Christmas Came Early

This year we started Christmas a little early.  At least, early to be celebrating on our own.  We planned to let the kids open a few gifts Sunday evening even though we're not leaving until Wednesday night so we can cut down the number that will travel with us and I didn't want to try to cram present opening in the mix of stuff to do to be able to leave.  Plus, they had some time to enjoy them.

We started Sunday morning with bikes - Joey's parents got both kids a new one this year.  Since we're travelling to Kentucky for the big day, we knew they would be getting them before we left.  However, after we put them together Saturday evening we decided to just leave them out for them to find Sunday morning so they would have time to ride them a bit.  Well, Gracie comes down to my bed about 5:30 and says, "Mommy!  There's bikes in the living room!"  I convinced her to go back to sleep somehow, but when Logan came in a bit later she popped and said "Logan!  There's bikes in the living room!"  And that was that.

I did a lot of baking on Sunday while also doing laundry, and squeezing in a trip to Target for more chocolate chips.  I mentioned to the kids that we would open some presents after dinner on Sunday, but Logan wore me down and we ended up opening them around 5:30.  I let the kids open 4 presents each.  First, they opened hats & gloves which they both needed.

Then they each got to open a movie, which they would then be able to watch on the drive to Kentucky.

Next they opened their gifts to each other - the only "toy" present they opened.

Gracie got a Dora makeup set.

Logan got new Legos.

Finally they each opened a new pillow/back rest/blanket combo simply because it was too big to make the trip.

Gracie's had a angel theme...

...and Logan's was frogs.

All in all we had a great weekend and a fun time opening presents.  I think it was actually the first time we opened presents with only the four of us there - usually one side of the extended family is with us.  It was fun to take our time, really see the kids open their presents, and since they only got four they really enjoyed what they got - as opposed to getting a bunch at one time and being sort of overwhelmed.  It was a great beginning to what promises to be a fun holiday in Kentucky.

Wreath Happy

I have a new obsession - wreaths.  It's sad, but true (although there are worse things, right?).  First I made my lovely coffee filter wreath.  Then I decided a Christmas wreath I made many years ago needed a change.  So I removed all the decoration and ribbon for a fresh start.  I purchased two "sleeves" of ornaments from The Dollar Tree - one red and one gold, each had matte, shiny, and glitter ornaments.  I also bought two bunches of fake poinsettias there.  Then I simply hot glued the top of each ornament and stuck it to the wreath.  I then removed the poinsettia blooms from the plastic stems and hot glued them on too.  Here's the final product:

I totally love it and it took no more than 20 minutes to make.  When I started I intended to cover the whole thing in ornaments but when I ran out I improvised the flowers and am really pleased with how it turned out.  That being said, I think I'll pick up some more ornaments next time I'm at The Dollar Tree to fill in the outside more.

The other wreath I made was based on inspiration found in blogland.  I bought a wreath form, white yarn, red yarn, glitter snowflakes, and ribbon from Micheal's.  I took the yarn and wrapped it around the wreath form in alternating blocks of red and white.  Then I hot glued the snowflakes on and stuck a bow on top of them.  Here's the result:

*Yes, it is hanging from the light in my sister's dining room.  If she had a wreath hanger I didn't see it.

Again, I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  As I was wrapping the yarn I got concerned it was looking a little shoddy, but in the end it worked.  I gave this one to my sister Jessica, so as soon as I can get back to Micheal's I'm going to make one for myself. 

Winner, Winner - Chicken Dinner!

That's right peeps!  I'm a winner!

I won the giveaway over at The Speckled Dog for a Hand Knit Birdie from Sugar Foots Shop!  I'm so excited!  I think this may be used as a Christmas gift for a sweet little niece who will turn one on Christmas Eve!  But ssshhh!  Don't tell her!

Thanks to Kristi at The Speckled Dog and Kristin at the Sugar Foots Shop! 

Hoooo are you?

Over on http://www.nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com/ she hosts a weekly Hoo Are You? "party."  So this week I've decided to join in the fun.  She asks some questions, I give my answer, and then link the post back to her page.  Pretty easy right?  Here we go.

1. If you could add one room to our house, what would it be?
I would add a dining room off the eat-in kitchen.  Then, I would be free to extend my kitchen into the current eating area and add some storage.  Of course, we live in a rental, so this is definitely just a pipe dream.
 2. How many pillows do you sleep with at night?
Just one - I like a nice firm pillow that will tuck up under my head.

