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Tagged

I got tagged by Teri and I think you have to just list 6 things about yourself so here we go.

1. I am obsessed with cleaning...my house always seems dirty so this might sound contradicting to those of you who frequent my home...but seriously my heart starts racing and I can feel myself going crazy when things are not where they belong. Each week, normally on Thursday I clean the whole house. I dust the pictures and every bookshelf. I will move everything and make a big mess to clean up the smallest thing but it feels amazing to have your house clean for a few minutes until the kids drag all their toys out again. I constantly see dirt and dust and my carpet is so gross so....maybe I obsess but I am not the greatest cleaner but I like to believe it is my apartment being old and also having kids and the inability to ever get EVERYTHING like it should be. Enough about cleaning.

2. I am a list person. I make lists about everything...I will put things on the list that I have done just so I can start off with some things on the list being marked off...it gives me a sense of organization. Each weekend I make a list of things we need to get done and I will tell Brad how stressed I am about everything we need to get done and of course we normally get it all done but I still get stressed. So you can imagine when we have a get together or I am snack mom at preschool I stress for a good 2 weeks until it gets there.

3. I love teaching! Ever since I was in school even elementary I loved to be the boss. When I was in 1st grade I got an 'U' for unsatisfactory in conduct because the teacher couldn't control me. I would get up and go around the classroom telling all the other children things like, 'no you need to color in the lines' and 'its simple 2+2 is 4'! Teaching has been so much fun for me because I love how students learn in different ways and some of my favorite moments in the classroom are when I know everyone is getting it because they have this look like the light is breaking! Of course I warn they have to study but teaching is so rewarding!!!!

4. I journal everything. I have a fear of forgetting and I obviously should because there are things I can't remember from when Brad was a baby so it is a good thing that I wrote it down. When Brad and I got engaged I journaled our engagement, planning the wedding, and what it felt like the day we got married. Periodically and especially on our anniversary I make sure to update our wedding book. It is also helpful when I am mad at Brad to go back and read it because then I can sort of remember how I felt when we were dating/married/w/out kids! With my kids from the day I found out I was pregnant to telling our family and every doctor visit I went on I journaled what it was like! Then once my kids were born I would update every month in their journal what they were doing and what they were like! I think Brad's book is 60 pages typed and Gabi is up to 40 pages. I don't know if my kids will enjoy it as much as hopefully their kids will. We have some pretty funny stories in Brad's book!

5. I love to eat sweets...I love to make cookies, save part of the dough and eat it later and bake the rest. I can't wait till Gabi gets older...I envision us laughing in the kitchen baking and bonding in one of those hallmark memory type moments. Brad likes to help me but I think that will change. I love to eat...although unless you have an eating disorder you seldom hear people say they hate to eat...so I guess that is pretty normal. My weaknesses are ranch dressing and italian food, and sweets! I am destined to weigh 300lbs some day and since everything I eat goes to my face and my butt...I am going to be one ugly fat person! :-)

6. I love being a mom. I kind of thought my life would be a little different that it is. When I was in school I was focused on school and my future. It was when my nephew was born that I first thought I wanted to have kids but I pushed the thought out of my mind and focused on school. Then in grad school I met Brad and fell in LOVE! mushy mushy! I was working a ton when we got married and so was he...we were both definitly pretty career oriented. Little Brad was a surprise and I believe he came at the perfect time because I was getting wrapped up in work and being successful there so when Brad came along things changed. All the sudden all I wanted to do was be home with him...and be his mom. My kids have been LIFE changing for me. They drive me crazy...literally! But they have been the biggest blessing in my life...they are such a source of laughter and joy and really put things in perspective for me in terms of how important God and family are!

So wow...I typed alot...I am going to tag the first 6 people who read this...so let your conscious be your guide in actually doing it!

GO PHILLIES!!!!!

We went to see a Philly's game as part of Gabi's birthday (Guess who thought of that gift). It was lots of fun though. The kids did great which is what I was worried about. It was loud and crazy but my kids were so excited and just loved all of it. We had a great time even though the Philly's lost.

Gabi is 1!!!

So Gabi has been 1 for about 2 weeks now and I am just now getting some stuff on here for her birthday. Granny Dawson was here for the big event and we had lots of fun and an awesome birthday party with her friend Issac. I can't believe she is 1! Time is moving so fast.

She has been walking alot the past 2 days. She has been taking steps for about a month but lately she is walking more and more. She looks so funny walking...its unreal this little person can be cruising.

