Look at my Babies!!!

Mommy and her babies, they are getting so big!!!!
Daddy giving Logan his nightly breathing treatment. Logan is about to doze off!
Look at how long her hair is! It is still wet from her bath :0)


So here are some pics as promised! The first picture is right after their bath, and they both wanted to sit in momma's lap! I was in hog heaven :0) The kids have done really great at getting used to "school" and what all of that involves. We are gearing up for a very busy fall and holiday season with showers, birthday parties and weddings! Julie has loved getting to go to all of these events, as they all usually involve cake and/or icecream :0)
A few of her latest funnies:

I say, "If I see you doing that again, then you are going to time out and getting a spanking." Julie says, "well, just don't look at me then!"

Julie says in the car, "So mom, when you gonna teach me to drive?!"

I say, "Julie, I am so sorry you chose to disobey me, this is why you went to time-out." about 10 minutes later she says, "Mommy, I am so sorry you chose to be ugly to me."

we went to a princess birthday party where the kids were supposed to say their names and their favorite disney character. Julie says, "uuuummm, my name is Julie, and I really love to just hop on one foot!" haaa haa! okay.....

Logan is jibber jabbering up a storm and increases his vocabulary each day! He went to the pantry the other morning and pointed and said, "eeeetooos!" I told him no, we don't eat cheetos at 9 o'clock in the morning! Little stinker :0)

We are having a huge problem with sibling rivalry right now, as it comes in waves here and there. It really helps to separate them for awhile after a fight, then find something to do that involves everyone. I am an only child, and am shocked speechless at how quickly they can go from huggy kissy to fighting and hair pulling! All of my friends assure me this is normal, but I am still not used to it! I actually had to yell at them the other night, don't touch him, don't look at her! you sit there, you go to your room! It was crazy! I would love to hear some suggestions on how to deal with this in a more effective way for an almost 4 year old and an almost 2 year old! Any ideas?!

Recipe for Kick Butt Rotel

1 16 ounce pkg of Velveeta cheese, cut into very small cubes
1 can original Rotel (can get hot/spicy if you like it like that!)
3 tbsp milk
1/2 lb very lean ground beef
1/2 cup salsa
3 tsp garlic powder
salt pepper to taste

cook ground beef on medium high, during cooking add 1/2 cup salsa ( I like the pace picante sauce in mild) 3tsp garlic powder, salt/pepper. When meat is done, set aside.
In a sauce pan add velveeta cubes, 3 tbsp milk, can of rotel (do not drain). stir constantly until melted, add meat, and stir some more. put heat on low when all of cheese is melted, serve with your favorite brand of corn chips and enjoy!
Trav and I will have this for dinner every once in awhile, we loooove it!

Ten things I have done in last ten days....

1) Run, run, and run some more!

2) Read a 450 page novel

3) Had lunch and a manicure with my awesome friend Bridget! She is the best!

4) Found out that one of my friends, Laura, is having twin girls! How fun :0)

5) Held Logan for an hour in the middle of the night to get him back to sleep, and snuggled him close and breathed in his sweet little scent!

6) Played with my kids for 2 hours strait at the park

7) Listen to my poor sweet hubby cough and cough at night as he is recovering from a cold

8) Trav and I ate a whole thing of my Kick Butt Rotel Cheese Dip for dinner one night! so yummmy....

9) Held an abandoned 4 day old newborn and prayed that a wonderful family would adopt her

10) Gave Julie a manicure and a pedicure!

We have had a very fun fast paced week, and are gearing up for an even busier weekend! Just wanted to randomly catch you all up on what we have been up to! I will post pics soon :0)

Awesome new website....

So my good friend Laura just launched her new business! you HAVE to check it out:


www.forkeepsdesign.com


Love you Laura, Blessings to your new biz!!!

Fun with the RG girls....

You guys are the best! thanks for being so awesome :0)

My Diet....

So a lot of you blog readers and my friends have been asking me, "So how is that gluten-free diet of yours going?!" So I thought I might go ahead and post my feelings on it since my blog is also sort of a journal for me. For those of you who don't know, back in February I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. After a year of battling lots of symptoms, I began researching and figured out that I needed to be tested for this, and the test came back postitive meaning I needed to go on (and stay on) a gluten free diet for me to feel much better and let my intestines heal.

