Mr. Mac in Motion!

Really???

2011-06-07T00:04:00.000-06:00

It's now June, which means: I haven't done anything on here in months!! Ah well. Am I gonna beat myself up over it? Nah. I guess that's what I like so much about facebook... the opportunity to "blog" as much or as little as you'd like via that little box which probes, "What's on your mind..." Some days, chasing after a 2-year-old is quite enough, thank you. On those days, you won't hear much from me. On those days, the pitter-patter of little feet thoroughly compensates for the pitter-patter of thoughts frolicking through the wide open fields of my mind. :) Not to say that I'm an air-head, mind you...

Anyhoo.

Just thought I'd ramble about my latest undertaking: Babysitting. Or perhaps toddler-sitting would be more accurate. In a full-time sort of way. (Through the summer anyway.) Yep. Upon figuring the numbers, I'll be watching another 2-year-old for 40 whole hours a week! Because, apparently, I didn't think one 2-year-old was sufficient for my sanity... or lack thereof. So. All that to say: If it's currently been 3 months since my last post, during which time I've only had one toddler on the loose... it's pretty safe to say that blogging may very well be nonexistent this summer. Unless, of course, I find that this is the one thing that keeps me sane. :) I guess we'll see...

Another Tuesday...

2011-03-15T21:02:00.000-06:00

I've been focusing all my energy on getting caught up these last few weeks... I figured it was about time to post something a little more current. :)

Let me just start off by saying: Daylight Savings Time is killing me this year! I don't know why either. Oh wait. I suppose it could have something to do with the fact that, a) I committed to singing a special at church on the very Sunday DST occurred - so I had to show up there super early, and b) I also committed to watching my friend's kiddos the first part of this week - which means gettin' my booty outta bed at least an hour and a half earlier (i.e. TWO hours and a half earlier) than I normally would have. All while keeping the same night-time hours. Not a good plan when "springing ahead." Oh. And just so we're clear on this: I did not lose my hour - I would never be that careless. It was stolen from me!! Not to be returned until October... or is it November?... this year. *sigh*

But I digress.

In other news: We've decided that Mac should start using his own bed for nap time. Today was Day #1 in fact. Ever since we made the decision to transition him from sleeping-with-mom-and-dad to sleeping-in-his-big-boy-bed at night, it's been great! Well. There were a couple of kinks to work through in the beginning. (e.g. He'd wiggle his little self right out of bed and onto the floor which makes for quite an abrupt and thoroughly rude awakening. [p.s. Those toddler bed-guard contraptions are a life-saver! And sleep-saver!]) But for nap times, I would just put him on our bed since it's big and comfy... and then I could nap with him if I so desired. Aaaannnd... Let's face it. Most of the time, I desired. :) And, until recently, that's been just fine. Naps in our room, night-time in his room. No problems. But within the last couple of evenings he has started crying if we walk in the direction of his room and not ours at night. Then he'll point to our room and say, "That way, that way, that way!" And his volume becomes increasingly louder if we set him in his bed and say goodnight. In essence, he's cried himself to sleep these last few nights and I don't like it. Not one bit! So. All that to say: My hope is that he'll understand that all sleeping is to be done in his own bed from now on. GASP! Even when he's sick? Oh, don't make me answer that right now. I don't kn... Yes. Ok? Yes, even when he's sick. *sob* Although I reserve the right to re-open that topic for discussion at a later date...

Round 2.

2011-02-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

Well, Mac caught something else! Not the pukey flu this time but a different bug! The poor little dude has been achy, sniffly, coughing, sneezing, feverish, and had a sore throat now for almost a week! (Good grief, I sound like a NyQuil commercial!) But it's breakin' this mama's heart! I wish there were something more I could do for him than just dose after dose of Ibuprofen. Ugh. Maybe I should've asked the doctor about vitamins when we went in to see him on Friday! 'Course, Mac's probably still too young! Apparently, there's just not much a parent can do for their sick child until said child turns 3! Not even Chloraseptic spray for sore throats! And this was not just any sore throat. This was the I'd-rather-drool-because-I-just-don't-want-to-swallow kind of sore throat! So sad! :( Not to mention - OUCH! I guess for now all we can do is: lots of naps, lots of hugs, lots of fluids and a few doses of Ibuprofen in between all of that. Looking forward to healthier days ahead!

Flu, Flu, Go Away!

2011-02-19T01:14:00.000-07:00

Yep. We got it. That dreaded flu bug that's been kickin' everyone in the patootie. Thankfully, ours was of the 24-hour variety. Mac was pukey all day on Wednesday. I felt like I was gonna vomit that entire night (it's a wonder I got any sleep)! And Brent stayed home from work on Thursday due to a sour tummy and not much sleep... what with me tossing and turning, and then Mac joined us for the night since I just don't like him sleeping so far away if there's a chance he could vomit. We are on the mend, however. Mac seemed like his usual energetic self both yesterday and today. My tummy is still a little tender/ sensitive. Not eating much... but, then again, I won't be withering away from lack of food anytime soon. :) Maybe this is just the "boost" I needed to start my winter cleanse?!? Wish me luck!

It's Been A While, I Know.

2011-02-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

I think I might be ready to join the blogging bandwagon again... Not only is it a great creative outlet for me but I'm realizing that it helps me enormously in keeping track of Mac's growing up: from the smallest of accomplishments to the hugest milestones! (Not to mention keeping my typing accuracy in the "above average" range!) I'm not sure if I'll try to "catch up" or not... I'm thinking 6 months (or more?) might be a little much to worry about... but we'll see. For now, it's just good to be back!

Hello October!

