Be Mine

Happy Valentines Day
We love you!

Swears like a sailor

Although not intentional this sweet little thing is notorious for making me blush in public. I love that she is learning to talk and express herself but I constantly find myself having to either do some quick translating or talk over her so loudly that people can't make out what she is saying. Here are a couple of examples of the word blunders I'm talking about which are usually preceded by "I want..." :

sit = s#@!

button = butt
fox = ...you get the picture

Not to mention her growing need to announce to the world over and over every time she has a messy diaper.

Yesterday was yet another perfect example of a red-faced mom trying to hush an overzealous child... We were at the Comcast store which may as well have been the DMV. It was a 45 min wait and the lobby was packed with impatient customers. Lucky for them we were there for some comic relief. As soon as I had parked the stroller my little sailor spouted out, "I sit, I sit, I sit..." probably close to 20 times loud enough for everyone to hear. It sounded nothing like what she was trying to say and more like a terrible curse word. I couldn't make her stop. I tried desperately to distract her with crackers, fruit snacks, her sippy, anything. People were cracking up but that was only the beginning. I had stuffed her so full of snacks that she unleashed the loudest belch I've heard followed by an even louder "toot" which she proudly acknowledged, "I TOOT! I TOOT!" Then came the announcement of the messy diaper. Is there no end to the madness! I tell ya the only thing I had going for me was the fact the Tucker stayed sound asleep the entire time.

21 months old

I love watching Finley as she develops her independence. She's become my little free thinking radical. I've been reading The Happiest Toddler on the Block, and have been working hard lately to: "Replace labels that tear (her) down with descriptions that build (her) up."

Labels that Hinder/ Descriptions that Help
Nosy/Curious
Picky eater/Knows what she wants
Wild/ Energetic
Stubborn/ Tenacious
Fussy/ Selective

Chad told me that one of the traits he loved about his mother was her ability to promote a positive self esteem in her children. I loved that! Dixie was such an amazing woman and mother. I've realized in my own limited experience as a mother that the more positive and patient I am with Finley the better listener she is. Duh!!! That's probably a no brainer for most parents. But it isn't always as easy as they make it sound in all those parenting for dummies books that I've been reading.

There really are so many joys of motherhood. Finley made us laugh so hard on Sunday when I caught her all "Dressed Up". She was wearing my winter hat and a pair of Tuckers teeny tiny socks and was reading her favorite book upside down. It was a great night we danced to some Yo gabba gabba I found on Youtube and were surprised with a darling cake made by the Laurels in our ward.

I want donny's

You know that you've been eating out too much when your 21 month old asks for "donny's"and "yummy tummy cookie" which both refer to McDonald's. I sometimes cringe to think of all the bad that is being ingested each time we eat there (which has been 4 times in the last 3 weeks, yikes!) It's all too easy to buckle the kids in the car and hit the drive thru. I couldn't stand the idea at first. I even made Chad order Fins 1st happy meal. She caught on quick though tonight when Finley saw her first glimpse of those golden arches I heard her say, "mmmm,mmmm,mmmm, chicky-kicky, chicky-kicky" Which when interpreted was a delighted cry for a chicken nugget-cookie combo. Boy, what have I done to my little girl? This is a slippery slope I tell ya, slippery slope!

Have I Gone Deaf?

We all know that I love me some Friends and have a bank of episodes in memory to which I refer often just for conversational purposes, more to come on that later... Now Tucker is getting a little better at sleeping for which we are grateful BUT he still has got a set of lungs on him when he starts crying. You should see and hear him when he switches from just crying to full on purple face, back bends. For about 30 seconds you're actually impressed... it's like he's got a Bose sound system inside him. However, very quickly you realize there's no stopping this for a while and there's nowhere to hide. Tonight, Amy left me alone with him while she ran some errands. He was well fed and sleeping when she left but within minutes of her departure he woke up and quickly went from opening his eyes to annoy-the-neighbors type screaming. I thought, "I'll try the Binky." Oh boy, bad idea, all you've done is anger him. Finally after about thrity minutes of my ears bleeding he fell asleep (although maybe he passed out, I'm not sure which, he was wrapped pretty tight). When the quiet settled in and I was able to collect my thoughts I immediately remembered an episode of Friends to which I'm sure many of you can relate. I hope you enjoy (I apologize for the 5 minute + video, my rule of thumb is 2 minutes or less but this is all I could find)...

good morning

You know its going to be a good morning when your son wakes up like this. He has become such a smiley kid lately. Chad took him to an appointment last week because he has acid reflux and had just been screaming day and night. When he laid him down on the exam table though he became ALL smiles and he even started to coo! Chad couldn't believe it 20 straight minutes of smiles, he's never happy for that long! The doctor probably thought we were delusional. He prescribed us prevacid and it seems to have made a little difference. Today Tucker is 8 weeks old, and at his last appointment weighed 11 lbs. 9 oz. he seems to be growing so quickly. Last night he slept for a straight 7 1/2 hours. This is the 3rd time he's slept through the night. I cannot wait until this is a nightly occurrence.

