I found this crib bumper at Goodwill for $4 yesterday! It's brand-new condition and a perfect design for Hannah, I just couldn't resist! What do ya think??
Now I can't wait to move so I can start putting together a room for my sweet baby girl!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
A steal deal!
Now I can't wait to move so I can start putting together a room for my sweet baby girl!
Friday, August 29, 2008
So proud of my boy!
Just the last couple days I've been been sooo excited to learn that Eli knows (can identify) ALL these letters: F, K, H, L, O, P, Q, R, W. Three days ago I didn't know that he knew any, and now he knows all of these! Amazing!
And the other day he pointed to B on the keyboard and said "balloon" because he was remembering it from his computer game! (Thanks, Eunie and Peter, for that birthday present!)
He's learning them from his computer game and then I quiz him with his alphabet puzzle.
What a joy to see him learn so quickly!
And the other day he pointed to B on the keyboard and said "balloon" because he was remembering it from his computer game! (Thanks, Eunie and Peter, for that birthday present!)
He's learning them from his computer game and then I quiz him with his alphabet puzzle.
What a joy to see him learn so quickly!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Goals update.
So remember how I had goals? It's been a loong time since I've posted any updates, but I really am still working on them. Some have probably changed such that I don't really care about them anymore (so I'll just cross them off) and some have been revised to a goal slightly different from the original. So here's the update:
#2 Return to pre-pregnancy weight by end of July. I got mostly there. I still have about 3 more pounds I wanted to lose but can't seem to shake them.
#25 Finish first year of baby scrapbook. (Eli's baby scrapbook) Well, after much thought I came up with another solution to the fact that I just don't have time or desire such that the project has just become a burden. I decided to make a picture slideshow set to music, featuring all those first-year favorites and milestones. Turned out pretty neat, and I'm happy with the result and the fact that I could do it ALL in just a couple weeks. AND another plus is that I can reproduce it for other family members to enjoy also.
#26 Complete and print ONE digital scrapbook page so I can decide if I like that method or not. Just not going to do this one. I'm not going to start digital scrapbooking. As cool as I think it looks, I just don't have that creativity and my pages never look the way I'd likem to.
#39 Read Babywise. I got enough notes from friends to get out of it what I wanted.
#43 Plan one fun family activity every week for 1 month. Summer was easy. Didn't have to do much thinking on this....
#45. Get new family photo. STILL working on this but just can't seem to get a good one. These were our attempts but nothing's worthy of an 8x10 on our living room wall. And so remains the family pic of when Eli was 6 months old!
#46 Go to Vermont. Ended up going to New Hampshire instead because there were more waterfalls and trails there, and I found a very affordable cabin there for us to rent.
#47 Go to Long Island. Not going to do this one. We're out of time and it no longer seems to really matter anymore.
#48 Go camping. Did it! And it was fun! See the pictures HERE.
#50 Go an entire month without any TV. We've pretty much done this. A few months ago we moved our TV out of the living room and put it upstairs in our bedroom. So when we DID watch it, it would seem like something special instead of being a regular part of our days.
#58 Choose a couple hobby. It was going to be painting, but we haven't done anything with it. So we'll see if there's something else we can do together.
#77 Set up our will. I've really been wanting to do this ever since Eli was born, and finally this week we got it done! Wanted to take advantage of the free legal services we could get through the Navy!
#86 Organize magazine articles. I got them cut out of the magazines and in page protector sheets in my binder. And the rest of the magazine I can use for Eli to make collages before throwing them out.
#93 Put a med kit in the van. I think Kevin did this awhile ago.
#101 Finish touch-up paint on screen doors. Eh, it no longer seems to really matter, so oh well if it doesn't get done cuz we're outta here!
**How are you doing with YOUR goals??
#2 Return to pre-pregnancy weight by end of July. I got mostly there. I still have about 3 more pounds I wanted to lose but can't seem to shake them.
#25 Finish first year of baby scrapbook. (Eli's baby scrapbook) Well, after much thought I came up with another solution to the fact that I just don't have time or desire such that the project has just become a burden. I decided to make a picture slideshow set to music, featuring all those first-year favorites and milestones. Turned out pretty neat, and I'm happy with the result and the fact that I could do it ALL in just a couple weeks. AND another plus is that I can reproduce it for other family members to enjoy also.
#26 Complete and print ONE digital scrapbook page so I can decide if I like that method or not. Just not going to do this one. I'm not going to start digital scrapbooking. As cool as I think it looks, I just don't have that creativity and my pages never look the way I'd likem to.
#39 Read Babywise. I got enough notes from friends to get out of it what I wanted.
#43 Plan one fun family activity every week for 1 month. Summer was easy. Didn't have to do much thinking on this....
#45. Get new family photo. STILL working on this but just can't seem to get a good one. These were our attempts but nothing's worthy of an 8x10 on our living room wall. And so remains the family pic of when Eli was 6 months old!
