the gift

Christmas morning, I opened up my big present and just started laughing.. and laughing.. and laughing. Brandon gave me the weirdest look and asked me what was wrong. I showed him the box.. this is what was inside.

I'm sure you can figure out that this was NOT what Brandon ordered for me. There was a huge mistake! We had to wait all weekend to get a reply from customer service. Monday morning we found out that my bedspread was sent to a boy in Oklahoma and there was a big mixup. Wondering what that boy got to open up for Christmas????

hehehe.. I am SURE he wasn't laughing just like I was!! :)

No training wheels!!

December 11th, 2009, my firstborn became a grown little man. We decided to see how Kyle would do without his training wheels. He wobbled back and forth a few times, but in less than 30mins, he was off on his own. He was a pro!! I was so close to crying, but fought back the tears and cheered him on. For a split second, I considered throwing the training wheels back on. I don't like this growing up thing. It happens too fast. *sigh* He'll always be my baby boy. =)

Wondering why Miss Leah is saying "uh,oh!" over and over?? Our neighbor across the street has a blowup Snowman decoration and in the daytime Leah ALWAYS says "uh, oh, sn-man" because it isn't inflated! :)

kids are so funny

A recent conversation Kyle and I had on our way to church

"Mommy, are my teachers going to miss me when we move to Mexico?"

"Yes, Baby, they'll miss you a lot"

*quiet*

"Mommy, is there a WalMart at Mexico?"

"Yes, Kyle, they have a WalMart in NEW Mexico"

"YES!!!!!!! Woooohoooo! Me love WalMart! Me so excited!"

*driving past the boat dealership*

"Mommy, me like that boat! Me want it."

"Sorry, Kyle, New Mexico doesn't have beaches"

*quite shocked* "What!? Aw, man! Mexico don't have beaches!?!?"

"Nope, New Mexico is just a desert, Baby"

"Mommy! Are there be cowboys there?!"

*me laughing and quite surprised he knew that cowboys live in deserts, told him "maybe"*

"Mommy, are those cowboys gonna ride horsies??"

That (almost four years old) boy of mine keeps me laughing!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My favorite cookies are Chocolate Chip Cookies. Nothing can beat it. What can I say? I'm a simple girl!

For, like, the first 2yrs of our marriage I only made these cookies. They are very, very good. But I really prefer flat and chewy over anything else. It took me a really long time to find my perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. But I've found it and I don't use anything else now!! These don't last for very long when I make them, too!

Here you go! Enjoy!

2 1/4 c. flour (I use half whole wheat flour and half white.. but I usually end up using more wheat though. I love what it does to the texture to the cookie! Healthier, too!)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1c. (2sticks) butter, softened (I always use salted for these cookies.. just my preference!)
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2c. milk chocolate chocolate morsels. (I've used semi-sweet and we like milk choc. better)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla in mixer.
Add eggs 1 at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.
Drop by tablespoon-fuls on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 9-11mins (mine our done right at 9mins).
Cool a minute or two then transfer to wire racks.

beach

Okay, I know I said wedding pictures were up next, but we went to the beach yesterday afternoon and watched the sun set. It was absolutely gorgeous and I just had to come and show you guys the pictures! =)

I will definitely miss our 5 minute drive to the beach!!!!

a big blur

That's what life is like for me right now! My days just seem to blend together. I seriously cannot believe it's already November.

Here's a little glimpse of our schedule right now.

Sundays- Church all day. Services are 945am, 11am, and 6pm. A nap is always needed in the afternoons.
Monday through Thursday - watching my neighbor/friend's two boys, 12-4pm
Monday night - I have my Faith Bible Institute class (I recommend this class to every one who wants to learn more about the Lord and the Bible.. it's excellent!!) to go to, 630-915pm
Wednesday night - Hubby has school, the kids and I have church
Friday night - My husband and I volunteer at our church for the Reformers Unanimous program.

Every Saturday it seems like something is going on. Doing things/helping at church, a wedding, a car show, shopping, something!

Add in housework, homework, running errands, grocery shopping, having a yard sale and dr. appointments (we seem to have a lot of those right now) you can see why I have neglected my blog!!

I'm not complaining at all, I am enjoying life! I'm sure once we move and get settled next year our life will slow down and probably be boring! hehe.

My next post is going to be overloaded with pictures! We went to a wedding not too long ago and I've got some cute photos to share!

Until then, sayonara!

