It's the snotty nose & terrible cough, Charlie Brown.

Our little Charlie Brown woke up this morning with a terrible cough & runny nose- poor baby. We still dressed him up in his costume, but instead of making our rounds to the homes of our friends & families like we originally had planned, we decided to stay in & watch {from a distance} the trick or treaters come knocking at our door! It ended up being a good day to just stay home & snuggle! Hope everyone had a Spooktacular weekend {free of snotty noses & terrible coughs}!

HaPpY HaLLoWeeN!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

pumpkin patch

It's Halloween weekend! Goodness gracious, it felt like just yesterday that I blogged about it being the first of October & now the end is so near! Time has never flown by so fast!

It was a crazy busy October, & we savored every moment of it! Yesterday, we finally squeezed in the pumpkin patch! The weather has been so warm for October, that I couldn't stand the thought of going to the pumpkin patch when it is 80 degrees out- that's pool weather, not pumpkin patch weather! Finally, a nice Fall day fell upon us {the last week in October} so we took full advantage! Daddyboy took the day off & we headed clear out to Gardner, KS to check out the famous KC Pumpkin Patch! Here's some of the fun we had!

mommy meltdown

You may remember me telling you that I am a bit of a planner, & that when things fall apart, I fall apart right along with them. Well, things fell apart today. And I quickly followed. Here's what happened...

Every Thursday we have Kindermusik class. All of you mommies out there know that it isn't the easiest task getting yourself, your baby, the big ol' diaper bag, & all of the supplies you may need for your one hour outing ready & out the door. But somehow, by the grace of God, we always manage to get to Kindermusik in one piece. Today marked a very special day at Kindermusik class- we could bring our little ones dressed up in their Halloween costumes!! What fun! I was very excited for Jett to have his very first "class" Halloween dress up party! I got up early to lay out his little costume, I packed up his diaper bag, got myself ready, fed him, & then I did something SO SO SO stupid. I knew that I would have to wake him from his nap to make it to music class in time, so I put part of his costume on him {black pants & a black shirt} to nap in so that when he would wake from his nap, I could change his diaper, throw on the other part of his costume, & run out the door. That's the problem with planning & having a little one- they don't ever go along with your plans. I am learning, folks. Slowly, but surely, I am learning.

I gently woke my tired little guy from his nap. He was groggy, but happy to be awake! Yay! Part of the battle won! I picked him up out of his crib, & felt something wet. NO!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE NO!!!! NOT TODAY!!!! Sure enough, he had peed out his diaper {which of course he never does except for today, of all days} & onto his shirt & pants. THE shirt & pants for his costume!!! Almost immediately I could feel myself starting to unravel. As I was stripping him of his stinky, soggy costume, I started to feel tears welling up & my mind going a mile a minute -- Great. Now he doesn't have a costume. I can't take him to class without a costume. He would be the only one without one. We can't go. I spent all of this time packing, getting myself & him ready, & now we are stuck at home. Jett is going to miss his very first Halloween class party. Just fabulous. { Tears are falling at this point}. Maybe he could just wear a Halloween shirt- NO, that's dumb! How could I be so stupid to put his costume on early?! I should have waited until we were out the door - maybe even AT class before I put it on him. I know better!!! {I try to call Jared- no answer} UGGGHH! Why isn't he answering! I don't know what to do! I don't have anyone to talk to! Now I am going to sit at home all day & beat myself up over this!

Then my mind quickly shifted gears-- No. We are NOT staying home! This is much too important to miss! Jett doesn't know what he is wearing- he could be wearing just his diaper & could care less! We are going! Figure it out, Holly! Improvise. Throw something together. Wipe your tears. Get your big girl panties on. Do whatever you have to do- but get your butt to Kindermusik today!

I quickly scoured the closet for another shirt & pants {not my first choice, but whatever}, threw on the rest of his costume, & bolted out the door like a wild woman!

Once in the car, I calmed down, & almost had to laugh. Here I was 10 minutes ago, about to call my whole entire day off because of a little pee?! Seriously? Jett wasn't wearing the EXACT pants & shirt I had in mind, but in the grand scheme of things, who cares? I couldn't believe I had let something so trivial shake me like it did. I felt kinda silly. But then, I had to stop & give myself just a little credit. About a month ago, I actually would have called my whole day off. I would have said, "The heck with it. Jett's costume is ruined. My cheeks are stained with tears. I'm staying home." A month ago, I wasn't good at picking up the pieces after a meltdown- at bouncing back. But not today. Today, in the midst of the unravelling, the tears, Jett's screaming {that I falied to mention earlier}, I found my perspective. I sucked it up, & realized what is really important here. Not what we're wearing, not things going as planned, but that my son gets to go to class & have fun with his friends. It may not seem like a big deal to anyone else, but to me, it feels like growth. I am learning that life is messy, it's complicated, & it most certainly does NOT go as planned. I am learning to take it in stride & move on. That's big for me.

Kindermusik class was just as I imagined it would be-full of fun! All of the kiddos were dressed up & looked absolutely adorable- my little Jett Jett included {even with his improvised costume} :) We ooed & awwed over all of the adorable costumes {as there is nothing cuter than a baby all dressed up in a costume}. I am so glad I didn't say "the heck with it" & miss out on all the fun!

