New Love

I've just discovered worldofgood.ebay.com and am in love, its like 10,000 Villages meets ebay!

...time to go Christmas shopping with a purpose... here are some of my favorites from the last 10 minutes spent perusing the site, and everything shown here is between $10 and $40 including shipping!

p.s. we are all alive and happy, so very happy. just enjoying time together and soaking in some family time

Daddy Is HOME

Our Heisman

Halloween

and just for comparisons sake... Here's Grant the Penguin of the 2008 variety

Tis The Spooky Season

Since the bewitching weekend is almost upon us, I thought it was time to share some of our holiday happenings with you

In addition to Glenda, we have Jack (the name of all pirates apparently, not Mr. o'Lantern as you might have guessed- clearly you don't live with a 4yr old boy) the perfect hook of a gourd set off that creation. Then we have a ghoulish representation of my little spooks and a Pinterest-inspired candy corn pumpkin! We've got a fun weekend of Grandparent visits coming up, so stay tuned for a preview of "cute little boys in even-more-cute little costumes"...

Dear Moms of Boys

Dear Moms of Boys,

Maybe your boys haven't hit 4 yet, maybe they haven't even been born, but if you have a bouncing baby boy in your life here are somethings I have learned that I want to pass on...

1) when potty-training, teach your boy to sit with his pants around his ankles. I know that there are more important things to master first, like knowing when to go and all that jazz, but when he's got the hang of it make sure he doesn't strip down from the waist down. It takes months and months and months and a few very uncomfortable stops at public gas stations in order to break the habit!

2) don't get hair cuts before a big event! boys hair cuts are not easy. they don't sit still and there is only about a 1/4th of a inch difference between a cool cut and the class nerd. so in order to save yourself mom mortification at big events (usually involving cameras and captured memories that will far outlive said-haircut) get the hair cut 2-3 weeks before

3) do not buy fancy socks! (I guess this could go for girls to) No matter how cute they are, don't do it. You will NOT get more than two wears out of them before they are partner-less. Save yourself the trouble and the money, just buy a whole slew of the same white socks and you'll be happy. okay- one exception, get your son one pair of black socks for special occasions, you DO have a maternal duty to teach a sense of fashion etiquette from an early age. Besides it is the kiddos face that cute, not his socks

I'm sure there are more. I know there are more. Maybe down the road there will be more installments of this letter but these are the ones that were important enough to be in Chapter 1

Now, go pick up those Legos before you step on it!

Love,

Laura

Food For Thought

iPhone Photo Dump

Ashley&Brian Say I Do

Two weddings in two weeks was a little crazy, but the boys and I were blessed to spend so much time with family. They didn't go to the reception for Brian and Kate so Ashley and Brian's wedding was the first time Grant got to really shake his groove thang and he really got into it. Carter was cute as could be, testing out his sea legs, trying to walk around like the big kids, but also being content to crawl around with cousin Nathalie- both boys were super handsome until about 9pm when the sickies came to play, but I'm choosing not to focus on that part of the trip!

Like Father, Like Son

something about weddings just makes us say "let them eat cake"

luckily for us (and Ashley & Brian) Grant waited until after the cake was served to chow down... unlike his father in this picture!

Magical Mommy Moment

Since this blog has become an online journal/ record of happenings I just have to jot down a magical Mommy moment that happened this afternoon, more for my memories (since we all know after two kids, you can't count on your actual memory to remember such things) but hopefully a little reminder to anyone who might read this to take a moment and just be glad!

Today, October 17th, I got to rock both babies to sleep and a wave of thankfulness and blessings came over me.

One moment Grant was dancing around

(and if you've seen it, you know it is nothing short of joyous)

If in your heart sings a melody, rise and sing, rise and sing

If you have tasted and have seen, rise and sing, rise and sing

Carter was getting into everything and anything as usual

and a few songs later, Grant was curled up in my lap letting me rock him

(actually spilling off of it because he's gotten so big)

the song playing, a perfect fit to the moment...

In the secret,In the quiet place, in the stillness, you are there

Carter still getting into who knows what

Grant got tucked in

Carter started rubbing his eyes (I love that little signal from babies)

and he too let me rock him to sleep.

I love these two little guys so much and am so happy, blessed, and thankful that I get to be their Mommy!

CLo Walks

a little video of Carter walking; even pants that are too long can't stop him!

he took his first steps 3 weeks ago but it was at Ashley(and Brian)'s wedding last weekend when he really took off~ I love the drunk baby stage when they are figuring it all out but it's not graceful in the least. Makes me want to savor it because I know he'll truly get the hang of it real soon and he'll be running around here like a second banshee. Lord help me!

(soon-to-be-cousin Luke dubbed Carter CLo and I love it... G-man and C-lo)