JUMP!

Are Sunday morning's hectic for anyone else??? I try very hard on Saturday to have everyone's clothes set out and to know what I'm making for breakfast and I set my alarm and get up early and everything but I still seem to be running around like a madwoman on Sunday mornings! This past Sunday was no exception . . . and of course it would be the Sunday that Mason and some of his Kids Church friends sang their favorite worship song, Jump! And all I have is this terrible iPhone picture! He's the cute one on the second row in the blue argyle (sp?) sweater!

Speaking of being rushed on Sunday . . . there are lots of Sunday mornings where I have to do some serious apologizing about my "get out of the door and in the car NOW" behavior.  This Sunday Mason & I were going together early to church and he was very anxious about singing and reciting his memory verse in church.  I was so glad for those quiet moments together where we could talk about how God told Joshua to be strong and courageous.  We listened to the Jump! song on CD and it said "put your faith in motion" and I explained to him that he was doing exactly that when he stood up there and proclaimed his beliefs. I was SO PROUD of him when he stood on the second row and did his movements and sang - he's a shy guy and I know that took a lot of effort on his behalf.  Afterward he told me he did it but that he was still scared and that's when we got to have a little lesson on bravery and how being scared but still doing the scary thing makes you brave and strong and courageous!!

I'm so proud of my sweet boy and the little man of God he is becoming by "putting his faith in motion!" I as an adult could learn a lot from him about trusting in God enough to do the scary things!

NESTING

I've been getting ready for baby lately and have surprised myself with how much energy I have had  . . . until this week. I've sort of crashed and burned and done a lot of napping this week.  So I've either been too busy or too sleepy to blog!

I had a mild panic attack yesterday (not actually) when I got my American Baby magazine and it talked about that in this stage of my pregnancy I should have the room done and probably just needed a few odds and ends! OMG - this baby doesn't even have a bed!! I have bought a new lamp and some wall decals and two crib sheets - does that count? His room is still a transition/staging area . . . I've gotten most of Conner's clothes out but I still need to buy Conner a new dresser and desk for his new shared room with Mason in order to make room for baby. Baby clothes are sorted but not washed and toys and equipment have been dug out of the attic.  There is at least a little forward progress!

After all the baby stuff that has been accomplished I looked about my house and realized it had been sorely neglected.  Yesterday I pulled out the vacumm and started to work with lots of breaks in between because I can't breathe lately.  I was so proud of my floors and I spent most of the night reminding the kids - "Mommy just vacummed PLEASE hold your head OVER YOUR PLATE!!!"

This morning I fixed them breakfast and went to finish getting myself ready and in strolls Conner with two slices of buttered bread made into a sandwich that he very proudly made himself . . . on the floor . . . those freshly vacummed floors . . . and what's a mom to say when she's staring at a great big proud big boy smile other than "I'm so very proud of you!"

So here's to lots of love and laughs and messes no matter how hard I try!

Love a good After Christmas Clearance Sale!

Wednesday I heard the shouts of "Hallelujah" from the heavenly chorus . . .  I was home alone!! Yippee! For the most part it was the first time since before Thanksgiving, as Conner has missed a TON of school due to sickness.  And don't get me wrong I LOVE my time with Mason & Conner but it was so nice to go to Wal-mart by myself and not answer twenty million questions and then go home and get some work done!

Many of you have heard me say that I *HEART* the Mansfield Wal-mart and I remembered why this week - great sales!! All the toys they brought in just for Christmas were 50% off! So I managed to snag a few good ones for upcoming birthday parties! Yea!

After toys I got everything to do Conner's treat bags for next Christmas for his class (nothing edible, don't worry!) all for 75% off! Ryan isn't too happy about my sales because he knows that means I'll be storing these items until next year but I'm super excited!

And last but not least - Operation Christmas Child 2012 shopping has begun!! I have already been saving Kids Meal toys but now I've actually bought a few items too!  I got three pair of shoes for $3/each and 2 tank tops and a dress for between $2-$3! So pumped! If I shop all year long I will be able to get so much more for the money!  By the way for those of you who helped out last year with OCC . . . the boys and I tracked our boxes by paying for the shipping online and we took our two boxes to the donation center with the rest of them . . . and our boxes went to Togo, Africa! I'm not sure if that is where all the boxes went but if they stayed all together then probably so! I was really really hoping mine were going to Africa! Yea!

I left Wal-Mart such a happy camper and am so proud of my thrifty purchases!

BOYS, BOYS, BOYS!

