Take a moment and laugh hysterically.

Lately I feel like I've been living in a mad house and I'm not sure if I'm a patient or an orderly. We had a wonderful reprieve for a few days with some very dear friends in Virginia and I wished I could stay a month. It was relaxing and peaceful. Watching the kids play with eachother and, hopefully, build friendships was wonderful. Listening to my son scream "uh oh/" as he threw his toys at people in church was less relaxing but equally entertaining. Then we began our return trip and it went about the way things seem to always go for me lately. The GPS decided to take us to Lancaster, probably a hint that we should go there sometime, after driving 45 min. out of the way we realized that we were not going where we wanted to be. So we turned around. Then the rains came down and the children poured milk all over themselves and my husbands car, we were almost rear ended and that was only a small part of the excitement. Once we got home the kids were put to bed and the bags packed for the cardiologist in the morning. I drove an hour each way and it was well worth it. We found out nothing was wrong! "YEAY!" Then I got lost on the way home, then I was thrown up upon and it rained again and the grass was not mowed. We got home about 3:00. We left the next morning for a Dr. appt for me and discover I have a "suspicious" mole that needed to be removed. I told the Dr. that the mole didn't want to come because it was suspicious something like this would happen. I was given antibiotics for an infection and sent on my way to Franklin. In Franklin we decided to get Pizza but our GPS was not up to date and took us somewhere else. Fine, we were right next door to my husbands favorite place to eat! They were closed. Something about vacation. So we went on to the next place and everyone was fed and we were off to the grocery store by 1:30. Grocereies purchased and home by 5:00. Wed was going to go a lot better.

Wednesday rolled around bright and clear. It was even cool. This would be a great day! I mowed the lawn, the lawnmower quit and had to have a small surgery. Hailey is a very good assistant. Next I trimmed the shrubs until the handle broke off of the clippers. At this  point I probably would have danced around chucking the clippers but Hailey was up from her nap. Keeping my temper in check I got the wagon out and we started loading it with sticks. Randy and I planned an all night painting party so I got some things around and cleaned the house. Then it was time to leave again for the library, the pharmacy, and Go group. We had a fiasco. See Teachable moment. We finally made it home, hurt my back getting the new freezer in the basement ( new to us! only 100. and we were able to get it before the blueberry season ended!!!) got some food and a bath for the kids. I was feeling frustereated because it was 9:45, the kids were not in bed, and we weren't ready to paint. Then it happened. Hailey went to take a sip of milk and the lid came off and she screamed, " I'm wet. " I looked at Daddy and nearly died laughing. He looked like someone had broken his piggy bank, stole his dog and wrecked his car.  I laughed all the way up stairs to get the map and all the way back down. I kept laughing as I mopped the floor and cleaned up the kids. As I think about it this morning I still have to laugh. I don't know what's coming next, I don't know if our series of small disasters is over ( they started before vacation with the freezer dying, the car tire going flat every other day, and the dryer not working) but after a good laugh I think I'm ready for whatever comes up next. A merry heart really is good like medicine. Proverbs 17:22

Teachable moment

Poor Hailey. Mommy and Hailey both wanted to cry when Piggy died in the Walmart parking lot. There is a long back story to this tragedy. Hailey had a piggy bank that she loved... she literally loved it to death. One day she took the piggy to bed with her and it fell out and shattered. She was very sad and wanted a new piggy. Mommy said she would have to wait and see if she got a piggy or enough money for one on her birthday. GG pulled through and gave her enough. She was very excited when we finally remembered her money and bought a new piggy! Sadly this poor piggy would not even live to see Hailey's room.
Mommy made a mistake. She put the piggy in the car and let Hailey put her money it is but mommy forgot to close the door. Piggy fell out. She fell, accompanied by cries of sadness from her new owner, down, down, down, to the parking lot and broke into many pieces. Hailey wanted a new one very badly. Mommy wanted to get her a new one but was torn. Mommy wanted Hailey to learn a few things. Mommy said they would take the pieces home and think about what to do. Hailey didn't have enough money for a new one. When they got home it was very late and Hailey was distracted by another small accident. Mommy came up with a plan. She glued the piggy together. Some pieces were missing but piggy was mostly in one piece. Then mommy put Hailey's money back in the piggy. Hailey and mommy were able to talk about, without it being too sad, how its important to be careful with things like piggy banks and brothers. How money is the way we buy things and we can't always get a new one when something breaks, and how we can fix things. Sometimes we don't just throw things away when they break. Now piggy is extra special because now we have a memory attached to her.

