laying it out there

Two posts in one night...what is this world coming to??! ;)

Last month, I did this post about confessions. It was fun and I'm going to try and repeat it every so often. I have started keeping track of my little obsessions as they come to me. Oh my...if you could only see inside my head! Ha! So, here goes - just going to lay it out there!

-It has to be really cold for me to wear a coat. And, not because I am Super Woman and don't mind the cold, but because coats make my hair have more static and I hate static in my hair.

-Maggie has really curly hair. I love it. But, last week, I used my flat iron and straightened it a little, just to see what it would look like. She is not even 2. I know...call CPS now.

-Right after I put my eyeliner on, I fluff the left side of my hair with my left hand. It is a weird little tick!! I've tried not fluffing my hair and I can't. I can't not fluff. It is a sickness.

-When it is time for me to get color on my hair {to cover my grey}, sometimes I use a black Sharpie marker to cover up my roots. Maggie has seen me do this so often that now when she sees a marker, she holds it up to her hair and says "color?"...poor child!

play time

I am loving this weather!! Seriously, who isn't?! Okay, so I know a couple of people who are having winter withdrawals, but I'm glad it has been so nice out. :-)
Yesterday evening, we went to the park with our neighbors. ALL our neighbors. We headed to eat at McDonald's and we looked like a zoo walking in there! 3 mommies and 7 kiddos. It was pretty funny. Then, we headed to the closest park to let the kids RUN FREEEE!!!

I tried to get a good group shot, but this was the best we got! Next time, we will tell them before we play that if they don't sit still and give us a good picture, they are all going home to bed! Ha!

Today was a really nice day with my baby girl. We waited the storm out {because I didn't want to get my hair all messed up!} and headed to Target for some light shopping. Ha! As if there is such a thing at Target. Then, we headed to the library to return some books, and home to eat. Fun girl day out! Tonight, we played outside some more. My kids are loving outdoor time!!! Who is ready for SPRING?!! I am! :-)

she rocks !!

I was just doing a little laundry and heard a knock at the door.
Oh my word.
Several scenarios went through my mind in about 3.6 seconds:

1. It could be someone like that crazy murderer on Criminal Minds that murdered people in their homes in broad daylight.

2. It could be that weird man selling steaks...again!

3. UPS/FedEx...did I order anything?

4. Ed McMahon? Oh, wait...did he die?

5. Mormons, or Jehovah's Witnesses. But, Maggie would scare them away pretty quickly.

6. I'm so glad I showered and got ready this morning!! But, I don't have lipstick or earrings on yet...

Yes, my mind never stops! **sigh**

I opened the door and was so happy to see Jami Leigh Lee!!! She brought me this...
Yep! Out of the blue, she brought me a diet from the best place on Earth and MADE MY DAY!!! If you don't know, her family is under quarantine right now. Cooper has Whooping Cough ---craziness!--- and their family is being treated with drugs. I asked her what she was doing out and she said "DRIVING!" Guess they needed some time out of the house! Thank you, JLL!! Totally made my day brighter!!! :))))

maple syrup, kids gone wild, & downton abbey

Saturday morning, we got up and headed out to the Maple Syrup Festival. We haven't been in a few years because it is usually sooo cold. Eric was excited to tell Levi all about the process of tapping the trees. (Yawn!) Long story short: Local family started tapping trees to gather sap to make maple syrup somewhere around 1989 (Eric worked there the first year they did it...kind of cool!) and now it has turned into this big festival where they show you how everything is done AND you get a pancake breakfast! YUM. They have tons of stuff for the kiddos to do!!
Look at this sweet couple! I hear they are really great! ;)

We thought it was going to be a little warmer out, so I was not thrilled to see snow flakes! Oy. We spent a lot of time in the indoor tree house and let the kids color and play.

