Rocketship

Rocketship to the moon. Retrieved edible moon pieces.

Today, when Noah was walking out of school, he saw a girl with a rocketship walking out of another class. He kept talking about wanting to make a rocketship. So we went home and made ourselves a rocketship. He did a lot of the work.

I like when the world inspires us to do something fun and make it work (as Tim Gunn would say). I've really been wanting to do some art, crafty thing with all our recycleables. Not sure what.

I think when we move I'm going to switch to Vox for blogging. It has more features that I am looking for in a blog. I still am not sure how to add video here. I'm not doing the switch till we move though. Finishing out our journey here first. Ahh, what a journey it's been, one I'm not looking forward to leaving.

5 months

5 months old

Happy 5 months Eli!

He's a good sleeper - in his swing. We tried to move him to the crib again. Again, we were not successful. He gets soooo upset. So he's back in his swing. We'll try again later. Sleep is hard to come by around here, and why try to force him to have horrible sleep patterns?

5 month highlights -
-still does not like baths
-likes toys Noah wasn't that into - like one with dangly ribbons and stuff.
-like being upright - loves his exersaucer
-eating solid food slowly
-smiles lots
-super sound sensitive, and gets really upset with loud noises, takes a while to calm back down
-already encouraging Noah's silliness, by smiling and laughing - for instance when Noah decide to get stuck in his chair at dinner - smiled a lot
-likes movement
-super sweet and cuddly
-always wakes up in the morning with a big smile.

He's growing up so fast! Hopefully next month he can start swim lessons.

Indian Food

Coloring at Torah tots

Noah loved the Chicken Tikka Masala yesterday. I'm happy that he likes a variety of foods. Probably gets that from both of us. We are foodies. It hasn't been easy to be foodies, with two kiddies around now. Frozen pizza, hot dogs, something crock-pot, pretty bland. I'm not the domesticated goddess I'd like to be. It is good to know that we can just buy the tikka sauce from Masala Wok and use this with left over chicken.

We had a good weekend. Torah tots today, children's musuem and Build and Grow yesterday. I did this month's calendar, and here we go again with another activity filled month. Exciting, tiring, fun? A combo. And I still find classes I'd like to do with Noah. I found a mommy and me Karate class. Wouldn't that be fun?

At the museum, I learned how to make shrinky-dinks.
Number 6 plastics (strawberry containers are usually number 6)
sharpies to decorate
325 on the toaster oven
Let the plastics bake - they will curl up and then lie back flat. When they lie back flat, they are done.

I still need to try this to see if it actually works. I loved shrinky-dinks, thought they were so cool. I had some Smurf Shrinky-dinks when I was little.

Purim festivities start this week. Looking forward to it.

Almost done

Happy Birthday sweet boy!
You sure had fun on your big day, and it was everything we had practiced, singing, cake, blowing out candles. Whew! Time to start practicing for next year, sand cakes here we come!

The Bar will be over today. We'll breath a big sigh of relief, start making plans to move, and hope the results are positive. We've been waiting for this, and now it has come and about to be gone.

The past two months have been difficult. Or maybe it's the past three years. But I think it's all going to be alright.

Noah turned 3 last weekend. He had an awesome birthday party - digger trucks, digger cake, friends, and family. He was very happy to celebrate his big day, and is still enjoying opening up present. We unwrapped them, just haven't taken everything out of the boxes yet.

Eli ate sweet potatoes yesterday. His teeth are coming in and irritating him.

Noah was funny the other night. I was rubbing his back and he said, "Don't rub my back Mommy. I'm not a bath tub." He's silly. We are also trying to teach him manners, such as asking to be excused from the table. He learning to get the words in the right order.

Avocado margaritas - I'll be seeing you soon.

Then I need to get serious about school, packing, and getting us moved. But we'll start all that on Monday hopefully.

Accomplished

(Finally getting used to this bath thing, no tears this past week.)

I feel like I am getting many things accomplished. I started doing Book-in-a-Week, and participated in it for the past 2 months. I needed something to get me writing again. Writing helps me in many ways: remember, create, think, vent, etc.

I also started my running again. I'm training for the Zooma 1/2. I'm not as fast as I was before pregnancy 2, but I'm working on it.

The theme a week has fallen to the wind. We've been letting Noah watch too much Cars. He loves it, luckily, we are finding different funny things about it after seeing it several times. We have had several discussions about how we should handle this TV issue.

