Taylor's recipe for Monster Cookies

     Today, while Jim and I were preparing lunch, Taylor brought a plate of cookies to the table, exclaiming--I made dessert!! Really, they are the Leap Frog Alphabet letters from the fridge door and the plate is a book!

     He gave me a taste...mmmm...yummm-O! He wouldn't let me have a whole cookie, I had to wait til after I ate all my lunch!

     I placed them in the middle of the table throughout lunch and they were the source of the entire conversation, that went a just like this: {seriously, I wrote this down as he was telling me the ingredients!}

Me: Taylor, what kind of cookies are they?

Taylor: They are rasberry cookies, mommy.

Me: What all did you use to make them?

Taylor: A cup of flour, a cup of milk, a cup of mud, and um, a cup of dirt.

Jim: Dirt? What does that taste like?

Taylor: It's not yucky dirt daddy, it's yummy dirt from the store.

Us: Oh, Okay.

Me: Is that all?

Taylor: Some sugar and some butter and some leaves from the store, not yucky ones {I'm assuming he means lettuce!}

Me: What about the berries, didn't you say they were rasberry cookies?

Taylor: NO mommy, they are strawberry, and um...blueberry.

Jim: What else?

Taylor: No bugs-that makes cookies yucky!

Me: So then, what do you do, do you bake them?

Taylor: I bake them in the oven.

Me: For how long?

Taylor: 5 minutes.

Me: How many cookies will that recipe make?

Taylor: 4 cookies mommy, here, wanna taste one?

One adorable Mug!

     Have you met Andrew? No? Well, you should! He will give you baby fever for sure. Most of most days I'd have a desire to have more kids if I knew they would be like him...he's just that adorable. {Not to say the other two aren't adorable, they are, I'm just giving Andrew a little extra attention today!}  A few days ago I posted this picture on FBook, titled The Face of Trouble.

{That's lotion he's getting into, he's going to eat it}

Some people were having a very hard time believing that this face can be trouble! {Let me just say this, Andrew is a very normal 20 month old}

Shall I remind you of this:

     He did this, not once, but THREE times! We have a child safety lock on the pantry door, but the little guy is a smart cookie! He watched his brother open the door, now he knows how to get into it. We even moved stuff up higher. But this weekend Jim woke up, went into the kitchen, and there he is again, standing on a chair in the pantry finishing off a box of Valentine Sweethearts!!!!!

     I'll reiterate---If the boy wasn't so stinking cute, Jim and I wouldn't be in the trouble we are in now! He smiles and Jim melts. He smiles and I crack.

     He listens very well, he knows what and where time out is. On Tuesday night Jim sat Andrew in his room for time out during supper because he kept pushing away and screaming for no reason---refusing to eat. After 2 minutes, Jim goes to get him and Andrew is sitting in the middle of his bed, reading a book! I thought it was cute...Jim scolded me! This is why Andrew is the way he is! On Wednesday night, same scenario...Andrew was fussing during supper, pushing away from the table and refusing to eat. I told him if he was going to be fussy he could go to his room. He poked out that bottom lip and slowly walked down the hall--sqwalling the whole way.  My house rule is--if you are going to be fussy, go be fussy and whiney in your room, when you stop, you can come back. He was still crying a few minutes later, when I realized he wasn't in my shadow. I found him, sitting in the dark, on his bed, back to the door, crying.  He just needed a good cry...It was soooo cute. I know, I'm a wuss!

     When he doesn't get his way--his brother has something he wants, his milk isn't warm enough, we can't hold him, the animal train went in the wrong direction, this is what he does...he throws a tantrum. Throws his arms out in front of him, hits his knees and bows down.

     Then he does stuff like this-hides in the curtains--all the time--thinking you can't see him.

     He's a quiet little guy. An introvert, just like his daddy. He's got brown eyes, olive complexion and curly hair AND he still smells like a little baby! LOVE IT!!! He will do something just awful then flash his signature grin.

