{ Domestic Goddess }

I mustache you a question.

2012-01-25T11:36:00.000-08:00

So yesterday was my birthday.
I turned 31.
Not as painful as turning 30, but I wasn't doing any cartwheels for joy.
I spent hours in thoughtful reflection of how the past year had gone.

Nope.
Not really.

I ate cake.
Ice cream cake.

TWO SLICES.

That's right.

You heard me.

TWO SLICES.

My wonderful family showered me with cards and lunch and of course ice cream cake. I am loved and very blessed.

I thought I should write down a few goals I have for 31. 31 perhaps? That might be a tad excessive.

1. Drink more water.
2. Eat less sugar (looks like I already blew that one)
3. Try not to worry about germs as much (pretty sure this will never happen, I am freak of nature)
4. Make more people smile
5. Spend more time with my children playing
6. More crock pot meals
7. More leggings. But not as pants.
8. To quit trying to compare myself with other mamas
9. More evening walks
10. More bedtime stories

What are your goals for this next year?

Word.

2012-01-21T14:24:00.000-08:00

People need to laugh more.

These are things that make me laugh.....

My children.

My reflection.

People who think leggings are pants.

People who take life too seriously.

My husband's high pitched girl squeal of a laugh.

My cars tires in winter weather.

Brody's resemblance to a flying squirrel.

Baylor's developing sense of humor.

The use of the word poop.

The overuse of cowbell.

Jimmy Fallon.

Brody's deep belly laugh.

When people push the pull door.

Improper use of grammar.

Those weird alien things on Sesame Street...you know, Yip yip yip, yaw yaw yaw.

Larry the Cable Guy (I know, I'm slightly redneck)

My driving in winter weather.

The fact that I can act my age but it's so much to act 14.

Planking.

Roses are red, violets are blue, I hate rhyming...penis.

Conan O'brien in Jeggings.

The fact that some people need a high five...to the face....with a chair.

Brody trying to explain something using his hands AND his face.

Those cute animal photos where people have added ridiculously amusing captions.

What makes you laugh?

Workin' girl

2012-01-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

I would be the first person to tell you that being a mom and staying at home is more than a full time job. Between cooking, cleaning, playing, disciplining, driving, organizing, laundering, teaching, feeding and caring for your house and family, the salary would be close to $130,000 a year. Still waiting for my paycheck. Undoubtedly the best job I've ever had, I thought it would be fun to add two more jobs on top of that. I'm never one to turn down a challenge. Doing the best I can at all three of these jobs just might kill me, but gosh darn it I will do it.

Since re-entering the working full time world, I have gained so much more respect for mothers who have been doing this the whole time. I admired them before, but now I just think they deserve a medal of honor, stiff drink or a vacation. It begins at dawn and ends late at night with a few hours of drug induced sleep in between.

I'm slowly learning the delicate balance of working outside of the home at a full time job that demands full time attention and then coming home and caring for my family. I also thought continuing my art business (which by the way is doing amazingly awesome, thank you!) would be fun.....but it's taking up a lot of spare time...whatever that is. I feel like I'm working three jobs. Wait...I am working three jobs.

And don't even think about being sick. There are no sick days. Unless you are on your death bed, you have to function. You have to drag your snot clogged feverish head out of bed to get two kids out the door and yourself to work. Your mind never stops running....

"Did Brody put on underwear this morning?"
"What's for dinner?"
"Did I put underwear on this morning?"
"Did I put Baylor in the right shoes for P.E today?"
"Did I finish those art orders?"
"Did I pee?"

You leave a messy house only to return to a messy house. Since you're not home all day, when you get home you have to do the things that need immediate attention......laundry, cleaning and most importantly spending time with your kids. You may think cleaning doesn't require immediate attention, but if you know me, you know that a panic attack may ensue if a dirty house is under foot.

It's survival of the fittest...and the one with the strongest coffee.

I am slowly learning this dance, one clumsy step at a time.

Christmas Photos

2012-01-02T07:23:00.000-08:00

No Christmas should be complete without fake mustaches!

Digging out their stocking stuffers.

The ever so popular forced hug.

"I LOVE this book!"

My favorite gift for Baylor! His very own Baylor Bears sweatshirt!

Lonnie and his new shades.

Just double checking to make sure there aren't any more gifts back there!

Brody man and his new alligator sleeping bag.

El Moustache!

At Grandma Lila's house with Papa Mike's glasses and hat on.

Christmas was a double thumbs up!

A Thankful Christmas

2011-12-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

What a year 2011 has been and it's even harder to believe it's almost over! The Speidel family has so much to be thankful for this year (including a professional family photo session with our friend Robyn....it only took 8 years! See awesome photo above) With life's ups and downs and in betweens, thanks for sharing parts of it with us.

Some highlights from this year include:

* Getting to travel to Arkansas with my family and fish for a week!
* Traveling on a bus with the track team to Atlanta and Florida. The boys will always remember this trip (and Brody now wants to be a bus driver because of it)
* Lonnie got to walk his little sister down the isle at her wedding
* We welcomed another boy cousin (on the Koser side) to the family....baby Colby!
*Baylor started Kindergarten and Brody started preschool at Lisbon.
* We had a 10 ft snowman in front of our house that mysteriously appeared one morning.
* We've watched the boys grow up before our eyes (where does the time go!?)
* My artwork is taking off (woo hoo)

I asked the boys to give me five things they were thankful for this year....obviously, since Christmas just happens to be tomorrow, it took top spots on their lists.

Baylor:
1. Our Family
2. The Christmas Tree
3. Presents under the tree
4. The Wii
5. Our hearts (this boy has such a sweet loving heart!)

Brody:
1. Christmas
2. Christmas tree with presents and the ornaments on the tree....and Santa...and baby Jesus.
3. God
4. Mom (yessss!) and Dad......(what about Baylor?) Oh yea, and Baylor too.
5. Dogs, cause I love them.

Lonnie:
1. Health
2. New job opportunities for my wife
3. My family and their health
4. Eight years of marriage to my wonderful wife (I swear that is exactly what he said)
5. My new t.v (You're welcome)

Me:
1. Of course my family! I'm thankful for each and every one of them (extended and so on and so forth) I am so thankful that I will get to see most of the in heaven for eternity. They may be far away and we may not see each other regularly, but we pray for them daily.

2.New furnace and insulation in this old house(I can keep the heat above 62 and our bill is actually lower!) This may not seem like a big deal to most people, but it's HUGE for me.

3. That my artwork is taking off and for my new job! The transition has been a little rough (can I just say how much more I admire working mothers! It's like working 4 full time jobs!)but it's getting better. I am blessed to be able to work in education again.

4. That Lonnie and I got to go to the Weekend to Remember marriage conference this fall. It was a great refresher and has made us stronger as a couple. Being stronger as a couple only makes us stronger as a family. We work together as a team.

5. My relationship with Christ....not my "religion" It's not about reciting words back to a man standing on a pulpit or waving your arms or eating bread or drinking wine or doing good things or simply saying you're a Christian. You must live it. Like any good relationship, it has to be mutual and you have to work at it. Can't be afraid of what others may think.....it never works out. You have to share it. Shout it.

We pray that this year brings you not only peace and happiness but maybe a life changing relationship.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Naughty or Nice?

2011-12-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

You do what you can.....

2011-12-04T19:35:00.001-08:00

Baylor has reached the stage in life where getting him to do school work has become quite the challenge. He can read, but he'd rather play. He likes doing school work.....at school, not at home. So as a parent you have to get creative. I have been trying to come up with new ways to get Baylor to practice his reading.

I found that humor works the best. I wrote these and he had to read them to me, and since used words like booger and rock star, he thought it was funny AND he was reading. Bonus!

You do what you can.

A new chapter

2011-11-27T18:23:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for these these sweet boys. All three cousins are together for the first time. We probably took 234 photos and of course there isn't a single one where all three of them are looking at the camera. It was fun though! It was so great to see baby Colby and get me some baby snuggles. It was also great to hand him back to his mama when he started to cry.

Here are the matching jammies that Granny K got for the boys. Obviously Colby wasn't too keen on them yet.

I said kiss your brother.....

...not make out with your brother!!

There's my boys. We have to get at least one photo where someone is picking their nose. At least their picking their own noses and not each others.

I have so much to be thankful for this year (and always) and these three little boys top my list!

We we so glad to get to hang out with Uncle Kort and Aunt Bri and of course baby Colby. They endured thunderstorms, long car rides and a plane trip from Louisiana just to be with us for Thanksgiving. Bri also did some of her famous baking.....which was awesome.....good thing I wore stretchy pants.

And now for something completely different....

Well, our lives are about to change a little bit. It's been six years since I made the decision to stay home with my babies and take a little break from the educational realm. I can't explain to you how blessed I was to be able to see my children grow up, teach them and train them up. So many memories were made and so many things were learned. There were good days and also some bad days, but I cherish every second I get to spend with them. God shut the door on a few job opportunities this spring and summer, but His timing proved to be perfect. I received a phone call last week asking me to consider a position at a local alternative school. I won't be teaching art per say, but I'll get to help them creatively and I'll find ways to work some artwork into their lessons. The hours are perfect and I have Friday's off to spend with Brody, so I decided to go for it. I really felt like this is the place that I was supposed to be. I am super excited to get back into teaching and working with students, but I am also very sad to leave Brody man in the mornings. He will only be with a sitter (who by the way is pretty awesome...and calm.....which is another bonus) three hours in the morning and then he has preschool in the afternoon. I'll be able to pick him up a lunch, drop him off at school and then pick both kids up at the end of the day. Major bonus. It's good to get my feet wet again and my foot in the door with the local schools. Someday I hope to be working in one of the two local school districts full time in an art classroom!

As I step back and look at the years that I got to spend with my boys, I wouldn't have changed a thing. I will still have plenty of time with them and the extra income will help us out greatly. I will still continue to do artwork (which is also doing really well, Praise God!) I could use your prayers this week as I drop off my baby and head out the door. I'm a big wussie.

I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving with your families!

Smoke in my eyes

2011-11-21T17:53:00.001-08:00

This was the view from our front porch as a house down the street caught on fire. There was smoke everywhere. Unfortunately, a lot of the firemen were at the UNI dome ready to cheer the Lisbon Lions on to state championship victory! (Woo hoo, go Lions!) The fire was contained but a lot of the house was ruined. The boys sat in awe at the fire trucks rushing down the street to help save the house. We're lucky to have a great volunteer fire department here in Lisbon.

We decided to head to the UNI Dome too, to cheer on our home town! This is the outfit Brody chose (he said the life jacket was his safety jacket) It was great to watch the boys cheer for their home town football team. I was secretly counting down the years until they can be on the field! (weather it be marching or tackling)

Baylor got in the spirit with his red and black complete with a mo-hawk (all the football boys were sporting them) He was pumped.

Life has been crazy busy and we are thankful to get a few days rest here at Thanksgiving. We get to meet our new nephew Colby and see my brother and sister-in-law!

Mom....also known as the fun hater

2011-11-07T15:07:00.000-08:00

While I was away this weekend in Chicago for a brass band competition, upon return I was quickly informed that, "Dad let us do fun things!"

Here are some things that the boys did while I was away....I interviewed them at dinner.

Me: Baylor, what did you and Dad do while I was gone?

Baylor: We went to Puss and Boots in the big movie theater AND we ate at McDonald's AND Dad let us play in the play place (insert groans from mom here)

Me: What else did you do?

Baylor: We stayed up late....oh yea, really late. We also played the Wii all day long.

Me: Hmmmmm Did you brush your teeth and wash your hands?

Baylor: I can't remember

Me: Should I go away more often?

Baylor: No....can we make my Christmas list now?

Me: Brody, what did you do while I was gone?

Brody: Ummm, I took pictures and played with these bungee thingies. We went to Kirtley's game (our babysitter) We saw our friends and heard poop talk.

Me: Poop talk? What did you eat for food?

Brody: Waffles!

Me: And?

Brody: Waffles!

Me: Waffles again?

Brody: Yes! And we got chocolate milk!

Boo!

2011-11-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

We had a rockin good time at Halloween! It was perfect weather and people were handing out chocolate...win win.

Here is my ninja warrior and my little dragon.

I jumped at the chance to wear my hair in a mohawk. I kind of like it. I may wear it that way again!

The forced hug.

Speaking of cuteness. We were blessed enough to have our family photos taken professionally....for the first time ever. I am so excited. Here is a sneak peek: https://www.facebook.com/RobynPhoto

She does awesome work AND she lives down the street from us. The photos of the boys made both Lonnie and I tear up....yes, I know......you just might too!

Piss-a-pippi River Mussem

2011-10-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

First off, we are HUGE Cardinals fans in this house, even our dogs get in on the action. The boys were decked out in their Cardinals gear today in preparation for tonight's big game! GO Cards!

