Maases Visit

Grandma and Grandpa Maas came to visit last week, and we had a fabulous trip to the Arboretum to see Dallas Blooms!
Emily is trying so hard to walk, but just hasn't gotten it down yet. Yes, it is St. Patrick's Day - thus the variety of shades of green! Ben was NOT feeling the need to wear green, and no amount of convincing was going to work. He settled for his green lephrecan socks under his cowboy boots.
The boys made a cover for the sandbox that is a little bit sturdier than was previously covering it. This also means that the kids can't play in it without me opening it!

Cowboy Ben running down the hill at the Arboretum!
Grandpa was trying to get rid of the jingling in his pocket, and Ben and Annie benefited by making wishes into the pond.

Emily is 1!

Happy Birthdayto you! I can't believe my little baby is one! She has brought so much joy to my life! Love this baby number 3!!!

She very much enjoyed her cupcake! She really got into it after licking off the frosting!

Cutie Girls

Well, I am finally doing something fun with Emily's room. This is the wall above her crib. They are vinyl stickers from http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5208238 . I don't know how to do fun links... I'm still trying to decide on something for Ben and Annie's wall.. Annie has been sick and was so tired the other night, she couldn't wait for me to come get her out of the shower... It was the cutest thing I have seen in a long time.
Here are my two girls after a morning trip to the Dallas Zoo. They have really spruced up the place, and I think the Kids area will be a bit busy this summer becuae it is now VERY fun!
Hello? Is anyone there? Emily now makes any toy a phone - although her favorite is the remote control.

A Snowy Morning

Well, in Texas it snowed on Tuesday morning. Ben was so excited to play in it when he got home from school. He came home on the bus at 10:40 to find the snow all gone. Wednesday was simply beautiful and I got a sunburn at the zoo in 65 degree weather. Thursday it snowed again. So after breakfast this morning, Ben got all decked out in his warmest clothes, ski bib, gloves, hat, etc. As soon as he opened the front door, we saw bright sunshine and a green yard with water dripping off the roof. I thought he was going to throw a huge fit with extreme disappointment, but he surprised me! He asked if he could go play in a neighbor's yard that faces East, thus still covered in snow. I said yes, so he walked around the street. He just played for a minute and picked up a handful of snow - eating it on the way home...
He was so proud of it!
Ben miliseconds before he threw the snowball at me. :)

The Science Place

At Fair Park the Science Place Children's Museum had a Grand Opening (read there: FREE) and we went with two other families. The kids had a fabulous time. This might be another membership that we need to purchase!!!

Firefighters: Ben and Kylie

Stage Makeup - I think I took about 20 of these!
Emily's favorites: playing in the water and planting seeds
Milking the cow!
Climbing a very short rockwall. Guess it helps them feel successful. :)
Thankfully I still have these pictures! We'd gone upstairs to leave when I realized I no longer had my camera. An agonizing 20 minutes later, the security guard brought it out...

Our Passions

Ben continues to love baseball. However, he is now on a soccer team and has had 2 practices and the first game is supposed to be this weekend. He loves that also. And yes, I allow him to through balls in the house, as long as the balls aren't very hard. He knows that if he hits anything, all bets are off! Annie loves to color with the waterpen. She also loves to sit by the fire. Since it has gone from 80 to snowing in 3 days, it was chilly last night. We woke up to a layer of snow on the ground, which was all melted by 10:30 this morning. Oh well..

Newsworthy Events

Okay - couldn't think of a catchy title, so that will have to do! I have two things to make mention of before my next post with cute pictures.

1. The Holy Ghost - We believe there are 3 members of the Godhead: God the Eternal Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. After baptism in the LDS church, one receives the Gift of the Holy Ghost as a constant companion - as long as one is worthy and making good choices. So, I know when I have the Holy Ghost as a companion when I am at peace. I had an amazing experience the other day with this that I wanted to share.

I was driving to an appointment and knew I was going to be about 10 minutes late. I HATE being late for things and often try to make up time while driving. (bad habit, I know...) So, I came to a stop sign and just thought I would let the other person go first as we both got there about the same time. (*NOTE - this is not my typical stop sign behavior*) About 2 seconds later I realized that actually I had stopped first, and he was waiting for me. Just as I was about to go, a car came ZOOOOMMMING through the intersection, completely ignoring the 4 way stop sign (and surely not at 30 mph). Such an insignificant thing to most, but as I stopped to think about the situation, 2 seconds earlier would have been Ben or Emily in the middle of the intersection. Just another little testament to me that God is watching out for us!

