Zo Zo

She's mine even if she is the spitting image of her daddy...Look at my girl! Is she not the cutest? She was riding in the homecoming parade with daddy on a giant 4-wheeler. I was so jealous, I have always wanted to have a farm where I could have about 8 dogs and a 4-wheeler and just be leisurely all day playing. Sorry, I digressed, Paul and his assistants always try to ride in something "cool" for the parade. Curious George stayed with us all weekend, we had to write about his adventures with Zoe for school so of course he rode too. She is growing up so fast. Even in these few short weeks of school I can tell she is learning so much (and I don't mean academics!) and maturing at an alarming rate. She loves to plan out what she is going to wear every day and what activities we are going to do when she gets home (today we are going to color a lot since I had a minor surgery on my foot yesterday.) I am still loving having a little miss in my house, is it too soon to say I am really going to miss her when she is gone all day at school next year?!

BTW- my husband and his assistant principals wore these shirts that said "FHS, rated Excellent, again." Aren't they the biggest stinkers?! They love telling everyone that their school is awesome for the fifth year in a row! Woo hoo!

edible playdoh

I made edible playdoh for the kids today and they loved it! Both of them played for a good long while and Zoe requested I give it to her teacher. I saw Kate do it on "Jon and Kate plus 8" and I have been wanting to make it for a while.

Ingredients:
3 cups powdered sugar
6 tbsps. baking cocoa
3/4 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup butter at room temperature (no substitutions)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix and knead until desired consistency.

I ended up mixing it by hand as I found a spatula was not doing the trick. It kind of looks like a tootsie roll when it is all done.

I had a bowl of soapy water in the sink to wash hands (and Parker's feet- the boy is crazy I tell you) when they were done, they were digging this too, little weirdos!

I threw out whatever was leftover, not sure how it would keep in fridge? I figured it was worth the half hour or so of playing, I didn't have to save it. Have fun.

** I only made half of this recipe and it was plenty for two kids, I think making the whole recipe would be a lot of wasted stuff. **

Parker helps me work

I've been trying (as usual) to get my desk in order so I can work on my million projects I have running through my mind. I am also in the process of redoing our home filing system so it's been a little messy for a while. I got these small-ish tubs to keep the kid's keepsakes in, those too big for a scrapbook, things like, the outfit they wore home from the hospital when they were born, Zoe's first dance shoes, etc. Anyway, I haven't actually put the stuff in them yet, I have been using them throughout my sorting process to temporarily house papers and junk. I couldn't help but laugh when Parker climbed in one and sat down with the calculator and began to "work" as he said. First of all, I thought it was so funny that he was working (in his own little way) and then I almost cried thinking he fit inside this tub. Someday he will (hopefully) be bigger than me and his daddy. Darn those pregnancy hormones anyway, the tears just flow like a faucet nowadays. In the midst of a mess and chaos, I am glad I took a minute to savor his little-ness and remember him at this age.

shopping at home

I was making a card for my little nephew who is turning two when I came across this stamp set I bought from Stampin' Up right after Parker was born. I have used it every now and then, mostly to make birthday cards for my little boy friends and family. I have used the wagon one a bunch to create a pocket for money enclosures (sorry I don't have a sample to show, maybe later...). I remember when I bought it thinking exactly this, "these look like some I might use now that I have a boy baby, I have to have them." Isn't it weird that I have never used them on any of Parker's scrapbook pages? Well, maybe not weird, just typical. I think most scrappers/paper crafters in general buy stuff and forget we have it.

Here is Dalton's card, it is a premade card that I embellished with stamps. It was navy with the ribbon (blank inside) so it was easy to stamp and paste. I buy cards on clearance a lot (mostly at Target) that are relatively plain but are neat colors that I can embellish later. It saves me cutting and measuring AND the envelopes are usually color coordinated, way better than plain white!
So my point of sharing these stamps is this...
Look at this cool scooter stamp I totally forgot I had!!! I am so excited because you might remember my hubby got a Vespa this summer and it looks a lot like this one. I am totally going to make him a cute card and maybe some other stuff with this since he has gone scooter crazy. Just a reminder girls, you don't have to go outside of your home to shop, you might find a gem hidden away that you forgot about!

