My sweet son

Sometimes I am just amazed by my kids! Since VBS in 2008, Jayden has been very concerned for the children in Haiti because he knows that they have few possessions and sometimes go hungry. I told him that we could start saving "Happy Meal" toys and send them to Haiti to the kids at Christmas time. A friend of mine told me that the kids there love this because many of them would not get anything for Christmas otherwise. So today Jayden and I decorated a box, the "Haiti Box",and have started filling it with some small toys that we no longer play with.
He made them a card with the following note:
"Jesus Loves You!
Dear Haiti, We are going to give you some toys. I hope you like them. We are going to give you some money too. We want to help you. I will be there when I am 12 and I am almost 5 now. Love, Jayden"

Boys will be boys...

Doesn't this look like a recipe for disaster? Fortunately no one was injured in the taking of this picture.
Boys come up with the strangest ideas.

not so happy

I am a horrible aunt! I took these pictures of Liam and instead of picking him up to comfort him, I just moved in closer to get more pictures. Sorry little buddy!

cousin time

Jennilee flew into St. Louis so I went and picked up a sick Jayden in JC at Meemaw and Pop's house and then drove on to pick up Aunt NeNe and baby Liam. I love when my sister comes to visit. She is my favorite and my best.
I ended up taking Jayden to urgent care. He is so afraid of drs that it was a little traumatic for him, especially since he was swabbed for strep and flu. Both tests came back negative so we were just dealing with a really nasty virus.
But we didn't let that stand in the way of our fun!!!
Jennilee's old roommate and good friend, Amanda was in town with her three boys (and she is expecting another little bundle of joy this fall). Amanda is an amazing mom to her boys. We played outside all morning at her in-laws wonderful home.
Here is a picture of dirty little Jacob.



I am not really sure what the game was in the above picture but I love that Jayden is yelling about something and Winthrop is flat on the ground but still holding on!

Jacob Jumping Video

The STAND 2009

Kick off for the STand 2009 is tomorrow at church. Josh has logged about 100 hours on the computer creating the promo video with the new super sophisticated computer system that was donated to the Stand ministries. It is a MAC with Final Cut Pro that we have no idea how to really use. It has been tense around here. Prayers are coveted!
Here we go!!!!!!

yes, I am still alive

Well, snap! I am terrible at this blogging thing. Every month or so, I vow to do better only to set myself up to fail. In my defense, we have been busy the past month. We went to DC my sister, bro in law and sweet nephew. I am so in love with that little boy. He is a sweetheart and such and answer to prayers. And my sister and Paul have adjusted to parenthood so well, especially since it was 5 days between notification and placement! Wow!
So, here are a few pictures from our life as of late.

Cleaning out the pantry/fridge/freezer

I am challenging myself in the month of May to eat out of the pantry/freezer/fridge. We have so much stuff that needs to be used up so I decided this is the perfect month to do this. It doesn't hurt that we will be in Washington DC visiting my sister for a week!
First, I made a list of everything in the freezer and pantry. Then I made my menu for the MONTH-yes, the entire month-based on what we have on hand. Finally, I am making a list of the few things that we need to make the menu work. So, I know that I am picking up some shredded cheeses, some ziti noodles, and some ground beef. And every week I will pick up milk, eggs, bread (if we need it since I have 3 loaves in the freezer), and fresh produce. My goal is to spend less than $200 for the entire month on groceries, toiletries, etc. Wish me luck! I will keep you posted

Bubble bath for birthday boy

After all of the fun birthday festivities, I put Jacob in the bath, filled it with lots of bubbles and grabbed my camera.
Here are the results. He is so cute-even if he is the reigning king of fit throwing.

And these sweet chubby bubble covered hands! I want to kiss them!

I'm Two!!!

