Stephanie Carroll's Blog

Cool girl

2012-01-27T12:05:00.003-08:00

-Stephanie

Word wall

2012-01-27T12:05:00.001-08:00

We've had words on the door for awhile but I've been wanting to organize them better.

So, here's the new word wall:

-Stephanie

Wait! There's more!

2012-01-22T19:30:00.001-08:00

We finally got the super hero pictures all hung in the toy room!

And we made an art area for Caleb in the kitchen to hang some of his cool masterpieces! Someday I'll paint the kitchen and it will look much better.

-Stephanie

Crafty weekend

2012-01-22T18:22:00.001-08:00

I had a few projects I wanted to get done this weekend. I am very happy how they all turned out and that they were all really cheap!!

Getting decorations ready for the babies' party this next weekend. ($3)

Nameplates for the kids' rooms ($6)

A Valentine's decoration ($4.75)

It was a fun weekend!

-Stephanie

New words

2011-12-28T14:37:00.001-08:00

Sadie girl is going to be a talker! Her new words over the last few weeks are "uh-oh" and "yay"! So fun!!

-Stephanie

Thankful

2011-12-12T07:23:00.001-08:00

I had a million things to do yesterday.

Finish reading my book club book (with tons of pages left)

Get the kids to take a nap (not an easy or fast process with two babies in the house)

Go buy a book for a book exchange

Finish some presents

Wrap presents

Look for my next book choice

Get ready for the party

Etc.

I was really nervous about getting it all done.

Chris was supposed to go to a guys event that he looks forward to all year. And it only happens once a year.

But because he knew how crazy my afternoon was going to be, and because he knew there was no way I was going to get everything done without his help in watching the kids...he stayed home!

I can't tell you how thankful I am for his help and for his selflessness to put aside what he really, really wanted to do to help me out and make things easier for me!

-Stephanie

Hats

2011-12-01T06:49:00.001-08:00

-Stephanie

The Power of a Note

2011-09-21T11:32:00.001-07:00

I love people. And I appreciate so many things about people. Over the years, my heart has been full week after week from seeing dear people at church. (I am in a unique position in working for the church to see all the great things people do!) And I always thought I should write them a note to let them know they were appreciated, thought about and loved.

But I very rarely actually did it.

Then a few months ago, I finally decided I was going to do it! So I gave myself a rule that I would write 5 notes to people each week. I have now written 30 notes so far, and the results have been amazing!!

I have heard back from the VAST majority of people saying it was appreciated. People have even made special trips and phone calls to the church office to let me know this.

A number of people have let me know that they were having a really rough week or day, but when they got my note it helped them and they felt better.

Even though I wasn't expecting anything in return, I have been blessed by hearing that my notes meant a lot to people. And I've gotten notes, emails, phone calls and visits from people because of it also.

The weird thing was that the first week, after I put notes in people's boxes, I felt weird. And even embarrassed. "What are these people going to think about this?". I was very self conscious about it. But on the very first day that people started getting notes, I knew it was worth it because i immediately started hearing from these people. And I'm not self conscious about it anymore. Really it all makes me want to write even more!

I say this not to brag about myself but to throw out there:

I know we are all busy, but it only takes a few minutes to write a note, but I can attest to the fact that it does mean a lot to people when they receive one. What if we all let each other know how much we appreciate and love each other like we should?

-Stephanie

Cute outfits

2011-09-07T11:57:00.001-07:00

It's a rule. As soon as you put cute outfits on babies, they have a blow out or spit up all over the cute outfit. Luke didn't make it through the first hour of school in his this morning. :)

-Stephanie

Morning time

2011-09-01T08:24:00.001-07:00

Since Caleb has to be at school so early, I have to wake up all three kids each morning. I dread doing this. I hate that I have to wake them up. I wish I could just let them keep sleeping. So, I stand in the babies' room each morning trying to decide which one I am going to wake up first. Which one might look like they aren't asleep the hardest. Then I try to gently wake them up. I'm looking forward to this long weekend so we can all sleep as long as we want!

-Stephanie

Still going strong

2011-09-01T04:36:00.001-07:00

The babies will be 7 months old tomorrow, and we still haven't had to buy diapers for them. In fact, it really looks like we may never have to buy diapers for them. That's how many people have given us. It is such a huge blessing!!!

-Stephanie

Today

2011-08-24T09:09:00.001-07:00

Caleb boy is loving school! Last night he said that he wanted to go back right then!

The last two mornings, I walked him to school. Yesterday it was just to make me feel good that he actually knew how to get to his classroom. Today I dropped him off in the van at the front door. When we were still a ways away from the front door, he said "I can just go ahead and get out here." So, he did. And he looked so tiny walking in the building all by himself strutting along because he thinks he's big stuff now!

I love it!!!

-Stephanie

Wondering

2011-08-22T15:32:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I'm still sitting at the dr's office. Which made me wonder. How much pee do they need for the pee test? Always wondered that. :)

-Stephanie

Time

2011-08-22T15:23:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting here waiting forever to get into the doctor. I'm ready to get home and see my family, eat dinner, and hear about everyone's days. Kind of frustrated.

But then I just realized I don't get much time away by myself. Even though this is not how I would choose to spend it, I should enjoy it.

-Stephanie

Having a Kindergartener

2011-08-22T09:27:00.001-07:00

I always thought it was kind of silly that some parents were sad when their kids started school.

Not anymore.

I have to admit I have been a little teary a few times over the last week. Mainly when thinking about how he's not going to be with me at church all the time. But most of me is really excited for him. For all he will learn. Friends he will make. Etc, etc.

I can't wait to hear all about his first day!!!

-Stephanie

Communication

2011-08-18T14:44:00.001-07:00

Here's the next wave of church communication!

Yep, that's right! Brochures in the bathroom stalls as reading material!

-Stephanie

Meeting the teacher

2011-08-17T13:32:00.001-07:00

We went and met Caleb's Kindergarten teacher last night. Her name is Mrs. Garner.

When she came by to meet us I introduced myself, Chris and Caleb (the babies stayed home with the grandparents). After I introduced Caleb, here's what happened:

Mrs. G: Hi Caleb
C: I'm astro boy!
Mrs. G: what is it that you would like me to call you?
C: you can call me astro boy!

Meanwhile Chris and I are trying to let her know he is kidding and trying to find a rock to crawl under from embarrassment!

First impressions aren't everything, right? :)

After Mrs. G walked off, we immediately had a discussion with Caleb that she doesn't know him yet and that he needs to try not to joke around too much until she gets to know him better.

We're looking forward to what Monday brings!!

-Stephanie

Just for fun

2011-08-16T06:20:00.001-07:00

-Stephanie

Blog Writing App

2011-08-15T11:52:00.001-07:00

I have been HORRIBLE about blogging for a long time. I always think of things I would like to write but since I never get on a computer at home (no time and no interest since I'm on one all day at work) it never happened. But now I have this new, cool app to where I can write on my phone. Expect to hear from me more often!

-Stephanie

Special Lunch - Back to School

2011-08-15T11:42:00.001-07:00

Caleb and I went out for a special lunch today. He starts Kindergarten on Monday, so we are doing all kinds of special stuff to get ready and excited!

First we went and ate at Chick-fil-A!

Then we went to Target to pick out a few shirts. The main idea was to get him even more excited about school coming up!

Oh, and we did get a special toy too. Mom's not a sucker too often but she was today since he only has a few more days at CARE with me.

We are so excited about starting school!

