Art Aprons

When I learn how to sew I am so going to make one of these for Lou La! Maybe I will give it a shot before her birthday! This little beauty full of brand new markers, a pair of scissors, and a couple of glue sticks would make her little heart sing!

The idea came from Grace Violet and you can visit her site for the instructions.

Chairs

This makes me want to get up really early in the morning and go to a bunch of garage sales and find a bunch of chairs! It is a good thing that we are about to have a huge Monsoon storm! It will be too muggy to go shopping at Garage Sales!

I like white.

If I had my way all of the walls in my house would be white. I like white walls. And this white on white is YUMMY!!

Flip Flop Dress Up

This weekend is my niece's 3rd birthday party. Once again we were stuck trying to figure out what to get the girl that has everything. We have to ask that question a lot in my family. To put it nicely, my family has a habit of showing their love with things. Don't get me wrong. They show it in other ways too. And I can't pretend that my children don't have too many toys as well. We are not immune to this disease. It is genetic. It doesn't help that I have an aversion to getting rid of anything that was a gift. I am trying to change. I am considering therapy. ;D

Anyway, back to my niece! She is obsessed with shoes. She will take off her own and steal any pair she can find. Too big or too small. Pretty or not. She loves shoes. Because this is a common addiction among little girls, I thought I would share this gift idea.

I was going to go and buy her dress up shoes. You know, the Disney Princess set that makes the great clomping sound when you walk in them. My daughter loves hers. But because she loves them she always wants to wear them. Around the house. To the post office. To school. I am sure my niece would be the same way. Not to mention that she has stairs in her house, so just wearing them at home could be hazardous to her health.

So I thought I would make some dress up shoes that she could wear up the stairs, to the grocery story, or anyplace else she felt like wearing them.





All you need is a trip to Old Navy and an obnoxious stash of scrapbook supplies and you should be all set! But seriously, there are a TON of things around the house you could use to make some cute Dress Up Flip Flops.

If I had a desk

I now need 6 clipboards and a place to hang them.

Dave Freeman died at age 47

If you don't know who Dave Freeman is, you can read about him here. He was the coauthor of 100 Things to do Before You Die.

He died at age 47. He was at home. He fell and hit his head. He had only visited half of the places he talked about in his book.

I think I need to start a list. And I am pretty sure I haven't done anything today that will end up on that list!

Off to do something fun! After getting Lou off to school of course!

Fall Is Coming - Pumpkin Dip

And I am going to have to try this recipe for Pumpkin Dip!

Pumpkin Dip
12 Servings

3/4 cup (6 oz.) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
24 apple slices

1. Place first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. (I whipped for about 2-3 minutes, to get it nice and fluffy) Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat until smooth. Cover dip, and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple.

I got the recipe (and picture) from Blissfully Domestic.

9 Months and 27 Days

and walking!

She took two steps towards her Daddy tonight.

I am so excited and so sad all at the same time! I will have too see if I can get a picture of her tomorrow.

I need some new recipes

So I need to start making a menu before I grocery shop. I used to be really good about it. But then summer came. I stop doing anything that has any semblance of structure to it in the summer time.

So I need some new recipes. Relatively healthy. Relatively easy to prepare...at least until it cools off. Noone in their right mind uses the stove unless absolutely necessary when it is 106 degrees outside!

So if you have any for me, please post them in the comments. And if you see a ton of recipe posts in the next little bit, you will know what they are for! :D Because this blog is my brain. It is where I keep any and all ideas that I have so I don't forget them and know where to find them!

White Chocolate Orange Cookies!

Sherelle's White Chocolate Orange Dream Cookies
-1 c. butter
-2/3 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
-1/2 c. white sugar
-1 large egg
-1 Tbs. grated orange rind
-juice from 1/2 orange
-1 tsp. orange extract
-3/4 tsp. salt
-1 pkg. white chocolate chips
Beat butter and sugars on medium speed until creamy. Add egg, orange rind, juice and extract. Mix well. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in white chocolate chips. Roll or scoop into balls and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. ENJOY!

Got this from Sherelle's blog.

Introducing you all to Google Reader

I have read about 3000 blog posts on different blogs about having a problem balancing blog reading with real life. I know to many people, including myself, that sitting down at the computer puts the clock in fast forward. You sit down for a few minutes while eating your lunch at noon and the clock jumps ahead two hours and it is time to pick the kids up from school.

So here is my handy solution to combat that!

Google Reader!

Google has set up a great format for subscribing to all of your favorite blogs. Once you have subscribed, Google Reader will tell you when your favorite bloggers have added new posts. That saves you time right there! You don't have to click through all the link on your favorites just to find out that your favorite bloggers seem to have more of a life then you do at the moment! You will know which blogs have new content and you can choose to follow the link to their blog or read the content right there on Google Reader.

