Two Little Piggies

I am expecting my kids to grow out of their clothes at any moment. The reason for this is that I CANNOT fill them up! This week, all they do is eat, eat, eat!!! They get up and ask for breakfast. Then an hour later they ask for snack. Then an hour later they are ready for lunch! All day, they ask for food!! It's CRAZY!! I had to post about today's lunch.

This morning for breakfast Jordan ate a bowl of Cheerios, some apple and a fruit bar. Lawson had a whole apple and most of a poptart. An hour and a half later, they each ate a bagful of grapes as a snack while I was at the gym. An hour and a half later we were eating lunch. I asked them if they wanted a grilled cheese OR a hot dog. They wanted BOTH. Seriously?? So, I made their lunch while they played, then called them down. Here's what was on their plates: a whole grilled cheese sandwich, a whole hot dog (and some ketchup), 4 baby carrots (and some ranch), a half of a banana and a small handful (8-10) of pretzels.

This is what they DID NOT eat:

Handy Husband

Many of you know how incredibly handy Jon is...He can fix ANYTHING! He can also MAKE anything! If I draw a picture of what I want, he will go out to the shed and design my idea into something that will work. He always does the best job! Recently he finished a shelf he's been working on for a while, and we moved it into the playroom. I saw something like it in a Pottery Barn store a couple years ago as a sofa table, but I asked him to make me one for our cubbies. I am so excited about how it turned out...I just love it!

Our new cubby shelf

After we first moved in, I realized I needed a place to keep some of our MANY books...the wall under the staircase seemed to be the perfect spot. It was unused wall space, and with the doorway right next to it I couldn't put much on that wall. I came up with the idea for this bookshelf, and Jon made 2--they came out exactly how I pictured! I love how the kids can see the front of the books, and it's easier for them to put the books back on this shelf than on a regular bookshelf.

Our bookshelf

I'm also excited that I was able to move the small bookshelves that were in the playroom up to the kids' rooms. In doing that, I was able to take a lot of their toys up to their rooms and 'declutter' the playroom a little.

Last year for Christmas Jon's mom wanted to get Lawson a train. We didn't have anything to put it on. I looked in the stores, but I didn't really want to spend over $100 on a small table that I didn't really even like. I drew out what I had in mind, and Jon made this for me. It's the perfect height for them to stand at and play. It's also so sturdy--the kids climb on it all the time--and it's pretty generic. When it's not for trains, it's for the barn set, books, cars, etc. Eventually, he's going to make me 4 1-foot cubes on wheels with removable lids to go under the table. They will serve as extra storage, as well as little seats for the kids to sit on and color or whatever.

Our playroom...

Anyways...the kids and I cleaned up before naptime today and I thought I'd take a few pictures and share our playroom. I am so blessed to have a husband who will spend his spare time working on things to make our days at home so fun and enjoyable! Thanks, Juan! :)

Lately...

So...the blog has been pretty neglected in the last couple weeks...I've been checking status updates on Facebook more than blogs lately! :)

A few weeks ago some friends with high schoolers gave us their old trampoline! We are so excited, and the kids LOVE jumping on it! At first Jordan wouldn't even get on it, but after a few days she is all over that thing! She's great at jumping by herself, but when Lawson's jumping too she just lays on her belly and bounces around. It's so funny! This picture makes me laugh because Jon and I both stick our tongues out when we're concentrating on something. I didn't even notice til I was looking back through pictures that Lawson has his tongue out in this picture...

Just one of many motion-blurred pics I got...Both kids suspended in the air...When this picture's enlarged, I LOVE the smile on Lawson's face...he has SO much fun jumping!

She keeps trying to get up, but everytime he bounces she flops back down to her belly....

So funny to me...

Lawson helped me cook dinner the other day...I had to use canned biscuits for the shells of these cheesy/meaty cupcakes, and gave him the leftover biscuit to play with...

He loves to "help"...but I'm not sure he's ready to help with the real thing...

Quite floured and patted, huh? :)

They were goofing around the other day....Jordan kept going up behind Lawson, hugging him, then pulling him down. They were cracking each other up...they play so well together. (Well, most of the time!)

This is what I get now when I say, "Cheese!"

I love this boy! :)

So, here's a step by step of how Jordan gets on the potty these days. She peepees on it some, never poos, but loves to sit on it in her clothes. In fact, she'll sit on it then poo in her diaper, but not actually in the potty! I'm afraid to even try to train her now, though, because if this is how she gets on a potty I'd throw up if she had to go potty in a store or restaurant...Ewwww...the germs!

