Bubble Blowin'

It has been a very busy few days. I have been working, but we have also gotten a lot done in the house. The ceiling is done, the new light fixtures are now up, and I can get painting the walls. By the end of next week we will have the floor done!

It has been no fun doing all this with the little ones under our feet, so yesterday we went outside to blow bubbles, and play with sidewalk chalk. FUN! Leah has the funniest way of blowing bubbles, she doesn't do it quite right, but somehow every now and then will end up with a tiny stream of bubbles coming out. She spits more than she blows. Ha! And she spills tons. I kept telling her keep the bubbles up, well...she totally interpretted that as meaning "Hold them up in the air!" BTW, in montage...the band aid on her neck, no owie, she just wanted a band aid on her neck...lol. And, toward the end, she was tiring, tantrum ensued. Pics say it all.

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Today, they were eating the snack in the 'jungle' and Beau starts hollering at me..."MOM...YOU NEED TO GROW SOME PANTIES!" I was like, "What did you say?" I had to think a minute...he meant PANSIES. That boy!

Of late, that boy has been so very outspoken, and overly social. If there is such a thing. He just wants to know everything, and wants to tell everyone everything. He'll just blurt out, "Hey, Hey lady!" to the cashier at the grocery store. I tell him, "You need to be polite! You need to say, 'Excuse me' then quietly say or ask what you are going to say." He is getting better, he's just so so so so SOCIAL! Gregarious, one might say. At the park he hollered out to me, "HEY MOM! IS THIS THE BUSH THAT I PEE IN?" A little potty training trick D used...THANKS A LOT!

He is also ever so stinkin' energetic. He runs like mad, and never stops! He is so busy. SO BOY.

I wish I could get a little of it from him. He is forever climbing on anything he can anymore, and most of the time, it is NOT what he should be climbing on. Gotta keep my eyes open! My one boy, my only son. A huge change from all those girls!

He has also figured out how to play Mario Bros. on Super Nintendo, I still have it from when we were kids. Very smart little guy. He wants to play all the time. He has even figured out how to play the SIM CITY game, and what he does is, he builds a small city, and then sends a natural disaster to destroy it so he can start all over. And, ofcourse, he always has train tracks aplenty, and an airport. :) I don't think he will be a slow learner at all!

Right now...

My house is a complete disaster of undone renovations!!!
I am finding that, although it is needed, I HATE CHANGE!
Our dining room is now full of all the furniture we own, excluding the kids' bedroom stuff. We now can all eat in the dining room, not 'together', but in the same room, which hasn't happened for awhile. I am so glad we are NOT moving, I would be going stark raving MAD!
Oh, and picking out carpet simply sucks! There are so many different textures, colors, and prices, that it is like asking a 2yo to pick the very best cheapest, yet yummiest sucker out of a shelf of 100! It's gonna take her awhile...
Good thing is, we are to be done with ceilings, painting, and flooring by March 12. I just can't quite see the light at the end of the tunnel at this point.
Thinking about all of this brought back to memory a boyfriend I had when I was, oh, about 14-15. This was a family of 8, blended, 6 kids, and 2 adults. They had this room, I never quite understood with so many kids. It was the WHITE ROOM. White carpet, white couch. Never to be sat in, walked through... I never never could understand. I mean, that could just never work in my home. So, un-practical.
It is so hard to choose though, a carpet to not only withstand the traffic 4 kids will be placing on it, yet also look nice, and not be so light to show every little spill or stain the tots make. Yet, also, stay within a reasonable budget.
I just know, no matter what we end up choosing, my OCD side is going to make me crazy...every little spot is going to keep me awake at night. In fact, D even said, "Now, you know, you won't be able to shampoo the carpet every month..." Oh, D, you think you know me so well...

The Park...again...

