Getting to Know You Sunday

 

The questions..

1. Mens chests..hairy or hairless? Hairless…some hair is good but not full fur! ;)

2. How often do you run red lights? Never
3. If you could raid any celebrity's closet..whose would you raid? Um…that is a hard one! Reese Witherspoon!
4. Would you rather have more followers/friends on Facebook, Twitter, or your Blog? My blog
5. What makes you feel sexy? When I actually get time to dress up, go out and spend time with just my husband.
6. I get excited when...........? I get excited when I get new clothes, time with friends, vacation…
7. Are you the "outdoorsy" type or more "indoorsy"? Probably more indoorsy although I love to garden, camp, fish… 
8. Would you rather have your dream home or a million dollars? I would take the money! I could design my dream home for way less than a million! :)

Your turn! Head over to Mann Land for some more fun!

Built In Bookcases

I cannot believe I forgot to take before pictures of these shelves! These are the built in bookcases or shelves between our living room and kitchen.

They were painted all off white including the backs when we moved it. I have always thought about changing them but was not really sure what I wanted. Finally it hit me the other day. I painted the back of the bookcases the same color as our walls and stenciled the black design. I LOVE it! So much better than it was.

Missing

I did not intend to disappear for such a long time. Things have been crazy around here. My computer had to be wiped clean and now I am beginning to get back to “normal”. :)

Hope some of you are still here…

Knock off Wood

Have you seen this blog??? Knock off Wood 

Ana is amazing! The photos, the plans, the ideas...I LOVE it all. She takes ideas from Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Land of Nod and makes her own building plans. The best part of all is she gives you the plans for FREE! Yes, free!!! I have some wonderful things picked out for my husband to build for me... :)

Here are some things to peek at. I love this table!! I really would love one of these for my kitchen.

 

 And this for the kids...

 

And this for all their books and games...

This one I really love. I think the kids would have a blast with this in the playroom.

Mom in a Minivan

Dear Mom in the minivan with scratches and dents on your bumper who cut me off this morning,

If you could so kindly pay attention to the road you are driving on and stop looking in the mirror we would all appreciate it. Yes, I realize you needed to fix your mascara. Yes, I know you were brushing your hair while at the stop sign and of course could not drive with only half your head looking beautiful. Yes, I realize that your phone was ringing so of course you had to let go of the steering wheel and rumage through your pocket book to find it before the oh so important caller hung up. I understand you did not mean to cross over the yellow line more than twice while I was driving behind you. I am sure those frightened people on the other side had a clean pair of underwear handy to change into when they arrived at their destination. I am thinking (with all the scratches and dents in your car) that this was not your first time swerving all over the road. I am also thinking you should probably focus on driving more and multi-tasking less. You are not very good at it.

Sincerely,
A Quiche Woman

Bedtime and Kids

My little princess has never been an easy going child. She is...stubborn, determined, strong willed and sensitive. She is very much like me so I understand her. That is until it is bedtime, I am tired and she will not go to sleep.

Every single night we play the "go to Sleep" game.

The routine runs smoothly with bath, pajamas, brush your teeth, we read books and then say good-night. I go down stairs and 5 mins later yell up for lights out.

Thirty seconds later I hear "Mommy"

"What Princess?"

"I can't sleep."

"You haven't tried yet. Lay down and close your eyes."

"Mommy"

"Yes?"

"My legs are itchy."

"Scatch them and go to sleep."

"Mommy"

"WHAT?"

"My legs aren't itchy anymore but now my arms are itchy."

"Well, scratch them and GO TO SLEEP."

"I cannnnnn'ttttt! I'm not tired."

"You need to try. Lay down and close your eyes and sniff your blankets."

(My husband laughs. Yes, I just said sniff your blankets. She has two small blankets that she sleeps with at night and she puts them under her nose. Funny I know but this relaxes her.)

Every single night we go through the same thing. Sometimes her head hurts, she has to go to the bathroom, she hears a noise or her covers are twisted. Sometimes I can handle it fine but other times I end up yelling up the stairs..."GO....TO....SLEEP!!!!!"

I have tried to put her to bed later, earlier, all sorts of things but it is still the same scene. Every...single....night.

My son goes to sleep without a peep. Very rarely will he get up to go to the bathroom or he will have a bad dream. Two children, same parents and yet oh so different.

