feeling a little lame!

ok, so over the weekend, two lovely ladies honored me with a couple of blog awards.
vicki from

passed along the "one lovely blog award"

and nicolasa from low expectations gave me the "your blog is over the top award".

i want to pass along the awards, but apparently i'm brain dead today, because i can't figure out how to get the little picture of the award onto a blog post. ugh! i annoy myself sometimes! lol

i've been in the baking mood like you wouldn't believe...so the hubby asked me to make something to bring into work! woo hoo! what shall i make?! i'm thinking of going with toffee candy...a.k.a. "crack"--because you can not just stop @ one piece! its so hard to eat right when this is my favorite time of year to bake..well, now through christmas! i'm being good, as long as i have someone to bake for!

love my spray paint and glitter!

so i finally finished my ornaments! i grabbed a branch from outside, and spray painted it black. then i basically crammed it in the skeleton head that i already had.(put some styrofoam in there to pack around the branch too)

just a refresher on the cinnamon apple ornaments:

1C cinnamon
1Tbs ground cloves
1Tbs nutmeg
3/4C applesauce
2Tbs craft glue

combine cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg;mix in applesauce and glue. knead mixture for 2-3 minutes to form a ball. roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness;cut with cookie cutters. use a toothpick to make a hole for hanging. let air dry for 4-5 days, turning occasionally. makes 4-5 dozen. decorate with glitter, paint, or whatever your little heart desires!

and ta daaa....






the only thing i paid for was the tulle and ribbon...got both on sale for about $4 total(and i have tons of tulle left over--watch out!)! i may re arrange a couple of the ornaments, and i just have to add some decorations to the hutch its sitting on...hooray for halloween decorating! :o)

she's gone and done it again

that little girl was AWESOME while getting her blood drawn today!

i'll set the scene.

i forgot that it was a holiday today, so everyone was at the hospital for tests. i heard from two hospital staffers that it was going to be "the day from hell"! great, did that mean mine was going to be as well? we sped through registration, and right into the lab waiting room. here, there was a couple with a little boy, and a daddy with his son. it was pretty quiet...special agent oso was on the huge tv...which emily had absolutely no interest in watching, she just wanted to touch the tv screen like she does at home. so there we waited, for almost 45 minutes...yep, it was going to be the day from hell. i could hear a couple of screaming kids in the background--it made me shudder, i knew emily was going to be screaming too. emily and i wandered around the waiting area, she kept bringing me closer to the tv so she could have a feel--or watch her reflection--she's so into herself sometimes!! hubby was catching up on his mickey mouse club house. a couple more little families came in. and finally just before 9am, they called emily's name. the technician asked us if she had ever had the test done before..."nope", we informed him. i think by the way we answered, he could tell we were about to crap ourselves. which in turn, made him get nervous! lovely, he's about to stick a needle in our kid's arm, and he looks oh so thrilled! i sat her in my lap, wrapped my legs around hers, held her other shoulder, and just waited for it. the tech tied on the rubber strap, cleaned her arm, and i thought "now we're in for it". i saw him open the needle, and i swear, i was going to start to cry! he stuck it in, and...NOTHING!! i softly sang the itsy bitsy spider in her ear, and we got about half way through wheels on the bus...the whole time, i wanted to jump up and dance her around the room...and then it was over! did that really just happen? we ran out of there like our pants were on fire!! she proved once again, that we completely underestimate her!! i'm such a proud mama today :oD

its been a great day! david is being good for a change. i found out that i won a giveaway, my second! so cool! and i also received two blog awards over the weekend!! really, me?! i will be returning the favor at some point this week!

last, but not least, my weigh in for the week...

last week's weight: 171 lbs
current weight: 169 lbs woot!
this weeks goal(s): eat more leafy greens, and drink more water.
i will also be getting in 4 days of the shred again this week.

its been a long, but sweet day!

its almost monday

yuck. i hate mondays! we're taking emily for the blood work she needs for the genetic testing. oh, i think that's going to make monday suck even more! trying to think happy thoughts!

