The Races

James' firetruck received: MOST ORIGINAL
Jacob's tank received: MOST PATRIOTIC

Both cars made it to the final heat (which didn't happen last year). Jacob's tank placed 2nd. He was ecstatic!!!!

Derby Day

Once again it's time for the annual Pinewood Derby.

Wood is sanded.

Paint has dried.

Wheels lubed.

Finishing touches applied.

Now we wait in eager anticipation for the races to begin.

I'm excited for them, but I also remember two sons coming home in tears last year.....

Winter Garden

I am LOVING the sweet peas that I can pull off the vine right in my own backyard. Jon has been trying all sorts of wonderful things in his winter garden. As long as the pouring rain doesn't wash it all away, we will continue to enjoy some mighty fine produce.

Strawberries - when he grew these before there wasn't much yield, but they were the sweetest most savory strawberries I've ever had.

This is the lemon tree. We enjoyed the citrus with our salmon and tilapia dinners.

Here's Jessica with Jon's winter squash. Jon is the only one who really likes it. One still sits on the counter and the other ended up in a nice soup.

These are the little plants. There are green onions, broccoli, cauliflower, and lettuce. Awesome to have a FREST salad and homegrown veggies at dinner.

Thanks Jon for all this awesomeness.

Labor & Delivery

I've labored all day to get the cakes together, take the pictures, get ready for the party, feed the party, find the presents, get presents wrapped (delegated job), etc. I never did my hair or make up (although I did try to go to an interval training class, but had to leave due to dizziness). I haven't felt well. The drugs aren't working.

But when all was said and done (despite the crumbs, the wrappings, the un-started laundry), I delivered:

I guess for the mom the Birth Day is ALWAYS about the labor and delivery.

Bake Me a Cake & Eat it Too

Jumping into 2010

I'm a bit slow on the whole Jump into a New Year. I did come down with a terrible cold just after Christmas. I did not return to the gym for weeks. My grand plans of organizing dinners and job charts and Mommy & Me activities just hasn't happened. Basketball season has started and our schedule is even more crowded.

This week I found my way back to the gym and even believed that I had recovered from my terrible sinus congestion. Turns out that I have another HUGE head cold plus I'm sore from all the weights at the gym. I do not feel awesome.

Even though I'm catching a late start, I welcome the new year. I intend for it to be spectacular.

Our kids LOVE their Christmas surprise!!!!

Oh Snow

My kids were SO excited to get outfitted for a sledding day. Even Jayson suited up nicely. Can I just say that it is SUPER great that most of the kids can get their gear on by themselves - sure we zip here or help tuck there, but it was horrible a few years ago when each article of clothing had to be applied by a parent.

Anyway, we hoped out of the van at a nearby hill. Jayson could hardly wait to jump into the sled. He took the first ride before my camera ever came out of the bag. I think he liked the sledding part. But he didn't like the SNOW part. He refused to wear a hat or hood and there was NO WAY to get gloves or mittens on that boy. Once he took a tumble and his bare hand met the white fluff, he was finished. Jon ended up in the van with him for the rest of the time.

While my mom, sister, and SIL were off burning their buns off on a power walk at the mall, I was freezing my buns off at the sledding hill. I don't get to see my kids play in the snow everyday. Over the last couple years Jon has taken our kids sledding and I've been home with the baby. It was also Jayson's first sledding day. There are only so many firsts. I was having fun with my camera. It was snowing. I was the mamarazzi standing on the hill with an umbrella and camera. I don't have a super zoom, so it is what it is.

p.s. If you are family and you have been added as family on my flickr account, you can see all pics and download original sizes HERE.

Wild Cards

Look closely. See the top left part of the photo. That's a sled at the BOTTOM of the hill. Jacob is ALWAYS up for adventure. Pair him up with his dare devil cousin and you have a crazy duo. They went sledded backwards over and over again - with both arms in the air and gleeful expressions singing out into the cold air.

Is there an App for that?

Jon gave me the iPod touch for Christmas. I LOVE IT. It syncs with my calendar (which will be a good thing since it's basketball season and the boys are on separate teams), checks my email (only my personal email and blog comments. I didn't link my junk file account :), lets me read blogs when there's a WiFi connection, packs tons of Killer & Jigsaw Sudoku puzzles around for me, and plays music (just need to remember the earphones and move my music there). James asked me if I was spending tons of money on "all those games." I have invested some, but I'm trying out a bunch of free apps. I am looking for a grocery list one that will work on the 2nd generation - most version 3.

