Rest in Peace, Dr. Arana

Today, our good friend, Jose, lost his father to cancer. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family! We love you!

Happy Father's Day, Nutz!

We love you!

Happy Father's Day, Big Ira

Happy Father's Day, Big Ira! Thanks for being such a GREAT dad and papa all of these years! We love you!

Our Little Ballerina

Snow White, the Gardener

Mommy's Little Boy

You look so distinguished.

CC was dressed in her ballerina costume this morning. As she looked at herself in the mirror she said, "You look so distinguished." Yes, she was talking to herself.

My Sweet Boy

Birthday Dinner

Tonight, we celebrated CC's birthday with her friend, Bella.

Happy 3rd Birthday, CC!

We love you, CC!

CC's 3rd Birthday Party

The New Play Set (Pictures)

The New Play Set (Video)

Sweet Singing

Our Little Gardener

CC is CRAZY!

Princess Potty Party

Today we (Bonnie, Bella, CC and I) had a princess potty party at our house. Auntie Anne was visiting so she, too, was here to participate in the festivities. It was a LOOOONG day but a successful day!

To see the book that we used, go to Teri Crane's website.

Potty Party Videos

Watch these videos, too!
Is that poop I smell?
Sitting on the Potty

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was GREAT! I have two of the most beautiful children and the greatest husband EVER! CC potted some flowers and painted the pot for me. She also made me a beautiful Mother's Day card. Nutz had the most beautiful roses delivered and my in-laws sent some chocolate-covered cherries! Yummy!

We spent the afternoon at the Behr's for a bbq. As always, it was a great time!

CC's Art Show

Today, we attended CC's art show at her school. As you can tell from the pictures, she is quite the artist AND she's very proud of her work.

CC and the Dinner Table

CC loves to be mommy's helper. In the picture below, she set the table while we had company.

Deuce is growing!

Today I had to move from the newborn diapers to size 1. How'd I know? I was holding baby brother and the pee leaked out of the diaper and onto me. He's also getting too big for the newborn clothes. So, I've started packing those away and dressing him in the 0-3 months size.

Yay for rich boob milk!

Deuce Weight Update!

At the doctor today, Garrett weighed 9.12 lbs. He's gained 3 lbs in 5 weeks. That's our boy!

Happy 9th Birthday, Cayleb!

Happy Birthday!

Today is Deuce's one month birthday! We love you!

Message from daddy...

Thank you, granny!

My grandmother (CC and Deuce's great-grandmother) stayed with us for the past 2 1/2 weeks. She was A LOT of help and I could NOT have made it without her. THANK YOU!

April Pictures

Silvia's 2nd Birthday

Today we celebrated Silvia's 2nd birthday. Here are the pictures...



Happy Birthday, Silvia!

A message from daddy....

Our First Family Picture

Deuce's First Doctor's Appointment

Deuce is here!

Deuce joined the Nutz and Crackerz family on Sunday, March 28 at 10:19 am. He weighed in at 6 lbs and was 20 inches long. He was welcomed into the world by his big sister, Crazy Crumbz. As you can see in the pictures, she is CRAZY about her "baby brother."

Day 8: Emotional Day for Mommy

Perhaps it was shear exhaustion after a busy Saturday, but for some reason today was an emotional one for me.

CC and I stayed in our pjs until 11 or so. We enjoyed a quiet morning hanging out with each other. That included breakfast (well, she didn't eat but I did), playing, "working" on the computer (CC on her laptop and me on my Mac), and a video conference with daddy (no audio though since there were people still sleeping in his "room").

CC and I had a few errands that we needed to get done today. She's making a surprise for her daddy and we had to pick up some items from the store. She's super cute when she talks about the surprise. We met grandma Kathie for lunch and, as always, enjoyed her company.

We were able to talk to daddy several times during the day, something that won't happen as often once he heads overseas. So, we're enjoying every call/video conference we have with him.

We spent the afternoon with the Arana family. It's been a couple of weeks since CC has seen the girls so she was very excited. In fact, when we turned onto one of the streets near their house CC exclaimed, "I'm so excited!" When we arrived, the Arana girls came running upstairs to see CC. I'd say they were really excited to see her, too. As always, the girls played and played and played. Laura fixed us a nice grilled chicken salad that was yummy and she bathed CC so I wouldn't have to when we got home. Thank you for everything. Thanks for letting me get teary-eyed when talking about Z (you know how I hate to cry in front of people)! You guys are great friends and we love you!

As you know, we had the "spring forward" last night. So, I thought it'd be wise to NOT let CC take a nap. That way, she'd be ready to go to bed at the new 7:00. She was tired BUT she was also very cranky. She cried for her milkie the entire way home and was very whiny when we got here. She calmed down once she had her milk and we read stories in her bed. I was only able to read a few before she drifted off to sleep. I'm so thankful to have such a sweet girl! She really is a lot like her daddy! I love you both more than you'll ever know! Hugs and kisses!!

