Kid funnies

So a while back I took Presley to the dr to make sure nothing was wrong with her stomach. She's always complaining of her tummy hurting. She has regularity issues. Anyway, the doc was asking her questions like, "Do you like fruits and vegetables? Which do you like? Do you drink water?" Etc. Well then he asked her if she drank "a lot of soda." She asked, "Mom, is beer soda?" I about died! I then turned red, started stammering, and tried to explained that Price will let her have a sip of beer now and then. Pres quickly chimmed in that she LOVED beer! Luckily our pedi has a sense of humor and we were both laughing by the end of it. My dad would let me have a sip now and then too. Honestly, I liked it too.... Still do!

Stockings

Every Christmas I would see our stockings and look forward to when I felt our family was complete. (Remember I had to beg, borrow, and steal to get Price on board with our number three?!) Because 'then' I would order stockings and get them embroidered. In retrospect, I'm sure part of that was an excuse to not spend the money, spend the time, and definitely not make that decision. Decisions. They're hard. For me any way. I need someone to hold my hand and reassure me that I'm making the right one. Price will usually give me a little grunt if he likes/agrees/doesn't care. But if he doesn't like something, he'll provide his two cents. It's just what I need. And although annoying at times, I love him for it. He knows me.

Anyway, it took me a couple months of perusing etsy. Price gave me a couple grunts at a few that I showed him. I grunted at a few myself. I found some I liked but they didn't have a ruffle. I just convo'd the shop owner and she coached me through the rest. I finally decided this was the year and I was just going to do it! Seriously, I don't know why 'big' decisions are hard for me. Anyway, they came super fast and I love them!!

AND after all our spiffy-ing up around here we have a faux mantel to hang them on! Double score- it makes the wait even sweeter! The mantel is not that wide and I didn't want Tempie to pull down a stocking holder (or five) so I just screwed little hooks underneath to hold them.

I love how it turned out! Now Santa just has to fill them up!

Thankful

I am thankful for so much.

One thing that just overflows my cup is being able to walk to get Presley after school with Teagan and Temp in tow and stopping back through the park and letting them play for a little while. I can't say no. Even if it's just five minutes. I love it.

I guess it's just a combination of relishing in God's creation, this beautiful weather, having all my babies back under my wing, being away from the tv and laundry, and making them smile. I love watching them explore, master new skills, make up fun games, meet new friends and just have fun!

And then someone's thirsty, hungry or has to pee and we head home.

We hosted thanksgiving here this year with both sides of the family. After we ate, we all headed to the park and enjoyed ourselves and one another. It was nice to enjoy all the things just as mentioned above but with the whole family! Running around also helped digest all the delicious food we ate!! We came back ready for dessert and shared with each other what we were thankful for.

It was a great day.

Skipping ahead

Today was a fun day! Christopher Popinkins was back and brought some ginger bread houses! After Presley got home from school, we got to work erecting two houses. You can see him hanging from the light.

Then we hit the square for a Christmas carriage ride. These are terrible pictures, but I love this time of year!

Teagan turned five!  She is still as determined and fiesty as the day she was born!  Her sweet and cuddly side is still there too.  She can't just be near you, she has to be up in your lap or nestled into the crook of your arm.  She still enjoys potty humor above all else.  She's quick to boss, but is terribly indecisive (just like her Mama).  She teaches me a lot about myself and about parenting. 

The first leg of our celebrations was a dress up pumpkin patch party at the Blase Family Farm in Rockwall!  Such a fun place.  (FYI, in June they hope to have blueberry picking!)

It was a fun party!  Stay tuned...

Busy and crazy, or crazy busy

Today was kinda crazy. And I think I officially have attention deficit disorder. I start something, see something shiny and get distracted. I can't finish anything I start - the dishes, an email, crafts for sure. Please someone tell me they are the same way.

Today started with getting Presley to school. She ate a granola bar on the way, and we slide into car pool about 7:56, she was running in about 7:59:36. Somehow we dodged a tardy.

Next up getting Teagan ready for her school. Today was pumpkin patch day and wear your costume. Something fun at school usually means an easy morning. But with Teag, if you anticipate one thing, you'll usually get the opposite. She wasn't feeling costume day. I wrangled her in her costume after I quickly showered and got ready while Price fed Temple breakfast.

We slide up to pre K about 9:15, thank goodness there's no tardies there. Got Teagan to her class. I had ten minutes to run and grab some coffee before the Halloween classroom party started.

The party went off without a hitch and Temple played like such a big girl! (I need to set up the playroom where I'm not scared of her to go in it. Therefore remove all the choking hazards.) Then we went out to pick a pumpkin and the kids all posed for the obligatory class and hay bell photo.

Temp fell asleep on the way home and transferred nicely to my bed. Her bed is in the girls room now which George was busy retexturing. (Last room to prep, three need to be painted, I just need to hurry and pick some paint colors. But that would require too much thought and action and decision making on my part. A.D.D. I tell ya!) I was able to check a few things off on my to do list while I checked on Temp every five minutes. The girl has no depth perception and will plunge head first off the bed if you aren't watching. My other two knew better from early ages I guess? Because they took naps on my bed every nap! Except when I would strap Teagan into her infant carrier to go to sleep!

