Happy birthday pookie!

I can't believe a year ago today, I had my sweet baby girl. She has made me such a proud momma, and she has blessed our family so much. I love you sweet girl!!

SALE

Urban Green has all clothing 40% off today!! That means smocked clothing for $10!!

Such a cheeseball. If I get my camera out, I can expect this face. every. single. time.

I remember a time of tailgating when no children were involved. Although it was much wilder, and EASIER I can't imagine games without pump breaks, tantrums or nausea. We've went from 3 friends, to all having children... YEA! I can't wait to see just how big our group gets! (Although it's growing at a rapid pace, I must say..)

What a wonderful game day weekend!! We scored tickets in Coach Chizik's box, which were amazing! War Eagle!! Thanks to our awesome friends, Mo and Jared, who always share their lake house with us and make the game day weekends that much better!

recently..

Around here has been pretty crazy lately. I haven't had much of a life, other than trying to open a new store. It has been so exhausting and amazing. I love it! I've never worked so hard, and def. never had this much passion about anything - work related.
Anna Reed has been affected - so we think- with the similac beetle junk! She has been so pityful. I took this pic yesterday.

Cole on the other hand is growing up before my eyes. It is so sad/great to see how much he knows. He is all about playing outside(always has been) and his new love, watching his dad shoot his bow off out back deck. He is always wanting to go "smoke the targets." Yes, my baby is becoming a little man, country man that is. He is also obsessed with his bike. He's had it forever, but just really discovered it.

 They have both adjusted well to their new schools, although I am still trying to figure out how to make 2 schools, that have different times and days work. I've figured out.. it's impossible. Crossing our fingers for an opening so they can be together! PS. i am so jealous of the bloggers who are always on top of it. How do you do it?!

be sure to visit www.urbangreenboutique.blogspot.com

we. are. open. (well kind of.)

We are up and running at Urban Green (softly), and I will put more info about what all is going on in the store another time, but I wanted to share a piece of "artwork" we are doing that is AMAZING! I am so excited about it! Ive never seen anything like it anywhere and we are doing it!! All you do is give us a photo (close up is best) and this is the outcome. (this one is set on a 16x16 platform, but you can get all sizes!! It was hard to get a good picture that would do it justice in my house, so come in to see it!

Coming soon... again

Yes, I am crazy and have changed lots about the new store, so here are the new details!! I can't wait for the doors to open!!

Happy 3rd Birthday to my sweet boy Cole! I am so proud to be your mommy!

Opening soon...

My life is never boring, that is for sure. So, the next chapter in my life(because I simply don't have enough going on) is.... drummrolllll




I'm opening a children's store!

Now taking fall consignment, call me!

I am a bad mom... at least that's now what my neighbor thinks. Let me paint the picture. Anna Reed was napping, and Cole and I were outside. I put him in the swing in the front yard and turned on the sprinkler to water my dying flowers. I am pushing Cole in this huge swing, that after a few good pushes, gets going pretty good on its on. So, I ran inside real quick to vacuum the den rug. What, I'm multitasking? So, as I'm hurrying knowing that Cole is perfectly safe, someone knocks on my door -I go and it's a man that lives across the street-"Yes?" "umm... your child is sitting in the swing screaming and the sprinkler is stuck squirting him in the face." I had no words, I just ran out there begging him to believe that "I really was a good parent."

Sometimes I am a careless driver, which is terrible with such precious cargo. If this won't slow you down, nothing will. (You may have to copy and paste to your web browser.)
www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-az1smQMWHYk/drive_safely

Dumpster Diver... that's my new name. We went for our walk this morning and stumbled upon this in someones trash pile!!! Guess who is one happy little boy...

I'm all about bargains right now... who isn't though, right? Well, guess how much I paid for these ADORABLE bathing suits for AR?

$1!! you got that right, one buck. I got the suits at Dollar tree (which I've just discovered for some reason, and it's awesome...) and already had the "A" iron ons. I am very proud!

YUM.

This is THE BEST, EASIEST, dip in the world. I just combined my favorite things!
2 avacado, diced
feta
can of tomatoes, diced, drained
lemon juice
salt
garlic, minced
and about 2T of olive oil

mix them all together and viola! YUM.


I have a serious addiction to feta, in case you can't tell by the economy sized tub.

catch up time

This might be a long post, don't say I didn't warn you. We have had a busy summer this far. I am staying home with the kids, and we are always up to something, even if it's all laying in my bed watching Calliou. (Cole's fav) Anna Reed is getting so big, she is 7 months and worships her big brother. She is obsessed with Sophie the giraffe and still hair fabulous.

Cole is almost 3, and completely potty trained! We didn't have to work at that AT ALL, thank goodness, he just got up and decided one day he was ready. No going back!! I bet I've already saved a ton in diapers! Anna Reed still doesn't sleep that well, she is an early riser!! (actually anything before 9 is too early, but I've learned to be thankful for even 6am) We have spent lots of weekends with the grandparents, been to the lake a few times, and heading to the beach in a couple weeks..praying for no oil! Cole LOVES to swim! Which is great, considering we started off the summer in lessons that I had to cancel because it was so pointless due to the screaming.

