Some Days are Like That...

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T14:44:00.003-05:00

I love celebrating Valentine's Day with all my boys. What a special day for a Mommy.

Beach!

2012-02-14T14:34:00.004-05:00

When you are talking about mood boosters... a little bit of beach goes a long way. We embrace the sandy shores of Bonita Springs with vigor. The boys did lots of digging as the grown ups sat back and soaked in the sun rays. Howie makes pictures in the sand with Nonnie and Johnny obsesses over where Paw Paw is at all times. We fill a little blow up baby pool with ocean water to let the boys play around our feet (thanks to my neighbor, Nicole, for the awesome idea!). Shells were collected for all our friends who requested them.
We left for the day with sandy feet and sun soaked cheeks. That would be the cheeks on our faces, of course.

Great Grandparents

2012-02-12T19:35:00.003-05:00

Aren't great grandparents beautiful?

Grandma Sue

2012-02-12T19:19:00.003-05:00

Our sweet Grandma Sue suffers from Alzheimer's. She has been in a care unit for over four years and is unable to verbally communicate with others or care for herself. The moments we spend with her are spent giving her kind touches and telling her that we love her. Today I saw her and I talked about all the fun things she did with me when I was little. We made paper-mache dinosaurs and spent weeks at the Michigan lake house. She read books to us on tape and I still cherish her neat handwriting inside the book covers to indicate which tape and which side the story can be found.
Although it is sad to see her fade away, it is sweet to watch my Grandfather care for her. He is there almost every day to feed her and watch over her care. He talks to her casually and genuinely enjoys her company. It cannot be easy for him, but he never complains. It's as if their relationship has simply evolved to accommodate this final stage of life. And I think that is true love.

2012-02-08T19:54:00.001-05:00

Don't you love when little kids exchange Valentine's Day cards with their classmates? Howie made a huge effort this year in his card giving by writing each of his classmate's names on the envelope all by himself.

Learning New Words

2012-02-08T19:50:00.002-05:00

Howie has started trying fancier words to describe his emotions recently. Today there was snow on the ground when we all woke up. On the car ride to preschool, he said, "Mommy, when I saw the snow, I was embarrassed. No wait, when I saw the snow, I was surprised!"

Reading in Bed

2012-01-30T15:42:00.003-05:00

First of all, my kids are great sleepers. We are blessed with a 7:30/8:00 am wake up call from them.... shhhh, don't tell them that could wake up earlier.
Recently, Howie has been enjoying a reading session with Johnny to start the day. Upon getting permission, he goes in the room and climbs (literally) in bed with Johnny. They enjoy reading Johnny's books for 15 minutes or so until I am forced to go get things moving to start our day.

Lollipop Concert

2012-01-30T15:32:00.002-05:00

We get to explore music with our friends at the Lollipop Concert. The children get to touch the instruments before the concert and see some people playing the instruments up close. After the experience, Howie said he wanted to play the french horn. We have fun watching the Cincinnati Orchestra perform Carnival of the Animals as students from the Creative and Performing Arts School come on stage to recite poems they have written. At the end, we walk out of the building as we are offered lollipops.... of course!

Explorations

2012-01-18T15:02:00.005-05:00

A new friend who is wedding photographer showed me some things about my camera to help launch me from being completely "automatic" to playing with the manual settings. Now, I am no wedding photographer, but I have been enjoying some play time with my Nikon. I keep hearing over and over, "Just play with your camera and take lots of pictures."

So... today I experimented with taking some outside photos on the manual setting. I learned a lot in the quick 10 minute session with the boys... I mostly learned what NOT to do and took a lot of pretty bad pictures. But it was so rewarding to get the good ones!

I found it amusing that while I was experimenting with the camera, they were experimenting with the bubbles I had bought them at the grocery this morning. We were all learning stuff together.

Here are some of the better pictures I got. I wish there was audio with these images, Johnny was laughing so hard he was shrieking. And Howie was delighted with the bubbles he was working so hard to produce. Naturally, the session ended with Johnny dumping the container of bubbles out on the deck and saying, "Uh oh."

Mask Making

2012-01-18T14:57:00.005-05:00

Auntie Sarah came over the other day and made herself at home with Howie's art supplies. Much to delight of Howie! She showed him how to make masks and together, they created several masks for Howie's doggie. Howie has gone on to make many, many masks for his various creatures... and loves every moment of it. Thank you Auntie Sarah!

