Jarzabeks 'R' Us

Catching Up

2011-08-16T14:50:00.000-05:00

Yep, I've been working constantly, that would explain the lack of blog posts. I hate it because I miss my blog posts as much as you guys miss reading them.

As had most of south Texas, we have had an extremely hot summer. But, because of the extreme drought we have not been able to enjoy all the usual hill country summer activities. We only made it to the river once all summer before it became too contaminated to swim in. This also means no fishing. And there is a major burn ban and watering restrictions in effect all summer, so all of these things combined = no camping this summer and no fun in the sprinkler either. :-P No fun......

James had a wonderful 4th birthday with a pirate theme. We filled up the pool for the kiddos to stay cool. Daddy made him a treasure hunt complete with a map and clues hidden around the yard. And, the treasure at the end was the treasure chest pinata, James' first pinata...they loved it!

The kids experienced their first rodeo and dance this summer...But Aunty Moozer has those pictures.

JJ started his new job last week, so far so good!

I finally found out yesterday that I have been accepted into HEB's SORM (school of retail management) Program. 7 weeks of training and classes in San Antonio, and then I should be a Central Checkout Manager for HEB.

We had Aunt Moozer's baby shower this past Saturday, I will try to get those pictures posted later today. It was a great turnout and she got lots of good loot! Only about a month left to go before we meet Baby Cassie.

I am sure there is more, but for the most part, that is our summer in a nutshell. Working and trying to keep these kiddos cool!

Some Summer Pics

2011-08-16T14:22:00.000-05:00


Doctor? Pirate? Fashionista? All of the Above!!!

Cowgirl Randi! I promise she is not naked, there is a diaper under that blanket.


A good smiley picture of James with both eyes open!

Playing doctor together.

James' 4th BDay

2011-08-16T13:54:00.000-05:00

Treasure Chest cake that JJ & I made for James' pirate birthday party. We were very excited with how well it turned out.

As usual, Misti took most of the pictures, so I do not have them yet, but here are a few of the kids swimming earlier in the day.

Memorial Day Thanks!

2011-05-30T13:14:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to say THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO FOR US!!!! to our cousins Happy Gray, Derek Dansby, and Scott Wilson, and to my dear friends Jimmy Tedder & Ethan Richards. All are currently serving in our military and we are so very proud of all of them!! We love you guys so much!!!!

Relay for Life 2011

2011-05-29T20:51:00.000-05:00


I finally got pictures from Misti from Relay, but for some reason not all of them downloaded. Anyway, here are a few. Our team was dressed in all purple, hence the hats, capes, glasses, bracelets, and so on. We looked pretty rediculous, but we had a great time, and our team raised over $8500 for the year making us #1 this year!! ~Poor Randi's t-shirt was so huge on her, so my Mom cut off the sleeves and turned it into a dress for her! Turned out pretty cute I think!~

This is James 'working' in the ice cream truck!

Our ridiculous family photo!!!! HAHA! Matt, Randi, Dad, Misti, Happy, Amanda, Mindy, JJ, Me, James, & Daniel

Randi sharing a blue Popsicle with Papaw.

The HEB Cancernators fighting cancer!!!! (It was like 3am, we were delirious!)

Silly Girl Showing Off

2011-05-24T10:06:00.000-05:00

Our big girl has just about mastered her spoon, and is doing pretty good with a fork too. This particular day, she was showing me how well she can eat her 'applesauce', which is a favorite of hers. Not that it's a favorite food to eat, but it's a favorite word of her's to SAY! So silly!!

Swimming at the Kroc Center

2011-05-23T09:56:00.004-05:00

While Aunt Moozer & Uncle Brandon were in town last week, we took the kiddos to the Kroc Center (sponsored by the Salvation Army) in town. This place is not just a gym, but it also has a waterpark outside and a church inside. The kids loved it. James really wanted to try the giant water slide, but is still about a foot shy of getting on that ride. This summer he is not at all fond of getting his eyes wet (whether in the tub, the sprinkler, or the pool). So, in the background you can kind of see the kids playscape in the middle of the pool that is equipped with 3 waterslides, water cannons, and sprinklers. But...because there are also giant buckets of water overhead that fill up and then dump out on your head, he refused to play on it...at all! Maybe he will warm up to the idea as the Texas weather gets hotter and hotter, for now we will enjoy wading in a couple of inches of water and playing on the baby slide I guess. As usual, Aunt Moozer got some much better pics than I did, but I can't figure out how to pull them off of FaceBook anymore. :-(

Some of the great things about living in Kerrville.......

2011-05-22T21:53:00.000-05:00

Unplanned outings with cousins

Sitting in the yard eating Popsicles and blowing bubbles, in nothing but a diaper!

Fun holiday weekends with cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles

Playing T-Ball & Baseball with cousins

Annabelle's legendary bed head..lol!

Getting to see Aunt Moozer's tummy grow with Baby Petunia (that's my nickname for Baby Girl!)

The Easter Bunny makes house calls in the Hill Country (Randi was terrified and would not pose for the picture)

Aunt Moozer, Uncle Brandon, Annabelle, and Bridgit

Me, Randi, JJ, James

Uncle Michael, Aunt Candice, Hayden, & Owen

Nana, Papaw, Bridgit, Hayden, Randi, Owen, James, Annabelle


Sleepovers & movie nights with Kaycee

I am terrible about using my camera these days. If Aunt Moozer is around, I always just know that I can get copies of pics from her. (This is the only reason I have any Easter pics!!) I will post Easter pics with Kaycee soon, (have to get copies from Aunt Amber first!!!). And, I will try to do better about using my camera. Need some with Amber, Sam, and M'Nina for sure!!!

Baby Jacob is Born!!

2011-04-16T13:02:00.000-05:00

Friday, April 15, 2011, Charles Jacob Tedder was born! He weighed 8 lb, 10 oz, and Mommy and baby are both doing great! Just wanted to give a big CONGRATULATIONS to Jimmy, Tori, and Audrey on the birth of their new son/brother! We are so excited for them and cannot wait to meet the little guy! Pictures to come soon! He looks just like his big sister Audrey and is so precious!!

Luminarias

2011-04-05T20:32:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about our upcoming Relay for Life at the end of the month! We are working hard to raise money for the American Cancer Society! With our rummage sale this past Saturday, we passed our goal of $5000, so we decided to raise our goal up to $7500 before the end of the month! We have a car wash scheduled for this Sunday, and now a bake sale for the following weekend! The theme this year is to 'Paint the Town Purple' in the hopes that all businesses and store fronts will be decorated purple the day of the Relay.

There are two things that I am REALLY looking forward to at Relay. #1 is that my Dad is going to walk the survivor lap this year...it has been 10 years now since his surgery! #2 is that I cannot wait to see all the thousands of luminarias lit up around the track in honor & rememberance of those we love that have fought the cancer battle. My Aunt Mindy purchased a luminaria for my Dad, and I purchased a luminaria for both Cindy & Papaw James Hayes (both from JJ's family). As the day draws closer we are making more and more plans that I am excited about (Mindy is also making purple capes for our team members!!!), but these two things....they are gonna make my night for sure!!!

