Friend like you...

Just out of curiousity- what (or who) do you picture when you hear the words "best friend"? Maybe your spouse (hopefully!!) or your dog (hopefully not ;). Today I experienced true friendship in action by my best friend, Rebecca Gale Gurk!
We had made plans to exchange our kiddos while we did another Gerber taste test - no biggie- we've done this a million times before- only today as I was packing up the boys, I put Seth in his seat, threw my keys to my chair and closed the door. It was locked.
I'm am SOO thankful that it's was not one of those 7 degree mornings like we've had recently (it was a cool 28 I think) and Seth was not panicked at all. No- he left all the panicking to me which I did quite well! I started crying and couldn't figure out what to do so I called Becky who, by this time I knew would be on her way to the test taste. She was my hero!! She was relatively close to Brad's school and very quickly and calmly changed her plans (and gave up her $20 for doing the test) and decided to go get Brad's key and would be over soon. Then she decided to go ahead and take Jaedon with her and her two girls to Target while I kept my appointment! I won't even mention all the hulabaloo that we had while me trying to pick Jaedon back up and in the meantime my phone DYING.
And through it all she was so calm and caring and reassuring. She laughed with (maybe at! ;) me and didn't bat an eye at changing her plans to help her brainlapsed friend! It is humbling to be on the receiving end of unconditional love and I am so blessed! How much more humbled should I be by Christ's love for me daily -
I hope each of you are as blessed to have Godsends like this in your life. I am thankful!

So here is a serious flashback if anyone is familiar with the 90's CCM band Geoff Moore and the Distance-
I am lovingly dedicating this to you, Becky!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZWq065S9z8

"I -I -I want you to know-
I need you.
I- I- I want you to know-
it's true.
There's no-no-no noway I'd make it
without you!
It's so good to know-
I've got a friend like you!"

BEDlam

Two months ago this is what an average bedtime went like at the Howells' household.
Snack, brushing teeth, stories, prayer, Seth in his crib and Jaedon in his bed, both made "snug as a bug in a rug", told our "I love you"s, closed the doors and that was that. Jaedon did get out of bed now and then but overall after we said "Goodnight. I love you" that was the last we heard from them until 8 the next morning.
Sounds nice huh?
Well, enter bunkbeds and the necessity of getting Seth into a "big boy bed" and our bedtime- altho strangely familiar to the above- does NOT end with the closing of the door any longer. I know that there will be the typical giggles and talking - but for 2 HOURS?!!! I'm frustrated! They get less sleep and we have to keep going into their room - ya know- threatening the cancellation of all major holidays and seriously considering duct taping....something....or someONE!
We never really slept WITH our kids and tried to get them to fall asleep on their own from when they were little- all well and good except now they don't know HOW to sleep with someone else!
So- I need some suggestions (again!). Any ideas?

How You Live

This is fastly becoming one of my all time favorite songs! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7HFk6flUOQ

It's been a DAY

There are days. And then there are DAYS.
After de-gooing Seth of his several ounces of mucus crusted on his face this morning, I opted for the bathtub. After the mucus monster was dried he decided to run stark naked thru the house (which I find simply adorable!) He also must have decided the recliner was not quite big enough so he tried to "water" it. uh- not so adorable.
So ok- no big deal, clean it up, and we head out to the mall to listen to the storytime and play at the germ infested playplace - sounds like fun.
We get home and the aforementioned mucusy one was NOT happy about going down for a nap. So I sit in the recliner to read him his FAVORITE book, Goodnight Moon, forgetting the dousing the chair received earlier and realized a bit too late that it was NOT dry yet.
oh well.
So I put Seth in his crib- which is he is even MADDER about b/c we lost his pacis last night (actually he chucked them and we have no idea where they are but try explaining "it's your fault" to a screaming toddler!) so as I turn around to gather his bear from the floor he climbs out of the crib and lands head first. Now, I'm not a member of the brainiacs R Us group but I always thought there was some physics law that required our bodies to land either on our backs or our stomachs -but as I watched Seth fall (it was a slow-mo moment) it was directly head first!! Oww.
Screaming and instant cuddling were in order - naturally. =)
Then I decided, being the planner that I am, to soak some pinto beans for supper - only I wanted to use a quick method which meant boiling them for a few mintues then letting them soak for an hour. Sounds easy right? Enter pregnancy brain - oh yes- I TOTALLY forgot about them. (After telling this to Brad he did not act very surprised since my typical pregnancy blunder is cooking things- MANY THINGS- with the preheat still on) So I went upstairs to my bed with Jaedon to take a nap. I woke up to a strange and shrill beeping - yeah- the smoke alarm was yelling at me! The beans were done!! And the pan is burnt and the ENTIRE house STINKS. (as in open the windows and air this place out stink!)
So the moral of this day is either 1. make sure you check and change your smoke alarm batteries or 2. just stay in bed some days - it's safer!

A Box to Behold

I love that we spend money on toys for our kids when really and truly- they just want a BOX!
Jaedon and Seth worked feverishly coloring the inside of these boxes - then continued to play with them as a boat, race car, fire engine and a mailbox. So I know what I'm getting them for Christmas ;)

Earplugs please?!

I'm having a lot of fun/stress watching (and listening) to my boys play together. They are very different personality-wise but they do have a lot of fun/angst while playing together.
However, since Seth has a vocabulary of - oh- about 3 words (yes, he'll be 2 NEXT month!) Jaedon does not always know quite how to handle the lack of meaningful conversation.
For example- a very typical (and all too often) dialogue heard around here is as follows:
Jaedon: Seth, do you want to, can you please, how 'bout you .....
Seth: No.
Jaedon: Yes
Seth: No
Jaedon: Yes (increasing in volume)
Seth: NO (slight squealing)
Jaedon: YYYEEESSS!!!! (yelling)
Seth: NNNNNNNNNo! (screaming)
etc... usually until I tell them to cease and desist! -hopefully without the yelling and screaming!

