Los Livingstons

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T14:04:00.012-05:00

What a fun Halloween we've had, but I am SO glad it's over. Whew. Next year, I need to remember to plan early.

The kids got to dress up as their favorite book character for school. Cal was Skippyjon Jones... a Siamese cat who thinks he's a Chihuahua. Patti was, of course, Fancy Nancy. I had so much fun getting their costumes together. Thanks to my sweet friend, Angela, who at the last minute made a fabulous Skippyjon cape and helped me make those fabulous ears. Oh, and about those ears.... Cal hated them. Wouldn't wear them. Little stinker said that they looked like bunny ears (okay, maybe they kind of did). David had to get his Superman cape on and be a part of the party too.

Later that day, Patti was feeling this whole dress-up thing and decided to get the face paint out. She painted Cal's face (I had to bribe him with 50 cents to participate.... correction, happily participate). Sorry, didn't get any pictures of Cal. Then, David begged to have his face painted. Patti quickly obliged.

And then, Patti really wanted to have her face painted. I jokingly volunteered David to paint it... they both agreed that was a tremendous idea!

And finally, Halloween! I just wasn't in the "Halloween" mode this year. I took Patti to Target and we picked out her costume and Cal's costume. She was a little Senorita and Cal was an Ice Wolf Ninja. David's costume was dug out of the dress-up clothes the day of. I have to admit, they were pretty stinkin' cute!

Tough Mudder

2011-10-12T13:40:00.014-05:00

Welcome to the Tough Mudder.... 12 miles of mud, water, ropes, smoke, rocks, more mud, barbed wire, more ropes, walls, three levels of hay bales, more water and mud (about 19 crazy obstacles total)... And I did it all for fun!!

A few months ago, my friend Linda talked a bunch of us BCS Fitness girls to join her in this crazy thing. At first, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I thought I was in pretty good shape. As the time got closer, I started to do my research.... good cow! Well, part of me was pretty excited. The other part was completely terrified. Our one and only goal was to finish... oh, and have fun. That's what's great about the Tough Mudder ~ it's not a race, it's not timed or judged. You just have to finish.

So, on Saturday October 8th at 9:40am.... we signed our Death Waivers and off we went. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but also one of the funnest!!

Here are my teammates... Chalyce, Linda, April and Abbie. Love these girls!

Our first obstacle.... don't waste any time getting down and dirty!

This one was pretty scary. First you had to climb this massive wall to get to the top. And then at the top there was a 20 foot jump down into nasty water. You really didn't have time to hesitate. Just jump.

These are called the Berlin Walls. There were about 9 total... this was one of the shorter ones. We had to recruit some big strong guys to help us over the taller ones. This took a lot of team work and arm strength.

You can't tell in the picture, but this is ice water. They had trucks dumping in ice to keep it freezing cold. It was one of the first few obstacles... definitely took my breath away. I couldn't wait to get out of that water!

Teamwork at it's best.

It may look like I'm having loads of fun at the beginning of this one. By the end, I was ready to cry. Those are rocks of all shapes and sizes that we're crawling over. My knees and elbows were in so much pain. But, you couldn't rest... you see all those people waiting behind us? Definitely don't want to look like a sissy.

I can't describe to you how nasty this water was. It was so gross and stunk so bad. We had to step over cow manure in order to get in. There were even dead fish floating around us. And the taste it left in your mouth after you had to go under in it.... yuck. But, towards the last half (oh, 6 miles or so) we had to carry logs and sludge through thick mud (we don't have pictures of it because it was so far in the back Daniel didn't make it there)... we were so happy to see that nasty stinky water.

Meet Mt Everest.... we were so worried about making it up this sucker. Daniel said that it normally took people a dozen tries to get up. I'm proud to say that we all got up on our first try. Luckily there were plenty of guys there to help us up.

I twisted my ankle on these hay bales. I heard it pop. I could still put pressure on it, but couldn't run. I had to walk the last three miles and I had to skip a few of the last obstacles. I was pretty frustrated, but glad I could still finish.

This is the Electroshock.... All of those wires are charged. We had to run through them while running through a foot of mud and water. Just glad none of us fell. It was the last obstacle... the finish was only feet behind it. By this point, we were all just ready to finish this thing.

So very happy to be done! Thanks Linda, Abbie, April and Chalyce.... I had a blast! Let's do it again in March!

First Grade

2011-09-05T09:59:00.003-05:00

I need to blog more. I hate that I've gotten so far behind. I had to get these pictures posted while it's still the beginning of the school year. At the rate I'm blogging, and as far behind as I am... I'm just happy I'm getting them up before they're in Second grade!

We were really ready for school to begin. It was a wonderfully busy summer... it's just time to get back into a routine.

Patti and Cal are in the Dual Language program now. They will be learning along side children who are primarily Spanish speakers. They have two teachers... one that speaks all English and one that speaks all Spanish. So far, they really like it and are doing well. They say that in this program, the kids will be fluent in Spanish by 6th grade and taking college level Spanish classes in High School. Pretty cool.

And this is why I don't like to take pictures of my own kids...

2011-06-29T17:41:00.009-05:00

As most of you know, I love to take pictures. I've created a small photography business consisting of friends and friends of friends. It's grown and keeps me pretty busy. But, I'm so busy doing everyone else's pictures that I forget about my own kids. I finally decided to quickly find some "complementing" clothes and set out one very HOT evening to take some pictures of those precious kiddos.

It wasn't long before I remembered why I don't like to take pictures of my own kids. First of all, I realized that I have a lot more patience with other peoples kids. And, I can't yell at other peoples kids... haha.

Patti has helped me on many photo shoots, so the girl was ready to pose before we even stepped out of the car. Before I had my camera ready, she hopped up on this "stage" and began throwing out the sassy! I quickly started shooting (not my favorite background or lighting, but it made her happy).

Then, I hear David holler, "Wook at me! My turn!" So, he started doing his poses. Oh my goodness, I love that boy!!

Patti knows how this works... she really is beautiful~ inside and out. I love this precious girl!

Here come the "cheeeeeeeessssse's"..... You can almost hear David saying it, can't you?

I would love this picture... except Cal is scratching his leg and Patti's dress is up on one side. Am I being too critical?

Okay, I like this one...

And this one...

Daniel was off to one side tickling the kids and then jumping out of the way... David got a little too tickled here :)

There's this crazy thing that happens to about 75% of the people I take pictures for RIGHT before their session.... someone always gets hurt and it's almost always on their face. I'm not kidding.... it always happens. So, as we are about to walk out the door, Cal throws a Hotwheels in the air and his lip catches it. Blood. Tears. Photoshop.

I love Cal's "real" smile... talk about melting my heart!

After about 15 minutes, David was gone... it was hot and late and he was plain ol' tired.... and sick of saying "cheeeeeeessssse!"

I asked him where his toes were, thinking he would play with them and maybe giggle a bit.... instead, this is what I got...

I think walking on the tracks is considered breaking the law... oops. I love how David is looking back at me like, "where are these crazy siblings taking me? help!"

The End

I haven't gone through all my pictures yet... so, you may see more again soon!

Random

2011-06-28T17:50:00.004-05:00

I've been terrible about blogging lately... if you haven't noticed. I have found some fun pictures on my camera that I thought I'd share!

My sweet little boy taking his Sunday afternoon nap in Mommy and Daddy's bed...

David "I have no fear of the water" Livingston... jumping off the diving board...

Hanging out with cousins...

The only picture I have of David on his birthday...

The kids had a Hawaiian theme day the last week of school. Aren't they precious!

Horseback riding lessons

2011-06-22T17:59:00.002-05:00

This little girl loves horses. We finally decided to get her some lessons through a mutual friend. Isn't she just the sweetest?

Happy Birthday David Ray!

2011-05-14T07:50:00.007-05:00

Sweet David,

I can't believe that it was two years ago today that you blessed our lives. The first night in the hospital, the nurses thought that you were one of the best babies they'd ever had... by the second night, they were ready for you to go home! And, that's the way it's been ever since... when you're happy, you're happy.... and when you're mad, watch out! The one thing that made you happy was being held. And, I didn't mind it one bit. I loved holding you, and I still do. I didn't know how I was going to love another baby as much as I loved Cal and Patti... but, God made room in my heart for a love just as strong.

You were so serious when you were a baby. It was hard to get you to laugh or smile. But, when you did smile... it melted my heart. Your first word was "dada" but "mama" wasn't too far behind. You've always adored your daddy... though I think you're a true momma's boy.

I've never seen a baby stick out his bottom lip as far as you can. It's so sad that it's cute. You know, I'd do anything for you sweet boy... I love you so much. Seeing you sad breaks my heart. I think you get away with a lot more than your brother or sister ever did.... shh, don't tell them I said that though.

You have the best personality. You have always been able to make us laugh. You can be so silly. And, when you laugh your eyes just light up... it brightens even my darkest day.

I think you just got cuter each day... to the point that you just can't get any cuter than you are now.

I do have to mention your hair... by the time you were 9 months I had to start giving you hair cuts. I'd trim it every few weeks and it just keeps on growing. It makes you look like such a big boy.

Did I mention how much I love your laugh? You bring such joy to my life. I know that God loves me... you are proof of that. Even though you have a strong will, you are pretty easy. I love taking you places with me. You are so friendly... you wave and say hi to everyone you see in the grocery store and then you get shy when they try to talk to you. You are also so sensitive. It breaks your heart when I have to get upset with you. But, unfortunately that has to happen.... I mean, what do you expect me to do when you do things like... take my new wallet out of my purse (along with the black permanent marker) and color all over the inside of it including credit cards, or take the goldfish out of the bowl and leave it out on the counter (at least you came and got me), or what about when you stick your hands into your dirty diaper (then you come show me your dirty hand and say, "mess...poopoo.")? I'm sorry, but sometimes you just have to get in trouble. When you turned one, I would put you in time out (a stool in your bedroom). You got so use to it that when you knew you did something wrong you'd go put yourself in time out. And then you'd come out shaking your hands (sign language for "finished") and telling me you were finished.

You are a good eater. Right now, your favorite foods are mac n cheese, hot dogs, yogurt and goldfish. You speak and understand some spanish, thanks to Chayo. When you want more food or drink, you always ask for "mas." And, when you want some water, you ask for "agua." It's too cute. You have a sweet tooth like your sister... a lollipop always makes things better. And, I can't seem to find a good hiding spot for the gum... you always find some. You call it "gung."

You are super tough... you wrestle with your dad and brother like you were their size. You go up to your daddy with both fists in the air and say "Daddy fight." You climb like a monkey and jump around like a frog. Your favorite toys right now are the Wii (you love to sword fight on Wii Resort), playing baseball, and shooting Nerf guns. You are all boy! You love to sing, but only when you think no one is watching. You love to cuddle and snuggle especially when you are sleepy. I love it! Your hugs and kisses are given freely (even when I ask for them a hundred times a day). You are starting for look for a little more independance, but when you are unsure about anything you run into my arms. You know you'll always be safe there.

