Noah John @ 8 months old

He warms my heart day after day.   

                                                           

My wonderful dad and NJ--this is one of my favorite pictures.

Thank you God for my family. 

New baby! (Nephew)

The kids and I trekked home (Monticello) Thursday and stayed four nights.  It was a really great trip!  Except for not sleeping well.  Noah John has been a bear lately.  VERY fussy.  I assume he's teething, but I also think he's just spoiled and likes to be held a lot...guess I better go pick him up; he's crying now (lol).  Anyway, we headed home to see my nephew and he is really, really cute, just as I suspected (lol again).  In this picture, as you will see, my normally laid-back baby is crying, so see, I have proof.  This is the very first picture of all 5 of the cousins together.  We are blessed.

On another note, I have really gotten into cooking lately and at an odd time too (started Weight Watchers Jan. 1, have lost about 12 lbs).  Anyway, I have this friend here who is the neatest chick ever.  She knows all this random stuff about food and spices and she has rubbed off on me.  I think I have finally found a hobby:  cooking.  Yay because I was getting pretty bored and boring and needed something just for me.  Fortunately for my family, said hobby happens to fill their bellies and it's something I would do anyway, so my time on it is justified.  I could have taken up belly dancing yes?  NO!  HHHHAAAA.  I tried ballet a couple years ago, since I loved it as a kid, but I've found that if a hobby requires leaving my house (getting a sitter) then it won't get very far.  Anyway, I am really, really enjoying trying new recipes and now having dinner out is becoming rare (once a week), which is so good with me b'c restaurants in general gross me out.  It's funny that I sold Pampered Chef for 5 years but just realized my love of cooking.  If you haven't seen Julie&Julia, go rent it.  It's a girly movie.  I loved it!  (About a girl who tried to make every recipe in Julia Child's cookbook in 1 yr and who blogged about it, too...true story and cute cute).  I haven't done anything fancy yet, but when I do, I will share (via posting only, sorry, ha ha.)  It's pretty cool how when you introduce fresher veggies, spices, sauces, etc, food can get so unprocessed and taste like something you should actually be eating.  And I even adapted a Paula Deen recipe for WW and you know, it turned out just fine and I still lost weight that week.

There's a chance for snow tomorrow.  I wish we could get a few inches so I could take the kids (mostly Grace Eliz) out to play in it.  We put a hard puzzle together today (the sphere kind) and that little turkey dropped it and busted it afterward.  She needs to get OUT and burn off some energy.  We have a bday party to attend tomorrow night-a Disney Princess themed party-and she is so excited.  "Is the party today momma?"  "No, It's Friday"  "Is that after today?" "No...."  (I think we have had this conversation three times)  I just hope she'll go up the jungle gym at Fun4Kids by herself b'c I'll have Noah John too and climbing up with him is not something I plan to do :) but come to think of it, carrying a 19 1/2 lb 8 month old baby up a jungle gym would be some good, natural exercise (Exercise has to be naturally incorporated for me, even if it includes cleaning nonstop, racing Grace to the mailbox, doing squats while holding NJ and getting the laundry from the dryer, etc.  Exercise Schmexercise is what I say to workout videos and classes).  (The only form of exercise I will formally do is walking and jogging and that is sporadic and usually involves taking the kids for a walk for them, not me).

I'm really looking forward to Valentine's Day.  It is one of my favorite holidays.  We are selling GOURMET CHOCOLATE in our store for Valentine's and I'm asking for a box for the day of love.  It's that good.  I want a whole box...and roses.  I am a very traditional girly girl on Vday.  I don't get it when ladies say they don't want flowers.  I think that they are the prettiest things on earth, besides water (creeks, waterfalls, lakes, etc).  Anyway, I wish I could grow roses soooooo bad.  I like any color.  Yellow used to be my favorite but now I think maybe it's pink. 

I am going to try to start reading the Bible daily.  The Lord is my light-He shows me the way each time I need Him-yet I shortchange him every, single day.  I'm too human for my own good.  Pray that I will put Him first and be anchored in Him.

Noah John has cried for a long time now.  I really better close here.  I thought he would fall asleep but nope!

Crawling

Noah John is going, going, gonnnnne.  He is crawling well now...he started about a month ago but is now so good at it that he pushes his bottom up in the air and put pressure on his little fat feet now!  I'll try to attach a video of him crawling, mostly for mom and dad.  Technology sure makes the 3 plus hours between my family and me seem all right.  Now if I can just (HINT HINT) get my parents to have their cell phones accept pictures and videos.  I know I posted once today, but I just thought, "huh, I don't think I blogged about NJ's last milestone" so I'm posting again.
(I plan to print this off into a book at the end of the year, so it's more of a journal of everyday thoughts and so on in addition to some milestones, etc).

On-line class

I started an online course last week!  After about 5 hours of studying, I am allllllmost finished w/ the reading/homework for tonight's chat session.  Is it bad that I only want a B?  I don't think so...I just want the class to be behind me.  I'm taking it to keep my teaching certificate.  After 2 years of thinking and praying, I chose to get an endorsement in Reading and Writing, so I'm in a grad program for it.  I finished my M.Ed. EIGHT years ago...sheesh.  Where did time go!?  (Oh yeah, work/dating/work/marriage/work/babies/work at home mom).  Lucky for me, the way it worked out this week, Shawn's mom has had Grace since 8 this morning and has offered to keep her til later this evening (7ish) when Shawn can bring her home.  Good thing, because I am not sure that having her here during the class (sans Shawn) would work out well for either of us!  (Shawn is going to the funeral home for a friend's dad's visitation).  Will any of you reading this pray for the Tapp family?  They lost Mr. Tapp after a pretty short battle with cancer. 

