New things and some great Kids!

I just realized yesterday that it has been almost a month since I wrote my last entry! 

So to catch you all up on my to do's and such I am going to write about what has happened in the last month. 

First up my Andrew has accomplished a few things! He made his own homemade wheat bread all by himself! I have to say that as a cook/baker myself I am super proud of this! He was so proud of himself that he couldn't wait to call me and tell me and send me a picture. He also made sure he shared some with his Memere because he wanted to make sure everyone got to try it! This on top of his violin playing and recently finding out that he went to his first dance make me proud and sad all at the same time. He tried to call me before the dance but I was out running errands and missed the call, his father said he was all kinds of nervous and dead set against his father chaperoning the dance. (His father was teasing him saying he was going to go to the dance with him to keep and eye on him) I probably would have done the same thing, especially since it turns out there was a girl there that he wanted to see. (Protective Mama mode activated) They just grow too dang fast for my liking! 

Since last month Mckenzee has started her first time of selling Girl Scout Cookies for her troop! She has done pretty well for being a really shy girl in a state where all her family lives 3000 miles away. She was able to sell 97 boxes so far between online orders (from family back home) and regular orders here in WA. I am very proud of her! She has also been earning some badges and having a lot of fun with her new favorite friend Gracie who is another girl in her troop. I have also signed her up for camp where she should be paired up with her friend during what will be her first time at a camp away from home and without a family member with her. I am so nervous but proud at the same time that thinking about it I smile AND cry. 

Even Spencer is accomplishing things just like his big brother and sister! He has been talking more and more and starting to form short phrases among his words. Now mind you sometimes these phrases are him repeating something that he has heard before, ie: "Sit your butt down now!" and "Get down!" (you can probably guess who those were said to). Other times his phrases are "Mama help me?" (if he needs something fixed) or "I play?" (when he grabs one of the game controllers) or my favorite "Wanna bite?" (when he holds up his foot and wiggles his toes in my face after playing "This Little Piggy"). He has also gotten out of the "Let's Eat The Crayons" phase and has moved on to the "Let's DRAW/COLOR on EVERYTHING" phase. This includes walls, paper, HIMSELF! He has done some cute art with the toddler stampers I got him though and I had to share the one he gave me. 

Now as far as the things I have done this last month or so, I have to say I am a little behind where I wish I was. I am trying to get the house in order well enough that I can stop stressing about it but with a toddler it is like trying to shovel out the East Coast lately. No matter what I get done, five minutes later I have to do it again because "Tornado Toddler" has come through and remade the mess. I love him but oh boy does he keep me busy. (Insert big sigh) 

I am doing my best to get to the point of having the time to start my seeds for spring (I have seven new little plants to start), some crafting I want to start for gifts this year, plus some more work I would love to get done with Mckenzee for her to earn more badges, she is super excited to work on her Family badge and Bug Badge (she cannot wait to go back to the bug museum!) We will probably even get her a new butterfly or two with a habitat so her and her baby brother can watch them grow again!

Well that is all the news for now and I am sure I will think of something that I forgot to put in but until then....keep reading, keep enjoying and thank you for being here!
#MamaZone 

Just Another Manic.....Tuesday.

Today of course was like any other. Get up, Mckenzee off to school, Spencer up...etc. However, the Spencer part was the start of a different kind of day. Last night he had a little trouble getting to sleep due to him having some bad milk and throwing up when he went to bed. So he had to be washed up and put back to bed after cleaning everything up. Then this morning he had a diaper that decided it wanted to explode and get those tiny weird beads ALL OVER him and his bed. So I had to throw him in the bath to start his day which I am pretty sure he loved since he laughed and splashed and had a grand ol time in there. Then it was breakfast and time to get going on things that needed to be done. So I started in the kids' room and I cleaned out between Mckenzee's bed and the wall and got her bed pushed against it so I could turn Spencer's crib against the wall and make a little more room in there for them to play in. Then I remade both their beds and fixed their closet door. All fun fun fun! 
By the time I finished all that I had to pick up a mess that Spencer felt the need to make while I was occupied in the other room. Apparently there was a toy at the BOTTOM of the toy box he just HAD to have! So he took everything out to find it. Next thing I knew it was lunch and time for him to go down for a nap. I used that time to do three loads of laundry (wash, dry and fold). I also organized some paper work and crafting supplies. Then BOOM! It was almost time for Mckenzee to be home from school and Spencer up from nap and then it was time to make dinner which came out fantastic! (Pork Chops, Garlic-Cheddar Mashed potatoes, Butter-corn and biscuits with Applesauce) So yummy that Mckenzee has seconds as did Spencer and DJ (that doesn't always happen). 

