Love My Boys!

I still have yet to post pics from vacation, but while we were in MA, my sister-in-law took some beautiful pictures of the boys.  They are FABULOUS and she did such a great job capturing my 3 favorite faces in the whole world :)  Here is a link to the pictures...check them out: http://flickr.com/gp/51376802@N07/23pp7u

Life around here has been insane lately!!  We were able to have some of my extended family from OH, NY, and Easton, PA come for a short visit.  It was so nice to see them, even if it was for just a short time.

Sooooooo, stay tuned for a possible business venture.  My sister and I are thinking of getting into a cake, cupcake, and confection type business - something we would do out of our own little kitchens :)  I've had a few "orders" from Jason's co-workers, so I'm hoping that maybe we could make something of this.  Here is a picture of the most recent cake I made:

So we will see what comes of it. Right now we are in the process of baking and decorating and taking photos for fliers/portfolios and such.  I am someone who lacks lots of confidence, so I'm afraid this will crash and burn, but what will it hurt just trying to do something small out of our kitchens?  Who knows, maybe some day we will have our own show on TLC {look out Buddy} - hey, a girl can dream, right? :)

Well, it's time to start thinking about what to make for dinner, but I wanted to post a few things since it's been awhile.

My boys make me laugh (most of the time)

I just have to share one of the funniest things of our day.  This morning, Landon brought out the little potty into the kitchen and said to Cole, "Today I am going to teach you how to go potty like a big boy."  So, he took off Cole's shorts and his diaper and told him to sit on the potty. Cole did, however nothing ever came of it (which didn't surprise me...he just turned two).  It was so cute and I thought that was the end of it.  About 2 hours later, he says to Cole, "OK, it's time to try again."  He then helped him take off his shorts and his diaper and made him sit on the potty again.  This time Cole wanted to take the diaper off himself (I'm a little worried that he is now taking his diaper off by himself all the time...afraid of what mess I might walk into).  It was pretty cute...I wish I had taken a picture of the two of them as Landon was trying to teach Cole how to go potty, but of course the camera wasn't nearby.  I love these little moments :)

GREAT DEAL!

I know it's been awhile since I've blogged and I have lots to catch up on, but for now I wanted to post a great deal that I came across...a free large photobook from Picaboo (a $39 value).  I believe it is good now through the end of August.  I have not made one yet and don't know how much shipping will be, but I plan to check it out!!  This deal is for new members only, so if you have not signed up with Picaboo before, head over to their site and check it out!

I hope to get some other posts up soon...we've been away and have had family here within the last month and it's been quite busy around here!!

Gavin's First Experience With Rice Cereal

Today I gave Gavin rice cereal for the first time.  He absolutely LOVED it!!  I have never seen an infant eat it so well their first time!!  He never tried spitting it out or anything (besides the bit leaking out of his mouth).  He even started opening his mouth as I brought the spoon to his mouth...such a smart little boy!  Here are a few pictures:

He is such a sweet boy!  I have enjoyed him so much...I'm so thankful that the transition of going from 2 to 3 kids has gone so smoothly (better than I ever expected).  I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he is such a great baby.  Of course we have our moments and there are {several} times where I want to pull my hair out because it gets so crazy around here, but I have found it much easier transitioning from 2 to 3 than when I went from 1 to 2 kids. 

Well, that's all for tonight - it's late and I still have LOTS to do...my bedtime is getting later and later and the boys keep getting up earlier and earlier...UGH!!  Who needs sleep anyways? :)  At least all three of my boys sleep through the night and usually nap the same time during the day...I am very fortunate and blessed!!

Fun Times

With all of the "busy"ness and craziness of life now-a-days with 3 boys ages 3 and under, I often feel guilty that I can never get enough done - laundry, housework, cooking, baking, crafting/sewing, reading, gardening, etc.  But most importantly, I always feel guilty for feeling as if I don't spend enough time with all of my boys.  That is by far more important than any household chore or hobby (not to say that I don't think that "me" time is important...such as hobbies).  With Gavin so little and still so dependent on me, I miss the time that I get to spend with my older two boys and often wonder if I make enough of a point to make sure I give them special one-on-one time.  Yesterday I set aside all housework that needed to be done and we had a fun day doing stuff around the house...things that we don't do every day.  First we pulled out some of my craft/scrapbooking items and we made birthday cards for daddy (whose birthday is today...but I'll get to that in a minute).  They had SO much fun - especially Landon!!  Cole had fun for about 5 minutes and then wanted to move on to something else...ahhh, the attention span of a 2-yr old.  Anyways...it was a great bonding time for the boys and I...it was so enjoyable watching them be creative and have fun making their cards for daddy. Here are a few pictures:

