stickyfeathers

... just a kiss goodnight.

i captured this shot last night at bedtime.  i think my heart instantly melted into a huge puddle. 

love these little dudes.

just one in twentytwelve.

i'm back here again ... about to sound like a broken record.  why?  well, do you remember this post from last year?  yep.  i've got the same resolution as i did last year.

i want to lose weight.  no joke.

i need to pick up from where i lost my way.  in june of last year, i celebrated turning 30 and also losing 30 pounds in six months.  i don't know if that seems like a lot or not, but when you have been struggling with the scale basically going up for years, it is like a freaking miracle.  so, i celebrated my birthday and gave myself a cheat weekend with food and booze.  that cheat weekend turned into a cheat week, month, and eventually six months later, i'm still at the same weight i was when i turned 30.  damn. 

i mean, holy frick.  i shared THIS last july and you think that would have motivated me to keep me on track.  but no.  i just kept floating around being kind of happy where i was and allowing myself to slack when it came to tracking what i ate and getting some exercise in too.

i think i got to my 'new normal' as some people call it.  but now that i've been here awhile, i'm not loving it anymore.  i'm seeing myself not as a lighter version of my old self, but as a different chubby me.  does that make sense?  i'm still overweight.  i can still be losing.  i still have work to do. 

so, i'm hosting a weight loss challenge ... THE POUND CHALLENGE.  it is basically the same as the one i did last year (that i talked about in previous posts).  i use a lot of the same rules.  it is going to kick off the end of this week.  if you are interested in coming along for the ride, you can comment here or email me and i can send you the rules.  i'm pretty excited about it.  i hope it gives me the kick in the rear that i need.

another thing i am pumped about is that weight watchers has kind of revamped things a bit.  one HUGE bonus is that they now have a bar code scanner that i have installed on my phone that will tell me the pointsplus value of anything right in the store.  LOVE.  i'm always in a rush so anything that saves me time and helps me out ... is my bestie forever.

oh, and the biggest loser ... dude, love that show.  so motivated by it and i am PUMPED a new one starts this week.  i know i'm not going to drop a baker's dozen in a week, but frick ... it makes me want to try!  haha!

anyways, you heard it here first.  the same resoultion.  a new year.  i'm ready.

month eighteen.

in less than two weeks, levi will be hitting month nineteen, but whatever.  this post will also be super light on pictures because otherwise i fear it will never be posted!  
 

the stats at eighteen months: 29 pounds, 33 1/4 inches. 75th percentile all around.

he is basically wearing size 2T clothing. there's a few 18-24 month items in there, but not much.

he can say a lot of words. i really suck at counting them, but if you get him in the right mood, he'll copy anything you say. words that are common around here: mom, dad, tucker, no, nana, papa, auntie, CHEEEEESE, seaull (cereal), side (outside), up, down, back, pizzaaah, baby, toaaah (toast), bubbles, PONBOB (spongebob), hot, brrrrr, peaeee (pretty), car, pehooh (pillow), ooorge (orange) ... and the list goes on and on. i think he's going to be a jabberbox like his brother.

he will go hide in our bedroom in a small little space between our bed, the wall and a box i have on the floor when he's upset.  i don't have to discipline him as he cries and then takes off for that space or goes and stands face against the wall somewhere.  also, he has been known to lay on the floor and throw a typical tantrum.  you know, the kind you see on TV.  yep.

he knows where his hair, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tongue, hands, toes and belly are.  he LOVES his belly.  pulls up his shirt every time you talk about the belly. 

he's had a cough lately and i have been giving him honey on a spoon.  i started calling him my little honey bear and every time i do, he growls like a bear.  it is the cutest thing ever.  also, he COVERS HIS MOUTH when he coughs.  like, it is a miracle.  i have no idea how he picked this up.  but it is also cute.  haha!

he needs to go to bubble guppies anonymous. 

he will eat just about anything you put in front of him.  however, he doesn't like ketchup or ranch dressing.  sometimes, chicken and turkey are hard sells as well.  he's a goof.  he LOVES his CHEEEEEESE though.

he is such a love bug.  he gives bear hugs and kisses like it's nobody's business.  he loves to snuggle with matt, tucker or me.  whoever has the best seat in the house usually.  or, whoever has snacks.  :)

he still loves the bath.  like LOVE LOVE.  this makes bathtime so much easier.  thank you god.

his favorite toys are cell phones, pots + pans, tupperware and anything that plays music.  he also likes his mega blocks and loves to stack those as high as possible.  i personally love when he plays with trucks + cars and makes 'vroom, vroom' sounds.  lately, he has also had an obsession with tucker's hockey stick.  let's just say it isn't really the best 'inside' toy. 

