25 - We reorganized the clothes in Kellen's room and got rid of a few items in there (outgrown sleep outfits that he's held on to for way too long), t-shirts he's outgrown, etc) - 12
30 - After Jacey wore one of her pair of jeans-turned-into-almost-capris, I realized they were, in fact, too short for her. *sigh* - 1
31 - Hubby had warned me that the toaster was broken, but we hadn't gotten around to throwing it away. It is now in the trash (shhh...I did it before he got home and I wonder how long it will take before he notices). - 1
Weekly total - 14 items
March total - 67 items
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Is that comfortable?
After transitioning Jacey to a 'big girl' bed this past weekend, we weren't all too surprised to see this when we went into the girls room this morning.
Hopefully it won't take too terribly long before her transition is complete...and she makes it all night in HER bed.
Hopefully it won't take too terribly long before her transition is complete...and she makes it all night in HER bed.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Clutter control (March 18 - 24)
20 - 1 shirt that we realized Jacey has outgrown (I could have sworn I just went through that girls clothes!!)
21 - 3 items (including a random, non-insulated drink container that sweats horribly that I've had sitting on the kitchen counter for some unknown number of weeks....have I just been oblivious to this??? cleaning around it??? who knows, but it's gone now.)
24 - 2 pairs of shoes (1 each from Kellen & Jacey)
Weekly total = 6 items
March total = 53 items
21 - 3 items (including a random, non-insulated drink container that sweats horribly that I've had sitting on the kitchen counter for some unknown number of weeks....have I just been oblivious to this??? cleaning around it??? who knows, but it's gone now.)
24 - 2 pairs of shoes (1 each from Kellen & Jacey)
Weekly total = 6 items
March total = 53 items
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Not my smartest Mommy moment
Last night I hosted my Meal Swap I mentioned earlier this week. In preparation for this, I got the house picked up, had Tatum help me prep brownies, and while my pizza pasta was cooking, I gave the girls a bath.
You know, to get a jump start on bedtimes.
I never thought that dinner would result in something that looked like this.
And Jacey got not one, but TWO baths last night. (After she ate THREE bowls of this pasta...and Mommy did an extra HAPPY DANCE for her eating!!)
So much for my attempt at being organized and efficient. I would call that a big fat Mommy fail. Or....perhaps if I spin it another way, we just practiced her sensory input as it related to baths and bathing.
Yeah...I can spin that.
You know, to get a jump start on bedtimes.
I never thought that dinner would result in something that looked like this.
And Jacey got not one, but TWO baths last night. (After she ate THREE bowls of this pasta...and Mommy did an extra HAPPY DANCE for her eating!!)
So much for my attempt at being organized and efficient. I would call that a big fat Mommy fail. Or....perhaps if I spin it another way, we just practiced her sensory input as it related to baths and bathing.
Yeah...I can spin that.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Perspective when your kiddos are strong-willed
I have spoken a lot about my strong willed children. Those children who just so happen to come from two strong willed parents.
They never stood a chance.
I have to remind myself that their strong wills will come in handy some day when they are faced with peer pressure and all sorts of other 'things' and I hope and pray that the messages they are learning now will stick.
So it was refreshing to read this devotional about that very same thing. I absolutely love the mothering perspectives she lists...
They never stood a chance.
I have to remind myself that their strong wills will come in handy some day when they are faced with peer pressure and all sorts of other 'things' and I hope and pray that the messages they are learning now will stick.
So it was refreshing to read this devotional about that very same thing. I absolutely love the mothering perspectives she lists...
- Don't take too much credit for their good.
- Don't take too much credit for their bad.
- Don't try to raise a good child. Raise a God-following adult.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Batch cooking
I'm hosting a meal swap for some of my fabulous co-workers this week, so in preparation for that event, I did some batch cooking last night.
Pizza pasta is my 'go-to' dish for meal swaps. It just is. It's easy to make, most people love it, and I always end up making extra because my family seems to love it (especially Jacey, which is a real treat).
I got the ingredients (buying in bulk for a recipe is way easier than getting a bunch of different ingredients for different recipes!)
Then turn all of those things into a LOAD of food!!
Boil the pasta and separate it into the lasagna pans.
While the water for the pasta is boiling and the pasta is cooking, brown the meat and heat the sauce. Then mix the meat and sauce with the pasta in the pan (I use 1 lb of hamburger meat and 1 can of spaghetti sauce per pan, along with 1 bag of tri-colored twirly pasta or 1 12 oz box of pasta). Then layer with approximately 2 cups of mozarella cheese.
