End of School

I thought the school year went quickly when I was in the classroom.  Now having both kids in school, it flies by even faster.  Alex had a fantastic year in Pre-K and Abby learned and grew so much in her twice a week preschool class.

Alex really amazed me.  He was the student I would talk to parents about at parent teacher conferences.  I can remember telling several parents how well behaved, well mannered, kind, etc. their child was in school.  They would look at me like I was talking about a different child and then tell me that they were not like that at home.  I found it hard to believe the child could be so different at home and school!  Well, Alex is that child!  He had nothing but compliments all year from his teachers.  He was on "green" everyday.  (Each color in the class represented a behavior, green being the best.)  While I am so proud of him for using his best behavior and manners at school, I wish he would bring some of that  back home with him!  Some days I think he uses up all his good behavior and listening at school.  But then I think, I'd rather him be good when he's away from me.  It's not that he's bad at home, he's just challenging sometimes!

Here is a first day of school and a last day of school picture of Alex.  He didn't change too much.

Abby grew so much at her school this year, too.  The first couple of weeks were hard.  She would cry as I would leave.  It broke my heart.  I felt like I was making the wrong decision to have her in school.  After all, wasn't I home to take care of my kids and actually be home with them?  I had some pretty guilty feelings about it.  But in the long run, I'm so glad I didn't pull her out.  She really benefited so much from being in preschool.  Her vocabulary grew, she learned to be more social with children her age, she got to experience things that I couldn't give her, she had to listen to another adult and learn to do things differently than I do things.  She loved her teacher, Miss Mandi.  Miss Mandi really loved Abby, too.  I really do think that Abby was her favorite.  :)

Here is a first day of school and last day of school picture of Abby.  Look how much she changed!

We asked Alex if he'd like to go out to eat to celebrate his last day of school.  He chose Incredible Pizza.  The kids had a ball!  (I was ready to go!)

Alex the Fisherman

Yesterday Brad, Alex, my dad, and one of dad's friends went fishing.  Alex loves fishing and especially when he gets the chance to go on Pop's boat.  The guys left our house at 7:10 and Brad said he figured they'd probably be back by noon or so.  (Which I knew was another "fish tale".)  What I didn't expect was those fishermen getting home at 8:15!  What a day!!!  Alex was so proud to have helped catch 38 fish!  It made me so happy to see Brad and Alex do something so fun together.  They are really starting to get to do all the fun father/son things.  It warms my heart.

The "Big" Ultrasound

Today I had my "big" ultrasound.  It was so fun getting to lie back and see the baby on the TV while the sonographer scanned my belly.  The scan lasted about 30-45 minutes and we got to see so much of our baby!  We saw arms, hands, and fingers, legs, feet, and toes, the brain, stomach, kidneys, bladder, 4 chamber of the heart, spine, nose, lips, eyes, and inside the mouth.  We saw blood flowing to and from the heart in bright red and blue, and the sonographer turned on the 4D and we were able to see the baby's face and the baby's arms and the baby sucking it's thumb.

I was scanned at 18 weeks, 5 days and the baby is measuring at 19 weeks, 2 days.  They are not changing my due date because it's only a 4 day difference.  The baby weighed 10 oz, which prompted a comment, "the baby likes to eat!"  I guess that partially explains my weight gain?  Big and healthy baby is good with me!

I have a normal amount of amniotic fluid and the heartbeat was 147.  After the sonographer was done, she said she knows what we are having.  She asked us at the beginning if we knew what we were having and if we wanted to know.  We asked her not to tell us, but to put it in a sealed envelope if she was able to tell.  She said it was very clear.  She also said she has been doing this for 17 years and is very confident she knows the gender by what she was able to see.  Exciting!!!!

Brad suggested that we have another gender reveal party.  Great idea!  We aren't able to do it for another 2 weeks, but soon we'll know if we are having boy or a girl!  My guess is BOY!!!

The doctor, who isn't my regular OB, came in next.  She is a high risk doctor I was referred to see because I am 35, which is considered "old" to have a baby.  Good thing I don't feel old!  She told me that my placenta is covering my cervix, which isn't wonderful news.  Sometimes it will correct itself on its own as the uterus grows and expands, but sometimes it doesn't.  If it doesn't I'm at risk for bleeding, bed rest, hospitalization, and needing a C-section.  None of this makes me happy or at ease.  I'm hoping that she was giving us the worst case scenario and that it corrects itself on it's own as my baby grows.  I see my regular OB next week and I'm hoping that she has a more optimistic opinion.  I have another appointment with the high risk doctor in 5 weeks to do another scan to see if my placenta has moved up into a normal position.  I pray that it has!!!