he is a dare devil.  recently has been caught standing on top of his 'ride on' train.  he will stand on the seat ... and the thing is on WHEELS.  yeah, he likes to make me crazy.

if i have another baby in my arms or on my lap, levi comes over, turns around and backs right up onto my lap.  he knows how to work his little butt right into any situation where he needs more attention. 

he still has his favorite blankie + yes, he still has a binkie.  oh well.  he's my last baby.  i'll cut him off soon.  i should go look back and see when i cut the end of tucker's binkie.  hmmmm.  either way, it doesn't bother me like it bothers some.  but yeah, it will go.  at some point.  :)

he LOVES when i get home from work and he will drop everything and RUN to me and give me a big hug.  he's always done this, but it's my favorite thing ever.  he does the same thing to matt when he picks levi up from daycare. 

he loves to put on everyone else's shoes.  he does it every single night.  then he turns around and waves and says, 'bye, bye' ... good thing he can't open the door!  he will also get his socks, pull them apart and put them in each shoe when we are getting ready to leave.  the kid is organized!  :)

he also has a 'baby' that he carries around sometimes.  he will make sure the baby has it's binkie in.  he also will lay her down and cover her up.  he's such a honey. 

... there are a million other things i could write about him, but this is getting long.  he's such a good little dude.  i am so thankful i am his mom.  i'm trying to savor every minute of this because when i look at tucker, i wonder where all the time has gone.  they grow up way too fast.

brain dump.

tonight i felt like blogging (instead of doing a list of other crap i should be doing).  it's going to be a total brain dump and scattered all over the place.  enjoy.

the kids are sick.  well, levi just has a runny nose, but tucker has a horrible cough.  he ran a fever of 100* last night, but hasn't had one since.  i had a sick day on monday to bring levi in for his 18 month checkup, and ended up bringing both of them in.  tucker was prescribed an inhaler.  for this and for his other coughing spells he gets when he gets worked up (running around).  i've given them warm vapor baths, gave tucker honey in different forms (which he was not a fan of), cough syrup, vicks ... you name it.  i want this sickness over now.  listening to them cough and hack is the worst.  i'm not one to bring my kid in to the doctor for a simple cold/cough, but this one was bad.  so, hoping tucker goes back to school tomorrow.  he's missed two days (which he was pretty bummed about).  pray we have a good night!

i will do a post on levi soon.  need to update you on all his eighteen month-ed-ness. 

this next month is going to be a struggle at weight watchers.  even though i lost .8 during the week of thanksgiving ... i think december is going to be hard.  cookies.  fudge.  candy.  hoping the changes coming to the plan and also biggest loser on tv help to keep me motivated.  i'm sort of looking forward to the new year and the new push again.  i don't want to waste december, but i just know it will be tough.

i ordered myself new snow gear.  i'm pumped.  tucker also got a new winter jacket and bibs since the kid is growing like a weed.  levi fits perfectly in some of tucker's things i saved so that's awesome!

i may or may not have bought chocolate stars recently and ate some.  whoops.  sorry weight watchers!  see, i'm week.  i need bob harper.

i want siri.  like yesterday.

i need to get cracking on my christmas shopping.  not sure if i want to do it ALL online.  last year i think i did almost everything online.  so nice, but this year i think i might hit up the stores for some things. 

we put up our tree tonight.  pretty sure levi is going to be the cause of 'christmas tree catastrophe 2011'.  besides unplugging the lights, he already ripped off a couple ornaments almost causing the tree to tip. 

tucker is loving hockey.  i have to do a post about this soon. 

i really need to paint my living room.  haven't i been saying that for like a year now?  okay, maybe i haven't been writing about it due to my lack of blogging, but dude, it's been ON MY MIND.  let's see how much longer it takes me.

i think that's enough for now.  hope to catch up on things ... anything ... around here soon.  wondering if anyone is even still reading.  :)

thankful.

when i stop and look around at what i have in my life, i am incredibly thankful. 

this morning, tucker told me 'happy thanksgiving' and then told me that he was thankful for me and all the nice things i do for him.  it was so adorable.  i told him i was thankful for all of my boys.  his daddy, his brother and him ... they are my everything.  i am so blessed.

i am also thankful for the rest of my family.  i really am surrounded by the best people.  my mom is always there for me, spoils me every now and then, and takes time to take care of her grandbabies (which means so much to all of us).  my dad is an amazing guy.  is he always the calm in the middle of the storm.  i have learned so much from him in my life.  i am beyond thankful for him.  my brother and sister are the best anyone could possibly have.  i married well and have the best in-law's the world could have paired me with.  every single member of my family is so important to me.  i am a lucky girl.

this wouldn't be complete if i didn't say i was thankful for my friends.  they all have a special place in my life.  many times i think many of our friends may as well be our siblings ... they are that close to my heart.  life would not be the same without these special people in our lives. 

