Trash Day

Do you ever have those days where you forget to take the trash to the curb?
I hate those days...almost like if you cant get that right then nothing happens your way that day.
I have secretly wanted my husband to be a trash man. Good pay, good hours, simple job...yet smelly. But I can handle smelly.

Anywho, I have been thinking quite a bit about media this past week with the S@HM challenge of "Internet Fasting" and all. I was unable to partake in that but have been thinking about all the other electronic items in my house stealing time and life from me and my family. I always thought that video games were fine in moderation and never thought the people around me were that "addicted" to them for it to make a big difference. Boy was I wrong!

It almost seems like the further you get into the "worldly things" the further you get from your true self. I feel like the games and movies and shows are all taking us to this alternate reality where we can be and do whatever we want instead of actually doing it in REAL LIFE!! Sometimes I just don't understand.

So, I have been cutting down on how much time I spend doing "life waisting" activities (like watching movies, shows or being on the Internet for an extended period of time just messing around). I feel different too. Almost like a breath of fresh air....I just wish I could say the same for my family. You know how they say "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."
Well, that is how I feel.

I feel like everyday is trash day and I just can't get the trash out on time....

S'Meeps

I know Easter has come and gone, but my Mom made us these for Easter and I thought they were super cute and EASY!!!! You know that they make Peeps for about every holiday now so you could you this for others as well. She got the idea here http://thecreativecouncill.blogspot.com/2011/04/smeeps.html
and you can print the tags from this link.

the magic number

and the winner is...i found 4 sippee cups under my bed!!

4 readers guessed the right answer...so my 4 -year old son drew a winner!

congratulations, taylored tots!!

email your address to amymomx4@gmail.com and a target gift card will be all yours!!

thanks for responding, everyone!

a riddle...

last night i ventured into the black hole, aka: under my bed.

under my bed is the official home for the craft box, the art supplies, the office supplies, the gift wrap, and fermenting sippee cups.

how many sippee cups did i find?!

leave a comment, make your guess...the winner will receive a target gift card (so you can buy some new sippee cups!)

Easter Message

Unfortunately, I am not able to participate in the Internet/Computer banning for the week since my 2 incomes rely heavily on both.

So, I thought I would go ahead and make an uplifting post this week about Easter.

Redemption of the Soul

No words in Christendom mean more to me

than those spoken by the angel to the weeping

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary as they

approached the tomb to care for the body of

their Lord: “Why seek ye the living among the

dead? He is not here, but is risen” (Luke 24:5–6).

With this pronouncement, those who have lived

and died, those who now live and one day will die,

and those yet to be born and yet to die had just

been rescued.

As the result of Christ’s victory over the grave,

we shall all be resurrected. This is the redemption

of the soul.

-President Thomas S. Monson,
He is Not Here, But He is Risen, April 2011
 
 
*May you all have a wonderful Easter holiday and reflect on the life of Jesus Christ. That there you might find a strength and love.*

Background Noise...

S@HM Amy and Myself decided to institute for our very own sanity a "NO INTERNET WEEK". A challenge we would like all of our S@HM 's to take!

So we would love for you to join us in this challenge too! We will return Monday April 25th and hope to share with you some of our fun experiences we were able to have without the entertainment of the Internet.

Possibly a little extra time for some much needed attention to our homes. Time for one on one with each child without any distractions. And maybe even a conversation with our husbands that doesn't include "today's facebook status'" ha!

Have a fun week and please share with us your feelings about stepping back and refocusing on our facebook page NEXT Monday:)

Make a Bow Tie for Your Little Guy

I found this really easy tutorial online of how to make a child size bow tie. They take about 1/4 of a yard of fabric and about 30min to 1 hour to make (depending on your sewing skill level). They turn out super cute and I think everyone should try one.

Click HERE for the link to A Lemon Squeezy Home and Bow Tie Tutorial.