If you would like to buy a luminaria for someone you know that has fought the cancer battle, they are only $5, and the cost goes straight to our team totals for the amount we have raised. Please visit my personal page here and click on 'luminaria'. It is such a small gift, that will mean so much to those in your life and it is for such a great cause. Please help us to create a world with a lot less cancer, and a lot more birthdays! I truly appreciate it!

Relay for Life

2011-03-18T20:52:00.001-05:00


My father is currently a 10+ year survivor of cancer, and my mother-in-law, Cindy, is currently an 8+ year survivor! Our children adore both their Papaw, and their Mimi, and our lives would not be the same without them!	This year at the Relay for Life, my Dad will be walking the Survivor Lap with some of our other dear friends here in Kerrville. Our Relay Team, the H.E.B. CancerNators is trying to reach our goal of $5000 before the relay on April 29. My personal goal is to raise at least $300. I really want to help make sure that nobody else is touched by this horrible disease. But, for those that are, I want to help make sure that they too get to walk the Survivor Lap! Help us to create a world with a lot more birthdays, and a lot less cancer. Please, if you are able, contribute to my personal page and help us reach our goals!

Miniature Golf in Fredricksburg

2011-03-18T20:33:00.000-05:00

Amber & I took the kids to play miniature golf in Fredricksburg today. For those like Kaycee that actually want to play, it was great because it was not a difficult course. For kids like mine that want to look at the gold fish and throw golf balls, it is great because there are not a lot of people there!

It has been so nice living so close to Kaycee, Hayden, & Owen. We can actually have these fun, unplanned days together!

We stopped at Wal-Mart & I got James a new hat since he finally outgrew his other Mater Hat. Kaycee had to have one too. Mommy was not too thrilled with her selection. haha!

Yes, that is her pretty little finger up her pretty little nose!

Yeah for Good Internet!

2011-03-18T20:23:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of pics the past couple of months. We did not have internet access on our computer, and my parents was....somewhat lacking in speed. So, here's what we've been up to....

We moved into our new house last Saturday. The kids the house and the yard, but they really love having all their stuff back!

Putting Daddy to work with the wagon in our new yard.

Both my children with no pants. She is so happy that she managed to climb up their with Brother without falling before I could catch her to make her get down!

Sleeping cozy for her nap

At the Scene

2011-03-02T17:30:00.000-06:00

And after the accident....

2011-02-28T20:25:00.000-06:00

I am so glad that I took today off work. There is so much to do and so many phone calls to make after you have a car accident...especially one where children are involved. First we had to stop by the wrecker place where the truck was towed to turn in the keys and take pictures of the damage. We then had to drive to the scene to show the insurance lady the section of fence that was damaged so she could contact the owner of the fence. We had to pick up my rental car from Enterprise...and James was so happy when I came home in a 'new red car!'. JJ had to be dropped off at the DPS office because after the accident we were told by the officer that he had a suspended license. WE DID NOT KNOW THIS!! In fact...he was pulled over in January and there was no mention of a suspended liscense or unpaid ticket at all. We were told the ticket was in Travis county but when we called Travis county they did not have it on record. Finally he was able to track down the ticket info that somehow showed up on his Texas DL in 2009.....this is impossible. Let me explain.....we moved to LA in 2007. He went to the DPS office then in 2007 so he could get his LA DL reinstated and he then SURRENDERED his Texas DL. So...how in the world there is a ticket under his TX DL we still cannot explain. Anyway.....We got the ticket paid and now have to wait 2-5 days for processing of the ticket as now being paid so that he can go back to the DPS office to get his liscense back. At some point today we had to call the kids' pediatrician to schedule a follow up visit later in the week which is always recommended after an accident. I had to go to Mamacita's where JJ works to drop off his discharge papers form the hospital to validate him not working today. We had to replace both car seats but we did that at about 11pm last night so that we didn't have to do it today. I know that there is much more that we have done in the past 24 hours but I am too tired to remember it all now.

and if you think these pictures are bad enough when you image that both of my babies were in the car...imagine what i thought when i saw it....it was still rolled over on the roof!

The accident

2011-02-28T00:33:00.000-06:00

This afternoon I started my shift at HEB at 4pm. At 4:30 my mother called me while I was on the checkstand (never a good thing to be allowed a phone call on a checkstand!!) to tell me that JJ and the kids had been in a car accident. She said they were ok but I needed to come immediately. My boss drove me to the scene and thankfully my sister Amber had warned me ahead of time that it looked worse than it was. JJ had just picked the kids up from Amber's house and was driving on their mile long dirt road. Just before they got to the highway JJ lost control of the car coming around a turn. They drove up a cedar tree and when the car finally stopped accelerating rolled over onto the roof. JJ was able to get out of the car by himself and get both kids free of their car seats. Randi does not have a scratch on her anywhere. James has only a minor scratch and some bruising on his shoulder and neck from his seatbelt (he rides in a booster seat with the shoulder strap seat belt) and JJ only has a sprained neck. The guys at the scene allowed us to follow behind the ambulance that JJ was in so that we didn't have to freak the kids out more than they already were to be checked out at the hospital. I can only say that I could not be more thankful that James and Randi were both safely strapped in and that both car seats performed the way they were intended to and that JJ had his seatbelt on too. Thank You God for keeping my family safe today and that the only major damage was made to the car. Thank you God!

Wrong Address

2011-02-04T16:50:00.000-06:00

If you got our new address from JJ he probably gave you the wrong one. For some reason he got mixed up and thought our physical address & mailing address were different. Which is true for my parents...they use a PO box for their mail. But they gave me their mail key for the other mail box that they don't use. Anyway....if you got the address from him whatever you mailed will be rejected so let me know and I will get you the correct address.

Our Move to the Hill Country

2011-02-04T15:09:00.004-06:00

It has been pretty crazy around here since Christmas. Shortly after Christmas JJ & I had made the decision that we would move to Kerrville at the end of the summer when our lease was up. He does not want to be in the restaurant industry anymore (which was the ONLY thing keeping us in the city) and we both want to go back to school. We figured that we had a much better shot of being successfull in school if we had a good support system in place to help with the kids from time to time. Within a few days of having made that decision...God told us we were right in our decision but wrong on the timing. He sent us one of our friends from Shreveport that was needing to move to Houston right away and he had very little money to do it with. So....our friend took over our lease allowing us to move to Kerrville 8 months before we excpected to.

