December

Hey! It's my first blog for December...where did November go?!

Thanksgiving was nice. We were able to visit with most of our family...I swear that day is almost as exhausting as running a marathon!! But, the food was super-yummy, and despite the boys' lack of a nap, their moods remained fairly decent throughout the day. What more could you ask for?! =)Over Thanksgiving weekend, I took Luke to his very first theater movie, "Marmaduke". My friend, Jessica, and her niece (and my 2nd cousin), Maliyah, joined us. Luke always has a great time with "Mimi". =) I was surprised at how well Luke did. He fell asleep 15 minutes from the end of the movie, and napped a little on the way home.


Brad and I started a little tradition when we were dating: we cut down a real Christmas tree from Miller's Tree Farm on the weekend following Thanksgiving. This year, he and I went without the boys because I really didn't feel like strapping a 7ft tree to the top of my Durango! =) We found a really pretty Douglas Fir...I really like the Fir needles better than Pine because they tend to hold the lights on the tree better. The decorations this year were pretty simple...our family ornament collection is growing, and they're always fun to go through as new ones are added each year!On Saturday, December 4th, my Great Grandma Penny passed away. She turned 93 the day before. Some have asked, so I'll answer here, she is my Grandpa Szczepankowski's mother (my mom's paternal grandmother). Her name isn't really "Penny", but it was coined after a dog that she had. I have a handful of very great memories with her, including a special trip that I got to take to Pittsburgh with my Grandpa to visit with her. She was a well thought of, wonderful lady, who lived a very good, long life. She will be missed.

Tomorrow will wrap up my Christmas shopping for this year -- my friend, Kelly, and I are going on a shopping trip in Chicago. I'm very excited to go, but I have my fingers crossed that the weather between here and there cooperates! I hope to get some really great pictures, because Chicago, at Christmas time, especially at night, is really beautiful! More on that to come...

I really hope that everyone is enjoying their holiday season, and that it has been happy and healthy so far!

Hospital(s) Toy Drive

My friend, Kelly, and I have been working on a project for the Holiday Season. We’d like all of you to help!



Last Fall, Luke was at Riley Children's Hospital for a little over a week with Croup…most of you probably remember this. It was pretty traumatic and scary for all involved. During our stay, after Luke was taken off of the ventilator, Child Life came by and brought him some toys to play with. At that time he was 18 months old, so they brought him a shape sorter, and a ring stacker that lit up and played music. It was so nice to have some "normal" activities for him to do…at that age he was ready to explore, but his limits were set with all of the cords and tubes that he was attached to.


Kelly and I are organizing a toy drive for children who will be in the hospital through the Holiday Season. Both Riley and Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital are wonderful treatment centers, so we are hoping to gather enough for both facilities. They each have a wish list: Riley’s is here, and Peyton Manning’s is here. The gifts range in price, so hopefully something will fall into your budget! (...psst...I hear Toys 'R Us is having some awesome Black Friday sales, too!!!)


Gifts can be dropped off on Monday, December 13th from 5-7pm at Kelly's home (she lives just a hop-skip-and a jump from our house -- please email me for directions!). We will be serving hot cocoa and yummy treats for those of you who have a donation. If that date does not work for you, that’s okay. We can make other arrangements! Just shoot me an email, and we'll work something out. Kelly and I will take all of the goodies to the hospitals on Saturday, December 18th.


If you live far away, you can still help, too! Riley Children's Hospital has an online Wish List through Walmart, Amazon, and Toys ‘R Us (just click on the store names for the links). For Toys 'R Us, you'll have to enter Riley as the first name and Hospital as the last name with Indianapolis, IN as the city and state. You can order a gift through the online Wish List, and it will ship directly to the hospital! How convenient is that?! =)


The holidays should be a time of kindness, joy, and love! Let’s all try to help light up a child’s Holiday Season! =)

{Luke Playing with his shape sorter last Fall}

ETA: Please keep in mind that there are guidelines to follow in our donations. Since these are hospitals with some very sick children, disease control is very important. All gifts must be new, and no food is permitted as some of the children are on special diets. Latex is also a n0-no, but unused mylar balloons are welcomed. You can read more details here and here (first paragraph). They're pretty common-sense guidelines though!

