Shack-Tastic

If you've never been to my tool shed, then you will not fully appreciate what I am about to reveal. It has been a year since I moved into the shed, and I finally started making some changes.

First, the shelving has long bothered me. So I got some baskets to hide the clutter. This may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me! I still need a few more baskets, but it's a start.

Second, I got curtains!! Hopefully this will help with the summer heat!

And finally, I would like to introduce my new BFF...the Hoover FloorMate. This thing is amazing. We've actually had it in the house for a while, but never used it since we have Pergo flooring (and you're not supposed to get it wet). I don't know why it never occurred to me to use it in the shop before, but now that I did, it's great!

In totally unrelated news...check out my tomatoes!

I know it's not Mother's Day anymore, but since it's still May, I figure I can still post this video. It pretty much says it all.

Okay, so I can't figure out how to post it, but here's the url: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_rBidCkJxo

Beach Day 2

Taking the camera to the beach is a total bust...so no more pictures from there. But here are a few from the Moody Gardens Pyramids. The girls were totally camera-uncooperative...Addison especially.

Beach

We're vacationing in Galveston this week, here's a couple of quick pics. We're all red like lobsters. If I can make myself take the camera today, I may post more pictures.

Playing With Photo Correction

Jody (Dacus4) sold me some photograph editing software from Creative Memories Digital line. This is my first attempt. Not perfect, but pretty cool, still.

New Pics

Couple of graduation (finally!) pics, and some of the girls. The girls are dressing themselves now, and Grandma sent them some new boots. Addison was ready to stomp some bugs, and Emma just thought she was cute.

Remember that garden we planted a couple of months ago? It's coming right along, putting out veggies like crazy. The squash aren't doing too hot, though...I think they have some sort of fungus. Here are the first 4 beans I picked today, as well as our upcoming bell peppers and cilantro...yum.

Easter

The girls had a good Easter...this was the first that they really got to enjoy the hunt! Of course, it was rainy here on Sunday, but Saturday was a big day. We hunted eggs at GG's house, and then with the church group. On Sunday we had 12 people in our tiny living room and dining room for lunch. It was an interesting culinary experience...leg of lamb, corned beef, and some other kind of bean I had never heard of.

Today was interesting...the bank next to the girls daycare got held up. They had not found the guy by the time I heard of it (4 hours later). The daycare was on lock down when I got there...it was all a little freaky.

Not too many pics of the girls' Easter, just a dress shot. Sorry :(

Mother of the Year, 2009

I'm going to go ahead and announce it...I am the Mother of the Year for 2009. If tonight's dinner doesn't solidify that, then I don't know what will.

Plan A: CrockPot roast with vegetables, at the table, as a family
---roast was still too under cooked to serve by dinner time

Plan B: Frozen pizza (with spinach and chicken), at the table as a family
--- dropped the pizza as I was taking it out of the oven. I actually stomped my feet and screamed "NO-o-o-o-o-!"

Plan C: Popcorn, in a bowl, outside, inside, everywhere, not as a family

And for dessert? I found my new favorite recipe, which is why I'm blogging in the first place....cake in a mug (a la Betty Crocker's Warm Delights). So, I thought I would share:

1 coffee mug (I used a really large one, but if you don't have a big one, it will just cook over the top a little)
4 T. cake flour (I used bread flour)
4 T. sugar
2 T. cocoa
1 egg
3 T. milk
3 T. oil
1 splash of vanilla
3 T. chocolate chips (optional)

Add dry ingredients to the mug; mix well with a fork. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk, oil, and vanilla, and mix well. Add chips

Microwave for 3 minutes on 1000 watts. Let cool.

And on another note...I passed my teacher work sample! That means I am DONE!

The Garden and First Swimming "Soups"

The girls tried on their swimming suits today and played in nasty sandbox water. They've been waiting for this day for 2 weeks. J. worked on the garden, which is nice to see against all of this brown we're currently surrounded by.

