Holiday project

Operation Clean. Bonus. Room. Closet. aka Baby Death Trap.


Before: No judging please.

After:

Total Cost: 25 dollars in bins from Lowes Home Improvement. I already owned the shelves and the drawers. I had purchased some additional wire shelves for hanging but decided against it once I had actually cleaned and organized. In my defense some of the "memory" stuff was attic bound at the end of the venture.


Whew. Now to sit around the rest of the week.


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Merry Christmas!

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Best Photo of 2010

Everyone needs to head over to facebook and vote for Lily's picture for Best Photo of 2010!

The picture just happens to be our header image. The signature balloon pic. Which if you ask me IS the best picture of 2010!

Just like Nicole Faby Photography and leave a comment on our picture! If we get the most comments then we get a free photosession. Help me be sneak out from BEHIND the lens and get in front of it.

Thanks! Smoochies!

Your way under photographed, over worked, and owner of the completely adorable child on facebook.


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"GingerMan" Houses

No not a gingerbread house but a "gingerman" house. That is what we did this past weekend. I was really reluctant to make a kit house this year because I always end up cursing and carrying on like a crazy person. Not exactly the best role model moment for my child.  So I decided to graham it up a bit and make graham cracker houses instead. 

Super easy. Heat sugar over medium heat until brown. Dip Graham Cracker into sugar and join together for form a right angle. 

Buy lots of candy and eat more than you decorate with.

Eat a little big more to ensure second step is complete.

You will need three assemblies to make a house. Two to make the house and one to make the roof. Pipe all the corners with icing to ensure structure stability. This is essential. Just ask Michael.

Decorate (and continue to eat) with all the candy and icing you can find.

Give up when you don't listen to Stephaine and just eat your house. Exhibit one.

Tada! I am quite impressed with Lily's (and mine) house.

Not so much with Michael's. Yeah that kind of sucks. Sorry babe. It tasted yummy though. Big advantage over the kits and the stale cookies.

Fun family event. My recommendation is to invite a few friends though. This was way to much candy for any one family to enjoy. We hurt for a few hours after the activity was completed. 

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One of life's many lessons as a woman...

It seems like our world has kind of revolved around the potty lately! And a lot of our humor. Lily has been doing so good lately after a few months of hiatus and a week in pull ups at Disney we were so surprised at her awesomeness this months.

This evening as we were doing our evening hustle and bustle Michael bribed Lily to go to the potty. She is at the "Privacy Please" stage mixed with a little "I DO IT!" so Michael was in the Kitchen while she went potty.

I heard a little grunt and a whine from upstairs and went down the stairs just in time to see Lily waddling out of the bathroom with Michael giggling behind her.

Apparently Michael forgot to put down the seat to the potty.

When Lily went to sit down her butt just kept going. Straight into the commode until her butt hit bottom. He walked in to see her very confused sitting in toilet water.

I wish I could tell you this would be last time that would happen to you Lily but in all reality this should be a life lesson. I am almost thirty and still have been known to stumble into the bathroom blurry eyed in the morning to get a little morning surprise.

The lesson here? Always look before you sit. Trust me Lily you will thank me later.

Even funnier? A stripped down baby waddling up the stairs with a wet behind headed towards the bathtub.

Where is your camera when you need it?



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Potty Mouth

We like to play the "who is your favorite ____ or ___?" game with Lily all the time. Like who is your favorite princess Belle or Snow White? FYI Belle always wins. Even if the question is "Who is your favorite Mommy or Belle?" BELLE!

Well last week we were playing our game and Daddy kept losing as the favorite. He lost to

Chicken and Broccoli Chinese food. Her favorite.
Belle
Snow White
Cleo (our Dog)
Chuck (our other dog)
Mimi
Mommy
Wayne
Morgan
Tanya
Poopydoo

And my favorite...wait for it...




Diarrhea.

Her exact words were "Daddy I like diarrhea more than you."

Ya'll I don't even know where she gets this stuff from. Damn you daycare for teaching my kid that word. Although my giggles could only be contained by the pillow as I hysterically shook with laughter from the proclamation.

Poor Michael.

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30 months and still going strong

On the way home a sleepy (napless) Lily asked me so sweetly to sing her "Twinkle Twinkle" because "That's my favorite" It melted my heart and I belted out the words to the audience of one in my back seat. Not carrying a single tune with the elementary words that came so easily. When I finished I got the "GOOD JOB MOMMY!!" and an enthusiastic clap. The same good job I get for going pee in a public restroom when Lily is with me. Except this time it wasn't followed by a giggle from the lady in the next stall. My day could have ended there on that single memory and it would have been a perfect ending.

