Craving Grapes

Today's fun brought to you by LMNOP...

2015-07-29T17:46:00.001-07:00

Today was such a fun day! We were so busy today, and it was unexpected (as I thought we'd lounge at home), but instead we did some running around!

L: We hit up the Library! One place my children absolutely Love, is the Library! It is Lovely!

She moved.

Books fun!

M: Ronald McDonald came to the library, for a visit, and put on a Magic show. It was Magnificent! Daphne and Charly didn't want to watch, so instead played, but Oliver and Kenna Marveled in it's glory. :)

He is in a trance!

N: No Need to say No today! Taco Bell for lunch had the kids cheering! Some might say "Nasty!", but Not my children! They enjoyed every 'tasty' bite!

O: They also asked for Starbucks after the library! Obviously, this family loves Starbucks! Of course, I said YES!

P: When Kenna got home today, the first words out of her mouth were "Can we go get my ears Pierced?"Say what?!?!?! Well, we decided we were going to do just that! In the Process, Daphne decided she also wanted to get her ears Pierced. Ok! I warned them of the Pinch of Pain that comes with it, but they were still super Pushy that they NEEDED this. :) So, off we went! They Picked out their earrings, and Poof...done! They did exceptionally well. I was quite Proud!! They Picked out other earrings, so they can change them when their 6 weeks was up! They couldn't wait to get a mirror, to see the finished Product! Then, the asked to get their Picture taken! They have told EVERYONE today of their excursion...the librarians. Ronald McDonald. The cashier. My friends. They couldn't contain themselves! Kenna got Elsa, and Daphne got rainbow flowers.

It was a glorious trip, with loads of fun! I'm so glad my kids had so much fun today!

Funday! Funday! Kind of...

2015-07-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

We spent Tuesday afternoon at the sprayground, at a local park! The kids had a good time, but was ruined by 2 kids repeatedly running up to my kids (with cups filled with water, in their hands) and throwing it in their faces. Multiple times, this happened. Twice, one kid got Kenna in the eyes, when she asked them at least once, not to throw water on her. The first time I saw it happen, I went to him, and said "Hey. Please don't throw water in her face. That hurts, and is unacceptable. Okay?" To which he said "Okay". Wasn't 5 minutes later, when Kenna was standing next to me, and he did it again. Seriously?!?!?! So, I yelled at him. "Hey!! Remember, when I said not to throw water in her face; I wasn't kidding". He responded "I heard you the first time." Ugh! Brat! So, I told him not to do it again, with a finger point and my best Mommy voice. This type of behavior is absolutely not okay, and I would not let my kids get away with this. Finally, his Dad called him over. I think Dad was upset because I yelled at his kid, because he gave me the stink eye. Guess what, I don't care. Don't mess with my babies! Anyhow...other than those kids, my children had a fabulous time. This was Oliver's first experience with a sprayground, and he LOVED it!

After, we had an ice cream/icee break. :)

Then, we went home, and Kenna prepared for her first sleepover, that is NOT family! It was such a busy day, and Kenna was so excited for the sleepover, that she could barely wait until 5pm to get here, so I could drop her off. She asked every 30-45 minutes, "How long until 5pm?" It was great! I loved her enthusiasm. :)

Who doesn't love a great birthing story?!?!

2015-07-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. It's been two years since my last blog. There is so much to update the world on. I had a SON, in February 2014. His birth story is a pretty amazing one...so, I'll start there. :)

My husband and I had decided that after our third daughter (born in 2011) that we were finished having babies. My husband, I think, always wanted a son, but worried that if we "tried just one more time" that we'd end up with twins. That was a story that my nurse told us, when I was delivering my third daughter, that actually happened to her. So, I finally caved, and agreed that we should be done. Well, in June 2013, I found out, that we were being given yet another present, and that we were expecting a baby around Valentine's Day 2013. I was so excited. I had always wanted just one more. So, I did weekly maternity shoots with a friend, and tracked this pregnancy's progress closer than I ever had, because I knew THIS was my last pregnancy. Well, on September 26, 2013, I found out that we were having a BOY. I couldn't believe it. I thought I would never hear those words, even though with this pregnancy, I had 3 gender dreams, all saying BOY. I was so excited at this new adventure we were about to endure.

Last maternity shot before he came.
He was about the size of a watermelon!

So...time is getting close for baby to make his arrival. Hubby and I were still hammering out what his name was going to be. We had finally decided that his name was going to be Oliver. But, the middle name was just driving us crazy. We went back and forth, and round and round. Nothing fit right. At one point, I suggested Oliver Slade, but for those superhero lovers, you know that Oliver Queen (the Green Arrow) and Slade are enemies! I didn't want my son wrestling with himself his whole life, LOL, so we shot that one down. We also tried Oliver Cato. Cato was Green Hornet's side kick. Hubby thought it was great, and the more I heard it, it started growing on me, but then, he shot it down. Finally, we kind of gave up, and said "GARY". Why Gary, you ask?! Well, that's my husband's middle name, my father in law's middle name (but what he goes by), and my step father in law's name. So, it was perfect! We got all the important guys on my husband's side of the family. WELL...Oliver had other plans, and I guess he decided he didn't want that name. So...here's the good stuff, like so good, you wish there was a video of this!!

Delivery time is finally upon us. My sister kept telling me that Ollie was going to have the same birthday as her husband, 2/6. It's 3am, on 2/6, and I start having some pretty harsh contractions. I had been having contractions every night from midnight till 6am, for the last month, that were 2-5 minutes apart, but at some point, around 3am, they made the switch to much more uncomfortable. So, I go and wake hubby up, and tell him, I think it's time to go to the hospital. He got angry because we didn't have a plan in place for late night deliveries, and went back to bed. So, I sat on the couch (thanks honey), working through them. At 330am, he finally gets up, and asks what we're going to do. I say "I'll call my sister and have her come over and hang with the girls, just in case it's another false labor". So, I call...at this point, it's about 345am. She can't get her hubby up, to drive her over. So, she says she's going to call our Mom, and have her come over. Mind you, my Mom is 35 minutes away, in perfect weather, and we had just had an ice storm the night before. So, my Mom calls me, and asks if it's really it, and when I confirm that I really think it is, she gets off the phone, and heads on over.

