Ninth.

Seriously...I should NOT be doing this. I only have about 5 minutes and I am sure there are better uses of my time. But I had to do this!

Just in case you forgot how cute Wingman is...

He is doing all kinds of crazy fun things. For example... talking, yelling, eating, waving, shaking his head NO NO, pulling up and a version of crawling that I have never seen before. It includes getting on his belly and toes and smooshing his face this way and that. Throw in a couple of rolls and stretches and he goes where he wants to!!

Personally, I am still wrestling with saying goodbye to the pregnancy season of my life. I am bursting with JOY over my family and loving raising my kids, but saying goodbye to such a tender season is hard. Some days, like today, it is really hard.

*SIGH*

I am sure that every mommy knows what I am talking about.

But, enough about me.

Wingman is so much fun that I don't have a lot of time to dwell in my pitiful feelings. Life with a third child isn't boring. Ever.

Just last week we had Wingman's first trip to the ER. Loulabelle was on the couch with him and was trying to get him to lay down but didn't realize that his left arm (the one with the mom tattoo that I had the pleasure of explaining to the ER doc! OY! ) was behind him and pinned. His elbow became dislocated. Sounds more serious than it actually is. Lots of kids have this and will eventually outgrow it around five. However, he was really hurting and there wasn't anything I could do for him. I hate that feeling!

Dang!! My five minutes are up... gotta go!

Drumroll, please. ZIPLOCK OMELETS!!!

Here I am taking baby bloggy steps, one blog post at a time. I am so excited to hit PUBLISH again today, even if its only for a recipe that I can't take any credit for whatsoever. But hey, baby steps.

It's all about baby steps...

Ziplock Omelets

*Disclaimer* When I first received this recipe from who knows where, I thought it looked interesting but didn't really think I would ever make them. I have been very prideful of my omelet making skilz, even if it did take all day to get everyone fed. And I was always the last in line. One day I was going through my recipe binder and ran across this again. I wanted to find a fun activity for the kids to get them involved in the cooking process. I thought this would be the perfect solution! It was! I hope you enjoy them, too!

1. Have family members write their names on a quart sized Ziplock freezer bag with a permanent marker.

2. Crack 2 eggs (large or extra large) into the bag (no more than 2) and shake to combine them.

3. Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheese, ham, onion, green pepper, black olives, hash browns, tomato, etc. Each person adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake.

4. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.

5. Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for EXACTLY 13 minutes. You can usually cook 4-5 omelets in one large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water. Make sure the water boils at all times and the individual bags have plenty of room to feel the water.

6. Open bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.

Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake. Everyone gets involved and makes a great conversation piece.

*Janelle's tips* Both times that I have made this recipe, I whisked the eggs and other ingredients in a bowl before placing in the zip lock. The kiddos still get to shake it, but I like knowing that it is all mixed well beforehand. Also, after opening the finished bags, I put the omelets in a preheated, buttered skillet to brown the outside. This just takes a minute, but you do not have to do this.

ENJOY the omelets and enjoy cooking with your kids!

Bloggy Cobwebs

There was a time, when this blog was first created, that I couldn't go a single day without a writing a post. It is amazing to me how far I have strayed from that. I definitely need to dust off these bloggy cobwebs that have settled.

I have finally gotten rid of the idea that my bloggy comeback has to be the most creative piece EVER WRITTEN. Now, I just want something...anything that will break my silence. The best I can do is a list. A list of thoughts, ideas and a whole lot of random.

Fasten your seat belts...this will be riveting, or at the very best...readable.

1. If I were a blog friend of mine, I would have dumped me a long time ago. I haven't been faithful to read or comment lately. I still care deeply about all of you and hope to do better.

2. Facebook is just so much easier these days. I love "talking" with some of you there.

3. I haven't blogged in such a long time, I forgot my kids' blog names.

4. This weekend we celebrated Valentine's Day. It was the perfect blend of friends, family and couple time. I loved every minute of it and don't want it to end.

5. I am seriously addicted to coffee and all things caffeine. I find myself thinking about what I will drink tomorrow morning and anxiously awaiting that time, that smell, that taste.

6. I have been scrapbooking with a good friend every Friday. I love that time and really cherish the work that I have been doing on Loulabelle's baby book. I am almost done with her book and will be able to start Wingman's. From there I want to do a birthday book and Christmas book for each kiddo. I love our weekly time and hope we can always plan for it.

7. I have been recently made aware that I close my eyes when I talk. Why is that? Am I nervous, or self-conscious? I don't know, but I want to find out.

8. I have yet to find moderation in computer usage.

9. Wingman has been in his crib for a week. I miss him so much. The only comfort I have is knowing that he is sleeping so much better and just waking up once.

10. I love my kids. With my whole heart.

11. There are so many good shows on our Tivo right now. I love TV about as much as coffee and Facebook. Moderation, smoderation.

