Menu planning for next week..

So in order to achieve my New Years wishes I planning my meals for the week , this saves me time and money as I only make on trip to the store and get all I need rather than stopping on the way home from work.

So here it goes

Sunday, we go to the football game so an easy dinner is a must , Homemade spaghetti sauce with smart taste pasts served with garlic bread and salad.

Monday, chicken rollatini with corn and a salad, thank you www.Skinnytaste.com great website for weight watcher cooking

Tuesday, will be hanging around the house most of the day so chili and peanut butter and jelly, family favorite and so good when it's cold .

Wednesday, wanting something different so I'm making fajitas with steak and chicken, served with Mexican lime cilantro rice.

Thursday, left over night, I have an
Appointment that evening so quick and easy it is!

Friday is pizza night at our house not sure if we will make our own or go out yet.

Saturday is another Skinnytaste meal of chicken parm burgers with steamed veggies and salad.

Now off to the store I go!

New years resolutions..

So it is that time again, time to make resolutions, something I do every year and almost never succeed with. This year I mixing it up , I making New Years wishes, something with less fear of failure, higher chances of success.

So my wishes are these, I wish to lose weight and get in shape. I wish to spend more one on one time with my husband, I miss the us before kids, so I wish for more kidless time. I wish to not be so quick tempered with the boys, I am quick to yell and that makes me sad. I wish to get more organized, I am struggling with clutter both mentally and physically. And finally I wish to cook healthier meals with less stuff out of boxes, which should help with the first wish!

So what are your wishes? Do you think you can stick to them? Good luck!

And I'm giving you a picture that makes all my wishes worth it! I love my boys!!

EB Auction!

So I am going to get serious for just a second, any of you readers who are friends with me on facebook probably saw how sweet Tripp has gone to Heaven.  If you didn't see my post, Tripp was an amazing little boy who was born with what I think might be the worst disease a child could get.  I'm sure there are worse out there but this particular disease is devestating and painful and there is very little you can do but manage the symptoms and try to prevent infection.  Tripp had Epidermolysis Bullosa or EB.  EB is a disease in which even the most gentle touch on your skin can cause painful blisters and sores.

Imagine living with constant pain or imagine being a parent and knowing that even hugging your child causes pain.  I just cannot fathom the strength that these kids and their parents have.  If you want to read some amazing blogs visit some of the EB kids parents blogs.  Jonah's mom Patrice is an amazing author and Jonah is so cute!  Tripp's mom Courtney has shown so much strength and faith it is amazing and Tripp changed the world! 

If you want to learn more about EB and what you can do to help please check out DEBRA's website. 

If you want to help, please keep an eye out for the Jonah's EB Auction.  Last year they had some great items up for bid, It runs February 24th - 27th.  Katie, one of the organizers, is still collecting auction items so if you are interested in donating her email address is on the blog and she is amazing and would love your support.   Also on the blog is a list of last years items so you can see what kinds of amazing things to expect this year.  In fact, my blog design was courtesy of Jenifer who donated last year to the auction! 

Catching Up

Well, it has been forever since I blogged last, let's see what have we done since June... Hmm

Jack turned 3 ( Yikes when did that happen)

Ricky started 1st grade...

Took a wonderful vacation to Cabo with the family

Watched our favorite football team have a horrific season (the picture is old but football all the same)

Finished off Summer with some fun

Did Some Hay Bale Climbing

Did some Trick or Treating..



Finished off the year with some boating..













Well next time I post I will post some Christmas pictures, the boys had a blast and were completely spoiled but I don't have them on my laptop tonight and I am officially tired tonight! 

PS Sorry Em I totally stole your format for this post to catch up!

A few pictures from this weekend...

We took the boys strawberry picking this weekend, they had so much fun and in turn Rick and I had fun.  It's funny how that work huh, if the boys are enjoying themselves it is impossible for Rick and I to not be happy, even if we are sweating, carrying huge bags of stuff pushing a stroller through Disney, if the boys are smiling we are good!  One of the perks of being a parent I guess. 