Mom shows up at around 425am. I go over the school day routine, as quickly as I can, and head out. Hubby can't get the car out of our parking spot, and is basically rocking (in drive & reverse) the car, out of the spot. We get out, and off we go. At 435am, I made a facebook status (LOL) that said "I think this is it! Hospital bound...and we better get there soon!!!!!!!!Omfg!!!!" We were 10 minutes from the hospital at this point. My husband was so calm, cool and collected, and he kept saying "Your water hasn't broken yet. We have time. We will be there soon". He said that, because, with my third, when my water broke, she was born 12 minutes later, so he was trying to calm me down. Well, we make the turn to onto 5 mile (about a mile from the hospital), and my water breaks. So, I really started freaking out then. I knew he was coming, and there was no stopping him. Well, he finally (felt like 10 minutes, but I think it was like 2), turns into the hospital parking lot. When he did, I pulled my britches down.

I knew he was coming and I couldn't wait. So, I put my hand down, and feel his head, and in that moment, I became doctor and patient. And, in one big grunt of pain/push, he was born. I breathed a sigh of relief and patted his back, in which he started fussing. In the moment, I announced "He's here", and my husband then lost his calm demeanor, yelling "Is he breathing? Is he okay? Is he breathing? Are you okay? Oh my God?!! What the Hell!". That's when the fun really begins!!! Hubby parks at the ER entrance, and runs in a yells "My wife just had a baby in the car". One guy follows him out to see what's going on. They later explained that a LOT of first time dads will yell that, and then the wife is in labor for 10 hours. Ha! Well, my experienced husband knew. So, the lonely guy comes out, and looks at me. I'm sitting in the front seat, and he looks confused. So, I Lion King-ed my baby up, so that he could see him. His eyes were as large as a hockey puck in that moment, and he runs back inside, and out with about 10 people, a gurney, and lots of blankets. It was like 5 degrees Fahrenheit. So, he yells at my husband and me, to NOT open the car. They didn't want to shock the baby. So, they get in position, and next thing I know, I'm being lifted out of the car, and blankets thrown everywhere. I had called my doctor before I left the house, so the nurses knew I was coming in. They were laughing because they had just gotten down to the ER to meet me, before they knew I'd had my son. They were joking that when looking at my file they commented on my fast deliveries.

In the ER, they made sure my son was okay, and then took me up to the birthing center. There, I was in a triage type of room, and they had nothing prepared. So, they went searching for scissors, to cut the cord, the clamp, needle for stitches, and so on. I made them very unprepared...well, my son did. :) After all was said and done, I had a healthy baby boy that was estimated to have been born at 445am. He was 8 pounds 10 ounces, of pure bliss. He was my heaviest child, of course!

So, we announce his birth to friends and family. My husband called my Mom, when I was in the ER, and he was left to park the car. It was a crazy bit of time. But, hubby's best friend jokingly said "Since he was born in a Ford, you should name him Oliver Ford". We laughed about it, for a bit, and then about 2 hours later, we were like "Yeah. Let's do that!". So, we did! Oliver Ford was born on a cold and icy early morning, in the front seat of our Ford, at 25 miles per hour. I joke and say he is a true superhero...fast and furious. And, he's been that way ever since!
I hope you have enjoyed catching up with me, on his delivery, and I can't wait to share more FUN stories raising 3 girls & 1 boy! My kiddos never make dull days! We are loving our adventure, and living life to the fullest.

Here we are, almost 18 months later!

Swim lessons are a success!

2013-06-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

The girls LOVED their first day of swim lessons! The teachers were great, and they really got the girls in the water, and getting comfortable. Charly and Kenna are looking forward to another day tomorrow. I'm looking forward to sleep...I'm exhausted. :)

Kenna doing the alligator crawl!

Charly doing the alligator crawl!

Daphne watching her sisters

Time for RIDES!!!!!

Charly is so excited that she now gets
to ride the big rides, solo!

Swings! One of Kenna's favorites!

Daphne waiting for the carousel!

Then, the girls discovered the funny mirrors! At this point, Daphne just wanted to get in the car, so she could go to sleep...so she didn't participate. But, Kenna and Charly hung out here, for about 5 minutes. They would have stayed longer if Daphne would have allowed it! It was so funny!!!

And, the Frog Hopper was the last ride of the day. The girls wanted to do so much more...crammed in one day. I had to remind them, that swim lessons are Monday through Thursday, for the next four weeks, so they need not worry...they'll do everything. :) Maybe tomorrow, we'll get to the paddle boats, and a whole 18 holes of putt putt (Daphne got hurt after the ninth hole, so we had to leave...thank goodness I came prepared, with band-aids!).

Overall, the day was a huge success. It wore Daphne out enough that she took a 3 1/2 hour nap this afternoon! She welcomes naps, thankfully!!!

Swim Lessons start tomorrow!

2013-06-02T11:00:00.002-07:00

The time has come! Swim lessons start tomorrow, for Kenna and Charly. They are Monday thru Thursday, for 4 weeks. Charly was super nervous about it, because being 8 years old and not knowing how to swim "Is completely and totally embarrassing". Yup...her words! I then explained that that's EXACTLY why she's getting into swim lessons, so she will learn how to swim. That definitely made her feel a bit better. Kenna is just super excited for swim lessons.

I got the girls registered on Friday, for their lessons. Kenna will be in the amazing 3 year olds class, which is a 30 minute class. Charly is will be in the silver class, which is a 45 minute class. Thankfully, they start at the same time, so I don't have a lot of running to do. Charly saw the ages of some of the kids in her class (5 & 6 year olds) and was upset, but the one teacher told her that she is so very graceful in the water, that she thinks Charly is going to be an EXCELLENT swimmer. That made Charly light up! Then, she told me that if Charly starts progressing very quickly, they can always re-test her and move her up to gold level, if needed. After that encouragement, Charly began trying very hard to swim underwater. She could do it last year, but since this was only the second time in the water, this year, she was having a little trouble. She goes under, but isn't quite moving. She'll get there for sure, especially with all the practice.

I can't wait! They'll have so much fun, and I'll get to see all the progress they're making! Be prepared for pictures. :)

Charly was worn out after class registration!

