Friday, August 14, 2009
Braggin' On My Kid
We got a letter in the mail the other day from the school saying that Anthony won an award. He was awarded outstanding student, for maintaining a 4.0 grade point average throughout the 7-9 grades. Way to go Anthony!! I'm so proud of you! Thank God you ended up with your dad's genius brain LOL!
Thursday, August 06, 2009
My favorite all time commercial
And NOT because I love buying school supplies, if you catch my drift LOL!
*you'll have to pause the music below, if you want to watch this.
Monday, August 03, 2009
Look What I Have!
Fresh from the garden....now what the heck do I do with it? The cucumber Rich will eat in one sitting with some salt. The tomatoes, no one really likes tomatoes. We like ketchup, spaghetti sauce and things made with tomatoes, but we don't like tomatoes...weird, I know. I guess soon enough I'll have to borrow someone's pressure cooker or whatever it is you use to can with and learn how to can tomatoes, huh?
Our Weekly Pancake Breakfast
We have pancakes at least once a week. The kids would be happy eating cereal everyday, but since they eat one box, sometimes two boxes a day, it gets a little expensive. So, I try to make pancakes, eggs, etc. a few days a week to help with the grocery costs. Eggs are pretty cheap. Plus Lew (our old farmin' friend) has chickens, so lots of times we have fresh eggs that are free...can't beat free eggs!
We usually just have blueberry or plain pancakes, sometimes chocolate chip pancakes as a treat. But I've been wanting to try banana ones so I found this recipe and decided to give it a try. Man, those suckers were delicious!! I had three of them LOL! There goes the diet for today....oh well - Gotta live a little now and then.
I also found some pancake molding thingys that only cost a dollar at the store. I thought the little kids would think it was cute or neat or whatever. Nathan loved it. He picked blueberry hearts and banana teddy bears. I made a few of them, but gave up after awhile. I could only make two pancakes at a time, and it was taking forever to get them on the kids' plates. Eventually I just made them without the shapes. I think the shapes would be a fun idea, if I only had one or two children to make pancakes for, but since I have a family of eight it makes it hard to get them on the table fast enough. It is so much easier and faster just using my handy dandy electric griddle that Rich bought me for my birthday. But all in all everyone liked the banana pancakes and of course the old stand by blueberry ones too.
Bananas ready for mashing
Banana pancake mix
Blueberry pancake mix
Banana Teddy Bears
Blueberry Hearts
Banana Pancakes
Blueberry Pancakes
I had to chase Nathan off while I was making the pancakes. He loves to help, but sometimes I just want to be in the kitchen by myself. So, I tried to distract him with his GeoTrax....it worked for about as long as it took me to take these pictures. Then he was back to "helping" me in the kitchen.
We usually just have blueberry or plain pancakes, sometimes chocolate chip pancakes as a treat. But I've been wanting to try banana ones so I found this recipe and decided to give it a try. Man, those suckers were delicious!! I had three of them LOL! There goes the diet for today....oh well - Gotta live a little now and then.
I also found some pancake molding thingys that only cost a dollar at the store. I thought the little kids would think it was cute or neat or whatever. Nathan loved it. He picked blueberry hearts and banana teddy bears. I made a few of them, but gave up after awhile. I could only make two pancakes at a time, and it was taking forever to get them on the kids' plates. Eventually I just made them without the shapes. I think the shapes would be a fun idea, if I only had one or two children to make pancakes for, but since I have a family of eight it makes it hard to get them on the table fast enough. It is so much easier and faster just using my handy dandy electric griddle that Rich bought me for my birthday. But all in all everyone liked the banana pancakes and of course the old stand by blueberry ones too.
Bananas ready for mashing
Banana pancake mix
Blueberry pancake mix
Banana Teddy Bears
Blueberry Hearts
Banana Pancakes
Blueberry Pancakes
I had to chase Nathan off while I was making the pancakes. He loves to help, but sometimes I just want to be in the kitchen by myself. So, I tried to distract him with his GeoTrax....it worked for about as long as it took me to take these pictures. Then he was back to "helping" me in the kitchen.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Forgot To Mention This Yesterday
I got a really nice compliment yesterday from our neighbor Mrs. Smith and her helper. While we were cutting up the cake and eating it outside at the party, Mrs. Smith and her helper (home health aide) were taking a walk down our street, so I offered them a piece of cake and some ice cream.
They agreed and came over and while they were eating Mrs. Smith and her helper said they thought Anthony and Zachary were very nice, polite and courteous. That was such a nice thing to hear. Sometimes all I see is how they misbehave and fight with each other. So it's nice to hear that someone thinks the kids are good and well behaved, because like I said I usually focus on the bad things instead of the good.
Mrs. Smith and her helper also said they enjoyed watching the kids play outside. They like watching them hide behind the bushes in her yard and often ask them not to tell the others where they are hiding and in general they like seeing them play. It's nice to know that my kids can entertain them when they are bored LOL!
