Big Projects and Baseball Camp

Yes, I have been slacking TERRIBLY... and not just on blogging but on everything. This pregnancy has been murder on my ligaments and my hips and I have just been in so much pain I can barely function. I'm so thankful my husband has been off work and can do more since his surgery because he has been an amazing help with the boys and making dinners. Knowing that the end of this pregnancy is probably 2 weeks or less away I have really been trying to get the house in order but since we just had Chanukkah and Christmas there is a lot to do still. I finally got most of the decorations down and put away (going to try to get the outside done tomorrow) and I've been keeping up pretty well with the laundry. Almost all of the new toys the boys got have been sorted and put away (we need to buy a few new boxes for things though) but once I get the decorations back in the attic the house should be pretty much in order again. HORRAY!!!

The baseball league that Logan plays teeball with had some serious vandalism this month (it really breaks my heart that people could do what they do) and the CPLL (Capitol Park Little League) is run soley on donations and volunteers so to help raise money they announced a Christmas Baseball Camp for $75 to go for 3 days. It said 13 and under but most of the boys were around 10-13, Logan (5, almost 6) was by far the youngest there. But he actually had a great time and the older boys were so fantastic with him! They all were supporting him and routing for him and they didn't even pick him last when they picked teams!!! (which, btw, made me tear up - stupid horomones! LoL). I think Logan really learned a lot and it was good for him to be around some older boys with positive attitudes.

Today I decided, after baseball camp, a nap, and playing outside with the boys, that we would put "bricks" on a box to make a little house. It was a box from Christmas gifts that my husband had cut a piece out and it already looked sort of like a house and had sort of doors in the front  and the boys had been playing in it a lot. So, I figured we could  have fun doing an art project and make it LOOK like a house! The boys really had fun gluing the "bricks" (just colored construction paper I cut into rectangles) and then Logan wrote "Welcome" on the front flap that looked like a door mat.

I really think it came out cute! And it will be totally dry for them to play in it come morning so I know they will be really excited when they get up and see it sitting in their toy room. I was thinking of putting a blanket or pillow or something else in there but maybe I'll wait and see what they decide to do with their imaginations first.

Christmas TREE Picking!!!

Today we went to pick out our Christmas tree. Well, that was after the boys played with and then figured out where to put all their new toys from Chanukah last night. It was a nice little drive to the same Christmas tree farm we went to last year, Seiler Farms and going earlier this year gave us more options on trees than last year. And of course the boys had fun running around looking at all the trees until we picked the perfect one. Although daddy and I had different ideas on which one was perfect. Of course, we ended up with mine and it looks beautiful! We always manage to pick a freezing day to pick out our tree, which in San Antonio, Texas, is a pretty difficult thing to do! Today definintely wasn't the coldest Christmas tree trip we've made but we all were bundled up nicely for the 58-62ish degree weather we were wondering around in. After we agreed on our perfect tree daddy got started sawing it down and then each of the 3 boys had a turn "sawing" too. Logan is probably tht only one that really did any actual sawing but CJ and little Wyatt got down and tried too.

Even Wyatt got to help cut the tree!

Then it was time to get the tree loaded up and the boys ate the candy canes the lady that worked their gave to them while mommy and daddy got the tree ready to go. Wyatt needed another nap when we got home which worked out well so that Logan and CJ got to help me decorate the tree. Then I put all the presents out underneath... fingers are crossed all 3 boys will listen and none of the presents will get opened! Logan is under strict instructions that if he sees one of his brothers even touching the presents he is allowed to tattle and be BETTER come tell mommy or daddy. Luckily Logan is pretty much always the first to get up and doesn't take naps so he's the best to keep an eye on the tree HeHe :)

 

The big boys helping mommy with the ornaments





 

 

  






  

Logan & the only kind of Snowman you'll see in Texas!





YAY! Daddy got a picture of CJ actually SMILING!!!



Cookies & Chanukah!

I've been on a baking frenzy lately and today I decided to try some Ranger Cookies. I'd never had them before but can't go wrong with oatmeal, cocounts and raisins (or craisins in the ones I did today). I can't stop eating them! I packed a bag of them so I won't eat those so I can take them over to Mimi's house for Chanukah on Saturday. They said they didn't need me to bring anything so I'll probably bake something else too and just bring a bunch of yummy homemade treats over! Who doesn't love sweets for the holidays? And speaking of holiday's and Chanukah... today was the 2nd night so it was CJ's night to light the candles (we start with the youngest and work our way up). Also when I was baking daddy was watching some Charlie Brown with the boys and paused it for them to come help me mix up some of the ingredients for the cookies. Then they finished the movie while I baked and waiting for the sun to set to light the menorah.Then the boys got to open a present and they had a blast riding on their "horsey's"

You've Been Jingled!!!