Afterward, we cleaned up our mess and played a bit.  Come lunchtime, we made our own little home-made pizzas.  I rolled out little pizzas with pizza dough and let them "make" them themselves.  Landon loved being a little "chef" :)  Cole enjoyed eating everything rather than putting it on his pizza!!  Here are pictures of the boys making their pizzas:

It was a fun day - we were also able to enjoy the BEAUTIFUL weather outside!!  And I have to include a picture of Gavin because 1) he is just too cute to leave out and 2) he was so good and slept a LOT so that I could enjoy this time with the older two boys:

And lastly, I want to wish my handsome hubby, Jason, a Happy 35th Birthday!!  Wow, I could go on and on about how wonderful he is!  I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband who is such an incredible daddy to our sweet boys!  I love him so much...he is truly my best friend and I could not imagine my life without him!  He makes me laugh, he listens to me when I need to talk, he cares about me, he helps me out around the house, he takes the boys when I need a break...he's just a great guy!  I'm sure he won't read this, but Jason, I love you!!  Happy Birthday - looking forward to celebrating many, many, many more birthdays!

OK, this has been quite the post today (I've had to save it and come back a few times...ahhh, the life of a busy mom).  We're looking forward to the long weekend and then VACATION!!  Bye for now :)

First-Time Bowling

A few weeks ago, when Nana and Pops were visiting from MA, we decided to take the boys bowling for the first time.  We thought Landon would LOVE it, however we weren't so sure about Cole...we figured he'd just run around the entire bowling alley giving us a good amount of exercise from chasing him.  We were very surprised...he LOVED it!!  I think he was even more excited than Landon (at least he showed his excitement a little more).  They had so much fun and worked up quite the appetite (which sent Nana to the vending machine SEVERAL times to feed them).  Here are a few pictures of our fun time at the bowling alley:

I wish I was able to get some pictures of the FRONT of them rather than their backs, but oh well...it was such a fun day with lots of memories made :)

I Love Saving Money!

I have been trying to get this couponing thing down over the past few months and while I wouldn't say I am one of those people who get $150+ groceries for like $30, I do feel that I have been saving money.  I get so excited when I come home with such great deals.  Tonight would be one of those times!!  I went to Target and walked out with two bags and paid only $4.80.  This is what I bought:

Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer Shower Cleaner (reg. $8.69) - paid $.69
6 Renuzit Air Fresheners (reg. $.94 each) - paid $2.82 for all six
2 Airwick AquaMists (on sale for $1.99 each) - paid $.99 for two
1 Dental Floss (reg. $.97) - got $.03 credit

All that plus tax came to $4.80!!  Savings of $15.93 (or so it says on my receipt).  I was pretty happy :)  I love finding great deals...and I LOVE TARGET!!!!!  I also made a trip to Wal-mart for $.99 wipes, $.50 new Kraft sandwich mayo, $.50 Kraft salad dressing, plus a few other non-saving items.  Of course, I spent more time waiting in line at the check-out than I actually did searching for my list items.  Have I mentioned that I am NOT a fan of our local Wal-mart?  I was so excited to have a new, expanded Wal-mart about a mile from my house, but it has not lived up to it's expectations in my opinion!!  Thankfully, Target is just as close!!

Anyways, just had to share!

Grilled Chicken

Yesterday I shared one of my favorite summertime desserts, so today I thought I'd share one of my favorite summertime meals.  It's my favorite because 1) it's SOOOO yummy and 2) it's SOOOO easy!!  We love to grill out a lot during the summer...several times a week at least!  This "recipe" is something we eat A LOT!!  It's so simple!!  You just need chicken, Italian dressing mix, and zesty Italian dressing:

All I simply do is take the dry mix and rub it onto my chicken.  Then I put it in a large ziploc bag and pour Zesty Italian dressing into the bag.  I don't have any particular measurements because it depends on how much chicken you are using...so just eye it.  I usually use one packet of dressing mix for about 4 chicken breasts and enough of the liquid dressing to cover it and marinate.  I let it marinate most of the day.  Then I take it out and grill it!  It's so good!!  Some of the things we like to eat it with are: rolls, corn on the cob, salad, rice...lots of possibilities!

Bon Appetit!!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit pizza is one of the most delicious desserts out there - it is my most favorite summertime dessert when it's topped with yummy fresh fruit!!  We had it for dessert on Father's Day, but since it's such a favorite around here, I thought I'd post a pic with the recipe (the pic was from a previous time I made it):

FRUIT PIZZA

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Assorted fresh fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in egg. combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Press dough into an ungreased pizza pan. 
Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool. 
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until light. Spread on cooled crust. 
Arrange desired fruit on top of filling, and chill. 

