Liebster

Several weeks ago, Kristen tagged me for a Liebster award. Although Kristen and I live about 10 minutes away from each other in different towns, we met via blogging. We recently got to formally meet at a birthday party, but since we were both busy with children, hopefully we'll get to visit more soon. I started this soon after Kristen tagged me, then got caught up with Avery's birthday, then a bad week, then some busy weeks, and well....here we are. Today, Courtney tagged me so I figured it was definitely time to finish my questions. Courtney and I are both Virginia girls but met in the blogging world through Jennifer I enjoy both of their blogs and appreciate them thinking of me!

Liebster is a German word meaning sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. This award is given to blogs with less than 200 followers. The Liebster Award is basically a "tag" by another blogger that shows her appreciation for your blog and gives you the opportunity to tell a little more about yourself, discover other bloggers you may be interested in following, and nominate other blogs that you love.

The rules:

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.


2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you have tagged to answer.


3. Choose up to 11 people and link them in your post.


4. Go to their page and let them know.


5. Remember no tag backs!

11 Random Facts:
1. I love to fall asleep at night under my blanket on the couch. I get upset if Ned is ready to go to bed before I've done that.
2. I'd love to open a Chick-Fil-A here. I'd also like to be an investigator who figures out how fires start. This totally contradicts my answer to #4 below.
3. My friends have to take an interest in my children. I fully believe it takes a village, and our family village is small, so I count on friends to do the rest. It warms my heart to see others loving my kids.
4. I have a horrible Pepsi habit that I work daily to control. I think it started at Peace when I could drink fountain Coke for 3 meals a day...and I did. I love a good fountain Pepsi or Coke.
5. I was one of 17 in my high school graduating class.
6. I'm a total homebody unless I'm out with my family. I always have been. I usually wouldn't go to sleepovers as a child, and I was pretty homesick during my 2 years at Peace.
7. Brushing my hair is one of the first things I want to do in the morning and when I get home in the afternoon.
8. I have a big issue with my feet in showers or bathtubs. I think maybe I just don't like how it feels wet under me feet. It's worse on tile floors, and even in our new house I find myself kind of scrunching my toes to keep some of my foot off the floor.
9. I love those funny little cards with the old-fashioned people floating around Pinterest, Facebook, etc. There are so many I want to pin, but I'm always afraid my followers will think I'm terrible if they have bad language. I laughed until I cried over one about The Oregon Trail computer game the other day, but I wouldn't repin because it used a word I don't use. Ned did agree it was the best of those cards, though.
10. I have a horrible mouth (see above) that I have had to reel in now that Avery is like a parrot. She's repeated one thing I've said, and while it wasn't an ugly word, it wasn't something she should say. She has picked up on several things that I don't care to hear from her little mouth, and she usually blames my parents, although it's not coming from them.
11. I hate to be late but feel like I'm usually pushing it these days since I've had kids. I've never been late for work though.

Kristen's Questions for Me:

1. What book, if any, are you currently reading? Would you recommend it? I am painfully behind in The Happiness Project and have a wish list full for my Kindle. I just read Bloom less than 24 hours and loved it. I follow Kelle's blog and knew a lot of the story, but I couldn't put it down am an so thankful I bought the actual book instead of doing it electronically. Since getting my Kindle last year, my goal has been to read a book each month. While I haven't kept that up exactly in the last few months, all the reading I did on bed rest helped me out :)

2. What is your favorite place that you have visited? Why? I think our honeymoon location, Antigua, is definitely my favorite. I still mourn that trip! I visited France and Spain as a senior in high school, and I'd love to go back to the south of France and to the locations we visited in Spain now that I am able to appreciate them better.

3. Why did you start blogging? I started reading a few blogs and wanted to get in on the action. My scrapbooking days ended when I got pregnant with Avery, so I wanted a way to document our lives.

4. What is your biggest fear? Oh dear, how long do you have? I have a lot of fears, both normal and irrational. These fears obviously aren't debilitating or keep me from living life, but I still wish I wasn't such a worrier. My main two are losing a loved one and house fire. Last summer I began following a blog where the family was rear-ended, lost one child, and everyone else was seriously hurt. I now think about that a lot if we're driving in construction or a car has to stop quickly. I'm also afraid of the dark. I'll stop there or you'll have me committed!