2010-10-05T18:03:00.084-06:00

Fall is, by far, my favorite season. I love the crisp, cool mornings. I love the just-right warmth of the afternoon sun. I love the beauty in the changing colors of leaves. There's a sense of newness and of starting fresh as kids return to school. I love even this season of harvest and the comfort foods that go along with it: apples [pie], pumpkin [bread], corn [muffins... to go with the big pot of chili that's been in the slow cooker all day], potatoes [whether mashed with chicken and gravy or cut up in homemade beef stew]... everything is so scrumptious! And the upcoming holidays are so fun to decorate and prepare for! I also love being able to enjoy things that make me feel warm and cozy!: Hot Chocolate or a Chai Tea or Pumpkin Spice Latte, soup for lunch, new slippers or fuzzy winter shoes, and the best thing of all... the thing that most of us gals of the plus-sized variety truly love about the cooler temps: sweaters, fleece vests or jackets, cardigans, and sweatshirts!! YES!! :) Although... I'd have to say... even when I'm totally slender (one of these days, Lord willing) and living in my most fabulous swimming suit the entire Summer, I will never loathe Fall... or Winter for that matter... for making me cover up. Each season has it's own beauty. And they all need each other. Really. So here's to Fall! My fave!!

Beautiful Fall day along the Boise Greenbelt.

We're Baaaack.

2010-08-23T20:52:00.000-06:00

Not that I was gone for very long... but I just couldn't find an alternate web/blog site that I liked better. So. Here's the new plan: I'll do my blogging here with maybe a picture or two and then I'll post a link to any other pictures (that may apply to my post) on facebook... or Picasa. Either way, I'll post the link for easy access.

Here's a couple pictures just for giggles:

Pictures.

2010-08-05T18:10:00.000-06:00

So. I've added only a couple picture posts thus far. The problem I have now? I'm really not liking this new Blogger format. Seemed like it was easier before. At least, when I needed to make changes. And HTML editing is not my forté. It's really quite annoying. I'm thinking of trying something new. Any ideas for a better, user-friendly, easier picture-uploading, blogging website? The search is on. I'll keep y'all posted...

My Last Post...

2010-07-14T19:05:00.000-06:00

... was in APRIL??? I can't even believe it's been that long ago! Talk about slackin'! So, here's the deal-ee-oh: I really just have to get pictures on here, STAT! Especially since I've almost lost them, TWICE!! Luckily, the computer repair place we go to has been able to retrieve them regardless of viruses and crashed hard drives! We've been so fortunate! When our sad old hard drive crashed, I thought all my pics were toast! And we're talkin' Mac's whole first year and a half of life!! That would not be good. We even have an external hard drive... I really need to transfer all my picture files to it! Sure would save me a LOT of heartache! Ok, so... I'll be a picture-uploadin' fool for the next few days. I may comment on some but the majority will most likely be photo-only posts. Enjoy! And off I goooooo.....

Clean-Up, Aisle 1!

2010-07-09T17:50:00.001-06:00

I know I've already got pictures on Facebook of this unfortunate event... but just thought I'd blog about it too. :) This day, my oh-so-curious son thought he might like to know what it sounds and looks like to dump an entire cannister of sprinkles on the kitchen floor. And, while I do not have the technology to repeat the sound for you here, I can most certainly show you what the end result looked like...

Here's what I saw after I came running at the sound of pouring beads. Probably the best way I can describe the sound would be similar to one of those "rainmaker" things.

Wasn't me...?? You believe that, right??

Sure are pretty!! And mighty tasty too! :)

Also... quite fun to walk on!

The new foot design. You, too, can sport this new fashion! Just pour cupcake sprinkles on the floor and start walkin'! :D

Fletch

2010-07-06T17:05:00.001-06:00

Yay for reading! However, I'm quite sure that Mac is not into novels of this caliber yet but daddy thought it'd be a kick to have the boy looking at "Son of Fletch" while he was reading "Fletch." And here you have it:

Like father, like son...

Son of Fletch, that is. :)

July 4th - Weekend In Crouch.

2010-07-05T11:23:00.020-06:00

It really was a FABULOUS weekend away from the "city." We always have such a relaxing and fun time with our friends, Brian and Jen (and kids), in their cabin when they've invited us up there. And, apparently, the 4th of July is THE time to be there! I don't know that I've seen such a huge celebration & firework display in my life! Not only does the town of Crouch have a pretty amazing display, everyone brings their own and sets them off - right in the middle of town! Yep. Even the "illegal" ones! No one gets in trouble though. Law enforcement is just there to regulate things; making sure everyone is staying safe and not getting too crazy! Most likely taking precautionary measures just in case something does get out of hand. We just had to make sure to find a spot that was upwind of all the smoke floating around. It got quite hazy in town. But it was fun! The only disappointment? I didn't take ANY pictures the entire weekend!! Not until we were in the car and headed home! I grabbed my bag, opened it, and saw my camera sitting there at the bottom staring back at me! Frustrating!! So, here's what you get: a few insignificant shots from the car on our way back into Boise. Brent asked if I wanted to stop and get out. Eh. What's the point. It's not like we spent our time there. The things that really mattered: our friends, our retreat, our fun, the excitement of watching fireworks - none of that was captured on film. Click here for a little bit of what was captured... and here are a few pics for your immediate viewing pleasure:

Quaint little town.

At least the scenery was pretty!

Mac didn't feel too great this morning so he slept most of the way home.

Puddle Jumpin'

2010-06-29T11:19:00.001-06:00

We did it in college. But once everyone moved on to the next chapter of their lives, we thought it was the end of the puddle-jumping era. Who knew the era would return 15 years later? :) I guess kids'll do that to ya. Although... perhaps the era didn't end for Brent. He's one of those kids-at-heart... even moreso than I am. ;D Well. Today we couldn't resist. There was a huge puddle in the road across the street from our house and I'm pretty sure we heard it calling our names. So, of course, we just had to jump right in!

Got some video footage of our romp in the puddles, too. Hopefully I can upload it...

And then there's the beautiful sky that happened this evening...

Muddy, Muddy, Mud

2010-06-27T21:12:00.003-06:00

A sure-fire way to have loads of fun? Find a dirt pit and fill it with water!! Oh, and it helps to have a dad like Brent J who will do these crazy things with you. Yay for mud! :D And nevermind the very-dirty, very-wet diaper... it's all just part of the plan.