Getting to Know You 2010

Welcome to the new 2010 edition of getting to know your family and friends. Here is what you are supposed to do...copy and paste then change all the answers so that they apply to you. Have fun and be truthful! I want to see your answers!!

1. What is your occupation right now? Stay at Home Mom
2. What color are your socks right now? white
3. What are you listening to right now? The View and my children playing with their friends
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Yogurt
5. Can you drive a stick shift? yes, but it has been so long I do not know if I would be able to pick it right back up again
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone: Mom
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? yes!
8 . How old are you today? 38
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? ugh...I do not like to watch sports on television. I like going to the games much better.
10. What is your favorite drink? coffee in the morning and juice in the afternoon
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes
12. Favorite food? Italian
13. What is the last movie you watched? Slumdog Millionaire
14. Favorite day of the year? Christmas
15. How do you vent anger? talk to a friend
16. What was your favorite toy as a Child? Barbies
17. What is your favorite season? Spring or Fall
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Yum...both
19. Living arrangements? My husband , my kids, 3 cats and 3 dogs
20. When was the last time you cried? Last week
21. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes
22. What did you do last night? Put the kids to bed and relaxed on the couch!
23. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? cheese
24. What are you most afraid of? Spiders
25. What is your favorite kind of dog? Sheltie
26. Favorite day of the week Saturday
27. Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds!!
28. What is your favorite flower? Gerber Daisies
29. What is your favorite blog to read and why? Oh I have SO many! I am addicted!

Valentine’s Day Heart Attack

You must see this post over at 71 Toes. What a wonderful loving idea to do with your family. What a great keepsake they will all have if Shawni keeps all these hearts. The kind words, the thoughtfulness, the handwriting…I adore it.  I am going to use this amazing idea with my family.

In college I shared a room with 3 other girls and it had its ups and downs…you become a “family” away from home. I loved these girls. We had an envelope on the back of our door to put “warm fuzzies” in. We would notice little things about each other, kind things we did for others, etc and write them down on a small piece of paper. It would then go in the warm fuzzy envelope. One night a week we would take out all the notes and hand them out to the each person. It was one of my favorite nights of the week. I loved reading all my warm fuzzies and seeing the faces of my friends when they read theirs. Sweet memories! I think I still have some of those notes tucked away somewhere.

Lantern Pom Pom Lights

Is this not one of the cutest things ever?? I love it!! I am going to have to make some of these for my little girl. She would love some pink and green ones in her room. I would love some in my room too but I don’t think my hubby would like that too much! :)

I found the instructions over at The Creative Mama blog. I love her blog! She has some wonderful ideas.

Shower Wall into a White Board

Technorati Tags: white board,homeschooling,home school,crafts

This is our second year of home schooling and I have been wanting a large white board to use with the kids. After shopping around I realized there is just no way I could spend that much money on a white board! Then I remembered when I was teaching I would use the large white laminate shower walls from Home Depot and have them cut into 12” X 12” squares for the students. (Home Depot will cut them for free!)
So why not have them cut them into large pieces?? Off I went to pick one up. I had them cut it into thirds. Perfect! Here is one of the pieces.

Since we are now homeschooling in our dining room I did not want to just attach it to the wall like this so my husband picked up some crown molding and made a frame attached right to the board. I LOVE it!!!
Here is the after shot. I had such a hard time getting my camera to take a photo with all that white so I had to include other “wall space” in the picture! :)

I am linking this to:

Strut Yourself Thursday

Poppies At Play

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Random Acts of Kindness

Today the kids and I were rushing through the Dunkin Donuts drive thru on our way to dance class. It was a busy Monday morning but a very good one. After watching the news on Haiti and all the devastation I felt very blessed to be able to rush around our home, take a hot shower and get a coffee with donuts! My family is safe and together. The kids were giggling in the back seat and anxiously waiting for their frosted donut (yes I am that kind of mom).

As I paid for our yummy breakfast I told the woman at the window that I would like to pay for the car behind me as well. She gave me a very confused look and glanced up at the car in back of me. Then she looked at me again. I asked what the order was and if I could pay for it. The Dunkin lady said the car behind me ordered a hot chocolate and 2 donuts. I smiled and said ok, I would like to pay for that.

