Just Another Day..

WHAT THE &^?

2010-08-14T13:20:00.000-04:00

I made the children lunch this afternoon, and as they ate I jumped on the computer for a quick minute...

Silence and 5 minutes later this is what I find...

Thank you Biggie!!

Future Hoarder?

2010-08-11T13:13:00.000-04:00

Biggie has taken it upon his self to clean out his toy box at nap time.. any guesses where the stuff ends up??

.....any??

Into the hallway right in front of his door.. what in the world does this mean??

What happened to my little baby???

2010-08-07T13:03:00.000-04:00

September 13, 2004

August 6, 2010

Sunny Bear is officially in Kindergarten!!

Painting..

2010-08-05T12:54:00.000-04:00

I loathe..

Painting...

On the Road again...

2010-07-28T20:00:00.000-04:00

I can't believe the time has come to say goodbye.. This new journey is going to be tough but I think it will benefit our family in the long run. Things in my life these past two years have been tough. I don't know why, but I have to make this trip. I hate to leave Mr. Wonderful and take the kids to a new place. I just feel that right now that is the best solution to our problems. I could be wrong, and I usually am but I think it is important to realize the different aspects of each possible outcome. I really want this to be our last move, but I have a feeling it will not be. I have told Mr. Wonderful that I am only willing to move one more time.. lets say within the next 10 years.

Well, here we are on the start of our journey. Needless to say, these two crazy kids will not make it any easier...

Pray for us! :)
Here are some pictures from our journey so far.

...Packing

More Packing...

Driving Pictures...

Sunny Bear admiring the decor in the hotel room!

Biggie looking handsome!

He is always in constant motion, I can never get a really good picture of him :(

Reflection

2010-07-26T07:19:00.002-04:00

I felt a little nostalgic when I finally left Pennsylvania. I really hated that place but it is where I had Biggie and lived for the past two years. Things are changing and there is never really any way to know if it is a good thing or if it will be in the best interest of my entire family. I can only hope that things will work out and that we can all be together again soon.

For the past five years, we have constantly moved. These moves have always been the result of Mr. Wonderful's Oil and Gas Pipeline jobs. Once he is done with his work, we always moved on. With one kid it was always an adventure. We had a passion for moving and seeing the United States. For me, it was a break from the life I had lived 20 years.

Since Biggie came a long two years ago, our focus changed. We want to provide our children with sometime of stability. If it was a given that we would always live somewhere for 2-4 years I don't think we would have a problem continuing on that road. But in this business it is never a given and you are constantly fearing for another move. This is the main reason I decided to bring my kids home. I never made any real friends in Pennsylvania, so I was always in a depressed funk. Yesterday I weighed myself, and over the course of 6 months I have gained 10 pounds. I just can't believe that this is how everything has worked out.

I'm sitting here with my happy and healthy kids that miss their daddy now and I am on a diet.

When all else fails... look for the baby!

2010-07-19T12:58:00.000-04:00

Can you spot the baby?

He was being super quiet.. so I went looking for him and this is what I found!

As you may have guessed..

2010-07-15T12:52:00.005-04:00

We are moving again...

This time it is just the kids and I. We have decided to go home because I can't take another impending move. So, things have been super busy around the house again! I can't rule out any future moves though!

Boxes!! Can't wait to be home!

Does a Taser look like a gun?

2010-07-09T07:58:00.003-04:00

Why do all our vacations/moves have a crazy story? This trip was not any different. For the Fourth of July weekend we decided to go about an hour away and stay at a hotel. We have season passes to a small water/roller coaster park here. With another imminent move we thought it would be a nice outing for the kids before the chaos began.

The usual conversations took place on the way. Things like "I'm hungry" and "I have to pee"…nothing really out of the ordinary. Driving a long though, I did notice Mr. Wonderful was flying past all these cars. I proceeded to tell him "you need to slow down". Not even 5 minutes after the words exited my mouth a blue light special appeared in our mirror. Mr. Wonderful went straight into denial "He's not after me, I wasn't speeding".

Needless to say, Mr. Wonderful got a lovely ticket for going 19 mph over the speed limit. After that really nice officer let us go, Sunny Bear proceeded to ask, "Does a Taser look like a gun?"

You mean to tell me the whole time we were sitting there this 5 year old was wondering if her daddy was going to get tasered or not? Is it me or does she watch too much Cops?

After that incident we were all in a somewhat bad mood. What a way to damper a nice weekend away... Unfortunately it seemed to spiral downward. Every week we use a small credit card for things like gas, food and such. It is a credit card we have had for about 4-5 years. Every week it was always the same thing, I'd pay it and we'd use it. No big deal right? Well, this particular week they decided to hold our funds for 10 days, meaning the funds were taken from our bank account and no applied to the credit card. Mr. Wonderful proceeded to call and received the run-around about where the money actually was, and how we were loyal customers but there was nothing they could do.

Needless to say, my theory is that they were mad because they didn't make any interest on our card because we were constantly paying it off. They decided to hold our money to make us suffer. We no longer have this card it was cancelled that day.

The rest of our vacation was pretty much uneventful. There were, however, 50 million people and their kids, mommas, brothers, uncles there. And here is my proof....

It's really sad when there are more people in the pool than water.

The things that come out of the mouth of Sunny Bear..

2010-07-02T15:03:00.000-04:00

These are actual quotes and in no way reflect my parenting skills.

- Our future is in the sky.

- Let's sew something with toothpicks.

- When I grow up, I want to be a black person.

- Your fat is softer than my pillow.

- Coffee smells like old trashcans.

- I like watching biggie's butt jiggle, it makes me happy.

- Daddy's an old man.

And finally my favorite..

- Mommy, your neck wiggles like a turkey.

Thank you Sunny Bear for you words of wisdom. Never a dull moment!

Back to his old ways..

2010-06-27T18:00:00.000-04:00

Ever since we came home from Georgia, Biggie has been sick. He has been more reserved but very fussy. It seemed as though he would cry from dawn until bed. He ended up being so tired he would pass out early.

Sunny Bear had Vacation Bible School this past week, so I was really able to enjoy some quality time with Biggie. It is amazing how much different a child can be when they are teething vs. feeling well. You forget the light they have in their face and the happiness that arises in them for no particular reason. I enjoyed my week with Biggie and I had a chance to capture this happiness.

Let's not forget the beautiful artwork Biggie tends to leave around the house. This is always a sign he is feeling much better...that and obviously he is not being watched.

Peek-a-boo.. Here I am!

2010-06-22T14:07:00.001-04:00

Kids, fun and family have made time in my world fly lately. The kids have been exhausted and exhausting at the same time. We were able to sneak away for a couple of weeks on Memorial Day weekend (one of the many reasons you have not heard from me lately). The kids had an awesome time, even if it did wear me out. It is always nice to see and spend time with family.

Memorial Day weekend we stopped off at Mr. Wonderful’s family’s house. We were able to ride 4-wheeler, swim, eat, and play. After that we headed to our hometown and enjoyed a week of fun with friends and family.

The funny thing about the whole trip was that my family really didn’t believe it when I said Biggie was a handful. They have now seen it first hand and will no longer deny anything I have to say about it.

He screams at the top of his lungs anytime something he doesn’t want to go on..goes on. He has also resorted to stalking me. Anytime I am out of visual range he walks around crying or chanting “momma”. I really hate taking a shower with a child hysterically crying and beating on the door. To look at the bright side though, at least he isn’t sticking metal objects into the electrical sockets…yet.

I think this phase and potty training have got to be the worse things known to man, and unfortunately for me they seem to come back to back.

Back to what I was saying..

Being home was wonderful, it reminded me about all the things I miss about the south. Let me count them…

· Beaches

· Sweet Tea..EVERYWHERE

· Fried Food..EVERYWHERE

· Friends

· Momma

· Mr. Wonderful’s Momma

· Going out with friends

· Marsh

· Sweet Tea

· Beaches

I think that about covers it!

