Mindi's Musings

bits of random

2012-01-20T08:03:00.000-08:00

right now i am:

** trying standing at the kitchen counter making Meg tapioca pudding, because girlfriend knows good 17 degree weather food like her mama.

***really hoping that I can get motivated to clean the house...it's disgusting.

****wishing I could curl up with a good book and take a nap with Meg, but I can't... see above.

*****looking forward to a pseudo-date night with my man tonight.

******excited about some deals I scored this week at Old Navy and Goodwill.

Happy Weekend. I am of to scrub toilets.......

before and after

2012-01-11T08:14:00.000-08:00

Out with the 90's brass trim...

...and in with the more neutral and updated black!

(dining room fireplace got the same makeover!)

in the wash

2012-01-06T08:47:00.001-08:00

I have seen posts about making your own laundry detergent and how it is better for you, better for the environmentand the biggest reason, cheaper than buying it already made. Then my friend, Angie made some and likes it so I decided it was high time I made my own as well.

It's super easy and I found all of my ingredients at Wal-Mart. The most expensive item was the glass container, but come on, it needs to look cute, right?

Here's what I used:
1bar of Soap
1cup of Borax
1cup of Washing Soda
1/2 cup of Oxy Clean (walmart brand)

First you use your grater and grate up the soap so that it looks like shredded cheddar.

Then you get a cute assistant to help you measure, dump and stir all of the ingredients EXCEPT the Oxy Clean in a big bowl.

Once they are stirred pretty good, I put it in the blender to make the soap even smaller so that it will dissolve easier in cold water washes.

Once it was all a fine powder, I mixed in the Oxy Clean!

That's it!

I have the washer going now! I'll let you know how it goes!!

loving....

2012-01-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

Trying for more posts in 2012

2012-01-02T13:09:00.000-08:00

I have to admit... facebook has replaced my blog. It's shameful, I know.

Over the last few weeks I have read one of my most favorite blogs, whatever, from beginning to end and realized I really miss blogging. Not that I am nearly as good of a photographer or writer as Meg is, but I can pretend, right?

So here we are the second day of the new year and I am going to try my best to keep this current and up to date!

First Day

2011-08-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

Rough Start.

2011-08-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

This is the story of a beautiful bracelet and its owner who in a crazy bizarre sequence of events lost the bracelet and but then found it.... but it looked like this:

and...
and last but not least,

as you can imagine, the owner was very upset. There were tears... she was disappointed, sad, and frustrated. And yes, she knows that is "just a bracelet" (even though she loved it and wore it daily even though it pinched her arm hairs out one by one, and had sentimental value) and in the grand scheme of things it's really not so bad....right?

But most importantly, she has an example to set.

There are two little people watching her get upset and throw a fit over this beloved bracelet.

She doesn't want them to think that they can't be disappointed or sad over things like this, but she also wants to show them that it doesn't have to ruin their day/week/year.

So, I sucked it up and started doing what my mama taught me to do when stressed....

clean.

When I came down stairs to get the paper towels, I saw this:

and heard, "Here Mama, here is a new bracelet that you can wear every day and it won't break! Can you tie it for me?"

Could she get any sweeter?

Then, a bit later she even helped me fold laundry.

I sure do love this girl. She helped make a day that started out bad into one that has seen more smiles than tears.

And who knows, maybe I'll get a new bracelet... some day.

Where does it go?!?!?

2011-08-22T18:29:00.000-07:00

Seriously, where did the summer go?

Isaac starts full day Kindergarten on Friday.

Meg starts preschool next Tuesday.

I broke my camera, (sad) but got a new one over the weekend! Woo-Hoo! I will post pictures once I get a few good ones... still learning how to use it!

Our garden was definitely a learning experience this year. We are harvesting zucchini left and right, some cucumbers and lettuce which is awesome. We have cantaloupe and watermelon growing, but the watermelon vine looks pitiful today, so I'm not sure what is up with that. We shall see! We need stronger bean supports next year, two big storms blew them over and broke some of the bamboo, but they are still thriving. We have tomatoes as well but they are all green still.

We are in full swing for Isaac's 6th birthday party which of course is Star Wars... shocking. We are going to have a great time! Hopefully, I will have pictures up next week of the festivities! He's super excited and I am too! I am looking forward to "yoda soda and darth dogs and vader veggies!"
Until then!

My Girls

2011-07-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

I have an amazing set of friends who I had a fabulous night on the town with last night. We rocked out with our man Kenny.

We started our little, "girls nights" six years ago and they have been a mainstay in our lives and a constant connection to our true selves. We have been through a lot. Marriage, births, career choices and changes, finding our way as mothers, illness and loss. You know, life.

I love my friends.
They have become my family.
They accept me.
They ground me.
They support me.
They love me.

We know each others stories, we can tease each other and reminisce for hours with tears of both joy and sorrow streaming down our faces.

Thank you my friends, my sisters.
Thank you for a fabulous night out and a wonderful birthday!
I love you girls so much!

Here's to 60 more years of girls nights!

Craft Monday...finally

2011-06-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

On our Summer List this year was to have Craft Monday...

Of the last 4 weeks since school has been out, yesterday we finally completed our first craft.

We used watercolors, pipe cleaners and coffee filters to make our own sparklers/firework decorations. I got the idea from The Crafty Crow which is an awesome site for kid craft projects.

Meg loved painting and of course made it better with glitter, glitter and a bit more glitter.

Isaac had fun too, but after about 20 minutes or so, playing baseball and climbing trees sounded like more fun to him.

While uploading these, I realized I didn't take any finished product pictures! I will try to remedy that asap!

Flyin' By

2011-06-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the 4th of July is this coming weekend!

This is the last "lazy" week of the summer for us, so today I ran all my errands, except getting a new drivers license, so that we can just chill at home before the craziness sets in.

We are having fun though,
swimming

catching naps when and where we can

crafting, gardening and play, play playing!

Last day of school

2011-06-09T06:07:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday was Isaac's last day of young 5's...

He was really sad that school was out, because he won't see his friends everyday.

(so sad... the long walk to the car)

I don't remember about what age that changes...

however, he's had a pretty fun week, so I don't think he's missing school too much.

(Megan needed to have her "last day of school" picture taken too, appropriately in pajamas)

A Bit of Random

2011-05-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

Today was Isaac's field day. Man was it hot! I am so glad he is in the a.m. class.
poor thing didn't have as much fun as she thought she would.

Mark was able to come for a little bit which thrilled Meggie.

We went to our first Dragon's game of the season. Luckily it cooled off a bit before it started.

We had a great time, saw a home run and ate dippin' dots, which according to Meg, "cooled off her burnin' hot belly"

Lastly, I experimented with a new recipe (which for the life of me I can't remember where I got it)

It was pork tenderloin, grilled and basted with a honey/pineapple juice and red peppers. Served with pineapple rice. Yummm and it was healthy too!

