Preparations for Halloween

This past Thursday was Ryan's Halloween party at school. They were supposed to wear their costumes over their clothes. So the week before the party I picked up a fireman coat for Ryan. Thankfully, he was very happy to be a fireman. I think he made a super cute one too!

And it worked out well that he still has his fire truck from when he was a littler boy to play with when he's all dressed up.

Yesterday Ryan and I made a Jack-o-lantern. Ryan scooped out the pumpkin, and I did the cutting. Even though I did most of the work, he thought it was a lot of fun.



I think he'll be even more excited when we put a candle in mr. pumpkin tonight to make his face glow.

Fashion

I am in no way a "fashionista", but I am conscious of fashion in some ways. However, I don't think it will be long before I start looking like an out of date soccer mom...sigh.

Here are two fashion issues that I've been thinking about for a while now:

What color frames for glasses?

I have two pairs of glasses. I have a cute brown pair that suits my face, and then I also have a pair of black frames that are square and more mad scientist looking. The black ones only look good on me depending on how I wear my hair on a given day. (Pat picked out the black pair.)

My problems is that I feel weird wearing my brown frames if I am wearing black/grey. Also, the earrings that are usually in my ears are black diamond circles. I know I probably over think this issue, but it's something that bothers me. I wish I had a pair of glasses that were perfect no matter what color I wear.

I love, love, love boots, but don't really like skinny jeans so much.

I have a hard enough time finding jeans that I love to wear every day. I have yet to find a great pair of skinny jeans to go with my boots. Yes, I can wear my boots with skirts and dresses. But the thing is that I just don't really go many places, so wearing skirts and dresses in the winter just doesn't happen so often. So unfortunately, my lovely boots don't get as much wear as I'd like.

R & R Outfit

I would really love to wear a cute outfit when I pick Pat up from the airport. (I still have over 1.5 months until that happens though.) I was thinking if I could find a cute dress, I would be able to wear my beloved boots. It's hard to buy a dress online, especially because I am decently tall and do NOT want a mini dress (despite what Pat may want). I came across a dress that I love and think could be perfect.

Here is the DRESS.

What do you think? It's simple, but I love the cut of it. I haven't ordered it yet because I'm cheap, but I'm thinking about it.

Coffee with Excess Flavor, Please.

As I mentioned a few posts back, I've started a love affair with coffee. It's rather funny that almost a year ago my husband gave me a Keurig coffee maker for Christmas even though I didn't drink coffee at all then. It's like Pat knew me better than I knew myself because I feel like I couldn't live without it now.

I've tried lots of awesome flavors of coffee recently. I am a flavor junkie; I love sauces, seasoning, or any way to get an extra kick of flavor. Sometimes I probably over do it. With my coffee I sometimes go as far as putting flavored coffee-mate in my flavored coffee, but don't worry, I make sure the flavors coordinate well. You have to be careful not to overwhelm the flavor of the coffee, but it is rather fun to test out all the different combinations. After lots and lots of trials, I've found a few flavored coffees that I rather enjoy. So if anyone has a Keurig, and I highly recommend it as a coffee maker, here are some great Kcups to try.

Green Mountain Southern Pecan--I wasn't sure I'd be a big fan of this flavor. While I have no problem with pecans, I wouldn't really say I love them. However, I LOVE this coffee. It is one of my absolute favorites. This coffee has a yummy sweetness without being too sweet. This is a flavor that I will buy over and over again.

Timothy's German Chocolate Cake--I think I may brew this for the smell alone--chocolate and coconut yumminess. The flavor blends well with the coffee and doesn't overpower the stronger coffee taste. I add a bit of creamer and it's a little slice of dessert without the calories.

Green Mountain Mocha Nut Fudge--It's like having a piece of fudge, without the heaviness you get from the actual candy. I think this one is a very rich flavor. It is perfect for the days when you feel like you want to indulge.

(And right now I'm really enjoying my chocolate flavored coffees with some peppermint-mocha coffee-mate. It's like having a thin-mint cookie dunked in your coffee)

Those are my favorite Kcups right now. Clearly, I like the combination of sweet and bitter that flavored coffee lends. What are your favorite coffees?