Coconutty Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sunday = cookie making day in our home. What is better then a delicious warm batch of cookies while watching some of your favorite Sunday night TV. These cookies are my favorite. I think I could eat the whole bowl of dough all by myself. My cookie taste-tester (Finley) agrees these are "yummy tummy, coo-kie!"

Coconutty Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is similar to the cookies sold at Paradise Bakery

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Beat in other ingredients. Drop cookies onto a baking stone using a small or medium sized scoop. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, then remove from oven to cool on stone for about five minutes. Enjoy!

yum:
yum:
extra yum:

Lazy Sunday morning

Still feeling a little under the weather I stayed home from church with the kids. After cleaning up breakfast this is were I found Finley, curled up in our bed with a good book. She's got the right idea!

Motherhood

This quote, loads of prescription drugs, a meal from a friend and my husband saved me from ruin this week. I couldn't have imagined how hard it would be to take care of my home and my kids while recovering from mastitis. One good thing that came out of the experience is that I now know I can DO IT. If I could make it through last week sick I can make it through most anything!

President Hinckley

June 23, 1910 - January 27, 2007

I was deeply saddened this evening with the news that our Prophet had passed away. I am in awe of the tremendous amount of good he was able to accomplish in his 97 years here on earth. He was a constant example of service and love. I will always remember the conviction and sincerity of his testimony of Jesus Christ. We are so grateful for the wonderful legacy which he leaves behind. How privileged I feel to have lived and learned from this inspiring Prophet of God. I will miss him dearly.

6 week photo shoot

I'm starting to take notice and give thanks for life's little miracles. This morning when I woke up to feed Tucker the sun was out. Considering where we live that was definitely a miracle. Tucker was awake and not screaming, another miracle, and reason to give thanks. Hallelujah! I thought it would be a great time to snap a couple pics. I actually captured his first smile on film. He is a pretty serious little guy. I often wonder what he is thinking, he just looks so intense. Chad thought he remembered Finley doing stand up comedy by this point in life. He is a testament to us of how unique and individual each child is. It's going to be fun to watch them grow.

his Alfred Hitchcock pose

6 week check up

Well yesterday I got the all clear from the doctor to begin exercising. It was perfect timing because I had just polished off the last piece of the peppermint ice cream pie which I washed down with a glass of chocolate milk. Boy its been nice not having to watch what I eat. But from the looks of things (things being my reflection) I realize it's time to change my ways. I just ordered a new mixer from Kitchen Aid (I wasn't crazy about the lift bowl mixer I had. I much prefer the tilt head mixer) and am waiting for it to be shipped. I told Chad that I didn't know if I could go for a week without a new batch of cookies. He said it might do us both some good. (Hum...subtle hint noted)

Peppermint Ice Cream pie

This is one of my favorite winter time desserts. It's super simple.
I've already made it 2x since Christmas.

prep time 5 min.
serves 8-10
must freeze 1 1/2 hours

1 pint of your favorite kind of peppermint ice cream (mint chip is yummy too!)
1 Oreo cookie pie crust
1 container cool whip
1 jar of Mr. Richardson Hot Fudge (no substitutes)
Crushed candy canes or chocolate shavings to garnish. If using mint chip ice cream garnish pie with crushed Oreos.

Soften ice cream in the microwave 15 seconds. Fill pie crust 1/2 way with ice cream. Cover ice cream with a layer of warm hot fudge. Top pie with a thick layer of cool whip. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane or shavings. Cover pie with plastic lid and freeze at least 1 1/2 hours before serving.

Remember this is no diet pie!

Life Saver

Last night Tucker reached a very anticipated milestone, he slept through the night for the 1st time! Any parent of a newborn would probably agree that sleep is a precious commodity. This Book was recommended to me by a couple of friends. It's easy to read if you can find the time between all of the multi-tasking and the hundreds of other things that demand your attention throughout the day. Chad and I both agree the techniques taught in this book saved us with Finley. She still sleeps 12-13 hours a night and takes a long nap in the afternoon. To anyone who has not yet found their miracle cure for sleepless nights try this out!

Persepolis

Bathtime

I'm always looking for ways to simplify my life. Flo helps me do just that. Finley has always hated to wash her hair. By using the "waterfall" created by Flo, I think she feels like she is more in control of rinsing. It has made washing her hair less of a battle.

some of my favorite things

Some of my favorite things about today were:
Good morning Kisses
fresh cut tulips on my kitchen table
a good friend who watched my wild child so I could go to an appointment in peace
the smell and taste of warm homemade zucchini bread
dancing with Finley to Yo Gabba-Gabba
watching my kids play together
and Naptime!

Santa was good to me...

