...and after

I was going to do a before and after photo, but I think I accidentally deleted the before picture.

Well, trust me, it was BAD...the entire floor was covered with baby clothes.

These are all full and are 99% handmedowns. Thank GOD for handmedowns. All labeled and folded, too.

A month

It's amazing how much can happen in a month. It's amazing how much can happen in a minute. But since it's been a month in which I haven't blogged, that's the one I'm going to recap. I've taken pictures of things thinking...I need to take a before and after picture so I can blog about it. And I have, but have failed to put them up here, let alone write about the photographs.

I'm not sure if I should attempt to start where I left off and work my way to now, try to just touch on everything right here, right now (true ADD style), or just do...well...whatever happens, happens.

I think we'll go with that one...whatever....I'll try to go in "order", but in the end....whatever....

It's been more than 24hours since I wrote the above, so I am yet going with...whatever happens happens.

This is what so much of my time has been taken up with since Sept. I started watching my friends' boys, Matteo (2 y/o) and Marco (4 y/o). I have Matteo Tues and Thurs and Maro on Thurs. 3 little boys is constant activity and "Nique....Someone did something..." The best part is they are growing up together as close cousins would. Joseph called Matteo "Teo" and Marco "Garco".

Every Friday, Joseph goes to "school" at our church. He has lots of fun with Colin and Hillary (a redhead).

I go here

from 10:30-2, in the Children's room. It's fun. I love the other moms I get to meet and working with books again! I've recently been asked if I could do the ordering of new AV stuff for the children's room...which is Kids CDs, DVDs and audiobooks. So cool!

This one is growing and changing and learning new words like CRAZY!!! Here he is eating his FAVORITE snack..."So, this fig walked into a bar..." Yup, it's a "cereal bar" with fig in it.

First time eating spaghetti and yes, he did have some raw first!

Oreo's still our first baby, and he never lets us forget it! Joseph's first chore is to feed Oreo breakfast and dinner. Oreo doesn't like it when Joseph sleeps late.

Life is good in the house for Oreo, except..

He needs to loose some weight. This picture makes him look SOO huge, but it's just the angle.

I think I may have blogged about this day/week...it can't get any worse, right?

This was the cinnamon/sugar and chili powder all over the floor (and in the clean laundry basket) Oh boy....

Moving on...

The Shoemakers came to visit in October! We had a blast! Joseph was happy to have Anastasia here and was VERY captivated by baby Zoe, who at the time was only about 2 months old.

It's a rough life...

We went down to the Cape to help my mom with the leaves and Joseph helped...Hailey supervised.

We played in the pile of leaves a bit, but it was FREEZING that day

Joseph liked my new hat

Don't ask...it's where the catnip is kept.

Another unlikely place for Oreo to be...

I'll leave you with that... More soon...I promise...I hope....I will... You all love me, right?

christmas

Good Blessings Religious Christmas 5x7 folded card

Turn your unique photos into Christmas cards with Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Homemade Mac & Cheese concoction....

I actually had fun making today's lunch for the boys, but didn't like some of the ingredients so I ate something else.

I cooked till almost done tricolor pasta and edamame

Put that in a small backing pan (I used an 8X8 one like you would use to make brownies)

Cut up frozen fish nuggets into bite size pieces and added some basil tomato pasta sauce and tossed it all together and put in the oven--350 degrees

Once every 5 min or so checked it and turned it over, repeated until fish tenders were done (all white and flaky)

Turned off oven and mixed in some shredded cheddar cheese and then put a good layer on top of the pasta mixture.

Placed it all back in the warm oven just until the cheese was melted.

Everyone that ate it loved it!

Creative ways to save

I found this on another friend's blog and decided to do it, too. Being a pastor's wife and a 90% stay at home mom, I have to tap deeper into my creative brain to find and take advantage (in a good way) of opportunities like these where I can put in some effort, some creativity and be blessed by some free product.

Having a love for graphic design and photography, this one really touched my heart. I need to write a blog post about http://www.shutterfly.com/

I did a lot of research when I was pregnant with Joseph for his birth announcement. I like this one

but they have SO many beautiful ones at http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/birth-announcements

I like SO many of the Christmas cards on Shutteryfly...but there's something that I REALLY like about this one...

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/bright-merry-story-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93495

There's room inside for additional pictures and family updates. This would be so great for us, because, being a pastor's family, we are often busy when our friends and family are free to talk. As a result I love the idea of being able to give an update for each of us. It would be a nice way to connect with all of our friends that live so far away. Joseph turned two this year and MANY people have never met him and MANY have not seen him in over a year. The picture uploader is easy, too... http://www.shutterfly.com/upload-pictures/ A picture really does say a thousand words. Joseph has changed so much between ages 1 and 2, it's truly amazing. I look forward to getting to share it with everyone (and some great pictures) this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas (in advance)!!!!

Sunday

Sundays are weird days for us. This "day of rest" is the busiest, craziest day crammed into about 4 hours. Those of you who go to church every Sunday morning may think you know what they are like. Let me tell you, life in a Pastor's house on Sunday mornings are different. Other PK's can attest to this. If you're a PK and life wan't like this, PLEASE tell me what your pastor parent did to avoid this.

Here were a couple of highlights of this Sunday at home, before leaving for church.

