bittersweet symphony

Friday five -Brady Edward edition

Five things about this second born son of ours: Brady Edward at 6:

1. Has lost 2 bottom teeth. Has 2 top wiggly ones holding on for dear life.

2. He is a complete joy to our family. He is sweet, sensitive, smart, funny and a little bit ornery. And my baby with 2 different eye colors. When we talk about future things & I get a little sad ( I don't want them to grow up) Brady is the first to notice, are you going to cry mama? Then he will proceed to make his transformer noise because he know it's my favorite and will make me laugh.

3. He is in 1st grade and still lives for the weekends. He will do homework most days on his own, but sometimes it just wears him out. He also started piano lessons this year. And is turning into an avid reader. His favorite books right now: Don't let the Pigeon Drive the bus and the Stink series. I will usually find lots of books under his pillow at bedtime along with guys or legos.  He claims it's very comfortable to still sleep with all of things under his pillow.  And he hasn't met a stuffed animal he can't live without. At any given time you could find about 20 of them in his bed.

4. Daddy is his hero and Riley is his best friend. I hope these things never change.

5. Could live on chicken, ranch dip, brownies & apple juice for the rest of his life. He is the pickiest eater in our house. He thinks oranges are disgusting. Hopefully this will change.

We are so thankful for Brady Edward and the energy he brings to our family. We love you Brady!

Rite Aid spent $20.77, saved $22.10, got back $16.00 in UP rewards

 
I normally don't shop too much at Rite Aid, but thanks to www.thekrazycouponlady.com I did this week. They have Johnson & Johnson baby products on sale this week for $2.99 & you get back $2.00 in UP rewards for each one purchased (with the Rite Aid Wellness card - UP rewards are cash that prints at the bottom of your receipt to use on your next purchase at Rite Aid) We don't have babies in the house-but we do use the natural baby lotion - but the rest of them will fill a basket of baby products for my hairdresser that is expecting her first baby in June. Purchased 6 j & j products. had 6 $1.00 off J & J products. Found the spic & span gloves in the clearance bin for .50 cents each - a quick flip in my coupon binder I find a $1.00 of 2 spic and span products (made the gloves free!) Ramen soup on sale this week .88 cents for 6 pack. My kids love noodle soup! Some of these will go to grammie & papa's for quick lunches. Oreos on sale for 2 for $6.00. I had a mfg coupon for $1.00 off of 2. Also went on Rite Aid's website and watched a video and earned a store coupon for $1.00 of 2 oreos. which made the oreos 2 for $4.00. Also got back $2.00 in UP rewards for a cookie purchase. The beef jerky? On sale for $2.50 - used a rite aid coupon for .50 cents and got $1.00 UP reward for a food purchase. So thank you Rite Aid for the $16.00 in basically free money to use at your store.   

A bonus picture of my silly boys -this is what I get when I want a cute picture of them together in their sweet sweater vests. Silliness. I just love them so much. Brady adores his older brother. And Riley loves Brady, even when Brady doesn't make sense or destroys Riley's latest Lego creation.  I love to see them play together, brothers becoming the best of friends.

wordless wednesday

 

 

 

10 on tues...well now wednesday

1.this is late because all the computers in the house were being used...fantasy football draft night.  It must be getting close to fall! Eddie is only in 3 leagues this year. He is quite serious with his excel spreadsheets and graphs. You think I kid, but it's all true.

2. Riley is now 6! hopefully I will be back with a birthday recap this week. We basically started celebrating his birthday Thursday night and wrapped it up Sunday afternoon with ice cream cake and presents.

3. We went camping this weekend - our church retreat. And Saturday was a crazy weather day - cold, cloudy, rainy, some sun and lots of wind. But that didn't stop the boys from having fun. We got there set up camp, next to grammy & papa. Everyone else stayed in cabins with indoor plumbing. We took a walk with the our charges - trying to keep them busy until lunch time. Lunch and then free time. Dinner, campfire then a hayride. Now the hay trailer was pulled by Farmer Bob and he wasn't driving a tractor - but a ford f150. More on that later. I don't think the boys have run so much. They had a blast. They even went on a snipe hunt thanks to mr. m, but the snipe got away.