Rick or Johnny?

2012-01-04T17:16:00.002-05:00

Here are two pictures of two boys in the same shirt. One was taken in 1979, the other in 2012.

Can you tell which one is Rick and which one is Johnny?

Buddies

2012-01-03T16:30:00.003-05:00

Isn't it the best to have a good friend? Especially one that likes to play all the same things you do? Yah, that's the best.

Snow!

2012-01-02T22:01:00.003-05:00

We get our first snow of the season. The boys and I suit up for about 45 minutes (double hats, gloves, snow pants, coats....) and head out to brave the cold. We were rewarded with lots of wonder.

Happy 2012!

2012-01-01T08:04:00.005-05:00

We rang in the new year with a beef tenderloin dinner with Nonnie and Paw Paw. There was plenty for all! The UC Bearcats football game kept us company as we enjoyed good eats.

We share our New Year's resolutions. After telling Howie what a resolution is and giving him some examples, he responded, "My resolution is to exercise more." And then, "But now my resolution is to go poddy," as he hopped down from his seat and ran over to the bathroom.

My resolution is to live life more. So often I get caught up in email, cleaning tasks and texting people back. While these things are responsible choices, I can find myself missing out on time with my family. So this year I am making a commitment to do more puzzles, get on the floor for tickle time more often and to give out more attention to the child activity around my feet.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Puzzle Attack

2011-12-29T15:55:00.000-05:00

Howie's Art

2011-12-29T12:43:00.003-05:00

I love these little creatures that Howie created with his fingerprint. They are a frog, man and spider.

My Swim Vest Rocks

2011-12-29T12:36:00.002-05:00

Johnny saw me pull out his swim vest so I could put it away where it belongs. He insisted on me putting it on him. And then resumed play time. Even though it is winter, you can never be too safe. Never know when a 3 foot puddle might form in your play area. Safety first Johnny.

Christmas Morning

2011-12-27T15:29:00.003-05:00

Our Christmas morning started at 7:45 am. Pretty reasonable, right? The boys enjoyed discovering their presents. Howie was more interested in opening them while Johnny more enjoyed seeing them after they were opened. Howie just accumulated his gifts into a big pile on the sofa while Johnny walked around admiring the goods and stepping on the wrapped presents.

Because I am low

2011-12-27T08:23:00.002-05:00

I told Howie that I was going to take the Christmas tree down today and asked if he wanted to help. He readily agreed to help take down the ornaments and then added, "You can do the high ones and I can do the low ones. Because you are high and I am low."

Family Pictures

2011-12-24T20:22:00.002-05:00

Christmas Eve Service means dressing up. Which, in turn, means picture time! It's a holiday tradition, right? We snap some photos of the whole family. Everyone is happy and cooperating, as long as you move FAST and keep the energy positive. Merry Christmas!

Run, Jump, and Go Crazy

2011-12-24T12:40:00.002-05:00

After a few days of trashing Nonnie and Paw Paw's house, we get the kids out to Run, Jump, and Play. They throw themselves all over the place. Major energy was expended as they raced from trampolines to slides to bounce houses. The family was a little surprised that we didn't have to pay for Christopher since he was the biggest kid of all.

Gamma and Pap Pap Visit!

2011-12-24T12:37:00.003-05:00

Gamma and Pap Pap stop in for a visit on their way up to Findlay. We get a few cozy hours to love on them. The boys tear into their presents (well, Howie tears into them and Johnny just tries to play with the stuff Howie has unwrapped). We enjoy some good eats and catch up on life. Were we excited to see them? The look on Howie's face answers that question...

Family Walk

2011-12-24T08:46:00.001-05:00

So, you can't see my family in this video, but you can hear them. We all get out to see the Christmas lights in my parent's neighborhood. This festive trip around the block results in spontaneous singing of jingle bells about 20 times along with a few renditions of "Dinosaur Train" and "Frosty the Snowman".

Frankie Puts Johnny in his Place (literally)

2011-12-22T21:11:00.002-05:00

While the cousins were watching a Christmas movie, Johnny kept getting down from his chair. This was behavior that needed modification in the eyes of four-year-old Frankie. She patiently would walk across the room, heave him into her arms and then place him back into his chair. Pretty soon, Johnny thought this was hilarious. He began jump down from his chair to purposely make her come get him. The grown-ups quietly watched while laughing hysterically. He's such a pill.