it might go without saying that i'm thankful for good jobs, a roof over our head and a healthy family.  however, i'll say it anyways.  we really probably don't say we are thankful enough.  it's not just on one day that i'm thankful for all of this stuff ... it's every single day of the year.

oh, and i'm thankful for all my blog readers.  you guys are pretty rad.  :)

happy thanksgiving from my house to yours. 

birthday wishes ... on time.

i feel a little bit guilty sharing this since i haven't even blogged about tucker's FIFTH birthday and levi's FIRST birthday yet. whoops. i swear i'm going to catch up one of these days. promise. maybe.

anyways, last night we celebrated my nephew's first birthday. his birthday is today, but we got together with my dad's side of the family last night. it was nice to just BE together. 

everytime i look at this little dude, i think about my brother.  he is the spitting image.  i mean, he looks a lot like his pretty mama too, but still, there's something about him.  maybe it's those big dark eyes.  either way, i'm so proud to be his auntie.  pretty sure he whispered in my ear last night that i'm his favorite auntie as well.  :)

i can't believe this little bugger is ONE YEAR OLD. he totally just melts my heart.


little g ... happy birthday! we all love you!

magic.

there are so many moments in our lives that we know when they happen that we are going to remember them forever.  today, i was taken back to my senior year in high school.  before rolling your eyes, hear me out.  :)

our high school football team is the section 5 (nine-man) champions.  they are off to play in their first state quarterfinal game tomorrow.  today, as they left town, people all over town lined up in various places along their route to wave, honk and cheer them on.  in this moment, it felt like i was back in 1999. 

in 1999, i was a high school senior.  our hockey team went to state.  i got to go along for the ride because i was the manager for the team (best ever if i do say so myself).  we had the most amazing send off when we left town on our way to the tournement.  i ran into that same coach that brought us to state this morning.  he told me that it still brings a tear to his eye thinking about it.  when your whole team is supported by your community, it is a magical feeling.  i'm not sure if big towns have this same feeling, but it is one of the reasons i have always loved living in a small town. 

with all this excitement surrounding our football team, i can't help but think back to the days where i was one of the stat girls (with my still-to-this-day best friends) on our team.  i loved high school football.  LOVED.  the crisp fall air.  seeing your breath out on the field.  mittens + hot chocolate.  even though i only had eyes for one football player (hello, future husband) ... the way they looked in their uniforms with the huge shoulder pads ... i mean, hello!?  listening to the talk on the field ... and the whistles + pep band + cheers.  running up and down the field to get the stats or to scream after a touchdown.  freezing + loving it.  the whole atmosphere under those friday night lights was magical.  something i never want to forget. 

so, tomorrow as our high school football team plays in their first game at state ... i hope they feel the magic.  i hope they know how special this time in their life is.  i hope they play with everything they got, knowing that it doesn't matter how many more guys the other team has or what their record is.  tomorrow, the only thing that is going to matter is the final score up on that board.  and i hope our mariner boys are able to keep that magic alive ... knowing that they never want to forget the moment they are in. 

and who knows?  maybe years from now ... i'm going to look back on today as i'm sending my cook boys off to play in the game of their life.  :)

boys.

so, i have about a million favorite images.  this shot falls right into that category. 

late this fall, my brother, his wife + little dude were all over playing outside with us.  at the time, i was trying to get some good shots of levi's mullet, but because he is like SUPERFAST, it wasn't working out so well.  instead, we gathered the kids up for a 'cousin shot'.  tucker has a habit of trying to 'make' levi smile (as seen in the picture below) and it seems gordy had his own tricks for levi as well.  i laugh every single time i look at this picture.

boys.

a tradition.

even though i have taken like a kazillion pictures of tucker in his life, there was one i was really excited to have taken.  the annual school picture.  some of my photographer friends are probably cringing! 

i had no idea what kind of facial expression i would get when the pictures returned.  would i get the BIG CHEESY smile that made his eyes disappear?  would i get a stone cold look?  would he look awkward?  mad?  dirty?  haha.  i was so excited to see him bring the envelope home so i could finally see.

i think it was just perfect.  having the cookie cutter photographer take a picture every year of my kid is going to be a tradition here.  it's something i can't wait to compare with his dad's old school photos.  i'm also looking forward to being able to compare all my boys pictures.  :)

the cutest thing though, was that tucker was bummed that i put the 8x10 of his picture OVER one of the framed pictures of matt and i from our wedding day (i covered up the ugly one, i still have my favorite one out).  the kid pretty much melts my heart in print and in living color. 

good feeling.

have you ever had one of those days where it seemed absolutely NOTHING could go wrong?  today, i had one of THOSE days.  wondering why?  well, let me enlighten you. 

