My heart grew a little more today...

Today has been such a long day... I have not felt well the past few days and the boys have been sick too.... I had a migraine that literally almost made me pull over on the way home from work... our special instructor comes on Wednesdays so I was running late and had to meet my mom there with the boys... I hate running late.. it really stresses me out.. When I walked in Jackson's face lit up... ran and gave me the biggest hug that almost made my headache go away! That little boy owns my heart... both my boys do... He did so great with the special instructor today.. He is getting great at puzzles and he knows all his animals :)He is signing great and really advancing vocally... He even started eating with a spoon last night all by himself! He is growing so incredibly fast and really makes me sad..  Poor Lucas has been sick the past few days... I can't figure out if it's a stomach virus or just these awful allergies... this evening I was getting ready to feed the boys and Lucas just starts projectile vomiting... I just can't catch a break this week..  Jackson was so sweet tho.. he got scared and worried over his baby brother and as I was on the floor cleaning up he ran to get his tshirt to help me clean... He overwhelms my heart... Just when I think I can't love that little boy any more he does something else...I can't even describe how he makes me feel when he crawls in my lap with a book for me to read to him... being a mother is a blessing I do not deserve but thank God everyday for allowing me to raise these little boys...I think all the stress I am under is making me an emotional mess! I think it's bed time...

 This was Jackson tonight as he walked around with the drum he got stuck around him ;)

                          Lucas before bedtime in his big brothers size 18 mths cowboy pjs :)

It's been a while...

It's been quite a while since I last wrote... It's been crazy busy with Matthew being out of town working and me starting Graduate School which is going great by the way! I love the classes and my professor and it's all applicable to everything I am doing. The boys are doing fantastic and getting bigger by the minute!Lucas has three teeth on bottom and two coming out on top! He is military crawling all over the house now! He is absolutely precious and I fall more in love with him everyday!! He has the sweetest personality- just when I thought I couldn't love any more this boy sucks more out of me! Jackson got bit by ants a few weeks ago and his poor legs look just pitiful not to mention he got bit on his eye and that boy is just a hot mess! It's all slowly clearing up and maybe I will break down and give him a hair cut one of these days.. I keep saying I will do it but can't get the guts to do it! I got a new student Monday and he is the sweetest little boy! He is so timid but I got him to come out of his shell today and it's been such a joy! I am so very blessed with a job I truly enjoy!

We baptized Lucas on August 16th and here are some pics: It was originally planned for the 8th which was my birthday but Matthew had a 500 lb rod hit his leg and we decided it was best to postpone it :) We had a wonderful time with family from out of town and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day!

                                           My Aunt's made his cake :) It was delicious!

                                            It was impossible to get a good family picture!

                                                 Lucas with his aunt/ godmother :)

Jackson just had a blast with his cousins on the water slide... the food was delicious, the company was great and we just had the best time!

They're here!

My grandmother, Great- Aunt, Aunt and cousin all arrived safely yesterday from Mexico. We are thrilled to have them here and my grandmother back. We will definitely be having a fun few weeks while they are here. We had a cake to celebrate my birthday and had a great time visiting! I love my family!

                                               Lucas was laughing at his big brother :)

                                     My boys 16 months & 6 months and mommy turned 26

                                            Jackson loved feeling the fan blow on his face ;)

we're seeing a change!

I am so beyond thrilled to announce that Jackson is finally sucking! It has been almost 3 months since his palatte surgery and he is using no spill cups! I am so proud of him and am so extremely thankful! The therapists have helped tremedously. He is definitely becoming more vocal and is showing us that he knows a good bit of vocabulary already. It has been a busy few weeks with me starting work and Matthew getting hurt at work. A 500 pound beam flew off a crane and hit his leg and we're so blessed that it just bruised it and didn't break it. God is GOOD!

They did it again...

