Thankfulness 2013: Day Twenty-Two

Following up on the helpers in our lives...I am thankful for inspiration in our DIYing projects!  Honestly, if we didn't have the myriad of shows on DIY Network or HGTV let alone the magazines, websites, and of course Pinterest, our ideas would be much less convenient and productive.  I'd be in the planning phase forever just trying to think of how I want something to change but I'd have no ideas how...or at least very few ideas.  The downside is that I have grand ideas now rather than average and typically easily accomplished (not to mention usually cheaper) options!

Thankfulness 2013: Day Twenty-One

Having worked at a home improvement store for 5+years and my husband even longer, we both have the theoretical knowledge to get through too many DIY projects in our house for our own good.  That pretty much means we have grand plans for every single area of the house in the long term plan.

The problem I run into is absolutely the lack of hands between the two of us.  For nearly every project we have tackled in home remodel we have had volunteers.  I am so thankful for the helpers in our lives.  It has ranged from child wranglers to demo enthusiasts to go-fers to all-out-builders.  I'm even more grateful for them now that we live so far away from them all.  The vast majority of our help is now a 3 hour or longer drive away.  They still come when they are able.  We have an amazing support system that goes (clearly very far) out of their way for us.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Twenty

All kids have it, mine just excel at driving me nuts with it.  Regardless, I am thankful for their curiosity and determination.  If they hold on to that natural instinct to understand things and figure them out down to the bare nuts and bolts, it can take a child so very far in life.  It is a combination that is crucial in any aspect of their lives and any path they choose to follow.  I hope that I do not stifle it even when I get irritated and end up at the end of my rope with the endless questions and messes.  From a toddler who opened the ziplock snack bags around the early side of 1 year old, to a 10 month old who topples garbage cans and climbs into cubbies much too small, this will always be a blessing in a very convincing disguise.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Nineteen

Those little monsters that are always underfoot...seriously, they are TRYING to kill you.  Well, either that or simply wanting to be as close to your lap at all times.  They leave so many messes for you and never learn how to clean up after themselves.  They are lifetime toddlers, and they are loved regardless.  I'm so thankful for pets.  Right now we have a small dog, Nala, and as of yesterday we have a beta fish again.

Nala is rarely far enough away from my feet to take a photo...let alone still enough.

Cookie (at least she is using names other than their species common name) is a lovely CrownTail male betta.  His bowl is much prettier now that he has left his pet store cup.

See?  Pretty bowl for Cookie, I swear.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Eighteen

Honestly, I hate feeding kids.  It is entertaining for maybe a week worth of meals when they are learning to eat solids.  After that it is a messy and oftentimes inconveniently timed event.  Please don't think that I don't appreciate the ease of baby food and it is a fun kind of frustration usually.  Still, I am so much more excited by the finger food stage!  You're probably familiar with it.  That stage between baby food mess and their own spoons...

Mr. Wyatt isn't impressed with cheerios though.  No idea what he would've eaten before all these 'choke proof' foods out there, especially because he is really good at choking on them still.  Regardless, the better he is getting at these finger foods, the more thankful I am for these flavorful options of finger foods for babies.

Mr. Wyatt's favorite are those crunchies types.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Seventeen

Six years ago I was bawling my eyes out.  I was doing pretty well at not crying until I saw my dad that day.  He was tearing up a little and that set me off.  I cried for the next half hour off and on.  Lovely pictures that makes of course.  It was my wedding, well, it was just before my wedding and during.  I was a very happy watering pot that evening.

I am so very thankful for my husband.  He has been an amazing partner, friend, supporter, shoulder, rock, father, and every other role he has played in our lives together.  I could not imagine a better man for me.  He sees me at my weakest and loves me.  He shows so much support when I am excited about something (he even looks over my cards and enthuses over them without my asking him to).  He knows me, quirks and downright oddities.  I am thrilled to have been with him through two deployments and two kids in our eight years together.  I can't wait to enjoy the evening with him when he gets home from drill...

I should really consider looking back over the last 6 years and see how many he has been away for though.  I think we are about half of them!  Oh well, army doesn't get put on hold for anniversaries.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Sixteen

Party Day!!

