Fierce

Over the past year, I would say that my boys have become each others' best playmates. They do fight, of course, but for the most part I would say that they truly are best friends. Just a few minutes ago, we had a "moment" that I wanted to make sure to write down before I forget it.

We have been really trying to take advantage of the unseasonably mild temps here this winter, so we decided to take a bike ride down to the park. Our park has a large walking path that runs all the way around the playground equipment and sports fields, and past a small pond. After playing for a little while on the swings, we decided to get back on our bikes, and ride around to the pond to see if there were any ducks. Unfortunately, as we came upon the pond, we saw that the water had overflowed heavily onto the walking path and we wouldn't be able to cross it.

Tanner, of course -- stubborn as a mule, refused to turn around and wanted to ride through the water. This child is so strong willed, we had a real fight on our hands. He is definitely too big for me to pick up and carry home, so I was trying to reason with/threaten him. (I know -- probably not my best mommy moment.)

"Why don't we ride our bikes onto the grass around the water? We can pretend we're on a bear hunt, just like the song!"

"Tanner, that water is a lot deeper than you think. If you try to ride through it, you could get hurt."

"Tanner, I'm not coming in to help you if you get stuck."

"Tanner!! You will definitely get spanked if you go into that water!!!"

Tanner continued to be stubborn and inch toward the water on his bike. This is when our little "moment" happened. Landon ran over to Tanner, threw his arms around him and tried to get him to stay put. Tanner shoved him away. Landon is now panicking that Tanner might go into the water, so he stands in front of the bike, straddling the front wheel and pushing on the handlebars.

"Don't go in the water, Tanner!!" he's screaming as tears run down his little cheeks.

At this point, I come to pick up Landon so that he doesn't get hurt, but he's fighting me so hard that I have to put him down. Tanner inches a little closer to the water. Landon grabs the back tire and holds on for dear life, screaming and crying for Tanner not to go into the water. By now, Tanner is crying (his natural reaction to hearing me say "no" to anything), Landon is crying, and I am almost in tears witnessing my almost-3-yr-old try to save my 4-yr-old from what he thinks is certain disaster. My heart was literally swelling as I watched this display of love and concern between brothers. Finally, I got it together, removed Landon from the back tire, picked Tanner up off of his bike, and carried both bikes around the water to the other side, where we continued our ride and started heading home -- both boys still in tears. Tanner was now upset that we were going home. Landon, I think, was still scared that Tanner was going to get hurt.

This one was Landon's moment to be tenderhearted, brave, and concerned for Tanner, but I have seen Tanner do the same for Landon in the past. There is nothing that makes my heart want to burst more than witnessing my sons' fierce love for one another. So happy to be adding another little guy to the mix.

Counting my blessings ... :)

A Few Things ...

1) 36 wks 4 days pregnant. Only 24 days to go???? Feeling like I really need to get focused on having this baby. Time is FLYING and I am NOT mentally prepared. I've been obsessing with the little re-decorating project going on in my master bedroom. Just have to sew 2 pillows and make the headboard and I'm done. Then on to finishing touches in Kellen's room, picking up some diapers and toiletries for him, and packing our bag for the hospital.

2) This week's baby check: 1 cm dilated and head is "right there."

3) For posterity's sake: the other day I asked Jon if he would PLEASE answer his phone at work if I promised only to call him when I was going into labor or if there was an emergency with the boys. He said the best way to get ahold of him was EMAIL. No, I'm not kidding. (Actually, email is probably the fastest way to reach him, I just had to write it down because it sounds so absurd that it's actually funny.)

4) Note to self: Don't get your hair cut by somebody new less than four weeks before delivering your baby. You are SURE to be disappointed, pay WAY too much, and spend most of the day crying -- UGLY crying. It's really not worth it. Wait until AFTER the baby comes, and you can go back home to have your normal person give you a fabulous cut at half the price. Even Landon cried when he saw my hair today -- probably because he was freaked out at my ugly crying, but still ...

5) Jon and I are gearing up to watch the movie Courageous. I hear it's a good one -- so happy to have a night at home with my man -- he's been a busy guy lately.

Here's hoping for a wonderful rest-of-the-weekend! :)

This Is What Happens ...

... to little boys who stay up past 10:00 talking and playing around in their bunk beds.

... then make their way to mom and dad's bed at some point through the night.

... only to wake up for the day at 5:45 when Daddy gets up for work.

... several days in a row.

My plan was to keep them up without a nap all day, then put them to bed EARLY, hoping they would be so exhausted that they'd stay in their beds ALL NIGHT until our normal 7am wakeup. Clearly, that isn't happening. Both boys passed out in the car on the way home from preschool. I let them sleep for a little bit, then woke them up and brought them in the house -- only to find them like this 10 minutes later. At least someone's getting their beauty rest! I'm thinking God must just be using this to prepare me for life with a newborn in a few short weeks. I don't know what I need more at this point -- coffee or a glass of wine! LOL!

Six more weeks.

SIX MORE WEEKS??

