Give Away Shout Out

I think I'm going to come out of my skin because of excitement for this camera bag giveaway.  On Simply Modern Mom you will find the coolest camera bag I've ever seen, and they are seriously giving it away.  (It will go perfect with the camera I'm buying this fall!!!)  Fingers crossed, and don't tell me if you win and I don't.  You know, salt in the wound.  Don't forget to check out all the other nooks and crannies of SMM, it is a fantastic site that I enjoy keeping up with.  

Part 2 .... the last one was getting too long so scroll down & start there

Monday - Another fun filled day!  We went to a puppet show in Roswell, the kids seemed to enjoy it.  Charly had a very difficult time sitting still during the program, fortunately she was able to socialize with some other kids during the program. 

 Logan, Charly Drew and Owen

 The show was a short version of the Jungle book, this is Mogly up close.

 Owen trying to be nice to Charly on the bridge. 

Since we were in the neighborhood, we headed over to the Spray Ground.  By far our favorite place this summer.  It was small enough that is was easy to keep an eye on the kids, it is fenced in and it only costs $1.  

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday - According to Owen was the best day ever.  He got  a evening of Mom and Dad all to himself.  We ate at Zigglers BBQ (truly awesome) then went to see Toy Story 3 in 3D.  He really liked the glasses (just his size) and we splurged and bought cotton candy for him.  Then to top off the night he got to ride in Dad's car on the way home.  It really was fun to have a quiet evening with him. 

Yes.  That's right... All carbs for dinner.

I've got to give a shout out to NCG theater.  It really was as good as all the reviews claimed.  The place is clean, the concessions were much more reasonably priced than all the other theaters I've gone to and free refills on all sizes.  We went on a Tuesday night because I thought it wouldn't be crowded.  I was right, turns out Tuesday is a slow day and they offer the movies for $6.  Cool.

Wednesday - To Christi's house we go!  It was so nice to visit with everyone.  Miss Lula is growing fast and is soooo pretty!  The kids wanted to play with her like a doll.  Too bad you can't.  I have a video of her smiling, once again, new blogger... where is the video button? 

It's Been FOREVER!!

Since my last post anyway.  Sorry to any one who keeps up with us through the blog.  I'm just bored with the blogger and I make no promises as to when the next post will be.  It's been so long I will not even try to get caught up. So here are a few things we've been doing to keep busy this summer. 

A super fun birthday party at a GYM!

Charly wouldn't take a leap in to the pit so I nudged her and she fell in. 

 

So much fun!

Some where in the mix is one of my favorite summer pictures......

Boooooooooo! This is what happens when the door will not open. 

Fernbank Museum

A good friend of ours let us tag along for the day.  The kids loved the interactive areas.

Owen, Charly and Joe

Best I could do, the kids were moving faster than my camera would snap.  :) 

The Gecko exhibit was the best!  There were so many from around the world.  Loved it!

Biggest bubbles ever!

He would have stayed here all day if I'd let him.

Owen even gave the weather forecast. 

We Had A Birthday Shout Hurray!

Garett turned 37 on June 15th. We had a lovely evening and the kids practiced the birthday song all day and were ready when he got home.  Just curious, I have video and can't figure how to add it to the new and "improved" blogger.  Help!

Alice is everyone's friend

Are you a busy mom? Agoraphobic? Forgetful? Do you hate to shop? Do you love to shop online? Then read on... (you like the info-mercial feel) :)

A friend of mine pointed me in the direction of Alice.com a wonderful website that helps you keep your house stocked with the essentials without stepping foot out of your home! Alice is a website where you can create a profile of household items that you use, you set the quantity and frequency that you use them, place the order and it arrives in 5 business day via UPS. I place my first order last week (napkins, soap and tampons) just to try it out... I love it. Their prices are about what you would pay at Wal-Mart. From what I can tell, they do not have sales but do offer an online coupon on many items.

It's great for me because I forget that one item every time I go to the store and it's just not worth going back for once I'm home. Now if you coupon as a sport then you would want to use the site for the items you have no coupons for. Another great use... you can send shipments to other addresses. You can send a shipment to someone in need, or as a house warming gift!

Best part (drum roll please......) Shipping is ALWAYS FREE!!!

If you would like to give it a try.... here is my referral info(use it when you sign up):

http://www.alice.com/referral/7EC1F14E

Ouch!!

If you read Facebook then you have already seen these, however, incase you are still checking my blog for updates. Here is our latest.... Owen bonked his head on the couch. It was terrible, but he is fine now. He cried the unmistakeable "I'm hurt" cry. I watched his skin bubble up within a minute. The only treatment I could think of was ice. It wasn't over he temple, it was close but missed his eye. So we iced it with frozen blueberries, I watched him to make sure he had no other symptoms. The swelling was nearly all gone in a few hours. He ate the blueberries and played the rest of the night.

I have a rough and tough boy so I guess I better get used to treating these types of injuries. Now that I think of it, I should probably take some sore of first aid course to be prepared.

