Multiples, a Musician & a Mom

The Locusts Have Invaded!

2011-08-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

The locusts have invaded our house in a BIG way! This year's bumper crop of 13 year-locust (technically called periodical cicadas) has provide endless entertainment for my bug-loving boys! Bright and early each morning, the boys head out with great excitement to collect discarded shells. Locust shell hunting has become a favorite pastime for the boys this summer and, to my delight, has proven to be very educational for the entire family. I am proud to say C-N-C have become quite skilled at finding the "crusty treasures" and at last count had collected an impressive 186! They have a goal of 200 shells before summer's end and with the help of their Daddy's keen eye and long reach, I am confident they will have no problem!

Trumpet

2011-07-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

Jason and I found this little gem at a flea market some time ago. It was oozing with character and I just couldn't pass it up, but when I got it home I struggeld to find a fitting way to display it. It changed locations in our house many times, but no place seemed to do it justice until recently when Jason surprised me with this shadowbox he made. Backed with antiqued sheet music and painted distressed black, it is the perfect spot for our little treasure. Three cheers for handy and creative hubbies!

Now Allow Me To Bore You With Details of Our Vacation...

2010-05-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

Last month our family solidified our status as a middle-class-family-of-four by enjoying a Branson getaway. It seems to be a rite of passage for families south of the Mason Dixon to do this at least once, some even annually. We hit all the family friendly Branson hot spots- shows, Ducks, Butterfly Palace, water parks etc. It turned out to be the perfect first vacation for C-N-C, who had not so much as crossed the state line since gestation. It was also mine and Jason's first holiday in 7 years, so the marginally adequate accommodations, rowdy, overly-tattooed water park crowd and almost constant rain didn't phase us a bit. We enjoyed ourselves to the fullest and look forward to more vacations in the hopefully near future.

An Amusing Audience...

2010-04-12T13:59:00.001-07:00

This morning's dress up fun was interrupted by the boys' interest in a convey of trucks and crews from First Electric visiting our neighborhood for Spring tree trimming. The amusing audience did not go unnoticed by the workers who got a chuckle from being watched by a bumble bee and a red dragon...

Forthisa

2010-04-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

I robbed these pretty yellow blooms from my mother's forthisa bush. I placed the clippings in my flea-market-find colbat blue bottle to create a simple, sweet Spring centerpeice.

Spring Has Arrived...

2010-03-31T19:39:00.001-07:00

Spring has arrived at the Coleman residence and with it comes a new Easter tradition for our household. I happened upon these sweet little Easter trees at the dollar store and felt they needed a place in our home. I purchased one for both boys along with two new ornaments for each tree. The boys got a big kick out of hanging their new ornament and I promised them a new ornament for their Easter tree every year. Establishing holiday traditions is so much fun and my hope is these simple little traditions will help to create many happy childhood memories for C~N~C.

Project Pizazz!

2010-03-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of mine passed down this sweet little wooden table and chair set to the boys. C-N-C were getting so much use out of it, I quickly realized it would have a permanent home in our kitchen and I thought it was due for little face lift to add some pizazz...

a little sanding, a coat of black paint and a little lime green ...

and voila..

The tabletop was painted a standard regulation checkerboard, and the chairs got a fresh coat of black paint to match. After the project was complete, Jason and I agreed we went a little overboard with the pizazz and we plan to repaint the legs of the table black to tone it down a bit. The boys love the new paint job and I envision them enjoying many rainy days playing games and assembling puzzles together on their table with pizazz!

Love Is In The Air..

2010-02-15T05:31:00.000-08:00

Celebrating V-Day with our little heartbreakers got off to a love-ly start Sunday morning with heart shaped chocolate chip muffins and breakfast casserole...

The next order of business was Valentines for our Valentines...

Jason and I both selected gifts of personal, sentimental value for the boys and we were excited to present them. Jason gave C-N-C their first real instruments, Ukuleles. Small and easy for little hands to manage, these instruments are ideal for the boys who are already showing an interest in music (much to my delight). My Valentines to the boys were vintage books that I enjoyed and cherished as a little girl from Disney's Wonderful World Of Reading Book Club Collection . I unearthed these hardback treasures at a website called abebooks.com . They sell used and vintage books at very reasonable prices and I am so excited to be able to share some of the same titles I enjoyed as a child, such as Gulliver Mickey and The Sorcerer's Apprentice, with the boys.

We also got them a "The Butterfly Catching Game" Elefun. Suggested to me by a friend, this game is a big hit with the boys. The object is using nets to catch colorful butterfly shaped scarves the elephants blows out of his trunks. It is precious!

Valentine's Day with the boys was a ball and I see much reading, Elefun and string plucking on our agenda for the week.

C-N-C

2010-02-12T20:38:00.000-08:00

The boys just before leaving for Mother's Day Out this morning. Their "Boy Next Door" and "Born Cool" shirts sum up their personalities to a "tee". Camp had just plowed into a door frame and scored that war wound on his forehead. As excited as I was to drop them off at MDO this morning (they hadn't been out of my sight since last Fri) I was even more thrilled to see their sweet faces after 5 hours away!

More Snow Day Shenaigans...

2010-02-08T16:12:00.000-08:00

Complete with mullet wig and Skoal can smile, the boys and I ventured into the snow today and assisted Daddy in assembling the tackiest snowman in the neighborhood (we stopped just shy of dangling a cigarette out if his mouth and puddling strategically placed yellow snow in front of him) . It was a fantastic snow for playing and we all had a ball!

Snow Day

2010-02-08T12:47:00.001-08:00

Mother Nature has graced us with yet another extraordinarily beautiful snow day to enjoy. We prepared for the winter weather event by stocking up on supplies yesterday...

Not wanting any of his favorite stuffed buddies to miss the excitement, Camp crammed them into his bedroom window this morning so they could enjoy the view too...

It is such a great, wet snow, ideal for playing, so we brought the fun indoors so the boys could get hands-on....

They made tiny snowmen and enjoyed a short-lived snowball fight...

and Daddy made the boys and Mama our very first bowl of snowcream...

So far this snow day has not disappointed. It has brought a beautiful view, lots of family fun and a yummy treat to boot!

Is There A Dr. In The House?

2010-02-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

Camp melts my heart in his Dr. getup - but every time he puts these oversized glasses on his sweet little face I can't help but think of Chicken Little :)

Cheap Thrills Monday...

2010-02-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning we ventured out for our usual Monday family outing. First stop, haircuts for C-N-C. They arrived at Race Cuts overgrown and shaggy and left "high and tight"...

Then it was on to our next adventure...doing something I have not done since 1984... getting a library card...

That's right, a new library card to the White County Regional Library making me responsible for all lost, damaged and unreturned materials borrowed on this card. I am excited to now have borrowing privileges at the White County Library and look forward to using them often, however, after C-N-C acted like 2 two year old boys instead of little gentlemen when making their first library book selections, I was lucky to get out of there without having the card revoked...

Despite the boys' complete lack of library etiquette, I would deem our outing a success. We checked out two VHS movies and a Dr. Seuss book which has already been read 3 times!

Recipes

2010-01-30T13:48:00.000-08:00

When the weather outside is frightful, there's nothing better than a home cooked meal to cozy up to. I am going to share some of our family's favorite recipes to stay warm with. As with most of my recipes, they require the culinary skills of a sixth grader and the budget of a family livin' on love...

Breakfast Casserole: (this has become a Sunday morning staple at our house. I prepare it the night before and bake it before church)

1 lb sausage

1 can crescent rolls

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

4 eggs

3/4 cups milk

Brown sausage and drain. Spread crescent rolls in a 13x9 in pan, pinching seams together. Place the cooked, crumbled sausage over this, sprinkle cheese over this. Mix eggs and milk and pour over cheese. Bake @ 425 for 20 min.

Meatballs: (I found this tasty recipe in the Kraft Food & Family Fall -09 edition cookbook)

1 lb ground beef

1/2 box stuffing mix for chicken

3/4 cups water

1 egg

Heat over to 400, line a cooking sheet with foil and grease. Mix ingredients until well blended, shape in balls (about 1/4 cup for each). Place meatballs in prepared pan and bake for 16-18 min.

There are two options for sauce, both good but completely different:

Option #1:

Tomato-Basil Cream Sauce (served with pasta):

Mix 1 14 oz jar of spaghetti sauce, 2 oz cubed cream cheese and 2 tbsp of basil in a large pot on med heat. Cooked up cheese is melted.

Option #2:

Creamy Brown Gravy (served with mashed potatoes)

Mix 1 12 oz jar beef gravy, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp. parsley and cook on med-low heat until well blended.

Easy Taco Dip: (Very hardy, more like a meal than a dip. Has a very good flavor)

1 lb ground beef

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup salsa

1 cup mild taco sauce

1 can diced mild green chilies

1 can sliced black olives

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Cook meat and drain. Mix all ingredients, except cheese, in crock pot. Cook on low for 2-4 hours (high 1-2 hours). Stir in cheese just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

Winter Weather Celebration!

2010-01-29T11:57:00.001-08:00

Our household doesn't just enjoy inclement weather, we celebrate it. There's just a magic about SNOW that brings out the best in all of us. This morning I made our special snow day breakfast (which always includes cinnamon rolls) and had new books waiting for the boys when they got up (I scored these cute little snowman plates to serve our snow day breakfasts on at the dollar store on clearance for .30!). My sleepy-headed-rascals were so surprised and excited when they looked outside this morning and saw the snow. They were equally delighted (and amusingly surprised) when they discovered it had also snowed at their friend Abby's house across the street:)

We have found lots of fun ways to pass the time stranded at home together such as... snuggling under warm blankets and watching cartoons...

Looking at the beautiful winter wonderland view (notice the runner passing by in this picture... in my life there are 3 constants, the sun will rise and set, my mother will call everyday and this man WILL run, he makes no exceptions for rain, snow, sleet, hail, or freezing rain .)...

watching the birds enjoy the seed Daddy sprinkled on the back deck ...

and having sweet little helpers to assist mommy with chores...( he BEGS to do this)

According to the forecast, we have more winter weather to look forward to and I say bring it! The thought of another cozy day or two at home with my handsome brown eyed boys warms my heart .

Searcy Great Strides

2010-01-27T11:28:00.000-08:00

I had pleasure of hosting Monday night's Great Strides committee meeting, which happened to fall on committee member Sarah Lucheck's birthday. I think the world of Sarah, so for me getting to help her celebrate turning 19 was an honor. After a brief celebration which involved chocolate cake and a couple of gifts, we got down to business and tackled logistics for the walk. It was a very productive meeting, after which the worries and fears about the walk that have been keeping me up at night have given way to excitement and anticipation over the realization of what this small but mighty committee is capable of accomplishing in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis.

Rain boots

2010-01-27T11:18:00.001-08:00

The new yellow rain boots I ordered the boys from Old Navy have proven to be a HUGE hit with Camp and Cash. Refusing to take them off, they want to be ready at the first sign of puddles to splash in!

