A bonafide PreK-er

Bryce and I have wanted Ewan in Pre-K for a long time. He attended one at a recreation center last Spring, but had some anxieties about it, and didn't want to go back in the Fall. For those of us who know us well, Ewan has some issues feeling very anxious and timid a lot. But he's so smart, and he is so very bored here at home. I haven't pushed preschool on him, because last year, it was not pretty. And, um, we can't afford it. However, it has become more and more apparent that he needs it. After talking to our Primary pianist, Mary (now 1st counselor, yay!), we found out we actually qualified for him to attend for free.

First thing this morning, I enrolled him, and he was able to attend this afternoon. There were a few moments that made me afraid he was going to panic, but he did very well, and came out with a huge smile. I'm excited about it for him, although I was a little peeved when after asking him what they did today, he said, "I don't remember. We watched Cars." Is there an emoticon for severely irritated and distressed? Or rather, a "What the hell?" emoticon? Anyway, he assured me it was only the last part of the movie, and right before they dismissed. I'm hoping it's because it was Friday... I mean, even though it's free, I can stick Cars in the DVD player here at home. We're going to give it a week and see how it goes. A bonus for me, though: He gets dropped off at 12:20 and is dismissed at 3:20. Fynn's nap is from 1:00 to 2:45. Corgan sleeps whenever he's snuggled with me. Do you see where I'm going with this? Mommy gets a nap, now! YAY!

Fynn was very upset when we dropped Ewan off. I'm not sure if it was because he was going to miss Ewan or because he got a glimpse of all those toys in the classroom. After nap, I told him we were going to pick up Ewan, and he was so mad when I didn't walk out the door right that very second. He was screaming - he wanted his "Ooowah."

To celebrate the occasion, Ewan got this brand spankin' new Transformers backpack. Alas, he doesn't actually need it for Pre-K...

But he doesn't love it any less, especially since it came with this super rad bifold wallet. With a real dollar bill inside!

After taking the above pictures, I look down to see this. You think he wants his picture taken with his backpack, too?

It was pretty cool being here with Fynn alone for awhile. It's so hard when I'm juggling the three of them, and Ewan requires a lot of intervention and involvement. But today, I was able to spend quality alone time with him while Corgan was asleep. He's so fun and is talking so well.

Ewan and Corgan are great friends.

For the little girl in all of you...

What I wouldn't give to go back in time for one day and play Barbies with my sister.  Oh, and this post on Go Fug Yourself pretty  much sums up my Barbie-playing as a kid.  It's completely hilarious.

Four month old blondie

Corgan turned four months old on Sunday. He has become the most smiley, laughing little boy ever. When Ewan and Fynn were babies, they didn't cry much, but getting a smile out of them was like pulling teeth. With Corgan, he's quite the crier, but when he's not yelling, that baby can GRIN. And he laughs so much. I discovered at my parent's house the other day that if I hold him in front of the mirror, he will talk to himself and giggle. I tried to capture this on my camera today as my friend Vanessa held him. The picture is awful and it won't upload anyway, but I assure you it is quite cute. Also, I don't even know what to think of this - but his hair is growing in very light - almost blond so far. My other boys have such dark hair, so it's kind of strange to see him looking so different! I'm pretty sure he wasn't switched at birth. I guess I just figured they would all look so much the same. It's going to be fun to watch the differences emerge. I should have a better four-month picture, but he was so cute sleeping on the couch with his mouth open and tongue hanging out. He makes it so hard not to squeeze him as hard as I can. Which would be very hard, indeed, because his cuteness fuels my strength.

Drum roll...

... Missy and I are so excited to launch our labor of love and invite you over to check out our new website, Primp and Tell. It's about all things girly, makeup-y, primp-y, fashiony, and fun! There might even be a little celebrity gossip from time to time. We have been working on this for a while, and hope it can be a resource to which you come to help influence your primping decisions. Several times a week, we will be reviewing our latest drugstore buys. Our aim is to bring to your attention the products that we love or hate - and tell you why. The website is still a baby, so pardon any growing pains we may go through, but we have a lot of great ideas and can't wait to see what happens.

