1st field trip.... Mainstay Christmas Tree Farm. We had the greatest day!!

I turned 29 yesterday.... i'm in a bit of shock... But hey, it's only a number right???

You know what I'm dreading? Rota virus season. Our kids have never been in school during that season. And goodness knows that if my son can leave home with a dry nose and return with green runny stuff EVERY DAY, that does not bode well for those tuff bugs like Rota. Lots of prophylactic prayers going up now...

This creamer is good. It's not fat free but there's only 1.5 gm fat per tbl so it's comparable to 2% milk. A hint : if your kids are squeamish about milk add a tbl of this or another flavored creamer. Snap, instant milk they'll ask for more of!

Meet my newly rediscovered best friend...my stand mixer. Together we've forged the unknown. We've made cookies, cakes, mashed potatoes, and today a pumpkin cheesecake. Woo. I love you old friend. Yes, he even whipped that cream!

So to continue, once you soaked your beans drain them. Add 12 cups broth (I use bouillon cubes..much cheaper!) And seasonings to taste. I use taco seasoning, cumin, some Slap Ya Mama Cajun spice, and seasoned salt. Oh and pepper. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce to medium for 2 hours. Stir occasionally. Cover but make sure you tilt the cover (it lets the toots out). Super easy! Serve with shredded Mexican cheese blend and fresh cornbread. Yum-o!

Pink & White Soup.... sort and rinse 2 lbs of dried beans (1 lb Great Northern beans and 1 lb Pink beans). Either soak overnight or follow the quick soak method of covering beans with 12 cups water and bringing to a rolling boil. Cover and let stand for 1.5 hours. I'll continue the recipe in 2 hours...

The Most Fabulous Blog Of Cookdom....

So, my friend Kristen has a great cooking blog you should check out and the bonus is, she's running a contest right now for a giveaway!! (Don't enter that, though I want that subscription. No seriously, she makes great things and posts super awesome easy recipes. You can enter if you want, I was only kidding you!)

Support moms who cook. You'll be glad you did!! ;0)

A deal of the week... Steak & Shake kids chicken fingers. Way too big for a kid this is a tasty treat for mommies and daddies! Priced at just 2.59 (includes tax) you get 3 chicken fingers and their fries which are skinny and crispy. Definitely will fill you up! And you don't have to feel too guilty because the portion is just right!!

Three things my pantry ALWAYS contains...evaporated milk, McCormick Season All Crusting blend, and Seasoned salt.

Blogging From Memaw's House....

Is it a sad commentary when my grandmother has internet and I don't? Well, since DSL isn't "available" in our area yet, and our computer is still freaked out (we can't do the whole "new computer" thing yet) I currently do not have internet access. (Except on my phone, which is OK except I'm limited to mobile-blogging only and that means I cannot check everyones blogs. But I'm STILL HERE I PROMISE!!)

Blogging from Memaw's house means I do not have access to pictures or videos. But mobile blogging is going OK so far. Just can't write very much due to character restrictions. And I cannot comment on anyones blogs as I cannot load them on my phone.

I've been on a cooking/baking kick lately. I cook a bunch of chicken (like tonight I'll cook 10 chicken breasts to use for the week...or I'll cook 6 for the next 3 days and cook the rest on Wed) then I use 2 breasts for an entire "recipe" of whatever I'm making. The KRAFT food magazine/little cooker helper is AMAZING, thanks Kristen!

