Mommy & Daddy Day Out

Christopher and I are playing hooky today!!! We are dropping off the kids at daycare and are going to spend the day with each other. I'm excited about our Mommy & Daddy day out together...we are in need of some serious Mommy/Daddy time.

Kate Spade Addict

Okay, I know I have a problem when it comes to Kate Spade bags. I just can't help myself...they are TOO cute. And yes, I have already gotten 2 bags this year (here and here). But hello, one was a birthday present and the other was on sale! You can't argue with that!

I need this one. Badly. Look at those buttons! I don't have one with buttons!!!

Ahem, Christopher...please order now while supplies last and save til Christmas.

Victory Dance

I guess Landon and Clark were practicing their victory dance in the backseat on the way home from flag football.

Giggles

Here's a little home remedy for a rotten day: watch the following video over & over.

Team Captain & Award Winner!

The Panthers pulled another win last Saturday beating the only undefeated team in the league! Landon had a big day - he was designated team captain and won an award. I was one proud mama!

Team captain & coach pep talk



"Coin toss" - the ref held up either 1 or 2 fingers behind his back and Landon had to pick. He picked 2 which was the ref's number and they got to decide whether to start as offense or defense.


My little guy looks pretty tough, huh?


He makes a pretty good center! :)


The league focuses on an element of good sportsmanship every week and 2 players that demonstrate this element win a medal. This week was DETERMINATION and my little guy, along with his BFF Clark, won!!! He was stoked about his medal. I think he's had it on ever since...even in his sleep. His coaches are great! Landon loves Coach Joe and Coach Jason!

My Sweet Humanitarian

Tonight Landon and I read a story, said prayers, and then had this conversation:

K: What do you thank God for today?
L: My bed, because I have somewhere to sleep.
K: Did you know that some people don't have beds?
L: awwwwwww (bottom lip poking out about to cry)
K: Some people don't have homes or beds like we do. Some people sleep outside on hard sidewalks, even when it's really cold outside.
L: Mommy, when I grow up and when I'm Batman, I'm going to buy a house and fix it up so all of those people can live there and have a bed.
K: That's a great idea Landon. There are a lot of people without homes. Do you think they could all fit inside your house?
L: I'm not going to buy just one. I'm going to buy a lot. Like 100. And I'm going to buy them sheets, and jammies (but not footie ones, just jammies that are pants and shirts separate), and food. Do you think that's a good idea?
K (beaming): I think that's a wonderful idea Landon.

Spelling Bee Champ

I asked Landon to draw me a picture on our kitchen chalkboard. I heard him write, erase, write, erase, write, then declared it done! I walked over to take a look and saw this:



He can write his letters, and he's written his name before when I told him what letters to write. But my big boy has never just written his name!!!

When did you get so big Lovie?

Boys Will Be Boys

Warning to all mothers of boys: stock up laundry detergent, stain sprays and a good bar of soap!

This is how Landon came home from daycare the other day (you should have see his face, arms, legs and fingernails!)!!!

Carter the Leper Update

Carter's rash continued to spread on Sunday. In the tub Sunday night I noticed splotches of blue. That freaked me out because all I could think was bleeding under the skin so I rushed him over to Rex Urgent Care at 7:30 (they closed at 8:00). They said it looked like an Amoxicillin rash and told me to give him Zyrtec. I wanted to follow up with his regular doctor (mainly because the doctor diagnosed him by looking at him while passing us in the hallway) so we went in this morning. His doctor agreed that it all fit the timeline of Roseola virus, but thought the rash didn't quite match up (Roseola gives very defined pinpointed spots, where Carter's was more spread out everywhere). She said it's either A) an allergic reaction to Amoxicillin or B) an adverse reaction to the Amoxicillin, meaning he's not allergic but sometimes antibiotics and viruses don't mix well and can cause a rash. Once the Amoxicillin gets out of his system, his rash should go away (over the next few days). She wrote a note allowing him to return to daycare tomorrow since it's not a contagious rash. It's already starting to clear up. Hopefully we are over this plague!!!

My Little Football Player

Landon loves playing flag football! He has played 1 scrimmage and 2 games (they are 1 & 1). Go #4!!!




Some of Landon's biggest fans...

Random Cuteness

With Carter being sick, I've gotten a little behind in my blogging. I have some cute pics from last week. So here's a miscellaneous, catch-up post (pre-Carter plague)...

Eating lunch at the big boy table:

When you're thirsty, you're thirsty (he got his cup himself out of the fridge):

I used to suck my thumb just like this with my finger hooked over my nose:

Spaghetti night:



*btw, did you notice Carter's cute big boy haircut? I did it myself!

What Next? (probably shouldn't ask that)

All right ya'll...this is getting ridiculous!

Saturday morning, Carter woke up fever-free! Yay!!! An hour later, he started to develop a rash. It continued to get worse during the day and looked like this when he woke up this morning.



It's not bothering him at all and he's actually doing pretty good minus the fact that he looks like a leper. Christopher and I did a little researching and it's a textbook case of a virus called roseola. The child has a high fever for 3 days (check), the fever goes away and the rash appears (check). The rash doesn't itch and may last hours to a few days. There's nothing a doctor can do to treat it since it's viral. If he still has it tomorrow morning, I'm going to give his doctor a call but hopefully it'll be gone by then. The good news is that the rash is a sign that the virus is almost over! Let's keep our fingers crossed!

*On a side note, the rash is not contagious. It's actually contagious way before they even get the fever. But Landon won't go near him in fear that "Carter will rash him"!

