let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...oh no!

The view from our bedroom window this morning:

smiles all around!

Uncle Chad just landed and we are thrilled to have him with us for Thanksgiving!

Siblings in super cool hats...

My super cool hat got in the way when I took this pic, but it was still cute...

Aubrey has been trying to hog all of Uncle Chad's attention, while Addy keeps calling him Uncle Bink...they haven't seen him in a while!
YAY for Uncle Chad! :)

our baby...

IS...

GROWING...

GROWING...

GROWING...


GROWN!!!

Yep, our little wild child turned two on Saturday. We went for her check-up today, and she is 36.34 in. tall(97th percentile) and 29.24 lbs (75th percentile). She is growing like a weed and talking up a storm. After the nurse gave her shots today, she told me, "lady hurt me". It was sad, but then she got stickers and all was forgotten. We were even able to locate daddy in the hospital and have lunch with him. Addy truly is a special child. She has charisma, and she makes people around her smile all the time. She is so laid back and carefree, and has been since she popped out. She really is an easy child to raise, and we are truly blessed to have her.

so I promise I watch her...

My baby needs a padded room.
Tonight: hot burner + little hand = bad combination. (while she was standing RIGHT next to me and seriously two seconds after I said the burners are HOT!)
The sweet baby cried for maybe two minutes, even though I know she was in some serious pain. I asked her later if she was ok, and she said, "no ok." I wanted to cry.
Daddy went to Walgreens and got some medicine creatively named Burn Stuff. The thriller glove is keeping her from getting it in her mouth...

It doesn't look too bad here:


She was kinda diggin the glove:

The stress of the evening put her right to sleep:
I think the stress of the evening is putting me to sleep as well.

why...

Why do I go to Dollar Tree to buy a box, tape, and wrapping paper, yet leave with $35 worth of junk??
Why do I torture myself with a spin class when the elliptical would suffice?
Why does Chad's itinerary for his flight here still say one way, even though I've been assured it's round-trip?
Why it it 32 degrees outside, yet sunny and beautiful? not complaining, just seems like it should be warmer...
Why does Dave not close drawers after he gets something out?
Why am I writing this blog entry??

and the best parent award goes to...

anyone other than us. we officially lost addy at the mall today. she is really fast and she made a run for it...i sent dave after her while i stayed to watch aubrey at the playscape. RUN Dave!
kept SeArChInG the crowd for him, but didn't see him. gathered aubrey, started walking in the direction addy ran. still no dave. still no addy. panic starting to brew...stood in front of dillards with aubrey. must've said something to her about daddy trying to find her sister...a customer at the perfume counter looked at me and said, "she's right here...she's been playing with the mannequins." thank you lord....my addy is ok. now where is dave?? didn't call him. thought i'd let him sweat it out a bit. after all...i told him to RUN!

In Dave's defense...he did say that his pants fell down and his shoe fell off while he was running after her...and he did contact management at Dillard's to help with the search....

my aubrey

Aubrey didn't have school yesterday, so the girls and I ventured out in the rain for a couple of hours. We had to make a stop at Target for diapers and tampons (not both for me, although diapers are necessary at times...). We decided to eat there. The girls got a hot dog and I got some chili...I was sitting across from Aubrey and I just kept looking at her, thinking, I can't believe she's mine. She's so beautiful and so sweet (most of the time). I love looking into her big brown eyes and wondering what she's thinking. I get butterflies in my tummy when I tuck her in at night (and when I roll over and see her next to me in the morning).

The other night, as she was literally drifting off to sleep, she said "Mommy..."
I responded, "Yes, Aubrey."
She said in a soft voice, "I like you."
And that was it...she was fast asleep. I love that her last thought of the day was that she likes me.

I hope that never changes.

Dave and I created her, and she is the best of both of us. I loved having her home all day yesterday. I loved watching her watch the world. I loved holding her hand as we walked to the playscape in the mall. I loved it when she rolled her eyes at me and said, "Silly Addy" as Addy made her typical getaway attempt at Target. I love her, I love her, I love her. And I started missing her the minute I dropped her off at school today...

body pump...

a group fitness class. today, i forgot to get a mat. when i remembered, they were all gone. had to lay on the step bench for chest and triceps. did it without mat...got weird, striated bruises on both sides of my back...

click on the picture for a larger glimpse...

No comments about my beautiful updo...:)

it's bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s

Don't throw away those brown bananas, make some lovely bread instead...

Tonight, I cut this recipe in half and left out the nuts (only because I didn't have any on hand)...
Either way, it's great and the girls LOVE it!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups white sugar
2 cups mashed overripe bananas
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the butter or margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in the bananas, eggs, and walnuts until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, and stir just until blended. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep in the moisture. Ideally, refrigerate the loaves for 2 hours or more before serving.

touchdown...

Last weekend, Dave and I went to...

where we met up with... We took the train to...


to kill some time before watching...

The bar where we watched THE game was full of...

When I say full, I mean full...

I was full of...

and when I say full, I mean FULL (yikes)...

In my obnoxious state of euphoria over Crabtree's final touchdown, I managed to wet my pants (two babies, an unknown number of beers, and elated jumping up and down don't mix!)...thankfully, there was another Tech fan in the crowd to share my enthusiasm...

We were instant friends! Of course, I managed to lose her email address so I can't send her our picture...my fellow Tech-ster...if you see this, please send it to me...:)

Needless to say, Dave and I had an awesome time with Houston and Katy in Chicago! And I came away 20 bucks richer after winning the bet against Houston!

Thanks to Mimi and Nawnee for letting us get away for the weekend! :)