Take your pepperoni and layer over the shredded cheese for the final topping.
If you have an assembly line going while you're making quite a few of these, it can look something like this on your table.....
And you end up with something that looks like this....
I made seven of these last night while we simultaneously made dinner to eat, the kids ate, my hubby ate, then I took a quick break to bathe and put to bed the littlest. And I was completely finished (as in wrapped with saran swap and aluminum foil, labeled and in the freezer) by 9 PM or so. I started with all of this at about 6:30....so not too bad!!
I kept one out for us to eat later this week and also browned some of the 'extra' hamburger meat that I had bought as a started for another dinner for this week. When you actually cook it, do so on 350 for 25-35 minutes, or until all of your cheese is melted (I leave on the foil until the last 10 or so minutes).
I felt very productive. *grin* The added bonus is that my dear sweet hubby cleaned up the kitchen afterwards. Love that man!!
Pizza pasta is my 'go-to' dish for meal swaps. It just is. It's easy to make, most people love it, and I always end up making extra because my family seems to love it (especially Jacey, which is a real treat).
I got the ingredients (buying in bulk for a recipe is way easier than getting a bunch of different ingredients for different recipes!)
Then turn all of those things into a LOAD of food!!
Boil the pasta and separate it into the lasagna pans.
While the water for the pasta is boiling and the pasta is cooking, brown the meat and heat the sauce. Then mix the meat and sauce with the pasta in the pan (I use 1 lb of hamburger meat and 1 can of spaghetti sauce per pan, along with 1 bag of tri-colored twirly pasta or 1 12 oz box of pasta). Then layer with approximately 2 cups of mozarella cheese.
Take your pepperoni and layer over the shredded cheese for the final topping.
If you have an assembly line going while you're making quite a few of these, it can look something like this on your table.....
And you end up with something that looks like this....
I made seven of these last night while we simultaneously made dinner to eat, the kids ate, my hubby ate, then I took a quick break to bathe and put to bed the littlest. And I was completely finished (as in wrapped with saran swap and aluminum foil, labeled and in the freezer) by 9 PM or so. I started with all of this at about 6:30....so not too bad!!
I kept one out for us to eat later this week and also browned some of the 'extra' hamburger meat that I had bought as a started for another dinner for this week. When you actually cook it, do so on 350 for 25-35 minutes, or until all of your cheese is melted (I leave on the foil until the last 10 or so minutes).
I felt very productive. *grin* The added bonus is that my dear sweet hubby cleaned up the kitchen afterwards. Love that man!!
Monday, March 19, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Clutter control (March 11-17)
12 - T-shirt purge (got rid of 3 shirts...1 just moved from the 'wear' pile to the 'sleep shirt' pile)
13 - Random clean-up around the house -4
Considering it was spring break, one might have thought I would have been slightly more productive...It seemed as though I was, but apparently it was in purging items from my home. I did trash-to-treasure things like turning lonely socks into bunnies for Easter instead.
Weekly total = 7 items
Monthly total = 47 items
13 - Random clean-up around the house -4
Considering it was spring break, one might have thought I would have been slightly more productive...It seemed as though I was, but apparently it was in purging items from my home. I did trash-to-treasure things like turning lonely socks into bunnies for Easter instead.
Weekly total = 7 items
Monthly total = 47 items
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Easter bunny...Craft time!
So I stumbled across this post where a tutorial is shown about making Easter bunnies from lonely socks. (The tutorial is fabulous...If I can make it from the tutorial, you know you're in good shape. Elsie Marley's bunny also looks way better than mine. That being said, I'll include some rudimentary instructions below with my pictures as well).
As I have already mentioned, I just purged socks and have more lonely socks that I know what to do with around here right now.
This is what the basket of lonely socks looks like...normally it is sitting on top of my dryer, waiting to try and find their partners as loads (and loads, and loads, and loads) of laundry come out of the dryer and get folded and put away (hahaha...so funny...like that happens immediately...but I digress). I took it and since I was home yesterday with both girls, I decided to make the 'pin' a reality.
Tatum picked out her color for her bunny, and while the girls were eating dinner and watching a movie, I tried to get all crafty.
Here goes:
Put your stuffing in the bottom of the sock, which will end up being the body of the bunny. I realized when I was finished that I probably didn't use enough stuffing...but you don't want to use too much...so just take your best guess. Slip stitch around where you want the body to end and draw it tight.
Around the toe of your body (what will be the tail) do another slip stitch in a circular pattern, and tie it off...this will be the tail.