And eventually we ventured outside and fed the goats some food. At least, I think they were goats... those are goats, right?? With the little horns...yes, I'm sure they were goats! Whatever they were, Maggie hated them and kept screaming "he'll get you" really loud. Awesome.
Eric had to DJ Saturday night for a wedding, so my sister and our friend, Lisa, and their wild kids came over. Let me tell you about Lisa...she is crazy. Seriously. I have told her on many occasions that she needs to become a writer for Days of Our Lives. She always keeps us entertained with stories about her crazy life!! Saturday night, we were in stitches! We don't see each other that often, but when we do, you can be assured there will be LAUGHTER! Oh, and she likes to act like she can cook, but don't let her fool you. It's all fake. ;)And, lastly, I will share about my new love. Downton Abbey. Oh my word, I'm crazy about it! I kept hearing from a few people at church that I needed to watch this show on PBS. If you like Sense & Sensibility or Pride & Prejudice...or any of that kind of stuff, you will love this show! I started the first season last week on Netflix and found out yesterday that you can still watch season two online until March 6th!!! (Before I sound like a tv super junkie, I will say there are only 7 episodes in each season!!) Try it, you may like it!! :-)

the day i almost died from humiliation

Embarrassing moments tend to follow me. I posted the other day about spilling ice cream all over myself...with an audience. Yep, those things happen to me all.the.time. But, today is the Blog Off and we are sharing our most embarrassing moment.

My friend, Lisa had invited me to King's Island. I'm not really an "amusement park" kind of girl, but I was happy to go along. You know how it is...you eat things you normally wouldn't and then you stand around in the hot July sun and wait, wait, wait to go on a ride that tosses you about until you think you will die. Good times. Well, we ate greasy pizza, a funnel cake, probably lots of ice cream, and a lot more over priced crap! ;) So, we are standing in line for the Spider {actually I think it is spelled with a "y" to make it more dramatic!} and there are about 300 people behind us. All of a sudden, my belly started to rumble. And, not the "Gosh, I'm kind of hungry" rumble. It was more like "How the heck do I get out of this line???" rumble. I looked at Lisa and just told her I had to go. That's it. Then I politely started to make my way out of line. What is wrong with people?? They wouldn't move! I started shoving. It felt like I was going in slow motion. I finally made it through the crowd of people and started to walk quickly to the restroom. Then I ran. Once I got there, I cut in line! Somewhere along the way, my tummy wasn't too kind to me and I had pooped in my pants. Oh my word. I got sick once and then had some more come out the other end and I felt like I was dying. I could hear people whispering "is she okay?" Shoot me now. Then I heard Lisa's voice asking me if everything was okay. I composed myself and felt a little better. When I finally came out of the restroom, I laid on a bench by where Lisa was sitting and we both started laughing hysterically about the fact that I had to go commando the rest of the day. ;)

I want to dedicate this story to my friend, Matt, who loves to tell this story. Each time he retells it, it becomes a little more embellished. ;)

a weekend of togetherness

Well, hello there. Yep, a big ol' pic of me. :-) Just trying some different stuff with my hair. I've worn it the same way for, oh, 86 years now, so I thought I would try flipping it out on the ends. {You can't see it that well because of my black shirt...} Yes, I am ghettofied.
Okay, so we had a big ol' honkin' weekend of NOTHING planned and let me just say, it was fabulous. Eric had a weekend of no studying and no playing Easy E. I was really excited and a little scared we would all get on each other's nerves! for some family time!!!

Saturday morning, Eric got up early and started building a fire pit! Woot! I'm excited about this because my kids L.O.V.E. roasting s'mores and playing out back. It gives us one more thing to do in the evenings. Yay!! While Daddy was building, we got in some seriously needed time playing outside!

Maggie was studying his every move...

After a fun afternoon of just playing together, it was time to build the first fire.

Oh, and, yes, we were dressed like it was snowing!! It was chilly outside. I guess not that chilly, though, because Levi kept telling me he was sweating! LOL

More playing...

And as the fire started to take off, it made this man verrrry happy!!!

And, eating my first s'more cooked in our back yard made this Momma verrrry happy!! :-)

{Sorta look like a bear eating after a long winter's hibernation...}

Sunday started out with church and then I cooked twice. I know, a rarity. I was milking it, too, for everything I could. We played some games and watched a movie and then at 6:40 pm, Levi said he was ready for bed. Wha???!!! I did hold him off until 7, but he was sooo tired. Guess that's what a little bit of fun will do for you! ;) After the kids were in bed, I spent {I am not kidding} over 3 hours on Pinterest. Oh my word. It is so horribly addictive. I love it!! I must throw in that Eric was watching something about tracking down Big Foot {YAWN}, so that's why I broke out the computer!! It was a great end to a really great weekend!

comments made easy...

