Mommy's Place

Our trip to beautiful Newfoundland

2011-04-27T19:49:00.001-07:00

I certainly am behind in blogging. I'm gonna try and play a little catch up and then get back on track...try!!!

We had a wonderful trip back home to Newfoundland just after Christmas. The boys absolutely loved enjoying a second Christmas complete with some fun in the snow! Chris and I enjoyed some time together. We managed to get out for some date nights at our "Old Grounds". Our trip was even extended as we got snowed in and had to catch a later flight back to Texas!!!

Christmas Eve and Day 2010

2010-12-26T06:50:00.001-08:00

Fall Fun

2010-10-30T18:56:00.001-07:00

I just love this time of year! The air is starting to get cooler, Trick or Treating, Thanksgiving around the corner, Christmas around the corner. Soon time to pull our warmer clothing, sweaters, and hot drinks. It's my favorite time of year :-)

Happy 5th Birthday Matthew

2010-09-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

I can hardly belive my first born is FIVE YEARS OLD! His babyhood is surly over. I'am sure I'll love this age as I have loved his earlier milestones. And, I'll embrace his growing independence. But, sometimes when I look at him I can still see my itty bitty baby in his face.

The morning of Matthew's birthday he just made my day. In his heart he must of known how I felt. I was saying Matthew - I just can't believe you're five years old today. His reply was "Mommy, I'll always be your baby". That was just music to my ears!!!

Matthew had a fantastic birthday. Cupcakes with his friends at preschool. A party with his playgroup friends at Chick Fil A. And, a famly day to the lego store and Dylan's Canday Bar. He got a ton of legos for his birthday. Legos are his latest favorite!

Another stage for the THREE of us.

2010-09-14T18:11:00.001-07:00

Preschool! We all had a first this month.! Matthew has started PreK , Andrew Preschool, And myself teaching preschool. So far it's been a fun adventure! The boys have made many new friends. One night just as Matthew was falling asleep he says to me "Mommy I can't believe it I'm finally in school!" The boys little conversations in the back seat on the way home from school are just ADORABLE. I think my favorite was on Tuesday their chapel day. They were both talking about their lessons on God. And, I overheard Matthew telling Andrew ... and Jesus made my legos. LOL!

Three Year Old!!

2010-08-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it my baby is three. Now, he'll be the first to tell you he's not a baby - he's now a "Big Boy!" But...my baby he'll always be.

Andrew had a fantastic birthday week. On his actual birthday we had a fun filled family day. Chris took the day off work and we headed to Splashway waterpark. It was so fun! Matthew enjoyed most of the water slides - he has no fear this year. So, him and his dad had a blast trying our the slides. Andrew, on the other hand was a little timid of some of the slides. He stayed in his comfort zone on the smaller slides and splashing about having a good time. We packed our cooler with lunch to have at the park. And, on the way home we stopped for a pizza for dinner. The boys were just pooped once we got home and slept so well that night.
The next day we had a little party with some of his close friends at Chick Fil A. Andrew's face lit up when daddy and the Chick Fil A cow arrived. He also LOVED his cake that I proudly made :-) I"m trying my best to keep up the tradition of creating the boys cakes each year.
Andrew's been spoiled with awesome presents from friends and family all week. He has a very nice collection of Disney Cars now that is his latest favorite.

Ahhhh to be three!!! Just don't grow up too fast, too soon my little boy!

Cooking Again!!!

2010-06-24T05:48:00.001-07:00

During grocery shopping - Matthew tells me he wants to make a pizza. So, he proceeds to pick everything out for his pizza. We come home and make lunch! It actually tasted good!
Our boys really love cooking and baking!

Gardening

2010-04-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

Finally, I am getting into gardening this year! I've found it hard with the kiddos previous this year but, they are to an age where I can manage now. Yippee! Here are some of my flowers so far...roses, jasmine, plumbago, vinca ... etc

Mom's Visit

2010-04-22T07:11:00.001-07:00

We had my Mother visit us for a month from March into April. We really enjoyed having her! Chris and I got some breaks - Out for date nights!!! I got to escape and get grocerys by myself and even fit a shopping day in. We enjoyed many adventures together - strawberry picking at Froberg Farms, a trip to The Houston Zoo, picnics in parks, a train ride in Herman Park, a trip to Galveston Beach, a trip to Brenham to see the wild flowers and enjoy a treat at Blue Bell Creamery. Mom also enjoyed doing lots of shopping :-)

Gardening With Little Boys...

2010-04-14T05:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did a ton of gardening. My boys found a frog! They wanted to give him a drink so headed for the hose - one held him the other gave him a drink! This froggie gave them about an hour of fun. From Andrew running around saying " He likes me, Mommy he likes me." To Matthew putting him in their water table and saying he could not move because he was froggie sitting. Oh the joys of childhood!

Look Who's Cooking!!!

2010-01-30T18:57:00.001-08:00

My boys have nagging colds - runny noses, eyes and coughs. They are not so sick they are stuck in bed, just not good times to be out running around. So we were stuck home Friday! To spice it up and have a little fun Andrew made some brownies. He had such a great time! Made a lot of mess and ate a lot before it we made it to the oven. He loved the process and that's what counts!