-Stephanie

Life With Twins (in pictures)

2011-06-27T12:56:00.001-07:00

Meet Sadie & Luke

2011-06-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

Sadie Dawn & Luke Roger were born on February 2nd, 2011! Sadie was born first at 9:50 a.m. and weighed 4 lbs. 14 oz. Luke was born at 9:52 a.m. and weighed 5 lbs. 15 oz. They were 3 1/2 weeks early, but they were perfect as can be and did not have to spend any time in the NICU!! They are a HUGE blessing!

How I Found Out I Was Pregnant (With Twins!!)

2011-06-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been a year, and I haven't posted about this yet. I'm such a bad mom!

So, in previous posts, you've read about our struggle to get pregnant. I had just had a treatment that didn't work and was going to have to wait 3 months to try again. By this time I was FED UP!! Completely fed up!! The two days after I found out that the last treatment didn't work, I sort of had a mental breakdown. I just couldn't handle it anymore.

Some friends had told me about a guy that specialized in herbal remedies a long time before this point. I had always thought about contacting him, but just kept hoping that things would work out without having to use him. But at this point, it was time to contact him. What could I lose? Things were looking pretty grim.

The response from this man was that I had an infection, and I was told to take goldenseal root to clear it up. Again, what did I have to lose? So, I took the herb.

Then, June 19th we left for a family vacation to Colorado. I knew instantly that something was different with my body. It just wasn't behaving like it had for the past few years.

On June 20th, when we got to our destination and things were still weird, I had a feeling I knew why they were so weird. So, we went and got tests, and lo and behold, we found out I was pregnant....on Caleb's 4th birthday...which was also Father's Day! How cool is that!!!

When we got home from our vacation, I contacted my doctor. I was worried about a few things, so I requested that we do a blood test to make sure everything was ok. When I got the results back, my numbers were through the roof! From this, I started thinking that there was a chance that we were having twins.

A few weeks later, I went to my first real doctor appointment where she did a sonogram. I saw immediately that there were two babies! It took quite awhile for the reality to soak in (and honestly, even though they are here now, it still sometimes hasn't sunk in!)

Talk about exciting!!!

A New Favorite Thing

2011-04-18T11:41:00.001-07:00

Ok, so it's not all that new to me. I've had it for awhile. I just haven't used it like I should. Until now. Now I'm hooked! I'm really not very good at being a girl. I never have been. I just don't seem to overly care all that much about girly things. This includes shopping, clothes, make-up, etc... and yes, skin care products. But awhile back while shopping at Ulta, I was talked into buying a few Exuviance products. The ladies at Ulta raved about these products and how great they worked. So, I got the moisturizer, eye cream and facial cleanser home and just used them every once in awhile. Since I wasn't using them correctly, I wasn't seeing any results. But recently, my skin was starting to feel really dry, so I started using the moisturizer everyday. I really didn't think much about it (wasn't looking for results) for a good while. Then a week or two ago, Chris started mentioning how soft the skin on my face was. I really just thought he was trying to be nice or something and still didn't think much about it. But then I started noticing it too. And it is incredible!! My face feels wonderful! Better than it has ever felt before. So, if you haven't heard of Exuviance, I recommend you check it out. It's kind of expensive, but now that I've seen the results of using it I think it is completely worth the money. And it's so good, I wanted to let my friends know about it!

The Twins are Making Their Debut Soon!

2011-01-31T08:32:00.000-08:00

I went to my last perinatologist appointment this morning, and the twins are measuring at about:

Girl: 5 lb. 5 oz.
Boy: 6 lb. 5 oz.

right now! Very exciting! We are probably going to have a scheduled c-section next week sometime, so they will be here very soon!

Best/Worst Diet

2010-11-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

I went to see my perinatologist last Friday. The babies are both looking great, but I did find out that the baby girl is not gaining weight fast enough. So, for the next three weeks until I go back, I am supposed to lay down at home any time I am not at work and eat as much high calorie, high protein foods as possible. So, here's what my diet consists of right now:

Breakfast: Carnation Instant Breakfast and a nice big piece of cheesecake
Lunch: As much food as I can eat!
Dinner: Same as above
Snacks: protein shakes, ice cream more cheesecake and anything else that is packed full of calories and protein

I wish I could be enjoying this diet more, but I am just not ever hungry. Probably because I have two kiddos squishing my stomach. I mean really, there is probably never going to be another time in my life when I can feel good about eating like this. But I'm trying as hard as I can!

My prayer is that when I go back on the 30th to the doctor, that baby girl will have gained tons of weight and the doctor will not be worried anymore. I am not in any danger of preterm labor, so that is great. I just need the baby girl to gain weight like a champ!

Pregnant With Twins

2010-11-04T09:21:00.001-07:00

So, for the most part being pregnant with twins hasn't been much different than being pregnant with one kiddo.

Here are the differences I have noticed though:

Longer and worse morning sickness (didn't go away until after 4 months in this time)
Feeling two babies moving around - so cool! I can actually pretty much tell which kiddo is moving around. And it's great because I know which side each is on, so I can tell if it is the boy or the girl doing the kicking!
Even more blood flow than with one baby. I can literally feel the blood racing through me most of the time. It's crazy!
Nosebleeds. I never had these with Caleb, but because of the increased blood flow needed for two babies, a lot of times your nose just can't handle the extra blood. It hasn't been bad, but it was enough for me to look it up to make sure it was normal.
Back ache. Oh my! Again, I had no problems with my back while carrying Caleb, but man this time has been horrible. It would get so bad to where at night I would just have to lay down and not do anything. I tried putting heat on it and it really did not help. Then I decided I would go buy a maternity back support belt. I got one yesterday, and as soon as I put it on, I have been pain free! So this thing is my new best friend and I sure hope it keeps working for the remainder of my pregnancy.

Bad Parenting

2010-10-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Just had a kid out in our hallway where I work who was throwing the fit of a century. The mom was sitting there doing nothing about it, so I went out there to ask if the child was ok. (Hint, Hint mom! Your kid is driving everyone crazy!) The lady says "He's screaming because he wants candy."

WHAT??

Your kid is throwing down because he wants candy? And you're not doing a darn thing about it? Great!

After about 10 minutes of still listening to the kid screaming, against my better judgement (I'm not one for rewarding a kid for a fit...or a parent for bad parenting!) I got a Tootsie Roll out of my office and took it to the kid. Meanwhile others were trying to give him cookies. But he would not stop screaming. I wound up telling the mom that it might be a good idea for her to take a break with the kid outside until he was able to calm down. It is now 30 minutes later and the kid is still going strong.

Grrr!!

What I learned from infertility

2010-08-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

The biggest thing I learned through this process was how to deal with people in grief...any kind of grief. Here's what I learned regarding people in grief:

Don't offer advice. Just listen! Everyone wants to help others when they are struggling. It's human nature. We hate to see others suffering. But most of the time, advice is not what the grieving person needs or wants. So many well-meaning people offered up advice to me, and I know they were doing it out of love. But the thing is, you hear the same advice over and over and over. Really, all I wanted someone to do is listen to me. I needed to vent and get things off my chest. If I got advice instead, there were many times that I would be really annoyed.
Ask them about it! After I finally came out and told people what we were going through, there were really only 2 or 3 people that would ask me how I was doing and want to be updated on what was happening. I can't tell you how much I LOVE those few people!! It made me feel great that they cared enough to ask, cry with me, etc. I have one sweet, sweet friend that even to this day, when she sees me starts tearing up. (There was even one time where she was with me when it was announced that someone was pregnant. I was fine and not feeling too bad until I looked over and tears were running down her face. It touched me so much that this friend understood what I was going through and cared for me that much!) These days it's because she is so joyful for us. And every time I see her and these tears, I feel such great love for this friend. I want to be that kind of friend. I pray that if I know someone is struggling with ANYTHING, that I will be the friend that asks how they are doing, is not afraid to listen and help bear the burden with that person. Because really, isn't that what Christ does for us?
Pray for them and let them know that you are praying. We first announced our struggle to our LIFE Group at church, and I knew that they were immediately praying for us. Then a few weeks later, we did Cardboard Testimonies at church where we shared with the church on a simple piece of cardboard what we were going through. After this, I knew that the church was praying for us. I would have people tell me all the time that they were praying and thinking of us, and I can't tell you how much that meant to me. Then the Sunday after everyone found out that we were having twins, it was like a huge party! People that I had no clue that were praying for us, came up saying they had been. It was wonderful! And honestly, this is an area where I need some work. I tend to easily forget to pray for others, and I am going to make this better because I know how great it was when others were praying for us.