This little fish was having a blast!

Kenna needed a nap! She "ran out of energy!"

Busy 'summer' day!

2013-05-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I took the girls to Goodwill, for their 99c kids clothing day, and then, we grabbed a quick lunch and headed to a natural park with some good friends. At first, all the kids weren't sure what to do without a playground, but soon figured it out, and even went on a 1 mile hike. :) Well, apparently, yesterday completely wore them out, because this morning I had to wake my girls up at 920, so they could get ready to go to Coney Island.

So, they finally get up, excitedly, I might add, and get their swimming suits on! They are so excited! We get there, and they can't wait to get in the water...it was SO cold!! We had lunch there, but sadly, all the rides were closed, today.

So, after the pool, we took a short car ride, and went to Lunken Park and hit up a play area there. We hung out for a little over an hour, then all three girls were hot and ready to go. Daphne passed out within minutes of getting in the cool air conditioning, of the car. We got home, and the big girls 'accidentally' woke her up...so she was ready to go again! A little toddler running around on not enough sleep and being clumsy is NO FUN! So...we went back outside, after dinner. Charly drove her remote control Mustand, and then all three girls rode their bikes. Then, FINALLY, Daphne was ready for sleepy town! So, I took her up to bed, and let the big girls have their freeze pops. :) Now...off to bed everyone goes. Back to Coney Island tomorrow, for swim lessons registration. Then, I have to work, in the evening, while the big girls go to their Nana and Pappy's!

Another busy day on our hands!!!

I'll post pictures in a bit, my computer is not cooperating!

The Croods

2013-05-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

I LOVE SUMMER VACATION!!!! Seriously, not having to get up quite so early (though Daphne still likes to be up around 730-800) and being able to do whatever we want, whenever we want. It's fantastic!

First of all, I would like to give a shout out to all veterans! Thank you for your service, past and present. And, to those that lost their lives, thank you for your sacrifice. Happy Memorial Day.

So, yesterday, on Memorial Day, I took the trio to see The Croods. We went with family friends (Charly's bestie, bestie's Mom...my friend, and bestie's brother...Kenna's friend). It made the movie trip so much more enjoyable. :) Anyhow, we got a HUGE popcorn and soda, both of which come with free refills. I broke out the paper bags, and everyone got their own bag of popcorn, and we brought color coded straws, so we could share the drink. :) Yes, we like to do things as inexpensively as possible. When raising three girls, now is the time to be saving. All the kiddos (and the Moms) enjoyed the movie. There were lots of giggles and some more serious parts, but it was definitely a hit. Daphne, my crazy baby that doesn't like to watch TV, even sat on my lap and squealed with delight, when everyone would laugh. There was a baby behind us that kept crying, and sometimes that consumed Daphne's attention, but then baby would stop and she'd go back to enjoying the movie. :) I'm glad she wasn't running through the aisles like I had expected!

So, if you haven't already...check out The Croods.

When did I get so old???

2013-05-26T17:20:00.001-07:00

So, today, I went to a high school graduation party for a family friend. I remember when he was born. I remember when he started Kindergarten. And, here I am, now getting to remember he graduated high school in 2013.

Then, it donned on me...what the heck!?!?! I graduated in 1998! That's 15(!!!!!!!) years ago! OMG! Where has the time gone??? Here I am, 32, almost 33, I still feel like I'm 21! LOL! Now, I have three beautiful girls, and unbelievably, one is 8 1/2!

Geez! Time does fly when you're having fun, but I didn't realize it would fly so fast!!!

#lovinglife
#feelingold

Sheesh...Time getting away from me...

2013-05-26T16:54:00.001-07:00

Ok. With summer break officially here, and much time having passed since my last entry, I'm hoping to SERIOUSLY get started back up. :)

Let's see...since my last post, Daphne has turned one, Daphne went Trick or Treat-ing for the first time, Kenna turned three, we had Christmas in Orlando (and went to Universal Studios), Charly turned eight, the girls went to their first Reds Game ever, and Charly finished 2nd grade! Phew!!!! It's definitely been a busy couple of months! So...instead of continuing to ramble...why not show off some pictures. :)

Love this time of year! PUMPKIN PATCH TIME!

2012-10-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Charly went with her Pappy to help some friends at their new house. Charly wanted to go, so she could ride her dirt bike over there. :) So, Kenna and Daphne hung out with Brian and I. Daphne is still a bit under the weather, and since Kenna and I don't really get mommy/daughter time, I decided to take JUST her to a pumpkin patch (McGlasson's). :) She had SO much fun! Here are a 'few' pictures. :)

Party, Party, Party!!

2012-10-02T05:34:00.002-07:00

Oh my goodness, we have lots of parties going on this time I year! I absolutely love it!
On Sunday, I had a 31 Gifts / Scentsy party! It was a good time!! I just LOVE the smell of fall, and the scents that Scentsy has for the fall collection really bring out the best smells. However, while we were playing a game of 'guess the scent' there was one I couldn't figure out, so I said to Kenna (my 2 year old) "Monkey, smell this...and tell me what it is". She takes a sniff and says "Ewwwwww!" LOL! It was the funniest thing EVER...and even the consultant got a good chuckle outta that one. :) I can't wait to pick out my free/discounted goodies from the party! There are so many things I want, but I need to be a good girl with all the parties ahead of me. :) A special thank you to my friends and family that came out for the party. And, thank you to Kirstyn S. for coming to my house for a little party. :)

My lovely, little sister, Laura, turned 30 last week, but is having her this Saturday. Should be a great time...we haven't gotten together for a PARTY since my Mom's birthday, in February. Can't wait for a night outta the house!!!

Then, the following Saturday is a friend's Pampered Chef party. My sister was raving about the potato cutter (to make french fries), and since I know buying a whole bag of potatoes is cheaper than buying a bag of french fries, my frugal-ness is coming out, and I'll definitely be ordering one of those. :) I'm so excited!!!

Then, comes Daphne's 1st Birthday (Pumpkin), and Kenna's 3rd Birthday (Princess)! My goodness, where has the time gone??? I can't believe my baby is becoming a toddler! :'( They grow up so fast! So, my weekends are pretty booked up...pluss in between the parties, I have to still find my time to craft away the rest of the things for Daphne's party. I better get busy I only have 3 1/2 weeks!!! So...off I go, to get crafting! :)

Steak N Shake, here we come!