Mommy learned a lesson too. Sometimes a little heartbreak is ok, when we get that heart back together won't be the same, it might be little easier to break next time, but it will have a special kind of beauty that only experience and memories can give. Ecclesiastes 3:9-11

The Shower...part 2

My husband occasionally travels. These travels give me small insights into the struggles of single parenting, as I mentioned in the Shower, it is much harder to shower with toddlers around than when they were infants. Hailey has reached the point where I can get into the shower and she will take it in stride, but as a precaution I lock the doors, give her a drink, turn on Curious George, and crack the bathroom door so she can use the potty if necessary. When Blake was an infant I would nestle him into a bed of pillows on the bathroom floor. This was cautionary, Hailey often tried to love him to death when I wasn't looking. These days if I try to pee with the door closed I hear hysterical little boy giggles and I know, I KNOW, that he is halfway up the stairs. The boy loves to live on the edge... literally.  This is the reason that I endevour to never shower when he is not safely encased behind his blue and green prison bars.

We all fall short of our goals sometimes and today was the day that Blake got up at 5:30, Hailey needed to be given breakfast and a story during his nap, I had a night out with some ladies ( which I have not had in over 2 months ) and said little fellow only remained asleep for 15 minutes. I was just about to climb into the shower, when a wail irrupted from the youngest child's cell. He was ready to be released into the world, prepared to climb great heights, drop cell phones into the potty, and empty all the cupboards.  You can see why he is incarcerated when supervision is not readily available. I felt, as an experienced warden, I had a way to keep my unruly prisoner safe from himself and the rest of us from his pilfering ways. I locked him in the bathroom with me. In retrospect this was foolish desperation but at the time I was over confident and diluted myself into thinking that snacks, a bottle, and three cupboards ( normally empty but I cleverly placed interesting toys inside to be discovered when our young criminal entered to steal and empty whatever containers he could find) would be enough to distract even a highly dedicated break in artist. I was wrong.

After a few moments of quiet munching the little maniac realized the warden had let her guard down. He then commenced to attempt to tear the shower curtains rod from the wall with glee. The warden, after only a second of consideration, whipped the curtain inside the tub. This limited the prisoners access to the curtain and ruined his fun. The warden smiles and confident smile and begins shampooing her hair, unaware that the small prisoner is preparing his newest trick. Giggles erupt from the other side of the curtain, the warden's confidence is shaken, she pears around the corner. Her heart skips a beat, there is no baby on the floor anywhere, the warden stumbles from the shower oblivious to the water pouring onto the floor. She stops. There is a baby sitting on top of the toilet bowl. The warden sighs. Direct supervision is required. The prisoner is stripped and given bath toys.

Wanted for excessive cuteness.

Master training her companion.

Baby Blake's Turn

 My son does not get a lot of press. His sister is VERBAL! She comes up with bizarre, hilarious, and adorable things to say all the time. She tells me how she is turning into a three, and next year  in June she'll turn into the next number. She's full of it. Poor Blake doesn't talk but I'm finding he is equally hilarious and equally stubborn. Blake loves to wrestle. He'll crawl up to Hailey and attack her. They love to wrestle and tickle. He likes to sneak up behind her and make a pinching motion at her behind. She runs away every time and he crawls after her giggling hysterically.

 He has developed a fascination with cupboard. Narnia exists and it is located inside my corner cupboard! It must considering all the time he spends in there investigating. He'll even close the door sometimes. He's a funny boy. 

When caught he does his best to look innocent.

He loved the beach, his favorite activity didn't get photographed because we went without Daddy. He loves being swung around in the water. He does NOT like his floaty. That's ok. Haily still loves the thing. He's a busy boy. Constantly on the move. Constantly hunting for food. He says " um um" which I am choosing to believe means yum yum, whenever he sees me with food. He says Muma and Dada pretty clearly now. I think he may become verbal like his sister any day now. I can't wait to hear what they have to say to each other!

Birthday parties and outings!

A pirate ship... This ship is not completed but i didn't get a picture of it finished

Hailey named the parrot Larry

A princess pirate set up!

The princess pirate and her pirate pals

These two had a blast

walking the plank

playing with her pirate loot

Birthday, anniversary, and graduation! O my!

