Big Peteet Adventures

I am a Toddler

2012-02-08T13:50:00.004-05:00

Wednesdays are usually Archer's favorite day. Why? Because he get's to rock out like nobody's business at Kindermusik class with one of his favorite people, Mrs. Donnis (and me! I'm there too of course!) There's singing, dancing, instruments, friends, loudness, and sillyness. What toddler would not love such a weekly opportunity.

But this paticular Wednesday morning. Archer was happy playing in his room at his train table. I called him over to me so that I could put his shoes on.

"No." he firmly replied. (Poor child, he still thinks that's an appropriate answer to my commands. He will learn!)

Still being patient I called him over again and assured him he needed to get his shoes on so that we could go to his favorite thing, kindermusik.

"No," this time with dramatic head shaking.

Five minutes later of this charade I was holding him down while he cried as I crammed his shoes on. He kept yelling "train, train, train, no shoes, no shoes, no shoes."

Without any sympathy I wrestled him into the carseat threatening his life if he did not cooperate and off we went to Mrs. Donnis' Kindermusik class. At this point we were both in less than a party-like mood. But I knew once we got there he would have the time of his life even if it took him a while to get over his fit.

We pulled into the parking lot and his face lit up, "kinmusik, kinmusik, instamints (instruments), fun, fun!"

Frustrated and in my best I-told-you-so voice I said, "Archer, I have been telling you all morning that we were going to Kindermusik. That's why I wanted you to put your shoes on, so we could go."

And he did have fun. That boy seriously does rock out in class. And then the rest of the day he repeats, "Donnis, fun. Donnis, fun."

I put him down for a nap and opened my bible study and noticed this week was labeled, "control." Great. Let's learn about relequishing our plan and submitting to God's. Yikes.

Suddenly this morning's events played back like a movie except I was the 2 year old. I literally saw myself throwing a fit over God's plan. How many times have I been so distracted by the mild nuseance of putting on by shoes that I failed to see the purpose was so I could go somewhere great. Well, that number is not for public knowledge. Sufice to say, way too many.

And how many times have I been so content playing with the same old toys (good toys no less) at home that when God tries to move me to something new (and far beter) I hesitate because it was not my idea or I am fearful? If I could look up from my own personal desires (ultimate sign of a toddler) then I would see God was leading me into something far better, even if it does enatil a mundane car ride and getting out of my pajamas or even a little discomfort.

Fear, control, self-centeredness all describe my toddler and myself.

The remedy? Faith and submission.

Exodus 4:10
But Moses pleaded with the Lord, 'O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have bee, and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied and my words get tangled.' Then the Lord asked Moses, 'Who makes a person's mouth? Who decided whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see?' Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with youas you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.' But again Moses pleaded, 'Lord, please! Send someone else.'

Discovering Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T20:56:00.002-05:00

Through the grapevine I had heard that Thanksgiving was a big deal at Savannah's new school. Still, I had no idea the production in store for the kids and parents until I arrived and the annual Thanksgiving Day Festival.

Festivities began with Savannah's class reciting all of Psalms 100 in front of a sea of Native Americans spotted with a few pilgrims. That's right, all students, teachers, and some parents dressed the part for the day. Some of the costumes were very elaborate.

Then the kindergartners put on an adorable short play telling the story of Thanksgiving. And then we were sent off to learn and play.

The first stop for us was Thanksgiving art where they made authentic tie-dyed turkeys just like the pilgrims did! Just kidding, but it was a craft that Savannah greatly enjoyed. Here she is with her classmates and teacher.

The final product which now hangs on our fridge.

From there the class went to snack time where they learned about what the pilgrims probably ate that first Thanksgiving and were able to try a few new foods. Afterwards they got to Pet a few live animals and learn what the Native Americans and pilgrims would have used them. Thrown in there as well was storytime hosted by someone's grandmother who was absoulutly charming! She was the kind of woman you wanted to call Granny the first time you meet her even though she wasn't your granny.

At this point the children were on a pilgrim high and it was time to bring them back to the deeper meaning of the holiday, thanking God for all His amazing blessings. Music time served just that purpose with old hymns and modern praise songs. There is nothing more moving than a room full of children praising God with their voices. We adults stopped singing for a while and just took in the heavenly sound.

The last stop on this Thanksgiving train was game time which was highly entertaining for the parents. The kids played turkey dodge ball. Basically a group of kids were selected to be turkeys and had to stand in the middle of the circle by the tee pee. The other kids were the hunters and tried to nail them with the balls. Circular dodge ball! It looked more like a turkey slaughter house and had the parents laughing their heads off.

The game got so intense at one point I saw my usually non-athletic daughter pick up the whole bucket of balls and run with the chucking a new ball at her victims with each step!

The funniest part was when they played girls against boys and the girls were the turkeys. They all hid behind the tee pee (the parent in charge was smart enough to make this round uni-directional instead of circular). When is was the other way around we had to keep telling the boys that turkeys are not allowed to throw balls back at the hunters. Just more evidence that boys are meant to go out and hunt for our food (and use up some of that testosterone!) while girls are smart enough to figure out how to solve a problem and keep themselves safe.

With each field trip and event at Savannah's school I become ever more thankful for the opportunity to be apart. This place has been a true blessing!

New Heights

2011-08-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

This past summer Savannah conquered her hindering fear of heights and I could not be more proud of her. Last May the same girl who can be seen in the picture below scaling a 3 story high wall, would not walk up an open staircase.

In the picture above my nephew Burton is on the left (he just likes gliding down off the wall and who could blame him) and my niece, billy-goat-Ella is on the right conquering a difficult course with ease.

Below Savannah is on the left and Ella is on the right. My little climber made it just a few feet shy of the top (3 stories high!). Through several attempts she wore herself out by the time she developed the skill and courage to go higher. And she is determined next time she will make it all the way to the top to ring the bell.

Almost there...

Did I mention we were in Aspen during this triumph? Here we are at ACES on Archer's first hike where he fell into the lake. I knew beforehand it was only a matter of time. My guess was that he was going to fall into the River Walk in San Antonio the week before. Luckily he waited and fulfilled hi s destiny here.

Every summer since Savannah was 1 year old she has played in the little stream that runs through the downtown area of Aspen. You would think the being surrounded
by nature that a child could find more exciting things to occupy their time. Maybe the tiny stream is just their size. Who knows why, but kids love it. I couldn't find the pictures of Savannah when she was in the stream at age one but here she is at the age of 2.

And here are the kids this summer (we've added a few since the early picture). George wandered off and missed out on this picture but he joined us later.

Ella and Savannah...I hope they always remain close in spite of the miles.

All Aboard!

2011-08-08T16:11:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago my good friend Rachel and her son Dealey rode the train out to my house for a visit. I took a few shots us playing on the trains at the station but for some reason I never captured Dealey or Archer???? I am fairly sure they were with us.

Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-08-07T18:59:00.005-06:00

For today, Sunday August 7, 2011.

Outside my window...cicadas are announcing the extreme temperatures as if we had not noticed already. But the sun is setting and the mercury has dropped below 100 providing relief.

I am thinking...that I have not written a day book in months and have missed it. I romanticize the "simple life" and stay very busy trying to achieve it. Somehow this small weekly habit slows my run-away-train-brain down.

I am hoping...that all goes well when our new classes start at church. It just hit me tonight that I will have all high school girls by myself instead of just 11th and 12th grade. I'm sure God has a plan (perhaps someone waiting in the wings reading this now with a desire to work with youth??? Anyone???) but I must admit that I'm a little nervous. I love my small group of girls.

From the kitchen...shredded meat from grass-fed short ribs on open faced toasted sandwiches with blue cheese, arugula, and sauteed red onions in balsamic vinegar. Adjectives do not do this meal justice. And for dessert a summertime family tradition, lime ice cream made with hand-squeezed lime juice and fresh cream from local grass-fed cows. Yum.

I am creating...many things. This is the time of year I get a bit restless. My mantle has been redecorated, several things moved to new locations around the house, things are being recovered, painted over, and preparations are being made for large painting projects and removal of a wall or 2 depending on my mood. Mark is currently hiding the sledge hammer from me for fear of what he may find when he comes home from work. On a smaller scale, I just made 2 fun wreaths out of burlap at my friend Lee Ann's birthday party. Did you catch that? I got to go to an adult birthday party and make a craft that did not involve glitter! Good times.

I am thankful for...the busy summer we have had. We have been home very little with non-stop fun, family, friends, and travel. It's been an adventure but I am equally as glad to be home.

Around the house...one sweet little boy is sleeping (he's always sweet when he's asleep) and 2 other family members who shall remain nameless can be heard from across the house slurping up a second helping of ice cream. The slurps are audible.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Archer Edward Peteet picking blackberries June 2011 and savoring every bite.

In Search of Gators

2011-07-22T11:02:00.000-06:00

My dad, step-mom, and step-brother came to town a few weeks ago in search of gators. It seems everyone I know is obsessed with the show Swamp People. And who wouldn't be with cajuns, gators, and guns? We couldn't resist and old fashioned steamboat ride on Caddo to see if we could find a few swamp critters ourselves.

Archer was captivated by our boat and others passing by. He was oblivious to the captain's story telling and history lesson. But he enjoyed himself no less.

Savannah asked a million questions as usual (which if she had been listening to the captain instead of talking she would have heard the answer:) and was intrigued by the moss hanging from the cypress trees. She even got a chance to drive the steamboat for a bit.

We were lucky enough to be there when the lily pads bloomed and the smell was intoxicating. We didn't spot any alligators but I think we will try one of his Full Moon minnight rides and see what happens.

More Random Summer Fun

2011-07-21T11:18:00.011-06:00

Silliness with Daddy.

Savannah's new favorite spot to watch T.V.

Laughing at fireworks out at Papa's farm.

Could not care less about fireworks, loves only things with wheels.

Playing dress up and dancing in the living room.

Using a big boy swing instead of a toddler swing.

Savannah painted a picture of a photograph I took of her in our backyard under the grapevine.

Diving into the world of art through finger paint.

Marathon of Fun!

2011-06-20T19:02:00.000-06:00

After our Memorial Day weekend of fun (all of the pictures on are my mom's camera so I won't be posting them) we headed to my aunt's house for a few days. My sister, her kids, and my kids along with my grandparents and my mom all invaded my aunt Dot-Dean and Uncle Raymond's house. Great aunts and more cousins dropped in leading to an impromptu family reunion.

Although the kids loved swimming in the pool, I think fishing takes the cake as everyone's favorite memory from our trip. The younger kids seems to enjoy playing with the caught fish in the bucket more than catching them. Archer hovered over the bucket saying "pish, pish, pish, pish, pish..."

Before our trip my little man had made up his mind that he did not like water of any kind unless it was served as a beverage. This just would not do. We are warm-weather, water-loving people. His uncle Jeff tried to persuade him with a boat ride. We could hear him screaming from the other side of the lake.

Patience won out and eventually he settled down. Now LOVES boats, swimming, lakes, ponds, swimming pools, sprinklers, and anything else wet. This boy does nothing half way. It's all or nothing.

Our main goal while fishing with the kiddos was to keep them from falling in. You can imagine with all those little ones how ambitious we were with such a goal (all little ones are not pictured below. There were many.) Notice Ella in the far right hand corner trying to fall in at the same time Archer is trying to escape in a different direction?

Here is Savannah and my cousin Jeff fishing. I don't know where Savannah gets her competitiveness ;) but she wanted to catch the biggest fish every time. She dropped her bait lower and patiently waited for the big ones and was successful. She got a little hard core about it. The other kids would leave to swim and Savannah would hold her post. She even upgraded to a real rod and reel instead of a barbie pole.

This is my cousin's son Caden's first fish ever (my little cousin Justin's kid for those of you who remember him). His expression is adorable in this picture with his Grammy that he calls Mimi.

Mom, Dawn, and I took a sunset paddle boat ride. It's rare the 3 of us get a moment together without the kids.

Next up (as if we need more excitement than swimming, fishing, boat rides, grandparents, great grandparents, cousins, and farm animals) 4 wheeler and mule rides with cousin Jeff.

And then we all came inside and crashed. I do not think it would have been possible to squeeze one more fun thing in. We had such a great time that we decided to make it a yearly event. Luckily my aunt and uncle agreed!

Good Times

2011-06-16T06:40:00.004-06:00

Almost three weeks ago I picked Savannah up from her last day of school (which I cried like a baby with the teacher because we will be moving on to a new school next year) on our way out of town. And we have been on a Grand Tour ever since.

Ample photographs have been taken to document this marathon of fun but I have no idea if I will ever have time to post them (our marathon of fun has yet to end!). So here is a brief recap.

Say goodbye to friends, teachers, and school, cry all the way to Dallas (me, not Savannah) visit with family, cousins, siblings, limo rides, fancy dinner, shopping, giggles, cooking, cooking, and more cooking (lot's of folks means lots of food) kids playing, kids crying, swimming, date night, still out of town at this point but moving on to next location, mini family reunion, swimming, fishing, extended cousins, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles, 4 wheelers, laughter, visiting, sewing with my grandmother, learning from my elders, kids crying, cousins sharing (notice sleep is not listed), say goodbye, drive to family reunion for Mark's side, camping, more cousins, dirty happy kids, farm living, swimming in a pond, fishing, sun, 4 wheelers (Archer's favorite), good friends, relaxing, lawn chairs, and then home for 36 hours.

Back to Dallas, more visiting with family (we are on week 2 at this point), sister shopping, fun with Cindy, late night chats, up early with Arch, swimming, cooking, kids playing with cousins, my sister and I get our business up and running, wean Archer (sniff sniff), visit with more family, and then back home. Wedding an 1 1/2 hours away, lot's of family, good times, back home, birthday party, decorate for vacation bible school, (we are on week 3 now) then a week of teaching crafts for 150 kiddos, set up new business for myself (I have an office for private counseling now! woohoo!).

I think that brings us up to date. Did you catch all that? If not here is a summary: lot's of fun and visiting with cherished friends and family, no sleep.

Sisters at Play

2011-06-14T12:50:00.006-06:00

For as long as I can remember my sister and I have wanted to into business together. We dreamed of opening up various shops, restaurants, tea rooms, and bed and breakfasts. But childhood dreams seems unreasonable once we became adults and over 2,000 miles separated us.

Amongst the mounds of laundry and dirty diapers that this stage of family life brings my sister and I found ourselves in desperate need of a creative outlet, time together, and a chance to use our brain for more than schedule planning. So Sisters at Play was born and we now have a shop on etsy.com.

As of right now we have sun catchers for sale but we have other products made and in the works that will be added later this summer. If you haven't heard of sun catchers you should check them out. They can be used in a sunny window or as yard art. I love them because they are fun, whimsical and unexpected no matter where you put them.

My friend and graphic artist, Rachel Maples created our logo, tags, and business cards which we are very happy with. She is also the creator the banners on my other site, eatingthegoodlifewithchristinapeteet.com.

Here are a couple of examples of our work. To view our store and learn more about our products click here.

You cannot imagine how gorgeous this amber stone looks in sun light. I kind of hope this one doesn't sell so I can keep it!

Handcrafted with a dose of nostalgic style and a touch of modern whimsy.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-05-23T19:16:00.005-06:00

For today May 23, 2011.

Outside my window...the air is as thick as butter. At times you think it's beginning to rain but in reality its just the feeling of humid air on your skin. But I'm not complaining, I love this time of year.

Around the house...children are drifting off to peaceful sleep.

From the kitchen...homemade pizza requested by the family. It's not something we make often but man is it good! We also had a spinach salad with farm fresh ingredients.

I am thankful for...bedtime rituals. Stories, questions, discussing of the day, giggles, and cuddles are a great way to end the day.

I am reading...a book by Zig Ziggler and a book about being the mom God wants you to be. I've read so many informative things over that last few months that I thought I would take a break and check out some fiction from the library. Instead, I turned to these books. Maybe I will try a magazine over the holiday weekend.

