Wednesday, September 23, 2009

On my to-do list


Next time you think, Man I want a play kitchen for my kids that isn't made of cheap plastic that is going to fall apart instantly and can't stand up to toddlers. Just look around on craigslist or the side of the road for entertainment centers or side tables or anything that you could make your own play kitchen out of. I have been wanting to make one for a while but have been pretty busy, it's getting cold outside, so now I am inside all day and have plenty of time. On to my research/ looking at other peoples homemade play kitchens. You can find the before/during/after pics of the one above here at this blog. AMAZING!
I mean for a wooden play kitchen from pottery barn you are going to spend a fortune, so why not make your own.
I have been making felt food for the boys. I am on a mission to make a play kitchen and plenty more felt food before christmas, so I have about what 3 months?
Why isn't it letting me space out my paragraphs?


Monday, September 21, 2009

Fall is upon us

First day of Fall is tomorrow!
This is what Colorado looks like in the early fall.
I can't for the life of me remember where I got this photo.
It is of the Rock Mountain National Park.

Right now it is 39 degrees outside, raining and windy!
BRRRRRR!!!!
We have our fireplace going.
COZY!!!!
Our dog will NOT go outside!
Thank god for puppy pads :)
This also is not my fireplace, mine is similar. Just not between my kitchen and dining. Mine is between the entry way and living room.

Our American Dream

For a while now our family has dreamed of The American Dream. You know the one where you envision living in your cozy house, driving the car of your choice, having kids, animals, and all because of that job you are so lucky to have and because we live in America. I feel like after all our years of struggles and not knowing what tomorrow will bring, we have it all now. It may not be the nicest, biggest, shiniest "things", but they are "our things" and we have each other.

Our family has lived in many many places. Always in apartments. We moved into our first house August 7th. We are very happy to call Colorado our home now. You will never hear us complain when that lawn needs to be mowed or gas needs to be put in my gas guzzler. We know how much hard work went into getting us to where we are today. We knew when I found my truck (I saw it, wanted it, threw a fit, and got it) that it is a 6.0 V8 and would suck gas, and we bought it anyways because we are fortunate enough to have what we want, even if a little fit needed to be thrown when the sales ppl try to get you to settle for less, and even if it's not the newest model.

Tony and I have two kids and a dog. Our first son came when I was only 15 and he was 19. Some people aren't fortunate to have children but thankfully they can take an alternate route and adopt or become foster parents. Even at our young age, we made it work and never went without any of the things that are necessary to survive. We were always happy. The news of being pregnant with our youngest was a little harder. Tony had just went back to work after an injury that kept him in bed for about 8 months. We were on the road again living in a different hotel every couple of weeks and getting prenatal care on the road isn't easy or ideal. Our little family had to go our separate ways for a little while. I moved back to Louisiana with my two year old and for a couple months lived with my best friend Mary and her husband Jason. They were expecting their first child and I didn't want to intrude on my friends family, so I found my own apartment. I lived my day to day life alone at 18 with a two year old, pregnant and no help or guidance from anyone. In December, Tony got a call from his boss asking if he wanted an office job. No more traveling, no more living alone. I continued to live in Louisiana since I was pregnant and the plan was for me to live there for a few months after the baby was born. Well Tony came to see Prestyn being born, and wouldn't leave us. We waited until Prestyn went to his first two week checkup and on our way home after getting the all clear from doc, we picked up a uhaul. Drove over a thousand miles to Denver with a now 3 yr old and two week old. After coming to Denver we lived in two different apartments, literally wasting money! When you live in an apartment or hotels for so long, you start to dream of things like, having a yard, a garage, a dog, neighbors that don't hear your every conversation. Those dreams are achievable by every person that lives here in the USA. No one should let anything get in the way of their dreams, not debt, income, nor age. We are where we are today because of patience, love, beating statistics, dreams and Tony's job. Tony and I are BIG dreamers! We like to think all dreams can come true if you go about them the right way. Tony has big plans right now that may or may not, but we like to think they may take us to another chapter in our life, one that we've never even dreamed of. I promise if or when those plans work out I will blog about it and and look back on my life and feel even more blessed than I do today.

To us we are living "Our American Dream" the one that fits "our" income. Of course right now we could never have "The American Dream" and when I say "The American Dream" I am meaning what everyone really dreams of but only the rich and famous ever get to enjoy. For now we live in a house, have two kids, good jobs, a yard, a dog and I can't forget our friends and family.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Our sick Saturday

Daddy mowed the lawn
When we first moved in the house we tried very hard
to get our grass looking pretty.
Then we had to let it die again
because we didn't have a lawn mower.
Tony finally bought a lawn mower this morning.
Now we are back to watering all day so we can once again have pretty grass


Prestyn
Woke up this morning with a fever and just not feeling well
This pic was taken after his first dose of meds
Watching daddy mow and enjoying a sucker
Prestyn pretty much slept all day
I'm worried he is going to be up all night now
Cookie
She really enjoyed chasing the lawn mower for a distance

Trenton
Enjoying a break right before he got sick
Of course Cookie is sleeping lol
Trenton played with his friend next door most of the day
I probably shouldn't have let him
but fresh air is good for sick kiddos
and
he is always getting what the neighbor boy has lol
I got pretty sick today also
Then did some shopping at Sams
I feel okay now
Now we are all laying around watching Mulan 2
I am waiting for boys to go to sleep so I can watch a movie
Tomorrow I am going to start making some felt toys!








