Holiday Highlights

This year's holiday highlights included:

Getting to spend more time with Daddy.

Visiting my family in Rocklin


These amazing Christmas cookies



Finally getting to spend some quality time with Alex after his 2 year mission

Visiting my Grandma Jean...isn't she the cutest?

Playing with Carson

And I made these!

Hilarious. Maybe you had to be there?

Sick.

Hope you had a jolly Christmas. Bubs and I got sick on the Eve of Christmas Eve. We took him to the E.R. in the middle of the night last night after he started choking on phlegm, gagged, and covered me head to toe in vomit. I got a shower, he got a bath, and we were off to the hospital. He smiled and flirted with the nurses despite having a fever. That's my boy. So charming, just like Daddy.

I would write more, but I'm busy being sick, and taking care of a barfing baby boy. Oh, the joys of motherhood. He's so worth it though. Seriously.

Bubba and the Vac

I came home from work today, inspired to be superwife, and decided to do some light cleaning. After clearing some toys and furniture, I got out The PowerForce Bissell. It turned on with a loud roar, and my poor little guy started screaming like a busty woman in a horror film. A look of terror in his eyes, he quickly headed for under the crib. You laugh, but it was one of the saddest, most heart-breaking moments I have ever witnessed. I turned off the vacuum, and picked up my poor little boy. He clung to me like never before, and was shaking like a leaf in the wind.

What is a mother to do? I can't leave my house unvacuumed, but I shouldn't be scarring my offspring either. I brought Bubba to the vacuum and explained, "The vacuum is good. It helps Mama's floor get clean." I grabbed his hand and had him softly touch the handle. He calmed down a little, so with him still in my arms, I turned on the vac again. He clung to me tighter and tighter, but no screaming this time. It wasn't easy to vacuum with a 25+ baby in my arm, but, being the supermom that I am, I got the job done.

I put Bubba down on the floor, as I put the vac away. Silence. I have never seen him so quiet in my life. He just sat there on the floor staring at the Bissell, nervously. After several minutes, he reached out, smacked that vac, then crawled away. Take that, PowerForce Bissell! And Bubba was back in the game.

Oh, it is Love

He loves the ladies.

Sleeping with a paficier...YES!

What Bubs thinks you do in a crib.

Is this a naughty face?

All decked for church.

Snuggles with Daddy.

What a stud. Seriously.

What I wake up to every morning--fabulous bedhead.

As most of you know, my husband is The Coach Anthony Matthews. He is currently the Head Basketball Coach for the McNair Lady Eagles, which makes me the equivalent to a single mom who happens to be married. Husband is gone from about 6:30 am to at least 9:30 pm. Of course, it is my number one life's complaint, but I make the best of it. Why does he have to be so charming and majestic? I just can't help but miss him.

This weekend, I was forced to participate in a tournament he put on at the school. To fund raise, I hustled people for their hard earned cash at the door. And about that door, each time it was opened, gusts of stormy wind encompassed my body to the bone. And practically everyone had a reason that they shouldn't have to pay. It's a fundraiser, for goodness sake. "But I'm a team mom." "I'm the assistant to the assistant coach." "I'm the water boy." None of which exist for high school basketball teams.

Bubba loved the tournament. Anthony's players spoil him with attention. They are super loud girls, and Bubba loves loud people. He's already a loud little boy. He clapped, screamed, and screeched with crowd. Unfortunately, he claps, screams, and screeches during Sacrament Meeting too. Don't worry we're working on teaching him there's a time and a place.

I am pretty pleased with Bubba this week. It's been more than difficult to start him on solid foods. He just loves that mama milk. What can I say? I make it good. I can't help it. I am proud to announce that Bubs has added quite a few new foods to his repertoire. He prefers vegetables to fruits. (Where did this child come from?)

And a proud accomplishment on my part; I somehow managed to get Bubba to use a pacifier during a nap! He's been using my milk buckets to pacify himself for far too long now, which may explain the chunkiness. It's okay, because he's my adorable blob of love, but I would like to eventually end our family sleepovers and have him snooze in his own crib. Husband and I could use the alone time.

What I Learned About My Cup

This week has definitely taken a turn for the better. After talking to a friend, I realize that I just need to be more positive. The old saying seems to say it best. I need to stop looking at the glass half empty and start looking at the glass half full. After thinking of all my blessings, I came to a realization that my cup runneth over. Is runneth a word? Who cares? Anyway...

Here are a few things that made me smile during the last couple of days:

• Bubba laughing so hard he got the hiccups
• The Husband dancing in his birthday suit (sorry, a picture will not be included for this one)
• Phone calls "just to say I love you"
• Slobbery kisses (from Bubba, not the Husband)
• FHE=me and Anthony trying to sing Primary songs
• Bubba in a basket.
• Bubba teething on everything, including a trunk.

My Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

So, basically the last three days have been some of the worst of my life! Today was awful and I have hopes that tomorrow will be better. As I'm loathing in self-pity, Bubba continues to make me smile, even if I don't feel like smiling. He is always happy. I love that, and I hope it never changes.

Thanksgiving 2008

*What we're most thankful for this year.

*What we'll be thankful for forever.

*Playing with Grandma

*My family ready to grub

I have so much to be thankful for this year! It's overwhelming to think of all the blessings we have recieved from the Lord's hands. I am grateful that we were able to spend time with family on Thanksgiving. We had lunch at Anthony's mom's and dinner at my Aunt Cindy's and Uncle Greg's. It was lots of fun, and the food was fab.

I finally learned how to make Grandma's pecan pie. It is amazing. Last year my mom made me one and sent it in the mail. I was pregnant and ate the whole thing in less than two days.

