September In Review: Lost Teeth, Cooking & More Football!

Lost Teeth

Look at this face!

Seriously...

Look at that smile...

that beautiful

sweet

precious

TOOTHLESS 

smile!!

Shortly after we returned from our

marathon camping trip...

Jackson had a VERY loose tooth.

We kept expecting it to fall out,

we tried talking him into

NUMEROUS 

"fun" ways to get it out.

He politely declined

ALL

suggestions.

Eventually,

it just fell out.

The one beside it,

was also loose,

but just getting good and loose...

after insisting 

on waiting til 

the extremely loose

one fell out on its own...

his older brother,

assisted him in removing the other one.

They were wrestling in the playroom,

then Jackson came running in 

super excited about something...

then showed me the SECOND tooth 

that was no longer in his mouth...

but in his hand!

And after all the drama 

surrounding the first tooth falling out...

that one...

was a piece of cake.

Homemade CornDog Muffins

We were kinda stuck in a lunch rut.

I wanted to try some different things for lunch.

I made mini quiches...

I loved them,

my guys...eh,

they didn't love them.

That was ok with me,

because they were SOOOO

time consuming to make!!

So I tried something else,

my guys love corndogs,

I do too!

I don't love how they are 

LOADED 

with fat and calories!

LOADED!!

So I attempted to make my own,

well, something similar.

I cut 6 all beef, low fat

hot dogs into fourths.

Then put them in the center

of the muffin tin.

I mixed up one box of Jiffy Corn Bread mix,

per the instructions.

Then spooned it around the cut up hot dogs.

Baked them a little less than the instructions called for,

and wound up with this!

Cute, huh?

They like these!

Not as much as the "real" 

corndogs..

but they will do!

We finally started school in September!

This is where Jackson started out reading...

but the littles have

quickly taken over that corner,

and Jackson has been booted to 

the living room sofa.

That's ok though, 

less distractions in there...

when he is by himself.

More Football!!!

We were surprised to see some 

old friends

had a parking spot 

right across from us!!!

My bestie and her youngest

also joined us at this game.

Sweet daddy/daughter moment.

That's a lot of "fan"nies

hanging out down there!

This happened to be the 

Military Appreciation Game.

This is my absolute favorite game

EVERY.YEAR!!

For many reason...

MANY.

But the hubs is actually a vet.

So because of him,

I have a new found respect

and 

admiration

for all things military!

I asked my bestie

to take a picture of me and my baby boy...

He wasn't cooperating!!

My face says it all!!

And I eventually just gave up.

 This beauty always stops to smile for the camera!

And this picture...

(Sept 2013)

Is a recreation from 3 years ago...

(Nov 2010)

Me and my boys

cheering on the

WOLFPACK

Year after year...

August Revisited!

I keep forgetting to download pictures off

of my phone...

and if you are anything like me...

that is where most of my 

day to day

pictures live!

So I downloaded today...

and came across some

worth sharing.

You know you live in a little town,

when you see someone making

homemade

cracklins

and 

pork rinds

at the local farmer's market!!!

Little brother holding

his big sister.

My sweet babies!

These next few require a little background.

We have a decent pool in our neighborhood,

with a baby pool.

For whatever reason,

Mr. T was NOT interested 

in the big pool,

with or without a life jacket.

He was VERY content to stay 

in the baby pool.

In August,

we hit the indoor pool at the YMCA.

So even though we had nice

neoprene life jackets for him,

somehow...

the good old trusty orange

life neck thing...

was like superman's cape!

This kid

ASKED to wear one...

then did this!!!

And this!

Then finished up with 

this!!  

Mommy was so shocked! 

And SO proud!!!

Then...

behold...

what the Martinez Family

LIVES for!

NC State Wolfpack Football Season!!!

We have phenomenal seats

for having young kids...

our guys are able to 

hang out 

down by the field

and get up close and personal...

with

the football players

the mascot

the cheerleaders

and 

the dance team.

And Rico's goal...

every game!

Is to get on the big jumbotron!!

Its typically just

mom and dad

and

the big boys...

we typically 

leave the littles 

with my mom and dad.

BUT,

we always take them to 

at least one game a year...

We took them to the first game of the season!

And they jumped right on in like they are 

born with the love of the Wolfpack in their bones!

