Strawberry Bread

Mmmm, we are loving the Florida Strawberries, hence the making of Strawberry Bread.



He's so happy here muching on berries...



Looks like somebody wanted to attempt the Cinnamon Challenge. And before anybody says I can't believe you let him do that... let me say I told him to leave the cinnamon alone more than thrice, not to mention, "Zeke quit double dipping in the bowl; Get your fingers out of the cinnamon jar; Zeke, put the cap back on the cinnamon." So, when he didn't put the cap on and dumped some in the measuring cup, unbeknowgst to me, I ran and grabbed the camera. Needless to say, there was alot of coughing around our house for the next hour. AKA...No harm was done to any children in the making of this picture.

Easter eggs and Go 'head Hannah!

I know there's a number of these pictures, but HB chasing

the water was cracking Chris and I up! Our girl LUVS some water.

Go 'head girl, go 'head get down. Show us your dance moves!

"Dad, I love it when you spray my face!"

Happy Easter!

The picture was rushed, okay!?

We had some freak-outs at the front door while waiting for the men to finish hiding eggs. Two year olds and waiting do not go hand in hand.

The hunt begins!

Not so much into the hunting of eggs

Ma Di had an adult egg hunt with prizes tucked into the eggs, plastic of course...that would be gross, a dollar bill covered in yolk...after Zeke figured out we had money in ours he went back through and checked the eggs for "mo money."

Konked OUT!

M-I-C...K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

A few weeks ago, Chris and I took Zeke on a special date to see the Mickey Mouse Road Show. He is a HUGE Mickey fan so it was a no brainer that we take the little Mouseketeer. A couple times he popped up out of his seat and tried to get past Chris so he could "go up there and see Mickey." I mean they're like BFF's right?

He was enthralled by all the characters, but the best was....

...when Mickey came out! His smile is emotion-FULL!

Those were FUN moments in parenthood. It makes my heart smile just thinking about it.

Shot Caller

I tried to get Hannah on video, too, she was chanting "Go Zeke Go!" and by chanting I mean, I could tell that's she was saying, but to most others it was incomprehensible. The air conditioning was buzzing so loud as you'll see below, that her faint chant was lost to the untrained ear.

Snow days

Our snow days in backwards order of the snowfall's occurrence =)

Hold on Hannah!

Our little ox-man

Half-built snowman... Zeke liked rolling the body into shape and finding the man a hat and then he was done; not to mention Hannah was done 10 min before the snowman began

Six months of Hannah Belle

Monday marked six months of Hannah Belle being at home. In some ways it's flown by, but at the same time it feels like a long time ago. She seemed liked such a petite baby girl then and now she's entering toddlerhood, though she still seems like a little thing to me. She didn't eat much at all at that point and though she smiled all the time, she just seemed a little out of sorts. Now, she eats better than her big brother, runs all over the house, talks all the time though we can't understand a word she says, has asserted her stubborness (I guess she's comfortable), and my favorite, she laughs. Hopefully, we're even on the uphill climb of all her infections with her Adenoidectomy and tubes put in four weeks ago this Friday. Zeke loves having his little sister, though I think she thinks him a nuisance as of late (I can tell by the stiff arm she gives him day in day out). Watch out big bro, she's scrappy and sassy. We love this baby girl; her charm and sunshine of a smile, she has a mind of her own, and is so sharp, especially seeing as how she sleeps a mere hour a day and to that I pray....dear Lord please make her sleep longer. Happy six months to the Mize family of four!

Mr Fix It

I feel like so many pics of Hannah are in her high chair, but what can I say, she's eating food now, thanks be to GOD, Adenoidectomies, and tubes!!

You should always wear a headlamp to excavate under the kitchen table, you just don't know

what could be under there.

Reality

Reality. Its not always what we see or perceive. I've been wanting to post about this for a few weeks now, but haven't had the chance. Sorry I haven't had any pictures lately, I will get back to that soon, promise. I just had this on my heart and wanted to get it out. Sometimes for me, I read people's blogs and get this feeling like everyone has it together and moms are at home teaching abc's and phonetics to their young while in the off time the children are engaging in imaginative play. Now, isn't that just ridiculous. I know that even for myself I tend to post the cutest pictures that just can't sum up what a true day is like. And that's ok. I will continue to do that, but lately I've been feeling like maybe I need to throw some reality in there. Maybe call it Funky Friday, Whiny Wednesday, or Sour Saturday and show the reality that, to me, being a mom is hard, it tries my patience, I feel ill-equipped, under prepared, and lots of times just plain insecure. There. I said it. I'm just trying to be real and honest. I hope I haven't come across cynical. I love my kids to pieces and they do make me smile a ton, but its not about that. Mommying has been harder on mind, body, and soul than I would ever have thought and I wanted to convey that. To quote a friend... "I think it’s important to be transparent on this journey... I think it’s only fair to share the whole story and not color it certain ways so that it looks different than what it really is."

Question of the Day

This was so funny to me. It was the most asked question of the day...

"Are they from Haiti?"

And there was a second runner up, too, believe it or not. It was just one of those days I guess!

"Are they brother and sister?"

I mean, I know what they mean, but the sass in me wants to say, "Duh." With a smile on my face of course! I truly don't mind questions, I just couldn't help but share them.