It's My Birthday! I Can Do Whatever I Want!

Garrett's 5th Birthday has come and gone and as of 4:16pm yesterday he is 5 years old!!!  I am still shaking my head in disbelief.  Yesterday, our celebration was low-key as his party is a few weekends away and most of our extended family is sick.

The birthday boy requested pancakes and sausage for breakfast (as they all do) and was happily served the first pancakes off the griddle.  I heard him proclaim (often) throughout the day, "It's my birthday!  I can do whatever I want!".  Gotta love him!

For the second year in a row, we went sledding on the night of Garrett's birthday.  The boys (ahem, and us!) just love this form of cheap entertainment!  Eric did not get home from work as soon as we had hoped, so mama did not get many stellar photos (it was dark!).  Here is our birthday boy before heading off down the hill, though!

Upon returning home from sledding we enjoyed some pizza (the birthday boy's request), cake, and ice cream.  He wanted a dirt bike cake and this mama does not do cakes.  He was more than pleased with the cake I had made featuring a dirt trail.  We added a Lego dirt bike atop the cake and it was pure perfection!

Sure thing, a second dirt bike was added to the cake as well...FYI that is Garrett riding in front of Parker!  It is his birthday after all.  Do you notice that he now has two missing teeth?  The tooth fairy came (again) on his birthday! 

Make a wish...

He opened up his gifts from us as well.  I think the expression on his face says it all...he was pretty stoked about receiving his own DS (and no longer having to share Parker's!).

Love you, Garrett!  I hope your birthday was as special as you are!

Happy 5th Birthday, Garrett

Dear Garrett,


Happy 5th Birthday, Baby G (yes, you will always be my and Aunt Leslie's Baby G)!  It is hard to believe that 5 years have passed since we welcomed our first blonde, peach fuzzed baby boy into the world.  With your birth, we became a family of four.   Your daddy and I vividly recall bringing you home on New Years Eve 2005.  Daddy and I took turns with you laying on our chests that evening, as your older brother, Parker, slept peacefully upstairs.  I can not imagine a more delightful way to ring in the new year!


You are no longer our long legged, chubby cheeked, squishy little lad.  Over the course of five years, you have developed into (without a doubt) one of the most handsome little boys.  Ever.  I would say the same if I was not your mama!  Your genuine smile, hearty laugh, and piercing eyes simply draw people to you.  Garrett, you are quick to share your love.  I love that about you!  You are carefree with your hugs, kisses, and kind gestures.  Outside of your daddy, you are the first to tell me I look pretty and compliment me when I take the time to get dolled up.  Oh dear, you are going to charm the ladies!


Garrett, you have a zest for life that goes unmatched.  A simple game of Go Fish makes me you downright giddy.  The fact that someone remembers your favorite color; therefore, buying you a blue Hot Wheels over a red one pleases you to no end.


You are an AWESOME helper, Garrett!  You are quick to help me in the kitchen and love to give Daddy a hand outside or in the "regarge" (aka garage).  I love that you are eager to learn and ask endless questions as you assist us during various tasks.  Keep on questioning us 'lil buddy...it keeps us on our toes!


It has been a joy to watch you come into your own this past year.  You have taken on new challenges...T-Ball, Soccer, and Wrestling.  When it comes to sports, you are a natural.  It is a pleasure to watch you in your element.  You have made new friends and are well behaved at school.  I could not be prouder of you!


Baby G, there is a special place in my heart just for you.  My spirited 'lil boy!  You never cease to amaze me and I love you to pieces.  Happy 5th Birthday, Garrett!!  May this next year be full of smiles, laughter, and joy! 


Love, Mama

Thank You For The Memories, Christmas 2010

Whew...and Christmas is over.  We put so much time, effort, and prepping into one day (or a few days of celebrating) and POOF in a flash it is behind us!  Our Christmas Eve and Christmas was full of chaos, craziness, and cute kiddos in matching outfits...

