Ripped off

We are STILL working on getting over the sickness in our house that started last Monday.  BOO!  Madelyn ended up with an ear infection and Collin still has some yuckiness too.
I was in an especially long line at CVS yesterday waiting for Madelyn's prescription and I spotted these babies...

Rainbow Potato Chips?!

How fun, right?!

I mean I am standing there thinking about how Collin will love eating all of the colors of the rainbow!  I totally knew the boy would be delighted with my find.

What color will he pull out first?

 Um, brown?

 Try another one...

What???

They are all brown?

 Wait, what?!  Yes imagine my dismay when I realize that I have not purchased a bag of "rainbow chips", um no, I have purchased a bag of "dark chips" aka all the BURNT chips!  

WHAT?!  Yes you know the burnt chips, the ones we all pass over in order to get to the golden crispers.  Who in the world decided to sell an entire bag of BURNT chips?  Well someone thought of it, decided most people would NEVER buy an ENTIRE bag of burnt chips so they had the genius idea to add the word "Rainbow" onto the bag so that all the dumb  unsuspecting blondes would buy them gleefully as if they had just found gold in the form of a potato chip.

Yes I know very sad.

Hmm, maybe I should be embarrassed at this 

complete blonde moment...

Naaaaa...

I got RIPPED OFF!!

This is my story, and I'm stickin' to it! 

Haircuts

This morning we took the babes to get their hair cut.  This was Madelyn's first official cut.  We barely cut it but just evened up the back a bit and put in a few little layers to add some fluff.  Collin is a pro at haircuts now that he has had practice, he used to C~R~Y as if we were cutting a limb rather than his hair...where does he get this drama from...that obviously comes from his dad's side.  ;)

Anyhoo, look at him now...

 Cleans up well don't ya think?

A sucker to celebrate...

And then there was Madsy girl...

 Why does her hair look as orange as the wall?

She did pretty well besides the fact that she moved her head constantly.  She cried a bit but was occupied with her sucker and books for most of the time.  We never did get an "after" shot because I took her sucker away and she had a COMPLETE fit.  

We will just work on the "after" another day...

To keep or not to keep...

that is the question!!

Today was one of those lazy days.  Being that the kids were sick all week we decided to skip church because they are still recovering.  We just had a lazy day.  Every few months I get the urge for a toy overhaul and today was one of those days!

We started in the basement and then made our way into the bedrooms.  When I get in these kind of moods no toy is safe and I just start throwing stuff away.  We do set aside the really neat things to give to our friends but some of the little things just need to see the bottom of a trash can.  I filled two garbage bags.  Ahhh, I love that feeling!

There is always this one thing that I can't part with.  I actually decided months ago that this is most certainly a "keeper" but I came across it today while cleaning and it made me think of Madelyn's birthday...

Here it is...

Funny right?

I know!

Apparently there are some elderly ladies at a nearby church who make these for the newborn babies at our local hospitals.

This is what my sweet Collin gave to his sister the moment he met her!

We had bought gifts for Collin from Madelyn and had planned to have her "give" them to him when he came to meet her.  I do not know why I did not think to do the same for Madelyn?  Why in the world wouldn't I buy a gift for Collin to bring to her?  

Well thankfully the nurses had it covered.

They saw my sweet boy marching proudly down the hallway in his Big Bro shirt and they gave him this bear to take to his sister.

And he did just that!

 Collin opening his gifts...

 Look at this sweet face...

Seriously people, I have tears...

splashy tears!

So now you understand why I can't part with that bear.  Madelyn has never played with it, and she probably never will but each time I see it I take this trip down memory lane. 

 I think back to this day March 20, 2009.  

I think of the moment my two loves met. 

I think about how very blessed I am to have these children.

I think about how rich my life is because they are in it.

I think about how my love cup overflows...

To keep, or not to keep...

it's no longer in question!

3 1/2

Sweet Collin,

This week marked the half way point to turning 4!  4 years old, hardly possible!  Although I look at you and know it's true.  You are growing bigger by the day, smarter by the hour and I fall more in love with you by the minute!