You adore your brother and sister... and they adore you. You fight and play with Cal and you look for Patti when you need some love and attention. I pray that you three continue to love each other the way you do and to build a strong relationship throughout your lives. That's really important to me. You are a blessing David, and I love you so much.

Happy 2nd birthday my precious boy!

Love,

Mommy

Happy 6th Birthday Patti and Calloway!!

2011-04-18T07:07:00.007-05:00

Happy 6th Birthday to my precious twins! I remember the day we brought you home from the hospital. I was a neurotic first-time mom who had no idea what to do with two babies! But God made it simple… all I had to do was love you. That was easy. Being your mommy is one of the biggest blessings of my life. I pray that I can be all that you need me to be… that God gives me the wisdom and knowledge to raise you as His children… that you praise Him by the way you live your lives. I will do all that I can to protect you and to love you with all that I am. I promise you.

My Sweet Patti… You are such an angel. Your tender heart brings me to my knees. I praise God with every breath I take… thanking Him for giving you to me. I love you more than words can say. I always called you my balance. You were always so calm and easy. We use to just lay you down next to us on the pew during church, and you would fall asleep all by yourself. It’s hard to believe that was almost six years ago.

You are still so sweet and shy and so precious. You have become such a big girl, but yet so innocent and fragile. You are so sensitive and always aware of everyone else’s feelings (except maybe your brother’s). Everyone loves you… it’s hard not to. You are sensitive, yet you can just go with the flow. It amazes me. Your teacher wrote this in your report card: “Patti is so well loved by her friends. She is a peace keeper, and helps others. She is a joy and a treasure.”

You love to shop and spend money…. Hmmm…. Wonder where that comes from? Right now, you still love your Littlest Petshop, playing with Barbies, stuffed animals of any kind, lotion and lipgloss. I have to say that stuffed animals are your obsession… but you love each and every one. You recently started helping me at my photo sessions and started earning money. As soon as you earn that money, you constantly “remind” me of it and persuade me to take you shopping. How can I resist? I want to spoil you like crazy, but I do my best to hold back.

You’ll try just about any fruit and veggie out there. You love pasta and bread. Meat’s not your favorite, but you’ll eat it. Your favorite is strawberries with sugar… that use to be my favorite when I was a little girl. Oh, and you got my sweet tooth. You’ve never tried a candy you didn’t like. Oh, and your memory is outstanding… you don’t forget a thing. If I tell you we’ll read a book when you wake up in the morning, you pop out of bed first thing in the morning and find a book! You can remember where every one of your 200 stuffed animals came from. Your prayers are always so sweet and tender… always thanking God for everything…and I mean everything. Your daddy always gets on to me when I try to cut you off. They really could go on forever. I appreciate that about you… your patience. You definitely have your daddy’s patience. You know that your Daddy adores you… you have him wrapped around every single finger and toe on your body. He would do anything for you… and you would do anything for him. It’s a precious bond that I love and I pray it stays as strong. Your brothers adore you too. Cal is just lost without you. And, you are a great big sister to David and he just loves you so much. Happy Birthday my sweet girl, I love you so very much.

My Adorable Calloway… You are so special. As a baby, you drove me to tears… and you still do. But now, they are tears of pure joy and pride. Little boy, I love you so dearly and so much that it truly hurts. You recently wrote and signed an agreement, and it says “When I am married I will still cuddle.” I sure hope your wife doesn’t object! You are definitely my cuddler~ yesterday you tried to bribe me in order to have more Kool Aid. You said, in the sweetest (most convincing whine), “I’ll cuddle with you the rest of the day.” You make me laugh… all the time. And, you are still so sensitive. You would rather eat spinach than hurt my feelings. I must add though, that you do eat some vegetables now! You like broccoli and carrots… with ranch! You learned how to eat those in Kindergarten last week. I’m so proud of you! The other day I heard you crying… Patti tried to comfort you and find out what was wrong. You were sad because you thought you hurt my feelings… precious boy! You haven’t slept by yourself in years. You still sleep in Patti’s bed, and I don’t think you’ll be making it to your bed any time soon.

Your favorite toys right now are swords… I think we have at least a dozen. You’re still into Sonic and Super Mario Bros. Daddy recently bought you some army men and it came with tanks and helicopters. I overheard you fighting the Germans… too funny.

You are always on the move… you only sit still to cuddle with someone. You run super fast and jump off of everything you can climb on. Soon, we are going to work on getting those training wheels off your bike.

You have never met a stranger. Every friend you have is your best friend. Kids love you… you just have an infectious personality. It’s adorable. Your teacher recently wrote this in your report card: “Calloway has to be the happiest child I ever taught! He gets excited about simple pleasures.” I pray that you always have that heart and that you will always find the simple pleasures in life.

You would rather listen to “Jesus music” than anything else… and you get so excited when you hear a “Jesus song.” Right now, your favorite song is In Christ Alone… it’s so cute to hear you sing it. You call it the “best Jesus song in the whole world.” You get so many of the words wrong, but it doesn’t matter… you are still praising God with each word. Priceless.

And, if you could only understand how proud your Daddy is of you. He’s your Tball coach this year… he wants to be involved in all the things you love. I get so nervous when you and him wrestle and “fight.” I guess it’s a boy thing. But, it brings the two of you together and that’s important to me, so I guess I’ll let you two have at it. Your sister loves to “mother” you… you act so annoyed by it, but I think you secretly like it. David thinks the world of you… he does everything that you do. It’s so cute.

Happy Birthday sweet boy, your mommy loves you.

A Day in the Life of David

2011-04-12T07:07:00.004-05:00

He eats broccoli with ranch. Well, the broccoli is more like a utensil... used to suck the ranch off of.

He likes to put on Patti's backpack when she gets home from school... and then parade around the house with it.

He likes to find markers and write all over arms and legs. Then, he comes and tattles on himself... saying, "Oh NO! Mess!!"

And he likes to go through my purse. When he's not using a black sharpie to color the inside of my wallet, he likes to wear all my new sunglasses. He thinks he's just soooo cute... and he is.

So, what have we been up to?

2011-04-08T16:12:00.005-05:00

Well, we've been busy.... putting this big ol' thing up. I did most of it with a little help from Daniel. Well, ok... Daniel helped more than just a little. Fine, he did most of it while I sat and watched. Paw Paw and Grams were in town to see it go up! Can you believe Grams sat outside in the middle of the day for at least an hour... and she didn't melt!!!

We have been chillin' with the cuzins!

We've been dressing ourselves to drive to school and drop Patti and Cal off.

We've been reading some books (without prompting I might add).

We've also been making pancakes for breakfast. Yummy!

We just LOVE to dance around topless (well, just the boys).

We love to have lunch with Grams on the couch (and in front of the TV... party time when Grams is in town!).

Of course, we also take a bath every night (almost every night).

A little bit of silliness...

2011-03-31T15:57:00.005-05:00

Being silly... it's what we do best...

Rodeo Day at South Knoll

2011-03-24T08:26:00.004-05:00

Patti and Cal have been learning about Texas in school.... the Kindergarten does a big unit about all things Texas... armadillos, bluebonnets, cowboys, etc etc. Cal has been telling everyone that his daddy is a cowboy. He's really proud of it. Patti tries to correct him and tell him that daddy is really a farmer, but Cal still insists that he's a cowboy. I finally asked him why he thought his daddy was a cowboy and he said, "Well.... he wears boots and jeans all the time.... and he has that rope at Paw Paw's land." He's talking about a lasso Daniel has that he uses just for fun. He has no cows and no horses... but, he does have a lasso.

The last day of school before Spring Break, the Kindergarten put on a big Rodeo. The kids sang songs and danced... then we had some fun and games in the gym. It was a lot of fun, and of course the kids were precious!

Happy Friday!

2011-02-18T12:04:00.002-06:00

Not a lot going on... just wanted to share some fun pictures.

We got home from church on Sunday and I was about to change David's wet saggy diaper... as soon as I got his pants off, he got up and started running around. I think he actually looks a little like Tom Cruise... just needs the sunglasses.

Daniel was working out of town last weekend. The kids truly miss him while he's gone... can't you tell? Look at David - he would not let go of his neck.

David missed his Daddy the most. He permanantly attached himself to him for a whole day.

David also has an infatuation with Mario. I bought him this huge Mario doll/backpack the other day (and Santa brought him that smaller one). He carries them around all day... precious.

Snow!

2011-02-13T13:44:00.005-06:00

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

And just a couple cute pictures of my little man.... isn't he precious?!

Hello February!

2011-02-02T14:22:00.005-06:00

Unfortunately, blogging has not been at the top of my to-do list. But, since I've been informed that my blogging stinks (hmm.... I'm getting this a lot), I decided to give you a quick post. I wouldn't want my readers to give up on us and never visit our blog again. So, here is our quick update (I promise more soon... really.)

Calloway is the same sweet silly boy as usual. He's doing so great in school... so much better than I hoped he would. He's learning so much everyday. Right now they're doing a unit on Space and Weather. He loves to share all that he has learned.... in fact, the other day he told me that 72 degrees what the temperature that everyone was comfortable at and wanted to know if that's what it was in our house. And, if it wasn't, then that's what we needed to make it. He also tells me that he loves me to Mars, to Saturn, to the Milky Way.... and then asks which one is further, because that's the one he loves me to. Sweet boy.

Patti is just the sweetest girl ever. She is doing amazing in school (which doesn't surprise me... I always knew she'd take after me). She is everyone's friend and is so eager to please and to do well. I've lost count how many times she's made Super Kid in her class. She is getting more and more independent, which makes me a little sad. She is such a wonderful sister to her brothers... I sometimes have to remind her not to "mother" Cal too much though. She likes to take a mother/teacher role with him, and he hates it. She told me that she wants to be a teacher and a veterinarian... so I told her that maybe one day she could just teach animals. She thought I was silly. Smart girl.

David is really becoming a little boy and not my little baby! He's so stinkin' cute... I just want to wrap him in my arms and never let go. Lucky for me, he is a big snuggler like his older brother. I love it! If I have something in my lap, he'll take it and toss it to the side and then climb up. He is really talking more and more... He says Pah-E (Patti), Dowl (Cal), mas (more in spanish), dis, dat, wahwah, wook (look), nack (snack)... it's just too cute! He has a terrible temper and will even put himself in timeout when he has his fits. He still has trouble understanding the word "no"... but we're working on it!

Christmas recap

2011-01-10T14:03:00.007-06:00

Our annual Cousins with Santa picture! Love it!! (We missed you Mihills family!)