Stuff the head (which is really the heel area of the sock) and perform the same slip stitch technique you have no doubt mastered by now (hopefully better than I seem to have done).
Then take the top of the sock and cut a V into it (you'll have just made the sections for the two ears). Then cut those 'ears' so that they have a point in the middle (so each ear is another V). Fold the edges of each ear in toward the center and stitch them.
Tatum decided that her bunny needed eyes, so I played with the thread and added eyes to her bunny. I also added a few quick stitches in various places to hold it together in something that resembled the shape of a bunny (and realized again that I didn't stuff the body with enough stuffing).
But there you have it! A purple bunny...
As I have already mentioned, I just purged socks and have more lonely socks that I know what to do with around here right now.
This is what the basket of lonely socks looks like...normally it is sitting on top of my dryer, waiting to try and find their partners as loads (and loads, and loads, and loads) of laundry come out of the dryer and get folded and put away (hahaha...so funny...like that happens immediately...but I digress). I took it and since I was home yesterday with both girls, I decided to make the 'pin' a reality.
Tatum picked out her color for her bunny, and while the girls were eating dinner and watching a movie, I tried to get all crafty.
Here goes:
Put your stuffing in the bottom of the sock, which will end up being the body of the bunny. I realized when I was finished that I probably didn't use enough stuffing...but you don't want to use too much...so just take your best guess. Slip stitch around where you want the body to end and draw it tight.
Around the toe of your body (what will be the tail) do another slip stitch in a circular pattern, and tie it off...this will be the tail.
Stuff the head (which is really the heel area of the sock) and perform the same slip stitch technique you have no doubt mastered by now (hopefully better than I seem to have done).
Then take the top of the sock and cut a V into it (you'll have just made the sections for the two ears). Then cut those 'ears' so that they have a point in the middle (so each ear is another V). Fold the edges of each ear in toward the center and stitch them.
Tatum decided that her bunny needed eyes, so I played with the thread and added eyes to her bunny. I also added a few quick stitches in various places to hold it together in something that resembled the shape of a bunny (and realized again that I didn't stuff the body with enough stuffing).
But there you have it! A purple bunny...
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
I think it's time for another t-shirt purge...
3/13 Update: after doing some additional laundry, I came across a few more t-shirts...so I've adjusted the numbers accordingly below.
Remember my old post about purging t-shirts to a more manageable number? Well, I think it's time again.
My t-shirt count is21 23 shirts (at least that are currently clean, folded and in my drawer - and I'm pretty caught up on my laundry as of *right.now*), and this is true t-shirts, not the girl-cut t-shirts (I know, I know...I actually differentiate between the two).
They actually (mostly) fit when they're all clean and folded in my drawer, but still....how many t-shirts do I need? I wear them on the weekends and occasionally on a Friday to work...occasionally.
In going through them, it's obvious I end up still wearing the same ones over and over again....maybe it's the way they feel? Maybe the way I feel like I look in them?
I honestly have no idea. But I'm thinking it's too many t-shirts. Especially when I'm not wearing them all.
So, there seems to be some that I have a twinge about getting rid of....race shirts, etc. Apparently I need to make some sort of keepsake item with those (a shadow box for my race shirts and medals? suggestions from other runners would be greatly appreciated!!). Others I will officially move to the 'sleep shirt' ranks. Yeah, they're that bad. Still others I'll move to the 'craft' pile for wreaths and possibly some flip flops for the girls and I.
So, the end count is....17 19 t-shirts.
Remember my old post about purging t-shirts to a more manageable number? Well, I think it's time again.
My t-shirt count is
They actually (mostly) fit when they're all clean and folded in my drawer, but still....how many t-shirts do I need? I wear them on the weekends and occasionally on a Friday to work...occasionally.
In going through them, it's obvious I end up still wearing the same ones over and over again....maybe it's the way they feel? Maybe the way I feel like I look in them?
I honestly have no idea. But I'm thinking it's too many t-shirts. Especially when I'm not wearing them all.
So, there seems to be some that I have a twinge about getting rid of....race shirts, etc. Apparently I need to make some sort of keepsake item with those (a shadow box for my race shirts and medals? suggestions from other runners would be greatly appreciated!!). Others I will officially move to the 'sleep shirt' ranks. Yeah, they're that bad. Still others I'll move to the 'craft' pile for wreaths and possibly some flip flops for the girls and I.
So, the end count is....
Monday, March 12, 2012
When a door closes....
I frequently ask the Lord to give me direction not in the form of quiet whispers, but in flashing billboards and signs.
I don't do well with subtle. The Lord made me. He knows this. It's not a shocker to Him.
