park play... again.

We went for donuts this morning and tried out a new park.

Well, it is not 'new' but it is new to us.

We typically just go to one of the 3 in our neighborhood...

So this change was fun.

While playing, we noticed a blimp heading to land...

so we popped over to Alliance airport and watched it.

Pop happens to work there, so Maddox got a surprise visit from him too!

a few recipes worth sharing

I have been attempting to cook more...
and try a few new things so our dinners aren't always grilled chicken or spaghetti!
(that's a lie... Maddox and I eat spaghetti for lunch a lot-- but Lance hates it, so I rarely make it for dinner!)

Trying to use more of this organic, good-- T&C meat::

We do tend to eat chicken more than anything else  (since I do not eat ground beef) but I did make Lance some sloppy joes one night (probably only my 2nd time to make them in 9 years!)  And we eat Pork chops often too.
My chops are either grilled or BBQ'd-- (or in the crock pot with a can of golden mushroom) so there is no need to tell you how to do that!!

Here are a few things we have eaten in the past week or two.

Remember I am not the healthiest eater...
nor am I anywhere near gourmet.
But as I have said before...
I cook cheap.
And most importantly...
I cook easy!

 [Lance wanted me to make these twice in the same week... I didn't!]

 [check out Nicolle for the real recipe... I just realized, as I looked back at her blog, that I bought the wrong sauce.  

Mine was hot chili sauce rather than garlic chili sauce...  they had the same rooster on the bottle and I was just going off of visual memory! Oops!]

 [we eat this a lot, but I thought I would share any way]

[I drive an hour to eat this at the Golden Moon... who knew it was so simple?!]

[I am sure there are real recipes out there that would taste more authentic... but these were easy-- I had everything on hand, and so yum!]

[another thanks to Nicolle]

 [the picture gives this no justice.  We ate it tonight... and it was soooo good!]

[There are probably a million calories in it... but worth it!]

 [my favorite soup.  Thanks to my FIL for the recipe... If Lance would eat it, we would have it weekly]

milestones

Beckham:
5 months 4 days

• laughing, screaming, cooing
• rolling and inching his way all around the room on his belly
• sleeps 5-6 hours on his first stretch, then feeds every 24 seconds from there (however, last night, he slept over nine hours!)
• [sadly] loves the tv, he will wiggle into the perfect position to see it while nursing.
• he adores his brother, by just Maddox walking into a room, he laughs or kicks his feet.
• He gives big, open-mouthed, slobbery kisses-- pulls your hair or ears to pull you in for the smack
• He chews on everything
• We recently discovered he can drink from a sippy cup
• He naps 3 times a day, usually.  Sometimes 4.
• He likes to be put in his crib, on his belly, binky in mouth and left alone to sleep
• He has tried bananas, pears and green beans.  He hates cereal.  
• His newest trick: he has learned to spit/ blow bubbles.  
• Now he can sit up, but doesn't stay up long.
• His eyes are brown now.  (just like his mommy said they would be)  ;)
• And though sometimes he resembles his brother (who looks just like me), I think he still looks like his daddy.
• My favorite thing about this age::  nursing him.  I love the cuddled up closeness we have while feeding and (if you don't/didn't nurse it may sound strange) I love to watch his little jaw move so rhythmically and they way he stares into my eyes a if I am the only person he knows to adore on this earth.  He plays with my necklace while feeding and I love when he will smile, inevitably pouring milk all over me, but for no reason at all other than it is one of his only way to communicate at this point.

Maddox
3 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, 2 days

• Can ID all of his letter and their sounds, shapes, and can count to 17.
• Can spell his name (recite the letters, not write)
• knows his address (minus the zip code)
• never stops jumping, climbing or flipping.
• Is always talking or asking questions.  (even in his sleep)
• naps once a day, most days-- and starts the night in his bed but 9/10 times is in mine by morning.
• loves anything Toy Story, or Cars.
• loves playing outside or inside with his matchbox cars
• Is obsessed with his daddy lately and is always talking about him or by his side
• Loves chocolate milk, go-gurt, raisins, string cheese and Cars fruit snacks.  He would eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for every meal if we would let him.  (and sometimes I do)
• He is so intelligent, and floors me daily, if not hourly, with his brilliance!  [spoken like a true mother ;)] I know I wrote this on FB, but I want to remember it::  He asked me how the red lights on the stroller wheel light up.  When I said, "I'm not sure buddy?" (out of laziness) and he responded, "probably just the sun hits them and reflects the light."
• he is hilarious. 
• He loves Beckham.  He kisses him, cuddles him and tells him he is "perfect".  He is very protective of him.
• My favorite thing about this age::  his compassion.  He loves to give kisses and hugs and never has a problem expressing his love for me or others.  He isn't old enough to lie yet or act mean for the sake of doing it, and is still baby enough to need me and my love.  However he is old enough to accomplish most things on his own and doesn't require my constant attention as much now.  I have heard horror stories about 3, and so far it has not been bad. We have bad days, jut like every other stage, but we either adapt and overcome or we toss that day in the trash and start new again tomorrow.

Today at the park

keep 'em come'n

Beckham went down at like 9:00 last night and was up to feed by 11:00. Maddox was crying by midnight that he needed to potty and I was anticipating a long night.

But hold on to your hats... my hunch was wrong!!

At 5:00am I woke up to silence... surely as a mother, you know that anxious feeling I had in my gut. 
I crept into their room, holding my breath, waiting for that moment I felt Mr-typically-likes-to-munch-every-36-minutes-at-night's back rise and fall. 
After realizing that my baby was still alive, that both boys were still out,  I did a little happy dance and went back to sleep.

