30 for 30

In case you didn't know, I'm turning 30 this year. I know it's not a big deal but it's a nice round number and I like nice round numbers. They are really swell for bloggy purposes too.

So here's my first 30 for 30 on the 30th.......

30 things to do before 30. It's coming up super fast and my resources are kinda limited for doing anything too crazy but I think this list is doable.

1. Run a 5k.
2. Get a runner's high.
3. Visit my college stomping grounds. (Anyone want to join?) :)
4. Bring Scratch Cupcakes to my town. (Oh it's so happening.)
5. Start a play date group in my town.
6. Like one that actually gets together.
7. Hop in the car for an unplanned day trip.
8. Write thank you's to 30 people I used to know.
9. Find a fall Bible study to commit to.
10. Commit to it.
11. Introduce someone to Christ.
12. Cry with a stranger.
13. Stick to my weekly cleaning schedule.
14. Forgive myself if I don't.
15. Take B to the zoo at least 5 times.
16. And the 'big pool.'
17. Play more.
18. Worry less.
19. Unplug.
20. Take a day for myself.
21. Spend a day with a friend.
22. Complete 30 random acts of kindness.
23. Memorize Romans 12.
24. Listen to the life stories of at least 3 'strangers.'
25. Show R some of my favorite places from growing up.
26. Get my hair cut.
27. Dye my own hair........ (ohmygosh is this even possible? anyone want to help me out?) :)
28. Find a 'running' buddy.
29. Make a new friend.
30. Love more.


Wish me luck. :)

RAK #20

Two thirds of the way there!

Last week's RAK was to let someone know you appreciate them. I stuck a couple notes in the mail.

How did you do??   

This week's random act:

RAK#20: Offer to babysit for someone.

I remember when B was tiny and people knew I didn't feel comfortable leaving him with a sitter. It made my day (week month!) when family/close friends offered to watch him. Do you know someone that you could offer free babysitting services for? I'm sure they'd love a date night. And if you need a date night, feel free to drop your kids off here! :) (No really, I'm serious!) I think I'll set up a couple babysitting party nights for the summer and take our friends' kids for the night for them. Let me know if you want to drop your kids off at Camp Hicks. :)

Where are some ideas you have for this week's?

Please join us (you can either catch up or just start where we are)! Check out this post for more info.
Happy RAKing!

365 WK 21

21-It's been awhile since I've posted a breakfast pic.

22- There's a good story behind why I have a picture of my mocs. I'll get around to sharing it one of these days.

23- If it's a day I could actually sleep in, B is up by 7 am. If we need to get out the door, he'll easily sleep until 9:30 before I finally have to wake him up. Poor buddy!

24- Face painting, field events, people watching, huge playground. All that fun stuff and all B wants to do is play with the mud and rocks.

25- This is the only picture I took all day and B was clearly not in the mood to sit still for a picture.

26- Tailgating in the garage while daddy grilled in the rain. We had lemon meringue s'mores too. Yummy.

27- We spent most of rainy Memorial Day inside working on house projects but we did use the break in the rain to set up B's new playhouse he got from his grandma. He thinks it's pretty cool.

That's What He Said......

Mommy: "I love you!"
B: "AWESOME!!"


Mommy (while picking B up to snuggle): "Awwww, it's my baby Beckett."
B: "No, ought abe-ee eckett, big oye eckett" (No, not baby Beckett, big boy Beckett.)

And later....

B (as he jumps into mommy's lap): "Awww iz yo abe-ee eckett!" (Awww, it's your baby Beckett!)



:)

365 WK 18, 19, 20

Yikes! I got just a little behind! Here's what we've been up to:


WEEK 18:

April 30: B has been putting a LOT of miles on his cousin's little red car. We are on the hunt for more outdoor toys so if you have any for sale, please let me know!

May 1- Dakota and Buzz. B's two best friends.

2- It SNOWED. A lot. B was not impressed.

3- More snow. We tried to get B to play in it but no luck. This was the happiest pic I could get.

4- Our friends were back in town!! We miss them!

5- Daddy's boy. <3 p="">
6- We got an awesome deal on a potty seat so we got it thinking it'd be nice to have when we needed it. In the meantime B has been loving it. #justlikedaddy

WEEK 19:

7- Out for a walk with the neighbors. Finally awesome weather!

8- B was wiped out after a playdate with some friends.

9- Getting stuff ready for our big garage sale and I loved finding all these old pictures in the back of frames.

10- Milk mustache day at school!

11- Garage sale day. Also B brought me home 'FOWERS!' from the store.

12- Mother's Day at the pet store with my boys. #love

13- B is 18 Months Old today!!! Crazy!