#46 Go to Vermont. Ended up going to New Hampshire instead because there were more waterfalls and trails there, and I found a very affordable cabin there for us to rent.#47 Go to Long Island. Not going to do this one. We're out of time and it no longer seems to really matter anymore.
#48 Go camping. Did it! And it was fun! See the pictures HERE.
#50 Go an entire month without any TV. We've pretty much done this. A few months ago we moved our TV out of the living room and put it upstairs in our bedroom. So when we DID watch it, it would seem like something special instead of being a regular part of our days.
#58 Choose a couple hobby. It was going to be painting, but we haven't done anything with it. So we'll see if there's something else we can do together.
#77 Set up our will. I've really been wanting to do this ever since Eli was born, and finally this week we got it done! Wanted to take advantage of the free legal services we could get through the Navy!
#86 Organize magazine articles. I got them cut out of the magazines and in page protector sheets in my binder. And the rest of the magazine I can use for Eli to make collages before throwing them out.
#93 Put a med kit in the van. I think Kevin did this awhile ago.
#101 Finish touch-up paint on screen doors. Eh, it no longer seems to really matter, so oh well if it doesn't get done cuz we're outta here!
**How are you doing with YOUR goals??
Banana Oatmeal
I just came up with this creation the other week when Eli wasn't feeling well, and it was so good I made it again this morning.
Make a half-serving of oatmeal. (1/4 cup quick oats + 1/2 c water, microwave 1.5 minutes)
Sweeten the oatmeal with white sugar (~1.5 Tbl) and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Mash up half a banana and stir into oatmeal.
Serve with a glass of milk. =)
Twas yummy! And just half portion is plenty filling for even me!
Make a half-serving of oatmeal. (1/4 cup quick oats + 1/2 c water, microwave 1.5 minutes)
Sweeten the oatmeal with white sugar (~1.5 Tbl) and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Mash up half a banana and stir into oatmeal.
Serve with a glass of milk. =)
Twas yummy! And just half portion is plenty filling for even me!
Friday, August 22, 2008
New Hampshire Vacation: Day 3
We got our things packed up quickly, checked out of the cabin, and then went out to breakfast at Flapjack's Pancake House. The other mornings we had bagels, eggs, and bacon that Kevin cooked at our cabin, so it was fun to go out for pancakes! We love going out for breakfast.
We planned on leaving for home after lunch (aka naptime), so we just did simple stuff after breakfast. We went on the Cannon Tram to see an aerial view of the beautiful mountains. 
We were going to go to lunch after this at a Pizza and Greek restaurant but both kids fell asleep in the car and we were still full from pancakes anyway that we decided to just head back home. Finally, around 3 we stopped and ate before our final arrival at 5:30. It was a great trip. The kids did soooo well with everything! And New Hampshire is a beautiful state!
We planned on leaving for home after lunch (aka naptime), so we just did simple stuff after breakfast. We went on the Cannon Tram to see an aerial view of the beautiful mountains. 
From here we headed up the road a bit to a town called Littleton, also home of the world's largest candy counter. Surprisingly, we didn't buy anything, just looked. 
Then we found this covered bridge. And boy was this heaven for any toddler! It was looong and we were pretty much the only people on it so Eli could just RUN! 
This flour mill was right on thr river there too.
Then we found this covered bridge. And boy was this heaven for any toddler! It was looong and we were pretty much the only people on it so Eli could just RUN! 
This flour mill was right on thr river there too.
We were going to go to lunch after this at a Pizza and Greek restaurant but both kids fell asleep in the car and we were still full from pancakes anyway that we decided to just head back home. Finally, around 3 we stopped and ate before our final arrival at 5:30. It was a great trip. The kids did soooo well with everything! And New Hampshire is a beautiful state!New Hampshire Vacation: Day 2 p.m.
After naps we went to The Flume to see a covered bridge, slide, gorge, waterfall, and pool all in one! The trail was only a 2-mile loop (compared to 3 miles the day before) and it was more like a walking path than real hiking. It was a nice change. 
The next picture is the slide. It just went on for about .25 mile of water just flowing horizontally across the rock.
The next picture is the slide. It just went on for about .25 mile of water just flowing horizontally across the rock.
The gorge. The greens were so bright and beautiful but hard to capture.
The pool is at the bottom of this picture. It's 40 feet deep. No swimming allowed here.
After this hike we went back to campground for hot dogs, corn on the cob, and chips. Our cabin had a kitchenette so we could eat there sometimes instead of having to always go out. We had a mini fridge, 2 gas burners, a microwave, complete with pots, pans, and dishes. For right now in our lives this was the perfect way to camp. =)New Hampshire Vacation: Day 2 a.m.