One thing I do not miss is the heat. I really hate when people up here in Pennsylvania complain, “it is sooo hot whiney whiney whine whine”. I just want to tell them they have no idea what the hell hot is… hot is when your pool feels like a nice hot bath, or your shoe melts to the concrete in the WalMart parking lot.. That is hot!!

So glad to be back in my own space with all my stuff I love so dearly. Can’t wait to head back again soon. Hoping it may be permanent.

Oh, and I graduated..:)

Coming soon...

2010-06-16T08:38:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that it has been over a month since my last blog.. What have we been up to you ask? Well here is a look at the stories coming soon!!

P.S. I graduate college this week. :)

Where have I been?

2010-05-18T14:42:00.000-04:00

Wow, I didn't realize that I had not blogged in quite awhile. I guess life has been keeping me busy.

Biggie is doing much better these days. He has resorted back to his old ways of climbing the kitchen table and hanging from the light fixtures, terrorizing the cat, dropping Legos and Barbies into the fish tank and running from me at any chance given. Although he spends the majority of his days doing those things I just mentioned, he has grown into a sweet "mommas boy". He is always looking for a chance to cuddle with his mom.

Sunny has been doing good. Her new "big girl" tooth is growing in and she is constantly talking about her teeth and how big she is getting. This is her last official week of school, but last night she was very sick. Today she is doing much better but has a fever. I really hate that she will miss school tomorrow but I really do not want her spreading her disease.

Just a quick update. It has been raining like crazy here, so we have been cooped up yet again. We will be getting ready for a trip to Georgia in the coming weeks. The kids and I will be there for almost a month. We have some trips to Alabama and North Georgia planned!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T14:11:00.000-04:00

Wishing all the moms out there a Happy Mother's Day!

May your day be calm..

hahahaha! That was funny huh?

When all is quiet, check on the baby..

2010-05-08T19:36:00.003-04:00

Biggie has been getting into everything lately (more than usual). I was working on some school work. And yes, it was due that day.. Hey, they are lucky they get anything from me these days!!

It was quiet.. a little too quiet! I walked into the kitchen and this is what I caught Biggie in the act of.

He even said "cheese"! Which he never does!! And he is semi-looking!

Afterward, he gave me a few smiles! And no he does not always have cookies on his face!

Is it just me or is his hair blonde? Really blonde?

A new phase..

2010-05-07T19:12:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday evening, Sunny and Biggie were playing. He was laying on her and bouncing up and down. All seemed well. They were both laughing and seemingly having a good time.

Lately, it seems that these times come a some sort of price. While they were playing Biggie put something into Sunny's mouth and out popped her tooth. Before I could say a word, Sunny began to cry. Freaking out that her tooth had come out. I started shouting "It will grow back"! Sunny was then excited that the tooth fairy was coming to visit and went to bed at a decent hour without fussing about it.

If only every night the tooth fairy, easter bunny or Santa would come. Wait, then I'd be broke. I think I'll just deal with the nighttime drama.

Here is Sunny so proud!

Body Art..

2010-05-05T13:11:00.001-04:00

Biggie has recently started to deface objects, somewhat like his sister. Just the other day Mr. Wonderful caught him seconds from writing on the wall with a marker.

They both have been so destructive lately, that even though we needed a new kitchen table because one of the chairs came apart, we have decided to hang on to this one for a while longer. This table is so bad that the actual seat part has come completely off. Mr. Wonderful displayed his "handiness" and nailed it back together but I am pretty sure it will not last another year.

Biggie is like a stealth when it comes to getting a pen, pencil or marker. Even though we think they are out of his reach he builds these intricate ladders when we are not looking and grabs the most permanent thing he can find.

Yesterday was not any different. I had some markers on the table and was supervising Sunny Bear as she made mother's day cards. Apparently Biggie got ahold of some invisibilty spray and somehow obtained one of these markers.

Pink looks lovely on him. Disregard the cookie face.

I think he also felt that one of his favorite toys needed a facelift as well.

A word to the wise.. if you have a child under the age of 5 and the house is suddenly quiet, there is something wrong.

A new pet..

2010-05-04T23:52:00.000-04:00

I am terrified of things that crawl.. the creepy things. Mr. Wonderful recently took Sunny to a pet store and there she fell in love with something of the creepy sort.

A few days later, Mr. Wonderful went back to the store to obtain this pet but they had already sold it. I silently cheered inside when I heard this news.

On Monday this new pet was bought from another pet store and now calls our home..Home. This brings our tally to..

1 dog
1 cat
1 turtle
4 fish

and a...

SNAKE!!! AHHHH!!!!

A great day for a walk..

2010-04-29T20:30:00.000-04:00

I know it has almost been a week since I last posted. School and transporting the kids has kept me busy this past week. Biggie has been sick but is doing much better thank goodness. Other then that, it has been the usual array of cleaning, poop, cleaning poop, feeding, chaos, mummified chicken nuggets and snot! The only thing new in my world is the contemplation of summer events and the fact that Sunny has decided she wants a snake. -more on that later-

After freezing temperatures last night today shaped up to be a very nice day. When Mr. Wonderful came home from work we loaded up the kiddos, a bike and a wagon and headed to the park. We parked about a half mile from our favorite park and walked/rode to the park. I have really missed doing things like this. I have always been a very active person but when we lived in the dungeon (old house) I really was not myself. I feel happier everyday!!

Anyways, I was able to shoot some nice pictures of the kiddos!

Sunny getting ready for our journey.

Fun at the park!

Biggie and his usual face. He somewhat resembles a Pug when he makes this face. Am I wrong?

A better picture.

Beautiful babies:)

On the way back to the car Sunny was tired and hungry.

When we arrived home they were playing by a light pole. They posed for one picture for me. I have a really hard time getting a picture with both of them looking. This is very rare.

Public Transportation

2010-04-29T20:13:00.000-04:00

We moved not far from The T. The T is the public transportation system in Pittsburgh, kind of like an above ground subway. I am from the country, so living within walking distance of public transportation has me in awe.

Yea, yea, I know it is a little silly but it fascinates me to see all these people walking to the T in the morning for their “morning commute”. And then home again after work. I mean how easy is that? They do not have to drive, or sit in long lines of traffic. Awesome, right?

Back to what I was saying.. Is it wrong for me to have the urge to shout out my window in the morning at all these people “Hey, have a great day!!” or in the afternoon, ”Great job today guys!!!”

If this were the south, I would probably do it.

Spelling with Sunny Bear

2010-04-23T14:09:00.001-04:00

Yes, Sunny Bear wrote "Fart".

No, I did not help her.

And to be fair she also spelled "nose, cat, hat, leaf".

She also knows how to spell "poop".

It is so much fun when you get to teach your kids how to spell, they catch on quick to all the words that deal with embarrassing body functions!

My Sweet Angel..

2010-04-21T21:11:00.001-04:00

..is feeling much better!!

Did you have a case of the Mondays?

2010-04-20T13:51:00.001-04:00

Biggie is sick yet again! It seems like when the temperature drops to under 50 degrees he always gets a wicked snot and a double ear infection. Yesterday was his follow-up appointment from the ear infection he had two weeks ago. TAA DAA he now has an Upper Respiratory Infection along with a double ear infection. Not to mention, he screamed in my ear the entire time the doctor was checking him out.

Needless to say, that was only the start of my manic monday.

Since the move, I have to drive 30-45 minutes (depending on traffic) to take Sunny to her preschool. I do this because there is only a month left and she has been with these kids for almost two years now. I wouldn't want to take that away. I'll let summer vacation and Kindergarden do that.