The week before we were to move though I caught the flu and soon all four of us had it. So my 2 weeks of packing time quickly turned into us packing our entire apartment in about 3 days time. Thankfully Cindy (JJ's Mom) was able to come stay with us and help with the kids while they were sick so we could pack. With Cindy there & now Reid too (the friend that took over our lease) and his 130 pound dog there were 4 adults 2 sick kids & a giant dog all crammed into our 900 square foot apartament with boxes everwhere. Needless to say by the end of the week I was very ready for the big yellow truck to show up so we could get the heck out of Houston!!!!!!! We got it loaded and then it took us 8 HOURS to drive the 4 hour trip from Houston to Kerrville. Both trucks had mechanically issues that required us to pull over several times..we had to stop and eat there.. were diapers that needed changing.. and then of course there was the much needed refill on caffeine at 2 am! And I forgot to mention that we got turned around in Austin and then there was also fog & rain!

3 weeks later we are finally feeling like we are getting settled. So where do you go to work when you move back to Kerrville and need good insurance for your kids very quickly? HEB! I have been working back at HEB for about a week now. Bagging for now...yes in the 12 degree weather! Should be in checker training next week and then I will be training in book keeping.

JJ started at the River's Edge Tuscan Grille (on Guadalupe Street behind the Sports Center) a few days ago but they closed for a few days for the weather so he was finally able to go back to work tonight. It is not what he wants to do (he does not want to be in the restaurant industry at all anymore) but we were at 2 weeks + and he still did not have a job so it will do for now. One of the difficulties of getting a job in Kerrville is not the lack of jobs...it is that everybody has gone to online applications & screening so if you don't know somebody there (like me at HEB) then it can be a very difficult & lengthy process to find a job where you want. You can't just show up looking your best anymore and hope your charm will win you a job! Nope! The computer can weed you out very quickly & you don't even have a chance! But until that process is through (hopefully soon) he does at least have a job that will do the job for now.

And in the middle of all these changes this month Randi has had a sinus infection twice. We are now 100% sure that she is allergic to Amoxicillin ( I am no doctor but I think that means penicillin is off limits altogether). She is feeling better now but I am really afraid that living in the Texas Hill Country is going to torture her just as it does her Mommy. Why did God create Cedar Trees?! I wish I knew the answer!!!! But I know that I did not miss Cedar Fever at all and my first dose of it was about 2 days after we got here!

But despite all the craziness and stress that the past few weeks have held...I am finally home! After having moved away almost 9 years ago...I am finally back home!! More updates soon....and hopefully some fresh pictures in a couple of days!!!!

***This computer does not have a 'comma' key! I promise my grammar is better than this!***

Christmas with Grammy

2011-01-03T07:31:00.000-06:00

Needless to say, he was excited about his new Mickey Mouse scooter!

Pretty girl playing

Trying it out halfway through assembly.

Scarfing down his supper (still padded up!) so he could go outside to ride his scooter!

Little Sister bundled up to go outside at 7pm in the pitch black so that Big Brother could ride his new scooter!

RIDING IN STYLE!!! Such a big boy!

Christmas Morning!

2011-01-02T07:21:00.000-06:00

No, we did NOT put that bow on her head, SHE DID! She did not want to open gifts. She just kept ripping bows off and sticking them on her own head!!

Like mother, like daughter! Frog legs! Yummy!!!

I really think she was most excited about the two new balls than anything else!

Monster Truck Wrestling!!!

James was SOOO excited that Santa Claus brought him his Monster Truck Mater & Monster Truck Lightening McQueen that he asked for!

Cookies for Santa's Reindeer

2011-01-02T07:16:00.000-06:00

According to James, Santa does not eat cookies, he eats bananas. So, we had to buy 3 bananas, (why 3, I have no idea!) for Santa Claus at HEB. But, he said that the reindeer do eat cookies, so we did get to bake & decorate cookies after all!

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

2011-01-01T23:01:00.003-06:00

All kids pronounce words or phrases incorrectly from time to time, ours is no different! While playing cars with him today, we were lining up the pit crew & the pit stop for the big race. Only, James didn't say pit stop, he said 'pist offs'! And, it wasn't just one time, that is just how he pronounces it now! Too funny!

Christmas in Louisiana

2011-01-01T07:04:00.000-06:00

Momo with all 13 Great-Grandkids!

Randi loves playing in her kitchen at home, so she really loved her cupcake full of baking goodies!

James was very excited to get new 'Cars'.

Lining them up for the big race!

She loves her 'Little People' doll house! Even the toilet flushes! It's so cute!

Tired Boy

2010-12-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

I can't remember what we had done this day to make him this exhausted...but I do know he passed out like this watching Charlie Brown Christmas.

Best Birthday Gift!

2010-12-30T07:52:00.000-06:00

I have always wanted a quilted Christmas tree skirt. I friend of mine in Kerrville has one that has been in herfamily a long time, and I have wanted one ever since I saw it. This was my birthday gift from my Mom this year! It's so perfect! The pattern, the fabric, the start shape! I love it all and will proudly use it (and protect it when storing it) every year from now on! It's the small things like this that make Christmas so special!

Nut Allergy

2010-12-29T11:54:00.002-06:00

Most doctor's recommend that you avoid certain foods until your child is at least a year old. Honey, peanut butter, cow's milk, etc. With all of the troubles we have had with James' allergies, we were in no rush to test these out on Randi. Though she had never drank cow's milk, she obviously has dairy in things that she eats. When we got the all clear to take her off of formula at her one year checkup, we decided to give Almond Milk a try instead of cow's milk. While in Kerrville last month, Randi developed a severe diaper rash that would not go away, and the pediatrician was no help at all. We decided to take care of it ourselves. We have been using a prescription yeast creme on her bottom and we decided to take dairy out of their diets again all together, and we put her back on her soy formula. Within a few days, her diaper rash was gone completely, along with most of the 'excema' that she had on her knees & elbows.

Today for a snack, I let her have some peanut butter ritz crackers. (she is a very picky eater so we were trying to figure out ways to get more protein in her little tummy). She loved it and was doing great. All of a sudden she spit it out. Then within a couple seconds she had a red rash around her mouth & on her eye where she had been rubbing. I immediately gave her benadryl and a bath and changed her clothes. Needless to say, we will not be trying anymore nuts of any sort for quite a while! And, as soon as JJ's benefits kick in at his new job, she will have an appt with an allergy doctor to confirm.

Silly Kiddos

2010-12-29T07:45:00.001-06:00

He was a fireman! Hence, the boots, hat, & coat. I do not know a fireman that goes to a fire in his Lightening McQueen undies though....hmmmm

Sportin' Brother's shirt & hat & loving it!

Self explanatory....just silly!

Decorating Nana & Papaw's Tree

2010-12-28T23:39:00.003-06:00

"Is this where I hang this?!'' (btw...that is a string, not a hook hanging on her teeth!)

Randi's First Birthday, Again!

2010-12-28T23:26:00.004-06:00

While in Kerrville, we had another birthday party for Randi.

She was much more willing to try the cake the second time around!!

Uncle Matt was a party animal with his party hat & grilled cheese!

Misti's fiance's (Brandon) girls, Annabelle & Bridgit.

