Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The lack of a menu....and etc.

I've been slacking majorly on the menu thing. That's ok. I think my following has died off and only a few of you have been checking in for recipes.

As weird as it seems, this time of year actually starts to get busier for us....only to lead into soccer season which is beyond busy...its nutso. But anyways. Right now school is over and Josh has class and soccer practice on Monday and Wednesday nights (making it hard, or silly to make a big dinner for just Owen and I); Josh and I like to go to a class at the gym on Thursday nights....and I've never REALLY planned food for the weekends unless we were having company or a Sunday afternoon roast just sounded good. So, I'm sure I'll cook here and there...but mostly we grill out. And eat at Chic Fila. I know. Not the best plan, but it happens. Two things I did make recently include: Swiss Steak (I used a McCormick's Seasoning Envelope and followed the recipe on the back of the envelope...it was fine, but I was not impressed and I have a Paula Deen recipe to try the next time I want to do Swiss Steak), Apple Bread (really good, btw) and if you haven't seen or heard me raving about Pioneer Woman's strawberry shortcake CAKE, OH MY GOODNESS. You have to try it. Its fantastic. Really, its more than fantastic, but I like the word fantastic today. It works.

So thats about it on the cooking end. I probably won't be trying a huge amount of new main course dishes over the summer....but if I do, and its good enough to pass on....I'll let ya know!

In other news....Owen is in the language and learning explosion stage. New words and phrases everyday. New concepts learned every day. New ways to throw temper tantrums (in the middle of the driveway? Good one!). New ways to be onry in general! :-) He loves, loves, loves to be outside. He loves his new slide, he loves to run, he loves to scare away the ducks on the pond, he loves airplanes in the sky...he HATES when we make him come inside. Now, I really do try to be a fun mom and not make my kid sit inside all day, but I can't be outside at all times. I just can't. Laundry must be done, and dinners must be made (occasionally). Plus, the great outdoors hate me. I went to Lowe's last Friday night to pick out some flowers for our back porch and came back covered in bug bites. I'm just cursed. I do less than well with humid weather and bugs. I heart air-conditioning. But really, I'm trying. I do love my boy and his happiness is....my happiness. :-)

Starting Monday, (6.1) I am working two full-time work weeks back to back. Blech. I am already sad thinking about it, but this extra work will pay for our Florida vacation, therefore I'm really, really glad to have the opportunity to do it. (And let me just say THIRTY-FIVE days until I'm on vacation in Florida. WE CAN'T WAIT!!!!)And will remain really, really grateful that I do not work outside of my house full-time. I know many people do it, but I'm just thankful that I don't have to. (Thanks, God!)

That's about it for now! Oh...since the last time I posted a baby congratulations two more of our good friends have had new babies....congrats to Kelby and Anna on baby Will and congrats to Michael and Emiliy on baby Luke! (yay for some more baby boys!) :-)

Pictures

First of all...a little (completely platonic) :-) cousin love.....



Aren't they cute?! Miss Bailey is already five months old.....hard to believe!

Secondly, we bought Owen a Little Tikes slide, climber thingy...yah...I don't know what else to call it...and he LOVES it...here are a few cute pics:




Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Not me Tuesdays

Ok, so I just can't get the "Not me, MONDAY"S" Done. On Monday's I do NOT sit at my computer all day. Owen and I play, run errands and I nap. Monday's are not days for typing up blogs. Tuesday's while I am at work sitting on hold with insurance companies are much better days for this.
So here is my feeble attempt at a 'Not Me Monday" done on a Tuesday.

Owen had his second birthday nearly a month ago, and I have certainly NOT waited until now to START writing out his thank you cards. I am NOT that disorganized or lazy.

I most definitely did NOT buy a new outfit at the mall on Friday night and proceed to wear that same outfit for nearly the next three days in a row because I hadn't gotten enough of my laundry done to have something else I liked enough to wear!