This afternoon we had our first HouseParty!  It happened to be a Lego Duplo event and it could not have been a more perfect event to be selected as hostess for.  I am thankful for the opportunity to have friends over for fun and in no little part am I forgetting the free products that the company gives us for having the party!

Thank-you House Party and Duplo for the chance to host this party!!

If you're not familiar with House Party, it is essentially a website that you apply to host parties sponsored by various brands (clothes, electronics, toys, food, crafts, etc) and the sponsors send you out a Party Pack.  This pack has the main pieces of your party.  In our case it was filled with six sets of Duplos (see the boxes in the photo?), paper crowns, posters, plates, napkins, stickers, coupons, etc.  You are required to share the items given at your party with your guests.  For this party, the kids come play with the blocks and take home the crowns, posters, stickers, etc along with a snack bag and coloring sheets that were printed off for them (to match the theme of planes and pirates of course).

Check out both House Party and the sponsors that they work with!  It is such a fun time!

**By the way....that pirate ship cannon actually shoots...and it is pretty fun.  I may or may not have played with it when I set up all the sets last night.**

Thankfulness 2013: Day Fifteen

I am so lucky to have my own little space in our house besides my side of the bed.  I am thankful for my craft area!  It is my get-away when I need a little creative outlet that doesn't involve infant and toddler toys.

My Home (within my home)...

Thankfulness 2013: Day Thirteen and Fourteen

Alyssa is getting pretty sneaky.  She can make two phone calls without my phone being unlocked.  She has learned to navigate to the ICE list on the emergency dialer in the lock screen. So while I contemplate how to teach her to utilize things like that in an emergency for real, I am thankful that we have the technology we do.  Beyond the complications that it can create for child proofing and safety, it is such an amazing set of resources.  We can look up thousands of questions that our toddlers demand answers to.  We can have endless entertainment options available at our fingertips.  The most amazing thing to me though is along with the transfer of knowledge, we can transfer virtual lives.  Our family and friends who may otherwise not get more than the Christmas card in a year, can keep up with our family including photos, daily rants, chats, and whatever else they may want to know depending on the tech form used.  Phones provide a few ways to talk to people quickly.  The Internet allows for video calls or photo swapping, and of course blogs share our stories easily.  Such a wonderful tool!

Related to tech in the general sense, my e-reader!  I absolutely LOVE my e-reader!  I am so thankful for e-readers (physical and app forms)!  Reading relaxes me and gives me a mental break from daily stresses like trying to leave the house with a toddler and an an infant.  I would be so much closer to full blown crazy if it weren't for my e-readers.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Eleven and Twelve

Though the military irritates me more often than it doesn't, I am still very thankful for the opportunities and family it has provided us.  The military background helped my husband find his great civilian job.  I don't love the way it is run but I absolutely love the men and women in service.

On those days where the incessant whining, cries, demands, and questions all pile upon my near-to-bleeding ears, I remember my great appreciation for today's luxuries.  I won't lie, I am very thankful for 24/7 kid television programming!!  Disney Junior, Sprout, The Hub, etc.  There isn't a minute that I can't find something appropriate for my toddler to gain five minutes of distraction if needed.  Pair that with DVD's, educational tablet apps, crayons, chalk, books, toys, puzzles, and food, one would think that this would all add up to a full and busy day without draining a parent.  It is never the case, but it certainly maintains parental sanity until bedtime...most nights anyways!

Honestly, any distraction of little to no risk to the health of my kids is appreciated.  I'm always looking for suggestions too!  *hint hint*

Thankfulness 2013: Day Nine and Ten!

Libraries are one of my favorite places to hang out.  I spent hours in my university library during my college years just studying, relaxing, reading, and occasionally a short nap before any night courses.  They are such calm and soothing places for my soul.  Even when I have two kids loudly enjoying our public library, I am feeling the effects of its atmosphere.  The workers at our library love having the kids playing with the new educational play area even if it means a little more noise for the patrons throughout the building.  I am so thankful to have a great public library system to utilize.