Day 7: A Very Busy Day

for Crackerz and Crazy Crumbz.

Bonnie and Bella came over before the parade and we enjoyed breakfast cooked by mommy. Granted, it wasn't daddy's cooking but it was good. After breakfast, we made our way to the parade. It was really overcast and looked like it might rain at any time. We didn't care, we were going no matter what. We parked the cars at the beach parking lot and walked to the parade. We were smart enough to bring the girl's strollers so they'd have somewhere to sit. We were NOT smart enough to bring a chair for us. There were a LOT of people at the parade but we found a great spot at the corner where the parade turns off the main drag. And, talk about people watching. There were some really interesting people at the parade...both watching and participating. I still think that we need to get a group together and build a float. We'll need to come up with a really creative name and theme. I think we could do it!

"Daddy" went to the parade with us also and I think both he and CC had a good time.

After the parade, we came back to our house and let the girls play for awhile. It's fun to listen to them problem solve over sharing toys, princess dresses, etc. :-)

I was exhausted so I tried to get CC to take a nap with me. NOT! However, I did get her to lay with me for about an hour so I could rest. I needed to rejuvenate for our afternoon St. Patrick's Day party.

Prior to leaving for the party, we were able to have a videoconference with daddy. As always, it's great to "see" and talk to Nutz. CC LOVES it!

The party was a BLAST as always! The food was GREAT and the company was AWESOME! CC is quite the social butterfly; I'm not sure where she gets that trait?! I don't think she slowed down once we arrived. She was so excited to see all of her friends: Ben, Nate, Caroline, Jacob, AJ, Skylar, and Bella. They played outside for the majority of the time. Thank goodness the weather was GREAT! Towards the end of the evening, Bonnie and I took the girls inside. They found the beads and some wild hats. You can only imagine how much fun they had. Take a look for yourself.

"Daddy" seemed to enjoy the party, too.

Our long day ended with a quick bath, some books, and a phone call from daddy! It's always nice to end our day talking with daddy! We love you!




Tomorrow is another day and who knows what CC and I will get into...

Day 6: Friday

It's Friday! As much as I'd like to say I'm excited, I'm not. The nights and weekends are always the hardest when Nutz is away. However, we do have a busy Saturday planned so that helps make the time go by.

This morning when CC woke up the first thing she asked me was "where's my daddy?" I reminded her that he was in South Carolina. Her reply, "near Nancy." For those of you who don't know, Ms. Amy's daughter is Nancy and she lives in SC. I think it made CC feel better knowing that her daddy had a "friend" nearby.

Time to get dressed before we go downstairs...CC chose a short-sleeved green/brown dress and wanted to wear brown sweat pants. I FINALLY was able to talk her out of the sweat pants and put on brown tights. BUT, I was not able to talk her out of socks and tennis shoes. She told me that she needed to wear the socks and shoes to help her run fast at school. Okay, who am I to argue with that?

It was another rainy morning so CC wore her mermaid raincoat. I do believe that she'd wear it every day even if it's not raining. P.S. I hid her yellow rain boots so she wouldn't want to wear those with her cute green/brown dress. Next on my list is to hide all of the heavy jackets (once it warms up) and other items that I don't want available for her to choose from. I know, bad mommy.

CC had a nice day. She went to school and Ms. Amy picked her up. From there, they went to the gym (had lunch in the car) and then played for an hour. Afterwards, they spent some time at Ms. Amy's house. CC LOVES to go to Ms. Amy's house after school.

I, on the other hand, spent the morning at the chiropractor. My back and right hip are KILLING me. I don't remember having these issues when I was pregnant with CC but then again, I wasn't 38 years old either. Anyway, doc did his adjustments and Tasha spent 1 1/2 hours with some deep tissue massage. I'd like to say that it's a relaxing time but it's NOT! I feel like I've had a good workout when I'm done. I thought the chiropractic adjustment would help my headache! NOT! Guess the headache wasn't from my neck. So, I came home and tried to take a cat nap. Nope, that didn't work either. I really want this head cold and sinus "stuff" to go away. I'm sure I'd feel 100% better if it did.

CC came home around 4 and we spent the next hour or so playing in her room and upstairs. When I asked her what she wanted for dinner she told me mac n' cheese. So, I made mac n' cheese. Did she eat it? NOPE, she had yogurt and water. I guess she'll eat when she's hungry. At least she takes a multi-vitamin.

It was time for bath and for whatever reason, she didn't want any part of that routine tonight. Too bad, she was taking a bath. It was a fight from the beginning. And, daddy called during this time. But, CC was too mad to talk to him. OOPS! I finally got her in the bath tub and gave her a quick bath ONLY to have to fight with her afterwards to get dressed. This is what took place after we got out of the bath tub:

Mommy: "Are you sad?"
CC: "No."
Mommy: "Are you mad?"
CC: "Yes."
Mommy: "Why are you mad?"
CC: "Because you were counting."

