Ben the photographer

Ben swiped my camera and headed off to Brinley's room for a photo session. Just thought I would share some with you.... Who doesn't need a picture of doll feet??

The giant mess they've made. Gotta find a way to lock that closet!

A self portrait, of course.

This one actually turned out!

More party animals...

I felt bad when I realized I left out my youngest nephew. He was at his brother's party but couldn't stay up for the cookout. And my sister in law - although she may not want her picture posted, I gotta make sure everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame from my blog - haha!

Party Animals

We had lots of fun this weekend. Saturday we went to my nephew's birthday party then onto a "campfire" Ben called it-cookout (hotdogs & marshmallows) at my brother in law's new house. I have lots of pictures so I had to choose a just a few to post...

Brinley feeding her daddy a cupcake, so cute! She had 2 cupcakes (mostly the top) AND a piece of cake! At parties I just let them eat & drink whatever - that's what parties are for.
Top, left to right - Bryce, his little sis & dad. Bottom row- his mom & brother. We don't usually get a picture of just them so I had to share it!
Okay, this is an odd little picture but funny so I had to include it. The guys were roasting hot dogs and trying to keep their distance from the fire (it was hot). I love the way Ben looks so peaceful resting on Bryce's back.
Not sure why their hands are out ...but it's cute anyway.
The Super Heroes ...and Brinley.
By this point it's way past their bedtime...but that's how we party animals roll- lol!

Pain in the neck!

Sometimes you just have one of those days, other times a few of those days pile up on you and it seems to become one of those weeks...well, I've had one.

I had 2 personal goals (tasks) this week and accomplished them (yeah!) The first was to finish Brinley's 2nd dress but I decided to go with a different one (little cowgirls) than the Halloween print I had ready to go and made it into a shirt, rather than a dress so she could wear it this weekend to her cousin's birthday party. I had a reluctant model...

I got brave and put a little border on the bottom this time. I also used a different technique/measurements for the arm holes, which didn't turn out as well as I hoped but I don't think that's visible. Now I still have to finish the Halloween one soon!
This was my 2nd goal - spiced pumpkins softies! They are soft cookie, similar to a pumpkin muffin I make, but they have an orange cream cheese icing on them. I wasn't sure I would like the icing but I do - they're yummy! This tub is going to my mom and the other is going to my MIL's house.
Okay, onto the "pain in the neck" part...I feel we've been super busy this week. We've been running errands, going to gym, doctor's appointment. I've cooked, baked and sewed and we've all had colds so Brinley has been extra whiny plus the kids have not had great naps this week. I haven't napped all week (I know this sounds pathetic, but I'm pregnant and have a child who wakes me up on an almost nightly basis & sometimes I can't get back to sleep) Anyway, I'm just plain worn out.

Also I'm getting all the laundry caught up so I can pack everyone for our trip home to Texas this afternoon. So, when my husband (who normally studies all evening) sits down on the couch last night to watch football (yes, I know - huge game, Big USC upset) while I pick up toys, give Brin her bath, get both kids ready & put them to bed, ice cookies, fold clothes, MISS Grey's Anatomy...well, I had to bite my tongue.

Then he goes to bed, I get ready to go but get this - he has Grey's Anatomy on!! with 10 minutes left. Well, this is where I lose it. "Turn it" I tell him, "I've missed 2 hours, I don't want to see the end". Well, he doesn't, so I go to the couch. That's where I fell asleep until about 2:30 I hear Ben going out into the garage! Apparently he couldn't find me so went to see if my car was in the garage. Like I leave in the middle of the night all the time - lol! But I did feel super guilty for not being in my bed where I should be so I put Ben to bed and fall asleep with him -twin bed. So between my 2 "beds" last night I have a super bad pain in my neck!!

In my husband's defense he tells me, this morning, "I was turning Grey's, just not fast enough for you" but I think I gave him ample time before I went to the couch. And apparently he really did think I would want to watch it...I guess he was trying. I was probably still a little hurt because he missed the sonogram.

Okay, to end this marathon gripe fest on a more positive note...I can watch Grey's (and 90210) another time thanks to dvr, my wonderful kids are feeling better and have already made me laugh today!, my little "pea in the pod" is growing, my husband did pack his own bag this morning (and thank you Jennifer for your blog on marriage vows : ) sometimes we need reminders) and we are going home to Texas for the weekend!

So, I wish ya'll a Happy Weekend, too!!

