ABC....XYZ

I read this on a blog the other day and thought it would be a fun idea to try on my own blog. Thanks Lindsay for the great idea!

ABC...XYZ

A - Age: I am 37 right now, but Al keeps slipping up and saying I'm 38! UGH!!!

B - Bed Size: Double. We are cozy here, especially with 3 cats and 2 boys who occassionally want to climb in!

C - Chore You Hate: Feeding "our" rabbits!! Every. morning. and. night.

D - Dad's Name: Tom.

E - Essential Start Your Day Item: Coffee. I never used to like creamer, and now I'm basically a little coffee with my creamer kind of gal, but my day just doesn't go right without it.

F - Favorite TV Show: Dexter. It's a little different and I haven't watched in over a year, but I enjoyed it. I don't watch much TV unless you count cartoons and Disney movies. I'm not really into all of this reality TV everyone loves!

G - Gold or Silver: I have always worn gold and thought it looked best on me, but now am liking silver more and incorporating it in my wardrobe, so I wear both.

H - Height: 5'9"

I - Instruments You Play(ed): I always wanted to play the piano and lately I've wanted to learn how to play the guitar. In school, I played the clarinet. As Emily gets old enough to learn an instrument we have pulled my old clarinet out. I can still play notes and I've come to realize I wasn't too bad.

J - Job Title: Mom and Wife and Assistant Librarian.

K - Kid(s): Emily (9 soon to be 10) Carter (7) and Casey (3)

L - Living Arrangement: We have a story and a half in town with 3 bedrooms, but I always say it has 2 1/2 because one bedroom is so small ( it's the one that Carter and Casey will eventually have to share, of course!) It's too small for all of us and cats and our stuff, but it's affordable and then I can go camping in my camper that I'm still paying for more often!!!

M - Mom's Name: Linda.

N - Nicknames: Stace, Babycakes (from Al) and my Dad used to call me snicklefritzer? when I was little. Where that came from I have no idea!!

O - Overnight Hospital Stays Other Than Birth: When I was around 6 or 7 years old I played "Last one in the house is a rotten egg!" with a friend of mine and I was losing so I tried to hold the door closed, but my hand went right through the glass. Needless to say I cut my artery open and had to go to the hospital for stitches. They even put a cast on my arm to help protect it and I ended up staying overnight.

Of course, I stayed overnight with Casey when he broke his leg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P - Pet Peeve: This is a silly one, but my mom will get a kick out of it!! When someone is sharing the couch with me I hate it when they absentmindedly rub their feet back and forth or next to mine!! I'm wierd I know. I also hate the feeling of dry dirt, especially on potatoes!!!

Q - Quotes You Like: I have 2 kinda funny ones: God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I'm so far behind, I'll never die!! And: Build a bridge and get over it!

R - Right or Left-Handed: Right.

S - Siblings: I don't have any of my own, but I married into 2 sisters!

T - Time You Wake Up: 6:00 a.m. I wake up at 10:00 a.m. in my dreamworld because I love to sleep late, but on the weekends the kids get up earlier than on school days. It just doesn't happen around here although Al thinks I sleep late because he wakes up at 5:00 or earlier most days.

U - Ultimate Dessert: Something with dark chocolate!! I kind of have a sweet tooth and I am a chocoholic to boot!

V - Vegetable You Dislike: I don't care for brussels sprouts or okra, too slimy!

W - Ways You Run Late: What ways aren't there to run late? Late getting up. Late waking the kids up. Late stopping doing stuff on the computer to get going. Late making supper. Late getting to bed. Late getting to work (although when I go in after I take the kids to school, I'm actually early!!) Late putting orders in. Late starting homework. I was born late!!!

X - X-rays You've Had: I'm not sure that I've had x-rays. Maybe one time in college on my ankle. I don't remember for sure. My mom would know. None since I've been married.

Y - Yummy Food You Make: Dutch oven potatoes, cheesy chicken italiano in dutch oven, chickent tortilla soup, sante fe chicken, to name a few.

Z - Zoo Animal: I've learned a great appreciation for penguins since Emily and Carter have both learned an awful lot about kinds of penguins, etc. But, I really just like all the animals in general. Sometimes, it's sad to see them in cages, but it's cool to be able to see them at all, too.


So now you know some more crazy facts about me!!! Have a good one!!

Winter Camp Out

Last Saturday night, Al and Carter went on a Winter Camp Out with the Boy Scouts! I sent my camera along (my little one) and it was fun seeing the trip through Carter's eyes.