Sharing her cake with Papaw!

OWEN!!

Just like James & the boys, she loves her Papaw!

Hayden & Owen taking advantage of James' stash of cars!!

Where Have We Been?!?!

2010-12-28T23:20:00.002-06:00

Needless to say it has been a busy couple of months for us around here! We had Randi's birthday the beginning of November. Then we went to Kerrville for Thanksgiving, and that ended up being an extended two week stay due to my Papaw passing away. The day after we returned from Kerrville, JJ started his new job, and thus all the studying of the menu and training schedules that comes with it. Somewhere in there was time spent putting up the Christmas tree and decorations. We had a 5 day trip to Louisiana for Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Christmas with Grammy, and finally the taking down of the tree today.....Like I said, it's been busy around here! So, pictures to come soon! I am working on it now!

Randi's First Birthday!

2010-11-08T20:58:00.003-06:00

Our big girl is one year old! She was so pretty in her party dress! And, she actually wore the bow for a little while this time!

Big brother entertaining us.

She was interested in the big cake....

But HATED the little cake, and was so mad at me for sticking her hand in it. The size of the tears was amazing!!!

Much better after that cake was out of sight...content with her snacks instead.

Her favorite gift was, of course, the least expensive....the refrigerator magnets!!!!

Randi Walking!!!

2010-11-02T16:55:00.003-05:00

Up until last night, Randi had only taken a few steps at a time. She walked all the way from the kitchen, down the hall, to the master bedroom to find Daddy & James last night! And she has been walking everywhere since!

Halloween Night

2010-11-01T16:04:00.002-05:00

Digging through the loot! Randi chased me around the room with candy in each hand, one hanging out of her mouth, and drool running down her chest. There was drool & soggy candy everywhere! And she never had a single taste of candy!

Mickey & our Little Punkin'

Happy Halloween!!!!

2010-10-30T16:59:00.001-05:00

Randi

2010-10-28T15:29:00.002-05:00

Since her antibiotic shot on Monday, Randi has not had any more fever. She has 3 days of antibiotics left, but her blood work came back normal. No signs of any infections or viruses. So, to those of you that prayed for good things, thank you so much! Our little girl is as happy & healthy as she has ever been!

Update on Randi

2010-10-25T20:59:00.004-05:00

Randi is just shy of 1 year old...I think only like 10 days till her birthday!!! I can't believe it! Anyway, she has made it the whole year and never really been sick...until last week. While in Dallas last Saturday we took her to the ER for a bad ear infection. She has been on amox. all week, and last Wednesday she finally started acting like herself again.

This Saturday (a week later), she broke out in red spots all over her body, and Sunday afternoon it turned into a high fever of over 103.

We took her to the pediatrician today, and they don't know what it is. Her fever had already broke before we got to the doctor, but I think it went back up again this evening. Her ears, lungs, & heart are all in great shape. They pricked her finger and found her white blood count very high. Which should not be the case because she has been on the amox antibiotics for 9 days now. They did a pee-pee test and it came back clean. So, they had to draw her blood and send it off to the lab. They gave her a shot of a strong anti-biotic to fight whatever it is. She basically got poked and prodded for over two hours today!

JJ has to take her back tomorrow to check her blood count again. If it's back down, then we are in the clear. If not and we still don't have test results back yet, then we go back again on Wednesday. Basically they want to see her everyday until either we know what is going on, or until her blood count returns to a normal level.

We of course want her to be happy and healthy all the time, but it would really be a shame for her to be feeling icky on her first birthday! Please pray that our little one is feeling better quickly and the doctors figure out what is going on.

Prayer Request

2010-10-22T15:40:00.004-05:00

So far this school year, our schedules with my teaching job and JJ's, and the kids has worked out very well. James goes with me to school, and Randi stays home with Daddy. JJ has just moved back up to part time management with Jasper's, and will probably need to free up his schedule entirely so he can move to full time management in the next couple of months. We have struggled with this, because the cost for Randi to go to child care, even part time, is almost as much as I bring home in a month. Child care in The Woodlands at a decent facility for infants/toddlers is insane! Think mortgage payment here!

A couple weeks ago, JJ found a business card on the windshield of his car for a lady that takes care of kids in her apartment. The kids and I walked over today to 'interview' her. So far, so good. I could not have been happier! James & Randi were very comfortable and started playing with her son right away. Her apartment was spotless, she only had 3 children in her care today, and she is only 2 buildings over from ours, which means I can just walk Randi over before we leave for school. The best part is, she is CHEAP, and takes payment by the hour. So, we would not have to pay for hours that we did not use, and we could take Randi only when we needed to. We would also have the benefit of being able to drop in and check on her unannounced whenever we wanted.

JJ is going to walk over Monday morning and meet her too before we make a decision. I have a very good feeling about this, but I am still requesting that you keep us in your prayers. This has so many benefits for us if this works out!

Wedding....In No Particular Order!

2010-10-19T14:35:00.005-05:00

The Bridesmaids

Bored at rehearsal

Passed out from pure exhaustion

These photos are always my favorite! Such a proud Daddy!

James danced ALL NIGHT LONG! He stopped only to potty twice and to eat cake! He danced until the last song played!

Groom's cake, penguin chef

Wedding Photos

2010-10-19T14:25:00.003-05:00

This is as good as they get! She cried pretty much the entire night because of her ear infection. We changed her clothes right after this photo so she could be more comfortable, it did not help the situation at all!

James just had to see what was upstairs

Our little stud danced with every lady in the house! Even women he did not know!

A photo with Randi not crying! It's a miracle!

We wanted that microphone so bad during the toasts! Instead he just crawled around on the floor!

Dancing with Aunt Moozer

Dancing with Aunt Rachael

First person on the dance floor: James Jarzabek!

Our little stud!

God Made Everything

2010-10-09T18:58:00.003-05:00

Who put the hop in the kangaroo?!
Who put the 'oink' in the pig it's true?!
Who made the cows go moo moo moo?!
God made everything!

We sing this song during Chapel at school, and it is definitely James' favorite. He had been singing it all day long, but when I got out the camera, he would not do it unless I sang it with him. Sorry for the horrible voice!!!

Helping Randi Walk

2010-10-02T22:13:00.003-05:00

Mimi visited this week and brought Randi this Pooh Bear car from her house so she could have something to practice walking with. James found a way for both of them to enjoy it together. And of course, Randi loves the attention from her big brother.

Our Little Chef

2010-09-27T03:15:00.000-05:00

James loves to cook with me. Every night he asks me what we are making, tells me we have to get out all of our 'gredients', and reminds me to wash my hands. I don't know if he will always like to cook, but I am really enjoying it for now! I love the memories I have cooking with my Dad & Granny, and I hope James will too!

A Swim & A Snack

2010-09-26T07:08:00.000-05:00

Trying to get in some more swim time before the cold front comes in this weekend. Probably will be our last chance, because the water today was already COLD!