The boys didn't have school today so as promised we headed up to Dubuque to the Piss-a-pippi River Mussem (also known as the Mississippi River Museum) We spent the greater part of today exploring and learning about the mighty Mississippi.

The highlight of the trip was the 3D Dinosaur movie. Baylor was in heaven and said it was one of the best days of his life. Brody was scared out of his drawers. He kept taking his glasses off and then putting them on again...off...on...off...on....He wasn't a fan of three dimensional pterydachtals flying at him.

Baylor and I playing with shadows :)

I shot this photo right before the sun went down today, there was some beautiful clouds. I love Iowa in the fall! Have a great weekend!

Pinball

2011-10-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

(Checking out the scary clown haunted barn at Bloomsbury)

This kid never stops. Never slows down. Never tires. He is like a human pinball, bouncing from one activity to the next.

I saw a shirt the other day that Brody needs to wear that read, "My parents are exhausted."

Amen.

Parent teacher conferences were this week and both boys are doing great. Brody loves preschool and is right on target, knows all his letters and most of his numbers, along with writing his name and drawing stick figures with boobies. He needs to work on colors (anyone know of a simple test to see if your kid is colorblind, I really think Brody might be!) and his birthday/address. We got to go on a field trip yesterday to Bloomsbury Farm with his preschool class....I was more exhausted than he was!

Baylor is doing well too, he is finally adjusting to being at school all day and is making some new friends. His drawings included dinosaurs, bloody battle scenes, hunting scenes and attack scenes. All boy, all the time. We're going to work on punctuation and sentence structure at home, along with simple math patterns. Unlike his mother, he said he loves math and is pretty good at it. I love hearing about what he learns at school, but think it is so very important to work with your kids at home. Learning is constant and it involves lots of time, patience and energy. You have to be willing to get a little dirty (and let them get dirty) in the process. This makes the teacher's job easier! It helps that we have great teachers and that we stay in communication with them about anything and everything. Too often, I hear of parents complaining about this and that, when really all they need to do is GO TALK TO THE TEACHER. Don't expect the teachers to do everything for you.

On a completely different note, our brass band will be competing at the US Open Brass Band Championships in St.Charles, Illinois the first weekend of November. We're very excited, but along with excitement comes hours of practice. I am very blessed to be part of a group of very talented musicians. Most of them are so dedicated by their love for music that they bring their horns to work with them to practice over their lunch hour. You may call it nerdy, we call it devotion. They come from all walks of life and all professions......from band directors to IT people to engineers to teachers to sales to garbage men to stay at home mamas. We don't get paid, we don't get instruments....the only perk we get is being part of one big dysfunctional family that comes together to make beautiful music. I wouldn't have it any other way. So if you're in the Chicago area and want to see us perform, you can go here: http://usopenbrass.org/ or visit our other website: easterniowabrassband.com.

Parent like you mean it.

2011-10-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

Being a parent means you give up most of your rights, freedoms and privacy when that slimy little of screaming flesh is plopped on to your chest. There are no give backs or do-overs. There are no instructional cds to watch or YouTube videos on how to properly raise your child. You are thrust into a world that is no longer about you, into a world of trying to hang on for dear life hoping that your kid won't end up needing therapy. You aren't allowed to pee alone anymore and you get less and less sleep, but it's all worth it.

Having six years of parenting under my belt, I consider myself to be quite the professional (I kid) One of the most important lessons that I have learned in those six years that have flown by at the speed of light is being intentional with your kids. Parenting with a purpose.

Treating each day as a new experience to learn and taking every moment to show them how much you love them. Oh, and there is this little thing called talking.....or communication! You can't get by in life by assuming they will learn life lessons somewhere else. We love our teachers dearly, but they are not raising your kids. YOU are raising your kids. That means you are going to have to be responsible. I know it can be a hard thing to do sometimes, but it's worth it. I want my kids to feel like they can talk to me about anything at any time, and being open, honest and intentional is part of that comfort.

Want your kids not to have sex until marriage? Here's a thought. You talk to them about it. Want them to learn who created the heavens and the earth and is responsible for the awesomeness that we live in? Yup, you're going to have to speak here too. Want them to stop punching Johnny in the face and being disrespectful to adults? Get out of the chair and discipline like you mean it.....with intention and consistency! You want them to date someone who loves the Lord and treats them with respect and yet you say it's "none of your business." Oh...it's your business alright. Parent like you mean it.

It breaks my heart when I get to work at the school and see kids treating each other and teachers with disrespect. It also breaks my heart that they are so needy for attention, just to get anyone to listen to them or to hug them. Every child deserves to be loved. Every child also deserves to be parented and taught and disciplined, but unfortunately it doesn't always work out that way.

I was lucky enough to be raised my some pretty awesome people who made it their job to be the best parents. They didn't always make the grade but I knew that they loved me even when they had to ground me for a month. I seriously think I was grounded for half of my childhood.....just for opening my big mouth. The told me the rules, told me what they expected and helped me realize that it wasn't about ME. They were intentional and purposeful in their parenting. I can't thank them enough.

I don't want anyone to misread what I'm saying or take it the wrong way (I am far from a parenting expert!) I just want to encourage you (whether you're a parent or not) to live your life with intent and purpose. It's not about YOU.

It's that time of year.....

2011-10-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

The boys and I visited the local pumpkin patch and picked out our pumpkins for the season. Mine is the awesome green one.

Love these boys! Don't love that they shared their lovely germies with me. Cough-a-palooza at our house!

Nothing says fall like leaves and the occasional hand creeping out of it......

Brody needed some help getting his shoes down from the porch......our friend James, who happens to be almost 7 feet, helped them get up there and his roomie Chad helped them get down.

I know, I know....if it looks like I took a picture of a picture....you're right. I'm so redneck. My scanner is broken and I wanted to show off this cute photo of Baylor with his awesome coach :)

We've still been super busy with activities and shuttling kiddos around. I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't get any better. Sorry for the lack of blogging, I'm sure you have all been on pins and needles for the next spectacular literary work from yours truly. Sorry to keep you waiting.

Have you seen my camera? The aftermath of a six year old with a camera

2011-09-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's me Baylor. I found my mother's camera laying on the kitchen counter and took the liberty of shooting a few photos.

This first shot is my shark. It's my good luck shark. I lost it yesterday and church and I had a wee bit of a meltdown at bedtime. I only have 324 more sharks. You can never have too many sharks.

You can have too many little brothers though. He's so weird. He does laugh at everything I do though, so that's bonus points.

So weird. He smells funny too.

That is my mom. She is working hard at her computer (or at least she says she is) There is always artwork all over the kitchen table and paint on the floor. Gosh, now that I think about it, she really is a messy painter.

Yep, that's my pee. I couldn't resist.

I told my mom I took a picture of Macey's penis. She informed me that Macey is a girl and doesn't have a penis. So I took a photo of her boob instead.

Our front room....

My beautiful artwork.

Squash bake. Mom tried disguising squash so we would it eat. Fail.

My very favorite picture of Brody and I. Just the way I like him. Quiet.

I'll let the beauty of these next photos speak for themselves....

Life with boys

2011-09-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

I would't trade my life with these two little boys for anything. The dirt, noise and ninja warriors along with penis stories over the dinner hour. I love it. Not so much the penis stories, but they come with the territory as I am convinced every little boy is fascinated by their little man parts. I don't think I could handle having a little girl. Don't get me wrong, I love them...the sweet, innocent and dramatic little things. I am one myself.

A girl, not dramatic....okay, maybe sometimes a little dramatic.

God knew my heart and knew exactly what I could handle.

TWO little boys.

This little boy, who has grown an inch since school started and clearly loves having his photo taken. Apparently the tree was much more exciting than anything I had pointed at his face.

It took bribery, counting and the "angry mom" voice to get him to turn around. Geesh, he looks like his legs might break in two.....like two potatoes on the end of two toothpicks. I wish I still had those chicken legs. He had his first soccer game Tuesday and scored the first goal! I got to overhear a few parents commenting on how fast he was. I couldn't be prouder.

Life with Baylor is such a joy with a side of crazy. The kid hates sleep and always will. I will look forward to the day I have to wake this child up. It doesn't matter how late he goes to bed, he is up and staring at me at 6:30 on the dot. He is so smart (or at least we think so) and loves anything dinosaur related. We are constantly being corrected on our dinosaur lingo. He loves playing by himself and will take an old suitcase full of dinos outside and disappear for hours. His imagination and creativity already amaze me. He likes to laugh with his brother and inappropriate things at inappropriate times. The words fart, poop, underpants and penis are among his favorite gut busters. These words usually come out during meal times. He also has such a sweet heart. He wants to marry me and is still confused as to why he has to live at college (Why can't I just live at home?) He asks deep theological questions at approximately the time he needs to be sleeping.

And then there's this dude. Flava Flav. The destroyer. Brody man. Crazy pants. Who only operates in hyper speed. From the moment he wakes up to the moment he goes to bed the kid sometimes resembles a squirrel on speed. Not that I've ever witnessed a squirrel on speed, but you get my point. If there is a mess to be made or something that needs to be destroyed, than Brody is your man. He is learning so much already this year and tries so hard to keep up with big brother. The tantrums have been significantly decreased but not eliminated. Is that humanly possible?

Like his brother, his favorite words include underpants, poopie and penis (which sometimes he occasionally strums like an air guitar) He has the most infectious laugh, deep and from the belly. He really isn't interested in one specific thing, but enjoys running and playing and being a boy. He makes us laugh every day.

I am so blessed to be able to parent, mother and just spend time with these fabulous boys. I wouldn't have it any other way. The good, the bad and the poopie.

Friday Photos

2011-09-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

Baylor is learning all sorts of new things in school.....

What? You've never seen a monkey pouring orange juice before? This isn't uncommon at our house. Monkey costumes that is.

Did you know that mason jars fit in most blenders? Now you don't have to dirty two things. This is my spinach lunch smoothie. 1 Cup spinach leaves, almond milk (unsweetened) Greek yogurt (unsweetened) frozen strawberries and frozen banana. You can't taste the spinach...just the way I like it. It's the only way I can get myself to eat it regularly.

I'm loving spending quality time with Brody in the morning. He acts completely different when he is by himself. I love it. We made cookies this morning and as you can tell by his joyful expression, he's thrilled to get the beaters all to himself.

Chloe was helping him clean up afterwards.

I found these in the wash machine trap. Someone in this family is getting a little too close to nature.

Well hello there, do I know you?

2011-09-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

This sweet boy had a pajama party at preschool last week. It was 90 degrees and he chose his winter pj's.....but he sure had fun!

I realize it's been a while since I've posted, many apologies! I didn't realize that having three hours to myself in the afternoon would make my life more hectic! Here is what we have been up to since school started....

Baylor:
* Playing soccer
* Finally settling into the Kindergarten groove
* Making new friends and hanging out with old ones
* Upgrading his dinosaur collection and setting up elaborate scenes everyday after school
* Checking YouTube for new and exciting nature videos
* Growing up so fast.....I swear he grew another inch since school started

Brody:
* Loving preschool
* Meeting new friends
* Eating....and eating....and then eating some more
* Growing up and doing new things all by himself
* Anxiously awaiting the arrival of his new cousin Colby (any hour now!)
* Writing his name and learning his colors (I think this kid may be colorblind.....)
* Causing mass destruction wherever he goes (the preschool teachers say he's an angel.....why not at home?)

Lonnie:
*Working hard at work (as always) Cross country season is in full swing
* Cross country meets on the weekends
* Helping organize some men's events at church
* Rediscovering his love of reading....three books in the last two weeks! Way to go babe!
* Taking time every night to spend quality time with his little boys.
* Still trying to figure out how to load the dishwasher.....a skill that hasn't come easy
* Doing a vigorous lifting program...I don't mean to brag, but my husband's pecs are awesome.

ME:
* Coaching soccer (or as I like to call it, herding cats)
* Making tons of artwork during my "free" time
* Helping the boys with school work and projects and reading and coloring and.......
* Serving on our women's ministry team at church (and loving it) It's great to feel needed!
* Doing BSF (bible study fellowship) again this year. We're studying Acts, it's going to be great!
* Shuttling kids to and from school
* Serving on our local arts council and getting ready for the Lincoln Highway Arts Fest (Sept 24th) You should go!
* Finishing three books....all at the same time
* Trying to get back to running again after being laid up with a hip injury this summer
* Just trying to keep up with the housework....clothes, dishes, food, laundry....repeat

Deep breath. Whew! Makes my head spin just thinking about it.
Thanks for putting up with my absence. I shall return!

Labor of Love

2011-09-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

The boys are "excavating" their dinosaur bones. Thanks to Aunt Bri and Uncle Kort for the awesome birthday gift! You guys rock, and we can't wait to spoil that baby (as soon as he makes an appearance!)

We spent the greater part of the day at Lake MacBride kayaking and fishing and finding all sorts of animals.

BUT first, we ate ice cream.

Grandma thinks if she flaps her arms fast enough, she'll move faster.......

Turtle party.