4.Now I am more of a camp in a cabin with dish tv and a hot tub kind of girl, but growing up we did camp. Well if you call a tarp thrown over a clothesline, between 2 trees, by a river in a cow pasture in Shenandoah  -camping - then we camped. For as long as I can remember - all the men in my family would go to the river around the 4th of july for a week or so. My grandpa (before his stroke) my dad, uncles, cousins. Later on my dad would take my nephews and brother in law.  But when I was little-  I remember going on this camping trip. I know my mom was probably a nervous wreck all the time, and didn't enjoy it. But I remember it being fun. I remember my uncle denny catching an eel and trying to whack it before it squirmed back into the river. And that would become a yearly tradition - who would catch the eel this year.  I remember my dad's green coleman grill that he would cook eggs and spam  on the iron skillet in for breakfast. I remember catfish for dinner. I have so many memories, but I am sure I only went a couple times, maybe only once, and maybe those memories are the stories I have heard so many times. But I want my children to experience stuff like this, even if it is out of my comfort zone. I don't want them to see that. I want them to have happy memories, I want to be that mama that "does" instead of the "does not".

5. wow, sorry about that tangent up there. Thanks to my 2 readers if you are still with me. Hi Marie! Hi Missy!

6. Missy, I hope everything goes smoothly this week as classes start back. And I hope your new employee works out!

7. Now that the boys have bunk beds, Brady doesn't roll out of bed every night and come to my side of the bed. To tell you the truth, I miss it.  I miss his little face at my bedside, I miss the little snuggles and whispers. I miss the weight of his little body as I carry him back to bed.

8. Fall is in the air - which means fall TV. What are you watching? Me: glee, Grey's,' parenthood, heroes, private practice, modern family.  I need a break from reality tv.

9. The Hornets lost their game on Friday night. Hopefully they can keep this streak up. We are going to the game Friday night to see Daddy & the band. I don't want to see the home team stomp North Royalton. I would really like to see my husband in October.

10. Swim lessons and piano lessons will be put on the schedule this week. We didn't make the soccer registration due to a mix up with the spring team - but it's okay. Riley got a set of golf clubs for his birthday (and not the fisher price kind either) so I don't think he will be missing soccer this fall.

10 on tuesday - kindergarten edition

1. Today was Riley's 1st day of Kindergarten. I took the day off. We started the morning off with pancakes, after we slept in until almost 8am!

2. All morning - Riley kept saying how excited he was for school! I can't wait to go to school! I wonder if mrs. miller (his teacher) will be wearing a new shirt too?  I remember she was wearing that green dress last time (okay the one and only time he saw her at open house!)

3. Today was also the day bunk beds and the new love seat were being delivered.

4. So the boys and I spent the morning cleaning out their room, Riley helped me take down the crib. Brady helped carried the parts out the door, until he got hurt.  Tried to sort more clothes, put away the baby stuff still in their room. Their room is turning into a big boy room! We have a few projects to complete, maybe a canvas or 2.

5. Speaking of projects- eddie is probably glad garage sale season is over. 2 dressers stripped, sanded, primed, one painted & new hardware, the other waiting for color.

6. Time for lunch, getting riley dressed for school. New shirt! new shoes! new supplies! Take some pictures inside and out. Brady was just as excited as Riley. He had to have the Cars backpack and happily posed with pictures.

7. Early arrival! wait outside, line up. The bell rings. Time to walk to the classroom. This week - parents can walk them to their locker, next week parents need to say goodbye at the outside doors. Mass chaos, as students, parents & siblings walk to the 2 kindergarten classrooms. We find riley's locker (#157) hang up his backpack, time for a quick hug, and off he goes to his teacher. Just.like.that.

8. Brady and I walk down the long hallway, tears are already stinging my eyes. Getting brady buckled in the van, call my mother in law. She knows I would call. I choke back the tears as I tell her what happened. She laughs and remembers the day the twins were in kindergarten and kenny was out the door to the middle school. I don't think it will get easier when it's brady's turn.  I dial my sister in law, leaving a shaky voice mail. she calls right back. She followed the bus to school to watch her 1st grader go to her class.  I call Eddie, he answers I barely can speak with the lump in my throat.  But he reminds me I get to spend some solo time with Brady.