Sunny Days Are Here Again.

2010-06-26T20:56:00.001-06:00

Gotta love a nice sunny Saturday! Relaxin' outside. Not a care in the world... Oh, to be a kid again. :)

Summer Rain

2010-06-25T16:53:00.002-06:00

Warmer temp'ratures
Heavy raindrops falling down
An outdoor shower

Lawn Mowin' Day...

2010-06-22T16:24:00.002-06:00

...again. It's just a teensy bit cumbersome with an almost-18-month-old in your arms though, so I wouldn't recommend it. Verrrrrry slow going. :) Do you suppose Mac's gonna enjoy doing this later on just as much as his dad does now? Only time will tell. For now, he really likes "helping" his dad mow the lawn. And he cries when he has to come back inside because dad wants to finish mowing the yard before the sun sets. ;)

Joys of Gardening.

2010-06-21T13:57:00.002-06:00

How fun to feel the earth between your fingers! Even more fun when the experience is shared with your dad. Must be the dirt-boy thing I was talking about earlier. :) Nothing like getting some dirt under your fingernails for the sake of a beautiful garden though! Even I can handle that.

Dad + Dirt = FUN!

Taking a bread from the dirt to sit on a ball.

Good times!

And Again...

2010-06-20T13:15:00.001-06:00

This must be the new, "in" thing: Standing where we shouldn't really stand. Not because we can't, mind you. But mostly because it's a tad bit unstable. Kinda reminds me of that verse: "...Everything is permissable, but not everything is beneficial..." Heh heh. So here we are at Shopko... in the cart... standing up!! Oh good grief... this kid is gonna give me a heart attack! (But not before I grab my camera and snap a photo.) :D

Oh Me, Oh My!!

2010-06-19T11:55:00.002-06:00

It got awfully quiet in the dining room this evening. I knew Mac was in there so I went to go check on him. Here's what I found:
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...

Look what I can do, mom!

Doctor Visit!

2010-06-16T11:43:00.002-06:00

So. Yesterday's "Airborne Dirt" episode must've left Mac with a little speck (or 2) of dirt in his eye! He woke up this morning with a very red eye! To the doctor we went to see if there's anything we can do for him. And just to make for certain it's not Pinkeye! Got a prescription. Lucky me. I get to attempt to put drops in his eyes for the next 10 days!! *sigh* This too shall pass...

Jammin' out to some tunes at the doctor's office.

Here's a better shot of the red eye. Poor kiddo.

Ahh, Dirt!

2010-06-15T17:20:00.002-06:00

I think it must be the total sum of what the life of a boy is all about. :) Whether he throws it, eats it, drives his cars over it, digs it, makes mud out of it, rolls around in it... it's all about the DIRT! What fun! I know this picture isn't that bad... I'm sure it could have been (and will most definitely be) worse. But today was all about kicking the dirt around and throwing it in the air to see where the wind will take it. It may have been a little bit about eating it too. ;)

Sippin' Sodas With G'ma

2010-06-14T16:34:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday to G'ma Linda! She was able to come to Idaho and visit us for her birthday this year!

Always fun to go get a half-priced Sonic drink... and then share with G'ma!

My sweet boy! Such a silly squid. :)

Sunday Nappin'.

2010-06-13T16:24:00.001-06:00

Just a few pictures from today:

Mac and daddy catchin' up on some zzz's today.

Time to wake up! Two tired boys still wakin' from their naps.

Finally awake and playing outside!

Wal-Mart.

2010-06-12T18:23:00.003-06:00

I hate to admit it but we shop at Wal-Mart occasionally. Well. If I'm being honest, probably more than just occasionally. I suppose it's bound to happen when you live only 2 blocks away. Truth be told, I really don't like shopping there. It's too big and loud and generic. And even if you happen to see someone walking around donning a blue vest that reads: How May I Help You? on the back, be careful not to ask too difficult a question as it may confuse or irritate the person wearing it. I, of course, can't speak for all Wal-Mart employees... I do know a few fine folks who work for the company. And then there's the infamous peopleofwalmart.com website. Uff-da! But I digress. Anyway, today they gave me yet another reason to be a little miffed about the whole Wal-Mart experience. And it's not the fact that they gave my son about half a dozen Wal-Mart stickers on our way out the door... I could've refused them. But Mac loves stickers! So I thought, "Eh, that won't hurt anything." And I think about 10 minutes after we got home, he had them all on his face!! Therein lies the problem. It was funny and cute at first. But when he took them OFF of his face, within about a minute's time, several big red circles appeared!! WHAT?!? And they were still there the next day!! Oh good grief. My son apparently has a slight allergy to the Wal-Mart sticker glue? Well. I guess no more blue stickers from Wal-Mart. I'll stick (no pun intended) to the acid-free... and more colorful, I might add... Sesame Street stickers that I have to buy, thank you.

Park Time!

2010-06-10T16:56:00.003-06:00

Decided to go have some fun at the park this evening.

Not that these pictures need explaining at all... well... ok. Maybe the picture on the top row, 2nd from the left might need a little explaining. Yeah. The one where you see Mac holding his dad's hand and the bottom 3/4 of Brent's body. This, ladies and gentlemen, has become Brent's signature move. I think he likes the challenge of looking for something to hide his noggin behind. Not that it's extremely challenging. I mean. He IS 6'6", after all. And the "photo op" dialogue goes something like this:

Him: Ok, I'm readyyy.
Me: Yeah, but I can't see you.
Him: Just snap the picture!
Me: Okaaaayyy? *snaps picture*
Him: Ok. Lemme see...
Me: *shows picture*
Him: *chuckling* That's funny! C'mon, that's funny. Right? ...

