My Little Pumpkins

Two and Four

It is hard to believe that four years has come and gone since we brought Cookie home.



It is even harder to believe that our sweet precious Moo is now two.



It is amazing to watch their bond as sisters grow. I guess they have figured out that together their evil forces are much stronger together!




Happy Birthday to our sweet precious kiddos!

Can You Repeat That?

For the past couple of nights I have been away and while I was away, The Hubs has been holding down the fort. Just a Daddy and his girls.

Last night during our conversation he stated that every dad should be tasked with caring for the kids overnight at least twice a month Mom less. Yep, you read it correctly a DAD should be Mom Less and Overnight in the same sentence!!

You know what? I AGREE!

Every Mom should have a Mom Pass that has no expiration date and is limitless! Guess what? Now you can have one too. Just click, print and hand it over to your partner and let the Mom night begin.



Okay I know, I know, Dad's should have their special something too.

To all the wonderful Dad's, partners and husbands out there here you go....



Who say's life isn't fair?

Florida or Bust

This week has been a whirlwind. From Houston to Fresno, one economics test, one house to clean and a trip to prepare for this girl has been busy.

And After all the running around, I think I only burned one of the many margaritas I am about to have while on vacation. But that is okay, though my intentions were good, to loose 10 pounds prior to the trip, I can always rely on my Mom Suit.

Okay so enough about my week and my intentions to fit into a bikini that appeared to be my size in the store. Let's get to the fun stuff that will have you saying, "oh no they didn't" at the end of this post.

Prior to leaving for Fresno I tasked myself with two things, cleaning and packing the girls. Everything was organized and ready for the hubs to pack in the car. The Hubs task was to get the hitch installed on my minivan. Yes, I am not only a mini-van driving mama, I am now an official member of the mini-van haulers club.

In addition to the hitch, the hubs felt he wouldn't be cool unless we had one of these...



Now here is the best part. The hubby had the bright idea that we could save a little space by making this our suitcase and strap it to the back of the van.



Yep, you guessed it....I was not only stressed about how the kiddos were going to do in the car but I now wondered if ALL of our clothes were going to be roadkill somewhere along I-10.

Good news is that we made it and it appears that Tupperware is the new "it" luggage when traveling with two kids under four and a husband with a bright idea.

Now back to this...

Daddy's Day Off

It may appear at times that this is all that we do...

But long after the tears are gone, the fun begins...

Happy Father's day to the worlds greatest Captain, Diaper Changing, Beer Drinking, Obsessive Floor Cleaning, Laundry Champ, Sock's with Crocs wearing,92 Truck Loving, Whataburger Eating, Boat Loving, Super Duper Fantastic DAD!

This guy...




Wishing all the dad's of a world a safe and wonderful DADDY day off!

Julie Hearts Peter

Instead of that two shot double latte why not donate your money to help a girl named Julie who is love with a boy named Peter.

Julie is a wife and mom of two great kids, with our 3rd on his way! Kai was born in 11/08 and Lilah in 3/10 and Peter 2/20. How do I know the due date of our newest bundle of joy? Because he is a four year old boy that lives on the other side of the world, just waiting for his Forever Family to come for him. He doesn't know it yet, but he will soon. I love advocating and educating to anyone who will listen about Down syndrome. And desperately trying to figure out how to be a mom to a girly-girl who thinks she is a bulldozer. Who would have ever thought having a child with DS would finally lead me to my passion in life? And that one little girl could baffle me so? Surely not me.

My favorite Julie quote, "I never knew I wanted a child with Down syndrome until I was given one!"

Here is where you can help. The Kehm family is having a laptop giveaway for our final push to get Peter home. $10 = 1 entry.

http://might2save.blogspot.com/2011/06/day-2-of-our-laptop-giveaway.html

Help bring Peter home, you will be glad you did!

I Just Wanna Dance

Our little Cookie participated in her first dance recital this past weekend and she did great! I am pleased to announce that after a year of dance lessons she learned how to put on sunglasses and shake what her Mama gave her (well sorta). Thankfully we did not experience any unexpected somersaults. Somersaults are Cookie's signature move, you never know when she might "bust" one out.

Now, for your viewing pleasure and my proud moment, I am pleased to share with you Cookie's stage debut. She is the last little dancer on the far right.

We had such a good day,I didn't have the heart to tell her that she has inheritied her Mama's dancing skillz.

As for Moo, she has a fun filled day perfecting her teeth brushing. Her dentist would be proud.