I started Weight Watchers nearly 3 weeks ago.  I have lost about 9 lbs, which means I'm allllllllmost halfway to my goal weight (which I won't tell!!! lol)  I'm actually already back into some pants that have been too small for awhile.  Grace woke up throwing up Sunday morning, so we kept her home.  I took the opportunity to clean out my side of the closet and I got rid of some of my "fat clothes" and it felt good.  I have fluctuated in weight the last 7 years and it's gotten OLD...that extra 20-25 lbs means I can't wear the sizes I should...but I'm on my way back and I'm glad!   Back to Grace...the virus was short-lived, thank God, and she was better, despite an afternoon high temp, by 9 pm Sunday night.  So far, Noah John hasn't gotten it, and neither have Shawn and me.

I'm planning to go into work tomorrow for about 2 hours, get my bangs trimmed, brows waxed, and take NJ to the dr...then come home and pack for Monticello!  Hopefully NJ's appt will go well and we'll leave for Monticello either Thursday or Friday...it will be the first time staying in my parents' cabin!  They have only been there themselves a few nights.  They call it little house on the prairie...I told them no worries, Laura Ingalls Wilder (um, me) will be home soon.  We are in our own little world and we like it there.  HA!!!  Anyway, the purpose of the trip is to meet my new nephew and introduce him to his bff Noah John!  ;p

Well, during my blog break from studying, Noah John has gotten up from his nap...he does what we call the "Morning 45" (45-min. nap) and sometimes, an "Afternoon 45."  He sleeps like a champ at night so I guess he just needs less sleep during the day.  I won't complain!  But I do well remember that his sister slept well at night AND for hours during the day.  But I won't compare!  LOL.

I read a quote recently that I will close with, "When all is said and done, A LOT is said and little is done."  I pray that I am a doer, not just a sayer.  God's peace.

Crying

I have a cute story about Grace and her baby brother.  Yesterday, Noah John got really upset right before supper.  I had to cut supper plans short (i.e. not make the homemade pizza til today).  Even though I was trying hard to finish up in the kitchen so I could pick up my screaming baby, I didn't do so fast enough!  I heard Grace say this to him..."Oh, your life is so hard."  What a mess!  Granted she has heard her daddy say that to her.  But still!  Also, today, when I was finally making the pizza, he got upset again!  I wish I could adequately describe how she nurtures him.  It amazes me beyond words!  How can a 3 year old know to do that, and so well?   Today it went something like this:  "shhh, shh, shh, John John, it's ok.  Calm down.  Don't be upset."  (NJ absolutely bawling)  She climbed back up on her stool, trying to continue to help me with the pizza.  Without my prompting, she jumped down and got his sippy cup out of the fridge, took it to him, proceeded to try to sing him to a state of tranquility (it worked for about 15 seconds).  Speaking of him, he's awake now, and I need to feed him!  Cutting this short!

My Birthday

                                                                                                          My birthday was January 7th!  Because there was supposed to be a lot of snow (for KY, 3-5 "), we ordered DiFabio's and Shawn brought a cake home on the 6th.  I got to celebrate for two days!  The food was delectible and the fun was, well, fun!  My favorite dessert is white cake with icing so when Shawn came in carrying a bakery box, I jumped up and down!  When Grace signed my card later, she said, "Momma, I drew a picture of you jumping!"(inside the card, instead of her "signature." ;)  I think she enjoyed it as much as me!  Fun kid.

My new nephew

Welcome to the world Clark Robert Phillips!  Today, my brother and his wife welcomed their third child and first son!  I can hardly wait to go see him.  I have only seen a picture sent via cell phone so far.  I think it will be about 2 weeks before we can get there.  Grace told me she is sad because she wants to go see Aunt Amanda's baby.  I am really, really tickled that he and Noah John are so close (7 mos) in age.  When they found out they were having a boy, I was relieved that Noah John would have a playmate!  Thank you God, for healthy baby.

Sheesh, today was not a fun one.  Grace woke up super cranky.  She cried and whined and argued for the better part of 2 hours this morning.  It ended with a meltdown over bacon.  Yes, bacon.  She dramatically stated that I told her I was making sausage, not bacon.  (And I mean dramatically)  I really lost my temper.  She got a spanking.  I felt guilty.  We left for a playdate with her new little friend Emma.  I still felt guilty.  I wish I could always handle tantrums well!  Unfortunately, sometimes I have one too!  By the time her dad got home at 6, we had eaten yummy Chicken Maribella, NJ had his bath, but G was still in the tub.........Shawn washed her and put her to bed because I told him I was at the end of my rope.  And I really was.  I hope tomorrow is better, for both of us.  One strong-willed mom+one strong-willed toddler=exasperation.  Somebody pray. 

Other than that, the past week has been so awesome.  We had lunch with friends on New Year's Eve, Shawn took Grace to the movies on New Yr's Day, and we have just really enjoyed spending time together as a family.  I always like this time of year best, because of Christmas :), my bday (January 7!), and because Shawn works fewer hours for a couple months.  It is wonderful to have him home by 6 vs. 8!  This is a new goal we have set:  that he will be home more times than not at 6 no matter the season!!!  It makes a huge difference when he's home at 6, because the kids are still awake and we can do supper together as a family and play a game, etc.  HUGE difference!

We are supposed to go to Lexington to an Ag dinner and watch the CATS play on Saturday.  The weather channel says it's supposed to snow on my birthday (Thursday) which I'm excited about (love snow) but I hope it doesn't alter our trip to Lex plans!  It's become an annual thing (UK ball tix for my bday....Lexington brings back such great memories for me).