WEEK 20:

14- Happy boy at his 18 month well baby check.

15- Big hugs for Dakota!

16- B loves his neighbors. He also thinks it's perfectly acceptable to runaway to their house if he's mad at mommy. :)

17- Zoo with cousin Maddox!

18- Pizza Ranch with the fam.

19- Crazy tornado weather. So scary!

20- More crazy weather but an awesome double rainbow after the storm. Love that!

RAK #19

Last week's RAK was to help out a friend or neighbor. I think I mentioned last week that my neighbor helped me finish this one while working on a painting project. Hopefully I didn't mess up their walls too bad! :)

How did you do??   

This week's random act:

RAK#19: Tell someone you appreciate them. Let them know why. Be specific.

I got the sweetest email from a client/friend (I first met her when her family came to {cb}h for family photos but I would definitely consider her a sweet friend now). She just let me know I was appreciated and it really made my day. One of the perks of my job is that if clients think you do a good job, they let you know so by leaving a tip. That is always amazing but what makes my day even more is when they just email or call or send a note to let me know that what I do matters. I'm guessing their's someone in your life that would love to hear they matter too. Let's let them know this week! It can be an email, a text, a card, a phone call, whatever! Just tell someone you appreciate them and let them know why. 

Where are some ideas you have for this week's?

Please join us (you can either catch up or just start where we are)! Check out this post for more info.
Happy RAKing!

RAK #18

It's (past) time for another week of Random Acts of Kindness! Sorry I missed posting yesterday. It's been a little crazy around here but I'm back! Sort of. :)

Last week's RAK was to pick up the tab for someone. I have a fun story with how this one worked out for us. My sweet husband took our little family out for breakfast after church on Sunday for Mother's Day. I was telling him how the RAK of the week was to pick up someone's tab and maybe we could stop and get froyo or something to do the RAK (he actually ended up doing it at Perkin's because he's awesome but that's not the fun part of the story). So we are eating and out of no where (literally- she just appeared- I'm a people watcher and could describe every other person in our area that day and I have no idea where she came from) a nice little old mature lady appears at our table. She was seriously the sweetest thing and just wanted to stop by to say hello and to give us a leftover Perkins card to go towards our meal. It saved us quite a bit and then we used that money to complete the RAK for someone else. She was so sweet to us that I thought R might know her but he said he didn't and he thought maybe she just read my blog. Ha. Anyway. All that to say that in the middle of unexpected crazy, God just keeps showing up for us and we think that's awesome.

 So how did you do??   :)

This week's random act:

RAK#18: Help a friend or neighbor with a project.

I'm kind of cheating this week and just using something that I just did today to get me off the hook for the week. I helped a neighbor paint (and now have the bug to start painting in my own house- watch out!). So this week's RAK is to help a friend/neighbor/coworker/random person with a project. Maybe it's painting or landscaping or moving something heavy or mowing or whatever. Just help them out! 

Where are some ideas you have for this week's?

Please join us (you can either catch up or just start where we are)! Check out this post for more info.
Happy RAKing!

B | 18 months old

Dear B,

I last checked in with an update on you at 15 months right before your well baby (uh.... toddler) check. The three months since then FLEW by and it's time for your 18 month check tomorrow!

Highlights of the last three months:

-You had your first flight (to Arizona to see Aunt Mal!) and you did awesome! You're a great little traveler.
-You got to visit a huge farm (way bigger than the orchard) and you loved seeing all the animals. I think goats are still your fave.
-You've now had your second haircut.
-You experienced your first VEISHEA but we're hoping next year the weather is nicer and you can more fully experience it. You did enjoy your first gyro stand visit though!

What you are up to developmentally:

Social: You are a people watcher but love it even more if people are watching you. You say 'HI!' to everyone at the grocery store and get sad if they don't say hi back. You bring toys and books to anyone nearby and want them to play with you. You show empathy when people (or Dakota) are sad, hurt or sick and you pat them on the back. You also give back pats when you are trying to talk them into something you want. :) You encourage people to clap for you when you do something good. ;)

Emotional: See above on the empathy card. You can identify happy, sad & tired and make faces to go with them. Typically you are great at using your words but you've (just recently) been known to lay down in a crying fit. Your fits are typically short lived. When finished, I ask you what was wrong you say 'I dunno' and shrug your shoulders. I believe you are inching ever so close to the 'terrific twos.' ;) I feel like I say 'Use your words, please' about a hundred times a day.

