Happy Birthday Landon!

My Sweetest Little Love,

As far as two-year-olds go, you're pretty patient with me, which is good. I'm more than two weeks late in writing this post and that's pretty indicative of life in our house right now. You bring me your sippy cup and let me know that you want more to drink. I put it on the counter, thinking I'll refill it as soon as I'm done with whatever task is at hand. Ten minutes later, you come back and point to the sippy cup again. A few more rounds of this and you finally start to get pretty upset. :)

Do you know how much I love you? Every morning I am so excited to come to your room and open your door once I know you're awake. Sometimes Daddy and I even fight over who gets to greet you in the morning. You are like a little ray of sunshine that brightens up every day. Unless you are really mad about something, you always have a smile on your face. Even your speech teacher commented last week ... "He smiles through the whole session, which is great, but I'm worried that maybe he is unable to make other shapes with his lips. Can he blow out a candle?" I assured her that, yes, you were definitely able to blow out the candles on your birthday cake. You're just a happy little boy :)

At two years old you still love your big brother, even though he is green with envy over your new pillow pet and constantly trying to steal it from you. You do fight throughout the day, but still, you follow him wherever he goes. In fact, as soon as I open your door in the morning and give you a great big hug and kiss, you are running down the hallway to Tanner's room to see if he's up yet. You're the best sleeper and always go down without a fight at both naptime and bedtime. I'm sure you're usually worn out from trying to keep up with the big boys all day.

Despite your overall sweetness, you're definitely a normal two-year-old. Silly me, as an infant I was sure you would somehow skip this stage, but alas, the Terrible Twos are upon us. As of today, you are officially banned from all shopping trips and errands. Period. I think we'll get along much better now that our groceries are going to be delivered. Of course, because you're two, you insist on doing everything by yourself. Which is really wonderful ... except when you insist on riding your own bike ALL THE WAY down to the park by scooting it with your feet because you aren't able to use the pedals yet. This wouldn't be SO terrible, but your big brother is THREE, which means he doesn't hear (listen??) when I yell STOP!!! WAIT!!! FREEZE!!! We're working on that, though. :)

I know I've said this before, but my favorite time of day is when I go into your room to check on you before I go to sleep. It's all I can do not to crawl into your bed with you for one last snuggle. Sometimes I do just that. Daddy always laughs. You are my sweet, funny, cuddly, yummy, beautiful little love and I'm so happy to be your mom.

I love you little sweet pea. Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mom

My FAVORITE picture of the whole birthday.

He (WE) Made It!!!

HOORAY!!!!!

I never thought this day would come. Congratulations to my main squeeze on graduating from business school this weekend! Almost three years of very hard work, long long nights, and busy weekends spent studying and we have finally made it!




Can I just say I'm glad that's over with? And I'm not even the one who had to do all the studying! I'm so glad to have my husband back -- I just keep thinking of all that we can do now that he's so available!! YAY!!




Grandpa Michael, MawMaw, and Grammy came this weekend to attend the graduation ceremony and celebrate with us. We were so happy to have them here! The ceremony was really cool and ended with bagpipers playing for the graduates as they left the chapel. Of course, I brought my camera, but left the battery at home. Sheesh!

We got a babysitter for the kids on Friday evening and all of us adults went out to a nice dinner. Just as we were finishing up our meal, the babysitter called to tell us that she was having trouble putting Tanner in bed. I got on the phone with him and he was crying ... it was so sad! I think he just missed being with all of his favorite people! We came home as soon as we could, and he seemed to be happy again. He loved staying up until midnight with all of us, opening graduation gifts, and eating cake. (On a sidenote: I think every celebration should end in a two-layer chocolate cake, don't you? This is probably because I grew up watching Donna Reed, but I'm seriously thinking it should be a tradition around this house.)






What else have we been up to?

1) Jon and I went to dear friend's wedding in Greenville, SC. It was a blast and we were so lucky to have Kat/Pat and Lauren/Daniel there with us!