Back to what I was saying! The doctor is near her school, so I thought "wow this will be perfect!" Biggie's appointment was at 10:30 and her school is at 12:30. Two birds with one stone! I forgot that anything that involves kids is never that easy.

So we did the doctor thing and then I went over to the drive-thru pharmacy and dropped off the prescription. I try to avoid taking the two kids out of the car whenever possible. Afterward I head over to the gas station and wow the gas pump will not take my credit card. So, I have to take the two kids out of the car and into the store in order to be able to pump $34.80 of gas! I tell the cashier that the credit card machine on that pump is not working and she snidely says " I know". Thanks for the heads up lady..

Now, your probably wondering why I just didn't go to another pump. Well that would be simple but this gas station has lines..LONG LINES and you have to wait for you turn behind 4 other cars. I only go there in a crappy attempt to save a little money.

While I was pumping gas, I started having massive heartburn. I do get heartburn occasionally but it is usually after I eat. Not right before I am supposed to eat. I had nothing with me and I was literally about to ralph in a parking lot somewhere so I drug the two kids out of the car and into Target. GREAT! As I was combing the aisles for relief Sunny Bear graces me with her "I have to pee NOW!" Everything with a child is instant. There is no reasoning with this fact. There is no asking a child "well why didn't you tell me when we were actually near a bathroom?" This is because the only answer you will ever get is "I don't know!"

Thank god for my friend that lets Biggie and I hang out while our girls are at preschool. He did manage an hour nap but remained pretty mad at the world for the rest of the day. Poor guy is sick.. so what can I do except bake him some cookies right?

I had this thought in my mind when I was finally able to return home close to 5pm. The house was a mess, I was angry, Mr. Wonderful had a bad day, the kids were hungry, and I was just ready to crawl into bed.

I worked for about 2 hours and was finally ready to make cookies when I noticed I did not have a cookie sheet. I had two in the old house. What in the world? So, at 7:20pm I ran to the store for a cookie sheet. All because I thought cookies would make Biggie feel better!

After narrowly escaping with my life in the parking lot (after two disgruntled women went at it all over a parking place). I made it home and I made cookies.

Everyone enjoyed them and we all lived happily ever after.

Biggie is doing much better today. He is climbing again.. and into everything. I am just exhausted thinking about keeping up with him.

Yesterday was not my first nor my last hard day, but I will take it. My children are taken care of and I can cuddle with them any time I want too!

It just seems like lately all the chaos falls on a Monday. I never really cared about Mondays, especially since I haven't worked in 4 and half years!

My kids are so sweet when they do not feel good, they love to cuddle. Here are some pictures I caught of Sunny and Biggie snuggling. I do plan on using these for blackmail one day when they can not stand each other.

Our little Acrobat..

2010-04-17T20:48:00.001-04:00

We use the LoveSac as furniture but the kids enjoy flying.. They are super soft so no children were harmed in the making of this.

Don't try this at home..

Here is her commentary..

And yes..Sunny said "hormendous, and tormendous"
And yes..Sunny is wearing a gymnastics outfit.
And no... she did not have gymnastics today.
What can I say, Sunny is a trend setter!

So tired..

2010-04-15T17:09:00.001-04:00

We are in love with out new place. Things have been pretty crazy this past week. The in-laws joined us last friday to help with the move and Boy was I spoiled with all the help. I forget how much family can help when it comes to the kids. Sunny really enjoyed all the attention and ever since they left on Tuesday she has been whining from the massive decline in the amount of attention.

Biggie now enjoys free reign of the house. I figured out quickly that we have to keep him out of the bathrooms. He climbs the toilet then straddles the toilet paper holder and climbs into the sink. He then has access to an array of kid friendly items including mouthwash, contact solution, and face wash.

Anyways, we had a mishap with Biggie's crib during the move. So the decision was made to move him into a bed. So, last night was his first night in the bed and that went really well. He looks so grown and cute sleeping in a "big boy" bed.

Mr. Wonderful snuck in and took a picture..all the while I was telling him "if you wake him up you are dealing with him."

Today was a different story though. I put him in for a nap and he was up. He would walk to and from the door and I would hear him on the monitor talking and riding his rocking horse.

I put him into bed 4 different times and then moments later I found this:

That is him on the floor cuddled up with his blanket..asleep!

He takes after his momma. We both like to sleep and we can pretty much do it anywhere.

Absent

2010-04-14T08:13:00.001-04:00

I am sorry. I have not been around in a few days. We moved on Saturday and I have just been completely exhausted. I was going to blog on Monday, and Tuesday but I was just so tired and no amount of Red Bull would have changed that.

So here is what has been going on in my world..Mr. Wonderful's mom, aunt and brother came last Friday and helped us move. It was very nice to have the help, we usually have no help or we hire help. Well, Mr. Wonderful and his brother packed the U-haul but at the last minute decided that they didn't want to move it into our new THIRD FLOOR apartment. I do not blame them.. I would not want to either. So we paid two guys to do our dirty work!

I would have taken pictures but I misplaced my camera during the move, as well as, my sanity. The camera has been found but my sanity has yet to return. I think it will be a few more weeks years until that happens.

As for Biggie's sleeping patterns (I was worried that he wouldn't sleep in a new place), he has been fine. He did wake up last night for the first time, but I grabbed him and we cuddled until we fell asleep on the LoveSac.

I will work on taking some pictures today and tomorrow to post. I just wanted to update really quick before I make the 19 mile drive to take Sunny to school. Something new and exciting I get to partake in until the end of May.

That is all I have for now.. I will write more later:)

Spring Break in 1500 words or less..

2010-04-08T14:49:00.001-04:00

I was standing in the shower; the water pouring down on me like rain. I enjoy these little times to myself. Today, however, is different. All I hear is screaming. It is in these instances that I wish I drank something stronger than sweet tea.

I guess I should start from the beginning. It has been a long winter in our household and now that spring is here it has been really nice to finally get the kids out the house. This past week (Wednesday to Wednesday) has been Sunny Bear’s spring break from school. The only word to really describe this past week is exhausting.

I am in no way a perfect mother, I have my flaws but this past week was not good. I feel that it is only a prelude to the summer when Sunny has no school at all.

So let me break it all down so that you (the readers) have a better understanding about what made this week tough exhausting.

Thursday started out just fine and dandy. It was actually a good day. Sunny was able to play with her friend from next-door most of the day so she wasn’t too bad. Biggie on the other hand was a total mess. He screamed for me every moment that I was not in the same room as him. He kicked, threw fits and hit me.

He also threw blocks at Sunny Bear when he did not get his way. I had no idea such a little sweet boy could have such a temper. To top that all off, he didn’t eat his dinner and only wanted to eat snack food all day.

I was so happy that Thursday was not my “bath night”. Biggie once again left presents in the bathtub for Mr. Wonderful.

Friday, I took the kids out to run some much needed errands. The entire trip around town consisted of, “I want to play.” “Can we go to the mall?” “I am hungry, can we eat McDonalds?” “I need a toy.” “Waa, Waa, Waa!” “Why does Biggie get to play with that toy?” “You don’t know my life!” “Mommy, will you paint my nails?”

I have come to the conclusion that I need earplugs for the car. The sound of nagging and whining in a car is by far the worst noise I have ever heard in my entire life. The thought of this makes me want to hide!

Saturday, I really enjoyed the day by taking Biggie out for a nice day at Wal-Mart. This, however, started the biggest balloon catastrophe ever. When I take Biggie out, I like to pretend he is my only child. This is only because he never has been and never will be. I like to treat him like I treated Sunny before he came along.

So there we were, in the party section at Wally World and Biggie begins pointing and saying “booon”. So how could I resist that face, and that voice. So I look around and found the perfect Toy Story balloon. He hugged the “booon” and loved on it the whole entire trip in and around Wal-Mart and the trip home. The “booon” was his best friend.