Memorable events from the past weeks:
-Kosher Chili Fest - fun, some good chili and not so good. Kyle's team chili was sweet and savory. They didn't win. I thought surely the were close, but nope. It was really flavorful.
-Trying to bake one thing a week with Noah. Last week we made upside down German chocolate cake. Tasty. The week before we made lemon-banana muffins. Would have been alright with out my runny icing.
-Noah is becoming so expressive in music class. He wasn't like that even last fall, but now he's talking and interacting with the teacher and other kids a lot. It's nice to seem him singing the songs and giving suggestions to add to the songs.
-They changed Noah's teacher, which we weren't too happy with. I liked his teacher, but apparently the director thought a new lead teacher was a better move. Oh well. He's just having such a good school experience this year compared to last, trying to keep that happy feeling going.
-I'm trying to get Noah to call me Ima and Kyle Abba. No luck.

-Eli has been fussy ever since his shots last week. And now he's 4 months. We started rice cereal last week. So far, so good. Slurping it up, and no allergic reactions. He is also doing really well getting that head up. Today he even rolled himself from his tummy to his back. Soon we'll be chasing after him and Noah, and training dear sweet Eli not to put Noah's teeny tiny toys in his mouth.

(first rice cereal tasting)

-Kyle will be taking the bar in less than 15 days. ..yikes!!!
-and I try to avoid thinking about how we'll be moving and how much I'm going to miss Austin.

Chit-chats
Mommy: If you behave at the store you'll get a prize, what kind of prize to you want?
Nofah: A doo-doo
Mommy and Daddy: Ewww, that's gross.
Nofah: A fatty.
Daddy: That's illegal!


HAHA! He actually chose a healthy snack.

I'm thinking of creating a new blog when we move. Say good-bye to Austin, and hello to our new adventures. Not sure thou.

Sick Week

(finishing up a penguin castle project)

(sick little boy)

This week our house was filled with the cruddy, crud. So we watched way too much tv, hacked our lungs out, had abundant amounts of snot, and pretty much are now recovery. I luckily did not get sick (knock on virtual wood). Every one else got the crud.

I did have a fabulous mani, pedi, facial, and massage today - thanks to my wonderful husband. This was my first facial and I'm sure how I feel about it. I was a bit claustrophobic and the extracting things out of my skin did not feel pleasant. My skin feels great now those, glowing and squeaky clean.

Noah swam with his teacher today - which was a big deal. Two weeks ago he was screaming and crying and couldn't even get through the lesson because he is so used to swimming with Kyle. That was break through today. We also feel we are at a point to stop to with the star chart for telling us he needs to go potty. Let's hope he doesn't regress. He has practically ever excavator truck known to man kind.

Eli also caught the crud. But he has remained pleased, if a little vomity. He has a funny laugh and such a calm demeanor. He has mostly wanted to be held during his sickness. And he discovered his foot this week. Kept holding it up and examining it, not sure what it was.

(the thinker)

Well time for bed, and reading. I've almost read 3 books in '09. My goal is fifty. We'll see.

Penguin Week

(Painting Baby Penguin)

(Tacky and Baby Penguin)

In the new year, I am attempting to have a theme a week for Noah. He just needs some entertainment and focus, and we watch too much TV. This week we tried to talk about penguins.

Books we read: Tacky the Penguin, Tackilocks, Three Cheers for Tacky, Penguin, and Penguin Pup for Pinkerton.

Movie we watched: Happy Feet

Crafts: We made a penguin using a toliet paper roll. I found a worksheet for making a toilet roll penguin. My penguin (the nicer one) is named Tacky and Noah's is named Baby.

Another craft I am hoping to get to - maybe tomorrow - is creating a marshmallow kingdom for the penguins. I bought big and little marshmallows and the plan is to glue them and build a kingdom on top of a cardboard covered with aluminum foil. Sounds fun.

He's into frogs this week. I'm thinking of find some frog crafts for next week.

Eli watches us or sleeps. Some day he'll join in the fun.

Dance Show

Just got back from Noah's first dance show. He had a bad experience a couple of weeks ago because he had to wear and funny hat. Apparently the other girls laughed at him. Of course his hat was completely different from the others. Maybe that's because he is the only boy. We going to be on a break for awhile so I hope he continues to like dance class afterwards. I guess it won't be the end of the world if he doesn't keep dancing - he just looks so cute. I think it teaches him discipline too.

Ultimately, he did go up and dance. He didn't quit! And he was brave! Plus we bribed him with lots of cookies if he danced.

Made Blogger Easier

It is very late, and I have become the expert procrastinator. I figured out how to change the background finally. Well, blogger also made it easier. Blog for dummies! Thank-you.

My first semester of grad school is almost over. Unfortunately, I started off good, then the s... hit the fan. I've been keeping up with the things that I need to. We'll see.

Noah is almost, almost potty trained. It is a long process, and still not perfected. He trashed his room yesterday, took all his clothes out of drawers. Geez! He also was peeing on the carpet a couple of times. Don't know why, I'm guessing he enjoyed the designs he could make with his wee. He stopped doing that when we threatened to take away all of his toys.

