Something Sort Of New For Breakfast

My boys LOVE oatmeal and it is so good for them. I have been reading about steel cut oats and how it is just heartier and more filling. It is quite a bit more expensive than regular oatmeal but is definitely worth it based on how good it turned out! If you are in a hurry you can make it the night before but it takes 30-45 minutes so you should give yourself time and plan it if you want to make it. I just boiled 4 cups of milk and added 1 cup of the steel cut oats and simmered it after adding the oats! I also chopped some apple and added that at the end along with a little brown sugar and cinnamon and it was great and both boys ate a big bowlful! Glad we tried it!

Happy Valentines Day!

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Jack had a party in his classroom at school and came home with a ton of candy! For lunch I made them heart shaped PB&J, banana slices with hearts stamped in them and cherry yogurt and red juice! They liked it a lot and had fun eating their lunch. When I was visiting Gabriel this weekend he gave me a card and some chocolate so I thought that was it but he made me feel VERY special yesterday when these beautiful flowers showed up at our door and then when the mail came he surprised me with another card just so I could get one on Valentine's Day! I also got a very cute keychain I have been wanting from my father in law and a box of chocolate covered strawberries from my parents! Whew I sure felt loved yesterday and although I couldn't be with my Valentine I was with my young Valentine's and we had a great day!

Max Turns 2!!!

That's right you read it right.....our little guy turned 2 years old on Saturday! Its hard to believe its been that long but it has. Everyone told us not to blink cause they would be grown before we know it....so that means we better get going on number 3!!! Well OK not right now but soon....very soon. We want to be settled in Arkansas and have our lives established down there before we embark on that journey...again :) But when that time comes we are ready for another! Anyway back to my Max who turned 2.....we had a little get together at Gabriel's parents house in Helena Arkansas and of course daddy, mommy, Jackson (he says his name isn't Jack anymore), Maw Maw and Paw Paw were there but some other guests included Aunt Denise and Uncle Doug and their 4 grand kids Andrew, Trey, Preston , and Lexie, John, Lisa, Silas, and Sophie, and Mike D., Heather, Bethanie, and Rylan (who turns 2 himself tomorrow I think)! We had a good laid back time. We had an Elmo party since Max loves Elmo. He got some very cute gifts and we had cupcakes! We had a fun time and glad daddy could celebrate with his baby because I know he would have been very upset if he wasn't able to be with him.

A Trip To Arkansas.....

This past Friday I went to Arkansas with Jack and Max to my in laws house to see my husband. One week apart and it felt like a month! So after school Friday we came home and had lunch and hit the road. The trip is 5 hours and I made great time getting there and only had to stop one time. The boys did excellent! I got there about 7 and boy was it good to see my husband!! My parents were going to be out of town here in St. Louis so I decided since Max's birthday was Saturday we would go there and have a little celebration with daddy and Maw Maw and Paw Paw.

Sad Saturday But Lots of Fun

Today was the last full day before Gabriel leaves for Arkansas. He will leave tomorrow afternoon around 2. Very excited we are finally all healthy and we can move forward but not sure how its going to be. I will be fine since we stay fairly busy most of the time but I am sure when the boys are in bed and I am all alone at night on the couch....that's when its gonna hit :( Only four months, only four months, that's what I keep telling myself. Anyway....on a brighter note well not brighter really maybe on a colder note we got more snow this morning...about 4 inches. My husband told me today that he has NEVER built a snowman!!!! I mean I know hes from Arkansas and all but NEVER?? So we did!! We named him "The Boss" since hes over 6 ft tall! Those that know us well know that's a little inside joke Gabriel and I call each other too. Since the sun was shining and it was fairly nice out (hey 30 is a nice temp to us these days)we built him, chiseled some, sledded some and had a great time together! Here are some pics of our day. The large piece of ice in my hand is how thick all that icy sleet is underneath all of the snow!! We had fun!

shoveling sleet

Well the weathermen here in St. Louis had us going to the grocery store, buying salt, etc. in anticipation of a HUGE winter storm we were supposed to get Monday and Tuesday. We were all ready and then it sleeted and sleeted and we probably got a couple inches of sleet and maybe an inch of snow when we were expecting like a foot! So I was kinda mad seeing that it was day 5 or 6ish of being cooped up inside. I figured hey if its gonna snow a lot then now would be a great time! Have you ever shoveled sleet??? Neither have I but Gabriel chiseled away at the pathway you see in this video yesterday and then just now he and Jack went out to shovel and Jack to "help". Its only 5 degrees outside and its pretty difficult to shovel sleet! The end lol! I think he thought trying an actual shovel for the dirt would help....but I am not thinking it did! PS: my mother in law (who reads this) will be happy to know that the Flip video camera they gave me for my birthday is being put to good use these days! Also isn't the sun beautiful today??

Shaving....the tale of a boy and his razor

Being bored and stuck in the house has led us to spend a lot of time in the bathtub....well Jackson and Max anyway. Don't get me wrong a nice hot bath is OK every once in awhile but not my choice or Gabriel's. lol. Anyway in a long bath experience Jack wanted to pull out his Thomas razor and shaving cream. So we let them shave....

Books, Books, Books

Max has a new love. He has always enjoyed looking through books but finally wants us to read to him and ALL the time. Don't get me wrong there is nothing I would rather him do more but he is constantly throwing books in our laps saying "Book!" So along with wooden puzzles thats how we have spent a lot of these long, cold, sick, snowy days! His favorites are anything that has fur or textures and the most involve animals too! Some of his faves are Polar Bear Polar Bear, Brown Bear Brown Bear and Panda Bear Panda Bear. Jack has always loved and enjoyed books too so its nice to have them both sit and listen now.

Ok I am really back now and REALLY better!!

So when I posted that last post it was not the lovely new birth control pill causing me to be sick....I was still really sick. I just cannot get over how long that lingered in this house! I felt better yesterday but today I really am all the way better! Thank God! Max and Jack are both totally better and NO Gabriel isn't sick and hasn't gotten sick and has still lucked out! So after over 7 days of basically dealing with sickness we are bored to tears. Despite the 5 degree temperature outside today we are going to do some things. Maybe we will go to Borders, the gym (haven't been in 8 days!), and who knows what else! So that's just a little update!