Before and After

I've been playing around with my photos again. I have been spending some time cleaning up some files on my computer and installing actions for PSE that I have had sitting there waiting to be played with. So after installing all the actions I of course had to play around. And this is what iI came up with the first go round. I can't believe the difference it makes! I seriously want to just sit and edit photos all day. There are so many possibilities and I want to get busy editing and printing some things to get some pictures hung on the walls (finally!).

So this was the before:

And this was the after:


I was loving the picture of him and after editing it I am really loving it now. It just pops more and doesn't look so flat. Just that sweet little look on his face I couldn't resist.

Pouty Face

I have been reading I ♥ Faces almost since it started and have always thought there were some fantastic entries. I had come across today they were doing pouty faces and I couldn't resist the urge to join in this week. And Noah has truly been working on that pouting thing...he is getting it down to a science already at the tender age of 2!




So head over and check out all the great entries each week. This week they have pouty faces for kids and Anything goes for pets. Now who doesn't love looking at pictures of kids and pets????

Quiet day. It rained last night and part of today. We even got some snow flurries...it's March! Not used to that but I guess I should get used to it because it is pretty common from what people tell me. Just got spoiled to some warmer weather so shocked my system to have highs in the low 40's today.

Tonight...organizing some of their toys and trying to find a better way to store some of the stuff so they don't pull out every single toy every day. Any ideas?
My little guy at the ER a few weeks ago. I felt so bad for them both but so very thankful they are feeling better now.

What's up mussycat?

Woa, woa, woa. What's up mussycat? Woa, woa, woa. Cameron has moved on from "I'm so happy" to "what's up mussycat" (can't say the "p" yet). And Noah has now joined in with "woa, woa, woa." Just too funny for words. I will admit I am thrilled my little guys are now singing. They LOVE to sing. Almost as much as they love to read books these days. We have a few books that are full of songs and they will dig one out and bring it to you and say "sing." I guess for most parents this would just be a cute thing they do. But for this mom with a long history of singing it makes me so happy! Praying at least one of them loves to sing throughout their lives.


So do you call this a drive in? I thought it was too funny not to take a picture of a while back. And why don't they have drive ins any more? I would have loved to have gone to at least one in my life time.

Must stop eating Jelly Bellies and go to bed early. Been wiped out every day this week. Think I am fighting of something myself now that the boys are better. That or I am playing catch up on sleep from them being sick. Or both. Who knows!

I'm so happy...

Cameron has been going around singing "I'm so happy." I think it started earlier in the month when Mike taught them to say Happy Birthday to me. Then they have a few different songs that come on Noggin and I think he just created this little song of his own. It has to be one of the cutest things ever. I know, I say that a lot but I do think they are adorable and this can just melt your heart. Determined to get it on video soon.

Man, they doctor made the right call changing Noah's medicine yesterday. They slept through the night and were the happy boys I know this morning. They were all smiles when I went in and Noah had his usual crazy hair that lets me know he slept well that night. I mean it was wild. If I hadn't been in such a hurry to get to a garage sale I would have run down and grabbed the camera. :)

We got to play outside this afternoon and hopefully will tomorrow as well. They just love being outside. I think they would live out there if I let them. Crazy little men that they are.

What a movie!

What a terrible, awful movie. For any of you West Side Story fans. He, he. I was thinking as I was getting ready to post this what a terrible day it was and that song popped into my head. Ahh...those were the days. The days of singing on stage. I miss them actually. Hope I can do it again some day...sooner rather than later.

But I digress. It was a pretty crummy week. Both of the boys continued to run fever off and on all week. Took them back in today and Cameron's ear infection has improved but Noah's has not and may actually have gotten worse. So we switched his medicine. The good news about switching his medicine is I now only have to give it to him once a day! That kid HATES to take medicine. But I will say he is being a trooper and has taken it SO much better this last week or so. We have our moments but for the most part it is a vast improvement over a few weeks ago when we started the first round of antibiotics. I just want my babies to be well again!

