31/365

This evening I, again, realized I had not taken any photos today.  So I wondered around a bit trying to figure out what I was going to take a picture of for today's blog.  Then it struck me.  "This living room is a mess!"  Now, I have a lot to do tomorrow.  But I also have visitors coming on Tuesday and really need to clean this place up.  So I decided to give myself a little motivation and share my mess with everyone.  You know that feeling of finding out someone is showing up at your door in 10 minutes and magically you are able to clean up half of your house in that 10 minutes?  Well, that's what I'm doing.  The only difference is, you get to see the mess first, and I have tomorrow to clean it up.  :)  See you then!

30/365

Often times, my dog is too smart for my own good.  He has learned how to jump over the 5 foot wall surrounding our backyard.  He knows which doors in the house don't latch when they are shut.  He, literally, broke out of his crate so many times (usually with no indication as to how) that we finally gave up and let him roam portions of the house while we're gone.  Usually, all he wants to do is lay on our bed while we're gone since he's not allowed up there any other time.

When we all leave the house, we have to close the laundry room door since he is able to open the door to the garage.  Of course, when I'm in a rush to get Jackson to school, I don't always remember this.  It isn't usually a big deal since all he does is get stuck in the garage waiting for me to get home and let him back into the house.

When I get home, open the garage door, and discover he has gotten out again, I just open up the side door of the van and he jumps right in (surely hoping to drive somewhere more exciting).

This leads me to today's event.

He had gotten out and I opened the passenger side door and rolled down my window trying to get him to go to the other side of the van to get in (if I had really been thinking, I just would have opened the driver side door).  As I kept trying to get him to go around, he finally gave up trying to understand me and jumped right through my window, across my lap, and sat happily in the front passenger seat! 

Now he lays, content, in his usual spot right by my side.

29/365

I'm pretty sure Molly is going to be my little bookworm.  She isn't reading yet, but she could look at books for hours.  And she's always up for being read to.

28/365

Today was a milestone for Grady.  We tried out cereal for the first time.  I had forgotten what a challenge it is to spoon feed a baby the first time.  Jackson and Molly thought it was hilarious.  It took work and a LOT of patience, but I think some of it actually got into his giant belly.  We'll try again tomorrow.

27/365

The Spidey blanket is officially complete!  It only took the better part of a year, but I am so happy to have completed it and Jackson is even more thrilled to have it!  It was a labor of love.  I think it turned out fantastic, but I'm not in a hurry to make another one.  Sorry to all the boys in my family that wanted one. :)  You're going to have to wait.  During most of my time spent working on this blanket, Molly would ask me when I was going to make something for her. So now it's Molly's turn.  Stay tuned to see the results of my creation for Molly.  This one will be a Janice original!

26/365

Jackson and Molly both greatly enjoy using my body pillow as their own personal pillow.  While at Walmart today, I found the perfect surprises for them.  I purchased a Hello Kitty body pillow and an Angry Birds body pillow for them.  They were thrilled and surprisingly eager for nap time to arrive.

25/365

We may have been sick today, but she's still my beautiful brown eyed girl!  I love her so much!

24/365

Well, the day started out boring, but it sure didn't end that way.  At about 2:00pm I got a phone call on my cellphone which I missed.  The same number also called our home phone which I also missed.  As I looked at the number, thinking I knew who it was, Jason called me and confirmed my suspicions.

It was Jackson's school nurse.

Now, I recognized the number because this is not the first time we have heard from her.  This was, however, the first time I actually needed to come get him.  He had fallen and hit his lip on the corner of a step.  He needed stitches.

I grabbed Grady, picked up Jackson, swung by Molly's school to get her, and we all headed to the ER.  Thankfully, Jason left work right away and met us at the hospital so he could take Grady and Molly back home.

Jackson was awesome.  He wasn't too fond of the shot for numbing his lip, but the stitches were a breeze.  We'll go back in a week to have them taken out.  I'm proud of my big guy!

23/365

Well, I didn't get another 10 hour night, but he's still Mr. Adorable.  You can't tell from the photo, but he's in one of his favorite places.  In a seat smiliar to a bumbo, on top of the kitchen counter.  He loves to watch me cook and do the dishes and I certainly don't mind the company. :)

Yes, his hair ALWAYS sticks up like that.  When he wakes up in the morning.  After a bath.  It's fantastic!

22/365

To celebrate Grady sleeping 10 hours straight last night, I had to take some photos of Mr. Adorable.  I have no idea if it will happen again anytime soon, but I am grateful for a good night sleep.

21/365

21 days in a row!  WAHOO!!!