I certainly did NOT buy ANOTHER darling outfit for my incredibly cute niece, Bailey. Really. I didn't. Because I'm not even allowed to buy anymore clothes for her, so I didn't. Nope.

And lastly, I didn't have to hold back the tears during College Park's morning service on Sunday (read: slyly wipe away the tears that were falling down my face so that no one else would catch me!). Never do I ever, ever cry in church. Never. I also didn't cheer (quietly under my breath, of course) when two of my dear friends sang solos on Sunday morning. I don't get excited at all when Mandy and Jodi sing. Not ONE BIT.

I think that's about it for being honest for now. We'll give it another try next week!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Cute Owen Story

I wanted to write this one out for the memory books...mostly just for me, but some friends and family members might think its cute too :-)

Owen has been really into looking for trucks and school buses when we are driving. Yesterday, we drove down to the south-side to meet Josh for lunch and Owen and I were talking back and forth like we always do when we drive. We happened to pass a bus and Owen yelled "bye bus" as we passed and then put his hands up and said "Momma, where'd it go"? So I started to explain that the bus was taking the kids to school. To which Owen replied, "school"? So we talked about how daddy was a teacher at school, daddy worked with kids every day at school and the buses take kids to school so they can learn from their teachers. I kept going... :-) I said, "Owen...someday, when you are bigger, YOU will get to go to school. And school is so much fun. You will love it! You will get to learn to read and write and maybe you will color some pictures, or paint and you can learn about science, like Sid the Science Guy!" I continued..."and when you go to school you will make friends that you can play with outside at recess, and YOU will have a teacher that is so nice, just like Daddy is a teacher at his school". So...after I was done with my tirade, painting this glorious picture about school and how much he would love it, Owen threw his hands up in the air and said "Momma! I go! SCHOOL!" It was so cute. So I told him that he would get to go to school when he got a little older and that Momma would miss him very much when he was gone, but that I couldn't wait for him to learn lots of things and make new friends at school. He replied "Yesssss!!!!!" Ok. I just love my little guy. And, I really, really am excited to watch him grow and experience new things and yes, even go to school someday. I hope we can foster a love for learning and an excitment about going to school.
So, thats my story. My kid just gets cuter every day. Oh ya, and he is almost ALMOST able to say the entire alphabet. If you want to hear something heart-breakingingly cute...ask him to say the letter "W". Wow. I need to record him on tape saying it before he actually gets it right!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

100 Things

My dear friend from years and years gone by (or sixth grade, the former just sounded more nostalgic) posted this on her blog...and I'm so bored at work today that I'm taking a stab at it. Let me just clarify that there is really no work to be done (I do answer the phone when it rings) and EVERYONE but me is gone to Florida for a conference. There. I feel much more justified in posting this now.

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
My leg. I was wearing shorts and I dripped hot glue from a hot glue gun on myself whilst gluing ribbon on a basket for my Uncle David's wedding. (they are now divorced, maybe it was a sign?) :-)

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?
shelves and pictures

3. DO YOU SNORE, GRIND YOUR TEETH, OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP?
I've been told that I do snore occasionally, but that its cute and NOT at all embarrassing :-)

4. WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
different stuff all the time. Worship music, stuff like John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Matt Kearny, etc...stuff that makes me feel good and nothing that screams at me.

5. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?
dinnertime

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
to live well (this statement pretty much covers it!)

7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?
a simplier time of life
.
8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION(S)?
my Mother's Bible, pictures and my child :-)

9. HOW TALL ARE YOU?
5'3ish

10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
not really

11. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
only if I think scary thoughts whilst being in the dark

12. THE LAST THING TO MAKE YOU CRY?
spanking Owen

13. WHAT’S YOUR WORST FEAR?
prefer not to answer (sometimes I feel like if I voice these things then they come true!)

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX?

my cutie is a blue-eyed, red headed dude...so that's what I like!