First Race

2011-05-25T07:56:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend our little town hosted a Community Days 5K with a kids fun run and then a school carnival... it was quite a day.

At the last minute a friend and I decided to run the 5K... all I will say about that is I finished and ran better than I thought I would, only walking once, and thank you Jamie for your motivation!!

After my race the kids had a fun run, which we were told would be one mile, but ended up only a quarter of a mile. It was so awesome to see Isaac so excited! He was so excited he pulled a tooth minutes before the race!!

(the least flattering picture of me, but Isaac thinks it's hilarious!)

He and his buddy Elijah had already planned on running the race holding hands, but we were afraid of an injury, so we talked them out of that.

Stretching... very important before the big race. (Meg was not happy about not being involved... plus during one stretch, she said, "this is just like with Jillian, I know how to do this!")

And... GO!!!!!

Isaac did awesome! He wasn't winded in the least and on his own decided to do an entire victory lap!!

Since I didn't register Meg, (she was to young) she and Mark did their race a few steps behind the big kids...

Meg made it the first turn, then Daddy had to take over until the very end...

And everyone finished and received medals! It was tons of fun.

Explore

2011-05-18T14:05:00.001-07:00

When it stops raining long enough to get outside, we are climbing trees... which is this little guys favorite "hiding" spot especially now that there are leaves on the trees!

The blooms on the trees were short lived due to all the hard rains, but the were magical. There was one afternoon that was particularly windy and it was like confetti or snow falling from the trees, it was a lovely way to lose the petals if we had too.

So until it dries up around here, we are having fun splashing around in the puddles-

and wearing 3 tutus, a "scarf" and fancy shoes!

I'm back... sort of ...

2011-05-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

My awesome hubby (and kids) surprised me with a new computer for Mother's Day this year! I feel free! I am no longer tethered to the desk! I can finally rejoin my man on the couch both of us playing on our laptops while we watch Netflix! Life is good! (although iTunes isn't letting me put new stuff on my iPod, anyone have any tips?)

Actually, life is good. We have officially settled into our new house and are making it our home. We have had our fair share of bumps in the road these last few months and are expecting a few more along the way but I am optimistic!

We have tilled our garden (!!!!) and are waiting for a few dry days to actually put seeds in the ground. I have been planning and drawing and anticipating this all winter long. I hope it works! I'm so excited for dirt to get under my nails!!

The reason for the "sort of" in the title is because I still don't have pictures to share... as I went to upload (and organize... because I am going to keep them organized on this computer) my camera battery died! So for now, just this little dip back into the the blogging pool!

Miss me?

2010-10-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

Well I still have no pictures to share...
Still using the computer from the stone ages...
...however... I am using it in our new house!! I can't wait to post up some pictures, but for now you'll have to use your imagination.
It is a two story on just about two acres with a wrap around porch on three sides. We have tons of room to run and lots of cute blue jays and squirrels to watch throughout the day.

Inside we have lots of beige which is better than what we walked into the first time we saw this house, but it will definitely have to be remedied in the coming months/years.

This is the house I will spend the majority of my adult life in and I am thrilled at the memories I imagine making here.

Like I said, I will be doing some decorating, on the cheap side, soon and will hopefully be able to show you pictures of what and how I make this our home!
I've got lots of inspirations files from Better After!

Still here...

2010-08-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

My computer has totally abandoned me. So for now I am using the one from the stone age... it's really just one step from the black screens with green characters... it really isn't but it is sssslllloooowwww and I don't have any of my pictures on here. So to my 2 readers... here's the haps: (which you already know)

We are moving at the end of September and are super excited. However, we haven't sold our house yet, so it's a bit scary. And until we do there will be no fun decorating of new house... bummer.

Isaac is starting Kindergarten on Friday. He is going to be in the young 5's class, which I wasn't totally on board with in the beginning, but is settling nicely with me now.
Oh~ and he will be five next Sunday... five. seriously, where has the time gone?

We had to put our beloved pup Fletch to sleep last week. It happened much quicker than we ever imagined. We had just found out he was sick two weeks before, but thought we had months, maybe even a year left. I can't believe how empty the house is without him.

Lastly, I would ask anyone who reads this to pray for my friends Brad and Lisa. Brad is fighting stage 4 colon cancer and has started having some severe problems. They admitted him into the hospital on Tuesday and he will be there at least 5 more days if not longer. I don't want to go into all of the details, but they could any prayers and thoughts out there.

Sorry for the jumbled post with no pictures, hopefully soon!

Smokin'

2010-07-26T05:06:00.000-07:00

You know how you don't realize you say certain things until someone points them out to you?
Apparently, I say, "Smokin'" a lot.
As in, "it's smokin' hot today. or let your food cool off, it's smokin'"
Well Miss M has picked up using the word too. She says, "Mom! it's smokin wet at the water park! This air conditioning is smokin cold!"
I'm not sure exactly what she thinks it means.... but it's smokin' cute!
Here are our latest adventures in the heat with Steph and the girls! Thanks for introducing us to this park! We will definitely be back!

Slip Slidin' Away

2010-07-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

Where has summer gone?

It's July for Pete's sake! And only that for a few more days!

At Aggie's birthday party, Jason set up a slip-n-slide in their backyard. If ever there was a backyard made for slip-n-slides and sledding, this is the yard. It has the perfect double hill that is steep enough to be fast but not too fast.

Poor Ag's got stung on her way to slide, so she ended up not doing it at all, poor baby.

Isaac threw a ginormous fit when it was time to go, but lucky for me the mix of the water/soap meant I could send him straight to bed with no shower!

quick recap...

2010-07-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

in case you were wondering, in the last three weeks...

:: we have eaten our weight in hot dogs

:: we have done our part in feeding the mosquito population

:: Isaac got his kindergarten shots

:: I turned 32

:: my computer was out of commission due to a bizarre-o virus

:: it is smokin' hot outside, our only relief comes in the form of sprinkler and water hose play.

:: Meg's level of sassy-ness has increased ten fold

:: seen 3 sets of fireworks

:: discovered my love for The Office ... never knew what I was missing!!! How is that possible?

:: have had a prayer answered, unfortunately the answer was a loud and resounding, "NO!" and after the initial disappointment (and many tears) , I realized that God has something even better in store... I just have to be patient... not my strong suit.

::caught lightening bugs

Basically, we are living summer to the fullest!

Reds Game Part 1

2010-06-28T05:52:00.000-07:00

On our list of things to do this summer is to go to a Cincinnati Reds game.
Isaac, lover of all sports, but especially baseball kept asking when we were going to go. So we checked the schedule and lo and behold they were home this weekend and who of all teams were they playing? Only the Cleveland Indians, Mark's favorite team, perfect.

We packed a little cooler full of juice boxes, squeeze yogurts (these are only for super special occasions) and other little snacky items, 'cause really, who wants to spend five bucks on a bottle of water?