Patti lost her first tooth! When she first came to me and told me that she had a loose tooth, I didn't believe her. I just told her, "Yes baby, one day you'll have a loose tooth and it will fall out.... but not until you're older." Seriously.... my babies are old enough to lose teeth?! What?!

All of our cousins were over and we decided that it was time to pull it. Patti got a little stage fright and maybe wanted to reconsider. Daddy was there for a little encouragement though.

All cousins, aunts and uncles were chanting... "Patti. Patti. Patti."

All the cousins gathered around to see the tooth!

Sweet smile, minus one tooth (and some extra blood).

Just a few pictures from our trip to the Ranch. David loved playing with the kitty cats.

(Yes, that cat's eyes are crossed)

Cal and Patti both tested for their Orange Belt over the holidays! They did really well... especially considering that there were over 50 other students testing for their belts.... and Cal and Patti were (by far) the youngest ones there.

A little Christmas fun...

2010-12-23T11:54:00.005-06:00

I am so happy to have my Patti and Cal home with me for the next couple of weeks! I've missed them while they've been off at school. Unfortunately, I don't think they feel the same. Sure, they love staying up later and sleeping in... maybe even staying in our pjs most the day. But, they miss school.... a lot! At school, they have dozens of kids to play with, they are constantly engaged and have so much more to do. So, I've tried to keep them entertained the best I can without going completely nuts!

Patti insisted that we try to make a Christmas tree out of bread (she learned it at school).... it turned out really cute... and yummy! She was so cute... she knew every single step of the recipe and basically did it all herself.

The other night, we had our Annual Gingerbread House Showdown. Team Feliz Navidad (aka... Mommy and Calloway) vs. The Reindeer (aka.... Daddy and Patti). We should really rename them "Team Impatient" and "Team Take-All-Day". Cal and I were done before Team Reindeer even had their house together.

The picture above and the picture below were taken seconds apart. Cal was so bored, he played his DS while Team Take-All-Day finished up. Mommy just took pictures.

And..... the finished products! Aren't they cute? The gingerbread houses weren't bad either.

We had to try them, of course.

Fast forward to the next day..... The houses were out on the counter, and this 19 month old just. could. not. keep. his. hand. off. of them! I finally had to hide them in Patti's room.

And, when he couldn't find them later.... he was so sad.

But, we quickly got distracted by the car in the house....

Thanksgiving at the Ranch

2010-12-17T08:51:00.004-06:00

We spent Thanksgiving at the Ranch. I'm sad I didn't get more pictures of the kids with their cousins! I always do that! I have this massive camera and it's a pain to pull it out all the time. I think I might need to get myself a smaller (but still nice) camera for Christmas. Anyway, some of the pictures were our "suppose to be Christmas card pictures".... but I decided that it wasn't the look I was going for after all. Nonetheless, they're cute...

Half Marathon update

2010-12-17T08:28:00.003-06:00

Well, I did it. I ran my first Half Marathon... and possibly my last. It actually went a lot better than I anticipated (since I hardly trained for it). I realized two things while preparing for this race.... 1) I get crazy bored after running for more than 45 minutes (especially when I'm by myself) and 2) 13.1 miles is a looooong run. I might run one more in March just to see how crazy I really am... and Daniel said he'd run with me. So, we'll see.

The first part of the race was a little rough.... we had to wind around a neighborhood for a few miles before getting to the sea wall. There were hundreds (maybe 2,000) people in the race.... so it was a little crowded those first few miles. And, I had to go potty... of course. But, once we hit the sea wall, it was good.... we found our pace and we were feeling good. Oh, the "we" I'm referring to is my pal and running buddy, Shelley. Another friend of mine, Charissa, ran it too but we got separated at the start. By mile 9ish, we started to slow down a bit.... but I was still feeling pretty good at 10. Then, came 11.... oh boy. My body started screaming at me to stop. I hurt all over... feet, legs, back, head.... did I mention it was HOT and humid? Anyway, I made it to the finish line in 2:49.... not terrible, but not great either. My goal was just to finish :)

What a face!

2010-11-12T15:47:00.003-06:00

Do you think David could possibly look any more pathetic?

***

Cal sleeps in Patti's bed. He is terrified to sleep by himself. So, Patti is gracious enough to share her bed. I came home from Bunko the other night and peeked in on them.... I had to take a picture and share this precious moment.

These two are sweet together. David just adores his big sister.

The Oil Ranch

2010-11-12T15:30:00.004-06:00

The Kindergarten classes at South Knoll go to the Oil Ranch in the Fall every year. Daniel and I were lucky enough to be able to spend the day with Cal and Patti's class. We had so much fun. The kids got to do some fun things like ride horses, milk cows, go on a hay ride and feed cows, and even got to go home with their own pumpkin. Fun times.

Halloween

2010-11-12T14:16:00.009-06:00

(Yes, I do realize that Halloween was almost two weeks ago)

***

This year for Trunk or Treat (a fun and safe trick-or-treating that our church puts on every year), we were Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.... not to mention the scary old woman/witch who gives Snow White the apple and Mirror Mirror on the Wall.

Patti was the perfect Bashful... isn't she sweet?

Cal was sneezy... too cute!

And precious little David was the most ADORABLE Dopey ever! Before you say Ahw, Poor David had to be Dopey.... Dopey was the only one that didn't have to wear a beard and he's the smallest. He did so good... he kept his hat on the entire time (well, that might have been because his hands were full of dum-dums).

So sweet!!!

I had to throw this picture in here. This is just to show what awesome parents we are.... oops, I mean what awesome kids we have. The kids (on their own) have gotten into a routine of reading books in David's room after they put their pajamas on. Even David loves it. Kinder has been such a wonderful thing... they just love to learn. (I'm enjoying it while it lasts... wonder if I'll be saying that in about 5 years).

Patti was obsessed with carving a pumpkin this year. I wish I had a picture of the finished product... it was really cute!

* Cute little side note: When you ask David if he went poo-poo, he picks up his shirt and looks at his belly button (?)

The Kindergarteners were allowed to dress up for school. Calloway and Patti were Mario and Princess Peach (from the Super Mario Brothers). Cal's mustache cracked me up.... he wouldn't wear the fuzzy one that came with the costume, instead I used mascara. I don't know what's going on with the Mario-grabbing here in this picture, unfortunately it's the only one that turned out well. Children, shield your eyes...

They had a little parade around the school... all other grades lined the hall and cheered and waved. It was really sweet (except for the creepy kid with the machete behind my precious daughter. We were going to have that little boy over to play one day, but I think I might reconsider that.)

The State Fair of Texas

2010-10-15T10:08:00.011-05:00

Daniel and I had been talking about taking the kids to the State Fair for weeks. He grew up going to the Fair as a child and had great memories. I've only been twice. When I was around 9, my dad was in the hospital in Dallas getting his chemo treatments and some family friends took me while I was there visiting my parents (my mom stayed with my dad in Dallas and I would fly up on weekends). It was a very special memory. Then, Daniel and I went with some friends of ours... long before kids. Also, great memories.

I managed to get sick last week... and I mean sick. I wasn't sure I would be able to handle going afterall. The kids were out of school on Monday and it was really the only day that we could go. So, at the last minute I decided to take one for the team and sucked it up for a day. And, I am so glad I did. We had so much fun! (I apologize to any family in DFW that we didn't go visit. It was really a quick last minute trip... plus I was still sick.)

***

We grabbed dinner on our way out of town. Poor David was so tired that he fell asleep mid-chew... yes, that is a chicken nugget hanging out of his mouth.

Okay, we're pigs... we had dinner twice. By the time we got to our hotel, the kids (and adults) were hungry again. Nothing like Taco Bell at the Holiday Inn. By the way...anyone notice Cal eating a beef taco??? We've come a long way!

My kids LOVE staying at hotels. LOVE it.

I was a little worried about how David was going to handle sitting in his stroller for hours. This boy is active... he wants to run and climb on everything.

The Midway was by far the kid's favorite place to be... and mommy and daddy's least favorite place to be. Do you know how much it costs to play games and ride rides??? Good grief!

Our first ride... I was terrified!! My heart was racing the whole time I was climbing those stairs (and because I was winded... that's a long climb!). That's Cal going by himself and then me and Patti at the top of the picture. That 10 seconds cost us $15. No joke.

The kids loved this game. You shoot water into a hole and the first one to pop their balloon wins. See Cal's balloon... it's the biggest one. He played twice and won twice.

Here's his big prize~ he even beat adults sitting next to him!

This isn't the best picture of Patti and her cotton candy... but can you see the little hand sticking out of the stroller trying to snag her yummy treat??

Okay, so don't judge. I don't typically give my kids this many sugary treats. It's the State Fair! Honestly though, I didn't realize how bad we ate until I looked at these pictures. I feel like I need to go pull my kids out of school right now and brush their teeth. Ugh.

David was a CHAMP! He did soooo good. At one point (as we're plowing our way through the Midway-it was so crowded) this man leaned over to us and told us (pointing at David)... "Hey, you might want to lay him down, he's passed out." Daniel and I peaked over the stroller and David was face-planted into his tray. Daniel reached for the camera, but I felt so bad for him and quickly layed him down. Poor buddy. We both cracked up laughing and turned around to thank the guy and he was cracking up too. It really was a funny sight... and sad.

David finally got out of his stroller in the barn area (less crowded). We figured it was about time... he had been in there for almost 5 hours.
I love this picture... See Patti grabbing David's arm? She's such a mommy. He's thoroughly annoyed with her... Can you tell?

I don't know if we'll go again next year, but it will definitely be a trip we'll take again!

Catching up...

2010-10-06T08:19:00.004-05:00

David loves the Wii... even when it's not on. It's cute to watch him play side by side with Cal... he thinks he's really playing and gets really excited. He'll even yell "yay!" and turn to give Cal a high-five.

What's the most annoying sound in the world? Two five year olds playing the harmonica Sunday morning before church.

Yes, that's Daniel holding David up to the fan so that he can stick his finger in it. The picture doesn't show that the fan is actually on.

Cal and Patti got a hold of the camera....

Sometimes this is how we watch TV...

For those of you who only look at my blog for the pictures, you can go ahead and log out now :)

For those of you interested in what's going on behind the scenes... read on...

Cal and Patti are still loving Kindergarten. I'm just amazed at how much they are already learning. And they LOVE to learn. They are constantly making up rhyming words, counting as high as they can without messing up, sounding out letters they see around the house or when we're driving, and telling me all sorts of neat facts about their 5 senses (that's what they're learning about now in science). They are making lots of new friends and can name just about every kid in Kindergarten.

