Our holiday photo shoot

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and hoping it is filled with as much fun as we are having over here this year.

My babies are growing up so fast. Braeden is such a great, loving and helpful big brother. He just turned 8 and Liesl just had her 1st birthday last month.

Awww. Aren't they just the most adorable angels! Sweet little pink cheeks and pearly white toothy smiles. Those beautiful blue eyes...

Ok so there was a whole lot of this before we got that.

Gimme that hat!

Mom I can hold her...

tackling, wrestling, giggling....

Here brother let me just push this button right here....

What would Chritsmas be without just a little bit of naughty.

Merry Christmas!!

Can you fell the Merry??

Braeden decided he was to big to sit on Santa's lap this year. He took one for the team to help Liesl. You can see how much it helped. :) Someday the stressful hour we spent waiting in line for this wonderful memory will be forgotten.

Just figuring out some new stuff on Picasa web albums. Havent posted any pics from Liesl's birthday yet. Here she is, not shy with the cake!!

Things I say a million times a day...

I find myself repeating a few key phrases a million times a day...

~Are you poopy?

~Do you need a nap?

~Is that the way you are supposed to play with that toy?

~Do you stand on the furniture at home?

~Less talking... More eating

~Does somebody need a time out?

~Thank You, but put that back in your mouth. *or* Get that out of your mouth!!!

~That's not YOUR cup.

~ No Hitting! * and other variations of We don't hit. Be gentle. Soft touches....

~Be careful!

~did you brush your teeth??


`

I"m still a good mom even though...

I know that I am a good mom.
I am not perfect, theres always room for improvement, but still I am a good mom.
Everyday someone says something, or I read something, or I do something that makes me feel, well..... less than perfect. And so my new mantra has become

"I'm still a good mom even though":

I sometimes raise my voice.
(ok I yell, but this is how they know I am mad. The louder the voice the angrier I am. DUH?) I read an article recently that said I should whisper at them. My son whispered back "great speech mom")

I feed my kids white bread.
(though apparently I "might as well give them cupcakes")

I sometimes microwave food in plastic containers.
(but believe it or not I am smart enough not to microwave plastic wrap)

I let my toddler play with cough medicine bottles while I get dressed.
(thats what the child proof caps are for, right?)

my kids still eat hot dogs, fish sticks, and Easy Mac.
I won't eat a turkey dog, I wont make my kids eat a turkey dog. They like fish sticks...and gosh darn it, Easy Mac is ....EASY!

sometimes they go to bed without reading a book.
because sometimes Mommy is just plain tired.

I dont always fight with them to brush their teeth.
I already fight with them about a million different things all day, baby teeth fall out. They can have this one.

I haven't decided which preschool I will be sending my 11 month old to yet.
I know people with 8 month old kids who have already chosen a preschool. I think this is rediculous.

My 7 year old plays video games and watches "the Suite Life of Zach and Cody" ALOT.
Maybe this is age appropriate, maybe not so much... it could be worse. He's not watching soap operas, or Maury Povich.

i think dinner time is for eating not playing games.
I just read an article about playing games at the dinner table to encourage good behavior, social skills and just to keep the kids seated. I have to say "start eating" and "less talking, more eating" about 300 times during a meal. If we played games at the dinner table there would be zero eating. Zero.


My kids are healthy, happy, smart and funny, clean and well dressed.
I'm still a good Mom. :)

September!!

Us at the Johnny Appleseed Festival. Liesl's 1st hayride.

Braeden and I at the Canfield Fair. He loved sitting on all the tractors and military equipment.

Liesl is walking up a storm now!! At 10 1/2 months she has about 10 or so words and can sign "all done" and "milk". She walks all over the place. We like to call her "Grabby" because thats pretty much the name of her game these days. She wants to touch everything. She enjoyed her first Canfield Fair, Johnny Appleseed Festival and hayride, and Octoberfest.

Braeden tried out and MADE THE NORTH ROYALTON TRAVEL BASEBALL 8U TEAM!!! This is an even bigger deal than we had ever thought. they only picked 10 kids. It is going to be a huge time commitment and a decent financial one. ugh. He will get professional hitting and pitching lessons and will get to play 20 games, plus one or two tournaments. Uniforms alone for this team cost 200$. We are very proud of him and are looking forward to getting started. (in January) I signed up to be the teams treasurer, It will be fun to get to play in the money again. :) We need to fundraise about $ 7,000.

Scott and I are looking forward to a short trip to Vegas the first week of October. His company is pretty much footing the bill because its for a continuing education experience. Called VisionExpo. "The Situation" from Jersey Shore is going to be there, as well as Ari from Entourage. Mostly, I'm just excited to have some adult time in the sun by the pool. (Ceasars Palace pool to boot :o)

This year is just flying by. I can't believe its October already.

Gluten Free Diet on NBC Today Show

Gluten Free Diet on NBC Today Show

I thought this was interesting since most of the people I know have tried and failed at a gluten free diet. Its not as easy as it looks.