How come?

How come, darn it? 

How come my Owen, who I carried inside of me for 9 months, 2 weeks and 4 days, who I labored/delivered sans drugs, who I nursed for 6 months, who left me practically sleepless for one whole year and who has been 110% all about me since the day he was born only says,

"Daadee...Daadee...Daadee".

How come?

What about, "Mommee...Mommee...Mommee"?

Funny boy...we'll keep working on it!

Yesterday.

Was a very good day.

After four days of 40 degree weather and rain, the sun finally decided to shine! We went to the park, which happens to be on a small lake. We spent a majority of our time playing on the beach, where the boys got soaking wet. They were screaming and laughing at the fun they were having in the water. Jack deemed himself "The Seashell Finder" and Owen put every stick he picked up in his mouth! Oh the fun...it was a good day!

He's back!

 Jack, my sweet, funny, kind, and spunky child is back!

    Do I look happy about this?

Picture by Jack.

My Jackers has been out of sorts lately. I don't know if it's the weather or three-year old growing pains or "momma boredom". Whatever it is, he sure has been mischievous and feisty (naughty), which has been testing his Momma's patience, big time! Anywho, the last couple of days have been better, much better.

Maybe it was the great nap Jack had.......

under his bed?!?

Oh yes, it's a new place everyday! 

My heart just smiles when I see him snuggled with his "night-nights" fast asleep in this random spot in his bedroom. It reminds me that although he is 3 1/2 years old and a "big-boy" and "big-brother", Jack is still such a little boy. He is learning, growing and yearning to exert his independence in the world. As I am learning and growing as a mother...as his mother. So, we forge on in this growth partaking in our daily activities and simply learning from all of these experiences to make tomorrow a better day!


And a few just because.........
(too bad about the outlet cover, nick in the wall and lamp stand...darn it!)

O-man is pretty happy about his brother's return as well!

I sure do hope it sticks.

I can already see small glimpses of how much he looks up to him!

Oh the places you two will go and hopefully, together!!

Today

......is all because of my boys!

Oh, how I L-O-V-E being their Momma!

Owen: 16 months old....

....in a few days!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Every first Saturday of the month in our Township is  'Dumpster Day'. You can bring almost anything and they will haul it away and dispose of it for free! So, this past weekend we brought them a bunch of our junk and I came home with this:

You can see the beauty behind all the dirty, right? The men were using her for a resting spot as someone else had brought this chair to dump. I simply inquired about the chair or maybe strongly hinted that I wanted it?! Anyway, they were like "take it, it's yours"! It's dirty, smelly, and broken in a few places, but it has such great potential and it was FREE! Can't wait to start working on it!

2. I think someone (hint-hint...Patrick) should make me these on Sunday. My mouth is watering just looking at them!

3.  I have been finding these all over my house!

Rocks...everywhere! 

I am thinking two little people keep bringing them in!?!

4. One of my favorite creative blogs is Lemon Tree Creations. When I saw this awesome Frame Tray posted recently, I knew I had to make one of my very own.

And here it is!

I might be crazy having this on display with a Mr. O-Man "The Destructo" walking around my house, but I just love it so! It has been sitting out for three days and it is still intact, so we'll see!!

Total cost: About $6.00

Frame: $3.99 from Goodwill

Handles: $1.99 for 50% off at Hobby Lobby

Paint/Fabric: I already had!
= I love it!

I am currently working on the vintage clock face. I can't wait...I have just the place for it!

5. Speaking of creative! Check out my friend Michelle's recent Craig's List find...what a makeover! I'm so inspired!

6.  I wonder if my neighbors think I am a Minnesota Vikings fan due to the color palate I have chosen for my front porch!?! They probably think nothing of it...but, when I look at this, I just keep thinking MN Vikings. Oh well, I still like it! (even though I am not a Vikings fan, Denny!)

(that wreath is looking wragged..note to self, must fix)

7.  We have a case of the "dribbles" currently affecting one little man in this family. I'm not going to name any names, I wouldn't want to embarrass him. But, I need help!

What is the "dribbles"? Well, it is not a full-blown accident, it's a smaller version of one! The "dribbles" occurs because my "outside-lovin'" little boy simply cannot tear himself away from whatever he is doing to attend to his potty business. This started about 2 weeks ago and probably has happened at least once or twice (if not more) everyday! I have been encouraging, continued to use positive reinforcement and have not gotten mad at him once for this, but it's starting to get old! Help..I don't know what to do!?!?!

8. Owen has been getting two new teeth for the past couple of weeks! Yes, that's right, it has been a couple of weeks and these darn teeth have still not broken through! Ouch...poor little guy! At night I can hear him periodically crying and moaning in his sleep, which then makes him a cranky little bugger during the day! Teeth, please break through Owen's gums...please!

9.  

He's telling her all about his new pet. 

"Be gentle with him...he's mine"..."He likes to crawl up your arm..he's mine"..."Isn't he furry..he's mine"..."Okay, I should hold him now...he's mine".

Charlie, the caterpillar. 

10.   The past two days have been the start of rough week (and it's only Tuesday). Jack has been extra feisty and has not been using his ears to listen to his Momma! Today, after telling him numerous times and I mean numerous to stop touching all the little trinkets in World Market, he got upset and a little teary-eyed. He then told me for the very first time, "Momma, I don't love you anymore". I couldn't believe my ears...he is way too young to be saying this and how does he even know to be saying this?!?!

But, I know he doesn't mean it!!

Busy...Busy!

Busy doing yard work!

Last spring/summer, I was still so bummed about moving here along with the fact that I had a brand new baby and a toddler, that I truly did absolutely no planting of anything! Nothing! I was boycotting this whole Michigan thing. But now that it is officially Spring and I have lived here for well over one year, I decided the boycott must end. And to be honest, I was a little bummed when Spring began and my yard looked blah!  So, I must move on and planting must begin....which we started this past weekend! 

Yard Project #1: 

Landscaping under/around our deck.

After working on this for two days, we are almost done! Our deck is built-up on a small mound and whenever it rains, the water gushes down through these boulders, loosening them each time. One actually fell on Jack last summer...yikes! So, we (Pat) have worked really hard to make the boulders more secure. We (me) then just needed to pretty it up a bit! After bags and bags and bags of mulch along with new plants, it's almost done!  Now that this side looks so pretty, we (Pat) need to do some landscaping to the other side as well!?!

Each day, we put Owen down for his nap and then for 3 hours worked like little 'worker ants" on this project. We let Jack stay up as he loves these types of projects. Why, you ask?

1. He gets to play in the dirt

2. He gets to search for interesting rocks, little buried treasures, bugs and worms.

Of which, I think he found one of each.

Do you see him there? Jack is looking at him ever so fondly!

Yep, an earthworm. He could play with that thing for hours and hours.

He only let the earthworm back into the wild when he was tempted by some "man-time" with his dad. Boys?!?!

No worries though, today he found a caterpillar! More about that later!!