Monday check in

Have I shown you this guy? I can't remember. Is the mind the first thing to "go?" I used to have the best memory, definitely helped me in school but now, not so much. I blame it on my four kids. I think somehow during pregnancy, they sucked my brain cells out of my head and not the ones I would want to lose. They didn't take the bad memories of mean girls in middle school or that time I had to stand up in front of my calculus class and recite some crazy math formula and I just stood there because my boyfriend had broken up with me that morning at my locker. No they took the good cells, the ones that help me remember if my kids have school the day after Easter (they did but I didn't think they did so we were late to school), the ones that remind me to mail my Grandma's birthday card (I have been late almost every year even though I buy it a month early!), the ones that help me to remember to not sweat the small stuff. Like, did I already show you my cute Elvis potato head. It's not a big deal is it? You don't care. And besides he's super cool and he makes me smile. I talk to him sometimes, see, I've lost it! Something having kids did not take away!  :)

my things to do this week: *

• take a load to the kids resale shop
• schedule a doctor appointment for Big Tall Hubby and a pedi for me (my first one in YEARS!!!! I deserve a little pampering!)
• wash and store hats, mittens, scarves for next year
• straighten up coat closet for spring/summer
• get Mother's Day cards (so I am not late!)
• paint my laundry room
• reorganize/purge kids' snacks
• pick paint colors for painter who is coming soon (to paint two story foyer)
• drop off big load to Goodwill
• retype my master grocery list
• unsubscribe to mass emails I no longer want
• switch Tanner's closet and clothes for spring/summer
• put together teacher appreciation gifts (that is this week in case you missed it)

*you will see some repeats from last week, I lost a day due to having showings, had to do some major fast cleaning

my menus for this week:

• chicken lettuce wraps (tofu for me), rice
• grilled cheese (kid request) and soup
• tacos (kid request)
• cheeseburgers and fries (kid request)
• spaghetti, salad, bread (kid request)

The kids are loving "helping" me plan menus. I am kind of wishing they would mind their own business already, I have a pile of magazine tear outs I want to try before I put them away and forget where I put them!  ;)

Have a great week.

I'm a wuss

I bought this awesome scrapbooking paper rack years ago at a stamping lady's garage sale. Maybe six or so. (Ignore my concrete basement) I had big dreams to put it in my craft dream room when we finished the basement. I still look at it and sigh as I walk by it every day. I have big dreams and ideas. All those famous scrapbooking ladies would be jealous of my dream room. With us trying to move, it just doesn't make sense for me to keep it. When we move I'll be lucky to have a corner in our new house that will be big enough to keep a milk crate of scrapbooking supplies.

#1 Because the houses in the neighborhood we will be moving to are really expensive, old and do not have good storage or basements big enough to finish.
#2 We will be lucky to get a house big enough for all of us since we will be losing ALL OUR MONEY/EQUITY on this stinkin' house.
#3 I have four kids, they have a ton of crap that takes up all our extra room.
#4 I have four kids, who has time to scrapbook?!

Anyway, I took this picture because I thought, "hey, I can sell this on Craigslist!" Let me tell you, I look at CL all the time, I love love love to look at the antiques and furniture and Longaberger baskets, I have never bought a single thing. I am scared to death. Even before that whole CL killer thing. I am such a planner too, I worry that I won't be able to work out all the logistics. Like where do I meet the buyer/seller, do I take a weapon (well, there was a killer!), do I need to do a background check, just kidding. I can't help but wonder how it all works out. I have a lot of stuff I could unload this way if I could just get over it already.

Have you ever sold/bought anything on CL? Is it weird? Is it creepy meeting a stranger in the Target parking lot to give them your stuff and hope they give you some money and not a big lump on your head from a hammer instead? I don't know if I'll ever be brave enough to bite the bullet. I'm such a wuss.

Who decided to throw all the candy away?!

Where are those M&M's anyway?

Remember a couple weeks ago when I was ranting about not being able to resist all the Easter candy sitting on my counter? Well now the candy is all gone (I had a brief Mommy Dearest moment and chucked it all in the trash- a story for another time...) and now I am so wishing I had some. I had a crummy night last night. I am wishing for some sugar to self-medicate. I won't go into details but I will say that the show "Dance Moms" is made for a reason. They exist and they are vicious and they can hurt others with their words (especially other moms!).

