Music Ideas

I am making a video of many of my kid's photos from the last few years for our parents Christmas gift. (Hopefully they don't check my blog, if you do, SURPRISE.) However, I need help choosing songs. If you were making a Christmas video of your kids, what songs would you use? Thanks for any help.

P.S. Thanks for all the input on Mason's hair. Looks like the majority thinks it should stay, and the majority wins so Mason will be keeping his locks for a little longer. (He likes his hair so it's probably good to keep it longer.)

IS IT TIME?

So I need some opinions. I have been noticing little boys that have long hair lately and most of them don't look very good. In fact, I was looking at a little boy and thinking he would be much cuter if his mom cut his hair and then I realized, his hair looked almost exactly like Mason's.

I am aware that in this picture it needs a trim, we cut about 1 inch off the day after this picture, but I am asking... Is it time to chop off his hair? I am thinking that it is, but I really do want some opinions. It really isn't even as curly as it used to be. I'll show you a short time line.

Sucking Blood and Karate

So last night Mason was in trouble and I got up from the table to "guide" him to his room and as I approached him he whips out his karate moves and starts saying "HA, HA, YA, HA", while doing his moves on me. Can you believe that? Where do kids learn to be so rude. I have to admit after he was in his room, Don and I couldn't stop laughing.

P.S. Don and I have been trying to convince him to take Tae Kwon Do with his friend (Edyn - Libbie's little girl) and he tells us he doesn't want to because there will be parents watching and besides "I already know how to do karate" and then he will show you his "moves".

Later last night, he didn't want to go to bed and I told him in my scariest Vampire voice (which is oooh so scary) that if he didn't get in bed I was going to suck his blood then I attacked his neck. He laughed and said, "no you won't" and I said, "yes, I will" and he said "You don't have any sharp teeth". Then I told him that he just hadn't seen them yet. He decided not to test me and started going upstairs with his Dad and I heard him ask "Will Mom really suck my blood." I couldn't resist and I yelled up the stairs, "I sure will". What a mean mom.

Challenge

Okay I have read of 2 people this week (so sorry guys) that have lost many of their pictures do to computer failure.

So my challenge to all....

Stop checking blogs right now and go back up ALL of your photos onto CD's or a thumb drive. I will be backing mine up as soon as I finish typing this post.


Side note: I am glad that everyone has potty talk in their home and not just me. So thanks for the support. I do have to say, I have NEVER heard him talk like this at school so they must know how bad it really is. Come to think of it, he never talks at school about anything. HA! Just like his Mom...J/K, just like his DAD.

RECIPE HELP

I am in a preparedness group (Enrichment Activity) and we all have to come up with 7 days worth of meals that can be made from items that can be stored on the shelf. I need some help here. I can only come up with a couple of good recipes. So....if you have a good recipe that only uses canned, or boxed items, please share it with me.

I can use eggs, butter, and milk because I have powdered of those.

The purpose of this is for our 3 month supply that we should have. I do have my year supply but this is different.

Thanks in advance for anyone willing to help.

Mr. Mason

Just a couple conversations between me and Mason....

The other day Mason was stretching with me and we were bending over touching our toes and they guy on the video said, "Niiiiiiiiice good stretch." and Mason said, (in a super snotty voice)"Doesn't feel good to me.". Ha.

I just popped popcorn for the kids and turned on Bug's Life and one of the bugs said "poo poo head" and Mason turned to me and said "see, we do talk like that". So I said, "No, we don't; I don't like it". His response? "I do". AGHHH!

Why do boys like potty talk? It is a constant battle in our home. What am I doing wrong? Does anyone else deal with potty talk? And now my sweet pea kennedy is doing it because she loves to copying anything and everything that her brother does.

Pumpkin Patch
I am a little slow at getting these pictures posted...surprise, surprise.
We went to a new (for us) pumpkin patch this year and Mason loved it. It has lots for the kids to do and it cost us an arm and leg to get in. :)

There wast this little maze of straw bales for the kids and bikes they could ride around with some pools filled with wheat. No, not corn, it was wheat. Weird, I know.

Hayride out to the pumpkin patch and back

Don and I were picking out the most perfect pumpkins and these are the ones our kids picked. Mason's is covered in warts and Kennedy's is green. I'm glad they liked the ones with some personality.

This is Don and his brother racing on the other track.

