As much as I love the Christmas season, I have to admit that I am glad that it's over. I feel like we had a very long, full, fun time and I am ready for life to get back to normal.
I feel like I have been running a bit behind ever since a little before Halloween (actually, I think since a little bit before September - holy cow!) so I am looking forward to some time where there are no big events or holidays planned. It will be nice to know that our money isn't spent before we get it and to be able to spend some time on some small projects around the house.
Ahhh...I feel like a huge burden has been lifted :)
(Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas and already have some thoughts about next year which I am writing down so that I don't forget.)
Coming Up:
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Oreo Truffles - An update to my Nunya Cookie story
In a different post I mentioned that I was going to make some cookies for my husband to bring to work. Well...a couple days before the cookie exchange, he forwarded me an email with the "directions" for the exchange. In the email, it clearly stated that copies of the recipe were to be brought and shared. My husband wasn't keen on the idea of bringing the cookies and not the recipe, no matter what little story (excuse) I thought of to go along with it.. As far as I was concerned, this meant that I had to find another cookie to make. With a recipe that I didn't mind sharing. So...I made Oreo Truffles. They only have a few ingredients and are very easy to make.
Oreo Truffles
1 package (1lb. 2 oz. ) Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed, divided
1 package (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
2 packages (8 squares each) Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
Mix 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well, blended. Shape into 42 (1 inch) balls.
Dip the balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs (or other sprinkles).
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
Once I started making them, I remembered that I had made them last year, but that they didn't turn out too well. Then I realized that I crushed the cookies by hand last year. This year I have a little food processor and I used that to crush them. That made a HUGE difference.
I will gladly share this recipe and I suggest that you give it a try. They are very yummy! But, the nutritional information says that they are 100 calories EACH! Yikes!! I've had quite a few and I made them bigger than 1 inch because I didn't end up with 42 for each batch. My husband said that they are even better than the Nunya Cookies. Enjoy :)
Oreo Truffles
1 package (1lb. 2 oz. ) Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed, divided
1 package (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
2 packages (8 squares each) Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
Mix 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well, blended. Shape into 42 (1 inch) balls.
Dip the balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs (or other sprinkles).
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
Once I started making them, I remembered that I had made them last year, but that they didn't turn out too well. Then I realized that I crushed the cookies by hand last year. This year I have a little food processor and I used that to crush them. That made a HUGE difference.
I will gladly share this recipe and I suggest that you give it a try. They are very yummy! But, the nutritional information says that they are 100 calories EACH! Yikes!! I've had quite a few and I made them bigger than 1 inch because I didn't end up with 42 for each batch. My husband said that they are even better than the Nunya Cookies. Enjoy :)
Menu Plan - Christmas Day
I missed Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie this week because I was just too busy with Christmas related things. I was visiting her blog today and decided that I would go ahead and at least post our Christmas dinner.
One of the things that I was working on earlier this week was what to eat on Christmas Eve and Day. My mother usually hosts Christmas Day, along with every other holiday, but since they just arrived home from their Alabama/Florida trip on Saturday, I thought that I would offer to host our small gathering(us, my parents, my brother and niece).
I honestly never know what to make for a group of people outside of our own immediate family. I like to make sure that there is something for everyone so I decided to do a buffet style meal with a bunch of easy types of food. This also insured that there would be some easy food for my kids to eat which would make things easier for me.
Starters:
Celery and carrots with dip
Cheese and pepperoni
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Taco Dip
Dinner:
Italian meatballs in sauce
Popcorn chicken
Italian chicken sandwiches
mini hot dogs
Corn Salad
pasta salad
(I was hoping to get a good before shot, but by the time I remembered, it was too late.)
Dessert:
Oreo Truffles
Sugar Cookies (the easy little Pillsbury ones)
Jubilee Roll (ice cream roll from Friendly's)
Mini cream puffs and eclairs (Sara Lee)
Peppermint Pig
It was all very simple food and maybe some day I will make a more traditional type Christmas meal, but for this year, it worked out well for us.
One of the things that I was working on earlier this week was what to eat on Christmas Eve and Day. My mother usually hosts Christmas Day, along with every other holiday, but since they just arrived home from their Alabama/Florida trip on Saturday, I thought that I would offer to host our small gathering(us, my parents, my brother and niece).
I honestly never know what to make for a group of people outside of our own immediate family. I like to make sure that there is something for everyone so I decided to do a buffet style meal with a bunch of easy types of food. This also insured that there would be some easy food for my kids to eat which would make things easier for me.
Starters:
Celery and carrots with dip
Cheese and pepperoni
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Taco Dip
Dinner:
Italian meatballs in sauce
Popcorn chicken
Italian chicken sandwiches
mini hot dogs
Corn Salad
pasta salad
(I was hoping to get a good before shot, but by the time I remembered, it was too late.)
Dessert:
Oreo Truffles
Sugar Cookies (the easy little Pillsbury ones)
Jubilee Roll (ice cream roll from Friendly's)
Mini cream puffs and eclairs (Sara Lee)
Peppermint Pig
It was all very simple food and maybe some day I will make a more traditional type Christmas meal, but for this year, it worked out well for us.
The Day After
'Twas the day after Christmas
and there's a bit of a mess in the house,
because I'm still not caught up
from our visit to The Mouse.
Our Christmas was wonderful.
It was grad. It was great.
But I ate and I ate.
And I ate and I ate.
So I'm ready for things
to get back to the norm.
I hope to go for a walk later
because it will be slightly "warm."
I'll be washing and cleaning
and organizing and working.
And playing and posting
and blogging and lurking.
There's new toys to play with,
dolls to dress and thank you cards to write.
There's really lots to do
before I call it a night.
It will be a great day
and hopefully I'll get some things done.
But it will be ok with me
if it's only just one.
It's a day to have fun
and enjoy being here.
But I won't be surprised, if later,
I feel like I need a beer!
and there's a bit of a mess in the house,
because I'm still not caught up
from our visit to The Mouse.
Our Christmas was wonderful.
It was grad. It was great.
But I ate and I ate.
And I ate and I ate.
So I'm ready for things
to get back to the norm.
I hope to go for a walk later
because it will be slightly "warm."
I'll be washing and cleaning
and organizing and working.
And playing and posting
and blogging and lurking.
There's new toys to play with,
dolls to dress and thank you cards to write.
There's really lots to do
before I call it a night.
It will be a great day
and hopefully I'll get some things done.
But it will be ok with me
if it's only just one.
It's a day to have fun
and enjoy being here.
But I won't be surprised, if later,
I feel like I need a beer!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Fridays Fave 5 - My Disney Edition
This week we are lucky enough to be in Disney World. I have some down time right now and some things that have made my life good this week, so here is my Disney edition of my fave 5.
1. This wonderful trip to Disney - I wasn't sure how much fun I/we were going to have because this is the first time that we have been here with more than one child, but we are having a blast. I love Disney!!! Thank you to my dear husband for all of his work in planning this and making it happen. Next time we plan a Disney trip, I will really be excited. I promise!!!
2. Tupperware sandwich keeper - I have had this for quite some time and will use it on occasion, but it has proved it's worth this week. I can carry snacks in it, in my backpack, with no worries about them getting crushed. It's wonderful!!