Hello again! It's me, the crazy lady. This month has been absolutely jammed packed with celebrations and activities! I'll just have to list them off chronologically.  First there was, what is perhaps my favorite thing to celebrate, Randy's birthday. I love celebrating his birthday. He hate's celebrating his birthday. The one things he likes about his birthday is every year I make him a special cake. He doesn't like cake so he gets a fruit pie, ice cream cake, whatever is new and interesting. This year it was banana split cake. He loved the cake and even invited our neighbors down to partake. It was a good day. Then there is our anniversary. This year we had to celebrate it on the road because we traveled.

Cake!!!?!!

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H enjoying a little treat

You may have noticed that I have an addiction. It isn't to sweets, I like a good dessert as much as the next person but I really just want a taste and I'm satisfied. I don't want a lot of anything so I don't bake often. I'd have to eat the stuff more than I want to and I'd be really fat. I worked hard to get skinny! I'm addicted to baking. Not just baking but experimental baking. I love it when people invite me over and ask me to bring dessert. This give me a chance to break out my blender, my coffee pot, the nutella and maybe a recipe for guidance. ( I didn't say I was a mad scientist! ) Today I made a cake that will probably kill us! One slice might just send us to heaven! I made my favorite chocolate cake ( wacky cake!) and created a monster. I got creative with peanut butter ( well chocolate NEEDS peanut butter!) Nutella and cream cheese. Then I made some whipped cream, but I thought who wants plain whipped cream? So I made some hazelnut coffee icing. Then I thought this just isn't right. What is missing? Chocolate whipped cream! YES! I didn't have a frosting Bag so I made one and this is what came out of the kitchen. Frankenstein Monster! Like I said this cake might just kill us, but what a way to go! AND I'm super excited! If  my one piece of cake doesn't kill me then I can make a chocolate cake with raspberry filling for my friend on a vegan diet. I'm going to die of happiness because I don't have to figure out what to do with the cakes later. As you can see, I don't have to figure out what to do with the whipped cream left in the bowl.

Mr. Mini Man.

My name is Blake. I'm a handful and pretty mobile these days.

I'm not allowed to swing in this anymore. I pulled myself out by grabbing the post. It was fun and I laughed but my mommy got scared. Silly Mommy.

I am now able to dump boxes of toys! I love it.

I like to dress up because I know I'm a stud.

See! A Biker stud.

I have to share with this chic, but that's ok. She found my Easter Basket for me.

Cinderella?

 I wish to be always childlike. I have two children to help me fulfill this wish. It's a good thing I have them too because I become much to absorbed in the chores I want to get done. I forget that " in every job that must be done there is an element of fun. Find that fun and SNAP, that Job is a game."  A couple of weeks ago I needed to scrub my floors down ( every two weeks or so I hand scrub my floors and move all the furniture) I was determined to get this done! But my daughter wanted a story. Guess what story she wanted? Cinderella, because " Mommy is my princess." After reading Cinderella Hailey wanted to help. Now she had to be dressed as a princess, of course, so we got her in a get up and she found the dress that was given to me to make her a princess outfit. She insisted that I be her Cinderella. We were Cinderella together.

Every mom should get a gown at the thirft store, get a gown a few sizes too big and do this. I couldn't believe how much fun we had.

She actually worked very hard!

There were a few slip-ups... literally. She is rubbing her bum after a fall .

But she kept smiling and kept working. Just like a real princess. Hopefully a bit like her " mommy princess."

Food and Family

                                                

This is not a food blog! I don't know why I keep talking about it except, well I think about it a lot and I make food a lot. Food and family go together, the Italian in me loves to feed people and my family is glad to be fed. Not just my immediate family, my extended family likes to be fed too. Especially if it is a yummy treat. We have all been on a get fit kick. My husband, myself, my MIL, my SIL and BIL have lost a whole person between us. We all like a little treat, and can have one, within reason. 

 SIL ( I'm not using her name because I didn't ask if I could) asked for cookies. Hailey and I got to work . Hailey says she is "a hard worker, and works hard for chocowait. " She helped me mix the dough, shape cookies, and she even got to reap the benefits. We had some small accidents along the way. I let her crack and egg. She was pretty shocked when it fell out " the wrong side" and missed the bowl completely. I love watching her get her pan, the one she had to " do all by myself", and take it to the oven. She was so serious about her "work". 