But I ask anyway, because I know myself. Typically He answers that particular prayers and gives my flashing billboards and large signs.
I appreciate this very much.
Last fall, I applied for a PhD program in the College of Education and Human Development, within the Department of Educational Administration & Human Resource Development here at Texas A&M University. The program itself was human resource development. It would have taken me a while, as my plan was to take a class, possibly two, at a time.
I have been talking about applying for my PhD for...oh...about 11 years now. Yup. Since I finished my Masters. But a little thing called the real world managed to get in the way. You know...the first 'real' job, a couple-three-kids, just life in general. And despite the fact that I'm surrounded by people continuing their education (with my advice and assistance) and by professors, I hadn't taken the plunge.
Until last fall. My co-worker was applying for the very same program, and that was the motivation I needed. Matt and I prayed about it, and we decided that things seemed like they were lining up for me to apply for the program. If God didn't want me in the program at that time, I simply wouldn't get accepted.
The individuals I asked to write my letters of recommendation were thrilled to do so, one of them even submitted the recommendation letter before I had a chance to submit the application or any supporting materials. All three of these professors felt incredibly confident that I would be admitted, and to tell you the truth, so did I. And so did my co-worker. And so did most of the other people that I told I was applying.
The decision was supposed to be made (I thought) by the end of February. The end of February came and went and I didn't hear anything. I did; however, get a text from another friend who had applied to the same program the evening of March 1st. She basically told me to check my email. I had been busy that afternoon in meetings and hadn't had a chance to check it. So I did.
But God said, "No." Or at least, "Not right now."
I didn't get accepted into the program.
I certainly won't lie and say that I'm not disappointed, because I am. But I'm trusting that this is God's very large, flashing billboard directing me away from this path at this particular moment. Those who I have informed of this have been shocked for me, which I appreciate. But I'm trusting that this was/is God's will for me right now. Perhaps He is saving me from myself, since I do have a tendency to take on more than I need to at any given time.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. - Proverbs 3:5-6
I don't do well with subtle. The Lord made me. He knows this. It's not a shocker to Him.
But I ask anyway, because I know myself. Typically He answers that particular prayers and gives my flashing billboards and large signs.
I appreciate this very much.
Last fall, I applied for a PhD program in the College of Education and Human Development, within the Department of Educational Administration & Human Resource Development here at Texas A&M University. The program itself was human resource development. It would have taken me a while, as my plan was to take a class, possibly two, at a time.
I have been talking about applying for my PhD for...oh...about 11 years now. Yup. Since I finished my Masters. But a little thing called the real world managed to get in the way. You know...the first 'real' job, a couple-three-kids, just life in general. And despite the fact that I'm surrounded by people continuing their education (with my advice and assistance) and by professors, I hadn't taken the plunge.
Until last fall. My co-worker was applying for the very same program, and that was the motivation I needed. Matt and I prayed about it, and we decided that things seemed like they were lining up for me to apply for the program. If God didn't want me in the program at that time, I simply wouldn't get accepted.
The individuals I asked to write my letters of recommendation were thrilled to do so, one of them even submitted the recommendation letter before I had a chance to submit the application or any supporting materials. All three of these professors felt incredibly confident that I would be admitted, and to tell you the truth, so did I. And so did my co-worker. And so did most of the other people that I told I was applying.
The decision was supposed to be made (I thought) by the end of February. The end of February came and went and I didn't hear anything. I did; however, get a text from another friend who had applied to the same program the evening of March 1st. She basically told me to check my email. I had been busy that afternoon in meetings and hadn't had a chance to check it. So I did.
But God said, "No." Or at least, "Not right now."
I didn't get accepted into the program.
I certainly won't lie and say that I'm not disappointed, because I am. But I'm trusting that this is God's very large, flashing billboard directing me away from this path at this particular moment. Those who I have informed of this have been shocked for me, which I appreciate. But I'm trusting that this was/is God's will for me right now. Perhaps He is saving me from myself, since I do have a tendency to take on more than I need to at any given time.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. - Proverbs 3:5-6
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Clutter control (March 1 - 10)
So this post will cover about a week and a half for the month of March...
Saturday the 10th was a fairly relaxing day...the weather was drizzly, and we had NOTHING on the agenda. Let me repeat that.
We had nothing on the agenda. [It's so rare it was worth repeating]
So I decided to pull Tatum's shorts, skirts, pants, capris and dresses out and she did a fashion show. It was really just a fun way for her to try on all of these things so I could see what needed to come OUT of her section of the closet and go into storage for Jacey or get purged because it was a little too loved. Then later on in the day we did her tops.
