Ten on Tuesday

1. Hello again! I never actually made a conscious decision to take a blogging break for the last two weeks; rather, it was just so busy that I decided to go with the flow and post the details later.

Now for the details:

2. SNOW!! We got our first dose of good snow the Sunday before Thanksgiving. As it didn't start sticking until the evening it was too dark to take Kendry out in it. So at 7am Monday morning the boys geared up and headed out to the back yard. Kendry wasn't too sure about the bulkiness of his snowsuit and boots at first (think the little brother in Christmas Story: "I can't put my arms down!"). But my kiddo will do (or wear) whatever it takes to spend time in his favorite place: outside!

As any supermom would, I had cocoa and mini marshmellows waiting when they came back inside.

3. Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but I had actually been praying for some snow before Thanksgiving. This admission alone can earn you some dirty looks around these parts. How people cannot love snow, I will never know.

However, by Wednesday I was praying for it to stop since we had a 3.5 hour drive ahead of us. It didn't stop. It was a 4.5 hour drive instead, with a toddler who refused to sleep.

4. Kendry had his 18 month check-up two weeks ago and measured as follows: height of 35.25 inches (99%), weight of 28.5 lbs (81%) and head circumference of 50 cm (95%). This little sprout barely fits in these 3T jammies I bought that same week.

4. Wretched driving trip aside, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Justin's family and enjoyed some much-needed relaxation time. I didn't even venture out for the Black Friday deals - although in taking a look at my Christmas shopping list this week I'm thinking I probably should have.

5. Now for the Thanksgiving photos!

Oh wait, there aren't any because we forgot our camera at home. Grrr! I suppose you will just have to trust me when I tell you that Kendry looked adorable in his Thanksgiving sweater vest.

6. Recent dialogue:

Justin: Those sweater vests you keep making him wear are going to turn him into a nerd.

Me: But he will be the cutest nerd ever!

7. Two weeks ago we were given the option of trying for a December IVF cycle. Woo hoo! Of course we said yes.

8. One week ago we were advised not to proceed with a December cycle and take a break for a few months to let my body get back to normal. (As if I could ever be normal!)

9. See, I told you its been a busy two weeks! But honestly, we believe that when its the right time, God's time, everything with our IVF cycle will fall into place just so. And apparently December was not the right time. Instead, we get to stay at home and fully enjoy the Christmas season.

10. This Week's Blessing: Kendry successfully used the potty for the very first time on Thanksgiving Day! He hasn't used it since but we are making progress here, people!

Some days...

...when your kiddo regresses to waking up three times during the night for three nights in a row,...

...when he finally sleeps for an eleven hour stretch but still wakes up grumpy,...

...when he sobs for ten minutes straight but won't let you comfort him and he can't communicate what is wrong,...

...when his nose won't stop running and he won't stop rubbing it all over his face and hair (or all over you) rather than letting you take care of it with a kleenex,...

...when he has a meltdown every five minutes,...

...when you get caught in the vicious cycle that is 'wipe the icky nose, he cries because he hates you wiping his nose, the nose runs some more thanks to the crying, so you have to wipe it again',...

...you have to remind yourself that teething is only a stage and will soon pass, and, more importantly, that your kiddo will return to his precious self very soon.

This is what I am using as my reminder today:

And yes, I am one of those shameless mothers who lets her 18 month old eat some of his Halloween candy. Cha-ching! Thats the sound of my kiddo's future dental bill on the rise.

Did you also notice that I didn't hop right up to grab the Nerds he kept dropping onto my floor? The new and improved Jody waited until the camera stopped rolling before she was on all fours on the dining room floor, chasing down every last tiny Nerd. I think I'm growing!

Oh How The Time Flies!

{ HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY TO US! }

(I meant to post this a week ago, but had to wait until I had a good recent photo of us.)

2005

2008

2010

Nobody loves you like I do, babe!