We love our Gabi and don't know what we would do without her. Life would not be nearly as interesting!

Smith Playhouse

I have never been to the Smith playhouse until this week when Teri took us! It was so much fun! The playground is awesome and my kids LOVED the slide! Thank you Teri for taking us!

Gabi Goo!

Gabi is taking steps and has been for awhile now...but she just seems to love crawling because she is so fast. She loves to push things though...hard to believe but she will try and push her brother if he is sitting on one of the riding toys.
I love it when they are in that can't walk but trying stage...it is fun to watch them figure out how to balance and take those first scary steps. What a blessing...I am sure she will be running before I know it and once again I will be so sad to have to chase another kid around the store or try and entertain while I grocery shop...but for right now it is just exciting and fun to watch her learn this new thing!

Tissue Anyone?

So today Brad started pre-school! He was cute as a bug and SO excited about school! I couldn't get him to eat breakfast or even sit still...he was dressed and ready to go so fast this morning...he did not want to wait on his slow mom!

So I get Brad to school and the parents can stay (Thank you to Mrs. Welsh for watching Gabi for me)! Anyway there are tons of parents and kids and Brad just jumps right in and starts playing...he didn't care there were lots of kids around and that it was loud and unknown...he was ready to get the whole pre-school thing started. So I am taking pictures and watching Brad very carefully when all the sudden I realize I am the only parent remaining and the teachers are nice but they are like...'okay lady...time to go'!

So I tell Brad that I am leaving in 2 minutes (everything is done in 2 minutes in our house by the way)! He gets up and I am like okay here we go he is about to scream don't leave and I will console him and tell him what a big boy he is and blah blah blah. All I got was a 'stay her mom' and I said 'no I have to get Gabi but I will be back' so then I get an "OKAY" and he continues playing! WHAT!!! My child is totally fine with me leaving him!!!!

Now to those of you who know me are probably thinking I am an idiot...I have worked until the past 6 months and have left Brad for work so you are probably thinking what is the big deal. All I know to say is ...it was so different.

I leave his classroom and stand there for 10 minutes outside his door watching him play at a table and all the sudden I lose it...I am crying like a crazy lady and so I go to my car and cry some more! I finally pull it together only to lose it again on the way to pick up Gabi...so I get it together again and go pick up Gabi. I am doing fine and then I get back to the school and I was about 30 minutes early so I decide to wait in the car...next thing I know I am bawling again! I mean not just crying but bawling! It was pathetic! Big Brad just laughed at me when I told him...so feel free to laugh if you want.

I guess...I just saw today has a glimpse of things to come...a time when Brad will no longer need me to change his diaper (okay that will be a good thing), get him a sippy cup, help him get dressed, bath him, make his plate, read him books, and get all the kisses and hugs I want...before I know it...he will be in kindergarten and then junior high, and high school...and then OH MY GOSH grown with a family of his own. Oh my gosh...what if his wife HATES me...no...she wouldn't right?

So cliche I know but time goes so quickly and today I guess I had a small dose of things to come and based on how I handled today...I am sure to embarrass the HECK out of Brad when I leave him for kindergarten.

Mushy

WARNING...MUSHY STUFF!
So recently Brad and I have been talking so much about what we want to do in May when he graduates and it has me all emotional about moving and CHANGE! I am not good with change.
When we moved to Philly I remember crying ALOT...I had just had a baby so cut me some slack! :-) The city seemed so dirty to me...and kind of scary. But slowly my eyes seem to see things differently. Isn't it funny how a place becomes alive to you and all the sudden it is so special to you after you get to know it! Now we are in our last year here and I find myself very sentimental about everything.
On the drive to church today I was thinking in my head how different my perception is of Philly than it was those first few months.
I feel like we have been so blessed living here...I am sad to know it is coming to a head. Even though I know we might still be here longer...it will not be the same with everyone leaving this year that we started this journey with. Time really does fly...I can't believe we are going on 4 years here...I can't believe Little Brad will be 4 in June, when we moved here that seemed like forever away. I can't believe that my baby is about to be a year old. I can't believe I am being so mushy right now...but like I said...I am feeling sentimental and mushy and I was updating my blog...so there it is.