I am creating...curtains for Archer's room, finally. Soon I will begin an art project to be hung over my desk. We began the process of remodeling our office over a year ago but this wall space has stood blank. An idea struck yesterday afternoon and the necessary items are now being collected.

One of my favorite things...old friends. My childhood friend Rachel come out to visit be this past weekend. We met in church at the age of 3 and are still able giggle like 3 year olds when we are together. She sat in on my Sunday school class and as the girls spoke we would catch each other's eyes and smirk both going back to the same memories from our teenage years.

A few plans for the rest of the week...welcoming in summer!!!

Here is a picture I am sharing with you...

Archer Edward and his living name-sakes.
Mark's dad, William Edward, Mark Edward, Archer Edward, and my grandfather, Gene Archer. The Edward name continues back more generations on Mark's side. On my side I also have a nephew and cousin whose middle names are Archer in honor of my grnadfather.
Little Arch (or little Ed as his Papa calls him) is blessed not only to be named after great men but he is also blessed to be raised around great men.
Can you tell from the picture that Mark's dad is smitten with this boy?

Senior Sunday

2011-05-15T19:17:00.004-06:00

Today was senior recognition day at our church. All of our high school graduating seniors stand in front of the church while our youth pastor lists their accomplishments followed by their hopes and dreams. My job as their Sunday school teacher is to hand them a gift from our church and then I give them a big hug and try not to cry.

At the end of my first year of teaching 12th grade girls I found my inaugural senior recognition Sunday to be a little emotional. I had only one year to get to know these girls but in that time they left a huge impression on me. We are talking about gifted young ladies who love the Lord so much that He shines from them through all their God-given talents. Beautiful, beautiful young ladies. Inside and out. I still miss them.

You could say the next year was a little harder because I had more time with this group. And the year after that... even tougher. I squeezed one of my past seniors who was home from college today so hard that she squeaked!

These young ladies bless me so much that I almost feel selfish in teaching them each week. They are at an age that we can discuss real issues and sometimes they take me deeper than I had planned. And other times we giggle and talk about hair and make-up!

The one blessing I didn't expect from teaching is the wisdom I obtain from their parents. What a great spot for a young mom to view godly parenting. I glean wisdom from the parenting of these girls as they talk about how they were raised, life at home, and I even learn from the things they complain about. The products of 18 years of parenting sit before me and I take notes!

Yesterday I saw another group move on. The 9 & 10th grade Sunday school teacher and I often combine our classes and do fun things together from time to time. Because of that I have had the opportunity to hang out with these girls since they were freshman. Through slumber parties, shopping trips, and Sunday school I have been able to share the past 4 years with them. Now they are moving on.

I'm excited to continue to watch these ladies grow into amazing women. But, I am starting to think this yearly graduation thing is not going to get an easier.

Show Stoppers

2011-05-01T20:22:00.005-05:00

In the excitement and busyness of so many wonderful events at once I've failed to post pics of Savannah's dance recital. She took tap, ballet, and jazz but with much wisdom her dance teacher decided one costume change per recital was enough for 6-year-olds. So they had two numbers in the show, one tap and one jazz. Savannah however is very excited to add ballet to the show next year because that means one more "beautiful costume!"

I love these pictures of Savannah and her good buddy. I think most of my pics last year were of these two together.

Jazzing it up!

Back stage.

My little dancer made a lot of progress this year and we are very proud of her. She inherited my coordination but with hard work and prayer we think she will overcome it. :)

Davy Crockett has replaced Barbie

2011-04-26T19:09:00.000-05:00

I spent much of last week marinating in Texas history, politics, and pride. One might think this is because I went to Austin to testify in favor of the raw milk bill (details here). But in reality my participation in state politics was only a small part of it.

Savannah has been learning about Texas history in school this past month, just in time to coincide perfectly with a trip to the capitol. Now I have always been a lover of all things historical but even I cannot fathom how they have taught Texas history to this age group in a way that Davy Crockett has now surpassed Barbie in a young girl's heart.

Savannah fell in love with Austin and the capitol building. Every cannon we passed she asked if it was from the Battle of Gonzales where the Texas Revolution started. If you don't know the story of that famous cannon, google it cause I'm not telling it again!

We spent 11 hours at the capitol building last Wednesday. In between site seeing and waiting to testify we spent time on the beautiful grounds outside. We even had a tree that was "our" tree to hang out under. I think that's when you know you have been there too long.

Representative Brian Hughes welcomed us with open arms to Austin. He even gave Savannah his business card and when we walked away she said, "I am a six-year-old kindergartner and I have Representative Brian Hughes card. How cool is that!"

Savannah even bonded with one of his staff members. She helped to make it a good experience for Savannah.

I was suppose to testify for the bill sometime after 4 but the session ran long and I did not testify until 11pm. At that point things around the capitol kind of slow down and Savannah started feeling right at home. She was never bad and was even more patient than myself at times. Eventually our committee hearing started and she fell asleep in my lap. After testifying I carried her 300 or 400 yards to the car at almost midnight...in heels.

The next day we went to the Texas State History Museum which was wonderful! Show me another museum where kids learn to ride side saddle!

And it was the museum's 10th birthday so everyone got in free.

After reading every monument and children's book about the Texas revolution we drove home listening to The Yellow Rose of Texas, The Eyes of Texas are Upon You, And Deep in the Heart of Texas ALL the way home. All the way. By the last hour of the trip I started feeling like I needed a little time in Colorado! No seriously, our girls trip was a blast.

Easter Fun

2011-04-25T08:27:00.001-05:00

We could not have asked for a better Easter. Saturday morning our church held it's big annual Easter egg hunt. Before the hunt the children gathered on the set of our Easter drama, The Sacrifice and listened to our pastor tell the true story of Easter and what it means to us. Everything around them looked like Jerusalem and the cross was before them. I pray that my children will someday understand the joy I have on Easter Sunday which has nothing to do with bunnies, eggs, or pretty dresses. For now they are content to listen and ask questions.

Easter morning we attended church and were fortunate to have my in-laws with us. The sermon was excellent, grounding, and inspiring. My Sunday school class however was a different story. Whose idea was it to have prom the night before Easter? My girls are champions for even coming to Sunday school the day after prom (they were all drinking red bull bless their hearts!).

After church we had a wonderful lunch of grass-fed all natural ham from Shady Grove Ranch (it was wonderful!), salad greens and radishes from our CSA, a homemade buttermilk dressing for the salad (my favorite! I think I'll put the recipe on my food blog soon), green beans, biscuits made with freshly ground flour that had been soaked and fermented, and deviled eggs brought by the in-laws.

Then of course we hunted eggs!

There were some out in the open for Archer and other hidden well for Savannah. Archer found the first one and was content to sit down and play with it. Papa helped him along though and then Archer got the hang of it.

After the egg hunt Mark and Savannah got their guitars out and Archer played under the table. Mark would play something and Savannah would try to play along. Strumming the wrong notes she would stop and try to tune the guitar saying, "I don't think my guitar has that tune." It was pretty funny.

All in all we had a beautiful day.

Vocabulary

2011-04-18T19:56:00.004-05:00

Archer's oral vocabulary as of today.

Car-ee (car-must be repeated 3,000 times per day)
Truck (again, must be repeated 3,000 times per day and anytime an engine is heard. This includes mowers, planes, helicopters, and blowers.)
Ball
Cat
Dog (followed by "oof oof" for the bark)
Down-ee (meaning I want down or up)
Ma ma (momma)
Drink
More (You can't take a bite of anything without him noticing and wanting more.)
Hair-ee
Oar-ee (orange)
Ear
Eye
Toy (means tree, not toy)
Stick
what-is-it (more sung than said, as one word. Can also mean where is it. And very cute)
Ow (as if in pain but it really means meow. Usually used when speaking to a cat.)
Bye (actually meaning "bite" as in, he wants a bite of what you are eating)
Boo

This post is more for my documentation than your interest. 20 years from now I want to still remember every sweet word.

In the picture above Archer discovered water in the bottom of an open cooler where I had made yogurt. This was followed by an outfit change in dryer clothes. Good clean fun!

Podcast 2

2011-04-06T10:27:00.004-05:00

Our second podcast is finally up! It's been ready for a week but I was having techinical difficulties. Like Savannah in the previous post, I am humbled daily with the fact that I am not the best at everything. And nothing will knock me on my rear end quicker than a mischevious computer.

Listen now.

One Last Winter Dash

2011-04-05T07:00:00.012-05:00

Savannah has been begging to go to Colorado all winter so we headed to Aspen for spring break.

Our first adventure took us to Buttermilk where the big kids to skied (Savannah, Ella, and Burton) and I hung out at the bottom of the mountain with the babies (George and Archer). Burton hung out with us for a bit while waiting for his turn to ski.

Savannah was frustrated that she was not an instant pro at sking. To make matters worse, her little cousin Ella was a pro zipping down the mountain. However Ella lives across the street from Buttermilk and has been taking weekly ski lessons and that was difficult for Savannah to understand. I am hoping to get Savannah into a ski class of her own next time.

Post-sking is a good time to do yoga with your Grandma. The babies were cracking me up as they joined in.

Savannah, Burton, and Arch hanging out.

Next Savannah tried rock climbing and was equally frustrated. You would not believe how high Ella can go. After watching Ella, Savannah thought it would be easy and was again dissapointed. But since we have been home she has talked about it a lot and I think she is ready to try it again. Humbling experiences are good and she is learning that she can't be the best at everything.

Savannah was more than excited to go swimming a few times over the week (because she is good at that). Arch however was not too sure about it at first. Once we found a peacfull cove in the lazy river he settled in and even enjoyed himself.

Per Savannah sledding was her favorite.

The trip ended by Grnadma and I taking all 5 kids back to Texas with us. But before we left Colorado we spent the afternoon with my grandparents. The kids would have liked to have had more time. At least summer is just around the corner!

Polka Dot Frenzy!

2011-03-28T17:27:00.007-05:00

We lucked out this year with not having to do a character themed birthday party. Per Savannah's request the decor was to include lot's of bright colors and polka dots. Sounds like fun to me!

While we were in Aspen for spring break, Mark was home building a wooden playset complete with fort and swings. To be clear, he built this from scratch. There was no kit. This new toy provided the focal point for Savannah's old fashioned and simple backyard birthday party.

An egg toss and potato sack race completed the agenda.

Notice that it was an amazingly beautiful day with warm weather and sweet scented wisteria on our arbor blooming just in time to frame the party. A breeze gently blew every now and then awakening the wind chimes while children happily entertained themselves (aka wore themselves out so the adults could get a break).

It was a good party!

Savannah herself was dressed in bright polka dots and an unusual bow. Someone said it looked like something out of Dr. Seuss. I totally agree. What could be more Savannah?

An Offering of Love

2011-03-23T17:04:00.003-05:00

He gathered the three monetary items that were most precious to him. These treasures were his sentimental favorites out of all the things the Lord had blessed him with. And without hesitation he offered them one by one in hopes of showing his undying affection for another living being. Will his offereing be accepted?

He gently laid the DVD player remote and the cats paws followed by the most important and fought over universal white remote. Lastly, little Archer presented his biggest sacrifice. He gave Chicory his special blankie, Archer Bear. His eyes said, "I love you." as his actions echoed the message.

Once all the offerings were laid at Chicory's feet, Archer then laid his own head down on the cat and just loved on him. And now we have turned a new page with the relationship of these two. Chicory has accepted him as another buddy like his good pal Savannah. Archer has been upgraded from foe to a friend whom Chicory and curl up in his lap (albeit for a short time) and snuggle. Some how this peace offering made up for the tail pulling, slapping, screaming, and other abuse Chicory was once subjected to.

I'll try to capture some of their sweet moments soon with the camera.

By the way, Archer has never offered up the remotes to me. Should I be worried?

Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-03-08T14:49:00.003-05:00

For today, March 7th, 2011.

Outside my window...the weather is contemplating it's mood. Spring or winter? The birds are casting their vote by song. I'm pretty sure it's spring.

Around the house...Archer is napping Praise the Lord. All is quiet (except for the birds outside), the house is clean and tidy for the most part, and my washing machine awaits the maintenance man. This is why the house is tidy because there is no laundry sitting around waiting to be put up. It is still all neatly stowed in hampers.

I am thankful for...choices. I have the pleasure of deciding if I will eat healthy or not, what school is best for my children, where I want to go to church, and a million other things. Sometimes the choices we have in life are overwhelming. I feel blessed to have enough to be overwhelmed with.

From the kitchen...homemade broth has been labeled and stored in neat containers the freezer and leftover homemade enchiladas await the dinner hour.

I am reading...nothing! I desperately need a trip to the library but until then there are several things that I am researching on the Internet that are occupying my spare time.

I am creating... my new website still. The bones of it are up but it has no bling. A cheetah wall hanging is in the works for Archer's jungle room. And I recently finished my first embroidery job by hand. Oh, and I am creating the plan for Savannah's birthday present and party.

I am laughing at...Savannah wanting to serve a large bowl of scrambled eggs at her birthday party. That girl is a hoot in her culinary ideas. She has been following me around with recipe books for weeks! I see event planning in her future.

Here is a picture thought for you...

We recently had a family party at my mom's. Every time I turned around Archer had talked someone into giving him more blueberries. I assure you we were seeing blue the next day.

Real Day Dreams

2011-03-02T09:55:00.002-05:00

Yesterday afternoon Archer and I could be found hanging out in the kitchen. Up from his afternoon nap and past nursing/cuddle/wake-up time we still found ourselves together. I was holding him as he stuck his favorite "Archer Bear Blanket" in my mouth and then let out a sweet baby belly laugh. Then we would wrap his arms around me and sink his head into my chest in a deep hug as if he could not love on me enough and I on him. And then we repeated the process several more times as warming sunshine poured through the kitchen window. The moment was so perfect and sweet I almost expected a care bear to come flying through the window at any moment.

At that point I noticed my ipod was still playing random tunes from my library and Canon in D filled the air.

I can't help but think of weddings when I hear this song. Although it was not played at my own wedding, I have heard it at no less than 25 weddings and that's probably an underestimation.

I looked at Archer who was in my arms nose to nose with me smiling and realized that these are the moments a bride dreams of on her wedding day and I am blessed enough to live out past day dreams.

There is nothing better than your wedding day when you get to marry the man of your dreams. You wonder if you will have kids. Which one of you will they look like? Will you stay home with them? And will it all be so wonderful and perfect like a dream?

Perfect? Um, no. Wonderful? Oh, yes!

Later, Savannah came home from school and we all played outside. She gladly accepted leadership and patiently helped her brother go down the slide 30 times. As the sun set low behind their heads, their blond hair lit up like halos framing smiles and laughter. And once again I thought back on all the things I dreamed of on my wedding day and thanked God.

And finally last night no one got sleep at all in this house. Not even Savannah who never wakes up in the middle of the night. Right now I would say I am going on 3 hours of rest. It was just a fluke I guess and evidence that life is not perfect nor a fairy tale. But if you can miss out on sleep and still get up and blog about how great it is, then I would say it's all pretty darn good!

Up and Running!!!

2011-02-17T13:28:00.001-05:00

My new site is up and running!!! Okay, maybe I should say my new site is up and jogging. Maybe even just briskly walking. Either way, it is up! Hey, you've got to start somewhere right?

Pop on over and browse around. There is a new blog post along with all the old posts from this blog. And new things will be added daily as I continue to build this site.

We will be recording our first podcast next week so be sure to check out the "contact" section and leave any comments or questions you may have.

eatingthegoodlifewithchristinapeteet.com

Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-02-13T21:11:00.004-05:00

For today, Feburary 13, 2010.

Outside my window...an annoying dog is barking into the night.

I am thankful for...Mark and I's time away by ourselves the past couple of days. We were blessed with many laughs, random, deep, and productive conversations, and relaxation.