A Park Day!

2010-01-27T08:28:00.000-08:00

( The first picture is Matthew with is friend Isabella. They've been good friends for 3 plus years and she is moving but, staying in the state at least. The next picture is Matthew best friend "Josh" who is also moving to New York. Matthew is crushed with this move! And the last picture is sweet Andrew giving me a flower.)

This whole week we are stuck home because my sweet hubby has meetings offsite all week. So that requires transportation and our one and only car! The sound of that at the beginning of the week sounded so awful! I thought we would be dying with cabin fever! But, it's surprisingly going well. Matthew has been doing his school work in the mornings. I'm on top of the housework even the laundry. And, we've been having fun with games, playing outside, trips to the park. Not so bad at all....next week we'll be back to our adventures to Chick Fil A, Playgroup, Museum, Zoo etc... Ahh to be a toddler. Life is good!

Menu Plan Monday

2010-01-23T14:01:00.000-08:00

Here's this weeks meals! This is the last week of January and the meal planning is paying off. Our grocery budget is under budget this month. I've been couponing each grocery trip this month, menu planning each week, and using the envelope system. It's going great!!! Only 11 more months for the year to go :-)

Breakfasts
homemade waffles (from the freezer) w/ fruit
eggs, sausage, toast, fruit
pumpkin chocolate chip muffins w/ fruit
cereal w/ fruit

Dinners
Chicken Tetrazinni (doubled to make a batch for the freezer)
Spaghetti, broccoli w/ garlic bread
Turkey Casserole (from freezer)
Turkey Burgers w/french fries and side of veggies

Snakes
homemade cookies
fruit
carrot sticks

For more great menu ideas go HERE

Menu Plan Monday

2010-01-16T19:24:00.001-08:00

Here I go! Starting this up again for the New Year, New Begining...

On Sunday we had a Turkey cooked so my dinners this week will be centered around using that up!

Breakfasts

Homemade Waffles w/fruit

Amish Baked Oatmeal w/fruit

Cereal w/fruit

Eggs and sasage w/fruit

Homemade Donut Holes....and fruit

Dinners

Turkey Soup w/buttery bread machine rolls

Thanksgiving Memory Casserole

Thai Turkey

spagetti and garlic bread

left overs

Snacks

Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists

Yogert

mini carrotts

New Year, New Begining.....

2010-01-14T18:33:00.001-08:00

These pictures are my boys toasting each other to the New Year! They are doing their toast with Hot Chocolate from Starbucks!

With the New Year comes our resolutions. And, as always we aim to do better. The couple months leading up to Christmas I was falling off the edge - my eating, my exercise, and spending. I was out of my routine and off my balance beam.

Life is like that a balance beam and it is so easy to loose focus and fall off. But,
we have to pick ourselves up and jump back on. That's what I'm aiming to do to clean up my act a little more :-) I still need much improvement - trust me!

I've started to do better and I'm hoping my blogging it'll help in my accountability. Here's where I am....

Financially - We've always set our budgets but meeting them is often tricking business. To improve in this area my hubby and I have initiated an envelope of cash system. Each envelope is filled with cash for each spending area (ie grocerys, misc., personal etc.) at the beginning of each month and when the cash is gone we are done for the month! ....a little discipline lesson for us ... I'm up for the challenge here! I've set up an awesome spreadsheet that tracks my grocery spending to help out...it shows all my coupon saving. So far this month I've saved $68 using coupons. Yeah!!!

Eating/Nutrition - I'm taking small steps here to do better. I was drinking too much coffee!! Now I'm limiting myself to only one (big)cup of caffeinated coffee in the morning then, once that's done I do green tea for the day. I'm a sipper of hot drinks during the winter months so this is working well. I'm being sure to take my daily vitamins and I'm also doing glucosamine vitamins as well.

Exercise - I need to really get back into my grove in this area. I miss is and it always makes me feel so much better and helps me stay on my balance beam! I've made a point of getting a little more exercise with the boys this week. Going for walks to the park etc. I got a great yoga set for Christmas I need to break out. The colder weather has taken a toll on my exercise but I need to shake that excuse.

ME ME ME - LOL! I want to get to scheduling some me time. Let's face it if mama don't take care of herself she can't take care of her family. I miss my scrap-booking, it's been about four months since I've done any. I want to get to reserving a night a week for a hobby or interest of my own.

There you have it! That's all I have! Other then that I just need my normal routine back. And, I'm getting there....get back into teaching and caring for my boys doing what I love!

Snapshots of our days!

2009-07-29T12:12:00.001-07:00

My boys love to paint and cook at home!

Austin Vacation

2008-10-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome mini vacation in Austin. Since living here in Texas we've now vacationed in Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. We really enjoyed Austin and it's culture!

On our way to Austin we stopped in Brenhem at the Blue Bell Creamery. They offered tours but we declined - they were an hour long and I don't think the kiddos would of held up well for these. So we browsed around the creamery, had a picnic and enjoyed some fresh ice cream. The price was great - $1 per serving and they give you two big scoops. The kids loved it - their favorite flavor was a snicker doodle.