Here you are a year ago...

And look at you now...

My sweet boy!

You are such a good big brother to Madelyn and you are always trying to teach her new things.  She tries to do everything you do...

She really does look up to you!  

Pretty soon daddy and I will be in trouble as I can already tell that you two will be plotting against us!  

You love all things boy!  Trucks, cars, tractors, planes and trains, they are all your faves.  You have recently been talking about "work" and pretending to go there often.  You love to put on work gloves and snow boots (even in the heat) and head out to the yard to get your jobs done.  You have been really helpful around the house lately, you love to "clean" almost as much as you love to make a mess!

You can spell and write your name!  

You know all your letters and their sounds.  You can count and recognize numbers to 20 (and sometimes even more)!  You love to work in your workbooks.  We have them all over the house.  I love to hear you sing the letter sounds song, Madelyn always tries to sing along.  You sing most of it but you will always stop periodically to let her fill in the blanks...that's just how we taught you!  

You make me laugh everyday!  

Your smile makes me happy.  

Your hugs make me smile! 

Your "I love you" s make me melt!

You make me SO proud!!

If I could choose to be anything in this world,

I would choose to be your mommy!

Out of all the little boys in the world,
you are the exact one I wanted!!

I 

love 

you

to the moon and back!
Happy half birthday sweet boy!

Pumpkin smumpkin...

I realize we are still in the month of September...

I understand that Halloween is over a month away...

I recognize that a carved pumpkin will only last days before rotting...

Yep I get all that...

But we carved a pumpkin anyway!

Collin drew the pumpkin's face,

don't you love?!

I am sure we will be carving several pumpkins before October 31st!

Both of my kids are sick this week with colds.  

BOO!

I hate when the kids are sick. 

They are both in good spirits but I haven't had a full nights rest all week.

I

am

tired!

Here's to hoping we all sleep tonight!

18 months

Sweet Madelyn,
Today you are 18 months old!!  Yes I said 18 months!  I can hardly believe you are half way to 2, but yet it is hard to remember our life before you were in it.

You are the sweetest, wild child I have ever known!

Your smile lights a room...

You laugh and the world laughs with you...

You are very busy.  

If you are quiet it is likely you are up to no good!

You are very determined to do whatever it is you set your mind to.

I am pretty sure you get your sassy side from your mommy.  :)

We have recently had to start sending you to time out.  

Collin enjoys this.  :)

But don't be fooled,

he adores you and you are pretty sure he hung the moon...

You are my cuddle bug,

always more than willing to give hugs and kisses...

You have so much to say.

You talk non stop all day long.

I love the sound of your sweet voice!

My favorite is the way you melodically say "Hi Mommy"

and your version of "love you too"...

You are everything I ever dreamed of sweet girl.

More than I could have ever imagined.

Beyond what I ever knew to pray for.

We are SO grateful that when God created you He chose us to be your family!
Happy Half Birthday sweets!

The motherload

You remember this post right?

Well aparently, when my kids are 31 my greatest pleasure will be 

caring for my own children AND my children's children...

Collin modeling one of his new shirts...

He gives it two thumbs up!

That's right,
Grammy and Papa blessed us yet again.
She called to tell me that she had a 30% off coupon for Kohls and she wanted to buy the kids some new comfy clothes for fall.
Yes her heart is made of pure gold but apparently they don't accept "heart of gold" as payment at Kohls so we used papa's money instead...
Thanks Grammy AND Papa!
We love you and we truly appreciate ALL you do for us!

Next to you...

is my FAVORITE place to be!

XOXO

Celebrate!

On Sunday we went to Aunt Andi's and Uncle Dude's house to celebrate Andi's birthday.   We had such a nice time.  Everyone just lounged around and enjoyed the BEAUTIFUL weather!  Gorgeous weather along with lovely company makes for a perfect day!

Mommy and Madsy girl

My sugar!

Just look at these two...

Melt...

my...

heart!

Madelyn had her own version of cornhole

Collin and Miss Jan

Hugs 

and kisses!