nothing deep or anything.

Just thought I would write some things down, cause that seems to be what everybody else is doing. And, since I was once a follower back in the high school days (fun times!), I guess I’ll do some reflecting too, just for that girl’s sake.

Hmm, let’s see. Around this time last year, I was heading in to the final stretches of pregnancy with Hola. (Well, I was 25 weeks, but I was already feeling quite stretched.) It is a major kick to go back and read what I was thinking/feeling during those times. (what a wonderfully naive mother-of-one I was who complained about being bored and having nothing to do. ohhh, sigh.) (major eye-roll to that chippy.)

As I am typing this, Rt is sitting here spelling words on Curious George and Hola is standing, holding onto the couch, growling at me. Man, what a difference a year makes.

I feel lucky in many ways regarding 2008. (Cause 2007 sucked major donkey balls.)

Nobody in my family passed away this year. (NOTHING is worse. Absolutely nothing.)

I had a wonderfully non-eventful pregnancy, (SO GRATEFUL) unlike the year before.

I had another beautiful baby boy. (Who I can’t get ENOUGH OF, EVER.)

My oldest son started preschool. (I’m SO PROUD of my little boy. He’s a good egg.)

Hubs and I were able to get away for 5 days to NYC to spend some quality time together.(ahhhhhhh. so. needed.)

I went to Seattle  w/o kids to see my OU Sooners play football (Go Sooners!!) and met new blogging friends.

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I think the biggest change that took place over this past year was me.

I have changed. I am Refreshed. Renewed. (I have gotten more sleep.) I have become someone I had hoped I would be. I am a mother of two children who can handle so much more than I thought I ever could. (Clearly, I should become a juggler.) I am more stable now with two children than I was with one. (It’s a balance thing.) I am more at peace with my family of four. (I have lost most brain power.)

I am happy. I am calm.

I am thankful.

Here’s to 2009.

e

Seems hubs and the boys had an entertaining afternoon. I had no idea these shots were taken. Totally classic.

Happy to see Hola getting into the mix.

my blogging anniversary, that is.

2 years baby!

Here is my very first post. What a newbie I was! ha.

How many things have taken place since I began this little sucker?

Many.

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I had another kid. (making a total of 2. BOYS)

I miscarried prior to that.

I gained two nieces. One from each side of our family.

I lost two grandparents. Both mine.

I’ve been to NYC, San Diego, Seattle, Las Vegas, Tahoe, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Oregon and Oklahoma. (many, many times)

Hubs left one job after 7 years and started another one in an entirely different field.

My fabulous playgroup that originally had 6 kids (5 boys, 1 girl) now has 11. (8 boys, 3 girls)

I am sure there is plenty more, but in these past two years I have lost most of my brain power. I blame my darling children. And maybe my husband.

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What has taken place in your life since you’ve started your blog?

e

This is what we do around these parts to keep things entertaining. enjoy!

Hola laughing from little miss mel on Vimeo.

Never leave these unattended.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about how much waste we produce in our house.

At this stage in our lives, we are drowning in diapers and jars of baby food. So, I am feeling really guilty about how much I put into my trash can. (And, yes, there are other alternatives like washable diapers and homemade baby food to help solve this problem. While I agree with both, I just can’t seem to put my baby into one more thing that I have to wash on a daily basis. And for the homemade baby food, I am slowly making my way there. 2 foods at a time.

Now, I am no way ditching my love for jarred food, I just want to have something in my freezer to make for Hola when the pantry is bare. I know this stage of the game is so short in the grand scheme of things, but buying 20 jars at a time just seems like SO MUCH, SO OFTEN.

I do have to say our city recycles everything we put in our trash can. (”They” meaning the prisoners.) We do not have to separate anything out ourselves. And all of it, I mean, ALL OF IT, that can be recycled, is recycled. So, I guess I shouldn’t feel too awful for all the glass jars that go into our trash. Now the diapers? Eeek. That’s a whole other story.

Another thing that bothers me is packaging. Everything has SO MUCH packaging. The wrappers of all the caramels in the Kraft bag bother me. (and don’t suggest the caramel bits/bites. Those things do NOT taste the same.) Why all the packaging?? Just put all of those luscious squares in there together. If the bits/bites can stay separated, then so can the squares. (Hey…… maybe that’s why they taste different (Bad.) The thing that keeps them from melting together is the culprit!)

Anywho.

