I still love Amazon!

If you sign up for a free trial of Amazon Mom, you get 15% off your baby purchases and free shipping... and with things like diapers/wipes/groceries/etc, you can also sign up for the Subscribe & Save Option to save an addition 15% on the item. Amazon Mom is actually not ONLY for moms, believe it or not... anyone who buys baby/kid products can sign up and take advantage of the discount!  It's a 30% discount, ya'll!

So, these Huggies Natural Care Scented Baby Wipes end up being $10.15 total for 3 packs of 215 wipes (that's 645 wipes at less than 2cents each, a fantastic deal!).   And if you have a baby, you KNOW how many wipes you go through... it's nice to be well stocked at all times!  I ordered mine and they should be arriving at my door in just a few days.  Sweet!  I'll be researching to find the best diaper deal next!

If you click on the link above for the wipes, you'll see the info on signing up for Amazon Mom and the Subscribe & Save options under the product details.  And, I just signed up to be an Amazon Associate through my blog, so I'll get a small incentive as well (but only if you purchase through my links).  Thanks!

Two Quick, Cute Videos...

Giggling baby... this boy loves to be tickled!

Daddy makes a nice fire, the kids loved it!

Thanksgiving Wrap Up...

Sad to say that Thanksgiving has come and gone already.  Man, I love me some Thanksgiving.  But, we have Preston's birthday coming up this Saturday, then mine next week and, of course, Christmas RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!  So, I can't dwell on the fact that Thanksgiving is over.  But, I can re-cap some stuff and offer some pictures for memory's sake.

First of all, I was pretty excited and satisfied with the homeschool work we did based on Fall and Thanksgiving.  I had a lot of fun putting it together and coming up with all kinds of stuff.  Or, well, ok... stealing, err... borrowing stuff that people already came up with and offered to share on the internet.  I still had to search for it and print it and all that, so... yeah.  Anyway, we read through the Pilgrims' story, we discussed Pilgrims & Indians, we saw a Native American storyteller at the library, we did lots of crafts and worksheets and turkey things and leaf things and thankful things.  Basically, lots of things.  See?

On Thanksgiving day we had dinner over at The Clarks'... everything was yummy!  Friday we took it easy, stayed away from the crazy Black Friday shoppers and stores.  And Saturday we had another Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house, along with my Grandma Evelyn and Aunt Brenda.  More yummy food there!

It went by so quickly, was such a blur. I'm sad that it's over and gone with, and that the memories fade so quickly. But I know the time we spend with the ones we love will be cherished forever. I'm so very thankful to have such an amazing family!

Callen's birth announcement...

Tempo Dots Chocolate Baby Announcements

Find hundreds of elegant baby birth announcements at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

I used Shutterfly.com to create a birth announcement back in March when Callen was born. I loved the designs and options they had, plus their prices were reasonable as well! I highly recommend checking them out for those wanting photo Christmas cards this year!

Día de Acción de Gracias

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Preston and I studied some Thanksgiving words in Spanish, and learned how to do a few of them in Sign Language as well.  I really like the way you say it in Spanish because it really explains what thanksgiving is about... acción!  Action!  It's not just a feeling, it's an action.

I am so thankful for Michael, Preston and Callen.  For my mom and dad and Michael's mom, dad and brother, and our grandmas!  I am thankful for friends near and far.  I am thankful that I have been able to stay home with my kids and knowing (and seeing!) that God is totally providing for us!  I am thankful for our home and our car, and that we have never missed a meal or a bill!  I am thankful for wonderful things still to come!  I am thankful to live in a country where we are free in so many ways!  I am thankful for my Lord and Savior who died to save us, and continues to provide miracles!!!

Busy is as Busy does, or something like that...

I promise I won't always post reviews and contest-ish type things in such abundance.  I just had a string of reviews to do lately, and I'm trying to weed through them and get 'em all taken care of... so it probably looks like a lot all at once.  You should see the stack of paperwork and things I have on my to-do list.  No, wait, I bet your to-do list is as long as mine.  It may not be reviews or products to test, but I'm sure you're busy with something in addition to your every day life/work/family.  I think we are a society that heaps stuff on our own plates for no other reason than we LIKE to be able to complain about how busy we are.  It seems that way sometimes anyway.  