The counter at the top of my page tells me only 40 days left until our sweet little Kellen is set to arrive. We are so stinkin' excited here in the Hall house. And a teensy bit scared, but mostly just excited. These are the sweetest days of pregnancy for me. There's something about knowing your life is about to change forever that makes you cherish the precious few moments you have until then:

• Sweet time with just two boys (although I'm thinking three can only be better!)
• A laundry pile I can almost keep up with
• A full night's sleep with only minor interruptions
• Loving the miracle of how my body can accommodate growing a little human -- I love my big pregnant belly! (not looking forward to the big non-pregnant belly that will be left behind)
• A schedule that is somewhat normal
• Enjoying the anticipation of how much more WONDERFUL and FULL our lives will be with the addition of another little boy to LOVE!!

So ... as excited as we are to meet this sweet baby, we are also trying to enjoy every day of these last six weeks as a family of four.

It seems like the boys have been sick a LOT since Christmas. We've finally had almost an entire week of relatively good health. (READ: gross snotty noses and coughs, but still able to leave the house) Tanner was able to make his bowling field trip for preschool last week. I didn't chaperone because I knew I would have Landon with me, but we did stay to watch for the first half hour, and it was SO adorable! I just love watching Tanner interact with his teacher and classmates. They used bumpers, of course, but it still took each child's ball around 90 seconds to make it all the way to the pin. Tanner was delighted to be paired with his best friend in class -- Scarlet. :)

Landon has been quite the character lately -- showing a lot of attitude, which has not been his personality up until now. I'm wondering if it's a phase or if he's just starting to grow up a little bit. It's not that he's being mean or nasty really, he's usually just trying to be funny and get a reaction out of somebody (me). His speech therapy teacher warned me last year that he's a good-time Charlie and will do anything to create a little bit of fun, and she was totally right. He's also wanting me to carry him constantly these days. He's not that heavy, which is good, but by the end of the day my back is killing me. I know I need to just say no, but at he's still my baby at least for the next few weeks, and I do love that he still wants me to hold him.

We've started getting Kellen's room ready to go, which has been fun for the boys and I. They helped me put together the crib last week:

They were also around as my mom and I took out the bins of newborn clothes and started to get everything laundered. Tanner literally picked up each outfit and said "AWWWWWWWWwwwwww! Mom, look at THIS one! So cute!" It was hilarious and heartwarming all at the same time. After going through everything, it's nice to see that we really don't need ANYTHING for this baby, except for a new monitor, since our current one has seen better days. I'll just have to go get diapers, wipes, and a few other toiletries before we're completely ready to go. One of the perks of having three boys, I guess. Our world would be turning upside down right now if we were having a girl, I'm sure! Instead of redecorating the nursery, we're going to redecorate our master bedroom :) We finally broke down and bought a king size bed, since our queen was having trouble holding four bodies by the time both little guys made their way to our rooms. It should be coming any day and I can't wait!!

Jon has been busy busy busy with school and work. Luckily, the master's program he's currently in isn't nearly as demanding as his MBA, so he's able to really enjoy the weekends with us. We all look forward to that special time we get to spend with him. He's currently addicted to The Bachelor. I can hardly stomach watching this season, but I'm toughing it out :) We make Monday our special "date" night at home, where we order in dinner after the kids go to bed and watch the show together. It's great to have that to look forward to each week.

Well, I better get a few things done while both boys are occupied. I'm never sure when that opportunity for free time will come again! LOL!

Honesty

Preface: I am not against the use of the word "butt" in our home when actually referring to the body part. This makes my own mom cringe -- she wants everyone to call it a "fanny." However, Tanner somehow began using the word "tootie" for that body part a few years ago. Just FYI ...

This morning ...

Tanner: Mom, you're tootie is getting soooo big!

Me: Gee, thanks!

Tanner: Mom, it's getting so big that it's making your legs huge, too! Just look! They're all jiggly!

Hmmm ... at least he's honest. ;)

Hello 2012!

Today is only January 10th, but is already seems like the holidays were AGES ago! What a whirlwind -- a week here at home, a trip into the city with the kids and some great friends, and then a week in Michigan with the grandparents and our siblings. I returned on New Year's Eve feeling so thankful for such an incredible family. I truly enjoy every moment I get to spend with my siblings and parents. They are so wonderful, thoughtful, and funny, and know and love me for exactly who I am. My in-laws are pretty spectacular, too. Their home is always such a warm and fun place to be. They are constantly showing their love for Jon, the kids, and I in generous ways. I am so thankful to have in-laws whom I love spending time with and who are constantly loving and encouraging me.

Last week was our first week home, which is always a little bit weird after a long time away. Most of the week was spent trying to organize all of our new toys -- LOL!! The weather has been unseasonably warm, so we've been trying to take advantage of getting outside when we can. I think it's only snowed here once so far this winter ... and it didn't even stick!! Temperatures have been hovering in the 40's -- almost like early spring. We're all kind of on the edge of our seats just waiting for some monster winter weather to finally hit us! Hopefully, this late start to the season doesn't mean it will still be snowing in June!