Picnic For Two

2010-01-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

Cash drew the short straw Monday and got stuck at home with mommy while Daddy and Camp ran errands and spent quality time together. In an effort soothe his bruised little feelings, mommy suggested we have a picnic lunch in the living room. Cash thought that was a grand plan! We spread out a blanket and dined on chicken bites, applesauce and potato chips while we watched his favorite cartoon, Caillou. Afterwards, I taught Cash the fine art of vacuuming and he loved it! A great time was had by mommy and Cash.

Coloring Cousins

2010-01-26T13:36:00.001-08:00

Sunday afternoon the boys and I traveled to Batesville to wish my mother a belated happy birthday. Camp and Cash were excited to see their Nona and play with their "Batesville cousins". The above photo features a heated coloring contest that took place during our visit. They were all vying for the grand prize- the coveted front and center spot on "Nona's" refrigerator.

Everyone Calls You Amazing...I Just Call You Mine

2010-01-23T07:28:00.000-08:00

Novelist C.S. Lewis once said, "You do not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body. ".

This statement is so simple and so beautiful. I find it especially comforting when I think about the "defective" bodies that house the brilliant, shining souls of my niece and nephew, Izzie and Jon-David. Though they were "assigned" bodies diseased with Cystic Fibrosis, their magical blue eyes are a glimpse of the magnificent spirits that dwell under the cough and illness. From time to time, I've thought maybe, just maybe these special souls were packaged in their imperfect bodies for the purpose of refining and humbling the souls of those that love them. Knowing them has certainly made me a better person.

Every Girl's Crazy 'Bout A Sharp Dressed Man...

2010-01-19T12:59:00.000-08:00

Clean Shirt, camo shoes
And I don't know where I'm going to
Cowboy hat, no socks
They come runnin' just as fast as they can
Cause every girl's crazy 'bout and sharp dressed man....

Camp got to help select his wardrobe for this morning's errand running...and I gotta say he's got a real flare for fashion. Since all our errands were drive-thru I allowed him go like this...seriously...

I have decide as part of my blog, I'm going to share our favorite family recipes. If there's one thing I know it's feeding a family on a budget. I love to cook and my boys love to eat so it works out well. Most of our dinners are super easy, crowd pleasing and very inexpensive ( generally around $5 if you use generic substitutes when available for ingredients). On tonight's menu is Wild Rice and Sausage Casserole.

Ingredients:

1 stick sausage

1 box wild rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can sliced mushroom (pieces and stems works well)

Directions:

Cook sausage and drain. Cook rice as directed on box. Mix can of soup with one can of water; combine all ingredients and bake at 350 for 30-40 min.

Enjoy!

Just Another Sunday In The South...

2010-01-17T18:49:00.001-08:00

Our Sunday got off to a divine start this morning with breakfast casserole, a lovely Methodist service that included soloist Jason Coleman singing a three verse version of "Jesus Loves Me" accompanied by his acoustic guitar and a visit from my sweet mother aka "Nona". After church Jason immediately got to work on his Sunday project...covering up 2 1/2 years worth of the boys' bumps, bangs, and creativity that knows NO bounds....

by repainting the living room and hallway. We opted to go with the existing color, Sherwin William's camelback, to keep the job as simple as possible. While he was hard at work, Nona and I had our work cut out for us keeping little hands off wet paint. We entertained the troops by taking a trip to Wilburn, AR to visit our friends, the majestic Trumpeter Swans. The swans were as beautiful and peaceful as ever to watch and I couldn't help but notice the number of birds and spectators has grown significantly since we first began visiting them in 2006. The boys enjoyed watching the noisy fowl and tossing corn in their direction. Unfortunately for the swans, the boys' throw is a bit weak so very little of what they threw actually made over the bank to the birds.

After that lovely encounter with nature, which we managed to drag out for 4 hours, I returned home to a freshly painted living room. All signs of uninvited Crayola murals have been successfully covered and a nice clean slate has been prepared for the next two years worth of dings and scraps. To top off the fresh paint job, Jason created a new art piece to adorn the mantel, our very own "C" crest....

In the two hours since it has been hung, I have absolutely fallen in love with this painting. It's hard to see in the photo, but the bottom reads Coleman Est. 2003 (the year we were married). I just adore it! After a lovely and productive Sunday I am off to enjoy the new view in my living room which I hope stays mural-free for at least a few days.

Back By Popular Demand

2010-01-16T12:27:00.001-08:00

Because I don't want to leave (both) my adoring blog fans waiting a moment longer...I am back by popular demand. I am so glad a couple of my blogging cohorts (Sarah and Jamie) have encouraged me to update Multiples, A Musician and A Mom. I enjoy blogging and have really let it fall to the wayside in recent months. So today I am announcing I am back and making a commitment to document every event and non-event of the Coleman household in 2010:) I have a slue of ideas for future blogs...so stay tuned for more coming soon!

Above are recent family photos taken courtesy of Big Three Photography. Taking photos with two 2 years olds similar to smiling through a wrestling match. They boys were anything but cooperative and by the time it was all said and done, we were all disheveled, sweating profusely and apologizing to photographer.

In vitro 101

2009-10-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

As many of you already know, Cash and Camp were far from accidents. In fact, they were the result of many prayers answered through a modern miracle. After several failed attempts to conceive with fertility drugs, artificial insemination and of course the old fashioned way, Jason and I decided to resort to a complex fertility treatment called In vitro Fertilization.
While preparing for this process, I was aware that my physical, emotional and financial thresholds would be tested. However, I never anticipated how my tolerance for ignorance would be so strained.
I was shocked and a little bruised when well-meaning, seemingly intelligent people would ask questions such as…So you're gonna have test tube babies? Why don't y'all just quit trying, then it will happen. Is it going to be your biological child? Wouldn't it be easier to just adopt? How can you afford that?
In virto is a grueling process that involves, among other things, surgery (to harvest eggs), many,many self injections,days of bed rest and much uncertainty. In an effort to educate, raise awareness and hopefully spare some poor infertile woman some stinging questions, I am going summarize the process as simply as possible.
Self injections of stimulating hormones are given (usually in the stomach) for two to three weeks to assist a female in producing mass quantities of eggs. This process is closely monitored with almost daily Dr.'s appointments and is an EXACT science. Literally minutes before the eggs are to be released (or ovulation is to occur) they are "vacuumed" out of the ovaries during a minor surgical procedure. The harvested eggs are mixed with a "sample" from a donor (generally a spouse) in a pea tree dish. The eggs and the sample "dance" together overnight and the next morning you get an exciting phone call to find out how many of the harvested eggs were fertilized by the sample and created embryos. These embryos are then monitored for the next 3-5 days as their cells multiply (more exciting calls giving "progress reports" on the dividing embryos are received during these days). If all goes well, the strongest two or three embryos are selected and returned to the uterus to hopefully thrive and create full term babies (if you're lucky enough to have remaining embryos they are frozen and stored for future use). At this stage of the game, self injections of large doses of hormones are given to "simulate pregnancy" and make the environment as inviting as possible for embryos to implant. After the embryos are transferred to the uterus, you are required to lay for several days so gravity can work for you. Over the next two three weeks more injections are endured, (only at this stage they are "deep muscle" self injections) to ensure hormone levels are at their prime to support a possible pregnancy. After a character building two and a half week wait, a standard blood test is taken to see if HCG (or pregnancy hormone) is present and indicates pregnancy.
That is the very short, abbreviated version of the complex in vitro process. It is important to know in virto DOES NOT replace Mother Nature; it simply helps her do her job by fertilizing the egg outside of the body then returning it to the uterus for implantation.
There is NO test tube involved, only pea tree dishes. Couples who resort to in vitro have exhausted all other options. Babies conceived through this complicated process share just as much of their parents' DNA as babies conceived through traditional methods. While in vitro is expensive (between $7,000 and $10,000) some insurance companies do help cover the cost and the procedure isn't any more costly than going on a nice vacation , buying a used car OR getting breast augmentation which ,oddly enough, I have found, the mentality of modern society seems to support all three more than assisted reproductive therapies.
In vitro is not right for every couple trying to start a family, it requires complete physical, mental, emotional and financial commitment by a couple but it was the right decision for Jason and I. Cash and Camp were conceived on our 4th attempt at in vitro and while it certainly wasn't easy, I feel the experience helped to"toughen me up" and prepare me for the beautiful adventure of raising twin boys as well as strengthen my faith and my marriage.
I hope is this short explanation clears up some of the myths and misconceptions of in vitro and prove there's more than one way to make a baby (or in our case two babies)!

Goodbye

2009-08-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

This evening in a lovely, private sunset service, I said goodbye to the most adventurous and fun-loving loving spirit I have ever known, my maternal grandmother, Janet. Her wishes for her ashes to be scattered in the White River were honored and we celebrated an accomplished and interesting lady. The service was a beautiful and fitting tribute to her unique life, it was a wonderful way to say goodbye.

A Return To Cheap Thrills Mondays

2009-08-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

This morning we made the short trip to Heber Springs for a family outing. Our first stop was a tour of the fish hatchery which the boys enjoyed thoroughly. It was just as smelly as I had remembered but the boys certainly weren't bothered by the odor. They meandered beside the long holding tanks pointing and declaring "Lotsa fish! Lotsa fish!" Next we headed to the water, Sandy Beach to be exact. We arrived to find the swimming area unoccupied and were lucky enough to have the place to ourselves for almost an hour! The sun, the sand, the water...it was summer fun at its best!

Since the ususal $4 admission to the lake is waived Aug 1st-9th we ALMOST got away with a completely free outing...HOWEVER, we made a pit stop at Sherwood Wholesale on the way home and their new arrival of Christmas decor appealed to my sweet spot in a BIG way. I couldn't resist picking up a few ornaments and my first Christmas gifts of the season.

A great time was had by all and I declare any outing that combines swimming and Christmas a huge success!

Called Home

2009-08-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

My silly little blog about nothing lost its most devoted fan last week when my maternal grandmother, Janet Louise Boney Webb, was called Home on Friday July 31,2009. Keeping her connected with our family was my biggest motivation for blogging. Since she became ill in the spring, I haven't had as much inspiration to document our daily events but I plan to get back to it in the weeks to come. She left us with many sweet memories to delight in as we reflect on her accomplished, interesting, well-traveled and unique life.

party pics continued...

2009-04-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

A few more photos of the day...

Party Time!

2009-04-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

A few days after the boys turned two, we celebrated with family and friends by having a party at the Carmichael Community Center. The theme of the party was primary colors, "Red, Yellow, Blue...Guess Who's Turning Two". I decided on this theme because the boys are learning colors AND because Wal-Mart had a crappy selection of kid's party supplies all of which included characters the boys are not yet interested in. The gymnasium at the Carmichael Center provided great space for rowdy kids to run and play and was a very convenient and low stress party location. I planned for weeks making sure I left no loose ends and no room for panic the day of the party. It all came together just as I had hoped, however, in all my attention to detail, I never factored in how the BOYS would react to their party. I was sure to include their favorites, like balloons, coloring, etc and I just knew they would love it. Usually adventurous and aggressive in social situations , they were a bit overwhelmed and clingy on the day of their party. Their reaction puzzled and disappointed me a bit, but taught me a big lesson about trying the predict the behavior of two year olds! With the exception of the guests of honor, I think a great time was had by all and I am already tossing around ideas for a 3rd birthday celebration!

