Wordless Wednesday: Heart Breaker

I gave all three boys a big hair cut yesterday, Jordan especially looks so grown up, he is killing me. OOF

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Wordless Wednesday:Hair Raising

This was Noah last summer, he let me use the CHI hair straightener on his hair.

Well, I Never Syndrome

I hear comments all the time about how laid back I am as a parent (see lazy). I am still uptight about somethings, like trying to keep the house habitable, but for the most part I am laid back. However, I wasn't always.

When dh and I were trying to conceive our first, we had list 90 miles long of things we would NEVER do as parents. We would never: spank, curse in front of the kids, put them in front of the tv, have them out past bedtime, let them leave the house looking messy, or allow those evil toy guns in my house. You know all those awesome judgmental things most "perfect" parents or even worse the non-parent types are thinking. What I call "Well, I never syndrome".

Guess what happened?

I have done all of them.

Every.
Last.
One.

It started when I finally got that beautiful positive pregnancy test (it took a long time). I planned a natural birth, in a birthing center and I ended up with a very drugged up planned csection, due to a stuck frank breech position.
I planned to breastfeed, but quickly gave up. I also planned on continuing to work, there was no way I would be a house wife! Ha, I lasted back at work a few months, I wanted to be with my son! I am still home, but I am not saying I will never go back to work. There is a reason for the saying, "You plan, God laughs".

Week-by-week, day-by-day, hell even hour-by-hour, all my "well I never" ideas got shot to shit. Nine years into this parenting gig, I am no closer to being an expert or all that much wiser.

However, I am a whole lot less judgmental. I do still have a list of nevers, but it is pretty short. So far, I am nothing like the parent I thought I would be. In many ways having a special needs child has taught me to take things as they come and to accept them however they turn out. My only goal as a mother is to raise healthy, happy children, who find something in life that makes them happy.

The moral to the story is, you don't know what kind of parent you will be until you are smack dab in the middle of it. Even then you are subject to change at a moments notice.

Wordless Wednesday: Magic

It's sad we miss Disney already. Can't wait to go back in the fall!

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Just in time for Father's Day

What dad wouldn't want to spend Father's Day at Chuck E. Cheese? Well I am not sure how many dads actually would, except my dh, he is weird like that. But it is summer vacation and Chuck E is a cool place to spend an afternoon. Here are some printable coupons. In my experience you can use multiple coupons and even use more than one of the same coupon in one day.

Walgreens Deals

I skipped out on CVS this week because there were not too many deals I was interested in. Instead I went to Walgreens did pretty good despite the cashiers paranoia about coupons.

Transaction #1

St. Ives body wash sale $2.99
used 1 $1.50/1 coupon
Earned 3 Register rewards
total oop $1.70

Transaction #2

2 Quattro razors sale bogo $9.49
used 2 $4/1 coupons
2 KY Touch massage oil on clearance $2.00 ea
used 2 $2/1 coupons= FREE
1 Right Guard Deodorant sale $.99 with in ad coupon
used $1/1 coupon= FREE
nail files $.69
2 bag M&Ms $1.30
Used 3 register rewards earned in first transaction
total oop $1.30

Another notable deal this week was at Target. I found mens Quattro or Fusion Razor Gift sets marked down to $8.48. I used the $4/1 Fusion and the $4/1 Quattro coupons, making the set around $4.50. A great idea for Fathers Day gifts!

Carrot Cake

This is the best Carrot Cake EVER! A word of warning, it is ssoooo not diet food. In fact, I am pretty sure I gained a pound making it!

Ingredients:

for cake
3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

for frosting:
1/2 cup butter room temp.
1 bar cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8x12 inch pan.
(I have tried this in just about every pan, I find it cooks best in thinner layers but just adjust cooking time for the size of pan, ie less time for thinner layers. for this size pan start check cake at the 30 min mark)

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. (honestly I usually just dump them in the kitchen aid mixer after step 2)

3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.

4. In a medium bowl, combine shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins.

5. Using a large wooden spoon or a very heavy whisk, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well. (or as I mentioned above, dump into the mixer)

6. Pour into prepared 8x12 inch pan, and bake at 350 degrees F for about an 1 hour. Check with toothpick.

Let LEAST 2 hours, I find it tastes best if it cools overnight.

For frosting:

Beat butter and cream cheese til its creamed, add vanilla, then slowly add the powdered sugar. Beat for 4-5 minutes until well mixed and smooth.

I have a dirty little secret...

literally

I hate housework.

I suck at housework.

If it weren't for my obsessively tidy husband (or as I like to call ANAL RETENTIVE), I wouldn't clean at all these days. Things are worse than usual, I have been hurt for going on two months now. I still have a hard time walking, so doing chores like mopping are out of the question. However, I am finally able to vacuum using a crutch and hobble around to get the piles of crud cleaned up.

The boys are on day four of summer vacation and the house is folding like a deck of cards. I try to follow all the organizational tips; the playroom has a toy box for each boy, their rooms SHOULD only have their beds/bedding and their dressers, the main living room is off limits for play ect.

The problem is, my kids (esp Noah) can make a mess with anything. Noah likes to shred paper EVERYWHERE; phone books, toilet paper, you name it...yesterday it was a roll of blue streamers left over from Isaiah's birthday.

I just can't keep up.

I have gone to tons of play dates to see beautiful, tidy, and organized houses. How the heck do you do it? I must have missed the class they give mommies where they tell you how to keep house.