3. What is the best costume you've ever worn for Halloween?
I haven't done any dressing up as an adult, but one year as a kid I went as an old lady.  Mom put baby powder in my hair to make it look gray and I wore some frumpy looking dress.  Not sure why that one stands out.

4. If you could erase one item off the face of the earth, what would it be?
Cigarettes - my husband smokes (outside) and it is totally gross.  Even though he goes outside the smell still sticks to him and it seems like there's cigarette butts everywhere.  He is trying to quit, though, so that's good.

5. Where do you do your best thinking?
In my car driving home from work.  I think about everything (which probably isn't the best thing since I should be concentrating on driving...).  And if I'm not thinking, I'm on the phone with someone - it's the easiest time to talk since there aren't kids around to distract/interrupt me.
 
So there you have it - a little bit of Hoo I Am. 
 

Coffee Filter Wreath

I follow like, 100, different blogs (okay - that might be an exaggeration...maybe).  A lot of them are craft blogs and have inspired me to attempt some craftiness.

One thing I found was a coffee filter wreath.  I decided this would be a good project for me to attempt since a) it was cheap, and b) it was easy.  For the life of me I can't remember which blog had the version I used, but I did also see it at TheLittleBrownHouse.  For my version I used the following items:

The Little Brown House uses a foam floral wreath and pins to stick the coffee filters in.  I knew I wanted to use hot glue to stick them on (a la the mystery blog), so I bought a flat flat wreath at Michaels, along with some ribbon, a letter R (for Rowe), and some paint for the R.  I visited 4 different grocery stores before I found the "natural" coffee filters. 

To make this I simply took a coffee filter, folded it in half (gently - no need for perfect lines), twisted the end of the filter, put some hot glue on it, and stuck it to the wreath.

I did one row along the outside leaving enough room between each for another filter.  I then went back and added one in the empty spaces.  Then I did one more row kind of on the bottom, kind of on top of the first rows.  Also, about halfway through I tied some ribbon around the wreath so in the end it would be hidden under the filters.

After all the gluing this is what I ended up with:

I LOVE IT!!!  Here's another shot:

I intended to put the R in the bottom right part of the wreath, which I tried, it just didn't turn out so well.  It was a little heavy to stick to paper.  My other dilemma came when it was time to hang it.  I thought I'd use one of my Christmas wreath holders.  However, the only one that will work with the front door (allowing it to still close) was gold with jingle bells.  Um, no.  But I couldn't stand to wait to get something for it.  So, cue the duck tape.  That's right, folks.

 I pulled the ribbon over the top of the door and duck taped it in place.  You can only tell from the inside, and if you're in my home, I'm probably okay with you knowing my sticky secret.

All in all, I made this project for less than $10, and I totally adore it.  Which to me is a win.



Fun and Busy

This weekend was a nice one in the Rowe house.  Here's some highlights:

• We picked up pizza from Domino's for dinner Friday.  Nothing fancy, just one of those $5 ready to go pizzas.  It was yummy.  I got extra pepperoni though - the kids picked all theirs off.
• I have recently pulled out my bread maker again.  It's funny - we love the fresh bread, it's cheap, and I still never use it.  This time I made Apple Bread.  I didn't really like it too much.  Actually, I don't guess anyone did since there's still some left (last weekend I made cinnamon raisin bread and it didn't last a day).
• I made a no bake cheesecake "for Joey".  I might have eaten a little bit, although I can guarantee the kids didn't get any.  Not really on purpose though, just worked out that way.
• I hit up some stores (The Dollar Tree & Michael's) as well as the park to get some items to finish my fall decorating. I'm super excited about how it turned out.
• Saturday I took the kids to our local library for the first time since we moved here four and a half years ago.  That's right - my kids love books and I'm just now taking them to the library.  It's a lovely library with computers preset with games for kids, a little reading area, and puzzles and games.  They had a great time.
• While at the library, my friend from work called and asked if Grace would like to come to a birthday party for her next door neighbor at The Little Gym on Sunday.  Knowing Grace would love that, I said yes and we headed to Wal-Mart to buy a gift.  As I was dropping her off on Sunday, the birthday girl walked out of her house with her dad and Grace held up her present and yelled "I've got a Barbie!"  It was hilarious.  Later that evening, Grace looked at me and said, "Mommy, I was just telling her I've got a Barbie doll at my house, you know?"  She's pure rotten, I tell ya.
• Also while at the library, Joey's friend from Kentucky called and was pretty close to Charlotte visiting his girlfriend's family.  After dropping Grace off for the birthday party, Logan, Joey and I met them for lunch at Mac's BBQ.  They had the Carolina Panthers game on the big screen which Logan got a huge kick out of watching.  He cheered and jeered right along with all the drunk guys. 
• After hitting up four different grocery stores over the weekend, I finally found some natural coffee filters to make a fall"ish" wreath for our front door.  It's pretty awesome if I do say so myself.