So I put my blog address on my Christmas card for the first time and I had great plans of filling the blog with tons of exciting stuff and then that just didn't happen! Oops! We've been so busy enjoying the Christmas season that sitting at the computer downloading pictures and typing just didn't make the cut.  The boys & I have a had a great time during the break and they are always so excited for Ryan to come home and then we have some more fun!

MASON
Mason was out of school for 22 days and he enjoyed every minute of it! Santa was very good to him and brought him an air rifle with a scope . . . essentially a "fully-loaded" BB gun and Ryan & I got him some of the Lego Kingdoms collection so we've been busy shooting things and building things! I have become quite the Lego master, if I do say so myself! In between doctor visits and Christmas shopping, we went to see Arthur Christmas and he really enjoyed it!

After Christmas he and his Papa and some other boys from church spent a couple of nights in Arkansas rock hunting and doing boy stuff.  He was very happy that he was old enough to go on the big boy trip! And then a few days later he got to spend the night with Mimee & Papa all by himself (without Conner), which meant he got to sleep on the "sleeper" in the living room and not upstairs and that was a big treat!

I love my oldest "little" boy! He is so sweet and gentle and being his mommy is the best!

CONNER
Well Conner had a tough go over the break - I think I counted that in 34 days we went to the doctor 7 times, saw 4 different doctors at 2 different clinics, and were on antibiotics for 24 of those days (not counting other meds)! Needless to say, we are both sick and tired of the doctor and the pharmacy and everything that goes with that! But he is a trooper and he still managed to have a good time and a good attitude even with the fevers and rashes and shots!

Santa brought him a brand new bicycle and a toy Jeep and horse trailer just like Papa's! Ryan & I got him Hockey Guys (little men that you pretend with and play hockey) and we have played that until I just couldn't stand to do it anymore! But when he plays it he says, "Oh, thank you Santa, thank you!" And that just melts my heart (even if it didn't come from Santa!)!

While Mason was playing in AR, Conner got to spend the night with Mimee all by himself! Ryan & I enjoyed our quick little breather to travel to Dallas to go to a Stars game with our friends, Holly & Jonathan! While Mason was gone we also had some friends over to play and decorate cookies.  Our little playdate party was originally scheduled for before Christmas but we decided going to the doctor that day would be more fun instead!

My little Conner is so funny and sweet and polite and probably the only boy alive to steal everyone's candles at a Christmas Eve service at church and make guns out of them to shoot his fellow churchgoers! Being his mommy is the best too!

BABY BOY BROWN
It's a good thing little boys melt this mommy's heart because we are having another little boy! That really is like month old news but new news to the blog! The day we found out was a rush of going to my appointment and then driving home and picking up a sick Conner and rushing him to the doctor and we finally had our last (hopefully) doctor's appointment for Conner two days ago so sweet baby boy is just now getting a mention!

I have finally purchased something for him . . . clearance Christmas PJ's for next year . . . hey, you gotta start somewhere! But really I have dutifully stored away everything the big boys ever wore or used and so it's all waiting for Baby to use! And I think I've found his bedding set too so its all coming together! I'm 24 weeks today and he is quite the mover and shaker . . . possibly due to the large amounts of caffeine his mommy takes in to make through the day with two very active little boys! I am blessed to be his mommy too!

Hopefully tomorrow we will have a blog in pictures because we've done some fabulously fun stuff lately!

Christmas Blogging, Interrupted!

Oh the great plans I had for the Christmas season at the Brown house and on the blog! And then this little unwanted friend named bacterial infection came to visit and ruined all of that!  So . . .

Thanksgiving was extra special around our house because it was also Ryan's birthday! We celebrated the weekend before with dinner at Superior Steakhouse. They surprised us both when the waiter delivered a birthday slice of cheesecake to the table! HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!

A few days later on Sunday and old friend, Unexplained Fever, came to visit to my sweet little Conner. The boys had a big weekend coming up so on Tuesday we decided to hit the doctor.  Of course, as is par for Conner, there was nothing wrong him except for the fever.  We were almost dismissed with the dreaded words "Oh it's just viral . . . take Tylenol and Motrin," but luckily we did a blood test and his white blood cell count was double the normal limit.  Antibiotics - yea!

Amazingly he felt better in time for the BOYS HOCKEY WEEKEND aka MOM'S WEEKEND TO HERSELF!! Ryan took the boys to Dallas to attend hockey games Friday & Saturday night and Legoland during the day on Saturday.  They all three had a great time!

And I got a very rare weekend alone - all alone in my house with full control of the TV and the menu and bedtime and it was FABULOUS!! My mom, sister, and I spent all day Saturday shopping and it was great to hang out with them!

