Mission Complete...almost.

Remember the Frog Hunt we went on last week? Well, we went on another one yesterday with some of the neighbor kids (phew...pressure off Mommy) and we came home with these!

It just about made Jack's day! Who am I kidding...I know for sure it made Jack's whole week!

Oh, you can't see them from this view?

Here is close-up because I know this might make your day as well!

That's just not any frog...that is a ginormous bull frog! 

Gosh, it was so big that is almost looked like it might start talking!?!?

Jack was just beaming the whole time they were catching these nasty things.

He kept saying, "Mommy, we are catching frogs because we are frog hunters."

 **The almost part is because we still need to get Pat out there for some hunting!

One more thing......

This little man has been showing his personality A LOT more lately! He brought me these items all.on.his.own yesterday and wanted me to help him put them on! I wonder who he is trying to be like? Sorry, they are a little blurry as I was trying super fast to catch this before he ran off away from me!

Ten on Wednesday

Because Tuesday came way to soon!

1. My mom is coming to visit in roughly 5 days and 13 hours...Yeah!

2.  Did you see who was in Kalamazoo on Monday night? Yup, President Obama! Kalamazoo Central High School was chosen among 8 other schools to have the President give the commencement speech at graduation. Pretty neat! Kalamazoo has the Kalamazoo Promise, which I think gave them extra bonus points to win. The Promise is a pledge by a group of anonymous donors to pay up to 100% of tuition at any MI state college/university for graduates of KZOO public schools. How cool is that?

3. Have you gone and watched Food, Inc. yet? I was serious when I said it it will change your life! In relation to this, I saw a blog post on Positively Splendid about "The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15". I knew there was a Dirty Dozen, but I had never heard of the Clean 15! Included in her post is a cheat sheet for you to download and slip into your purse for your next grocery shopping trip. Good Stuff! Side note: I made this planter after seeing it on her blog. No pics of mine quite yet.

 

THIS also gives a little more information on the subject.....so freakn' gross, but good to know.

4.  The boys and I took a road trip this morning to our local Habitat for Humanity Restore. I had recently discovered that these existed during a blog lurking. Wow! It's kinda like a Goodwill, but bigger and more warehousey (not a word, I know). Tons of good stuff can be found there though, basically, anything house, for example, sinks, toilets, cabinets, trim, lights, rugs, furniture, mirrors, frames, desks, chairs, etc. I walked away with only two picture frames, but I saw many different pieces with some BetterAfter potential.

5.  Jack had his "First Shave" last week. I have this great picture of Pat doing the same when he just Jack's age, but my scanner was not cooperating tonight. Jack has already asked a couple of times if he can shave again!

6.  I'm starting to have a thing for fabrics. I don't know how to sew nor do I own a sewing machine, but I still have this thing. A sort of "love, but could turn into an obsession" sort of thing. Maybe I should buy myself a present and when my mom is here she can teach me how to use it? This would then justify this "thing" I am starting to have for fabrics.

7.  Another item on the "To Do" list (when my mom is here) is make Strawberry Freezer Jam. I absolutely L-O-V-E freezer jam. It's so yummy and so reminds me of my childhood. Local Michigan grown strawberries are already being sold like crazy around here, so I better get going with this one. 

8. Just cause......

9. I have been having a cooking rut lately! The last couple of weeks, I have felt as though I am always making the same things for dinner coupled with the fact that we are usually outside playing and taking advantage of the nice weather during the time in which I would/should be cooking dinner. Which then leaves little time to actually make something good. A cooking blog that I frequent, For the love of cooking, came to my rescue the other day and I made this because I knew Pat and the boys would gobble it right up. And they did, especially O-Man. 

Other blogs that have come to my rescue for new and yummy cooking ideas:

  1. Pat's cousin's wife, Jane's blog: See Jane Blog.....lot's of yumminess found there!

2.  Pioneer Woman Cooking and Pioneer Woman Tasty Kitchen, of course!

3. Coconut and Lime and today's post happens to be on freezer jam.

4. And HERE and HERE.

10. It's now way past my bedtime and I use way too many of these: !!!!!!!!

Five on Friday

1. Me: Okay guys, snuggle together and look at the camera.

    Jack: Come here Owen, smile for Mommy.

    Owen: Cheeeeeeeeeeeeessseeeeeeeeeeee!