I recently ran across a site that had links leading to hundreds of homeschool blogs... I probably subscribed to at least 25-30 of them because I looked over 'em and found SOMETHING about them that interested me.  I had to completely re-do my GoogleReader so that I could keep my homeschool, coupon/deal and friends' blogs separate.  I mean, I spent a whole day organizing my RSS feeds.  Now every day I have three sets of blogs to be sorted through and read.  Why?  Because I can.  Because I am a bit obsessed with getting ideas for lessons and crafts and unit studies.  Just as I am a bit obsessed with couponing and getting free stuff.  I am thankful for things like RSS feeds so that I don't have to go to each of those sites individually, but it also makes it a lot easier to keep busy.  And Lord knows we don't need easier ways to be busy! 

Hevea Pacifier Review

We were sent a complimentary pacifier from Hevea Baby USA to check out and review, the opinions below are my own.

Callen never really took to the pacifier, but he likes to chew on them anyway...especially right now since he's teething.  This particular pacifier is interesting because it is one piece of 100%  natural rubber with no plastic or extra parts.  I like that because when the outer part of the paci is plastic, babies tend to get red marks around their mouths or on their faces from it pressing up against them.  

 This paci is soft, and doesn't do that.  That also makes it easy to keep clean (no grooves or crevices).  Hevea products are all about sustainability... they are resilient for your children, but kind on the environment, even down to their packaging, being recycled, recyclable and/or soy-based. 

Has a cute crown design cut into it.

While Callen didn't take to it any more than the other pacifiers he's had access to, I felt better letting him play with it because there was nothing harmful for him.  

The one thing I didn't care for was that even after sanitizing (boiling), it retained the strong rubber smell.  That didn't seem to bother Callen, though, so I guess it's not a big deal.

Hevea can be found on Facebook here.  And they also offer adorable panda bear teethers made with the same materials!

Homeless For The Holidays Review

Homeless For The Holidays is a story based on the experience of the film's writer, producer and director.  A story of having it all (or thinking so anyway) and then losing it all, only to realize what's really important.  This story is all too familiar for some of us.  Jack Baker is a hard worker, doing everything to move up the corporate ladder, including sacrificing time with his wife and kids, but finds himself unemployed and unable to support his family.  In desperation, he takes a job at a burger joint, and tries to make the most of it.  The family begin to lose their possessions, their friends and to a point, their faith.  

What I liked about this movie is that most of the situations were extremely real.  These days it is so easy to go from top of the world to down in the gutter. The Baker family was living above their means to begin with, they started out with a lot of debt, and when the money stopped rolling in to cover those luxuries, they were able to realize how unimportant they really were in the long run.  I feel that the lead character, Jack, was portrayed well... you could really get a sense of his desperation and angst.  The other characters in this film, however, were not as well established or defined... they were all over the place, making them difficult to identify with.  There was even one really odd, unnecessarily long scene in the supermarket involving comedian Brad Stine as a creepy store manager with too much power.

Overall, the movie was made on a very low budget, and hence was lacking in the area of production and some acting abilities.  It was a good storyline, though.  The heart of the film was there, and the main idea was definitely delivered in a way that made you think while not coming across overly preachy or forced.  What would you do if you found yourself homeless on Christmas?  Would you be able to find the joy in the little things?  Would you be willing to give your last $40 to someone else?

View the trailer or find out more about Homeless For The Holidays here.  I was provided with a free copy of this movie on DVD for review, however the opinions expressed here are my own.

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.



1. What is your holiday wish for your family? That Michael get a job that is something he wants to do, pays enough to cover our bills, and is daytime.
2. What is your Christmas morning tradition? It's been crazy the last few years since Michael works overnite and sleeps most of the day... we have to distract Preston till afternoon to get his Christmas morning gifts!  Hopefully we don't have to do that this year!
3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?  Right now, a mini-van.  We're down to one car... and if we have another kid in the future we'll need a mini-van.
4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?  Just loving on each other.  Enjoying the sites and sounds of the season... Christmas lights, trees, cocoa, music, etc.
5. What games did you play with your family growing up?  I think I always made my dad play Uno with me.  I was an only child... poor Dad.  Haha.
6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?  We still have Christmas Eve with my extended family and keep Christmas "morning" for ourselves, then Christmas afternoon with other family.
7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip?  Anywhere!  But preferably somewhere with real snow!
8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year? A DS for Preston, Sports Resort for our Wii and Rock Band.

Teefers...