It's irresistable.

    

     Yesterday, he thought it would be fun to start potty training. I am not really wanting to encourage this at this very moment, I think it might be just a little overwhelming. Could you imagine us out in public! One busy 3 year old, an infant attached to mommy and a 1 year old screaming to go potty!!! I couldn't keep his diaper on him! He peepeed AT the little potty twice. He wouldn't keep his diaper on and he kept going to the bathroom. Both times he pooped, he went to the bathroom, closed the door and did his business! I will just die if he does any of his business on my blessed dry clean only rug!  On Tuesday night Jim was getting him ready for a bath. He had a poopy diaper and as Jim went to throw it in the garbage, he sent Andrew to the bathroom while the tub filled. When he returned, Andrew left Jim a nice treat through our room to the tub! You should hear Jim yell! It's so funny because it's so rare! Andrew was so proud of himself!

    It's easy to understand why no one believes me when I say he's TROUBLE! He's just into everything. He sure chose the perfect time to come out of his shell! I'll say it for the thousandth time...Even on our worst, most hectic days, I'd stop time right now, right here. One day he won't want to give us eskimo kisses at bedtime or say 'gnigh' as we shut the door as we leave.

     This chair is trouble too! Its the one he gets when he wants to get into something he shouldn't! On this day, I caught him using it to try to escape the jungle! He was trying to unlock the dead bolt lock and get out the front door! He slighly slid off onto the floor, pretending to play with the rug....Yah!

Over my head & Into my heart

     Jim teaches our Sunday School Class at our church. At the present, and last, um, forever months we have been going through the book of Revelation. It's one of Jim's favorite books of the Bible and you can tell it by the depth of his lessons. But it's waaayyyy over my head. I nag and complain to move on---what's the point. What's it matter, I know my revelation! And I know the ultimate Revelation-GOD RULES! I'm lazy and all the imagery and references that send you to a different Scripture every other verse is really tedious and can be boring. And just to make it worse- Jim's repetitive! :) BUT- there's a method to his madness I tell ya! I might shake my foot, roll my eyes and even sigh out loud in class sometimes to get him to move on (I know- I'm awful- if it makes you feel any better or bad for him- I don't think he notices OR he's gotten really good at ignoring me because it doesn't work!). I mean really, what's it matter what I believe about the Rapture and the Second Coming- I know where I'm going no matter which one comes first.
     Maybe it seems repetitive to me because we've discussed the lesson at home or he's really trying to drive home a point. Last night I was asking him about certain books as we were skimming through the Bible in search of memory verses. It was so neat to see him stop at books, and watch him get intrigued by what he was reading. I had no idea that certain books were the names of prophets. {I knew a lot of them were, but there were certain ones that I was unaware was a prophet} He started telling me how important it is to read these books because they are full of prophecies and promises about Israel from God.
     So tonight I settled on Micah. In all honesty, I can't recall having ever read much from it. I've always thought these prophetic books were boring, full of stuff that I knew nothing about. A lot of begets and thous and shalls. {As Jim is proofing this for me, he informs me that there are no "begets" in the prophetic books! Who knew! Good to know hun!} I have no clue as to what stuff means and mostly, what I am supposed to learn from it. But as I began reading the first chapter of Micah, I couldn't stop, then I realized something---I completely get this!!! I know what it's talking about-- I caught myself thinking "oh yah! Jim talked about that in Sunday school!!!". I could read it and completely understand it's context! I wanted to wake Jim up at the time to tell him but I don't think he would've been as excited about Micah as I was at that late hour!
     The further I read, the more I understood and I began to see the importance of studying Revelation. The importance of reading and studying the full counsel of His Word, not just the good, interesting stuff.  I was able to connect the events that Micah wrote about with events that will happen during the end times. It all made sense now!!!
     Once you get the background and the scene is set, you are finally able to put it all together and actually see what God intended for you to see! (Hallelujah! A very bright light bulb went off in my head!). If you know what a certain verse is referencing to, for instance, in Micah 1:2 it's talking about when Jesus appears in the Second Coming. We know from Revelation He is coming to-one fulfill prophecy, but also-to bring justice, among other things.
     Then you can take the Word literally and that's where it gets deep. It gets scary. It gets real. It's not a fairytale or just imagery anymore. It brings you to your knees. We know this because John was revealed this in Revelation. Jesus is there, tromping through those valleys, He's there to do business .... And souls are at stake. Well, it's too late by then, the Son of God has come, but what it means for us here and now is that judgment will be had on the entire earth. People we know and love will be washed away with those mountains. Maybe even you yourself too if you have never made Jesus the ruler of your heart and repented. It's a good reminder to be fulfilling the command God gave us in Matthew 28, to go and be telling others about God's love and saving grace. Or...maybe we've stopped praying for someone we know who doesn't know God's love yet. Quite personally it made me think of my children. Jim and I pray for each of their little hearts everyday. Once again tonight I prayed for each one of them specifically that they'd have no other gods before God. And that they would one day fall completely head over heels in love with their Savior. I couldn't imagine eternity without them.
     So next time you are in deep in Numbers (Cris-that's for you!) or lost in the sermon or lesson because the context is way over your head or irrelevant, remember, listen to it anyway, if God put it in His Holy Word, then He thinks it's important.