Once we arrived in Austin we settled into our hotel and then headed over to Whole Foods for dinner. Whole Foods was actually fonded in Austin so they have an amazing store there. It was a happening place! There was just soo much choice!! Our favorite was International food - Mediterranean and African. After that we headed back to our hotel and settled in for the night to be fresh and ready for our next days adventures.

On Friday we enjoyed breakfast at the hotel and then headed out to "dancing fountain park" officially named, Butler District Park. This was the boys favorite, with no surprise as they both love water. It was a cute water park it offered holes that spray water and many little wadding spots as well. After this we enjoyed a picnic together and an ice cream from a nearby restaurant "Sandys". Then we headed back to the hotel for the kiddos nap. After nap time we headed out to Whole Foods again.

On Saturday we enjoyed our breakfast at the hotel then headed to a Farmer's Market. It was so nice! There was a live band playing some folk music that Andrew enjoyed grooving too! We enjoyed some snow cones here and bought some local honey that tasted amazing. After this we headed to Zilker Park and enjoyed a train ride. The boys really liked this! For lunch we went to Jack in the Box seems how Matthew had been asking for it for some time. After our nap time we headed back to Zilker Park to enjoy the playground. It was nice but more designed for older kids and it was crowded...but the kids still had fun nonetheless. And of course Whole Foods to eat again. :-)

On Sunday after our hotel breakfast we went to the "dancing fountain park" again. Once the boys dried off we went to Central Market (North Lamar location). They offer a nice outdoor lunch and playtime with again live bands. Then it was time to head home...

I eyed a Mrs Bairds Bakery Outlet on the drive to Austin...that we planned to stop at on the way home. But sadly it was closed on our arrival. Upon doing some homework I've found one close to home so that will be for tomorrows blog....

Off to Austin for a few days...Vacation Time!

2008-10-02T04:12:00.001-07:00

We are off for a mini Vacation today. Yesterday it vacation started with a trip to Discovery Green Park. It's an awesome park - The kids LOVED it! It had a fountain place that they played in for at least an hour. Then they made their was to a playground - the floor of the playground is rubber so it's OK when they fall. How nice is that with the rate of skinned knees for Matthew and Andrew just beginning his walking days. We all enjoyed a lovely picnic on a blanket that I packed. And we shared some sweet potato fries for a treat they were soooo good!!! To top the day off for dinner last night we took the boys to Rainforest Cafe. At first Matthew was a little scared because they have simulated Thunder storms in their simulated jungle. Once he got past that part he loved it too!!!

Pillow Cases - Sewing Project!!

2008-09-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is my latest project. It's homemade pillowcases. I've made a few of them so far - Race car and baseball for my son. Princess and Dora for our good friends - Mel's girls "Isabella and Eliana". A Hannah Montana one and the one in the picture for my niece Sarah. I plan to make more for friends and family for Christmas yet!!! They are fun an easy too!

Take a Hike Ike!

2008-09-17T06:34:00.001-07:00

I haven't blogged since Ike has hit us! It's been our first real encounter with a hurricane since we moved to Texas four years ago. Yes we are hurricane rookies, see our dear friend Tim's blog to poke a little fun at us :-).

The preparations started about a week ago. Our friend's helped board up our home, we had our hurricane kit all stocked with lots of food and supplies, and our generator all ready to go. The night of the storm our little family bunkered down in our huge closet for a night of "camping". I made popcorn and s'mores to lighten the mood for our children. We really didn't sleep much. Our baby cried and our toddler didn't like "that wind sound". All and all we have been so very lucky though! We only lost our power for about twenty hours and not very much damage. Our banana tree was cracked and our fence buckled in one area. It could of been so much worse.

Most people in our surrounding area were not so lucky. As of this coming Tuesday only half of the electric company's customers are projected to have power. We've loaned out our generator to a friend without electricity. His dad has diabetes and needs to keep his insulin cold. The death toll is at about 50. Grocery Store shelves are pretty empty with food. Victims are on their way to PODs for food and water. There are long lines at gas stations. So, the news is not good here!

I feel thankful yet sad. Thankful that for such great neighbors, and that we are all safe. Sad to see so many people surrounding us going without bare needs. People are resilient here, with time things will be back to normal just a little patience...

Fun Family Adventures!!

2008-09-07T19:23:00.001-07:00

What a great day! Today the four of us went to Katy Mills Mall - not to shop but to play. The boys played and played in the play area. Then, we took them on the carousal and boy did they love that. Little Andrew was laughing out loud. We enjoyed a picnic of peanut butter sandwiches, grapes, and a cupcake. Stopped to look at a super cool fish exhibit at Bass Pro Outdoor Shop - that's where the pic of Matthew and Daddy is from! It was an all around great day!

Sure beats yesterday when Matthew got gum stuck in his hair so I had to buzz cut it and Andrew was scratched by our cat on his face! I was glad they were due for pictures!!

Menu Plan Monday

2008-09-02T14:35:00.001-07:00

I know I'm a day late. But with Labor Day and my hubby being home I was busy with our little family! Here it goes...

