BC: Day 30

Car you drive and past cars too!...

When I turned 16, I was supposed to drive my parents 1990 Ford Areostar Minivan.....

I was mortified, to think about driving into my high school parking lot driving a minivan. Luckily days before my 16th birthday my parents bought a 1999 Hyundai Sonata for my mom. My mom had always been a stay at home mom, but my dad owns is own construction business was needing her help, and she didn't want to drive her new car to work.

So I went from this:

to this:

I drove the snot out of the "snotter".

I drove this car until after Brandon and I had been married for a year, and started packing to move to St Louis. The "snotter" wasn't the safest car in the world with over 100k miles on it, Brandon and I were about to have to start putting some major money into it for repairs. I guess my dad couldn't handle the thought of his little girl driving an unreliable car in the big city. To tell you the truth I wasn't too excited about it either, which then resulted in Brandon not being too excited about it. So about a month before we moved Brandon and I headed out to pick out a new car. We had a budget and I knew exactly what I wanted. A Pontiac G6. So pretty. Brandon and I drove by the dealership after hours one night, and the one I wanted was WAY out of our price range. We drove by the next day with the intention of going in and test driving. As I drooled over the exact car we saw the night before, I noticed that the price tag had been lowered about $10,000. WOOOO HOOOO! Test driving we did, and buying we did!

So I went from driving the "Snotter" to driving this:

I LOVED this car. Mine was a charcoal gray. It was just about fully loaded. Everything but the heated seats. It was just sporty enough but still roomy. Roomy enough for two car seats but not three. I drove this car until I was eight months pregnant with Greyson. I had to take the Pontiac into get serviced and walked out of the dealership with a Nissan Armada. I went from 29 miles a gallon to 14. I went from a cute little sports car to a Tank on wheels. It was a huge change.

So I currently drive this exact model of the Nissan Pathfinder Armada:

I like my Armada. It's roomy for the five of us and all of our stuff. It's not a minivan( nothing against minivans... I was 23 when I got this car and refused to get a minivan). It had a built in dvd and awesome stereo system. It handles great in Missouri's crazy weather.
I'm not crazy about the horrible gas mileage, the expensive tires, or the fact that it's no longer under warranty! I guess it will have to do until I can get something different!

BC: Day 29

Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days...

This is a hard one. I'm actually writing this in January... and we've already had a lot go on. ( I wanted to actually complete something that took an extended amount of time, and predating them or filling some of these out late made me accountable!)
Anyway, back to January. We are currently in the beginning stages of buying a house, many more details to come. I want to make a list of updates and actually complete them on a timely basis.
I also want to restart and grow my lia sophia business. It's something I love, and need to get focused on. It's something for me, and helps to bring in a little extra money!

I want to follow through on something I've been feeling led to do. After many months of prayer and putting it off, I need to follow through. Again, more to come later!

Anyway, that's a begining to a list of my 2011.

BC: Day 28

What's in my handbag/purse...

I'll add a picture soon...
But this is my all time favorite purse. Brandon completely suprised me and brought it home one day. It's a Coach bag from the Poppy collection. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this purse!

Inside it: My wallet, my poppy wristlet, usually my blackberry, my pink poka dotted lipstick/gloss wallet, Extra gum, sometimes my sunglasses, and almost always a couple of matchbox cars or other toys that I carry around for easy entertainment!

Christmas 2010

Christmas this year was a big deal for us for a few reasons. This was the first year that we were able to celebrate as a family of five, in our OWN house! In years past, we've either been at my parents(my parent's would hang out in their bedroom while we opened gifts) or in Brandon's parents basement for Christmas. So this years was huge for us! The other reason's don't matter as much, but being by ourselves was so exciting!

The boys kinda slept in. I think they were so worn out from Christmas Eve, that they were in a really deep sleep. We all woke up around 8:30, had the boys go potty and I ran into the living room, so I could capture their expressions! THis year we did it a little different, since they are hearing so much about Santa. We left out the presents that they had told Santa they wanted out, unwrapped, and wrapped up everything else. So that way mom and dad get the credit too!

Lincoln was so excited to see his Buzz and Woody Choo choo, and his big kid gun so that he can go hunting like his pappaw. Daniel was happy to see the B & W Train too, and batman car. Greyson was excited but a little scared of his remote controled Buzz Lightyear.

After a few minutes of playing with their Santa toys, we opened stocking stuffers, and then tore into the wrapped presents. Since Greyson is obssessed with helping, I color coded each boys gifts. That way he could help pass them out. For days leading up to Christmas, Greyson would go around the tree pointing at each gift a and saying what gift belong to what boy. Boy was I wrong! Momma ended up sorting all the gifts and the boys took turns opening, looking at what the other ones got.