I try really hard to not roll my eyes... but at this point I sometimes feel the need to remind him that Mac's gonna wonder whose hand he's holding in all these pictures. Aaaaaannnnd then I laugh. 'Cause, really, when you get right down to it... it's pretty funny. Who else wants their picture taken with everything but their head showing?! Funny guy.

More Cuteness.

2010-06-09T16:33:00.002-06:00

Peek-a-boo!

All smiles!

Apparently, he's okay with tagging himself at 6 dollars and 98 cents! Ha!

Cutest boy ever!! - And at such a great price!! ;D

Cutie.

2010-06-08T16:24:00.002-06:00

Just a couple more cute pictures from today. Here's Mac chillin' in the backyard:

The Joy of Music

2010-06-08T15:21:00.001-06:00

Brent decided to get his trombone out today! Can you believe we've known each other for over 18 years and I think this is the very FIRST time I've ever heard him play!! Imagine my surprise when he could still play a scale somewhat easily! Plus, the music guy at church has given him a couple of songs to practice in hopes that one day we'll have a horn section on the worship team. Brent's definitely hesitant about that... but with a little encouragement... who knows what will happen?! It'd be a great thing to see, for sure! Not to mention all the great fun we'd have watching our little "mini-me" following daddy around with his very own..... um..... mascara trombone!! ;D Love it!!

Hmm... I wonder if mom's mascara would sound like dad's horn? It IS just the right size, after all. :)

Ewww!

2010-06-08T14:55:00.004-06:00

I guess it's pretty safe to say that sweet peppers packed on April 3, 2010 will not make it in the crisper drawer for 2 whole months! :) Oops. We must've forgotten about them. Too bad, since Brent loves 'em! Bummer!! I'm also quite certain that the Flavor is now less-than-Royal. Heh heh. :D Goodbye mini sweet peppers!

Sunday.

2010-06-06T13:07:00.002-06:00

We all went to lunch after church and then had to say goodbye from there. G'ma, G'pa and Aunt Shawna had to return home today. So sad for us... but we'll see them again soon. Here are some goodbye pictures:

Mac, G'pa and Daddy

The Jacksons: Aunt Shawna, G'pa Bob, Brent (daddy), Mac, G'ma Nelda

Mac relaxing with daddy.

Day 2 With The Grands!

2010-06-05T12:58:00.001-06:00

Here we are on Saturday:

Reading with G'ma and Aunt Shawna.

Mac - bein' cute. :)

Here's Mac helping Aunt Shawna with her word search. :)

G'ma & G'pa Are In Town!

2010-06-04T19:21:00.047-06:00

You know it's gonna be a good weekend when G'ma and G'pa are involved! We had lots of fun spending time with them and Aunt Shawna! This is the first day we saw them:

Having fun with G'ma and G'pa playing with brooms and balls. :)

What kinds of fun things did G'ma bring for Mac?

Nadine was telling us about her trip to China - she brought pictures!

Aunt Shawna helping daddy with dinner.

Mac and G'ma reading a book together!

G'ma with her sister, Nadine.

Our Day.

2010-06-03T18:32:00.001-06:00

**As I work on getting caught up on 8 months worth of writer's block, there may be several posts that are primarily pictures only... with perhaps a comment here or there. Unless there's a major event that I can give a more detailed account of.** :)

Here are a few pictures from today:

Eek! This was crawling around my sliding glass door! *shiver!*

Mac's just chillin' on the recliner.

Havin' fun with daddy's "new" hat. :)

Memorial Day 2010

2010-05-31T15:17:00.000-06:00

Had some good ol' fashioned Memorial Day fun with friends today. Bar-b-que'n it up with burgers and dogs on the grill and then games that make you laugh out loud! Great day! Too bad I didn't get more pictures! Here's one I did get:

I just hope Mac is confident enough in his masculinity (later on in life) that he's not too embarrassed when I show this picture of him sitting at a Dora table and drinking from a Care Bears sippy cup... Ah, the joys of living with girls! :D

Handsome Guys!

2010-05-30T15:06:00.001-06:00

Here are 2 of the best looking guys I know! ;)

Also, not a bad place to eat sub sandwiches! If I could only remember the name of the place. :)

A Yard-Work/ Fix-it Kind Of Day.

2010-05-29T15:56:00.067-06:00

Yay! Now that the city irrigation has been turned on, we can turn on our sprinklers! And now that we've turned on the sprinklers (for the first time since living here), we can see what needs to be repaired! Unfortunately, I didn't think to get any pictures of the mess that occurred last evening... but we were completely surprised by what we found outside!! A LAKE!! It was a fairly small lake, truth be told, but I'm pretty sure that this body of water in our backyard could've been classified as a lake, nonetheless. :)

Well, thankfully we have friends who know how to deal with such outdoor plumbing catastrophes! Thank the Lord for Brian. He came to our rescue and instructed/ supervised Brent on what to do. And one trip to Lowe's and a less-than-$5 part later, the job was completed! Now our lawn shall be a fabulous grassy green color come the warmer months. :)

All of that hard plumbing work was apparently too much for Mac. He decided to come inside and take a snooze:

After all the yard work and snoozing, it was time to "fix" the truck with daddy:

And, once again, thanks to Brian, they fixed what could've been a huge ordeal at a mechanic's shop for minimal dollars! I think it was a $10 part this time to fix a turn signal with attitude. Stubborn thing! :)

Now, on to the front yard! We've got these huge, awful weeds growing rather quickly -as weeds tend to do- right next to the house! Brent went ahead and pulled one out today... OH MY WORD... talk about the hugest weedy-root-system EVER!! That small little section he managed to grab hold of was just about the size of his forearm!! Oh dear. I see a lot of weed killer in our future!

At The Park.