The next thing I know, the clock says 8:30 and my house is still silent.
[My chest was about to explode, but both boys were still out!!]

I quietly pumped 8 ounces from one side--
and then broke the golden rule,
I woke a sleeping baby.

He happily relieved the pain from my left side and then his big brother woke up shortly thereafter.

Remember yesterday I said that I needed groceries?
I went for it.

Hey!  I was feeling lucky!

I do believe this was my first time to take both boys shopping alone.
Honestly, I rarely do anything without Lance.
Or at least my mom.

I tucked Beckham into the Baby k'tan, bribed Maddox with a 'wolwy pop'...
and off we went.

Isle after isle, we shopped...
Maddox asked approximately 479 questions... but stayed beside the buggy.
No running off... no asking if we could buy everything in site... no surprise purchases at check out.
Beckham nursed.  (in the k'tan-- hands free-- no nipplage for the strangers)... smiled... and flirted with old women.
No one cried...
Not even me.

Bottom line... we kicked WalMart's butt today.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I realized that I was smiling from ear to ear...
proud.
Accomplished.
Like a rockstar!

We came home un-loaded groceries and I made this mac and cheese.
Kind of.
I didn't have nutmeg... and I thought it tasted chalky so I did add some Velveeta.
Then I covered it in bread crumbs [actually, they were out of date so I used shake and bake-- don't judge] and I cooked and crumbed bacon on top and baked it.
Lance liked it.
I thought it was okay-- and more work than it was worth.

While I am sharing recipes...

I have to share these nuggets.

Not quite chickfila... but close.

And really good

Anywho... back to my day.

Dinner ready-- 

I had to head out to work.

I love my job.

I love my partner.

I love my unorthodox schedule.

Most of the time.

Tonight, I hated it.

I missed Maddox's first parade.

My high school's parade with my family.

[And we all know I live for that kind of stuff.]

Thankfully Lance took the boys so they didn't have to miss out

And I sent my camera.

Together, we can enjoy the happiness via photos.

And I can tell you how excited my sweet baby was when he called me at work and told me all about it.
[sometimes I could just eat his sweet little face off!!]

Finally, I have to share this picture:

I layed Beckham in his crib, turned Maddox's tv on, tucked him in, read the same flipping story we read every night his Cars book and said our prayers, and Beckham was silent. [asleep I thought]

I left the room and came back about 10 minutes later to check on everyone, and B was attentively watching some Nick Jr.

My word!!

I love that sweet face.

And I loved this great day.

Another one down.

Keep'em come'n!!

I love days like today.

...And yesterday.
...And the day before that.

I have not done a thing.
I have not fixed my hair
or worn makeup...
ironed a single article of clothing
or worn a bra for that matter!
[Gotta' love those nursing tanks]


I am still so tired...
[are we sure my baby is almost 5 months and not 5 weeks?!]
...someone tell me there is light.  Tell me I will have energy again one day.
Tell me my left arm will stop hurting.
These are the things I need to hear.

I wish it were still cool here.
My fall decor on the inside tricked me into thinking it wasn't back to 184 degrees outside again
But I won't complain about the heat...
Finally--

We had rain.
 [not a much as some of our friends... but we will take what we can get!]

We made a racetrack in the living room.

[actually it was a ramp... we raced our cars down it]

I have to share this video-- ignore the pestering of me to my husband
and Maddox's excited shrill-squeal, but pay attention to the victory-dance at the end!

We watched football.

Maddox said, "Always remember, FLICK 'EM HORNS!"
Lance use to correct him, now he lets it go!

I made a fall wreath.
For $1.
[not the cutest you've seen, but admit it... you'd happily pay $2 for it!]

I fall'ed-up the window seat with the stuff I have here.
I think it is cuter in person.
[or maybe not... but its all I have to work with]

We had dinner with my FIL.
oh.  I did wear makeup to dinner.
And a bra.

I cuddled my doodle-drop.
[obviously there was some cuddling to both boys... I just have no pictures of the big one!] 

The boys cuddled each other.
Beckham loves Maddox.
Maddox can walk into the room, and Beckham's legs start kicking 800 mph.
In bed (where we all end up by morning) B will roll to Maddox and prod, poke and coo until he finally opens his eyes and kisses him.
And he wants to touch him before going back to sleep.

I didn't realize that I would feel so much joy from the interaction from the two so early on,
it is the best.
  And I swear, they are already best friends!

Lots of play time this weekend.
[it is what we do best.] 

And we may have had a visit from a super hero.
...even though he cried when Lance told him to 'take it to his room'.
He said, "But Daddy!!  There's no audience in there!"
[unfortunately, he had already removed his cape when I took this picture!]

Beckham figured out how to move the jeep.
He doesn't have the crazy-love for it that Maddox had...
but it is no longer stationary.

Maddox did a little homework.
[some little 'assignments' I found at Dollar Tree]
He did well.
Until he got tired and sloppy and I marked a wrong one with a red x.
I found him in his room, later, with a white crayon trying to color over my x.
He wanted a new one to start over.
He asked me, "why would you ever do that?"
He is his mother's child.

I need to grocery shop in a bad way.
But why would I jack up a good weekend?!
I dreamed about buying a huge tub of country crock.

[We are out of butter, and apparently I am worried about it]

And today I had an unquenchable sweet tooth.
But with no butter... or cake mix... my eggs are probably out of date... I couldn't make anything.
So I went to Sonic.
At 9:30 at night.
In my pjs [no bra]
I am now enjoying the greatest root beer float of my life!
It was totally worth the beetle that flew in my opened window and wrapped its stickily little tentacles around my finger causing me to scream in the order-thing and throw my phone.
100% worth it.

Now that my sweet tooth is fulfilled.
I am off to bed.
good night.