christmas slideshow

So we got back from Utah last night.  It was a great week, topped off by the illness that Benjamin and I always come home with.  Its part of the fun though, ya know.  Anyway...this slideshow is a sad depiction of our fun time.  Thanks to my wondeful mother and her wonderful planning we were busy with family everyday and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  Unfortunately the only pictures I seemed to take were at times when only my sister E and her kids were around.  So in your mind, just add 24 other grandchildren and 12 other adults.  

wait...there's more

Thank you to Ashley for alerting me to the fact that there are really desperate and...lets call them in love, people out there.  I thought the snuggie would top everything...but clearly I was underestimating.  Check this out! 
http://www.smittens.biz/Smittens/Home.html 

I'm off to utah...Merry Christmas! 

hmm...maybe try a sweatshirt?

have you all seen this? wow, people are suckers. 

welcome to our home

Its only a matter of time before we cannot afford our home, cars, food, clothes, etc.  When the time comes....I hope you keep us warm.  Welcome panny.  

celebrate

happy tuesday

we be jammin'

Three years ago I bought Benjamin a keyboard for christmas.  It hasn't gotten much use, but today he broke it out and had some good daddy/daughter time. 

oh yeah...and congrats to Natty for popping her first tooth.  woohoo!

sheep down...there is a sheep down!

beforeafter

green apple or strawberry?

What is it about starburst jelly beans that is addicting?  When I was pregnant and feeling like I wanted to die, I remember eating an entire bag.  That was what sounded good, and all previously or presently (sick) pregnant women know that when it sounds good...you eat it.  So I ate the whole bag....and then they all came back up.  It wasn't pretty.  

Last night we were at my lovely niece's birthday party and we made gingerbread houses.   I actually didn't make one...just ate the candy.  And then we got talked into taking some home.  So now I have a bag of startburst jelly beans which I'm demolishing....and reeses's pieces which I'm almost demolishing....oops.  Hopefully this won't turn out the way that it did a year ago.  fingers crossed. 

oh yeah....GO GATORS!

the time has come

I threw away a pair of shoes today.  I had had them since I was a sophomore in high school...possibly even since before the turn of the century.  It was definitely time.  They were old, clunky and terrible looking.  Now I have some nice, sophisticated, pointy toe (sorta) boots.  Feels good to be an adult...or at least pretend to look like one.  

They'll be perfect for dancing to Womanizer...perfect. 

don't judge me, i went to the circus

Another back in the day memory....Britney Spears.  From the moment I first heard baby one more time, I have been hooked.  I have a HUGE, and mostly hidden, love for dancing.  If I'm doing dishes (and Brawny isn't home), you can be sure that the music is up loud and Natabulous is laughing, as her foolish mother dances around the kitchen.  There is no music better to dance to than the over processed, mechanically sounding Britney album.  

Well, today, as I'm hoping most of you are unaware of (because, really Britney might be the devil) she released her comeback album.  For the last few weeks I have been glued to my computer for the latest clips off the album, or any recent performances that she has done in Europe.  This morning I watched her in all her lipsyching glory on Good Morning America, and got so pumped.  So after Natabulous woke up from her nap, we ran our little selves over to Best Buy and purchased my new obsession for exactly $10.49....a steal!   

I car danced myself all the way home and I'm currently polluting my home (and my defenseless child's mind) with the pop and dance goodness that is....CIRCUS!!!  Please join me.

PS I totally tried to buy tickets to her concert too...but luckily, I'm too cheap and the price was just more than a little teeny bopper like myself could stand to pay.  

(does not) live to moo another day

Back in the day...we're talking 1999 (Alison, is that when you got married?) Maggie Moo's was THE shiz.  It was an often occurrence that I begged my poor mother to take me there so that I could enjoy some cheesecake ice cream with strawberries mixed in.  I was in love.  I even remember when Alison got married and her lovely mother in law, tried and tried to figure out a way to transport some of the moo goodness back to Utah with her.  Tonight however,  Brawny man (testing that name out...what do you think?) and I went to the sad little ice cream shop and it was terrible.  

