The Mom of Boys....sweet little wild boys!

So my life is constantly "entertaining". Jacob and Dylan always provide me with a story (or 2) to tell. Today - as in, it's 8:44am - Dylan has fallen and busted his lip on the coffee table, learned how to climb up and stand up in his rocking chair, and ate the tip of a blue marker (hand and face completely blue).

Jacob is less of a physical catastrophe and more of a verbal hilarity. He started singing a song the other day (real words: "Talk about it, Talk about it, Talk about it..oooooo yeah"). Jacob's take on the song? "Taco Buddy, Taco Buddy, Taco Buddy....ooooooo yeah". So now we all sing that song around here.

Also, if you know Jacob - you know he's quite passionate about trains. So we got a newsletter from the zoo and it had a picture of the Red Diamond Express (the new train sponsored by the tea makers). I cut it out for Jacob and he wanted it put in a frame. So I put it in a frame in his room. This morning he said he decided it needed to be in the living room. So he rearranged some pictures in the living room and put it proudly on display on my end table. So if you are visiting, we will have a framed picture of the Red Diamond Express displayed for you! Here are a few good recent pictures....

Checking out the butterfly exhibit at the zoo.


So proud of his new trick. He also climbs up on sofas and coffee tables.
Not even 14 months old yet!!

This is another good one I got when we went to Botanical Gardens
while Jacob was at zoo camp.

Here is the Red Diamond Express in our Living Room.

Here's my cute little guy at VBS.
They sang a precious song about being Thankful.

At the zoo with buddies Ella and Hannah.
It was about a 1000 degrees outside.

Jacob and his favorite robot - Wall-e!

Oh yeah, he's walking

Dylan is fully walking now. He's been trying to walk for a month or so (was taking a couple of steps here and there on his 1st birthday). But now at 13 months old it's is preferred method of transportation around the house. His waddle is pretty cute!

Shop Smart, I Say

Ok, so we all have those great pictures stored on our computers, but it costs a ton to get something framed, right? NO! Check out what I did for less than $30 total (including tax, shipping, framing, everything).

1. Got a coupon from a photo company saying I had a free print (get on the mailing lists and they'll send you these things). I have accounts with several different companies and use whoever has the best deal going on when I need to order prints. Primarily use Snapfish, Shutterfly and Kodak. The coupon was for 1 free 11x14 print. (+ tax & shipping = <$2.50)

2. Get a Frame (16x20) from Hobby Lobby during a 50% off week. (regular price $30, for me, $15)

3. Choose Custom Mat Color and get Hobby Lobby to cut it professionally and even put the photo, mat and frame together, including the loops and wire added to the back. (Cost $9.00 for mat, $1.00 for loops and wire, $0 for labor!)

Poof, I walk out of the store with a beautiful 16x20 framed photograph ready to hang on the wall! Be smart about it and you can get quality pieces for little moola.

Summer Highlights - June 08

What a great summer we've had already! I'll go ahead and say that working with 2 little boys at home with you for the summer is close to impossible, but late nights are my work time. I love them to death, but do look forward to school starting again so I can get work done before the clock strikes midnight.

Some things we've done this summer so far...
Zoo (see animals and play in fountains), Chuck E Cheese's with Jacob's friends, Botanical Gardens, Homewood Park playground, Helena's playground, Helena Library Weekly story time, Oak Mountain Petting Zoo, McWane Center, Summer Fun Day at their New School, Beach trip to Cape San Blas, lots of swimming (Matt's pool, Grandma's pool, our baby pool, slip n slide), went to see Wall-E, and Jacob went to Zoo Camp for a week, and a few visits to the bookstore (a Jacob favorite!)

Here are a couple pictures from our outings...

Dylan at Botanical Gardens

Jacob at McWane Center

Jacob at Petting Zoo

Jacob at the library
(Ronald McDonald came and did a show for the kids)

The boys playing in the fountains at the zoo

Jacob and his school buddies at Chuck E Cheese