Thank You Santa!

Christmas morning was great!! Devon didn't wake up too early. She managed to sleep in until 6:15am, yeah me. She walked right past the tree (which was in the loft this year) a couple of times without even noticing the new additions. Matthew slept in until 7:15am, which is late for him. But even though both kids were up, we still had to wait until Chris came home. So I cheated and put on PBS to distract Devon.

About 20 minutes later Devon heard the garage door opening and jumped up screaming, "Dad's home! Dad's Home!" Chris managed to come in and tell me a little about his evening before we went upstairs to see what was under the tree.

Now that the lights were on Devon saw the new pile of gifts under the tree and was very excited. Santa did good on his promise to bring a ball for Christmas, but Devon didn't expect it to be a big ball with a handle to hold on to while bouncing! She was very pleased. Little does she know it almost had to stay in the box. Last night when I went to put the Santa toys together I went hunting for our bicycle pump, but it was nowhere to be found. So I went to our neighbors house, but she didn't have one. So I went across the street and luckily he had a small one for basket balls. It took me over 10 minutes to pump the thing, and that was after 10 minutes of figuring out the attachment for the ball. Ahhhh, the joys of Santahood. Santa also got Devon a doctor's kit, and a Bearenstein Bears Video, along with some small toys in her stocking.

Matthew got a push toy so now he can, in theory, stop rearranging the kitchen chairs. Just a simple gift from Santa since he's so young. We got him a CD player for his room, a gripy ball, and some big plastic cars. We got Devon a veggie tales lunchbox, two new sweat shirts, a new Cars car, and a gripy ball like Matthew.

Chris got a new leather jacket a couple of months ago that he considered his Christmas present, but I still couldn't resist getting him a few things. The kids got him an iHome, to listen to his ipod at home. I got him The Dark Night and Iron Man as well as some traditional candy he always gets.

I got more than I should have since we were trying to stay on a budget, but has never been known to stick to gift limits. He's so generous! I got an awesome wireless printer that is also a scanner copier. Woo-hoo! No more dragging the lap top up stairs at night to print something! He also got me some movies; Saved, and season 1 & 2 of Dexter, my favorite show!! And I got the Tales of Beetle the Bard, the new J.K Rowling book, and Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire.

Tonight we will have a small version of a Christmas dinner. I just bought a ham steak instead of a big ham, because only me and Chris will eat it. And some potatoes for mashed potatoes, mac and cheese and frozen yeast rolls. Yep. It's going to be that simple. :) And hopefully Chris will be feeling a little better too. Poor guy has been sick for almost a week.

I Should Stop Being Surprised By Now

Last night while I was giving the kids a bath, Devon was being a little grumpy while I was brushing her hair. So I pulled out the old Santa is watching trick. I don't really use it, but it's close enough to Christmas I thought I would give it a try. Boy did she blow me away.

I told Devon, "You know Santa is watching you to make sure you're being a good girl, because if you're not he won't bring you any presents."

She just looked at me and said, "No Mommy. Only God is with us all the time. Not Santa."

I just looked at her in shock. She had me there. What could I do. So I just smiled and said, "Oh yeah that's right. But God really wants us to be nice doesn't He."

She smiled back and said, "That's right."

I love that children can really get it. Why that changes for so many as we get older I don't know. I wonder if I got it when I was four. It just amazes me that Devon can recall what we are asked to do even during the holidays when the true meaning sometimes gets smothered.

This is inspiring me to maybe start a new tradition this year. I'm thinking of reading the story of Jesus's birth tonight when we gather around the tree, before we open a gift. And we can do it every year on Christmas eve.

This is What I Was Made For

I think it's pretty obvious that I have a random obsession with making food cute, especially for Devon's lunches. Today Devon's class is having a holiday party and of course I volunteered to bring something. Now I remember Christmas parties from my days in elementary school. They consisted of a half hour of sugar, sugar and more sugar! So I decided to bring something not so sugary, but still kid friendly and FESTIVE!

So I bought a few bricks of cheese and cut them into Christmas trees, stars and gingerbread men with my mini cookie cutters (which I LOVE!) and I bought some snowflake Ritz crackers. I put them on a platter and presto! a healthy snack.

I was planning on making pumpkin muffins too, but I changed m mind and decided to make apple muffins instead. Don't ask why, I'm just weird like that. But while I was picking up some items I left off my grocery list yesterday I just happened to need to go to the crafty baking isle and they had these way cute mini muffin molds that I couldn't resist. So not only were my muffins deliciously healthy, but they too were cute shapes too!

I'm a big dork, and I'm ok with that. :)

Pep Talk

Man, lately I've been struggling. I haven't seen my counselor in over a month and I thought I would be ok with that, but I think I was wrong. And that makes me sad. I don't know what's worse, the label or the sickness. Postpartum depression. Just saying it makes me feel worse, it's such a yucky label.

And to top it all off, Devon is learning how other kids behave and is testing out these new behaviors at home. But then again she is also acting her age, which will be over in a few months and then she will be five. That is such a big age. But I feel like this whole week I have been battling with her over things I know she knows better. Like complaining when it's time to pick up. Or throwing a huge whining fit when it's time to brush her teeth and hair in the morning. And not listening, when I ask her to do something. That's getting pretty old too.

Actually, now that I look at my list of battles, I'm thinking they are very typical for her age and pretty harmless. I've just got to keep telling myself "She's four and overall is very well behaved for her age." I mean right now as I'm typing she is "reading" books to Matthew teacher style where she holds the book out to the side so he can see the pictures too. It's pretty cute. Sadly enough it's these cute little moments that help me get through my days.

So this is my pep talk, because by golly I need one! I'm a kick ass Mom and one hell of a wife. My kids are awesome and all kids have their moments. I'm healthy (well at least physically). And tomorrow I get to go Christmas shopping for the three most important people who adore me. You've got a fantastic life Michelle, and you will get better soon!

Pickles

Well, this has just been a blog writing kinda week, hasn't it?

Since Matthew began crawling around to follow me he has always been excited when I open the refrigerator. I suppose the big bright light and colorful bottles and such are very attractive to an infant.

On the bottom shelf on the door are two water bottles and a jar of pickles for sandwiches/hamburgers. This jar of pickles was like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for Matthew. As soon as he hears me open the refrigerator door he comes racing over and reaches for the pickle jar. Today was no different. I was getting dinner ready (homemade chili!) and I reached in the fridge for garlic, and of course Matthew came rushing over. Well, I didn't get the door shut in time and Matthew was able to once again grab at the jar of pickles. This time, he was successful at knocking it over and when he knocked it over the lid came off with it!

This was extreme excitement for him. He instantly tried to splash in the pickle juice. So I grab him away from the pickle juice spilling everywhere, with the garlic still in my hands and I plop the garlic on the counter and then set Matthew down in the living room. I grab a few hand towels and start cleaning the mess. All the while, I hear Matthew squealing in excitement and rushing back in the kitchen. Chris jumps up to grab him and gets him just in time.

Silly boy. So after a couple of months of grabbing at the pickle jar it apparently slowly loosened the lid. At least that's my explanation, because we honestly haven't used those pickles in a while. Matthew has been the only one to touch them. He's such a nut. So now, after nine months of life, Matthew has a nickname that may or may not last a lifetime. We'll see how long it sticks. But for now, we are definitely calling him Pickles. It's only fare, my parents call Devon Puddin', but she doesn't have a funny story to explain it though.

Everyone says it, and now I'm joining in the chorus that "Boys are definitely different!" I can't help feeling like this may be some sort of "payback" from Chris's childhood, but then that doesn't seem fair because I'm the main one chasing after him. Oh well. I wouldn't trade my little mischievous boy for anything!

Get Ready!

Well, when Devon first started school I wrote an ode to Mrs. Hygh her teacher. And let me tell you she has lived up to expectations!