5. What is your favorite thing to do when you have free time? My favorite thing to do if I have free time is to be in our house by myself, and then I usually waste the time completely. I don't crave massages, shopping trips, etc. I long for time alone at home. It's happened once since Sam has been born.

6. What is your favorite meal to cook? Or something you can cook well? I love to cook and we love to eat! I don't think I could pick a favorite that I cook, but I love to bake...anything but layered cakes.

7. What is your most prized possession? My most prized possession would be all of our photographs...ones that have been professionally done and ones that I have taken.

8. What hobbies do you have or what hobby do you think would be fun to start? I took a photography workshop last summer and just took an editing class. I have no aspirations of taking pictures for others, I just enjoy it and want to capture great memories of our family. I have hopes of doing a mentoring session with one of the professionals doing these workshops, and I have a wish list of new lenses and eventually a new camera. Ned has a zillion expensive hobbies, so it was about time I had a good one. Now I just need to find time to practice and experiment more.

9. What is your favorite season? Why? I love many things about all the seasons, but I especially love fall. I love how the air starts to get crisp, I love smelling woodsmoke, I love fall candles and pumpkins, and I love turtlenecks and jeans.

10. What is one product/appliance that you could not live without? The product that I couldn't live without is probably my iPhone, and the appliance I couldn't live without would be a dishwasher. Ned would definitely have dish pan hands if we had no dishwasher as I cannot put my hands in nasty dish water. He even washes the bottles each night, although I can do that...IF the sink is completely clean of all food particles.

11. What is your favorite holiday and why? My favorite holiday is Christmas, although really my favorite time is the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have always loved 4th of July traditions, and as I get older I love Easter more and more. I guess that's kind of all the holidays.

My Questions for Those I Tag:

1. What does your husband do? (I wonder that about almost all the blogs I read!)

2. What is your guiltiest pleasure when eating/snacking?
3. If you could have any job, what would it be?
4. What traits annoy you in others?
5. What time of day is hardest for you?
6. Where do you vacation?
7. What room in your house is your favorite?
8. What magazines do you subscribe to or read?
9. What is your favorite night out?
10. What do you collect?
11. What is the last movie you saw?

Several blog friends have been tagged or have completed this already. I'm tagging Sara, Carrie, and Ashley, although as busy moms I understand if it doesn't get done!

 

5 Months

Dear Sam,

You are 5 months old today!  How can 5 months go so quickly?  It is so strange for me to think back to your sister when she was this age and remember things we were doing or not doing.  I think I keep forgetting you're as old as you are.

We have no official growth stats this month, but gracious, it seems like all you do is grow.  People who see you after going a month or so without seeing you are shocked at how big you've gotten.  You fill out your car seat so much and are heavy in my arms.  You wear 3-6 months and 6 month clothing, but according to the sizes on 6 month items, you won't be in them long.  You wear a size 2 diaper.

Eating is something you could do all day.  You eat 5 ounces with cereal every three hours and have a 6-7 ounce bottle before bed.  You can go 4 hours between bottles, so we may think about stretching them out soon.  Right now your eating schedule is working for us.  It will be time for solids before we know it.

You wake around 6 a.m. each day, although lately we've had some 5:15 squeals.  We don't start our day until 6 a.m., so those squeals usually turn to cries for a bit.  I'm hoping you'll catch on that nothing good is going to happen before 6 a.m.  You still take one long nap a day and usually 3 other short ones.  I probably need to stretch your awake time and drop a nap, but your napping schedule will change a good bit once you start at Jen-Jen's.  We stopped swaddling you at night right after we came home from the beach, and that was a fairly easy transition.  Now we're going to work on getting out of it for naps.  I think you can, I just haven't tried.  We are also balancing naps between the crib and Rock and Play.  You nap the longest in the Rock and Play, but you'll go to sleep on your own in the crib.  I'm counting on Jen-Jen to take care of that but we are working on it at home.  You now go to bed after your 7 p.m. bottle.  Last week we decided it was time for you to remember how to put yourself to sleep at bed time, so we started working on that.  Important lessons can be hard to learn, but you did much better than I thought you would.  I know you would love to keep Duckie with you in the crib, but it's just too soon.