That's not a minnow on the end, that's actually the fish he caught. Serious.

...and then Baylor landed this lunker.

All I caught was a dragonfly that was trying to mate with my lure.

Joy, excitement and the infamous question....

2011-09-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I wish I could have this much joy! Obviously grandma and grandpa picked a winner this year with their gift to Baylor for his sixth birthday. He's a wee bit overjoyed.

Just listen to his excitement......

....and then listen to what my husband says a the end.

(why am I not surprised?)

My sweet Baylor

2011-08-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

My sweet Baylor, you are turning SIX, tomorrow!! Seriously, where did the time go? You were two weeks late and after 24 hours of labor, I was more than excited to finally meet you. You have certainly changed our lives for the better.

I should probably start out by apologizing to you since you happen to be the first born. I didn't have a clue (and still sometimes don't) how to make you stop crying or pooping. I was a neurotic germ freak nap nazi, and now I just laugh when you eat something that has been on the floor. You hated sleep from the beginning and still do. You have such a tender heart and you wear your heart on your sleeve. You are going to be a fine leader someday! I love the fact that you still miss me at school and you want hugs and kisses before bedtime....please don't give that up! You have brought such joy into our family and have been a blessing from the beginning. We can't wait to celebrate many more birthdays with you!

Here are some things you like right now:

You love to play with: Dinosaurs (I'm fairly certain we have checked out every dinosaur book from every library in town) Animals/science/hunting (anything that involves the great outdoors)

Your best friend is: Bronson

You hate: Vegetables (but this is nothing new) sleeping without the fish light on and playing with Brody.

Favorite color: Red

Favorite foods: Mac and Cheese, cheese pizza, fruit, ice cream

You love to: watch Dinosaur videos on YouTube, create elaborate dinosaur scenes outside, just chill by yourself.

Favorite place to eat: Red Robin

Favorite book: Anything with a dinosaur in it

Happy birthday to my sweet Baylor!

Blame it on the cat.....

2011-08-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, the look of innocence. The look of an angel saying, "who me?"

Looks can be deceiving.

Sweet boy, yes. Sneaky boy? HECK YES.

Let's begin our story this morning, quite early in fact. The sun was just above the horizon and the sounds of the day were just beginning. It was about 6:15am when Lonnie got up to leave for early cross country practice. I heard the screen door slam and then a car door slam so I knew he was gone. A few minutes later I heard the screen door slam again, but thinking it was just Lonnie coming back because he forgot something, I drifted back to sleep. Around 6:30 I thought I was dreaming and heard yet another subtle door slam so I decided to check it out. I peeked into the boys room and slowly shut their door because I didn't want to wake them. Little did I know one of them was already causing a ruckus.

So my dear husband sleeps on the couch (a lot) because of his snoring (we still love each other, I promise, it's better this way) and so there are usually two pillows and a blanket on the couch. When I went downstairs there was no bedding on the couch. Finding this really odd, I texted Lonnie to ask where his pillows went and his reply was "they were there when I left." What? We have a pillow thief? Who steals pillows at six in the morning?! I walked through the house and happen to peek out the front door only to see a trail of....

pillow........pillow.....blanket......BRODY!!!!

What the heck.

Let me back up for a second and explain our situation. The cat situation. The boys have discovered a stray cat whom they call Sewer Cat (and I call things I can't write out loud) and have been begging to keep this feline. I have to admit, she's really cute and she's very friendly but she's a cat. A stinky cat. A stinky cat in which my dogs FREAK OUT if she is within eye shot. Not a good combination. Anyways, the boys have been loving on this cat, so the cat thinks it has found a new home. It is indeed mistaken.

Back to the story.

So I go outside to retrieve the half clothed, wrapped in a blanket child sitting ON THE CURB OF THE STREET. Then I go receive my MOM OF THE YEAR award. Someone even called the local police to report him! As amusing as the story is, I am just glad he is safe. I don't even want to think of what could have happened.

Now I am investigating door locks, alarms and cages (just kidding)

We're still not getting the cat.

Brody vs. Preschool.....and the pavement

2011-08-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

Today was Brody man's first day of four year old preschool. He was FINALLY excited when we arrived at school. Heading up to the day, he was set on staying home with mom.

Safety first. Got to check for sticks, stones and cheese sticks. Brody assumed the pat down position.

Hanging up his backpack in his cubby.

Giving Daddy a goodbye kiss.

....aaaaand then we came home and he had a run in with the pavement. The pavement won.

I had a visitor during dinner tonight. She thought she could snag some grilled salmon. All she got was her photo taken.

All I really need know I learned in Kindergarten.....

2011-08-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

1. Kid friendly scissors are kid friendly, but they are NOT hair friendly.

2. Not everyone will be your friend but you have to try.

3. Recess is awesome.

4. That little compartment on top of your lunch box, yea...that one...it opens and there is more food inside. (your mom didn't just pack you a sandwich for lunch)

5. Rubbing your head on the carpet the day before school will get you a lot of sympathy at school (but not with your mom)

5.5 It's not a good idea to get your lunchbox at Wal-mart along with every other kid at your school. There's a good possibility you might not end up with yours as the end of the day.

6. You will miss your mom and brother and dad even though you said you wouldn't.

7. Did I mention recess?

8. Little notes inside your lunch box make a big difference, even if you can't quite read all the words yet.

9. Teachers are your friends but they are also your teachers.

10. God gave you one mouth and two ears for a reason (this also applies at home)

11. It's okay to run and hug your mom after school until you're 18 (unless you play linebacker on the football team)

11.5 You don't know everything and you do need to go to school.

12. Kindergarten is going to be okay. Rough, but okay.

And so it begins.....

2011-08-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

And so it begins.......KINDERGARTEN. As you can tell by this photo, he is clearly excited for his first full day of school. No, really. He was very excited. His mother, now that is another story.

Oh, I can't believe that this day is here. The summer flew by so fast that I was still recovering from the last week of school and here we are at the first! Baylor started all-day Kindergarten yesterday. We chose to send him to AK (alternative Kindergarten) last year since he was a summer birthday and a boy. I highly recommend....encourage....want to make it a law...that parents of kids with spring/summer birthdays do! He is now ready for a full day of learning, what a difference a year makes!

My sweet almost six year old boy with a great sense of humor will be in a class of 19 and has the best teacher. We are so blessed to know, love and support Baylor's new Kindergarten teacher this year. I have a peace knowing that he is in good hands all day long.

I asked Baylor a few questions before he departed:

What are you looking forward most to this year? THREE recesses, mom! THREE! And lunch. (good to know he's got his priorities right)

What do you think your favorite class will be? Art. I liked the art room. (yes!)

Who are you going to play with at recess? Bronson of course. He's my best friend.

Although we had a lot of tears after school and before school this morning (hello over stimulation and new things overload!) , I think it will be a great year. He told me how much he missed me and had a huge smile on his face once we got to school.

In case you're wondering who attacked Baylor's forehead, that would be the carpet. The night before school, Baylor thought it would be cool to rub his forehead on the carpet. It was in fact, not cool at all. Now he has this huge rug burn just in time for his first day of school photos.

His little brother and his mother miss him dearly, the house is so quiet! I am getting to spend some quality time with Brody and have seen him grow already in the two days that Baylor has been gone. Brody starts preschool Wednesday! I'm on an emotional overload this week. My babies are growing up!

Boys with big toys

2011-08-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

Guess what the boys got to do this weekend with Dad?

Teamwork

2011-08-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

On August 9th 2003, I got the pleasure of marrying my best friend. Eight years and two children later, he's still the love of my life and still manages to make me laugh, cry and occasionally shoot milk out of my nose. Like any good marriage, we've been through rough patches and smooth waters and what they say is true, if it doesn't kill you it will make you stronger. Eight years is nothing compared with the 50 more I plan on spending with this man.

First of all, you have to be a very special person to live with me....to love me. I'm not the easiest person to live with (or so I've been told) Stubborn, hard headed, rebellious and wild are just a few adjectives that have been uttered from the mouth of certain relatives whom shall remain nameless. I have a temper and I like to leave glasses all over the house. Sometimes I say naughty words (I'm working on it!) and sometimes I stretch the truth. I'm far from perfect.

He still loves me. He still wants to be married to me. He still loves my less than perfect and slightly stretch marked belly. He loves that I love my short hair. He loves God more than he loves me. He loves the two wild and crazy little boys that we are raising together.

He also laughs with me (but mostly at me)

It wasn't by chance or luck that I happen to stumble upon the relationship that ended in a life long covenant.

We have been blessed with a wonderful, healthy and sometimes crazy family.

I married a man who works hard to support his family, who gets down and dirty with his kids at the end of a long day and still manages to help me with the dishes after dinner. He's strong and quiet (don't worry, I make up for that part) and he is becoming a wise man of God.

When I had a wedding shower, a good friend of mine gave me a shirt that said "cheerleader" on it. I was rather confused until she explained that I needed to be my husband's cheerleader. We were going to be a team. Now Lonnie knows a lot about being on a team, coaching a team and leading a team. We've learned a lot about teamwork in the past eight years and I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather do it with.

I am so thankful that my husband can love me for who I am, help me become a better wife and mother and kick me in the rear (which I tend to need quite frequently) He lets me pursue my passions of art and music and ~~never~~ hardly ever complains about what's for dinner. Did I mention how amazingly handsome he is too?

I am a lucky girl.

Happy anniversary to the man of my dreams.

"I'll miss being three"

2011-08-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

Dearest Brody,

You turned four yesterday (yes, yesterday....sorry, I'm a little behind) We woke you up with balloons in your bed and a crown for the birthday boy. You asked me repeatedly how old you were today and then with a sigh said, "Man, I'm going to miss being three." Apparently, three was a good year for you. We took you to the zoo and all you wanted to do was ride the train.

I can't believe four years have flown by already. Where has the time gone....wait, I remember......

You've spent most of it covered in strange substances like chocolate pudding, olive oil, paint, applesauce and Vix Vapo-Rub (to name a few) You always seem to find the mess if it's anywhere in your vicinity.

Your wit and charm and temper have really shown through. You can smile your way out of any sort of punishment...speaking of charm, you're not dating until you're thirty.

You love your big brother (sometimes) and if it can be destroyed (or held upside down and backwards) you will do it. Some of your favorite things to do with Baylor are play pirates, boxing or hide and seek. He picks on you sometimes, but give it a few years and you'll be pounding the crap out of him.

You love to eat (dog food included) and would much rather have food than any sort of material goods. We have high hopes for you as a football player or sumo wrestler.

Some of your favorite toys include things that aren't really toys at all. You still love trains, tractors and construction equipment. You love to draw (yes!) and spend one on one time with each parent. You are so excited about life, lets keep it that way.

When you were born, we had to hide you from your brother. He wanted to poke your eyes out and pick your nose. In fact, I think he still does sometimes. You are cute now, but when you came out we wanted to call you George because you resembled that cute little hairy monkey you watch on t.v.

You have brought so much joy, laughter and tears to our family. You've had two surgeries already, lets hope they will be your last. I've got poison control on speed dial.

You're growing up so fast and maturing into a bright little boy.

You've always been a hard worker and when you don't get what you want....well, watch out world.

We can't imagine life without you and you have made us stronger as a family. We love you so very much and can't wait to spend more birthdays together with you.

Tomato Basil Pizza

2011-07-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

I'm fairly certain that I ate most of this pizza. Yes. I did.

Here's what you need:

1 pizza crust (homemade or store bough) We made our own with whole wheat flour.

Fresh cherry or roma tomatoes chopped

Fresh basil chopped

1 cup mayo

mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

minced garlic

olive oil

white onion thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400. Put your crust on an olive oiled pan (I love the stone ones) stretch it out to the very edges. Bake for five minutes at 400. Turn oven down to 375. Mix mayo, 1/2 cup parm. cheese, 1 cup mozz. cheese and tablespoon of garlic (these are approximate, I don't measure) Spread on crust. Layer tomatoes on top, then onions and basil. Sprinkle with more mozz. cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden bubbly. Eat. Love. Enjoy.

Pintarest...addict?

2011-07-28T16:25:00.000-07:00

Yes. I think so.

Have you tried it yet?

You will be addicted.

I've only just begun....

http://pinterest.com/keri_speidel/

Do it.
You can thank me later (for yet another time sucking social media site)

The closet fortress

2011-07-27T19:23:00.000-07:00

After doing some major summer cleaning (a great excuse to stay inside in the air conditioning when it's uber humid outside) I turned our coat and storage closet into a "fortress" for the boys. They felt the need to share this information (that they were sleeping in a closet) with the check out lady. She gave me a concerned look until I explained that it was a fort and not something that required DHS. They've been in this fortress for two hours and there has been no sleeping. My money is on Baylor for getting annoyed that Brody has his elbow in his face and heads upstairs to his bed.

