These are a few of my favorite things...

I started this list a few months ago and I just add things to it here and there. It has helped me to notice the "little things in life" that I take for granted.
Maybe this will inspire you to make your own list.

Things I LOVE!

-Sawyer's baby wrists (he didn't have any)

-Charlie's laugh and prayers

-Ben's biceps

-Nursing my boys

-My Dad's biscuits and gravy

-Reading on a Saturday morning (before kids!)

-My pool

-Mexican food

-Long, HOT showers

-Panera Bread (I could live on their IC Carmel Lattes)

-Dancing with the Stars

-Talking about labor and delivery

-Fresh bedsheets

-Organizing

-My favorite book- Tuck Everlasting

-My best friends

-"Skinny" jeans

-Campfires

-Margaritas (preferably Mango/Strawberry with salt on the rim!)

-The Sun

-Skiing

-Flying without children

-Fall candles

-Being a mom of 2 boys

-Shutterfly website

-Taking a nap with a baby

-"Girl" time

-Watching Ben read to the boys

-My awesome double stroller!

-God's wisdom

-Finally realizing God's wisdom is WAY better than mine!

-New clothes

-Hobby Lobby

-Christmas decorations

-A clean house

-Vacations to Mexico (I am already banking on one for our 10 year anniversary. If you see Ben remind he that it is in less than 2 years!) :)

-Etta Miller's stuffing (Lee-Ann I know you can sympathize!)

-"Fancy" coffee

-Sleigh rides

-Garwood cider and doughnuts

-Thinking about the future

-My hardworking/driven husband

-A fun game of cornhole with friends

-Joslyn Marie :)

-Nap time

-My camera (Most perfect Mother's Day gift ever!)

Ok, get busy and start yours. Fill me in on some of your "Loves".

peace out,

a

Seven things

I got "tagged" on my friend Athena's blog. So I am performing my civic duty and telling you all seven things about myself. This was hard to come up with "interesting" facts. They still might not be all that interesting.
Enjoy.

1. I tend to go through insomnia periods. I have always been a bad sleeper. I will frequently wake up in the middle of the night and be up for 2-4 hours. This was my worst pregnancy symptom. It was almost every night for the last few months. I guess God was preparing me for motherhood.

2. I LOVE Mexico! Anything Mexican. Beaches, Sand, Water, Burritos, Fajitas, Margaritas, Cabana Boys etc...

3. I love being a mom of two boys. They are the best! I can't believe how much I enjoy being a "stay at home" mom. Way more than I ever thought I would!

4. I would like to become a doula someday. I thought pregnancy and beyond were honestly kind of gross before I had my own children. Now I am obsessed with learning about labor and delivery. I looked into the requirements and I know now is not the time in my life for this since babies tend to come at all hours of the day and can take more than a few hours to arrive.

5. I was voted "Most School Spirit" in high school. This is what Ben responded to when I asked him something interesting about me.

6. My mom, sister, and I were all in the movie "Prancer". I got paid $40 for the day. That is a lot of money to a fourth grader!

7. I wish I could dance. I sometimes think I can but deep down I know I would be one of those people that are on the first episode of "So You Think You Can Dance" and everyone would Tivo it and watch it over and over again while laughing hysterically.

peace out,
a

Giveaway!

Whoopsie Daisies Days is having a giveaway!
Check it out at http://whoopsiedaisiesdays.blogspot.com/

Those were the days...

Ok, I can't take credit for this idea. I saw this on PioneerWoman.com and thought it was hilarious! I had to try it out for kicks! I wasted an entire afternoon of napping time on this. I should have been cleaning something, sewing, reading, etc...

But no, I did this instead...

Wait it gets worse...

You are all sworn to secrecy! No one, I repeat NO ONE is allowed to tell Ben I did this! Poor guy. It really is sad.

And finally... I just had to do it. I know I am sick.

At least I didn't subject my children to this!

Try it out for fun! www.yearbookyourself.com

a

Oh for the love of Brownies!

Sawyer doesn't like paparazzi.

Charlie always the ham.

Enjoying the fruits of our labor.

Sorry Sawyer, that is the price you pay for eating brownies.

At least you don't have to worry about it going to your thighs. :)

peace out,

a

Music added

I just added a playlist to our blog. It is an eclectic mix of music because I am an eclectic type of person. :)
Hope you enjoy the tunes. Feel free to change the song or just mute it if you are a grump.

Thank you Diapers.com!

For you mamas out there who have not discovered Diapers.com yet. Get on board! Not only do they do free shipping for any orders over $49 (which you know is cheap if you are buying diapers!) they also provide hours of entertainment for little boys. :)

Plus the diapers are about the same cost as buying them at Wal-Mart and you don't have to lug home the huge boxes!

Get $10 off your first order, free shipping and earn me a $1 off all my orders if you use the code- "charsawyer" or btonagel@ligtel.com

Thanks!

I'm in Love...

with my camera! Oh Canon Rebel XT won't you run away with me?!?!? We don't have to tell Ben. It can be our little secret. Move over Dave Eldridge, the new love of my life is my digital camera. Ahhh... young love.

Ok, I know I am delusional. Anyhoo... I got to do my first "Photo Shoot" yesterday and it was soooooooo.... much fun! My future sis-in-law asked me to take some engagement photos of her and Troy. Sniff. Sniff. I can't believe little Troy is growing up! He seriously was in like 3rd grade when Ben and I started dating. He was scared to death of me! Yikes! Girl in the house! Run!

