A Perfect Kind of Fall Day

I love beautiful fall days like today. It was sunny from the moment I got out of bed. I haven't seen this much sunshine in a month or more. It was about 60 outside by lunchtime (high of about 65). And there was no rain in sight.

It's the perfect sort of day to take a preschooler outside to play.

It's a great day to rake up some leaves. Even if it's for the sole purpose of the preschooler playing in them.

It's a nice day to get a few lingering outdoor projects finished, or at least make some progress.

And it will be a nice evening to relax and drink some fresh, local, unpasteurized apple cider.

Don't you just love when a perfect fall day comes along like this?

Road Tripping

Last weekend we went on a little road trip. We loaded ourselves into the car with a few books for Zachariah and I and not much else. There was one destination idea in mind, but otherwise we were just heading out. Matt even told Zachariah if he saw something he'd like to do along the way to just tell us.

Of course Zachariah started "finding things" he'd like to do about lunchtime. He started pointing out any McDonald's restaurants and saying things like "I see a fun thing to do" and "I can always find something to eat there". Hilarious this kid!

But we ended up doing several things. We stopped at a park by Indian Lake. We found out that wasn't the greatest idea, since it was windy. And with the wind blowing across the cool water on the lake made it bitter cold. Brr! Zac got to swing for a few minutes, before he was begging to get back in the car.

Our next stop found us at Young's Dairy, which we go to almost every fall. We just happened to be going past it, so we figured why not. We always love it there, and Zachariah was thrilled because he remembers going last year. There are tractors to climb on, pumpkins to see, animals to feed, and much more. We stayed long enough to get a quick snack and do a few other things.

From there we traveled for a while with only a restroom stop. We were headed to check out Hidden Valley Fruit Farm. Matt found information about in a travel Ohio magazine. They had some neat things, but we didn't really do much there. (There was more to do at Young's Dairy.) And I see not looking at a map, we weren't too far from Shelly or Kelsey.

I knew we were near Kelsey, when we headed towards Dayton for a late lunch at Red Robin. And we stopped at a mall there to walk off a little of the food we ate. From there it was time to head home. We took a scenic drive home (like we came) and stopped once for something to drink and ice cream for Zachariah.

After that it was back home. Zachariah slept for a little while in the car, which we were glad because that was his only nap for the day. But it was a fun day of driving and adventures. What a great way to spend a Saturday! I couldn't do it every weekend, but we had loads of fun together.

**The photos in this post were in no particular order. Most were taken at Young's Dairy.**

Cold & Dreary

That's pretty much what the weather has been like all week here- cold and dreary. Blah!

To beat the blahs we've been staying in the house watching movies- Thomas & Friends, Barney, and others.

We've worked on a few craft things like Ni Hao, Kai-lan paper bag puppets. These were pretty fun to make. It required a little advance planning, because I had to cut out all the parts. But I did that last night, so we were all set to go this morning. It provided about an hour or putting things together. We let the glue all dry while we ate lunch. Then after lunch we had hours minutes of fun playing with the puppets. But still it was something for both of us to do.

Do you know what we just discovered today? One of Zachariah's favorite stories, the Princess & the Frog, has been made into an animated Disney movie. It's coming out before Christmas. We just checked out the website and it looks really cute. We'll have to go see it when it's in the theater.

I have 4 different giveaways going on at PS Mom Reviews right now. Don't forget to go sign up for things. There is the new Shaun the Sheep: Little Sheep of Horrors DVD just right for Halloween, Barney: Halloween Party DVD for the younger kids for Halloween (Zachariah loves this one about fall/autumn too), the brand-new Strawberry Shortcake movie: Sky's the Limit DVD that I have 5 copies of to give away, and I also reviewed a nice organic baby shampoo and sunscreen and have one of each to giveaway from Earth Baby. I have a few more giveaways to come. And I am looking for more ideas of things to review and giveaway for the upcoming holidays. Make sure you check in on the action.

So, help a girl out. Tell me what your Friday has been like or your weekend plans. Mine...none. I need to live vicariously through you. Thanks. And of course, Happy Friday!

Moving On

Yesterday was Matt's 30th birthday. We had a great surprise party on Sunday, but we just spent the day at home Monday. I'm hoping that we can get out and enjoy the fall weather with him on Saturday maybe.