I then pulled ALL of the socks out from Jacey and Tatum and we played the match game. I am sick and tired of having mismatched socks....so am bound and determined to put an end to that. I went through the clean socks, matched them up, and them put the mismatched ones on the dryer so as I finish laundry, I can continue making sets. Once that's finished, I'm know which of them truly are lonely. Of course, of the socks that are matched, it seems that over half of them are too small for Jacey's seemingly huge feet. So out they went.
We matched socks, and now have a pile of socks currently mismatched. After I get through doing laundry..(and figure out which ones are truly lonely, like I mentioned)...we might make some puppets (that Tatum has been asking to make) out of the lonely socks.
After all of the clothes purging (with just a bit more to go, I might add...but Jacey is in no mood to try on her shirts or dresses)....Matt decided to clean out the garage. And the purge total climbed. We started a 'mission box' and went to town.
And in our random purging, I ran across a pair of shoes that Jacey has outgrown that I really haven't wanted to admit she's outgrown. And I put them in the bag to donate to our friends. I showed them to Matt as I was doing it and we both got our sad faces on for a few minutes and were saddened that she was outgrowing those shoes. Maybe we can find them in a bigger size and pretend she really isn't growing up after all.
Weekly total = ~40 items
March total = 40 items
Saturday the 10th was a fairly relaxing day...the weather was drizzly, and we had NOTHING on the agenda. Let me repeat that.
We had nothing on the agenda. [It's so rare it was worth repeating]
So I decided to pull Tatum's shorts, skirts, pants, capris and dresses out and she did a fashion show. It was really just a fun way for her to try on all of these things so I could see what needed to come OUT of her section of the closet and go into storage for Jacey or get purged because it was a little too loved. Then later on in the day we did her tops.
I then pulled ALL of the socks out from Jacey and Tatum and we played the match game. I am sick and tired of having mismatched socks....so am bound and determined to put an end to that. I went through the clean socks, matched them up, and them put the mismatched ones on the dryer so as I finish laundry, I can continue making sets. Once that's finished, I'm know which of them truly are lonely. Of course, of the socks that are matched, it seems that over half of them are too small for Jacey's seemingly huge feet. So out they went.
We matched socks, and now have a pile of socks currently mismatched. After I get through doing laundry..(and figure out which ones are truly lonely, like I mentioned)...we might make some puppets (that Tatum has been asking to make) out of the lonely socks.
After all of the clothes purging (with just a bit more to go, I might add...but Jacey is in no mood to try on her shirts or dresses)....Matt decided to clean out the garage. And the purge total climbed. We started a 'mission box' and went to town.
And in our random purging, I ran across a pair of shoes that Jacey has outgrown that I really haven't wanted to admit she's outgrown. And I put them in the bag to donate to our friends. I showed them to Matt as I was doing it and we both got our sad faces on for a few minutes and were saddened that she was outgrowing those shoes. Maybe we can find them in a bigger size and pretend she really isn't growing up after all.
Weekly total = ~40 items
March total = 40 items
Saturday, March 10, 2012
March goals....
In looking at this month...and considering that I'm feeling like God's current instruction and discipline includes asking telling me to slow down and begin to take better care of myself, I think I'll concentrate on the following:
1. Continue my running goal (average 1 mile/day) [nevermind that I haven't run at all this month because of said back]
2. Continue with February's purge goal
3. Continue with date nights with Matt (once a month minimum)
4. New this month....SELF CARE!
I'm off to a late start this month with solidifying this goals...but here we go.
1. Continue my running goal (average 1 mile/day) [nevermind that I haven't run at all this month because of said back]
2. Continue with February's purge goal
3. Continue with date nights with Matt (once a month minimum)
4. New this month....SELF CARE!
I'm off to a late start this month with solidifying this goals...but here we go.
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Blue Man Group!
Grandma Gerren and I had discussed, a l-o-n-g time ago, back when the OPAS schedule first came out for the season, about the fact that the Blue Man Group was coming to town the weekend of Tatum's birthday. We both thought that she might really enjoy the Blue Man Group.
So a week and a half before her birthday, when we discussed this again, I realized I hadn't thought much about it since then. And in seemingly normal fashion, Grandma Gerren and I chatted, and she made it work.
She managed to get some pretty good seats for 'the girls' to attend the Blue Man Group for the Sunday afternoon showing.
I didn't do a very good job of explaining the Blue Man Group to Tatum, nor did I explain the theatre itself, so it's no wonder she got a little scared. For the record, she DID enjoy it. It has just taken her a little while to process through what she saw to realize that.