Today we did crafty things. I need to plan a craft for everyday after school. At least while the weather is cold. We made a Hannukah wreath and a dreidel decoration. We had fun.

Eli is getting better at sleeping. He's been asleep for about six hours now. Wow! That's a first. As soon as do lay my head down, he'll probably wake up. That' kind of why I stay awake, because inevitably he's going to wake me up right?

He's already 14 pounds and super cute. He coos and smiles. He has a very different disposition than Noah, seems more content with his environment.

Things are plateauing for the moment. We are getting the hang of two kids and our crazy lives. Now we have to get ready to change everything with a big move. But that's not for a while.

okay...sleepy...sleepy....

Welcome

Eli Josiah
Born October 2 at 8:32 am.
71bs 12 oz, 19 and 3/4 inches long

And I thought life was crazy before October 2.

Arrrr...Matey

We be havin' awesome weather today. It's almost chilly and strangely fall like. Sigh, the sun is coming out.

We had fun this weekend doing free stuff. We built a pirate ship on Saturday and Sunday was Free Museum day, so we went to the Bob Bullock Museum for a little while, it was a little to dark and scary for Noah. Then we went to the Lady Bird Johnson Wild Flower Center, which is full of gorgeous flowers. It is also really calm and peaceful, and Noah got to run around, another plus.

We hope to put some of these flowers in a our yard some day, Snow on The Prairie.

Apparently, these days there is only one space between sentences. I have to really concentrate to break the habit of two spaces. Why doesn't this info make the news?

Arrrrr!

Dancin Shoes

(getting ready for dance class)

Dance class went well, he seemed to really like it. He is the only boy, hopefully, he won't notice or mind that for a while. He doesn't really get the moves, but he is watching and trying, which is something. And he gets to wiggle around and go nutso.

We have been telling Noah different names that his brother or sister might be and asking if he likes the name.

He keeps saying, "No, I want a brother (sister) named Mickey Mouse." We are no longer asking for his help in naming the baby.

Happy Grandparents day

to Mimi, PawPaw, Bubbe, Zeitie.

We had a busy weekend - We went to tot Shabbat on Friday, and Noah started doing some of the sign language for the Sh'ma for the first time, which was pretty awesome. Went for a run Sat. Noah is loving running and we need to find some kids 1ks to run. Also, went to b-day party for a fellow Pony (that's Noah's classroom) at The Little Gym. Oh yeah, and before went running we went to Gymboree - what a busy Saturday!
(the runner in training)

So today, I was tired, and we stayed up too late last night playing games with Kelly, Abram, and Jared. Which explains why we didn't do much today except recycling and a Goodwill trip. And tomorrow begins a new week, and classes start for Noah. We have a dance class tomorrow - new place, new teacher, hopefully it will go well. I had to deal with a tap shoe debacle this weekend - bought girl tap shoes when we needed boy ones (it's a tap/ballet class) -had to go exchange them, and now we are waiting for the boy tap shoes to come in -
oh the woes!

Above is what I will conquer this year! I will organize the dang garage. It would be nice to use,instead of parking our car in the sun. Slowly we are getting rid of crap. That's why I'm giving myself a year.

I'm looking forward to getting my Debbie Meyer Green Bags, which is going to save all my fruit and veggies!

I should be studying, but my husband is playing computer games and inspiring me to be lazy! Goooo lazy!

Must Blog More

or else I can't remember what I've been up too. I was looking at Noah's baby, baby pictures and trying to remember when he did what, first smiles, laughs, coos, etc. so I could scrapbook. I probably have it written down some where, as these days I start and journal and don't keep up with it.

Then AHA! I remembered I had a blog that I used to write more regularly on, and then I started think, well there's one way to start documenting things again.

Right now I can't remember if I'm 35 weeks pregnant or 36. See what I mean?

So to summarize what has happened over the past half a year -

--Baby 2 due Oct. 2. Don't know if it's a boy or girl. Will definitely need something to manage both kids great moments.

--quit my teaching job - YAY!

--taking graduate classes to work on Masters

--Noah talks a lot more, doesn't behave sometimes, spends time out in his room (not too much), he's very agreeable most of the time.

--spent our summer in San Antonio and Houston, many, many adventures there.

--now just chillin', well mostly studying.

So I guess I didn't miss out on too much...sigh...not sure where to focus.

Right now feels like the eye of the hurricane, until Baby Souflee arrives and then we'll see how life rearranges it self.

And tonight we are playing hide the night light with Noah. Well he is playing and we are annoyed by it. He yells and screams that he can't find his night light. We go in try to find it. Then Kyle says, well too bad, guess your going to have to sleep in the dark. Shut door, go back a couple minutes later....lo and behold Noah has found his night light. He just doesn't want to go to bed, and it's way past his bed time.

