So it's been a while. A lot going on here. John is super busy with work. The kids are all doing fabulously. Liam is now in a toddler bed, and generally stays in there pretty well. We are about a week away from closing on a new home. I am going to try to keep this better updated.
We have a couple. I would like to have more. These are ours:
-I dont think kids really care about cards. So each year, I buy a card for the age that they are, and I write them a mushy gushy love note inside. Then I seal it and put it in a box. When they are older (18? 20? getting married? having their own baby?) I'll give the box to them.
-We have cute birthday hats - the boys share a blue one and Elaina has a pink one- and each year we take a picture of them wearing it. When they are in their teens they wont even fit anymore but that's the point. One year I forgot with one kid - I actually think it was Liam's first - DAMN! - but I was horribly sick so I give myself some slack on that one.
-I saw another on a blog and I am going to adopt it. The parents each kiss the child on the cheek and take a picture of it. It's cute.
So all this is brought up because in 3 days my baby girl turns 5. FIVE. Words can't even express how I feel about her. I get kind of mushy and introspective as my kids birthdays approach so I'll post on her actual birthday. Today is her party. I'll have pics then!
Elaina went to a birthday party today. Among lots of other fun things (including a pony!) they had face painting.
Why is it when you go to the beach, you never notice you are sunburned till you get home? I haphazardly put on some sunblock in various places, but of course my kids were fully coated top-to-bottom. Even the baby knows to close his eyes when it sprays on. Although I have to say, the kids are just a tad redder than I like to see them. But me, I look like a lobster. Oh well. We had a blast at the beach today with friends. Now we are home and nice and tired. I have already washed the salt water out of my hair and am relaxing with some iced coffee now. Hopefully everyone will sleep well tonight!
I am sure if anyone actually read this blog they would be very annoyed that I haven't posted in a while. I have had projects. I painted the front door and storm door black. It has been keeping me busy. I will definitely post a picture as soon as its done. The front door was previously red and the storm door, inexplicably, was green. Not very nice. But now it looks awesome. I keep opening it to look at it.
TA-DA!!!
The storm door isn't done yet so I haven't included it. Check out my beautiful fall wreath. I know its early but I dont care. I painted and glittered an old wreath and I love it so its up.
Places I Would Not Want To Live:
California
Arizona
New Mexico
Nevada
Nebraska
North and South Dakota
Kentucky
West Virginia
We just got back from a weekend at the beach. We had a great time. Good family memories. Can't wait to go back!
I love how toddlers completely freak out when something is stuck to them. Love it.
Year of Living Biblically - good, as I said earlier.
The Kite Runner - fantastic as everyone said it was. Also, A Thousand Splendid Suns by the same author is excellent. I read that earlier this year.
Life of Pi - sorry hon. It was good till it ended and then I was like WTF? It should have just been a pamphlet.
Love in the Time of Cholera - cant get past the first 2 pages. Ho hum. I wonder if it gets more interesting?
Secret Life of Bees - haven't read it yet.
Our new tradition - on the last day of school the kids get to stay up late and watch a movie. This year was Bolt. 
Andrew playing with his clay
Elaina after her recital
The cutest baby boy in the world. Seriously. Look at that kid.
I havent really posted any pictures recently. Here are a few recent ones:
I finished The Year of Living Biblically. I enjoyed it. Funny and interesting. Two thumbs up.
Next up is Love in the Time of Cholera. I am far more interested in the Cholera part than I am in the Love part, but it seems to be more about love. Hmm. I'll keep trying. I also enjoy reading about Ebola and other assorted contagions. I am just wierd that way.
I don't know why exactly, but Facebook is irritating me these days. So, I made a comment that I am taking the summer off, logged out and deleted the bookmark. Of course, I know where to find it but I feel so free!!! Anyone who needs me can call, or email, or come to this blog (IF I have let them know of it's existence...bah hahahaha)so it's not like I am turning off the computer. I just dont want to know what everyone is doing all the time. It's too much.
So I just took an online test - 99%, got one wrong dammit. And I am done with my tests for this week. I just have to participate in some of the online discussion BS.