Devon got her second report card and is doing excellent. She has improved on her two N's (needs improvement) from the first six weeks. She is also proficient in over half of the curriculum now. But that is not the good news. The good news is that she is ready to start reading!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited to see that little note from her teacher. I've been waiting for this for so long. I tried working with her this summer, but she wasn't into it so I put it aside because I wanted to wait until she was ready. So now I have the green light!

Last night I let her pick a book and asked her of she wanted to help me read it. She looked a little confused but still said yes. I told her to look for the words "I" and "A" and to help me read them. She jumped right on that like a dog on a bone. It was so fun.

I'm going to try adding a new word every other day for her to "help me read" and just go at her pace. As much as I've been longing for this, I don't want to make it feel like a chore. It's just another way for us to have something special to do together and I'm so happy it's finally time.

9 Months!!!

So Matthew is now 9 months old! And he is quickly becoming quite a busy little boy. He's a speed crawler, he loves pulling up on anything within reach, and has recently become a fan of rearranging the chairs in the kitchen by pushing them like a walker.

He is such a happy go lucky kid. It's amazing. He has stayed in the church nursery twice for an hour and has done just fine. He's just so much fun. He's starting to enjoy playing games like pass the toy back and forth, and of course the gravity game. Good thing he has a patient big sister to continue picking up the toys he drops to keep the game going as long as he wants. He gives kisses and is starting to wave.

I took him to his 9 month check up today and he's doing just great. His weight did drop down a pound, but his doctor wasn't too concerned (but I was). We just need to vamp up his calorie intake. I've been given permission to let him try eggs (most of the time you wait until they are 12 months), because those pack some serious calories.

He's been a little bit of a picky eater, not a good sign for a 9 month old. He just isn't wild about pureed food. Most of the time I have to put a Gerber fruit or veggie puff on the spoon with the food for him to eat it. He wants the real stuff. He loves bits of banana, pinto beans, bread, pumpkin, sweet potato bits, yogurt and will eat anything dipped in spaghetti sauce, especially beans.

I'm really hoping that giving him enough food will also help with him waking up so often at night, because he won't be hungry. That's the theory, let's hope it works.

"Cake or Death!"

Haha. It's always good to start a blog with an Eddie Izzard quote!

Well, the last three years I have been wanting to make Devon's birthday cake myself, instead of buying the heavily sugared and not so creative ones from the store. But obviously that never happened for various reasons. So I began looking at cake websites online a few days ago to get some ideas when I came across a dinosaur cake! It gets even better though. I actually didn't look difficult to replicate.

Tuesday night we had a Neighborhood Watch meeting and I used that as an excuse to make a cake and practice creating a dinosaur. Of course I just bought a box of Betty Crocker mix, my main objective was to shape a cake. And here's what I created.

I know. It looks more like a turtle than a dinosaur, but I did learn a lot from this experience. First, when you try to frost the inner part of cake it crumbles, which is incredibly irritating. Second, once you frost the head of the dinosaur it is too heavy to stand up. More irritation. Third, it's definitely going to need some candy decorations to look like a dinosaur and not a turtle. Some spikes to transform it into a stegosaurus should work well.

I am definitely going to try this out one more time before his birthday. Now I need to figure out what to make Devon. I saw a very cute way to make the very hungry caterpillar using a couple of cut up bunt cakes, but I'm still open to ideas. If I can figure out how to make a Magic Treehouse cake that would be AWESOME!! Since that is more than likely going to be her birthday theme.

The End Is Near

As most of you know, I'm a big advocate for breastfeeding. Even though I'm broken and can only feed on one side. I wanted to go the full recommended 12 months with Devon but only made it to 9 months because I got thrush and Devon weaned herself. I was pretty bummed.

Then Matthew came along and hasn't really had any issues like Devon, so I have been really hopeful about making it all the way to 12 months. Well, here comes a hurdle and boy is it a whopper. I seem to be producing less milk. So I run to the health food store and grab some good ol' Fenugreek. It helps a little but not enough to relish the side effects.

Matthew nurses every two hours, which is no big deal, I'm used to it and I understand that it is because I can only nurse on one side. It's been this way since we brought him home from the hospital. He would still sleep really well at night, having a first sleep stretch last anywhere from 5 to 9 hours. But the last few weeks, he wakes up every two to three hours at night to nurse. Uhg!

At first it wasn't too bad, but now I am really starting to be effected by this. I'm constantly tired and I'm pretty grumpy throughout the day. Not good for the family. Not good for me. So the idea of giving him a bottle of formula keeps being thrown at me and I really tried to resist. But my well-being is continuing to dwindle and I don't want to be a grumpy Mom or grumpy wife for three more months.

Today I tried to give him a bottle right before his afternoon nap. After twenty minutes of resistance by Matthew I was pooped and caved into nursing him (actually us) to sleep. Then tonight I tried again to give him a bottle to put him down. Still lovingly holding him close and rocking him, but still he resisted. He finally just passed out without drinking anything.

So now I am consumed with guilt. I feel like I just starved the kid and it just doesn't feel right to wean him while he's kicking and screaming (literally). What's a mom to do (*sob*)?

Bed Time Schmed Time

Well, today was exciting! It was very chilly and it was a Saturday which means Farmers Market day, Hooray!! My favorite. We get out there and it is so windy that most of the vendors took down their canopies, but I wasn't worried because we were all bundled up.

Matthew had on two pairs of socks, sweat pants (that are huge on him!), a onesie, a sweatshirt, a beanie, and he was snugglied to me with a blanket over him. We were warm. Devon was sporting her new coat I bought on Friday while she was in school. I'm so proud of myself for paying attention to the weather forecast and snagging a coat before they were all gone.

So we walked around and got the veggies we will need for next weeks meals and had some lunch. Then we headed over to the library for new kid books and cook books. I'm two pages away from starting on spiral number three for all my recipes. Then back to home. It was almost one by the time we got home and we were all pretty pooped. I made some grilled cheese, since we ate lunch at 10:30 like Devon is used to doing at school and then Matthew was ready for his afternoon nap.

I popped in Cars and we all snuggled on the couch. Matthew was the first one asleep, nursing knocks him out quick when he's tired, then me and at some point Devon even fell asleep. It was cute! I woke up at the end of the movie to both my sweeties sleeping on me. It was heaven. But I knew I would have to wake them up. It was 4:15 and if they nap too late, then they won't got to bed. So we woke up and then went to wake up Chris.

Tonight I went out on a limb and made something I wasn't sure Devon would like at all. I made crunchy chicken and blackbean tacos. Turns out if you put anything in a crunchy taco shell, Devon will eat it eagerly!! I'll store that bit of info for future meals. Every bite she took, she dramatically mmmhed. It was great.

So now, it is 8:30 and while I should be having quiet Mommy time, Devon is now hanging out in the living room reading her knew library books because she is not tired. Big surprise there! So I'm going to join her on the couch and read her the new books until 9:00 and then I will have to put my foot down for bed time. It's ok to fudge the rules from time to time, it's all for the love of reading!

Granola! I Love You!

Today was a good day for baking. It was cool enough outside to leave the backdoor open with the screen shut so the oven wouldn't heat up the down stairs.

But before my baking fun began, I went to Sun Harvest, which is like a mini Central Market, to grab some Fenugreek and check out the bulk bins. Boy did I hit the jackpot! Well, that's exaggerating a bit, I just happened to find a few items that central market didn't carry in bulk. I snagged a mother-load of organic rolled oats, some barley (for baby food), sliced almonds (mmmmmm) and lots of wheat germ. The wheat germ was definitely the best buy. I got about one and a half times as much as you get at the grocery store for about $4 for only $0.55!! Woot!! Sorry I get excited about bargains. It runs in the family......

So back to the granola. I got the idea a couple of days ago to make my own granola bars when I realized I would have to go back to the grocery store to get more for Chris because he is working seven days straight this week and I didn't buy enough during my last grocery visit. So I went to one of my favorite recipe websites (http://www.allrecipe.com/) and browsed about the different ways to make it.