Yes, that's the conversation that CC and mommy had after a "not so fun" bath time tonight.

Counting, you might ask? When we want CC to do something and she won't or hesitates, we count backwards from 5 to 1. In most cases, it works. But NOT tonight. She wanted NOTHING to do with me, a bath, or getting dressed.

Finally, she was dressed for bed and very apologetic (mommy's a sucker) so I gave in and let her come back downstairs with me rather than go to bed. We sat on the couch and watched "Babe" and ate popcorn. Finally, around 8 went to bed. She was tired and so was mommy. I think we made it through 3 books before she was out!

Tomorrow's a big day: St. Patrick's Day Parade and a party in the afternoon.

Day 5: Thursday

This morning, CC decided to wake up around 6:30 calling, "mommy, mommy." I love her little voice. I'm glad that she's not in a rush to get out of bed so that we can snuggle, read books, and talk. While cuddling, CC told me that she wanted her daddy to be at her home. Yep, I had to fight back the tears. She is CRAZY about her daddy!

I asked CC what she wanted to wear to school and she said, "the brown pants, they match my hair." Okay, I guess that's one way to pick your clothes for the day. At least it was running this morning so I didn't have to fight with her about wearing two jackets and gloves. It was an easy choice for her to wear her mermaid raincoat (thanks grandma and grandpa, she loves it).

CC loves going to school and I'm so glad. I really look forward to our short drive to her school in the morning. It's amazing the things we talk about during this time. This morning she asked me if I had any money. I wasn't sure why but I handed her a penny that I had. She asked me if she could take it to school and I told her know. Instead, I told her to put it in the door. What I meant to say was to put it in the pocket in the door. Next thing I know, CC put the penny in the door (down the slot where the window goes). OOPS! She told me what she had done and asked for another penny. Being the good mother that I am, I gave her one. In her polite way, she said, "thank you mommy for finding more money for me." She is a sweet girl but I am biased.

I had a LOOONG day of training. My body, in it's current state, is NOT meant to sit for 4+ hours. Granted, I was conducting the training but the space was so small that there really wasn't much room for me to "roam" like I want to when training. So, I could barely walk when the training ended around 2:30.

When I got home, CC and Ms. Amy were in her room reading books and playing. CC was dressed in a princess dress, tiara, and high-heeled shoes. She told me, "mommy, I'm a beautiful princess." Yes, she is!

CC received some special mail today; a postcard (on an MRE packet) and a letter from her daddy. Her face lit up when I told her she had mail. When I finally read the letter to CC, I needed a box of tissues! We called Nutz and left him a voicemail so he'd know that his CC received her mail. It's obvious how much Nutz loves CC! I did good picking a husband. :-) I love you, Nutz.

Our afternoon/evening together is filled with fun and challenges. We painted, colored, played with animals and Diego train set. She made some pictures for her daddy and told me that she'd give them to him when he came home on the airplane. :-) She did NOT want to stop for dinner (and I wasn't too hungry) so I asked her if she wanted to eat upstairs (in the office) and have a picnic. She liked that idea. When I asked her what she wanted for dinner, she told me "princess soup and crackers." She LOVES chicken noodle soup. Thank goodness it comes in a princess variety that is low sodium. Ms. CC had her princess soup, crackers, applesauce and water upstairs on her table. The chairs are too small for me so I sat on the floor. I'm sure you can imagine how uncomfortable that is for a 7 1/2 month pregnant lady.

After dinner, we had bath time and bed time. I really love this time with CC especially now that we can talk about our day and all that's going on in our lives. Okay, it's not too deep a conversation but it's still fun!

Tonight, CC wanted to read books to me, so I let her. She read "Polar Bear, Polar Bear what do you hear?" and "I'm a big sister." I love listening to her "read" books. She got a new book on Sunday called "Daddy and Me." It's a short book with few words but it's about a daddy and baby bear who are really close. She wanted me to read it to her. Afterwards, she told me that she wanted the daddy recorder. Nutz recorded a message for CC on the recorder that goes in her daddy doll. I got it for her and we must have listened to the message 20+ times. It says, "Hello Cupcake, it's your daddy. I love you! Now, go smack your momma on the butt." She thinks it is the GREATEST thing ever! She finally fell asleep holding the recorder tightly in her little hand.

Then, the phone rang but CC didn't wake up. Nutz had a long day of training and called just a few minutes after CC fell asleep. So, they didn't get to talk tonight. However, I did and it made my day/night.

Day 4: Wednesday

I wasn't able to sleep in my bed last night so I found my way to the couch. It's amazing what's on the boob tube during the wee hours of the morning. Fortunately, I'm a Fox News watcher so I was able to catch up on Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Greta Van Susteren. I'm not sure why I bother since the news does nothing more but get me all worked up.

I'm still not feeling 100% and really wish this head cold would go away. Yes, I should probably go to the doctor but really, what's she going to give me?