Just look at those pearly whites...

Behind the Lens

Recently, I decided that it was time that I get started on putting together Moo's baby book. Never mind the fact that she is almost two. With that being said, I would like to thank my outlook calendar for being my "go to" to log my babies childhood milestones.

Maybe now is a good time to reiterate that for the fourth year in a row, I am not vying for Mom of the Year.

I am proud to say that to date, I have taken the wrapper off of her baby book and have actually put pen to paper. Bless her heart, when she reads this one day it will be like a game of Fact or Fiction?

Oh and by the way, in case your wondering, I blog in the moment and can assure you that our family escapades are all FACT! Our blog is our "unscripted" reality, poop stories and all.

Anyways, back to the reason for today's rambling of a woman with a couple of minutes to spare. When I first started working on Moo's book I started by going through our family photos. I started shuffling through them, I realized that almost all of them were of the girls, K.C., charlie, family, friends, and random people that I just couldn't resist not shotting because of one reason or another. I noticed that I could count on one hand how many photos I am actually in. The following were my favorite because of the stories they told...

The first one was taken during the first christmas in our new house. I hate to admit it, but this picture has survived longer than the drapes in the background. Since, this photo was taken they (the drapes) have found a new home and the hubby has finally admitted that he didn't really care for them. Gotta love delayed decorating honesty!



The second one was taken yesterday. Yes in less than 24 hours I actually posted a picture of a Mama and her girls! What you don't know about this photo is that I am trying hard to get one smile, before I become covered in chocolate. By the time the girls went Easter egg hunting their candy was a melted pile of Butterfingers goodness. The melted eggs are still "cooling" in my fridge. Every once and while Cookie will pop out of the laundry room with a egg saying, "Mama I am checking this egg and it is good to eat" - as she has already stuffed it in her mouth. Only 38 more melted candies to go.



This got me thinking, "As a mom how many pictures are you actually in?" Vanity perhaps? You don't like your thighs, your teeth could be whiter, need just a little bit more blur to hide the bags under your eyes? Whatever the reason is, do you always seem to behind the lens?

In an effort to get more hot mamas in their photos, I want to share a secret with you. Check out the following site.

http://services.pho.to/

It is a free photo shop site and easy to use. No, this is not a advertising plug. I came across this site because I too wanted to erase the bags under my eyes. From what I have learned I don't think you can change your body to look like a Victoria's Angel but it can help to soften the (kids won't go to bed, deadline due at work) bags under your eyes appearance.

Check it out! But remember when you start touching up your latest facebook profile picture that no matter what you look like you are priceless to someone.

Now, back to Moo's book - poor kiddo is always waiting!

DAVID ZIMANSKY

Have you heard about David, Dave, Mr. Z - well me neither until this morning. Prior to my call with David we were just two strangers passing up and down South Shore Blvd. So, how did I meet David and why was it of such importance that our paths cross?

Well, let me explain. I am currently in school and knee deep in a particular course. In this particular course my peers and I became stuck on a certain topic.

So, I did what any working Mother, at her wits end with a head cold would do...I googled the name of a field professional in hopes that at least one person would respond to a subject line that reads, "Poor Graduate Student Seeks Advice."

David's name and number appeared first, so I quickly fired off a email with my particular question. Can you guess what happened next?

He replied to my e-mail within five minutes! He even walked me through my problem step by step. The best part was, I actually understood what he was saying.

All I can say is that, if this is the type of person David is with a complete stranger, I could only imagine what type of customer service he is providing to his clients. I applaud his compassion to help out a complete stranger and most importantly I am in awe of how well he was able to explain the process to me in terms that even my pea brain could absorb.

Now if only my pretend investments were real, I would want to work with this guy and you should too. His commitment is true - He can help you make informed investment decisions based on your specific needs!

Call him today and just say that a happy grad student referred you!

DAVID ZIMANSKY Financial Advisor Address: 3027 Marina Bay Drive, One Harbor Square, SUITE 202, League City, TX 77573 Phone: 281-538-0270 866-766-0657 Fax: 281-538-0218 Email: david.zimansky@wellsfargoadvisors.com

Have Music - Will Dance

In the Cook chateau there is a lot of music - from country, to rap, to kidz tune we love a good beat. We even love The Biebs! Now, don't get me wrong we are not blazing up the thermometer with Bieber fever, we are just keeping' our tunes diversified.