Fall Back...

This weekend was pretty uneventful. I worked a little, cleaned a LOT, joined in celebration of a friend’s 30th Birthday, and enjoyed some family time with my boys. Since Levi is now a walking fool, I purchased him his first pair of Stride Rite’s, too. He is so cute!

{Helping Mommy Clean!}

Luke’s vocabulary is increasing by leaps and bounds. He really enjoys talking on the phone now, whereas before he’d just sit and listen to the speaker on the other line. Life is so much easier when your child can communicate verbally!! =)

{Our Little Cowboy}

I initially started this blog in hopes of putting more of our lives down in writing. My intent is to print and bind each year’s entries, so that we have something to look back on…an online journal essentially. I like to write down important milestones that the boys, and even Brad and I, reach. So, it’s not just to keep everyone informed on what we’re doing, but also to keep us informed of what we’ve done! Something else that I’ve started to do, is to use this blog as a medium through which to get information to readers…some things are as simple as recipes that I love, and others are as delicate as prayer requests for families in need.

About a year ago, I started following the blog of a 2 year-old cancer patient, Layla Grace. I was introduced to her family’s story through a circle of friends. Her story is here. Layla unfortunately passed away earlier this year in March, but her parents started up a foundation in her name – The Layla Grace Foundation. Through this Foundation, I have been introduced to several other stories of Neuroblastoma patients in need. I will tell you, these stories are horrifically sad. I hate reading of "babies" battling cancer…not that it is easy to read of anyone battling cancer, but these stories are specifically of young children.

I have always loved children. As a young girl, I always had my baby dolls that I would care for and play mother to…I always knew that I wanted to do something special to change the lives of children. They are something that I’m passionate about, I guess you could say. As I got older and began working, I took a job at the local hospital working in the Radiology department. This job was a blessing in disguise, because I learned very quickly that I was way too sensitive to see sick people…period…but, especially for me, sick children. Many people wonder, and now you know why I chose to go into the technical field (aside from the fact that I really am a "computer nerd" at heart!).

As I’ve grown older and experienced some of the curve balls that life has had to offer, I’ve began doing some more introspection. I really want to get back in touch with that little girl who wanted to change the lives of young children. More than likely I will not become a Pediatric Nurse, or a brilliant Doctor, or anything that drastic…but I am looking into other avenues.

In the meantime, I’m at least trying to have a positive impact on the lives of my two amazing and precious boys. They mean the world to me, that’s no doubt!

Please continue to keep the Matthews’ Family in your prayers. They lost their little son, Ezra, this morning to Neuroblastoma. I hope they can at least feel a small portion of the love they are being surrounded by.

One of my bestest friends, Nicole, posted a "Thirty Thankfuls of November" on her FB page. While I haven’t been writing each of my Thankfuls down, I have been noting a Thankful mentally each day. I thought it was a great idea, and I challenge each of you to do the same! =)

{I hope everyone remembered to set your time back Saturday night!}

Happy Halloween!

This year was a special Halloween for us – it was the first year for either of the boys to go Trick-or-Treating! On Saturday, we took them to my parents’ church to Trunk-or-Treat, and it was very nice! Cars lined both sides of the parking lot, and each car’s trunk was decorated with a theme. I know most of the people there, as it was my old church, so I trusted the candy wasn't spiked with anything funky!

After the Trunk-or-Treat, we visited with Great Grandma Zep, Grandma Marla and Crew, Grandpa Sparks, and The Ulerick Family! The boys were whipped!

Brad and I went to a Halloween party at my good friend Nicole’s house. Nicole lives in the middle of nowhere, so it's a nice, quiet setting. She had a bonfire that we sat and chatted around...it was nice to visit! I took over thes cupcakes (thanks for the idea, Jackie!). Nicole's chili is A-MAZING...Brad and I (of course) always look forward to chowing down some of that!! =)

On Halloween Day, Levi and I went to my good friend Amanda's house for her daughter, Sarah's, 5th Birthday party! I can't believe she's 5!!!! I still remember the day she was born...I was living in McAllen, TX so I wasn't able to be home for her birth. I was heavily anticipating the news of her gender =) Sure enough, Sarah Nadine came on October 30th...very close to Halloween day, but not quite! She's the sweetest little girl, and I love her just like a niece!!! Amanda made some super-yummy Cheesy Veggie Soup. Here's the recipe:

4 cups water

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup diced potatoes

1 bag Califonia blend

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 lb Velveeta, cubed

Combine first 4 ingredients and boil until veggies are tender. Add in last 2 ingredients. Heat on low until warm. Serve! {I'm thinking about adding some ham to this, too (Brad likes meat!). SO good!!!} That pound of velveeta will more than likely go straight to my hips, but I'm thinking it might just be worth it!!