It really isn't as complicated as it sounds. You just mix everything up and slap it in a baking pan. I don't know why I assume most things would be more difficult to make from scratch. Perhaps the food industry has something to do with it. Have you seen the commercial stating that peeling a potato is hard work??? It takes like five minutes to peel enough potatoes for mashed potatoes! Slimey corporations.... Sorry. Tangent.

So yeah. I did it. I made my own granola bars and they're pretty yummy. They turned out a little crispy for my taste, but that's my fault for not checking on them. Mine are flavored with honey, craisins and almond slices. Oh boy, tastey and healthy! Don't you just want to grab one?

Obamanos McCain

Last night I got less than five hours of sleep. Despite this, I feel rested and I'm in a great mood. Matthew was having trouble getting to sleep because tooth number two is starting to emerge, so he went to bed three hours later than normal at 10:45. I didn't mind too much because I was glued to the tv all night watching America make me proud.

I was truly concerned over the possibility that Obama would not win due to ignorance or fear of having a black president. I am truly in awe of what has happened. I feel like the enormity of this has not been realized. Obama has fulfilled the dream of millions. His governmental changes may never have the impact that this one accomplishment will have on our future. Our children will grow up with a hero who beat the odds, who broke the divide and who will (I hope) revitalize America's passion for fulfilling dreams.

Now I know I have done my share of razzing McCain, but you've got to give the man credit too. He is also responsible for bringing out people's passion to vote. Reawakening our value on the power of democracy. Obama gets most of the credit though (wink!). Go ahead America, stand up and celebrate!! Change is coming and I'm not talking about policy.

Bi-Yearly Illness

Well, this weekend I was sick as a dog. I haven't been sick for just about two years, so I suppose in the grand scheme of things that's not too bad. I was pretty miserable though. And as Chris loves to remind me when I'm sick, "Misery loves company, but you're driving me crazy so go to your room!" Yeah I was quarantined to my room so I wouldn't spread the disease.

It started Thursday of last week. I had a bit of a sore throat, but nothing horrendous, little did I know that was just the beginning. Friday, it's much worse. So I try to be proactive and go to the doctor to get some meds early before this gets too serious. However, there is no help with the medical profession, because it's a virus and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. Grrrrrrr.

Friday night I try my darnedest to suck it up, so I don't spoil Halloween. Devon and Matthew get all cuted up but I stayed in my pajama's. Chris took Devon trick or treating in our neighborhood and Matthew kept me company at the front door to pass out candy, which I had never done before. As the night grew later, I started getting worse and worse. To the point where I specifically remember telling Chris, with tears in my eyes, "I don't want to be sick anymore."

I don't know what happened, but my body was literally body slammed by the virus. I was sweating, then shivering, and I could feel my throat swelling up. My body felt like it was bruised on the inside, it hurt so much. Misery.

Saturday, the body aches were considerably better, but all the other symptoms were there. Sunday my main problem was my throat and the same goes for Monday. The whole weekend just flew by and I kept getting confused as to what day it was. Chris was a real trooper taking care of the kids, you know keeping them happy and bringing Matthew to me when he was hungry.

I don't remember a lot, but here are a few random memories that did stick.

• Chris baked a cake.
• Matthew came tapping at the bedroom door all by himself. (ADORABLE!!)
• I watched some episodes of Dexter.
• I slammed down some serious OJ.
• Oh yeah, and looking at my throat in the mirror with a flashlight.

Five days later, my throat still hurts. It hurts to talk, eat, and drink, even to swallow my own saliva. But I don't feel nearly as bad as I did, so there's the good news.

A Contemporary Samaritan

Saturday Devon's school had a Fall Festival where each grade had a game booth set up and the kids could play the games for 50 cents. Devon had a blast and even saw a few of her friends there.

Well when it was time to go Matthew was pretty pooped and fussy. So I put him in the car and he got even more mad, because he is not a big fan of the car seat. This made me flustered, so I was trying to start the car to cool it off, then I tossed the stroller in the back and hoped in the car to leave. Luckily it is only a 5 minute drive from the school to home.

We get home and I'm excited because I get to get fussy Matthew out, but then a horrible realization came to me. I had left my purse on top of my car and left it there because I was in such a hurry to hop in the car and get home. So of course it didn't make it back home with us.

So we turn around to go back to the school and it is not on the ground where we had parked. So I went inside to ask if anyone had turned in a purse. Nope. So we drive the same route we took looking for my purse on the side of the road. Nothing.

Let me tell you, I felt so lousy and horrified. I couldn't believe I did such a bone head thing like driving with my purse on top of the car. So I call the bank and they canceled my debit and credit cards, so no one can get a free ride on our money.

Then I went to the police station and filled a report. Luckily it was an officer I knew from the Neighborhood Watch, and he was telling me how someone took his wallet from his house when he had a party and spent $3,000 in four hours. Yikes!!! It made me feel a little better that I wasn't in that boat. But when I told him my drivers licence and social security card was in there he just looked at me. Uh oh. Apparently I just handed someone all they needed to steal my identity to get a credit card, buy a car or even a house!! This really made me miserable. But luckily my parents were there to help me feel better and Chris did an awesome job cheering me up, while picking on me too.

I tried not to let it ruin my weekend. Sunday after church we went to our churches fall festival on the capital grounds. While we were sitting there enjoying some barbecue Chris gets a phone call from Reel Flix, the movie rental store in Manor. Apparently, someone called the store because they found the membership card in my wallet, which was in my purse on the side of Highway 290.

That's right!! A sweet old lady saw me turn onto 290 with my purse on my car and watched it fall on the ground. She turned around and picked it up. The reason it took until Sunday afternoon to find me was because she couldn't figure out a way to contact me, until she thought to call Reel Flix.

Isn't that awesome that there are still honest people out there. Hooray for contemporary good samaritans!!!!!

Test Kitchen #2

Well, I did more cooking from scratch last night. I made chimichangas! Which I have done one other time, but they weren't too fantastic. But last nights batch was awesome. Chris was very impressed, which is hard to do. So Hooray for me!!!

These had beans, meat and cheese, and yes I do mean my homemade "refried" beans that are not fried. Devon even liked them, until she heard me call it a chimichanga instead of burrito. Why that made a difference I'll never know, but she sure did finish it.

Test Kitchen #1

Well, for the last couple of months I have been collecting tons of new recipes and many of them oddly enough call for the ingredients of fall. Such as squashes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, mmmm. I have had a butternut squash hanging out in my cupboard for a few weeks and I've been pretty anxious to use it in something.

Monday, for some insane reason, I decided to go ahead and cut it up to encourage me to use it soon. So for dinner Monday night I decided we were having pasta with butternut squash and brown butter sauce. So I take the cubed squash out of the refrigerator and pop it in the oven and start cooking the pasta and the sauce. Well, I wasn't very confident with how the sauce turned out so I didn't use it. I just put a couple of spoon fulls of butter on the pasta after I drained it and then added the squash and mixed a pinch of nutmeg.

The verdict. I think the squash should have been cubed a bit smaller (my bad) so it would have cooked a little more tender. BUT it did look so appealing that Devon popped a piece of squash in her mouth without me having to make a bargain for her to try it. She said she didn't like the way it felt in her mouth. Once again my bad. But she did eat all of her pasta which had little tiny bits of squash on it from mixing, so haha she ate it without knowing it, even if it was just a little bit.

I liked it, but I didn't eat all the squash because it wasn't cooked enough for my liking. Oh well, next time I will know better, which is good because hopefully next time Chris won't be sick and will maybe try it. Good thing I worked the kinks out. Now I just need to get a handle on cooking sauces. Anybody want to volunteer to teach me?

Keeping Our Roots

I know I'm probably 80% Italian and Chris is around 50-70%. We like pasta, and especially pizza. The other night when Chris had to go into work early and wasn't able to eat dinner with us I took to easy route for dinner. I simply made spaghetti with butter and parmesan cheese. Easy. Cheap. And one of Devon's favorite meals. I also took this opportunity to let Matthew play with some noodles and have a little taste.