And the even more amazing time saving trick! You can create categories for all of your blogs. Cooking, Photography, Crafting, Home Decor...you come up with the category titles yourself. So make folders for each of the days of the week and divide your blogs up between them. Then check Google Reader once a day and check up on the blogs that you have selected for the day!

When you are done, walk away! Close Google Reader, put your computer in sleep mode, and get back to living your life so that you will have something interesting to blog about tomorrow!

I Must Be Serious This Time!

I ate oatmeal for breakfast. I really don't like oatmeal. I don't mind the flavor, or lack thereof, but I cannot stand the texture. Blah! Double Blah! I couldn't even force myself to finish it. Luckily Toots is a huge fan of oatmeal. So I did the motherly thing and let her eat it. I am so glad I am teaching my kids good eating habits even though I don't possess any myself!

On more than one occasion I have heard the boy turn down dessert because he was full. He is 7. I am 29 and I don't think I have ever turned down a dessert in my life! Gotta love the boy!

I would much rather have a nice bowl of Raisin Bran. Or Honey Nut Cheerios. Mmmmm. I love Honey Nut Cheerios.

On top of my oatmeal eating I will be heading back to the gym this week. My lovely friend Bronchitis is almost done with his stay. I still have a cough and there is still a nice little rattle when I breath, but I have to plug my ears to hear it. These are big improvements. He has definitely worn out his welcome.

So hopefully today is the start of getting back on track for a lot of things, not just healthy eating and working out.

Redecorating In My Mind: the girls room

My sister in law has some really cute framed sketches of dresses in one of the rooms of her house. They are extra special because they are actually from dresses that were created for her grandma and aunts to wear, but even without the sentimental value they are adorable! Just one of her many ideas that I plan on one day copying.

Today I was looking at a few blogs and came across the idea of framing Barbie clothes in a shadow box. You used to be able to buy like this:

but you can use any shadow box and any Barbie outfit.

I found this:

in a post on Poppytalk which is a lot closer to what I am thinking of doing. Now all I have to do is figure out the colors I want and find some cute Barbie ensembles to match!

Snap Tees

I just found this cute little shop MyPerennial. The shop is full of cute stuff, but the thing I thought was so clever were these snap tees. The shirt has a snap in it and you can change out the felt animals/designs for the front. Such a cute idea!

First Birthday Cake

Toot's first birthday is right around the corner. I have been keeping my eyes out for ideas. I found this one from www.pinkcakebox.com. I love the three block idea (that spell ONE). I will have to remember that one! Maybe some cute square cupcakes!!

You cheated on me

when I specifically asked you not to? - Michael

I cannot wait for the new season of The Office to start!!

Fun idea

photography: Roger Davies
from cottageliving.com

1. Find a typeface you love
Print a variety of letters from your personal computer or buy sheets of rub-on transfer letters from a craft store.

2. Pencil it in
Fran's lettering is hand drawn, but you can also use enlarged copies of letters like a stencil to outline their shapes.

3. Paint between the lines
Use latex paint to fill in the letters. Leftover paint and paint samples are a great way to save money using small amounts of multiple colors. Fran chose a paint finish that matched the walls.

Grosgrain Fabulous has done it again!!

Look at this dress!!

This lady makes me want to learn to sew. Well, I have actually always wanted to learn, but this motivates me to really do it!!

Lou La would be to die for cute in this dress!!

Madrid Crash

I just saw on the news that a plane crashed during take off at the Madrid Airport. Usually when those types of crashes happen there are some injured, but they typically are not horrific.

Only 19 people survived this crash. The current count is 153 dead. 20 of which were children. 2 of which were babies.

You can read the news story about the crash here.

I don't know why this hit me so hard. Maybe because I have been so grouchy about feeling sick. Sometimes you forget about what is really important. And how a little case of Bronchitis really isn't that big of a deal.

My heart goes out to anyone affected by this tragedy.

These pictures are part of the news story on sky.com (linked above).

Some Deep Soul Searching - My 500th Post

Why is it that when I am the most unable to do anything I am the most motivated? Does that make any sense?

For over a week now I have been sick. It started as just a little bit of chest congestion. It them progressed to something more like bronchitis. At that point I decided a trip to urgent care might be in order. I arranged for my mom to come over in the morning to be with the kiddos, but when I woke up I was feeling considerably better, so I called her and told her not to make the drive. This morning I woke up on the downhill side of it again. I keep telling myself I will feel better tomorrow.

So for the last week getting the kids fed, clothed, and to school has been about all I could muster. If you have read some of my recent posts you know that at times even that hasn't gone well.

