Furniture Has Arrived!

I think the last update on the new office was when the hardwood floors were about to be installed and the house had an echo.  Well, the floors are in and they are beautiful!  And I finally ordered some furniture.  I was giddy when I got home from work yesterday and saw the boxes from Ballard on the front porch.  Of course it was 4 of the 5 pieces and the 5th piece is pretty critical for the set-up and won't arrive until probably next Monday.  I'm going to have to be patient.  I promise a reveal photo once the furniture is in.

That's What Friends Are For

Photo from Amazon.com

Last night Charlotte picked out this book to be read as part of our bedtime routine.  I love this book.  The girls love this book.  When I was pregnant with Stella I had a baby shower.  However, instead of cards, those invited were asked to bring a book and sign it for the baby to start our library.  This one was hand selected by my BFF.  And a great one it is.

My girls love it mostly due to the hilarious voices I use for each animal (which apparently daddy does not do when he reads it..."he just reads it all in his normal voice, mom" I was informed by Stella last night).  I love it because it ends with a very important message (spoiler alert):

To give advice is very nice,

But friends can do much more.

Friends should always help a friend.

That's what friends are for.

Hardback is only $6.99 right now on Amazon and eligible for free shipping!  Grab one for yourself or for a gift.  This is not an affiliate link - I just love this book.

 

Mojitos - The Perfect Summer Beverage

The mojitos recipe is up on Tastes From Tricia's Table. 

Click HERE to get your drink on.

Summer is Here!

It's been in the 90s here this week and I love it. As always, this has been a crazy week and therefore, lacking of posts. This year we contemplated joining our neighborhood pool, but in the end, decided to wait. And here is why, in photos...










Who needs the pool when our backyard is heaven enough for these little ones. And mojitos at 2:00...yes, please! Recipe soon. I still owe you the peanut butter cookie recipe!




And the real reason I haven't blogged this week...um, Mr. Grey has kept me busy.




Hope you had a wonderful long weekend and also remembered the reason we even have Memorial Day.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Spring Soccer

I am not sure how I am going to survive being a parent of three kids and all of the activities that go with it.  I am not a fan of a lot of extra-curriculars.  For many reasons.  However, I do LOVE our soccer program.  Basically because it's only one hour a week.  That's it.  It's more like a learn-to-play program than anything competitive.  And I think that is the right focus for 3 & 4 year olds.

 

Our 6-week spring session started last week.  Stella?  She came off the field saying "Mom, I'm hungry!"  Really?  Then she continued..."Hungry for MORE SOCCER!"  That's her below in the orange shirt, pink shin guards and pony tail getting ready to kick the ball into the goal.

 

And Charlotte?  She was so excited to finally be old enough to play.  Unfortunately there are way too many kids in the program this session.  So after about 30 minutes she was finished.  Not sure if she was bored or tired or just unamused.

How do you handle activities with your kids?

Do you have "rules" about who gets to do what?

What spring sports are you on the sideline for?

Our House Has an Echo

Today is the day!  The floors are going to be installed.  You can catch up on this project HERE if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

So, of course, the kids LOVED how the front two rooms echoed yesterday.  That didn't get annoying real quick.

Here are the before photos.

Empty Dining Room. 

If you look really hard you can see Henry's head out the window. 

He's sweeping the front walkway.

Empty "office".

Floors were actually delivered on Friday.

Where does all that stuff go?

Items were dispersed around the house.

Dining room table top and couch in the family room.

Rest of dining room table in the garage.

Along with all that nasty carpet.

Everything else is in the basement.

Peanutty Goodness

Last night's Dinner That Would Kill Their Kid was another success.  I have to admit that Andy's pad thai was one of his best.  And the cookies?  Oh yum.  Oh yummy, yum. 

I'll post the recipe later this week, I promise.  And we also put out some other peanut goodies.  Although some treated them as appetizers and gobbled a few immediately and some waited until dessert:

Another Dinner That Would Kill Their Kids

Tonight is our annual Dinner That Would Kill Your Kids.  Yep, you read that right.  If you were reading last year, you heard about it HERE first.  If you are newer to the blog or missed that post, here's the basics.  We have four families in our lives that have kids with severe peanut allergies.  So, Andy and I make them get a babysitter one night each year and we stuff the parents silly with peanutty things before wiping them down and sending them home. 