The morning of Day 2 was for Eli. We went to Clark's Trading Post where there was a train ride, bear show, playground, and boats. I hadn't seen about this when I was planning, but when we got to Lincoln and saw this, we knew we had to go.
We saw a bear show where they played basketball, walked around on two legs, ate ice cream cones and more. It was cute!
We saw a bear show where they played basketball, walked around on two legs, ate ice cream cones and more. It was cute!
Eli went off and climbed a rock wall while Eli, Hannah, and I were at the slide.
Kevin steered the boat thingy while Eli sprayed the water. Eli didn't like being sprayed so they kind of stayed in a corner away from the others. But oh, he had so much fun!
An old car Eli could sit in.
After this we picked up lunch to take the cabin, and then naps again. While everyone, including Kevin, was napping I went down to the stream at the campground to chill. I was a little bummed the water was too cold to wade through, but it was definitely still a nice way to relax for a few minutes.
After naps we went on another trail to see a covered bridge, gorge, waterfall, and pool. But I'll start another post for those pictures. Stay tuned!Thursday, August 21, 2008
New Hampshire Vacation: Day 1
We're baaack! We just spent 3 nights up in Lincoln, NH (about 4 hours away from home) and really did have a pretty great time! We left Monday after lunch so the kids would nap for half the ride and worked well. We arrived at our cabin around 5:30, unloaded, and then headed out for dinner at a restaurant my friend Kristen and her husband recommended: The Common Man. We got some delicious prime rib there, but it was a loooong dinner (almost an hour and half from drinks to check) so the kids were way antsy and we couldn't stay for our free dessert. They did VERY good considering, and I was quite proud of them. 
We got back to our cabin and got the kids ready for bed before starting our campfire. Eli slept on a the hide-a-bed which was the "living room" part of the cabin so in order for him to get to sleep, Kevin and I had to either stay out on the small porch or sit at the campfire for sleep times like bed and nap. It twas nice to have that quiet time. It stormed pretty good the first night but the kids slept just fine through it.
We got back to our cabin and got the kids ready for bed before starting our campfire. Eli slept on a the hide-a-bed which was the "living room" part of the cabin so in order for him to get to sleep, Kevin and I had to either stay out on the small porch or sit at the campfire for sleep times like bed and nap. It twas nice to have that quiet time. It stormed pretty good the first night but the kids slept just fine through it.The next morning was pretty cool and cloudy, as I had anticipated when I checked the weather prior to our trip. So we had a slow morning and let Hannah get her morning nap in before heading out. Eli and I went down to the pond to feed the ducks.
We wanted nicer weather for our hiking trips, so we decided to just take a drive first along the Kancamancus Highway that goes through New Hampshire. We just drove along, stopping to take pictures along the way. Most of the time it was just either Kevin or me hopping out quick and then getting back in the van, instead of getting the whole gang out. On our way back to town we picked up some lunch (Bill & Bob's Roast Beef sandwiches) to take back to the cabin. Then naps.
The afternoon weather was much better so we decided to head out on trail #1 to see some waterfalls. We didn't leave the cabin until 4:00, so we packed trail mixes and beef jerky in the backpack for dinner. It was a pretty tough trail. A lot of rock work through streams and steep hills. But Kevin and I helped each other out quite a bit. It was hard in the first place, then to add the weight of children strapped to us.
We had to be very careful because if we fell, then the children would fall with us! Kevin did have one slip where he almost fell flat on his back (aka flat on Eli!) but he caught himself just in time. I don't think Eli even touched the ground, but it sure scared him to tears, and we were more careful after that!
There were three waterfalls along this trail:
Alright, and it's bedtime, sooo I'll leave you with the Day 1 recap and we'll be back tomorrow with more of the rest of our trip!
We wanted nicer weather for our hiking trips, so we decided to just take a drive first along the Kancamancus Highway that goes through New Hampshire. We just drove along, stopping to take pictures along the way. Most of the time it was just either Kevin or me hopping out quick and then getting back in the van, instead of getting the whole gang out. On our way back to town we picked up some lunch (Bill & Bob's Roast Beef sandwiches) to take back to the cabin. Then naps.
The afternoon weather was much better so we decided to head out on trail #1 to see some waterfalls. We didn't leave the cabin until 4:00, so we packed trail mixes and beef jerky in the backpack for dinner. It was a pretty tough trail. A lot of rock work through streams and steep hills. But Kevin and I helped each other out quite a bit. It was hard in the first place, then to add the weight of children strapped to us.
We had to be very careful because if we fell, then the children would fall with us! Kevin did have one slip where he almost fell flat on his back (aka flat on Eli!) but he caught himself just in time. I don't think Eli even touched the ground, but it sure scared him to tears, and we were more careful after that!There were three waterfalls along this trail:
Alright, and it's bedtime, sooo I'll leave you with the Day 1 recap and we'll be back tomorrow with more of the rest of our trip!
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