It has been a while. Over a year and a half, in fact, since I have posted on here. A lot happened between then and now, and I will not begin to try and catch you up. Long story short, in 2011 I had three young kids, owned my own children’s hair accessory company, held a part-time nursing job, and tried to fulfill many other demands of life. I found myself feeling spread thin, spending too much time behind a computer, and something had to give. Hence, the blog was put on hold. I was not sure if or when I would pick it back up again, but I left it active in case I found time to bring it back. Fast forward a year and a half, and I am hesitant to say, but I think I *may* occasionally have the time to now share on here again. Thank you to all the kind people who have let me know my blog was missed. Sometimes I don’t really know how many people are reading. : )

Much has happened since the last time I posted. I will fill you in on a few of the highlights and favorite pictures from the past two years. I copied and pasted many of these quotes from my scrapbook. They got a little out of order, but I am too lazy to try and figure it out. Thus, they are out of order! Hopefully they will still give you a little chuckle. So, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy a few of the more humorous moments of the past 18+ months in our family!

(In preparation for an upcoming wedding) Lucy asked Carter, “Are you excited to be a ring BARREL?”. He corrected her, “NO Lucy, I’m going to be a ring BEAR!”

Found the start of a note from Caroline, titled, “The List of Noddy Things Lucy Has Done.” Sometimes she is so sweet, and other times she is ruthless!

Overheard Carter say to himself, “I love, love LOVE cupcakes. Love cupcakes.” Maybe he is my child afterall.

The mystery of the repeatedly clogged toilet has been solved. Carter struck again, this time with a banana peel.

I should have known the kids could not be trusted with chapstick. Lucy signed her name, in cherry chapstick, on our couch. Carter ate the remainder of the tube. Why oh why did I think we were past this?!

Leave it to Carter to 1) figure out how to remove a computer “shift” key, and 2) figure out how to reattach it, upside down, in a way that it will no longer work.

While checking on the kids before bed, Carter was nowhere to be found. We checked his room, closet, floors, the girls beds…Finally found a little foot sticking from under Caroline’s bed. There we found him, totally UNDER Caroline’s bed, sound asleep. I would love to know what was going through his mind when he crawled under there to go to sleep!

Caroline’s note last night to the tooth fairy, on behalf of Lucy. “Dear Tooth Fairy. I know this is roud (rude), but could you please not bring Lucy Polar Ice gum. Can you please bring her mint chocolate chip. Can you also please bring her $3, instead of $1. Love, Caroline, Lucy’s sister.”

A few minutes after putting him down, Carter began yelling for me. I went into his room, where he informed me, “Mommy, I love, LOVE taking a nap.” ?!?!?!?!?! This is concerning, because the only logical explanation is that he has a sneaky scheme in mind, that I have yet to discover. Afterall, his top 5 most memorable troubles occurred during naptime.

Maybe he is my child afterall. Shawn went in to wake Carter up this morning, and he said, “Close the door. I am not done sleeping!” It was probably a late night sneaking into the girls’ room to do mischief that I have yet to discover.

We have allowed Carter to pee on the trees outside in our backyard, but when he very proudly left a #2 pile in our backyard, I had to draw the line. That boy…

Took the kids to see Ramona and Beezus yesterday. I am convinced spunky Ramona gave me a glimpse of how our “spirited” Lucy will be as a 9 year old. I felt like I was watching a 9 year old Lucy the entire movie!

I couldn’t help but laugh last night when Carter prayed, “Thank you God for cheeseburgers. Thank you for chocolate chips. White chocolate chips and brown chocolate chips. Thank you God for marshmallows. Thank you for little marshmallows, and really big ones. (He then repeated his thankfulness for chocolate chips and marshmallows). Amen.”

Carter strikes his sisters again. The boy has a fascination with their shoes. He snuck into their bedroom while they were already asleep, and took all their shoes out of their closet. Even better, he piled every shoe ON TOP of the girls. They were sleeping, under piles of shoes. This boy is insane! Wish I had a picture. : (

A drizzle of Hershey’s syrup, and a cherry, on top of plain yogurt= my kids think I am the coolest, and they don’t even know it is mostly healthy.

The girls get excited about the smallest things. I told them they could finish off the grapes. There were probably 20 in the bowl. They squealed, and Caroline said, “This is soooo exciting.” Lucy was in total agreement. Makes me wonder if I deprive my kids, that they get so excited about a few extra grapes!

As we passed Starbucks this morning, Carter pointed it out, “look Mommy, there is the Coffee Maker! Want some Mommy?” What he was really hoping for is a warm vanilla milk.

Carter just told me that “next week” he is going to start pooping on the potty. If he is old enough to articulate that, and to hide in the closet each and every time he does his business, he is old enough to be out of diapers!

Lucy was picking out her outfit, and she showed me some shoes she was considering. I said, “Yes Lucy, those are perfect with your dress.” She replied, “Mommmmm, you CAN’T say perfect. Only God is perfect!”

We have a little work to do with Lucy before she starts school next year. Caroline came home from the bus with a red mark on her forehead, from a bully that hit her. As I was asking her about it, Lucy said, “I know what I would have done.” “What Lucy?”, I asked. “I would have hit him right back!” At least she is honest!

Some little neighborhood friends were at our house playing, and Caroline mentioned that she got a toy from a yard sale. The friend threw it down, and replied, “That means it is dirty, and gross, and covered in germs!” My thoughts were, “you might want to leave now, as half of our house came from yard sale finds!”