When my house is quiet at night and I can't sleep because I am coughing up a lung, I get pretty introspective. I start thinking of all the changes that I need to make. The garage that needs to be cleaned out, the picture frames that need to be hung, the closet that needs to be organized. I contemplate different methods of saving money, different ways to get healthier, and different things that will make me a better mom or wife or person. All when I don't have the energy to get up and do any of it.

So hopefully in the next few days (tomorrow would be nice) I will feel better. Really better. Not just talk myself out of going to the doctor better. And hopefully I will still have all of these ideas and all of this motivation built up inside of me. Maybe just maybe I will get caught up on all of the chores and still have time to clean out the garage. Maybe just maybe I will get to the gym every morning after taking the boy to school. Maybe just maybe the picture frames will get hung. The ones that have been hiding behind the couch for 26 months. No that isn't an exaggeration. They have really been there for over two years.

Maybe just maybe.

Oh, and this is my 500th post. Doesn't really have anything to do with the post itself, just noticed on my dashboard that this was post 500. Please don't throw any confetti. I don't have the time or energy to sweep it up.

Chocolate Chip Cookies from the New York Times

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Published: July 9, 2008
Adapted from Jacques Torres

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt.


1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.

Cute little pies!

With fall just around the corner I might have to give these a try. I found them on a few different blogs, but Not Martha had the best instructions! These little cuties were baked in a jar!

Sweet Tamale Corn Cakes

The Cheesecake Factory Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes
By Todd Wilbur

Ingredients :
Salsa Verde :
2 tomatillos, chopped (remove papery skin)
1 4 oz can mild green chilies
1 green onion
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 1/4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch ground black pepper

for Southwestern Sauce :
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
3/4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch onion powder
dash salt
dash garlic powder

for Tomato Salsa :
1 medium tomato
1 tablespoon minced Spanish onion
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
1/4 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 small fresh jalapeño, minced
dash salt
dash ground black pepper

for Cakes :
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup corn masa (corn flour)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

for Garnish :
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Preparation & Cooking Instructions
Prepare salsa verde by combining all ingredients (tomatillos, green chilies, green onion, cilantro, sugar, cumin, salt, and pepper) in a food processor on high speed. Cover and chill.
Prepare tomato salsa by combining all ingredients (diced tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, salt, and pepper) in a small bowl. Cover and chill.
Prepare southwestern sauce by combining all ingredients (mayonnaise, vinegar, water, sugar, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, salt, and garlic powder) in a small bowl. Cover and chill.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Prepare the tamale cakes by chopping 1 cup of the frozen corn in a food processor until it's coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well with electric mixer until smooth.
Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining ½ cup of frozen corn kernels by hand.
Measure 1/2 cup portions of the mixture and form it into 3" wide patties with your hands. Arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cakes are browned on the bottom. Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until other side is browned.
While the cakes are baking, spoon a portion of the salsa verde onto a plate or platter (you may want to heat up your plate in the oven for a bit to help warm the sauce). You'll need to use enough salsa verde to coat the entire plate -- it should be about 1/4" deep. Arrange the tamale cakes side-by-side on the salsa verde. Spoon a dollop of sour cream onto each tamale cake. Drizzle the southwestern sauce over the cakes in a crisscross patter (use a squirt bottle if you've got one). Spoon some tomato salsa over the cakes, followed by the chopped avocado. Finish off the plate by sprinkling the coarsely chopped cilantro leaves over the top.

Serves 4.

She didn't even notice

I guess that she had snacked enough before school because she wasn't even hungry when I picked her up. I brought her snacks anyway.

Summer 2009

It looks like the latest Harry Potter movie won't be released this Fall. It has been postponed until Summer 2009.

That is a bummer. I can't say I didn't have plans to go see it with family the night it came out. But part of me is glad. The sooner it comes out the closer we will be to the end of Harry Potter. I am not looking forward to the day that I don't have anything HP to look forward to!

The 2020 Olympics

I have mentioned before that the boy is a little obsessed with the Olympics. He definitely got his father's genes. So tonight we have been discussing in which sport he is going to pursue these Olympic dreams of his.

We were watching the Men's 100 Meter Semi-Finals. When it was over he looked at me and said, "I am a fast runner, but I am not that fast." At least he has a level head!

We talked a little bit about the practice it takes to make it to the Olympics. And then I talked to him about how some people are born with talents and we just need to find his talent.

So he then decided that his event would be Table Tennis. That's my boy! Keeping it real! He said he might want to try diving. I kept suggesting swimming, but he doesn't seem interested. We are currently watching the Marathon. His Grandpa is a marathon runner, so I told him that was an option. I don't think he sees the joy in running 26.something miles. Smart boy. He said maybe bicycling (cycling).