The wonderful news is is that the baby is doing perfectly fine, is healthy, and is growing well!  That's the most important part.  I will try not to worry and just focus on the wonderful movements I've been feeling the past 2 weeks.  Sweet baby!!

Snickers Apple Salad

We were invited to a BBQ and I knew I had to bring the Snickers Apple Salad I'd seen on Pinterest.  It just sounded too delicious.  It was easy to make and even easier to eat, though it was pretty rich!

10 Granny Smith apples
about 3/4 of a giant bag of mini Snickers
small box of instant vanilla pudding
small container of Cool Whip

Make the pudding and put in the fridge to chill.
Put some almost frozen Snickers in a Zip Lock bag and take a meat mallet to them to chop up.  I thought this would be easier and faster than cutting/chopping, and it was more fun.
Chop apples into bite size pieces.
Fold Cool Whip into set up pudding.

Layer your ingredients.  I started with apples, then did Snickers, and then the pudding mix.

I get pretty lucky with new recipes.  For some reason I always seem to try out new recipes when I'm making something for a group.  Why I don't try things out on my family first, I don't know.  Watch out Bunco Babes, I may be using you as guinea pigs in June!  

Okie and Proud

When we went to Disney World in December, we met several Okies because we or they were wearing some kind of Oklahoma shirt, mostly representing colleges and sports.  It was fun to connect with people in another state from just a few miles away because of a shirt!  After we got home, I told Brad that we should have more Oklahoma shirts.  All we really have are OU, OSU, and Thunder shirts.

I came across the Oklahoma Shirt Company and they were just starting a t-shirt of the month club in January.  Perfect!  I signed us right up!  We got the introductory shirt in January and then at the first of each month they have sent us the new shirt.  It's fun to see what we are going to get! Here's what we have so far.  I'm looking forward to June's shirt!

Mother's Day

What a wonderful Mother's Day I was able to have this year!  I guess it really started on Friday. My grandparents from Arkansas came over to visit with everyone.  They always stay at my mom's but always stop at our house first before they head down to her house.  Alex and I were outside when they pulled in the driveway and Alex was really excited to see them.  He always has so much to tell them when they come over.  They came in and we got to visit for a while before Abby woke up from her nap, and then they stayed for a while longer.  I love when I can spend time with them!  After our visit, they headed down to my mom's for dinner.  The kids and I finished up a few things and they went to bed excited for Saturday.

On Saturday, Alex had a T-ball game.  He was so happy and excited that Papa and Grandma were coming to his game!  His team did well and Alex has improved so much since the last time they saw him play.

After the game, Brad had to go to work and my mom and I had plans to go paint at Pinot's Palette, a paint and sip studio.  Papa and Grandma stayed with the kids while mom and I went to paint. We have been before, and it's always so fun to go and pretend I'm artistic.  Ha!  They were offering 3 classes for Mother's Day and I thought it would be something fun and different to do.  I think our paintings turned out well!

After painting, we headed to mom's for dinner.  The kids were so good, but Abby was tired because she was too excited to play with Grandma while I was gone, so she didn't nap.  She did try to nap on Papa, but it didn't happen.

My mom is so helpful with my kids.  I couldn't do it without her support.  She helps me weekly while Brad is at work and is a such a good "Grammy" to my kids.  I wanted to find something for the kids to give her, so I found a project to make on Pinterest.  We painted a canvas yellow and then the kids added their hand prints.  The picture looks a little "shiny" but you get the idea.

Sunday, my family went to church.  It was the best message I've ever heard!  The current series is called Bless this Home.  We focus on a topic for 4 weeks and today's was about how to be a peacemaker, not a peacekeeper in our homes.  So wonderful!  One of the reasons we love LifeChurch is it is so easy to pay attention to, so easy to relate to, and so easy to understand.  It is spoken is such a way that lets you understand the scriptures and really relate them to your life.  We are so blessed to have found such an amazing place to worship.  Our kids love going and talk all week about going back to church.  It makes me so happy to attend a church our whole family loves and finds a good fit.