2. We finally joined a gym and with my membership came 4 personal training sessions. Larry is a 5-letter word at our home currently as my entire body stiffens if I stay in one place for too long. He told me I didn't hire him to be my friend. GRRRR - he is definitely not! But, Andy has been up at 5:15 the last two mornings to go, so I will endure with Larry...

3. I know I always have more to say, but thank you Nicole for the heads-up on the new website! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints has a new website, it's pretty neat!!! Check it out

I've Been Tagged!

Who kissed who first? I know that Andy kissed me first!

Who asked who out first? I invited Andy to join my little group of friends for an afternoon in Fairview, Utah to canoe and have a homemade chicken fried dinner by a friend's parents. However, he didn't ride in the same car with me, so I don't think it was a date. Our first (and ONLY!) formal date was about 10 days after we met. We went to The Roof for dinner and walked around Temple Square.

Who was the first to say "I love you"? Again, Andy. He was a bit more sure about our relationship than I was - at least according to my mom!

Who proposed? Andy - it was my 20th birthday on Labor Day so we planned a fun event for all our friends at Sliding Rock in Alpine, Utah. We played and had a great day. When people were getting in cars to go home, we decided to stay and take some pictures in the canyon (both knowing we were going to get married but not anytime soon and wanting pictures together). He proposed as soon as we found a spot to take a picture.

How long have you been together? Married for almost 8 years

How long did you date? 22 days - engaged for 7 1/2 months

Who eats more? Andy - unless it is something with cream cheese...yummy!

Who is taller? Andy

Who has more speeding tickets? Since the only ticket I have ever gotten is for not having insurance in the car (it was 2 days old and proof was on the way) - we'll say ANDY because he has at least doubled that since we've been married.

Who is more sensitive? Anyone who knows both of us is LAUGHING at the mere question. It's me...duh!

If you have an argument, who usually wins the fight? I laugh at all the people who don't say they argue or fight. Neither do we - we have "discussions" that get somewhat heated. Although these have tamed considerably in the last few years, we take turns winning. Whoever cares more about that topics wins.

Who does the laundry? Andy for the first 2 1/2 years, me ever since.

Who does the dishes? Typically me - unless Andy is home and has extra time. He did them twice on Sunday!!!

Who sleeps on the right? This is a tricky one. If you're facing our bed...it's Andy. If we're laying in bed, I am.

Who pays the bills? Andy, unless I have time on my hands without several helpers and don't have anything to blog!

Who mows the lawn? We both do. However, I tend to do it more while Andy edges. Wish I'd had a picture of being 8 1/2 months pregnant with Annie in the middle of August mowing the yard. I bet neighbors thought Andy was a punk, but I'd hoped it was moving things along!

Who makes dinner? That's my job unless I want to go out to eat and then I let Andy know he is responsible.

Who usually drives? Andy - all the time. I don't enjoy it and if he drives I can read. At least that used to be true before I had kid duty. Now I have to beg to drive so I can have a break!

Who is more stubborn? That is a great question! We'll let you guess the answer!

Who has more siblings? ME!!! This was the day after we met - those are our friends (Ben and Annie) in the water. Our first 'outing' together.
This was the first night Andy held my hand! I'm in between Annie and Emily. Tara is on the far left who never forgave me for "stealing" Andy from her.
This was minutes after we were engaged.
And the classic wedding photo. Unfortunately, we married before digital photos were popular!

*Now - I tag KIM WILSON, FARRAH and CRYSTAL*

It's the Most Wonderful Time...

Of the week! Today was a produce day where we buy in bulk at the Farmer's Market, and I love the goodies we get every 2 weeks! Of course, this comes with work - each shop I have to be up and dressed by 7am to open the garage, help sort food, and collect money for the next time. Saturday is the only morning that I set my alarm and typically the one morning my children sleep past 6:30. Isn't that Murphy's Law? Pick up is at 8am and then I come inside to loving wash the fruit, put away any root plants, and bag the green stuff!

It's such a treat! It's now been 2 years since we started doing the produce co-op, and my dedication has wavered at times (especially while pregnant!!!), but I love getting new things to try and have expanded my variety of cooking! We try to plan our menus around our produce - so this week we will have Tuscan Bean soup, a sweet spud casserole, roasted veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, and onions coated with olive oil and sprinked with salt, pepper and garlic), and whatever fun side dishes I can come up with. I really wanted to get some eggplant as well, but there just wasn't enough money! Drum roll please....