Lime Chicken

My hubby really likes this chicken recipe. If you aren't a fan of limes (like me) then you don't want to try this one, lol. I think it's too lime-y, but my husband disagrees! Anyways, since Arlene asked me for this one, I thought I would just post it up here for every one else.

2tbsp lime peel
1/4c. lime juice
1/4c. olive oil
2 tbsp cilantro (I usually use more than this)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 small jalapeno chili seeded and chopped (I use 2 or 3)
1 clove garlic, minced
4 chicken pieces flattened to 1/4" thin (I use tenders or breasts)

I just throw everything into a ziploc bag and let it marinate pretty much all afternoon. I have tried cooking this in my crockpot and on the grill and we prefer the grill. I haven't tried the oven yet, but I'm sure once winter rolls around I will try it that way.

I think my blog is turning into a food blog!! Seems like all my posts have been recipes lately. Sorry.. it just seems like I don't have anything to blog about, or if I do, the time just gets away from me. October has been the craziest month this year for us. Is it like that for every one else??

Christmas mood

I can't wait for Christmas! I just want to skip Fall/Thanksgiving this year and go straight to Christmas. I'm excited to decorate for it! =) Although, the closer it gets to Christmas the closer we get to moving and that is not something I am looking forward to!!

I found this idea on Melissa's blog and I could not stop thinking about this (cheap!!) project! I went to my dollar store and had a hard time finding the platters/plates/whatever they are called. I wasn't sure what section they would be in, but I finally found them on the bottom of a shelf in the baking/cooking section.

Please excuse my horrible pictures. I am a lazy photographer, haha!

Here they are just after I bought them.

Another shot with me in it :P
Spray painted them red

Here's the backside. Look, I'm a lazy spray painter, too!!

The snowflakes that will be hot-glue'd to the tray.

Ta-dah!

Closer up

Aren't they adorable!?

Okay, I said this project was cheap. Here's the price break-down for ya!

2 trays from the dollar store (not dollar general) - $2.00

set of 3 snowflakes again from the dollar store - $1.00

red spray paint from Walmart (have a ton leftover to use for other projects!)- $.98

Total cost - $3.98 for 2 cute Christmas decorations!!

Love it!

I'm going to have to go back and pick up some more. They even have some oval ones. Think of all the possible things you could do with these trays!!

Zesty Chicken and Rice Casserole

I guess I'm all about comfort foods right now. I recently found this recipe, but it has become a family favorite around here!!


1 box chicken flavored rice dinner
2 chicken boullion cubes with 2 cups boiling water or 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 envelope "Good Seasons" Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream


Prepare rice dinner as directed.

In a mixing bowl, dissolve boullion, and add rest of the above ingredients and place in a 9x13 baking dish.

Bake 30mins, covered with foil, @ 350 degrees. Remove foil, bake another 5-10mins. Casserole will set-up as it cools.

--- My notes ---

This dish can get a little too salty if you aren't careful. I'd recommend using a low-sodium chicken broth and tasting it before you bake it.

We like it really cheesy, so I add a bit more! :)

This doubles just fine in a 9x13 dish.

Hot Chicken Salad Casserole

This recipe is my ultimate favorite comfort food dish! I hardly ever get to eat it, since my hubby is a very big picky eater. If I left out all the ingredients he didn't like, it would't be the same!!

-1 cup rice, cooked according to package directions.
-4 cups chopped, cooked chicken
-1 can cream of chicken soup
-1 small onion, chopped
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tsp lemon juice
-3/4 cup chopped celery
-1 can water chesnuts, chopped
-1/2 cup mayo
-2 hard-boiled eggs (I use 3 or 4, depending on my mood. I love eggs!)
-8oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
-about 2 cups of crumbled Lays potato chips (enough to cover the dish)

Combine all ingredients, except cheese and chips, and mix well. Spoon into a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Top with grated cheese and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle crumbled chips on top of casserole and bake for 35mins.

I usually skip the refrigeration step. Not sure why the recipe tells you to do that, but I really don't think it's necessary. I just added it in there for you recipe followers out there, hehe.


