Sharing God's Love with Your Kids and Your Spouse this Valentine's Day

 If you are interested in a unique way to incorporate a Bible verse a day starting Feb. 1st and going till Feb. 14th, check out this blog post on Mom4Life:
 http://blog.mom4life.com/mom_4_life/2010/01/sharing-gods-love-with-your-kids-this-valentines-day-by-angela-gifford.html

I printed out the verses just a minute ago and I am going to glue them onto some cute red and pink paper. Then in the morning, we can read them together as a family, put them up in our kitchen, and read it throughout the day...that's the goal for me anyway! :-)

Happy Birthday, Miss A!!!

Our little lady turned 2 today!!

To our dear daughter,
Happy 2nd Birthday!
You bring tons of joy and laughter to our lives. We are convinced that God created toddlers for the shear joy of it. He knew that you would bring tons of smiles to your mommy and daddy as a silly, lovable, giggly toddler. We love you so much and we know you are going to be an amazing woman one day...a woman of integrity and honor and a woman after God's own heart. We pray that you will have the compassion of Jesus in your heart and be slow to judge and slow to anger. We wish you joy and contentment in your life. We thank God for you each and every day. Love, Mama and Papa

Here are some fun little tidbits about Miss A as she turns 2:

Favorite foods: cheese, deli meats, apples, pears, peaches, tomatoes
Favorite beverages: milk and juice
Favorite vegetables: corn, beans
Favorite toys: doll stroller and blocks
Favorite game: being chased around the house while someone says "Where's Audrey?" while covering their eyes
Favorite books: Max and Ruby Lift-the-Flap book, First Words book, any Elmo book
Favorite animals: dog, cat, monkey
Favorite songs: Ring Around the Rosies, Jesus Loves Me, Sing a Song

Happy Birthday to...
My little princess who loves to be pushed around in her doll stroller by a royal prince-

But who also knows when to take turns when the prince needs to rest for a minute...

 

My little copycat who likes to mimic her mommy when she "norses" (nurses) and tries to use the pump-

My silly little bean who enjoys putting her little people in the crock pot (no it's not on but yes, that is

Noah in there!)-

 My little architect who all of a sudden, loves building and stacking...finally!

My little mommy who loves to help take care of baby brother F-

And even pretend to nap when he's napping...

Our little Miss A loves chatting and she's even said a couple of 4-word sentences...the most recent one is "I want more meat" (see above for favorite foods).

When you say "I love you", she says "ove you too" (the L is silent)

Her newest thing is: asking for something for example "I want milk" and then when an adult repeats back to her what she said such as "Do you want milk?"...she responds back with "Yeah...okay, sure" as if it wasn't even her idea in the first place!

Her word for bananas is "namas"

Her word for yogurt is "whoa-gurt".

We began the day with a cinnamon roll with 2 candles lit...yes, it was a sugary day!

Later in the morning, while E was at work, I had a party playdate for her at our house. We invited her friends over to come play and have snacks and cupcakes. There were 20 people in our house! We had 12 kiddos and 8 moms. We began around 10 a.m. and wrapped up a little after noon.
Here's a pic of the kitchen all set up the night before (minus the food of course):

 The cupcake cake (it looks like a cake on top but it's cupcakes underneath)...I didn't realize that Hello Kitty lit up till after she had blown out her #2 candle...

 

I realize Baby F is facing down...didn't know that though while the photo was being taken!

 

Baby F's spot during the festivities-

Miss A in her little tutu that she also wore on her first birthday! (Gotta love those sized 12-24 month clothing!)

Miss A and her cosmic twin-Z...he also celebrated his 2nd birthday today...he's about 9 hours older!

That wraps up her 2nd birthday post! Thanks to everyone who remembered our little lady today with birthday wishes, cards, and gifts. We love you!

Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken

I got this delicious recipe from http://txmykindarain.blogspot.com/2009/11/shredded-bbq-chickencrock-pot.html

I've made it twice...once in November and the second time tonight! It's so easy and so good! My Crock Pot wasn't used much during our first couple years of marriage and I used it briefly after Audrey was born but now with 2 children...it has become my best friend! Anyway, try this recipe out and let me know how it went over at your house!

Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken
By: Jackie (Theboysandagirl)

3-4 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
2 C ketchup
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients (except chicken) in crock-pot. Add the chicken, coating each piece in sauce. Cook on high 4 hours. Remove chicken and
shred/pull with forks. Return to pot and stir in sauce to coat. Serve on buns.

Cindy's notes: I add 1/2C of our favorite BBQ sauce to the slow cooker as well.

Sleeping through the night...

is priceless...
Baby F has been sleeping through the night and it started last week!!! He started off with a bang and slept for 7 hours straight! Each night since then he has slept for at least 5 hours straight. It's usually somewhere between 5 and 7 hours but last night he slept for 8 hours before he needed to nurse!!!
Each night I give him a dream-feed around 10 or 11 (sometimes he's awake at that time) and that sustains him for the night. I will say that he does stir sometime between 1 and 4 by making some grunting noises and I just go in and give him his pacifier and he is back to sleep.  This is so amazing and wonderful because our little lady-Miss A-did this maybe a night here or there but she didn't sleep through the night consistently till this summer when we had to let her cry it out. It's also been since last week that he's been sleeping in his crib the whole night. Miss A was in our bed most of the night for a really long time. But Baby F seems to sleep best by himself in his crib. It's amazing how differently siblings can sleep. I also know that once F starts getting teeth, this can all change so I am going to enjoy and bask in it now while I have the chance!
Speaking of sleeping and waking...Baby F is waking from his nap now...gotta go!