As a matter of survival with the above mentioned clean freak husband, I try, I really do. I live under constant stress to keep my house clean/passable,and I wonder if it is all that important in the end. Now I don't mean letting get to the point the board of health is involved, just not worry about the house looking like company is coming everyday.

What do you think? Is your house perfect all the time? Or is cleaning on the bottom of your priority list?

P.S
The boys are responsible for cleaning up their toys and making their beds.

Free Movies @ Disney's Fort Wilderness

A friend just discovered this and it's so cool I have to share! The resort does this year round.

Outdoor Movie Schedule

Your kids are sure to enjoy this wonderful free activity at the Disney World Fort Wilderness Campground and Resort. This program is open to all guests.

7:30pm - Fire lighting and S'Mores (S'mores Kits sold at the concession stand $7)
****you are allowed to bring your own s'mores supplies****

8:00pm - Campfire Sing-A-Long with Chip -n- Dale
8:40pm - The Movie Starts
10:15pm - The second movie starts if there is one scheduled

No admission fee or ticket required.

June 1 - Enchanted (PG)
June 2 - Sleeping Beauty (See our Princess Page))
June 3 - Camp Rock
June 4 - Mary Poppins (See our Princess Page))
June 5 - Cars
June 6 - Beverly Hills Chihuahua
June 7 - 101 Dalmatians
June 8 - Parent Trap
June 9 - Ratatouille
June 10 - Swiss Family Robinson
June 11 - High School Musical 3 - Senior Year
June 12 - Monsters Inc.
June 13 - Bolt
June 14 - Tinkerbell
June 15 - Herbie, Fully Loaded
June 16 - Snow Buddies
June 17 - Tarzan
June 18 - The Incredibles
June 19 - Wall-E
June 20 - College Road Trip
June 21 - The Game Plan
June 22 - Bedtime Stories )
June 23 - Brother Bear
June 24 - Finding Nemo
June 25 - Lilo & Stitch
June 26 - Enchanted (PG)
June 27 - Toy Story
June 28 - Meet the Robinsons
June 29 - High School Musical 2
June 30 - Chronicles of Narnia

Wordless Wednesday: Swimming

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Great Deals

My local Kmart has double coupons up to $2 today! Check Kmart online for the sale in your area.

Also Old Navy has not reset their coupons for the week yet! Check out Old Navy. Keep refreshing! When they do reset there will be $75/100 coupons hidden!


I will be posting today's CVS and Kmart deals later.

Time to build an ark

Just a short month ago, a large portion of our state was on fire. Now I am debating whether or not we need to build a dang ark.

Was I asking for this naming my son Noah?

We live in an area that is normally wet and when surrounding towns are dry and crispy, ours still has lush green grass. Even with the recent drought, we still had a pretty good looking yard. Now it looks like this:




The level of the water will shrink down to sludge if we manage to go a day without rain. Unfortunately, the weather forecast calls for MORE rain. Pretty sure we will begin construction of the ark in the the next week.

Anyone know where we can get two of each animal?

Also, any clue what to do with three little boys on summer vacation and trapped in the house?

I
may
lose
my
mind.

10 Years Ago Today...

we stood in front of a radio station dj, in a flea market fun park, along with 12 other couples, ready to exchange vows....until a promotions person for the station screamed, "WAIT there is another couple coming!!" And in slow motion (like Baywatch), a woman comes running up in a STRIPPER wedding gown! Her top half bouncing would have done Pam Anderson proud. It was then we noticed the 3 kids in tow, followed by their father holding what appeared to be a brand new baby. At last we were wed, in front of God, family, and carnies. The "reception" was hosted and dj'd by the radio. There was flea market cake and pizza for all. After the wedding parties we allow to play all day for free.

Sigh.

Memories.

You think I am kidding? That was really my wedding!

And you know what? I don't regret a minute of it.

We were planning a small, but complicated wedding. My dad was not coming (racial issues now long gone), my mom and grandmother were fighting and refused to come if the other was, and we were broke. I heard on the radio that a popular station was planning a giant group wedding and that it would be free. Sounded like an adventure to me and did I mention it was FREE?I called in and was chosen to take part. We raced to city hall got the license and called our families the next day. The following day I picked out a dress, flowers, and our wedding rings (from a pawn shop). The next morning we were married.

It was an adventure.

It still is an adventure.

10 years later, we have been though so much. Some of the things every couple goes through, growing up, getting older, and changing who we are as people. There have been fights, actually quite a few. There have been times we didn't have two dimes to our name, but we survived all that. We have been blessed with three amazing now-not-so-little boys. And we faced our oldest child being diagnosed with Autism, as a team.

However, in the months following Kai's death, I wasn't sure we would make it. Losing a baby is not something you can prepare for. But we did make it, mostly because Neil is a saint (cuz I was CRAZY). We have handled the three subsequent losses together. We are a little older and a lot wiser now. I don't take a day for granted.

Everyday is still an adventure. I feel so blessed to be married to him, for many reasons. Have I mentioned the man cleans? He is also an incredible father, there are not enough words to describe how important that is. And last but not least, he is HOT.

I hope an pray we are blessed to continue to celebrate our lives together.

Wordless Wednesday: Nom Nom

Note the ones that look kinda like sugary turds were shaped by the kiddos. Luckily they still tasted amazing!

Oh yeah, the kids and I made these pretzels from scratch and they were to die for! We ate them all in about 10 minutes.
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Parenting 911

Do you have one child that extended family members tend to spoil? My youngest is adorable, smart, and charming as hell. He has the world by the balls at the ripe ol age of 4. My issue is what to do when people NOTICABLE favor one child over others?
Whether its praise or gifts, how do you create a balance?