So that's it in a nut shell.  I'm going to do some posts this week about my cool fall decorations, so come back soon.

Quote of the Week

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.

Helen Keller

For the Little Ones

A long time ago, I was browsing through The Dollar Tree when I came upon these frames.

I quickly came up with a plan and snatched up eight of them.  You see, I have 5 nieces and nephews and 2 children of my own...7 total.  The eighth frame was for the next child my dear sister has.  However, the glass broke in one of the frames, so I was back to seven.  Not sure what that means for you and your future children, Catherine.  Sorry.

I decided I didn't really care for them as white frames.  It made them look even cheaper than they were.  And the ribbon?  Yuck.  So after dwelling and dawdling for a few weeks (er, months?) I stopped at Home Depot and grabbed a can of spray paint in my favorite color - burgundy.  Well, I didn't know it was my favorite color, but it closely resembled the paint in my old kitchen which I loved dearly.

After a coat of primer (I'm not sure it was really necessary, but I didn't want to screw up and have to start over) and two coats of burgundy spray paint, I was left with this



Okay, I'll admit.  I didn't do the best spray paint job ever.  I'm choosing to blame it on the cheap frames instead of my impatient self, though.  I'm probably going to pick up a few more next time I'm at The Dollar Tree to replace a couple that turned out especially bad.  But overall, I'm thrilled.

They are hanging just to the left of the fireplace/TV niche and are in age order (Dalton, Logan, Kaleb, Breanna, Grace, Chastin, Molly).  I originally wanted to hang them going up the stairs but decided it would be too dang much trouble.  However, Joey reminded me that we have a laser level that would make it pretty smooth to do, so I may change it later.

So there ya have it, a pictorial representation of the little ones in our family.  Any other ideas floating around out there?

P.S. I need some cheap photo editing software.  Well, I really need an awesome camera too, but software is probably a bit more affordable.  Any suggestions?

Walk to Conquer Chiari

This past Saturday was the Walk to Conquer Chiari here in Charlotte, NC (this is the disease Joey has). 

(Grace, Joey, and Logan right before we went in)

We registered when we got there and were given t-shirts to wear.  I was not expecting this and had let Grace wear a dress that day.  The shirt she got was just as long as the dress she already had on.  It was an interesting combination.  We also got beads (and we didn't even have to flash anyone for them).  Joey got purple beads since he is the one with the disease, and the kids and I got gold beads since we are the supporters.

We had gotten there very early (cause that's how Joey rolls) so we killed some time playing on the football field.  Logan loved "playing" football.

(running in for the TD)

And Grace had fun trying to figure out those weird purple things that looked like people.

The kids were also amused by the bleachers so they ran to the top and said "Mommy, when we go to a real game we want to sit at the top cause it's the best."  They crack me up.

Finally it was starting time.  The event coordinator spoke a bit and then the mayor pro tem read a proclomation from the mayor declaring September 18, 2010 Arnold Chiari Malformation day in Charlotte. (Fancy, right?)

We all then began walking.  Joey's goal was to get at least halfway around the track, which I tried to discourage because I was afraid he couldn't do it.  However, he complete a whole lap making us all proud.

All in all, it was a fun day and nice to be able to support a disease that most doctors, let alone peoople, have never even heard of.  Of course, following up the walk with lunch at Bob Evan's was pretty sweet too.

(me and Joey)

Falling...

So the calendar says fall is here (well, on the 23rd, but it's only 3 days away).  And you can sort of tell it when you leave the house.  I mean, it's not as hot as it has been, and there hasn't been much humidity, nor rain.  We could really use some rain.  And of course, I do live in NC, right on the border of SC. So my hot does not equal the hot in KY, nor the hot if FL.

Anyway, I've been wanting to change my layout to feel more fallish.  But when I started looking, I fell in love with the happy face pumpkin you see on the left.  So I went more toward a Halloween background.  But I think it's okay since the Sunday sale papers came with lots of ads for Halloween costumes.

