Super Super Busy!

Hello all,

I just wanted to give you a quick update.  I have been stretched pretty thin as of late.  I just finished a class that took some serious time from my hands.  We had a group project that I was elected leader on account that no one else would do it.  I ended up doing someone else's work for the project... so, I had been doing double duty.  Not to mention the other things that I am trying to get done.  Since school has been out, it seems like things have even sped up.  Now I am finding projects for the girls to take part in during the day, while Baby K continues to grow.  He is coming up on four months!

I will get caught back up into my blogging schedule soon (hopefully starting Monday).  I started a History class, and the reading content is quite heavy, so I might miss a post here and there.

I hope you all are doing great!  I'll be back on Monday!

Evelyn

Feature Wednesday: Baby K

Baby K has been growing like a weed! I can't believe it... alright, maybe I can, since both of his big sisters did the same thing.

He is such a sweet little guy, and he has blessed our little family greatly. Upon his arrival, we were turned upside down, but his spirit has brought so much joy into our home.

Baby K is very shy. I knew this even before he was born. I may have mentioned this before, but when K would move around in my belly, I would try and get Hoss or the girls to feel his movements. As soon as I mentioned that he was moving, or as soon as someone touched my belly, he would stop! I think Hoss felt his movements only a handful of times. So, from the beginning, I knew he would be shy.

Now that he is out of the womb and experiencing the world, he is doing it quietly. He coos softly and laughs occasionally. Who knows, maybe I'm not as funny as I thought! :) There have been only a few instances when we could catch his laugh on video... and before he was laughing, it was difficult to even catch his smile on camera!

Baby K is very perceptive. He takes in everything around him. Even now, as I type, he is watching his sisters intently as they play. I can see the intelligence growing in his eyes each day.

K loves to kick and play in his bouncy seat, on the floor, or being held. He is extremely strong, especially in his back. Most of the time he arches his back in order to see everything.

K's Milestones:
*He has been smiling since very early on.. so I don't have the exact date.
*He first laughed on April 2, 2011... at least that is the first laugh we heard.
*He first found his hands on April 30, 2011. It was funny, because he saw his hand and immediately went cross-eyed to really focus on it.
*The next Saturday, May 7, 2011, he saw his foot for the first time...he was mesmerized.
*He has been sleeping through the night for about one month now! Yaay us!
*He is currently working on rolling over... he seems to be close!

Now, while Baby K is shy, he also has an obvious temper, and has since he was first born. (I think he gets it from his daddy! he he he, jk :). If he is hungry, tired, bored, or uncomfortable, he just wails until his problem is solved for him! Especially in the car. That is one place that Big T and Little H would calm down. Not Baby K, if he is already unhappy, he will wail until we stop and take care of him. Oh the life of a baby!

Needless to say, we love him so very much! We love all three of our children very much! They definitely keep us rockin' and keep us entertained!

I took all of these pictures today - May 18, 2011

Here are a couple of videos of him.



As you can see in the video, K's laugh is very quiet, and it only lasts for a short while...but it is worth every second!




I was too slow to catch Baby K laughing, but it is still cute!

this is some micro fleece

it happens to be K's favorite thing to snuggle

Thanks for reading!  Please pass it along!

How To Monday: Buying Grapes

I have been thinking... I know it could be dangerous... There are some things that I have learned in the last ten years that should really be passed on.  In all seriousness, I find it satisfying when I figure something out all on my very own!  Now I sound like a three year old.  So this series is for me to share those things, and for me to learn new things to share with you!  I realize that I am posting this late at night, but I have had other things to occupy my time today.

I love grapes.  They are one of my most very favorite snacks or sides.  I love the green ones the most, because they are a little bit sour.  They are a great way to get some good antioxidants too!

When Hoss and I were first married, I would get the grapes home, wash them, and put them in a bowl in the fridge.  Every time I did this, they would mold!  Talk about a waste of money.... so I stopped purchasing grapes for a while.

However, a few years ago, I learned a few tricks to picking out grapes and storing them, and I thought I would share those tips with you!  Maybe you already knew all of this, but I'm sure there is someone out there who is wondering just how do you know which grapes to pick.

Buying them:  Here is the little trick that ensures I buy fresh grapes that are going to last more than a day or two.

Always pick out grapes that have very green, fresh, and moist looking stems.  This is a sure sign that the grapes are fresh.  Once those stems start hardening, you are not going to get much time out of them.  So nowadays, I never, ever buy grapes unless the stems are green, because we like to eat them over a few days time.

Choose grapes that are firm.  They should not be too soft, otherwise, they will go bad a lot quicker, and in my case, they end up in the garbage... wasted.

Storing them:  I mentioned at the beginning of this post that I would get the grapes home, wash them, put them in a bowl, and place them in the freezer... I just have to say, "mistake mistake and mistake!"

Keep your grapes in the bag they come in.  Those bags have holes in them that allow the grapes to breath.  This helps prevent mold.  Once you wash those grapes, for some reason (this I don't know), they begin to ripen even faster.  So make sure you are planning to eat them when you wash them.

A childhood treat!  My mom used to freeze green grapes for a yummy little treat during the summer!

Coming soon!  New blog names for my family!  I am finally getting creative... sort of. :)  Have a great Tuesday!

 What did you think of this post?  Do you have any great ideas, or things you've learned that you would like to share as a guest on my blog?  Let me know!

Feature Wednesday: Sweet H

It is that time of the week again.  My how the time has flown!  It seems like it should still be Monday!

On with the post!

Little H is currently in Kindergarten, and she has the most awesome teacher ever.  She is strict, well structured, and most of all, fun!  She has been teaching for a few decades (I say that, because I am unsure how long exactly--I'll put it this way, she probably taught kids my age), needless to say, she knows what works and what doesn't.  Little H loves her teacher very much!

H has come home many times excited to show us the dance that her teacher taught them.  They practice it daily so they don't forget it...and to get rid of their wiggles.  Then, they invite the parents to come and watch them perform.  The first few times they did this, I didn't know that we were invited to come, so last Friday was my first time visiting for one of their dances, and I am glad I did, as it was the last one of the year!

Here is a video of their newest dance!

Hailee after dancing; having snack.

The boy she is pointing to is Alijia, supposedly her "boyfriend."