I got spoiled this Christmas. And while I know it's not the gifts that make the season so important I was reminded of what a thoughtful and generous family I have.
I've been pining over a KithenAid mixer for years and this Christmas I got one from my parents. Chad has reason to worry however not only have I not shed one single pound of baby weight, but I've packed on a couple extra. If he has hopes of seeing a trim and fit wife by his side, he ought to hope that mixer breaks. So far I've made 1/2 a dozen different batches of yummy cookies. i can't stop! Here is the most delicious peanut butter cookie recipe. I made these last night. If you like Chocolate and Peanut Butter you'll LOVE these!!! They are so moist, they melt in your mouth.
Serve them up warm with a cold glass of milk and you're in heaven. Yum!

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These cookies will have a moist, brownielike texture the day you make them and get crispier the following day. You can also make them with other favorite chocolate candies. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Adding marshmallows to the container will prevent the cookies from drying out.

Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Makes 36

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
• 36 mini peanut butter cups, chilled and unwrapped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches.
3. Scoop off dough by the tablespoon; roll into balls. Place granulated sugar on a plate; roll balls in sugar, coating completely. Place 2 inches apart on a nonstick insulated baking sheet, or mini muffin tins.
4. Bake until cookies 10-11 minutes. Remove from oven. Press one peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 2 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.

Influenced by Hollywood

tuckers first month video

clear your schedule and make some popcorn this is a long one!

we're still working on the music selection
chad thinks the beginning sounds like a church video
and the Christmas music makes him want to poke his eardrums out

any suggestions?!!

4 weeks old

he is older, chubbier, and losing a lot of hair, no not chad, i'm talking about tucker. we can't believe how quickly tuckers first 4 weeks have flown by. christmas and new years helped time to pass quickly. well what to say... he still doesn't do much besides cry, eat, sleep and poop a lot of diapers. his favorite place in the house is the bathroom counter. its the only magical place in the house where you can lay him down and he won't cry. finley doesn't like to hear him cry and will tell me every time he does. "baby cry, cry" she'll say as she runs to stuff the binki in his mouth, or ear, or eye...whichever is most convenient for her. when you ask her what does the baby say, she says,
"Wa Wa" we sure do love our 2 babies! here is a little peek of how tucker celebrated his 4th week of life.

like a new mom

Thanks everyone for your support and encouraging comments. Last night I received my desperately needed 3 hour block of sleep and this morning I feel like a new mom. Its amazing how sleep changes things. The next step is to be able to make it to our 9 o'clock sacrament meeting. All in time.

It Can Be Done...

well i did it, my first whole day all by myself. i dropped my mom off at the airport on tuesday afternoon and thought, how am i going to manage two kids all day on my own. finley is as crazy as ever. chad says that her hair is an reflection of her attitude for the day. by the looks of it you can see just how crazy she was today. her two favorite words were, no,no! tucker is nowhere near sleeping through the night, and sleep deprivation does not suit me well. a friend told me that when she was raising her two children she was so exhausted she thought he was going to die. she called her mom up and her mom told her, "oh hun, you're not going to die, your gonna just wish that you did!" by 5 o'clock i was ready for rescue. i know i am not alone when it comes to struggling with the difficulties and joys of motherhood. but please God grant me with a solid three hour block of sleep!

Happy New Year!!!!

We celebrated the 2008 New Year at home with Grandma Cindy. We got Chinese take out from PF Changs, banged on pots and pans (@8:30pm) and threw lots of confetti. Fins favorite part were the helium balloons which she calls "bubbles" and sipping sparkling cider.

New years resolutions have never been high on my list of things I like, but this year I came up with one that I really hope I can accomplish. I read a quote by Henry David Thoreau where he said, "My greatest attribute is that I am content with what I have" I loved that philosophy. So this year I am going to work to become content with what I have and not NEED the WANTS.

Chad has resolved to get into Beach Shape by June.

Finley is going to Potty Train.

and

Tucker is going to grow and thrive.

We are so excited for the New Year and for the Tax return having 2 children will hopefully bring. My brother said, "Life will be GREAT in 2008" We certainly hope that it is!

It was a very Merry Christmas!

It was another Merry Christmas at our home this year! My family came up to visit and to meet little Tucker. Finley loved waking up Christmas morning to see that her aunts and uncles and Grandparents were there to celebrate Christmas with her.

One of her favorite gifts was a darling little chair that was sent to her by her Papa Joe and made years ago by her Grandma Dixie before she died. It was a wonderful gift that we will cherish always. Finley spent most of the morning and afternoon in it watching the Jungle Book and Planet Earth.

We also attempted another family photo. WE NEED HELP! I swear, is it really this difficult to get a good photo? We gave up after a handful of failed attempts.

This pink retro kitchen was another of Finley's favorite gifts. She loves to force feed you every single piece of plastic food she can find.

We truly had a wonderful Christmas. Delicious seafood, rowdy late night card games, good movies and great conversations made our holiday season memorable. We are so blessed with the love of a great family. We miss everyone that was not able to be here, and love you all.