This is when disaster strikes. As soon as we were home, Sunny was at the door. “Where is my balloon?” “Why didn’t I get anything?” “I need a balloon!!!” It really sucks when you try and do something nice for one child and the other freaks out about it! Anyways, not even 5 minutes after we arrived home, Biggie popped the balloon on the side of Sunny’s dollhouse. He gave me the saddest puppy dog face ever and cried like someone had stolen his blankie.

I felt so bad for him that I made Mr. Wonderful head out on a balloon mission. He came back with two different balloons. One had a happy face and the other was a ballon with different balls (football, baseball and basketball) on it. Needless to say, Biggie likes Sunny’s ballon the best. So, Sunny and I headed back to the store for her a new ballon because I had “no idea how hard her life is”. I do not know where she comes up with this stuff lately but it is really dramatic.

I can picture it now Sunny becoming an actress and appearing in a movie called “You don’t know my Life”. She wins and Oscar for the best lead actress in a Drama.

Anyways, we sorted out all the balloon drama and enjoyed a nice Easter Sunday!

It was a beautiful day, so we spent most of it outside. Sunny and I did manage to go to the movies and it was a pretty enjoyable day.

Monday and Tuesday were not good though. Every time I left the room Biggie cried. He cried all day both days it seems like. So this did not help my attempts at packing. On top of that, Sunny really wanted to go to the park, but our busy moving schedule and the fact that it rained had made it impossible. There was more of the same whining from her. All this whining has made me decide to put her in Summer Day camp. She just makes me feel really overwhelmed when I cannot satisfy her every need. She needs more than I can offer.

If you know Sunny, you know she is full of life and very smart. Currently, she is not being challenged to her full potential and this is causing her to be bored. Biggie is much the same. Lately, if we are not doing something with either one of them 24/7 they are whining or crying.

On Tuesday, while Biggie was napping, Sunny opened the door and screamed. This scream was shrill and the top of her lungs. I jumped up and ran over to her, thinking she was hurt, but she was not. I asked her what was wrong and she says “bee”. I said..”where”. Can you guess where..? OUTSIDE! She screamed because there was a bee outside the glass door. Is that necessary? When I asked this question, she then replied with the answer every 5 year old give their parents, "I don't know".

Tuesday night, I received a whole 5 hours of sleep thanks to Biggie getting up at 6:00am so Wednesday was already a rough day for me. If you know me, you know I need about 10 hours of sleep. Seriously. I have been sick for the past week and a half so that makes me even more tired.

So, I was standing in the shower getting ready to take Sunny to school. I was enjoying the water and the fact that I would have 3 hours to myself when Sunny was at school and Biggie napped. I enjoy those times. Apparently, while I was in my makeshift world, Sunny sprayed herself in the eyes with Body Spray.

Mr. Wonderful proceeded to help her rinse her eyes out but she screamed even louder.

I just want to let you know, that Sunny is okay. She survived the attack of the Body Spray and full vision has returned to her right eye but I have lost my hearing in my right ear. Biggie has also calmed down some too. Spring is hear, another reason to be thankful!

How was your spring break?

(Philippians 4:13) 13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Pictures Pictures and More Pictures..

2010-04-06T14:44:00.002-04:00

I know I'm a little behind on the bloggin' these days. This weekend is rapidly approaching and our move is almost here *yay*. Even though I am in no way packed, I am ready!!!

Anyways, I hope you all had a nice Easter. We did. It was quiet and the kids had a blast outside because it was an absolutely gorgeous day! Biggie wasn't really down for hunting eggs, but Sunny had a blast. I really hate that she had to do it by herself this year. We usually are able to go home, but with the move it is not possible right now.

Here are my favorite pictures from our little family Easter at home.

Notice the dye is far far away from Biggie!

With help, he was able to get in on the action!

So pretty!! Sunny did a great job!

Sunny was on a mission!

Biggie was on his own mission!

Pretty smiles from Sunny! I wish she was always smiling!

Biggie looking all cute and stuff even though he was probably up to no good!

After the hunt, Sunny and Mr. Wonderful decided to destroy all the eggs. I remember when I was young the Adults would eat the eggs after the hunting was over. That is so gross to me now. *no offense to anyone that does this* I am just not a boiled egg eater.

I really tried to get a nice picture of the two of them together but Biggie does not cooperate ever! So, I was able to snap one picture and this is how it turned out..

How was your Easter?

It's all in the look..Part 2

2010-04-05T06:46:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, I wrote a post about the crazy looks I have been getting from Biggie. It is really not when I take pictures but it is all day. He gives me what I call the "stank eye". Anyways, I posted a few pictures of his "I'm annoyed, so leave me alone" look. Last night at the dinner table, however, he began to give me "the look" that I have not caught on camera yet. So, being the good mom that I am, I documented.

Now, here is the actual look he gives me all day long.

And just for fun, here is one more of Biggie's famous looks.

Man, I can't wait until he is 15. I am going to have so much fun with these pictures!!

It's all in the look..

2010-04-03T21:10:00.001-04:00

When you have your first child you are constantly thinking to yourself, "man I wonder what they are thinking, or I can't wait until they can talk"? Well, when it comes to Biggie, it is all in the looks. Every time I take his picture he gives me the craziest and dirtiest looks. It's as if he is saying "woman, I swear to God if you take another picture I am going to slap you".

Now, if you are wondering, these looks do not just happen when I take pictures they happen all day long. I think Biggie is wise beyond his years and realizes that we are a bunch of crazy people.

I mean look..

He always has the "I don't want you to take my picture" look on his face.

"Leave me alone woman!"

And finally my favorite of all....

"Who are you? And why and the hell are you always taking my picture?"

Seriously, does he not look like this is pure torture? Poor Biggie..

Love Notes - Part 3

2010-04-02T14:08:00.000-04:00

Oh how I love it when Sunny Bear is sweet! She leaves me love notes everywhere I turn these days. Here is the latest.

At least she used a post-it this time.

The 13th time is the charm..

2010-04-01T13:40:00.000-04:00

Well the big day is coming up quite rapidly. I can’t believe that there are only 9 more days until we move a ….let me count….13^th time in 5 years!!! We I decided we should move somewhere that is better suited for our family. I do not like the house that we currently live in, nor will I keep that information to myself. The driveway is Mount Rushmore and requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle in the winter. The front yard is not any better. The house is old, and smells like old people. It just does not and has not ever felt like a home to me!

So, today I was packing. I have been sick, and really not wanting to do anything lately except take a hit of Biggie's bubble gum flavored antibiotics. Too bad I’m allergic. *yum*

Back to the packing, I was in the attic and I realized that we have a lot of crap. In the past month I have thrown away about 13 garbage bags full of crap. I have also donated 3 bags of clothes and sold some things at a consignment shop.

What in the heck have I been doing this last year and a half? It looks as if I am stockpiling useless crap for the apocalypse. We have everything you could possibly need including; Barbie heads, 0-3 month baby clothes, old pregnancy magazines, old wallets, purses, shoes, mummified chicken nuggets, a Barbie head that sings, VHS tapes, about 27 1/2 scarves, hats and gloves and finally more stuffed animals than any one person should own in an entire lifetime.

Can someone please explain the use of 10,001 stuffed animals? I mean really. I throw them away and they multiply. I have run out of places to put them.

I really do look forward to moving. It keeps me busy and allows me to clean out the crap that I am too lazy to get rid of any other time. Maybe I should call Hoarders?

Happy Half Birthday!!

2010-03-29T17:13:00.000-04:00

Today Biggie is a year and a half (18 months for those that like math). It seems like yesterday Sunny was celebrating her 18 month birthday! It was funny because last night Mr. Wonderful and I were talking about it. He said, "Where did we live when she was 18 months old?" That is really how we have to figure out things these days when it comes to milestones and Sunny's age in relation to Biggies. So, for those wondering we lived in Hazard, Kentucky when Sunny turned 18 months.
Here is Sunny when she was 18 months old in Hazard.
This seems like a million years ago now!