Give Me a P!!!

Carter had a wet diaper this morning when he finally decided to wake up at 10:45!!! Yay for pee!!! But he was still running a temp of 101. He downed 2 cups of milk and ate 1/2 of a boiled egg and about 5 handfuls of Cheerios. He was very playful the rest of the morning and acted like his normal goofball self. Hopefully he can shake this fever this weekend, and keep up his thirst so we don't flirt with dehydration again. That was a little too close for comfort yesterday. Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers.

Traitor

Just to let ya'll know, Christopher is wearing a red NSCU shirt & hat tonight at Carter-Finley stadium.

Our Hokies are so pitiful this year that they caused a sane man to see Red. Pitiful.

Update on Carter Bear

Carter was still running a temp of 102 this morning so I took him to the doctor. His ears looked great but he has picked up a nasty virus. The fever should only last a few more days, but this virus will probably cause cold-like symptoms which can lead into another ear infection. Luckily he still has a few more days of Amoxicillin so hopefully that can ward off any ear infections.

This fever is making him feel pretty crummy and he has refused to hardly eat or drink anything today. I have offered him apple juice, milk, strawberry pedialyte, OJ, decaf sweet tea, popsicles and Jell-O. He has only eaten 1 popsicle, 1/2 container of Jell-O and 1/2 cup of milk all day! He hasn't had a wet diaper since 9:30 am. The doctor told me if he hadn't had a wet diaper by 5:30 tonight then we needed to take him to the ER (that'd be 8 hours without a wet diaper which indicates dehydration). They called me at 5:00 to check on him. At that time, he was eating a Popsicle and had perked up for the first time today. Since he isn't throwing up and was eating a little bit, they told me to see how he does tonight. They think he'll pee tonight. If he's dry in the morning, we've got problems.

Pray for pee tonight!!!

The Bagley Plague Part II

I thought the Bagley Plague had passed a few weeks ago, but I guess I was wrong.

The ragweed is killing me and Landon. We are sniffling and sneezing and coughing.

I took Carter to the doctor last week because I didn't think he was acting quite right. Everyone else thought he was fine but Mommy knows best. He had an ear infection and they started him on Amoxicillin (he's on day 6 of 10 now). Last night, he puked chunks in the tub (will not be eating peas for a while). After I got him cleaned off and dressed, I took his temp - 101.5. Christopher stayed home with him today and his temp has ranged from 99 to 102.5. He's still on his antibiotic, he doesn't act like he's in pain, he doesn't have any cold symptoms, and he hasn't thrown up anymore. Just a high fever. If he still has a temp tomorrow, I'll take him to the doctor so they can tell me it's just a virus and wait it out.

Will keep you posted...

Life

I was looking through pictures the other day and loved seeing how our life has changed over the years.

Our life in pictures (well, since we got a digital camera anyway)...

May 2005

July 2005

March 2006 (baby #1 on the way)

July 2007 (our family of 3)

April 2009 (baby #2 on the way)

July 2009 (our family of 4)

July 2010

9/11

This day holds a special place in every American citizen's heart.

It holds a very personal place for me. Nine years ago, I almost lost my Daddy. Through a strange twist of fate, a Virginia tobacco farmer was in the Millennium Hotel lobby directly across from the Twin Towers on the morning of 9/11/2001 at 8:46 AM. With that famous Jones determination, he made it back to Virginia to his family. He saw things and felt fears that no one should ever experience. Those are with him for the rest of his life. Each year as 9/11 passes us by, I say a prayer to the One that saved him. One who knew that a certain tobacco farmer wasn't finished here yet. He still had to walk his daughter down the aisle 5 months later and meet his grandchildren.

God, thank you for saving my Daddy. I still need him.

Brothers

Carter looks up to his big brother. And wants to do everything just like him...


I admire the love these two have for each other already. Brothers share a special bond that lasts a lifetime.

What Does the Elephant Say?

Montessori Monday

Landon and I had fun last Monday with some Montessori learning activities that I swiped from Counting Coconuts. There are some great (and simple) activities and ideas on here!

With just a few things around the kitchen, we had about an hour of learning fun. With craft beads, Landon practiced spooning, tweezing, pouring, sorting, counting, color and pattern recognition, math & direction following. Landon used his problem solving skills...he was spilling some while trying to pour the beads from the round container back into the oval pitcher so he used the spoon to help keep the beads in check. Landon also used his imagination in helping come up with other activities we could do with the beads.

I look forward to more activities like this!

On The Move

My Girls

I have been friends with these girls for 10 years. We've been through a lot together...marriages, babies, job changes, illnesses, deaths, family dramas, and more. And we've been though them all together! I couldn't ask for better friends.

Raising a Real Man

My boys and I went geocacheing yesterday at a local park. During our adventure, a situation presented itself that enabled Landon's true character traits to surface. He demonstrated concern & sensitivity to others feelings and pure selflessness. His decision touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. It was definitely a proud moment for both Christopher and I.

Boom Boom Pow

Flag Football Schedule

Come watch #4 of the Panthers!!!



Practice at 10:00 AM & Game at 11:00 AM

Gold Star Soccer Complex
2513 Old US Highway 1 (S. Salem Street)
Apex, NC 27502

September 11th
September 18th
September 25th
October 2nd (Landon will miss - we'll be riding Thomas the Train!)
October 9th
October 18th
October 23rd (Championship weekend)

*playing on Field 1 all days except October 9th