2 sets of broccoli

16 snack size carrot bags

1 head cauliflower

2 heads romaine lettuce

5 red onions

8 small bell peppers

2 bunch spinach

1 butternut squash

5 small yellow squash

3 zucchini

3 sweet potatoes

10-11 fugi apples

10-11 pink lady apples

8 bananas

1 big bag red grapes

6 large oranges

8 d'anjou pears

3 pieces jicama

4 big peaches

1 head celery

6 kiwi



All this for the bargain price of $30!

These pictures are from May 2006 - the only time I've ever taken pictures! There are 12 people in the group and we rotate who shops, so you never know what you are going to get!!!

Didn't Realize It Before

Okay - call me slow. Seriously. I had an epihphany this afternoon. I think I've realized this before, but I'm seeing now how true this is. We've already decided that Ben is an intense little boy. I am just noticing how intense - we had a fun little Valentine's party this afternoon and after were playing outside with some neighbor boys that are a year older. That's when it hit me!

Whatever Ben is focused on, it is with all of his heart. It doesn't matter what - as long as it is important to him, all of him is involved. If there is a conversation he is interested in, he is louder and closer to your face than anyone else. If you are getting a hug because he wants to hug you, your guts come out because it is so hard. If you play baseball with him, be ready for the ball to come hard at your chest (unless he is distracted and then you better duck!). If there is a book he wants you to read, he catches every word. If you are running around playing guns outside, he is totally in the moment. If he is cleaning the kitchen for me, every surface is wiped. He is totally an all or nothing guy - he is the fastest toy-picker-upper, when he is focused and wants to do it! Hopefully his teachers will catch on a little bit faster than I did!

A friend is doing some vinyl lettering for me on Ben and Annie's wall. "Imagination is intelligence having fun." That is my little cowboy! He's going to be brilliant!!! :)

Mailboy

When I was little, we did sugar cookies for Christmas and the melted chocolate molds for Valentine's Day. Then we would pass them to neighbors, the mailman, etc. Last year we were able to deliver cookies to Andy's home teaching families, but that is as far as we got! So, Sunday afternoon I decided it was time to do the Valentine's tradition - knowing Ben would love this. When my mom packed up her kitchen, I received the molds (sorry Nan!!! You can send me your kids when they want to do them!) and needed to try them out! So, we melted white and pink chips and poured them into heart molds. However, Ben found the Christmas pan with the trees, bells, candy canes, and wreaths. The hearts didn't mean much to him, so he did Christmas shapes. I figured this was appropriate as a Merry Christmas/Happy Valentine's Day wish to our neighbors.

After doing those and dipping pretzels with Annie we made little baggies and took them to 8 of our neighbors. Ben was so thrilled about this part! He got his special bag, filled it with the goodies, loaded it on his bike and rode up to each house, pulled out a goodie bag, zipped up his bag, put it back on his bike and then was ready to ring the doorbell. 8 different times! Riding his bike from one house to the next - just as cheerful to do each one. Annie liked to talk to the three people that opened the door and tell them personal information. Like the university dean that lives across the street who was informed that she can now poop in the potty to get a present. Yes, I actually blushed...

Why I Love My Job

I have three helpers that give me an increase in patience. Because sweet faces like this - and watching this happen - create a smile that lingers all evening.
Because it's easy to spend 20 minutes cuddled on a chair or the couch and engaging in my very favorite pasttime - and it helps us all relax!
Because my third little helper LOVES her unloading duties and takes them very seriously.

Because books are a favorite activity of us all. And because we learn new things each day - for example, Ben has learned that he needs to close the closet door before we read books or we have a LOT of cleaning up to do! He's also learned that Emily is quick!

Because we love to just be outside. This day was hot, but Annie needed her gloves. Other days in freezing temperatures, she strips down to her diaper - wait - panties!!!! I love my job when progress is made, like my little girl using the potty for one whole week with just one accident, which I take the blame for (trying to go to just one more store!)
For children who love to be together - and for the tv shows that give me a few moments of peace. :)
I don't love my job because my children are quickly escaping my little nest. I signed Ben up for soccer today. YIKES - that is a big kid thing to do! Then they have to go out into the real world and deal with people like yucky McCain who gives me the hibbygibbies! It's a sad world when I consider voting for a Democrat because I despise the "Rebuplican frontrunner." And yes, I sent my Govenor an email telling him what I thought about his endorsement. Grrrr. Sorry - wasn't planning to turn this in to a political bashing, but that seems to be running around my mind lately... :) Wonder why? I do still love my job!