3. Ginger - I get motion sick pretty easily and am usually popping Dramamine when I think that I am going to be doing anything that will make me sick, such as rides, boats, different forms of transportation. I really wanted to find some sort of more natural alternative because I didn't want to take Dramamine several times a day for many days. I read about taking Ginger and it has been working great for me. I haven't gone on any extreme rides like Mission: Space, but for what I have done, it's worked very well.
4. My new Tervis Tumbler - this is a 10oz one compared to my 20oz smiley face that I have. I am thinking that I may get one of these for each of the girls and then get a 20oz for me. We'll see. Space and money are always a consideration!
5. Pop-up storage cubes, hampers, etc. - these are so very, very handy!!
For more Friday favorites, visit Susanne at Living to Tell The Story.
Our Disney trip - the first half
This trip was in the planning stages for what seems like a long, long time. I think that we had been talking about going before I became pregnant with our twins, but the planning really started happening once we found out that we were having twins. In a way, I think that it was a coping mechanism for us. We were scared about what our lives were going to be like going from 2 to 4 children and we needed this lurking in the future to help us think that we were going to be able to have fun again.
I have to admit that I was very nervous about this trip right up until the very last minute. I was nervous about flying with children. The last time I flew, we had one child and that wasn't such a great experience. How would we manage with 4?? Also, our children are very prone to random meltdowns and on good days, I don't always have the patience to deal with it. How would I manage with the stress of traveling?
I figured that I would have one thought when we leave here. Either I would be ready to plan our next Disney vacation or I would never want to return again. Right now, we are a little more than half way through our vacation, so it may be a little early to say this, but...I am ready to plan our next trip here :) We are having a fantastic time. Not that there haven't been little bumps in the road, but it's been great!
Our trip down was fast and uneventful. Once we got to Orlando, it was a little tedious getting to our resort (Disney's All Star Music), but there were no major problems. My girls and I took the bus to the hotel while my husband went to get our rental van and stop by Babies R Us to buy a double stroller. Can you believe that it was cheaper for us to buy a stroller than to rent one from Disney for the week? Plus, we will probably sell it once we return home and maybe recoup a little money from it.
Our hotel room is fantastic and is probably part of the reason why I am still sane! It used to be two rooms that has been converted into a suite. We have a little kitchenette, two bathrooms, and separate sleeping areas. I was talking with someone who was complaining about the size of the suite, but for us, it's perfect. I would definitely stay here again.
We didn't end up going to a park on our first day here, but instead rested and then went to dinner at The Boardwalk. Our first park of the trip was Disney's Hollywood Studios and we started off with Voyage of The Little Mermaid. We were waiting in line, about to enter the attraction, when one of my little 4 year olds fell and split her head on one of the turnstiles.
She was bleeding pretty good and we have a history with head wounds and stitches, so the Disney cast member at the attraction called the paramedics. Holy cow! This meant that Disney staff came out of the woodwork. We were very well attended to and Maddie and I were even given new t-shirts because we both had blood all over us :( The paramedic said that he thought that she could use one or two stitches, but that it most likely wasn't needed. I don't know at this point if it was the right call or not, but we opted to not get the stitches and save her the trauma from that. The cut is pretty high up on her forehead so I don't think that it will be too visible.
We were very lucky. It could have been much, much worse, but my little Maddie was a trooper and wanted to go in and see the Ariel show once she was all bandaged up. It wasn't the best way to start the day, but, like I said, it could have been worse.
My girls are having a fantastic time. My parents are also here, but are staying in a condo off-site. All of the girls have had a chance to spend the night with them at their condo (two at a time), so that has been a nice break for them and a chance for us to take the other two to do different things.
The weather has been great, although we did get soaked yesterday at Animal Kingdom.
Today we are taking a break from the parks, but have dinner/shopping plans at Downtown Disney and then a fireworks cruise with my husband's parents. I think that my little Sydney and I are going to miss both of those because she has a cold and is feeling very miserable. She is napping right now, so we'll see what happens.
There are so many details to share, but I know that they would probably be boring to anyone but us. The trip is being well documented in photos, that's for sure!!
One last thing, if anyone has any ideas on how to bring a new Toyota Sienna home with us on the plane, that would be great. It is our rental vehicle and I love it!! I am trying to figure out how to bring it home with us as a souvenir!
I have to admit that I was very nervous about this trip right up until the very last minute. I was nervous about flying with children. The last time I flew, we had one child and that wasn't such a great experience. How would we manage with 4?? Also, our children are very prone to random meltdowns and on good days, I don't always have the patience to deal with it. How would I manage with the stress of traveling?
I figured that I would have one thought when we leave here. Either I would be ready to plan our next Disney vacation or I would never want to return again. Right now, we are a little more than half way through our vacation, so it may be a little early to say this, but...I am ready to plan our next trip here :) We are having a fantastic time. Not that there haven't been little bumps in the road, but it's been great!
Our trip down was fast and uneventful. Once we got to Orlando, it was a little tedious getting to our resort (Disney's All Star Music), but there were no major problems. My girls and I took the bus to the hotel while my husband went to get our rental van and stop by Babies R Us to buy a double stroller. Can you believe that it was cheaper for us to buy a stroller than to rent one from Disney for the week? Plus, we will probably sell it once we return home and maybe recoup a little money from it.
Our hotel room is fantastic and is probably part of the reason why I am still sane! It used to be two rooms that has been converted into a suite. We have a little kitchenette, two bathrooms, and separate sleeping areas. I was talking with someone who was complaining about the size of the suite, but for us, it's perfect. I would definitely stay here again.
We didn't end up going to a park on our first day here, but instead rested and then went to dinner at The Boardwalk. Our first park of the trip was Disney's Hollywood Studios and we started off with Voyage of The Little Mermaid. We were waiting in line, about to enter the attraction, when one of my little 4 year olds fell and split her head on one of the turnstiles.
She was bleeding pretty good and we have a history with head wounds and stitches, so the Disney cast member at the attraction called the paramedics. Holy cow! This meant that Disney staff came out of the woodwork. We were very well attended to and Maddie and I were even given new t-shirts because we both had blood all over us :( The paramedic said that he thought that she could use one or two stitches, but that it most likely wasn't needed. I don't know at this point if it was the right call or not, but we opted to not get the stitches and save her the trauma from that. The cut is pretty high up on her forehead so I don't think that it will be too visible.
We were very lucky. It could have been much, much worse, but my little Maddie was a trooper and wanted to go in and see the Ariel show once she was all bandaged up. It wasn't the best way to start the day, but, like I said, it could have been worse.
My girls are having a fantastic time. My parents are also here, but are staying in a condo off-site. All of the girls have had a chance to spend the night with them at their condo (two at a time), so that has been a nice break for them and a chance for us to take the other two to do different things.
The weather has been great, although we did get soaked yesterday at Animal Kingdom.
Today we are taking a break from the parks, but have dinner/shopping plans at Downtown Disney and then a fireworks cruise with my husband's parents. I think that my little Sydney and I are going to miss both of those because she has a cold and is feeling very miserable. She is napping right now, so we'll see what happens.
There are so many details to share, but I know that they would probably be boring to anyone but us. The trip is being well documented in photos, that's for sure!!