After doing the You've Been Booed for Halloween I wanted to do the You've Been Jingled for Christmas time. Since today was the first day of December and I had baked some cute little christmas tree cookies the other day I decided to go ahead and Jingle my 2 next door neighbors. Since I did homemade cookies and I didn't want them to get tossed out I tried to give a hint as to who they were from so they would feel confortable to eat them! So attached to the bag of cookies I stuck a little poem/note.

In case you can't read it it says:

Happy Holidays!

Please enjoy these little homemade cookie treats

with a glass of your favorite holiday drink!

These cookies were made with love and care

by 3 little holiday elves that love to share!

Then I also got a cute mug, some candy canes and a packet of hot cocoa so even if they don't eat the cookies they still get a little store bought treat to enjoy! Hopefully they'll pass it on and the whole neighborhood will start to JINGLE! I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the holidays! I can't believe it's already December. The year was dragging and dragging and then once it was October the time just started to fly by! All my gifts are wrapped for Chanukah and for Christmas and Chanukah started tonight. I'm waiting for my husband to get the lights up on the house (I already did the yard and decorated inside) and then hopefully this weekend we can go cut down our tree and get it up and decorated with plenty of time to enjoy it!

Mommy's Day OFF!

Ok so I didn't really have the day off, but I did get a wonderful break today! We started this morning with some nice warm oatmeal MMMMmmmm and then some cleaning up and a little more Christmas decorating (started yesterday and STILL working on it!) and then a family grocery shopping trip. Poor little Wyatt fell asleep in the cart (wish I had remembered to take a picture) and then home for Wyatt and CJ to nap and then I put the fridge groceries away before heading out to meet up with 2 of my best girlfriends, Nikki & Christen, at Olive Garden for some yummy lunner (lunch/dinner hehe). We spent a little over 2 hours eating and chatting and it was a WONDERFUL and much needed little break. Plus I got to hold Nikki's sweet little 10 week old! I LOVE babies :) The boys were great for their daddy while I was gone and when I came home he warmed up some of the soup I made last week and all my boys ate dinner and then cleaned up the house. Daddy fell asleep early and I folded and loaded some laundry, got all 3 boys bathed, we read 2 holiday books, and the boys went to bed. Then I got to relax and get some homework done and now I'm ready for bed!

I didn't take pictures but the boys wrote their letters to Santa today... well, Logan wrote his and CJ and Wyatt scribbled a bit. For Logan I told him he had to sound out the words and write it all himself and he did a really good job! Dera Santa, I wat a pelo pt ♥ Logan Carter Plez (translation: Dear Santa, I want a pillow pet please :-D not too bad I think!)

Now tomorrow is family picture day! Everyone got something new (the boys and daddy got shirts and I got a little cover-up and some legging to go with my dress) and hopefully the pictures will come out great and not too expensive since we are trying a different place for pictures this year. We've done the past few years at Target but are trying Portrait Innovations this year --- if they don't come out Target is in the same shopping center so we can head over there lol.

GOBBLE GOBBLE *turkey art*

YAY me! I got a lot done last night and today :) The kitchen is looking beautiful, lots of laundry is done, and the floors are swept and looking like floors again lol. While daddy was in class this morning the boys and I had some fun making hand painted turkeys and then just paiting with some fall colors.

Mommy painting Wyatt's hand

CJ paiting his own hand

Turkey hand Logan

Boys doing Fall art

i hate LAUNDRY!!!

I swear, I just did all the laundry in the house the other day and now all 3 hampers are full or overflowing already! I guess tomorrow I have to get started again... I don't even know what is in the hamper in the boys room because Logan's closet is full and so is CJ's drawers... so WHAT is all the "dirty" clothes in the hamper??? I guess I'll find out tomorrow when I start loading it in the washer ::sigh::

Yesterday we cleaned up the boys room and went through all their toy buckets (long over due) and pulled out broken toys and some things they don't play with to sell at a yard sale this weekend. Of course today they had a bucket down and even after cleaning up toys are all over the house. I guess that's what happens when I take a nap and Daddy is in charge and lets them play everywhere (I try to get them to keep the buckets in their room OR they take them and keep them in the toy room). Maybe I'll make him clean the rest up :) or not.

Well back to the grind... time to load up the dish washer and sweep up the floors before bed. Only 2 more days of school for Logan and then break for Thanksgiving!

playing catch up!