I am creating...a birthday present for my husband which I shall report on later, a new creative business with my sister, and professional website for me from scratch that will include recipes, a blog, and podcasts. All three projects are slated to be completed and/or up and running by the end of the week! And I have no idea how that is going to happen :)

I am reading... 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter by Vicki Courtney on the topic of raising a christian daughter in todays world. IT IS WONDERFUL! And I am grateful to be reading this now long before we even face the tween years. I HIGHLY recommend this book!!! The only drawback is that it makes you face your own issues which is good...but kind of a bummer. Isn't denial a great place to live (read sarcasim in that statement). For example, your daughter will read into your insecurities and likely develop them herself such as weight issues or the desire to be popular at all cost. I borrowed the book from the library but it would probably be worth buying and rereading every couple of years as Savannah moves on to the next stage of life.

From the kitchen...absaloutely nothing since we have been out of town. Tommorow's agenda will include a trip to the store. And with our family's schedule this week the menu will likely include simple dishes.

Around the house...bags await unpacking, cats are begging to be fed (Mark is at the store now getting food for the poor fur balls), children are nestled in bed hopefully sleeping, and I am thinking that it's a bit like the calm before the storm.

One of my favorite things...working out. It's funny, when Mark and I use to spend time away at a hotel it was about relaxing and doing nothing. Now with two kids it's like, "hey, we can actually go work out on out own schedule!" What a luxury!!! I am enjoying my aching muscles right now with much thanksgiving.

A few plans for this week...Muffins with Mom at Savannah's school, Valentines fun and school stuff, lot's of exciting work projects, learning an insane amount of new information, researching, family get togethers, the kids normal activities, and lots of prayer as I look over a completely packed week in my day planner. But it's all good stuff so I'm not complaining!

For more daybooks visit thesimplewomansdaybook@blogspot.com

P.S. This post was a quickie so there was no proof reading!

The Power of 10

2011-01-18T08:10:00.002-05:00

When children with a life threatening illness are asked what one thing they wish for by the Make a Wish Foundation, do you know what is requested most often? It's Disney World of course! You guys know I am a Disney World fan so what else would the answer be? :)

Give Kid's The World is the organization that makes those wishes happen. Terminally ill children have so many medical problems that just picking up and heading to a hotel in Florida is not an option. They need special care for medications, extra tubes, and mobility issues just to name a few.

Give Kids The World is the most amazing place and more like a theme park than a hotel. They have stated that they like to be a place of "yeses" for kids who live in a world of "no". If you want ice cream for breakfast so be it! They even have characters from Disney World and Universal come to the resort and just love on the kids. There are several stories about children who were taken there to have a wish fulfilled who were not expected to live through the visit. Apparently this happens quite often. But once they arrive their spirits are lifted so high that they end up living several more months or even winning their battle with illness.

I have heard about this organization for years and have wanted to do something to support them. But with so many worthy causes in need, I never got around to donating. A new fundraising initiative has just been started called The Power of 10. A group of disney fans started this effort once they visited Give Kids The World and saw the inspiring work they do there. Once I heard more about this organization and saw the easy way they have set up to donate I got motivated to help.

So here is the deal, I have committed to getting 10 people to donate $10. The goal of The Power of 10 is to get 10,000 people to make this commitment so they can raise 1 MILLION DOLLARS for Give Kids The World!

Donating is easy! All you do is text the word DISGKTW to 50555 and you will automatically donate $10. Please let me know via a comment here or by email if you donate so I know that I have gotten 10 people. And please, please, please feel free to contact 10 more people and so on.

Click here for more information. Be sure to watch the short video that gives some background information about Give Kids The World. She doesn't take cheap shots at making you cry like an infomercial but it is very interesting. For example, last year they were deemed to most fiscally responsible charity in America! That means the money donated goes to the kids not "administration costs".

Don't forget to let me know if you donate!

Let the Info Flow!

2011-01-16T20:52:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am blogging again on Eating The Good Life after a long hiatis.

Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-01-10T14:55:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...pure white snow coats my neighborhood and somehow it seems to have silenced the world. I hear no birds, children, neighbors, squirrels, or even dogs.

I am thinking...that I should have had more for lunch than just a bowl of homemade Moroccan carrot soup. Don't get me wrong it was delicious but my stomach is telling me that one should not consume that large of an amount of pureed veggies at once. It might have been wise to have a cup of that soup with something else instead of a bowl. Oops. I think I actually had 2 servings.

Around the house... a sweet boy is sleeping and a snow-enthused little girl is off to school. Meanwhile a camping tent fully erect in the living room sits waiting for children to fill it again.

From the kitchen...well no more carrot soup that's for sure. Tonight we will have leftover homemade enchiladas and fresh organic salad greens from a local garden.

One of my favorite things...is the smell of my baby. The only thing that can top that is the smell of my baby after my grandmother (either one) has been holding him (or "her" when Savannah was little). Then that little bugger was double the sentimental smell.

I am reading...Restore. Recycle. Repurpose. Create a Beautiful Home by Randy Florke. There are so many of you out there that I think about when I read this book. One can be "green" and go out and purchase eco-friendly decor which is expensive. Or even better one can be resourceful and thrifty and use things already around or found and as a result have an even better and most unique look. What fun would it be if all our houses looked like Pottery Barn anyway. Funky us way better!

I am creating...a refreshed look for the house. I have an innate characteristic in my personality that causes me to get restless now and then. The treatment is to shake things up a bit. Also in the works is my favorite January tradition...vacation planning. Right now we are looking into one of the French Caribbean islands. We are warm weather folk so that combined with awesome french food sounds like a winner to us! Can I go now? I'm really cold.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you.

The hammock in front of Foxy's on Jost Van Dyke where Mark and I spent a relaxed evening pre-kids.

Okay. Now, here are the stats...

2011-01-06T13:51:00.002-05:00

My last post was cut short by none other than the featured character. Belated, here is the run down of Archer at age one.

Favorite food: sweet tators

Least favorite food: chicken unless it is fresh and very spicy. Moroccan chicken seems to be the best bet chicken wise.

Favorite books: "Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You?" "Peek-a-boo I Love you" and "The Rhythm of My Day" The later 2 are books from Savannah's Kindermusik days. Every morning Archer and I read books for about an hour. And each one he hands to me with a giggle and then begins rocking back and forth almost dancing with excitement as I open the first page.

Favorite place: outside.

Favorite toy: a blanket with a stuffed animal attached that Esther (our neighbor) gave him. It's his lovey and he cannot sleep without it. After getting a whiff of this over-loved toy, my Dad's wife nicknamed it staphylococcus bear. We do try to wash it regularly but sometimes the smell of baby love lingers.

Favorite song: anything from kindermusik.

Favorite instrument: shakers. He can shake a shaker forever. If he begins to get restless in the grocery store then all I have to do is find a food item to pose as a shaker and he is good to go!

Favorite game: peek-a-boo. He can and does play this all day long. And this is the only way I get a daily shower in. I place Archer in the exersaucer and occasionally pop out from behind the shower curtain and yell peek-a-boo while laying on the suds.

And with that note I think you now know enough about how Archer and I spend our days.

The Stats

2011-01-04T12:22:00.002-05:00

Archer's one-year check-up at the doctor's office revealed he is up to 21# which is pretty average, and he is healthy as can be. Praise the Lord!

On the other hand, I don't know how long I can keep him in great health with his climbing habit. He is not walking yet but he will scale anything that he can get that little knee up on and begin to climb. He climbed the attic latter as we stowed away christmas decor. And he inched his way up the latter to Savannah's bunk bed in hopes of reaching Chickory, his favorite cat. Add to that his obsession with sticking things in electrical outlets (ours our covered thankfully but that does not stop him from trying!)and you have yourself a full time job keeping him safe.

But he is so darn sweet and full of giggles that you just can't help but be patient with him. If that boy even thinks about giving my his sly little grin I swoop him up and cover him with kisses.

Have I said lately that I love the stage of life Mark and I are in right now?

The Little Man Turns One!

2010-12-31T16:33:00.011-05:00

I had to take a picture of Archer in his birthday suit on his birthday. I know some of you are worried that this might be a tradition and Mark's birthday is next month. No worries. I only take pictures of folks in their birthday suit on their first birthday.

All the printed materials came from thepartydress.net
She has wonderful ideas for hostesses and great products. We had one issue and I must say her customer service is great.

The set up. The Little Man is infatuated with balloons. The decor made his sweet little day!

You can't tell in the picture but the banner spelled out "Archer."

With so many people there I don't know why I was the one taking pictures! I should have been in this one.

The big cake said "F.D. Archer" and "Engine #1".

Arch's personal cake and a sparkler in the shape of a "1". He was bedazzled by the small fire and was a bit frustrated when we would not let him grab it!

My brave grandmother allowed Archer to feed her cake.

The cakes were made by my friend Rachel's friend, Lauren in Dallas. I was worried about where to get a cake on a Sunday, the day after Christmas. But, she really came through. I thought the cakes turned out adorable and best of all they tasted great too. If you are throwing a party in Dallas, she's your girl!

Overall, I think Archer had a great time at his party. He seemed to enjoy being the center of attention and putting on a show for guests. Not once was he overwhelmed with center stage. For those of you who already call him "little Mark," it's just another characteristic to add to the list!

2010-12-31T13:36:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our house to your's!

2010-12-17T08:30:00.007-05:00

Musical Happenings

2010-12-14T22:25:00.004-05:00

Archer is a bit obsessed with his daddy's guitars and tried to join in the strumming. He likes to dance and make music all at the same time. Kindermusik is paying off!

Savannah was an angel in our church's children choir musical. For weeks she begged to listen to the practice cd for the musical in our car. That's one sweet sound hearing your 5 year old belt out love for Jesus in song from the back seat.

One Sweet Tea

2010-12-11T15:52:00.010-05:00

Every other year I host a Neighborhood Christmas Tea in hopes of getting together with the people I live so close to but don't always see. I love the ladies in our neighborhood and what better way is there for women to spend time together than over petit fours, dainty tea cups surrounded with wonderful chatter.

This is the first year Savannah has been old enough to attend the tea. She has been anticipating this day for years. An in honour of her coming of age, I chose the Nutcracker Suite as out these.

Not only is Savannah into tea parties and the The Nutcracker ballet, she is also into posing. Can you tell? What happened to my dirt-loving tom boy?

You can catch a peak at my "good memories" apron mentioned in a previous post.

Did I mention big hats and lacy gloves are highly encouraged? If I am going to throw a themed party - which I love to do - I am going to go all out. That said, I am in search of a bigger hat. Let me know if you come across one!

And lastly there is my mom who was in charge of Archer during our feminine soiree. I would have still been in my pajamas and serving delivery pizza if she had not come to my rescue!

Got Milk?

2010-12-10T21:10:00.004-05:00

"Why should all virtue work in one and the same way? Why should all give dollars? It is very inconvenient to us country folk, and we do not think any good will come of it. We have not dollars; merchants have;let them give. Farmers will give corn; poets will sing; women will sew, laborers will lend a hand, the children will bring flowers."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

This quote made me think of a friend of mine who has little money so they tithe in fresh milk from their cows. Their pastor is never without that nourishing vitamin rich liquid which in return makes him stronger for Christ's work.

I can think of all the talent and resources my friends have, of which money is the least of these. If we all gave of these things would we need big government to provide such services? What if we paid our taxes with what resources we had? For some it could be money. For others it might be sewing clothes for the poor. Or knowledge waiting to be shared.

I just paid for my CPR certification class with 2 homemade meals. I'm sure I could toss out a few more for the homeless as a means to pay taxes. My cupboard holds and excess of homemade pear preserves laced with warming cinnamon. A congressman can use that as payment right?

My Dad works for the IRS. Maybe I should bring this subject up over the holidays. He is sure to either agree wildly or ask me when I took up the habit of smoking pot!

I do love the quote though. Money really is the least imaginative of our resources.

Thankful for Thanksgiving

2010-12-08T08:04:00.002-05:00

We had 22 hungry family members in our humble abode this Thanksgiving. And surprisingly it was a fairly calm day if you leave out the fact that we had 2 small fires. No one was harmed and luckily it happened before anyone arrived. On a positive note we learned that our fire extinguisher has expired and no longer works. Now at least we can replace it before we really need it.

Uncle Allen is really telling a good story here. What would he do if he knew his picture was posted on the Internet?

Archer fell in love with Chaney. For someone who is normally attached to my hip, I hardly saw him all day!

Behind Savannah and Berkley, you can still see flames around the turkey fryer.

Dad, Janette, and Sherry visiting over snacks.

Gigi and Arch

Savannah's favorite part of Thanksgiving is the turkey leg. She gnawed on that thing all weekend.

We are thankful for the opportunity to open our house up to family. We are thankful to have family to open it up to.

The Memory Stitch

2010-11-16T21:03:00.005-05:00

Do you know how to sew? Ever used the technique, memory stitch? Here's a short tutorial.

First you must have several women. The memory stitch is a multi-generational event. Extra moms, grandma's, sisters, aunts, and great-grandmothers are needed for wisdom, expertise, cooking, and baby holding. After all this won't be just a 2 hour event! You are going to need some help. If women are not abounding in your house, go out and get some. Or at least draw on the memories of a wiser generation with a phone call while you sew.

Next, decide what project you want to make for and with your loved ones. Below are pictures of my first quilt, a gift for Archer.

Once you begin your project soak up every moment. My grandmother, great aunt, and mom came out to help me with Archer's quilt. About a month later my sister, her 3 kids, my mom, my great aunt, and my grandmother all came out again (I'll have to get pictures from my mom to post). This time my sister and I made labor intense but beautiful aprons. With all the knowledge and experience floating around the room you must be like a sponge and soak it up to create the memory stitch. This tip is not relegated to just the topic of sewing.

The beauty of the memory stitch does not lie within the skill or precision. In every stitch of my quilt and apron I see stories shared over thread, needles, and a few cups of hot tea. And the more crooked the stitch the more giggles I remember. New sewing skills learned that now show on my work display memories like a storyboard. My memories and even my grandmother and great aunt's memories from tales of their young learning years with my great-grandmother are woven through.

Blood (I'm just learning to sew after all), sweat, tears, laughter, stories, memories old and new, the touch of many hands from several generations, and a little frustration are all present on that tiny thread.

I call my apron my "good memories" apron. And every stitch in Archer's quilt holds love and affection from myself and those who taught me. The fruit of my labor from both projects are things I will cherish forever no matter how tattered they become. Or perhaps more so the more tattered they become. And with the realization of what the memory stitch holds, I think I will go curl up on the couch now with a cup of hot tea and the quilt my grandmother made just for me.

October Review

2010-11-16T20:13:00.005-05:00

The cat and dog.

Soaking up a mild fall day before the cooler weather hit.

Kids, kids, and more kids

2010-10-17T09:37:00.005-05:00

Here are a few recent pics of the kiddos. They were taken at a family reunion last weekend.

px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lil9ljMzzdI/TLsMBTrguWI/AAAAAAAACGI/iwyYkp4YvCA/s320/October+2010+007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529026184129591650" />

px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lil9ljMzzdI/TLsLv2-PP7I/AAAAAAAACGA/5rlusmW6Zw4/s320/October+2010+020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529025884365733810" />

px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lil9ljMzzdI/TLsLUBK2NnI/AAAAAAAACF4/FJGhf3DKl3o/s320/October+2010+023.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529025406066636402" />

px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_lil9ljMzzdI/TLsLGFLPEpI/AAAAAAAACFw/yND_Qi2VxEs/s320/October+2010+028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529025166623838866" />

px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lil9ljMzzdI/TLsKXE24TEI/AAAAAAAACFo/x_yoK8lQlG8/s320/October+2010+175.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529024359084608578" />

At 9 months of age, Archer is ready to explore the world in spite of being a bit of a Mamma's boy. And as you can tell, Savannah as always is highly entertaining. The picture of my kids with 2 extra kids includes my cousin Brenda's girls. I have a picture of Savannah at her first reunion with these two sweeties holding her just like they are holding Archer. They make great pseudo-big-sisters/cousins.