8:14 am

Baylor pours himself and his little brother a bowl, excuse me, a HUGE bowl of cheerios for breakfast. Props on getting breakfast for yourself little man. Maybe next time try not to use the entire box of Cheerios and half the milk, mmmkay?

8:15 am

Entire bowl of cheerios and milk end up on the lovely (NOT) kitchen floor.

*sigh*

Okay, so at least he tried.

Chloe is revolting. She is angry because I got rid of her crate (which she seldom slept in) to make more space for my windows in the mudroom. I'm going to get them a nice comfy dog bed, but in the meantime she has found her new place to chilax. Nothing like dog butt on the place you eat you food. Good think I like you Chloe.

Firsts

2011-07-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend Baylor man lost his first tooth. There was much rejoicing. He quickly informed me that there was no tooth fairy but he still expected something under his pillow. When I was little my father "The Tooth Fairy" would leave a silver dollar under my pillow for each tooth I lost. I saved them all and decided that's what Baylor should receive. He was thrilled to say the least.

We also went school supply shopping for his Kindergarten supplies and managed to fill his backpack to the max. He almost tipped over. I can't believe my baby will be in all-day Kindergarten. There might be tears.....from me.

Baby, it's (really) hot outside

2011-07-20T16:57:00.000-07:00

It's beginning to look a lot like.....summer harvest time! I know it's not much to look at now, but this is a big accomplishment for someone with a black thumb (like myself) We have our first veggies from the garden, other than the lettuce we've been collecting weekly. One ginormus zucchini, one radish, one cucumber and some beans. The zucchini and cucumber have proceeded to take over the back of the yard and the sunflowers are bigger than the kids. The boys are very excited about growing their own veggies, unfortunately they aren't as excited about eating them. It has been really hot the past few days, but I won't complain because I'd take this heat over cold any day!

I just registered Baylor for Kindergarten.

ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN.

He is about to lose a tooth.

What happened to my baby?

I just spent a few minutes filling out an online registration form with lots of questions. Lots of questions that really don't show the true colors of my Baylor so I thought I'd write some of my own registration questions (the ones that really matter)

1. Does your student have any issues? You mean like taking off ALL of his clothing when he goes to the bathroom? Then, yes.
2. What language did your student learn first? I wouldn't really call it a language, more like grunts and snorts.
3. Does he like music? Of course, in fact he just made up new lyrics to If you're happy and you know it.....If you're happy and you know it slap your butt. I kid you not...and I promise he won't sing them during class. Actually I can't make that promise.
4. Allergies? He claims to be allergic to broccoli, peas and Cheetos.
5. Any behavior problems? No, of course not. He is an angel sent from heaven. He smells like roses. He never makes bodily function noises. He loves his brother with all of his heart. Amen.

Actually, we are so excited about Baylor's teacher. She is pretty amazing and was the boys Awana leader too. She's a very good teacher and she loves Jesus. Couldn't ask for more. I hope she knows I will be stalking her classroom......

Got to go sell a kidney on the black market to pay for the list of school supplies that is a mile long......*sigh*

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

2011-07-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

I am one lucky lady. Look at these so very handsome men! They were the ring bearers and bride walker at the wedding of Aunt Christina to our new Uncle Brett! The wedding was gorgeous (along with the bride) and we had so much fun reconnecting with family.

We spent a few days down in Missouri and hurried home with just enough time to do our laundry and take one deep breath. The following day we met up with some fellow coaches and their wives at FCA camp in Pella, Iowa. We've made it a family tradition to travel to the home of Dutch Letters and Central College where Lonnie can coach athletes in track and I can fellowship with other coaches wives (more on that later) It's always a fun week and I don't have to cook. Unfortunately there was an ice cream machine....and I had ice cream after most meals. I will be hitting the pavement this week!

Here is the beautiful bride her beautiful mama.

We are glad to be home for the time being, not so glad about the pile of laundry that needs to be put away!

Dance Machine

2011-07-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

Wedding dance floor=hours of enjoyment for Brody and

hours of entertainment for the wedding guests.

The joy of boys....

2011-07-05T13:14:00.001-07:00

Goodbye silver bullet.....

2011-07-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

My 30 year old clean driving record has come to a screeching halt....actually it was quite smashing. Silver Bullet is no more. It was a sad goodbye, a rough transition, but it's looking to be a happy ending!

In the words of my almost six year old son I need to, "calm down and quit freaking out." Something in which I have mastered quite well, especially after having children. God always ceases to amaze me and makes me wonder why I "freak out" in the first place.

Tuesday afternoon after Lonnie gets home from work, I jump in the car and head to the local hardware store to get a propane tank for our BBQ grill. I swing by the grocery store to pick up a few random groceries and head back on the highway towards home. It's probably the most perfect day you could ask for.....75 and sunny. I am driving the speed limit (yes, believe it or not) not talking on the phone or breaking up a fight in the back seat (the boys were at home) and have the radio on at a reasonable level. I will not tell you what exactly I was listening to because it may involve some auto dancing as well. I am slowing down and there is a little blue pick-up truck in front of me that slams on his breaks because the person in front of him slams on his brakes. Everything goes in slow motion as I 1. reach for the propane tank in the front seat (yes, I know dumb idea) 2. Try to swerve and miss him and 3. Instead of missing, I hit him with the left side of my car.

I sit on the side of the road trying to figure out what just happened. I'm shaking so bad I can't even get my phone out. I couldn't get out of the drivers side door because it was stuck. There was smoke and headlight piece all over the shoulder. Needless to say I was very shaken and my car was a wee bit smashed. A wee bit may be an understatement. The dude in front of me was okay (not so much happy, but polite) and his bumper will need replacing. The silver bullet on the other hand was totaled (according to the insurance adjuster) It was a sad day.

I felt horrible.
I feel horrible.

We....okay, I went into panic mode because we needed a car quickly to get down to Lonnie's sister's wedding this coming weekend. The boys (all three of them) are in the wedding and I am there for moral support...and cake. To make a long story short, there was no need for panic and we found a car right in our backyard. It's the same model (we loved the Freestyle!) and not van (sorry van drivers, I still can't do it) and it has leather seats ( I was sold on the leather alone) God is good. No need for panicking.

It could have been so much worse. I could have been hurt, the other guy could have been hurt or my children and husband could have been in the car with me. You never know when God will call you home, make it worth it.

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
~Diane Loomans

Confessions of an egg napper

2011-06-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

What? Huh? What is that?

IF....I.....could.....just.....get....a.....little.....closer.....

Just a smell.....let me just smell it....maybe lick the air or something?

oh, yes.......I can taste them in my mouth.......

So......close....almost....there......oh yes....there's bacon!

EGGS! NOM NOM NOM

Thanks for the eggs.....in return, I shall let you squeeze the living daylights out of my head.

What I love about you.....

2011-06-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when the boys are fighting, I make them sit on the couch...as close together as possible....and hold hands. They have to recall one thing they love about their brother. Brody had no problem with this but Baylor had to think long and hard.......

Me: Baylor, what do you love about Brody?

Baylor: Um, I don't remember...I don't know....!!

Me: Try harder.

Baylor: Ummmmmmm

Me: Baylor!!

Baylor: Okay, okay....I love the way he plays his penis like a guitar.

Me: ...................well.......okay.

Only in my house..........

Things my dad taught me.....

2011-06-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

Things my dad has taught me.....

* Pray big. God answers prayers.
* Quitters never win, winners never quit.
* How to catch 101 crappies in an hour
* That golf balls hurt if they hit you in the head
* How to have good handwriting
* To fear the wrath of dad
* How to tie lure on, gut a fish and cast like you mean it
* How to have fun
* To appreciate the news
* How to yell at refs on t.v during Hawkeye football games
* How to mow the lawn
* That he means business
* How to run really fast (especially if someone is chasing you)
* How to hunt for mushrooms (there is a special technique you know)
* How to trust in the Lord
* How to wrap a steak, grind hamburger and properly filet a fish
* How to sort cans
* How to be a good winner and a good loser
* How to be competitive
* How go grin and bear it
* How to shoot a basketball, dribble and play HORSE
* How to drive a stick shift.....on a hill...in the middle of traffic
* How to be responsible for my actions
* How to be respectful and polite
* That (most) boys have cooties
* How to leave every cabinet door open after you've searched for whatever it is you're searching for
* How not to be a wussie

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful father whom I love and respect so very much. A father who has taught me so much, made me laugh and struck fear into me....all at the same time.

Happy Father's Day to my dad, I love you!

Salute to Dad

2011-06-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to these wonderful dads, almost dads and granddads. LOVE YOU (and miss you) ALL!

Week in Review

2011-06-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

What a roller coaster of emotions this week has been! A few weeks ago I excitedly applied for a teaching job and got an interview, hoping and praying that it would work out. I let my ego get the best of me, assuming that I was perfect for the position.

I was not.

After reading my rejection email and feeling a little sorry for myself, I realized that God had other plans. I still decided that sulking around all day, wallowing in self pity would be the best thing to do.

It was not.

How silly I was to think that I could plan my future. Of course it was easy to do. I had it all worked out. I had the job, we could move out of this house and everything would be fine and dandy. God however, had other plans. It turns out the very next day this (see photo above) was printed in our local paper. I was interviewed a while ago and thought it would be something small but instead got this awesome article. I'm hoping this will help my art business. I've applied at another school district, but in the meantime I'm perfectly happy making art from home and being with my kids.

This week Brody recovered from his tonsillectomy and was well enough to paint his own toenails (and toes) and the floor...and the bathtub. I couldn't get the fingernail polish remover to take it off, so if you see him in public...no, his toes aren't bleeding. He has been running, jumping and vaulting off of various things and since the surgery all he is able to speak in is whine. We don't recommend learning that language, it might make your ears bleed.

My handsome men on our front step....after being banned from eating juicy watermelon in the kitchen.

Yup, this is pretty normal at our house. Somehow my ear plugs kept disappearing.....and Baylor found them. I'm going to let him keep those. I am loving having him home this summer and doing all sorts of fun activities with the boys. We're headed to the other Mt.Vernon next week to help Grandma Lila move into her new house. Brody is counting the minutes!

I am having a little hair regret this week. It's not that I don't love my short hair, it's just that I miss my long hair and a certain someone in the house (who shall remain nameless) just informed me that he liked long hair better. Great. Thanks. A little late now. I have to continually remind myself that it is just hair and it will grow back (eventually) and I should just have fun with it while I can. I am still the same person...only with short hair.

I've also learned this week that unfortunately even as Christians, we are subject to judgement by others. We are judged by those who walk with the Lord and those who don't. Those judgement may be based on facts but most of the time they are not. Don't let yourself be the one who makes that judgement. We too often get one side of the story and begin to make our own assumptions based on what we think is the "correct" information. That's really not fair is it? Would you want to be the one who people were assuming incorrectly about? I didn't think so. I can't help what people think about me, my family, my faith....all I can show them is how much I love my faith and family.

Let's leave the judging up to the big guy upstairs, shall we?

Truthful Tuesday:Bald is beautiful

2011-06-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

Truth: It annoys me that you smile like a gremlin when I say smile pretty. Gremlin smile is not a pretty smile. Even though you are one cute kid.

Truth: Grabbing your brother by the lip doesn't help him smile any prettier.

Truth: Even though I just had my tonsils removed and am pumped full of fun drugs, I am cute.

See, really cute.

Yup, getting cuter by the minute.

Um, wait. No. What the?

AHHHHHHHHH!

Truth: When you ask me if you have huge muscles, I will lie and tell you yes...you have HUGE muscles.
(even though your arms are the size of pipe cleaners)

Truth: Even when I've had a crappy week, when you look at me like that.....yes, that...it makes me smile.

I love this job

2011-06-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

.....and I love these guys. What a lucky mom I am!

Even through the temper tantrums, projectile vomit and attitude adjustments.

Even though I play referee more often than I'd like.

Even when they refuse to eat anything remotely good for them during any given day.

Even when they don't sleep.

Even through coughs, snot, poo flinging and dirty toes.

Even through the screaming, whining and complaining.

Even through fights, battles and brawls.

Even when sharpie is used as a drawing utensil....on the wall.

Even through ugly looks and wrinkled noses.

Still love this job.

Best.

Job.

Ever.

Update on tonsil man

2011-06-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

Or should we say tonsil-no-more man?

This weekend we are thankful for popcicles, gatorade, steam cleaners, ice cream and Tylenol with codeine. The surgery went well, the Dr said his tonsils were huge and says he'll be sleeping soundly as soon as the healing is complete. We had one minor puke incident and one major one....both in the car. Thank goodness for friends with steam cleaners!

The recovery has been a bit rough for both parties involved, but we're hanging in there and slowly making a recovery. Brody, in typical Brody fashion, has refused to rest and has been all over the place. He even ate a bowl of Mac and Cheese on the night of the surgery. He passed up popcicles for mac and cheese and asked for a cookie for breakfast. Fabulous. His voice is soft and he occasionally has drool running down his lips because it hurts to swallow, but he doesn't let that stop him. I don't let a little drool stop me either, son.