For the first time in 10 years, I did not get a flu shot. I am being punished! Carter very politely asked me, “Mommy, I pee pee. Change my diaper please.” Sorry little guy, it is going to have to wait until Daddy gets home. It isn’t bulging yet, your pajamas are still dry (yes, he is still in his pjs at 6:30pm) and I am not moving from the couch unless the house is on fire. Hoping that this illness is gone tomorrow!

My naptime conversation with Carter. He said, “I don’t like to take a nap”. I replied, “Oh, but you feel so good after you sleep.” His reply, “I don’t LIKE to take a nap. I like COFFEE!” Someone has been taking notes!

Just found Carter in the craft room rubbing white stuff all over his face. “Face is dry, lotion. Feels better now,” he said. Oops, the “lotion” was actually Elmer’s glue!

Enjoyed hearing the conversation among the kids. Lucy said, “I really NEED an American Girl doll.” Caroline, (hands on her hips, getting sassy with Lucy), “Lucy, you don’t need an American Girl Doll, you NEED Jesus.” Of course Carter had to chime in, “I NEED a Puppy!”

Caroline heard that Shawn’s cousin (who she adores) was in town and available to babysit this week. She said, word for word “Oh Mommy, can we please have Mallory over? I can pay her with my money. I have THOUSANDS in my piggy bank!”

For those that need another laugh, Carter strikes again…Last night we found him chewing gum in bed. Shawn and I were puzzled about where he got the gum. It finally made sense a few minutes ago, when I found him digging in the bathroom trash, saying “Where gum go?” One of the girls threw their gum away in their bathroom trash, and he later found it. Moms of boys, how do they survive???

Carter and I were going to feed the ducks, but the ducks were gone. As we drove to the park, we saw a dozen vultures feasting on the side of the road. Carter excitedly exclaimed, “There they are Mommy, let’s feed the ducks!” Sorry Carter, we don’t have the right kind of food for them!

I overheard a conversation among the kids recently. Caroline, who has been begging for a puppy for several months now, said, “Lucy, we just need to ask Nana for a puppy. She will get us one!” Lucy chimed in, “Yeah, Nana gives us anything we want. If we ask for dessert, she gives us dessert. If we ask for more dessert, she gives us more dessert.” Caroline thinking, “Yeahhhh, let’s ask Nana for a puppy”…

Why, oh why did I agree to a puppy? He has a current fascination with swimming in toilets, then running all over the house. I had just finished cleaning the floors, when he did it again, this time in a toilet that a certain little boy had forgotten to flush. : (

Lucy just told me, “I’m pretty much tired of Mother’s Day. I’m tired of having to do everything for you.” Geee, thanks Lulu!

The dog ate Lucy’s homework. Really.

While waiting at swim practice, Carter asked why I didn’t bring him a snack. I told him I didn’t think about it, to which he replied, “but Mommy, I LOVE you!” I guess the way to his heart is through his stomach, even as young as he is.

Carter, caught while riding his bike without shoes or a helmet, remorsefully apologized with a hug. “I’m so sorry daddy. I STILL love you!

Caroline just told me, “Mommy, when Willy gives us kisses, he licks us. He doesn’t understand our kisses, and I want him to know that I love him, so I just licked him back.” For some odd reason, she adores this dog.

Just in case she didn’t hear him the first time, Carter asked a sales associate “are you pregnant?”…twice. She was not.

Last night, when Shawn and I returned home from our trip to Cabo, we told the kids we had some small presents for them. Carter was bouncing around, ”

Presents, presents!!” Lucy said, “I’m more excited about having you home than I am about opening presents.” Every now and then, our little Spitfire Lucy has a moment of genuine sweetness. I missed the sound of the crashing waves last night, but is great to be home!

While I was driving, Carter says, “Mommy, when I grow up I want to be a policeman with a hooker.” Thinking I misunderstood him, I ask him to repeat himself. He reiterates that he wants to be a policeman with a hooker! At the stoplight, I turn around to see him playing with a metal lanyard/hook…his “hooker”.

While shopping, Carter found a toy he really wanted. When I did not give in to his unending pestering, he came up with a serious threat. “FINE

THEN! I am not going to talk to you until you get me the toy!” I enjoyed a quiet remainder of the shopping trip!

Carter’s life clearly revolves around food. At preschool, he smashed his finger. He cried, inconsolable, for a few minutes. His teacher asked, “Will an M&M help it feel better?” He replied no, and continued to cry. She asked, “Will two M&Ms make it feel better?” He shut it off, said yes, and smiled. Then, at bedtime, he said, “Mommy, your earrings are BEAUTIFUL.” He continued to stare at the pearls while I tucked him in, until he asked, “Are they little gumballs?” Apparently the boy is always looking for something to eat!”

Caroline saw a ziploc bag full of ibuprofen that Shawn was taking to work for his injured back, and she became very concerned with his stash of “drugs”. Worriedly, she said, “Oh Daddy, I hope you don’t end up like Michael Jackson!

Carter, don’t you need to go potty before you go to bed?” His response: “Nope, I peed in the bath!” At least he is honest!

At the park this evening, Caroline excitedly brought me her newest treasure, “Look, Mommy, a pretty shell!” She was quite disappointed when I informed her that it was actually a hardened glob of bird poop!

Driving down the road, Carter said, “Mommy, I like this car”. I responded, “Really Carter? What do you like about it?” He replied, “The driver.” Ahhhhh, melt my heart!

Now, if you know me well, you know that pictures are very important to me. I can’t catch you up without sharing a few pictures from the past 18 months!