Anyway back to the task at hand, we took the boys to Spencer Berry Farm on Sunday, I wish we would have gone a week before as most of the strawberries were over ripe and mushy, we managed to get some but they have already turned even in our fridge.  So it goes, without further ado, here are the monkeys picking berries....

Scrabooking Summer

A while back I purchase a great scrapbooking kit designed by a wife a a guy I went to high school with, I am very envious of her scrapbooking skill, and am making an effort to try harder to preserve our pictures.  We take so many pictures that just sit on our computer for no one to enjoy, so this kit was the perfect opportunity for me to try out my new resolution.  So here are my first 3 pages....



If you want to see some beautiful scrapbooking layouts check out Jenni's Blog , she is really very gifted when it comes to designing scrapbooks and she did a wonderful job creating this mini book kit for Elle Studio .

Okay so I am so behind....

Easter Weekend was a lot of fun at our house.  The Easter Bunny left the boys some fun stuff and of course lots of candy, the boys and their Papa had lots of fun coloring eggs, and Grandma Bern, Re and Dee had fun too!!!

So How Do You Like It?

What do you think of the new blog design? Didn't Jenifer do a great job? It is a work in progress but so far so good! She is wonderful and I am so happy I won her services from the EB auction! Money well spent!

I hate spring...

No really I hate it, I hate the rain, the unpredictable temperatures, but mostly I hate that it is the beginning of hell for my allergies.  Seriously I have horrible allergies year round but I can deal with them most of the time, but April/May are by far the worst.  Really all the spring blooming should make people happy, it just should, winter is finally over and everything is greening up.  It makes you want to be outside, want to make everything look pretty and colorful.  I still want to do those things but how much can I get done when I am doped up on at least 2 doses of allergy medicine and my eyes are constantly hazed over because of eye drops.

So there it is people I hate spring!!!!!

Some pictures of my cuties!!!

The fam and I went to Florida this past weekend, here are just a couple of pictures of the cuties from our day at the beach!  We had lots of fun riding on the boat and J got to see some Dolchins (dolphins in J speak) and playing in the sand, wish we could have played in the water, but alas it was still way to chilly!

Enjoy.  Also FYI make sure you get sunscreen on your scalp or you could end up with some not so fun peeling in the hair oh joy!

Working on their Power Ranger moves while everyone else gets ready!

Channel markers, I don't know why I am fascinated by these but I am!

Snacks on the way to Keywaiden!

Not 30 seconds after I took this photo the bigger of the 2 birds swooped by me with a big fish in his mouth, not the greatest moment for those of us afraid of birds!

R setting up the toys for the boys!  He is such a great dad!

I love this picture I don't get him looking at the camera much but when I do those eyes are great!

J man watching something, he is just so darn cute!

So What's New

Well almost nothing, that's what, I feel like I am stuck in a rut. I know it is winter, have I ever told you I hate Indiana winters? I mean I know what to expect, and I'm going to be honest, in December I actually like winter, but come February I am done! Winter does this every year to me, just yuck, I am ready for warm and sun!

Boys are doing really well, R is really excelling at school, I worry that he will get bored, I was like that it makes it hard to get through a day when you are bored. I don't want that for him, but also know that gifted programs won't start until he is a little older, not that I know he is gifted, I mean every parent thinks their child is gifted right? I just remember how that was for me until I was moved into the advanced programs.

J is still a constant source of amusement for me, he is such a little clown and will do anything to make you smile. It is like that is what he was given to us for, like no matter what may go wrong, he can make you laugh. I just love that about him. It is funny to see the two of them together, they are so alike but also different as night and day.

The boys start Karate this weekend, I promise to take some pictures and post them it has been forever. Then Saturday we are taking them to their first hockey game, should be a lot of fun, I haven't been to one in forever!

Nothing else is really going on here, starting to plan spring break with the boys, should be fun!

Ta ta for now!

Jenn

The one with the pictures

So some new pictures of the kiddos are long overdue, and since mama got a new camera for her birthday, I am more than happy to oblige.  We are enjoying one of the last few nice days before the cold moves in here and made it outside to enjoy it!