The resemblance between stamp and actual image is uncanny I tell you!

needing an energy burst

Remember when I was a nesting fool? Well, I can feel it waning more and more each day. I waited for paper to go on sale at Hobby Lobby and then I went and got enough (I think) to make my Christmas cards. I have been moving this stack for about two weeks from place to place, hoping to find the energy/desire to get started. Hopefully, I'll get a burst here soon.

Ike

No, this is not a new, radical diet plan or another attempt at cleaning and disinfecting my fridge... this is what my fridge looks like one week after a HURRICANE hit our area. Yes, a hurricane (Ike to be exact) blew through southwest Ohio last Sunday. I never in my life imagined that I would experience a hurricane since I live about a thousand miles from the ocean. I was bagging groceries for tips to raise money for Zoe's dance team when it began. The conveyor belts at the checkout lanes stopped and the lights went out but the cash registers and a few lights kicked on from a generator. We kept bagging and people kept shopping. I definitely earned my tips that day, that was a pain with no help from the conveyors, anyway... I finished my shift and on my drive home I noticed my van was feeling like it was lifting off the ground and there were trees down everywhere, street lights were out and it was eerily quiet. I tried calling Paul to see if there was a tornado warning or anything but our phone did not work. I was beginning to panic. It was taking me a long time to drive home because there were tree limbs everywhere. I got home and found we had no power and Paul and the kids were "playing" in the wind. We tried to listen to the radio but they were blasting music as usual. Five hours later, we learned it had been a hurricane and that all of Ohio was affected by the wind, strangely there was no rain. 84 of the 88 counties in Ohio were out of power. We packed up a few things and headed to my mom's house (she had power) and we lived liked displaced people for four days. We came home to feed our bird and let the kids play toys during the day and slept at my moms. It was a small picture of what can really happen in a natural disaster. We were forced out of our comfort zones for sure. People around the area are still waiting to get their power on (it's been over a week) and all the trees and bushes are losing their leaves early. Many people had damage to their homes, lost large trees, and there have been many people hurt (and killed) from falling tree limbs. I am so thankful we did not have any damage to our home and that we are ok. I will admit that I cried having to throw out 7 big giant garbage bags of food from our fridge (I had just gone shopping a day before the storm hit). It just makes you realize how comfortable your life really is... I sincerely hope this is the last time we have a storm like this one.

back to school algebra review

a couple algebra-ish equations for you since it is back to school time:

a full can of polyurethane +
a high shelf in the garage +
my desire to organize all the time +
the top of my head =
a really bad headache lasting for two days
(gravity is the common denominator here)


a blue M&M +
Parker's nose +
driving in the van +
a trip to the doctor to check for lost candy =
another really bad headache (mine) sure to last a few days
(not sure what the common denominator here is, maybe boredom? curiosity?)

Grading scale:
+1 point if one of these has ever happened to you
+2 if you tried to tell your giant husband that the shelf he installed was too high but he did it anyway (called "I told you so points")
-1 if you are a mommy and your kids are older and this never happened to you
-10 if you never bribe your kids in the car

Oh, who cares your grade is anyway, do we really need all that algebra we studied when we were 16 anyway? I give myself an "A" for effort.

a little recipe tip

Still recipe sorting/purging/etc...