My boys managed to almost give me a heartattack! It's been a few days since my last update so I will catch everyone up to speed... Matthew had to take off work for a few days due to an eye infection. In those days we managed to rearrange the living room, combine the boys in the same room and make Lucas's room into a play room! I was really nervous about doing it but so far it is working out. I love seeing those boys together and keeps all the toys in one room. Lucas is growing way too fast! It is so funny to sit back and watch him. He looks up to Jackson and wants to imitate everything he does. This afternoon I heard Lucas screaming in the monitor and when walk in their room Jackson is hanging from the curtain and Lucas is pulling himself up on the mobile! I didn't know who to go after first! Lucas will be crawling before he can even sit on his own! He has the same problem Jackson had, his torso is so heavy he tips to the side. They have napped great together tho so we'll see how tonight goes! I just love those little boys so much... I honestly can't even imagine my life without them or hw I was even happy before they came along.. Some good news, I got accepted to Grad school at Ole Miss so I will be beginning my Masters program this fall. I am really excited about it and hoping that I actually stick with it! Lucas turned 6 months yesterday and even tho it will be a day late I will make him a cake!  Pics to come..

What a weekend..

Friday was Mr. Jerry's 60th birthday so we spent it cooking out in Potts Camp with the family! I love family cook outs!!

I was a little disappointed with how the cake came out. The main watermelon was supposed to be 3D but oh well a good time was still had by all!

Here's Pops with all the grandbabies! Lucas was startled by all the screaming to get the kids attention to smile... He's so sensitive!


 Saturday and Sunday was spent  cleaning, playing with the boys and with friends..  Despite the fact we started it off with two sick boys it went alot better then predicted. Jackson started Thursday. He didn't sleep at all that night then woke up Friday morning with  spots all over his body. The doctor said it was the Chicken Pox's Cousin. I had never heard of that before and of course Lucas got it that night...  thankfully that nasty virus didn't last long! My poor sweet Lucas still looks pitiful! Speaking of Lucas, he is now all over the place in the walker! Just so hard to believe how fast they grow up, it's extremely sad.  Matthew decided to turn Jackson's bed last night into a  "big boy" bed. Basically only one side came down but it was a big deal to me and I think it was much harder on me then him! We did put a guard rail up last night. He was so excited when he saw it and jumped in it and laid himself down :) It did take him a little bit to go to sleep, I think his room looked different to him but he stayed in it all night and didn't wake up until 9 this morning! I walked in his room and he was as happy as could be on the floor playing! He is truly such a joy. Despite his random tantrums I am absolutely loving the toddler stage. He does the funniest things and I am so thankful that I have been able to be with him as long as I have to witness it all! Going back to work will be the hardest thing I ever have to do. I just don't understand all these mothers that let all this precious time with their babies go by. It makes me sad that they will never experience all the joy I have received from mine.

It still has the side wall up, I am not ready to take that off yet. We'll see how he does with it this way before we turn it into a complete toddler bed.

Lucas in his walker :)

Deal 3...

I haven't had a whole lot of time lately to do much shopping. Jackson is officially in those Terrible Two's! He jumped out of his crib last night and hurt his little shoulder. It has an awful bruise on it today. It scared us half to death! We thought we were heading to the hospital for a while there because he was not acting like himself. He slept with us and woke up as happy as could be but he wants nothing to do with his crib today. This does not look good! This morning I had to run to the store to get diapers and contact solution. I usually order my diapers off Amazon but I didn't realize I was so low and would not have gotten them in time. I am glad I waited because I got a pretty good deal!

Total before coupons/bucks: $74.53

Total after: $24.22

ECB's for next time: $ 12.99

I would say that was a pretty good deal seeing that the diapers itself were $20.00. It was also exciting because the diapers and contact solution were actually needed! Well we are off to find Jackson a crib net!Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday!

Coupon deal #2..

So, I mentioned earlier I was going to jump on the "extreme" coupon bandwagon... well not too extreme.. I do what I can when I can... I did my second shopping trip today and I am pretty proud of what I got.