Got a few pix of Callen's brand new pearly whites!

Thanksgiving Inspiration...

I love Thanksgiving!  And I am having such a great time doing Thanksgiving lessons with Preston right now.  I don't know if he's liking it, but I'm having fun!  Haha.  My Mother-In-Law gave me a neat book a few years ago and we've taken up reading it every year... and this year is cool 'cause I've worked it into our schooling (and I think this is the first year Preston is actually understanding some of it).  

The story of the English puritans who made their way across a giant, stormy sea to reach a "New World" in which to practice their form of Christianity (having a relationship with Jesus!) is so inspiring!  The hardships they faced in getting to that first feast of Thanksgiving (a year after they arrived!), losing about half of their peers in the first month to "the sickness," making peace with the Indians in the area despite the hostility... it's just a neat, exciting part of our American history!  

Anyway, I've been reading through the story with Preston, as well as doing all kinds of Fall/Thanksgiving activities.  We made a paper basket and went outside to collect things that remind us of Fall.  We ended up with acorns and leaves, which we are using to work on counting by 2's, plus some addition and subtraction (and it makes a lovely center piece as well!

We're also making little Pilgrims and Indian guys, discussing the food associated with this holiday, talking and praying about what we're thankful for, going over the Fruits of the Spirit and doing all kinds of fun crafts!  We even created our first lapbook (though a miniature version, and only of some Thanksgiving games... but hey, it's a start!).  Today we watched a really neat live video broadcast from Plimoth Plantation, where they have actors portraying real people from 1620... Preston and I enjoyed that a lot!  Oh, and we're going next week to hear a real Indian story-teller!  I'm only sad this unit couldn't last longer!  Thanksgiving is 7 days away!!!  But... then we get to go into Advent and Christmas!  Woo, love me some holidays!  Haha!  It gives me great inspiration when I'm trying to plan what we'll learn about next!

Oh, and the fact that I found a simple template for planning pages that I like helps a lot too.  I've been writing it all out by hand on notebook paper, trying to keep it in order (according to the workboxes)... it was getting frustrating to try to plan ahead.  I dunno why it didn't dawn on me before to either search for a good weekly planner sheet or just make one up on my own.  Duh, Jade!  But now that I have those printed off and ready to fill in, I feel like I'm once again on a roll.  Yay!

x

[Edit: Added 3:40pm]
We made the little pilgrim and Indian guy this morning, or as Preston called them "Toilet Paper Roll Penguin... I mean Pilgrim" and "Dr Pepper Indian Guy" (That's what they were made of... a toilet paper roll and rolled up cardboard from a Dr Pepper box).

Proud of his creations

He had great fun coloring the template... he wanted them to be brightly colored, because even though the Pilgrims and Indians didn't necessarily wear bright colors, "they wish they could!"  Then later we read that the early settlers DID wear bright colored clothing on their Sabbath days as a sign of praise... so, awesome, Preston knew it before I did!  He had a great time using the guys to act out some funny situations.

Looking very serious about things

I asked Preston to recount the Thanksgiving story, or at least what he remembered of it, but... he didn't exactly cooperate.  Made for a funny little video, though.  He's very intent on them being traitors, even though I tried to explain the difference between being a traitor and a trader (like food for furs and whatnot), but he decided that they were both.

My Knuckleheads...

So, being in a house with three boys is never dull.

Exhibit A:  I tell Preston to go get dressed.  He comes hopping out of his room like this...

He's a mer-man!

Exhibit B:  The other nite, Michael got new shoes... before we even realized it, Callen made his way over and crawled right inside the box all by himself...

Very proud of himself!

Getting out was a little more difficult.

Exhibit C: Last, but certainly not least, my goofball husband was just sitting around wearing Preston's hardhat like it was perfectly normal...

Ready for some construction work.

I love my knuckleheads!

Just for Fun...

Ran across a fun site to make scrapbook-ish photo things. Played around a little...

Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half with America's Cheapest Family by Steve & Annette Economides

A family of seven spending only $350 a month on groceries seems unbelievable, but The Economides (yes, that's their real last name) are doing it! The grocery shop once a month, and for the most part only cook once a month as well, and they save major bucks at the same time. In this book, Steve and Annette share their strategies on saving money on the everyday items. They have some great tips on how to plan your shopping day (where to go, what to look for), how to buy what you need at the lowest price, how to store what you've bought in bulk, cooking all of your meals in one day, and so much more. This book covers a lot of ground, and has some great pearls of wisdom (and the Economides don't shy away from attributing their success and happy lives to God). They cover not only ways to save money, but ways to stay healthy, have more time with your family, and giving to others. The main piece of advice throughout the book is PLANNING. That's the key. This family has wonderful suggestions for getting you onto the right path, and they speak from experience (giving you examples of things not to do as well, which can be very important!).

Having recently cut our income in half when I decided to become a stay-at-home mom, I have already put into practice some of what was suggested in this book, but found so many more things I plan on implementing into my budgeting, shopping and planning. In the middle of reading this book, we found a deep freeze for free and promptly claimed it so that I could really begin the stocking up and freezer cooking they suggest in the book. To read the whole book and look at the big picture can be a bit overwhelming, as there would be a lot to take on if you tried to do it all at once... the Economides suggest trying it a little at a time. I would definitely suggest this book to anyone looking to cut grocery costs, trying to tighten their budget a little in whatever areas they can, or who just want to find a more efficient way to shop and cook for a large family!  Now, if I could just get my act together and start really putting this stuff into practice!  (I'm trying, I'm trying!)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Callen's 8 Month Update

I think I skipped a month or two... sorry, baby.

The latest exciting Callen news is that he's crawling.  After dragging himself around for the past month, he's finally up on all fours, and using his hands and knees to get around.  And get around, he does!  He tends to go straight for the electronics underneath the TV, the phone charger plugged into the wall or the laptop power cord.  Yep, those are the most interesting things a baby could want!  Forget the dozens of toys (his and Preston's)!

He's enjoying sweet potatoes, green beans, apple sauce and Gerber puffs (banana and strawberry apple, so far).  He recently took a big swig of my Chick Fil A sweet tea when I playfully offered him my straw.  I had no idea he could so quickly lean over and gulp some down!  Oops!  And as of yesterday morning, there are two teeny-tiny white spots poking out of the bottom gums.  TEEFERS are coming out!  Woo hoo!

Callen's sleep has been all over the place, which I realize now can be attributed to the teething.  He spent quite a few weeks waking up 3 or 4 times a nite, but he'd go right back to sleep after being nursed or rocked.  Then, he would wake up and want to be up... or at least not put back down in his crib at all.  So I've been taking him to bed with me when that happens and then we both toss and turn for a while before finally settling into sleep.  I always wake up with a crick in my neck or my arm completely dead asleep... not a lot of fun.  I don't know why it's been so hard to sleep with Callen... Preston slept with me for a long, long time and we were fine... but I've not been able to settle into a co-sleeping pattern with Callen at all. 

He also made it through what seemed to be his first cold.  Our house was drowning in snot there for a while... gross, I know.  Preston had a fever for about 24-hours, but the rest of us just got extra snotty and congested.  But I guess I should be thankful that Callen hasn't had anything but sniffles so far.  Let's hope that continues!!! 

As for weight and height, you got me.  About 17lbs?  We'll go to the doctor and the allergist towards the middle of December, and I'll know then.

Prestonism on Another Good Use for Santa...

I placed a new pacifier in a pot of boiling water and Preston FREAKED!

Preston: MOM! How could you?  You'll burn it!

Me: No I won't, I'm going to sanitize it.

Preston: :::cocked head to the side with quizzical look on his face::: You're gonna make it look like Santa?

Total Savings $125.41

I intended to make a quick run to Kroger earlier for just a few things.  But they keep having these Mega Sales, where if you buy 10 participating items, you get an instant $5 off... and it makes the items super cheap, especially if you have coupons to go with 'em as well.  It took me a while (thankfully Callen slept through most of the trip, then just sweetly looked around the rest of the trip, not a peep out of him!), but I ended up getting an awesome score!  No, my total wasn't 5cents, but $49.67 for $180 worth of stuff... not bad!  

My haul, 49 items for $49.67

The best part is that all of those vitamins down in the bottom right corner were all priced about $10 each (but B1G1)... so the fact that my total was less than $50 made me slightly giddy.  Don't worry, I'm not hoarding... I plan on donating them and some other items I have stockpiled to a good cause.  But the four coffee creamers?  All mine!

55-degrees...