Undoubtedly, there will be more mommy meltdowns up ahead. Perhaps next time I feel one coming on, I will be able to take it in stride even quicker- you know, before the tears & all. We shall see...

play group!

Jett & I have met some wonderful new friends at our Kindermusik class! A few of us mommies decided to start our own little play group outside of Kindermusik so that we could share mommy stories, let our babes play, & just get to know eachother a little better! Today we met at our friends Katy & Teddy's house & had so much fun! Here are a few pics of our little cutie pies!
From left to right: Teddy, Elle, Olivia, Ryland, & Jett! Such sweet friends :)

I love my Jolles boys, er, girls...

So... my stomach is still sore from laughing as hard as I did last night! In fact, everytime I even begin to think about our evening, I can't help but crack up with laughter!

We went to visit & have dinner with my Jolles boys yesterday evening. My Jolles boys are the 4 little boys that I was a nanny for, for nearly 8 years. To make a long story short, I only planned on being their nanny for a year {there were only 2 of them back then}, but before I knew it, I had fallen in love with these boys & their family, & there was no way I was going anywhere {at least not without ripping my heart right out of my chest first}. They had me at "hello". With 4 boys to tend to, our days were rambunctious, rowdy, exuberant, lively, sometimes a little stir crazy- but mostly just filled with lots & lots of life! These 4 little boys, their parents, both sets of their grandparents, & some of their aunts & uncles became like my very own family! My job was the best in the world, & it meant so much more to me than just a job. Before ever becoming a mother, I was able to "mother" these 4 gorgeous boys & practice practice practice what it takes to tend to little boys {I never knew back then how those 8 years of practice would come in so handy}!

So yesterday evening, my little family went over to have dinner & hang out with my Jolles boys! We try to get together every once in awhile, & I love the times that I can see those 4 curly headed boys & my little bald headed boy together! The boys are so sweet with Jett, & I am just beside myself thrilled that my little guy will get to grow up with the little guys that I helped to grow up! We played outside, ate pizza, visited about school, potty training, soccer & football, & all the stuff that I used to be so in the loop on. It was a relaxing evening, & I enjoyed every bit of catching up & loving on my boys!

As we were about to pack up our things & head out, Michelle {the boys' mom} suggested that before we leave, that the boys model their Halloween costumes for us! Boy oh boy, was I about to be in for it! You can imagine my surprise when the Jolles BOYS came walking out as Jolles GIRLS!!!! It was hysterical, & what made it even more hilarious is that Ben {the first born in the brown sweater dress & tights} came out as the conservative little school girl, while Adam {the second born in the pink dress} came out as, well- to put it as nicely as I can- the girl you would lock up during her teenage years. We were all dying laughing at the things Adam was coming up with- I swear his wit is quicker than most adults I know! He had some moves like you've never seen before, & at one point grabbed Ben's hand & yelled "BFF'S"!!!!!!!! We were all hyperventilating; we were laughing so hard! The boys were really "working it" as little girls, & I have the pictures to prove it {& blackmail them with one day}! The costume idea was Michelle's & is brilliant, if you ask me! The only problem I can foresee is that they make such cute little girls, that everyone will wonder why in the world those little girls didn't dress up for Halloween!

What a fun filled night, & boy did it ever end with a bang! I love laughing that hard- til' my stomach hurts & tears are running from my eyes! I love being surrounded by the rowdiness, silliness, goofiness, & craziness that used to be my everyday! I love spending time with people that hold such a very special place in my heart! I love that just because I don't go there for my work anymore, that I can go there anytime & it still feels like "home". I love that family, & count it an honor to be able to call those boys "MY" Jolles boys :)

more milestones!

a few more milestones to document!

"dada"

With Jett saying "mama" for quite some time now, I knew it was just a matter of time before DaddyBoy started to feel left out. Sure enough, the other day, when Jett crawled up to him & said, "mama", Jared looked at me, puppy dog eyes & all, & said, "I just wish he would say "dada". After hearing that, I quickly went to work with Jett- constantly saying "dada" to him, hoping he would pick it up if I drilled him with it enough! Usually he would just look at me, smile, & say, "mama"! Little stinker! Then on Sunday, what do ya know?!!! He said "dada"! It was the faintest, softest little "dada", you've ever heard, but Daddyboy heard it for himself, & was elated! Since Sunday, Jett has said, "dada" about a hundred times {I find myself saying "mama" to him, just to make sure I don't get left in the dust}! Whenever he says "dada", he looks around the room to make sure his Daddyboy is listening, flashes that big smile, & I see Jared melt right there on the spot. So precious!

closer to crawling

He is still doing his army crawl thing {the one with the dead leg dragging behind him that makes us laugh}, but a couple of times he has gotten up on his hands & knees & actually taken 2 movements forward! It's only a matter of time...