Geeze! You'd think I hadn't been doing anything with the way this blog has been going lately. I think with the boys being crazy and me being exhausted whenever we DO do anything I don't get any pictures and I am too tired to get on here and post. Hopefully next week I'll be all caught up and be rested enough to get back on track with this blog... but I won't hold my breath.

The boys had a great halloween! Wyatt was adorable going up to houses and knocking on doors.

We've done a few activities and been busy with baseball season (which is over now until spring!). The other day all 3 boys were coloring and Wyatt decided to color his belly and not his paper lol. They love to color!

We did some playdough today after hair cuts. Daddy said it was time for Wyatt to get a big boy cut and buzz it like him and the older boys... he looks just like CJ now and too old. I'm sad and I miss his long hair already! I think we will keep it shorter than it was but definitely NOT as short as it is right now. I don't like it.

And since I didn't post this when I started writing it (about a week ago) I feel like even more of a slacker! Things have just been hectic. I haven't been feeling well, the boys have all had the sniffles and all I want to do is sleep. Not to mention school and all my hw and reading is making things crazy. I've been getting back up to date with the cleaning and this week made a full meal plan so we can avoid having an excuse to eat or order out. Laundry is all caught up (for the moment) and the house is pretty clean. With the gorgeous cool weather the boys have been practically BEGGING to go outside (finally!) and so they have been out in the yard a lot the past week or so. It was too cold today though, but we did have a nice toasty fire and when CJ and Wyatt were taking a nap, Logan and I played a game of Guess Who? I've been trying to cook more full meals and bake more (I LOVE to bake!) and made some delicious pumpkin bread the other day and have some bananas ready to make some yummy banana bread, maybe tomorrow.

Time to get back on the ball and try to get on here at least every other day to blog!

Halloween Art

The past few days have just worn me out! Last Saturday was my baby sprinkle (which was a BLAST) but setting it up and everything took a lot out of me so not much got done this week. I've finally gotten caught up on laundry and gotten the house to look almost clean again (YAY me!) and that gave me some time today to do some art with the boys! I had some streamers (which never made it up for the party) that I pulled some strips off and then printed off a little paper for them to glue pieces of the streamers onto. Wyatt loved ripping little pieces and all CJ wanted to do was dump glue all over the paper! Finally I got CJ to put some streamers on his page but he only wanted to do the orange, no black. I think Wyatt's came out totally cute :) CJ's just looks like it has caution tape over it lol. I love my silly boys!

Tomorrow we are planning on meeting some friends after Logan get's out of school at IHOP to have some FREE Scary Face Pancakes! It should be a lot of fun! Hopefully the van will be fixed and back by then! OH yeah, I didn't mention that... On Tuesday the van pretty much exploded and some guys glanced and said it was probably the radiator... it wasn't, it was the entire A/C unit and it ALL needed to be replaced, so there goes over $1500 (that we really can't afford to be spending now with the holiday's coming up, the new baby and then birthdays all over the next 3-4 months). I hate not having my van though, we can't really go anywhere as a family since the 2 carseats leave no room for Logan to be in his booster if we take Justin's car.

Holy Backache Batman!

I think today was my busiest day ever and now I'm paying for it! I started at 6:30 this morning, make breakfast and got my oldest to school then back home to get hubby to his PT appt and did some shopping for my halloween sprinkle tomorrow, got hubby dropped him and the boys off at home and went to my OB appt (had my glucose test and check up and everything is good) and then back home for lunch and then lots of baking!

I made 3 batches of cupcakes - rice krispie treats - banana bread - 18 caramel apples - carved pumpkins - melted the candy and made the "poopy diapers"  

Plus I made dinner in the middle of all of that... now it's just after 9:30 and my back is KILLING me... guess the rest will wait to tomorrow, hopefully i can get everything clean in the house and still get the cupcakes iced, the meal foods made, decorations up and whatever else for the games need to get done ACK so ready for bed now! Hopefully after a good night sleep I'll be ready for a LONG and BUSY day again tomorrow!