The Buddy System Continues

2010-10-04T16:49:00.005-06:00

Last week my long-time friend Rachel came for a visit along with her son Cohen. When I say "long-time" I mean a very long time. She and I met in church at the age of three. I don't remember life without her and I am pretty sure she was my first friend.

Now we have two little guys who were born three weeks apart. They had a good time playing together and Rachel and I had a good time in spite of them never napping at the same time.

We tried to sneak away for some girl time and leave them in Archer's room playing. But, apparently their hearing is perfect and they were able to follow our voices and eventually track us down.

Both sets of buddies are looking forward to more playdates.

Homemade Fireflies

2010-10-01T19:14:00.002-06:00

Here is the chandelier I have been working on with the creative help of my mother. What started as a lamp shade now adds whimsy and ambience to our back porch. For now I have tea light candles in my mason jars but I kind of like the idea of years of candle wax piling up on the bottom marking time as if they were geology. Or I might make them all oil lamps with wicks and olive oil. Who knows.

Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-09-13T18:13:00.003-06:00

For today Monday, September 13, 2010

Outside my window...autumn is slowing creeping into the neighborhood with it's cooler weather revitalizing both plants and their caretakers.

From the garden...tiny seedlings our sprouting in out debut fall garden. And I am praying I don't kill them. Nearby three watermelons linger from the summer and I hope the will be able to ripen this late.

One of my favorite things...is family. I love family reunions, casual get togethers, sister shopping days, mother-daughter-granddaughter time, family dinners, and any other excuse you can think of to see each other. No matter where we are when we all get together we are home.

From the kitchen...red beans are soaking on the counter in preparation of Jamaican Beans and Rice for tomorrow's dinner. This recipe becomes a favorite of anyone who makes it. The coconut milk sets it apart from all other bean and rice dishes. Man is it awesome. Beside the beans freshly ground flour is soaking in homemade kefir for making banana bread tomorrow. A bowl of pecans and another bowl of almonds are both soaking in salt water and will be dried tomorrow. And 2 one gallon containers of kombucha are fermenting away on the counter. Basically I am fermenting everything in the house but the cats! Tomorrow is my cooking day. Can you tell?

I am thankful for...this wonderful life I have been given. It's as if I woke up one day and suddenly had been given everything I have ever dreamed of. When did all this happen?

Around the house... things are picked up and tidy with the exception of a basket of folded clothes in need of a home. One baby lies sleeping and one little girl chatters endlessly in the next room with her dad.

I am creating...my first ever quilt! I'm starting small with a baby quilt for Archer's room. The pieces have all been cut and I am blessed to have my grandmother heading this way sometime this week to help me put it all together. She can quilt by hand in her sleep. No machine has ever touched on of her creations. My creation may have to touch a machine ;)
I have also made a candlelit chandelier out of a lamp shade to hang over our dining table in the back yard. I think all it needs are a couple of finishing touches and then I will post a pic.

I am reading...more Beverly Lewis. For some reason I crave christian Amish fiction in the fall(not that it's actually fall yet). Anybody else a fan of hers? I cannot get enough. Her books make we want to bake someone bread, help them plant a garden, and then host a canning party (and keep having babies but don't tell Mark that part or he will start hiding my books from me!). They are full of beautiful imagery of friends sipping tea together on crisp fall days while toddlers sweetly play at their feet. Just for the record I have a lot of friends with kids and this is not what our days look like as stay at home mom's! Maybe they should.

Here is a picture I am sharing with you...

It's just about the time of night that I adjourn to my favorite spot with a cup of tea and a book.

Read more daybooks at thesimplewomansdaybook.com

It takes a village

2010-09-10T09:52:00.003-06:00

I'm starting to realize that it really does take a village to raise children. Not so much because of what other's can contribute to my children's lives - although wonderful people have had positive influences on them - but more because in a village you can always find someone sane and of sound mind. And today, it was not my turn to play the part of the sane mom.

Archer woke up at 5:21 am this morning ready to nurse. It was not his usual 5:30 or 5:45 but that's okay. I was willing to roll with it. Mark brought him to me in bed to nurse (isn't he an awesome husband?) but Archer had other plans. And fyi, if your child is going to have trouble nursing, you do not want it to happen at 5:21am.

Arch and I give up the battle and headed down the hallway to the kitchen where we discovered there was not enough coffee to brew a pot. Great. And it's not like I can just pop in anywhere and grap a cup of jo. I buy organic decaf and it has to be decaffeinated with the swiss water method so that no chemicals are used. Not something you can find at Mc Donalds. And no one wants to see me on caffeine. The harmony of our marriage depends on me staying off caffeine.

We get Savannah off to school and Arch begins his school work (sitting in the exersaucer so I can take a shower). He starts to fuss before I can wash all the suds off. He is out right crying by the time I am drying off.

In frustration I decided to explain things to Archer while standing in my bathroom wrapped in a towel. "Listen little guy," I told him, "If I picked you up every time you fussed I would never get to put my clothes on, brush my teeth, cook dinner, or do anything else. So if it were up to you I would be naked, starving, with smelly breath. And I don't want to be naked and starving with smelly breath. So you are going to have to fuss today." This conversation was one of many indicators that I would not be playing the part of "sane mom" today.

This made him scream louder.

I put on my clothes and then picked him in hopes of redirecting his short attention span. All the while I was wondering how my hair was going to look now that it has dried unbrushed and wrapped in a towel.

Finally I was able to lay him down for a nap and then put on make-up and salvage my hair. As I stood in my closet I decided I could not put on shorts, a stained t-shirt and worn out flip flops one more time. Just for today, I want to look pretty. After I scoured my closet for something decent I began to pick out accessories. And in the holes of my pierced ears I placed beautiful large copper earrings that I knew Archer will try to yank from my ears leaving me in need of reconstructive surgery. But I did not care. They matched my outfit perfectly.

We left the house for a playdate with friends fussy baby in tow. And as you probably guessed, the playdate was for me as Archer is too young to play with other kids. But I needed friends.

When we arrived our village was there to greet us with a fresh pot of coffee and homemade banana bread. I threw caution to the wind and being the wild child that I am ;) I had a cup of that non-organic caffeinated coffee. I listened to encouraging stories from other moms who had challenging babies. I looked them over and they all seemed to come out the other side of this baby phase looking like normal humans adorned with cute earrings and such. And like me other moms walked in the door sharing their stories of chaos from the morning. And the stories of frustrationwe rehashed suddenly sounded funny. Maybe even hilarious, laugh-out-loud-from-down-in-your-belly-funny.

My village made me laugh and feel sane again. I could have soaked up more time and fellowship but Archer began to fuss for a nap and so we left. Now, I can't stand to leave a party early. After all, I might miss out on something. But I had giggled, talked, listened, and sipped coffee with good friends. Some of us sane and some of us with hopes of being sane next time but all in the village. What more could a morning hold?

Showing my age

2010-09-07T22:31:00.003-06:00

You know you were a teenager in the 90's when years later (more than a decade to be exact) you are shopping for baby supplies and when you scan the brands you spot the company Even Flow. Do you pick up the Even Flow baby product and examine it for safety? Usability? Quality? No. You instantly start rocking out in your head to the Pearl Jam song, Evenflow. I honestly cannot even glance at an Even Flow baby product without getting that song in my head!
That my friend is showing your age (okay, my age).
Forever dated by the 90's, now go search your ipod for a little Maria Carey and you've got yourself a time machine.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight...

2010-09-06T11:36:00.000-06:00

...at least in the song anyway. The little lion that inhabits this room is a bit more unpredictable.

We finally have decorating plans underway for Archer's nursery. With any luck I will have it complete before he heads off to college!

This is a close-up the material used in the bed skirt of his crib. The pattern is repeated in the artwork over his crib.

I have started my first ever quilt, a baby quilt with the jungle theme for Archer's room. Perhaps I will have that done by the time he is 2 or 3 and in a toddler bed! I am definately the tortus these days.

Eight Months

2010-09-01T08:00:00.001-06:00

Here are just a few pics of my loud, opinionated, demanding, yet cuddley momma's boy. He may have strong personality traits that can be difficult at times, but he is so darn sweet and he loves to giggle. Mark and I just have to stay on our toes with our little lump of clay and mold him into an adult who will use his powers for good instead of evil :).

Man, I could just eat up those squishy cheeks with kisses!

And yes, I know he looks just like Mark!

Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-08-24T21:00:00.000-06:00

For today Tuesday August 24, 2010.

Outside my window...the world is winding down, cooling off, and settling in for the night.

I am thankful for...prayerful friends.

Around the house...2 babes lay sleeping, 3 cats are prowling, and a to-do list is awaiting.

From the kitchen...freshly ground wheat flour is soaking (fermenting) on the counter in preperation for cream cheese pastries that will be made tomorrow. A glass jar of kombucha likewise is fermenting yet another tasty culture.

I am reading...Teaching Montessori In The Home by Elizabeth G. Hainstock and Montessori Play and Learn by Leslie Britton. I thought we were already a pretty Montessori friendly household but this book has provided ample ideas that I am currently implementing that will make Savannah even more independent (read: my life easier ;). And suprisingly there is insight for Archer's age as well.

I am creating...peace and order around the house, a candle-lit chandelier to go over the table on my back porch, and a schedule for our 2 new co-op groups.

I am going...to bed eventually tonight!

One of my favorite things is...neatly trimmed, clean, unpainted toes. Most people are appaled by toe nails in the nude peaking out of sandals. But I think it's simply sexy.

A few plans for the rest of the week...carpool (I have finally reached soccer mom status with the typing of that word. Maybe I will wear heels tommorrow to compensate ;)and a trip to Dallas with the kids to visit family. Poor Mark has to stay at home.

Here is a picture I am sharing with you...

The End of an Era

2010-08-15T15:40:00.003-06:00

I have spent the last five years on a glorious adventure full of travel, family, and discovery with Savannah. As a stay at home mom we had opportunities to travel year round and during the week when things are less crowded, in seasons where temperatures are pleasant, and time is not an issue.

Here are just a few of our stops along the way.

Horseback riding with Mr. Ed

One in numerous trips to Colorado

The Dallas World Aquarium

Dinosaurs at The Heard

Train adventures

The Texas State Fair

Hanging out with grandparents and great grand parents

Visiting cousins

Extended Christmas breaks

Fun shows

Field trips

More trains

Chicago

Museums

Discovering history

And making dreams come true

And the list goes on with play dates with good friends and fun locations, lots of time spent traveling to see cousins, grandparents, and great grand parents. But this era ends this week with the onset of kindergarten. I know "onset" makes it sound like a disease that has come upon our family but it is life altering. I had no idea when I started on the journey of parenthood that the preschool years would be so enchanting. Every adventure held new ideas for Savannah to explore, creatures to discover, cultures to embrace, and history to experience. So, there is a hint of mourning at the thought of her education occurring somewhere else. And for the sake of honesty I'll admit there is a bit of mourning for the loss of the lifestyle I have grown to love that is now at the mercy of someone else's schedule.

Archer I fear will have a much different experience through his preschool years. We will be home now and there is a chance that he will not get to know his cousins that live far away as well. And he will not have the sweet memories of spending the night at his great grandparent's house as often. Memories that Savannah and I share. Will he learn as much through just a couple of trips a year relegated to summer and spring break?

Such thoughts leave me tempted to yank Savannah out of school and hit the road with curriculum in tow. But the truth is we love her school. She thrives in this school beyond my expectations.

So, I don't know how this year will play out. And I don't know what my new life will look like. But I do know we are where God wants us to be and that is all I really need to know.

My Little Man

2010-08-10T12:16:00.002-06:00

About Archer:
He enjoys walks on the beach, mountains, cities, in the country, neighborhoods, and anywhere else you are willing to take him.
His favorite way to spend his day is outside and he is not the least bit affected by 105 degree weather.
His hobbies include swinging on the front porch swing with his family, singing Kindermusik songs with mom, giggling at his goofy sister, and devouring new-found table food.
His dislikes include cutting his latest tooth and being woken up in the nursery at church by another crying baby.
His current goal in life is to catch one of the cats wondering around the house and get their fluffy body into his mouth much to his mother's disgust.
For more information on this handsome little man check out his facebook page. JK ;)

Creative Cowgirl

2010-08-07T12:05:00.002-06:00

Savannah made a cowgirl outfit from a fisherman's hat she picked out in Jefferson for a cowboy's hat, a Princess Leia belt redesigned as a cowgirl belt, Snow White gloves as work gloves, and work boots as cowboy boots. She was very proud of self-made costume. She only wished we had cowgirls here in Texas.

Perhaps I should spend a little less time educating her on foreign cultures and bring our education local! We will be visiting a cowgirl museum in Fort Worth soon to mend this failure on my part.

An Addition

2010-07-25T19:41:00.001-06:00

I don't know what happened to the picture from my Simple Woman's Daybook posted below. But, here it is posted again.

Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-07-25T18:47:00.004-06:00

For today, Sunday July 25, 2010.

Outside my window...thick, still air surrounds the house like a blanket holding in the heat. And somehow it's oddly comforting. It feels like home. It is home.

I am hearing...the inevitable summer sound of locust humming outside my window and the sweet familiar music from WALL-E coming from the other room.

I am thankful for...my church family. I know I mention that often but I love them. The support, the fellowship, shared knowledge and wisdom flow freely. Yet another thing that feels like home.

From the kitchen...hamburgers from the grill and spinach salad have been cleaned up and it's almost time to brew my nightly cup of tea. From the spout tonight I will have Nursing Mother herbal tea. That's about as wild of tea you can have while nursing!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

r>

My sister with her two boys (her daughter Ella was still asleep), Burton and George along with my Savannah at my grandparent's house in Colorado last month. It's one of the most beautiful pictures I have taken. Aren't moments in the morning with kids the best? There is just something sweet about it.

One of my favorite things...a subscription to Mary Janes Farm that my sister gave me for my birthday. This has become my favorite magazine. Mark even calls me Sally Jane now. The Jane is from the magazine, Mary Jane's Farm and the Sally is from my favorite cookbook, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (another one of my favorite things). Boasting as an organic lifestyle magazine it features articles that span from "farm girls" on farms to a "farm girl" who farms on her roof top garden in New York City. I actually screamed "yea" out loud almost involuntarily when the latest edition arrived in the mail this past week. It's that good.

I am reading...the latest edition of Mary Janes Farm and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, a fiction novel. It's too early to tell if the novel is good but I am enjoying reading something that's not educational for once. Sometimes you have to cap off the flow of knowledge and just absorb and implement what you have so far. Do you know what I mean?

I am creating...the discussion for the first session of the nutrition/cooking class I am teaching which starts this Wednesday. We are going to have a great time. Mandy, there is no need to be scared! Savannah and I will be creating a bouquet of flowers from cut up, painted, cardboard egg cartons and pipe cleaners tomorrow. And I am working on creating a candle lit chandelier from a dismanteled lamp shade. I'll let you know how it turns out.

From the garden...one watermelon is growing on the vine. We had two but the second was not to be.

I am going...to just soak in the last few weeks of summer, freedom, the kids, friends, heat, humidity, and all.

A few plans for the rest of the week...the class I mentioned, play dates, fun at home, maybe a little work but no house work! I'm ready to play.

For more daybooks check out simplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com

Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-07-19T13:00:00.001-06:00

For today, Monday, July 19. 2010

Outside my window...clouds hover threatening a summer thunderstorm and holding the temperature to a pleasant degree. I love a rainy summer day. It almost makes you relax more.

I am thankful for...the mild summer we are having! Archer begs to be outside multiple times per day in spite of the heat. I'm not kidding, he literally begs by fussing and leaning towards the door. The minute you step outside he smiles. What a little stinker!

I am going...to be firm yet patient when Savannah tests me this week. I will not explode. I will not explode. I will not explode.