The boys and I survived Christmas morning minus Daddy, but all agree next year will be much more enjoyable with him home!  The boys were allowed to open their stockings and two gifts on Christmas morning.  The remaining presents sat under the tree (taunting them) until Daddy returned home from work.  There were cheers all around when he walked in the back door!  Together, we sat down to open gifts.  Christmas carols were playing, children were smiling, and mid-opening gifts THE TREE FELL DOWN ON MOMMY!  It was a classic America's Funniest Home Videos moment!  Christmas 2010 shall be one we never forget.

I have started taking down our Christmas decor and slowly we are returning our home to normal conditions (with a lot more stuff).  The boys are more than happy with the gifts they have received from us, Santa, Grandparents, and cousins galore.  Santa was pretty good to Mommy and Daddy as well (thank you for my laptop!).

Our next few days will include one final Christmas gathering and the excitement of Garrett's 5th Birthday!  We will ring in 2011 in just days...WOWZERS!  Eric and I have a babysitter (thanks Mammy!) on New Years Eve for the first time in years.  We are looking forward to dinner out with friends at a local Hibachi grill.  What about you readers?  Any plans to ring in the NEW YEAR? 

Wishing You and Yours...

From our family to yours...

Merry Christmas!!!

Happy 10 Months, Hudson

Our sweet little Chunka Monka is 10 months old today.  I wish he was in better spirits to celebrate; however, a trip to the ER today (as the doctor's office was booked solid...tis the season!) confirmed he has an ear infection.  Our sweet little boy is not himself and simply miserable.  We are praying the antibiotics he was given kick in quickly and he is back to his cheerful self by Christmas morning!

At 10 months of age, Hudson...

*Weighs 21 pounds...hard to believe when he started off as a preemie!
*Says Dada and Baba.  Mommy is hard at work trying to get mama out of him;)
*Flaps his arms like a little bird when he is extremely tired, happy, or upset.  It is pretty cute to witness!
*Is maintaining his 2-3 feedings a night schedule.
*Is cruising the furniture somewhat and tries oh so hard to stand up in the middle of the floor solo.
*Extends his arms out when he wants to be held.  Melt.  My.  Heart.
*Despises putting on his winter coat, but looks 100% ADORABLE in his multitude of hats!
*Is fascinated by the bows on the gifts under the Christmas tree. 
*Gets a kick out of pulling his older brothers' hair.

*Is simply a joy!

Obviously, with Hudson being sick I did not attempt 10 month photos.  I leave you with my favorite photo of Hudson and I while he was in the NICU.  Look at that itty-bitty baby!!!

Wish Lists 2010

Parker wishes for...

A New Bike

Lego City Set

Razor Scooter

Bakugans

Garrett Wishes For...

A New Bike

A Razor Scooter

Lego City Set

Toy Dirt Bike

Ryder Wishes For...

A Meatball (AKA A Speedboat)

Buzz Atyear (AKA Buzz Lightyear)

Toy Car

Scooter

Hudson Wishes For (With Some Help From Mommy)...

Toy Piano

Ride On Toy

Ball

Choo Choo Train

Dear Santa,

I have a special wish all of my own.  If you could do your part

to ensure the Lindsay Boys are feeling better by Christmas that would

be swell!

Sincerely,

A Very Desperate, Pleading, and Exhausted Mama in Ohio

Chic Yarn Trees

Do you follow the sisters over at eighteen25? I recently came across their blog and fell in love with it!  They have super cute (and easy) craft and decor ideas!  I have been working on these yarn trees that I saw on their site and could not be happier with the end result.

My stylish little trees have become part of my Dining Room buffet decor.  If you have some spare time on your hands (okay, maybe not this week) check out the link above for the how-to's!  I will note that I did two layers of yarn on my trees as tiny bits of Styrofoam were peeking through with one layer. 

Happy Crafting!

Baking With Ryder 101

Multi-tasking is okay...Mommy does it all the time.

In fact, it is encouraged!

Go ahead and sit atop your work space.

Invite a friend to join you!

Making a mess is all part of the process.

No, really!

 Sometimes, you really have to get into your work.

Use two hands!

Add in your favorite yummy treat.

Perhaps more then the recipe calls for!

Grab a bowl and enjoy the extra ingredients.

Yummy!