We can often be found patronizing the local Cold Stone Creamery and Brawny man ALWAYS gets a chocolate and peanut butter shake.  He chose to get the same thing from Maggie's and in order for, the poor boy working,  to actually fill the cup he asked if Brawny would like whip cream on top.  When he replied "no", the boy proceeded to get an extra scoop of chocolate ice cream and just plop it into the cup.  Not to mention that the blender must have been used to make something like mocha or coffee beforehand.....we could tell.   

As for my choice, I was excited to revisit the good ol' cheesecake and strawberry days and they didn't even have cheesecake ice cream.  At least 3 of their signature choices featured cheesecake...how do you not have any?  

Anyway...we won't be returning.  The stone of cold already had my love...but now I'm even more dedicated.  

happy thanksgiving....a little late

this is slowly becoming a tag only blog

 "On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me..."

1 embarrassing moment: when my husband has terrible facial hair...and I know people are staring. 

2 best friends: Benjamin and Julie

3 things you buy regularly: diapers, butter (for my yummy cookies), baby food

4 places you want to go (and might actually REALLY go): on a cruise (any cruise), England, Hattiesburg MS, Seattle

5 goals for the upcoming year (that you might actually do): start taking baking classes, do a standing back tuck, stop going over budget, run a 5k, enter a baking contest

6 things most people don't know about you: I love wendy's chicken nuggets, despise making dinner, watch sportscenter daily, must beat Benjamin...at everything, WILL eat an entire bag of turtle chex mix, met Benjamin when I was 14

7 things you would never say: "yes, please grow a handle bar mustache", "Natalie, I love it when you suck on your hands and then touch my face", "I hate football, turn it off", "extra mushrooms please", "I want to have 8 kids", "your poop smells like roses", "can I give you a foot massage"

8 things you love about the Christmas season: football bowl season, christmas trees, family traditions, Jesus' birthday cake, presents, food, christmas carols, a full stocking

9 things you say to your kids: kids= Natalie and my cheerleaders "please, do not", "slow down", "5 6 7 8", "you're so cute...I love you", "why are you not sleeping?", "why are you not eating?", "be careful", "point your toes", "smile!"   

10 things you do a lot: bake cookies, laundry, dishes, go to Giant, play computer games, drive, change a dirty diaper, watch soccer, watch football, kiss my baby

11 things you would rather not live without: family, friends, job, kitchen aid, dishwasher, washer/dryer, books, ipod, computer, turtle chex mix, planes

12 people to tag: that's a lot of people...Julie, Dana, Heather, Ani C....anyone else that needs the excuse to blog...and who doesnt?

sleep to dream

You know that you got a good nights rest when you wake up at 730, to silence, roll over, and ask your husband "what day is it?"

tagggg....you're it

Who doesn't need a reason to blog? I know that my lazy self does...so here it goes.

5 TV Shows I Love to Watch:
The Office
House
Brothers and Sisters
The Starter Wife
Jon and Kate Plus 8

5 Favorite Restaurants:
Chipotle
Saratoga Pizzeria
Jacalito (I love the local places)
Mad Greek (THE BEST GYRO'S EVER!!!!)
Cafe Rio

5 Things That Happened Yesterday:
Church
Football
Natalie not napping
Choir practice
hangin' out with Mathew and Emily

5 Things I Love About Fall:
pretty leaves
football
soup
warmer clothes
cheerleading season

5 Things On My Wishlist:
carpet in my basemet
iphone
new cannisters for my baking needs
better baking tools
a garage

5 People I Tag:
Jaime
Heather
Julie
Janaya (Traci, if she doesn't read the blog...you'll have to let her know)
Traci

move over, there's a new baby in the house

Oh my goodness!!!!!! I finally, finally have a new computer! Now, I love my husband, but the used laptop he bought me, nearly four years ago, was just not cuttin' it anymore! My new baby arrived yesterday, and his name is Mac. I love him so very much. He's small, sleek, FAST, and cute.
Welcome to the family!

