Slightly insane, totally anal

So last night I started to plan Christopher's 2nd birthday. We are going to do a cars theme but with little actual cars decorations and more checkered race theme. Birthday Direct has awesome selection of decorations for great prices! Way better then anything you will find at Party City or Birthday in a Box.

I've also decided to do something very unique for his cake. I was looking on Wilton and found this awesome checkered cake pan.


So I was thinking, that would make an amazing race track cake! Add some white and black fondant checkers on the edge and make an oreo dirt track with some dyed green coconut in the middle!


Why is all this slightly insane and totally anal? His birthday isn't until October. And well, it's still April folks. Yeah.

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Big Love

Big Love on HBO has been on for two seasons now and I just love this show. It makes me think though, could I ever live a plural marriage? One side of me says no way. Too much jealousy! The other part thinks hmm a couple more wives would help out! The family unity is very appealing, 3 or 4 parents instead of just 2.

Compound life with 50 yr olds marrying 13 yr olds is so far extreme. I wonder if the FLDS would agree to an age limit of waiting until girls are 18 to marry if they were legally allowed to live plural lives? If there was an age limit, what would be the harm in allowing men to have multiple wives? Let them marry legally within the laws. Their must be some common ground that can be reached. I understand they believe it is God's way but really if they were able to, could they not wait a few years? As it is now, they are marrying illegally anyway so what do they care. Perhaps a commitment ceremony to bind them without marriage until marriage is allowed. It could be some way to stop the marriage of young girls to older men, so things like what happened in Texas doesn't happen again. It would have to be a joint commitment from the FLDS communities as well as the government.

Ahh only in my little perfect world I have going on in my head I guess.

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Mommy love

Do you ever look at your kids and are just overcome with the most powerful feeling of undeniable love? My kids drive me crazy, they really do. They fight, they whine, they scream. One look, just one and my heart melts. Little innocent faces, hugs and kisses and just the excitement in their eyes. The power of a mother's love for her children is unbreakable. I hope every woman who has love to share, can share it with her children. I know this is my second post today but I just needed to express these feelings before my heart exploded with gooey motherly love!

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Lost

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a total Lost junkie! I love this show. Last nights episode had me on the edge of my chair and knots in my stomach! It has everything, action, sawyer, romance, sawyer, comedy, sawyer...oh and sawyer!!

If you don't watch it, really what is wrong with you? Here is some free advice, go to ABC Full Episode player and catch up on Seasons 1-3 as well as the missed episodes of season 4.

Ok so that was a slight promo for ABC but this is a must see show! It is not too late to be cool!

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Chicken and Steak Fajitas on the grill

First.. Yummy!

Second.. here is how you make them.


The Meat:
2 small chicken breasts, cut in half to make two large flat patties
1 steak cut of your choice
Poke with a fork or a meat tenderizer a couple times to get some nice holes for the seasoning to get into.

The seasoning:
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
dash of salt and pepper

Mix two batches and put each batch into a ziplock bag with a tsp of veg oil 2 tbsp water and just a splash of vinegar. Add the chicken to one bag and the steak to the other and let marinate. I do mine overnight but a couple hours is fine.

The Veg
1 sliced onion
1 sliced red pepper
1 avocado (I mash and mix mine with 1/4 package of cream cheese)

Grill up your chicken and steak and set aside while you saute the onion and red pepper. Cut your meat into small strips and toss it together with your veggies

Serve on warmed flour tortillas with the sliced or mashed avocado and maybe some shredded cheese!

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Small things

It takes such little things to make me happy. Maybe I'm simple minded or maybe I just find the good in the things that most people find meaningless.

Having the bills paid off is one. I love the feeling of paying for the services I use. Cell, Cable, utilities. We have been behind for so long that finally having them paid off for now really makes me happy.

Sunshine is another thing that just turns my mood. Like many people I suffer from SAD. Having spring finally here, with extra warm conditions really brightens my day. Hanging laundry out on the clothes line, fresh clean smelling laundry. Having the windows open with a nice cool evening breeze. And finally getting to cook on the grill!

Ahhhh I love this time of year!

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Just me and my Bobby McGee

Out of the blue, my mother in law called on Saturday evening to tell us she is kidnapping Elizabeth for a couple days! Sunday afternoon she came and got her for a 2 night sleepover and will bring her back Tuesday afternoon!

It is so weird and oddly quiet with just Christopher her. No fighting, no whining for more chocolate milk but those little annoyances are what make my day! I miss her.

Elizabeth called me a little while ago to tell me know she is being a good girl and that she will be bringing the rocking horse home from Grammies house when she comes back. She did not mention any of the cake, cookies, ice cream and such that I'm sure Grammie is stuffing her full of!

So for the time being it is just me and my little man. He is loving all the extra Mummy snuggle time!

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First Haircut

I did it. I actually took scissors to my sons head! I tried with the clippers but he freaked so I snipped away by myself and I did a pretty good job!

Before:

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After (don't mind the messy boy, he was eating his homemade broccoli soup)

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Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

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Cabin fever is in our past for another year

We finally got to the park. It was beautiful at 9am, warm enough already for tanks and shorts. The kids loved to run around and play on the toys.