Finally, shock your mommy and do not eat a single cookie when they are finished baking.

Huh?  Whose kid are you anyway, Ryder?!  Surely, not mine!

Christmas Around The House 2010

Christmas is now less than a week away!  Can you believe it?  How are you feeling about this joyful holiday quickly approaching?  Frazzled?  Zen?  Personally, I have a lot left to do...wrapping, baking, and decorating.  Sure thing, we are 6 days out and I am still decorating.  However, I am trying my best to stop and enjoy the little moments with the kiddos as well.  There are TV Christmas specials to watch while cuddled up on the couch.  Yummy treats are to be whipped up with small hands that just smeared snot all over.  Thankfully, the boys enjoy getting crafty as well.  You can expect a kiddie craft post (or two) in the coming days.  The boys have GREATLY enjoyed unwrapping a Christmas book each night to read aloud before bed.  Don't get me wrong, we have had our fair share of Christmas chaos.  I am trying to take it all in stride, though (that is when you don't catch me pre-morning coffee and after only 3hrs of sleep).

Take a peek at the decor we have amongst our crazy home this Christmas season...

Paper Loop Wreath (Version 5.0) greets you at the back door.  Indeed, it was replaced by Paper Loop Wreath Version 1.0 (which now hangs in all it's beauty elsewhere). 

I adore snowman and all their cuteness!  This little family sits on the back porch.  They were a gift from my mom a few years ago.  

Paper Loop Wreath Version 3.0 hangs on the kitchen door leading to the basement.  It fits perfectly with the Ruby Red Lipstick color of the kitchen; however, the kitchen is due for a make-over following Christmas.

It is hard to say what will hang in it's place next year!

In the corner of my kitchen counter sits a burlap wrapped tree (another one of my must haves), a festive tin that holds the Christmas cards we receive, and a newly purchased Nutcracker.  

A rustic snowman, candle, and framed photo make up the little vignette I have atop my bathroom counter.  The snowman was a gift from my Mother-in-Law a few years ago and it was love at first sight.

An additional newly acquired Nutcracker rests on the back of the toilet.  Jo-Ann Fabrics had numerous Nutcracker characters in stock this year.  In the past, I have not cared much for these decorative pieces.  However, this year they called out to me.  More than once.  They were on sale (thankfully!). 

Another burlap wrapped tree and a few candles (purchased at Rite-Aid of all places!) found their way to the bottom of our built in hutch.  Our Dining Room and Living Room features the massive original woodwork from the home's beginning in the 1920's.  The woodwork had been painted white in the 80's (I believe); however, my husband restored the wood in the dining room.  What a task!  His efforts paid off, though.  It's gorgeous!  I wish we could get around to restoring the wood in the Living Room prior to placing the house for sale (please do not ask when that will be...haha!); however, with four young boys I do not see that happening. 

A sneak peak at our Dining Room buffet.  In the past, the buffet has been one of the very first things I decorate.  It has always been a place for my Christmas Village to reside; however, this year I opted to not put it up.  This year, the buffet is taking on a different look with (cheap) glass vases and (cheap) red and gold bulbs.  I am still working on a few handmade touches to add in as well.  A stunning Poinsettia had been the focus of the buffet, but I killed it (too much water, I think).  My bad.  I will share my end result when the buffet is finished.  Who knows, that could be after Christmas!

I printed off this subway Christmas art from here.  If you do not follow her blog, add Jessica to your list!  She has some great, cheap, and easy decor ideas!

The boys' stockings hang from the stairway.  Each of the four stockings were a gift from Eric's grandmother, Sammy.  They are from Lands End and I love that they coordinate.  I am intending to purchase additional stockings from there for both Eric and I.  Our stockings are the first things to get opened on Christmas morning.  As a child, my absolute favorite thing to do first thing Christmas morning was open the small treasures found within my stocking.  I truly enjoy passing down the same tradition to my boys.   