After opening presents we called all the grandparents, and Aunt Heather called from Alaska. By the time we got around to eating it was nearly time for lunch. Luckily, we thought ahead and purchased a frozen pizza for lunch. Brandon's parents were heading down for dinner so I didn't want to slave in the kitchen all day. After barely eating lunch, we played some more and finished cleaning up all the trash and attempted to find places for the toys in boys room.

We attempted to put the boys down for a nap, but only Grey was successful. He power napped for a hour or so, and then was up and ready to play again. By that time Jeff and Carol were finishing up organizing the boys gifts. Greyson did help this time! We got the twins out of their room and let round 2 of present opening begin! Poppa and Grandma brought the boys their favorite gifts! Greyson got a policeman backpack, Lincoln got a Toy Story 3 Imaginext playset, and Daniel got the batman "castle" that he had been begging for! They also each got a nerf gun, and guitar.

Brandon was exited for his gifts too! Carol made Brandon his all time favorite Christmas snack... FUDGE! He also got a Kinect for his XBOX, and I got money! ( My favorite gift!)

While the boys played I started prepping for dinner. Every year since we got married Brandon and I have always celebrated Feliz Navidad. We have chicken enchiladas, refried beans, rice, and this year we added rotel into the mix. It's simple, it's yummy, and it's "festive"! We pigged out for a while, cleaned up and watched the boys play. After the food comma set in, we broke out the domino's and played an entire game of Mexican train domino's. We thought it was only fitting. We put the boys down around 9 and the adults headed to bed around 11!

Luckily we didn't have Sunday School the next morning, just a late morning service. We headed to breakfast at a local resturaunt and then went to church as a big family. After service we said our good byes in the parking lot, so Jeff and Carol could head to Oklahoma to visit their moms.

We had a great time but were ready for a day of R & R on Sunday!

BC: Day 27

My Worst Habit...

My worst habit would be my language. I'm sure Brandon would say it's something else... I am very particular about things and it drives him nuts! But in my opinion it would be language. Don't get me wrong, I don't say bad things, it just things that I don't want my kids saying. I say crap, butt, and sucks, way too much in front of them. I am really trying to work harder at not saying it at all, much less infront of them.

Christmas Eve 2010

We spent Christmas Eve with my family this year. We had a great time!




Take one..they had more on their minds than taking pics!

Take two....

Brandon woke up and went hunting with my dad( yet another topic for another post!), and the boys and I slept in for a bit. I woke up in kind of a panic, because my house was a mess and Brandon's parents were coming the next day. I cleaned for a bit, and started to get ready when Brandon walked in the door. He finished getting himself and the boys ready, while I got We head over around 2:30 hoping that the boys would at least lay down before everything started up, but they were so excited that they couldn't even sit still. My brother and sister in law came over around 3 and gave the boys their present. Brad says it is a present for me and for them. They gave them the animated Iron Man series. It's nine hours long, and they LOVE it. I can have up to nine hours of uninterrupted quiet time! (JK!) They also got to open their gifts from Aunt Heather, Uncle Nate, Rose and Brooke (Brandon's sister and family). They each got a game to play, CARS domino's, Spiderman Checkers, and a I Spy game. They couldn't wait to get the games open and put the movie on.

As we started the move Beth, Gordon and their three boys showed up. My boys thought that meant open presents now... but we had to eat first. We've decided that we do a fancy meal at Thanksgiving and a homey meal at Christmas. We had potato soup, corn bread, little smokies, rotel and chips, ham, sausage balls, brownies, fudge, and cake for dessert. It was yummy.

After cleaning up the kitchen, the big boys helped the little boys organize out the gifts... that's when I realized that I had left the big boys gifts at home! I panicked. I felt so bad. They didn't care though, they had a blast opening their gifts.
Before the chaos began!

My boys got a ton of stuff. Beth and Gordon got them each a mini Toy Story Character.. Buzz, Woody, and Jessie ( special request from Daniel). My mom and dad got them each, a cars watch, a Star Wars figure, an Iron Man outfits (mask, center chest piece, and the arm piece), Greyson got a few shirts, and a couple of more things.