From the garden...my pomegranate tree is blooming adding bright splashes of color in the garden. But no pomegranates yet.

From the kitchen...we will be mixing up a batch of cookies after Savannah's rest/room time for our babysitter, Lee Ann who had surgery this morning. Her mom text me earlier and everything went well praise the Lord! Last nigth from the kitchen - and garden - we had venison fajitas with bell peppers and jalapenos from the garden and onions from the farmers market on sprouted grain tortillas. For dessert we made blueberry buttermilk ice cream. You would be surprised how wonderful the flavors of blueberry and buttermilk go together. It's one of my favorites and I don't even like buttermilk.

Recipe:
Combine 2 cups of buttermilk (I used buttermilk I made with raw fresh goat milk. Talk about adding some awesome probiotics to the diet. You can't get this stuff in a pill!), 1 cup sugar (I didn't put a whole cup and it was plenty sweet. I also used rapadura made by Rapunzel instead of sugar. It's less processed.), and a little vanilla.
Puree 2 cups blueberries and press through a wire mesh colander. Discard soilids and then add to buttermilk mixture. Pour into ice cream freezer and follow manufactuers instructions.

One of my favorite things...my children. I enjoy Savannah's personality even though she exhausts me with her ideas. If we had all of the time in the world we could not create all the crafts, menus, and parties she has in her head. But she is loads of fun and loves to travel like me. I look forward to becoming very good friends when she is an adult. And what's not to love about Arch? I can almost always get a laugh and a smile out of him. And his chub rolls have chub rolls. There is much to love on him!

I am creating...a curriculum for a nutrition/cooking class I begin teaching at the end of the month. We have 17 ladies coming! I am so fired up about it. We are going to have a blast. I just finished creating my first weaving project and I am now addicted. I think I will try to weave a table runner for fall next.

A few plans for the rest of the week...art camp for Savannah, a couple of play dates, hopefully I will get to work some, a wedding shower, and lot's of visiting with friends.

Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-07-13T12:06:00.009-06:00

For today July 13, 2010.

Outside my window...lazy summer days are rolling in with the breeze. It's been unseasonably comfortable out.

I am thankful for...these last few weeks of summer before Savannah heads off to kindergarten and we begin a schedule. We have had 5 years of freedom to come and go as we please and I plan to soak up every last minute of it.

From the kitchen...pizza dough is fermenting on the counter in yogurt for dinner and in another bowl dough for cranberry orange bread is fermenting in homemade buttermilk. Yum!

Around the house...a sweet little boy is sleeping.

One of my favorite things...is pictured in the bottom of this post. When I shop, I rarely buy anything because I talk myself out of everything. Basically, I am cheap. But when I saw this wind chime I knew I would be parting with some of my birthday money. It is one of my favorite things and one of my favorite things to do is look at it and listen for it. It's a triple favorite.

I am creating...a lamp for Archer's room. I think it's about time I get a nursery together for the poor boy. It's good to be creating again. Somehow my pregnancy hormones interfere with the brainwaves needed for creativity. I am enjoying the new-found and much needed brainwaves.

I am thinking...about all the projects I want to do around the house and the yard now that brainwaves are flowing again.

I am going...nowhere for once. Praise the Lord! I plan to stay at home as much as possible this week.

From the garden... dangling red grapes are ripening. But before you get too jealous you must know that the skins are as tough as shoe leather and the flesh is as tart as a crab apple. Practice and patience needs to be my garden sign.

I am reading...nothing. Lately I have had information overload so I purchased a fiction novel at our local book store on the square. But for some reason I haven't picked it up yet. It awaits me on the ottoman.

Here is a picture I am sharing with you...

This new wind chime dangles above Archer's swing under our pergola on the back porch. I could not have chosen a better mobile for him to gaze with wonder at. He remains captivated for hours. And as an added bonus it attracts hummingbirds. The little flying piggies think it is yet another bird feeder for them.

Tea For The Next Generation

2010-07-06T10:08:00.000-06:00

Before our trip to Colorado, my grandmother asked Savannah what she wanted to do while there visiting. Savannah had one reply, a tea party like the many her mother (me) had with Granny Smiles (my grandmother) while growing up. And that's just what we did.

Savannah, Ella, and even Burton (the latter 2 are 2 of my sister's 3 kids)all dressed for the occasion.

At first I was worried Burton our only boy of tea drinking age, would not get into it. Here he is squatting to get a better view of the ant who has captivated him oblivious to the tray of delectable treats beside him. Ladies, are we ever oblivious to delectable treats? Um, no.

Burton quickly caught on though and drank more tea than the girls!

Savannah scouting out treats.

Granny Smiles, Tea Time Diva.

Savannah worked hard to stick her pinkie out as she sipped.

Don't drop the cup!

Ahh, much better.

Ella conquered the tradition with ease.

Now Burton may have been born in Aspen but he talks so slow (and sweet!) that you would swear he is from Texas. "I'n waaannna stick my pinky out Beeeaaannna" (They call me Aunt Beana).

Dang, he's cute!

Tea, scones, cookies, tea sandwiches, lemon curd, big hats, and family... to be a yearly event? I think so.

These are a few of my favorite things...

2010-07-03T07:24:00.002-06:00

Mark and I were browsing one of my favorite stores the other day on our Date Day and I realized I had not shared this treasure trove with my blogger buddies. How selfish of me!

Eclectic Architecturals is just that, eclectic. Mark and I had the chance to chat with one of the owners and witness his visionary mind brainstorming. The couple travels to France and Italy multiple times per year to purchase unique "things" such as old doors, interesting aged windows, random pieces of architecture from ancient buildings, long forgotten antique tools, and even modern art. They have just returned from France and the creator's mind was reeling with ideas. He has the rare talent of making cool things even cooler. (Cindy, he reminded me of you in that aspect. I wanted to call you right then and invite you out to play in this warehouse of an adult playground!) He told us of his plans to turn some architectural features into mirrors, headboards, chandeliers, and lamps. We cocked our heads to the side at times in hopes of seeing what he saw in his head. But sometimes an artist's vision cannot be translated into words.

They just returned from a trip so their full gold mine is not shown yet on their website.

Check out Eclectic Architecturals' website for more information, their location, or if you can't make it there in person. They have locations in Shreveport, Longview, and Dallas. If the style looks familiar you might be thinking of Brad and Nicki's house. They bought several pieces from there while building their charming house.

Peteets In The News

2010-06-16T15:09:00.002-06:00

Click here to check out the article on doulas I was interviewed for by In Magazine.

Gosh, I still need to post Archer's birth story. It was really cool.

Open For Business

2010-06-14T14:19:00.004-06:00

Check out http://eatingthegoodlife.blogspot.com/, my new food blog. Now I can finally leave the food commentary off this blog. Those of you just looking to see a few cute pictures of the kids will be happy about that!

Random Summer Fun

2010-06-11T15:52:00.008-06:00

The best of summer lovin'.

Napping on the porch.

Savannah and Chickory watch cartoons together every morning.

The two are like peas and carrots.

Baby Blue Eyes, as Savannah calls him.

Pickin' Fun

2010-06-11T15:18:00.006-06:00

Our tradition of pickin' berries annually began for Mark and I as newlyweds when our neighbors mentioned a local berry farm ( I believe Kathy and Lee were going with the Johnson's to pick berries one Saturday when the subject came up. Maybe Sean was a baby or not even born yet.)

From then on we have gone every year to harvest blueberries and blackberries. Savannah was 2 months old the first time she went. And now Archer has participated at 5 months of age.

Savannah was proud of this extra juicy one.

She looks forward to this every year and is usually content to pick a few and eat a few with little conversation. But this year she said, "Momma, let's pretend just for today that this is our berry farm and I am your daughter who helps you pick berries every day."

And so we did.

Archer is showing his interest in our make believe.

He would have rather us pretend to be in bed napping at home.

Savannah hypothesized that the extra firm berries were not nearly as juicy as the softer ones.

Our research shows that she is correct.

Join the fun at Martin's Berry Patch

4534 Farm Rd 968 West

Marshall, TX 75670

903-660-3283

Only $9.50 to fill a whole bucket!

Blueberries are coming soon.

Vacation for dinner.

2010-06-08T13:47:00.005-06:00

Several years ago Mark and I were apart of a supper club. Once a month we gathered with friends (without kids) and experienced themed dinner parties that allowed us to dive into other cultures. Beautiful tables were set (this was my favorite part, I would go all out for the theme), everyone researched food from the specified country and brought their new culinary discovery, and sometimes we even dressed up as was the case with the pirate dinner party (oh, I should really post pics of that one!). But folks started having more babies and then it became more difficult to find adult time. Our club disbanded

This had become a monthly occasion that I looked forward too and I was determined to find a way for a thread of it to continue. Shortly after the end of our group, Savannah and I found a set of books at the library that gave me an idea. It's a series of books put out by Disney where the familiar characters of Mickey, Goofey, and Donald experienced countries around the world. Each book explores food, culture, folk tales, toys, and holidays from a specific country. And with that, theme night was born!

Savannah and I started off with a book about Germany. We read the book all week with much discussion, found Germany on the map several times, googled pictures of the German country side, and researched recipes for our "German Night." By the end of the week when we reached German night, Savannah was about to explode with excitement over the meal! "Germany Food" as she calls it has been a favorite ever since. She was 2 1/2 at the time.

This theme has continued with many other countries and we study each one and explore new tastes and ingredients each time. Just by preparing a meal together she is learning history, literature, geography, math (measuring), social studies, language, and music (we try to find music from that country). Not to mention improved health by opening up a variety of foods and flavors to her world.

Try it at your house to broaden your child's world, encourage a picky eater, or to take a cheap vacation in your very own home. It can be as easy as reading a Fancy Nancy book (she adores Paris!), watching Ratatouille or Beauty and the Beast and then preparing a simple French meal (Savannah is a big fan of the creme brulee!). You probably already have a few children's books that mention other countries lurking on your shelves.

Just a few ideas:

The Princess and the Frog/Cajun food and music (FUN!)
Mary Popping/British food/tea party (this brought up an interesting conversation about accents)
Fancy Nancy/Ratatouille/Beauty and the Beast/Elloise in Paris/French food
Brer Rabbit/ southern food/soul food (get your kid to try greens!)

These are just a few off the top of my head but ideas abound. I'll try to post our theme nights with book and menu ideas as we do them from now on. And please feel free to share your own.

These are a few of my favorite things...

2010-05-17T10:09:00.003-06:00

Remember the book Good Night Moon? Well they've branched out, far out.

This same author now offers a Good Night book for several locations such as Texas, America, California, Colorado, New York City, Washington DC, Beach, and the World just to name a few.

Although these are simple board books which are normally relegated to babies and toddlers, the information on the pages prompts older children to ask questions and become intrigued with new places. For example when reading Good Night America to Savannah we stayed on the Washington D.C. page forever talking about the national monuments and even the logistics of our government. On the next page we were discussing the everglades and the wildlife that inhabits there. These are perfect if you are embarking on a vacation to a new place this summer with your kids. Or they are a great conversation starter if you just want them to know there is a world out there beyond our city even if we can't get out there and see it right now.

Where I'm Coming From

2010-05-12T20:14:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I began to post the our family's food journal. But as I read my posts I realized they weren't adequate to help people. Important information was missing. For example what we don't eat is almost more crucial than what we do eat. And I never got around to posting why we eat the things we do. So let's start over from the beginning and I will tell you where I am coming from as a dietitian.

Since college I have strived to eat healthy but that can entail an array of ideals depending on the decade.

"Eat eggs. they are the perfect protein."

"No, eat egg whites because they don't have the fat and cholesterol. You don't want heart disease do you?"

"No, eat the whole egg because the yolk has fat soluble vitamins."

"I hear egg beaters are best because they aren't even eggs!"

"Don't eat eggs at all. They come from an animal!"

"Wait, you have to buy cage free eggs. Then, it's ok."

"No, buy the eggs fortified with omega 3 fatty acids. They help your heart. But I don't know if you are still just suppose to eat the whites."

"Didn't you hear that the American heart Association now says we can have 2 eggs per week and we won't die immediately afterwards?"

And that's just on the topic of eggs. I could go on about carbs, fat, meat, milk, whole wheat, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and a million other food items. Is the on going debate of what exactly is healthy overwhelming you?

No matter what food item we choose to follow the debate on over the years the same theme remains. It begins with a food found in nature, man decides the food is bad and/or he can make it better, hype surrounds this new epiphany, everyone MUST consume it, years later it is discovered this new version is toxic, research shows the original version was actually healthy but now people are scared to eat either.

Think about it. Pick a food and see if my theory fits.

This same theme is found in the bible over and over again when man thinks he has a better plan than God. Man then screws things up. And when things are bad enough he returns to God's perfect plan.

The food we consume is so far from what God created for us.

Our great grandmothers cooked with meat from the local farm or their own, vegetables from their garden, milk from their cows, and eggs from their chickens. (these are actualy "whole foods" by the way, not processed food you buy at the store Whole Foods. I love them but they have plenty of junk too.)

Our grandmothers cooked with meat sometimes from the grocery store, vegetables sometimes from the garden, milk from the milk man, and sometimes some canned goods to make things easier.

Our moms cooked with meat, eggs, milk and vegetables from the grocery store, store bought bread, canned goods, and occasionally they bought fast food.

Our generation does not cook with ingredients. Recipes call for a can of this, 2 cans of that, a jar of this, and a box of that. Actual food is not listed. The rest of the diet is filled in with fast food.

We don't know how to cook with real food. We don't even know what real food is.

Because God does not make mistakes and man cannot help but make mistakes our family avoids manufactured (man-made) foods. Nutrition trends will come and go but in the end research ( I am a science gal after all you know) always backs God-made food.

So when you are trying to figure out if you should avoid genetically modified foods, pesticides, or fruit loops ask yourself these questions:

Is this something that naturally occurs in nature?
Have people been eating this for thousands of years or is this new?
Does it resemble the way it is found naturally in nature?

Try it on any food, you will be amazed.

I am starting a food blog that will be up soon that goes into this and so much more in detail. Most importantly I will show you what this mantra looks like on the dinner table (and let me tell you the Peteets eat some really good food!).

If you live locally I will be teaching a class this summer for fellow mommas (it will be a play date for the kiddos). Contact me if you want more info.

Baby Got Back

2010-05-11T21:24:00.003-06:00

Savannah came home from school yesterday and she was promptly told to change into play clothes. After obeying her mother she came to me saying, "Do I walk funny in these capri pants? They feel kind of funny."

I turned around to inquire about her odd ramblings but was unable to comment due to laughter from the sight before me. The "capri" pants in questions= were actually the jeans of her 4 month old brother. When my laughter subsided I lifted her shirt and saw that she was even able to button the jeans that are tight on Archer's belly. Laughter roared again with Savannah joining in.

Have you seen Shrek 2? Remember when the Shrek is turned into a handsome man and he steals clothes from a rich man and they are tiny on him? Do you remember Donkey and Puss in Boots fall on the ground laughing when they see him in the tiny clothes? That was actually video from this scene in my kitchen.

Savannah's blog post

2010-05-07T06:39:00.002-06:00

savannah loves popping corn. savannah loves playing outside with friends.