Some new favorites :

Chicken Alfredo :

Cook some linguine, spaghetti, or fettucine. In the meantime saute your baked chicken in some low fat cooking spray or butter with some spices (I prefer a dash of creole spice, seasoned salt, and pepper) and fresh minced garlic (if you want or add garlic powder later). If it's pre-cooked this step takes a lot less time. If it's fresh chicken, cook it until it's completely cooked. Remove from the skillet. Add to the skillet 2 1/2 cups chicken stock and 2 1/2 tbs flour (I'm also using whole wheat flour instead of the white flour...it's healthier, and nobody can tell the difference!) and stir with whisk. Bring to a rolling boil, add 1 8 oz pkg Neufchatel cheese (lower fat option of cream cheese), add 3 tbs grated parmesan cheese and some more of your spices. Mix all together, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it starts to thicken, remove from heat and stir in your chicken. Toss with your pasta, and top with 1-2 tbs of grated parmesan cheese. I served it with fresh green salad (Caesar if you please!).
*****A variation....Add a can of drained rotel tomatoes to the cream sauce mixture, and replace the parmesan cheese with shredded Mexican cheese blend, substitute shells for the fettucine. Once you mix it all together, add some more shredded cheese, pour it into a 3 qt baking dish and top with panko bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, until bubbly. Serve piping hot with Easy, Pleasy Coleslaw!*

Easy, Pleasy Coleslaw :

1 bag of premixed coleslaw mix (with carrots) or 1 bag of the finely shredded Napa cabbage. (If you're particularly industrious you can shred your own cabbage, but who has time for that?! If it's you that has that kind of time, use a whole head...) Toss in some finely chopped Claussen dill pickles, finely chopped black olives, kosher salt, black pepper, 1/4 cup lemon juice (or just eyeball it and squeeze it in), 2 large serving spoons of a mayonnaise-type dressing (I use Smart Balance mayo). Mix it all together and voila, you have a tasty coleslaw that even my picky 4 year old ASKS for!!
******A variation : substitute bacon crumbles for the pickles, and use jarred ranch dressing instead of the homemade coleslaw dressing*

Coconut Dream Bars (Recipe found on the back of Target brand sweetened coconut flakes!) :

Mix 1.5 cups flour (I use whole wheat flour), 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 stick (1/2 cup) of margarine/butter (I use Country Crock Plus Omega) until fine particles are formed. Press it into the bottom of an UNGREASED 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until crust partially cooked. Meanwhile, mix 3 eggs, 1.5 cups packed light brown sugar until just mixed, add 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1.5 cups of flaked coconut. Mix Well together and pour over the partially baked crust. Bake at 350 for another 22 minutes (well, technically 20-25 min, but my oven took 22 minutes). Let cool. Cut with sharp knife, and enjoy!!

For an amazing Caesar salad, I recommend you use a head of Green Leaf Lettuce (or if you buy a bagged lettuce, I prefer Fresh Express 3 Leaf blend with the butter lettuce) and wash thoroughly (besides, I love using my salad spinner!!), drain well. Add a bag of TEXAS TOAST CROUTONS (if you have not discovered these yet, you are MISSING OUT!) I love all of them, but for Caesar salad use the "seasoned" unless you're using a low-fat Caesar dressing then I recommend the "Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper." Yum-O! For Caesar dressing, you're hard pressed to beat Cardini's Caesar dressing. The reduced fat is good, but if you're feeling indulgent you MUST try the full fat. (If anyone knows of a better one, let me know!! Especially of a lower fat one!!) I top it all with DiGiornio Grated 3 cheese blend (Parmesan, Romano, Asiago). Super tasty, and awesome!

Another recently discovered (by the kids, not by me!) favorite :

POMEGRANATES!!!!!!! I've always loved these things, but my children have just discovered them. They take literally thirty minutes to prepare, but they are worth it. My kiddos call them "pomegranate candy."


*******I'm going to tackle next...... PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE!!!!***************

Well y'all, it happened. My baby is out of her crib. I just put her to bed in her big girl bed. We'll see how she does... I cried. I can't believe it she's so big!

