Ocho

Tyson and I are celebrating 8 years of marriage today! I have to say, despite his teasing and my nagging {or so I've been told} - we love each other more today than we ever could have imagined 8 years ago.  Happy Anniversary, Tyson! I love you. XOXO

PS: It was actually a great idea to get married over a holiday weekend! We always have babysitters excited to let us enjoy a night out while we're home for the holiday weekend. {I'll admit, I didn't think of this when I was 23.}

Poor Daddy

Last week Tyson wasn't feeling so great (sinus stuff), but the kids didn't care. When he got home they wanted to spend time with him, actually ON him. Tyson played "couch" and the kids caught up on some Mickey Mouse.

We may be MIA for a few days to enjoy some turkey. But, you can look forward to Thanksgiving updates and a special little lady's 2nd birthday party on the blog next week...
Oh, and we'll have a special VISITOR!

Family Pictures {Not on the Christmas Card}

I won't lie. At the beginning of October I was STRESSING about family pictures. Brooke has always taken pictures for us (when we lived in Michigan) and since she ditched us for Iowa...I was stuck. I started asking around and did some research, but every photographer I looked at was WAY too expensive. Tyson said it best one night when we were discussing how much it would cost. "Kady, we don't look good enough to spend that kind of money." I agreed. And I knew that with two toddlers - we'd have an hour - MAX - for their cooperation. A mortgage payment for an hour of photographs wasn't in the cards. So I started my research.

One night I stumbled upon Craigslist and looked through the "Creative" ads. And to my own surprise...I found a photographer that caught my eye! He had a website, too! So I started talking to him and we agreed on a price (and it was an AWESOME price). We set a date & time...I got outfits together...and candy to bribe my children. It was a GO!

As most of you know, Tyson and I have fallen in love with Detroit. Sure, we live in the suburbs...but we honestly LOVE what the city has to offer. Detroit gets a lot of bad press. We decided we wanted our pictures set in Detroit. Our first stop was Comerica Park.

I have a feeling - over the years - this kid will spend a lot of afternoons at this ballpark!

After Comerica, we headed to Belle Isle for a shot with the Detroit skyline. That huge building to the left of Tyson is the Renaissance Center where he works.

Our final stop was the Heidelberg Project in the heart of the city. It's a really amazing open air art project that has really united the city of Detroit.

Overall, I was SO happy with the way our pictures turned out! It was exactly what we wanted and more! As predicted, our children only lasted an hour. And getting Jack to stand still (at any point) was a HUGE challenge!

Thank you, Brian, for such amazing work! Make sure you check out his site!

Oh, and we will have more pictures...like these, but even better, on the Christmas card!

Jack? Is that YOU?

I saw this ad in a magazine this weekend and got a good laugh. Then I wondered if Jack was doing some modeling on the side. Not only does it look like him (body frame)...it is also EXACTLY what he'd be doing if there was a tower of presents piled on the floor. He actually owns the "Hulk Smash" hands...so I think we will have to get him a mask and then re-create this.

Beauty

They say that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. We, as humans, but especially as women, can be so hard on ourselves about our appearance.

I thought this was a good reminder...especially for the moms of daughters! We have a big job ahead of us, ladies.

Here's to DePauw...

This post is sure to make Grandpa Jerry happy. He loves DePauw. He makes very large donations...oh wait. Grandpa Jerry MADE very large donations - in the form of 8 years of tuition. And let's just say, DePauw isn't his favorite place.

Grandma Nancy, a fellow alum, actually DOES love DePauw...and will enjoy this:

The Monon get-together had some great "swag" from the Alumni Office. I made sure to grab two pom poms for Josie. She loved them and used them to cheer for IU during the game Sunday night.

 Jack cheered too. (Has anyone noticed Cooper the Creeper yet??)

 Then Josie pretended she was a blonde.

And then Jack did too...except he had a receding pom pom hairline.

Aunt Kim - who actually WAS a cheerleader at IU - will have to show Josie the correct moves to the IU fight song. I made some up, but overall, it was a fail. I DO, however, know all of the words and moves to the Jefferson Elementary fight song...if anyone gives me enough wine...I may just perform it for you. (Go Trojans Spartans! Fact: they changed the name from Trojans to Spartans because of the condom brand. Only in Warsaw.)

Stop by Mumbling Mommy before Friday to enter the Giveaway! If you already "LIKE" my Etsy Store on Facebook - then you have ONE entry!

Weekend in Cincy

Back in August I decided I would work on a surprise weekend get-away for Tyson. We are about to celebrate Anniversary #8 and it seemed like we should spend some time hanging out with adults (no offense offspring) and eating adult meals...and drinking adult beverages.