Sprucing Up The Place

2009-04-19T17:03:00.001-07:00

Today I took advantage of the calm after this morning's storm and the boys' 3 hour nap by getting started on sprucing up my front porch for the summer.
While my DH was busy power washing (without a single word of protest mind you) I was busy making this old decrepit flower pot like new again....

After a good scrub down and a quick coat of black spray paint, it looked better but still had that dreaded "fresh coat of black spray paint look"...soooo....

I hurried along the aging process by dipping a paper towel in brown paint, followed by water and rubbed it over the details. After drying, I used the pot to plant this year's red and white begonias accented with a spike (my traditional front porch theme 5 years running). I placed it by my front door and like magic, it was like a brand new pot!

I am also trying something new this year, window planters hung from my porch railing. I found these at Fred's for $9.99 ,and thinking they would fit right in on my porch, I couldn't pass them up. I am pleased with how they turned out, but can already see one downfall. When I gave them their first good watering after hanging, all the unabsorbed water trickled out the bottom and made a muddy mess underneath. Hopefully I will get better at gauging what is just enough for future waterings.

It was such a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon and I really enjoyed myself. Although, I do have more plans and plants waiting for a permanent home, I would say we had a productive day. I plan to post more photos when the look is complete and I am holding my breath I won't cross paths with any SNAKES this season.

04/02

2009-04-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

April 2nd marked the 2 year anniversary of Camp and Cash's birth and they both enjoyed a very special 2nd birthday. C-N-C woke up on the morning of their birthday with gifts waiting for them. Handy Manny chairs, gift bags stuffed with tackle boxes, dump trucks and books along with all the cards that had been mailed to them from friends and relatives (I did take the time to check for "deposits for their savings accounts" first). The boys didn't hesitate a second before digging into their gifts. No worries about arguing over toys, true to form, Camp hoarded all the books and cards and went in one direction to read while Cash took both dump trucks in another making "vroommm" noises. There's no doubt these two are just as different as the day they arrived. After gift opening, the boys enjoyed a special birthday breakfast of their favorites, fried bologna, scrabbled eggs and cinnamon rolls. The day was made even more fun by visits and well wishes from friends and family which helped to make the boys feel very special.

It's hard to believe two years have come and gone since we first got to meet Campbell Nast and Cash Nuckolls (nope, still NOT named after country music stars for those who are wondering) . Jason and I had our own little celebration after the boys went to bed that night by watching videos of their first few weeks of life. It was bittersweet to see the images of our tiny duo and think of what rowdy two year olds they have become! I couldn't help but think, if I could just go back and tell that terrified new mother of preemies..."Stop worrying and enjoy this. It won't last long and everything is going to turn out beautifully.... oh and one more thing, you're not nearly as fat as you feel."

I love you, Camp and Cash..."right up to the moon and back"

Streakers

2009-04-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Over the last several weeks the boys have developed an aversion to clothing. While naked baby bottoms streaking around the house are cute, the messes they leave when disrobed are not. Realizing that "marking their territory" gets a big reaction from mommy, the duo have most recently used their talent of stripping in under a minute as retaliation for timeouts, naps and bedtime. Finally, last night, I had cleaned one mess too many and decided to use Jason's creative solution of wrapping masking tape around their waists over their diapers. This morning when I woke to find them in dry beds for a change, I couldn't resist taunting them a little by remarking I had fixed their apple carts. I suppose I "hot dogged in the inzone" a little too long, as Cash later proved to me that I will be getting up a little earlier in the morning if I plan to out smart a two year old. After leaving the boys fully dressed in a two minute time out for a dangerous infraction involving standing on furniture to take curly willow out of a vase...I returned to find a naked a boy and a wet spot...
Somehow Cash managed to get around what I thought was a sure fire solution. Notice the making tape is still in tact, being used as belt. Pictured above is the little Houdini climbing onto the changing table for a fresh diaper as he prefers to do as opposed to being lifted. I am now making a plea to my blogging audience for suggestions or advice on keeping these two clothed. Please help!

Cheap Thrills Monday...Fishing...

2009-03-30T16:34:00.001-07:00

The inspiration for today's Cheap Thrills Monday outing was all Daddy. He had the sweet idea to take the boys on their first fishing trip.

Que whistling intro to The Andy Griffith Show...
The boys were mildly interested in the fishing pole...

Completely grossed out by the impressive but slimy bass Daddy reeled in...

But found much pleasure in picking dandelions and flowers...

...and were mesmerized by the branches, shape and size of this tree...

I will have to say, Daddy's idea for a fishing trip was a good one. The boys enjoyed themselves and I feel got something out of it and Daddy squeezed in an hour or so of the fishing he's been dying to do.

Another successful Cheap Thrills Monday costing a total of nothing but time well spent!

Barney Attacking

2009-03-30T16:30:00.001-07:00

His expression says it all..."I am being attacked by a crazy purple dinosaur and all you can do is stand there with a camera?!?!"

Jon-David's Shower

2009-03-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

Today our family gathered at Ryan and Deanna's house (my brother and sister-in-law) and held a small family shower to celebrate the impending birth of their forth child and first son, Jon-David. While we were busy opening gifts and eating mother-to- be requested coconut cake, Jason was locked away in the nursery putting his talent to good use. He painted a small mural in Jon-David's room of Snoopy and Woodstock that compliments the nursery's theme.

Deanna and Jon-David both approved.

Katie and Camp also agreed it was a job well done!!

Afterwards, Jason and Cash enjoyed some much deserved relaxation as they admired the hard work!

Cheap Thrills Monday

2009-03-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

Today's quest to find inexpensive and educational entertainment for the boys lead us to what I found to be our most enjoyable Cheap Thrills Monday yet....KITE FLYING!! The boys' "Gran" (Jason's mom) gave Camp and Cash kites last week and today's beautiful weather provide us with the perfect opportunity to use them. As luck would have it "Grandpa" (Jason's dad) happens to live on an ideal kite flying spot, there really couldn't have been a better place to launch our kites.

We arrived around noon and enjoyed a picnic lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, potato sticks, juice boxes and dessert. After eating we assembled our kites and hoped for the best. Mother Nature smiled on us with enough pleasant breeze to take our "Elmo" and "Mickey" kites high into the sky. It was so much fun that we spent almost two hours in that field flying kites.

A great time was had by all and we plan to do more kite flying in the near future.

Since Gran was kind enough to surprise the boys with kites, today's adventure didn't cost us dime! Another successful "Cheap Thrills Monday" making sweet, sweet memories on a budget!

More Sickness...

2009-03-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

Our house is once again plagued with sickness. Last Friday the director of the boys' Mother's Day Out program called to let me know Cash was sick at his stomach and needed to be fetched. By the time I arrived, Camp was also sick with what turned out to be a nasty little virus. Vomiting, diarrhea, fever the works. By Sunday, they had passed their misery onto me and Daddy was the last to fall on Thursday. This was an especially slow and painful bug with the boys symptoms lasting a full 5 days.

This bug found us just in time to ruin Jason's birthday on March 8th. Instead of having his family over for a nice Sunday lunch with all his favorite foods as planned, Jason instead spent his 34th caring for a sick wife and kids. I still have all the ingredients for his special meal and plan to "recreate" his birthday as soon as he is feeling better.

All week while cleaning one mess after another I kept reminding myself, we are building our immune systems and every virus we catch is one more we'll be immune to in the future.

Pictured above is my poor little sick Cash in the midst of this aliment. Surrounded by all his favorite things, lounging in Daddy's chair and just as precious as he was miserable.

Our Day...Bullet Style

2009-03-03T19:52:00.000-08:00

Woke up to, once again, find both boys partially clothed. One missing a shirt, one missing pants and diaper, but I still deemed it a success because there were no potty messes waiting for me.
Super fun play date at McDonald's with friends this morning.
Camp's first nose bleed this afternoon (I'm giving the bad cold that caused his double ear infection credit).
Today the ruptured disc in Jason's neck has him down and out...same song millionth painful verse. We're hoping for a speedy recovery and no missed days from work.
Tonight I can't breath out of my nose thanks to the rotten cold the boys passed on to me.

That was our day, in a nutshell, bullet style:)

Cheap Thrills Monday...

2009-03-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

For today's addition of Cheap Thrills Monday, Jason and I took the boys to feed ducks for the first time. After getting input from Facebook friends about where hungry ducks can be found in Searcy, we took them to the pond beside Truman Baker. The boys loved seeing the ducks and the ducks were very eager to get a free meal. Although enjoyable, our trip to the pond was very short and sweet because it didn't take us long to figure out it was entirely too cold to be feeding ducks.

After our little adventure, none of us were ready to go home so instead we went to the convenience store so Jason and I could load up on junk food then went for a ride in the country. Jason took me on a tour of Higgison, a place I'd never been. We were even lucky enough to get stopped at the tracks for a train to pass. It was fun to see the boys watch the train speed by with wide eyed wonder. Though our outing was rather anticlimactic, it was just nice to venture off the beaten path for a change and explore a little. We definitely managed to stick to our budget of "cheap". The stale bread from our pantry we feed the ducks was FREE!!

I am starting to run short on ideas for our Cheap Thrills Monday adventures...I would gladly welcome any suggestions on cheap, educational outings for toddlers:)

Fireproof....An Honest Review...

2009-02-24T17:53:00.000-08:00

I hesitate to post this because I know how passionate the fans of the latest Christian box office craze ,Fireproof, are (my dear, sweet sister being one of them). Its almost cult like following of very well-intentioned people have encouraged me time and time again to change my life by seeing this movie . Sooooo after much prodding, pleading, begging and convincing Jason dozens of people couldn't be wrong, we gave it a shot last night and now I am sharing our review. The first 30 minutes were low budget and predictable with "B list" and "D list" acting at its worst... the grueling hour and a half that followed went downhill from there. There wasn't a minute of the movie I found myself actually "buying into". The dialogue was unbearably cliche and the acting reminded me of a horrible Lifetime movie. The entire production had an almost "infomerical" quality to it. I apologized to Jason nearly a dozen times during the movie, to at one point he replied "I feel like we stayed late at an adult Sunday school class for a pizza party and got tricked into watching this.". I couldn't have agreed more.
Now, before any of you lovely, kind hearted, decent fans of the movie get all scrappy with me, I would like to add a disclaimer to my review...The message of the movie was honorable, decent, good and much needed HOWEVER the delivery of the message left much to be desired at the Coleman household. I guess last night's viewing of Fireproof was my payback to Jason for the vulgar monstrosity , Stepbrother's, he convinced me sit through recently:).
In closing I just have one thing left to say..."Thanks for fixin' my hand, my ring finger works real good now." Sorry..I could resist:)

Eating With A Spoon...

2009-02-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

So, I have been teaching the boys to feed themselves with a spoon and I've gotta say....I think it's going well...