It is just not easy keeping 4 kids quiet at home on a day D has to sleep after working a graveyard. So...this is what we end up doing...THE PARK! Only today, we went to a park we most never go to. It has a lot of old school stuff. You don't see the super tall metal slides anymore, and definitely not the metal merry-go-round. Everything anymore has been replaced with plastic. Even in my hometown, a park we had with a giant metal dome climber, no longer has it.
Beau and Leah had never been on a merry-go-round, and they were scared at first, mostly Leah, but then they loved it! The girls loved the teeter-totters, and I even gave in and teetered with Grace. They thought it was pretty funny. Mom on a teeter totter. Haha. No, really, HA HA. A bit of sarcasm there. I think I'm too fat for that thing. Although, Grace did give me a big bump, and so I did so back. She probably flew about 2 feet of the seat, still holding on. Got a few pics, just had to...

A Win & Stuff

Tonight we met my sister at the Pizza Parlor for dinner, the kids always want to play the games, and I always make them 'fake' it. I hate putting $ after $ into those stinkin' machines! But, tonight I let them play a bit for real, and I tried my luck at the toy grabber machine, you know, whatever it's called. Leah saw a mini stuffed Rainbow Sherbert doll (strawberry shortcake character), and so I thought I would try to get it. It took me a couple tries, but I finally got it! Then, I tried again, feeling lucky, and won another doll. Then...a rainbow unicorn...and then a Betty Boop doll!!! Boy, was I on a roll. I have never won anything out of one of those machines, EVER. I hate them, they are such a money sucker. But, tonight luck was on my side! Ha. Leah was so excited, with each try, she was jumping up and down in anticipation. Just happens that she was the one that ended up with the toys, except for Betty Boop, my sister took that. We had fun.

Earlier today I had gone to the fabric store in search of a fish shaped cookie cutter. Specially for making this craft I saw in my Family Fun magazine. Fish shaped soap on a rope, but not your typical soap on a rope, more like many fish on a string. You take one off as you run out. Very cute, and great for that boy. But, ofcourse they had no fish shaped cookie cutters. In fact, they carry no more baking items at all! In searching however, I came across the cutest little girls outfit on a manequin. I have to make it! I have not sewn for a long long time, but I must make this. Leah's jaw dropped, and she said, "oooohhhh!" So, I'll make it for her. Luckyily the pattern was on sale, as well as the fabric. Perfect timing I guess. I am making with different fabrics than the model one was made, but still it will be so cute. The teal is for the pants/shorts, and contrast for the straps on the top and ruffles to the top, then the patchwork seersucker is for the main portion of the shirt. Super cute BIG bow to middle of top. Sooooo 3yo cute! The fabric was called Tutti Frutti, and I even found buttons to match perfectly.
My girls kept telling me about this song they like on the way home tonight. Called International Harvester. Country. I don't listen to country, but my Grace does on occasion. I looked it up on youtube to see what the hoop-laa was all about, and honestly, it's funny. I kinda like it too. Goofy kinda. But, harmless. Check it out!

Nasty Grannies

So, I'm at the fabric store, in line with the tots, and these older women are behind me, gossiping it up. B&L are fine, they are looking at candy in line, they are looking at easter stuff in the racks, fine...no bad behaviour. I hear these ladies loudly proclaim..."Man, I am SO glad my kids are grown!" Okay, that was fine, whatever...then they just kept on making little comments *blah blah blah*, indicating, in my opinion, how sickened they were with my little ones in sight.
Still, the kids are behaving fine, appropriate, and listening well. Then, the lady says, "I wish I had some funny stories to tell about my grandkids, but...I don't. They live with me." And, she said it with such disgust that I wanted to turn around and just have my say. I guess you'd have to have been there, but I just could not believe that they were talking this way. Even about thier own grandchildren.
My rant for the day...

Toddler Behaving Badly

Little Leah is pushing the outer most limits of my patience. That girl has ripped the pages out of about 4 books now, (going back to board books) ripped Beau's Nemo poster, and 'colored' all over my hutch windows with string cheese.