I am so thankful for hospitals and their staff!  I got to visit a friend today who just had her baby last night.  The staff at hospitals take such good care of the people who come through their doors and without their efforts, so many people would not be getting quality care from compassionate people.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Eight

Moms are amazing people.  Honestly, parents are as selfless as a human can be when it comes to their kids.

I am so thankful for having the parents that I do.  I called my mother to whine (yes, it was pathetic) and two days later I get an encouraging note in the mail from her.  The amount of help just listening on the phone to me is worth so much, but the effort that she goes to be there for us kids makes her truly an amazing woman, mother, and friend.  I hope I am at least half of what she is for us to my own kids.

**On a total side note....the US Postal Service is really odd but insanely efficient.  It sends a letter from my mother north an extra hour and then turns around to ship it south 4hrs to get to me and still takes only two days to get it from her mailbox to mine.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Seven

I love my Keurig!  I am not a coffee drinker.  Now that I've confused everyone as to why I even own a Keurig, let me explain...

I love hot chocolate and I love hot cider.  I do not like pretty much any microwave version of said drinks.  I've tried a lot of choices out there and none are quite as good as the Keurig as far as instant goes.  My wonderful husband got me a Keurig as a gift one year and I've been happily consuming hot beverages through the cold months ever since.

The only thing that beats out having a Keurig is having creamers with it.

So this holiday season, I'm thankful for the return of seasonal flavors of coffee creamers to add to my hot chocolate!!  Mmmmmm.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Six

Hobbies are great.  Mine (you may or may not have noticed) is card making.  I've had a lot of fun doing it this past year.  Tonight I'm headed in to my local Archiver's to use their craft room for an evening of working on our Christmas cards.  It was going to be a girls' crafting night but schedules aren't aligning.  It very likely will be just myself there this evening so I guess I'll be thankful for Me Time.  I'm looking forward to my crafting time no matter the company that joins me tonight.  I'm especially happy to have this adult night considering the week I'm expecting coming up.  Drill has been extended for this family from two days to six days.  No Papa in the house for that stretch plus a party on that Saturday (day 5)...EEP!  Did I only say I was thankful?  I meant exceptionally thankful for Me Time tonight!

Thankfulness 2013: Day Five

My husband is a very understanding man.  We have failed at menu planning this week.  Pulling frozen meat to thaw, not adding all necessary items to the grocery list, etc. all adding to the warped and constantly changing nightly menu.  I am so thankful for my husband's sense of humor when stupidity hits our household.  Now if y'all will excuse me, I have a hotdish missing a crucial ingredient that I must finish putting together in order to throw it in the fridge ready to bake tomorrow instead and a new meal to figure out...

Bachelor and Wedding Cards

Mid-October we had a blast with my buddy the night before he got married.  We all went to the pool hall (very nice place called Billiards that has about a hundred tables and also a minor-friendly area so that your teens can have a game going while the party is swinging along.

I've been having fun with ribbons and that is a near-3-D glass.

We had so much fun and honestly I couldn't be happier for the couple.  I've watched my buddy go from happy, to domestically happy since meeting his other half.  I also had fun making the card for his bachelor party and their wedding card.

Tri-Folding needs some practice still...and more math.

I love this card! It was such a PITA to get the trifold to line up where I wanted it to but eventually my 'adjustments', which were total guesses after a while, began to come together.

My buddy (the groom) was impressed as he totally knows my lack of a creative ability in all prior arts.  I didn't get the bride's take as she was busy doing the important hostess work.  (We were invited to the gift opening the next day.)

It is hard to see but the suit's details are drawn on.

I'm not going to lie though, I was awfully excited that my buddy drew attention to his card at his bachelor party.  He overheard me telling another person that I had made it when they were asking me about it.  It made me feel pretty damn awesome.

On another note...we got to do all this celebrating over a child-free weekend.  Score another big point for the event!

Thankfulness 2013: Day Four

I am so incredibly excited to have a 'waterbaby' now.  Mr. Wyatt loves his baths and playing with water!  His sister (soon to be a four year old) still cries getting her hair washed and won't actually go into the water at a lake.  She is so confident that it surprises me when she shows her fear of water getting anywhere close to her head.