Let's Catch Up!

     The biggest question we have been asked since baby girl arrived is: How are the boys adjusting?
    Well, let's see....

     Taylor, sweet, helpful 3 and a half year old Taylor....loves his little sister to death! Really! He asks at least 10 times a day to hold her. He followed suit and did just like everyone said and grew up a whole bunch! However, he's really concerned about her "eating me" I am having a very difficult job explaining this to him without using the word-cow, suck and well, you know the rest. He seems to be adjusting very well. If she is crying he is quick to find something, no telling what, to pacify her. Be it his stuffed animals, his basketball, a blanket. It's realllly sweet to watch him want to care for her. Every girly pink thing he sees, he wants to get for his "baby sister." Here are a few pictures Taylor took of us....He was insistent that he take our picture!   

     Andrew...well............sweet, quiet, introverted Andrew. You know he turned 20 months this weekend. I forgot...Let's just say he has transitioned from second child syndrome to middle child very well! He'll be the quiet kid over in the corner at school eating glue, though he favors lotion right now! He marches to his own beat and if he wasn't so darn cute, he'd be in a world of trouble! He makes the worst days adorable with one little smile and a cock of his head.  He adores Carrie Ann, really he does. If she is on the floor, he's the first one there. Even if it is to pounce on her. If she is in her swing, he's going to be right there to make sure it swings high! And if she's crying, he's going to try to comfort her with whatever he can find..btw...a straw to the nose won't make her stop crying. Just this weekend he asked to hold her. For a child who doesn't talk very much, he communicates very well. {he would have been a good child to do baby sign language with, but then, he really wouldn't have talked} If he sees me giving her a bottle, now he wants to help.

     You just have to know Andrew...he and Taylor are night and day. One quiet, one not so quiet. One thing they both have in common is the word NO .  It only works one way with them...coming from them! But since Andrew chooses not to talk, he just shakes his head no. If he knocks his entire bowl of green peas on the floor because he doesn't want to eat them, he'll gladly say, uh oh, gets down from his seat and picks everyone of them up! See.... his cuteness is irresistable. He's at that age when he is into everything, curious as ever and pining for our attention. It's hard to cater to this like we did with Taylor and we'll one day face it with Carrie Ann. We try to make sure that we pay special attention to him, since he doesn't verbally demand our attention like others in our house do!