Jon asked "How seriously do we want to take the golden rule?"

Translation: "when do we wake a sleeping baby?"

Isn't he precious? So big. So soundly asleep...it's been a long time since I got to take a picture of him sleeping. (stay tuned for the upcoming saga of transition from crib to big boy bed)

Meanwhile....Downstairs, coffee was a-brewing!

Yes, our coffee make has a gauge that looks just like the gas gauge on your car, just a different kind of fuel.

And on Sundays, for 2 adults, we have 3 mugs. It's a two mug morning for Jon, one cools a bit while he downs the other one.

THEN, we go to church. Where Jon finishes his sermon, script, powerpoint (with Joseph in his office), I get lots of audio equipment set up in the sanctuary and practice with the choir.

Tomorrow can't be worse, right? WRONG!

This Tuesday, I was watching 2 yr old Matteo in addition to having my 2 yr old at home.

Here's the outline of the day...

I. Morning

A. 9am Drop off of Matteo

B. Play...life is normal, but I am very sore from much much yardwork the day before.

C. Joseph goes into the spice draw and shakes out a lot of Cinnamon sugar on the floor.

D. Matteo throws a toy over the gate (the rule of the house is "once something goes on the other side of the gate or couch, it's gone for the day" this happens to several toys EVERY day)

E. Matteo proceeds to throw a 40+ min tantrum over the lost toy...lots of it spend in the corner for time out until he can calm down

D. Joesph (who has never had a "in the corner time out") goes into the OTHER corner and faces the wall and starts crying, even though he has done NOTHING wrong!

II. Noon

A. Leftover pizza for lunch...next is naptime, maybe the worst is over. Phew!

III. Naptime.

A. I decide I needed a bath. I was in a lot of pain and was stressed from the morning and felt gross.

B. After cleaning the bathtub, changing into a bathrobe, I heard some banging on a wall or door and now Joseph has been crying for a little bit. I decide to go check on him and try to calm him down so he doesn't wake up Matteo in the next room.......

C. Opened Joseph's bedroom door to find that Matteo had climbed out of the pack & play, MOVED the pack & play, opened the door connecting the guest room to Joseph's, fished out a "crib toy" (about a 12" X 8" plastic "aquarium" that you attach to the crib rails") out from way under the crib and got it AND HIMSELF UP and INTO JOSEPH"S CRIB WITH JOSEPH!!!!! Joseph is very upset

D. Corrected above situation. Went back to bathroom. Had to empty part of the tub because the water was TOO hot. Ended up sitting on the floor on the verge of tears with the laptop on top of the toilet with Gilmore Girls playing. Felt like the author of Eat Pray Love.

E. FINALLY took bath. When I came out, everyone was quiet.

F. Went to lie down for a few. Got a call, 10 min later, boys were up.

IV. Afternoon.

A. Begrudgingly went back downstairs with both boys (typically, Joseph has kept sleeping until 4-5pm and Matteo is up by 1:30-2pm and I only have one 2 year old for a couple of hours)

B. Boys play very happily. OH PHEW!!!

C. Talk to my mom on the phone. Vent, but say how good it is, 'cuse they're playing well now. That's all that matters in the end.

D. Quick trip to the bathroom and come out to find...........OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH..MMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYY.................

SPICES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

E. BOTH boys have emptied ALL of the garlic, cinnamon, and cumin onto the floor, themselves, the rugs, the CLEAN laundry, the floor that Jon has spent HOURS cleaning the day before.

F. Now I REALLY want to cry.

G. THANK GOD JON COMES HOME AT THIS POINT.

H. Jon cleans up spices. Cooks dinner. I can't even remember what it was now, and was the day before yesterday.

I. Matteo goes home. I go to the hardware store to get something for the church meeting I have TONIGHT!

V. Evening

A. Oh RIGHT...Jon made nachos with homemade guac. SOO good.

B. 6:50pm, Joseph goes "nigh, night".

C. I leave my WONDERFUL husband to clean the kitchen for about the 4th time in just over 24 hours and go to the church.

D. Trustees were there early, so we started meeting early, then had a decent meeting...brief.

E. Stayed at the church and did what I was hoping to do for the 20 min before the meeting when I showed up early...practice the piano.

F. Went upstairs to the sanctuary and turned on minimal lights and sat down at the beautiful baby grand piano.

G. Practiced for an HOUR!!!!! I got a little carried away. It was sooo good.

VI. Nigh, Night.

Weds....slept in until 10am. 4 hours later realized that I TOTALLY spaced on a staff meeting at the library I was supposed to try to attend and never told anyone whether I was able to go or not. Got called on it via e-mail by my boss (not bad, but anything subtle affects me). Another not so good thing happened then cried for real. Jon bought me roses, food for "my favorite" and mint chocolate ice cream.

Today, I'm still tired, drained, lots of time-outs, but I do expect that with 2 year olds. So...finally better. Choir tonight! More music. I've missed it so much. May even stay late again and play the piano. SIDE NOTE: Over the half way point in my harp fund!!!!!! Over $600 raised in one year! I don't think I'll make it for Christmas this year....maybe next year....maybe...regardless, I can't wait and I keep accepting donations, one dollar at a time.

Doesn't your week seem better???