In other not-so-Halloweenie news, Levi is officially walking! He started free-standing on the 23rd, which ironically was his due date, and then starting taking steps all last week. He's now standing up on his own, and taking off for at least a couple handfulls of steps before grabbing onto something else, or plopping down on his tush! I was able to capture a bit on video, which I posted on FB (so you can go check it out there!).

And finally, I have decided (after nearly a year of deliberating) to hire a housekeeper! With working a full time job, doing all of Brad's business accounting, taking care of 2 (err...3!) boys, cooking, cleaning, fixing, etc, etc, repeat...I think I deserve to have someone come in once a week to straighten up! I'm setting my pride aside and admitting that I cannot do it all...as much as I'd like to think I can! Coming home to a messy house makes me very grumpy and drives me to the hairy edge of insanity, so until I can find a better way to manage everything, housekeeper it is!

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween!! I am officially Christmas shopping now (so y'all better be nice!!), and preparing for Thanksgiving!! =)

October Fun

I love the month of October! I think it and September are my favorite months of the year. I love the sweatshirt weather months...the cool breeze but warm sun, the changing colors on the trees, the Fall smells (pumpkin spice, mulled cider, apple & cinnamon... mmmm...), pumpkins, Halloween, visits to the Orchards, and my list could continue on and on!!

With the change in weather, I've begun my Fall decorating. Pumpkins are my new Fall project. I decided to do something a little different:

I also spray-painted my kitchen table black. Not necesarily "Fall-ish", but it matches my kitchen better (and hides the stains and such!).

One of my newly favorite bands is Lady Antebellum. I’m not a huge Country Music fan, but their music often plays on the alternative music radio station, which is how I was initially introduced to them. I was listening to one of their songs one day, and at the end the radio announcer mentioned that tickets would go on sale through Ticket Master on August 30th…and they would be holding the concert at PURDUE (my Alma Mater)!! So of course, I couldn’t turn the opportunity down! I went with one of my close friends, Amanda, and a couple of new friends, Charlotte and Trish. We had a great evening – just the girls!

The Covered Bridge Festival runs every year through the first two weeks of October. It’s sort of been a family tradition to go…we always make a stop in Rockville for homemade fudge and then head over to Bridgeton to do some serious festival shopping! The past two years I was unable to make it to the festival, but this year the boys and I braved the crazy festival crowd with their sitter (and my friend), Kelly, along for the fun! Kelly had never been, and I knew she would love it! This year we did things a bit different…we stopped at Billie Creek Village first, and then went to Rockville (of course, can’t forget the FUDGE!). =) We didn’t make it to Bridgeton because it was too late in the day, but maybe that’s a goal for next year? A few pictures:

It took me 3 weeks just to finish this post! I promise I'll get better =)

There is a family that could really use TONS of prayer/thoughts/positive vibes etc. Here is their story. Earlier in the year, they lost a twin son due to complications of prematurity. He and his twin were actually born on Luke's Birthday at nearly the same gestation. Anyway, their oldest son, Ezra, is battling cancer (neuroblastoma) and he's not doing too well. He's only 2. I know stories like these are very difficult to read, but it's real, and it's unfair, and it just plain sucks! So let's surround them with our love!!

Halloweenie post soon!

A New 'Do

..for Levi, that is! Saturday, I took Levi to get his very first haircut! It was getting really long in the back, so off to Miss Andrea we went! She just took his curl mullet away, along with "lowering his ears". It ended up looking really cute! Our trick to getting him to stay still? The hair drier! He is OBSESSED with the hair drier at home, so we turned it on, and it masked the sound of the clippers…worked like a charm! I think it also provided some teething relief. I didn’t get a picture, but he kept putting his mouth on the side where it was warm and vibrating. Ahhh! =) Here are some pictures:

Mom and Weston met us at the shop to do some photographing for us! Luke and Weston were very well-behaved!


