Where did she get that from?

Apparently this look is genetic.

Crawling into our hearts, Take 2

So, here's some video of Ava actually crawling. She still flops onto her belly a lot, but she's really getting around!

How quickly the years pass, Christmas Edition

Every year I have certain pictures I take of Carter and now Ava. Look here to see the fall edition.

Christmas 2007

christmas 2008

christmas 2009

Merry Christmas

We must have been pretty good this year because..........

Santa came! (Or as Carter told Eddie "Wake up dog. Santa's here!")

Ava recieved many presents this year including: a doll stroller, her very first cabbage patch doll, clothes, hair bows, a baby christmas book and a glow worm.

Daddy, I love this outfit!

Daddy loves his drill! (and saw. and flashlight. and sander. and jigsaw.)

Look, it's a Sesame street RV, complete with a canoe, raft and campfire.

Carter also recieved a Thomas the train track set and a black and red train.

His stocking was stuffed. And so was his mouth!

I hope that you had a wonderful christmas, as well!

'Twas the Night before Christmas

The bells have been jangled.

Pictures have been taken.

Uncle Patrick has arrived.

And Eddie too. Lots of cookies have been eaten.

LOTS of cookies.

Santa's treats are ready. Merry christmas to all and to all a good night.

Public Service Announcement

Dosen't this cookie look delicious? It was our very first time making a sunbutter blossom (instead of peanut butter) due to peanut sensitivities. They taste delicious. Then Mike and I took a peek at the inside and this is what we found:

Sunbutter turns green!!! Despite the green coloring they really taste good. This was the last thing we expected! So just an FYI in case you feel like making sunbutter cookies.

(Sorry no festival of lights pictures. Forgot to bring a camera with batteries.)

Meet Fred

Carter's first snowman! He may be an itty bitty snowman, but he's got a lot of heart.

Mommy Brain

After my sister had my nephew she told me about a phenomenon called Mommy Brain. It starts out as pregnancy brain, so you assume it will go away. But after the kids arrive it just never leaves. For whatever reason, I have been having horrible Mommy brain lately. Here are my most recent incidents:

• Turned off the oven while I was baking lasagna for dinner. Believe it or not, dinner took A LOT longer than normal.
• While running errands I was supposed to bring coupons for dinner (so Carter's meal would be free.) I told Mike "Don't worry, they're in the car." Once we got to dinner to eat I realized I didn't have the coupons. So I ran back to the car to find them. Still no coupons. So we went home, and of course I found the coupons under the passenger seat in the car.
• Licked dishwasher detergent off my hand. Wouldn't recommend it.
• While making sugar cookies I looked everywhere for the rolling pin. I looked in the pot and pan cabinet. nope. Then under the oven. nada. How about the lazy susan? no. The china hutch? still no. Then I called in the big guns. Mike can you help me? We checked in every cabinet in our kitchen, tore apart the pantry and we even glanced through the toy room. And still no rolling pin. Finally Mike said, You did check the kitchen utensil drawer, right? Well, no I hadn't. And the rolling pin was right there, nestled in the most obvious spot in the kitchen.
• After going to the Lionel Ritchie concert with Mike, I left my purse in his car. Mike then proceeded to take his car to work the next day (how dare he!!). Which then stranded me at home that day with no keys to my car or a wallet.
• Put Ava into Carter's car seat. Then I about had a heart attack when I went to get her out of her car seat and she wasn't there!

And today, all I can say is Wow. This one takes the cake indeed. In the morning I stopped at Kroger to pick up a few items. I always put my keys on my purse, get a shopping cart, unload the kids and then retrieve my purse. This way no one can run off with my purse while I'm busy unloading children with my head stuck in the car. But today I accidentally locked the doors threw my purse in the car and realized THE KIDS ARE LOCKED IN THE CAR!!!!! AHHHHHH!! A lady nearby called 911 for me and I waited outside the jeep so Carter could see me. He was acting a little edgy, but Ava just lost it. She cried and cried and cried for at least 20 minutes while we were waiting for the police. And of course, at this point Mama is crying too. Carter kept yelling my name and saying "open door." Finally the police officer arrived and started to work on the door. Carter started crying. He was very scared of the police officer and started yelling "bad guy." But once the locks were popped I held him and all was right with the world again.

Moral of the story: We are getting a magnetic hide a key and sticking it under the car. Except I probably shouldn't put that out on the internet for the whole world to see, so maybe we aren't. And we drive a little red honda, so just look for one of those. Anyways.......

Mike has grounded me. Which is ok, because I'm not sure if I should be allowed out with the kids right now until my brain returns. Although we are considering going to zoo lights tomorrow, so Mike wants me to call him before I leave the house for a full checklist.

Is this because I'm getting old? I guess almost 29 isn't really that old, but come on. If I keep progressing at this rate I'm going to be in a retirement home by the time I'm 35.

We are accepting donations for my brain transplant.

(And don't worry more cute pictures of the kids to come tomorrow after festival of lights!)

Christmas Walk at Neiderman Farm

Today we visited a wonderful farm that has a christmas walk. It is a half mile paved path that gives you "a walk thru the bible." There are painted scenes from the bible including the creation, Moses parting the Red Sea, Daniel and the Lions Den all the way through the Nativity and finally to the Crucifixation and the Ascension. There was also a wooden Ark, life size nativity, and many statues. It is lit with thousands of christmas lights. We really had a special night there and enjoyed every second.