What I REALLY need is an APP that will alert me when Jayson is getting OUT OF HIS CRIB. He officially can escape without any bodily harm and without climbing down the toy organizer that we moved across the room. If I though life was tough before, having a busy toddler that doesn't nap is worse. I also worry about leaving him napping (with Jon upstairs) because I can't be sure when he'll wake up and let himself out.

Yesterday I found the wrappings of two cubes of butter - presumably from the outside freezer. STILL haven't found the butter. The wrappers were on my family room carpet. The cold cubes I'm sure have thawed and I don't know where they've been stuffed, stashed, stowed, or smeared. My eyes are peeled. So even though we can't get a fridge lock to work for more than a week, I need one for the freezer. If he can't reach it, it should stay attached longer.

So earlier this week Jayson decided NOT to nap, he just undid his bed, adjusted the blinds, undressed himself, yelled my name, until I decided he could get out and run the carpool with me. On Thursday when he decided that he would climb out, he first headed to the laundry room. I try not to smile at his cute grin when he rounds a corner with his Shout spray gun in hand. He LOVES that thing, but we can't have cleaner squirted about. I returned him to bed and tried to be serious and disconnected like Super Nanny. I was TRYING to take a nap. This sinus cold is KICKING MY TOCKS!!!! All was quiet for quit some time or was it just my wishful thinking. I finally decided to check on him. I slowly opened the door and in the dim light I strained to see that nobody was in the crib. He giggled on the right. I turned on the light. OH NO!!!! He had emptied all of his clothes from the dresser and was sitting on the changing table smearing Nighttime Desitin all over his legs. Apparently wasting a tube of Desitin is a right of passage for all my children.

Here's James. He completely covered the ABC Apple. It got down in the buttons and ruined it. Jacob slimed our navy blue carpet on the stair, but I can't find any digital pics right now.

And here's Jayson on Thursday:

10 Messes I Cleaned/Prevented on Tuesday

1- Jayson scooped rolled oats into the sugar canister. I dumped the top layer, picked out the obvious oats, then ran the sugar through a strainer to catch any larger pieces. Now our sugar has a bit of fiber added. :)

2- Have you ever tried quinoa? It's a healthy little grain that we added back into our diet again. I only had about 1/2 cup left, but left it in the air tight canister. Jayson got it out today, removed the lid, droped the bucket and these little grains bounced ALL over the tile and spread all over the kitchen. I've never seen such an aerodynamic food. The stuff was propelled everywhere.

3- Saved the floor from yolk and white when Jayson was walking around with an egg with his finger poked in the top.

4- I avoided another big mess by grabbing the soy sauce out of Jayson's hands before he darted around the corner. We need to find a new style of fridge lock. It's exhausting having him in the fridge.

5- Jayson went to my most recently cleaned bathroom and dipped the toilet brush into the toilet bowl. He then proceeded to splash water all over seat, lid, & exterior or recently santitized toilet. Yeah.

6- Jayson squirted my Silk Drops (generic brand of smoothing silicon hair serum) into a puddle on the bathroom tile. Watch your step. Even after wiping up the mess, it's slippery. He also stroked it into his hair. It looks so greasy, but Jon gets the credit for washing that out during bath time.

7- During Jayson's non-nap (as in I put him down and he refused to sleep AT ALL), he stripped all his bedding and his shirt and tossed them all on the floor. No break for mom today.

8- Jayson brought the gallon milk jug to me at my computer. He had already removed the lid so the milk splattered on me, my chair, and surrounding floor area.

9- I've been finding recycled apple and orange slices (as in chewed up by Jayson and then spit out in piles) all over my countertops.

10- We had couscous for dinner. Tasty? yes. Easy for young children to handle? No. Mess all over table, chairs, & tile? ABSOLUTELY.

Jayson had a busy day. Mom too.

On the bright side I WON a blog give away from a favorite photographer. I decided to do "mine on Monday" to take and share more pics of my kids. I posted it over on my photography blog.