The Afters:

Here are some of the pictures/evidence of the productive weekend that my mom and I spent together. While the list didn't exactly get tackled, we did some signifigant damage. And all this is in addition to the fact that my mom woke up with Luke all night for 3 nights, did all of my laundry, helped steam clean the carpets (it is a whole new house over here!), took Cade to the museum, took all of us to lunch and basically pretended that this was her house and that we were all her children. Not exactly what I look forward to doing on my vacations, but she said she enjoyed it. I am not totally convinced, but I am grateful!

Luke's new artwork.

And Cade's

More new artwork

Here is a close up of those lil beauties. I know. Amazing, right?

AND THERE ARE EVEN CURTAINS!!!!

The boy's room looks better than ever, if only they would learn to appreciate it from the comfort of their beds, life would be just about perfect 'round here.

I also did a fair amout of scrapbooking. I swear, my life and perspective on scrapbooking were revolutionized by this crazy little machine called the cricut. I want one. And I don't even want to scrapbook. Or to be a 'scrapper' as the kids say these days. I just think that this little machine has so much potential. Oh, the possibilities. I want to cut out letters until my whole house is covered with personalized things.

I will post pictures of my scrapbook pages later. Because I am that proud of myself. I did tell Chad that I cut all of the letters out by hand, so that he would think that I am even cooler, and also because I was embarrassed that it took me all day to do two pages ON A MACHINE but he only replied that he doubted I would ever finish these books. Backfire.

My Mom is Coming!!!

My Mom is Coming!!! And should I say it one more time? My Mom is Coming!!! I am so excited that she will be here, and while it hasn't been too long since I saw her last, I am finally at the point in my life where I want her to live next door...so she just can't be here enough! (Well, technically she probably could, but we'll deal with that if it ever happens). I am excited that she will 1) be here to watch the boys so that Chad and I can go on a date night (yes, for the first time since Luke was born) 2) PROJECTS!!!

I have already given a list of supplies for my mom to bring and if the boys cooperate we are going to tackle this list of projects:

1)Steam Clean the Carpets
Ok, so that was a horrible way to start the list, but it is the first priority. They are disgusting. I am halfway tempted to call the owner and ask for new flooring, but I am afraid that would mean that we have to move our stuff out. Its only 6 more months. I think we can make it.

2)Make some artwork a la this:



Picture from the fabulous fabric designer Anna Maria Horner at:
http://www.annamariahorner.blogspot.com/

I swear, I had this idea long before I found out that, once again, somebody more famous ALONG WITH Martha copied me...but at least this must mean that it really IS a good idea. Martha's website has a whole tutorial and video--which I tried to embed here but I realized that type of technical savy jargon is for someone with a bigger brain than I. Anyways, I think that these will be perfect in the boy's room, I need one here:


and here:





I will update with "after" pictures.

This artwork will probably be the feature project of the weekend--we will be making the boy's paintings, then some for my sister, then some Christmas themed ones for us, then probably some more because we get sidetracked very easily. I don't even know if I should continue the list. But I will just to keep me accountable.

3)Baby books for the bambinos

I have mixed expectations for this. I am supposed to be working on writing down all of the stories that I want to include in the boy's books--hence the blogging break--but I can't remember anything about Luke's birth. It was only 5 months ago. I swear, mommy brain sets in and it sets in fast. Write it down people. Anyways, I am hosting an official scrapbooking party on Saturday for my friends that are real live scrapbookers and so I know that something will get done, even if I only spend the whole day "getting inspiration" (which loosely translates to eating their chocolate and looking at their books).



4) Re-finishing my wicker set for my sister
I hope she doesn't randomly decide to read this, because that would be sad. And ruin the surprise. Anyways, I am painting my old wicker set for her new apartment. HOPEFULLY, it looks better than it does now. That would take a lot of luck, it is in such a sad state.

5)Make a mobile for Cade

This is definately last priority, but it would be great to get this done. Cade's room got re-arranged with the big boy bed introduction, and now the ABCs that I had hung are really off-center, and look weird.



There used to be a bookcase in that corner, just so you don't think I am a total nerd. I am hoping that if I hang a ceiling mobile in that corner it won't look so akward, but we'll see if I get around to it. Again, just putting this on here for motivation/accountability.





And just to give an overview of the boy's room before the weekend of the art happens:





Wow, those walls look really white in pictures. LOVE the rental rules.