The Ship

2010-09-25T16:06:00.003-05:00

James loves to work on this old model ship with Daddy. It has now become his project, so he chose to paint the whole ship blue.

Picture of the Day

2010-09-21T07:24:00.000-05:00

I guess she really liked the sword......

The Baby in the Mirror

2010-09-20T07:15:00.000-05:00

Randi followers her brother & Daddy around everywhere they go. She also loves her bath. When she hears the bath water running, she comes quick! So, even though she had just finished her bath, she wanted to get back in when it was Brother's turn. This was the solution. Let her play with the baby in the mirror.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

2010-09-19T20:52:00.003-05:00

Enjoying the Pool

2010-09-18T07:48:00.000-05:00

We have really enjoyed having a swimming pool at our new apartment and are trying to get in as much pool time before it cools down as we can.

I thought that I had a better picture of James in his new Lightening McQueen life jacket, but I guess I will have to try again in a couple of days.

The Moozer Face!

2010-09-17T10:34:00.002-05:00

I have always said that when Randi scrunches her face and nose up like this that she looks just like her Aunt Moozer as a baby! I was so glad that Misti had one of these pictures to compare. The first two are Randi, the last is Misti!

Teething Biscuits!!!!

2010-09-17T07:34:00.000-05:00

Sorry, but these pics are in the wrong order, and my computer would not cooperate to switch them around. So, these first two of the beautiful, clean, smiling princess are actually right after her much needed bath. Please scroll down and you will see why!Randi will finally eat teething biscuits! Now I remember why James did not eat these for long! Look at that hair!

The wrinkled up nose face that she makes so often reminds me of baby pictures of her Aunt Moozer in her crib!

Loving It Mom!

Sweet Big Brother

2010-09-16T22:21:00.003-05:00

We have been so blessed with our kids. James could not be a sweeter big brother. He is so good to Randi and has really started enjoying playing 'with' her, not just 'around' her. These first couple of pictures are of them wrestling for the first time. Which really just means that James lays on the floor and Randi quickly crawls over and attacks him. Crawling on him & over him. Rolling on him. Pulling his hair. He takes it like a champ though, and when she gets bored and moves on, he tries to coax her to wrestle some more. (Please forgive the dirty clothes in the background. It was laundry day.)

Despite our efforts, Randi has fought us on eating eating anything besides cereal & jar food. Every time we would try, even something like mushy banana, she would gag & cry. This week we have made major progress though, and James decided he wanted to help. This was one of her first experiences with Puffs (little crunchy things that dissolve in their mouth to teach them how to chew). James was helping her figure out how to put them in her mouth. She has also fought us on using a sippy cup. She CAN drink from it, but she won't. She just teethes on the rubber mouth piece. So, we finally had to break down and start giving her juice in a bottle, even though we did not want to. As with everything else with these kiddos, they have been night & day with their development. James was eating table food well before we wanted him to, at 10 months, because he refused to eat anything besides what we ate. Randi on the other hand, is 10 months, and is just now learning how to chew. Oh well, we take it as it comes and try to make the best of it!

Look Familiar, Again?

2010-08-22T07:31:00.000-05:00

Randi & James play with their house. Randi tries so hard to play with brother, and he acknowledges her existence...a little.

James & Emily (a family friend) play with the house. James tries so hard to play with Emily, and she acknowledges his existence, but not really at all. :) He too was 9 months here, and I believe that she too was 3 years old.

Our Busy Little World

2010-08-21T17:20:00.004-05:00

So, what's up with us these days? Where do I begin?

Randi is getting so big, so fast! She started crawling about a week ago. She is pretty fast when she is on a bed or the couch, so when we move and she has carpeted floors, she is probably going to be really fast. Her first tooth also cut through about a week ago, which is several months earlier than James cut his, so we weren't really expecting it at all. After a pretty awfull day for Daddy while I was at work, I asked him if he had felt her gums. He said no, and sure enough, she had cut her first tooth! Now that she is crawling, she is already pulling up on the furniture. She usually just pulls up on her knees, but now and then she gets brave and stands all the way up.

This is my last week at Red Lobster. I start my new job at the preschool on August 31. 3 days a week, less hours & less days than Red Lobster, for more money. Can't beat that. Also, James scholarship was granted, so he gets to go for FREE! That will save us a couple hundred $ a month, so we were very excited about that! We really wish Randi could go too, but still too young. So instead, she gets to have one-on-one fun time with Daddy while James & I go to school! She will get to go next year though.

We finally move into our new place this week! We are so excited and so ready to be done and out of this house! So ready for a neighborhood & a house that we actually like again! And, JJ & I will both only be about 5 minutes from work now! So, a major gas $ saver there! Our new place also has a playground on site and 2 swimming pools, so James is excited too. Though, he is much more excited about going to school than anything else right now. That seems to be all he talks about these days, 'going to school with all the kids'.

He is also very excited about going on 'acation' (vacation) next week to stay with Mimi & Poppy while Daddy & I get everything moved & unpacked. They will be there for over a week. The kids will be fine, but I worry for Cindy! Will she survive 10 days with both of them?!?!?! We shall see! :)

So, lots going on for us. New house. New school for James. New job for Mommy. New mobility for Randi. Some possible changes in the near future for JJ at work, but we will cross that bridge when we get there. Hope you all are well! And hopefully, things will start to settle down for us soon, so we can make some trips to see family! Love you all!

Look Familiar?

2010-08-21T07:23:00.000-05:00

Randi & James play in the socks while Mommy folds laundry.

James played in the socks while I folded laundry...he too was 9 months old here!

Randi Stands In Her Bed!

2010-08-20T19:44:00.000-05:00

You can tell she had been crying after she woke up from her nap, but she was so cute & excited that she stood up!

Randi Stands Up On Her Own!

2010-08-20T07:37:00.001-05:00

Ok, I am aware that this is sideways, & I'm sorry! I forget when taking video on our camera that you can't just turn it for a vertical shot like a still picture! I tried to get her to talk & laugh for me again with the camera the right way, but of course, the moment had passed. And also, I apologize now for the goofy baby talk from Mommy! I hate that from other people, and yet I caught myself on camera doing it!

A Daddy's Solution

2010-08-19T21:48:00.003-05:00

When I got home yesterday, this is what I found in the garage! Daddy & James were of course with her, but I guess Daddy had stuff to do! She thinks she is too big to sit in the stroller now that she can crawl, so this was his alternative!

Brother saw me with the camera, and of course, had to get in on the action.

Which Randi LOVED! :) Just look at those faces!

Mommy's Packing Helper

2010-08-19T21:14:00.002-05:00

When I pack, I like to assemble a bunch of boxes so I can just get on a role with filling them up. James decided that he needed to 'HELP' Mommy today. He totally took over 3 of my boxes. He quickly began filling them with all of his 'Stuff' in the living room. When I cam back in the room a few minutes later this is what I found......

"Ta Da! Wook (look) Mommy! I helped pack all my stuff to take to the new house!"