The main dish has always been chicken pad thai loaded with chopped peanuts.  But I usually try to switch up the dessert each year.  This morning I was prepping for this year's finale by cutting up some mini peanut butter cups.  More on that recipe to come.  Hopefully it turns out as yummy as it looks and sounds.

More Observations from Kroger

Here I go again.  Another Kroger rant.  Feel free to click HERE to see my first Kroger post a couple of weeks ago.  Or feel free to just come back tomorrow when I'm in a happier place.  HA.

 

So, the remodel seems to be complete at the Kroger nearest my house.  And here are the observations I made last night when I ran in for a few items right after work.

• What's the old saying?  You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.  Until they tear it down and start over, it's still going to look old and beat up.  Moving items around isn't going to change that.  So quit glamorizing the "NEW" Kroger.  It. isn't. NEW.
• Chips and pretzels are now in the middle of the store.  They used to be at the very end.  The change makes total sense to me.  Because don't you want to either a) stack everything on top of the chips you put into the cart first or b) constantly have to move the chips out of the way?  Or maybe you like your chips in crumb-fashion?
• They switched the chips with the Gatorade.  See #2.  You are now putting Gatorade on top of your chips.
• Yogurt somehow managed to piss someone off royally in dairy.  Because cheese, biscuits, and even jell-o got to relocate.  But, no, not yogurt.
• Speaking of dairy...Kraft 2% Sharp Cheddar cheese slices (a family staple for grilled cheese) are a thing of the past.  I gave the dairy guy a big {sigh} and said, "it figures....I just hate this store more and more" and then realizing I said that out loud, I apologized to him saying I knew it wasn't his fault.  He said he should probably be able to get the cheese back in a couple of weeks.  Sure.  Just like we were going to get Boars Head "in a couple of weeks"  and that was years ago.  (Yes, I'm still bitter.) I'll happily eat my words if the cheese reappears.
• We're still not high-class enough or deemed worthy enough to have Boars Head in our deli.  Which is why this location will never become my "get-ready-for-the-week-big-trip" grocery store.  It will remain "emergency-items-after-work-like-a-gallon-of-milk" grocery store.
• And finally, a good thing to report.  The old baby aisle - diapers, food, etc. - had huge columns you had to maneuver around...with a cart and often the larger car cart and usually with kids.  Happy to report that the aisle is now free and clear of any obstacles.

Ok locals, I know you read this.  And I know many of you shop there.  Anything I missed?  And help me find some good in the changes!  I was only in there a few minutes and was apparently over critical.

 

And by the way, I just got another $20 in the mail from Kohl's over the last two weeks.  $10 to tell me that their remodel is really truly finished (because they already sent me $10 at "completion".  And later another $10 for my birthday.  I love that place!  And Target?  An update on my relationship with that store soon to come.





Time for a Big Boy Room

The hardwood floors aren't even down yet and I'm already thinking of the next house project!

It's somewhat hard to imagine I won't need a nursery again.  But I'm also getting excited about being able to finally transform that room into something else.  Since we used the same nursery decor for all three kids, I'm kind of over it.  No, I'm really over it.  So over it, I just handed over one of the decorative pillows to be cut up and used as part of the baby quilt I'm having made out of Henry's clothes.  The nursery stuff was cute and I loved the colors, but I'm ready to move forward.  Ready to create a big-boy room this summer.  We'll keep similar colors...reds, greens, blues.

I'm loving this storage idea from Land of Nod.  I think it would match everything perfectly.

Source: landofnod.com via Tricia on Pinterest

And this quilt...oh. too. cute.

And already stored away in Henry's closet!

Source: landofnod.com via Tricia on Pinterest

A Hairy Situation

I am the last person you want to ask about hair care.  Seriously.  But I'm still going to give an opinion on here today about shampoo.  This is solely my opinion for nothing in return.  Neither of these companies contacted me, etc.