Long week, I have gotten virtually nothing done. Have so much to catch up on and seriously all I want to do is take a whole day and do nothing. Sit with my babies and just do nothing but enjoy them. Which I very well may do tomorrow. Hopefully both of them are feeling better and we can just enjoy some sunshine and play, play, play. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

ER visit

Man, just when you think it is going smoothly. Bam. Sunday morning at about 3:00 am both of the boys woke crying. Cameron went back to sleep pretty quickly after some Motrin for fever. Noah on the other hand never went back to sleep. He cried off and on for nearly 6 hours before I finally called the doctor on call. He has been fussy but not just crying like this since he was a tiny baby. By this point his cough was sounding croupish. While speaking with the doctor on the phone he coughed and she mentioned it sounded like croup. I finally had him settled down and quiet for he first time that day. So she said if anything happened before noon he would need to go to the ER since all the urgent care places didn't open until noon. Okay, fine I thought...he has settled down finally, we should be okay.

Around 10:20ish or so he was crying again and sounding bad so I took him up to my bathroom to run the shower for the steam. Cameron came with us and he was also crying and just acting like he didn't feel well or something. So we were in the bathroom and Cameron was acting okay, nothing out of the ordinary I thought. He was beating on the hamper like it was a drum and Noah wasn't liking the noise. So I asked him to stop. While sitting there on the floor I noticed his whole body was shaking. At first I thought it was just my imagination. Surely he wasn't shaking. So I kept watching him and after this went on again I held him and he was shaking and I noticed his hands were freezing and turning purple/blue. I came so very close to calling 911 at that very moment. I kept asking him to shake his hands to try and get some circulation going again. All the while my mind was racing. So I threw some clothes on and away we went.

We arrived at the ER and waited nearly 2 hours to be seen. Although they did the preliminary exam and all and his hands had their color and temperature back. Noah had to have a chest X-ray which went surprisingly well. When she said they were going to do an X-ray I had visions of when he was just 10 days old and me having to hold him screaming for them to do several X-rays. I cringed. He did fantastic! They let him sit in a little chair and he did great. He hadn't slept in like 10 or 11 hours by this point nor eaten anything since the night before. I couldn't believe how amazingly well they both did during this whole ordeal.


So when it came down to Cameron has a very bad ear infection and they think that is what is causing the fevers. Noah has an ear infection also along with croup. So it has been a very crazy week in our house. They are both doing okay. Still worried about Cameron. His fever came back last night and he had a low one this afternoon. So will more than likely be headed back to the doctor tomorrow if he has another one tonight or in the morning. He is on antibiotics so I would think that would take care of the fever. Maybe I am wrong but when I called to make the follow up appointment and mentioned it to the nurse she said he shouldn't still be having a fever. So please keep my little guys in your prayers! This has been one tough winter for us with them getting sick. I just want them to feel better again! Hate to see my little guys in pain.

Just a quickie

One of my little ones has been running a fever the last 2 days. Poor guy. I am also not feeling all that hot and running a fever but thankful it has only been making me feel tired and nothing more. Praying it stays that way.

Been a busy week but promise to have some good posts soon. Been working on some layouts and a few other things so have lots to post...just so tired and heading to bed soon.

Have a great weekend!

What a wonderful day. We went this morning and played at a friend's house. Just a perfect way to spend the day. Then they boys helped me do some cleaning and watched some cartoons before settling down for their nap. Well, settle isn't a good word for it. Noah is not napping, just playing in his crib and giggling away. That's okay, it doesn't seem to bother him so I am not sweating it. If he is tired he will nap and he isn't screaming so I am okay with it...now. ;)

We had a break through this weekend...or at least I am hoping we did. My kiddos don't eat sandwiches. Of any kind. It's frustrating because it sure would be nice to hand them a sandwich for lunch instead of having hot meals each and every day. Now don't get me wrong, I am a fan of hot meals but when you have to pack them a lunch from time to time it gets tough. At least one of them ate a peanut butter sandwich this weekend! I made them and them cut them into cute little bite sized shapes with some cookie cutters. It was a hit! Cameron of course didn't eat them but I wasn't sure if he just wasn't hungry or was turning his nose up at the peanut butter. We'll just keep on trying from time to time and maybe we will eventually have success with both of them. A gal can hope. :)

Wonderful day!

I don't think I could have asked for a better day today. The boys were snuggly this morning when we went down to have breakfast. We all four sat on the couch and watch cartoons and the boys just snuggled with us. A perfect way to start the day! I ran to the grocery store and then we all played outside. We played outside!!!!! Two days in a row. The rain is on it's way but I am thrilled because we spent the majority of the day OUTSIDE! And here are the boys dining on the patio...

Cute, huh?

And of course Noah had to eat dirt. This child has major texture issues but he will eat dirt and mulch like there is no tomorrow. Strange child.