Anywho! Presley had a follow up eye exam today, so I had to go gather everyone back up early and haul major A to Plano. Price was able to go to for an extra set of hands. Made it there only a few minutes late. The follow up exam went great. With her glasses she's back seeing 20/20 in both eyes. So that means no patching. Before they weren't equal, so they thought we might have to patch her stronger one. That was great news!!

We hit up an antique place on the way home and found two lost treasures; a buffet we've been looking for and an odd piece that was a perfect media cabinet!

We grabbed some pizza on the way home and tried to have some restraint but Papa John's pizza is sooo good! Presley even ate four pieces!! Teagan found some of her leftover lunch in the car - that girl is resourceful! So she had few bites.

Then Willa and Dovie came over while their parentals went to a birthday dinner with friends. They got busy with dress up and brushing hair and finding the perfect shoes. They got hungry though before I was able to take a picture and so all the clothes came back off during a nutritious bowl of fruity pebbles, rightfully dubbed 'candy cereal' around these parts.

So bedtime for the girls got moved back. But because it was moved back, they didn't make a peep after kisses. That is nice, because usually they get up 101 times to tattle, pee, get a drink, sneak a toy, etc.

Tomorrow is Teagan's birthday! Can't believe she is FIVE!!

So even though it was a crazy busy day, for some reason, I don't want to forget a second of it. And if I don't write it down, tomorrow's crazy busy day will ensure I likely will.

P.s. Temple learned how to turn on the box fan today. AND she can climb up the step stool and pull up to the sink. She crawled and played so much today that the tops of her feet and knees were darn near black!! Good thing she loves a bath!!!

Date night

Since Jay and Alison are back in town and live so close, we've established date night. We switch off watching the kids so we can have an hour and a half reprieve every other week. It's. Been. Awesome!

They went first and when I was telling the girls their cousins were coming over because Addie and JJ were going on a date night, Teagan said, "I thought they were already married!?!". So funny! I tried to then explain the concept of date night. But she didn't quite understand the allure of time without baby carrying, kid feeding, butt wiping, fight refereeing, discipline giving, mess cleaning, pacie finding, clothes washing, school prepping. Sure we still have to do some of those things afterwards, but at that point I'm reenergized. I'm cleaning up after three destructive animals with a smile on my face.

Tonight Price and I went to Restaurant Ava. I had the shrimp and grits. It was delicious. I love grits. I wasn't going to get that (Price thinks you can't go to a nice restaurant and get grits), until the waiter said it was their most popular entree. Stop there, you had me at grits!

We also enjoyed a couple of beers. Yes, that's beer. Looks gross, but was actually really good. It obviously doesn't take much to make me happy - beer and grits!

Here's to date night and uninterrupted time with your loverkiss. 😉

Pumpkin carving 2012

We had our annual pumpkin carving tonight with Price's family and guess who won?! ME!! The kids voted for the first time this year and I guess they liked my monkey pumpkin. Just for the record, I wasn't trying to vie for the kid vote. But it worked out and now we get to keep the 'pumpkin carving champion of the world' trophy at our house. (Price won last year.) They were all great! Price did Elvis, Presley opted for a traditional pumpkin with pretty eyelashes, and Teagan's was an evil toddler and tiara pumpkin.

We also had Teagan's party today. I took lots of pics and we'll celebrate again this Friday on her actual birthday!

Shaking it up a bit

One of the things keeping us busy lately is a home face lift.

Let me start from the beginning. This house was needing (begging) for some tlc. We thought for a while about just moving since we could use a little more space, a bigger back yard, and didn't want to put more into the house than what we could sell it for. But we like our neighborhood, our school, and the community here. Most of my family lives here and the logistics with moving with a kid in school blew our minds.

So we decided to just give this baby a little love and stay put. At least for now. My friend, Han has held my hand pretty much each step of the way. And it has helped sooooo much.

We ordered some new furniture. That in and of itself was exciting. Price and I have been fortunate to be fiven so many great hand me downs so we've never really bought furniture. So after nine years, it was time!! That jump started everything!

Then we had some recessed lighting added in the living and dining room. Lighting makes such a big difference! Some lights were moved over to flow and line up a little more symmetrically. (OCD much?) We had the walls retextured and painted, which is a very messy process! Especially with a crawling baby. We also added a faux fireplace! (I'm so excited about stockings this year!) They finished all that in the nick of time for the furniture to come.

Shout outs to Bella's House, Frisco Mercantile, and most importantly Han Tieu Schott Designs!

These are just some progress photos from my phone. We are still waiting on a couple of chairs, need to hang curtains, figure out what's gonna hide the tv, and hang some other stuff on the walls.

It's exciting and I'm trying to enjoy the process albeit dusty, slow, and terribly inconvenient.

And yes I'm nuts for getting white with three kids and a furry dog. But I love it! I'll try to post again once we add some finishing touches. (I'm more of a starter, not so much of a finisher, but really gonna try.)

Teagan is about to turn FIVE!