Monday - BBQ Salmon and carrots
Tuesday - Penne Pasta with Sun dried tomato sauce and Buttery Bread Rolls
Wednesday - Lasagna with left over Buttery Bread Rolls. This is a TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) dish!!!
Thursday - Vegetarian Chili with WW Cornbread
Friday - Hamburger Barley Stew with Peasant Bread
Saturday - left overs
Sunday - BBQ by my Hubby :-)

Thanks to Gayle for the inspication for some of these meals!!! Check out her Rockin Blog!!

On my way back to the swing of blogging!!

2008-08-31T18:59:00.001-07:00

I've been busy with family time, that's my excuse for not keeping up with blogging lately.

We had our poppy (my hubby's dad) visiting (from Novia Scotia) with us for the past three weeks. We enjoyed many many adventures. From Chuck E Cheese, Incredible Pizza Company, Ice Cream, Baseball Games. And, we also had the boys birthday party!!

We had such a great time with Poppy and are happy that he may spend Christmas with us. Now it's time to get into the swing of things again!!!!

Here are some pics from our adventures....

Friday Recipe Swap - Buffalo Chicken (Weight Watchers)

2008-08-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

It's Friday, goodness this week flew by! It was a crazy one with my hubby away on business and a Hurricane in the forecast. I'm glad it's over!!!

Here is my recipe for Friday's Recipe Swap. Visit Gayle's - The Grocery Cart Challenge to play!!!

Ingredients

1/4 cup Lousiana-style hot sauce (here is a chance to use up some Frank's!)

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tobasco)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons butter

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks

2 carrots, cut into sticks

3 celery stalks, cut into sticks

1/2 cup fat-free blue cheese dressing

How To

Combine the hot sauce, pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add 5 teaspoons of the butter, stirring until melted. Melt the remaining one teaspoon of the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned, 8-10 minutes. Add the pepper sauce mixture and cook for about 1 minute longer, tossing the chicken to coat. Serve with the veggies and dressing.

Goulash for a frugal quick meal

2008-07-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

There is a great blog out there that I have learned so much from that I have spoken of in a couple of my previous posts. This blog is "The Grocery Cart Challenge" the creator is Gayle. And she is doing a recipe swap on Fridays. We are sharing our own frugal and quick recipes via a link on her web page. So here is my contribution this week!

This week I am sharing Mom's Goulash. I remember my Mother making this when I was a child. I don't know if it was her reason to make it because it was frugal and easy. But nonetheless I remember her making it and she still does to this day. I have to be honest it is not a favorite of mine but my brother always loved it! I'll admit to being fussy at times - I am easy to please but picky at the same time. For example a simple bowl of cereal and I'm happy :-)

So here is the recipe for Mom's Goulash.

Ingredients
1 lb hamburger meat
1 (26 ounce) can tomato soup
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can tomato soup
2 (8 ounce) bags macaroni
1/4 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste

All you do is brown the hamburger meat and onion add the tomato soup. While doing this boil the macaroni. Then drain the water from the macaroni and add it to the meat mixture. Add some salt and pepper to taste. You can also sprinkle some Parmesan cheese if you desire.

And if you do not have any tomato soup on hand try using ketchup!

There you go!!!

Time To Make The Donuts!!!

2008-07-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

Inspired by "The Grocery Cart Challenge" - This morning I treated all three of my boys (that's including my hubby) to homemade donuts. My oldest son was the first one to try them, then he called on the rest of the crew to come enjoy the tasty treats! I have to admit I was intimidated with the thought of making donuts from scratch at first. I am actually a good baker but the frying and shaping of the donuts worried me at first. But the recipe (here) is actually pretty easy and they turned out pretty good! The recipe made 14 donuts and a bunch of donut holes so, I froze half. If I didn't freeze them they would be gone in no time and they are a treat in our household....we do try and eat healthy. Being Canadian it's in our blood to just LOVE DONUTS! Thanks again Gayle from "The Grocery Cart Challenge :-)

Menu Planning Monday

2008-07-15T08:14:00.001-07:00

I know I know I'm late with this...

I did my grocery trips this weekend. I'm still intrigued with The Grocery Cart Challenge. I am a work in progress but I'll get there!!! My overall goal for this month is $450 - so let's see!? I think that is realistic and who knows with time I may improve but the goal is to maintain. I want my family first of all to eat healthy and not to feel deprived. I am pretty much up to $300 now - but I have plenty of meals planned and and abundance of food to last at least until 07/22 so I predict all is doable. My curve ball right now is the Safeway Summer Saving Promotion. Check this out over with Money Making Mom. I plan to stock up with the savings using Safeway Summer Saving Promotion, while planning my meals and grocery trips with The Grocery Cart Challenge and maintain my budget. We'll see how it goes!!!!

Menu Planning Monday

Breakfast
Any fruit breakfast cobler
amish baked oatmeal - Another big hit in our household
weight watcher pumpkin muffins
buttermilk pancakes (froznen from last week)
orange julies smoothies - my kids and are lovin these!! And I enjoy them as well!!