One last thing, if anyone has any ideas on how to bring a new Toyota Sienna home with us on the plane, that would be great. It is our rental vehicle and I love it!! I am trying to figure out how to bring it home with us as a souvenir!
Monday, December 8, 2008
We made it to Disney!!!
We're here! We arrived yesterday and on Saturday, I honestly thought that we would never make it. I didn't think that I would ever finish packing.
I will be back with more details later, including the start on the day today which almost included stitches :(
I will be back with more details later, including the start on the day today which almost included stitches :(
Friday, December 5, 2008
Fridays Fave 5 - December 5th
Wow! This past week went by fast! It was a challenging week for me for a number of reasons, but I still have my Fave 5 :)
1. My husband - he has been very understanding and patient with me this week. I don't think that he likes me to talk about him here so that's all that I'm going to say about him. For now :)
2. See's candy - I was looking to send something down to my parents and family in Alabama just as a little long-distance hug, so I sent them a box of See's candy. We don't have this here locally but I was lucky enough to try some one time and I loved it. My Dad said that it was a big hit. Excellent! It sounds like it served its purpose.
3. Our advent calendar - We have had this for several years and I always enjoy it, but I am really enjoying it this year. It is able to hang peacefully on the wall without having all the pieces taken off and put all over the house like it has been the past few years. Plus, our little four year olds started asking if it was Christmas, the day after Thanksgiving. This seems to be helping them understand when the actual day is.
4. My reality tv shows - I love reality TV and the break from my own reality that they provide (not that my own reality is bad, but sometimes a little break now and then is good!). My favorites are: The Amazing Race, Jon & Kate Plus 8, and The Biggest Loser. There are more, but these are my top 3. I have to admit that I am a big TV watcher!
5. Target photo/Shutterfly - I have a Shutterfly account which is where I keep all of our photos online to share with friends and family. We can also order prints (among other things) through Shutterfly or there is an option to pick up photos at Target using their 1 hour service. Twice this week I needed to get some prints of photos quickly and that was very handy. I know that you can order prints online through a number of places, but I love that this is linked to my Shutterfly account. It saves me a step which I appreciate. And, I almost always enjoy a reason to go to Target :)
See more Friday favorites at Living to Tell the Story.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Menu Plan Monday
I know - why even bother, right? I have been meaning to do this for days and would like to just do it and move on.
Again, another week of easy meals. They don't get much easier than this!
Monday - Beef tips and noodles
Tuesday - Chicken patties
Wednesday - Spinach and feta cheese chicken sausages (These are great! Much better than they sound!)
Thursday - Turkey, cheese and bacon grilled sandwiches
Friday - whatever we can find while cleaning out the fridge (before you make a face, my dear husband, just remember that in a few days, we are going to be eating very well!).
Saturday - pizza night
Sunday - We'll be in Disney!! Woohoo!!
For a bunch of great menu ideas, visit Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.
Nunya Cookies
There are two pieces of background information needed for this post.
Background piece No. 1 - Prior to the birth of children #3 and 4, I worked as a School Social Worker in an Alternative High School. We worked with students who were unable to be successful in a traditional high school setting. The students could be very difficult at times (or all the time, depending on the student), but a lot of times, the students were great. One of the little gems that I picked up while working there was the use of "nunya" (I have no idea how to spell it correctly - if there even is such a thing). In case you're not familiar with it, like me at the time, here is an example of its proper usage.
"Joe? What are you doing?"
"Nunya!"
Hmmm...not the best example. Translated into proper English, it's "Thanks for asking, but I would prefer to not tell you!" Or something close to that.
I like to treat my husband by using this cute little phrase every now and then. He's a big fan (right Chuck?)!
Background piece No. 2 - I have a recipe for cookies that I have had for many years. It is a very, very simple recipe but the cookies usually turn out great. For a long time, I made these cookies any chance I got. For any occasion or get-together, I brought these cookies. They always got rave reviews and people would ask for the recipe. One of the great things about this recipe is that I can make many different variations of it.
Here's the part I hate to admit. I wouldn't give out the recipe. I would put it off until people either forgot or gave up. I know that it wasn't very nice, but I don't have that many recipes that go over that well and well...I guess that I'm a little selfish like that. Not proud of it, but not ashamed of it enough to share, even now.
I did get burnt out on making the cookies (I can't even eat them now except for quality control) and don't make them nearly as much as I used to, but it's what I make in a pinch.
So here's the story:
My husband emailed me today and asked if I would mind making cookies for a work thing a couple of days after we return from our trip. I told him that I wouldn't mind at all. He then asked me what kind of cookies I'm going to make. Ok - while I don't mind actually making them, I don't want to commit to what exactly I'm going to make and I don't even really have a name for them except for "My easy cookies" and I wouldn't really want to see that on paper.
So, just joking, I said if he really needed that information, could he just put "Nunya cookies." Like I mentioned, he loves it when I used that little phrase (hehe) and this put the burden on him to actually come up with a name for them.
It turns out that he did need the name of what he was going to be bringing and he actually did put "Nunya Cookies" down. When his coworkers asked about it, he replied "...my wife doesn’t share the recipe, so she calls them nunya business cookies…"
Shoot! Now I'm feeling a little bit of pressure! Hopefully they will come out ok and someone will consider asking my husband for the recipe. But, the good thing is, I now have a new name for my cookies. I think it's perfect!
Background piece No. 1 - Prior to the birth of children #3 and 4, I worked as a School Social Worker in an Alternative High School. We worked with students who were unable to be successful in a traditional high school setting. The students could be very difficult at times (or all the time, depending on the student), but a lot of times, the students were great. One of the little gems that I picked up while working there was the use of "nunya" (I have no idea how to spell it correctly - if there even is such a thing). In case you're not familiar with it, like me at the time, here is an example of its proper usage.
"Joe? What are you doing?"
"Nunya!"
Hmmm...not the best example. Translated into proper English, it's "Thanks for asking, but I would prefer to not tell you!" Or something close to that.
I like to treat my husband by using this cute little phrase every now and then. He's a big fan (right Chuck?)!
Background piece No. 2 - I have a recipe for cookies that I have had for many years. It is a very, very simple recipe but the cookies usually turn out great. For a long time, I made these cookies any chance I got. For any occasion or get-together, I brought these cookies. They always got rave reviews and people would ask for the recipe. One of the great things about this recipe is that I can make many different variations of it.
Here's the part I hate to admit. I wouldn't give out the recipe. I would put it off until people either forgot or gave up. I know that it wasn't very nice, but I don't have that many recipes that go over that well and well...I guess that I'm a little selfish like that. Not proud of it, but not ashamed of it enough to share, even now.
I did get burnt out on making the cookies (I can't even eat them now except for quality control) and don't make them nearly as much as I used to, but it's what I make in a pinch.
So here's the story:
My husband emailed me today and asked if I would mind making cookies for a work thing a couple of days after we return from our trip. I told him that I wouldn't mind at all. He then asked me what kind of cookies I'm going to make. Ok - while I don't mind actually making them, I don't want to commit to what exactly I'm going to make and I don't even really have a name for them except for "My easy cookies" and I wouldn't really want to see that on paper.