Isaac was a buzz... literally the entire drive to the game.

We got there a bit late, but as soon as we sat down, Isaac's favorite player, a rookie named Drew Stubbs was at the plate and don't you know he hit a home run! It was as if the baseball gods were shining down on Isaac and just cementing his love for the game even further!

Meg, not the biggest sports fan, had a great time... as long as there was some type of music blaring in which she could shake her groove thing to.

There were home runs, a couple of wild pitches, and a hit so hard that it broke the bat...and to top it all off... it was Fireworks Friday! More on that tomorrow!

simple summer pleasures #4

2010-06-22T08:53:00.001-07:00

Smores!

...and marshmallows --- roasted or not... suit yourself.

a balancing act

2010-06-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

It can be a tough balance, being a parent.

You want to be loving yet firm.

You want to teach your children all the important lessons of life while holding on to their innocence.

You want to protect them, yet teach them how to be independent.

All the while, trying to make their childhoods fun and memorable.
Somehow, he makes it look so easy!

Thank you, Mark for being such a wonderful partner in this journey. I definitely could not do it without you! You have become such an amazing daddy to our children, and you can tell how much they love you by the way they look when you get home, or by the way their eyes light up when they talk about you.
Happy Fathers Day, sweetheart!

Happy Father's Day to you too Dad! I love you for so many reasons,
I hope you have a wonderful day!

simple summer pleasures #3

2010-06-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

what can be better than pb&j with homemade "j"

eating it outside!

two peas in a pod

2010-06-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

These two...

I don't know what we're going to do with them.

They are nine months apart.

They have a love/hate relationship, and are as close as sisters.

They are both sweet as can be... most of the time.

They are both a bit on the ornery side.

The gruesome twosome...

Aggie and Meg

The smell of love

2010-06-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

I am always amazed at how strong your sense of smell can trigger memories.

I can still smell the little ice cream shack that was located in the middle of a two lane highway across from the first house I ever lived in... I haven't been in it in about 25 or more years. I'm not even sure it is still standing, but I can smell it's distinct cherry-ish, almond-ish sugar cones and that I always had Superman ice cream.

This weekend my mom and I ~with the help of two other little ones~ made strawberry preserves and the smell of three gallons of strawberries was overwhelming! They were so colorful and vibrant... really, what food says summer like strawberries?

Even more remarkable is the smell of the warm preserves. It is simply intoxicating. I am amazed that fruit with sugar and pectin can transform something already wonderful into a jar of sunshine that we can open on the dreariest of February mornings.

This is the jelly that I have eaten my entire life.

It was on the english muffin when I was a baby, drinking my coffee (that's a story for another time).
It was on the toast I would eat when I was sick.
It was on the peanut butter sandwiches I had for lunch.
It was mixed with butter, so I could dip my biscuits in it.
It was all of these things because my mom made it.

And now it's on Isaac and Meg's toast, peanut butter sandwiches and biscuits.

This is a tradition. One I have enjoyed my entire life and one I plan on continuing and hoping that my children will have as many wonderful and comforting memories as I do that include "Strawberry 'erves".
Thanks mom. For everything.

simple summer pleasures #2

2010-06-04T14:14:00.001-07:00

Blowing Bubbles...

in tutus...

while mama knits a bit.

It's official...

2010-06-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

Isaac is a kindergartner.

Heaven help me.

simple summer pleasures #1

2010-05-29T05:17:00.000-07:00

Fresh squeezed orange juice.

Ready. Set. Summer.

2010-05-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

It's official... it's summer.

This week has been a doozie.

The quick run down is; planting flowers, laying mulch, power washing the deck, playing in the sprinklers... someone loosing his drawers, new sassy summer haircuts.

A trip to the zoo, a walk and dinner and ice cream in our most favorite of towns and spending the night in a "hometel".

An end of the school year pool party with pizza, snacks, and lots of sunscreen!

Hello Summer! Glad you came to visit.

Rhubarb-a-licious

2010-05-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

After keeping my eyes peeled the last couple of weeks, I finally spotted some rhubarb at the farmers market last week. So this weekend I was busy making rhubarb treats.

I started with some strawberry rhubarb skillet jam. I didn't have an actual recipe, I used some different ones like this one and this one... and I feel like I am missing one... sorry!

We had it on biscuits Friday....

and fresh lemon scones on Saturday morning.
Mmmmmmmmm.

Finally, I made a strawberry rhubarb pie on Sunday for dinner with my parents and brother in law... unfortunately, my dad doesn't like rhubarb.

However Mark and I had it again for breakfast, and lunch, ahem....

I wonder why I am not losing weight....

I am going to go back to see if they have more, and am going to try it out with raspberries

a nature haiku

2010-05-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

family nature hikes

searching, exploring, learning
walking in the rain

looking for cool rocks
splashing in every puddle
naming wiggly worms

The man of the house

2010-05-13T18:58:00.001-07:00

With Mark having been gone for the last nine days, Isaac has technically been the "man of the house".

He has just about officially given up naptime, which means 2 things. 1-he goes to bed much earlier and easier. 2- Mama is more than ready for peace and quiet.

Today, during "rest" time, he came down stairs and said,"Mom. you. are. not. going. to. believe. this.... I was reading my bug book, and it says that caterpillars eat sweet gum!!! Can you believe it? I just can't believe it!"
The way he said it just made me feel like he was so old... you know he will be 5 in three months, a fact he reminds me of multiple times a day.

Recently he just seems so much more mature the last few days/weeks.

He has developed a fabulous fashion sense.

He is an awesome brother.

Mark will be very proud to hear how well Isaac was while he was gone. I know I am!

Mothers Day Recap

2010-05-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

While I think it is a nice gesture, Mother's Day isn't too different from any other day.

According to my girlfriends, we think it is a little bit stressful and a lot of extra work, quite frankly.
We want to please our mothers and mothers-in-law, yet, we are mothers too! And we are in the throws of parenthood!
So we plan a dinner or mani/pedi session or maybe a brunch.
Maybe a nice low key dinner at home since all of the restaurants have a zillion hour wait.
Regardless of how we celebrate our mothers, we do it because we love them and we would not be where or who we are without them... and because they did the same things for us. Thank you mom, for always supporting me and being in my corner when I need you. Thank you for being loving and compassionate. Thank you for being my friend. I love you.

Plus, without Mother's Day, I wouldn't have gotten these sweet cards from my kiddos!

Park It!

2010-05-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

With the weather as awesome as it has been this week, (and with this weekends forecast looking cool and bleak) the kids and I have been hitting the park... sometimes twice a day... we're addicted.

New endeavors at every new play ground. Each time we go to a fav, instead of being bored, one of them gains more confidence. Amazing that my babies are getting so big and independent. It's great... right? This is the first time in my experience as a mother, that I haven't had to be a shadow at our outings. It is amazing to just sit back and watch.