Happy clean baby!

I can't wait to see where her confidence takes her, but I'm thrilled and thankful for the different personalities in my kids.  Wyatt will be my pool and lake buddy, while Alyssa is my little movie goer and game playing partner right now.  I am looking forward to seeing what other talents and interests our kids develop and we can share with them.

Thankfulness 2013: Day Two and Three

I completely missed out on day two so I'll post two.

2.  Sales.  When you are determined to make all your own Christmas cards and there is a sale on the card stock you needed.  When you are headed in to buy your baby's formula and there is an instant rebate without coupon required.  When the target ad and the cartwheel app double up savings on diapers!  All of these kinds of things totally make my day, which is probably why I had such a nice weekend...

3.  Heated blankets!  I am a cold person based on the temperatures of my extremities.  My husband is not.  Sharing a bed is difficult in the winter without the magical blanket that can be set on each side individually (usually a 6 for me and off for him).

Halloween 2013

Momma and Alyssa

This year was a bit too cool out for Mr. Wyatt to join us during Trick-or-Treating.  We skipped the costume for him since he was going to be home playing with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa who came down to visit us and man our own ToT bucket.

Auntie and Alyssa wearing witches hats!

Alyssa however, was ready to get out that door with her Auntie and Momma and Papa.  She used her light-up wand (a Harry Potter wand from Barnes and Noble because I was sick of the umpteen breakable cheapies turning me into a frog or rabbit daily and splurged as the only required costume piece for her).

Unicorn Rider and Witch (who happens to be wearing a unicorn!)

We were just ready to get out the door and the big surprise showed up...FRIENDS!!!!  Now we had a Unicorn-riding costumed buddy to go trick-or-treating with so the night got infinitely better!  The adventures ranged from potty training requirement #1: Momma sacrificing pride and asking to use a stranger's bathroom (I did remove my mask before requesting entry to her house), all the way to a three-year-old totally 'burning' her father when he runs into something and she offers up her lighted wand "so you can see where you going"!

It was a great night and we were so happy to have our trick-or-treating buddies with us to make our night great

Thankfulness 2013: Day One

This is a year full of firsts in our house because we moved in less than two weeks into this year.  So for the day after Halloween:

I'm so thankful for the family-friendly neighborhoods we live in the center of!

We went from a college neighborhood (two blocks from the university and surrounded by apartments), that partied all year long and didn't participate in holidays in a way that the children could participate, to our new suburb filled with families of all ages who celebrate holidays with lights, decorations, and trick-or-treating even.  We were able to walk rather than drive last night to enjoy the holiday that is so fun for kids who want to show off their costumes and of course get treats.

It is just such a nice change to have such a calm area!

Thankful November!

Every year starting November 1st, people across all forms of social media and the blogosphere begin posting at least one thing they are thankful for each day.  I may be mistaken but this typically is linked to the U.S. holiday Thanksgiving held on the fourth Thursday of the month.

It is intended to make us search our daily lives and surroundings for the blessings in our life.  To become aware of more than the aggravations, annoyances, and inconveniences that we already notice far more often than we should.

I participated last year and enjoyed it.  I would like to invite you to join in this year!  November 1-30, 2013 post at least one thing/reason you are thankful.  Your day could be going to hell in a hand basket but one moment taken to find a blessing can bring you so much cheer and brighten the day.

Pumpkin Patch Party

Our realty office that worked with us on the purchase of our current house sent out invites to join them for a small Halloween pumpkin patch party. It was held outside their office building and it was a chilly and windy day per MN luck.  Of course it was sunny but the event was in the shade of the building sadly which meant that it didn't help one whit.

It would have been a great event if the lines for things such as balloon animals (or flowers as the blurry yellow and green object in the photo is) or the wonderful face painting stand had been in the sunlight!  So while it was a fun hour of diversion, we stayed long enough to stand in the two lines, pick out the pumpkins for the kids and bundle back into the car and out of the biting wind.  Hopefully we get a warmer event next year!