This first picture is "Just a Cool Picture Mom."

This next one is a big open space where they all played and got muddy!!!!!!
Here is a Bald Eagle nest they hike out to see. Very Cool...I love spotting Eagles.
And here is the cabin where they stayed. It was called "Robin Hood."

My boys (minus Casey of course; too soon it will be all of them) came home dirty, smiling and tired!! I think Boy Scouts are great and so do my boys!!!

We did it!

Emily's 4-H group did a soup supper for a fund raiser last week and each 4-Her was supposed to supply rolls, crackers, carrots, dessert, etc. Since Emily had learned to make bread from scratch this winter, she wanted to try it for this. So, after school the day before, we started right in. I had a little space heater running and turned the oven on ahead of time because it was a cold, cloudy day, not conducive for baking bread. Together we remembered things pretty well...The neighbor girl even came and helped with the fun part of squishing the dough and making it into balls for the rolls.

It was a bit stressful for me because I was afraid they wouldn't raise enough, or it would take until late into the night, etc., etc.

I am a worry wart.

Everything turned out fine. We took the last pan out of the oven just before she went to bed. They were Yummy and I am so proud of Emily for tackling this and accomplishing it.!! She helps me to "Just Do It" and not worry so much. Worrying can be very limiting. That said, here are the pictures that I messed up yesterday! For whatever reason, Blogger likes me today! Figure that one out!

Starting to mix in flour...

Kneading the dough...
OOOHHH! the fun squishy part!! (Ooops! Maybe this should be picture #2?...I'm not messing with it again! If it's not broke, don't fix it! my grandpa used to say!!! You get the idea anyways, right?)

"Playing" in the dough is such fun!!!


Waiting for the rolls to raise and then the finished yummy product!!! Don't you just love homemade bread???
It's really not as hard as you would think...

A Day with Casey

This is definitely a Monday...I've been struggling with blogger today so this post was meant to come after another but since I don't know html I've messed up the other one and now need to reload my pictures!! Oh well some day I will learn that when my morning starts a bit stressful, I should not try anything complicated!! I was thinking it had been too long since I checked in so I was trying to get this up quick!!! Ha ha!! I've been reading a good book lately and that's what happens; I get so involved in my book, I don't take any time with the computer! And I don't sleep!!

Anyways, this is a day I got to stay home with Casey during the week and we did whatever he wanted...
Painting..,.

Drinking pop....


And of course baking cookies!! You know, it just feels wrong when I try to bake without my children...

We also went to the park and on a bike ride, but I left my camera home for that!!

What an awesome day!

Wii had a great time!!!

Sickness update: Carter did go to school and eat lunch that day. And all was fine. He's back to normal. We're all back to normal. Or as normal as we get anyway.

Wii had Carter's birthday party Friday Night!! And he lost 2 teeth!! Lots of presents and lots of fun!!


We borrowed a wii from a friend of mine and had two going. Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. Brawl were the favorites. But it was hard to keep them all going and happy for any length of time! 7 7 seven year olds and Emily...


We had hot dogs and chips (Carter's fav. meal) and then cake and ice cream. Carter wanted R2D2 because since Christmas he has a new fascination with Star Wars. So, Al and I and Carter got up early on his birthday and created this cake. Al did the cutting and Carter directed the frosting!!
I don't think it turned out too bad. It's green cuz that's Carter's fav color!
I can't believe he's 7 already!! Seems like not so long ago that I was pushing this sweet little boy in the swing and singing "leavin' on a jet plane" as we swang! Now he can swing himself and runs off to friends' houses with barely a goodbye! My little boy is now a big boy! And his mom loves him very much!!!

Caution. Kids .Don't try this at home.

Remember when I told you Al's ipod was the best gift I ever bought? He keeps it with him ALL the time. He's always fiddling with this or that...I was at work the other night and he and the kids were playing games on it. Come morning and Al can't find his ipod. I told him that I'd find it and bring it to work with me. He didn't want to be without it...



I found it.


In the washer! He had apparently put it back in his pocket when they were done playing and then forget and threw the jeans in the laundry. I admit I don't check pockets.

Long story short it got washed and then blowed dry and then left in a bag of rice on our heat register for 3 or 4 days.

After a day and a half Al calls me at work and says hey guess what?? My ipod turned on and played!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!! It really worked!!!!