he strikes again

So the boogie man woke Natalie around 5:45 this morning (he's been doing that a lot lately), and I promptly went in to get her back to sleep. I noticed that her room was just a few degrees above the arctic, so once she was asleep, I brought her back to bed with me (something that hasn't been done since she was two weeks old). Now, why is it that a baby, that is often mistaken for 4 or 5 months when she's really almost 8, can take up as much space as she was taking up? I regret that I didn't take a picture of my sprawled eagle, but you're good at imagination, I'm sure of it. Anyway, once I was pushed to the floor, I did manage to get back to sleep and Natalie got to enjoy the warm comfort of my toasty bed. Lucky baby.

monday morning reminder of why we love having kids

I was driving to the gym and I think at some point that I heard Natalie cough, but she's had a cough for a month...so I didn't really even think about it and then I noticed a minute or two later that I could really smell bananas. Well I had fed her bananas right before we left so I thought she might have just spit up at little bit....well, a little bit would not describe even a tenth of what she did. I got out of the car and went to go get her out and she was COVERED!!!! Jacket, pants were soaked with bananas, then when I picked her up to take them off....there was a huge puddle underneath her that was soaking through where the strap comes up. I soaked up 3 burp clothes (because yes, I carry 3 with me everywhere I go) and there was still more covering the seat and her. I thought about just going in anyway and working out but at that point she was in just a onesie, and even that was a little bit damp. So I loaded her back in the banana seat and went home. I wanted so badly to be able to take a picture, or have some kind of documentation of the debacle....but I know you all can picture it. I've been waiting for something like that, or a complete poop up the back blow out so that I could really feel like a mom...and today was the day.

how 'bout this...

for adorable

such a woman

I love Jon and Kate Plus 8.  I can't help but tear up a little bit everytime I see the preview for next weeks episode, when they get remarried in Hawaii.  So sappy...I know. 

happy wednesday

I'm big!doin' my business.....so sweet......but it didn't last very long

good morning

This is what we see now every morning, and after every nap.  She loves to let go and slam back onto the mattress too.  If we don't drop it down soon, she's bound to stand and go right over.  BABY OVERBOARD!

spikety spike

Despite the fact that Natalie almost always has a bow in her hair/ on her head, people often mistake her for a boy.  Tonight, she got a bath....something that I despise doing, but had to do tonight because, Benjamin has been working like a mad man,  and I can't take a dirty child to church.  Well, apparently its been a really long time since her hair was clean, because I haven't seen her hair stick up like this since she was in the hospital.  If she was a boy....what a great hairstyle this could be.  

side note: I wrote up the blog, took the picture, and then uploaded  it, and was extremely disapointed.  You totally can't tell from the picture that she has a full on spike halo......oh well. 

She's looking up at the tv, that's why she's smiling.  ITS GREAT, TO BE A FLORIDA GATOR!

no clever title

I have recently realized how frumpy I always look.  I have been wearing the same clothes since I was in college (which didn't last very long, and was a long time ago).  I was in desperate need of an update.  I have always loved the collared shirt, under the sweater look...but have never been nearly preppy enough to pull it off.  Oh well, apparently I'm pretending anyway.  So here it is...hair and all.  

a brave new world

My child now crawls. I hope all parents will welcome me into this new world.  Our house is in no way baby proofed and it looks as though Natalie is a big fan of pushing up on her hands and feet.  Which generally means that she falls from that position to one, flat on her stomach.....hitting everything with her face on the way down.  Good thing she doesn't have teeth, or those would've been knocked out by the fireplace hearth by now.

