Favorite Things

Here are 5 of my favorite things from this fantastic month.

1. The Lorax

For Charlie's birthday, I took him to see The Lorax. We both LOVED it. The main characters were boys, one of them rode around on a little motorcycle thing the whole time, and the colors were amazingly brilliant. We were the only 2 people in the theatre (4 total if you count the sketchy teenage couple in the back row) so it felt like a private showing just for us! Charlie snuggled in my lap the whole time and we ate M&M's for an hour and a half straight. We held hands walking in and out of the movie theatre, and it was probably my most perfect date of all time.

The movie also made me determined to be better about taking care of the Earth. Love the quote that was featured in the movie:

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

~Dr. Seuss

2. MY NEW SHOES!!!!

That's right.....Tory Burch is in the house. My mother in law and father in law got me these beauties for my birthday and I lovvvveeeee them.

3. CHARLIE'S PB ANYWHERE CHAIR

This is the only picture I have of him sitting in it, but we use this chair all. the. time. He keeps it in his room and we read stories in it all day. Sometimes I try to get him to read me a story so I can catch a quick cat nap...never works.

4. Orange Cream Cookies

March 2012 marks 2 years of my love for these cookies. My friend, Nancy baked me some after Charlie was born, and since that day I think and dream about them all the time. Usually I consider a treat that isn't chocolate to be a waste of calories, but these are an extreme exception. Nancy asked me what I wanted after Walker was born, and I promptly requested these cookies. She showed up the next day, in the hospital, with them. So delicious. Recipe can be found here.

Ingredients:

1

pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

3

tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1

teaspoon orange extract

1

teaspoon vanilla

1

egg

5

drops yellow food color

2

drops red food color

1 1/2

cups white vanilla baking chips

1

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir all ingredients except baking chips until soft dough forms. Stir in baking chips.

2

On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough with 1 1/2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop or by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.

3

Bake 9 to 10 minutes or just until dough is set (do not overbake). Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.

5. THIS song:

So much better listening to it on the radio than by music video. The chorus is just incredible. The verses are bizarre and made me realize that the song isn't about living your dreams and doing things as though time were not a factor, like I originally thought. (Hello, bubble). Anwyay, I also thought the chorus of this song should have been used during the chariot intro-of-the-tributes scene in The Hunger Games. Loved everyone's Hunger Games' comments by the way. But we didn't discuss the weird Last of the Mohicans music they had going on the whole time. Yes, both movies involve people running around with weapons in the woods...but they were totally different.

I hope your March was incredible!! Enjoy your weekend.

Get Organized! Part 5

Almost done with my personal organization challenge!

This week I went all out and tackled the pantry monster.

Really embarrassing...but I somewhat fixed it up this past week.

I got some containers from The Container Store and went to work.

I threw a ton of stuff away, which always feels great, but a trip to BJ's is needed in the near future.

Here's how the pantry came out looking....

Pretty organized and categorized....but the bottom currently looks like this....

because I ran out of these.....

I need a full day of shopping to take care of all this stuff!!

(which will happen...never)

I really like these plastic bins. I think it's a great idea to put everything in their own individual container, but the bins get super pricey. These plastic organizers help contain "like" food and keep everything in it's place.

I want a place for saran wrap, foil, and sandwich bags in the pantry to free up some drawer space. Any tips on how to finish off the pantry?

Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4

5 Months of Sweetness

(Pictures by Amber Adamson)

Look at those beautiful, baby blues!

Our Walker turned 5 months old this past weekend, and what wonderful 5 months they have been!

He is

*Sleeping through the night! Yay. On his 5 month birthday, exactly, he slept from 7pm to 7am. It was wonderful.

*Consistent with his day time naps. 3 naps a day.

*Sitting up really well by himself. Wouldn't leave him alone yet, but really sturdy.

*Not loving the idea of oatmeal. I fed him some baby oatmeal a few days ago, and he hates it. I really wanted to wait until 6 months to give him "food" because the doctor always says that's how they stay the healthiest, but he acts like he wants real, human food all the time.

*Giggles, smiles, drools, spits up, and reaches for everything (and puts everything in his mouth), just like a perfect 5 month old should do!

We love you, sweet little Walker boy!

The Hunger Games Review

How have I not jumped on the Hunger Games bandwagon until just now?

I finished the first book on Sunday and saw the movie last night.

Books are always better than the movie (with the exception of The Notebook), but I thought this movie was pretty decent.

I have NOT read the second or third book, so if anyone drops a spoiler comment I will be forced to hunt you down...with my bow and arrow, Katniss style. Please don't pull a James (my brother). When The Sixth Sense was released he told me that Bruce Willis' character was dead (which is the biggest twist to the story) before I even saw it. Thanks for that.

MOVIE LIKES:

*Rue: Oh my goodness. Could they have chosen a better Rue? No, definitely not. She was spot on. Adorable and so lovable.

*Caesar and his welcome smile. If you've seen the movie, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Laugh out loud funny. (Even though they should have only done it once)

*Scene where Cinna is sending Katniss off to start the Games. I don't think I have ever been that nervous in a movie in a really long time. I knew exactly what was going to happen and my heart was still beating out of my chest. That was acted and directed perfectly.

