Just call me Picaso

Tab just loves painting. About a month or so a go we bought Tab some paints because he was driving us crazy by being bored and stuck in the house all winter. So the other day we were trying to mix it up by breaking out the paints. He spent about 45 minutes painting and then came back to it later in the day for about another 30 minutes. I was in heaven. I think he had a good time too.
The Concentration...
Who can refuse a cheesy grin?And do I really need an excuse to post another cute picture? Actually, here he is sounding out his name. He has really been working hard to figure out how letters make words. I have a feeling that we are going to have a breakthrough any day.And the masterpiece in it's completed form.

Swearing In

Today Jason and I were sworn in to be CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Volunteers. We are so excited for this opportunity that we were given to serve our community. If you want to learn more about what we will do with CASA go here and click on "learn how you can become a CASA volunteer". So here we are today at our swearing in. I look a little out of place without a white coat. The others without white coats are from Left: Phil the Guardian Ad Litem that we will be working with, Karen and Sandy from CASA. On the right side of the group are Judge Steele and Dean Slocum.

I'm doing my homework... go away!

I've been letting Tab play some educational games on my computer. He loves it. I left him to play while I went to put Benton down for a nap. When I came back to check on him and ask him if he wanted to go do something else he told me, "No, I'm doing my homework. GO AWAY!" So here is a picture of him concentrating and doing his homework.

What a Big Kid

Benton has become such a big kid. When did this happen? I mean, I knew he was getting to be a big baby, but now he is really starting to be a big kid. Sniff Sniff. So I just had to snap a few pictures.Would you just look at that grin. Goodness sakes. (And you can see how sick he is in his poor watery eyes)
"Um, mom, do you know how hard it is to balance while I'm looking up at you?" (And really look at those shoes. A mom just can't resist some cute kicks)Would you look at that posture? Didn't get that from me.
I FINALLY got a picture where there isn't a huge glare covering his entire eye. Can you see how blue they are? Sigh ... reminds me of his daddy every time I look into them.

Time Out Monkey

So Tab has been spending A LOT of time in time out lately (big sigh). I really don't want to talk about it. But my point is that he has now taken to putting his monkey in time out. He was playing with his monkeys with Benton the other day and dropped it on Benton's face. Of course, Mr. Tenderheart freaked and was crying like the world was going to end. So Tab told his monkey that he was naughty and he needed to go to time out. I thought it was too cute and had to take a picture.

The Best of Friends

I was going through some of our pictures recently and I began to reminisce. When we left Utah, we left behind a lot of things ... a bigger house that we were renting, 2 great jobs, easy access to all things other than Walmart. The hardest thing for us to leave behind were our best friends, Taylor, Kimberlie and Tyler. They probably wouldn't know it, because we are horrible at keeping in touch, other than stalking her blog, but we miss them so much. I just wanted to let them know we think of them often. Tab is always begging to visit Tyler's blog (yes, I know that means he sits on my lap too often while I'm at the computer)

Jason and Taylor used to get up really early on Saturday Mornings and going "bunny hunting" or 4 wheeling. Those boys worried us sometimes.

Tab was just in love with Tyler. We went to lunch with Kimberlie and Tyler right before we left.

Hot Date

Saturday night Tab and I went out on a hot date. We went to the Peking Acrobats. It was a blast. It was amazing some of the things that they did. At first I thought it was going to be a swinging trapeze type of thing, but this was way cooler. Tab was mesmerized. He kept jumping around between his seat and my lap saying, "Mom, what doing?", "Mom, what just happened?", "Oh my goodness". Now when Tab really wants to make sure he has my attention when he is telling me something, he grabs my chin and forces me to look at his face. I can't tell you how many times he grabbed my chin and tweaked toward him or to whatever he was pointing to on the stage and saying "look, look". The best part was when we were going home and he told me, "Too much fun day". It is always good to know when I've been successful. Thanks for the great date Tab.

Little Studs

I have to admit that I just love getting Tab and Benton all dressed up for church. You know, with girls they have all sorts of cute hair bows and bracelets and such to make them look so cute. But with little boys there isn't that much that you can add to "accessorize". So I have to take advantage of Sundays when I can stick stinking cute matching ties on my boys. I just love it.
Really, all that I need to say is, could anything be cuter than these boys?

The 14 Days of Valentines!

For Valentine's Day this year I decided to do something called the 14 Days of Valentines, where for the first 14 days of February you do a little something for your special someone. So I decided to take on the challenge. I like to believe it was worth it. Jason seems to have enjoyed in quite a bit! So, what did I do?

Day 1: I made Jason a little scrapbooked pamphlet. I can't really call it a book because it was only 3 pages ... anywho ... There was a list of 10 reasons I love him and a list of 10 of my favorite memories with him.

Day 2: Throughout the day I sent him several email "love notes". I like to think it helped to break up his day of studying.