In case you didn't know it, the Cooks also love a good dance off, it is free and highly entertaining. Especially when the somersaults come out and the hubs tight rolls his jeans because a JAM has taken him back to the day.

Lately, our girls have started raising the roof, as soon as they crawl out of bed. This past Sunday was not exception, Cookie wanted to turn on her "jams" first am. This is fine by me, because that gives me approximately ten minutes to get the coffee IV going.

Did I mention that it was 6:30 am on a Sunday morning! Okay, technically it was 7:30 due to the time change but everything is a justifiable big deal to a non-caffeinated mother of two on a Sunday morning, whose body has not adjusted to the time change!

As the girls broke it down, Cookie wanted the video camera rolling aka blackberry. [I am pretty sure the battery on my camcorder has been dead since 2009].

And this is what I got...

...kinda looks like Moo just served her sister with that nice little stare off at the end of her dance.

Say it Loud, Say it Proud

The helmet may not be necessary, but it sure is a nice touch. Take a moment and say it loud, say it proud...

Martha Daddy

Last Saturday the Hubby and the kiddos bonded while I attended class. After teaching the kids the joy of picking up after themselves, he needed another way to keep them entertained while he weather stripped the backdoor. While the kiddos colored, the hubby went to the garage and put on his Crafty cap and came up with this nifty little crafty idea...

Yep, you guessed it! Homemade pom pom's. All you need is a little weather stripping and duct tape. It is easy to put together too! Simply apply the weather stripping to your backdoor, then cut up the backing of the stripping into little pieces and last but not least wrap the duct tape around the pieces. Wah Lah - a super duper, made with love pom pom, courtesy of my little Martha Daddy!

Cookie cheered for hours. Especially for the pop corn that was popping in this picture.

Cookie Say What?

Recently Cookie was moved up to the older three's classroom in January. Goodbye diddies and hello full time pantie wearing big girl! We are so proud of our Cookie.

Now that she has conquered the potty she has been spending her free time perfecting her little signature phrases. Here are a few of our favorites...

Huh, what you say - Holding her hands out to give it more of a dramatic effect.
That's Gross - Nose raised and eyes squinted.
Busted! - 24/7 regardless of what you are doing, if she can see you then you are busted.
I'm comin - Always followed by a Uggghhh.
Sissy pleaze be quiet - This is usually Saturday morning, when Cookie is in her room trying to sleep. I love that she continues to use her manners and always says please.
I did it, I pooped in the potty, can I go to McDonald's?
Where we going - Holding her hands out and shrugging her shoulders
One Sec - Holding up one finger
Case Stop it - This is usually when her Daddy is tickling her. Yesterday, I heard her say, "Hun it is in here," followed by the Hubby saying, "It's Daddy!"
Can we stay a little ile
I sleepy, five more minutes - followed by go get Sissy up first as she reaches for the covers and pulls them over her head.

Here are a few of her phrases that come with complimentary time outs...

Sissy you are a poopy head
Sissy you not a poopy head you a tee tee head

And then there is this one - The Parent Tester...

Don't tell me what to do - This one is usually when she is tucked away in her room and I am down in my bedroom. Close enough for me to hear, but yet far enough away for her to know that by the time, I have reached her bedroom I have had the chance to cool down.

Yep, with this one, Cookie scores a Major timeout!

In case you are wondering what a major timeout is, well it is the classic - "Go to your room and think about what you just said, march it sister!"

After three minutes in major timeout, you can always find Cookie at the base of the stairs pleading, "Mama, I ready to talk about it." We talk, we hug, we talk some more, we laugh, we talk some more and then all is right in the Cook household.

Oh the life of a Threeanger. You never know what may come out of her precious, sassyfied mouth.

As for Moo and her future catch phrases - the jury is still out! I can say that she does have the word cheese down.

There is a Party In My Tummy - So Yummy!

Sometimes all you need is a little Blue Bell (ice cream) to get you through the day!

False Alarm

Every Saturday when we are in town, I take the girls to get donuts and then we go to spin class. Nothing like stuffing your face with donuts and then torturing yourself with a two hour spin.

Okay truth be told on the whole spin class thing, I would much rather sit on a bike for two hours listening to old school rap then run on a treadmill, burn half the calories and watch another lifetime movie. Besides our Saturday routine is a win win in the Cook household, the hubs gets a little down time, the girls get their bellies full of sugar and I try to build up the confidence to wear skinny jeans (in public). Which by the way I am not a huge fan because the one pair of skinny jeans that I actually do own, really do not make me feel all that skinny.