Dad and Kenna on the straw bale pyramid.

Mason and Kenna on top

GUM
Well, we had our first experience with gum getting stuck in hair, Kennedy's hair, I am actually surprised it wasn't Mason's. Thankfully, Peanut Butter works wonders. I think she thought it was funny, she was trying not to smile in these pictures and act appropriately upset.

A funny gum story...

My niece came down stairs one day and had a chunk cut out of her hair and apparently had gotten gum stuck in her hair and didn't know what to do so she cut it out. Her Mom told her that they could have gotten it out with peanut butter. So, some time later the same thing happened again, she came down with a chunk of hair missing and her Mom said, I told you we could get it out with peanut butter and my niece started crying and said, but I didn't want peanut butter stuck in my hair. Kids are so funny.

Family Photo Attempt
Sooooo pitiful....but kinda funny

Communication

Communicating with toddlers is so interesting, isn't it?

Mason has 3 girl cousins that live close to us and he LOVES them. The last couple of times that we have been over there they were painting their nails and he wanted his done as well so they painted his. (Thankfully he did choose green, instead of purple (his favorite color).) I didn't really say much about it then and wondered if I should be the one to tell him that boys don't do that, but thought it didn't really matter and he was excited about it.

So fast forward to this afternoon....one of his cousins came over and brought nail polish with her. We didn't have time to do nails while she was here so she left the polish and I sat down to do the kids nails. First we painted toe nails and I figured I would just have Mason wear shoes instead of flip flops to pre-school tomorrow.

Then he said, "Okay, do my fingers now please."

Me: "Usually only girls paint fingernails."

Mason: "Okay." and he keeps sitting there while I'm doing Kennedy's and I thought, wow, that was easy.

Then...

Mason: "Okay, do mine now."

Me: "Remember, usually only girls paint fingernails"

Mason: "Ya. So can you do mine now?"

Me: "Well, since usually only girls do nails are you sure you want to do yours?"

Mason: "No, you do it."

Me: "So since only girls paint nails you want me to do mine."

Mason: "No, you do mine."

So then it finally clicked. He thought only girls could do the actual applying of the nail polish. I realized I was not wording things the correct way and so what other conclusion was he supposed to draw. I guess I need to work on my communication. His nails are now green. I wonder what the kids are going to say at school tomorrow.

Sleeping Beauty

K was sick the other day and I got her out of the tub and laid her on this chair while I went to get her some clothes. I got sidetracked and folded a load of laundry and when I came back she was sleeping. Don't you love watching your kids sleep? I love it but it doesn't happen much with her because she always sleeps in her bed and wakes up so easily that I rarely go in while she is sleeping. I just want to pick up and squeeze all 23 lbs of her.

Oh What Do you Do in the Summertime...
We have had such a fun summer and I haven't even been blogging about it, what a shame. I will just blame it on the broken camera. (Even though it broke towards the end of the summer. I guess I just don't take as many pictures as I should.)

Our summer staple is the pool. The kids love going (they like it best when they don't have swim lessons), I love going, so we are all happy. We don't usually go on the weekends but thankfully Don did take the kids one Saturday so we do have a few pictures that he took.

What is Your Favorite Book?

Last night I was at the library and I was having trouble finding a book. I need some recommendations. I have so many books I love, here are a few....

(I love all John Grisham books)

What are some of the books you have loved?

Clean, Crisp, White Sheets and Pirates Feet

Don and I had a great weekend of no kids. Friday night they stayed the night at my parents house and Don's parents took them for a few hours on Saturday. We picked them up, went out for pizza, and went and fed the ducks.

On our way home the kids feel asleep, it was only about 6:30 so we laid Mason on the couch and just as we were going to put him in bed at about 9:00, he woke up. Too late for a bath, I carried him up to my bed so I could talk to him about his weekend with Grandparents.

So we are laying next to each other talking about his day and he gets really excited and sits up and pushes the covers back. AHHHH! His feet were soooo disgusting. Super tan, super dirty, a few cuts with dry blood, gobs of dirt between his toes....ALL OVER MY NICE WHITE SHEETS!! Too bad I still haven't replaced my camera cause I would have loved to show you. He was wearing a pirate t-shirt to bed and I thought it fit perfectly because his feet looked just as I would imagine pirates feet to look.

