Sunday, March 23, 2014
#carriedaway: week 8
Week 8:
Day 71: the Williamson boys ready to go to school. Poor Hank hates school days...
Day 72: Mohawks
Day 73: it's FRIDAY!!!
Day 74: soccer game fun
Day 75: a double date to the movies with Sally and Brad
Day 76: we told the boys the news tonight. Let the countdown begin!
Day 77: swim lessons. About 4 minutes before the biggest Clorox moment of my life.
Monday, March 17, 2014
A few of my favorite things...
I did one of these posts a while ago and figured it was time to share
a few of my latest favorite things...in case you were in a rut and
needed new things.
The first thing on my latest obsession list is this mop:
I had a friend have this and talk about how great it was. So I asked for one for Christmas and I.LOVE.it. I do not like mopping. I really hate getting a bucket of water and sloshing it through the house and then moving all the furniture while I mop and then keeping the kids off while the floors dry. I was using swiffer sweeper mops, but then I read an article about how if you have pets and they walk on a freshly mopped floor and then lick their feet--- or if they eat off of the floor-- it can be harmful to their health. That was all it took for me to get rid of those.
The Shark has no chemicals-- it's all water. The floors clean fast and look awesome when done. It makes mopping SO much easier. You just pour a little water in the back and press a button and the steam starts pumping. I can mop my entire downstairs in under 5 minutes. It's awesome. I was going on and on about this to my mom who was skeptical-- I am sure she thought I lost my mind getting this excited over a mop-- but then she bought one for the beach house. And she loved it. She and dad had a bunch of friends down there and they were talking about it to them and they all ended up wanting one too.
Trust me-- this mop is awesome. Use your Bed Bath and Beyond coupon and get it for 20% off! It's worth it!
Okay, enough with the mop....
My other recent love is this shampoo.
I was in a shampoo/conditioner rut. I wasn't loving anything I tried and I wasn't quite willing to "test" out all the expensive ones trying to find one I liked. I had a friend tell me about this brand so I tried it and LOVED it. I have tried other kinds from this brand and don't like them as much. This makes my hair less frizzy, but adds volume. I use the shampoo and conditioner and love them both!
Staying on the beauty front, every spring I start using
I used it when I was pregnant with Andy and when I delivered him in May, all the nurses asked me how I was so tan...one even asked if I had been in the tanning bed. This year I have only used it 4-5 times and had 3 people ask me how I am already tan. The stuff works! It smells kinda strong so I sometimes mix it with smell good lotion to ease the stench. It also stains hands so make sure to wash afterwards!
And, the last of my favorite things...
We struggled with jeans for the boys. I have tried Gap, Old Navy, OshGosh, etc. The holes in the knees were happening ALL the time. Cal got all new jeans this year since none of his last year fit. Every single pair of jeans got huge holes in the knees. HUGE. Andy got all of Cal's jeans from last year-- that weren't already torn-- and they all were finished off pretty quickly.
I love the way the Gap jeans fit-- and I felt like they were holding up pretty well, but after two months, the holes started showing. And they are just way too pricey to pay that to have them not hold up.
Maybe my boys are extra hard on pants. Although, another mom of boys gave me the suggestion to try these pants. Her son is 6 today (happy birthday, bo!) and is super active too. The jeans go on sale all the time. When I bought them, they were under $20. I figured I couldn't go wrong with trying.
They are actually pretty awesome. The knees are reinforced with an added layer. We have had them over a month and there are zero traces of wear and tear. I only ordered some for Cal, but I will definitely order some for Andy next year too.
I lied...one more thing... speaking of Lands End....
The have a "uniform" collection of clothes appropriate for schools that require uniforms (plain polo shirts with no logos, etc). They have a bunch of colors and you can add a monogram on them for $6, which is cheaper than most places. Just a hint if you are looking for a polo without a logo....
______
This post was so random. I love reading things that other people are into so if you blog-- share your favorite things too!!!
The first thing on my latest obsession list is this mop:
I had a friend have this and talk about how great it was. So I asked for one for Christmas and I.LOVE.it. I do not like mopping. I really hate getting a bucket of water and sloshing it through the house and then moving all the furniture while I mop and then keeping the kids off while the floors dry. I was using swiffer sweeper mops, but then I read an article about how if you have pets and they walk on a freshly mopped floor and then lick their feet--- or if they eat off of the floor-- it can be harmful to their health. That was all it took for me to get rid of those.