we had a great date night! ended up going to chilis...love those little sliders! ok, so they weren't "diet friendly", but i did great all week! i needed a little treat. i'll post my weigh in/goal for the week tomorrow.
this is us trying to be cute...but we just could NOT stop laughing! i don't know how we made it through our wedding pics!!


k, so i said that i was working on some halloween decorations. here is the first(ok, so technically there are two here, but i only kept one)
i recently stumbled on something called stitchery. i thought it was so darn cute, but i don't sew..at all! i thought i'd never be able to pull it off...oh, but how i wanted to try! i came across

after seeing their halloween patterns, i just had to give it a shot! aand, they are running a special for september...buy one halloween pattern, get the "little batty" e pattern for $1! ok, now i really couldn't turn my nose up at a sale too!! so, here's what i did!!

it was so easy!! there are step by step instructions. and they answered all of my questions. i'll be picking up a pattern or two to make for xmas gifts.

i'm still waiting on my cinnamon ornaments. they are sparkle-y, and ready for what i have in mind. i need to go outside and cut a tree branch...however, its been raining since last night :o( so my hunt for the perfect branch will have to wait until tomorrow :o(. then i'll be whipping out the trusty black spray paint to give everything the finishing touches!!

date night, here we come!

i'm trying to contain my excitement!! in my head, i'm skipping around like a school girl!! tonight we finally get to celebrate our anniversary. i'm sure dinner will be in our future...as well as the sexy little number that i picked up from fredrick's of hollywood! tee hee! the kids will be at sleepovers, and well taken care of-as always. its so nice to be able to get some real alone time with my hubby. and i don't mean couch time, exhausted, after the kids go to bed. i'm talking about some real quality time. even if its only once a month or so, it does alot for our relationship.

i'm working on a couple of inexpensive halloween decorations. can't wait to share them with you!

just whipped up a batch of cinnamon apple ornaments...i've got sparkley plans for these babies...stay tuned!!

theta mom thursday

for my theta mom thursday...ready for it...i actually went OUT of my home...at night...with a friend!! it was amaaazing! ok, so it was only a trip to walmart, and i was buying diapers...but i.didn't.caaare!! :o)

i met kelly through emily actually! she was one of emily's early intervention therapists. we hit it off right away. we are the same age, similar backgrounds...tons in common. since emily aged out of EI, kelly and i have stayed in touch. its been wonderful to have a "girlfriend" again. she's leaving for vacation tomorrow, and when she gets back she's coming over for a day of crafting--and to hang with emily for a bit...but crafting will be involved!! :oD when i came home from our "walmart date", i felt so refreshed...spent more $$ than i wanted too...but i still felt refreshed!

how did you spend your time out?!

ATWT

this is our maple tree...it will look like this in about a month! can't wait!

its too early to be annoyed

i mean really.

i was getting emily onto the bus this morning. she walked up the steps(assisted) with the aide, and i have the following conversation with the bus driver...
driver: when you take her in your personal vehicle, does she cry when you have to stop?
me: yes, but its only been recently
driver: do you think you could talk to her?
me: no problem
driver: the other parents are concerned when they're bringing their kids on the bus. so please talk to her.
me: ok, well we are...its just something she started doi--
driver:ok, we have to go....

WTF? i was getting more and more tweaked as i was walking down the driveway. of course we try talking to her. emily doens't speak yet, she can't tell us what's wrong. she likes it when she's moving, so maybe she's annoyed that she's the first to be picked up, and has to wait for 6 other kids to get on the bus(some in wheelchairs)...i'd be annoyed too!!!

she's never been a "chatty" kind of lady...which is fine, but after today, i'm not sure she actually knows how to talk to people! when she started driving emily this year, she said she had been driving for 25 years...today she convinced me that this is her first year with special needs kids. i think the whole line about the other parents being concerned is a crock. they know what having special needs kids is all about. sometimes kids go through phases(special needs or not), they'll get over it when they're good and ready.