I was hoping I would have time to do some writing or some artwork but the day just got away from me and before I knew it DJ and the kids were heading to bed and here I am blogging, watching "Dance Moms" and wishing I have $200 to shop at JoAnns online! (I could go totally nuts buying crafting supplies and such to make gifts and for my own enjoyment!) If things go well this year there will be tons of homemade gifts for me to send out to my loved ones and for my own kiddos! 

I am trying to be ambitious and really get things done this year. I have been really good at keeping up with my smile jar and I have been doing some small sketches to get my groove back, the only thing I need now is some gloves to help with the pain in my hands that I am sure are the early signs of arthritis. Gotta love getting older. I cannot WAIT for menopause! *sense the sarcastic tone* On that note this old lady needs to get some rest because her old man is taking her out tomorrow to celebrate his birthday with a wonderful comedic "roast" with all his friends finding something to say. Should be very interesting! 

Goodnight my faithful readers....if there are any....hey if you get a chance leave me a comment just so I know you were here! 

Starting the Year with a BANG!

DJ worked hard to make it
awesome! 

It came out so nice! 

So we are a few weeks into the new year and things are going well. Kids are growing like weeds, house is relatively organized (on a good day), and each day I am more glad I made the decision to come out here and make it all work! For Christmas we received some artwork and picture frames for the wall as well as photo paper so one of the days DJ and I were both home, we got those on the wall and boy what a difference it makes in here!
Over the holiday season we were able to get some great finds at the local thrift store and made out with four (may have been five) new totes to start organizing stuff into. At least two of them went to organizing all the decorations after we took them all down, one now houses all my wonderful art supplies from my mom and DJ, two are in the closet (one with games, another with blankets) and I think one of them has Mckenzee's new toys in it as well. SO that was six that I can think of, there may have been more it is hard to keep track when things have been so busy here lately.
     Little Mckenzee had an appointment this month because the doctor was worried her body was maturing just a little too soon. All went well though and they want to double check her bone age in about six months (because it looked a little advanced but not seriously so). She was really brave too and even had her blood taken like a champ! Which is saying something since she is TERRIFIED of needles/shots/etc.

She also is making me very proud lately. Not only did she get a great report card, but she also started reading one of my favorite books of all time! The Secret Garden, which she received from her Memere in a three-book set along with Anne of Green Gables and A Little Princess (two more of my favorites!), she is already on page 21 with only a little help needed as it is a grade level up from where she is right now. She likes it and it makes my heart happy. Another wonderful achievement for her is the work she is doing in her Girl Scout Troop. My little Brownie is working hard to earn her badges and is doing a great job. She received her first 3 badges just before Christmas for Visiting the Retirement Home, Skating, and Visiting the Library. Now she is working on her Money Manager Badge and her Philanthropist Badge, and if she sells at least 25 boxes of yummy Girl Scout Cookies she will also get a badge for that! (https://digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/mckenzie6143)
     Spencer is making leaps and bounds in his vocabulary, his building skills, his dancing skills, and his memory! Every day he seems to do something new that amazes (and sometimes frustrates) me. One of my favorite things he does is blowing kisses! He does this when any of us is leaving the house, sometimes when he is leaving the room, and at night when we put him to bed. It melts my heart when he follows it up with a "yuv you mommy/daddy". His genuine excitement over little things makes me happy as well. When his daddy gets home from work or I come home from work we are greeted by a chorus of "Mommy!/Daddy!" as he runs over and hugs our legs. I adore it, it proves to me that no matter how crazy they can make me and how some days I want to run away to an island in the middle of no where just to pee without an audience, that my life would be worthless without them! They fully complete my reason for existence along with their father.

We are one whole heart beating in five separate bodies!
I LOVE MY FAMILY! 

End of the Year Update

So Christmas has come and gone and the remnants of the wonderful presents and festivities still dot the floors in the house as the kids run wild and play with all their new toys. It is crazy how hours, weeks and months of planning can be torn open and done in just an hour or two. 