9. Brady and I head home to make some chocolate chip cookies. At 1:00- Brady says: let's go get ridey, mama. Yeah buddy I miss him too, but he is at school for a couple more hours. They have been playing so well together this summer. Riley is patient with Brady and even builds him star war's lego ships and guys.

10. Eddie gets home in time so we can all go to pick up Riley. We get there early. Wait on the sidewalk. The Kindergarten's come out and stand by their teachers. I tell eddie - go get him! Did he get bigger in the 2.5 hours he was away from us? Riley smiles big when he sees Daddy. We all get a quick hug, then hand in hand riley & daddy walk back to the van, already chatting about the days events. Gingerbread story and a cookie. No playground today. Had to learn first then they could play. I pull out riley's folder and see a pictured that has been colored by a professional!  We get home, I start dinner (turkey meatloaf, cheesy potatoes, green beans) while the boys start building their new bunk beds. They couldn't wait to go to bed!

Will come back and post pictures hopefully tomorrow. I just wanted to get this day down before I forgot the little details. I am so proud of Riley. He was so excited to go to school, no hesitation, no fear.  I hope he always enjoys school and is excited to go.  Next week he turns 6!

10 on tuesday

Are your taxes done yet? Ours are not. I should be working on them instead...but I figured I better post before I lose my 5-9 readers!

1. Riley lost his 1st tooth yesterday! His bottom one that has been loose for a while. It came out right after he finished his morning bowl of cocoa puffs @ Grammie and Papa's.  Grammie called me and put Riley on the phone to tell me this news! The tooth fairy came and left a gold coin.

2.  Taking pictures of lost teeth is kinda of challenging! I will spare you the gummy gaping hole pictures. But will share this one...of course Brady has to show me his teeth ( I am sparing you the picture of his tonsils -when riley saw that picture - he said - I can see where his food goes! )

for the record brady has no loose or missing teeth - but he likes to do anything that big brother does.

3. Someone stole my the number to debit/check cash card from first merit. Visa called to verify some $1,000 worth of attempted charges made in Oregon. Thank goodness they declined them, marked them as fraud and shut my card down.  two things about this bother me: a) I just ordered pictures from scrapbook pictures. com (not $1,000 worth) but they are also in Oregon. Hmmm...the charges were only days apart. b) I live by my debit card. Now I have to wait 5 days to get a new card. Since I don't have a credit card to use - I will have to go to the bank and actually get CASH out!

4. (SOB) my baby is growing up. He is registered for kindergarten also.

5. I still can't comment on 3 blogs: Nancy, Becky & Shelly! Nancy: I finally saw the Old Spice commercial you were telling me about "look at me, now look at your husband, now look back at me! then I saw the 2nd commercial - same guy on the beach, i am riding a horse - backwards! ha-larious! I would totally buy old spice (if I had a coupon!) Shelly: Congrats on passing court! I am so happy for you! Thank you for sharing this journey with us! I can't wait to see your travels and hear about your "gotcha day". and of course his nursery is rocking! love the lanterns and colors! Becky: Thank you for the sweet package in the mail! Such a thoughtful surprise. Thank you for kind words also! I love you guys!

6. vienna? really? vienna? oh jake. I think we all know what "heat" means. Are you 18? And in other Bachelor news: Jason & Molly are married. And they got rained on. I bet that made melissa smile.

7. I made it all the way to 10 when typepad decided to erase half of my post. thanks. 

8. dinner tonight was awesome, if I do say so myself. French dip sandwiches in the crock pot, roasted asparagus, fresh cut pineapple and strawberries.

9. 2 things I am trying to make an effort on: Scrap booking & folding laundry. Scrap booking just fast simple pages to get the stories told, using up my stash. I am going to a crop on Friday night. anybody want to do an all day 12 hour crop for national scrapbooking day, May 15th? Laundry -it's easy to wash - but why so hard to fold and put away?! Why?