Language: This has been the most exciting thing to see- your language is just exploding right now. Every day you add new words and phrases. Just last week, out of nowhere and without prompt, you said 'I ov ooh mam!' (I love you, mom!). You answer most questions we ask and can generally tell us what you want or need. You especially like to say names of foods- banana is 'nana,' milk is 'ilk,' turkey is 'turkle turkle' (I think we may have mistaken it for tickle tickle once or something but somehow it stuck) and kiwi is 'wee wee.' Thankfully you haven't requested any 'wee wee' in public (yet).
You've pretty much dropped using most of your sign language but you do still sign 'please' a lot for mommy and daddy and you'll do other signs for people that don't understand your words yet.

Physical: You're still climbing on top of everything but now you are also climbing out of and into things. You can easily climb into the bathtub (you love bath time!) and out of the pack n play. So far you haven't climbed out of your crib but I'm guessing you aren't too far from that either.
We recently found a potty chair at 70% off so we went ahead and got it. You've been interested in the potty and been asking for a diaper change when wet or dirty so I recently started letting you check the potty out. If I catch you in the act of a bm, I let you sit on the potty to finish (I don't take the diaper off yet though...) and you've also requested to sit on it before diaper changes so I let you. We're not quite ready to jump into potty training but you are getting used to the potty which is great.
You recently grew out of your 12-18 month clothes over night so it will be fun to see if that shows at your well child check this week. We've pretty much skipped the 24 month size and a lot of your things are 2T. Jammies are 3T. You're still wearing your size 4 diapers and size 5 shoes but I'm guessing you'll be outgrowing both of those soon.

Intellectual: Your attention span is growing by leaps and bounds. You can sit through several puzzles and even most of a 'show.' (I know I said I wouldn't let you have much screen time before two years old but while I was sick then recovering from surgery you spent a lot of time with the tv on in the background.) You count to three but not in relation to anything... you just walk around saying it.
Your memory amazes me. Most of the time if I cant find something I can ask you and you'll go find it for me (typically because you're the one who carried it off in the first place!). :)


Some of your favorites:

Food: Kiwi, Banana

Movie: Toy Story (all three of them and the toons versions)

Toy: Buzz Lightyear (from Maddox) and stuffed monkey (whom you sing to and pat his back to get him to go 'nigh nigh').

Place to be: OUTSIDE!!! You would stay outside all day if we would let you... unless there's snow on the ground. We bundled you up to play in the May snow and you still hated it. You're definitely my summer boy. You love bike rides, parks, sidewalk chalk, digging in the dirt, collecting rocks and sticks, playing with bubbles, balls, wheels and water. I'm trying to figure out a way to make a more substantial water table for you.

Other things to do: Read books with mommy & daddy, play 'etch' (fetch) with Dakota, play 'ba-buh ball' (basketball), build blocks, ride toys with wheels, play kitchen and shopping.

Chores: You wipe the table after meals and put your dishes in the sick. You help clean out the dishwasher by putting your dishes and the tupperware away. You put 'uck' things in the garbage and you take diapers and small garbage bags to the garage door. You 'sweep' the kitchen floor after meals and 'ust ust ust' (dust) with the swiffer duster. (These last two jobs you aren't real great at but you love doing them so I love that you want to help.) You're great at putting toys and other things away and generally know where everything belongs.

Hygiene: You love combing your hair and brushing your teeth and then checking yourself out in the mirror and saying, 'Hiiiiiiiiii' to yourself. :)

Games: 'Tickle Tickle' -You love chasing people with your 'tickle fingers' and saying, 'ickle ickle!'

Other notes: 

I can't believe how big you look these days. You just seem so much older every single day. You are growing into quite the little man these days. You're still as sweet as can be but your personality is changing a little bit these days. You're a little more shy around new people but you are more and more comfortable around other friends and family and you recognize and know more people than ever before. Dakota is still your best friend. You love giving snuggles (but only on your own terms). You really like making movies on the iPad where you can see yourself.
Life with you is more and more fun every day. Each night before bed, daddy & I each tell our funny B story of the day and laugh at all the crazy things you are into these days. We love you so much, little guy!! Happy Half Birthday!!