The fun came to an end though when by Monday afternoon Conner was back running fever.  Back to the doctor again and again told we are fine except for fever and another super high white blood cell count.  We changed meds and went home to suffer.  Most of our days last week looked like this or worse . .  

And as anyone who knows Conner can attest this child DOES NOT lay down; he does not nap and yet essentially that is all he did so you could definitely tell he didn't feel good.  Friday we were back at the doctor with more fever and ulcers in our mouth.  He got a shot and was very mad with me.  Saturday was the worst day ever but thankfully do to many calls for prayer on Saturday night, Sunday he started to improve!

We celebrated our newfound health with fireplace s'mores!  Conner liked to roast them but didn't really want to eat them.  Mason gladly took of that for him!

Here is Mason showing us how it's done!

Due to rain and Conner's sickness we got our tree later than ever this year and Conner & I did not go to pick it out.  It's definitely a "Charlie Brown" tree but that's OK! I'm just glad Mason & Ryan went and got one for us while I stayed home and loved on Conner.

Christmas also means Christmas parties at school! Conner & I only caught the end of Mason's party but Mason had a great time! He got to visit Santa and they sang Christmas carols in class and took home a stocking full of assorted goodies!



I had the most productive day on Wednesday - rooms got cleaned, bills got paid, fan blades got dusted, presents got wrapped - and I was thinking that I could totally get back on track in time for Christmas festivities . . . WRONG! Almost as soon as I began to think that did I notice Conner was broke out in hives . . . and I got a cold . . . and Mason began to run fever . . . and oh that's a post for another day!

Black Friday 2011

I am one of those crazy Black Friday shoppers who leaves her house in the wee hours of the night/morning and waits in line to get the Doorbusters!! I LOVE it!!  Its like a game and I find it to be great fun!

I met up with some of my best gal pals, Elise and Holly, at Wal-mart at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving night.  I actually got there first and had to park at another store and run into Wal-mart by myself.  It was one of those moments that I knew my mom would die if she saw me - running alone at night through two parking lots and a field!  I love the bobbing and weaving and carrying toys on my head that entails Black Friday.

I guess because stores opened earlier (later?) this year it increased the crowds because it was like nothing I had ever seen before and I have been BF shopping for 7 years.  Thankfully I got lots of good deals and it was so worth the lack of sleep - not only for the deals but for some quality time with my girls!

I did learn one lesson though - one should always wear a Christian T-shirt when BF shopping because it holds you accountable!  I was wearing my WOGGLE Christmas T and WOGGLE stands for Woman of God - Growing, Loving, and Encouraging.  Elise & Holly left me on buggy duty for a few minutes and a girl realized the line she was waiting in did not actually lead to a register and she asked if she could go in front of me.  Now on BF time is money and you want to get to the next opening on time but I was working on "Loving" and I let her in line.  However this kind action resulted in everyone in her non-existent line to try and boot me out of line and while I would have never been down right nasty to someone it was on my tongue to let them know I was next!! I did stand up for my position in line but in a very WOGGLE way!

So no one got hurt, no one got yelled at and it was all very fun!

Poor Elise had it bad because I was pregnant and therefore not up to speed and Holly had just had surgery and was not up to speed.  So we alternating staying in the car while she shopped but it was still great fun with great friends!

Holly was our photographer so check her blog for pictures - I'm sure they will be up soon!

Thankful for . . .

I'm thankful for many, many things but this week I'm thankful for healthy children, who can run and play, and for friends and family to play with!

On Monday we started our week off with a necessary trip to Wal-mart but on our way home we stopped at the local park and had a Lunchable picnic and I let the boys play a bit, too. It was a beautiful day!  We ended the day playing with some old/new friends who live nearby and the boys had a blast!

Tuesday, Mason had a friend from his class over and all three boys were non-stop for about 4 hours! After we dropped him off, we headed to a friend of Conner's to celebrate his 4th birthday!  There were 8 little boys all under 6 - it was crazy fun!

Today, I thought I was headed to my mom's to grab some food and come straight home.  Therefore, at 12 noon I headed over to my mom's in my PJ's with no makeup on with two barefoot children in their PJ's.  And who was there was lunch - my old boss! I was beyond mortified to eat lunch in said PJs and bare face with the man I normally discussed debt ratios with while dressed in nice attire! Oh well - what's done is done and it was a nice lunch! My dad's gumbo is to die for!

Another friend of mine was in town with her new baby and two older kids, plus her sister's two kids, so the boys had a great time climbing trees and fences with four other kiddos! Mason even mastered the monkey bars today and he (and I) were so proud!

So I'm very thankful for a break filled with good friends and playing and family! Looking forward to more fun tomorrow!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!