No sleep!

Again, I am soooo tired today. It is mostly my fault as I choose to stay up late Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Last night, I was in bed at 8:45 - so ready to sleep! Then my little Ben started crying. He'd got to bed with a fever and a cough and some motrin. None of us slept great last night as Ben's longest stretch wthout coughing was about 2 hours. This morning found us at the doctor's office. Ben has croup and an ear infection. Yippee! We were very glad it wasn't pnemonia. Now Ben is on steroids which I detest with a passion, so if you call in the next few days, don't expect to talk to a sane Lindsey because I will be dealing with a split-personality child, as well as a 2 1/2 year old, and a teething baby. That doesn't add up to sanity!!!

Luckily, I have 18 meals ready to cook in my freezer - our final cost was $5.30 each meal! Wait, 17 meals because Andy made over the weekend while I was scrapbooking!

Another project

So - one of the ways I make my life easier is to make it more difficult for a short time. This is one of those times. However, this is a project that I LOVE, so I'm okay with it! So - currently there are 5 of us that get together to make freezer meals (6 meals of each recipe). We plan out the recipes and divide jobs that need to be done prior to putting meals together. Then we will get together this Friday night for about 4 hours to create 102 meals! These we divide, put in our freezers, and enjoy quick dinners until the next 2-3 months when we will do this again!!! So here are the meals for this week:

Sybil's meatloaf
Cranberry Chicken
Farmer's Casserole
Tangy BBQ
Chicken Fried Rice
Beef Stroganoff
Spinch Artichoke Dip Chicken
Baked Ziti
Garlic Lime Chicken
Pizza Pasta Casserole
Chicken Chimichangas
Tuscan Sausage and Bean soup
Corn Beef Casserole
Minestone Soup
Orange Chicken
Chicken Parmesan
Pepper Jack Chicken

We buy our chicken wholesale downtown and buy most other things in bulk (40 pounds of beautiful boneless, skinless breasts for $56 this time!) We planned lots of recipes that can just stick in the oven this time. In the summer we try to do mainly crockpot meals or something quick on the stove top to not heat up the kitchen. This is one of my favorite projects to organize and put it together, and I can't even tell you how wonderful it is to pull something out of the freezer at 4pm and then we go on a walk, come home to make a salad and have a great dinner! That was a really long sentence! So - there you have it ladies and gents - how to make the witching dinner hours easier!!!

Love those Babies

Ben and Annie just LOVE babies. It makes me happy to see because I LOVE babies too! Here are two of our favorites:
During a diaper change Ben was helping to keep Emily in one place talking to her about her new teeth. She thankfully has only been using them on food - so far! Here is our other favorite baby of the moment - sweet Baby Claire. This is the first time I've really seen Emily get so excited about a baby! Every time we would set her down she was zooming over to Claire to say hello!

Would have been a good idea...

As I was folding Andy's socks this morning on our bed, Ben and Annie were coloring in the front room. Annie decided she wanted to paint her fingers and toes. However, she missed (A LOT!!) and I now have a 'beautiful' pink decoration in the middle of my living room. I'm hoping Andy chechs this before coming home tonight so it is not such a huge shock...maybe I'll just leave the lights off and light a few candles. Maybe he'll have a great day at work today and come home in a fabulous mood... maybe he'll be so happy to have clean folded socks in his drawer that he won't say a word! (I'm doing his underwear right now to make him even more happy when he opens his drawers!!!) Yes - our little Annie is very tired by the end of the day if she hasn't had a nap to revive herself.

Youthisms

We've had a few sayings at our house lately that need mention.
Ben's favorites lately are "That's not fair!" and "I'm bored!" Both of which irk me to no end because they are used hundreds of times each day and completely with incorrect situations! He doesn't quite understand the meanings of these words which I try to explain - but not in the right way.

Last night took the cake. When the kids complain about doing things they don't like, I point out that I don't like to do laundry but I have to do it anyway or we wouldn't have clean clothes to wear. So last night at the end of a LONG day I'd asked Ben for the third or fourth time to please put his boots away. He picked them up, took two steps, then with a quivering lip and watery eyes said, "Do I look like I am having fun doing chores? Because I'm not!"

This morning Annie came to me after breakfast and said her feelings were hurt.
"Why Annie?"
"I think I ate too much and my feelings hurt."

We Built This City

For the past week or so, songs have just been popping into my head. However, I am great at remembering one-liners but not the entire song unless it was something I've performed in the past (Under the Sea, Ariel's Song, etc). So - this morning Andy was doctoring Ben's fire ant bite on the bottom of his foot - one thing leads to another and I start singing We Built This City.