2) Landon. My funny boy. Landon had a speech evaluation last week and has qualified to receive speech therapy. I am thrilled for him and so excited to get started! He loved the evaluation ... the speech pathologist made the whole session so much fun for him and was already starting to get sounds out of him that I hadn't heard before. Our next step is to take him to an ENT. He's had lots of ear infections and the speech pathologist is worried that he isn't hearing well. We're just feeling lots of relief that the ball is finally rolling in this process! How exciting that our little man will be making some strides in communicating with us!

3) Tanner. My sweet, cuddly, tenderhearted little Tanner. He was sick with a fever today ... I felt so bad for him. Last week, I gave him a kids umbrella and he literally played with it all week. We watch Mary Poppins a lot around here, so he loved pretending that he was her. "Jane! Michael! Over here! Spit-Spot!" It was so hilarious. He even took that dang umbrella with him to school. Of course, it broke by Friday morning.








4) I'm just finishing Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy. Loved. It.

5) Jon and I are really enjoying watching American Idol together. I'm afraid he might go into withdrawal now that The Bachelor is over, though. Hehe!

Okay, time for bed. The goal is to update this more now that I have someone to get the kids ready for bed every night!! :) Sweet!

Disney Daze

It's official. We're Disney Dorks. We took our kids and now we're hooked. In five years, we're going to be that family. You know the one I'm talking about. The one whose dad wears the huge Hawaiian/Pluto button-down with the mom and kids in matching shirts and goofy hats. We'll all be sporting our Disney bling on the lanyards that hook to our room key. Just give us some time ... I'm sure we'll get there. :)

I have to start by saying we had ZERO expectations for this trip. Actually, that's false. We expected our kids to have a complete meltdown at every turn, but other than that we had no real plans, nothing we had to see/do, etc.

I was super nervous about the plane ride, but the kids pleasantly surprised us. They both stayed awake the entire way there, but were perfectly happy to sit and color/read/look out the window. Sweet. Disney picked us up from the airport and took care of all our luggage. We finally got to our hotel around lunchtime and the kids were beside themselves with excitement. We stayed at the Animal Kindgom Lodge which is in the middle of a wilderness preserve. There were literally zebras, giraffes, ostriches, huge bulls, and other African animals right outside of our balcony. We had to tear Landon away from the railing just to get him down to the pool the first day.

Speaking of the pool, the boys had a blast swimming that first day and everyday thereafter. Landon braved the water slide and LOVED it. He and Tanner easily made the trip 40 times a piece just in the first afternoon. We bought Landon a floatie like Tanner's and he loved it. It gave him a lot of independence and made the pool experience so much fun for everyone. We swam for most of the day and then ate dinner at the hotel. The boys were so exhausted, and we were sure they'd go right to sleep. Nope. We actually had a set of bunk beds in the room and Tanner was SO excited to be sleeping in the top bunk, he didn't crash (not literally :) until close to 11:30. Even Jon and I were ready to fall asleep long before then!

The next day was our first day at Magic Kingdom. We finally arrived around 9:00 and by noon the boys were driving us nuts. They did NOT want to wait in line for anything. They loved being at MK, but were both so tired and impatient. Nobody wanted to ride in the single stroller that Jon insisted on renting. We were carrying both boys all over the park. We decided to go back to the hotel for naps and return later. After nap time, we were all refreshed and had a wonderful evening back at Magic Kingdom. We had dinner with Pooh and Friends at the Crystal Palace and then raced around the park trying to see/experience as many things as we could. The lines were much shorter since most people with little ones had already left. We got to see fireworks. We all had a blast. Boys in bed and sleeping by 9:00. Awesome.

The next day, we got smart and rented a double stroller for Animal Kingdom. We also came prepared with giant lollipops. The boys loved it. Animal Kingdom wasn't as overwhelming as MK, and we were able to see just about everything we wanted to by dinner time. We went on an awesome safari where we got up close to giraffes, hippos, lions, and lots of other African animals. We also got to see The Lion King show and the Nemo musical. Tanner got an alligator painted on his face and was just delighted with himself. We even got to see the closing parade as we were leaving and the boys got to dance with Mickey and the gang. We ended the day with a swim. Ahhh ... we had so much fun!