Tanner was sick while we were in Michigan, and then sick again for a few days last week. This week, Landon has been sick. As much as I've loved cozying up in the house with my kids and nothing else to do, I've got to admit I'm getting a little bit of cabin fever here! I miss seeing friends and getting out of the house! Hopefully, today is the last day of being stuck at home, as Landon has started to perk up a little bit. We've been playing lots of new games (thank you SANTA!!!), watching lots of TV (I'm so sick of PBS Kids, I can't hardly stand it), and taking nice long baths every day. I've decided that putting the kids in the bathtub is the best way to while away a late afternoon. I plop them in around 4:30, let them play as long as they want to, and then we cozy up in our PJs. By this time, it's usually 5:30 or so and time for dinner. Kids are basically ready for bed when Jon gets home. It's a win/win ;)

I've been seriously enjoying my new Christmas gifts. Jon surprised/spoiled me with a new MacBook for Christmas/Birthday/Having 3 babies :) (BTW ... I call him my MacDaddy now -- hehe!) I'm on a total learning curve, but really loving it so far. It might be the only thing in the whole house that's just MINE and nobody else is allowed to touch. And now, I can watch TV with Jon while I work on pictures, check emails, etc, instead of being stuck in a little corner of our kitchen, all alone at our desktop. I was SO surprised upon opening it ... I literally cried tears!

I also got a new bread machine from my mom and dad. You have to know that when Jon saw this on my Christmas list, he thought it was so stupid and called me a total dork. But ... now he is LOVING it almost as much as I am :) So far, we've done pizza dough, bread, and over the weekend, we made these from scratch:

Mini Maple Cinnamon Rolls

Did I mention that my boys and I DIED over them? Seriously, that's why I could only take a picture of half the pan, the other half was gone in a matter of minutes. You can find the recipe here if you're interested in seriously spoiling your own crew in the near future :)

Some of my other gifts? A totally chic new purse from my in-laws -- I was finally able to throw away my ratty green Target purse from 4 years ago. And a new Starbucks travel mug that keeps my coffee HOT, not just warm, HOT, for at least 2 hours -- and I'm not even exaggerating. Love. It. So. Much.

Now that we're actually in 2012, I feel like I've turned a corner in my pregnancy. Like -- the end is just around the corner!!! As of today, I'm 31 weeks, and I just feel like the next 2 months is going to fly by. This might actually be my favorite part of pregnancy. I love the feel of a big pregnant belly ... it finally seems like there's actually a PERSON in there! I love the big kicks and movements that the baby makes all day long. I love the thrill that comes with setting up the crib, getting out the bin of baby clothes, and packing my hospital bag. We are all just beside ourselves with excitement to meet this little guy. The other day I came across a video that my mom took for us from when we had Tanner. The boys and I have watched it upwards of 20 times. It totally made me think about how some of our sweetest moments as a family were in a hospital, welcoming a new member. Can't wait to do it again :)

30.5 weeks

Sorry, buddy, there's nothing in there!

My baby for a few more weeks. You're so darn CUTE!!

Roomies

Well, I'm happy to report that we've made it two nights in a row with the new roomies in their bunkbeds. Barely ... but we made it. I wish I had a video of the setup process. They were SO excited about the move (in case you can't tell from the picture above). Jon was trying to set up the beds, I was trying to put on the sheets with my big pregnant belly, the boys were in and out of the room trying to be helpers. Once we finally got them in bed, all we could hear on the monitor was, "Hey Tanner, I'm on the bottom bunk. You're on the top. I'm on the bottom, Tanner!" Landon did try once to scale the ladder up to the top bunk, but Tanner put a quick stop to that. There was a lot of chatting, but surprisingly, Tanner fell asleep first, after about 20 minutes. (It WAS 10:00 at night by then ... so pretty much the time he normally passes out). Landon was sleeping soon after and the best part was that I didn't have ANY little bedbugs visiting me in the middle of the night.

Last night was quite the drama-fest. I read to the boys and put them in bed around 8:15. Soon afterwards, Landon started crying, saying he didn't like the bunkbeds. (You have to know that when Landon cries, it is SO sad! He totally breaks your heart.) He wanted to go back in his own room. I told him that he couldn't go back in there because it was the baby room and he is a big boy now. Then I said that maybe we could move him into the guest room if he REALLY didn't like being in the big boy room. By this time, Tanner was bawling. He said his feelings were hurt that Landon didn't want to be his roommate. Then Landon felt bad that he hurt Tanner's feelings. It was just all so SAD!!!! (BTW ... if you know Tanner, you know how much of a cuddler he is, how much he LOVES to be around other people. Jon and I remarked the first night how we thought Tanner was probably much more comfortable going to sleep in his room with Landon in there.) Finally, Jon went in there and settled them both down enough to get them to sleep. By then, it was nearly 9:30. Oh Lord! The good news is that both boys stayed in their bed ALL NIGHT again, which is huge.

Yesterday, Tanner and I had a "date." Well, I'm not so sure how good of a date it was ... we basically went to a bunch of stores and ran some errands together. But, we did have ice cream at Costco, which was definitely the highlight for the little man. It was so great to have time with just him and me. One of the things we did was go to the Disney Store so that Tanner could pick out a gift to give Landon for Christmas. I told him he had $10.00 to spend. It was so fun to see what he picked out, and he is on pins and needles waiting to give it to Landon.