Daniel drew this elasmosaurus without looking at the book... this kid knows his dinos!!!

step 4....the waiting game...

step 3 add the chips...

step 2

step 1

Ok, so not the greatest picture... but the soup is fabulous, quick, and very healthy. I call it "Souper Soup." Chop 1 small onion, 1.5 lb chunked chicken breasts, 1 orange bell pepper finely chopped, 2 qts chicken or vegetable stock, 4 medium russet potatoes finely chopped (skins on and well washed), 2 fresh tomatoes finely chopped, 6 oz tiny shells, finely chopped carrots, 1 bag baby spinach. Combine stock, chicken, onions, potatoes, and seasonings of your choice. Bring to rolling boil & add carrots. Boil until potaotes semi-firm and add pasta. All other veggies go in now except spinach. You add the spinach toward the end of the cooking so it stays a healthy green. Once everything's in, reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes with lid on. Remove from heat if you're not serving immediately. Enjoy! PS I also added broccoli when I added carrots.

that's right folks...NKOTB on cassette tape

Me with the dragon and Hello Kitty at Boo @ The Zoo. Quick poll... too early to Christmas decorate? Yes or no...

We're Still Here

Barely hanging on ;) but here nonetheless! Life's crazy, we dragged the Halloween celebrations out as long as possible with Boo at The Zoo, 2 Trunk or Treats, and a Fall Festival! Yippee!! The kids are doing great, but they've been getting sick on and off every 3 weeks pretty much on the nose. Daniel LOVES school, and has Grandparents Day on Friday! Zoe's the sweetest little girl, she's getting alot better about being sweet ;)

I'll post as I can, and next time I'll put up a picture fest!

Zoe's Three....And Other Sob Stories

Zoe turned 3 on October 11. I'm sad. Seriously. She is uch a grown up! She got her ears pierced on Saturday and she picked out her own earrings. She didn't even flinch!! What a beautiful little girl she's turning into. We still have the occasional attitude problems but hey, whatcha gonna do??? She had a dress up party Sunday the 19th and it was awesome! Did you know CostCo does some themed cakes now? They had a cute Princess and the Frog cake, which was sort of her theme this year....worked out well!!

The other sob story : our computer crashed, and until we can afford a new one we're landlocked to our phones with their limited email access. I've gotten a password for mobile blogging so we will see if this works. Who knows!!

Hope everyone is well, and I hope y'all stick around a few months until I come back!!

I miss you all blogland friends, even if you never make yourselves known ;)

PS get out and VOTE....remember if you don't vote, you can't complain!!

I'm Too Disgusted....

To actually post anything after what I just watched...


Kristen, Emily send me your addresses and I'll mail you BOTH goodies from my personal favorite super store....TARGET!! Even though I may be scrapping the ankylosaurus idea.... :(


And next time I run a comment contest I'll promise not to make it something crafty!!

Breakfast For Dinner.....

I call this recipe "Mama Root's Super DOOPER Breakfast Casserole :

1 lb cooked crumbled sausage (I use Owen's HOT)
4 eggs
2 cups shredded cheese
2 cups milk
1 cup bisquick

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cooked sausage in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over the sausage. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (roughly....can take a little longer!)

I LOVE cooking breakfast for dinner....and I enjoy this recipe (THANKS DEBORAH!!) but I sometimes "trick it up" so to speak. Some variations I've tried (and some I haven't yet but can't WAIT to try) :

* Instead of using sausage, I use bacon sometimes for a change of pace
* Sometimes I finely chop 5 or 6 regular russet potatoes (skin off) into what I call "Communion wafer size potatoes" and substitute that for the meat...I saute them in melted butter and Lowry's seasoned salt before placing them in the dish
* Instead of using boring cheddar, mix it up with a smoked provolone, or gouda or maybe some swiss emmenthal....
* Add finely chopped red bell peppers for a "brunch-y" feel minus the pretention
* Finely cubed cooked ham is a nice meat here as well
* Add multiple meats AND potatoes AND red peppers, AND mix up the cheese for a casserole WONDERLAND!!! :)

Regardless of how you do it, this recipe is quick and easy. And my children (and everyone else who's tried it) LOVE it!!