I stole this from Brittany, so if it sounds Southern, you know why!! Love ya, Britt! :)))) But, seriously, if you haven't done this, do it! Makes commenting so much easier. Thanks!

Ya'll have got to turn off your word verification! It will change the way you blog and helps people comment SO much easier. Blogger recently changed it and makes you type in a PARAGRAPH before you can hit "publish your comment". You know what I'm talking about, right?


Here's how....simple easy!!

Click on your "Dashboard"

Go to: "Settings"

Then to: "Comments"

Then scroll down and where it says "Show word verification for comments?" CLICK NO!!!!!!

Hit save at the bottom and there you go! Easy - peezy!

hodge podge

FYI...this will be a random post!

Seriously, this little girl is ridiculous. Look at her crib when she sleeps...she is insane. ;) She has to have two pillows (one of which is a hand-me-down Pillow Pet from Levi), 4 baby dolls, 2 bears, a doggie and 2 blankets. I am surprised there is room for her in there!!
And, because she is so cute...

...look who has decided she wants BIGGER bows in her hair!!! YEEEEHAW! You know this makes her Momma super duper happy! I look back on the days of her not wanting to wear bows and shudder.

And, switching subjects yet again, I must tell you about quite possibly THE best dessert I've ever had. If it isn't the best, it is in the top 5, FOR SURE! Jami invited the kids and me over for Valentine's Day dinner. Steve was gone and we got a heart shaped pizza. Awesome. And, she picked up this S'More's dessert. Heaven. People, you need to try it. Period.

Today, I went for an "interview" at a place called Choices for Women. I have felt for a while that I really need to get involved in some local volunteering. Choices for Women is a crisis center for women with unplanned pregnancies. They offer HOPE to women who are facing a difficult time in their life and try to counsel them against having abortions. I love their work...LOVE it and can't wait to get into my training. After my interview, I stopped off at Zesto's.

I ordered myself a small hot fudge sundae and was giddy as I pulled away! I didn't have to share it with any little germy kids. :-) I pulled up to the stop light, and dug in...taking a huge bite of whipped cream. Only, the whipped cream didn't make it to my mouth! It plopped down onto my shirt. Grrr. I took my spoon and scraped up what I could, but didn't really bother cleaning it off, because I'm usually dirty from my kids anyways! I got another heaping spoon full and as I was putting it into my mouth, I looked over to my left and there sat a black Lexus with 3 men dressed in business attire, each holding their smart phone in hand, and they were just staring at me. I kind of paused, then continued with my bite of sundae. I gave them a smile and a small wave with my spoon. They all just started laughing with me (I say "with me" because surely they weren't laughing "at me".) They waved and drove off. Yes, true story. Oy.

from us to you...

Happy Valentine's Day!!

party time !!

"This is the best day ever!!" Those were Levi's words when he woke up yesterday. He was so excited about their Valentine's Day party at school. I have to admit, I was excited too!! I was excited to pass out the goodie bags we made! It is funny how a pencil, a cup, and lots of candy can send a kid into orbit!! ;)

Here is the party boy working on his first craft. Love him!!

And, acting a fool... ;)

Working on a valentine bracelet...

Okay, so I was the crazy room parent who took a picture each time he moved in his seat, but I will spare you all 243 of them!! :) I think the party was a success. 22 kindergartners that made a few crafts, ate cookies & donut holes, played a game where you blew a Q-tip out of a straw, and passed out many o' valentines....each child was smiling when we left!

It was a GREAT day and I was so glad to be able to spend time helping with the party. This is EXACTLY what I have wanted to do for so long...be at home with my kiddies and living in moments like this...

I am so thankful. :)))))

trip to the li-bary

I love the way my kids pronounce certain words!! Bisketti {spaghetti}, constructions {instructions}, libary....well, you get the idea! So sweet. :))))

Yesterday was our first trip to the library. I honestly don't know why I haven't taken them before now. I have intended to, it just never happened. Sometimes I think my mind blocks things on purpose....but that is for another post! Ha!

Levi got his own library card, which he puffed up at, and they even had him sign it. So cute!!