momma's cooking

The other evening I made baked chicken, rice, green beans, & crescent rolls for dinner, & guess who enjoyed his first "real" meal?! I cut up some chicken & green beans into really tiny pieces & our little meatball gobbled it right up! We were in stitches laughing as we watched him take fists full of food & literally shovel his dinner into his mouth! I am so glad to see he is a good eater- it's just the "shoveling" I am a little concerned about! Next on the list of things to work on- manners! And eating utensils! :)

moose a. moose & dora the explorer

Let me preface this by saying- I really am not a bad mother. I do not plant my 8 month old child in front of the television all day long. We spend much of our day playing, singing, reading books, & spending time outside. With that being said, I also do have to admit, that sometimes Nick Jr. does come to the rescue for this momma! If I need to make dinner, switch the laundry,or heaven forbid, go pee without my little guy attached to me, I will turn on Nick Jr for a little while. He loves the music & absolutely lights up {big smile, loud squeals, the whole sha-bang} when Moose A. Moose or Dora the Explorer come on! And just when I start to feel overwhelmed with guilt about letting my 8 month old watch t.v.; Nick Jr. reassures me that they are "like preschool on t.v."! Hmmm....right.

Here is a pic of the "Nick Jr. coma"

welp, those are our milestones for now! more are sure to come!

My Cup Runneth Over!

As I sit here this morning, sipping my pumpkin spice coffee & reflecting on the weekend we just had, my cup runneth over {I'm talking about my "life cup" here, not my coffee cup}!

The theme for this past weekend- "family, family, & more family". Let me set the stage by telling you that my dad is 1 of 10 children-yes I said 10! T-E-N {my grandma is a superhero}! What that means for me is- lots of aunts, lots of uncles, TONS of cousins, even more second cousins, & a whole big bunch of love!!

Saturday night my Aunt Elaine {the hostess with the mostess} put together her Annual Halloween get-together{like she has every year since as far back as I can remember}. My Aunt Elaine's property is beautifully set atop a big hill, surrounded by acres & acres of land & trees that will take your breath away come this time of year. This particular year, Aunt Elaine's property boasted a brand new barn built by the Amish! While we were all a little bit sad to see the old red barn gone, we quickly cheered up once we stepped foot into the new one! It was the perfect set up for our bonfire & weenie roast {that's what my family calls a hotdog roast- it cracks me up, & I love it}! Inside there were tables & tables set up for the smorgasbord of food we would be indulging in, there were hay bales lined up for seating, there were little white twinkling lights strung from the ceiling, a big tractor trailor full of hay {that the kids cheerfully jumped & played in all evening}, & that's just the half of it! Towards the back of the barn, the huge barn doors opened up to the majestic outdoors! There we had our bonfire, an area to shoot bows & arrows, & Ringo the horse's fenced area nearby for petting & feeding. It was a magical setting & Aunt Elaine hadn't missed a single detail!

We spent the evening roasting "weenies" & smores, catching up, lauging, joking, & watching Aunt Elaine coax everyone into playing her ridiculous games- & when they would refuse, proceed to tempt them with her "FAAABULOUS" prizes- which consisted of candy bars, pudding packs, & sweets galore! Who could turn that down?! The barn echoed with squeals & laughter from the children {who were hyped up on more sugar than their little bodies could handle}, as they chased eachother, jumped in the hay,& ran from Uncle Jimmy {who has always been- & continues to be the tickle monster}! We all ate too much food, laughed until our faces hurt, played "Egg Toss" & "Pass the Apple" & most importantly- enjoyed this very special time when our big rowdy group can spend some precious time together!

The evening went by much too fast, & before we knew it, it was late & time to go- far before we were ready to say good-bye. But we made our rounds hugging everyone & saying our good-byes, nonetheless. As we were walking to our car, I said to Jared, "Wow. I have the best family!" {He agreed} It was a special evening, & I couldn't be more thrilled that my husband & son get to be a part of a tradition that has been part of me my whole life! I can't wait for the day that Jett gets to run through the fields with his cousins, jump in the hay like a wild man, slam a soda pop just because it's Aunt Elaine's & he can do that at Aunt Elaine's, roast marshmallows on a stick he finds out in the woods, eat so many sweets that he is on a "sugar high", & make memories on that farm that will last him his whole life!

Yeah, my cup runneth over.

MONSTER COOKIES

Say hello to my new favorite little Fall treat- Monster Cookies! These little delights are packed full of the yummiest of yummy ingredients, & I'd say they have quite the fitting name for the Halloween holiday season, don'tcha think?! I made these a couple of weeks ago, & they sure didn't last long! Tonight we are going to my Aunt Elaine's annual Halloween Hayride/Bonfire & I wanted to take along something that would be a sure hit with the kiddos!!

Here's the recipe if you're feelin' in the mood for a yummy Fall treat! Enjoy!

MONSTER COOKIES

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon corn syrup
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup candy-coated milk chocolate pieces {I use m&m's}
***go ahead & throw an in extra handful of chocolate chips & m&m's. We don't want to skimp on the good stuff! Afterall, Halloween only comes once a year!***

Directions
1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2)In a very large bowl, beat the eggs.
3)Add the remaining ingredients in order, mixing well.
4)Use an ice cream scoop to put on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

love notes.

There are about a gazillion ways my husband shows his love for me. But one of my most favorite things he does to show me just how much he loves me, is that he leaves me love notes.

