Success

Well today has been very successful. Not as succesful as I needed it to be, but definitely good. I was able to get some good deep cleaning done, cleared off the top of the refidge, cleaned babygirl's play closet (it's an area underneath the the stairs that we made into a closet for storage, but then into a little girls hideaway. She has her kitchen set and a table in there, so when I make dinner, she can pretend and make dinner for her dolls. Plus she can have a place to go and escape from her brothers. She goes in there turns the light on and closes the door. It is a perfect little place for a little girl to go and use her imagination.) Plus we cleaned the bunny cage, cleaned out a cabinet, reorganized the old playroom that now has become a catch all room. I want it to become an exercise room. We moved all the bookshelves out and in to the library . All the toys were moved upstairs to the rec. room. So now we have a treadmill,weights, a t.v., an oversize chair, some computer equipment and the bunny that is left in the room. If I can find a new home for the bunny, then we would totally have an exercise room. I will have to see what we can do about finding a new home for the bunny. Anyone want a bunny?

Even though I didn't get it all done today, more projects than getting ready for small group and superbowl, it was a productive day. Maybe I will have a little more steam left to finish the kitchen before bed. I doubt it. LOL!

Family project = family time

This weekend is going to be a cleaning weekend. We so need to get this house cleaned!!! It has been very difficult for me to keep up with it from working so much. But I am seeing the light. This past week I only worked 6 hours more than what I am supposed to. WooHoo!!! I actually felt somewhat normal. Well, maybe not normal. Instead of dealing with work, I dealt with 2 sick kids. So I still was not productive in cleaning the house. But that is what we ALL will be doing today. Everyone, except oldest son-he is away on a youth group ski retreat, will be pitching in and getting this house back in ship shape condition. WooHoo! I love it when we have a family project. Family projects = family time. LOVE IT!!!

Sunday we are having our small group at 4pm and then having a superbowl party here afterwards. I want to have the house ready today so that I can get food ready and just enjoy tomorrow. Whew! That is a tall order, but doable.

Sickness again

I have sickies in the house again. Babygirl is sick AGAIN. She came home from school with a belly ache and lethargic. This morning she woke up with a fever. Yuck! Oldest son came home from school half day (school got out early due to the snow) and he too had a fever, headache and sore throat. I gave him some motrin and offered to put a movie in for him to watch. He said " No thanks mom. I am going up stairs and go to sleep." WOW. I knew he was reallly not feeling well.

Time to break out the Lysol again and the bleach and start wiping every possible surface I can. We must get rid of this sickness. We had to cancel small group 2 weeks ago for sickness (babygirl was throwing up). I don't want to cancel again. Plus we are supposed to have a superbowl party here after we have small group. This is the first winter in a LONG time that sickness has been a problem. We normally have all our sickness in the spring for some reason. Oh well. Now I need to go wipe down the bathroom door handles before I forget. Germs begone!!!!!

Happy Birthday to me!!!!

Happy Birthday to me!!!!!

I will just say it again. I just love my birthday. It is so fun to constantly remind my family that it is their duty to pamper and spoil me on my day. LOL. So I pass it along to anyone who would choose to read my blog. Spoil me and write a comment. After all it is my birthday!!!!!!

"Yep, these are definite keepers!"

A few weeks ago our family had a family night out to Panera Bread for dinner and then Barnes and Nobles for entertainment (cheap entertainment if you don't buy a ton of books, LOL).

Babygirl couldn't wait to run to the kids section to put on a show. She said she had a show to do on the stage, so we needed to hurry so she wouldn't be late. The stage is where they do reading time for the kids. Well it was a friday night and there were quite a few people in the bookstore and a ton of people in the kid section with many on the little stage. As soon as she saw all those people, suddenly her show went to intermission, and she went over to the trains to play with.

Youngest son, my sunshine, had a great time looking at books with Daddy trying to find a good book that would fit his reading ability. Plus he loved following widget around, which drove widget crazy.

Widget had just bought a book at a christian book store so he was trying to settle into a quiet spot to read his book.

My oldest son was not with us, he was spending the night at a friends house. They were leaving early sat morning for a band expo in Baltimore. I wasn't sure I could get him to school that early (I was on call for the hospital) so he spent the night with his best friend who could get him there.

Anyways, as I was watching babygirl play the trains, I saw a some books on cooking for kids. I called widget over as he has an interest in cooking. We browsed the books together and found an awesome cookbook for kids. It is Paula Deen's my first cookbook. It is great! It tells the kids with words and pictures exactly what they will need to complete the recipe. The pictures are great to show kids exactly what a wire whisk would look like so they can get it themselves. It seemed to have some really cool recipes in it too. So we decide to get it with the understanding that widget has to make sure to ask for the ingredients prior to wanting to make something. We have experience in him wanting to make something and then becoming frustrated because we didn't have all the ingredients. (Like I keep junior mints on hand to make Mickey mouse ears on cupcakes. LOL.)