Last week I cried no less than four times at Disney World. To see magic through a child eyes is the greatest gift to a parent. We walked around the park all week with excited "Look Mommy! Look at that!" and squeals of happiness at character sitings. My heart literally could have burst. Michael laughed at my misty eyes but I knew he felt the same.

But all week I couldn't help but notice special people all over the park. Children with no hair and children with obvious handicaps. But you know what? They had that same look of awe that I saw on Lily's face. And although the children seemed a lot older than Lily the amazement and happiness had not faded. I met Michael's eyes during one of our Princess dinners as I watched a cancer stricken child embrace Snow White with all the excitement one child could contain. I felt so grateful. So lucky to have a healthy child. And I couldn't help but look at the mother who had the same misty eyes I tried to hide.

Lily is two and half today and the feeling that is in the front of my mind is gratefulness. Grateful I have a loving family, a healthy little girl, and the happiness that comes with being a parent. She is so bright and so stubborn all at the same time. She is so much like me I feel for my husband's sanity. She is so beautiful and so sweet. And best of all? She feels the same way about me and my amazing ability to sing Twinkle Twinkle. And pee in a public restroom. Without sitting down. She is a little lady now with complete sentences and manners. She has opinions (not always good ones) and preferences. But she still has those chubby baby thighs and that baby belly that sticks over every pair of pants I buy her.  She is mine and I am hers. Oh and Michael's....



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How you transform two angels into fairies...

Step 1. Get to Tinkerbell/Fairy line at park opening only to realize that section of the park opens an hour later.

Step 2. Arrive at line for second time only 15 minutes early and be second family in line to see elusive fairies.

Step 3. Somehow end up waiting behind a ton of people although you were originally the second family in line. One week later I still do not have this part figured out.

Step 4. Wait 1.5 hours with two toddlers in costumes and try to maintain the cute hairstyle you gave them this morning. Try not to take yourself straight off of here.

Step 5. Get to front of line. Become fairy size via magic disney tunnel only to reach front of line and realize tinkerbell just went on a fairy break.

Step 6. Rage. Silent Rage.

Step 7. Have the prettiest girls in the whole wide world and let them flirt with the disney cast member (aka grandma type) until she gives you a pass to bypass the continuous 1.5 hour line to see tinkerbell in one hour.

Step 8. Get your make up on.

 Step 9. Get back in line. Much. Shorter. Line

Step 10. Pure BLISS!

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12 Days of Christmas Day 11

Day 11: New Years Resolutions

1. Embrace my family mission statement. I really wish we could live by this always. We have this posted on our fridge and I get glimpses of it and think oops didn't do that well today. Sometimes we all need a little reminder.

Eads Family Mission Statement

The Eads' Family will create a positive and loving enviroment where all feelings and opinions can be expressed and heard by:

Always placing family first
Speaking and acting with kindness and respect
Being patient
Focusing on the positive in situations and always being thankful
Accepting things we cannot chnage
Incorporating religion into our everyday life
Giving to the less forunate
Living a healthy lifestyle
Embracing differences as stregnths
Providing a stable future for each family member

As a family we will encourage:
Laughter
Positive changes
Learning, music, and reading
Acceptance and tolerance of all people
Family time and individual quality time
A love of all animals


2. Continue Zumba and running. I cut my Zumba down to once a week over the holidays because we are stretched with commitments and holiday drama. But hopefully I will pick back up another class or continue to supplement with running. Although the cold weather is very discouraging. Am I the only one that feels this way?

3. Budget, Budget, Budget.

We started our 2010 so good by creating and sticking with a firm budget. By July we totally got off course. Hopefully next year will be better. We saved this year (a little) and that is a good step for us. Every year we get older and wiser at least. Maybe that should be my New Years Resolution:

To get older.

Done and done.



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12 Days of Christmas Day 10

Day 10: Favorite Christmas Carol

1. Santa Claus is coming to Town: Currently in the process of teaching Lily all the words. She LOVES it.
2. Carol of the Bells: Great to decorate to.
3. Jingle Bell Rock: Makes me want to dance everytime

I was a little surprised this year that Christmas music was no on the radio at all until after Thanksgiving. Don't get me wrong I see the point but I was really in the mood for some the week of Thanksgiving and it was no where to be found. Not even on the satelite radio through Direct TV. You will be glad to know Disney played it all through the parks the whole vacation though! And I got a healthy dose on the way back to work this morning.

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12 Days of Christmas Day 9

I am a little behind. Give me a break I was on vacation! In the happiest place on earth...

Day 9: Favorite Holiday Recipes

Okay this isn't just my favorite holiday recipe, it is my go to recipe for any gathering.

Sausage Dip
2 packages cream cheese
1 package Jimmy Dean Spicy Sausage
1 can Rotel tomatoes

Heat over low until melted and gooey. Place in crockpot to keep warm and serve with tortilla chips. Sure to be a hit.

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