I love how Meg says hello to everyone.... and I mean everyone, until they say "hi" back.
A few unfortunate mishaps have taught a certain little someone that they are just not able to do everything a certain older sibling is. My eldest, well, lets just say it was for kids like him for whom parks were created. (Is that the correct use of whom? I never know.) He is a lightening bolt up and down, left then right. I have to keep him in a neon orange shirt just so I can spot the blur running past me.
Thank you, Park builders... we are huge fans!

Dear Mark,

2010-05-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hey hon,
The morning went well, I was very productive this morning... Straightened up the house, had Lori and Calder over for coffee and transformed Meg's crib into a toddler bed.

Now it is nap time and the new found freedom of a three sided bed is proving a bit much... hopefully tonight will go better. I promised 2 quarters if she could stay in bed and take a good nap... 30 minutes later, "I don't want to earn my quarters! I don't want to buy princess clothes!" great. The positive reinforcement tactic isn't going quite as planned.

I hope you are getting lots of work done! I love you and miss you already!

We're having issues....

2010-04-29T05:55:00.000-07:00

Two year old not listening issues.

Four year old being too big for his britches, issues.

When Mama gets stressed, she bakes, issues. (which doesn't help with the trying-to-be-healthy-and lose weight issues.)

Daddy is going to be gone for 10 days, inducing said stress baking.

New discipline actions have been implemented... no more zillion warnings... you get one and after that is straight to time out.... as of now, 9:15 am, both hooligans have been in time out, one of them twice. I'm tired. I am tired of yelling, tattle telling, whining. Oh my gosh the WHIIIIINING!

Wanting to move, buy a new home, sell our house, issues.
I have officially become a real estate stalker. Mark is convinced I know more about the houses on the market than most agents... I'm not so sure that is a good thing.

The house he wanted, sold. The house I like, he doesn't. Issues I tell you.

I'm trying to remain optimistic. Realizing that my issues are pretty run of the mill, pretty boring actually, except to me.

Homemade Strawberry Tarts and Apple Pie seem to help a bit.
Send any good baking recipes!!!

Channeling my inner cowgirl!

2010-04-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

Mama's got a new pair of boots!

Last summer, I decided I would really like a pair of cowboy boots.

I searched eBay, etsy and online stores, but all of the ones I like were between 200-400 dollars! Yikes! I don't think that I am ready to embrace my inner cowgirl that much! My search puttered out in the fall, then Christmas came and went, and my dreams went by the wayside.

While searching on etsy for a vintage dress, I decided to dig my dreams back up and did a quick search for the boots...
I had very specific ideas in my head about what I wanted; brown, thin stitching and a pointed toe.

Low and behold if these were not the first listing on my search!

I gobbled them up immediately! And the cute little pregnant mail carrier delivered them about an hour ago!

I haven't taken them off yet! I am so excited! I feel like I should crank up some George Jones or Brooks and Dunn! Maybe I'll start sayin' y'all and y'ons.... probably not.

My life may never be the same! I highly reccomend buying yourself a pair!

Aller-geeze!

2010-04-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

I, along with just about everyone else this time of year, am suffering with allergies. It is nothing new to me, I have had seasonal allergies to some extent for years and years and usually the over the counter meds will take care of things... not this time. Whatever it is that is in the air is kicking my butt something fierce.

My little man is on two different allergy medications, but they seem to be working pretty well thankfully.

My other man, who has never ever had allergies his entire life has gone to the doctor to seek relief from this mucousy cough which is unheard of for him.

So far Miss Meg has a couple of sneeze attacks and gunky eyes, but that's about it and hopefully that is how it will remain.

So as beautiful as all of the budding and flowering trees are, I'll be glad when they are gone this year so I can resume my life as a non-medicated zombie!

You know it was a rough night....

2010-04-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

when you wake up and your hair looks like this!!!

Easter Highlights

2010-04-08T05:08:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter weekend... the weather was gorgeous and the Easter Bunny filled the kids' baskets with some awesome goodies!

Of course he hid the eggs in the backyard and we had to hunt for them in our jammies.

He even hid the baskets! So the kids had to find the baskets before the hunt could begin!

Then we went to church, and then to my mom and dad's house!

All in all it was a great day!!

Direct Correlation...

2010-04-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

The increase in the temperature outside...

The increase of band aids on knees and elbows.

St. Patty"s Party

2010-03-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend our friends threw their annual St. Patty"s Party. Lots of fun, friends we
hadn't seen in a long time and tons of kids.
I got a kiss from the cutest leprechaun ever!

...and made a fun rainbow cake.

I would go into more detail, but this cutie is snoring, rather loudly, in my arms as I type... isn't she adorable?

A Glimpse into our Future...

2010-03-11T04:53:00.000-08:00

glimpses of green peeking through!

baseball... lots and lots of baseball.

daily walks around the block.... sometimes multiple times!
Happy Spring!!!!

It started innocently enough...

2010-03-03T10:29:00.000-08:00

So, we are trying to sell our house, like every one else in our neighborhood, and so I thought I would get a start on my spring cleaning.

So I started in the Isaac's room. His closet to be exact. I threw everything onto the bed. As I was sorting his clothes, Isaac comes into the room astonished and said, "What on earth are you doing with my hookers!?!?"

I could not stop laughing! I will never look at or refer to a hanger as a hanger again... they will forever be "hookers"!!

Making our own merriement

2010-02-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

Since it is still freezing, and still gloomy and still snowy....
We are bringing the bright colors inside!

Flowers from Trader Joe's.

Painting with Kool-Aid, idea from Flowerpatch Farm Girl, Shannan! Thanks for the idea, it was lots of fun!!

In a fog....

2010-02-24T09:33:00.000-08:00

It has been over a week since my last post and I have no excuse other than I have the blah's.

To try to cure myself, I decided to try to replicate my Granny's chocolate gravy.

I love a big country breakfast, unfortunately my husband and children do not... the solution?
Breakfast for dinner!
In true southern fashion, Granny always used lard... while I would sop up large amounts of her gravy and biscuits, I can not bring myself to purchase or cook with it.
I think that we will be having this again and again especially if spring does not come soon!!!!

First Soccer Game

2010-02-15T09:56:00.000-08:00

Isaac finally had his first soccer game over the weekend.

He was able to play a lot and had a great time.

He didn't score any goals, but was very supportive of his teammates and happy running after the ball.He was able to play goalie too, which he likes, but would rather be out running around.

I think we're going to have a fun season!!

So I'm no Annie Leibovitz..

2010-02-11T09:34:00.000-08:00

Mark and I don't do grandiose Valentine's Day gifts, a simple card, favorite dinner and maybe flowers... so about a month ago, I got an idea to make him a photo collage of the kids as a surprise.

