Cabin Fever!

Mason has finished his second full week of school, by the way, just to brag a little he is still getting all green smiley faces (remember last year we only had one green frowny face ALL YEAR!- so all smiley for Mason) and today he got to go to the "Treasure Box" to pick out a prize for his good behavior! He was so excited! We are so proud of him - he is such a good boy!

But back to him being at school - Conner & I miss him so much! I think Conner is a little bored with me plus the only thing we've done all week is go to Wal-Mart! My mom & I share a newspaper box and Conner knows that both papers are in the box. As I got mine out this morning, he started to cry, "Go Mimee's house, go Mimee's house" over and over again! My parents are FANTASTIC and had baby-sit the night before so that Ryan and I could play in our last softball game so I knew my mom hadn't gotten home until 11 and probably wasn't awake at 7:45 this morning and therefore it was way to early for a visit! Conner however didn't understand that and asked all morning for his Mimee!

Let me back up again to say that my parents rock! When Mason was 8 weeks old they started watching him 5 days a week for 9 hours a day while Ryan & I worked. At the time we lived in Shreveport and my mom drove up every morning to pick him up! When we had Conner , we had moved closer but they still watched both boys 3 days a week until Conner was 8 months old. Then I started working part-time and they watched them twice a week. Now that I am not working, the boys MISS them so much! Of course we still see them and they still help out when we need them but to the boys it is just not the same as being there all day! I say all of that to say that when Conner cried for his Mimee and I knew he hadn't seen her since church on Sunday, except for 5 minutes on Wednesday, I took it seriously that his heart was breaking for her!

So this morning, we busted out of the house and went to visit Mimee and Papa and boy was Conner EXCITED!! He got to drive his toy tractors - between our two houses he only has about say 30 tractors and 15 implements - plus drive the real tractor with Papa and then go on a 4-wheeler ride. They have three new baby colts and he got to check them out. He did not want to leave and has been asking all day "Go Mimee house!"

This evening Ryan & Mason had a Daddy & Me Date to Party Central to play mini golf and Conner just had to bust loose so we went to visit my MeMaw in her apartment at the nursing home. You never know if a 2 year old will be shy or out-going or what but Conner was perfect! He sat with her and talked to her and posed for pictures! Such a sweetie!

Conner & MeMaw

After MeMaw's we headed to Amy's house to visit! Conner's first words to her were "Blake's vroom vroom." Vroom Vroom is Conner speak for TRACTOR! I don't think he understood that Blake can't keep his combines and tractors in their subdivision! Amy is the BEST aunt - she has all kinds of toys set aside for the boys when they come over - and she loves playing with them! I enjoyed getting to catch up with her and all she has going on.

Conner and I enjoyed our day of visiting and seeing!

Tips & Tricks

I am totally not a house keeping/parenting/organization guru but I am trying to implement some tips & tricks from the experts to keep the Brown house running smoothly and to not have to be cleaning it every single day!

Here are some that are working out great for us so I just had to share in case your life is in as much of a mess as mine!!

Pantry/Meal Prep
Use bins to separate food catergories so you know just where to find stuff. I got this from a Better Homes & Gardens magazine and of course their pantry was gorgeous and everything was labeled and cereal was poured in TupperWare containers. To make things a little more economical I only use about three bins and I place them in the middle of a shelf so that I can use the space between the bin and the pantry walls for a food catergory. Works perfect and I always know where everything is!

Keep ingredients for your week's meals in a bin, along with the recipe. This works great for us! I plan our menu for at least a week's worth of meals and sometimes two. When I get home from the grocery store every dry ingredient that I'll need goes into the bin along with my cookbook or copy of the recipe I need. I keep my menu on the fridge and it doubles as next weeks grocery list. This way when I am in hurry to make dinner I am not searching the pantry for what I need, it's all in the bin!

Keeping kids entertained at restaurants
Have a special "restaurant bag" that they only get at restaurants. I got this idea while researching travels tips for our vacation. Instead of handing kids the same car you hand them in the car or at the doctors office have a special bag of fun, time-consuming activities just for restaurants (we use a "church bag" too since Mason is in "big church" now). I have been cutting the backs of cereal boxes or fruit treats or any food item that has mazes or games on it to cut costs and in order to have a variety of things to do. Both boys also a travel magnet set that I have for them to play with at the table. Keep crayons you get at restaurants in your bag too.

