Make it stop!

Slime, slime, oh the slime....  

When will it end?!

Treasure Box

I'm not sure who loves this Potato Chip of the Month club better.  

Me - who anxiously awaits this box every month, giddily brings the box inside, and curiously stares at it, unopened, until Jim gets home to pulls out the treasures inside.

OR

Jim - who get to eat the chips!

I guess that means its a gift everyone can enjoy!

Sprinkles

Holly asked for Build-A-Bear gift cards for Christmas.  She had serious stuffed animal envy after Bree came home with hers from a birthday shopping trip and carried the brochure around for weeks showing people what she wanted.  So every Christmas list passed out, every email, every response of 'What does Holly want for Christmas?' contained Build-A-Bear gift cards.  Finally the schedules worked out, the weather calmed down, the time was right to head to the mall and the Build-A-Bear Workshop!

Of all the animals, of all the TV show or movie characters, of all the choices and varieties to pick from, Holly wanted a kitty.

She was being incredibly shy and I could not get a genuine smile of out her during the whole process.

Had I been thinking, we could have discussed names on the hour ride there, but I didn't.  So we stood forever at the counter trying to come up with a suitable name that Holly would remember and that had some meaning.  Ironically enough, the dress she had picked out for this kitty had ice cream on it.  To say Holly is constantly asking for ice cream is an understatement.  And in her world, you cannot have ice cream if you don't have SPRINKLES!!

Sprinkles all packed up and ready to go home.

In light of savoring these preschool days and seizing the "last" moments with her, it was a no-brainer that stopping at McDonalds would seal the cap on the best Monday ever.  

Remedy

Bree was complaining - legitimately complaining - that Jacob got to make dinner the other day and she didn't.  That is a problem I would love to help remedy.  

We found a new chili recipe that was an instant hit with everyone and was only enough leftovers for a single bowl.  My biggest dinnertime win was the lesson in responsibility of cleaning up after your mess - dishes and all!

Flashback

Recently, a fellow book lover mentioned wanting to start up a book group and was wondering if anyone would be interested in joining.  The concept is pretty typical - a book would be decided on, we'd read it on our own, and meet at a winery, coffee house, even their own home to discuss together.  

Sounds.  Like.  Heaven.

Sign me up.

However....  Apparently....  not much has changed since High School as the book discussion day was upon us and I had 2 and half hours to listen to 5 CDs of said book, with each CD being an hour long barring any interruptions.  Where's the cliff notes?!

At least now as an adult, cramming is much more enjoyable with books on CD, cup of coffee, and crochet hook in hand.

Dinnertime

I have a blog post about a 6 and a half year old Bree making sandwiches for lunch and even using the stovetop for scrambled eggs.  Awesome.  Great.  However, I'm not really sure where I went wrong that my almost 9 year old son struggles to smear cream cheese on his bagels and is constantly asking me to make him snacks instead of just doing it himself. 

 

Things are about to change.  One dinner at a time.

 

 

 

From start to finish (aside from browning the hamburger and pulling the dish out of the oven), Jacob was in charge of making Amish Noodle Casserole, salad complete with diced eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers, and rice krispy treats for dessert.  During the entire prep time he kept saying

 

 "I wasn't hungry when we started but now I'm smelling all this food and I'm so hungry.  When will it be time to eat?"  

 

Story of my life kid.  Heck, story of any chef's life. 

Hazard of the job.

 

Spring Change

9.5 years ago we bought this corner TV stand. 

 

With the way our living room is designed, it was (and may still be) the best option for furniture arrangement and TV viewing. 

 

Feng shui, you know?

 

But the 7 year.... or maybe 9 year... or maybe the Spring Cleaning bug has bitten and has me yearning for a little bit of a change.  Luckily for us, we just so happen to have a new TV unit sitting in our living room, waiting for new owners, that just happens to be us!

 

More useful storage.  1950's vibe.  TV sits higher so there is less complaining from children about someone being in their way....

 

What's not to love?

Cleanin' Up

These kids clean up pretty good.

 

Before:

 After: 

 

Holly just wants to keep going shorter and shorter with her hair.  I'm not complaining, but I am asking for it to be long enough to put in a pony tail.  Bree, who wants to grow her hair out as long as possible, opted for a healthy 4 inch cut!  And Jacob, well, there's nothing exciting about a boy's haircut except that afterwards he just keeps looking older and older.

Poppin'

No microwave popcorn over here.

 

Popcorn, which is a pretty regular snack over here, is part of the entertainment!

 

Columbus Axe Throwing

There are certain emails I simply cannot delete without opening - no matter how old they are.  You never know when they will contain a gem of an inspiring article or an oddity of a Groupon like

 

Columbus Axe Throwing.

 

 

Yep, Axe Throwing.  The newest craze.  Who knew?

 

Pair that with some people always willing to go along on unknown, unheard of adventures and you've got yourself a great surprise Valentine's Day Date.

 

 

There were trophies.

 

 

And wild competition.

 

 

I even managed to get a bullseye before the day was through!

 

 

 No outing, nor date, nor adventure is complete without trying out a new restaurant.

 

Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace delivered a uniqueness beyond compare.  From hot dogs loaded with cream cheese and green olives to wrapped in bacon and topped with brisket and onion rings.  From Smurf's Blood adult beverages to thee most creamy, savory, holy cow I wish we would have got some to go Chili Mac and Cheese, Dirty Frank's hit the hunger spot and completed a wonderful day!

 

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day to my Babe. 

May our love be as spunky and interesting as the dates we go on!

Happy Valentine's Day.... Again

 

Every year for Valentine's Day, or around Valentine's Day, we play Bingo.  No idea why.  Started years ago.  Gotta keep traditions going though.

 

Holly rejoicing that in the fact that she won the coverall and therefore the Grand Prize.

 

 

Holly still celebrating her victory in the background while the other two are trying to win the last of the prizes.

 

And when Bingo is over, the negotiating begins. 

 

"I'll trade you three packs of Fruit Stripe Gum for your bottle of glue!"

 

Happy Valentine's Day

When the Grandparents Day Program (which includes an evening performance) is cancelled due to an ice storm and rescheduled to Valentine's Day, you just have to be creative with a quick dinner.  And nothing is quicker than the local pizzeria making heart shaped pizzas on this special holiday! 

 

Repeating

 February 2015:

 

 

February 2019:

 

 

February 2015:

 

 

February 2019:

February 2015:

 

February 2019:

 

Oh how things change in a few short years.