Tonight, she began sprinkling her 7up out into her hand and rubbing it all over herself in the high chair tonight, all the while saying, "I have to get clean, I need water on my arms, I have to get clean..." Even still after I told her over and over that it was not water, it was 7up!

Not to mention the absolute helacious tantrum she threw, kicking and screaming when we did not get a cookie this time at the bakery in the grocery store. I just walked away, left her, she followed, but I ended up having to swat her b u t t to before she would calm down. I can't stand that! It is so embarassing to be in public and have a child behaving such. I wanted to do so much more than just swat her b u t t. I had to just place her in her crib after the last incident which was the ripping of the poster, and let her cry.

We are rapidly approaching 3 ( 1 month away exactly), and as I've said before, 2?...well, 2 is nothing compared to the wrath of a 3 yo. Oh boy...I am so not ready for this, again.

Heart melting again...

While sitting down on the couch with that boy, out of the blue said,
"Mom, your sooo boo-tiful!"

He has never said that to me ever before. What a sweetie!

Snotty Noses & Hacky Coughs..ewwww!

Well, the flu bug has reached us. B&L have the worst. I would like to place blame on this lady at the park last week that was walking around the park with her kids just hacking and carrying on WITHOUT covering her face. Come on lady! But...I know it was inevitable with all the changes in weather we have had.

Last night the boy was the worst, and he is definitely soaking up all of Mommy's extra attention. Just like his Daddy! I put the vaporizer in his room last night, tried to explain to him what it would do, and he was pleased with the idea of it helping him to get better, but this morning he was quick to let this Momma know that he was not yet better and that the 'bay-per-ider' did not work. haha.

I put a little vapor rub on his upper lip, and he just came unglued...he said it was 'stingin'. Leah saw me do this, and once I was out of the room she decided to self medicate, and started rubbing the baby vapor rub cream all over her body! Augghhh! She claims she is all better now...:) Kids!

So, it's chicken noodle soup for dinner again...gotta go get some more 7-UP!

Here's a little fun...

THE MIDDLE NAME GAME...

"taken" from Michelle B. over at Our Full House :)

*Every answer must begin with 1st letter of your middle name

1. Middle name: Marie

2. Famous artist/band/musician: Marilyn Monroe (an artist of sorts :)

3. 4-letter word: more

4. U.S state: Montana

5. Boy name: Michael

6. Girl name: Melissa

7. Animal: Monkey

8. Something in the kitchen: Milk

9. Reason for being late: Mommy

10. Body Part: metatarsals

11. Drink: Mocha

12. Something you shout: Move!

13. Something you eat: Melon

Wordless Wednesday~What else would he take a pic of?

Play Date & A New Floor...A Vent

LONG WEEKEND!
D was to start the flooring while we were gone, but, he found, he wasn't quite ready yet. Still had to get a few more supplies, and float the floor in some areas. But, Monday, he got a go on it, and as of today, the dining area is "done", and it looks great! Trim, ofcourse, is not up, but the floor is down. No glitches so far...crossing my fingers! No, he's doing great. D is a handyman of sorts, but I just get so paranoid that he will get frustrated, and lose track, and then make a huge mistake that has to be redone. As has occured in the past. But, he has done a great job so far. Ha! Don't sound too confident do I?

We spent the day with my cousin and her kids. They hardly ever get to see eachother, and so we spent the day at the park...pizza...shopping a bit. Kids had so much fun, ran so hard, played so hard, they were wiped out! It was nice to get out of town for the day for me, too. The park we went to was HUGE! The kids ran all over the place. I was trying to keep up with where B&L were at all times, and in doing so, I turned abruptly at one point, not realizing a large bar was right behind me, and whacked my forehead hard! It still hurts. Oh, and I don't think Starkiss' and Sand quite go together...we'll skip DQ next time :)BTW, this park was HUGE! I have never seen one this big, great for all ages!