Random
Plastic diaper wipe boxes make great beds for toys or crayon storage.
Make a cleaning schedule. Monday, dust. Tuesday, vacumn, Wednesday, mop., etc. (I am not so great at this one!)

And I have one other really great tip but to prove I'm not so organized I'll go ahead and admit that I can't remember what it is!!

Leave a comment with your favorite tip or trick too! I know it pains some of you to leave comments so I've made it so much easier by taking the word verification feature off! Now comment away!

It's a . . .

GIRL!

Congratulations Josh & Erica! I can't wait for my little niece to get here!

One Random Thing About Me

For those of you on Facebook I am sure you remember when "25 Things About Me" was going around (or whatever it was called). My list was sort of lame because I couldn't think of hardly anything while I was writing it but a hundred things once I hit "publish."

For some redemption, here is one random thing about me -- this list will probably be ongoing as I think of more!

Yesterday I had a hysteroscopy (before I googled it today I had no idea what that was so don't feel bad if you don't either!) and I was put to sleep with a "medical cocktail." The thing is I L-O-V-E being put to sleep . . . or rather I love the 60 seconds right before I fall asleep. It's great!

I was only out for about 20 minutes and I woke up all groggy and sleepy, went home, took a Lortab and drifted back into unconsciousness and it was FABULOUS! I would love to be a napper but I can never go to sleep so to be able to lay my head down in the middle of the day and immediately feel like I was literally floating away was wonderful!

It is possible that I am a little sad that I am not in pain today because that ends the need for medication (that may answer your question, in case you were wondering if I took the meds just for fun and the answer to that is NO!).

My friends there you have one random thing about me - I love assisted sleeping (when it's a medical necessity)!

Slow and Steady

Since school has started back I've been trying out some new recipes in the slow cooker so that I'm spending less time cooking and more time with Mason after school. The boys love this one! When all the boys (big and small) come in the door the first question is always - "what smells so good?"

I'll be the first to admit it is probably not the healthiest meal but they eat it! My friend Holly might die over the ingredients . . .

Crock Pot Pork Roast (courtesy of Cheryl Bounds via Martha Cathey)
2 lb. pork loin rib eye roast
2 garlic cloves (I used garlic powder)
18 oz Diet or Regular Root Beer
18 oz Honey BBQ Sauce
Tony's
1/4 c. chopped onion

Cut slits in roast & poke garlic in them. Put in Crock Pot and sprinkle with Tony's. Mix root beer and BBQ sauce and pour over roast. Cover with chopped onions.

Cook 1 hour on high and on low for 6 hours (recipe said 12 hours but my cooker didn't take near that long).

I served with green beans and fresh salad & carrots and the boys cleaned their plates!

I also tried these recipes from Taste of Home and they were good!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff (I found the seasoning at Super One)
Texas Pork Burritos
BBQ Chicken Baked Potatoes (I just served the chicken and didn't use the baked potatoes) w/Dad's Baked Beans (rave reviews from Ryan)

I ADORE the slow cooker so let me know if you have any good recipes to try!

FIESTA!!

Last night about 25 of my brother's closet friends and family members gathered at Cantina Laredo to celebrate his 26th birthday (Tuesday)!

Of course, I brought my new camera and guess what -- I forgot the memory card in the my laptop! So no pictures of the fun event!

The boys stayed home with a sitter because this is Mason's first full week of school and I wanted him in bed on time. They sent hand-painted cards though! Ryan and I enjoyed a grown up meal without them! My grandmothers were able to make it and its always good to see them!

No occasion is complete without one of Erica's famous cakes and she didn't disappoint with a 3-tier chocolate cake!

It was a lot of fun and I wish I had pictures!

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS LITTLE GUY WILL BE 26 TOMORROW AND BE A DADDY IN JANUARY? I can't!

Love you Josh - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Pizza Party

After a fun morning of haircuts and visiting Uncle Josh & Aunt Erica to pass out goodies for the baby-to-come, we headed home for lunch!

Mason wanted to do something fun for lunch - like cupcakes or cookies - but we decided to make our own pizzas instead. Since this was a little spontaneous and we don't pass a grocery store on our way home we had to make do with tortillas and spaghetti sauce plus mini pepperoni, chicken breast strips, and mozzarella cheese!

Mason is all smiles while putting his special "Mason Pizza" together!

Conner is in deep thought over what to add to his special "Conner Pizza!"

Love days with the boys!