I don’t know if she was just confused or irritated but she closed the window and started talking to another woman who worked there. Now the other woman was looking out the window at me with a look that surprised me. I would like to think it was just confusion but I don’t know. Was I bothering them?? I smiled  and waved. The woman nodded her head and allowed the other woman to ring it up. She coldly gave me back my change. I smiled again and said please just tell that woman behind me to have a wonderful day. She looked at me blankly and said, “I will.”

A random act of kindness. Nothing big but I hope it put a smile on someone’s face this morning. I would like to think it did but all I can picture in my mind are the scrunched up faces of the ladies working this morning.

When was your last random act of kindness?

Friday Follow

I am joining in on the first Friday Follow hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades. What a great idea to get more followers on your blog but to also find some wonderful new friends and other blogs to read! I have already found some GREAT blogs out there that I have never read before!

Wordless Wednesday

Poop Happens

As I was sitting here early this morning, curled up on the couch, snuggled in my chenille blanket, computer on my lap, coffee in one hand and slowly waking up on this cold day…I heard these words, “Mommy there is poop on the stairs!”

I think maybe I did not hear that correctly. “WHAT?”, I yell from my cozy spot. Please be wrong, please be wrong, please be wrong I pray. “There is a piece of POOP on the stair! Ewww!”, yells my 4 year old.

DARN IT! So there goes my morning coffee.

I go to look and sure enough there it is!

I have to clean up the stair and not only that stair but I have to disinfect ALL of the stairs, the hall and every place around the poop that in my mind a germ may have floated. I have OCD. Just a little bit! ;) Now after all the cleaning and disinfecting of course I have to shower immediately.

So here I sit over an hour later having my morning coffee. Ahhhhh

In a house full of 3 dogs (was 4 until a couple months ago), 3 cats and 2 kids my life is full of poop. My husband always jokes with me that I should write a book about it. I am always cleaning up after someone! Now any mom out there has been doing something important or something relaxing and heard the words, “Mommy I’m done….” You know the voice. You know the words. You know what “done” means.

So there it is…My life of Poop. Now…off to write my book!

Banana Pudding

This must be a southern thing. Banana Pudding (or banana puddin as my husband calls it) is delicious!!! I grew up with banana cream pie but it is not the same.

I have had a craving for banana pudding all day. My husband has a yummy recipe where he uses Nilla Wafer cookies. I found this recipe over at Spectacular Sidaway Spot. I have to try this!!! Doesn’t this sound YUMMY?

Ingredients:
1 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whip
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cup milk
1 5-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding
6-8 bananas, sliced
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
Directions
Line the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yield: 12 servings
Preparation time: 30 minutes

Wee Squeak Shoes Review

My daughter received a pair of Wee Squeak shoes in the mail for review. They are ADORABLE. Very well made shoes. I am quite picky when it comes to children’s shoes. I want something that is well made and designed for a child’s foot at their developmental stage. Of course they are also growing so quickly that I do not want to spend a fortune on shoes either.

Wee Squeak Shoes has this to say about their products:

Children's Shoes - footwear that's fun to wear! Comfortable and stylish, these little shoes are great for any season. With a variety of styles and colors to choose from, these children's shoes are a great gift idea as well as a way to help children learn to walk properly without even realizing they're being taught. Children's tennies and sandals in several different colors and styles, as well as traditional Mary Janes and other kids footwear.

In order for the shoe to squeak a child must walk heal to toe. This encourages crawlers to begin walking and toddlers and young children to walk properly and not up on their toes.

Not only is the shoe functional and fun for children, but parents love the safety feature of knowing where their child is at all times.

For those occasions when the shoe needs to be silent, the squeaker can be removed by an adult.

Unique style, great quality.

Wee Squeak shoes are designed for children and parents alike. Our shoes actually make a fun squeak sound as the child walks. A cushion in the heal squeezes air through a tiny nozzle making the squeak sound.

The choices for both girls and boys are wonderful. Lots of different styles, colors and designs. My little girl received the camo sneakers with the pink laces. So cute!

 

She loves the squeak sound. I did too…at first. I have to admit (because I will always be honest when I review something) that the noise started to bug me. My daughter was not bothered a bit and proceeded to run all over just to hear them squeak some more! :) You can remove the squeaker from the heel of the shoe to silence them but my little princess would not let me touch it!

You can even hear the squeak they make on the Wee Squeak website before you purchase! How great is that??

The Marshmallow Experiment

This is hilarious! You have to watch it if you need a good laugh to start your New Year!