15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING PROPOSED TO AT?
by the fountains in Winona Lake around Halloween :-)

16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINK?
neither.

17. FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
mushrooms!

18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I'd rather drink. Sweet tea please.

19. FAVORITE COLOR OF ALL TIME?
to wear: black, to decorate with: fallish colors

20. HAVE YOU EVER EATEN A GOLDFISH?
not a live one, Josh has though!

21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST MEANINGFUL GIFT YOU EVER RECEIVED?
a locket from my Grandma and Grandpa (Roman and Dixie) when I was 13...I'm sure I had received other meaningful gifts, but this one sticks out.

22. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH?
is it possible to have a crush after being with someone for over ten years?! :-) Ok, I still like my guy a lot. Looking forward to our anniversary date at the Melting Pot :-)

23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
nope

24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?
I tend to buy clothes from Gap, Lerner and Ann Taylor:Loft

25.DO YOU PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?
I did. Piano and Clarinet

26. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?

Nope.

27. WHAT KIND IS IT?
n/a

28. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
I'm sure I would

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
?

32. FAVORITE QUOTE?

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else" C.S. Lewis

"That last thought had no sting with it"..."I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night". -Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner

33. FAVORITE PLACE?
My house. I'm such a homebody

34. HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF THE USA?

Yep

35. YOUR WEAKNESSES?
Babies. And, People that are in trouble, lost, and need Jesus.

36. MET ANYONE FAMOUS?
I really don't think I have

37. FIRST JOB?
Blimpies/TCBY Baby!

38. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?
Not exactly. I've listened in while a friend did it, when I was like 11.

39. DO YOU THINK EVERYONE OUT THERE HAS A SOUL MATE?
NO

40. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED THIS OUT?
filing charts

41. HAVE YOU EVER HAD SURGERY?
yep

42. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?
my smile, I'm a good friend

43. HAVE YOU EVER HAD BRACES?
yep

44. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?
whoa. that's a long way away. By that time I might want a baby too Mis!

45. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT AND THEIR NAMES?
at least two. Owen Matthew is already here.

I'm thinking about Wesley Jameson for a boy and Clare Elizabeth for a girl. Both subject to change

46. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
My middle name, Ann, is my mothers middle name, my grandmothers middle name, my great-grandmothers name...you get the idea.

47. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST TURN OFF OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?
arrogance.

48. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU LIKED ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?

I loved highschool. I managed to avoid MOST of the drama. Mostly I loved being with friends, and Mrs. Tidball's biology class even though she called me into the "back room" when I got a D on a test and she chastised me for spending too much time with Josh instead of studying. That did the trick. I did better from there on!

49. WHAT KIND OF SHAMPOO DO YOU USE?
Biolage

50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
hate it actually!

51. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
turkey

52. ANY BAD HABITS?
who doesn't?

53. ARE YOU A JEALOUS PERSON?
I guess I can be.

54. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I hate this question. I guess I would. I'm a good person to have around, but I'm not incredibly fun. I leave that up to my other friends :-)

55. DO YOU AGREE WITH FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS?
probably NOT

56. DO LOOKS MATTER?
sure. But its not the most important thing

57. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?
crying

59. WHAT’S YOUR MAIN GOAL IN LIFE?
to be a godly wife, mother and to bring God glory!

60. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?
cabbage patch dolls

61. HOW MANY NUMBERS ARE IN YOUR CELL PHONE?
I have no idea

62.WERE YOU A FAN OF BARNEY AS A LITTLE KID?
ha ha. this means I'm too old to fill this out. I WAS a fan of Today's Special and Shee-rah!

63. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
am I married to Josh Brown? yah. He passed this wonderful trait on to me :-)

64. MASHED POTATOES OR MACARONI AND CHEESE?

mac and cheese

65. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GUY/GIRL?
kindness, generosity. and like Missy said so well..."Jesus".

66. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?
Kim, Kimmy, MOMMA!!!!!, short stuff (Josh)

67. IF YOU HAD A SUPER POWER WHAT WOULD IT BE?
to go back in time

68. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?
Friends. Hands Down, probably won't ever change

69.WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR ENEMIES?
Pray for them (good answer Mis)

70. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
chocolate

71. DO YOU HAVE ALL YOUR FINGERS AND TOES?
Yes.

72. DO YOU HAVE A COMPUTER IN YOUR ROOM?
No.

73. PLANS FOR TONIGHT?
hang out with Josh and Owen in B-burg

74. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE WHEN YOU ARE OLDER?
honestly?...Zionsville.

75. EVER BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT?
Yes, a few.

76. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?
The Sweet Escape : Gwen Stefani

77. THE LAST THING YOU DRANK?
sweet tea

78. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Marjorie from South Bend wanting records.

79. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX?
didn't we already do this one?

80. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
sleep, read, play with O, hang with Joshua....

81. FAVORITE THING TO EAT?

right now...chicken salad. I'm obsessed. I think I almost have my own version perfected. I'll let you know.

82. FAVORITE SEASON?
fall

83. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF DESSERT?
carrot cake (my sister in law makes the best. ever.)

84. HAVE YOU EVER REALLY AND TRULY HAD A BEST FRIEND?
Yes.

85. WHAT IS YOUR HAIR COLOR?
chocolatey-with carmely highlights on my bangs (a Candice Moran creation)

86. EYE COLOR?
hazelish

87. HEIGHT?
Short.

88. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Chic fila

89. FAVORITE RESTAURANT?
probably Bravos, Oceanaire was really really good though...but generally I don't have $75 to spend on dinner for just me :-)

90. DO YOU LIKE SUSHI?
no no no

91. WATCH TV TODAY?
Veggie Tales with O

92. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
probably Christmas

93. BREAK ANY BONES?
never have

94. REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT?
I give up.

95. KISSES OR HUGS?
both are good from both of my boys

96. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS?

silly question

I have one night stand in my room. (this is Missy's answer and I had to leave it. now SHE is the funny friend!) :-)

97. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?
a wrap from Riley Hospital

98. WOULD YOU EVER BE A HOUSEWIFE?
for sure

99. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
New Moon :-) (please don't make fun of me. I never intended to get sucked into the Twilight series...it JUST HAPPENED!)

100. DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE?
whew! That's personal! Lets just say that we are happy! :-)

And these are the days of our lives...

(I'm referring to the title of this post here) Which... coincidentally used to be my favorite soap opera, that is ---back when I watched soap operas, which I do not take part in anymore; ever. Not even when Owen is napping and its one of my days off. Nope I don't ever turn on Days of Our Lives to see whats going on with Hope and Bo and Sammy and Lucas. Never. Not me :-)

Have you heard of "Not me! Mondays"? Its apparently a really fun thing circulating on several blogs that I peruse. I'm going to try it next week, but I thought about trying one small admission on a Tuesday...just to rock the boat...just to see how it goes. (see above, RE: Days of Our Lives) So "Not me! Mondays" means that you come clean and admit to some of the silly things that go on in your life that you wouldn't normally admit to. Apparently its really helpful. And burden lifting. Apparently, anyways. So, I'll try it next week and then when I get e-mails from my friends and family asking me if I'm still saved or if someone more capable should adopt my child...then I'll know its gone to far. ha ha :-)

So.....the end of the school year is drawing near. I wanted to share a few things with you all so you could be in prayer for us. A couple of new things are happening in our lives in the next few months.