Of course he loved it. What baby wouldn't want to make a big mess and eat it up at the same time. Devon and I got a big kick out of watching his amazement and the faces he made.

Why? Why? Why?

Most people consider me to be a hard ass about allowing what and when Devon can watch tv or movies. And I'll admit it's mostly true. I am especially picky about what she can watch (there are rating for a reason people!) and how often. Most of the time, probably 90%, she doesn't watch tv on school days. Now she only goes in the mornings right now, which is why I am "nice" 10% of the time. But when she does start going to school everyday and eventually has real homework, she will be used to not watching tv on school days and will spend her time after school being a kid and playing, and completing homework. No one will ever be able to convince me that doing otherwise is beneficial. So cut it out! Seriously.

I don't judge people who don't use this same method, so don't worry. It's ok to be different, just respect when others won't agree with you. There's nothing wrong with disagreeing.

I saw a commercial this morning during the news for a new version of the v-smile. For those who don't know what a v-smile is, it's a video game system with games fit for three to six year olds. It is made by v-tech a popular children's educational toy company. When I first saw this a few years ago I instantly asked how much Nintendo or Sony payed to get this product on the shelves.

V-tech claims that it teaches your child while they play, and you know what they're not lying. It does teach the kids. My problem is that it puts kids in more solitary conditions lessening their social skills, and it gets kids used to overly visual based learning. How often do you hear about ADD or ADHD increasing in children. You're three year old can learn the same things the old fashioned way, through playing, being read to, and experiencing the world. A simple trip to the grocery store can replace just about every bit of information your kid will learn from the video games.

Now to the new version of the v-smile. It basically is a preschool version of the Nintendo wii, which I secretly love. The wii, not the v-smile. As a fan of the wii I don't necessarily believe that it is superior because it gets people "active," it's just made for people like me who used to turn their remote control while playing Super Mario Brothers. Basically this v-tech and even leapfrog products state that they can be educational, and immediately people grab them. When did people decide it's ok for a machine to spend so much time teaching our kids? Is this going to create a disconnected generation of people who cling to things instead of people? Or is that what we have already become?

Oh Baby the Places You'll Go

Well, little Matthew is getting dangerously close to being eight months old. Seriously, in four days. He is such an awesome little guy though. Always happy and gives away smiles to anyone who asks. We both hit a big milestone this weekend. He stayed in the church nursery for an hour while I was in Sunday school. And he did really well. I, however, was a nervous wreck, clinching my cell phone in my hand to make sure I didn't miss any vibrations. Luckily I had alot of support from the other moms in the class who knew exactly how I felt.

Also, Matthew is become a little climber and instead of describing his expeditions I will demonstrate it with a montage of pictures. All of these were taken just within the last two weeks.

Here we have Matthew climbing up on the lego table.

Instead of going around the box, he just went over it. Was this the path less traveled?

He absolutely loves climbing over people!

This is definitely my favorite age (of children in general), from now until about two. This is when everything is new and demands exploring. The simplest of objects can become powerfully stimulating. It's just amazing to watch the learning process unfold.

Rain + Garage = No Problem

So we have lived in our house for a year now. I can't believe it's gone by so fast, and it's definitely not slowing down. Today was the first day since about March that we actually got some good rain. It's been awesome. I think I can even see our grass turning back to green in the backyard. That's how long it's been.

This morning it was raining when it was time to take Devon to school, but there were no worries on my end. We are apart of that small population of folks who actually put their cars in the garage, "where it is supposed to be!" says Chris, and I agree. It was so nice to just hope in our (dry) car and head to school. I didn't have to worry about Matthew collecting water in the car seat or Devon "melting" in the rain. It was nice. I love it.

And another bonus will be if we ever get a cold winter again we don't have to worry about scrapping ice/snow off our windshield in the mornings. I can't wait until that happens. I mean do they even sell window scrappers in Texas?

I'm Bringing Bulky Back

Shortly before we moved to Austin I discovered an awesome place that is pretty well known to most, Central Market. And when we moved here I was so excited that there was one pretty close to our apartment complex. Then I found a second one downtown! It was heaven. Then I looked at the prices and got less excited. Regardless, they have some awesome food! And I love even to just "window shop" (it's odd to call it that when I'm talking about a grocery store).

Recently a friend mentioned that she buys her spices in bulk. And silly me pictured her buying a five pound bag of paprika. Then I found out that she meant from bulk containers. So I went to Central Market to check out their bulk bins. Wow came to mind pretty quick. You can get dried fruit, grains, spices, coffee, sweets, cereals, beans, nuts, sugar, and a whole lot more. Most of this stuff even has an organic option that is only a tad bit more in price, and I do mean like a few cents.

So with some birthday money I recently received, I went to town. Don't give me that look. I can spend my birthday money on whatever I want. *sticking tongue out*

I came home with

some organic rolled oats (for making muffins, cookies and oatmeal pancakes mmmmm) I've already used half of it. :)

a salt and kosher salt,

organic pinto beans,

granulated fructose (which is sugar that is processed less than regular sugar)

and a few spices that I racked my brain to remember the most recent recipes I had jotted down to know what to get.

It was very fun. I can't wait to go again!

Neighborhood Watch

Well, last week Chris and I went to our subdivisions first neighborhood watch meeting. Only about 6 other households made it to the meeting. Not too impressive. Chris ended up volunteering to be the president of the neighborhood watch, because no one else would. Then three other people were chosen to be block captains, one for each street.

Tonight was National Night Out, and Main Street organized a pool party with hot dogs. Chris and I got some funds and got a huge pinata, put nine pounds of candy/toys in it and bought some door prizes. Oh yeah, we filled up a bunch of water balloons, but there was a cool breeze tonight so that was a bad idea. I didn't anticipate more than ten households to show up. But boy did they surprise me! I would guess about twenty came. It's amazing how many people you can draw with free hot dogs.

Well, Mr. President had to go and get recertified on firearms tonight so I picked up as the First Lady. Now I'm not big on being a go getter. I like to hang back and watch. So it took a little bit for me to sike myself up for being Miss Personality, but I did it. I went and introduced myself to people and got many of them to sign up on the e-mail list.

Then I rounded up the kiddos when the fire department came so they could explore the fire truck. After that I rallied them again to beat the monster pinata we got. I think that was the best part of the whole night. Everyone was gathered around the pinata to watch the kids each have one try to hit it (I didn't think to bring a blindfold) starting with the little ones. It was very fun, even the adults without kids enjoyed watching.

In the end, I was sooooooo pooped. Between carrying Matthew around, meeting and greeting, figuring out how to hang the pinata, rallying kiddos (twice!) I was done for the evening. I packed the car back up and we headed home. It was 7:30 when we got back so Devon did not get a bath (she can just be the stinky girl in class tomorrow) and neither did Matthew. I got Devon ready for bed and then Matthew.

And after all that, do you know what I did? I googled "neighborhood watch" and found lots of pdf's about starting and maintaining them. I'm such a nerd, or better yet a research junkie. The best job I ever had was being a research assistant at SFA, and if I could still get paid to do the same thing now, even though I'm not a student, I definitely would.
'

Raising the Bar

During the past few months I have been consuming all sorts of information about nutrition and health. I just can't get enough of it. Who knows maybe I'll become a nutritionist and conquer the school lunch systems out here. (when I find the time)

But anyway, my new found hobby is finding new recipes to cook. I've been scouring the rows and rows of cookbooks at the library, searching recipe websites online, and taking notes from friends. I'm even borrowing a technique from my grandma where I copy down all the recipes in a spiral and then make a table of contents at the beginning. It's quite fun and I'm not waisting money on cookbooks that I might only use a few recipes from.

Unfortunately this also means there is potential for yucky dinners from poor recipes, and the only way to know if it is bad is to make it. And there are some pretty bad ones out there. I have attempted twice now to make mac and cheese from scratch and both were horrible. But I'm not giving up! Mac and cheese from a box is insanely processed and I KNOW I can outdo a box.

