Sugar & Spice

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-12T14:03:00.000-05:00

Break's Over!

2010-05-10T12:49:00.006-05:00

Okay, so my mom told me last night that if I don't get those @$*& coconut cookies off the top of my blog soon, she's going to lose it!! And trust me, her losing it is never good!

I've got a lot to catch y'all up on before we get back to my normal, every day (or once-in-a-while) blogging . . . let's get started!

MY Birthday -

I blogged a little bit about my big day and as usual, my birthday was fabulous!! Okay, so it wasn't exactly a day . . . it kinda turned into a few weeks, but that is certainly okay with me! Those few weeks were filled with lots of good friends, some margaritas and wine (not of the same night, of course!), yummy food, shopping, and one sombrero!

I also got to enjoy these *gorgeous* tulips from Adrian and David . . . Thanks, guys!! I loved them!!

Swim Team -

The big thing going this summer is SWIM TEAM!! Boogie is loving his first year as a 'Stingray' and the best part about joining the team for him is that he gets to wear these awesome goggles!!

Awesome, right??

He practices 5 days a week (if we make it to all of them!) and it's incredible to see how much improvement he's made! By the end of the summer, my little one will be swimming like a fish . . . or 'Stingray', I guess!

Dress Up Time -

Lately, Bella has been all about accessorizing and dressing to the nines!

She can't stay out of her dress-up box - which I love and can't get enough of! Every day she has a different outfit on than the day before - today, she's already been an angel, ballerina, butterfly, and train conductor!

When she's a 'butterfly', she likes to run around the house giggling!

Zoo Mania -

Just because it's hotter than hell already, that doesn't mean that we aren't hitting up the zoo every chance we get!

This day in April, we caravanned (is that even a word?) to the zoo with four other mommies and their kiddos - yeah, it was a little crazy, but we all had fun!!

This little one and Bella are quickly becoming bffs and she knows better than to leave any food of her's unprotected when Bella's around - even during a quick cat nap!

The Kiddos

(Boogie is on one end of the bench and Bella's on the other )

The Mommies
(this pic was actually taken by Boogie Bear!! We had all of the older kids snapping away hoping that someone would get one good shot!)

Mimi came to visit -

One Sunday - maybe 2 Sundays ago - Mimi made the one hour drive over to our place, ate lunch with us, run some errands with me, then lounged around the house with her fave niece and nephew. The kids absolutely adore her!!

. . . so do Bill and I!!

New Incredible Burger Joints -

Anyone every heard of Smashburger or Mel's???

Y'all these burger places are super yummy!!

Smashburger has the most amazing truly homemade, backyard grilled burgers ever and their Smashfries are (in a gloriously angelic singing voice) to die for!

Mel's is everything you love about a small town in one spot! Friendly staff, amazing food, and out in the middle of nowhere . . . seriously, it's a small trek. But totally worth it!

Now, I didn't have the burger here, but my boy Steven did . . .

The Mel Burger

1lb of fresh ground beef, 1/2lb of bacon, 3 slices of American cheese, and all of the trimmings

. . . and he totally conquered it in no time flat! Next time he's going for the Mel's Mega Burger, so he can have bragging rights, his pic on the wall of fame at Mel's, and - most coveted of all - a Mel's t-shirt!

By the way, the onion rings are totally slammin'!!

Cat in The Hat -

The Chic-fil-A in The Woodlands is *THE BEST* Chic-fil-A ever!

This past week, the Cat in The Hat stopped by for a visit and we caught up with him for story time and giggles with Abby and her growing posse . . .

Abby's oldest was chosen to help the Cat in The Hat cook 'Green Eggs & Ham'! It was hilarious, as you can tell!

Bella loved it, too!

Who knew some poor college kid in a hot Cat in The Hat suit would be such a big hit with my little ones? I was thinking they'd be terrified of him!!

Mother's Day -

My Mother's Day was great!!

The kids and Bill let me sleep in until 9:30 and then we went to brunch, shopping, and then rushed home for our much loved Sunday afternoon nap time!

Bella gave me hugs and sugars and cuddles all day long!

Boogie built me this amazing tower made of building blocks and kept wishing me a "Happy Mother's Day" from morning til night!

My BIG gift from my sweet family were tons of plants and flowers for my flower beds out front! I can't remember the name of the flower I love so much - it's that really gorgeous plant that has tall shoots this time of year with a big ball of either white or purple flowers on top - sounds familiar to anyone?? I had a ton of the white ones and wanted some purple ones, too, so that's what I got . . . plus some Impatients to give the beds some more color.

I love my flower beds and Bill for doing all of the digging and manual labor!!

Well, I think y'all are all caught up . . . I'll blog some more soon!

It's nice to be back!!

Chewy Coconut Cookies

2010-04-29T07:12:00.000-05:00

Occasionally late at night, I get a very strong urge to bake something and Sunday night was that occasional night!

Besides basic ingredients like flour, sugar, and eggs, all I had in my pantry was shredded coconut, so I hopped on RecipeZaar.com and found me a highly rated and easy coconut cookie recipe!

Chewy Coconut Cookies

1 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c coconut

In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Add the egg and vanilla, mix thoroughly.

Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix well.

**Laine's Note - if the dough looks a little dry, try adding some milk only 1/2 tsp at a time!

Stir in the coconut.

Using a cookie scoop, drop the dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. **Laine's Note - I like to let the balls chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Once the dough is chilled and the oven is hot, bake the cookies on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet until slightly golden around the edges and the middle is just barely set.

Cool on a cooling rack completely.

**Laine's Note - makes 30 cookies using my cookie scoop

These cookies are super yummy! Enjoy!!

In the Break Room

2010-04-28T12:29:00.002-05:00

I'm sure y'all have noticed that I haven't been posting anything lately - not to worry, my break is almost over!

When I get back to work, I'll post all about Boogie's first days on swim team - video included!, a have a new cookie recipe to share - anyone a fan of coconut?, and some 'sew' cute pics of some dresses I made for Bella.

Stay tuned in, be patient with me, and I'll give y'all lots and lots to read about.

I'm headed back to the Break Room now . . . adios!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-21T08:58:00.002-05:00

Your Opinion Matters!

2010-04-16T15:18:00.002-05:00

I'm thinking I should go blonde . . . what do you think?

oh, let me know later, I've got to run -
Hugh Hephner is calling . . . .

Annual Bluebonnet Pics

2010-04-15T09:58:00.002-05:00

One of the reasons why I love being a Texan . . .

Brenham, Texas

I snapped pictures while the little ones explored and played in this breath taking field of the State Flower of Texas - the Bluebonnet! Enjoy!

Bella doing twirls while I sing to her 'Ring Around the Rosy'

'Pretty Flower,' she exclaimed!

I love this picture of my sweet Boogie Bear!

Boogie doing his hiney dance!

And finally, my signature pic . . .

. . . the self portrait!

Last year's Bluebonnet post with tons of pictures from years past . . . check it out!!

it's MY birthday!!

2010-04-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy 28th Birthday to me!!

Trip to the Zoo!

2010-04-14T13:28:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite Christmas presents is our Family membership to the Houston Zoo - Thank you, Grammie and Grandad!

Monday morning, I woke up to a long list of things to do around the house - clean the kitchen, do the laundry, sweep the floors, clean the bathrooms, and it goes on and on and on . . . - so I threw some snacks in my purse, grabbed the kids, and drove to the zoo as fast as possible!

I was secretly hoping that the House Cleaning Fairy would swing by my place and surprise me by doing and then checking off each chore on my list while we were away. Yeah . . . that didn't exactly work out, but it was nice to imagine.

Anyway, we had a ton of fun at the zoo - like always! - and - like always - I had my camera in hand and was able to snap a shot or two of the fun.

Bella was 'tweeting' at these birds. : )

Boogie's favorite thing to do? Cranking out a souvenir penny with an animal imprint on it.

Bella got a little nervous around one of the monkey exhibits.

My Boogie loves his giraffes!

So, she's in this no-smiling-for-the-camera phase. Nice.

Yes, Boogie wants a life-size statue of an orangutan in his backyard!

That leopard walked back and forth, back and forth, and Bella loved watching it!

Upon seeing the cheetahs, Boogie said in a very sweet voice, "Awww, what cute cats!" What a goof ball!

Bella watching a monkey eat an apple that some 6th grader on a field trip threw down.

This pic wasn't my idea - Boogie requested it, because he liked all of the animals on the sign!

Always nice to see my little sister at the zoo!
Love you, Mimi!

Thanks, again, Grammie and Grandad - we love our membership and we'll be enjoying it again on Monday when The Pink Bears - with kids, minus margaritas - field trip it to the zoo for a little play date!

Mercer Botanical Gardens

2010-04-13T13:08:00.000-05:00

Read my blog much? Then you must have read my post about Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens . . . click here or here to refresh your memory!

On Sunday we skipped the park and the trails and visited the other side of Mercer - the Botanical Gardens. We were blown away with all of it's gorgeousness!

Just look . . .

There were tons of good spots to enjoy a picnic lunch, or to pose for bridal or family pics, or just to sit and relax.

Bella loved this swing in the shade - trust me, she did!

And Boogie Bear got a kick out of the different sculptures and statues around the gardens.

If you've got a free moment, put on your walking shoes, grab your camera, and head over to the Botanical Gardens at Mercer - you'll love it!!

Trampoline Fun

2010-04-13T06:46:00.000-05:00

DISCLAIMER:

Yes - a post titled "Trampoline Fun" could be a little worrisome for my friends who know me all too well, but I assure you that this is a very G-rated post. None of the following pictures were taken after dark, after cocktails, or after disrobing. So, continue reading without any anxiety of viewing anything inappropriate!

- - - - -

I have had a couple friends ask me about our trampoline - do we like it? do we use it? would we recommend them buy one?

Yes, Yes, and Yes!

Other than a fluke injury Sunday night - Bill was showing off and jammed his big toe, but is on the mend - we have loved having it!

We jump in the morning,
we jump after lunch,
and we jump in the evening!

In fact, playing on the trampoline before dinner has become a fun little thing we do every night. As soon as Bill walks in the door, the kids run to him and then out the back door ready to jump, run, crash, and 'ta-da' (our own little game we made up).

Just look at the happy faces on these kids . . .

I'm officially giving my stamp of approval to trampoline ownership! Everyone should have one!!

- - - - -

Another DISCLAIMER:

I'm not responsible for any after dark, after cocktails, or after disrobing behavior on the trampoline resulting in embarrassment or a short warning letter from your HOA.

Jump Responsibly!

My Kids

2010-04-09T07:06:00.000-05:00

Boogie Bear the 'Muscle Man'

complete with 'grrrrr' sounds when flexing!