This year, we were given the greatest blessing of all-- Landon James. He is the light of my life. I wake up smiling each day just to see him smiling back at me. I sing songs, he sings with me. I read books to him and have great joy in his small triumphs. When he's sad, I'm sadder, but when he's happy, I'm the happiest.

Anthony and I have been simply amazed at how much he has accomplished in the last two weeks. Last weekend, he grew two teeth. Then he started pulling himself up onto the couch and standing. He has been saying Mama, Dada, and Hi. Yesterday he surprised us when he just started clapping out of no where. We clapped back, and said, "Bubba, say, Yay!" So, he clapped and said, "Yay!" Last night he stood up all by himself for like five seconds! He just gets more and more fun! I am thankful to be a mother. I was made for this.

*Landon clapping and saying, "YAY!!!"

Outlet Shopping

*The funniest girl in the world. I love her! You should read her hilarious blog.

We went outlet shopping today with our good friends Dani and Kevin. It was fabulous because Anthony was kind of enough to take Bubba while Dani and I went our way. Kevin stayed with Anthony at NikeTown, and he was the designated diaper bag carrier. As Dani handed it to him, he freaked out and said, "No! We're going to look like homosexuals!" We quickly walked out the doors.

Later on as we were shopping, we saw Anthony pushing Bubba in the stroller with Kevin at his side. I have to admit, they did look like quite the couple, and they sure did have a cute baby. It doesn't help that Anthony dresses so nice. Not that I'm complaining.

"You Crawl Like a Speed Demon!"

*I was trying to make him laugh, so he made this face and started to cry.

Bubba is crawling all over the place! In the last two days he has taught himself to pull up on the couch, tv stand, and anything else within reach. He is more and more fun each day, but leaves me more and more exhausted each day. I feel like I'm constantly running around, pulling him away from things, and redirecting. I better be thin soon.

I just overheard Anthony say, "Bubba, you are the fastest! You crawl like a speed demon!" I wonder what my child will soon be repeating.

*Video- Sorry, it's sideways!

My Husband, The Picky Eater, and I Know My Soup Looks Disgusting

In a picture perfect world, my house would be sparkly clean, I would have dinner on the table every night, and my husband would happily eat it. Well, too bad I don't live in a house. It's a tiny, one bedroom apartment. And too bad I don't have a table. Landon's crib (which he won't even sleep in) is occupying our dining room. But hey, I am trying my best to be the greatest housewife/homemaker/mom ever, so the last few nights, I have taken it upon myself to actually make dinner for my ever-so hardworking husband.

So, the first night I decided to start simple. Garlic Chicken as the main entree with a side of rice, and a side of corn. Well, I only had to ask Anthony about 12 times to help me know what to do with the rice cooker, and to tell me if he thought the chicken looked "ready". Dinner was not so bad. Husband ate it. Mission accomplished.

Quick input: If you know me, you know I am married to the pickiest eater in the world. I have begun to realize my husband is more than picky. He has a food phobia. It's very serious. I can list more of what he will eat that what he won't because the list is very short.

• some vegetables
  
• red meat


• chicken


• french fries


• noodles/rice/bread
  

There's the list. And people wonder why I don't cook. What is the point of cooking if you are the only person that's going to eat?!

Anyway, on to my second night. I feel like I was basically in the kitchen all day for this one. I made some cornbread from the Jiffy box. They were on sale for 43 cents the other day, so we'll probably be having cornbread for awhile. The main entree was soup. I don't really know what kind of soup, but I can tell you how I made it. I put the following in the crockpot and let it sit on high for basically the whole day.

• 2 chopped potatoes


• chopped carrots


• chopped grilled chicken


• can of corn


• can of green beans


• 4 cans of chicken broth


• 2 cups of rice


• garlic salt
  

I thought it was good. Samantha said it was good. And now for the moment I had been waiting for all day. Anthony comes home. I kindly ask would he like some dinner. He kindly asks me to bring him a bowl. I proudly fill it up and happily bring it to him. He hesitantly asks what's in it. I explain. He takes one bite. One bite. That's all. One bite. He's done. One bite. That's it. One bite. I don't talk to him for the rest of the night.

Okay, okay, so after waking up this morning, I realize I maybe overreacted by ignoring him as he profusely apologized, and told me it's the thought that counts. He applauded my cookies and even took seven of them to work with him today, but still...it was the soup I labored with love over and may I emphasize labor. Moving on. Maybe we will live on take-out for the rest of our lives.

Happy Halloween!

I could hardly wait for Halloween this year! Everything is so much more fun with Bubba here. I decided that I wanted to make his costume for his first Halloween. What was I thinking? After glue gun burns on my fingers, hats and yards of fabric ruined, I finally decided to use cotton balls. The whole project ended up costing me more than if I had bought the costume, but I don't care because I made it!

My Bubba was a baby sheep! The chubbiest sheep I ever saw. Everywhere he crawled, cotton balls were left behind. I was a school girl (for Anthony), and he was a school boy. He's not much for dressing up, but it worked out. We took Landon trick-or-treating to close family and friends. I pocketed the candy for myself.

Annie and I helped Nikki plan a Halloween party at her house. It was much anticipated and we spent much time sweating over games, food, and decorations. The party turned out to be so much fun! Our friends looked so great in their costumes and they brought the most creative halloween treats. Monica brought caramel apples with scary faces, Nikki made cookies shaped like pumpkins, bats, witches, frankenstien, and I made a spider cake that Anthony says looked just like a turtle.

Because I am a Mom, I was late to the party, and left early, but the time in between was well worth the year-long wait.