She's been talking about it ever since....Mommy how did those blue men do ____________?, Mommy, were those men really blue? Are they blue all over? Mommy, during that one part, how did they ______?
I love that we were able to take her, I just wish I would have done a little more research on what to expect from their show so I could have better prepared her. But I loved it!
So a week and a half before her birthday, when we discussed this again, I realized I hadn't thought much about it since then. And in seemingly normal fashion, Grandma Gerren and I chatted, and she made it work.
She managed to get some pretty good seats for 'the girls' to attend the Blue Man Group for the Sunday afternoon showing.
I didn't do a very good job of explaining the Blue Man Group to Tatum, nor did I explain the theatre itself, so it's no wonder she got a little scared. For the record, she DID enjoy it. It has just taken her a little while to process through what she saw to realize that.
She's been talking about it ever since....Mommy how did those blue men do ____________?, Mommy, were those men really blue? Are they blue all over? Mommy, during that one part, how did they ______?
I love that we were able to take her, I just wish I would have done a little more research on what to expect from their show so I could have better prepared her. But I loved it!
Monday, March 05, 2012
Tatum's very first sleepover....
We didn't finish Tatum's party and call it a night. Oh no. We decided that on her most special of days, she could invite a friend to spend the night.
So her sweet friend E came to spend the night after the party.
I suddenly developed an accent, and the girls turned into princesses. And then they were different princesses. They had a spa (read: bubble bath), ate dinner, got their toes and fingers painted while watching a movie (that they BOTH agreed to!!), then ate a dessert of yummy warm cookies (because they hadn't eaten enough sugary goodness at the actual birthday party).
And by that point in time, it was then very late and they went to bed....we didn't even get a chance to do any of the various crafts I thought we might...and had set aside in case.
Jacey had been moved for the night to mommy and daddy's room (and wasn't sleeping, but that's another story). Kellen had been moved to mommy and daddy's room so that the Grand Queen (grandma) could use his bed for the night.
So everyone had their place, and Tatum gave her bed to E and I set up a pallet on the floor next to the bed and put them to sleep...after E called her mommy and told her 'Good night'.
Daddy and I switched care for the girls and I took over for Jacey and he continued to check on the 'big girls'. They got scared once or twice, but nothing that turning on the lamp rather than just the nightlight couldn't cure.
On Sunday morning, Daddy made a big batch of his morning mess (scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage and hashbrowns) and everyone had some of that, then Mommy got up and made cinnamon rolls. And the girls ate those - two rolls each. Then we got dressed for church, put on our glittery spray, lip gloss, and off we went.
We met up with E's mommy and daddy by the nursery counter so they could see her before Sunday school. They had a BLAST. A complete and total BLAST. Tatum was upset that it wasn't a two-night sleepover.
So her sweet friend E came to spend the night after the party.
I suddenly developed an accent, and the girls turned into princesses. And then they were different princesses. They had a spa (read: bubble bath), ate dinner, got their toes and fingers painted while watching a movie (that they BOTH agreed to!!), then ate a dessert of yummy warm cookies (because they hadn't eaten enough sugary goodness at the actual birthday party).
And by that point in time, it was then very late and they went to bed....we didn't even get a chance to do any of the various crafts I thought we might...and had set aside in case.
Jacey had been moved for the night to mommy and daddy's room (and wasn't sleeping, but that's another story). Kellen had been moved to mommy and daddy's room so that the Grand Queen (grandma) could use his bed for the night.
So everyone had their place, and Tatum gave her bed to E and I set up a pallet on the floor next to the bed and put them to sleep...after E called her mommy and told her 'Good night'.
Daddy and I switched care for the girls and I took over for Jacey and he continued to check on the 'big girls'. They got scared once or twice, but nothing that turning on the lamp rather than just the nightlight couldn't cure.
On Sunday morning, Daddy made a big batch of his morning mess (scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage and hashbrowns) and everyone had some of that, then Mommy got up and made cinnamon rolls. And the girls ate those - two rolls each. Then we got dressed for church, put on our glittery spray, lip gloss, and off we went.
We met up with E's mommy and daddy by the nursery counter so they could see her before Sunday school. They had a BLAST. A complete and total BLAST. Tatum was upset that it wasn't a two-night sleepover.
Sunday, March 04, 2012
Happy birthday, Tatum!!
I can't believe you're 5!!
You decided that you wanted a butterfly-themed party (which shocked your Mommy and Daddy to no end...we just KNEW you would want a princess party), but you made up your mind. You and I sat and pored over pinterest ideas for cupcake decorations and party activities...you were so thoughtful and excited about this day!!