On a side note, yesterday I mentioned that I was retyping my grocery list and Becca and Kerri both commented on it. That's what I get for just copying my "to do" list here. I am retyping my master list. The one I copy and then check off each week. I definitely do not have time to type my list each week, golly don't I wish? :)  Grocery shopping would be so much prettier wouldn't it?

Talk to you tomorrow.

Monday check in

We are all recovering from Big Tall Hubby's busy prom/after prom weekend. (And his big PhD paper/test studying. I will be so glad when he is done with this program, I have learned I really do not like reading PhD research papers.)

Look at my cutie patootie... this is my Zoe a few weeks ago at the Father/Daughter dance. I thought I'd post this since I didn't have a prom-related picture. Big Tall Daddy got her a corsage this year and she thought that was pretty special. I remember her first dance and she couldn't wait to dance all night with her special date. This year, she was telling him, "daddy you can't do that one move or it will embarrass me." Ey yi yi, they just grow up too fast!

I have a big "to do" wish list this week. See.

my things to do this week:

• reschedule a couple appointments (telephone time is so hard around here!)
• pack for a dance competition
• order pics from Walgreens (they are having a good sale if you need to restock your pics)
• clean my spice cabinet
• drop off more Goodwill items
• switch Parker's closet from winter to summer gear
• wash our winter coats and put them away (but I might not be able to, it is so windy and chilly here!)
• touch up the last of my wall patching jobs
• retype my grocery check list
• write some thank you notes
• prep my laundry room for painting

I have big ambitions.

my menus for this week:

• baked tortellini, roasted veggies, salad
• chicken nuggets and oven potatoes (kid request)
• sub sandwiches and chips (Big Tall Hubby request)
• pizzas and salads
• spaghetti, salad, homemade bread (kid request)
• grilled chicken, rice and broccoli
• tacos, rice, beans, chips & salsa (another kid request)

My kids wanted to "plan" our menus this week. I don't argue when they want to help. I hope to be more creative next week.  ;)

Have a super week everyone.

look at my baby enjoying the sunset...

Happy Earth Day (early)!

I don't think we'll get to plant a tree this year, sniff sniff, we always do. Big Tall Hubby has a paper due and a test for his classes (so I am going to be busy keeping my kids out of his hair so he can work!) and it is prom/after prom at his school. He has a loooooong weekend ahead of him, I guess I do as well by proxy.

I have been planting some annuals today. Does that count? I also took a big ginourmous box to our recycling center yesterday. Everyday is Earth Day at my house I guess. ;)

My newest obsession is "The Kind Diet" book by Alicia Silverstone, yes from the classic, "Clueless" movie*. Her blog is mucho excellento (I took French, not Spanish, so I am not fluent in Spanish, but I felt like saying that.). It has a ton of good ideas for Earth Day. I am wishing I could go see that Disney "Chimpanzee" movie but I won't be able to this weekend, obviously. I never realized how much I love Earth Day! So much to celebrate I guess.

Turn off your computer, save some electricity. Save the planet people!

*If you were wondering, my favorite scene is when Dion is practicing driving and they accidentally get on the freeway. OMG, I snort-laugh every. single. time. You probably weren't wondering but in case you were.

Kind of like saying "never say never"

I swear, I finished yesterday's post. Heard a loud baby wail, went upstairs and found this...

The door was open with a stool in front of the gate, big boys were in there "just getting some stuff, mom, we were being quiet" yeah, right buddies.

I must have jinxed myself, saying the sign and gate were working.

Is there a saying for this?

**sigh**

The kids said, "mom why are you taking a picture of us?" I said, "just because you are so cute." My teeth were kind of gritted, don't tell them, OK?

thanks Zoe!

Look at what Zoe made for the little boys' room... (all on her own, I was so proud!)

for when Asher is awake...

for when he is sleeping....

She made the picture (front and back) and then she was kind of stuck on how to fix it on the door. So the two of us thought up this method: a plastic sheet protector and one of those removable 3M hooks, we just turn the picture over as needed, like a store that changes the open and closed sign.