 

When I was in high school I remember using Salon Selectives.  Remember that brand?  I just googled it for fun and did you know that it's back?  I had no idea.  Anyway, then in college I had a roommate who worked for Aveda.  Best roommate perk ever was getting to use her discount on all of the Aveda products.  And the discount was something absurd like 80% off! 

 

So even as a poor college student I fell in love with the shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays, etc.  Once the discount left, so did my loyalty - other than the hairspray which I still use today.  I tried a few different things here and there and somehow stuck to using John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette for years.  And I rarely needed conditioner ever.  And if I did, a co-worker got me hooked on Garnier Fructis.  Long enough back-story?

 

So I started reading all the online reviews for Suave's newest Professionals line.  And I had a coupon and it was on sale.  So for less than $1 I got a bottle of the Suave Professionals Rosemary Mint shampoo.  It's ok.  I do think it lathers better than Aveda, but does not smell nearly as good nor as strong as Aveda's.  It definitely doesn't tingle like Aveda's.  And after a couple of washes, it made my hair feel like straw.  It's fine if I use conditioner. every. day.  But I wasn't that highly impressed.  Maybe the less than $1 should have tipped me off.  I'll most likely go back to my Brilliant Brunette, but not until after I try out some TRESemme given to me by another co-worker.  I'll let you know how that goes.

 

What shampoo/conditioner do you love? 

Do you try new things or stick with your tried-and-true?

 

  

Mother's Day Weekend

I'm one lucky momma.  We had a great Mother's Day weekend.  It all started Friday evening.  Actually Friday morning Stella was VERY concerned about who was going to pick her up from daycare.  She did NOT want me to pick her up at all.  I didn't get it at first, but then she explained that I couldn't see her bring home the Mother's Day stuff.  Oh! 

So Andy managed to pick up the kids a little bit early, but then he convinced them to surprise me after work with all the stuff from them (I think he was afraid that Stella's flower would die under his care for 2 days).  He even got me a surprise gift...in my favorite shade of blue...Tiffany blue!

It was a beautiful night and I brought home pizza and we just sat in the driveway with an open pizza box, some beer (adults), juice boxes (kids) and a bunch of sidewalk chalk for entertainment.  Stella finally said, "Mom, this is just crazy!"

Then Saturday morning was the local Girls on the Run 5K.  Andy and I both volunteered.  This year Stella came with us.  She was bored at the beginning but then LOVED the race.  She really wants to try to do the 5K next spring.

Today was actually a crazy busy day.  We spent the morning running errands in the rain with all three kids.  Mother's Day joy...right?  The kids were actually pretty good.  And I grabbed myself another little Mother's Day gift while at Costco...anyone read these yet?  I can't wait to see what the controversy is all about.  And if the hype is worth it.

Happy Mother's Day!

Friday Facebook Finds

                                                                From: Failbook

Just a couple of random thoughts today to start your weekend.  Things I found posted on Facebook this week.

A friend posted a good article on Facebook this week.  It's Lydia Netzer's 15 Ways to Stay Married for 15 Years.  You can read it HERE.  I particularly like #6 Do your own thing.  I feel it's important to be a team, but to also have separate interests.  I also love that she put #12 Make a husband pact with your friends into words.  This is definitely something I've done with my closest friends.  And my all time favorite is #8.  The entire list is great...check it out. 

What do you think is missing from the list?

Another Facebook find was posted by one of my absolute favorite role models.  A dear friend I worked with while living in Alabama.  She linked up a blog post from Hands Free Mama called How to Miss a Childhood.  Wow.  Go HERE for that one.  A great reminder to today's parents about connectivity with kids and our unending use of technical gadgets. 

Do you have rules in your house?  Do you limit gadget time?

The final thing I saw flying all over Facebook was the Time Magazine cover titled Are You Mom Enough? You can see the breastfeeding photo HERE.  Unfortunately I do not have the magazine nor access to the article yet.  I would love to read the actual article.  I am a supporter of those that choose to breastfeed.  However, I feel that this photo will most likely bring negative press to breastfeeding.  I can say kudos to print media for making all of us take a second look.  Not sure it would have been as shocking if it hadn't made it to a major magazine cover like that. 

So I'll stir the pot, your thoughts on this cover?

And Happy Mother's Day Weekend ladies.  Big plans?

