My "Bucket" List

Now...don't worry- I'm not about to list off 100 things I want to do before I die...just about 10 things I want to do before I'm...say...40---how about that?!  I wasn't able to listen in on our team training call on Monday night {late night diaper run before MDO the next day}, but as I was talking with my team mentor and friend, Kristie, she filled me in.  The call was about vision.  Now it was more specifically geared toward vision for your business, but isn't vision in anything a good thing?  I know that the Lord calls us to look Heavenward, so I know that that is my ultimate vision.  But I also know that he wants us to live lives that direct others towards His light and goodness and mercy.  So as I have been thinking about my vision for life- here are a few things I want to do- some fun, some serious, but all in a way that pleases my Savior. 

1. Have more children...biological and adopted.  I don't plan on being the Duggars, much less the Brady Bunch...but I do know that my future holds more children and I look forward to filling our home with them!  So I guess possibly the Brady Bunch (in number of children...not blended- Jared's stuck with me!  Even though I assume Carol and Mike's former spouses died??  Okay...anyway...)

2. Adopt.  I know that this one kind of goes along with #1, but it's so heavy on my heart.  I know that the Lord has a lot of work to do on my heart and Jared's before this will happen, but I am confident that it will.  The Lord laid this desire on my heart while I was in college, and I know that "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to carry it into completion until the day of Christ." {Philippians 1:6}  I have found so many adoption stories and blogs--- it would take me another hour just to list them all here.  So do me a favor---if you are adopting, have adopted, or plan to-- please share your blog or story with me in the comments section.  I'd love to do a post dedicated to all the adoptive families I know-- whether we're BFFs or acquaintances or blog stalkers or old friends from the good ole UU days! 

3.  Be at home FULL-TIME.  Our schedule is nuts around here.  I absolutely LOVE working with the homeschool group I work with- and I can truly see myself continuing to do this once my boys are school age.  But with all the time and energy Jared puts into soccer, it would be so much more beneficial for all of us if I were at home full-time.

that being said....

4. Build my Internet CEO Moms business.  This team has been such a blessing-- moms helping other moms work from home- most of us have the same vision of being a stay-at-home mom.  I think that this is truly the best work-from-home business out there.  There are so many great opportunities--- but this one is definitely the best one that works solely from home without having to do outside parties or take in/buy your own inventory.  The company we work with is great and I know that we would still be members even if I weren't building a business with it!  In fact, only 12% of their customers build a business!  That tells you that 88% of their customers are completely satisfied being just that-- customers!

5.  Take Jared on a trip to Disney World.  He has never been and I went once in the sixth grade.  I know that there are 100 million things to do there- but before we take our kids, I want to take a trip just the two of us!  And he wants to go to Harry Potter World, so I guess I will go along with that one, too!

6.  Go on a mission trip as a family- regularly.  I know my kids are still young now to take a big trip, but, hey- I have til I'm 40 to get this list done!  Plus there are so many opportunities close to home- I don't want my children to grow up thinking that everyone is raised the same way they are.  I feel like my parents did a good job at that with us by letting us participate in different missions opportunities, but you always want to go a step further than you were taken, right?  When I was in high school, I had such a passion for missions.  I thought at one point that that's where the Lord was leading me- full-time career missionary.  Not that I still don't (and not that He still couldn't), but life has happened and my thoughts outside of my "world" have become fuzzier over time.  That takes a lot of pride swallowing to admit, but it's so true.  We have some good friends who are getting ready to move to Vancouver to partner up with a group already there.  I'm so thrilled for them and for their faith that God has led them to this point in their lives!

7.  Now this one may be a little silly...but ORGANIZE ALL MY PICTURES, PRINT THEM OFF, MAKE SOME TYPE OF PHOTO BOOK FOR MY CHILDREN TO HAVE!  I absolutely LOVE looking at mine and Clif's baby pictures!  I need to be better at printing off Miles' and Owen's pictures!  AH!

8.  Now for another silly one--- start and COMPLETE a sewing project.  I have a machine.  I have material.  I have patterns.  Now...just do it.  Right???  I have about 4 or 5 different paint/wood/canvas/chair recovering projects going right now...maybe I'll get them finished and given or hung up {or sat on} around here soon!

9.  Okay...so I guess 8 is all I have right now! 

I encourage you to do something like this...you don't have to blog about it...but I'm not a big journal-er (?), so this was the best way for me to write it out and put it "out there"! 

Adventures in Babyfood Making

As some of you may know, I have ventured out this go 'round with Owen...I have been making his babyfood.  Now, this is a more widely practiced activity than I thought to begin with!  I have a few friends who did it with their kids who are a little older than Owen, and I have a few friends who are doing this now with theirs who are about Owen's age.  My greatest resource has been WholesomeBabyFood, and then just my imagination!  They have recipes for everything under the sun!  I feel like Owen has been exposed to foods he might not have had on tub/jar food.  And I feel like I've been able to give him more finger foods a little earlier because his system is already used to "regular" food????  (But teeth will HAVE to come in for us to move on up in our food adventures!!  The child still doesn't have any!) 

