King of the Slide

I've got another climber!

He isnt walking full speed yet, but he is sure climbing without much difficulty!

Canon can get to the high places, stands up to celebrate, then panics because he has no idea how to get down...lol. He is so cute, and so proud of himself.

I thought I couldn't possibly make more than one ridiculously cute little boy...I was so wrong :)

He has starting using sign language, with a mastery of the sign "all-done". The kicker is when he says, "a-da" to go with it. He says "hot" too, every morning when he tries to touch my coffee cup.

So cute.

Today, I am so thankful that I have two beautiful, healthy baby boys. Remember to thank God for yours too!

Quote of the Day...

"Suckers are dellllllicious"

This, coming from a two year old, who was savoring the rewards of his first "stinky" in the potty.

Why I go to the gym...

So, I have recently gotten myself a gym membership (I have always wanted to be a 'gym girl') and I am excited at the possibilities that I hold in my own mind of looking like a HOT momma by Christmas time when I see the family for the first time a year :)

But, through the process, I asked myself as well as having been posed the question by my own dear husband, WHY cant I do the same thing at HOME?

Well, I remembered the reasons WHY I CANT do the same things at home this week, when we missed a trip to the gym due to runny noses and teething issues of various descriptions.

So, I popped in a TAEBO DVD..one I was suckered into buying cause they use ACTUAL people on their videos and those fat girls kicking the air made me feel empowered :)

I took the stance, and began the warm up..."1..2..3..lunge...OH! Sorry Canon..didnt know you were climbing on my leg...REWIND..okay, here we go...1 and 2 and 3..and TY! Get off the bar..NO, dont JUMP off the bar! ...Okay, lets focus Billy..okay, and ONE and TWO, and THREE and..WHY do I hear water running?"

PAUSE DVD to clean up the kitchen wall/floor/cabinets.

RESTART.

"And PUNCH, and JAB..and PUNCH and JAB..NO, Ty, DONT punch Canon..stop watching me and go play with your cars."

"HIGH KICK, LOW KICK..oh, stupid dog, its his own fault..Canon is eating WHAT?...and PUNCH and KICK and"..phone ringing.

RESTART.

"One and two and ...Canon is WHERE?"

He is IN the litter box. Of course.

So, I go to the gym to work out :)

What I love...

So, I have had one of the weekends where I was clearly aware of my blessings ...and thankful that I have so many things that I LOVE :) ..things that make me happy, and add to my overall sense of well -being...

• Adrian, Ty and Canon
  
• Downey fabric softener
• order..in any and every situation
• a clean kitchen
• Clean Linen scented Yankee Candles
• water...love it
• coffee..ironic, I know
• Cookies and Cream Blue Bell ice cream
• a blank journal, or Word document :)
• a good thriller book (i.e., Dan Brown)
• when Ty obeys me :)
• when Adrian hugs me :)
• when Canon says "mama"
• a clean car...it doesnt happen very often
• a fully charged phone
• anything written by Angela Steed (Adrian's cousin)....she is hysterical!
• getting to do a Discovery Toys party..I have so much fun!
• when my laundry is caught up
• when all the sheets on all the beds are clean :)
• BROWNIES
• Mom and my sisters
• Daddy and my brother
• That my baby brother is buried in Arlington Cemetry..I am so proud of him
• Beautiful pictures of my kids
• when my husband cleans the kitchen
• when Ty sings "Clean up, clean up" ..and does it :)

When I can look at my life, and be grateful that I have so much to be grateful for!

Everyone leave comments where you tell me what makes you happy...THAT will make me happy :)

FALL is HERE

Okay, not so much in the way of weather but the FALL season of toys!

I am SOO excited..I just returned from my first official "Discovery Toys" event, and I am so excited to talk to anyone who will listen! There are SOOO many wonderful products this Christmas season..I cant wait to share it with you all!

There are truly great toys for EVERY age group, birth through older schoolage. EVERYONE can love and use these toys!

I also got excited about how I can grow my business and share these toys with even more mommies.

So, everyone call me and let me share with you some GREAT Christmas ideas! We can start planning and budgetting now! :)

ALSO...dont forget, if you are at ALL interested in using Discovery Toys to earn some extra cash for Christmas..this is the time to do it! The pack that I bought for $99, plus an extra or two, is selling for $79 (plus delivery and taxes) this month! This is more than $300 dollars worth of toys! This is EVERYTHING you need to get a home business started, you can break the cost up into payments, and this is the BEST time of year to do it!

You can earn ALL your kids christmas gifts for FREE, and still have some cash to buy your hubby something special :) ..or, forget him and get yourself a massage!

This is the best time to do this...EVERYONE buys toys this time of year, that means cash and free toys for us! :)

Let me know if you would like to hear more! ..and thanks for visiting my blog today :)

Mom's Photography..

So, since my brother passed away a little over a year and half ago, we have all really become passionate about taking pictures. We learned after he died, how precious just a snapshot of his face was..we call them our "treasures".

Its still amazing to me when I look that those eyes and smile, that he is not here anymore. We have some pictures that make him seem so real, so happy, and so alive. Those are truly precious treasures.