And here is a tip back from the days of my professional life: Take pictures of your room and then look at them objectively to see what could be added/moved. This works ESPECIALLY well for artwork. And for window treatments. I used to print a bunch and then even draw on the picture--so that I could get an idea of size/colors/styles. Anyways--now that I am looking at this, I realize that drapes would be good here. I was halfway convinced that boys don't need drapes, but now....Maybe I will add that to the list.

Not a creature was stirring...but me!

So today Cade is at the gym with his girlfriend Alyssa. The gym as in the gymnastics studio. They have open play hour for toddlers each day, and Shawna graciously agreed to take Cade off my hands so that I could relax with just one baby instead of two. So what am I doing with my well earned hour? I had contemplated packing up the baby and going snowshoeing...which quickly got downgraded to just going on a run...which then became napping.

Instead of all those glorious things (and believe me, a nap would be glorious), I got out this:

The Apron my mom made me for Christmas.

And I got out this:

My Christmas present from Jodie, reputedly the best cookie sheets in the world. Made by Vollrath of Sheboygan (apparantly that is a real place, it is etched on the bottom of my cookie sheet).
and I made these:

They are called World Peace Cookies. I found the recipe at SmittenKitchen and was intrigued because they offed promise of bringing peace to the world. And also because they are cookies.

Well, I am not sure about world peace, but happy mommy, yes. So I have a little plate of these cookies, a glass of milk, and Grey's Anatomy on the internet. It is close second to snowshoeing/running/sleeping, and it is glorious

Here is the recipe--copied directly from her website:
World Peace Cookies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips ( I used chocolate chips, cause I like my chocolate sweet)

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the flour, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek — if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough — for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost it before baking — just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Working with a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them — don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.
Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes — they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.

SERVING: The cookies can be eaten when they are warm or at room temperature — I prefer them at room temperature, when the textural difference between the crumbly cookie and the chocolate bits is greatest — and are best suited to cold milk or hot coffee.

STORING: Packed airtight, cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days (Deb note: not a chance); they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Ahhh Brothers

I am so grateful to have two healthy and happy babies. And it is definately an added blessing that they seem to like each other. Luke lights up whenever Cade gets up in his face--well, he flinches first and then smiles--and everytime Luke cries or coos or talks or anything, Cade stops whatever he is doing to say "uh oh, baby" pointing to wherever Luke may be. Just like Lassie he always lets me know when the little boy may be in trouble.
Today is the first time that Cade has said Luke's name, he held Luke's face in his hands, and said "Dookey, Dookey". Before, it was "ooke" so I think we are getting closer to a complete vocabulary. Here are some photos of them being brothers and loving each other.

What's that you ask? You want to know how I have managed to get so many great pictures of them together? Both (kind of) looking at the camera, and smiling, and in focus and most importantly, both still in the shot. I know, but these are no miracle shots. These are all due my new Christmas present, the Canon Powershot something something. This famous camera has not only made these brother shots possible, but it has also allowed me to capture great moments like these:

I have been somewhat hoping that Cade will fall off the couch just to put a stop to his crazy acrobatics, but he is too coordinated. He just walks back and forth accross the back of the couch. My cousin almost had a heart attack when she saw him. And then there are his crazy antics. He is one animated kid.

Anyways, I have been getting some things done around the house, such as organizing, cleaning and general moving in stuff that I am only just getting to. Its keeping me busy during the kid's afternoon nap. Yes, they have been napping at the same time for the last few days, and I have been taking showers so consistently its just amazing. Granted, I don't take a shower until the afternoon, and because I spend the morning in my PJs the boys do too (notice the pjs in every single picture), but we are a clean and good looking bunch come 3:00. Just in time to get dirty at dinner. Sometimes it all seems so futile, but hey, if someone stops by, I don't want to be that mommy.

The Luke Bear!

As promised, here are some pictures of Luke. The little boy is getting more and more photogenic--he is getting over the baby tendency to have the deer-in-the-headlight eyes everytime the flash goes off. His little smiles are getting bigger and bigger, and he is talking so much. It has been very exciting this time around, with Cade I wasn't sure how much of his baby things were Cade and how much were general baby things. Now I can see that Cade was a very serious baby. Luke is all giggles, laughing, and cooing, all the time. He talks and talks without stopping, and he is still the easiest baby. I swear, he talks to the wall half the day. This was our little photo shoot this morning on the swing:

A whole lotta catchin up

There is going to be so much going on in this post it is a little ridiculous, so sorry in advance. We have been not really doing a whole lot, but even something as mundane as going to the store becomes quite the story when you factor in two boys. (long story short, Cade rolled around on the ground screaming in Nordstroms. That is why I have become a recluse and don't leave the house.)