Vent oncoming...
I also worked last night, and honestly, it was the most insane night I have had for months! I had so many things happen that I could hardly keep up with my routine. This happens, and I go with it, but part of the issue was the help. I have only written up 2 CNA's in my almost 5 years of being a nurse, I don't like to have to do that. I would rather help them understand what they are to do, and why, and be encouraging. But...when someone just plain does not care, and is intent on lying to your face about what has been done...I LOSE IT! And, last night, an aid just blatantly lied to me, and the oncoming nurse, and the aides coming on to NOC. I just don't understand the reasoning in his mind to leave what he left undone. I will not tolerate it. I will say this, I have said it over and over and over and over again...IF YOU DON'T CARE, GET OUT OF HERE! It's that simple. Really. If you have no compassion, no empathy, no respect for others, then you should not be in geriatric care! Health care period. If you don't want to do the work, don't care to do the work, then why, why, why would you continue working here??? I know that there are other jobs for these young kids. I know what being a CNA is all about. I've been there, done that. It is hard, it is strenuous, it is demanding, it is what it is. Therefore, if you can't handle it, GET OUT!
Okay, I'll stop the vent, but really...I mean what I've said.
Super Nurse, NO, but I CARE D@M IT!

With a name like...

Meaning: Victory, Victorious Ruler
I love my name. I used to hate it so much as a child. I refused to be called by my whole first name. Now, as an adult, a Mom, that's what I prefer. At work, I go by my entire full first name, D thinks I'm crazy. I receive many compliments on it, and almost always a little quirky one starting with "QUEEN". Did you know there was a Queen Victoria? No, really...seriously? Ha. That is so common. But, my name is so UN common. I like that.

Go make your own sparklee, it's fun!

Happy Hearts Day!

Just for fun, saw this on Donna's blog, HAD TO DO IT TOO!


Hope you all had a wonderful, LOVE FILLED day! We did.
I received my Valentine Swap package today, IT WAS HUGE, I was feeling really bad being I sent a small one to the lovely lady over at Our Full House (not that size matters, right?). THANKYOU TONS! Please let me know when you get yours!
Kids loved thier valentine treats. I baked all morning, and noon. Cupcakes, cakes galore...it seemed. Girls loved thier mini tiered cakes, it was so fun, but much more work than I had thought. Oh well, it was a labor of love :) Little Lulu and that boy, LOVED thier little boxes of candy hearts yuck, and thier cupcakes too! I received many more 'I love you' s today than most days, but I always receive many anyway...LOVE THOSE KIDS! Take a peek at some pics below, Leah could not get over the fun of those little candy hearts, LOL.

A Real Freak Out

Okay, I took the kids to the park, another park, today. One we go to more often than not. It's a great park. But, this time was wierd.
We were walking to see the pond, look for ducks, and on our way back toward the play area, there was this man walking toward us. Not old, my age or younger. Scroungy looking. Scary kinda. I hate to judge, but as a MOM, I am always on gaurd when I am out with the kids like this. This park is secluded some, more trees, hills to hide around, not be seen if you don't want. Well, he was walking the path toward us, then he went off to the right, into the grass, and stood by a tree, just stood. Leah was lagging behind. Beau took off ahead for the playground, and I stood still waiting for Leah to get closer, rushing her, the man stood there, almost staring me down ,watching MY Lulu. I became a bit louder in calling her, walked closer to her, standing my ground, he just stood there staring. I was gettin' freaked out he might try to grab her away. I had my hands full of thier snacks, and drinks. I stared him back down...finally, she and I headed the other way toward the playground, that boy already far on the slide. That man watched us all the way, really eye-ing MY GIRL! Followed behind, then finally left when we were back at the play area near some other people.
Now, being a Mom of nearly 13 years, I have learned to read people. I work with people, I have for years, and that helps me read people. Being a Mother, it is imperative that you are one step ahead of everyone, everything... That man was a pedophile. He was thinking of how to get MY GIRL! I am so sick about this. This incidence has never happened to me with my children. So sick. Just so sick! I think, that park will be avoided for some time.
Go read this...it will get you thinking harder...PROTECTING THE GIFT.