At 6 am, I heard a little voice calling from upstairs, "mommy." So, I went up to wish my sweet girl a good morning. She wanted to snuggle so we stayed in bed and read a few books. While reading books, CC started crying. I'm talking real tears rolling down her face. I asked her what was the matter and she didn't answer. After several attempts, she finally told me that she didn't want to go to school. WHEW! I was expecting a different answer. We cuddled some more and decided to get our day started. As I've mentioned before, it's MUCH easier on both of us if I dress her when she first wakes up. She is very opinionated and knows exactly what she wants to wear and don't you dare try to give her something else. Lately, it's been her socks. She's very particular about what color socks she wears. And, they have to match her outfit.

Combing her hair is another story. CC has the finest hair and every morning she wakes with a knot in the back of her hair. Bonnie was kind enough to get me a couple of different kinds of conditioner (leave-in and spray). I used the leave-in the night before but still, a huge knot. So, this morning, it was another "fight" with CC to let me comb her hair. I admit that it's a huge blur now but remember it being quite stressful this morning.

As we were preparing to leave for school, CC informed me that she was wearing her yellow rain boots and that she needed her brown jacket, her "big jacket," and her gloves. Mind you, it wasn't raining and the weather was beautiful. I tried to talk her out of them but NO, she had to have her way. So, CC went to school with yellow boots, a jacket, a vest, and gloves. I guess I should be thankful that it wasn't 80 degrees outside.

On another note, today was the first day with our new cleaning lady. I worked from home so I could be here with her. She worked HARD from 9 am until almost 4 pm. Of course, this first time was a deep clean: windows, blinds, lots of dusting of trinkets (which we don't have many), etc. When CC came home and walked into the door, the first thing she did was hold her nose and say "puey." We went upstairs and she checked out her bedroom and bathroom. When she saw the bathroom she said, "Oh my, it's very clean." I think she appreciates a clean house. Not that our house wasn't clean before, Nutz always did a GREAT job! But now that he's not here, someone needs to do it. And, he was kind enough to "allow" me to get a cleaning lady. Love you, Nutz!

While CC and I were playing in the office, she wanted some paper and tape to make a picture. So, I gave it to her. When she was finished she brought her art work to me and told me that it was for her birthday which was June 8. Hello? I didn't realize that she knew her birth date. I'm always amazed at what she does know...thank you Ms. Amy and Ms. Tatiana.

Dinner is always fun with CC. While Nutz was home, she took over his chair at the head of the table. And, that continues now. CC has become quite a picky eater so I have to "trick" her to eat some items. My latest trick is to let her "cut" her food with a new kiddie knife that I bought for her earlier this week. Tonight she had kielbasa (she thought it was a hot dog), cottage cheese, mandarin oranges, and green beans. For whatever reason, she didn't want any rice.

Bath time...what a fun time. CC's friend, JD, sent her some bath tablets and she LOVES to put two colors in the tub to see what color it will make.

Bed time...again, CC wanted to be in her "big girl" bed so we read books and waited patiently for daddy to call. CC was able to stay awake to talk with him; a great way to end the night for all of us! Each night, CC sleeps with her daddy doll and her pillowcase that has lots of pictures of her and daddy. Her daddy doll protects her from the "monsters" under her bed. The "monsters" are from one of her books and they consists of a dust bunny and spider. :-) CC was fast asleep by 7:30.

Me, I couldn't make myself sleep in my bed so I found my way to the couch again. Maybe I'll just sleep with CC in her bed. :-)

Until tomorrow...

We love you, Nutz!

Day 3: Tuesday

My sweet little girl is growing up. Tonight after bath time we read books in my bed and even talked to daddy on the telephone. When all was done, she said to me, "mommy, I want to sleep in my big girl bed." I was excited that she was so independent but was sad that I wouldn't have her to snuggle with during the night. So, we moved to her room where we read a few more books before she drifted off to dreamland.

Day 2: Monday...

This morning when CC woke up, the first thing she asked me was "Where's my daddy?" We talked a little about what daddy was doing and then we snuggled for awhile. I'm glad she's a snuggler like her daddy.

In an attempt to NOT fight with CC in the mornings about her clothes, I've started dressing her for school when I change her morning diaper. It sure beats the alternative if I try to do it later. Now, if I could just figure out how to keep the knots out of her hair. It's not a pretty sight trying to brush her hair in the mornings.

Our day was pretty normal: I dropped CC off at school and then I worked from home. I'm still not feeling 100% so getting dressed and driving to the office is NOT something I want to deal with right now.

Ms. Amy picked up CC from school and the two of them spent the afternoon together. Thank you, Ms. Amy for taking such good care of CC.

When asked what she (CC) wanted for dinner, she told me "soup" so that's what she had. I don't have much of an appetite so that worked for me. It meant I didn't have to really cook dinner for us.