Two surgeries and he's not even four. This kid has been through enough anesthesia, I think we're good now.

Baylor is using his "Brody gets ice cream and Gatorade, why don't I?" card quite frequently. He could use a little meat on his bones anyways.

I have to say it's been quite fabulous having my husband home for the days he took off from work. He helped around the house, played with the boys and stepped up the husband act quite a bit. What can I say, I married a sweet man.

I'm ready for a healthy family and ready to hit the summer activities, but right now I'll just settle for a nap or a full night sleep.

Tonsils be gone!

2011-06-02T11:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the day! Tonsils and adenoids will be removed and lots of cold liquids will be consumed. Brody knows what's coming and is more excited to eat popcicles and drink juice boxes than anything. Hopefully things will go as planned, quickly and without too much pain. He even asked, "Can I just get my tonsils out now?" the other day at dinner.

Sharing time

2011-05-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

Life is about sharing right? We've learned it from a young age that you must share and it continues to follow us through life. Because everyone wants to know just what you had for dinner (burgers on the grill) what your favorite ice cream flavor is (chocolate truffle) and what political party you belong to (as noted before, I don't recommend talking politics on any social media site unless 1. You can spell correctly and use proper grammar 2. it's your job or 3.You have tons of friends and don't mind losing some, can't we all just get along?) I confess that I am an avid sharer, sometimes of more information that you care to ~~hear~~ read. It's not about you. It's about me.

I kid.

It's about my kids.

And sometimes me.

Maybe about my husband once in a while.

But mostly the kids.

I digress.

Here are some updates for all ya'll relatives....

The Baylor
Graduated from the AK program at Lisbon and will be starting a full day of Kindergarten in the fall *insert wail from mother here* I will miss having my little man home with me all day long! He is super excited about two things....THREE recesses and eating lunch at school (The aforementioned may change when he actually sees what they serve for lunch) He has made great friends and hopes to make some more. He is reading short books and Lonnie and I can no longer spell things to each other like "Do you want some I-C-E C-R-E-A-M later?" Because he can figure it out. Darn it. I suppose he'll figure out how to tell time and actually realize that we put him to bed at 7 instead of 8.....we're so busted. He LOVES anything dinosaur and animal related. He would spend hours looking at dictionaries and encyclopedias at the library. He's a little sponge and soaks up everything and is actually excited to learn. He still hates most vegetables but will eat a pint of blueberries in under three minutes. His personality is really shining through and this kid wears his heart on his sleeve.

Brody Man
I think this short little ball of terror is smarter he lets on. He would rather eat, dig in the dirt and wipe his boogies on my pants than learn his letters, colors and numbers. I don't blame him, I like wiping boogies too. He moves so quickly between one thing to the next he really isn't "in" to anything....except trouble. If given a choice between a brand new huge super awesome toy and a package of M&M's, he would go for the chocolate. A man after my own heart. He might be an actor when he grows up, because drama is his middle name. He never stops moving. I'm serious. The kid makes me tired just watching him. He gets his tonsils on on Friday (prayers will be accepted readily) and we're hoping that will help with the snoring/sleeping/hyperactivity issues we've been seeing. He actually likes vegetables but would like them served with lots of cheese.

Things we're excited about this summer.....
Brett and Christina's wedding! Brody is the ring "bear" and Baylor is the Elijah bearer. We're so excited to get to share this special day with them and Lonnie even gets to walk his little sister down the isle.

Baby Kolby Fire. That's right. Brody named Kort and Bri's unborn baby boy (due in September) We're excited to add another boy cousin to the lineup of all males.

Possible weekend trip to Chicago or Columbus, Ohio. Dinosaurs, tornado alley IMAX and zoos are on our agenda.

I have my husband home on the weekends...and with a new lawnmower! (not it!!) A few recruiting trips here and there but we get to see more dad and even eat dinner with him (a huge bonus) I really don't think people realize how much out of the office traveling and work that coaches put in. I'm so proud of my husband who works so very hard.

Having fun as a family. We love each stage of our children's lives, but as they grow older were finding it so much more fun to do things with them. We had game night tonight and we ride bikes and take walks together. No more arranging life around naps. LOVE it.

I apologize for the short novel I wrote. I like sharing, what can I say.
Amen.

Things overheard at our house on any given day....

2011-05-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

Where are you pants?

Will you tell me a story about a spinosaurus, edmontosaurus, pteradon and styrachosaurus?

Where is your shirt?

No you cannot eat a cold hot dog and pickles for breakfast.

Did you just wipe your nose on my pants?

Why are you naked?

That is not a weapon. No, neither is that.

How did you learn to dance like that?

Flush!

Wash your hands!

Didn't you just eat five minutes ago?

No you will not die from trying just one piece of lettuce.

Please get off the table.

Please get off the counter.

Please get out of the freezer.

Where are you pants?

I hope that's mud.

Be nice to your brother.

Really!?

2011-05-22T17:18:00.000-07:00

Really.

Pure boy joy.

Priceless.

Food rules...

2011-05-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

So I picked up this little book (and I do mean little....140 very short pages) at the library after contemplating my love/hate relationship with food. We've been trying refine the way we eat and what we feed our children. We're trying to cut processed foods, carbs and sugars out of our diet and I needed some basic ground rules for the way to eat. We are born knowing how to eat but do we really know how to eat? We put so much "fake" food into our systems, food that has been biologically engineered and with a shelf life of 100 years. Gross.

His rules are simple no brainers that most of us do anyways, but just need a gentle reminder. Some of his food rules include avoiding foods that a third grader can't pronounce, have more than five ingredients (not a recipe) or are made in a plant instead of coming from a plant. For example, margarine, soda, snacks...those aren't really considered food. Eat food. Real food. Eat plants, fruits, nuts and berries. Shop at the local farmers market because that food was grown and handled with love. Pay more and eat less. We want everything fast and made for us so it's easy. When we really need to spend the time preparing the food we put in our mouths.

Now having children....extremely picky children who turn up their noses to anything green (except popcicles) can alter your rules slightly, even though these rules apply to the entire family. He does have a special rule for special occasions and treats, which saved me from feeling guilty about my love affair with chocolate. You don't have to follow them to a T, simply guidelines for eating healthy and keeping fake food out of your body!

It's a quick read (took me a half hour) and really makes you think about what you put in your body. I highly recommended it for an eating wake up call.

Chopped.

2011-05-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

I did it.

It's gone.

I love it.

I feel funky and fresh and lighter.

I even have husband approval ( "just don't look like a dude" from the mouth of hubby)

It's not just hair, it's part of who you are. It's part of your personality and I'd like to think mine is funky.

Amen.

Safety first

2011-05-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

Yup, That's pee. Yup, that's short hair. I'm debating on chopping off my hair. It's driving me bonkers. It shouldn't be such a big deal, but it is. If only there were an easy button for major hair decisions.

I leave the kid for five minutes and he takes a bath like this......safety first.

The next chapter

2011-05-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

These amazing photos were taken by my new creative buddy Kaylyn. We met at Chalk the Walk and besides taking sweet photos, she's also a massage therapist....we'll be in touch! Visit her website HERE.

I apologize for the lack of posting, it is due to a number of things....

1. Chalk the Walk this past weekend. Great weather and an amazing turn out! I even won 2nd place!!

2. It's been nice out. No more winter coats, on to air conditioning! We have been outside playing and watching the ~~jungle~~ lawn grow in the back yard.

3. I applying for a job! Yes, I know...it's hard for me to believe myself. The time has come and the perfect job opened up. So I've been frantically updating my resume and praying that this is what God wants me to do. I'm very torn to leave the boys (more on that later) but I know that I also love teaching art, it's where I'm supposed to be. Everything has been sent, now the hard part comes....waiting! I will keep you posted. Prayers are being accepted....now.

4. Art sales have been booming! I can always tell the weather is nice because people start spending money. Which is fine by me! I had a fabulous turn out at Chalk the Walk.

5. My house can't stay clean. I'm not sure why not.....wait, yes I know why....I have two...wait, three boys who destroy. Human tornadoes. Needless to say I have been tackling the house and it never ends.

The trouble with tonsils

2011-05-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hey there adorable boy.

Adorable boy with a fantastic temper and impeccable timing for meltdowns.

Adorable boy with extremely enlarged tonsils and adenoids.

Adorable boy who snores just like his father.

Here's the deal.

Enlarged tonsils and adenoids leads to snoring. Snoring leads to lack of a deep sleep. Lack of a deep sleep leads to hyperactivity (yes) and behavior problems (not all but some). Now I'm not blaming all of Brody's behavior problems on the fact that he probably hasn't had a decent night sleep in a long time. He is three and he is a boy. I am convinced however that this could be part of the reason.

Although the surgery itself will only last 15 minutes, it's the week that follows that will be a test of will. He will have to be on lots of pain medicine that has to be taken every four hours....orally. He will thrilled that his diet will consist of popcicles, ice cream and cold liquids for about a week. The surgery is scheduled for June 3rd.

High Five to me

2011-04-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

Do you know what you can accomplish when all three boys are out of the house? Wednesday nights are my do everything as fast as you can before the boys get home nights. They're at Awana and I get the house to myself.

This is when the magic happens.

I rush around as fast as I can, trying to clean, organize, cook, put away and finish just about everything.

High five to me.

Here is what miracles occurred while home alone......(first push play....that is how I roll)

1. Washed and dried three loads of laundry
2. Inhaled my dinner through my left nostril (it's my nostril of choice)
3. Swept the entire downstairs (dog hair will be the death of me)
4. Folded and stored spare blankets and pillows
5. Cleaned out the junk basket by the door (seriously, where do we get all of this junk?)
6. Checked my email (5 times)
7. Finished someone's wedding invitations
8. Wrote this amazingly awesome blog post (I kid)
9. Collected trash and took it out to the curb (along with the recycling)
10. Ate 24 sour gummy worms
11. Mopped
12. Compared cell phone providers (US Cellular vs. Verizon)
13. Packed my lunch for tomorrow
14. Programed the coffee maker to brew me some awesome coffee tomorrow morning at precicely 6:40 (I like even numbers)
15. Cleaned the kitchen
16. Bubble wrapped and addressed two piece of artwork that are headed to Minnesota and Denver
17. Let the dogs in and out 15 times
18. Cleaned up the water bowl that I kicked letting the dogs out 15 times
19. Wished that the dogs could let themselves out
20. Set my clothes out for tomorrow as to try not to look like student
21. Picked up Thomas the Train, Bakugan and a rubber ducky that were trapped under the couch
22. Set out the boys clothes, bags and shoes for tomorrow

*side note: I really don't know how working (as in going to a job) mothers do it. I am just working two days this week, in fact I haven't even been there yet, and my brain is on overload. You are my heroes.

23. Updated the Facebook art page (that can be seen here: )
24. Wished I wouldn't have eaten those sour gummy worms
25. Ran to Dollar General (Or DG as we locals call it)
26. Emailed Baylor's teacher
27. Finished the paperwork for subbing tomorrow
28. Decided that what I picked out to wear was not good enough (I have only jeans....this could be a problem)
29. Picked up all of the library books and put them in the library bag
30. I peed.
31. Wished I could find some dang chocolate in the house. This new diet is making me grumpy.

That is all.

I think.

Amen.

Man, I'm tired.

Truthful Tuesday: Tell me why?

2011-04-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Aren't there some things in life you just want to know the answer to? Like for example, what exactly is in a hot dog and why my son is currently obsessed with eating them cold?

Gross, strange...yes, both.

Why?

Why does grape flavor taste nothing like actual grapes?

Why do my children insist on needing and doing everything after I put them to bed? Drink? Pee? Poop?
Book? Blankie? Toy? Light on?

Why does Brody go through five outfits in one day?

Why do we have eyebrows?

Why are there people who constantly burst your bubble or pick out everything that you have done wrong?

Why do my children find the words "poopie" and "boobie" insanely hilarious and that it's totally okay to shout them at random during dinner?

Why do we say we want to serve others but fail to do so?

Why does yahoo #1 call a bra a boobie wrapper?

Why are my children better behaved for everyone but me?

Why do my kids insist on eating what is on my plate even though it's exactly the same as what is on theirs?

Why is it okay for athletes to hit each other in the booty during a game but not appropriate in any other situation?

Why does going grocery shopping alone seem like a mini-vacation to mothers?

Why can shopping with children be compared with poking oneself in the eye ball with a stick? (thank you Kim for that analogy)

I guess some things in life we shall never know the answer to.

I'm going to have a hot dog now (I kid)

Happy Tuesday.

Good to be home

2011-04-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

Our travels are over (for now!) We have returned from our trip to Arkansas. Much fun was had by all, we got to see my bro and his wife (and got to find out that they were having a baby boy in September!) We also got to spend some quality time fishing, reading and just relaxing. I'm not sure I will ever truly embrace that word....relax....until my children are married.