We decided to have the party in the backyard, and do some butterfly-related crafts, complete with a butterfly cupcake cake, additional cupcakes decorated with butterflies, and just play. But as the day drew closer, the ramifications of the enormous amount of rain we had in February sunk in....and the yard wasn't drying out. Although we didn't get the rain we thought we might in the week leading up to your birthday and party, the yard still wasn't dry enough for all your friends to play and have fun in the backyard, so we explored other options.
Your daddy was fabulous...he made all kinds of phone calls to find out what we needed to do to have your party at the park right down from our house. And he also prompted Mommy to look into a bouncy house for you...and he was so right. He made calls to all sorts of people about that bouncy house to make sure we could have it up at that park for you and your friends.
The morning of your big day, you enjoyed tremendously....you relaxed, and helped get things finalized for the party. You even took a short nap before the party so you would be ready to play to your hearts content.
And outside of the intense wind, it was a beautiful day for a party at the park. We had our treats.....
And you and your friends bounced and bounced (and each of the Hapes kiddos managed to get a bang or bruise of some sort from the bouncy house).
And we did enjoy the crafts....despite the wind...the kids made and decorated butterfly and bee masks, then did some of the scratch art butterflies. We never made it to the candy necklace station, but that was ok.
Everyone sang Happy Birthday to you, then enjoyed butterfly cake and ice cream. We didn't even bother with trying to light birthday candles...it would have been completely futile in that wind.
You didn't seem to mind at all.
We decided to open presents once we got home so we could leave more time for you and your friends to play in the bounce house. You were such a sweet birthday girl and made sure to talk with all of your friends and show them how glad you were that they came to your party. I was so proud of you!
Things you like:
You are so beautiful and so sweet and so loving and I am so proud to have you as my daughter. You make my heart melt in so many ways....Happy 5th Birthday, Tatum!!
You decided that you wanted a butterfly-themed party (which shocked your Mommy and Daddy to no end...we just KNEW you would want a princess party), but you made up your mind. You and I sat and pored over pinterest ideas for cupcake decorations and party activities...you were so thoughtful and excited about this day!!
We decided to have the party in the backyard, and do some butterfly-related crafts, complete with a butterfly cupcake cake, additional cupcakes decorated with butterflies, and just play. But as the day drew closer, the ramifications of the enormous amount of rain we had in February sunk in....and the yard wasn't drying out. Although we didn't get the rain we thought we might in the week leading up to your birthday and party, the yard still wasn't dry enough for all your friends to play and have fun in the backyard, so we explored other options.
Your daddy was fabulous...he made all kinds of phone calls to find out what we needed to do to have your party at the park right down from our house. And he also prompted Mommy to look into a bouncy house for you...and he was so right. He made calls to all sorts of people about that bouncy house to make sure we could have it up at that park for you and your friends.
The morning of your big day, you enjoyed tremendously....you relaxed, and helped get things finalized for the party. You even took a short nap before the party so you would be ready to play to your hearts content.
And outside of the intense wind, it was a beautiful day for a party at the park. We had our treats.....
And you and your friends bounced and bounced (and each of the Hapes kiddos managed to get a bang or bruise of some sort from the bouncy house).
And we did enjoy the crafts....despite the wind...the kids made and decorated butterfly and bee masks, then did some of the scratch art butterflies. We never made it to the candy necklace station, but that was ok.
Everyone sang Happy Birthday to you, then enjoyed butterfly cake and ice cream. We didn't even bother with trying to light birthday candles...it would have been completely futile in that wind.
You didn't seem to mind at all.
We decided to open presents once we got home so we could leave more time for you and your friends to play in the bounce house. You were such a sweet birthday girl and made sure to talk with all of your friends and show them how glad you were that they came to your party. I was so proud of you!
Things you like:
- All things pink
- Princesses
- Littlest pet shop
- Playing dress up
- Fishing with your daddy
- Helping mommy bake/cook
- Having your toes/fingernails painted
- Riding your bike
- Barbies
- Zhu-zhu pets
- Your build-a-bear stuffed animals (thank you, Aunt Boo!)
- Reading, sounding out words for spelling, doing math
- Coloring/drawing/painting
- Last fall you tried Upward Cheer (cheering for football) and you really enjoyed it (but we couldn't make you understand why you weren't scheduled to cheer for Kellen's team)
- You're about to play soccer...with practices starting later this month
- Virtually all things Aggie (your normal comment to me is, "We want the Aggies to win, right?"