So, just joking, I said if he really needed that information, could he just put "Nunya cookies." Like I mentioned, he loves it when I used that little phrase (hehe) and this put the burden on him to actually come up with a name for them.
It turns out that he did need the name of what he was going to be bringing and he actually did put "Nunya Cookies" down. When his coworkers asked about it, he replied "...my wife doesn’t share the recipe, so she calls them nunya business cookies…"
Shoot! Now I'm feeling a little bit of pressure! Hopefully they will come out ok and someone will consider asking my husband for the recipe. But, the good thing is, I now have a new name for my cookies. I think it's perfect!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
A sad day
Yesterday, my dear Grandmother, Ruby Jo, passed away. I heard that she was very peaceful in the end and I am thankful for that. I am also very thankful that my parents made it down to Alabama in time to be there for her final days. My Grandmother was surrounded by her children, a lot of her grandchildren and other loved ones.
I am very sad for my mother, but I am glad that she is able to be with her family and that they can all support each other. I wish that I was down there too, but logistically, I'm just not sure that it's an option. I'm waiting to hear about the funeral arrangements before I make my final decision. I have to admit, I feel very lonely up here right now :(
I love you Grandmother and I will miss you.
My mother and grandmother - November, 1994 (or '93)
I am very sad for my mother, but I am glad that she is able to be with her family and that they can all support each other. I wish that I was down there too, but logistically, I'm just not sure that it's an option. I'm waiting to hear about the funeral arrangements before I make my final decision. I have to admit, I feel very lonely up here right now :(
I love you Grandmother and I will miss you.
My mother and grandmother - November, 1994 (or '93)
Friday, November 28, 2008
Fridays Fave 5 - November 28th
I look forward to this every week. It's so nice to reflect on the positive things that have happened during the week!!
1. Parent/Teacher Conferences - We were lucky enough to have the conferences for all four girls scheduled on the same day. This meant that it took up an entire afternoon, but it also meant that my husband and I got to have lunch out together again :) The conferences were great because we got to have the teachers' undivided attention to discuss how each girl is doing. We are lucky that school is going so well for all of them at this point!
2. My snowman earrings - I bought these from Avon 2 or 3 years ago. I try to wear them when snow is still a novelty for the year and I'm not tired of it yet. Usually I don't wear them until January because I wear Christmas earrings for most of December. I got some use out of them this past week, that's for sure!
3. The bathroom scale - I will spare everyone a picture of this! Usually the scale and I are not on good terms. It likes to tell me things that I don't want to hear and in turn, I usually say mean things back! This week, the scale has been kind to me which has made me happy. We're not at the point of sending each other flowers or anything crazy like that, but for now, we're good.
4. Facebook - I recently joined Facebook and I have to say, I'm hooked!! I've reconnected with a bunch of old friends. There is such a snowball effect once you join and it's so much fun to watch it. However, I do think that my husband is tired of hearing about the updates to my Facebook list!
5. My brother - I got to spend time with my brother yesterday. I always look forward to seeing him. I don't get to see him as often as I like because we are both busy and because we are at different places in our lives right now. His daughter is in college and I have young children. I am married and he is single. But, when I do get to see him, I know it will be fun. I think that he is a very good-looking, funny guy and I love him.
Visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for great lists of Friday favorites.
Happy Thanksgiving
This
+
+
=
our nice, quiet Thanksgiving.
My parents ended up leaving for Alabama on Thanksgiving morning to see my Grandmother who continues to not do well.
I knew that I didn't want to rush out and buy things to make Thanksgiving at home, so we decided to go to Cracker Barrel for lunch. My brother joined us which was wonderful. It was really a nice time. My brother and I talked about our Grandmother and shared memories. He is six years older than I am so he has a lot of memories that I don't have. It was great to hear his stories!
After lunch, we were hoping to go and see and movie, but during lunch, our oldest daughter developed a headache and wasn't feeling well. We decided to head home and ended up renting Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Movie. After some Tylenol and rest, she was feeling much better later in the day.
I feel like we have many, many blessings in our lives and I often take time to reflect on them. Thanksgiving, however, is a great time to share them. Things that I am especially thankful for this year are:
* my health,
* my darling little girls who are healthy and provide a ton of entertainment,
* my husband who is patient, understanding and supportive,
* my parents who are beyond supportive and provide such a presence in our lives, especially for the girls,
* my brother who I know will always have my back,
* the health and well-being of our loved ones,
* that we have had the opportunity to see and spend time with so many extended family members, on both sides of the family,
* our house and my husband's job.
We are very, very lucky!
I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
+
+
=
our nice, quiet Thanksgiving.
My parents ended up leaving for Alabama on Thanksgiving morning to see my Grandmother who continues to not do well.
I knew that I didn't want to rush out and buy things to make Thanksgiving at home, so we decided to go to Cracker Barrel for lunch. My brother joined us which was wonderful. It was really a nice time. My brother and I talked about our Grandmother and shared memories. He is six years older than I am so he has a lot of memories that I don't have. It was great to hear his stories!
After lunch, we were hoping to go and see and movie, but during lunch, our oldest daughter developed a headache and wasn't feeling well. We decided to head home and ended up renting Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Movie. After some Tylenol and rest, she was feeling much better later in the day.
I feel like we have many, many blessings in our lives and I often take time to reflect on them. Thanksgiving, however, is a great time to share them. Things that I am especially thankful for this year are:
* my health,
* my darling little girls who are healthy and provide a ton of entertainment,
* my husband who is patient, understanding and supportive,
* my parents who are beyond supportive and provide such a presence in our lives, especially for the girls,
* my brother who I know will always have my back,
* the health and well-being of our loved ones,
* that we have had the opportunity to see and spend time with so many extended family members, on both sides of the family,
* our house and my husband's job.
We are very, very lucky!
I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
My poem
T'was the day before Thanksgiving
and here at our house,
I'm trying to drown out the fighting
by clicking the mouse.
Though there are many things to do,
such as cleaning, laundry and such,
I'm enjoying today
because we're not in a rush so much.
Looking forward to this weekend,
it starts such a festive time of year.
We plan on doing our decorating
so I better get my rear in gear!!
Now, for planning tomorrow,
it wouldn't be such a worry
If my kids liked and would eat
the trimmings and turkey :(
Well, my down time is over.
I really must stop this play.
May you all have a wonderful
Thanksgiving Day!!
I know, I know...I'm no poet, but I happen to be an excellent procrastinator.
and here at our house,
I'm trying to drown out the fighting
by clicking the mouse.
Though there are many things to do,
such as cleaning, laundry and such,
I'm enjoying today
because we're not in a rush so much.
Looking forward to this weekend,
it starts such a festive time of year.
We plan on doing our decorating
so I better get my rear in gear!!
Now, for planning tomorrow,
it wouldn't be such a worry
If my kids liked and would eat
the trimmings and turkey :(
Well, my down time is over.
I really must stop this play.
May you all have a wonderful
Thanksgiving Day!!
I know, I know...I'm no poet, but I happen to be an excellent procrastinator.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Menu Plan Monday
This week I am keeping meals as simple as possible.
Monday - Spaghetti
Tuesday - French Onion-Pork Chop Skillet - anyone recognize this from the Kraft magazine? I love getting those in the mail!!