I know that Matt looks forward to that every year. And really I do too. It just didn't work out yesterday, because I had a chiropractor appointment in the morning and was scheduled to tutor in the evening. The tutoring got cancelled, but I didn't find out until mid-afternoon. Matt enjoyed having time to relax and play PlayStation all afternoon.

I was worried about the way yesterday started. Zachariah woke up having thrown up in his bed. Yuck. It wasn't horrible, just liquid, but not good just the same. He didn't eat much in the morning, but he acted fine. He got better as the day went on, and we had no other indication that he was sick at all. Whew!

Unfortunately by afternoon Matt was getting a headache/migraine. We still went out for supper at our nearby Ruby Tuesday. Throughout supper Matt kept feeling worse and worse. Then his stomach started bothering him...which happens when he gets migraines. So he spent the rest of his 30th birthday in bed. Poor guy. He was feeling a bit better this morning and was off to work like usual.

I'm glad everyone was well for the party Sunday. (Besides my dad missing it because he was sick.) We did get to celebrate his big birthday a little. And it was so much fun to keep a secret about the party and actually pull it off. I was so worried that Zachariah was going to "spill the beans", but he did not.

So on with the week we will go, and hopefully with no more sickness. And on Matt goes into a new decade.

Birthday Bash!

Today is my husband's 30th birthday!

We managed to pull off a surprise party for him last night. It was great fun. And it was so much fun to celebrate with our friends and families. Matt got some great gifts...coffee shop gift cards, coffee, crocheted hat and cards. It's a special birthday for a very special guy!

Matt- Happy Birthday, babe! I love you with all of my heart, and I'm so glad that I get to celebrate another birthday with you!

Cold season is here.

I have my first cold of the season. Bleck! I've been taking medicine to reduce the symptoms, but it doesn't seem to be helping a whole lot. I have a little guy running around that I can't really keep up with today. I'm still in my pajamas, and I haven't hardly thought about showering. (Unusual for me since I can't start my day without one.)

Fortunately, Zachariah is pretty easy going. He's content (mostly) to play quietly with puzzles and toys on the floor, watch movies (lots of them today), and come cuddle with me once in a while. He asks often "Are you feeling better yet?" with anticipation.

So far I'm the only one in the house who is sick. Which really stinks, because it means dishes are piling up and laundry is too. But I'm doing the best I can for now. Today is the laziest I've been so far. It's also not helping that my back hurts too. I've been to the chiropractor twice this week already and have another appointment scheduled tomorrow before we head out of town. Apparently what I thought was a sore back (and wouldn't go away) is my neck out of place and it's straining muscles near my shoulder blade and driving me nuts. But it's getting better with help.

Did I mention that I'm going away for the weekend with Matt? You probably didn't know unless I posted something on Twitter. Matt won a Ford Taurus Game Day Experience. We get to drive a 2010 Ford Taurus to the Indianapolis Colts football game against Seattle Seahawks this weekend. We also get a 2 night hotel stay, gas paid for, and 2 tickets to the game on Sunday. So, we're leaving Zachariah with grandparents this weekend and heading to Indy for a weekend alone. I can't wait.

I do hope that I'm feeling better in time for us to go. And I'm really hoping that Zachariah doesn't come down with it over the weekend and end up miserable for the grandparents. They were so gracious to drop everything and keep him for the weekend, since we only learned of this on Monday.

I suppose as with everything, you take the good with the bad. I get to go away for the weekend, but I get to take my cold with me.

Free Boots

Have you heard of Whooga Ugg Boots? I've been seeing badges on a few blogs for them. (See? I've added one in my sidebar too.) They have some cute boots. Seriously.

But even better than their adorable boots, you can win your own pair for free. All you have to do is add their badge to your blog. Then each month they draw a winner. As long as you still have the badge up on your site, you're still entered in the giveaways. Easy and rewarding, don't you think?

I know I'm never one to turn down free shoes. (As you know I've won some before.) So, what are you waiting for? Go get your badge now! I want to hear about all my friends winning boots.

They'd be so cute to wear this winter. Or maybe they'd even make a great Christmas present. It's a win/win in my book!

What I Like about Mondays

You know what I like about Mondays?

I like that if we sleep in a bit, I don't feel guilty about it. We can just chalk it up to a busy week and often a late Sunday night.

I like that my house is usually sparkling clean. We host a small group from church here each week (changing to every other week though) on Sunday evenings. So I always make sure the house is tidy, the toilet is scrubbed, and the floors are vacuumed before everyone comes. And it doesn't hurt that when I get up Monday morning my house is nice and clean.