I paid $13.52

Received $10 in ECB's for next time

So it's like I got all that for $3.52

Not too shabby for my second shopping trip and not being organized... I have decided to get a binder because it was pretty chaotic in the store today, I had coupons everywhere! That will be my homework for the week and I will see what kind of deals I can get next week! Until then!

We have a climber on our hands!

I think Jackson is finally back to his normal self... after a TERRIBLE night that included no sleep, tons of screaming and crying he was all smiles this afternoon. I am pretty positive we have entered the terrible two's already! He is into absolutely EVERYTHING and just when I thought we had everything baby proofed we were wrong! Jackson got his first booboo yesterday as he managed to climb into the cabinet and dropped a pyrex dish on his foot. I was pretty sure I had taken all the glass dishes out of there but I guess I missed one and I felt pretty awful. It didn't seem to phase him and I think he enjoyed having a bandaid on his foot, that is until he stuck his foot in the dog's water bowl and it came off. Here's a pic of the ugly bandaid on his foot since I didn't have any cute ones!

This afternoon Jackson decided he wanted to be a monkey! I was in the kitchen getting Lucas a bottle because he was crying in his room and when I came back in the room Jackson was crawling in the crib!! I couldn't believe it! I guess he wanted to see why his baby brother was crying! The pictures below are terrible but I barely caught him in action!

                       

The past few days have really made me realize how much I love being home with them. All three days I have had almost no sleep, my house has been destroyed, and Jackson has been inconsolable but at the end of the day after I have tucked in my sweet boys I look around at my chaotic life and I wouldn't change a thing! Matthew surprised us by coming home a day early today. I was so relieved to see him and even tho he's been asleep most of the day I just feel better knowing he is here. The poor guy has worked himself sick this week. I am so very blessed to have such a wonderful man. He is sacrificing so much for his family. I think alot of Jackson's behavior problems this week have been because Matthew has been gone so much lately. Jackson got really upset this last time Matthew left and cried for almost an hour which is a long time in baby world. He let Matthew know he was mad at him when he got home today too. He was not there to greet him at the door like he always is and ignored him when Matthew came over to him. After about 10 minutes Jackson was over it and ran to his daddy and has been the happiest little boy. I get so irritated when people say he's a baby he doesn't understand. Sometimes we don't give kids enough credit on their ability to understand.  Jackson is proof that no matter how little they are they are aware of what is going on around them. He does not like his daddy leaving him :) I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe 4th of July!

I hate to admit it but I'm addicted!

I love to shop but I love deals even more! I have always used coupons and over the past few months watching my friends "extreme" coupon I have wanted to start couponing myself...I mean all my friends are doing it! :) and why not if I have the time to do it! I had my first "couponing" experience today at CVS. I just had to share because I am pretty proud of myself! Now this was my first time to do it so it probably wasn't the best deal you could get but to me it was!

                                                      Total before coupons: $ 48.83
                                                      Total after coupons/deals: $ 19.34
                                                      ECB's to use on next purchase: $7.00

My next deal should be better but even then I am still pretty proud of that! I am not sure if I am going to do the whole binder thing but I am definitely addicted to getting these deals!  Best part was that my sweet Jackson accompanied me and was wonderful thru it all! He only got fussy after we got to the THIRD CVS! My sweet boy is still not eating much. Those teeth coming in are killers! Oh, and after sweet talking the Direct TV representative not only will they be here to fix my HDDVR Saturday morning for free we will get free HD access for a year and free movie channels for 3 months. Today has been  a good deal day!

Whew.. it's over!