2012-09-26T13:45:00.001-07:00

So...everyday between 2-4 (am & pm), Steak N Shake has their shakes half price. This is the ONLY time I will take the girls for shakes. I got the Butterfinger shake...YUM YUM! Charly got the Caramel Apple shake (a fall flavor), and Kenna had to have the Very Berry Strawberry (It's made with real strawberries). Anyhow...we are all enjoying our shakes, and we get home. Well, Daphne wanted a taste, and Kenna (like every other time) was done after just having it in the car. So, I decided to scoop it up in the straw, and let Daphne enjoy some strawberry shake. Well...I think she's now addicted. :) It is pretty awesome!!!

Daphne's first taste of Very Berry Strawberry Shake

She liked it SO much!
She's sucking on the straw so hard, you can see her little dimple. :)

Blurry, I know...but look at that face! :)

She didn't wanna give up the straw!

A fit is brewing...b/c I had to refill the straw!

OK...she's got her fix...happy again!

Last taste.
And, what you don't see is that then a HUGE fit erupted
b/c even though the shake was empty, she wasn't done eating it!

Why clean when a tornado is just going to blow through...your house!?!

2012-09-26T05:59:00.000-07:00

I clean, every morning, and before lunch time comes around, the house looks worse than it did that morning. So, I clean again before my husband gets home from work, and again, by the time he's home...it's a disaster. Now, I understand why people have that stereotypical image of stay at home mothers, sitting on the couch, eating bon bons & watch their 'stories'. It's hard being a SAHM...not physically...what my husband does for work is physically demanding. But, it's mentally draining!

These little humans are tough work! That said...I wouldn't change it for the world. When Charly was this age, I didn't have the luxury of staying home and watching her grow up. So, I'm definitely trying to enjoy it now. Plus, I get to see Charly every morning, and everyday after 3pm, when she gets outta school. Most of the time, it takes her all night to do her homework...she finds EVERY reason and even outrageous reasons to procrastinate. :) In all fairness, it's in her DNA...I do that too! LOL!

Ok, ok...back on track. So, I cleaned the house this morning. Put, the books back on the book shelves, put the movies back on their shelf, picked up toys, swept, vacuumed, etc...and LOOK what they did!

Within minutes of me leaving the room, Kenna got the dinosaur puzzle BACK out, and tore it up. And, then, Daphne threw the movies off the shelf, and she LOVES to chew on them. My husband says she's worse than a puppy! LOL!

So...back to cleaning I go. Happy Wednesday to everyone...ESPECIALLY to my sister, Laura, since it's her 30th birthday! Woot!!!!

Birthdays galore!!

2012-09-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's true what they say! Time flies when you're having fun! :) I can't believe it's been 6 months since my last blog. Charly, Kenna and Daphne are obviously keeping me on my toes.

Let's see...quick update. Daphne is crawling. She has taken her first steps, but prefers to continue crawling, or have me carry her. Charly has started 2nd grade and is doing wonderfully. Kenna is fully potty trained. Woot!!!!

Anyhow, I can't believe my babies are growing up so fast! It feels like yesterday that I was still pregnant with Daphne, and Kenna was a baby. Gosh, I still remember being pregnant with Charly, like it was yesterday. Now, here I am planning a third 1st birthday!

Speaking of birthdays, I just celebrated my 32nd birthday. :) I LOVE my birthday. And, my wonderful kids and husband got me a Mother's ring...and it's BEAUTIFUL! My girls, left to right, are January, November and October birthdays. I love how the stones are all so different but still in the same family of color. :)

Now, I'm busy planning Daphne's birthday birthday. She's my little pumpkin, so we're going with a pumpkin/fall festival theme. I've found so much AWESOME stuff at Michael's craft store, and gotten some awesome fabric at JoAnn's. I am trying to get crafty, so I'm making Daphne's birthday banner, and a few other things. I can't wait to see the finished product!!! I only have 4 more weeks to get this all done, so I'll be busy, busy for a few weeks.

Mommy's Little Pumpkin

Then, three weeks after Daphne's birthday, I have Kenna's 3rd birthday. She wants a princess theme, so I've been searching for Disney Princess stuff. Luckily, they are very popular this year. :) So, it should be easy enough. But, so I'm not scrambling from one party, to the next, I'm trying to plan them both, now. :)

Mommy's Princess!

It's been CRAZY trying to plan two parties, back to back, but I must admit, I've gotten really lucky! First, my Mom is always there ready to help, if needed. And, she's done some shopping with me, and gotten some great things for the girls' parties. Second, I discovered www.couponchief.com. It has made my online shopping a little easier. With 3 kids, it's almost impossible for me to go to the store, and concentrate on what I'm shopping for without getting distracted 800 times. With coupon chief, I do my online shopping like I normally would (like at partycity.com), and then, I go to coupon chief to see if they have any discount codes or promotions. Anyone that knows me, knows that I'm always looking to save a dollar and that I LOVE my coupons. :) So, this site has helped so much b/c I can stay home and still get the savings I'm looking for. :)

Then, while on www.couponchief.com, I discovered, they have a rewards program. You can add codes, to help others, and you can earn money back when your code is used! How awesome is that!?!?! So, not only am I saving money by using their site, but now I can make some money too. SWEET!!! You better believe I added some codes. :) And, I definitely encourage any of you to check out the site...it has seriously helped me with this double party planning!! And, any other purchases online, I'll definitely be going there, to check for codes, before I hit that submit button. :)

After this first birthday planning, maybe I will do like my parents did for several years, to my sister and I, and plan a joint birthday party. :) I know, the first birthday is really only special to the parents, b/c in 2 years or 20 years, the kid will never remember it! LOL! But, I made the other two 1st birthdays special, so I can't not do it for Daphne too! Afterall, she's the last 1st birthday I'll ever have (until Grandchildren...which is a long way out). Obviously, after the parties, I'll post pictures! I'm so excited!!!! And, seriously, check out Coupon Chief, if you haven't already!! :)

Pampered Chef anyone?

