I LOVE Packing - Baltimore, MD - February 2012

Let me start by saying "I LOVE PACKING"!!!!

One of the things that's been on my "To Do" List for the last couple of weeks is to pack this little lady's bag. She'll be staying with our good friends Katie and Kyle and their girls while we are in the hospital for "Little Sticks".

I finally checked that one off my list. The bag is packed!

(Katie, I promise I'm not crazy!)

My sisters say I'm the most hysterical packer on earth because I'm so meticulous and organized. The Hub swears that it's impossible for me to pack before 10 o'clock in the evening the night before we leave, regardless of where we're going or how long we'll be there. For the most part, both are speaking the God's honest truth.

When it comes to packing, I'm a closet obsessive compulsive. Everything needs to be able to be found easily, regardless of who the hunter is and if they've ever seen the bag before.

(Each outfit is individually packed in a bag containing everything needed.)

I honestly can't remember the last time I've packed with out a packing list or without labeling mostly Everything.

(Each bag is labeled with what's inside)

But it must be said, thanks to my lists and labels, it's been a long time since I've forgotten something or been without something we've needed. Unfortunately, I'm NOT this way in every aspect of life, but packing just makes me giddy!

(All the air is pressed out of the bag

so it takes up less space in the big bag)

As for the "10 o'clock in the evening..." part, I can explain! First, my peek times of efficiency are between 6 and 10 in the morning and 10pm and midnight. My excuse, this is how God made me! The hours between 11am and 9pm have always been a struggle for me. Good thing there are 2 meals in there otherwise that'd be a LOT of down time! Then there's the "...the night before we leave" part. There's always the inevitable last minute laundry I'm waiting to finish up and most of the things I'm packing I use in any given day, so if I pack them early I'll just have to unpack and then repack them. and that makes it more likely something will be forgotten because you've already packed it, right?!

Makes since to me. My "GO BAG" is next on the list!

Till next time,

Bon Voyage!

Swiming This Morning... - Delray, WV - May 2011

In the early hours of Thursday morning morning...

this 14" rainbow trout was swimming in the cool waters of West Virginia. Thursday night he was broiled and on our dinner plates glazed with a thin layer of clarified butter, sitting along side a colorful vegetable melody and some tasty garlic bread.

However, there's one thing that must be pointed out. This was not an ordinary fish dinner. In true hunter gatherer fashion, Thursday morning the Hub set out to procure dinner for his family, and in particular his daughter, and as a result, the 14" rainbow trout he caught just after 10:00 in the morning became our little girl's first taste of meat.

How cool is it that one day we'll be able to tell her that the first meat that she ever ate was something that her dad went out and caught and prepared for her.

Till next time,

Bon Voyage!

Swim classes Start Monday - Baltimore, MD - February 2010

This Monday our little Monkey starts swim classes!!! For the last several months, a good friend of ours has been raving about the "Get Wet" swim classes, which are part of the Michael Phelps Swim School here in Baltimore. So with summer approaching and having just received another 6 inches of snow, we're taking matters into our own hands and jump starting our summer a few months early.

Here's a little video of the musically geared program for kids 6 months - 3 years old.

Swim suit...

CHECK!

We're SUPER excited!

Till next time,

Bon Voyage

The Common Cold - Baltimore, MD - February 2011

About the middle of last week The Hub started showing signs of this rascal.

On Sunday he so lovingly passed it along to me. Then yesterday our little Monkey caught this...

Look a Little Closer...

Closer...

Yep Her first Temperature, runny nose, watery eyes, only wants to snuggle with mommy, "common cold".

(Visual aides are courtesy of Giant Microbial.com and Aunt Lo)

This looks to be a 3 or 4 day bug, so hopefully she'll be feeling better in a couple of days. In the mean time I'm enjoying this cuddle bug and her "common cold".

Till next time,

Bon Voyage!

Still 12 hours letf to win =) / My Kindle is sick =( - Baltimore, MD - January 2011

There are less than 12 hours left to sign up for the book give away. For more details check HERE.

And last night I picked up my Kindle and found this.

The screen is going out.

I do read a lot, but I didn't think it was enough to kill a Kindle. I was worried about getting it fixed because it was purchased 13 months ago and it has a 1 year warranty, but after a quick call to the Kindle support team I'm very pleased to let you know that I will be receiving a brand new Kindle at no charge. I've got to say I'm pretty impressed at how friendly and helpful the support guy I talked to was. His name was Joseph and he gets 2 thumbs up from me.

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

"Please come to Boston..." - Boston, MA. - November 2010

Back in November the Hub had a conference in Boston, MA. and the Monkey and I got to tag along. So it was the first installment of the Wandering Family.

Checking out the view.

Riding the T makes us sleepy...

Now she's ready to party!

And we got to see this lady and Mr. Sabbe! =)

Diaper Changing 101... A+!!!