2010-05-25T15:10:00.001-06:00

Headed down to the park this evening just for a change of pace. The weather was nice, so off we went. There's lots of things to explore and fun stuff to do. Swings. Slides. Jungle gyms. Even ducks! (We tried to feed them but tons of other folks had the same idea, and they weren't hungry.) Oh. And here's my rant for the day: Where do people get the idea that it's okay to leave plastic bread bags on the ground after they're done feeding those ducks the stale old bread that's inside?!?!? Have we, as a human race, really not gotten any smarter when it comes to disposing of our refuse? REALLY?!?! Wow. I am seriously appalled and embarrassed by this city. Ok. Rant concluded. Now for pictures... of which there are several... so I'll put a couple here now, but click on this link to view the rest.

Cute Boy.

2010-05-25T14:57:00.001-06:00

Just one more photo from today:

Nap Time.

2010-05-25T14:47:00.001-06:00

Today I decided that Mac should try and take a nap in his own bed. I figured he's never gonna learn to sleep there if we don't transition somehow... so, he picked out a pillow that he likes and crawled up into bed to sleep. Ahhhh. Now I can shut his door and get some things done around the house that need to be done. Let's hope this trend lasts. :)

Dancin'...

2010-05-21T16:59:00.011-06:00

I really hope this video goes thru... it's hilarious! Mac is so silly - I have NO idea where he gets that. ;D

And... a cute, random picture:

Caught red-handed with dad's phone. :)

Backyard Fun & Friends

2010-05-20T16:30:00.002-06:00

I watched a couple of cuties today. My friend, Steph's, kiddos. Mac LOVES hangin' out with them! A nice change of pace and some good peer interaction. I've already posted the pics on Facebook so I'll just leave a link to take another look and one uber-cute photo!

Chillin' In The Backyard.

2010-05-19T16:11:00.001-06:00

Quite a nice day for relaxin' outside. To view more pics of today, click here.

Bed Conversion

2010-05-16T16:18:00.001-06:00

Well. We're thinking it's time. Time to change out the "crib" bars for the "toddler bed" bars. Mac's not sleeping in his crib anyway... so what's the harm, right? We're not getting much sleep and, really, we're willing to try anything to get him into his own bed at night. All night. So this is the night. We changed the bars and... he's asleep! For now. Quick! Let's take a picture of him sleeping in his own bed! And then hit the hay ourselves! Well, the thought was nice. It was probably only a couple hours before he was up and headed to our bed. *sigh* Nice try everyone. I guess we'll give it another go again tomorrow...

Carl's Jr.

2010-05-15T16:08:00.001-06:00

Had a little picnic next to the Carl's Jr. drive-thru today. Kinda fun... but a little bit weird. Folks would stare at us as they would pull into the drive-thru lane... I'm sure they were wondering what the heck we were doing there. Hm. Oh well. We just didn't feel like eating inside since it was such a nice day outside.

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-09T15:51:00.002-06:00

Went to one of my favorite places for lunch today: Chapala. My sister and her kiddos were able to join us and it was quite entertaining to watch Mac interact with his cousins. He would copy what they were doing... so I got a series of cute and funny photos of him. So sweet!

(It's taking forever for pictures to upload to my blog so I will try and add them here for you to view.)

Rack-Oh.

2010-05-08T15:41:00.002-06:00

It was quite the task, but we (and when I say "we" I really mean "Brent") got the spice/ jell-o/ cracker rack mounted on our pantry door today. I guess I did help a little bit. I may have turned one screw... but I mostly kept Mac outta daddy's way. ;D You wouldn't think it, but those doors are a stinker to get screws into! Anyway... the finished product:

Random.

2010-05-07T20:20:00.012-06:00

A few pics and a video from today:

Mac's learning how to drive. :)

Playin' with dirt.

Henry decided to join us outside for a little bit.

Some weird-lookin' moth/butterfly thing.

Our friend's kiddos invading Mac's room. :)

James & Chrysti weren't able to join us during our Open House so we invited them over tonight. Had a good time visiting with them.

James & his oldest boy, Caleb, working on a snake puzzle.

Dinner Of Champions

2010-05-03T20:12:00.001-06:00

Nothing like Doritos and Diet Pepsi for a pre-dinner snack!

Aunt Jodi's Birthday!

2010-05-02T20:05:00.001-06:00

Well, Jodi's birthday is today. So, since we had lots of leftovers from our Open House yesterday, we invited Jodi and kids over for dinner and ice cream! We had a good time visiting and being goofy. :)

Jacob didn't want to be in the picture. Party pooper. :) Mac filled in for him. Also, Jessica's friend Lindsey was here.

Mac & Dad

2010-05-02T19:59:00.001-06:00

Just a couple pics from today:

Open House!

2010-05-01T12:34:00.001-06:00

Well, this was Open House day for us. Thought it would be fun to have people over to see our new place and where we're located now. We planned for a lot more people! We had leftovers comin' out the wazoo!! It was, however, a nice quiet and relaxing time with a few friends... who thought it would be fun to be silly and pose for a couple pictures. It was only disappointing in that more of Brent's co-workers weren't able to make it. We really wanted to tell them "Thank you" for helping us move into this place. Oh well. Maybe next time. There were also a couple of family members who came a little later to visit. All in all, a good day. Plus, now my house is clean for a few days. :)

Makin' Messes

2010-05-01T12:17:00.001-06:00

Seems to be one of Mac's favorite things to do. He's just so curious. If it pulls out of a box or unrolls or is easily "dumpable" Mac is bound to figure it out. And then mommy gets to have fun cleaning up. Of course, if that's the case, I gotta get a couple of pics of the messy guy in action... or at least a pic or two of the mess itself. This one happened to not be so bad... but there are more to come. I'm sure of it.

Mac's Chair

2010-04-28T21:52:00.001-06:00

Well, since it's too cold to take the patio chair out to the patio these days, he likes to sit on it inside... preferrably while watching tv. :)

A New Chair

2010-04-26T21:38:00.001-06:00

Here's Mac tryin' out his new patio chair:

Handsome Boy

2010-04-25T19:07:00.002-06:00

Sportin' some fine lookin' duds for church today.

Sleep Happens...

2010-04-24T18:46:00.001-06:00

...sometimes when you least expect it. Doesn't even matter how good the food tastes. When you're tired, you're tired!! 'Nuff said.