After church, we went to Carrabba's.  YUM!!!!  Italian is my favorite food!  After lunch, Brad said we had to go to the mall.  I was confused because he NEVER suggests going there!  He really despises that place.  Ha!  We walk in and says we are going to the Apple store.  I was really wondering what he could have up his sleeve because I didn't need anything!  He was so sweet and had ordered me the iPhone 5 to replace my 4.  I'm so excited!  I think what I am most excited about is having Siri!  I am in the car so much and get so many texts, that I can't respond very fast.  Now Siri can type it for me.  Yay!  He's always so thoughtful!

Of course, all I asked for was sweat-free cup with a straw to drink water from, and I got that, too. That would have been plenty!  My sweet kids both made gifts in their classes, and I'm going to have to start a new tote with all of these beautiful homemade gifts.  There is no way I could ever get rid of them! I am one blessed mama and wife, that's for sure.  xoxox

Planting

We finally got some things planted this week!  It was way past time, and if we didn't hurry, we wouldn't have tomatoes until August!  We have a raised bed on the side of our house that gets great light.  We have always had good luck with tomatoes and cucumbers, not so much luck with zucchini and yellow squash.  For some reason, the squash always seem to produce one round of fruit and then shrivel up and die.  ????  Brad has tried something different each year to get them to grow.  He's added more/less manure to the garden, watered more/less, planted them farther apart, etc.  Nothing has seemed to work and it's frustrating.  This year we'll be buying our squash at the store!

This year we have 2 tomatoes, 3 cucumbers, 2 basil and 1 green pepper.  Not much, but it's what we like and eat without it going to waste.  Alex calls it "his vegetable garden".   It's nice to see him have an interest in gardening like we do.

We also got a few other things planted.  We have a completely shady spot in the backyard.  Last year I tried to grow some shade bulbs there.  They didn't do so well and this year only a few things started to come up.  Brad went and bought me some hosta to put there.  They'll look great once they are in the ground and start to grow.

My brother suggested we plant knock out roses in our front bed when we moved in.  He said it was what lots of commercial places were planting because they are fairly easy to care for, are showy, and bloom from spring to fall.  We have been so happy with them.  They always look amazing.  They are in full bloom right now and are so full and pretty.  We do have a "hole" though, and so we bought one more to plant in the hole.  I bet by the end of the year, it'll be just as big as the ones that have been there 5 years.

We also moved a few things around outside.  We have some really pretty fountain grass that adds a nice and different texture to two spots in our front bed.  I wanted one more so we, and when I say we, I mean Brad did all the work while I supervised, moved one from the side of the house to the front.  It'll do better there anyways, as it will get more of the right kind of light.  We also moved one of the fountain grasses from the side of the house to a spot I had a hardy hibiscus.  It was totally the wrong light for where it was and always got real leggy and didnt' have too many leaves or blooms.  The grass will do much better by the garage.  After Brad went to work, I was able to plant the begonias.  We have had such great luck with them.  They always get so big and pretty.  Hopefully they'll do well this year, too!  Now we just need something pretty for the planters, a fern or something else that needs shade for the porch, I'd like a few more perennials for the front and side, and we're good to go!  Well, we need to replace some mulch, too.  Spring is finally here...just in time for summer!  Ha!

1/2 way to 3

Abby is 2 and a half now.  She is the funniest little thing!  I cannot believe the fun she and Alex have together.  She makes him laugh like I've never seen him laugh before.  It's awesome!  She knows all of her colors, can count to 11, sings the ABC song with help, recognizes about 6-8 letters and recognizes numbers 1-5.  Sometimes she can tell us what 8 is, too.  She is very verbal and is putting lots of words together.  Sometimes she'll say a 6 word sentence!  I'm so very proud of her!  She loves to work on puzzles and she's very good at pretend play.  Her tea sets and her baby dolls are her favorite right now. She is girly and loves to put on a tutu, high heels, and headbands.  What she isn't very good at is going potty!  She has no interest.  She'll go on the potty about once every 3 days.  Ho hum.  I guess she'll do it when she's ready.

She had her 2.5 year check up and measures 37 inches, which is in the 75% for girls her age, and weighs 27 pounds, which is in the 30% for girls her age.  The doctor said her weight curve has dropped the past two times, but is still within a normal range.  She looks good and has a cute pudgy tummy, so I'm not worried!