I like a fresh start with a new week. What will this week hold? You never know on Monday how the week will end.

Is there anything that you like about Mondays?

Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

Reposted from October 2007
Pumpkin Cookies

OK, who can resist that yummy goodness? I have made these cookies 3 times this month alone. I always crave them in the fall. Well, at least since I was pregnant anyway.

*****
Pumpkin Cookies
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
½ cup shortening
1 Tbs. grated orange peel (optional)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup nuts (opt) &/or ½ cup milk chocolate chips or ½ cup raisins (I always use Milk Chocolate chips & sometimes nuts)

Mix in order & bake at 375 8-10 minutes. Glaze.

Glaze
¼ cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbs. milk

Melt butter till brown. Add other ingredients. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

*****

Now that is my mom's recipe. Here's what I do differently. #1 Ialways double the recipe. Then it uses the whole can of pumpkin instead of half (a small can). #2 And I like it better with 1/2 cup of extra flour. My mom's tend to stay rounder, but mine flatten out a bit so they're more like cookies. #3 Forget the nuts and raisins, go with my mom's suggestion and always use milk chocolate chips. Yum! #4 Also don't bother with the orange zest, unless you already have some on hand. #5 These are still good without the glaze, but the glaze makes them lots better. #6 Also my mom always puts the sprinkles on top, and they are lots better with those too.

So run right out to the store. Go now, why are you waiting? Get the ingredients and make them. RIGHT. NOW! GO!

For your enjoyment, a few more pictures of these yummy delights.

Stay tuned for my mom's amazing caramel apple dip.

I hope that you enjoyed this recipe from the past. I know I spoke of a few other recipes, so if you need those too let me know and I'll post them.

I haven't made these yet this fall, but I have all the ingredients. I'm sure I'll make them soon, very soon. Maybe tomorrow. Mmm!

Doctor, doctor

Today Zachariah has a check up at the pediatrician's office. Not with the pediatrician, but with the nurse practitioner. The pediatricians (there are 3 in this office) are booking well-child check-ups in MID-November. Eek. Since we were already late for Zachariah's 3 year check-up (he's already 3 1/2), I opted for the nurse practitioner (who we've seen before and like), who got us in about a week after I called to schedule.

It's been so long since Zachariah has seen a doctor, that he really does not remember going. He's not sure what will go on there. So I've been trying to prepare him. I told him about the appointment a week ago, and we discuss it every now and then. The first time I told him, he said "They will look in my eyes, then I will get my new glasses." Uhh, not the EYE doctor, sweetie. (He must have seen this on Sesame Street or somewhere.) He also told Matt at one point, "I'm going to the doctor to get medicine." He's not, so I don't know where that came from.

It will be interesting to see how he handles things today. He's pretty easy going, so I don't expect any trouble. I'll just be interested in his reactions to things. I believe I've prepared him well enough by telling him what they will do and look at while we're there.

And yes, I know we are so lucky that I haven't had to take him to the doctor for illnesses. Other than well check-ups, Zachariah has not been to the doctor. There was one time when he was a newborn (and that was because he wasn't gaining weight...another story). Otherwise, he has never been to the doctor for being sick. This is one healthy child, and I'm so thankful!

Knittng, Crafts and Other Miscellany

I posted on Twitter the other day about my newest obsession. Well, I guess there's more to it actually. I've been crazy about knitting dish cloths lately, but truth be told I'm just nuts about knitting (and crocheting...whichever mood I'm in). I've had fun learning to do new things and trying new patterns.

I just love the dish cloths though. They are fun to do. They are small, so I can complete a full project quickly. Plus I have some knitted dish cloths in my own kitchen (from a bridal shower gift...9 1/2 years ago) that I love. To be fair I didn't use it for a long time, but I was missing out. I have two and now they are both being used all the time. (They make great cloths for washing my sons hands and face after meals.)

So, here are the dish cloths that I've knitted (since Jen wanted to see them). I think they are pretty cute, and I'm hoping to use them for Christmas presents (if I don't keep them all for myself). I have another color of yarn to make some different ones, and I also got some Christmas cotton yarn to make some Christmasy dish cloths.