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Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

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Well...

My dad didn't go exactly as planned. I wanted to go to the park with the kids but, I started cleaning and once I got into it I couldn't stop. Christopher napped until 3 and woke up just as my friend Sarah stopped in for a visit. Tomorrow... Tomorrow we will go to the park! Chris is going to PA with a friend of his to pick up a new suspension for his car and is going to Turning Stone with a friend from work on Sunday so, I can play tomorrow and finish my cleaning on Sunday. With the exception of doing some laundry tomorrow and hanging it out to dry for the first time this year! I just love the smell of laundry hung out to dry. I guess it just goes to prove that I am and always was suppose to be a housewife and mom! Screw French perfume and give me clothes dried in the sun!


Oh yeah and it is 8pm and still 75 degrees. I love it!

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It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

This says it all


We are hitting the Park today! Many pictures to come I'm sure!

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Whiney Wednesday

Wah wah wah it is only Wednesday! For fun, lets timeline my day so far.

2am. Christopher started fussing so I thought I should hurry, get him a bottle and hope he goes back to sleep right away. I go into get him, bottle warmed and ready and he does NOT want to get out of bed. Well, I'm already committed so I pick him up and bring him to the couch. He just wants to snuggle and takes his suckie. I asked if he wanted to go back to bed and he nodded his head. I tried to give him his bottle again but he refused. I got him back in his crib and he took his bottle then, drank 4 oz then fell asleep. Ok cool he is out. Lets hope he stays out.
I didn't bother going back to bed since Julian would be coming in an hour. I grab my pillow and head to the couch, setting my alarm on my cell. It seemed like 2 mins later, my alarm goes off

3:10am. I get Julian's bottle ready for when he gets here and start watching tv.

3:30am. SIL sends me a text that she is running late. Great.

4am. SIL comes and drops Julian off. He drinks his bottle and falls asleep while I am laying there WIDE awake. I finally fall asleep around 5.

6am. Chris gets up and goes to the bathroom, in the meantime waking up Christopher.
So again I'm up getting Christopher's morning bottle and diaper change.
I lay back down and close my eyes while Christopher plays and Julian sleeps.

7am. Chris is up...and late. He slept in. The kids are up and playing in Elizabeth's room.

8am. Chris is leaving for work. Hugs and Kisses all around to all the kids and Chris says "Elizabeth was messing with the printer and broke it" Umm ok? I'm suppose to do something about that? Fine I'll fix it

8:30am. Elizabeth is in trouble for breaking the printer, crying on time out. Christopher is wanting my attention and crying. Julian is at the table not wanting to eat his cereal bar and crying. I'm looking up cheap flights for myself and only myself to Cancun.

9am. I go fiddle with the printer and find a dried up piece of banana (thanks Elizabeth), pluck that out. Printer is fixed. My hands are black from toner but it is fixed.

10am. Christopher is in his room, Julian is on his bed, Elizabeth is in the playroom. Now, is 10am too early for an apple martini? It is 5 somewhere right? I have tequila! Anyone up for some mid-morning body shots?

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Run Forest Run

Last night I was at the end of my rope with Elizabeth. At bedtime she was still screwing around instead of getting into bed and out of frustration I said "Oh I'm just going to run away forever!" because that is what she always says to me. Well that stopped her in her tracks and the tears began to fall.

"No mommy please don't run away. I'll be a good girl. I'll listen! I don't want you to runaway!"

I sat down with her and tucked her in and had a long talk with her about her behavior and how I was getting tired of the mean rude little girl and wanted the good girl back. She promised she would behave and made me promise to not runaway. I did.

This morning when she woke up she came for a snuggle and said "I'm happy you didn't run away mommy"

I am too...kinda! Someplace tropical would of been nice.

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Black Plague

Well maybe that is a little over dramatic but we are all still sick. My cold has now moved into my chest and I have lost my voice. Chris spent all day yesterday too hot or shivering on the couch with fever and the kids are still miserable with nasal congestion. I know we will all get better just in time for allergies to hit! Calgon take me away!

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Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie

I haven't done a recipe for a while and this seems to be our new favorite dessert so I thought I would share!

Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie
INGREDIENTS

* 3 cups half-and-half
* 2 eggs
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted(save the 1/2 for the garnish)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 (9 inch) Oreo pie crust
* 1 cup Whipping cream(homemade, from a can, cool whip whatever you want)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, combine half-and-half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut and the vanilla extract. Pour into pie shell and chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.
2. Top with whipped topping, and with remaining 1/4 cup of coconut.
3. Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.


****The toasted coconut I put in the pie, I rub through my hands a little first to break it up a bit. The rest I put on top as a garnish just as it is****

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In search of my past

Last April my childhood Elementary school, Poplar Glade, burnt to the ground. They say it was electrical and the old building was scheduled to come down in 2009 anyway. Still, it was sad to see a part of my early days gone. I've been on Facebook (yes I am one of THOSE people) and have been looking up old classmates from that time in my life. I have found two that I remember and I believe another person is the brother to someone I used to play with. I am feeling nostalgic and believe I will dig though old photos to see if I still have any of my old class pictures. I think I do have a couple and it would be nice to post them and see if anyone else pops up to claim themselves. Fast times at Poplar Glade Elementary!