I have made a few dishes where I surprised myself. And if you know me, then you know I hate to have to touch meat, aside from cutting it. I don't like to eat meat with bone in it so I don't cook meat with bone in it. Poor Chris, this really limits my meals. I have been making baby steps though. Last week I made pan fried tilapia, and it was actually good. I've also made chicken nuggets, chimichangas and my own refried beans. Which I must add that Chris said, "These are better than the can." SUCCESS!!

So maybe I'll get really bold and post some pictures of my new found culinary skills. Although they will never compare to the great Bescow, Chris's best friend. He is actually attending the top culinary school in the US and his pictures of food he prepares makes me drool. Shoot, I am still trying to figure out how to mince garlic properly. One of these days I'll get it right.

Motherhood Secret #1

If anyone has me as a friend on myspace, you know I LOVE to post pictures of my little bears and I love (almost just as much) to add clever captions. That is when my brain is functioning properly. But sometimes my pictures seem like random moments when they really aren't. Take this picture for instance.

It looks really cute, like perhaps brother bear went sneaking into the cabinet to attack the tupperware. When really I opened it while he was fussing at my ankles while I was cutting up vegetables for whatever I was cooking for dinner. And then ran and got the camera when I saw how cute he was being.

Misleading? Nah. To me it's just another part of motherhood that happened to be camera friendly. I've used the cabinet trick twice now, both times while prepping veggies for dinner because I like to do it in the afternoon. It makes cooking dinner go by a little faster, especially now that I am cooking from scratch more.

Run Devon Run!!

So this morning started out just like any other. Breakfast, shower, get Devon ready, feed Matthew, and head out the door at 6:40am to walk down the street to the bus stop. We even saw our neighbor walking her 8 year old daughter to the bus stop. As we are walking, I notice our neighbor and her daughter running and since we are so early, I assume they are being goofy and racing or something. But then, a few seconds later I notice flashing lights on the next block. Panic!

All I remember from that point is saying, "Devon the bus is here. Run!" I grab her hand and hug Matthew with my other arm, he's in the baby carrier and we book it. Poor little guy, he begins to get concerned after a minute of running so I hug him tighter. And for the record, if you are looking for a good lung opening work out just strap 18 extra pounds to your chest. If that doesn't make your chest burn, nothing will.

Oh and did I mention Devon was yelling, "Mommy! Wait! I can't run that fast!" Yep, it was total excitement this morning. Why the bus came almost ten minutes early this morning I will never know, but I sure would like a warning the next time that is going to happen.

After a week of walking Devon to the bus stop, I have timed it just right to where we only have to wait a couple of minutes before the bus gets there. I don't like having to stand out there too long in the chilly morning air with Matthew. So for the next few days I'm going to be leaving earlier just to be safe. Uhg...

Having Fun Together

Whenever I do laundry, Devon almost always wants to play with the laundry basket. The other day she found a new way to play with it. Yep. She "trapped the wild thing." She's a big fan of the book Where the Wild Things Are, so this is why she called Matthew a wild thing.

Matthew thought the whole thing was quite entertaining, and kept giggling which is what caught my attention. I don't know why I always get suspicious when one or the other is laughing, but it always gets my attention quick.

So I showed Devon a different way she could play with Matthew and the laundry basket. There was an added bonus to this game. She got a bit of energy out too. :) Sneaky me.

I'm pretty sure Matthew liked this game better than hunting for wild things.

The Headlines Read "Siblings Rival Over Floor Space!"

So now that little Matthew is very mobile he likes to follow his favorite people everywhere. He likes to follow me in the kitchen, laundry room, bedroom and bathroom. Yep he's such a little explorer.

Well, this is all exciting for everyone, except now Devon is realizing playing with her Cars toys is a little challenging. She is not allowed to let Matthew play with the cars because they have small tire pieces that could come off. So she used to just claim a space far from him, but that doesn't cut it anymore because he loves, loves, loves to go where Big Sister goes.

The other day I finally found a way she can have her own space on the floor and Matthew be safe from the toys. It may sound a bit odd, but I basically barricade Devon in her corner using her doll house. She loves having her own bother or should I saw brother free zone.



Now this worked for a few days, but now little man is stepping up his game and pulling up onto his knees, on her doll house. It's kinda funny. He looks like King Kong reaching into the doll house for a car. And Chris is in denial that Matthew is even remotely interested in the PINK doll house. ;)

I Heart Mrs. Hygh

So as you may recall from a previous blog, I'm pretty anal about my kids education. Too many kids these days slip through elementary school without a good foundation in the basics which makes the rest of there time in school miserable. So last night when we went to curriculum night, I was waiting to hear what Mrs. Hygh, Devon's teacher, had to say about her classroom. And let me tell, I could not love this woman anymore! She is everything you could want in a teacher.

First off, she used to teach 4th, 5th and 6th grade and during those years she was upset about how most kids didn't have a good foundation in basic skills, meaning she was reteaching them concepts they should already know. It's one thing to need a little refresh after three months of not using your brain during summer vacation, but not being able to read, spell or do math at your designated level is unfortunate. So she moved down to pre-k with a strong passion to get things started the right way.

Many of the materials she uses in her classroom are designed for kindergarten and she even told us that she is teaching them many things that they will learn in kindergarten now, because if they catch on great, if not next year it will be sure to sink in because they've seen it. So that means she is working harder to not only teach them the pre-k curriculum but is stepping it up to give more of a challenge. That's passion and that's why you gotta love her.

She mentioned that last year she had a few kids reading by the end of the year and that's when the falling in love process was complete for me. Now I know I am big on reading and many people may think that I go to far sometimes, but I just thought that was incredible. Now I've got to try my best not to push Devon too hard, because I don't want to push her away from it (even though that's hardly possible since she has been called "book girl" in church since she was two!). I tell myself that she will read when she's ready, but I am totally ready for whenever that happens. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

I Love Fall

Saturday was amazing! I am so ready for fall. We started out our adventure by going to the farmers market downtown, which I love. The weather was cool and the sun was shining. People were walking their dogs. There were a ton of other families with kiddos and there was a band playing music. I just love the complex simplicity of it all. We enjoyed some good food too. Homemade empanadas, mmmmm. Next week I'll try to be smart and plan the weekly meals so I can get the produce I need there.

Then after that we went to the library, also downtown, to get Devon new books for the week and me too. Man let me tell you, I could seriously spend all day there looking at books and be perfectly content. It is so huge. I just love it. I got some new recipe books and a book on preserving food, because that just seems like an awesome thing to do.

Then after that, yep it was a busy day, we went to the Austin flee market, which is conviently on the way home from downtown. It's a buck per car to park, if you hadn't noticed this whole day was pretty cheap. We walked around, had some ice cream. Then we headed back home. When we got home Matthew was passed out and stayed asleep for another hour. So I watched Cars with Devon while searching for new recipes in the library books I got. It was just so mellow and exciting at the same time. I loved it. It was a great family day.

Surrogate Mommy Boosting Morale

So every morning when I drop Devon off at school, I walk her to her classroom where she has to sit on the ground in the hall with her class until the teacher lets them in. Lately, many of the kids are real interested in playing with Matthew, and Devon, of course, is just so proud to show him off and show them things like how to tickle his feet. Mostly it is the little girls who want to see him, but there have been a couple of days where a few boys have wanted to play with Matthew too. Doing this has allowed me to get to know these little kiddos and now I know at least half of their names. L (I don't want to use their names) always wants to show me her lunch, even though it is the same thing everyday, but it's cute.

Well, today there was a group of five little girls adoring and playing with Matthew and then the teacher opened the door. When Devon stood up I gave her a hug as usual and told her to have a good day. After that, one little girl wanted to give me a hug too, then all of them did. It was really sweet. I just love the fact that I can give them a little extra love, maybe even boosting their confidence to get their day of learning started. :)

But who knows what this is doing to Matthew. I mean he's sitting here getting loved on by a big group of girls five days a week. Who knows....