Lucy’s first day of kindergarten, riding the bus with her neighborhood friends. Ohhhhh, how I miss the school bus that magically appeared each morning and afternoon. Christmas 2012. Lucy was missing her four front teeth. Loved it! Somebody has Mommy’s sweet tooth!

In fall of 2011, Shawn and I took a trip to visit family and friends back in California. Little did we know, that trip spurred our decision to move back a few months later. Introducing Willy, our spunky Springer Spaniel. Carter shows us some pretty crazy dance moves.This was the highlight of July for the kids. We climbed on a neighbor’s roof to watch fireworks. Carter is still talking about it!Our 10 year anniversary trip to Cabo. Ahhhhh how I miss falling asleep and waking up to the sound of those waves…Another picture from Cabo. We stayed at Zoetry, a boutique style all-inclusive resort. It was AMAZING. I highly recommend it!With our move back to California, the girls had to start a new school twice. They were such little troopers, and adjusted very well. We are so happy with the school they are now in! As an added bonus, uniforms have simplified our mornings immensely! One of my favorite recent pictures of our three kids. Caroline had her Nutcracker debut as an angel. Christmas 2012We took our first family trip to Tahoe this winter. Shawn and I had not been skiing in nearly 15 years. We put the kids in ski school, and by the end of the trip we were all having a great time in the snow! There were no broken bones, so I say the trip was a fantastic success!

Here is Carter, learning how to ski. When they reference food, “make a pizza slice with your feet”, the boy is certain to listen!

This is the look on a little boy’s face when you tell him you are moving into a house with a pool and a hot tub. Do you think he was a little excited?We love having our family come out to visit us!My sister and I take every opportunity to bring our mom out to visit! Carter got dressed up for the Easter Bunny. Ahhhh yes, he has found his boy parts.

That is about as much “catching up” I have time for in a single post. I am excited to be back into the world of blogging, and will try to post again soon as time allows.

We had a wonderful opportunity earlier this month to go on a family vacation. Four generations of my family, staying in one big house, in Hilton Head. After living in Northern California for 3 years, our kids were familiar with the beach. BUT, they had not experienced the warmth of the Atlantic in the summer. For months, they were eagerly and anxiously anticipating “hot beach”. With the exception of the traveling, I am not sure who had more fun, the kids or the adults!

Warning: I am getting ready to overload you with dozens of pictures of several of the most important people in my life. You likely will not find them nearly as amusing as I do, but I will make it up to you with a good new recipe soon. : )

My beautiful mom and stepdad.

My sweet niece took a lick of the leaf, and I happened to press the shutter at exactly the right moment, to show exactly how yummy that leaf was not.

The boy LOVED the waves. The bigger the better. He was FEARLESS! You can’t tell from the picture, but he was wearing a life jacket because Mommy is not so fearless. As one friend noticed, even at the beach my girls had their Bitty Bows no-slip hair clips in place. They do protest, but it bugs me when their hair is covering their face while they are playing.As many of you know, I have been known to have dessert for breakfast with sad regularity. I now know that it is not my fault, but it is genetic. The proof is in this picture of my mom and grandmother eating key lime pie with their morning coffee!

Lucy will hate me one day for saving and posting this picture. I just had to, as it was a good picture of me one of the only pictures that shows I was actually on vacation too. (I am always the one behind the camera, and have to purposefully request my picture taken so that there is some documentation that I was actually there!)This is my amazing little sister, also known as “Fun Aunt Kathy”. My older sister and I joked that we were going to post this as a profile picture for her on Match.com . I loved watching their faces and imagination as they went on an alligator hunt.Poolside lunches made my day. No clean-up, and we just threw them in to wash them off!This was seriously the part I had been most looking forward to. Due to a series of bad luck, my kids had never seen fireworks prior to this year. As you can tell, they were mesmerized by the display. My sisters and me. Two of my very best friends. I got a little lucky with my camera set up on a stool and my remote control. Most surprisingly, none of the kids are picking their noses or pulling another’s hair.Many of you probably already heard about the sunscreen incident. If not, you need to scroll back one post, for a good laugh.Face washing from Bambi, and Carter didn’t mind a bit. I hope deer mouths are clean!This picture was requested by my sister, to place in my (almost 5-year old) niece’s bedroom as a reminder of what could happen to her teeth if she continues to suck her fingers at night. It gives me a chuckle every time I see it. Just in case he didn’t already have sand everywhere, his is going to try to rub a little more in his head.

My niece Ella was teaching my girls about gymnastics. They were practicing tirelessly, between the pool and beach. Caroline has these long legs that make her super-tall for her tender age of six. Unfortunately, she is about as coordinated as a giraffe. I am proud to say she is practicing really hard, and making awesome improvements in her cartwheel.

Well, that is all for now. I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into our

Yes, I have been gone from the blogging world for about a month now. There has been so much going on at home, that I couldn’t justify taking time away from my family to sit down at my computer to write a post. I know my wonderful readers understand!

As many of you saw from a previous post, I went back to a part-time nursing job, and my training began last month. I am happy to say I survived two weeks of full-time classroom time, and I am near the end of my hospital training. *Survived* being the key word there. I thought that it would be an easy two weeks, simply sitting in a classroom. Wrong. I came home absolutely exhausted, from doing absolutely nothing but sitting and trying to stay awake. I could barely keep my eyes open at 7pm! On a normal day, I chase around 3 kids, and run a baby hair accessory business from home, yet I was pooped from sitting in a classroom. It did not make sense, but I am glad that part is over, and was thrilled to be out of the classroom and actually working as a nurse. I am very excited about my new job in a pediatric emergency room, and think that I am really going to enjoy maintaining my nursing skills with an occasional, flexible shift.