While I was at it, I called up my sister and got her and her baby girls in on the mix... that way she would have one for her husband and then we could combine them and make one for mom and dad... I know! Genius!
Well.... I am definitely an amateur photographer.
The kids were troopers, poor Piper is teething and Aggie hadn't slept well the night before, but we forged ahead anyway! There may have been a little bit of Reese's Pieces bribery going on at one time or another, but that's neither here nor there... right?

I didn't keep track of who had what letter and which background etc.

So, no surprise gift, but we did get some cute pictures anyway!

Look what I made...

2010-02-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

I used these instructions, and it was a relatively quick and easy project. Next time I will do a couple of things different. The Modge Podge made the fabric a little darker, so I'll keep that in mind.
I highly recommend this project, it was fun and I love them!

Dear Mother Nature,

2010-02-09T06:53:00.000-08:00

You have dazzled us with a coating of beautiful snow that glistened like diamonds, and lay so gracefully on the trees.

We have enjoyed building snow forts, snowmen, snow angels and snowballs immensely.

We have traveled by sled, we have "suited up" many a time over the last few days.

We have had more cups of hot cocoa than I care to admit.
I have run out of "special" snow day activities.
The natives are getting restless.

We have thoroughly enjoyed your enchanting snow... now please go away.

Old Man Winter

2010-02-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

Mark was saying just last night... "doesn't it seem like winter is almost over?"

Apparently he hadn't seen the forcast for the weekend:

The biggest disappointment is Isaac was supposed to have his first ever soccer game tomorrow morning... bummer.

Wishing you a warm weekend!

Heaven help me....

2010-02-04T12:57:00.000-08:00

I found this online store through CJane...
Beautiful, beautiful dresses and accessories.
I have my eye on a couple of things.
My parents are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this year. We are going to be having a bash to celebrate and I think this dress may be in order.

Painting is for the birds...

2010-02-02T19:07:00.000-08:00

Whenever we are at JoAnn's, Megan wants to get a bird house to paint... and since they are only a dollar, why not?

So today was the day to break out the paint.
It's funny to see how different my babes are...

Isaac likes to do crafty things, but loses interest rather quickly.

Meg likes to think about she's doing and usually has to run out of paint/paper/markers or be told that it's clean up time before she'll stop. And she can color in a coloring book like nobody's business.
She is also very messy...
Thankfully, art smocks are all the rage...

Since we only have one smock, Isaac decided to show off his rippling abs and fierce guns by painting without a shirt on.
Ladies, try to keep your daughters under control... he's not allowed to date until he is sixteen... maybe twenty... Five.

Little Monsters...

2010-01-29T12:18:00.001-08:00

So I borrowed this book, Baked, from the library this week. It has some unbelievable looking and sounding recipes in it. Mark isn't a big sweets eater, so I always have to make sure someone is either coming over or we are going somewhere when I get the urge to bake, or I will eat the goodies all by myself.... and trust me it has happened...once... maybe twice.

One way of getting around this is making cookies, and freezing dough to make at a later time. Which is also a trick to making you look like a domestic goddess... always having fresh baked cookies when people unexpectedly drop by.
Anyway... back to the cookies.
I made the Monster Cookies from the book... they are good.... the dough is almost sinful.

These babies have it all. A combo of oatmeal, peanut butter and chocolate chips then to top it off you add in M&Ms.
The recipes says it makes 3 dozen... I got about 5. Apparently my dough scooper is smaller than theirs... here's how I look at it. Since I got almost twice as many cookies as they did, when I walk by the cookie jar and grab one cookie, I'm really only eating half of one, since it's half the size. Isn't that nice? So instead of thinking I ate 5 - cough - cookies yesterday, I really only ate 2 1/2. Cookie Math!

In unrelated news, when I picked Isaac up from school today, I was telling Kaityln's mom about his professing his admiration for her daughter the other day... and the teacher came up and said that during class today, Isaac looked at Kaitlyn and said, "I think I love you" to which her response was a small smile and a shrug...

In even more unrelated news, I was tired of not being able to breathe through my nose last night and went to take some Robitussin and discovered there was none to be found! We did however have some left over prescription cough syrup that our pediatrician gave Isaac last fall. I took a quick swig and was asleep/passed out in as soon as my head hit the pillow... for an hour and a half. I was up the rest of the night, itching and my mind racing... apparently there is something in the cough syrup that didn't agree with me. So I apologize if you find this post is random and long, but I am still feeling a little medicine foggy!

Put a little love in your heart...

2010-01-27T19:17:00.000-08:00

So, we started decorating a little for Valentine's Day. I got some cute wooden hearts and scrapbook paper and of course glitter from Hobby Lobby.
We broke out the paint, and sequins, glitter and glue and made an afternoon of making valentiney things.

Apparently, this opened up the flood gates of Isaac's heart.

Sitting at the dinner table, Isaac said dreamily, "I hope Kaitlyn is at school tomorrow."

We nod.

"She is the greatest. girl. ever."

We look at each other and smile.

"I really like when she wears a bow in her hair."

"She's pretty pretty."

"Mom? Can I make her a necklace?"

"Sure," I barely whisper... I bite my lip like Pa Ingalls' half laugh/half cry.

Then he bolts out of his chair and is on to something else...
Ah... young love.

My favorite winter dinners...

2010-01-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

These meals have been making frequent appearances in our home since it is so cold.

They are really easy and kid friendly.

And just for Julie... the "recipes!"

Two of them are crock pot recipes so that makes it even better! I love putting the ingredients in the crock pot in the morning and when Mark gets home from work, there is no mad rush to finish up dinner and get it on the table. Just plate and serve!

the classic spaghetti and meatballs.
I didn't really use a recipe for the meatballs.... I used beef and Italian sausage and then anything I had that I thought would taste good, you know, extra garlic, an egg bread crumbs, stuff like that.
Then I fried them until I thought they were brown through, then simmered them in sauce for about an hour just to make sure.

Mmmmm roast
I brown the roast in olive oil on all sides, then throw it in the crock pot on low with a packet of dry onion soup mix and carrots and a little bit of water, sometimes potatoes too but the rest of the clan prefer mashed potatoes. Cook all day. I usually make Jiffy corn bread too... I know some don't consider this real cornbread but man I love me some Jiffy!

Chicken Stroganoff.
This one doesn't look very appetizing, but it is so good and only uses 5 ingredients!
In a crock pot combine chicken breasts - I usually make 1 pound - with 2 TBS of butter a packet of Italian dressing. Cook on low 6-8 hours. 30 minutes before serving, take a block of cream cheese, cut it up and a can of cream of chicken soup and throw it in with the chicken. I usually shred the chicken now, but it is not necessary.
Serve over egg noodles.
I've only made these once... last night... but feel pretty confident in saying that they will make many reappearances in the future! They were scrum-dilly-umptious!!

2010-01-25T12:10:00.000-08:00

See this little girl?

I love her more than words.