For as long as I can remember, I have woken up every single morning to a little note from Jared! They aren't big, long love letters, just small notes- usually written on a post it or a note pad. I find them anywhere from the kitchen, the bathroom mirror, my steering wheel in my car, at the front of my bible, & occasionally on my pillow. Sometimes he writes me a little burst of encouragement, sometimes it's an apology for being a jerk, sometimes it's telling me how proud he is of me, but most of the time it is just him telling me how much he loves me. The fact that he takes the time every single morning to think of me, to scratch a little something onto a paper so that my day starts off great means everything to me! I have hundreds & hundreds of saved little notes from Jared, but I never ever get tired or bored of them. In fact, the very few times I have woken up without a little note, I feel like a part of my day is missing. I have saved each & every one of them because if I were to put them all together, they would be our love story. They would show all of the little details of our lives together. I can't help but imagine that one day, a long time from now, our children will sift through all of our belongings, & run across all of these tiny little love notes. I hope they smile, I hope it makes their hearts happy, but most of all I hope they can see & feel the love that Jared & I have for eachother.

I am blessed beyond belief because I wake up every single day of my life knowing that I am loved & adored. I am so thankful for a husband who takes just a little bit of time to show his love for me!

Here's my little love note from this morning!

simple moments.

Wowza! Have you been outside today?! I sure hope so, because it was the PERFECT day! Blue skies as far as the eye could see, bright sun-shiney-ness (pretty sure I just made that word up) everywhere, & just the slightest cool breeze wisping through every once in awhile- yep- perfect day! With it being the perfect day & all, there was no way Jett & I were just going to let it pass us by!

You see, here lately, I am all about making every moment count. I'm not sure if this new mindset is Jett inspired or God inspired {most likely a little of both}, but I just feel like I want to make the most of out of this life I've been given. Afterall, this is no dress rehearsal- we've got one shot at it. I want to pack it full of fun, of happiness, of laughter, of really really great memories! One of my favorite things about being a stay at home mom is that we can pack up & go make memories anytime we please! And for me, it doesn't mean spending lots of money or going & doing extravagant things {though that can be lots of fun too ;)}; it simply means making the most of our small moments- like the sun-shiney day that was laid before us! And today, that is precisely what we did!

We started off the day with our weekly Kindermusik class! We sang songs, banged on drums, danced around like fools (you wouldn't believe how quickly us mommies break a sweat)! But even more importantly, we spent time with the new friends we have made! Jett & I both have made some very sweet friends in Kindermusik class, & Thursdays have become such a highlight in our week! It has been exciting getting to know a new group of friends, & my hope is that we can make lasting friendships that go far beyond our little Kindermusik class!

After class, we headed down to Crown Center to meet up with DaddyBoy! Jared has a lot of flexibility in his job, & the fact that he can take some time out of his day to just hang & have lunch with me & little Jett man means the world to me! We ate our lunch outside by the fountains, & literally just basked in the sunlight! Jett couldn't wipe the smile off his face- he was lovin' every minute of it! As I soaked up a little sun, I also sat soaking up this moment together as a family. At one point, I looked at Jared & said, "Isn't having a family so much fun?" And I mean it with every ounce of my being. Having a family, & making memories together is the most fun I have ever had in my life. I mean, I've sat next to those fountains at Crown Center many a times, & sure- they're nice. But sitting there with my family- that's different- that's what turns these simple little moments into very treasured memories! I love our simple moments. I cherish them. So, bring on the next sun-shiney day!!!

Jett Jett "happenings"

Meatball is taking a nap, so I thought I'd fill you in on what's been going on in his little world lately {even though I should be seizing this opportunity to take a shower}

1) Houston, he is on the move! He is crawling everywhere {which means I am sweeping & vacuuming more than ever}! He is still doing sort of an army crawl at this point- he hoists himself up on his elbows, uses one leg to push himself off, & drags the other leg behind him. It makes us laugh- especially when gets going fast! Once in awhile, he will get up on his hands & knees & flirt with the idea of "real" crawling- but then he quickly decides to do it his own way!

2) He's a griper. He lets us have it when we are: changing his diaper, when we aren't getting his food to him quick enough, when we are drying & lotioning him up after his bath, when he is in his carseat & the car isn't moving {i.e. stop light}. He has no quams about letting us know when he isn't happy about something. What's funny, is that it actually sounds like a gripe- not a cry, not fussing, but like he is really telling us off! It probably won't be so cute when he actually has the words to tell us off with, but for now, it's pretty adorable.

3) In the mornings when he is just waking, he likes to lay there for a bit & chat, play, roll, sing, & squeal. When he is all done having his "waking up time" & is ready for me to come & get him out of bed, I hear a little voice say, "Mama. Maaama. Mamamamamama". It gets louder & louder, & that's my cue to run in & scoop my little sunshine up! He does this every single morning, & every single morning I lay in my bed, listening, waiting, anticipating that magic word! Once I hear it- I hit the ground running! He is so much like me when it comes to his sleeping patterns- the boy loves his sleep {sleep is my favorite}, it takes him a few minutes to wake up before getting up for the day {I've never been one for jumping up out of bed- I prefer to ease into the day}. On mornings when we have to get him up before he is ready, & he hasn't had sufficient "waking up time"- he is a total bear{yep, that'd be me}! It is amazing to me that so much of his little personality & who he is going to be is already developing! It is so fun to watch it all unfold!