So I got in touch with our friends, Blake & Sarah, and started planning. Okay, actually I mentioned it to Blake - who was SO excited about it - HE started planning. It ended up not being a surprise for Tyson, but it was definitely an awesome weekend away!

Friday night we hung at their house. Ate some DELICIOUS chili and enjoyed some wine.

Saturday we got in the DePauw spirit and went to a bar in Covington, KY for a Monon Bell party. DePauw lost to Wabash, but we still had a fun time catching up with old friends.

After the Monon game we went to an AWESOME brewery downtown Cincinnati called Rhinegeist. It is in a GI-NORMOUS warehouse. There are huge tables, along with corn hole games and ping pong tables.

Saturday night for dinner we ate at a winery called Cooper's Hawk. The wine was great and the food was even better! We almost picked up one of these, because let's be honest...I think it would be pretty convenient sitting on my counter.

Overall, we had a great weekend with Blake, Sarah, and Floyd! Thanks for having us!

(Special THANKS to Nancy & Denny for taking care of the kids while we were gone. I have some pics of their adventures, too)

Happy Birthday

Yes, this is a picture from the summer...

Josie was excited to wish her Grandma Shirlee a HAPPY 6-0 Birthday today! She won't be happy that we posted her age on the blog...but she's in Guatemala right now, which means she's too far away to retaliate. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

Also, Josie knows she is turning 2 in less than 2 weeks. How did this happen?

Pantry Thief Strikes Again

The other day, while Jack was at school, I sat down at the computer to answer some emails. Josie was wandering around - she's pretty good at finding things to do. The next thing I know - she's sitting next to me, eating popcorn...at 10am.

I'm not exactly sure what she planned to do with the box of spaghetti...but she was pretty proud of herself.

More with Boxes

It's that time again. Dog food delivery...which means an extra large box is hanging around our house. Boxes = pure entertainment. Here's a tip - skip the hundreds of dollars on Christmas. Get the kids some new pajamas, a couple "big" gifts, and then just give boxes. It will only be detrimental when they go to school and tell people they got empty boxes from Santa.

Anyway, you may be wondering why Josie (in her pink stripes and polka dot pajama pants) is staring at a box...

Because...there was a JACK in the BOX!

And later there was a BART in the BOX.

Did you happen to notice Bart's new tape-job? He needed a little help...poor guy.

We are sending some LONG distance love to Uncle Jonny...who is the newest resident of The Sunshine State! He made his journey south like a modern day Columbus - with only a flip phone and a map to guide him. He will be living in Naples, FL and we look forward to visiting him soon...or taking over his house when he travels...

Also LOVE to Grandma Shirlee in Guatemala. Enjoy the beans. XOXOXO

Jack Photographs Bloomington

As promised - here are Jack's skilled photographs from our trip to Bloomington.

 "Mom on her phone."

 "White Express Bus"

"Josie the iPad Dentist"

In this picture - he captures Josie and me by Sample Gates...then continues snapping pictures as I thank a nice college kid (who felt bad for me, because I was making my toddler take my picture).

And finally, the Yellow Ginkgo tree on campus...

If you are wondering...yes, I have let Santa know that Jack needs a camera of his own.

Josie the Flirt

Saturday night we spent some time with our friends, The Festas. They live just up the road from us and we like to get together for dinner every now & then.  It's also a great time for the kiddos to play. And PLAY they do...

Jack, Christian (almost 5), Josie, and Landon (2)

Josie was getting cozy with Christian...and who can blame her? He's cute! But Tyson wasn't having any of it! Josie also showed off her flirting skills a few weeks ago when the Carsten boys were here. Well, the Festas will be adding their 3rd boy in April... Josie thinks she will enjoy being the center of attention for years to come.

Wine Sippy Cups

Just an offer to friends & family - I am getting ready to place a couple big orders for some friends & some recent Etsy orders. If you are interested in purchasing wine sippy cups for Christmas gifts, let me know. The bigger the order, the cheaper the price! And if I'll see you - (Michigan people & Indiana people) then you can avoid shipping costs.

Bloomington in the Fall

Tyson had some recruiting work to do at IU on Thursday and Friday...and this time I said, "I'm coming along...and I'm bringing the kids." We needed a change of scenery. And let's be honest, is there any place more beautiful than Bloomington, IN in the fall? Answer: NO!

Thursday night we dropped Tyson off for "work" and the kids and I headed to Bryan Park. It was cool, but we managed to stay warm by playing (on everything) and then Jack found a hill for us to run up & down. By the time we left, we were sweating and ready for some dinner...and I had JUST the answer!

Is there anything more delicious than Aver's pizza? Answer: NO! We enjoyed a Crazy Avers special - which is still CRAZY cheap, by the way! And had a picnic on the hotel floor. It was BYOB (Bring Your Own Blanket).