P.S. I just had to post this picture.....isn't it awful...i just found it on the internet...IT IS NOT MINE OR ANYONE ELSE'S THAT I KNOW

On the Charts!!

It may not seem like a very big deal to some, but for us it is a huge accomplishment. Kennedy is now on the charts....3rd percentile baby.

She has not been on the charts since she was about 6 months old and it has been stressful. But at her last checkup she had gained some weight, she is now a whopping 23 lbs. (She turned 2 in March and this appointment was in July)

This is an old picture of her. (I picked up my camera off the computer desk and the case had been opened and the camera went tumbling out and fell behind the desk, banging up against the wall several times on its way down and no longer turns on. Bummer. So I haven't blogged much lately because blogging without pictures is certainly not nearly as fun as blogging with them.)

Traumatizing My Child

Do you ever feel like you have traumatized your child? Well I try to tell my kids how it is and sometimes I wonder if that is the best way.

A couple of weeks ago Don and I were headed to a Seattle for a weekend trip and while we were packing I couldn't find Mason. He was outside playing in the car. I went out and talked to him about how we can't play in the car because it gets very hot in the car and if he got stuck in the car he would go to sleep and never wake up. Then I just told him he could die. (Granted the windows and a couple of doors were open since we were packing for our trip this day, but I thought it was a good time to bring it up.) A day or two later we got in the car on a hot day, and it was sooo hot in there Mason mentioned how he couldn't really breath and I again talked to him about how that is why we never play in the car because it gets too hot and we could die.


That same weekend we were at the Woodland Park Zoo and a baby elephant had died the weekend before and there was a memorial set up at the zoo. Mason has been asking about the baby elephant that died about every day since our trip. So, death has been on his mind. (He is my tender one)

Then we talked to him about how his favorite cousins grandma was very sick and she died this past Thursday.

Now to the part where I realized that I had traumatized the poor little guy....At church today he was starting to get too loud and was having trouble sitting still and I asked him if he needed to go sit in the car (not even thinking about our ealier conversations). Why would I say that? He looked at me and said "Am I going die?". I will never again ask him if he needs to sit in the car.

I wrote a long post last night and then deleted it on accident so now I am

just leaving a few pictures....

Kennedy wanted to go camping with Mason and Don and decided to get in the car so she wouldn't be left behind. She was so disappointed that she had to stay home with me.

Mason loves pirates. Arrrrgh!

Setting up for battle.

SNACKS FOR KIDS

My friend Laura is wondering what my kids eat for snacks and I actually also need some help so I will post the few things I have found and I hope everyone will post healthy snacks that they feed their kids.

1. Fruit Leather (I get mine at Costco, it's cheaper. It is 100% fruit, no added sugar)

2. Z-Bar (CLIF bar for kids....There is some sugar in these but I justify it a bit. It has lots of other great things in it. These are actually the only snack that is approved in Cali for Senate Bill 19 (?). They are trying to get healthier snacks for kids. Way to go Cali!!)

3. Applesauce (100% apples + Vit C....no added sugar)

4. Fruit (apples, grapes, clementines, bananas, kiwi, watermelon, etc.)

5. Nuts (almonds and walnuts mostly)

6. Crackers - TLC (tasty little crackers made by Kashi)

7. Cereal - Wheat Chex, Cheerios, or Grape nuts (these all have a little added sugar)

8. String Cheese

Okay this is all I can think of right now. Any other ideas? I haven't found any raw veggies that my kids like to snack on so I would love any ideas here.

Potty Training Girls

I am wondering what people have done for potty training and when they started with their girls. With Mason we waited until he was 3 and used the book Potty Training in Less Than a Day and it worked great. I have heard that girls are easier and can be trained sooner than boys. Anyone have any suggestions? She will be 2 this month.

5 pounds

It has been 2 weeks and 2 days of no sugar and I have lost 5 pounds. I have done nothing else different. That obviously shows how much sugar I really was eating.

It is still hard and it still makes me sad to think about "my friend" that I have had to stop getting together with but I know that this is what my body needs. I am jealous of all of you out there that can enjoy a relationship with chocolate and not go overboard, I wonder if I can ever get to that point? It will be a loooooong time before I even try.

Llama?

Mason and I were in his bed reading books tonight before bed (I was covering for Dad, he wasn't home tonight) and he was trying to reach a book on the other side of the bed and...

