for ME!!

I don't get much Mommy time. When I'm not with the boys, 99% of the time I'm working. Even after they go to bed, I'm either catching up on e-mails for work, or getting some artsy fartsy orders done. I joke with Gavin that I don't even get to pee or shower by myself as Mason follows me everywhere.
We've recently been blessed with some amazing new neighbors. This new family has 2 boys, our boys age. So you can imagine how much we love our new neighbors! LS & I get along great- being both moms of boys, attend the same church, love learning to cook, etc. We've recently started the Couch to 5K running program. it's 3 days a week, 30 minutes. add in stretching and Mom-talk, it's more like 50 minutes. The best part(s), LS is right next door. We're held accountable to each other. We run in our neighborhood, which means it's FREE. and not to mention, we get some GIRL time in! The program is 4 months, in that 4 month period you go from walking to being able to run a 5K (3.5 miles) so in February is the Cowtown 5K which we will RUN. I am so incredibly excited/nervous/anxious/thrilled/inspired to do this. Both of us are looking to drop weight after both having babies this year. The crazy thing about this, i loved running in high school. I don't run anymore, unless something is chasing me. I feel like i do SO much for my family, for once - something for ME. to better myself, to commit myself to a challenge, to get healthier and accomplish a physical challenge (which probably hasn't really happened in the last 10 years.)
SO I'll keep you posted of our progress!
So far we're in the middle of week 2. We stretch first, warm up walk for 5 minutes. for the next 20 minutes it alternates 90 seconds of running with 2 minutes of walking followed by 5 minutes of cool down walking with a LOT of stretching for us.
What is necessary for our training:
1. my iphone
2. C25K iphone app- this thing is AMAZING. it sets off an alarm when we need to start running,and when to walk, cool down, etc.
3. a good play list- which can be synced up with the C25K app. when we run, we seem to concentrate on our breathing, so we don't chat as much as when we walk. good music keeps us going as well!
4. Shelby, my dog. We go at about 8:30pm after our boys go down, so it's dark. Our neighborhood is safe, however- she's protective and a great running companion as well.
5. GOOD running shoes. I splurged a few months back at Luke's Locker here in Colleyville and got fitted for a good pair.
6. Heel inserts. I've had pain in the muscle from my heels to the ball of my foot since having Maddox. it's gotten a lot better than it was in the spring (there were times then i was having to ice my heels down they hurt so bad!) stretching my calves REALLY well helps, and heel inserts in every shoes i wear seem to make an amazing difference!

So cheer us on and check back for our progress!

Procrastinating.

Look what I made while procrastinating tonight!! New kitchen towel with zebra! I love it.... Gavin is gonna hate it! LOL super easy to make too :)



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Pooped!

We don't carry Maddox's infant seat many places anymore, so we'll be getting rid of the travel system. I asked Mason what we should do with Maddox, since we need a new seat for him & he said, "um... Put him in back!" haha!
I had a better idea that he agreed to. We'll get Mason a new seat if he gave Maddox his. He was all for it. Here he is wanting to go somewhere so he can try out his new cupholder!






Ps- it's a Graco Nautilus 3-in-1. I got a deal.
TRU had it for $179.99
Wal-Mart had it for $155.00
Amazon.com had it for $135.98 & FREE shipping! Yahoo!!

Mason has been the little stinker lately. Getting into trouble at 6:30 am. (for example: instead of coming straight into our room like usual, I'll hear him open Gavin's office door or pull a chair to the counter to see what he can find. I'll catch him & ask what he's doing & he'll say, " I'm lookin' for something". Grrrr...looking for trouble is what it is.
We've been working on potty training, if he wears underwear around the house, he's fine. Put clothes on top of that, forget it. Put a pull up on, forget it. He'll pee on the potty but that's it. I've been bribing him with Thomas the Train, a big play dough set, a Mack truck, an airplane .. U name it, I've tried it. Tonight he went pee, so we reward him with a high 5 & a piece of candy. He saw the lollipops I bought tr other day & asked about it. I showed it to him & said "only if you go poop on the pot." he said, "Mommy, I go poo poo NOW." sure enough he ran to the potty & went! Horray!!! We had a huge poo poo dance, high 5'd, got his lollipop & called Dee Dee, papaw, Mimi & Sara so he could tell everyone he pooped. So proud of him!!
Apparently all the excitement wore him out, he didn't even make it thru his fav cartoon before bed. He pooped out on the couch (which NEVER happens.)
ZONKED.



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This kiddo just kills me.

He kills me with his smile! I could kiss him a thousand times & that not be enough. I can't get over how much of a sweet, happy boy he is! What an incredible blessing he's been to our family.
Entertaining himself.



So happy. & clueless I'm taking his picture.


Oops. I've been spotted.




Ahhh who cares! Shakin' a washcloth is more fun!




So stinkin' happy it's contaigous!!