18 months already

Ms Charly is now 18 months! She has come of age in the nursery world anyway. I can hardly believe how quickly time has gone by. She is growing so fast. She is already in 2T clothing and has size 7 shoes! Charly went for her check up today. She now weighs 28 lbs and is 34.75 inches tall (that is the 99.39%). She is healthy and happy.

I'm taking her to have portraits done next week, otherwise it is hard to find pictures of her without hair in her eyes or in some kind of mess. This is permanent marker lipstick.

I can't number the many times she has jumped in the tub with all her clothes on. Even if I just dried her off and put her pj's on. Not difference to her, she just really likes to take baths.

Those who know Charly know she is tough stuff. She is a great climber, problem solver, trouble maker, has a good throwing arm and has quite a grip. Despite her boyish talents she has maintained balance in life. Frilly purses stuffed with cars, pig tails with mud on her feet, barbies with transformers and baby dolls covered in choo choo trains. She recently has shown lots of interest in fake makeup, I'm on the look out for one of those cool real genuine plastic sets that I had as a kid.

Read atleast the first part...

Alright y'all for those who just read the first few sentences...I'm going private. I'd love for you to keep up with us through the blog so please email me your email address and I will make sure you are on the VIP list. :) 4getfulmom@gmail.com

So I'm officially OLD. I don't look it. I don't feel it. And I think 30 is far from old. However, now that I'm in college and one of, if not the oldest person in my class, I'm viewed as old. In class tonight the teacher was talking about marriage, birth order etc.... She asked if anyone was married. Just me. Then she asked how many years I said 7 (rounding up a few months 6 and 3/4 years sounds silly to say). When I said that I heard an audible sigh or gasp something like that and 1 whistle. What?!!? Come on people!! How does that make me as old as your mom all the sudden? Although, I did the numbers in my head, about 90% of the class room were in middle school when I was married. Yikes! That does sound very old. I really need to cover up my grey hair before I go back on Tuesday. Maybe throw on a Hanna Montana shirt. :)

This has grown too far....

It's been a few months now, I've lost count exactly how much time has past, since my hair went up in a pony tail. It is so nice to have it out of my face and off my neck. Summer time without pony tails or short short hair is, for me, unbearable. I don't really like the look of my hair all pulled back, I can honestly say that it isn't flattering. But I do it anyway. It's comfortable and soooo easy! I don't even have to torture myself with the hair dryer each day, up it goes and it's forgotten. One other problem with this is that pony tails are like gate way drugs, once the pony tail goes up, the makeup goes down. It's a sad progression but it has happened to me yet again. This time of year is the same as every year. I start looking in the mirror thinking "Geez! What have I done?". So out come the exercise videos, the makeup and a search for a new hair style. After I get it cut I spend the next few months thinking I should have tried some styles with my long locks. I check out the awesome hair styles of the lovely ladies at church and wish I could figure out how they got their hair to do that whatever you call it.

This go round I think I want to go with the Rachel Ray hair cut. I'd like to try it before I go to the tried and true stacked bob that I love so much. However, this time I've committed to trying 10 different styles with my hair before I chop it all off. This past weekend I became the proud new owner of my very own Helen of Troy gold series curling iron. That's right I didn't own a curling iron, I know not very girl-like. I've used it once - without burning myself. My first trial didn't go like planned, it was close, but no. You Tube is very helpful but the instructor is usually doing a models hair. It's not the same.

The styles I'm choosing are inspired by ones I've seen around on people I know and from magazines. Do not ask, because I will not tell you if you inspired a style. I would hate to lose a friend over one of my mishap hair does.

Owen's First Day of School

Owen started the 3-year-old Special Ed program today! He rode the bus with out any problems and was excited to sit by his friend Joe. I had a lot of first day jitters. I kept waking up last night wondering if he would be ok. (Owen slept fine.) Did he understand that he would actually be going to school? And that Mommy was staying home? We went over it many times with drawings and everything. Now that he is off at school I have to stop watching the clock. I even set an alarm on my phone to remind me to go to the bus stop, you know just in case I forgot as I pace the house. I know I need to chill out. I'll be fine as soon as I know that he was fine and that he wants to go back, he will have to even if he doesn't want to. This is a big step for the both of us. As a mom you are constantly caring, protecting, soothing and loving them and then you have to let them do big stuff like this on their own. It's the right thing to do, it's for him, but it's still tough to let go just a little and trust other people to take over for a few hours. I love you Owey! See you at 2:30.

Boom Boom Pow

Our new best friends the Black Eyed Peas have been a fun part of life lately. Owen and Charly go nuts over the Boom Boom Pow song! It's so much fun watching them dance and copy Fergie.

Here is the YouTube link that we use several times a day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F444CELomo

And Owen dancing.... I'm not sure of the quality of the recording. ??

Here I Am

I've been thinking about what we have been up to recently, while we have been busy I'm not sure that there has been anything worth mentioning. I did flip though the pictures I've taken lately and oddly they were mostly of eating. :) I don't know about your family but it seems like my kids are eating 24/7. Here for example... The Swedish Fish. I bought these for my Sunday school class and Owen got his hands and a pair of scissors on them and ate 10 packs before I caught him. That's about 80 Swedish Fish. Aren't kids supposed to get tummy aches for things like that so we can teach them lessons about eating junk? Not my kid, he has a stomach of steel.