Dinners
Vegatarin chili with weight watchers corn bread
Oven Fried Eggplant with marinana sauce
crockpot potato chowder - a hit with both my kids :-)
salmon loaf and brocolli
vegatarian meat loaf with green beans
ranch potatos

Ground Beef Gyros

Falfels - One of my personal favs. but it's growing on my hubby!

Snacks
babysitter cookies
brownies

Fun Times!!

2008-07-11T14:18:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we enjoyed a fun day with our special friends from Popsicles on the Porch. We went to a Memorial City Mall Play area, had lunch together and ended the day with a ride on the carousel. It was simple but fun times. The play area is very cool - it is gated with a guard on patrol so no kiddies can escape. You still have to keep a close eye on your kiddos but there is a little degree of relaxation because you don't have to be running after them to keep them contained. It was our first time there and we'll certainly be returning. FUN TIMES!!!

Grocery Shopping Day...and Happy Canada Day!

2008-07-01T18:51:00.001-07:00

Today is Canada Day - My husband and I are Canadian and our boys are American but made with Canadian parts! LOL

To follow up with yesterdays post today was my grocery shopping day! I actually got a LOT of groceries for a total of $75.01. I have everything to cover the meals in my blog from yesterday plus lots and lots of extras. I saved $14 with coupons! Yeah! Both my husband and I are cereal fanatics. Today I got Honey Nut Cheerios for 75 cents and Kashi cereal for 50 cents. I got the Kashi cereal deal from Money Saving Mom CVS June 28 posting. Thank You Money Saving Mom!!! After reading The Grocery Challenge blog I am curious to see what my Grocery Bill will be for the month?!?!?

Menu Planning Monday

2008-06-30T19:07:00.001-07:00

Breakfasts

Apple Pie Muffins
Buttermilk Pancakes
Starbucks Scones
German Apple Pie Pancakes
Swiss Muesli
Yogurt Pops

Dinners

Crock Pot Potato Chowder
Black Bean and Tortilla Bakes
Ground Beef Gyros
Falafels
Broccoli and Rice Quiche

These recipes can be found on The Grocery Cart Challenge page. I am intrigued by her challenge. And while I know I'll be spending more then $50 a week to feed my family of four - I'm playing a game of sorts!!!! We'll see where it goes?!?!?!

Mumsie's Visit

2008-06-25T13:19:00.001-07:00

I know - it's been a long time since I blogged.

I thought I'd post some pics from our visit from Mumsie. She stayed with us for a little more then a week at the end of May. It was fun times!! Our time was filled with things such as trips to the pool/park and the Children's Museum. Chris and I got out on a nice date together - we got to enjoy a nice quiet dinner together. I had a nice break from cooking dinner. Did I mention before that she's a fantastic gourmet cook?! We certainly had some great family time with her.

As with all family visits the hard part is when they leave. We all miss them so much!

My Family From Calgary

2008-03-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

For the past week my one and only sibling "Sheldon" and his family (wife "Shannon", children "Hannah" and "Sarah") have been visiting. We all had a wonderful time getting together again. Our last rendez-vous was June, 2006 - So we were due for some good times together! Our week consisted of lots of fun - Chuck E Cheese, A road trip to San Antonio (later blog), Easter Egg hunt, yummy eats, and of cousre shopping. :-)

Matthew totally enjoyed seeing his Canadian family! He awoke from his nap the first day saying "Where's My Sarah". They had a brother - sister kind of bond. They played and fought, we would here things such as "Mommy, He's touching me!" ,"He took my puzzle"etc.. Then when they would be briefly separated they would say "I like playing with my cousin". Or, "Can Matthew ride in my car".

Now today is the sad day...they've left and returned home to Calgary. Today Matthew was sitting rather still in the living room and I asked him "what's wrong little buddy ?" His reply "I miss my cousins". And, he's said "I need to find Sarah and Hannah". So today we are playing together - blowing bubbles anything to cheer up my little guy and take his mind off his missing family....

We've made lots of memories to Cherish the past week!!!

Books Are Our Friends!!!

2008-02-28T18:46:00.000-08:00

One our our favorite things to do with our boys ever since the beginning, is to read with them. It is part of our routine to read before our daily nap and read before bedtime. Lately, Matthew's favorites have been the Mercer Mayer Little Critter books.

His first Little Critter book was the "Little Critter Collection" it was a gift from Auntie Lindsay. And it got me hooked! They are so cute - The character in them "Little Critter" reminds me so much of Matthew.

Tonight we read "Just Me And My Little Brother". After it, all Matthew said was "again, again, again" - after the third time through I had to say it's night night time now sweet angel. And to my amazement he listened and settled down for the night. It is such a cute read though!

Week At a Glance...

2008-02-23T12:46:00.000-08:00

I've been inspired my Mel to get a little more organized. And this girl is right...it does feel good!! It makes your week less stressful, all of us moms can use that right!? So, I briefly last week jotted down my chores and did up a little schedule. I mostly followed this week and it did feel good. I didn't get 100% of it done, I'll be honest. I found myself busy early morning and nap time. I did do a little when the boys were awake too, trying to balance spending qt time with them and getting things done too!