*The uprising from District 11 after Rue died. I don't remember this happening in the book, but I loved that they had Rue's father go nuts after she died.

*Gale: Yes! The only downfall of this guy is that he dates Miley Cyrus. ???? It's the Josh Duhamel thing...he's so, so, so good looking until you find out he's married to Fergie and that information just ruins everything.

MOVIE DISLIKES

*Peeta: How could I not start with this? What were the directors thinking?!?!?! In no part of my imagination did I see this actor playing Peeta. He was whiney and weak in the movie, and I imagined him as handsome and brave (and taller) in the book. The only reason I didn't throw my Coke at the movie screen was because he had crazy, beautiful eyes....and I didn't want to waste my Coke. The scene where Katniss thinks he's dead from eating the poisonous berries was the only scene that showed chemistry between the two of them. I've even googled "why was josh hutcherson chosen to play peeta" (Noel says I always have the longest google searches) and NOTHING! In Josh H's defense, he is a cutie (but just not Peeta cute and I actually liked him more as the movie went on...but still!!)

*The camera shots were insane. In the worst way possible. I kept wondering if the lady at the snack station had poisoned my drink. The dizziness was out of control.

*The opening hunt scene with Katniss. This needed to be about 100% fiercer. This scene was supposed to set the tone of the entire movie and I felt like it could have been executed better. More hard core.

*Mixed feelings about this one: Katniss herself. She is a GORGEOUS actress. No doubt about that. But with beautiful, lush lips and a nice, juicy booty? Not exactly "Katniss starving in the wilderness" look. I did like her for the most part.

What were some of your thoughts about the movie compared to the book (just the FIRST book, remember)?

The Fab Four

(2 year pictures taken by Amber Adamson)

Charlie, Claire, Paige, and Piper

These are the four cutest 2 year olds around and they were all born within a few weeks of each other. We celebrate these little ones every year with a special birthday playdate.

It just so happens that Charlie has the three most beautiful girls as friends and I have the pleasure of calling their beautiful mamas my friends.

This picture of Charlie and Piper is priceless.

It just shows that right now they barely even notice each other, in a few years Charlie will think girls are gross, and then a few years after that Piper will think boys are gross. One day....one day...

The four at their 2 year birthday party.

The four at their 1 year birthday party.

Hilarious. They were not very happy when we made them sit still for the camera.

And the four when they were just 4 months old!!

I hope they will always be friends!

Some niceness.....

I have really enjoyed blogging. It's been a fun way for me to journal and has introduced me to some fantastic bloggers.

I love reading Emmy's blog over at Emmy Mom. She is cute, crafty, and is an excellent mother. On Monday, I saw that she posted this.....

and got so excited that she took the time to say such nice things about me. That picture is kinda miniature, so you can read it for real here. Thanks Emmy for being so wonderful!

I also came across Melissa's Blog at Living Holland, and she awarded me the Versatile Blogger AWARD.

Thanks, Melissa! After receiving this award, you must tell 7 things about yourself.

So.......

1. I live in North Carolina (born and raised) with husband, Noel and two sweet baby boys.

2. I have 3 siblings; James, Jessica, and Sarah. I pray every day that my boys will be as close to each other as I am to my siblings.

3. When I like something, I really like it...the color green, Dove chocolate (ok, any chocolate except dark), SJP, Celine Dion, monogramming, Simply Orange Juice, Twilight, Harry Potter....I really could go on for days.

4. My favorite vacation was to the Bahamas with my family. We stayed at Atlantis and had an amazing time. Swimming with the dolphins was incredible, but what I remember most was when my entire family AND my cousin's entire family jumped on to a golf cart, to catch a ride to a destination that was maybe a block a way. The guy said "we could all fit". He turned the key and 1 second later all the tires had popped. We were that family. Brittany, do you remember that? Straight up out of a movie.

5. Speaking of movies, I could watch The Holiday on repeat for the rest of forever. Who doesn't the love idea of falling in love in another country? (And who doesn't love Jude Law? Am I right?)

6. I have a BFA in Dance Education and also play the piano. (The arts are kind of a big deal to me.) And yes, my boys will play the piano....and I will be the ferocious mother that makes them practice.

7. Noel graduates with his Masters in May (!), and after that's all taken care of, I'm going back to school for my Masters. Excited for that!

Thanks again to Emmy and Melissa!

Have a FANTASTIC weekend, everyone!

Get Organized! Part 4

I had on my list to clean and organize the cabinets under my kitchen sink today.

But that was the absolute, least appealing thing I could possibly think of doing this morning.

(It needs to be done...badly...but it will just have to wait.)

So, since my mom got me the most adorable storage bins from Home Goods last week, I decided to tackle the blanket, toy, throw stuff in closet.

The closet started off by looking like this.

AKA pretty scary. Nothing had a place.

So I emptied everything out, and Noel put up an extra shelf (from Home Depot) under the existing shelf.

The problem was that there was a ton of space, but there was no where to put anything. The shelf was a perfect addition.

