She Walks!

               Just had to post this quick video of Ansley taking some of her firsts steps!

(Also, wanted to say I had just changed her diaper and she wouldn't stay still long enough for me to button her outfit :))

Finally!

I am so excited to finally have done this! I was forced to do it, too, because yesterday Ansley's one plastic one broke. At the rate I was going, she was going to be done with pacifiers before I got them done. I am also frustrated that I procrastinated when it only took all of 15 minutes to do! So easy, its not even funny!

Quick run down:

1. Buy lettered pins, ribbon, self adhesive Velcro and alligator clips (all from Hobby Lobby)
2. Pop open lettered pin and remove pin (unless you want to use that instead of the clip)
3. Cut ribbon to desired length and hot glue to letter
4. Hot clue alligator clip
5. Place Velcro pieces at bottom of ribbon leaving space in between
6. Cut Velcro if needed (mine were circles and bigger than the ribbon width)

And presto! you have a cute personalized pacifier holder for less than $2 each!
Now, to see how long they stay together will be the kicker!

February & early valentines

Well, it's four days into the second month of the year already! This month is consumed with hearts, red, chocolates, roses, pink and other expensive ploys to display your love to another. Don't get me wrong, I like Valentine's Day. We have holidays for just about every thing else under the sun so why not focus on showing extra attention to your loved ones. Tyler and I used to make a bigger deal out of the day, as do most new couples. Now, it's a great excuse to have a date night where we eat somewhere special and might go to a movie but most especially we have a conversation/dinner/night out with no kids! Remember, how I said Ansley is getting hard to eat out with.....

The point of all this valentines talk is to tell you about how this year we sort of exchanged valentines a little early, by mistake. I was trying to be ahead of the game and save money (sure only a few dollars, but still money) While surfing through one of my couponing blogs, I saw where you could design a free card and mail it to yourself for free, as well. So I made Tyler a valentines card, well I used one of their designs and added a picture of ourselves....

Then a couple weeks went by and I forgot about it. And of course when it came in the mail you know who was the one to get and open the mail that day. He tried to put the stack of mail on the counter and act as if I wouldn't know. I was pretty devastated that my plan didn't work out! But then I thought, "You know, it had the same affect and maybe even seemed more special since it was just an ordinary day." So I got over myself and decided it was just as well I started being a little more spontaneous with my romantic-ness.

Last week, I got my own early valentines, too. Not sure if he was trying to follow suit in reply to mine or if it was just because he got the flowers and heart shaped bowl offered to him to give to me. (Most likely the latter!) But I found this one morning while I was fixing breakfast for myself and the kids.....

I loved it and felt it set the perfect statement for this Valentines of 2012. We don't have to wait for February 14th to express our love for one another through flowers, cards, chocolates and such. Spontaneous little love notes are better anyway!

Now, onto my February goals! I really enjoyed having the list printed to see each day where I should be spending my extra time. It helped me to realistically stay on track of my goals. This is a shorter month and I don't have a lot in mind other than just staying in a cleaning/organizing routine! Which got a little old towards the end of Jan, I must say, so I hope I can stay motivated to get things done!

Week 1.5 (since the first week is already gone)
Sun & Mon-

• work on laundry
• tidy up toys and tables
• work Sunday night
• plan dinner both nights
• finish taxes

Tues & Wed-

• mop floors (didn't do them last week)
• put away Christmas cards in album
• clean out car
• work on coupons
• Go to Ga for hair cut (didn't do last month)

 Thurs & Fri-

• clean bathrooms
• work on laundry
• place items on eBay
• make pacifier holders! (didn't do again!)
• work Friday night
• plan dinner for both nights

Sat-Mon-

• straighten up tables and mail
• re pot plants
• clean up kitchen counters
• work on coupons
• Valentine's date night
• work Sunday night
• plan dinner for 2 of these nights

Week 2:
Tues & Wednesday-

• work on laundry
• work on sale items (eBay/Craigslist)
• clean up dressers
• clean floors
• put frames on mantle
• grocery store
• dinners

Thursday & Friday-

• clean up bathrooms
• small freezer cooking day
• get Tyler ready for trip to Honduras
• give dogs a bath (weather permitting)
• work on blog some more

Sat -Mon-

• tidy up toys and tables
• clean up kitchen
• work on Garyn's valentines
• work Sunday night

Week 3:
Tues & Wed-

• work on laundry
• take things to donate
• clean up magazines
• work on Ansley's album
• clean floors

Thurs & Fri-

• clean bathrooms
• go to Creative Discovery Museum
• clean up Ansley & Garyn's room
• work on Garyn's chore chart

Sat & Mon-

• pick up Tyler
• enjoy the weekend
• tidy up house
• work Sunday night

Week 4:
Tues & Wed

• work on bills
• clean floors
• plan dinners
• look at MOPS cards
• list items to sell

Thurs & Fri-

• finish any undone goals
• post March goals!