I swear he would have emptied the entire toy box if he hadn't run out of room!

And, She's Off!

2010-08-12T17:22:00.005-05:00

Yep! She is crawling! We were really hoping she would wait until we moved, but they never do what you want them to! The camera angle is funny because I had to set it off to the side. If she sees the camera, she will stop what she is doing every time! The sound is mostly James trying to encourage her to get his 'trophy' that he was playing with. She is a bit cranky because this was right before bedtime, she actually loves to crawl, and I have not seen her roll anywhere since.

First Family Vacation!

2010-08-12T17:09:00.003-05:00

We had the chance to go with family to South Padre Island last week. Our brother-in-law's family owns a house there, so we didn't have to pay for a hotel room, and we got to avoid camping on the beach! :) Which always seems like a good idea, but is almost never as fun as you think! Anyway, James & Kaycee had a blast, Randi did not. In fact, that is an understatement! She HATED the beach and everything about it! The picture above is actually day #2. We learned day #1 that the only way she would sleep was in her carseat. And, since she was asleep when we got there, and it was her first (and late) nap of the day, Daddy decided to leave her be and just carried the entire thing down to the water with her still strapped in. Hard to do as it is, but when walking in sand, lets just say it was a bit more difficult that he expected!

The kids really like the Sea Turtle Research Center. It was awesome to see all the rescued turtles, and it was even more awesome that admission was only donations! Cheap vacation entertainment is always a plus!

Building castles together

Goofy cousins at the Turtle Center

Takin' a break with a sandwich, cheetos, and juice

The Marker Game with Randi

2010-07-27T07:05:00.002-05:00

Helpful Brother

2010-07-26T21:03:00.001-05:00

Daddy: "Uh, James? Whatcha' doin'?"

James: "Finding the toys for Sister!"

Pretty in Pink

2010-07-19T12:18:00.002-05:00

I think I need to clarify something that everyone has misunderstood about me. I do not dislike pink. In fact, pink happens to be one of the best colors on Randi. When I requested no pink at my baby shower for her, it was because we already had a TON of pink clothes, and I wanted her to have something besides pink. Anyways, here are a few pics of Little Miss Randi decked out in pink and wearing her bows for the first time.

Playing in the bag of bows...

Attacking brother with the bows...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her laugh!!!!!

Gorgeous little girl!

Just look at those eyes!

And....she found the bow!

Ready to go shopping! All in pink, even down to her tennis shoes. This was also her first time to wear shoes, and she chewed on them most of the day!

A Whole New World

2010-07-16T16:39:00.002-05:00

Over the past few weeks we have been letting James have more & more foods that he has not been able to have in the past. When we first let him have something with milk in it, it upset his stomach. But, we waited about a week and tried again, and again, and again, and have had no more troubles with anything he has had since. So, Wednesday night, James got to have pizza for the first time in over a year! He was so excited and loved it so much, that we had leftover pizza for supper Thursday night as well! And so far, no upset tummy!!!!! It feels so good to let him have some of these things that he has been missing out on!

Dancing Randi

2010-07-15T17:17:00.002-05:00

Randi has definitely learned what dancing is. Any time she hears a song, especially if it is one she recognizes, like from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, she starts bobbing her head and kicking her feet. It is so funny, especially when her & James are dancing together!

James' 3rd Birthday

2010-07-08T16:44:00.003-05:00

It is very hard to believe that on Sunday James turned 3 years old and Randi turned 8 months old!!!! Here are a few highlights from his birthday party. Our friend Maria made the cake for him and she did such a great job! He was so excited to have a 'Buzz Light Year Space Ranger' cake!

From inside his tent that he got from Nana & Papaw.

His first ever ice cream cone!

Licking ice cream off his elbow....or trying to anyway!

Snuffles Randi

2010-06-30T07:54:00.000-05:00

The face & noise Randi is making with her nose when this first starts is what I was trying to get her to do again. This face is one of the many that she makes that makes me think of her Aunt Moozer's baby pictures. But, as usual, she would not do it again once the camera was rolling......grrrrrrr. But, I also know that all the grandparents out there that don't get to see the kids very often probably appreciate even the most boring of videos, so I post them anyway! ;)

Free Entertainment

2010-06-29T07:48:00.000-05:00

How do you occupy a 3 year's time when he doesn't need to watch any more cartoons & it is 100 degrees outside & too hot to play? You give him a bunch of empty cans & a stick and call it drums!

Pool Time in the Backyard

2010-06-28T07:42:00.000-05:00

James loves swimming in the pool in the backyard. Randi is getting more used to it, and as long as she is not too tired, she is enjoying it more & more. She was very happy in her little car float because she could reach the bottom of the pool and stand up like she does in her bouncer.

James Feeding Randi Video

2010-06-27T23:38:00.001-05:00

Again, sorry for the poor picture quality. The glare from the window was not cooperating at all, but the sound of the video is priceless.

Big Brother Feeding Randi

2010-06-27T23:34:00.002-05:00

James decided he wanted to help feed Randi tonight for the first time. Sorry the picture quality is not very good, but the other angle had a glare from the window.

He made the crown on his head earlier in the day when we were playing pirates.

Sitting Up!

2010-06-24T07:41:00.000-05:00

Our big girl is finally sitting up on her own. We are still putting pillows behind her in case she tips over, but that rarely happens. She is so proud of herself and will sit there for a long time playing & laughing!

Milk Experiment #1 Failed!

2010-06-23T14:36:00.003-05:00

I made a chicken flavored Rice A Roni mix last night for supper. Though James loves these, they contain milk products, so we have not had them in over a year. We were supposed to introduce the 'new' foods back into his diet in cooked form first, so that is why we decided to let him try it. This was our first experiment with letting James have milk. It has failed!!! James now has diareah & a tummy ache! Uhg.....well at least we know that even if he is not allergic, he is definitely lactose intolerant.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-23T14:28:00.005-05:00

Randi enjoying her new bouncer Father's Day morning. Her other one had already been through Kaycee & James as babies, and one of the pegs that holds up the bottom part that she stood on was missing. JJ originally fixed it with bailing wire & zip ties, thinking that would hold well.....it did not, she broke it 3 times before we decided it was time to buy a new one! Strong little legs on this girl!

Yes, this post is late! Sorry Poppy & Papaw! Happy Father's Day to you both! We all love you so very much & miss you all the time!

James enjoying his first doughnut in over a year, and showing off his art work. Notice his left hand is still very pink (his color choice!) from his hand prints. You will also notice that Daddy's card says 'Happy Father's Day Daddy' twice. I originally wrote it on there, but James decided that he is big and needed to write it too. So, I helped him hold the marker and we wrote all the other words together. I love Randi's little hand print in purple, it looks more like a racoon paw than a handprint!
He was so excited to go to Shipley's and pick out doughnuts for Daddy. He chose red with sprinkles for himself, and white with sprinkles for Daddy.