Carter and Mommy checking out the Ark.

Daddy and Carter in front of the Nativity set.

Ava gazing adoringly at her brother. And by the way, the only parts of her body she could move were her head and toes.

At the end of the lighted christmas walk, there was a large heated building to enjoy (free!) hot cocoa and cookies (which we did not enjoy due to peanut issues.) There were also two barns with pigs, sheep, bunnies, grouse (at least that's what Mike thinks they were), chickens, llamas, horses, goats, and donkeys. If you are ever down here for the holiday season you must enjoy this (free!) evening. We'll definetely be going back.

Snow Day

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful

and since we've no place to go

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Oh, it dosen't show signs of stopping and I've brought some corn for popping

and since we've no place to go

Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Let it Snow!

Ava's first snow!

Today was Ava's first snow! Well, at least the first snow that had a little bit of accumulation. She was pretty indifferent to the snow, which then turned to dislike when it made her wet and cold. Little Ava is eight months old in this picture. And the reason I mention this is because........

here is her brother in his first snow. Carter is only three months old in this picture and strangely, they look about the same size!

Baking Extravaganza Take Two!!

Today was sugar cookie day. Carter helped with the sprinkles and boy was there ever a mess when that was over. But it looked like christmas, that was for sure. I don't know if we'll make all the cookies I had in mind before christmas, but we're sure going to try. What cookies have you been making? Gluten free ones I imagine, mmmm yum.

Purple Striped Twins

I love being twinkies!

My first haircut

I had my first haircut today. I really don't know how I feel about it yet. Mommy loves it, she thinks I look so beautiful without my mullet. Daddy really didn't want it to happen, but we all know how Mommy can be. Mommy just gave me a little trim around the bottom, and the mullet is gone!

Beautiful little girl hair. Mullet-less. Spectacular. And don't worry, no hair on the top of my head was harmed during my hair cut.

Santa's Little Helpers

Today we started our baking extravaganza with gingerbread cookies. Carter's job was to roll the cookies in sugar and drop them on the baking pan.

Avery's job was to sit and look cute. Which she did very well, which I might add.

Can you tell which cookies had a little "help" ?

Gingerbread cookies are officially finished, so onto sunbutter oatmeal, sunbutter blossoms, sugar cookies, rice krispie treats and my favorite chocolate chip cookies.

And Mike has so kindly volunteered to bake my cookie cake this year for my birthday. So wish him lots of luck!

Ta Da

Hi Mom! Do you like my lips? I found a little lip gloss and Ta Da! Now I look fabulous!




Don't worry, I shared with A.

Guess that Quote!

"I got a lot of problems with you people!"

Pardon the orange cheeks, we just got done devouring some carrots.

Happy 8 months!

Happy Eight Month Birthday Avarooni! It is amazing how much has happened to you this past month, you were a very busy girl. Here are the highlights:

• Your first wedding and first trip to Pittsburgh
• Your first Thanksgiving (did not enjoy the mashed sweet potatoes)
• Your first two teeth broke through (on the bottom)
• You started army crawling
• You started saying Da da
• You tried finger foods: biter biscuts and puffs (which you definetely enjoy)

I can't wait to see what the next month brings!

We love you so much!

An ode to the browns

Carter was very excited about the recent browns win over the Steelers (it's been like seven years now?) In fact this is the first time the browns have beaten the Steelers since Carter was born.

In fact Carter was so excited he has decided he is going to wear his browns shirt kind of indefinetely.

Daddy put his "football" shirt on yesterday to go to Meme and Bob-Bob's house. He refused to take it off to go to sleep (so he wore it to bed with red gym shorts.) Then in the morning when he woke up he refused to take it off for Mighty Max. So this shirt is going on 24+ hours of wear. I'm going to tell Meme that when she puts him to bed tonight it MUST COME OFF. For reasons of hygiene of course, not because I dislike the shirt or anything.

(That's right Meme is putting the kids to bed tonight so we can go out to dinner and Mike's christmas party. We'll get to hear Lionel Ritchie perform.)

crawling into our hearts

Ava has something to say!

Listen to Ava! And ignore her brother in the background. He was really enjoying snack.

Carter claus

Daddy: Carter, what does Santa say:

Carter: Ho, Ho, toys.

Christmas books and toys everywhere need to be rewritten.

Are you sure I'm not in a pop commercial?

Carter is starting to learn some very smooth persuasion techniques. He dosen't usually take no for an answer and I'm pretty sure than he would make an awesome lawyer or marketing executive or even car salesman. And today he demonstrated that skill. I was drinking my morning pop and he was intent on snagging himself some soda. Here is our conversation:

C: Carter pop?
M: Pop is only for Mommies and Daddies, Carter.
C: pop nice.
M: Yes, it is nice.
C: pop good.
M: um hum.
C: pop cold.
M: yes it is.
C: pop yummy.
M: yes.
C: Carter pop?
M: Nope. Nice try, though.

So we may need to put him to work on the next big marketing campaign. He would rock. Seriously, I'm pretty sure that his grandparents would have crumbled under the pressure. We already know that Meme has given him ginger ale, she must be on the naughty list.

Do you need a little christmas?

I took some christmas pictures of the kids yesterday, and I thought you might enjoy the results.




Experimenting with christmas ornaments.

Loving on the christmas tree.

Christmas twosome. Can you believe Carter let Ava get this close to him? I can't.