Today has been one of those days... Poor Jackson started running a fever yesterday and by last night was just pitiful. He finally fell asleep around 4:30 this morning! I was in bad shape this morning especially since I had to take that awful GRE today.I have been dreading that awful test for weeks now. It was so hard and  I am so very glad it is over with! I didn't do as bad as I thought I would do but it wasn't the best I could do which is extremely frustrating. I could not keep my eyes open towards the end of the test. All I can do now is just hope that everything else is in order and I get accepted! Jackson has not eaten much today and is still running a fever and now has a cough :( It is not like my boy to not eat and that worries me. Lucas is as precious as he can be. He has discovered how to jump today in his jumparoo and was so funny! Matthew had to leave for Arkansas yesterday afternoon last minute and is still not back :( Our washer is a goner now so I guess it is time to shop for a new one now... I was so excited that we were getting our DVR installed today and ofcourse that didn't go right either. Not only did he not install the DVR right the satelite just stopped working and Jackson kept pointing at the TV with the remote and nothing would happen. He is so stinkin cute! After a while he just got fussy and irritated with it and we had to put movies in. Tomorrow shall be a new day and hopefully my babies will sleep good and feel better tomorrow.

Anthony's 1st birthday

Saturday was such a busy day! My sweet nephew Anthony turned 1 on Friday, him and Matthew share the same birthday! They celebrated Saturday night and it was quite a party! My mom made enchiladas, rice and beans and it was a hit! She's such a good cook. I hope I can be half the cook she is one day! Jackson had such a fun weekend. He spent all Friday night with his family in Potts Camp and got to go to Wesley's baseball game and got to play with his cousins. When we picked him up Saturday afternoon he was so exhausted. I didn't think he would make it thru Anthony's party but he did! He was out like a light when we got home! The decorations and all the food turned out great!

                                            
                                            It was hard to catch him long enough for a picture!

Matthew's 29th Birthday

Matthew turned 29 Friday night! It is just unbelievable at how fast time goes by.We left the kids with his parents down in Potts Camp and we had a night to ourselves! It was wonderful and much needed! We took him to the Boiling Point to eat. Matthew loves seafood so figured going there would be perfect. He had 2lbs of crawfish and a plate of oysters. All our food was really good I was impressed.We stayed and watched the band Twin Soul which was rather interesting but nevertheless we still had fun.  All his friends joined us and it was truly such a fun night!! Nothing like good food and great friends! Good times!

Here is Matthew with Anthony and Taylor:

A quick update:

I always say I am going to keep with a blog and I never do! Hopefully this time I can do better with it because I love blogging. Not so much for everyone else but because I tend to forget and enjoy remembering.  Life goes by so fast and you forget so many things. I haven't written since Jackson was 7 weeks old. He is now 15 months and has a baby brother, Lucas! It has been such an eventful year and a half. I don't even know where to start. Matthew got hired with Barnhart. This has been an incredible blessing and he just couldn't be any happier. He is such a hard worker and deserves this so much. He is currently being trained for a superintendent position. He does have to travel which is hard but it has been worth it. I am still working with the ELL Immersion Program for the County and am currently working on becoming the County's official Interpreter/translator. I strongly believe that I am meant to be here with my children. I would love to be able to work part time so I can be with these sweet boys more. I have enjoyed every second of being home with them and can't even imagine leaving them anytime soon. Jackson is growing like crazy and is just the happiest little boy I have ever seen! He truly enjoys every second of his life. He has had his lip repaired and his palate closed. Everything has just gone perfectly with both. Dr. Robert Wallace is an absolutely amazing surgeon and has no idea the impact he has on other's lives. I know he has changed ours!  Lucas was born January 26th of this year and his due date was February 17th. I actually went into preterm labor in December and after rounds of steroid shots we thought he would be just fine being a few weeks early, but his lungs were not ready. We spent 7 days in the NICU. The longest,hardest, and most trying 7 days of our lives. He is now 5 months and growing like a weed! He is so long and we believe will be taller then Jackson! They are exactly 10 months apart! How wild huh?! It has been extremely difficult having both so close together but I am starting to see the benefits of it. Jackson loves his little brother so much! They are both sleeping thru the night now and in their own routines so it's getting much easier on me. I do believe they will be the best of friends. Well, I think that is a pretty quick update of where we are now in life :)