everyone thinks that i should call the school and let them know, but i kind of want to see what the driver says this afternoon when i ask her how emily was. ugh. emily being upset at certain things is a struggle, i don't need her to remind me!!!!!!

welcome autumn!

ahh, its officially my favorite time of year! i think i will start putting out my halloween decorations next week! i'd like to do it this week, but i have to straighten up the house--and get hubby to bring up all the boxes...that alone needs a week right there! i wanted to share a couple of halloween craft pumpkins that i made a few years ago.





i gave the smaller one to my sissy. i've been wanting to make a few more of these, but our budget has been so tight. so i think i'll see what i can find when stuff starts to go on clearance at the end of the season.


oh, i finished crocheting this chunky scarf last night...can't wait to wear it!


a matching hat may be in my future!! i ordered supplies to start making my kids some xmas gifts. speaking of my kids...i think david is starting the "terrible two's" :o/ he's been throwing the worst fits!! forget it if i tell him "no"! its the end of the world! i'm waiting for his head to spin. oh, and the BEST part of yesterday was when i found him playing in his poop!!! are you serious?! i'll spare you the gory details! its not as bad as you're going to picture it, but it was still nasty!!

back on the wagon...again

i gained about 60 lbs with both of my pregnancies. i lost all of the weight from having emily, and one month later, found out i was pregnant with david. i was in my size 10's for about a week before i dove right back into my old eating habits, and stretchy maternity pants!

after having david, it took me a little over a year to lose 80 lbs. i was feeling great, in my size 10's once again, and then the cycle continued...only i wasn't pregnant this time!! i've only gained about 8 lbs back, so that's not horrible, but i just feel out of shape. i saw a pic of my sissy from her vacation this passed week, and wanted to die. she looked so hot! its been hard to be the "bigger twin" with the "rounder face".

i have refocused. sometimes you just need a kick in the ass...or to see a pic of your way skinnier sister to get back on the wagon. i'd like to lose 20 lbs before her wedding in june. i also just want to be healthier. that gives me plenty of time to take it off slowly. i've tried a few fad diets, with some success, but nothing that i can really stick to. i'll be watching my portions, and cutting back on the baking :o( oh, i'll still bake, its part of who i am. maybe i can find some healthier recipes though. to hold myself accountable, i've decided to log my progress in every monday.

so today's (re)starting weight is 171 lbs. i have a date with jillian michaels when david takes his nap.

goal for the week: have jeans fitting a little better before date night on friday!!

six years, really?

our six year wedding anniversary is tomorrow(9.20). i can't believe how time flies!

we met back in 1997...yep-twelve years ago. and for those of you doing the math, i was 16...he was 20--oh my, a scandal! i had only ever been on a date with one other boy, mike. i had my suspicions that he really only wanted to get down my pants. technically, he was my first kiss. i say "technically" because my suspicions were correct, and i never heard from him again. 2 weeks later while on our newly installed internet--big deal for us kids--i got an instant message from hubby. the rest was history. he has been giving me butterflies ever since then. we've been through alot since then. deaths, births, weddings...all of life's ups and downs. i wouldn't want to do it with anyone else.

after our first date on july 16, 1997, we were hooked on each other!

this is us @ my senior prom in 1999


he popped the question on christmas morning 2001


our wedding day 9.20.2003


our home


emily marie 3.1.2006


david ronald 5.9.2008


our little family


i smile everyday at what i have. some days its hard, but a marriage is hard work. i can't wait to see what's next.

missin' my hubby

it sucked sleeping alone last night. hubby won't be back until sunday morning from the convention, so i'll have the bed all to myself for two more nights. i love being able to sprawl out all over the place, but i really do miss him sharing it with me. he can be an annoying blanket hog and he snores sometimes, but those are the things that i've grown accustomed to over the last 12 years.

my parents were here for dinner last night. i made bruschetta, deep dish chicago style pizza, and a regular pizza. i was not that happy with the deep dish recipe, so i will not be sharing that one! lol for dessert i made sopapilla cheesecake pie. i made some butter pecan rounds for my dad--he hates anything cheesecake related!