David is still a pistol. He is so stubborn and has the shortest temper of any 16 month old I know... but he is just the cutest little stinker ever. He gets away with a lot only because he's so adorable. "No" is his favorite word... in fact, I think it's his only word. He will say "Ma" and "Da" for me and Daniel, but the rest is gibberish. Everyday he will find some toy (or two) that become permanently attached to his arms the entire day. He'll even take them to nap with him. I remember Cal doing this too... except his toys were always really small (David's are always huge).

I guess that's all for now. I promise I will try to do better about blogging in the future!

While the cats are away... this mouse will play!

2010-09-12T17:35:00.009-05:00

Even though David really misses Cal and Patti while they are at school, I think he secretly loves to have the whole house to himself!! But, it is a precious sight when we pick the kids up from school and he sees them after a long day away. He just lights up and squeals with excitement.

So, while the kids are at school....

We play with their toys.

(this was the first day of school and those are Cal and Patti's priceless Sonic toys)

We watch whatever we want on TV... preferably Yo Gabba Gabba.

We try on Patti's shoes.

We try on Cal's shoes.

And we might even try on both their shoes at the same time!

Then, we try on Mommy's shoes just for kicks.

We read their Bibles... the ones they never let us touch.

We get Daddy all to ourselves.

We get Grams all to ourselves.

And even Paw Paw.

And, we get to eat like a big boy at the table.

There's even more time to do our most favorite thing of all (other than trying on all the shoes in the house)....... Reading.

Patti and Cal's First Day of School

2010-09-04T11:09:00.003-05:00

I can't believe I haven't blogged about our first day of school! I'm so behind. Well, my babies started Kindergarten. They are at South Knoll Elementary in Mrs. Felderhoff's room... and we love it! I've known the principal there for years and their teacher is so amazing! I asked that they be in the same classroom... easier for them and for me. Cal and Patti aren't dependant on each other. They look to each other for support and comfort, but once they get acclimated, they go their separate ways. Though "Momma Patti" tends to make sure Cal's in line most of the time. But, they have their own strengths and weaknesses as well as interests and friends.

We talked about Kinder for months trying to get them use to the idea. At first, they cried at the mention of the word. But then slowly, they started to get use to the idea of change.

I think I was more nervous on the first day (well, more like the first week leading up to the first day) than they were. I was a wreck. Luckily, I cried almost all day Sunday so there weren't many tears left for Monday.

My mom was sweet enough to come over early that morning so that we could take the twins to school and not have to worry about David (that boy can be a handful... more of that to come).

We live really close (almost across the street) to South Knoll, so we walk to school every morning (except in the rain). We have a friend in our class, Jenny, and she comes over and walks with us too. Her mom and I have known each other for a few months, so it was a pleasant surprise to see them on Parent's Night.

It is also a huge blessing to have our cousins at South Knoll with us! Phoebe is in 1st grade and Chloe is in 3rd. They are both in the Dual Language Program (which we will hopefully be a part of soon) and drive halfway across town to attend this wonderful school!

Cal's face cracks me up (as well as the above picture with my mom). He is so uncertain about what's going on. He ended up loving it of course. They've already learned so much... each day they come home with something new in their vocabulary (some not so good... we make sure we correct that right away).

Here they are in their classroom with their teacher... she's showing them where to hang their lunch boxes.

The end of Summer...

2010-08-21T14:04:00.004-05:00

It has been one wild and crazy summer. I really don't remember any summer being as busy as this one has been. We've been having so much fun. I'm so sad that it's over. Calloway and Patti start Kindergarten on Monday. It's killing me. I'm so use to having them around, and it's going to take some time for me to adjust. I know David is really going to miss them too. We met our teacher last night, and she's wonderful. We already know two of the kids in our class.... well, I know their mommies pretty well. I think the twins are really excited too. I just hope I can keep it together. This is going to be hard. I don't want to let them go. I want them home with me. I'm already crying typing this. I know it's good for them, but I will miss them so much.

Moving on...

We spent some time down in South Padre. The kids had a blast. I wasn't very good about keeping the camera nearby... so I only took a few pictures.

Jennifer (Daniel's oldest sister... she's the oldest, but looks much younger) came down from Arlington for a few days. She has 4 kiddos (1, 4, 6, and 8). The second sister, Denise (she's also younger than she looks and wise beyond her years), also has 4 kiddos (2, 4, 6 and 8) and she lives in town. Anyway, we had a Cousin's Camp for a few days... full of swimming, playing, eating, and playing some more. I was terrible about taking pictures, so if you want to see more great pictures of all the kiddos visit Jennifer's blog: http://mihillscrew.blogspot.com/2010/08/cousins-camp-2010.html

We've been blessed to have some wonderful neighbors... the Tillery Family. Our kids get along great and have such fun together.

We've also been practicing our meditation. Just having some fun...

A Little Boy and some Guacamole

2010-08-14T17:09:00.004-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who loved guacamole. One day, he found an unclaimed bowl of yummy guacamole on the kitchen table. To his surprise, there was a spoon already in it. So, he decided to just help himself to this delicious green treat.

It was so delicious and so yummy. It was just so incredibly wonderful that he decided to forgo the spoon and use his hand. He just couldn't help himself.

And then his mean mommy took it all away and ruined it all.

The End

The Seawall Half Marathon

2010-07-26T13:08:00.003-05:00

Well, it's official.... I'm running a half marathon in November. I registered yesterday... paid my $60... now, there's no backing out. I've always hated running. So, why run 13.1 miles you ask? Because I'm nuts! And because I have a friend that's nuts. She and I have been running together since February (is that right, Shelley?). We started by running some local 5Ks together. We had so much fun... and then I guess we got a little confident and decided to run this half marathon together. We've been running 3-5 miles every Tuesday morning. It's been hot and humid. Good. Grief.

Anyway, it's time to step it up a little and get some more miles in. I am just taking it one mile at a time... hoping to get a good 8-9 mile base in by September. I'm still trying to decide if I actually like this running thing. I think I am.... at least I like the feeling of accomplishment after a good run. I normally don't share a lot about me personally on this blog... it's mostly about my kids. But, I figured that if I told all of you about it, I'd have all of you to hold me accountable! And, how embarrassing would it be if I slacked off and didn't do it! I've started lots and lots of things in my life that I never followed through with. I'm excited about the next few months... and proving to myself that I can do this!

Here's the hard part... I have been pretty lazy lately. In fact, one of my trainers called to check on me after she kicked my booty during our workout this morning. She even noticed my lack of motivation... and stamina. I think it's the "end of summer blues." There's no routine or schedule... always something happening... kids home 24/7 and need to be entertained... vacations.... etc. And, did I mention that Cal and Patti start Kinder in just a few weeks???? That's stress enough for this mommy.

I probably won't post anything else about this run until November... so, if you're thinking about me, just say a little prayer :) Thanks!

And here's July....

2010-07-23T08:51:00.011-05:00

Has it really been more than a month since my last post? Well, I guess I have lots of catching up to do. So, this is going to be the mother of all posts! (This one's for you Lee!)

I was chatting with my sis-in-law about this and that concerning house remodeling (she just bought a new house). I mentioned that my ceiling was looking pretty rough.... and that I had just noticed some water on the fireplace. I went to gently push on the ceiling to see if it was wet, and my whole hand went right through. Sigh.

Evidently the shower upstairs was leaking for a long time... probably years. What a mess. It took 2.5 weeks to get it all finished. Well, at least we got a new bathroom and ceiling out of it (new pictures to come).

11th Annual Livingston Family Reunion.... July 9-11.... Gainsville, TX

The place we stayed at (same place as last year) has this great stage. The kids love to run around and jump off of it. It was exhausting trying to keep David off of it. We had such a wonderful time. I didn't take very many pictures, but if my sis-in-laws share, I'll post some more.

Denise and Jude

Do you think they planned this?

Sweet Patti loves to ride horses... she had so much fun.

I snapped this picture while she was smiling at her daddy... isn't that just the sweetest smile?

The Davids had some bonding time. Isn't that sweet?

Exhausted...

David is up to his usual shenanigans. That boy is into EvErYtHiNg!!!! Here are just a few of the things I was able to catch with the camera....

He loves shoes.... this day, he was a Yellowbox fan....

Patti can't get any peaceful computer-time with David around. He loves to go bang on the keyboard while she's playing....

Ooooh, busted.... trying to climb onto the counter.

Sweet Patti....

Ooops... busted again! He even knows how to open the computer.... thought I could out-smart him by closing it.

Cal and Patti are playing their DS (it's on the windowsill because it was being charged).... David decided that he needed to see what was on the breakfast table. Seriously, I was out of the room for a couple of minutes.

What a handsome boy!

We're obsessed with toothbrushes now. He's collected the kid's "old" toothbrushes (yes, I washed them) and carries them around all day... periodically trying to brush everyone's teeth.

What does a 13 month old like to do?

2010-06-21T12:10:00.004-05:00

Things David likes to do...

Watch TV on his knees...

Find places to get stuck...

(Pretend to...) Play Wii with big brother...

Play in the sink... (or throw things in it)

Catch a ride on the plasma car...

Chill and eat Goldfish with Daddy...

Find a way to reach the remotes...

Calloway Moments

2010-06-11T17:48:00.002-05:00

This is a conversation I just had with Cal... both conversations back to back. And, this is a typical day.... full of crazy stories and questions. He reminds me of the energizer bunny... he just keeps going and going and going.

Cal: I don't want to grow up and be a dad.

Me: Why not?

Cal: Because I don't want to live with anyone else.

Me: Well, who do you want to live with?

Cal: I want to live with you Mommy.

Me: Okay, Cal... you can always live with me.

Cal: So, you won't let me grow anymore? Can you ask God not to let me grow?

_______________________

Me: Cal, please stop kicking the rocker. (Because it was hitting the fireplace)

Cal: Well, I can't.

Me: Yes you can!

Cal: No I can't.... my foot just keeps wanting to kick it. It won't stop.

Me: Calloway Andrew... stop it!

Cal: But it won't.... it (being his foot) just says (in a creepy little voice) I just can't stop kicking it!

Catching up...

2010-06-09T13:46:00.006-05:00

Guess what?!! Cal eats hotdogs now! Yahoo!

Wearing Paw Paw's glasses. He looks so much older than 12 months in this picture!

The Davids

Friends and Cousins
Phoebe, Patti and Chloe

This little girl has no fear. She just reached out and grabbed this lizard. With absolutey no hesitation. You couldn't pay me enough money to do that.

Cal got a much needed haircut... and Daniel couldn't resist being funny.

Cal didn't think it was very funny at all.

Aunt Gigi and David

Pals and Cousins

Cal and Nathan

All cuddled up.

A little confused...

2010-05-26T07:16:00.002-05:00

This is probably way too much information, but it's just too funny not to share.

Cal walked in on me yesterday while I was shaving my legs in the tub. He hesitated, and then asked what I was doing. The conversation went a little like this....