NOTE:  I used low-fat cream cheese and I thought it still tasted great...I may try fat-free cream cheese next time to save even more calories!!


Anyways...had to share one of my favorite dessert recipes - I wish I could eat this every day!!

Happy Father's Day

I want to wish every dad out there a VERY HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, but a special one to the three "fathers" in my life :)

To my dad, I am so thankful for such an amazing father who I respect, admire, and love so much!!  He is such a compassionate and giving person.  He is such a hard-worker and is always willing to help all of us when we need something done.  He is a fantastic "grampa" (or "gampa" as Cole would say) to our sons.  Our boys get SO excited when they get to spend time with him (and gramma too).  I love watching him and Gavin "talk" to each other in their own special little language...so funny!!  He is someone who makes us all laugh...I have many memories of laughing so hard until we are all practically crying!!  I am so thankful for such a wonderful dad!




To my husband, my best friend and man of my dreams.  He is such an incredible daddy to our three little boys.  I always have such great joy watching him with our sons...putting them to bed at night, playing with them outside, wrestling with them in the basement, reading them books, taking them to special places...I look forward to watching more of those memories in years to come.  He is so patient with them, so kind.  He loves each of them so much and cares for their well-being.  He is such a hard worker and great provider for our family.  I'm so thrilled to see the special relationship he has with each of our boys...they all love their daddy!!  I love you Jason and I'm so thankful for the amazing husband and father that you are.



To my father-in-law, someone we don't get to see as often as we like because of the miles that separate us.  When he comes to our home, I might-as-well say good-bye to my boys because they LOVE the time they get to spend with their "Pop" :)  He is such a kind, tenderhearted man who loves his kids and grandkids - they all have a very special place in his heart!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!

I'm Back :)

Well, after taking a break from the blogging world, I think I'm going to try jumping back in! We'll see how long this lasts...my 3 little boys keep me very busy, so time at the computer is limited now-a-days!!

Lots has happened since I last blogged, so here is a whirlwind update.  We welcomed our 3rd baby boy into the world on February 23, 2010...Gavin Scott. 

He is such an angel baby!!  He is very laid back, very content and happy most of the time, and such a sweet, sweet baby!  The Lord knew I needed an easy one :)  Especially with two other little boys so close in age!  My labor with him is one I will never forget - the most intense, painful time in my entire life!!  Thank goodness it went so quickly (I was in the L&D room for 37 minutes)...because it went so fast I could not have any pain meds, so he was born natural.  We chose not to find out what we were having (although Jason apparently knew all along because he saw "something" on one of the million ultrasounds we had).  I figured with our track record that we'd have another boy and I was right!!  I love him to pieces...I couldn't have asked for a better baby!!  He is now almost 4 months old and he's growing up WAY TOO FAST!  In fact, it seems like they grow up faster and faster with the more kids you have!!  I don't want him to grow up so quickly!!  Here is a recent picture of my sweet happy baby:

Cole just had his 2nd birthday...he is such a sweetie (when he's not screaming or fighting with his brother).  He just had his doctor's appointment and he was in the 100th percentile for height...he is very tall!!  He was in the 60th percentile for weight.  He looks so different from his big brother with his light blond hair and bright blue eyes.  He adjusted VERY well when Gavin came along which surprised us since he is such a mommy's boy!!  He does very well playing on his own, but he loves to follow his big brother around and copy everything Landon does!!  Here is a recent picture of him (on spaghetti night):

And then last, but not least, my big boy Landon!!  Wow, that boy is growing up TOO fast!!  He talks so "intelligently" for a 3.5 year old...and is sometimes TOO smart.  He LOVES having a baby brother.  He tells me every day how much he loves baby Gavin.  He is also a good helper and big brother to Cole.  He is such a funny little guy - always has the funniest expressions and funny faces!!  He LOVES playing outside - especially baseball with daddy.  Here is a recent picture of him (eating lunch...hence the food in his mouth, but such a nice picture otherwise):

So that is the update on my 3 boys.  I think that's all I'll update for now - it's getting close to lunchtime and then NAPTIME...YAY :)

Birthday Cakes I've Done

So my friend referred me to the Birthday Cake Round-Up so I thought I'd post a few of the cakes I've done for my boys' birthday. I am by far no experienced cake decorator, but I enjoy trying to make the cakes for their birthdays :) The Curious George was my first cake, the Farm Animals my second, the Lightning McQueen my third, and the Jungle my most recent.