Trip to YMCA Pool

2010-06-16T21:07:00.002-05:00

On the way....

We received a free family pass from our pediatrician to the YMCA that allows us to go 7 times for free. What's really cool is that the closest branch is only about a mile from our house. We unfortunately only got to stay about 30 minutes today because it started to thunder so they closed the pool. James still had a blast though playing in the splash park while he had the chance.

Just arrived.... (Randi wore brother's old hat that is too small and she looked so stinkin' cute!)

A few minutes of splash park...

On the way home.

James birthday party

2010-06-13T18:18:00.001-05:00

For those of you that may try to attend.... we are having James' birthday party on Sunday, July 4, probably around 11 am before it gets too hot. I will try to get invitations in the mail this week.

To In Fitty & Deon

2010-06-13T00:28:00.002-05:00

James' current obsession is Toy Story, and more specifically Buzz Lightyear & Woody. Before I got out the camera he was yelling ' To In Fitty & Deon' (To Infinity & Beyond!) and then jumping off the role of carpet & 'flying' around the house. But of course, kids never perform on command. I tried for two days to get him to do it again, and he never would. But, it's still cute, I think!

Big Girl

2010-06-11T13:50:00.000-05:00

Randi has been able to push up on her hands for a while now, but she is just now enjoying it and playing really good on her tummy.

Good News from the Allergy Doctor

2010-06-09T23:00:00.005-05:00

We met with James' doctor today to go over all his lab work & allergy tests. Though he tested negative for parasites, she is convinced with the timeline of when he was in the river in Kerrville, and when the diareah started (about 36 hours later), that he did have a parasite that he was able to rid his body of naturally.

I did not realize how extensive the testing was that they did until today. She not only went over all of his allergy results with us, but also how his body has taken to, or rejected all of his regular immunizations. Because he is a boy and plays in (and eats) the dirt a lot, she was very concerned that his body did not have very many antiboties for the tetanis shot, so he will be getting that one again, along with two others this week. They will then do more labs in 6 weeks to see if there is an improvement in his antibodies to these 3 shots.

All of his blah blah blah 'globins' (too long of words for Mommy to remember) in his blood came back excellent....those are the things that fight infection and she said his immune system couldn't be better. She also said that surprisingly enough, he did have antibodies for a certain strain of pnemonia that he did not ever receive in a vaccine (because it is not given in vaccines under 3 years old), so he probably picked it up along the way, and his awesome little immune system fought it off naturally!

She did say that his allergy numbers are pretty much through the roof (just like Mommy!), but that just means that he is at a higher risk of developing allergies later, whether they are food or natural ones like dust & pollen.

So, on to the food allergies. Every food they tested him for came up negative!!! Which should mean that he has outgrown all of them already!!!!!!!!! Except eggs & egg whites. But, they only scored a 1, which is the lowest score. She said that a severe allergy is around 100 or higher, so she is not really concerned about it all that much. Which is awesome, because I was really stressing about what to do for his birthday cake in July.

We are now keeping a food journal of everything he eats. We can start introducing things back into his diet, starting with them being cooked. Like, something that is cooked with butter, but to avoid ice cream or whole milk for now. After he tries the 'new' food for about 5 days with no reaction, we can then move on to another one or try adding it in greater quantities, like cooking with a cream soup in a casserole.

This doctor has plaques & articles all over her office from Texas Monthly and all sorts of magazines about being a 'Super Doctor' in Texas. After today, I certainly agree! We couldn't be happier with her and are so thankful that we found a good one! So, here's to hoping and praying for good things to come with all of these food experiments we have coming up over the next few weeks! I would really love to be able to cook with milk and cheese again soon! Man, I sure do miss chicken & dumplins!

JJ's 28th Birthday

2010-06-09T13:40:00.003-05:00

To James, it is not a birthday unless there is cake, candles, balloons, & party hats. He picked them all out for Daddy when he & I went shopping for the party.

On a side note, we have discovered that Randi is deathly afraid of balloons!

Quotes from our day...

2010-06-03T21:40:00.004-05:00

at supper tonight:
"Mommy, a bug was in my food."

"Was it a fly?"

"No, it was Tinker Bell from Peter Pan!"

while playing in his room after supper: (This is a summary of what was said. the actual quote was way too long to remember!)
"I'm sorry Mommy, but I really can't stay and play. It is 6 o'clock. I have to take a bath and put my work clothes on because I am going to work with Daddy. I am going to be a real race car driver!"

while driving at night to take Daddy a spare set of car keys:
"Mommy, watch out for the lights!"

"Those are headlights James, it's just another car."

"Well don't crash the car!"

Update for James' Test Results

2010-05-27T10:43:00.002-05:00

James' doctor called yesterday with some of the test results she has received so far. He is definitely allergic to eggs, but everything else she tested for came up negative (milk, beef, chicken, grapes, yeast, cocoa)! They are not totally ruled out yet, it could mean he has already outgrown them, or it may mean he has an intolerance for some of them (mainly the milk). An intolerance is much easier to work around and deal with! So, hopefully we will continue to get good news when the rest of the test results come in!

The Turtle

2010-05-25T17:36:00.002-05:00

We found a pretty big turtle in the backyard and James was not only interested, and played with it, but he wanted to take it in the bathtub with him when it was time to go in for the night!

Would not touch a fish when he went fishing, but he all but kissed the turtle!

He really just can't smile with both eyes open....very difficult for him!

Give it a try

2010-05-22T20:31:00.002-05:00

James handed Randi one of her teething toys tonight.

"Here Randi, you are supposed to chew on it. Give it a try!"

Randi's Dinner

2010-05-18T19:25:00.004-05:00

Yeah, I finally figured out how to put videos on this thing! Been trying to do it for a while for all of you M'Ninas, Nanas, Mimis, Grannys, & Momos out there!

I originally got out the camera because she was talking, jabbering, & screaming during her supper, and it was so funny. But, she got camera shy real quick. This was one of the first times she tried meat...and I am not sure we will be trying it again. They didn't have this when James was on jar food, the meat was always mixed in with some sort of 'dinner'....but we thought we would give it a try...her flavor of the evening was beef with beef broth, grody consistency & very grody smell! I had just a tiny bit on the spoon and then had her veggies over the top of it to help with the taste- it did not work!

Fishing

2010-05-14T14:11:00.003-05:00

Family Photos

2010-05-14T13:59:00.002-05:00

Misti did our family photos while in Kerrville. They turned out so good! Here a few of the highlights of the morning. If you want to see more or order any, please contact Misti.

What's up with us

2010-05-06T20:34:00.005-05:00

So, what's up with us these days?

I have started back to work outside of home. I am serving at Red Lobster during lunches & JJ's off shifts. So far, we are all enjoying it. I am able to get out of the house regularly again without having kids in tow, and JJ is getting time with the kids by himself. It also means that James is getting to help Daddy with more 'projects', he loves doing projects with Daddy, even if it is just the laundry.