Oh Emmeline

Per request, I made my aunt an Emmeline apron like I made my mom. No, I'm not taking requests. Thought I'd put up pictures of yet another finished project (2 in a row!). Of course I got tired and lazy at the end, and finished it in my own way, but no FabriTac was involved in this project. (P.S. It was all I could do to get J to take the pictures)

Marci came over sometime during Christmas break for me to "help" her make a quilt. She got it all cut out, and a few pieces sewn, before giving up. I finished the top for her tonight, but she's on her own for the rest!

Just a couple of Spring Break pictures. It's cold and rainy here, so we're just lazing around the house.

Who?

The girls' great aunt, Dominique, requested some pictures of the girls. Justified, since this is a blog about them. So, I've been carrying a camera around with me for a couple of days, not using it. I decided that the girls needed a bike, so I made it into a prize. If they did everything I asked of them, then they would get a bike. Tonight was the big night. We went to Wal-Mart and picked out pink bikes. On the way out of the door, Addison decided all she ever wanted in the world was a Beta fish. Okay by me...saved me a bunch of money! So. Emma got a bike, Addison got two fish. Addison said she can ride her old tricycle. Here's a couple of shots of them with their new "prizes". We'll see how long it takes for Addison to "need" a new bike.

Darn You, Kerri

I've been tagged. 70 random things about me...

1. I am 5'9"

2. I live in a small, cozy home on 1.35 acres.

3. I am anxious to start my first vegetable garden...yay for Spring Break.

4. Speaking of Spring Break, I am student teaching right now. I just finished at the Junior High (praise God, He got me through) and start at the High School on Monday.

5. I graduate in May. My last day of official class is May 1st. :)

6. My bedroom looks like Mexico...salmon walls and a blue ceiling. I happen to love it.

7. My favorite color used to be yellow. Then red. Currently, it's Tiffany Box Blue.

8. I never got a wedding band. I have an awesome engagement ring, but when I had the girls I stopped wearing it full time. The diamond scratched them too much, and now I just don't think about it. Jarrid doesn't seem to mind.

9. I named Addison, Jarrid named Emma K. I named Addison after the town outside of Dallas. Don't have a good justification for that.

10. I have a tooth implant.

11. I used to have a $10 rule. I would not buy any piece of clothing if it was over $10. I have waived the rule for dresses, now. I will spend up to $25 on a dress.

12. Green beans are my comfort food. Straight out of the can. Don't even have to warm them up.

13. I have always been okay with eating various things straight out of a can.

14. I wear a size 12 shoe.

15. I do the laundry and dishes (which is why they're never done). Jarrid cleans the living room and dining area.

16. Jarrid often cuts/colors my hair.

17. I am THRIFTY! I believe I should try my best to be a good steward of what I am blessed with monetarily.

18. I bake my own bread. Okay, sometimes I buy frozen bread dough from Kroger. But it is still WAY cheaper.

19. I have spent maybe $10 in the last 6 months on laundry detergent.

20. I did however just get a really nice washer and dryer. But it has a good warranty, and it's energy star, so I can justify it.

21. I love fractions.

22. I love Sudoku

23. I read at least one blog a day.

24. I should be doing school work/getting ready for Church right now. Darn you Kerri.

25. I drink water or Diet Dr. Pepper. If I'm at a restraunt, I will have tea or Diet Coke from a fountain.

26. I eat a granola bar every morning for breakfast.

27. I think it would be great fun to throw the kids in the car and go camping around the country for a month. I've actually started saving for this.

28. My dream vacation is Italy. For Jarrid and me.

29. I want to take the girls on a cruise.

30. I did not vote for Obama.

31. I would have voted for Condy Rice.

32. I love Mad Men, but am not able to watch it on TV. Must rent from video store.

33. I love to sew, but my machine is on the fritz.

34. I am not opposed to gluing items I am making. Make fun if you want. FabriTac is the bomb.

35. I use an electric toothbrush twice a day.

36. I don't blowdry my hair very often

37. I used to drive a Ford Ranger, then a VW bug, then a cavalier, then a saturn, then a cavalier, then a saturn. I'm seeing a pattern here.