** shout out to my sister for passing along this yummy recipe! Love you, Marie!! **

big heart

One day while I was on the treadmill at the gym, I looked up to see my baby (or as he says "Mama, me not a baby, me a KID!") boy really close to tears. He was trying to hold his tears back and his eyes were watery. I immediately slowed down and asked him what was wrong. My first thought was that he somehow got hurt. When I asked him again what was the matter, he said "the kitty drowned and died". I looked over at the movie that was playing on the TV and saw that these two dogs were trying to save the little kitten. I asked him what happened to the kitty and he told me that it got hit by a wave and drowned. I got off the treadmill and tried to get him to come to me, because at this point the tears were ever-so-slowly falling down his cheeks. I looked back at the TV and an old man had come and rescued the drowning kitten. I eventually got Kyle to look at the TV (he kept telling me no, the kitty died) and see that the kitty was okay. When my little boy realized the kitten didn't die, his face lit up.

Oh, that boy warms my heart! Kyle is so loving and he has such a big heart - doesn't matter if it's a person or an animal. I'm so thankful that he gives me these little reminders. Reminders to be more loving, to be more compassionate. To be more like Him.


**this is the second time an animal dying has gotten to him, read about it here**

My Jesus, I Love Thee

~My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;

for thee all the follies of sin I resign.

My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;

if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

~I love thee because thou hast first loved me,

and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;

I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;

if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

~In mansions of glory and endless delight;

I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;

I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;

if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

William R. Featherstone

Labor Day Meme

Jill over at The Diaper Diaries decided to do a Labor Day Meme, and I couldn't resist! If you decide to play along let me know!

How long were your labors?
You know, I don't really understand this question. None of my doctors ever told me "Hey! You were in labor for 15hrs!". So, if someone could tell me when the time "starts to count", I'd be grateful.

Anyhow, with Kyle, my contractions started Tuesday evening, didn't get any sleep that night! Wednesday had contractions ALL day long. They got closer and closer around 7pm, so we went in to the hospital. Kyle wasn't born until 4am Thursday.

With Leah, my water broke in bed around 3am. Got to the hospital around 530am. Miss Leah was born at 2:22pm!

How did you know you were in labor?
Kyle: Horrible contractions.
Leah: Water broke.

Where did you deliver?
Kyle: Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho
Leah: An AFB in Florida

Drugs?
Kyle: Asked for the epidural as soon as I walked in, had so many problems, and had to get a spinal.
Leah: Wanted to go natural, but asked for an epidural near the end. It wore off in no time, and I kept asking for more, but he wouldn't do anything about it.. next thing I know, I was insisting it was time to push!

C-section?
Nope.

Who delivered?
Military doctors, but my husband could have since he was all up in my business! hahaha.. Love ya, Babe!

fall decorating

I'm not big on summer. I hate being hot and sweaty. I prefer the cooler months. I love wearing sweaters, lying underneath a cozy blanket, and, uh, not being hot. ;)

I know it doesn't officially become Autumn until mid-September, but I couldn't wait to put up some fall decorations. I only put two things up, but there was one thing I wanted to show you. My homemade wreath!

Isn't it CUTE!? I think I did a pretty good job for it being my first wreath. All I did was grab some garland and wrap it around a metal coat hanger!! So easy. After that I tied it to my wreath hanger ($.50 yard sale find, btw) with some metal wire, and that was it. =)

Here's another view with my little model!

Am I the only one who is glad summer is coming to an end? Sometimes I forget I live in Florida, it really never does get freezing cold (what I miss) here. *sigh*

update on potty-training

If I didn't have a blog, I probably would still be getting up every few hours each night, to take my son to the bathroom! I took your advice and stopped getting up in the middle of the night, and to limit drinks after 7pm. I'm happy to say that Kyle has only wet the bed 3 or 4 times, since we started!! It's such a wonderful feeling to have him completely out of diapers! One down, one more to go! :)

Speaking of Leah, she has shown a lot of interesting the toilet. She likes to go in there and try to pee, but never really does. I think she's obsessed with the idea of being like her big brother. I put her in one of Kyle's underwear yesterday, but she had an accident and didn't even seem to care that she was wet. So, I will wait on letting her be without her diapers, but still take her to the toilet every once in awhile.

I just wanted to come here and say a big THANK YOU for your potty-training advice!! You guys rock! =)

**picture credit**

Uh-oh!

I understand that people have different parenting techniques. I understand that some parents choose to not spank, and some are big supporters of spankin's. But, what I don't understand is when a child does something wrong and the parent doesn't do anything about it!

I was at the gym today, and this little girl (probably a month or two older than Leah) colored on the wall. As her Mom was getting ready to leave, she noticed the marks. All she did was ask her daughter if she "uh-oh'd". HUH!? Do what!? The little girl nodded her head. She knew what she did, and she knew it wasn't okay. I think I was running with my mouth open when she said that and then carried on. I was kinda baffled by the fact that she didn't do anything. No talk about why we don't color on walls (especially not our own) or anything!