So welcome to fall!  I'm going to make a wreath for my front door soon to help it (fall) feel more welcome.  And I'm also thinking I'll update the decorations on our piano to have a more "fall" feel (if I can get my son to move his race cars for a minute).  And this past week I spray painted some picture frames to add some style to the living room which I'll post about later this week (since I forgot the camera memory card at home today).  That little project has also made me think I'm going to spray paint all the other frames in the living room so they match.  I tell ya, I have become a major blog stalker of some super creative people and they have infected me with inspiration.  So stick around...I'll at least lead you to some super inspiring blogs!

Quote of the Week

If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?

Shantideva

High School Literature

When I visited my sister Catherine in August, I stayed in the guest room/office/library.  Of course I couldn't resist browsing the many bookshelfs in the library and came home with 4 books (they have an extremely long check out period).  A couple of them were books that I had originally read in high school, but was interested in reading again.

The first was The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  The male part of the radio show I listen to in the mornings had gotten married recently and had a Gatsby theme.  Since I couldn't remember much about the book, I was excited to read it again.  I actually didn't particularly care for it.  It was okay, it just didn't keep me interested in that 'can't put it down' way.

*Side note: Joey, seeing the book on the end table, said "Isn't that a high school book?"  Why yes, dear, it is.  But you know, you can read it anytime.

The other one (which I'm currently reading) is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  I get a ton of magazine subscriptions and in one they did an article about Harper Lee.  It piqued my curiosity so I was pleased to find the opportunity to read it again.  It definitely qualifies as a 'can't put it down' book. 

I would also like to reread Of Mice and Men so I'll probably have to hit my local library sometime soon to find it.  Unless Catherine's library ships...

Quote of the Week

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein

Quote of the Week

Happiness is where we find it, but rarely where we seek it.

J. Petit Senn

Run For It!

Recently I decided to change my so-so "taking care of me" habits into unquestionably good habits.  I started by watching what I eat and tracking my nutrition at http://www.sparkpeople.com/.  However, to really improve myself I knew it would take more than eating better.  I would need to exercise, too.  Scary words, right?

I started by getting in the walking habit.  I drove around the block to see how many miles it was (0.4) , then one block larger (0.8), and one block larger than that (1 mile). This way I could track how far I was walking as well as how long it took me to do it.  I set out a plan for myself that I would walk a minimum of three times a week - Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.  I was already used to walking the 0.4 mile block (since this was the route we used to take Molly for walks) so I decided to start by getting comfortable walking the 0.8 mile block.  Now I have moved on to walking the 1 mile block, and plan on adding the 0.4 mile block on to the 1 mile block.

However, I have also decided that I want to be a runner.  It looks like something that could be so enjoyable.  I mean, walking is fine, but running just looks so athletic and healthy.  So I want to do it.  I've tried small bits of it while I'm walking, but it's just not something I find comfortable to do.  Which is definitely the big obstacle to overcome.  I'm not ready to give up yet, though.  I'll let you know how it goes.

My Cabinet Overfloweth

Last weekend I was emptying the dishwasher and putting things back in their homes when I admitted to myself that the cabinet for our drinking items needed to be cleaned out.  Like, for real.

Joey likes to use the big plastic cups you see in the middle left, which we accumulate from everywhere.  The bottom left are the kids cups and sippy cups, which was starting to be taken over by Joey's cups.  I buy coffee cups almost everywhere I go which you can see about to spill off the top left and overflowing to the top right.  And not to mention the ones hidden on the bottom by the middle bar thing (that's where I can reach them on a regular basis). 

And did I mention the these shelves go farther back to the right into the corner, where you can't reach anything?  Yup, more crap back there.  It was time for an overhaul.

First, I took everything out and wiped down all the shelves.  Then I looked at what I had and automatically picked some things that had to go.  Next, I put away the things that I knew where I wanted them to go (for instance, the kids cups stayed in the bottom left so the kids can reach them).  Finally, I evaluated what I had left waiting to go back in and neatly placed those things back in the spaces that were now free.  I ended up with this:

Ahhh, I/the cabinet can breathe.  Everything went back with lots of leftover space for the future.  And check out the cups that didn't make the cut:

Plastic cups belonging to Joey, the kids, and random ones we get from hockey games and such.  Extra coffee mugs.  Jars that used to contain my mommas yummy green beans.  Martini glasses that I'm pretty sure have never been used.  Wine glasses that are just beyond necessary (considering the four that remain don't get used very often anyway).  You get the idea.  They are now in a box in the garage until their uselessness has been proven and I can feel comfortable sending them on their way.

Quote of the Week

I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.