Next, I filled up the bins.

And got a DVD rack from The Container Store.

And now that crazy closet is beautifully organized.

Now I have the junk drawers, the master closet, the kitchen counter space, and the throw-it-all-in-there closet organized.

2 more weeks to go in my personal "Get Organized" Challenge! (But, really, it should be an ongoing challenge.)

Enjoy the Life You're Living

The other night during bath time, I gave Charlie a handful of his bath toys while I bathed Walker. The whole time I was bathing Walker, Charlie was asking for more toys. He kept saying "more letters" until I finally said "you need to play with the ones you have! we're going to be done soon and you won't be able to play at all".

This really got me thinking. We need to relax with all that "i can't wait for the next stage in my life" attitude and start enjoying the phase of life we're currently in.

I read an article a few months ago about how a lady was basically infuriated when "older" people would tell her to enjoy every moment with her kids. I saw this article because basically all of my Facebook friends were "liking" it. I kept thinking, why are they liking this?!?! Do you know how many people see this woman with her kids and think about how they wish they had kids? Or wish that they still had kids at home? When people tell me to enjoy every second with my kids, it makes me want to do a better job as a mom and makes me appreciate them even more.

Is every minute perfect with my kids? Yes! Ok, not really. Walker was in desperate need of pajamas (have you seen how hugely healthy that child is?), so I ran...literally ran into the store with both of the babies yesterday. In the 5 minutes it took to pick out some pjs, Charlie had grabbed a few items, was racing around the store saying "I go fast", and was hitting everything with a spare hanger he found on the floor. He was livid when I tried to get him to leave the store, and I'm pretty sure I almost broke his arm from dragging him out to the car. Awesome mommy moment? Not so much. I was sweating and furious. But now, one day later, it seems almost funny.

Even though this stage can be insanely busy (2 little ones with a husband that travels all the time), it's also very rewarding. I basically spent a straight 30 minutes this morning kissing Walker's cheeks. It was pretty awesome.

So, embrace and enjoy the life that you're living.

And going along with the topic for today, I found a free printable of a quote that I absolutely love by President Thomas S. Monson, and already printed it out for my laundry room!

You can find the printable at The Three Little Monkey Studio's blog here.

Short-lived photo challenge

Like I said earlier, I started participating in Fat Mum Slim's March Photo a Day Challenge.

And it lasted for SIX whole days. Go me!

Anyways, here are 6 days worth of pictures and the topic for each day.

I wish there had been a topic of "SCARY" for today.

These devil turkey vultures always hang out in the trees near our house.

This morning we had an insane thunderstorm, and during lunch the sun started coming out.

I'm guessing they are drying their wings?

Charlie pointed and said "mean birds", and I had to take a picture of the scariness that was lurking outside our window.

Sarah the Fabulous

My sis Jessica, sis Sarah, and me

Me and the babes went to visit my family this weekend and had a wonderful time. We went to cheer my sister, Sarah, on in her Distinguished Young Woman program. She placed 1st runner up and was, in a word, perfect. She had the best pushups, fiercest talent, and poisiest(?) poise. I felt like I was watching a professional when she was on stage. I am so lucky to have the best siblings, and am grateful that we were all to be together this weekend.

Latest Pins...and why

I always find it interesting to see what other people are pinning, and like to get inspiration from all around.

You can always tell when a birthday party or a wedding is coming up, and the fashion pins hit full force when the seasons start to change.

I decided to grab a few of my recent pins off Pinterest and see what's really going on in my mind lately.

1.

Source

If this is not the most fantastic quote, I don't know what is. I was talking the other day with a friend about passionate people....how we are drawn to these types of people. Wouldn't it be sad for someone to ask what you're interested in or really good at and there not be an answer? Everyone needs to be REALLY good at something. Whether you are born with it or have to work really hard at it. It doesn't necessarily have to be something that you can perform or do in a talent show, either. Be a really great mom, or be really great at making a specific type of cookie, or be a really great listener. I met someone a few weeks ago, and I'm positive she is the nicest person I have ever and will ever meet. Be so good that you make some type of difference.

2.

Source

And speaking of food....(???) don't these look delish?! I am so. over. a plain turkey sandwich. Eww...thinking about one makes me cringe. But these seem like a simple, alternative to a plain turkey on white.

3.

Source

I'm kicking back up with my Get Organized Challenge next week, and will be tackling the cabinet under the kitchen sink. I thought this would give me a really great idea, so I pinned it and went back to it. It turns out, the blogger is just giving some cleaning suggestions on weekly cleaning routines. I do like the shelves, though!

4.

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Probably my favorite thing I've pinned in a while. There's something fantastic about growing up in Eastern NC. I'm a firm believer in yes sirs and no ma'ams, handwritten thank you letters, and John Johns for little boys. I hope I can raise my boys to be proper Southern gentlemen.

5.

Source

This week, Charlie was coloring in his Thomas the Train coloring book one minute, and on the carpet the next. This idea about using a tension rod to make a coloring table came at the perfect time.

What have you been thinking about lately? Have you come across any great ideas?