Movers, Shakers and Schoolers.

Sweet Bunny Love is up and crawling and moving and pushing herself into the sitting position all alone now.  I cannot believe it.  How did she get so big?  Almost 8 months.  And oh how I love her.  She is basically obsessed with me.  I cannot put her down without some serious scream-fests.  I have decided to accept it.  I got my hip sling out and the girl is content to sit there until the end of time.  It is lovely that she loves me so much, which is something that my little Solomon never could sit still for.  He wanted down and around to explore the world.  When Will walks in the door, she wants him, and wants him bad.  I love it.  She goes nuts and freaks out and gets her fill of cuddles from him and then comes back to me.  She loves a good nurse.  She takes her socks off to hold her feet when she nurses, ahhh...LOVE it!  She is still waking up like THREE times a night.  I am very very tired.  Both kids get up at 5-6am and it is REALLY taking a toll on us.  We have tried moving bed time later, earlier, with holding naps, nothing makes it any later.  So 7pm bedtime it is.  Its ok.  It is just a season...right???

Now moving on from my mover...to the...shaker (of sorts)

Solomon is really getting irritated at Shiloh.  He lets her play with NOTHING.  She is, in his opinion, not allowed to touch ANYTHING!  How do people with more than one dealwith this.  I tell him he can gently take things from her and sweetly say, "Thats brothers/Solomons baby girl...thank you."  But he panics when he sees her touch or try to play with anything.  He tries to trade her for things to, but with crap, like apiece of fuzz haha.  Im not sure the best way to go about this.

We are also thinking of taking him out of his 2 day a week preschool A) to save $70 a month and B) because I am sorta thinking about home schooling him.  Its a BIG issue for me.  I was home schooled for a majority of my school years, and I HATED it.  I especially hated being put in and out of middle/high school after never going to school before.  I have been trying to do "school time" with Solomon everyday that he doesn't go to school.  its just a 15-20 minute time that we either do a worksheet or paint or do something. BUT, its becoming a bit of a struggle.  Today we had this big battle because he wouldn't finish his (very small) worksheet.  I just wanted him to finish so he doesn't get in the habit of deciding when we do and dont do school, if I am indeed home schooling him.  But he yelled and cried and I was SOOOO frustrated that I am seriously recanting the thought.  Do I need ANOTHER thing that I have to regulate with him?  Another thing to (possibly) fight about?  I'm just SO worried about making the wrong schooling choice.  I am displeased with my childhood education and I REALLY want to offer him the BEST so that IF he wants to utilize it, he can.  And I don't know that home schooling is going to do anything other than maybe put a wrench in our relationship.  Thoughts???

Lots is going on...some things are starting to brew...I will keep you posted.

Get Naked

or...well...get A Naked Juice rebate :)

We love Naked Juice.  Sometimes, it is the only source of friut and veggies that Solomon will eat, or, drink rather.  Our favorite is Green Machine.  I contains, 2 3/4 apples, 1/2 of a banana, 1/3 of a mango, 1/3 of a kiwi, a hint of pineapple,and then super good stuff: Spirulina, Chlorella, broccoli, spinach, blue green algae, garlic, barley grass, wheat greass, parsley, and giner.  The best part, it tastes great.  And Im not just saying that...my 3 year old says it. 

So...if you've never tried it, nowis a great time!!!  This is a GREAT coupn from The Mommy Trade that gives you a $10 rebate.  Hope you can use it.

Help For Those In Need

In these hard times, I cannot imagine how this family is feeling.  If you can offer anything to them, even a few dollars...please.

On Pirates And Poop

So This Is Christmas...

This Christmas, I was a little worried.  I miss my family.  Will and I have had a pretty rough year, lots of change, things are just different than I think we were expecting.  Some times we feel a little "dumped" into the middle of all of this and are just trying to tread water.  But overall, I think it has been good for us.  It has taught us to really rely on one another, and know that we HAVE to count on each other and catch the other when we are in need. 

Overall, Christmas Eve and Christmas day went great.  We were blessed with mostly wonderful things ;).  It was so nice to spend Christmas as a family of 4.  And even though there wasn't a lot of "gift opening" our house was happy and joyful.  It was so much fun.  Shiloh got a hug and some binkies for Christmas and Solomon got an awesome train table that we got months ago for 50% off. (score to Candice and I for our excellent coupon skills) and a little fishing game.  We thought he was going to FREAK out over the train table, because I day hardly passes where he isn't asking to go to Barnes and Noble to play with the train table there.  His reaction was priceless!!!  (unfortunately I do not have any of that footage on the computer but I have some other stuff...like the digital camera he got from my dad).

