Thursday, March 24, 2011

Pictures of the Boys

A few pictures of the boys.

Having two is def an adjustment...in SOO many ways...

....soo many ways I can't even BEGIN to explain

therefore, these blog post will be short and sweet...

Hopefully the pictures tell the story.

Hope all is well.















P.S. My computer is acting up...as in...it has ZERO space for more pictures...

and is as SLOW as watching paint dry, or grass grow, or

oh well, you get the point!

Do you think the Easter Bunny would deliver a new computer for a Mom?

Doubtful...but one can HOPe! :)

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Happy Birthday Wiley!

 Samuel "Wiley" Mortimer arrived on March 15th at 5:27 p.m.

He weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz. and is 20 inches tall.

A more comprehensive post about details of his arrival to come soon.

But for now, here are a few pictures for you to enjoy!




The above 3 pictures were taken right when Wiley arrived.

Wiley has a good bit of dark hair!

He really looks like his proud daddy!







...And Wiley makes four.

Okay, off to get a quick nap while Wiley is snoozing.

Love to all.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

A Few Weekend Pictures

Friday, Hughes and I painted some pictures.

I think Hughes did a good job on his painting.

It is titled, "Green."

I will post pictures later of the picture I painted for Hughes room once I get it hung!


We are trying to follow doctor's orders and walk to help Wiley come this week!

So, here are a few pictures from yesterday of our afternoon walk...

while Hughes was telling Kent to "PULL" the whole time! :)

Hughes is soaking up the lazy Saturday afternoon!



Isn't life so good?  Does it get any better than this?

I told you guys that I would spruce up my wreaths a bit!

And so I did!

This fabric was perfect for a little tween girls room...

but we don't have a tween girl...

or a girl at all..

so I put pink on the door!

These fabrics just scream Spring!


Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Happiness

Today, there will be no pictures. 

Just words.

Words with zero rhyme or order.

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Today I am thankful and feeling happiness in a true and raw form. 

As I was unloading Wiley's clothes from the dryer to get ready to go to the hospital...

 and Hughes was helping me pick up the tiny blue socks that had fallen from my armload of Dreft clean bundle of blue...

A wave of happiness came over me. 

Almost a realization of...

I am so happy.

Truly happy.

(Instead of doing housework this week, I played with Hughes.  Dishes are piled up in the sink.  Clothes are waiting patiently to be washed, folded and put away.  Pictures are waiting around wanting to be hung on the wall.  Bags are waiting to be packed for the hospital.  My hair is in a ponytail awaiting PROPER treatment. 

But NONE of these THINGS will even give me ONE thought.  Since Hughes WILL give me many thoughts today and forever, I put the "things" on the backburner...

oh, let's be honest, they didn't even make it to the stove! 

So, at least for this week, I enjoyed extra time with Hughes and let the dishes keep themselves company in the sink instead of the cabinets.  After the doctor's appointment Thursday, Kent and I realized this was our LAST week where it will just be the three of us.  We are trying to make the most of every little minute. Our love is about to grow in leaps and bounds and we are so excited.)

Our growing family makes me happy.

Thinking of the near AND far future makes me happy.

Taking clothes out of the dryer and propping them on my HUGE belly and holding them down with my chin makes me happy...while socks and binkies trail behind me.

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Lots of times I find myself getting overwhelmed and not being content.

However, the bible states in Hebrews 13:5, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Which screams to me, stop being so ungrateful and give thanks where you have been blessed by Him

...you silly lady!

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Also, having a house that I now call "home" makes me happy.

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(Side Note:  As you know, we have been doing LOTS and LOTS of work on our house.  I would pull up in the driveway thinking here we are back at SOMEONE else's house.  This pile of bricks didn't feel like home. 

But in one statement, my whole thought process changed and from that moment, my perspective of this house has changed.  The moment was this. 

Hughes and I had been to the store about a month and a half ago.  As we started up the hill and turned the curve, Hughes said, "Home.".  At that very moment, this house became our home.  This house was "home" to Hughes.  Regardless of the empty walls, bare windows, college furniture, uncovered electrical outlets, etc. 

Our children will ride by this house one day (Kent and I may or may not still be here) and say, "that is where we used to live.  We had so much fun in that house."