Then there are times that they actually play really well together - despite the one sided conversation issue. "Monster" as per dubbed by Jaedon (aka Hide and Seek), any game that includes the use of a flashlight is a huge hit, and today's adventure was pretending to deliver mail (aka lots of extra valentine cards) via pirate ship (aka a box and the bathroom stool) while playing monster (aka hiding under blankets and yelling really loudly).
Ahhh...
BOYS!

Vanguard trip to Chicago

This past weekend Brad and I (along with 8 other teacher/parents) took 43 middler schoolers from Vanguard to Chicago. We left Friday morning and went to the Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier, then saw the musical Wicked at night. Brad's co-worker and her husband of course came along and brought their too-cute 4 month old but because they had never seen the show Wicked (and yes, I've seen it once or twice. Ok- three times!! ;) I stayed at the hotel and watched the baby in the evening. I actually took my scrapbooking along with me and enjoyed my quiet time in the midst of our busy schedule!
Saturday we went to the Sears tower. The shiny picture is of some of us going up the 100 or so floors in the elevator - Then we went shopping on the Michigan Mile, ate lunch at the Rock n Roll McDonalds and explored the Museum of Science and Industry in the afternoon. I was BEAT but we had a good time and didn't leave any kids behind- at least none that we know of! ;)

My Chai-drinking-hair-coloring-totally-not-my-world-but-allota-fun time!

So I knew I was out of my league when I walked into Design One Salon and they asked if they could get me something to drink. Never had a drink while getting my hair done before! (I opted for spice Chai tea...yummm!) I had so much fun altho I must say, REALLY not my world! I felt like a little country bumpkin amidst all these "professional" ladies who come and go from this place like it's their second home. But I sucked it up and had fun with it anyway - I, obviously, did do the highlight thing - (whattya think?!!) (p.s. Brad LOVES it so I guess that's all that counts ;) She cut my hair and did the eyebrow waxing thing too (my brows are STILL itchy!)
I'm not sure how many people who read my blog are used to this kind of pampering - I know that it's not even REALLY pampering to just do highlights and haircut- especially with all the pedicures and massages they offer - but while I did enjoy it I was absolutley blown away but how much it COSTS!!! I spent $100!!!!! (most of it was Brad's gift) for just those few things! Now, maybe that's not a lot for the salon worldees but considering my annual hair budget is around $50 - that's ALOT!! =)
I did enjoy it and would like to do it again sometime- just not in the 8 weeks that they recommended ;)

Yes - I'm bragging!

So I woke up this morning and there was a single rose on the vacant pillow next to me. I found 5 others in various places around the house this morning along with a long, sweet letter from my hubby and a gift! YES! He's EARLY for Valentines Day! The gift is an appointment (made by Brad almost a WEEK ago!) for me to spend some money at a SALON tonight. oooh la la!! If you know me you know that I am TOTALLY not the Salon type of gal. I give my boys their haircuts and I usually settle for a Great Clips coupon or something on that par so this is totally an endulgence for me. I'm tossing around ideas of how to spend the gift card he's given me. I'm thinking haircut and highlights (I've never done highlights but have always wanted some!). So...stay tuned. I may just be daring enough to "post" the results ;) tehee...

And yes, I do have the best husband in the world. ;)

The valentine Moose

We have found ourselves with A LOT of time on our hands lately- being snowbound and all. So we opted to make some Valentine cookies this weekend- you know the valentine hearts, the valentine fish and who can forget the famous valentine moose cookie!! (? hmm... note to self - invest in cookie cutters!) For some reason I have never made cut out cookies with the boys yet!!! Shame on me. But they had a lot of fun (and thought eating (and wearing) the FLOUR was cool?!)
Of course putting the icing on them the next day was WAY yummier - mostly because most of the icing did not MAKE it to the cookies!Finger lickin' good!!!
Here's the recipe - the best sugar cookie recipe ever!

1 c. Butter

1 c. Sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Gradually add eggs and vanilla.

Blend in dry ingredients

Chill 3 hours (or more)

Bake 8-10 min. 375 F.

I have succumbed!

Ok. I can admit it now -

Jaedon's Veggie Tales Dance Pad is



FUN!



At Christmas time I was laughing at Brad because he was using the dance pad while the boys were NOT! I mean- c'mon- dancing to Veggies?



But alas, I must admit that today, I, too, have danced on the Dance Pad while the boys are napping/resting.



Does it lessen the sheer nerdiness of it all if I also mention it was on the "exercise" mode?



no- I didn't think so.

Four and a HALF!!!!

Yesterday we celebrated Jaedon's "1/2" birthday. Brad and I attempted to sing 1/2 the Birthday song - (attempted being the key word here) I gave him a whole brownie though- I thought giving him a half may be pushing the envelope a bit. ;)

My handsome men

I snapped a few pics of my handsome crew (with fresh haircuts ;) before heading to church yesterday.

Name that Song

As we were cleaning up today Jaedon decided to serenade us with a song other than our "clean up" song. Here were his lyrics:

"Rock in my soul in the bushes of Abraham,
Rock in my soul in the bushes of Abraham,
Rock in my soul in the bushes of Abraham,
OHhhhh rock in my soul."

(the actual lyrics are "Rock a' my soul in the bosom of Abraham" - just incase you're not familiar with that spiritual)

I'm not sure what lyrics make more sense!