Bella the 'Mommy'
complete with purse with cell phone, necklace, bracelet, sunglasses, and hair accessory!

Progress

2010-04-08T07:39:00.005-05:00

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update y'all on a previous post.

Seriously, I meant to write this post and tell y'all what's been going way sooner than this, but you know how it goes, if it's not one thing, it's another.

Okay . . . now for the much awaited update . . .

Our seeds are sprouting!!

It was Tuesday, March 30, when we sat in our front yard planting and all chaos broke loose when the kids started playing in the one muddy puddle on our driveway after watering. I can't believe how quickly these seeds sprouted and are growing!

Checking their progress every time I walk out the door is my latest obsession . . . yes, I am embarrassed by that.

Hopefully, they'll be big enough soon to plant somewhere soon!

Oh, and for those of you secretly laughing at my choice of 'containers' - think about it for a second. How can I make and then indulge myself on a bundt cake or cupcakes if my pans are being used to grow cute little flowers? Y'all, am I brilliant or what?!? This might just be the newest diet fad! Now to come up with a catchy and clever name for it . . .

Easter at Papa and Jaja's

2010-04-07T07:06:00.000-05:00

Need some more pics of my kiddos from Easter weekend?

You've got it!

Remember the millions of eggs I mentioned stuffing on Saturday night? Here are pictures from our Easter egg hunt at Papa and Jaja's!

After the big Egg Hunt of 2010, we ate a fabulous Easter lunch, painted nails, and hung out with the birthday boy!

The kids (yes, Bella is back there some where - look for her pink hairbow!) wrestling with Mimi!

Mimi and Bella have matching toes! Bella kept grabbing her toes and happily said, 'pretty toes!'

Happy 67th Birthday, Papa!!

We had a lot of fun this past weekend gathering up eggs and munching on chocolate bunnies, but be assured that the joy of His resurrection wasn't lost in all of the commericalism of the holiday. I hope all of you had a great Easter weekend and experienced the awesome freedom Jesus Christ offers!

HE HAS RISEN!

Easter Baskets

2010-04-06T07:22:00.001-05:00

Easter morning, the kids woke up happy and in a hurry to see what the Easter Bunny had left for them in their baskets!

Boogie was THRILLED to find a Buzz Lightyear action figure (I had written 'doll', but Bill corrected me!) in his basket.

Bella has been toting around her Cinderella doll the Easter Bunny left her - she hugs it and lovingly calls it 'rella'. : )

Boogie loved the Lightening McQueen socks he found in his basket and the Hot Wheels sticker's Grammie and Grandad sent him!

Bella reading her bathtub-friendly Disney Princess book and wearing her Cinderella socks!

My sweet babies - totally under the influence of sugar - laughed and cuddled on the couch until breakfast was ready!

One more Easter post to come . . . be on the look out!

Easter at Church

2010-04-04T21:41:00.007-05:00

HE HAS RISEN!!

and we spent Saturday afternoon at church celebrating Him and his kept promise!

Our third family Easter picture in front of these fountains!

2009

2008

It was so much fun to have Mimi spend the weekend with us!

Each year, church hosts a HUGE Easter Egg Hunt - Abby calls it the "Easter Egg Gathering" because none of the eggs are actually hidden! Boogie and Bella had a great time gathering eggs in their baskets . . .

After a really incredible Easter service, we went to our favorite 'after church spot' to grab some grub with Abby and her crew. Mimi was gracious enough to snap a pic of me and Abby . . .

. . . umm, yeah . . . thanks for the picture, Mimi. ; )

Once the kids were tucked in bed and fast asleep, we got the Easter baskets all put together and stuffed a million Easter eggs with candy and stickers for an Easter egg hunt at Papa and Jaja's house. Then, Bill, Mimi, and I chilled - there was a lot of tv watching, canasta playing, and some Easter candy eating!

More Easter posts to come . . . stay tuned!!

oh! Like Bella's hairbow?? My sweet friend, Sarah, at Bows To Go made it - she even had pink ribbon the exact color as her dress! Look Bows To Go up on Facebook or online. Tell her I sent you!

Why the kids got TWO baths today

2010-03-30T16:21:00.004-05:00

The first bath was to get clean and un-smelly for school this morning - totally routine.

The second bath was because . . . well, let me start from the beginning.

I picked up some flower seeds at the garden store today. I thought it would be a really fun project to do with the kids - plant the seeds in containers (yes, you'll notice my containers aren't 'standard'), water regularly, watch the seeds sprout and grow into plants, and transfer the plants into the flower beds in May.

We started out so well! Boogie really pitched in by putting dirt where asked, while Bella removed the dirt from the containers and put it back in the bag!

Eventually we got done with the dirt and moved on to planting the seeds. Boogie loved pucking his finger in the dirt and tucking the seeds inside the holes!

Sometime towards the end of planting, we lost Boogie to some rocks, flowers, and rolly pollies!

Then the fun really started . . .

After watering, Bella decided the next logical thing to do is to play in the puddles on the driveway! She jumped, stomped, sat, and even bent over in the puddles . . .

She was one messy, but very very happy, girl!

In fact, she was having so much fun, that brother forgot about his rocks, flowers, and rolly pollies and joined in on the act!

As Bill went inside to start their bath, wet and muddy Bella tackled a dirty and laughing Boogie in the grass.

They wrestled and played in the grass until their bath water was ready!

And that's the story of why the kids got TWO baths today.

Bill just reminded me that the day is even close to being over . . . hopefully, there won't be a third bath before bedtime!!

Pics for the Fam

2010-03-29T15:07:00.002-05:00

Here's a quick post full of pics of the kiddos . . .

Bella going 'nigh-night' with 'Pot' and 'Cup'

Boogie thought it was so funny that Bella was sitting on him! He yelled from his room, "Mommy, come take a picture!!"

I may just be raising a future stripper . . . he favorite thing to do is dance on the trampoline and slowly pull down his pants!! Lord, have mercy!!

Bella gets jealous that she can never go to the spa and get a facial, so at dinner Friday night, she gave herself one - a barbecue sauce facial. Nice.

Boogie had to one up his sister by shoving a whole bunch of broccoli in his mouth and trying his best to say, "Look at me! Look at me!"

March Madness Lunch

2010-03-25T14:00:00.003-05:00

Tonight, the University of Kentucky plays Cornell in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament and our family couldn't be more excited about whoopin' up on "The Nard Dog's" team!

In honor of the Cats and to further instill a sense of Big Blue pride into our very young and impressionable children, we had a March Madness lunch and mini UK pep rally this afternoon . . .

A closer look at our plate . . .

YUMMY!

"K" PB&J, Basketball Clementine, Applesauce with Basketball Sprinkles, and "C-A-T-S" Cheese with Big Blue Sprinkles

GO BIG BLUE!

If you're bored and have nothing better to do, you can take a look at our March Madness lunch from last year . . . My Bracket Sucks!

Hurray for Play Dates!

2010-03-25T10:06:00.004-05:00

Play dates are just as important for kids . . .

Boogie with his friend, M

Bella with her friend, L

. . . as they are for moms!!

Me with my friends, Heather and Sarah!

(in case you're wondering, yes, I had to cut and paste this pic together,
because the original wasn't that great!)

2010-03-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, Boogie and I went with Abby and her crew to the FM1960 St. Patrick's Day Parade. We were all happily surprised to be joined by our friend (and recent blog addict) Lara and her fam, too!

The kids - Boogie's at the end - chillin' on the curb of 1960 waiting for the parade to start.

It was so much fun for me and Abby to catch up with Lara (Welcome to Blogland!!) and to talk about all the amazing blogs out there. Very soon we are going to have a craft night - stay tuned!

Still waiting for the parade . . . why not play 'ring-around-the-rosy' in the middle of 1960?

C sharing some of her goodies with Boogie!

The sirens from the firetrucks - there were at least a dozen different engines in the parade - were so loud, Boogie kept his hands over his ears most of the afternoon!

He had such a good time today!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Celebrating with Cheesecake

2010-03-16T06:52:00.000-05:00

I spent Monday night with the girls at The Cheesecake Factory celebrating Kelli's birthday . . .

Kelli wasn't thrilled with the singing waiters or my paparazzi moment - Happy Birthday, Friend!

- The Girls -
Kelli, Heather, Sarah, Me, and Laura

oh, Sarah was sick tonight, I Photoshopped her in the pic - she wasn't really sitting on our laps!

It's so much fun getting together, laughing about anything and everything, and taking little bites off every else's plates!!

One Trail at a Time

2010-03-15T00:28:00.004-05:00

We had so much fun at Mercer last week with Abby and her kiddos, that we went Saturday morning to walk the trails with Mr Bill!

Boogie kept a close eye out for snakes, armadillos, and butterflies. We did see a bunch of butterflies (or just the same one over and over again . . .) and a bluejay, but no snake or armadillos. Boogie was pretty disappointed.

Bella wasn't disappointed in the sights, though; she was thrilled to see two different puppies walking the trails, too!

My little rock collector had me take pictures of every rock he found . . . aren't y'all glad I just choose to share one of those pics with y'all? Every rock looked the same to me!

Our classic couple pose!

Gosh, she's cute!

We can't wait to go back to walk the trails we haven't yet explored . . . next time, we'll remember to bring a sack lunch with us!

Seriously, for all of y'all in my neck of the woods, go check out Mercer - it's a great under used park!

Our Vacay - Part 3

2010-03-13T06:45:00.000-06:00

This is it - the last our my PBC pics!

Enjoy!

Bella and her fun Uncle Dave!

I think the one thing my kids like the most about bath time is when they are transformed from regular little kids into "burritos"! Here's our Bella Burrito!

Boogie's view of the beach

Bill's view of the same beach - can you see Boogie way off in the distance?

Mommy and Boogie Breakfast - Auntie Adrian or Cece (I'm not sure what my kids are calling her these days) watched Bella Friday morning so Boogie and I could grab pancakes and go car shopping at Target. Thanks, Cece!

Just when I needed the most, my sweet sweet Boogie not only let me take his picture over and over again, he actually smiled for every shot!

Finally on our way home, Boogie and Bill were glad to get out of the car for a little bit to grab some "donald's" for lunch.

You know, vacations are always fun, but the best part is coming back home were you feel safe, are loved, and can be yourself.

Our 1st Field Trip

2010-03-12T12:27:00.000-06:00

We went to Old MacDonald's Farm on Thursday with Boogie's class from preschool. It was his very first official school field trip - whoo hoo!

Bella and I (along with a bunch of other moms, a couple dads, and two really cool grandmas) tagged along with the class and Boogie thought it was so cool that instead of dropping him off at school, Bella and I got to hang out with him all day!