Her sweet tooth talks...NO, IT SCREAMS! & Park Play

Not sure what is going on, but last night, Leah refused to sit in her high chair, and eat her dinner. She had repeatedly taken Beau's snacks from him earlier in the day, after eating her own, this may be part of it. But, at dinner time, all she wanted a popscicle, juice, and so-dee (chocolate milk, if your wondering). She insisted so much on this, that it turned into a complete and utterly unbearable tantrum. My ears were ringing. I knew no more at that moment than to send her to her room. I did so, only she kept on screaming, and banging to let me know she was mad. I swat her b u t t, and she keeps on. I was at wits end. So, she went to bed early, never did eat, had a drink of water, 2 books, and went to sleep.
I get up at 6:30am to make sure the girls get up for school, and make lunches. Leah's crib music was already playing... she was already awake. DH said when he got up for work yesterday morning, at 4:30, it was on too. I put her in bed with me, made her lay down, let her watch a cartoon, and then Drew woke up, and I started making breakfast for those 3.
Last night, I had made the Hershey's Kiss Gnome's with Drew for her to take to school today, and there were some left over kisses, Leah saw them, she begged and pleaded to have the whole bowl of them to eat. I never have, and never would do that. I let her have one. ONE. She then started the tantrum all over, as last night. I sent her to to her room. She finally calmed down, came out, saying "I'm sorry." She hates getting in trouble, and she is very good about saying sorry. So, I made something they all like, and will typically eat, scrambled eggs with grated cheese on top, "cheese eggs", and Leah ate like a pig, she was famished! The little thing would not eat anything last night, so I knew she was hungry. She is now much more tolerable. I'm gonna have to keep better check on that 'tude' of hers. I can't stand it!
Such extreme behaviour from one, really makes it hard to deal with the others...

Prior to the breakdown, I had taken the little ones to park to play. We had some nice, 'no coat' weather yesterday. It was so nice, no rain...no freezing temperatures. They ran off a ton of energy. When it was time to go, Beau said to me, "But, MOM, you said I could run!" Well, he had, he was running, GO RUN MORE THEN BOY! And, ofcourse I had to take some pics. Not great ones, but fun. They love to talk to eachother in those things that are attached to the playset, and in the ground, they echo, what are they called anyway? They cracked up at eachother, laughing so hard, it was cute. And, they wanted to teeter totter, but couldn't make it go, so I got on one end, and they were on the other. That boy had some words of wisdom for me too. In montage below...

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Just for Fun...THEN & NOW...Wow, does time fly!

Beau holding Leah when she was around 4 months old, 2005

The 2...Today!

The Sweetest Boy

The other night, Beau was watching TV with us, and a jewelry commercial came on, a valentine themed one. He paid real attention, then once it was over, he said, "Mom, someday when I get bigger, I'm gonna get you a wing." I said, "Oh? Really?" He said, "Yep. I'm gonna get you a weal wing, a heart one, and you are gonna wove it!" I said, "Wow, Daddy didn't even get me a heart one." Ha Ha. Then he said,"Well, I will get you a heart one Mom." How sweet is that??? The boy wants to get me a ring....sigh...*heart melting*

I just LOVE that boy!

Monster Jam Montage

D got some great pics, he said they were very close. I think he was just as thrilled with the experience, if not more so, than that boy. Beau has been lining up all of his monster trucks since last night, and making them spin around like GraveDigger did at Monster Jam. I will get some pics that the boy took added soon, but I still have to get the software loaded, and figure it all out first. So, check back, I'll add them to this montage later on.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Also, SEND ME A VALENTINE! Please. Ha ha. No pleading, really. It's just something fun. Look in my sidebar to the right, scroll down, and you'll see my Valentinr. I won't get to see any of them until February 14th, and only I will be able to read them, it's not public.