I recently won a new toy for Zachariah. It came from FedEx today, and Zachariah (who is used to me getting packages) wanted to know what was in it right away. So much for saving it for Christmas. If it had been delivered during his nap time, like it usually is, then I would already have one Christmas gift for him. Oh well. He loved it so much, and we had fun playing with something new. (EDIT- It is a Play-Doh Coco-Nutty Monkey toy.)

So much fun going on around here. And not to leave Matt out. He's been working on replacing gutters, cleaning out a clogged drain pipe (outside), and other various projects. It's been fun....OK, so maybe 3 trips to the home improvement store in 3 days isn't fun. It is occupying his time, though. I'm sure he'd much rather be beating me at rummy or something.

Lastly, but not leastly, don't forget to check out my review blog. I have two giveaways going on right now, a great book and a movie hat & t-shirt (plus adorable pictures of Zachariah making a puppet), and a new review of Mabel's Labels (which are a fantastic product, I only wish I had some to giveaway).

And We're Off...

Well, not yet. But we will soon be getting ready to head out for the long weekend. We usually head up to my parents' house this weekend to enjoy the last nice days of summer. It's a great time to reconnect to family, relax, and play in the pond before it's too cold.

My dad came yesterday to get Zachariah. So he's already having a great time with Grandma & Grandpa. I talked to him on the phone for a while this morning, and he was telling me about all the fun things he did and was getting ready to do. He "showed" me his bucket full of buckeyes, acorns, and hickory nuts he's collecting. (My parents live on a big property on a small country road surrounded by all sorts of trees, animals, and plants.) And he got to pick out candy that he's taking to my grandparents' house (hi great-grandparents) this afternoon for him and his cousin Blake (actually my cousin's son). I'm sure he's having a great time. And we'll be there in a little while to spend the rest of the weekend with him.

I do miss him, but the break is good too. And it's great that he has such amazing grandparents who will invest so much time in him. I hope that someday he looks back and appreciates that so much. I know I'm thankful to have such wonderful parents that have invested (and still do) so much time into my life too.

I'm hoping to come back next week (or maybe sooner if I get the chance) with lots of photos to share. And I might even have some video. (I just got a new Vado pocket video camera that I haven't had the chance to try yet.) I know you'd get a kick out of watching my son, the fish, swim across my parents' pond.

What are your plans for this weekend? I hope that you enjoy the last of summer!

I still have my pajamas on

I'm still lazing around in my pajamas at almost 10:00AM. Go me! And actually my pajamas today is just a long sleeved t-shirt. Although I will admit that I don't mind just being home with nothing to do that involves leaving the house from time to time.

I can't stay home all day, because we are really low on groceries. My pantry looks bare, and I need to get a few things to hold us over for the rest of the week. I don't like when that happens, because I get panicky thinking "Oh my gosh, we don't have any food in the house." Which isn't entirely true. There are plenty of things in the deep freezer and also little bits of things in the fridge too. But still I think I need to get a few things today to piece enough together for meals.

Then we'll be headed out for the weekend. We usually spend Labor Day weekend at my parents house. We spend our time outside by the pond or in their big yard. If we're lucky some years, it's our last chance to swim and we enjoy that. But we've been having unseasonably cool temperatures, and it's getting really cold at nights. I have a feeling that pond is not warm anymore. But we can enjoy getting together with family and being outside or inside and playing games. Whatever we end up doing, we always have a good time there.

Things I need to do since fall weather seems to be here early...

1) Clean out Zachariah's closet- He needs old things that won't fit next year cleared out. And there is still a bag of things from our two trips to Old Navy that need to go in his closet. I also need to take stock of how many pairs of pants he has/needs and socks he has/needs. Someone has to keep this kid dressed for the weather or he'd wear his swim trunks every day (which he tried to go outside in yesterday morning when it was only 56 degrees outside!).

2) Help Matt get rid of extra things in the garage, since I didn't have a garage sale this summer. Long story, but our road is being worked on, so it's been closed all summer. I didn't think that was a great time to have a garage sale. Maybe with the help of Craig's List, Freecycle, and Goodwill donations we'll get everything cleared out that needs to be.

3) Figure out what I need/want to use to do preschool homeschooling this year. (More on that later.) Then I need to figure out how to organize all those things for easy access.

4) Finish cleaning/organizing the house. There are still so many things I need/want to do around here that I haven't gotten to this summer.

Add to all this the fact that fall-ish weather makes me want to bake bake bake. Which of course is mmmm yummy, but I don't need for my already plump figure.