The boys did pretty good with their pumpkins. Logan didn't whine too much getting his hands in there and he cut out the eyes of his pumpkin himself (then mommy finished the rest of it how he requested lol) and CJ

helped me draw his face and then I carved it out for him. Wyatt just had fun throwing stuff everywhere lol.  In the end we ended up with 3 really cute pumpkins! Although the one I did for Wyatt didn't really come out the way I'd planned and the boys kept saying that Wyatt's pumpkin was "crying"! He does look sad :( poor little pumpkin! Then when I tried to get all 3 boys with their pumpkins to take a picture together Wyatt became camera shy and wouldn't get near the pumpkins or sit with his brother. Still, the picture of the 3 pumpkins and 2 boys came out pretty gosh darn cute :) Maybe they will have even more fun when we carve pumpkins again for Halloween (since it's still more than a week away and these pumpkins will be totally dead and gross before then... dumb hot Texas weather! Oh well, more fun for us this year! :-D

BUSY BUSY BUSY

It almost feels as if I haven't had any time to breathe I've been so busy lately! Between trying to keep the house cleaned up so I don't have so much do to before the party on Saturday (which, by the way, is not going very well lol) and getting everything together for the part all my free time is being used up. And that is what little free time I have after school stuff, taking Logan to and from school and helping him with homework, trying to get things in order and figured out for my observations for my degree, doctor and dentist appointments, Logans tball games and practices.... the list just goes on and on! The next 2 days won't be any less busy with all the baking and last minute shopping and decorating I have to do. I'm really excited for my Halloween Baby Sprinkle though and can't wait to see all my friends kids in their costumes and have a great time, it's just a lot of work! And I know the boys will have a blast too and I have lots of games to play!

Logan has been doing GREAT this season and is really starting to understand baseball. He really likes playing catcher and did AWESOME at his last game. I can't believe this season is almost over already! Hopefully he'll want to play again in the spring and do just as great (although Justin will be back at work by then and I'll be carting THREE LITTLE BOYS along with Logan to the games!) All of a sudden this pregnancy, or at least time, is going by really quickly! It's almost Halloween and then it will be Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, New Years, Logan's 6th Birthday and then BABY!!!! (well maybe baby before Logan's birthday if he comes a little early, just hopefully not ON Logan's birthday and preferably a few days apart in either direction)

Now it's time to get some rest! Tomorrow is going to be another busy day! Justin has Physical Therapy, I have my OB appt and my glucose test (YUCK!) and then after I get Logan from school we are carving our pumpkins for the party and then starting all my baking and preping whatever else I can before  PaRtY TiMe!!!!

Pumpkin ART!!!

I got up this morning and fed my hungry little monsters and then got dressed with Wyatt and headed out to pick up groceries and some things for the party next saturday. I actually think I got almost everything I need! Of course there are a few things left to get but I really got a lot done and got some game stuff set up for the kiddos and wrapped a few of the prizes. I'm glad I'm able to get a few things done at at time so that I won't be stressing so much this Friday & Saturday trying to get everything done in time! Then, after yummy grilled

cheese sandwiches and fresh smoothies for lunch, the boys and I grabbed their pumpkins and the pumpkin art kit we got from our been boo-ed treat bag and headed out to the deck to decorate their pumpkins. I knew it would be hard for the little ones so I got Logan set up first and told him how to put together his pumpkin spider. He took the longest to get it done but he did an awesome job! He's turned into such a big boy it's crazy! CJ was into the pumpkin art at first and got most of his stuff on his pumpkin but then he decided he was upset because he wanted the spider (even though Logan

picked it and was 1/2 way done and CJ picked out the pirate!) so I ended up fixing it when hed decided he didn't want to do anymore. For the most part I think I got the parts he did back where he had put them so it's still his lol. And there were more parts that he didn't put on so I left them off... it's still a cute little pirate! Then CJ decided he wanted to play with the camera and his toys. Actually, him playing with the camera worked out well because he took some pictures (pretty good ones at that) of me helping Wyatt to glue on his pumpkin art pieces. Wyatt's pumpkin was pretty much all done by me but he tried to help a little. It was hard because he's young and the pieces that needed to be glued were really small so he couldn't even really hold them. I still think he had fun trying to help out and he adores being outside so he had a blast running around in the yard. He's just such a cutie pa-tootie pie!

Then it was time for naps (and Mommy caught a quick nap too while Logan watched some TV with Daddy). Mommy got a break from dinner (Daddy cooked today!) so I spent some time getting things together for the party and cleaning up. After dinner, which all the boys finished all off, they got to each an ice cream sandwich. Even though they didn't make a huge mess they still all went to take a bath and they had a blast splashing around in the water together. After they got jammies on and got ready for bed Logan and I went into his room and cleaned up in there (they have a floor you can see again!!! lol) and then it was time for stories and bed time.

CJ's Pirate Pumpkin

 
 

Mommy helping Wyatt (picture thanks to CJ!)



Wyatt's Witch Pumpkin









Kooky Day!