2012-03-22T06:19:00.001-07:00

Well, I hosted my first ever Pampered Chef Party! It was fun!! I invited a bunch of friends, and family, and had a good ol' time just hanging out. I made some yummy beer bread, and some dips, a veggie tray and assorted chips. My consultant showed up about 30 minutes before the party, and set up...and then my friends started arriving...right on time. :)
She did a quick little presentation; and then made a pork tenderloin, in the microwave, in 15 minutes!! She cut it up, and turned it into pulled pork! It was SOOOOOO easy...I mean, seriously, even my husband could cook this. :) I totally got the baker...well, the smaller version of the one she used! Then, she made a chocolate lava cake, in like 10 minutes (again, in the freakin' microwave!)!! It was utterly amazing! And, both tasted quite delicious...but the cake was supreme!!
Then, we spent the rest of the time, eating, gossiping, chatting, and flipping through a catalog. Because I had a decent party, I ended up getting $140 in FREE goodies! WOO HOO! Well, I did have to pay sales tax on the stuff, but $140 of stuff, for only $8.40! Most impressive!!! Two of my friends said they wanted to have a party, so I'll be buying more goodies in the near future. I'm so excited!
Ten years ago, if you would have told me I would be hosting a Pampered Chef party, and that I'd be excited to get all the stuff, I would have called you a liar. It's crazy how as you grow older, things change. :) I LOVE IT! But, I'm still totally a kid at heart, and enjoy all the kid stuff...well, except for SpongeBob! I don't know why kids like watching him on TV! ARGH!!!!! That laugh. *shiver*
Anyhow...a special thank you to my Pampered Chef consultant, Debbie B.! Fabulous job, and I had a great time! Can't wait for the next party. :)

Spring has sprung!

2012-03-21T20:16:00.002-07:00

Ahhhhh! I love, love, love, being able to have the windows open, and fresh air blowing through the house! I also love the $$ it saves, by not having to have our air or heat on! We have flowers blooming and trees budding!
Yesterday, it was 82 (or something like that)! After I picked Charly up from school, the girls and I hung out on the front yard. I watched the girls run around and get some of that energy off them. I held Daphne, and she just enjoyed being outside. I have a sneaking suspicion, she's going to be just like her sisters and always want to be outside. :) Charly and Kenna were dying to pick flowers...they were bringing me dandelions. :) So, I let them get in our flower beds and picks some of the daffodils, hyacinth, and tulips. Then, Charly asked if we could make a bouquet, so after she gathered a few flowers, she took them inside, and made a bouquet for me. :) It's proudly displayed on the kitchen table. :) And, the flowers smell WONDERFUL!


The handmade bouquet! From, Charly and Kenna. :)

Today, no flowers were picked, or bouquets made, but we did get outside again...after dinner. It was like 85 today, and the weather was beautiful! Brian cut the grass (it was like a field in our back yard), while the girls played. I swear they pulled every outside toy outta the garage. We had 2 tricycles, a scooter, a 2 wheeler bike, a slide, and a trampoline in our yard. :)
They were so excited to be outside in the nice weather, at some point they were literally bouncing from one activity to the next (they were on the trampoline...LOL!) Now that Kenna can get air when she jumps, she's loving the trampoline. :) Charly was being a little dare devil, and speeding down our sloped driveway on a little scooter, and then whipping into the grass when she got to the patio. Brian said that thing is so beat up, that one of the times down the hill, it's gonna fall apart. :) It looked like it, with the way she was hitting the bump onto the patio. :) Silly girl!!
We also got to meet our new neighbors. :) They seem like decent people...they are golden after the neighbors we had before them (those neighbors stole our patio furniture!). They have 2 boys, and one boy on the way. :) Kinda funny because we are the house with 3 girls. :)
Anyhow, what a great day! And, tomorrow should be mid-80s again! WOO HOO!!! Fabulousness in all its glory!!

Wow...time flies when you're having fun!

2012-03-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

The last couple weeks have been crazy! Some good, some bad! I'm still sick, with sinus issues. It's been 80 degrees in March (for 4 days!). Sheesh! I'm loving the weather, but hating what it's doing to my sinuses! Anyhow, I promised the Kenna/Charly bean bag story. So...here it is!
As you are well aware, Kenna discovered the zipper on Charly's bean bag chair. I hate that she's discovered it, because now, every time I turn around, she's in the beans! And, they are static-y and blow around with NO breeze.
Anyhow, Charly was home sick, on a Monday, and she was laying in Kenna's bean bag chair, in the toy room, watching television. The next thing I know, some beans are escaping the toy room, and I hear Charly yelling "Kenna!!! No!!!!" OMG! What is going on, if that many beans are in the hall!?!?!?! So, I rush in there to find Kenna dumping out beans! Ugh! Not again! So, I start to help clean them up, and Charly volunteers to help. We get busy scooping and dumping those stupid things back into their home. I told them they would lose the bean bag chairs if beans are going to constantly be dumped out. But, this did not phase the crazy 2 year old!


The hallway! O No!

An hour later (about an hour before Charly's doctor's appointment), Kenna decides to try it again. This time; she succeeds! She dumped every single bean out of Charly's bean bag chair! EVERY SINGLE ONE! There was a mountain of beans...it looked like an avalanche in the toy room! Well, I didn't catch it right away because the girls were being quiet, playing in it! Then, I hear Charly say "Let's make snow angels!" Hearing that, I'm thinking 'O God! What did they do!?!?!?!' So, I run, no walking, into the toy room! There is an avalanche of beans. I can even see where it started as a mountain, and from them playing in them, it's been turned to an ocean of beans! They have them in their hair, up their legs, on their arms & backs. And, since Charly went to the kitchen and Kenna went into the office, there is a now a trial of beans! THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!! (Two weeks later, and I'm still finding the random, roaming bean!) ARGH!! We have to leave for the doctor's office in about 30 minutes! I get the girls cleaned up, and shut the toy room door. I tell them we'll get them cleaned when we get back. Well...not an easy task, at all!!! By 630p, when hubby gets home, there are still beans EVERYWHERE! I'm so frustrated, I just wanna throw the dang chairs out!

More beans...what in the world is the toy room going to look like!?!

OMG!!!! They are literally everywhere!