Magic Tree House

So this week at the library I was inspired by another devoted reading mom to try longer fiction books with Devon. I was being nosey and looking at the books she grabbed for her little girl, who turned out to also be 4 1/2. She had a copy of The Wizard of Oz, which had great illustrations, and four other novels with pictures. The little girl asked her to read one of the books and of course Devon had to plop down next to them and listen. She's not shy when it comes to mooching off stories. So while she was listening, I grabbed a book from a series called The Magic Tree House because Devon seems to like books with familiar characters, and this series has almost 40 books in the series. Luckily, the library actually had book number one, Dinosaurs Before Dark.

Sunday I started reading it and by the end of chapter three she wanted to stop. I was a little sad that she didn't want to keep going but I didn't let it discourage me. Monday while Matthew took a nap with Chris I was able to start at chapter three again and read the entire book! Devon loved it too. There were some scary parts when a dinosaur was chasing a kid and Devon was clinging on to me pretty tight, but I just kept asking her, "Do you want to keep reading to see if....?" Every time she would be like, "Yeah let's see if ...." It was totally cute. It was the best part of my whole day to be able to sit and become absorbed in a book with Devon.

And so we don't leave little Matthew out, he's becoming very fond of Goodnight Moon and sometimes it can distract him from his fussy moments. I can't wait for the day when they are both on each side of me and we can just sit and read for hours on a rainy day.

Baby Food

So I have kept my word about making Matthew's baby food. It is actually easier than I imagined. Since I use the ice-cube tray technique to freeze his food I make at least one tray's worth of whatever it is I cook. So far, I have made green beans, carrots, apples, peaches, butternut squash, and cauliflower. He's loved everything, except the cauliflower. But I'm not giving up on it yet, I'm going to combine it with other foods to see if it tastes better to him that way. He's such a little champ. And for the record, Friday is the 19th, which means the little man will be seven months old! I just can't believe it!

So my point here today was to toot my own horn, because I'm worth it.

I Don't Really Like Meat Anyway

So since I have been on this health nut kick I've been making trips to the library and consuming all kinds of info. Everything from recipe books, to books about public school lunches to what's really in the food we buy pre-packaged (which to me is now frightening). Last night I finished a book called Skinny Bitch . I actually found out about the book from the Ellen show. Based on the interview, it seemed that this book was about how to eat more healthy and nutritiously and as a result you will naturally loose weight. This sounded right up my alley. So I checked it out and brought it home.

Now during the interview Ellen asked, "You know I feel that throughout the book you were yelling at us. Was that your intention?" And I loved the reply. They said they did not write the book to make friends, they wrote it to educate people and that was there way of hammering it into our heads.

When I start reading the book, they literally are yelling at you and with explicit tones! At first I got a kick out of it, but then it kind of got old, but I keep on reading because it really was interesting. I get half way through the book and realize there is an ulterior motive here. They are vegans and so of course, they advocate that lifestyle. In order to do this they list stories about how animals are treated before their end of times and it's horrifying! A part of me thinks well, there is no nice way to die, but then again there are much more pleasant ways than what was discussed here.

So in the end, I'm in deep thought about whether or not I feel compelled to engage in the vegetarian lifestyle. I do know I'm not feeling the vegan lifestyle. So we'll see. I have to think about how this will affect the kiddos and of course Chris because he likes to say often, "I like meat." I on the other hand, really don't eat that much meat chicken, ground beef and occasional pork in the form of ham or pork chops. But I'll let you know what the verdict is whenever I come to it.

I remember that I used to call myself a vegetarian in high school, but that was mostly for weight control. And in college I called myself a "bird-ivore" meaning I only ate poultry, no red meat. It wasn't until I was pregnant with Devon that I had those crazy cravings for cheeseburgers. And I gave those "ideals" up. Just thought I would through that in there. :)

Devon's Gift

Well, Sunday evening Chris and I were discussing whether or not to go out for my birthday. I said no, because we've agreed not to do any spending on the credit card, except for gas. He said my birthday was an exception.

So during our discussion Devon says, "Daddy, are you made at Mommy?"

Chris says, "No. I'm just frustrated."

Then Devon made my day by saying, " You shouldn't be frustrated at Mommy. Mommy is nice to everybody."

This made us all smile. It is so incredible to know that Devon really does notice that I try to be nice to everybody. It was the best birthday present a mom could ask for. I have always heard that kids will be more likely to do what they SEE their parents do. It's not just about telling them how to act, you have to behave too. :)

So in the end, Chris and I went out to dinner while Granny Franny watched the kiddos. But this wasn't any ordinary dinner for us. We went to a place called The Melting Pot, which is a fondue restaurant. It was AWESOME! We had a four course meal that included bread and cheese fondue, salad, a main course fondue, and of course dessert fondue. We were so stuffed by the end. It was pretty pricey though, but a fun experience. I felt very loved that Chris wanted to take me out like that.

Bullies!

Today while I was waiting outside of Devon's classroom with her, waiting for the bell to ring I saw two little boys picking on this little boy, we'll call him C. They were teasing him and calling him stupid. There were two other moms right next to them, but just standing there. When one of them hit C (not hard of course, but that's not the point) I walked over to them and confronted them. It was obvious that they knew they were not being nice and not doing what they should be doing, because as soon as I was over there and started talking to them they put there heads down and avoided eye contact. So I told them to leave C alone because he didn't want to be bothered right now and tried to change the conversation to breakfast. I asked them what they ate and one said toast. I asked "With jelly?" He said "No, they don't have jelly." And that caused the two boys to start talking about something else, so I walked back to the end of the line of students where we were originally standing.

Then I saw them bothering C again. This time I told Devon to come with me and we stood right next to them until the bell rang. Poor little C was sitting on the ground indian style facing the wall, crying. I tried to talk to him, but it was pretty obvious he didn't want to so I just rubbed his back and told him I was going to stay with him. Then the teacher opened the door to let the kids in and I told the little boys to get up and get into the room so they couldn't bother him anymore, well at least for the moment.

I walk Devon and C into class and Devon goes right off to put her backpack up and so does C. I ask the teachers assistant if she knew where C's mother taught, because I had seen her the last couple of days and noticed that she had a school employee badge. Then I dashed to the classroom because it was two minutes until the bell was about to ring and told her that C had a tough time this morning because two little boys had been picking on him and left because I knew she had to get class started. She seemed to appreciate the news.

This whole situation made me MAD! First of all, it's only the third day of school and this poor little four year old is getting picked on by two little boys feeding off of each other. Where do these kids learn to call each other stupid. Devon is four and has never had the urge to call someone a name, much less stupid. And I don't want to hear that boys will be boys, because that is CRAP! Boys will be what you let them be and just because they happen to be boys doesn't mean they have the excuse to behave like turds.

I gotta get going, but there are a couple of positives from this situation. C hopefully now knows that it is not ok for him to be treated like that because someone stood up for him. And Devon hopefully learned that it is ok to if not absolutely necessary to stand up for those who aren't being treated nicely. Actions speak louder than words!

Yum Yum!

So I'm sure you are all just dying to know if I went through with my previous blog and made Devon a cute healthy lunch. Here it is!

That's what I'm talking about! We've got some rotisserie chicken lunch meat, whole wheat crackers, grapes and black berries, and clementines. I know what you're thinking, "Where's the dairy and veggie?" Well, Devon isn't big on raw veggies so tomorrow I will put in some cooked carrots in there. I just didn't have time to cook some. And the next time I go to the store I'm going to grab a small container for her to bring milk in.

But isn't that CUTE! I just love it. All it consists of is a small tupperware container and silicon cup cake holders. Something I didn't mention before is that this is also a great way to have a waste free lunch for all you environmental gurus out there. What's not to love? So go on, tell how awesome this is.....

What's for Lunch?