The Utah/Vegas Adventure 2008

I spent last week in Utah/Las Vegas.  It was a nice little trip, and I had a really good time.  The pictures that I took are sort of scattered, and its always hard to capture the context of what was going on...but oh well.  

Sorry that I don't have any pictures from the wedding (the real reason I went on the trip).  Thanks Elizabeth for your beautiful home, and great pool.  

its a bird, its a plane....ITS NATTY

do, do, do you have a first aid kit handy?

I have a busy tv watching schedule these days, and I actually feel as though I have nothing of great import to share with the world wide web......but, I'll throw you all a bone anyway.

My new obsession

if you like....go here: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=177515236

six month stats

At 13 lbs. and 12 oz. Natalie is in the 10th percentile for weight, but the 75th for height.  Our sweet little bean pole. Dr.YW PRES (we're sticking with the fake doctor theme from my first ever post) taught us a new trick too......

if we get so lucky!

Benjamin and I often talk about what our kids will be like. Mostly in terms of how weird/dorky they might be. Last night Benjamin even said that he doesn't think Natty will be all that weird because "we're both pretty normal". That made me laugh....because I know we have had very different conversations in the past. Anyway, if one of our sons is half this cool (otherwise know as weird/dorky), we will be so lucky!

to quote my cheerleaders "OMG!"

I usually leave the posting of dumb commercials to my friend Anitra (I would link to her, but her blog is private...grrrr!), but this particular commercial almost made me throw up, and I couldn't resist.  Enjoy!

watch me go go go

Natalie at 5 months.  

Ok, so its not quite as dramatic as I thought at the time...but still, its something. 

Pardon The Interruption

If you know me, and I'm guessing most of you do, then you know that I am a rather LARGE sports fan (except baseball....I HATE baseball).  Much more so than your average woman.  I like how into sports I get, and anytime I can surprise people, with my knowledge, is a huge plus for me.  

In my quest to gain more knowledge, I have been known to watch ESPN....a lot.  If you've ever watched ESPN then you know about the ticker (you know, its the thing on the bottom of the screen). I read the ticker so religiously that I'm often rewinding in order catch something I've missed.  Well today, the ticker gave me an early Christmas present....LANCE ARMSTRONG IS COMING OUT OF RETIREMENT TO COMPETE IN THE 2009 TOUR DE FRANCE!  

In our home the month of July is dedicated to watching the tour.  Benjamin turned me on to the tour, as he did most other sports, right after we got married and it quickly became one of the sports I'm passionate about.  Now cycling has its share of drama but the return of the greatest cyclists ever will surely bring some sanity back to the chaos.  I am so excited!  VIVA LE TOUR!!!

If you're wondering JUST  how into sports I am, this is what my weekend looked like. 

Saturday: college football...all day, with the US OPEN semifinals during all commercials, or whenever Benjamin happened to be out of the room, then after the GATOR game it was all about DC United

Sunday: the NFL....the first official Sunday of play, then more tennis.  My girl Jelena Jankovic finally made it to a Grand Slam Final, and couldn't quite beat the big gorilla that is Serena Williams, but she was funny all the same. 

Monday: US OPEN finals (GO ROGER!) and Monday Night Football (this is when I read said ticker)

July is a long way away, so its a good thing I have a full college, pro football, and MLS season to get me through!

just call her a hooligan!

Last Saturday our good friends, Big and Rich, (a.k.a. Heather and Richard) came up from Richmond to go to a DC United game.  It was my first of the season and Natalie's first ever!  We have nothing black, and this is the only thing we have that's red, so its what we were stuck with.  Notice the bow...apparently that's not enough to clue people in that my child is a girl.  Oh well.  We had a great time at the game, and I have a feeling that it was only the first of many to come in our little hooligan's lifetime.  

true or false....

Ok, I know that I obviously think that my baby is the cutest baby on the planet, but what I want to brag about is how cute other people think she is.  