So, this morning I was washing the kids clothes.  When I went to take them out of the dryer, I nearly cried!  A blue crayon had found it's way into the wash and onto all their clothes!  Most of it was pajamas, so they're just stuck wearing those, but the worst was Molly's ballet leotard.  :(  She only had one that still fit and she has class in two days.  Anyone that lives or has lived in Alamogordo knows that finding a new leotard on short notice isn't very easy.  Of course, this meant a trip to Las Cruces to get a replacement.  I took Grady while Jackson and Molly were taking a nap.  They didn't know I was going anywhere, but, when I got home, Molly poked her head out the garage door and asked, "Did you get my new leotard?!"  I got her two and she was thrilled.

And, in Molly's world, a new leotard calls for some Angelina Ballerina music and dancing!

20/365

I would be lying if I said I don't look forward to the kids bedtime.  They are as delightful and entertaining as they are exhausting.  Somedays, 7:00pm does not come soon enough (and those days, they're in bed at 6:30). 
Today, just after I said goodnight, I realized I had no photos.  So, I grabbed my camera and said "cheese!"  This was also the first time the kids asked, "Why do you have to take a picture every day?"  I just said "because I like to," and that was enough..... for now.

I think Jackson has to be one of the most photogenic people I know.  So glad he's mine! :)

For a while, this was the only face I could get from Molly (that or her sticking her bum in the air).

Finally, after telling her to pose, I got a wonderful smile.

19/365

So, this morning Jackson sat down with his checkers game and decided he was going to play a round with Grady.  Grady started to fuss and Jackson said, "Grady's crying because he's losing."  Ummm....sure Jackson.  I'm sure that's what the problem is.

Yeah, apparently Grady was Mario.  I gotta say, though, Jackson is the only kid I know that actually chooses to be Luigi.

18/365

A little silliness to start off the weekend!

First we have Jackson practicing his Heisman pose. 

Then we have his usual, putting everything on his head.

And this lego house (including pony) is apparently what  Molly wants me to make as her birthday cake.  We'll see about that. :)

17/365

Jackson came home with his second, ever, report card.  We are SOOOOO proud of our little man.  He showed tons of improvement from his last report card.  Tonight, we'll celebrate with Chili's!

16/365

I wasted no time in getting my camera out this morning.

Molly is definitely my little artist.

This is not, however, limited to paper.  Lately, it is nearly impossible to get a simple photo of her smiling.  To her, every photo needs to be unique and, therefore, needs a unique expression. I don't mind the silliness, but Jackson wants perfection on his camera.  Silliness + photos does NOT equal perfection.  Maybe someday I'll get her to smile again.  Until then, I'll just enjoy my goofy girl.

 

 

 

15/365

So, I forgot to take photos of any of my kiddos today.  What does this mean?  You get a photograph of some random object in my home. :)  Lucky for you, I bought myself some flowers at the grocery store earlier this week so you don't have to look at a toaster.  Also, I'm taking a community photography class to learn a bit more about my camera, so I could use the practice.

14/365

Even though his night time sleep schedule is completely out of wack, Grady continues to be one of the happiest babys ever!  Since he was in such a wonderful mood this morning, I took advantage and got some delightful photos of him.

More photos to be found at https://picasaweb.google.com/102053470915438885338/January2013

13/365

The kids have had lots of quality Daddy time today!  This morning, Jackson got him to play some Mario Galaxy and they worked on Jackson's homework about the King penguin together.  And Molly loves to wrestle and have pillow fights with Daddy.  This evening, Daddy read "Ladybug Girl and Bubblebee Boy" to the kiddos.  A day well spent!

12/365

Had a couple hot dates tonight!  Jason's work awards banquet was this evening.  We had a babysitter for Jackson and Molly, but took Grady with us.  It was nice to get dressed up even if Grady was coming along. I got him dressed for the occasion as well. :)

11/365

I tried to get a nice photo of all three kids this afternoon.  Yeah, I know.  What was I thinking? 

As I stand there talking and cooing at  Grady to get him to smily, both kids kept talking to him, too.  I would remind them to look and smile at the camera while I tried to get Grady to smile.  Did they smile?  Well, sort of.  Let me tell you, I got some seriously odd faces from them.  You would have thought Molly was having her photo taken in the 1800's with how serious she looked all the time.

Anyway, this is what I got.

10/365

Even when my kids are at school and I am home cleaning, they still find ways to make me smile.  As I was picking up in the living room this morning, I spotted this set out on the coffee table.  I just smiled and thought about what a wonderful imagination Molly has and how I love watching her play with my old dollhouse.  Jason and I have always had ideas of what we think Jackson will be when he grows up.  I don't think either of us have any clue what Molly will do. :)  I'm okay with that.  She's our little adventurer.  She has a huge imagination and sense of humor.  The only thing she has told us she wants to do when she grows up, is be on the show "Wipeout!"  I love her. :)