About a year ago I started writing notes to myself on my recipes (cards, cut outs, cookbooks, etc.) as a reminder that I made them. I usually write the date of the first time I made the dish and I usually write a brief description (like: "mmm, yummy, gooey brownies" or "Paul said, it tastes like a restaurant".) I will also write if I made it for a special occasion ("made for July 4th picnic 2007".) I also write if I made any changes or substitutions and sometimes what I served it with. I started doing this to help me remember things I made for family gatherings in case I had a request to make it again. Then I noticed that it was kind of like scrapbook journaling, it gives me a look back into my life at that time. I have come across several desserts and sweets recipes so far that have funny comments on them (I guess it's obvious what I like best!) I have envisioned someday when I am long gone, my children or grandchildren laughing at my comments or making one of my favorite brownie recipes after reading my notes. It's simple and fast or as Martha says, "it's a good thing."

recipe overload

I am procrastinating my real "work" by making a huge mess and telling myself it is ok because I have wanted to do it for a long time...It started out innocently enough, I swear! I was looking for a recipe that I have made before and now it has turned into total recipe rehab at my house. I will not post a picture because it is so bad, I am truly embarrassed! Really, it is my fault, I have no one to blame but myself! I have recipes and cookbooks all over my kitchen right now and it is turning into quite an overwhelming task to get them back in some kind of order. I have recipe cards filed in a basket. I have binders with cards and clip out recipes from magazines. I have cookbooks galore. I do not have a reasonable method of organizing my recipes. I have been collecting/hoarding recipes since college when I discovered Martha Stewart. I literally had a full recipe file when I got married, boy was my hubby impressed! I started typing them on the computer and filing them in binders in plastic protectors a la Martha style before I was even married. THEN someone got me a Longaberger recipe basket for a wedding gift and it is just so darn cute that I had to use it. THEN I started getting more and more cookbooks as gifts and for myself (I really used to like to experiment, B.K., before kids!). THEN I got some cooking magazine subscriptions (some as gifts- must be a newlywed thing) and I was ripping those things apart like crazy. So things got pretty out of hand fast. Well, like I said, looking innocently for a recipe has led me to purge about 50% (wouldn't that guy on Clean Sweep be so proud of me!) of my recipe cards/cut outs from my basket, the lid fits now! I found I had many duplicates and some I gathered in my single days (things I wanted to try but my non-adventurous family would never go for) so those were gone. I also found some cookbooks that I literally never used, looked at, but never once referred to, so they are now in my give away box. I am currently trying to find a way to store all those awesome Pampered Chef recipe cards that come with the tools and the "Seasons Best" books. I find that P.C. is a resource I go to over and over so I definitely want to keep them. I plan on keeping my multiple system for now, believe it or not, I can usually remember where a recipe is from visualizing it (I picture it written on a card or whatever) so I can't see myself going to a complete, one method system... yet. So for now, I am having fun getting some new ideas to cook for my family and organizing all this stuff... I'll keep you posted...

hangin' with my boy

Parker's big boy bed (I have replaced his initial pictures with ball ones since the photo was taken), don't you love the carnival Kiss picture Zoe won for him?! This bed, while I love it, has wrecked havoc at our home since Parker is not napping consistently, everything is totally topsy-turvy. Everyone is feeling the effects of a tired boy. Oh and we have to paint his room like yesterday, all those balls thrown against the walls have caused some major ugly spots. AND Daddy has been doing a lot of projects for me around the house using a pencil to mark measurements and placements so guess what else is decorating Parker's walls?! Yep, pencil stripes!
my little dude- one of my dreams was to have a boy who would wear baseball hats, not only does he like them, he wears them backwards a lot, sooooo.... cute, like my high school bad-boy boyfriend!
I went to my first MOPS meeting today (thanks to Kristin for inviting me) and I certainly feel refreshed after being around so many energetic and enthusiastic moms. When I went to pick up Parker from the babysitting room I could hear him screaming crying as I got closer to the door. Poor little guy was saying, "where my mommy, I want her." I could see his little head peeking over the top of the half door. When I picked him up he hugged me for dear life. His little arms were like glue. I just kept squeezing him and giving him kisses. Though I felt terrible that he was crying and so upset, I secretly relished all those hugs. I realized that was probably the first time he was "alone" without me or his big sister. Then I felt really bad. We went to Target to get the kids some umbrellas (darn if we don't need some waiting for the school bus) and he picked out an Incredible Hulk one so he was pretty excited after that. I have to admit that I am loving these special moments with Parker, just me and him, doing whatever. I know soon enough it will be baby insanity at my house. I am definitely taking time to enjoy our moments together.