James is a little jabber box, constantly talking and coming up with new words and phrases. His phrase this week is 'I/we almost forgot!'....regarding all sorts of things. He is definitely getting older because if a family member is brought to mind (Mimi & Poppy, Untle Matt, Kaycee, Papaw, etc) he immediately is missing them, wants to call them, and sometimes even becomes upset because he does not understand why we can't just go visit them.

Randi is a little Rolly Polly, yes she is finally rolling over back to tummy. She is almost instantly ticked off though because she has not figured out the tummy to back roll over yet. She is also a little jabber box in her own little way. Constantly squawking, screeching, cooing, and giggling, definitely experimenting with her voice.

JJ has been completing many projects around here, mostly on the car maintenance. He has saved us thousands of dollars in repair & maintenance costs by doing it himself. He got a repair manual for his car for Christmas, and has been teaching himself how to do it all. He even replaced the brakes, and the c.v. joint ( I am told these are a big deal, but what do I know?!). He is very proud of himself when he checks another item off his list! Such a good husband & Daddy he is!

We returned from our trip to Kerrville Monday afternoon. We all had such a good time, and this had to be one of the least stressful trips yet! YEAH! We love visiting family, but traveling with two kiddos in a small car is never easy. Friday we spent the day with my Mom, or M'Nina to James & Randi. And then she watched the kids at Amber & Sam's house overnight so that JJ & I could go out for our anniversary. Saturday morning started with Misti taking our family photos by the river (hopefully I will have a picture cd from her soon). We then spent the day celebrating my Granny & Papaw's 55th wedding anniversary! It was such a nice party. Outdoors with plenty of food, family, and fishing! James had such a good time fishing with his Untle Matt. He caught several fish, but never once would he touch it. Kaycee on the other hand, not only touched them & held them, but also kissed them! What a little Tom Boy she is! And the weather cooperated, so it wasn't even really hot at all. Sunday we visited with my Granny & Papaw, Candice & her boys, and then ended the day with JJ, Matt, Logan & I taking James to the river for the first time. He loved it! We went the the flats in Hunt so it was just the right depth for him, about 2 feet! Just enough for him to really 'go swimmin'. I think that is what I miss most about the Hill Country. You can just pull of the road just about anywhere, and get in the water. Can't do that in Houston or Louisiana!

Pictures to come soon! I promise!

Exploring a Firetruck

2010-04-17T20:43:00.002-05:00

Apparently, one of our neighbors is a fireman. Some of the guys from our neighborhood VFD stopped by to visit them today with the truck. They were so nice to James. They let him explore all over and inside it for about 20 minutes. He got to sit in the driver's seat and they even let him spray the water hose. He loved it when they turned on the lights and blew the horn. Needless to say, we had a thousand & five questions about firetrucks & firemen until bedtime, and we had to read his firetruck book at bedtime. He had so much fun!

Petition for Better Food in Schools

2010-04-16T22:56:00.002-05:00

A new show started a few weeks back called Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. I absolutely love it! He is a chef from England that is in the US trying to start a Food Revolution, but more specifically trying to get better, healthy, fresh foods in our public school cafeterias. If you have not seen the show, I recommend watching it online. But, even if you don't, please take a minute to sign his petition so he can have enough signatures to take this cause to the White House. Yes, my kids are years away from being in school, but drastic changes like this take years to take effect!

Big Brother the Egg Theif

2010-04-08T09:13:00.000-05:00

Randi exploring her one little egg....

James decided she did not need it and it was actually HIS egg...

Look at her face! She looks so surprised that he took it!

We convinced him to give it back to her...

Until I put it in her basket! Then it was fair game I guess! What a great big brother!

More Easter Pics

2010-04-07T09:09:00.000-05:00

First family photo since Randi was born. (we forgot at Christmas!)

Mommy's Smiley Girl!

Our Handsome Young Man!

Looking at her loot with Daddy.

Easter Sunday

2010-04-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

When JJ got home from work Sunday afternoon, James realized the Easter Bunny had been in the back yard and left him 'EGGS!'

He found the Gold Egg first (which always has more $ in it than the silver). He did not think it was money though, he told me it was paper.

He was very excited about the Silver Egg though...'MONIES!' To him, coins are money I guess.

Unloading his full basket into Randi's, he refused to carry her's.

Very excited about the big blue egg he found. Notice, it is tucked under his arm, not in his basket.

Exploring his loot after breakfast.

Dying Easter Eggs for the first time

2010-04-06T20:57:00.002-05:00

Randi has found her toes!!

Our little Popeye! He cannot smile a genuine smile without closing that right eye!

He decided he wanted to try a boiled egg. He like it until he got to the yolk, then he gagged.

Love her smiles when she laughs!

Excited to start dying eggs!

Word World in the tub

2010-04-03T08:16:00.000-05:00

James really likes the show 'Word World'. (i was going to include a You-Tube Clip, but I don't know how to do that). As you can see, the duck is made out of the letters D U C K. when they need something, they spell out a word, push the letters together, and the item appears.

While in the tub tonight, we were playing with James' foam letters. I spelled the word 'hat' and was sounding it out for him. Before I finished, he pushed the letters together and started singing the 'Build A Word' song.... He was very disappointed that a Hat did not appear!

Carrot Splatter

2010-04-02T21:57:00.002-05:00

Please take note of the orange goopy blobs all over Little Miss. She was eating carrots and decided that would be a good time to blow some rasberries with her lips! EVERYWHERE!!! legs, arms, me, the chair, the table, the bib. I was very happy when she decided to do the same thing to Daddy later on that evening!!! Spread the love Little Girl!

New Words

2010-03-25T13:34:00.003-05:00

James apparently has learned two new words this week...Gross & Actually.

I gave him both strawberries & blackberries for a snack the other day, which he has had before so I knew he liked them both. James did you try the blackberries? 'Actually Mommy I ate the red ones'.

Goodnight James, Grammy is going to bed. 'Actually Grammy, Mommy & I are going to read some books.'

He spilled my coffee this morning. 'Oh, that's so gross.'

2 Front Teeth

2010-03-23T23:20:00.002-05:00

We are about 99% sure that Randi is cutting her two bottom teeth already. We can't feel anything, but we can see them, and she has had all the symptoms for about 2 weeks now. This is different for us, because like everything else, she is completely opposite from what James did. He did not cut his first tooth till he was 12 months, and it takes him MONTHS to cut a tooth. Hopefully her's will be quicker and easier for her.

4 month check-up

2010-03-22T15:02:00.001-05:00

Randi had her 4 month check-up today. 14 1/2 pounds, 25 1/2 inches long. So far, looks like she will be tall & skinny like her brother. Everything else looks great, happy healthy little girl!

Puper James to the Rescue!

2010-03-22T14:33:00.004-05:00

Yes, that's right, Puper James, not Super James....

...flying around his room!

showing me his Green Blanket cape!

hiding in the closet from Mommy!