We had a blast riding the train, petting animals, and playing on the play ground. And, while the little ones were busy playing, I had a blast chillin' with my girls - big shout out to Sarah, Kelli, Wendy, and Amy!

Enjoy the pics! Oh, and if you live in Houston, go check out Old MacDonald's Farm - it's great!

The cute class pic that Boogie refused to take part in! What a butt!

I love gorgeous Spring days, doing something fun with my kids, and friends who offer to take our picture! Thanks, Amy!!

Howdy, Partner!

2010-03-11T21:45:00.003-06:00

On Wednesday, my mom and dad treated Boogie and I to a night on at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo! It was a night filled with cowboys, broncos, bulls, and Rascal Flatts . . . we were filled with barbecue, cotton candy, and ice cream!!

We got there a little before Jaja and Papa, so Boogie hopped up on the center console, popped his head out of the sunroof, and looked out for their truck. Every time he saw a cowboy, he'd yell, "Howdy, partner!" and then laughed like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard!

After walking around a bit and eating some barbecue sandwiches with Jaja and Papa, we finally made it to our seats in Reliant Stadium - it was a little sad to be there and not see the gorgeous green grass of the Texans' field, but still really cool to see a bunch of cowboys hanging out on horses down there. Boogie quickly spotted the "Cotton Candy Man" and sweet talked Papa into buying him some . . .

About halfway through that mound of cotton candy, the rodeo started with a salute to our troops (the night was dedicated to all US servicemen and women), the national anthem (sung by a girl a use to go to school with and who is now serving our country), and then the Grand Entrance . . .

After watching the parade of rodeo big wigs, special guests, and hometown celebrities, the real action finally got started!

photo credit - Boogie Bear

Even though it was a little loud in the stadium, Boogie (plugging his ears) loved watching the cowboys rope calves, ride broncos, and race wagons!

Grand Entry via the big screen - Soldiers from Fort Hood
Bucking Broncos - Rascal Flatts performing

After all the food, all the rodeo events, and all the songs by Rascal Flatts, it was 10:30pm and Boogie was still awake and going strong! He was on his best behavior and we all (me, Papa, and Jaja) had a blast hanging out with him at the rodeo. It was a really fun night!

About 20 minutes after I took this picture, my sweet Boogie Bear was completely zonked out!

A picture collage of snap shots Boogie took during the rodeo events:

What an artist!

'Eclipse' Trailer!!!

2010-03-11T15:59:00.001-06:00

I was going to post pics from the rodeo last night and from Boogie's class field trip today, but this is way better!!

I can't wait til June 30!!

Just a Walk in the Park

2010-03-10T13:55:00.003-06:00

The weather is finally getting warm again - this time for good, I hope! - to throw on some shorts and head to the park! And this morning we did just that!

We met Abby and her bunch at Mercer Park for some much needed outdoor playtime. If you haven't been to Mercer Park, you should definitely pack a sack lunch and head out there before it gets crazy hot and humid! There are three playgrounds (ranging from preschool size to big kid size), trails through the woods, and ponds. Across the street from the park is Mercer Botanical Gardens, which has tons of flower beds, trails, and ponds, too! It's really neat!

Anyway, I brought my camera, of course, and snapped a few pics on the playground before our nature walk on the trails . . .

Now, it's time to stop playing in blogland, so I can get ready for the rodeo - my dad and mom are taking me and Boogie out! Be on the look out for pictures!

Our Vacay - Part 2

2010-03-10T06:52:00.000-06:00

This second of a three post series about our trip to Panama City Beach is all about fun & games - at the arcade and at home!

Bella's ready to play!

Boogie liked punching the ducks, but was pretty eager to find the racecar games!

Bella was just happy that they had some games her size at the arcade!

Yes! He finally found a racecar game!

Isn't it great how he humors me? He doesn't love smiling for the camera as much as I do! : )

Dominoes runs in the family - we start teaching them young!

If you were wondering with Bella's belly button is - it's there!

Our Vacay - Part 1

2010-03-08T06:57:00.000-06:00

We are finally back from an unforgettable week in Florida with Bill's family. I can't even begin to put the week into words, so I'll just share my pictures with y'all instead!

Enjoy the first of three posts this week full of pictures from Panama City Beach!

Our first sunset in PCB

My sweet Bella all ready for bed . . . until she found out that she was sleeping in a pack 'n play, not her beloved crib!

Monday, we ate at one of my favorite PBC places - Schooner's - I think it's one of Bella's favorites now, too!

Bella outside of Schooner's

Like her mommy, Bella loves the beach, she'd just rather not get all sandy, so she found refuge on a beach chair!

Boogie, on the other hand, loves the beach and everything about it!

Boogie and his seashells - just wait, we're going to come up with some sort of really cool craft with these!

When they weren't playing on the beach, the kids loved playing on the screened in porch.

Aren't these tulips like Spring in a pot?? They really brightened up our little beach house!

one more note . . .

After unpacking the car, my first stop in PBC was at the Panama City Beach Winery. While in PCB, I enjoyed a bottle of Pineapple wine and Blueberry wine - delish!

Before heading home, I stopped back by the winery for some more Pineapple and Blueberry wine, plus a bottle of sangria and a special bottle for Mimi for her birthday.

If you aren't too much of a wine snob, you should check the winery out!

Words of Boogie Bear

2010-03-07T23:01:00.006-06:00

"Yay!

Lets go ride a cow!

Please, Mommy!"

Exclaimed by Boogie after Bill told him

we had crossed the Texas state line.

Laine and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

2010-02-27T21:29:00.005-06:00

I was going to write a whole post about how my Friday was absolutely awful. About how nothing was going right. About how I felt like my little world was crumbling down on me just because of a little bad luck.

But I changed my mind about writing that post.

It's funny how some chick flick - in this case a great romantic comedy - can turn my mood around and make me feel like walking on a cloud!

So, my sweet blog readers, thank your lucky stars for saving y'all from some ho-hum, down in the dumps post and go put The Wedding Date on your Netflix queue so you can enjoy a chick flick, too!

On another note, we're off to Florida for a week - yay for vacations!! Be on the look out for beachy pics, stories from the day spa, and posts about all things *Panama* City Beach!

I'd like to give my proof reader, Chris, a BIG shout out!

Go Texan Day!

2010-02-25T14:33:00.004-06:00

For 56 years, Houstonians have celebrated Go Texan Day and this year is no different!

The Friday before the Rodeo kicks off each year, every single person in the Greater Houston area is encouraged to pull out their finest Western apparel to get in the rodeo-spirit.

All the kids at preschool today celebrated Go Texan Day by dressing up as a cowboy (or in Boogie's case a 'bad cowboy'!) or cowgirl, eating a special picnic lunch, and doing all things with a Western flair!

Boogie riding a bucking bronco!

All the cowBOYS in Boogie's class - can't you just imagine them all lined up against a corral somewhere?

A BIG THANKS to Boogie's amazing teachers, Ms. E'Lisa and Ms. Wendy, for making this post possible by snapping these pics for me today!

Habits of a Courteous Driver

2010-02-23T15:08:00.002-06:00

Habit #27 of a Courteous Driver

Before making a right hand turn, a Courteous Driver is sure to be in the correct lane, properly signals, and appropriately slows down.

A Courteous Driver does not decide to turn right out of the blue on a cold, rainy day without a turn signal, without slowing down, and definitely not from the LEFT lane!!!

Thank you, oversized black Dodge Ram, for giving me and my sweet readers a classic example of how not to turn right onto Ella from the left hand lane of Louetta!

In the rain!

Without any warning!

While traffic was moving at 45+mph!

YOU STUPID BUTT HEAD!!

Okay, yes, I didn't exactly call this guy a 'butt head' after he completely cut me off this afternoon, but he totally deserved it and my kids weren't with me, so I let him have it! Since my blog is 'Family Friendly', I'm going to keep it as 'butt head', but I'm sure y'all get what the gist.

Yay for brakes that work and cat-like reflexes!!

Homemade Granola Bars

2010-02-22T00:04:00.000-06:00

I follow a ton of blogs - seriously, just look at the right-hand side of the screen to see all the amazing blogs I follow! - and one of my favorites is the Smitten Kitchen. Deb, "The Writer, Cook, Photographer and Occasional Dishwasher" over at Smitten Kitchen, always has something yummy for me to drool over and dream about!

Last night, I was stopped in my tracks by the Thick, Chewy Granola Bars the Deb came up with and raved about! After reading through her post, her recipe, and all of the comments that followed it, I hopped off the couch and ran to the kitchen to whip up a batch . . . with my own twist, of course!

Every morning for breakfast, I eat a breakfast bar (how appropriate, right?) and I have always thought it'd be really cool to be able to make my own. So, I took the basic recipe Deb posted on her blog and then searched my pantry for ingredients that I could add to it.

Here's what I came up with . . .

Laine's Homemade Granola Bars
adapted from Thick, Chewy Granola Bars at Smitten Kitchen

Dry Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup oat flour (if you don't have a bag of oat flour in your pantry - I didn't! - throw a heaping 1/3 cup of quick rolled oats in your food processor and let it go until it's completely pulverized - about 30 seconds or so.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup Multi-Grain Cheerios
1/2 cup Rice Krispies
1/2 cup sunflower kernels
1/3 dried cranberries
1/3 cashews, chopped

Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 9″ x 9″ pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray the parchment paper with a non-stick spray.

Stir together all the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients.

Toss the wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is evenly crumbly.

Spread in the prepared pan, pressing them in firmly to ensure they are molded to the shape of the pan.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until they’re brown around the edges and your whole house smells super yummy!

Cool the bars in their pan completely on a cooling rack - or if you're in a hurry, let them cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then pull them out by the parchment paper and let them finish cooling.

Once cool, use a serrated knife to cut the bars into squares.

To store, wrap the bars individually in plastic or a zip-top baggie to make it easy to grab and go!

Deb, at the Smitten Kitchen, says that this is one of the most flexible recipes she has ever posted on her blog and has many suggestions for what you could toss in your granola bars - "dried cranberries, apricots, pecans, sunflower seeds, coconut, walnuts, sesame seeds, pepitas, dried apples or even chocolate chips" - so, you can definitely put your own signature on your own creation!

Check out the Smitten Kitchen and her post about Thick, Chewy Granola Bars - she's a genius!

These granola bars are really yummy and I can't wait to make another batch with other ingredients! Mmm, maybe coconut flakes and chocolate chips - who knows!

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

2010-02-18T19:04:00.002-06:00

Yes, you read correctly! I said Cinnamon Roll Cookies!

photo credit: picky-palate.com

Jenny, the gorgeous blonde, wife, mom of two, and genius cook over at the Picky Palate, shared this recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cookies last week and I was immediately smitten!