Sonogram

First, I need to vent...I had an appointment for bloodwork at my OB's office before my sonogram (next door at the hospital). I had the first appointment of the day - on purpose - and showed up 14 minutes early (whew, can't believe I managed that!) and they made me wait... and wait...You think they would want me gone because Brinley was crying but finally I had to tell them I have to go to my sonogram so I need to go back or offered to come back later.
Now, for those of you who don't know - I've worked for a few different doctors so I really am understanding but I was the first person there and didn't even need to see the doctor!
So about 20 minutes after my appt. (I had been there 34 minutes) they gave me my chart -oh, and that's another thing...they couldn't find what I was there for, I had to tell them. So, chart in hand I had to go back and thank goodness it was over quickly after that because then we got to go to admitting at the hospital and wait...where the lady had me sign a form so the radiologist could read the results and Ben so expertly informed her "my daddy can do that - he's a radiologist" she ignores him so he repeats himself until she acknowledges him and I clarify he works at another hospital and Ben adds "he works at the 'q-er' hospital" (no, not queer, Q- er that's what Ben calls the OU emblem and the letter Q) she then kind of ignores him again then onto Radiology to wait awhile...Anyway......Here's the baby!

My placenta is doing well, no longer "low" and thank goodness 'cause I've been picking up all kinds of stuff - kids, my big limo stroller, tool bag, sewing machine...you get the picture. And the baby is still measuring to be due February 21st or 23rd instead of March but I still have to wait to see the doctor next week and let her make the decision to change the "official" due date. The baby looked good to me, weighs about 10 oz. and is over 6 in. long (estimate of course) but we have to let the Radiologist read it before we have the "official" results - haha!

Here it is...

The big belly picture- just for Allison! (Lin, look away- haha)
I know it's not an artistic picture (taken with self-timer) but I was inspired because I found these pants at the back of my closet that used to be too big, but now they fit! At least for now... I'm supposed to be 17 wks & something (whatever my ticker says) but I look bigger - maybe it's because it's my 3rd?? I have another sonogram and I'm nervous because I've been having an eerie feeling something is wrong. Pregnancy paranoia?? So, tomorrow so we're gonna see what the baby measures and if we need to adjust my due date. And, no, I'm still not finding out the sex!

Success, finally

Hello...my name is Cindi and I cannot cook.
I don't even like to (baking is another thing) but I try - I really do but there are only a few things I make well so trying a new recipe for dinner is a big risk. Dinner is a constant source of stress for me. My husband has even requested that I stop trying...and I do for awhile but I find something I think I can manage and make the leap. This was the case last night, and actually over the weekend and surprisingly everything turned out!! Finally...success!
I made pumpkin pancakes over the weekend (served with always yummy sausage roll) and he liked them, I wasn't that impressed, but if he likes them I'll make them again. Then last night I made chicken tortellini soup which really hit the spot because everyone in my house has the sniffles (lots of "domestic engineer" points for me, having hot homemade soup ready for my sick husband) then the kids and I worked on this little guy you see below... well, his eyes slid down because I put them on too soon and a leg broke off but he's a spider (in case you couldn't tell). It was really an easy project but I kinda messed up the first batch of chocolate (I get so nervous anytime I have to melt chocolate, I don't know why) but luckily I had extra. It's a marshmallow with pretzel legs (you can also use twizzlers) covered in chocolate with sprinkles for a Halloween flair and red hots for eyes for a spooky effect. Having done it once, I hope to make them "prettier" next time and I will warn you...messy to eat, especially for the kids.
My next project...a cookie called "spiced pumpkin softies" but no real food on the agenda, I would like to enjoy my success for awhile : )

Kids make you think you're crazy

Ben recently got new Bob the builder crocs, even though he's not a huge fan- they were the only navy blue pair I could find, so we went with them. He's had them less than 2 months and they get lost all the time. Not his red crocs or brown crocs...I can always find them but these Bob crocs disappear for about a week each time they're lost.
So, there it was - one Bob croc sitting by the hallway, mocking me because I could not find its' mate. After a couple of days, I set out on a serious search - under all beds, couches, in every closet, backyard, garage, etc. I checked it all then gave up and concluded it must have been left outside and carried away by an animal because there was no way it was in the house, right?? Well, as I'm doing laundry I get to the darks (okay I was a little behind and had a lot of laundry) and as I pick up a pair of Ben's pants...I feel something...could it be?? The missing Bob croc!
It has been tucked inside a pair of pants in the laundry all week. I did look in there, but not inside the pants :0 Of course I've advised Ben to take off his shoes then his pants but that's one too many steps for him. So I've decided I'm not crazy since it wasn't in an obvious place...but I nearly lost my mind looking for it. Another lesson learned : )

The Fair!