Jacob is officially two years old. Although if you ask him, he will tell you that he is 8. Or 4.
We celebrated with pizza and and Elmo cake. Jacob had the GI flu but I could bear to keep his cute Elmo cake from him so he ate a little tiny piece.
Here is what I don't understand. How is it that overnight, he became two and my sweet snuggly little one year old disappeared?
Well, watch out world. We are officially going through the "terrible two's". Mama already pulled out the old parenting books and has a list that I am going to buy at Mardel tonight!
Pray for us!!!!

Alert the media...

I am posting a blog! I know, its been awhile but I have "stuff" to do. Nothing productive, just stuff.
Any who, today I got out he cookie cutters, rolling pin, and cute little aprons that "santa" brought to the boys and we got to work. I had made a double batch of Melinda's sugar cookie recipe last night so it was nice and chilled. I gave each boy a small amount of dough and they had a blast! Jacob liked playing in the flour and throwing pieces of dough onto the cookie sheet. Jayden is an old pro at this and he did a pretty good job of keeping his fingers out of his nose and cutting out decent shapes.
I am going to freeze most of the cookies (well, all of the ones I finished while the boys were taking naps) and decorate them right before Easter.

having one of those days

Maybe it is because I am sick and have a sick baby. Or maybe it is just one of those days when my fuse is short and I am full of self doubt. Josh and I are involved in so much and I am feeling stretched too thin and like there is no depth to any of it. I am not involved in any type of formal Bible study or small group. It seems that in the process of wanting to help others, I have forgotten myself.
I wonder who I got this trait from??? (If you are in my family, you will know that it is my wonderful wonderful mommy who did not know how to say "no")
I know that there are many others who have felt this way or feel this way right now.
So for those of you with answers, please share!

Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for Gloria Deo's bake sale-they sold out super fast! I wish that I had made more since they sold for $1 each! I think that I made 16...

A Sad Day around here

Today, I had to make a very difficult decision: I decided to have Calvin put to sleep. He had a heart murmer, tyroid issue and a chronic skin bacteria that caused him to have sores all over. The past week, he has slept and not eaten much, whimpered, and had to be helped to go to the bathroom.
I got Calvin as a birthday present when I was 14, the summer before my freshman year in high school. I named him Calvin the Spastic Zippy Wonder Dog. He has been through so much with me and when I was growing up, we referred to him as our therapy dog. He cheered mom up during chemo treatments, let me cry many times in his fur, would pull crazy stunts to make up laugh, he was even a master of the "hot dog hunt" game my Daddy invented. (you rub a hot dog around to make a trail and then hide the hot dog. Let Calvin in and you have instant fun!!). Even at the end, he sensed that I needed a laugh. I was holding him in lap, crying into his fur like I have done many times before. He leaned his head back and grabbed my kleenex and tore himself off a little piece. I know that he annoyed Josh but he was a my special little guy. I will miss that little stinker!

homemade laundry soap

Here is the recipe that I use. I got it from thefamilyhomestead.com but made a few adjustments

1 bar of ivory soap
1/2 C. washing soda
1/2 c. borax
Water
2 gallon bucket
Essential oil (optional) for fragrance.

Grate the bar of soap into a saucepan. Add 6 cups water and heat mixture until the soap dissolves. Add washing soda and borax. Stir well, until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add about 4 cups of water to your bucket. Add your soap mixture. Stir well. Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Add essential oil if you choose. Let soap sit for approximately 24 hours. Use 1/2 cup per load.


This mixture does not become a solid gel. It is sort of snot like. After the soap sets for 24 hours, I pour it into old, clean gallon milk cartons. It take approximately 3.

If you have a stain, just rub some into the stain immediately before you wash.

I have had great luck with this. Except for the stinky gym clothes that Josh left in his gym bag for a week. They still smell so I am going to try soaking for 24 hours.