Mason: It's very, very hard to reach
Me: Oh, is it far? Did you get it?
Mason: Ya, I just reached very hard like a llama.

Ha!

SUNSHINE

It has been so cold and cloudy here lately and yesterday the sun was actually shining. It was wonderful. We went outside and played and the kids were in heaven. As you can see, it was still cold enough that we needed our coats but it was almost 60. It sounds pretty pathetic to be excited for weather close to the 60's....we need to move somewhere warmer. Any ideas of where it should be?

Here is Kenna going crazy on her fish, she loves this thing.

7 DAYS SOBER

Sober you ask? Yes, Sober. Oh, you didn't know I have a problem? Well it's not a drinking problem, but my problem will cause heart disease, diabetes, obesity, headaches, and many other things. My problem is with SUGAR. I have been consuming WAY to much sugar, mostly in the form of CHOCOLATE.

The interesting thing is that we only eat (besides my treats) whole grains (whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, etc.) we don't eat high fructose corn syrup, we eat lean meats, no partially hydrogenated oils, and so on. And then, after we get the kids tucked safely in bed, I pull out the goods; Toblerone, Toffifay, Symphony, Cadbury.....(it's Easter time and right now you can find one of my favorite treats which is mini cadbury eggs.....YYUUUMMMMYYY!!) Mason never even had a taste of sugar until he was 2 1/2; No soda, no cake, no ice cream, no candy, NOTHING, not even a lick because I know how bad it is for the body, and here I am sneaking it EVERY NIGHT.

But not anymore. I do think it would be nice and not too harmful to enjoy some chocolate now and then but the problem with me is that I am an ADDICT. You wouldn't tell an alcoholic that they can have a drink now and then just like I can't have a candy bar every now and then because I know that it would always be out of control. So my relationship with chocolate is now over. I feel like I am losing a best friend. I have always eaten chocolate if I am sad, happy, excited, if i get good news, bad news, if I am bored, if a child has a tantrum, if I need a break.... It does not matter the situation for me, chocolate makes everything BETTER!

The last 7 days have been hard but I DID IT. I am so proud of myself and I am sure that I will drop this last 10 lbs because I bet I am cutting at least 400 calories a day (sad I know) or more. I did lose 2 this week, so we'll see.

So...
Dear Chocolate,
Goodbye my dear friend. We can no longer have a relationship because I have had a problem with self-control in the past. I am working on my problem and am learning self-control in other areas of my life as well but since I am an addict, it has to be over. You have brought so much pleasure and satisfaction to me throughout the years. I am sorry it has to be this way, but my health is more important. You'll have to find someone else's thighs to hang onto.
With Much Love and Longing, Tara

So sad...

Don't you hate to see your kids sad? Last night Don was getting out all his camping gear and packing his stuff for his camping trip this weekend and Mason wanted to know where HIS backpack was. Don explained that he couldn't go this time but said here is my other backpack and you can pretend to pack this. "No, I don't want to pretend", and then the tears started to flow. The really said, my feelings are so hurt tears.

This morning we were getting a few last minute things done before Don left and I was at the grocery store when my phone rang. Mason called and asked if he could have his "best friend Madison" come over (his cousin who is 9!). I told him that would be fine. A few minutes later my phone rings again and Mason is sobbing. "Madison can't come over, she has too many things today and Dad said I STILL can't go to the mountains with him." Ugh. It was so sad. If I wasn't terrified of him getting lost, or freezing to death, or of bears, or of the snow cave caving in on him, I would have asked Don to take him (Don would LOVE to take him if it were safe. Winter camping is too far out of my comfort zone for a 3 year old). Poor little guy. It must be hard when you can't understand why your daddy won't let you go.

Favorite Websites

One of my favorite websites is "the world's healthiest foods"

http://www.whfoods.com/

I was looking up a couple of things this morning and thought that some of my health conscious friends would enjoy this site as much as I do, so check it out.

Pictures

Here are the pictures I have hung that Damon took of the kids. These are not my favorite ones, but they went together the best. I wish that I had an electronic copy of the pictures so that I could post them for you. He really did a great job so I wish I could show you the others. When I get some of my favorites hung in a different spot in the house, I will take a picture of those to so that you can get an idea.

I had black and white pictures on this wall before, which I loved against the red, but obviously these pictures look best in color and I still like it.