Tomorrow is the day!

We have lived in our house for 15 months now and still have a dirt backyard. We put up the above ground pool this summer, with plans of what we wanted to do with the rest, but we just haven't been able to do it. Well, tomorrow the landscapers will be here bright and early to start! I can't wait. We will finally have grass and sprinklers and trees and bushes! Did I mention I am so excited? Jeff (the man who gave us the estimate) says it will only take 2 days to finish and then about 5 days for the sod to root. After that, we can start playing in the backyard! We're thinking about a swing set for Christmas for the kids too. I'm just so happy! I'll post before and after pics when it's done, but until then, I'll be patiently waiting to see how it turns out!

She Used the Potty!!

So after months of Alexis refusing to even try to use the potty, the girl went and surprised the heck out of us yesterday. I had went to the restroom and she had followed (like she often does), but this time she pulled her potty chair over, took off her shorts, asked for help with her diaper, and sat down all without coaxing. After I washed my hands, she promptly asked me to leave and told me so matter-of-factly that she would come get me when she finished. So I left, went back to cooking, and low and behold not 5 minutes later she came running out of the bathroom screaming, "I did it! I did it!" I was so thrilled! We praised her and gave her skittles and a sticker and she bragged about it all evening. She went into the restroom a few times on her own last night and today (mostly without success), but I am just hopeful that this is a sign she is ready to start learning. Her big thing is that we can't sit with her. I'm wondering if the pressure was too much for her and that's why she hasn't been interested in trying. Keep your fingers crossed that this is the beginning of the end for diapers! By the way, we are officially back in pullups since she is being a big girl and are doing big girl panties periodically today.

Boys Are Just Different

Everyone always told me boys were different, but I didn't believe it. I've always believed that kids are born basically the same and that certain behaviors are taught through socialization and gender stereotyping. Boy was I wrong! Last Christmas we bought Alexis a little Step 2 slide and swing. It's pretty much sat unused outside for months because we took it out of the playroom when we put the play kitchen in. Well, today I decided to bring it in and put it in the great room for the kids. Oh my God! The way Justin climbed on it (and fell off) was terrifying. He has fallen off twice now and pushed it over to the table, climbed on the table and fell of of that too. He is just so rambunctious and so crazy! Alexis was never ever like that. She was much more cautious. I wonder if it's because he's a boy and she's a girl or if it's just because Justin is the second child and he watches Alexis. I wonder how long before he starts to pay attention to what he's doing. He still can't get off of the couches. He tries to go off head first instead of feet first. Of course, he can't climb up on them either because his legs are so short. Regardless, I put the slide back outside tonight. I needed a few minutes of peace without having to stand over him to keep him from diving off something and breaking his neck. Sometimes parenting can be scary stuff!

My Daughter is a Bizarre Child!

Alexis has become a very interesting child lately. Her newest habit (which is driving me insane) is playing with her eyelashes. She mostly does this when she is trying to go to sleep and I think she is doing it to keep herself awake, but it just looks so strange! Here is Alexis, laying in her bed trying to avoid falling asleep.

Additionally, when she goes to bed at night she has to take a enormous entourage with her to bed: pink puppy, green puppy, her baby doll, pink kitty, and a teddy bear. This makes it very difficult for mommy to get in bed with her, yet mommy must be next to her for her to fall asleep. Last night we had Burger King for dinner and she insisted on getting rid of all of the other creatures in her bed in order to sleep with one, tiny, yellow, plastic turtle from her happy meal. She wrapped it her arms while she slept. Pretty cute, but really weird. She's strange just like her daddy!

They love each other!

Some times the kids are just so cute together. The morning started off so nice today. Justin and I went to Alexis's bed when we woke up and she immediately hugged him, kissed him, and told him, "I love you". This is what they did while I did the dishes. They snuggled together watching Mickey Mouse and drinking chocolate milk. I was so happy I could cry. Unfortunately, it didn't last long before long they ran off to the playroom to play (and fight).


Then Bella decided that the couch looked comfy too. Did I mention that she is getting huge? I can't believe she is less than 3 months old! We will definitely be starting puppy obedience classes soon.