*****I still need some help on the ankylosaurus.....now I'm thinking of scrapping it all and going for the T-Rex at least I KNOW I can make that costume.....********

I Need More Help.....So, I'm Running A Contest....

I'm running a contest through Wednesday (October 1) for those who comment on this post here, leaving a suggestion as to how to make an Ankylosaurus Costume for Daniel....The problem I've encountered in my brain is how to make the TAIL with a club and do it without incurring great difficulty or great debt.....So, for the next few days I'll be watching for comments and adding names to a hat....Whoever's idea I end up using will win....(unless of course nobody comments!) and you'll win a grab bag from everyone's favorite store....Target! Seriously, I need help so let anyone you know who is crafty know that I need assistance!! Any ideas are welcome!! THANK YOU!!

All Of Our Hats.....

I have thought often about all the roles we as women are asked to play. So, I thought I'd do a pictorial post of them, so you can have a "yep" moment and maybe a laugh too!!

In the kitchen : In the "expertise" department :

In the bedroom :

In our community :

For our family :

For ourselves so we can impress our friends and family with our "craftiness" :

For our children :

How do we achieve all of this????

Any Suggestions??

I'm planning on starting to cook healthy meals on Sundays....and put them either in the freezer or the fridge.....but I need quick to reheat, I need healthy....I need kid friendly....

ANY IDEAS ARE WELCOME.....................

Look Who Made The Weekly Bulletin!!

Daniel's Prayer....

Tonight, as he was getting into "sleep mode" :

"Dear God I thank you for the food I eat and for today. Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and me and Zoe and Memaw and Mimi and Bobo (*giggle*) and Giggy and Bebe and even Mommy. Please help me to feel better. And thank you for Jesus...no wait I'm talking to Jesus! (I insert here : "it's OK to thank Jesus for all He's done for us, go ahead and thank Him!") OK Mommy, so thank you Jesus for being you. In your name, Amen."

A Few Things I Wonder About Jesus....

1. Since He was perfect, did He ever cry? Did He go through the "Terrible Twos?" Could He possibly have never thrown a temper tantrum? Did He ever pout? Did His earthly parents ever lose their cool with him?

2. Since childbirth was "supposed" to be a "punishment" for woman and her original sin, but Jesus was the Son of God, was his birth painless for Mary? It doesn't seem right to me that it would have hurt her giving birth to the Saviour of the world....

3. Did Jesus play sports? And if He did, was He better than everyone else? Or did He choose instead NOT to play sports because He knew it would be unfair?

4. Did He always obey his earthly parents? Or did He have moments of rebellion?

Any thoughts?? Anyone have questions they've wondered about??

You Know You Are......

Show of hands....how many of us that grew up watching "Beverly Hills 90210" are watching this new series?? Kelly's there, now Brenda's there too, and Nate is still running The Peach Pit. Kelly's drunken crazy mom, and baby Erin is now all grown up and calls herself "Silver" and she goes to West Beverly Hills High. The Drama department is doing "Spring Awakening," and the really spoiled little rich girl just found out her daddy's been having an affair for years. Nostalgia is what made me watch the 2 hour premiere, curiosity is what will keep me watching...but I can't help but long for the plotlines and stories of the original. Maybe it was just me, but I was captivated by that show....I somehow thought that High School was going to really be like that. Boy was I surprised when it wasn't! ;)



So, come on....admit it.....who's watching?

Things I Could Write Long Blogs About, But Decided Not To...

So, I could write long blogs about each of the following things, but decided not to....they're various things I've noticed, things I'm hacked off about, etc lately....

1. The health care system in this country. Let's face it, folks, it sucks. It's a really sad state of affairs when middle-class children are UNINSURED because their parents jobs offer unaffordable insurance or even no insurance at all....and when those same children are turned down for the program designed to "help" them : CHIPS because they "make too much money." Seriously??