2. Jack: Tyyyyyy...looooook....AIRPLANE!!!!!

3. Last Saturday, I got up extra early so I could sneak away while everyone was still sleeping to hit up Fresh on Q, our local farmer's market. Our township just built a big, beautiful pavilion solely to host the farmer's market...how cool is that? It shows the community's dedication to eating, buying and supporting local and organic! I love it...big time! Gosh, I think I just found another plus to living in Michigan. I came home with not just one of these beauties,

but two of them. L-O-V-E!

4.  A girl, an ice cream cone and her daddy!

5.  Another Flashback: Jack and Ty

 The boys at roughly 18 months old and still just little bambinos watching Nemo at Grandma GG's!

The boys roughly 3.5 years old saying good-bye to each other after two fun-filled days together!

Jack Flashback

Jackers @ just about 1 year-old. 

Photo by: Olivia Wagner Photography

A Frog Hunt

We're going on a frog hunt.

We're going to catch a big one.

Oh what a beautiful day, we're not scared.

Oh no, a pond! A thick, slimy green pond!

We mommy can't go in it, we mommy can't go through it...we'll have to go around it.

And that is just what the boys and I did this morning.

Walked around this pond in search of a big, giant frog for the Jackers.

Here is what we wrangled up...

 

Oh, did I say "big, giant" frog?

Oops, I guess I did. 

Well, in order to catch one of those we needed to get in the pond.

I was just not ready for that, I mean, it was our first frog catching and all.

Besides that is more of a "daddy thing" I had O-Man with and my camera.

Jackers didn't care what size they were. 

He was just happy catching them and catching them with his net.

Next time we daddy will help will get one of those loud, bull-frogs..I promise! 

Just to show that O was there. 

Mr. No Fear-Destructo Man Owen would have jumped right in for his brother, but he wouldn't have known what he was catching!

**The above adapted from the book, We're Going on a Bear Hunt....one of our favorites!

Dentist Trip #1

Dear Jack,

After reading The Tooth Book 5 bazillion times and finally throwing away giving up your nuk (I know...I know, don't judge), you visited the dentist ("ventist" as you call him). I was excited for you as all your firsts are very exciting for your mommy to watch, but I was also nervous for you as all your firsts can be somewhat nerve-wracking for your mommy. You were a little nervous as well, as you kept telling me, "Mommy, let's go to the ventist tomorrow". Oh Jack, you did awesome! I was supremely proud of you as you did not display one ounce of fussing, whining or crying. You were all smiles and cooperation for the staff, but how could you not be when you got to wear some cool sunglasses and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on a television one foot away from your face! Owen and I sat right next to you for your moral support, but you didn't even need us. When you passed your appointment with flying colors, you picked out some prizes from the treasure chest and got your picture taken for the "cavity free" child board!. I have vivid memories of doing this when I was a child and I remember it being pretty neat, too. 

 

Because you did so great, we went for chocolate shakes after your appointment. You gobbled it right up!

Writing this to you makes mommy a little emotional! I know it's just a dentist appointment, but it's another first checked off your list. You are growing into a big boy right before my eyes and sometimes I wish I could make that stop, even if it's just for one day!

I'm proud of you bud. I love you!

Love, 

Momma

Frankie's Growth Chart

I was so lucky to have this little sweet-pea come visit me this past weekend!

 

My niece Frankie....what.a.doll!!

She recently turned 1 year-old and for her birthday I really wanted to make her something!

I had been talking to my sister-in-law, Kady (Frankie's momma) about how fast these two were growing!

Gosh, they are big!

And that's when it popped in my head to make Frankie her very own growth chart (which I had never done before). I see these all the time and I saw this recently which made me realize making one would be easy-peasy and FUN! 

I checked out my ever-growing supply cabinet (le garage) and found that I had just what I needed. So I set to work!  I knew I wanted Frankie's growth chart to be big (a permanent fixture for her room) and pink (of course!). 

 

Here is what I came up with!

1. Painted my six foot board pink

2. Added my inch and foot lines and my numbers using the same technique they used here.

3. I had these frames I bought at Micheal's in there one dollar section (which were 50% off at the time). I ripped off the frame stand, painted them turquoise blue and attached them to the board using double-stick velcro. Kady can then add pictures of Frankie as she grows!

4. And last, I gorilla-glued a mod-podged 'F' at the top!

Just like that...easy-peasy! Next-up (among 52 other things) I need to make one for my boys.

And one more of Frankie...she seriously melts my heart!