We went over to my mother in laws family's house for a bit and got to see lots of family that we never see.  Then we went to Candice and Patricks and had a really great dinner and exchanged gifts.  It was a nice time...

I just wanted to share 2 of the most influencial things for me this christmas...well, things that were (re)brought to my attention that really touched me. 

Of course, the classic...which makes me cry

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very Merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good on
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas

And what have we done

Another year over

A new one just begun

And so happy Christmas

We hope you have fun

The near and the dear one

The old and the young

A very Merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear

War is over, if you want it

War is over now

 

and...I will leave you with this...(thanks to Jenny)

 

Christmas gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
--Oren Arnold

New Blog - New Address

So do you like the new look?  I want input...so please, let me know what you think and what I should change.  Seriously.  Also, does anyone know if there are any problems with changing my url???  bc will keeps making fun of it -tendernessac- which is tenderness with my initials ac after it, but he says it looks like tenderness-sac- and yeah...I get that.  So I was thinking of putting a hyphen between the s and the a...will that do anything to screw up my blog  or will it just transfer it to the new address...please...help!

The Loves of My Life...

Playing with the kids is becoming more and more fun.  Shiloh is getting SOOOO silly.  She loves to play and sit and pester Solomon relentlessly.  She tries to destroy his train tracks, eat his pirates, and bonk his cars on his head.  He is rarely amused.  He has taken to hoarding HUGE piles of toys ont he couch, in order to stay out of her reach.  I love it.  Its hilarious and frusrating all at once haha.

Solomon has really started loving me.  I mean, he always loves me, but since Will has started his LONG 12 hour days at work, he seems to be loving on me a lot more.  I like it, lots!  He always wants to play with me.  "School" is a new favorite.  And, no, not preschool.  Him and I have been doing lots of fun print off from starfall.com.  Thanks to Amie for recommending that!!!  That website is awesome.  He gets on the ABC section and goes to town.  He has started sounding out words, which is just amazing to me.  He is such a smart boy.

Solomons newest passion.  Taking photos.  I kid you not, he takes about 100 or more a day.  Some of them are so sweet.  Others, like a nice full size shot of my butt in sweat pants, not so much.  He doesn't know it yet, but my dad go him a camera for Christmas, and he is going to go bananas.

Shiloh, along with torturing her brother, is just the most lovely little thing.  She is the most cuddly little muffin.  Ok, so yes,it gets quite annoying because I find myself doing dishes, baking, vacuuming, peeing, all while having to hold her, but when she cries, it isn't this whiney "im a brat" kinda cry.  No, she is truly offended that someone would even consider putting her down.  Sweet girl.  Have I talked about how when Will walks in the door she seriously goes nuts.  Hysterics in .2 seconds if he does not race over and take her from me.  Truly, hurt feelings.  Its precious.  Solomon was adelighted to see us whenever we would walk into a room, but not like this.  Love oozes from her little bunny pores, and we know, she cannot live without us.

Will, (pictured below in jammies and smothered in Shilohs love, is loving the new job.  The hour drive still sucks, but its only 3 days a week.  He leaves at 7:30 am and usually rolls in at about 7:30 pm.  So it is a long day.  But the office is beautiful and the patients are decent too :).  He is still seeing his current pateints at the greensburg office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but overall, if everything goes as planned this is the best place for us right now.

Get a load of that fridge!!! Covered in preschool art. I have to clean it of almost every week because he comes home with the most adorable things that all must be displayed. Any thoughts on what I should do to store/save them??? I can't bare to part with it just yet.

Well its Christmas Eve and we are off to the inlaws to open gifts.  Its always scary opening gifts for me.  Its like my least favorite thing to do ever...but it will be fun...
Merry Christmas!!

Snowy Car

So this is from the big snow from last week.  Being from California, it is hilarious watching this. hahaha.  But it was a beautiful day...sun shining, snow sparkling.

Waving My Freak Flag

I've been having a tough time in the friend/people/social category lately. I always feel like a freak. Like I'm trying to sensor some part of me no matter who I am with, either because I don't want to be talked about when I'm gone, don't want to offend anyone else, don't want to be made fun of (to my face) or don't want to have "that conversation". I'm sure there are other reasons too...but why? Why do I find it so hard to just be me?