Exploring Locally: Apple Orchards

One of my favorite fall activities has always involved eating.  My parents' house out in the country had some crab apple trees and that was one thing that I enjoyed.  I ate a few of them off the tree each year even when it was awfully tart.  My grandparents have multiple apple trees in their backyard also and they pick apples every year and freeze, bake, and can them (ready made pie filling!!).  Last year we found out that there is a local apple orchard not too far out of the suburbs around here.  Alyssa was 2 1/2 and we had a lot of fun picking apples, seeing the farm animals, and checking out the area in general.  Of course that meant that we HAD to go back this year!

We got to the orchard and unlike last year, we were there without any crowds.  Yay for weekdays!  It was seriously windy but it was a perfect temperature out to be hiking through an orchard.  My sister came for a visit so we got to drag her along as a kid helper too.  Alyssa loves tagging along with Auntie no matter where we are.  Even with the massive aphid problems this year, we were able to fill our bag to the brim in a relatively quick amount of time.  We missed out on the animals this year because we didn't see where they had moved to in the remodel until we were leaving.  As it was nearly past supper time already, it wasn't such a huge loss.

I'm looking forward to trying my hand at baking some yummy fall treats and possibly weaseling that canned pie filling recipe out of my grandmother for an ice cream topping!

Alyssa and Momma at the Orchard--Sept 2013

**No location, business, or individual has asked me to write these Exploring Locally posts.  I've taken all trips upon myself and at my own discretion.  I am merely sharing with you some fun ways that we pass our time and tour our own local area!**

Stolen Chances Blog Tour

Let's start with the fact that I adore Elisabeth Naughton.  Aside from that, I wanted to let you know that Stolen Chances is available NOW!  And if you haven't read them yet, pick up a copy of EACH Eternal Guardian Series books....On to the main event of the day:

Stolen Chances

Find me at Amazon and Barnes and Noble!  Check out your other favorite e-book sellers too!

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Nine years ago, Archaeologist Maren Hudson lost everything when a member of her team was killed during a routine dive. Now she’s been drawn back to Mexico and the career she walked away from in order to protect the most precious thing in the world: her daughter.

One desperate phone call brings salvage expert Thad Leighton back to Mexico. For his murdered brother, he’s ready to settle the score, but one look at Maren and everything changes. Years may have passed, but she’s still as mesmerizing as she once was, and a few days on site together have him questioning his priorities and why the hell he walked away from her so long ago.

Sparks between them reignite, but Thad knows Maren is holding something back. Thrust together in the middle of the sweltering Yucatan, Thad is more than willing to strip away her layers. But while the truth might offer the second chance he’s been searching for, forgiveness may be as elusive as the relic they’re both hunting. Because when Thad unearths Maren’s biggest secret and discovers who she’s really working for, suddenly it’s not just about a life that was stolen from both of them, it’s about staying alive and outwitting a madman who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

~*~*~*~ 

If you see it out in the wild, let us know!  Otherwise, you can grab your copy online at Amazon!

Get To Know Elisabeth!

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I was never one of those people who knew they wanted to be an author at the age of six. I didn’t have imaginary friends. I didn’t write stories in my journal or entertain my relatives by firelight after Thanksgiving dinner. For the most part, I was just a normal, everyday kid. I liked to read, but I wasn’t exceptional at it. And when my teachers complimented me on my writing abilities, I brushed them off. I did, however, always have a penchant for the unique and absurd. And as my mother told me all throughout my childhood, I should have been an actress—I was a drama queen before my time.

Years ago, my husband bought me Scarlett: The Sequel to Gone With The Wind. If you ever saw the book, you know it’s a long one. I sat and read that thing from cover to cover, and dreamed of one day being a writer. But I didn’t actually try my hand at writing until years later when I quit my teaching job to stay home with my kids. And my husband? After that week of reading where I neglected him and everything else until I finished Scarlett, he vowed never to buy me another book again. Little did he know I’d one day end up sitting at a keyboard all day drafting my own stories.

