Happy Green Day...

...hope you all didn't get pinched. My kids woke up to shamrock kisses on their legs and the hunt for the little green leprechaun began. They started their list of clues and spent the morning asking me "mom, did you open this cereal? did you buy this? did you do this? or was it a leprechaun?" it was pretty fun. Of course since we are all about our food on holidays...we had plenty!! I am not a food coloring type of gal, but I thought today we would go for it just a little bit.
We started with crepes filled with banana's and nutella...and that is where the food coloring stopped, food if not naturally green, is not very appetizing!!

Then we ate rainbows, clouds and a little gold for lunch (along side our beef sandwiches-I don't do corned beef either)

then we had naturally green chicken wraps for dinner.

It was a very grey day, without even a peek of sun, and we are going to bed with a little bit of snow on the ground...maybe we will actually wake up to snow for the first time this winter. (the other times didn't count)

Memorial Day Moments...

...wow what a busy/productive day. I think we must all be feeling better because we put in some LONG hours today. Hope you all had a fun and safe day too!

Look at that worm! Okay, not sure why I thought that was what it was at first...she pulled a bunch of dandelions and stuck them all together.

We have a tree in our yard and either I am REALLY unobservant, or this is the first year it has blossomed. Skye called it her popcorn tree.
I, yes I, planted flowers today...and lots of them!
these just might be my favorites-I love the purple centers!

Greg tilled the gardens and I raked and planted...look at all those strawberry blossoms! I hope I can keep the birds away.
Jacey planting...today we did 5 rows of peas (we didn't have enough last year) 2 rows of spinach and then we realized we didn't have any more seeds to plant so now we wait until tomorrow.
It might take some work to keep the kids out of MY dirt now!
I will just send them to the road (JUST KIDDING!)
Colt enjoyed the outdoors too!

he is lovingly called "bubble boy" he always has bubbles!
we of course also visited the cemetery. The kids came with me to place all the flowers.

I bought a couple extra than what Grams requested because last year there weren't very many flowers on GG & GG Franks, well this year they have an overload! Not sure who all came up, I think this is the first time we didn't have visitors come knock at our door to see who was living here and how Gram was doing. They must all know us now.

I, yes I potted these flowers!


Our yard was looking so pretty by the time we were done today, the grass was so green and the dirt was so brown and healthy looking. The lawn was mowed and the weeds were all pulled so I had to take a picture. The only thing missing is the flag.

Eight Years and Counting...

...yup that is how many wonderful years I have been able to call Jacey my daughter. Hard to believe she was ever a tiny baby. She really is the best big sister any kid could ask for, so kind and considerate to her brothers and sister and her mom and dad!

She says she had a great birthday filled with presents (clothes, journal, treasure box-some might call a jewelry box, but since we don't really do jewelry it is a treasure box-money) cupcakes, ice cream, school and fun! She requested enchiladas and corn for dinner and helped make it...yum...although she was a bit disappointed when I only made 8 of them she wanted 10 so she could have seconds.

Love you pretty little girl!




texting her grandma while she waited so patiently for her cup cake and ice cream

A Happy Birthday Girl!

Hard to believe it was 3 years ago that this little peanut-butter-cup joined our family, but indeed it was. Skye has been so excited for her "happy birthday" since long before Colton was born. She had a great day and said her favorite part was that she got 2 happy birthday's one with a tinkerbell cake at grandma and papas and her pizza (peapea as she would call it) dinner. She was also very excited to see what was in her presents and I have to say she had them open and examined in less than a minute flat...once they were all open and spread out across the room then she went back through to see what she got. She was so excited for her very own sleeping bag and her tinkerbell shoes. She also got a new blanket, we keep thinking that we will find a new one to replace the one she has had since she was a baby and has sadly outgrown. We might just have to wait until she eats that one (yes she does).

When we were singing to her it was so cute...she was the loudest singer of us all and she even replaced all the "yous" with "mes" successfully.

Funny story tonight she asked me to change her diaper by saying "who hange my hum" (you change my bum) and I said "you want me to hange your hum?" and she said "NO! you HANGE my hum." I again said "you want me to hange your hum?" and she said "NO HANGE!" you see in her head she hears herself say change and hears me say hange. It is kinda funny :) she speaks very well once you learn her slang. I don't know all her stats, and I am not about to go wake her up so we will just leave you with a few pictures. Funny how hard it is to take pictures when you are holding/feeding a baby all the time.

Happy V-Day...

...so if you have been reading this blog for at least a year you probably know I am NOT a fan of Valentines Day, or rather I am not a fan of getting or giving lovey-dovey presents. I would rather them come on some random date...BUT that said...Greg gave me the BEST Valentines Day gift ever! After a really rough night of being awake for most of 1:00-7:00 I got to sleep uninterrupted from 7:00-10:00 this morning and I actually kind of felt human for most of the day. I in return cooked him a steak dinner...ah so sweet!

I also have a movie review for you...
Love Happens is the name and I don't know if it was just my hormones but my suggestion would be to watch it, but with a tissue in hand.

So I hope you all had a love-ly day, but I secretly hope that the love of your life treats you special on a random day for no reason at all.

Hello New Year...

...you know most years I am more than ready to be done with the last year, but for some reason this New Year brings a little anxiety with it. We are in for a few adventures (new baby, unemployment, schooling to name a few) and it scares me just a bit, but we will take what it brings and hopefully come out stronger.