My freak flags
-I love Africa.
-I have a passion for saving the poor and orphaned.
-I try so hard (and hate myself when I fail) to love "the least of these"
-I don't fit in to any political party.
-I think that a socialist mindset would change the world for the good.
- I think America purposefully started most of the wars we have been in because of greed...we set a very bad example, and should not claim to be the super power of the world b/c its embarrassing.
-I do not believe we've been to the moon.
-I think all citizens of this country, deserve equal rights!!
-I don't think that all homeless people (or people using government assistance) are lazy and deserve to be where there are. I love giving them a little something and praying that God changes their situation.
-I think war is not what God wants for this world and I think it saddens Him.
-I think that every word of the Bible is important and valid...not just Paul's words or the New Testament.
-I think it is enriching to celebrate the holidays of the Bible, the ones Jesus celebrated.
-I think Jesus did not come to create a religion.
-I think that if He (Jesus) were to come to this earth now, modern day Christianity would crucify him all over again, because His message seems to be so offensive to so many of them.
-I value all lives, not just the unborn American ones.
-I think vaccines are toxic and harmful for my children.
-I do not trust the medical community 90% of the time.
-I do not take my kids to the doctor for sick visits, in fact they have only ever been to get weighed and measured. They have never had ear infections or been on antibiotics and I'm sure they would have if I would take them.
-I think our diets are a massive reason for why sickness is consuming our country.
-I believe in holistic medicine and homeopathy.
-I want to save the earth in every way I can.
-I LOVE being green.
-I wish I were Amish.
-I believe in Attachment Parenting and giving my children a voice in our family.
-I believe that difference and diversity are what make this world an incredible place.
-I do not like it when people who do not embrace difference.
-I hate being judged for being different and try to never do that to other people.
-I wanted to have a home birth, and that does not make me crazy.
-I think that giving birth naturally was the most awesome incredible high that I have ever had.
-I think the general public makes to many decisions based on fear and it is destroying our nation.
-I think that our words and thoughts can REALLY effect our lives.
-I've always wanted to be a surgeon.
-I want to start an orphanage for AIDS babies.

-I want to be loved for me, not judged because my views might differ from yours...
-I want to be sure of myself and not have to sensor who I am in order NOT to offend you.
-I want a friend who accepts me and all my weirdness and truely gets me...


SO...today, I am starting something new. I am going to do my best to be me, to everyone, wave my freak flag and offend if I must...but I am not going to be ashamed of who I am and what I believe in...its to exhausting.

I'm Dreaming Of A...

I've never been more excited and equally sad about a Chisrtmas...its going to be a great one...even if it will be so different...

Christmas From California

My mom sent us a package full of gifts for the kids and cookies for Will and I. Yum!!!

Enjoying his gifts and cookies

(Solomon is in a pull-up bc it was bedtime fyi)





Dad and Cheryl also got him a ton of stuff but I didnt get any good videos of it :( He LOVED everything, of course!

Merry Christmas California family...we love you so much.

Feelin' Lucky!!!

GREAT give away here and here

Merry Christmas From My Preschooler.

Be still my heart...ahhh. Today was Solomons Christmas party at school. In walks Santa and he sprints to the back of the rooma nd tears up, clearly terrified. haha. He begged to not have to go up and see him, and I said, of course, he did not have to. He did end up seeing that Santa was passing out gifts, so he decided to stand near him...and check out that sweet phoney smile!! Love it!

Solomon and Boston
Not so sure about this whole Santa business.

"Um I want a present" was what he said when his teacher said to ask for something for Christmas haha.

Driver and Boston

Sitting for story time

Story time

I LOVE that he loves playing with the girls!!! hehe

Stoked about his gift exchange

Snack

So 2 songs after this one, Solomon burst into tears and said "I really just wanna go sit with my mommy!!!" OMG...and that is what he did. What an awesome day!!! Love my sweet baby!!

Needing Sleep...and other things...

Shiloh has some sort of a cold/teething thing going on right now. Seriously, I really wanted to just run away and never come back last night. She was up until 1 am. Part of that was TOTALLY my fault because she is REALLY sensitive to caffiene and since she got me up at 5am, I had a cup of coffee. It was really sad/horribly annoying because she would NOT GO TO SLEEP. I got 5 hours of sleep after getting 5 hours the ngiht before...and now, well Im sort of an emotional zombie.

Im having a hard time being away from my family and friends right now. Christmas is lots of fun at home. My mom makes the best food. My sister cracks me up for days on end. We got to my Aunt and Uncles house and hanging out with all the greatest people.  I miss them a lot.