The boys and I were up and out of the house this morning by 8:30 and left daddy to sleep (he ended up sleeping until almost 2pm!). So Logan had his t-ball game and he did AWESOME his 1st inning and just LOST it in the 2nd inning. He had wanted to play catcher and didn't get the chance to (the coach forgot and Logan didn't say anything to the coach to remind him, but he DID tell the coach he was "sick" - which he isn't) so he stood on the pitchers mound and cried until we called him to go sit in the dug out until he could calm down or the game ended. Then we went to the concession stand and had some lunch and came home for naps. Wyatt ended up being the only one who slept so when he got up we headed out to the Kooky Karnival at Logan's school. They had a lot of little games to play and the boys had a great time and won cute little prizes so they were happy! After we spent all of our tickets on the games we walked over to the playground area and let the boys play on the slides and everything to get a little more energy out. On our walk back through the school we got a good whiff of the Frito Pies so of course on our trip back home we had to stop and pick up some fritos and chili for a late snack! They were yummy :)



CJ "fishing"



all 3 boys and Mommy searching in the sand for goodies



Pumpkin Patch!

We finally made it to a pumpkin patch today! It was a little disappointing though because I had heard it was a really fun patch but when we got there no one was really there and there was nothing to do except pick out pumpkins and snap some pictures... so that's just what we did! CJ wasn't very happy about the pictures when we tried to get him to sit still with his brothers and then he decided he didn't want to get a pumpkin (that is until after we paid for Logan and Wyatt's and were getting ready to leave lol). In the end they all got their pumpkins and I got some really great pictures! So at least the trip wasn't a total waste and it was only about 15-20 minutes away.









Logan trying hard to pull Wyatt up a hill



CJ with his pumpkin FINALLY!

I could post 50 pictures but I'll stop with some of my favorites :) I love pumpkin patch pictures! I'm glad the boys enjoyed themselves even though there wasn't any real activities like we are used to. The other pumpkin patch we like is an hour away and you have to pay for admission and for a lot of things inside so this worked out to be fun and in expensive too! Then we went out to dinner as a reward for Logan having gotten 5 days of dry pull ups (he gets a sticker on a calendar whenever he has a dry pull up and when he gets 5 he gets a reward... it starts over every month and I think the most he's gotten ever in a month was 11 days). He also had 2 solid weeks of green happy faces at school so we were celebrating that as well. When we got home the boys played for a bit before reading a halloween book and going to sleep. They need lots of rest for tomorrow because Logan has a 9 am game and then when they get up from nap we are going to the Kooky Karnival at Logan's school! This is shaping up to be a really fun weekend starting with today :)

Halloween Baby Sprinkle Planning

Well this is the first time I'm doing my whole shower myself and let me tell you, it's a lot of work... and probably even more so since I'm doing a Halloween Party for it and not just a regular shower. So I think I've finally worked out most of what I'm going to make and some games and made my lists. I still have to think of some other fun dinner type foods since it will be from 4-7pm, so dinner time. We're thinking maybe some chili or a deli plate... not sure yet still! This is the plan so far...

Food
- Goblin Guts (punch)
- Witches Fingers (mini hot dogs in a roll)
- Magic Cupcakes (just yummy cupcakes)
- Monster Treats (rice krispies treats)
- Pumpkin Cookies (sugar cookies cut out like pumpkins)
-Skeleton Eyeballs (sweet & sour meatballs)
-Caramel Apples

Games
- Spooky Poopy Diaper
- Mummy Wrap
- Word Scramble
- Pumpkin Balloon Pop
- Don't  Say "Baby"
- Bone Hunt

RICE KRISPIES GHOST ADVENTURE!!!

Thanks to CafeMom (one of my most favorite websites EVER) I was selected as part of a rice krispies treat influencer program. They send out a box of rice krispies and a gift card to walmart and then ask us to make our spookiest or craziest rice krispies treats and then share the stories and our honest opinions. I jumped at the chance for free stuff for rice krispies treats cause we LOVE them! Logan was at school today but CJ, Wyatt and I decided it would be a fun activity for today AND make a delicious mid morning snack :) So here is a picture story of our RICE KRISPIES GHOST ADVENTURE!

Wyatt was happy and ready to start cooking! Him and his big smile next to the basic ingredients!

CJ adding the marshmallows to melt them.

The marshmallows after adding in the food coloring to make spooky purple ghosts

CJ mixing in the Rice Krispies

Wyatt tasting the yummy treats

CJ making the first cookie cutter cutout of the ghosts

The tasty ghosts after CJ added some sprinkles

CJ and Wyatt enjoying their delicious handy work

It was definitely fun and tasty and we can't wait to make more fun and spooky and other holiday Rice Krispies Treats again soon!