A&E are swimming at my moms house but will be home soon. I have to figure out what to make for dinner. Liam is asleep. We'll see how that affects bedtime. He hasnt been sleeping during his naptime (boo) but has been going to bed at 7:15 to make up for it (yay).
Life of Pi
the Secret Life of Bees
the Kite Runner
Love in the Time of Cholera
The Year of Living Biblically
Any other suggestions?
I am always amazed at Andrew & Elaina'a ability to cope with a screaming
baby/toddler in the car. Liam had a total meltdown today and cried in the car for about 20 minutes. I was losing my mind and I looked back and there are A&E, just looking out the window like nothing was happening. Of course then Elaina swatted Liam in the face with a book which did not help him and I did not condone but did understand.
I say the following:
Sit down when you're on the couch.
No jumping on the couch.
Get off the table.
No running in the house.
Get your shoes.
Shut the door.
Seriously, if I had a device that had these 6 statements recorded and all I had to do was press a button and hold it up - I'd never have to speak again.
Weekly themes! Every week will have a theme, such as dinosaurs, butterflies, ocean, etc. Each week we will do:
-a craft
-read a book
-watch a movie
-cook/bake
-have an outing
And all of these will relate to the theme. I dont have details on each week yet but I am definitely doing it.
I am also keeping quiet time sacred. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. they have 1 hour in their room to play quietly, read, nap, whatever while the baby sleeps. It keeps me sane.
I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate waking sleeping children. It's so wrong. Whether it's to pick up a sibling at school, or just because they have slept a long time and need to get up ... I just hate it.
It was really good. Some amazing photography. Some scenes where I cringed just a little - but the kids handled it fine. Elaina was pretty oblivious to the whole thing. She kept asking when the Transformers were coming on. LOL There was a big Transformers movie stand-up in the lobby. Andrew really enjoyed it and got it and we talked a little about "the circle of life" ... so it was good. Definitely recommend it for ages 6+ as long as they aren't oversensitive. Even I don't like watching the scenes where the lion is chasing the gazelle, etc. They were very good about it - there was no blood or anything but it was generally pretty obvious what was happening..to me and Andrew. Like I said, Elaina was oblivious.
It is just overwhelming.
Caylee Anthony
Haileigh Cummings
Jessica Lundsford
Sandra Cantu
Shari Coleman and 2 sons strangled by their own father
baby boy thrown from car window and killed
man on PCP bit out his 4-year-old son's eyes
boy buried in sand at park
father threw kids off bridge
Laci Peterson with unborn baby boy killed
I know I need to stop watching Nancy Grace but whether I do or not doesn't change these stories. And these are just the ones at the top of my head. It is so sick and sad. I am almost crushed by the weight of gratitude that my children were given to ME - a mother who will not hurt them and who loves them and will protect them - and not some sociopath. Not all of these kids were killed by their parents but most were.
It's been on my mind a lot and I just had to get it out.
A Prayer for the Children… by Ina J. Hughes
We pray for the children
who put chocolate fingers everywhere,
who like to be tickled,
who stomp in puddles and ruin their new pants,
who sneak Popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.
And we pray for those
who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
who’ve never squeaked across the floor in new sneakers,
who never had crayons to count,
who are born in places we wouldn’t be caught dead,
who never go to the circus,
who live in an X-rated world.
We pray for children
who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
who sleep with the dog and bury goldfish,
who give hugs in a hurry and forget their lunch money,
who cover themselves with Band-Aids and sing off-key,
who squeeze toothpaste all over the sink,
who slurp their soup.
And we pray for those
who never get dessert,
who watch their parents watch them die,
who have no safe blanket to drag behind,
who can’t find any bread to steal,
who don’t have any rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren’t on anybody’s dresser,
whose monsters are real.
We pray for children
who spend all their allowance before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
who never rinse out the tub,
who get visits from the tooth fairy,
who don't like to be kissed in front of the school,
who squirm in church or temple or mosque
and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at and
whose smiles can make us cry.
And we pray for those
whose nightmares come in the daytime,
who will eat anything,
who aren't spoiled by anybody,
who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
who live and move, but have no being.
We pray for children who want to be carried,
and for those who must.
For those we never give up on,
and for those who never get a chance.
For those we smother with our love,
and for those who will grab the hand of anybody
kind enough to offer it.
