Missing.

I miss Christmas movies. Can't we have happy ending movies all year round? By the way the Thomas Kinkade movie, was really awesome.

6 years!

Oh to be married to my wonderful husband for 6 short years. We have had our ups, and our DOWNS...but I must admit I am enjoying the now. I like the rhythm we have set, although it changes much like songs on the radio. I know he didn't quite have in mind what we currently have, a more hectic life in which he takes care of not only 2 kids but me as well. He does a great job, is a good hubby, and has learned well that i am always right. Love you babe.
We still enjoy a good laugh, snuggle time on the couch with a good show or movie, and dates without kids. I hope year number 7 is still just as good.

CALM! calm...

Baking some cookies, watching the birds hop around outside, kids napping, cup of herbal tea with honey, calm days are nice.

I love little faces

Merry Christmas! I am so glad we focused on making memories this season over buying oodles of gifts, so much less paper to pick up! Make some memories, its the greatest gift you can give your kiddos. :)
I love the little faces smiling and playing while I make breakfast.

Christmas Eve

It is Christmas Eve and I am sick, but the show must go on. I have sent the kids to a holiday party with daddy and am enjoying a hot cup of tea. Looks like another year being sick on Christmas. I love the glow of twinkle lights on the high of cold medicine. Twinkle twinkle.

Winter Visitors

Warning to Winter visitors: It is winter and I am trapped inside and expecting no visitors, so please excuse my messy house and enjoy my fresh baked goodies.

Season of quality time

In this busy holiday season it is often overlooked, the importance of spending quality time with those we love. I don't ever want to be one of those uber busy moms who has a trillion things to do and can't spare a few minutes to be with her kids. We don't schedule much on purpose, no sports or clubs yet. So tonight, although I have things to do we are watching Willy Wonka and diving into some fresh popcorn. What a fun way to spend the night with my most treasured gifts.

Warmth Needed

I just love sitting in a chair by the window soaking up the warm sunshine. I may be a plant, a pretty one with cute little flowers. I know it makes me sound like a granny, but it is so quiet in winter, everything is more enjoyable. The sounds of birds are not hidden by lawn mowers or shrieks of children and the trees without their leaves just seem to stand still or barely shiver. So I shall sit here for a few more minutes, sipping my peppermint tea and enjoying the warm sunshine on a cold day.

Breakfast with the bug guy

We were treated to Breakfast with Santa at The Chateau. The boys ate a little, waited a long time for a photo with the big guy, and waited even longer for a balloon animal. Mommy is sick and tired, but it was worth it to see the great big smiles on their faces when they got to sit on Santa's lap. Hooray for the holidays.

Cheetahs

Aidan was chasing Brady, "I'm gonna eat you like a cheetah. Wait, a cheetah is a cat not a cheesy snack. Nevermind I am gonna catch you like a Cheeto." Me, laughing.

G is for GEEsus

Aidan makes a valid point. He has informed me that the Emglish language is tricky, and Jesus should be spelld Geesus. Giraffe should be spleed Jiraffe. Can't blame the kid, some of the rules are a bit sneaky.

Allergic to Girls

Today Aidan informed me of a very serious allergy. It appears he is allergic to girls. Not me because I am his mom, but all other girls are strictly forbidden. I wonder how long this will last, hopefully until after Medical school, where I am sure he will learn that he is not apparently allergic to girls.

Adoration

We made it to the annual Adoration Parade. We go every year with Veronica and cousin Mase. It is always terribly cold and we have to drink hot chocolate and snuggle under blankets. Tonight it snowed and was beautiful. I kissed my hubby in the falling snow and watched Brady pretend he was leading the marching bands. So priceless. Aidan just wanted to be held and cuddled and I was more than happy to oblige.

BLACK Firday

Today I scored pjs for the boys and Mase and a crockpot perfect dip size. I must admit I never spend much, but Veronica and I always have so much fun watching all the crazy people. Such Fun!

Jesus

Brady found the nativity today. He made Jesus ride the donkey all around the house. Priceless.

Cookies for Santa

Cookie

Three words

SDC giant cookie.

Dadd and I put the kids to bed, stayed up and were super naughty as we polished off the rest of our SDC giant cookie. Takes me back to when we were just kids sharing a cookie back in the late 90'S. YIKES! We are getting old!