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Homemade vanilla extract

Vanilla isn't cheap. Save some $ if u bake a lot (or make lots of homemade vanilla ice cream & pancakes like us). Gavin has officially dubbed Friday nights as 'Breakfast for dinner' nights. I'm evil. I converted him. ;)

I'm not a vodka type girl. But my uncle's Russian wife is. This was my Christmas pressie 3 years ago from her :) I'm a beer & wine type girl. But I won't let good vodka go to waste!
Whatcha need is:
1 cup of vodka
2-3 vanilla beans
1 jar
(note to self- put the mac n cheese pot in sink before taking pix next time!) ew.


Slice the bean down the middle & put in jar. I used a masamun curry jar that we finished off last night. It was yummers.



I don't measure. Another reason why I don't bake. I also don't pin when I sew. {gasp} this could explain a lot of things. .....
Pour the vodka in. If you've got a bigger jar & fill it w/vodka u might need 3 beans. I'm cheap. So I used 2. So it might take longer. We'll see!




Put on the lid & store in a cool, dry, dark place for about 2 months. Shake occasionally. Never buy store bought vanilla again.



Let your husband finish off the last shot of vodka & after he's done shaking the grimace off his face, remind him why he doesn't drink vodka!!


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Random things

So apparently (so I've noticed) that I tend to take pictures of random things thru out my day. Not sure why or what that means. Probably something unhealthy...
Just a few from the past week or so...
My $20 find for Mason's room



2 broken & 1 bent heavy duty grade needles. Did this while sewing/quilting a baby gift...



A cupcakery in Colleyville that carries gluten free cupcakes.



New carseat I ordered for Mason. But I got it on Amazon for $135.98 w/free shipping. Beat that babies r us!!



Quilt I'm workin' on which is now almost complete ! Horray!!! It's a college t shirt quilt for a friend.



Gavin brought me a pumpkin spice cupcake from Sprinkles in Dallas today. Good husband... Bad husband! Which is it? It sure was good though!





Shiny happy baby after bath.

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Dialog for Maddox

Hey Mom, I'm still hungry!



So is this how this thing works?



Here's my what's for dinner #2 face!




Ghost? What ghost?



Oh that silly Mason is such a kidder!




Just like my mommy, fat & happy ;)


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Sew fun!

We took the boys to Nana's (Gavin's grandmother) house tonight for a short visit & I ended up coming home with some FUN stuff!
Okay we'll say vintage fun stuff! Tons of fabric scraps, zippers, trim & bias tape. I'll have some fun with this :)
So of course I'm procrastinating from OTHER work & decided to sift thru some.
Check out these old prints! These are just some of my favorites ...







I LOVE this green, I'd love a skirt made out of it. I'm addicted to green, brown & black!







I love this red print, it's really fun & the yellow farm print reminds me of my childhood somehow...







I'm diggin' the blue pelican print, I see a lot of fabrics now that are SO expensive that mimick these simple designs. And the white/red/blue/pink flowers reminds me of a shirt my granma wore... Except it was polyester ;)



Ck out this trim... Never been opened & there is tons of these that have never been opened!



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Halloween!

What a crazy busy day it was, but what's new, we should be used to that by now!!
Here is what we crammed into our Saturday/Halloween:
-hosted a surprise baby shower at a friends house
-had a wedding
-carved pumpkins
-roasted pumpkin seeds
-took a nap
-did laundry
-cleaned the kitchen
-went to Papa's house to show off Mason's costume & see my aunt Jean who was in town for the weekend.
- trick or treated with neighbors/friends
-fixed dinner & fed the boys
- went out to dinner with friends
- spent the evening with friends
-barely got any sleep after a crazy day like that!

Here's our fun pumpkins we carved!



Mason in his costume with the pumpkins




My idea of a no mess pumpkin: clear vase, scrapbook paper & a candle. Yes I know I'm missing the point of the pumpkin period, but it's pretty!



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Look what I made!

So I lost my voice earlier this week after battling crazy allergies + 2 crazy fall festivals of herding children. Put Halloween on top of that (we went with some friends last night to wilhoits to people watch & see all the crazy costumes) unfortunately the smoky bar was a bad bad idea for me because I coughed all night & this morning too. I'm much better now, except my shoulders are KILLING me now from the coughing. But can't find my heat wrap. Crap.
So of course I'm a DIY-er. While suffering, here's my 5 step heat wrap directions:
1. Stitch a long sleeve. Mine was 6"x18" long. Just happened to be some leftovers from a quilt i've been working on.
2. Flip in side out.
3. Fill 1/3 with long grain rice. (you could add oils too for aromatherapy.
4. Stitch 1/2 up your tube so the wrap has some flexibility.
5. Fill the rest the same & stitch off.
Wah-Laa!
Heat in microwave 1-2 min & your good to go.

This took me 4.5 minutes to make no joke!




-- Post From My iPhone