On Monday, I tried the recipe out for myself and found that it was really simple, the cookies turn out beautifully, and the recipe yields enough cookies to feed an army!

And yes, if I did give these cookies to an army, they'd be some very happy soldiers!

The cookies are really tasty and have that brown sugary/cinnamony flavor you'd expect from a cinnamon roll and the cream cheese icing makes it sooo delish! I sent some to work with Mr Bill and they were gone in a flash and I took some over to Abby's and her family loved them, too!

I'm definitely going to keep this recipe for a very long time, but I think I'll make one little change . . . I would sub the cream cheese icing for some vanilla flavored sugar cookie icing - the cream cheese icing never set-up, making it hard to transport and impossible to stack the cookies. These cookies are so good, that I have to get them out of my house, because I don't trust myself to be alone with them - so, a cookie that is stackable and transportable is a must! : )

Go over to the Picky Palate and check it out - Jenny has some fabulous ideas and recipes!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T11:12:00.001-06:00

Ready for Spring!

2010-02-16T20:10:00.004-06:00

The Odle household is ready for Spring to come-a-knockin'! But of course, who isn't!?!

I love Spring! Some of my very favorite things happen in Springtime - flowers are in bloom, the weather is perfect, and I celebrate my birthday!

Even though Winter is not quite over, I have no problem welcoming Spring early . . .

. . . with this absolutely perfect Spring wreath!

And yes, I made it all by myself and you can, too! Trust me, it was so super simple!

I started by picking up a 12" Floral & Craft Ring ($1.99) and some pretty silk flowers ($.99/ea) from Michael's.

When I got home, I cut some strips of green fabric I had in my fabric stash and wrapped it around the craft ring - you could also paint it or Mod Podge some green scrapbook paper on it.

My silk flowers were three stems in one, so using my wire cutters, I snipped the 3 stems apart. I then secured all of the stems together with some floral wire to create a piece of garland - just lay one stem over another and the wrap some wire around the base, then lay another stem on top of that and wrap the floral wire around it again, and so on and so on.

After I was done with my garland, I laid it on top of my craft ring and secured it to the ring with more floral wire.

Once I got my flowers looking the way I wanted them to, I made a little loop with - yes - some more floral wire and then hung it on my front door!

It was super simple and took less than an hour to do. It'd be a perfect project to do while watching some mindless sit-com or while your kids are having rest time!

It's so fun to walk up to my front door with such a happy and spring-like wreath there to welcome me! **sigh** I love Spring!

I can't wait to start on my next Spring craft - I think it might be to embellish some tea towels with some pretty floral fabric - stay tuned!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T10:04:00.001-06:00

What make me smile?

2010-02-12T12:44:00.003-06:00

Bella has a book that describes 'joy' as a 'melting sweetness' that you feel deep inside. This is my melting sweetness today . . .

It's no secret that I love love love flowers, so when I found that little white vase on clearance for $1.48, I knew I had to have it.

That 'HAPPY' sign was on the same clearance shelf for $3.74 - another must have for a girl who is dieing for this awful cold and cloudy Winter to be over and for Spring to finally get here and stay!

Then I found those more-than-gorgeous mums for $2.00 and I couldn't pass them up. Believe me, I tried. Promise. I just couldn't do it, they were perfect for me and my new vase.

Now, my three just-because-they-make-me-smile finds are together in my foyer. Ahh, joy!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-10T07:45:00.000-06:00

Boogie's Valentine

2010-02-09T22:40:00.003-06:00

I just got done whipping up some valentines for all of Boogie's classmates . . .

I got the idea from Family Fun and loved it!

After searching high and low, I finally found some shovels (yes, they were attached to pails, which are now scattered around my house filled with random toys, because the kids were 'going shopping' with them!) at Walmart in the toy department. It took no time to fill a non-zip-top baggie with candy, snip off the excess, and then tie the baggie and a little note to the shovel with a little piece of ribbon. Super cute, right?

Boogie didn't care too much about them, but I bet the moms of Boogie's 11 classmates will like them! : )

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chenille and Button Paper Mache Hearts

2010-02-08T07:07:00.000-06:00

We love doing crafts at our house - it's a great way to spend an hour with the kids and you get some seasonal decorations, too!

My mom sent me a link to All Things Heart and Home were the blogger had a fun craft called Burlap Button Paper Mache Hearts. I loved it and knew that it would be an easy craft for the kiddos!

Our hearts - Boogie's, Bella's, and mine!

I ran to Michael's while the kids were in school, grabbed 3 paper mache hearts (my Michael's didn't have the same ones the blogger used, but they still worked!) and some buttons and headed home.

Before picking the kids up from school, I prepped the hearts - removed the gold string, painted them (I used a metallic color craft paint), and inserted a white embroidery thread where the gold string used to be. I also found some scraps of chenille from another craft, then cut them into heart shapes, and glued it to the dry paper mache hearts.

When the kids got home, I gave them some buttons (Boogie choose to use yellow and green buttons and I gave Bella pink and purple ones) and they put them on the hearts. When they were through, I used a hot glue gun to hold them in place.

I used the tutorial at All Things Heart and Home as inspiration and gave the craft my own little spin. The kids loved it and want to make more!

This was a pretty cheap craft to do - the hearts were $1.00 each, the buttons were $3.99 for a big bag (if you're like my mom, you probably have a stash of buttons in your laundry room!), and I already had the paint, chenille, string, and glue in my craft closet.

Check out the tutorial and make one for your Valentine this year!!

Day at the Mall

2010-02-07T08:09:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, we let Boogie Bear choose what fun thing we were going to spend our day doing. He asked to go to the mall to play on the playground and eat lunch at Chic Fil A - so we did!

After returning and exchanging some things, we finally made it to the playground. It was Bella's first time to play there since she's been walking and she had a ball! Boogie loved running and climbing and showing Bella all the fun places to play!

After playing we headed to Chic Fil A for lunch, then we were off to treat the kids to their first Build A Bear experience! Bella made a sweet little gray kitty and Boogie decided to make an owl . . .

Boogie rubbing his owl's heart on his funny bone, so his owl will be silly!

Once Bella and Boogie had their new babies, we went to get Boogie a haircut and then headed home. In the car, Bill had the kids in stitches . . .

It was a really great Saturday - family time at the mall and gorgeous sunny weather! I can't wait til next weekend!!

Got a Superhero? Make him a cape!

2010-02-06T15:27:00.003-06:00

Last weekend, Boogie asked me out of nowhere to whip up a superhero cape for him. Sure!

I got on blogsearch.google.com - a great search engine for all things on blogs!! - and found a great tutorial at Puking Pastilles.

After an hour or so of sewing, Boogie had a great reversable cape with the letter 'M' embroidered on it!

Refashioned Men's Shirt to Girl's Dress

2010-02-06T14:31:00.003-06:00

I saw this super cute tutorial at Made By Lex for refashioning a men's button-up shirt into a little jumper dress for a toddler and I knew I had to make Bella one!!

I searched through Bill's closet, found an old shirt I knew he wouldn't miss, and got started! After an hour or so, I had a super cute dress that Bella's LOVES!!

BEFORE

AFTER

Too cute, right?? Check out the tutorial and make one, too!

Not in a blogging kinda mood

2010-02-03T09:29:00.004-06:00

I just haven't been in a blogging kinda mood lately - we've been doing lots of fun things, like crafting (button hearts, super hero capes, crayon hearts) and cooking (freezer-friendly casseroles 1, 2, 3, 4, and s'more brownies) and hanging out with Papa, Jaja, and Mimi while Mr Bill has been traveling like a mad-man. I am going to blog about all those fun things, because we put our own spin on them all, but just not right now. Hopefully in the next week, I'll get out of this funk.

For now, here are some pictures from a recent trip to the zoo . . . enjoy, Family!

Bella didn't really want to stop for this great photo-op, can you tell?

I had to take one self-portrait!

YoutTube Video of Bella Walking at the Zoo

Hopefully, I'll be back on here soon to share all sorts of good things with y'all!

Progress Report

2010-01-29T10:15:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, Boogie Bear brought home his very first Progress Report from school. Lets see how he did!

He got STRONG marks in:

Alternates feet on stairs

Works a four piece puzzle

Knows his body parts

Respects people and things

Accepts responsibility for routine

Follows simple directions

Asks questions

Makes choices

Gets involved

Seeks only his share of the teacher's time

Responds well to teacher's instructions

Listens quietly to stories

Waits for turn when speaking in a group

Uses language to communicate

Speaks clearly

Combines words to name things

Answers some questions

Communicates in sentences

Expanding vocabulary

Completes simple matching

Knows name

Identifies colors

He got SATISFACTORY marks in:

Learning to repeat rhythmic patterns

Participates in art activities willingly

Balances on one foot

Throws a ball

Kicks a ball

Can draw a line

Holds a crayon

Controls paint and brush

Uses glue properly

Identifies shapes

Plays and shares well with others

Has appropriate control of feelings

Happy and cheerful at school

Talks about the story

Attention span is lengthening

He got WELL ON THE WAY marks for:

Participates in group singing

Can draw a circle

He got WORKING ON marks for:

Hop on one foot

Holds and uses scissors comfortably

Bill and I are very proud of Boogie and we can't wait to see how he improves through the rest of the school year!

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

2010-01-26T12:14:00.004-06:00

Since Christmas, I've noticed a new trend in my diet . . . I've recently devoured a Dove dark chocolate bar (thanks, Mimi!), made super yummy brownie mix cookies, and had to talk myself out of buying a box of Cocoa Pebbles on Saturday. It's official - I'm on a chocolate kick right now and I'd love for y'all to jump on the band wagon with me!

Check out this amazing chocolate cookie recipe I found on Taste of Home!

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

1-1/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used bread flour)
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (my addition!)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set and centers are puffed and cracked. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks (cookies will flatten as they cool).

Yield: About 5 dozen.

These cookies are super easy to make and are sooo yummy - try them!

Fabulous Vintage Earrings Tutorial

2010-01-24T18:49:00.004-06:00

Tonight I was bouncing from one blog to another and I came across this super simple, super easy tutorial for a pair of earrings made from vintage buttons.

Vintage Earrings Tutorial from Grosgrain

I think I'm going to put this on my 'to-craft' list . . . or if any of you wonderful readers want to make a pair for me, I'd totally support that! : )

Picky Palate Giveaway

2010-01-23T19:41:00.003-06:00

The newest blog I'm following - The Picky Palate - is celebrating my addition to her 'Foodie Friends' by hosting a giveaway in my honor!!

Okay, not really in my honor, but I'd like to think it is!

Check out her blog - there are all sorts of yummy recipes to read and make sure to enter her giveaway!

