For EVERY birthday, we go to Toys R’ Us. The birthday boy is given a crown, a balloon AND they announce his birthday on the intercom throughout the whole store. So, people who are shopping in the store can wish him a happy birthday. The employees love seeing the kids walking around and always wish them a happy birthday. My boys LOVE it.

I’m having a hard time today. I’m seeing a lot of the negative in life today, instead of focusing on the positive. The cold weather is getting to me. I’m tired. I’m not as young as I used to be and I’m paying for that today.

So, while I’m waiting for my husband to bring home some pizza, I’m going to make a list of things I love. Husband and children will NOT be on this list – they’re a given and truly at the top of my list anyway Jesus is at the top, too.

1. sleep – sleep that’s so deep, you wake up and don’t realize where you are and what time it is.

2. climbing into a bed with clean sheets, right after you’ve taken a shower. that’s a little piece of heaven to me

3. orange soda. (I’m from the east coast. I don’t do the “pop” thing.)

4. fountain coke from McDonald’s. the best. hands down.

5. Hobby Lobby

6. scrapbooking stores. I’m giddy when I go in them.

7. mindless television (bait car, cops, bad girls club.)

8. music that reminds me of people I love.

9. seasons when I don’t have to wear a coat when I go outside. :::sigh::: (here, that’s summer and that’s pretty much it.)

10. the beach and the ocean.

11. purple

12. when I ask my children to do something and they say, “OK, mom” immediately AND actually do it. (that should be #1)

13. Lemon Passion from Macaroni Grill (oh….my)

14. Watching my babies sleep

15. Dove Truffles (I like food way too much)

16. fondue (the one thing I miss about living in Switzerland)

17. scrapple (google it – it’s not pretty, but it’s SO good).

18. when my husband rubs my head as I fall asleep at night.

19. silence when you think you can’t handle any more noise.

20. a really good haircut.

So, in a few minutes, I’m going to toast my glass to pizza, mindless TV, a good night’s sleep and having a better mindset tomorrow.

I really need it.

Hi. Remember me? I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t.

Before last week, Halloween was the last time I posted. My blogging mojo went AWOL. I spent the last several months trying to stay afloat. (I often feel like my house is going to swallow me up). I enjoyed lots of family time and a VERY. LONG. Christmas vacation back east with family. (it was the longest 2 weeks of my life and we won’t be doing 2 weeks again.). Besides that, I often don’t feel that interesting and my life is boring (in a very good way, to me).

My youngest sweet boy started daycare (one day a week – socialization for him, some quiet, productive time for mommy) – his speech has exploded a bit. He still screams like a banshee when I drop him off, but within seconds of me walking out of this classroom, he’s off to play with his friends. He’ll be 22 months old on February 1st. Time, please use the brakes, please.

The mojo is coming back, slowly, but surely. I’ve spent some time trying to figure out what I want to do here. I LOVE to be creative – I love to cook and scrapbook, so I think I’m going to focus on those things. I’m trying to convince my husband to buy me a sewing machine for Mother’s Day or my birthday – I want to learn how to sew, too!! There will be some personal stuff thrown in here and there, but I know there’s a bunch of mojo existing in my creative life.

If anyone is still out there and still reading here, I hope you visit the Hearts at Home Blog and enter the Living with Less Contest. I’ve attended 2 Hearts at Home conferences and love what they’re all about AND I love Jill Savage. Check it out!

Six years ago today, my heart was forever changed by the birth of this little gem of a boy. I’m a better person for knowing him. He makes me see the silly side of life. His laugh is infectious. He has the sweetest smile. He would eat pizza for every meal if I let him. He loves ICarly and Spongebob. And doughnuts.

He has a very tender heart. He loves his brothers. He’s a mama’s boy. He wants very much to please people.

He loves life with every ounce of his being. He gets his feelings hurt very easily. He loves food as much as his big brother loves sports. I think, if given the option, he’d still be in utero. If he couldn’t be in utero, he’d be permanently planted on my lap.

I pray thanks to God every day for letting me borrow this sweet boy for my time here on earth. I’m so thankful God chose me to be his mama.

Happy Birthday, Jake. I love you more than you’ll ever know.

I fear the germs are creeping in – Jake has a fever (low grade) and his teacher was out for the last 2 days of school with the flu. I heard quite a bit of coughing and sneezing while at our elementary school yesterday. I think illness is inevitable – no matter how often my kids wash their hands or use hand sanitizer, the germs are everywhere. I’ve not been feeling too well the past few days either.

I’ve been willing the germs out – next will be high vitamin C intake. I plan on drinking OJ until it comes out of my ears and then give that much to my kids.

It has to work. It just has to work.

(The church from The Sound of Music – Salzburg, Austria)

My big boys raised $115.00 each for their school fundraiser! The children who raised over 100 dollars had their names put into a drawing for a chance to go in the school’s “Money Machine”. Well, my boy Jake’s name was picked. He’s following in his big brother’s footsteps – Will’s name was also chosen when he was in Kindergarten!

Jake was incredibly nervous – he was so afraid he wouldn’t grab any money and everyone would laugh at him The awesome gym teacher, Mr. K. got everyone ready. We watched some of his friends go in and everyone grabbed something. It was my boy’s turn and he ROCKED that money machine. He walked out with 6 dollars! He had the highest amount of anyone that I saw go in there and his big brother only got 2 dollars. He was quite proud of himself

8 years. 8 years of loads of ups and loads of downs. He has less hair and I have more stretch marks. We both have a little bit more around the middle, too.

We got married in the courthouse, in downtown Annapolis, Maryland. We had no attendants or witnesses – it was just us. We stopped on our way to the courthouse, to buy a small bouquet. I still have the receipt.

We were married by a VERY animated man, who served as both our official AND our photographer. We had a disposable camera – as he was having us recite our vows, he was snapping pictures. We tried REALLY hard not to laugh.

After we were officially married, we walked to our favorite bar and had yummy cheese fries and cheap champagne.

I remember standing at the top of Main Street, downtown. B was on the phone and I was looking down at the harbour. I remember so vividly thinking that I had just done the most perfect thing for myself. I had spent years doing perfect things for other people, whether or not they were perfect for me. I had finally done something for myself. I was thrilled to be married to Brian. I am still thrilled, 8 years later.

Happy Anniversary, my love.