Another great giveaway

They just keep getting better!  Hope on over to Naults Nook, she is giving away a $200 Visa Gift Card!!!

The Monkeys are driving me CRAZY!!!

Seroiusly why won't my children nap, don't they understand that I would jump at the opportunity to nap even for 20 minutes heck even 10 minutes would be helpful.  But my kids forget it, they flat out refuse.  This weekend my mother in law came up and we had a great time, R had a football game, and then we went out to lunch, J fell asleep for like 5 minutes in the car and as far as he was concerned that was his nap.  Lucky us!

After lunch MIL and I took both boys to the orchard, cause I was craving some apple cider and fresh apples, they of course were so busy the line to pay at the store was almost to the door to get in.  So much fun waiting with 2 crabby boys. It was worth it came home and make apple cake (a great Tastefully Simple one) and then just hung out the rest of the evening.

Big R let me sleep in this morning till almost 8 can you say heaven!!!  Made breakfast for the fam and had my cup of coffee and then started laundry, honestly how do 4 people go through so much clothes in one week?  It is a mystery to me. 

I would love to put up some pictures but the monkeys have hidden my camera dock and since our card reader is broken, they will have to wait!

Better go, Colts game is starting!!! GO HORSE!!!

More great giveaways...

Check out my friend over at Naults Nook, she is have a great fall giveaway.  Right now she has a Schwinn bike trailor/stroller, a really nice pumpkin spice reed difuser, a awesome dress for the little girl in your life, a really cool birch vase which I must have even if I don't win, and a really pretty and organic wrist rest for your computer!  Check it out now!!! You will be so jealous if I win and you don't enter!!!  Visit her at Naults Nook!

Check out this great giveaway!!!

A good friend of mine is have a giveaway on her blog for a Schwinn Joyride Trailor!!  Check it out here !

Colts football, on Sunday it was enough to put J to sleep!

I think this picture says it best.....  Football season started yesterday and if the Colts were able to put this football fan to sleep, then they need to pick it up!!!

Not Me Monday!!!

Welcome to Not Me Monday, a blog Carnival created by MckMama as a way for us all to share what we did or didn't do.  Please visit Mckmama and see what some other great ladies aren't doing...

Okay let's see, I most certainly did not drag my kids all the way to Colts training camp on Saturday so I could get in some much needed football time.  I would never drive an hour each way to enjoy something that only I could really enjoy.  I mean really does a 2 year old want to watch football practice, I don't think so.

I also did not drag my boys out of the house Sunday morning to take them to the zoo so Daddy could have some quiet time, I mean the like the zoo and all but it was hot and while at the zoo I didn't skip most of the exhibits and jump right over to the splash pad because it was so darn hot out.  Nope not me, I also didn't forget to put sunscreen on my youngest while as the splash area. 

I also didn't eat out 3 times this weekend because it was so hot and I didn't want to cook/clean after lunch and dinner. 

Hope you enjoyed what I didn't do this weekend, please visit Mckmama and read some more!

New Community on Blog Frog

For all of us looking to make the most of our money, and lets face it who isn't right??  Check out the new community on Blog Frog, Frugal Living!  Just click on the button below.  Also have you heard of ebates.com.  It is a great way to shop and get instant savings.  That is right instant savings, check it out below!



ebates.com

Not Me Monday!

 

This fun little blog carnival was inspired by MckMama! You can see all the other fun things we are ahem not doing by visiting her blog!

Hmm now lets think this out, I didn't not hear my youngest say Cr&p several times on Friday and secretly laugh to myself after I figured out what he was saying.  I also didn't think to myself that if that was the worst he picked up from my potty mouth I am doing pretty good.

I was also not the least bit happy when my washer broke on Thursday.  I have not been counting down the days until it would pass so that I could get a new front load washer and dryer.  I didn't not secretly hope it would break even sooner.  I would never hope to spend money or for appliance to perish.

I also did not eat 2 cupcakes on Friday and indulge in the extra batter that was left when I made them and allow my boys to indulge also.  I would never ever give them raw batter with eggs in it, nope not me!