At the end of the day I could visualize what I accomplished besides tackling monsters for my toddler and comforting my babies crys. Yes the later are the most important but it's nice to have our home running smoothly.

I welcome any feedback on how to make my schedule run even smoother ... and with time I hope to get there....

List of chores
Laundry - Tues/Friday
dusting - our bedroom, boys bedroom, office, living room - weds
beds - daily making, weekly washing sheets (Monday)
wash kitchen floor - Tuesday
meal planning - Friday
bathrooms - Chris weekend
grocery shopping - weekend
windex windows - Monday
vacuuming - living room daily. the rest Monday
ironing - Monday
cleaning out fridge - Thursday
coupons - Sunday
towel/dishcloths washing - Monday, wed, Friday

schedule
Monday - vacuuming, windex windows, ironing. sheets, towels
Tuesday - Laundry, wash kitchen floor
Wednesday - dusting, towels
Thursday - cleaning out fridge
Friday - meal planning, laundry, towels

daily chores
make beds
clean kitchen
sweep
wipe down counters

Buffalo Chicken!!!

2008-02-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

Here is a recipe that I want to share. My sister-in-law shared it with me! I made this during superbowl for my hubby who has recently lost changed his eating lifestyle (we don't like the word "diet" - dosn't sound fun!). He loved it!! My two year old actually enjoyed it as well. It tastes very much like buffalo wings.

Weight Watchers Buffalo Chicken Recipe

1/4 cup Lousiana-style hot sauce (here is a chance to use up some Frank's!)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tobasco)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons butter
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 carrots, cut into sticks
3 celery stalks, cut into sticks
1/2 cup fat-free blue cheese dressing

Combine the hot sauce, pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add 5 teaspoons of the butter, stirring until melted. Melt the remaining one teaspoon of the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned, 8-10 minutes. Add the pepper sauce mixture and cook for about 1 minute longer, tossing the chicken to coat. Serve with the veggies and dressing.

The Cup of Chocolate

2008-02-16T18:14:00.000-08:00

The Cup Of Chocolate

A group of graduates were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some very exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides or distorts what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... and then you began eyeing each other's cups to see whose was best.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate. Your job, money and position in society are the cups; they are just tools to hold and contain life, the cup you have does not define, nor change, the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

And enjoy your hot chocolate!!

Cheers!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2008-02-14T10:13:00.000-08:00

Wishing a Happy Valentine's Day!!

Happy Half A Year To Our Baby Boy!!!

2008-02-12T06:22:00.000-08:00

Our baby boy turned six months yesterday. Cherishing every day with him!!!

Cindy's Rosted Red Pepper Soup

2008-02-11T12:37:00.000-08:00

This is on our menu for tonight...

This recipe is from my mother in law. She made it for us while visiting during Andrew's birth. It is simply delicous...

Cindy’s Roasted Red Pepper Soup

3 red peppers
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion diced
1 teaspoon Thai Red Curry Paste (I add a little extra if you prefer it hot – not too much)
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Under broiler, roast peppers (turning occasionally) for 15 minutes or until skins are charred black. Place in a glass bowl and cover or seal with saran wrap. Leave for about 10 minutes. Peel and cut in half, reserve any juice you can, discard the charred skin, stems and seeds.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onions, cook five minutes or until soft. Stir in curry paste, cook three minutes. Stir in stock, roasted peppers and any reserved juice, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes. In a blender, puree mixture in batches. Return to saucepan and heat until hot. Stir in coconut milk and salt. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with sliced green onions. Enjoy!

Good Times!

2008-02-08T18:36:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is getting close... To start celebrating - Matthew, Andrew and I had two of our favorite princesses and their mom (Mel) over to decorate some cookies. What a blast we had...Matthew just keeps asking for his friends to come back :-)

Simple ... good times!

Friendship Month

2008-01-30T19:01:00.000-08:00

Hey there! I learned today that this is "Friendship Month". I am in Mom's Club and this was posted in our monthly newsletter it was written by our president "Liz Rodrigez"....

"Friendships – who needs them? I do, I do! Most of us have at least one true friend in our lives. Whether we have one or more true friends, it’s important to realize that we need our friendships to give us fulfillment. At different stages of our lives, what we need in a friend may change. Sometimes we outgrow friendships or move to a new place and long for our old friends. This month is International Friendship month. So, it’s a month to notice and nurture existing friendships and perhaps build new friendships to enrich our lives.

Our lives can be so hectic at times and it may seem that it’s hard to connect with people that truly matter to us. Time for connecting with friends is essential to our well-being and quality of life. Whether it is a regularly scheduled lunch date, a handwritten "just thinking about you" note, or a regular phone call, we should strive to connect consistently. Making the effort to be there for friends at a critical moment will mean so much. And, telling your friends that they are special is an easy and small gesture but makes a great impact on the feelings of your friends. "

I thought this was so nice, so I had to share it here!

I've lived in Canada most of my life, then California, and now home is Texas. I've made friends with these travels, that I'm greatful for. Thankfully, I have my best friend beside me everyday, my dearest hubby!