Landon stayed home with Daddy and took a nap. When we got home, I gave the kids a bath and Landon said. "I missed you, Mommy! I missed my brother!" As a mom, I don't know if there's anything that makes me happier than knowing my boys love and enjoy one another. I just can't wait to have another little boy in the mix!

BFFs

Usually, I wait to write a new post until I have pictures to go with it, but as you can probably tell, I haven't even touched my camera in the last month. Partly because I was a little burnt out from all of my Oct/Nov photo shoots, but mostly because it gets dark here at, like, NOON!!! Okay, maybe a little bit later than that, but it sure seems like noon! Anyway, my flash and I don't really get along very well.

We've had a pretty good few weeks around here. It is COLD COLD COLD outside, so we've been staying pretty cozy at home most days. I've been really praying lately that God will help me say NO to the things that don't matter in my life and that I'll be able to just relax and spend quality time with my boys during this holiday season. I love to be busy, I love my hobbies, I love being out and about, but it sure has been nice to just be at home and have time to play, read, bake and snuggle with my favorite little people. Actually, it's been more than nice -- a little taste of heaven I think.

My boys have become best buddies as of late. They literally play together from the time they wake up until they go to bed. Upstairs, downstairs, in the basement. They are constantly entertaining one another. Usually, this ends in a huge mess of some sort. Tonight they TP'd the bounce house with a brand new huge roll of paper towels. Awesome. Yesterday they entertained themselves for a quite a while with all of the lotion, shaving cream, deodorant, dental floss, and band-aids they could find in my bathroom. The day before they were having a lovely time in their own bathroom emptying a container of bath bubbles all over the floor and having a "car wash" in the sink with all of their hot wheels. Jon always says the same thing ... "why weren't you watching them?" (I can't help but roll my eyes just THINKING about that last comment -- You're right babe, I definitely should NOT have been eating bon-bons on the couch, watching the Kardashians and painting my toenails while the kids destroyed the house.)

Despite the daily disasters, I am finding so much joy in watching them play together. They fight, of course, but growing up with 2 sisters totally prepared me for this, so I'm not quite as bothered by it as I would be otherwise. Landon just worships Tanner and if he loses track of him for a minute, you're sure to hear "Where's my brother?" The other day, Jon gave Tanner a spanking and Landon pointed at him and yelled "Don't spank my brother!!!" So dang cute.

This weekend, we're moving Landon into the "big boy room" with Tanner so that the little buddies can become roommates and we can start setting up the nursery for Kellen. The boys are just beside themselves, they are so excited (by "boys" I mean Jon, too). Of course, I can hardly sleep at night I'm so worried about the change. First of all, we're bunking the beds because there's not really enough space for two twin beds in the room. Secondly, Landon is the BEST sleeper, and Tanner is the WORST (sometimes still awake even when Jon and I go to bed!!!) I keep telling myself that families do this all the time and they make it work -- and we still have a few months to make it work before the baby gets here. I guess its just one of those new experiences in parenting that I have to get through -- like taking away the pacifier or moving a toddler from the crib into a bed. It all works out in the end.

I'm feeling really good right now in my pregnancy. Unlike when I was pregnant with Landon, I'm really not nervous at all for this baby to come. (Maybe I should be???) Sometimes I feel like things can't get much crazier around here. And this baby is so lucky ... 2 parents and 2 brothers SO excited to meet him! He will be well-loved, that's for sure! It seems like there was a lot of preparation going from one baby to two. For this baby, I feel like we already have everything. The only thing we need to do is set up the crib and get out the bin of newborn clothes to wash them.

As of today, I'm 27 weeks. On one hand I feel like I've already been pregnant forever. I found out just after 4th of July, which seems like SO LONG ago! But, on the other hand, I'm in no rush for March to be here and I'm cherishing these last sweet months with just me and my two oldest boys. I love watching my belly grow ... but hate seeing everything else get larger as well. I get so much joy out of every kick and little movement I feel. To me, this is the BEST part of pregnancy ... being able to feel a little LIFE growing inside of you -- what a miracle!

We've all been really enjoying the Christmas season. Fritz (our elf) made his first appearance shortly before Thanksgiving and has been keeping an eye on us ever since. If I had a nickel for every time I've heard "YOU'RE NOT GETTING PRESENTS!!!!!!!!" I'd be so rich. They say it to each other. They say it to me. The other day, Tanner got in trouble and yelled to me "You're not getting any presents, Mom!" By then I'd already heard this 5000 times and said back to him, "Really? Like, were you going to get me something?" He said no, of course. Then Landon comes into the room and says "I get you a present, Mom! You CAN get presents, Mom! You're a GOOD mom!" Seriously? Melt my heart, Landon. Melt. My. Heart.

Okay, it's way past my bedtime, so this update will have to end for now. Hopefully, I can fit in a few more before Christmas. WITH pictures!

It's a ...

BOY!!

Meet the newest member of our testosterone-filled crew:

Kellen Patrick

Isn't he just the cutest thing you've ever seen? I'm adoring this ultrasound pic of him and keep looking at it, thinking "I can't WAIT to meet you!!!" So sorry to keep you guys on pins and needles for an extra day, but yesterday turned out to be very busy as we left to visit the grandparents immediately following the ultrasound.