Here is my tribute to the Birthday boy!

September 29, 2008

March 29, 2010

Recipe Sunday - Pork Fried Rice and Crab WonTon "thingys"

2010-03-28T19:04:00.000-04:00

My kids absolutely love when I make this. They do make an awful mess with it but they really enjoy it!You will need:

5 Boneless Pork Chops

6 chopped Green Onion

Frozen Mixed Vegetables

2 Eggs

1 cup Soy Sauce

2 cups cooked Basmati Rice

Won ton Wrappers

Cream Cheese

Imitation Crab Meat

Here is how I cook it. Pork Fried Rice:

I cook the rice as the directions state.

While that is cooking I fire up the Wok to med/high heat.

I cook and chop the Pork in a separate pan because I don’t want to get trichinosis.

In the wok I put half the chopped Green onions in and cook them for about a minute in 2tbsp of olive oil. I stir it around kind of like Rachel Ray, except I am not as elegant as she is.

Anyways, add the eggs and frozen veggies. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add cooked pork and cook for about another 3 minutes.

Constantly stirring so you do not burn it. Add the rice and mix. Then add the Soy Sauce and Mix. Waaalaaa! There you have it!

For the Won Tons I mix in a bowl: Cream Cheese (the whole thing), the other half of the green onions and about a half cup chopped crabmeat.

Place a spoon full amount in to the won ton wrappers and use egg to close them.

Fry them in about 1-2inches of canola oil until golden brown.

Follow it up with a pan full of brownies. But don't eat the whole pan like me..or you might get sick!

Reality Check

2010-03-28T18:29:00.002-04:00

We seem to lose sight of what is important in life. This past year has been difficult for me, and I have been completely honest with all those around me. I am not exactly sure of the reason but I feel that it has been important for me to try and understand what exactly has been bugging me for some time now. I have reached a conclusion, but I am not quite ready to share it with the world. I feel when the time is right, I will be able to share and then I will truly be able to let go of what is bothering me.

My kids are my life. I think I get lost in the fact that I am able to care for them physically that I forget that they are little people that need support in order to grow into the people they will be when they are my age. There are times when I’d rather be doing other things than worrying about playing Operation or “tickle monster”. These last few weeks, I have been taking a long look at my life. I have been looking at the things in my life that do not make sense and simply tossing them in the trash.

It was really nice, the other day, when I was outside and it was just Sunny and I. It has been so long since I have felt so calm and generally happy. And then I felt that I have really taken what I have in life for granted. My kids are both healthy, I have a roof over my head, a husband that loves and takes care of me, and so much more.

From now on, I am going to be me. I am going to be honest with those around me and I am going to live my life to the fullest and enjoy my kids.

With this said; here is what Sunny was doing outside the other day that just tickled my spine.

She was giving her "babies" a ride.

The smallest things in life are what make it great! I think we all forget that at one point or another. It is time for self discovery and living!

To keep him happy..

2010-03-25T20:50:00.001-04:00

He just needs a little chocolate..

Not me Monday and more..

2010-03-22T14:25:00.008-04:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This morning was not the best morning ever. I don’t know what it is but I feel pretty blah today. Maybe it is the rain, maybe it is my first day since my mouth surgery that I have been alone with the kids, or maybe I just need a vacation. I think it is the vacation, that sounds nice. Whatever it is, I have wanted to pull my hair out all morning. Thankfully, Sunny finally went to school and Biggie is napping. I should be working on my final paper for school, but I felt like blogging would make me feel better and plus writing about malpractice insurance is super boring anyways.

We have been working on getting Biggie off the bottle (from here on out referred to as the “baa baa”). He is a milk-a-holic and it is time. I do not need a 4 year old walking around with a “baa baa” in their mouth, 18 months is plenty in my book Imjustsayin. Parenthood is like a roller coaster. One minute things are fine and dandy and then the next step comes along and throws you for a loop. There is sleeping through the night, solid foods, sleeping in their own bed, sleeping in their own room, getting rid of the “baa baa”, feeding themselves and then my ultimate favorite potty training. Notice I left out one thing, passy’s or binky’s whatever your key phase is. Well I have been fortunate to never have to deal with those things. My kids just get attached to milk and their “baa baa’s”.

So anyways, Biggie is going through “baa baa” withdraw and it is not a pretty sight. He has been going crazy, crying, whining “baa baa”. Now, I wasn’t strong enough 3 months ago, I gave in and gave him his “baa baa” back, but not this time. I will stand strong. In a week he will forget all about the infamous “baa baa” and hopefully be back to his happy self.

So back to my morning of terror, it all started like a normal morning. But about 30 minutes into it Biggie was hollering something fierce as if he had not ever been fed in his entire life. So, being the supermom I am, I got up and fixed pancakes. I gave Biggie some cereal while he waited, which he then decided to smash with his new and improved big boy cup. Not cool. After I made the first pancake I gave that to him, he then proceeded to feed the dog. WTH?! 5 minutes ago you were screaming for food, but now nothing?

After breakfast, I like to enjoy a little downtime before I have to begin cleaning, dressing, changing, and combing so I was watching one of my shows on the DVR. Biggie then decides to throw himself hysterically onto the floor. Now I always tell him he is going to fall and “bust his face in” and that is exactly what he did. This boy is going to get the best of me.

We have the house baby gated so he cannot get out to where the stairs are. He thinks it is a game now; he climbs out and runs from me. Godhelpme!

And finally, when I have to brush his hair or teeth it is an ordeal and it makes me not even want to bother. But being the supermom I am, I do it. I have to chase him down, hold him down in order to get him to let me do it. Man boys are a handful! They need to come with instructions or warnings. Something along the lines of; this child will do 90 to 100 percent of the following by the age of two:

Poop and Pee on you (in some cases more than once).

They color on themselves, furniture, carpet, car doors, pets, walls and basically anything that is decent looking to begin with.

He will run from you, but strangers will take joy in saying “oh how cute”? *Then why don’t you chase him a little while *thankyouverylittle*

He will bite you (sometimes more than once, and it will hurt).

Poop in the tub.

Climb and jump from the highest heights, giving you a heart attack more than once.

Climb on the kitchen table and pour out all the salt and pepper shakers.

Grab the toilet bowl brush and run around the house with it, pretending it is a wand.

Growl at you.

He will run out the door at any given chance to chase the FedEx man down the driveway while saying “Hiya”.

He will hit the TV with a baseball bat.

He will hit his sister with a princess wand.

He will rip books in half.

He will smash pop tarts into the carpet.

He will squeeze the milk out of their bottle into a puddle on the floor.

He will also squeeze a juice box onto the floor as well as their high chair. This will cover their food in a nice pond of juice.

He will also adore his mother.

So, with that said here is my Not Me Monday.

While making breakfast and trying to keep Biggie from screaming I would not ever in a million years give him chocolate chips, nope not me!

I would never let Biggie eat a cookie he threw over the couch the next day because I just do not have the strength to get it from him and hear him cry, nope I would never do that. Not me!

I would never feed my children ham and cheetos (all natural) for lunch and then get myself McDonalds. I would never ever do that it is just not right. Not me.

I did not clean out the car and throw away ever single toy that was in there. I would never throw away the 397 McDonald’s toys in the car. Not me, no never.

Finally, I would never leave the children with Mr. Wonderful to go and buy salt. Then wander aimlessly around Target for over an hour just to be without my kids. I would never ever ever do such a thing. NOT ME.

What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger right?

Tiny Bubbles

2010-03-21T21:42:00.002-04:00

What a wonderful day..

for bubbles,

shorts,

and fun in the sun.

