Tuesday 10 - Thankful November

This week I am doing things I am thankful for since its November.

1. Our new blessing.  This pregnancy is flying by she will be here before we know it.  

2. Small group, thank you for bringing gods grace to my house for a small segment of time each week.

3. Spinach artichoke dip leftover from small group. So good.

4. Best friends.  This summer took some of my friendships to a whole new level.  

5. daily joy.  Every day I experience with this guy.  You don't know what you are missing good and bad until you add in the biggest challenge of your life.

6. Father and son relationships blossoming.  Yes and yes.  

7. The "spot" book aka "pot book". Despite reading this between 10-20 times a day it's like a tiny gift to see your son interpet the book and start to repeat the words before you do. 

8. Having enough even a little more.  Sometimes you learn the value of enough and not in the way you want.

9.  New pants.  I needed these sooooo bad everything I owe seems to have holes and Dustin bought me three pairs and after I exchanged the one that didn't fit I don't need to do laundry daily.

10. Creative time.  From about 9-11 several nights a week I work on a creative project and it's great.  

Monday's

On Mondays Momo/grandma comes to visit and do some light housework.  We also usually pick up Jones from school early and they play together.  It's so cute to see him interact with her.  He calls her "Ma" or "MaaaMaaa" now but we are working on changing it to Nana.  He gets so excited for her and doesn't like it when she leaves for bible study or when she doesn't come with him to school on Tuesday morning.  

He also loves calling her and Eita (Lita) on FaceTime.  He Doesn't say much to them just yet but often he just laughs at them or tries to touch them thru the phone.  It's also adorable how he pretend calls them he will yell into his fake phone or the computer mouse he uses as if they can hear him calling if he's loud.  I just chuckle.

November

So far in November I have blogged everyday.  It's actually been a unspoken goal of mine (today the cats out of the bag).  I haven't been very good at blogging this year and I missed it.  So I hope I can keep with it not daily blogging but just more regular after November.  Anyhow I made four other November goals so I figured I would share them: 

1. Blog Daily

2. Make advent calendar

3. Go on a childless date

4. Send some random packages

5. Make PopTarts 

So far I have plans for 2 & 4 so maybe I will get them all accomplished.  Fall has been despite Jones being sick (twice), so November should just continue along this path.  

Family Photos - September Take 2

In September my friend Amy ( http://indyfamilyphoto.com/index.php/about/) took photos of us.   Here are a few of the family snaps to add to my family photo project.

Love the skyline in the background. The below is also one of my favs that boy.

quilt for Louise - half square triangles

I actually finished this in August!  About a week after our friends daughter Louise was born.  I kept forgetting to give it to her and to take pictures of the quilt!  But I did get some pictures by my friend Amy Garro aka http://13spools.com and http://indyfamilyphoto.com/index.php/about/ at the September IMQG meeting.  

This quilt was really simple the blue fabrics my brother sent me from a leftover project he did.  I paired them with this Kona pink and then did two different designs with hst on each side originally the quilt was to be much larger but the baby was due, so I improvised.  I actually still have about 8-10 more triangles so maybe they will appear in another project. 

I love the back best on this one and the puckering from the quilting.  There is something so lovely about the random triangles I think.

595/1000 Miles

So October was again a month of me struggling to remember I have a Fitbit.  I need to keep this thing with my glasses or something.  I had one week where I added 5.9 miles granted like 2.5 of those days the tracker might have been missing or dead as at one point Jones did run off with it and I later found it in a shoe.  Jones has taken a recent liking to my Fitbit and likes to try it on so often times it gets taken off because of that.  I need to perhaps just wear one of the extra color bracelets  so I can give him one when he asks about it, but naturally I haven't implemented this because I struggle with putting mine on too.  Oh well, I did add 33.5 miles to the tally when I was wearing it and maybe in November I will be more consistent.  

October Family Photos

In October I was not so good at family photos.  Although we did a ton of things as a family I just need to get better at saying "family selfie" or asking someone to take it.  I did get two shots one at church on our anniversary they took family photos - we didn't match and well I am pretty sure I didn't brush my hair that day either but it's us.

And then I snapped this one of the three of us sleeping in obviously I was fake sleeping, but I love how jones covered his face.   

Both shots were taken before Dustin had to shave for his new job so November photos will have a much more groomed Dustin.   