We will have to see. I figure he has until 2020 (he will still be pretty young in 2016) so we have time.

I know what I am getting my Mom for Christmas

I just read an article about Scan My Photo. Here is the site. Here is the article. The company (for an amazing price) will scan all of your photos and send them to you on DVD. They have a ton of other services too (like printing all the scanned images in a book, turning VHS to DVDS, and scanning slides.

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. Last Christmas my sister-in-law copied all of our home movies from VHSC to DVD. I cannot tell you how much we have enjoyed watching them now that they are conveniently on DVD. Lou La would watch them every if I would let her.

I am going to have to add this to my to do list!

Why does Ikea hate me?

So I finally find something that is the right color, it is made for the shelves I have and I think it will work.

I have been looking for boxes/baskets to hide some of the stuff on the book shelf in the family room. Like Wii controllers, Wii games, mostly Wii stuff that is really esthetically pleasing!

And of course they are out of the brown and beige. The two colors that I want. They have dark green, red and dark blue! :P

Doesn't Ikea know that I don't shop often. And that when I am in the mood to buy something I need to fill the need quickly before it dies. I have looking for baskets since January. Ikea missed another opportunity at getting my money! It will probably be 8 more months before I get a bug in my ear to look for baskets again!

TV Tag

Yesterday my husband's 'friends' (a joke only he will get) reminded me of a fun little game I used to play when I was a kid. TV Tag?

Do you remember it? Did you play? Did you always use The Cosby Show.

If you don't have the fond memories of TV Tag then explaining the game won't really endear you to it at all, but I will give those of you that almost remember a little refresher.

It starts out like regular tag. There is no base and one person is it. If you are about to get tagged you can save yourself by dropping to the ground and yelling out the name of a TV show. Now from here the rules vary by playground. Usually you can only use the name of a show once. There is typically a rule about how long you can stay down, how down on the ground you have to be, and if there are tag backs or not. The possibilities are endless!

I cannot wait for the weather to cool off so I can take my kids outside to play TV Tag! Sadly they won't be able to play it on the playground. The district has a no tag rule. You have to race. Don't get me started! I am sure it has to do with someone being injured, but it still makes me sad that my kids can't enjoy a game of tag at recess.

Oh how times have changed. What was your favorite game as a kid?

Waterfall Art

I still feel like dirt, so I have been vegging out in front of the computer. Found a site with this! Amazing!

Cupcake Love (with heart shaped decorations)

Green Tea Cupcake Love (with heart shaped decorations)
Originally uploaded by andrea ♥

I must figure out how they got the cute sprinkles to stay in a heart shape on the plate! Must know!

This Isn't Working!

So the girls share a room. That makes sense right? Yeah, it isn't working.

Toots is pretty new to the sleeping through the night thing. There is crying associated with the falling asleep and I have to try to work their bedtimes so that Toots is asleep before Lou La needs to be in bed. I have yet to try just sticking them in there together, but I highly doubt anything good would come from that.

Then there is Lou La's new obsession with getting out of bed 100 times. Not just the typical before she falls asleep routine. Can I have a teensy weensy drink of water. My tummy hurts, can I have a Minty medicines? (this one is new since I let her have her first Tums! The girl is now addicted!) I have to go potty? Yeah, not just those. She has now added the middle of the night round of getting out of bed. And of course this wakes Toots up.

Lou La has been sleeping all over the place. On the couch, in her brother's room, on the floor, in my bed. Poor girl needs a home.

So I am debating having her share a room with the boy. I originally was going to do it when Toots was born, but decided against it because the boy likes his 'private time'. But I really don't know what else to do. I honestly have no desire to move all that furniture either.

Argh! I just don't know what to do!

Anyone have any suggestions? Other than having my Dad come and build more rooms! (which if I had the money I might just do!!)

I think I freaked him out!

The boy has a habit of picking off his scabs. I know that sounds gross, but he is a boy. That is what they do, right? In all honesty I remember doing the same as a kid and, well, I am not even a boy! So maybe it is just what kids do.

Well the last time he did it I told him I told him that it wasn't a good idea to remove a scab before it was ready. I told him a scab is like a band aid that your body makes for you. It keeps out the germs until your body has a chance to fix itself.

He then asked me what would happen if germs got inside. I explained infections.

He has shown me his knee three times asking me questions about the way it looks? He is worried about an infection.

Poor kid! I guess I gave him a little too much info! :P

So we had another conversation about infections. And antibiotics. Hopefully I won't be inspecting his scab anytime soon.

This is my fourth day of school.

Today walking Lou La to school she told me it was her fourth day of school. She is keeping a close count. She tells me everyday.