The Shark has no chemicals-- it's all water. The floors clean fast and look awesome when done. It makes mopping SO much easier. You just pour a little water in the back and press a button and the steam starts pumping. I can mop my entire downstairs in under 5 minutes. It's awesome. I was going on and on about this to my mom who was skeptical-- I am sure she thought I lost my mind getting this excited over a mop-- but then she bought one for the beach house. And she loved it. She and dad had a bunch of friends down there and they were talking about it to them and they all ended up wanting one too.
Trust me-- this mop is awesome. Use your Bed Bath and Beyond coupon and get it for 20% off! It's worth it!
Okay, enough with the mop....
My other recent love is this shampoo.
I was in a shampoo/conditioner rut. I wasn't loving anything I tried and I wasn't quite willing to "test" out all the expensive ones trying to find one I liked. I had a friend tell me about this brand so I tried it and LOVED it. I have tried other kinds from this brand and don't like them as much. This makes my hair less frizzy, but adds volume. I use the shampoo and conditioner and love them both!
Staying on the beauty front, every spring I start using
I used it when I was pregnant with Andy and when I delivered him in May, all the nurses asked me how I was so tan...one even asked if I had been in the tanning bed. This year I have only used it 4-5 times and had 3 people ask me how I am already tan. The stuff works! It smells kinda strong so I sometimes mix it with smell good lotion to ease the stench. It also stains hands so make sure to wash afterwards!
And, the last of my favorite things...
We struggled with jeans for the boys. I have tried Gap, Old Navy, OshGosh, etc. The holes in the knees were happening ALL the time. Cal got all new jeans this year since none of his last year fit. Every single pair of jeans got huge holes in the knees. HUGE. Andy got all of Cal's jeans from last year-- that weren't already torn-- and they all were finished off pretty quickly.
I love the way the Gap jeans fit-- and I felt like they were holding up pretty well, but after two months, the holes started showing. And they are just way too pricey to pay that to have them not hold up.
Maybe my boys are extra hard on pants. Although, another mom of boys gave me the suggestion to try these pants. Her son is 6 today (happy birthday, bo!) and is super active too. The jeans go on sale all the time. When I bought them, they were under $20. I figured I couldn't go wrong with trying.
They are actually pretty awesome. The knees are reinforced with an added layer. We have had them over a month and there are zero traces of wear and tear. I only ordered some for Cal, but I will definitely order some for Andy next year too.
I lied...one more thing... speaking of Lands End....
The have a "uniform" collection of clothes appropriate for schools that require uniforms (plain polo shirts with no logos, etc). They have a bunch of colors and you can add a monogram on them for $6, which is cheaper than most places. Just a hint if you are looking for a polo without a logo....
______
This post was so random. I love reading things that other people are into so if you blog-- share your favorite things too!!!
Saturday, March 15, 2014
#carriedaway: week 10
Week 10:
Day 64: Lord, thank you for blessing me with the two loving, energetic, sweet, CRAZY, fun boys. I adore them.
Day 65: momma's boys
Day 66: thrilled to celebrate with dear friends! Happy Birthday, Dustin!
Day 67: a morning at the spa while the guys golfed+lunch outside+great friends+sunshine=a very happy me!
Day 68: this incredible person...she kept the kids so we could have a weekend away. She is truly the most selfless, generous and caring person I know. I am so thankful for my sister in law and her love of my boys!
Day 69: puppy dog turned 9 on Saturday...Today he celebrated with a bone and some sunshine.
Day 70: the first soccer practice
Spring time calendars
After a little lull in activities, spring time is here and we are cranking things back up!
I like having activities for the boys-- especially sporting activities that will help burn some energy. My friend Rachel (hi, Rachel!) wrote in her blog about exposing her son to a variety of different sports to let him decide which he likes best, instead of just pushing him in one direction or another-- plus, as she put it, it helps them become a more well-rounded athlete! Well said, Rachel!
So, this spring, Cal started taking tennis lessons! My mom was SO excited about this! She was waiting for him to be old enough to start and he is this spring! We are taking lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15-4:00.
We have also started soccer again for another season-- this time, Andy is joining in on the fun too! Soccer practices are from 5-6 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
So, our Tuesdays and Thursdays are busy-- and there isn't much time for a nap in there...I am hoping all of this activity will create some good sleepers....???!?! (please? PLEASE?!?!)