What it feels like to go through infertility

2010-08-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

Infertility is such a personal struggle that most people do not talk about it...at least for a really long time. So, it is really hard to know if someone is going through this.

Of course everyone is different, but based on my experiences and talking to many others who have gone through or are currently going through this experience, here are some things that those who are going through it feel...

It is very hard to be excited for others who are pregnant or have children. This is a horrible feeling. No one wants to feel this way towards others. It's way more fun to be excited and enjoy others' experiences too. But when you're going through fertility, the reality is that much of the time you just can't be excited. Now, this seems to be different for men. It seems like men are still able to be happy for others. Not sure why this is, but it isn't their bodies (at least most of the time) being poked and prodded. And women are just much more emotional than men in general. I can't tell you how frustrating it was though to hear that Chris was happy for others. I know, I know! This sounds completely horrible! I just wanted him so bad to feel everything to the degree that I was feeling it.

You start to distance yourself from those who are pregnant or have children. I have felt bad over the past few years because I know that I have missed having relationships with some women simply because they are pregnant or have small children. As soon as I would hear someone was pregnant, I would tell her congratulations, and unless they were already a good friend, I would pretty much keep my distance from them. In going through this journey, you figure out pretty quick what your issues are and what you need to protect yourself from emotionally. And for most people, they just can't really handle being around pregnant people much. I hate that I missed the chance to form many relationships over the past few years, but I hope to remedy that soon.

You go through an emotional roller-coaster each and every month. The first few weeks of the month, you get your hopes up that this could be THE month! Then towards the end of the month, you start getting nervous. "Is it going to happen this time?" Then when you find out that you are not pregnant at the end of the month, you are crushed. The worst is when you are on all the meds. When the meds crash out on you at the end of the month...about the same time you find out you are not pregnant...goodness!! Talk about intense! I wound up having to tell a few people at church about what all was going on one week because John, our preacher, prayed and just mentioned the word suffering. I immediately lost it and was a crying fool. I nudged Chris and said "we have to get out of here right now!" On our way out, there were two people that saw me and of course were concerned. I really appreciated these people asking me about it though...it gave me an opening to let people know what was going on for once.

When you are dealing with infertility it is literally all you can think about. Really. Your thoughts are constantly on this, and it is really miserable. I wanted so bad to not have to think about it, but you can't help it. I can't tell you how many times I told Chris over the past few years that I literally could not think of anything else. And these days with the internet, there is a lot of information out there...unfortunately. I would get on the internet and look up different things about infertility. "Could my problem be this? What about this?" It would probably be a good idea to ban a person going through this from the internet!

You feel like you are so alone. I love my mom, but she never had a mintue's trouble having me or my brother. And as much as she tried and wanted to, she could not understand what I was going through or feeling. And if you have not gone through infertility, you simply cannot possibly understand what it's like. I realize that is true for so many different things in life. The absolute best thing for me was that my dear, lifelong friend Stacy had already gone through all of this. Stacy is like a sister to me, and I HATE that she has had to go through all of this pain too and is still struggling for a child. BUT, she was the absolute best thing for me during this time. Early on, I told her how I was feeling about everything. By this point, I hadn't talked to anyone and was feeling really horrible about myself. "Why am I having all these bad feelings?" "I am such a horrible person to be feeling this way!" But when I talked to Stacy, she validated every feeling that I had and let me know that this was normal. I can't tell you how relieved I felt when I heard that I was not the only one in the world who had these feelings. Pretty freeing! Stacy also introduced me to an infertility support group that she was attending at her church. Up to this point, I had a pretty negative reaction when I thought about "support groups." There was no way I thought I would ever step foot in one. But since my dear friend had been helped by this group in her struggle and enjoyed her time with the other ladies, I decided to go along for the ride. Stacy and I would meet before the meeting to eat dinner and gripe about how things were going. It was wonderful!!! Then at the first meeting I went to, I fell in love with these ladies. I was blown away by how beautiful and strong these ladies were. We sat there and talked for hours, and it was great!! These ladies knew EXACTLY what I was going through. They spoke the same infertility language that I spoke. They knew what all the crazy letters stood for...IUI, IVF, and on and on and on. The rule is that when you become pregnant or adopt a child, you graduate from the group and do not go anymore since it would be hard for others who are still in the group. I can't tell you how much I miss seeing these ladies, but I treasure the email updates I get from them so that I can follow how the others are doing. So, my attitude has been completely changed on support groups. They are wonderful, and I recommend that anyone dealing with infertility join one.

My Infertility Journey

2010-08-24T08:55:00.000-07:00

A little over 4 years ago, we had a precious baby boy named Caleb. Now he is a big 4 year old with tons of personality, and we are crazy about him! When trying to get pregnant the first time, we had no problems. We tried for 4 months, and then embarked on the journey of being pregnant and starting a family.

When Caleb was 18 months old, we decided to start trying for baby #2. We were really excited and just knew that it would happen soon. I remember clearly the weekend that my brother & sister-in-law got married. Chris and I talked about how excited we were to try again.

Months went by, and still nothing was happening. I had some weird things happening with my body that I had never had before, but we kept trying. As the 4 month mark went by, I remember being a little bummed that it hadn't happened yet...and it had happened by then the first time. But I wasn't too terribly scared about it at that time. As each month went by that first year, I got more worried...I cried every month when I realized I was not pregnant. Friends and aquaintances starting getting pregnant and I started getting more and more annoyed by the fact that I was not pregnant. And I even started feeling like I could not be excited for others in their pregnancies.

At the end of the first year of trying, I met with my doctor to discuss what was going on. She was not worried about the minor changes my body had made since having my son...but I was still pretty worried about them. Really, she just encouraged me to keep trying and try not to worry about it and stress myself out about it. Easier said than done!

So, another year went by in which I really believe I was in a state of depression. I couldn't stand to hear others were pregnant, there is no way I could be happy for them, I didn't want to hear other mothers talk about their children. I found this one to be really weird since I had a kid. But I remember being in circles of women at church, etc. where the mothers were talking about their children, and I wanted to scream "Can we please just talk about something else!!!" Things were getting pretty bad.

At the two year mark, I told Chris that I was fed up with the whole trying thing and was going to see an infertility specialist. I really didn't give him an option. It was just like, "here is what I'm doing!"

The doctor put me on a very aggressive program to try to get me pregnant as fast as possible. I had blood work done at the first appointment, and everything looked fine, so she thought this should be a piece of cake. The first month, I took Clomid and just did it all by timing. Didn't work. The second month, I took Clomid plus injections. Didn't work, but it did give me a rather nice large cyst. So, I had to wait a month for my cyst to go down. Then the next round, we did Clomid with injections and then had an IUI. We were really excited and hopeful....but it didn't work. My last round, I did the same regiment with no luck...except three cysts this time!