I made a few changes to her pattern that I think work out better but here are the basic needs:
   * 3"x10" - (2) Main Print

   * 3"x10" - (1) Sew in Interfacing

   * 1.5" - (1) Velcro Piece

   * 2.5"x4" - (1) Main Print (for center of bow)

   *2.5"x15" - (1) Main Print (for around the neck)

(A few of my measurements are different because I think it looks and fits better)
(PS: this will fit a 12" - 16" neck size)

TA DA!

Cinnamon Bun Waffles or Pancakes

I know I haven't been that crafty lately. Sorry. I just can't get in the mood. I am spending too much time dreaming about warmer days. 22 days till we will be basking in the sun and I can hardly wait!!!! I have a really cute wreath for spring I just need to get put together. Maybe next week, so here is another yummy recipe. I found it on a blog awhile back and can't remember which one so to whoever came up with this recipe yummy! I love to make it on Saturday or Sunday mornings!

Cinnamon Bun Waffles or Pancakes

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 Tbsp white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp Cinnamon (or more if you're a cinnamon lover)

In a medium bowl, combine these dry ingredients together. When these dry ingredients are mixed nicely then you can mix together the remaining ingredients in a SEPARATE bowl.

2 eggs (whole) beaten

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp Corn syrup

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 Tbsp vanilla

Beat together these wet ingredients, then add them to the dry. Mix well. Pour into waffle maker or on frying fan for pancakes.

Maple Icing Syrup

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cups butter-melted

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup milk Combine all of these ingredients and pour over your cinnamon waffles or pancakes!

it's a package deal

so the truth is...

our greatest blessings and our greatest challenges often come in the same package...and if we back down from those challenges, we give up the blessings at the same time.

motherhood

marriage

death and loss

friendship

money

family relationships


and more, of course...

as a budget-concious mom, i appreciate the 2-for-1 concept, don't you?!

Here it is...

My new FAVE!  

Not to mention, TOTALLY affordable for all moms!!!  

E.L.F. Makeup from Target!!!

I'm a little biased towards all things Target, but this stuff is W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L.!!

Everything is $1 or $3...

YUP!  

You read that right!  

They have brushes, concealer, eyelashes, lipgloss, mascara, eyeshadow, etc...  

I did my fair share of stocking up and didn't pay more than $10 bucks!  How F.A.B.?!  

Sometimes I wonder... "How am I doing as a mom?"

You know, a little self reflection. As mothers we don't get a yearly review that comes with a 6% increase in our salary. However, we do have the opportunity to recognize the ques from our children as frequent as we would like. Those times when they do something and we didn't "ask" them to or prompt them at all. The moments when they don't know we are listening or looking. These are the times I fully take in how I am doing as a mom.

I admit, there are times when I am embarrassed by how they are acting or responding to a situation. I really have to take a step back in those moments and figure out  a new way to do things or a way to approach them differently about something I thought was pretty clear.

Then I have my very PROUD mommy moments, which have been of great frequency lately. Maybe it's the weather or something, but I feel like I just walked out of my yearly review with a 50% increase in my salary!

I have to share with you how I've done:

Belle said to me yesterday "I want to be a mommy just like you" greatest compliment a mother could have! I realize she is only 3 and doesn't see all of my imperfections, but hearing that from my daughter was so awesome and it came out of nowhere!

Matthew just in the last couple of weeks has made some wonderful choices! It seems he is really growing up and thinking about others. Just yesterday he found his sister at church and held her hand as they walked down the hallway looking for us. It was crowded and we were new to this building, but when I spotted him among strangers with his hand tightly in hers leading the way,  I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with complete pride in what Matt and I have been trying to teach him..."take care of your sister Matthew"...turns out, he does! It brought tears to my eyes.

Kenny is really just a natural pleaser. I get wonderful feedback as a mother from this child ALL the time! I'd like to believe it is me and all the hard work and effort I've put into raising him, but the truth really is, he is just so stinking sweet and caring all on his own! Thank goodness for that, it really helps my self-assessment! ha!