CC and daddy were able to video conference this evening and I think it made them both VERY happy (me, too). It's so cute to watch CC interact with her daddy on the computer. When it was time for Nutz to go to dinner, CC proceeded to kiss the computer screen and tell her daddy good bye. :-)

Then, it was bath time. I'm so glad that CC LOVES to take a bath. It makes this time of the evening so much easier. The only problem is her NOT wanting to get out of the bath tub.

CC and I snuggled on the couch after bath time (since we took one earlier than normal) and watched "Say Yes to the Dress." This is NOT my choice of shows to watch but CC loves to watch the "princesses." She had a long day and was extremely tired so we went to bed early. Again, she slept with mommy. I think this is more for mommy than CC. Perhaps we'll transition back to her "big girl" bed this weekend.

And finally, my sweet hubby called to tell me good night! A great way to end a Monday! We love you, Nutz!

Day 1: Our First Sunday...

without Nutz was spent with some morning retail therapy at Target and TJ MAXX. Then, Grandma Kathie and Papa John called and invited us to spend time with them. So, we enjoyed a nice lunch at Baker's Crust and then spent the afternoon at their house having a tea party, playing dolls, and doing everything else possible to keep our minds off the fact that Nutz was not with us. THANK YOU Grandma Kathie and Papa John for always making us feel like we're part of your family. Grandma Kathie and Papa John both took pictures of CC (one with sunglasses and reading the menu and the other with lipstick on her face) and sent them to Nutz via the phone. Isn't technology great?

We did enjoy several phone calls from Nutz today which is very nice! We both love to hear his voice.

We finally decided to head home around 5:30. Yep, CC wasn't ready to go and wanted to stay. But, Grandma Kathie was finally able to get her to the car and in her car seat. We came home, took a bubble bath, and snuggled in mommy's bed. And that is where my sweet little CC is now at 5:52 am on Monday, March 8.

Sunday Morning

CC had a good night's sleep in my bed. She woke up this morning around 7 calling for me. When I went upstairs to get her, she asked, "where's my daddy?" I told her that daddy was on a trip and she said "No, I want my daddy at home." It's going to be a LOOOOONG deployment.

We love you, Nutz/Daddy!

Today was the day for which CC and I had to say goodbye to Nutz/daddy. Goodbyes are never easy but they are especially hard when you try to explain to a 2 1/2 year old why her daddy won't be coming home tonight. :-(

I'm very thankful that we had an additional two weeks to spend with Nutz. I don't think I was mentally ready for him to leave in February. Okay, so I wasn't ready for him to leave today either. But, it did give us more time to spend together as a family.

On Friday, we had some friends over for taco night. Typical Nutz/Crackerz, our last night together and we invite our closest friends to spend it with us. For me, it's much easier dealing with a stressful situation when surrounded by people who love and care about you. And, we have the BEST friends EVER.

Our Saturday morning started out like any other, Nutz cooked breakfast (farmer's special: the leftovers from taco night made into a delicious scrambled egg concoction) for us. I'm sure there were still lots of things that Nutz needed to get done before his early afternoon flight but he made time to spend it with CC and me. I'm sure that CC knew something wasn't normal. Mommy and daddy don't typically cry as much as we have over the last several days and she is very observant: "mommy are you sad?" "mommy, why are you crying?" "mommy, are you sick?"

We left the house around 1:30 to run an errand before going to the airport. CC was so tired from the party the night before that she fell asleep on the way to the airport so she wasn't even awake when we dropped off Nutz. So, when she woke up she wanted her daddy. I'm glad he'd been talking to her about his "trip" so she somewhat understood that he was on the airplane going on a "trip." Nutz recorded a message for her and she's been carrying it around for the last several days. She played it in the car yesterday and started crying and saying, "I want my daddy." Yep, I broke down and almost had to pull the car off the road.

Nutz also wrote Regan a special letter and I read it to her when we got back to the house. It was tough to read without balling my eyes out. I did cry and then CC began crying as well. It was a good 10 minutes before she calmed down. Nutz also recorded himself reading some of their favorite books. So, I was able to talk her into going upstairs to watch daddy reading books. She loved it!

We spent the afternoon/evening with our friends, Bonnie and Bella. It made the evening a little better spending it with friends. On the way home though, CC informed me that she wanted her daddy and that he'd be waiting for her at home. Again, I tried to explain to her that daddy was on his "trip." When we pulled into the driveway she saw his car and said, "daddy's here." UGH! Needless to say, she was VERY disappointed when I reminded her that daddy took an airplane to go on his trip. She cried for another 15 minutes.

We finally settled down for the evening by cuddling in my bed. At one point, CC said to me, "Mommy, I want to be close to you so I can pinch your neck." This is something that she does to her daddy when she's tired. We snuggled for awhile before she finally fell asleep.

CC is a tough little girl but because her daddy is such a special person, she'll get through. She has her daddy doll, daddy/CC pillowcase, daddy's video of book readings, daddy's voice recording, and lots and lots of pictures! And, she's looking forward to the letters her daddy is going to mail to her.