Here it is September and I am about to embark on my first gluten free HOLIDAY journey. Yes, I plan on sticking to my gluten free diet religiously! But first I need to back track a bit and tell you why i plan on sticking to my gluten free diet....
A couple of weeks ago, I got so fed up with still reading labels and having to cook EVERYTHING I ate, I went off of my diet for a whole week. I know what you are thinking, "What?! why would she do that to herself!!!" To be plain honest, I just missed gluten so much and I was sort of going throught this weird depression about not being able to eat just what i wanted! Remember, I am also allergic to like everything, nuts, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, (ANY kind of nut) and sesame seeds. also lately I found out I am also starting to be allergic to tomatoes and pineapple!!!! so you see the list of foods i can eat is just dwindling down and dwindling down..... I missed pizza and bread and pasta and real cereal that didn't taste like styrofoam, and doghnuts and croutons and being able to eat out without the frustrations and worries! I missed not being able to just grab something in a pinch for myself when the kids needed my full attention- like a granola bar, or goldfish or pretzels! I got to eat with abandon for a whole week, but.... it came with a huge price! I was okay the first few days, but by day 4 it was horrible. I couldn't stand it anymore!!!! So back on the gluten free diet I went.


WHEW~ I will NEVER do that again. To put it lightly, I was MISERABLE for a 2 whole weeks after that!!!! I was a solid itchy hive from head to toe, my stomache ached endlessly, I had terrible gas, bloating, diarrhea, and I felt like I was on the first day of a cold for 2 whole weeks. I also had a full blown lymphatic system response! my glands were swollen, i had 5 mouth sores, 2 fever blisters, and swollen lymph nodes here and there!!! I guess since I have not had gluten in so long, me just "blowing it" really hurt my system. Now I remember why I will not, shall not, EVER eat gluten purposefully again!

But I can't just leave you with the negatives. So I shall share some of the positives. I have never eaten so healthy in all my life!!!! Eating gluten free has forced me to be super good at reading food labels (praise the Lord for google! HA!!!), and I am learning that foods in their rawest form are best for you anyway. I eat a ton of salads full of veggies and powerhouse foods like broccoli srouts, avacados, raw sunflower seeds, carrots, orange/yellow bell peppers and whatever else i have in the fridge and need to use!! I eat lots of fruits and veggies, and beans and brown rice. but don't feel to sorry for me, I do go to Whole Foods market about once a month and spend around $70 dollars on my freezer foods like biscuits, waffles, corn bread, gluten free flours, baking mix, gluten free pastas and such! but it is soooo expensive, I try to make it last (which is why i stick to freezer goods). Also, I am finding out that i love foods that I would have never even tried, like turnip greens, brussels sprouts, artichokes, squash, and asparagus!!! I have several gluten free cookbooks that have been AWESOME and I usually attempt a new recipe about once every week or two. I have also maintained a healthy weight much more easily in the last 7 months or so(as my mom says, well I guess so if you can't eat any bread!!!) So I will leave you with, I am doing well on my gluten free diet, and I will never again have a cheatin' heart!!!!!

School Days

Julie with her star that she colored ALL by herself! well, I helped with the name a little....
Logan being entertained by Julie, she was singing and waving her star around!
Julie in her class, she said right before i took this, "mom, hurry, I need to go and play!"


So the first day of school was great! There were no tears shed from any kids, and only a few from mom when I got back into my empty van!!! They were so excited about getting to go in and see their teachers and play with their friends. Trav and I feel so blessed that our kids go to "school" and church at the same place. They are even in the same classrooms for school and sunday school! How great is that?! Now Julie asks when we pull up the the church building, "mom, are we going to school today, or church?"
I didn't get very many pictures of our first day as I was running around like a madmom making sure everyone had what they needed, and so i only got pics in their carseats plus that one of Julie in her classroom. I really wanted to get one of Logan with his teachers, but I was afraid if I started all of that he might get upset and want me to stay! oh well, I will get more pics later in the year at holiday parties and such!
Hooooray for great first weeks!