Mr. T cheered so hard...

he passed out!

Post game photo op!

Yep,

this is where my boys sit...

every game!

(except on their knees

and

facing the other way, of course!)

And the annual family

football photo!

(thankfully this football
season is almost over now though)

Thankful Tuesday

Yes,

I know its technically Wednesday...

but my sister over at 

Our McWonderful Life

sent me a text last night 

asking me to do this

...if I happened "to have enough free time".

To which I responded (via text)...

"Haha...she asked if I had enough time for

something as my underwear clad 4 yo runs through

the kitchen waiting on her bath as her 3 yo brother 

takes his TIME eating his dinner not realizing (nor caring)

that he is holding up bath time...dinner dishes sit in 

my sink and litter my counter, remnants of our 

taco dinner litter my table and floor,

daddy's lunch fixins are scattered in the mix

on the counter waiting to be made,

now the older boys are 

chasing the underwear clad 4 yo 

around the house...

through the above mentioned kitchen.

Oh, and my husband is now 

entertaining the 3 yo who won't eat

by dancing and shaking his booty 

in the kitchen...

much to the 3 yos delight!

I need a bigger glass of wine"

and then I followed up with

"...but I am thankful for all of it"

So I did't get to this yesterday...

but you can totally understand why!

And that was a tame night!

For all these things...

I

AM

THANKFUL!!

A Pirate at 3!

We struggled with what to do

for Mr. T's birthday this year.

I knew I wanted to make sure

as many family members could attend

(after all, we were back in NC, right?)

and I wanted it to be something

HE would enjoy!

Not a cookout at the house,

that he would be oblivious too...

So we settled on my favorite park in all of Raleigh...

Pullen Park.

I have posted about that park before.

It was going through a MAJOR remodel

when we left NC,

and finally reopened after we

had already departed.

I had taken the kids to the 

new and improved

version

while we were visiting a year ago...

but was super excited to have Mr. T's 

party there!

Behold...

the pictures!!

The pirate and princess

making their way

into the park...

They received a LOT of compliments

on their outfits!!

Yep, that's my oldest at the tip top

of this climbing apparatus!

 

Jackson staying a little closer to the 

ground...

but a GREAT shot of him!! 

I love love love

the expression on this child's face!!! 

Pirate Tony

has successfully 

tamed the dreaded snake 

climber!

GQ!

My boys!!

On the dreaded snake climber!

Joe Cool!

er

Jackson Cool!!

The ONLY

picture I have with all 

4 of my kids in it...

The pirate 

waiting patiently for his...

um..

Train??

Freaking ADORABLE!!!

And,

he's tired of pictures.

UGH!

Captaining 

the ship he commandeered from...

the last kid on the ride.

GQ, 

chillin at 

the top of the world

again...

Mommy and NeeNee 

scaling 

Mt. Pullen Park.

Awesome pic of my sis, NeeNee,

and her little priss.

Little Miss 

heading down the slide into her daddy's arms!

The pirate

finally got to ride on the train!

This has always been our favorite part

of 

Pullen Park!

(yes I see my oldest, yes this is the best, most in focus

picture of the 5 that were taken)

The pirate doing his 

best 

"choo choo"

imitation!! 

Little Miss' daddy giving her bunny ears!

Seriously daddy!

How old are you?

And to your own kid??  

(Love my family!) 

A couple of the special birthday party guests

on the carousel.

Cake time!!!

 To go with the pirate theme,

of course!

(yep, made by yours truly)

Presenting the birthday boy

with his cake!

As the norm in our family...

the birthday child gets to cut the cake.

(no fingers were removed in the cutting of this cake)

Everyone was pointing at which piece 

they wanted...

I asked who wanted a piece of the map...

 Yeah, we're bad...

we know it!

 Awesome pic of one of my sisses

and my bestie!!

How a 3yo pirate 

throws and catches 

a football...

Awesome pic of my mom and my niece.

Wild thing...

on the run!

Nana caught her!

How DO YOU 

get icing on your shoes??

(no idea!!)

 I'll take that camera please...

My babies...

affectionately called

"The Littles" 

in our house.

One final train ride around the park

before we headed out...

Happy 3rd Birthday 

Sweet Baby Boy!!