You are so beautiful and so sweet and so loving and I am so proud to have you as my daughter. You make my heart melt in so many ways....Happy 5th Birthday, Tatum!!
Friday, March 02, 2012
February Running Review
1 - 4.4 miles (split into 3 different walks with Jacey in the stroller; 1 to walk Kellen to school, another long walk during the day, and the 3rd to pick Kellen up from school + a half mile)
2 - .8 miles (walked Jacey in the stroller to take Kellen to school)
21 - 2 miles - 22 min total (1 mile - 8:40)
22 - 1.03 miles (1 mile - 8:56)
23 - 1.03 miles (1 mile - 8:33)
February total = 9.26 miles
February miles/day = 0.32 miles/day
It wasn't a great month for running (hello, captain obvious). But it also rained for at least 12 of the 29 days of the month. So...given my incredibly small window of running opportunity...well, let's just say that the weather made it a little more difficult to get the mileage in.
However, I will just give myself a little credit on my speed. Sub 10 minute miles?? Really?? Then to top that off and pull sub 9 minute miles???
What the heck???
I have no idea what's going on, and obviously I didn't keep up the pace for any considerable distance. But.
I did it.
Perhaps the greater speed is the stress relief I needed after a months worth of a particular sick child?
2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
2 - .8 miles (walked Jacey in the stroller to take Kellen to school)
21 - 2 miles - 22 min total (1 mile - 8:40)
22 - 1.03 miles (1 mile - 8:56)
23 - 1.03 miles (1 mile - 8:33)
February total = 9.26 miles
February miles/day = 0.32 miles/day
It wasn't a great month for running (hello, captain obvious). But it also rained for at least 12 of the 29 days of the month. So...given my incredibly small window of running opportunity...well, let's just say that the weather made it a little more difficult to get the mileage in.
However, I will just give myself a little credit on my speed. Sub 10 minute miles?? Really?? Then to top that off and pull sub 9 minute miles???
What the heck???
I have no idea what's going on, and obviously I didn't keep up the pace for any considerable distance. But.
I did it.
Perhaps the greater speed is the stress relief I needed after a months worth of a particular sick child?
2012 Recap:
January total = 31.24 (31 days) [MET GOAL]
February total = 9.26 (29 days)
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Clutter Control (Week of Feb 26-29)
Here is the recap of the home stretch of the February goal of clutter control. I was getting ready this week to host Tatum's birthday party (scheduled for at the house...yikes!!), so was gearing up to be a REALLY good excuse to go some last minute purging and cleaning up, right??
Right.
Well...it didn't really work out that way.
My back ended up going out and then Jacey ended up getting an eye infection....so the house ended up getting a quick spruce...but not the deep purge that I wanted right before her party....and then we moved the party to the park anyway, but that's a different story.
But this is life...and I live in the real world. And I do the best that I can. And I'm trying to do better about not beating myself up about things.
My goals are lofty...and I'll try to reach them...really I will. But if I don't....I still tried, and it's the effort along the way that's really important.
Because all told, I ended up purging over 200 items from the house in the month of February (granted, lots of it was candy....but still - I got it out of the house!).
That's over 200 things that my house didn't need anymore.
Even though I wasn't as consistent about it as I wanted to be or had intended to be, that total is WAY better than averaging 5 items a week for the month, huh? *grin*
Total Weekly Count = zilch, zip, nada, goose egg
Total February Count =228
February recap of this project
Week 1, Feb 1-4
Week 2, Feb 5-11
Week 3, Feb 12-18
Week 4, Feb 19-25
Right.
Well...it didn't really work out that way.
My back ended up going out and then Jacey ended up getting an eye infection....so the house ended up getting a quick spruce...but not the deep purge that I wanted right before her party....and then we moved the party to the park anyway, but that's a different story.
But this is life...and I live in the real world. And I do the best that I can. And I'm trying to do better about not beating myself up about things.
My goals are lofty...and I'll try to reach them...really I will. But if I don't....I still tried, and it's the effort along the way that's really important.
Because all told, I ended up purging over 200 items from the house in the month of February (granted, lots of it was candy....but still - I got it out of the house!).
That's over 200 things that my house didn't need anymore.
Even though I wasn't as consistent about it as I wanted to be or had intended to be, that total is WAY better than averaging 5 items a week for the month, huh? *grin*
Total Weekly Count = zilch, zip, nada, goose egg
Total February Count =228
February recap of this project
Week 1, Feb 1-4
Week 2, Feb 5-11
Week 3, Feb 12-18
Week 4, Feb 19-25
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