Anthony's Job

Anthony has worked for the Postal Service for about 6 years. The announcement of the facility he worked at in May, turned our world inside out and upside down. Thankfully, he was placed in a job locally last week as a mail carrier. After only 1 week, my heart breaks for him. His supervisor is horrid and it almost seems like management is trying to push him to quit. There was a woman who transferred with him who quit after only one day. He was supposed to have 3 days of formal training, but only ended up with one day of training due to a lack of trainers. The other 2 days were spent with his supervisor basically criticizing him the entire day. It's bad enough that his body is having to adjust to the walking and carrying bags of mail for 8 to 10 hours a day, but he also has to deal with the emotional stress of working for people that just don't appear to care about their employees. Did I mention he lost 20 pounds in 5 days? Good for him, but still, pretty hard on the body. On Saturday, he worked for 10 hours and was completely stressed because his supervisor told him that it took him too long to finish his route. She told him the manager would talk to him about it on Monday and he was sure he would be fired this morning. He isn't home yet, so I'm assuming that wasn't the case. It just boggles the mind that after 5 days of work they expect him to do the job like he's been there for a long time. They keep telling him that the other carriers could finish his job in under 6 hours which is probably true, but first, he didn't even get the proper training, and second, it's only been 5 days! I'm sure after a month he will do it much quicker. I am not a big supporter of unions in most cases. Honestly, in my experience, they make it possible for lazy people to continue working, but in this case, I think that Anthony really needs to consider contacting his steward. It would be one thing if he wasn't trying or if he had been there for 6 months and was still slow, but that just isn't the case. Please pray that things went well today and that things continue to improve. I don't want him to stay in this job if it is going to be overly stressful. It isn't fair to him and it isn't good for any of us. I'd rather be poor and happy then see his character broken for a job that just isn't worth it, no matter how good the pay.

Note to Self. Quit your whining!

As I sit here watching Alexis play with her Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Justin play with his Sing-a-long Stage and listening to Sesame Street on the tv, I realize that I should be completely content with my life. Yes, sometimes things are stressful and not they way we would like them to be. (Here comes my list of whines) Anthony's job isn't going quite as well as we'd hoped. (that'll be another post in itself) finances are tight. I wish I were 50 pounds lighter. I wish the backyard was landscaped. I miss my brother. (Just two more months til he comes to visit!) I long to have a life outside of my home again. I need to get my application and materials ready for grad school. Can I even survive grad school? Do I have a choice? I could go on and on about little annoyances in my life, but aren't they really just part of life? Everyone has problems. Everyone has stress. Those things are what make life, well....LIFE! I realize that I am fortunate because there are people who have much more serious things to think about. Today my goal is to concentrate on the things I have to be thankful for, instead of dwelling on the have-nots. I have two beautiful, healthy children. I have a husband, who despite all of my faults, (and they are many) loves me and will always be my best friend. I have wonderful family who is always there when we need them and who are more special than words can ever explain. We have a house that is ours, with plenty of room to live in and play in. We have warm beds to sleep in and toys to play with. We have cars to get us to the places we need to and want to go. We have food to eat and do not know what it is like to really be hungry (though sometimes the children act as if they are starving) or to go to bed hungry. We do not have to hide our political views or our religious beliefs, because we are lucky enough to live in a country that allows us that freedom. Life will never be "perfect". There will always be obstacles and problems. The important thing is not that they exist how we choose to deal with them. We can let them devour us, pushing us into a deep, dark place. Or we can face them and find the best possible way to overcome them. This is how I will live my life...not giving up, not focusing on the bad, but striving daily to be positive and see the good things in life, and be thankful for the life that God has given me.

I love watching....

my babies play with Daddy. He has been working such long hours and is so tired when he comes home that he hasn't had a lot of opportunities to spend time with the kids. Today is his first day off in about a week and watching him with them makes me smile. There is nothing cuter than my 270 lb husband and my two toddlers scrunched inside a Thomas the Train tent in the middle of the living room! Hopefully, I'll be able to catch them in there again so I can snap a picture. It's also pretty heart warming to watch Alexis and Justin wrestle. They just climb all over each other. Their new favorite thing is pretending to be dinosaurs. There is nothing more precious in life than having such a wonderful family. God has truly blessed us with so much.

My new favorite thing!

With two little ones, a husband, and a house to take care of, it is often so difficult to find time to shower, let alone exercise. However, I recently discovered the 10 Minutes Solution exercise programs and am so happy with them. I have 2 dvd's: Dance it Off and Tone it Up and Fat Blasting Latin Dance Mix and both are great. Each video has five 10-minute routines that really get your heart pumping and your muscles working. You can spread them out throughout the day or do them all at once. This has been great for me because the kids can't always be occupied for long periods of time. Additionally, both of the kids have been so interested in them, that they dance around the living room with me, giving us all some much needed activity. So far I am only focusing on two of the routines because I am so clumsy that getting the hang of the moves and choreography has been tricky. But after only a week, I'm starting to feel more comfortable with them and less out of breath when I'm done. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a solid exercise routine that I can work into my day, every day, not just sporadically.

Miscellaneous thoughts from a busy day...