10 in 10 Progress

I am going to try to update periodically with my progress on the 10 in 10...
The great thing about the EA Active game is that it tells me my progress each time I work out...so here are my results from the game thus far:

-As of today, I am halfway done with the 30 Day Challenge...part of the challenge is to get 20 workouts done in 30 days and today I did my 10th workout since I began on New Year's Eve.
-I have burned over 1000 calories.
-I have "run" over 25 laps.
-I have have done over 100 squats.

As for weight...I still have 5 pounds to go for the first goal.
I am starting to see some more definition in my arms and I felt really sore after a squat-filled workout two nights ago.
I already feel like I have more energy which is really important with a toddler and an infant in a three-level townhouse!

If you are doing the 10 in 10 with me, let me know in the comment section and let me know your progress!

Pudgy Baby

Our Baby F...post-bath with crazy fluffed up hair...

 

I'm lovin' his Michelin Man arms!

Diape(red)

When Miss A was 3 1/2 months old, she flew for the first time to Louisiana to meet my family in May of '08. While we were there, we took the pics below of her reclining on a Boppy pillow at my brother's house. Her blue eyes are so big in these pics and I love her chubby little hands and arms:

Now, Baby F at a little over 3 months is wearing that same Diapered onesie with a long sleeve shirt under it of course...it IS January in Virginia after all...
In these pics, he's reclining on the My Brest Friend pillow...it is the BEST pillow for breastfeeding.

 

 

I love his sweet smile and his reddish-brown hair!

A Belated Happy New Year!

For the first time since I was in college (sophomore year? junior year? I can't remember)and just had my tonsils removed, I stayed home on New Year's Eve. With a 3 month old and a toddler, it just seemed easier to stay in this year! E went to Wegman's and got some great food and wine for our evening.  I made some delicious tacos in the crock pot (I love that thing and I just found a great crock pot blog through my friend, Christy's blog). That evening, after Miss A went to bed, E and I tried out our new Wii that we got from his mom for Christmas. I wanted the Wii so I could workout at home. We got the EA Active game and I am doing the 30 Day Challenge on it and it's going great! So, I started my first workout on New Year's Eve around 9 that night...way to start the new year, huh?
Then we watched the New Year's Eve shows on TV...you know the one's: Carson Daly's and Dick Clark's.  Those are such a must-watch on New Year's Eve for me...it's not the same if I don't get to see the ball drop.
E and I stayed up till around 2 a.m. on New Year's Eve...that's so late for us and of course, Miss A was up bright and early the next morning.

Here was F's spot during New Year's Eve...he was conked out on the couch-

E walking in front of the TV right after the ball dropped...there was something funny about this moment but I can't recall it now...I think I told him to walk in front of the TV for some reason...

New Year's Day-we cooked some great symbolic food-we made cabbage to symbolize money for the new year and we cooked black eyed peas to symbolize good luck for the new year...even though I don't really believe in luck.  (There are a few exceptions for example, Roulette...I've never played that game but it definitely looks like it has a lot to do with luck, doesn't it?)
With the cabbage, we mixed in bacon, onions, and chicken sausage. We also mixed in bacon with the black eyed peas and baked a pan of cornbread. The meal was delicious!! Below is a pic of the goodness...this reminds me of a pic you might see on a menu at an Indian food restaurant (minus the cornbread and black eyed peas of course)-

Then some pics of our kiddos on New Year's Day-

Me with Miss A and Baby F sleeping in his Moses basket-

Regarding resolutions...I don't really have any but I do have a goal of losing the last bit of this baby weight...my first goal is to lose 5 pounds and then 5 more. I am actually joining my friend, L, in her effort to lose 10 lbs. in 10 weeks so really at this point...if I can lose between 5 and 10 pounds in 10 weeks, I am great with that! I'm just glad to have a weight loss/fitness buddy!

My other goals are to be in shape, be fit, have more stamina, and to fit into my jeans better!

The EA Active game is great and has made me fit working out in to my day each day. I usually do it after Miss A has gone to bed but yesterday I worked in a workout while they were both napping. It's about a 30 minute workout and I have been sore the last few days. I've also seen a new (lower) number on the scale so I am pleased!

If anyone else wants to join us on this quest for 10 in 10, let me know! It helps to talk to others while I am doing this!

Happy New Year!

3 and 23

F turned 3 months on the 2nd and Miss A turned 23 months on Christmas day. So, here's a post of what they've been up to...