Waiting for the flight home.As always I wish I'd remembered to take more pictures. We did so much that isn't captured. We took a walking tour of the South End, had breakfast at Mike's City Diner, walked through some SUPER cute baby boutiques, went to Church with the Sabbes and to visit their cute new place, went to Harvard, which was beautiful. I guess it's just because I went to UT Knoxville , but I was surprised by how small it was. I really thought it would be bigger. Riding the T was an adventure in itself, and made us very appreciative of the easy to navigate Baltimore Metro. Oh and we definitely made time for LOTS of chowder!

We LOVED the Boston and hope to come back soon!

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

The Feast - Baltimore, MD - November 2010

So here it is! Yum yum!!! Makes me hungry just thinking about it!
Yes, I broke out the good china, and as I do every time we eat on it, I talked about how much I love it and vowed to use it more often. Then, after everything had been hand washed and dried, I proceeded to pack it away. Maybe we'll see it again before Easter.

This year we have so much to be thankful for but as she slept quietly through dinner, the Hub and I agree, without a doubt, that this little lady is what we are most thankful for.
Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Our Lobster Day Feast - Baltimore, MD - November 2010

It's Crazy that it's already the end of November and I'm really just getting used to typing 2010. Anyhow, Since we arrived in the "Northeast" (even though they think of themselves part of the south as they are JUST below the mason Dixon line... Whatever) We've started a tradition of having lobsters for major holidays. I know this sounds a bit odd, but really the fun of these massive eating holidays, as far as we're concerned, are the AMAZING side dishes. Neither of us really just swoons over turkey so why not have a main meat that we like. Plus this eliminates the need for freezer space for the 10+ lb bird, frees up the oven for sweet potato decadence, takes away the need for refrigerator space needed to store the uneaten gobbler and it eliminates the need to come up with 100 ways to use the MASSIVE amounts of turkey leftovers.

So this year, in addition to a pair of crustaceans, we're having,
Squash soup (The Hub's original creation)
Green Bean casserole (a cult classic)
Mashed cauliflower (comparable to the best mashed potatoes you've ever eaten)
Cranberry sauce from a can (Why mess with perfection)
Sweet Potatoes and Bananas (for the Monkey)
Pumpkin pie (need I say more)

I tried to sneak in Mashed potatoes, home made bread, holiday jello salad, a sweet potato pie and a few other dishes, but as he so often has to do, the Hub brought me back down to Earth by reminding me that we really were the only two "people food eaters" in the house.

So now that the parade is over and I've showered and the Monkey is down for a nap, into the kitchen we go.

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Treditions - Baltimore, MD - November 2010

Note To Readers: Last night I dreamed a million times over that I was blogging. I miss blogging. I know I've probably lost almost all my readers because of my inconsistency over the last year, but if you're still out there, let me know. I miss your comments and I'm promising to blog more. It helps to know I've got people I'm writing too.


So today is Thanksgiving. One of my favorite holidays! And the Monkey's first. So it seams only fitting to start her out right.My sisters and I have Always watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. From the bands... to the Santa float...I LOVE every bit of it!EEither together or apart, we usually call each other at some point during the morning. I miss them terribly on days like this and hope that one day we'll live close enough to do it again with our little ones.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Til next time,
Bon Voyage!

Our Monkey is 5 Months - Baltimore, MD - October 2010

Note To Reader: I think it's important to let you in on a little secret. On her actual birthday this picture was taken. Isn't she just the cutest stinkin' thing you've ever seen!?!Anyway, in my post child birth sillyness I made the comment that it looked like she had "monkey toes" and we've been calling our sweet daughter Monkey ever since.

So just like the 3 month, there's not an official doctor's visit so these stats were taken on our bathroom scale. (Yes she's finally outgrown the food scale!) and my sewing measuring tape.

Monkey Brand New Monkey 1 Month Monkey 2 Months

Monkey 3 Months

Monkey 4 Months Monkey 5 months

Here's her new stats:
Weight: 12 lbs (3rd %)
Length: 23 inches (1st %)
Head Circumference: 40 (2nd %)

The Hub has taught her how to growl and stick her tongue out so the first few hours of our morning are spent with her tongue out as she makes a very serious "GRRRRRRR" sound. It's really funny now, but I'm sure one day in the not too far off future we'll have to fix that one.

Her new favorite toy is her door way jumper seat. She could spend hours in that thing and as a result her legs are getting SUPER strong. She's still doing a great job of supporting herself on her legs with minimal assistance and she'll sit for a few seconds all by herself.

We've started going to a play group with several of the girls from bible study once a week and I really think she gets a lot out of the interaction with other children and adults, as she’s developed a bit of stranger anxiety, so being around people is really helping with that.

She’s moving into the 3/6 month sized clothing so we’re always on the hunt for great deals on warmer clothing as winter is quickly approaching.

I'm realizing more and more each day how blessed we are for me to be able to stay home with our beautiful daughter. She is a joy to be around and each day her personality grows.