12. I want another big snow storm before spring. I want my kids home with me.

13. This list is riveting, I know.

14. I have recently come to realize that more people like their toilet paper to hang over rather than under. Apparently it is a big deal to most people.

15. My favorite item of clothing is my gray, velour track suit. I could wear it everyday.

16. I am sure some of you are regretting asking me to update my blog (Heather!) This is really the best I can come up with.

17. I made Ziplock omelets this morning. I don't know if I will ever go back to using my omelet pan after this. I love this recipe! Very fun!

18. I wish I was more articulate. I am a verbal mess. The words in my heart and head come out all jumbled and messy from my mouth. I wish I could change that.

19. I wonder if anyone cares about all this! If you are still reading...thank you!

20. I am mourning the fact that Wingman is almost 8 months old. On one hand, I love what he is doing and what is to come. But my heart is sad at what he has already left behind. The last month has brought so many changes for him. Time is going way too fast.

21. I held Z-Man tonight as I put him to bed. I realized that he still has the little boy smell of graham crackers. He has always smelled like that. I love that little boy smell. It will be a sad, sad day when that changes.

22. I am really, seriously contemplating getting a perm to reform my natural curls.

23. Tatiana, from American Idol, has GOT TO GO!! Seriously.

24. I am not sure when to use 'than' and 'then'...'effect' and 'affect'. Need a refresher course in grammar. Pretty sure that I use way too many dots when I type ...

25. I am already sad at the thought of Loulabelle starting Kindergarten in August. She is my little best friend. I will miss her so much when I have to share her with the world.

26. Skip and I would be the couple on Amazing Race that everyone hates. I don't do well under pressure and it wouldn't be pretty.

27. I want a new vacuum.

28. I am going to pull the plug on this nonsense. I'm not sure if the cobwebs are gone, but it will feel good to hit the PUBLISH button after a month of silence.

Love to my blog friends!!

Photo Tag

Alana had a very fun meme on her blog. Since blogging has not come naturally lately, I decided to play along. That and the fact that my little two foot person won't let me go back to bed this morning. I have some time on my hands!

Here are the rules:

The object of the picture tag is to:

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer

2) Select the 4th picture in the folder

3) Explain the picture

4) Tag 4 people to do the same. NO CHEATING! (cropping, editing, etc!)

When I saw the fourth folder I was ecstatic! This picture is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES! And it has some of my all-time favorite people in it!

One of my dear friends, Dixie (lower right of the circle next to me), was being featured in the yearly MOPS magazine telling the story of her daughter's premature birth. This picture was featured in that magazine. The circle of friends that helped her in those dark and fearful days. This picture reminds me of the amazing things that can happen in a MOPS group!

As a rule breaker by nature, I had to include more pictures from that folder. This next picture is what happens when you tell Alana's husband that you want him to "modify" the way you look in the above picture. I admit that I was not happy with the double chin thing going on with me. I swear that it the the camera angle...it's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The chin looks better, but I don't completely love the color. I, then, went back and asked if he could make me a little less Shrek-ish and a little more tan-ish.

Wow! Too bad this isn't at all my natural color! I would think that I would like a tan someday. *sigh*

Hope you play along with this fun meme! Let me know if you do so I can pop in for a visit.

Mystery Solved.

1. Barbados - 1993 - 1994
2. Grand Cayman - 1994 - 1995
3. Costa Rica - 1995 - 1996
4. Kuaii, Hawaii - 1996 - 1997
5. Playa del Carmen, Mexico - 1997 - 1998
6. Habitat Curacao, Curacao - 1998 - 1999
-- Y2K -- (we didn't go anywhere this year for fear of end of the world!)
7. Kansas City, MO - 2000 - 2001
8. San Antonio, TX - 2001 - 2002
9. St. Croix - 2002 - 2003
10. New Orleans, LA - 2003 - 2004
11. Moon Palace, Cancun, Mexico - 2004 - 2005
12. Bahaia Principe, Tuluum, Mexico - 2005 - 2006
13. Point Village, Negril, Jamaica - 2006 – 2007
14. Road Trip (St. Augustine & Orlando, FL & Biloxi, MS) – 2007 – 2008

drum roll, please...

15. Villa del Palmar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – 2008 – 2009

I really can't describe how unforgettable this year's trip was. It was so fun to relax and play with the kids. No hassles, no laundry, no dishes, no sporting events, no schedule. I loved it.

So as not to bore you with my 421 pictures for the week, I will just include a few favorites. You are MORE than welcome to come over and peek at the rest, but I know that only my mom would want to do that. I will spare you! Trust me, my new camera is well-loved and well-used.

Two Christmases and a Mystery. Part 3.