So far it is helping, a little. (So is a tension gate that I put across the door. The sign is at least alerting them somewhat.) The boys have a really annoying habit of "needing" a toy in Tanner (and Asher's) room while he is sleeping so they just go in and grab it, not quietly I might add! Tanner is funny, he stands outside the door and points to the words and "reads" "Do not enter", the best part is, he yells, "mommy! 'Does it say do not enter?' "

We're working on the yelling part.

Where the heck did Monday go?

It only looks messy! I swear I know what every paper (and clipboard- I am such a junkie) is for!!!

Sheesh, you'd think I was a loon the way I have been forgetting things lately. I had every intention of posting yesterday but I was just plain ole busy.

I am trying to get a bunch of spring stuff scheduled: sprinkler turn on, gutter cleaning, etc. I am also trying to find some good painters (for an outside project and our two story foyer) and a window repairman. I am also scheduling doctor's appointments (things like dermatologists, nothing life threatening!) and trying to get summer camps and/or activities planned. Being on the phone all day stinks. It is just annoying to me for some reason.

It is crazytime for my Big Tall Hubby- the end of the year is murder on principals, so many activities and events, I don't know when I will get to see him in the next six weeks! It is also the end of dance competition season and recital time so I guess, I'm just slightly out of my mind, insanely busy. But so is everyone right?

I had another one of those "aha, duh" moments. I am in the process of cleaning and purging my closet. I have been working on it since after Christmas. I just do a few minutes a day because honestly, that's all I've got! I gathered up all my winter house gear: big fleece robe (I live in it, over my clothes or jammies in the house, I freeze without it. Totally obnoxious but I hate being cold), fuzzy socks, flannel jammies etc. I went to Walmart (always an experience!) and got an under the bed box and voila! Everything is ready for next year. I don't know why I never did this before. I would always keep my robe folded in my closet all summer and then it would get knocked down or the socks would be mixing in with my other ones. Now I feel like a genius. I swear, "duh" should be my new signature word!

Gotta share this Tanner-ism. He was holding my hand yesterday while we took a little walk around the golf club house. He said, "mommy, your hands are crunchy." I am in desperate need of some good moisturizer, obviously. I sort of laughed and kept walking. Glad I have him to keep me on top of my beauty regiment.

my things to do this week:

• take books to Half Priced books
• touch up paint (I was a hole patching maniac over the weekend, now I have white spots everywhere that need painted!)
• get my neighbor buddy a birthday gift, he is such a cutie and I know it will make his day!

my menus for the week:

I haven't done this yet, I have been using things from last week so I will post ideas tomorrow, I am planning now and grocery shopping tomorrow.

Have a great day!

T.G.I.F.

I write "T.G.I.F." on Zoe's lunch note every Friday. I am such a routine lover. Maybe that's why I hate house showings and sick people so much. It just messes up my routines. Anyway. That might explain why when I went to bed last night my entire body hurt. Not just ached, like I was working so hard, but it HURT. I ran around like a maniac touching up paint, taking things to my basement to hide them, fixing holes in the wall, stains on the carpets, etc, before our showing and it killed me.

We haven't heard anything from last night's showing. The poo poo heads ate my cookies but don't have the decency to call me and tell me they aren't interested. Well, you know what I feel like saying to them don't ya? "Blankety blank blank you blankers!" Yep, you got it.

I am hoping for a weekend of relaxation, maybe a movie rental (still haven't seen Breaking Dawn, The Help, or Ides of March) or two, walks in the neighborhood, yardwork, maybe even scrapbook a page or two.

Wish me luck.

I hope everyone enjoys a great weekend too.

All I ask for

We have a showing today (ugh!) so I have zero time to share anything. Did I tell you that the house down the street from us is sale pending, and they asked almost $40,000 less than us? I hate trying to sell my house. We are going on three years of this process. Oh well, maybe tonight's looker will be "the one."

I had to show you this picture. It is the ONLY one I took on Easter. No egg hunts, no baskets of goodies, no standing in front of the cross at church, nothing. I stink. Anyway, I am cracking up. I actually took several of the kids in this pose, but most of them had their eyes closed. So this is the best of the worst. I am cracking up because Parker is looking like a Jib Jab guy, Zoe looks like she is saying "hurry up mom, I need a chocolate egg," Tanner is not even looking at me, Asher is cute (aren't all babies?) but he isn't looking at me either. All I want for Christmas, Easter, vacation and all other holidays is a picture of my kids looking cute and normal! I ask for too much, I know.