SHE'S REPLACING IT!

I received an email from the lady that makes the name jewelry. She has offered to re-make the sterling silver name portion, reconnect it to my existing chain, and only charge shipping fee. What a nice thing to do :)

It broke!

Last year, I bought a very interesting neclace I found a lady making in the mall. She used wire to make my name, in sterling silver. I LOVED IT! I wore it all the time. I received so so so many compliments on it. Well, today as I was making my bed, and doing laundry, the V just broke at the curve of it. Just split in half! I have never seen the lady with her booth since that day, but she has a web site that you can check out HERE . Her business is called Gilden Script. She makes an assortment of jewelry, but I am only interested in the name neclace. I am very dissapointed since it was gauranteed to me by her to last a very long time. So, I have emailed her about it breaking, and hope that she will replace it. If not, then, hopefully she will atleast give me a discount of some kind, or repair it? If that's at all possible.

BTW, the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus 3D movie concert was awsome! My dtr loved it! It was like eye candy for a little 7yo. The costumes were amazing, very late 80's early 90's. Made me think Cyndi Lauper a little bit. My favorite clip was the High Heel Derby, where via a radio station, Dad's were given the opportunity to run a stretch in high heels to win tickets for thier family to go see the Hannah Montana concert live. Very funny watching those men run in high heels, most of them even taped the heels onto their feet. Ha!

Monster Jam & Hannah Montana!!!

That boy is on his way to see Monster Jam with Daddy! He was soooo excited all day long. He could barely stand it. He got his little Kidizoom camera all ready, he packed his El Toro Loco monster truck, and made sure he had his hat to wear too. I called ahead to make sure D could have his camera too, I want LOTS of pics. They said as long as it wasn't a true video camera, it was fine. YIPPEE! I can't wait to see what pics he comes home with, if I had it my way I would have given him a specific request on which way to take them, but whatever. He never takes the pictures, so hopefully there are some great ones, by chance. As well as pics Beau takes from his perspective.

Since they are out to Monster Jam, and the preteen is staying over at a friends house, that leaves me with only 2 girls. Today was report card day, and as always, Drew did amazingly well! (Grace received 5 A's, and 2 B+) I am going to reward Drew with an afternoon out to see the Hannah Montana 3-D Concert Movie. She is so happy! So far as I've heard, it's worth the outrageous $18/person. Leah is going to spend a couple hours with Gma alone, that NEVER happens. She is happy about that. So, for one afternoon, all will be seperated, doing something each one enjoys.

Enjoy your Friday, and the weekend too!

Frustrations A Plenty!

Oh, how that stench radiated from my kitchen this morning. THE stench of that accidentally spilled incense. I even had the idea to soak the jeans, and socks all night in a sink full of water and about 60 oz. of pure vinegar! I think it made it smell worse. If that's possible.
So, as we speak, I am washing them on HOT with Gain, and so far, the Gain is over powering the stench...we'll see what becomes it.

I went Valentine shopping, stopped in at the $ tree to pick up some random items, and look around. I ran into an old coworker that I haven't seen in almost a year, and as I am talking to her, Leah decided to lie down on the floor of this store and act as if she was going to take a nap, cheek to the floor! So nasty, how often do you think those floors get shampoo'd? How about...NEVER!

This morning, as B&L are brushing thier teeth, I look over to see Leah bending down to start 'brushing' the floor! GROSS! I told her, "NO STOP, DON'T DO THAT!"...What was going through her mind???? So, tonight, they are doing the same thing before bed...I look over, and Leah is getting ready to put her toothbrush in the toilet! WHAT IS THIS?