UPDATED Deal Divas: show me the coupons--Couponing Class coming soon

I am so excited to announce that I am going to teach a couponing class for all of my dear friends who have been asking me how to use coupons and play the Walgreens and CVS games. I am going to call it Deal Divas: Show me the couponsTentatively scheduled for Sat Feb 28, 2009 from 10am-12 pm.
We will eat, of course, and I will give away some door prizes of things that I have found for free (I promise-nothing wierd. Things like baby products, shampoo, razors, shave gel, some coupons, etc) It will be very laid back-think home direct sales party with nothing to buy.
If you are interested, let me know and I will add you to my guest list.

Snow Day

This morning, Josh helped me get the boys ready to go out in the snow. It was Jacob's very first time to play in the snow. It was a hit. Until we got too cold. Then it was not fun anymore.

Here are some pictures


All decked out in our snow gear. I kept their footie pj's on underneath.


Throwing snow at Mommy


Jacob's first taste of snow



And we are done!

Bargains I am Hunting this Week

I wanted to let everyone know about some good deals this week!

Target

First Download and print the Target coupons from this site
http://sites.target.com/site/en/supertarget/page.jsp?title=coupons_specials

Oceans Spray Juice $1.99
Target Coupon $1.00
Coupon (RP 1/11) $1.00
Total= FREE

Buy Coffee Mate Creamer $1.50
Use $1.50/1 coffeemate.com
Total OOP FREE

Buy Special K Granola Bars $2.00
Use $1/1 (RP 12/14)
And $1/1 Target coupon
Total OOP FREE



CVS
Huggies products
Buy $20 worth, get $5 ECB
Diapers are $10 a package
I used $2 off coupons that I had

Almay
Purchase $10 work of makeup, get $5 ECB




I haven't made it to Target yet and won't until all of this ice clears up.
Happy Shopping!

Bait and Switch-in a good way

When I was dating Josh, my MoMo (grandma) gave me some really great advice, although she might deny that she told me this. She told me "Don't do anything for Josh that you don't want to do the rest of your life." Great advice!
So, while we were dating, I NEVER cooked anything harder than Mac and Cheese from a box. I was setting the expectation low...very low. If I mad spagetti it was noodles and a jar of sauce-no meat even!
Josh was pleasantly surprised when after we got married, and had no money, TADAAAA!!! Juli can cook. I still haven't mastered any type of seafood (EWWW) or a way to cook steaks other than on the grill but I can hold my own in a kitchen! My sister is a great cook too but she has moved out to DC and become a wierd food snob and make foodie wierd stuff. Well, sometimes she does. I especially love to bake but since I have begun my lastest diet of the week (only half way through monday and I have already stuck the spoon into a can of frosting!), I am refraining from it.

If I ever had a cooking show I think I will call it "Juli CAN cook"

Mixed emotions

Obviously everyone knows now that we have a new president...officially. And I am filled with very mixed feelings. I LOVE President Bush...I do. I am a fiscally conservative, prolife, Bible reading chick. But I am very proud of the strides our country has made in the area of racial equality. I am proud to be able to tell my son that it REALLY doesn't matter what your skin color is. Anyone can be president if they work hard. That being said, I am concerned about the direction this president will lead but I will be praying for him to have wisdom and that his presidency is sucessful!
God Bless Barack Obama.

Jayden-how can you not love a face like this?

Today I was practicing my photography skills (or at least trying to develop some skills). Jayden was my subject and I love the way they turned out. Here are a couple of the best shots.

Happy New Year!

Thats right folks! It is time for this chica to make some new years resolutions.
First off, download pictures from Christmas off the camera. Maybe, if you are lucky, I will post some!
My next resolution is to lose weight. how cliche! But I need to get fit. And hopefully loss the last 1o pounds of Jacob leftovers.
Get more organized. HaHaHAHAHAHAHAHA! I USED to be naturally organized but children have ruined me. I am still organized but it is more of an organized chaos.
Ummmmm, what else. Oh yes! This will be the most challenging because lets face it, I know that in about 2 weeks the other resolutions will go out the window. So, I am challenging myself to memorize 52 scriptures this year.

Oh, gotta go. "I want my mommmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyy!" is what I am hearing!
Love,
me