It feels SO GOOD to finally know who's in there! Everything looked good and Kellen appears to be a healthy little boy, which literally brought tears to my eyes. The 20 wk ultrasound is always an exciting event to look forward to, but I find the closer it gets, the more I worry that something will be wrong. What a relief to go through all of the body parts with the tech and hear that things look great!

I've decided that God is trying to compliment me as a mother by giving me another little guy. He must think I'm a pretty good mom of boys, which means I'm in good company (ahem ... Erin, Carolyn, B-Mama, and my own mother-in-law -- Henri). Jon is over-the-moon, as I'm sure you've guessed already. His chest has literally puffed about about 4 inches since yesterday morning. He keeps saying "This is so exciting! Aren't you so excited!!! THREE BOYS!!!!!"

We told Tanner after picking him up from preschool that they baby was a boy and he said "I knew it!!!" Too cute. Landon was in the ultrasound room with us, and kept saying "Tanner is missing out! Tanner is missing out!" Oh, how I love my boys and how blessed I am to have another one!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Apparently, both boys had a baby in their bellies yesterday morning. Can't wait to see what happens once the breast pump comes out in March!

BTW ... our Ultrasound is Friday morning. Lots of prayers for a healthy baby! And a few extra prayers that we can find out the gender ... I don't know how people wait 40 whole weeks!

Get Your Shopping Done Early!

Great news for all of you early Christmas shoppers! All camera straps and key chains at Sewing for Lenses will be marked down from now until November 19th! Get your orders in early! :)

Happy Halloween!

For you, Uncle Pat ...

Love,
Dash and Buzz

Checking In ...

No pictures, this post, sorry!!! Just checking in to let you all know we're still here!

A special shout-out today to my hubs:

Happy Birthday, Jon! I love you and feel so blessed that God has made you my partner in life! By the way ... did you know yesterday was the 15-year anniversary of our first date? Wow!

The boys are having a great time getting ready for Halloween festivities. Tanner seems to bring home a new Halloween door hanger each time I pick him up from preschool. Of course, I think they're all adorable, but I'm wondering if we shouldn't start sending some of these to the grandparents?? :) Pumpkins are carved, seeds are roasted, costumes have been carefully selected, candy has been purchased for our GIANT neighborhood (thank-you COSTCO!!) -- we are very excited to trick-or-treat in a few days!

Tanner's school party is on Monday and Parents/Siblings are invited, so you know Landon will be all about that. He continues to wheel his little backpack into the school every morning when we drop Tanner off. Tanner is still a little shy about entering his classroom and kind of hides behind my legs while he pushes me through the doorway in front of him. Landon, on the other hand, marches right in ahead of both of us most mornings like he owns the place. Too bad he has to turn right back around to get in the car!

Landon has been a breath of fresh air for me lately. He is so cheerful and funny. He's a total pain-in-the-butt because he's two and destroys everything, but since he's my second child, I know from experience that this will pass :)

Tanner, on the other hand, has been a TOTAL crankster. I just don't know what to do with him. I know he's EXHAUSTED, but he hasn't napped in months and won't nap for me no matter how hard I try. It's so obvious that he's tired, I don't know what to do short of putting him to bed at 7:00 every night -- not that he'd actually go to bed then, anyway. He would just sit up there and cry and whine. Oh LORD, please tell me this is a phase, too! I just cannot take the whining anymore! Today we were in the car and he was whining to me about something, and I asked him "Do you just not like Mommy?" Because, really, that's what I feel like :(

Needless to say, by the end of the day, I'd love a glass of wine! Not sure the itty-bittiest Hall would appreciate that, though, so I have a bowl of mint-chocolate-chip ice cream instead. I'm feeling really good these days. I'm just over 20 weeks and our big ultrasound is coming up a week from tomorrow. We can't wait! We just love finding out the sex of our babies! It's so much fun to know who's in there! I've been feeling lots of movement in the past week and I just love it. I'm not sure if there's a better feeling in the world, and it reminds me of why I love being pregnant.

I've been really busy with photo shoots and sewing lately. I have 4 more shoots before I finish up for fall and then on to my busy season with Sewing for Lenses. I feel like I'm learning so much with my photography and I'm really hoping to be able to continue in the spring, even after the new baby comes. I've got my eye on a better camera and I'm trying to justify its purchase by telling myself I need the video feature. Now, I just need to save up the $$$$! By the way, I have lots of new designs up at Sewing for Lenses, so be sure to check them out! Plus, all Camera Straps and Key Chains will be on sale now through November 19th, so be sure to get your Christmas shopping done early!

Hopefully, I'll have some Halloween and Prego pics up next week! Until then, Happy Halloween!

Haircuts

A little over a month ago, I decided I would be brave and start trying to save our family a little bit of money by cutting the boys' hair myself. Normally, I would go to Supercuts, spend $30 on haircuts, and still walk away unhappy with the results. I figured if I really messed up, I could always just take them in a for a buzz-cut -- one of the perks of having boys :) (That, and they can pee on a tree at the park if need be -- not like we would EVER do that ... :)

These homeade haircuts actually haven't turned out that bad if I do say so myself. I use scissors since I like their hair to be a bit longer. However, it takes me FOREVER to do, and the kids pretty much whine the entire time. Plus, I have to bribe them with so much junk food I'm not entirely sure if it's worth it. But, I've given them 2 haircuts a piece, the last one being early last week.