Our room is a converted garage. There are 2 steps that lead up to the main house. That boy persistently enjoys running through the house, and then taking a leap from the top step, projecting him about 5 feet into our room. This is an issue for me d/t we have a wooden table, and our bed frame only inches from where he ends up landing. I fear he is gonna crack his head open! What is it with boys and NO FEAR? I near had a heart attack when he did this, one more time, tonight!

In giving the tots a bath tonight, they decided they needed bubbles. I, sometimes, add a few drops of dawn dish soap (no, it will not hurt them!), and some blue food coloring for fun. But, not all the time. So, they decided to empty out the remainder of the preteen's Shania Twain body wash that she got for christmas. Now, I know that boy knows better, which one did it I do not know for sure, but SHE IS MAD! You can't just make them replace it. I will be replacing it. Augghhh!

MOMMY 911

Lulu has had such an emotional few days. It is really, really draining me!

Today we went out for a few hours. I had a gift card to Bed,Bath&Beyond, so I wanted to look around and see what I might like, or need. I picked up my Gma to go along, she doesn't get out much, and I could use the company as much as she.

We get there, looking around, the isles are sooo tight! I have the cart, B&L walking beside me, and Lulu somehow brushed an incense bottle, liquid at that, it tipped over and spilled all down her leg, on her sock and shoe. I bent over to pick it up, and the scent was so strong, and it was now on my hand, and I could not make it go away with my own lotion or sanitizer that I tried to use in my purse. IT STUNK! I thought I was going to vomit, I was getting a headache from it too.

We went over to the kitchen supply area, and they started running wild. I was not in the mood for this, so I simply walked over, picked Lulu up, put her in the front of the cart, and then grabbed that boy and put him in back. He hates it. Afterall, he's 4 now, he's BIG. Well, he sure wasn't acting like it today! Lulu started crying, and saying, "I don't wanna be in twouble!"

We got done there, and then made a stop at Goodwill. When we go there, they love to look at the toys. But, they know I have to look first, and if they are good, then we will look at toys, not buy, but LOOK. They did well not asking for toys, just looking, playing a bit, but Lulu kept lagging behind, and I told her if she did not stay with the cart, and Mommy, she would go in the seat again. She did stay close. Then she wandered a bit away, that boy yelled, "WEAH! GET BACK HERE!" She ran back fast, and started crying, "Mommy, Beau yelled at me. I don't wanna be in twouble. " He said sorry, sincerely, and hugged her. That was the last time I had to say ANYTHING. Maybe big brother is more threatening than Mommy? Hmmm...

BTW, once home, that incense stink just radiated from Lulu's pants, and I feared for it to spread to the laundry if washed with everything, so I hung them outside for a few hours, and sprayed them down with Lysol...did it work? NO NO NO. What am I going to do?!

Any helpful advise here?

My preteen girl is having trouble at school with a couple of girls walking up to her at lunch hour and accusing her of 'staring', making a scene. Come on, is this middle school or something? Well, yeah, actually it is, lol.

I guess today, this girl threatened her. So, my girl said she is scared she is gonna get beat up. Well, I have half a mind, no not half, but a FULL MIND to go in and have lunch with her, see this girl or girls, and give them a piece of my mind. I won't tolerate this. I will take 'em down. But, I do realize the importance of my dtr learning to deal with such struggles on her own.

However, is this an 'on her own' experience, or is it time for this MAD Mommy to intervene?

A Healthy Dessert?

For dessert tonight, to give the kids a 'natural' high, I made Banana Pops! They loved it! Little Lulu even ate it all gone! I used the make them so much more often when my oldest was a small girl. We did it the basic way, no added goodies on top of the chocolate coating, but you can add sprinkles, or peanuts.
My little ones thought it was the best thing ever!

A Spendy Night Out

Saturday night we went out to eat at the Olive Garden. Our Anniversary dinner we didn't get to have on our actual Anniversary! I honestly have not been to the Olive Garden since we met. I think we went back in 1997 or 1998. LONG TIME! We typically eat at our fave resturaunt in town. My parents went too, and between us we had $50 in gift cards for Olive Garden.

