Hint #4

I won't be needing this so much anymore.

Hint #3

We are keeping this smashing carpet! (At least for the time being.)

Influential

This boy. Oh this little boy of my mine. He obviously has a big sister and that big sister has a big influence on him. And he loves it. Thanks Gram for buying real make-up for Mia last weekend. She loves it and puts it on everyone. Hot pink for the eyes, blue sparkle for the lips. She's got an eye for glamour that little one of mine.

Happy Birthday to my favorite Mama!

Happy birthday to my favorite Mama!! I hope that you had a wonderful day. It was so fun to get together with the family on Sunday to have dinner and celebrate.

Lots of hugs and kisses!

Megan and her clan.

Hint #2

Not a whole lot got done since I posted the first hint. Ryan and I weren't home much this weekend. Hoping, praying and crossing my fingers that it will all be done this week!

Second hint:

I've spent roughly $517 so far. Yikes! I have lots of dreams and hopes and wants for my whole house. It drives Ryan nuts because he doesn't understand why my list is so long and unnecessary. Silly boy! But really, when it comes down to spending the money for it, it's hard! But fortunately for us, I have been working hard and saving for a while!

Proud Mama Moment

I'm having a proud Mama moment here. My children love my Broccoli soup! Like all of them. So much that they cheered and thanked me when I made it and asked for seconds and thirds and then Mia went back for fourths! And it's not a fluke. I have made it before. Did they know that it's healthy for them?? It's soup made out of vegetables. The same kind that Sam won't eat ever. I am relishing this accomplishment while I can. You see, there other favorite dinner is Hamburger Helper (nasty!) which I made last night. The cheeseburger flavor. The one that they thank me for making them such a fantastic meal. Yes, Hamburger Helper. (I won't eat it.) How was I to top their all time favorite?

It's nummy especially with a side of carrots and some crusty rolls. It's a quick and easy meal. Mmm mmm!

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Low fat Broccoli Soup

1/2 onion, finely minced

1 tablespoon or so of Olive oil

1 small potato chopped

4cups fresh broccoli, including stems peeled and chopped

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups low fat milk

optional shredded cheese

Heat olive oil in stock pot and saute onions until transparent. Add chopped potato, broccoli, chicken broth and milk. Bring to a slight boil then cover, lower heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Blend till smooth in 2-3 batches. I add a bit of shredded cheese to the kids soup. They think that it's extra special that way.

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The potato thickens the soup. It's really a key ingredient. I think that our recipe calls for celery too, but I always forget the celery and it tastes pretty good. Try it out and let me know if your family likes it then let me know.

10 Minute Change

I have this fantastic shelf in my kitchen that I have yet to be able to decorate to my liking. I have a tiny kitchen and so really, this shelf is my only place to play with. Seasonal decor has been fun to do, but I haven't really found my everyday look yet. Since I was already working on a project in here (can you guess those who I have not told already), why not add another project?


Once I took down my Valentine's decorations, I went to work on the shelf. I started with shopping the house and finding all that I thought would go together well: fantastic vintage platters from the boutique I did (love!), mercury glass candlestick with green ball thingy, blue vase and I liked green wreath but was too small. Nothing worked.


Enter Nester with fabulous tutorial from "The Home Book" on how to make a table landscape. I really want this book! It's going on my birthday list. (Hint, hint honey.) Sphere, check. Tall vase, check. Framed artwork, missing. Once I knew what I was missing, it was easy to find something that would work. I love the new look. It's simple and clean and can be added to if I want.




Nester is having a "I did it in 10 minutes" linky party today. Go and visit because there are tons of great inspiration out there. Enjoy!

Projects, projects!

Anyone who knows me knows that if they dare step foot in my house, I am going to ask them their opinions on 15 billion projects that I am working on or dreaming about. Started a project today that I think will make a great improvement on the house.

Here's a hint: Can you guess?

Nine is FINE!

Tradition: birthday breakfast on the "You are Special Today" plate. Jake's requests: ham and cheese eggs, Eggo waffles, sliced strawberries (yum!) and cranberry juice.