I asked her if she liked going to school. She said yes. Although the only thing she has really talked to me about are the snacks. Love this girl!

So I dropped her off on the playground and asked her if she wanted me to stay. She told me I could go. And I almost did. But I waited. And I watched. And she walked around alone for a bit. And then she went and sat in the sand box under the tree and played in the sand alone. And it broke my heart. I watched and she played. She looked around a lot, but didn't go up to anyone.

I left just before the bell rang.

She has such a strange personality. She is so funny and outgoing and crazy. But she is very delicate and shy inside. They are traits that don't really go together, so I often forget.

So she played alone. But I think she was okay. And it is a good thing to feel comfortable alone. Right?

I just want them to grow up and be comfortable in their own skin. I want them to know how wonderful they are and I want them to be great people. Nice and fun and kind. The same thing that most people want for their kids. But you can only do so much. I can't sit on the playground with her. At least not everyday. Even though I want to. And I would. And that is what is going to kill me. They are growing up. They have to go out into the world, even if it is just a small corner of the world, all by themselves. And I have to let them.

Is today a school day?

The boy walked into the kitchen this morning and asked me if today was a school day. I told him yes and asked him why he asked?

Well you didn't wake me up and my clothes are not on the couch.

I typically lay out their clothes on the couch the night before and after they eat breakfast they take their clothes and go change for school. Last night I wasn't feeling well so I went to be early. And I slept in a bit this morning. The boy actually woke up a little early, so I was still packing lunches.

Things are always a little off when I am sick and right now I don't feel like I have a routine down at all! But it is nice to know that the boy is able to find some structure under the chaos.

This won't be good...for the diet.

This chocolate peanut butter cake from smitten kitchen looks really yummy!

Cute back to school treats!

These come from Family Fun

The fish are made with cream cheese, dried apricots and pretzels. The eyes are chocolate chips. Although they are super cute, I can't imagine that combination tasting good together! They would be cute for a party treat though. More for decoration though.

But this idea is yummy!! Mini caramel apples:

You make them the same way you make the full size apples, but you use popsicle sticks cut in half and you use a melon baller to take little balls out of a green apple. So fun!!

Dying Pasta

I am going to have to do this for Lou La! She loves to do crafty things and I bought a bunch of fun pasta shapes that she can use to make necklaces. These colors would make it so much more fun!

I got the idea at tutus and turtles.

What you need:

1. food coloring
2. dried pasta (any kind)
3. rubbing alcohol
4. ziploc bags

How you do it:

1. place noodles in ziploc bag. double bag or place in a tupperware bowl in case of leaks.
2. completely cover the noodles with rubbing alcohol
3. mix in food coloring
4. let the noodles sit to absorb color
(the longer they sit, the deeper the color. I left mine over night)

Calydryl Clear

Lou La woke me up last night because she was itchy. She and her brother were eaten alive by mosquitoes on Sunday while playing outside with their cousins.

Lou La likes Caladryl. She likes Caladryl like she likes band aids. We had to cover every spot she could find with Caladryl. Even if it wasn't itchy. Even if it wasn't a bug bite. It is a good thing I only have the clear stuff! If it was pink she would want me to cover her entire body with it!!

First Day of School! First Day of School!

This morning was crazy! All day today has been crazy! It is going to take me a while to get used to this new schedule.

With all the maddness I almost forgot to take pictures. And the pictures I did take, although cute because of the subjects, are not the greatest shots. They were taken one handed while holding Toots in the other. Photography and a heavy, squirmy baby do not mix.

The boy:

Wearing his Hulk shirt that for the life of me I couldn't find last night! Thank goodness it was finally found! Although the boy, sweet thing that he is, told me it was okay if I couldn't find it. He would just wear something else.

We loaded them all up this morning and picked up the other kids that are in our carpool. I dropped him off at school, made sure he remembered his class number, and off he went. It breaks my heart how big he is getting.

Lou La:

We spent the morning together and then it was finally time to get her ready for school. She has been asking me all morning when she could get ready.

We drove to school today. If you know where my house is in comparison to the school you know that is pretty ridiculous (it is right across the street) but with the heat, the baby, my camera, and the snack supplies we were bringing walking wasn't going to cut it.

As we pulled up to the school Lou La started to cry. You never know how it is going to go with her. She is pretty outgoing, but she has a really sad side to her. She told me that she was scared to be all alone. We talked about P school last year and how I wasn't there but she wasn't alone. After a few minutes of being reassured she stopped crying and we held hands as we walked to her classroom. It took about 3.5 seconds to cheer up once she saw all the kids. She said hello to her teacher and got to be the line leader. I asked her if she wanted me to stay until she went into class and she replied, "No, you can go now."