Gatti Town

What is it about winter and eating? I start off the day good, counting my points, then blow it all by going to Gattitown. I must need more fuel because I am freezing and need to create heat to stay alive. I must be resorting to living off my poor, lonely fat cells. Lonely fat cells need the companionship of fatty pizza cells.

Gattitown was fun. You have to pay the buffet price to even enter and then it is eat, eat, eat. Take a break, spend money on video games, and go back and eat some more. I like their set up over Chuckie Cheese. At Chuckie Cheese, the games, the food, and the singing cheese gang are all in one big room. At Gattitown, there are seperate rooms, a tv room, a dining area, another tv room, and the game room. Some peace can be achieved every now at then. Noah loved the bowling. I loved their desert pizzas. Kyle would have loved to eat more salad.

I am taking a break from my GRE cramming. Going to bed early tonight (hopefully).

To celebrate my finishing the GRE, we are going to Washington on the Brazos - a state park. We are very into state parks since we went to the Bentsen State Park in Mission. There are so many of them to see.

(Bird watching at Bentsen State Park)

Here's to hoping I do satisfactory on the GRRRRRRREEE tomorrow! Grrrr.....

Chicken Watchin'

Today we went to the Boggy Creek farm to watches some chickens. It was too cold, so we didn't stay long. Then we went to the Blue Hanger Goodwill for the first time. Wow, it's like a giant Ropa Usada but with more stuff like books, toys, houswares. The other shoppers were aggressive. That's Noah's new truck.

I think Noah ate grapefruit for the first time today, and ate it up. I found a recipe for broiled grapefruit in Cuisine at Home. You take half a grapefruit, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of coconut, then broil it for 1-3 minutes. Delicious! I just find the recipes, Kyle does the actually cooking. I think we'll be having that for breakfast tomorrow, and Noah get his own half instead of half of my half.

One more day until I take the GRE. I just don't think I can learn all that much more at this point. I've refreshed my math, and still suck at analogies, and my vocab. is too limited. Oh well! Wish me luck.

HAPPY 2008!

*The cousins watching the parade.
* Rocking in the new year.

I will try to write more.

We went to First Night and watched the parade. It was rather cold, as the day had been deceptively warm. There were some interesting floats and dancing bibliophiles with their carts.

Then we went to Charlie and April's to eat, drink, and play Guitar Heroes. I'm feeling like I want to play some more. I can learn how to play this game! It's quite taxing on the hand, eye, brain coordination. Noah went to bed, way past his bedtime, crying "rock out, rock out" because he wanted to play the game.

Here comes 2008 - may we all "ROCK OUT"!

Been busy...

...doing a little of this....

...saving Noah from this...
...some more of this...

...and of course this...and this...
Gotta love the lifestyle!!!

Happy Birthday!

to Noah!!! One year ago this sweet, wonderful boy was born, and we haven't sleep since! Oh well! We went on another photo shoot today. Put your order in for any of the above pictures!

11 months old

You at 11 months -

+ we can no longer block you into one area. You are everywhere, into everything. Especially the cabinets in the kitchen. I don't even think dropping a pie plate on your foot made you realize you shouldn't be in there. Hurrican Noah has made landfall.
+walking like crazy. Not the suavest, but you can't get enough.
+realizing cause and effect - playing with the glow worm and dancing to the music. Turning the tv off while we are watching it....grrrr....
+words are trying to be formed...ba for bottle...pa for puffs...dada...for mom and dad...you go brrrr when you are playing with your airplane or see a moving vehicle.
+you are pretty friendly. Smiling at strangers, handing people golf balls at the Children's Museum.
+want to eat everything thing...EVERYTHING...carpet fuzz, paper punches, grapefruit, chocolate pudding, green beans, granola bars, yogurt, turkey bacon...and yet you still want us to give you water in a bottle. A sippy cup is too tedious.
+you like reading, and know which page you are looking for when we are reading Wild Animals (the frog with the sticky feet).

The future: I've decided, you will only wear diapers and a t-shirt during the summer. It's much easier to change you that way, and we'll even throw on a paper of shorts - if we have too. We can go to the Children's Museum all the time, because now we are members. More experimenting with food, because we bought this neat contraption for veggies and fruits - The Fresh Food Feeder, but it has this mesh so you won't choke. We'll see.

Today we went to Oaxacan Tameleo - which was very good. The tamales are different. She doesn't use lard - she uses banana leaves. They were healthier tasting. This place also has a nice red mole. We'll probably be going there a lot - it's also extremely affordable. The tamarindo tea and fried plantains were all fabulouso. I also practiced my spanish - which is pretty poor - but it was fun to try. What is "to buy" in Spanish?

More fun at the Children's Museum.