Not bad, right?

That's why I was surprised when Tanner decided, unbeknownst to me, that he needed another cut. I was using the bathroom when Landon ran in, yelling, "Tanner cut my hair!!" (Yes, I know what you're thinking ... I don't know if I've had a private moment in the bathroom in 4+ years). Anyways ... I checked out Landon's hair and it didn't look like anything had been cut, so I ran into the kitchen where Tanner was. Sure enough, there he sat at the computer desk with his preschool scissors in hand and locks of hair scattered on the floor around him.

Honestly, I couldn't help but laugh. He looked completely ridiculous and all I could think was "that was so stupid of you!!" (I didn't actually say it, just thought it.) And then I thought about how EVERY kid cuts their own hair at some point, and I was happy again that he was a boy and there wasn't really that much to destroy -- there's always the buzz cut to fall back on, after all. The thing is, if you know Tanner, you know that he has a major receding hairline thing going on. It's basically taken me about a year to grow out his bangs long enough to hide it. And then he goes and takes a big chunk out of the front. I know. Seriously.

The Damage

Just as I was about to put him in the car to take him to Supercuts, I decided to be brave once more and just try to fix it myself. Not perfect, for sure, but at least we didn't have to resort to the buzz.

P.S. This is why I've started photographing OTHER families. My kids are sick of having a camera in their face all the time. :)

Just a Glimpse ...

... of our last few months ...

Last month, we were at a wedding and I was talking with one of my sweet readers about whether or not I plan to continue my blog. Of course, I answered "Yes," but quickly followed by explaining how I have trouble finding time in my days to just sit down at my computer and get it done. She challenged me to make a goal of writing an entry once a week, not necessarily for my readers, but so that I have a record to look back on all that went on when my kids were little. It's definitely been several weeks since I accepted her challenge, but I think we're finally starting to settle into a fall schedule and it's the perfect time to get back into blogging. So, here goes Week 1! :)

My little family is doing well. Beyond well, I'd say, and everyday I thank God for how blessed we are. Healthy kids, a nice home, a job for my husband, food on our table ... we really are lucky. So, let's start our update with my sweet little Landon ...



Landon is my little boy who LOVES to have a good time. Everything is funny to him and all he wants to do is have fun. He is talking nonstop. Speech therapy worked miracles for him and now he never STOPS talking. LOL! I love hearing what he has to say, though, and it's so nice knowing what he needs or wants without having to guess. The other night he was crying, so I went into his room and he said, "Mom, I'm scared!" WOW!!! It was so nice to know right off the bat what the problem was! So refreshing! Jon asked me the other day when we would stop speech therapy. I told him it was probably time to be finished. Landon had just said to me that morning in the car, "Mom, I have a booger on my finger!" Truly, we've made great strides since March! :) One last new favorite saying of his: "Tanner did it!"



Landon is also working on potty training right now. Actually, he pretty much does all of his business on the potty, we just had a few rough days last week where he had several back-to-back accidents, so I decided we would try pull-ups for another week before we switch back to underwear. I really can't take any credit for training him. He has basically done all of it himself and it just wasn't a big deal. All of the sudden, he was just interested, and wanted to do what Tanner was doing, so he started going. He is getting to be such a big boy. People ask me all the time if he and Tanner are twins because Landon is so tall (but so skinny!). I ask him sometimes "Are you my baby?" and he says, "No, I'm HUGE!!" So. True.



Speaking of Tanner, it's "Monkey See, Monkey Do" around here, and everything Tanner does, Landon is also determined to do. Tanner started back to preschool last week, and Landon is just DYING to go, too! He makes sure he brings his little backpack with him every morning when we take Tanner to school. It's too funny. I can't tell who is more excited in our first day of school pictures:




Tanner is so happy to be back at school. He loves his teacher, Miss Lori -- she's the same teacher as last year and we all just adore her. He has "homework" this year, which is new -- just a quick sheet of handwriting or connect the dots to teach them a little responsibility. Last night I put him to bed and he was crying. I asked him what was wrong and he said "I didn't do my homework page!" I assured him that I was a teacher and I was NEVER going to let him go to school without doing his homework ... I already had it laid out on the table for him to do while he ate breakfast in the morning. I just thought it was so cute that he was so concerned about it!




I cried all the way to school when I dropped him off the first day. I'm not usually emotional about stuff like that, but on the way there, he asked me how many days he'd go to school when he was 5 -- probably everyday. "How about when I'm 6?" -- ALL DAY everyday! That's when I started tearing up! So sad to think about!




Another sad thing to think about ... our best friends here are moving very soon and although I'm sad to see MY friend go, it's even more depressing thinking that Tanner has to say goodbye to his little buddies. They are so close and have so much fun together ... I just can't imagine them leaving!

Jon is doing really well. He finished his first Olympic distance triathlon last month and was awesome. We had a great time cheering him on and I was so proud of him for working so hard. Next on his checklist ... a Half-Ironman. I'm sure those of you that know Jon well are chuckling right now -- that man CANNOT pass up a good challenge. Seriously. He is also going back to school this week. Yes, you read that correctly. Didn't he just FINISH school? Oh yes, he just decided he wanted to go back ONE. MORE. TIME. This time, he's going through the Sports Administration program at Northwestern. Hopefully, it's not as intense as his MBA program was!