9 Wonderful Years

October 16 was an anniversary of sorts for me and Pat. We don't usually do much to celebrate it, but we like to acknowledge the day each year. For me, I feel like it is a really important, life changing day. October 16, 2001, I went out on the first formal date with Pat, and we decided to become an official couple that night. I remember parts of the date well. I remember being so nervous and excited before the date. I knew I really liked him long before this date. I remember what I wore and what he wore. I remember driving to the restaurant and Pat making fun of me because I still had the wipers on after the rain had stopped. At that point I remember thinking, maybe this date isn't going to turn out so well. Looking back I think it is so typical of Pat to make a comment like that. ;) I remember chatting during dinner and feeling remarkably comfortable with him. I don't recall any awkward silences. I remember the butterflies in my stomach when he asked if I wanted to be a couple. I remember blushing and saying yes. I remember being so happy that night and excited about the future of our relationship. I never could have imagined that from that date I would end up in the wonderful place I am now. I didn't realize that one date could lead me to the past 9 years of happiness. That one day changed the course of my life. I know it sounds cheesy, but really my life started that day. In my eyes that will always be a perfect date, and I am so lucky to have spent the last 9 years with such a wonderful, loving, and generous man.

Pat sent me beautiful flowers to mark the date. :)

Maybe at some later date I can tell you the story of how we actually met.

"Incredible News", Really?

It is fairly easy to make my husband happy. He gets excited over small things. As his wife, I consider this a good thing. However, he and I don't exactly see eye to eye on what the description of incredible/wonderful/exciting/great (insert various adjectives here) news would constitute.

Yesterday I got an e-mail titled "INCREDIBLE NEWS". Before I got a chance to read it my mind started racing through all the possibilities of what it could be. I should have remembered Pat's track record for comments like this before I got all excited.

So you want to know the incredible news? He figured out how to read my blog through google reader since blogger is blocked over there (he can't see photos though). Now don't get me wrong, I am really happy that Pat will be able to keep up with my blog (although I keep him updated on everything going on here through e-mail and phone). I am sure he is excited to be able to have another connection to me despite the distance.

So Sweetie, if you are reading this, I'm thrilled that you've figured out a way to see my blog. Is that" incredible news"? I guess it depends on your perspective, but that is just one of the many reasons I love you. I miss you terribly and am so proud of you. Stay safe, my love.

Boys and their Daddy

I don't think the apples fell very far from the tree.

Pat at one year old.

Sean one year old.
Pat as superman.
Ryan as superman.

Sean's First Haircut

Pat and I had originally planned to wait and have Sean's first haircut during his R & R. However, as time passed, we realized our child was going to have a mop top if we waited that long. Pat encouraged me to get Sean's haircut done without him. Since I knew my parents (aka Grammy and Grumps) were coming to visit, I decided I'd do it while they were here. Sean really did need his hair cut. I cannot believe how different he looked after the haircut though. He's such a cutie!

The before photo.

Beginning the haircut.
Chewing on things, like the comb, kept Sean busy.

Lots of hair to be cut.

Wondering what she is doing to his head.

He is a happy boy.
She was even able to use the baby buzzer on his head a little bit.
The after photo. Can you believe how different he looks? It took me a full day to get used to his new look.

Sean's 1st Birthday Celebration

October 8th we celebrated Sean's 1st year in the world. I wanted to share a few pictures of his celebration.

I gave him his gift from Auntie Rie and Uncle Justin a few days early. He really enjoys his barn, especially the eggs!

Then on his birthday the first gift he played with was his new bowling set from Daddy. We're still working on the technique ;) (also notice the cute little coke polar bear shirt he's wearing--Daddy got that on our vacation to ATL last spring.)
Mommy made cookie monster cupcakes. My hands were rather blue by the end of it. I was pretty happy with how they turned out. I'll probably make similar ones for Ryan's birthday next month, but most likely I'll do red and make Elmo.
Sean wasn't won over by my culinary skills at first bite.
But after licking his fingers a couple more times, I think he was pretty happy.
The celebration continued over the weekend with a visit from Grammy and Grumps, but more on that later.

Catching Up!

I know I have a lot of catching up to do on the blog. I am hoping tonight after the kids are in bed and thank you notes are written that maybe I can get some posts going. Be on the look out for some updates soon!!!!

Happy Birthday, Baby Sean!