Click HERE for a great infographic shared on FB from Charming CHARLIE about moms and why we love them.

For those of you still laughing from my Monday night adventure.  Thanks!  I enjoyed all of your Facebook comments and blog comments.  Glad you enjoyed it and that I could make you feel better as a mom.  And those that missed it and have no idea what happened...be sure to click HERE.  You won't regret it.  

What's A Mom To Do?

If your husband was out of town all week and it was now Thursday evening and...

you are tired,

your kids are tired and cranky,

you got stopped by the teacher because you-know-who had to spend time in the director's office due to behavior today,

you were invited to the neighborhood Girls Night Out tonight but are single-parenting it instead,

it's bath night,

you just want to crawl into bed with more Girl Scout cookies,

What would you do?

A) Drink a bottle of wine upon returning home
B) Sit down and cry
C) When in reality it's only 6:00 PM, pretend it's bedtime and tuck them in
D) All of the above

OR

E) None of the above....instead convince a friend (whose husband is also gone for the evening) that it will be simple to take all six kids out to dinner.

We did and we survived.  And we caused a lot of heads to turn.  Someone even asked, "And it's just the two of you moms?"  Yep. 

Good girlfriends are sometimes hard to come by...I'm extremely blessed to be surrounded by such awesome moms. 

Thanks Nutmeg - I needed tonight!

Our girls...the boys were staying close to the mommies.

Finding the Funny: Swim Lessons Continued

Due to the overwhelming response from yesterday's post about Swim Lessons, I'm linking up to Anna and Kelley's weekly finding the funny. 

Anna's blog, My Life and Kids, is one I read in batches.  Because I like it so much I want to really read it and comment, etc.  But that means I'm usually about 3 weeks behind on what she's posted.  She's truly hilarious and although she stays home, I still feel I can relate to almost all of her posts since she also had three kids in three years, is local, and has an awesome husband like mine.  Maybe we'll meet in person one day...Bloggy Moms conference in September, Anna??

And now just a quick update to yesterday's post about my Monday evening...

Charlotte was being bribed with that quarter because we have been notified by her teachers that all dresses she wears must have shorts under them.  She apparently likes to lift her skirts...a lot.  And, um, Charlotte didn't earn her quarter.  Instead she climbed up on a chair to put on her shoes and sat indian-style.  Luckily the area wasn't well populated at that time and only me and my mom got the full crotch view.

My mom's jaw did drop when I shouted "vagina" in the parking lot.  She said others definitely heard it.  I'm just glad neither Stella nor Charlotte replied anything containing the slang "vajayjay"...because yes, they know that term as well.  Seriously?  Ask a 3 or 4-year old to say it...it's hilarious!  Just be sure to remind them that it's a private word we only use with our family in the bathroom.  Glad they stuck to that rule last night.

On the way home a deer almost came into the road and I said "Oh! Deer!"  My mom thought I said "Oh, dear!" and was trying to figure out what was wrong.  It took us 10 minutes to clear that one up.  That tells you just how much we lost our minds during the 30 minute swim lesson debacle.

For those of you who were disappointed that I chose cookies over wine...sorry.  I had a lot of chores to do after their bedtime and knew the wine would put me to sleep.  Don't worry.  I made up for it last night.

Swim Lessons: The Commando Night

Summer 2011

One of my favorite old posts is still the one about the swim locker room pack 'n play.  It's really put motherhood into perspective for me...basically, just survive in the moment.  Back then I thought I was crazy for taking the two kids to swim lessons alone.  I almost took THREE of them alone last night, but then gladly accepted some help from my mom.  Oh, if we'd only known it was still going to be a train wreck…

 

For those of you who know me really well and constantly insist that I've always got my shit together…this one's for you...in all its brutal honesty.

 

The following are things said out loud last night.

 

Before swim lessons:

 

"Since daddy is not going tonight we all need to be helpers to mommy.  Plus I also have to get ready since I have to get into the pool tonight with Henry."

 

Moments pass…it's chaos as the kids strip down and now think it's funny running around the house naked and announcing it to each other.

 

"Naked Stella!"

 

"Naked Charlotte!"