2. The man at Albertson's who could evidently afford an entire bottle of cologne to dump on himself (enough so that with his windows rolled down in this early-September Texas heat it made me nauseous), but this same man apparently cannot afford carseats (there were NO carseats in the car, and the children weren't even restrained with shoulder belts) with which to restrain his obviously toddler-age children so that they may live to see adulthood. You're a scumbag.

3. The big truck afficionados in Texas who believe that due to the oversize nature of their driving machines they are entitled to as many parking spaces as they care to partake of....IN THE FRONT ROW OF TARGET'S PARKING LOT. I can understand parking your doolie at the back of the parking lot and taking up 6 spaces by parking catty corner across both lanes of spaces so that you are taking 3 on each side, but doing in in the front row of Target? How did you even find that many open spaces in the first place??? You're a jerk.

4. The drop-off system at my son's school. Actually, the drop-off and pick-up system is really efficient. Kudos to you. HOWEVER a big, fat JEERS to all you entitled parents who think that waiting patiently in the traffic ready to turn right or left into the school's ONE WAY ENTRANCE is an inconvenience to you so you zip around all those that ARE waiting patiently, and then cut off the person who has probably been waiting patiently to turn left for a long five minutes, and whose time is JUST AS VALUABLE AS YOURS. Way to model Christ for your kiddos. You know who you are. You're the one we all point out to our kids and say "don't be like that guy/gal."

5. Zoe's got 2 new friends at school. Claire and Elizabeth. She also has a little boy friend named Joey. Great. Joey's a cute kid, Claire's adorable, and I've actually never met Elizabeth but I'm sure she's a peach. However, SOMEONE at my darling daughter's school has taught her a new thing I shall entitle the "Diva Screech." This is a hideously high-pitched noise that is a cross between a fire engine siren and a cat stuck in a blender. Seriously y'all it's horrendous. Probably a great work out for her lungs, but it's going to make her Mommy deaf. And it does not awaken that warm, loving, "mommy feeling...." instead, it awakens that cold, sinister feeling of anger. And it drives anyone who hears it insane. It is NOT an endearing sound.

6. Daniel's a tape recorder. He listens. He repeats. Constantly. Gone are the days when I could spell the "taboo words" that I didn't want him repeating....now he just asks his Memaw, "Hey Memaw, what does s-h-i-t spell?" Yep. So now I gotta find new words to say/spell that he can repeat and nobody will think twice about it. Oh Pickles.

7. The cost of pet ownership. Why do they think we're all gullible folks who transfer our maternal/paternal instincts to our animals? I mean, I LOVE my pets (well....MOST of them that is....) but in order for them to get the care they "deserve" we've got to shell completely out of pocket for their care. Traditional vets charge more than say, Banfield Pet Hospital.....in fact, for our 6 year old dog Lucy to get checked out last week when we noticed that she was not doing so well, our old faithful vet wanted to charge me over $200.....yeah right. So I called Banfield inside PetSmart.....they've got this great Wellness Plan thing that the Dr wanted me to get for her. It covers your pet for a whole year and has various levels to it, all of which are incrementally more expensive monthly. HOWEVER, if you've got a pet....I highly recommend it. It costs roughly $300 a year paid out monthly, and covers your pet's vaccinations, vet visits, and 2 comprehensive physicals including urinalysis and blood work (there's even a level that included an EKG....) which they recommend each dog have in a year. So, rather than over $200 just for the vet visit #1, I got out of there over a 1 week time frame for right at $200 which paid for all her vaccines, deworming (she was negative but they still did it as a precaution), heartworm testing and preventive, antibiotics, 1 tooth pulled + dental care, the anesthesia, and all of her care for the next year....and a bath, and grooming. Awesome job, Banfield.

8. My kids start dance class this week! WHOOPEE!!!! I'm so excited for them both! (Zoe wants to be a "ball-ween-a" and Daniel wants to be a "tap dancer.") And we're going to work on getting a t-ball league with all the interested kids at Daniel's school too!

School....

