Orange juice

We have had bizarre weather here in Southern California.

We had weeks of super hot weather to constant rain to now its really cold.

Well, cold by my standards, maybe not by a Minnesotan! 

There is a beautiful orange tree in our back yard.

I have been patiently waiting for them to turn bright orange.

The days of pouring rain were quite depressing but I started to notice that the rain was benefitting my beautiful oranges! 

The rain kept away all the bugs, spiders, webs and dirt.

(Last year we didn't get to use very many because they had too many bugs and such. Now I know why farmers us pesticides because those poor oranges don't stand a chance sometimes!)

Aaron's sister came for new years so she and Brooke had the lovely task of picking them.

After I scrubbed them up they gleamed and you could smell the citrus.

We all sat there peeling and drooling.

Our result was this.

We all drank a whole glass right away it was so good.

I guess there can be benefits to so much rain! 

Holiday Cheer!

I have been praying for many things lately. 

I try to fill my head with praying instead of worrying.

What a challenge!

But it gets easier everyday.

So my latest prayer has been for a real crib.

When Brooke was in my belly, I decided I was not going to buy a real crib because we had no idea where we were going to be stationed or living.

She was so tiny that it worked really well and we never had a problem.

Brayden came along.

four letters.

T-A-N-K

He broke the pack n play after 3 months of use because he was so big.

I had to get the pad replaced because he bent it.

Well fast forward to my huge one year old.

He bent the boards again.

I took him out and tried putting him into the toddler bed.

BIG MISTAKE!

He was not ready.

Brooke was independent and LOVED being in a big girl bed.

Brayden is a cuddlebug who still acts like he is 6 months old.

So my prayer for a real crib began.

The Lord has provided EVERYTHING I have needed for the kids so far so I knew beyond a doubt a crib would be in my house.

Oh and I prayed I would have the crib before Christmas.

Well, Today my answer to prayer came. 

A wonderful Christmas present came in the mail allowing me to go on Craigslist and buy this wonderful crib for $60!!!!

 It is solid wood and only had a few scratches. Its converts into 4 things and had all the parts.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The adorable bedding is bedding that I bought long ago and have waited to use on a real crib. I used the pads and blanket on the toddler bed but now I can use every part! 

He was so excited when he saw it all put together. He wanted to get in right away and proceeded to squeal in delight.

Right now he is in bed singing himself to sleep.

(A sure sign he is content and happy)

Hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

We have plans to eat a picnic on the beach, make gingerbread cookies, have a sleepover and skype family.

Blog to ya'll later!

Christmas cards!

Ok, so today my cards are coming in the mail from Shutterfly and my goal is to get them addressed and mailed out either today by 5 or tomorrow.

SO

I need your addresses! 

Oh and to clarify, your home address not your email address.

Last time I got some email addresses :)

I have 50 cards to send out and I really don't think I have that many friends, so if you want one let me know! 

You can email me at janabunana@msn.com

Have a good week getting ready for Saturday!

I don't know about your kids but Brookelyn is so excited she can't even contain herself.

We promised we would bring our big king size mattress into the living room on Christmas Eve and have a sleep over so we can wake up and see the presents.

Every morning she tells us about the sleepover and the presents that Santa is bringing her.

(No, she doesn't really believe in Santa but she decided she likes pretending)

It has been pouring rain here for the past couple days.

I am going kind of crazy being trapped in the house.  I have truly decided I only like the rain looking out from a window.

Taking the kids outside in it is a nightmare!

Aaron is going to do the Christmas shopping for the kids :) 

It will be fun to see how a Daddy brain works and what he gets them.

I want the kids to make something for him but haven't come up with anything creative.

Any ideas?

oohh Brookelyn

We are still struggling with Brooke waking up dry. She hates wearing diapers but her little bladder cant even make it a couple hours. Last night she took her diaper off while still awake and woke up (in the middle of the night) soaking wet. We were talking about it this morning and the convo went a little like this

- " Brookelyn, Mommy needs you to be a big girl and stop wetting the bed"

- "But Mommy I don't wike my diaper"

-"Ok, then you need to learn to wake up and go potty. 

-"mmm... (scrunches her nose) I can't"

-"Then leave your diaper on so you don't soak your bed"

-"Well, (forming a mischievous grin) at least my diaper is dry!"

   A phone conversation with Grandma Mindy

"Hi Gwamma! Mommy is going to hava baaaaby! 

Its a girl and her name is Maddewyn.

Gwamma, Mommy cwied all day long.

Daddy was naughty. Him spank Mommy.

Him go to him room and scweamed!

*disclaimer- Aaron has NEVER spanked me nor does he yell at me*

Gwamma, Santa is going to bwing me presents.

Snow coming to our house.

We decowated the whole house."

"Mommy I just talked to Beka on the phone and we need to buy jellies and cheeses. (talking on her cell phone) Oh hi Beka! Whats your number? Oh! 121? ok!"