Now back to this whole false alarm thing...

One particular Saturday we were right on schedule for class. With donuts in hand and one in my belly we made it to class with five minutes to spare. The only downfall on this day was that the air conditioner was out in the spin room. Good thing was that this meant we would burn more calories, but the bad thing was that the woman who insists on wearing full makeup to class wasn't going to be able to keep it on for the whole hour - Poor Thing!

One hour into class, everything was going as planned. Music was pumping and we were all sweating like little pigs, Miss. America was getting frustrated with her mascara that was running down her face and our classroom version of "The Situation" was basically stripped down to his underwear. We are a entertaining bunch, especially when the fire alarm began to go off!

After we all looked around trying to figure out what was going on, I popped off my bike and went straight for the kiddos. When I got to the room with a trail of sweat behind me, one of the teachers informed me that a child had pulled the alarm. I quickly asked, "which one"? She stated that it was the little girl in the pink, but I could not see my kiddos anywhere near the alarm. So, I walked back to class and sighed with relief that it wasn't my little angels.

But just as I was about to get on my bike I realized that Cookie was in head to toe pink. I quickly gathered my things amongst all of the chaos and went after the girls. As I was putting Cookie's shoes on her teacher approached me and stated that indeed it was Cookie that pulled the fire alarm! Ugghhh, my heart sank, because my little Miss. Honesty not only pulled the fire alarm, she also lied to me when I asked if it was her.

Before leaving I took Cookie over to the fire alarm and sternly stated that we do not pull the fire alarm. Only when there is a fire.

Luckily I managed to get the girls in the car before the fire trucks arrived. As you can imagine there was a huge lesson in all of this for Cookie. As we drove home it was dead silence. Not a word, was spoken! Even Moo could sense the lesson Cookie was about to learn.

When we arrived home, Cookie went straight to her room and didn't even look at her Daddy. The hubby said, "honey, what is wrong with Cookie?" All I could say was, "She shut the place down!"

After explaining the story we both went to talk to her. The next day we ventured out to run a few errands. Before getting out the car for the first stop we asked Cookie what she shouldn't do while we are the store. Her response...

...Don't make a mess, don't throw a tantrum, tell Mommy or Daddy if you have to go to the bathroom, don't pull the fire alarm and don't lie to your mommy.

Poor thing if we make her list any longer, we will never make it into the store. But by dern she learned that lesson. Of course it was at the expense of the entire LA Fitness gym, but she got it.

So next time you see Cookie, feel free to ask her what she shouldn't do while at the Gym. Chances are (fingers crossed) she will say, "Don't pull the Fire Alarm!"

She is cute, she is sweet but beware this precious little thing isn't all that innocent.



Happy New Year to everyone, ours is off to a blazing good start.

Greetings From the North Pole

Dear Cookie - I have been talking to Buddy the elf everyday and he has been keeping me up to date on your behavior. Since you have been so good I wanted to send you a quick message from the North Pole.

And one more thing Cookie - Santa is very proud of your progress on the potty! You will always be successful if always give it your best try. Remember what Mommy always says, "Can't Never Could."

Take care of our Buddy. We miss him at the North Pole and cannot wait to see him on Christmas Eve. But remember please do not touch him and you must be in bed on Christmas Eve in order to Santa to arrive. We love you very much and kiss your Sissy for us!

XOXO Santa

Daddy Go Get My Horse

Our little Cowgirl.

Delicates

Super Load, but the delicate cycle of course. The kiddos thought it was funny, the employee at Home Depot - Not so much.

The look on Cookies face pretty much says, "Sissy, mooooovvve. This is my dryer you go get in the washing machine."

Well, Isn't That Something

Nine years have come and gone and through it all (ups & downs, highs & lows, late night baby feedings) you are still the one.

Even though I may not say it enough, I am thankful that I picked you! Okay, in all honesty I am thankful that we picked one another.

Happy Anniversary to this guy...

You are a wonderful father, at times a pain in my bum, my biggest fan, and most of all the one I still want to grow old with (and annoy the heck out of - just saying somethings may never change)!

You were right, this is a wild ride. But I am glad that we have been and will be sitting together through it.

Happy Anniversary!

Clean Up, Clean Up - Everybody Everywhere

There are times in life you when just need a little song to get the job done. Clean Up, clean up, everybody everywhere!

Now, if only I could get that motivated with a little jingle.