There wasn't any particular reason that I did this, other than I thought it would be fun and I knew of a few friends doing it, too!  I didn't, however, expect Owen to become a "food snob" over it though!  He won't touch the tub/jar food!  So he hasn't had too many greens up until now.  I did start him on some English peas recently as finger foods.  We went out of town in August and I thought I would make it easy on myself and purchase 3 days worth of food---- WRONG.  Owen didn't touch it!  I even bought the good stuff--- not just peas!  So he had a lot of mushed up bananas that weekend!  I've tried getting Miles in on some of the action...sadly- one day I had some pears and peaches (fresh- hadn't been boiled down or baked yet), and I offered Miles some in a cup and told him what it was.  He is so used to the canned stuff that he told me that I had not given him peaches and pears!  So I am slowly introducing Miles to the "real" stuff!  I may try to trick him get him to try some orange applesauce!  {see middle pic below}

Now I haven't been so particular as to make my own oatmeal and biter biscuits and stuff.  Sounds great and I think I'd have fun doing it- because I truly have enjoyed making his food- but there just aren't enough hours in the day!  And so far I have only had one thing not turn out the way I wanted it to--- spaghetti squash.  It was just too stringy and I don't think I cooked it long enough.  I was really grainy.  (And did you know that it's called spaghetti squash for a reason?!)

So-- what was your preference?  If you started with one kid, did you feel like you needed to do it with the rest of your kids?  As I was standing in the kitchen tonight making up food, I was thinking that Owen might be the "favored" child...not sure if I'll do this for the next {hypothetical} kiddo!  I didn't do it for Miles and he turned out to be a great eater!  (Although you wouldn't know it looking at his skinny self!)  Hope doing this doesn't make Owen a picky one! 

What I started with the first time (after he had been introduced to most of these things)-- bananas, acorn squash, avocado, peaches, sweet potatoes, and cucumber.

My products from tonight- blueberry peaches, pears, blueberry pears, carrots, and carrot-applesauce.

The mess...in an "organized" fashion...after I had cleaned up the counters.

"Help!! The Baby's Out!"

Babyproofing.  How much do you do?  Are you super safe?  Bumpers on every piece of furniture, locks on the toilets, finger-smusher proof doors?  Do you just do a few basics?  Cabinet locks, an occassional baby gate? 

I find myself in between.  We have a gate at the top of the stairs- but I hate it.  I mean- I'm glad Miles can't get down (yet) by himself.  But it would just take one climb or extra strong temper tantrum to send it going down the stairs!  The particular gate we have isn't one that you screw into the wall.  We will soon have to get another one for the bottom of the stairs when little mister decides to start crawling!  {{we're safe for now}}

Then in the kitchen, we have cabinet locks, but not everywhere; I wanted Miles to be able to have a cabinet all to himself.  And I tell you what, it has been the source of many imaginative, entertaining himself times that he has had!  That empty cabinet is his office, his tent (with any toy that makes light) and he lets me know when "stuff" ends up in his cabinet!  No fits- everything is just neatly stacked outside of the cabinet (he gets that "neat-stack" thing from his daddy!)

What about your fireplace?  How do you babyproof it?  Ours is open in the wall, with a chain screen (how the house came).  It's not like it gets cold enough here to use our gas logs-- maybe two or three times a year?!  We bought a screen- but it isn't very heavy- which is good and bad...good in that it won't hurt as bad if it fell over, but bad in that it could fall over and it would hurt!  I do wish it had a glass door---so tell me- how do you protect your little one from the fireplace??

But you know?  No matter how much "proofing" we do- baby will still have those accidents!  We had one yesterday- on an unsuspecting object!  Owen is trying so hard to get around.  He had wiggled himself close to the recliner in our room, his arms gave out, and he banged his face into the handle on the chair!  I was right there with him, but it happened so quick!  Do you have any of those type stories, or am I the only one?!  Surely not...oops- gotta go- another tearful bump awaits mama's kiss!!  Share your story with me!

Uh-oh!  Look below his eye- accident #1 of a million more to come, I'm sure!  Poor baby!  And the teething sure doesn't help the fussiness!

A Lazy Sunday Morning

Now, if you know me, you'll know that I would normally be at church right now...but the babies woke up with the yucks and Miles was coughing a good bit, so we decided I would stay home.  And while I missed being in SS with our kindergarten kiddos, and worshiping with our awesome church family, and listening to Bro. Chad bring the word- I have enjoyed a lazy Sunday morning and spending some QT with my boys!  What a sweet and precious time we had- and I enjoyed watching them play and interact!  Plus- I got lunch cooked, which hardly ever happens on a Sunday!  Thank you {crockpot}!  I'll let you know how this new recipe turns out!

Our morning was filled with a nap for Owen (a little earlier than usual), Miles playing outside on his trike (it's a beautiful day here!), and some good ole' brother time on mama and daddy's bed!  Daddy came home early and we're just enjoying being in the same room for a change!  Jared has plans to start "Fort Magnificent" this week.  He has taken a week off of work to take off on this endeavor.  Blueprints, lumber companies, borrowing big ole power tools, and everything.  I'll document with the camera and post later.  We're hoping for no trips to the emergency room...{fingers crossed}. 