Cranky Boy

2010-04-23T18:08:00.002-06:00

Here's some proof that we all have our days! Laid-back, easy-goin' and mild-mannered are all words I would typically use to describe Mac... most days. Today was a bit of a different story, however. I don't even remember why... perhaps it was nap time. But as you can see, there weren't even too many tears. Sometimes it's all about how much noise you can make... :)

Lawn Mowin' Day.

2010-04-21T16:58:00.002-06:00

Well, we've been in our new house now for almost 2 whole months and we have yet to get a lawn mower. Brent's gettin' antsy. Because yard work is one of the most fun things to do when you own a house! Just in case you didn't know. :) Plus, after 2 months of nothing but wet sogginess, the grass is bound to grow, right? But thanks to our good friends, the Reisenauers, we were able to borrow their lawn mower so Brent could get the job done. It was quite an event, lemme tell you. Mac and I even went outside to watch. Riveting, I know. That said, here are the accompanying pictures to prove how much fun we had:

Life... N' Stuff .

2010-04-16T17:32:00.001-06:00

I have been slacking on my blogging entries, yes, it's true... But I have good reason these days! I have been chasing after a fast-walking 1-year-old! I realize that it doesn't take much speed on my part since he's not quite running yet. There are, however, obstacles. Toys galore tend to get strewn about this house on a daily, nay, hourly basis! And now that he is upright and can reach the 2nd- and 3rd-from-the-bottom shelves, I've had to find new homes for some knick-knacks, CDs, DVDs, books, etc. He gets quite proud of himself if he reaches something from the desk or table top and he's developed a new game: Pull Several Things Down And Take Off With One Thing While Mom Is Picking Up The Rest. It's a fairly long title so we shorten it to: The Pull And Run game. Or the other game: Tear A Piece Of Paper And Watch Mom Come Running (or "Tear And Watch")! It could be any piece of paper, mind you. If I'm in another room and I hear something tearing, I come a-runnin'. It's most likely the bulletin from church last Sunday... but Brent's got shelves and shelves of books so I've always got to make sure.

Anyway, I'd like to get "caught up" on my blogging again but I'm sure that's easier said than done. I'm afraid the majority of my "catch-up" entries will most likely be pictures only. With maybe a caption or two here and there. I know, I know... you're all just crying about that, aren't you? None of this witty banter to look forward to. Just pictures. Boo hoo. :D Because I'd like to focus on the present-day achievements. If Mac does something funny or scary... or if he uses a new sign (yes, we're learning sign language) or just scrapes his knee for the 1st time... ideally, I'd like to sit down and write about it "in the moment." I'm realizing that the longer I wait to write about it, the harder it is to remember exactly what happened. Welp, time to get crackin'!

p.s. Yeah, this entry was started on February 20. I just finished it today!!

Just As Cute As Can Be!

2010-04-15T16:38:00.002-06:00

Some backyard fun with my boy and his big blue "bah" - what fun! I couldn't decide which photos to post so, once again, here are a couple for your instant viewing pleasure... To view the rest, click here.

Bein' outside is so much fun!! Mac just loves it!

It's even better when there's a huge bouncy ball to play with! :)

Mac-a-doo!

2010-04-14T16:24:00.001-06:00

Just a couple photos from today:

My little explorer!

Such a cutie!

Just Mac...

2010-04-11T16:01:00.007-06:00

...Bein' silly as all get-out! You sure can make us laugh!

Yes, he can actually reach the doorknobs now! Yikes! :D

He's got that pointing thing down, I think. And he LOVES exploring too... in and over and under things.

My little paper boy! It's way more fun to wear little bits and pieces of the phone book, you see.

Just kickin' back, chompin' on puzzle pieces.

Random Road Trip

2010-04-08T13:26:00.003-06:00

What a great day to just go for a drive! We were feeling a little restless so we decided to head out. Not necessarily out of town... just out. Sometimes it does wonders to just take a look at our surroundings and reconnect with nature. I took quite a few pictures of just random things - too many to post here - so click here to see the rest. Here are a couple of teasers:

Back atcha, babe.

A bit chilly out... but lovin' it!

Pheasant?

2010-04-05T13:18:00.001-06:00

Saw this in the yard today. The pictures look phoggy because I took 'em through the window. Didn't want to scare off our new phriend. ;)

Oops! Looks like we scared him off after all. :)

Mac In The Box

2010-04-04T17:26:00.001-06:00

Well, we got some new little storage ottomans and Mac just thinks those are the best things to climb in and out of. And, of course, too many pictures to post them all here so if you want to take a look, click here. Here's a teaser though:

Happy Easter 2010!

2010-04-04T17:21:00.003-06:00

A short, short snippet of Mac's first real Easter egg hunt because I think my battery was dying. :( But it was so cute and fun, nonetheless.

Hoping everyone had a fabulous Easter! HE IS RISEN! :)

Sticky Wicky

2010-04-04T16:53:00.002-06:00

Ok. Seriously. What is with the post-it notes? I mean. Really! Apparently there's just something about a little yellow square sticky piece of paper that just fascinates Mac. Whenever he can get his hands on one, he savors it like a piece of fine chocolate. It makes the rounds: on the forehead, in the hair, between the binky and the mouth... usually ending up on the bottom of the foot - no kidding! He just loves paper to pieces! Sometimes literally. Only when it has lost all it's stickiness, due to the enormous amounts of dirt, hair and fuzzies that have clung to the back, will it be introduced to the round file - the file I have come to know and love. :) Nevertheless, he's always content with his sticky and is always on the lookout for more.

The Sticky.

On the forehead.

Between binky & mouth.

In the hair. So fun! :)

Little Helper

2010-04-03T16:33:00.002-06:00

We were making our bed today - I know, shocker! - and Mac decided to help out. And by "help out" I mean: plop down on the blankets so that we couldn't finish making our bed right away... not without getting a few pictures first, anyway. :)

Funny Kiddo

2010-03-30T14:49:00.001-06:00

Another couple of pictures:

Another Monday...