The other day I decided to get something out to get us to lunch time. Both kids have good fine motor skills, so I got some beads and pipecleaners out. Jordan just had fun naming and picking the different colors. I started teaching Lawson about patterns and how to pick and place the colors to make different patterns. We all sat and did this for over an hour!!!

BTW...neither of them actually have their tongues OUT, but they are both very close. I'm telling you...I couldn't deny these kiddos if I tried!

One more thing...for those of you who've been to our playroom, maybe you notice the new shelf in the background...Jon finished my cubby shelf a couple weeks ago and I LOVE it!!!! It's just the right height for the kids...Well, I'll probably do a post about it in a couple days b/c he worked so hard on it--If I do it now, it'll mess up the rest of these pictures, then I'll scream and delete the whole thing!

Finally, yesterday the kids spent a couple hours playing on the stairs. Sliding down, throwing balls down, throwing them up and letting them roll down...you name it! They both came in to me in the kitchen to show me this....they said they looked like Mickey Mouse. Maybe it's time for a trip to ol' Disney World???

Monday Morning

The kids woke up pretty early this morning. After they ate breakfast I was checking email and I started hearing thumping sounds on the stairs. I thought it was a kid falling...but no one cried. After several more times, I went to check and saw they were rolling balls down the stairs--lots and lots of balls! They were cracking themselves up!

A few minutes later, I heard a different kind of thumping, and I had to video what I found. Lawson did this over and over for probably an hour or more! He loved it! Jordan only did it a couple times... This made me laugh at what kids will find out to do to entertain themselves!

It really is MAGIC!!!

I must say...after a looooong time of completely neglecting the inside of my van, I gave her a good cleanin' today!! There were many newspaper ink stains, on the doors, on the dash, on the console, on the leather and on the armrests. I could not get them off. Then I thought, "What do I do when I can't get something clean on the inside of my house, Stacy?" And I told myself, "I use my Magic Eraser to see if it will come off..." So... I listened to myself and tried it. Let me tell you--I wouldn't believe it if I did not see the change myself, and I wish my battery had had enough power to take before and after pictures. That thing really is magic!

I have used it to remove impossible stains on walls, floors, counters...Do you use it? What has it worked its "magic" on for you?

Spinning

Sometime last year I got this Sit-and-Spin, and the kids use it ALL THE TIME!!! Lately, whenever Jordan gets on it she just spins and sings for EVER!!! Tonight I caught her singing a montage of her favorite songs...She pulled her ponytail holder out in the car. That's th explanation for the wacky mohawk! :)

I Heart Your Blog!!

Kathy used-to-be-Keller hearts my blog! Thanks! Now I have to answer all these questions with one-word answers! You should all know this is so difficult for me...I may be the wordiest person I know!!! :)

1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket
2. Where is your significant other? Couch
3. Your hair color? Brown
4. Your mother? Faithful
5. Your father? Hard-working
6. Your favorite thing? Sleep
7. Your dream last night? Scary
8. Your dream/goal? Skinny
9. The room you're in? Dining
10. Your hobby? Making
11. Your fear? Kidnapping
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here
13. Where were you last night? Party
14. What you're not? Neat-Freak
15. One of your wish-list items? Pool
16. Where you grew up? Michigan
17. The last thing you did? Planning
18. What are you wearing? Jeans
19. Your TV? Football
20. Your pet? Dead
21. Your computer? Addicting
22. Your mood? Excited
23. Missing someone? Jamey
24. Your car? Van
25. Something you're not wearing? Earrings
26. Favorite store? HobLob
27. Your summer? Fun
28. Love someone? Dearly
29. Your favorite color? Yellow
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Wednesday

Now, I tag 10 people to answer, because I heart your blogs too!!! :)

Sunny

Jamey

Kera

Alisha

Bethany

Joy

Stefanie

Amy D
Paige

BROOKE--get back on that blog!!! :)

Ugly Hands

My hands are ugly. My nails are short and broken. My fingers are dry and cracked. My skin is wrinkled and worn, not smooth. My hands get hot, cold, wet and dirty--usually on a daily basis. My hands do not get manicured or pampered. My hands do my work. My hands are ugly.

It's okay, though. My hands do my work. My work is for my family. My hands have delivered thousands of newspapers. My hands wash dirty dishes. My hands do loads of laundry. They rake and mow and sweep and clean. They cook and paint and sew. My hands touch my husband. My hands feed and clothe my kids. My hands push swings, carry kids and fix boo-boos. My hands play and discipline and tickle and wipe tears.

My hands are ugly...but my hands are how I love.