We've had quite a few milestones this month.  You grew your first tooth without even telling me!  Lolli was the first one to spot it.  I hadn't even been looking since Avery didn't have her first tooth until 6 months, so you really surprised me.  I feel a lump beside it so we'll see if it's partner shows up soon.  You also started rolling back to front just the other day.  You can scoot off your play mats in a second, and I usually have to pull you out of the corner of your crib each night before I go to bed.  You also went on your first vacation to the beach this month.  You did so well being away from home.  While I enjoyed our time this year, I couldn't help but look ahead to next year and think of how you'll really learn to love the beach.

You still like to hang out on you back and wiggle all around.  You also really love the bouncer and can kick and kick to make it bounce.  Your left leg is an especially good kicker.  This month you started spending more time in the Bumbo and excersaucer, but you don't want to spend too much time in either.  Your feet still find your mouth frequently, even if they are covered by your jammies or socks.  Your hands want to reach to everything, and usually can.  Just yesterday your pulled a monkey toy off its ring on your car seat.  Luckily I spotted it before we left, so no more monkeys ridding in the car.

Your smile is still huge and comes so easily to those you know.  Sometimes you are willing to smile for strangers, while other times there is no chance you'll crack your lips.  You're not a big fan of people you don't know being in your face.  I understand, as I have a large personal space bubble.  You're laugh is coming more frequently these days, and Avery can get it out of you better than anyone else.  In addition to bringing out the giggles, Avery is like a free variety show all day long.  Watching her is great entertainment, and she is always willing to "help" when she feels you need something.  Sammo is your new nickname, and it gets said often at high decibels.  You still like to talk to us, but this month you've been perfecting your squeal.  Boy are you proud of that!

You spent your first day at Jen-Jen's on your 5-month birthday.  Sadly, it's almost time for Mommy to return to work, so we needed to do a trial run.  Jen-Jen said you laughed and talked and acted as if you'd always been there.  I know without a doubt that in no time you'll love Jen-Jen and all the buddies there just as much as Avery does.  We count our blessings each day for her and the love she provides to all her kids.

Sam, you are such a wonderful and perfect addition to our family.  Everyday I'm shocked at how quickly you're growing.  While I'm so excited for what each new month holds, I still wish you wouldn't grow so fast.  My favorite time of the year is approaching, and I'm thrilled that you're here to experience it all with us.

We love you big buddy!

Mommy and Daddy

Week in Review ~ 8/4

I'm happy to report that this week was much better than last week! Life was still the very same, I guess I was just a little more tolerant of it.

Avery and I went to church Sunday. She loved her lesson about Jonah since she had recently seen a Jake and the Neverland Pirates where a whale ended up with the treasure in it's belly. We were home for lunch and nap time. I can't remember which days she napped this week, but it definitely wasn't all of them. My parents came and visited after naps. Avery showed off her Gator driving skills for them. I made baked ziti while they were here, and we had that for dinner once they left. We left to take a walk, and Mimi came, so she walked with us then Avery drove the Gator for her and played on the play set.

We stayed home Monday. We played outside that morning, then when Sam napped, Avery and I had a little car wash. She really just enjoyed playing in the bucket of water, so I hope to find her a water table.

 

 

 

Avery has definitely inherited her father's taste buds.

Ned had a meeting after dinner, which left me to get both kids down for bed. That's only become a challenge since Sam started going to bed at 7 p.m. Our night went kind of like this: bath for Avery, Avery to playroom, get Sam ready for bed, feed Sam bottle and put to bed, read books with Avery and put to bed, get Sam back to sleep. It was busy but it all worked out.

Avery had her 3-year check-up Tuesday morning. Ned came home to keep Sam so that Avery and I could meet Lolli for lunch. Avery had a good appointment, but it took forever with a hearing and vision check, urine sample, and finger prick in addition to everything else. Miraculously, Avery was willing to use the bathroom and handled the finger prick much better than her mother does. We had a good lunch at Simply Divine then headed across the street to a new shop opened by one of Mom's friends. Avery went home with Lolli to spend the night, so I headed home to Sam so that Ned could get back to work.