Fun times with Friends

I am the only "Gloster Girl" still actually in Gloster so whenever anyone comes to visit I jump at the chance to get to see them!

Mary Lea and her kids, Michael & Paige, plus friends of theirs, Brandi, Rierson, and Gage, invited us over to swim Thursday after school. It worked out great because Mason didn't have school on Friday so we weren't in a rush to eat supper or do homework.

It turned into an extra special day with Mary Lea's sister, Rachel, and her husband, Doug, and two kids, Madison and Caroline, came over too! Yea! I miss Mary Lea and Rachel so much!

With 5 adults and 8 kids it seemed like a party!

I have been a terrible mother lately because I have been planning our swimming trips when Conner can stay with Ryan or is napping because he can't swim but he isn't aware that he can't swim and he makes me so nervous! Plus he gets in and out of the pool - you know basically like he's two or something -- sorry Conner!! But today he did FANTASTIC! He'll be involved in all our swimming now! He went down the slide and did great "kicking & pulling" with his floaties on!

Mason & Michael had fun sliding and being underwater explorers for the diving sticks!

After swimming, Rachel & Mary Lea's dad took the 4 older kids riding on the Ranger while the little ones snacked and played with Play-Doh.

It was such a great time and I was glad to see my kids having fun and I was thrilled to be able to catch up with my friends!

Conner, trying to open and close all the French doors

Mason, playing dead

Love these guys - Rachel, Doug, and Mary Lea!

Kindergarten Here We Come!!

Today is Mason's first day of KINDERGARTEN!!!!!!!!! Agh, where did time go???

Last night was back to school night and we went together to check out his room and get him acquainted with his surroundings before this morning.

This morning he requested Monkey Bread for breakfast (healthy I know) so I woke up early to get it ready. Last school year I usually woke up late which meant I got him up late and then he would move at turtle speed and I'd get frustrated and then we'd be late to school but this year we are determined to make some changes! For starters, instead of breakfast in bed he is going to eat at the table or on the couch dependent on the messiness of the meal. And instead of eating in the cover of darkness we will try to get Conner & me moving around in order for it to feel like time to get moving! We also don't have as far to walk to his class this year so that will work in our favor too!

We are also in the works of setting up a homework station equipped with sharpened pencils (pencils that actually had lead sharp enough to write with was a BIG problem last year!) and paper and scissors and whatever else he'll need we'll be at his fingertips (and away from Conner's).

It's going to be a great year!

I was very sad about pre-k and I am sad about Kindergarten too but I am more proud of how Mason has handled these big adjustments and how sweet his spirit his to offer comforting words to me and Conner and focus less on himself. He is just AWESOME!

Getting ready to leave . . .

Conner wants to go too . . . .

At school and all smiles!

Not all of his class came today but he did have two little boys that he knew there this morning and that made both of us feel better! The only tears were from Conner as I carried him screaming "My EE, My School, My EE, My School" to the car. He got a big hug and kiss from Mason too.

WE LOVE YOU MASON AND WILL MISS YOU SO MUCH TODAY!

growing up is hard on mommy!

I am the Mommy to a very smart, inquistive, sweet, and tender-hearted 5 year old boy who just learned to tie his shoes after only less than an hour of instruction! I am very proud but very sad because that's one less thing he needs more for! He does still need a little practice but if required to do so himself, he can! YEA MASON!

I am also the Mommy to a very smart, strong-willed, curious, and sweet 2 year old little boy who I am trying hard to keep a baby! This week I have finally decided on the term little boy instead of baby but since Mason thinks his name is "Baby" it is kind of hard! The two of us have had a hard time getting rid of the "ga-ga," which is Conner speak for pacifer. He is such a great sleeper (unlike the aforementioned 5 year old) and all you have to do is show him the ga-ga and his gunga (teddy bear) and he goes right to bed and well it is so easy and I hate messing with that! But in exchange for a tractor and a book about tractors that little boy threw his beloved ga-ga in the trash!! YEA CONNER!

I am SO PROUD of both my boys but I hate milestones like this because it means they are one step closer to 18!

Mighty Warriors!

I've mentioned a few times in my posts about playing co-ed softball this summer with my church and on Monday I finally remembered to bring my camera!! We are the Warriors of Fellowship Community Church and we've lost every game except the two the other teams didn't show up for . . . but I am having a great time and we are losing very graciously!

We had a team last year and there are only four players on this year's team from last year so basically it's our first year together and the very first time to play for some. We are not in an exclusive league for churches so I'm enjoying being able to smile through the whole game even though we are losing 0 - 12 it makes me think I'm somewhat inspirational or something!