Have a great day!

Well, duh!?

Don't you just feel like such a doofus when you have a "well, duh?!" moment? Maybe I am the only one... I finally figured out that if I put our leftovers into small, serving sized containers, it makes packing Big Tall Hubby's lunch soooooo much easier. Just grab it and go... instead of spooning out a serving from the big leftover container. Well, duh?!

I also want to apologize to all my blog momma friends, my cutie patootie baby has learned that the computer keyboard is really fun to hit and smack so any comments I have made lately have had lots of typos and not-capitalization. I am sorry girls, I just have to type fast and furious, he doesn't really like reading blogs as much as I do!

And lastly, is anyone else having trouble walking past their kids' Easter baskets? I cannot walk by them without grabbing a jelly bean or two or three. Maybe I should request that our bunny only bring apples and strawberries next year? That might make it easier for me to walk through my kitchen every day. Well, duh?!

Asher

Just some cute baby pics today.

Nothing big to report.

sleepy head

laughing at Zoe

trying to grab the camera strap

I love this guy a whole lot. He is growing so fast. He is eight months old. He can almost sit by himself. He rolls everywhere he wants to go, no crawling yet. He laughs at his brothers and sister, so adorable! He has a cute dimple. He doesn't like pacis but he will suck on his two fingers all the time. He doesn't sleep through the night, eat baby food, or drink from a cup, but I love him to death anyway. He is super laid back, goes with the flow, and is just easy (except for that whole previous sentence!). His favorite toy is the remote, but I won't let him have it so he gets really mad, so I give him the phone instead and then he loves me again. I am so lucky to be his mommy.

I forgot to post my menus yesterday. Oops. I also forgot to take Zoe to the bus stop and she was really late for school, but that's another story! Obviously, I have some "getting back on track" to do....

my menus for this week:

• spaghetti and salad
• tortilla (veggie) soup and quesadillas
• roasted veggie lasagna and bread
• lemon quinoa, lemon pepper chicken, zucchini with yogurt sauce
• homemade pizzas and salad
• minestrone soup (I'm leaving out the meat), italian bread, italian salads

you'd better not pout

Look at this face! I have no idea what the lip pout is about... I think it is because he is teething but I like to think he is irritated by his siblings, that's more fun!

I am in Easter cleanup. I think I had three Cadbury chocolate eggs and a handful of jelly beans for breakfast. Now that's nutritious! I hope to have all the kids' Easter goodies put away and laundry finished tonight. Is that too lofty? I can dream can't I?

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I can honestly say, I am glad ours is over (too long of a story to mention) and I am ready for "real" life, regular stuff, and being home.

my things to do this week:

• put away Easter goodies
• make a trip to Goodwill (drop off and frame shopping)
• finish my massive desk clean up (yes, I just did this in January, and it got crazy again!)
• catch up on blog reading/commenting, I miss you gals! :)

from me and my bunnies

Happy Easter Blog Mommas!

No. 1

sorry no pic!

HOLY COW! Those of you who know me or read here regularly, know I am a huge UK basketball fan. I am not one of those fairweathered-like them because they are number 1- fans, I am a UK alum, proudly. With all these sickos at my house, I haven't had time to talk about March Madness, my favorite time of the year, but I have been enjoying all the games and the hoopla, get it "hoop"la, I'm such a dork! I am so excited they won the championship last night. It was terrific. I have no nails left, despite their lead the whole game, UK fans like blowouts, we like to kill the other team. I hate nailbiters. Anyway, I am as keyed up as I could ever be and I didn't drink anything but water throughout the game! I didn't sleep a wink, I was a facebooking maniac, liking everyone of my UK friend's posts. It was like being in Lexington again. I am so proud of the team, the coaches, the whole darn school. I was at UK for a championship game win (and loss, I still hate Christian Laettner and Duke, that shot they show every year, of the last second win, hate it, hate it, hate it) and it is the best feeling in the world. The whole school celebrates, comes together, sings the fight songs and takes it to the streets. It is magical. I am so glad the UK students will have those memories. They are priceless.

I have kids home for spring break this week. No plans and only one sick person at home. I think this might be a relaxing week. :) I hope we can just catch up and just rest and maybe go to the park?

Take care, and GO CATS!!!!!!