Ned let me sleep in Wednesday, and when I got up a little before 8, Sam was already napping. He slept a long time that morning which gave me a quiet house to enjoy. Since he took such a good morning nap, he and I went to Chick-Fil-A to pick up lunch for Ned and I. Ned got off at noon and came home to eat lunch then went out to run a few errands. When he came home, I picked up Avery's dance registration form and went to Food Lion. Ned left again for a Ducks Unlimited meeting when I got home, and Avery and Lolli arrived shortly after. Lolli left, Ned came home, and we all ate dinner. Ned had a hunt club meeting after dinner, so he put Avery to bed before he left. I've mentioned before that getting Sam to bed had become a lengthy process, so after consulting a few resources, we decided it was time for him to once again "remember" how to go to sleep on his own. I was not excited to do it by myself, but I fed him and put him down. He cried, played, and cried some more, and in 19 minutes total he was out for the night. I downloaded the app to do the She Reads Truth devotionals and started on an older one to do quickly before the new starts Monday.

We were home again Thursday morning. I got everyone down for afternoon naps and Ned came home so that I could go to my hair appointment. It was nice to get out but I felt so tired. Once my appointment was over, I stopped at a local place to get chicken and dumplings and vegetables for dinner. A peach fritter and Coke helped me feel a bit better. We had dinner together then Ned put Avery to bed because he had his business meeting for the fire department. I hate weeks when he has so many nighttime commitments but this one turned out pretty good. Sam went in his bed awake again and initially played then cried a little more than the night before. His crying amounts still don't come close to the definition of cry it out, so in some ways I wish we'd done it sooner, but at least {for now} it's working out.

Sam woke up sometime between 3-3:30 a.m. He laid in his bed squealing so I figured nothing was wrong. Soon the squealing turned to crying, and he cried and cried. I knew I wasn't "supposed" to go in unless he was sick, but after awhile I knew he wasn't stopping. I quickly got him back to sleep, but then he was up early. Ned got up with him since I had been up, giving me a few more minutes to rest. I had an editing workshop in Smithfield, VA so the kids and I were out the door at 7:15 a.m. Avery went to Jen-Jen's and my mom kept Sam. How nice it was to drive there with my Pepsi and my radio stations. It was a good workshop, but it just gave me a ton of things I still need to learn about Elements. I left there and went to Suffolk to eat at Chick-Fil-A and go to Belk. Sam was in desperate need of new onesies since I've still been squeezing him into 3 month ones even though he seems to be growing by the minute. Sam was still sleeping when I got to my mom's but woke up soon after. We left after he ate and picked up Avery. I took him in his seat out to where everyone was playing, and he wouldn't smile a bit. He wasn't a fan of the kids getting too close, which I kind of hope will continue and keep the germs away. Avery was having a great time in the pool, so Jennifer and I talked about Sam going one day at the beginning of next week before she goes on vacation. Once she comes back, it will be time for me to return to work, and she likes to have new babies for a trial run. That of course puts a lump in my throat, although I know he'll be fine. I finally got Avery out of the pool with the promise of chips at the Mexican restaurant. We came home and cleaned her up, and once Ned got home we went to eat. Sam had gotten fussy in the car but never made a peep in the restaurant. We love the speed of our Mexican restaurant and were in and out in no time. I put Avery to bed and Ned put Sam down with even less crying. I wanted to watch the swimming because for once I hadn't heard the results early, but the next thing I knew Ned was waking me up after midnight.

Sam slept until almost 7 a.m. Saturday and Ned got up with him. I think Avery slept until after 7. I got up a little before 8:30. That sounds nice, and it is, but of course I woke up when Sam did, when Avery did, when the dog needed to get out of the bedroom, and when the cat got on the bed. I'll take it though. Ned left around 10 to play in a golf tournament, so we played outside and did some work inside while Sam napped. I found the new Miracle on 34th Street on TV and turned it on and Avery was in love. We got lunch from Wendy's, and I let her watch the end while she ate. It was nap time for both soon after. It took Avery awhile {and a stern talking to} but she went to sleep, and I had 2 hours to myself. Everyone was still asleep when Ned got home, and I went to the grocery store. We had pizza for dinner since I wasn't home in time to cook. We played outside after we ate, then I got Avery to bed while Ned did Sam. We had no crying tonight, so I don't know if to be pleased or if to brace myself for tonight. Ned cut the grass while I got a bath, made tortellini salad, and browned hamburger for tomorrow. The race is on now, but my eyes are about ready to close.

