What's wrong with this picture?

This morning when I got Hudson and Brayden up I noticed something wrong with Hudson's crib.

Do you see it?

What about now?

He's been chewing on his crib. Nice...
I guess that's how he's been getting through teething so well. Anyone looking for a teething toy for their baby--just give them a piece of wood. That will do the trick.

Be thankful...

This video was REALLY hard to watch. I cried like a baby. It's another reminder of what's truly important in life. I pray to never go through what Dax's parents went through. I'm so thankful for all of God's blessings he's given to me! I will NEVER take my boys for granted!

I got it!

I got photos of the boys' "toothy" grins! Before you get too excited (I know you are), they were taken during lunchtime. So Brayden has food in his mouth. I managed to not get photos of Hudson with food in his. Odd.

I was really trying to get photos without food in their mouths but it's so much easier to get toothy smiles of them while they are eating for a few reasons. First, they are restrained in their highchairs so they are forced to sit still and face-forward. Second, they are almost at my level so I can get better shots of their teeth. Lastly, they are happiest while they are eating (hence the smiles), cause they are boys, and aren't all boys (or men) happy when their bellies are getting filled?

So brace yourself for food-filled, messy, gross, but cute smiles...from Brayden. He still has six teeth (3 on top, 3 on bottom).

First, this is how he normally smiles (without showing his top teeth).

Now here's his "toothy" smile!

Now for Hudson. Before Thanksgiving he had seven teeth. Well, while looking through these photos I noticed he has another tooth coming through. Now he has eight (4 on top, 4 on bottom). Here's his "toothy" smile. You can kinda see his molar in the last photo.

They'll be chewing through steak before you know it!

E

Belated birthday present

I saw a good friend of mine last night. She couldn't make it to the boys' birthday party a few weeks ago so she gave me their gift to give to them.

Here they are opening their presents this morning. Note: I didn't help them one bit. I just sat back and watched...and took photos of course. :)

Thanks Beth! They love their new Weebles! Thanks for being such a great friend to them and me!

On A Serious Note

I stumbled upon a blog last night that got me thinking about what’s important in life. First, I was reading one of my favorite blogs, The Pioneer Woman. She has a book coming out February 2011 so I searched it on Amazon to see how much it will cost. Under the “customers who bought this item also bought” section, I saw a book titled “Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love” by Matt Logelin. The book tugged at me so I clicked on it to read the summary.

Here’s the summary on Amazon:

Matt and Liz Logelin were high school sweethearts. The pair settled together in Los Angeles and they had it all: the perfect marriage, a beautiful new home, and a baby girl on the way. But just twenty-seven hours after they welcomed Madeline into the world, Liz suffered a pulmonary embolism and instantly died, without ever holding the daughter whose arrival she had so eagerly awaited.

Faced with devastating grief and the responsibilities of a new and single father, Matt coped by returning to the small blog he had created to keep friends and family updated on Liz's pregnancy, which today has become a place for him to share with over a million curious readers the day to day of two lives bound by loss and love. But there is more to his story than just raising a daughter alone: Matt Logelin is an extraordinary human being. Having been sustained through tragedy by the kindness and generosity of strangers, he is now dedicated to helping others in difficult situations by reaching out and inspiring those facing loss or adversity.

A heartwarming and heartbreaking story punctuated by beautifully recollected-- and often humorous-- memories and anecdotes, TWO KISSES FOR MADDY unquestionably has something to offer any reader who has experienced grief, and has sought the courage to live again.

You can read his blog here.

The book isn’t out yet but it got me thinking about what’s truly important in life because life is too short. In this day and age, especially during the holiday season, it’s all about “stuff.” Having it all, having the best—trying to keep up with the Jones’s. TVs, cars, money, clothes, big houses, and beautiful furniture are just not important. You can’t take any of these materialistic things to heaven with you (my brother Adam and grandfather always say that).

Lately I’ve really wanted to finish decorating the house with new furniture and decorations thinking it will finally feel like a home. But that’s not true. That’s not what makes a home. It’s the people inside it. If my family is happy, I’m happy. If they’re healthy, I’m healthy. I want people to come into our house and not think “wow, you’re house looks great.” Although, that’s always nice. No, I want people to come into our house and feel the presence of the Lord. I need to constantly be reminded to strive to be more Christ-like everyday. It’s not easy.

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

--1 Peter 4:11 (NIV)

I want to teach Hudson and Brayden about what’s really important in life. I want them to grow up knowing Jesus is Lord so they depend on him because I won’t be here on earth forever. I want them to trust and lean of Him for all their needs. Sometimes I need to be reminded myself. We all do.