I love when the snow melts and the sun shines.
You know what that means right?

Its time for Yoohoo!

Sunday Recipe - Sheppard's Pie

2010-03-21T15:28:00.000-04:00

Tonight I made one of our favorites and since I have my wisdom teeth issues going on it did involve mashed potatoes. My kids love Sheppard’s Pie. When Mr. Wonderful and I first got married, it was the one thing I could cook and I would cook. The only difference now is that I home make the mashed potatoes. I don’t know how we would ever think those potatoes in the box were any good.

So for this recipe (serves 4-5 people) you will need

1 lb Ground Angus Beef
4 large potatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cream Cheese
About 4tbsp shredded sweet onion
¼ cup butter milk
1/8 cup milk
¼ cup sour cream

Brown the Ground Beef.

Peel, cut and boil the potatoes.

In a bowl while the potatoes are boiling you can put in a half of a bar of cream cheese, onion, buttermilk, milk and sour cream.

Boil the potatoes until you can stick a fork in them and they fall apart without any additional pressure.

Drain and rinse the potatoes and pour into the mixture of cream cheese, onion, buttermilk, milk and sour cream. Mix with a mixer until smooth.

In a baking pan, pour in the layer of beef, top with mashed potatoes and then cheese.

Bake on 375 for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Aggravation

2010-03-20T18:02:00.001-04:00

Needless to say I am a little annoyed right now. I need to vent. I had my wisdom teeth taken out on Thursday. It really was no problem. Everything has gone wonderfully since then. Today, I really have had no pain. So I figured it would be nice to go out and get some pizza with the family. But before we even got the pizza I felt a nice string hanging in the back of my mouth.

Yes, my stitch on the top left side has come out. LOVELY. So here I am, I am waiting to see what kind of torture I now face. You know how you always know something like this is going to happen and that nothing can ever just go smoothly. I understand mistakes happen, but why couldn’t they happen during regular business hours.

A break..

2010-03-17T22:16:00.000-04:00

I am getting my wisdom teeth out in the morning, so I will be down and out for a couple of days. I'll leave you with these pictures I took today.

My kids seem to take better pictures when we are outside.

Look at that handsome Biggie!

Sunny putting on her socks because her feet were cold. :)

A case of the Mondays..

2010-03-17T21:06:00.002-04:00

Monday was just one of those days. We have all been there, more than once. Everything started off fine, I was able to sleep in and I wasn’t late taking Sunny to school. Kids were fed and clean. But after about 3pm things seemed to fall down hill; although things could have been much worse than they actually were. I have always been known for my dramatic dictation of events.

I picked Sunny up from school, and the teacher pulled me aside (with other moms and grandmas). The teacher proceeded to tell me about the attitude Sunny has been showing towards another student. Here is where the conflict comes in because Sunny does not like this girl. What do you tell your child? For me, it is really hard to tell her to be friends with someone she does not like. But I sucked it up, I told Sunny that she should ignore the child and be nice to here when she had to. I am sure this will not be the last time this occurs but it was kind of embarrassing.

Well, later that day I lost track of time and realized that I was starving my children when I looked at the clock and it was 6pm and I had not even given a second thought to cooking dinner. So while I was whipping up some breakfast (for dinner) I put Biggie in his highchair. Standing 5 feet away from him I did not have any clue that he had gotten a hold of a pen. He then proceeded to create artwork on his body, without me having any clue as to what he was doing. By the time I got a hold of him he looked like this. What is up with my kids and pens? You may remember some artwork Sunny posted for me last month.

Look at this face, it says "what me, I didn't do anything".

I guess it could have been worse, at least it didn’t say “I hate you” or “Mommy is fat”. :)

To top all that off, when I had both the children in the bath tub, Biggie decides that it’s a potty and does the “poop poop” in the tub. SO not cool. Especially since I had just cleaned the bath tub (which I despise doing) the day before.

Afterward, Biggie thought he would give me a heart attack by doing this.

What can I say though? In the end of the day, when the kids are fed, clean, and asleep it all really does not matter too much anymore. When you can sit down and think about it, you thank God for helping you make it through another day.

How was your day today?

I could never do such a thing..

2010-03-15T17:21:00.005-04:00

It has been one of those days. It is always important to realize that we all do the best we can to survive parenthood.

This morning, I did not ignore the baby talking in his crib at 7:30 so Mr. Wonderful would have to get up to get him and then proceed to sleep until 9:00 am. No never ever would I do such a thing. NOT ME.

I did not laugh when Sunny got in trouble at school today for having an attitude toward the girl that told her there is not a Santa. Nor, did I feel that the girl deserved the attitude she received from my daughter. Seriously, NOT ME.

I did not let Biggie play in a box while I took a shower, because I knew he could not get out of it. I would never do such a thing. No way..NOT ME.

I did not eat a bowl full of semi-sweet chocolate chips for lunch. Not me!

A shot of Biggie

2010-03-14T19:31:00.000-04:00

When I try and take pictures of Biggie they usually turn out a little something like this:

The other day, I was able to get his attention and he actually said "cheese" while looking at the camera. I was able to get some nice shots of him.

Maybe I am partial, but he is soo cute!

Two for the Price of One..Sunday Recipes (Broccoli Casserole and Macaroni and Cheese)

2010-03-14T19:19:00.000-04:00

I totally forgot about posting a recipe last Sunday..my bad! So here are two of my favorites.

Broccoli Casserole

You will need:

4 stalks with the tops cut off (if you use fresh)
or 4 cups of chopped frozen broccoli
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup (or Cream of Celery)
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups of crushed Ritz crackers

The first step can be kind of stinky but you need to "man up" and cook the broccoli.

While it is boiling, you can mix all the ingredients minus 1 cups of crushed Ritz.

Looks yummy huh? I put a little sweet onion in it as well.
Once the broccoli is done, drain it and add it to mixture.
Mix well and pour it into a pan.
Top with remaining crushed Ritz.
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Macaroni and Cheese

2 cups elbow macaroni
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1 tbsp mustard
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Paprika
Salt and Pepper

Boil macaroni

In a bowl mix all other ingrediants except 1 cup of cheese (save this for topping)

Once the macaroni is cooked and drained, mix with the bowl of ingredients.
Pour into a pan. Sprinkle with paprica and salt and pepper.
Top with cheese and bake on 375 for 20-30 minutes.

Family Trees and Kindergarten

2010-03-11T15:34:00.001-05:00

I have to admit, I feel like I have been going 100mph lately. It has been a little busy around here and will continue to be that way the next few months. I like busy, I handle it well and it actually makes things tolerable in Pennsylvania. The bad thing that comes with it, though, is being home sick. I go through phases off and on, some days are good and some are bad. I thought that the longer I was away from home the easier it would be but I guess I was wrong.

Recently, Mr. Wonderful and I have been doing some digging around on our family trees. It is really neat to see where we have come from but it can be a little disturbing too. It is important to understand the roles our ancestors played in our very own creation.

So about me, I found out that I am from Georgia!! There is no way in denying I am full blooded American. My family was one of the first family’s to settle in the United States from England. My family is also one of the first family’s to have lived in South Carolina. My blood line has been in Georgia since the early 1600’s. I guess that explains why I am so pale.

Mr. Wonderful has had a harder time finding out anything about his family. They are from Puerto Rico and are constantly changing last names. On his dad’s side he is the first generation born in the United States. This makes him interesting.

I have a lot more digging to go through, it is really fun if you do not know a lot about your family or where they came from. I did find one thing that really tickled us all. The names are awesome, and my great great grandfathers name was Jabe Jabez.. I love it!!! We have decided if there ever is a 3rd child, they are getting that name in some way, shape or form. Haha!

