Tasty Tuesday

I was trying to think of something all Holiday-ish to post for a recipe today. Then I saw these Cranberry Bliss Bars. They are similar to Starbucks Cranberry Bliss which are delicious! I follow her Blog, it is where I found the idea for Ryder's Cookie Monster Cupcakes. I might just have to make these tomorrow!

Its already 2?

One of those mornings/days that seems non-stop, I can't believe it is already 2:00 PM. Matt was home most of last week, so today we spent getting back into our normal routine. There is always an adjustment day in there after he has been home for awhile. An adjustment for Ryder not having Daddy at his beck and call. An adjustment for me not having another set of hands/handyman/can you bring me this/you get the idea. We always get back in the swing of things though!

Both boys are asleep and I sit here wondering what I should do next. The list is endless but I'll spare you the monotonous details! I promised Ryder a trip outside after lunch, but told him he had to keep his hat on. Its cold out there in Texas Standards. This was a hand me down from his older cousin Matthew pronounced "fthew" in Ryder talk.

Look at him being all sweet and stuff! Ha! You should have heard him five minutes later...terrible twos, I am ready for you to leave!

Alright, I'm off to do something productive...

You Guessed It!

Well you all guessed right!! Ryder was up top and Rustin was down below!

Lets Play the Guessing Game!

You guys might not think this is fun, but I always enjoy it! Guess who is who and tomorrow I'll post the answers!

Hands down, the best part about having two children who are the same sex and born at exactly the same time of the year is that you can re-use absolutely everything! Someone gave us the cutest little reindeer outfit when Ryder was a baby. I slipped it on "Plus One" today and was once again shocked by their resemblance in the pictures. In everyday life, I can really start to see differences in the two....but photos sometimes tell a different story!

On another note..."Plus One" was up at 4 to eat this morning, so I slipped out the door to Target the second I finished feeding him. I wasn't planning on getting out early today with two little ones in the house now, but I couldn't resist. I was shocked by the parking lot when I pulled up. There was a line that was probably half a mile long just to get in the door. This really sounds crazy....but it is such an adrenaline rush! I love Black Friday shopping. I love watching people storm the doors of the store for a $10 gift card. Seriously? But what can I say...I'm right there with all the crazies every year. I snag anything and everything I think might be a good deal and then selectively put things back. There was a mad rush of people this morning, but I got some really good buys! Super Exciting and it definitely feels like Christmas now!

Oh Thankful Day!

Today is Thanksgiving. A day to be thankful for all of the Blessings in our lives. Beyond words, I am thankful for the three boys above, and the fact that they are all healthy and safe on this Thanksgiving Day. Life can change in the blink of an eye...so hug those around you today and let them know how thankful you are to have them in your life.

First Aid/CPR

We lasted 10 weeks and 2 days before I had my first huge freak out moment as a Mom of two boys. Not too bad, huh? A Box of Raisins was the cause. Ryder is on a total raisin kick. You can buy them at Costco in Bulk and we go through them like crazy. I think I've heard that too much of one thing is never a good thing, but I tell myself it is better than snacking on cookies or crackers.

Getting to the point of my freak out, we had been on a walk this morning and were just back inside the house. I had nestled Rustin into the safety of his swing and was wiping down the counters in the kitchen while I updated Matt on our morning via phone. Ryder walks into the Kitchen and whines for some raisins. Since I am on the phone, I just handed him a box. Quiets him and I continue my conversation.

A few seconds later, I hear incessant coughing (so I thought) from the other room. I ask Ryder "Whats going on in there?" and step out of the Kitchen to see him shoveling raisins into Rustin's mouth. He is sweetly saying, "Here Baby!". I think my heart about came out of my chest. In fact, I know it did...I still had my heart rate monitor on from our walk and after I had cleared all of the raisins out of Rustin's mouth and was sure he was breathing normally, my pulse was still at 185. I Freaked! I Double Freaked! There is nothing worse than feeling helpless. I had taken First Aid and CPR over the summer, but in the heat of the moment it is so, so hard to remember the right things to do. I can only imagine how I would have felt had I not taken the class and had no knowledge at all.

So here is my point...if you have little ones at home, you should really consider taking a First Aid/CPR course. Matt pounded away at me on this one and I always thought he was slightly ridiculous, but not after today. I was so thankful to have that little bit of training in the corner of my brain.

Tasty Tuesday

Hmmmm....so I don't have a recipe in mind for this week. It seems like cooking has been on the back burner and I am not real sure why. Life seems so crazy, but really it isn't. I feel like I am in a rut, but more likely I am just tired. When both boys finally tire out at the same time...I find myself perusing the computer instead of doing useful things like laundry, COOKING, paying bills, etc... Please tell me I am not alone.

The days and weeks have flown by since Plus One got here. Every week seems to be jam packed with little errands and impromptu things to do...I always say that next week will be calmer, but it never seems to be. I count my blessings for every minute I have with both of my children, but most days I feel like the end of the day arrives with minimal "quality" time spent with either. After fulfilling their basic needs and handling all of the little details around the house as well any work responsibilities (few as they may be..there are still some), where is the time for one-on-one fun?

Sometimes, I think that if I worked outside of the home, I'd actually spend more time with them than I do by being with them all day. Translation: I feel sure I take for granted that I have all day to spend with them and actually waste away some of our quality time. If I only saw them at night...would I be a better Mom? Would I treasure my time with them more knowing that I would be missing them the next day? Would Ryder spend less time being frustrated with me..would I spend less time being frustrated with his new-found 2-year old stubborn independence? I want him to know right from wrong and grow to be a respectful, loving creature of God. It breaks my heart on the days that he spends countless little bouts by himself for an attitude adjustment as seen in the above picture...I just hope that he is learning what good is and gains a "Happy Heart" as I heard my friend Lisa tell her daughter one day this past summer.

I don't fully know the answers to these questions. But I can positively say that I wouldn't trade leaving my 50 hour a week day job to stay home with my kids for the world. My husband makes this possible..he is an amazing man in case I haven't mentioned that before. A beautiful blessing was handed to me when we figured out that I could consult part-time, on my own, from our house and stay here with Ryder. I give God thanks for every minute he gives me with each of my boys. I pray that our time together is cherished by them as much as it is by me and that it will leave a positive footprint on their little lives.

No recipe today...but I'll think hard and get one up here soon! Thank you Blogger for always letting me get these things off of my chest...you are the best!