With all of this being said, I will do ANYTHING to make this house a home Kent, Hughes, Wiley, and anyone else who may or may not come along, will be proud to call "home".  Everything may not be positioned the way I like it.  Hung on the wall right when I want it done.  Draperies falling from the ceiling the exact moment I want them to fall.  However, I want this family to remember the good memories of this house, we will now call home.  I have fallen in love with this home.  Fallen in love with it's possibilities and potential.  I hope you feel the same way about your home.)

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Back to happiness.

I am filled with happiness today.

We MAY meet Wiley this very week...according to the Doc!

Hughes will become a big brother.

Our parent's will add another grandchild to their family.

Our grandparent's will add another great-grandchild to their family.

The Mortimer family is blessed and ...

Happy! 

We wish you the same on this gorgeous Saturday!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Facebook Flight

Two weeks ago, Hughes was chosen to be in a contest for Allison Muirhead Photography.  The winner received a $3000 photo package on location or in Allison's studio. 

Immediately, I threw all my "I will never be on facebook again!" statements out the door and signed up! 

I mean, this would help out sooo much!  Especially, with Wiley's soon arrival and birth announcements and all! :)

(Background:  I was a facebooker in college.  I deactivated my account when my younger brother got on facebook.  He needed his privacy and I DID NOT want to know his privacy.)

 It was so simple to start.  Just enter your email address and a password and birthday. 

Choose a picture for your profile then you can enter ANY and ALL information about yourself and your family that you choose. (I will come back to this point again.) 

So, with minimal information entered I was signed on for facebook and ready to cast my vote once a day for the contest!

I had immediate guilt when I signed up.  Why?  Because, I have some issues with facebook.

Here are a FEW: (If you would like to know more, it would probably be a 300 page bound book.)

*It brings out my noisiness (if that's a word). 

Normally, I am not a nosey person. 

What a person does in his or her life is their business and NONE of mine. 

Unless, they CHOOSE to share the information with me. 

And even sometimes, I prefer to NOT know information because it can turn into gossip with the whisper of a mouth.  "Gossip" can be so juicy and then turns infectious.  And you want and maybe even NEED to share the juiciness with your closest friend...that ALSO has a CLOSE friend...and so the chain lengthens. 

Gossip, as I learned in middle and high school mostly, is bad.  The "gossip" or words usually are not forms of nice or genuine care or sincerity.  Gossip, whether, true or false is USUALLY hurtful and unkind. 

Can you remember ever listening to or telling "gossip" that was uplifting or nice, but was to remain a secret? 

But, I am self aware enough to know, that I would be nosey JUST to be nosey, which would not lead to me, well 

....being a better me. 

(Now, I must interject myself.  I am NOT perfect.  I am NOT saying that I haven't been caught up in "gossip" since middle and high school.  But, my point is this, I do not want to ENCOURAGE it in my life.  Facebook, for me, allowed me to be secretly nosey.  This is all I am saying.)

*People are WAY to personal. 

Why do you share so many intimate thoughts and details of the day with, dare I say, friends of friends? 

Some things that are posted are more intimate thoughts that I don't even get to tell my husband.  I had much rather confide in Kent than "friends of friends". 

Maybe this is where REAL personal and intimate relationships are suffering. 

"Friendship" has been made a blanket term and you share any and all with "confirmed" "friends".  

Friendship to me is confiding, trusting and loving someone in your life on a very tangible basis.  (I am aware that I sound like I was born in the 30's as opposed to the '80's.) 

 People can know where you live, where you graduated, where you just went to the bathroom, if the bathroom was clean, etc. 

If you "check in" at a restaurant, you know what that tells someone else? 

You are "checked out" of your house and it is probably empty for AT LEAST another 45 minutes if they would like to get something they want at your casa. 

I'm just sayin'.

*I DO NOT like the chat feature. 

It scares me. 

Not so much for myself. 

But for young girls and boys. 

If you are a young girl reading this blog, PLEASE pay attention.  (Young girls = under 18 and definitely under 14...to which I, personally, do not believe that you should have a facebook account. 

You, dear, sweet, innocent, young lady are on facebook for fun, BUT their are gross, sickening, NASTY, adults on facebook that would LOVE to "chat" with you. 