Landon's 2nd birthday (Curious George):



Landon's 3rd birthday (Lightning McQueen):



Cole's 1st birthday (Farm Animals):



Cole's 2nd birthday (Jungle):


I enjoy doing these for my boys' birthdays, but I'm glad there are only a couple each year :) Starting next year I will have to do THREE a year!!

Wow, this is embarrassing...

I can't believe it's been almost THREE months since I've blogged...summer has arrived and we are now busier than ever!! We spend so much time outside that I hardly have any time indoors anymore!! And you can tell, my house feels like a wreck :)

Wow, so much has happened in three months!! Cole turned ONE in June!!! I can't believe that my baby is already one!! He has days where he can be a difficult child, but I love that little boy to death and he is such a sweet boy with such a handsome smile!! I have a gazillion pictures from his birthday that I will try to post later.

We just got back from a day at the beach, Wildwood, NJ, on Friday. It was Landon's first time to the beach. He absolutely LOVED it!! He loved the water and he loved the sand - he didn't want to leave. He still asks to go back!! I was burnt so badly and now I look like a bright red strawberry, so I can't say that I wasn't glad to come home!! It was so fun watching Landon have such a blast though. Cole didn't enjoy it as much, but there isn't a whole lot he really enjoys now-a-days :) He did like playing in the sand, but he didn't like the water at all. I was surprised by that because he loves water...bathtime is his favorite!!

The boys are getting so big! Landon turned 2 1/2 in May...it's so hard to believe he will be THREE in November!! He talks so much and does so many different things that it is hard to remember that he is only 2 1/2!! He's a smart little cookie!! The things he comes up with keep laughter at a high in our household!!

We are still loving our new home...what a blessing!! It's been perfect for us!! The basement is finished for the most part, although we still need to add some trim and a few final touches. It's awesome having the extra space down there...the boys LOVE the playroom!! Once it is completely finished, I will post pictures.

This is so random, but I have to say one of my favorite things about summer is being outdoors, enjoying the flowers and the smell of grilling out!!! We have some nice shade in our backyard (wish I could say that about the front), so it's nice to send the boys out to play on their new swing set and just enjoy the outdoors :)

Well, I know I need to post some pictures soon, but the boys are finishing up their lunch and now it's time to clean-up. Hopefully I can get some pictures up before the next 3 months!!

Spring Fever

Well, I have a terrible case of SPRING FEVER!!! We had several nice days in a row and lately it's been a little cooler...I want spring back full-time!!! I am loving all of the pretty plants that are no blooming!!! Spring is one of my favorite seasons...fall being another!!

So, I missed my American Idol recap last week...things were a little busy around here!! Needless to say, I was not one bit surprised that Megan Joy was voted off. It was definitely her time to go!! So, last night...agh, so boring!! I was not very impressed with the night, however there were some great performances!! I have to do a quick recap because I have a fussy 10-month old. I'm not sure I will do this in the right order either. Danny started the show and he did OK, but it was most definitely not his greatest performance. Kris also did well, but once again, not his greatest performance. Lil, well, I think she will be leaving the show very soon - she has not done well the past several weeks and I would not be upset if she were voted off tonight. Scott, I thought he did OK, but I think he will be leaving soon also. Allison did VERY well, I was very impressed by her song!! There is a lot of hype about her probably being in the top two. I don't agree with that (yet), but I do think she sings well. Anoop was OK in my opinion. He did much better than the past few weeks, but I'm still not crazy about him. Matt was AWESOME - I loved it and I think he is definitely one of the strongest in the competition. And last but not least, Adam. I was so disappointed that I didn't get to see his performance because my DVR cut it off since the show went over it's allotted time. However, I watched it on YouTube this morning and I love that song and his version! He was HOT (voice, NOT looks) - that boy is such an incredible singer. He drives me crazy as a person, but he has won me over with his voice...such talent! So, in my opinion, the bottom three should be Lil, Scott, and Anoop. I think Lil should be the one to go home, but it's hard to say - we will see tonight.

Well, I had so much more I wanted to write, but I need to tend to my little hungry boy!! He was still sleeping when I started this post...I should've known better that I could make it through an entire post in peace and quiet :)

Sadie

We now have a new addition to our family - her name is Sadie and she is our 16-week old Chocolate Lab. I sometimes think we are still crazy for bringing a puppy into our new home, but we love her!! As some of you know, I am fine living without a dog (not saying I don't like them), but Jason REALLY struggled when we had to find a new home for our other dog, Smokey. When he really, really, really wanted a new puppy, I thought I'd be a good wife and be OK with it. So we brought Sadie home last Friday, March 27, 2009. Hey, at least there is another girl in this household...she may very well be the only girl we'll ever have - LOL!!! So anyways, here are a few pictures of Sadie:




I've gotta run - time to bring Sadie in :) I sure hope this potty training goes VERY quickly!!!