     Together, Taylor and Andrew, are hilarious and trouble! Taylor is the typical big brother always beating up on his little brother. Andrew is the typical little brother, always wanting to do whatever big brother is doing.  It's fun and exhausting to watch...whew. One minute they are all about the other one-I don't even have to tell you what happens in the next minute, and the next!

Yay for Mother's Day Out!

     I don't know how to relax. I just realized that as I was sitting on the couch feeding the baby this morning. I'll elaborate a little. Here goes: First of all, I nurse Carrie Ann, one part because it's good for her, one part because it's cheap, one part because I'm lazy-so it's a cop out...Andrew's dirty diaper needs changing--hun {that's Jim} can you change it...gotta feed the baby! And the rest--best weight loss program on the planet, though I haven't seen the best results from it yet.

    Anyhoot, back to my point. It's Monday night and almost 1 a.m. on Tuesday morning. This Monday was absolutely WONDERFUL. What a blessing! What a treat! Thank you Lord! I don't want it to end! Nobody likes Mondays, but I have come to love them. For the past 3 weeks I have been taking the boys to Mother's Day Out at our church on Monday mornings so I could do whatever mother's are supposed to do "Out." I tend to over analyze some things and choosing to use this "ministry" that my church offers is one of them! I struggled with taking Taylor to MDO. I had a lot of outside voices saying, he needs to get out, you need some you time, you need time alone with Andrew. It came from both sides, in both directions. I felt guilty that I even felt that I needed a mother's day out...God gave me this child, I should be able to take care of him. God equipped me to handle two little boys, by gollie, I should be able to do it.

    When I did take him to MDO, I usually spent the time shopping and spending money. So, financially, that didn't work out too well for the budget. I missed him like crazy. I couldn't stand being at the house without Taylor...it was too quiet, too still. So I quit taking him.

     This time around, same voices, same speech--you really should take the boys to Mother's Day Out. This time around- I need it!!!  I've never understood why they actually floated the idea of Mother's Day Out as a ministry, except for the fact that we do have some unchurched people who bring their children. That's enough said. But how is it a ministry to the mothers who are churched. Well, let me tell you how!

     In previous weeks I have dropped the boys off around 9ish and Carrrie Ann and I have run a million errands that I just haven't been able to do with all three, i.e. grocery shopping, doctor's appointments, clothes shopping, Hobby Lobby, etc. Yesterday I contemplated the necessity of them going this morning. I knew it was going to be a beautiful day and I hated to waste it by not having them here to enjoy it. I didn't have any plans or pressing errands that needed to be completed, so I decided, they'd go, and I'd go grocery shopping, then I'd tackle my housework and laundry! Oh, how easy that will be without stopping every other minute to put out a toddler-sized fire! I'd be super-wife...surely score some points with the hubby if he came home to a sparkling house and clean underwear!
      When I drove away from the house at 8:40 this morning, the washer, dryer and dishwasher were going. As the garage door came down, I prayed that God would protect my house from burning down.
     Somehow, not having kids with you in the grocery store doesn't really make you anymore faster. I seem to have more time to stroll, actually look through coupons, sale papers, compare labels and prices. Plus minus the meltdowns, potty breaks, snacks-----same time people!
     By the time I got the groceries in the house along with the 5 week old sleeping beauty, it's time for her to eat again. So as I sat on the couch, feeding the girl, all the windows open, nice breeze flowing through, I realized, this isn't going to go as fast as I had thought. I didn't factor in feedings when I over analyzed my to-do list! If I counted up the time right, I'd have to feed Carrie Ann like 2 times before I had to be back to pick up the boys. That leaves me with hardly any time to get everything done in the house that I wanted to get done.
    She finally got full, poople and fell asleep and I went to work! I had my Casting Crowns: Until the Whole World Hears cd on repeat. It was great. I was working on a time frame. I still had fine tooth cleaning to do after all our tummy issues over the last week. Six loads of laundry to tackle {I super sort everything}. Working against a sleeping baby is different than working against the clock. You just never know!
    When it was feeding time again, I sat, and finally, relaxed! I turned the music down really low. It was so quiet outside. It was beautiful. I love spring! I could sit, feed my little girl, talk to her, and brush her hair...without a certain toddler climbing on us, snatching and grabbing at the hairbrush. It was precious. Had to hold back tears. Then I realized, this is okay. It's okay Candise. It's okay to relax. It's okay for someone else to entertain your kids today. It's really okay. If they were home, they'd have to be inside with me right now while I feed Carrie Ann, not outside playing, enjoying the beautiful day God blessed us with.
     This is why Mother's Day Out is a ministry! It's helping me get my bearings back. Teaching me to once again, to slow down, take it one minute at a time, enjoy the preciousness that you hold. Enjoy the quietness. Enjoy the time you are getting to spend with the Lord.
    I sat here on the couch, praying, thanking God for my church family, for the ladies who love on my kids when I feel like I am just give out, for the ladies who lead and teach the Bible studies. Thankful for the blessing of Mother's Day Out. When I picked up the boys, I was rejuvinated. It felt great. I was in a good mood!
    It's not about not being able to take care of your kids or needing a break from them {well, maybe}. But sometimes a little breathing space, a little privacy in the bathroom. Some extra time alone with God without interruption. A chance to focus, a chance to complete a task without having to step away--I think that gives us task-oriented folks a sense of peace and accomplishment. So, hats off to those of you who serve through programs like MDO... God Blesses You!