The memories though, of their eyes as they see what "Santa" brought them and the laughter of sharing the day with them is so perfect that the shortness of the day is kind of sad. I wish it were longer just so we could make the fun last!  We had an awesome breakfast on Christmas that I actually put together the night before. It was a baked french toast and it was super delicious. (If you would like the recipe leave me a comment and I will post it) The kids and DJ really enjoyed it (we may tweak it a little the next time though because the syrup on the bottom became a little too candy like). We had it with bacon, sausage, orange juice and ice cold milk! Best way to start the day with the kids! They gobbled it up and there was barely any left. We then moved on to opening the gifts from Santa, the family back in CT, and us! Everyone got some fantastic gifts and I could not be more happy with what I got! Not ONLY did he get me the foot soaking bath I wanted, but he played to my artistic addiction and got me all the art supplies I could want and a gift card to get even more! I mean seriously am I not blessed or what?!

Now it is just a few days until the start of the new year! We have a wonderful ham dinner planned for New Year's Day and for the Eve maybe pizza or chinese or some finger/snack like foods as we play games and watch movies and wait for the midnight countdown. I am really looking forward to it! 

One of my resolutions this coming year is to be more crafty and DIY more. I am going to start that by making my own smile jar! Every time something makes me smile I am going to write it down and place it in the jar, then on days when I am really upset or need a reason to smile I will take it out and remember to smile more (which is another resolution) and at the end of 2015 I am going to share my smile jar with my family! So they can hear about all the reasons they gave me to smile throughout the year! 

I am hoping I can keep up with this blog a little bit more too as I hate when months have passed between my posts. I know I do not have a lot of readers but it would be nice to have a few. 

Hope you all ring in the year with fun, laughter, and family! HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

#MamaHolidayFun 

Free Sample Review

So recently I got to try the 5-Hour Energy drink as a sample. (Thank you Smiley360) It was the Pink Lemonade flavor in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. Love that they are donating from the purchase of the product to support the cause and whoa boy does it work especially if I have had a coffee at breakfast time. I saved the 5-Hour shot to have at around lunchtime and it kept me going for the rest of the day. The only downside was that it so did not taste very good. I would highly suggest that they make a different flavor or you drink it fast and then drink something yummy shortly thereafter, (I chose regular lemonade I made myself lol) All in all it was pretty effective and I would totally buy it not only to support the cause but to also occasionally give yourself a little pick me up when the day is long. #5hourGoesPink 

Just a Family Update

Comfy Movie Watching with Mama

We are about half way through the month and there have been no HUGE events but just some fun. I have spent some fun time with the kids. We've watched some good movies that Mckenzee LOVED! First we watched Matilda, Mckenzee loved the part where Matilda makes things fly around her house and the music play. She thinks the scene at the school where they get back at the Trunchbull is the best part too.

Hocus Pocus

Now since it is October and Halloween movies are all over the television, we also sat down after dinner one night and watched Hocus Pocus! Mckenzee loved that movie too! She gets so invested in them sometimes that if you watch her face then you know if the movie is happy or sad. When Binx gets run over the first time she reacts almost the same as the little girl in the movie. She covers her mouth and looks so distraught! It made me laugh when she did it but being her first time watching it and understanding it I was kinda proud of her as well! I think it is possible that we will watch Twitches once it records followed by Twitches 2. Tonight's movie might be The Nightmare Before Christmas, it is one of my favorites and the kids like it too so I am excited to watch it. I am hoping to get some Mini Pumpkin Pies made tonight (thank you www.bettycrocker.com) and we will enjoy them during movie time after dinner (which is Tuna Helper) tonight.

On Saturday I tried sushi for the first time. IT WAS AWESOME!! I had a California Roll which was much better than I expected. I think I just may occasionally get some from the sushi bar at work. When I had my cart set up next to it on Saturday it was fascinating to watch them make it and I was amazed by how many CHILDREN like sushi around here! Back in CT you would be lucky if ANYONE ate sushi. Out here in WA it seems MOST people like some kind of sushi. The hot foods near where I set up in the store also has THE BEST vegetable egg rolls I have ever had!
On Sunday we had game day here at home. Once I got out of work we got into game mode and made some yummy nachos, put on some game gear, and settled in to watch the Seahawks versus the Cowboys. My nachos were SUPER yummy and Mckenzee looked so cute wearing Andy's Seahawks Jersey that he got for Christmas last year! She had her friend Maddie over to play with as well and went from playing with her friend and Spencer and then watching the game. Maddie is a big Seahawks fan and Mckenzee is like her daddy all about the Cowboys so it was funny watching them go back and forth during the game! I love that Mckenzee has made such good friends with Maddie. Especially since she only lives right across the hall. We ended the night letting her sleepover and playing a game of Heads Up with them (fun game!!!) After the kids went to bed DJ and I watched The Replacements (because it was Football Sunday) and then we watched the Season 5 Premiere of THE WALKING DEAD!!! It was so so good and I cannot wait for the next episode!