My writing journey has not been easy. I didn’t just sit down one day, decide I was going to write a book and voila! sell my very first attempt. As most authors will probably agree, the path to publication is filled with hours of work, pulling all-nighters I thought I’d given up in college, sacrifices, rejections, but a love I discovered along the way I just can’t live without. Instead of a big, thick book to read by lamplight (I do read much smaller ones when I get the chance), I’ve traded in my reading obsession for a laptop. And I’ve never been happier.

I’m one of the lucky ones. I have a wonderful family and fabulous husband who put up with my writing—and obsessive personality—even when life is chaotic. More than once my kids have been late to swimming or baseball because I needed just five more minutes to finish a scene. Their support and encouragement mean the world to me. I also have amazing friends and a support network I couldn’t survive without. So to all of you out there who have encouraged me along the way, sent me emails and fan letters, phone calls and congratulations, I just want to say, thank you. You make this whole writing gig that much more enjoyable. I truly wouldn’t be here without you.

~*~*~*~

Visit Elisabeth and the Guardians!

Elisabeth's Blog

Twitter

Elisabeth's Facebook

Eternal Guardians Facebook

Goodreads

Thanks to Enchantress of Books for including me in this tour!  I love Elisabeth's books and was thrilled to participate!

Enchantress of Books Blog Tours

With this ring...

Nearly six years, one deployment, and a nearly non-stop honeydo list for my DIY-er.  This is what my husband's ring has lasted through.

That is a Tungsten ring.  Those ones that they bang around and scratch with metal files to show how tough they are.  I have no idea when this happened precisely, but my husband is at annual training for the Army Guard....so yeah.  TaDa!

I guess we will be looking at new bands when he gets home and figuring out where in the budget timeline that goes.  Still, I'm rather impressed with that damage (and so was the jeweler when I asked if it could be repaired at all--Tungsten isn't repairable).

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Chicken

I thought I had this recipe posted previously...and if I do, well, I forgot to label it under recipes so....here we go!  This is seriously good stuff people!  Of course it isn't the true Asian dish that we love, but here is the easy Americanized version we eat far too often:

Sweet and Sour Chicken:
1 bag boneless/skinless Chicken Breast

Sauce:
1C. Ketchup
1/2C. White Vinegar
2tsp. Worchestershire
1C. Sugar
1/2tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4C. Water

• Cube/dice chicken (whatever size you really want but we do bitesize or a little larger)
• optional: coat in fry'n magic and fry for crispier chicken
• Brown chicken
• Mix sauce ingredients together
• Pour over chicken in 9x13 pan
• Bake @ 350-375F for 30 minutes
• Optional: serve over rice

We have grilled up extra chicken and used that later in the week to make this.  We have done 8x8 pans using fewer chicken breasts (but did the same amount of sauce and poured that over the rice).  Play with it to suit your family.  It is sweeter than sour but delicious!  I use Ready Rice from Uncle Ben just to make it one less thing to juggle at supper time with the kids.

My husband, the man who likes only things with a crunch to them, even likes this one.  Our daughter used to think it was 'ketchup chicken' and will clear a plate of it in minutes usually.  As for myself, it is a personal favorite!  Chris froze the leftovers (we made a second pan to test this) one time and it worked SO WELL!  Took the vacuum sealed pouch out of the freezer, thawed/heated in the microwave and had a GREAT lunch a few weeks later.  Speaking of....I think I'll go dig through the freezer and see if I have any more lunch pouches left in there!

Proof of Teeth!

I finally got a picture where he was willing to smile even with the phone or camera in front of his face.  Usually he just goes blank face or wide mouth but not smiling when he sees technology within grabbing (and chewing) distance!

Adorable, right?

My New Column Badge ---->

You may have noticed a new badge on my side column.  The Promotional Spotlight Tour for Elisabeth Naughton's book Stolen Chances has begun!  Though my stop isn't until the 22nd (come back and see me!), you are absolutely welcome and encouraged to check in with Elisabeth and get to know some of her other books by swinging through Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, and your choice of book stores!