In that case, you should run and tell your Mama and Daddy and the Po Po and your teachers and ask them to help you deactivate your facebook account. 

Just in case, why don't you just go deactivate your facebook account right now, just for good measure :)  (This goes for boys, too.) 

I know that parents say that they monitor what their children do on facebook, however, a chat can happen in a  matter of minutes and the parent would NEVER know. 

And, by "monitor", I don't mean: "Well, I read every post that my child types and watch their language and blah, blah, blah..."  Children can hide what they want certain people to read ex:  messages, chats, even walls and posts.  It's just not safe.  We need to be PLUGGED into our children's lives and this would just allow us one less worry. 

Since, clearly, our children can "unplug" us with the click of a mouse. 

 Wa lah, parents sitting in the dark ONCE again...and YOUR child put you there. (If you can't tell, I feel VERY strongly about this.)

I am also aware that children could then go into a "fake" account and be anyone they want to be.  I am just trying to encourage an open conversation with your children about the importance and dangers of facebook or any other social network.

AND, if you are a parent of a child on facebook, you better get yourself on too! 
"Plug in" even when they don't want you to...you pay the "electricty bill" every month!
If they won't confirm your friendship, consider that a sign that there MAY BE something in their life that they don't want you to know. 

I'm not saying go and post, "I love you sweet baby boy." on their wall every morning!
Just plug yourself into their world.

I realize I also seem VERY negative and a Debbie Downer.  No, I do NOT believe all people in the world are bad. 

Yes, I DO KNOW that many people in the world choose to do bad things. 

No, I am not unrealistic enough to believe that it couldn't happen to me or the ones I love.

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Side Note:  I believe facebook is GREAT for business purposes.  Posting contest, coupons, latest arrivals is 
a wonderful way to get people to see you and make a brand for yourself. 

If you are an adult on facebook taking in all the great deals ... power to you. 

I can't because, (see bullet #1) and I would use it for more than coupons, by default.

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I will only bore you with 3 points about my, again, PERSONAL, issues with facebook and other social networks today. 

It may come as no shock to you, but I have deactivated my account since we found out the winner of the contest. 

(P.S. Hughes did not win, but a stinkin' cute little girl won and she is ADORABLE...repeat, ADORABLE! :)

I'm off.  To crawl back into my deep black hole...

I like my black hole.

Pretty comfortable in this black hole.

Not so much trying to take up my time in the black hole.

The blog does plenty of that for me.

I can't take on ANOTHER computer addiction.

One addiction at a time.

You're welcome to come visit me here, in my black hole blog anytime you like:)

Wild Little Man

Hughes is a wild little man these days!

Even the smallest of tasks, seem like I am climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa...barefoot...without water...

...and don't forget...NINE months pregnant.

When I finish these small task, I LOOK like I've climbed up one side of the mountain and tumbled down the other side...

and a contraction or two is usually involved in the tiniest task!

But luckily, this weekend, Mama came into town to help us tie up a few loose ends before Wiley comes...

in a little over..

...dare I say...

WEEK!

Yes, Wiley will be here VERY SOON!!!!  We can't wait!

Side Note:  This pregnancy has flown by so fast.  Last night, Kent and I were watching TV and during commercial break I had to track to the restroom.

  On my way, I just passed by Hughes room...

then Wiley's ALMOST finished nursery...

caught a wiff of baby powder and Dreft...

and the tears started to flow.

It was like the reality of two sweet little boys hit me like a ton of Kilimanjaro boulders :)

I had already stopped crying before I made it back to the den where Kent was sitting.

No sense in letting him know how COO COO my emotions are these days.

Oh...who am I kidding?

Kent is WELL AWARE of my COO COO emotions, at this point...

bless his pea pickin' heart!

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Here are a few pictures of Hughes Sunday after church, as Gran and Kent wrestled  the wild man!

Me:  "Hughes, smile at Mama.  Say cheese.  Hughes!  Cheeeeeeese.  Hughes.  Look at meeee.  CHeeeeseeeeseee!"

You see how far that went! :)
Me:  "Hughes, please look at Mama.  You look soooo nice today.  CHeeesee.  Hughes.  Cheesey cheesey cheese. (gruff voice) Just try to hold him still ONE second."
No success on a posed pic...but I guess the above pictures really tell more about his little personality right now anyway!

