What I'm Loving Wednesday

All 3 of my boys are sick.  All 3 of my boys are napping.  I should be napping but instead I thought I would blog about a few things I'm loving lately.  And then try take a nap of course!  Is anyone else a horrible nap taker?  It takes me forever to fall asleep and by the time I fall asleep it's almost guaranteed that one of my boys is waking up and I end up even more cranky/tired than I was before the nap attempt.  Anyway, back to what I'm loving today on this laid back Wednesday....

*  I'm loving that my sweet Jonah had a great 1 year well baby check-up this morning.  I'll have to do his 12 month post soon but he is healthy and thriving and perfect (despite catching his brother's cough/fever)  Poor boy couldn't make it through the meal without putting his head down.

*  I'm loving that my sweet Benjamin is going to be 3 on Sunday!  THREE!!!!  Yikes, he is growing up.  I hope he's completely well by then.  His fever is going down but he still has a lovely cough.  And he's at that "annoying/whiny sick" stage.  Mama is ready to have him well.

He insists on having a blanket at the table.  And insists that it is perfectly wrapped around him and covering him.  Then he tells me he can't eat his food because "he is busy warming up."  Busy warming up?  What will this child come up with next.

*  I'm loving Season 3 of Downton Abbey.  And I loved Seasons 1 and 2.  It's just so addicting and makes Sunday nights that much more enjoyable.

*  I'm loving that every other Tuesday night 6 of us gals from church get together for dessert to share life, keep each other accountable, encourage one another, share hilarious kid stories.  We meet after the kids are in bed and stay up way too late, but I love it.  It is so good for me and I am so, so grateful for my friends.

* I'm loving that it's once again time for Thin Mint ice cream.  It's literally the only dessert Peter and I will eat for the next two months while it's out.  We may need an intervention.

*  I'm loving the smell of the my new bodywash from Bath & Body works.  It's Coconut Passionfruit and smells delicious!! 

*  I'm loving that I found a Thomas the Train Wilton cake pan for super cheap on craigslist awhile back........but I'm not loving the idea of figuring out to do the "fancy icing work" to make it look good.  Martha Stewart I am not, should be interesting.  Any tips??

*  I'm loving my husband.  Life has seemed busy and full lately so it's sometimes hard to sneak in quality time together but I can't imagine my everyday without him.  And even when he's sick, he is still the best Dad.

So good to reflect on the little things and big things in life that make it so enjoyable.  Happy Wednesday :-)

Secret Sunshine

Peter had the day off for MLK day and my sister was still here so we decided to go to the coast for the day.  Our aquarium membership was still valid including a free guest so off we went, thinking that'd be a good option for the overcast, rainy, foggy weather we've been having.

The drive over was kind of depressing, dark, damp, blech.  Literally, pulling into the little coastal town the clouds lifted and the sunshine poured in through the windows.  Benjamin shouted "SUNSHINE!" from the backseat.  Ha, my little Oregonian.

We still went to the aquarium in the morning and had a blast with the non-existent crowds, looking at the animals.  We ate our picnic lunch then headed to the beach. 

It was 55.  And sunny.  In Oregon.  In January.  In Oregon, in January, it was 55 and sunny.  No matter how you say it, it was glorious.

The boys took their shoes off, ran/crawled all over the sand, and we took tons of pictures then spread our arms out to capture every bit of the Vitamin D.  Sounds a bit dramatic I know, but let's just say it was literally "the fog" lifting after over a week.

Sunshine, extra long weekend, and the smell of the ocean?  Check, check and check.

Just looking at the sun beaming in the background of this photo makes me happy.  Who would have known that this secret sunshine was a little over an hour from my house (where it rained all day, by the way).  Much needed energy boost...lucky for Peter, I told him it makes me want to spring clean!  Ha :-)  Must.go.back.soon.

Cheese!

Oh, how he kills me.

That's all.

New Blog & Sickness

Hooray for new blog designs!  I'd been wanting a bit of a change and when my sister pointed out that my boys initials spelled PB&J......well, I thought it was perfect!  Because this blog is my journal for the ups and downs of the everyday with my boys and I spend a lot of time making pb&j's as a stay at home mama!  Now here's to hoping I can keep up with all my posts and not get behind!