I remember (way back) when my sister Catherine was pregnant, with her son A.J., and she and Scott were worried that he would not be cute.  They agreed that you could tell whether or not he was cute by how many people wanted to hold him.  Well, I have to admit that not THAT many people ask to hold Natalie, but as Benjamin stood (in the rain) at the football game tonight, a countless number of people commented on her cuteness.  Now, I'm willing to admit that that may be because she looks just like Ben, so when he holds her she's just a way cuter version of the same face, but still....I'll take that.   

Anyway...she's cute, and oh boy is she on the move!

video to come

if i had a wish, that it would be...

a happy happy baby that didn't spit up!!!! Seriously, if I could change one thing (and its probably the only thing I would change) it would be for her to keep at least 1/4 of what I feed her, in her stomach. I know that it could be worse (really Katie, you have it worse than me) but now that Natty spends the majority of her time on her belly, doing the superman, the problem is only aggravated.

Anyway, I apologize for my absence as of late, but with a broken camera, I find I have no motivation. (Football is actually giving me lots of motivation to blog lately, but I know my audience and therefore won't risk my readership disappearing).

Big congrats to my best friend and sister Julie! I love you and I'm so happy for you!

i'm sorry ms.jackson....i am for rrrrreeeaaalllll

So with a broken camera, the olympics over, and the football season all but officially started, I have little to blog about. I spend a lot of time driving around and fighting my child to take naps. We did buy a new car though...that's exciting! Too bad I can't take a picture of her though...back to the broken camera.

Benjamin really loved 'Celeste', his car that passed away a month or two ago, but this new beauty (I call her Blue Belle, but Benjamin is resisting) is just enough to wipe away our tears.

There she is......(look at us being all gas efficient and trying to save the planet)

she is my daughter, i swear

We didn't think it was possible for her to look anymore like her father than she usually does....but here she is. All the way down to the hands! (if you've seen childhood pictures of Benjamin you know he loves the gay wrist/hand look)

dude....i totally miss you

Can anyone name what song that line is from? I really can't imagine that I have any readers (aside from my husband) that will be able to get it...but you can try.

I was planning on posting a video of my baby's new trick (rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin, rollin' on the river) but my usb isn't working, so instead you just get a quick hello, and cute picture.

...a true coach's child

Sleeping (underneath a table), while I coached on the track.

what negligence!!!!

Thank you Cari! How could I forget....THE OLYMPICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have many glorious day of gymnastics scandals ahead! WAHOO, crisis averted!

woe is me

I've got nothing. My favorite book series has come to a close, my favorite show has had its (awesome!) finale...what more is there?
Hopefully my (awesome!) fall tv schedule will revive me before I reach the bottom of the boredom well.
I did bathe my daughter today though....she was gross!

its a boring wednesday

This is my 90th percentile, in height, baby learning to play with her fun toys. All she does is kick the little hanging things....next up is the pink soccer ball.

another tag...woop woop!

10 years ago: I was about to go into 8th grade and I spent the majority of my summer fighting with my sister Catherine, and then being really sad that she was going to college. I think I got a cute haircut that summer too.
5 years ago: I had just graduated from high school. I spent the majority of that summer doing one of the following: hanging out with Rachel and "the fat boys", talking to or texting my future husband, and working at Lighthouse Research where I called random people and did Lexus dealership surveys...I was so good at that, one of my hidden talents.
5 months ago: I was exactly a month away from having Natalie, so mostly I was just laying around and reading.
5 things on my to-do list: clean my nasty house, go to the gym, finish my coaching certification, eat kabobs (SO YUMMY), eat dessert (the fancy one that I made last night, which is about 100% better the next day)
5 bad habits of mine: chewing/biting my nails, picking at my dry feet, hitting (I've improved, but violence does tend to be my go-to when I'm angry), ignoring Natalie, talking about myself too much (does this count?)
5 places I've lived: Springfield VA, Draper UT, Logan UT, Burke VA, Arlington VA, (that's all but two of the places I've lived)
5 things people don't know about me (who are "people"I'll just assume this is for people that aren't related to me): I play the flute, I cross-stitch, I bite Natalie's nails while I'm feeding her, I obsessively listen to an entire 4 hour radio show daily, when I got pregnant I really wanted to have a boy.