So, Zoe is amazingly better....though I'm so upset because the Doctors have both checked Zoe's fee tickets with "Asthma" and I've got visions of pre-existing conditions and insurance denials floating through my head. She hasn't had to have a breathing treatment in over 24 hours! Thank God!!

Both kiddos are going to school 5 days a week, and they both go full days. Daniel is madly in love with school, and he never wants to "stay home" even when he tells me he didn't get enough sleep." He has friends named "Molly," "Brian," "Liam," "Garrett," "Hayden," "Blake," and others. And he LOVES his teacher. He is doing so well, and he's becoming better and better at writing his name!

Zoe is loving her school too! Her teacher is great, her classmates are awesome, and her new buddy is "Claire." She's also quite fond of "Joey," and I think she might have her first crush on Daniel's friend Garrett. It's adorable.

They're learning songs, and letters, and it's amazing. I asked Daniel last night what his favorite part of school is and he said "learning about God." That's amazing!

Zoe

Well, on Thursday, Zoe had a cough. It was a dry, choking cough. It made me nervous. She went to school for the day, I picked her up at 2:30 and took her to the Dr to recheck her ears (she's had an ear infection for over 3 weeks) at 4:20. We didn't see our regular Dr and we didn't see him right away, but when we did we were there until nearly 6. While we were waiting for the Dr to come in I noticed that Zoe was breathing strangely and I could hear her wheezing. I laid her back on the table and watched her chest retract while she was trying to breathe, and I was flashed back to when she was born and had all that trouble breathing. The Dr came in, looked in her ears (they were clear), and promptly asked me "when did she start wheezing?" I told him "about ten minutes ago." He asked us about family history of asthma (I didn't think there was any, but found out later my mother-in-law has asthma), and gave her an Albuterol nebulizer treatment in the office. He sent us home with a nebulizer, prescription for Albuterol, and Astelin nasal spray. I kept her home yesterday, we did breathing treatments every 4 hours, and she seemed OK Not a hundred percent, but getting better. She was running a low-grade temp all day Friday, but nothing over 99.8. Yesterday about 4 she was really hot (we're talking over 102) and I gave her some Tylenol. 2 hours later we did her last breathing treatment before bed after her bath, and I checked her temp : 101.7. I gave her Motrin, and put her to bed. I noticed that she was breathing very rapidly, and I checked her oxygen saturation levels and they were only 94% (normal is really over 97%). I called the Dr office, and told them my findings. Of course, we ended up at Cook's ER and spent 5 hours there.

After chest x-rays, breathing treatments, and lots of waiting......we talked to the Dr and she feels fairly certain that Zoe is suffering from "walking pneumonia" caused by a Mycoplasma bacterium. She started her on an oral steroid, a different antibiotic, and continuing the breathing treatments every 4 hours.

She's a different girl this morning. A mere 12 hours after her 1st steroid dose, and her 1st dose of the new antibiotic, she apparently feels so much better. She's not supposed to be running around, but she is right now chasing our dog. Her breathing is still rapid, more so than normal, but she looks like she feels better.

She was quite the little charmer last night at the ER. She had the respiratory therapist in stiches watching her hold her own mask while she did her breathing treatments!

Zoe, you are such a little jewel. You're beautiful, mischievous, and loving. You're the sweetest gift, and even though you can sometimes try our patience we wouldn't trade you for anything! We love you, and we are continuing to pray that this will be the end of your breathing problems!

Daniel's First Day Of School

since our computer has pretty much given up the ghost, it's memory is too full to be useful, I took a picture with my camera phone....isn't he cute?! And his little sister.....all grown up and going to school too!! Don't you just love the uniform????

I Covet Your Prayers

Found out this afternoon that Memaw's Lymphoma is back. She starts chemotherapy immediately. Please say prayers for complete healing, please.

I Can't Sleep....

My baby starts school tomorrow......REAL SCHOOL and I'm a freaking nut case.


Maybe I just need to go relax in a bubble bath or something......