Other than that, we have had an exciting March so far. I registered Sunny Bear for Kindergarten yesterday. I, in no way, feel old enough to have a child entering school. I remember Kindergarten. It is amazing how time flies and how fast kids grow up. It seems like yesterday Sunny Bear was given the name “sunny”. It seems like yesterday she could fit on my arm from my hand to my elbow while I bathed her. I am, however, glad the colic has passed; although I still wonder with her and all her whining!

Biggie, on the other hand, has been trying my patience as a parent. Boys are so different. All he wants to do is climb and deliberately try to hurt himself. The other night when Sunny Bear was at gymnastics with Mr. Wonderful, Biggie was standing on the couch and literally walking off the edge of it to fall on the floor. He did this several times and laughed like it was no big deal each time. I grabbed the camera and he stopped, so I have nothing to share. :(

They are both sweet kids though, I am very lucky. I know one day that will all change and registering Sunny for Kindergarten is just one step closer to the teenage years.

Fun and Field Trips

2010-03-08T19:03:00.001-05:00

The joys of parenthood move on to include field trips. I enjoy going with Sunny to these types of things because it is nice to get out and really meet these kids that she goes to school with. They got to go to Dominos and make pizza.

Biggie is a Oompa Lompa

2010-03-07T17:00:00.001-05:00

Biggie enjoys his food a bit too much..

He missed a spot..

He needs a little bit more around his eyes..

I wish I could do that and have someone wipe me down afterward.

Beach Day

2010-03-02T20:47:00.003-05:00

Today at Sunny’s Gymnastics class it was “beach day”. Okay, Beach Day? Do they really need to torture us more than we already are; its 34 degrees outside with 9 inches of snow on the ground. I think they are out to make us mad. Little kids in hats and big winter jackets come running in with a beach towel, sunglasses and hats.

So here they are, 16 four and five year olds imagining they are on a snow covered beach somewhere, listening to beach music and pretending they are swimming in a sea of blue foam.

They could have waited until the snow melted..

18 days until spring!!

Melts my heart..

2010-03-01T13:25:00.001-05:00

Kid Friendly Recipe Sunday - Super Rich Awesome Chocolate Cake

2010-02-28T14:51:00.003-05:00

Since I have been stuck inside a lot lately I have had a major sweet tooth. So, this week’s Sunday recipe is a really good chocolate cake…

This cake will make you want to slap your momma. Okay, please don’t really slap your momma.
Anyways, here it is.
You will need:

1 Box of Devil’s food Cake Mix (I use Duncan Hines, because it is the best)
1 1/4 Cup of Sour Cream
1 1/8 cup of Vegetable Oil
1 of the smaller packs of JELLO instant Chocolate pudding mix
4 Eggs
½ Cup milk
2tsp Vanilla
2 cups (mini) Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 350
In a large bowl mix everything (with a mixer) but the chocolate chips.

Batter will be thick.
Stir in the Chocolate Chips.

Pour into pan of your choice. I used two round 9inch pans.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes longer than what the directions on the cake mix box states.
I used a white vanilla icing for mine but you can use whatever. This cake is a very rich chocolate and great for any chocolate lover. I will also include a homemade butter cream frosting recipe I have used before and works great with this cake. I didn’t make the icing this time. I was lame and bought the icing in can. Sorry to let you down.

Butter Cream Frosting

1 cup shortening (Crisco)
4 cups powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
1tsp vanilla
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (usually found near the milk or coffee creamer)
In a bowl beat shortening until fluffy. Add Sugar and continue mixing until blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low until moist then beat on high until frosting in the consistency you want.

While I was out..

2010-02-28T13:43:00.003-05:00

What a weekend this has been. It has been relaxing and kind of crazy at the same time. Kids always keep it exciting, but it is nice to have Mr. Wonderful around for moral support on the weekends. The weekend started great, we found out that we are moving into a new place. I have not told anyone really so this is my official announcement. We are moving to an apartment that will meet our needs better than our current house, and it is in a new town closer to the big city. The big day is April 10th. It is great to have a long notice on a move, something I am not used too. I have packed up our entire house in a week or two more than once. I have 40 days so I’m not going to waste any time.

Sunny Bear did not have school once again on Friday so I had them both with me. Mr. Wonderful has had to take my car to work because I have four wheel drive and the snow has not been friendly to us this winter. So, I was trapped at home Thursday and Friday of last week. So, when Saturday came I knew I needed to get out.

Saturday we went to our wonderful mall (small). It was just lovely because we saw some wonderful Girl Scouts there and was able to stock up on Samoa’s and Thin Mints. I apologize to my butt ahead of time for the extra winter weight and the fat from stuffing my face with cookies.

Afterward, I took Sunny to eat some cracker barrel. I always enjoy the one on one time I get to spend with Sunny. Since she has not had a lot of school lately she has craved more attention from me. I have major “mommy guilt” because I cannot always provide her with the attention she needs.

Meanwhile, while Sunny and I were out enjoying our meal, Mr. Wonderful and Biggie were having some male bonding time at home. After eating Sunny and I went to the wonderful world of Wal-Mart for some much needed *not* shopping.

Sundays are always relaxing. I clean the house and do some grocery shopping. The grocery store here is awesome and has a child care area. I took Sunny and dropped her off. I grabbed a Starbucks and shopped in silence with no one nagging “can I have that”? It was amazing, and if you are a parent you know that it is a vacation to go grocery shopping alone. You might as well be on a Caribbean Island somewhere. Well, maybe not that great but it’s still pretty awesome.

There was a lady in front of me when I went to check out and she had 6 things. 6 THINGS.. She scanned three of her items, paid for them and proceeded to do another transaction for that last three items. *no big deal* But afterward, she proceeded to bag her items at the end of the belt. It was my turn so I waited exactly 1 minute *I counted* and she was still at the end. She had not bagged her items yet.. I don’t know what she was doing. Maybe she thought that her items would magically jump into the bag; she was just hanging out. She then started bagging her items slower than a one legged dog on tranquilizers.

Anyways, I started working on my items because I felt I had waited long enough for this women. As I started working on my items she shot me the dirtiest look I had ever seen. ARE YOU FORREAL? She has no idea who I am or what I could do to her but she is looking at me like I am a monster all because she was taking 20 years to bag her groceries.

Moral of the story... The average person is stupid.

Did someone see a pony in the refrigerator?

2010-02-27T15:50:00.004-05:00

It's a pony of a different color...wow.

Seriously, Where does all this crap come from?

2010-02-25T13:35:00.006-05:00

There is a little known secret that when you have kids you develop piles of hoard all over your house in the form of toys. It is amazing how toys continue to multiply over a span of a year. I have to admit that that the one good thing about moving is that we really have to keep toys and other junk down to a minimum. After two or three toys in a year we’d tell Sunny Bear she had reached her maximum allowance of toys in a year because we just could not move a ton of junk every 6 months. But, we have been in one state for 18 months now and the crap has grown out of control.

Hoard/Clutter causes me massive anxiety.
I just can’t stand to look at it ANYMORE! I throw something away and it can multiply into three other things; toys are amazing like that. And my god at the McDonalds toys..Do they really have to give them a toy with every meal?

So today I have had enough. It is time to commence "Operation Purge the Hoard". My friend Hefty and I got it all cleaned up relatively easy while sunny bear was entranced in Hannah Montana. I’m glad she didn’t bother me, I really can’t stand it when she in the room while I’m purging all her junk she never plays with. She reasons quite well and we end up throwing away a half of a Lego and a half eaten Barbie shoe.

So, since I am supermom and so awesome, I documented this occasion for those that need a visual (like me).

I mean really did the toy box just throw up?? This is actually not that bad, but lookie lookie what I found while cleaning this mess up.

Mmm, nothing like a good month old Sun Chip with a little toy box flavoring.