Here are some of the many shots we got. I think they turned out pretty good.

I told Troy to pretend it wasn't his sis-in-law taking his picture while he was

kissing the girl of his dreams.

Aren't they great models! Megan looked adorable and so happy.

Troy was such a great sport.

Before I took the pictures I looked at my favorite photographer's website- Jasmine Star http://www.jasminestarblog.com/ She is unbelievable! So talented! Check her out for fun!

Megan, you look ferocious!

Now there is young LLLLOOOOVVVEEE!

Show off that ring, girl!

Drum roll for the shot of the day.... (in my opinion)

peace out.

a

Fraulein Maria????

Last week I felt just like Fraulein Maria in the Sound of Music. Minus the fact that I don't live in Austria, can't sing to save my soul and I am not a nun! Other than that I felt exactly like her! :) I took some old fabric that my mom had used as curtains in our house when I was little and made beanbags for the boys to play with. I thought they would be some good entertainment for the cold days of winter that are quickly approaching. They are having so much fun with them I think I am going to make "Bozo Buckets" as Christmas gifts for all their little friends and cousins.

Luckily for Ben I am not tempted to turn these old fabrics into play clothes for the boys. Can you imagine seeing them swing from trees wearing this stuff! Hah! The Von Trapp Family pulled it off adorably but I don't think The Tonagels could do the same.

I am off to sing, "These are a Few of my Favorite Things" and make some more beanbags...

"Auf wiedersehen",

a

Weekend in good ole' LP

Last weekend we went to LaPorte to spend time with the familia. The boys stayed with Papa Hughie and Nana (Ben's parents) Friday night without us. Ben and I had our first night away from both boys. I was so looking forward to it but ended up being a big stick in the mud. I had a horrible afternoon without my boys. I missed them like crazy! I got over it by the time we went to his Homecoming game. There we tailgated, rode a mechanical bull and watched fireworks at half time. They go all out for homecoming! It was a lot of fun.

The boys had a great time with their aunts, uncles, and Nana and Papa. They carved pumpkins and read books.

Saturday morning Ben and I went and did a little shopping. I got some "killer" boots for Fall and Charlie some new Addidas shoes.

Saturday night we went to our first movie in THREE years! It was awesome! We got to see "Fireproof". If you haven't seen this movie yet we highly recommend it! Thank you to Hugh and Kathy for treating all their boys and spouses to a night out. The movie has such great messages for any couple.

Sunday afternoon we went to a babyshower for Jace and then headed home.

I was so excited to get a call from Megan (Troy's girlfriend) that night. She informed me that she is going to be my newest "Sister-In-Law"! Troy finally popped the question! We are so excited for them and can't wait for a beautiful wedding in Virginia.
There is a little kink in the plans though... Charlie told me that he wanted to marry Megan so he called her and said, "Marry me Megan!" He then looked at me with the biggest grin on his face and said, "She will!" It was so cute! I doubt Troy is going to let him win though so I think he will just have to settle for Ringbearer instead. :)

8 seconds...

Ben and I got to ride a mechanical bull at his school on Friday night. Here are the pics. I was really hoping to beat the pants off of him. But... he won. I only lasted 3 seconds. I forgot and used both hands for a minute. Ben stayed on for 11 seconds. He came in 3rd place for the "Celebrity Bull Riding" (faculty members).

And she's down.... Look at the kids in the background! They are like, "Who the heck is this lady???"

Fall is in the Air...

We have been doing all kinds of fun fall activities the last few weeks. Here are some of the mmmmaannnyyy pictures I took. This first set is from our fall party that we had 2 weekends ago with a group of what we call "Leesburg Friends". Many of these friends worked at one time with Ben at Leesburg Elementary. Only 2 now remain at Leesburg but it is just easier to still call them this. :) Ben took us on a hayride and we ate some yummy fall food.

The boys and I on the hay ride.

Joslyn posing for her closeup on the hayride. She is so stinkin' cute!

Here are some of our other friends; Brickers, Bailey's, and the Duncans. Last week I took the boys to a Pumpkin Patch with our MOPS group. We had a great time! Jessica and Luke joined us. The boys looked cute in their "Never Enough Dirt" sweatshirts that Ben bought them. The highlight of the day was the hayride behind the John Deere tractor. Charlie also liked all the painted pumpkins. Notice that the one is named, "Charlie Pumpkin".

This picture shows how close the boys are in size. I have people ask me almost every day if they are twins!

This past weekend I convinced Ben to spend some quality time with us before I became a "Hunting Widow" and take us to an apple orchard. It was fun. We picked some apples (there weren't too many left), got a another hayride, went through a corn maze and bought some cider. It was good, but nothing compares to Garwood's cider! I guess I am partial but I was a "Cider Girl" when I worked there. Can I put that on a resume some day?

When we came home Charlie and I baked a fresh apple pie. He is really into cooking. He is constantly saying, "I wanna help you! I help you Mom? I wanna help you!"

Finally it has been harvest time here at our house. The boys LOVE to watch the tractors and semis collect all the corn. I bundled them up yesterday, gave them each a snack and sent them to the porch to watch the action. Charlie got to go for a ride on one of the tractors. He thought that was pretty cool!

So what is everyone else doing to enjoy this beautiful fall weather?