Sniff Sniff Horaay

Christmas just does not feel like Christmas until I have smelled a roll of fresh scotch tape. Really! I hope you cannot get addicted to the smell, and I hope it is not bad for you like smelling glue or paint. I could keep a roll in my pocket and sniff it if it wouldn't make me weird, but then again I am weird. Off to wrap a few presents, I just love this time of year.

Take a hike!

OHHH, I got to indulge in my favorite guilty pleasure, a hike in Arkansas. Although it was a 3 mile round trip hike with 2 little monkeys on our backs, it was so worth it. The fall colors at the crag, amazing. We even got to see and hear a rattlesnake and a waterfall. If you have never been, leave the kids at home and go and spend hours just being cut off from everything. P.s. They road is not marked, it scary to drive up, and very bumpy. But it is BEAUTIFUL! Please go take a hike.

Roll with the Punches

Today the Munier clumsy gene was in full force. I was power kickboxing and punched myself in the face. I am not kidding. I feel like such a loser.

Parade

The boys and I met daddy downtown after preschool for the Veteran's Day Parade. Uncle Dillon was carrying a flag in his Jrotc unit. It was pretty fun and I think I embarrassed him as I followed him and snapped pics the whole way. But, what are sisters for?

So Generous

We gathered up for our annual Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Daddy explained that there are many kids who have no toys and we should gather up the ones we don't play with anymore and donate them. Brady's response, "You can have this one I don't play with it, and all of Aidan's because I don't play with those either." Then Brady got kicked by Aidan. Gotta love brothers.

ZOO

Little Monkey at the Zoo, little monkey times two. We took the boys to the Houston Zoo today which is wonderful. I felt bad because Aidan is croupy sick, but begged to go. We had a good time and the boys loved petting the animals. Brady, our monkey, felt right at home.

Beach

Today we went to Galveston, the first trip to the ocean for the boys. It was beautiful. We ended up on a beach covered with dead jellyfish which was very interesting for us all. We poked many jelly fish with long sticks. We walked the shore and picked up a bucket full of assorted seashells. We spent hours playing in the sand, making sand castles and burying our feet. We watched birds run along the water. Best of all we watched the boys being chased by the waves with huge smiles. All winter in Branson I will be thinking about watching my boys play on the beach. Happy times.

Road Trip

Ahh, to be together on a road trip for 10 hours. We left for Houston, TX early in the am and decided to go through Arkansas to see the Buffalo River. It was very beautiful. Did you know that outside Little Rock there is this big mountain and beautiful lake? There is! We will be heading down there this coming summer. It was amazing how the landscape changed from fall trees in Missouri to tall beautiful green trees in Arkansas and Eastern Texas to tropical trees in Houston. I loved the trip although I heard I am thirsty and I have to pee about a million times. We got stuck in traffic in Dallas and Aidan had to pee in a bottle, but missed and peed all over me instead. Gross! Not the first time, but it was all up in my hair and on my face. Yuck!

Smile

Customize your own free photo book design

Smile

Picture slideshow created with Smilebox

YOGA pants

Half the workout is just putting on the stretchy yoga pants. Put in a foot get caught up in the stretch, fall down get back up try again.

30

I am officially married to an old man. Today my hubby turned 30 and this scares me to pieces. I am dreading the 30Th birthday. Why god why do we have to get old and be grownups? I don't want to be a grown up!
Happy Birthday to the old man who is growing up with me. I love you.

Suggle Buggle

Our favorite thing to do while Aidan is at school, Snuggle Buggle Max and Ruby. I am so glad Brady loves to snuggle with his mommy. It drives daddy crazy that B won't cuddle with him, but it is something special for just mommy! HA!

Kiss a rainbow

If kisses were colored my boys cheeks would be rainbows. I love those chubby cheeks of Aidan's. I am sure one day they will be gone but for now, I will spend my day making rainbows. Brady's cheeks are less chubby but super soft. I have to fight him for kisses sometimes, but I make rainbows on his cheeks too.

Arkansas

We went to Eureka and had a great little hike at the Blue Hole. It is gorgeous. The kids loved it and slept on the way back to Harrison. We were able to watch the balloons take off and fill the skies. It was a wonderful experience for the little ones. So glad we went!

Preschool resumes

Brady had his first day ever of preschool and was a champ. I imagined the worse and was pleasantly surprised. I spent so much time up awake in the middle of the night worrying about the boys, it was not needed. I need to take a chill pill.

Poof!

Aidan is convinced that his GODparents have magic wands. Be prepared to make magical things happen Fairy GODparents.