Reindeer Food and People Food

2011-12-22T21:06:00.003-05:00

The cousins are here! Everyone is getting into the Christmas mood, despite the warm rain outside. We made some food for Santa's reindeer... a little oatmeal and glitter. Then we made some treats for the humans, graham crackers and sprinkles. The holidays are so yummy.

No Stepping on the Bible

2011-12-20T13:03:00.001-05:00

Howie just saw Johnny stepping on the Children's Bible and he scolded him, "Johnny, no step on the Bible. God is in there."

Family Love

2011-12-17T20:56:00.003-05:00

Aunt Karen and Uncle Don come to visit. What a treat to get hugs, have a few giggles and share stories. We love you Karen and Don!

Traditions

2011-12-17T20:51:00.003-05:00

Each December, we meet our friends (Steve and Odile) at the Madeira Brueggers. We bagel it up and catch up on life. Then we head to the live nativity in Indian Hill to say hello to our barnyard friends. It has become a Christmas tradition, something we all look forward to doing together. Simple, and perfect.

Finding Mommies and Daddies

2011-12-16T14:46:00.003-05:00

Howie: "We should pray that all the orphans find Mommies and Daddies."

Making Memories

2011-12-15T21:06:00.003-05:00

What do you get when you mix together markers, picture ornaments, graham crackers, sprinkles, Charlie Brown music and lots of giggles? Fun with Georgia! Celebrating the holidays with neighbors is the best.

A One-Year-Old Misunderstanding

2011-12-15T12:06:00.003-05:00

Johnny has been pestering Howie so Howie sits down to make some artwork. He gives Johnny a paper with some scribbles on it and says, "Johnny, this is your naughty list." He explains that he is giving this to Johnny because he is on the naughty list and won't get presents. Johnny smiles a great big grin and says, "Tank too." Translated: "Thank You."

Howie Sings

2011-12-15T11:54:00.001-05:00

We attended the annual preschool Christmas musical. Howie sang his heart out and did lots of waving to us.

Johnny Breaks the Angel of the Lord

2011-12-09T15:15:00.002-05:00

Is this a cardinal sin?

Thank goodness for super glue.

Howie Counts

2011-12-06T16:01:00.000-05:00

Advent Begins

2011-11-30T19:23:00.005-05:00

Advent begins at the dawn of tomorrow. We are very excited to start the Christmas season. Howie is giddy about it this year since he is old enough to know what is coming. With the help of my amazingly creative friend, I have created some advent traditions that will hopefully be fond memories for the boys in years to come.
This ribboned structure houses 25 devotionals for our little ones. Inside each bag is a different activity. For example, The first day prompts them to read the beginning part of the Christmas story in their Children's Bible and add Mary, Joseph and Jesus to the manger scene (the manger resides under the bags when Johnny isn't chewing on the camel). Some of the activities are service related, like how Mary and Joseph were probably cold so the boys have to find an old article of clothing to donate to someone in need of a warmth this season. I made sure to leave a few items sticking out of the bags to provoke interest and excitement. I am looking forward to helping the boys reflect on the true meaning of Christmas this month.

Of course, we have a few other fun activities about to start too... Our Elf on the Shelf (Zeke) is coming back, the branch in the kitchen has been decorated with tinsel in hopes of new ornaments to be made and hung, and we are counting down Santa's arrival with our candy cane that moves each day.

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-25T11:33:00.003-05:00

We had a great Thanksgiving celebration with Nonnie and Paw Paw. Nonnie taught me how to make my first turkey dinner, that was a learning experience that was long overdue! The grown-ups feasted on the traditional yummies while the boys ate rolls. All of this yummy food and they only wanted the pre-made frozen bread. Oh well.
The Christmas decorations were brought up from the basement and the house decorating lasted all day. Johnny has been enjoying the ornaments that he can reach; bringing them to us as he gets them off the tree. Howie is loving the holiday themed books and he spent many moments wrapped up in someone's lap with a read aloud time.

Trick-Or-Treat

2011-11-18T22:41:00.002-05:00

Did someone say "Candy"? The boys were so excited to go trick-or-treating this year. Howie was excited about the candy, Johnny was excited because Howie was excited. There was lots of rolling around in the grass prior to the knocking on doors. Our sweet friend Georgia joined us and our first knock was Miss Sandy's door. In this last picture, Johnny has his little hand in the candy dish, grabbing away...