Okay, what I am really back to share about today is a funny story from our family vacation. I will tell more about our vacation later, but this story takes the cake. As many of you know, 3 year old Carter is quite mischievous. He has not been up to significant trouble lately, so a Carter story has been long overdue. Here is my little man, looking so innocent and sweet.

The problem began when he fell asleep for about 5 minutes, on the way home from an afternoon outing. Unfortunately, even the smallest power nap seems to ruin his normal 2 hour nap. I decided to try, and put him down for a nap anyway. He stayed quite, and I assumed that he had gone back to sleep. 45 minutes later, I hear him yell, “Mommy, I poopy.” I went in to change him (potty training adventures will start this week) and I found him covered in sunscreen. He was holding an empty tube of sunscreen stick, which previously was totally full. I asked him where it went, and he replied, “I ate it. It not taste good, but I ate it.” As you can see below, the stick was completely gone!

Just great…after more questions and searching, I determined that he consumed the majority of the sunstick, only sparing the amount that was smeared on his face and body like a greased watermelon. On the back of the tube it read, “If consumed, seek medical attention immediately, or call Poison Control.” This was a first in our family. I called Poison Control, who was very reassuring that this particular brand should be rather harmless, but may cause some nasty bodily functions as it works its way through the system.

As I looked around the room to see if he had found anything else to get into, I realized that my phone was accidentally left in the room with him, and it was also smeared in sunscreen. I was not too concerned. Since I have a 4 digit password, required to unlock all functions of the phone, I didn’t think he could have done much on my phone. Well, he never ceases to amaze me. Somehow the boy cracked the code!!! Yes, somehow he guessed and got lucky, and typed in the 4 digits to allow him total access to my phone functions.

For over thirty minutes, he had full freedom with my phone. He changed the background image (even I don’t know how to do that!), attempted to call 11 people, and successfully sent 5 nonsense, jibberish-filled text messages. Oh, and I just discovered today that he added several new contacts!

My favorite text is pictured below. He texted my friend Stephanie, and when she replied, he promptly texted her back again!

I am very thankful that no lasting harm was done through his ingestion.  It was a good reminder that even on vacation I cannot let my guard down and allow him access to items that are normally out of reach at home. At the same time, I am extremely concerned that his continual sneaky antics are only the beginning of many years of mischief…

I never knew I could enjoy being a mom to a boy so much. After two girls in frilly dresses and a healthy obsession with hair bows, when I was told I was having a boy I was a little concerned. Surely it couldn’t be as much fun as girls, I thought. I came from a family of sisters, and I knew nothing of raising a boy. Well, Carter entered our lives 3 years ago today, and he has been out to prove me wrong.Wow, being a mom to a boy is AWESOME!

After months of contractions, I had to be induced 3 weeks early. 3 week early delivery=small baby, right? Well, Carter surprised us all when he popped out at a full 8 pounds. The first words out of the OB’s mouth were, “Boy, you weren’t supposed to be this big!” Carter was playing tricks on Mommy from the very beginning. We quickly learned that “his plumbing” worked, when he peed all over me after they laid him on my belly. I heard that in some countries, that is considered a blessing. I would agree. We have been greatly blessed!

Wow, was he ever cute! He was the fattest of my babies, and continued to maintain that status. Look at this head full of hair! Here are a *few* of my favorite pictures over the past 3 years.

I just loved all of his many chins!

He pretty much slept through his first 8 months of life. As a baby, he was so mellow and easy going! I think it was the calm before the storm. : )

Devastated that I didn’t appreciate his artwork.

He climbed out of his crib and explored the Desitin. Have you ever tried to wash that stuff off? It is nearly impossible!

I didn’t feed him a snack quick enough, so he took matters into his own hands.

All boy. LOVES dirt. He goes out of his way to find mud puddles. We were at the park recently, and he wasn’t playing, but looking around. I asked him what he was doing, and he replied, “Mommy, I JUST looking for some water…or some mud!”

Look at him now. 3 years old, as full of spunk as ever. Last night he was begging me to help him find his Superman cape. I was in the middle of fixing dinner, and didn’t want to stop what I was doing. He insisted, and insisted. He clung to my legs, begging “Mommy, help me find my Superman Cape!” Excited that he is finally finding some interest in boy dress-up instead of princess dress-up, I finally dropped what I was doing and helped him look. When we found it, you would have thought I just gave him a puppy, based on his excitement! I asked him if he wanted to go outside, and I am so glad I brought my camera along. Here are his superhero poses. : )

This was his attempt at flying. I asked him what a superhero does, and he said, “Fight and fly.” He tried really hard, made multiple attempts, then concluded, “I can’t fly Mommy.” : (

Happy birthday our little Charmer! I can’t believe how much you have grown in 3 years. We are looking forward to celebrating our own Mr. Incredible.

I wish I could preview my kids’ thoughts, just before they say exactly what they are thinking. I would really love to know what they are getting ready to say, as a warning to put my hand over their mouth before they say something that will embarrass me themselves. I know that part of being a mom is teaching my kids the polite things to say, and most of the time they do a pretty good job of saying “please”, “thank you”, and “yes maam”. However, the part I have a harder time with is teaching them what NOT to say. I can drill into their mind the cues for saying words of gratification or manners, however, I can’t seem to cover my bases on inappropriate topics of conversation.

We don’t curse in our house, so I have not had to deal with 4 letter words…yet. I am sure they will come home from school one day, having learned a new piece of vocabulary, and I will quickly deal with it. However, specific “off limit” words are easy. It is the situations such as these, that I repeatedly find myself in.