Dinner was delicious! I had a strawberry italian soda with cream, one of my favorite drinks! My Mom had a pomegranate martini? Not sure I would have liked that mixture. She sure seemed to though...haha.

I cannot remember the dinner I had, but it was the best, tons of shrimp! I love thier bread sticks! We all ate well...with still more to take home. Oh, and after dinner, I had a very yummy Frozen Tiramisu dessert. It was so good!

When we got our bill, I was astonished at the numbers! Might I mention again, we hardly ever go out, and if we do it is local, AND reasonable! The final bill was $127.69!!! WHAT!???

Now, figure 15% for a tip, but take off our $50 in gift cards. Still, $77.69 for dinner alone, and about a $20 tip! We won't be going out like that for a LONG TIME. I am so clueless, and"out of the loop" on this kind of thing.

My sister had babysat, and when we got home, she started in like this...

"Okay, so that's $5.50/hour, 5 hours, so thats..."

I said back to her...

"Quality time with your nieces and nephew should be priceless!"

Ha! That got a laugh.

A Boy & His Fish

My son has wanted a fish for I don't know how long. For his birthday he received some money in a couple of his cards. $4 from my parents, and $1 from Nana. He has done a lot of talking about getting his fish. I finally took him to get one today.
We went to a little local pet store, not my most desirable choice, but better than the other one in town. I honestly cannot stand the smell of a pet store. And, this one, being so small, it just STINKS! Nevertheless, Beau and Leah had a blast seeing the animals. A few kittens, some parrots squawking, and ofcourse, the fish. He picked out a goldfish, which is what we had planned to get. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to get it myself, or if the lady working there wanted to be the one to do so. So, I asked.
I pointed to the one he had picked out, they all look pretty much the same to me, but hey, my son had a certain one in mind. She emmediately asked me, "What kind of tank do you have?" I told her, a glass bowl. I have always kept my goldfish (feeder fish) in a glass bowl. She gave me this look then went on to say, "Goldfish can't live in a bowl. They are a freshwater fish, but they need a lot of filtration. They just can't live in a bowl. They won't live very long." My son is right at my feet waiting for his fish the entire time she saying all this.
I let her go on a bit, then, I simply said, "I have always kept my goldfish in a bowl. My dtr has 3 in a large bowl, and she has had them for atleast a year." She kept on. Kept on, kept on. I was getting very upset. So, I finally just said...
"MY SON IS GETTING A FISH!"
Come on! These fish are 39 cents. They are FEEDER fish. Do NOT try to tell ME I cannot buy one for my son to have in a small glass bowl. I know they don't live long. They don't live long with filtration either!

BTW, he named it Otto. Otto after his favorite Dr. Suess book, A Fish Out of Water. He loves that book, and that is why he wanted a goldfish in the first place. And, he got one!

We have been repeating this phrase from that book...

"When you feed a fish, never feed him a lot. So much and no more! Never more than a spot, or something may happen! You never know what. "

Friday Faves

Goldie Locks has Chicken Pox is one of my toddlers favorite books to read. It is so fun, rhyming, with great illustrations. Leah loves the page where Goldie Locks is stuck in bed, and has a huge platter of multiple scoops of different colored icecreams. She always says..."I want summa dat!"

My kids also love love love the Disney Tunes Kid Clips. Which, unfortunately you can no longer purchase easily. Mostly on ebay. But, we still have ours that I purchased when my Drew was 2, and we have 10 different kid clips with mostly disney princess songs. Leah lugs that thing around everywhere!

Don't miss the link to donate as little as a penny to March of Dimes~March for Babies! My cousin is walking for her 2nd year, and her goal is to raise $400, she is now up to $110. It's so easy, you can choose the paypal option. Help her get there!!!
DONATE HERE!