Feeding the Ducks

So this is probably my favorite time of the year here in Philly. I love the beginning of Fall. It isn't too cold, but its so nice outside you just want to stay out there. Also, I can start making soups and I love hot soup on a 'cold' day! Anyway...while Brad was gone the kids and I got a little stir crazy in the house so we went to feed the horses and the ducks on Friday. It was the perfect outing. I love that I live in a big city but yet it feels like a small town. While feeding the horses, Angela Stevens pulled up with her kiddos and not 5 minutes later, Tamar with hers and we visited and watched our kids try and play with the horses. Then we headed off to feed the ducks and Gabi wanted to get out...but I made her stay put so I can jump in and save her brother in case he decided to jump in and swim with the ducks! My fearless son!

A New Car Seat for Gabi

Gabi was practically hanging out of her infant car seat so she has upgraded to a forward facing seat! She is still getting used to it...she doesn't seem to like it as much especially when she is tired but that is hard for everyone!

Rodeo Cowboy

So while in Texas we have had some major fun! Brad was in his first rodeo and I can't even begin to describe all the fun he had! He did stick horse race, lead line, and mutton busting! He wasn't too excited about the stick horse race, but he loved lead line and he though mutton busting was the best!

For the lead line, basically you just run the horse around the barrels and anytime Brad can get on a horse he is having fun!

The mutton busting was hilarious! First, Brad is not afraid of anything (well okay not animals). He sees the pin where all the bulls are when we are walking over to get in the arena and he runs up and trys to pet the bull...I yanked him away just in time as the bull had horns and guess what he charged the pen! phew! close call.

When we get in there he gets in the pen with my brother Robert and he lays on the sheep and holds on for dear life. My brother didn't let go b/c he didn't know how Brad would react but my brother ended up eating dirt and off went my son on a runaway sheep! He still didn't let go and I was trying to film the whole thing but ended up pointing the camera to the dirt and chasing after him. He feel off the sheep after a long little ride and rolled twice in the dirt and almost hit a tractor (yes...some idiot left it in the arena and they moved it after Brad rode) and he got up and immediately asked to do it again!

It was sooo much fun! He looks like such a little cowboy. I have some other pictures of my neices and nephews riding at the rodeo! It was awesome!!!!

Brad's Hair Do

Brad wanted to blow dry his hair the other day and it was so funny and cute. The pictures do not do it justice. I have a video of it and I am going to try and post it...but anyway...it was so cute. He had his hair standing straight up and what was even funnier was that when I put the hairdryer up and he looked in the mirror he kept trying to pat his hair down! I was laughing so hard I was crying and Gabi was just looking at me and Brad was focusing on fixing his hair. Someone is ALOT like their dad!

Look what I can do!

Gabi is beginning her get into everything stage which includes climbing on top of things, standing up in her high chair (that is scary) and pulling up onto of the couch and into the recliner! She got in one of Brad's big trucks yesterday and it was so cute. She also enjoys being pushed around on his riding toys and crys and crys when we put them up! She is a character...and in case you didn't know I already have one of those in Brad...but I think she is going to give us a run for our money as well!

Cute, Cute, Cute

I just think she is so cute! But then again mom's aren't the most objective when it comes to their kids!

Around and Around

The other day,the kids and I were so sick of being cooped up in the house so we went to the Park and the Choo Choo (Barnes & Nobles...children section). There were lots of kids at the park and much to my suprise they were very nice to Brad...they let him play with them and were just very nice to him. It was lots of fun!

Of Course the other bonus was Brad took an EXCELLENT nap! He didn't want to get up for anything...I think he slept for 3 1/2 hours!

Balls of Fun

So the other day the kids were having so much fun playing with the bouncy balls we have and laughing so much that I had to get the camera out and try and capture the fun we were having on film. Gabi was using her ball to stand on and Brad was literally rolling over with the ball. It was lots and lots of fun.

To Bang or Not to Bang...We Bang!

So Gabi got her first "official" hair cut on Saturday. We got it done at Cookie Cutter's in Germantown. Which is a really cute hair shop for kids. They turn on a movie for your kid to watch while they cut their hair and they sit in a car or on an animal instead of in an actual hair cut chair...it was really fun. Kind of pricey but it was fun. So anyway...back to the story...Gabi now has bangs and while I am not sure I like them she has them until they grow out anyway. She was a real sport for the whole thing and even kept touching her hair as if to try and control the process and put her opinion in on it. It was lots of fun.

Fun at the Please Touch Museum

So yesterday we went to the please touch museum with our friend Taybree and Teri. We had lots of fun...Especially in the grocery store. Brad and Taybree did some shopping together and some just wondering around the store. You can tell we let Brad have too many snacks by what he put in his buggy...but hey he did put all whole chicken in there too!