Not just clothes in my Dryer

There are times when I wonder why I get toys for the kids when major appliances are just as entertaining.

****

This morning I hear the whimpers of someone, who could it be but Sweet-boy. He has set up quite a little comfy place in the dryer and of course he wants his sister to come and see what he has done. Drama Queen of course has to have a turn and a photo op.
Yes, I was tempted to shut the drawer and push "ON".

Now both in there, I really did not think that it would work but there they are.

Now the great challenge to get out at the same time. Next holiday and birthday I am going for new appliances that they can enjoy, no more toys that annoy me or that are not played with.

Try-It-Tuesday except it is Wednesday

Since we are coming up on Love-Love Day it is time to start thinking about great finger food that also makes you feel loved while you are indulging yourself.

My personal favorite is chocolate dipped strawberries. These beauties were at the store and the perfect shape for dipping.

Wash and dry your strawberries.

In a glass dish slowly melt milk-chocolate in the microwave. The slower the better, use defrost and do not melt all the chips, get it melted and then let the heat melt the rest.

When your chocolate is cooled, dip strawberries by stems and place on waxed paper to set.


Don't those look yummy.


Set them in the fridge to set up and then enjoy. The hardest part for us is making sure that you get more then one - Drama Queen loves these.

Enjoy!!!

Fun - Uncle Mo Style

I have a brother that has the art of FUN down to a daily must!!!

Where they live it snows alot and the snow plows are not as diligent about clearing the streets. Their lane turns into the best snowmobiling, sledding and 4-wheeler paradise. We visited recently and once dinner was eaten it was time to play and play hard. Mo hooked up the sled (I really think this was a dog-sled at one time) to his 4-wheeler and took the kids for the ride of their lives. In the neighbors yard the snow had been piled high and that was their first experience, flying over the hill on the sled.The kids were holding on for dear life and laughing and screaming the whole time.
More cousins get on and it is over the hill again, this time faster.

Of course I had to get on and enjoy the ride, I hung on for dear life as I am sure my brother was trying to throw me just like in our younger days. It was a riot. I had snot across my face and tears coming from my eyes, and my screams could be heard all the way to the state-line but it was the best fun.

Once the sled got boring all the kids loaded onto the 4-wheeler and hung on again for dear life as Uncle Mo spun doughnuts on the icy roads.

Everyone see what I want for Mother's Day, my Birthday and every other holiday between here and next Christmas? Yep, I gotta get me one of those 4-wheelers - now that is what I call fun!!!

FrontRunner Wahoooooo

One of our favorite things to do is enjoy a ride on FrontRunner. It goes past our local haunting grounds and has really made commuting a fun experience. We met up with one of our favorite Uncles' for a round trip on the train. Uncle G loves trains as much as Sweet-boy does, so they were both in train heaven.We got off the explore one of the stations but did not make it very far, the cold wind drove us back to the warmth of the train. But we had to have a picture in front of the train that Sweet-boy says he is going to drive one day.
Uncle G did not have a hat and Sweet-boy helped out by covering his bare head with his arms.

Drama Queen in a precious moment, she is smiling and not mad at me for making her pose for mom and her new camera. I love this picture cause it is what I see even when she is yelling at me.....

One last photo and then back on the train for the return trip. Thank you Uncle G, for the great day. We miss you!!!

If you are close to FrontRunner and have not gone, it is really a great time and fun for the whole family......especially a stop for hot chocolate at the Mom & Pop diner that serves HUGE scones.

Another great day!!!!

Late-Overs', Birthdays' and Pizza

We celebrated a wonderful birthday for Drama Queen - she turned 11. She is growing up so fast but tells me all the time that she is the smallest kid in her class. She is very petite and I tell her that she will love that she is so dainty but I can tell that right now she wants to be a big girl and have buttons. That is fodder for another blog. At school they have the birthday lunch table and what would that be without lunch from somewhere other than school with your friends.Sweet-boy won a free pizza for reading so much, so he took Dad for pizza and some guy time.
Drama Queen got to have a late over.