CC and Nutz have a special relationship. If you've ever been around them for any period of time, you know exactly what I mean. I can only hope that I am a good enough substitute for her daddy while he's away. He's a special man and I'm very blessed to have him as my husband and the father of my children!

We love you Nutz/Daddy!

PS If you want to keep up with Nutz, check out his blog.

College Fund

Momma says, that if I dress like this and hang out on the corner in the "View" I can make enough money to pay for college!

Chores

That is the last time I say the "grand daddy of all profanity"....at least while mommy and daddy are in earshot!

Thank you

Thank you grandma and grandpa for my uber cool mermaid rain coat and umbrella. It will come in handy when I go out trolling in the rain! Baby brother likes his new duds as well!

CC and Mommy

Family Pictures

It's been over a year since we had family pictures taken. So, I wanted to get some taken before Nutz leaves. After looking at the bags under my eyes and my fat belly, I shouldn't have waited.

CC's First Time Ice Skating

After the movie, CC and Bella wanted to go ice skating. So, Nutz rented some skates and took turns with the girls. It was a sight to see. :-)

CC's First 3D IMAX Movie

This morning, we went to see Whales and Dolphins 3D at the local IMAX movie. This was CC's first movie that happened to be 3D and at the IMAX. She had a great time as did her friend, Bella.

CC and Daddy

Happy Birthday!

Bath Time is Fun Time!

Big Sister and Baby Brother

Here is a side-by-side picture of CC and Deuce.

More pics of CC....

Baby Brother @ 31 Weeks

Tonight we had a 3D-4D ultrasound. CC enjoyed seeing her baby brother on the tv but she was a little concerned, at first, about her mommy. When I first got on the table for the tech to start the ultrasound, CC stood on the stool next to me and started rubbing my tummy. Deuce was a little slow to begin with but once CC started singing some of his favorite songs (Old MacDonald, Twinkle Twinkle Little Start, Hokey Pokey), he started cooperating. :-)

More Ultrasound Pics...

taken from our camera.

Ultrasound Pictures (Video)

Baby Brother Moving

Phrase of the Day

Our little princess is growing up so quickly and it is amazing what she learns as she goes. Today, she wowed mommy and daddy as we ventured out into the rain to drive to the 3D ultra sound of baby brother. Baby brother pictures will be up soon, momma needs to watch 24 first.

Anyhow, sweet little CC in her cute voice told all within ear shot in the car that;

"It's F&%king Raining!"

Sooo, I wonder where she learned that? I am half inclined to blame the nanny who is after all married to a Navy chief. However, sweet little CC was bellied up to the poker table last night with a bunch of helicopter pilots who may have been drinking some beers. Or, could it have been momma's meltdown the other night? I know it could not have been her loving father who would never use such vulgar language in the company of impressionable ears. I did nearly get into a car accident for I was laughing sooo hard after momma and I eyeballed each other. On a bright note, little CC was accurate in her observation, it was f**ing raining!

Note from mommy: Unfortunately, we know where CC heard this word. OOPS!

Beer and Naked Butt Dance

Today at lunch, CC promptly told Ms. Amy and I that when she grows up she's going to drink beer.

Then, after going pee pee in the potty, she ran into the office where I was working and said, "I'm going to do the naked butt dance."

Beer and a naked butt dance. Yep, we're going to have our hands full with this one. :-)

Brunch at The Chamberlin

This morning we had brunch at The Chamberlin with grandma Kathie and papa John.

Here are some pictures...

We have a date...

CC Loves to Pretend

This afternoon I wasn't feeling 100% so I went upstairs to lie down. I wasn't there long before CC decided to visit. :-) She crawled into bed with me and told me that I was "CC" and she was "mommy." She promptly said, "I have a headache and need an ice pack." "My back hurts, please rub it." I have NO IDEA where she's heard those things.

Bed Time

I am still the bed time guy and I do really enjoy it even thought it is a bit long at times, especially when cupcake decides she is not ready to drift off to sleepy land and build castles with the "Sand Man".

So tonight we were snuggled together in the "Big Girl" bed.  The light had been turned off after a tearful rendition of the book I cannot finish, thanks Anne.  A little Peter in the Pan and a slight struggle to turn of the light.  So there we were sitting in the dark, my little princes with her killer blue eyes, infectious smile and juvenile sense of humor.  Daddy, rough and gruff with a three day beard growth.

What was my little princes doing while waiting to drift off to sleep.....

Picking her nose and wiping her boogers on my shoulder!

at least they are little boogers ;) 

It worked, she fell asleep... Maybe I will try this with my wife tonight?

CC's Valentine's Day

In preparation for our Valentine's Day party, CC made cupcakes AND put together Valentine's bags for her friends.

This morning, she enjoyed opening her Valentine's Day presents. Her favorite: doctor kit (doctor's coat included).

A blast from the past...

I created this video for our wedding. It's resurfaced again so I thought I'd post it here. :-)

Happy Valentine's Day!

to my wonderful husband!