New Frames!!!!

It's been weeks, no, actually months, since Mr. Adrian finished my picture frames. Well, after Christmas, a new baby, life....I finally finished them today!!!! I've had the pictures all ready for them since November! I'm a very prompt and timely person, can't you tell!

The decorative part is a decorative molding made of poplar that I found at Lowe's. The outer part of the frame is pre-primed pine that we got from Tupelo Lumber. They are made to fit a 11x14 sized picture.

I don't know how Mr. Adrian made these, he showed me all the neat tools and gadgets he used, but really, it went in one ear and out the other. I was just so amazed at how great of a job he did!

 I began by staining the poplar with a gel stain.{Minwax: Walnut} I used two coats.

 Then, months later, I used some dark brown craft paint and painted the white, pre-primed outer part.

Using a foam brush I quickly painted it on in the direction of the grain. And then, with a paper towel, I quickly wiped it off, using long strokes to make it look like old wood.

 I roughed up the edges with some sandpaper and this is how they turned out....

 Looks good, doesn't it!!!

 These are the pictures Amanda, over at Reflections by Amanda Smith, took of the boys back in October. Where's the third...well, when I get Carrie Ann's newborn pic printed, it'll go up there too...probably by Christmas!

I linked up over at Cheri's party over at:

and with the girls over at:

Growing like weeds

     WooHoo....we've survived! It's been 5 weeks this evening that little Miss Carrie Ann blessed us with her presence and she finally slept without me last night! All I got to say for myself is survival mode! I'm actaully able to sit here and blog tonight because I pulled her away and decided it was due time to get back into a routine. I was strict with my boys about scheduling and routine. I was even faster and more organized the second time. But all the rules and expectations have been out the window with this little girl. You sleep when you can and if that happens to be while a little girl is attached to you, well then, so be it! Cringe, roll your eyes, say that's a big no-no, go ahead, I said those things too, but now I just do what works for me. It just so happens that tonight is the second night I've worked on a schedule with Carrie Ann. Bedtime between 7 and 7:30...I did this last night and she woke up at 1 to eat and then again at 6.....I actually put her back into her pack n' play in our room at 7 and at 2 so she slept without me! Woohoo. {She'd be sleeping in her room, but Taylor is back to the couch in there. We tried, for a second time, to let the boys sleep together in their room that we completely re-did just for them...however, after the second night of mayhem and a bloody nose, the privilege was lost and hasn't been found yet...not that we are looking for it!}

     We are growing too! Carrie Ann now weighs 8lbs, 15 oz. Big girl!