I am really excited to pick her up and have her tell me how her day went! She tells the best stories!

And then there is this one:

The only one left at home with me. I shot this picture after dropping my camera on the ground! Oops! Luckily it only fell out of my bag and I stopped it with my foot. But that isn't really the way you should treat a camera! I took this picture to make sure it still worked! Love that face! It is her new smile.

We had a pretty busy day. It doesn't seem like we got much done, but everyone got where they were supposed to be. I made it to the gym. Toots took two decent naps. And It is time to go get Lou La from school and get home before the carpool drops off the boy.

Something Else I Need!

I am starting to post these and label them My Christmas List. Because I want them. Heck, I need them! And I won't remember that I want and need them when I need to remember that I want and need them! And who knows...Hubby might be reading! :D

These are Gourmet Writers. Basically they are food markers. And I need them so that I can color on cookies and cupcakes! :D

Tomorrow is the day!

It is back to school time. I am really sad that the summer is over. I am also sad that my babies are growing up! Tomorrow will be Lou La's first day of school. And maybe even worse is that the boy is old enough for me to just drop off on the first day of school. I usually walk him to his classroom, take a few pictures, wave goodbye, and shed a few tears as I walk away. I planned on doing the same thing this year, but thought I should ask him what he wanted me to do.

"Do you want me to walk you to your class or just drop you off?"

"You can just drop me off"

"Do you remember where your classroom is and where you are supposed to line up?"

"Yep."

"What is your classroom number?"

"25"

His classroom number isn't 25, but I figure if I remind him what it is before I let him out of the car he will be okay.

At least Lou La will let me follow her around before school, snap a thousand pictures, and shed a few tears.

*sigh*

My babies are growing up!

Hello Naomi is my favorites!

"eat me" alice in wonderland cupcakes
Originally uploaded by hello naomi

I have used one of her cupcake ideas (the Mario cupcakes) for the boy's last birthday, and I am going to be using one of her ideas (the lego cupcakes) for his next birthday.

And I might just steal this idea for Lou Las birthday tea party! They are Alice in Wonderland cupcakes! Love them!

She is super talented, but even above that she is just so darn creative!! Love her stuff!

Olympics Day One

We stayed up and watched the opening ceremonies last nigh. I have to say that it was AMAZING! It started out amazing and just kept getting better. If you haven't seen it you need to find it online!

We celebrated by having Chinese food for dinner!

This morning we watched Volleyball and right now we are watching the USA sweep the fencing competition. Gold, Silver and Bronze. So neat to watch.

My favorite part is that my kids have gotten so into it. Especially the fencing. You would think that fencing would be such an odd event for them to love. It is actually one of their favorite games to play on the Wii, so it was one of their favorites to watch as well.

I believe we have swimming and beach volleyball coming on later today.

Go USA!

That's Kind Of Like Having Cancer

Today we were visiting with my Aunt Annie. Yesterday she had what was hopefully her last chemo treatment.

Lou La asked her why she was wearing a bandanna on her head. Annie told her that she had cancer and the medicine they gave her makes her hair fall out. I have explained this to her before, but thankfully her little mind has more important matters to be concerned with.

Annie asked her if she wanted to see her head without hair and Lou La declined. After a little persuasion on my part she took a peak at the back of Annie's head. Her response:

"One time grandma cut my hair. That's kind of like having cancer."

Of course we explained to her that it wasn't like having cancer. And she said she hoped she never had cancer. Me too baby. Me too.

08.08.08

Beijing 2008 Olympic Cupcake
Originally uploaded by clevercupcakes

The Olympics start tomorrow. (Although I think that is today in Beiging...I could be wrong).

I really like the Olympics. Love watching gymnastics and swimming. I get all teary eyed when they play the National Anthem.

My husband and his siblings get REALLY excited about the Olympics. I wouldn't be surprised if they were more excited then the people actually participating IN the Olympics.

I am actually in complete shock that there isn't already a party planned for the opening ceremonies.

What is your favorite Summer Olympic event? Mine might be making these cupcakes. I think the boy and I are going to make them tomorrow. Thanks clevercupcakes for the idea.

I think I am going to stop drinking water

As a kid I never drank water. Okay, that isn't true. Not the never part, but the kid part. I don't think I drank water until I was in college.

At ASU they only sold Aquafina. I think I purchased enough 1 Liter bottles of Aquafina to fill a decent size lake. To this day I still cannot drink tap water. There are even brands of bottled water that I can't drink.

Anyway, back to the giving up water thing.

If I compare things like my weight, my skin, energy level, I like the pre-water drinking me better than the water drinking me. So I am thinking I should stop drinking water. What do you think?