This was a lot tougher than I thought it would be...who knew?

There are a few people that I've been asked to encourage to blog, so in order to do that....I tag: Becky, Sarah (now you have a reason to blog), Melanie (since you didn't do that last tag), Jaime, Dorothy.

utah: in a nutshell

So this is all I had on my camera from our trip. I think I captured most of the things we did, except the family talent show, although I think that a video is on its way (one can hope). We had a fantastic trip and already have a plane ticket purchased to go back in October. Natalie loves to spend time with her Grandparents, and she is a trooper on the plane.

And, as promised. This movie is featuring the Jones Clan, headed up by my biggest brother Christopher Jones on vocals, Alexander Jones on lead guitar, Jeannette Jones on bass, and Nicholas Jones on drums.

back! and boring you already

So I know that not everyone is a sports fan, let alone a cycling fan. There are a select few however, and for those of you that are out there, you'll appreciate this....and this.....

i have girls just wanna have fun in my head...

We're half way through our Jones Family trip to Utah and things are going so wonderfully. Natty has cried herself to sleep twice now on the trip, only lasting about 5 minutes each time....hooray for sisters who just tell me to do it!
I can't wait to load all of my pictures (and video). So far we have done....trip to Idaho, tour of the new RSL stadium, surprise party, karaoke, rock band party, RSL game, etc. I have nothing for you yet...but not to worry, they'll come soon.
Natalie and I are very sad though that Daddy is gone. Someone has to pay for this mulitple meals at Cafe Rio and Mad Greek right?
Anyway, I'm back to watching (what will always be known in our house as the soundtrack of July) The Tour De France.

godfather part 1

Natalie met her godfather a little over a week ago. Obviously, in our religion, we're not really into the whole godfather and godmother thing...but Joshua requested, and I figured I could oblige. Josh and I have been friends since we were in 8th grade and he is one of the greatest people I know.

Even though she's not smiling, Natty really loved hanging out with him. This was the first time they met, AND the first time that Josh has EVER held a baby. He brought her a little gift too that we'll definitely been taking pictures soon.

take me back to the beach

We spent most of last week with Benjamin's family, in a beautiful beach house at the outer banks, NC. We regretted not spending the whole week there and we know we'll never make that mistake again.

I have about a billion pictures (some of which are not so attractive, but I'm too lazy to sift), so in order to make it easy, I'll just post a slideshow. I hope you enjoy.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

i'll huff and i'll puff.....

Our little bumble bee is learning to growl (so close to a giggle), and her daddy loves to encourage....

We're off to Utah for 2 whole weeks. The posts will probably be few and far between, but lucky for you (at least almost all of you) I'll be seeing you in person!!!!

its almost vacation...

I really have nothing to say this week so of course I result to the adorableness of my baby.
In this video she's a little bit whiny (I waited 5 minutes too long of course) but totally cute (to me). We're gonna have a talky talky little girl on our hands, because she seriously does this all day.

THIS is perfection

I spent Saturday and Sunday night (and now I'm re watching today) watching the 2008 Olympic Trials. Specifically the gymnastics competition. I've done gymnastics since I was 6 and I spent every year after that (12 total) absolutely enthralled with the sport, and Shannon Miller. I loved her from the moment I saw her compete in Barcelona, in 1992. Shannon's best was beam, which was always my favorite. Over the years that she competed she became the most decorated gymnasts in history and still holds that title. As I watched the trials the last 2 days I felt nostalgic for my favorite '96 team, and believe me...if I had a VCR I would totally get my tapes out and watch them all (I have every nationals from '92-'96, all of the Olympics from that year, other various competitions).
Anyway, with all the changes that have been made in the sport, I felt that it was my duty to remind us all of what it used to look like...and what I wish it still did.