The boys on their first fishing day. They caught a rock, a stick and each other's shirts. Hooks and my boys do not get along.

Anyone see the move Dodgeball? "I like.....Unicorns"
The cabin was wonderful yet strangely decorated. Fish on the wall and a giant unicorn head on the t.v cabinet. Odd.

There was one day of 85 degree temps so we headed to the beach. The beach was deserted, apparently people don't swim in the south (or we were overly excited about warm temps) The water was a wee bit cold, but that didn't stop the boys.

"Suns out....guns out"

Perched in my lounge chair....in the sun....with a book....and coffee.....fantastic.

THIS ugly nasty stinky dead thing is an alligator gar. I found it when I was kayaking around the lake....thankfully it was dead. A little creepy. Okay, a lot creepy.

Today we headed to the farm for Easter. Brody, is still working on his smile. It may take a while.

There was lots of pony riding!

The boys with their Great Grandma M.E.

She is great indeed!

Had a blast but glad to be home!

I will be subbing at Lisbon school, super excited (and also a little nervous to be back in the classroom) Wish me luck!

Who is that strange man?!

2011-04-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

This photo has absolutely nothing to do with the story I am about to tell you. It does however have to do with my serious frustrations with our medical (and the dog!) shortcomings. Of course since we leave for Arkansas on Saturday the tonsils in our house have begun to revolt again. Strep has struck for the second time and I am ready to pull my hair out (or my tonsils....but that would be gross... never mind) Baylor has it now and I'm sure it will make the rounds before we get out of Iowa. There is only so much disinfecting I can do. The second bottles are for poor Chloe. She has refused to move these past few days, yelping whenever I try to move her. I finally took her in to the vet this morning to find out that she has what they call Intervertabral Disc disease....or a bulging disc in her neck. Obviously she was in a lot of pain and we've drugged her up significantly and hope for healing. She's currently drooling on the couch, but at least she's comfortable! So I'm leaving Lonnie for a week for three dogs (My parent's dog Waldo) and lots of medications for them. He may need to be the one that needs medicating after this week is over.

Now on to my story......

Let me fill you in on the details of our sleeping arrangements (most of the time) in this house. Lonnie, my lovely most handsome and wonderful husband, also snores like a freight train. He spends most of his nights on the couch (by his choice I might add!) and I get the bed to myself (I'm not gonna lie...it's fantastic) Now, I love my husband very much but we love each other enough to know that when we sleep next to each other someone wakes up really grumpy. I am also a cover stealer. So needless to say, the boys don't see Lonnie in our bed very often.

So this morning at 5:30am I hear Brody (through my ear plugs) yelling my name. His latest fear is bugs in his bed, or anywhere for that matter. He points to our bed and whimpers and I'm half asleep so I just grab him and throw him in bed in between Lonnie and I. We don't like to encourage the kids to sleep with us, however we love snuggling once in a while. Just as I start to dose off again I hear more whimpering coming from Brody. He's pushed up so close to me that I can't move.

"Mooommmmm, I'm scared!"
"Scared of what? There's nothing to be scared of, go back to sleep"
"I'm scared of that man!"
"Man?! Huh? What man?"
"That strange man right there (pointing to Lonnie)"
"Uh, that's your dad."
"What?"
"THAT strange man....is your dad."
"Oh."

True Story.

$22.56 Ice cream cones

2011-04-09T08:59:00.000-07:00

Three very expensive Ice cream cones in Downtown Disney (in the pouring rain): $22.56

One plastic sword and pirate hook: $5.29

One tube filled with miniature dinosaurs: $10.45

An evening watching smiles, giggles and laughs from the boys: Priceless.

Remembering

2011-04-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

My heart rejoices in the Lord!

The Lord has made me strong.

Now I have an answer for my enemies;

I rejoice because you rescued me.

1 Sam. 2:1

Missing you Papa Mike!

annnnnnd we're back

2011-04-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the life of luxury (and of course in the buff) at our hotel in Atlanta.

Baylor thought this would make a nice collection to our house, I had to disagree.

Finally a smile after freaking out at the ocean because of the waves....he would inch closer and closer until finally we grabbed him and ran into the water. We go for the shock and awe tactic. He loved the beach.

So did this guy.....

...and this one.

Word.

Saw a lot of butts.....

and "GINORMOUS gators"

Oh yes, at a T-Rex. Dinosaur Quest at the Tampa Zoo.....very cool!

Our first Taxi ride!! Yes, after realizing what a wussy I was, we had to take a taxi from the zoo to our hotel. It wasn't that bad and now I can check it off my bucket list.

We even got to have a surprise visit from Grandma Lila when we stopped in Mt.Vernon, Illinois for our lunch break.

There are more photos coming.....they're just on Lonnie's camera. Get excited.

Great to be home, except for the mounds of laundry that need to be folded......

Aquarium fun

2011-03-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

This child has NEVER slept in a motor vehicle for more than 30 minutes....he was so tired that he slept for two and and a half hours. A record in the Speidel house. He snored so loud the entire bus could hear him.

Look at these lovely purple blooming hanging flowers....I was told their name by a Georgian friend, but alas I have forgotten. I don't care, they're flowers and they're blooming.

"Are these real, mom?"

This is probably the highlight of this child's life thus far. He got to touch a sting ray, anemone, hammer head shark, starfish and horse shoe crab.....all in one day. He hasn't stopped talking about it. He has changed his ambition in life from Paleontologist to marine biologist.

I HIGHLY recommend that if you get a chance to see the Georgia Aquarium to do so. It was beautiful and the kids (my two plus a few college kids) had a blast.

On a positive side note: I am feeling a wee bit better. Antibiotics seem to be working, now all I could use is a good night sleep...whatever that is.

Pay it forward: Atlanta style

2011-03-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

Flowers, sunshine, warm temps and strep. The short one decided to share his germies with his mom just in time for our vacation.

We begin our story at hotel in Atlanta Georgia, last night with 1. an air conditioning that sounded as if it was going to take flight in the middle of the night 2. A congested three year old who was trying to one up his father in the snoring department and 3. A tiny sore throat...tiny.

Enter stage right: Tiny sore throat turned raging strep.

I've had strep so many times I can tell I'm getting it days before and luckily worked out an agreement with our doctor that if I get it while on vacation, he would phone in a prescription for some antibiotics. Which he did (and my tonsils thank you for that)

*Play sad and somewhat scary stage music here*

Since we're at the mercy of our charter bus driver (who is awesome, I might add) and 43 college track athletes who had to be at a meet this afternoon, I couldn't think of a more awesome time to get sick.

NOT.

They dropped me off at a pharmacy hoping that this would be a short visit to pick up some much needed antibiotics. (I was beginning to drool a little at the Georgia Aquarium this morning) since we all know modern medicine is amazing but definitely not speedy when you want it to be, I ended up being left to fend for myself. When I say fend for myself, I mean get back to the hotel in an hour. There are a few things you should know about me.....

1. I am a big wussy in large cities
2. I have never ridden in a taxi let alone called one.
3. I felt like death and just wanted to cry.
3.5 I'm from a small town in Iowa. Emphasis on small.
4. I am a big wussy.

*Enter extremely nice stranger to save the day*

She heard me say to my mom (yes, I call my mom when I'm being wussy) that I was a wee bit terrified to get a cab in a strange city and try to direct them back to our hotel. I know, I know...wussy! Apparently strep makes you do strange things.

So this very kind lady, Britt, offered to take me (the sick strep stranger) back to my hotel. I wanted to hug her but refrained.

Turns out that she is a children's book author and illustrator and has written a series called Stinkykids. They're actually pretty cool and you should check out her website if you have time. I know her act of kindness may have not seemed like much, but it was a big deal to me. This is only a small way to say thank you to her for giving me a ride.

Someone paid it forward to me, now I get to have the pleasure of paying it forward to someone else!

Hoping the antibiotics will kick in soon and we can resume vacation time!

There is a Savior...and it's not you.

2011-03-20T19:21:00.000-07:00

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.

Phil. 4:11-12

Treasure what God has given you NOW.

Treasure where God has placed you NOW.

Value your time.

Value your family.

Value your life.

Interview with a monkey and a dinosaur fanatic: Take one.

2011-03-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Name: Baylor
Age: 5 1/2
What do you want your birthday cake to look like: I want to put...HEY STOP IT BRODY.....I want it to be a....BRODY STOP IT.......I want my birthday cake to have African animals on it.
Favorite toys: Velociraptors
Favorite book: Dinosaur bones book
Favorite color: Shiny red
Favorite food: Mac and cheese
Favorite thing to do: Go to the park
Favorite song: Tractor, Tractor (Andrew Peterson)
What do you want to be when you grow up? Paleontologist
Least favorite food: Broccoli
What do you want to do this summer: Go camping with daddy

Name: Brody
Age: 3.5
Birthday cake wish: Florida (Me: Really?) Brody: YUP.
Favorite toy: Florida....no, no wait....my blocks.
Favorite food: Chicken nuggets and ketchup
Favorite color: Red red red, I choose red
Favorite thing to do: Eat food.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Sell popcorn
What do you want to do this summer? Go on the diving board
Least favorite food: Poop. (Me: Poop is not a food) Oh yea. Ummmm, bananas they're dirty.

Oh man, I love these guys....

2011-03-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Vacation? Say, What?

2011-03-11T19:00:00.000-08:00

The word VACATION hasn't been in the Speidel vocabulary for a long time. For obvious reasons....birthing children, feeding children, taking care of children, finances after taking care of children......we haven't really taken an official family vacation yet. Feeding pigs and eating fried things on a stick does not count as a family vacation. So in a few weeks the entire Speidel family....and 35 co-eds...what? Oh, that's right...I forgot to tell you that we're taking the entire Cornell team with us. Actually they're letting us tag along for entertainment purposes. We'll be headed to Atlanta for a few days and then sunny and warm (it had better be sunny and warm!) Florida. The team will be competing at a few meets and the boys, myself and the bus driver are hitting the beach, aquarium and zoo. You won't be able to miss us....we'll be the completely translucent family that looks really out of place.

Avert your eyes!

The boys are so excited they can hardly contain themselves. Every morning they wake up and ask if today is the day we go to Florida. In fact, Baylor has been researching (I'm not kidding) different species of animals native to Florida and Georgia. He's also a little freaked out by all of the Tsunami talk, but we've managed to calm his fears for the most part. I splurged and bought the boys two suitcases because well....since we don't travel....Wal-mart sacks were just not going to cut it. They have been rolling them (and sleeping with them) all over the house. Only a child of mine can get excited about a piece of luggage.

Wait, there's more!

After our 11 days stretch down south, we come home for a few weeks and then the boys and I take off for Arkansas. (Insert banjo music here) My parents, my brother and sister-in-law, the boys and I are renting a cabin on a lake near the Ozarks. We will fish till we turn blue. I am stoked. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't get to come with us because of his super busy track schedule. Fortunately, he has volunteered to stay home and scrub the house down from top to bottom, do all of the laundry, wash all of the floors, clean up the yard and finish any uncompleted house projects....isn't that nice of him? That's what I thought. What a man. We will miss him severely!

So be prepared for hundreds of photos, stories and updates.

I am now taking any tips on traveling with children....ready, set, go.

And you thought lamp shades were just for shading light....

2011-03-10T12:41:00.000-08:00

They most certainly are not. In fact, they can be used for a multitude of things....just make sure to ask your mom before you rip one off of the existing light because it "looks cool."

I kid you not.

The nickname DESTROYER doesn't even begin to do him justice.

I mean c'mon, who wouldn't want to scream at the top of your lungs wearing nothing but a lampshade?

Okay, okay...so he has clothes on (which is a minor miracle within itself)

What?

Me?

Destroy?

Meh, no.

I can do a mean CHEESE though.

I can also spin and dance like a sweet fairy princess....just don't tell my dad.

You want to dance with me?

Also very useful if your child has the tendency to lick, chew, scratch or bite themselves.

Truthful Tuesday: Things I stink at

2011-03-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

I'm not one to point out other peoples flaws....well, at least not to their face....but I have no problem pin pointing my very long list of faults. So I would like to take this opportunity to enlighten you on the things that I stink at.

1. Writing structured coherent papers with good sentence structure, punctuation and flow. Sure, I can write a blog post like it's my job, but most of these posts have lack of structure, poor punctuation and they're all over the place.

Kind of like me.

All over the place.

(on a side note: never ask a significant other to proof read if you want to sleep in the same bed that night)

2. Folding laundry. In fact, I don't really fold...I pile....but let me tell you, I am a fantastic piler (google auto-correct has informed me that piler is not a word......it is now) My philosophy is that if it gets hung up it doesn't need to be folded. There is also a certain male member of the household that is slightly anal about his clothes (i.e socks must be folded not rolled....found that out the first week of marriage Hangers must go in a certain direction) Dear Lord.