Day 3: Giant Rice Crispie Treats shaped like Hershey Kisses. These would have turned out a bit better had I been able to find a funnel to shape them with. Have I ever mentioned how annoying our Walmart can be when trying to find random items such as a funnel? No? Well, that is a gripe for another post, another day.

Day 4: I made a note that said, "I love you BEARY much" and attached it to a bag of gummy bears. Cheesy I know.

Day 5: I wrote him a love letter in code, you know like you wrote in Junior High to your friends just in case someone else found it. I don't think he actually had the time to decipher it until 2-3 days later.

Day 6: I wrote notes on little kid valentines and taped them all over the house for him to find.

Day 7: I filled a little jar full of pink, green and purple conversation hearts and wrote a prescription to take 1 pink one twice a day to remember how much I loved him, 1 green one twice a day to remember how much Tab loved him and 1 purple one twice a day to remember how much Benton loved him. He totally OD'd the first day. Good thing he was just left with a sugar buzz.

Day 8: Tab, Grandma (Jason's mom) and I made him some yummy sugar cookies that we decorated. More like Grandma and I decorated while Tab gorged himself on frosting but hey, what can you do.

Day 9: Tab, Grandma and I paper machéd a balloon and painted it red and wrote on it. Tab and I stuck little notes inside it.

Day 10: I made homemade fortune cookies and stuck little "love" fortunes in them.

Day 11: I made him a candybar letter, which of course didn't have any candybars on it, as the man doesn't believe in eating chocolate.

Day 12: I made a heart shaped Pizza for dinner

Day 13: I printed up the words "I love you" in 100 different languages. I cut them up into stips and stuck them in a cute little jar and made a tag for it that said "Jar of Love"

Day 14: The big day. I made a full meal, which I rarely do. I usually just make a main dish and a veggie. But I made Fettucine Alfredo, Augratten Potatoes, corn, salad and a yummy drink. For dessert I made a Strawberry Parfait. I put a valentine's tablecloth on the table and set up some candles and spread flower petals on the table. It was cute...see.

See, doesn't it just look so yummy?
And I made these yummy drinks. The frozen raspberries floating in the top are my favorite part. Tab kept asking Jason and I to "cheers" him over and over again.
And finally, the Raspberry Parfait. Now this is how it is supposed to look with the oreos.
Oh look at that yummy goodness.

But, sometimes a woman has to cater to a silly husband how doesn't believe in chocolate in any form. Thus the stawberry wafer cookies instead of the oreos. What's else would a woman to do for her man on Valentine's day?

A New Project

So, as many of you know I'm always working on new sewing/craft projects. If I don't have at least 5 different ones going at the same time, I must be sick. Of course that is just 5 that I've worked on in the past month, it doesn't count the many unfinished ones that I "set down" to come back to at a later date yet to be determined, if ever. Well, here is a completed one. I've made a few, and am considering selling them. We shall see. This is the first one I made. The subsequent ones I have made I have covered over the "pop top" piece and added some other embelishment in place of the trim around the pop top. I don't have pictures of that one because I gave it away. So tell me what you think.

I didn't like the way the trim looked on the back because of the pop top which is part of the reason I decided to do it differently from now on, but overall I still love it.

Here, Dis is Your Pew Pew

Tab has been very into playing cowboy lately. He mounts his horse and throws on his cowboy hat. And don't you think for one second that he can do one without the other or there will be loud screaming. He rode his rocking horse for about 30 minutes the other day. I tell you he is one wild cowboy.

YeeHaw, ride 'em cowboy. "My hat's too big? What do you mean my hat is too big? It is supposed to be covering my eyes. It keeps all of the dirt out of them. You know.. the dirt those other cowpokes are kicking up in mom's livingroom?"

Not only is he a great horseman, but he is one heck of a gun slinger. I tell you, that boy can swing that thing around like there is no tomorrow. Every time that Jason emerges from studying, Tab bombards him, throwing one of his guns into Jason's hands, telling him, "this is your pew pew", all the while running around like mad, demanding that Jason go pew pew in his room with him. Jason showed Tab how to holster his gun in his pants. Unfortunately Tab was only wearing his skinnies when Jason showed him. Thus the result...So, of course I had to get Jason to pose with Tab with their "makeshift" holsters. (And yes, I know Jason's pants are unbuttoned. When I asked why he didn't button them up for the picture he stated that it is "uncomfortable" to have them buttoned up all day and plus "I was studying". I guess I missed the part where I was studying was an excuse for your weird behaviors)Ah, look at that handsome cowboy. If I were two, I'd ride on the back of your rocking horse anyday.

My Life as I Knew it...