Friday morning we woke up early and dropped Tyson off at Kelley. Then the kids and I enjoyed breakfast at the Bakehouse. I think we only minority (not a word) traumatized the patrons...but the syrup covered table was a whole other story {Sorry, Bakehouse!}. After a hearty french toast breakfast, we walked down the street to the WonderLab - a kid's science museum. It was awesome! Jack & Josie spent 2+ hours running around, doing science-y activities, and having a blast! Money well-spent.

After a failed attempt at a nap - we packed up the car and made our way to Kirkwood Ave for some shopping {IU gear}, lunch {sadly, no Nick's}, and a stroll on campus. By 2:30 we were back in the car and ready to pick Tyson up from his event. Before I pulled out of my parking spot - Josie was asleep. And before we made it to 10th Street - Jack was asleep. They had so much fun!

{Funny side story: Josie recognizes the IU symbol and will yell "IU!" really loudly when she sees it. So - you can imagine how shopping in the Varsity Shop went down, not to mention a walk on campus. Within a 3 minute span - she had pointed at 5 different college kids and yelled "IU!" at them. Fortunately, they all appreciated her enthusiasm.}

Make sure you check back later this week for Bloomington Through Jack's Lens. He hi-JACKed my camera a few times. And let's just say, he knows how to work the "continuous shooting mode" on my camera.

Stink Eye

This is proof that Josie is sassy. She has perfected her stink-eye. She has also mastered her "little boy who cried wolf" scream. If she wants to get Jack in trouble - she screams in his general vicinity. She's too smart for her own good. Pray for me.

Happy Birthday to Aunt Gina! XOXO

12 Seconds with Jack

In case you are wondering what life is like with Jack these days - here is a snippet. He's basically GO GO GO as long as his eyes are open...and his eyes are open about 12-13 hours a day. You won't find anyone more excited to play or meet new friends. He is funny and personable - two things you can't teach. He's my little buddy.

Election Day

Today is an Election Day, but we are not good citizens and we have failed to register in Michigan. Because it's an Election Day, Jack had the day off school...so we headed downtown Northville for some fun at the park. Ford Field Park is a really cool, HUGE park with a playground, baseball field, walking/running track, and Mill Race Village (a historic area). We took a walk through the village and I attempted to take some pictures of my uncooperative children. Jack knocked on every door - but no one answered.

The leaves are falling and the air is crisp...but we will get outside as much as we can in the next few weeks, because I know what is ahead. Cold. Gloom. Snow. Misery. Can't it just stay Fall until Spring?

Get to Work, Son

We are trying something new around here - chores. Yes, the 3 year old has been put to work! Jack - like most kids - thinks he gets whatever he wants. If you ask his grandparents - he should get whatever he wants... But if you spend 5 minutes in the toy section with him, you'll understand why I felt he was ready for chores.

First of all, he told me "I want to do work and make money like Daddy." Great. I thought hard about what could be expected of a three year old and referred to my friend, Erin's blog for advice, as well. Then I made him a chore chart and put it up on the refrigerator.

Here are his chores:
Shirt = get yourself dressed
Hanger = put your clothes away (PJ's, socks, & underwear)
Dog Bowl = put the dog bowls away after their meals
Smiley face = good behavior (at home & school), listening and following directions

He earns a quarter for each "X" he gets. The picture above was taken Thursday (I back dated his "Getting Dressed"). He earned $2.50 for the week...and says he is saving up for a "really big robot."

Personally, I think he has seen the Jetsons - and thinks he can buy his very own Rosie (maid) to do all the work for him.

Window Markers

The other day - while shopping at Target - I stumbled upon some Crayola window markers. And I had to have them! I mean, my kids HAD to have them! We bought them and tried them out...and loved them!

I think Jack liked them because he felt like he was doing something he shouldn't be doing...yet he wasn't getting in trouble. It was a perfect solution to a 3 year old rebel.

As you can see, Tucker admired the artwork from the outside. He was impressed. It was pretty easy to clean up too! I just used Windex...but it took a couple cleans to get it streak-free. All in all - I think these will come in especially handy during the long winter months.

{Crayola - I know you don't pay me to review your products, but I happily would...if you needed me.}

Finally, if you are searching for a TV series - look no further. The Blacklist is on NBC and it's pretty much amazing. You can catch up on all of the episodes you've missed on NBC.com or on the NBC app. Amazing, I tell you...

Jack the Photog

Earlier this week during nap time - Jack, who was yet again, refusing to nap - decided to try his hand at photography. I usually wouldn't let him use my camera, but I'm trying to convince Tyson I need a new one...so putting it in the hands of a 3 year old seemed like a risk I was willing to take.

He took some picture of me and the bedroom...then he heard Josie crying and ran in to take her picture, as well.

He recently submitted some of his work:

But the WINNER is:

{I already know that High School Josie does not approve of this picture}