3. Updating resumes, cover letters and getting letters of recommendations. I don't think my future employer will count a letter from my five year old son stating that his mom is good at Mac and Cheese, legos and reenacting certain Star Wars scenes. I don't know about you but I'd hire and art teacher who can do a mean Yoda.

4. Giving up sugar. I tried it for two days and after ten hours I wanted to hurt someone. There is sugar in everything! I have however, limited my sugar intake to small amounts...mostly in chocolate.

5. Wanting to fit in. I just like being me, okay? Okay. The older I get, the less I want to go with the flow. I refuse to give in to conformity. Maybe it's the artistic side of me....maybe not. Jesus still loves me.

6. Letting others take the lead. A wee bit of a control problem perhaps. Perhaps.

7. Snapping. Dude, I can't snap...don't judge.

8. Directions. You say North. I look up. I get lost in my hometown.

9. Massages (says my husband) It went something like this......"Hey honey, name something I stink at"
Husband: "Oh, you stink at massages!"

I got small hands and ADD....sorry.

Hot wings

2011-03-05T18:09:00.000-08:00

This kid will eat anything.

ANYTHING.

Kids in the air

2011-03-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

(or on their brother)

Can you tell we're ready to get OUTSIDE?!!

Sick day

2011-03-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

My poor little guy is home today with strep throat. He's never had it before and I almost didn't believe him this morning when he said his throat hurt. Thankfully I got him in to the Dr and we're good to go. He was more upset that he missed school today than actually being sick. Looks like it's popcicles for dinner!

His school has a slurry of illnesses going through it....mono, strep and both influenzas. I thought we were beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel for sickness! Apparently not.

Excuse me while I go sanitize EVERYTHING in my house......

Mmmm, yes.

2011-03-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

Chocolate covered espresso beans. Heaven in a jar.

Does this look like fun to you?

MMMMMMAAAAKKKKKEEEE IIIIIITTT STTTTOOOOPPP!!!

Domestic Goddess: Hold on tight

2011-02-27T15:03:00.000-08:00

Domestic Goddess: Hold on tight

Guilty Pleasures

2011-02-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

Tag! You're it. I was tagged in a post by the one and only mother of nine (yes, nine...she is a superhero!) and in order to participate in this lovely tagging, you have to write down five guilty pleasures. So here goes.....

1. Real honest to goodness double shot with skim cappuccinos from Fuel (My favorite coffee shop) None of that gas station crap, give me the real deal. I think they put something addictive in their espresso. So good. Sometimes I scrape and dig change out of the couch cushions just so I can go have my $3.30 cup of pure bliss.

2. Running. I do it for fun. I do it so I don't get fat. I do it because I am super competitive. There, I said it. Nothing compares to that feeling you get after a good run.

3. The Internet. From Facebook to blogging to news to music videos. I can't imagine life without this high speed goodness. I am an Internet junkie.

4. Books. I have found my love of reading again. I have been known to check out five at a time because if I don't like one, I move on to the next. Sometimes I get a panicked feeling when I finish a book and can't get to the library. I love my library. Reading allows me to forget about the day and dive into another world and time. I love that.

5. Music. The soundtrack to my life. I love all kinds of music and have been known to have radios on in different rooms....all at the same time. I enjoy making music on my cornet. I enjoy singing (although the car and the shower are my only stages) It is so powerful and knows no boundaries and really speaks to me.

So now I have to tag three people.....let's see......I'm going to go with Andrea G, Jill K and Megan G.
Go!

The life and death of me

2011-02-23T14:53:00.000-08:00

This child is the life and death of me.

He is a defiant ball of energy and humor with a touch of spunk and tantrum throwing genius all wrapped into one. I can't imagine life without him but there are moments when I need a break from him. It takes all of my energy just to keep up with him and discipline him but revives me with his humor, facial expressions and all around sweetness. I love him to death. Thanks for making me laugh today my sweet Brody man.

Hold on tight

2011-02-22T11:48:00.000-08:00

I always check on the boys before I go to bed at night. I make sure the haven't lost their blankets, tuck them back in and give them a quick kiss on the cheek. I also check for random items that travel with them to bed (paintbrushes, toys, flashlights, books, dogs, you name it) that need to be removed in order for them to have a more peaceful slumber. Last night Brody was all curled up on top of a book, clutching it so tightly that I couldn't pry it from his little fingers. His small hands were holding his bible and there was no question as to weather it was staying or going. It was staying.

It wasn't going anywhere.

What do you hold on to tightly? Is it your beautiful dream home? A dream job? Time? Money? Beauty and perfection? As Christians we should really only be clinging to one thing with all of our might. We should be clinging to the cross. Clinging to the cross and letting everything else just slip right through our fingertips. We are only on this earth for a short time and the thing you want to be left clinging to in the end is Jesus. It really puts into perspective what we are living for.

It just starts with one person. Don't let it stop with you. Invest in someone. Invest in your children. Be intentional.

I've made it a goal of mine to be very intentional with my children. I try to make every situation into a learning and growing experience for the both of us. I want to take the time to invest in them now why they are still young and impressionable. I want them to remember the time I took to share about Christ's love with them. It doesn't stop with your children. It could be the next door neighbor, a friend from work or a mother from playgroup. If you think intentionally you are going to live intentionally. See every opportunity as an opportunity to share Christ, show love and simply reach out to someone.

You might have to go out of your way. You might have to go out of your comfort zone, but I guarantee that you will find joy when you do. I have been convicted a few times by this blog and it's audience. At first it was a blog for my family to see the boys adventures and hear about their stories and it has turned into a daily journal for me. Quite therapeutic and has sparked a love for writing that I never knew was there (the quality is to yet to be determined) I know that there are many different people who read this. Old friends, family, new friends, random friends of a friend and strangers. If I could simply quit worrying about what people might think if they read about my faith, think of how many people I might be able to reach? They may not agree but I just want them to know how awesome it is that to have certainty, faith and joy. Knowing have a spot reserved for me in heaven and I'm not a crazy church lady (once again, yet to be determined)

So I encourage you to let go of whatever you have been holding on to so tightly and selfishly. Let go and let God lead you to someone who really needs to hear about Him.

Alone again....naturally

2011-02-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

I should be used to it.

I should really be used to it.

Not quite 8 years of marriage and almost every weekend from August through June I am missing a member of our family. From long runs, recruiting trips and workouts to meets, late night calling and meetings. It is getting better now that the boys are a little older, but it doesn't make it any easier. The only way to make eating dinners without Lonnie and spending most weekends without him any better, is knowing that he is doing what he loves.

He's pretty darn good at it too.

I try not to complain or whine about this very often, if at all, because I know there are so many people who have it much worse. Deployments and trainings for weeks or months or even years at a time, I have no right to whine. Single mothers (or fathers)....deserve a medal of honor.

I'm trying to turn this gloom into something joyful. I get to spend quality time with the two most precious things in my life. Precious and always naked. Time with them is fleeting as they grow up so quickly.

We may be without a daddy for the weekend, but we have each other and in the loving words of my mom "you make your own fun."

So here we go.

Amen.

Snapshots

2011-02-15T13:04:00.000-08:00

The twins. Reading a new book (thank you Grandma Lila) that arrived in the mail on Valentine's Day.

I finally got me some white paint (I was out....and it sucked)

Brody "helping" me with the laundry. He had to crawl all the way inside to get the laundry out and put it in the dryer. We teach them young here in the Speidel house. I'm off laundry duty as soon as they can sort colors and reach the start button.

My favorite shoes. It's been nice this week and I was able to get outside to run. It was amazing.

Did you know that if you cover your face no one can see you?

The rose I got for Valentine's Day....from my son....all together now.....awe.

Boys love dog. Dog tolerates boys.

Drinking some hot cocoa after two hours outside!! Rosy cheeks included.

My newest obsession. Tea and my red tea pot....or as Baylor calls it "the evil tea pot"

This has pretty much been our last week. Poor Brody man has had an awful cough and fever for a week.

...and this is how he felt.

Soaking up the sunshine with my paints, pen and paper. Art therapy.

This lovely bumper sticker was on our Carolla....our one and only car.....the car that I drove around......me.....a lady....with an "I love my wife sticker" on the back. Um, yea. It had to go. The thought is still the same though.

The holiday for suckers (and I'm not talking about the fruit flavored ones)

2011-02-14T14:58:00.000-08:00

I used to look forward to this holiday.....when I was in fourth grade. Getting to decorate those cute little Valentine boxes and hoping you would receive a card from the boy who sat next to you (actually I was just in it for the chocolate) There was never any pressure to 1.Out purchase your lover, drowning them in awful stuffed animals or chocolate that will ultimately backfire on you when they gain five pounds. 2. Perform (I'll just leave it at that) or 3. Lay on the romance until your eye balls fall out.

Unfortunately, I can't blame it on the card companies because this ridiculous holiday was actually a church sanctioned event. No joke. Most of the history is unclear but it all started with a Saint and has blossomed into an overrated flower giving, love proclaiming make out fest. You didn't know you have to make out on Valentine's Day? It's in there in the fine print....along with wearing uncomfortable lacy things, confessing your undying love in the form of a Hallmark card that took you 3.4 seconds to pick out and stressing out over which expensive fancy restaurant to eat at when we all know you'd like to skip to dessert....and by dessert, I mean your wife.

I love my husband (every day) and he loves me (almost every day) so finding one specific day in which we get googly eyed over each other seems silly. I have also married a wonderful man who is a wee bit romantically challenged. He has many many talents, but laying on the romance isn't one of them. So why make it painful for him? When you've been married for over five years, romance automatically means emptying the garbage or doing the laundry....without being told.

Even though I have a bad attitude about this frivolous holiday, I've tried to make it fun for my kiddos. We made a heart shaped cake and they decorated their Valentines. I even let them eat chocolate for breakfast....which automatically enters me in the running for Mom of the Year (again)

I will step down from my soap box now and let you enjoy this wonderful holiday.....for suckers.

Boob wrapper

2011-02-11T16:52:00.000-08:00

I really don't have anything significant or earth shattering except for the fact that my son called my bra my BOOB WRAPPER today. Where does he get this stuff?

Oh, and this is a really frightening photo of Brody man. I said smile, he heard BOO!

That is all.

Monday's Musings: Quit yer whining.....arrrrrrgh

2011-02-07T17:23:00.000-08:00

Just in case you missed that......it's pirate talk. We occasionally break into pirate talk here at our house.

It's Monday.

This past weekend seems like a blur (as most days usually are) I did however manage to scoop up a few nuggets of knowledge (better than nuggets of.....well, never mind)

1. It is virtually impossible for our two boys to sit down at the dinner table for more than two minutes at a time. I am going to invent seat belts for the chairs or grab the duct tape. I find myself saying,"Sit down _______!" more times than I'd like to remember.

2. God doesn't give guidance to people who are sitting still-you need to be moving....doing! Get your butt going!

3. When someone is in need you can't give them an option or take the easy way out. You can't say, "Let me know if you need anything." Because chances are they do but they're too chicken to ask. You just have to do it. Bring them a meal. Write them a card. Bring them chocolate. Don't ask, just do it.

4. We worry too much about square footage, clean carpet and our dream homes. We are given these things we live in on loan, they're not ours, we need to use them for something big. Invite the neighborhood kids over for cookies or host a bible study. I've spent too much time worry about what people will think of the lack of square footage in my house that I've lost track of what He has given me.

5. You will become who you follow.

6. We need more servants in life. In church. At home. At work. When was the last time you really truly served someone without getting anything out of it in return?

7. I have a cookie addiction. Things are jiggly where they shouldn't be. This concerns me. I did make some awesome cookies today.

8. The Superbowl commercials sucked.

9. Christina Aguilara needs to learn the words to the Star Spangled Banner.

10. We need to be drawn to joy instead of having a pity party for ourselves no matter what the situation.

11. No matter how hard I try to be the germ Nazi, my kids will get exposed to germies and get sick. It's good for them. I just can't clean up puke, it's in my contract.

What did you learn this weekend?

A little bit of snow.....little bit.

2011-02-02T17:23:00.000-08:00

...or more like 14 inches of fluffy white stuff with five foot drifts all over the place!

It snows 14 inches and what do my boys want to go do? Swing!!

Ha. Take that. I win.

Baylor gave up.....the snow was so deep he could hardly walk.

Lonnie and I spent a good five hours outside snow blowing (thank you neighbors!) and shoveling the enormous drifts and piles. I could stand on that mound of snow and hang from the tree. It is crazy.

If I wasn't ready for spring before....I AM NOW!!!

Double dare

2011-01-31T10:58:00.000-08:00

Those are sardines. Sardines in which Baylor's father dared him to eat.

Never dare a little boy anything.

Mmmm sardines.

Excuse me, can I have that GINORMOUS box?

2011-01-26T15:27:00.000-08:00

Let me set the scene for you.........