Christopher Reeve

Acronyms

L - loving - anytime my sweet boy wakes up, sees me after school, gets picked up, etc. he runs to me and gives me a big hug.  He wraps both his thin arms around my waist and squeezes.  I love this.
O - outstanding - he is such a great kid.  As he's grown up, he continues to be a better listener, helper, learner, reader. 
G - gentle - he is so compassionate when one of us is hurt/hurting, and if Grace is in trouble and crying, he'll go to her and say, "Hey baby, it's okay.  Your big brother is here."  It's the sweetest thing.
A - all boy - since he was able to grasp one is his little hand, the boy loves cars.  Little Matchbox cars, Nascar cars, construction trucks, rescue trucks, you name it, if it has wheels he loves it. 
N - neat - I don't really mean neat as in appearance (thought I do try to make sure he looks presentable).  I mean neat, like you should see this kid play.  One of his favorite things to do is have a race with his Nascar cars.  He moves them all in a straight line around the "track" and can't stand it if Grace comes along and messes the line up.

~ ~ ~
G - girlie - this little lady loves lip gloss, lotion, jewelry, princesses, baby dolls, etc.  If it's associated with being a girl, she's into it.  It's hilarious to watch her put lip gloss on - she doesn't confine it to her lips - it goes all the way around them too.  It's also amusing to watch her with her baby dolls - when she's really playing she'll carry them around on her hip and give them a "talk" when they fight.
R - rambuctious - for all her girlie ways, she can get right in there with the boys too.  She loves Logans legos and race cars, especially when he's playing with them.  She also got into trouble at school the other day for wrestling.  Wow.
A - active - this child doesn't slow down.  On occasion, she'll sit still to watch a cartoon, but it doesn't usually last longer than 30 minutes.  She's constanly wanting to do something.  Even after I put her to bed at night she can be heard singing or reading to herself.
C - cheerful - she has the sweetest smile, especially when she's trying not to smile.  And her laugh is so joyful.  It's fun to tickle her just to hear it.
E - exhausting - my little girl can completely wear me out.  Whether it's constantly wanting to be on the go, or whining until I want to pull my hair out, she always goes full throttle.

~ ~ ~
So these are my monkeys in a nutshell.  For all the ups and downs, I love them and who they are with every inch of my heart.

Come Fly With Me

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of flying to Tallahassee, Florida to see my beautiful niece for the first time (in person).

(Molly's supermodel pose)

Let me tell you - she is one gorgeous hunk of baby girl. 

I have been trying to get to Florida since the end of tax season, since that's our busiest time at our office, being accountants and all.  However, life just kept getting in the way.  Over and over and over....you get the idea.  So finally after 7 months of waiting, everything fell into place perfectly.  My mother in law was making her first visit since her cancer diagnosis last fall (which was the longest she's gone without visiting NC) which meant she could keep an eye on my family while I took my mini trip.  A friend got me a buddy pass for a flight to Florida so I would arrive there in about an hour and a half, instead of after an 8 or 9 hour drive.  (And yes, I am eternally grateful because without it there is no way I could have afforded the flight, or made that drive there and back over two and a half days.)  And I was beyond ready.

Catherine picked me up at the airport, then we did some quick grocery shopping, and picked Molly up at her daycare.  I was terrified that she would take one look at me and cling to her momma like she thought I'd try to eat her arm.  However, she held out her hands to me without hesitation and with a big grin.  Bless her heart.

We spent a few hours on Saturday wandering around Florida State's campus (where Catherine teaches). 

(me and Molly standing in front of a fountain on campus)

I was promised cupcakes from this wonderful cupcake bakery called Lucy & Leos, but Molly was ready for her nap when we left there, so no dice.

Saturday we went to dinner at a restaurant called Harry's which was delicious.  Dave & I had the fried shrimp, while Catherine had the crab cakes.  After dinner, I was again promised some delicious cupcakes, but they were already closed so I had to settle for ice cream instead.

(Me, Catherine, and Molly outside the restaurant)

Sunday morning was spent in a very lazy way, but again, I had been promised cupcakes before I left, so I had that to look forward to.  Unfortunately, Catherine checked the internet and found out they're closed on Sundays.  I'm still looking for them in the mail, though.

Overall, I had a great time meeting my lovely niece and spending time with Catherine.  We don't see each other that often, and I usually have a couple of kids to corral when we do, so it was nice to just be able to spend time with her (and Molly and Dave) and not worry what the kids were getting in to.

(seesters)

(Molly trying on the outfit I brought her - it's a little big)

(Molly wanted to drive me to the airport)

(enjoying a rainy Saturday morning on the porch with her awesome momma)

So I'm sending Molly kisses and looking forward to our next visit together (which my kids have already told me they'll be joining me on).