By this point, I was going nuts. Completely nuts. I felt like we were flushing tons of money down the toilet and getting no results. I was frustratred with the whole situation. But I was a little glad that at least I didn't have to go through the emotional pain of another round of treatment for awhile. A few days after I found out it did not work, I heard that a friend was pregnant. That night I cried and cried and felt like crying the whole next day. The very next night, I got a call that a familiy member was pregnant. And that did me in. I have never been at such an emotional low in my whole life...and I hope I never will be again. I was unconsolable. Chris had a school event that he had to be at that night, so I called my parents to come over and take care of Caleb for me because I was in no way going to be able to function that night. My mom talked with me for two hours as I cried and cried. I didn't feel much better at the end of the night, but at least I had gotten all my crying out. The very next day, I went to the doctor and was told that I was not going to be able to do another treatment for at least another month...which was actually three months because of summer vacations. That was the icing on the top of the cake. I normally was able to leave the hospital without crying until I got to the car. Not this time. I immediately got ahold of a few people at work to let them know that I was going to have to take a mental health day. I was in no shape to go to work. My mom came and spent that day with me, took me to lunch, walked around downtown Wylie looking at shops. Then later that day I went and got a pedicure. After these few days, I was still pretty much an emotional wreck, but I could at least begin to function again.

Some friends of ours had told me about a guy that we lovingly call the "witch doctor." I had held this guy's information for a long time and figured if it ever came to the point that I was really desperate, I would contact him. It was time to pull out this guy's info! I wrote the guy and soon got a response saying that he thought I had an infection and he recommended that I take an herbal supplement for 10 days. I figured "what could it hurt!" So, I took the herbs, and low and behold...that same month I got pregnant with twins! At first I felt like it was all due to this man and these herbs that I got pregnant. As I progress, and talk to my doctors, I'm not confident of this anymore.

Really, I guess I now feel like God wanted to take me through this process and let me get to the point where I was completely broken and helpless to show me His majesty and power. Believe me, finding out you're having twins after 2 1/2 years of trying so very hard is amazing proof of God's great power and is now causing us to trust in Him in a completely different way! I feel completely blessed by God, and I feel like He is rewarding me for the little bit of faith I had along the way....even though it wasn't much, and I was pretty ticked at Him most of the time. Now I feel very favored by God, and I realize that he had a plan for us...even though I didn't like that plan during this journey. I guess He knew all along that it would be better for Caleb to be older when we have the twins. He sure will be able to help out a lot! Whatever His reasons, I am very thankful to be having twins and cannot wait to meet these little guys. And I can guarantee that I will look at them for the rest of my life and remember this journey and give thanks that God answered our prayers.

The End of a Long Journey

2010-08-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to blog about this for so long but was not ready. I am finally ready!

Most of you know that I am pregnant with twins that are due in February. I am extremely excited about this and feel extremely blessed by God!

but the reality is...

I haven't felt that way in a really long time.

Most of you now know that Chris and I just finished a 2 1/2 year struggle with infertility. In my head I still call it a struggle...though I am going to change this phrase to "My Infertility Journey"... a phrase I learned from my infertility support group friends and that I like much better than my more negative sounding phrase.

My next few posts will be about this journey, what it feels like, what I learned from it, etc. I hope it will be a help to others who are going through this journey and to those who have friends going through the journey.

Book Review of The Map by David Murrow

2010-04-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Map by David Murrow starts off as a fast paced, action packed story that keeps the reader wanting to learn more. The story disappoints in the middle of the book, but there are many great nuggets found throughout.

The three journeys of Christian men are enlightening, and Murrow's use of parable style writing is very thought provoking.

Camera Fright

2010-03-26T07:15:00.001-07:00

I take my camera with me everywhere I go. You never know when you are going to want to take a picture. So, last night was the Mother/Son Round-Up at Caleb's school. I got myself all ready then my little cowboy ready. Then I was ready to take some pictures! But I couldn't find my camera.

I HATE when I can't find my camera. It is always at a horrible time. Like last night when we were all dressed up and couldn't take any pictures. I kept thinking that at least other people would bring their cameras, but I was sad because I wouldn't be able to take as many as I wanted to take.

Then I remembered...the last time I used it was last Sunday when Caleb and I went out to play in the snow. I had it in my coat pocket. So, I went and found my coat, and ta-da! There is was.

So, thankfully we got to take a picture before we left the house and then many at the event. I'm so glad I found it!

Phone Call With Caleb

2010-03-16T13:39:00.001-07:00

Chris and Caleb are at home today since it is Spring Break. So, I called the house this morning to just check in and see what they were doing. I talked to Chris, and then I asked if I could talk to Caleb. Chris said "Hey, Caleb! Telephone for you!" without telling him who it was. So, Caleb comes to the phone and the first thing he says is "What is your name?" I said "Mommy". And in an immediately not as happy voice, he says "Oh, it's Mommy." Then a few seconds later he was ready to "hand you back to Daddy." Oh, well. I'm just glad he's been having fun hanging out with Daddy!

This Little Piggy

2010-03-11T10:57:00.000-08:00

My mom had a good idea a few weeks back that I should crochet puppets for Caleb. I got really excited about this little project and dove in to find puppet patterns. And let me tell you! Puppet patterns are not easy to find. In fact, there are only a few free ones out there. And most of them just aren't all that cute.

So, anyway, I found a few patterns that I liked and then went and bought yarn. My first puppet was a pig since it looked like the easiest one to make.

So, here is the pig! Caleb has been so excited about this, and he can't wait for me to make him a tiger next!

2010 Ladies Retreat

2010-03-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I went to the RE Ladies Retreat. It was a wonderful retreat with superb speakers. Here are some pictures from the fun!

Enjoying the dessert bar

Zip line time! Blogger decided to put these pictures in backwards, so this is my last shot as I was hanging around waiting to be taken down.
Flying!

Treats with Grammie

2010-01-06T12:11:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Grammie came and stayed with us for a few days to see Daddy & Caleb's concerts. We had a wonderful time! During that time, Caleb and Grammie made some special treats!

Christmas in the Park

2010-01-06T11:46:00.000-08:00

Highlights from Thanksgiving

2010-01-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

Introducing a New Crochet Blog

2010-01-05T06:58:00.000-08:00

Anyone that knows me very well knows that I love to crochet. I'm always up for a challenge on new projects.

But over the years I have discovered that there are really no good crochet websites out there. Not good instructions, not a good place for patterns, etc.

So, in the car on the way back from Colorado the other day I decided I would start my own website.

Now, obviously it is just in its beginning stages, but I have big plans for this site! So, when you get a chance, go to:

www.crochethooked.com

Let me know what you think, and I promise to have more content up ASAP!

2010 Books

2010-01-05T06:35:00.001-08:00

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Girl in the Orange Dress by Margot Starbuck
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Varghese
The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory - 5
The Map by David Murrow - 6
Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas -
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - 6
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz - 5
The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks -
Extras by Scott Westerfeld - 7
Specials by Scott Westerfeld - 7
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton - 8
Pretties by Scott Westerfeld - 7
A Perfect Love by Lenora Worth - 4
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - 7
Persuasion by Jane Austen - 6
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall -
The Road by Cormac McCarthy - 6
The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose - 7

Conversations with Caleb

2009-11-20T13:04:00.001-08:00

The other day in the car...

Caleb: "Mommy, I make the directions. You follow the directions!"