Easy Bruschetta
(my family looooves this, we make it for every occasion!!!)
one loaf of french bread cut into discs
4 tomatoes chopped(small dice)
one small onion, finely chopped
small bunch of fresh basil-if you have it
1 tbs minced garlic(i use pre minced, but you could use a fresh clove or two if you have it)
one packet of good seasons italian dressing mix, prepare as directed

toast the bread discs in 350 oven until lightly golden brown(i've never really timed it, but approx 5ish minutes!). combine tomatoes, onion, basil, garlic and prepared dressing. add salt and pepper if desired. *i like to make this the morning that i use it so the flavors can mix.(or even the night before!)
top bread with tomato mixture, and enjoy!



the pizza is super easy. just use store bought dough(take it out a couple of hours before you want to use it. it makes it easier to stretch out.) use you favorite tomato sauce, and toppings...presto...quick and easy dinner!





the recipe for the sopapilla cheesecake pie can be found here @, where else...allrecipes! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sopapilla-Cheesecake-Pie/Detail.aspx?prop31=1
i cut the recipe in half, since it would only be my mom and i eating it.



Butter Pecan Rounds
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a skillet over medium heat toast the pecans with 2 tablespoons of the butter, cooking for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons of the white sugar over the top.
Cream 1/2 cup of the butter with the white and brown sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in the pecan mixture.
Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Let cool and devour.



we had so much fun. i love when my parents come up and hang. tonight emily is going over to their house for a sleepover. so david and i will be on our own. i'm trying to come up with a project that we could do. oh well, there is laundry to be done!

theta mom thursday!

ok. so i didn't get much time to myself this week. we're all sick. i've been up and down with david since about 2:30 this morning. i actually hear him crying again now. i'm hoping he'll go back to sleep before i need to get emily up for school. in my world, that's doubtful though :o(

so since i've been feeling like crap. i decided to take a break from crafting, and cleaning up the house. it was hard too! i have a scarf that i'm crocheting that's aaaalmost finished! so i put david down for his nap, got my favorite throw blanket, and just curled up on the couch. it really was heavenly. i'm not much of a napper, which kind of stinks, but i did feel pretty good when i got up. i got in about 45 minutes worth of couch time before i had to get emily off of the bus. i was hoping to reunite with the couch and my throw blanket after emily was up for her nap, but david had other plans for me--as usual! my mom is coming up this afternoon, then dad is meeting her here for dinner, so maybe i'll get a chance to veg again. we'll see though!!

ATWT

I'm seriously considering this for the christmas card this year! you can dress us up...

ever try to quietly blow your nose?

it just doesn't happen! well, it can be done...but you don't get out what you need to. i may as well just stuffed a tissue up there and left it! david is such a light sleeper that my first morning blow woke him up around 6:30. emily was kind enough to share her cold with me--that's why all this blowing has been going on(poor hubby would prefer the other kind of blowing , i'm sure) i've been useless all day. the best part is that my hubby is leaving for 3 days on a work thing. my parents are coming for dinner tomorrow, and to help me get the kids to bed. seeing as how emily refuses to be in the same room with david...bath time would be nearly impossible without some sort of help--enter grandma and grandpa! so my goal today was to clean up the house a bit. my mom always finds something to clean when she comes here--i love that and hate it all at the same time--so i try and hit all of the things i think she would notice. we're not slobs, but we've got our issues. i just want her to come here and visit, not want to vacuum the floors! since my head feels like its going to float down the snot river, it will be up to hubby to take care of the bulk. he can handle it...he really doesn't have a choice though, does he?! tee hee.
in my haze, i didn't realize that david was standing on the computer chair, ya know, the kind with wheels. oh he's fine...his face broke his fall :o/ luckily there was no blood. looks like he'll just have an egg on his forehead...that "bump on the head look" is nothing new for him. i think he's trying to be a trend-setter. yep, i'm the mom with the kid that always has a bruise or a bump--right in the middle of his forehead. ugh. its just not right to make mommies sick! who is in charge of that? don't they know i have things to do?!