10. Girl scout cookies are starting to arrive. oh my!

  

i heart faces

 
 here is my i heart faces entry. (thanks missy for the tip) this week's theme is hands. this is a part of a series of pictures I did with the great grandkids and our meemaw (who passed away last year). I love this picture for so many reasons...that is my youngest brady's hand, meem's and her daughter's jill (brady's grammie) 3 generations. i love that meem kept busy -you can see her crochet needles, her book, and notepad close at hand. I am sure her Bible wasn't too far either.

10 on tuesday - cinco del mayo version

is it really the 5th of May already?! I think I will get some chips & salsa at lunch!

1. Figured I better update for my 3 readers out there - plus I really want to see my status updated on erin's blog list.

2. Happy Scrapbooking Day! I actually scrapped on Saturday! I also had a really fun senior photo shoot. Eddie didn't believe me when I told him it was an actually scrap booking holiday - he thought I was making it up!

3. We (and by that I mean eddie) is busy with the never ending list of house projects. We had 2 trees removed, eddie is going to install some landscaping bricks to build up our yard, we had our driveway repaired and the approach re-poured.  And don't ask about the kitchen...it's still not finished.

4. Happy First wedding anniversary to Becky & David! I will have something in the mail to you this week - there is a little story behind it.

5. My baby is going to be 2 this month.  I don't know if I can handle it. Seriously I think this is going to be harder than when he turned one. He is talking so much - this morning it was "daddy...are you?" calling in a little voice -meaning daddy where are you? The other morning I got him out of his crib - put him on the floor and he said: breakfast -  waffles -come mama.  He also loves to climb in riley's bed, pull up the covers and says : I sleeping. And pretends to sleep complete with fake snoring. I have to put together a 23 month post so I don't forget the little things.

6. Riley has his first t-ball practice tonight! I don't know who is more excited Daddy or Riley. Although Daddy is a little nervous since he is the coach.  He has been looking for t-ball drills for practice.

7. Riley's Art Show is also tonight at preschool! So after practice we will zoom over to the Art show and then zoom home hopefully getting everyone in bed by 8:00.

8. I want to go on a beach vacation this summer! Brady has never been in a pool yet. I feel like we are denying him something.

9. Recent movies reviews: The Wrestler(with Mickey Rourke) - awkward.  Slumdog Millionaire: graphic, in your face reality, good ending.  Bride Wars: good chic movie  Marley & Me: I read the book, but the movie was so much better and heartwarming. 7 pounds(with Will Smith) sad, sad and more sad. I fell asleep and never finished it - but eddie said it continued to be sad.

10. I can't wait for summer TV! SYTYCD and Army Wives. I still have the last episode of ER on my DVR - I just can't bring myself to watch it.  Does anyone watch live tv anymore?

I will be back with pictures - my pictures don't live on this computer.  Get prints today! www.scrapbookpictures.com has another great deal going on for a limited time!  

i voted today

Yes I voted today for the upcoming General Election in November.  I filled out my ballot ahead of time and mailed it in.  I knew I wouldn't have time to run around on election day-plus-there are more car accidents that day due to increased traffice since everyone is heading to the polls to vote.  But I am sad I won't get a sticker. But at least my vote will count.

Going to be a very random post while I try to get some things down that Riley has been saying and doing & catch up on life and photo shoots.

In the car on the way home from Wednesday Night Alive (our church's midweek program - dinner is included - tonight was shepard's pie with corn, rolls & butter with pie for dessert - comfort food at it's best) Riley said -mama want to hear a joke ? Sure buddy- what's your joke?  Riley: gooey yucky computer!!  Umm he doesn't quite know the art of joke telling yet - but it will come.

Last Monday night I had a senior photo shoot  (pics to come) and I said my goodbyes to my boys-hugs and kisses all around. I walk out into the garage about to get into the car - when the garage door opens and there is a distraught Riley: Mama! I didn't get to say I love you!   This made me weak in the knees and heart. I hope he keeps this sweetness as he grows up.  The other morning eddie left before riley woke up and when he figured out daddy had already left for school - he broke down in tears: But I didn't get to hug him! Oh my sweet boy. Your daddy and I love your tender heart.  and you are sweet with Brady (at moments)when you will say he just needs a hug and kiss mama to make him feel better!

Guess where we went this past Saturday?