We are getting a new furnace and water heater and I spot this amazingly huge box that would make a fabulous rocket ship. The two men that are putting them in are a father and son duo, a tad on the rough side, but nice nonetheless. I'm sure someone who saw Brody on any given day would also say, "he's a tad on the rough side." I would have to agree. Anyways.....story goes like this.

Me: Excuse me kind sir......no, no that wasn't it......

Excuse me, I was wondering if I could have that box over there (me pointing to the water heater box)

Son: (gives me strange look.....as if I had just asked him if his name was pronounced Throat-Warbler Mangrove...his name was Kenny)

Dad: Wha'da want it for? (Think grumpy cowboy voice)

Me: My boys actually want to play in it.

Son: (still looking at me strangely......what? Do I have something in my teeth?)

Dad: Oh, well we don't give those boxes away....you hear about them kids that played in those boxes......

Me: Thinking: (Yes, kids....I have two....and they play....your point is?)

Dad: ....well them kids got all inside that box and rolled right out into the street......

Me: Well, I wasn't going to have them play in the street.......

Dad:....yup, they rolled right out into the street and some car almost ran them over. I wouldn't let your kids play in that box.

Me: I was actually just going to bring it inside here.....inside my living room. (Is he really serious? Does he think I'm going to let me kids roll out into the street....in a HUGE box....in the middle of winter?)

Dad: Well, just don't let them roll it out into the street....they could get hit by cars you know.

Me: Yes, no rolling in street. Got it. (Are you going to give me the box or what?!)

Son: Sure, you can have it.

Me: Thanks (make mental note to remind kids of how rolling very large boxes into the street when it's 15 degrees outside, while their mother leaves them unattended, is not a good idea)

End of story.

Box is in my living room.
Not in the street....but in case you see a huge box in the middle of the street, I would avoid it at all costs, there might be small children inside.
Amen.

Baby, it's cold inside?

2011-01-25T12:13:00.000-08:00

This cute baby is 30 years old now.

(what is with the eerie floating face?)

Apparently that was cool back in the *gulp* eighties.

Taking it gracefully.

Today we are getting a new furnace and water heater (hallelujah!) but in order to do that, they have to turn the heat off (duh) and it's a wee bit chilly in here. The fingers aren't doing what they're told, so I am retreating to the couch with a blanket, space heater and hot tea.

Smell you later.

Things I learned in my twenties.....

2011-01-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

The final days are looming.

Final days in my twenties.

An entire decade.

Adios twenties.

Thirties here I come.

I've learned a thing or two in my twenties.

Just a thing or two....or twenty.

1. Listen to your mother. She's probably right. Probably.

2. Don't give a one year old a hammer and then give your mom the camera. (see photo above)

3. Men get better with age. Women just get jiggly.

4. Life is not a competition. Motherhood is not a competition. I'd kick your butt anyways.

5. God's amazing grace is well, amazing.

6. Listen. Don't speak. Listen. (oh, I am so bad at this!) When someone is talking, focus on what they're saying not on what you want to say next. You'll be amazed.

7. Children are a gift from God. They also stretch and morph your body into something unrecognizable.

8. Listen to your husband. He's probably right. Probably.

9. Eat your veggies. Even if they make you toot.

10. Just because the other kids are doing it, doesn't mean you have to.

11. Quit worrying about what other people think about you. Be you....even if that means standing up for things you know people don't agree with, wearing jeans and purple Chuck Taylor's to church or enjoying a mean lager once in a while.

12. Don't talk politics on Facebook. People turn into idiots.

13. My children and husband are simply awesome. Just awesome. I am so blessed.

14. Marriage is hard work. Motherhood is hard work. Trying to balance both is hard work.

15. Cherish every single moment you have with your children. Even the ones where you're crying, laughing or writhing in pain because there is a strange creature attached to your boob. (15.5 It's okay to say boob)

16. Sometimes you just have to suck it up. Whining isn't attractive. Someone always has it worse than you.

17. Make people smile. Whether it's paying for their coffee or saying the word boob, it's worth it. BOOB.

18. Don't live in a box. Experience God's creation. Experience culture, life, music, pain and joy. Being well rounded is one of my greatest achievements.

19. Don't let anyone tell you how many children to have or not to have. I believe we all know who's decision that is.

20. Just because you're turning thirty doesn't mean you have to grow up, grow old and get grumpy. I'm looking forward to being fun, cool, graceful and wise (if that is possible) in my thirties. I refuse to grow up.

Amen.

I still hate winter

2011-01-20T11:08:00.000-08:00

Sure it might be pretty.....sometimes.....but it still stinks. You'd think by now, living in the great state of Iowa my entire life.....(that would be almost 30 years.....don't get me started) I would be used to this frigid frozen tundra.

Nope.

Not used to it.

Slushy mushy snow all over my floor.
Salt in crevices (not bodily mind you)
Frozen pipes and clothes in the dryer (yes, it's possible)
Nostrils freezing together.
Stuck inside for days on end.
Scraping car windows.
Huddling close to space heaters.
Needing a defibrillator after opening heating bill.
Can't run outside.

Okay, so it's a little pretty....little bit.

AND

You can make snowmen so high that the local law enforcement stops by to have their pictures taken.

Either way, I'm really ready for spring. REALLY.

Truthful Tuesday

2011-01-18T18:16:00.000-08:00

It's Tuesday.

Truthful Tuesday.

1. My son just came downstairs after being "asleep" for an hour, to inform me that his younger brother just called him a penis. I tried to be a good mom but I couldn't help it....I snorted. You would too.

2. I'm writing a paper right now. I'm writing a paper that has structure and format unlike most of my blog posts. I hate writing papers with structure and format.

3. There is a giant ten foot snowman in my front yard and every I think about it I smile. I really needed that ten foot snowman.

4. I went to my first Perspectives class last night. It was amazing. I have a feeling I will be ruined for the ordinary. I left feeling full. What a good feeling it was.

5. I have forced my husband (who hates leftovers) to eat leftover chili for two days. He's filing for divorce soon.

6. I did squats today. I can't sit down. When I sit down...I can't get up again.

7. My husband did a double take today when I walked by. Unfortunately it wasn't because he was taken aback by my amazing good looks, it was because he wanted to see what was blinding him. My white legs.

8. I am very proud of the fact that I can fit all of my clothes in half of a small closet and a few drawers. This could be why most of my clothes are insanely wrinkled.

9. My husband is making recruiting calls right now. He changes his voice when he talks on the phone to recruits. It's amusing. It's amusing and really annoying. I'm trying to write a structured paper here!!

Monster Snowman

2011-01-18T14:54:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning to a snowman in our yard.

Not any snowman, mind you.

A GIANT 10 foot snowman.

A giant 10 foot snowman that the local police stopped by to have their photos taken with.

When you drive towards our house, he greets you.....or maybe it's more like stalking.

The boys have been in snowman heaven. They think we're famous. If having a ten foot snowman in our yard makes us famous, than I'm game.

I'll bet you're wondering how a giant ten foot snowman magically appeared in our yard overnight.

It was the work of two snow elves.

Two snow elves (one of them not being so elfish at all...he towers over us all, reaching close to 7 feet)

Two snow elves that happen to be employed as assistant coaches by Lonnie and live a few houses down.

Apparently they were bored at 11:15 at night.

A little birdie told me that one of them was nearly crushed in the process of getting the second ball in place.

Never fear, no snow elves were injured.

You can't help but smile when you look at this guy.

The giant sloth and drool

2011-01-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

Why yes....that is drool, a whole puddle of drool....right there on his coat.

Did I ever tell you that Baylor sleeps with his eyes cracked a wee bit?

It's completely freaky.

He's really going to have to quit drinking so much.......

(KIDDING!!!)

Took the boys to the Natural History museum in Iowa City today. Here is the giant sloth. Speaking of giant.....my giant butt set off the alarm when we were trying to take this photo. Nice one mom.

The ultimate smoothie

2011-01-13T11:13:00.000-08:00

I have an addiction.

Besides coffee, rearranging furniture and good chocolate.

It's smoothies.

They fill you up and they're good for you.

Here is a recipe for my ultimate smoothie:

Frozen fruit (bananas, blueberries, cherries or strawberries) No sugar added

Greek, plain or soy yogurt (just make sure there is no high fructose corn syrup in it)

Plain (non-sweetened) almond milk

Additions: Flax seed, Pro biotic powder or protein powder (after a good workout!)

If it's not sweet enough for you, add a little bit of honey or real sugar....little bit.

Blend. Drink. Yum.

If you have extra left over, freeze it in Dixie cups for healthy pop-cicles!

Other news on the home front:

1. Today Brody drew his dad a picture and when I asked him what it was, he replied, "it's my poop."

Who says my kids aren't thoughtful.

2. Today Baylor wanted to walk into school alone. I thought this didn't happen until junior high?

3. I received a package from Britain today and it had Yorkshire Tea in it. Holy cow those Brit's like their tea strong.

4. It's 0 degrees today. Since I can't go outside, I've managed to rearrange furniture in two rooms. Look out!!

She wanted toys....

2011-01-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

No, really.

I was fine without toys.

I was fine just lounging on this ugly yet comfortable couch without any toys.

What did the kid go and do?

Gave me toys.

LOTS OF toys.

Not dog toys however.
Little boy toys.

Seriously.

Little boy toys and one monkey slipper.

Oh, look.

There he is now.

The bringer of toys.

He thinks he's funny.

I beg to differ.

All I wanted was a nap.

Instead I get 323 army men in my lady parts.

Dear Lord, now he's going to try to TALK to me?

Don't you know I only speak dog, kid?

Someone gag me with a spoon.

Let me nap.

And kindly remove this green thing from pushing against my pancreas.

What's that you say?

You love me?

I don't care if you want to marry me, can you please get rid of these toys?

Unless you're telling me there's bacon in the kitchen, I don't want to hear it.

HELP ME.

A student once more

2011-01-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

Some people believe that motherhood can disrupt your career path or set you back significantly in your professional goals. When they ask you what you do and you simply reply, "I'm a stay at home mom," seeing their eyes glaze over as you explain yourself. I wouldn't call it a set back, but a brief vacation from the professional world (because goodness gracious, if being a mother isn't hard work, I don't know what is) I have been fortunate enough to be able to stay at home with my boys while they are very young. Both Lonnie and I decided that this would be best for them even if it meant taking a significant income reduction. Believe me, has been worth every penny scrimped and saved and every uncomfortable, "are we going to make it to the end of the month?" feeling. My time at home is slowly coming to an end, as both boys are reaching ages in which they will be attending school full time.
I knew early on that I wanted to be a teacher, I love working with kids and seeing the potential each and every one has. I also knew that it had to involve art somehow, because that was something that I was passionate about as well. Becoming an art teacher was a perfect fit....plus I get my summers off! I was blessed enough to get to teach for two years before having babies. Unfortunately, my teaching licence needs to be renewed....uh, next month....with six credit hours under my belt. Nothing like living on the edge. So I am currently taking a few graduate classes to receive credit and I might work towards getting my masters (even though deep down I feel that if you're a good teacher, you're a good teacher, no matter what degree you hold) It's been a delicate balancing act (I'm not quite sure how full time mothers try to be full time students, you are amazing) trying to finish papers and questions, taking care of my children and house and making art......all in one day. I'm actually enjoying the reading material and topics covered, it makes me long to get back into the classroom someday. It will be a hard transition to make, but one I am looking forward to when God tells me it's time and presents me with an opportunity! It may be part time, it may be full time or it may be in a few years, but I can only trust that God has my future as an educator in His hands. I am excited for this new season of life to be approaching. It does make me sad however, to watch my two babies grow up and start school of their own. Where on earth did the time go! So I am making the most of every minute (really! I have no minutes to spare!) with my children and husband.

Now it's off to write a paper.....geesh, it's been a long time since I written a paper (do blog posts count as papers?)

If He's Anything Like Me......

2011-01-06T11:57:00.000-08:00

I heard this song on the radio and thought it was speaking directly to me.....Thanks Brad Paisley.

I remember saying I don't care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy I'm ok
Then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said "You see that thing right there well you know what that means"

And I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me
He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride hes bike to fast
End up every summer wearing something in a cast
He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the street
He's gonna get in trouble oh he's gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

I can see him right now knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass trying to melt a Tonka truck
Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on
That'll be his first love til his first love comes along
He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens
And heaven help him if he's anything like me

He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast
Get a speeding ticket he'll pay for mowing grass
He's gonna get caught skipping class and be grounded for a week
He's gonna get in trouble we're gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

He's gonna love me and hate me along the way
Years are gonna fly by I already dread the day
He's gonna hug his momma, he's gonna shake my hand
He's gonna act like he cant wait to leave
But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out
If he's anything like me there's worse folks to be like
Aw he'll be alright if he's anything like me

Catch them being good

2011-01-05T11:05:00.000-08:00

I live for these special moments as a mom. Catching them being good.....together.....really together. Love it.

How I'll pay for their college....

2011-01-01T17:49:00.000-08:00

When I win America's Funniest Home Videos......