So that is pretty much all we have been up to, like I said nothing special just some family fun!

#MamaLife

Just some updates...and good news!

Well it has been an interesting week. There have been some new friends made, some new foods tried, and some good news! 

Mckenzee and her new friend watching a movie and enjoying some popcorn!

Let's start with the new friends. Where we live now our closest neighbor is on the other side of the wall, and a mere 10 feet across the hall from us! We have gotten to know these neighbors, a family with one teenage daughter and one 9 year old daughter. I seem to have quite a bit in common with the mother and I get along with the teenage daughter as well. The younger girl has made fast friends with Mckenzee to the point of spending a good part of the day with her yesterday, having a sleepover with her last night here at our house, and spending half the day with her today as well.  It was Mckenzee's first sleepover ever and according to her friend's mother she never gets to go to sleepovers so it was a treat for her as well. I even made them pancakes and sausage for breakfast! 

I think it was a great success for her! 

Whole Grain Apple Muffins

Now on to the new foods. This week I made some whole grain apple muffins that were a great success! The kids LOVED them and so did I.  I haven't really made much more this week just because of time and supplies but I have found many ways to do make-ahead meals that we are going to be trying soon to make dinner time a little easier for both me and DJ when he works late. I have found such recipes as "Lasagna Cupcakes" and "Mini Calzones" that can be prepared ahead of time, frozen and then pulled out to be made on the nights we need them. Which I think is especially perfect on Girl Scout nights and the days I work until 5 pm, so I don't have to come home and try to put together a whole yummy meal, I'll already have a meal ready to go so DJ can throw it in if he is home, or the baby sitter or even myself if need be. 

Some of her homework, mostly spelling!

Her 1st spelling test! 

Here is the good news of the week! First Mckenzee got her first spelling test back and she received a 100% on it getting EVERY word right! We are very proud she is an excellent student and just like her older brother, an excellent speller! She loves school and learning and even loves doing her homework! I think it is AWESOME! 

Our Welcome to Hunter! 

The next bit of good news came from 3000 miles away. turns out my mom is up to a DOZEN grandchildren as Baby Hunter, my brother's newest addition with his fiance Kelly entered the world on 9-23-14 around 11 am. I am not sure of the exact time but I know he came a little early and was a very little baby weighing in at only 4lbs. 6oz! Smaller than my princess was at birth! (She weighed in at 6lbs 3oz) He is the cutest little bundle ever and makes me miss my little ones being that small. We made a sign and took a picture to send them to say hi to little Hunter him and welcome him to the world! 

I would love to tell you about some more but I just looked at the time and realized that I have to be up early to get my little girl off to school and to make some calls to the doctors about some things so I will have to write some more tomorrow! 

Thank you for following along with us! #MakingItWork

#MamaLife 

Trying New Foods and Recipes

Since I am trying to eat a little better and I am trying to get out of the food rut we seem to be in, (I do not want to keep making the same things all the time) I have incorporated some new foods into our meals and new recipes! The first thing I tried in the last week (which I have found I love) is "The Golden Spurtle" which is a steel cut (also known as pinhead) oatmeal. It reminds me of Maypo (another favorite). I added some dried cranberries and almonds to it and it was spectacular! It was so good I wanted to have it as a snack after dinner so I saved it in the fridge and reheated it with some milk and it was so good! 

I have also been eating more fruit and vegetables every chance I get! I love eating grapes, oranges, apples, peaches and more with the kids because they love it all too! I have been drinking more water especially since I have done more walking lately. My inspiration was a little forced due to feeling like a big failure but I am determined to become more healthy one way or another. 