Archer's Stats

2010-05-07T06:14:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Archer went for his 4 month check up at the doctor's office. I cannot believe he is 4 months old already. He weighed in at just under 16 pounds and is 25 inches long. He has sweet chubby cheeks that are so big they often rest on his chest and beg to be smothered in kisses. Above those irresistible cheeks are 2 big dark blue eyes that seek only to hold your gaze. Archer searches until he makes eye contact and then holds it until you break it. Sometimes I feel as if he can see down into my soul.
He is still a fairly quiet baby who prefers to spend his days outside. The two things that always seem to sooth him should he get fussy are his sister in his face talking to him and the front porch swing. The latter has become an evening ritual for the whole family. Just the other day I sat on our front porch swing with Archer in my lap and Savannah by my side reading the tales of Brer Rabbit no less, with azaleas blooming all around me and thought, "It really doesn't get more southern than this. Here I sit rocking my babies on the porch surrounded by quintessential southern garden beauties and a good southern book." All I was missing was a glass of iced tea. Unfortunately I don't drink iced tea.
Before you start thinking our little man is the perfect baby I must confess he has a fault. Apparently he got wind that he might be our last baby. And in thinking that he has his position as baby of the family is secured for life he has begun to play the part. His sweet and happy disposition quickly changes to pouty fussiness when attention is diverted from him. I'm not sure how to nip this habit in the bud. Suggestions are welcome. I am thinking about having staged conversations in front of him about how Daddy and I plan to have 4 more kids. Maybe this will prompt him to fall in line as a team player. Do you think it will work?

Tiny Dancer

2010-05-05T12:00:00.001-06:00

The night before her recital I began to discuss with Savannah her hair for the next day. At first she didn't want to sleep in the infamous pink curlers. While I debated this issue with her her dad stated his case that they are not comfortable as if comfort plays a part in how a female looks.

Men, they are so funny.

Pink curlers are a right of passage that every little girl must endure numerous time.

In the end Savannah too agreed they must be slept in before a big event.

What little dancers do when they think no one is looking.

Annabelle, Cate, Meadow, and Savannah have all been buds since they were mere babes in the MOPS nursery.

Tap dancin' to Friendship Boogie
Savannah is on the back row 2nd from the right in all the on stage pics.

This was my favorite costume.

Audra and Savannah backstage looking way too grown up.

"In My Ballet Shoes"

They look so sweet when they are all doing the same thing.

And then there are times that no 2 girls are doing the same move.

Recitals are always entertaining.

At least it wasn't just one girl who was way off, it was everybody.

They really did do a good job.

Dancing to the Ice Cream Freeze for the finale.

I think this was Savannah's favorite. She really boogied to this one.

The proud Daddy and his little girl.

From the kitchen...

2010-05-04T16:34:00.003-06:00

We had family in town this past weekend for Savannah's dance recital (pictures coming soon) and then Archer got pink eye. All that is to say I have not had time to blog. Our poor little guy is grumpy and requiring lots of holding.

However, I think posting what we eat when things are busier than normal is even more important than posting our normal food. But since I am short on time I will give you the best meal and the worst meal. Everything else was somewhere in between.

Saturday night: Fresh caught wild salmon grilled, fall vegetables (acorn squash, sweet potatoes, apples), and whole steamed artichokes. Everything in this meal is a favorite of Savannah's. I think she ate 8oz. of salmon by herself. The artichokes are fun for all kids. You pull off a leaf and dip it in melted organic or farm fresh butter with fresh squeezed lemon juice and then bite off the meat. What kid doesn't like to dip stuff?

Sunday night: After the dance recital we let Savannah pick a place to eat out and she chose a local pizza place.

Tonight: homemade pancakes (cornmeal, oatmeal, wheat flour, buttermilk, and some other stuff) using my favorite recipe ever and scrambled farm fresh eggs. It was the best I could do with a fussy baby.

I will get back in the swing of my reporting tomorrow along with info on why we eat the things we eat, how we make it, and tons more info. Hmmm, perhaps I need to move this show off the family blog and start a food blog. Just a thought...

From the kitchen...

2010-04-30T15:45:00.002-06:00

For today, Friday April 30th.

Breakfast: Sweet potato bread, raw milk, organic coffee decaffeinated with the swiss water method.

Snack: banana, peanut butter, and raw milk for me.

Lunch: I had the last of the chicken leftover from making broth and pineapple. Savannah had yogurt, pineapple, and blackberries along with a slice of sweet potato bread and peanut butter. Our meals may sound odd for a while because we are busy with Savannah's dance recital this weekend.

Snack: I had sweet potato bread and pecans that were soaked and dried at a low temperature (I always have some made). Also had 4 dove chocolates again today. Kicking that habit is on my to do list...for another day.

Dinner: I had leftover red beans and rice with tomatoes etc. and Savannah had leftovers from last night.

The kids and I are headed to dress rehearsal for the recital. I am bringing water, fruit, and nuts just in case.

Hmmm, I really don't know what Mark has eaten today.

Still not seeing that I eat anything weird. Katy did have a good idea about taking pictures and providing instructions. After this busy weekend I will begin to catalogue our food with pics. And by the way, I never mind questions. Food is my career, hobby, and as a housewife it is my job.

From the kitchen...

2010-04-29T19:00:00.000-06:00

For today, Thursday 29th of April.

Breakfast: 6:30amI scrambled farm fresh eggs that I picked up while we were out yesterday. And the same as yesterday they were accompanied by buttered (organic) toast (homemade) and raw milk from a local farm.

The kids I rounded up more groceries at the Kroger here in town. No specialty store needed.

Lunch: Leftover grass fed roast from dinner Monday night and freshly cooked sweet potato with grey salt (not processed so it has naturally occurring minerals and no added chemicals) and organic butter.

Snack: Fresh pineapple that I cut up yesterday and conventional blackberries. Savannah and I also made sweet potato bread from the wheat flour I soaked in yogurt last night. If I let it soak for 24 hours I get a more tender product because the yogurt gets all those probiotics going and it kind of pre-digests the bread. But I had time to cook it earlier so I did. It turned out "different" but not because it soak less than 24 hours. It was suppose to be banana bread but all the ripe bananas were eaten so we cooked an extra sweet potato at lunch, mashed it up and threw it in the bread. It tastes great but looks odd with bright orange clumps through out the bread.

Dinner: Our vegetable was fresh green beans cooked in homemade chicken stock (made it last weekend and pulled it out of the freezer tonight). I have mentioned this on my blog before and I will say it again, one of the simplest and healthiest foods you can make is homemade stock. The entree of the evening was Grilled Beef Braciole with Grilled Tomato-Basil Relish. It sounds fancy but it was a simple and easy recipe that I made with venison round steak instead of beef. I also skipped the grilling of the tomatoes for the relish to further simplify things. This dish was a hit with the whole family.

Dessert: Savannah had her first slice of sweet potato bread. And for the sake of honesty I must tell you I had a dove chocolate. And if I am really going to be honest with you I must tell you that it was my 4th one today. Dang it, I am having a sweet tooth kind of day! Must mean I need to work out (I don't crave sweets when I am working out for some reason).

Now that I am writing out everything we eat, I don't see why people think we are weird??? So far I have not listed one strange food item. Hey, the Peteets are normal after all!

From the kitchen...

2010-04-28T19:00:00.001-06:00

Wednesday April 29th

Breakfast: 6:20 am I scrambled 8 eggs (3 for me, 3 for Mark, and 2 for Savannah). They were store bought free range because we were out of the farm fresh. I plan to pick up more farm eggs today when I get Savannah from school. Everyone had a piece of toast from my homemade bread. The bread was made from spelt and wheat flour that had been soaked in water with a few tablespoons of buttermilk. Organic store bought butter and raw honey topped the toast. Savannah had Parmesan cheese on her eggs.

Mark and I both had organic coffee that has been decaffeinated with the Swiss water method instead of chemicals. I drink mine black he uses rapadura in his. Rapadura is a sugar that is much more raw than "sugar in the raw". It's made by the company Rapunzel. We also drank raw milk from a local dairy with our meal.

After breakfast I made lunches for Savannah and I to take with me since we will be out and about most of the day. Savannah's lunch included per her request chicken by itself, no sandwich n0 chicken salad, just chicken. This was leftover from making stock over the weekend. With it she had an individual container of Stoneyfields organic Greek yogurt with strawberries. I don't normally buy flavored yogurt but she begged for it at the store the other day and I got it for her as a treat.

My lunch consisted of homemade almond butter that I made last week on homemade bread. No jelly or honey needed, this stuff is AWESOME! The almond butter is worth every minute it takes to make it. With it I packed raw milk in my sigg.

On our way out the door to Kindermusik I grabbed a banana for me for a snack. Savannah ate a snack at school. It was probably something processed like pretzels or crackers but I don't worry about it since it is such a small portion of the food she consumes. Mark ate lunch out with his boss.

Lunches were eaten in the car after I picked Savannah up from school. Picked up more farm fresh eggs while we were in the neighborhood.

Later that afternoon at home Savannah asked for a snack of peanut butter and raw honey. The peanut butter was store bought organic because I could not find raw peanuts last time I went to the health food store and homemade nut butters are only worth making if I can start with raw nuts. I had plain yogurt (no honey for me. I like it plain.) and then I cut up a fresh pineapple for us.

Dinner was leftover red beans and rice made with all natural organic pecan smoked sausage topped with avocados, tomatoes, and green onions.

After dinner I set some wheat flour out to soak in water and yogurt in preparation for making banana bread tomorrow.

Archer had momma milk.

From the kitchen...

2010-04-27T18:51:00.003-06:00

After speaking at MOPS today on the subject of nutrition I have decided that "from the kitchen" should be a daily or almost daily segment for a while. For those of you who don't know, for years now Mark and I have tried to avoid processed foods and make everything we consume. The question I get most often is "how do you find time to do it?"

In the spirit of authenticity and transparency I am going to post the answer to this question and the 2nd most asked question, "What do the Peteet's eat?" Apparently inquiring minds want to know so I will be posting the foods we eat and what and when I made the ingredients. With this peek behind closed doors you will see the what the Peteet's do well along with the things we let slide but probably shouldn't. We are talking full honesty here.

For those of you who do not know us well I will warn you that we are weird. We don't cook or eat like everyone else and with the state of health of Americans (or lack there of rather) I am OK with being weird. One might say I embrace it as a badge of honor that our family is headed in the right direction.

The door opens tomorrow...

Vegetable Frittata

2010-04-26T11:02:00.006-06:00

From the kitchen...

Vegetable Frittata
6 farm fresh eggs
1/4 cup homemade creme fraiche (raw cream could be substituted)
a little oregano from the garden
mushrooms and green onions (leeks would have been good too) sauteed in organic butter
zest from 1 lemon
Grey salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup green heart gouda, grated

This was our eat-what's-in-the-fridge dinner the other night.

Whisk eggs, creme fraiche, zest, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over skillet with sauteed veggies. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Sprinkle with grated cheese and put under broiler a few minutes until lightly browned.

I have no idea what exactly green heart gouda is by the way. I picked it up at whole foods a while back. It is a very hard cheese so it has kept well. The earthy flavor went well with the mushrooms. A raw jack or a parmesan would have worked well too.

Oh, I almost forgot that we had nitrate free canadian bacon that I sauteed with the veggies.

Record Breaker

2010-04-21T08:06:00.002-06:00

Yesterday morning was crazy. Archer woke up at 5am wide awake. I however would have appreciated another hour of sleep. The morning progressed in a chaotic manner as I got Savannah off to school and Mark off to work. I headed to work myself with Archer in tow leaving the house in a state of disaster. But what I really wanted to do was stay home, straighten up the house and take a nap.
Struggling to stay awake at my desk as I worked and while rocking Archer who was fussing, I prayed. "Lord, is it worth all the stress to work these measly 4 hours a month? Is this what I need to be doing? I enjoy it but I am willing to let it go if You want me to. I really have no idea on this one so I need your help."
Archer fell asleep then which I was thankful for. I was afraid his fussing would escalate to a point of embarrassment. It's just a wee bit unprofessional to bring your baby to work and then have him disturb everyone else. Not to mention that I use the owner's office now to nurse and change diapers. I already feel like I am inconveniencing everyone.
Once he was asleep I stepped outside the office to get a few more medical charts. Just then the owner said (literally moments after I finished that prayer), "Christina, you know I really don't mind Archer being here. His fussing doesn't bother me. He really is the happiest baby. I love going into the office and seeing him. He always smiles at me."
This is a grandmother who as she put it is going through grandmother's empty nest. Her grandkids are all teenagers now, to old to be babies but too young to start the next round of babies in the family.
So this was my answer from God (and record breaking fast I might ad! I love it when He does that.). For whatever reason He wants me to continue to work at this job. Now I pray I fulfil God's purpose for me here...with Archer in tow :)

Who Do You Know?

2010-04-15T12:18:00.004-06:00

Have you ever met a fellow mom whose knowledge, daily activities, and energy overwhelm you? I had such an encounter yesterday when we invited friends over for a playmate. While the kiddos played the mom's chatted. By the time they left I was exhausted! The other mom wore me out and all we did was sit and talk.

She must be one of the most productive people I know. She takes on parenting with %110 of her energy while always researching and studying her next move. One of her areas of expertise is education however she is not nor was she ever a school teacher. But she has researched, studied, and even visited every school from 45 miles east of us to 60 miles west of us (do you know how many schools that is?). She knows all about different teaching methods from Classical Education to Montessori. She knows the creed, motto, and mission statements of all the schools and has really dissected the words to absorb all their meaning. And she began this journey before her first child was born. Meanwhile, when I was pregnant with my first child I spent ample time picking out fabric for baby bedding.

Wow, talk about being on top of things.

Now, I will admit things are different around here. In other areas everyone attends public school. This is not the case in our town. As soon as you announce you are pregnant people start asking you what you are going to do about school. Will you home school, go the private school route, or how about the duel language program in the public schools? I know families in all of these and I have asked questions and looked into all of our options...or so I thought.

But yesterday I was given so much information about all of these. And for the record she was not slamming any of these she was just relaying the results of her research. And I am thinking to myself, am I suppose to know all this stuff?

She humbly apologized repeatedly for monologuing. But I kept her going with my questions. Although the amount of information she gave me was overwhelming I still wanted more.

After she left I began to do what all moms do and what all moms know we shouldn't do. I began to compare. The thoughts ran through my head, "Have I been a lazy parent? Why have I not done this much research on the subjects we talked about? Why don't I already know all of this? What do I now do with this information?"

Then I thanked God for all the women in my life that know so much more than me. I thanked him for giving each of them their particular passion so I can learn from them. I thanked him for all the times they have overwhelmed me because that means I am taking on new information. There are so many women I know that make me a better mom just by knowing them. They are not here to make me feel bad about myself, they are here to teach and encourage.

I pray that I do not underwhelm other mom's but overwhelm them with the things I am passionate about. And I guess there were things I researched too while I was pregnant that others did not. And no surprise, they are the things I feel passionaltely about.

The Tale of the Beach Babe Goes Punk Princess and the Sleeping Prince

2010-04-14T18:00:00.001-06:00

Part 8

Savannah awoke to fireworks on her headboard the morning of her 5th birthday.

The birthday girl with her new favorite stuffed animal aquired on this trip.

Savannah was happy to open her present and find that we got her the Giada DeLaurentis DVD set she wanted. Yup, my 5 year old asked for a 6 disk set of Italian cooking shows.
This is why Cindy calls her meatball, a nickname that Savannah loves and one we should all implement!

The morning of her birthday we rode all her favorite rides again. This meant lots of time spent on the tea cups and the Alice In Wonderland ride. Archer of course slept through most of the it.

Part of her birthday present was a trip to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where Fairy Godmother's in training do your hair, make-up and nails.

The Fairy Godmother in training showed Savannah 3 pictures of different hairstyles she could do. One was a traditional princess up do. Another was half up and half down but still with a crown. And last but not least was the Punk Princess complete with spiked multi colored hair and body jewels.

My out-of-the-box-child wanted nothing to do with the traditional look.

So Punk Princess it is.

This is so Savannah except for the dress.

We were surprised she wore the Cinderella dress around the park. It's so girly.

But, the one constant is that she always surprises us.

Once she was a glammed up we took her to a princess lunch in California Adventure.

Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White were all in attendance.

This was the REAL Snow White, no kidding. Just look at her!

Her voice was the same as on TV as well.

She is Savannah's new favorite.

Is the hair not cracking you up?

You should have seen the back. There were long multicolored braids.

Archer is begging for no more princesses...

...but he forgot to specify no fairies either.

