Forgotten pictures

Just a couple pictures I'd found to post from this summer.

It's a family affair

Washing the car with Daddy. This is for Pam. :)

I made challah!

Isn't it pretty?? :) This is my favorite kind of bread to make, it's a Jewish bread that is slightly sweeter than regular bread and made with eggs to make it very moist and dense. It is traditionally served on Sabbat in the braided form and on holidays like Rosh Hashanah it's curled into round loaves with golden raisins.

Tom has decreed that I can never buy store bread again. :) He said it's the best bread he's ever had. I ended up making two loaves yesterday just so he could take one to work to munch on and have the other for our lunch. :) The kids love it too. It made great sandwiches. It also makes wonderful french toast! But the very best way to eat it is fresh from the oven with butter and honey all over the crunchy end piece. Mmmmm... I'm making myself hungry. I think I need to make another loaf. :)

I realise this isn't a picture of the kids. My mil, Pam relies on this blog to get her fix of grandkids from so far away. Truth be told, I'm a little burned out on picture taking at the moment. So there's no pictures to post. And really, not much has been going on. We're about to start school and I'm getting the house organized and everything ready for that.

We had a great family night about a week ago. We went to Johnny Carino's for dinner -- the italian bread pudding for dessert was heavenly -- and then played a game of putt putt together. It was a fun evening.

Taylor started soccer this past week. Everyone was repooled, meaning scrambled up and reassigned teams. The coach's wife from the Firecrackers had told me that they'd decided not to do that anymore so I was expecting Taylor to be be with her same coach and team. We were both surprised and very sad. She was on a GREAT team the last two seasons and they did so well. Her new team is the Super Stars. The team is shaping up and looks to have promise. The coach I recognize from a team we played last year. This coach wasn't the most controlled or good sportsman like on the sidelines. We have no problem requesting to be reassigned, so I hope he controls himself better this year.

Taylor also started back with her piano lessons. I was very relaxed on her practicing during the summer because we were so busy. But she remembered everything and her teacher said she did wonderful to having been off for 21/2 months.

Other than that, it's been a boring past couple of weeks. ELO starts the second week of September and the kids are so excited. I'm excited too.... the summer activities dwindled off after the first of August so I'm ready my busy fall schedule. I don't do boring. :) I guess that's why I got back into bread baking. Lack of places to go and things to do. :)

I love my hubby!!

I have the most wonderful, kind, patient, understanding, loving husband ever! Tom has been so great to me during this very trying and uncomfortable thing called pregnancy. Last night our family night got postponed until tonight. I was really looking forward to getting out of the house because I hadn't had the best of days. I told Tom I needed some time out and that I was going to the bookstore to pretend I didn't have kids. :-P He said sure and told me to go and relax. He sweetly said to come home soon though because he wanted to spend time with me. I sighed and said I'd come home sooner if I knew the kids would be in bed when I got home. (How selfish is this making me sound??) He said he'd feed the kids and have the them in bed early and to come home soon to snuggle. What a sweet guy. I love and appreciate him so much.

This is totally not a common thing.. actually I can't remember ever doing this before, but I really needed it. I sipped my mocha and perused (Christmas!) cookbooks, a book all about baking bread, started a F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, and made a list of homemade items to make for for Christmas gifts. I got stoked about baking bread again. I used to bake all sorts of fancy breads and rolls. I loved it. I so want to reclaim my passion for baking. It's so therapeutic for me and I've missed it!

I came home refreshed and happy, back to my sweet, loving self. ;) I kissed the kids goodnight and spent the rest of the evening watching preseason football on the couch with my wonderful hubby. I love you, sweetie!

Getting in the Christmas spirit

As soon as August rolls around I break out my favorite Christmas music. Okay, okay, I listen to it all year off and on, but August has always been the official "start listening to Christmas music all the time" month when I was growing up... so I carry on the tradition. And my husband hates me. :)

This morning the kids and I decided to take our early Christmas spirit a step further and make Christmas pancakes. (while listening to Christmas music of course!) :) They were a hit with the kids, though the sprinkles weren't my thing.

Merry Christmas!

This is all a cruel joke, right??

I pride myself on the facts that my house stays pretty darn clean most of the time, my kids aren't terrors who color on walls and that I supervise my kids with an eagle eye 97.8% of the time. It's a huge blow to my ego when something like THIS happens.

Someone please explain to me how in the time it takes me to have *ahem* my turn in the bathroom, a two year old can do this kind of damage!!??

Brand new shorts btw.....

Taylor's super cute WHITE vanity table....

And her princess TV.

There is humor here, I know it. I just. can't. see. it.

In other news, all nail polish and brightly colored cosmetics of any kind formerly in Taylor's room are now in the trash. Any tips for getting nail polish off furniture, electronics and clothing????

Our last night with Grandma :(

We went to Tom parent's last night to say good bye to Grandma. She's been visiting for 3 weeks and it's been so fun having her home! The kids will miss her. They've been talking about you today, Pam. Taylor and Chandler were talking about if your plane had landed yet. :) Love you!

Brayden's first Sourpatch Kid

I'm so evil. :)



Despite the horrible faces, he loved it and asked for another. :)

Best $12 I've ever spent!

This thing is awesome. The kids have been outside for going on 3 hours... and have not run back inside even once! (I'm keeping a sharp eye out on Brayden through the window, btw!) It takes me back to my summers, being locked outside with nothing but our imaginations, the hose and an old canoe. Guess what we did??




I'm off to take them lunch, which they've seem to have forgotten all about! They'll eat in the shade and then continue on with their engrossing waterplay. It's so fun to see my kids getting to live the great things I remember from my childhood. And hey, I'm getting some major blog reading housework done! :)

Funny morning

I've spent far too much time reading blogs today... but boy has it been a funny ride. Here's something I found.

Why the stitches?







HERE'S WHY !!!!!!!!!!

Such a Chandler thing to happen. lol

P.S. Take a few minutes for yourself today and read some of Jennyhaha's blog. I dare you to read February's posts and not laugh your butt off. :)

I wish I was this funny

I came across Jennyhaha's blog today -- darn it... it's the last thing I need, another blog to read! This blog is my dream blog.. you know, where I post everyday about mundane stuff and it's hilariously funny. (Plus her layout is stinkin' awesome) She reminds me a lot of Jen - same name, writing style, poop stories, and dry humor. :)

Have you ever rated your blog?? It's quite fun. lol

My myspace is rated PG for the words steal and drugs... both used in the context of the survey I have on there. Fun stuff. :)