I recently took Liam to JCPenney for his 2 year pictures. But Tina, you ask, aren't you a photographer? Well, yes I am. But you know, sometimes I get tired of chasing around children (especially my own) and then spending hour upon anal-retentive hour in photoshop in my quest for perfect photos. Well you get what you pay for. LOL These 2 pictures are cute - the big one is freaking adorable and I LOVE it- but the rest of the pictures were crap. Oh well. $8 right? And hey - I didnt have to do it.
So but anyway, today I picked up the pictures and so begins the Day Of Deals. When I got them, I saw that their frames (some of them) were on sale. So I got the 5x7 frame here for only $5!!! And I liked it because it matches some other frames I have. It was originally marked $18 which it is not worth but it's still a steal at $5! 
OK So my next deal is actually FREE. I needed a 10x13 frame for this bigger picture. Being the queen of pictures I knew I had to have something laying around. I found this one in the garage but it was oak. Blech. So I took out my white spray paint, gave it a few coats, then I sanded it a bit to rough it up and voila. A shabby chic frame for FREE. 
(oh, and hello?!!?! how stinkin' cute is he?!!)
I cant really take credit for this one. I ran into 2 friends at Kohl's and they told me about these great memo boards on clearance for $13 in the back, and loaned me a 30% off coupon. So I got it for about $9!!! 
ok I am a few days late on this post, but Monday was Liam's 2nd birthday. I don't know how 2 years have passed since that moment I kissed his squishy little face for the first time. He is such a joy, so much fun, with such an incredible personality right from the start.
On the Friday before his birthday, we had cupcakes at the park for our playgroup.
As you can see from his expression, he wasn't sure what to make of it all.+017.JPG)
+016.JPG)
+015.JPG)
+014.JPG)
On Monday morning, his birthday, he woke up to find some toys. Andrew & Elaina picked out a Mickey Mouse Racetrack for him. John and I gave him a VTech computer and a sand and water table. I initially set up the sand and water table in the living room - minus the sand and water of course - just so he could see it. I didnt want to put it outside right away because it was a school morning and we were in a rush. So after I got home from school drop-off we took it outside and put the sand and water in. He LOVED it. He probably stood there playing without even moving for about 45 minutes. I knew he would love it.+025.JPG)
+022.JPG)
+021.JPG)
+020.JPG)
+018.JPG)
That night we went to Chili's for his birthday dinner. Yummo.+031.JPG)
+030.JPG)
Tomorrow we are scheduled to have breakfast with Mickey. This will be a huge treat for Liam since he LOVES Mickey, Minnie and Goofy. Last time I was there, they had all 3 of those. I will definitely post pictures of that. You never know how character meetings are going to go. He might love it - he did like the princesses at Disney - or he might completely freak out. Either way, it will be fully documented with pictures!
Yeah it's been a while. But I am back now. Kind of over Facebook. LOL I am not going to do any kind of big update sort of thing. I am just going to pick up where I left off. And so with that, here are some muffins that I made today. Elaina loooooves these. In addition to the ingredients in the recipe, I also add a little shredded carrot and some ground flax seed, which I add to almost everything. So here is the recipe for Disappearing Zucchini Muffins! Enjoy!
Note: You don't have to peel the zucchini before shredding it for this recipe. It won't affect the taste and the peel will provide some extra fiber.
Prep time: 30 minutes
What you need:
1½ cups shredded zucchini (about 2 small)
2 cups whole-grain pancake or biscuit mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
2 eggs
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
powdered sugar (enough to dust the muffins)
Wash zucchini and remove ends.
Shred zucchini using largest holes on grater.
Place grated zucchini on paper towels and squeeze to remove water.
Measure 1½ cups of squeezed-dry zucchini.
Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, mix whole-grain pancake mix (or biscuit mix) with spices.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, applesauce, and lemon juice.
Fold the egg-sugar mixture and shredded zucchini into the pancake-spice mixture; do not overmix.
Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with batter.
Bake 10–15 minutes or until golden.
Remove muffins from tin and cool on a wire rack.
Sprinkle muffins with a dusting of powdered sugar.
How much does this recipe make?
About a dozen muffins.