Blake even had fun watching her. I think he was hoping she would sneak him something while I wasn't looking. She does that. He's had several foods I don't think he's ready for because I looked away. We made some experimental cookies. I think they turned out ok. We like to "get creative in the kitchen like Curious George." Between the two of us we were able to get 126 cookies for " Aunt SIL's house." 

 I loved the way she looked at me with her big dark eyes and said " Maybe she will share the chocolate with me." I can't believe she's grown up enough to help me in the kitchen. I miss my baby but I love spending time with my little girl. Every day is full of special treats just for me to enjoy and I'm so thankful I can be home with the kids and enjoy them.

Sweets, with an ulterior motive

If you know my daughter you know she loves her sweets. She is pretty good about veggies but she LOVES cookies. I love to bake so we get along really well.
We are planning a trip back to Bradford County and I saw my chance to bake and not have too many sweets around. I was going to pawn everything off on my SIL. Then I accidentally discovered something we just cant share! Sneaky sweets. Sweets with VEGGIES! 
My plan was to try to make a healthier version of pumpkin cookies. I was ready with my applesauce for oil plan when I discovered I had used my can of pumpkin for smoothies. Shoot! What now? Hmmm think, think... I am a bear of little brain and I have ADD...wow that pan is shiny! Sweet potatoes were the last thing I made in that...sweet potato pie is good....its a lot like pumpkin pie...I have sweet potatoes. So after a bit of pondering and modifying the recipe we made cookies!
Now I wont lie. They would probably be even better with butter and chocolate chips. The ones we "tested with our mouths because they are cookies and ummy" were moist and pretty good! Next time I will try to make them with whole wheat flour so we can have super healthy cookies.

Hailey tells me we need to make them every day. I told her she could have one everyday. Two even. They are only 46 calories apiece. Hailey is willing to share ONE with Daddy. Speaking of Hailey, I have been blogging while I feed Blake and I haven't heard her in awhile. Hope there are some cookies left! If not at least I know she has had her veggies.

Ingredients:

• 1 Large sweet potato washed and pealed (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour ( or just 2 cups of all purpose flour)
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup apple sauce ( I used Mott's all Natural, no sweetener)
•  1 tsp Vanilla

Method:
Preheat oven to 350
Use cooking spray to coat cookie sheet.
Cut potato and boil until soft. Drain water and mash ( if you have a food processor,which I do not, I would run it though that. ) If you  are very serious about calorie counting measure the sweet potato. You should have 1 1/2 cups. In a medium bowl mix sweet potato, apple sauce, sugar & vanilla ( You could probably use almond extract here if you wanted. ) Add dry ingredients and mix. ( I used a hand mixer on medium speed.) For a extra yummy goodness you could add 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips here. I checked it out and that would bring your calories up to 56 a cookie. Drop mounded teaspoonful onto cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. I have a quick bake option and with that it only takes about 7 min. Makes 32 cookies plus one or two.

Fairies and Angels

Little boys believe in fairies too. They believe in the tooth fairy and the fairy that steals all the matching socks. Grown men believe in the fairy that matches the socks, magically make clothing appear in the dresser, keep the bathroom clean and conjure a sack lunch every morning before they even get up. That fairy was no where to be found this week. That fairy fell down the stairs, then passed out in the living room and hurt herself. We all missed that fairy. She was replaced by a hardworking Daddy who doesn't clean floors, but makes that bathroom sparkly. She was still stuck, watching things pile up, when Daddy had to go back to work but never fear! There are little angels in this house. Everyday the little angel picked up the toys and carried them up the stairs one at a time. It took all morning but she did a great job. The little angel learned to put her clothes in the drawer herself because the laundry fairy couldn't bend down and do it. Because of  Daddy and the angel Blake still thinks that fairies still fill the drawer with socks... to eat.

Valentines... Wheel you be mine?

I love to give gifts and make things for people. I have a ton of fun giving things to people. Unfortunately I'm not rich and I don't have unlimited time. This year for Valentines day I enlisted a little help. I got to make up fun little one liners and Hailey painted pictures. She loved painting and mailing them. She also told me what to write on them. It was a riot listening to her tell me " Bees sting you," " Wheel you be my valentine... I dunno what that is." and my favorite, " I am was a baby but now I'm a big girl, I am Hailey."  We couldn't do very many but there were a few lucky recipients.  The sad part was I forgot to sign most of them. Oops.