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Roseola?

High fevers have struck our house. Both Elizabeth and Christopher have been bouncing from 100-102 degrees since yesterday. My nephew Julian, who I babysit 4 days a week is also sick and his doctor suggested Roseola. Now Christopher has already had this virus so when his symptoms came up I am assuming both he and Elizabeth have it too. It's just a little virus that will run its course with Tylenol to make them comfortable and watch that the fever doesn't get too high. I have also been feeling under the weather with fever and nasal congestion. All in all, not a happy household right now.

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After going over our new budget, months of envy of my friends Becky and Marissa and Jules, the time has come. I am buying myself a Digital SLR.

I am looking at getting This Camera

My dad is giving me a 70-200 mm lens. My uncle (the amazing photographer) suggested (copied from his email to me)


* Do get a flash. That Speedlite 430 EX is a really good one.
* Make sure you have at least a 2 gig CF card. That will give you lots of room. I like to have two cards.
* Also get an extra battery. That way you always have one charged battery in your pocket. The extra I bought is an Optex which about half the price of a Canon.
* That 18-55 lens is very good one. Maybe add a 75-300 some day.
* And any lens must have a Skylight Filter. They don't change the picture much but they protect the lens.

I will get one of the memory cards and the skylight filter, when I buy the camera and hopefully the extra battery and memory card later. Maybe I can get the flash for Christmas and maybe I can get an 75-300 lens next year.


This is the first time I will be buying something like this from MY own money. Not a gift or something shared with Chris but all of my own. I am very excited. I have a couple friends I know would LOVE free photography sessions so I can practice LOL
drooling

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Elizabeth's Big Adventure

Well not really but it was a big deal to her.

She came to me with a handful of change and asked me how much it was. I counted it out to 3 dollars and a bunch of pennies. I took everything except the pennies to Chris and exchanged it for 3 dollar bills. She put in her little purse and off to walmart we went.

After our normal shopping, at the checkout I told her she could pick something and pay for it with her money. She wanted an oreo cookie to go cup and even a teddy graham one for Christopher.

She handed her cookies to the cashier who rung it up and told her 2.00 please. Elizabeth fished into her purse and handed the woman two of her dollar bills with a huge smile on her face. After she was handed her bag and her receipt, she turned to Chris and said "I did it all by myself, are you proud of me daddy?"

He of course was beaming.

The dollars

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The purchase

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The Change

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Cross Promotion

My uncle is an amazing photographer and I've mentioned his blog on here before. My dad send me the link to another blog he does and this post hit me in my heart. My baby girl, at 15 months old. It was taken April/05.

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Oh let the sun shine down on me!!

Yesterday, we went out into the back yard for our first warm spring day in 2008!
I did some yard work while the kids played with a ball, bike and the car. It was warm enough for me to be out in a tank and carpi's while I was raking and the kids in jeans and little hoodies.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

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No one is smiling at the Small Smiles Pedetric Dentist office.

The first time we went, we had a male hygienist and male dentist after I said "please no men, she is scared of strange men" so of course she flipped right out.

The second time, we had a female hygienist but the same male dentist. The hygienist was snapping at her for crying telling her to 'SIT STILL NOW!" Which put Elizabeth over the edge to be yelled at when she was already terrified.

I had scratch marks all over my legs from Elizabeth digging her shoes into my legs trying to climb up on me to get away and bruises on my arms from her holding and pinching me so hard with her hands.

The whole experience was so stressful.

Now when you think of someone who works with children. They are usually gentle and try to put the kids at ease right? The dentist here is a HUGE man and very very loud. Elizabeth was scared of him right away. The woman hygienist was very uncaring and crass. They in no way even tried to calm Elizabeth down before trying to open her mouth and shining lights in her face. Oh and neither wore face masks either.

I recently canceled our last appointment, two weeks ago due to a scheduling issue with Chris's new job. I was so thankful because this is all over the news this week.

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Oh yeah Mini post

You know the advertisement for the Flat Earth Chips that comes up over ----------->

They are AWESOME!

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Talk child Talk!!

Ok I know the first rule of being a mommy of two is never to compare one with the other but damn it I can't help it!

Elizabeth at 18 months was talking and expressing herself with at least 50 words and small two/three word sentences. At times she would never shut up but at least she had something to say.

This boy of mine is another story. 18 months and only 4 words. He can't(won't?) express himself any other way then grunting, pointing and eventually crying when he gets frustrated with me not understanding.

I teach him the same why I taught her. Repeating words and showing him what the mean over and over in hopes he will start to mimic me. Usually he either looks at me and laughs or cries because he is sick of me talking and just wants his damn juice already!!

I am at a loss here. I know "enjoy the silence while you can" but there is no silence with him! It's all day long screaming and whining trying to get what he wants.

TALK CHRISTOPHER TALK!

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