I was horrible with pictures this week, so I took this one of Sam tonight with my phone just so I would have one of him. He looked so sad and serious while he watched Avery drive the Gator. I told him not to worry, because this time next year he'll be right beside her.

 

 

Favorite Summer Recipes

Plenty of eating goes on in the life of the Lankfords.  We like to eat good meals at home, and we like to go out to eat.  For some reason, we haven't been doing much of the latter, although Avery asks daily to go to the Sign Pancake (Cracker Barrel) and I've been asking to go to the Mexican restaurant.  All this not eating out has given us a chance to enjoy some of our favorite summer dishes and try a few new ones that I've found on Pinterest.  Here are some of the dishes and treats we're enjoying, in case you're looking for something delicious too.

Zucchini cakes

 

Lemon bars

Salad wrap

Summer vegetable tian

We've also been enjoying a tortellini salad recipe that was passed on from my mom.  She's one who doesn't have to follow a recipe, so when she got it from a friend it was basically the ingredients.  And, each time I have her remind me what's in it, she remembers a new ingredient.

Tortellini Salad

 

-1 package cheese tortellini (in refrigerated section)

-thinly-sliced cucumber

-cherry tomatoes, halved

-diced red onion

-cooked chicken breasts in bite-size pieces

-black olives

-cheese

-Italian dressing

-Salad Supreme seasoning

Boil tortellini according to directions.  Rinse pasta and cool slightly.  Add chicken, veggies, and cheese.  Add enough Italian dressing to coat but not enough to be soupy.  Sprinkle on Salad Supreme and mix.  Refrigerate.

 

A note about the vague ingredient list:  My mom gave me no amounts, which as a recipe follower I hate, but I have been able to recreate this successfully.  Start with the pasta, and add as much of the chicken, veggies, and cheese as you prefer.  I just kind of mix as I go until it looks like I have enough.  I add the dressing last.  I do not use the olives, onions, or Salad Supreme.  My mom says she thinks the recipe called for cubed cheese, but I used shredded mozzarella and it was fine.

Enjoy!  We've trying to enjoy these summer recipes and other favorites while summer is still here.  How is it August already?  We're already looking forward to pumpkin cookies and soup in the fall, though.

Weeks in Review ~ 7/21 and 7/28

What a couple of weeks.  I'm going to catch up with lots of pictures and {hopefully} few words.

The week of 7/21 was our after-vacation week, and we were getting ready for Avery's party.  We were home most days other than going to the library on Tuesday.  That Wednesday afternoon I went to Rocky Mount to Target and the new Hobby Lobby.  That was my first Hobby Lobby experience and I was pleased with the deals I found.  That was not my first Target and experience, and while I did not go in with intentions of buying a microfiber mop, I sure did leave with one.  My mom came for awhile that Thursday morning so that I could get the groceries I needed for the party.  She found Sam's first tooth.  Nothing like being on the ball as a mama.

I feel like the majority of the week was spent cleaning, and I still didn't manage to get to everything that needed to be done.  We also had someone come spray for spiders that Friday.  Apparently we built among many spiders and they preferred our house to the outside.  Cobwebs everywhere.  We started with spraying outside to see if that would take care of it, and I spent the majority of the day praying it wouldn't just chase more spiders indoors.

We had Avery's party Saturday.

Ned and Avery went to church Sunday.  After Avery did not take a nap, we headed to Levi's first birthday party.  It was a beach party, and halfway across town I realized I hadn't gotten her towel.  I didn't want to be the mom who showed up with no towel, which ended up making me the mom who's 20 minutes late.  That and Avery not napping were a good prelude to how the week would go.  The party was fun and Avery had a great time.  I think a water table and bigger pool for the yard might be in order around here.  Once we got home, her play set was finally dry enough for her to play a bit.