Happy Halloween from "The Baseball"

I want to just point out I made this costume this I am considering it a craft project.  (it was supposed to be a basketball but the spray paint was peeling up and I couldn't find orange duct tape so baseball it was).  Jones was super scared to put on his baseball costume for some reason but along with some help with grandma we got him warmed up to the idea and when he got to his school Halloween Festival he put it on for us no problem.  He had a little trouble trying to pick things up and sitting in it but it was too cute.  Now that Halloween is over he is actually playing with it and attempting to wear it himself.

Here he is with his teacher miss Maine.

He absolutely loved the school carnival and for less than $6 we had dinner, bounce house, and played games with him it was fun.  He loved his prizes of fun yo-yo balls and a slap braclet.

On Halloween we actually did trunk or treat with our church. Our trunk was a monster - I think it turned out cute for literally like the cost of like $4 but I did already have poster board on hand.

Jones has a fun time at the event although he did NOT want to give the kids candy and kept declaring the candy "mine" and telling the kids "no no no".  But he also played nicely by the car with stickers and plastic spiders and everyone was very impressed how well behaved he was.  I wasn't so impressed with his desire to want to eat a bunch of candy! 

We skipped trick or treating as after a long nap we weren't so interested in going out in the rain and cold again.

But it was a good Halloween.

PS costume is made from paper mâché, duct tape, and good old sharpie markers.

5:12 Crockpot Potato & Corn Chowder

I have been trying to use the crockpot more (honestly sometimes it's not my favorite).  But I made this crockpot recipe http://damndelicious.net/2014/09/12/slow-cooker-potato-corn-chowder/? Naturally I added bacon, pork loin, carrots and onion to the mix as well.  The recipe wasn't as Chowdery as I thought it should be which was probably because of the crockpot.  It also needed some additional flavor or spice I peppered mine up and it still wasn't amazing.  But it was good I might try it again using more cream and perhaps more garlic or something.

16 Months

I am waaaaay late at taking these.  I actually took like 3 snaps over a week ago but he was sooooo not into it I gave up.  So today after a good nap we went to find a wall.  We tried downtown Beech Grove which is seriously lacking murals (someone take note).  We ended up outside the newly closed Beech Grove Meat Market which has a clean wall and I liked the big arrow.  Jones of course wanted to run around rather than stand where I wanted so I let him do his thing.  I still love them.  

Jones Jones - 

This month was super fun.  Daddy is doing much better and you are loving it!  

You often ask me if he's bye bye, or ask for him rather than me.

You also check to see if he's coming places like to drop off at school or to run a quick errand.

I think it's great.

You are 26lbs (not sure on height).

You have started pretend laughing when you think something is funny but aren't sure.

You added new words and phrases like oh my, uh oh, bubbles, slide, go outside, shoo (as in smelly), not and daddy.

You pretend things are a phone (a computer mouse, a old phone case etc), and often call Aunt Eita (Lita).  

Your pretend conversation is like "hey Eita hey!" at almost a yell and after much of this you tell her "bye bye".

You also started to be more independent.

Example you throw yourself on the ground when you don't want to hold hands.  

You get sooooo excited when you see a dog or cat out.  

You love having your hair brushed.

Mommy actually trimmed up your mullet neck curls this month.

You also a refusing to eat certain foods like corn or skin on anything.

You like to read books and play trucks.

You still think balls are the best and we probably play ball or look for it in books several times a day.

You blow kisses when people leave.  

You also give hugs when I ask you too.

Mommy loves when you smile and your dimple pops out.

I love how you try to snuggle me by putting your face in my neck.

I enjoy how you will listen to me and we'll do things together you by my side like cooking or loading the dishwasher.

I started calling you "Jones Jones" because you call me "Ma Ma".

Mommy is kind of jealous that you now say "daddy" not "dada" anymore.

Mommy and you have been having oatmeal for breakfast and you like it like her thick as cement! Lol.

Daddy is enjoying playing ball with you.

He likes when you want to sleep with us and snuggle (mommy not so much).

He often makes you an adult size plate but you never come close to finishing it.

He has given you candy.

He has also seen how this makes you cranky.

Daddy is over joyed you will now give him a kiss.

He loves wrestling you and tries to let you win.  

We love you so much little guy!

love mommy