Wednesday - Hot dogs
Thursday - Right now, we're just not sure what we are going to do for Thanksgiving. Usually we go over to my parents' house and my mom cooks. Because of our upcoming vacation, she and I were talking about possibly going out to eat instead. Now, it turns out that my parents and brother may not even be in town. My grandmother isn't doing well and my parents are heading down to Alabama. They are either leaving on Wednesday or Saturday and will make that decision tomorrow. Depending on how things go, I am also entertaining the thought of flying down, but that is probably unlikely. So...my husband and I are working on a plan B for Thursday. I think that he and I have different ideas. He said that we'll have (a scaled down version) Thanksgiving here. I haven't mentioned this yet, but I still like the idea of going out this year. We'll see.
Friday - Monte Cristo Salads
Saturday - Pizza night
Sunday - BBQ ribs (we didn't end up having this last week)
Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for some great meal ideas!!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Sweet Home Alabama
When I first started this blog, we were days away from driving down to Alabama. I knew that it was going to be a special trip and wanted to document it. However, after locking my husband out of his work computer one morning in the hotel room and having to face his extreme irritation about that (he had to call in to work and have his password reset, or something like that), I didn't end up documenting it like I wanted to. Once we returned home, life got in the way, and I just wasn't able to put the whole experience into words at that point.
My mother is originally from Alabama and her mother, her siblings, their children and grandchildren, among other extended family, still live there. Our trip down was very last minute. My niece was graduating from high school in Mississippi, just four hours away from my family in Alabama, so my parents and my brother (my niece's dad) were going down for the graduation and then onto Alabama where they would be able to spend time with our family there.
Originally, we weren't going to go. I would have loved to have gone to my niece's graduation and then onto Alabama, but I didn't want to go by myself and my husband couldn't take that much time off from work. Plus, we already had two other vacations planned for the year, one of them just a month after the graduation. Then there was the financial part of it and my daughter's 6th birthday was coming up (and we were out of town for her 5th birthday. She wanted to be home this year). There were so many reasons to not go.
On the other hand, the last time I was down there was over 11 years ago and it was for my grandfather's funeral. Most of my girls had never met most of my relatives and I really wanted them too. I knew that my girls would just love them!! I knew that the chances of my brother and my parents and us all being down there at the same time again were very slim. Who knew when we would get a chance to go down?? After much discussion and planning (in a short period of time) we decided that if we didn't go to the graduation (Sorry Jess!! We love you and are very proud!!) we could go for a few days. I was beyond thrilled!!
When I was growing up, we made regular trips down to see my mom's family (yearly for awhile and then maybe every other year). I have wonderful memories of those trips. My grandmother's house was the focal point where everyone would meet. My mother has three siblings and I have seven cousins, all fairly close in age. We (usually) got along great and had so much fun playing together. I could go on and on about my memories...I think that cousins are the greatest relationship. Better than friends because of the family connection and better than sibling because there usually isn't the bickering :) I hope that my girls have at least a fraction of the relationship that I had (have) with my cousins. It is very special.
So I got to see my aunts and uncles and cousins and their children. What a beautiful group of people. Between my brother, myself and my cousins, we have 15 children. Fourteen of them are in this picture.
Most of us went to a get-together at my cousin's house and I can't really put into words the feelings that I had there. It was amazing being a room being related to that many people. It was also amazing that although I haven't seen them in so long, we were able to pick up like it was last month. I know that it sounds corny, but there was so much love in that room. Actually, I don't think that I have said I love you as much as I did in those few days in Alabama.
I also got to see my sweet grandmother. She was exactly as I remembered her. She is a children-type person (some people are and some people aren't!) and she always made our visits very special. She knew what we liked to eat and always had it. She had child-friendly cups and plates, she had a bedroom devoted to toys and she didn't have any areas of the house that were off-limits. As far as I was concerned, she was the next best thing to my mom. Although I didn't get to spend as much time with her (or anyone) as I would have liked to on this trip, I was so happy that I got to see her and that my girls got to meet my grandmother, especially since they are so close to their grandmother.
My dear grandmother had a stroke last week. She is still in the hospital and at this point, we're not sure what the outcome will be. I am just so glad that we made the decision to go on that trip and that I was able to see her.
My mother is originally from Alabama and her mother, her siblings, their children and grandchildren, among other extended family, still live there. Our trip down was very last minute. My niece was graduating from high school in Mississippi, just four hours away from my family in Alabama, so my parents and my brother (my niece's dad) were going down for the graduation and then onto Alabama where they would be able to spend time with our family there.
Originally, we weren't going to go. I would have loved to have gone to my niece's graduation and then onto Alabama, but I didn't want to go by myself and my husband couldn't take that much time off from work. Plus, we already had two other vacations planned for the year, one of them just a month after the graduation. Then there was the financial part of it and my daughter's 6th birthday was coming up (and we were out of town for her 5th birthday. She wanted to be home this year). There were so many reasons to not go.
On the other hand, the last time I was down there was over 11 years ago and it was for my grandfather's funeral. Most of my girls had never met most of my relatives and I really wanted them too. I knew that my girls would just love them!! I knew that the chances of my brother and my parents and us all being down there at the same time again were very slim. Who knew when we would get a chance to go down?? After much discussion and planning (in a short period of time) we decided that if we didn't go to the graduation (Sorry Jess!! We love you and are very proud!!) we could go for a few days. I was beyond thrilled!!
When I was growing up, we made regular trips down to see my mom's family (yearly for awhile and then maybe every other year). I have wonderful memories of those trips. My grandmother's house was the focal point where everyone would meet. My mother has three siblings and I have seven cousins, all fairly close in age. We (usually) got along great and had so much fun playing together. I could go on and on about my memories...I think that cousins are the greatest relationship. Better than friends because of the family connection and better than sibling because there usually isn't the bickering :) I hope that my girls have at least a fraction of the relationship that I had (have) with my cousins. It is very special.
So I got to see my aunts and uncles and cousins and their children. What a beautiful group of people. Between my brother, myself and my cousins, we have 15 children. Fourteen of them are in this picture.
Most of us went to a get-together at my cousin's house and I can't really put into words the feelings that I had there. It was amazing being a room being related to that many people. It was also amazing that although I haven't seen them in so long, we were able to pick up like it was last month. I know that it sounds corny, but there was so much love in that room. Actually, I don't think that I have said I love you as much as I did in those few days in Alabama.
I also got to see my sweet grandmother. She was exactly as I remembered her. She is a children-type person (some people are and some people aren't!) and she always made our visits very special. She knew what we liked to eat and always had it. She had child-friendly cups and plates, she had a bedroom devoted to toys and she didn't have any areas of the house that were off-limits. As far as I was concerned, she was the next best thing to my mom. Although I didn't get to spend as much time with her (or anyone) as I would have liked to on this trip, I was so happy that I got to see her and that my girls got to meet my grandmother, especially since they are so close to their grandmother.