Oh sure, I'm excited as heck for my kids! They're going to be with kids their age, playing, having a grand old time, and learning valuable things all at the same time! It doesn't get any better than that!

I don't know why the kids starting school affects me so much, other than the fact that we are now no longer the ones who see them the most during the day. We're "reinquishing control" of our children to virtual strangers, and that is scary. I am handing someone the single most valuable thing in the world to me and saying, "I trust you not to harm this most perfect and precious gift." So, when people look at me funny because we CHOOSE to send our children to a school we can't really afford.....just think about the world around us, imagine if we were to put them in the hands of God only knows who......at least at the schools they'll be in I know that they will be educated by loving people, by people who have the same values and ideals as we do, and that they will hear the same lessons reiterated at school AND at home.

Still, it doesn't alleviate the nerves at ALL......or the nausea........

So, if you are reading this, pray for me please. Pray for this first time mommy who must now see both her little chickies leave the nest and go to school within two days of each other. Because that's the only way I'm getting through this......prayer. And lots of it!

Life Changes.....

So, I haven't said so much yet, but Zoe starts school on Monday....I haven't said so much because we literally JUST enrolled her. It's a Montessori school, and she'll be in a class with kids up to age 6. She's advanced, and she's brilliant, and she's excited about her "Princess School." She got her backpack today, and her Dora lunch box. She's super excited!

Daniel starts school on Wednesday. He's going five days a week. And I'm truly excited....truly. Though it is a horribly emotional time for me right now! He gets to wear uniforms! We bought him uniform shorts and pants today, and he's got the shirts pressed and ready to go....I'm excited, I'm nervous, I'm scared.

I need a vacation....I need some time at the beach....I want to spend some time with my family at the beach, relaxing, and just enjoying each other. I think we'll be heading to the coast in a month or so......just to get away.

Picture This.....

.....it's after 9:30 at night, your neighbor (who is slightly crazy, frazzled looking, and barefoot) is racing down the street obviously after her escape artist jack russell terrier......and you're standing in your front yard smoking. The dog runs right up to you....do you a) grab the dog so you can save your poor obviously stressed out neighbor some barefoot running, or b) continue to stand there smoking your cigarette while your poor neighbor tries to corner her dog and then you laugh because the dog you could have caught very easily is now running down the middle of a busy street?

You'd think the obvious choice is A right? NOT SO MUCH APPARENTLY.....my neighbors are the picture of apathy.

ugh

Thinks I'm Thinking....

* Sometimes God's timing is so hard to understand and accept.....
* Those people on the Valtrex commercials look so HAPPY to have genital herpes....odd, I don't think I'd be all that excited about it....
* Serial killers always look so creepy......how do people not realize they're serial killers?
* I wish my children weren't sick
* I don't understand people who don't call people back
* I'm not the most patient person in the world....
* I wish my children would stay young
* I'm proud of my husband
* I miss my extended family
* I'm looking forward to spending more time with my family
* I can't believe Daniel is going to start SCS in about 2 weeks....
* There but for the Grace of God go I....
* There is a lot of sadness in this world, a lot of despair, but underneath it all is a suspension bridge of Hope.

What Are My Kids Doing?

*Zoe went to bed last night at 5 pm with Tylenol, and Mucinex Cold on board......running a 101.5 temp. She is still asleep as I'm typing this at almost 11:30 am....poor baby

*Daniel is watching "Robin Hood," you know.....the animated one! Love this movie.

*I'm about to scramble some eggs.

*Michael is working....

*This morning after I got out of my shower Daniel was laying on the floor beside my bed and when questioned about what he hwas doing he said very simply, "oh I'm just resting here until my blood pressure comes up." WHAT?!?!?!?! Ahhhhh the joys of having someone who listens to EVERY conversation, even the ones his Mommy has with patients!! :)

*Daniel enjoys showers....he said "they're just like baths but you get to stand up and the water does all the work!"