As we turned off the a/c finally and opened up our windows, I realized that neither of my children have any winter clothes that fit. This was further illustrated when I put Alexis is her long sleeve pj's from last year and the pants looked like crop pants and the shirt resembled a midriff. This prompted an all day shopping trip with the kids. Shopping in itself can be tiring, but shopping with two toddlers...majorly exhausting. We were gone for about ten hours, but it felt like much, much longer. In addition to the three kids clothing stores we went to, we also took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese. It has been ages since I have been to Chuck E. Cheese and I had forgotten how much they have for little kids. Alexis was in heaven with all of the little ride on cars and the climbing structures. It was also nice that she could kind of run around without us worrying too much because they stamp your hand and your childrens' hands with a unique number in invisible ink so that you must be with your children for them to get out the door. She loved having a little independence in the toddler area while daddy and I watched from our table. I think my two favorite things were watching her play the little tiny whack-a-mole and the little air hockey table that was just her size, though I had to get on my knees. It was also quite amusing when she couldn't quite get the skee balls to the top so she just climbed up on it, when up the aisle, and dropped them in the holes. Both kids were extremely well behaved, with the exception of the small tantrum Alexis threw when it was time to leave (after 3 hours of playing). Though very exhausting it was a very good day. Things have been so stressful lately, so it was very nice to finally have a day to spend together as a family and just have fun. We got the kids plenty of clothes...probably too many, but there were just so many cute things and now I shouldn't have to buy any more clothes all winter. There were also some great Columbus day sales and I got some great deals, so I don't feel too bad about what we spent. Now comes the arduous task of washing everything and putting it away. Maybe I'll save that for tomorrow. For now, I think I just want to sleep.

God is so good!

I am thankful for so many things, but today there is one thing that stands out above all. Anthony still has a job and it is still local. For those of you who don't know the whole story, back in May the place where Anthony works announced that it would be closing. Because of his status and his seniority, we didn't really worry too much because we figured that he would be placed in another facility somewhere in the local vicinity. Then the first list of available jobs came out and our life was turned upside down. The nearest opening was 120 miles away. This was back when gas was nearing $5 a gallon and they couldn't guarantee hours, so we started to panic. Relocating was never an option because we bought our house when the market was near its highest, so with the failing economy, we are upside down on our mortgage and selling isn't an option. We probably wouldn't be able to rent it for enough to even make our mortgage, so things started to look very grim. A few months back we had resigned ourselves to what we thought was the worst case scenario. Anthony accepted a job about 200 miles away and would be living with some friends, while the kids and I remained here. He would be working enough hours and getting paid enough that we would still be okay financially and we hoped he would be able to come home at least twice a month. The catch was he had to pass three exams in order to be placed. We thought he was home free and were dumbfounded when we were told that he failed the final exam. Thoughts of unemployment were nearing reality and we were really beginning to stress out. When almost all hope was lost, a job became available 7 miles from our house! The downside...he had to take those three exams again. I kept telling myself that God had a plan for us and that the first failed exam was necessary. If he had passed it the first time, he would have moved 200 miles away and when the closer job became available, he wouldn't have been eligible for it because he had already been placed. There was still that slight fear in my mind of what would happen if he failed again. No need to worry. As I stated in the title of this post...God is so good! We got the results today and Anthony officially has a job 7 miles away that pays more than he was making before and will most likely allow for more advancement. I'm so thankful and so happy. What I've learned from this whole situation is that God always has a plan even though it might not be the same plan you have. My faith has been strengthened. May it continue to grow everyday and my I always look to him for guidance.

Being a Mom

Some days I wonder if I am really cut out to be a mom. Don't get me wrong. I love my kids with all of my heart and soul and I love being a mommy, but even after 2 1/2 years, sometimes I second guess myself. I wonder if I'm making the right choices, doing the right things, or raising them the right way. It's not like you get a user manual and though everyone wants to give you advice, you still have to figure out what is best for you, your family, and most of all your children. Having two children so close in age can often be extremely trying, especially now that they are both mobile. Overall I know it is the best thing I have ever done and as they get a little older, it will get easier. Some days can be very frustrating, especially on days when one of the kids are fussy or when one of them decides to be more difficult than usual. Then there are days like today where everything just clicks and I truly believe that being a mommy is what I'm meant to do with my life. My kids have never been on a schedule and I find it so hard to keep one, which is probably one of the main reasons I sometimes feel like a bit of a failure as a mom. I've been working really hard to get us all on a schedule and it's finally starting to pay off. The kids actually had three solid meals, a couple of healthy snacks, a good nap (which they took at the same time!), and went to bed at a decent hour. I even managed to do three loads of laundry, the dishes, pick up the house a bit, and get some exercise! I feel so good! I feel like I am completely in control and I think the kids sense it too. Hopefully this will become a trend and every day will feel so wonderful.