1) At Costco, in October, Lucy spotted a plump, white haired man with a beard. As we were passing, she asked, “Mommy, is that Santa Claus?” I tried to “shhhhh” her until he was out of earshot, but she just got louder, “But Mommy, is that SANTA CLAUS?! I need to know, is that SANTA CLAUS?” It was mildly embarrassing, but nothing beats this next one…

2) At Target, we were in the bathroom washing our hands. A lady walked up to the sink next to us, and began washing her hands. Lucy began staring at her, and then said (very loudly) “Mommy, why is her bottom so very, VERY big?” Yes, she did stress and put emphasis on “very, VERY”.  I stood there, frozen, thinking to myself, “She really didn’t say that out loud, did she?!” I could have crawled in the stall. I was HORRIFIED!

Pause the story right there. I would LOVE to know how you would have reacted if your child had just said something so humiliating to another person. I was at a total loss for words. I was not prepared. I didn’t know whether to scold her, make light of the situation, deny her (accurate) claims…I said nothing for what seemed like 10 minutes.

The kind lady replied, “Sweetheart, my bottom is this big because I eat too many cookies and cakes, and not enough carrots and apples.” Bless that woman! I truly hope that she was not scarred by Lu’s words, the way I was.

3) Lucy strikes (again). We were shopping, again. I had all 3 kids with me, and I was trying to maneuver one of those enormous triple seat shopping carts at Walmart. A worker was coming towards us, and kindly tried to scoot her own cart to the side, so that we could pass. As she pushed it to the side, she got too close to the cereal shelf, and wiped out about 3 dozen boxes of cereal. As began to pick them up, Lucy exclaimed to her, very sarcastically, “Sorry ’bout your LUCK!”

I wish I could say that those are my only stories. As I look back on those, it was my spunky little spitfire “Lulu”, making curious comments about someone’s skin color, hair style, way of talking. In her defense, she was not trying to be mean, racist, or judgmental,  she was simply making her observations out loud, and without reservation. She has never been one to stop talking, so it is as if she just says whatever is on her mind. Each of these situations have been used as teaching points, but I usually end up kicking myself, wishing that I had already covered that “lesson”, to save some embarrassment.

We have made *some* progress in this area. Recently, we were shopping (I promise, we don’t shop all the time!) and Lucy noticed someone that sparked her attention. She waited until he passed, and said quietly, “Mommy, that man sure did have a long ponytail! But only girls are supposed to wear ponytails, not boys!” She followed it with, “It sure is good that I waited until he was gone to talk about him.” Okay, so maybe teaching a child to talk behind someone’s back is not good either…regardless, I do still consider this progress! That will be a lesson for another day.

Okay, now the fun part. Share your own story in the comment section, of the most embarrassing things that your little one said. I look forward to reading them!

And….since every post needs a picture, I was trying to find one that fits. I found these from my phone camera, from a Costco shopping trip a while back…probably around the time of the Santa Claus comment! One second they are getting along great, everyone is happy, smiling for the camera…

However, Lucy just can’t manage to keep her hands off of the little guy. She has been like this since Day 1, constantly smothering him with hugs and kisses…

He usually takes it for several minutes, without complaint, until he hits his breaking point and shows her “I’ve had enough!” I just love the surprise look on her face!

On a slightly different note…

Moms of baby girls, or anyone with an upcoming baby shower, I have a great deal for you! I am offering a coupon code for $5 off one of my best-selling baby hair bow packs. Four bows for only $10! It is an adorable pack of tiny baby bows, that are made to stay in the slightest bit of peach fuzz. I often have moms rave, saying that my baby clip is the first one that has ever worked on their little one’s fuzz. To prove my point, I am not a hairy person, but I can get these clipped to my tiny arm hairs!

To get your 4-pack for only $10, use the coupon code CarrotTopMom in the coupon code box at checkout. Limit of 1 discounted pack per person, and/or per address. Expires 5/22/2011. Additional packs are $15…still a pretty good deal! I also have a great assortment of baby-toddler-big girl flower clips, no-slip barrettes, and other styles of baby hair bows. (I am not limited to babies, and will offer deals for bigger girls in the near future as well.)

If you have a little one who is stuck in headbands, have a newborn on the way, or a friend with a baby, this is a fabulous way to try out my baby clip, exclusively from Bitty Bows Boutique (my hair accessory company). I will periodically offer Carrot Top Mom exclusive offers, so make sure you subscribe to receive emails, if you would like to be the first to hear about these discounts! Also, I have a Bitty Bows Boutique Facebook Page, where I offer exclusive discounts and updates about new styles.

Well, that is all for today. I will be back in a few days with a new and very simple, tasty, and healthy crockpot recipe! Have a great Thursday!

It has been a long time coming, but finally, here it is…my new favorite cupcake recipe! Yes, this has surpassed carrot cake, and even my red velvet cupcake recipe as my favorite. The simplicity of the coconut cream flavor is incredible. If you enjoy coconut, you simply MUST make these! I promise, they are worth the effort! The reduced coconut milk packs a delicious coconut punch, without being too overwhelming. It also makes them insanely moist. I wanted to share this recipe over a month ago, but I tried a few substitutions for the reduced coconut milk, trying to find a way to simplify it. I finally concluded that they didn’t make the cut, and I was done messing with a good thing. The reduced coconut milk is the key to this recipe. Don’t substitute for it!