Here are some pics from our morning!  Hope you all have a fabulous week!  We started ours off great!  And the boys are already feeling better having had a low-key morning, so we'll be back at the church house tonight!  I need to go now....crockpot is about to go off, and Miles is pushing Owen around in the walker- poor Owen.  Oh- and Miles is saying "Come here, honey".........to me. (love him) 

Fireman Miles, but he's on a train, not a fire engine or lion.

I wish that you could see the mohawk better!

Sweet brother time!

What better place to have a peanut butter sandwich, oranges, and wheat thins than the dining room table?!  At 10:30 in the morning?!

Daddy time!

Trying out this walker thing!  As with crawling, he can only go backwards!

Kid-isms

Now, if you're the mom to, or ever have been the mom to, a kid--- you've probably got some hilarious stories from your kiddos childhood days.  Just thought I'd share a few of our "kid-isms" from the past couple weeks:

Miles:  some of his favorite phrases these days include-- "well....why not?" {said in the cutest question voice ever}, "that's not my choice", "i need to reeeeeaaaach"
Cute story:  Last night, my mom and dad brought him home from their house after supper.  Now, Miles is on a bit of a food strike these days- all he wants are french fries and fruit- the fruit part is fine- but the french fries, well...there could be better choices!  But considering this- he ate a great supper last night- butterbeans, english peas, a couple bites of chicken tetrazini, pears...but as they passed by the MickeyD's on the way to our house, mom heard the quietest "I'm hungry" from the backseat.  She and dad just continued on with their conversation.  They heard it again a little bit down the road, "I'm hungry, I want McDonalds."  Oh the power of suggestion!  {Meme and Jimbo did not cave...she told Miles that all the McDonald's people had to go home and go to bed, too!  Nice save, Meme!}

Owen:  of course, he has no favorite phrases these days- but I love watching him respond to his name and different voices!  He doesn't "talk" as much as Miles seemed to do, but when he does talk- it's usually very loud!  He is sitting up beautifully and has been since about 4 months- but the crawling thing is a different story!  Oh, how he tries!  He can scoot backwards all day long, can turn around in circles on his belly...but try to go forward--- it's a no go!  He gets so upset, too!  He is pretty relaxed and laid back all the time, except when he wants to get somewhere!  And it's a MAD cry!  So pitiful!  You can't help but chuckle and feel bad for the little guy!  He'll get it all too soon, and my world will change once again!  I think Miles is his favorite person (besides me).  His face lights up when he hears Miles voice or sees him!  He can't wait to be in the middle of all the action!  But for now, I'm enjoying him as my hip baby! 

Now- leave a comment with your favorite "kid-ism" from lately, or one you remember of yourself from when you were a kid!!  Look forward to hearing yours!  Or if you want to leave a link to your blog--- do that!  I'll come on over and follow YOU! 

**Sorry no pics...I've been terrible about pics lately- my mom has been taking them 

like crazy, though!  I'll have to get a hold of her card soon!**

Ode to Jared, part deuce

The Rush was featured in the Desoto Appeal section of the Commercial Appeal today!!  Check it out here.

It's FINALLY fall!!!

WOO-HOO!!

Fall for the Darbys means soccer (what's new), pumpkins, and birthdays!!!  Miles will turn 3 in exactly one month- we are planning a train-themed birthday for this year's festivities!  Jared will turn ___ Nov. 12 =)  It seems like the past couple years we have had multiple parties going on during the fall, but this year they have slowed down a little bit- maybe it is because it will pale in comparison to the parties we will have in the spring- talk about a major baby boom around Owen's birthday!  But we'll save that post for springtime!!

Tonight we had a fun-filled evening with friends at the Mid-South Fair!!  It was GREAT!  Now, we definitely spent WAAAAAY too much money and ate WAAAAAAY too much sugar- but hey- it only comes around once a year, right?!  This year was a blast compared to last year- Miles didn't get to ride hardly any rides last year- this year he was all about some rides!  It helped that we were with friends and that good ole' dad was there to ride with him!  Jared is going to be the BEST when the boys are older- I don't imagine the words "oh that's just too much to spend right now" will EVER come out of Jared's mouth when it comes to going to the fair!  He loves it!  He's such a big kid himself!  Our friends had older girls who were old enough to ride the rides, just not old enough yet to go walking around alone.  So Mr. Jared was the "cool" dad who wasn't their dad and took them on the big rides while the rest of us hung out by the kiddie rides!

Here are some pics from the evening!!  I hope you enjoy your fall!

 poor miles...he was passed out before we even GOT to the fair!  he had already had a full day of fun with dad!

 miles is in the cart between the green flower and the pink pole. 

 miles and his buddy jack

 jared and miles and jack on the boat...this one was close to being the end of it for miles.  

 my little sweetie!

 miles and jared on the ginormous slide!

 TURKEY LEG!

 the only motorcycle i will ever let miles ride  =)

 enjoying a funnel cake for meme!!

out past bedtime...i'm paying for it now- he isn't sleeping good tonight!!

Oh!  And be sure to check out my other blog....My Safer Home about this month's promotion!