2010-03-29T14:41:00.000-06:00

Just a few pics from today:

Cutie pie. By the way, we're lovin' the sliding glass door! Lots more light coming through... makes things brighter!

Sweet boy.

Found some new dishes for Mac at Target today. I may try to incorporate this design into his bedroom décor! So cute!

Couldn't even wait for his bed... Tired boy! :)

I also took a few more pictures of our place today... wanted to show the progress we've made with unpacking and getting things in place. Take a look here. We found out we have both colors of Bleeding Heart flowers in our front walk. So pretty.

Pantry Perils

2010-03-28T13:50:00.001-06:00

Now that the pantry sits near the kitchen, there's easier access for curious little people. And then the contents of said pantry somehow find their way onto the floor. Ho hum. Yet another day in the life of a mom... :)

Just A Little Snack...

2010-03-21T13:34:00.002-06:00

... on a Sunday morning before church. :)

Yeah, um... I'm thinkin' by the looks of these slacks, he'll be needing some new ones real soon!!

Can someone say: H i g h W a t e r s?! ;)

Blue & Orange Day

2010-03-13T19:33:00.001-07:00

For no particular reason... Just thought this was a cute outfit. :)

Cute boy!

Clams???

2010-03-09T17:16:00.001-07:00

I realize they're smoked but still... my child is eating CLAMS!! I guess that means he's definitely his father's child too!! :) Funny guys!

Diggin' right in!

Mmm, tasty! :)

Daddy is so proud! ;D

Backyard Fun

2010-03-07T15:32:00.003-07:00

Here's our new backyard! Fenced. And wonderful. :)

Lovin' our wrap-around yard!

Here's the Playhouse in the daylight

Looks like we're gonna have to build some stairs.

T.P.

2010-03-01T12:42:00.001-07:00

Well, isn't THIS fun?!? I guess moving into a new house gives license to unravel the toilet paper and shred it to pieces. :)

Apparently, t.p. between your binky and your mouth feels pretty good. :)

Bits and pieces on the floor.

Unraveling...

More aftermath...

Caught red-handed. :)

Our First Night!

2010-02-28T14:16:00.002-07:00

Everyone was so efficient in their moving efforts that most everything was moved to the new place in one day! We were able to sleep in our own bed, too! It was on the floor, mind you, but it was our bed nonetheless. Wow! It felt great to be in our very own house! Our FIRST house together! We didn't have Mac's crib set up yet so he got to sleep with us too. :) Lovin' how the sun is beaming in through all the windows! We'll need curtains, of course, but it's a refreshing change from the sunshine being blocked by big university buildings and filtered through awnings. And the only evening sun we got over there was just a reflection from the windows on the Natural Sciences building across the street! So much for "natural." :)

Move-In Day!

2010-02-27T12:49:00.002-07:00

Talk about a looooooooong day! We rented a U-Haul truck to make things faster and it still took 2 loads in the U-Haul and a few other "regular" truck loads!! We have a LOT of stuff!! We need to have a yard sale, BAD! :) And now we have our own space where we can have it! Heh, heh. We're fortunate to have several good friends who were able to help us out today! The husband of one of Brent's co-workers is even a professional mover! He's not a huge guy so we were wondering how he was lifting all that heavy stuff! I think he was just doing it the "right" way! We'll also have to head back over to the Holly house at some point to clean, clean, clean! Here's a link to check out our not-so-bare-naked house. It's quite full now and can seem totally overwhelming if I look at the big picture. I plan to just take one room at a time. Moment by moment, day by day. If I break it down into little segments, it's definitely doable. And I know exactly where to start: The Kitchen! I know it'll help to have dishes and utensils in their places. Yay for new beginnings! :)

My starting point.

The Master bedroom was Brent's starting point. :)

"Helping" Us Pack

2010-02-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

Can he lift it??

YES HE CAN! ;)

Yeah. There's really nothing in that box.

Pretty sure it was dad who stuck him in that box. :D

This is one package we're NOT moving without! :)

Climbing!

2010-02-25T21:41:00.001-07:00

Yep, we have a climber!

Standing... on the box!!

So proud of himself.

Takin' a break. All that climbing is hard work! :)

Movin' In - First Load!

2010-02-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

For pictures of our mostly bare-naked house, click here. We got the keys a little bit earlier than we thought we would so we decided to head on over with a few boxes and other miscellaneous things. Fun times! :)

Happy boy!

Playin' in his OWN room. Had to bring over a few toys for starters. :)

House Signing

2010-02-23T21:08:00.002-07:00

Well, this is it. Today we signed the papers for our new house in Idaho. I think I didn't do much blogging about it because, well, quite frankly, the process was so grueling and we weren't even sure we were approved for the loan on the house until a couple days ago when we made the appointment to meet at the title company to DO this thing. (In fact, to be completely honest, I'm pretty sure all this house stuff is the reason I'm having to go back and do "catch-up" on my blogging. I was too overwhelmed and just downright busy to do any writing let alone much else.)

But today is what we were waiting for. Signing our lives away. For a house in Idaho, no less. We thought for sure we'd be in Portland or one of it's surrounding towns, at least. Looks like God wants us here for now though. I wasn't as nervous about signing as I thought I'd be. I was surprisingly calm about the whole thing as a matter of fact. Maybe that's what 'they' call "having peace" about it all. I was completely ready to move out of the rental into a place of our own, especially now, with the market being what it is. Can't really go too wrong with paying only $50 more for ownership than what we were paying in rent per month!

Getting Ready For Church.

2010-02-21T20:57:00.001-07:00

Rocket Riding

2010-02-20T17:28:00.007-07:00

This was so cool until mom decided to put the quarters in... and it started shaking seismically! Oops! :(

Think I'll watch from back here... this seems like a safe enough distance.