My dear grandmother had a stroke last week. She is still in the hospital and at this point, we're not sure what the outcome will be. I am just so glad that we made the decision to go on that trip and that I was able to see her.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Fridays Fave 5
1. Having ice cream (outside) on a 60+ degree day in November. We're in NY, so this is pretty remarkable!!
2. An unexpected lunch date with my husband last Friday. Fun...and we didn't have to pay for a babysitter!!
3. Feeling a little more caught up after "venting" on a blog post yesterday. Thank goodness :) Hopefully, I will be able to continue with that pace and stay on top of things. I at least feel like I'm ready for today which is good because it's a half-day at school (teacher conferences) so we are going to Chuck E.Cheese. I think that you have to be in the right frame of mind to go there. I guess that I am because I'm looking forward to it :)
4. My new adorable little laptop. It is cute, cute, cute! Oh, and it's very useful too! With 6 people vying for time on a computer, it is very helpful to have an additional one. It is amazing to me how much of my life is somehow linked to the computer. This one allows me to be more flexible, for example, I can pull up a recipe on the computer and have it in the kitchen with me.
5. Google Calendar - My husband and I have been using this for awhile now and it has really helped us. He can check the calendar at work and know what is going on and he can add things as well. Well...last week, Jen mentioned that she uses her Google Calendar for several things. I asked her about it and she was nice enough to tell me how she uses her calendars. Now, I have our main calendar as well as a menu calendar and home stuff (like Flylady) calendar. Since my parents are going to Disney with us (but staying in a totally different place) and since my husband has made many plans and reservations for us while we are there, I have even made a calendar for our vacation. This way my parents can check that calendar and know what our plans are for the day. This will hopefully cut down on confusion and miscommunication. Thanks Jen!!
Visit Susanne at Living to tell the Story for some great Friday Favorites.
Our challenging child...
Our youngest (by 2 minutes) daughter is probably our most challenging child, at least at this point. She is going through a phase (I hope) where she sometimes has very little impulse control. Along with that, she is very into "arts and crafts" right now. She is almost always with some sort of pen, pencil or marker, paper, tape and scissors. Lately we have been finding some "drawings" on places where they shouldn't be. She also happens to be very charming and lovable and has a heart of gold, so although she often frustrates me greatly, the feeling doesn't last long.
Yesterday, I was putting away some dominoes and I saw marker on one of the dominoes. I knew it was her. She might as well just sign her name on things and I'm sure she would if she could.
I yelled, "Sydney!! Why is there marker on the dominoes?!?"
She came running in, clearly upset that I was upset with her, and yelled, "DAT ONE DIDN'T HAVE DOTS ON!!"
By the time I stopped laughing, the teachable moment had passed.
It's a good thing she's so cute and lovable!!
Yesterday, I was putting away some dominoes and I saw marker on one of the dominoes. I knew it was her. She might as well just sign her name on things and I'm sure she would if she could.
I yelled, "Sydney!! Why is there marker on the dominoes?!?"
She came running in, clearly upset that I was upset with her, and yelled, "DAT ONE DIDN'T HAVE DOTS ON!!"
By the time I stopped laughing, the teachable moment had passed.
It's a good thing she's so cute and lovable!!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
This is part of the problem...
I have lived in Western New York for my whole life, but I am just not ready for this.
Overwhelmed!!
I am totally overwhelmed right now. I get like this sometimes when I feel like everything is out of control. I have what I feel is a million things to do ( I won't even begin to list them) and just not enough hours in the day. I know that many people feel like this, especially around this time of the year, but I guess I'm just not good under pressure!
One of my problems, when I am feeling like this, is that I just shut down. I think that it's because I don't even know where to start or feel like I can't do much (enough) in the time that I have.
I am hoping that just by saying this aloud (kinda) that it will be enough of an impetus to get going!!! We have a lot of fun things coming up and I don't want to be a basket case. Hopefully I will be able to turn things around today.
Wish me luck :)
One of my problems, when I am feeling like this, is that I just shut down. I think that it's because I don't even know where to start or feel like I can't do much (enough) in the time that I have.
I am hoping that just by saying this aloud (kinda) that it will be enough of an impetus to get going!!! We have a lot of fun things coming up and I don't want to be a basket case. Hopefully I will be able to turn things around today.
Wish me luck :)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
For the over 30 crowd...
I know that this has been sent around as am email, but I recently saw it again on Roni's Weigh. I love it!!
Just for laughs and those over 30!
When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears
With their tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning. Uphill… barefoot…BOTH ways yadda, yadda, yadda
And I remember promising myself that when I grew up,
there was no way in hell I was going to lay A bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it And how easy they’ve got it!
But now that… I’m over the ripe old age of thirty, I can’t help but look around and notice the youth of today.
You’ve got it so easy! I mean, compared to my
Childhood, you live in a damn Utopia!
And I hate to say it but you kids today you
Don’t know how good you’ve got it!
I mean, when I was a kid we didn’t have The Internet. If we wanted to know something, We had to go to the damn library and Look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!! There was no email!! We had to actually write Somebody a letter, with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!
There were no MP3′ s or Napsters! You wanted to
Steal music, you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself! Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ’d usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up!
We didn’t have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that’s it!
And we didn’t have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, Your mom, your boss, your Bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you Just didn’t know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!
We didn’t have any fancy Sony Playstation video
Games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games Like ‘Space Invaders’ and ‘asteroids’. Your guy was a little square! You Actually had to use your I magination!! And there were no multiple levels or Screens, it was just one screen Forever!
And you could never win. The game just kept getting
Harder and harder and Faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!
You had to use a Little book called a TV Guide to find out what was
On! You were screwed when it Came to channel surfing! You had to get off Your ass and walk over to the TV to change the Channel and there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons
On Saturday Morning. Do you Hear what I’m saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK For cartoons, you spoiled Little rat-bastards!
And we didn’t have microwaves, if we wanted to heat
Something up we had to use the stove … Imagine that!
That’s exactly what I’m talking about! You kids
Today have got it too easy. You’re spoiled.
You guys wouldn’t have lasted Five minutes back in 1980!
Regards,
The over 30 Crowd
I can totally relate to this!!
Just for laughs and those over 30!
When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears
With their tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning. Uphill… barefoot…BOTH ways yadda, yadda, yadda
And I remember promising myself that when I grew up,
there was no way in hell I was going to lay A bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it And how easy they’ve got it!
But now that… I’m over the ripe old age of thirty, I can’t help but look around and notice the youth of today.
You’ve got it so easy! I mean, compared to my
Childhood, you live in a damn Utopia!
And I hate to say it but you kids today you
Don’t know how good you’ve got it!
I mean, when I was a kid we didn’t have The Internet. If we wanted to know something, We had to go to the damn library and Look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!! There was no email!! We had to actually write Somebody a letter, with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!
There were no MP3′ s or Napsters! You wanted to
Steal music, you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself! Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ’d usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up!
We didn’t have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that’s it!
And we didn’t have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, Your mom, your boss, your Bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you Just didn’t know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!
We didn’t have any fancy Sony Playstation video
Games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games Like ‘Space Invaders’ and ‘asteroids’. Your guy was a little square! You Actually had to use your I magination!! And there were no multiple levels or Screens, it was just one screen Forever!
And you could never win. The game just kept getting
Harder and harder and Faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!
You had to use a Little book called a TV Guide to find out what was
On! You were screwed when it Came to channel surfing! You had to get off Your ass and walk over to the TV to change the Channel and there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons
On Saturday Morning. Do you Hear what I’m saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK For cartoons, you spoiled Little rat-bastards!