We spent our last full day at Magic Kingdom again. We started by having breakfast with Mickey and the gang at Chef Mickey's. The boys were whiny before we even got there, but we decided to press on. It wasn't our best day, let's just say that. However, I really wanted to stay for the afternoon parade, which the boys really enjoyed. We tried to get through all of the rides that we could. Our favorite was easily the Buzz Lightyear ride. Tanner was having a very hard time and fell at one point, ending up with a giant bump on the side of his head. Oh boy! We made it, though! It was all he could do to keep his eyes open on the shuttle returning to the hotel. We finished the day with another swim and then a trip to the hotel's gift shop so that we could each pick a souvenir to take home. Tanner insisted on getting a baby panda bear swaddled in a little leaf blanket -- totally nothing to do with Disney. He had seen it the day prior at Animal Kingdom and talked about it for two days. Jon was beside himself at this, but finally gave in and got it for him. Everyone was exhausted by this time and we were all in bed by 9:30!

The trip home was long with kids who were way over-tired, and we were very happy to finally get home. Despite all the meltdowns, though, we had a GREAT time and can't wait to go back. We loved the whole Disney experience! I know the boys probably won't remember the trip, but Jon and I will really cherish the memories for a long time!

Disney Pics

We made it through our first vacation with just the 4 of us and *BOY* did we have fun! I'll write more details later, but wanted to share some pics as I know the grandparents are eager to see them. I couldn't get them to play in order, but it's way past my bedtime, so this will have to do for now. ENJOY!!

Why He's My Valentine

This afternoon, I put Landon down for a nap and set up a "quiet time" for Tanner in his room. Since I had a few minutes to myself, I thought I'd start packing for our Disney trip (just a few more days!!!). I don't know about you, but my summer wardrobe is seriously lacking! I usually find myself either in workout gear or a bathing suit/cover up for most of the summer. Mix in a few little summer dresses for some nights out and I'm set!

Unfortunately, most of this isn't really appropriate for our trip. I know ... Disney has got to be the #1 destination for people-watching and there is no such thing as "fitting in." I'm just trying to be comfortable in casual shorts and a top. Most of what I have in that category is either very out of style and/or worn out. So, my simple packing session was quickly becoming a bit depressing.

Just when I was about to give up, I heard Tanner calling me from his room. He needed to use the restroom. I opened the door to let him out and he looked at me and said, "Wow, Mom! That's pretty! You look so cool!" Oh, how a little bit of praise from your little one can warm your heart and make you feel like a million bucks!

And that's why he's my valentine.

Crazy

If there's one thing I wish I could change in my life, it would be to live close to my sisters. They are my very best friends and we are all so spread out. I would LOVE to live in the same area, raise our kids together, etc. I miss them often, and really cherish our visits together.

Next month, Jon and I are attending a wedding in South Carolina. The groom is a mutual friend of Jon's brother, Pat. One of the perks of having a sister (Kat) married to Jon's brother is that we get to spend the weekend there together! YAY! I'm sooo excited to see her! (And also to get away for a weekend with the hubs :)

On Saturday, I got a phone call from my other sister, Lauren. She had been talking to Kat about the wedding. Lauren mentioned that she and her hubby also had a wedding to go to in South Carolina this spring. They compared dates and, low and behold, the weddings are on the same weekend ... in the same city! Wait, it gets even better. Kat told her where we were staying and Lauren and Daniel already had reservations in the same hotel.

Is that CRAZY??? What are the chances?

Like my mom would say ... "It's not ODD, it's GOD."

:)

Overheard ...

As I was emptying the dishwasher this morning, I heard a thud.

Apparently, Landon had fallen off the couch and started to cry.

Then I hear Tanner: "Landon, Mommy doesn't kiss butts."

Landon: "Oh."

LOL!

Oh, the weather outside was FRIGHTFUL!!

Here are some pics of last week's blizzard. It was so exciting to wake up and see how much snow we had gotten! We even plowed the driveway right before we went to bed, so all of the snow buildup occurred over only 8-10 hours. Amazing!

Off to Bed ... Almost!

Being that it's almost midnight, and I still want to do a little reading before I go to sleep, this post is going to be in bullet form :) But at least you'll know what we're up to!