Maggie went straight for the baby board books and found about 40 that she wanted to take home. Oy. We settled on one. ;)Levi picked out two Clifford books and then was so sweet to play with Maggie and help her with several puzzles. I love those kids!!!! And, you know, because it is ME, there has to be a funny twist to my story! So, we pull up to the library and it is packed. I mean, I know it can be busy, but I'm talking PACKED. Weird. I unload the kids after I have threatened their lives to be quiet and remind them that we use a soft voice {as if Maggie has a "soft" level} once we get inside. As we get close to the building, I notice a group of picketers. Weird #2. And a little old lady yelling at the picketers. Weird {but exciting} #3. As we pass, Levi says, "Mom, why is that old lady yelling?" I act like I don't hear him. Great Mom, huh?!! We get inside and I see a big sign welcoming Mitch Daniels to speak at 4:30. Oh my word! There are cameras, reporters, and lots of people in suits with those special looking ear pieces like the CIA use {or at least they do on tv...}! The little old lady follows us inside and is sharing her "words of wisdom" with us. Weird #4. I just smiled at her, tried to be kind, but all I could focus on was my son holding himself because he "had to goooo" and my daughter squealing in delight because there were "stairs Momma!". I kind of side sweep the old lady, take Levi to the bathroom so he doesn't wet himself on camera, and scoop Maggie up so she doesn't kill herself on the stairs. All in all, it was a wonderful first trip and the kids were little angels! So proud of them. :))))

i'm not sure how i feel...

I love to read. A lot. I love the really good books where they capture your mind and for a little while you are taken away...to a different time period, a different culture, a different lifestyle. For a long time, most of what I read were fictional Christian books about the Amish. Sounds boring, right?!! Ha! Actually, they are quite good. My friend, Janna, got me hooked on one and then I couldn't get enough! Then, after years of fighting it, I found Edward, and never looked back. ;)

My Mom and Jenny have both recently read The Hunger Games. And, can I throw my brother under the bus? I guess I just did. He read them too. My sister has started them. Oh, the pressure! They kept telling me to read them. Everyone is doing it. You'll love them. When we saw a movie a couple of weeks ago, they showed the preview for The Hunger Games and I told Jenny I just didn't know if it looked good...futuristic, fighting, weird stuff. She said, "You're such a girl!!" LOL. I guess that is true! So, I've taken the plunge. I started them last week and I am about 80% through the 3rd and last book. I honestly am not sure how I feel about them. I don't LOVE them, but they are interesting and it is like I have to finish them to know what happens.

Feel free to share your thoughts. Have you read them? Are you going to? If you have, what did you think about them??? Dying to know...

not on my game, Hope, and the super bowl

Anyone out there remember how to play Euchre? Yeah, well good for you. I don't. How sad is that? Back in the day, I was quite the champ. :))) Okay, so that isn't true, but I at least knew how to play. Friday night, we hung out with our friends Matt & Melanie and played a game or three of Euchre. We used to do this a lot together. Let's just say that the very first play was mine and I flubbed it up. Euchre is not like riding a bike for me. ;) Mel and I did end up winning the last game, though. Girls rule. We had a blast, eating tacos and homemade salsa, and watching the kids run around playing. Love those guys!!!!!!!

Saturday morning, my mom watched the kids and I was able to help out with a local ministry called Scarlet Hope. It was created to offer HOPE and help bring women out of the adult entertainment industry. And, God is doing incredible things through some incredible women. Our ABF (adult Bible fellowship) class at church adopted a room in a home that was donated to Scarlet Hope. The home is due to open in March and will help to house women who desire to leave that industry are in need of a place to stay until they get back on their feet. Several people from our class put furniture together and decorated our room on Saturday. (Jaime, I thought of you when I saw the purple!!!)

Then there was this little game last night called the Super Bowl. I, of course, was rooting for my BF's brother and his team...the Giants! It helped that the other team was a huge rival. Patriots. Ironically, my BFF was rooting for the Pats. Gag. ;) Love you! Since the SB was played in Indy, I really wanted one Manning to win! :))))) And, win they did. Steve and Jami invited us over for dinner and the first part of the game. Love how Jami was sporting her Colts gear. ;)

We had yummy lasagna, salad & garlic bread. And homemade brownies by Jami. Such a fun night!! I stayed up way too late and this morning I feel like I've been hit by a mac truck. It's not pretty, people. Back to the grind. ;) Happy Monday.