Happy Friendship Month To ALL my dear Friends!!!!!

Disney Movies at a good deal - at least I think!

2008-01-24T12:51:00.000-08:00

Another wet rainy day here. And my baby has some sniffles, a touch of a cold I think. No fever so that's good!

I found a good deal on Disney movies that I thought I would share. The first three are $1.99 and free shipping! The catch is you have to buy five at regular prise in the next two years. Sounds pretty good to me! Thoughts welcome??

http://disney.videos.go.com/General/Acquisition/SignUp/Index?locale=en_US&promoCode=92801&splash=yes

Home Made Dressing Recipe

2008-01-22T11:55:00.000-08:00

Since the new year I've decided to make my own dressings. Here is a recipe (from my mom) for one that I just made and it tastes so yummy!!!

1/4 cup splenda

2 tsp sesame seeds

1 tbs poppy seeds

1 1/2 tsp red onion

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar.

All you do is mix all the above together. You may want to take it out of the fridge half hour before using it because the oil solidifies a little if not. I actually put a little less splenda. And I use a little more vinegar and a little less oil. The next time I make it I'm going to double the batch so it lasts a little longer. Hope you Enjoy!!!

A Happy Marriage

2008-01-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

I'm all about a nurturing my marriage. I believe it's the foundation of our family. While most of the times the pieces just fall in place as they should, sometimes it does require work! Yesterday while at Starbucks (enjoying some much needed mommy time), I was reading an article in Real Simple that had a couple of nice tips to the secrets of a good marriage. Here's a couple to share....

1. My personal favorite....Never argue with your cloths on. If you are out and about to fight you know that you have to wait until you are home and undressed. By then you've usually forgotten what the trouble was all about. he!he!

2. Choose to stay in love. Do things for each other to help out ie watch a chick flick with your wife or a football game with your hubby. Things will change over time but don't let your being in love change.

3. Kiss every day!

4. And this one was really cute... asking an elderly neighbor the secret to a happy marriage and his reply ... "My wife and I agreed long ago that I'd make all the big decisions and she'd make all the little decisions. And in all these years together, there just haven't been any big decisions! :-)

Vineger & It's Many Uses

2008-01-17T12:40:00.000-08:00

This post is from Popsicles On The Porch's website! Please check out her cool post on the many uses of vinegar. And to add to it here is my tip!!

In our household we actually use vinegar as glass cleaner. It does wonders on car windshields. And the best part of all is it's environmentally friendly :-)

Here is how it's done...

Heat up half vinegar and half water in microwave. Dampen newspaper with it (not the fliers, but the actual newspaper part). Wipe window and keep wiping in circles until the vinegar and water has evaporated. Now give it a try! You'll be impressed!!!!

New Year, New Post!!

2008-01-15T09:02:00.000-08:00

It's a New Year!!

Part of a New Year comes New Year resolutions. One of mine is to write more blogs!! A couple more of my resolutions are:

Take better care of my family and marriage, as they are so important to me!! How to do this? Aim for better lifestyle change in our eating habits. Try and exercise routinely. Plan little activities on the weekend to do together. It's important a family play together! Reserve some time at the end of the day just for me and my husband to chill. While many resolutions do get broken, it's important to reflect often and have goals to keep it all together. Aiming for self improvment is always good!!!

One of our family's favorite things to do is to go for walks. And that takes care of a little exercise with some fun together. My older son enjoys looking for the stop signs along our walk. He tells me they are an "octagon" and then spells out the word S-T-O-P. And I'm just happy if my little one makes it through without crying too much :-)

Houston Zoo Trip

2007-10-30T07:51:00.000-07:00

I was a mother. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to cry. I felt such pride, such and incredible sense of wholeness. - Diahann Carroll

Here I am!! Finally back on blogger!!

I recently did my first big adventure with both my boys. We went to the Houston Zoo. Matthew my oldest LOVED the trip!! He had a blast except at the end of the trip he got bitten by a turtle. He tells everyone the story he says "turtle, bite, medicine." Yes, we got him some topical cream to prevent an infection and he calls it his medicine. He's doing fine and we'll make another trip to the zoo soon!

I'm loving having two. They are both rockin my world in a good way :-)

Ten Random Things about me!!

2007-08-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

(from my friend "A Mother's Journy" Blog...)

1. I'm extremely clumsy. I've fallen and bumped into things on a number of occasions...quite embarrassing...

2. I'm fussy and picky when it comes to my food...it has to be just so. Only my husband could deal with such foolishness.

3. This one is strange...I'll only get out of bed on an even number. i.e. 7:10 not 7:09.

4. I’m a terrible speller. Thank goodness for Spell Checker though, I think I've broken it a couple of times.

5. I am crazy when it comes to ironing. I like to iron everything. I've calmed down since having a baby...just not enough time...

6. While most people crave things like chocolate...I get weird cravings for fruit. One evening after work I almost had a mental breakdown for an apple. My husband asked "where are you going?"...And, I marched out the door telling him "I had to have an apple!"...then I walked (when we lived in California) about two miles to the grocery store to satisfy my craving.

