Matt: Are you sure you don't want some hair?
Oliver: No... bald.
Friday, January 23, 2009
No... bald
Oliver created a Mii the other night while playing Wii with Matt. He was very particular and opinionated about what he did and did not want for his Mii. Every feature you see below came completely from the mind of a three year old. I heard chuckles from Matt coming from the other room while this was going on. But to walk in and behold the finished product, was breathtakingly hilarious. I hope you enjoy his silliness as much as we did. Our favorite quote from Oliver during the Mii-making session:
Matt: Are you sure you don't want some hair?
Oliver: No... bald.
Matt: Are you sure you don't want some hair?
Oliver: No... bald.
For my fellow Blogger/Blogspot Friends
I have been wanting a way to backup my blog just so I have a copy of it in case something bad ever happened to Blogger's servers. I love my blog and use it as a personal journal, so I would be devastated to lose it.
I found a super-simple way to do it too. Check it out and do it for yourself!
This page lists the latest N posts from the blog:
http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/search?max-results=N
Instead of N, type the number of posts. If your blog has less than 1000 posts, you can save this page:
http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/search?max-results=1000
I knew I had less than 1000 posts, so I just copied the second link, pasted it into the address bar of my web browser, replaced "BLOGNAME" with the name of my blog, and was directed to a page that had my whole blog on it! I then went up to the File menu on my web browser and selected "Save Page As." I hope this is helpful to my fellow Blogger users as well!
I found a super-simple way to do it too. Check it out and do it for yourself!
This page lists the latest N posts from the blog:
http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/search?max-results=N
Instead of N, type the number of posts. If your blog has less than 1000 posts, you can save this page:
http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/search?max-results=1000
I knew I had less than 1000 posts, so I just copied the second link, pasted it into the address bar of my web browser, replaced "BLOGNAME" with the name of my blog, and was directed to a page that had my whole blog on it! I then went up to the File menu on my web browser and selected "Save Page As." I hope this is helpful to my fellow Blogger users as well!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
A few more checks
I've completed a few more items on my 101 goals in 1001 days list (see link on the right sidebar of this page)... yay me!
#38 Clean out/organize garage – CHECK – 11/2008
This check on my list was actually completed by my sweet husband... at my request! What a good man. Our garage wasn't really in that bad of shape, but needed some TLC. It's looking pretty good now - lots of extra shelf space which I'm sure will get filled up eventually. I don't know though, I really like to get rid of stuff we don't use for a while. Those donation trucks that come through our neighborhood every few months are my friend. Giving things to people who need them more than I do AND not having to leave my house to do it - Win, Win!
#82 Read 5 books by the end of 2008 (started in August) – CHECK - 12/2008
This one was really a challenge for me. In the busyness of raising two toddlers, I don't have a ton of time to read. But I really wanted to get some books completed because I really do enjoy reading and like to enrich my brain! I made this goal not knowing if it was doable. So to complete it makes it that much sweeter! I've listed below the not 5, but 6 books I read from August through December 30th - I pushed it almost to the last minute! I've left my "star" rating (out of 4 stars) on them and more of a description on a few of them. I'm not up to writing reviews for all of them, but if one piques your interest, let me know and I'll give you more info!
1. George Muller**, Janet & Geoff Benge - August
I had been wanting to read some more books about heroes of the Christian faith. George Muller's story is absolutely amazing and definitely one you should check into. This particular book wasn't all that well written, but his story is extremely powerful!
2. The Power of a Positive Mom**** - Karol Ladd - November
Highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to all of you mom's out there. Practical, biblical advice in small chunks that you can digest in the few minutes you find time to read them!
3. The Trouble With Tulip** - Mindy Starns Clark - November
4. The Hiding Place**** - Corrie Ten Boom - December
Absolutely amazing story! I couldn't put it down! This was again continuing on in my quest to know more about heroes of the Christian faith. I never expected an autobiography to be such a page turner, but it truly was. I am usually drawn to fiction and read that mostly. But it was so refreshing at the end of the book to realize that the person I'd just read this amazing story about really lived and can be a real example in my life.
5. Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope**** - Don & Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak - December
Ok - this one is a funny story. Not because the book was funny - it is actually very tragic - but because this was an extreme case of "could not put it down" - literally. I picked up the book at my parent's house after Christmas and proceeded to read it in it's entirety (almost 300 pages) from 9:30pm until 2am. Click on the title for a link to the Amazon.com page about the book and read the summary of this amazing story. I still get chills every time I read it. Also non-fiction. I'm on a roll!
6. The New Dare to Discipline*** - Dr. James Dobson - December
I've already completed one book in January too! Woo hoo!
#38 Clean out/organize garage – CHECK – 11/2008
This check on my list was actually completed by my sweet husband... at my request! What a good man. Our garage wasn't really in that bad of shape, but needed some TLC. It's looking pretty good now - lots of extra shelf space which I'm sure will get filled up eventually. I don't know though, I really like to get rid of stuff we don't use for a while. Those donation trucks that come through our neighborhood every few months are my friend. Giving things to people who need them more than I do AND not having to leave my house to do it - Win, Win!