The greedy stir up conflict,

but those who trust in the LORD will prosper.

--Proverbs 28:25 (NIV)

Be thankful for what you have because life is too short to worry about the things you don’t have and can’t control.

Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes. 

--Psalm 37:7 (NIV)

Confession

I have a confession to make. Sometimes…while the boys are napping…I do absolutely…NOTHING! I just sit on the couch and watch TV, or surf the Internet, or read a book, or try to nap.

I should be doing laundry, cleaning the house, cooking meals, scrubbing the toilet, vacuuming, washing the dog, making the bed, mowing the lawn, dusting, cleaning the frig…but I don’t. Now don’t get me wrong, most of the time I am doing these things. I just need a break sometimes so I don’t go insane.

And of course then I feel really guilty about doing nothing. While Tommy is hard at work to bring home the bacon, I’m sitting on the couch eating King’s Hawaiian rolls. It’ just that while people who work can take lunch breaks and clock out at the end of the work day, moms work 24/7. So while B and H nap, I’m on break!

Just wanted to get that off my chest. I feel so much better! ;)

Belated Updates

I forgot that I’ve mentioned in many posts that I would follow-up on the posts’ topic. So here are my updates.

1.     The status on the “no sugar, no flour diet:” I’m waiting until after the holidays to start this again. Nuff said.

2.     House remodeling: Tommy has been working a lot and we haven’t been able to finish sanding/painting the family room. Hope to get it done this week.

3.     Update on the blackout curtains: The curtains got the boys back on schedule after the time change earlier this month. So they are waking up between 7:30-8:30 am. And their 2 naps a day have usually been a solid two hours each. Today they slept three hours during one of the naps!

4.     Pictures of the boys’ “toothy grins:” Still working on getting a good photo without their mouths filled with food. You’ll thank me later.

And I really need to update my blog header photo. It’s the most recent family photo I have and it was taken back in August. I’d like to take some new photos of all us this week. I’ve been debating whether or not to send Christmas cards this year. This was the picture we used last year (at least I think this was the one we used—the boys were 9 days old).

Hmmm…just can’t decide. The photo shoot was a little stressful. Ho Hummm….

And just because I can’t help myself from posting pictures of my boys, here are two pictures taken a long time ago (I enjoy looking back at all the photos taken over the past year of the boys).

 

Brayden 

 Hudson

For anyone expecting a baby—get a jumpy-thing (not sure what these are called). They are lifesavers and the boys LOVED jumping in them—although you wouldn’t be able to tell from these photos. ;)

What did I learn this Thanksgiving?

I learned Hudson likes black olives and they both like pickles and beets. 

Tommy, the boys, and I drove to Knoxville Wednesday night to spend Thanksgiving with my family. We left Thanksgiving evening. Yes, that’s right. We spent less than 24 hours in Knoxville.  We had a great time and it was worth it. 

What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? In no particular order:

1.     Radar detectors

2.     Pacifiers

3.     Toys that makes music

4.     Wendy’s french fries

5.     Sleep

6.     Dark chocolate

7.     Funyuns

8.     Cameras

9.     High chairs

10. Pack ‘N Plays

11.  Cool Whip (yep, I prefer oil over cream)

12. Ham

13. Things that sparkle

14. Grandparents

15. Bibs

16. Christmas music

17. Pies

18. Loose-fitting tops

Of course I’m most thankful for Tommy, my boys, and my family and friends. The holidays wouldn’t be the same without them. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! 

Oh, one final photo. Both boys are known for making some odd faces in pictures. Here's a good one of Hudson. I didn't get a real funny one of Brayden yesterday.

 

They make my day...every day!

Wordless Wednesday

Getting ready for Turkey Day

Hudson and Brayden are getting ready for Thanksgiving by getting more teeth!! Bring on the turkey and ham! Brayden has two more through for a total of six teeth (3 on top and 3 on bottom). And Hudson has this first MOLAR!!! I just noticed it today for the first time. And it's not cutting through--it's already FULLY through! How did I miss that? He now has a total of seven teeth (4 on top and 3 on bottom). Apparently they are good teethers. They don't get real fussy when they are coming through--which explains Hudson's molar coming in without me ever knowing. My baby boys are growing up so fast!

I'll try to get a good toothy smile of both boys and post it. I've got a lot of Hudson showing his teeth but not Brayden. B doesn't show his top teeth when he smiles--just only when he laughs. I'll work on it! :)