I did love making the new spreadsheet for our budget this year, and breaking in my new calendar-there is just something about a blank slate that gives you motivation to make the most of it! I also have some ideas/projects rolling around in my head that I want to try out this year and hope that I have the motivation to start them.

I am not much for resolutions since only 12% of people that make them keep them and I am usually not one of the 12% but I do look forward to setting some goals throughout this year.

Hope you all have a wonderful-healthy-happy 2010

PS) Here is the recipe for the spinach meat balls we had last night.
1 lb ground turkey (or beef)
2 cups frozen spinach (defrost and squeeze the liquid off)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 TBS of fresh chopped basil (or 2 tsp dried)
2 cloves garlic grated (or 2 tsp garlic powder or minced garlic)
a little salt and pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh grated parm cheese
1/4 cup swiss cheese
Mix it all together and roll into balls. I use my cookie scoop to make them all the same size. Place a cooling rack on top of your cookie sheet when you cook them (this lets the fat drain away so you have all the flavor without all the fat). I never look at a clock before I start cooking-I just go by look but I would guess that I cooked them at 350 for about 15 min. This will usually make 5-6 servings.

Saying Goodbye...

...to 2009 and of course it included lots of food and family fun.

look at my pretty new 18/10 stainless steal pan...aint it pretty! I got a whole set for Christmas and I LOVE them! I foresee lots of new dishes being made in these pans!!! These pans are NOT for banging tonight!

and look how nice I am to share...Jacey was sweating out the onions for our sauce
the kids rolling out the breadsticks...they made some very yummy ones!
they are experts
our dinner all plated up for you to enjoy with your eyes...you should have come and crashed the party it was pretty dang good!
the whole spread...I tried hold back a little more this year but we have lots of leftovers and more dishes to make for tomorrow
The kids LOVED the food...all the work of making the food really pays off when you get expressions like this!


Skye fondue-ing it up (do you just love my open pantry? I don't)
Skye lasted until 9:30
and from the looks of these two we might be in bed before midnight
chillin with a movie.
It has been a fun night. We played a little Horseopoly and blocks and now we are winding down with a movie. You know last year we cheated a little (not sure if I admitted that or not) we were watching the ball drop on TV and didn't realize we were watching it live in NY so when the ball dropped at 10:00 we pretended that was it and sent the kids to bed...we are going to try not to cheat this year, but honestly I may not make it.

Hope you all are enjoying your New Years Eve parties and we will see you in 2010! Wow hard to believe it is just about here already...

Good Morning...Afternoon...Evening...

...a very good day indeed! We were blessed in many ways this season and a simple "Thank You" doesn't truly express our gratitude for family, friends and comunity love we have felt! We were blessed with the Christmas Spirit and we hope to make it last all year long.

You know either I have trained my kids really well, or I am a terrifying mother and they are scared of me, but my kids were all tucked in and asleep by 9:00 last night and they did not come into my room until 7:00 this morning (although I know they were awake before that). Jacey finally came in and asked if they could get up yet. We got up, got dressed, brushed our hair and ate our breakfast of cookie cereal (the special treat) in the kids toasty bedroom. I still haven't scanned in Jacey's Santa list (I will!) but she asked Santa to make her house warm for Christmas. If you don't know our house is heated 100% by a small wood burning stove in the kitchen, so come morning time it has cooled down and is quite chilly. But thanks to Jacey's Christmas Wish we woke up to a blazing fire and a house that was as toasty as it was when we went to bed last night.

After breakfast the kids thought they needed to go see what Santa had brought and shot down my idea of cleaning their rooms some more...so off we went

the nice neat organized piles (even the baby got some new toys-a music box it can dance to since it is obvious it is going to dance inside anyways might as well do it to some music)

Skye has hit the phase where if she can't see you, you can't see her so when ever she sneaks out of her room at night and this morning she will cover her eyes like this...
Skye got some baby stuff (stroller, playpen, and high chair-oh and a new baby) from Santa with the hopes that when the new baby comes she will have her things to play with and will be able to do what mommy does with her baby.
I love those dimples...they only show up when he smiles for real! When he fake smiles (like when I am taking pictures of him and he knows it) they don't show up.
Jacey got a magnet calendar that she can change every month (she is really into calendars these days) some nice winter clothes, a new webkinz, and a book that will teach her everything she will ever know about owning a horse (no she didn't get one this year, and probably wont next year either, but we do know it is only a matter of time)
Dax got a new webkinz fish, transformer and some blocks





Our Santa friend also brought the family some new games and puzzles that we can play for hours together! I don't know how he knew we love games and puzzles so we send out a HUGE THANK YOU to our Santa Friend!

Our Nana and Papa give us a little Christmas $$ and with some frugal shopping we were able to get some new snow clothes for all kids and of course we had to try it all out!


my sweet angels!


funnies thing-Skye kept falling on purpose...she thought is was hillarious that with all the extra padding it didn't hurt to just let herself free fall...she was face planting in this shot (as Jacey was throwing snow)
again free falling





Greg got in on the fun too!
and so therefore you have proof that I do exist

and after a most wonderful day we are all going to bed EARLY tonight!

FUNNY COMMENTS FROM THE DAY (at least I thought they were)

Greg: "These are fun blocks I can't wait for Dax to go to sleep so I don't have to share them"

Jacey: "Mom do we have to do cleaning stuff today or do we just get to play and have fun?"