The Coolest Petting Zoo E-VER!

We had heard about this petting zoo in a State Park not far from where we live. We decided to go and check it out today and I am SO GLAD we did!! Okay so there is this big barn and all of these farm animals that are just walking around because this is what they do. It was so awesome, there were peacocks, miniature donkeys and baby donkeys, goats and their babies, ducks, sheep, a pig, a rooster, chickens, it was so crazy and fun. We had a blast! There was a pony there to greet us at the gate and everything! How could you not love it, so for all of those wanting to come and visit, bring it on!

The SECRET....at least for now anyways.....

Okay, so Abram needed a haircut-again, because the whack job the lady did a few weeks ago was growing out like a crazy mullet. So I decided to go ahead and try it, I mean, I have 3 weeks until my sister's wedding, and boy hair grows fast right? And I could always take him to the barber in the morning if it was horrible, right? So here is what I did. I told Abram that we were going to do something really cool and cut Daddy's hair. So I took him in the bathroom and Kris showed him the clippers, and turned them on. The screaming started, but we had him hold them for a minute and he calmed down. Then, I got a "special chair" the stool from the living room and told him we needed to pick out a special movie for daddy. So he chose and Elmo one (of course) and I got our small portable DVD player that we purchased for a plane ride over Christmas out and propped it up on the sink (I am thinking a laptop would have worked too). Abram sat in Kris's lap and they started the movie I turned on the clippers (scared to death) and started away. It bothered him a little, but once he was entranced by Elmo he didn't seem to mind. So I did it. And you wanna know something funny? The first time Abram got his hair cut the lady at the barber shop used clippers and I thought (because he was struggling and bucking like a young bronco) that she nicked him a couple times on the back of his head-but actually, he has really blond hair in a couple of spots on the back of his head that look like it is thinned out. Well we all survived and he did AWESOME!!! Elmo saved the day! The only part that kind of bothered him was when I started to do Kris's hair and it started falling on him while he was watching the movie:).

Little Sleepyhead

I took these videos the other day when he woke up from his nap. I love how everytime I video him he is wearing the same shirt-awesome.
Take 1


Take 2

Happy Little Herbs

I am laughing out loud at the title, how funny am I? It definitely brings interest to what I am about to say. Anyways, I have started cooking a lot while we have been here and I LOVE Rachael Ray. She always calls for Basil, Parsley, Oregano, etc. so I will use it, and then it'll rot in my fridge. One day I was in Publix and they have little herb plants. I was so excited, I could save money and have fun herb plants. Well they have been growing and have been in desperate need of some transplanting. Abram was quite the little helper, please ignore me in the pictures, if I would have known the "photographer" we'll call him, was putting me in the pics (like he was instructed NOT to do) I would have had better posture. We are trying to do more creative ideas in the afternoon because it has been in the mid 80's this week (ugh, and it's only April!!!). Any ideas would be appreciated. Oh, and the batteries ran out (stupid camera) so we didn't get the after picture, maybe on another post-especially after the miracle grow kicks in they may be herb trees!!!

Sad little herbs....

Saturday Afternoon

Original title eh? Well Saturday afternoon we decided to spend some time in "Old Town" and go for a walk and look at the waterfall in the little town that we live. Abram loves little nature trails and stepping in dried leaves. I love taking pictures of Abram holding Kris's hand. One, because Abram is not much of a hand holder, and two, because sadly, one day he will be "too cool" and "too old" to do it.

I am one of "those" people.......