I really try to stay away from spanking my kids in public, thankfully we don't have to deal with that too often. But, when we do, you bet they get talked to (not in a sweet, pipey voice either) and if they don't cooperate, we go straight to the car to give them a you-know-what.

I know the little girl wasn't even two. But all I could think about was that if she lets her daughter get away with something so small like that, what about when she's older and she vandalizes someone's property with spray paint. Is she going to ask her daughter then if she "uh-oh'd"?!?

mooooooooooovin

Yep, that's how I've been feelin' since Monday. It's official, we are moving to New Mexico. I was already prepared for that, but what I wasn't prepared for is that we are leaving in January. We were praying for June, but it didn't go through. So, we only have 5 months left here in Florida.

Leah's birthday is in February and Kyle's birthday is in April. This will be their first birthday's that they won't have any family around! Such is the life of a military child!

It is going to be so hard leaving our church and our friends here. I don't allow myself to think about it too much, because the tears will start coming and then they won't stop.

Phew! I know this is God's plan for our life, but it definitely isn't easy!

stay-cation

My mother and father-in-law came to visit us this past week. They came on Monday and left yesterday. The past week has been a blur! I have so much to catch up on.. laundry, dishes, and blogs, haha. I've missed reading my favorite blogs!!!

While they were here.. we went here.

And here.

And walked through this. (Got in free, too!)

And played some of this.
And played in this water. Okay, they said it's "refreshing".. yeah, right! It's FREEZING. Supposedly 68 degrees all year long.
Add in playing at our favorite kid splash pad and visiting a butterfly house, I think a good time was had by all!

is there any other way?

My goal is to have Kyle completely potty-trained by October 13th. Why October 13th? It's the day he turns 3 1/2yrs old. I really never thought that I would have a child in diapers for this long. There were a lot of things I thought I would never do.. but things change when you actually start having your OWN kids! Ha!

Anywho, Kyle pees just fine by himself. He goes all by himself. He's now even getting better at telling me when he has to go #2. I now know the whole poop issue is because he has a looong history of constipation problems. But, that's not the problem.

How do you get a child to not wet the bed in the middle of the night? Is it something they just learn by themselves? The past two nights I let Kyle sleep in just his underwear, no diaper. I had to set the alarm every 2-3hrs, get up, carry him to the bathroom, and get him to go pee. No accidents, but I don't want to be waking up every 3hrs every.single.night! Potty-training is HARD work.

I try not to give him anything to drink after 8pm, and I do make him use the bathroom before he goes to sleep. Am I missing something?

before and after - tray

Serving tray that I got for free.

Serving tray after some spray paint and wrapping paper.

Here's another before.

And the after.

Right now, the tray is sitting on top of our microwave holding a picture frame and a candle. I love it! I have a small obsession with black & white, black & silver combinations, and black toile!

Friday Photo Flashback - Grandparents

Today I'm sharing a photo of my Mom's parents. I have no idea when it was taken. I know for sure it was before 1980. My Grandfather died before my sister was born, and my Grandmother passed away right after my sister was born (which was in 1980, sorry for tellin' your age, Marie!!!). I would have loved to have met them, I think my Grandmother would have been just like my Mom. Very sweet, soft-spoken, and caring.

I'm linking to Alicia's Friday Photo Flashback!

Build A Bear

Two weeks ago, I won Sandra's $25 giftcard giveaway to Build A Bear. I was excited not only because I knew how happy Kyle would be, but because I had never been to a Build A Bear workshop before. Brandon didn't share my excitement about it because he thinks the place is over-priced. If you think about it, for a stuffed animal it IS a little pricey, but the experience is fun! It's definitely a special occasion type of thing, for us at least. Saturday we decided to take Kyle out to a mall and let him build his own stuffed friend. I had so much fun building his little bear with him. When we were getting ready to check-out, Kyle took my hand and brought me back to the starting line. He told me we had to get Leah a unicorn because he couldn't share his bear!! What a sweet, thoughtful, big brother! ;)Waiting in line to stuff his bear..

He's so shy!!

Washing his new friend!

Getting Tommy (name of his bear) all dressed up.

Kyle tried two different outfits out on his bear. He put a Batman costume on his bear first, but then decided on a Batman pajama set! It's so cute! Too bad I forgot to take a picture of his finished bear! Whoops! =)