About the only other thing I remember from ASU (besides the large Aquafina bottles) is a logic class I took. Loved that class. We learned about all sorts of things like indirect coorelations.

Been there done that.

Is it just me or do these things keep getting longer? It used to be 5 things no one knows about you or 10 things that make you happy. Now it is 100 things about you and this list of 200 things! Crazy!

Have you ever...(if it is bold I have)

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given to a charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Held a lamb
25. Gone skinny dipping
26. Taken an ice cold bath
27. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
28. Seen a total eclipse
29. Ridden a roller coaster
30. Hit a home run
31. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
32. Adopted an accent for fun
33. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
34. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
35. Loved your job 90% of the time
36. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
37. Watched wild whales
38. Gone rock climbing
39. Gone on a walk on the beach
40. Gone sky diving
41. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
42. Bench-pressed your own weight
43. Milked a cow
44. Alphabetized your personal files
45. Worn a superhero costume
46. Sung karaoke
47. Lounged around in bed all day
48. Gone scuba diving
49. Kissed in the rain
50. Played in the mud
51. Gone to a drive-in theater
52. Done something you should regret
53. Visited the Great Wall of China
54. Started a business
55. Been in a movie
56. Gone without food for 3 days
57. Made cookies from scratch
58. Won first prize in a costume contest
59. Got flowers for no reason
60. Spoken more than one language fluently
61. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
62. Bounced a check
63. Read and understood your credit report
64. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
65. Called or written your Congress person
66. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
67. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
68. Helped an animal give birth
69. Been fired or laid off from a job
70. Won money
71. Broken a bone
72. Ridden a motorcycle
73. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
74. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
75. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
77. Had your picture in the newspaper
78. Read the Bible cover to cover
79. Changed some one's mind about something you care deeply about
80. Gone back to school
81. Changed your name
82. Eaten fried green tomatoes
83. Read The Iliad
84. Taught yourself an art from scratch
85. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
86. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
87. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
88. Been elected to public office
89. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
90. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
91. Dyed your hair
92. Rocked a baby to sleep
93. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
94. Raked your carpet
95. Worn a mood ring
96. Ridden a horse
97. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
98. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
99. Buried a child
100. Gone to a Broadway play
101. Been inside the pyramids
102. Shot a basketball into a basket
103. Danced at a disco
104. Played in a band
105. Shot a bird
106. Gone to an arboretum
107. Tutored someone
108. Ridden a train
109. Brought an old fad back into style
110. Eaten caviar
111. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
112. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
113. Published a book
114. Pieced a quilt
115. Lived in a historic place
116. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
117. Asked for a raise
118. Made a hole-in-one mini golfing
119. Gone deep sea fishing
120. Gone roller skating
121. Run a marathon
122. Learned to surf
123. Invented something
124. Flown first class
125. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury hotel
126. Sang a solo
127. Gone spelunking
128. Learned how to take a compliment
129. Written a love-story
130. Seen Michelangelo’s David
131. Had your portrait painted
132. Written a fan letter
133. Spent the night in something haunted
134. Ran away
135. Learned to juggle
136. Been a boss
137. Sat on a jury
138. Lied about your weight
139. Gone on a diet
140. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
141. Written a poem
142. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
143. Gotten food poisoning
144. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
145. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
146. Gone to the opera
147. Gotten a letter from someone famous
148. Worn knickers
149. Ridden in a limousine
150. Attended the Olympics
151. Can hula or waltz
152. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
153. Been stuck in an elevator
154. Had a revelatory dream
155. Thought you might crash in an airplane
156. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
157. Saved someone’s life
158. Eaten raw whale
159. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
160. Laughed till your side hurt
161. Straddled the equator
162. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
163. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
164. Sent a message in a bottle
165. Spent the night in a hostel
166. Been a cashier
167. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
168. Joined a union
169. Donated blood
170. Built a campfire
171. Kept a blog
172. Had hives
173. Worn custom made shoes or boots
174. Made a PowerPoint Presentation
175. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
176. Served at a soup kitchen
177. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
178. Known CPR
179. Gone fishing
180. Found a long lost friend
181. Voted for a contestant on American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance
182. Successfully convinced someone you were of a different nationality
183. Received a promotion
184. Movie-hopped (Gone to two movies in a theater and only paying for the first movie)
185. Planned a surprise party for someone
186. Beaten all levels of a video game
187. Driven more than 2,500 miles on a cross-country trip
188. Cried yourself to sleep
189. Stayed awake for more than 24 hours
190. Crossed a national border by car
191. Been to an island
192. Been completely out of debt (student loans, house, and all)
193. Read a book from the Twilight series
194. Traveled to Italy
195. Given birth
196. Found a bra that fits perfectly
197. Learned to meditate
198. Owned your dream car
199. Learned to love eating raw vegetables
200. Seen all 50 state

Sleep Glorious Sleep

You almost forget how nice it is to sleep. Honestly it has almost been a year since I have really been well rested. Anyone who has ever been pregnant knows that you don't sleep well the last month. Or the last trimester for that matter. And anyone with a new baby knows that you don't sleep well the first couple of months. Or in my case the first nine.