the day started out normal ... except after dropping off the kids at school and daycare, i didn't have to work.  that will start any day off on the right foot.  i had a doctor's appointment in duluth, so i had the day off.  before leaving town, i ran a few errands.  taking care of business always makes me happy.

on the way down to duluth, flo rida's new single, GOOD FEELING came on.  go listen to this on you tube right now.  you will feel good for the rest of the day.  NO JOKE.  pretty sure this song was the theme of my day.

i had not planned at stopping at my mom's in two harbors on the way down, but since she didn't answer her phone and then i got a busy, i immediately thought there must be someone holding them hostage and stealing their valuables (don't ask, i have a worst-case-scenerio-brain).  so, i figured i would stop at their house and if all was well, i'd get to visit quick.  well, all WAS fine and besides being able to visit quick, my mom unloaded the left over rummage sale goodies from my car to take to duluth for me.  so, i left there with an empty car.  oh, she also gave me felt to use on tucker and levi's halloween costumes.  SCORE.

i make it all the way to duluth without being pulled over by the cops.  ALWAYS A GOOD FEELING.  what's better though is that i actually followed all traffic laws so there was no reason for that in the first place.  gosh, i'm growing up.

i go to walmart first.  i can't tell you the last time i was at walmart in hermantown.  really, i can't.  i was pumped that it had now morphed into a SUPER walmart.  and while walking around in the store, i didn't feel dirty and i LIKED shopping there.  weird.  i seen one person i wasn't too pumped about seeing ... and it didn't even phase me.  because then, i saw a friend i had just been thinking about and it was nice to catch up with her quick.  when it was time to checkout, the tally only came to $140.  MIRACLE.  usually it's much higher seeing as how i never shop.  or usually buy things i don't need.

next stop, kohls to return a couple things i ordered online.  feeling totally proud of myself for FINALLY returning something instead of just forgetting about it.  $40 back on my card.  YES.

then, it's time to treat myself.  MAURICES.  my favorite place to shop.  i had $100 gift card from my birthday (in june) to blow.  i grabbed an armload of things and head to the dressing room.  the pants fit weird and look nasty.  then i think ... could it be?  do i need ... A SMALLER SIZE?  you got it people ... i am officially in a smaller size at my favorite store!  PURE JOY.  also, found a couple cute shirts and a pair of shoes to boot.  after the gift card, i only have to pay $27.  the good feeling was STILL ROLLIN'.

i then stopped for a nice, relaxing, i-don't-have-to-cut-up-childrens-food-and-eat-last lunch at subway.  i sat down and ate in peace and quiet.  and it was so delicious. 

since i had a bit of time to kill before heading to my doctor's appointment, i head to target.  yeah, heaven on earth, i know.  so, i grab a cart and go looking ... even though all i needed was cotton balls and fingernail polish remover for my little sister.  i end up seeing some friends and meeting their new TINY bundle of joy.  then, i grab a couple things and go to check out.  i had a gift card for $25 and it COVERED MY PURCHASES.  yes, i went into target and was able to leave spending less than $25.  miracles do happen.

i leave and head down to my appointment early.  i check in 20 minutes early, get called into my appointment on time and then i wait.  and wait.  and wait.  about 43 minutes later, my doctor comes in.  let me back up a tad.  i'm at the dermatologist.  for a skin cancer screening.  i made the appointment during the summer when i watched the video that was all over the internet about skin cancer.  it freaked me out a bit.  anyways, she comes in and basically rocked my world.  she solved all my problems in like five minutes.  well, sort of.  this woman could look at my hands and know i have seasonal allergies.  who knew?  anyways, i have keratosis pilaris.  i figured this out after the pediatrician had told me that is what levi had.  however, i also have another dry skin condition and i can't remember what she called it.  but she told me how to treat it without a prescription right now.  however, she told me bath + body was out.  NOOOOOOO!  then, she went on to check my skin for weird moles and such.  well, i have like TWO moles.  one looked fine and the other one looked 'weird'.  so, she scraped them both off.  now, i have NO moles.  i'll keep you posted on that business.  but, i walked out of there happy as hell.  weird.

after leaving there, i hit up walgreens for the lotion and shampoo i need.  the lotion was $25.  i wish i was joking.  the shampoo wasn't cheap either.  each bottte has a sticker on it to go check out at the cosmetics counter.  so i do.  the cashier pulls out a $5.50 coupon for the lotion and a $2.00 coupon for the shampoo.  I COULD HAVE KISSED HER.  but since we were in the BUSIEST WALGREENS IN AMERICA (thanks for that information kim), i thought the germ and creepoid factor were high.  saying thank you was good enough.

then, i headed home.  and listened to music LOUD the entire way.

OOOH OH OH OH SOMETIMES, I GET A GOOD FEELING ... YEAH.