My Second Birthday Cake

Not only am I getting older, I'm also getting wider 

A Day Early

My boys surprised me a day early.  Let the festivities begin!!

Curried Chicken Noodle Soup

This is what was for dinner.  It was fabulous.  It was easy.

It was nothing more than butter, olive oil, chicken, s & p, curry powder (the secret ingredient), onion, carrots, chicken stock, and some noodles.

We will be making this again.  Soon.

Honey was the one who put all this together; he is amazing.  I love you Honey.
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FaceTime

My boys are FaceTiming in this picture.  It is amazing how far we have come in the technology world.  Tristan and Aiden wanted to FaceTime their cousins tonight.  It was pretty awesome to watch how different our generations are.  Back in the day you had to sit, or stand, by the phone because the cord only went so far.  This evening I watched as my children "talked" on the phone.  They don't even know how to use a real phone.  They only know how to video chat.  Craziness!!  Side note: it is hilarious to watch little kids get seriously crazy when they see themselves in a little box on the phone

I love that with all these new inventions, it just means we have even more ways of staying in touch with loved ones.  My children video chat with their Grandma at least twice a week.  Grandma, who lives in another state, gets to watch her grandchildren grow up.  She gets to see their eyes light up when she calls them.

I love it.  I love iPhone.  I love iMac.  I love iPad.  I love all these new gidgets and gadgets.

yes, we are an Apple lovin' family!!

Aiden = Stubborn

This is my beautiful second-born; his name is Aiden.  He has a strong personality.  He is stubborn.  Repeat, he is stubborn.

Gosh I love my Aiden.  He makes me laugh with his stubbornness.  He also makes me want to pull my hair out with his stubbornness.

Example:

For lunch today, I made my two boys Cheesy Pasta.  What child doesn't like that?  Aiden likes it.  He, however, does NOT like to be "helped".  He does NOT like being told that Cheesy Pasta is what's for lunch.  He gets on these kicks where he wants to make all the decisions, including what he will eat for meals.  (by the way, Cheesy Pasta is not Mac n Cheese; I make mine totally different, and by different, I mean way better)

Well, I am not the type of Momma that makes separate meals for the child who decides to be super picky. You will eat what is prepared or not eat at all, period.  Here is something else about Aiden that makes him, well, him.  He keeps food in his mouth for long periods of time.  I mean, like, 10 minutes up to 30 minutes for one bite.  He does that so he doesn't have to eat it.  It is disgusting.  Disgusting.  He proceded to do that at lunch, so I asked him if he was done.  He nodded yes after only having one bite that stayed in his mouth for ten minutes.  I had him spit out the food and then it was nap time.  In my house, if you choose not to eat your meal, you go to your room while the rest of us eat.  You do not get to sit at the table and distract your brother, I mean the others.  Plus, it was nap time anyway.

He was hungry when he woke up.  Shocking, I know.  I told him he could have lunch, which was Cheesy Pasta.  He didn't want that.  I let him decide between Cheesy Pasta and nothing.  He chose nothing.  Dinner time rolls around and my first-born wanted Cheesy Pasta again.  I said okay, I had some leftover.  Less cooking and cleaning dishes for me, so that is awesome.  Aiden sits down at the table and I put his bowl of Cheesy Pasta in front of him.  He looks at me with disbelief but says nothing.  Next thing I know, he takes a bite and then whines about it.  I hear whining like a little cute puppy dog whines.  I tell him he can choose between Cheesy Pasta or going to his room with NO dinner, NO milk, NO dessert, NO anything.  He chooses nothing, again.  Sheesh.  This kid is stubborn.

I love my Aiden.  I love how he is a happy boy, most times.  I love everything about him.  He made me chuckle and want to pull my hair out tonight.  I feel bad because he going to bed without having anything for lunch or dinner, but these are the choices he made.  I did tell him that Cheesy Pasta is what is for breakfast though.  Hahahaha.

I wonder where he gets his stubbornness from?  {insert evil laugh here}

Merry Christmas Eve

I wish everyone a Merry, Happy, Jolly Christmas!!

I woke up this morning feeling very blessed to be able to spend this day and tomorrow with my family.  With the upcoming changes in my life, this is very likely the last Christmas Eve and Christmas Day that I get to wake up in my own home, in my own bed, on these two mornings, while living in the same city as my family here in Houston.  Of course this will not be my last Christmas here in Houston, but it will never be the same.

Changes are good.  Changes are needed.  Changes are embraced from me.  I look forward to growing with my Husband and kids.  I look forward to all our adventures that are sure to come.  My eagerness for the future reminds me of all that I am blessed to have right here, right now.  Today is special.  Tomorrow is special.  Next Friday is special (my birthday).  These are the last times that these days will be spent like "normal".  Next year will be different.  Every year after that will be different.

I have two choices:  be scared and let that rule me OR be joyful for what's to come.  I choose JOY!!

These days remind me of what is truly important.  Family is important.  Love is important.  Giving proper thanks to the One who gave me all that I have is important.  Location is not important.  Presents are not important.  Clothes and food are not important.  Okay wait, food IS important but not at the top of the list.

What I am trying to say is, I am thankful for my family, my Love, my boys, my life.  I am thankful I serve a God who loves me unconditionally.  I am blessed beyond belief.  Enjoy your families.  Enjoy the laughter, smiles, love, hugs, kisses, and TIME you have with each other.

I'm Gonna Start Going Crazy

from all the sickness going around.

I am SOOOOOO over my family being sick!!

Sick and Tired

This morning I woke up to see my beautiful sons playing together beautifully.  It truly was wonderful.  They were pretending that they were in Paris and having croissants at a bakery near the Eiffel Tower.  Precious.  I then noticed that my beautiful younger son had some nice, bright green snot coming out of his tiny, beautiful nose.  EWWWWW!!  Not so beautiful or wonderful.

I am taking precaution and not going to church just in case it is the start of a cold or infection.  Bright green snot = sick somewhere in that beautiful little body of his

Plus, I am dog tired.  I didn't sleep well at all last night.  AT ALL!  The cat was acting crazy, the hubby got home super late, Aiden had bad dreams (or something that made him cry), and it was HOT.  I do not, repeat DO NOT, sleep well when it is hot.

So this morning we are sick and tired.