Ten on Tuesday

1. We had an incredible wind storm last night. PRO: Justin no longer has to rake up all the leaves because they either blew away or formed themselves into neat little piles for him. CON: Our already ugly, sparse tree in the front yard lost a few more meager branches. A few more wind storms like this and only the trunk of the tree will remain – a situation which would actually simplify our dilemma of getting rid of that darn tree.

Come to think of it, maybe that’s a pro.

2. This morning I drove to work behind a Dodge Ram pickup whose bed held 8 grown pigs, all crammed in like sardines. Ahhh, such is life in Eastern Washington.

3. The lady driving beside me pointed out the pigs to her toddler riding in her back seat. I could already hear the question: “Mommy, where is he taking those pigs in his pickup?”

My guess? Piggie heaven.

4. Last night I finally finished Breaking Dawn (for you non-fans, thats book 4 of the Twilight series). One more item checked off the Age 30 Bucket List. WOOP WOOP!

5. Will you find me in line for tickets when they finally release Breaking Dawn in theaters? Probably not. I really enjoyed the series, but you couldn't pay me enough to see this movie in a theater packed full of vampire-crazed tweens.

6. The Disney Movie Trivia feature will not appear this week due to lack of participation - well, that and...I seem to have used up all of the good Disney movies from which people can actually identify quotes.

{Last week's answer: Beauty and the Beast)

7. My fall love this week is my new table runner. I have had this fabric for a few years and finally sewed this runner the other night. Too bad we will only enjoy it for about a week - then its Christmas decor time!

8. In case it is entirely too obvious that I haven't bragged about my kiddo yet in this post, please be advised that we are living with a teething monster this week.

Enough said.

9. Snow is in our forecast for the weekend and I can't wait! Kendry even got his first official snowsuit in the mail this week (hand-me-downs rock!). Curious as to why I don't have an adorable photo of my snow-ready kiddo in his snowsuit for this post? Please refer to #8 above.

The teething monster does not do adorable photos.

10. This Week's Blessing: spending a wonderfully romantic evening in Spokane with my hubby last weekend. Many thanks to Amanda and Jeremy for keeping Kendry overnight for us!

Ten on Tuesday

1. I am certain that the genious behind Daylight Savings Time never had a toddler with an internal clock waking him up at 6:30am (now 5:30am). Augh!

2. I have a serious love/hate relationship with clothes shopping. I love to shop for new clothes - what woman doesn't, right? But I hate selecting which clothes to buy because, more often than not, I have no idea how to wear the current trends. I'm afraid I am somewhat fashion challenged. I was at JCPenney this weekend and found a nice cardigan, but just as I was about to purchase it I envisioned my sister Angel telling me it looked like a "grandma's cardigan". I promptly returned it to its rack. Why oh why can't I live near one of my sisters, if not for this very purpose?!

3. And speaking of clothes......."jeggings"? Really?!

4. My fall love this week is my topiary.

I made this topiary with my sisters several years ago (2002?) when we were together at Jaimee's house in Kenai. We each made our own and when they were completed we noted how each one resembled our various personalities. When I get my topiary out each fall I remember that day with my sisters so fondly.

5. Who knew I could be so excited for a training potty to arrive in the mail this week? I can't wait for Kendry to see it. Its in the shape of a frog.

6. Disney Movie Trivia: "Ma chère mademoiselle. It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now, we invite to relax, let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents... your dinner."

{Last week's answer: Dumbo}

7. Confession: I cheated and listened to some Christmas music today - but only because Amazon had a Veggie Tales Christmas Album as a free download and I just had to have it for Kendry.



8. P.S. to all you moms out there: if you haven't signed up for Amazon Mom you are missing out.

9. I am three movies into my Fall Film Festival, having already watched One True Thing, When Harry Met Sally, and Son-in-Law (which wasn't on my earlier list but had to be added since the movie takes place over Thanksgiving - and because I love Pauly Shore).

10. This Week's Blessing: Cheesecake, cheesecake and more cheesecake! Justin and I are relishing the leftovers of his birthday cheesecake; it is our nightly dessert ritual this week.