Cal's first lesson:
The first soccer practice... the weather here has been so weird. One day is it freezing cold (above picture) and then it is nice and warm and sunny (below picture)...
All of the ducks getting ready to play!
After practice... trying hard to get a picture into the sun...
Another tennis lesson... he really is loving it! Asks all the time when he gets to play again!
And, I guess it was time for another run in with the pavement for Nug. He took a spill at Cal's school this week-- straight into the ground. Poor kid. Doesn't faze him much and it sure isn't slowing him down!
The Ducks had their first game this morning. Andy started off SUPER excited...
There were some jersey issues... but they should be figured out soon....maybe?
Cal loved it and was right back where he left off-- getting dirty and running like crazy. He loves playing soccer! He scored a goal, but of course I didn't get it on video.
Andy went in and played great-- he ran towards the ball (as opposed to away from it) and was running around like crazy. Then he came out for a water break and said he was ready for his snack. I guess he remembers last year when Cal played, at the end of the game, the team all got snacks... I explained that snacks happen AFTER the game. He did not appreciate that answer and burst into tears. Screaming, hysterical tears.
When he went back into the game, he pushed a kid and then stood in the middle of the field with his arms crossed crying. Screaming, actually. Eddie ran out to get him, which really just pissed him off further. He stood on the sidelines for the rest of the game crying asking me to hold him-- which I wouldn't do because I was trying to video Cal. Such a mean mom. Then Andy heard someone mention Chick-fil-a and he perked right up asking if we could get some... I think the poor kid was hungry. Note to self-- give him a snack BEFORE heading to the games...
We picked up CFA on the way home and had another little tailgate party. They LOVE eating in the back of my car- weirdos!
I love having a busy schedule and keeping lots of activities... seems to keep everyone happy to be busy!
I like having activities for the boys-- especially sporting activities that will help burn some energy. My friend Rachel (hi, Rachel!) wrote in her blog about exposing her son to a variety of different sports to let him decide which he likes best, instead of just pushing him in one direction or another-- plus, as she put it, it helps them become a more well-rounded athlete! Well said, Rachel!
So, this spring, Cal started taking tennis lessons! My mom was SO excited about this! She was waiting for him to be old enough to start and he is this spring! We are taking lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15-4:00.
We have also started soccer again for another season-- this time, Andy is joining in on the fun too! Soccer practices are from 5-6 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
So, our Tuesdays and Thursdays are busy-- and there isn't much time for a nap in there...I am hoping all of this activity will create some good sleepers....???!?! (please? PLEASE?!?!)
Cal's first lesson:
All of the ducks getting ready to play!
After practice... trying hard to get a picture into the sun...
Another tennis lesson... he really is loving it! Asks all the time when he gets to play again!
And, I guess it was time for another run in with the pavement for Nug. He took a spill at Cal's school this week-- straight into the ground. Poor kid. Doesn't faze him much and it sure isn't slowing him down!
The Ducks had their first game this morning. Andy started off SUPER excited...
There were some jersey issues... but they should be figured out soon....maybe?
Cal loved it and was right back where he left off-- getting dirty and running like crazy. He loves playing soccer! He scored a goal, but of course I didn't get it on video.
Andy went in and played great-- he ran towards the ball (as opposed to away from it) and was running around like crazy. Then he came out for a water break and said he was ready for his snack. I guess he remembers last year when Cal played, at the end of the game, the team all got snacks... I explained that snacks happen AFTER the game. He did not appreciate that answer and burst into tears. Screaming, hysterical tears.
When he went back into the game, he pushed a kid and then stood in the middle of the field with his arms crossed crying. Screaming, actually. Eddie ran out to get him, which really just pissed him off further. He stood on the sidelines for the rest of the game crying asking me to hold him-- which I wouldn't do because I was trying to video Cal. Such a mean mom. Then Andy heard someone mention Chick-fil-a and he perked right up asking if we could get some... I think the poor kid was hungry. Note to self-- give him a snack BEFORE heading to the games...
We picked up CFA on the way home and had another little tailgate party. They LOVE eating in the back of my car- weirdos!
I love having a busy schedule and keeping lots of activities... seems to keep everyone happy to be busy!
A Weekend in Pinehurst
Two weekends ago, CB came in for a visit (wrote about it here) and as I was driving to pick her up at the airport, Eddie called me. We had been invited to go to Pinehurst on an all-expenses paid weekend, including the spa and golf rounds. We would have been FOOLS not to go!