38. I once spray painted Jarrid's car so it could all be the same color. Surprise!

39. My kids and I exchange "Hives". That's their word for high five.

40. I don't high five other people. But I'll pound if I have to.

41. I'm not a huge hugger. I will rarely initiate the hug. But I love to be hugged by people that ARE huggers.

42. I hug my kids and Jarrid multiple times a day.

43. I was a pharmacy technician for 8 years.

44. At my first pharmacy job, I was put in charge of the foot and deoderant section. Not sure what they were trying to say.

45. I dress my kids in hand me downs. 75% of their clothes come from other people's closets. 20% comes from grandparents, and the last 5% come from me. ( I have a $7 rule on the girls).

46. I work outside of my home. Literally. To the left of my home.

47. I couldn't cut it as a stay at home mom. That's some serious hard work.

48. I can't style hair. I can cut, color, and perm hair, but CANNOT style it. I know my limitations.

49. I love to sing. I sing all the time at home and in the car. I get very animated when I sing.

50. I do not have a good singing voice. I know this. I've come to terms with it.

51. I used to compete in sign language at LTC. I gold medaled.

52. I turn the big 3-0 this year.

53. I'm allergic to cats. I live with two.

54. I've memorized the lines to Clueless.

55. I like sushi.

56. I cannot live with roaches.

57. I've been stung by a scorpion. Intense, but better than having a roach crawl on me.

58. Jarrid and I pack up at least once a year and go to Galveston for the day. The girls have been 3 times. Doesnt' look like we're going to get to go this year, though.

59. Jarrid proposed to me in Galveston.

60. Jarrid took me out dancing for our first date. Which is odd, because neither of us dance. It was a long first date.

61. I need to create. When I get stressed, I have to either make or bake something. If I bake it, then I stress eat...but that's another story. Sometimes I get stressed because I haven't been creative.

62. Doing hair does not count as being creative for me.

63. I've been to Mexico, Germany, Switzerland, and France.

64. I have never been above Tennessee.

65. The best bologna sandwhich I ever had was at Porky's in Memphis.

66. Once I start a book, I don't put it down until I am done. I eat while reading, bathe while reading, and don't sleep until it is done.

67. I would love to go to space.

68. I have zero desire to go to Africa.

69. I have a hard time buying clothing that is colored. Most of my clothes are black or brown, or go with black or brown.

70. I am perfectly content with my family the size it is. If I never had another child, I would be okay with that. If God decides I need another child, I'll be okay with that, too. And although may people won't understand this, I never want to have twins again. God and I have talked, I think He knows where I'm coming from with this...we'll see.

I tag Lori S. and Michelle K.

Cheapskate

It would be nice if my first blog "back" was about the girls...but it's not. I haven't had time to take any new pics of them lately. But I did want to quickly share this new website I found today... http://www.simplythrifty.com/100-things-you-can-make-yourself/. It's right up my alley...things you can make yourself cheaply. I'm kind of interested in making the Ginger Ale.

Mallory is Home!

She will be going through occuptional and physical therapy every week, and should return to school after Spring Break. If no one objects, I'd like to go back to blogging about my kids and stop blogging about Mallory. :P

Another good day today. Still on track to come home Wed.

Mallory is officially off of her morphine and lipids through her IV. The only thing she is still receiving through the IV are her antibiotics. She should finish those up by Wednessday, and as long as everything keeps going well, she will then be able to come home. Pray that she does not get another infection.

Marci, the girls, and I went down to the hospital last night. Mallory was...HAPPY! It was weird. She was almost back to her normal self. She had physical therapy yesterday, and said she surprised everyone with how much she walked. They also put her in a whirlpool. She also went to the school on the hospital grounds yesterday and was able to do some school work. This is a totally different kid than I saw on Sunday. She did end up losing her pick line, and received 2 IV's, which was traumatic for her. Hopefully she gets to come home next week and there won't be any more IV's.