We also took the boys to the pumpkin patch, but my "new" memory card is apparently flawed and none of the pictures saved! =( I’ll get some Fall pictures of the boys up soon!

Two and a half...

Yesterday was Luke’s two and a half-year birthday. We don’t really celebrate half birthdays…with cake, ice cream, and gifts that is. Each day we have with our little men are special days. Brad and I are reminded of how especially lucky we are to be parents due to Luke’s rough start. With each milestone Luke reaches, we’re especially proud.

There have been a handful of little ones that have been weighing heavily on my mind lately: a preemie that was born around the same gestation Luke was (link), 2 little men that were born with heart problems – one fighting for his life(link), and the other an angel in heaven (link), 1 little girl that lost her battle with cancer in March at the too-young age of 2 (link), and another baby girl whose short time on Earth moved me so deeply (link). I’ve been praying for these families…the struggles that they’ve faced and are currently facing are just not struggles that families should have to go through.

The sad fact is, though, that babies do get sick, and some have incredibly rough starts to life. Brad and I were never really exposed to this reality until Luke was born. Along with being Luke’s 2.5 year birthday, yesterday was also Neonatal Nurse’s Day. We were, and still are, SO thankful for the Nurses that took care of Luke. They provided care for our Son that we were unable to provide for his first 2.5 months of life. These Nurses see a lot of sadness, and are shoulders to lean on for many grieving parents. I know I probably drove some of Luke’s Nurses crazy sometimes, but they always had the right words of encouragement to offer at some of my weakest moments.

So, Emily, Dian, Beth, and Luci, a BIG THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! You will never know how much you mean to our family!! And thank you also to the Nurses at St Vincent Women's that helped take care of Luke when he was an itty bitty!! =)

{These pictures were taken when Luke was still a baby, and scanned out of his baby book! We need more recent ones taken!!!}

A Happy Birthday and Labor Day Weekend

*Note: I started this post last week, but due to my extremely hectic schedule and lengthy photo editing, I'm just posting it today!*

Last Friday (Sept. 3rd) was Brad’s Birthday. He turned 29! He always teases me about myself being older…by 3 months, so does that reaaally count?! ;) Brad and I have known each other since January 26th, 2002, and I’m continually learning new things about him…although the learning curve is dropping off a bit!

Here are some Brad Fun Facts in honor of the day he came into this world:

• Brad weighed 8lbs 5oz at birth, and was 23 inches long!
• Brad’s middle name is also his Mother’s maiden name.
• Brad is the oldest of 2 (for his Father), and the oldest of 4 (for his Mother). He is the only boy!
• Brad is the most gentle man I’ve ever met, and he has a giant heart!
• Brad is also the best Dad that I’ve ever met. He loves his boys to the ends of the Earth and back, and he always makes time to play with them before bed no matter how tired he is. He had a HUGE adjustment period to being a Father, but I’m so glad that he’s the Father of my boys!
• Brad makes mean bacon! =D He’s also very good at making boxed mac ‘n cheese, and smoky links.
• Brad has always had a passion for digging in dirt, and naturally, dirt pudding is one of his favorite desserts.
• Brad loves riding his 4-wheeler.
• Brad's favorite clothing manufacturer: Carhartt, favorite cereal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch, favorite Pizza: Pizza King (with Bruno's running a close second), favorite hat: the Harley hat his Grandma Sparks bought him, favorite truck manuf: Dodge.
• Brad HATES Walmart, onions, talking on the phone, grass clippings in the drive way, and he's not particularly fond of the heat!
• Brad stole my heart the day I met him, over 8 years ago. I didn’t want to love him at first, but it’s just too easy to! He’s my favorite, and I’m so glad he’s mine!!