Me: I'm shaving my legs.

Cal: (a very concerned look on his face) Why?

Me: Well, my legs are hairy.

Cal: (even more concern... maybe a little freaked out) You're turning into a dad???

David's party

2010-05-20T08:50:00.004-05:00

My sweeties...
My stinker.... (I remember when my other stinker wore this shirt)

We had a little birthday celebration for David last Saturday. Check out his cake.... a friend of mine made it... isn't it amazing? When I mentioned that David was obsessed with the remote, I wasn't exaggerating. He really is. I was trying to figure out a "theme" for his party so I thought about what he really likes and then it hit me... the Dish Network remote!

After a big dinner, we sat David back down to do cake.... I think he was trying to tell us that he was done with the high chair....

and then everyone started to sing....

Hey! This ain't so bad afterall!

It's party time!

A little bit of this and a little bit of that....

2010-05-18T20:48:00.004-05:00

I thought I'd take advantage of some quiet time to catch you up on what's been going on in our world (other than birthdays).

Here are some fun and not-so-fun happenings in the casa of Los Livingstons....

Daniel had a pretty bad 4-wheeler accident right after the twin's birthday. If anyone knows how to safely ride a 4-wheeler (much less any 2-wheeler) it's Daniel... this was just one of those freak accidents. He cracked some ribs and is still healing (and hurting).
Someone hacked my email account and sent emails about meds like Viagra to the first 100 of my contacts.
Cal is finishing up t-ball.... at his game today he chased a kid all the way home to tag him out (without the ball).
Cal started eating Ramen noodles and peanuts. Small steps.
Patti got in BIG trouble for the first time in a long time (along with brother Cal). They were terrible in the doctor's office during David's one-year appointment. She couldn't have candy for two days (just one of her punishments)... this was just heartbreaking for my little sweet-toothed girl.
David hasn't napped for more than 30 minutes (a day) in the last week. Pray this is just temporary.
Someone stole my purse and ipod out my car last week. It was parked in my own driveway (I was the goof who left the purse, but Daniel left it unlocked.... we had our hands full of food and kids when we got home). I feel so violated. I had everything in my wallet.... credit cards, gift cards, insurance cards, etc. It's such a pain to have to get all that replaced.
Daniel had a birthday last week too... he's 33.
We spent 10 days down in S. Padre.... so fun!

I think that's it. Hopefully we will have a fun and non-eventful couple weeks. I could use some "boring" in my life right now.

Happy First Birthday David Ray!

2010-05-14T08:53:00.004-05:00

My baby turns 1 today. I can't believe it!

Here are some facts about our little man....

He loves to make a mess.... he is constantly walking around the house looking to see what he can shake, climb, or chew on.
He "talks" all the time... he just started to say "mama".... which melts my toenails.
His favorite toy is the remote control. I think he has a "remote control" radar that tells him when a remote has been left within reach. As soon as you call his name, he starts to run (while tucking the remotes in his arms). It's cute... but, if you're trying to watch something and he changes the channel or raises the volume super loud, it's not so cute.

He loves his mommy, but lights up when he sees his daddy.... maybe it's because he doesn't see him as much and he's the fun one that throws him in the air and tickles him until he just can't stand it anymore.
He started walking the week before he turned 10 months... now he runs.
He adores his brother and sister... always greets them with a smile and a big wet kiss.
He's not a huge fan of naps. Some days he might sleep 30 minutes and some days he might sleep 2 hours. He might take 1 nap or 2.... hopefully he'll figure this out soon. It's driving mommy a little nuts.

His eyes can't decide what color they want to be... I think they might stay Hazel.
He's had several "trims".... because his hair just keeps growing!
When he gets really sleepy, he cuddles in to your shoulder and tucks his arms under him.... it's so sweet.
He has a crazy temper....he is starting to throw himself on the floor crying. It usually only last for just a few seconds... and he's so cute and small that it's almost funny.

We just love him so much. He's precious.

Happy Birthday sweet baby boy. We love you!

5

2010-04-28T09:13:00.004-05:00

My babies turned 5!!! Cal and Patti had their 5th birthday on the Sunday the 18th. Where in the world does the time go? Oh, I love these two kids so much it hurts! Being their mommy is the biggest blessing... Thank you God for my precious twins!

I'll start with Calloway Andrew since he's the oldest (by one minute).... Here are some things about my precious 5 year old boy....

He started t-ball last month. He's the smallest on his team. He tries so hard... and he's actually really good!
He's still a mommy's boy. He cuddles any chance he can get and he always has to know where mommy is. He'll call out for me and ask where I am (just to know... not because he wants anything). His kisses and hugs are just so sweet... they just make my day so much better!
He gets his feelings hurt so easily. I have to be very careful..... especially if I give little brother too much attention.
He's still a picky eater, but he's doing better. He's finally starting to realize how important it is to us that he at least tries different foods. His favorite foods are: McDonald's chicken nuggets (with their bbq sauce), cheese pizza, pancakes (just started eating them last week... it was a fight to get him to try one... and once he did, he LOVED them), pizza peanut butter sandwiches (b/c it's cut into triangles... like a pizza). His favorite restaurant is Souper Salad (because he likes their pizza).... and Chili's (he likes their chips and salsa).
His favorite toys/games right now are: Sonic the Hedgehog (Wii and movies), HotWheels, paper airplanes (that daddy makes), and he's still a Spiderman fan. He's still super active.... loves to run and jump (anywhere and on anything)
He has the cutest little smile... it just makes my heart skip a beat.
And, here are his latest funny comments....

Me: Cal, I need to make you a doctor's appointment.

C: Why, because I'm crazy?

__________________________________________

Grams (my mom): Cal, I can't get down on the floor with you like that.

C: Why, because you're old?

___________________________________________

C: My bottom hurts. I think I have germs in it.

____________________________________________

C: It's so peaceable in here. 'Peaceable' means really quiet.

_____________________________________________

(I always say "We'll see" to the kids)

C: We'll see means "Yes".... Duh!

_____________________________________________

C: My body keeps tooting and tooting all day!

______________________________________________

C: Mommy, I want to call you Aunt Jenny now. So, Mom.... Um, I mean Aunt Jenny...

______________________________________________

(Cal likes to tee tee outside... one particular potted plant, actually)

C: Mommy, does the water from my tee tee help the plants grow?

_________________________________________________

Sweet sweet Patricia Danielle.... Ah, this little girl is so special. She is pure sweetness. Here's some special things about our Patti-cake.....

Patti is still doing Taekwondo. She loves it and is so good at it. She's one of two girls among 9 boys.
She's the epitome of a Daddy's Girl. Oh my goodness, she has her daddy in the palm of her hand... but she genuinely relishes this. She's gentle with his heart.... I don't think she knows how not to be. I love that she loves him so much. I know she loves me to, but I remember the bond between a daughter and her daddy..... and it is something special. Haha... I'm crying as I type this. It's priceless.
She's really a sweet girl. She has her moments, but she has a precious heart. She's still very shy, but she's coming out of her shell.
She loves to dance... she'll put on a show for us and expects a standing ovation at the end. I've tried to talk her into going to ballet this summer, but she doesn't want to. She's not a fan of change. She likes predictability and is scared of the unknown. Kindergarten is a scary word around our house.
She eats just about anything. I think she does this just to have one up on Cal. But, it works. She'll try just about anything. Her favorite foods are: cheese, all fruit, mac and cheese, most veggies... mainly tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, grilled chicken, fried shrimp, bread (loves bread and butter), and any kind of pasta. She recently picked out two artichokes at the grocery store and wanted me to steam them for her. Her favorite restaurant is Red Lobster.
Her favorite toys/games are: Littlest Petshop, her Leapster, any animal, stuffed animal, toy animal, makeup, Barbie, Princess... and then she loves games like Candy Land, Go Fish, and Memory. She's still such an animal lover... she wants a pet so bad (but Mommy and Daddy don't :)
She loves to draw and color... she's great at writing her name and is eager to learn how to spell. She loves to read books.
She's really good at using the computer and has been introduced to computer games. But, she's just as happy with a blank Word document so that she can "type letters."
She loves to ride horses, pet any dog she sees, eat snow cones, put on lip gloss, and get her toe nails painted..... she is such a little girl.
She's the best sister.... watches out for Cal and keeps him in line, and is mommy #2 to David. It's sweet to watch her with David... she talks to him just like I do. So sweet.
I love her laugh. I wish I could get in on here somehow. It makes me laugh along with her.
And her eyes... they just light up when she smiles.

Happy Birthday my precious twins... I love you so much.

Happy Days....

2010-04-22T16:52:00.002-05:00

Before I get in trouble, I thought I'd at least post a few pictures. I have lots and lots to post.... but no time :) I promise, I'll post more real soon!!!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T13:57:00.004-05:00

A little Cal and Patti to hold you over...

2010-03-16T15:13:00.002-05:00

Calloway, doing what Calloway does best.....

Oh, and by the way, see the little spot on the top of his head? I usually buzz his head myself, but I decided to get him a real haircut... spent $15!!!! The next day, the little turkey decides to take the scissors to his hair and see what happens.

We found a little rat snake in the yard.... leave it to my brave Patti to get close to it. It's little... look at the end of the stick.

Calloway Moments

2010-03-05T19:13:00.003-06:00

Sorry, no pictures. Just some funny Calloway moments. Some of the things that come out of this kid's mouth just crack me up!

"Mommy, when you had David, did the doctor use tape and bandaids to fix you back up.... just like Humpty Dumpty?"

"Mommy, my brain hurts."

"Mommy, I'm itchy. I think my germs are biting me." (We've been discussing the importance of always washing our hands because of germs.)

"Mommy, do we get to keep David?"

(I caught Cal doing something he wasn't suppose to and was very upset with him.... he was getting a real brow-beating....)

Me: "Cal, if you do this again -"

Cal: (interrupting me) "I'm fired?"

"Mommy, what happens when we don't wash our hands? Do we get sick with germs?"

"My germs are green. I sawed them the other day."

*** We are a little obsessed with germs these days.

Cal: "I don't want to get big.... I want to stay little!!!"

Cal's teacher: "Why not?"

Cal: "Because I don't want to get married and take lots of pictures!"

.... and more David

2010-02-25T17:24:00.003-06:00

Playing with Daddy...

Nine Months Old

2010-02-15T10:26:00.004-06:00

Our little guy was 9 months old yesterday. I can't believe it! The last few months have just flown by. I never thought we'd make it to nine months when we had the twins, but with David, it went by in the blink of an eye. Wow.

So, here are just some fun random facts about our sweet David Ray....