4) He still pretty much hates the carseat. He loves to go places, but the ride there- not his cup of tea. He gets a little cranky when we put him in the carseat, does okay when we're moving, tells us off when the car is at a stop, & FREAKS out when he hears the ding of the bell which is my seatbelt unlatching. He knows when he hears that "ding", that I'm getting out,which means he wants out, too! I supppose if I were facing the back of the car with absolutely no way to see what is going on around me, that I would be pretty good at taking in all of the different sounds that are going on around me too-seatbelt "dings" & all!

5) We are on a pretty good schedule right now- I say right now, because we all know that with a baby, it is likely to change as soon as I think our schedule is set. Our day starts between 7 & 8. We have 4 bottles a day. We have 3 solid meals a day. We have 2 naps a day- one in the 10 o'clock hour & one in the 2 o'clock hour {these can range anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour & a half}. We play. We laugh. We hug & kiss. We have a bath at 7:30. We go to bed at 8. Then we do it all again the next day! Schedules are great- & both Jett & I thrive on a good schedule! :)

6) He has really discovered his voice lately, & when he gets excited he yells as loud as he can! He will double those little fists, tighten up, & let out the biggest noise he can! And then, he'll look at us & burst into laughter! He is such a little ham, & he knows we just eat it up!!

7) He is terrified of the vacuum. He screams at the mere sight of it. Yesterday, it was sitting out & he couldn't even play with his toys without checking over his shoulder a hundred times, making sure it wasn't coming after him. I even let him touch it, held him while I vacuumed the floors, showed him it was harmless, but nope. He is not making friends with that vacuum anytime soon.

8) He LOVES being outside! He doesn't care if he's swinging, helping DaddyBoy with the lawn, taking a stroll with Papa to see his fishing pond, or just sitting out on the back deck- if he's outside, he's a happy boy!

9) He gets so excited when Jared gets home from work. When he hears that garage door open, he stops whatever he is doing, sits very still, & waits to listen for the door to the house open. Once he hears that, he starts shaking & crying until he is in his DaddyBoy's arms! It is precious how crazy Jett is over his DaddyBoy! DaddyBoy is pretty crazy over his Jett man as well!

10) He loves bath time! Still hates the water on his face. We moved his baby bath into the guest bathroom tub (it used to sit on our counter in the master bath). Now he can splash to his heart's delight! I have a feeling he will be done with the baby tub really soon- he is getting all squirmy wormy on us & trying to crawl out. I just can't imagine my little baby sitting in that big ol' tub! I'd rather see my big ol' baby in his tiny baby tub! That way he doesn't seem so grown up :(

11) And last, but not least- one of my new favorite things he does is give kisses. You know the ones. Mouth wide open, slobber dripping, have to wipe your whole face when they are done, best kisses you ever had kisses! Yeah, you know the ones I'm talking about. I didn't know such a slobbery mess could melt my heart the way it does, but when he's all done handing out those precious baby kisses- there are two puddles on the floor- one is his slobber, & one is me.

Well, those are just a few of Jett's latest "happenings"! Being able to share in his little "happenings" sure makes our "happenings" mean so much more!

And because blog posts are way more fun with pics- here are a few from this evening- just soakin' up this beautiful Fall weather!

Rainy Days

Because the pitter patter of the rain & a great book go hand in hand; we decided to brave the thunderstorm & take a little adventure to our local Barnes & Noble!

Thankfully, I snapped a few shots of the little guy, before a sales associate kindly asked me to put my camera away- that photograpy in the store is not allowed {oops}.

Welcome to the JUNGLE!!

It as an absolutely gorgeous October weekend, & we breathed in every bit of it that we possibly could! I am officially pooped, but it was totallly worth it!

It was Homecoming at Pittsburg State (Jared & I's alma mater) this weekend, so we decided to join in on the festivities (& attempt to make a gorilla out of our son- start em' young)! Once J got home from work on Friday, we loaded up the car, & headed south! We booked a room & stayed in Pittsburg so that we could be there bright & early for the Homecoming parade come Saturday morning! Jett loved being at the hotel, & though I was a nervous wreck about him sleeping in the pack & play by our bed (I was terrified he was going to be up all night like our last overnight trip), he surprisingly slept snug as a bug, & we had to wake his little booty up at 8 a.m.!

Saturday morning came & the 3 of us got all decked out in our Pitt State gear & headed off to 5th & Broadway! We set up shop (aka the stroller) across from 505 (ah, memories), & got ready for the big parade! Big doesn't even begin to describe the parade- this thing lasted every bit of an hour & a half & had more marching bands than I even knew existed! I couldn't believe it but, Jett watched every bit of it! Anything that can hold an 8 month old's attention for an entire hour & a half is pretty impressive to me! Needless to say, it was a great first parade for the Jett man, & I'm pretty sure we will be making a tradition out of it!

