What do I call this post?

I'm positive I've said I'll never endorse products of any kind. If I didn't say that here- I meant to.
Why?
1) The obvious. I say, "I love it." You say, "I hate it." Or vice versa. We all have our own opinions. I have better things to argue about.
2) I don't want to be held accountable when you come back and say, "But you said.... you loved/hated..." Don't take my word as gospel.

That being said.
I heart Ergo Baby Carriers.

My sister told me AFTER I'd gotten my Baby Bjorn Sport/Active (that I loved) how much she loved her Ergo carrier. She could carry her babies on her front, side, back. And it held them until they were 40 pounds. I tried it on. That's nice. But I have a new Baby Bjorn that was given to me by loving people. I'm fine.
And I was.
Baby #1. Great.
Baby #2. Great.
But baby #2 got bigger. And maxed out the 26 lb. carrier at 21 lbs. (She's a tad bigger than brother). Problem- this girl LOVES to be held ... all at the hardest moments: carrying laundry, cooking dinner etc. And the Bjorn only held her in front. Thus making juggling things around her body a bit harder.
All the while my sister continues to post pictures of her lugging her 2 year old around Asia on her back in the famous Ergo carrier of hers.
I broke down.
I sold my Bjorn.
I bought an Ergo on Ebay. Used.
And I love it.
Today I cooked a meal, and hauled laundry up two flights of stairs with sister tucked neatly, lightly, on my back. Breezy Peazy. So nice!! Sick kid? I still get two hands when I must have them. Tired and wants to be held when I'm cooking dinner? Check.
I tried to coax a smile from King by telling him how thrifty and nice on the budget I'd been (after selling the Bjorn first and not buying the NEW (I should have) on sale for $50. (If it happens again, I'm buying it and selling the old on ebay again. Not to knock my new Ergo- just sayin.). All in all I only spent $22. STEAL!!
So yes. If you asked me today if I'd endorse a product- I'd tell mom's with small ones.
Just buy the Ergo. You'll thank me one day.


I'll take a picture tomorrow. I hope to post it by next week.

Things I need to write down before I forget.

In no particular order.
1) King. Bringing me home my OWN box of Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies was one of the nicest things you've ever done for me.
2) Sister. You did it! THANK YOU! Thank you. Thank you. THANK you. THANK YOU for FINALLY trying to communicate with something other than looks and screams. Months of trying to teach you to sign (while you look at me like, "yeah, right mom.") has paid off with ONE sign. "More." Ahhhh..... but its something. (I should add that you did it PERFECTLY the first time- not like an infant- which tells me you've had the capability and know-how for months now, and are just too stubborn to do it when asked/probed/bribed/pleaded...)
3) Brother. WOW! You have been cooperative lately!!! What a joy! I know I get easily frustrated with you and expect you to be 5 or 10, not three. You seem to take it in stride. I'm so proud of you. I love the way you break of the TINIEST piece of whatever you are eating to share with sister. Note- tiny means minuscule so "she couldn't choke, Mom!"
4) Spring. Thanks for showing up.... finally. I love you. I planted strawberries (thanks mom and grandpa) today in your honor. I hope some of them survive.
5) Nachos. When did you become so addicting? I love you too. Not as much as King. Or the kids.
Good night.

I looked out the window and what did I see?

Loads and loads of snow just waiting for me.... (or my brother in law T and hubby to shovel). I just watched.
An hour and a half later T came in. Good work guys!
Mind you- we had NO snow yesterday, and woke up to at LEAST six inches.
That was more snow than "then storm of the decade" we had a few months back. Go figure.

(Pardon the photos. It's hard to get a good shot without leaving the comfy cozy indoors- which I didn't.)

Side note: Today is Tuesday. Forcast for Thursday? 60 degrees.

Loads of Pictures

So, I haven't uploaded pictures since Christmas.
Slow. I know.
So kick back. Relax. Enjoy or ignore the minimal commentary.
Here goes.

First, King had a birthday.
How I missed taking pictures of the actual event, and how I missed recording it I'll never know. But I sure love that man! I don't know what we'd do without him.

The kids (Brother) helped Grandma make some cookies. Lady got to help lick the beater. Heaven. Capital H.



Sharing. Thanks babe.
And with all that goodness... she still needed her fingers...
Brother helped put cookie dough on the pan with one hand while eating finished cookies with his other. Good multi-tasking.
They also played outside a bit. Spring..... is..... coming.... very.... slowly....
We went to the Children's Museum with some friends. You'd think after the dozens of pictures I took, I'd find more I liked. But I didn't. So here's my favorite. Brother is filling up the fire truck with gas while sister gleefully drives. Our friend B in the background is wondering why I keep pulling out the camera.
If sister pulls her fingers out of her mouth, she might look like this.
The other 99 % of the time she looks like this.
Brother and King get to play in the evenings or weekends.

Both kids get a ride...
Some rides end up better than others.
Lady woke up with THIS crazy hair from a nap.
After we took a picture, she tried to comb it in place.
It's been birthday-central around here.
Brother had a birthday! 3? Not possible. (More on this later)

Everyone enjoyed cake. (Thanks Grandpa!) Lady enjoyed wearing it.
We spent a nice afternoon at the park. Swings are a hit with this guy.
She's getting used to them- but I think they'll win her over.
Slides? We'll see.
I'll try to do better. No promises.
Until next time!