Some Little Brad pictures (I never thought I'd use those two words together!):
Over Labor Day, the boys and I visited with family and took a trip to the zoo with 2 of Brad's sisters, Allison and Elaine. They were a HUGE help...I was going to try and make the trip myself, but I sure was glad that they were there to help me! =) Some zoo pictures:

After we got back from the zoo, Luke became obsessed with animal crackers. The "Moo-Moo's" are his favorite (altho, he thinks the horses are actually the cows). He refuses to eat anything other than the "Moo-Moo's", and gets quite upset if you try to convince him that the other animals taste equally yummy!

Levi did not have as great of a weekend as Luke did. Poor kid didn't feel well...he ran a temp off-and-on throughout the weekend, and screamed at night with the most pitiful cry. There was nothing I could do to console him. I woke up Saturday with a sore throat, so I figured that that was probably what Levi was suffering from as well. I took Levi to the Doc on Tuesday, and sure enough, he has Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease. And you guessed it. He gave it to me! I have these tiny, itty bitty blisters on my fingertips and palms and blisters that have turned into canker sores on the back of my throat, tongue, and inner lip. NO FUN!!! No wonder why the poor guy was inconsolable! HFMD is actually a very common virus (probably got it from Daycare) that just has to run its course. Last night, Levi slept much better. Kids bounce back SO MUCH quicker than adults, that's for sure! I'm getting there...

Luke started Preschool yesterday! He did very well, and really enjoyed it! Grandpa Sparks took him and picked him up...I think they both really enjoyed that! Grandpa made sure to take some pictures per my request, although I think he thought I was nuts!! =)

The next couple of weeks are going to be a little crazy. This Sunday we have Grandparent's Day pictures and visits, and next week I'll be planning out Levi's Birthday Party...yes, he's going to be 1 in 11 days, and I don't even want to think about it!!! I know I've said it a million and one times, but I just can't believe how quickly the past year has flown by!

More posts on that later...

I hope everyone had an eventful and fun Labor Day weekend!

What we've been up to...

Two weeks have gone by, so it’s time to post an update!

Last week, I took a few days off of work to do some major house overhauling. We got new carpet in the living room and playroom, and put up new trim in the living room as well. And I cleaned…a lot! Not exactly most people’s idea of a vacation, but it needed done. The boys spent the day at the daycare, so I was able to have some uninterrupted time to do everything that I wanted to do. Well, almost anyway. I could have probably taken off 2 weeks and still found more things to get done! That list just doesn’t ever seem to get smaller!! =)

{The boys, enjoying our new carpet}

Poor Levi, and myself, and now Luke, have all caught some nasty bug. It settles in your throat and causes the fever and chills. No fun, at all! I think Levi and I are starting to recover, but Luke is just getting started. Uggg!

{Sicky Levi :( }

The weather the past couple of weeks has been really amazing. It’s been in the mid to high 70’s…a lot like Fall weather, which I LOVE! We’ve made sure to take the opportunity to get some time outside, with lots of walks and bike rides...and ICECREAM! The boys are also really enjoying their new swing set!

Some important milestones:

Levi is clapping…a lot! It is the cutest thing EVER! And he waves hi and bye, but only towards himself. Also super-cute! Levi is cruising furniture, and climbing stairs, but he’s not been brave enough to actually take a step by himself, yet. He just mastered the "actual" crawl this weekend, although he's been army scooting since Memorial Day weekend. He still army scoots to get somewhere fast! =) My favorite milestone: Levi has just started saying "Momma" this week. And he knows what Momma means, so isn't that technically his first word?! ;)

{Levi standing on "his" step}

Luke is learning his ABC’s, colors, and numbers. He can count to 5, assisted (if I start with 1, he'll finish by himself). His favorite color is blue. For the longest time, Luke did EVERYTHING with his left hand…even from a very early age. But recently, he’s started using his right hand to do some things (eating, throwing balls). When I hand him a crayon, he still starts coloring with his left, though, so I’m interested to see which hand dominates! Luke is also starting to say a lot of phrases, and when he does something new, he'll exclaim "I did it!". I love that =) He's also developed a bit of a bad habit...biting. So far, he's only chomped down on his brother...twice! He also bit my butt yesterday because I wasn't getting him his milk fast enough. Oh, my! What a monster we've created!!! I'm hoping this is a phase that passes quickly.