Next on the list- the Homecoming football game! 2 o' clock marked game time, & after the cannon boomed it's thunderous "BOOM"- the Gorillas were playin' some football! It was fun to see the sea of red & gold, see Gus the Gorilla bustin' a move, & be a part of something that is such a part of us! Pitt State holds so many wonderful memories for Jared & me- I can't help but get a little nostalgic every time we visit Pitt. Now we get to experience PSU in whole new way- with our son! We get to make new, fresh memories that are just as wonderful & meaningful! While we're making all of these new memories, we can't help but wonder what the future holds- will we be making trips to Pittsburg to visit Jett one of these days? Will Pitt State even be his school of choice? Will we move him into the dorms, or maybe the fraternity house someday? Will Pittsburg State University be a place he feels at home when he visits, where a surge of great memories come rushing back, & a place that holds some of his fondest memories? Only time will tell. (And a momma can secretly hope ;)) It is so fun to think about!

It was a blast of a weekend- full of old memories, & new! We are already looking forward to our trip to the JUNGLE next year!!

Queen Bee travels

Jared hates my suitcase. When we travel, & he asks which bag I plan to bring, & I say my suitcase- he deflates like a little bit of life is being sucked out of him.

The problem is, I LLLLOOOOOOVVVEEEEEEE my suitcase! I will find any excuse I can to pack it & carry it along on my travels. It absolutely screams "me"- it's pink & polka dotted- doesn't get more me than that!

Turns out, Jett isn't such a fan either. Boo for being outnumbered.

Sorry boys. Last time I checked, I was still "Queen Bee" of this house! And when "Queen Bee" travels, she totes along her pink polka dot luggage!

Happy weekend!! If you're traveling, travel any ol' way your heart desires!!!

These days

These days, I am an emotional wreck. I'm not sure what is going on with me-but all of these tears- they're doing a number on me. I am tellin' ya--it isn't taking much to provoke me to waterworks lately. I'm really not even that much of a "crier". I mean, I do cry- once in awhile- but it's usually over something really big, & once I have a big pow wow, it's all over & I feel better. But these tears- the ones I am having lately- they just keep coming. Funny thing is, I'm not even sad--not one bit.

It all started on Monday when we took our little jaunt to Children's Mercy- I'm pretty sure that's what triggered it all.

Then on Tuesday, Jared & Jett were playing in the living room while I was getting dinner ready & in the background (on Nick Jr), I heard a song playing. It was a song about family- about how families love eachother, take care of eachother, & how each family is special & unique. Before I knew it, I was fighting back tears. Over a Nick Jr. song? Geesh!

Wednesday evening after Jett had gone to sleep, I caught up on some of the blogs I like to follow. I absolutely love reading about other moms, their lives, all their day to day stuff . Once in awhile, I will stumble upon a blog I've never read before--usually I scope it out, & find out that it's a nice blog, but nothing that really captivates me. Well, last night I stumbled upon a blog that captivated me. It did more than that. It shook me to the core. It was a mother's journey- some of her journey absolutely heartwrenching; some of it totally exhilerating. This blogger is a brilliant writer, & she honestly had me feeling every emotion she had felt. I sat in my chair, behind my laptop, sobbing my eyes out. Still today, I can't get her story out of my head, & if I sit too long thinking about it- you guessed it. More tears.

After closing up my computer, Jared & I tiptoed into Jett's room {like we do every night} just to get one last look at our baby for the day. I honestly could stand there all night staring at him, but usually after a few minutes, Jared tugs at me to come on to bed. I love standing over his crib, seeing him lay there so peaceful, watching his chest move up & down, seeing his lips puckered up so sweet. He is usually laying one of two ways- all sprawled out- arms stretched out to the sides with his legs bent like little froggy legs, OR laying on his side, curled up, clutching his little blankie. He usually has kicked all of his blankets off, so this is the time that I tuck him back in, & we blow goodnite kisses to him. But last night, after I tucked him all in- I took one more look at him & before I knew it, I had lost it. All of a sudden, hot tears were running down my face. They struck out of nowhere, & while I usually am pretty good at fighting back tears, these ones couldn't be held back. The floodgates were officially open! Jared simply put his arms around me -never questioning what was the matter, or why I was upset. He just let me have a moment to cry my heart out there in Jett's nursery. As I stood there, allowing myself to really "feel" the feelings that were rushing through me, I realized the reason for all of these tears lately. It's because these days are going by too fast. These days are slipping away-right through my hands. These days will be gone before I know it- in a blink of an eye. These days that I get to stand over my baby's crib, watching him sleep are numbered- they are dwindling. These days where I play peek-a-boo & pat-a-cake will all soon be a memory- a thing in our past. These days that I hear "mamamamama" a thousand times a day will all too soon be replaced with "mom"- & my little boy will be a big boy. These days are fading, & even though I am trying to grip them as tight as I possibly can- they are much like my tears- they cannot be stopped.

Time doesn't stand still. It just keeps on going. And I'm grieving that right now. Don't get me wrong- I'm excited about the future too- I know there are so many memories to be made, so many laughs to be had, so many milestones to be accomplished. But for right now-in this moment, I'm just a little sad.

For it is these days- that are the best days of my life.

THE perfect day for...

Lounging in my Victoria's Secret sweats all day!

Having 2 cups of Caramel Apple coffee {yummo}!