Motown week...blah

Well, I must say that I wasn't super crazy about A.I. last night...I mean, some people did well, others I could have cared less for. Here is my review on each contestant:

Matt - I really liked him a lot!! He is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I think he has had two great weeks in a row now and definitely one of the top contenders!!

Kris - I really like him a lot also!! I love the song he sang, "How Sweet It Is" - I absolutely loved it! I think he did a fantastic job and I hope he makes it very far in the competition.

Scott - Oh Scott. Well, I really like him as a person, but I don't think last night was one of his greatest performances. He is such a sweet guy and I really wish him the best, but though I think he may stick around for a few more weeks, I don't see him making it past the top four.

Megan - Wow, her performance was awful in my opinion...she has such a unique voice, but her song choice was terrible and she just did not do it well!! I would not be surprised at all to see her in the bottom three tonight!

Anoop - I thought Anoop did good...nothing to rave about, but he didn't do badly either. I am just not really on board the Anoop train - there is something about him that just rubs me the wrong way. Is it just me, or does he seem cocky at times?

Michael - Not a good night for Michael in my opinion. I really wasn't impressed with his performance at all and I would not be surprised to see him in the bottom three tonight.

Lil - Also a very disappointing performance. This should have been her week to shine, but as great of a singer as she is, she did not pick a great song nor did she sing it very well. Sadly, I think she may be in trouble. This is two weeks in a row now where I have not been super impressed by Lil which is a shame because I really liked her in the beginning.

Adam - What to say...well, I am not a big Adam fan because he is just weird, but WOW, that boy can really sing...he is AMAZING!! I much prefered this look (no nail-polish, dark eye-liner, etc), but I'm sure he will revert to his old look next week.

Danny - I love Danny!! I don't think this was his best week, but I still think he did well :) I think he will be in the competition for quite awhile!! I am definitely a Danny fan (and Matt and Kris fan!).

Allison - She was incredible...that 16-yr old has an incredible voice!! She did MUCH better this week than last week...what a way to end the show!! She should definitely be safe this week!!

So, my guess for the Bottom three would be Megan, Michael, and Lil...I think Lil will be safe, but it will be a tough pick between Megan and Michael...in my opinion :)

Anyways, American Idol aside...the basement is almost finished!! Well, it's almost there. The carpet is being installed as I type...they have almost got that in. The painting is all done (except for the trim) and it finally looks "finished" - I am very happy! I will try to post pictures soon.

Cole is really getting around now...he will walk around holding onto things - he is still a little wobbly, but goodness, he's only 9 1/2 months!!! He has climbed the stairs TWICE today...I was so shocked. I left the room for like 5 seconds and came back - he was on the 3rd step! He's too young to climb stairs! Time to get another gate up!!

Landon is being such a goof as always - I really need to type out my stories on here, but right now I don't have much time...it's crunch time. Still lots to do before everyone comes tomorrow...LOTS of cleaning...UGH!!!

Well, that's it for now!

Good-bye Alexis

To my fellow American Idol fans...last night was the end of the road for Alexis. I saw that one coming. Is it just me or did she really look/act like she could have cared less and like she really wasn't into the competition to begin with? I really think she could have done better, but it's a little too late now. I am VERY glad that the judges did no use their save on her...I have a feeling they will need to hold onto it later on.

Well, with that behind us, I have to share a link to my other blog that I use for Nana and Pops - I will occasionally post videos on there for them since they don't see their grandboys often (they live in MA). I posted a video on their yesterday of Cole and instead of loading it on this blog, I thought I would just give the link and you can watch it if you'd like. I found it quite humorous - but that's because I was so frustrated that day that I was either going to laugh or cry...and I laughed :) Read the description first before watching it (before you assume I am a terrible mother). Click here for the link.

Jason and my dad are making great progress on the basement - most of the electrical is finished, so it's about time to start drywalling. They are hoping to knock out quite a bit this weekend - I'm praying that they get lots done, especially since everyone is coming next weekend to visit and they will need a place to stay!!! It's going to look great - they've done a great job!! Here are a few updated pictures of what they've gotten done.


Well, I've gotta run...mommy duties call!!! I will be back hopefully soon - I have several funny Landon stories to tell!!