My Little Man

I just had to post this, because he looks so darn cute in his church clothes. They aren't the best pictures (he wouldn't give up the binky), but you get the idea, right?!?

Now, from that, to this:

This kid loves beans, especially black beans. Can't you tell?

Staying Busy

So, what do we do when the winter keeps draggin' on?

Lots of indoor playing.

Like, riding in a car (which he only knows how to drive backwards), and climbing in, out, and all over the car.

And a little coloring. Notice that you have to tear all the wrappers off the crayons before you can color!

And, a little climbing prevention. Austin has been climbing on the chairs and up onto the table, so this is what our kitchen chairs are like most of the time now. He was trying to sit in his booster seat while the chair was sideways on the floor.

We also started going to a parent/tot swim class (sorry, no pictures!) once a week to help get us out of the house. So far (two lessons into it), he hates it. Hopefully it will get better!

What do you do? I would love some new ideas!

Valentine's Day

A lot of times, Justin and I come up with the same or very similar ideas. I decided that for Valentine's Day I was going to make treats for Justin (okay...I wanted them too!) So, I stayed up half the night making truffles and dipping strawberries. I had tried making these truffles last year, and they were so good, but, the recipe didn't include dipping them. So, I decided that this year I was going to dip them. (It turned out to be a little harder than I had imagined.) They weren't the prettiest chocolates you've ever seen, but they DID taste good. I made a batch of mint and a batch of raspberry. I guess I went a little crazy with it though, cause even after giving a bunch a way, I was left with a ton that we HAD to eat!

So, it turns out Justin had been planning on making me an Italian Cream cake for V day. (SOOO yummy!) So, we were a little overloaded with sweets in our house, but they were all delicious!

We also spent part of the day at Baeler's birthday party. It was at a bounce house place. I thought Austin would love it. He did have fun, but was very nervous about it all. And, he was crazy allergic to something there. From the second we walked in until the second we left, his nose would not stop running!

That night, Justin's Mom (aka Gammy) watched Austin, and a bunch of his cousins, at our house while we went out. We went to Ruby River for a delicious steak dinner, then to a movie. It was a great date night. We were home by 9:30 (crazy old married couple, huh?)...just in time to put Austin to bed.

Sick of being Sick

I am crossing my fingers...
Wishing on stars...
All that good stuff!

Austin and I have been sick.
For most of the last 2 (that's right, 2) months.

It started with Austin's cold in December...
A cough...
Just a cough...
Lasted for a month!

Then came a lovely stomach bug...
Hit me and Austin the week of New Years!

Still the cough...
Till the middle of January!

A few weeks of health!!!
(Could it possibly be because we finally had clean air in Utah?!?)
Hallelujah!

February...
I get a nasty, nasty cold...
Throat on fire...
Snot galore!

Now it's Austin's turn.
Starts with a dry cough.
Now it's wet...
Here comes the snot!

Several long nights...
Baby coughing,
Can't sleep unless you hold him!.

But,
I think we are finally starting to get better!
I'll keep crossing my fingers.
I am ready for this to be done!

***Gotta go...his cough just woke him up from a 30 minute nap!***

Mmm...Chocolate!

I made chocolate chips cookies. I knew that my boy liked cookies, but was not fully aware of how amazing a chocolate chip cookie could be to this kid.

As soon as I gave it to him, he began picking the chocolate chips he could find out of the cookie. He very carefully licked the chocolate off of his finger tip, looked up, and said, "Mmm, chocolate!" Then, he licked the top of the cookie...making sure he got all the chocolate he could. I was left with the slimy remains of a cookie, and a little boy covered in chocolate, saying "All done!" Oh, he cracks me up.

He didn't appreciate the camera interrupting his cookie feast

The Super Bowl

The last 2 years we have had Justin's family over for the Super Bowl. It turns into a crazy huge gathering, with tons of people, and even more food. This year we had 31 people over...and that is just family! Justin and I had worked like crazy to get the (unfinished) basement straightened up. We put a couple space heaters, a TV, and a DVD player down there, and just let the kids run around the whole time. It was so much nicer than having them all upstairs. Austin especially thinks it is great, and wants to go down there all the time now!


We had a lot of fun. We watched the game, visited, and ate GREAT food. Ted made us homemade enchiladas, chile verde, guacamole, and a special "green sauce" just for me. It was amazing! I told him that he can cook for me anytime!


Baeler showed up wearing the same exact shirt as Austin. It was pretty funny to see them chasing each other around in the same shirt. Here are the boys together:

Austin decided it would be more fun to tickle Baeler than pose for another picture!

He "Pesters"?

When I picked Austin up from nursery this week, I asked how he had done? The nursery leader said he was good, just not the quiet Austin they were used to. I guess the first month he was in there he didn't talk much. Now, he is more himself. So, that's fine...doesn't surprise me at all.

I then asked if he had been mean (he has been hitting me a lot at home, and I wanted to make sure he wasn't hitting the other kids). She said that he wasn't mean, that he just likes to "pester"? I just looked at her all confused. She went on to explain that her little girl that is in there is a "screamer", and will pretty much scream about anything. My sweet little Austin has figured this out, and follows this one little girl around the whole time, just to hear her squeal.

Isn't he too young to have figured out how to torment cute little girls?