Cheap Thrills Monday

2009-02-16T18:08:00.000-08:00

Today's "Cheap Thrills Monday" adventure was once again geared toward the boys' interest in animals and nature. We got an early start this morning and headed over to Kensett for breakfast at the Country Kitchen. We all enjoyed good food and a change of scenery. After a hearty breakfast, we took the boys to Wal-Mart and purchased a bird feeder and birdseed. Wal-Mart didn't have the sheppard's hook we wanted to hang the feeder so we made a pit stop at Big Lots and found just what we were looking for before heading home. Once home, we filled the feeder with seed and placed it on the sheppard's hook just a few feet from the boys' bedroom window. Much to my surprise, birds starting visiting the feeder almost immediately. Our first visitors were a trio of beautiful snow birds that kept us entertained for almost half an hour. The pretty little fowl weren't even phased by the noisy boys banging on the window heckling them while they ate. I think Camp and Cash are really going to enjoy their new view and having their very own bird feeder.

The feeder and seed were just under $5 each and the sheppard's hook was our big purchase for $10. The total for today's outing was about $20. Even though 20 bucks is stretching a "cheap" outing, I feel today's purchases were a good investment considering, unlike the LATE Mr. Brown and Apple, the feeder will be enjoyed for sometime to come.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-16T17:22:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day was especially sweet for me this year with not one but 3 handsome brown eyed boys to celebrate with. Friday night Jason and I forced ourselves out of our element and went out on a date. It was a struggle for us to leave the comfort of our own home, I guess we didn't want to miss the usual Friday night argument about watching Nanny 911:) and I think we were both secretly wondering if just the two of us could still enjoy a night out on the town together. I am so glad we decided to bite the bullet and go because we enjoyed ourselves to the fullest. We headed south to Little Rock and went to the River Market. There we went to The Underground Pub and watched 80's cover band PG-13, one of Jason's favorites. We ate greasy cheese fries, drank cold beer, enjoyed great music and one another's company. It turned out to be a delightful night out.
Saturday was all about the boys. They woke up Saturday morning with Valentine's waiting for them. Because of their fondness for my cleaning supplies, they both got brooms. They were thrilled ( I do hope Jason realizes I would not share their enthusiasm with such a gift). Saturday afternoon we hosted the Hot Mommies Valentine Play date in our kitchen. Our friends from the mommies group joined us for a cookie decorating. All the kids enjoyed themselves and although I am still finding icing and sprinkles in every nook and cranny I was happy to have everyone here to help us celebrate.

Trumpeter Swans

2009-02-08T18:59:00.000-08:00

February 8th 2009 was as close to a " picture perfect day" as I have ever known. Jason and I took the boys to Magness Lake, just outside of Wilburn, AR, to see the Trumpeter Swans that have migrated there for the winter. I first saw the swans at this location 3 years ago and was so impressed I had always wanted to return. The swans are magnificent creatures and their beauty was not lost on the boys, they were mesmerized! The Trumpeter Swans were just as awe inspiring today as they were when I met them 3 years ago and since my first visit their " winter home" at Magness Lake has been turned into a Wildlife Refuge Area and spruced up with a parking area and large fence. We could have stayed all afternoon and admired the fowl if it weren't for one critical feature the area is missing...bathrooms! Our urgent need for a restroom sent us back to town.

After making a pit stop at the first open convenience store, we went to Jason's Aunt Margaret's pond and enjoyed picnic snacks and what was left of the beautiful afternoon. It was such an incredibly nice day, at one point while watcing the boys run and play, I actually thought to myself, if I had only one day left, I'd want to spend it just like this. Along with photos of our outing, I am also including a video link of a wonderful day below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfB7vqjS-NU

RIP Mr. Brown...

2009-02-04T16:10:00.000-08:00

Late this afternoon I returned home from my weekly grocery shopping trip to find "Mr. Brown" floating at the top of the bowl. Since the goldfish were technically Jason's idea, and he agreed to do all bowl cleanings and carcass disposals, I am waiting for him to get home from work to do the official funeral flush. I guess we got our .12 worth, but I really did think Mr. Brown would be with us for more than a couple of days. Apple doesn't seem to be the least bit troubled by his bowl mate floating sideways, hopefully he will hold out for at least another week or two. The boys had been enjoying their new pets so much and thankfully didn't seem to notice the tragedy when they told the fish goodnight before going to bed. Hopefully we can have Mr. Brown II in place before they get suspicious. Which reminds me, when the goldfish discussion came up between Jason and I, he claimed he'd had goldfish as a child that lived for "years". I had to turn my head and bite my lip to keep from laughing...I didn't have the heart to tell him how goldfish really go on living for years.:)

Mr. Brown and Apple

2009-02-02T16:26:00.001-08:00

I would like to introduce you to the boys' first pets, two goldfish named Mr. Brown and Apple. We took a "field trip" to a local pet store, The Fish Bowl, this morning. Initially the visit got off to an unpleasant start when the noisy exotic bird who lives by the front door of the store greeted us with very sudden and startling squawking. The noise made me jump a mile and sent the boys into a crying frenzy. Thankfully, it wasn't long before their curiosity took over and the boys were too interested in seeing the fish, birds, puppies and rabbits to be bothered by the racket. Before leaving we purchased two goldfish and fish food. The boys got to pick any name they wanted for their new pets. Cash was very firm on Apple (although I think he may have confused what I said with "What would you like to eat with your goldfish:) ). Camp on the other hand was indecisive and most of his names weren't audible so I helped him pick a name. Mr. Brown is the name of the character in his favorite Dr. Seuss book and I thought it fit well.

Today was the first of what Jason and I plan to be many "Cheap Thrills Mondays". We would like to take the boys and expose them to something new and somewhat educational each Monday morning without breaking the bank. Today's outing totaled all of $6. The goldfish were .12 each, the fish food was just under $5 and we were able to find the perfect size bowl at Big Lots for $1. Not too bad for a fun family outing.

First Trim...

2009-02-01T13:32:00.000-08:00

"Gran" (Jason's mom) had a feast waiting for us after church today. We joined she and Jason's brother and his family for Sunday lunch at her house. After eating, Gran used her skills to give Camp and Cash a much needed first hair trim. Neither boy has half the hair of most kids their age, but what they did have was starting to look ragged and straggled. Camp went first and got the "mini mullet" he had been working on for almost two years cut. Next it was Cash's turn for a bang trim. Bless her heart, Gran certainly had her work cut out for her, neither boy wanted to cooperate so she was forced to snip away at moving targets. She did a great job and the little trim certainly made a big difference in their appearance...they look even more like big boys with their fresh cuts this afternoon than they did this morning.

Sweet Mother Nature

2009-01-31T17:24:00.000-08:00

Sweet Mother Nature gave us a brief reprieve from Old Man Winter today with and unusually warm and sunny January day. We celebrated her gift with outdoor play. The boys and I had a ball basking in the endorphin stimulating, vitamin D providing, wonderful yellow sunshine! Camp and Cash frolicked, ran, hooped, hollered and were downright gleeful to be out of the house for a change. Their favorite part of our outing was playing in the piles of crunchy, dried leaves that should have been raked months ago:)

I think it's safe to say we have a couple of outdoor loving boys on our hands. It was great to get out for a day of play in January and our fun has me prematurely ready to welcome Spring!

Campbell Nast Coleman

2009-01-02T17:38:00.000-08:00

Camp beat his brother into this world by only 30 seconds, barely edging Cash out for the title of first born son. My sweet, sweet Campbell Nast was born weighing a mere 2lbs 10oz and fighting hard. Affectionately referred to as "Campy Doodle Dandy", he loves dogs, to read and be chased but hates to snuggle. The week of Camp's 1st birthday in April, he started physical therapy to improve low muscle tone and awareness of his legs. These issues were attributed to his low birth weight and prematurity and although I was assured the delays would be short term, a mama can't help but worry. Making the trek to Reaper Physical Therapy twice a week, Cash and I would drop him off for his hour long "dates" with PT Ms. Karen Richardson. He was so smitten with her and worked very hard during his sessions using leg weights, walking on a treadmill and even doing situps. He had a challenging list of goals set for him that were helped along with bribes of dum dum suckers and crackers. After 8 months, I am ecstatic to announce, Camp has accomplished his goals and completed therapy. I am so proud of my little guy and feel really good about where he is physically. Though we will miss seeing all our friends at Reaper Therapy, they will always have a special place in our hearts for all they did to help Camp reach his potential and giving me one less thing to worry about:)

Beautiful Storm

2008-12-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

This morning's late fall storm that rolled past our home brought with it one of the most validating experiences I have had as a mother. Camp and Cash have a puzzling fear of storms, thunder in particular, that baffles me. I enjoy inclement weather of any kind, there's just something romantic in a storm for me...not so much for Camp and Cash. So this morning, as the thunder rumbled, I found myself sitting Indian style in our hallway comforting two frightened little boys. Snuggling in as close as possible, both boys had their precious tear stained faces buried in my chest with their arms tucked securely ,in the locked position, straight in front of them. As any decent mother would do, I swayed back and forth as I sang "Jesus Loves Me" in an effort to help them wait out the storm. Just as they were easing a bit, a startling clap of thunder sounded, shook the windows and sent the boys into a wailing frenzy. As I held them tighter, promising not to let them storm hurt them, I had a front row seat to one of the sweetest and most compassionate moments shared between two scared brothers. With the bravado of a war hero, in the midst of his crying and fear, with his face still firmly buried in my chest, Camp wiggled his little arm out from between our bodies, threw it around Cash's back and started to pat and comfort him.
That little act of kindness left me with the feeling that I must be doing something right as a mother. It was the validation we mothers need from time to time to let us know, while we're far from perfect and make mistakes, we are steering the boat in the right direction. After the storm quietened, I got up from my post in the hall with the profound and surreal thought... Wow, I have taught my son compassion. For me, this morning's storm was particularly beautiful.

When The Cat's Away...

2008-11-18T18:35:00.000-08:00

Jason is of the persuasion that Christmas should not be thought of until AFTER the turkey has been digested. I say that is soooo "inside the box" thinking and if were up to me, the tree would stay up year round. Saturday night "The Grinch" returned home from his late night gig to a festive surprise. With the help of my cohort, Hope, the conversion of the Coleman household into a winter wonderland began. I started out in my dining area with my "kitchen tree" (all trees will have to remain behind baby gates this year for two very obvious and destructive reasons). I have big plans and will post more pics when my reign of red and green is complete.

I will have to say Jason tolerated the early decorating well. I think it was a nice compromise for him not having to help:)

Here's wishing everyone the joys of Christmas year round!

Glass Half Full???

2008-11-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

Depending on how you see the "glass of life" Ryan is the luckiest or unluckiest man alive this morning. On the heels of the horrendous helicopter crash that claimed the life of his fellow wildlife officer, Ryan was involved in yet another accident this morning. While taking his daughter, Katie, to school an "unlicensed female motorist bending down to pick up a pack of cigarettes" turned left in front of them at the "Western Sizzlen stoplight" (all my Batesville folks will know what that means).Their family car is believed to be totaled and the driver at fault "isn't sure if the car is insured or not". Thankfully both Katie and Ryan were wearing their seat belts and escaped major injury. Ryan did have some neck pain after the accident, which he is having checked out now. As I said, today you could think of Ryan as the cat with 9 lives or the man with a curse. Please remember their family in your prayers. Even though they have come through these "very close calls" in tact, they are still facing some tough months anticipating the birth of their 4th child.