She has a smile that lights up her entire face... even though her face is perpetually dirty.

She can melt your heart with a hug and a kiss.

She is very caring and compassionate.

She is a creature of habit and is not afraid to let you know when things are not going according to her liking.

She's driving me a little nuts.

She's sassy. She's smart. She's very strong willed.
Qualities which are all fine and good.. except when she is throwing a fit... which has been an almost daily occurrence around here.

Terrible twos?
Is it just a girl thing? Who knows.
I am just looking forward to this particular part of toddlerhood to be over.

"You know you really wear me out, but I love you anyway."
Amen Olivia's mom. Amen.

On a completely unrelated note, I read this post last night and cannot stop thinking about these pancakes so guess what we are having for dinner?

Choosing...

2010-01-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

to bring color inside,

even though it is grey and dreary outside.

Tougher choices? What to do with my lemons....
this,

this

or this

~all dessert pictures are from Martha Stewart!

P.S.
JoAnn's is having an additional 50% off of their read tag clearance fabric!!!
And Kroger has their Beef Roast Buy one get one free!! Guess what we're having for dinner tonight!?

When the going gets tough...

2010-01-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

the tough call Mom!

Last week, the kids got sick, then better, then I got sick. So sick that I needed my mom!
Luckily, I am blessed to have a wonderful mother who is willing and able to come help take care of her grandbabies when her baby was sick.
The kids were thrilled beyond belief... we see my parents every week, but you'd have thought it had been months since they had seen her!
She came, and immediately started cleaning... which wasn't what I had planned for her, but she insisted... and did loads of laundry and played with the munchkins and then to top it off treated them to Wendy's!
(a picture from the archives with a teeny Meg!)
I couldn't ask for a better mother. We have always been close, even those darn teenager years weren't too terrible for us... she may not necessarily agree. I am so blessed. I love you mom!

And so it begins

2010-01-18T15:20:00.001-08:00

Isaac had his first soccer practice on Saturday. This is the first time he has been on a team that didn't consist of Mark, Meg or me and a few imaginary players!

To say the very least he was thrilled.

He was bouncing around, spinning, in other words, he was that kid during practice.

Megan was excited at first,
about 30 minutes in, I look over and see this.

On the way to the Y, Mark looked at me and said, "well, weekends won't be the same for a loooonnnngggg time." I am afraid he is probably right.

A post in numbers

2010-01-12T09:33:00.001-08:00

2 the number of sick kiddos

2 the number of concerned and exhausted parents

24 the number of hours virus lasted

20 the speculated number of ounces of laundry detergent used in previous 24 hours

5 the number of videos watched – in full disclosure, we have watched Robin Hood 3 times. Oo-de-lally!

204 the number of cuddles given

15 the number of rules that were broken

To be determined the number of days that it will take to “unbreak” said rules.

Unquantifiable how thankful I am that my husband would rather clean up all the pukey messes and keep the laundry going than sit with the stinky, pukey babes and watch Robin Hood, Diego and PBS kids. Thanks Hon, I couldn’t have made it without you!

Day 2

2010-01-08T18:28:00.001-08:00

We pulled out the Play Dough, and I didn't micromanage the mess.

Remember the snowball cookies from yesterday?

Comfort food that will warm me to my toes.

Powder

2010-01-07T16:14:00.000-08:00

Since our last snow, Meg has been asking when we can build another snow man, and talking about "squishy snow".

We knew a big snow was coming.

We prepared with a trip to the library to get new books and a couple of movies too.

We waited...

We watched...

After a nice, stick to your ribs breakfast; sausage, biscuit, eggs and of course butter and preserves - we headed out to assess the situation.

Our synopsis:
Not good for snowman making.

Good for eating, shoveling and bulldozing.

We made a different kind of snowball instead!

Happy Birthday!

2010-01-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

It would be rude to disclose his age, now that we are in our thirties...

Happy Birthday, Mark!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...

2010-01-03T17:27:00.000-08:00

Superman!

In one word...

2010-01-02T13:09:00.000-08:00

Just like dieting, I have never been a resolutions type of person.

I find that kind of funny because I love lists, so you'd think I would love to add another list to my repertoire, but alas, I do not make a New Year's resolution list.

I have noticed a few other bloggers choosing one word resolutions, you know, something like, simplicity or patience, discipline or intentional.

I thought it was a fun idea, but the more I thought about it, the more difficult it seemed to narrow an entire years worth of goals into one word.

No big deal really, since I'm not a resolution type girl.

Throughout the day of New Years Eve, I couldn't stop thinking of words that would tie together what I hope to achieve this upcoming year.
Some words seemed to cliche or predictable and some just too... something.

Finally, I thought of a word.

Health
I would be lying if I said that losing a couple of pounds isn't where the word originated, but the more I thought about it, there were more and more ways that this word seemed to fit.

Yes, I would like to be more fit but not just to fit into a certain size, but to be healthy... to feel healthy... to set a healthy example for my kids.

I want to start adding more homemade foods to our dinners again.

I want to keep the relationships in my life healthy, by being a better wife and mother, friend and sister. I have been blessed with wonderful people in my life and I want them to know how much I love and appreciate them.

I want a healthier home. I can't promise that Pine-Sol will not be my bathroom cleaner of choice, but I know there are more kid/environmentally cleaners out there that I am going to check into.

I think there is always room for self improvement. I would like to focus on my emotional and spiritual health as well.

Please understand. This is not about becoming someone I am not or making drastic changes in my or my families life for a few weeks making everyone is miserable in the process.

This is about me asking myself;
is this good for me?
is this good for the kids and Mark?
how will we benefit from this?
is there a better alternative?
is this necessary?

So many questions...
Luckily, I'm not a resolution type of girl.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T14:06:00.000-08:00

We held our second annual "Neighborhood New Year's Bash!"

We had homemade pizza and ice cream sundaes with even more good snacks. As usual, too much yummy food, but that's what parties are about right?

The kids had a great time. They played and watched movies in their jammies... with the two youngest in their birthday suits for a few minutes... and they all stayed up to welcome 2010!

We grown ups had a great time playing games and for the record, the girls won... every game... every time!
Just sayin'.

Christmas Recap:

2009-12-29T06:53:00.000-08:00

Once again, I think the pictures speak for themselves... lots of excitement and happy memories, followed by some much needed beauty sleep!
Happy Christmas, indeed!

New Traditions...

2009-12-24T06:36:00.000-08:00

Last night before we put the youngins to bed, I made some dough...

Right before I went to bed, I jazzed it up with some butter, cinnamon and brown sugar....

While we slept, the dough just chilled.... literally.

Then I woke up while everyone else was cozied up in Slumberville.

Threw them in the oven and relished in the scrumptious smells coming from the kitchen....

Then I hear someone.

Someone's nose sniffing.

Then I saw my little guy stretching sleepily with a grin from ear to ear.