And lastly I have plenty of things from this summer that I have yet to share with all of you. We had a lot of fun, and I have many pictures to share too. Maybe I'll do some summer-time flashbacks.

I guess today is the kind of day to reflect and think about everything that needs to be done. I will make a list and then get dressed. At least that much will help.

It Did Get Better

I was worried that the way we started our week last week, that it might be a rough one. Time to batten down the hatches, keep your valuables hidden, and get ready for a battle of the wills.

Monday I had to take a step back from the situation and make sure that I wasn't overreacting or causing the problems myself. The answer, surprisingly no. I was in a fine mood, I was being more patient than I usually am when my 3 year old acts like a tyrant. Shocking, I know.

So now I knew it wasn't me, it was the kid. I don't know what started it, maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed (which is entirely impossible since his bed is in a corner of his room). My guess is he was having a "I'm 3" day. And if you've had (or currently have) a 3 year old, I think you know what I mean. (If you don't, be quiet!)

But we made it through the day. Matt brought home chocolate when he read my post. What a good husband. It really did help.

The rest of the week was better. Of course there were a few times when the bad behavior reared it's ugly head, but for the most part it wasn't as bad as Monday had been.

And I have to say that yesterday was a great day as far as Zachariah's attitude. I think most of it was Matt to be honest. He was really calm with Zac (way more than normal). He spoke to him on his level when it was necessary, and he played and spent time with him. I was shocked at the difference in Zachariah's behavior due to this. Then when I got him ready for bed, he started acting up. I calmed myself down and tried again, what a difference it makes. I know that I need to make an effort to be more calm with him.

I think too often I expect too much out of him (for a 3 year old), and when those expectations aren't met I get upset. I need to take a step back and adjust my thinking and actions. I know it won't solve all the problems, because he is still 3 and there will still be moments. But I know that this would help. And I need to make the effort, because it will make for a happier mom, happier son, and happier family. I've really dropped the ball lately, and it's time to pick it back up. I want to enjoy my family all the time and not feel utter frustration every day. I'm working on it, and I think that will be all the difference.

Parenting is not easy, and maybe that's what I lost sight of. If something isn't working for me, then I need to try something else. That's what it's about.

Got chocolate? I could use some.

I don't think there is enough chocolate in the house today to keep me sane until bedtime (my son's bedtime...not mine).

He is on a roll today. He's on my last nerve (well, I think he did that first thing this morning). And I'm about to give him away to the first taker. Anyone want to take an *absolutely adorable* little *gentleman* for part of the day?

Who me?

Anyone? No? I didn't think so. I suppose maybe if I make it through today I'll keep him. He does have more good days than bad, and that's a really good thing.

Between sassiness, potty accidents (why now?), and general grouchiness, no one will wonder why he's already taking an early nap.

What does help is the rain outside (we do need it, but then he can't play), and the fact that I took away TV privileges first thing this morning.

I love him, and I'm being patient and loving through his fits. But a girl can only take so much. I'm just glad tomorrow is a new day...and I do have some chocolate!

There's just something about Fridays

Oh yeah, we're back from vacation. I felt like Monday through Wednesday was just catching up on stuff from that. Finally Thursday felt like a normal day, but I couldn't believe it was almost the end of the week already. And now it's Friday? Wow, this week did fly by.

We had a great trip to Muskegon, Michigan. I have lots of photos to share, but I haven't loaded them all on the computer yet. Look for a vacation recap coming soon. Mostly it was just nice to get away and relax for a week.

In the meantime, go see what my sweet hubby wrote about me. He's adorable, and I'm so lucky to have him.

If you're interested in signing up for some giveaways here are some Matt & I both have going on:

Chiquita Banana Smoothies- They were very yummy!

Thomas & Friends: Percy and the Bandstand DVD- Zachariah's favorite train has a video!

Barney: Book Fair DVD + Book Collection- Love Barney and love books!

Coming soon: If I can get ahold of the guy long enough to work out details, I'll have a new pair of shoes to giveaway soon. Remember when I was asking about which to choose? Well, I didn't get what I asked for, but I did get a great pair of summer "Sandlistas" to try. They are great!

I have no big weekend plans, but sometimes that's nice. How about you? Tell me all about your weekend plans. It's supposed to be nice and sunny here, and I know there aren't too many of those weekends left. Fall is quickly approaching.