When you witness a moment by your child that has made you proud, let them know and then remind yourself how AMAZING of a job you are doing!

Discover Color in Nature

This morning as I was going through my sons word flash cards I thought, "Wow, I am pretty bored of this...lets go outside and find the REAL colors!"

And so we did! Here is our photo documentation of the colors we found in the back yard.

 Purple                                      White

Red                                                  Black

Green                                     Yellow

Orange                                    Brown

                   Grey                                "I did it all by myself!" - Endry



Snowball Fights and Jello

You ask what my kids are doing for SPRING? Here you go! This is what I see when I look out my window today! SERIOUSLY ARE YOU KIDDING ME? It is April right? I need some warm weather!!!!!! Here is you a recipe too! My kids just love this jello and it is super easy! Raspberry Vanilla or what ever kind you want to make ex: orange vanilla, strawberry vanilla you get the point :)

1 large pkg raspberry jello

1 large pkg vanilla pudding (cooked kind..... not instant)

2 cups raspberries or other fruit

carton of coolwhip

Mix jello and pudding with 3 cups water in a pan. Cook until it comes to a boil. Take off and pour into a bowl. Cool to set in refrigerator. It will be kind of a pudding consistancy. Mix in the tub of cool whip with your hand mixer and then stir in fruit. Let set in refrigerator for a little bit longer and it is ready!

snack time!

this is what i'm doing all week...
watching this handsome boy sleep...snuggling him at midnight
kissing his cheeks...nibbling his neck...munching his toes
this is my nephew...and i love him

being an aunt is almost as good as being a mom...

Lemonade Battle

The kids in our family had a little lemonade battle!

Yay for Spring time!!

To watch it click the link...

Lemonade Battle

What are your kids doing for Spring?!

YES!!!

My good friend Mandy sent me this via text this last week:

"Sometimes the best thing you can do as a mother is to remember what it was like to be a child."

What does it mean to you "to remember what it was like to be a child"?

To me it means JOY! Pure and simple joy in every moment.

It means having an idea and then doing it with no hesitation or reservation.

Like being a singing/dancing star and gathering your cousins or neighbors together and putting on a big show for everyone to see!

Or building a fort out of old sheets, boxes and long sticks, rocks, hay and anything else you can find! 

It means mud wrestling with your barbie dolls and running around in the rain and splashing through puddles!

Or walking around in  big high heels with way too much lip gloss on but feeling so VERY glamorous!

These are just a few memories that come from my childhood. As a mom I couldn't help but think about them as this quote kept entering into my mind. I then thought..."how can I as a mom help my children to be all that they can dream up as a child?"

Well, the same day after Mandy sent me this text I went to my son's book fair at school and came across this adorable book:



Adorable read by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld

 This book was the answer to my previous question. I can say "YES" more! So as we went about our weekend I found myself consciously thinking "how can I say YES instead of no, maybe, next time etc...?"

This doesn't mean I allowed my children to do whatever whenever. I just simply allowed their creativity room to grow!

"Mom can we play in the boxes?"....Sure

"Mom, wanna play hide and seek?"...Absolutely!

"Mom, can we have another Popsicle?"...Yep

"Mom can I have spiky hair?"...Sounds awesome!

Do you see how saying YES is more fun for all of us?!!

Win a Trip to the BAHAMAS!!!!

I have an awesome deal for all our followers!
Through a friend of a friend I was able to get 2 tickets to the Bahamas for one of you lucky girls to WIN!

Bahamas Guide

Any of you worn out and ready for some warm sunshine? Need a break from the kiddos? Need a break from the spouse?!?!? You have come to the right place.

To enter this most amazing giveaway just make a comment below telling us how old you were when you had your FIRST KISS....

and THEN,

click HERE to get all the juicy details about the Bahamas.

Good luck to all!