It does a mother's heart good to hear such nice, wonderful things about her children. It feels like a blessing to be able to do nice things for others and be helpful to those who need it. It's a reminder to be grateful for the blessings that God has given to us.
They agreed and came over and while they were eating Mrs. Smith and her helper said they thought Anthony and Zachary were very nice, polite and courteous. That was such a nice thing to hear. Sometimes all I see is how they misbehave and fight with each other. So it's nice to hear that someone thinks the kids are good and well behaved, because like I said I usually focus on the bad things instead of the good.
Mrs. Smith and her helper also said they enjoyed watching the kids play outside. They like watching them hide behind the bushes in her yard and often ask them not to tell the others where they are hiding and in general they like seeing them play. It's nice to know that my kids can entertain them when they are bored LOL!
It does a mother's heart good to hear such nice, wonderful things about her children. It feels like a blessing to be able to do nice things for others and be helpful to those who need it. It's a reminder to be grateful for the blessings that God has given to us.
Nathan's Birthday Party! - Part One
Nathan with "Aunt" Terri
Reading his card with Daddy
Sidewalk Chalk!
Water Slide
More Water Guns - Let the battle begin!
Stick 'em up!
Scooby Doo cars
Water guns
Aunt Kristen, Nathan and Uncle Jimmy
There's a Doggie on here!
Moon Sand from Aunt Kristen and Uncle Jimmy
Nathan and Mommy
Just to get this off my chest
I started out writing this post about how frustrated and upset I was about Nathan's party today. But then I thought about how hard I am trying to embrace life and not be so upset and aggravated about everything. How I was going to try to see things in a more positive attitude. And I will, I am.
However, I was feeling frustrated. See I planned this party for my little guy. My youngest, most darling boy. I wanted it to be a perfect day, because I wanted it to be wonderful for him. So when my siblings started calling me and telling me they weren't coming, I got really upset. To the point where I actually started to cry. I was letting my low self esteem get to me...Rich being the protector that he is, was equally mad. Plus, he shelled out 300 bucks on food, beer, drinks, bigger cake - all based on my family telling us they were coming. And now they weren't (and it sort of seemed as though one of them wasn't being very honest about it). I didn't invite a lot of people, just my two brothers, my sister, my mother and Terri and Vince (our closest friends).
So who showed up? Jimmy, Kristen and Terri. That was it. I told Terri that I felt like crap. I have always said that Terri and Vince are like family to us. They are. They have come through for us in more ways than words can say. My kids will even call Terri, Aunt Terri because she is like an aunt to them. So, I tell Terri, do you think this is somehow a way for them to say that they (my family) doesn't like me? Like I'm inadequate or something. I took it personally. I couldn't/can't help it.
Now, I realize that maybe I'm just acting like a big baby. But when you have struggled with feelings of not being wanted or feeling like you aren't good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, skinny enough etc....it's hard sometimes NOT to take it personally, you know?
At any rate, Nathan had a great day. He didn't even know what or who was missing. To him, the most important people were already there and that was all he needed - that and his presents, of course. He loved his party and he felt like the special little boy that he is. He even said thank you. So, even though I still feel the sting and Rich will still be upset about spending more money than he should of had to, I will remember that my little guy had the best day ever and that to me means more than the world!
However, I was feeling frustrated. See I planned this party for my little guy. My youngest, most darling boy. I wanted it to be a perfect day, because I wanted it to be wonderful for him. So when my siblings started calling me and telling me they weren't coming, I got really upset. To the point where I actually started to cry. I was letting my low self esteem get to me...Rich being the protector that he is, was equally mad. Plus, he shelled out 300 bucks on food, beer, drinks, bigger cake - all based on my family telling us they were coming. And now they weren't (and it sort of seemed as though one of them wasn't being very honest about it). I didn't invite a lot of people, just my two brothers, my sister, my mother and Terri and Vince (our closest friends).
So who showed up? Jimmy, Kristen and Terri. That was it. I told Terri that I felt like crap. I have always said that Terri and Vince are like family to us. They are. They have come through for us in more ways than words can say. My kids will even call Terri, Aunt Terri because she is like an aunt to them. So, I tell Terri, do you think this is somehow a way for them to say that they (my family) doesn't like me? Like I'm inadequate or something. I took it personally. I couldn't/can't help it.
Now, I realize that maybe I'm just acting like a big baby. But when you have struggled with feelings of not being wanted or feeling like you aren't good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, skinny enough etc....it's hard sometimes NOT to take it personally, you know?
At any rate, Nathan had a great day. He didn't even know what or who was missing. To him, the most important people were already there and that was all he needed - that and his presents, of course. He loved his party and he felt like the special little boy that he is. He even said thank you. So, even though I still feel the sting and Rich will still be upset about spending more money than he should of had to, I will remember that my little guy had the best day ever and that to me means more than the world!
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