Recipes

2008-10-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have decided to share a few of our families' favorite recipes in hopes that my blog readers will do the same. I am always looking for new family friendly meal ideas for my guys. Lately, we have found ourselves in dinner rut. In desperation, I have blindly chosen recipes from various cookbooks and internet sources that have not been so well received by anyone but the garbage disposal. Now, I am urging you to please pass your favs my way, I could really use a few new ideas that have been "pre-screened". Below are a some of our most recent, pleasing and super simple picks.

Dirty Rice:
1lb Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage
1 Chopped Onion
1 Chopped Bell Pepper
2 Cans Beef Broth
1/2 Can Water
1 1/2 Cups Uncooked Rice
Pinch of Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown sausage, onions, and peppers. Drain and combine all remaining ingredients in a big pot or a deep (non-stick) skillet. Bring to a boil, stir, turn down heat, cover and simmer about 30 to 45 minutest or until rice is done.

Stuffed Pasta Shells:
2 cups shredded Mozzarella
7 oz. Ricotta Cheese
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 pkg manicotti shells
1 jar spaghetti sauce

Prepare manicotti shells according to pkg. directions. Combine cheeses and spinach. Stuff shells. Arrange in baking dish and pour spaghetti sauce over. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 min.

Pepperoni Bread
Talk about EASY and very kid friendly

1 Box Frozen Texas Cheese Toast
Pkg. of sliced Pepperonis
Enough grated cheese to make pepperonis stick

Top each slice of Texas Cheese Toast with 4 Pepperonis and enough grated cheese to make pepperonis stick. Cook according to directions on the Texas Toast box, adding a few additional minutes for cooking. Also works well with other pizza toppings, I love Canadian bacon, jalapenos, and pineapple too.

Meatloaf:
This recipe has our household divided. I have never been a meatloaf fan, but found this recipe yummy. The boys liked it too, but Jason said he prefers a more traditional meatloaf, so try it at your own risk.

2 Eggs Beaten
2 lbs. Lean Ground Beef
1 Pkg. (6oz.) Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Original BBQ Sauce, Divided

Preheat Oven to 375. In a small bowl, beat eggs lightly with a fork. Place lean ground beef, stuffing mix, water, beaten eggs, and 1/4 cup bbq sauce in a large bowl. Mix all ingredients until just blended. Shape meat mixture in an oval loaf into a 13X9 in baking dish (using a large dish makes it easier to pour out excess fat). Top meatloaf with remaining 1/3 cup bbq sauce. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through. Makes a BUNCH.

Spicy Spinach Dip:

1 Pkg. Frozen Spinach (thawed and drained)
1 Can Rotel
8oz. Cream Cheese
1 1/2 cups Cheddar Cheese
1 Tsp. Cavender's Seasoning

Combine all ingredients and cook at 350 until bubbly.

Kool-Aid Pie
(I just stumbled across this one on another blog. It made a good cooking project for my niece and I this weekend. We used strawberry Kool-Aid and called it "Pink Pie", very tasty.)

1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 Pkg any flavor Kool-Aid
1 tub Cool Whip
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix bottom 3 ingredients and pour into pie crust. Freeze for 2 hours and enjoy!

Candy Corn and Peanuts.
Last but not least, this is a concoction I wish I had never discovered. It's another goody I found reading blogs and have made myself MISERABLE indulging ever since.

Mix 1 bag of candy corns ( I have been using the Autumn Mix with candy corn, pumpkins and Indian Corn) with 1 jar of peanuts. Prepare to make yourself miserable!

TB Skin Test Blog Follow Up

2008-10-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

Just a quick follow up to last week's TB Skin Test blog... I know my blogging audience is on the edge of their seats in anticipation over this one (j/k). I researched on line and contacted officials at the Health Dept and the opinions were unanimous...there is no possible way a TB Skin test could result in this type of reaction.
However, I heard back from several people after this post who, like myself, disagree, and feel strongly the TB skin test does indeed make some people very sick. Most folks I heard from were tested in a group situation, and what I was told over and over again is the very small women in the group experienced the same reaction I did, while men and average size women were completely unaffected. Which leaves me wondering, should a 110 lb woman be injected with same dose as a 250lb man? It just doesn't make good sense, no matter how "friendly" the bacteria is.
My clear TB skin test expires in one year and if there is any possible way around it, I never plan to have it repeated.

Year of the Snake...

2008-10-12T17:10:00.001-07:00

Last week brought about snake slaying #9 for this year at our address. This snake was killed in the same spot 2 others have been found, in the landscaping directly in front of my front porch (aren't you eager to get a dinner invitation from us?). Jason was at work and all the snake killing tools were locked away in the shed, thankfully when I ran to the neighbor's and asked to borrow a shovel, he kindly offered to do the honors for me.
The only bright spot in the most recent snake killing is Jason has now FINALLY admitted and acknowledged we indeed have a snake problem. This is a great relief for me, because with #'s 1 thru 8 he kept up the "this is normal" , "it's just a bad year for snakes" nonsense. His change of opinon is better late than never I suppose. We plan to be well prepared before next spring's baby snakes hatch, even if it means hiring professionals....which after the summer we've had I would be hard pressed to find anyone more experienced than my husband in snake extermination.
With the weather changing, snake season should be wrapping up soon and hopefully last week's kill will be the final one for the year.

I'm Going To Be An Aunt Again.

2008-10-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

The above photo was taken two years ago with what I was certain would be all the nieces and nephews I would ever have ( with the exception of Jason's niece and nephew of course). Week before last, I got a very surprising phone call that changed all that. The call was from Elizabeth (aka Izzie), my brother's middle daughter. She called to tell me her mama was going to have another baby. After she blurted out the shocking news, I told her to put her father on the phone, I was sure I had misunderstood and was certain he would clear things up for me. I guess my brother said it best when he told me 99.9% effective just wasn't good enough in their case. Initially the news was very bittersweet, Ryan and his wife Deanna are both carriers of the defective Cystic Fibrosis gene - which means there is much uncertainty regarding the health of this baby. Elizabeth has already inherited both defective genes and has the disease, and this baby will have the same odds of having Cystic Fibrosis. That information, combined with the fact Ryan and Deanna have already produced 3 wonderful daughters, 2 of which are UNDER THE AGE OF 4, left me with my jaw dropped thinking how in the world did they allow this to happen.

The expecting parents have opted not to test for CF until my new niece or nephew arrives in May.. Even though the circumstances are far from ideal, the shock is wearing off and excitment is creeping in. I have come to realize this pregnancy was against all odds, 2 forms of birth control were in place to prevent this from happening, which leaves me with the overwhelming certainty that God has something really big in store with this little miracle.
I will be posting pregnancy news and progress. The first ultrasound looked great and gave a May 30th due date.

TB Skin Test (the best diet ever?).

2008-10-10T14:30:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago I was hit hard and fast with what I assumed was the stomach virus. The sickness really knocked the wind outta my sails and all I could do was hope and pray Jason and the boys didn't suffer the same fate, thankfully no one got sick but me. Well...this week, two weeks to the day after the first bout of illness, it started all over again just like before..I was terribly sick and between the two incidents I kind of started to wonder if I'd been poisoned:) With all the sickness I dropped 6lbs in two weeks and couldn't figure out what was going on.
Then it dawned on me...both times I had visited the health department the day before for a TB skin test. The volunteer work I am involved in requires the annual test. Since I had never been tested for tuberculous before, the test had to be repeated two weeks later. It is a very common test that is required for many areas of employment such as day cares, hospitals, schools etc. For those of you that have never had one, a small amount of bacteria is injected under the skin and two days later you return to have the test read (or see how your skin reacted). Officially, there are no side effects but I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt the test is what has been making me so ill. I just wanted to know if anyone else has ever been effected in this way from a TB skin test. There were 6 other people getting the same test when I was at the health department this week and I just have to wonder if I am the only one that became ill??? Please let me know if you have ever had the test and if so what if any reaction did you notice.

Searcy's Get Down Downtown...

2008-09-30T16:04:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Searcy's 1st Get Down Downtown music festival. Beautiful Noise participated in the event with a vendor booth. We custom made temporary Beautiful Noise guitar tattoos, had a sign up for a guitar giveaway as well as flyers and other information about our business available. The festival went over well with a good crowd and nice weather. There was much to see and do all topped off by great music with Billy Dean being the biggest draw. We tattooed about 150 ppl and signed up over 200 for the giveaway. Late Saturday afternoon, I slipped away from our booth and enjoyed the "kiddie park" with the boys and my niece Rebekah.

It was a nice family friendly day of fun and I would love to see it become an annual event and return to Downtown Searcy next year .

Flaylady...

2008-09-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

I have just been turned on to the Flylady method of cleaning and staying organized. I find her suggestions very useful and practical and I have high hopes I will be a neat freak in no time! You can check it out at the link below:

http://www.flylady.net/

Izzie Update...

2008-09-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

WOW! Great news to share about Izzie's hospital stay. What was intended to be a week to two week stay has been cut very short. She will being going home TODAY before she even has a chance to wear all her new pj's:) Through a minor surgical procedure, a port or "pic line" was placed, she will be released with the line and will be able receive all her IV antibiotics in the comfort of her own home. She will of course have to return to have the line removed once the antibiotics are completed.
I think the decision to release her was a combination of her being in such good health for a "CF'er", her mother being a registered nurse ( soon to be a nurse practitioner) and capable of caring for her at home, and her rebellious daddy staying with her yesterday and refusing testing and procedures he didn't agree with or found unnecessary.
Whatever the reason, I am just so glad she doesn't have to stay confined to a tiny hospital room for the next two weeks.

Izzie

2008-09-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update about Izzie for those of you who have been following her battle with Cystic Fibrosis. Izzie was admitted to Children's yesterday for what is expected to be a week to two week visit. She is actually doing very well and thriving, this is her first stay in the hospital since June of 2007. Her admittance was not prompted by illness, it is what is referred to as a "CF tune up". During her stay Izzie will receive IV antibiotics, more extensive treatments than she can get at home and a little extra TLC. This trip is only to ensure she CONTINUES to be a charming, happy, spunky little girl. We sent Izzie armed with a stash of new pj's, slippers and a promise that she would be the best dressed little girl in ACH. This seemed to delight her and hopefully her new fashion will make the stay a bit more bearable!

I will be sure to update during her stay...I just feel sorry for the person responsible for keeping that spunky little girl confined to one room:)

Do You Ever Feel Like You're Being Watched?

2008-09-06T19:05:00.001-07:00

For the time being, this large stuffed tiger is the closest thing Camp and Cash have to a pet. Usually, tucked away in a closet, he is only brought out to amuse them, wrestle with, then put away. Recently, the duo have found a more productive use for the gentle beast...spying on the neighbors. The stuffed animal goes between their bedroom window and the front window and has proved to be very useful for the boys when they want a closer look at the neighbors mowing their yard or letting their dogs out. They get so excited by these sights, they usually yell and jam their tiny index fingers to the glass over and over again. My poor unsuspecting neighbors have no idea they are such good entertainment for 17 months olds!