7. I had a belly button piercing. I actually got it later in life, not as a teen. I got it after having Matthew. To me - it was my reminder to always take care of myself (my body) by eating healthy and trying to exercise. It's crazy how some people take better care of their cars then their own body. I took out my piercing since my current pregnancy...perhaps I'll do it again??

8. I love going to bed early with my husband, crawling up and watching "Outer Limits" or a movie in bed.

9. I love getting my hair cut, styled, or just played with.

10. I love shopping even for grocerys and when I get an awsome deal, I get a natural high!

Now that you've read my random things - try this yourself??

Simple Pleasures

2007-07-27T12:25:00.001-07:00

I like to find pleasure in simple non-materialistic things. Here are a few everyday simple pleasures that bring me joy!

A Kiss from a loved one!
Listening to my not even two year old count to 10 in the car as we drive along.
Watching my son try and sing and do the actions of a song at story time.
Watching my son play and giggle with his friends.
Watching my husband plant a banana tree in our backyard.
The smell of fabric softener on a load of towels.
A good nights sleep free of any awakenings.
A phone call from my husband just because he wants to talk to our son.
My husband letting me sleep in on the weekend, while he watches our son.

Remember To Dance!

2007-06-20T19:42:00.000-07:00

My cousin (a fellow stay at home mom) sent me this today in an email. I'm not much for forwarded "crap" but, this one is profound.

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine. I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word "refrigeration" mean nothing to you? How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television? I cannot count the times I called my sister and said , "How about going to lunch in a half hour?" She would gas up and stammer, "I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain" And my personal favorite:"It's Monday." She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because We cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches.. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect! We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on " and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit." When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-Decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting? Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you. Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply? When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say "Hi"? When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift..Thrown away.... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

Happy Father's Day to my Husband and Matthew's Daddy!

2007-06-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

A little blog to recognize our favorite person! Just a some of the things we love about you!

You're a good teacher and leader.
Reading Time
Playtime!
You protect us
You always think about our future
You are a very good provider.
You always want the best for us
Dreaming with you
Vacations with you
Pillow wrestling with Matthew and daddy!
Sunday afternoon adventures with Daddy
The way you treat mommy like a princess.
Snuggle time with you.
Watching Outer Limits with you.
Laughing with you

*To be continued....Outer Limits time!

Father's Day Craft

2007-06-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

Matthew and Daddy! Chris gets Matthew out of bed most every morning. This picture was taken last weekend while they were playing after Matthew woke up. I overheard them on the baby monitor. Chris was teaching Matthew a new word....it was FART!!! Yes, yes, oh my, and to think I have another boy on the way! Boys will be boys I guess :-) And, I do love my boys even though they can be a lil gross at times!!!

Father's Day is next week and we're getting ready!!!! On Friday I took Matthew to a craft day hosted by MOMs Club. We made a craft for his daddy! It's really very easy and cute! All it takes is a small tub of Play-Doh. And, all you do is use a rolling pin to roll out the Play-Doh into a circle shape. While doing this I let Matthew play and explore with a little Play-Doh while keeping a close eye on him. At his age (21 months) you have to be careful they don't put it in their mouth! Then, have your child press their hand print into the rolled out Play-Doh. This part may take a couple of attempts - Matthew liked to try and grip the Play-Doh while doing this. But, on the third try we got it! I helped him push his hand into the Play-Doh to get a good impression. Once this is done, use a tooth pick to write "Happy Father's Day". We also put the date and Love, Matthew on the work of art! And, finally bake it in the oven on wax paper at 375 for an hour. Keep an eye on it while doing it - I actually only had to put ours in the oven for 45 minutes. Another option is let it air dry but, this could take a week!

Next week Matthew will do a Father's Day treat for his daddy at story time. I wonder what it will be?!?!? We have story time every Wednesday! This past week I signed Matthew up for the summer reading program. It's very neat and best of all free! Children from birth through elementary school read books or are read to. Incentives (bookmarks, door hangers, etc are the reward for reading . And, at the twenty book a little trophy is awarded! Encouraging reading is so important for children, as it helps them develop a vivid imagination!

A Fever for My Lil Boo

2007-06-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Matthew had a fever last night so, not a fun night! He slept pretty well all considering. But, putting him down for the night was a little more difficult then usual. I normally let him put him self to sleep once his routine for the night is done. But, last night I lingered a little longer then normal laying beside him in bed. I worried he needed a little extra comforting with his fever. I have to admit I do love just laying next to him in bed. But, I don't want to spoil him and have him resentful when the next baby comes because I can't linger as long. He always smells so nice at bedtime after his bath, smells of baby shampoo and lavender. After about twenty minutes of laying with him, he drifted off to sleep. As I made my way out of his room (about 9pm), I took one last look at my baby - he really is growing up too fast - In his big boy bed all ready!

He awoke again around 5:30am with a fever. Chris and I gave him some Motrin and I tried unsuccessfully to get him to go back to sleep. So, Lil Boo was up out of bed around 6am this morning. He is napping now, he went down around 1pm, let's hope it's a good nap - he sure needs it!

My DNA

2007-06-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

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