Debt.

This is so worthy of it's own post.  No pictures, just pure excitement.

Joe and I payed off a 13K dollar credit card in 10 months.  I just made the final payment and I'm thrilled!!!  That was our only credit card and we did it with really hard work, responsible spending and putting almost ALL of our extra money on it.  Bonuses, tax returns, Army money....I'm just really proud of us.  

Now we just have my car and the house.  It feels good to be *kind of* debt free in a matter of speaking.  

The 4th

We had an excellent 4th this year (aside from Jessica's brother and Brandon's cousin trying to kill us :-] ).  We celebrated with friends and family and just had a grand ol' time.  I was looking back and remembered that last year we spent the 4th in Florida.  We spent most of the evening (last year) packing because we were heading home the next day and Paxton was not so much thrilled with the noise.  He was really cute then, though.

  This year, well, he still didn't do the fireworks thing.  Grammy was lovely and took him back to the house so Joe and I could hang out with friends well into the night.  We don't ever do that, and it was nice to know that someone else would wake up with him in the morning.  We didn't get out of bed until 8:30...that is REALLY late for us.
Paxton, Connor and Jackson were quite the patriotic babies!

A family picture where we're all looking somewhere different or some kind of crazy.  Paxton was tired. It was almost go home time!

Not too much else going on. Paxton has this new whine that is, um, entertaining?  Annoying?  Really not cute?   We're making it though, he'll grow out of it...right?  Please?  

I think it's time for me to go and attempt to be productive...or just run and hide from the kid who shall remain nameless (and whiney). :)  Love him dearly though!  Like they say about kidney stones "and this too shall pass".

3 Day Weekends, Hooray!

It has been a lovely SHORT week:).  We haven't had too much going on aside from a fever (ugh, crazy pointy vampire teeth, this makes 13 & 14), a play day at Aunt Jessies, a last minute play group at the house and then keeping Lo(gan) for a few hours yesterday.  

On the Paxton front all is going well.  He is smart and learns more daily.  He is starting to copy most words you try to get him to say.  CUTE. We were at Brandon and Jes's last weekend and Daddy was taking his turn on the Wii.  I said "Paxton, say go Daddy go!" and he said "Go Go Go".  He kept doing it over and over and it was just too cute!  He also now likes to tell us when it's night night time.  He'll walk to the baby gate and whine "nigh nigh, nigh nigh".  Speaking of the whine...I've not been one to baby his whining, ask anyone around me.  We tell him to use his words (if it's something he can sign, IE hurt, water, milk, eat or something like that) or we redirect and say "you're okay, let's go play over here".  This method, however, is currently not effective.  If he is going towards something he is not supposed to have he will hear "Paxton, no touch" and before you can let the words roll of your tongue, he is SCREAMING with a pterodactyl screech that we haven't heard since prehistoric times.  No kidding.  It's just awful.  We still don't give in and the behavior gets ignored but man, you think he'd pick up that it was working and stop doing it but no such luck.  I love being a parent and I know this phase will pass, right?  Yes? Please...

Today Joe's mom is coming to watch Paxton so we can go see Transformers for a lunch date.  The lunch part will consist of over buttered popcorn and chocolate and soda.  Mmmmm, the health benefits of a movie theater.  Add that with sitting for 2.5 hours (holy long movie batman) and you get a person who probably shouldn't eat dinner tonight :)  This afternoon I get to pick up a new crib light for baby bear and do some grocery shopping and get some stuff made for our 4th gathering tomorrow.  Mommy is coming tonight so that makes me smile!  

I've been saying that I swear on my life I'm going to get caught up on my scrapbooking but it just doesn't seem to happen.  I finally decided to do another page the other night and this brings me up to 6 months in Paxton's album.  I'm really going to get back in the swing of things and get caught up, really, I am.  This is the page I did:

Not overly thrilled with it but I've done worse.  I just don't have the touch in my fingers that I do in my head...I know what I want to do but I just don't get it out on paper it seems.  One day, one day.

Well I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th and remembers the reason we're celebrating this lovely holiday in the first place!

Bumps and Bruises

It's inevitable.  The time has come when my baby boy gets a booboo.  Not a "kind of" booboo but a face plant into concrete real booboo.  One that leaves a bumpy bruisy head and a scrape under the nose where the bright red color will not go away.  The kind where he gets a paci and cuddles and really whatever he wants.  Maybe Tracy was right all along, my kid needs a helmet. Yesterday was not our day.  Today will be better.  

I love you little monkey.  

And a late Happy Birthday little brother.

As of June 21, I am the proud owner of a 14 year old brother.  I hope this year is better than the last, I hope you learn that talking back is NOT that cool and that black shoes with white socks don't go with a brown outfit.  Love ya little dude!

Happy Father's Day

When I got married I knew I was marrying one of those "one-of-the-good-ones" type of guys.  I never could have imagined how every ounce of respect, goodness and love he's given me would multiply and pour into his ability to be a daddy.  There are great dads out there, but I know I'm blessed to have one of the best as my partner in this parenting business we've gotten ourselves into.  I'd have my life no other way.  Happy Father's Day love.  You make Paxton and I's lives richer and worth living every day.  We love you!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads.  

Sloppy Joe or Manwich?

We went for a swim with Aunt Jessie today.  They are about to move out of their apartment complex and hadn't used the pool once so we went for a swim.  It was fun and Paxton enjoyed being in the water, not so much his floatie boat!  Swimming is just so different with a little dude.  No "relaxing" just having fun with my little my guy.  Knowing he loves it makes it worth it though :)

Now let's get to the topic that is really of utmost important.  Manwich or Sloppy Joes made from scratch.  I wouldn't say "scratch" but from a seasoning pack, tomato paste and water.  Add onion and some bell pepper and voila!  So, tonight was my first Manwich experience.  I didn't know what to expect but it really wasn't bad.  Kind of tasted the same to be honest.  BUT the kicker is, I prefer to make things by scratch.  You don't need a reason to do something from scratch but I like finding one.  I looked at the can of Manwich and ingredient number 2 was high fructose corn syrup.  Why is that necessary???  I'm not anti junk food in moderation and I'm not anti sweet things at all but what is it's purpose in Manwich??? It doesn't make it taste better by any stretch of the imagination.  For 1.50-2 dollars you can buy a can of that or you can buy a seasoning pack for 50 cents, a can of tomato paste for 35 cents and use 1/4 of an onion for 25 cents for a grand total of $1.10.  I think Sloppy Joe wins in this house!  What do you think?  

Time for sleep in my new heavenly bed.