This past week has felt like Christmas.  No, I don't have my decor up.  No, I'm not listening to carols.  But it's been around 55-degrees, and for some silly reason when it finally dips down into the temperatures like that, instead of basking in the Fall-ness, my brain skips ahead to Christmas.  I guess Texas will do that to you.  Thanksgiving dinners eaten outside in the backyard.  T-shirts for Christmas attire.  55-degrees reminds me of Christmas.

A little about why I love Fall...

Most of you have heard me rave and rave about how much I love Fall!  I'm not sure I've ever really expressed why.  I mean, yes, it has to do with the weather finally cooling off (though nearing 90-degrees in November is not unheard of 'round these parts).  And yes, it has to do with the fact that I love the smells and tastes of this season... pumpkin, gingerbread, toasted marshmallows, etc.  And yes, it has to do with the fact that Christmas is just around the corner.  And yes, Thanksgiving is definitely one of my favorite holidays - nomz!  But mostly, I love Fall because it symbolizes a time when we are supposed to count our blessings, take joy in what God's given us, and be grateful for our bounty. Whatever it is.  Big or small, fancy or frugal, pretty or not... we've all got something to be thankful for.  

My family and I are not in the place we want to be right now.  We are blessed, though.  I have been at home with the boys for about 8 months.  Though money is tight, we've yet to miss paying a single bill (um... thanks to my in-laws for letting us take a few months off from our loan, by the way!), our home is still our home, we are down to one vehicle but we still have a car that fits us just fine, my boys are happy and healthy and smart and adorable, Michael and I love each other and our still best friends as well as husband and wife.  Life is good.  It's not perfect by any means.  I have things I complain about, things I wish would change... I wish Michael could have a better job, I wish his migraines would cease, I wish I could lose 20 pounds, I wish I was a better cook and housekeeper, I wish my 4-yr-old didn't think he was always the boss, I wish, I wish, I wish.  But I know that I have everything I need right here, right now.  The Lord is our provider, and he has given us so much to be thankful for.

A Harvest of Blessings, indeed.

How could I want anything more?

The season of Fall, with its pumpkins and scarecrows and changing, falling leaves... just always serve as a reminder to me how amazing God is, and how incredibly blessed I am to be His child.  Thank you, Jesus... for everything!

Happy Halloween

We had pumpkins coming out of our ears last week... with three pumpkin patch visits and using pumpkin-y things for school lessons and what not.  And now Halloween has come and gone!  And yes, I quickly put away the Halloween decor and left out the Fall stuff!  Bring on Thanksgiving!!!

Ready to head to the TrunkOrTreats!

This year we had a doctor and a cow.  Though Preston kept saying Callen was a "cow nurse" so that his costume went along with the doctor stuff.  Whatever, they were both darn cute!

Hey there, Little Red Riding Hood

And scored lots of candy!  And Preston bobbed for apples!  That's something I don't think I've ever done (or wanted to do).  Haha!

He almost got one, but not quite. 

My favorite part was when I took Callen up to the people, they'd look through their buckets trying to find something he could have.  Umm, he's 7 months old... he can't have ANY candy, people!  But Mommy likes chocolate, so hand it over!

Michael got to go to the first two churches with us, then my mom and dad came over so we could go to Grace Fellowship for their TrunkOrTreat.  It was bigger and better than last year, way to go team!

This afternoon I took the boys out for Halloween clearance shopping, hitting up Target and Walmart.  Everything was picked through already, but I was able to get the two Great Pumpkin stand-up decorations for the yard (Charlie Brown and Snoopy), so I was pretty excited about that!  Woo hoo!  I guess this means next year we'll have to give out candy.  I did make a point of saying that if you decorate your yard for Halloween, you better be giving out candy... so... we'll see. And of course, the stores were quickly throwing up the Christmas stuff... yep, it's here!

On an unrelated note, Rangers blew it this evening.  They had a great season and made it to the World Freakin' Series, which is absolutely amazing so they have nothing to be ashamed of, that's for sure.  However, it looked like a totally rigged game out there tonite.  The guys were not playing their best, and so it was disappointing to say the least.  But you know what?  We've been there once, we can do it again!  Let's go Rangers!!