... was many things. It was busy. It was fun from time to time. It was filled with people and day to day activities. What I didn't know was that life as I knew it was lacking. There was a huge void. I mean wide open gaping pit. How could I have been so lost? Don't worry, I've been rescued. The gap as been filled. By what? Why these!I have recently been on a Scones kick thanks to "THE" Domestic Goddess herself. I was recently talking to my mom about this fattening path I've been headed down and she thought she would help to add on the pounds I've been working so hard to shed, and sent me a new scone recipe that she had recently enjoyed. So I decided to give it a shot today. And they are my FAVORITE. So because I loved them so much I thought I would share the recipe with all of you. (And I hear you laughing at my ugly brown plates. But I'll have you know that I love those plates. They were Jason's great grandpa's plates... you know the one we honored by giving Benton his middle name, Gainford.)

Apricot-Orange Cream Scones
2 cups flour
3 Tbs. Sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. grated orange peel
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup white vanilla chips
1 1/3 cups whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 Tbs. Orange Juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet. In lg bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, orange peel and salt. Mix well. Add apricots and white vanilla chips. Add whipping cream all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

On lightly floured surface knead dought 6-7 times until smooth. Divide dough in half. Pat each half into 6" founds; cut each into 4 wedges. Place 2" apart on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-13 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 min. Meanwhile, in small bowl, blend powdered sugar and enough orange juice for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing over warm scones. Serve warm.

Notes: For the lightest, most tender scones, quickly mix and shape the dough, handling it as little as possible. Use only a sprinkle of flour on the work surface.

We miss you Susan!

Before moving to come to Medical School, I worked full time and Tab went to an in home child care. Susan did such a great job. Tab just loved her. I always felt safe leaving him with her. So the other day we received a note in the mail from her. I was telling Jason about it and Tab must have overheard. So the next day we were in the car going somewhere as usual. And also as usual Tab told me where he thought that we should be going. Usually he decides he wants to go to a friend's house, Walmart, HyVee, Nursery, or the Candy Store (thanks grandpa). However that day he decided that he was going to Susan's house. I tried to inform him that we were actually going to Walmart... or wherever we were going. But he was very persistent that we go to Susan's house for a visit. I reminded him that Susan lived in Utah and that we were in Missouri. He just cried and cried that he wanted Susan. So, Susan there you go, I don't think Tab will ever forget you.

Happy Birthday Hubby!

Yesterday was Jason's birthday. He's 27. I can't believe it. I told him the other day that he was getting old. I mean 27... come on. He looked at me and said... and remind me, how old are you turning. Gulp... nevermind... you're young. Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUBBY!

So, I hate fish. I mean HATE HATE HATE fish. But, Jason loves it and wanted it for his birthday. So I agreed to make it for him. With some suggestions from a friend, I came up with this. It is a bed of Fettucine Alfredo topped with fresh mushrooms, asparagus, capers and tomatoes that I sauted in butter. Then I put the pan fried Salmon on top of that. And served it with a salad. Other than the nasty fish, doesn't it just look yummy.

Then Jason requested that I make this cake.It is called Luscious 4 Layer Pumpkin Cake. It is yummy but for some reason I hate making this cake. But I gladly gave in for such an occassion.

And you may ask, what does a newly 27 year old do on his birthday.

Why homework of course.

My Family of Boys

Since so many see so little in common between Tab and Benton. Please consider the following...

5 Months

They both had the same start...

And really, they both look so much like their daddy. I couldn't be prouder.

A Little OCD

Tab has recently discovered that oranges are something he likes. So we have been encouraging him to eat them. However every time I peel an orange for him, he insists on pulling the pieces apart and lining them up on his plate. And yes they all must be facing the same direction. Trust me, I tried to turn one backwards and he would have none of that. See...

What's That You Say?

Posting pictures of my laundry doesn't count? It doesn't satisfy your need to know the happenings here? Fine. I know this is really all that you are looking for.

The Bane of My Existance

First, let me apologize for my long absence. I have received quite a bit of... well... let's just say prodding to post. I told myself I wasn't going to post again until I had organized all of the pictures on my computer. And however much I would love to say that I have, it just wouldn't be true. I started though. Anyway..

THIS! THIS is the bane of my existence. Two days shy of a weeks worth of laundry.

And because I swear we didn't have this much laundry before, I decided to torture myself by dividing the laundry into piles and decide who the guilty party was. I was sure that it was going to be Benton. After all, I didn't see the change until after he was born, and he is a big spitter so I feel like I'm always washing blankets and burp cloths and bibs, etc. But I decided I needed to be scientific about it or something. So I separated it and lined it up. I was surprised by what I found. From left to right: Jason's, Mine, Tab's, Benton's.

And just so you can really tell.

Jason is the guilty party. Not only is his pile far higher than anyone else's it is in the biggest basket. I guess I shouldn't be surprised the man does change his clothes three times a day.

I swear that is a huge pile of laundry for 4 people. And Jason thinks I'm weird when I drool over things like this and this in the home depot ads. And he thinks I'm odd for having this fabulous laundry room all planned out in my "dream house". This is why. I only have two kids and it takes me two days with my crappy washer and dryer to do the laundry. I'm scared to think about what it will be like with more.