No matter how much discussion we had about this, he still thought he was right. He can think that, but in practice he is not right. :)

No Comprendo

2009-11-13T19:53:00.000-08:00

Last night at dinner, Caleb kept messing with me. I finally said "Stop it!" to which he kept on messing with me. So finally I said "Do you not know what 'Stop it!' means?" (like any good parent would). Caleb's response was to look at me as serious as he can be and say..."No comprendo."

I laughed.

I was shocked that he knew these words. I was shocked even more that he knew how to use them in correct context.

Man, I love that kid!

Meet the Veggie Tales!

2009-10-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Meet Larry Boy!

Bob the Tomato & Madame Blueberry
dancing Alfred and Larry Boy

Junior!

The whole gang is here!

Alfred!

And Grandmother came for the show!

Happy Halloween!

Smart Boy

2009-09-10T11:49:00.001-07:00

So, about a month or so ago now, Caleb started talking about the day that we went to the doctor when he had the flu while we were riding in the car. He asked "What was the doctor's name?" I said "Dr. King." Then he asked "What was the ladies name?" I said "I don't know. She was a nurse, but I don't know her name." So he said "I bet her name was Dr. Queen!"

How great is that! I was so impressed that he knew that king and queen went together. That he knew that kind went with boys and queen went with girls.

I am constantly amazed by the things he knows and says!

500th Post

2009-07-31T11:23:00.000-07:00

After starting this blog almost three years ago, here I am at my 500th post! So much has happened during those years, but it seems like just yesterday! I have enjoyed this outlet of writing and posting pictures for family and friends. My plan is to make the first 500 posts into a book that our family can look back through in years to come. I want Caleb to be able to look back when he is older to see what he was doing at each stage, funny things he did and to see what I was like when I was younger and see into some of my thoughts.

Here's to 500 more!

Silly Pictures

2009-07-29T12:39:00.001-07:00

Caleb had the flu, so on Monday we had to stay home from school. Caleb has some kind of fascination with his tuxedo (and his suit, for that matter) even though it is 12 mo. size and he is 3 years old!!! He saw his tuxedo hanging in the laundry room and kept asking if he could wear it. Being the meany that his Mommy is, she kept saying "No, you really don't need to wear your tuxedo. We're not going to wear it today." You would have thought I was the meanest Mom alive. Caleb boo-hoo'd and griped and complained and wanted his Daddy. But Daddy was out of town, so we wound up having to call Daddy to tell him how mean Mommy is.

He finally talked me into at least putting on the jacket...then the bow tie...then the vest...then the pants. So, he won the battle. But then it was so darn cute! So I had to take a picture!
My softball game got cancelled last night. My grandmother was going to come watch Caleb for me, so she just came over anyway so we could eat and play! We had a fun time! This is Caleb's funny face at dinner. Such a silly boy!

2009 Hot Springs/DeGray Vacation: Day 8

2009-07-23T13:55:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, we ran the River City 5K in North Little Rock. Caleb even rode in the stroller!

An after the race picture.
We ate lunch at Las Palmas. We really enjoyed our visit with Kathy!

After leaving Little Rock, we went back to Hot Springs to go to the Garvan Woodland Gardens.

Koi pond

Pretty waterfall

2009 Hot Springs Vacation: Day 7

2009-07-23T13:44:00.001-07:00

On Friday, we drove to Little Rock to meet Kathy. We ate lunch at Cici's and then went to the market area downtown. That night we at dinner at Carino's and then tried unsuccessfully to find a mini golf place. We stayed the night in Little Rock to run a 5K the next morning.

The boys playing games at Cici's.

Hanging out with Kathy!

They had a great spray park downtown that Caleb LOVED!

And a cool playground! Looking at the ducks in the Peabody hotel.

Caleb wanted to go up in the elevator at the Peabody hotel.

So up they went!

Buddies!

Hot Springs/DeGray Vacation: Day 6

2009-07-23T13:33:00.001-07:00

On Day 6, we went to the Mid-America Science Museum. Afterwards we ate a late lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings (Chris & Caleb's favorite restaurant) and then tried to go to the Garvan Woodland Gardens. A big thunderstorm came through, so had to go back to the trailer. We opened the screen door of the trailer so we could enjoy the sounds of the nice thunderstorm.

The structure I built to withstand an earthquake. It worked!

Caleb building an arch.
Looking at daddy on the other side while playing with lights.

Daddy making "music".

Making the lights come on.

I loved these things when I was a kid, and Caleb was no different!

Funky mirrors!

Hot Springs/DeGray Vacation: Day 5

2009-07-23T13:25:00.001-07:00

On Day 5, we went swimming, took naps and then went on a sunset boat ride that night!

Chris' nose pointing to the sun! :)

Hot Springs/DeGray Vacation: Day 4

2009-07-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

On Day 4, we walked the Saginaw Trail then the boys went fishing. We then took naps and went to eat dinner at Fish Net - a must when you're in the Arkadelphia area!

Walking the trail
A picture taken by Caleb.

The boys fishing.

Mommy ready to go eat some fish!

Daddy doing a massive connect the dots page.

The finished product.

Hot Spring/DeGray Vacation: Day 3

2009-07-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

On Monday, we went into Hot Springs and talked around looking at the bath houses. Then we ate a great Ecuadorian restaurant downtown.

Caleb drinking his "coffee".

Playing with Daddy's bike helmet.

By a fountain in Hot Springs.

Caleb and Mommy at lunch.

Daddy & Caleb's turn for a picture.

My yummy quesadillas.

My wonderful boys!

Silly faces

We fished for a few minutes before the lightening came near.

Then it was wrestling time on the couch!

Hot Springs/Degray Vacation: Day 2

2009-07-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

Day Two: We at breakfast (everyday, actually! Which was very nice because we never eat breakfast. It was so great to sit with each other every morning to share breakfast!) then went bike riding. Caleb did great but wound up falling a few times. He got some road rash on his arm and was then nervous to ride his bike the rest of the trip.

We all took naps in the afternoon and then cooked fajitas for dinner that night. Yummy!

More of Caleb's photography. This is his picture of himself.

And here's one of the truck and his shoes.

Caleb and Daddy spent two nights sleeping in the tent. This picture is one I took of them when I said night, night and zipped them up in the tent for the night. Caleb had a blast sleeping in the tent! It was a special time for the boys...Mommy slept in the trailer where it was air conditioned!

Hot Springs/DeGray Vacation: Day 1

2009-07-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

The Carroll's went on our first vacation with just the three of us last week. We had a great time!

It took us 5 hours to get to DeGray. This included 5 stops on the way...4 for Caleb to use the potty and one for lunch.

That day, we set up the trailer, went to Walmart, ate dinner at Mazzio's and just hung out.

Chris sporting a full beard.

Caleb took this picture. He is becoming quite the photographer.

We took turns riding our bikes around the circle. On my first and only trip around for that night, my back bike tire exploded. We then had to go into Walmart to get me a new tube.

This picture happened on accident, but it makes it look like Chris was riding blazing fast!

Caleb Stories: The Tour de France

2009-07-22T11:11:00.001-07:00

Chris is a HUGE Tour de France/cycling fan. I've always thought it was funny because we have never owned a bike. But that was remedied a few weeks ago when we all got bikes.

So, Chris kept Caleb home the last few weeks to potty train. Over this time, they watched quite a bit of the Tour de France. So, now when Caleb sees bikes on the road (or even just one biker), he says "Look, it's the Tour de France!" And he even pronounces it correctly!

We were in a running shop this last weekend that had a tv on, and Caleb immediately declares that it was the Tour de France on tv. And he was right!