He was happy with the results. We had a great chat about Christmas presents and what we're doing today.
The excitement on his face is so contagious!
A few minutes later, Meg joined us.

She decided to lick the icing off of the rolls... whatever, it's Christmas Eve!

I think we may have established a new Christmas Eve tradition!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!

2009-12-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

All Meg wanted to do was eat the snow!

All Isaac wanted to do was pelt people with snowballs.

They love their snowman though!Best part is warming up with hot cocoa!

Somewhat succesful holiday baking

2009-12-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

There are the classics....

now with more icing and sprinkles than usual.

Notice the icing & sprinkle to cookie ratio.

Mmmmm....

And of course Brenda's Peanut Butter fudge,
The first batch never seems to turn out for me.Look how crumbly and unsmooth... tasted good, but not gift worthy.

Definitely did not turn out well for the stove... there were actual flames... followed by me screaming, and lots of smoke. Totally worth it.

Megan's favorite? Buckeyes, she calls them Ohio State cookies. The brainwashing starts early, doesn't it?

Can you keep a secret?

2009-12-14T11:28:00.000-08:00

This morning over breakfast, Isaac said to Mark, "Dad, you're going to love your new shirt."

"What shirt?" Mark asks.

"The one that we got you for a surprise."

"You aren't supposed to tell people what the surprise is, then it's not a secret anymore "

"I guess I'm not good at surprises"

I got this story second hand, so I may have gotten some of the dialogue wrong, but it is getting me through a rough parenting day... lots of misbehaving and not listening happening in our house today!
As rotten as they can be, kids sure say some cute things!

Oh, The Weather Outside is Frightful....

2009-12-09T09:41:00.000-08:00

What an odd week of weather! Monday morning we woke up to a dusting of snow, which was no big deal, but apparently the sun was making the snow melt a bit and with temperatures in the mid 20's it was refreezing into black ice... fun. It took Mark over an hour to get to work! And now today it feels and sounds like you might just blow away out there!!
Anyhow, I didn't look outside and see the snow until after Isaac and I were ready for him to go to school, and once he saw the snow, he insisted on putting on his snow boots.... remember it was only a dusting. That's when I figured I better turn the t.v. on to see if his school was canceled or not and of course it was. I sent him outside anyway to play for a bit.

I always idealize snow days... warm fire, we have no fireplace, hot cocoa... we do have that, warm snuggly blankets with good movies... if you include Dora then, check!
The reality however was two days in the house and you get a mama, little boy and girl who were going a bit mad.

To try and fend off the cabin fever we wrote down some fun things to do and folded them and put them in a stocking and took turns drawing them out. --- the time allotments were all Isaac's doing.

It turned out to be pretty fun, and Isaac is asking if we can do it again!

During a quiet spell, I went to check on them and found this...

It's official, we have a reader! Isaac is blowing through the emergent reader books from the library as fast as we get them!
Look how proud!

Best Ever Banana Bread

2009-12-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

I love when we have over ripe bananas. It isn't very often, so when I see a bunch turning dark brown, I know exactly what I am going to do with them!

I have tried many versions of many recipes but once I find an unbelievably good one, I will make it repeatedly. This recipe for banana bread is one of those recipes, it's from Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros, it is a gorgeous book.
I think the reason they are so tasty has to do with the warm milk mixed with baking soda before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. They are so light and fluffy! I'm no chemistry buff, but that's the only thing I can think of that is different from other recipes I've tried. I do add flax seed and walnuts or a few mini chocolate chips, but for the most part I follow her instructions!

Can you tell I have made this bread a few times?

I can't bake alone!

Nothing goes better with Banana "cupcakes" than ice cold milk... especially out of mommy's glass!
I think the first time I ever tried cream cheese was on banana bread... mmmmm.

After cleaning up... I spotted this bitten into apple, placed just so, back into the fruit bowl! Nice.

A Tale of Two Gloves...

2009-12-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

Here I am trying to come up with something clever and witty to say... because in my head all of my posts are clever and witty... and really the pictures I believe speak for themselves!

Thanksgiving week - in retrospect

2009-11-28T06:03:00.000-08:00

Beautiful fall flowers...

A girl discovering her love for basketball and Rowdy...

The joys of baking

Making a wishbone wish...

Putting as many ornaments as possible in a 3"x3" spot on the tree and loving the way it looks!

It was a wonderful week and I my heart is full of thanks!

Weekend Happenings...

2009-11-23T17:22:00.000-08:00

If you live in Ohio, chances are you are or at least know a Buckeye fan. And you also probably know that Michigan is their biggest rivalry. Well, Saturday, those two met for "the big game" in Michigan and sorry, Jason, but the Buckeyes won... again... for the 7th time in a row.

We just hung out here with our friends, Ryan and Christy and their ridiculously adorable baby, Graham.

Isaac was in heaven, and Megan was ready for Dora by half time, but we had a great time!

Afterward, we went to the local historical Christmas festival where the kids rode a camel and looked at pretty lights and decorations! All in all a great Saturday!

Adventures with pomegranates ...

2009-11-19T18:19:00.001-08:00

Well... I finally cut into the pomegranate that has been in the fruit bowl for about a week and taunting me.

I have mixed feeling about it.
Love the juice,

not so much the little seed thingy.

Isaac not surprisingly wouldn't even try it, and Meg tried it, but she agrees with me, and wasn't too sure she liked it. We'll try it again!!

It never turns out like you think...

2009-11-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

I saw this adorable wreath and thought I could duplicate it. So while Isaac was at school, Meg and I headed to Goodwill and the Salvation Army in search of old ornaments. We didn't find the cool jewel colored ones, but there was an abundance of red and gold, some were glass and old and some are new and plastic, but I figured it didn't matter too much.
So without further ado, this is what I did during nap time today....

It's not nearly as cute as the jewel colored one, and in hind sight I wish I would have arranged them more instead of just grab and glue, but I think it is ok! It got kid approval... what more do I need?!?!?

ETA
This post has been up for roughly, oh I don't know 7 minutes and Isaac and I are sitting on the couch and BANG! CRASH! SHATTER! My lovely wreath is no more... I knew I should have waited until our normal decorating day... I knew it was too early... I just knew it!

This stinks... really bad. Sorry Honey, I just wasted 15 bucks.

Let me tell you about my boy...

2009-11-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

He is a fierce competitor

He believes in super heros and the power of good.He loves babies.

He is an optomist and loves learning

His emotions are very easy to read... he wears his heart on his sleeve.

Yesterday he said to me, "Mom, my heart is full of hearts with love for you"
oh, Isaac, if you only knew... I feel the same way.

5 minute makeover

2009-11-13T09:37:00.000-08:00

Before

After

close up

Yikes!...sorry for the crooked pictures!

Thankful for...

2009-11-11T18:11:00.000-08:00

...nap time

...tea parties

...acting silly with my girl

...veterans that made and are making this country what it is... I'm proud of you dad!