its the little things

little things make me happy. sure-i'd love a new flat screen tv, a new car, jewlery, any craft supply you could think of....

but those things don't really tickle me. i love the feeling of my heart literally, melting. i get those feelings when david smiles(usually after he's done something wicked), or emily laughs, or when hubby comes and puts his arms around me for no particular reason, or even after i've cleaned something-i know, i'm weird!

today i got that feeling when emily's teacher sent home some pics. i don't get them often, usually on special occasions. like today. emily met four therapy dogs at school...and i got the beautiful piece of paper in her folder. its like christmas, i love opening her backpack to see what's inside!! my collection of these little pieces of her is growing, and i can't wait for the next one!!

weekend recap

emily's blood work was a bust :o( apparently one lab is not affiliated with the other, so they could not to the test. ugh, i wish the dr had told us that...rather then say just take her to the lab for the blood work. annoyed. i have to now fax the paperwork, and someone will come to the house for free. so at least we won't have to drag her out of the house now. we met up with my parents who-had david, and took the kids to lunch. then we took a stroll in walmart...mistake. of course we had to pick up a few items. emily and david where getting tired/antsy, so the men took them outside while my mom and i stayed to pay. ok, you would have thought it was december 24th! the lines were outrageous! i really did need the few items i had, otherwise i would have just left. oh it sucked. then i got the phone call from the men folk wondering where we were at. hubby and david had appts at 2:00 for haircuts, and we were starting to push it. and damn it--they WERE getting their hair cuts!! fiiinally, a break! they opened up another lane, and i was next to go! i moved my ass quickly, because i know how these line jumpers can get. i finally got out of there. i was supposed to head back home with my parents and emily while hubby and david went for the haircuts. however, my husband panicked, and didn't know what he was going to do with david when it was his turn. ugh, so off i went with them. hubbys sure know how to throw a wrench in things!

sunday was pretty uneventful. the kids were good. honestly, it was kind of a blur!! haha. i'm not sure why, i wasn't drinking or anything. ah, good 'ole mommy brain! i do remember that david helped hubby fix the screen on the door(a bear had tried to come in, like, in may!) yes, so 4 months later, its fixed. gotta love it. and hubby finally hung up my shelf in the laundry room. so now i'm getting that organzied. pics to come when i'm finished.

another fall favorite

since its looking like it will be another sunless day here in jersey, i thought i'd post something that makes me happy. another fall decorating project!! i made these for my friends' wedding last year. it was such a beautiful fall day! i've known them both since high school, and i had so much fun sharing in their special day! our little group got to reunite, and i got to make these pretty little punkins for their buffet table!

what you'll need:
craft pumpkin(s)
fall florals
fall accents/leaves-silk, pls don't use anything from your back yard ;o)
1/2 Styrofoam ball(i like using the balls because it gives the flowers more height)
hot glue
glitter glue
utility knife
wooden dowel or pencil
sharpie
battery operated tea light

using the utility knife, i started by cutting off the top of the pumpkin--like you would do when yo carve a real pumpkin. it makes it easier to hold them, they can be slippery!! i found a font that i liked and printed the three letters i needed(making the middle-last name-letter slightly bigger). tape the letters onto the pumpkin. i was able to get away with printing them all on one page, but you could do them individually--that actually may be easier!! use a tack or pin to poke around the outline of the letters. the holes were a little hard to see, so i carefully traced around them with a sharpie. *here's where hubby may come in handy* i am too cheap to buy an embossing gun-or whatever it is that they try to sell for carving these craft pumpkins. i'm not sure which tool he used...possibly a dremel...i'll find out and update this when he wakes up ;o). he cut out the letters for me...its best to choose a chunkier font, hubby had a hard time getting around some of the tight curls. hey-trial and error, right? also make a small hole in the bottom of the pumpkin...just big enough to fit the candle in snugly. now its time for the fun part!! cut a piece of Styrofoam to just fit the opening. squeeze it in and hot glue to secure. now, start poking your flowers in. i used a pencil to "pre drill" a hole. it made it easier for the stem to go in. once your flowers are in, you can start using your accents and leaves as fillers. if there is any Styrofoam showing, i glued a leaf over it! the last touch was an outline of glitter glue around the letters. there was still a little sharpie showing, and that took care of it! once everything is dry and secure, squeeze the little tea light in, turn on, and enjoy!!