Making my homemade chicken soup {mmmmm}!

Baking "monster" cookies for my cookie monster {aka my hubby}!

{And last, but CERTAINLY not least} Hanging with this cutie boy all day long!!!

What a really great day!!!

Psalm 32:11

Be glad in the Lord, & rejoice, ye righteous: & shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Our trip to Children's Mercy

Good morning! I want to say thank you to all of our sweet friends & family who kept us in your prayers & thoughts yesterday! We survived the day, we are home, & Jett is doing wonderful- even better than expected! We have much to be thankful for!

First, before I share about our own little journey, let me say, that the surgery Jett had to have yesterday was "cake" compared to what so many children at Children's Mercy are going through. I have had friends who have had to spend weeks by their child's bedside at this hospital, & their strength as mothers/fathers/parents amazes me. As I saw sick children being pulled around in wagons all day yesterday, my heart absolutely broke for them. Some people were going through huge life threatening situations, & some were just having same day surgery {like us}. The one thing we all shared as parents is that we were putting our children & our trust in someone else to care for them & I believe that is hard for any parent to do. Yesterday as we walked out the doors, with our baby all snuggled up in our arms, I counted my blessings that we were getting to take our child home with us. That is not the case for so many of these precious families, & my heart cannot help but ache for them. My "hard" days with Jett don't hold a candle to the "hard" days some of these parents & children are going through. I hope I don't ever forget that.

So here is a summary of our day yesterday {so that we will be able to remember & share with Jett one day}!

We all 3 woke up around 8 :15 {I know, I know, it's not right that an 8 month old sleeps in until after 8. Trust me, I'm sure our next one won't ever sleep, & I will get my payback}. I knew immediately when we woke up, that we were surrounded by many prayers because of the overwhelming sense of peace that I had. Jared fed Jett his bottle {the only food he was going to get until after the surgery}, & we spent the morning playing & snuggling him up! We laid him down for his morning nap at 10-I figured it would be short since he wasn't able to get his tummy full from his usual {solid} breakfast- but he slept until 11:30! So far so good {don't know why I worry}!!!

We were scheduled to arrive at Children's Mercy at 12:45 pm. That meant that Jett could eat one {breastmilk} bottle at 8:45 {luckily, I a small supply in the freezer for him}, clear liquids until 10:30; then NOTHING after that. I was so worried about the fasting part of this whole procedure. Have you seen my little Jett Jett? He's a linebacker. Linebackers need food. He loves to eat, & I was so terrified that he was going to be a bear! Again, why do I worry?!!! We arrived at Children's Mercy, & he was a perfect little angel! He talked, squealed, played, & really didn't get fussy until the nurses & doctors started poking on him & touching him. He made me laugh because he would literally push their hands off of him {hmmm, I think he might have a little bit of my personality}.

Finally, around 2:00, after meeting with the nurse, doctor, & anesthesiologist, the OR nurse came in. I have to say that every single person on staff at Children's Mercy {that we came into contact with} was nothing short of amazing. They were so friendly, so comforting, & just had a way of making us feel like everything was going to be okay. But it was the OR nurse {Amy was her name} that I believe was a true Godsend. She came in the room like a breath of fresh air. The way she spoke to us, the way she interacted with Jett, just the energy she gave off immediately lifted our spirits! She has a gift, that's for sure-and yesterday, she was our little gift. She helped us gather our things from the room we were in & led us to a hallway where my sweet baby would be handed from my arms to hers. We stood there in the hall, & she began explaining the next steps: that she would take Jett one way, that Jared & I would go another way to the elevators...........{this is where I lost it}. I started trembling, & tears filled my eyes, & I could hear that she was talking, but could not make out a word she was saying. She gently touched my arm, & her eyes filled with tears, & she said to me, "It's okay. I had to do this exact thing when my son was 6 months old, & I stood here & cried too. It's all okay. I will explain everything, & if you don't remember it- the ladies in the waiting room will tell you everything you need to know." She proceeded to tell Jared everything {which he did a great job of taking it all in & remembering} & I held on as tight as I could to my little boy for a few more moments. She then held out her arms, & it was time to place Jett in them. As I handed him over to her, Jett looked at me with a little smirk on his face, as if he was saying, "Look how big I am. It's okay, Mom." I was so thankful for that moment. I could see that he was calm, that he trusted Amy, that he liked her. As we walked away, I cried some more, & Jared just wrapped his arms around me & told me over & over again that he was going to be okay.