Which leads me to the past week. I have been getting sleep. Glorious sleep. I haven't slept through the night yet (even though Toots has), but it is SO much better.

Tonight is the first night that Lou La will be rejoining Toots in the girl's room. She has been having sleep overs on the couch or in her brother's room (which all eventually end up in my bed) while we get used to the new routine. You can read this as until the crying stops.

Right now Lou La is on one of our huge floor pillows waiting for Toots to fall back asleep.

Hopefully they will both sleep through the night in their own beds. And hopefully I will sleep through the night as well!

It is a good thing I don't crochet.

Because I would buy this pattern from Etsy and then there would be on more unfinished project in my house. Isn't it really cute though!

And I might have to find someone that knits (or crochets...there is a pattern for both) to make this for Toots for her first birthday!

Mini Hot Ham and Cheese

My sister-in-law makes the yummiest little ham and cheese sandwhiches for parties and showers. We had them for dinner at my mother-in-laws last night and I realized that I do not have the recipe anywhere.

So here it is:

2 T. dried minced onions
1 T. prepared mustard (I used Dijon)
2 T. poppy seeds
1 stick melted butter
1 dozen dinner rolls or 2 dozen party rolls- I use King Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
1/2 pound ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325°. In a small mixing bowl mix onion, mustard, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Leaving the dinner rolls intact, slice them open so that you have one solid top and bottom. Place the bottom half on a baking sheet or in a 9x13 inch baking pan, the pan size will depend on choice of rolls. Line the bottom half of the rolls with cheese slices and ham. Return the top part of the rolls and drizzle the butter mixture evenly over top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Now use a sharp knife and separate the little sandwiches. Place on a pretty platter and serve immediately.

Note- These can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, may require 5 more minutes of baking. Also can be prepared ahead and frozen. Defrost in refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. I love keeping a pan of these in the freezer for emergencies. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.

I Like White Walls

so why do I want to do this to a wall? Unfortunately it is painted, and I really don't think I have the skills!

I guess I will just stick to white!

Excuse that last post

I should just delete it, but it has such a CUTE picture of my Hubby long before I ever knew him. Back when he was just a kid! So cute! I love the hair.

My sister in law Annie is the only member of the family that doesn't have a blog. Tonight I decided to make her start one. So I showed her how easy it is to post on a blog and I have her password so I can make it cute for her!

I am off to bed now. Hopefully Toots will sleep through the night again. And maybe I will too this time!!

Annie is learning to blog

See Annie! It is easy!

Do you hear it?

Do you hear the angels singing?

Toots slept through the night last night for the first time. All night. The night before she woke up once. Last night she slept from 9pm-5:30.

Of course, I woke up 10 times anyways. But the future is looking bright!

Farewell Summer

Tomorrow is pretty much the last day of our Summer Vacation. School doesn't start for another week, but this last week is so full of things to do that I have to say goodbye to not having a schedule. Adios to sleeping in. Au revoir to spending all day in the pool. Sayonara to being unproductive and lazy!

So if you need me next week I will either be at Parent Orientation or meet the teacher. Or my OTHER meet the teacher night. Or Enrichment. Or a baby shower. Or making bread at my mother-in-laws house. Or at our final Grandma party of the summer. One of those places. Or hiding in the closet pretending that summer isn't coming to an end. Probably that last one.

Goodbye summer. We will miss you. See you next year.

New Tradition

So today started a new tradition in our family. It happened this year by accident, but I plan on repeating it each year.

It is back to school time. We ran a few errands in the morning yesterday and planned on going clothes shopping for the kids. By the time the afternoon rolled around Lou La and Toots were WAY too exhausted to drag in and out of the car looking for close. So I decided to take the boy and get his shopping done.

We were both a little tired too, so we started our shopping trip by stopping for a treat! We got all of his shopping done pretty easily and headed home. It was fun to go shopping just the two of us. And of course getting a treat is always fun too!

Today was date day for Lou La and me. We headed out to see Kit Kittridge (which was very cute) and when we were done we went and did her school shopping. Again, it was nice to spend the time alone with her and nice to not have ALL of the kids while I was out running around.

I think every year I will take them out one at a time to get their new clothes and supplies. And throw in something fun too.