i hope these directions made sense! i've never done a step by step to anything i've done(my first were the wreaths and garlands in another post) usually, i just wing it!! haha

so here they are...


i want to make some for myself this year. i have to wait until they go on sale, they can be expensive! also, instead of cutting the monogram out, i may just sharpie it on there! we'll see!!

the never ending day

wow was yesterday long!! david ran me around like it was nobody's business! he took two 1 ish hour long naps, but it felt like i didn't have a break all day! he also didn't seem rested at.all. by the time hubby got home, i had all i could do to drag my butt off of the couch to make the kids some mac n cheese for dinner. they must hate fridays...they probably know they're gonna get some crap meal served by an exausted crazy lady!

here was the best part of my whole day--and i do mean that sarcastically....at one point we were sitting on the floor playing. my darling hubby has this habit of leaving his lap top in various places of the room--usually where david can reach it. so david managed to wiggle the mouse out(the regular kind that you use for a regular computer-hubby has big paws and hates those lap top mice!)--which was fine by me, at least he wasn't playing with the lap top...and deep down i'd like to teach hubby a lesson for leaving it laying around--so i didn't care if the mouse got broken! yeah well, david made me care after he came running in for a big hug, tripped and launched the mouse into my face...my eye to be exact! ugh! david felt bad too, so i couldn't really be mad @ him...it was an accident. but WAIT, there's more! about an hour later, we were making a card for granparents day. i was writing with those crayola markers, and david wanted one so badly. i couldn't take it anymore!! i checked to make sure the caps were on tight, and gave him a few. after about 2 seconds, he wasn't satisfied with that, he wanted me to stack them. ya know, end to end...so i was like, ok, they're not that easy to get apart, so he'll be occupied for a bit...so wrong!! as i was placing him on the floor he managed-in record time-to get two of the markers apart...one cracked me right on the bridge of the nose! i cried...oh it hurt like a mother! i was trying not to fling every cuss word i had ever learned, after all, it was an accident--right? not too long after this incident, i made a rare glance into a mirror, and realized that i had a couple of black eyes forming...WTH?! i was dreading waking up this morning. i thought it would look like i'd lost a boxing match--with my 16 month old! thankfully, there are just two small bruises on the inner corners of my eyes, barely noticable...thank goodness!! i'm just hoping they don't do as bruises usually do, and get worse!!! ugh i'm ready for a new day!!

we're taking emily for bloodwork for the genetic testing today. i'm trying to think happy thoughts...maybe she won't scream too much! i'm doing my deep breathing already, and we don't have to be there till 11:00!! wish us luck!!

oh, and this was how i found david after waking up from one of his naps yesterday...i guess he was feeling too sexy for his shirt...at least he wasn't feeling too sexy for his diaper!!!

remembering

today, i will squeeze my kids a little tighter, and kiss my hubby a little longer. i know that there are many people who no longer have that special person to squeeze or kiss today. they will have to relive this day as if it were yesterday, and my heart hurts for them. i hope after 8 years that maybe a small piece has begun to heal, but also realize that a hurt like that doesn't just go away.

i also want to remember how this country came together in the wake of such tragedy. strangers embraced each other. tearful eyes locked, and no words needed to be spoken. the flags hung proudly.