Iron Man Daniel


Playing Apples to Apples Junior

After gifts we sat and played apples to apples for a while, and then started loading up to head home. After we got home, the boys were able to open one gift... new pajama's! We started this last year, and they get super excited about getting their pictures in their new jammies. After we were done opening, they played for a few minutes, while I got milk and cookies ready for Santa. They placed them on the table near the tree, and ran to bed. We never heard a pep out of them again! We were shocked.
The boys in their new Christmas pj's

Brandon and I put on Love Actually, and started putting together the toys that Santa was to bring. We had a really good time, having some quiet time and getting everything together. We even played with their new toys for a few minutes! We finally headed to bed around 11:30. We weren't sure what time the boys would wake up, but we knew we wanted to get some sleep!

BC: Day 26

Your week in great detail...

This might be a LONG post...

I have great kids, in the fact that they let me sleep in. I guess they know that mommy requires a great amount of sleep! They normally wake up around 7:45-8:00 in the morning. They'll play in their rooms together or out in the living room for about 30 minutes. After that I wake up and make their breakfast, and while they are eating it, I run and hop in the shower. I wish that they would sit like the perfect angel's that I know they are, and eat. But they are little boys, so I get interrupted in the shower no less than times. It can be anything from wiping a bottom, settling an argument over toys, are answering the phone. Atleast they know to shut the door after every interruption...that way it stays warm! That's how every morning works out, except Sundays...

Mondays-
Get up and get ready, get breakfast ready, get laundry started &
Get all three boys ready and loaded in the car by 9:45
Take Daniel to "Big kid School" get him and the other two in the door by 10:00
Hang out in the car for an hour while he's in there learning until 11:00
Get home- get all three ou and in the house without the dogs running around like crazed
animals and get lunch started and served by 12:00
Eat until 1:00
Start picking up the toys through out the house, and pick up the boys rooms until
NAP TIME!!!!! at 2:00
Finish up some more laundry, sweep and mop the kitchen and dinning room, make up my bed, and clean up around the house, and repeatedly go into the twins room, and threaten them within an inch of their lives to go to sleep or ELSE! until 3:00
Continue cleaning and picking up around the house until Greyson wakes up or it's time to start dinner around 4:00
Cook dinner, hold a kid, make sure kids don't kill each other, or make sure that kids are awake, and call Brandon to see when he'll be home until 5:00
Eat dinner until 7:00ish
Clean up kitchen until 8:o or 8:15
Put kids to bed around 8:30
Finish putting kids to be around 9:00
Snuggle up on the couch with BRandon until about 10:30
THEN GO TO BED!

Tuesday
Starts out the same...
But no "big kid school"
after a quick lunch the twins go to preschool from 12:30 until 3:30,
inwhich time Greyson and I go to my parents house for him to nap and me to play on facebook.
3:30 pick up twins and head home,
feed the dogs, and either start fixing dinner or
Call Brandon to figure out what to do about dinner.
Then the rest of the evening is the same as MOnday... maybe a bath maybe not... just depends on my mood!

Wednesday
Similar to MOnday except:
We take Lincoln to "big kid school"
then lunch,
then cleaning,
then nap time,
then threatening of lives,
Then wake up get ready for church, rush out the door and go eat at church
Go teach a preschool class, send BRandon home with the kids while I go to choir until 8:30...
(on the first Wednesday of each month I stay late to help set up for the next days MOPS meeting, so I am there until 9ish)
THen go home and put the kids down

Thursday
Just like Tuesdays... Except
on the first Thursday of everymonth we have MOPs meeting.. so we have to be out the door by 8:10.... and are at MOPS until 11:30 then rush to get lunch....

Friday
Just like Monday minus the "big kid school"

Saturday
SLEEEPPPPPP!!!! Run errands or go out and do something fun as a family.

Sunday
Get up, get ready, get breakfast ready and get myself and the kids ready by 9:30
Be out the door by 9:30
Get to church and have kids dropped of by 9:45
In church until 12:15ish
Eat lunch either out with my parents, by ourselves or VERY rarely will I cook
get home and clean up breakfast stuff, clean up around the house,
get the boys down for a nap by 2 :00
get up and readyto be out the door by 5:00
go back to church from 5:15-7:30 for class
go get something to eat somewhere
go home and let the boys play and then put them down by 9:00

This is just a rough estimate of the day. There are days with errand running, or grocery shopping with all three boys, or the four of us getting out and doing something fun. There is a lot more play time in there than it looks. And big kid school is speech therapy for the twins, but that's a whole other post. Brandon sums it up best, for being a stay at home mom--- I am never home. I feel like I live on the road. The bad thing is , nothing is really close together for us. So I am actually on the road more than I am at any one particular place... other than Walmart or Church...
I am hoping that once these boys get into school, life will not consist of so much running....