We figure he's one of very few three year olds that are so tuned into the Tour de France!

Caleb Stories: Huh & Shrugging Shoulders

2009-07-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

My next observation is that Caleb now sometimes says "huh" or shrugs his shoulders after we say something to him.

Examples of his usage of "huh":
Mommy, Daddy likes to ride his bike, huh?
After being told something, he also says "huh" to show he was listening.

He also now likes to shrug his shoulders either when answering a question with a verbal response or without.

Example:
Mommy: "Caleb, where have you seen a Vege Tales movie before?
Caleb: shrugs shoulders "I don't know. Church?"

Too funny!

Caleb Stories: Helping Out

2009-07-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

My third observation about Caleb was that he is now finally getting ready to really help out around the house. He is always perfectly willing to help any way he can. So, one night as I was getting ready for dinner, I decided that Caleb could set the table. And he did! He did a wonderful job at it and it made me start thinking of new ways he can help out.

Caleb Stories: Imagination

2009-07-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

My second observation about Caleb over the course of last week was that he has a very active imagination. He can play very well on his own these days and make up games or fun things to do.

His favorite thing to do was to play with his golf clubs in the trailer. He would hit the ball and then run around to hit it again.

The interesting part about this little game was that his golf ball's name was "Wolfie". And man did Wolfie have a personality!! Wolfie would be funny sometimes and get in trouble the next. A few times, Wolfie hit me while I was either washing dishes or moving around the trailer. Caleb made the situation right, though, by telling Wolfie, "Wolfie, we don't hit Mommy! That's not nice!"

It was so great to see Caleb's mind at work!!

Caleb Stories: Look At Me

2009-07-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

Over our vacation last week, there were many things that struck me about Caleb that I needed to blog about.

The first observation is that he is in a stage right now where he loves to say "Look at me!" It doesn't matter what he is doing, he wants us to look at him.

Sometimes, he'll even change it up and say "Mommy, look at me! This is a funny one!" or if he thinks it is extra funny he'll say "Mommy, look at me! This is a REALLY funny one!"

Batman

2009-07-08T12:42:00.001-07:00

I love my conversations with Caleb. He comes up with the funniest lines that make me crack up. Here are a few from the other night at bed time:

(after putting Caleb in his new Batman pajamas complete with a cool cape)
Mommy: Ok, Batman! Fly off to bed!
Caleb: Well, not in the house!!
(he's learned his indoor rules very well!)

(then when I was telling him goodnight)
Mommy: Goodnight, Batman!
Caleb: Goodnight, Batgirl!

I just had to post this because I know I'll forget this very soon, and I'll want to have a record of it someday. Too cute!

Back in the Day

2009-07-06T13:42:00.000-07:00

Back in the day, a long, long time ago (4 years) I was a teacher. I rode school buses to take kids to band contests in the rain. I worked very hard to make sure my kids had the best.

And...I had pictures taken of me that would come back to haunt me in later years. Why did I ever let parents take pictures of me? I should have had them check their cameras in at the door. Afterall, that's what Cher does for her concerts. What was I doing in this picture? Why am I not tending to the needs of the precious children loading the bus? Why am I so happy looking? :)

My friend Ginger left this picture on my desk this weekend for me. It brings me back to the old days of band. There are times when I really miss these days, but 99% of the time I am completely satisfied in doing what I am doing now. But it's nice to relive the memories every once in awhile. Thanks, Ginger!

4th of July Camping

2009-07-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

We spent July 4th weekend camping with Mimi & Poppy and some friends in Tyler.

We parked in the Atwoods parking lot (a ranch/home store) to watch the fireworks. Dad was interested in checking out the cattle shoots in the parking lot. Of course, I had to take a picture.

Chris watching the fireworks. Mimi and Caleb watching the fireworks on top of the truck.

Mimi, Caleb and Poppy watching fireworks.

Me and Chris before the fireworks started.

It was a good show!

Chris decided to take a run and Caleb wanted to go with him. Poppy agreed to run with Caleb for a little bit until Chris turned off onto the big road. (My camera had been inside and as fogged over in these pictures.)

Playground time!

The slides went FAST!

I love this picture! Cracks me up thinking how fast they shot out of the slide each time!

We had a great weekend! Now we are looking forward to our vacation in Hot Springs next week...just the three of us for the first time!

Seeing Old Teachers

2009-07-02T06:28:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night, I saw my 7th grade choir director at dinner. This guy was only my teacher for that one year, and I was just a quiet, nerdy little 7th grader that never talked. I should have not been memorable in any way. I just blended into the surroundings.

But when I saw him, he immediately recognized me. I haven't seen the man in 15ish years, and he recognizes me? That is some kind of good memory.

I'm always amazed when I see teachers from long ago and they always remember me. I guess I don't look that different than I did when I was in middle school. Now that's a scary thought!!

I will probably be the bad teacher that never remembers her old kids. Every once in awhile, I run into some of my old kids and so far I have been able to recognize them. That doesn't mean I always remember their names, but it's been amazing at how fast their names pop back in my head when I see them most of the time.

A Boy and His Bike

2009-07-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

Caleb got a cool Spider Man bike for his birthday. While I was out of town this weekend, Chris taught Caleb how to ride his bike. He never did all that well on his tricycle, but he caught on to the bike very quickly! He is loving being able to ride! Chris is determined that he will practice at least once everyday to get ready for camping this weekend where he'll get to ride bikes with our friends Korlyn & Colton.

Pictures from Buffalo Wild Wings

2009-06-24T12:31:00.000-07:00

My boys LOVE Buffalo Wild Wings. Because it is Chris' favorite, it is now Caleb's favorite. So, we headed off there last night. These are the photos (minus some really bad ones of Mommy that she will not allow on the internet) that were taken.

Chris and I played trivia while we were there too. Chris got a whole lot of points and wound up getting on their highest points record. He's a smarty pants. I didn't do too bad myself. I was just little behind Chris...though he would say that I was WAY behind him. :)

One Way Caleb is Not Like Me...and Sweetness

2009-06-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

Caleb can remember people's names like nothing else! They can say it once, and he's got it for a lifetime. The other day, we were at a restaurant. The waitress said her name when we first sat down. I wasn't really paying attention (so typical!). But halfway through the meal Caleb said "Thank you, Mary!" Chris and I were shocked that he knew her name! This isn't just a one-time occurance either. He really remembers names easily. I heard another story last night from a teacher at his school that she had been gone for at least a semester, but when she came back Caleb still remembered her name...and she hadn't even been his teacher. I need to take a lesson from him. When someone tells me their name, most of the time I'm not even listening. I'm probably thinking about what we can talk about since I am not great with small talk. Or who knows what I'm thinking...I just don't take the second to really listen to the person's name and commit it to memory. I am very ashamed of this, but Caleb is making me realize just how important it is to know names.

My grandmother came over last night to watch Caleb while we were at our softball game (we won the game! So exciting! - well the rest of the team did...I was on the injured reserve list for this game.) Since we were getting home really late, she wound up spending the night at our house. So as I'm getting Caleb ready this morning, we put some shorts on him that grandmother just gave him for his birthday. He immediately said "We need to go downstairs and tell Grandmother Thank You!" without any prompting from me. What a sweet, thoughtful boy!

Father's Day/Caleb's Birthday - 3

2009-06-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

Caleb and I LOVE Daddy! Daddy does so much for both of us and loves us even when we both get fussy! :) Daddy got a new grill this weekend that we christened by grilling lots of meat on Saturday night. Caleb made Daddy a card and also a homemade tie at school. Daddy wore Caleb's tie to church and even wore it on stage while he was on praise team! It was so great and very sweet! We love our Daddy!