{Levi's new bitemark...compliments of Luke!}

Sept 7th, Luke starts Pre-School. Yes, already! He’s only 2 ½, but it’s only twice a week for an hour and a half, and I think he’s going to LOVE it! This is also the boys’ last week at Little Angels’, although Luke’s Pre-School will be there so he’ll still get to see some of his favorite Ladies! =) We’re very blessed to have a private sitter who lives "around the country corner". She’s very good with the boys, and they’ll start going back to her on Monday.

I'm getting more things together for Levi’s birthday, and working on something for Brad’s (whose birthday is even closer…Sept 3rd!). Brad always goes on a Kentucky vacation with his friends to ride 4-wheelers over Labor Day weekend, so we won’t see him ON his birthday. Annoying, yes. I’m really weird about celebrating things ON that particular day, but I also think since it’s his birthday, he should get to do what he wants (but don’t tell him I said that!). We may just have a shin-dig on Labor Day, when he gets back. More on that to follow!

Tomorrow's finally Hump Day! This week cannot get over quick enough! At least we have a 3-day weekend to look forward to. Some plans for Mommy-and-Me time are in the works for the boys and I. I'm excited =)

Our first week in August...

I wanted to post a blog real quick before I let another week slip by! Work has been very, well, exhausting in more ways than one! By the time I get home, get the boys fed and bathed, and have a little playtime, I'm whipped!

Levi had an important milestone...he got his first, and second tooth! His bottom right popped through on August 4th, and then his pair followed suit on August 6th. I tried my best to get a picture. His facial expression is kinda funny, but when he smiles his bottom lip hides his teeth!

Luke is getting so big. It amazes me how much he's talking, interacting with people, and really turning into his own little person. He is really a sweet boy...in unfamiliar situations he sits back and observes, but once he's warmed up he gets right in the mix of things! =) Luke has learned the term "mine", and it stretches from "my" cup to "my" Bubba and "my" Momma. He really has a good sense of what belongs to him...so much so, that he is not afraid to make sure that the Daycare kids know that Levi is "his" Bubba, and I am "his" Momma! It's pretty cute, but lends to an issue with sharing, of course. We're working with Luke on this.

The other day, I was feeding Levi and I got up to answer the phone. Luke had just finished his snack (a PopTart...Smores...real healthy, I know!). I was gone maybe 2 minutes, but I could hear the boys as our house is not entirely huge. When I returned to the kitchen, I saw this:

Luke was feeding "his Bubba". =) He sure is a big help with his brother!

So, I've kinda sorta been on this weight-loss kick ever since I had Levi. To date, I've lost roughly 35lbs, but that was all Levi's pregnancy weight. Somehow I'm still stuck with Luke's! My work-outs (for the most part) involve the boys. It's hard to break away, and honestly I would rather play with them than work out when I get home! Anyway, I purchased a bike. I had a pull-behind for the boys, but my bicycle was old and outdated and really hard to ride. I did take Luke and Levi for a ride the day I got the bike, but Levi was not exactly thrilled:

I'm hoping Levi will warm up to the pull-behind, and that the excruciating heat will subside soon so that we can go on more bike rides together!

Next week is going to be busy. I am scheduled to have Wed - Fri off of work (I NEED the break!), so we're getting new carpet. I'm going to take full advantage of my time away to Spring Clean (yes, I'm very behind!). Hopefully some Lukey potty training will begin as well.
I'll keep everyone posted on that...

I'm leaving you with this really cute picture of Luke (eating his unhealthy PopTart snack that Daddy has gotten him addicted to!). =) I heart him, and his PopTart smile!

Busy Bees!

Wow! What a weekend! It’s funny how we manage to keep ourselves busy, even with nothing planned! =)

Saturday started off pretty gloomy. Straight away it was raining, so I decided that we’d spend most of our day inside. We went to my Mom’s house for a visit. I try to take the boys to see their grandparents on the weekends, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out (last weekend). Anyway, we had a nice visit with Mom and Dad, and Shelbey and her family. Shelbey left around lunch, so Mom and the Boys and I ran to Taco Bell to pick up some lunch. Luke fell asleep on the way back, and slept away the afternoon! =) Levi and I caught a little nap, too!