Buffalo

I love Arkansas! We went to the Buffalo River and spent some time splashing around. The water was cool the air warm, and the kids content. We even brought back some river rocks for our garden. It was peaceful to spend the day connected to nature and each other. Veronica and Mase came with. We took the long scenic way home so the boys could sleep, it is such a beautiful part of Arkansas. I can't wait to get back down there.

Smile

Free digital scrapbook created with Smilebox

Don't dessert me

Aidan out of nowhere. "Don't dessert me."
Us "Do you even know what desert means?"
Aidan "yes, it means you will be eaten like for desseert."
Us "No it means to be left alone, like if we left you in the woods all by yourself you would be deserted. Do you understand?"
Aidan "If you left me alone in the woods I'd be desserted by a bear."
Us laughing.

Weapon of Choice

Warning: Do not anger 3 year old little boys with hot wheels in hand. OUCH!
Also, do not leave an entire basket of folded little boy laundry unattended, even to put the wet clothes into the dryer. Big mistake! I must now refold all those little clothes keeping in mind one basket of kids clothes equal to 3 baskets of big clothes.

Perseids

One of my favorite Summertime activities that I look forward to all year long, cool 2 am wake up the hubby, lay out in the front yard, stare up at the sky, and watch the meteor shower. Breathtaking and OH so romantic.

Sweet memories

I love how certain smells bring back the sweetest memories. I was driving with the windows down today and smelled the intoxicating aroma of honeysuckle and hawthorne. It reminds me of Summertime, of nights spent kissing under a blanket of stars in the hot humid air. I have spent many nights under those stars, staring up at the moon sipping on a ice cold coke. Some of my most magical memories happened out under those stars. I have always been fascinated with astronomy, had books about constellations and a telescope. In Hollister there is a lookout that I have spent many nights at, sitting out on the ledge hand in hand with my Michael, watching the sparkling lights from the city.
Hawthorne also reminds me of moms house on the lake. Cool breezes bringing that sweet scent right to the door, greeting me every time I would leave the house, and now greeting me at each visit. I have kissed my hubby at that doorstep countless times, before we were married, and that scent under those stars is magical.
The summer of 1998, or the summer you didn't love me as I refer to it to Michael, we had broken up. We had just graduated and were feeling things out. We were still dating, but also dating other people. It was the worst summer. I spent many nights crying under those same stars, alone. The smell of Hawthorne not so sweet alone. Finally at the end of the summer I had enough. I went to the dock Michael was working at and told him, I am tired of this, I'm done. If he couldn't only date me, and be with me, if he didn't know after all summer if we were going to be together I was out. So I told him all of this and said goodbye to him and started to cry as I walked the long walk down the ramp. Suddenly, like out of a movie, I could hear footsteps running behind me and Michael calling my name. I turned around and he kissed me and since that very magical moment we have been together exclusively. That was 12 years ago.
We went to the fair that week and spent another night under those stars, the night air smelling of honeysuckle and Hawthorne.

VBS

Vbs started for the boys and although they cry at dropoff they end up loving it. However, for us moms who are lucky enought to get 3 free hours, we should be required to sign a contract stating we will not clean or catch up on hosehold chores while the kids are gone.

Pancake Tacos

Make very thin batter to create very thin pancakes, fill with choc chips, marshmallows, whipped cream, strawberries, etc. This is the kids new fav breakfast. Not healthy but super indulgent.

Smile

Free scrapbook generated with Smilebox

Homor America

We managed to trek out to Honor America today. It is something the fam has been doing for years, just us Veronica, Drew, and A.j. It was super crowded but I love it. The boys did crafts and dripped Popsicles down chins and awed over the beautiful firework display. Can't wait until next year!

I've got the BLUES

Mops day at the blueberry farm today! What HOT fun we had. It was really good for the boys to go out and pick some berries and see where food comes from. It was really hot so we didn't stay but for an hour and we brought home fresh blueberries. Yummy! Blueberry muffins, pancakes, scones...

Taney County Fair

We went to the Taney County Fair today and boy was it HOT! It really did seem like a good idea at the time. Aidan & Brady now want to be cowboys like the little men who rode the sheep, and I have to admit it was super cute. We did get to watch some big cowboys chase some lose sheep on the road, it was funny. On the way to the car a little boy of about 5 threw sand in my face and hair, and then got a beating from his Grandpa. I feel bad!

To bathe or not to bathe

Tomorrow we are planning on going to the park for sprinklers, does that mean that I can skip a bath tonight? Also, note to self the car key less entry does not work on the front door of the house...no matter how long you stand there and push the button.