NOTE: You will need to plan a bit ahead for these! The amazing coconut flavor comes from a reduced coconut milk, which needs to be made one day ahead, and refrigerated overnight. Plan ahead. : )

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

Happy Derby Day to everyone! Our state is full of Kentucky Derby festivities and celebrations today. As you can see, Lucy is ready in her handmade Derby hat. You can’t see it, but she took great care to detail it with BIG flowers and butterflies. Caroline has vowed to celebrate the day by “only drawing pictures of horses today.” If it weren’t for Caroline’s nut allergy, I would have baked a yummy Derby Pie, and had a great big piece of it for breakfast, to get the day off to a great start. I decided instead to save my sugar splurge for whatever yummy treat Shawn and the kids decide to surprise me with tomorrow. (Hint hint.)

Okay, on to the real topic of today, my new, 3rd job. (Job #1 is my household, #2 is Bitty Bows, and this makes #3). As if I NEED a new job…or any more chaos in my life. Sometimes I think I am a glutton for punishment. Here is a little, brief background…

Pre-children, I started my career as a nurse. I worked in the pediatric ICU, and loved it. I began having children, and cut back to part-time, but kept my foot in it. I never expected my baby hair bow company to take off the way it did, afterall I did not spend years in school, and earn two degrees, to be a professional bow maker! It has become quite successful, and it allows me to not need to work as a nurse. I had even told close family and friends, “After we move back to KY, if I even talk about going back to work as a nurse, please stop me!”

We don’t need me to go back to work, and truthfully, our lives run much more smoothly when I don’t have the extra element of an employer. I do not have a desire to get out of the house, and it is not about needing a break from the kids (although some days going to work is easier than being at home!) Truth be told, I simply couldn’t let go of my nursing career. I worked so hard establishing my education and career as a nurse, and to not continue it in some capacity made me feel like I was wasting it. When I was considering this job, the human resource representative told me, “I think you are making a wise decision, to keep up your nursing. I have seen so many moms who took several years off from nursing to be at home with their kids. Although that is an important role, when they decided they wanted to go back into it, I have a harder time placing them than a nurse straight out of school. They say to me, ‘But I had 10 years of experience,’ but the managers are saying that is too old, and really doesn’t count much. The medical field is changing too much to take a long break, without having to start over.”  The idea that a *very* part-time job would allow me to stay current on my nursing career, was the final straw in my decision.

Shawn was quite hesitant when I first suggested it, but all of my concerns seemed to be relieved. Long story short, I decided to accept a two day a month pediatric Emergency Room nursing job. Seriously, TWO DAYS A MONTH, and I get to pick those days! How lucky am I?! It will allow me to stay current…keep up my nursing license…maintain my nursing skills…and do a little GUILT-FREE shopping!

All of that rambling, to say that my life is about to get really, REALLY crazy for a short while! The hardest part about this job will be the training phase, when I will be working closer to full-time hours. I will be starting in the next week or two, dependent on when my license finally clears for KY. I have done my best to prepare for this short phase of my life, when I will be juggling motherhood, household duties, making hair bows, and training for a new job. After about 6 weeks, it will settle down tremendously, as I’ll begin only working a couple times a month.

In the meantime, I have done my best to prepare for the crazy times. I have:

• Stockpiled my freezer with easy dinners. (Pre-marinated meats to throw on the grill, homemade spaghetti sauce, homemade mac and cheese…)
• Put Papa John Pizza’s number on speed dial!
• Packaged dozens of sandwiches for lunches in the freezer. (Not only do PB&J freeze, but I discovered I can freeze turkey and cheese sandwiches too! Just leave off the condiments and veggies. The day of, I throw a little spinach on it, and send Shawn to work with a packet of mayo.)
• Coordinated childcare. Mine and Shawn’s mom came to the rescue!
• Tried to mentally prioritize what is most important…facebook, email, and blogging are not at the top of this list. I am trying to find a better balance of these social networks and real life, and draw firm lines between how much time I spend on each.

Over and over I have reminded myself (i.e. peptalk)  that this is just a temporary chaos, and that I will be glad when it is all over. I may not be around Carrot Top Mom as much over the next 2 months. I won’t be totally blog negligent, but will aim to post once a week. School will be out soon, so I certainly will have pictures to share!

Speaking of pictures, here are a few recent ones, to end this post…

After weeks of rain and severe weather, this was a beautiful sight. God’s promises don’t change, and this was a beautiful reminder!

Lucy talked for weeks about “Muffins with Mom”, a little celebration at her preschool. It was a truly special morning with my sweet Lu. The best part was when she said, “Mom, I am not even excited about the chocolate chip muffins. I am just excited to have you there with me!” Lucy is my foodie, so this was BIG! I thought she was trying to butter-me-up, to ask for something, but she actually seemed sincere!

Little man has been begging for gum like his big sisters. I recently started telling him he can have it while sitting down, buckled in his highchair. This is such a big deal to him, and he LOVES gum so much, he will sit at the table for over hour, chewing the gum. Sometimes he will do puzzles or color, but other times when I offer activities, he refuses. “No, just want to chew gum Mommy!”

We celebrated Shawn’s grandfather’s birthday recently. I don’t have a clue what birthday it was for him, I just know that he is “OLD”! I also know that he is an amazing man who taught his grandkids so much!