And we didn’t have microwaves, if we wanted to heat
Something up we had to use the stove … Imagine that!
That’s exactly what I’m talking about! You kids
Today have got it too easy. You’re spoiled.
You guys wouldn’t have lasted Five minutes back in 1980!
Regards,
The over 30 Crowd
I can totally relate to this!!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Menu Plan Monday
I'm cleaning out the pantry and freezer this week and trying to keep grocery shopping (spending) to a minimum.
Monday - Tortellini with sauce, salad
Tuesday - Mojo marinated chicken, mashed potatoes
Wednesday - Breakfast: chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, bacon, fruit
Thursday - Chicken patties and Smiley fries
Friday - BBQ pork ribs
Saturday - Italian beef (in the crockpot) sandwiches/grilled cheese for the kids
Sunday - for some reason I have trouble planning that far ahead!! Hopefully I will have a better idea as the week goes on.
Check out I'm an Organizing Junkie's blog for some great menu ideas!!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Fridays Fave 5
***I had to come back and add a little something because I feel like I may have given the wrong impression in this last post. Yes, I try and drink a lot of water, I try and use moderation with what I am consuming and I try and exercise a few times a week. However, I am also a poster child for "Needs to lose quite a bit of weight!" I am trying. I like to say that I am a work in progress, but it's a slow process!***
I participated in this once and then missed two weeks :( I received such a warm welcome from the lovely ladies from Living to the the Story and friends. Thank you so much!!
Ok - here is my list from this past week:
1. Seeing a man run across the Wegman's parking lot to get a runaway shopping cart. It wasn't his cart and it wasn't heading near his car, but it was left in the parking lot on a terribly windy day and he saved a bunch of cars from getting hit. Very sweet!!
2. This beverage. I don't drink coffee but I do love this. It has quite a few calories in it, but I usually stretch this bottle out over 3 mornings. Sometimes, I just need an extra little something to get me going in the morning.
3. My big Tervis Tumbler water cup. I try to drink between 60 and 100 ounces of water each day. I don't like to drink water out of a glass cup for some reason. I usually prefer something with a straw. This cup keeps my water nice and cold and it doesn't sweat. I love it.
4. Udder Cream lotion that I found at the dollar store (I'll add a picture later). During the colder months, my hands get so dry. This lotion is nice and light, but effective. I don't think it's a great bargain at all because it's only 2 ounces, but it works great!
5. Elliptical machines! I have recently discovered that our community rec. center has a pretty nice exercise room that is free and that is fairly underutilized, especially during the day. The elliptical machine is my new favorite form of exercise!
That's my list for this week. For more Fave lists visit Living to tell the Story.
I participated in this once and then missed two weeks :( I received such a warm welcome from the lovely ladies from Living to the the Story and friends. Thank you so much!!
Ok - here is my list from this past week:
1. Seeing a man run across the Wegman's parking lot to get a runaway shopping cart. It wasn't his cart and it wasn't heading near his car, but it was left in the parking lot on a terribly windy day and he saved a bunch of cars from getting hit. Very sweet!!
2. This beverage. I don't drink coffee but I do love this. It has quite a few calories in it, but I usually stretch this bottle out over 3 mornings. Sometimes, I just need an extra little something to get me going in the morning.
3. My big Tervis Tumbler water cup. I try to drink between 60 and 100 ounces of water each day. I don't like to drink water out of a glass cup for some reason. I usually prefer something with a straw. This cup keeps my water nice and cold and it doesn't sweat. I love it.
4. Udder Cream lotion that I found at the dollar store (I'll add a picture later). During the colder months, my hands get so dry. This lotion is nice and light, but effective. I don't think it's a great bargain at all because it's only 2 ounces, but it works great!
5. Elliptical machines! I have recently discovered that our community rec. center has a pretty nice exercise room that is free and that is fairly underutilized, especially during the day. The elliptical machine is my new favorite form of exercise!
That's my list for this week. For more Fave lists visit Living to tell the Story.
What A Rush!!!!!
Because we are leaving for vacation in 24 short days, I am trying to get my ducks in a row and take care of as much holiday "stuff" as I can.
Yesterday I mailed out our first box of Christmas presents. Then, as I was waiting in line at the Post Office, I realized that it's the only box that we have to mail for Christmas this year. Everything else will be hand-delivered. Yippee!!
This feels so awesome. I am almost always struggling to get ahead of things and it almost never happens. When I mailed that package today, I felt like I was on top of things. Of course, that feeling will probably end in the next few minutes. It won't last long, that's for sure! But, I will enjoy it while it lasts :)
Yesterday I mailed out our first box of Christmas presents. Then, as I was waiting in line at the Post Office, I realized that it's the only box that we have to mail for Christmas this year. Everything else will be hand-delivered. Yippee!!
This feels so awesome. I am almost always struggling to get ahead of things and it almost never happens. When I mailed that package today, I felt like I was on top of things. Of course, that feeling will probably end in the next few minutes. It won't last long, that's for sure! But, I will enjoy it while it lasts :)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Sending support to a family that could use some...
I just read about the Delgado Family that delivered beautiful conjoined twin girls yesterday. Sadly, they passed away after approximately an hour.
I'm sure that they would appreciate some support through their blog.
I'm sure that they would appreciate some support through their blog.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
How perfect are these??
This year I am doing a lot of giftcards for Christmas presents. I love getting them as well as giving them. We even decided to primarily get giftcards for the kids (that are not ours) that are on our list.
We have a niece and two nephews that are triplets are I found these giftcards for them. Aren't they perfect?? They are too young to notice or appreciate something like that, but I was very excited to find them. It's the little things that make me happy (sometimes!).
We have a niece and two nephews that are triplets are I found these giftcards for them. Aren't they perfect?? They are too young to notice or appreciate something like that, but I was very excited to find them. It's the little things that make me happy (sometimes!).
Monday, November 10, 2008
Menu Plan Monday
This week is looking like a pretty calm, uneventful week. Sounds good to me!!
Monday - Spaghetti
Tuesday - Buffalo Chicken Wraps
Wednesday - Chili Dog casserole (I don't think that this is the "exact" name, but I can't find my recipe right now.)
Thursday - Beef tips with noodles
Friday - leftovers or sandwiches
Saturday - Beef and Provolone panini's (grilled cheese for the kids)
Sunday - ummm...not too sure yet. Still working on this one :)
See some great menu ideas at I'm an Organizing Junkie's blog.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Under the weather...
Ugh!! I am currently battling a sinus infection and all I want to do is lie down. That, of course, doesn't get to happen nearly as much as I would like. I know that I have had a sinus infection before, but I don't remember it making me so miserable.
I had a cold last week, and I honestly think that all of the Halloween festivities wore me out. I was so glad that it was over. We had fun, but it was pretty busy. Being busy is fine, but having to put on a costume for every event did get old!!
Anyway...I am on antibiotics and am expecting to feel better soon.