i want to mention my cousin. who on this day, at the age of 17, is graduating from boot camp. she has spent her entire summer--before her senior year of high school-- training for the army. she will come home this weekend, start her last year of school, then return to the army and complete her training. she wants to become a nurse. i am so proud of this girl! at 17 i didn't know what i wanted to be when i "grew up"...she decided to go into the army and follow her dreams. happy graduation amy...we are all so proud of you!!

a thousand words thursday

emily and hubby @ ihop after meeting with the new neurologist. i'll remember that day as new a beginning on our road to finding answers. i'll also remember the slammin' stuffed french toast i ate! :oD

theta mom thursday!

i love this concept!! i'm giving it a whirl! with grandparents day coming up, i found a grrreat project over @

her guest blogger, lindsay-from living with lindsay showed us how to make an etched glass silhouette mirror. now, we don't normally celebrate grandparents day...we show them all the time how much we love an appreciate all they do for us...but i could not resist this project!! i had a mirror laying around that had not yet found a home. the only tricky part was getting the kids to sit still for a side shot!! go figure, when you want them to look @ the camera-they don't! when you want them to look away-they give you the perfect "christmas card smile". ugh. so i finally got some good ones. my only issue is that i should have put a thicker coat of the etching cream onto the mirror. you can still see brush strokes close up. a bit of a bummer, but the lighting at my parents' house isn't that great, so i don't think anyone will notice too much ;o) so here it is...


i was going to remove the mirror from the frame, and spray paint the it black. however, i could not get that mirror out to save.my.life!!! oh well! with stopping and going it took me an hour or two to finish this...including trying to print the pics to just the right size...what a waste of paper lol!!

please check out theta mom, and take some time out for yourself--you deserve it!! :o)

this and that

i just wanted to post a few things that i did over the last week or so.

first up...fry bread tacos...freakin' yum!! enjoyed these for dinner AND dessert by shaking the bread in a little cinnamon and sugar.

recipe here:http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fry-Bread-Tacos-II/Detail.aspx?prop31=4

next i was in need of something sweet-desperately. so i made some peanut butter dreams--no bake, even better!

recipe here:http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-Dreams/Detail.aspx?prop31=6

my bro's bday was on friday, and he looves these magic bars...

recipe:
1/2 c butter
1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 bag choc chips
1 c chopped walnuts(optional)
1 1/2 c coconut

melt butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs-press into 9x13 pan. bake @ 350 for 5 mins. spread chips walnuts and 1 c of coconut over the crust. pour condensed milk over top. sprinkle with remaining coconut. bake approx 20 mins or until coconut is golden brown.


last but not least...i spruced up a few binders for my cousin...

and so it begins

emily had her first-of hopefully not too many-tests today. we went to the children's hospital and had an EEG. it monitors her brain waves. they're checking for seizures. the doctor, however, does not think this is where our answer will lie. he's being thorough, so i can appreciate that. emily was such a rock star! she was a little squirmy while the probes were being attached-but what 3 year old wouldn't be?! normally she only lays down long enough to get her diaper changed, but i was shocked and amazed that she stayed down for almost the whole test!! we were calling her "franken-emily" she had all of these probes coming out of her head with gauze all wrapped around everything! i wish i had taken a picture! i made the executive decision to not snap away though...i'm sure it would have mortified her in 10 years!

david slept over @ aunt cindy's so we could get emily ready quickly and tear free...at the butt crack of dawn this morning. he's been crabby, but i knew that was coming. he always has his cranky pants on when he comes home...he's napping now :o)

grandparents day is this weekend. we don't normally celebrate, but i have a great gift in mind. i'll post it when its finished. my parents have been very stressed with some stuff that's been going on--i'll save that for another blog though! so i think they need a little pick-me-up. they are the greatest grandparents--and parents, so i like to make them something every once in a while to show them that they are appreciated.

