. Bah humbug. Some ideas? A coffee pot by my bed? A large quotation that says "Goodmorning Beautiful Sunshine!" above my face when I open my eyes? Any ideas people? Help. Sweet Jesus. Hunter just tried to steal Ben's Teddy Grahams (what? I ate them for breakfast, too). Gotta go!

Tiny Baby Toes

Look at those wrinkly little toes! The first time you become a mother, you just don't get how fast their "littlehood" will go. Everyone said "time flies" when Ben was a newborn, and I didn't get it until suddenly he was 2, and Hunter was around to remind me how small babies are! In the two years between Ben and Hunter's birth I became a much better photographer/pictures taker (I don't like to call myself as a photographer, b/c I am not trained outside of a high school class?). My pictures of Hunter as a newborn are more creative, and just better. And thus, more fun to scrapbook! Enjoy!

More Hunter Joe

Poor little Hunter started out a lil' yellow AND he had baby acne. Poor thing. Still beautiful to momma, though! Here are some of the other layouts I have put together from his first couple months. Before he could smile Hunter made the funniest faces. He always looked peaved about something, or annoyed. I think Ben has driven him nuts from day one. Haha.

Fun With Circles

I think it was a Creating Keepsakes article? Encouraged the use of fun hand drawn circles. I had a blast embracing my imperfections here. Good times. EDIT: The inspiration for the circles came from the January 07' Creating Keepsakes.

Hunter's Baby Album

I spent the duration of my pregnancy pulling together every little baby boy scrap thing I could find. I've since taken a couple thousand pictures of him, I'm sure. These are a few that I have already put in an album.How much fun is it to play with all these great colors? Too much!

A Good Read

Apparently the tricycle mini book makes for a good read on the potty chair, too! Ha!

Ben's Tricycle Mini Book

I made this book less than a week to celebrate Ben's first tricycle. The pictures are from last fall just after Theo returned home. Next summer I have a feeling Ben will be on the bike Me-Maw bought him for Christmas... and Hunter will likely be on this trike. These pictures came out so perfect for this book (which I snatched up at Micheal's long before we even owned the tricycle!). I love the Danny-O collection from K and Company and have been itching to play with this mini book. I saw Archiver's had the Danny-O 12 x 12 paper on clearance this month. Boy, I could buy me up some of them! Ye-haw.

On the move...

It doesn't seem like Hunter has been crawling for long, and now he is trying this walking thing out? I just uploaded these pictures of him getting around the living room not but a week ago? I guess that is how fast they grow! Astonishing. Still worth the share: Stinky little baby toes, and priceless smile.

See, one pretty girl!

I found some more of the great doggy photos to show off. We love our dog way too much. But ain't she just so pretty?

My 07' Resolutions

Yeah. I have not had too many problems so far. This year there are a lot them. I share them with you so you can hold me to them. Wish me luck:

-Stop biting my nails; grow them nails strong
-say bye-bye to the baby weight
-minimize swearing
-play with the boys as much as possible
-become more internet savvy
-rid/use all the unused items in the house
-learn to knit (ahem, Caitlin, come help me?)
-take me-time
-more baths w/candles
-floss even more
-excercise
-have a healthy garden, and learn to use my herbs
-call people back/reply to e-mails more rapidly
-make art everyday
-no soda

Theo's include getting a buck this fall, fish more, and training Laura to be a huntin' dog. He's also promised to bathe the dog a lot! Yay! Those are the ones I thought he wouldn't mind me sharing.

So in love...

My little Hunter Joe. I am just so in mommy-love with him. I can't seem to take enough pictures of him. At the height of the terrible two's Ben is a lot less cooperative with picture-taking; Hunter is more than happy to find me gawking at him with the camera in tow. Gotta love my baby bear!

The Prettiest Girl

'Round here she is called "Daddy's Prettiest Girl;" I don't take offense, she is one good looking dog. I've been playing around with her and the camera, trying to get the right light. It is tough to photograph a shiny black dog. A flash will turn her into a reflector, and one slight move from her when the flash is off results in a huge blur of dog. Lately, I've been lucky. Sunny days and a good girl yield some great shots!

More Ben...

My Ben inspires me...

Hunter "walked along" today!

Wooo-hee kids, my little Hunter Joe is a walkin'. I was already holding the camera (an extension of my body) when I looked down to find him toying with this "walk along." If you have one, you know the song... chime in with me. Now, he interacts with this toy regularly, but he has not figured out how to put one foot in front of the other...until today! We are so proud of you baby bear! He was clearly excited!

I intend...

It is one of my New Year's Resolutions to be more internet savvy. I would like to have a "cool" blog, one that reflects who I am. I want to showcase my pictures, my family. Most importantly, I'd like to share my scrapbooks online. I have been journaling or scrapbooking all my life and I have a lot to say and lot to show. Since having children, I scrapbook daily; my husband is the only person who is regularly subjected to admiring my work (in the job description). It is so rare folks get up to our house to visit. Once people are here I want to show them my books... and I have a dozen or more books filled with the last 6 years of my life. So far no one has the mental capacity to sit with my books for THAT long. So, here we go, my pages online where you can view them on your own time, and at your own pace. By tonight I should have some pages posted. Gotta love to internet.

Let's get this thing personalized

I have no clue how to use a blog. I have to figure it out. I should take a day and just sit and focus on this.