Warm November Days

2011-11-12T19:49:00.002-05:00

Time in the Woods

2011-10-30T13:26:00.003-05:00

Our friends just moved way out into the country. It's beautiful! We had a great time exploring their property and letting the boys "be boys".

Fall Pictures

2011-10-22T12:28:00.003-05:00

Today we took a walk to photograph our neighborhood friend, Georgia. She is our sweetie pie friend! A few fun pix of the boys were snapped too...

Guarding Pumpkins

2011-10-17T18:06:00.001-05:00

Tonight, Howie and Daddy carved out a pumpkin. Naturally, Howie did not want Johnny to get into the pumpkin (a brotherly thing), so he decided to tape it shut.

Here is a picture that tells the whole story... imagine a big "NO!!!!!" to go along with the image.

Brozilla

2011-10-15T09:08:00.000-05:00

At Halloween time, Johnny evolves into a more sophisticated version of "Brozilla"

PJ's and Shoes

2011-10-14T20:03:00.002-05:00

Johnny's PJ's were not designed for hardwood floors. Poor guy slips around everywhere after 8 pm. Tonight, we did PJ's a little early so I slipped some shoes on him which looked ridiculous, but did the job. About time I invest in those gripper socks from One-Step-Ahead.

Fall Leaves

2011-10-14T19:58:00.003-05:00

The boys have been working hard at raking the leaves these last couple of days. Well, actually they have been just moving them around which creates a game that never ends. As you could probably guess, the hardest part of the task is sharing the lawn equipment.

Johnny is "DONE"!!

2011-10-06T10:23:00.001-05:00

Sunflower Festival

2011-10-02T14:54:00.001-05:00

For the past four years, we have been attending the super fabulous Sunflower Festival at Gorman Farm. This year was the best year yet. The sun was shining, the sunflowers were in full bloom and we enjoyed the day with friends and family.
What is there to do at the farm? Well... in addition to petting all the barnyard animals, they have a children's garden were we stopped and did some digging. There was a corn maze ("Maize Maze") that demanded exploring. The children found walnut balls and enjoyed launching them into the woods (no, this was not a farm organized activity). We also got to ride behind a tractor that pulled us through the hills and around the crops.
Howie likes the event because he gets to run around outside. Johnny likes the event because there are sheep, chickens, pigs and goats there. And Mommy and Daddy like the event because once you pay the $5 admission fee, they don't nickel and dime you. The tractor ride was a highlight as well as Uncle Jason launching a small pumpkin with a catapult at a goat target. And of course, the sunflower field was the reason we came...

Play Dough Cafe

2011-09-27T14:39:00.007-05:00

Howie has recently shown more interest in pretend play and writing. It's so fun to play along with him! Here are some pictures of a Play Dough Cafe that he created. He asked for orders, made the items, then wrote down how much the food would be. And Johnny...No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service.

Johnny on the Move

2011-09-02T15:30:00.004-05:00

You cannot turn your back on Johnny these days. He is climbing everything!

Portraits

2011-09-02T09:50:00.002-05:00

Here are the boys at 4 years and 1 year.

The Boys Wrestle... a lot

2011-09-02T06:37:00.002-05:00

Johnny Walks!

2011-09-01T20:11:00.002-05:00

2011-04-21T16:27:00.001-05:00

As I was preparing dinner, I took my eyes off of Johnny for about 5 seconds. Looking up, I found him raiding the fridge. Typical behavior for a 9 month old? Perhaps.

--
Becky Stevens

beckyykceb@gmail.com

513.583.0512 (home)

513.544.6914 (cell)

Singing into the Holidays

2010-12-08T18:42:00.002-05:00

Howie has been preparing for his upcoming Christmas show at preschool. Here are some of his songs for you...

Johnny Cracks Up

2010-11-18T19:06:00.002-05:00

2010-10-16T11:12:00.001-05:00

Howie has recently been learning some Bible verses at his school and church classes. We have been enjoying practicing them at home and it is sweet to hear his little voice speak such big truth.

Train Ride to the Farm

2010-10-02T13:28:00.001-05:00

Pumpkins for everyone...

2010-09-23T08:29:00.002-05:00

Happy Three Weeks Johnny

2010-07-30T16:11:00.002-05:00

Johnny celebrates his three week birthday with a smile! I caught his first attempts at smiling on video earlier today...