The Anniversary for Pottery (or Willow)

Today is our 9th wedding anniversary! Happy Anniversary Matt! It's been 9 wonderful years of marriage. I can't wait to see what the future holds. You've been a devoted husband, caring father, and so much more for me and our little family. Thanks for everything you've meant to me! And here's to many more years of happiness together!

And for a little blast from the past:

The oldest photo I could find from when we were dating. Christmas Dance at our high school from our sophomore year. We'd already been dating for a year here. We were babies. I was only 15 years old.

This is Christmas the next year, our junior year. (And me with my lovely braces.)

And Homecoming in the fall of our Senior year. (My braces had just come off.) I freaked out a little looking at this photo, because Rachel (my sister) and I look so much alike. Scary to me looking back at this. (We never realized how much we looked alike until we were older. No one ever mentioned that we looked so similar.)

Senior Prom. We were pretty serious at this point.

And finally a photo from our wedding day. This was two years after the last photo. Didn't seem like it at the time, but we were so young then.

And we lived happily ever after!

I Need a Vacation

Thank goodness our vacation is coming up quickly. Matt needs a break from work. And I think we need some time away from everything. Time to rest and relax. Time to spend together as a family. And time to have some fun!

If there is one thing that we've always made a priority, it's a vacation. We set a little aside each month to go into our vacation fund. We know every year that there will be money for a nice vacation.

We anticipate it and look forward to it for days/weeks/months/(a whole year?). This year we weren't able to schedule our vacation too far in advance because of both of our work situations. But now I have nothing holding me back, and Matt was able to work things out. And it wasn't as difficult for him to get time off as we thought it might be.

Anyway, I always forget to ask people for advice on fun things to do in the areas we go. And I find out after the fact that we missed out on fun activities or great places to eat.

We are headed to Muskegon, Michigan this year. We've never been there. We'll be staying at the Shoreline Inn & Suites. It's right on Muskegon Lake and very near Lake Michigan. It looks like there are plenty of places to check out. Plus there is a pool and hot tub at our hotel, and we're near two big lakes with lots to do.

But just in case, dear readers, anyone been there before? Have advice on places we should stop?

Fashion Preview a la Zachariah

Thus begins the Summer (with Fall & Winter included) Fashion Show 2009 by Zachariah, age 3. All items purchased at our local Old Navy store. Some new Fall items, and a bunch of (cheap) clearance items. Zachariah likes fashion, but his parents still aren't willing to pay a fortune for it. (Plus we got all lucky and won this coupon and stuff.)

Jump up in the air...like you just don't care.

Ready? Aaaand jump with that "Camp Runamuk" T-shirt.

I sense you're ready to pounce in that Lil' Kahuna T-shirt.

Zachariah does have his own unique (I use that loosely) ways. This outfit was in no way purchased to be an "outfit". (Both of these items are bigger and meant for next summer.)

Oooh, look at those big (little guy) muscles. And such cute swim trunks for next year.

That is the orneriest look. Just what are you about to do in those too big pants?

And tip toe, tip toe, tip toe through the house.

Sensible and neat enough for wearing to dinners and church as well.

For those chilly winter days, you'll definitely need this thermal shirt. It's sure to match anything.

And last but not least, a warm snugly fleece hoodie with matching pants. Zachariah already has plans to wear these out in the snow this winter to make snow angels. (Ask him, he'll tell you all about it.)

And that completes this Fashion Show. Stay tuned for a follow-up event. (We won another Old Navy coupon that we used this week. Yep, we're on a roll.)

Don't miss out

Matt has a nice giveaway going on his blog. He's giving away a $25.00 BP gas card. I'm sure anyone could use that. Be sure to enter.

On my review blog, PS Mom Reviews, I have a giveaway posted right now for a Shaun the Sheep DVD giveaway as well. Be sure to get in on that. Plus I'll have some more movies up within the next week. (Need to catch up before we leave for vacation.)

Also at PS Mom Reviews I have a new review posted about a great diaper bag that I had the opportunity to use. Go see for yourselves. It was a JJ Cole bag from All Modern Baby. Sarah from Semi-desperate Housewife even noticed it at church and commented about what a cute bag it is.

A Helping Hand

My sister, Rachel, and her husband just bought their first house. They are so excited about it. It needs some work and is dated, but they are already remodeling some things.