He started climbing the stairs last week, so we had to put in a gate. He's learned how to slide open the gate (we don't latch it, just slide it behind a rail -- the twins have a hard time latching it).
He adores his brother and sister and wants to be wherever they are. He's always messing up their toys, and they don't always like him around. But, they do a great job tolerating him.
He has a temper....big temper! He'll get mad about something and hit and bite whatever is closest to him (the table, a toy, the stairs).
One top tooth has come in and the second is starting to break through. Oh, and they are BIG teeth (have you seen Daniel's?).

He weighs about 19 pounds and is pretty much in the 50th percentile in weight.... a little less in height.
He loves to eat whatever you're eating.... forget baby food. I have to really watch what Daddy offers him... chocolate, pizza, guacamole, chips.
He's still not sleeping through the night... we decided it's time for some tough love. His new schedule is: he goes to bed around 9:00 and then gets up at 11:30, 3:30 and 6:30.

He is still obsessed with tearing paper andthen eating it.
He loves to drink out of a cup.... if he sees you drinking from a cup, he'll bug you until you share.
He makes these silly sounds all the time. I can't explain it very well, but it's like a wheezing sound when he inhales... it's funny.
Yesterday, he got kicked out of Bible Class and the Nursery for screaming and crying. I say "kicked out".... but they really don't kick kids out.... I just got paged to go get him.

He loves to take off and chew on socks. I use to go through several pair a day, but now I just don't put socks on him very often.
He fights sleep.... we still rock him to sleep. He HATES to go to sleep. If he's not completely out when you lay him down, he pops up in half a second and starts to scream bloody murder. And, he's been sleeping on his tummy since birth. I've rarely seen him asleep on his back.
He loves to give Mommy open-mouth-big-wet-kisses and then he bites my lip. My upper lip has a scab on it right now. And, he thinks it's soooo funny!
I love his eyebrows.... he's got so much expression in them.

He's a mess....

2010-02-04T16:08:00.004-06:00

David will be 9 months old in ten days. He's a mess! He has been crawling since the week he turned 6 months, and I expect him to be walking in a few weeks. He has never sat on his bottom (unless I sit him like that, but he quickly rolls out of it). Seriously. He learned to push up on all fours before he had enough balance to sit on his own. Then, he went straight to crawling.... still not having enough balance to sit on his own. Once he started crawling, forget sitting still! He now props himself back on his knees... and that's how he prefers to sit. He's starting to stand by himself now.... but only for a few seconds.

He loves bathtime! He splashes water the entire time like a mad-man.... I have to keep the shower curtain closed as much as I can or else we all get drenched!

Cal's new favorite thing to do is climb into David's crib with him and wrestle! David loves it! It's the only time he doesn't cry when he's in his crib (awake). Here's Cal giving David some "tummy bubbles".

We've also learned that those big white things in the kitchen and bathroom can open, and they hide all sorts of wonderful things!

You can't really tell, but that's a phone book on the ground with half of the cover torn off. David has the torn piece in his right hand. There isn't a magazine or book, at baby-level, that doesn't have pages ripped out of it. Evidently, paper is a yummy treat.

Daddy-Daughter Date

2010-02-04T10:08:00.004-06:00

Patti and her daddy went on a date last night. We've planned this for weeks. They started the evening off at Red Lobster (Patti's favorite restaurant... thanks to Grams). She ordered popcorn shrimp and smashed potatoes... and a shirley temple! After dinner, they went to the MSC Opas presentation of Cinderella. I think they both had an amazing time!

A few more pictures from the Ranch

2010-01-23T10:03:00.003-06:00

Just a few more pictures from our trip to the ranch....

Patti and Grams....

David loves his Aunt Kayla...

I had to share this one... David is my little tornado. He loves to pull all the books and magazines out of my coffee table and tear the pages out. He thinks it just so funny.

Sticking up for Mommy....

2010-01-23T08:18:00.003-06:00

I have a funny story....

Last night, I put the kids in the bathtub with some of that foam soap all around the tub. It keeps them entertained. Daniel came home from work and went in to see them. He saw the mess around the tub and said, "Who did this?!" Cal said, "Mommy." So, Daniel said, "Well, Mommy is going to get a spanking." Cal quickly got really scared and said, "Uh, no, no, no..... I meant..... It was Patti!"

He totally sold his sister out to protect his mommy!

2010-01-18T12:44:00.009-06:00

I know, I've been a terrible blogger... I apologize. The further behind I realized I was, the less I wanted to blog. But for those of you that read my blog diligently (Grams, Lee, ?), I just had to get this done!

Let's start with Christmas Eve.... Making cookies for Santa (and sampling a few)....

Christmas Day.... the kids coming down the stairs to see what Santa had brought them.....

My sweet boys..... LOVE those two stinkers!!!

Precious sweet David.... he is such a smiley kid!

My twins.... I love this picture (it makes me cry)....

Bubble bath.... our favorite!!!! Thanks Neesey!

Cal and his cousin, Nathan..... isn't he gorgeous?!?! Too bad he and Patti are cousins....

I love this picture.... we got Isaiah some Golden Books.... I love his expression!

David and Daddy just sitting back and enjoying the chaos....

The chaos.... (what a proud Paw Paw)

Sistas....

Rockstar cousins.....

Daddy's favorite trick....

We headed South to the Ranch to see my family. I have lots more pictures, but they are on a different camera and I am just way too tired to go get it!

Paw Paw sure makes a good horsey.....

And these are just some fun pics I found on the camera.

Cal being Cal.....

And my sweet Patti. This little girl is so sweet, sensitive and sweet. She asks hundreds of questions each day, loves to shop, loves dresses, loves her friends, loves to read books, loves starches, loves fruit and we LOVE her!!

2010-01-08T09:52:00.005-06:00

10 years ago today, I married my best friend.

10 reasons why I love my husband....

1. Though he's the biggest procrastinator in the world, he always comes through for me.

2. Don't let his rugged looks fool you... he's Andrew Lloyd Webber's biggest fan. He knows every word (no exaggeration) to Evita and Phantom of the Opera.... and, he's not afraid to sing along in his best falsetto voice at the top of his lungs.

3. He's an amazing daddy... he's the "fun" one that crawls on the ground and wrestles, takes them fishing, gives the best piggy-back rides, and is a great Wii partner!

4. He can fix anything.... and I mean anything. He even sews better than me!

5. His #1 love language is affection... yes, affection. How many wives can say that? He gets his feelings hurt if I don't hug back hard enough.

6. His heart is amazing. He's passionate about everything he does and loves to help others.

7. He still makes me laugh. He's not afraid to be goofy... and he is quick witted.

8. (This should be #1) He loves Jesus.

9. He still opens the door for me.

10. He is and will always be my best friend.

Cousins with Santa

2009-12-24T11:34:00.001-06:00

2009-12-24T08:13:00.002-06:00

I decided to start a new tradition with my kids.... decorating a gingerbread house. Patti thought it was a fabulous idea, but she didn't want Cal working on hers. She said that it was only for girls. So, I decided to buy two... one for Patti and one for Cal. Then, I thought it would be fun to have a friendly competition... boys against girls. I explained it to Patti, and she got so excited and then told me, "Momma, I have a great idea!!!! How about YOU help CAL, and DADDY can help ME!!!" What a sweet way of telling me that she's smitten with her daddy and would rather share that time with him. I totally wasn't offended and thought it was precious. So, that's what we did.

We let the kids name their teams.... Patti and Daddy were Team Princess and the Frog and Cal and Mommy were Team Dinosaur Man and Dinosaur Woman. Funny.

We had so much fun! Cal and I were perfect together.... both of us are impatient and can't sit still. We kept getting up to check on the competition, take pictures, run around, etc. Patti and Daddy didn't move the entire time.... taking great care and planning in their decorating. Well, Patti did get up several times when Cal wanted to brag on our house.... "Wook Patti!"

As soon as the last candy was placed on the house, the party began....

The finished products.... minus a few pieces of candy.

My munchkins with their Advent Calendars. Daniel had these calendars when he was a kid... the paper ones with chocolate behind each little flap. Thus, another tradition has begun.

2009-12-15T13:49:00.003-06:00

Cal: Age 2 (I found this while I was going through old pictures on my computer. Isn't he so cute?)

A few more Cal Funnies....

Cal: Mommy, I can't go to school today... I have a fever in my legs.

Me: Oh no! A fever in your legs?

Cal: Yeah, in the bones in my legs.

*****************

Cal: Mommy, my leg is broken.

Me: Oh no! We should probably go see the doctor. He might have to give you a big shot.

Cal: Welllll, maybe it was broken yesterday.

******************

The sink in my bathroom was full of water (and a couple of wet action figures on a towel next to it) and I needed to wash my hands. So, I let all the water drain out and Cal came running in and said... "Hey! That was my pool! Don't sink it down!!!!"

******************

Cal: I'm awerject to strawberries.

Me: Since when are you allergic to strawberries?

Cal: Awerject means I don't like them.

******************

Cal (to me after I wouldn't let him have a piece of candy): You're messing my heart up!

Me: Messing your heart up?

Cal: Yes! You're messing my heart up because your not letting me have candy!

Note: Sweet Patti needs a post all about her. That will be coming soon...

Cheerios + Snot = Gross, but cute

2009-12-11T13:12:00.003-06:00

Another "Cal" moment

2009-12-09T22:05:00.002-06:00

I'm impatient. I really am. I know, I know.... you'd never ever ever think this of me, but it's true. Heehee. So, lately I've been getting really irritated with the kids.... I'm tired of telling them to do something four or five (or six or seven or eight) times before they actually do it (and I usually have to threaten them with something.... no t.v., no snack, no candy, no games, etc.). Now, I give them one chance and then follow through with my threats. Today at Taekwondo, Patti wasn't getting her shoes on (Cal already had is socks and shoes on). So, I told her to get them on or I was leaving. She hesitated, so I said "bye, we're leaving" and started walking for the door. She freaked. But, she put her shoes on. Anyway, Cal was in trouble for about the millionth time today. I told him how disappointed I was and then he answered (with the saddest look in his eyes), "So, is Santa going to put me on the naughty list?" Um, yes... I've threatened to call Santa and tattle on their behavior too. Now don't shake your head at me... you know you've done it too!

2009-12-08T11:27:00.003-06:00

Cal has been a stinker lately..... I know, what's new? He's still so cute though. Some of the stuff that comes out of his mouth just cracks me up. I had to write a few down.

Just some converstations I've had with him lately.....

Me: Cal, you really need to do a better job of keeping your room clean.

Cal: I know, but I just can't resist. Resist means that I can't do it.

(and then, a few minutes later.....)

Me: Cal, get your fingers out of your nose! If you need to pick your nose, please get a tissue.

Cal: But, I just can't resist!

--------------------------------------------

Cal: (to both me and Daniel on different nights) Mommy/Daddy, I want you never to sleep in your bed again. You'll sleep in my bed.