Here's to my new found devotion to being healthy! I've mentioned before that Austin is a pretty big hippy city, filled with health nuts of all kinds. When we first moved here, I had an odd encounter with a extreme health nut at a park. I was sitting with Devon eating some grapes and a sweet little boy was begging with his eyes. So I asked if he wanted a grape, so I gave him one and he went back to playing. His mom saw him take the grape and stormed over to me and asked, "Was that an organic grape?" I was pretty baffled and said no. She flipped! Claiming that people in Austin have a higher standard for their children. I thought this was outrageously hilarious (and still do). However, now after consuming many articles, books and advice (from sane people) I can see why she would want organic for her boy. But come on, one grape isn't going to send his pure body into toxic shock.

I know what you may be thinking, "Hey Michelle, lover of Taco Bell. You want to be a health nut?" Alas, it is true. Thanks to some inspiration by some awesome friends I have in my Sunday School class, I do want to live a more simpler and healthy life, and I especially want the same for my children. (I'm still getting used to the plural form of that word. Hard to believe I have two now.)

My class is called the Honeymooners and it's filled with mom's and mom's to be (and dad's too). They are indeed the greatest examples for me on my quest to health nut central. Recently I was introduced to this insanely cute way to pack healthy lunches for school using laptop lunches/bentos. Click here for some examples. I don't feel like explaining it, so just to take a quick peek. Beware if you have kids you may get hooked!

So since my thoughts are consumed with how to make cute healthy lunches for Devon, while we were at the library I got a few books with good recipes for healthy stuff to make for her as well as some books with baby food recipes. Yep I have been making his food too. :) I Found this book I absolutely LOVE! It's called Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children. Not only did it have great recipes, it has a ton of info about nutrition for kids. Above all I love the facts it slips in about the food we (as in Americans) eat, like McDonalds. For example:

• A chicken McNugget may be white meat, but it is mashed up with over 50 chemicals and additives.
• McDonalds french fries have very little in common with a potato. They contain more than 10 ingredients, including flavoring that comes from a beef source and trans fat, sugar and salt.
• In 2000, government agencies spent about $48 million to promote nutrition and health for kids, but McDonalds spent 14 times that amount - $665 million - to advertise its food.

So that's that. Hmmmm I think I see the number of happy meals in Devon's future dwindling.

Beautiful Messages

So the other day Chris told me something spontaneously cute that Devon had said while I was sleeping in (until 8:15 in the morning!). He said Devon was at the kitchen table eating breakfast when she just said, "God is in everything. But he's not in my cereal." After I finished laughing, because let's face it that's pretty random, even for Devon, I felt like this "message" spoke to me.

I often feel envious of the folks of the new testament times, where Jesus spoke to people (after the resurrection) and even appeared to them. It seemed to happen often and sometimes I wish he would just plop down on the couch and chat with me. But then I look back at what Devon said. She is four and yet is capable of understanding this very simple and incredible truth that God is in everything.

I can't help but wonder that perhaps it is still possible to have such interactions with God as I so long for. The only thing interfering with this wish is life. It is so easy to be consumed by it. Constantly fretting over what needs to be done today, tomorrow, what are we having for dinner, did I take the trash out, where did I put that receipt, I think it's time to get the oil changed......... It just goes on and on. Our minds are overloaded with clutter about clutter. But Devon who is so lucky to be four hasn't been consumed by all that life throws at you. She is capable of being still and keeping a clear mind for receiving beautiful messages.

I can't help but wonder if perhaps God uses our precious little ones to send us messages that we are no longer capable of receiving. I'll tell you this, I felt compelled to simplify my life to be mindful of what is really important during the day. Do I do it all the time now? No way! But, I do what I can and keep trying when I fail. I am constantly feeling like I need to slow down and enjoy the little things, and often I do. When all is quiet I feel the urge to simply live.

Resurrecting the Old Me

So I'm sure none of you can deny that having kids changes you, as well as being married. Unfortunately, it has created some changes in me that are not so good. I have been suffering from post-partum depression. Yep, I'm ready to admit it to the world. (Obviously.) This means I get the opportunity to sit down with a really rad counselor and talk about me, me, me, and sometimes the family.

We, meaning Chris and I, were a little concerned that just counseling would not be enough and that I would need to get on medication. But this would mean I could no longer breastfeed Matthew. Lots of tears were shed over that possibility, let me tell you. Luckily, just having therapy is making a considerable difference. I am started to think and act like I did five years ago. Don't be so scared, I do remember what I was like five years ago and I assure you, I am merely speaking of my more personable characteristics, such as my since of humor, and love of having "moments" with strangers.

For example, Tuesday afternoon I found myself literally struggling to hold my tongue in the waiting room. I so desperately wanted to lean over towards the only other person there waiting and say, "So. What are you in for?" This was a man, who seemed to send off a big "I'm really into myself, and take myself too seriously" vibe. But I managed to refrain and just worked on my sudoku puzzles. It was really tough though.

I'm sure you're thinking, "Michelle! What a horrible thing to do. How immature?" And to that I say, BINGO! Now I KNOW therapy is working. :)

Mmmmmm, Paperbacks

Well, lately I have been devouring books like there is no tomorrow. Just in the past couple of weeks I have read The Educated Child, and The Five Love Languages. This may not sound impressive to some, but don't forget I have an infant connected to me most of the day and an energetic four year old. So there!

Currently, I am reading an awesome book called, The Read-Aloud Handbook. It may sound odd, but yes it is actually about reading out loud. It gives an insane amount of scientific support for reading out loud to your kids. I love it. Jim Trelease you are my hero! He also managed to compile a great treasury of books for different ages. I will easily be using this book for the next ten years or so.

Something Jim talks about in the book is how most children can comprehend listening to books three to fours years above their reading level. While this may sound trivial, it has challenged me to step up the books I read to Devon. I mean she loves her picture books, but we both know almost all of them by heart. So Saturday we ventured to the Austin Public Library and got Devon her very own library card. She was in love! The awe of owning her own library card was enchanting. I picked out a small chapter book, with five chapters to see if Jim was right. And of course, he was. Devon comprehended just as well as a Franklin book. And we have read it about three times a day so far, but that's ok, she's worth it. Next time I'm going to try for one a bit longer. It's like my own little education experiment, mwah ah ah ah.

Now everyone knows Devon has been a book girl from infancy, but the challenge now is to instill the same love of books to Matthew. So far we are off to a good start!

Here is Devon at four months, she was such a little chunker. :D

Here is Matthew, who is now four months old. So far, so good!

Four Months

Well, if you can believe it, because I barely can, Matthew is four months old now. This little boy has really changed my world. Throughout most of my pregnancy I worried and fretted about how I could possibly love another child as much as I love Devon. Devon and I have such a strong bond that just keeps growing. So naturally at the time I didn't know how I could share my love with another.

When I first laid eyes on Matthew, it was love at first sight! It's so bizzar how in an instant my bodies ability to love multiplied. All my worries were thrown out the window and I never looked back. Although I will admit it has been a little tricky learning how to evenly distribute myself, but with kids like these it's totally worth it.Matthew couldn't be any sweeter, and is just waiting for any opportunity to smile. And it's incredible how much Devon loves him too. She is so nurturing in spirit, we just have to help guide her toward more delicate means. I love watching them together because I can really see the love in their eyes, and I know I've got to be doing something right.

Why I Love Being a Mommy

Setting: Chili's Restaurant
Time: Dinner

Me: Is your pizza good Devon?
Devon: Yeah.
*Pause in conversation*
Devon: Mama?
Me: Yes.
Devon: Can I have my pineapples now? I don't want anymore pizza.
Me: Of course!
(Big smile)

You gotta love a kid who craves pineapple instead of pizza. I know I do. :)

Kermit Had It Right

It's not easy being green. For all you outsiders, Austin is a hippie city and the majority of the population strives to reduce its' ecological footprint. We are not the greenest city in the states, I mean who can top Portland? But I would guess we are in the top ten. Now I have always been drawn to environmental issues, and even when I lived in the dorms I took recyclables to the landfill. In Austin the green lifestyle can include anything from only riding a bicycle to get around, recycling almost everything, buying organic/local foods, buying organic clothes, composting, using reusable bags when shopping, and I could go on, but I won't. Any everybody differs in their level of greenness.