"Mommy I wan a lil sisster so bad! How about twins Mommy. Is that ok?"
-"Well God already decided Mommy just needed one baby in my tummy."
(After explaining to her how the little baby will grow and make my tummy really big)
"Mommy I have wittle baby in my tummy!!! Its going to get real  big and poke you. Can I have a baby Mommy?"
-"Not until you are a big big girl"
-sigh. "I want to be a big girl. My arms are going to be so big! I can't wait for my hands to be so big!"
silent pause.
"No I don't wanna be big. I wike being wittle"
-"Why do you like being little Brookelyn?"
"Cuz I like dressing myself and I like eat."

(As she is watching me type some of this blog)
"Mommy what you saying?
MOMMY! I know what you saying... I don't like it.
Ugh be quiet I am trwying to write. Mommy say d-r-y-z."
-"What is that?"
"Its from our house, or from the neighbor"

Playing outside

Oh the weather outside is... sunny?!

I must say it was wonderful waking up to news articles about the loads of snow Minnesota is receiving and then I received my daily weather alert saying it was going to be 80 today!

Made my day start off smiling :)

The kids are outside right now soaking up some sunshine and having play time with Daddy.

With a few quiet minutes I thought I would get another blog in.

Aaron took some good photos of the kids enjoying the sun so I thought I would share a few.

Brooke has five shirts on in this picture.

"Cuz I need some"

This is old news but the kids finally got their first haircut.

Brooke was 3 and Brayden was 1.

I loved his little curls but people were starting to think he was a little girl.

Brooke's hair was all the way down past her waistline.

I took videos of them getting their haircuts.

Brooke sat fine because she was watching a show,

Brayden screamed and cried and jerked his head.

I wouldn't make you suffer through it!

here is a pre-haircut picture tho

I must say though it doesn't really feel like Christmas around here!

Alot of our neighbors put up pretty Christmas lights and outdoor decorations.

The kids love driving by or walking by very slowly to enjoy the sparkling lights.

Another reminder Christmas is around the corner,

Christmas cards are coming in the mail!

I love receiving them so keep on sending them to me!!! :) 

I am getting on the ball today and start making mine.

I am going to make mine on Shutterfly.

They have this WONDERFUL holiday promotion where if you blog about their wonderful services you receive 50 free photos!

I used Shutterfly all through high school and even printed my grad photos through them!

I love how they have many different options of what to choose from.

I also liked some of THESE styles so I think it might take me awhile to pic one that I like.

Just a warning,

my Christmas cards and letter will probably be more like a Happy New year letter so maybe I should just skip the Christmas and do THIS.

Oh another really cool thing that Shutterfly does are these awesome picture books.

As a graduation present, or maybe it was an I miss you present,

anyway,

my best friend made me a photo book with tons of pictures of us!

It was like a scrapbook without all the hard work.

My kind of deal.

I need your address!!!! 

Please be so kind and to email your address.

janabunana@msn.com

Glued to the couch

I didn't realize it had been so long since I updated this blog.

Sitting down just made me realize I haven't even blogged about our trip to Seattle. 

Which was a month ago.

But then again,  I just did the laundry for the first time since the trip so I guess blogging wasn't the only thing ignored.

*My children always had clean clothes. I have to wash their's about every other day.

Hopefully this holiday break will give me a chance to catch up.

Why so lazy you ask?

Morning sickness.

For a while all I could eat was what sounded good which meant no cooking and alot of eating out.

That is kind of ok because we are bargain hunters even when it comes eating out and we try to still eat healthy when eating out.

But it got to the point that our cupboards were completely bare.

Thankfully right at that same time I had a small break from the ickiesickies so I planned a bunch of meals and went shopping.

For several days I made amazing (if I do say so myself) food and was very proud of myself for being a real housewife again.

And then this week happened.

I don't really feel icky but I can't eat.

Several times this week I would put food in my mouth only to immediately spit it out and walk away from the table. 

Another strange thing this week, my couch seemed to have grown a huge magnet. 

I can't get off the couch! 

The kids have been wonderful.

Except they have started fighting with each other. 

That is a new one for me.

Brayden will pull Brooke's hair. Brooke will push Bubba. Bubba screams and runs in for the attack. Brooke swings her arms and sometimes makes contact.

Brooke is quite the independent 3 year old. She is really trying hard to be a  big help and loves 'cleaning' her room.

(She shoves it all into one bucket or a corner)

Brayden is still attached to me like he's 6 months old. 

I think he might have jealousy issues when the new baby comes.

Speaking of which, every person that Brooke talks to gets told that Mommy is having a new baby and its a girl and her name is Maddewyn.

(We don't know what it is yet as I am only 10 weeks)

I found this really cool app for the Ipad that shows a picture of the baby at every week so we can watch it grow.

She loves checking on the baby and commenting on how tiny it is. 

When you ask her when the new baby will come she says this summer in a very matter of fact way.

One thing that has helped me feel better is running or going for long walks.

I want to try to run as long into the pregnancy I can and then when I get too big just go for walks.

Which reminds me...

I need to go for a quick run before the kids wake up from their nap.

more updates coming soon!!!

I need so see what photos or videos I need to post cuz I know I have alot!

Have a good weekend!