Brownie Mix Cookies

2010-01-22T07:09:00.001-06:00

I love sweets - not a huge shocker if you've ever read my blog! - and I'm not usually too picky about what kind of treat I get, but last night I had a craving for something chewy and chocolaty and fudgy . . . BROWNIES!

Downside - brownies take forever to bake and then even longer than forever to cool down enough to enjoy. I don't know about you, but when a crazy craving hits me like that, there's no way I can hold off for long - so 'forever' was totally out of the question. I still needed to satisfy my chewy, chocolaty, fudgy craving and I wasn't about to get in the car, drive to Jack in the Box, and pick up a piece of their chocolate cake (even though is divinely good!!) So, I got resourceful and found a super simple recipe for brownie mix cookies on RecipeZaar.com - enjoy!!

Brownie Mix Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

21 ounces brownie mix, Duncan Hines, pick your favorite
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons canola oil

2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons water
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir until well blended. (a note from Laine: I did not use nuts and I use half semi-sweet chocolate chips and half butterscotch chips)

Drop mix from a teaspoon onto a cookie sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes.

Once cookies have lost their gloss, yet still feel soft to the touch, remove from oven. DO NOT OVER BAKE THESE COOKIES.

Let cool 1 minute, then remove to racks to finish cooling. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Y'all should totally try this recipe - it's simple and yummy! After two or three of these little cookies, my sweet tooth was very very happy!

Green Thumbs

2010-01-21T21:36:00.002-06:00

This afternoon, the kids and I enjoyed this little gift of Spring in January (it's been sunny and highs in the mid-70s!! jealous??) by planting some gorgeous flowers in some old pots.

I bet you're wondering why Boogie is wearing dinosaur jammies in the middle of the afternoon. It was Jammie Day at school! On top of wearing jammies all day, he got to eat pancakes and breakfast sausage for lunch!

Boogie picked out all the plants - we got some white little flowers (his must-haves!), some pretty pinkish-purplish flowers, and some rosemary - at Lowes and then helped me put them all in pots. We talked about how the plants eat and that they need sunshine to grow. Boogie placed some of his precious cars in some of the pots to 'take care of the flowers' and ice in other pots for the flowers to eat later.

See the ice?? After finishing his very first Sonic Happy Hour drink, Boogie divided some of that amazing Sonic ice among the pots.

All of our new flowers need morning sunlight, so they're hanging out in the front of the house - maybe they'll distract our neighbors from all the weeds in our flower beds. Why is it exactly that the weeds were the only thing in our flower beds to survive the great frost of 2010?? Oh well, our new pretty flowers have inspired me to get in the yard tomorrow and pull some of the weeds and dead plants, so I'll home owners association won't have that to complain about anymore!

Spring is one of my favorite seasons, because I love love love flowers and I think mine are gorgeous! I can't wait to walk out of the front door tomorrow and see them!

laundry, laundry, laundry

2010-01-20T10:29:00.002-06:00

"Sort, wash, dry, fold, put away, and repeat" is what I've been sticking to today.

This morning, I asked Bill what I could do for him and he requested I wash his under shirts and dress shirts. When gathering those loads, I realised how much laundry I had pushed aside just waiting to be sorted, washed, dried, folded, and put away. So today, I'm not just a wife or mom or cute brunette, I'm The Laundranator!

Not to worry, The Laundranator (me!) is not slacking off by blogging a little and nothing is piling up on the couch waiting to be attended to - I'm all caught up and in between loads.

Somewhere in between sorting, washing, drying, folding, and putting away my first load - Bill's undershirts - I remembered an article I read a few years ago on MarthaStewart.com about washing the perfect load of laundry and I thought I'd pass her tips along to you!

10 Tips for a Perfect Wash

1. Read the Labels - The tags sewn into most articles of clothing advise about specific treatments.

2. Test for Colorfastness - Labels often indicate whether a garment is colorfast. If you're unsure, dampen fabric is a discreet spot, wait a minute or two, and blot with a white cloth. If the cloth takes on color, the garment is not colorfast. Wash noncolorfast clothes alone until they stop releasing due (include an old white sock in the wash each time; once it emerges untainted, you can add the garment to the rest of your wash.)

3. Sort & Separate - Put white and light colors in one basket, darks in another. Use more baskets for extra-dirty garments or items that produce a lot of lint, such as towels. Divide heavy clothes, lighter sheers, and permanent-press items. Zip zippers, tie drawstrings, empty pockets, and unroll cuffs. If you see a loose hem or split seam, fix it before washing.

4. Pretreat Stains - Tackle any stains before loading the washer. Pre-soak clothes from the 'very dirty' basket for a half hour in the washer, a large bucket, or a sink.

5. Pour in Detergent - Powdered detergents are better on mud and clay and in hard water; liquids have the edge on greasy stains. Use the recommended amount, too much detergent won't rinse out and too little won't clean well. Never use more than one additional product (like bleach or fabric softener) at a time.

6. Load the Machine - After adding detergent, add the clothes, distributing them evenly and loosely. Even a large load should be only about three-quarters full, so clothes can move.

7. Set the Time - A short wash time of about six minutes is usually sufficient for all but the dirtiest clothes.

8. Choose a Wash Cycle - Regular is good for sturdy or heavy cottons and very dirty clothes; Permanent Press is good for most average loads, Delicates is good for lightweight, sheer, lacy, and loosely woven fabrics.

9. Set Water Temperature - Use hot water (120 degrees) to keep whites white and to clean very dirty colorfast clothes - in separate loads, of course. Warm water (90 - 110 degrees) is good for most average loads. Cold water (below 85 degrees) is best for bright colors that are likely to fade and for delicates. Detergents are less effective in water below 65 degrees.

10. Choose Dryer Setting - Most dryers have a setting called Electronic or Automatic Dry, which lets you choose how dry you want the clothes rather than how long you want them to dry. The Permanent Press setting has a cool-down cycle at the end to reduce wrinkling. On Air Fluff, the dryer circulates air but adds no heats, this is good for freshening pillows and reviving clothes that have been packed in a suitcase but do not need washing. Or you can dry your clothes the old-fashioned way - on a clothesline or drying rack.

Need more tips? Try this tip, or this one, or even this one from TipNut.com, which has lots of tips you can use for all sorts of things!

Happy Laundering!

It was a Zoo!

2010-01-19T13:24:00.005-06:00

For Christmas, Grammie and Grandad renewed our membership to the Houston Zoo - thank you!!! We love going to the zoo and would have gone before now, but the weather has been either too wet or too cold. Yesterday seemed like the perfect day to go - sunny and in the 60s - but we didn't realise one major thing, it was free day at the zoo. That means that every single Houstonian and maybe a few dozen extras were at the zoo, too! It was bananas!

Boogie and Bella didn't seem to notice the hundreds of extra people at the zoo yesterday, but Mimi and I sure did! Even though we cut our visit short, we still enjoyed seeing our favorite exhibits . . .

The Aquarium

The Cheetahs

The Giraffes

The Sound Boards in the Children's Zoo

The Penny Smushing Machines

We also saw the meercats, elephants, groundhogs, red panda, coy fish, foxes, bears, and lions. I'll definitely have to take the kids back soon, so we can take our time and enjoy each exhibit to the fullest!

Thanks, Mimi, for hanging out with us yesterday - I couldn't have survived the zoo without you and your two hands!

Bella is a Well Baby!

2010-01-14T13:17:00.003-06:00

This morning, Bella and I went to see her pediatrician for her 15 and 18 month well baby visits.

Yes - I forgot to take her to her 15 month appointment when she was actually 15 months old. Poor little second, forgotten about child, right?

Here are her stats:

Weight - 23lb 10oz (15%)

Height - 31" (30%)

Head Circumference - 47cm (70%)

Every time we visit the doctor, Bella's favorite part is playing with herself in the mirror!

Cute Story - The doctor had to lay Bella on the examination table - which she did not like at all - to check out her 'girl parts'. The pedi said, 'Bella, your girl parts are perfect!' A very pitiful and still whiny Bella replied, 'tank tou' (translation: thank you.) It made everyone the doctor, nurse, college student following them for the day, and me - chuckle! What a sweet girl!

Bella is just like me - not a friend of needles. She literally did not stop wailing from the moment the first needle poked her until we were just minutes away from the house. After nearly 30 minutes of sobbing, she had cried herself to sleep. Poor little girl!

Giveaway!!

2010-01-13T19:16:00.003-06:00

My sweet and talented friend, Shannon,

is having a giveaway on her blog -

Life is Beautiful!

Click the link and enter to win!

Jumping for Joy!

2010-01-13T08:59:00.002-06:00

The new trampoline is a hit!

When Boogie finally woke up from his nap, he run outside and exclaimed,

"Thank you, Mommy!

I love it!"

We jumped and jumped until Bill got home from work and then they jumped and jumped until dinner was ready.

Here are the pics grandparents have been waiting for . . .

our first collision

Mojo run around under the trampoline trying to get the kids

I still haven't figured out how to snap a picture while the subject is moving without the pic coming out blurry - so, this is the only non-blurry picture of Boogie!

Now for the videos!

Look What I Built!

2010-01-12T16:13:00.005-06:00

That's right - a trampoline and it only took me 2 hours and 30 minutes to assemble all by myself!!

Whoo Hoo! I'm amazing!

Okay, I'm done patting myself on the back. The kids are still napping, but as soon as they wake up, I'm sure they'll want to jump and I'm sure I'll be there to snap some pics - stay tuned!

Night o' Paprikash

2010-01-11T16:34:00.003-06:00

Paprikash? I know, not something you hear about everyday, but in my house growing up it was a dinner-time staple.

Paprikash is a Hungarian version of chicken and gravy that is served with dumplings or over egg noodles. My dad's side of the family - the Muzslays - are from Hungry and have been enjoying this dish for years!

I, however, have not.

The gravy part of the dish is basically seasoned sour cream. Sour cream and I have never been friends - it totally grosses me out. So, naturally, I'm not a big paprikash fan, either - but I want to be!

My sister, the reigning Paprikash Queen, came over on Saturday to show me how to make it and so I can see if my taste buds have change.

What did everyone think?

Bill liked it, but he's pretty easy to please.

The kids . . . well, I'll let you decide for yourself . . .

As for me, I still don't like paprikash, but I am still crazy about the Paprikash Queen!

7-Day Ultimate Diet Cleanse

2010-01-11T07:06:00.000-06:00

hey - I started a new thing today - the 7-Day Ultimate Diet Cleanse from Today Show nutritionist, Joy Bauer.

I'm blogging all about it at The 'New Me' Campaign - check it out, there's a link to it in this post and on the right-hand side of this blog!