Like I said, last week was busy with Halloween, my husband's birthday and various other things. One of my four year olds has also kept me on my toes recently. She is into art types of projects right now and loves to color and then cut things out. There are several pairs of scissors around that she has pretty easy access to and it hasn't been a problem until she walked up to me last Friday and handed me this:
Luckily, it was from the back of her head and it is covered by some other hair. It's a little hard to notice unless you look pretty close. She had just had her hair cut the day before, so there isn't enough there to go and have it "fixed." As I often say to myself after I get my hair cut, "Good thing hair grow back fairly quickly!"
Then...on Sunday evening, she was playing with a little charm from a necklace that was no longer on the necklace. She started coughing and told me that she had swallowed the charm! It was fairly small and we don't think that it has/will cause a problem. I would take a picture of the charm to show you, but we don't have it yet :) Hopefully soon, but I think that I may pass on the picture!
I had a cold last week, and I honestly think that all of the Halloween festivities wore me out. I was so glad that it was over. We had fun, but it was pretty busy. Being busy is fine, but having to put on a costume for every event did get old!!
Anyway...I am on antibiotics and am expecting to feel better soon.
Like I said, last week was busy with Halloween, my husband's birthday and various other things. One of my four year olds has also kept me on my toes recently. She is into art types of projects right now and loves to color and then cut things out. There are several pairs of scissors around that she has pretty easy access to and it hasn't been a problem until she walked up to me last Friday and handed me this:
Luckily, it was from the back of her head and it is covered by some other hair. It's a little hard to notice unless you look pretty close. She had just had her hair cut the day before, so there isn't enough there to go and have it "fixed." As I often say to myself after I get my hair cut, "Good thing hair grow back fairly quickly!"
Then...on Sunday evening, she was playing with a little charm from a necklace that was no longer on the necklace. She started coughing and told me that she had swallowed the charm! It was fairly small and we don't think that it has/will cause a problem. I would take a picture of the charm to show you, but we don't have it yet :) Hopefully soon, but I think that I may pass on the picture!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
How I had Fun on My Husband's Birthday...
Today is my husband's birthday. It's not a milestone birthday, but I think that birthdays are special and that they should be recognized. I often try and think of things to do for my DH, but I feel like I have exhausted most of the typical birthday plans. I have done a surprise party, a regular party and a singing gorilla with balloons (my personal favorite!!). I'm not creative at all, so I was pretty tapped for an idea for this year. Plus, I didn't want to throw money away on something that he probably wouldn't find that amusing. Also, the building that he is working in now has some kind of security set up which makes it hard for anything to be delivered.
Added to this is the fact that I am pretty (very, probably) easily amused and while my husband has an excellent sense of humor (which I just love), he often does not find humor in the same things I do.
So...my big plan was to go to his work and decorate his car, which I did. It was a risk, because on the wrong kind of day, this could really irritate my husband. But, the more I thought about it, the more it cracked me up and I decided it was worth the risk. I was so conservative with it. I could have done so. much. more. I ended up just doing a couple balloons and some window paint (which was actually much harder to find than I thought that it would be). I wrote "It's my birthday!" backwards on the front window so that cars in front of him would be able to read it. I had to practice it at home and bring a piece of paper with it written down with me so that I would be able to write it under pressure, with no mistakes. I certainly didn't want to have to try and clean that stuff off of the window!
My husband did end up texting me to let me know, that he knew, that I had been there. He went to go and get a drink on a different floor and saw the balloons on his car. He also saw the other decorations and told me that he was going to clean it off before he drove home. Oh well. That was probably a given. I still got a great laugh out of it (I told you I was easily amused!!).
Thanks Honey :)
Added to this is the fact that I am pretty (very, probably) easily amused and while my husband has an excellent sense of humor (which I just love), he often does not find humor in the same things I do.
So...my big plan was to go to his work and decorate his car, which I did. It was a risk, because on the wrong kind of day, this could really irritate my husband. But, the more I thought about it, the more it cracked me up and I decided it was worth the risk. I was so conservative with it. I could have done so. much. more. I ended up just doing a couple balloons and some window paint (which was actually much harder to find than I thought that it would be). I wrote "It's my birthday!" backwards on the front window so that cars in front of him would be able to read it. I had to practice it at home and bring a piece of paper with it written down with me so that I would be able to write it under pressure, with no mistakes. I certainly didn't want to have to try and clean that stuff off of the window!
My husband did end up texting me to let me know, that he knew, that I had been there. He went to go and get a drink on a different floor and saw the balloons on his car. He also saw the other decorations and told me that he was going to clean it off before he drove home. Oh well. That was probably a given. I still got a great laugh out of it (I told you I was easily amused!!).
Thanks Honey :)
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Menu Plan Monday - The Wednesday Edition
Ugh!! I am pretty late with this and it's amazing, but I am already having trouble remembering what we had two nights ago!!! (I have been feeling a little overwhelmed this week.)
Ok - so this week was/is nothing too spectacular:
Monday - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches - we ended up not having these last week because my girls ended up all eating dinner at my parents' house. Very nice!
Tuesday - Spaghetti and Meatballs - a standard at our house
Wednesday - Bacon Beef Roll - This was a new one for us. It's from Fix-It and Enjoy-It Cookbook and it's basically mini-meatloaves wrapped in bacon. It's a keeper :)
Thursday - This was going to be a tough one. It's my husband's birthday and I wanted him to have a nice dinner. I'm not a great cook and I have one meal that he really enjoys :) The problem is that I tend to make it a lot, like before he has to travel out of town for work, when I know he's having a tough week, etc. Well...he's been traveling for work a lot lately, so it wouldn't be anything special for his birthday. I was thinking about getting something from Make and Take, but luckily for me (and him!!), my parents volunteered to watch the girls so that we can go out to dinner. I feel like it's my birthday too :) He hasn't decided where he would like to go, but it needs to be in the area so that limits us a little bit. Still...
Friday - Halloween Night buffet - popcorn chicken, mini hotdogs, mini pizzas - things that will be quick and easy to eat as we try and get ready while answering the door for the early TOTers.
Saturday - Pizza Night!! My favorite night of the week :)
Sunday - We are planning on being out of town for the day so we will be eating out. I LOVE eating out, so this is a good week!!
See more great meal ideas at I'm an Organizing Junkie's blog!!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Fridays Fave 5
I came across this on another blog and I just love it!! So here are some favorite things from this past week.
1. Candy corn and peanuts. I'm not a big fan of either separately, but put them together...YUM! Personally, I like the ratio of 1 candy corn to 2 peanuts.
2. Cozy, dark Fall days. It just makes it so nice to be warm and comfy inside. Unless you aren't inside!
3. These great containers that I found for lunches. I am really trying to reduce the number of plastic bags that I use in general, and especially for lunches. These are working out great for my two oldest (they have two lids - a big one and one for the middle section). Also, I am a big fan of Bento lunch blogs and while I can't/don't make our lunches look like those, this is a step in that direction.
4. California Rolls from Wegmans. I love to get these for a special treat for lunch every so often.
5. That this spider was outside and NOT inside (It looked much larger in person. Really!). I am not a fan of spiders. At. all. A friend of my oldest found this outside and was excited to show me. Thanks.
6. Ok - I know that I shouldn't break the rules, especially on my first time doing this, but I have another one: watching Cloverfield with my husband on Wednesday night. Great movie, great company :)
Happy Friday!!!
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