Gman is 4 and a half!

I just love that goofy boy pictured above! He is definitely a little boy now, being that he is 4 and a half.....as of January the 24th! I just wanted to shine the light on him tonight since his sister gets a lot of updates. And I have done his half year updates pretty regularly over the years. Its amazing to look back at the 3 1/2 and 2 1/2 seeing just how much he has changed. Even worse, those pictures with stories seem like just yesterday......or I should say lasterday!

But it was also funny to see some things that have stuck...mainly Wii games! He is still in love if not totally addicted to the Wii, it has definitely been a great investment......thanks Nana and Poppa! (In fact, we have had to send it off to be refurbished from it being played so much.)

He does like different games now, though. Mario and most recently Sonic are his favorite characters. A couple mornings ago we had guests for breakfast....

Blue Yoshi and Mario joined our table....I just quickly had to snap a picture. His imagination is still in full swing if not just revving up. He will say "Lets just talk about....." wii games, scenes, fights, and/or memories of all things Mario, Sonic or Cars 2 and then will precede to ramble about a time he beat so & so or Mario threw the fire ball....etc. Tyler and I just nod and say "Really?"; having no clue what he is talking about most of the time.

Speaking of dreams, since Halloween, he has been talking about his dreams a lot. He will see people, be scared, fight fights, and do all sorts of things in them. But what gets me is that he remembers them and understands they were a dream.

He is also using that imagination in his drawings and building. Its fun to ask him what he drew because he always has a story for each picture. Below is what we built at the Creative Discovery Museum that he came up with on his own.

A couple weeks ago, the below pic was sent home from preschool and I just laughed.....

(make sure you read the yellow words at the top of the page)

We had went to Nashville to do all the Christmas festivities so I guess he thought that was where the North Pole was. He loves to ask about the directions to where we are going. And wants to know every detail. When we pass turns to places we have said we were going, he tries to correct us saying we went the wrong way. Of course, when I try to explain to him why we are going a different way, he typically tells me I am wrong and wants to argue about it.

That's another new and growing character trait...attitude. We are working on his demeanor and looks when asked to do tasks or stop doing certain things. I already know he is going to have a bit of a temper just based on the fact that he wants to get back at us when he gets in trouble and because of how he acts when he loses or doesn't get what he wants.

But he also seems to be a bit of a people pleaser like both of his parents. It crushes him for you to be mad at him. He will say, "Don't be mad at me anymore." or "Don't tell daddy cause he will be mad at me." followed by wailing and many "I'm sorry I did that." He still has the sweet nuturing side that show ups after the moment of temper. Just yesterday, he got in trouble at school and had to sit out of play time. (He got in trouble for spitting at a girl who was apparently growling at him) The teacher, Ms. Tammy, said he completely melted down about being in trouble and said he was sorry multiple times. She said she kept explaining that everyone gets in trouble sometimes and it was ok because he was just so worried she was mad at him. See what I mean....the temper drove him to spit then the people pleaser side made him meltdown. One day, he will balance the two out, I hope. :)

Other updates.....

He is slightly tall for his age.....47 inches I believe. In fact, at Christmas time he was told by a security guard that he couldn't play in the mall play area because he was too tall. I, without thinking, said "Really?! He is only 4." He didn't let him in and Garyn cried for awhile over it.

He also weighs a lot, although he is slim.....48 pounds! I can hardly pick him up from off the ground!

He still loves fruit and eats it multiple times a day. Hamburgers, yogurt and eggo waffles are other stables.

He is reading well and seems to be getting into math more. I am trying to work on him

counting to 100 and adding.

We play lots of games! Trouble, Memory, and his own made up games. We usually do a lot of tag, hide & seek and racing games that he comes up with.

He also likes to play on our computer or phones. He writes in the search box things he likes, then looks at whatever comes up. My search box currently has "smash bros brawl smash" in it from earlier today. We really have to watch him because you never know what might come up in the searches he does. He wants to just play smash brothers games or watch mario videos, but won't always stay on the site we first put him on. We already need parental controls, I guess!

Another favorite that he gets from his daddy is watching movies. The boy could watch a movie ten times in a row and not grow tired of it. We watched Cars 2 so many times I just had to put a stop to it when he would repeat every word they said! (we do have tv restrictions even though it sounds like we don't!)

We are working on his responsibilities to help us with small chores he can do. He does things like clean up his toys; put away his plates and cups in the sink; make his bed; and put away his shoes.  I am also patiently trying to let him dress himself and bathe himself.

Well, I think that is a good synopsis of our little Gman....... who still insists you call him that. He says he changed his name. I appreciate his individuality, though, and usually oblige!

Isn't he just the cutest!