figures

so we were all ready for a nice roll in the hay...and our dumb asses decide to watch the green mile...that didn't go off until 11:30--PM...oh, and we were stuffed on chinese food and a couple of adult beverages(not something we do often btw). we couldn't even keep our eyes open!!!!!!!!! idiots! for the passed few months its been very few and far in between that i've acually wanted to par take in anything sexual...even when the kids are at sleepovers! its terrible. but i feel like i'm getting back into my groove---and we decide to watch a 3ish hour loong movie---with commercials...IDIOTS! when will we learn to just do it?!?!

our six year wedding anniversary is this month...since we don't have a ton of money to spend i'm thinking some lingerie and a hot night! tee hee! hopefully we can get our act together before the 20th and get in a little practice before then!!

idiots...

the most wonderful time of the year!

this has got to be my favorite season! the crisp air, the smell of cinnamon and apples, pumpkins, and decorating for halloween! halloween and christmas...the best holidays for fun stuff around the house!! i wanted to share a one of my favorite projects that i've done.

For the wreath: i found a Styrofoam ring @ michaels-whip out your 40% off coupon! those things are hardly ever on sale, and can be a little pricey. you'll also need coordinating ribbon. watch for that to go on sale too, or get it on clearance at the end of the season. depending on the size ring you purchased(or maybe have on hand already!) cut the ribbon into 6ish inch lengths--and just start tying--alternating the patterns you picked out. i accented the wreath with halloween ornaments-also michaels, and cinnamon apple cut out ornaments(recipe to follow). also you can hot glue another ribbon with a loop to hang it from. For the garland: same concept, except that i used a long piece of twine (with loops tied at the ends for hanging)and tied the ribbon onto that-you can cut the ribbon a tad shorter(sorry, i hate to measure!!lol) decorate to match the wreath. (i attatched the ornaments with metal xmas ornament hooks.)
Cinnamon Apple Ornaments

1C cinnamon
1Tbs ground cloves
1Tbs nutmeg
3/4C applesauce
2Tbs craft glue

combine cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg;mix in applesauce and glue. knead mixture for 2-3 minutes to form a ball. roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness;cut with cookie cutters. use a toothpick to make a hole for hanging. let air dry for 4-5 days, turning occasionally. makes 4-5 dozen. decorate with glitter, paint, or whatever your little heart desires! i've also done these as xmas gifts too!





here is a garland that i did for xmas-

>


he was OVER the camera!

back to school

today is emily's 2nd day of school. yesterday was a total disaster!! she was so ready to get back(secretly-or not so seretly-so was i!) i got her up @ 6:30 for her 7am bus pick up(ugh), she put on a brandy new outfit, had her breakfast, and off we went out to the driveway to await her chariot. it was around 6:50 when we got outside-i like to leave enough room in case they are a tad early. around 7:20-still no bus. at this point it was just chilly enough that emily's sweater began to fail her, and her lips were a light shade of blue! i attempted 2 calls to the bus company with no answer. i made a mad dash for the house to grab the car keys, so we could wait in some heat! this same scenario happened on her first day of the summer program, so i really wasn't all that surprised. i made a call to the bus co again, and her bus aide-nothing. emily is in tears at this point with a "where the hell is my bus" look on her face. i finally got through to the bus co, and the woman informed me there would be no bus service today...ex-squeeze-me?! supposidly emily's school never got back to the bus co to let them know a start date, so they assumed they'd be starting with the rest of the district on the 3rd(today). for the looove of all that's holy. so i bring emily back into the house--she was totally crushed. david was screaming by now, so i fed him and got him dressed. i called the school just to make sure i wasn't cracking up..."today is the first day of school, right?" after that was confirmed, i threw two screaming kids into the car to take her to school. yee haw, what a morning. luckily they were able to arrange for her to have an afternoon bus, so i didn't have to drag david back out.




oh, and we had her appt with the neurologist on tuesday. it went really well. we are going to get an eeg(moniter her brain waves)--he doens't think that's where the answer lies, but he's doing it to be thorough. and he's sending us for genetic testing. we'll meet back with him in october for a follow up to review the tests and plan our next move. finally, a doctor that is helping instead of blowing us off!! :o)