Congrats to Justin Srping for making the Olympic Team...I'm sure you'll do VA and Capital Gymnastics proud!

help!

I am currently watching the worst movie of all time. I won't embarrass myself (or really my husband for making me watch it) by telling you what it is but I just need someone to save me. Please!

family, isn't it about...time

Everyday when Benjamin gets home (or during those blessed days that he "works" from home) we watch soccer. Specifically, the last few weeks, we've been watching Euro 2008. Don't you think for 2 seconds that Natalie doesn't love it just as much as her daddy. (Deutschland Uber Alles!!!)

Inevitably we miss the best stuff once we try to video tape, but this is pretty cute.

aint no sunshine when she's gone

For Sale: Demon child who doesn't go to sleep until 11pm or later. Sleeps for approximately 45 minutes (just so you're nice and soundly sleeping) and then wakes up and cries for and unlimited amount of time until her father (wonderful, kind man that he is) comes and puts her back to sleep.

Missing: My angel baby that used to fall asleep within 5 minutes of being rocked and slept for 7+ hours. If you have any information, please send it to the tired woman behind the computer.

a clean home is a happy home

Many of you (particularly the ones that have been in any of the four homes we've lived in) may know parts, it not all, of this post to be false. I enjoy being in denial however, so this is how it will stay in my mind.


Contrary to what we may look like most of the time, Benjamin and I are clean people. I don't mean that we clean often, because in fact we don't, (which is the whole point of this rambling) but we just seem to not be all that dirty. Our bathrooms, being hideously white, rarely show any other sign of use besides my (beautiful) hair (which I'm somewhat anal about picking up), and some water drops on the counter. (Benjamin and I have joked lately that I would pay him to REALLY clean our bathrooms once every two weeks, but he's not enticed by my piddly outside income that he gets in the end anyway...go figure.) Our bedroom on most days only has our pajamas laying, neatly I might add, on top of our dresser and the bed is almost always made (thanks mom). The kitchen is a little bit of a different story, but I think I do a fairly good job of making sure the sink isn't always full of dirty dishes, and I don't mind sweeping so that usually keeps it nice and tidy too.
However, today I looked around and saw filth. Filth that has been building up and no doubt being noticed by other people for a couple of months now, but that I have been blind to. So, its off to Costco I go for my favorite cleaning tool....the Clorox wipe, and when Natalie wakes up I'll even finish vacuuming the upstairs. The downstairs....yikes, I might not be so bold as to attack that today, but I might just have to as to avoid mentally piling on and inevitably making myself sick over it. Happy "my house is gross" hump day to you all......the filth is calling.

the little things

Sometimes I feel like the best mom ever. Those moments usually come when Natalie starts to cry and I can immediately tell what's wrong. For example, this morning she was fed, changed and kicking in her seat when she started to fuss (that leaves only one thing). I picked her up, put her binkie in, laid her in the crib, and this is what I saw..... HAPPY SATURDAY!

with a cherry on top!

I haven't posted in the last few days because I had something specific I wanted to share, and that's not working out.

I'm not normally a klutz but the other day I had a real moment. The other day while I was walking up the stairs, and talking on the phone, I fell (embarassing, but kind of funny). Now I pretty much have bruises from knee to ankle on both of my shins. Since then I've tried to get some good pictures to illustrate, but have failed. Have no fear though, I'm sure with our lovely hard wood floors, that I'll fall again, and again, and again.

So....to make this post not a complete waste of time, here's a treat.

I always miss the best smile by a fraction of a second, but this one is not so bad.

pictures and a video....don't get too excited

Tummy on tummy....on daddy!

This is how I start....

This is how I end up...