October 2010 Tweets to Remember

October 1st, it's DEFINITELY time to bust out the Fall decor. Almost literally... nearly dropped the giant, heavy tub of decor & killed it! 11:46 AM Oct 1st

Put up Fall decor AND my new blender/chopper came, so happy right now!!! http://twitpic.com/2tpc2k 1:50 PM Oct 1st  

Beautiful day, wonderful feeling, I feel like singing psalms, meaning songs, singing praises all day long! 10:13 AM Oct 2nd 

Regina & Kevin are married! ...Again! Hooray!  7:11 PM Oct 2nd

Got home from church, mentioned what a beautiful day it was, suddenly Michael & Preston were off to the #Rangers game. Ha! 1:48 PM Oct 3rd  

Enjoyed some time outside (my bare feet got chilly!!!!), now we're gonna make chocolate chip banana bread - it's been a fabulous day!  Sunday, October 03, 2010 7:27:14 PM

As much as I love Fall, I tend to forget how much Fall allergies suck. Windows open: lovely breeze, terrible sneezing & stuffiness. Doh. Sunday, October 03, 2010 11:26:11 PM


Break from school to play & stay warm. http://twitpic.com/2umrzb Monday, October 04, 2010 10:28:41 AM

Hahaha! Just heard Preston tell Michael "Today, me and mommy and a guy named Chris traveled to India!" Yay #Sonlight & #MissionIndia! Tuesday, October 05, 2010 6:18:40 PM


Yay for mid-week playdates! Wednesday, October 06, 2010 12:04:14 PM

My friend @mgail531 is in critical condition at Las Colinas hospital. Severe pneumonia. Please pray for healing in Jesus' name. Thursday, October 07, 2010 8:10:02 AM

Homeschool day at the Fort Worth Zoo! http://twitpic.com/2vfdlk Thursday, October 07, 2010 10:40:16 AM

Safely at the Ranch. Wooo, hello vacation! Friday, October 08, 2010 5:21:26 PM  

Just had a fun, beautiful ride around the ranch this morning. This is awesomeness even through the allergies!  Saturday, October 09, 2010 10:57:00 AM 

Four snotty/stuffy Clarks sleeping in one room makes for lots of snoring and snuffling.  Sunday, October 10, 2010 9:29:46 AM 

Bye bye to the ranch & the sweet family who allowed us this vacation getaway.  Monday, October 11, 2010 12:03:56 PM 

Preston dancing all crazy to @mxpx, suddenly yells "PAUSE IT! I gotta go wash my eye out. I poked it!" Oh boy, that's hardcore dancin'.  Monday, October 11, 2010 10:10:33 PM 

Fried Frito Pie, check. Visiting Big Tex, check. Watching The Killdares, working on it. Yay Fair!  Tuesday, October 12, 2010 2:03:00 PM 

Omgosh, ya'll, the Deep Fried S'mores Pop Tart is completely worth the $100 I just handed over for it. Serious nomz.  Tuesday, October 12, 2010 4:24:18 PM 

Wow.... just wow. Go Rangers! Tuesday, October 12, 2010 10:40:28 PM  

The other day I picked up a gallon of milk, 2 loaves of bread & a bag of tortilla chips for $2.48. No coupons necessary. Aldi rocks! Wednesday, October 13, 2010 9:43:55 AM 

Dude, its only October... but we found Santa enjoying dinner at IHOP! http://twitpic.com/2xekhl Wednesday, October 13, 2010 8:12:14 PM 

Hello, Beautiful Fall Day! Yes, I am still wearing shorts. Why? Because I want to feel every bit of your 65 degree-ness!  Thursday, October 14, 2010 10:03:22 AM 

P picked it for me, told me to take a pic of it so it would last. :) http://twitpic.com/2xmksr 4:14 PM Oct 14th

Want to get up for coffee, but have a sweet, snuggly, warm baby sleeping in my lap. Having to prioritize... move over baby!!!!  9:04 AM Oct 15th

Yay! http://twitpic.com/2y4dbp 10:09 AM Oct 16th

My husband is in the garage scrubbing clean my new freezer while listening to the #Rangers via walkman plugged into his guitar amp! *LOVE!* 4:05 PM Oct 16th

Enjoying a strawberry-banana smoothie along with some eye & ear candy (Kelly & Sinatra in On The Town) after a productive day.  9:03 PM Oct 16th  

A 4yrold that whines/throws fits about EVERYTHING & a 7mthold that fusses/screams if put down. LORD, grant me patience & lots of it! 10:06 AM Oct 17th