There would be a lot more pictures to add some flava and all-around cuteness to this post, but my stupid camera has frustrated me to kingdom come. As this picture proves, by the time it gets around to actually taking a picture, one or more child has disappeared. Yes, Cade was actually sitting next to his brother when I started the picture-taking process (ie-push the button). And yes, that is Luke sittin tight in his 6-12 month size clothes. And yes, his pants are unbuttoned. All this on a liquid diet.



















The most significant thing lately has been Cade's new found desire to speak. For the first time he is trying to repeat words back to me and using them, and I think he might even be trying basic sentence construction. It is either that or he fires an arsenal of words at me trying to see what gets me to respond the quickest. Yesterday we had "Eat More BuBus" (Cade for Blueberry). At any rate, I had been convinced that we were raising the missing link in the evolution theory with all of the grunts and groans that were functioning as a form of communication. The talking is a welcome change, although I am sure I will rue the day that he learned the word NO--it is already appearing way too frequently in conversation.



















Also, the big man keeps getting bigger. He has been sleeping in a big boy bed for a few weeks now, and thanks to my good friend Jo, the Supernanny, the transition was actually really easy. Since Cade vacated his crib, Luke got moved up from the bassinet in the hallway (yes, I know, at least it's not the sock drawer) to the crib, and now they share a room. That transisiton--not so easy. It is 8:00 in the morning right now and I have already been up for 5 hours. Luke woke up, so then Cade woke up so then Luke stayed awake and so Chad and I were wide awake and asking each other if they make Tylenol PM in infant strength. We are pretty sold on letting the babies cry it out, but with the new digs (the shared wall in the duplex) I don't think it is too considerate to let the boys scream at 3am. I had actually been really concerned about what must sound like a torture chamber over here until the other night when they woke us up with an incredibly loud screaming match which included a lot of obscenities. I think that we are at the point of some unspoken agreement: if they don't call Child Protective Services on my screaming babies, I won't call the police on their drunk and disorderly.























Another new trick for the big boy, walking down the stairs like a full-fledged little man. Nevermind the diaper.


The boys and I just got back from Portland, we went to visit my parents since Chad was working every day. We had a great time playing with the dog and the aunt and the gramma and grandpa, and Cade rediscovered his car--he has a ride-on car at my parents house. He woke up in the morning asking for the car, and oh, imagine the fun when he found some of my dad's car magazines. He went through every page pointing out the cars. And there are only about 15 cars per page. We got home yesterday and Chad has been working non-stop. Poor guy. He has tomorrow off though and we have a great day planned of grocery shopping (it is a rare and desperate day when I attempt that alone) and napping. We might get out to take the boys to see Santa, but that would be record breaking stuff.




Also, Chad finished up his first term as a full time student, and the kid pulled off a strong set of straight A's--like 95% straight A's. Cade and I were so proud that we baked him a cake. I wanted to teach my son the joys of baking, so I was showing him how to daintily use his finger to "clean" the bowl. Well I turned around for a few seconds and got this. He was so into it that by the time I went and got my camera, and then during all the time it took to take the stupid picture, he was still licking away. I think I convinced him that baking aint no sissy hobby.


















Well, after this post I am realizing that I don't take nearly enough pictures of Luke, which is strange because he can't run out of the frame by the time the picture clicks. Next post will be dedicated to Luke and all of his adorable chubbiness. He goes to the doctor tomorrow and I am worried that the doctor won't let me start to feed him solids. I have been so looking forward to rice cereal and the sleep that may accompany it...

Traditions!

In case you didn't read that right, that should be Traaadishons, like Tevye would say. This was the third year that we have hosted the Thanksgiving feast at our place, and while the new digs were not quite as spacious as the old place I think we pulled it off. The food quality sure didn't suffer any! I am now trying to come up with ways to use our leftovers--so far I have got most of it figured out-Gnocchi out of the mashed potatoes, Turkey pot pie with the leftover turkey dark meat that I don't like for sandwiches-except the stuffing. What are you supposed to do with that, besides just eat it?

After the feast was over we went out into the woods to find the perfect Christmas tree. Last year we did this with Shawn and Jodie, and I carried Cade all snuggled up in a bear suit in the front pack. Well, this year Luke (monster man that he is) wore the same suit and I carried him in the front pack. I couldn't believe that just a year ago the big man Cade was little enough to fit in the pack! This year, he ran around the forest like a wild animal--he even grunted like one! We enjoyed hot cocoa and french dip sandwiches out there, and the guys even started a fire. If there only would have been snow for sledding! Maybe next year...

The Grogans and the Stonebergs

My parents