*My children are infatuated with the movie "Jurassic Park." Seriously. Even though Zoe proclaims she is afraid of "E.T." she LOVES Jurassic Park....especially the part with the "T-Rex!" They love those "bossaraptors" as Daniel calls the velociraptors. And the weirdest part of all, there are no "scary" parts for me to fast-forward through. Daniel in fact gets upset if we skip ANY of the parts, except "when the great big fat man stealed the dinosaurs and then falled down and wasn't very happy." Ahhh....childhood.

I LOVE my family!!

Fear....

Is it the times we live in? Is it my own paranoia? Or what?

I left Target tonight with my children, and I was constantly looking over my shoulder, looking around the parking lot, I tried to park as close as possible to the door even though the sun was not down yet. Why? I have this (irrational? rational? what?) fear of someone trying to steal my children, steal me, steal my stuff. I don't really know what....other than my biggest fear IS something happening to my children. If something happened to them I'd probably die. Maybe it's that fear that keeps me looking over my shoulder. Who knows.

In other news.....

My children are amazing. They're beautiful. They're happy. They're well rounded. They love to pray, and I've even heard Daniel lately praying when he gets frustrated (wow is there a lesson in there for his mommy or what?!) and I'm touched. (Their prayers really are the best....Daniel always ends his prayers "and Jesus pray....Amen." Zoe ends hers "Jesus.....Amen." Too sweet for words!)

My husband is great too, I can't even tell you how much I admire him.....he's doing right now the one thing most men would never do and that is staying at home as full time Daddy. And the greatest part of all is that he's so darn good at it!! The kids are happy, they love having Daddy home all day. And I do too!!

Daniel starts Pre-K on Aug 20.................what?!?!?!?!?!?!?! So, yeah....you can pretty much expect me to be institutionalized after that. The only thing that's keeping me partially sane is a) he's going to my alma mater so I feel safe, b) he's only going 3 days a week (but still!), and c) it doesn't seem real...............yet. Even though I've washed and ironed his uniforms (yep, he gets to wear uniforms!! oh just wait for the pictures!!!) and they're hanging up ready for him to wear. I just don't know how I'm going to make it.....but there'll be a way.....there just has to be!!

I'm Not Her Biggest Fan, But I Definitely Agree....

Well, I certainly am not her greatest fan (she really annoys me) but I think her food sounds tasty even though it is pretentious, and I'd definitely eat at Suze....and she is the most personable of the THREE left......and I definitely agree with this article about Lisa Garza.

Boo....

My computer is out of memory....which means that it runs really, really, really slow.....AND I can't pull my pictures off my digital camera....which is nearly FULL of some really cute pics.


So, insert imaginative pictures of my kiddos here....

Forever And Always, I Am.....

Thank you, Holy Father, for your love. Thank you for sticking by me through everything...even when I got upset with you. Thank you for enduring.

Pet Peeve

When people go through the "self check" lane at, oh say Wal Mart, with a FULL cart of stuff.....I do believe that is there to make things EASIER not more difficult......

My Wordle...

Blast From The Past!!

Some Things I Love Right Now

especially love my Group X classes!!

I've been using this fragrance for a few months now, and Daniel always says it smells "like Mommy"

My life-saver in some circumstances ;)
Been eating Kashi Go Lean for awhile now, just discovered these TLC chewies....and they are AWESOME....a great little lunch while I'm driving around town!

I'm pretty much in love with this show....where else can you watch an actual heart transplant ON TV?!?!?!? WOO!

My So-Called Life

"mom, you're my best friend!"
"I'm Zoe and I'm so cute!"
that sticky suction cup ball confounds poor Mambo!
Daniel took this picture!!!! What a photog!
And Zoe took this one!!! (notice the theme here.....TRANSFORMERS, TRANSFORMERS, TRANSFORMERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Daniel And Zoe...My Two Miracles

Swimmin' Fool With Mimi!! And 4th Of July Fun @ The Rowan's