What's that?  Where are our trees, you ask?  Good question!  Parker and Garrett's room contains a tree, as does Ryder and Hudson's room.  Both trees are nothing elaborate; however, we keep adding ornaments to them as the years pass.  I was prepared to show my Dining Room tree; however, I stripped it bare Friday night.  And redecorated it.  In the past, it has held my gold, white, and green ornaments.  This year, as I glanced around my Dining Room with all the red decor, I felt the need to add red to the existing color scheme.  It is coming along, but not quite done.  In recent years, it has become a tradition of ours to add a live tree to the Living Room.  At the last minute.  We have scored some great deals this way and enjoy decorating the tree on Christmas Eve.  The boys do not feel slighted as we have the additional trees elsewhere in the house.  Stay tuned... 

Monday Musings...

• We have our first snow day of the year (aka...no school for the older boys).  It is pretty darn windy so time will tell if they get out and play or not.  *Edited...the boys have now been outside for almost 2 hours!  I am shocked*
• Our bed is no longer in the living room.  Perhaps you did not hear me...OUR BED IS NO LONGER IN THE LIVING ROOM!!!  My living room feels 10x bigger.  A live Christmas tree will replace the bed in the coming days.  
• I am gradually adding new decor to our freshly painted dining room.  Who knew that replacing wooden frames with black ones could be so life changing?!  
• Garrett is going to be 5 at the end of the month.  5 years old.  My Baby G.  In addition to preparing for Christmas, I am planning a Super Mario Bros theme birthday party for him.  His b-day invite ROCKS if I say so myself (ahem, I created it).
• We took the older three boys to the Lights Before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo over the weekend.  The mild temperatures lead to it being PACKED!!!  Holy smokes, if you did not stay with the flow of traffic you were bound to get trampled.  The lights were beautiful and the boys were well behaved.  Eric and I, on the other hand, failed to take them to the train display.  The train display I thought about all day long.  They would have loved it!  Sigh.  My memory...it is a slippin' some days.  
• We are knocking To-Do's off our Christmas list...Christmas cards have been mailed, cookies have been baked, and the dining room tree is adorned with lights and all things that glitter and shine  
 

 Happy Monday!  Stay warm out there!

Garrett...Minus One Tooth

On Friday, Garrett lost his first tooth!  At age 4.  Okay, he will be 5 at the end of this month; however, he is still 4 in my eyes.  After Parker recently losing his first two, my mom is convinced Garrett willed himself into as loose tooth of his own.  I predict he will begin shaving in the fifth grade!  My friend agrees and reminded me that his voice changed while he was still in the womb!  Seriously.

Garrett and his new grin (and semi tame bed head) on Friday am.  The missing tooth is hard to see.  He is missing a bottom tooth...looking at him it was the one to the left of his front  middle teeth.  Is it just me or is that odd?  Moving on...congrats, Baby G!

Dear Ryder

You are 2 1/2 years old...

...and march to the beat of your own drum.

You have zero interest in learning your colors.  Or numbers. Or alphabet.  Honestly, that worries me.

Yet, you are oh so wise!

You can mimic Garrett to a "T".  His actions.  His voice.  His facial expressions.  It is truly a sight!

At all all hours of the night, you find your way into our bed.  It is a journey you make down a steep flight of stairs.  In the dark.  Gunkey (and now new Gunkey), your pillow, a sheet, Buzz, and no less than two additional toys accompany you.  Amazing.

You are a wild sleeper.  That is when you finally give in to pure exhaustion.

You tell me to to bop it (stop it) and I laugh.  You are stubborn and oh so relentless.  Often, I think I have met my match in you.

You can sport a pony tail on the top of your head like no other.  I love that about you!

Dear Ryder, thank you for being YOU! 

(Let it be known that while I type this you are banging on your door.  Yelling at me from behind closed doors.

Fighting your nap.  Again.  Go to sleep, sweet boy!)

Someone Please Remind Me...

Christmas is getting the best of me this year.  Perhaps it is the addition of a fourth child into the mix (no offense, Hudsey baby)?  Maybe it is lack of sleep?  Is it due to the fact that someone is always sick in this house?  In my eyes I have so little completed on my Christmas To-Do.  I am trying to remember that Christmas will still be wonderful even if...