Sunny Bear is chanting -- "Treasures I tell you!! I can't part with them."

The book shelf threw up too.

And I seriously curse the guy or girl that invented stuffed animals. I mean really?? Every time we visit some place new, Sunny feels the need to have a new "baby". They all have names too; Sarah, Marah, Pearah, Flower Power Sparkle Queen, Mr. Pig, Mr. Dog.. I could go on for days but you get the picture. She is now beating the Octomom and Duggar Family with 29 babies, minus the 6 I threw away today. *shh, don't tell her*

And finally here is a picture of my friend Hefty, she's a little camera shy. Yes, that is all that I threw away today so far. I am working on a fourth bag though.

Funny thing about all of this is that Sunny Bear will never even notice what is gone. Kids and all there paraphernalia, it's more work than the kids by themselves.

"Can't have nothin' nice"

2010-02-24T13:32:00.008-05:00

Now I understand why my mom used to say that. Here is some beautiful artwork Sunny Bear drew for me today.

And a special "shout out" thank you to the lady at the UPS Store that gave Sunny the pen to deface my car door. I guess it could have been worse, at least it didn’t say “I hate you” or “Mommy is fat”.

Kid Friendly Recipe Sunday - Spaghetti Pizza

2010-02-21T18:35:00.002-05:00

I know how hard it is to find something a child will actually eat. I also love to cook, so I need many different dinner ideas to avoid eating the same thing every night! So here is my idea. Every Sunday I will share something I cook and that my kids enjoy.

Today I made Spaghetti Pizza.
The ingredients you’ll need are:

A handy assistant
½ pound Spaghetti Noodles
1 Egg
1/2 qt Spaghetti Sauce
3 tbsp Onion
3 tbsp Butter
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
½ cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
1 tsp. Oregano
½ cup Milk
1 clove chopped Garlic
And any toppings you want- I use Green Peppers, Canadian bacon, Pepperoni, Mushrooms (Mr. Wonderful eats them)

Make sure your handy assistant is ready.

Check

Boil the spaghetti until done, drain.

In a pan mix everything but spaghetti noodles, sauce and only 1 cup of Mozzarella. Cook until cheese melts. I mix in half of the toppings as well as any veggies (except mushrooms, Mr. Wonderful puts those on his own).

Pour in spaghetti noodles and mix well.

Place into a pan. Top with sauce, remaining cheese and toppings.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. WALLA! Yum!

My kids love this stuff!! Sunny Bear had seconds and thirds. Biggie had seconds. I love it when I find something that fits their appetites. Here is the proof--

YUMMY!

Enjoy!

Look at what I can do..

2010-02-20T22:30:00.003-05:00

When I got home I played around with Paint.net. All my friends have been making their pictures half color and half black and white. So being the smarty pants I am I googled it. Anyways, here is my masterpiece. I know some of you might think I am lame but oh well, LOOK AT WHAT I CAN DO!!! Maybe one day soon I will have some new pictures to share. The kids seem to take better pictures outside. Is it spring yet?

By the way this is referred to as the Pleasantville Effect. Awesome huh?

Here is the site I used to figure it out: http://paintdotnet.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=26974

Mommy Day Out

2010-02-20T18:30:00.003-05:00

I took Sunny Bear to see The Tooth Fairy today. I haven’t taken a day to just be with her in awhile so we had a great time. Not to mention I got to see ~~The Rock~~ Dwayne Johnson in tights! *hot* I enjoy watching those movies with Sunny Bear because of the ~~eye candy~~ time we spend together.

On top of it all it was SUNNY out today!! I cannot tell you how long it has been since the sun has shown. Have I mentioned lately that I am soo tired of snow? *eye roll*

Before we left Mr. Wonderful decided to build a fort for the kids. Biggie took much joy in pulling it down as soon as he got it up. The fact that there was a giant fort in the living room made Sunny Bear change her mind several times about a mommy day out but finally around lunch time she decided we would venture out for a fun filled day at the movies.

First, we headed to Chic-Fila though. I love the fact that no matter where you live, they always have sweet tea. This makes me happy, just like sunshine! Chic-Fila was “packed out”. This is according to the ever knowledgeable Sunny Bear, so we ate and ran.

The movie was really cute, Sunny enjoyed it. It is really hard to keep her attention in the movie theater but we managed to sit through the whole thing. Good thing, because I was really enjoying the kid kicking the back of my chair the entire time.

Overall, it was a wonderful day with Sunny Bear!

Mommy Heaven

2010-02-19T13:39:00.006-05:00

For the first day this week Sunny Bear was able to go to school. I am in mommy heaven now since Biggie is asleep.

This week I have finally decided that I ~~dislike~~ hate snow! Snow is horrible!! It has caused me to be trapped in my house on more than one occasion this winter and has cancelled school 9 times! 9 TIMES!!
*haha when I write that I hear principal Rooney's voice from Ferris Bueller*

So, needless to say I was pretty antsy today when thinking about dropping Sunny Bear at school.

At about 10am I noticed out of the corner of my eye Biggie's head bobbing, so I decided to load up the kids and head to Disney Land! Yep, you guessed it..Wal-Mart!! No matter what you do there for you always end up buying "treasures" you didn't even know you needed.

I was 30 minutes early to drop Sunny Bear off at school so we all hung out in the car. Biggie's head was bobbing again, so I let him sit in my lap. This began a game of flashing the bright lights, turning up the radio to mind blowing *literally* levels and trying to climb onto the dashboard.

I think I fared pretty well!
So here I am, with silence and a Soap Opera Digest. I’m in Heaven. Silence is Golden!

I'm not tired!

2010-02-18T20:39:00.003-05:00

Me: “Sunny Bear, it's late..you should go to bed."

Sunny Bear: “But I am not tired."

Me: “Too bad." (I'm so nice)

Sunny Bear: “I swear I'm not tired."

Exactly 5.7 seconds later—

Even Jynx the Mystical had to get in on the action.

Is my Sunny Bear Stuart?

2010-02-17T14:10:00.005-05:00

Sunny Bear is always trying new ways to get my attention if it isn’t focused on her at all times. I thought this would change after Little Man Man was born but I was wrong again. She has recently resorted to the “Look at what I can do” trick which has reminded me of Stuart from Mad TV. Stuart was an eccentric child played by an older man. His portrayal, however, has become very familiar in my house. Recently I watched Stuart online and I now realize that he portrays every 4-7 year old alive. From his incessant “momma” to his demonic growls when he is not happy, Stuart is my Sunny Bear.

I guess I'm lucky though because she is not quite as manipulative as Stuart. I love you Sunny Bear!

Love Notes

2010-02-16T20:07:00.006-05:00

I just love when my husband writes me love notes. After 6 years of marriage it is nice to know he still cares!

Thanks hunny! I love you too!!

A first thought..

2010-02-15T14:17:00.005-05:00

For my first blog post I am unsure what to write. I didn’t think it would be that hard. I am my favorite topic but then again it is hard to concentrate when kids are screaming and chaos has begun. I guess I can start off with the fact that I am ready for spring. Kids locked up inside for any length of time have the ability to drive you completely crazy. Not to mention my oldest (sunny bear) has been out of school for some time. In the month of January she managed to make it to school 7 days. Wow. A whole seven days. She is in Pre-k so only goes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This month she has managed to go 2 days. So needless to say it has been a rough few months.

I am from the south where you can wear shorts all year. Here you are locked in your house from November until at least March. This is something that gives me depression around February. So here I sit, Sunny Bear is home from school yet again and complaining about blocks that she decided to throw all over the floor. I do not get it. How is it she can throw the blocks on the floor but it is MY responsibility to pick them up?

Biggie doesn’t treat me that way, at least not yet. He is 16 months old. Currently he is asleep. I wish Sunny Bear would take a nap. Then I could really get some things done.