Turning 30

2008-09-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 5th, 2008 marked the beginning of the 3rd decade of my life. So far, middle age is treating me very well. I had a lovely birthday that not only surprised but humbled me. I received cards and well wishes from many sweet people, all of which were very dear to me. A couple of days before my birthday, I was admiring the two "early bird" cards I received, both from different sets of grandparents. I was struck by just how blessed I am to still have grandparents to send me cards on my 30th birthday. WOW, I can only hope I am still around to send Camp and Cash's offspring greetings on their 30th. In honor of my birthday, my Dad made his (what I like to call) annual contribution to my fall wardrobe fund:) I always look forward to spending that frivolously:) and my mother-in-law went out of her way to "splurge" on me too.

I woke up on the morning of my birthday to find gifts from Jason and the boys waiting for me. A mini power washer and electric hedge trimmers may sound unconventional, but I couldn't have been more thrilled ( I am sure my neighbors with the picture perfect yards will share my joy :) My big day just happened to fall on the boys' first day back to their mother's day out program. After kissing them goodbye that morning, my sweet mother (who used one of her hard earned vacation days to spend with me) and I were off to shop til we dropped. We had much luck and fun buying the boys' fall clothes and me a few items here and there. After doing all the damage in Conway we could do, we returned to pick up two happy but exhausted little boys who seemed to have had enjoyed their day very much.

Just when I thought my day couldn't get any better...the real fun began. Jason and my lovely friend, Dona Smith, conspired to assemble the best birthday dinner I could have ever imagined. Fifteen or so of my closest circle of friends met at my favorite restaurant in Searcy, Doc's, to celebrate. They showered me with gifts, flowers, kind notes and enough adoration to humble anyone. It was truly overwhelming and much, much more than I deserve or expected.

The love and kindness shown to me on the day I turned 30 left me with a memory that will put a smile on my face when I am a little old lady mailing my middle aged grandchildren birthday cards.

Thank you so much to everyone who went out of their way to make my day so special. The cards, texts, gifts, emails and well wishes meant the world to me. It was truly a beautiful beginning to a new decade and I thank you.

The Zoo...

2008-08-24T17:15:00.001-07:00

Camp and Cash enjoyed their first trip to the Little Rock Zoo today. They took in all the sites with wide eyed wonder. At their age, the goats and the apes are equally impressive, which means there is excitement around every bend for them. During the month of August, the zoo is offering free admission for children so our trip was a day of cheap thrills! We were able to avoid the heat and the crowds by arriving before 10am and thankfully managed to squeeze it all in just before things really started heating up.

It was a fun day and I am hopeful we can enjoy another zoo trip this fall.

When It Rains...It Pours...

2008-08-20T19:15:00.000-07:00

"When It Rains, It Pours"...my Wednesday was a testament to how true that old saying is. My tale of woe all began when I returned home from the grocery store this afternoon and discovered a metal object protruding from my rear passenger tire. Air was existing the tire so quickly, it was making a loud hissing noise. Shortly following that incident, I noticed fresh water damage on my bathroom ceiling from an active roof leak . Then, this evening, I mistakenly thought I would relax from the frustrating events with a jacuzzi bath. We have lived in our home for more than 3 years and the tub has been little more than decoration. I have only bathed in it a handful of times, so I was more than a little surprised when I tried to rinse the tub before indulging and the drain was completely clogged.
Luckily, I am blessed with a very, very handy hubby. With Jason's ingenuity, some saran wrap and a phillips head screwdriver all is repaired, patched and flowing well. To top it all off, he did it all without a single complaint. Today, he is a real hero among men in my book.
I am keeping it short tonight. My plan is to turn in early before this Wednesday has a chance to play any more dirty tricks. Hopefully, Thursday plans to be much kinder to me.

Chuck E. Cheese Experiences Camp and Cash...

2008-08-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

A very wise mother (and fellow blogger:) once told me, your kids live to make a liar out of you. My day, I am reluctantly happy to say, once again proved her theory right. Once upon a time, I added Chuck E. Cheese to the long list of things my kids WOULD NEVER do. I always thought of the establishment as much too dirty, crowed, and commercialized to serve a productive purpose in the lives of my children. So when Chuck E. Chesse came up for the August play date for my mommies group, I quickly said, no thanks, we'll pass. But, at the last minute, my sweet mother, the boys' Nona, offered to help chaperon if I would take them. I only meant for it to be a SOCIAL experience. I thought the boys would enjoy going and observing the bigger kids play (because they certainly weren't old enough to join in) while they munched on their snacks from home ( because of course, my boys wouldn't eat pizza). I considered it to be a learning opportunity for the boys to be exposed to a new environment. BOY OH BOY was I mistaken. After Camp and Cash were finished devouring the supreme pizza I ordered, they were rarin' to go. They rode rides, played games and enjoyed themselves to the fullest. I was shocked they actually knew what to do and played as if they'd been there dozens of times before. They enjoyed the rides so much and even knew how to use the steering wheel pretending to drive! I was floored. The pictures show what a great day the boys had. After an hour and a half of all the fun we could stand, I left with one of those "never say never" lessons and some very sweet memories:)

Daddy's Biggest Fans...

2008-08-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

My little guys sure do love their Daddy! Camp and Cash are so carried away with that man, Mama is practically invisible when he arrives home from work. I am not a bit jealous of their adoration for him, it is just so sweet to watch them together and know I picked such a great Daddy for my boys.
Tonight, their Daddy is out singing and playing for a dollar. It is his Thursday night at the Country Club gig. To change things up a bit, he has learned a few new songs for this month's show. One he has been working on is what I consider THE song of the summer, Kid Rock's "All Summer Long". His voice is great for the song and oh how I wish I could have gone to hear him sing it tonight. Through the summer months, he was hired by an individual to play in a duo with Van Johnson on the 3rd Thursday of every month there. Technically, August should be his last month to play, but there is talk of the Thursday nights continuing under different payment arrangements. Jason enjoys the gig and it pays well, so I am keeping my fingers crossed it will indeed pan out and he can continue. The only downfall is, it starts late and ends early which makes for a very sleepy music store owner the following day.
I am heading to bed as he is probably starting his first set. Since Daddy's Biggest Fans begin their day early with no consideration for what time their hero made it home, and they prefer their breakfast with a smile, I am going to get some much needed zzz's to make sure that happens.
Goodnight all!

Future Fuels (Eastman) Park.

2008-08-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

We Started out on the swings....
Camp LOVED them...he couldn't stop laughing.
I have a photo of myself on this same riding toy from almost 30 years ago!

The merry-go-round was loved by all but mama...since when did going in circles make me so DIZZY??

This morning brought about a spur of the moment trip to Batesville for the boys and I. We went to visit family and have a day away for a change. While we were were there, mother nature smiled on us with an overcast, breezy day ~ PERFECT park weather we decided (at least for August in AR). So, the boys got to enjoy Future Fuels (Eastman) Park with their cousins for the first time. It is a lovely, well maintained private park, open only to employees of Future Fuels and their families. Since my dad is a long time employee, I have played at the park since I was even younger than the boys. It was so nostalgic to see Camp and Cash playing on some of the same equipment I enjoyed as a little girl. They had an absolute ball and were a joy to watch! Camp spent the whole trip laughing out loud with excitement! As you can see from the above photos, the day was a complete success. I had two tired, sandy pantsed little boys when it was all said and done, but what sweet, sweet memories we made!

The Brawn and The Brains

2008-08-07T18:32:00.000-07:00

t's Thursday night and once again I'm blogging . Like most Thursday nights, I am tired. Unlike most Thursday nights, this week Jason is actually home. I tried sharing quality TV time with him, but he's switching between Knight Rider and Baseball. If those are my options, I choose blogging:). Nothing new or exciting to report...just another day in our slice of paradise on Shelby Dr. Both boys are doing well and learning new and fun things everyday. I was surprised Tuesday morning when I left Camp and Cash unattended for a few minutes in my very well baby proofed living room. I returned to find Cash sitting on the couch, just where Jason always sits, remote in hand, smile on face, changing channels. Apparently he taught himself how to get on the couch while I was out of the room. Since he hasn't taught himself how to get off the couch without major bodily injury, his new talent means there will be no more leaving the boys unattended in my not as well baby proofed as I thought living room anymore.
Cash, we have decided, makes up the brawn of our duo, while Camp rounds out the brains portion. He has such a large vocabulary, he's even beginning to put words together. His favorite phrase is "get it", he surprisingly uses it properly too, usually after he tosses a ball in my direction or his sippy cups falls on the floor. It's no wonder he is mastering the English language so early, the child LOVES books. He enjoys being read to and reading to others. Nothing makes him happier than to find an unoccupied lap to sit in. He seizes the opportunity to turn the pages of a book, point at the pictures and tell the story to anyone who'll pretend to listen. But, most precious of all, he has toted a book to bed with him the last two nights, it is nothing short of heart melting to see his tiny hands clasping an opened cardboard book just before he drifts off.
Ahhh, living with The Brawn and The Brains truly never fails to amaze and amuse me. They are such a joy.

Being a mother to The Brawn and The Brains has proven to be exhausting on this Thursday so I am calling it a day. I am headed to bed in hopes of doing it all again tomorrow.. only better, faster, cleaner and with less stress. I'll let you know how that turns out:)

Jason Earns A Medal of Bravery in Fatherhood.

2008-08-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend Jason was a real hero. I had no clue this kind of bravado was lurking in the man I married, for 51/2 long years he had kept it well hidden. But, when faced with regurgitated ravioli and explosive diarrhea, my husband and Camp and Cash's Daddy rose to the challenge like a champ. The disgusting tale all began Saturday night when I was hit hard and fast with the nasty little bug Jason brought home to us. I was green with nausea and hadn't been so sick since pregnancy. A few hours into my agony, Camp woke up sick and within an hour Cash followed suit. As you can imagine, it was horrible mess and sadly for Jason, I couldn't keep my head out of the toilet long enough to lift a finger to help him. He washed bedding, cleaned up messes, and bathed soiled babies all with no help from mama. He even made a pallet in their bedroom floor so he could remain close to them while they were so ill. We put a call in to the medical exchange seeking advice and were informed there is nothing that can be done for children under the age of two with these symptoms. We were left to wait it out and watch for signs of dehydration. Thankfully, the boys proved to be quit resilient and bounced back quickly.
Wow, it proved to be one nasty weekend for us! When our time is up for the stomach bug again, I think Jason will plan his illness better and be sick with the boys and not before! I guess I will owe him one.

August 1, 2008 Video...

2008-08-01T20:45:00.001-07:00

Click the link below to view a few clips of our day...

http://www.youtube.com/user/AmyEColeman

Sprite and Saltines Please...