It is a sad discovery for me actually. You see, I am pretty obsessed about checking people's blogs. I get really frustrated when people don't update for a while, because I love to see how eveyone is doing and look at their cute pictures of their kids, get great ideas or recipes, etc. So then I notice that I haven't posted since last Tuesday!! Now I am the slacker!!! I must say, in my defense, that we have been busy. Kris and I both gave talks this past Sunday at church, I have a new calling as the 16-17 year old Sunday School teacher, so I had a lesson to prepare for, keeping up with the house is a constant battle, and I found out that some of our friends from TN that we haven't talked to in FOREVER now live about an hour away!!
In the meantime, we have been having arts and crafts time at our house, and Abram LOVES it. I have a lot of friends who are the most creative, expert, wonderful, amazing people, and it is awesome/sickening to look at their blogs sometimes because seriously, it almost goes like so: "Today was kind of a laid back day, so we just made a quilt in the morning, a home video before lunch documenting the tree house in the backyard we built over the weekend, this afternoon we went and fed the poor, cleaned the house, started a charity drive, then this evening after a very spiritual, well planned out family home evening lesson, we watched the video while we snuggled up under the quilt munching on homemade cookies that we made from our cocoa tree planted in our backyard. Unfortunately, we didn't get to save the planet from pollution because I went into labor with my 16th child, but that is on the agenda for tomorrow." Seriously, almost word for word. Well, we do fun stuff too, it's just not all documented :). At the end of last week I remembered a craft I did with my class when I worked at daycare (10+ years ago). We made Sesame Street characters. Abram is quite the Elmo and Cookie Monster fan, so we decided to do them first. They turned out pretty cute for the amateurs we are, I think the whole cast will make an appearance on the fridge this week. I know, laugh it up-they are pretty funny.



We did a little comaparison.....

Learning is the Cutest

I have been working with Abram on learning his body parts. He knows a few so far and it is the cutest to watch. Please note that he knows all of the ones I am asking and learned "nose" first. The funny thing is, is when I was replaying the video to watch it, he pointed to them all again (including nose). This week is SO MUCH BETTER than last week....so far. P.S. He is standing in a box which is why is off balance (it's one of his favorite things to play with this week).

MIA

SO I am going to vent a little....so beware......I have been MIA recently due to the fact that when I came back to AL after visiting my friends I came home to a sick toddler and a sick husband. My toddler was extra pitiful-as was Kris (runny nose, coughing, crying non-stop-Abram not Kris, you know the drill) and Abram was totally off his schedule because they were sick, they just watched TV all weekend. Bonus? He is cutting 2 molars. Needless to say, last week was no fun-and note that that is the most appropriate, politically correct, non-offensive way to describe it. We decided that since he seemed to be feeling better we would go to the zoo on Saturday (and for the record I said, maybe we should wait because he still has a runny nose). Abram cried and screamed more than he enjoyed the zoo-it was awesome (catch the sarcasm). He is SOOOOOO independent now and wants to walk, run, get into everything, and doesn't understand that he can't run into crowds of people or squeeze through the bars to get in where the cheetah is supposed to be. It was a very long day. You know when you are having one of those days and for some reason there just so happen to be TONS of people that decide to bring their children that are the same age as yours except that those children are on their best behavior and having the best day at the zoo. I would also like to add that the other toddlers were girls, and maybe that had something to do with it. SO it's Monday, and things have also started off way better than any day so far, maybe that's a good sign. I feel like I am definitely earning my Mother's Day this year. Mental note: no more praying for patience, I think I learned my lesson last week.

Quote of the Day

So this was the quote of yesterday, and I might repeat it CONSTANTLY for the rest of my life. Kris says, "Happy wife, happy life." Isn't that great, and so true? He doesn't remember where he heard it from, but it doesn't matter-so much truth in such a short sentence huh? Someone should really market that......t-shirts anyone?

Forever Friends

I must tell you that tonight as I sit here I am very grateful. (Oh my gosh the waterworks are already starting!!) This past weekend I had the opportunity to go and see some friends of mine in Arkansas. We all worked together in Tennessee and since then have gone seperate ways. The trip from my house was 8 hours or so, the longest I have ever been in the car without some kind of music playing because we were too busy blabbing and catching up. It had been way too long since we have all been together and each one of us have had some sort of life changing drama that we could only comfort each other by phone. One of these friends of mine just had her first baby. I think her younger brother summed it up by saying "He's pretty awesome." It's awesome to have the kind of friends, that no matter how long it has been, you pick up right where you left off. I feel so very blessed.

Mad Skills

Did I tell ya or did I tell ya? I am already packing the cooler with orange slices and gatorade for half time.