This is after some cleanup! I hate beans!


See them in Charly's hair, and up her legs!

Busted!! They were making snow angels!

Uh huh...innocent, huh?! Not go much!

My husband, becomes my Prince Charming. He tells me to sit down and relax, and he'll get them cleaned up. Thank goodness!!!! So, my husband, instantly turns genius! He gets the bright idea to go get the mini shop vac we have, in the basement (I forget about this thing!), and he puts a plastic bag in it, and begins vacuuming up the beans. Then, he takes the bag, and dumps it into the bean bag chair! OMG!!! What a fabulous idea! And, after hours of fighting with the girls to clean them up (because they didn't wanna do it anymore), they are fighting with each other, on who can clean them up (they both wanted to vacuum!) It was amazing, how quickly he got it cleaned up, after hours of dealing with static, and little white beans! Next time, I know what to do. :)

Ugh...

2012-03-09T22:03:00.001-08:00

I promise I'll get around to the Charly/Kenna story that again involves the bean bag chair...but I'm sick, and tired. Yeah, I know...I'm still up, and it's late. But, as soon as I'm done here, I'm passing out in my nice, warm bed!
My sweet Daphne also had to get shots this morning, so it was a really ROUGH day, and I suspect a rough night is ahead. One positive, of her having to go to the doctor's appointment, is that I now know how big my sweet baby is. :) She's 13lbs. 9oz. and 26 inches long. Doc said her weight puts her in the 40th percentile, which means that she weighs more than 40% of the babies that are her age. And, her height puts her in the 90th percentile. She's lean and long, and super sweet!

I am happy to report that Kenna did have an accident free day! She wore panties while we went to the doctor, then to lunch with my Mom, then to the store for gas, then Target for waffles, and then a 2 hour nap. :) NO ACCIDENTS! I am very looking forward to potty training being done! She just kept saying "No pee on Minnie". :) GO KENNA!!! As a reward, I even bought her Dora the Explorer socks...she was so excited to get them. I'll buy all the Dora socks I can find if it means no more diapers. Let's hope it's done really soon...please cross your fingers for me! :)

I promise, I'll try to update tomorrow. :)

Rough couple of days...

2012-03-06T21:39:00.000-08:00

I have a couple good updates, but man, I am exhausted, so tonight it's a short and sweet update!

My sweet Daphne is now four months old. She is an amazing sleeper. I usually put her down for bed between 8-9pm. And, she'll sleep all night. If Charly has school, I'll wake her up at 740a, to get her loaded in the car, so Charly can get to school by 8am. Then, she'll fall back asleep in the car, and sleep until 9 or so. If Charly does not have school, Daphne will usually wake up at 6 or 7a, have breakfast, and back to snoozing. She is by far my easiest baby. I think of it as my reward for surviving Kenna as a baby. :) Kenna was often up multiple times during the night, until about 16 months. Charly was another easy baby (sleeping through the night at 5 weeks), but was awake A LOT during the day.
Anyhow, Daphne has started teething, making my sweet angel a grumpy mess. She's constantly drooling, and loves to chew on her fists. :( I've been Orajel-ing her, and giving her the pacifier, but she ends up spitting it out and going back to gnawing on her hands. She's our little baby zombie. :) I see no signs of teeth, so if she's anything like Charly, she'll be like this for another month or so before those teeth actually break through. Wish me luck!


Daphne Elizabeth on her 4 month birthday. :)

Charly lost another tooth. Thank goodness! It was definitely a snaggle tooth! At least now, her teeth are a little more even. :) The teeth losing stage is definitely a goofy stage...but she's still a beautiful girl! HOWEVER...Charly FORGOT to inform her Mother and Father that she plucked the tooth out, when she was supposed to be sleeping, and just put it under her pillow. In the morning, she told me that she lost it, and went looking for the money. Much to everyone's surprise, there was no money, or tooth. So, at this point, she's in tears. How could the tooth fairy just take the tooth, and not pay her for it!?! That's stealing! So, I tell Charly to go downstairs, and Mom will come to the rescue to see if the tooth fairy had to place the money somewhere else! Well, I found the money! PHEW! It was waiting for her on the window sill. :) We came to the conclusion that after the tooth fairy gathered Charly's tooth, Charly must have moved her head, making it impossible for the tooth fairy to get the money under the pillow. And, since she didn't have a pen or paper, she had to put it on the sill and HOPE that Charly found it. Good thing Mom has lost teeth before, and knew where to start looking. ;) So, crisis averted, and Charly was happy to announce that she got 8 quarters! O my!


Charly Reanna...those 2 front teeth are gone, but the permanent ones are quickly coming in. :)

Kenna...well, she's Kenna. Her new favorite toy is the beans from Charly's bean bag chair. I have another update on that (that's a long post!), so maybe tomorrow! But, let's just say she's found the zipper about 10 times in the last 48 hours! Oh yeah! She's about to be grounded from the dang chairs! LOL! She's my loveable, crazy, wild child, Kenna. :) Couldn't imagine her any other way!

Kenna Merrin striking a pose. :)

Well, good night! I'll be back tomorrow, to fill you in on the beans. :) Thank goodness my sister and brother in law got me a camera for Christmas, so I have proof of all their craziness. :)

Charly has a bestie!

2012-03-01T19:37:00.002-08:00

Charly is a beautiful, smart and wonderful 7 year old. I love her so much. That said, she sometimes struggles in the friends department. She is a very reserved child, and sometimes has to warm up to people, before she will friend them. But, when she does, she goes all in!

My sweet Charly Reanna!