I'm doing ... well I'm doing okay. I've been REALLY tired the last several weeks. Like, I just climbed a mountain today -- TWICE -- tired. It probably has a little bit to do with the newest Hall who has taken up residence in my tummy -- okay, a LOT to do with that! I'm a little over 15 weeks pregnant right now, so hopefully almost out of the woods as far as exhaustion goes. Jon and I found out just after 4th of July that we were adding to our crew. It was pretty much a shock for both of us, but we have gotten over the initial surprise and now we're just really excited. My due date is March 13th. This has been my hardest pregnancy by far. I felt so sick from 5 wks all the way to about 12 wks. I had shingles, then strep, then strep again. I'm just ready to be feeling GOOD again! Tanner has made it all worth it, though. He is BEYOND excited about the baby. When he goes to bed at night, he often asks, "Hey Mom, when we wake up, will it be March?" I'll try to remember to post a belly shot next week :)

I've still been sewing a lot (when I can!). I had a craft show a few weekends ago where I sold my camera straps and key chains. Unfortunately, I could only be there for the first day, since I came down with strep later that evening. But, I did sell a few things this time, which was promising. I've also starting doing a little bit of photography lately for other families. It's been a lot of fun, and I really enjoy the extra money.

I think that's about it for now! Next week I won't have to spend so much time filling you in on what we've been doing the last several months!

The Lowdown

Boy, oh Boy! I know this blog has been severely neglected. Is anyone out there still reading? I'm sure you've all given up on me by now. However, I'm not quite ready to give up blogging yet. After all, this is really my only written record of our day to day lives. So even though it's usually the very last thing to get done on my to-do list, I'm still hoping to get it done once in a while. :)

We are just starting to catch our breath here at home after several road trips so far this summer. Two trips to Ohio, one trip to New York, with another trip to Ohio still in our future! WOW!! Our kids are pros at long car rides and we've gotten very familiar with the best rest stops on the Ohio Turnpike!

Our first trip to Ohio was Mother's Day weekend for a wedding. Just 10 days later, we hopped in the car again and drove to beautiful West Point for my baby brother's graduation. What an awesome trip -- we hadn't been back to visit Jon's alma mater in over five years. I know it sounds cheesy, but it really is such a beautiful and awesome place (unless you are a cadet in the middle of winter, I suppose). There is just this feeling I can't describe that goes along with being in the presence of so many young men and women in uniform. So, SO cool. I was so very proud of Eric for all that he had to go through in order to graduate from such a prestigious school. Now, he's on to Fort Rucker, AL to become a helicopter pilot. I know ... sounds kind of glamorous, doesn't it?!

Our last trip to Ohio was just a quick one to visit the Hall family Lake House and enjoy their family reunion. I always love being with the whole Hall gang. I couldn't ask for a more loving, supportive, and fun extended family. Even though we were there for less than 36 hours, it was definitely worth the trip!

The weather so far this spring/summer hasn't been very good, but we've been trying to make the best of it! Anytime we get a day that's even slightly warm, we're swimming in the baby pool or splashing at the spray park. The boys and I have been taking swimming lessons every day for the past two weeks. Landon and I are in the "baby" class, but Tanner is in a class by himself and really seems to be making some progress. I'm so proud of him! Landon is just a CRAZY man in the pool. I promise I'm not exaggerating. I usually hop in before him and then try to help him down. "Go, Mom," he tells me as he sticks out his hand. He really does not want me to help him or hold him, which is kind of hard considering he could drown if I'm not hanging on. So most of the lesson is spent with me just trying to keep hold of him. The child has no fear.

Tanner started pee-wee soccer a few weeks ago and LOVES it. He's pretty easy to pick out ... the only one there whose dad has him decked out in shin-guards and cleats. Oh yeah ... and he's usually trying to direct the other kids just like someone else I used to know ;) I'm pretty sure his first day of practice was one of the best days of Jon's life so far -- his firstborn is now officially participating an organized sport. I have to say, he is very focused during practice and seems to follow the coach's directions really well. And he definitely hustles ... I think he has it in his blood. :)

Speaking of ballers ... Landon is totally blowing us away with his interest in basketball. Can I brag for just one second? He totally knows how to shoot the ball with correct form. He uses one hand to "shoot" and the other to keep the ball stable. It's really kind of unbelievable. Maybe all boys just come out of the womb knowing how to shoot? I don't know -- that's definitely not how it happened for me! "Basketball" is truly one of the first things he says in the morning and the last thing he says at night. I told Jon that he has to start teaching this kid how to handle the ball. If you knew me when I played, you know that ball-handling wasn't really my forte'. Check out the video of him shooting a few weeks ago. Stay with it to the end. He finishes with a lay-up, then a fade-a-way (LOL!!).