   

(click on images to make them larger- this was my view most of the day)

 

it was a bit cold. But warm when the sun shined. We really got lost in the 3 acre corn maze. Eddie was having trouble with the map - but we eventually made our way out. We got a huge pumpkin and an acorn squash. I love acorn sqaush with cinnamon, brown sugar butter. But no one else in the house likes squash - so I think that will be my dinner thursday night while the boys have tacos or soup and grilled cheese.  I will post an album to the left from our day - lots of pictures to share.  After the farm -we went to lunch - Red Lobster! No waiting during lunch - we got seated right away. Yum.  Riley tried shrimp and real crab for the first time & brady ate a little shrimp for the first time. Although I don't think he noticed inbetween bites of ketchup and french fries. Saturday was also sweetest day - but I didn't think we celebrated this fake holiday in our house - but riley and eddie ran some "errands" saturday morning while brady and I took our morning nap. And they brought me back these:

 

And delivered flowers to Grammie, Meem and Mamaw. Such sweet boys.   So I made brownies with peanut butter frosting during Brady's afternoon nap.

Easy Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup of creamy peanut butter (reeese's is the best)

1 stick of butter (softened)

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups of powered sugar

so good and low fat too!

I love right now as i type this post up- eddie and I are sitting at the kitchen table with our laptops. He is cracking up right now trying to figure out a league name for his fantasy football  baseball basketball team. Whenever he laughs I laugh.  I can't post any of the names here because, well, I can tell you this - boy humor is a lot different than girl humor.  The league draft is tonight and they guys are instant messaging trash talk to each other. I love that he shares this banter with me - boys are funny!

Time to rotate laundry and post some new albums. Watch for more  pictures in the next post!

good night all!

brady at 16 months

I need to record this someplace before I forget.

Brady you crack us up! you are such a funny baby! you have a fake cheese face. And can be really sweet when it comes to your meem, grammie & mamaw and sometimes mama.

words at 16 months

doggie

booka-booka (book)

nah (milk)

uh oh

nononono

oh no

mama

daddy

meem

hi

cook (cookie)

beep-beep (bird - and you make the sign for bird over your head)

papa

buckle

gush (bus)

baby

wow

go-go

this

guck (truck)

hat

tickle

bee-bou (bellybutton)

pee-bo (peek a boo)

whee (often said in the car while mama is driving)

dank ou (thank you)

hereyougo

rowrow(you sing row, row your boat with the motions)

eieio -singing

life at 16 months

You make lots of noises while playing with cars and trucks. You make the necessary motor, train, car noises. You will drive cars all over the walls. You would rather play with big brother's toys than your own. I think we can get rid of the " baby toys" and you won't miss them.  You love to read books (booka-bookas) you prefer the Thomas the train ones that make music. you will push the button and get up and start dancing. you still make that "ohhhh" shape with your little mouth - I have tried many times to capture it on film. You like to put blankets, hats, clothes, belts, strings around your neck. You like to wear hats - preferably daddy's or riley's browns hats.  you still use your binky at nap time and bedtime. I know soon it will be a thing of the past. I love putting you to sleep, you lay on your belly, knees tucked up - arms go straight out until I cover you up with your blue blanket- then your hands grab the blanket and tuck it around you. You are so very sweet. And give good back rubs. And so very ornery the next minute! I have to watch - you will still climb in the dishwasher when I am not looking. You love to tackle Riley. You two wrestle, play,fight, get along like brothers should. You think Riley is the funniest thing on earth - you he thinks you are pretty funny too.  You both still have to work on your sharing skills. You love to stand up during bath time, splash and you are still a hands on kind of guy. Your eating has slowed down some but you still have a good appetite. You like milk, water, juice and grammie's coffee.  You make the silliest faces - you even crack up uncle Kenny. you love to play outside with Daddy & Riley - you just love to be outside. You give good hugs and head butts. you can throw a ball overhand already. And will sometimes walk swinging your arms or have them clasped behind your back. You still have one blue and one not blue, not green eye. 8 teeth, and still working on 4 molars. You are in a size 5 diaper, wear 5 1/2- 6 shoe (fat wide feet), 18-24 clothing.  You weigh 28 pounds. And you are the love of my life (one of 3 that is).

 

 

 

 

this was your "after" picture when I gave you your first hair cut