Well, at the beginning of February, Charly was invited to a sleep over. She was so excited to get the invitation. When I opened it up, inside, there was a note, from the girl's mother. It basically said "My child is only inviting 4 girls, to attend this sleep over. We would love for your child to stay, but if she can't, please call immediately, so we can invite another child". Charly BEGGED me to let her go. I didn't know if it was a good idea. Not because it's something new, but because I didn't know if Charly would follow through. Earlier in the school year, she was invited to another little girl's birthday party (not a sleepover), and made her self sick at the thought of being dropped off at the party. So, she ended up not going. So, I told Charly "If I call her mother, and tell her you are going, I expect you to go". She promised me that she would. Swore up one side and down the other...she was so excited. So, I decided, what the heck, and I made the phone call to RSVP, yes. Well, the Saturday came, and still she was ecstatic! She couldn't wait to get there. The time finally came that it was time to go. She was packed and ready! Out the door we go. We get there, and Charly runs off with the other little girls, and I stayed a few (to let Charly get comfortable...but really didn't need to) minutes, to talk with the Mom. I let her know that Charly has never had a stayover (besides with my parents), so I didn't know if she'd stay. Well, boy did she prove me wrong. She had the best time ever!
And, since then, Charly has talked about this little girl non-stop. On her papers at home she writes "xxx is my best friend" or "xxx BFF!" I love it! On Monday, the little girl came to our house. They asked if they could do art stuff. Well, I had some finger paints and lots of paper, so I let them have at it, while Kenna was sleeping, and I was taking care of Daphne. Oh my gosh! Did they make a mess! LOL! Paint was everywhere! There was paper on the table, but the paint was so far over it, that half the table was painted purple and green. There was green paint on the floor where it had spilled, and then they walked in it. Most of the footprints were at the table, but then I could see them going to the kitchen sink, and then to the bathroom! LOL! So, I said "Alrighty, girls! You made a huge mess, so let's have a clean up moment, and you can play again, when we're done." They immediately started cleaning up! They did a fabulous job! Though, I really regret not having pictures of the mess! LOL! Charly cleaned the table (since she was the one that got paint on the table), and the little girl took the floor (since she was the one that got the paint on the floor). It was done in no time.
Then, I tell them, they need to clean up their hands. They get all cleaned up and I go into the bathroom! OH MY! There was a paint explosion in the bathroom! I mean, it was everywhere! The sink and mirror were covered, from them trying to wash their hands. Then, where they didn't get all the paint off, it got wiped onto the towel. And, then, from it being on their shoes, it was all over the floor. Charly said "Please tell me we don't have to clean the bathroom too!" hehe! No, I cleaned it. Thankfully the paint is washable, and it was cleaned up, again, in no time! And, really, though it was everywhere, it wasn't a big deal. And, the girls were having fun! But, I really, really should have gotten pictures...it was hysterical!
So, back to Charly having a bestie...they called each other and talked on the phone last night. It was so cute hearing the conversation. They talked about everything, no matter how miniscule the detail, it was made known. :) I love hearing her talk on the phone. And, man, did they giggle like school girls...guess it's a good thing they are! That saying is there for a reason. :)
Then, tonight, Charly went over to her house after school! They had sloppy joes for dinner, and Charly informed me, when she got home, that she really liked them, and hopes we make them some night soon. :) And, she has been invited to stay at their house this weekend. I haven't told her yet, but I think I'm going to say yes. She'll be a VERY happy little Charly. :)
This little girl is a very nice little girl. I'm so happy that Charly is friends with a nice girl, instead of only having 'frienemies', as she puts it (you know friends one day, and not the next). YAY for Charly coming out of her shell, and embracing new things! Gosh, I love her so much!!

My craftiness, part 2

2012-02-29T21:19:00.000-08:00

So, a week ago (in the 'brought to you by the letter C' post), I mentioned that I was getting crafty, and was so excited about it. Well, I couldn't post pictures of what the girls did, because they had to fire the ceramic pieces. Well, we got them back today! They are fabulous!!! My brother in law actually got his today! It was for his birthday a couple weeks ago, but trying to find the time when Kenna wasn't grumpy, and Charly wasn't sassy took some time. :) Anyhow...here is the finished product...

Obviously, Uncle Dan is my brother in law. He is a football fan (Go Falcons!), so the girls made him his own Super Bowl...except he gets a Souper Bowl. :) Those little men in the bowl, are finger people. Kenna got to paint the face and bottom of the bowl. The bottom is red with sparkles, and the top is blue (as you can see). Then, Charly and Kenna made little football players, with their fingerprints (Daphne's fingerprint was a wee too small, so she didn't get to help on this one). Then, I added the arms & legs, the football, helmets and faces. :) I think they are so cute! And, I'm 99.99999999% sure that Uncle Dan absolutely loved it! And, the best part is that he can actually use it! Though, I suspect he won't! They don't crack and are dishwasher and microwave safe! It is so stinkin' cute!!!

Happy crafting!

Screech That's scary!

2012-02-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

Kenna is certainly my wild child. She is almost fearless, some would say. She's most definitely a bruiser. If she falls and skins up her knee, she might cry, but then she'll come running over to me and say "Kiss it, Mommy", and when I do, it's like my lips are a magical power, because the boo boo suddenly stops hurting. :) Charly has always ran with purpose. She has always tried to figure out the quickest route to get from point A to point B. Kenna tries that, but it ends up as a zig zag. I swear she couldn't run a straight line to save her life. But, that's what I love about her. She's spunky. :) Anyhow, back to the fearless part. This child just gets right in the middle of stuff and goes.
WELL...Charly has discovered Kenna's kryptonite! When she sees this dang thing, she screams! She squeals! The tears come! She just keeps yelling "That's scary!", as she's flipping out! Wanna know what it is?!?!

It's a Dora bath toy tree! Yup...a tree!

There ya go! LOL! I mean, there is nothing (AT ALL) scary about this tree. It doesn't have anything that jumps out at you. It doesn't do anything. In the little window (when there's water in it), she'll see Swiper the Fox. But, that's not even the scary part to her. Just seeing the tree, brings on the shakes, and squeals! Now, when Kenna doesn't do what Charly wants her to, Charly tries to chase her with it! Oh my! I just wish I could understand my wild girl! Any ideas!?!

It's snowing...beans??

2012-02-27T09:11:00.000-08:00

NOTE TO SELF: If Kenna is being quiet, CHECK ON HER!

This morning I was trying to get some work done around the house, as well as, on my computer. Kenna is normally a busy body, and plays with her toys, sometimes loudly. I noticed she was being unusually quiet. I walk into the girls' toy room to check on her. And, much to my surprise, she has found the 2 zippers, to the bean bag chair (one zipper spot, double zipped for added security...just not for a 2 year old!). There are little white beans EVERYWHERE!