Just felt like taking a picture! :) 

We also tried a new recipe this week. A few nights ago I had taken out some sauce that I had made and was just going to boil some pasta and bake some biscuits and that was going to be that...then I had an idea! I had remembered seeing a recipe for Chicken Parmesan using frozen chicken nuggets (which I have an abundance of with kids in the house). So I found the recipe and I modified it a little using some jarred Mozzarella Sauce (Ragu) and my sauce layering first the frozen nuggets in a 13x9, then slowly layering the mozzarella sauce, my sauce and some grated Parmesan cheese. I popped it in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes, then I pulled it out and topped it with some grated Mozzarella cheese and put it back in for another 15 mins. While that was baking up all yummy I boiled the water for the pasta and used a muffin tin to put my refrigerated biscuits in (since I still don't have a cookie sheet). 15 minutes later I was pulling out everything from the oven and my family was drooling over the smells of greatness wafting through the house! Dinner was a HUGE hit that night! I am so glad I decided to make it and even more glad that a new recipe did so well with the whole family (that is just rare). 

I can't wait to try some other new recipes! 

#SuperChef #MamaChef #Shocking

Inspection Day and the Fantastic Birthday

Wednesday was "Inspection Day" in our complex so we had to make sure we had the house in order for when they came in to check things out. I have never lived in a place that required inspections so I went on a cleaning spree staying up until 12:30 am to make sure as much of the house was clean as could possibly be. That left just some vacuuming and touch up work for the day of the inspection and I was able to have the place completely awesome for when they came in to check it out! I was even able to keep "Hurricane Spencer" under order so that I didn't have to worry about him pulling out every toy he owns! The plus of the whole day was that when they came it was still early and I was able to get Spencer down for his nap after they left! As they were on their way out the door at the end of inspection we were complimented on how well we kept the place and they thanked us for being so clean! Yay, honestly even today it not too bad in our house, the floor could use a vacuum and the dishes weren't done because we took the day off and had a lazy Sunday for once, but tomorrow is Monday and I will have it all "spic and span" by the time lunch rolls around. 


Friday was little McKenzee's 7th Birthday party which of course meant I had to make sure the house was clean, the cake was made and all the presents were ready BEFORE she got home from school!  

I was able to get the "Pin the Carrot on Olaf" game drawn up and cut out, the cake baked and kitchen picked up, the floors vacuumed and presents all set before I had to get McKenzee from school.

Once we were home I had her pick up her room and then her friends were knocking on the door asking if she could go out and play and since it was her birthday I wasn't going to say no so she went out with an adamant "You BETTER be home by 5:30 for dinner!" While she was gone I was able to finish decorating her cake, (which had a huge break in it from sticking to the pan) and I made Olaf cupcakes too! 

 



Needless to say she was actually a few minutes early for fear of getting in trouble for being late. After quickly scarfing down some hot dogs and macaroni and cheese (since I was looking for a fast dinner), we were able to pick up real quick and I was able to finish up the Olaf noses JUST before her friends were knocking on the door for the party!

 Before I knew it my house was overrun with little girls wanting to put on McKenzee's princess dresses and singing along to Frozen on the TV. Luckily is wasn't too long before DJ was coming through the door to help me wrangle in the giggles and the hopping around of them as they had some fun playing and singing! 

Some family showed up and McKenzee's friends from before we moved here, and we sat down to open some presents before a few of the kids had to leave. Then some cake and ice cream to hop them all up before playing the "Pin the Carrot on Olaf" game. By the time that was done the kids wanted a little more ice cream and then we were left with about 3 little girls since the others had to get home. DJ took the ones that were left outside on the deck with Spencer and played a round of "Frozen Trivia" before it was time to call it a night. As we said goodbye to the last little girl, whose Mama stayed and chatted with us a bit before heading across the hall to her apartment. I am really starting to like our neighbor across the hall, she is funny, polite, and has a hand mixer! (That is funny because every time I go to make a cake I forget that I do NOT have a hand mixer or any kind of mixer for that matter) 

 All in all it was a great night for McKenzee and her friends and a long and exhaustive day for me in which I had to see my little girl get bigger again...oh sad Mama sigh. I love her so much but I wish that my kids would just stay little longer! 

I hope you all are following along and enjoying my funny days! More to come later this week! Including some new recipes that were tried and LOVED by my family! 

#Inspection #Birthday #SuperMama