When to call for backup

     It was really a great day! Or at least it started out with high hopes! It has only been a week since the flour fiasco and the days have been just as eventful ever since.  Today proved to be no different. Just when I thought--wow....we are doing good! I looked at the clock to see that I had 20 more minutes before we had to head out the door. That's a lifetime in my world!  All I had left to do was change Carrie Ann's clothes and dress myself-easy. Except, I changed clothes 3 times, only to settle on jeans and a  baggy t-shirt because I feel like a Hippopotamus-fat rolls and all.  It's depressing. I hate my mirrors. I hate my scale. Ugh! I know, you feel my pain, it's awful.
     Bible study was great, kids were great, lunch went smoothly. We went to visit Mr. Adrian and Mrs. Bonnie and their daughter Terri for about an hour and then headed home. We hadn't gone 100 feet before Taylor said he had to go to the potty. Then he told me he had to get sick in the potty. I questioned him about his feelings. He told me to hurry home. I asked him if he had to throw up in the potty. He said no, he had to get sick in the potty...hmmm....
     I am pretty sure that the onset of spewing came from my speeding home in fear of him peeing in his car seat or a replay of the first year of his life when he threw up just about everytime we rode in our Jeep Cherokee-yuck! The other half was probably from Carrie Ann screaming halfway home because she had just woken up from her nap, hasn't pooped since Monday and like usual, wants to be attached to me!
     I handed Taylor a bag, told him to get sick in it if he needed to. Well he missed. I'll you save all the gorey details, but I did strip Taylor down to his tighty whities in the middle of our driveway. He went straight to the shower from there.
     I brought Andrew inside. Go play son! Retrieved Carrie Ann. Go check on Taylor...Entire shower is covered in blue soapy shaving cream! Don't miss it- I'm about to get my Mother of the Month Award for this one!
     Sometime, while going between Taylor, the rotten back seat of my car and Carrie Ann, Andrew, the sweet and quiet middle child, found his way to a drawer where I keep our razor. It's a drawer he hasn't been able to reach, until today.
    When I came upon him, between my closet and laundry room, he had my Swiffer Mop out squirting the cleaning liquid onto the carpet...attempting to scrub something red...Andrew, what are you doing? What is all that red stuff....What did you get into? It was all over him. His face, his legs (He had lost his pants somewhere, I think in the bathroom, because he was in hopes he was going to get to take a shower with his brother), his arms, his hands. The Swiffer was covered in red stuff...OH MY WORD...you are bleeding son....
    I'm trying not to panic. I ran him to the sink and wash off what I can to survey the damage. Thank the Lord, it was just a surface cut on his thumb, but the blasted thing would not stop bleeding. I tried to keep my mind from going to deep and dark scary places, but the more I tried to control the bleeding, the more irritated Andrew got, the more scared I got and the more upset I became.
    And just a side note, those cute little Sesame Street bandaids aren't worth a flip!  That first-aid kit that I keep putting off buying sure would come in handy right about now! Carrie Ann's still screaming, Taylor has used up all the hot water and I am only making matters worse with Andrew. I can't get him to calm down or his thumb to stop bleeding-all over everything! My mind races between how much worse it could be and how awful of a mom I am for allowing him to cut himself. I was trying not to just lose it. I needed backup!
     I reluctantly called Jim---I let our son bleed all over our bathroom, I'm pretty sure Carrie Ann has exploded in her car seat and Taylor is freezing--- I need you!
   Daddy to the rescue. As soon as he got there, helped Taylor dry off and then was able to calm Andrew down. I found an adult bandaid and wrapped up the raw thumb and Jim comforted him while I rescued Carrie Ann. Taylor was great! He was so helpful! I was so proud of him. You'd never know he had just lost his lunch just minutes earlier. Whew....