Tradition: Birthday dinner out with the grandparents. Jake chose Golden Corral and enjoyed three steaks! He did not, however, enjoy the singing. He would not stand up. Verdict is hung if he really was embarrassed or not.
New tradition: Birthday "Wish" decoration. Now, if I can just get the birthday banner made. Problem is, I think of it when it's time to put it up and not before it's time to put it up.

Tradition: A picture with his presents.
Tradition: Star Wars presents of course. And look at his dimple. It still kills me.

Tradition: Jake super-de-dooper excited over the Clone Wars blaster game. Thank you Super Target clearance!

Happy Birthday Jacob!!

Nine years old today!!

An author and illustrator...not so much.

When Jake was in Kindergarten, all he wanted to do was write and illustrate books. He made book after book about his life and of course Star Wars and I still have most of them. They are fun to look at.

After months and months of Jake begging me to start his own blog, I finally let him do it Sunday night. So far, he's had two real entries and the rest are all messing around silly boy stuff that make no sense. Looks like I might have to give him some subjects to write about.



So, if you are interesting in reading jibberish, Jake's A Rockin' Bloggin' is for you. I think it's best to keep it private, so request an invite if you haven't already gotten one.

Argh!!

I'm grumpy and I'm tired and tired and grumpy. By golly, my children need to go to bed without complaining, getting up a billion times, running around, rearranging their rooms, making birthday invitations, jumping, having tea parties, going to the bathroom yet again, running downstairs because they really need something, dancing, chasing the kitty down, getting another drink of water, etc, etc, etc!! In fact, here's one coming down now! Yippee skippy!

I've done all that I can think of. Reading together, prayers, baths, winding down time, asking nicely, having charts, blah, blah, blah. There's nothing nice left for me to do. I hate to yell, but somehow, I end up doing it every night. Arrgh.

Jake and Mia go to sleep after 9:30pm, often later, every night. Sam! Oh SAM! He doesn't go to bed until after 11pm and doesn't reward me with sleeping in. Why? I. need. my. time. Please. Pretty, pretty please.

My two year old entertains me

Ryan got an iphone this past week. And it's fun! The kids will do anything and everything to earn minutes on it. Sam included. Turns out that the iphone is really for everyone young and old. You see, the iphone has over 15,000 applications that you can download. Anything and everything that you could possibly think of. Ryan downloaded us all a favorite or two. Jake loves the Light sabers, Mia loves Scribble and Sam loves Water Basketball. Remember those old toys that were filled with water and and you had to push the button to make the basketball go up and in the hoops. Yes, Sammy loves it! I got a quick video of him today. He usually plays it longer, but Ryan was getting food out and yes, food still trumps games for Sam.

Sam calls the game "hoops" and he always says "no" to anything you ask him. For example: "Are you playing hoops? " "No.", "Is that yummy?" "No.", "Are you Sammy?" "No.". Just when I think that he has his no's and yes's mixed up he'll say yes to something. He really entertains me with his little life and his little thoughts in his cute big head!

Gift Special!!

I'm offering a gift special for a little somethin' somethin' for your favorite Valentine friend. Check out my crafty blog for details here.

"Druck! Druck!!"

As soon as Sam's little ears hear that garbage truck coming, his face lights up as he jumps up and down yelling "'Druck! Druck!!!". Mama knows that it doesn't matter where we are or what we are doing, we must quickly run to the window (or door if we are dressed tee, hee) to watch the truck grab the garbage can, flinging it's contents into the truck to be mashed. It's fascinating and wonderful and garbage day is the best day of the week as far as he is concerned.

Reminds me of a story of a little boy that wanted to grow up and be a garbage man. He loved watching that truck just as much, if not more, than little Sammy. The way the men grabbed the cans and flung them in and pulled the lever to compact it in. His Mama said it didn't matter if he was swimming in the bath, if he heard that truck coming, he had to be there for it.

This morning, I watched my Ryan lift my Sammy J up to see out the upstairs window watching that neat garbage truck do its job. Ryan enthusiastically pointing at the truck and watching Sam's amazement. My grown up man and his son sharing the same passions in life.