As for us:

• we use the recycle service from waste management
• we bring things the curbside won't collect to a recycle service downtown,
• we try to limit our energy usage (our whole house has the swirly light bulbs!)
• we have the energy efficient front loading washer
• we use the reusable grocery bags
• we occasionally buy organic, very occasionally
• we use "green" cleaning chemicals

But compared to the city as a whole we are probably at a level five out of ten, maybe a six. But I have turned into "that person" who grumps whenever someone (no names mentioned, but take a guess) puts a plastic container in the trash. ;) And next spring we will hopefully build our garden in the back yard and I can grow my own veggies, YUM! But first we have to wait for the grass to spread out. It's getting there slowly but surely. A little rain would help though!!

No matter how small

I read a story on MSN about a "miracle baby being born twice." Well, being the baby lover that I am I was naturally drawn to the story. Basically, a woman went to have an ultrasound to find out the sex of her baby and there was a tumor attached to the baby the size of a grapefruit!! She had surgery to have the tumor removed from the baby (the article being politically correct called it a fetus, but I'm not going there). The odds that the baby would survive were less than ten percent. The surgeon cut open the mom then opened the uterus to get to the baby where he took most of the baby out to remove the tumor and then closed everything back up. The baby survived (YEAH!) and ten weeks later was "born again."

Here is the link if you want more details. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/24999650/?GT1=43001

This story just blows my mind. Medical technology and knowledge is so grand that we can perform surgery on a baby in the womb! This is simply incredible! And now all I can think of to say is a quote from one of Devon's Dr. Seuss books, "A person is a person, no matter how small." (That's from Horton Hears a Who, thanks Jon and Tina!)

You know many of Dr. Seuss's books have an underlying statement or issue attached to them, such as The Lorax being about deforestation. This starts to make me ponder whether he was trying to touch the issue of child abuse or maybe even abortion. But it is also possible that I have no idea what I am talking about. It's been known to happen from time to time.

Yeah, They're Related

It is pretty obvious that Devon looks alot like me and Matthew like Chris. So tonight after snapping a few pics after Matthews bath I decided to get a three month picture of Devon after a bath too. Well, let's just say they can never deny each other!

This one is Devon at three months.

And this one is Matthew right now at three months.

And one more thing they have in common is LOVE!

Just Like His Daddy

Now I have mentioned my obsession with baby/parenting books, well a couple of them mention that sometimes babies will wake up in the middle of the night to practice a new skill they learned. I thought this was the silliest thing. Devon never did that, and I had never heard another mom speak of this phenomenon either.

Well, it turns out that little Matthew fits into this category. When he first found his hands he woke up one night and would not go back to sleep by nursing or with the binky. He just kept slurping on his hand and then he would get excited and kick and squirm. Mind you this was at three o'clock (random moment: o'clock is one of my favorite words!) in the morning. So out of desperation for sleep I scooted him over a few inches so he wouldn't whack me when he got excited, and I turned my body on auto-snooze. This is when I sleep for 5-10 minute spurts and then wake up to glance at Matthew. It's not the best way to get sleep, but it is better than nothing. And by the way, he stayed awake for an hour doing this!

I know what you're thinking, that was a fluke right. Well, last week he woke up one night rocking from side to side trying to roll on his tummy,which he hadn't accomplished yet. (Did you notice that key word there? Yet.) So I did the same thing, scooted him over a few inches, and went on auto-snooze. Except this time, I hadn't been snoozing more than three minutes when all of a sudden Matthew bumped into me. I opened my eyes to see Matthews eyes wide open and a big drooly grin on his face. He had finally done it. He rolled over on his tummy. He was so proud if himself he celebrated with a nice helping of mommy juice and fell back to sleep. Yesssssss.

This reminds me of Chris because he is the type to keep going until he figures something out. Not even a silly little thing like sleep can stop him.

Crikey!!

The other day I was driving to the grocery store and I saw what I thought was trash blowing in the road. When I came up to it I realized it was a snake over two feet long!! I couldn't help but think of good ol' Steve Erwin, also known as the Crocodile Hunter. If you were a fan of the show like I was (back when I was living on campus and had cable!) then you know that he would always come across these huge snakes while he was conveniently driving around. Who knew that could happen to everyday people, and not just herpetologists.

I was so tempted to spring out of the car and creep over to it just like Steve-o would, but then I remembered the last time I tried to pick up a snake and decided otherwise. I looked in my reptile book to see if I could identify it, but it wasn't in there. It covered reptiles in North America, but obviously didn't have them all. I'm guessing that I would need to look in a Texas reptile book or somebody bought an imported snake and just let it loose when it got too big. That is really common for people to do!

Going Overboard

One of my hometown best friends had her first baby this week. I was so lucky to actually be in Mesquite when it happened. Talk about a cutie-pie! It was awesome to be able to see baby Oliver on the day he was born and to see Becky and Robert with all too familiar expressions on their faces that say, "Thank God the delivery is over. Now what?" I mean it was only a little over four years ago that Chris and I had the same expressions on our faces.

Now before I was pregnant, and even while I was pregnant with Devon I had no idea I would be overcome with the craving for knowledge about everything there is to know about babies.I have a shelf of books on parenting and babies. I feel like I have had almost every breastfeeding problem. Devon had a mild case of colic. We have survived off of one income the whole time, even while I was going to school. I feel like I have this vast store of parental knowledge and anytime I get the opportunity to use it, I go overboard. I don't mean to. And I never realise it until it is too late. I just start firing away everything about breastfeeding and what this and that means. It's frustrating and not to mention embarrassing.

I just love to talk about babies, kids and parenting. I can only hope that it is a good thing, as long as I can control myself. It's funny to think about the fact that I would have never pictured my life the way it is now at age 25. I know there are people out there from back in high school who hear I have kids and think the world is doomed. If only they knew me now....

Teacher's Pet or Teacher's Pain?

Devon will be starting pre-k this August, and she couldn't be more excited. Too bad she doesn't really know how long three months can last, but since summer always seems to go by fast she will be there before we know it. So now that this reality of my baby starting school has set in, I can't help but wonder if all of my kids teachers are going to appreciate my intense concern for my children's education or if they will see me as a pest and worn all the other teachers.

A few weeks ago, I met with a high school friend who I haven't seen since graduation, and she holds a higher disregard for public school than I do. So much that she is homeschooling her little girl who is also four. Now I have to admit there are some pretty tempting advantages to homeschooling. Her little girl is already up to the first grade, because let's face it, when you work one on one you let the child set the pace. You don't have to worry about whether or not a teacher is a child molester. Your kids won't pick up nasty habits from other kids. But then again, you deny your kid the opportunity to make their own moral judgements.

Now don't worry, I'm not going to home school Devon, with her personality she will definitely thrive more in a classroom environment than at home. So this begs the question of whether or not Devon's teacher will be able to handle my constant concern over public school curriculum. Since let's face it, they teach to pass the TAKS. Luckily, I don't have to worry about that battle until Devon is in third grade. I would like to think a teacher would invite any parent who wants to ensure the best for their child. So we will just have to wait and see. But then again, I am the type of person who will go out to the teacher stores and buy my own material to help my kids master a subject/topic that I believe the school isn't doing a good job at. But once again, I say we will just have to wait and see.

I am such a freak about this. It's probably quite sad to most people and I am sure I have passed the point of obsession. I even found a website, www.greatschools.com which is where you can rank your kids school and even leave reviews, this was my favorite part. Devon's elementary school is only in it's second year of operation, but so far it has pretty good reviews. There were only two poor reviews, and one of them said they were pulling their kid and sending them to private school. This worried me a bit, but it is possible that they have standards no public school can meet. Who knows.

So you made it to my blog

I have many forms of internet expression such as myspace, facebook and e-mail, but this is completely different. This is all ME. If you are reading this, then you should know that you are an important part of my life and I hope you can join me on my blogger journey.

This is where I will complain, rant, ramble, create art, release stress, speak my mind, and basically pour my heart out, during those few (but precious) opportunities I get all to myself.