back pack notes

I have a use for you scrapbook supply hoarding ladies out there... I have been using little scrap papers and leftover stickers to make notes to put in Zoe's back pack with her snack for kindergarten. I feel like such a good mommy and she really likes them. I have used up some of those old stickers that I have been holding on to for years and the notes have to be small to put inside a baggie so scraps are working out really well. Of course, Zoe can't read all of the words yet, but she can read "I love you" and I think that is all that matters. I am excited to use some of those old holiday themed stickers (Halloween, etc.) when the time is right. The best part of the whole deal, there is no pressure to make "perfect" notes, Zoe thinks they are all beautiful and it lets her know I am thinking of her.

my morning

5:25 get up with husband, make husband breakfast/coffee, help him gather man-gear for work
5:45 empty dishwasher and fold a load of laundry
6:00 kiss husband goodbye, lower garage door manually as hubby leaves on man-toy scooter
6:05 get ready to take a shower
6:15 put Parker back to bed after finding lost football and changing diaper
6:30 listen to Zoe complain/cry/whine/scream bloody murder that she "doesn't have anything good to wear and her clothes are horrible"
6:45 take dog out (wrapped in towel from shower) because PJ let him out of cage early
7:00 finish getting self dressed and coiffed
7:10 breakfast
7:30 clean up breakfast, brush kids' teeth, chase PJ to get him dressed
8:00 make beds, pick up toys that somehow got out during the last hour and a half
8:30 get shoes on kids and self to go wait for bus
8:35 find Baby Alive food stain that marks carpet just cleaned five days ago (stain was hidden by Baby Alive and blanket), silently curse and wish for alcoholic drink or cigarette (even though I detest smoking!)
8:40 waiting at bus stop
8:42 running back to house (with kids) to get bandaids for Zoe's feet "in case they get blisters from new shoes"
8:44 running back to bus stop
8:50 kiss Zoe good bye and wave to bus
8:55 vacuum (PJ's favorite thing to do) and scavenge for chocolate, must cut brownies for this morning's playgroup
9:10 clean yucky bathroom so guests won't be disgusted by grossness
9:20 sit down to vent on blog

what a morning, I must send this to all the people in the world who say SAHMs don't "work"

Update: the kids did not take a nap, they both were crying from sheer exhaustion by 5:30, Parker put a plastic toy in his mouth and it made him throw up all over carpet that had just
been cleaned five days ago, while I cleaned up throw up, Parker took all the board games out of the closet and dumped them in a big pile in our newly emptied room that is to be the baby's, husband gone back to work after dinner, I am home alone with crazed lunatics, kids were in bed by 7:00 PM, me by 10:00 (early for me)

first day of school

curly hair and pony tail and new messenger bagwill the bus ever come?
looking so cute on the first day
Well it was finally here. The day I have been dreading forever... the day Zoe went to kindergarten. I can't believe she is old enough to go. Wasn't she just born yesterday and we were up all night having slumber parties watching reruns of "Three's Company" while I tried to figure out a way to get her to sleep??? I have been crying myself to sleep every night visualizing her getting on the bus all alone. I am just not ready for her to go off on her own in the big, giant, cruel world! I cannot tell you how many worries I have had about this day and her transition to school (from preschool). There are too many to list. I know she is smart and well behaved, that has never been a concern, it's all the other stuff. Thankfully, all seemed to go well for her. She did not cry or seem the least bit worried (she has been crying for weeks about riding the bus). She picked out her outfit and gave me strict instructions on how to fix her hair (curled with a pony tail) and she wanted a hard boiled egg for breakfast. We had plenty of time to get ready and wait for the bus. As soon as the big yellow fellow pulled up to our house, she was all smiles. Parker cried because he wanted to go with her. I cried because she went. I am still in disbelief that this day has come. She has been telling me all the details of the day and really seems so happy. My baby is so big, I wish I could stop time for a while.