She invited Miss M to come and hang out for the night. They got pizza, watched silly movies, I even laughed at the one Miss M brought and then what would a night be without sliding down the basement stairs on the mattress.

All I heard all evening was silence and then loud cackling. It was fun and something that Drama Queen wants to do every Friday night.

Ah, the silliness of girls........

I have returned!!!!

There are some of you out there that are certain that I have disappeared, no such luck. But I did need to take some time to myself, after two weeks with my family I needed some just me time. Do you ever get to the point that you cannot remember what you did yesterday, last week or for that matter remember if what you did had any significance? That was where I was people, kind of a living, barely functioning blob of a person somewhat resembling the person that I remember. So I needed to go deep, within and find "ME" again. I am not there yet but we are progressing and needless to say that the cop that pulled me over and accused me of speeding really "SHOCKED" me back to me. I am sorry that my kids had to see me arguing with a cop and I am sure that it really made all his compassion for me go out the window, but when I am wrong I will take the ticket and go on with my day, but when I was not even going the speed limit, well you have just opened a can of you-really-do-not-want-to-go-there.

So I got up this morning, cracked open a can of Pepsi, opened up the blinds, turned up the tunes' and finally downloaded the software for my new camera, that I am still trying to get through the "How to operate correctly" book. I keep falling asleep while reading it and I figure that is why they have the delete button anyway..... But I like the black and white option or was this the color option, anyway I had lots of willing models to try things out on.

Since I am so behind the times I will not bore you with all the things that we did involving Christmas, however, I do want to hit upon some highlights that I found rather funny. These are not posed, although I am beginning to think that Drama Queen has no other face then this one for when I pull out the camera, but it is rather amazing to see the eyes rolling back in the head, or bulging again and again and again.

I am glad that I have kids to help me laugh and to remind me that alot of my pictures when I was much younger looked like that too.....

But what would the holidays be without a trip to "Build-a-Bear" to get new members of the family and then to go show them off to G&G. I now have more names of things to remember and I have called Sweet-boy the new bears name too many times for me to not consider getting Ginkoba.

So there you go, we had a great time and now that I have seen the pictures and re-lived those memories I have a smile on my face.

Great Tuesday to everyone!

Laughter as per Wikipedia

Laughter is an audible expression, or appearance of merriment or happiness, or an inward feeling of joy and pleasure (laughing on the inside). So for the weekend I wanted you all to get a good laugh. I do not know this kid but I laughed at this cause it was such a reminder of times I had with my kids when they were finding their giggle.

Enjoy!!!

January Blahz

I know that the new year is here and that I should really be greeting it with much more enthusiasm, but I. Just. Can't!

It is almost as if the Christmas hoopla took too much and now I am drained. I have nothing to give, I am running on barely reserves, I feel like Wall-e after he was crushed and in bad need of a return trip to Earth for spare parts or in my case a serious re-charge.

Does anyone know what I am talking about?

2008 was really something that we barely survived, gas prices so high that we did without everything just to fill the tank, then indecision that cost us dearly financially and emotionally (yes I am being non-discript on purpose) and now the possibility that our house might finally be sold, but at a financial loss for us. Then blooms the new year and with it the change of my husbands compensation plan, I dread that day. It is the day the we find out how badly they are NOT going to compensate the man for all his hard work, quota goes up, salary goes down and territory gets cut again. I am trying to be positive and be grateful that he has a job, but I am having difficulty slapping a fake smile on my face. I know this is truly a depressing post but it is what it is......or could it be that I have shoveled my driveway three times today and it is still snowing?

Give me some time, it is like my approach to mornings; I dread the alarm, stumble through the routine, crack open a Pepsi and by say 10am or in this case March or April I might just be energized and ready to face the day/year again with vim and vigor.

Things are fuzzy.....

Happy New Year every one......

I am slowly re-emerging to the outside world and am having a hard time focusing after all the chocolate, the late nights and too many toys that make noise. Give me a few more days to re-acclimate and then we will be back to business.Ready or not 2009 is here.

A Child is Born

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." 2 Nephi 19:6
Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I am taking this time off to spend with family, friends and those I love in remembering the real reason for the season.

(Be seeing you in 2009.)