...my Christmas cards do not get mailed out till the last second.
....we have only 3 trees up and not 4.
....there are not approximately 100 dozen cookies (ready and waiting) in the freezer.
...a tree is missing a tree skirt (yesterday, I improvised and used a scarf on one of the trees...looks pretty cute, might I add!).
...all of the adorable crafts I have discovered go undone.
...the front of our house does not have an amazing Clark Griswold light display.
...the presents are not wrapped picture perfect (anyone else not enjoy wrapping or is just really lousy at it?).
...Eric has to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas.


Okay, that last one...it is getting to me.  Yesterday, was a no good, rotten day.  Yuck!  Thankfully, I get to redeem myself today.  Here is to new beginnings...

Hey, Bloggers!!!! Check It Out!!! Shutterfly Loves Us!!!!

I am super excited to help spread the word that Shutterfly is offering 50 FREE Holiday Cards to Bloggers!  Seriously, how cool!!!!

Our family sends out Christmas Cards each year and they always feature our kiddos precious little mugs.  Front and center!  I have ordered our cards from Shutterfly in the past and the quality of my cards was impressive.  The colors are vibrant and the paper is premium quality.

Shutterfly's 2010 selection of card designs is abundant.  Simple.  Classic.  Bright.  Whimsical.  Fun.  You name it...they have it!  As a mom to four young boys, the odds of me getting an amazing group photo are slim (especially when Mommy is the photographer).  However, I have four individual and perfect (to this mama) photos ready for our 2010 Christmas card.  With that in mind,  I *HEART* the multiple photo card designs Shutterfly offers.  Again, the possibilities are endless!

Here are just a FEW of the cards that have caught my eye this year...

 My favorite feature of this card?  Adding each child's interests!  What a cute idea!

 This design can accommodate 1-4 photos...SCORE!!!  It is such a fun design!

The block look of this design, in addition to the monogram, makes this a very modern card!

What's not to love about this card?  The colors and ornaments are super fun!

I will let you in on a secret.  I did not share my absolute favorite card.  You know, the one I have sitting in my Shutterfly cart...all ready to go!  I have to leave a few surprises for our family and friends;)  Shhhhh.....

In addition to great cards, Shutterfly offers a wide variety of additional products.  We gift the boys' great-grandparents Wall Calendars each Christmas.  My go to source...Shutterfly!  The calendars make a lovely gift and their great-grandparents look forward to them each year.

I am an avid fan of Photo Books.  Again, I have made them as gifts; however, have made a few for myself as well.  We had an eventful Halloween this past fall.  Between the party we hosted, our time at Maumee Bay's Halloween Weekend, and Trick-or-Treating itself I had an overwhelming amount of photos.  In the past, I would have scrapped an endless amount of photos.  This year, I opted to put all of those photos into a fun Halloween Memory Book.  Shutterfly makes it easy to put together a beautiful book.

Have I mentioned Shutterfly's wide array of gorgeous Birth Announcements?  It seems many parents are now sending out stylish birth announcements upon the birth of a new arrival.  Shutterfly can meet those needs as well.  I have mentioned my love affair with the brown and blue color scheme before.  Check out this stunning birth announcement Shutterfly offers...

1, 2, 3...everyone now...say awwwww....

Bloggers, if you would like the opportunity to get 50 free cards as well check this out!  Say what?  You don't blog?  I still encourage you to check out Shutterfly for your stationary, gift giving, and photo needs!  They are sure to impress!

Black Friday 2010

Last Friday, my sister-in-law and I headed out for our annual Black Friday shopping trip.  We are by no means die hard Black Friday shoppers.  We do not throw punches.  We do not dive to the floor.  We promise to not pull a gun on you when you take the last Zhu Zhu pet from the shelf.  You most certainly will not find us camped outside a store front waiting.  For days.  Or hours.

Pure and simple, we go to have fun.  If we get our hands on a good deal...awesome!  If we don't...awesome!  The highlight of our day is sitting down to a warm and tasty lunch and dinner (sans kiddos).

Here is a recap of our (double) outing...