Cole amazes me every day with the things he says. It's like he woke up a little boy, no longer a baby. We went to the zoo last week, and as we were leaving he said "thank you mommy, for taking me to the zoo. I love you so much." After I passed out, I wanted to just cry because I realize he is no longer a baby. He also at times has a much sharper tongue. His latest comments are "don't tell me what to do" and "mommy, I don't have to obey anymore!" But he equally loves his sister as much as she loves him. He tells her "good morning sweet girl", at all hours of the day.
Life is finally getting a little easier, with the kids getting a little older. Cole can do so much by himself now, and I am less tired bc Anna Reed is sleeping...some. I can't even IMAGINE throwing another child in the mix right now! (and don't worry, I'm not!)
We are still crossing things off our house to do list slowly but surely. We've done a ton in the past 9 months we've lived here, and have so much more to do! But we do have a backyard now!
On a sadder note, our beloved dog of 15 years, died while we were at my parents for the 4th of july. This picture was taken hours before he got sick and passed. (He was old, and had a troubled heart.)
RIP Chip Dobson

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

I've definetly slacked on the blog lately, so I'm going to add some slideshow videos... one down.. (they won't let me do them longer than 30 seconds so I will add a few)- at least that's my plan!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

It's almost Easter...

and that means... cute Easter baskets! I just ordered these and got them SO QUICK from www.peapiebaskets.blogspot.com

The day I almost lived in the basement.

Let me start the story by saying I am incredible claustrophobic. I hold my breath when I ride the elevator. I can't breathe when I have a ring on that's too tight, and heaven forbid someone put a cover over my head and try to tickle me (thanks, dad.) So, it's a typical Tuesday. The kids are home bc of spring break, and we're all playing in the house. I decide it's been long enough - I'm going downstairs to clean out the rest of the boxes (yes, that we still haven't unpacked, and have lived here 5 months) and sweep and mop. I load up the kids, put Cole in front of the downstairs tv, feed Anna Reed and buckle her to her seat. and get to working away. I'm now in my own world and while taking something to the guest bedroom Cole comes in behind me. Let me first paint the picture for those who haven't been to my house. Downstairs has a big den area, bathroom and a guest room. It's partially underground, so the windows that are there, have those black iron bars on them. So, as I am in the guest room putting up some things Cole comes in and slams the door. (yes, you'd think he would be terrified of doing that since he has one arm in a cast from doing that, but no, it's fasinating to him.) I turn around and look at me and Cole sitting in the guest room and think to myself... "I've never spend more than 2 minutes in this room, wouldn't it be awful it that door was locked?!" Sure enough, as I walk to it and turn the knob, reality set in. I PANIC. AND THAT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. Anna Reed is in the other room, and the only window has bars on it! I'm stuck. forever in this room. with. no. phone. Seriously, my mouth started watering and I felt my lungs cave in, I couldn't breathe! As I'm frantically running around in circles I realize, there is absolutely no way out. Cole is freaking out, because I am freaking out. He tried to hide under the bed. Knowing that the worst case senerio was us being stuck for 6 hours, until PJ got home at 5:30 and found us. I knew AR was at least safe (and just fed) and tried to keep telling myself that. I start to think there is no way the windows are going to open (you know how old windows are) and I knew I couldn't get out.. but I could yell. As I look out the window I then see all those trees. Ok, also let me remind you we have 26 acres behind us, and realize my only hope for someone to hear me is if the old lady next door is home. (the one that tried to call me in for animal cruelty, but that's a whole OTHER story.) I start yelling "HELP" to the top of my lungs out the window. After a little while, I hear her saying "where are you, jamie?" THANK THE LORD...I'm going to be saved!! She comes and can't get me out, since the doors are locked, but can at least call PJ to come home, and let me in. So, he comes home, then comes around outside to talk to me through the window. I'm like "what are you doing, go inside and let us out!" He tells me he can't get in because I deadbolted everything from the inside, because Cole keeps trying to escape! OH NO. So, he beats down the front door. Seriously, I don't know how he did it, but he did. On the first try, which is kinda scary, but anyway. He comes downstairs lets us out. I'M FREE!!! He's looking at the door, only to show me if I jiggle it a certain way, I could have gotten out. Ok, I swear I did that. Anyway, I'm forever terrified of being stuck places, and will NEVER take my cell phone out of my hand, and have emergency exits, everywhere.

The Club

Wow, what a week this has been. It started last Friday when my sweet Cole, got his fingers smashed in a big wooden door at school. It was AWFUL! I put a bandade on it (later, HUGE mistake) and called PJ and said meet me at his pediatrician, thinking they would take a look at it and tell me he probably needed a stitch or two. Once we got there and waited AN HOUR to see the Dr, all to have him have to pull off the sticky bandade off of a broken finger, imagine the pain. Once he saw it, and we did too, we all almost fainted. His nailbed and basically the top half of his finger was hanging by a thread. It was broken, and smashed, and it was undescribable. So, the Dr told us to get to the Emergency room at Childrens Hospital. Once we got there, we went straight back to a (nice) room, and immediately saw the Dr. He came in, and told us it was pretty bad, so he wanted to send in the hand specialist. They decided he needed to be put under and have a little reconstructive surgery and a few days later, would need a cast. After painful hours watching our sad, yet still wild little boy, who wasn't the least bit slowed by the event, have to go through this. It was harder on us, than him. We stayed in the room with him and watched the whole thing. (well, from a couch that we werent allowed to get up from, from fear we might pass out.) Cole did great. The next day, we went back for his cast. We waited 4 HOURS before seeing the Dr. They put a cast on, we got home... and 2 hours later, the cast was in the floor of his playroom. The next day, BACK to the hospital. (We called, they told us it might be a good idea to come on up that night to the ER and I said, over my dead body, we'll put him to bed, then come in the morning. After hours and hours and 5 Dr's visits later, this is how he looks now a days.

Our idea of a perfect stay in date night.

lovin' on baby sis

Cole loves his "baby sis." But he has to be constantly reminded he can't treat her like he does us. If I leave the room for a minute I am sure to find some trace of something he has tried to do to her. For example...

putting stickers in her hair...

trying to feed her his snack of crackers (running away but doesn't hide the evidence)

climbing in her boppy mobile thing while sliding her over when she can't even hold up her head.

And she better not even think about trying to take a nap. If I can't find him, this is where he is sure to be found.