We left it in the bag for a few days more to see if the water marks on the screen would go away. And amazingly they did! You'd never know it got washed. Well, except for how clean and shiny it now looks. I hear the insides have a water mark so that businesses can tell if you are lying, but it works so why take it back?? The only thing that is yet to work is the headphone jack. Al called and they should fix that for a minimal cost.


Whew!!!!

Lunch

Wednesday morning I told Carter I thought maybe he could try a half day after lunch if he felt okay. I told him I would take him after lunch since smells have been bothering him so much. He asked what was for lunch. So, I looked and and told him, "Oh, it's something you really like, sub sandwiches, chips and cake." Carter then said he wanted to go FOR lunch. Mind you this child hasn't eaten more than a handful each day for the past six days. But, I said okay. He actually wanted to go to school whatever the reason. For breakfast he had a pudding cup. Then Casey woke up and wanted pancakes. When Carter realized this, he wanted some too!! He ate one pancake and one waffle on top of the pudding. 2 hours later it' s about time to go into school, they eat lunch very early as 1st graders. Anyway, I asked again, "Are you sure you want to go for lunch, you had a lot for breakfast?" Carter says, "Yes, I'm still hungry right now, but I want to wait for lunch!" Amazing!!!! I was so afraid, but I took him anyway.




He made it the whole day and was back to himself, picking on Casey once they got home!!!!!


Wowie, what a sickness!! Go glad that's over!

Now we can focus on Friday's Wii party for Carter since he turns 7!!!!!!

Update

Carter did not try school today.

I made him eat a piece of toast and he promptly threw it up!!!!

Will this never end???

I think I might cry...

Getting Ready for Spring

Before I got my "fancy" camera, I wasn't nearly as observant of things around me as I am now. Do not be deceived...I still probably won't notice you if you are driving by me and waving...but I do notice things like the river "cracking up" in preparation of spring more. I just thought it was cool, so the other day I had some extra time and went and took some pictures while Casey slept in the van.

Now I want to think about warmer weather and what I can do when all that ice is gone!!!! But I had to get that cool picture up before it was too late.

We've started dreaming about different places we could take a vacation, when it's warm, and the first thing I think is "Oooh that would be cool to take pictures of." I can't wait.

On a side note: We all seem to be on the mend. Casey is great. Emily is tired, but back to school and Carter needs to try school today. I don't believe I caught it, but it was touch and go one morning. Al has stayed away enough I guess or he's just tougher. On to brighter things....We have a birthday and a party coming up this weekend!! Carter is going to be 7!!!!!!!!!! Wow, time flies!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sharing...

Remember I told you that we like to share around here? Well, as I am typing this quick update, I have two children asleep with their face in a bucket and one other who still has only eaten a handful the entire day!!! I wasn't sure I felt quite right earlier and Al is out of the house to a meeting. Maybe he can skip this one just by being gone...I hope so, cuz it's bad.

Birthday Weekend

NEWS FLASH! I REALY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SHOW YOU PICTURES FROM OUR BIRTHDAY PARTY, BUT CASEY HAS BEEN SICK, SICK, SICK. I AM STARTING TO GET WORRIED ABOUT IT. HE STARTED WITH THE STOMACH FLU, ETC. BAD! NOW HE HAS A HIGH FEVER! POOR KID. THREE HAS BEEN PRETTY HARD ON HIM ALREADY!

But he is sleeping now and I don't want to do anymore laundry right at this moment. So,...



Saturday, February 28th my baby turned 3. He is adamant however, that he is not my baby, he is a big boy! When Casey was in his cast the one thing he wanted to do very badly was to go down the slide. I just couldn't figure out a way to accomplish this. And after, it got cold and we never really had many opportunities to slide. My point here is that McDonald's was the perfect party for him! He had a couple of little friends come, grandparents and of course sissy and brother who helped keep the fun going!







McDonald's supplies a cake, but for home, we had Bob the Builder because I promised! It was orange cake, too, for Casey's favorite color and quite good!
After we got home from McDonald's before we went to volunteer at a community chili feed, Casey wanted to spend some time on Dad's lap so I snapped a few good ones!


Sunday, was Al's Dad's birthday too! So we had his Mom and Dad over for a steak supper to celebrate!! Yum Yum!
Here's grandpa being conned into getting on the floor. I don't know what Casey thinks that "bug" net is for, but it's not bugs! And now grandpa is in on it!
Happy Happy Birthday Boys and Many Many More!! We had fun! Thanks!