Enjoying the Quiet

It's just a little after 2 on a Monday afternoon and I'm sitting in my family room, engaged on my laptop. Do you hear that noise? All I can hear is the clickety-clack of my own fingers on the laptop because my two darling children are actually napping in their beds synchronously and simultaneously.  This hardly ever happens anymore, as I have a toddler who likes to push back nap time until it's ridiculously late, and I have an 8 month old who *most of the time* goes to sleep when I put him down (he may not nap as long, but he's not nearly as persistent 'yet' as his older sis).

Shhh! Contrary to the looks of this picture,
they're both actually sleeping!

So I'm-a-gonna enjoy this quiet time for just a few.  

Start some laundry, maybe try my hand at this homemade real-gelatin jello?? Why not.  I believe me and my kids could always use a boost!

There's loads going on in the next couple of weeks, including my SIL's baby shower, a consignment sale (Jumping Jeans if you're in Tampa!) and just life.  If you can't find me, I'm probably in a mess of clothes or learning how to make baked brie (tips welcome).  Hit me up on my celly.

It was the best of times...

It was the worst of times.
-Charles Dickens

Say it with me now.


Nothing in life ever stays the same for quite too long!

Summer in Florida is a constant flux of heat, sunshine and rain, and with it can come endlessly long days ... certain things make it much easier, like weeks of VBS, girls nights, and anniversary dinners, so the good certainly balances out the bad, and we definitely needed some balancing out around here.

With teething comes a few more long nights (with short bouts of sleep), so occasionally I've felt like this bear:

all out-of-sorts & upside down

Afternoon storms make a tired girl crash on the couch:

Anniversary dinners mark 5 years!

eating our hearts out at Texas de Brazil (a Brazilian steakhouse)

And there's hardly nothing a quick trip through Target can't solve:

In other news, we may have found a new hangout spot for the local ladies with little ones. Call me cliche, but I've always wanted a place where the kids could be free to play and run around while I enjoy a latte.  Unfortunately, Starbucks can only do so much for tots + bebes, but enter Monkey Bizness at our local outdoor shops, and we're already in love.  An indoor jungle gym of sorts, a bounce house + slide, and even a crawlers area for Gabe!  There's also an art room in the back if the kids get a little spent running around.  We spent a couple of hours there today and tuckered both kids out pretty well and I can definitely say I'm really looking forward to going back!

Gabe owning the "crawlers" zone

Mia painting "happy trees," complete with hippie braid

Braden coloring a car

Welcome back, moments of sanity. I needed you!

Gabe at 8 months

Gabe is 8 months old.

Say it is NOT so.
it is not so.


But it is.

Little baby Gabriel ain't so little anymore.  He's 8 months old and over 2/3 of the way through his first year.  Let that tear drip now.  And now, blot it.

Let's take a look at Gabe at 8 months.

He's 19 lbs.

He's tall.  I have no idea the exact length, but everyone remarks on how long he is.  Thank you, family heritage, for pulling through.

He has reddish-auburnish-brown hair. 'Tis very sweet.  I don't think that crossed family blood lines from Braden/Amanda side, but stranger things have happened.

He's started scooting and army-crawling.

He rolls around the floors like he's on a mission.

He likes basketballs and fire trucks. No influencing required.  He might have some Wiley in him after all.

He thinks Mia is awesome. Even if he pulls her hair (it's his current love language).

He thinks my iPhone is amazing.

...and he's starting to eat more and more solid foods.

He has at least 2 teeth. I thought he had 3, but maybe it got scared of the real world and snuck back inside his gums, for last Friday I spied a tooth, and now there is none.  But they're getting ready to emerge because he is chewing on everything.

He's a little man and we dearly love him.

Chronicles of a Stay-at-Home-Mother

Sophie the Giraffe
Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Chronicles of a Stay-at-Home-Mother
Subtitle: Things Fall Apart & Things Come Together

Somedays, I sit back and listen to my inner voice about the things that I celebrate and the things that I loathe and can only make fun of myself.  So sad about losing Sophie the Giraffe teething toy to someone else at Target?  Thrilled that my daughter is potty-trained, and so excited when we hear her tinkle?  Excited about the many opportunities surfacing to now make healthy freezer cooking meals?
Seriously, who am I?  A SAHM (stay-at-home-mom), that's who I am.

Lest I start to get cynical and think these things aren't valuable or worthwhile, I remind myself, they are:

Sophie was an investment I made in faith. Firstly, that buying a famous rubber teething toy that hails from France wouldn't result in my flying around the story like a willy-nilly trying to find her in every crook and cranny and calling guest services more than once to inquire about her, but alas, when she was no longer seen in Gabe's carseat cozily tucked in next to him, that's exactly what I did.  Also, she was great for Gabe to chew on.  Good investment, that unfortunately someone else is now banking on...

That's not Mia.Photo credit: life123.com

Now, as you (should) know, potty-training is a life skill.  Think about how many times a day you use the bathroom (or...don't), and thank your parents or some other kind individual that they taught you how to control this bodily function.

Freezer Meals
Photo Credit: apartmenttherapy.com

And freezer meals*....huzzah! To not have to worry about how I'm going to make dinner every night  -  I mean, the proverbial "what's for dinner?" question would never again send me into hysterics.


Now, to get back to Downton Abbey before the kids wake up (yeah right).



*Other healthy real food options for freezer cooking that I've recently found:
Health Home & Happiness Grain-free Freezer Cooking
Once a Month Mom - Whole Foods menu (they also have gluten-free & dairy-free menus too!)

hello, June!

We've been busy.

We've been swimming.

We've been sick.

We've been eating!

We've been teething.

We've been (somewhat) sleeping.

We've been rearranging.

We've been having fun.