Every now and then, I try to get over the fact that my kids’ clothes might get a little dirty, and I let them play in the rain. Ideally, it is not when they are wearing dresses, or at a family function at someone else’s house, with no change of clothes. It is usually best to avoid these spontaneous adventures when my niece and nephew have on brand.new.outfits, but every now and then I try go against my normal restrictive judgement. It has been raining for days, and the kids just needed a dose of fresh air. There is just so much fun to be had when they aren’t worried about getting muddy or messy, but 99% of the time I am instead yelling, “Don’t step in the puddle!!” Today, after several days of rain, we decided to get out and take a look at a new waterfall that had formed. One thing led to another, and they ended up playing in the mud by the end. The pictures tell the story much better than lengthy words. As I look at the fun they had, I wonder why I don’t let them do this more often!

The kids were intrigued by the creek and waterfall that had formed in the backyard. They probably spent 15 minutes just throwing sticks in it, and watching them float down the water. This was actually what got us outside…it was not intended to be a mudfest from the beginning.

The cousins found a few log “stages” to dance on.

Everybody JUMP on the count of three…clearly, Little Man chose not to follow directions. Not a surprise.

After several minutes outside, the kids were already pretty wet. I told them they could jump in the puddles if they wanted. Notice Caroline’s reservation, and look of questioning on her face.

Caroline has always been very particular about cleanliness. As a 1 year old, one of her first words was “dirt”. She would crawl around, handing me pieces of “dirt”. She does not like getting dirty!

Checking her boots, inspecting them for dirt…

Uh oh, she thinks she got a little drop on her sweater…

This is where it all went downhill…Clearly, Caroline thinks Avery had a poor choice of judgement!

When Carter is focused on something, he always sticks his tongue out…

“Dis okay Mommy?” “I wet Mommy!”

Notice my nephew laying in the mud. About 10 seconds later, he informed me that this was a brand new shirt. I’m so sorry Melissa!! I do hope it washed out…

Who can make the biggest splash??? I love this picture, as it captured the moment perfectly!

Uh ohhhh. Caroline got wet. She doesn’t understand that is part of playing in puddles. As I tried to reassure it that it was okay, she screamed, “It is NOT OKAY!!! I’m all wet! I only wanted to get my rubber boots wet!!!” I remember an identical reaction the last time they went puddle jumping. “

Yep, this was last year…same cry, same reason…she didn’t want to get dirty and wet!

I *somewhat* convinced her that everything she is wearing is washable…

I later found out this was also a new outfit. Double oops…In my mind, I was thinking that we would just throw it all in the wash as soon as the kids were done playing. I probably should have checked with their mommy first!!

I am glad to see he is concerned about cleanliness…he is washing his hands in the puddle.

She finally got into it, a little.

Besides Caroline’s expression, this may have been my favorite moment. Carter found another puddle to jump in, and insisted that he needed to take off his waterproof shoes. I sometimes wish I knew what goes through his 2-year-old mind, that he would feel the need to remove his shoes, in order to jump.

He looks up to his big cousin, and wanted to be just like him…I wish I had a picture to show you his sagging diaper, which repeatedly made his pants fall down!

They all got stripped down and hosed off outside (I wish I had pictures of that!!), and I am keeping my fingers crossed that the dirt comes out of my niece and nephew’s new outfits! I can’t remember the last time they played so hard, and went to sleep so quickly at bedtime!

We are in full Easter swing this week, excitedly awaiting fun times with friends and family this weekend. We are hosting lunch after church on Sunday, so I have been trying to be as prepared and methodical as possible. Truth be told, I am a terrible last-minute procrastinator. Don’t believe me? Perfect example: In college, I started writing my 20+ page senior thesis the day before it was due! Need another example? How ’bout the time we were moving the day after Christmas. Since I refused to spend my holiday in boxes, I did not pack anything until moving day. I prefer to say I work best under pressure, but really it is just pure procrastination at its worst. Somehow I usually manage to pull things off, with the help of coffee, but saving things until the last minute can prove to be quite stressful…and poor Shawn usually gets the brunt of my wrath. It is a character flaw I have tried to improve, but it will help you understand why the following accomplishments and early preparations are a REALLY BIG deal to me!!

In the past two days, I have finished my shopping, prepared a huge batch of homemade macaroni and cheese, a crockpot overflowing with mashed potatoes, 2 different types of cupcakes (which are now in the freezer), and I have done prepwork for a couple pies. I made and shipped all my hair bow orders that had any chance of arrival prior to Easter (apparently I am not the only one who procrastinates, but I love my awesome Bitty Bows customers anyway!) I will have a few things to do on Sunday, but nothing too big. I am determined to relax and enjoy the day!!

Today has been a productive day, especially thanks to a sweet friendship between Lucy and our little neighbor Avery, who play so nicely together. They were begging to play, beginning at 7:30 am. Both little spitfires, absolutely full of energy. Together, they run sprint from one activity to another, playing well and entertaining one another. Don’t let their sweet smiles and girly flower headbands fool you. It is a little concerning what mischief these two could get into over the years! I just love it that Lucy has a friend in our backyard! Aren’t they cute little friends?!

When Carter saw the girls getting their picture taken, he insisted, “Take my picture too!!” This grin melts my heart, over and over again!! 

They were eager to “help” me in some of my preparations…

It was a battle. They simply couldn’t resist eating the coconut and frosting. I turned my back for 2 seconds, and found a couple mini cupcakes that looked like this. Can you see the triple finger dips?

Of course, what kind of hostess would I be if I served cupcakes that had fingerprints in them?! Furthermore, what kind of mom would I be if I rewarded their disobedience by allowing them to eat the cupcake they had just attacked? The only logical solution…

I was excited how this batch of cupcakes turned out. I can’t say that it was an original idea, but it was easy and fun for the kids to help with! I made coconut cupcakes, frosted them, and immediately after frosting  covered them in green coconut (just coconut with a few drops of food coloring.) Add a few robin eggs or jelly beans, and it is an adorable and tasty Easter treat!