It was worth buying this house for them. They got a great low price on it, and therefore have the money they need to put in improvements they want. They are both very handy and have many friends who can help. It won't take long to have it looking exactly like they want.

I went over there yesterday (about an hour drive) to help do some painting. All the rooms need painted, so we had a big job. My mom, dad, grandmother, and Rachel were there working hard when I arrived. We finished painting the living room, hallway, and two of the bedrooms.

I did plenty of work. I was climbing on ladders painting by the ceiling, using the rollers to paint the walls, using a brush to do edging in a few rooms, and even crawled around in a closet to help my grandmother paint. (That closet probably would never have been painted if my grandma hadn't decided it needed it...Rachel really didn't care. Then I ended up doing most of the work. Ha!) I even put some hard labor in helping to scrape the flooring off in the kitchen and utility room.

By the time I got home my back was aching. And my legs were cramping up. I had a hard time with leg cramps while I was sleeping too. And I woke up a little stiff. Honestly, though, I'm not as sore as I thought I might be. I guess it proves to myself that I can do hard work like that more often. I just always dread it, but I enjoy helping when I'm actually doing it.

If I wasn't worn out enough already, I'll be going back again today. I told Rachel that I'd come help paint some more. The kitchen didn't get touched yesterday, neither did the utility room. There is also a small half bath, but my mom said I could leave that for her. (I think I will, it's a small tight space.) Rachel was feeling a lot of pressure to have things done. They are having flooring put in this week, and there were things that needed done before that. And her husband is working lots of hours between two jobs right now, so Rachel felt she needed to do a lot. I could see that she was stretching herself thing, that's why I told her I'd help another day.

I know in the end it will all be done. They really aren't pushed to move in soon, so that helps. But they only had a small window of time for their friend to do the flooring for them. Plus they gutted most of their bathroom, and all that needs to be finished as well.

Rachel has helped me with many things at my house. In fact she and Jared helped me paint the living room while Matt was in Africa last fall. (There are still some things that need finished with that...maybe I'll be motivated to work on it now.)

So it feels good that there are some ways that I can return the favors and help her out once in a while too. Besides, I know there will be more times when I need her help again myself. That's what family is for, and I love it.

Shopping Trip at Old Navy

Guess what we did earlier this week? We went to Old Navy. They are having great sales on summer clothes, starting to bring in fall items, and giving out tons of coupons online.

Have you heard of OldNavyWeekly.com? It's a new website that Old Navy opened. They are giving away lots of great coupons on there. They are always limited, though. But we have heard of people getting up to $75 off a $100 purchase coupons and % off ones too.

Matt was lucky enough to win a coupon from a giveaway on a blog. We got $65 off a $100 purchase. So off to Old Navy we went. (Too bad we couldn't use it online, they don't carry plus-sizes for me in the store.) We only spent $40 and got a ton of clothes (mostly for the kid).

So here are the things we purchased. As you can see already most of it was for Zachariah. He's the one who goes through clothes the fastest around here, so it was a great time to stock up on some things for him. But I did manage to get some new flip-flops, and Matt found a pair of comfy pants.

For Zachariah- a few warm things for this winter (3T sized clothes):

And a few things in the next size up for next summer (4T sizes):

Some pants in the next size that are a tiny bit long right now, but everything else is short or getting short on him. (These are 4T for my tall boy.)

And some shirts that will fit now, but are big enough to last a while. (These are all 3T, Old Navy shirts fit him a little big.)

This I've already shown, but it's so cute together. I picked up the pants, because they were cheap on clearance (and the way we go through pants around here he could use more). I was a little worried about finding things to match the green pants later on...until I spotted this shirt. Adorable!

Next time...Zachariah models these items for your viewing pleasure.

TGIF

Thank goodness it's Friday!

I don't know why, but this hasn't been the best week. Maybe it's my monthly visitor that left my grumpy on Monday. (What a way to start the week.) Maybe it's our old, uncomfy mattress on our bed. (New one coming tomorrow.) Maybe it's the lack of tutoring and being around the kids I love. Who knows really.

Today I was going to take Zachariah to his first movie at the movie theater. A few weeks ago we got free passes to go see the new "Ice Age" movie. But we couldn't use them for the first week, because they won't accept passes. Today is the first day you can use passes. I checked the ticket again this morning to make sure I didn't miss anything, and I found out it's only good Monday-Thursday. So, we'll have to wait until next week now. I did promise him a movie here at home complete with popcorn.