I simply cannot believe my happy, sweet, giggly little boy is one year old today. The entire year flew by. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was going to the hospital to bring him into this world. I feel kind of bad that being so busy made his first year seem so short.

Sean's personality is sweet and gentle. He likes to be cuddled on his own terms. He currently hates being left with "strangers" or really anyone that isn't me for that matter. He's shy, but I think he'll out grow that. He adores his big brother. The doggies makes him giggle, especially Sammy. He's my little cookie monster. He is patient especially with Ryan, but also with me. He is a sensitive boy. He is smart, a tad bit mischievous, and a little stubborn.

I cannot wait to watch him grow in this next year. I look forward to getting to know him even better. This first year has been a wonderful and amazing gift. He has changed my life and brought so much happiness to our home. I am so lucky to have him for my son.

Happy Birthday, Baby Sean! We love you!

Stampin' Up! Clearance!

Check out the Clearance Rack on my online store. They have put so many new items there up to 80% off while supplies last. This stuff won't be there long.

Watercolor Wonder Crayons for $7.99

Set of 12 Stampin' Spots ink for $8.99

Stampin' Pastels $9.99

Embellishments, cardstock, ribbon, ink, punches, and so much MORE. You have to look for yourself!!!!

Click HERE to go to my website, then Shop now, and go to the Clearance Rack!!

Sean's First Shoes

With the weather getting colder, I am facing the challenge of keeping Sean's feet warm. He hates socks and they really only last about 10 seconds on his feet before he pulls them off. He'll also be walking soon (I hope, for his sake not mine). So I figured it was time for a pair of shoes. I'm hoping shoes will help keep the socks on, that is if he doesn't pull both socks and shoes off. He looks so cute with his new shoes. I cannot believe how fast he's growing up. (Please ignore the clutter on my floor. You can also see the boo-boo Sean got on his chin today, but really you should only be paying attention to how cute he is in his first pair of shoes!!!)

My little baby looks like a big boy!

Cute little shoes.
He thinks they were meant to be chewed on.
And played with.
I think he likes them though.

Cookie House

The other day while shopping at Sam's Club, I came across a Halloween cookie house (like a gingerbread house, but for Halloween and not gingerbread). I thought it would be a nice activity for me and Ryan to do, so I bought it. He was really excited to put it together. The directions weren't very clear, and it was a tiny bit frustrating. It didn't help that Ryan kept playing "knock, knock" on the cookie front door and knocking it over every time I got it assembled. Once we had it put together the fun part of decorating it came. Ryan really enjoyed putting the candy on and deciding just where it should go. The best part of it though was how proud and happy Ryan was when he finished his cookie house.

Priorities and Shame

I am ashamed to admit this, but I've been a really bad mother lately. It was not intended, and I didn't really understand the problem until today. I knew things weren't working, and it was bothering me. The thing I didn't know was what I could do about it. My priorities got a little out of whack. My children have always been and will be my number 1 priority, but I had been giving some other things--namely the FRG, too much importance. As a result, my children were suffering.

Over the past few months, the FRG has become all consuming for me. I feel like it just doesn't end. I can deal with the emergency/really important situations that interrupt my normal days, but it was the other stuff that was really getting in the way. It was the constant e-mails with new contacts, questions, issues etc. The problem was really that in order to address all these e-mails I was constantly being pulled away from the boys. What started as an occasional interruption became a nonstop daily occurrence.

I am a stay at home mom, and cherish my time with the boys more than anything else. However, because of all the distractions I found that when I was with the boys, I really wasn't "with" the boys. I am so sad to admit that I wasted all that precious time with them, and that they suffered as a consequence of my mistake.

I only realized it today when talking to my sister about how bad I felt for the boys that I am constantly having to do FRG stuff and feel like I am barely able to play with them. I finally saw that the FRG stuff can be done after the kids are in bed. Sure people may have to wait a few extra hours for a response, but they know they can call if they really need me to address any issues. If I can't complete it all at night before I go to bed, then it is okay if it takes me an extra day. I've always liked to respond right away because it bothers me to think of the e-mails piling up, and I have trouble getting it off my mind. In the end though, I cannot be dealing with it all day long. My kids come first, and that is the way it should be.

Now the only question of priorities will be balancing tv/relax time, cleaning the house, and the FRG in my evening time.