Would you do me a favor?

Would you please pray for my sweet friend Monica? We met at the Blissdom blog conference in February and sat next to each other the whole time. She had just found out she was expecting then and was thrilled to be pregnant. This was actually her fifth child to be expecting, but she has just one son, Seth.

I got an e-mail this week that they had discovered that her baby's heart had stopped and she delivered him on Tuesday. You can read the whole story here. I hadn't posted it before because I wasn't sure if she was up to sharing information, but she has stories and pictures on her blog. Please visit, comment and say a prayer for God's grace and caring hands to be wrapped around them and for the strength of their family. She is a strong woman of God, but I can't imagine the road she is traveling right now.
Thanks!

Let me, let me upload

Hello blog land!

Happy Friday night before a long weekend. We are doing thrilling and exciting things tonight like replacing a garbage disposal. I hope your evening is just as romantic.

What our week has lacked in the romance department has been made up for in the busy department. I thought I would just upload a little bit of visual love as to what's been going on this week with us.

{I have been trying to get these dang pictures on the blog from using flickr and I'm having a hard time. It seems to be a common problem from what I've read, but if anyone knows any special tips, I would gladly accept them. Thanks!}

Wednesday afternoon, Henry found this awesome ladybug outfit and insisted that I put it on him.

He played and played and was having so much fun; he even added a necklace to the ensemble {found in the dirt}!How could I possibly tell this little man that this is a DOG COSTUME? I couldn't. So, he was happy and played as a lady bug. UNTIL, after dinner we went out for ice cream! {He had to be de-ladybugged for public consumption.}

Ollie had gotten SUCH a good report at pre-school that I promised him a special trip to get ice cream! I have plenty to say about this, but the short version is that Ollie is not such a big fan of school. His favorite things are running, screaming and playing outside. And at pre-school, they want you to learn letters, sit and listen to stories and do art projects. You can see how the two ideas collide.

But Wednesday, Ollie's teacher told him he could read the names off the job chart that day IF he sat still and participated in circle time. AND HE DID IT! This is really a huge accomplishment. {Too bad she only thought of this bribe the last week of the school year.} So, I was so excited to hear a positive report without the mention of jumping, throwing or hitting - and actual OBEYING- that I brought out the big guns.

There are no ice cream pictures because our children can't eat it fast enough {obviously not OUR children} and we were just trying to lick/ wipe ice cream. But, our little Bruster's around the corner does have awesome sidewalk chalk.

Or war paint and guns. You know. Whatever works for you.
Thursday was the big day for this: {I love this shot with the guy's head sticking out like Wilson's from Home Improvement!}
More info to come later, of course, but know that it is going to take a while for the finished product.

Thursday was also haircut day for my poofy-headed child. Here's a good before shot of the big man.

I knew without a shadow of a doubt that we might be a while waiting for the haircut, so I packed a train or two for the wait and we set up shop, well... in the shop.

I loved the lighting in this shot and am going to have to come up with a way to edit it that doesn't make me think of the germs that Henry was acquiring while on the floor there.

The best thing about a hair salon is that it already has it's own built in train tracks. Just FYI- Ollie gets his hair cut the same place I get mine cut {by the same gal} and we love her. I love the way she cuts hair, but she charges $15 for him. Is that too much? I'd like some opinions, please.

{OH MY WORD at the length of this post. I am even getting bored here. You deserve some kind of award for reading this long.}

From there we went to Jason's company picnic at the Huntsville Stars baseball game. Here's a good after haircut shot of the O-man.

One of the baseball players threw Ollie a ball in the warm ups and he had it signed by Homer the Skunk. Or, as he calls him, the "STOOONK". Huge hit! That baseball has been everywhere with him last night and all day today. Why a skunk? Get the whole story here. Henry does not share in the "Stoonk" love. Here he is running away from that darn skunk. One thing they can both agree on is the cotton candy at baseball games. You can't go wrong there! We left after 1 1/2 innings because 1) Henry could care less about the game and he wanted to run and play and 2) it was raining.

So, I'm off to help hubs with the garbage disposal and the faucet installation. Then maybe tomorrow we will tile a back splash! It's almost as much fun as last year's Memorial Day Project.

And don't forget I'm running in a 10K on Monday like a moron. I would- seriously- covet your prayers not to finish the race {which is my only goal}, but to not injure myself! I will be sure to keep you updated on that and kitchen progress as it comes along. We've got a few hurdles with both this weekend!

What's old is new again

Why do we buy our children new toys? I found out today we have perfectly good ones just lying in piles around the house. You might remember that I tried a great toy storage system back in January when I had the energy and wherewithal to believe those sorts of things work. January is good to you like that, you know?

I have gone round and round with different cycles of toys and I think they are just going to have to win. I just can't keep up with them. Those plastic and cardboard trains, cars, puzzles, balls, games, stupid-ball-on-the-end-of-the-paddle-thing that I can't get through the hole and directions to all such paraphernalia have overtaken this home. What we have now is just different piles of toys and those bins are still in the closet and have NOT BEEN TOUCHED. Hmmm... One mama with some sense might just throw them out {or sell them!}...

This afternoon, Ollie found 2 huge teddy bears that were gifts from Jason's Aunt Jane {who we love!}... from Christmas 2007. He thought they were the coolest ever! They discussed their bear-hood together and apparently got into a bear argument about which train was the fastest engine on the Island of Sodor. Who knew they were so opinionated? Then Ollie decided to just play with one and take him on a horse ride. (This is in Henry's room.)
They hugged, talked, bonded, etc, and then teddy got the best seat in the house - the most coveted throne that only belongs to he who is the coolest:
He got to ride on Thomas. What a crowning achievement for the poor teddy bear who has been in hiding for- say- 18 months.

