While Mom's away...

...the kids will cuddle up with Dad and watch TV together???  What the heck?!  I came home on Sunday afternoon after being gone a few hours and this is what I found.  I'm with these little guys 24/7 and they NEVER both cuddle up with me and do ANYTHING.  Andrew was just sitting' pretty with his babies in his lap. 

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Finally! Relief from the noise!

Andrew and I have been using the fleece swaddle blanket to wrap around Smith's legs for warmth at night since birth.  Well, we finally decided he was old enough to have an actual blanket in his bed to keep him warm.  Last night, we went to check on him before we went to bed and this is what we found...

It's almost like he's saying "Geez, I'm so glad they finally gave me something to muffle that dumb sound machine they turn on every night thinking it makes me sleep better".  I went to unwrap his head (after I took a picture of course) and he had a firm grip on that blanket.  He wanted it around his head and to be left alone (I did manage to remove it but I'm sure he put it right back into place).  Silly boy!

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Things you might not know...

Today at Stroller Strides, we had several new girls in class, so the instructor asked us to go around and say one thing about ourselves others wouldn't know.  Well...girl number one had a hidden tattoo and girl number two has 3 kidneys!  How do you follow that?  I immediately started racking my brain.  Ugg...since I'm chatty Cathy and blog all the time, most people know all my business!  I have very few secrets. 

When it was Rachel's turn, she couldn't think of anything, so I reminded her that she once told me in confidence that she had waited tables at Golden Corral (a low point in her life...whether she knows it or not...that's low) and then Helen has more food issues than a one year old, so that was a no brainer...anyway, my answer was lame because I couldn't handle the pressure of all the good answers (seriously, three kidneys...come on!). 

Since this morning, I've been reflecting on some random things people might not know about me (I'm going to have a better answer if ever asked again), and here are some random facts (still not as good as extra organs but it's all I've got).

1. I love reading magazines.  Yes, I love reading books too but magazines are my favorite.  I subscribe to several and when they come in the mail, I get giddy with excitement. 

2. When I was 12, my mom made me get my ears pierced.  She said I was being wimpy and proceeded to drag me to Claire's to have them pierced (she'll deny the dragging part but I remember being dragged).  Well, well, well, turns out I LOVED having my ears pierced and proceeded to do it several more times.  I have 2 holes in one ear and 4 in another.  Before I turned 30, I always told myself I would get at least one (or two) more holes in my right ear so that I would have 6 total in one ear (my mom is now going to try and drag me away from Claire's now...I know it), so we'll see.  I don't wear them all the time...just when I'm in the mood.  Maybe you'll see me with some fresh holes soon.

3. I hate tuna fish.  Yuck.  Hate it.

4. Andrew and I met while living in different states, got engaged while living in different states, and spent the first 5 months of our marriage living in different states.  Then we spent 2 years working together and were NEVER apart.  We've definitely run the gamut in our marriage.  (Right now, we have the perfect balance.  Live in the same state, he works, I stay home :)).

5. I get extremely sea sick.  I get sick just looking at a boat.  I practically get sick in the bathtub.  If you ever invite me out to the lake to get on a boat, I will pass.  Trust me, you want me to pass.

6. I have to watch at least 20 minutes of TV before I fall asleep at night..  It doesn't matter if it's 9:15 pm or 1:00 am when I get home...I can't go to sleep without watching a little TV.

7. My friends all go to consignment sales.  I went once.  I almost passed out.  There are soooooo many people pushing and fighting for clothes.  Oh my gosh!  It was awful.  My friends don't ask anymore.  They know I will be breathing into a paper bag at the thought.

8. I saved money all through college (working two part-time jobs as a babysitter and for my dad's business) in order to buy a car when I graduated.  Well, silly me, I fell in love with a poor boy who wanted to marry me yet had no money to take me on a honeymoon, so we spent my car money on our honeymoon.  Don't worry, a few years later he made it up to me and bought me my new car :).

9. When I was 22, I got married and my cousin Brooke was my maid of honor (because no one is more like a sister to me than her).  The day before my wedding, she was playing high school soft ball and as she was day dreaming in the outfield about how beautiful she was going to look in her bridesmaid dress, a ball smacked her square in the face...so she walked down the aisle with a huge black eye and tons of makeup.  Oh Brooke...on Wednesday, she turns 22 :).  Below are the pictures of her birthday party this past weekend.

 Me and our newest addition Miss Paisley

 the birthday girl and her Aunt Sherry (my mama)

 Me, Brooke and Casey

 She stood here for three minutes while I said "smile" and this was the best I got.  Pitiful!

 Smith on the other hand, is all smiles.

 On our way home

That's all you need to know about me!

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Where in the world?

My parents have a map of the world at their house where they track the places they've been with straight pins.  I've wanted to do the same for some time now and was even more inspired when my friend Aubrey did the same with her kids, so today we did it.

We're those super crazy people who love, love, love to travel and gasp...travel with our kids as well.  So now, we have an official map with colored straight pins marking where we've been.  It was fun to write down all of the places I've been and "pin" them on my map.  (By the way, it doesn't "count" just because you land in an airport.  You have to really travel there with purpose for it to count on our map...we're kind of funny about the specifics :)).

Andrew and I have each been to three different continents and over 25 countries.  Our kiddos have made it to 5...with 7 more in their near future.  Where in the world are the Shulls????