--------------------------------------------

He calls peanut butter sandwiches "pizza peanut butter sandwiches" (because he likes them cut into triangles).

---------------------------------------------

In his prayer the other night: "... and thank you for Jesus and thank you for God."

Look what I found this morning!!

2009-11-22T13:28:00.001-06:00

And, he's crawling like a champ now. He follows me everywhere. My baby's growing. So sad.

HaPpY FrIdAy!!!

2009-11-20T16:58:00.000-06:00

6 months

2009-11-16T14:07:00.005-06:00

Oh, how I adore this little boy. He is such a love. I always get asked the same two questions... who does he look like and who does he act like. I still think he looks like Daniel, but when he smiles, he looks like my brothers. He acts like a combination of both Cal and Patti. He has a very mild and laid back side like Patti.... and a very aggressive short tempered side like Cal. When he's sweet, he's sweet.... when he's mad, he's mad.

We went to our 6 month appointment this morning and he weighs one ounce shy of 17 pounds. He's in the 75th percentile for height and 50th in weight. Cal was (and still is) below the 15th in both categories. David will definitely be bigger.... both have strong personalities... this will be interesting.

He's crawling.... yes, I said crawling. Not well, but he crawled about 2 feet yesterday without going down to his stomach. It took him a while to do it, but each day he gets a little better and a little faster.

The first picture is his, "I'm a shy boy" smile and the bottom one is his "I'm so stinkin' cute and I know it" smile.

Oh, and did I mention how blessed I am?

2009-11-12T09:43:00.012-06:00

Warning: an excessive amount of pictures in this post

We went to South Texas last weekend for a short visit. We had lots of fun.... as always. This was David's first trip to the Ranch.... the first of many.

The Ranch House

Making cookies with Grams...

Getting a good snuggle with Grams. This little boy loves his Grams.

Patti really wants a pet. This is as close as she's going to get for a while. She loves animals, always has. I feel bad (sometimes) about her not having a cat at home. Maybe one day.

Mike entertaining David for me with a magazine.

I love love love these pictures. Paw Paw took David outside for some fresh air. I peeked out the window and saw this...

Bath time in the sink...

Some more magazine time with Mike.

Uncle Bomboo found a Horned Toad. They are rare and really hard to find. Patti wasn't afraid at all of holding this creepy little thing.

Of course Paw Paw had to make his famous popcorn. Cal loves it... and evidently so does Daniel.

Say cheese....

David is almost 6 months old... and this little guy is so ready to start crawling. I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. I know he will be so happy to be mobile and won't get so frustrated trying to reach toys.... but, he's also going to be harder to keep up with.

He really really wanted this book...

He pulled it closer and it slid under him and he didn't realize it.

He got really upset when he couldn't find it.

Score~ right in the mouth.

2009-11-02T20:08:00.003-06:00

Overheard from Patti after seeing a Pillsbury Brownies commercial:

"Hey! Those aren't like our brownies. Those aren't flat!"

For the record: I've never made flat brownies. My brownies are perfect.

Stinky feet and the Time Change

2009-11-02T19:48:00.002-06:00

David loves his brother and sister. Sometimes they get up in his face and he doesn't care for it... so he screams really loud to let them know he's not cool with them invading his personal space (can't blame him.... I do the same thing). Patti's new favorite thing to do is stick her stinky feet within his reach.... and he usually puts her toes in his mouth. Can you say gross?

Sunday morning, I was SO excited.... we were actually 5 whole minutes early to Bible Class. It was not an easy task. I have to start getting ready an hour and a half before it's time to leave in order to get myself and the kiddos ready. Daniel, I love him, is absolutely no help at all. None. He waits to get into the shower about 15 minutes before we're suppose to leave. I digress. Anyway.... we drive up to the church building and Daniel starts laughing. We are one hour and 5 minutes early. Ooops. Someone forgot to change all the clocks back.

The kids are having a hard time adjusting to the time change. They both crashed while watching a little show after bath. Sweet.

Full Circle

2009-11-01T13:18:00.003-06:00

I found myself giving the "be thankful for what you have" speech to my kids today when they were not satisfied with only three candy corn. I almost went into the "starving children in Africa" speech, but caught myself in time.... there will be plenty of opportunity for that one later. Didn't want to over-do it. My mom warned me about this day. And, one day I'll be warning my children.... One day when you have kids, you'll understand....

A little funny....

2009-10-30T14:46:00.006-05:00

Patti is busy making Halloween crafts for everyone in our family. She signs the back and wants me to write who they are for on the front. Well, she wanted me to write "Paw Paw-from-Bible-class'" name on it. You see, she has 2 Paw Paws. She distinguishes them by describing where she sees them more often (such as Bible class, church, the land, the ranch, etc.). So, I wrote "To Paw Paw (from Bible class)" on it (and by the way, Bible class just means from Church). When she saw it, we had the following conversation:

P: Wow... he sure has a long name.

M: Well, I wrote To Paw Paw from Bible class on it.

P: NO! Just ONE Paw Paw!!!

M: What do you mean? You just want Paw Paw on it? (thinking she didn't want the 'from Bible class' on it..... Patti can be VERY particular about stuff like this).

P: Yes, just one Paw Paw.

M: But it has Paw Paw's name on it... see.... "To Paw Paw"

P: NOOOOO!!!!!! ONE Paw Paw!!!!

**** This went on and on and on..... we were both totally frustrated! She even cried. I was soooo confused.... until finally, Patti said:

P: Not TWO Paw Paws.... just ONE!!!

Duh.... she thought I was saying "Two Paw Paw" instead of "To Paw Paw"

Exhausting.

Halloween Party at School

2009-10-30T11:11:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, the kids had their Halloween Party at school. I signed up to be a "party mom." I tried to keep it simple (but, you know me....). I needed something cute and healthy... and Halloweeny. I have made rainbow jello before (thanks for introducing it to me Denise) and thought that it might be cute to try candy-corn jello. Making white jello was a challenge, but I pulled it off. According to Patti though, it was "yucky." My first batch (which I started 3 days before.... wanting to make it easy on myself the morning of the party) turned out terrible!! So, the morning of the party, I threw it out and started over. Making 3 layers of jello in 4 hours is hard, but it IS possible. I think they turned out pretty cute. Tooting my own horn? Why yes, I am.

I also came up with a cute way to do plain ol' carrots (I had the green cups in the cabinet for snacks cups). Oh, did I also mention that I dyed some homemade ranch green too. Clever. Yes. Bragging again? Indeed I am.

Some better pictures of Cal in his Warrior Ninja Dragon Fighter Whatever costume.

Patti decided to change things up a little and be a kitty this time. I think she makes a stinkin' cute kitty, don't you? Real kitty collar (with a bell) too. She wanted a leash, but I conveniently forgot to go buy one (we have no cat, and I'm not spending money on a leash she'll use for a whole 5 minutes). (Grams, keep your comment to yourself :)

Trunk or Treat

2009-10-26T16:24:00.006-05:00

We had our annual Trunk or Treat at church on Sunday. It's always so much fun. We pull our cars into a big circle and pop open our trunks. Some people just give out candy (like us) and others go all out with games and decorations. You don't have to participate in the trunk part, but we always do.

My little man was adorable in his tie-dye Harley outfit. He was so good the entire time.

This is the best picture I got of the Black Dragon Ninja (or something like that). He was suppose to be Flash. I ordered the costume a couple of months ago. It came in and I left in in the box (assuming it would fit just fine) because I didn't want the kids messing with it. Well, I pulled it out the other day... and it's too big. So, we ran to Target after church and picked through what was left. All he wanted was a sword. He and Daddy picked out this costume. Was not my first choice, but he was happy with it.

I asked my litte Mermaid to pose for me... and pose she did.... and did again....and again. And again.

We have the opportunity to dress up 2 more times... so, don't worry Grams, there will be more pictures to post later.

My cowboy and cowgirl

2009-10-20T10:10:00.003-05:00

We went to another birthday party at Carousel Acres this weekend. The kids loved it of course. Patti loves to ride horses. Cal, on the other hand, had fun just watching.

(That is my grandfather's hat Cal's wearing)

Cal's new haicut

2009-10-15T11:02:00.001-05:00

I got Cal's hair cut yesterday at this little barber shop by campus. Maybe it was a little too close to campus.....

Daniel's baby pictures

2009-10-11T13:20:00.002-05:00

Okay, I thought I'd post some of Daniel's baby pictures for fun. Look at my previous post and compare the pictures of David. In the second picture here, look at his temples and then look at the last picture of David (in the previous post). Look the same?

This and that...

2009-10-11T11:52:00.006-05:00

Bathtime is one of my favorite times of the day.

My mom said something really funny the other day.... she said, "David looks just like Daniel. In fact, he looks more like Daniel than Daniel looks like Daniel." What do you think?

The other day Cal said "I wuv you Mommy" and Patti quickly replied (with a hint of attitude) "I love everybody (always trying to one-up Cal).... except babies that walk." HA! I laughed so hard... mainly because it surprised me. Sweet little precious Patti doesn't love little walking babies? I asked her what she meant (I knew exactly what she meant, but I just wanted to hear her say it), but she got really embarrassed and couldn't explain... probably because she knew what she said wasn't very nice. You see, lots of our friends and family have toddlers. From Patti's perspective, they are annoying little creatures that don't talk, drool, mess up her toys, play with her toys without her permission, put her toys in their mouths, don't follow her directions, etc. Little does she know that she will soon have her very own baby that can walk at home. For those of you with babies that walk, please excuse my daughter. We would still love to play with you.

Patti never showed any interest in baby babies until recently (likely because of our own real baby). I saw her go get a burp cloth out of David's room because her baby was "spitting up a little."

And these are just because he's so stinkin' cute....

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T10:28:00.001-05:00

Sweet Calloway

2009-10-06T13:55:00.003-05:00

Calloway is a mess. And I say that with a smile on my face. He is energetic, busy, into everything, curious, a total boy, attention seeking, whiny, picky, and just the most precious little boy ever. He keeps me on my toes and works me into a tizzy most days. But, when it comes down to it, he just wants to make his mommy happy and when I get mad at him it crushes his heart into a million pieces (this happens quite often). He always cries and says "You be mad at me!" Yes, I am... but it doesn't last long. Oh, and he also says "But, I WUV you!" Yes, sweet boy, I wuv you too, but you drive mommy batty sometimes.

Daniel has been out-of-town since Sunday, so Cal gets to sleep with me. He's harder to put to bed and is up sometimes at night... always looking for someone to "cuddow" with him. (He still has trouble saying his l's and r's they sound like w's. But, he's getting better at saying his r's..... the only thing is that he still adds the w. For example, Norah was Nowah but now is Norwah. Cute.)