"I"

Heather at This is the day... had a great idea: post a comment on her site saying you want to play along and she would send you a letter, then you get to list ten of your favorite things beginning with your assigned letter and what letter did she give me, ...."I".

So here we go.........

1) Idealistic. Sometimes my head is in the clouds, but I also know when it is time to get to work and make things happen.

2) IHOP. Do I need to say anymore about the kids eat free after 4pm? Didn't think so.

3) Intelligence. Yes, I know that most days I am teetering on the edge of stupidity, but I do have moments of brilliance.

4) Intuition. Once I became a mom I really learned to rely on the gut feeling and it has never steered me wrong.

5) Identity. I feel that I have a strong sense of who I am, my purpose in life, that I matter to many people and that I can make a difference.

6) Imagination. I love that I dream, I create, I see beauty in ordinary things, and that I have passed that desire/trait on to my kids.

7) Infinite. I have much love for my family, loyalty is something that I treasure and the love that I feel for my family is something I want to be infinite.

8) Irreplaceable. There are so many moments in my life that I treasure; the day I married my husband, the days my kids were born, these moments are what keep me going, I want a life filled with them.

9) Influence. I try to be a influence for good in all things. I want to know that in some small way, I made a difference.
10) Internet. The one thing that can bring the world together, help make and keep friends and help with all that homework....."Let's go Google it?"

Gingerbread Cookies Try-It-Tuesday

I have had alot of you ask for the recipe to make all these lovely Gingerbread Cookies and they are wonderful, as long as you do a few tricks! So here we go....Gingerbread Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

3 1/2 cup flours

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cloves

1/3 cup water

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly - takes about 3 minutes. Beat in molasses and water. Add all dry ingredients and mix well. Dough should be still sticky but smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Place in a greased bowl and chill overnight. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 1/2 inch thickness (very important to keep them thick) and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes, just till they start to crack. Cook longer if you like brickettes instead of cookies. Let cool completely.

Frosting
1 16 oz pkg powdered sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tarter

3 egg whites at room temperature (very important to be at room temp.)

1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients until smooth, if it is too dry add a drop or two of water till it is nice consistency. Icing dries very quickly so keep covered with a damp cloth. I usually place some in a ziploc baggy and cut of the end and just squeeze it out all over the cookies and decorate with your favorite goodies. If you make the frosting a little less stiff by adding more water it does not dry to rock hard - break a tooth- consistency. You will have plenty of frosting so goop it on.

Store them in a covered container and they will remain soft for weeks. I have never had any remain around that long but they stay good for a while.

Enjoy!!!

Blog tags

I love that I can find out what people are Googling and then coming to see me under. However, I can not understand the appeal of a certain post that seems to be of particular interest to many bloggers from around the world, "Bill the Cat". I did this post and used that particular character to capture the intense sickness that I was enduring at that time, little did I know that he had such a following.

So what phrase do you get the most hits from?

Thank you High Schoolers

It was a bad day at school for the Sweet-boy. Seems that some of the kids think that it is funny to tell on him after every recess. So today when they all came in after recess and started telling the teacher that he had hit them, she questioned how that could be when he had been in the class the whole recess with her. Turns out that they all thought that it was a great game to play, called getting SB in trouble. Let me just tell you that I have a zero tolerance for bullying, especially when it is my kids. So when he came home he was really sad - I do not blame him. But, luckily we did have something to look forward to, a local High School DECA and FBLA group had organized a "Read with Santa" event and 50 lucky kids from the district got to attend and Sweet-boy was one of them.

We arrived at the school and got signed in and then the anticipation for Santa to arrive and get this party going started. Sweet-boy led the cheering and he was so excited I thought that he would just burst. He was the first one to sit on Santa's lap and when Santa was going on about the cookies that Mrs. Clause was baking SB said, " Yeah, yeah, now I am going to tell you what I want for Christmas." To which the Santa replied, "Oh, yeah?!" I about bust a gut laughing over that one.

(sorry the pictures are blurry they are from my phone)

They broke the kids out into groups and all the centers involved doing something that in the end you got to eat something that contained at least 50% sugar.