OK. I'm ready to get back in now that it's done shaking!

Checkin' this thing out on my own terms... :)

Boxes Are Fun!

2010-02-18T14:41:00.003-07:00

Wheeeee!!! What fun!!

Ready To Go!

2010-02-17T14:05:00.001-07:00

Mohawk, Faux Hawk.

2010-02-12T12:43:00.004-07:00

Best smiling faces pic, but...

...This is the best view of the mohawk. :)

Daddy's Birthday

2010-02-10T21:42:00.003-07:00

Happy Birthday Big Guy!! Welcome to the BIG 4-OH!! :)

Tucanos: Our new favorite!

The Birthday Coupon. He gets a free meal!!

Father & Son at Tucanos

The 3 of us.

Then we had a little surprise waiting at DQ: Cake and guests! :)

That's a lot of blowing for ALL those candles!

OH NO! Trick candles! They kept lighting up again! We finally had to get a cup of water for them!

There's a little someone who loves BALLOONS! Even if they say "Over the Hill." :)

Goofy Guys!

2010-02-07T15:40:00.002-07:00

Mac has recently decided to use his new mini card table as a fort. And today, daddy decided to join him under there. Awesome fun! :D

Helping Pack

2010-02-01T13:37:00.002-07:00

Well. I had been looking all over for that lime juice! That's one of the fun items that Mac would pull out of the fridge... not because you could hear it slosh around when shaken, but because there turned out to be a bit of a leak in the lid and Mac loved sucking on that sour juice! I'm not sure from whom Mac inherited his propensity for all things sour... ;D (*cough* me.) He loves it though. And even gets mad when I take it away!

So this morning, as I was trying to decide where to start, I thought I'd have a look inside an open box that was on the floor to see what had already been packed in it. I found quite the treasure! Not only did I find the lime juice... I found a book, a hand-held video game, a plushy Piglet, a fire truck, Mary & one of the Wise Men, and a couple other miscellaneous toys.

Now, I'm not sure if these were the select few that made the cut or not. But whether these were the keepers or the tossers made no difference in the long run. Either way, it made for a great picture! And I'm sure Mac was proud of his "packing" accomplishments! What a great little helper!

Sunday.

2010-01-31T13:35:00.001-07:00

A relaxing day. A little bit of packing. A little bit of sleeping. It's all good. :)

At this point we don't even know yet if we're really moving... but we've got so much to pack, we thought we'd at least get started by packing the non-essentials. I'm sure we've got our work cut out for us!

Packing is hard work. Time for a much-needed break. :)

Yay For Snow.

2010-01-30T18:50:00.001-07:00

It hasn't been an overly cold or wet (i.e. snowy) winter and I'm afraid the summer may get quite dry if we don't get some more precipitation soon! So I say "Yay!" for any rain or snow we do receive! Bring it on!

Startin' Early

2010-01-30T18:46:00.001-07:00

Takin' after daddy with the video games already??? :D

Open Up & Say: Ahhhh

2010-01-27T18:31:00.003-07:00

I'm not sure what "Dr. Mac" is looking for inside daddy's mouth... I think things in there are just interesting to a 1-year-old. :) And I suppose a PEZ dispenser works just as well as a tongue depressor...?? ;D

Someone In...

2010-01-25T16:26:00.002-07:00

... Roseburg, Oregon Loves Me! Hmm. I wonder who that could be? :) When we looked in Mac's drawer for an outfit today, we came across this! And now he's big enough to fit into it! Yay! So, G'ma and G'pa Jackson (and Aunt Shawna), this one is for you!

Cousin L.J. Turns 11

2010-01-23T15:23:00.001-07:00

His birthday is actually on the 19th but we got to celebrate today. He invited a couple of friends over but his siblings alone make a pretty full house! :) It was fun. And I'm pretty sure he had a good time too.

Pushing My Buttons

2010-01-22T18:34:00.002-07:00

Mac learned something new today. He learned that when you push certain buttons, you can make things turn on and off. Like... the little red dot next to the power button on the tv. Great. :\ This could be fun...

Wednesday.

2010-01-20T18:03:00.003-07:00

First up: play time. Sometimes I think he'd rather play with the plastic tote more than the toys that go in there! Of course, when tipped upside-down, it makes for a good climbing bench. ;) I guess there really is proof of having played with the toys that go inside the tote, however, since they're all over my floor. :D

Next up: getting a big, fat lip after falling, no, diving face-first onto the hard wood floor! OUCH!! His first fat lip. He cried and cried. It bled and bled. And bled, and bled, and bled... And bled. Mommy was nervous and called the doctor. Apparently, lip lacerations tend to bleed a lot! Tried to get Mac to suck on a cold wet wash rag. No such luck. He didn't want anything to do with that. Had him drink a little bit of cool water. Drinking is a hard thing to do with a fat lip. It got a little slobbery. I finally just gave him a dose of Tylenol to help with swelling and pain. Talk about a hard day! I hope that doesn't happen again anytime soon! In fact, never would be just fine with me.

Mission: Impossible?

2010-01-18T17:38:00.007-07:00

Nah. It shouldn't be. It's just a stroller, after all! Right??

Well, that's what I thought before I dumped all 83 pieces out onto the floor! Some assembly required?? How about: Let's face it, you're going to have to put this whole thing together by yourself!?!

Ok then. Let's get started. Hmm... so maybe there are just 9 pieces (+nuts and bolts), but it seemed a little daunting, nonetheless. ;)

First, attach the locking rear brake system.

One wheel down, two to go...

Second wheel connected. This isn't so bad after all. :)

Whoops. I spoke too soon! That front wheel was a bugger! But I got it on there. I think the fact that it swivelled made it harder to deal with.

Now for that front fender... Lookin' good!

Here's Mac's tray.

And the little steering wheel he gets to have fun with. The little horn even beeps. :)

Now for mom's tray. This goes at the top of the stroller. And even has a hidden compartment.

ALL DONE!!! :)