2008-08-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

A diet of Sprite and saltine crackers can only mean one thing around here, the dreaded stomach bug. Every few years it tears though our home leaving us dehydrated and hungover from all the phenagran (sp?). Jason came down with a particularly nasty strain last night. He was violently ill thorough the night and morning hours and though this afternoon he hardly has the strength to stand, I think he has finally turned the corner. We were forced to close the store today as a result of his illness. The boys and I went this morning and put a sign on the door. I am just trying to convince myself we aren't missing any big sales today, Fridays are typically one of our best days.
This is the first time we have been affected by this type of sickness since having the boys. I am bracing myself and wondering who will be the next victim. I have plenty of Pedilyte and Sprite on hand so I expect us all to survive.
I hope everyone has a happy and healthy weekend.

Game Wardens...Proudly Protecting Deer from Rednecks and so much more.

2008-07-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

The following article was written for submission in the AWOA (Arkansas Wildlife Officer's Association) quarterly publication. The writer, James "Ryan" Nast, is employed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission as a Wildlife Officer in Independence County. He also happens to be my "little" brother. His stories from the job are hilarious, hard to believe and for the most part, not suitable for the very young or old. The following scenario gives an understanding of the very real danger associated with the profession and, while much more "G" rated than many of his tales from the woods, is still in no way suitable for his mother. If only we all had this kind of excitement on the job...

A Little Too Close
By James Ryan Nast

Everyone has their favorite time of the year. Some people like it hot, some like it cold, and some like it somewhere in the middle. For me, it is whenever the hot summer days start to give way to cooler fall weather. Everyone seems in good spirits because of the anticipation of what winter will bring and a good-bye to the long, dog days of summer. Never-the-less all is not sunshine and smiles this time of the year, because the cooler temperatures begin the unofficial opening of hunting season. It may not be October 1st, but for some, the cooler weather is the start of their deer season. This was all too true for two hunters in Independence County this past September. Not only did they hunt the wrong time of the year, they were also hunting the wrong time of the day (or should I say night).
In the middle of September last year we had some of that cooler fall weather, that I enjoy so much, move into the area. With this being the unofficial start to deer season, I decided to work night hunters in the northern part of my county. For the most part it was a slow night, except for seeing an old Chevy truck a couple of times. After a few more hours of eating sunflower seeds and counting stars I was going to call it a night; however just before I started my truck to leave, the same old Chevy truck came by again. At 2:30 in the morning and gas $ 4 dollars a gallon I could not think of any good reason for this truck to be out, so I started following it with night vision. We drove circles around the gravel roads in the area for almost an hour. With watery eyes from staring through the green haze of night vision I kept expecting to see a spotlight shine from the truck with every field we drove past. With none of the traditional signs of night hunting, I begin to wonder what these folks were doing, but soon my questions would be answered. The old truck made a sharp right turn into a small gravel pit and just as soon as they got stopped the passenger started shooting at a group of deer. My first reaction was excitement of catching these night hunters, but that excitement soon turned to fear as the deer started running toward my truck. The group of deer they were shooting at could not get out of the gravel pit due to the high dirt walls around, so their only way out was to run between me and the shooter. That is exactly what they did! Remember, I am only 20 yards away from the shooter and have all my lights off. As the deer passed in front of me the shooter slowly turned towards me and continued to fire. Time seemed to almost stop as the barrel of the gun was pointed directly at me and I could see the flames coming out the end of the barrel with every shot. I fumbled around in my truck trying to turn on every light I had to let them know I was there. When I finally got the headlights and blue lights turned on I didn’t have far to drive to stop them.
Most night hunters I stop always have some elaborate story to try and justify their actions, but these two had nothing to deny. The shooter kept apologizing and saying that he never knew I was there. As I interview both suspects I found out why they kept driving around in circles all night. It turned out these two geniuses drove around for several hours tying to run a deer over with their old truck and when that did not pan out they desisted to go home and pick up a .22 cal. rifle with no sights on it to kill their deer. Maybe the gun having no sights was the reason they couldn’t hit any deer and more importantly me or my truck. All in all, their were 10 shots fired that night with me being a little too close for comfort. The driver and shooter both received night hunting citations, the shooter also went to jail on several outstanding warrants, and the .22 cal rifle with no sights now belongs to the state of Arkansas.

Snakes...again....

2008-07-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

This subject is getting to be so tired and boring...but snake #7 for the year was killed yesterday evening just outside my front door. I was watering the flowers along the front sidewalk and whatdaya know. This one was very small and well camouflaged. I was within a foot from it while watering and wouldn't have noticed it laying there if it hadn't raised its head. Now it's back to the same great debate for me and the hubby. I want SOMETHING done, Jason says nothing needs to be done and we have no snake problem. He backs up his position by pointing out we have killed a few different types of snakes, all sizes, therefore they haven't "hatched" here they just happen to be passing through.
I am not lying when I tell you this is a man who is normally sane and rational. But for whatever reason he is blinded when it comes to this subject, refusing to admit there is anything out of the ordinary about killing 7 snakes at your residence located in a neighborhood within a 3 month time span. Part of the problem is he has no fear of snakes, so the thought of them slithering all over our yard doesn't make him squirm. My biggest fear is finding one in our home. We have found them crawling up our house and right outside our front and back doors. I feel sure if the opportunity presented itself, they would gladly join us inside for family time. If that happens, Mama make room, the boys and I are headed home. That is when I will say enough is enough. Until then, I will continue trying to talk some sense into him and hopefully he will make some small effort to keep them at bay, if for no other reason than to keep me quite:)

Same Ol' Stuff at Colemanville

2008-07-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

Pictured above are Camp and Cash modeling their souvenirs from the Redbirds game Jason and I enjoyed. The photo is completely unrelated to this blog, but I found it too cute not to share:)

Tonight, I am once again alone and blogging while Jason works. He is hard at it with his 3rd job of the day. After running the music store from 10 to 6, Jason gave lessons then came straight home to record a local band, 3 Miles From Providence, in the studio until all hours. Shortly before the store closed this evening, the boys and I huddled in the hallway at home and called him using speaker phone so we could all say our I love yous and goodnights. Camp and Cash adore that man and miss him dreadfully. During the day when Da-da is mentioned they scurry to the front window and strain to see his truck coming down the road. It's enough to break your heart to see them tippy-toeing for a glimpse of a truck that won't be coming home until long after their bedtime prayers are said.

Before heading to the salt mines, Jason did blow through here long enough to have a plate of "from the garden" fried squash and okra...(my best yet, if I do say so myself:) Hopefully it will give him the fuel he will need to keep going and going long after I turn in.

The only other news to report on the home front is Cash is now a walker. Before only taking a few steps here and there, this week he is all over the map. I am hoping his new mobility will spark more of an interest for walking in his brother. Currently, Camp is a speed crawler, so efficient at getting where he wants to go in a flash, he has little use for slowing down long enough to walk.

Tonight I am going to close with belated birthday wishes for my grandmother, Janet. It was so nice getting to celebrate with you over dessert on Sunday. I hope your day was as special as you are! Oh and, thanks for reading my blog:)

Xo,

Amy

Take Me Out to the Ballgame....Then Take Me HOME!

2008-07-14T19:02:00.001-07:00

This weekend was the long awaited annual overnight rendezvous for Jason and I. No boys, no friends, just a day and night away for Jason and I while my mother spent the night on "Nona duty". Our destinations were Memphis, TN for a Redbirds baseball game then onto Tunica, MS for slots, overeating, and shopping! I can't tell you how excited we were to be getting away together, we had been anticipating this since the fun we had at Tunica during last year's overnighter.

The day started out beautifully. Redbirds baseball at AutoZone Park was picture perfect. Good parking near the stadium, great seats behind home plate, and perfect ballgame weather - all topped off by a game winning home run in the 12th inning for the Redbirds. To make the game even more special, it was Jason's very first time to watch a "real" baseball game and I enjoyed sharing the experience with him thoroughly. It truly couldn't have been a better day at the ballpark. I would highly recommend it for any family looking for quality cheap entertainment.

After the game, we headed straight to Tunica, eager to hit the jackpot and eat well. I had made reservations at a casino we had never visited, Balley's. As luck would have it, they had a bargain on rooms, and I was able to snag one at what seemed to be a great rate. Shortly after check-in I began to understand why I was able to score such a prime deal... the facility fell far below my standards of decency to say the least. But I sucked it up, decided to make the best of it and headed over their to casino for a buffet dinner. The place was packed, I thought it had to be the best food in all of Tunica considering the wait we endured. Jason and I both paid $15 for our buffets, sight unseen. As I trolled what seemed more like a cattle feeding trough than a buffet with my plate, I couldn't find a thing suitable for human consumption. I will just leave it at unappealing and spare you the details. So I leave hungry having paid $15 for half a DIET COKE. Still trying to be optimistic and salvage the evening, it was onto gambling. Sadly the night didn't get much better in the run down, 2nd class, smoke filled, sorry gambling hall. We spent about half an hour trying to our damnedest to have a good time before admitting to each other we had safety concerns about being overnight guests at Balley's...namely, bed bugs, roaches and whatever other cooties were lurking around. Less than two hours after arriving, we made the decision to check out and drive home. I left Balley's having paid for a buffet I didn't eat and a room I didn't sleep in and I have NO regrets.

I am sorry our wonderful weekend away ended on such a sour note, but we are not deterred and are already planning for next year's getaway...somewhere OTHER then Tunica.

Another one bites the dust...

2008-07-14T18:12:00.001-07:00

My husband is quickly becoming an expert snake slayer (notice the attire:) Pictured above is yet another snake killed in our backyard...yes, the same back yard the boys should be romping in very soon. As you can tell by the distinct markings, it was venomous and aggressive in nature. Sorry the photos are especially gruesome, Jason shot the thing from the other side of the fence before finishing it off with the shovel.

I really hope this is the last of the gnarly creatures for this season, but something tells me we haven't see the end of our snake problem just yet. For those keeping count, this nasty S.O.B. was #6, yes that is half a dozen, for this year. Jason STILL refuses to acknowledge we have a "snake problem" None of our neighbors have seen any...somehow they are all migrating to our yard...but that's not a problem? I am beginning to think he was raised in a swamp, that is the only reasonable explanation for him still claiming this is NORMAL:)

Yawn....

2008-07-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

Yawn....stretch....it's the end of another long day and I am plum tuckered. Thursdays usually find me wearing thin. Jason is playing a gig, so once again I am queen of my domain. It's his usual night (summer schedule) at the Country Club, and though the job pays well and is gravy, the hours are tough on a workin' man. I am sure he won't drag in until after midnight, then he has it all to do again tomorrow. This will make the 2nd night this week he has worked until the next day. His saving grace is he is one of the rare few who manage to make a living doing what they love.
I am keeping it short tonight, hoping to catch extra sleep. The boys will be up bright and early regardless of Jason playing til midnight and I will be on "oatmeal duty". Camp and Cash deserve me at my best...a restful night will ensure they get breakfast with a smile.
Goodnight all!

Hot Mommies and Beautiful Noisemasters

2008-07-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

I would like you to meet The Hot Mommies of Searcy, a support network of mommies I feel very fortunate to be a part of. Outside of my family, hands down, these ladies are some of my favorite people. Tonight was the Hot Mommies' regular monthly meeting. It was a particularly interesting meeting with a presentation from life coach Laurie Swain being the highlight. I always feel refreshed and rejuvenated after being around this group and think of the group as one more wonderful perk of being a mommy.