Elisabeth's Facebook

Eternal Guardian's Facebook

Elisabeth's Twitter

I love her Eternal Guardian's series and am (impatiently) waiting for the next book in the series!  I've just got my hands on Stolen Fury (the first in the Stolen series) and am very excited to meet more characters to enjoy!

The Value of Photos

Our Venture Photography Mosaic!

I adore these photos!  I think they are so fun and they are perfect for the family room atmosphere.  It was an investment because they weren't cheap but I put a lot of value on family photos.  Capturing not only an image, but a feeling or a personality through a camera is not a simple challenge.  They may hire anyone who can point and click at the basic studios and many of those photos turn out nicely, but they are so similar to every photo we've taken before.

Venture Photography is a studio-based photography experience but with the personalization of having an on-site photographer.  Their studio is large enough to hold horses...really, they've done it!  You bring ANYTHING with (almost) that shows off what your family does and who you are.  You don't have a 15-30 minute slot where you fit in a bunch of standard poses.  You have an hour and you play, you dress up, you do whatever kinds of things you'd do at home.  Your kids get relaxed and glow for the camera.  That dreaded 'say cheese' isn't heard within the building unless *mom* slips up...oops!

I have no doubt in my mind that we will save up to do this again.  Our goal is to be able to do this every 5 years.  Wether that happens or not will of course depend upon what life throws at us, but it would be absolutely wonderful.

They aren't very spread out in the U.S. but they are great if you're nearby!  They began in the U.K. so they are an international set-up and neat to check out.  (US, UK, and Hong Kong locations)

**No location, business, or individual has asked me to write this post.  I simply wished to share a product and business that I've personally utilized.  I received nothing in exchange for my post.**

...and then there were three.

It's that time of year again for this guard family.  Annual Training!  I am going two and a half weeks with a teething baby and a toddler milking the last half of age three for all it is worth in tantrums and stubbornness!  No backup.  My "battle buddy" is off keeping his skills honed for any future deployments.  So....

Day One:  Last coin lost at 5pm. I "ruined her birthday!" I was pretty sure I had a few months to plan that event but apparently I simply forgot what day of the year she was born AND forgot to plan a party.  Crap.  I look forward to the teen years when the storming to the room is accompanied by at least a half hour of sulking.  For now I get a 2 minute shouting from the door and then returning to sulking in my presence paired with the random fit over the same thing.

Happy Release Day to Theresa Romain! (link to giveaway)

I love romance novels.  I LOVE historical romance novels.

I have a new favorite cover out there just today!

ITTTT

Plus, there are giveaways for it going on right now!  Tonight is a Twitter party for the release of It Takes Two to Tangle ( #TwoToTangle ) and there are prizes for both pre-registering (here) and while the party goes on.  <3  So excited to read this book...and stare at the cover in person.

*Giveaways are closed but still...how gorgeous is this cover???  9/4/13*

Simple Birthday Card

We all know grandparents (and those of other relationships) that have handmade scribble cards from us at the age of three.  I hopefully have improved upon my card-making skills past the scribble stage with this birthday card for my grandma.

A simple card with a little depth by making a single heart stand out with an extra punch-out shape plus some foam tape to push it away from the paper.

Baby Battles!

August 14th--  Happily nom-ing away on toys, he switches ever so subtly to Momma's finger, which produces a small shriek of pain from the victim.  Such a noise is vastly amusing and requires a couple gurgles of glee before attempting a repeat performance!  Momma bravely allows a finger into his mouth again in a discovery attempt.  The boy has a sharp object poking from the center of some swollen gums.  FINALLY!  The wave of relief rolling off of Momma was immediate.  We had confirmed our hopeful explanation of the near constant IBS (Irritable Baby Syndrome) and the few really nasty butts in the past couple days.

We had been treating him to numerous cold chewies and some well placed fever meds here and there previously but hadn't felt the tooth before that.  Sadly, the battle was not over.

Wyatt, already not to be outdone by a sister who has a full set of teeth to tauntingly utilize at every meal, decided to go for a twofer with his 'toofers'.  He has two sharp little front (bottom) teeth partially revealed.  The little tyrant gums won't let them go easily though.  They are still a frequent cause of turmoil for the little man who chews on EVERYTHING.  He is also convinced that after all this work, he is ready for any and every type of food that we consume.  I'd be willing to expand his menu....if he didn't still choke on the Gerber puffs.  Silly boy.