Anyways, he agreed. Well he decided on his first recipe and asked me to buy the ingredients, which I did. So on monday when all the kids had off we dove into this recipe. Widget didn't start with something simple either. He chose homeade soft pretzels. Goodness gracious child. I haven't even made those. But away we went. I thought for sure we totally messed up with the dough rising. But we kept on and rolled out the dough and tied the pretzel knot and put them in the oven and WHALA!!!! We had some very good pretzels. Widget was very pleased and announced

"Yep. These are definite keepers!"

It's my birthday month!!

I just had to put the birthday background on. It's my birthday this month!!! I asked my husband for a drink, and I had to put on the end of it... "Well it is my birthday month." LOL.
I always amp it up on and around my birthday just for the fun of it. My family is so used to it, that now they just roll their eyes or laugh along with it.

It started out with "It's my birthday." Then it went to
It's my birthday week. Now I am up to saying it is my birthday month. Next year I will amp it up to "It's my birthday season." Then I will be saying "Well it is my birthday year." Funny thing about that is... it will be the biggie 40 that year. Yikes. I will need to celebrate all year to keep me from being so sad that I hit the 40's. LOL.

So it is my birthday month.

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

A sad day in football.

Today was a sad day in the football season. The Eagles lost and it looks like the Ravens will too. I looked so forward to a Eagles vs. Ravens superbowl. That would have been the most fun superbowl ever. Now, it looks like it is going to be a not so fun one. Bummer. Well I am going back to finish the game and put the 2 younger kids to bed.

A quiet morning

Today I have the morning to do whatever I like. The house is quiet, the kids are at school, hubby is at work, and I am home. AHHHHHH!!!!!

Along with the quiet house is the quiet rain outside just drizzling down. A great day to snuggle up with a good book and a cup a coffee. OH YEAHHHH!!!!!

However, I don't think I will do that. I think I will play on the computer a bit, then clean out the Expedition. I have to run carpool today and babygirl is having a playdate this afternoon after school. So I think I may mosey around doing that. However I WILL have that cup of coffee.

I also am planning on listening to a podcast of Andy Stanley. I really gain a lot of wisdom from his preaching. God uses Andy Stanley to get me where I am. He has a podcast on "Balance". Hmmm. I could use a little balance in my life.

Question for the new year

Question for the new year

What are you asking God for this year, that only God can do?

Something to ponder. Write it down. Next year this time see how God answered..Yes, no, wait...

Christmas pics and a story about widget

Wow! It has been a while again.

Today I have was itching to use my new kitchen aid mixer that I just had to make a batch of cookies. I decided to make oatmeal raisin. They are my hubby favorite, and with the oats you can somewhat justify them as healthy. Ok that may be a stretch but it is worth a try

Well here is the beauty!!! I have had so much fun using it. I was able to whip up a ton of eggs and make everyone individual omlets in no time. It felt so effortless. I can mix and walk away while it is still mixing, which makes it take a lot less time to do anything that requires mixing. I just love it. I have wanted one for a little while now. My hubby said he had the hardest time giving me an appliance for Christmas. He is such the romantic. He did get me some jewlery, earrings and a necklace, plus some other fun things I like ( weather station, my favorite candy etc.)

Here are some other pics from our Christmas this year.

Babygirl being silly at Great MomMom's house Christmas Eve

Youngest son got exactly what he wanted from KK, color explosion!

Oldest son and KK. They were in some deep discussion about books they have read.

Widget screaming "This is the best christmas ever!!" This coming from a boy who had his wallet stolen 2 weeks before christmas. The wallet had $130 in it. He had been saving for a while to get a new gameboy ds and Christmas shop with his OWN money, not mom and dad's. After the wallet was stolen, and a 1/2 day of crying, he surrendered and gave the whole situation to God. Widget began telling people "I guess with this bad economy (so cute coming from an 11 year old), whoever stole my wallet needed it more than me." He started praying for the person who stole his wallet. The coolest thing happened next, over the next week, God replaced all his money. It is quite the story. He still prays almost every night for that person. Now it did take a day for him to get this perspective. But praise God for the work He is doing in my son's life. The whole story still brings tears to my eyes. Widget got a new gameboy ds and wallet christmas morning, hence the arms straight up in the air.

One last picture of Christmas morning.

The kids upstairs in the rec. room where Santa came. Santa keeps all the mess upstairs, so when people stop by the mess is hidden. Love it!!! Ok one more pic of the dog and the mess.

Here's widget giving Coco the toy he bought her, and the mess in the background. LOL.