#82 Read 5 books by the end of 2008 (started in August) – CHECK - 12/2008
This one was really a challenge for me. In the busyness of raising two toddlers, I don't have a ton of time to read. But I really wanted to get some books completed because I really do enjoy reading and like to enrich my brain! I made this goal not knowing if it was doable. So to complete it makes it that much sweeter! I've listed below the not 5, but 6 books I read from August through December 30th - I pushed it almost to the last minute! I've left my "star" rating (out of 4 stars) on them and more of a description on a few of them. I'm not up to writing reviews for all of them, but if one piques your interest, let me know and I'll give you more info!
1. George Muller**, Janet & Geoff Benge - August
I had been wanting to read some more books about heroes of the Christian faith. George Muller's story is absolutely amazing and definitely one you should check into. This particular book wasn't all that well written, but his story is extremely powerful!
2. The Power of a Positive Mom**** - Karol Ladd - November
Highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to all of you mom's out there. Practical, biblical advice in small chunks that you can digest in the few minutes you find time to read them!
3. The Trouble With Tulip** - Mindy Starns Clark - November
4. The Hiding Place**** - Corrie Ten Boom - December
Absolutely amazing story! I couldn't put it down! This was again continuing on in my quest to know more about heroes of the Christian faith. I never expected an autobiography to be such a page turner, but it truly was. I am usually drawn to fiction and read that mostly. But it was so refreshing at the end of the book to realize that the person I'd just read this amazing story about really lived and can be a real example in my life.
5. Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope**** - Don & Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak - December
Ok - this one is a funny story. Not because the book was funny - it is actually very tragic - but because this was an extreme case of "could not put it down" - literally. I picked up the book at my parent's house after Christmas and proceeded to read it in it's entirety (almost 300 pages) from 9:30pm until 2am. Click on the title for a link to the Amazon.com page about the book and read the summary of this amazing story. I still get chills every time I read it. Also non-fiction. I'm on a roll!
6. The New Dare to Discipline*** - Dr. James Dobson - December
I've already completed one book in January too! Woo hoo!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Fruity Banana Split - and more!
I have been wanting to get out of the "snack time" rut in our house. It was lucky charms and more lucky charms around here for far too long. I was sick of feeding them sugary cereal, and SICK of throwing away large amounts of uneaten cereal (they ate only the marshmallows), AND SICK of picking up the lucky little pieces of cereal that Gabby carried with her all over the house.SO... I was in Barnes & Noble the other day for some playtime (my kids LOVE to go there and flip through books), and this book jumped out at me: 365 Foods Kids Love To Eat. I spent a few afternoons sitting in the backyard watching the kids play and flipping through the pages picking out some things I thought my kids would eat... or would at least attempt to eat so I could try and expand their taste buds. I added the ingredients for a few of them to my grocery list for the week and slotted them in at snack time on my meal calendar. Today, was my first experiment... and I'm happy to report it was a GLOWING success! They devoured it! Now, it wasn't too far out there, and fortunately a lot of the recipes aren't. They are just a new way to think about foods that you usually already have on hand. Here is what I served today, and all I had was empty bowls and full tummies afterward!
Fruity Banana Splits
4 bananas
2 cups cottage cheese
Large can of fruit cocktail
Cut each banana into 4 pieces (or smaller for younger children). Put pieces in a bowl. Put 1/2 cup of cottage cheese on top of bananas. Cover generously with the fruit cocktail. This is a nice play snack for kids to help make. Yield: 4 servings
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Another Creation
Here is another one of my t-shirt creations... my favorite so far! I'm having so much fun doing it!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
My little golfer
We took Oliver miniature golfing the other day with some of our neighbors. He did good for the most part, but was done after about hole 13. I think his favorite part was the jungle animals throughout the course :)
Here he is in action:
His patented technique - hitting the ball with the top point of the club instead of the traditional side of the club.
With our neighbor Landen and one of the many jungle animals he adored
Cute boy with his ball (that he ended up throwing into the lake in the middle of the game trying to get it in the hippo's mouth)
Here he is in action:
His patented technique - hitting the ball with the top point of the club instead of the traditional side of the club.
With our neighbor Landen and one of the many jungle animals he adored
Cute boy with his ball (that he ended up throwing into the lake in the middle of the game trying to get it in the hippo's mouth)Sunday, January 4, 2009
Finally feeling crafty again
The crafting bug bit me way back in October, but it has yet to come back to bite again. That is until this weekend. I have always been inspired by my friend Jessica Rowe and her AMAZING designs (check out her blog here). She made the adorable shirt Gabriella wore on her first birthday. I am no where near as talented as her - and my sewing machine skills leave a lot to be desired. So after a few unsuccessful attempts at the darling ribbon shirts that Jessica creates, I found my niche in the ever-so-easy iron on transfer. I printed out the patterns I liked on cardstock, cut them out and traced them onto fabric I picked out. Then I cut them out on the fabric and ironed them on to to very inexpensive solid-colored shirts I got today. I have one more coming for Gabriella, but I need to get a little more fabric. The result - pride, a sense of accomplishment, and homemade shirts for my kiddos that are super cute and very inexpensive. Win, win, win!