Big Brother, Little Brother

2010-07-29T11:14:00.001-05:00

Howie and Johnny are enjoying getting to know each other. Here are their shirts to help us remember who is the big brother and who is the little brother. Although, if there is any confusion, you can always ask Howie and he will set you straight.

Reading Time

2010-07-14T14:55:00.003-05:00

Rick, Howie and Johnny were enjoying a nice reading time when all of the sudden Johnny gives them a surprise. Turn up the volume and get ready to bust a gut...

Look-Alikes?

2010-07-14T13:01:00.001-05:00

So far, Rick and I both have accidently called Johnny "Howie". (Sorry Johnny) We have found that the boys look so similar to each other that it sometimes is like living in a time-warp with two of the same kid living at different stages. Here are two photos, one of Howie at one month and one of Johnny at about the same stage, what do you think?!

Welcome Home Johnny

2010-07-14T11:03:00.000-05:00

Howie was eagerly awaiting his new brother when we arrived home on Sunday, July 11. He gently said, "Welcome home Johnny" in his sweet little voice and then, "Welcome home Mommy. Welcome home Daddy." It was enough to make me cry.

Ever since we arived home, Howie has been attentive to his little brother and making sure Johnny feels loved and properly cared for. I.e. He requested, "Daddy, pick Johnny up" when Johnny was crying for a moment.

Here are some photos of Johnny's first days as a little brother at home...

Howie and Johnny Meet

2010-07-10T14:28:00.002-05:00

Welcome Johnny!

2010-07-10T09:52:00.001-05:00

We welcomed our newest member of the family into the world on the evening of July 9, 2010. John Martin Stevens (aka "Johnny") weighs 9 pounds, 6 ounces and measures 21 1/2 inches long.

We love you Johnny!

Johnny, are you coming?

2010-07-03T20:22:00.004-05:00

As the due date quickly approaches, all looks good on the baby front. Here are some (hopefully) final pictures of Mommy's belly before our sweet little Johnny arrives.

He's Going the Distance

2010-07-03T20:09:00.002-05:00

Howie has recently been logging some serious hours on the Jeep. He's gotten pretty good at maneuvering around the yard, although there is still some room for improvement with his parallel parking. Some of the neighbors have stopped to tell him that they wish they had a jeep like that, it's mostly the adults...

Swimmin' in Sunshine

2010-07-03T19:51:00.002-05:00

Weekend Event

2010-06-13T19:45:00.006-05:00

We attended the Bike Cincinnati Event to support Daddy who rode the 40+ mile ride. The event was organized to raise money for breast cancer research and it was a great family event. Here are some of the pictures of our outing to Sawyer Point.

Dinosaurs I Know

2010-06-13T19:40:00.002-05:00

Dinosaurs have become very important to Howie. He thinks about them so much that he actually believes he is one from time to time. In honor of Dinosaur Camp that he is attending this week, we documented all the dinosaurs he knows...

Emma's Dance Recital

2010-05-28T14:45:00.002-05:00

A Special Weekend...

2010-05-16T21:03:00.003-05:00

Howie's Third Birthday

2010-05-15T21:13:00.000-05:00

Howie Dances (sort of)

2010-05-12T06:31:00.003-05:00

Here is a clip of Howie at his best friend's birthday party. He refused to come into the room where the girls were dancing...

Farm trip for some apples

2009-10-13T11:43:00.001-05:00

Howie and I went off to the farm to pick some apples. Unfortunately, they only had picking on weekends, but we did get to visit with the animals. They had a kangaroo, how random! We giggled at how he bounced around his kennel. "jump, jump, jump in the puddles..." is a song we like to sing from storytime and Howie was singing along with the bouncing kangaroo.

Rainy Day Fun

2009-10-09T15:12:00.003-05:00

Howie and I built a fort to combat the rainy day blues (and barfing blues). He discovered that the futon had an incline. We tried all sorts of things that rolled. Thank you Grandma for the forever entertaining futon of fun.

Sunflower Festival

2009-10-05T08:25:00.001-05:00

Move Kitty

2009-07-13T07:14:00.003-05:00

(excuse the quality - shot on my blackberry)

Collecting Sticks

2009-07-09T18:55:00.001-05:00

Howie has taken it upon himself to generate a neighborhood clean up. Here he is with the first round of sticks that he found today.

Give the People What They Want!

2009-06-21T21:55:00.002-05:00

Here are some photos of Howie. I didn't realize how long it had been until last night at a wedding when more than one person told me that they keep looking at the blog and finding nothing new. Sorry! Thanks for being patient and holding me accountable for documenting my son's life.