Thanksgiving night

8:00pm    I tap my foot as I wait for Leslie to arrive at my house so we can depart.  The plan was to hit TRU when they opened at 10pm.  There were no items calling out to me from their ad, but Leslie had a few items that suited her shopping needs.

9:00pm   I call Leslie and discover she has been trapped at my grandparent's house for the last hour (all in the name of retrieving my brother's cell phone).  She arrives at my house soon thereafter.

9:45pm   We arrive at TRU.  The line is absurd.  The lady in front of me repeatedly hits me in the face with her umbrella.  The people behind us leave; therefore, we are left with a clan of annoying people on our backs.  We opt to leave as well.  We lasted 35 minutes in line.

10:30pm Arrive at Wal-Mart to find they have their "bundles" of unwrapped.  You may put sale items in your cart; however, you can not check out until Midnight.  Leslie and I decide we can easily wait inside to check out where it is warm (and I can pee!).

Black Friday


12:50am  Check out at Wal-Mart.  We leave with $4 jammies, $10 griddles (thank you to my SIL who picked one up for me...I wasn't planning on getting one; however, we needed one!), $15 Duplo and Lego sets, and Spongebob Bedding (for my "BobBob" obsessed nephew, BB).


1:50am  Crawl into bed.  I quickly get out of bed when I recall the items sitting in my online shopping cart at Old Navy.  All of my items are still available...$15 adult sweaters (gifts), $10 jeans for Parker, and $15 Frost Free Jackets for the older boys (for next year).  I go to bed (again) happy.  In the next four hours I feed Hudson twice.  Really.


6:00am  Shower and go about my normal morning routine with the boys.

9:00am  Uncle Steven arrives to watch older three boys.  Leslie and I take Hudson down to my Grandma and Papa's house.

11:00am  We leave Grandma and Papa's house (that is another story).

11:30am  Enjoy lunch at Panera.  Yum-o!

12:00pm  Arrive at TRU (again).  It is rather picked over, but we could care less.  I leave with an on sale Thomas DVD and two cards games (B1G1).  Leslie purchases an over sized bowling set for my bowling obsessed nephew (her son).  It is not on sale.  I instruct her to send me video of BB opening it on Christmas morning.  Let it be known he discovered said bowling set in Leslie's backseat the following day.  He has not stopped talking about it since.

1:00pm  Hello Old Navy!  Yes, we both shopped online and in store with them that day.  Leslie and I debate about purchasing matching sweaters for ourselves to sport on Christmas.  We axe the idea; however still leave with a sweater for our self.  Period.  I pick up a few additional items, but cannot talk about them due to people who read my blog;)

2:00pm  We make our way into Target.  The Starbucks inside is calling out to us.  Loudly!  As we sip our drinks we find stocking stuffers in the Dollar Spot.  The $10 Chenille Throws are still plentiful.  Leslie gets a red and cream colored one.  I purchase one throw for my Dining Room and another to give to my always cold grandma.  Leslie tells me BB would LOVE a Bop-It.  It is on sale and I still needed to get him a gift.  I snatch one up.  I discover some cute (and cheap) decorations for the trees in the kiddos' bedrooms.  I get a 'lil bit of this and a 'lil bit of that.

3:00pm  We find ourselves in Kohls.  I search for a shirt for Garrett to wear to his Christmas program, but nothing really grabs me.  I pick up two (on sale) Christmas decorations.  Later, at home, I decide to give one as a gift (as it doesn't fit where I need it to).  You do that, right?!!!


3:30pm  Our last shopping stop is Wal-Mart (again, but a different one).  I buy a Fisher-Price ChooChoo I have had my eye on for Hudson.  It's not on sale.  Leslie and I find delight in the Christmas straws we pick up.  They are super cute.  And loopy!


4:30  The hostess at Olive Garden seats us at our table.  Together, Leslie and I enjoy a kid free hot meal.  We declare our shopping trip a success and cross our fingers that my mom can join us next year.

6:30  Arrive at home to find one happy husband and four happy kiddos (three of them were ready to spend the night at Mammy's...hence the state of bliss). 


Did any of you venture out into the crowds on Black Friday?  Score any kick bootie deals?  Or did you simply have a great time getting out of the house...like me!