To celebrate our first month online, we will be giving away one of our favorite picks each week. Please check in at Primp and Tell over the next few days to find out which pick is going to be this week's giveaway. Once we post that review and announce the product for this week, please leave a comment on the review post to enter. After our first four giveaways, we will still hold a new one each month. Please spread the word to anyone you know who loves cosmetics, girl talk and a great buy. We hope you have as much fun with it as we have.

Unloading the camera

Ewan and Fynn got new baseball hats.  Fynn sleeps with his every nap time.  I found him like this the other afternoon.  Trying to shield the light from his eyes?

Chillin' on a Sunday afternoon.

I think she wants some gerbil meat.  Must be a pregnancy craving for protein.  Yep, she's pregnant.  Want a kitten?  You know I'll end up keeping one.

If only Corgan had been next to Fynn instead of Bryce, and I would have had perfect little stairsteps.

Do these belong to you?  I washed a load of laundry and these were in the bottom of the washer when it was done.  I have never seen them before in my life.  Neither has Ewan.  Fynn can't tell me what I need to know.  I cannot figure out where they came from.  Please let me know if they are yours, and I shall return them.  I guess the exchange rate for a pair of socks is two play butter-knives.

I'm lame.

Thanks to Missy for this fun list. Copy and bold the things you have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (kind of)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (a bust)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Redwoods
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (Does saving a mouse's life count?)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Brycentonian

I haven't had much to blog about lately. Dooce posted some random questions and answers about her husband, and it was so fun to read more about her and him. She invited readers to do the same in her comments or on their own blog. I think I've posted a version of this before, so I apologize if any of this repeats. Before I get into it, however, there is a project Missy and I have been working on for about a month - and we are very excited about it. That's all I'll say about it for now - but check in next week for more details.  (And don't even ask me - I will so not tell you yet.  No matter who you are.)  Who knows... perhaps there will even be a lovely giveaway.  Or several...

What are your middle names?
My middle name is Nicole, his middle name is Patrick.

How long have you been together?
We were kind of "together" for over two years before we got married, so all totaled we've been together over eight years.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Maybe a month.

Who asked whom out?
Pretty much I asked him out. I was pretty confident and bold, which is not usually like me, and I actually used some pick-up lines. "Wow, your eyes are so pretty." I had a wonderful guy friend plant the seed in his head about me, and then I started asking for rides to everything. "I just don't have a way to get there, can I get your number and I'll call you to give you directions...?" Next thing I knew, rides turned into spending full days together, each outing more elaborate and "datelike," often ending in an all-night phone call.

How old are each of you?
I'm 32 and he's 29.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
About the same. I have eight siblings, five of which live in Utah. He hasn't even met one of my brothers. I have Ashley that we see fairly often, and Amy lives in Austin so we only see her occasionally. We see my brother Erik maybe once every six months. Bryce has two brothers, one in Chicago and one in Houston. We just see them whenever they are in town.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Right now, adjusting to life after Corgan. The pregnancy was so incredibly hard on me in so many ways, and I'm still recovering - mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually - you name it. Plus, Corgan has been our most difficult baby. He's quite the crier, and won't ever be consoled by Bryce.

Did you go to the same school?
No.

Are you from the same home town?
Close. Him - Duncanville. Me - Grand Prairie. For non-Texans, that's less than ten miles.

Who is smarter?
We are both smart in very different ways. I'm more of a word/English smart, and he's more math/computer smart.

Who is the most sensitive?
Both.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Usually wherever I pick. He's good about that.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Oregon.

Who has the craziest exes?
I would have to say me, just because I have more exes. The odds are in my favor.

Who has the worst temper?
ME.

Who does the cooking?
Me, IF it gets done. I hate cooking.

Who is the neat-freak?
I try to be.

Who is more stubborn?
Me.

Who hogs the bed?
Corgan. :)

Who wakes up earlier?
Bryce. Or Ewan, the little booger.