Anyways, since then, all of our family has become obsessed with photography. Especially mom, who is working on creating a business from this passion, with a focus on capturing families and people in the unique way those few wonderful pictures of my brother did.

So, please, take a moment and visit her site, where she shares her heart and spirit through her photography in memory of my brother...CPL Dustin L. Kendall.

www.xanga.com/pjkphotography

Countdown to the new FALL SEASON!

Hey everyone!

Only three days left til the Summer/Spring catalog is OLD NEWS, and the new catalog comes into play.

What that means for you, is this:

• You have til Friday to order the toys that will be discontinued from the old catalog..see previous post for the ones I will miss the most!

• AND, only three more days til the 7 NEW fall product sale (all items 20% off the price they will be in the new catalog) will be OVER!


• AND, only two more days to take me up on my offer to book a party for this fall and GET the Sunshine Market at my sale cost of $15.99 ..that is 40% off the price it will be in the new catalog!
  

So...take at look at the sale, the catalog, and think about when you can book a party..a catalog OR in-home party!

Welcome, Michelle!

I am excited to welcome Michelle Browning, of Kansas City, Missouri to my Discovery Toys team!

I am excited to be working with her as she builds her new home business and is able to stay at home with "her kids" - a group of special children she ministers to in her home!

So glad to have you Michelle!

Ethan Powell

For those who may see this before they see their update, Ethan Powell's leukemia is back...please pray for Becky and Ben. They have said before that if it does come back, there are no more treatment options. I can't imagine what they must be going through.

www.ethanpowell.com

Quote of the day...

"Mom, hold my worm."

Yes, the being a mom is a glorious thing :)

A confession...

So, I have found a new vice ...no, its not drinking (though, when kids are screaming all around me, I wonder if a margurita is not a good idea).

Adrian got this stupid "Guitar Hero" game, mostly because his friend Joe got it, and we most follow suit, of course! I can't say that I fully understand the whole video game concept..seems like a monumental waste of time to me.

BUT...that being said, I love being a ROCK STAR! In so much as I play the guitar controller, hitting the right color buttons when they tell me to WHILE strumming the thingy...an impressive feat if you know me and my level of coordination, or UNcoordination, as the case may be.

And, its nice to get praise from someone who tells me "YOU ROCK!" with the slightest accomplishment. So, I withhold my critisism of the video game thing for now..cause its fun.

Oh, and Ty likes to "play" as well, though he just holds the "GItar" and makes the face that the guy on the game makes, which is pretty hysterical. He also would prefer "WigglyParty" to
"I Love Rock n Roll." That song isnt on the game yet buddy, but maybe Guitar Hero 17 will have it..we will wait and see.

Good Mom Day...

Well, some days its like "what was God thinking!" ..by making me a mother of these kids. Because, there are days when I SOOO dont have a clue what I am doing! Most days, in fact :)

But, today I tried some creative disciplining and it worked! Yeah!

By the way, if you have a toddler then you have to get the book, "Creative Correction" by Lisa Whelchel (Blair, from Facts of Life). Its a great book with creative ideas on how to really touch your kids' heart AND get them to obey, besides spanking or yelling at them all the time :)

So, we had to go to Walmart..yeah, I know you moms of mulitple kids know where this is going!...a production, to be sure! So, after reading up on some creative methods of discipling/motivating while out and about I settled on one I thought would work for Ty. It did, and so now I must share!

I gave him a handful of coins that equaled 50 cents, told him to put them in his pocket. If he still had that money by the time we got the check out, he would have enough to buy himself a treat (a double reward, because he also loves to pay for stuff at the check out line!). However, if he threw a fit, or cried to get out of the basket, or grabbed stuff off shelves, or tripped the old man with a cane, or pulled the bottom apple from the apple pyramid, or knocked over the mop bucket down the dairy isle, or dumped a dozen eggs out onto the floor (true story)...you get the idea, then I took a coin away. If I took enough coins away, he would not have enough for a treat.

It worked! He chose french fries from MD's (in the store), which was more than he had but the lesson was not lost on him! I decided to keep the "value of money" lesson for another day :)

He was great! Though, at times he did need alittle gentle reminder of what the goal was. I hope it works next time I am crazy enough to go the store with both of them :)

Another thing we do, is to "practice" obeying. The first time I did this was when we were doing yard work in the front yard and he kept running into the street to get the ball.

I took him to the edge of the road, threw the ball into the street, and then told him that when that happens to STOP, call mommy to help you get it, and DO NOT GO INTO THE STREET!

Then, we did it over, and over, and over again until I thought he was starting to get bored with it. The next time the ball rolled, I watched him start to run, stop, and turn and ask me for help.

Yesterday, we used this when I was trying to make him understand to stop immediately when I called his name. So, he would turn is back to me and walk away, I would say "Tyler!" he would stop, grin and come running. He thought it was funny (so he said) and I hope made more of an impression than a time out!

So, lest you think I am wonder mom or think I am ...these glorious moments of sunshine through the clouds, were proceeded by a 1 1/2 hour nap battle! Oh well, cant win them all!