First of all, we are anticipating a job change for Josh in the fall. The really, really good news is that Josh still has a job. He's been given a notice in writing that his position is NOT being cut. That my friends, is like winning the lottery. We weren't really nervous about this until about the last month when all of this talk started happening of a new alternative school being created and positions being shuffled around, etc, etc. Anyways. Most likely Josh will be moving to a different school within Perry Township where he will continue to teach the same group of kids (same age group, same ED learning disability), except this will be BETTER. He will have better curriculum to use, better support systems ,etc.(A therapist on staff, better computer programs, etc, etc). While this position is not 100 % sure yet, we are pretty sure that it is his. The administrators are being open and honest about saying that they "have to" post this position, but Josh is really the guy they want. (who could blame them, Josh IS fantastic. :-)) So pray about this for us. We'll let you know when everything become O- FIC-CIAL. (Oh, another really cool thing about this change is that it puts him even closer to Southport...which is where he coaches soccer)

Second of all, most of you probably get my e-mails asking for prayer about my thyroid issues. Well, I met with my Endocrinologist two weeks ago and we decided that it was time to be done with all of this nonsense and just have surgery to remove it. I'm still looking at dates, but I plan to have my thyroidectomy sometime at the end of July. (You know. Before soccer season and school totally takes over our lives again. :-)) So, I'll have my thyroid out, and take a teeny-tiny pill for the rest of my life. Luckily, I have experience with taking pills, so I should be good to go. At any rate, we appreciate your prayers on this one too!

We have a fun summer planned. We are going to Gatlinburg for a long weekend in June and we just bought our plane tickets for Florida! We plan to be there for nearly a whole week.....visiting our bestest friends (The Sharbaughs) and their beautiful babies. I know Owen is going to love the beach. And Josh will take probably a thousand or so pictures of the ocean, sunsets, sand and anything that his super cool lense leads him to. Me? I plan to come back very, very tan. And relaxed. And refreshed from a week with one of my favorite persons.

Owen is two. Its kind of like all of the sudden I'm dealing with a bit of a different person. We had been introduced to temper tantrums. He had had one or two, or maybe even three....but we are now fighting them daily. In fact, I had to take him into the restroom at Marsh the other day and spank him because he was being disobedient (refusing to sit in his seat) and then had a total melt-down which consisted of a totally limp body and very, very loud sceaming. I'm thankful that spankings work. I don't spank a lot. I really, really don't. I give one or two really stern warnings, and for some situations we even do time outs until the behavior is changed and spaking is a last resort. But, I DO really, really hate spanking him. He delivers this face that just breaks my heart...like WHY did you just hurt me, mom?!? Aaaah. It is terrible. I tearfully explain that he is getting spanked because he was disobedient. And then I ask for a hug, tell him I love him and ask him to tell me that he will obey me. He replies tearfully, "yes Momma". Arrrgggh. Someone please tell me this will get easier. I'm guessing it won't. I am grateful that he is sensitive to discipline and it doesn't usually require many steps before his behavior is changed. Sheesh. This part of parenting STINKS.

Here are some fun things that Owen is doing:

1. Communicating. He is now talking really, really well...and hardly ever babbles anymore. He started saying "Papaw" the other day and I'm sure "Mamaw" isn't too far off. He will mostly try to repeat any word he hears. Or if he thinks it is too difficult he resorts to his default sound of "dis".

2. Having a few victories on the potty now and then! I've just started sitting (rather, HOLDING him on there...seriously he is so teeny he would fall right in!) him on there randdomly during the day for fun to see what he would do and he has actually gone a few times. I think I'll look into getting him a potty seat here in the next few weeks. Wow. I really don't know if I am ready for this!

3. He loves to bring me dandelions from our back yard. :-) Its really sweet. I hope this is something that continues for a looooong time.

4. Love, loves loves his daddy right now. He wants to play the MINUTE Josh walks in the door from work. Thankfully, being the good dad that he is, Josh usually obliges. O is definitely over the Momma factor right now...unless he is hurt...then I win. But, I'm convinced that he loves me still :-)

5. Singing. He really thinks he is doing it and loves to try. We started singing the ABC's in the car the other day and he basically just says "B,C" over and over again, but he thinks he is amazing. Its so incredibly cute.

So...thats about it from us. Back with more pictures in a few days! :-)