-Miss A is holding it down at 24+ pounds. She still fits in her coat from last winter...it was nice not to have to buy a new one especially when we loved hers from last year and it's in such perfect condition. It is a size 6-12 months-LOL! But it's Gap and they tend to run big.
-Miss A now says "Bless you" when you sneeze...isn't that polite?
-She likes to dance and asks to turn on "moosoosee" (music) when she's ready to dance. "Moosoosee" is said with a slight lisp so it's pretty darn cute.
-Her dancing looks sort of like she's hopping on one foot. Then she starts to spin around for a while. 
 -She's still getting teeth and has her hands in her mouth a lot.
-She continues to use sentences when she wants something.

Here she is sitting in her chair in her room.  We got her chair right after F was born. She really likes it and often is found reclining in it with her head on one arm and her feet on he other arm of the chair. Or she even climbs on top of the back and sits there. 

Miss A in one of her many chosen outfits...she's wearing a pair of Gerber training pants, one Babyleg, and my winter hat.

 

Baby F turned 3 months on the 2nd.  He had a shot-only visit yesterday at the doctor's office. He got the PC and the Hib shot. He weighs 13.2 pounds...that was the best estimate being that he was crying and moving while sitting on the digital scale so while it went back and forth between ounces, the nurse decided 2 was the best average. I measured his length at home and he's 23 inches long.
-He smiles a lot and makes us work a lot less to get smiles from him. (Miss A made ya work for those grins...she was so serious...which is a far cry from her silly self these days!)
-He is starting to enjoy watching Audrey when she's talking to him. She enjoys showing him toys and and just chatting with him. She likes to sit in his Moses basket with him as per the picture in my header.

Christmases of the Past...updated with a new-old pic!

Every year since I've known E, we've taken a photo in front of his mom's Christmas tree. I have all of those photos on the Mac so I thought I would show a photo chronology of Christmases past...unfortunately, I am missing one pic...the pic from Christmas 200...I don't think we took a picture in front of her tree that year. 

Christmas 2003

 

Christmas 2004

Here's a pic of us not in front of his mom's tree but it's a Christmas pic taken in Louisiana-

Christmas 2005

 

 Christmas 2006

Christmas 2007

Me pregnant with Miss A (found this picture on my Facebook page thanks to E's Aunt Bonnie!)

Christmas 2008...we became a family of 3!

Christmas 2009

 and now a family of 4...

Our Christmas

We went back to NJ for Christmas and stayed for 6 days. We had a great time once again and here are some photos from our stay...
***Some of these pics are out of order!
E holding F...remarkably, I caught them both smiling!

While we were there, Aunt S and Uncle R wanted to celebrate the last night of Chanukah again so that their boys could be there to light the candles. They have this fun tradition of lighting all their menorahs...they have quite a few! We had fun seeing whose candles burned the slowest and the fastest-

Miss A had fun decorating cookies with Aunt S-

I experimented with my culinary skills by attempting a pecan pie for the first time...little by little, I am bringing a little bit of southern cuisine to the table each holiday...thanks to the encouragement of Aunt S and the rest of the family! My pie did not turn out quite the way I wanted but it tasted good and it looked great-

Miss A on Christmas Day standing in front of S and R's tree-

Miss A opening her present from her Gram-

We gave her a doll sling that she can carry her dolls in so she can be like Mommy. I got this cute one on etsy.com-

Miss A and Baby F-

Me holding Baby F-

Miss A and Baby F again-

Of course it goes without saying that the box is just as fun as the gift-

Once again, Baby F was sleeping during the main meal...this time it was Christmas dinner-

Miss A eating-

Baby F smiling for the camera-

Miss A in pigtails...she loved getting her "hair did" by her Aunt S!!! She requested "hair" about 3-5 times a day-

I tried my hand at the cornbread dressing again...Aunt S and I made it together just like last time and this time it turned out more moist and even more delicious-

 

E having some fun giving Miss A a little sliding time in the foyer-

 

Here's a pic of the 4 of us on Christmas day just relaxing-

 

Christmas Dinner from left-Great-Grandmom, Miss A, L, E, and K (E's cousin)-

 

From left-K, Gram, Aunt L, Uncle V, J (E's cousin), Uncle R, Aunt S, Great-Grandmom, L-

  

Christmas Eve cookie decorating with Aunt S, Miss A, Gram and me with Baby F in the Moby wrap (I love that thing!)

 

I love this pic of Aunt L holding Baby F...Baby F's eyes don't have "red eye" and he just looks so cute to me and Aunt L just looks radiant and glowing-

 

When we came back from NJ, we decided to open the rest of our presents the next morning on the 30th. So, when Miss A woke us up bright and early, we all came down so she could see the rest of her presents...we kept it simple again this year with a stoller and a broom and one wrapped gift under the tree....the other gifts she got from us we took with us to NJ for her to open-

 

Miss A opening a gift for Baby F from his Aunt A, Uncle A, and cousin N in Louisiana-

 

E opening his presents...it's a coffee press he wanted...

Later that day, we went to Gram's house to open the rest of the presents she had for us and Miss A and Baby F...here's Miss A opening a present from Gram-

Here's a pic of the 4 of us in front of Gram's tree...we've taken a pic in front of her tree every year...