I really should be...

2009-11-10T05:41:00.000-08:00

I really should be stripping the wallpaper border that I have hated for 7 years down from the bathroom. Instead, I am searching Etsy for vintage cocktail dresses for a Retro Christmas party we are going to in a few weeks. The ones I really love are over my price range, and I am a little nervous because I know the sizes then are different than they are now. At the last flea market "extravaganza" I bought a really cute brown house dress that says size 12, but it is way too small and I am not a size 12.

Gorgeous!

Beautiful!

Look at that adorable snowflake pin!!

I love how feminine these dresses are! They are so pretty I can only imagine how many times I would twirl around while wearing one - probably an annoying amount of times!!!
The search continues!

Going By too Fast

2009-11-08T05:16:00.001-08:00

We're trying to get in as much outside playtime as possible!

She's electric!

The best part of the super fast slide is seeing how hard you can fall, right?

Channeling My Inner Martha

2009-11-07T05:04:00.000-08:00

I have this book, Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home

It has been sitting on my bookshelf about, oh, I don't know three years or so. I have skimmed the pages from time to time. I have even used some of the tips to clean up around the house.
That all changed on late Sunday night... I became obsessed. Obsessed with cleaning my house. Not just normal cleaning, but clean cleaning. Organizing, scrubbing, scouring, you get the picture. Every room has its own list. Every room has it's "problem area".
It took me two days to get the kitchen and dining room whipped into shape... two days ! Now don't get me wrong, I didn't live in a disgusting amount of filth or anything, but you know how it is, to clean the kitchen table off for dinner, I would make a stack and put it aside, then again etc. Well, no more! A place for everything and everything in it's place!
The oven is sparkling, the floor shines! And this is just in the kitchen! The bathrooms are immaculate! You can see the entire floor in our bedroom! It's amazing.
We have one more day, maybe two, of hard work to do today. I can't wait for it to be done. As a reward, I am going to paint next week, not too much, just the hallway and downstairs bathroom. I'll post pictures when it's done.
We'll see how long the cleanliness lasts with a two and four year old running around, but for now, a clean house,...
It's a Good Thing!

Fall Fun

2009-11-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Belated Halloween!

2009-11-03T11:22:00.000-08:00

From Little Red Riding Hood, The Big Bad Wolf or Rowdy... (depending on who you ask!), Grandma, and the hunter!!

Isaac's alternate costume.... Michael Phelps!!

The Pumpkin Farm

2009-10-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

I am a bit behind on blogging... i just realized I haven't posted about last weeks trip to the pumpkin farm! The kids have been sick all weekend, but are on the mend... and mama has a few new wrinkles and gray hairs!!

Anyhow, we went to our local pumpkin farm, which unfortunately will be a Kroger by next fall, with our friends, the E's.

It was a great fall day, crisp air, but sunny enough not to be cold. The kids kept taking their jackets on and off...

> Best Buddies

As always the hayride was a hit. The farm really does it up with deep mud and big hills and lots of bumps! I am so sad that it is going away! We had a great time and will be on the lookout for a new farm next year!

Cinderella's Ball

2009-10-20T06:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Megan's fairy grandparents arrived just as she awoke from her royal nap and presented her with her glittery ball gown and tiara.... the gown was a hit, the tiara.... not so much.

Cinderella quickly hid her cinder cleaning clothes and was transformed into the princess that she dreams of being!

As the guests arrived, Cinderella greeted them with grace and enthusiasm that only a true princess can. We dined on elegant fare of hot dogs and taco soup and sipped bubbly soda and juice boxes to our hearts content!

The gifts were opened with zeal and enthusiasm, all of which have been loved and played with ever since.

The cake was a nightmare for the royal baker, but luckily tasted good.

As the clock struck 7 the royal ball dwindled to an end which was just in time, because something happened to the grandparents magic spell and instead of midnight, Cinderella began to melt down about 7:05 into a pile of tulle and glitter.... maybe too much cake?

She's 2!!!

2009-10-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Meggie!

Thank you for making me smile everyday! I love you so much!

Our Anniversary Weekend Getaway.... Warning: Picture Heavy!

2009-10-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

We dropped the kids off at Gram & Grandpa's house and headed off to an overnight --- just us!!!

We started by heading to North Market in Columbus for lunch and ice cream at;it lived up to the expectations, I was under the gun to order because there was a line, but I loved the cider sorbet and goat cheese with cherry ice cream... I will have to make a second trip to try black coffee, lemon blueberry, and smoked chocolate with homemade marshmallows and.... maybe it will take more than one trip!

Mark got a great gyro,

Then we drove through the countryside, it was beautiful. A perfect time to drive because the leaves were changing and it was cool but not too cold, which reminded me of why we got married in October in the first place!!

Then we reached our final destination of the trip:

It was lovely,

beautiful town,

beautiful homes,

beautiful weekend!

Happy Anniversary!

2009-10-12T12:33:00.001-07:00

Happy 7th Anniversary to my best friend and partner in everything! I love you so much and am looking forward to everything that is yet to come!!!

Sisters

2009-10-08T06:02:00.000-07:00

My grandma, Granis, has four sisters who are still living and they decided to have a mini-reunion this week.

There were lots of remember whos and whens, a little bickering as only sisters can, and some laughs.

I hope Granis had a great visit with her sisters, I enjoyed seeing them and seeing the sparkle in her eye a little brighter.

Meggie Got a Haircut!

2009-10-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

On the way to the salon, Meg was super excited to get her haircut-

Once she got in the chair, she wasn't so sure. Gram's lap to the rescue!!

Everything went well after that-

All done! As beautiful as ever!
She had to call her daddy to tell him all about it!

Here's the back!

What to do, what to do...

2009-09-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

We wanted to do something different, and the weather was iffy so I didn't want to travel too far. I packed a lunch, grabbed the end of a loaf of bread to feed the ducks, loaded up Isaac's bike and Meg's baby and stroller and headed to a nearby park.

Once we got there, we immediately saw this:

Isaac pretended to be one of the ducks...

We started on our first lap around the pond,

But we couldn't go all the way around because...
So much for unplanned adventures!

More football... surprise surprise!

2009-09-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

More football memories here and here

Welcome fall!

2009-09-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

I love fall. I love the weather, the colors and the smells.... everything. This fall has had a great start.....

Meet Baby Piper Docia! My newest niece! Can you believe that hair!

Isaac started preschool and loves it so far.

I learned how to make homemade yogurt and it is delicious with honey and granola!!

Happy Fall!!!

Visit from Grandma

2009-09-03T05:26:00.000-07:00

Mark's mom came down for Isaac's birthday and was able to extend her visit until yesterday. We had a great time and Meg is already asking where she is.
This has been the longest visit the she and the kids have ever had and there was some great bonding that occurred! We are looking forward to the next one!