Caleb took this picture of Daddy.
Then more birthday fun! Mimi & Poppy brought over a new car for Caleb to ride around in.

Caleb's 3rd Birthday - 2

2009-06-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

We had a family birthday party on Saturday. It was a fire truck party. It was so nice to have so many of our family together and Caleb got all kinds of fun stuff!

Caleb's 3rd Birthday

2009-06-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

Caleb had quite the birthday celebration this weekend! It started off with Mommy & Caleb's lunch date on Friday. Then he had baseball cupcakes with his friends at school.

My Little 3 Year Old

2009-06-19T11:43:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Caleb!

Each year for Caleb's birthday, I take him for a special birthday lunch. Just him and Mommy! He wanted a quesadilla today, so that's what he got!

An attempt to take a picture together. Why am I so bad at taking my own pictures?
Caleb took this picture. He wanted to take one on his own, so I taught him how and ta-da!

Caleb's birthday is tomorrow, and since I will be busy with his party and family in town I thought I would go ahead and post about my little boy.

Caleb has grown so much over this last year. He is learning his alphabet, his numbers and has pretty much mastered the English language! He is so smart and also has such a sweet heart. He surprises me everyday by what he knows and how caring he really is. He makes me laugh and I am so proud of the boy that he is!

Happy Birthday, Caleb!

Cooking Class

2009-06-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

Caleb and I are in Cooking Class in H.O.W. each Wednesday night at church right now. The first week we made crepes, and this week we made the best pizza! We made tomato & chese pizza, veggie pizza and dessert pizza with fruit on it! The picture above is the pizza that Caleb and I made together. It was delicious! (Caleb even said so!) I can't wait to get the dough recipe so I can start making my own yummy pizza at home!

Softball

2009-06-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

I had my first official softball game ever last night. Our team is the Sluggers.

I had a blast last night. I got to bat twice and hit the ball both times. The first time, I just kind of hit the ball off the edge of the bat. It looked like it was going to be a foul, but the catcher hit it back in, so I made it on first base. The second time I actually had a pretty decent hit. I should have not slowed down in my running to first because I just barely got thrown out.

But as I hit first base, my right foot turned horribly wrong and I wound up on the ground with a sprained ankle. I was so glad Chris was standing right there as the 1st base coach so he could help me. He had me go off to the other team's dugout to sit for a minute. A guy in the parking lot that had seen it happen ran over and gave me a bag of ice which was soooo nice! My foot hurt pretty bad last night, but this morning it seems to be much better already. I'm still very slow getting around, but I think it won't take long to heal.

Oh, and I also got to play 2nd base. So, despite the injury I loved my first softball game (minus all of the mosquitos)! It was great to hang out with friends, and I can't wait for more games!

Why I Like Camping

2009-06-15T09:40:00.001-07:00

Ok, there is no way I'll include all the fun things about camping, but I'll try!

Sitting in a chair and doing nothing...except maybe reading.
Pretty scenery.
Kids can run around, get dirty...then at the end of the day they are wiped out!
Spending time with friends and family.
Food! Camping food is the best!
Just getting away from the house.
It's cheap!
Camp fires.
Smores. (They are in their own category...not merely in the food category)
And many more!

take me out to the ballgame

2009-06-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

When we took Caleb to his first Ranger's game, I sang "Take me out to the ballgame" to him a million times. Ever since then, he has LOVED that song.

So tonight on the way home from church (after eating a crepe AND ice cream), he began in on his own rendition of the song. Here's how it goes:

Take me out to the ballgame
Take me out to the crowd
Buy me peanut butter and crackers
(Skip the the next line of the song)
Root, root, root for Home Depot

And really, that is where the song trails off. But hey, it ends with a bang!

Oh Lord!

2009-06-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

Caleb is old enough to be potty trained...but he's not yet. Really, it's just a matter of time.

Let me give a little explanation before you take a glimpse into our conversation tonight. Sometimes when I am changing Caleb's diaper and it is really gross, yucky, nasty, etc. I tend to say "Oh Lord!" when I open up the diaper. It's just something I can't really control all that well. I never thought Caleb paid any attention to it though...until tonight...

Our conversation just a little bit ago tonight -

Mommy after noticing Caleb was stinky: Caleb, let's go upstairs and change your diaper.

Caleb: Are you going to say "Oh Lord!"?

Mommy: Probably

So, I guess he's noticed that I say this...and when it is in appropriate context.

It made me laugh.

Happy Easter Y'all!

2009-06-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I realize these are really old, but better late than never!

I missed Caleb's Easter Egg Hunt at school, but I caught them as they were coming back in the building. What a cute guy!

Egg Hunt at Grandmother's.
On Easter morning in his fancy suit that he LOVES!

Pictures from Lately (or not so lately)

2009-06-04T07:35:00.001-07:00

Where Do I Live?

2009-06-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

Caleb: Mimi lives in Mesquite.

Mommy: You're right!

Caleb: Grammy lives in Ennis.

Mommy: Very good!

Caleb: Where does Caleb live?

Mommy: Caleb, Mommy & Daddy live in Sachse.

Caleb: Is that like the Saxy-phone? (aka. saxophone) Daddy plays the saxophone!

Mommy: (laughing) You're right! He sure does!

Caleb's First Movie

2009-06-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we took Caleb to his first movie in the theater. We got him a big popcorn, and he had a great time watching Disney's Earth.

Crazy Hat Day

2009-06-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

Caleb's school had crazy hat day a few weeks ago. We didn't really have a very crazy hat, so we had to spice it up a bit.

Bowling with the BAD Girls

2009-06-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

Instead of talking about a book this month, we decided to do something fun! (Not that talking about books isn't fun, too!)

The bowling pro, Lindsay!
A picture of one of my many...err, 2 strikes. I also had a 10 pin spare in there. That counts for something, right?

For even better pictures of the night, go to Rachel's blog.

I'm Back!! End of Naptime?

2009-06-02T07:38:00.001-07:00

To my faithful readers whom I have let down by not posting (mainly the grandparents of my kid), sorry! But I am back!

We may be approaching the end of naps around our house. It's a sad, sad time. Last Saturday, Caleb came bounding downstairs after about 20 minutes and announced very happily "Daddy, I had a goooood nap!" Mommy immediately marched him back upstairs to try again. He then wound up in our bed just so he would actually go to sleep.

Then on Sunday, I had a horrible headache so I went to sleep really fast. I kept hearing little things every once in awhile but didn't ever see Caleb in my room, so I just kept sleeping. I heard later that he had gone to his old room where all of his books are and quietly read and played with toys. Then later, he decided to come sit and play in the doorway of our bedroom. Pretty quickly, I realized he was there and made him come take a nap.

I LOVE naps! And I will still be taking naps long after Caleb decides he's done with them. I'm just happy that he already knows that he needs to play quietly while mommy is sleeping! But I really would wish he would still take a nap.

Caleb's New Bed

2009-04-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

TaaDaa! I am finally getting around to putting Caleb's new bed pictures on here!

Chris built Caleb bunk beds for his new big boy room! When they are completely finished, they will have stairs leading up to the top bunk with drawers coming out of each of the steps. Caleb is in love with his new bed/new room. He thinks it is the coolest thing ever and is excited about going to bed each night.

Of course, we had to go with a sports theme!