Are You There Motivation? It's Me, Michelle.

As I mentioned previously, when my mom got engaged in July I got inspired to lost some weight.  And I really worked hard.....the first 3 weeks.  I exercised every day, either doing strength exercises or cardio.  I tracked every morsel that went in my mouth and avoided most of the bad food stuff.  I was really proud of myself and lost 11 pounds and 2.5 inches during those weeks.

Then, on August 7, my mother in law came to visit.  I was, of course, happy to have her and appreciated all she did while she was here.  However, I don't like to exercise in front of other people (even Joey).  So I allowed myself to not do it "until she left."  Of course, I could have gone walking still, but it was easy to put walking into the category of "I'll do it when she leaves."

Here's where the real trouble starts, though.

Mom-in-law has been gone since last Thursday, August 19.  And I still haven't gone walking or done any exercising.  I've been telling myself that I've just been too busy/tired and I'll do it "tomorrow."   Last night I had very good intentions of putting on my tennis shoes after the kids went to bed and doing all my exercises.  Except I really wanted to finish looking through the ABC Distributors catalogue I'd received that day.  So I sat down on the couch to quickly finish it, only to be distracted by The Next Food Network Star, which Joey was watching on the DVR.  Then I finished up stuff in the kitchen and before I knew it, it was time for bed.  Sure, I could have stayed up late.  I just don't want/like to.

So another night down.  I'm still recording everything I eat and doing good in that area, so that's a plus.  I just have to track down my motivation again and get back to exercising my booty off (literally).  I think once I get started again I'll have no trouble getting back into that routine.  I just have to cross that first hurdle.

Top Five Breakfast Foods

Breakfast is such a flexible meal.  You can have it in the morning, or at night.  It doesn't work both ways though - you wouldn't want lasanga for breakfast would you?  And while some places serve breakfast any time, the same isn't true of dinner.  A lot of breakfast foods also serve well as snack foods.  Very flexible.  So the following are my top five favorite breakfast foods:

1. Bagels - I love plain bagels with plain cream cheese and jelly, especially strawberry rhubarb jelly.  I also don't have a problem eating a flavored bagel, but I tend to like these with plain cream cheese.  I mean, the idea of a cinnamon raisin bagel with strawberry cream cheese just seems weird to me.  I do like plain bagels with flavored cream cheese, though.  Especially honey nut. 
2. Breakfast casserole - I make a breakfast casserole with eggs, bread, sausage, cheese, and mushrooms that I just love.  It's everything all in one and sooo good.
3. Cereal - With all the varieties to choose from, who doesn't love cereal?  Some of my favorites are Fruity Pebbles, Cap'n Crunch Berries, and Frosted Mini Wheats.
4. Coffee cake - specifically, the one I make.  It has lots of brown sugar and cinnamon and works great as a snack or for breakfast.  Logan especially loves it.
5. Stuffed french toast - french toast in general is quite yummy (especially the kind fixed at Catherine's house by David) but IHOP has some very yummy stuffed french toast.  It's cinnamon raisin toast with a cream cheese filling.  Now who can't get behind that?  Add a side of bacon, and you're set.

Quote of the Week

Love is not blind - it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less.

Rabbi Julius Gordon

Picture of the Week

This picture is evidence of life getting back to "normal."  Logan getting ready to head to daycare this morning following Joey's moms departure yesterday.  School starts back next Wednesday and Cub Scouts is back to it.  Ahh, the life of a mom during the school year.

Anniversary Dinner

So a few days ago I mentioned that Joey and I were celebrating our 8 year wedding anniversary.  We hadn't made any plans, and I kept casually asking if we were going to do anything (since we have a babysitter in the house, which we usually don't).  He kept telling me "No, we can't afford to do anything."  And I kept saying, "I don't believe you...just for the record."

Well, when I got home from work I was surprised with this:

The table set with our wedding china for a dinner prepared by Joey (with his assistant chefs, Barb & Logan).  Of course we were doing something. 

He had his mom get out wine glasses and water goblets (which we received as a wedding gift but have never used).  He made tuna steaks and asparagus, followed by strawberry shortcake for dessert.  After we were settled his mom took the kids to Cici's Pizza for dinner, followed by a bit of meandering through Target.

It was a lovely dinner and a lovely surprise.  And I expected no less.

P.S. I'd show you the picture of us sitting at the table, but I look like a bit of an idiot doing something really weird with my eyebrows.