Sorry Arch, next stop is Pixie Hollow.

Here Savannah got to meet her favorite fairy Silver Mist, the water fairy.

Savannah with Tink and the fairy dude.

I don't know his name because Savannah always watches the Tinkerbell movie in French. I know it sounds pretentious and she doesn't do it with other movies.

But, Tinkerbell must be watched in French for some reason.

Strawberry ice cream for dinner...

what a way to end your birthday and vacation.

The End.

The Tale of the Beach Babe Goes Punk Princess and the Sleeping Prince

2010-04-13T07:16:00.000-06:00

Part 7

Goofy's Kitchen is by far the best character meal I have attended.

There was a large selection on the buffet, Grandma had the best gluten free meal of the trip (including pancakes and waffles freshly made for her that she said were excellent), and the character interaction was so much more than them just coming by to take a picture.

They didn't plan this pose by the way. They both just happened to put their hands to their mouths at the same time.

Look for Mark and Savannah hanging over a giant bowl in this picture.
Goofy got all the kids to come to the middle of the floor and help him make a cake.
There was music, shakers, and lots of giggles.

Savannah got to dance with Baloo. They became good buds.

Hugging Chip or Dale.

By the end of the meal Archer woke up and was starting to fuss. The giant chipmunk (Chip or Dale) came over and rubbed Archer's head with his paw. Archer immediately stopped fussing and began to smile and coo. Before we knew it Goofy came over to see what we were all laughing about and he began to rub Archer's head too.

The kid loved it!

Who knew?

Here Savannah is watching the Pixar parade at California Adventure.

Lots of her favorites were featured such as Toy Story, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and Monsters Inc. No WALL-E though.

Another shot of her at the parade.

She really enjoyed it, can you tell?

The Lady Bug ride in Flick's Fun Fair at California Adventure.

It's a sedated version of the Tea Cups.

Another Disney park rule is that you must try on funny hats in the stores and take pictures.

Again, I don't make up the rules, I just follow them.

Savannah and her Daddy.

Oh wait a second.

Never mind, that's Woody in the picture.

Honest mistake.

Next up the final day of our trip...Savannah's actual birthday!

The Tale of the Beach Babe Goes Punk Princess and the Sleeping Prince

2010-04-12T19:00:00.000-06:00

Part 6

Due to things unplanned on my itinerary our first ride was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Savannah had seen this ride on TV and youtube and was anxious to ride this "train".

It however was not the best ride to start off with.

We asked her if it was too loud, too dark, too fast, or too rough and she replied, "it's too everything!

I think if this had not been her first "real" ride she would have been okay.

Archer spent a lot of time here.

We saw Goofy everywhere on this trip.
Here he is in front of his house.

Got to love Toon Town.

The Queen of Hearts

Savannah thought it was "way cool" to see the Fairy Godmother.

Ralph Brennen's Jazz kitchen brought her beniets when they found out it was her birthday.

They were not nearly as good as the double chocolate bread pudding souffle that Mark and I split.

They brought out a huge chocolate souffle that had more of a light bread consistency. Then they took the top off and poured in a warm vanilla sauce you would normally find over bread pudding. But it doesn't stop there! They then poured in a warm chocolate sauce.

Paired with a cup of decaf...I was in heaven.

Notice Archer's hat? I couldn't let him go to DL without mouse ears!

I found this toboggan at a children's boutique in our town.

It wasn't just cruel and unusual punishment.

The evening was cold so he NEEDED it. :)

One must also ride Dumbo with mouse ears on.

I don't make the rules, I just follow them.

Another one of Savannah's favorites.

Archer is happy to be anywhere with us!

He is so sweet.

The Tale of the Beach Babe Goes Punk Princess and the Sleeping Prince

2010-04-12T18:13:00.000-06:00

Part 5

The question must be addressed of why we chose Disney Land over Walt Disney World. After all, WDW in Florida has EPCOT (my favorite park) which features pavilions from several different countries that Savannah is very interested in. So which is better? Disney Land or Walt Disney World? It depends on what you are looking for. Here is why we chose DL over WDW this trip.

1. DL in is southern California and WDW in central Florida. Did you see the pics in my previous posts of the OC? Enough said.

2. Once we found out we were pregnant and would have an 11 week old on this trip we knew DL would be the destination for us. Staying on property at DL you can walk to both California Adventure and Disney Land park making it easy to go back and forth from your hotel room to the parks. This comes in handy for adults too who cannot stay in the parks from 7AM opening until they close at midnight. But if you are staying on property at WDW you may have an hour bus ride to various parks because it is 30 square MILES (not acres). Nothings is close together at WDW.

3. Fantasyland at DL is far superior to WDW and that's what most kiddos ages 7 and under go for. DL's Fantasyland's increased number of rides over WDW makes up for DL's vertically challenged castle (but usually only the adults notice how small the DL castle is in comparison to WDW anyway.)

4. And lastly it's the original. This is the park Walt personally created. But this fact only has cool factor if you are a Disney fan.

Goofy checked into the Disneyland hotel with Mark. He was just hanging out in the lobby.

Balloons delivered to Savannah's room for her birthday. The hotel also had a birthday button with her name on it and an autographed 8x10 of Tink waiting for her. Nice touch.

The view of Never Land pool from our room.

We were lucky enough to get a newly remodeled room.

The rooms were very nice, modern, with an understated and tasteful Disney theme.

Notice the Mickey hands holding the lights?

The headboard may look beautiful as is during the day. But at night music plays and fireworks light up and then it really shines as the focal point of the room

After checking in Wednesday afternoon we spent the evening in DL park.

Savannah's first DL ride and Archer's first ride ever were the Jungle Cruise.

Here is Arch on the ride.

Our "tour guide" was pretty good. It's always funnier when they know their jokes are corny and they play up that aspect.

Next up, the Tiki Room which Archer found it hard to sleep through.

I've seen this attraction a million times at both parks and let's face it, it's pretty cheesy.

But you would never know it by watching Savannah watch the show.

She was amazed by the animatronic birds and singing.
To her it was wonderful.

Next stop Fantasyland where we rode the infamous Tea Cups. I know some people hate these but I LOVE them. The more spinning the better. Savannah liked to spin the wheel in the center as fast as she could to make them spin more ( just like me!). We rode this ride several times through out our trip but one time when it was just the 2 of us she looked at me as we giggled and said, "We are just like sisters!"

How sweet.

I imagine she and I will be close like sisters when she is an adult some day.

I look forward to it.

Some may call me abusive but I like It's a Small World as well!

As you can see from the pic, Mark painfully endures it.

Archer slept well on this ride.

It's a Small World has added several Disney movie characters into the ride in the Mary Blair style. Although they did it well and put characters in the appropriate sections (for example stitch and lilo are in the Polynesian section), I don't think the ride needed it.

But Savannah did want us to take picture of some of them.

That's the end of our first day at DL.

The park opened at 7AM the next morning and I am a rope drop kind of gal when traveling.

Too bad my travel mates were not!

The Tale of the Beach Babe Goes Punk Princess and the Sleeping Prince

2010-04-07T05:00:00.000-06:00

Part 4

Before heading to Disney Land we decided to make one more stop in the O.C., Dana Point.

We missed their yearly whale watching festival by one week.

In hopes of seeing some stragglers we walked a nature trail on top of the cliff overlooking the pacific. We never saw a whale but we did hear sounds that suspiciously sounded like one.

It was beautiful none the less.

Good bye Orange County. Good bye Pacific ocean.
Good bye fresh local grown delicious food.
Good bye peace and serenity.

We are moving on to a chaotic, sugar charged, artificially made wonderland
and I can't wait!
Mickey, here we come!

The Tale of the Beach Babe Goes Punk Princess and the Sleeping Prince

2010-04-06T19:27:00.001-06:00

Part 3

The Beach Babe

The Sleeping Prince

One of the bigger specimens in her collection.

Me and my little man.

Another

Beautiful

Sunset

At night the surf came up to the retaining wall under our balcony. We were literally over the ocean which created the illusion of being on a cruise ship out in the ocean (the tide is not all the way in yet in this picture).

I highly recommend the Pacific Edge Hotel.

Great view and inexpensive...

you don't find that in California very often!

"It's granola, it's granola, it's granola baby!"

Savannah made up a song to sing Archer on vacation which is now his favorite (now people are really going to think we are granola munchers. For the record I had no involvement in the making of this song).

He smiled, cooed, and laughed at her everytime she sang it and she is still singing it at home.

Looks like the beginning of a sweet sibling relationship.

We tried to take a few family photos on the beach our last morning before heading in land to Anaheim.

It didn't work out so well but at least we tried.

The Tale of the Beach Babe Goes Punk Princess and the Sleeping Prince

2010-04-06T06:00:00.005-06:00

Part 2

Our vacation began with 4 nights in a hotel right on Laguna Beach in Orange County. I fell in love with Laguna on a family vacation when I was a freshman in High School. To a 90's teenager it was the coolest place ever. I bought a ring for my toe (no one was wearing them back home yet) and I had my first veggie burger here. Man, I thought I was cool.

The view from our balcony.

Looking the other direction from our balcony.

Inside, our room had beachy mod style prints.

Notice the crib in the corner? babysaway.com will provide all your baby needs so you don't have to lug baby gear around when you travel. I LOVE them! We used this company when Savannah was little as well. Just pick out the stuff you need and they will have it waiting for you in your hotel room. If you change hotels, they will move the stuff to your new location. They provide everything from highchairs to wipes warmers. This trip we rented a full size crib and a stroller from them. Hotels usually offer pack-n-plays as a baby crib and if you get an old one they can be terrible. And strollers are too bulky to carry on a plane, at least the ones you have to have for an infant are. So at the airport we use a sling (not the recalled ones! hotslings.com) or bjourn.

Oh, and the baby bedding matched the room perfectly. I'm sure it was a fluke but still cool!

That first night I watched the sunset over the ocean from our room as I nursed Archer. It really doesn't get better than that.

Savannah is in love with the beach. She ran non stop gathering seaweed or kelp (I'm sure Carly could tell me what it was).

She actually said she likes the beach better than Disney Land.

That will save us some money in the future!

Here she is with her little friend Brent she met while we were there. They played together everyday on the beach.

Archer preferred to nap on the beach. He preferred to sleep on the plane. He preferred to sleep at Disney Land. He preferred to sleep at restaraunts. Thus he is named the Sleeping Prince in our story.

We found a french restaurant in Laguna that was amazing, C'est La Vie. French food is Savannah's favorite after Italian. We have French night often at our hours. She was excited to eat out at this "fancy" restaurant. It was a nice place. The food was excellent and the presentation artful and beautiful. I wish I had taken a picture of my entree. Unfortunately this was the evening Archer was fussy. Eventually we gave up and took turns walking around outside with him. He was fine as long as he was outside. The next morning we ate brunch here and he did fine. That was another excellent meal. Savannah had a breakfast pasta with eggs, bacon, and cream. Surprisingly it was great! I had a toasted bagel topped with smoked salmon, a poached egg, and a dill hollandaise sauce. Wow! That and their awesome coffee made the perfect brunch.

I wish we had food like that closer to home.

The picture below is the dessert they brought to us on the house when they found out we were in SoCal for Savannah's birthday. She was thrilled.

This dessert had some serious wow factor on the taste buds. I have had some wonderful desserts and this is up there at the top and worth the flight back!

The Tale of the Beach Babe Turned Punk Princess and the Sleeping Prince

2010-04-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

Part 1

We just returned from 10 wonderful days in southern California. 10 days may sound long but I wasn't one bit homesick. With me not working the past few years, Savannah and I have had the opportunity to do a lot of traveling. Sometimes Mark came with us and sometimes he had to stay home and work. I've learned that when my family is all together I can stay gone indefinitely. But if Mark or a child is absent from the trip, no matter how much fun I am having, I am ready to go home by the end. The 4 of us were all present on this trip and I was not the least bit ready to come home!

One might ask why we would take a 3 month old baby on vacation. Are you kidding? Vacation provides what every mom wants after they give birth: someone else cooking, housekeeping (can I get an amen on that one!), and no responsibilities other than playing and bonding with your family. Pure awesomeness. I laugh every time someone says, "you know he won't remember this right?" He won't remember that I took him to the park the other day when Savannah had a play date there but that doesn't mean I am going to leave him out. Besides, he loved the one on one attention he got on the long flights where we had nothing to do but gaze into his deep blue eyes and coo back at him. The extra holding, cuddling, and attention followed him through out our vacation in everything we did from waiting in line for rides at Disney Land to relaxing on the beach.

In addition to all the bonding done on vacation, kids learn an infinite amount of information by traveling. Watching Archer you could almost see new neurological paths forming each time he experienced a new sight, sound, texture, and smell. And I won't even go inot all that Savannah learns. But that's not even the best part of traveling with kids. They are entertaining! For example, on the way to LAX Savannah threw up (we think she got car sick). We pulled over to clean her up and Archer had a blow out of a poopy diaper. Suddenly the wipes are missing, the same wipes we were just using to clean up Savannah. We need to catch our plane and one child is covered in throw up and the other poop with nothing to clean it up with in sight. We were jumping in and out of the mini van like circus clowns trying to find new clothes and where those mysterious wipes went. If a camera crew had been following us for a tv show folks at home would have been cracking up (it's always funny when it's happening to someone else!).

Anyway, we had a great time. We were glad to see Archer follow suit as a good traveler. He had 2 fussy evenings but that's it. I am beginning to think my kids do better on the go. It started young with Savannah too. When she started getting fussy from teething we would head to the mall or anywhere out of the house. And behold she would stop all fussing. If Archer ends up loving travel as much as Savannah, I may have to go back to work. Next on Savannah's list of places she wants to visit (besides Colorado which is always on the list) is Italy, France, Hawaii, and China.

I think I have created a monster.

Lee Ann said it all

2010-03-10T20:34:00.011-05:00

Savannah getting ready for a hike one summer in Aspen.

Just hanging out at our house. What else do you do when you have a cute little girl other than dress her up and take lots of pictures?

Easter of course.

The other day I was sitting in our sun room on the comfy couch with the french doors open letting in the spring sunshine and I thought of Lee Ann's blog, "These are the good old days." How true that is! and not because of the amazingly gorgeous weather. There I sat on a beautiful day with Savannah beside me reading several early readers to me. I watched her excitement and confidence grow with each book she read. Meanwhile Archer laid on the ottoman beside us smiling and listening to the sing song sound of reading. I had both of my children together as I witnessed the miracle of their childhood and all in entails.

The preschool years are short but sweet. Since having Archer I have had several strangers young and old stop me and say that the best years of their life were when they were home with their young kids before they grew up and went to school. I couldn't agree more.

A few days ago Mark and I looked at pictures of Savannah over the years. They brought back many memories of mine and Savannah's days together at home reading books and playing and all the adventures and trips we were able to have since I didn't work. It's fun to see her grow up and learn so many new things. Our conversations are more in depth and very entertaining. But sometimes I miss the days when she was my cuddly 2 year old at home with me. Thank goodness I had another baby and I get to start these years all over again!

Wow. These really are the good old days right before my eyes.

Archer this week. I had to post this pic to show off that belly.

Archer on Daddy's shoulder just on the edge of sleep.

Smiling on the bathroom changing table.

Oddly enough, this is his favorite place to hang out. Just like a boy. Maybe I should get him a newspaper too.

Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-03-01T16:16:00.004-05:00

For today, Monday March 1, 2010.

Outside my window...rain, rain, rain.

I am thinking...that I solved my "to-do" list problem. I was getting frustrated that I was only getting 1/2 of the things done on my "to-do" list everyday. My solution? Only write down 1/2 of the things I need to get done for the day. Then I'm not disappointed!

I am thankful for...100 degree dry weather in the summer. I may be the only one, but I love the heat and am missing it now.

From the kitchen...Jamaican Beans and Rice. Made with coconut milk it is a much more interesting dish than our traditional beans and rice. Definitely a family favorite.