My mom was keeping my brother's kids while they were on a trip, so we had to figure out child care.
Carrie got in my car and after hugs all around, I casually said, "soooo.....what are you doing next weekend??" and, being the SAINT that Carrie Beth Williamson is, she agreed to come back and keep our children.
Let me repeat: she agreed to give up a FUN weekend in DC to come here and not sleep through the night, beg people to poop, wipe bottoms, tie shoes, wipe noses, hug crying kids, and just be the rockstar aunt that she is.
Is she not amazing?
It was SUCH a fun weekend with the Grosses and we were able to totally relax knowing the boys were so well taken care of. It.was.awesome!
We waited until CB got in Friday night to head to Pinehurst so we got there kind of late-- but we sat up talking until after 1. I slept through the night and thought it was pretty fantastic.
Saturday morning, the guys headed off to play #4, while Susan and I had a big breakfast and then headed here:
Ohhhh, it was so so so nice! I had an 80 minute massage and then took a long shower and then we met the guys after their round. We walked through the town and enjoyed the warm sunshine!
On our first wedding anniversary, I took Eddie to the Magnolia Inn in Pinehurst-- it's the cutest little bed and breakfast. We were walking by and I spotted it and got so excited! We had to take a picture together there...
Then we found a little spot we could sit outside and eat lunch. It was such a gorgeous day to be outside!
The boys toasted a great round...
Susan and I headed back to the spa while the guys played #2. We enjoyed pedicures and relaxing! After our spa time, we showered there and then headed towards the main clubhouse... the weather was absolutely amazing... the bluest skies ever.
We timed it up just right to catch the boys as they were walking up the 18th hole. I tried to snap some discreet pictures of Eddie...
They had a caddy named LeRoy... they loved him- haha
Our little golfers- proud playing course 2!
Susan and I were obsessed with the putter boy logo... he's cute!
We had a great weekend away with great friends and it really was nice to know the kids were so happy while we were gone. They had a BLAST with CB...
Eddie and I realize this weekend never would have happened without her being so kind and selfless...and we are SO SO SO SO SO appreciative!!!
My mom was keeping my brother's kids while they were on a trip, so we had to figure out child care.
Carrie got in my car and after hugs all around, I casually said, "soooo.....what are you doing next weekend??" and, being the SAINT that Carrie Beth Williamson is, she agreed to come back and keep our children.
Let me repeat: she agreed to give up a FUN weekend in DC to come here and not sleep through the night, beg people to poop, wipe bottoms, tie shoes, wipe noses, hug crying kids, and just be the rockstar aunt that she is.
Is she not amazing?
It was SUCH a fun weekend with the Grosses and we were able to totally relax knowing the boys were so well taken care of. It.was.awesome!
We waited until CB got in Friday night to head to Pinehurst so we got there kind of late-- but we sat up talking until after 1. I slept through the night and thought it was pretty fantastic.
Saturday morning, the guys headed off to play #4, while Susan and I had a big breakfast and then headed here:
Ohhhh, it was so so so nice! I had an 80 minute massage and then took a long shower and then we met the guys after their round. We walked through the town and enjoyed the warm sunshine!
On our first wedding anniversary, I took Eddie to the Magnolia Inn in Pinehurst-- it's the cutest little bed and breakfast. We were walking by and I spotted it and got so excited! We had to take a picture together there...
Then we found a little spot we could sit outside and eat lunch. It was such a gorgeous day to be outside!
The boys toasted a great round...
We went out to an AMAZING dinner Saturday night and had the most fun. I didn't take any pictures that night, shockingly....
The next morning I had to take a picture of my breakfast-- this was the most incredible buffet I have ever seen. Ever. The four of us literally couldn't stop talking about how great the food was- haha!
Susan and I headed back to the spa while the guys played #2. We enjoyed pedicures and relaxing! After our spa time, we showered there and then headed towards the main clubhouse... the weather was absolutely amazing... the bluest skies ever.
We timed it up just right to catch the boys as they were walking up the 18th hole. I tried to snap some discreet pictures of Eddie...
They had a caddy named LeRoy... they loved him- haha
Our little golfers- proud playing course 2!
Susan and I were obsessed with the putter boy logo... he's cute!
We had a great weekend away with great friends and it really was nice to know the kids were so happy while we were gone. They had a BLAST with CB...
Eddie and I realize this weekend never would have happened without her being so kind and selfless...and we are SO SO SO SO SO appreciative!!!