Updated (5/14/13):

Recent stats from today's 18 month well check- Height: 35 1/4" (99%) & Weight: 28.2 lbs (92%) though you were pretty wriggly today so I'm not sure how accurate either of those numbers are. I swear your pants got two inches shorter this month so I think you may have grown just a little more in height than that shows. :)

Updated (again... 5/24/13): 

We made a quick trip to urgent care tonight. We found a tick embedded (gross) into your head. It was so deep and pulling it out even took off part of your scalp (I'm sooooo sorry!! I'm sure it felt horrible to your sweet little head but I think it hurt mama worse!). You also had a rash and have been super sleepy and irritable. We suspected the tick may have been there for a week since we were just in Southern Iowa last weekend (thankfully the Dr and nurse both said they are pretty confident it was a new tick and didn't look like he had been there long! That totally helped with my mama guilt!). Anyhow... you had a crazy rash and first nurse thought you should be seen so we went in. All that to say you were a really good boy at this Dr visit (we all loved Dr. Kolby!) and you stood so still on the scale (completely opposite from your 18 month check) and the scale said...... wait for it..... 29.8 lbs!! Kid! You are almost 30 pounds! When we had told the Dr you were 18 months old he couldn't believe it. He even checked your chart and couldn't believe how big you were. We love you and your daddy really likes that you are tall (I think he may be itching to get you in the basketball gym...) but I'd really love for you to just slow down a bit. Okay. Thanks. Love ya, buddy! :)

Promises on Mother's Day

Mother's Day is coming up and I'm so incredibly thankful and blessed to get to be B's mom. I'm so grateful to be able to look forward to spending the day with my little guy. 

But it wasn't always a holiday I looked forward to and I know it's a holiday that's tough for so many of my friends right now.

Friends that are in waiting, here is my mother's day gift to you. 

I do promise all of those things to you.

And I think you should know that the sacrifices you've already made and the hours you've spent on your knees praying for your future little one already make you a wonderful mother.

I love ya!

RAK #17

It's time for another week of Random Acts of Kindness!

Last week's RAK was to do something nice for your spouse.  How did you do??  

This week's random act:

RAK#17: Pick up the tab for another person.

I think this is one of my favorites. A local radio station always promotes this one during RAK week and I think it's so fun. So if you can, take care of the bill for a person in line behind you at the coffee shop, fast food drive thru, gas station, grocery store or even more fun- your favorite cupcake shop or frozen yogurt place! 

Where are some places you could do this at?

Please join us (you can either catch up or just start where we are)! Check out this post for more info.
Happy RAKing!

Hair.

People keep asking me how long it takes to straighten my hair.

I don't.

I: Wash. Condition. Rinse. Comb straight. Air dry.

I use dry shampoo on the days I don't wash it.

Other than occasional hair spray, I don't use product.*

I haven't had it colored since before B was born.

I used to get it cut every two months but post B it's been more like 6 months in between cuts (yikes).

I switched to cheap shampoo when I left my other job. (But I do miss the good stuff.)

And on the oh so very rare occasion that I would be taking a cell phone selfie in the car, my husband gives me the 5th degree wanting to know what in the heck I'm doing.

Good question, babe. Good question!

So there you have it. What my hair looks like 90% of the time. I know those of you that asked are disappointed that this is my hair's true identity. I'm sorry.




*Unless it's curled. It takes a lot of product to get this hair to curl. If you have stubborn hair like me, hair starch is amazing to get it to do what you want.


Here's hoping you are having a better hair day(s) than me! (Chances are high that you are!)  :)

RAK #16

It's time for another week of Random Acts of Kindness!


Huge shout out to all you awesome Hickstionarians doing the dare with me!
1. Molly 2. Lisa C. 3. Kelsey L. 4. Deanna 5. Haley 6. Erin G. 7. Jamie 8. Jessica G. 9. Mindy C. 10. Jess R. 11. Bethany 12. Kari S. 13. Mary S. 14. Ashley D. 15. Alison K. 16. Donna 17. Teri B. 18. Mal H. 19. Heidi 20. Elizabeth K. 21. Tab 22. Kerry 23. Jen E. 24. Amy 25. Julie O. 26. Mandy 27. Todd 28. YOU!

My goal is to get 30 on board- would you join us??

Last week's RAK was to leave a surprise at a park for a child. We had some amazing park weather here early this week (the coming forecast is another story....) and B, Kota & I have enjoyed our park time. As we were there today I was thinking a kite would have been a better surprise to leave than bubbles with the crazy wind we had!

How did you do last week??  Do tell! 

This week's random act:

RAK#16: Do something kind for your spouse/significant other.

It's another not so random act this week but as my husband is nearing the end of a school year, it's one I think would be appreciated around my neck of the woods. Yours too? 
This week, let's do something extra and unexpected to treat our spouses or to make them feel special, appreciated or pampered.
I haven't quite conjured up my plan yet (and even if I had, I wouldn't blog it in case he happens to check the Hickstionary before then...) but I'll try to report back.

What ideas do you have for doing something extra and unexpected for your spouse?

Please join us (you can either catch up or just start where we are)! Check out this post for more info.


Happy RAKing!