* We dedicated Landon at church last Sunday. It was really a special moment for us. I hope he'll know as he grows how much his Daddy and I love the Lord and one day make the decision to follow God himself! You can see the video below

And this was his "dedication pic." Ohhhh .... he just steals my heart every time!!!


* Tanner is recovering from pneumonia. I KNOWWW!!! Scary, right? He just wasn't himself on Thursday morning, so I kept him home from school. We stayed in again all day on Friday, too. It was my birthday on Friday, so Jon and I had planned to go to Michigan for the weekend and celebrate with my parents. My mom convinced me to come even though Tanner was sick. Who better to take care of my little sick boy than Nurse Grammy, right? Well, we ended up taking him to the doctor's office where she works on Saturday morning and it turned out he had an ear infection and pneumonia. Poor guy. He was pretty pitiful. However, he's been SO MUCH better since starting medicine! Still a little cough, but much much better.

* Jon and I had an awesome birthday date at a new restaurant we tried. The food was awesome and he gave me such a thoughtful gift for a stay-at-home mom -- a shopping spree to buy some new fun clothes for myself. I'm so excited and felt so special!

* I have been really getting back into reading since the new year and I LOVE IT!! I've read The Help and The Hunger Games series. Love love loved both of them! Now I'm on to The Prince of Tides. What should I read next?? Any suggestions?

* Supposedly, we're waiting for a blizzard to come through in the next two days. I don't know if I'm happy or mad about this. I always love a good snow storm ... the kind that forces you to snuggle up with your family and a fire and some hot cocoa. But, we've been kind of house-bound for the past several days here. At least I was able to run to the library tonight after putting to kids to bed and grab lots of new movies, puzzles, and books. That should keep them busy for at least 25 minutes! LOL!

Well, I know this was just a tiny peek into what we've been up to, but I have to head to bed now! Landon's doing really well in his big-boy bed, but he's getting up at 6am these days instead of 7! Ummm ... didn't he get the memo that we don't get up before 7 in this house? Seriously! :)

***BTW ... some of you asked in the comments of the last post which lenses I decided to get. Most of my Christmas pictures were taken with the Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.8. I also got the Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4. I'm soooo excited to start experimenting with that one!

Whew!!!

What a busy few months it's been around here! I'm sure you all thought I was never coming back! No, no ... I've just been trying to stay afloat in the midst of holidays, sickness, motherhood, and my new business venture ... and something had to give.

Thanks to so many of you, Sewing for Lenses has been a great success. I was more than busy -- sewing until 1 or 2 a.m. most nights between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sewing for Lenses became more like Sewing for Lenses and a new Coat and some Boots and Clothes and Christmas Presents. :) I was working working working whenever I got the chance, and despite the stress and busyness, I have to say I LOVED it!! It's a great feeling to have a venture that is strictly MINE -- something in my day that doesn't revolve around my kids or my husband. I love having a little extra spending money in my pocket and the feeling of creating something that nobody will destroy (or eat!!) soon after. LOL! Business has slowed down a lot since the New Year, but I am also glad for that. There's no way I could continue at the pace I was going. Now I have some time to work on new designs, my website, getting my name out there, etc. I will have some really fun new spring designs coming soon, so be sure to check out my website sometime in the next few weeks!

Christmas was a blast. Jon was able to take a full two weeks off of work and I think that having him home with us was one of the best parts of our holiday! Usually if he is taking a vacation day, then we are outta here ... visiting grandparents or on vacation ourselves. It was so nice just to have some special family time in our own home for the first week of his vacation. On Christmas Eve, we left to spend the rest of the holiday with our families, which was also a treat. We got to spend time with all of our siblings and their kids. I finally got to meet sweet Lanier! We couldn't get enough of her ... I was literally fighting with my mom/sisters/and Tanner over who got to hold her! She was just so tiny and cuddly and smelled so good ... it almost made me want another one ... in a few more years :)

The boys were spoiled once again and we couldn't believe all that we had to take home with us. Tanner was super excited about Christmas and Santa coming and all of that. He couldn't wait to get downstairs and open his gifts on Christmas morning ... it was so much fun to watch. Landon, on the other hand, didn't really understand what was going on. They are so different in their reactions to things. Tanner is very dramatic and excited when he is really enjoying something. Landon usually has a stone cold expression on his face, like he's super focused. Too funny. Their favorite presents were definitely their GeoTrax, the new bounce house, and lots of puzzles.