My evening with the girls was regretfully cut short however. I had to rush home so Jason could return to the music store for more guitar building. He is working on a custom "Beautiful NoiseMaster" guitar and the order has to be completed by tomorrow. Who knew musicians could be so demanding *wink wink*. His custom builds have been one of the strongest sellers since opening the store and show no signs of slowing down. Even though the builds are labor intensive, Jason enjoys the work and is very proud of his creations, even maintaining a serial number register for each guitar he sells. Pictured above are some examples of his work. He literally can't keep them on the wall and now takes orders that are added on to a 6 week waiting list.

As for the rest of my night, I am going to see what TLC has to offer. I am hoping for Jon and Kate Plus 8...but really I'd be happy with anything except American Chopper:)

Hope everyone has a good night!

Holiday Weekend...

2008-07-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

Jason is wrapping up the holiday weekend tonight with a much deserved fishing trip to the river. I am enjoying the peace and quite of our home. With the boys fast asleep, all that can be heard is the dishwasher running and me typing away...sounds that mean the end of a day around here.

Our holiday weekend wasn't much of a holiday. Jason opened the store for most of the day on Friday. We were unsure how the holiday would affect local shoppers, as it turned out they must of all been at the lake because it really wasn't worth opening for. Thankfully, Saturday was much busier and more than made up for a slow 4th.

While it was nice spending the evening of the 4th with family, we quickly learned it is not the most kid friendly holiday. It was hot, the boys were afraid of the water ( they are just now enjoying the bathtub, they wanted no part of a pool), the fireworks started way past their bedtime and the few they did catch on the ride home startled and frightened them. I am hopeful next year the festivities will be more age appropriate and enjoyable for them.

We did take the whole clan to church this morning. We are trying a new church and today was Camp and Cash's first time to join us. The sanctuary has a large one way window into the nursery so overprotective mothers, like myself, can keep a close eye on their little ones...I LOVE that about this church. We see lots of positives with the church and have enjoyed visiting. However, there is one big downfall, there seems to be few young families that attend, something I had really hoped to find in a church. We plan to continuing visiting and time will tell if this is the right place for our family.

I hope everyone enjoyed a very special 4th of July. I am off to flip channels and have control of the remote while I have the chance:)

Have a wonderful week!

Public Apology

2008-07-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

I want to offer a public apology to any person who had the misfortune of shopping in Seacry's Wal-Mart Supercenter between the hours of 2:30p and 4p today. To clear up any misconceptions, there was not a rabid animal on the loose...it was only my first born son, Camp (that's the little darling in the photo above, he's the shirtless one).

You see, this was Camp's first experience in Wal-Mart for a big grocery shopping adventure. I had taken him on shorter trips to Harp's and the dollar stores where he shopped like a champ. I thought he was well prepared for this outing...but much to my dismay, Camp let me and everyone else in the store know he is no shopper.

The few breaks he took from whining were spent throwing full blown tantrums and tossing my groceries from the cart onto ground. He sent cans of soup hurling down the aisles of Wal-Mart and then screamed for me to run after them. I got everything from "Does he need a nap?" to "Is he cutting teeth, honey?" and even a few mean glares. By the time we made it to check out, I just had to laugh out loud and remind myself...you asked for this, ya know? I couldn't believe I was that stressed to the max lady with the screaming kid in Wal-Mart I had seen so many times before.

To make amends for this situation, you have my guarantee you will not be running into that cute little mug in Wal-Mart again anytime soon... I hope my apology is well recieved.

Peighten...

2008-07-01T13:18:00.000-07:00

Pictured above is Jason's cousin, Peighten Love. Not only is she an accomplished rodeo competitor, as you can see in her photos, she also looks like a rockstar! These pics were just too pretty not to share...

SAHM of 2 Escapes!

2008-06-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

This stay at home mom of 2 escaped to the big city today. With my husband's blessing, I went to Little Rock shopping while Jason kept the boys. I had a ball hitting all the middle class mom places....Kohls', Old Navy, the beer store...it was great! There were lots of end of summer sales to be shopped and I took advantage of them all! I picked up flag bunting for my porch while I was out and about and I am pleased with how it turned out.

I enjoyed myself to the fullest, and look forward to another day to spend shopping and loafing...in 6 months or so:)

Thank you, Jason, for a day away and a generous budget :)

Xo,

Amy

Happy Birthday Hope!

2008-06-29T18:35:00.001-07:00

15 years ago today, outside the delivery room door in Harris Hospital, I was introduced to a blue eyed, red headed ball of fire. Her name was Hope Suzanne, and with her arrival I became an aunt. It was love at first site for me and I was smitten. She was the first baby I ever loved and I can't believe 15 years have come and gone since that day.

This afternoon my family gathered at our house to celebrate her birthday. It was a fun day of food, family and telling all the stories that remind us why we love her so much. I even displayed part of my collection of Hope memorabilia, looking through it brought back so many sweet memories.

Happy Birthday Hope Suzanne! Thanks for 15 years of fun!

Love,

Aunt Amy

First Steps Today...

2008-06-28T16:26:00.001-07:00

My youngest son, Cash, took his first THREE steps today. I had spent weeks prodding and bribing him, I knew he was so close. Predictably, Camp and I had left for a quick errand and returned to the news of his milestone. Cash's Grandpa (Jason's dad) was here for the big moment and he and Jason both saw Cash's little steps.
I hope to see it for myself and maybe catch it on video for a post soon.
Hope everyone has a good weekend!
AEC

Long Day...Long Hours

2008-06-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

It has been a long Friday for me. I am nearing the end of another fun and challenging week and I am tired. Today is the 2nd consecutive day indoors with Camp and Cash which tends to make the hours drag. The boys and I are missing our Daddy and hubby terribly. In addition to running the music store, Jason is working lots of dreadfully long hours. We are thankful for the extra funds these long hours generate, but it sure does leave us seeing very little of him. Last night he worked in the studio with local rock band "The Storm" until midnight. Tonight, he breezed through just long enough for a plate of leftovers and change of clothes before heading out to play a party at the Searcy Country Club. I will be surprised if he gets home from this gig before tomorrow. This week Jason taught himself two new Linoel Richie songs, "That's Why I'm Easy" and "Stuck On You". He has never performed either song and I would have loved to have tagged along to listen. Hopefully, his talent won't fall on deaf ears tonight. It aggravates me to the core to see him singing and playing his heart out to an unappreciative crowd. Jason, however, has a much more modest attitude about these things and says he gets paid the same whether he has an attentive audience or not.
I am off to do a few more chores before calling it a day. I hope to return tomorrow rested and refreshed.

Snakes!!

2008-06-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

There is a great debate in our household as to whether or not we have a "snake problem". My eagle eyed hubby spotted this cleverly disguised dude crawling up our house. It brought the snake kill count up to 5 for this season. To me...that's a snake problem end of debate...right? Not according to my husband, who claims this is NORMAL for where we live. I say there is nothing normal about killing 5 snakes in 2 months at your residence (I also say, after viewing these photos, we really need to have our house power washed too:).

The only saving grace is this big guy was not poisonous or aggressive like ones that came before him.

The 65 Roses Story

2008-06-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to the 65 Roses story a few years ago and since that time I have never seen a rose without being reminded of the brave souls that have battled CF. As you read, please consider the year was 1965 and the prognosis for a child born with Cystic Fibrosis was very grim, rarely making it to their teens. Mary Weiss having 3 sons with the life shortening illness is almost unimaginable to me. At that time, they had no idea what caused CF only that there was a genetic link and it meant a certain early death. It wasn't until 1989, less than 20 years ago, the defective gene responsible for the diease was discovered. Below is the endearing story of 65 Roses:
65 Roses is what some children with CF call their disease because the words are much easier for them to pronounce. Mary G. Weiss became a volunteer for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation USA in 1965 after learning that her three little boys had CF. Her duty was to call every civic club, social and service organization seeking financial support for CF research. Mary's 4-year old son, Richard, listened closely to his mother as she made each call. After several calls, Richard came into the room and told his Mom, "I know what you are working for." Mary was dumbstruck because Richard did not know what she was doing, nor did he know that he had Cystic Fibrosis. With some trepidation, Mary posed the question,"What am I working for, Richard?""You are working for 65 Roses," he answered so sweetly. Mary was speechless. She went over to him and tenderly pressed his body to hers. He could not see the tears running down Mary's cheeks as she stammered,"Yes Richard, I'm working for 65 Roses." For years, sixty-five roses has been used by children of all ages to describe their disease. But making it easier to say, does not make CF any easier to live with. The 65 Roses story has captured the hearts and emotions of all who have heard it. The rose, appropriately the ancient symbol of love, has become a symbol of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Associations worldwide.

Forward Facing Car Seats

2008-06-26T16:04:00.001-07:00

Camp and Cash hit another milestone this week. They are now cruising in forward facing car seats. The age and weight requirements for this style car seat is 1 year and 20 pounds. Cash has been eligible for the new contraption for some time. Camp, however, is still is a few ounces shy but we just didn't feel like we could stuff them in the rear facing baby carriers any longer for fear a bystander turning us into DHS for cruelty. These were the same seats C-N-C left the hospital in when they were a mere 5lbs for goodness sakes!

The boys LOVE the upgrade and think they are ridin' in style. Camp was so happy to see the world around him when we traveled, he hummed to radio during his first outing. Mama loves it too, now I can glance in my rear view mirror and see their sweet little faces while I am driving (and they say talking on the cell phone while driving is hazardous, it's nothing compared to a doting mother admiring her duo). The only downfall is, the boys are not yet walking. The old carriers, while almost impossibly heavy, did provide me with a means to get them in places without leaving one in the car (which is not only dumb but illegal btw). Tuesday was our first adventure with the new seats and I fretted all the way to our destination about how I would logistically maneuver getting them both from the parking lot in the door for an appointment. I grunted my way through it, holding one boy in place between my knees while I unharnessed the other and managed somehow to get a little guy on each hip. My prayers were answered when there was a kind soul with good timing who opened the door for us. Now I will at least have peace of mind in knowing it can be done!

Not only are the forward facing car seats an upgrade, as you can see in the above photo, the boys are so cute riding in them.

Dear Diary...I think we're headed for an E Coli Outbreak

2008-06-26T14:26:00.001-07:00

Dear Diary,
Yesterday I arrived on the scene just in time to catch my little ones up to their elbows splashing in the loo. Thankfully, it was flushed... however, I am not so sure it would have made a difference in their decision to lift the lid and play. Today, one mischievous member of my duo became irritated when I put him down for an afternoon nap. In retalition, he promptly removed his diaper and did his business in bed, then screamed like a crazed animal for mama. He gave such a smug smile as I discovered his stinky naughtiness...I had to wonder, am raising a couple of heathens or maybe master septic tank pumpers? My can of Lysol is nearing the end and my washing machine is full of crib bedding. Please, please, please let them learn in what dangerous waters they tread before the Coleman household suffers an unfortunate E Coli outbreak