Cookies and Chocolate Milk - Sugar!

Writing letters to Santa, then you got a candy cane and a pencil.

Candy Cane - sugar, pencil - not edible.

Then they took the kids to the school library where they got to read with a reading buddy.

Sweet-boy picked out his reading buddy cause he had yellow hair too. He also told me that he thought that was what he would look like when he was a big kid - maybe?

In the end the kids got a stocking bigger than them, stuffed with books, candy, a t-shirt, a stuffed animal, and a fleece blanket that the big kids had tied. But in the end, I got a kid that felt great about himself. He got to have fun, to be himself and the older kids all knew his name at the end of the night. He was the sweet-boy that I get to love and enjoy each and everyday.

What a great night!!!!

Decking the Halls

Over Thanksgiving Holiday, Sweet-boy could not wait to get our house festive for December. He gets so excited and can hardly wait to get out the lights. I think it has something to do with the fact that when he was a small boy he would get a strand of lights to run around the house with, plugging in here, stringing there, so he loves it when that box comes out. (I know what a great mom that I gave a 1 year old something to stick in the outlets and drag around the house and still encourage each year.)

The kids love to decorate their tree with all the many ornaments that we have gathered throughout the years. My favorite is the picture frame ones of them from baby to current year that we have on the tree. I love to see how they have changed each year to remember how fast time flies and that I need to enjoy each and every minute.

So we began the task of decorating the tree.

Then the ceremonial placing of the stockings and the kids pictures with Santa. For another great story about the Santa pictures click here.

We take a break to make gingerbread cookies and get that sugar buzz going.The last and most important of all the decorating comes next, the wreathing of my car.

Yes, I put a wreath on my car and not just any wreath, a light strung, ribbon embelished, berry wearing wreath. Everyone gives me a hard time but I love it, kinda my signature thing during the Christmas Season. Plus, I love that when I drive around people smile as I drive by, I am spreading some holiday cheer.

(Doesn't my car look like it is smiling?)

Merry Christmas from my home of chaos to yours.

Back by Popular Demand

After the give-away and in the comments it was mentioned that some of you really enjoyed these posts.

So without much ado I give you -

I need help

And

Beauty School Mess up

And

My Secret Terror

Let me just warn you that these are not my proudest moments, but I share them so that others can learn from my horror or experiences.

Enjoy!!!

And the Winner is???

I want to thank everyone that came over to comment and share the fun of celebrating my 150th post. So without further ado, the winner selected in the most highly-technically advanced method is:

My lovely assistants' grabbing a hand written name out of the brown paper bag.

And the grand prize winner is.............

I will be contacting you via e-mail to get your snail mail address. If for any reason she does not want to receive her gift we have selected alternative winners.

Do you want to see what Elena won, of course you do. A wonderful Scentzy Kitchen/Bathroom light and scents to go along with it, this Christmas plaque and some yummy milk chocolate mint sandwiches. Thank you to everyone that participated. I had so much fun doing this and learning that my favorite posts are yours too, so join me December 8th for a re-post of the top requested posts: Beauty School Mess Up, I Need Help and My Secret Terror.

Merry Christmas!

The Comments are Closed.

Okay, it is time for me to close the comments section on my 150th post and draw a name. Thank you to all that came and played and check tomorrow for the big winner!!!

My 150th Post Give-Away

It's a Give-Away!!!!

I cannot believe that it has been 150 posts since I started this whole blogging thing. I look back and boy did I not have any idea what I was doing, but you have all been so kind to let me know how to upload things, where to find the HTML screen and been so kind on your comments when I know that I have spelled things terribly wrong. In the end you shared the ups and downs of my life with me and I want to give a little love back. So leave me a comment on this post on what you have enjoyed most about my blog, comments that I might have made on yours or anything that you want to share that you have enjoyed while visiting this house of chaos. I will leave this post up for 5 days and on Friday we will have a drawing for something really nice and random that you will win.

So comment away, comment often and may the best commentor win.....

Who doesn't love a little gift and early too!

♥♥♥A special thanks to Debbie at Blog Around the World for the shout out!♥♥♥