For the last 15 Christmases, Skip's dad has planned a special vacation for the whole family. We are gone for about a week and have absolutely NO IDEA where we are going.

On Christmas night, we all gather together to collect clues for our annual Mystery Trip. Skip's dad plans the trip throughout the year and reveals bits and pieces to us that evening. He tells us what the climate for our destination will be. He tells us if there will be scuba diving available and he always has a picture that he cuts up into a puzzle.

We can ask him questions only if we are OK with "North Dakota" being his answer. We put together the puzzle piece pictures, evaluate all of his clues and make our first guess as to our destination. No one knows what he has planned, not even his wife. Everything is TOP SECRET. Only Papa knows the answers. One year, we were boarding our third plane when we finally found out our final destination.

The roads he has taken us down have been very memorable. This unique opportunity has provided fodder for conversations year after year. We are still laughing about the 18 hour trek into the Costa Rican jungle to find a volcano. Two flat tires, men with guns and a rain shower later, everyone saw the stinkin volcano except Skip's dad.

Or, the time we were at Pearl Harbor and a bird pooped all over my brother-in-law.

Or, the time we were in Wal-Mart with sick, vomiting kids bathing them in the sink.

Or, the time we had mutiny on a bus headed to Disney.

Or, the time when we couldn't get home because of a huge ice storm that grounded all flights.

Or, the time when we discovered that The Alamo was really a stone's throw from the Dillards in San Antonio. Just wrong.

Or, the time when we all smooshed our faces together in one window to see the New Year's Eve firework display over New Orleans.

Or, the time when we fed sharks in Curacao.

Or, the time when we played Scattegories in Grand Cayman and "someone" threw a temper tantrum and now we can't play that game anymore.

Or, the time when we had a High School Musical marathon that led to massive fall-out.

Or, the time where everyone in our family was offered d*r*ugs on the beach. Even my 5 year old boy!

Or, the time I almost died scuba diving in Barbados! One must really leave the regulator in their mouth in order to breathe under the water! Just FYI.

Or...

Or...

Or...

I could go on forever. Each trip holds its own memories for all of us. The details and the stories get told again and again with each person adding their own spin on it. Some stories just get better with time.

Here I sit on the eve of our next Mystery Trip with full anticipation. What will this year hold? Where will we be going? What new adventures await us? How will my kids adjust? But most importantly, how soon will it start?!

Thank you, Papa! I know it is your biggest thrill to provide this opportunity for your family. This is your legacy...your gift of love.

Two Christmases and a Mystery. Part 2.

Much of the day between the two Christmases include cleaning up my house and searching for new places to store toys. Sometimes, it includes a nap...sometimes, it doesn't. After clean-up, I am busy cooking food for the evening. My standard dishes for this night include meatballs, sausage wrap, fruit and veggie trays.

The kids are bustling with excitement to spend the night at their cousin's house. They prepare toys they are going to take with them, they make conspiratorial phone calls to plan their wake up strategy, and they ask every 5 minutes when we are leaving. A night surrounded by cousins is pure thrill for them.

Skip's family all lives on the same road in B-town, all about 1 mile apart. We live in the same neighborhood as one of his sisters. We all make the "long" trip to her house to set up camp for the night. We gather around for an evening of storytelling and appetizers. The kids, ranging in age from 18 down to 6 months, all run around the house playing with each other. Sometimes even the older ones join in the fun. It is very loud and busy compared to Christmas #1.

The kids all find their ways to our designated rooms in which all of Skip's family spends the night. This year, the kids made a fort in a closet that they SWORE they would sleep in. It lasted about 30 minutes until they all decided that sleeping in a bed would be better. Once the kids are asleep, the real magic begins. Gifts are wrapped, toys are assembled, and Santa secretly comes in and takes over the living room. Each child has their own special chair or section of the couch where their gifts are displayed. The living room could put any retail store to shame.

In the wee hours of the morning, all the adults go to bed. The kids usually wake up about 6:30 and manage to stay contained until 7:00. Then the screaming and chaos begins as they wake up the entire house. Everyone gathers in the hallway until the last person wakes up.

Ten, nine, eight, seven.............

The countdown begins for the mad race on the living room. The kids can hardly wait to burst out of the hallway to see what Santa brought for them. The joyful noises are music to my ears. The morning progresses into breakfast and opening presents finishing with the grandparent gifts.

The things I love most about this Christmas is waking up to a house full of kids that are all excited about Santa. The yummy appetizers that we wait all year to eat. The late night laughter. The ins and outs of housing 23 people, if only for 1 night...bodies are everywhere! The nap that certainly follows a busy couple of days! Seeing my husband laugh and joke and tease his family. It is magic.

Our Christmases are both extremely special to our family. They are alike in some ways and very different in others. I pray my kids find the special moments in both.

Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy your holidays and traditions as much as I do!