I played church softball almost all my life, until college, and I am still learning new things. For instance, I am learning that I am not 16 anymore! After ever game it takes about 3 days for the sore muscles to heal and bruises to fade. The first game I fell down twice for no apparent reason and I have a knack for stopping balls with my legs and palms and not the glove, but I am still out there and sweating and having a blast!

Not only am I able to play with my Christian brothers & sisters, but actual brother, Josh, sister, Amy, and my hubby, Ryan! Yea!

Here is Amy coming up to bat!

Our best fans - Kyle, Aubrey, & Payne and Mason & Conner

(almost) Totally Free Friday!

The boys and I have been having a great summer! The only problem with summertime is that it's so HOT!! We have been getting a little cabin fever but being a SAHM presents a problem when your kids want to go places but you don't have a paying job!! So today I tried to think of some free and cool (as in air-conditioned) things for us to do.

We started off with breakfast at Chick-fil-a, which isn't free but the playground is! I have never eaten breakfast there so I was a little unsure what the boys would eat. They both settled on Cinnamon Clusters (yummy), fruit cups, and milkshakes and I had a Chicken Biscuit and a Coke, of course! Now off to the playground! There is only one Chick-fil-a in Shreveport and at lunchtime it is total chaos but this morning there were only 3 other kids so it was perfect and I didn't have to worry with Conner getting trampled. They had a great time playing together!

We did have a few errands to run and Target was next on the list. I am 100% addicted to Market Pantry Strawberry Orange Banana sugar-free drink mix (not Great Value, not Crystal Light but Market Pantry) and Mason is 100% addicted to Eggo Cinnamon Toast Waffles and we were both out.

Then to the Pet Store! No we didn't need anything but to the kids its sort of like a zoo and its free and air-conditioned! We browsed all different kinds of snakes, turtles, frogs, and lizards before heading over to the fish. Mason is in the market for a new fish since John Deere II passed on therefore we needed to check out the selection! He wants a hermit crab, catfish, and a shark. I tried to explain saltwater versus fresh water but he didn't quite get it! After fish, we were on our way to birds but stopped to look at 5 baby ferrets. Ferrets got put on the wish list too. The birds were noisy and scared Conner but Mason loved them! However, not as much as he loved the rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils! A mouse got added to the wish list also . . . . but I think it'll just be fish for us!

I tried to do fun stuff in the midst of our errands but I still heard some whining over going to Sam's. Mason changed his tunes when I started to looking for Christmas gifts and when he saw all the food samples! So in the spirit of free, I got the kids some free lunch - we had pizza, BBQ wings, grapes, blueberries, garlic dip, nestle ice cream bars, apple strudel, yogurt, lemon pound cake, chocolate cake, and chimichangas and we washed it down with pomegrante juice! Can't beat that!

All in all it's been a fun day so far! Ryan and I have a date night tonight so hopefully the good day will continue on!

Splash Country!

Today we had great intentions of being totally motivated and organized and clean and well none of that happened. Instead the kids rotted in front of the TV while watching their "new" Blockbuster movies and me? Oh I'd love to say that while they were occupied I cleaned and organized and all that but actually (and it's OK to say since Ryan doesn't read this!) I read my new library book, Caught by Harlan Coben, from cover to cover. It was so good!!! His books are real page-turners but today I couldn't shake my sneaky suspicions that he doesn't believe in God at all so I think that'll be the last book of his I read.

After I declared a TV timeout the boys got creative and painted and colored and played play-doh and then it was nap time for Conner!

Mason watched Jaws (I bought a new copy at Blockbuster - cheaper than Wal-Mart and Best Buy, if anyone is interested!) while I made a few phone calls and around 3 I jumped on my cleaning duties at warp speed since Ryan would be home at 4! I was totally irresponsible today!

When Conner woke up, as promised, I set up the slip-n-slide and baby pool and we headed out for some splashin' around in the country! Surprisingly it was almost pleasant outside (comparably).

Of course, my boys can't play outside in the water without wanting to play "mud-kicker" so all forms of clean water were abandoned and they made mud puddles instead.

Around supper time they got hosed down and dried off and then wanted to take pictures! Here is me sans makeup trying to get in Mason's picture!

Ryan left early for a softball game. I decided not to play tonight since the game was at 9 and that's too late for boys to be in town. After supper we played outside on the trampoline and then called it a night!