Monday was Avery's birthday.  We wanted to fix pancakes for her, and since Ned had to get to work, we had to wake her a little after 7.  I think she was awake but had not started talking, and we realized that Avery not talking means not ready to get up.  She perked up with her cake batter pancakes but didn't actually eat them.

We managed to get a nap out of her that afternoon, then we set off for my parents'.  We ate dinner there and had our traditional cake from Mrs. Kitchen.

I think we had a little too much celebrating for everyone.  While the following pictures don't show it, it just wasn't a great week.  For some reason, it was a particularly difficult week for me.  I'm not sure what the problem was with me, other than I think my children had decided to drive me nuts.

 I do know I was tired...we came home from vacation only to go right into party mode.  We've also been staying up late, and that's not working well with Sam's normal 6 a.m. wake up.

Avery was particularly whiny at the beginning of the week and had some talking back and listening issues.  She didn't nap Tuesday or Wednesday, and had never not napped twice in a row or three times in a week.  She wasn't just hanging out quietly either.  She'd yell and moan like she's started doing when she wakes up.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, sleep is my crazy mother issue.  Rest time here is from 1-3 p.m. though no matter what's taking place.  She did get better toward the end of the week, but Thursday was the only other day she took a normal nap.  Friday and Saturday it took her forever to fall asleep.  I think she had far too much birthday this year.  Also, I don't know if it was my mood or the particular episode that was on, but I decided that Caillou was too whiny and has a sometimes unkind tone of voice to be seen too often in this household.

Sam was not going to be left out of the action.  I pray that it's the 2nd bottom tooth working it's way to the surface, but he was so hard to get down for naps.  He also woke up in the middle of the night 2 nights and had one early morning wake up.  There was very little fussing getting him to bed, but it still took a long time.  Except for Saturday, he was perfectly fine, unless we were trying to get him to sleep.  Saturday he just seemed to grumble a lot...not cry, just complain.  That's very abnormal for him, so we're going to pray for a tooth and also talk to the pediatrician at Avery's appointment.

To be quite honest, I handled none of this well.  I was tired, I had no patience, I was very glass completely empty, and I just felt worn down.  The more frustrated I would get with what was going on, the more frustrated I would get with myself, because this is life with small children.  Some people have it easier, and some people have it harder.  Some people are all rainbows and roses and are really just full of poop.  I'm telling you that had Thursday not been a good day for everyone, I would have been over the edge by Saturday.  I was close as it was.

Ned was home most of the day Saturday and got up with the kids since I had been up with Sam in the night.  I went to the grocery store in the morning, he cut grass in the afternoon, then he cooked on the grill.  After dinner, Avery and I headed to the pool for a quick swim.  I figured some out-of-the-ordinary might be good for both of us, and we had a fun time.

The pictures are kind of random and don't fit in completely with my rant.

Sam decided at the beach that he could break out of the swaddle and still sleep, so we're now swaddle-free {at night}.

Avery insisted that Sam swing with her on a rare cool day.  He just slumped a bit but didn't seem to mind.

We continued to enjoy the cool day with a stroll to the pond after dinner.

The ice cream truck did not come by.  Thank goodness for Popsicles in the freezer.

When Sam didn't care for this pacifier as a newborn, it got reclaimed for Bitty.  A certain 3-year-old reclaimed it for a minute.  Had it made her happy, quiet, and/or calm for part of the week, I would have considered letting her keep it.

I picked up a tray for the Bumbo Saturday morning.  Sam seems to enjoy the Bumbo more than Avery, so I thought he might like the tray to help with entertainment.

Avery rode her Gator for the first time Saturday morning, only 7 months after Ho Ho dropped it off.  She is a constant reminder that she'll do things on her own time, and they'll be great when she does.  Now she just needs some steering instruction.  She can either go straight or in circles.

She's my little fish.

We have a busy week coming up, so we'll see if that helps or hurts.  Activities to keep us busy, a few rare moments of me time, and more rest will hopefully be just what we {especially me} need.  Today was a good day, so I'm confident we're off in the right direction.