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Fish - Baltimore, MD - October 2010

Several weeks ago El and I were in the pet supply store getting cat food. we were on our way back to the register to pay when we passed the "Fish" section of the store. Out of nowhere El let out a squeel. I stopped in my tracks thinking she was hurt or something and to my amazement she was smiling and her eyes were locked on the bright blue tanks. We stood there for about 5 minutes (which for an infant is an eturnity) as she was mezmerized by all the tiny fish.

Now El has her own fish to watch and she does. One of our favorite pass times is to set her up to watch and talk to her 5 fish; Tom, Tetra, McCullough, Bloom, and Rowling, (the last three are our favorite authors) while I fold laundry on the floor beside her.

SUPERR FUN!!

Til next time,

Bon Voyage!

4 Months! (Only A Week Late) - Baltimore, MD - September 2010

So Ellie Turned 4 months old last week and we were lucky enough to get to celebrate with her birthday twin Elias. I'd fully intended to post pictures of them both on the butterfly, but after 4 month shots and a few other unexpected speed bumps, it didn't quite happen.

El Brand New

El 1 Month

El 2 Months

El 3 Months

El 4 Months

Here's her stats:
Weight: 10 lbs 2 ozs (2nd %)
Length: 21 and 1/2 inches (1st %)
Head Circumference: 38 and 1/4 cm (2nd %)

As things go, it's been quite an exciting month. As you can see from the pictures, she really is filling out. El has added laughing to her bag of tricks, which will melt your heart on contact. She is really close to sitting on her own and as of 5 days ago she is a solid food eater, the first of which being avocados. I must apologize because with all my computer savvy I can't figure out how to get the videos to work on my blog. She is also rolling from front to back, another feet captured on video and waiting for the bloggesphere stars to align and allow me to post. And she really is enjoying her new found voice. She will chatter at the top of her lungs for hours on end.

Oh and one more development over the last month is that we have completely transitioned her into cloth diapers. She is finally big enough to wear them, yahoo!!! So, let the money saving and the saving of the environment begin.

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

"...But the Greatest of These is Love" - Baltimore, MD. - July 2010

5 Years ago today I married my best friend! Today I am truely blessed to say that he is still the first face I want to see in the morning and the last voice I want to hear before I sleep.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
-1 Corinthians 13: 13

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

744 Hours - Baltimore, MD - June 2010

I have been a mother for 744 hours (1 month). I don't think I've slept more than 100 of those hours. Sometimes I'm so tired that I find myself laughing at nothing and crying when I receive sweet packages containing little "happies" from our friends and loved ones.

I feel like I've come a long way in such a short amount of time. For example, I was embarthe first time I had to answer the door to the UPS man and sign for my package with a screaming baby in my arms fearing he would phone up DHS. Now I scribble my signature with a smile that says "what are you gonna do?" and he smiles back at me and says, "they do grow out of it, I promise".

Some people use a stuffed animal to show there little one's growth progress, but my mother-in-law gave El The Hungriest Caterpillar book and it came with a caterpillar with this butterfly blanket inside. That's what we're gonna use so you can watch our little butterfly grow.

El - Brand New!!!

Weight: 4 lbs 12 ozs

El - 1 Month

Weight: 5 lbs 12 ozs (3rd %)

Length: 19 1/4th inches (3rd %)

Head Cercumferance: 32 1/2 inches (62%)

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Bed Rest... A Family Affair - Baltimore, MD - April 2010

The latest in Baby Sticks' journey to the outside is that as of Thursday of last week I have been placed on bedrest due to I.U.G.R (Intrauterine growth restriction). This means that the baby is not growing as the doctors feel that he or she should be. Thursday Baby Sticks was in the 9th percentile on the growth chart. While we are concerned about his or her growth we are comforted by the fact that he or she is very active and is very responsive to both the hub and I (as well as a certain puring kitty that snuggles up to my belly while I nap). So to make a long story short we have a little, but very active baby and we both feel that we couldn't be in a better place for care.

As for the bed rest... It's really become an effort of the entire family to make sure that I and Baby Sticks are getting the most benefit out of it. Both Malchik and Kitty Sticks have taken it upon themselves to make sure I understand that there are many comfortable spots in our house to "bedrest".

The Floor...

The tree...

The chair...

The back of the chair...

And even the bed...

And the Hub has made sure that I maintain a balanced diet and drink lots of fluids...

And has gotten me out of the house so that I don't go completely bonkers! Last weekend we drove over to Skyline Drive, part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Hubs New "Baby Hauling Machine" Oscar...

(which could also be an "Entire T-Ball Team Hauling Machine")

We hit several of the overlooks which were completely breathtaking. The Hub took some cute belly pics... We even managed to get a few bystanders to take a couple of really great pictures of us.

Only 8 weeks (or less) till we get to meet our little bitty Baby Sticks!

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!