We made our way down to the waiting room & waited for what seemed to be an eternity (when really it was only 40 min). The doctor came & met with us & let us know that Jett was out of surgery & in recovery, & everything had gone just fine. WHEW!!! The only question I had was, "When can I see him?" We waited another 30 min or so, & the lady called our name & said we could head upstairs to "Reunion Avenue"! I couldn't wait!! We went up to the 2nd floor, & for some reason, I had in my mind that Amy would be standing there, & she would hand Jett over to me, just as I had handed him over to her- it would be a quick exchange- just like that. I'm not sure why had that in my mind; I should have known better. Instead, as we looked down the hall, we could see a different nurse, standing next to this tiny, lifeless little body on a bed- it looked like our little Jett Jett. As we got closer, we could see that he was sucking away on both his thumbs-yep- it was definitely our little Jett Jett. When he heard our voices, he opened his eyes just barely, & they quickly rolled back. He looked so pale, so limp. His eyes had dark circles under them, & there were indentions all around them where they had placed coverings over his eyes to protect them. We went into the recovery area with him, & the nurse informed us that she had given Jett some pain medication because he seemed very fussy when he first woke up. She also let us know that his tummy was full- that he took 2 oz of apple juice, & when they attempted to take the bottle away, he had a fit! So, they gave him 2 more oz. & that seemed to be enough (that's my sweet Jett! Don't mess with his food)! The nurse asked me if I wanted to hold him- ummmmm YES!!! She picked him up & placed him on my chest, & after letting out a HUGE burp in my face, he just snuggled right up & went to sleep. He made a few little wimpers {like he used to do when he was a brand new baby} & I just rocked & loved on him. We spent about 30 min. in the recovery area, changed his clothes, got his prescription, & headed to the car. Thankfully, he slept soundly through all of it, & once we put him into his carseat, he continued to sleep soundly all the way home.

Once we arrived home, & walked in the door, Jett's little eyes popped open, & he looked like our fiesty, full of life little Jett man again! He chugged down a bottle, spent a little time playing, & he let me rock him to sleep in his nursery. Jared sat on the floor in the nursery, while I sat in the rocker, & we chatted while I held Jett as he snoozed away in my arms. We both just stared at him, so thankful to call him ours. I enjoyed the moment of just holding & rocking my baby. He usually doesn't sit still long enough to let me rock him, so I tried to soak it all in! After about 30 min, he woke up & Jared & I gave him a sponge bath. He hated it- & honestly I don't blame him! He was cold, & to be frank, Jared & I aren't any good at giving sponge baths. I'll be glad when he can be back in his regular tub, splashing away! After his miserable sponge bath, we gave him his bottle, he fell fast asleep, & we put him in his crib. Jared & I both were expecting that he would wake several times in the night, due to pain, but would you believe that he didn't wake up until 8:15 this morning?!! I checked on him several times during the night, & he was so tired he had barely changed positions. Bless his heart!

This morning he woke up like he always does- talking, squealing, & rolling all over his crib! When we went in to get him, he was all smiles! We couldn't help but be proud of how tough our little guy is! He is an angel, & Jared & I have said over & over to eachother that we don't deserve him. He handled everything with such resilience & ease {better than his Momma did}, & we could not be more thankful!


Yesterdy was a long, exhausting day, but at the end of all of it, we are blessed beyond belief because we have eachother, we have amazing friends & family, & we have a beautiful, healthy little boy! There isn't much more we could ask for!

A few words to our sweet little Jett Jett- You are the the toughest little baby we know! You are our sunshine & you light up our lives every single day! You are so very precious, & we are honored to be called your parents! We are blessed that God has allowed you to be so healthy & strong, & we pray that He continues to keep you that way! You have so much love from us, & from so many friends & family- & you always will! We love you & are so proud of you!
Mommy & DaddyBoy

a heavy heart

"Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body."
--Elizabeth Stone

Tomorrow at 12:45, I will watch my heart go walking away with the doctors at Children's Mercy & I am pretty sure I will cry my eyes out. I can already feel the sting of tears in my eyes as I write this.

Our little Jett Jett is having a surgical procedure done tomorrow. It is a very routine procedure, & not too serious, but of course as a mother, I can't help but have some anxiety. He will have to be put under anesthesia, which means that he won't be in my arms where I can keep him safe. I have to put my trust in the doctors, nurses, but most of all in my Lord to keep my little baby boy safe while I cannot. Everything should be completed within 2.5 hours, & we should be headed home no later than 4p.m. 4 p.m. can't get here fast enough.

So, if you are reading this, please keep our family in your prayers. Thank you so much! I will keep you posted!

Facelift & a Photo Shoot!

Nooooo, I did not get a facelift! I'm not even 30, people!

If you haven't noticed yet...let me just point it out to you- my blog looks AWESOME!!! IT got a little facelift, & I think it turned out a-dor-a-ble! Special thanks to Masto Mama Designs for working with me & designing it! I sure love it, & hopefully all 6 of my followers will enjoy the new look too! :)

Now onto the photoshoot (great transition, huh?)!

The other evening, Jett & I were anxiously awaiting DaddyBoy to get home from a business trip, so to make the time go by faster, we (I) decided to do a little Halloween photo shoot! I decked Jett man out in all of the festive Halloween things I had ordered for him, propped him up next to our outdoor Fall decorations, & started snapping away! What do you know, some of them turned out kinda professional looking! I can't take credit, as I have NO idea what I am doing- I just have an awesome camera, that does the work for me! I even had a friend call me after seeing the photos I posted on facebook, & ask if I would take pictures of her little girl sometime! I am FAR from a professional, & I can't guarantee that the photos will turn out great, but hey, it is still pretty flattering!

Here are a couple pics from our little photo shoot! You know, every year I spend time looking for perfect seasonal decorations- I am pretty sure I have found my favorite Fall decoration of all!!!