And this has to be the best pouty face I have seen in a while. Makes me wonder what he will be like in 10 more years. Oh man will he have the pout down for sure by then.

And sweet little Cameron...playing so nicely with his trucks and dirt. These trucks were a HUGE hit out in the yard. Must make sure to find some more fun things for the backyard...they want to be out there the entire day!

Friday finally!

Man, what a week. It's not that it was a bad week just kind of strange. Especially today. I took Noah to the doctor yesterday and he has his first ear infection. Cameron just had his a few weeks ago. Crazy. Now both of my guys are on medicine and Noah fights it like mad. Any suggestions? I am at my whits end on this one. Even had tried holding his nose and the little booger still figures out how to spit it back out...all over mommy and daddy. Fun.

We got to go outside and play today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you know how good that felt to say? We started off trying to go around the neighborhood but Cameron quickly saw other people's swing sets so we packed up and headed to the park. Ah...an hour of play and they didn't fight once! Peace. Angels are singing right now. We are in a lovely fighting with each other phase that I am praying is short lived. Needless to say the big yellow truck will be disappearing tonight.

I seriously need to get in shape. I need to find something that works for me and just do it. I really liked the Zumba class I went to a few times. Just need to remember when it is Thursday. So embarrassed my neighbor called to see if I was going last night and I didn't even realize it was Thursday! I so lose track of days and times now. And I used to be such a punctual person. What happened to me??????

Determine to do some scrapping this weekend. Have a project I would like to get done and in the mail so I can share the fun things I have been working on. Can't share them here in bloggy land until I send them off to the person who they are for now can I? Okay, off to bed for me...it's late, I need sleep!

It's my party....

And well come to think of it, I did cry today. Out of relief. I found a lump in Cameron's neck over the weekend and took him in today to have it checked out. They believe it is just an infection in his lymph node, actually he has 3 lumps. So a stronger antibiotic and hopefully that will fix all for now. He is such a little trooper and in his normal Cameron style was so very good while they drew blood. She even had to stick him twice! I just was amazed at how good he took it. Mommy on the other hand was a puddle of mush by the time we made it home. I just wanted to scream at them to stop hurting my baby when they were trying to find his vain for the blood. But he, as usual, managed it with style and grace. Can you learn that from a 2 year old? So here is a picture of him getting ready to go this morning. He wanted his mittens and hat on as soon as I pulled them out of the closet. He said it was brr, brr chilly. :)

So I made cookies yesterday and the boys had fun eating them after dinner tonight. Noah decided he wanted to eat the chocolate chips off.

He of course had a nice chocolate face when all was said and done.

Cameron on the other hand decided he just liked the whole cookie today. Which was funny because yesterday after they "helped" me make cookies he only wanted to eat the chocolate chips and wouldn't touch the cookies when they were all done.

But you can see the little bandage on his hand where they took blood today. It had cars and trucks on it and he refused to let us take it off until he got in the bathtub and it got wet. Very funny.

It was a wonderful day and M made me the most awesome birthday dinner and the boys sat and ate dinner with us and we had a great time. Ahh...just the best birthday I've had in a long time. The simple pleasures that make it so. For instance, hearing my 2 year old twins tell me Happy Birthday Mommy. If that isn't something to make a mommy's heart melt I don't know what is. They are just the best, and I am very blessed!

What?

Okay, so what happened to the weekend? Man, hard for me to believe it is Sunday night. I went to dinner Friday night with my neighbors and had such a great time. Then yesterday was a nice day with the boys and running a few errands while they napped. Today we thought Noah may be getting sick so we hung around the house and just had a nice day at home playing. But it's already Sunday night and we are getting ready to start another week. Wow...so hard to believe today begins March. Can you please make it slow down just a little? I want to enjoy some more time with my little guys.

And speaking of little guys. I have just been in heaven the last few days. Both of them have come up and snuggled with me on the couch just out of the blue. Here lately whenever Noah is sitting with me all snuggled or we are reading Cameron has to come and get in on it as well. No complaints from this mama! I am loving every minute of it. Such a wonderful time.

They have both taken to wanting to just run and run and run in circles around the house. We chase each other half the day and it never seems to get old. And of course the "shake" cars have been a huge hit. I had never seen these until the other day and now I am going to have to go in search of another Hudson Hornet. They are fighting over this thing and it cracks me up because they have two different cars that shake and roll so why is it they have to have the same one? So much for teaching them sharing, huh?