What got me thinking about Christmas was the fact that Mervyn’s is going out of business. Since they are in liquidation, they don’t give you boxes for all the items you buy. (And believe-you-me, I am a Mervyn’s shopper when it comes to kids clothes. Or WAS..boo hoo.) Point is, I am now lacking in the box department. I really don’t want to go and BUY more boxes. It just pains me to have to buy a “container” to put my gift into. It’s not even the actual gift and I have to pay for it.

SO, I went to my closet and found all of the amazon-type boxes and went to town. No more spending, no more wasting. WIN/WIN. And when Christmas comes around in two weeks, after all of the presents have been opened, I’ll be the one snagging all of the boxes back up and hoard them till next year.

Now, if I can just figure out how to save the paper without being “that person” who doesn’t want you to rip open your gift.

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How far do you take “being green” in your home?  Any suggestions? Especially during the holidays?

HEY!

 Linda’s got a new Bodies In Motivation website.

And, look! I’m in there!

Check it!

Oh, and can you leave a comment, please? I am the only sorry ass who doesn’t have one yet. thanks!

Ok, so really.

Who took my infant and made him mobile? And, not just mobile, but mobile and ballzy enough to hurt himself at any moment, mobile. During our Thanksgiving week in Oklahoma, Hola decided sitting up was next on his list. Followed by crawling from a seated position and back to sitting from crawling. Oh, and he took 5 actual crawl steps before going back down to the floor and creeping along one armed again.

I am dumbfounded how fast this is going.

Luckily, I had the camera to witness these recent achievements.

(If you’ll note on the last photo, the baby is STANDING. and then he wasn’t. major head butt with the floor.)

This isn’t just a regular Monday in Mel land.

For one, I am still in Oklahoma braving the recent chilly ass weather consisting of early morning snow flurries and late afternoon bone chilling wind. Trying to survive with glasses of wine and warm fires.

And Two, today is the lovely Gorillabuns/Shana’s virtual baby shower!! Can we get a WHOOP!! WHOOP!! Awe, yeah.

I had the lovely pleasure of meeting Miss Buns yesterday at her lovely abode. For some unknown reason (like loss of major brain power), I misplaced her address while in route to her house. (not to mention her phone number.) Through the help of my partners in crime LVGurl, and 180/360, I was able to make it to her part of the woods with ease. (Hello, Google Maps, I thank you. )Funny enough, she lives 3 minutes away from where I grew up. Small world, eh?

Upon reaching her doorstep, I was somewhat concerned I might not have the right house, until I read a sign posted near her doorbell. It read, ” ABSOLUTELY, NO SOLICITING.” Then, I knew. This was Shana’s house, for certain!

The early afternoon was spent with lovely conversation which included feeding Hola jarred baby food in a travel swing that she let me borrow, (so unprepared. And girl, I am still sorry for getting squash on the swing. agh!) feeding Rt everything they had in their kitchen from teddy grahams to graham crackers to sippy cups of milk, (I owe you girl) taking Rt to the potty, where he spent what seemed like 30 minutes going #2, (I thought I was going to have to ask where the plunger was), Hola spitting up sweet potatoes all over Gbuns while I was in the potty with Rt, and her two little girls being absolute dolls with the baby. (they brought him everything from a bib, to batteries for the travel swing, to every toy they imagined he’d want to play with. They are certainly ready for their sibling. The sweetness, I tell you.)

It really was fabulous getting to hang with Shana. Her family was so welcoming. We had such a nice day. I wish I could post my darling photos of Gbuns and her sweet girls, but I am still away from home, with no cords and no computer, so those will have to wait till I get back tomorrow. boo.

So, Shana, here is to you and your growing family. May your next few weeks be filled with lots of rest. (um, and major preparation on that baby room, get to it!!) And the birth of your third baby be filled with lots of wonderful memories and tons of drugs.

You rock, girl. Seriously.

The end.

The following people are also participating in Shana’s virtual baby shower today; head their way for more: 180/360 Carissa Alphababy LVGurl Kris Metalia Angella Neil Rhi Sizzle Walking Punchline Whiskeymarie Whoorl

Cause I am spending all of my last “must pack now while kids are sleeping” minutes uploading old photos of Rt and taking new photos of Hola trying to replicate old photos of Rt. Good grief.

So, while I’m redoing old memories, let me share with you my findings.

Photos taken in ‘05 and uploaded to Ofoto have now become fuzzy. Too bad I am uber lazy and won’t go looking for that cd we put that picture on, so here is the fuzzy version of Rt at 6 month in his Halloween costume:

And here is Hola alone and then with his brother who could not stand being out of the picture. It’s understandable.

Ok, now I am complete. Off to finish packing my carry-ons. Those damn bags already weigh way too much! Those darn kids. Makes traveling light a pipe dream.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

e