Nothing says summer like a wool hat in the sprinkler...

2009-04-27T16:02:00.001-05:00

Howie found his winter attire and helped himself to a wool hat for his sprinkler afternoon. It's probably about time for me to pack away the snowsuits. Thank goodness Spring is here!

Happy Birthday Emma!

2009-04-26T19:20:00.001-05:00

2009-04-19T20:24:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T06:58:00.003-05:00

The egg hunting continues. Howie is starting to really catch on to the fact that there are little treasures inside the plastic eggs. Yesterday, we had a fantastic egg hunt at Nonnie and Paw Paw's house...

This morning, Howie was looking through his basket. All of the eggs were empty since the all fruit snacks were consumed yesterday during the hunt. He kept opening the empty vessels and saying, "Oh No!" I'm pretty sure that he checked all the eggs at least two times.

Huntin' for Eggs

2009-03-31T06:31:00.001-05:00

We go to an Easter Egg Hunt in Madeira. A Big Thank You to our friends, the Blanks, for putting together this wonderful event.

Sweet Pea Style Update

2009-03-28T15:11:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends!

I am excited to announce the new website for Sweet Pea Style. It features all my baby and toddler clothes, ordering information and special discounts. You can check it out at: www.sweetpeastyle.com

News Update:
My clothing is now sold at the Fella Bella Shoppe in Lebanon. This is a baby boutique that my family has enjoyed shopping at throughout the years. I am thrilled that I have merchandise there, and so are many of my friend who have walked in to see it displayed on the counter!

New Offers:
New designs and higher quality onesies, both short sleeved and long sleeved, are now featured within my infant products. As the little ones in our life grow, so has my business… I now feature toddler designs, ranging from 2T to 4T sizes.

Promotions
At the request of several interested buyers, I now host Sweet Pea Parties. By hosting a "Custom Design" party, not only can you create your own look for your child's clothes, but you save money too! If you are interested, you can see the options at: www.sweetpeastyle.com/index_files/Page1988.htm. I would love to talk with you about arranging a special event for you and your friends.

Thank you to everyone who has been so kind and supportive as I embrace something that I love.
Love and hugs to you and the little ones in your life…
Becky

Bubbles!

2009-03-06T14:56:00.004-05:00

We have enjoyed getting out all the outdoor toys as the weather is starting to get warmer. It seems that the Ohio tundra has hopes of thawing out!

Howie found bubbles to be particularly interesting today. Of course, he spent most of the time with the wand pressed to his lips just like any other toddler would. Nevertheless, the occasional bubble would emerge (due to the soapy build-up around his lips) which delights him enough to keep trying for 10 more minutes.

Pictures

2009-03-05T16:45:00.002-05:00

I feel like I haven't posted in awhile. Our lives have been a little busier than normal. Here are some random pictures to mark the passing of time...

New Haircut

2009-01-29T12:58:00.003-05:00

Here is Howie at 6:31 pm:
Daddy gets the clippers out. Howie gets his first "Daddy Cut". There is lots of giggling, the clippers must feel funny against his head. After about 3 minutes, Howie announces, "Done!" and starts to squirm in the seat. We have to turn on the TV to watch "Huh's" (sheep) to keep him from bouncing out of his chair.

This is Howie at 6:48 pm:

Nice Job Daddy!
Howie- This is just the beginning of the rest of your life...

www.SweetPeaStyle.com

2009-01-28T20:58:00.002-05:00

I started making belts for Howie out of necessity. As soon as he started to walk, his pants were falling down all the time... it was driving me nuts. I could not find a belt for young toddlers, so I made one! As a result, I started making other items and really enjoyed it. My IT husband has launched a little online boutique where I can feature my stuff. (Thanks Honey) For now, it is a great hobby that I truly love.

If you are interested... www.sweetpeastyle.com

Messy Afternoon

2009-01-15T21:31:00.004-05:00

Howie and Mommy enjoyed an art day together on a cold, cold January afternoon. Note the shirt- it has been designated as the "art smock".

New Beginnings in 2009

2009-01-11T13:19:00.001-05:00

The year of 2009 has started with a band for me (Becky). It seems that life sort of sped up with the change of the calendar.