Well, our trip to Turner Falls was postponed yet again - this time due to my nephew's stomach virus so Saturday we thought we would check out the Oklahoma State Fair.
We arrived hungry so eating was first on our agenda. There was a long line at this Indian Taco stand and since we're in Oklahoma, I thought I would try it out. It looked good - like a giant taco salad. It had a big Indian flatbread shell, beans, lettuce, cheese and Indian taco sauce. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed - the sauce was gross and it was mostly lettuce but the flatbread part was good. We also had caramel apples that the kids begged for, had one bite then Bryce & I "had" to finished them. They had corn dogs and later on, ice cream and I tried chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick- yum!
When we arrived these people that were leaving gave us 2 vouchers for wristbands that let you have unlimited rides - a $50 value!!! Then when I was in line for the wristbands, a lady was leaving and had a bunch of tickets left she wanted to sell, so I got a $20 sheet of tickets for $9 for Brinley who didn't have a wristband- what a bargain. Good thing we didn't spend a lot on rides because Ben, who was so excited to ride them was soon distracted by these trumpets he saw other kids playing and his quest to find them (and I think he was hot & tired). Luckily all it took to win these was $3 and picking a duck out of the "pond". We didn't even use all the tickets & ended up giving them away when we left.
We also went to the auto show and I got to sit in an Acadia, which I still love. We saw the sea lions and caught Jump! - the dog show on our way out which the kids loved. The funny thing about this was when we arrived we had just missed the dog show and the next one was 5pm and Bryce's comment was "sorry kids, we won't still be here for the next one". Nope, we watched the 6:30 pm show instead- haha!

Too cute

I saw this at Wal-mart yesterday and had to get it cause you know I love me some Dr. Pepper! I don't know if I'll ever open it, though.

Mascara Ads

Just gotta vent here...mascara ads are such a load of crap! Why do they promise to give you big, full, soft, beautiful lashes and then go and put fake lashes on the models in the ads? I believe this is fraud. C'mon cosmetic companies...show us the real deal!

That's all I have now. Oh, and I'm looking forward to our fun filled day at Turner Falls tomorrow!

Gym class

I've been wanting to take some pictures of Brinley's gym class but none of the other moms have ...anyway today I showed up with my camera like the dorky mom. I'll warn you...a couple are blurry cause she's hard to keep up with. At trampoline time, some kids hardly jump but she never stops! It might be her favorite thing.
Space flight, she loves this too!
This trapeze was a new thing today and she just took to it...what do you think - is there a circus in her future? haha

The sweetest sound

Ben was up at 5am this morning wanting to watch t.v. so after I set him straight and got him back to sleep, of course I couldn't sleep so I turned on the t.v. and searched the dvr for something to catch up on. Too bad my only real free time comes at times like this, and I don't know where I will find the time to keep up with my regular fall lineup when they start...but I digress. So, I watch 90210 -which Bryce mocks when he shows up in the living room but then he says "I think I hear Brinley"...so I hit mute...and sure enough it was her singing "twinkle, twinkle little star" at the top of her lungs. It was the sweetest rendition ever, I've decided.

A rifle in my Coach

While cleaning out my purse, I had to laugh at some of the things in there. I carry a small one so I don't collect too much junk but these are some things, before becoming a mom, I never thought I would have in my purse...an army man, a toy rifle, toy space shuttle, toy dalmation, a bracelet, a candle (why??) and a random button. The rest is pretty useful, especially that hot pink plastic container that contains emergency tylenol! So moms....what do you have in your purse??

Read this...

Loved this blog entry "Celebrities & Politics" by my sis - read it at singleandlivinginafishbowl.blogspot.com

"...And I didn't steal anything."

This is what Ben told me today when I picked him up from school - "I didn't cry and I didn't steal anything." My pride is overflowing!
For those of you who don't know, Ben has had a problem with sticky fingers this year. At his last preschool he was often allowed to borrow toys and return them the following week and he's not allowed to do that at this school. A couple of times he's shown up with toys and we've made him return them and talked about borrowing vs. stealing. Well, it looks like he's finally understanding.

Not a waste

Our weekend went pretty well. We did have rain all day Saturday but we decided to try a new burger place Bryce heard was "the best". It wasn't but I still thought it good, just overpriced. We took a walk - yes, we got wet so the rest of the day they had to entertain themselves indoors... They love this!
I finally finished a Netflix movie I've had like a month (or more!) and got to send it back . Sunday was beautiful! Sunny but chilly -we went for a walk and needed jackets. Then we headed downtown for lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse. We ate in the trolley and the kids thought it was so neat.
As soon as fresh bread came, Ben cut the loaf in half and guarded his portion like he was starving- it literally did not leave his hand.
Then we walked our carbs off downtown.

I never did get around to sewing Brinley's 2nd dress and Ben broke his sleeping streak...but I did make some banana pudding so despite the wet start, it turned out to be a good weekend after all!