I still can't get a picture that displays any of the white lines that are eventually going to be two cute little daggers...er, teeth.  Mr. Wyatt believes that if no item is going to make its way into his mouth, then his tongue needs to act as bait for any other moment of his waking hours.

Meal Planning 101...201...ummmm

It just isn't easy flipping through the recipe book every week trying to figure out what we should eat and when.  Using my marker board on the fridge was a great first step to getting us out of the last minute 'what do we have in the pantry' crunch.  What I really disliked about my otherwise enjoyable process of planning out meals that didn't feel like they were too repeated, was the constant erasing and reworking for about 40 minutes when I'd find a different meal to plug in.  This doesn't include when plans during the week change and a meal needs to be rescheduled or cancelled completely.

So in walks Pinterest and a random pin that caught my eye with its post-it abundance....

Here is a sample week in the planning.  Can you see how this might make that revamping worthwhile already?  Too many beef meals in the week?  Pull and replace!  Have too many things on your schedule one day to cook something longer than 20 minutes?  Pull and swap until you've got everything looking just how you want it!  The laminated sheets make it simple and the post-its stay reusable this way also!  If you still prefer markers, they'll erase off of this easier than my cheap marker board on the fridge after the couple years I've had it.

Rather than the categories on the side, I chose to change it from Lunch/Dinner to Meal Ideas, along with Breakfast, Salads/Appetizers, Drinks, Desserts, and Snacks pages.  On the Meal Ideas pages (4 of them) I changed the interior categories to various categories that suited my family.  I am sure this will change over time as this is a new system to me still and I'll refine it as I go.

I've printed and laminated the calendar pages as well and will include it into my own binder Command Center.  I'll figure out what else needs to go into it as I go along but I am already LOVING this system so much more than where I was previously!  Thank you Ursula at Home Made by Carmona!

Exploring Locally: Children's Museum

So....I absolutely hate driving to new places myself.  I don't trust 'big city' drivers and when I don't know where I'm going I get exponentially more nervous.  Pairing those two things with two kids who may or may not cry, yell, or demand something at any given moment in a car...well, you can see my hesitation to go to downtown St. Paul.

So my husband had a half day and picked us up to meet up with some family at the Children's Museum downtown.  We hadn't been there yet (the hours and a normal work schedule don't mix perfectly) and I was intrigued by posts that I've seen from other friends over the last year.

Ant Hill Running!

There was a ton to explore so we will definitely be going back (a few times more with Papa driving so I can get all my routes figured out better)!  They had a large ant hill (above), a beaver's dam (below), and some visiting exhibits like Dora and Diego or the exercise one which was pathetically empty when we got there.  Of course this last was good news for us because the kids and the adults got to have a blast without worrying about running over, or being ran over by, other kids!

Beaver Alyssa sliding out of her dam

There are some really fun exhibits that we could easily spend the whole day playing with!  This may become a frequent new indoor location for us if I can get my nerves beaten down to drive there myself.

Turtle Alyssa!

Dora's Rocket

Astronaut Wyatt

Astronaut Pilot Alyssa

Eventually I got into the exploring and forgot to take any more pictures!  If you take a trip to the Cities, you can check out the Children's Museum with your kids!  Here is a link to their website for more info on their exhibits, fees, etc.

**No location, business, or individual has asked me to write these Exploring Locally posts.  I've taken all trips upon myself and at my own discretion.  I am merely sharing with you some fun ways that we pass our time and tour our own local area!**

Exploring Locally: Butterfly Garden

Sometimes you just need to look around and see what there is to do near you.  Get out and explore your local entertainments!  We had some fun when the zoo opened their butterfly garden and we finally got a chance to get there to visit it.

**No location, business, or individual has asked me to write these Exploring Locally posts.  I've taken all trips upon myself and at my own discretion.  I am merely sharing with you some fun ways that we pass our time and tour our own local area!**