CC's Big Girl Bed

CC's "big girl" bed arrived on Monday and she LOVES it! She spent her first night in the bed on February 8 and tonight will be her second. So far, it's been a great move! We're transitioning from one nighttime ritual to a new one but still haven't defined what "it" looks like.

Happy Birthday!

I love you, Ms. Amy!
Crazy Crumbz

A Beautiful Birth Story

My friend, Kim H, shared this birth story with her Facebook friends and I wanted to share it with my blog readers.

Enjoying the Small Things, Nella Cordellia: A Birth Story

Unless you're ready for a really good cry, don't read it.

CC as Miss Independent

We have a very independent daughter.

The other night Nutz was getting some Motrin for CC. Well, Miss Independent wanted to help so she promptly said to Nutz, "Let's work together, daddy." :-)

Last night, Nutz was preparing to give CC her bath and he proceeded to turn on the light in the bathroom. Well, that was not okay with CC. She proceed to go to the bathroom, turn off the light, and turn it back on.

And finally, she is VERY independent (and a perfectionist) when it comes to putting on her jacket. At school, she has learned to lay her jacket on the floor and then flip it over her head to put it on properly. Well, if Nutz puts it on the floor the "wrong" way, CC tells him, "Daddy, that's not the perfect way."

Thank you!

My friend, Vicki (on the left), arrived in Afghanistan yesterday to start her 7 month tour. Please keep her in your prayers.

Check out my new bumper sticker...

Winter Snowstorm in "The View"

Or, click here to go directly to the album.

For some reason I see momma doing this?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJriDAhIIQs

A Father's Premonition

I was cruising down the street the other day and I had a thought, just one mind you, however, it was worthy. I thought it would be very cool one day to go to an auditorium, or concert hall, and see little CC at center stage, dark all around with the spotlight right on her with a fiddle under her chin, cowboy hat, mini-skirt and some boots and thumping away to the "Devil Went Down to Georgia"

The Devil Went Down To Georgia...

Too good not to share...

A drinking game for tonight's State of the Union Address AND a group on Facebook to promote it. Whatever it takes to get people to watch/listen. :-)

Visual Representation...

of the scope of my work (and proposed workload). Oh yeah! On top of this, I'm having a baby (c-section) in April (and would like to take maternity leave) and my husband is deploying for a year. Hmmm....What am I stressed about!? I'm wonder woman and I can do ANYTHING!!!!! NOT!!!!! Family first, family first, family first!

Did I mention that there's NO ADDITIONAL staff associated with this virtual summer school? So, all of those jobs listed above (except teachers) belong to me.

Mommy Dilemma Follow-up

This morning (in the wee hours of the morning), I was reading the New York Times and ran across this article about moms being the sole income earner in the home.

My purpose in posting this article is NOT that I have an opinion either way (stay-at-home dads are better or stay-at-home moms are better), just found it ironic that this article was written during a particularly stressful time in my life. In fact, I think each family is unique and needs to do what is best for them. And, why do some people (particularly women) feel the need to judge other women about their choice, whether it be to stay-at-home or work?!?

What I really want to know is if a man would be put in the same situation that I've been placed in: family or career?

Grammy's Birthday Song

Happy Birthday, Grammy!

We wish we could be there to celebrate with you!

Love,
Nutz, Crackerz, and Crazy Crumbz

The Mommy Dilemma

I realize that I'm not the first mother to face this dilemma. But, each of us is different and must do what's best for ourself and for our families.

This past year at work has been a busy one for me. I AM (with one full-time instructional designer) the E-Learning Department. Other than my full-time ID, I have no support staff and no back-up person.

For those that aren't sure what I do, I'm the E-Learning Manager at the local public television/public radio station. We're unique in that 18 public school divisions (SD) own our assets. As far as I know, there isn't another station like this in the US.

I'm responsible for the development of online student courses (textbook-independent, media-rich. highly-interactive). The courses we develop are the equivalent of a textbook, for which most of you are familiar. All of our courses are developed to meet, at a minimum, the Virginia Standards of Learning (VA SOL). Our teams are made up of 2 subject matter experts (for which I interview and hire), an instructional designer, project manager (me), and a content area review team (for which I coordinate, moderate, etc.) made up of multiple people from the participating school divisions. Part of the review process is a phone conference that typically occurs in the afternoon and can run as long as 2-3 hours. Currently, we are developing 4 courses: Algebra II/Trig, Biology, Geometry, and VA/US History. These courses are to be completed by July 31, 2010.

Another part of course development is course refreshment. Once a course is complete, it's not forgotten. We have a plan to revise ALL courses when new VA SOLs are released by the VA Department of Education and modernization updates. This process requires the same staff: project manager, instructional designer, and two subject matter experts. Currently, we have three courses that need to have this done: Algebra I, Earth Science, and VA/US Government. We haven't even started.