Landon is also making huge progress with his speech. Still not where he probably should be, but SUCH a difference from where he started when we began therapy just 3 months ago. His favorite things to say these days:

"I don't like that one!"
"Mine!!"
"I want TEET!" (Haha ... he means Treat, of course:)

He also gave up his pacifier about 2.5 weeks ago. After our last road trip was finished, I decided it was time. I cut a little piece off the tip of each paci and then gave them to him. "It's boke!" he said, and then threw each one in the trash. I wish that would've been the end of it, but it was a very long first week. He basically cried for three days straight. He still cries everytime he goes to bed or down for a nap. He doesn't cry for the pacifier anymore, he just doesn't really know how to soothe himself to sleep. Now he just lays there and says "lay down, Mom!" What a difference from the little boy who's always laid right down, pointed to the door, and said "Go!" when I put him to bed. Ahhhh! I know we did the right thing, but now bedtime really is a huge ordeal. Sigh ....

We decided to have a birthday party for Tanner again this year. Our policy was going to be having a friend party only every other year, but I guess that was quick to go out the window! Tanner basically has the last birthday of all his friends, so by the time he goes to every one of their parties, you feel kind of bad telling him he can't have one, too. So, we are going to have just a little shindig with pizza, cake, etc in our backyard last week. Tanner's only request was for a pinata. Last night, we went on a "pinata date" just the two of us to search for the perfect one. We had the BEST time. We really just shopped at a few stores and then got some Target popcorn at the end of it. As we sat down to have our snack, I started telling him stories about when he was a baby and he couldn't get enough. "Tell me more about when I was a baby!" I tried to remember as much as I could, but after an hour, I had to apologize and tell him I couldn't remember anymore. So, I promised to show him all of the pics from his babyhood on my blog.:)

Jon is doing awesome. He's become a total gym rat now that he's got a bit more time on his hands, but he looks FANTASTIC ... totally diesel if I do say so myself ;) He also just got promoted last week, so we were all very excited about that! He is just loving spending time with his boys and I have to say, there is nothing more attractive in a husband than seeing him truly love on his kids. My boys are so lucky and so am I.

I've been good, too. I feel like I stay so busy just trying to keep up with the day to day -- laundry, making food, cleaning up, going to the gym, etc. I had my first craft show last weekend, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment. All I can say is that it wasn't really the right crowd to buy what I had for sale. It was at one of the town "festivals" close by, and I think most people came for the entertainment, not for the crafts. The good news is that all my hard work building an inventory wasn't for naught. A random woman who I met in line for a ride at Disney noticed my camera strap there and also happened to own a gift shop. Just before the craft fair, she ordered several straps to sell in her shop. So at least all of those nights spent sewing went towards something good!

Tonight, we are off to see Cars 2 as a family. Got to get some dinner goin' so we don't miss it. Promise to update again soon! Enjoy the pics :)

Still Love 'Em

These days at the Hall house are long ones, indeed. This is definitely the hardest stage of motherhood I can remember. I can't really put my finger on why ... maybe the combination of ages, or perhaps our eagerness for summer to finally be here. I wish I knew the magic secret for how to discipline my boys and help them make good choices. I REALLY wish I could just say "Because I SAID SO!!!!" and it would be enough :) I remind myself often that I have good boys with good hearts, they just happen to be 2 and almost 4, and so I'm learning that we truly can't have anything nice around here. And that bickering between siblings is normal. And that I can't make everyone happy all of the time.

But ... I still love being a mom to these boys and I wouldn't trade it for the world.





Here's a few things to remember about this time for posterity's sake (both good and ... not so good):

1) Tanner gets in bed with us EVERY NIGHT. EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. I usually let him crawl in with me, then take him back into his own bed a little later. But he always makes his way right back to us. Sigh ... Part of me wants him to stay in his own bed, but a bigger part of me knows this won't last forever. I'm trying to talk Jon into getting us a king size mattress so at least we'll have a little more space :)

2) Landon is still addicted to his pacifier. I know it's way past time to give it up. I always have some excuse why we can't do it, though. We have been traveling a lot lately and I just can't bring myself to go through a long road trip without the paci. The good news is that he can actually say "paci" now. :) Speech therapy is going really well and he is saying lots more words and can usually at least communicate what he wants.

3) Tanner is pretty much through with naps. In some ways this is good. He usually does a "quiet time" in his room for 40 minutes or so each day. He also comes down happy, which is a nice change from the cranky mess he's always been after waking up from a nap. The only problem is that after 2-3 days with no nap, he is a BEAR. Sometimes, I force him to take one, but then he is up until 10:00 at night. We're still trying to find exactly what works.

4) It's amazing how you can think a 4 year old is so smart! Seriously, I think Tanner is brilliant (because I'm his mommy and that's how mommy's feel ...) I'm always blown away by what he remembers and the things he tells me that seem to come out of nowhere. I LOVE it when he just talks with me ... definitely one of the best things about my day :)

5) When he's not getting into things, Landon is such a JOY. Truly ... that little boy has a sweet sweet heart and I can't wait to watch him grow and hear all that is on his heart and mind. BTW ... we actually had a successful and quiet trip to the grocery store last week, just the two of us. This is a HUGE deal. HUUUUGE. Yay, Landon!

That's all for now! I'm headed up to crawl in bed with my Kindle. Oh, I'm loving to read again these days. I can't believe I did without it for so long!