Just told the checker at Kroger "No, he [Callen] isn't waving at you, he's giving the #Rangers claw." That's my boy! 1:27 PM Oct 17th

Just sewed three pairs of wanna-be-baby-legs for Callen. Reminded myself how awful I am w/a sewing machine, but they'll work at least. 7:48 PM Oct 17th

Callen just reached over, grabbed the remote & turned on the tv. It's a guy thing, right? To know how to operate things instantly? 8:49 PM Oct 17th

Wanna-Be-Baby-Legs http://twitpic.com/2ymbdv 9:01 PM Oct 17th 

School resumes after a week off for vacation. Have I told you lately how much I love homeschooling & it's flexibility? Well, I do! Monday, October 18, 2010 9:38:04 AM

OH MY GOSH RANGERS ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? Save some for tomorrow, fellas. Holy heck!!! Tuesday, October 19, 2010 10:58:25 PM

I don't think I've EVER seen so many tweet/fb statuses all talking about the same thing. This is amazing. #Rangers #claw #antlers Tuesday, October 19, 2010 11:05:28 PM

Oh my goshhhh! I finally won CASH from the many sweeps & contests I enter constantly! A $250 check from Kellogg's just arrived!! PTL!!!  Wednesday, October 20, 2010 1:48:30 PM

Had a great day of hanging w/my mom, homeschool bookstore then later on library booksale. Um... I really love books!  Thursday, October 21, 2010 9:25:11 PM

Oh.My.Goshhhhhhh. Unbelievable! #Rangers #Claw #Antlers #WorldSeries Friday, October 22, 2010 10:14:15 PM    


Busy day: Lowe's to build a flapping bat, Michael's to decorate a shirt, B&N for story, cookie & mask and ToysRUs for Lego car building.  Saturday, October 23, 2010 1:29:26 PM

Its official, Mr & Mrs Hummel! Congratulations! Saturday, October 23, 2010 3:32:01 PM


It's a cruel world where I know that pumpkin PopTarts exist & yet cannot find them anywhere!  Sunday, October 24, 2010 1:22:45 PM

Fun family outings are less and less fun with a 4-yr-old who has a serious attitude problem. #PumpkinPatchFAIL Sunday, October 24, 2010 3:57:56 PM

Halloween Cookie Pizza! http://twitpic.com/30mqof Sunday, October 24, 2010 9:02:21 PM

Sweet: Listening to them make each other giggle. Not sweet: Hearing their skulls crack together, followed by screaming. #Brotherhood Monday, October 25, 2010 1:46:55 PM

Pumpkin carving time! http://twitpic.com/30w3ba Monday, October 25, 2010 7:53:37 PM

Muwahahaa! http://twitpic.com/30wj44 Monday, October 25, 2010 8:52:22 PM

I attempted to toast pumpkin seeds two different ways... nope, don't like 'em. Oh well. :::eating my cookie pizza::: Monday, October 25, 2010 9:22:32 PM    

Ok, I know it's just baseball & all, but does anyone else feel like we're about to watch a man walk on the moon for the first time? #Rangers Wednesday, October 27, 2010 6:19:42 PM

Well, poot. Wednesday, October 27, 2010 10:36:39 PM

Such beautiful weather made me give Callen his Christmas present early! http://twitpic.com/31oqj5 Thursday, October 28, 2010 5:08:05 PM

45 degrees, yaaaayyyy! We're heading out to the farm/pumpkin patch... yeehaw!  Friday, October 29, 2010 9:02:08 AM


Hey goat, say hi to your mother for me! http://twitpic.com/31wqrr 10:56 AM Oct 29th

Had a yummy brinner, now watching ToyStory3 w/the family, enjoying the cool breezes coming inthe windows. Perfect. 7:20 PM Oct 29th

This morning's goal: Bake a pumpkin brownie cheesecake. Oh my! 10:11 AM Oct 30th

Brownie pumpkin cheesecake, nomz! http://twitpic.com/32d95h Saturday, October 30, 2010 6:05:23 PM

Goood church this morning, love me some FREEDOM & VICTORY in Christ! - Oct 31st 1:35pm

Happy doctor. http://twitpic.com/32qt34

Happy cow. http://twitpic.com/32rg7j

I brought home the wrong kid from trunk'r'treat, this one just asked "Can I have something good for me? Carrots & water, please!" WHAT?!?

Nooooooooooooo! #Rangers