The third component to course development is the removal of some videos that were included in our original courses because the license we have to use them is going away. So, we need to review 8 courses (Algebra I, Earth Science, English 9, English 10, English 11, English 12, Personal Finance and Economics and VA/US Government) to remove the video clips and write replacement content. Again, this requires the same staff as original course development: project manager, instructional designer; subject matter experts. We haven't started.

Another responsibility that I have is to attend meetings related to E-Learning and travel to school divisions to assist them with planning for E-Learning. I also am required to present at local, regional, state, and national conferences.

In addition, I'm the regional Desire2Learn (D2L) Administrator. In this role, I'm responsible for being the D2L "expert" for all 14 school divisions (soon to be 18). In this capacity I do the following: coordinate/facilitate the creation of ANY new D2L site for new SD; hold monthly meetings with each of the SD's D2L administrators; provide escalated technical support to the SD; submit ALL technical issues to D2L and report results back to SD; coordinate all D2L upgrades with D2L (vendor) and the 14 SD; upload ALL completed courses to the 14 SD's D2L sites; provide D2L training to D2L Adminstrators; provide D2L training to SD staff (when requested); and be aware of, share/educate, and coordinate the demonstration of any new products available to the 14 SD.

THEN, last week we (my employer and the 18 school divisions) were awarded a $2,412,648 grant. The grant starts IMMEDIATELY and all associated activities must be complete by September 2011. With this grant, I'm now responsible for developing an additional 12 courses. This includes the interviewing/hiring of the following support staff: project manager, 4 full-time instructional designers, an assessment specialist, rich media developer, and 24 content developers. AND, act as the project manager for 6 of the 12 courses.

On Friday, I was told that I'd also be responsible for managing the implementation of a regional virtual school for the 18 SD which will run a pilot this summer, 2010. Yep, that's this summer. Well, if you're not familiar with a virtual school, no worries. It's the equivalent, if not more work, than running/starting a traditional school. You still need similar support staff: principal, curriculum specialist, technical specialist (it is technology), registrar, guidance counselor, and clerical support. This is NOT a comprehensive list, but you get the point. At this time, I AM all of those positions because there are no resources to hire anyone. With the help of some of my colleagues in the local school divisions, we created a 4 page document of items that include decisions that need to be made (by people much higher than me) and ALL items that must be completed before/during/after the summer school term. I admit that it was a bit overwhelming. But, I knew that since I've run a virtual summer school before AND I was the entire staff. It's not easy and I told myself that I'd never do it again. Ha!

There are those of us who love to work and love what we do. In fact, for me, I feel that being a working mom makes me a better mother. The time I spend with CC is special. Why can't I have both? I haven't spent all these years busting my butt to have to choose one or the other. This issue doesn't even take into consideration the fact that Nutz is going to be deployed for a year. Throw that on top of everything else (too much work for one person, who likes to produce QUALITY work, to feasibly manage) and you get one STRESSED out Crackerz.

And, this doesn't take into consideration that there is no one to "fill in" while I'm on maternity leave (at least not as of January 22) . So, does this mean that the expectations are that I work while on leave so project deadlines are met?!

What really makes me MAD is that I have to choose. For those of you who know me, know that doing things half-way is NOT acceptable. I pride myself in giving 100% (work and personal) AND it's not fair to my family or to my customers (18 SD) to give anything less. Hence, my dilemma.

What are mothers to do? Do fathers deal with the same issues? Just curious.

Freckles

During bath time, I said to CC, "You have a freckle." She promptly replied, "You have freckles everywhere, mommy."

Yep, this is me on most days!

Me at 25 Weeks

I haven't done a very good job of posting "me" pictures during this pregnancy. Here's a picture of me (taken today) at 25 weeks, 3 days.

PS Ignore the mess in the background.

CC and Bella

We had the opportunity to spend the day with Bella while her mommy worked. CC and Bella had a GREAT time hanging out with each other. We even took a trip to Sam's Club where the girls had a hot dog and Sprite. After the tiresome shopping trip, they fell asleep in the car so we drove around. :-) Never wake a sleeping baby/kid, right?

Here are some pictures of their day.

Football Party

Grandma Kathie invited us over to watch the Jets-Bengals playoff game. If you didn't know, she has a family member who plays for the Jets.

As you can see from the pictures, CC and her new friend, Annabelle, had a fun time. And, I ate way too much. Note to self: move away from the table if you're not hungry.

Grandma Kathie's Birthday

CC and I helped Grandma Kathie celebrate her birthday by attending a surprise party at one of her favorite local restaurants. All four of her children were able to be here as was her brother from Louisiana.

I love Ray Stevens!

CC and Nutz Dancing

Random January Pictures

Christmas Afternoon with Arana Family

Better late than never...

We spent Christmas afternoon with the Arana family. Great food and great friends! We love you!

New Year's Day

We spent new year's day with our good friends: Arana's, Behr's, Pino's, and Tavalozzi's.

I didn't do a very good job of getting pictures of everyone. We did have a house full; 8 children between the ages of 1 and 5. It was like a daycare.