One of my favorite things...housekeeping and room service. It's time for a vacation!

I am creating...other than breast milk...not much.

I am reading...uh, I checked out an adult book from the library the other day. Does it count that I at least checked one out? Only got to page 14 and now it's overdue.

A few plans for the week... nursing, MOPS steering team meeting tonight with Archer in tow, nursing, work tomorrow with Archer in tow, nursing, getting ready for family to visit for Archer's baby dedication, nursing, and hopefully sleep at some point.

Around the house...things could be cleaner. I finally got around to cleaning the floors and then it began to rain. Needless to say the floor is clean no more.

Here is a picture thought I am sending to you...

Archer Edward (A.K.A., little Mark), 9 weeks old.

Lost Art

2010-02-26T13:09:00.003-05:00

As I posted on Cari's blog this morning, I planned to write about one of my favorite things today and talk about the lost art of food preparation. After catching up on my friends' blogs over coffee this morning, I left the house for my post partum OBGYN visit.

Dr. D and I discussed what was going on with my body and all the normal post baby check up stuff. As we began to wrap things up I mentioned how wonderful Archer's birth was and I was grateful that I was able to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). For those of you who don't know, VBACs are a touchy subject with most MDs because they don't want to deal with them. I am fortunate enough to have a doctor that practices medicine by what is best for the patient instead of out of fear of being sued.

However, my doc was out of town when I went into labor and his associate was delivering 3 babies at another hospital and could not come. The MD on duty was apart of a group of Dr.'s who have a policy of "no VBACs." That's right, the Dr.s in that group are not allowed to make the decision for their patients on a case by case basis. They have to adopt the "no-VBAC" policy to join the group. Period.

Without going into detail (man I need to write out my birth story!), I had a VBAC anyway. The Dr. from this other group could not have been nicer about it to us. But we got wind after it was all said and done that we REALLY freaked the hospital out. Someone sound the alarms! There is a lady in here that wants to give birth via the vagina! YIKES! What do we do??? (I also wrote on Cari's blog this morning that I was going to keep my blog G rated. Better change that to PG.)

By the way I did not actively force them into performing the VBAC for me. I know y'all find that hard to believe because I am a determined person who can sometimes act like a bull dozer when I am trying to reach a goal. But that was not the case this time. I just labored peacefully while the cuircumstanses surrounding the VBAC developed organically.

Back to the MD's office today, Dr. D replied, "Yeah, I kind of got in trouble over that." I felt horrible for him. After all, he was out of town and it's not as if he even called and said, "you must let my patient have a VBAC." He was out of reach and we did not get a hold of him until it was all over. He said it was all a political mess and now there are new policies in place and extra paperwork to sign.

Now I felt really bad. New policies in place because of me? I had a wonderful natural birth. God created labor and birth with the end result of a baby coming out of the vagina. Why is this scary? It's how God created us. People have done this for thousands of years. It's not an illness that requires aggressive medical intervention. Sometimes things go wrong and I am thankful we have medical tools available for those times but they are not necessary in every case. Even after a c-section.

So I asked with the new policy, what would happen to a women in the same situation I was in. Would she be forced to have a c-section against her will? Horrifyingly, the answer was yes. Forced unnecessary surgery... that's like rape, robbing her of one of God's blessings.

Giving birth is a lost art. A beautiful lost God-given art.

Dr. D did say that he would continue to deliver VBACs. He came from one of the best labor and delivery hospitals in the nation and has the knowledge to back up his decision. I wish other Dr.s would practice medicine from evidence based knowledge instead of fear. My heart breaks for the women who do not have such a Dr.

(Wow, 2 rant blogs in 1 week. I apologize. I am normally not so fired up. Maybe I'm still hormonal.)

I love...

2010-02-24T17:57:00.002-05:00

...baby breath. No, not the flower. I'm talking about the warm sweet milky breath flowing out of my 8 week old. I could just sniff him all day long! Please tell me someone else knows what I am talking about so that I will know if it's real or if I am on a post pregnancy hormonal high.

Anybody?

Coming to a newstand near you...

2010-02-23T20:55:00.000-05:00

A story is coming outthis May in In Magazine about the doula that assisted Mark and I in Archer's birth. I was interviewed today for the story since our birth with Jennifer (our doula) went so well. It inspired me to blog our birth story. I started it once but never finished. We had such a beautiful experience I want to document it for myself but also so that others can read it. Maybe it will prompt others to use a doula for thier birth. Personally, I now have a don't-leave-home-for-the-hospital-without-one policy!

Check out the magazine this May! And please stay on me to write my story.

War has officialy been declared!

2010-02-22T19:32:00.002-05:00

Some of you already know that I was attacked while walking with Archer in our neiborhood last Thursday. For those of you who don't know, here is the story.

The sun was shining, it was not raining, it was not snowing, there were no clouds in the sky, AND it was not snowing. Finally, it felt like a Texas winter. To stave off pending cabin fever I tucked Archer into the stroller and took advaantage of this rare occasion. We turned a corner in our neighborhood and were caought off guard by any angry aggressive dog charging towards us. In disbelief of what I was seeing at first I thought this dog must be coming to play with us. Most people don't let dangerous dogs run loose (not in the city at least!). It must be friendly. But it was not.

This rabid dog was growling and circling Archer and I. He began to "nip" (or so I thought) at my ankles all the while growling and barking. Then he went for the stroller growling, snarling, and and trying to get what was inside. I felt a sharp pain in my calf and screamed for help.

Praise the Lord a neighbor heard my plea and scared the dog away. I was paralized by fear. When I am out running and walking I always run through my plan of what I would do if I were attacked...by a human! I had no plan for a dog attack. I felt helpless to protect my 7 week old baby who was down low in the stroller near the dog. The neighbor began to ask if I was ok and I finally realized my I had been bitten.

We called the police so they could have the dog picked up (this was right by an elementary school and school would let out in 1 hour!). I had 4 puncture wounds from the canine teeth and a large circular bruise from the power of his jaws. Luckily he didn't sink his teeth into the muscle. I hate to admit it but I was pretty shook up!

So 2 days later I went walking. To be safe I stayed away from the area were the attack happened even though I knew the dog was gone. And at the end of my walk another dog came charging at me from 50 yards away. I wasn't even on his street. He was growling and barking and heading for my ankles. His oh so friendly owner said, "Don't worry. He won't bite." I shared my story of 2 days ago and told him to come get his freakin' dog!

Again today, I tried to go for a walk (before it snows again tomorrow. Seriously, I live in Texas for a reason.). This time a HUGE dog charged my from 100yards away growling and barking. I screamed! There was no owner in sight. Heck, I wasn't even on his street. He finally ran off without taking a chunk of my flesh with him.

Needless to say, I am scared to death of dogs right now! Do I have dog bate smeared all over me? I am always out in our neighborhood and there are certain dog who are always out that bark and follow me. But, they never growl or get close. They just annoy me. What is going on? I live in town!

War has officially been declared on all loose dogs. The police officer who came last week told me that bear spray works best to ward off aggressive dogs. Cabela's already has our order for bear spray and it will be delivered soon! So listen up pups. If I'm intruding on your property, you have the right to protect it. Go ahead bite me if I break into your house. But if you come on public property such as the street (I'm the public therefore I own it) and so much as look at me wrong, I am taking you down! And don't even think about looking at one of my children!

Just a thought...

2010-02-15T09:39:00.002-05:00

You know you haven't had enough sleep when you get up in the morning, look in the mirror and you hair isn't even messed up.

Ahhh, life with a newborn.

GIVE IT A TRY

2010-02-14T18:17:00.001-05:00

Do you have bad memories of smelly brussels sprouts? This irresistible recipe will erase those traumatizing childhood memories. We ate these Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Prosciutto tonight with our dinner and I had to share this little gem. So even if you think you don't like brussels sprouts, give these a try. After all, what doesn't taste good topped with toasted pecans, Parmesan cheese, and prosciutto!

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1654618

Six Inches at Our House

2010-02-12T13:23:00.007-05:00

It's a rare thing to have two days in a row to play in the Texas snow.

Our street.

Snowball fights with the neighbors.

Savannah asked for a carrot, scarf, and buttons. But all we could come up with is a few camellia blooms, new potatoes, and fresh ginger. Like the flower in her hair?

I love the way snow looks on the bright camellia blooms.

Now it's time to curl up by the fire with a cup of hot tea!

2010-02-04T23:55:00.003-05:00

If you read my previous post you know that Archer's umbilical cord fell off this morning. And for the rest of the day he wanted me to hold him. That's not his normal temperment at all. Looks like he was sad too that he lost the crusty piece of flesh that once connected him to his momma!

No worries though. I found some super glue and that should fix it!

He's all grown up!

2010-02-04T09:32:00.002-05:00

This morning I was giving Archer a sponge bath and as I removed his onsie tears filled my eyes over what I saw. He lost his unbilical cord. He is no longer a newborn. The last piece of flesh that attached us is gone.

He is all grown up.

Time to have another baby I guess. (just kidding :)

Actually the "piece of flesh that attached us" will not be lost forever. That dried up, black, crusty, piece of flesh is going in his baby book!

2010-01-31T19:44:00.004-05:00

***SWEET***

Finally posted

2010-01-05T09:50:00.000-05:00

I told several people I would be updating the blog soon with baby pictures. That was about a week ago! Soon is a relative word in light of just having a baby. I'm sure I will also shower "soon" as well.

Here we are unsuspectedly enjoying Christmas day in Dallas with family unaware that labor will begin the next morning.

Belly shots were taken one last time while in labor.

Archer Edward Peteet arrives.
7 pounds 9 ounces, 20 inches
9:47 AM, December 27th, 2009
The proud Daddy's first time to hold him.

Snuggle time with Momma.

My sweet boy at home.

Sibiling binding is going well. Savannah is ready to protect him from the bright sunlight in our living room.

Birth story coming "soon"...

It's Time!

2009-12-26T21:40:00.003-05:00

Today we were at my grandfathers having Christmas when I asked my sister if she had Braxton Hicks contractions. She said no, paused and then a minute later said, "are you asking me this because you are having contractions?" I then confessed that they had been 10 minutes apart for the past 2 or 3 hours. Before that I hadn't timed them but had had them all morning. By then my husband and brother-in-law overheard us and then the cat was out of the bag.

I'm not one to leave a party early or miss out all together. And we had planned to stay in Dallas for a few more days. My step brother and his wife were back at my mom's and my sister and her family had just arrived the day before. We had plans. Fun plans. And I knew if I hinted that I was having contractions my husband would make me come home.

I held him off for another 30 mintues but finally gave in. We announced to my grandparents, Dad, and step mom that we had to leave because I was indeed going to have this baby in the near future and we needed to head back east.

My contractions are now 7 minutes apart, steady, and not yet painful. Savannah is still back in Dallas with my sister and my mom came home with us to help.

All is well.

Update with more words this time.

2009-12-22T11:40:00.004-05:00

My cousin-in-law/friend Allison is so good about updating us on her pregnancy through her bog that she has inspired me to do the same.

Here is the latest:

The baby's room is not ready. We have had construction issues and delays. Once construction in complete then I can set up all the things I have ready. The good news is that it is all irrelevent (I keep telling myself this so I won't stress over it!) because the bassinet is set up and ready in our bedroom and that's all we will need for quite a while.

The baby has stayed head down for three days in a row (until about an hour again and now I thinks it's transverse). This little gremlin changes positions so often that I am not worried about it's current position. Our doula showed us movements I can do to help turn the baby. I played around with it a week or two ago and the baby moved to the head down position in about 5 minutes! Wish I had known that trick last time with Savannah. We could have avoided a c-section. I highly recommend finding yourself a doula if you are pregnant! They are awesome and a wealth of information. For more info on figuring out the position of your baby check out spinningbabies.com

I am due sometime between January 8th and the 13th. However I lost my mucus plug a couple of days ago. No big deal, I haven't had any contractions. But today I went to the acupuncturist and after he evaluated me he stated he hoped I would make it till after Christmas. Not knowing what he meant I asked for clarification. He showed me on a chart that all my energy is already focused on my lower uterus where contractions begin and the baby exits! Through my pregnancy my body has focused the energy higher up where the baby is growing. Not any more.

Even with the above paragraph noted I plan to spend the week after Christmas in Dallas with family. My sister and all her kiddos will be in town. With all our youngins and me so big, it will be a laid back week of family fun. Mark will have to come home and work. That will be the sad part. My doc okayed the trip since it is only 1 hour and 45 minutes from the hospital where I will deliver.

Since we don't know the sex of the baby, I am frequently asked what I think it is. I can say without a doubt that I feel it is strong and big! Other than that, only God knows. In the first trimester I dreamed it was a pig, in the 2nd trimester I dreamed it was a white tiger/mountain lion and in the third trimester I have dreamed once that it is a boy and once that it is a girl. However, Mark woke up the other day and said, "it's a girl." He stated it like a fact instead of a hunch from a dream.

On that note, I also get asked if I want a boy since I already have a girl. My reply is of course God knows best what we need and thank goodness it's not up to me to choose the destiny of my family. But if I had a choice I would say another girl so Savannah could have a sister and then Mark would be tempted to try a third time for a boy. Mark's thoughts on the subject go back to comments made by our old neighbor and friend Lee Flannery when I was pregnant with Savannah. We didn't find out what she was either and Lee told Mark it would be a girl and that he was destined to be around women his whole life (he deals with mostly women at work and there are lots of women from my side of the family who are often at our house). Mark agrees (with no frustration in his voice I might add) and said we could try 4 times and they would all be girls. At least he is totally ok with that.

Lastly, don't look for a Christmas card from us in your mailbox this year. We will be sending a Happy New Year card/birth announcement soon (but hopefully not until the new year!).

Merry Christmas everyone!

Update

2009-12-20T16:25:00.005-05:00

Since I have been so bad about blogging this pregnancy, I thought I would post an update to catch everyone up.

Savannah dressed as Princess Leia for Halloween.

Me growing...

...and growing

Savannah eating a turkey leg at Thanksgiving. She looks forward to eating that giant piece of meat every year.

Making a gingerbread house which Chickory (our most mischievous cat) later tried to eat the gum drops off of.

I think we are all caught up know. I took you from Halloween to Christmas in one email. That is sad!

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

2009-11-30T14:37:00.002-05:00

...and I need your help right now.

I have realized that birth is not only eminent but also just around the holiday corner. I am due the begining of January but little Gizmo (yes, I called it Gizmo. Sometimes it acts like a gremlin. I try not to feed it after midnight.) could give us a holly jolly suprise and arrive right in the middle of our Christmas festivities. That said, I am preparing for the birth now.

We planned for the birth of Savannah by packing a bag with not only pajamas and tolitries but also tools for "coping" with labor. In tow we had a CD player with relazing music picked out, a vacation pic to use as a focal point, a deck of cards (because people say you need something to do while waiting in the hospital. whatever!) and many other things.

This bag of tricks was never opened. The whole experience was a whirl wind. There was no time to worry about coping with the labor! It began and before we knew it, it was done.

The thought crossed my mind that sometimes 2nd deliveries go even faster (if you see us pulled over on the side of the road in the next few weeks, please stop. It's likely we are giving birth!). But one never knows. Thus I am packing my bag of tricks again.

Now, this is where you come in. Both my doula and I have CDs that are instrumental and relaxing. But I am also working on a playlist of praise music that might be encouraging (but not annoying). Any suggestions?

Our doula suggested that I write words of encouragement on notecards for Mark to say to me during labor. This is code for "write down what he can say that will not be annnoying." ' Cause let's face it, Mark's first instinct might be to start peppily cheering, "Let's go let's go L-E-T-S G-O" Anyone remember that cheer? Bless his big quarterback heart. Better stick to the note cards.

When I began thinking of the notecards. Several verses came to mind. But, I would love to see what verses come to your mind. What verse would you need to hear during birth for encouragement?

Thanks for helping!