The kids and I went to Trader Joes today. Its a 40 minute drive and it was 25 degrees...so it was interesting to say the least. Both of the kids took a snooze in the car so I think Im skipping trying to get Solomon to take an addition nap. I think it will just end up frustrating me. So...instead we are going to make peanut butter cookies...heres to some no-sleep fun!

My Love

Sleep In My Arms...

Having a 3 yr old, its hard for me to remember what having a baby fall asleep in your arms feels like...

Shiloh likes to sleep in her bed. She was a little fussy just now, so I held her while I was lurking on facebook...and she started dozing in my arms. I was going to take her up to bed, but I just couldn't. Her sweet little head resting on my sholder, it smells so good. I just love her. I love how heavy she gets as she is dozing. She just melts right into me. She is so lovely. I went upstairs, finally, and just rocked her little sleeping body. Its going to be gone so quickly...I never ever want to forget it...

Love Bunny

She is SO over me haha...look at that face.

Daddy and his sweet babies
She loves her magazies...Im not kidding, DO NOT try taking it away.

hahaha...she crack me up

A girl who loves her veggies

Shiloh...oh Shiloh. 7 months old came quickly. How can this be happening. My babies are not babies any more. Getting SO big. She eats...and seriously...she EATS! She loves veggies, tolerates fruit but gets the shivers everytime she swallows. Solomon never ate baby food. He hated it. I would try, he would gag it up. He didnt eat a thing until he was over a year, just nursed his way through life...and he still hardly eats. It is SO nice for me tohave a baby who eats!!! I love feeding her. She sits, almost always unassisted. She is almost able to get herself to the sitting position, but not quite yet. She army crawls ALL OVER...you set her down and she is across the room attacking the christmas tree in 2 seconds. She plays peek-a-boo. OMG I LOVE it.

She isn't the best sleeper grrr... at 5 months old she stopped sleeping through the night and started waking up NON STOP for nurses. Seriously...such a creul joke. She is getting better now that the food routine is ironed out. She is such a sweet little baby. Shy and leary. So sensitive. So sweet. Oh how this girl loves her daddy. He walks in the door and she FREAKS, and I mean FREAKS out!!! Screams her head off, big giant tears...until he walks over, picks her up...then...she is perfectly content. Shes amazing. I love her. I love nursing her. I love they way her head smells. I love the way she react when I walk in the door from being gone. She is all though I could have dreamed of in a baby girl...my little bunny, Shiloh Love...

My Solomon.

The Grump I love so dearly

The boy who loves his sister (and occasionally asks me to shove her back in my stomach)
Solomon with his new treasured "Little Buddy"

This is "Little Buddy...or little Sollie"

One of the greatest things I have come across in a LONG time. On the toilet, in Wills hat, sneaking a Binkie...he is a major addict...what can I say?

Oh my Solomon. Now a solid 3 1/2. Where does the time go? He is obsessed with bad words and attitude. Stupid. Youre a boob. Get real. Randomly saying "hate" and "kill" which is the worst one for me :( He is a persuader..."Wait wait wait Mommy...just let me tell you MY plan..." hahaha. Everywhere we go, people love him. He talks to you like no one else exists. He loves and hates with all his heart. Everything to the extreme (sorry baby, thats all me). We were driving the other night and he says, "Look at those BEAUTIFUL lights mommy. What a wonderful town we live in." The house was ordinary, and plainly decorated for Christmas. He is just such a jewel. He loves Shiloh. He calls her his baby. And when she cries he says, "I DO NOT LIKE MY BABY ANY MORE!!!!!" haha... He still loves trains, construction vehicles and cars. He is writing his alphabet. He loves school and comes home with the BEST crafts and things. I have no idea what to do with them all. He is SO musically talented. I just adore him. He still loves his daddy more than anything. He still cries for him when he wakes up from his nap. He still likes me best when he is sick. He is still the greatest little boy that I could ever have imagined God giving me.

After he is asleep every night, before I go to sleep, I crawl into bed with him and cuddle him and kiss him. I always whisper "I love you" in his ear...and he almost always whispers it back.

Counting My New Blessing

I am soooo thankful...we finally got a second car. 2010 Toyota Rav4 with the 2 extra seats in the back that completely fold down for a HUGE truck space, or fold open for 7 seats. Hurray!!!

Fall Fun Times

Solomons preschool Halloween party.

Solomon=Buzz Lightyear, Shiloh=Green Alien from Toy Story.

Jillian= Jessie and GAbe= Woody

Pumpkin Patch

Nature Reserve

Police Station with Amie, Boston and Driver

Just a sidenote: Solomon was terrified that I was going to leave him in jail! :(