Since this is a new blog, here's some old news!  For her two year old party, she had a rainbow theme.  My friend Melina who owns The Crafty Squirrels, made her a cute rainbow shirt,  I found her bow at a craft show in Arkansas, and the cute legs are from BabyLegs.

I saw too many cute cakes on Pinterest and decided to try to make a rainbow cake for her party. It was surprisingly simple!  I just used a white cake mix, separated the batter into bowls, added coloring and then scooped the colors into the cake pans.  I didn't really do a specific order, as I wasn't concerned about it turning out perfect.  I just wanted a colorful cake!

Once it cooled, I cut the top layers off so they would stack, iced them, and decorated the top. You can see that once we cut it, it turned out very colorful and fun!  I'll probably do a camo one for Brad someday.

Decor was easy.  I made tissue paper pompoms, found a couple of cute hanging decorations at the store, found a rainbow striped table cloth, used colorful Joe's cups, and we had colorful food. Brad also grilled burgers and dogs.

My favorite food was the fruit tray.  It was easy, fun, and colorful.  The party favors were simple-just rainbow boxes, rainbow suckers, rainbow notepads and crayons.  And of course it isn't a Stanhope party without cake pops!  :)

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

It's no secret that I've been having cravings for almost everything lately, especially sweet things.  I love most anything that has pumpkin in it and last fall I came across a most delicious recipe for pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies.  They were easy to make, and tasted wonderful.  The kids ate a ton of them, too.  I think I will have to make these this weekend for sure! (Luckily,  I already have all the ingredients on hand! These are my pictures from last October.)

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

This spin on the classic snickerdoodle are kicked up a notch with the addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. If you love regular snickerdoodles, you’ll flip for this delicious version!

YIELD: 4 dozen

COOK TIME: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Adjust the oven racks to the upper-and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon for rolling in a shallow bowl. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar mixture, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart.  (I have found refrigerated dough workds best and sticks less to your hands.)
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 5 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Recipe Notes:
The dough can be made through step 3 and either covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen.
To freeze the cookie dough, portion into individual balls, roll in the cinnamon and sugar, and freeze on a parchment- or wax-paper-lined plate (don't let them touch or they will fuse together) until completely firm, 2 to 3 hours. When ready to bake, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and increase the baking time to 17 to 22 minutes.

Cute Pictures

I finally took some pictures of the kids in their big brother/big sister shirts.  My good friend Melina made Alex's and she would have made Abby's, too, but I couldn't find a plain black shirt for her to use in a timely manner.  Luckily, Kohl's saved the day for me!

We had such a fun time during this "photo shoot".  Usually it is full of whining, not smiling, no cooperation, etc., but this time the kids were so happy and it made taking the pictures so fun and easy!  Here are some of my favorites from today!

Oh Baby!!!

In case you didn't know, Brad and I are expecting our third little bundle of joy in mid-October.  We are beyond excited and the kids are super excited, too.  Of course, one of them will be sad come October when the baby is either a boy or a girl, but they'll get over it!

The above picture is an ultrasound of the new baby at 14 weeks.  I am so fortunate to have a doctor that does an ultrasound every visit.  It's exciting to watch the growth!  What's not exciting is to watch that number creep up on the scale!  I have gained more weight thus far in pregnancy than with the other two.  I blame it on the 5 weeks I spent on the couch doing nothing because I was so exhausted it took every ounce of energy I had to get up and do anything!  My poor family suffered.  Laundry wasn't done, house wasn't clean, fridge wasn't full.  Brad did help out and go to the store for me, thank goodness!  I haven't run in about 6.5 weeks, haven't been to the gym, and haven't done much of any exercise.  I feel like a slug!  Luckily, I have been gaining my energy back.  My house is getting back in order, all our laundry is done and I've been to the store twice this week!  woo hoo!  ha!

Do you know what I really want?  Stuffed french toast, a big cheese omelet and some hash browns from IHOP.  I also want Subway, Taco Bueno and greasy cheeseburgers.  Sounds delicious and disgusting all at the same time!  I also want to run, lift weights and have a flat stomach.  HA!  Maybe I can just settle for some long walks with the kids, but of course that will have to wait.  It's May 2 and it is FREEZING!  Not just a little cold, but actual ice and snow!  So when the weather warms up you can bet I'll be getting back outside!