Pretty soon we'll be rushed to get to bed so our "front porch summertime after supper ice cream & popsicle eating and playing nights" will be over - better enjoy it while it lasts!

He is HIS . . .

Today was Mason's special day! He had is Developmental Skills Concepts test for Kindergarten this morning and we got to meet his teacher, Mrs. Lynch. Most of his classmates from PreK were in a different class this year and upon arriving at school we only knew one friend in Mrs. Lynch's class (Hooray for Natalie!).

I think we both had some nervous jitters on the way to school. I was listening to K-Love and the MercyMe song Spoken For came on and these lyrics really caught me to hear Him say this one's mine, my heart is spoken for really caught me. Isaiah 43:1b says "you are MINE."

And although I've read that verse and listened to that song a hundred times I am usually listening to it in a "me" mode and not in regards to my children. But this morning, God calmly told me that Mason (and Conner) are HIS and I needn't worry about tomorrow. They are HIS children and as much as I love them and have their best interests at heart HE loves them more. And all my behind the scenes manuevering to get him the best teacher, the best friends, the best back pack, or whatever cannot compare to God watching out for him. Kindergarten here we come!

After a really long wait, we were finally done filling out forms and testing. We headed to Shreveport to meet ReRe for lunch and for Mason to tour her 13th story, corner office. He loved looking out the window!

He was on his best behavior until he got into Amy's boss's office, where he took things off his desk and threw them across the room! I was so embarrassed! Thankfully he is a nice guy and didn't throw us out but we quickly left anyway!

Now on to the Boardwalk. The Boardwalk was a fun idea and good in theory but I failed to factor in 102 degree temperatures! We needed school shoes and a few more uniform shorts then for fun stuff - aquarium and alligators at Bass Pro, ice cream, and the carousel! He of course didn't pick out the shoes I liked best but the other ones are still cute and thankfully do not have any cartoon characters on them!

All smiles at the Nike store where he found shoes that "make him run fast"

More smiles for the carousel!


Getting eaten by an alligator isn't a smiling occasion!

After the Boardwalk, we rented movies at Blockbuster and books from the library. Then headed home to show Daddy & Conner our goods! Conner was most upset over not getting new shoes but he did just get some before vacation!

Who knows what more fun stuff we can do before school starts next Wednesday!

Terrific Tuesday

In another effort for lots of fun before school starts next week Mason & I spent Conner's nap time on Tuesday enjoying a swim . . . and popsicles thanks to Mimee!

It was a great time!

Me v. UPS

So today was the big day - I got my call back from Shreveport's Customer Service at UPS. I told them about both instances where my packages were mishandled and not delivered properly.

I told her about my hesitance to report the earlier instance because of retribution . . .

and about one hour later the UPS driver calls my cell phone because "we need to talk." SERIOUSLY! She calls three times today.

The third time was when we were coming home from our softball game (lost in a big way!) and I do not like to talk serious business in front of people so I silenced my phone. Ryan answered it anyway.

I was now mad because customer service gave her my name and number and she called me three times!

She apologized profusely, which was nice, but ended her apology with "but," (and to me if you end your apology with "I'm sorry, but . . ." it nulls the apology) . . . I'm sorry (I didn't deliver your package and just left you a voice mail telling you where I left it), but I assumed that since your father is a pastor and you are full of love that you would have been more understanding!"

So apparently since I do meet her wherever she wants me to when I actually speak to her on the phone and since I called and very respectfully reported a grievance I am now un-Christiand and unloving!!

Grr . . . so in sumation, ship via FedEx!

A nice thing . . .

Mason's lazy days of summer are winding down and I am trying to make them good . . . this morning we had to go to Wal-Mart, which doesn't rank very high up there on his list of things to do!

To make it a little better, the three of us ate breakfast at McDonald's beforehand. Mason still hadn't woke up good and had a bit of moodiness to get out of his system but with a little food in his system all was good.

When we were almost done, Conner was yelling in laughter and the more I asked him to "Shh!" the louder he got. We were all giggling and it was great fun. I noticed an older man watching us and I thought to myself that he was either thinking a) that we were loud and obnoxious or b) that we were having fun and not letting a little noise bother us.

I got my answer when on the way out of the door he handed each boy a hot apple pie "for being so sweet!" It was such a nice thing for him to do and we really appreciated his thoughtfulness. We will be looking for opportunities this week to pass it on.