Caroline has been asking a lot of questions about the Easter Bunny lately. A few days ago, I found a little note she wrote. It read: “To the Estr bunny. I want to no who you relly are. I hop you have a lot of braks. I love Estr. I want alot of candy this year. I love you so much. Love, Caroline” After a little discussion, she explained to me that she thinks the Easter Bunny is really a person, dressed up as a bunny. She was particularly amazed that he hops all over the world…hence her concern that he gets a lot of “braks” (breaks). Although I truly want them to appreciate the real meaning behind the holidays we celebrate, I am not quite ready for her to realize that there really isn’t an Easter Bunny, or Santa!

This is how Caroline greeted me after school today. This has to be one of the cutest projects they have done in class! I was quite impressed. She said she wants to wear it all weekend, including to church on Sunday. Cute as it is, we will refrain from wearing it to church.

Of all the activities the kids have done over the past week, my favorite was “The Story of Easter to Share” that Lucy’s preschool class did. I have seen similar projects that call them “Resurrection Eggs”. Each of the eggs is filled with an object, which symbolizes part of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. It is very simple, so simple that Lucy is able to go through each egg and tell me about it. I love the expressions and details that she shares, as she holds up various objects, telling me the Easter Story in her own words. She says with great excitement, “It was a stone SO BIG, that it too ONE HUNDRED men to put it in place!” If anyone is looking for a last-minute Easter activity, this link does a good job of detailing the supplies etc.

All this talk of procrastination reminds me that I should probably close my computer! I hope everyone has an enjoyable and fun-filled Easter weekend! I am thankful for the Hope that this weekend brings to me.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Sometimes I feel like I am living in a zoo. I am the zookeeper, and I am trying to tame a bunch of hungry, wild animals. From afar, behind a glass wall, my animals children look cuddly and sweet, but when their true disposition comes out, when something sets them off, watch out!!! I am certain many of you can relate. In my household, I have three monkeys who jump, climb, and play on everything. Other times they are little lions, scratching and biting at one other (literally). My girls are like parrots, talking back to everything I tell them to do. Carter reminds me of a goat, the way he has been repeatedly found to eat things out of the garbage. I could go on and on about the smell in their bathroom because they forget to flush #2, they mess they make when they eat, the amounts of food they consume…

Why then, should we even need to visit the zoo, when a home with three young ones so closely resembles one?

Even the answers from our kids did not convince me. As we were getting ready to leave, I asked Caroline, “What animal do you want to see at the zoo?” “The cats”, she replied. “Do you mean the lions, or tigers?” I tried to clarify. No, she just wanted to see kitty cats. When I asked Carter, he replied with great excitement, “I see PUPPIES at the zoo!!” Clearly, a trip to Pet Smart would have sufficed!

We, along with half of Louisville, had the idea to go to the zoo one afternoon this week. Despite the crowds, we were in for a wonderful day.

The elephants treated us to a show of their tricks…

Upon viewing the lions, Mr. Intelligent himself, said, “I not poke kitty cats eyes.” That is great Carter, since this “kitty” could bite your head off in one snap!

This leggy giraffe looked so sadly awkward trying to get a drink of water. Shortly after taking this, I watched Caroline running along. Her 6 year old coordination having a hard time keeping up with her 110% on the growth curve. Now, when I see this picture, I think of my sweet Caroline, awkwardly trying to figure out to run, jump, and coordinate her own rapidly growing legs. I can say that because, at nearly 6 foot tall, I had periods of time when I felt like this giraffe. : ) 

Our little man was so happy petting the goats. He was NOT so happy when we moved on to another site. In fact, he proceeded to throw himself on the ground, kicking and screaming. FYI, the goat pen is not a great place for a temper tantrum. I could not scoop him up before he had laid his entire body down in goat poo!

Serious frustration experienced at the gorilla exhibit. My kids were waiting their turn to sit next to where a gorilla was resting (glass wall in between). It was the best seat in the exhibit, as it was inches away from this gorilla. My kids were waiting their turn to get their picture taken with the gorilla. A couple older kids came up, along with their parents. I could tell those kids were getting ready to “cut in line”, I said politely and a little loudly to my own kids (but really clarifying that we were next in line), “It is almost your turn. Just wait until the little girl is finished, you all are next. Thank you for waiting patiently.” I know the other adults heard, and it was very obvious we were waiting. Well, their kids, older and bigger than mine, walked right in front of mine, and climbed their way to the top. I really debated saying something to the kids, but since their parents were right there I assumed they would take care of it. Nope. Wrong! The parents proceeded to nudge me to the side to take pictures, never once acknowledging that they had totally cut in line. Of course, by the time they were done, the gorilla had moved.

This is not the first time something like this has happened, when I try to teach my kids the right thing to do, and they see another child do the total opposite…and the parents do nothing about it. I would love to hear your responses. What do you do in that situation? Do you say something to the other kids, or simply use it as a teaching moment for your own kids?

Moving on…we visited these beautifully colored birds. The kids watched in great excitement, as they perched on the shoulders of the group before us, rested on the heads of the children, and were very social. I think my kids have a way of scaring living things away with their excitement.

Carter tried and tried to convince this bird to come out of the tree. “Come birdie and tickle me! Come birdie and tickle me!” He waved his hand, and begged it to come see him. The smart bird did not budge.

As our outing came to an end, the kids were exhausted. I don’t think we were in the car for 5 minutes, and I turned around to see this. If fun is measured by how tired they are at the end, I think we succeeded!