After visiting with Mom, I stopped by my Grandma’s and picked her and Alexander (my oldest nephew) up to take a shopping trip to Kokomo. I got a few housy things, baby things (formula, diapers, etc.), and a few new shirts for Alex, as he starts school next week (already!!). We zipped back to Grandma’s to drop her off, and then met James (my Brother) and Brad in New Waverly for New Waverly Days. I had never been…we had so much fun!

{Alexander, Luke, and peeking Levi doing some retail therapy!}

So, New Waverly is an itty bitty town. I would say maybe 100 people live there. It’s one of those "blink and you miss it" towns. Every year they have a little mini-fair type of thing (New Waverly Days). This year (and maybe prior years, I don’t know) the Fire Station had a hog roast and a lot of really good food. They had a live band, and a handful of ladies started line dancing. Now, let me just say that Luke LOVES to dance. He doesn’t care where he is, or who is watching. If there is music, he will be dancing (or singing!). Sure enough, as soon as the music played, Luke was looking…and he found where it was coming from. As soon as he saw the ladies dancing, he made a beeline and started dancing along. SO CUTE – and of course, I didn’t have my camera handy... UGG! He was definitely part of the New Waverly entertainment, that’s for sure!

On Sunday, I took the boys to Daniel’s 3rd Birthday party while Brad stayed back and did some things around the house. Luke (again) fell asleep on the way to the party, so I let him sleep for a bit while Levi and I mingled. When Luke woke up, we ate, and played, and had cake and ice cream! Outside, Amanda (Daniel’s Mom and one of my favorite friends) had a bubble machine going, and Luke was in love! Here are some cute pictures:

{I love how Sarah looks like she's dancing in bubbles!}

{Daniel, Luke, and Sarah}

{Daniel and Luke}

After the party, we went back home to help Brad put together Luke and Levi’s new swing set! I had picked it up a couple of weeks ago, but it had just been too hot to put it together. Luke was a HUGE help…he handed Brad his screws, and even helped carry the wood! Luke really loves helping Brad (and myself) put things together. So, you probably think after reading this post, "Man, Luke sleeps a lot!". He is my better sleeper of the two, but last night I noticed that he is cutting his 2 year molars – all of them – all at once! So I think that’s made him a bit crankier than usual…and more tired!

I hope everyone had an eventful weekend! Work has been a little stressful lately, so I’m hoping for a smooth week! Hope, hope!

Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers. ~Robert Ingersoll

Our week...

I feel like it’s been forever since I posted last! Needless to say, things have been a little hectic within the Sparks’ household!!

Since my last post, Luke got a hair cut! =) I had been letting it grow, because he looks so cute with long hair (okay, not girlie long, but longer). Anyway, he was starting to look a little scruffy, so it was time for a change! We went with what is called a Faux Mo (as in Mohawk!). Sounds scary, but it is incredibly cute, and I can leave it flat and it looks just as nice! Here is Luke’s new ‘do:

He looks like such a big boy with his "ears lowered" as Brad would say!

Summertime is always very busy for Brad, and even into the Fall. During the Summer, everyone wants to get their outside to-do list done, and then in the Fall they really need to get those things done! It has been amazingly hot and humid this month. There’s a reason why Brad hates the Summer! I suppose when you work outside, that the heat tends to take its toll. On Tuesday, Brad needed to take his Dump Truck to Kokomo so they could work on the transmission. He stopped by the house for dinner real quick, and then I followed him so that I could bring him back home. Of course, Luke had to "play" in Daddy’s truck first!

{Future B&S Employee!}

Levi has been getting into EVERYTHING, and I just love it! I’ve been experimenting with table food for Levi. Most of you probably already know that Luke has always had problems keeping food down. When he was learning how to eat solids, he would gag – a LOT! Part of that we later learned was not just reflux, but a narrow esophagus and a sensitive gag reflex. Anyway, all of that has turned me into a gag-phobe. I don’t mind cleaning up the puke, but it’s the fear of something getting stuck that just scares the crap out of me! SO, I’ve been cautious with Levi. Now, he doesn’t have the same issue with eating that Luke did, but STILL...

So, Monday night we experimented with Mac N Cheese. The noodles are small and soft, so if he did swallow them whole, they’d go right down! I think his hair enjoyed dinner more than he did!



