Friday, August 29

Things to Be Grateful For

This whole thing with the plane crash has really gotten my thinking about all the things in my life that I am grateful for. Sad but true it often takes a tragic event to spur these ideas.

Jumpin' J of course tops my life of things that I'm grateful for! His smile or laugh or Eskimo kisses make every day wonderful. And even when he's being naughty I have to bite my lip not to crack up because he is so cute!

Here are a couple of other blogs to check out if you need more gratitude thoughts...

Hogie Wogie
R-Eight

I'm sure there are more blogs like this out there but along with all the other things I'm grateful for I don't want to give it all away at once! ;)

Blog World Unites To Help

Please read this amazing story...

A mom named Stephanie lives out in Arizona with her husband and four children under 6! She has an amazing blog, Nie Nie Dialogues, which shows all of the love she has for her family as well as the joy they share! Just a couple of weeks ago she hosted an amazing party to celebrate her two daughters first day at school.

Needless to say this wonderful woman and her husband were in a terrible airplane accident just four days after that party. The pilot of the plane died from his injuries and Stephanie and her husband were critically burned. The couple will be in chemically induced coma for weeks if not months while doctors try to repair the damage.

Fortunately this story is not just about this terrible accident.... it is about the love and support that comes in this so called techno world. The outpouring of support for this family throughout the blogging world has been amazing.

Stepanie's sister is also a blogger and while she and her husband have taken in three of the couples four kids she has also kept the wondering world informed about the progress of this unbelievable family on her website at C Jane Enjoy It. There has also been a recovery website started at Nie Recovery where you can learn more about what others are doing to help.

And what people are doing is astounding....

One woman, Gabrielle, started a silent auction with the proceeds going entirely to the family. The idea caught on and there are hundreds of people who have donated items or services with all the of the proceeds being sent directly to help with the millions in bills that are estimated. Check out all the auctions at Design Mom. But be quick most of them end this weekend....

Many online stores are donating proceeds to help which you can see on the Nie Recovery Site. And one person on the site had nothing to donate to the auction so she challenged herself to donate what she would spend if she was to take Stephanie to lunch...

I admit that I would love to buy some of the things on the Design Mom website but we just don't have the money these days so I accepted the lunch challenge and have donated what I would spend on a lunch out with a friend!!!

And here is where I would like to pass along this challenge to all of my friends and family. Can you imagine what your life and your family's life might be like if something like this were to happen to you? And what does it really cost to go out for a quick bite? So instead of dining out I challenge you to make a salad or sandwich at home and donate your lunch money to a worthy family....







Tuesday, August 26

On Saturday Jumpin' J and I met up with Auntie Laura to go to the Big Bugs exhibition at Garden in the Woods. I didn't really know what to expect but since J loves bugs I thought it was a good idea. Plus it was Butterfly weekend there and J LOVES "buhdaf"!!

The bugs were all gigantic and made out of wood. I think they were actually so big that for the most part J didn't get that they were bugs. He did however recognize the butterfly and was absolutely in love.

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They had kids learning centers set up in a couple of places. At one they were giving out butterfly temporary tattoos. J picked out the one he wanted and we put it on his leg. He looks at it all the time.

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And at another they had butterflies at all the stages from itty bitty caterpillars to chrysalises about to open. Jumpin' J loved the "cataps" and wanted to touch all of them. He just missed grabbing this one, ooops.

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After the butterfly statue we saw a dragonfly, praying mantis, three ants, a bee, and more. And we wrapped up at the Itsy Bitsy Spider which J also thought was great. He started doing the hand motions to the song and it was really cute.

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All in all it was a wonderful afternoon! We had so much fun!!!

Friday, August 22

Sooo Big

Last night we were reading a book with Big Bird and Elmo in it and every time he saw Elmo he raised his arms. For his birthday Auntie Donna bought J an Elmo book called So Big and he connected that Elmo with the one we were reading about. It amazes me to see the connections he is making!

Sometimes in the AM I have to do some work on the computer. Jumpin' J loves to read his books and I can hear him perfectly so I can work for a little while and he just plays in his room and occasionally brings me a book to read him. This morning he was a little quiet so I went to check on him and this is what I found....

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He had climbed up into Grandma Susie's rocking chair and was reading his favorite book, Cars and Trucks and Things That Go. When I went in he promptly showed me Goldbug, the little bug hidden on every page of the book. What a big boy!!

Tuesday, August 19

J Loves Bananas

Jumpin' J is just like his dad in that he loves Bananas!!! He has discovered that he can use his teeth to eat the banana whole and boy does he scarf those things down!

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Saturday, August 16

Chasing the Rainbow

One of the best things about the amount of rain we've had this summer is the amount of rainbows we've had as a result. The other day it was just barely sprinkling but it was enough. Jumpin' J and I went outside to catch a glimpse before the rainbow faded away!

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Friday, August 15

Berry Lover

Jumpin' J loves berries more than anything else these days. As previously mentioned he ate tons of blueberries when we picked them but he also loves strawberries, raspberries, blackberries. When he eats berries he has to have a long-sleeve plastic IKEA bib on (Thanks Grandma Laurie) because he makes a gigantic mess. But that smile makes the clean-up worth it!!

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Thursday, August 14

Swim Class

Due to a LOT of rain this year Jumpin' J didn't have too many swim classes but the ones he did have he loved. He improved immensely from the beginning of class to the end. Today in class he kicked all by himself and even put his mouth in the water to attempt blowing bubbles. Here he is getting ready for swim class.

Watching Swimming on TV. U-S-A Yeah!!!
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I love swim class!
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Tuesday, August 12

My 30th Birthday

I really don't feel 30 so it's hard to believe that it's true but it was an awesome day!!! Jumpin' J and his dad went out in the morning to play together and let me sleep in. They went to a good breakfast place to bring back breakfast and they visited one of our local farmstands and brought me back a dozen giant sunflowers that are gorgeous!!!

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We all hung out and then had homemade chicken pot pie and corn on the cob from the farmstand for lunch. J ate about 1/2 of the chicken pot pie all by himself, he was seriously diggin' it! Then at about 4 Grandma Laurie showed up to surprise me. J's dad had asked her to come to stay with J so that he and I could go out! And go out we did!!!!!

First he dropped me off at the door of the Chestnut Hill Mall and handed me a wad of cash ($10 for each yr) and told me I had 1 hour to spend it all in Ann Taylor Loft. It was sooooo much fun. I don't usually by myself a lot of stuff and especially full price stuff but I managed to spend all the money he gave me and then some (thanks Aunt Sandi!!). He helped too and found a super cute dress for me to wear to my cousin's wedding next month.

After the shopping spree J's dad and I went to Oishii to eat sushi. This teeny tiny restaurant has some of the best sushi I've ever eaten here in the US. We had to wait a while since they only have about 15 seats in the whole place but fortunately it wasn't too bad since it was a Tuesday. The Jeffrey roll was my favorite!

And finally we met up with Laura, BK, Andrew, and Kim at Finale for dessert! It was great to see them all and celebrate my 30th with them. All in all it was a fabulous day and I couldn't have asked for anything more!!!!!! Thanks Jumpin' J and Daddy!!!

Wednesday, August 6

Spinning Spinning

Just yesterday at gym class Jumpin' J discovered the joys of spinning around in circles. It's pretty funny as he gets himself quite dizzy and then can't walk straight. Here's a short clip...