I'm going to try to catch up on a few posts while Ben is watching Thomas on Netflix.  He's had a fever since Saturday morning and a cough to go with it.  He's been sleeping horrible so we let him sleep in a playpen in our room last night and that helped.  The fever just causes him to be super emotional but also incredibly snuggly and sweetly pathetic.

I was singing him to sleep the other night and with his eyes closed, in his adorable high pitched voice, he said, "I want Jesus Loves the Little Children, then He's still working on me, then Jesus loves the little Children again"  It was stinkin cute and I happily obliged.

We put him down for a nap on Sunday afternoon and he woke up less than an hour later crying buckets at the top of the stairs.  He said, "I asked you to turn off my fan and nobody turned off my fan.  Nooobooddy turned off my fan"  He's saying this wih his lip quivering and tears in his eyes.  "And I asked you turn off my light and nobody turned off my light.  Noooboooddy turned off my light.  Noooobooodddy did.  Nooobooody did"  Once I kept myself from squeezing him from all the cuteness, I hugged him and turned off his fan and light.  Oh Benjamin, being sick is rough isn't it?

He even watched the end of Downton Abbey last night with us because he woke up halfway through the episode.  Does that make me a bad mama for giving him cuddles from the couch so I could watch what was going on?  Still can't believe they killed off Lady Sybil....it was intense.  I'm horrible at waiting for the next episode each week, patience is not my strongsuit.

Little brother Jonah has avoided the sickness so far and is enjoying the playtime at home.  I'm praying it stays that way!

Off to go finish cleaning/sorting through toys, they have taken over my house!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONAH!!!!

Today my sweet little Jonah turned 1.

I may need to re-read that sentence and convince myself that it's reality because I can hardly believe it.

Today my sweet little Jonah turned 1.

*SIGH*

I will admit that I cried myself to sleep a few nights ago.  It just hit me that Jonah is getting so big and I sort of just needed the time to kind of mourn the loss of my "baby".  And last night after I got home from worship team, Peter had already put Jonah down but he wasn't asleep so I got him up for some last "baby" snuggles and to capture his last night as a 0 year old.

Goodness gracious, we love him.

Last night we decorated the kitchen for his little party.  Our friends were sick so it was just going to be our family and my sister who is still here visiting.  When I was thinking about a theme, Amanda suggested Curious George.  Perfect!  It totally suits my ornery, trouble maker Jonah.  I always keep the party really simple, but here are a few decorations....

Since Curious George loves bananas and Jonah eats one every morning for part of his breakfast, I thought I would make a banana shaped cake.  Which matched the strawberry cake I made for Benjamin's first birthday centered around "The Little Mouse and the Red Ripe Strawberry."  And since he needed a separate "smash cake" I took inspiration from the Curious George tablecloth and made some cute little balloons for him to enjoy.

As per tradition, we took Jonah to McDonalds for lunch to get his first happy meal.

Then later that night it was time for a pizza dinner then time to party!  Auntie Amanda wisely suggested presents first since the cake would be so messy so that's what we did.
Jonah loved his pajamas, blocks, stuffed tiger, Thomas tunnel, and guitar.  He loooves guitars!

And here's his face when we took the guitar away so we could have cake.

I told you.  The boy loves his guitars.  He recovered quickly when he discovered it was time for cake.  Let's just say he figured it out pretty quickly.

The traditional first birthday sink bath happened.....

then it was time to play with the gifts.

It was a wonderful day celebrating our precious gift.  I will always have sweet memories of this day remembering how kind and excited Benjamin was for his brother.  How he kept saying Happy Birthday Jonah throughout the day and was so willing to give him kisses.  He had such a great attitude even though Jonah got so much attention, gifts, balloons, etc on his day.  Too sweet!

Jonah Caleb, there aren't quite words to tell you how much we love you and how perfectly you fit into our family.  Your cheeseball grins, ornery tactics, story telling eyes, constant appetite, laid back personality, strong willed resolve.....we can't get enough.  I pray that you will grow to be a man who knows and loves the Lord.  I feel so blessed to be your Mom, you make me smile everyday and I love you to pieces. 

Happy Birthday Jonah Caleb, you are so, so, so loved.