Crying Bella

2010-01-10T08:57:00.003-06:00

Y'all have to check out this post my mom wrote about Bella - it's great!!

Bad Dog

2010-01-07T18:42:00.003-06:00

Our usually very good dog made a very big mess today, so I put him outside while I cleaned up - about 20 minutes.

But apparently that wasn't enough of a punishment for Mojo . . .

. . . he sat right there, in the bitter cold for nearly 90 minutes until I finally coaxed him in with a hot dog.

Boogie and Bella should take a cue from him - sit in time out until Mommy begs you to get up and then rewards you with an Oreo!

Cowboy Nap Mat

2010-01-04T15:45:00.005-06:00

A lot of people come across my blog after Google-ing 'nap mat' and 'nap mat tutorial' and I've gotten a few comments and questions about my posts. About a week ago, I started emailing back and forth with a woman who found my blog via Google about my nap mats and, long story short, she bought one from me!!

My first nap mat SOLD!

Turns out that she is a busy mom of two little ones - just like me! - who runs her own business from her home. **Check out her blog - Barefoot Pages** And get this, she lives about 15 minutes from my house - what a small world!

Anyway, here is the velcro-free nap mat I made for her son . . .

. . . what do you think?

If you know anyone who is looking for a nap mat or just a Kindermat cover, send them my way!

Photo Catch Up

2010-01-04T13:24:00.003-06:00

Time to post some more pictures for my sweet family!

I promise that I'll get some posts with a little more substance up soon!

Playdoh and cookie cutters (thanks to Auntie Adrian and Jaja, my kids now have literally hundreds of cookie cutters to play with!!) has been a big hit around out house lately . . .

Boogie loves to cut out shapes . . .

Bella loves to accessorize . . .

Grammie and Grandad took Boogie to see his very first movie at a movie theater - Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. Boogie loved it and was well behaved!!

We tried out a new jumpie place - Monkey Bizness - it was a lot of fun for ALL of us!

Bella has had a blast playing dress up and house the past couple of weeks . . .

Well, that's the last of the '09 pictures - get ready for 2010, y'all!!

Christmas Eve Pics

2009-12-31T13:58:00.003-06:00

I know my fam is getting kinda antsy and want to see some pics, so here you go!!

A quick look at our Christmas Eve . . . enjoy!

Boogie and Bella in their Christmas best for church - aren't they the sweetest??

I failed to take pictures of this moment, but it's worth noting . . . We did get one Christmas surprise this year - a lack of electricity!! That's right, from 3ish to 6ish we were without electricity due to some down power lines because of a wind storm that came through. So my big Christmas Eve meal of Bacon Wrapper Pork Tender Loin, Creamy Potato Casserole, and Champagne and Pistachio Salad was a no go. Instead, we dined on plastic plates, with brown paper napkins and plastic forks from Boston Market - yummy!

Now onto some presents highlights!

Boogie's Christmas was all about 'things with wheels'! He got this awesome big mack from his Nana and Pop.

Also from Nana and Pop, Bella got this super smart puppy - it hooks up to your computer and learns your name, favorite food and color, and you can program a ton of songs for it to play! She loves it!!

Boogie felt just like daddy when he opened up this CARS laptop - he picked it up and announced that he was going to go to work!

My little girly-girl was all grins when she opened up this hot pink purse from Grammie and Grandad! She has carried it with her nonstop since Christmas Eve!

Boogie got a box full of great clothes from Grammie and Grandad, but his favorite part was waiting for him at the bottom - hangers!!

All dressed up in her some of her dress up clothes, Bella hopped on the phone to make a few calls!

Two of Boogie's most beloved presents are this big dump truck from Grammie and Grandad and The Wizard of Oz dvd from his Nana and PawPaw! Thanks, guys!!

Mr Bill loves the TomTom he got from his parents - he uses it every where we go, even if we're only going to Target!

And I got some great gifts, too! My favorite? A stand mixer from my in-laws . . . but I forgot to have my picture taken with it! : )

That was our Christmas Eve - we had a great time and made lots of memories! I hope all of y'all did, too!!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-30T13:58:00.000-06:00

Christmas at Church

2009-12-30T08:31:00.000-06:00

Going to church on Christmas Eve was a breath of fresh air and exactly what I needed!

I'd been a little stressed that our budget for gifts wasn't as big as it had been in previous years, that my house wasn't as decorated as I wish it were, and that I was going to completely botch Christmas dinner.

After singing a couple carols, one of the pastors welcomed us all to the service and said that it was okay to leave all of that stress in the parking lot - that none of that had to follow me into church. As soon as he gave me 'permission', I dropped all that weight I'd been carrying around with me and felt like I could breathe again. It no longer mattered that many of our gifts to family were homemade, or that I never got around to putting lights up on the house, or that my turkey may be a little dry (which it wasn't, by the way!!)

I sat through the rest of the service worshipping, learning, and experiencing all that He had intended me to. It was great to get a break from Christmas and to concentrate wholy on Christmas!

***

Our church has a really fun winter wonderland for the children to enjoy - a live nativity scene to check out, real snow to play in, costume characters to hug, crafts to make, cookies to decorate, and Santa to say hello to. It was a little chilly Christmas Eve, so we didn't do much outdoors, but we did run into Rudolph and Santa inside . . .

Boogie gave Rudolph a great big hug before posing for a picture!

Bella wouldn't sit on Santa's lap - no surprise there - but did offer him a high-five!

Last Minute Christmas Craft - Wine Cork Trees

2009-12-22T15:38:00.003-06:00

Boogie really loves to do crafts, so I'm constantly having to think up new ways to keep him and his creativity happy - this week, we decided to make up some Wine Cork Christmas Trees.

Ever since our Fall Trees craft, Boogie is obsessed with 'stamping' and can't get enough of it!

I grabbed some green card stock, craft paint, and our trusty wine cork stamps from the craft box, stripped Boogie down to his underoos, and covered up the table. He then stamped all sorts of shapes (mostly circles, but we also have hearts, stars, and square shaped wine cork stamps) onto the paper. We let the stamped paper dry over night, then, using a template I printed out, I cut Christmas tree shapes out.

Using a serrated knife, I cut a slit into a wine cork 1/2" deep. TIP - make sure your wine cork isn't wobbly before you start cutting. If it's wobbly before you insert your tree, it'll be that much more wobbly afterwards!

Now slip your tree into the cut wine cork, which is now magically transformed into a tree trunk!

If you aren't a wino - like yours truly! - I've also seen a wooden clothes pin used for the trunk and instead of paint, the trees were decorated with glitter, stickers, and sequins. You can see that version here at Homemaking Fun.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Blast from the Past

2009-12-22T08:22:00.000-06:00

Y'all have to go look at this post from exactly one year ago!!

It's a video of Boogie catching a very immobile Bella with a Christmas present.

Enjoy!!

Recession-Friendly Christmas Card

2009-12-21T07:23:00.000-06:00

Here's our little Christmas card this year . . .

It's amazing for three reasons.

-1-

It's out to friends and family via email and my blog BEFORE Christmas - MLK Day was my goal, so this is a total reason to celebrate!

Seriously though, it's our first Christmas card in years - I'm just not that organized - so it's neat that we just have one at all, even if it is an ecard!

-2-

It's the only thing this Christmas that's come in under budget!

-3-

My sweet babies are sitting together and both are smiling! Maybe next year, I can get them to look at me at the same time, too! : )

Merry Christmas, my sweet readers!!

A Typical Afternoon

2009-12-19T08:59:00.000-06:00

Here's a little look into a typical afternoon at our house - enjoy!

Boogie running around claiming to be a Polar Bear Pirate and terrorizing the poor dog . . .

and Bella loving her Oreo goatee . . .

It's a Preschool Christmas!

2009-12-18T14:28:00.005-06:00

Thursday was the last day of the semester at preschool and it all ended with a bunch of Christmas songs, just as many laughs, and a few tears . . .

(I'm sorry about my pictures, my camera never takes good pictures in this worship center!)

This face says it all . . .

As much as Boogie loves to entertain us at home with songs, dances, and jokes, he does not like entertaining the whole world! He refused to wear his little antlers, sing with the group, or even look like he was having fun.

At least, he stood up on the stage with his fellow Red Bears while they sang 'Nine Little Reindeer' and 'Reindeer Hokey Pokey'.

When Bella's class preformed, she was right there having fun with every one else . . .

The Orange Bears stood merrily, shaking their bells as the song 'Jingle Bells' played in the background. Ms. Joy, the teacher that Bella is connected to the hip with, helped her stand up there - she is the only one in class not too steady on her feet yet.

At the end of the program, all the classes got on stage and sang a number of songs. Bella happily hung out with Ms Joy, while Boogie (not pictured) curled up on Ms E'Lisa's, his teacher, lap - he was one bad-mood bear!

Even though Boogie didn't have any fun at the program, he perked up a bunch for the party and book exchange his class had afterward! He came home with stories, a new music-playing books, and candy canes! And Bella had fun, too, even thought she doesn't go to class on Thursdays - she went to lunch with me and her daddy!

**oh - I'll post videos soon!

Conversations with Boogie

2009-12-18T09:22:00.006-06:00

At the exact moment Boogie knew it was

time to head to his room for nap time,

he asked me if we could paint instead.

I said no, but suggested that

we paint before dinner if he'd like.

"Good deal?" I asked.

Boogie promptly replied,

"Not a 'good deal', Mommy. Just a 'deal'."

Faux Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-17T07:53:00.001-06:00

Who really has time to bake all that gingerbread it takes to make a gingerbread house? I don't!

So, I took some inspiration from a new book of mine - Friday Night Bites - and spent Tuesday evening with the fam decorating our Faux Gingerbread Houses!

From Left to Right:
Boogie's, Bella's (okay, she was already in bed, so I decorated hers!), Mr Bill's, and mine

How to make your own Faux Gingerbread House:

You'll need four graham crackers to make one house, plus all the trimmings!

First, cut your graham crackers in half - it helps to use a knife, sometimes the graham crackers don't like to brake nicely. 'Glue' four graham cracker squares together with the help of some icing (I used my sugar cookie icing!) to form a box. Set aside. This box will be the bottom half of the house.

Now, for the roof - cut two squares into triangles. 'Glue' the two triangles and two squares together to form a tent. 'Glue' the roof on top of the house and allow to dry before decorating your house with candy!

Boogie loved this craft! And he almost got as many sprinkles on his house as he did the floor!

Even Mr Bill got in on the act - I love family time!

Check out the Christmas Biscuit Houses the girls over at A Spoonful of Sugar made!

Cinnamon Ornaments

2009-12-16T08:13:00.002-06:00

I found this craft idea for Applesauce Cinnamon Ornaments on FaeMom's blog and I thought it was a perfect little craft for the family!