From top to bottom, left to right... a dalmatian on black for Oli, a camo star on green for Oli, an argyle butterfly on white for Gabby, a giraffe on gray for Oli, and a pink camo star on pink for Gabby. I can't wait to dress the kids in their coordinating camo print shirts! They look better in real life, but I am so happy with how they turned out. I will be taking orders via email - haha!
From top to bottom, left to right... a dalmatian on black for Oli, a camo star on green for Oli, an argyle butterfly on white for Gabby, a giraffe on gray for Oli, and a pink camo star on pink for Gabby. I can't wait to dress the kids in their coordinating camo print shirts! They look better in real life, but I am so happy with how they turned out. I will be taking orders via email - haha!
#72 Run/Walk Turkey Trot 2008 – CHECK – 11/2008
I have accomplished a few goals on my 101 goals in 1001 days list that I have yet to blog about. So here goes one of them...
Early Thanksgiving morning, we got our whole family, our jogging stroller, and our out-of-town guests loaded up in our van to head for downtown Dallas. It was a cool morning so we were all wearing many layers as we parked and walked the streets of downtown toward the starting line. I had never done any sort of organized run before so I was excited to see what lay ahead. There was a big group of us going - my whole immediate family, Matt's Dad, his brother Daniel and his fiancee Stephanie, and 4 of the 5 Schroders (Matt's sister's family). Most were doing the "fun run" or 3 mile, and a couple crazies were doing the 8 mile. It was fun to be doing the Turkey Trot as a family.
The first big run experience I got to have, was waiting 15 minutes to use a lovely port-o-potty. Nice. While in line, I got to hear them officially start the race without me. No worries though, by the time I was finished and back with my group, we still had to wait another 15 minutes before we actually crossed the starting line. There were that many people running that morning. So we started moving around 9:30 and enjoyed our walking time. The kids were snug in their stroller with their snacks and drinks and we hoped they would just kick back and enjoy the ride. Conditions quickly deteriorated however, as Gabriella's naptime approached. For some reason that I still cannot explain to this day, I casually tossed her beloved bunny and paci back into the car as we headed for the starting line saying "we won't need these." She started screaming, ready to sleep but not able to without her sleep aids. So she screamed for about 30 minutes at the top of her lungs with everyone staring at us as we tried everything in our attempts to comfort her. What eventually worked was one of us holding her while she slept in our arms. Now that's something we didn't sign up for - walking 3 miles holding an 18 pound infant. That worked for a while, but by mile 2.5, we were all spent. We made the decision to bow out of the race and head for the car. We like to think it was about another half mile back to the car from where we bailed so we call it a finished race... we just happened to make our own course at the end. It felt so wonderful to be back in the car and headed home to a filling Thanksgiving dinner!
Early Thanksgiving morning, we got our whole family, our jogging stroller, and our out-of-town guests loaded up in our van to head for downtown Dallas. It was a cool morning so we were all wearing many layers as we parked and walked the streets of downtown toward the starting line. I had never done any sort of organized run before so I was excited to see what lay ahead. There was a big group of us going - my whole immediate family, Matt's Dad, his brother Daniel and his fiancee Stephanie, and 4 of the 5 Schroders (Matt's sister's family). Most were doing the "fun run" or 3 mile, and a couple crazies were doing the 8 mile. It was fun to be doing the Turkey Trot as a family.
The first big run experience I got to have, was waiting 15 minutes to use a lovely port-o-potty. Nice. While in line, I got to hear them officially start the race without me. No worries though, by the time I was finished and back with my group, we still had to wait another 15 minutes before we actually crossed the starting line. There were that many people running that morning. So we started moving around 9:30 and enjoyed our walking time. The kids were snug in their stroller with their snacks and drinks and we hoped they would just kick back and enjoy the ride. Conditions quickly deteriorated however, as Gabriella's naptime approached. For some reason that I still cannot explain to this day, I casually tossed her beloved bunny and paci back into the car as we headed for the starting line saying "we won't need these." She started screaming, ready to sleep but not able to without her sleep aids. So she screamed for about 30 minutes at the top of her lungs with everyone staring at us as we tried everything in our attempts to comfort her. What eventually worked was one of us holding her while she slept in our arms. Now that's something we didn't sign up for - walking 3 miles holding an 18 pound infant. That worked for a while, but by mile 2.5, we were all spent. We made the decision to bow out of the race and head for the car. We like to think it was about another half mile back to the car from where we bailed so we call it a finished race... we just happened to make our own course at the end. It felt so wonderful to be back in the car and headed home to a filling Thanksgiving dinner!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Favorite Pictures of 2008
I read about posting your favorite pictures of 2008. And since I love posting pictures on my blog, I totally went for it. I'd encourage all of you to do it too! Since I have a hard time narrowing down my favorites since I have so many, and a whole year leaves a lot of pictures to choose from, I made some collages using my favorite photo editing software Picasa. I highly recommend it! You can click on the collages to see them bigger! Enjoy and happy 2009!
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