 

"Naked Henry!" (although it sounds more like nake-henny)

 

More chaos.  More barking orders.  Because "nice mommy" isn't getting anywhere.

 

"Didn't you hear me?  Damn it Stella (some more words I don't even remember now; I said something about whatever it was she was doing wrong).  Of all of you, I really need you to be a listener." (Shocked eyes by both of us because I've never said "damn" to her before…now, Charlotte??  Well…)

 

"Stella, I shouldn't have raised my voice or said a bad word.  I'm sorry.  I made a bad choice.  Mommy's just frustrated because no one is listening…even you!  And you always listen."

 

"In the car!  Buckle up!  We've got to go get grandma so she can help us tonight."

 

Now we are in the swim lesson parking lot.

 

"I cannot believe I forgot the bag."

 

"I guess I'll head home and get it and be back by the time the girls are finished.  Henry and I can skip the pool."

 

My mom speaks up…"At least everyone has their swimsuit on.  You've got a t-shirt and your cotton skirt over your suit.  And the girls are wearing terry cloth cover-ups they can use as towels.  Henry has a shirt that will be dry.  And there's an extra clean diaper in the car.  We'll be fine." (My mom = always positive!  But, then again, she's not the one about to get in the pool with these kids and then not have dry under garments for afterwards.)

 

"Ok, I'll just pull a towel or two out from under the car seats.  How bad can they be?  Well, let me just shake off these dried up, stale, and who-knows-how-old cheerios, gold fish, cracker crumbs.  Ok, so maybe some of it needs peeled off.  Sure, these towels will be fine."

 

Right before swim lessons the realization that our goggles are at home hits the girls like a Mack truck:

 

"But these (replacement) goggles are magic goggles." (me)

 

"I can only use MY Ariel goggles. Go home and get them." (cries Stella)

 

"I'm sorry I left our goggles at home.  Daddy always puts the bag in the car and mommy wasn't thinking."

 

"These are special goggles that only special people get to wear." (swim instructor)

 

"Daddy bye-bye.  Daddy bye-bye." (Henry tells everyone sadly; I'm apparently not a great fill-in)

 

"My mom forgot the bag.  She left our goggles at home." (the girls tell everyone; they don't realize that the lack of towels and undies are going to be more critical soon…for all of us)

 

After swim lessons:

 

"Is grandma coming home with us?" (Stella)

 

"No, grandma has to go back to her house."

 

"But who's going to help us?  We really need some help." (Stella on the verge of tears; and maybe she's right)

 

"I just wear this cover up without panties??" (Stella with extremely quizzical look on her face)

 

"Yes, and Charlotte, don’t flash anyone.  I'll give you a quarter if you keep your cover up down over your bottom while we walk to the van."

 

In the parking lot after swim lessons I found pull-ups in the van:

 

"Please just wear this pull-up for the ride home."

 

"But I want to wear panties.  I don't wear pull-ups." (both girls scream)

 

"We don't have any panties.  This is for your own good.  Do you want the car seat buckle to pinch your vagina??"

 

"No.  Alright. " (Stella sighs and since Stella caved, so did Charlotte)

 

I was feeling grateful to be in the car headed home and more blessed to be flat-chested and have built-in shorts under my cotton skirt. 

 

And yes, I said vagina.  Loudly.  In a public parking lot that was swarming with people leaving at the same time.

 

After dropping my mom off and getting all the kids to bed I helped myself to a box of frozen Girl Scout cookies.  Just to celebrate surviving the evening.

 

 

Handy Andy

Lucky for me, Andy is pretty handy.  Now-a-days when we decide to do a house project, the question really isn't Can he do it?, but rather Is it worth his time?  So for this recent project we decided he would paint the room and even go ahead and rip out the carpet and get it ready for the new floors.  Could he and his dad put in the new floors?  I have no doubt that they could do it and do a great job.  But that's a task we are contracting out due to the time and effort it would take to do it on our own. 

 

So here are the recent photos of the paint job (not a big difference in the color) and the carpet rip-out.  Plus, you will see the "supervisor" observing.  Who would have thought that house projects would have been so entertaining?

 

One room ready, one to go.

 

The new floors will be  installed on May 21st...woo-hoo!