You can check out her 'recipe' via the link above, but here's what I did . . .

Cinnamon Ornaments

Mix 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup cinnamon in a small bowl. My 'dough' was a little dry (it should have a clay-like consistency) so I added one drop of water. If your dough is too sticky, add more cinnamon.

Roll your dough out between 2 pieces of wax paper (parchment paper works, but isn't the best) until the dough is about 1/3" to 1/2" thick. Cut out ornaments using your favorite cookie cutters. Make a hole at the top of the ornament with a straw, then move the ornament to a fresh piece of wax paper for drying. Let your ornaments dry over night on the wax paper, then move them to a wire rack (sans the wax paper) for faster drying!

Once the ornaments are all dry, thread a ribbon through the hole and hang on your tree for all to enjoy!

It's an easy project to do with the kiddos and the ornaments smell wonderful!

If you don't want to hang the ornaments on your tree, you could use them to make a strand of garland, decorate a wreath, or as a present topper - just to name a few ideas!

Merry Christmas!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-16T00:01:00.000-06:00

Christmas Tree Cookies

2009-12-14T08:03:00.000-06:00

Every year, it's always been Boogie and Bill's thing to decorate the Christmas tree . . .

. . . and even though she's not big enough to trim the tree, Bella helped the boys out by unpacking the ornaments . . .

. . . and I thought it would be fun to continue the tree trimming in the kitchen!

During naptime, I rolled out and baked some Christmas Tree shaped sugar cookies and by the time I was done, Boogie Bear was up and ready to decorate them.

I gave him a plate of all sorts of different sprinkles . . . colored balls, snow flakes, holly leaves, ginger bread men, candy canes, and colored sugar . . . and once I was done icing a cookie, he'd decorate it for me. He started out carefully placing a few sprinkles on the tree at a time, but soon he'd dump the plate of sprinkles on top of the freshly iced cookie and exclaim, "Mommy! It's raining sprinkles!" Then I'd grab the cookie and shake off all the excess and the process would repeat itself.

I think they looked pretty good . . .

. . . and they tasted even better!!

You can find a link to the sugar cookie icing I use over on the right hand side of my blog - enjoy!!

Laine's Delish Chili Recipe

2009-12-12T14:29:00.003-06:00

I came up with this chili recipe a few years ago, it's super easy and equally as tasty!

Laine's Made Up Chili

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb 90% lean ground beef
1.25 lb ground turkey breast
2 medium onions, chopped
16 oz can tomato sauce, no salt added
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
16 oz can of black beans, partially drained
15 oz can of chili beans (pinto beans in chili sauce)
8 oz can fat free beef broth
3 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1.5 Tbsp ground cumin

Pour the extra virgin olive oil in a big pot and brown the ground beef and turkey. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until your whole house smells yummy and the chili has thickened up.

We top our chili with chopped onions and shredded cheddar cheese, and enjoy it with corn bread or oyster crackers. It'd be good on top of some Fritos for a little Frito pie, too!

I feel warmer and cozier just thinking about this meal! Yum!

Snow in Houston

2009-12-12T13:29:00.003-06:00

Last week, we lived through exciting weather history here in Houston: it's earliest snowfall ever and the first time we've had snow two years in a row in recorded history! Sure there wasn't enough snow to stick to the ground at my house, but in some areas of town, like at NASA and where my parents live, there were 3 - 4 inches of the fluffy white stuff to play in.

Bella and I were sick, so we didn't really get out in it for too long, but Boogie Bear was so excited about the snow that I could hardly pull him in!

Boogie Bear and Mr Bill, who got out of work early because of the icky road conditions, played in the back yard until they were both frozen solid! Enough snow did accumulate on a patio chair for Bill to teach Boogie how to make and throw snowballs. : )

Because it was history in the making, I had to get Bella out in the snow for a little bit even though she wasn't feeling good . . . she wasn't real sure what to make of it. Thanks, Heather, for letting us barrow your girls' pretty red coat - it came in real handy!!

It really did feel like the holidays while it was falling. Maybe we'll be lucky enough to have some more snow later in the year and to all be healthy enough to enjoy playing in it!

Southern Lights at the Horse Park

2009-12-07T07:58:00.001-06:00

Our last night in Lexington, Grammie and Grandad took us to see Southern Lights - a really awesome Christmas lights display at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Driving through, we were amazed by how cool all the displays where - the pictures I took don't do the displays justice! There was a Santa throwing a basketball threw a hoop, Beauty and the Beast dancing, ice-skating penguins, and much more - we all loved it!

After the light display, we checked out the petting zoo (an ostrich tried to attack me - thanks goodness it was fenced in!), went to see Santa Claus (Boogie told him he wanted cars and Mac trucks, Bella just cried!), and checked out 4 ridiculously amazing minature train displays.

Feeding the llamas . . .

waiting in line for Santa . . .

checking out the trains . . .

Enjoy this slide show of all our other pics from Souther Lights . . .

Kentucky Catch-Up

2009-12-06T13:19:00.005-06:00

I am not even close to feeling 100% better, yet - stupid sinus infection - but I am feeling better enough to post some pictures from Thanksgiving for my family.

So, here is a bunch of miscellaneous pictures from our trip - enjoy, Nana and Pop!

Eating lunch at Joe Balona's (a really yummy Italian restaurant and pizzeria in an old church) in downtown Lexington . . .

Bella acting like a goof ball - nothing new!

so Boogie didn't want pizza . . . he really didn't want this burger either.

Chillin' at Grammie and Grandad's . . .

Bella making some phone calls before Thanksgiving dinner

Nana and Boogie meticulously going through Target's toy catalog

Our little Wildcat cheerleader didn't like coloring with those crayons as much as she did dumping them out of the mug and then putting them back in - over and over again!

Boogie and Grandad loved playing dominoes in the living room - Boogie won every game!

Christmas Tree Trimming . . .

Auntie Adrian helped Bella hang candy canes Nana brought for the tree

Boogie didn't need any help hanging or eating the candy canes!

Walking Yet?

So, our sweet little Bella isn't quite 'walking' yet. She'll take a few steps here and there, but she still would rather crawl. Maybe she is waiting for Christmas to give herself the gift of walking, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Picture Perfect . . .

Bella swinging on Grammie's front porch

I wanted to get one good shot of the kids with their aunt and uncle, since it may be the last time they see them. 'Why?' you ask . . . because Uncle Dave taught Boogie to cheer, 'Go Colts!' Obviously, Uncle Dave isn't the best influence.

My sweet little Boogie Bear showing me his happy face on the front porch bench.

I have a ton of pictures to share with y'all from our trip to see Southern Lights . . . stay tuned!

Sniff, Sniff, Cough

2009-12-04T08:17:00.002-06:00

I'm sorry I have been neglecting y'all and my blog - I'm sick, sick, sick.

When I feel better, I'll be on here sharing pictures from Southern Lights in Lexington, some Christmas crafts for the kids, some really yummy recipes, and hopefully some pictures from today's possible snow fall!

I hope each of y'all are happy and healthy!! xoxo

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-02T08:01:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Vacay: Corvette Museum

2009-11-30T16:00:00.004-06:00

So, I'm back on the blogging circuit a little earlier than I thought I would be . . .

We had a great week in Kentucky with a stop on each end of the trip in Memphis *I'm blogging from Nana and Pop's couch right now!* I've got a lot of pics and stories to share with all of y'all, so here it goes . . .

On day two of driving to Kentucky for our Thanksgiving vacation, we decided to surprise Boogie Bear, the car lover, with a stop at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY!

We were greeted with a row of brand new Corvettes waiting to be 'adopted' . . . Boogie sweetly asked Mr Bill if Santa would bring him a Corvette for Christmas. I don't think he has been that good this year!

I let Bella crawl around for a little bit and she innocently crawled under the rope, not even noticing the shiny car, and back out the other side - the next thing I know, there is an announcement over the intercom reminding 'Museum Guests' that the ropes surrounding exhibits were not to be crossed. Oops!

There was one Corvette in the lobby that wasn't roped off and the sweet receptionist offered to let Boogie and Bella sit in it for a while . . . Boogie was THRILLED!

I couldn't have wiped the smile off his face if I'd tried!

Bella couldn't have cared less . . . typical.

Boogie's other love, besides cars, is coins and he jumped at the chance to smush a penny with an imprint of a Corvette!!

We didn't stay long, but it was a perfect pit stop for a car lover like my sweet Boogie!

I hope all of y'all had a great Thanksgiving, yummy turkey, and found good deals on Black Friday! Stay tuned for more of our Thanksgiving Vacay!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-22T21:54:00.002-06:00

We're off to Kentucky to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family and I think I'm going to take a holiday from blogging, too . . . and updating my Facebook status . . . and from tweeting on Twitter.

But, don't fret, sweet friends and family - I'm not saying goodbye to email or texting, so I won't be totally out of touch!

I'll be back with pictures, stories, recipes, and all sorts of other good things the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.

I hope y'all have a fabulous holiday - Happy Thanksgiving!

Sticky Note Friday

2009-11-20T11:47:00.000-06:00

I <3 My Dyson

2009-11-19T16:42:00.003-06:00

It's no shocker to my close friends and family that I'm not a clean-freak, but I will tell you that I love love love my Dyson and always keep it close by.

I don't love it because it does a great job picking up dirt off the floor, it's easy to maintain, or because it looks really cool, but because I use it to suck up little creatures like this one . . .

I was greeted by this little guy this morning when I grabbed my step ladder to finish painting (see that fabulous color in the background?? more pics later!!) in the kitchen and breakfast nook. After I regained my composure and took a couple deep breaths, I grabbed my Dyson and let him do all the work!

With a super long wand - is that what you call it? - I can suck up any little bug that makes the mistake of thinking my house is it's haven. I'm not the kinda girl that'll squish or stomp on a bug - it gives my the willies just thinking about getting that close to one - but I have no problem sucking it up with my trusty Dyson!

Thank you, Dyson!! xoxo

'New Me' Giveaway!

2009-11-18T16:24:00.002-06:00

I'm giving one lucky reader one tube of my very favorite lip gloss via my 'New Me' blog - Beauty Giveaway - go check it out!

Earmuffs!

2009-11-18T15:22:00.002-06:00

I've never considered my house to be one that requires 'earmuffs' when little ones are around - if you haven't seen the movie Old School, rent it this Friday night after the kids are in bed and enjoy a good laugh! - but apparently it is.

Let me explain . . .

This afternoon, we enjoyed a quick lunch at Chic-fil-A before running some errands. Boogie asked if he could play in the indoor playground and I said no (he is a little small still and gets stuck at the top!) What was Boogie's reply? He said, 'that sucks that I can't play.'