We came back home just in time to spend New Year's Eve with some close friends of ours. Unfortunately, the fun ended a few days later when Landon came down with the stomach flu and it slowly made it's way through each family member. What a way to start the year! Things could only get better from there! I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but being sick ended up being a little bit of a blessing. My boys were super cuddly and I felt I had a good excuse to let all of my other responsibilities slide and just focus on snuggling up with them on the couch and playing with them. Despite having to clean up puke for a few days, it was actually a sweet time together.

Last weekend, we made a few big changes in our house. We decided to move Landon into his big boy bed. Jon took down the crib and stored it, and we took Tanner's top bunk and put it in Landon's room. Landon was soooo excited and has been doing really well in it so far. At first, he went right to sleep, but now he's figuring out that he can get out of bed, turn on the light, and do a little more playing/reading before he actually goes to sleep ... STINKER!!!

We also decided that Tanner is done napping, except for those special occasions (like today) when he desperately needs one. He was just starting to stay up SOOO late at night after we put him in his bed at night, we thought he might actually go to sleep at bedtime without the nap. So far, so good. We've been doing "quiet time" instead. Surprisingly, he really enjoys this time and I give him a few special activities to work on in his room. I also put a little CD player in there that he LOVES. We're still trying to figure out all of the logistics around naptime with a "not so quiet" 3-year-old and another little guy in his big boy bed, but I have a feeling it's all going to work out. I have to say the best part is not having to deal with the post-nap crankies with Tanner anymore. He used to be a GROUCH from about 4:00 - 6:30 every day after naps. Now he's actually enjoyable to be around!

Remember the CD player I mentioned in Tanner's room? My mom got the boys a whole series of CD's that we used to listen to as kids. It's the Psalty Kids Praise series and you can find it here. The boys ADORE these CDs and I'm constantly surprised at how much they are picking up about how God loves them, etc. They have spent more time in Tanner's room listening to the music, dancing, singing, playing since I put the CD player in there than they have since we've lived here. The other morning, I was doing some laundry and noticed that the house was really quiet. Of course, I ran around everywhere looking for them, because we all know a quiet house with two little boys is a scary thing. Once I made it upstairs, I could here the music going in T's room. I snuck to the door and quietly opened it just enough to peek in . The sight I saw totally warmed my heart. There were my boys, snuggled up in Tanner's bed looking at books while they were listening to the music. Ahhh ... I could have died a happy mama :)

Okay, that's enough for now. More to come soon! BTW ... I did get one of my new lenses and then second one is on it's way. I've had so much fun taking lots of pics these last few weeks. I hope you enjoyed the slideshow!

Don't Forget!

Wednesday, December 15th

is the last day to place your order at

if you want it delivered by Christmas.

Naughty and Nice

Sometimes I feel like I'm constantly complaining about how naughty my kids are being. They are little and, of course, that means they are naughty quite often. However, I just have to take a second to tell you all how GOOD Tanner has been over the last few weeks! This is probably because Santa is coming soon and our elf, Fritz, has been on the lookout each day for good and bad behavior. But, man, I am sure going to enjoy this while it lasts! Doing what he's told, sharing with his brother, being kind and OBEYING!! I am just bursting with love and pride for him! What do I need to do to ensure this continues??

Landon, on the other hand, has never been so naughty. The terrible twos are definitely upon us! Tanner is convinced that our littlest guy isn't going to get any presents this year. Yes ... he's been that bad. I don't quite know how we'll explain it when Landon still gets some gifts!

The good news is that they're not both being terrible at the same time! God only gives us as much as we can handle, right?

Hope you enjoy this slideshow from our family time at the park last week!

More New Stuff!

New designs are up at Sewing for Lenses!

