Our Weekend....so far

We've had a great weekend so far! We've had excellent weather and have gotten outside to enjoy it! When I got home from work Friday night, Lane suprised us with a stroller and food ready for a picnic at the park. There's a bridge over a creek at the entrance to the park and there are always LOTS of turtles! So, of course, Josie had to see some turtles!

I feel like today (Saturday) has been a day of accomplishments! This morning, Josie and I went to the grocery store. Then there was lunch, some Wonder Pets, and while Josie napped, I planted flowers and did some yard work. I was straightening some brick boarders around a flower bed and found two snakes, which I promptly killed with a shovel. I feel a little bit mean for doing it. Lane said I killed the husband and wife snakes and they probably have little babies about to hatch somewhere. But I strongly feel that any snake is a bad snake, which God basically says for Himself in Genesis 3:14-15!

For dinner we had some black beans. As you can see, Josie really enjoyed them! She seriously looked like she had a moustache!

Oh, and I also pushed Josie in the jogging stroller for a 5 mile run. So.....I'm pretty much wiped out! I am destined to sleep good tonight!

Favorite Josie Phrases

Josie has really become a chatterbox lately! It used to be that she would ramble on and on in her own "language," but lately those words are becoming clearer and more understandable.
Two new phrases have emerged over the last few days:

Me: "Josie, do you like to watch The WonderPets?"
Josie: "Yays, I dooze." (I have to catch myself wanting to repeat her "dooze" instead of saying "do" correctly. It's so cute!)

Me: "Josie, would you like some juice?"
Josie: "Sure." (She says this a LOT! And I have no idea where she learned it, but it is so funny!)

Her favorite TV show is The WonderPets and I know that she is picking up words from watching it. After Lane watched an episode with her the other day, she kept saying "dinooosoar" (rather clearly, too!) because they saved a baby dinosaur. Last night, she told me they were saving "Nezie" the Lockness "monser." But she's not a scary "monser."

Catching Up

Okay, Okay....so I slacked off a little on the "blogging." Sorry!! Here's what's been up with us lately:
Josie and the Giant White Chair
We've been reading some books with Josie about potty training for the past few weeks. Last Saturday, while I was gone for a run, Josie "tee-teed" in the potty for Lane. I tried all week to get her to go again, and she would sit, but never do anything. Yesterday, in the midst of her "grunt and push" dance, I asked if she needed to go sit on the potty. She said "yes," so off we went and she pooped in the potty a little bit (only to finish it off in her diaper later). I'm trying not to push her too hard, but we're making some progress!

Welcome Spring!!!!!
We've had beautiful weather in Houston lately...Until Saturday, the actual first day of spring when a cold front came through. But it's supposed to be back in the mid-seventies tomorrow. Here are some pics of the kiddos hanging outside, just chillin' on the patio.








Mommy's Little Helper:
Apparently my "neat-freak" characteristics are rubbing off on my child. Of her own accord, she decided to sweep the kitchen floor. I believe other children do this too, since I've seen "toy" brooms and vacuum cleaners at the store. So don't think I'm brainwashing her! I thought briefly about getting her a toy broom to use, but she does pretty good with the big one. Very cute! (and helpful!!!)









Our Running in the Rain Adventure
Saturday morning, I decided to take Josie with me on my run. It's been a good 7-8 months since she's gone with me in the jogging stroller. She laughed hysterically for the first 10 minutes! I guess she enjoyed all the bumps and turns and the wind in her face. It was fun! My plan was to run 5 miles. Before we left the house, Lane had warned me to stay close because it was supposed to start raining. Well, we got going and the weather seemed fine and before I realized it, we were a good 2 1/2 miles away from the house. We came around a corner and the sky all of a sudden had turned into one huge black cloud. Before I could even complete the thought, "this does not look good," gi-normous rain drops started pelting us! No sprinkles. No drizzle. It came an immediate downpour!!! I started sprinting as best I could while pushing a 30 pound toddler in a 25 pound stroller. She didn't get too wet since she was under the stroller's canopy, but I was drenched to the core within seconds! And it was cold!!!! We were about half a mile from a covered pavilion by some soccer fields. By the time I got there, we were both completely and thoroughly soaked, cold, and miserable. I got out my phone to call Lane to come get us, and my phone barely worked because it was so wet. We were very happy to see Lane pull up, and I definitely deserved that "I told you so" speech. I don't know why I get so determined to do something, that I neglect to think through the consequences. Thankfully, these consequences weren't too serious. After we were all warm and dry, I looked back on it as a fun adventure that Josie and I got to share together.