I just launched a little online children's boutique which is getting a lot of traffic. It's called Sweet Pea Style and the website is: www.sweetpeastyle.com I love making baby clothes and special gifts. It's been a fun resource for me to unwind. I feel that sewing is rather therapeutic.

My job with UC started on January 5 with an orientation for all practicum students. I will be supervising 8 students throughout the quarter as they do their preschool classroom experience (sort of like student teaching). I observe them twice throughout the quarter, but it mostly consists of communicating via email as they turn in their assignments to me for feedback. So far, I am loving it!

I also am completing training for www.academicbenchmarks.com It's a company that aligns educational materials with state learning standards. I work from home to manipulate a search engine to find matches for clients. This too seems like a good fit so far.

But my most important job continues to be Howie. We just enrolled in a gymnastics class that meets Wednesday mornings. We also just purchased a pass to the Children's Museum. Our play dates continue to be very important and we spend lots of time throwing balls, reading books, and zooming cars. And of course, we make the occasional time for Shaun the Sheep- have you seen Shaun the Sheep?! www.shaunthesheep.com Check him out!

Crib Running

2009-01-11T13:03:00.003-05:00

We bought a new video monitor a few months ago which has proven to be both insightful and amusing. Here is a video of what Howie likes to do after he has been put to bed. My son, who is forever burning as many calories as possible, enjoys running around his crib in a game that looks similar to racing. We are watching you Howie!

Uh-Oh Daddy

2008-12-29T08:35:00.004-05:00

Some time ago, Rick left some coffee sitting out on the coffee table in the living room. After it had sat for a few hours and cooled, he was shocked when Howie brought him the cup... empty. The beige carpet had a stain that could only be fixed by putting another rug on top of it. Here is Howie examining Daddy's Uh-Oh.

Alaskan Snow

2008-12-10T20:59:00.002-05:00

Howie dresses up in Rick's snowsuit from Alaska in the 70's as he catches the first glimpse of snow.

Brrr...

2008-12-01T18:16:00.005-05:00

The snow is starting to come down in Cincinnati. We have to bundle up before heading outside. Here are some pictures of Howie enjoying one of the first snow falls. ohhhhh...

Thanksmas 2008

2008-12-01T08:52:00.003-05:00

Every other year, my family celebrates "Thanksmas" during the November holidays since we are not together on Christmas. It is a combination of Thanksgiving turkey with Christmas presents and the usual holiday craziness. We gathered at Nonnie and Paw Paw's house (thank you Jenny and Sarah for traveling, thank you Nonnie and Paw Paw for hosting). Here are some photos of our week together.

Jesus, Bible, etc.

2008-12-01T08:51:00.001-05:00

Before we headed out to church yesterday, I told Howie, "We are going to church to learn about Jesus and the Bible." He gave a thoughtful look and repeated "Jesus... Bible... Nonnie." Congratulations Mom, you rank right up there with our Lord.

Indoor Turtle

2008-11-19T12:11:00.001-05:00

The weather has turned bitter cold on us. We are enjoying our sandbox in a new way.

Updates

2008-11-16T15:20:00.001-05:00

Here are some updates about our family for the masses...

1. Howie is climbing like a monkey. The other day Rick was washing the dishes in the kitchen and looked over at the dining table. Howie was perched on top of the table, proud as ever. He climbed up the chair, then pulled himself up on the table. Nothing is safe on the table anymore!

2. I (Becky) have taken a position with the University of Cincinnati as a Student Supervisor. I will be observing and mentoring undergraduate students who are doing their pre-school placements in the teaching field. There are two sets of observations, one will be in the middle of the quarter, the other at the end. I also receive their weekly lessons to review and give feedback. I'm looking forward to having a job that will allow me to still be a full-time mommy. My position starts in January.

3. Jake has moved away to DC. He is now living with Howie's cousins (Nate and Danny). Howie was showing more and more difficulty with rashes when Jake was near him. We made a choice to find a new home for Jake because 1) it wasn't fair for Jake to be alienated from the family and 2) it wasn't fair for Howie to be uncomfortable. What a hard decision! It is still weird to not have a dog around the house. We always loved coming home to the sound of whack, whack, whack (Jake's tail on the wall) and the house still seems rather empty.

4. Rick's company is going strong. He has several guys who are working full-time with WebReliance and we are looking forward to celebrating a successful year with the first company holiday party.

Trick-or-Treating in the Swing State

2008-11-02T08:02:00.002-05:00

McCain came out on Halloween night to greet all the children.