Aside from solids, this month Levi has really started to get excited about food in general. I call him my little chow-hound. =) As soon as I get the jar of baby food out, he starts waving his arms and bouncing up and down! And he smacks his lips and licks them...it really is so cute. Brad really gets a kick out of it, too! I’m trying to get Levi primed up for his Birthday cake day...if only he’d get a couple of teeth in!

Speaking of Birthdays, I am starting to get geared up for Levi’s big day! John Deere is the theme, and I’m ordering some really special Birthday invites. I can’t wait! More details on that to follow, I’m sure!

Once a week I try to make something different for dinner. Sometimes it goes over well, and sometimes it’s a big flop (well, most of the time – Brad’s a creature of habit!). Although I do enjoy cooking (and baking even more!), I don’t like to spend a ton of time in the kitchen after I’ve spent all day working. So, I’m always looking for quick, yummy dinners! I came across a recipe for Baked Ravioli...it was SO good, and had hardly any prep time (or ingredients!) required. Here’s my version:

1 large bag of Frozen Cheese Ravioli (you can use whichever you like)
1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce (you can also get Tomato Paste and make your own)
Mozzarella Cheese

Take a 9x13 pan and spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Top with a layer of Ravioli. Add another layer of Spaghetti Sauce. Add a layer of Mozzarella Cheese. Top Cheese with Ravioli, then layer more sauce, then layer cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. I serve mine with Texas Toast! SOOOO good!

I am really looking forward to the weekend! We will be celebrating Daniel's 3rd Birthday (my good friend Amanda's Son) on Sunday (his Birthday is actually Saturday), but other than that, we don’t have any definite plans...and I like that. Maybe we’ll go to New Waverly Days, maybe we’ll go to the Zoo, maybe we’ll get the pool water straightened out so we can go for a swim, and maybe we’ll just play at home all day! I like having options either way, instead of having everything planned out already. And I suppose that’s all news for my next post! =)

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

Up and Running...

So, here we are! The first blog post for "Sparkles in the Sea"! How exciting!!

Since having Luke, I've been introduced through different avenues to the blogging world. I have seriously been contemplating starting up a blog, but I didn't really know where to start. After some advice from a fellow APA Mommy (APA is a forum that I joined after Luke's birth in 2008), I had several questions answered, and away I went on my blogging adventure! =)

The title of this first blog is rather convenient, as Levi is starting to pull up! I had taken Levi to his 9 Month well-baby visit at the end of June, and our Pedi was concerned that Levi wasn't pulling up, yet. I wasn't concerned because he had just started crawling (okay, scooting) a month prior to that, and I knew he really didn't have much interest in things that were out of reach....and I knew that his interest would peak all too soon! Sure enough, a week later, he started getting up on all fours, and then up on his knees. Now, he pulls up to a standing position. He gets SO excited and starts laughing and squealing when he's standing. It really is the cutest thing!

Here are some pictures of Levi's newest accomplishments:

So, Levi's "Up", and Luke has been "Running" for quite some time, but as his personality is taking off, he's much more difficult for Mommy to "catch". =) Luke is all-about being outside right now! He loves Daddy's tractors (and his own John Deere, too) SO much! Here's a picture of Luke mowing with Brad. He actually fell asleep during the ride!

Luke has also figured out how to maneuver his own John Deere tractor. I was quite impressed! He knows how to steer around the barn, and even how to reverse when he's stuck! He really loves to take Levi on rides around the yard, but he gets really upset if I try to touch the tractor in any way (Gee, I wonder where he gets that?!). Here's a pic of Luke giving Levi a ride around the yard:

When you envision a house full of boys, I'm sure TONS of horsing around are vividly part of that picture! Yes, the boys like climbing on their Dad...and of course I've captured a picture of that. Notice Luke in mid-air, leaping off of Brad. I was actually trying to snap a quick pic of Levi standing, and I got a little snicker when I reviewed the picture on my camera:

Levi turned 10 Months Old this week. I just can't believe how quickly time flies. In 2 months, we'll be celebrating his 1st Birthday, and that just amazes me! I'm trying to cherish the time as the boys are small, because I know soon enough they'll be all grown up.