A Sunday Night Reminder.

Via

It's important.

It's so incredibly important to photograph yourself with your children. 

I try to remind myself of this all the time and take the chance to do so whenever I can.

When my boys are big(ger), I want them to look back at the 50 million (give or take) pictures I took and see their mother and see their mother with them. It's so important.

In the works.

Monday morning I woke up and decided today is the day, we're going for it and we're not looking back.

I started potty-training Owen, so we have had that in the works for the last 3 days.

It's going surprisingly well, actually better than I ever expected. Maybe this is because it's not my first rodeo (potty rodeo) or maybe because Jack does the "potty dance" with me to show excitement for Owen or maybe it's just that O-bubs is clearly ready for the challenge (and so is his Momma).

Look familiar?

Wish me luck....or drink these with me, please?!?

A morning fort, anyone?

My boys find that watching their morning cartoons is much more enjoyable while in a fort.

And it must be Owen on the roof of the fort with Jack inside..it's a must!

A Quick Changeroo....

that probably took me 20 minutes.

Old lamp + Heirloom White spray paint + New $10 lamp shade from Target = 

A new lamp for my entryway at a very inexpensive price!

Some Recent Cuteness.

"Momma, I wuv Fwankie. She my best fwend"

~ Owen

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Jack is back to giving 110% (plus an extra 90% to make up for the past three days!) to life while Owen continues to be my little daredevil extraordinaire. I'm exhausted. I'm thinking girlfriends plus these are majorly in order....soon...please?!

2. We checked out this sale on Friday. My mom walked away with a super cute bird feeder for her butterfly garden and I came home with these three vintage suitcases.

I haven't decided exactly what the heck I'm going to do with them, but I'm thinking something like this, this or maybe even this! Check out Mama's Happy, they are open the second weekend of each month stocked full of unique merchandise that will most likely make you happy!

3. July 4th is long over,  but it just would not feel right to not post any pictures from our night. We had a great time spending it with friends at a party held on the roof of the local library, which just happened to be a pretty perfect place for firework gazing!

4. We checked out a local Wisconsin (townie as in small townie) parade last Friday night. The theme of the local event was "Superheros", so the boys were able to decorate capes and masks to wear while watching the parade.

Jackers was totally into it and wore his gear the entire parade!
Look at that lip? Is that a "I'm so annoyed your taking my picture in public lip"?
No way..can't be.

superheros + candy + freezer pops + music + tractors + trucks + marching bands = A Grand Ole' Time

 Owen went from one piece of candy to the next and I don't think he finished a single piece.

5. Jack wanted to show you what arrived today....

Yipee Ki-Yi-Yay! 

We gots ourselves some grass!

6. If the boys and I wake up in the morning feeling healthy and rested (O-bubs had a fever at bedtime tonight), we are heading down to my brother's house for a little vacation. This weekend is a very exciting annual event called Fish Day. It's the world's largest one-day fish fry and it's also one day where a bunch of my extended family get-together to parade watch, drink, eat, compete in a beanbag tournament and laugh and laugh and laugh some more! I have been out of the Fish Day circuit now for like 8 years due to moving and baby-making. I'm sure good times will be had especially by my brother Keefe, who has been talking about Fish Day at least every week since Fish Day 2010.

7. Do you want to know another reason why I love Pinterest so very much? Yes/No? I'm a Pinterest spaz, right? Ya, I know! Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. It's because of all the super cute outfits that people pin and then I pin as a reminder to myself on how I can take more chances when clothes shopping and/or be more fun in putting together my outfits.

8. I came across these super cute bags today. Wouldn't they be great for pool/beach trips with the kiddos? Oh and look at these frames...I'm so in love with them and there is a giveaway going on over here.

9. I'm also thinking this print is a must addition to the boys' rooms. I think it's super!

LuciusArt

10. I'm almost done with my gallery wall and I'm really loving it! I will show it to you next week!

Laying Low.

We've had a busy start to the summer.

More specifically, we have had six weeks of jam-packed summer fun, sun, swimming, travel, cousins, grandparents, friends, trips, new experiences, dancing, boating and checking off our summer to-do's.

It's hard to believe that the summer is half over already (such a glass half empty statement).  

"Boo" to that!

Amidst all the fun, Jack hit his wall this past Saturday morning and has been down for the count ever since. I thought it was the pure exhaustion that brought him down, but it was Strep Throat. My poor little buddy has been looking like this for the past three days.

 He has not wanted to do anything but cuddle, sleep, lay on the couch and watch movies. So, that is just what his Momma ordered plus smoothies and popsicles prn (as needed).

In an effort to keep Owen healthy, we all laid low over the weekend. Pat was gone on a guys fishing trip to his cabin so I am very thankful I now live 20 minutes from my mom who came over to help, chat, drink wine (with me) and sleepover! Thanks Mom!

I think we are on the mend because today after a three hour nap, Jack had his energy back as the running and jumping around the house with his brother began.

Me and Jackers

We had a little date night, just the two of us, this week.

Jack was invited to join his cousins at the sneak peak/grand opening of the new penguin exhibit at the MN Zoo. I was lucky enough to be his date. We held hands, ate delicious mini-foods and desserts and watched the penguins eat fish and swim. What a nice date with my son!

Jack and his cousins wearing their ever appropriate penguin masks.

Jack was mesmerized watching the many penguins eat fish and swim (fast!) in their pool. I truly can't think of a time when we have been at this zoo when all the animals have not been napping during our visit?

The zoo also showed off their new bee exhibit/hands-on playroom.

To complete the night, Jackers let his Momma have a mini (5 pictures mini!) photo shoot with him.

I love my alone time with Jack. He talks to me, shares stories about his day (there happened to be fire alarm at his school that day and he told me all about it...unsolicited even!), asks tons of questions, holds my hand and overall is just very fun and pleasant to be with. He is already asking to have alone time again and I cannot wait!

Cheese Face and a Project.

Owen has perfected his cheese face and beware it's scary. Not scary for him, but scary for you. And I don't mean scary movie scary, I mean scary like you might think he is hurt, in pain, crying or all of the above. I sure did.

But nope, no, no...he's just saying, "Cheeeeeeeeeese".

I'm not sure why, but this one makes me laugh..a lot! 

Maybe it is that his cousin Frankie is saying "cheese" too, but you can still see her eyes!

O-bubs is doing a little better (his eyes are slightly open) in this picture with his GiGi and Frankie.

I just love him so!

Amongst the one million projects I want to do, I need to do, and I dream about doing is this gallery wall I just started yesterday.

I'm taking these Ikea frames....

and I'm just going for it to create a gallery wall similar to this and this and complete with this to cover that thermostat.

I'll be back with the results...wish me luck!

Fun...

Instagram Fun!

A nice way to end the day.

Today was a busy day filled with swimming at the beach with friends, loading up on fireworks, grilling out surf n' turf, enjoying obnoxiously large ice cream cones from Nelson's and playing at the park.

We ended this sandy, sticky, fun-filled and sun-kissed day with a nice warm bath. While the boys were splashing around in the bath, Pat called up to us to look outside. We did better than that, the boys and I ran outside, bare buns and all!

There were three hot air balloons flying right over our house.

It was a nice way to end the day, laying in bed with my two freshly-bathed, sweet smelling munchkins talking about hot air balloons.