The only negative thing today has been that poor little Justin has had major diarrhea and he cries every time I have to change his diaper (which has been pretty frequent). It's been bad since the first diaper this morning complete with a very bad rash, and I know it is painful for him. We've stopped using wipes and started using soft cloths, but even that doesn't seem to help. The poor guy just shivers and shakes and screams. I don't know if he has a stomach bug or if it was something he ate, but my heart just breaks each and every time he cries. Please pray that it is better tomorrow. He's already woke up twice to be changed since I put him to bed 2 hours ago, so I'm thinking that tonight will be a long night.

Free Handbags!

After reading several of my friends' posts regarding Handbag Planet's new site launch and after realizing I only own 2 handbags (yes I know it's sad, but for the last 2 1/2 years I've only used the diaper bag!) I decided I might as well enter the free handbag contest. Basically, Handbag Planet is launching a new site on October 15th and on that day they will give away a free handbag every hour. If you need a new handbag and want to give it a shot check out Handbag Planet.

Politics, religion, and other things you shouldn't discuss with family members

Have you ever noticed how some subjects can turn even the nicest people into hateful, insult-breathing monsters? Why is it that we live in a country that is supposed to give people so many freedoms, yet people get so offended by others' opinions and spend so much of their time judging those who don't live their lives the way someone else thinks they should?

A few nights ago, i received a phone call from so pollsters, who were questioning California voters about discrimination and gay marriages. The questions I was asked really made me think about a couple of things. First, why do so many people care if gay people get married or not? I know that many members of the Christian Coalition as well as those of numerous religious organizations feel that it is morally wrong to be gay and are concerned about the de-sanctification of marriage, but are heterosexual couples really protecting that sanctity? We live in a country where 40%-50% of all marriages will end in divorce. That's a pretty sad statistic if you stop and think about it. So apparently there are many, many straight couples who aren't taking their vows very seriously. Maybe gay couples who really want to be married will be a little more earnest when it comes to their commitment. Why do people care so much about what other people do. Shouldn't marriage be about the love between two people and be something that a couple shares with each other and with God? It's really no one else's business. Which brings me to my next thought. Many believe that the Bible says that homosexuality is wrong, but the God I know is a loving, forgiving, mericiful God. I believe it is the grace of God that saves us. I also believe that the only one who has the power to judge is God. I was not put here on earth to judge how anyone lives their life. My job here is to live my life in a manner that is pleasing to God, not to pass judgement on those who aren't. Is it really going to hurt anyone to allow people who love each other to be married? I think not.

I In addition to all of the social issues people are arguing about, we have this whole mess with our economy. I guess overall, I am just very concerned with the choices our government is making these days and the behavior of the lawmakers and other politicians. This whole bailout plan, in my humble opinion, is just a bad idea. Between the government saving the companies who are struggling because they had poor business practices and all of the wasteful earmarks that are included in the bill, I don't think it is going to help our economy the way everyone thinks it is. I think this is the first election I've voted in that I don't know who to vote for and am seriously considering not voting at all. I just don't' know if I trust any politicians right now, republican or democrat, because they all seem to be making bad choices right now. And the local propositions and measures are just ridiculous. We don't want to allow gay marriages, but we want to allow 16 year-old girls to be able to have abortions without notifying their parents? Something is seriously wrong with our society and it's priorities.

I'll probably add more to this later, but right now I'm just tired, so should probably try to get some sleep as the kids will be up much too early. Good night (or should I say morning) and have a great day today.

He ate what??

Oh my word.  How do I keep Justin from putting everything...and I mean EVERYTHING, into his mouAth?  Two days ago was quite atrocious.  The kids were playing in the playroom while Anthony, my mom, and I were cooking dinner.  Justin comes into the room crying incessantly, while wiping his mouth.  Anthony was making salsa so I thought he had reached up on the counter and got a jalepeno or something else as equally hot.  However, when I picked him up I could smell that it was something far worse...it was definitely poop!  Ewwww!  So there we were wiping his mouth, brushing his teeth, cleaning out the poor kids mouth, and trying to figure out where it came from.  At first we thought the dog must have had an accident, but we couldn't find anything.  Then, my darling daughter informs us that, "My poop fell out of my diaper and Justin ate it."  Thanks Alexis for solving the mystery.  It would have been funny if it hadn't been so totally disgusting.  I'm still completely grossed out by the thought.  The most hilarious moment though came after dinner when we were eating chocolate covered mini marshmellows.  We gave one to Justin and he threw it and ran the other way.  Guess it didn't look so tasty.  Maybe he'll be more selective about what he puts in his mouth.  At least, I hope so.