Henry wasn't quite as impressed with the duo and promptly threw them off of his train.
Don't worry, he didn't go down the stairs on the train... not today at least.

#############################

On the kitchen front, the install guy came today to measure for the new counter tops! We {and "we" here clearly means Jason} had to take all the current counters out, tear out the sink and the cook top and basically disassemble the kitchen in order for the proper measurements to be taken. The worst part is that my junk drawer was in plain view for the world to see and it ain't purdy isn't pretty. Good thing is that my hubs is super duper handy, so we {you know I mean he again, right?} put back all the counters and re-assembled the sink today so I wasn't scraping any more meatloaf down the bathroom sink around the corner. That smell combination just wasn't working for me.

It was a neat process to see the guy {not hubs- we hired someone for the install} build the template for the counters and I'll give you a little hint as to what might be in there very soon {Thursday or Friday!!!}:
I can't wait!

Cutie Pies and Yummy Cake

I'm sure you know about my friend Melissa who is a photographer. She and her husband Jamie are in our Sunday School Class and we have known them for years. She did our Christmas card and has taken all of our family/ kids portraits since Ollie has been born. She has a studio at her house and takes beautiful pictures there.

BUT, she also does school pictures and someone {*ahem* ME} got her hooked up with our pre-school 3 years ago because she always makes my kids look good. I figure if she can take some messy, scrappy, screaming boys and make them look cute, then she is a miracle worker and everyone else would love her, too. You can see several other adorable friends of ours in the facebook album, but since I happen to be the proud mama of my own snotty, scrappy, screaming children, I think I'll just go ahead and show you mine here:

Remember- these are their SCHOOL pictures! And there is no blue swirl or Saved by the Bell looking background. No cheesy teddy bear or fake flowers in sight! You've got to love that! I mean- you can frame these suckers in the nice part of your house! School pictures!

Thank you so much for your sweet comments lately about my crazy attempt to run a 10 K next Monday. You know your comments make my day, right? I try to comment back or reply, but can't always get it all done, so please know how much I love y'all! Oh, and my training is going well. I had to buy some new shoes, NOT THESE, but some new ones that wouldn't make my shins scream. Now I'm doing much better!

Since a few of you asked about the Marbled Chocolate Cake I mentioned here, I'll be happy to share the recipe. Just know that this had absolutely no part in my pre-10K diet. There's your warning. All the rest of you enjoy because it's delicious! Perfect for a party, bake sale, graduation shin-dig or celebration of completing a 10K {hint, hint}.

Marbled Chocolate Bundt Cake

Prep: 14 minutes Cook: 45 minutes {That's what Southern Living says, but it always takes me longer to prep things- I don't know about y'all...}

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 oz) package devil's food cake mix WITHOUT pudding

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate morsels

Prepare cake mix according to package directions {so you might need more stuff there- make sure you get that, too! Usually egg, water and oil.}; stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 12 cup Bundt pan; set aside.

Hillary's notes- I think all Bundt pans are 12 cup, so just use the one you have and don't stress about it. And the greasing and flouring is really important, so get all messy and have fun with that.

Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed of an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg, beating well; stir in chocolate morsels. Spoon cream cheese mixture into center of batter, leaving a border around outer edge. Gently swirl batter with a knife to create a marbled effect.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan and let cool completely.

Let me know if you try it, but don't tell me until after next Monday. Then you can invite me over to chow down!

As FAR back as

You know that I love my hubs, right? He's funny, smart (*ahem* he married me!), handy and pretty athletic.
But when he got this e-mail, it did crack me up:

"As you know, this Saturday is the 3rd Annual HGHS Soccer Alumni Game for the guys. I am expecting an excellent turnout with alumni from as far back as 1993..."

Why might that crack me up? He WAS in the class of 1993. And his class started the soccer team at his high school when they were sophomores, but never had anyone older than them play.
So, Jason and his class mates grabbed their walkers and hobbled out to the field to play against the younger alumni who were all about 20.

It was a classic butt-whooping. And it wasn't pretty for the old guys. I think I heard someone asking for oxygen, but that was muffled by the screams for icy hot.
Well, it wasn't THAT bad, but the younger group had the advantage because most of them had played together at some point... within the past decade, you know?

Here's Jason with some of his class of '93 cohorts (Chris, Jason, Aaron and Jeff). This was at half time. We didn't stick around for the whole game because it was late and Ollie was having serious screaming fits a word or two about daddy getting to play soccer and not HIM. You can see that he wasn't even thinking about leaving this picture.

Jason hobbled around the rest of the weekend and then on Monday came home with these.

**Foot hair not included on all models.
What are they? Some sort of fancy running shoe.
I know. They are the UGLIEST things I have ever seen. I do not know what the advantage is and he just keeps telling me that I should read an article about them. If anyone has such an article as to why this hideousness should be allowed in public, please forward to me (e-mail link above there). Thank you.

AND, he wouldn't tell me how much they cost which means they were ridiculously priced. (He was very proud, though, that he used a coupon. At least he's picking up a few things after 10 years...) Why would you pay for your toes to be painfully separated like you're having a pedicure without the foot soaking? I don't know.

I'll let you know if he loves the shoes or not soon. He went to test them out Monday night and came in 5 minutes later hobbling. Apparently, he "popped" (injured) a calf muscle that he said was initially quasi-injured/ worn out in the soccer game. Poor guy has been hobbling, wrapping and icing that leg all week.

I wonder if it occurred to him that the Class of 1993 happens to be in their mid thirties now? Or if he should be try to play around like it's "as far back as" the early 90s? Actually he's pretty in shape, usually, but I think we are more prone to injury the older we get. Or else we just get stupider. I'll let you look at those shoes and decide.