And that's the highlights of what's been going on with us lately! I'll try to do better being a more regular "blogger".

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday I celebrated my 29th birthday. I am so blessed to be surrounded by friends and family who love me and make it all about me on that day that only comes once a year! Friday night Lane, Josie and I went out for a special family dinner to the Cheesecake Factory (my favorite!). Even though she's never had it, Josie was so excited about "eesecake!", which she repeated over and over again in the car on the way there. Lane led her to believe that the bread was her "eesecake" and she was completely satisfied with that. I felt guilty for lying to her, but he had a point that it was Cheesecake Factory bread.
On Saturday, my sweet husband treated me to a day at the spa where I received my first facial. It was very relaxing and my face is so soft now! I also got a spa manicure and pedicure. I felt totally pampered!!!!! It was truly fantastic!

Then, on Monday night (my actual birthday), we had plans to meet up with the Lackey's (our friends from church) for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. But when we got there, I was surprised to find several of our friends from church were there! So we all got to enjoy some great Mexican food and have some cake. It was a great night!
This Friday Lane and I are getting a babysitter for Josie, and the two of us are going to a Casting Crowns concert (also my favorite).

Am I spoiled, or what?
Thank you to everyone who helped to make my special day so special!

The 3-Ring Circus

Well, that's what I feel like when I take all the kids out. In case you didn't know, I take care of twins that belong to some friends from church. Nathan and Natalie (9 months tomorrow!) and Josie (21 months) keep my days very busy! We have a very routine schedule that we stick to most days, which makes taking care of 3 kids under 2, well, "doable." (I would never use the word "easy" or even "easier"!!! It is definitely work!) Because the kids like it, but mostly for my own sanity, once or twice a week we get out and go to the store. I used to put two of them in the double stroller and carry one in a sling. But 1.) the sling was getting heavier and heavier and 2.) it was hard to maneuver the stroller while also carrying a kid in the sling. A couple of months ago, we acquired a triple jogging stroller off of Craig's List, which helps in carting the "posse" around. We really like the triple stroller. Although gargantuan in size, the kids all have their own space. We just barely fit down the aisle in Target & Wal-Mart!
Regardless of how we get around, we always get stares (and comments!) from everyone we pass. It's mostly just points and whispers, or "you have your hands full!" (no, really??? Do I????) One day a man actually yelled at me from across a parking lot, "God bless you!!! I only have one!" Today I had to listen to a 10 minute speech from a lady who had cornered us about her family's "twin history." And of course, there's always the little kid who says "Mommy...look at all the babies!"
So, I've decided that instead of feeling like the "freak show" everyone is staring at, I'm going to pretend that I'm a famous celebrity! Seriously, this is how they must feel to be gawked at and pointed at everywhere they go. I think it'll be a much more glamorous way of dealing with all of the attention.

Would you care for some color-coordinated tea?

Every morning when we get to the Lackey's house, Josie has a special set of dishes that she gets to play with while I'm washing bottles, making formula, lunches, etc. This morning I looked up, and this is what she was "serving": four little tea cups perfectly coordinated with the matching saucers all lined up on the table and ready to go. Sure, the saucers are actually bowls, but still.... I was very impressed! She's still a few months shy of two years old! I wouldn't go calling her a child genius just yet. This is more than likely a foreshadowing of the obsessive-compulsive characteristics she gets from me. I don't know if there will be room for two of us like that in one house!