Huh?  Me?  I'm Calm.  Just look at me.  Wild Man?  What ARE you talking about?




I LOVE the above picture.  Gran and Hughes both look soo happy and giddy with each other.

Here we go.  A simple task.  Changing a diaper.  Changing clothes.

Hughes is playing peek-a-boo.

Gran and Kent decided to double team it.

This was after he kicked Wiley in the head and Mama in the belly...

Mama hen had to double over :)

Not intentional, of course,

just being the ball of fun little Wild Man he is these days!

Friday, March 4, 2011

Help Wanted

Our backyard has been a construction zone since we moved in!

We added on a Master Bathroom.

The original "Master" bathroom was

A.  REALLY TINY

B.  Shower did not work.

Therefore, we made the existing bathroom a walk in closet and added on the Master Bathroom.

It is all finally coming together.

We are really beginning to feel so much pride for our new old home.

The mason left yesterday and Kent needed a little extra help in the yard.

He called for help.

Aka.  Hughes...and we don't have to write Hughes a check at the end of his working hour.

In his contract, however, he does require daily meals, hugs, story time, fist bumps, play time, baths,  and "rock rocks" at night time along with "ho-holds"!

He has a lifetime contract with our family.

We think we will keep him on for the job :)

Hughes puts in a mean work hour!

Here he is getting instructions for the job with "the boss" on the construction site!


"Oh, Dad, I've got this!  This is easy.  I'll just do what you do!"





Hughes uses his tools double time.  No room for slacking on this task.



After the job is complete, Kent always puts both of their tools in the storage room side by side.

Hughes needs to know that his tools are JUST as important as his dad's.

We know the tools will probably be used tomorrow for something very similar.

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I don't think Hughes OR Kent, for that matter, realizes how special this time together is for them.

The father/son relationship is very important for building a strong foundation of many things.

Hughes will always look to his daddy to see how:

*to walk the Christian walk...even when the road winds and turns...and sometimes you may even have to build your own bridge on that road

*to treat others

*to put in a good day's work

*to treat a woman

*to build and keep relationships with family and friends

*to react when things go upside down

*to always lend a helping hand

*to give...no matter what the cost

I'm very happy to say that I have so much confidence in Kent to show Hughes and Wiley these and many other important lessons.

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Shhh...Don't tell the boys, but...

many times, I find a window where the two of them can't see me and just watch in delight.

They make my heart happy.

Happy Friday!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

MORE Read This...

The other day Hughes and I made these Spring Wreaths.

After I conquered the moss, I pretty much hung them up as Done and Done.

However, my friend Kim, took some inspriration from my post

...and took it to a WHOLE 'NOTHER LEVEL!

Check out her version of Spring Wreaths here.

Okay, I will take the advice of my Mom

("yes, you definately need some bows on them!:)

...joined with the inspiration of Kim...

...and jazz up my Spring Wreaths...

...I'll update you when that happens!

Now, if I could just get some of those stinkin' cute chairs for our back patio...

with a fire pit...

...and some blooming flowers...

Okay, completely inspired!


Happy Spring Fever to you!

Read This...

Ever since I ran across this blog post by Suburban Turmoil...

I get so excited when I see that she has posted again.

Don't really KNOW her, just ran across her blog one day.

Been hooked ever since.

She always gives a touch of comic releif to Mommy Days!

Below was her latest post!


Also, you should all be glad to know that I FINALLY got my hair cut yesterday.

If you read this post, you understand my excitement...

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I also checked another important TO DO off of the TO DO list.

Got a ticket.

No, not to see the latest Broadway show.

The blue kind.

The carbon copy kind.

The kind that have a court date on the bottom.

The kind with a sloppy signature, so you don't REALLY know the name of the guy who pulled you over...

that lasered your speed...

two miles back...

and pulled you over...

on the INTERSTATE...

with a sleeping child in the backseat...

a crying 9 month pregnant lady CRYING in the front seat.

Yeah, THAT kind of ticket.

Oh, the joys.

Obviously, THAT was the NEVER on the to do list.

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Needless to say, we went to the doctor yesterday and everything is great.

We are thinking sometime around the 21st we will welcome Wiley into the world!

...Gotta Go...lots to do before Hughes' little brother arrives!

Happy Thursday!