I REMEMBER the first night Andy and I met at a Ward Prayer in college. After chatting for 30 minutes we went to dessert at a couple of apartments down the street. One guy knows I love this song and BLARRED it from his radio (he would put it on everytime we came over). Andy stole my heart when he could sing all the words. Of course, he has no recollection of this event and can't remember the words anymore, but I have to listen to it today. SO - before Andy left for work we all danced around the living room singing, "Tony plays LaBamba - Listen to the radio, don't you remember..." It was great and Emily looked at us like we'd all lost our minds!

So - my two all-time favorite songs have to be this one and Africa by Toto. Music really doesn't get much better than that - at least in my opinion!

And yes, Ben quickly returned to being a normal 4 year-old boy the next morning. He continues to test limits but also helps and wants to please. Such a hard life to want to do so much but not be able to!

Bragging a Bit

WOW! My little Ben has matured leaps and bounds over the last two months! It seems like he made the transition from caveman world to human society overnight! Add to that his extreme behavior tonight, and I really don't think life can get much better. Our day today - Ben went to school, I went to Target and bought 5 pairs of shoes (not paying more than $4.98 per pair!) among other things. Ben came home on bus. We drove downtown to meet Grandma and Aunt Jamie for lunch at Chilis - fabulous meal with the BEST waiter we've ever had! I don't think we've done lunch since last Fall, so it was great.

The kids fell alseep on the way home, so I called one of my bestest friends and we chatted for over an hour while my children slept in the car. They woke up and rode bikes outside - they went into backyard to play in newly finished sandbox. Then we went on a walk - with Emily in the backpack and Ben and Annie walking - down to the creek path to feed the ducks. Walked home, finished putting dinner into the oven while kids returned to the sandbox. Gave kids bath and put them into pajamas.

While I put finishing touches on a FABULOUS dinner (if I do say so myself it was just incredible!), Ben was not to be seen. I finally caught him running through the kitchen. "What are you doing, Ben?" "Just picking up!" He picked up the entire house and put everything away - even the three phones that were on the kitchen counter. He knows that drives Andy bonkers, but I seem to collect them all there. Ben was super polite during dinner and made sure that I noticed. I think everything that I have tried to teach him was acted out during this meal. Putting the celery on the edge of his plate because he doesn't care for it, wiping his mouth with his napkin, please/thank you, passing things to Annie, clearing his plate, pushing in his chair, etc, etc, etc! WOW!!! After dinner it was teeth, books and bed! What a perfect day!!! (DISCLAIMER - no, most of my days are not near this easy!!!)

The End of Christmas

We never quite got around to doing gingerbread houses in 2007, so while we were at Target one day, we found the kits for 75% off, and I am a Deal Girl! So, we bought a house and finally decorated it one Sunday afternoon. (We still haven't done the gingerbread cookie kit I bought also - maybe sometime this week...) We had some friends over, so we got out the graham crackers so they could make a house and I could too. This Andy is a dental student and I think I would let him make something for my mouth as he is very careful carving with a knife! *By the way - I LOVE my decorating set from Pampered Chef!!! Any cookie/cake decorating person NEEDS it!*
Emily hung out in her chair and ate graham crackers for the building/decorating time and had a blast!
This was my house! I made extra frosting for the graham crackers houses, and I dare say it was the BEST frosting I have ever made! This house tasted soooo good that it was devoured by two unnamed individuals as soon as three little munchkins went to bed!

Tha Amazing Human Body

Now that it is the middle of January, it's time to rake leaves in Texas! The kids have had a blast jumping in the piles that Andy builds up over and over again. The first day Emily just watched from the sidelines. We tried to get a picture of all three of them smiling, but that never quite works out the way you have envisioned.
Yesterday we did the backyard and Emily was in pure heaven. I have seriously taken over 200 pictures out in the leaves because these are my very favorites to scrapbook! And because you need that many with a digital camera to get a good shot since kids are constantly in motion!

So why is the human body amazing? Yesterday I would start sneezing at least every five minutes then have to run inside to blow my nose. I kept thinking that one of these times I will get all the yucky snot out and be able to breathe again. Then it clicked that my amazing body would just keep producing mucus - no matter how much came out! Thanks - love the allergies and all that come with them. I was so happy to get back inside after the leaves were raked because there is someting nasty outside right now. However, this is not the something nasty that hits Ben every March that pretty much lays him out flat. Love TEXAS!!!