Matt and I are ready for a vacation. We usually take an early summer vacation, but that just didn't work out this year. We really were waiting until I was done tutoring to schedule something. And he also has a few work conflicts that haven't come up in the past. So we have to work around that also. I think we did settle on a location finally, but we'll have to pick a week and hope we can get into a hotel. I think we'll both feel more settled after a week away.

*****

My sister had her 6 week check-up with her OB/Gyn yesterday. In case you didn't know, my sister miscarried her first baby a while ago. They paid to have an autopsy done. They thought it might help them get some peace of mind (or possibly help them understand and problems she may have carrying babies).

Rachel was very active during her pregnancy (just as she is normally). With her doctors OK she had continued playing hockey, working at her job (which involves lifting heavy packages for a well-known delivery company), and driving her motorcycle too. When she found out at 18 weeks along that she'd lost the baby somewhere around 16 weeks, she was devastated. Of course she wondered if it was something she'd done. It never appeared that way, and she never had any problems while doing any of her activities. From the beginning the doctor did not think the miscarriage was anything that she did. But there was still that nagging in the back of her head.

The doctor told them about the results. Basically the baby had a developmental problem. The urethra did not form properly and started to invert into the bladder. I can't remember the name of it, but it is VERY rare. This doctor didn't think he'd ever seen it before, and the chances for it happening again for a future baby for her as almost nothing.

Rachel felt good about hearing the results. It was nothing she did. It was not a genetic problem that would keep happening to other babies. There is nothing wrong with her. And there is no reason they can't have many healthy babies. She got the go ahead to start trying again.

Fortunately for them, they got pregnant right away the first time. So I have no doubts it will happen quickly again. I pray that all goes well next time. This has been a growing experience, and that's how Rachel has looked at it. She mourned for a short time, and then knew that it was meant to be. God led her through this, and she has a better outlook on life now.

An amazing woman...that's what my sister is!

A Fresh Start

I feel like this week is a fresh start for us. This is my first week NOT tutoring at the learning center, for me in almost 5 years. But it's also my first week as a full-time stay at home mom. (Which I was before, but I also did the tutoring job with my son.)

I realize that 10 hours a week of tutoring doesn't seem like it would be such a disruption to a stay at home mom's schedule. And really, it was very doable. But it does make a big difference in our days. And now without that, our days will be quite different.

There will be an adjustment period I'm sure. The first week, I don't think we'll notice too much. I have taken that much time off before from work. But when it's week after week, it will make a difference.

One of the first things I know that we need is a routine. I like to be loose about scheduling, so we can still have fun and do things we want to do when we want to do them. But there are certain parts to our day that need a little work already.

I suppose with some work, we'll find our groove. And it will be something that works for us.

Part of a routine I will work on. Part of it, I will just let be as is or just let is happen on it's own. Plus summer is so different. I'm a lot less structured anyway in summer. It's fun to be able to go to the park when we want or whatever.

I think most of what I'm worried about is keeping up with the house. I need a better cleaning routine. And there are other projects that need done around here, that I need to make time for too.

I know with a little work and determination it will all happen. And I'm excited about the prospects.

Another year closer to 30...

Today is my birthday. No big fanfare or party or presents. But I'm OK with that.

My sweet husband and son are taking me out to dinner tonight. I get to choose where we'll go. I'm leaning towards a local steakhouse. Nothing else sounds particularly good here in our town, so that will do.

We've been shopping around for a new mattress. I think we'll go get that purchased tonight before dinner too. Happy Birthday to me, I guess.

And my birthday's always a little up-staged by the 4th of July celebrations. But I've never minded that too much either, because I feel like it's one big birthday celebration instead. Ha!

We are going to my parents' house this weekend. We might go see some more fireworks (we already saw some last weekend). And I'm really looking forward to swimming. It better warm up a bit for that.

Today has probably been the coldest I ever remember it being on my birthday. It's pretty typical that I have a HOT birthday. But that's always made it fun for picnics, swimming, and other things. Today...not so much. The high today...68. Not that I'm complaining, it doesn't feel too bad. And I know you people in Texas are sweltering. Come here for vacation...we'll cool you off. Might only be another day though. It should be warm enough to swim this weekend. Yay!

Hope that you all have a great week. I know many people are taking vacations. Enjoy it either way.

And thank you mom for pushing me into this world today...many years ago. I completely repect that now it should be more about you and not me.