Little Boys turn 3 & 4.

Today was the party for my now 3 & 4 year olds. We had it at the playground at the RecPlex. Then we hopped over and let everyone swim and play at the AquaPlex. It was a whole lotta fun! Where did my babies go, I blinked and they aged years. I wish I could just stick them in my pocket and keep them small forever, but then again think of all the traveling I can do when they become more self dependent.

Take one slice of cake as perscribed

Somedays everything can be fixed with cake. Floors need mopped, eat cake. Kids being fiesty, eat cake. Laundry to be folded, eat cake. Eat cake. Eat Cake. Eat Cake.

Smile

Another scrap page by Smilebox

Smile

This free digital slideshow made with Smilebox

UPS and downs

Today I was driving home with the boys and everyone was looking at me and waving. I started thinking, dang I must look hot today, even the UPS man is checking me out. I was eating up all the attention, showing my grrr. Then I notice in the rear view mirror Brady waving at the UPS man, ahh now I understand. ;)-

Juggling my Monkeys

A trip to the zoo was much needed to remind me that my boys are not animals, but indeed little boys. Thankful for the fact that they do not smell like monkeys or pee as much as an elephant! It was a perfect day for the zoo and we got to feed a giraffe. SWEET!

Life in a SNAP!

Tea Party at home.

Smile

Another free digital greeting by Smilebox

Eyes to the sky

Whew! The airshow was LONG, but well worth it. We packed snacks a plenty and were prepared to entertain 2 little boys the entire day. It was awesome. The Thunderbirds were amazing, and so dang cute. Is it too late to get Michael one of those snug little flight suits? ;)

Smile

Personalize your own photobook

Smile

Create your own photo collage

Take me out to the ballgame...

Yay! Tonight we went to our very first Springfield Cardinals game with our MOPS group. Fabulous time, popcorn, cotton candy, and snow cones for all. (Such a good mom making sure my kids eat a rainbow.) On our way out of the park Brady pulled my tank top down to expose my bright red bra to the entire staff of the concession stand. Ugh.

Smores?

I never knew my hubby was so handy! Tonight he made a fire in our backyard so we could all roast marshmallows. He is quickly becoming my very own Bear Grylls, yummy!
However, if you know me you know I HATE smoke so I spent most of the time dodging the smoky cloud, but the smores were delicious.

Specialist

Had the appt. with the specialist and he found no reason to believe it is Lupus, but couldn't rule it out. It could be the very early stages or something completely different. He has diagnosed me with fibromyalgia after an intensive poking session. I did hurt in places that I didn't know could hurt. He sent me away with a brochure with an elderly lady on it and a prescription, which lets admit I am not even going to fill. Who has the money to buy expensive perscip?

Smile

Free digital scrapbooking design generated with Smilebox

Thriller

Have I mentioned how much my 2 & 3 year old boys love the Thriller video? It is so funny to watch them try to do the dance moves, Brady really gets into it. I think he may be an entertainer when he grows up even though I still have high hopes of him becoming a doctor.
P.s. I must hide the Easter candy, from myself. :)

Wild at 80

Today was Michael's Grandma's 80Th Birthday party, with a live mariachi band and fantastic Mexican food. It was nice to enjoy some time with the hubby after we dropped the kids off at auntie's. You have not lived until you dance to a live mariachi band. Plus I got to kiss my hubby without a little one pulling at my leg. ;)

Chasing Elevators

We spent the day at The Whitlock condo on Table Rock. It was a beautiful day to take a walk on the lake shore with all the cousins. The boys got into the elevator and decided to push all the buttons. We ran from floor to floor trying to catch them, quite funny looking back now because it is an outside elevator and we could have clearly see then if we had just stepped back.

Smile

Make your own photo slideshow

Brady potty trained?

Today Brady pooped on the potty, finally! We were beginning to think he was never going to and would not be able to attend preschool in the fall, but he is proving us wrong. He is such a stinker, so stubborn! He has to do everything his way, which is opposite of our way and nothing like his brother. God love the woman who he is going to marry, we will start praying for her today!

Smile

This free digital photo book customized with Smilebox

Preschool Program

Well tonight was the big preschool program. We have been practicing all week. Aidan looked good, was ready, was excited...and then he decided he wouldn't even get up to sing. Oh well, there is always next year, and to be fair it was scary crowded!

Smile

Make a picture collage