Presley's glasses

After Presley made a few outcries of not being able to see, I decided to take her to get an eye exam since we missed doing it at her five year well visit. After getting referred to a pedi ophthalmologist, waiting for that appointment, getting a prescription, picking some frames out, waiting for them to come in, Presley finally got to wear her new glasses to school. She was so excited. When she put them on for the first time, she said "goodbye foggy world".

I was fully expecting them to say her eyes were fine. It was something that really took us by surprise.

I felt so bad when we saw her glasses and realized how severe her prescription was, +4.5 on both sides. She's 'extremely far sighted', which means she can't see near. But kids who are far sighted, usually can't see near OR far. So these help her see both without all the eye strain. Which totally explained why writing thank you notes was such a grueling process and she was "tired" five seconds after starting. Her eyes were truly tired. We have her follow up exam coming up in a couple weeks to make sure all is well.

I thought I would have a hard time getting her to wear them, but from day one she has done great!! Im sure because they help her so much. And she's been super responsible with them. They are constantly dirty though!!

So Teagan has already been to her five year well exam a good month early. To her dismay, she passed her eye exam and doesn't need glasses.

Anyway, we love Presley's glasses and are so glad she can see!! We've already seen an improvement in her school work!

Temple is ONE!

Temple is officially one. I can't believe it has already been a year! (or that it's been so long since I've blogged, my word!). My friend Stacy put it well, I'm up to my eyeballs with life. Three kids is no joke. (that's my excuse, and I'll use it, dang it!)

We just had a simple family birthday party for her with all her cousins. It was wild and fun!

Temple isn't walking yet, but at her party she started standing unassisted and was so proud of herself. It was so cute!

She gives some major kisses to me, but is pretty stingy with them otherwise. She's still a great eater and we're transiting to whole milk. Her happy place is her high chair. She likes bananas and sometimes peaches but as far as fruits, that's about it.

She's been such a great baby. But she can throw a fit like a champ and throw her pacie and her lovey practically AT you! I think it's safe to say she's a mama's girl. When it's time for bed especially. She takes naps in her bed, but she knows at night, she gets to snuggle in our bed. I'll play with her hair and twist her curls and it soothes her to sleep.

The girls are little mothering hens when it comes to their lil sister. Mostly I appreciate having an extra set of eyes. Sometimes they get a little over eager to help mother, but Temple has gotten good at defense and like I said, she can hold her own. Temp loves hanging with the big dogs, especially in the bath! She hates being the first one out!

At this rate it won't be long before she's going off to college.... So bitter sweet.

Here lately

Hi. (That's what I text Price after I don't hear from him all day and I've tried to call him and I know he's busy. Just 'hi'. That usually gets a response. Or he'll reply back 'Hi loverkiss'. You've never heard of loverkiss? Our five year old taught us that. Gotta love stuff they learn at school.)

So we had a birthday. Here's the birthday girl the next morning playing with her loot and wearing her new pj's and bracelet.



And wearing her chuck e cheese hat from her party. When we were leaving the parking lot after the party, I asked her if she had fun. She said in a dreamy voice, "I loved it."


(See that dog head? That's Kenzie's dog, Houston. More on him in a minute.)

I didn't take any phone pics at the party. I did have my trusty little camera but haven't downloaded them yet.

My Teagan. Her favorite gift from the party was this Barbie picture you color.



She popped out of the bed the next morning so she could color it. And she did a great job. She got a little bossy when she shared with Presley. (You read that right, Teagan shared Presley's gift with Presley. So sweet of her huh?)

That a terrible picture, but a really keen eye would see we changed our living room around again. I'm not in love with it. It's such an odd space.

Back to my Teagzee. She's been living in this. And if it's not that, then it's long sleeves and leggings. It takes her a little while to adapt to the heat.




She is such a great big sis. She rides on the front of the stroller, her 'perch' we call it. She'll rub Temple's leg when she starts to fuss. And it totally soothes Tempie. So sweet.





Make that two great big sisters.



Tempie is a full fledge sitter. She's now 8 months old. Could it be??


And it won't be long before she crawls. She's been practicing.





Her little teeth are still just below the gums but you can see them. So we're still a tad fussy.

She's started screaming a very loud high pitch squeal. And I've been using a low voice and saying 'no, that's too loud' or something to that nature. The first time I did that, Teagan said, 'you talked mean to her.' I tried to explain that's how she'll learn, etc But Teagan was still in protective mode, shocked and kinda confused and said again, 'but you talked mean to her.' I guess not enough because she still does it.

This picture just hurts my ears looking at it.




These kids have been playing on this fun waterslide.


So Kenzie and her crew have been living here for the last week because they've rented their old house and are not quite finished construction on their new one.

Madden has been spending so much time here, the first day he wasn't here, I kept feeling like someone was missing. It was kinda a weird feeling. Anyway, I noticed some of the funny things he does, like eat like this.



Like a caveman. He's also pretty witty for a four year old and he calls Temple 'Tempelly'.

The other day Teagan was petting and loving on Houston and Maverick started barking because he was jealous! He didn't like his human loving on some *dog*.

So anyway, that's what we've been doing here lately!

Love these loverkisses.