Do you have any idea how hard it is to clean up these dang beans! She has probably dumped out a third of the bag! They are little foam balls, that are full of static. They cling to everything, and blow around when the air isn't even moving! Kenna could not get them off of her!

So, I get the bright idea, to get a cup, to clean then up. This should be easy, right!?! WRONG! They stick to everything (did I mention that already), and when you move the cup to the bean bag chair, to dump, they float into the air! THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!

Geez!! This is taking so long! Who knew such a beautiful and smart two year old could cause so much mayhem!?! Progress is slow, but we're getting somewhere. Then, somebody, decides to take a break and play! Who has time for snow angels!?!?!

Goofy and Mickey Mouse, that's who! Instead of helping clean the mess, they got right in the middle of it, and took turns making snow angels. :) I'll let it slide this time, but only because this was their first winter in Kentucky, and we didn't get any snow (that's amounted to anything!).

Thankfully, my little mayhem creator was also there to help in the aftermath! In the end, it is all cleaned up, except for a few floating beans. I love Kenna Merrin, even if she is my wild child!

They need to make a tiny little lock, for the zipper. The double zipper idea is a great concept, unless you have a two year old! :) Oh, happy days!

Doodle marks the spot

2012-02-26T22:53:00.000-08:00

As I sit here eating grapes, I figured I would talk about the weekend that has absolutely flown by!
Kenna has a marker obsession. I think she really only has this obsession for the fact that everything she writes on has her stamp of approval on it. Friday evening, she drew on her bean bag chair, her sister's bean bag chair, herself, and the kitchen table. Luckily she got hold of a dry erase marker, so it came off of everything fairly easily. Then, I get to the bean bag chair. I think, I'll wash Charly's first, since Kenna will probably draw all over hers again anyhow. We'll start with the one that didn't do it. I'm thinking that when I undo the zipper of the bean bag chair, that the 'beans' will be a mesh case, like a pillow case or something. NOPE! They are completely loose! So, here I am, in the laundry room, trying to get creative with containing the beans. I think to myself, 'I'll put them in a garbage bag. This should be easy!' WRONG! Oh my goodness...what a freakin' nightmare! I finally get one garbage bag filled, and gave up. There were SO many loose beans all over the floor. Every time I moved the bean bag, it would send 10 more beans whisking across the floor. It looks like we're having a white Christmas, in our house! There are beans everywhere!! I still have to figure out what to do with the rest of the beans, so I can get this dang bean bag chair washed! Oh, a box! I have a big box! Finally!! I get them all dumped in the box, and the chair washed! Thankfully, all the work and wave of snowy white beans is not for nothing, because ALL of the marker marks came out!
Now, onto the child! Kenna is covered in marker! And, she's so proud of it. She proudly marched out into the living room to show off her marker. She was so excited to get a picture of all the marks. Geez! So, I get her in the tub. After multiple scrubbing attempts, we get the marker off her leg and arm, but it is NOT coming off of her face. Dry erase marker is not easy to get off of skin! So, my poor kiddo spends the next 12 hours with a marker face, until we do bath time again, on Saturday! Thankfully, it came off! So, when we were in public on Saturday, it didn't look like my child was a football player. :)

On Saturday, I took the 3 girls (Charly, Kenna and Daphne) to the movies. We also invited a friend of Charly's and my parents. We saw 'We Bought A Zoo'. We have a theater that plays second run movies, so you get the fun experience of going to the movies, without paying an arm and a leg. Thankfully, because, I like my arms and legs. :) It was a cute movie. However, it was not quite how I expected it to be, based on the previews. I expected a bit more kid friendly, though it was fine. I thought it'd be more about the animals and zoo factor, than their life...I dunno how to explain it. But, it was good! Charly and her friend enjoyed it. Kenna got bored and started running from one end of the isle to the other. Thankfully, she was being quiet, is shorter than the seats, and the theater wasn't packed. :)
Today, was a restful day. Okay, well except for me having to make a several hour trip to the grocery store, with Charly, and our coupon binder. But, it was fun! And, we are set on our meal planning adventures. :) Good times! I hope everyone else had an eventful weekend. :)

Brought to you by the letter C...coupons, crafts, cars!

2012-02-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a quiet couple of days.

So, let's talk coupons. :) I admit it. I'm a couponer. Definitely not an extreme couponer, but I do carry a binder around...LOL! I coupon very regularly, and it's so cute, because now when my girls want something, they'll ask if we have a coupon for that. :) Gotta start the money savings tips, while they're still young. Anyhow, a couple of friends and I have started a coupon club. We rotate through everyone's house. We meet once a week, and get the little ones together, while we're there, have lunch, chat, and cut coupons. :) I actually forgot my binder at a my friend's house, and drove over there to get it today (left it there yesterday), just so I could have my coupons...it's our life line. Yes, it was worth it to get it...I have a shopping trip I need to make tomorrow! Anyhow, our get togethers are a lot of fun, even though we're getting together over little newspaper clippings. I must say, I love my coupon friends. :) Are you in any 'cool kids clubs'? My friend, Heather, and I were talking about learning to knit. We were thinking about maybe starting a group to knit together. :) I'm so not crafty, so I need someone to tell me what to do, and then I can tweak it a bit from there.

However, I am happy to report, that I did have a crafty moment today. I took the girls to a ceramic painting place, and had them get crafty. I can't reveal what they made yet, because I don't have pictures to show off their awesomeness in all it's glory. But, when I pick them up next Thursday, you better believe there will be pictures. :)

A couple days ago my husband's car decided to 'go out'. He gets it to the mechanic, and he says "clogged converter, $1200" YIKES! We have put so much into the car, already (it's a 99 Honda CRV), so we decided to try to get rid of it. We called a salvage guy, and he made us an offer, but I told him I was going to also list it on Craigslist. Holy Batman! Within 5 minutes of listing the vehicle, we had probably 15 people call. I eventually marked the post, as PENDING, and was still getting offers and calls until 10pm last night. Then, while I was out, I got another 7 voicemails regarding the car, and 4 emails. It's been craziness. But, I'm happy to report the car has been sold! YAY! Now, we need to think about where to go from here...thankfully, he is using a company vehicle, until we decide which way to go. What a relief though!! :) Wonder what we'll get next!