Caleb LOVES his new lamp! He has spent a lot of time just turning the lamp on and off. The first night, he would run back and forth telling us "Daddy, I'm going to turn the lamp on now! Daddy, I'm going to turn the lamp off now!" If we had only known sooner that it would just take a lamp to keep him entertained... :)

Bed Time Tonight

2009-03-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

Me to Caleb: I love you sooo much!

Caleb: I love you sooo much, too!

Me: You're my boy!

Caleb: You're my girl!

Ahhh, good times!

A New Love

2009-03-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the Google Maps application on my new Blackberry. It has already helped me out a few times when I wanted to look something up. It is so great to be able to find directions, but it is even cooler to be able to see where you are right at that moment. Pretty awesome!

Yesterday, on my way to Pit Stop, Caleb and I stopped at a gas station to get some drinks. While we were there, there was a lady that was asking for directions. The lady at the counter that was trying to help her had no clue where the lady needed to go. I asked her where she needed to go, but I had no clue where it was either.

THEN, I realized...Wait! I have Google Maps on my phone. So I entered in my location and where the lady needed to go. And Bam! Within seconds I had directions for her! It was so great! I love helping people anyway, so it made me feel really good that I could help her out. And that I could use my new cool phone in the process.

Google Maps application, I love you!

Confession

2009-02-26T16:55:00.000-08:00

I don't answer the door when Chris isn't home. And when Chris is home, I normally make him answer it. I am a big chicken. So if you want me to open the door, call before you come.

Night at the Park

2009-02-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

Caleb and I had a great time playing at the park last night. Thanks Browns for coming and playing with us! We'll have to do it again when more of our friends can join us. It was a beautiful night and we had fun together!

Caleb eating his Chick-fil-a

Walking to the car after a night of fun!

One last "cheese"!

A Night at the Park - Want to Come?

2009-02-12T08:11:00.000-08:00

The weather is supposed to be beautiful today, so I was thinking I would take Caleb to the park to play tonight. Anyone want to meet us? I thought we could have a picnic (or not if you don't want to) and let the kids play. I was planning on just going to the playground in Woodbridge at the corner of Woodbridge Parkway and Laurel Crest, but if anyone has any better ideas, I'm up for that too. If no one can come, that is ok too! How about 5ish, or any time you can come!

Valentine's Card

2009-02-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

Caleb's class at school has a Valentine's party and gives Valentines each year. So the last few years, I made the trek to the store to buy Valentine's. But I just don't like the Valentines that they have in the stores. They never have anything that I think fits Caleb well. So, last year, I made my own card. And I've made another card for this year! I absolutely LOVE making my own cards. They are cheaper and much cuter than anything I can buy in the store. Plus I get to put the kid's name on the front of the card as well as special messages on the inside. How perfect is that! So, here is the card for this year. It folds in half, and the top picture is the front of the card, 2nd picture is the inside of the card. I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's weekend!

A Kiss

2009-02-10T12:58:00.001-08:00

I grew up in a family that kissed on the cheek...not the lips. So lip kissing has always made me uncomfortable...except for with Chris, of course. So, it's really kind of bothering me that over the last few days, Caleb has gotten to where he only wants to kiss on the lips. Yesterday he announced to me in the car that "Mommy, I have lips!" So I don't know if it's some kind of new thing because he's discovered his lips or if it's because he has seen Mommy and Daddy kissing. Either way, I feel like I need to break this quick...but then, it's also kind of cute. What to do...what to do...

Playing in the Backyard

2009-02-05T07:09:00.001-08:00

Caleb and I spent a little time out in the backyard last night playing. We hadn't been out there in awhile since it has been kind of chilly lately, but we had a great time yesterday!

Caleb LOVES his mower!

A picture break in the fun!

This Morning

2009-02-04T12:30:00.001-08:00

This picture is of Caleb this morning. When I looked back there to see what he was doing, he had his hands folded together and I thought it was so darn cute. So I had to take a picture!

Date Night

2009-02-04T11:07:00.001-08:00

Last Friday night, my mom asked if Caleb could spend the night at their house. Of course, I said yes! So, Chris and I went to the IMAX to see Dark Knight since Chris hadn't seen it yet. I had also reserved a hotel room for us for the night and even packed Chris' bag for him before he got home! We stayed at the Prava Suites by the Galleria. It is very modern looking and was a great "different" place to go to. We had a very nice weekend, just the two of us!

The Caleb Show

2009-01-14T12:37:00.000-08:00

Caleb got a new guitar for Christmas from Grammie & Gramps that is so cool! It is a great little guitar. So every once in awhile, he will give us a show. I love The Caleb Show! There is singing, dancing, crowd participation...it's great! Here are some pictures.

Well, ok first this is one of Caleb sitting with Poppy. I just had to include it!

He's really getting into the act here!
He's such a superstar!

Well, ok, this one is of him playing football with Poppy. Not a show picture, but still very cute.

I love how he is holding the guitar in this one! What a funny boy!

What Did You Do At School Today?

2009-01-06T17:43:00.001-08:00

Even when Caleb was a little baby I would ask him what he did at school that day. Of course, I knew he wouldn't answer but I always figured the earlier I could get him trained to tell me everything he did all day, the funner it would be. So I was shocked yesterday after being out of school for a week and a half that when I asked him what he did at school, he actually answered. And when I kept for asking for more, he actually gave me more! And the same thing happened today! I'm so excited that he can now tell me what was fun in his day, what made him sad, what made him cry, who was nice, who was mean...really just everything about his day! Now everyone just better be careful because you can be sure that his Momma is going to hear about it! :)

My New Favorite Thing

2009-01-06T08:14:00.001-08:00

This is my new favorite thing! I saw it at a craft sale a few months ago and immediately put it on my Christmas list. It is a wickless candle that is heated by a 25 watt light bulb. They come in many, many different designs. You put the wax on the top part and the bulb melts it. The scents come in bars so you can use as much or little as you want. You can even combine scents if you want. I have been using the Orange Harvest scent since I got it, and it is wonderful! There is no danger leaving it on since it is just heated by a light bulb. And it makes my house smell great! It's definitely my favorite thing right now in my house! http://www.scentsy.net/ You should look into getting one!

2009 Books

2009-01-04T17:51:00.000-08:00

Prior Bad Acts by Tami Hoag - 6
Peony in Love by Lisa See - 7
To the Nines by Janet Evanovich - 6
Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich - 6
3001: The Final Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke - 8
2061: Odyssey Three by Arthur C. Clarke - 8
2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke - 8
The Art Thief by Noah Charney - 7
Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan - 6
The Host by Stephenie Meyer -
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke - 8
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann - 7
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - 6
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich - 5
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - 8
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - 9
Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren - 7
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - 9
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - 6
The Help by Kathryn Stockett - 8
Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors - 8
Carry Me Home by Sandra Kring - 7
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume - 8
The Amber Room by Steve Berry - 7
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton - 7
Mutant Message Down Under - 8
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant - 7
Hot Six by Janet Evanovich - 6
Middlemarch by George Eliot - 6
Eragon by Christopher Paolini - 6
Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne - 8
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer - 7
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers - 9
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer - 8
High Five by Janet Evanovich - 7
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult - 8
Four to Score by Janet Evanovich - 7
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer - 9
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke - 7
Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore - 9
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - 9
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin - 7
Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich - 7
Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser - 7
The Appeal by John Grisham - 7
Double Take by Catherine Coulter - 6

2008 CDC Christmas Program

2008-12-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

Caleb's class dressed up as elves this year for their annual Christmas program. They sang a song, and it was very cute! It was a great program!

All the grandparents came out to see the show! Here are Caleb and Grammie before the program.