So, anyway, last night as we cuddled he started to snore. I nudged him a little and said, "Cal, you're snoring." He stopped, but then a few minutes later he started again. This time he woke himself up. He quietely whispered in a sleepy voice, "Momma, I'm sorwy." "For what" I asked. And, he said, "I'm sorwy for snorwing." After that, he could have snored all night long and I would have happily listened to it. Precious boy.

Yummm..... toes!

2009-10-03T10:09:00.002-05:00

Kissing Cousins....

2009-10-02T15:46:00.007-05:00

Sweet Jude... he's such a love-bug. He gives the biggest open-mouthed kisses. He's persistent too. David was on the receiving end of this sloppy lovin' this afternoon.... I think he enjoyed (most of) it. It's cute now (while they are 14 months and 4 months). Wonder what they'll say when we pull out these pictures in 10 years.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-30T14:39:00.001-05:00

2009-09-28T15:03:00.003-05:00

RaNdOm ThOuGhTs......

a friend posted some of her random thoughts today, and it motivated me to share some of mine.... enjoy...

* Schlotzky's painted their CS location recently. It is AMAZING how perfectly the color matches David's dirty diapers. (you'll never go thru the drive thru again without thinking that... sorry)

* Cal told me the other day that the little spot on his face was a "question mark".... I asked what he meant and he said "yeah, a question mark like Patti's" (I am pretty sure he was referring to Patti's birth mark.

* I taught my kids the Chicken Dance today (sorry, no pictures).... they thought it was the funnest thing ever. We need to get out more.

* Both my kids informed me that they want another birthday. Huh? Do you think they enjoy being the center of attention and showered with gifts!?

My attempt to appease my mother....

2009-09-27T18:09:00.006-05:00

My mother has been on my case! She calls me daily to remind me what a terrible blogger I am. Well, I just haven't taken many pictures lately (I'm more of a picture blogger if you know what I mean). And, I try to have semi-entertaining blog posts. So, I had to scrounge through my pictures and I actually found several worth posting. Mom, this blog's for you!

I have a friend who has picky eaters too. I saw a chart at her house the other day that had "So-and-so tried a new food" and it had several magnets behind their name. I thought that it might be something I could try with Cal (and of course, I have to do it for Patti too). So, I made this nifty chart. They have to try something new/different in order to get a sticker (right now, they just have to try it.... a little bite). When they get 10 stickers, they get to choose from a toy at Toys R Us, games at Chuck E Cheese, or bowling at Grand Station. I know, the prizes are pretty big, but I figured that I needed to make it worth it and super-exciting to start off with.

At first it worked great... Cal had a bite of a grilled cheese one day and several bites of spaghetti the next. That was it. He'd had enough. Patti, on the other hand, couldn't wait to try something new! She quickly filled up her chart... eating things like tuna, salmon, pot roast, asparagus, peas, and radishes. And, she loved all of them! So, Daddy took her to Grand Station the other night. Unfortunately, all the lanes were full so that opted for miniature golf instead. She had tons of fun. We thought that rubbing it in to Cal would encourage him to want to eat more, but he's so hard headed (a Livingston trait :) and he really didn't care. He missed them while they were gone, but didn't really care that he was missing out because he knew good and well what he had to do in order to join them. Hmm... another great plan foiled by the stubborn-4-yr-old!

Here's Patti with her chart and at Grand Station....

Since she's been trying all these new foods, Patti has been eager to help me in the kitchen. Here we are making something super-duper healthy..... haha.

Daniel took the twins swimming almost everyday this summer. I just found these pictures on a water-proof camera we just got. Doesn't look like they are having much fun, does it?

Sweetness

2009-09-16T16:49:00.002-05:00

I have to share a little about how sweet this little girl of mine can be. This afternoon after picking the kids up from school, she put on her unicorn outfit (she was a unicorn last Halloween). She asked for a snack for her unicorn so I gave her a big gnarly unpeeled carrot..... perfect for a unicorn. Before I knew it, she had eaten most of it and handed me the rest and told me "Mommy, you buy the bestest carrots." So sweet.

Then, she put on her princess dress (also a Halloween costume... from 2 years ago... it's a tad small). She told me "This is the dress I'm going to marry in. Yes, this is the dress I'm going to marry Daddy in." So so sweet.

What's been going on?

2009-09-14T12:46:00.006-05:00

Whoa... where does the time go? I blinked and it's the middle of September! So, I'll briefly catch you up on what's been going on around here lately.

David is 4 months old today! He's doing much better! He's sleeping better and eating better.... his appetite has increased immensely... Grams is even on the menu!

Patti is now officially enrolled in Taekwondo and she loves it! Isn't she cute? So far, she's been the only girl. But, she doesn't even notice. She is a little on the gentle side when it comes to being aggressive, but her form is better than Cal's! Ah, I love this precious little girl.

Jennifer (Daniel's sister), Jamie, and the kids came to visit for Labor Day.It's always so fun when all the cousins are together! They are all so close in age all get along so well. There are 11 total (Lily and David aren't in picture)... their ages are 7, 7, 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2 (one day from being 3), 1, 8 months and 4 months.

Nathan is almost exactly one year older than Cal and is Cal's bestest friend. Cal LOVES Nathan.

2009-09-07T12:53:00.001-05:00

Things overheard today while playing Wii with Patti and Cal.....

P: I'm not very good at this game.

C: I'm really good at this game.

C: Mom, why don't you have any arms? (Baseball players have invisible arms... just hands)

P: I hit a stripe!!!! (strike)

C: Wow, I got 50 pounds! (50 points)

C: Patti, pluck "A" (push "A")

P: Which one do I push to make it go "ch"?

P: Cal, do you want to change your club, because I know how.

Mommy: (trying to teach Patti how to serve a tennis ball) Okay, now throw the ball up (Patti pretends to toss the ball with her left hand -- while the remote is in the right hand). No, the other hand (she puts the remote in her left hand and then pretends to toss with the right hand).

2009-09-07T10:31:00.001-05:00

Great Idea... Bad Idea

2009-08-30T17:50:00.003-05:00

Today is Sunday.... and Sunday's are suppose to be easy and restful... right? Well, not today. Both kids are sniffly and Cal lost his voice last night. We're hoping that it's just allergies and that we'll be all better by tomorrow (they start school on Tuesday.... please let them start school on Tuesday). Not to mention that Daniel went to bed this morning at 4:30 am (he had a presentation today at the Wildlife Expo that John Deere was hosting... in Wildlife Photography). He had some issues with the computer (and he waited until the very last minute to work on his presentation... but, that's just Daniel). AND, David was up ALL night!!! Needless to say, my family was not venturing out this morning :)

So, this afternoon, the kids were getting a little bored. I pulled out a "craft".... I thought I bought one of those stained glass crafts.... you know, the one that has the little crystals and you put them in the oven? Well, wrong... I got this "lava" stuff that was ooey and gooey. The kids had fun nonetheless.

2009-08-30T10:30:00.005-05:00

I know, I've been wordless a lot lately (though some of you may prefer it that way). Not too much going on around here..... well, I say that and half a dozen things just popped into mind.

The kids start back to school (Pre-K) this week.... yahoo for them and for me!!! They love it and I love that they love it. It's only 9 hours a week, but it's amazing what can get done in those 9 hours.

Cal started Taekwondo last week... he loves it! At the end of the half hour, they had to stand at attention (arms to their sides and feet together) staring straight ahead for 2 minutes.... 2 minutes is a long time for a 4 year old! Especially my 'ants-in-his-pants' 4 yr old! Daniel and I were sitting in the back watching (and thinking 'this is going to be funny'). To our surprise, out of 6 kids (four 4 yr olds, one 5 yr old, and one 6 yr old veteran with a yellow belt).... Cal and the 6 yr old were the only two standing after 2 minutes. We were shocked (and I think the instructor was a little surprised too). At that moment, we realized that we had totally made the right choice for him... Taekwondo is his calling. I was hoping that Patti would do it to, but she clung to me and daddy and refused to try it out. After we got home and she saw the uniform and after some 'practicing' with daddy, she started to change her mind. She now says that she wants to do it. We'll find out tomorrow.

David is growing like a weed! He's rolling over.... from tummy to his back..... like it's his job. He's really proud of himself. The last 2-3 weeks have been really rough though. I've mentioned his reflux before and how he's on prevecid... he was doing great on it (still spitting up, but not as fussy) and even sleeping through the night! BUT, that changed a few weeks ago. He started waking up several times (up to about 5 times) a night. He'll eat and then it is a struggle to settle him down enough to get him back to sleep. It's been exhausting. He fusses a lot more throughout the day (probably b/c he's so tired and his tummy is hurting). I finally called the doctor and got him an appointment Friday. We upped his prevecid and I'm changing a few things in my diet to see if that's upsetting him. We pray it gets better soon.

Okay, here are a few pictures (because that's what everybody's looking for right.... I know I'm more interested in a blog when there are lots of pictures :)

The kids are snuggled in our bed watching a movie... and no, David wasn't really watching it with them.... I just put him there for the picture and the TV just caught his attention.

My boys are just acrobats at heart. Some people thought that David's little stunt on one of my previous posts wasn't real..... it's real.

Bring the Rain

2009-08-27T14:54:00.002-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-19T10:51:00.001-05:00

Introducing... The Amazing Catman!

2009-08-18T14:01:00.004-05:00

We went over to Aunt Neesey's to play the other day. My kids are both really into dress-up these days. Well, Patti found this adorable cat outfit in Chloe and Phoebe's stash. She looked SO stinkin' cute in this tight long sleeve/long leg velour leotard and cat ears. Sweet Phoebe and Chloe wanted Patti to take it home... so we borrowed it for a little while. Patti didn't want to take it off and even wore it home. The two kids went upstairs to play once we got home... a few minutes later, I heard this sweet little voice coming down the stairs....

"Wook Mommy! I'm CATMAN!!"

(Perfect blackmail in the future)

Look Ma, No hands!

2009-08-17T10:43:00.001-05:00

(David, 3 months)

My Cuddle-Bug

2009-08-15T10:04:00.009-05:00

Cal is such a cuddler. He BEGS for us to snuggle with him. If you are sitting or laying down, Cal is most likely sitting in your lap or laying on top of you. Sometimes he just has to be touching you. It's sweet. Right now, as I type this sitting in my chair, he is sitting on the arm of the chair with his head on my shoulder. These are just a few pictures from the past couple of months.

A visit from Uncle Bomboo wouldn't be complete without a snuggle on the couch...

Grams is always a sure cuddle....

Just needing to be close to Paw Paw...

Daddy laying on the couch is fair game...

We were at a family reunion and Cal and Patti shared a bed. We woke up to see this....

Fresh meat.... Wonder how much of a snuggler David will be...

I think David's had enough....