Friday, September 18, 2009

Etsy Fun

I love Etsy! Today my mission is to buy a couple felt toy patterns from here. I am going to try and make the boys some Christmas presents this year. It will be my very first time making toys myself! I was just going to buy some felt toys off Etsy but then thought why not just buy one pattern and try it, if I don't like it then I'm only out a few dollars and can just buy all the toys already made. Alright I'm off to the bank and hob lob! After I make the toys I will show you all and let you know if I found it hard or easy.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

We got a puppy!

She is a white and lemon Beagle
We named her Cookie
She is two months old



The boy wore her out
I thought I would wait and tell everyone about her after she has been here overnight. Puppies are just like infants, lol. She slept and slept and slept yesterday afternoon after playing with the boys. I thought O boy if she slept all afternoon she is for sure going to be up all night crying to play. She surprised me and slept all night but I woke her up at 2am to go potty and then she woke me up at 6:30 to go potty again and was ready to be up for the day. Cookie also woke up the entire house. Now I'm one sleepy mama with two toddlers and my new infant running around in circles on my hardwood floors. Did you know Beagles constantly trip over their ears lol, it's so cute. She will take off running across my floors and put her head down and trip right over her ears and go sliding the rest of the way. Ahhhh the chewing, of course every puppy likes to chew and we took care of her chewing problem with some dog toys. My only concern is how do I leave her home alone for a couple of hours and her not chew up my entire house lol. I know I can put her in a pen, but so far what I've been reading about beagles is they are the hardest dog to kennel train. Maybe I can just put her in my bathroom? Of course I would put toilet paper up high, I know puppies love tp parties lol.
Cookies favorite person is Tony :(
She goes to him for everything and this morning when she wanted to play she cried until I let her go to his side of the bed to play with him. Tony is the one that picked her out and then said no she's to expensive, we can't afford her. Then went home and an hour later had to go back and pick her up lol.
Prestyn is doing much better than we thought. We thought he would try pulling her ears, grabbing her by the neck, kicking and all the other toddler things. So far he has been nice and just runs and lets her chase him.
Trenton absolutely loves her. After we looked at her the first time and Tony said we had to leave because we couldn't afford her, Trenton cried the entire way home. I have been letting him do more things with her than Prestyn. Trenton gets the honors of taking her outside to potty and making sure she doesn't go under the deck. Once a beagle smells something they just take off and I'm afraid she will take off under the deck and not know how to get out and sit under there and cry for days.
More on her later, now I need to take care of my 3 children. I became mama to 3 overnight and my life got a little bit more hectic.


Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Labor Day 2009

We went to Breckenridge
Labor Day 2009
The boys enjoy going into the mountains
Tony and I kept going back and forth on where to go for Labor day,
first we thought we would go to Yellowstone for the day.
You can't go to Yellowstone for just one day
Then we thought we would go to Estes,
we go there all the time.
Tony decided on Breck since he goes snowboarding there all the time
and rarely get to see it in all it's summer beauty.
my men in the maze
me and my boys punching our A


part of the maze and the beautiful
Colorado sky



taking a break


taking a walk





another break

We did have a great time
On our way home it was horrible!
I think everyone was trying to get home at the same time.
We were going like 25 the entire drive
from Breckenridge to Denver!
We all had to pee and the kids were restless.
We finally made it into Denver and were starving!
We decided to eat at Chili's since the trip into the mountains was all the boys idea
and I'm not a mountain person AT ALL!
So the mama got treated to dinner lol.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Apples

ONLY GROW ON TREES!
I'm not sure if it was my lack of sleep last night or what, but
We went to Berry Patch Farms today with some friends
I look over and was like, omg they have apples here
it was tomatoes.
LOL
I said I wasn't going to share how blond I really am
but I did anyways lol.
My camera is broken
so no pics :(
I will buy a new camera soon
Going back to the farm later for some fresh flowers!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Disobedient child

I need serious advice! Trenton my 5 yr old is flat out refusing to get dressed for school. I give him two options and he wont pick either. I put clothes on him since he wont get dressed and before we are even out the door he has pulled all his clothes and shoes and socks off. I am furious, he is already missing a day of school today because he is naked and i've already put his clothes on him twice and he has pulled them off. I am losing my mind! I can't have him missing school or I will go to jail, his dad is never home during school time to help me out. I know I shouldn't need his dad to help me, he should listen to me, but neither of my boys listen to me.

I WAS ABLE TO GET hIM TO GO! ONCE hE REALIZED hE WAS ABOUT TO MISS SChOOL hE GOT DRESSED AND RAN TO ThE CAR.