Owen loves the cheese dip at the Mexican restaurants. Personally, I love La Parilla! The food is great, the atmosphere is nice and the service is usually wonderful.

I have to stop making the mistake of changing diapers upstairs because Owen goes straight for the freezer and devours Popsicles like they are going out of style. That would be his third and his fourth lined up ready to eat. Of course I trashed the rest of #3 and took away #4 and he was grounded from sweets for the rest of the day.

The special dunking technique that only pros use.

Oh my heavens! All this eating is making me want a snack. :)

On to something else... Charly's boo boo. She climbed a flimsy chair on the back porch and fell over and hit her face on the door frame. :( I took her to the Scottish Rite Urgent Care and they told me that it was fine, probably fractured but fine. There is no treatment for a fracture so no point in doing the x-ray. I couldn't agree more. (Notice, there is food on her mouth, I'm telling ya they are always eating.)

One of Owen's latest discoveries. A cool way to wear your shirt. It brings out the inner Super Hero in him; as you can see I barely caught him in action.

And Cha-Cha being cute. I had to capture a picture with her hair up since I knew it wouldn't stay up for long. I'm lucky if her hair stays done for 5 minutes. It's not worth the hassel.

It's never too late!

I've been on the computer for hours paying bills, catching up on emails and applying to college! That's right I applied to college! :) I've been thinking of going back for a while and now sounds like a good time. If I get accepted then I plan on attending part time and seeing how that goes. I figure that it's going to take me a while to finish if I can manage to keep going in consecutive semesters. If that is the case then maybe I will be ready for a job by the time the kids are in school full time. I will stay at home as long as they are not in school and then I hope to go part time or contract. I still want to be a stay-at-home-mom as much as possible while we have them.

I know I shouldn't laugh

I know I shouldn't laugh at the things that come from my 3-year-old's speech problems. But sometimes they are too funny. I asked "Do you want to go bye-bye with Mommy and Daddy?" He replies, "And my whore?" :) "Yes your HORSE can come too." :)

A Must Read

My friend Shanna is an amazing Blogger and has been rewarded for her creativity. Since she is also generous she is giving away a night's stay at Great Wolf Lodge in Concord NC!!!! I know!!!

This includes 2 days worth of water park entrance, and overnight accommodations! Awesome Right!?!? So to enter you need to go to her blog to enter!

I hope to win it would be sooo much fun and a great opportunity to show off my ever so modest bikini (swim dress). :)

Happy Birthday Garett!

We love youDaddy!

Today is special because we are celebrating a wonderful man who means the world to us. Happy Birthday Garett! This weekend we took Garett to Callaway Gardens for a birthday get-a-way. We had a great time relaxing and being together.

I interviewed the kids and asked them what they liked most about Dad. Charly said "Daddy!". I'll interpret that as she loves Daddy because he is who he is, her hero, her fun time, and her cuddles. Owen said "a super heeoh, games, a come home later in da car" Daddy really is Owen's Super Hero. He calls him Super Daddy! Owen loves to rough house with Garett and play Superman with Garett acting as the super power that holds Owen in the air. And last, he said he wants Daddy to come home from work. He looks forward to that everyday, he opens the door and says "Welcome home! Come in Dad!" it's the same everyday but Owen means it everytime.

As for me, I know how blessed I am to have Garett as my companion. He is my friend, my balance in life, he is my calm, the love of my life. I wouldn't be the same without him. I love you Garett!

A Little of This A Little of That

Owen and Logan
This is the last day of swim lessons! I'm happy to have a one less thing on my schedule. Also it marks the end of a mistake I made; swim lessons at 5pm. It doesn't work for us. He does better each session but still mostly splashes the water at his teachers and class mates. Still, in the end I'm sure he will learn to swim.

Banana nut bread.
I love making this stuff. It is so good.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
I'm selling this kitchen play set because they are constantly knocking it over so they can sit in it. One ding in the wall and they keep getting stuck too.

We know how to stretch the quarter. :)
Last, a bit of summer fun at Chuck E Cheese's house. We love to visit.

Owen's Last Day of School

He was a Knox Knight for 3 solid weeks!

Charly and I attended the awards ceremony and party for Owen's last day of school. He wasn't thrilled about me sitting across the room from him so he pouted until he cried. :(

Then to my lap for the rest of the ceremonies. Oh well.

At least he participated from my lap.

Owen was happy to get his "papers" from school. He recieved an award for attending the first and last year that the program ran at Knox Elementary, one for Eagerness and one for perfect attendance. Hurray! He made it to school every day for 3 weeks. :) That will be much harder to accomplish next year.

Even though he wasn't in school for long he did make some progress. He is already speaking more and signing more. He has said new phrases like, "Ya, I am", "Mom you messed up", "Guess what", and "I be good boy". Music to my ears. I think I will be a little sad when he quits saying cute things like cake-cakes for cupcakes. School starts again August 3rd!