Where was your first date?
There were many "first dates." Friendly "I don't want to admit I like you" date was On the Border. Friendlier "I totally dig you, man, but don't want you to know. But I'll still take you to this totally expensive restaurant" date was at a place called Aquanox. Then there was just watching the rain in his backyard. No one certain first date, really.

Who is more jealous?
Bryce. Bryce. Bryce. Bryce. Bryce.

How long did it take to get serious?
Maybe two weeks.

Who eats more?
Totally me. He orders salads and water. I order steak with double fries, a side of mashed potatoes and a trough of Coke. But he snacks CONSTANTLY, whereas I do not.

Who does the laundry?
Me.

Who's better with the computer?
Bryce

Who drives when you are together?
Usually Bryce.

Feel free to copy!

Happy Made-up Holiday!!!

Celebrating Love.

"A pirate, a pirate, a pirate says 'Argh!'"

My birthday

On Thursday the 5th, my parents celebrated their 49th anniversary, and I turned 32. (Holy cow to both.) It was a good day. (Not counting my two-hour pity party. What is it about birthdays that make me whiny?!) I had mistakenly scheduled a dermatologist appointment for that morning, and I had double-booked a play date with Shannon and the gang. When I realized my mistake, I just asked if she could sit with Ewan and Fynn for my short appointment. Shannon made me the cutest little mushroom house for fairies that I totally love. I used to draw little ones identical to it all over my papers in high school. (I found out later several teachers and a friend's mom thought I was into 'shrooms. I didn't even know you could "do" 'shrooms. So there, haters!) At my appointment, the doctor wished me a happy birthday and had her assistant pack me a bag full of nice samples from Aveeno and Eucerin, among others. Awesome! When I went back to pick up the boys, Shannon had made my favorite cake: yellow with chocolate frosting, and the kids helped put on the sprinkles. It was very yummy, and again, thanks, Shannon! Then Julie stopped by with a can of Coke and two little birds she had made. They are so cute, and actually go quite nicely with Shannon's mushroom house. Bryce came home from work with some beautiful flowers and we went out for some Italian food. All in all, a simple, good day with lots of wonderful well-wishes on Facebook and in messages. Happy anniversary to my parents, and be forewarned for next year the 5oth!


Ignore the fact that I need to dust, and look how cute! I love all of them. Do you see the little door and window on the fairy house? Divine. I don't deserve such good friendships.

More best pictures ever

Here are more shots from our family photo session with Missy. There are so many beautiful ones, I don't know if I'll be able to limit myself on posting them. Ewan does this a lot to Missy when she gets the camera out, he just makes faces and acts so goofy. But I love the look of sheer joy on his face in these pictures. He looks so happy and like he's having so much fun. Fynn just takes my breath away. And Corgan, we just love him so, poor thing was cold and wanted to be somewhere warm. I really like these, especially the fun, unplanned ones where the boys' personalities show through.

Completely random, but WHY HAVE I NOT SEEN THIS?!

*I feel the need to clarify that I am being totally facetious. I got an e-mail from Bryce's mom asking if I liked Snoop Dogg, and then Jenny's comment made me realize perhaps my sarcasm didn't shine forth the way I intended. But really, a movie this "awful" has to be seen by someone. Any volunteers?
Description from Netflix: "Jimmy Bones (Snoop Doggy Dogg) is a tough but fair pillar of his community who works hard to keep drugs out of the hood. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop fellow community members from turning on, murdering and then burying him in the basement of his home. Two decades later, the children of the man who betrayed him are about to turn Bones's property into a nightclub. Though his house is gone, Jimmy is not -- and through his spirit he vows revenge!"

Best pictures ever

Ah, Missy, I love you! You are an awesome friend, and such a talented photographer. And Julie, the hat is so totally fabulous, thank you so much. Isn't it so stinkin' cute on him?

These are pictures from a photo shoot Missy did for me as part of my shower gift. Corgan was a month old when we did the shoot. There are SO. MANY. good ones that it's hard to choose what to post, and whether I like black and white or color better! I think I need to wake him up to snuggle now...