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A summery winter day

Since today felt like summer and not winter, Erika, Manda and I decided to head to the park after we picked the big kids up from pre-school.

 I woke him up from his nap to go get K and head to the park.  He was all smiles.

 On our way to the park, we all stopped at Sonic for drinks.  What's so cute about this picture is that the girls' drinks were in different spots, so they got their drinks and went to sit next to each other.  Kensington loves her some Ebby Lee.

 Thanks to Lovie, Smith has become obsessed with his Capri Sun Water.  He can suck them dry.

I knew his buddy Nixon needed to get hooked too, so we brought one for him as well.  This is Nixon's first Capri Sun.  I think he was a fan :).

I'm not quite ready for winter to be over...but today was super nice to be outside.

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Be mine

 Yesterday, Kensington received a Valentine's Day card in the mail from Lovie and Papa Jay that plays the theme to Beauty and the Beast.  Needless to say, it's now her favorite toy and we've heard the song 1,345,456 times.

 Watching cartoons with her card.

 Playing "school" with her card.

 

 Giving her rocking horse a kiss.

I love my little Valentines.

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Life embraced

After 20 months and 3 days, I finally got my braces off yesterday :).  I remember standing in my kitchen when Dr. Adams called me to tell me the plan: braces on, tonsils out, myofunctional therapy every Tuesday, and 60 minutes of myofunctional homework a day.  I cried. 

At the time, I had a 7 month old and it all seemed so overwhelming.  Andrew and my mom kept saying that it would be worth it and that I'd regret it if I didn't do it, so I jumped in feet first and went for it.  (Side note: Dr. Adams was my 17th doctor in 13 years to try and correct my problem, so I was very pessimistic and exhausted from the whole situation before I even started.).  I surrendered my fear, doubt and frustration to God and went for it. 

On June 5, 2009, I woke up to get my braces put on that day and begin the whole process, however, as soon as I was awake, I ran to the bathroom, threw up and realized I was pregnant.  Yup.  Funny how when you surrender the "big things" to God and think the situation can't get more complicated, He shows you that it can and that you can persevere. 

So, here we are.  Now a family of four, now finally after 14 years, I am completely healed, and now more than ever, I'm confident that all things are possible through Christ.  He gave me not only the right doctors at the right time, but also the strength, patience, and wonderful, wonderful support of my family and friends.   (A girl can't drive 35 minutes to and from therapy every single Tuesday without a wonderful mama to watch her babies.)  Life embraced!

 In the car yesterday morning.  He's so excited because he's never seen mama smile without her braces.

 She's so excited for me too!

 A self-portrait right before I went inside to get them removed :).

 And there they are!  My pretty teeth! 

We've come a long way since June 5, 2009.  Love you Smith!

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12 months

 Thanks to my sweet friend Jeni for referring her photographer (and BFF) Paige Walker.  Contact Paige at paigewalker1113@yahoo.com. 

My sweet, sweet boy at 12 months.  I love you Smith!

 

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Day 4, Day 4, Day 4, Day 4. Day 4

Day 4 of being snowed/iced in.  This is C-R-A-Z-Y!  This is the first time schools have been closed 4 days in a row.  I mean, this is seriously nuts!  I have used all of my mommy tricks over the last 3 days.  We've made crafts, played with Play-doh, done puzzles, colored pictures, sang song after song, worked on our letters...I'm exhausted.  Today, I gave up and gave Kensington her Valentine's Day gift early...a movie.  She's watched it twice already.  I surrender!



 A boy after his mama's own heart.  We love being outside!

 My sister-in-law G insisted we make snow ice cream.  It was soooooo good!  My kids (and I) couldn't get enough.  This is Kensington stirring it.

 Don't let her petite size and cute face fool you.  After 4 days together, she and I are about to seriously have it out.  She's the Devil.  Doesn't she look so mean?!

 I ventured into Mexico to vacuum and saw Smith standing at the border seriously drinking down his snow ice cream.  He was cracking me up.

Erika texted me this morning and asked if this was what it was like living in Detroit.  I said yes (minus the gunfire in the background). 

My only saving grace was yesterday morning when my sweet mama called and insisted we meet at the mall so that she could feed the kids lunch while I ran a few errands.  I drove there safely on ice.  The freeway wasn't too bad but that Nordstrom parking lot was an ice rink.  It was the perfect opportunity to talk to my kids about the importance of praying to Jesus about all things (like driving really, really carefully on ice).

Hopefully, this is the last day.  Hopefully.

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And he's off!

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Kensington says it best...

Since it was 15 degrees today and we were iced and snowed in, I thought I'd  give you tidbits from our day:

1. Andrew made us all whole wheat chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast (yummy!).

2. We set up Kensington's tent in our bedroom for hours of fun.

3. I painted K's toenails pink.

4. We watched Charlie Brownie (that's what she says).

5. Smith walked the furthest thus far (an estimated 10 feet per Andrew).

6. I told Smith to stop biting the carpet approximately 1009 times (why do boys do weird things?).

7. We pulled two new toys out of our rainy snowy day bin.

8. I told Andrew he can never retire and stay home with me all day 4 times.

9. I communicated three times with Sheaffer about our love of cream pie (2 texts and a phone call).

10. We ate stew for dinner (which made our house smell wonderful all day).

Snowed in tomorrow too!  More fun ahead!

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