Think Ruffles ... :)

Here's a peek:

Keep spreading the word ...

Introducing ...

My newest sweetheart.

My little niece.

Lanier Katherine Allman

Born November 27, 2010 at 4:31 pm

8lbs. 15oz.

20.5 inches

I can't believe I have to wait a month to meet this new little bundle! I know I'm totally biased, but I think she's just the most beautiful perfect little baby! Thanking God tonight for her safe delivery and for my little sister, who has just joined "the club."

Sewing for Lenses

Happy Black Friday, everyone! I'm so happy to be shopping here from my computer instead of out fighting crowds and cold weather. :)

Trying to get some early Christmas shopping done? Make sure to check out Sewing for Lenses. I have a few new designs up -- a His and Her Camera Strap, a masculine camera strap, and a few new key chains. Check 'em out!

Thanks to all of you for spreading the word about my new site. It's working! Keep telling your friends!

So Thankful Today ...

For my happy and healthy family.

For the new niece or nephew that I can't wait to meet!

For my faith and my freedom.

For this peaceful house now that all are in bed.

For my hair appointment tomorrow, where I finally get some much-needed highlights and a cut.

Hallelujah!

I'm just saying ...

'Tis the Season

If you were a little mouse living in our walls, you would be hearing a lot of this lately ...

"Tanner, I just hope you know that SANTA is watching!!! ............... errr ... and so is JESUS!!!"

LOL!

Redemption

Just when I thought I was ready to ship my boys off to Grammy's until further notice, I walked out of my laundry room to find this ...






... and I was reminded just how much I love being their mommy.

Sewing for Lenses

Lately, I've been pining away for something I just HAVE to HAVE. You know the feeling ... "If only I had THAT, my life would be so much better/easier/more enjoyable." The truth is, I know deep down what I'm wanting won't REALLY be life-changing ... but I still want it. Want to know what it is?


Just a new lens for my camera (or two!!). See ... nothing life changing. However, it is kind of pricey. And being a stay-at-home mom doesn't quite lend itself to having a large disposable income for funding expensive hobbies. So I'm in a bit of a tough situation. And it's not the first time.

Earlier this year, I saw something ELSE that I desperately needed, but couldn't buy. It was an adorable little camera strap. Not only would it make me look cute and trendy as I snapped photos of my boys at the park, it would also make my camera distinguishable from all those other Nikons that look exactly the same.


I know what you're thinking. "Have you ever really been in a situation where you couldn't tell your camera apart from others?"

Absolutely. Take this summer, for instance, when I picked up an uncle's camera by accident and started snapping pictures. About an hour later, I was reviewing the shots I'd taken and realized that the camera wasn't mine! There were 4 very similar Nikon DSLRs at the party. If ONLY I'd had a unique camera strap -- I could have avoided the entire situation. ;)

So, I made myself this sweet little reversible camera strap slipcover.


It turned out so cute that I had to make one for a friend, too. I've gotten several compliments since then. Strangers have approached me, asking where I got mine, and even asking if they could buy one from me. So I've decided to start making and selling them ... using one hobby to fund another.




They measure approximately 21.5 inches long by 2.75 inches wide and fit over a standard DSLR camera strap. They also have a touch of padding for added comfort.



They even have a cute little pocket to slip your lens cover inside while you're shooting.


And if you don't have an SLR camera, but still want to support my little photography habit, you can check out my fabric key chains. This was something else I saw and immediately wanted, so I went ahead and made one. I absolutely love mine because I can wear it around my wrist when I'm running around with the kids. I never have to dig into my purse to find my keys, and I no longer have to set them on the little counter in the checkout lane at Target, where I might just lose them and be stranded for an hour with two crying children ... I'm just saying ...



So, are you ready to see what I've got for you (or your mom/daughter/sister/friend/babysitter/teacher/etc. -- it IS almost Christmas!) Just click on the picture on my sidebar, and head on over to my new online store ... Sewing for Lenses, where I'm attempting to support one hobby with another!

Stay Tuned

I have something special coming tomorrow. You'll just have to wait and see what it is.

Don't get too excited ... it's not a baby announcement!

Just be sure to check back! :)