Yep, that's right - my sweet little Boogie Bear correctly used the phrase 'that sucks.'

I never really considered 'sucks' to be a bad word, I know a lot of people do, but really it ranks right up there with 'crap' as far as I'm concerned. But hearing it come out of my sweet little blond-headed, blue-eyed baby boy put a whole new spin on that word for me.

So, 'that sucks' is out and 'that stinks' is in.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-18T09:26:00.002-06:00

Bye Bye, Big Red

2009-11-17T15:32:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, I locked myself up in my house - only leaving for brief periods of time to run to Lowe's - because I'm taking out the red in my kitchen and breakfast nook and trading it for . . . well, you'll have to wait and see for the final product!!

Here's a hint - my incredible Ikea pillow that I bought and love was there inspiration!! Sweet regular readers, do y'all remember my amazing pillow?

Anyway, I wasn't able to finish the second coat of paint today - I was doing a favor for some friends instead - but I will get back to it tonight or tomorrow! It looks really good and makes me smile every time I see my kitchen and breakfast nook!!

Yea for change and *insert color here* walls!

Spiders Suck!

2009-11-17T11:15:00.004-06:00

Did y'all see on my Facebook the other day how I nearly lost my life to a horrible yellow spider that was hanging from my car ceiling the other day? It was awful and terrifying and my sweet little Boogie Bear still tells me to 'watch out for spiders, Mommy' when I get in the car.

Anyway, my friend Dan sent me a shout out and posted his own near-death experience with a spider in his car on his blog. Check it out his blog here - the story is really funny, especially if you know Dan (UBC peeps!)

Want to hear another spider story? Check out this post I wrote back in March . . . but beware, there is a picture of the thing!!

Homemade Popcorn

2009-11-14T20:58:00.003-06:00

Check out this link on my 'New Me' blog for making your own microwave popcorn from some popcorn kernels, a brown paper bag, and tape!

Day with Daddy

2009-11-13T15:27:00.001-06:00

Today Bill gave us all a very special gift - his time! Bill took the day off to spend some quality time with the fam at the zoo . . .

The first thing we always check out at the zoo is the Sea Lions. This morning they were swimming to the song 'Girls just want to have fun . . . ' Bella danced along, too!

Bella crawled through the tunnel this morning to get a good look at all the fish. She thought it was funny to crawl over to Bill, but not close enough for him to help her get out - I had to crawl in after her!

This was the first time we've seen an armadillo at the zoo. He sure was a fast little thing - I don't know how so many of them get run over on Texas highways!

Bella wasn't real sure about the elephants . . . she stayed pretty close to Daddy during this exhibit!

Look - while the elephant is enjoying it's morning snack, it's hind legs are crossed! Too funny!

Even though Boogie loves the elephants, he was really looking forward to seeing the tiger and lions!

Ever since seeing Kung Fu Panda about a trillion million times, tigers are his favorite! He thinks their all named "Tigress" like in the movie.

Bella kept yelling, "Irie!" at the tiger even though out kitty cat isn't quite so ferocious!

Just like the lion in Memphis, Jonathon was taking a little snooze on his back. One little kid near by exclaimed to his mother, "Look! It's a boy!"

The kids got a kick out of seeing a leopard so close up - even though it was sleeping.

After a snack of raisins and string cheese, Bella was re-energized and goofy as ever!

I know Bill hates taking pictures with me, so I really appreciate the little grin he managed. One day when we're old and gray, he'll love to look back at all the photos I made him take over the years!

So, yeah - they have dogs at the zoo, too. Some sort of domesticated sheep-herding dog. On the little sign near the exhibit, under 'Diet' it said 'Commercial Dog Food'. Nice. Maybe we can send Mojo to the zoo!

Boogie enjoyed getting close up and personal with this little Meerkat!

. . . and these Meerkats, too!

. . . Bella did, too!

We get to go to the zoo so often thanks to Bill's parents - they gave us a zoo membership for Christmas last year and it's been great!! Thanks, Grammie and Grandad!!

The 'New Me' NEW BLOG

2009-11-11T10:40:00.002-06:00

The 'New Me' Campaign really deserves a blog all it's own and I'd love for all of y'all to check it out!

TheNewMeCampaign.blogspot.com

Click on the link above to find out how I did at last night's birthday party at Cafe Adobe!

The 'New Me' Campaign - Day 1

2009-11-10T15:35:00.003-06:00

I'm 15 hours into becoming a New Me and it's been great! Just deciding to change the way I live and treat myself was completely empowering and humbling. I woke up this morning, aware of excuses I could make to not workout, but totally ready to get on with my life and not be this person I don't like anymore.

While getting the kids ready for school and me ready for the gym, I ate one of my favorite Slim-Fast bars - mornings at my house are crazy hectic, so breakfast bars are just the thing for me, besides the fact that they're yummy! - and sipped on a big glass of Crystal Light Peach Tea - one day, I might be a water person, but until then, Crystal Light is right for me!

It was nice to have already decided that I was going to go to the gym this morning. I left the house dressed in my workout gear, had some Strawberry flavored Crystal Light in my drink thingy, and I was armed with a burp cloth perfect for wiping away all that sweat that I was going to have after my treadmill workout! Speaking of workout, I found inspiration at Fitness Magazine's website - here is the treadmill workout that I was going to do today, but once I got on the treadmill and realised how out of shape I actually was, this is what I ended up doing . . .

. . . and trust me, it was plenty enough to get my heart rate going and the sweat dripping! I'm excited to continue doing the workout, to get better at it, and to work my way up to doing the 'intermediate' modifications the Fitness Mag suggests. After the treadmill, I hopped on a bike with my Marie Claire mag in hand and read all about fashion and beauty trends for another 20 minutes.

It was a great workout and what really made it amazing were all the comments from my sweet blog readers and my Facebook friends that I got while I was huffing and puffing at the gym. Thank you!!! Please keep the encouragement coming!

By the time I was done at the gym, my belly was hungry again. I knew I didn't have anything at home - I skipped the grocery store this weekend and my kitchen is empty! - so I swung past Target, picked up a Jenny-O Extra Lean Turkey Breast (already cooked and ready to go) and some Target brand Black Bean Couscous from the deli area. Y'all - it was a great lunch and filling, too! Between the turkey and the black beans, I got plenty of protein and their was a good amount of fiber in the couscous dish, too! I was craving something sweet a few minutes after lunch, so I popped open a can of pears (don't worry, they were packed in water and sweetened with Splenda) and had four pear slices. Lunch was good!

For my snack today, I had a 1/4 cup of dry roasted almonds and I warmed up in the oven with some rosemary, garlic, and kosher salt - super delish, satisfying, and it made my whole house smell good!

The big challenge that is waiting for me today is dinner. We're celebrating Abby's daughter's birthday at . . . wait for it . . . Cafe Adobe (they serve amazing Mexican food!) But I already have a plan of attack. I checked out the menu on their website and found a salad with shrimp that sounds good to me and I called the manager to make sure the shrimp wasn't prepared with any fats. Ta Da! Dinner is served!

"What about the chips and salsa?" you ask, well, I've got that figured out, too! I'm still going to have some, I'm just going to limit my portion. I'm going to ask the waiter for a small plate, count out a reasonable amount of chips - like 12 maybe? - and then just eat those. When they're gone, they're gone. And of course, as long as there isn't any fat in the salsa, I can eat as much as I want!

So today has gone pretty well - a good workout and a good food plan. Tomorrow, I'm going to go grocery shopping to prepare my pantry for a week of healthy meals and snacks - I'll let y'all know how that goes!

Oh, I'm working on setting up a new blog just for this 'New Me' stuff . . . I'll let y'all know once it's up and running!

The 'New Me' Campaign

2009-11-09T23:40:00.003-06:00

Just let me ramble for a little bit - just one post, please. I promise, sweet family members, that I'll post more Boogie and Bella pics soon!

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I am totally letting myself go - I'm eating whatever I want, whenever I want, and I haven't seen the inside of the gym in weeks. I hate it! I don't like how I look, I don't like the way eating a bunch of junk food makes me feel, and I don't like how lazy I've become.

I've decided that I'm not going to sit on the couch munching on Boogie's Halloween candy while watching E! News wishing I looked like the women on tv any longer. I'm going to do something about it - I'm going to get my larger-more-jiggly-butt in the gym and I'm going to commit to eating healthier.

I want to be challenged, but also be totally realistic in setting goals for myself.

So what are my goals?

- Very Short Term -

Plan healthy and delish meals and snacks for the week

Get into the gym at least twice this week

- Short Term -

Lose 10 pounds before Christmas

Continue to plan meals/snacks and workout each week

- Long Term -

Have fitness be apart of my life, working out regularly

Be able to run an 8 minute mile again (haven't done that since 2000!)

Learn to respect myself and my body enough to choose to be healthy

Okay, so here's what I'm asking from y'all - my amazing blog readers: Can y'all send me some love and motivation? Comments y'all leave go straight to my BlackBerry and I would love to receive a comment . . . or five . . . or ten . . . while I'm on the treadmill around 10am or around 3pm when an attack of the afternoon munchies hits or whenever!

If cheerleading isn't your thing, send me your fave healthy recipe (I'll whip it up, blog about it, and give you all sorts of credit!!), your go-to snack, or a no-fail survival tip when all you want to do is scarf down those chocolate chip cookies you just took out of the oven.

Please be apart of this 'New Me' Campaign and help me reach my goals!

Here I go - I'm on my way to a cuter, smaller, healthier me!! And, as always, I'll blog about it the whole way!

$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

2009-11-09T19:42:00.002-06:00

Super great giveaway - just go to 5dollardinners.com to sign up!

Stamping with Wine Corks

2009-11-08T11:19:00.004-06:00

I have two very artistic kids living in my house and Saturday night, when they were bouncing off the walls, Bill suggested I give them something quiet to do. So, I gave them some paints and some wine corks and they stamped away!

Bella got to stamp until she began stamping her tongue with the - thank goodness - non-toxic paints.

Boogie Bear stamped and stamped for a while. I finally put the brakes on his painting session when he 'drove' one of his cars through the paint and on my table.

Final Product:

How to make your own Wine Cork Stamps

Obviously, you can just dip your wine cork into paint and stamp circles or squiggly lines with just a regular cork, but you can also cut your cork into a simple shape your kids will adore!

First, choose a wine cork that has a smooth end. If you don't have a cork collection to choose from because you aren't a wine drinker, send your bottle of wine to me and I'll send you back the cork. : )

Next, draw your design onto the cork.

Finally, carefully cut the excess cork around your design away with a utility knife.

Now, you're ready to stamp!

I also made a star stamp for the kids.