summer break

Although I am no longer a teacher (well, a paid one) I feel like my brain has decided it is on summer break. I've been slacking on my lessons with the kids, I've been slacking on my housekeeping, I've also been slacking on my blogging. The only things I don't seem to be slacking on are my cooking and playing with the kids.

It isn't that I want to slack on my blogging, dear friends. I just can't think. My brain is in a pure mushy, summery, blissful state. I used to wake up each morning excited about what I could write about. Now, I wake up and think "Oh, I'll just sleep in some more.....the kids won't be up for a while." And they have been sleeping until 8 or after most days.......bliss.....

And then when I find time to return to the computer (after I've filled up the inflatable pools while the kids nap) I am at a total loss of words. I feel like nothing in my brain could possibly be interesting to any of you.

So, bear with my summer mind. My thoughts may come later. When I did teach I remember feeling like this for the first weeks of summer. Full of happiness and eagerness to spend every free second outside or inside reading a book. And slowly, I go back to myself. The not so laidback, fun self......the more responsible self.
So maybe one day soon, I will be back with more interesting posts... when I run out of bubbles and sunscreen.

a new way to cook

Once again my friend Kara gave me some great info that further inspired me-if I'm ever ridiculously rich, I'm gonna pay her to be my personal advisor for her knowledge. She told me about this site, Crockpot365, with is a woman's blog about making something in the slow cooker every day of the year. Some of the recipes seemed fun to try and some I'll never fix. But what a fun thing to do!

So I've been inspired to do something similar on a much smaller scale. Each week I plan my menu while sorting through my 34 (yes, 34) cookbooks, many cooking magazines, online cooking sites, & box of recipe cards.

Now, I'm not complaining. I actually do enjoy it. Honestly, planning my menu is probably one of my favorite times of the week. I am , however, wasting a lot of time that I could use playing with the kiddos, cleaning, or crafting.

So to simplify I'm going to pick one cookbook each week to choose my recipes from.





This week I'm using one of my oldies but goodies, Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2005.
I'm especially looking forward to the following meals:
Eggplant Stew over Couscous
Peppery Chicken Pasta Salad
Mac & Cheese Florentine
Frittata with Mushrooms, Linguine, and Basil

I'll be sure to let you know if I cook some fun things out of cookbooks or sites in the future.
One last question though...
How much time am I saving if I'm blogging to you about it?


On a side note.....

Happy Birthday to one of my most faithful readers!!! I know you're reading this, Kim!

watch me wednesday (4 little monkeys jumping on the bed)

reasons we had a perfect weekend

This weekend was truly perfect.......no plans, just go with the flow.
Here are my top reasons I loved this weekend.

BubblesThis year's first filling of the inflatable pools Impromptu cookout with our neighbors Bridgette & Dave Snuggling and watching Peter Pan (or Peter Pie, as Zander calls it) with the kiddos Watching Kunjan, Zander, & Kaya play with the water hoseMattieBear Watching Zander stay up with Lizzie to play and watch a movie Pool party at our neighbors Ernie & Veronica Eating at the rib ranch with the Patels Kaya diving head first into her little poolBaby Conner and Kaya kissing Family naps in the middle of each day Impromptu drinks with the neighbors on Sunday night

I hope each of you had a perfect weekend too.
Enjoy the remix.

perfect weekend remix

watermelon

"When one has tasted watermelon he knows what the angels eat”
-Mark Twain

solitude.friends.vacation

Last week at the beach I was fortunate to have a few hours of solitude to read & enjoy myself.



But this weekend I got out of my comfort zone and went on another vacation mission. I left the kids for the first time with Matt and took a 3 day trip to see my friend Rachel.


I'm glad I had both of these moments of time away from my life to rest and get out of my rut. Right before this I was feeling like a hamster on a wheel......constantly moving but making no progress. The housework, the shopping, cooking, the entertaining of children......it was all just getting to me. How was I going to make it through the tantrums and have an orderly, clean house?

I guess this is why vacations were invented. I came back so refreshed. Willing and eager to jump back into Domestic Bliss. I missed my kids & Matt but not enough to spoil my time away from them. I think they missed my too but enjoyed their time together.

Yesterday I did the same things I usually do but it seemed so much more meaningful. I planned my weekly meals, got our groceries, cleaned around the house, a couple loads of laundry......but it was so much more pleasant. I seemed to remember that I am serving an important role in life, I'm providing a happy, healthy home for my family.
And I survived the weekly tantrum in the store. But this time instead of leaving in a fuming fog I remembered how cute the kids were picking out the melons and pineapple for our fruit salad we're making today.

crafty sushi

Finally.....

A crafty post. The original reason I started my blog....to showcase my love for crafting.
However, the biggest craft I've been involved in lately is to try to figure out how to juggle one child in the middle of the terrible twos and another child who thinks she should be in the terrible twos. That is a very time-consuming hobby in itself.

But yesterday I made myself take the time to do something I love. I have had the vision of play sushi in my mind for a while now...



I just took some mismatched socks and some colored felt to create......



Here is the finished product. The play sushi, or should I call them socky rolls.



I loved making them and can't wait to give them to one of my favorite little girls this weekend. I'm gonna make a batch for Zander and Kaya next week.
If I could develop a dream job for me ( in the future, of course), I would have a cute little shop where I made stuff like this. Of course I would need a business manager (because that is one talent I do not possess). Any takers out there?

beach days pt.5 (zander)

To be at the beach with Zander is one of the greatest gifts God could grant. Boy, I'm a lucky mom.


Here he is excited to go down to the ocean!


Playing in the waves.


Playing in his hole.......I think he could do that forever.

beach days pt.4 ( my surfer crush)

I always dreamed of dating a surfer and living a carefree life in a bungalow on the beach.

I'm glad I've got this surfer boy.

beach days no.3 (watch me wednesday)

beach days pt.2 (my little beach dancer)

My little beach dancer,
How wide your eyes get
when you first see the ocean, it is certainly the best.
Your bright little face is a delight to all,
Your sweet perfect features makes you as pretty as a doll.





My pretty beach dancer,
it is such a thrill...
To hear you laugh at the waves you feel.
To see you play in the sand, chasing the birds...
Your infectious giggle is the best sound in the world.





My silly beach dancer,
what wonder you have....
For the waves & water you explore with Dad.
Your sweet questions about "what's that mom?"
Makes our ocean visit even more fun.






My sweet beach dancer,
Ohhh....what a day!
It is exhausting after so much play.
Covered in salt in sand, and ready to rest,
Thanks for your wonder & innocence, and making this day the best.

beach days pt.1 (the ocean waves)

We are back now after a wonderful vacation to the beach. I haven't been blogging while on the trip so I know my most devoted readers are devastated.

I'm now back in the real world. Within hours of leaving the beach my little girl threw up everywhere (including on me) and my husband feels like crap..........so welcome back to life, me!

Enjoy the beach waves video and the other photos I post this week. The kids, the parents, and grandparents all had a delightful time!

best investment

Oh, the sandbox, the best investment made in this house in a long time. And Matt & I didn't even buy it. The kids did. I let them raid their piggybanks to get enough money to get a turtle sandbox with some sand. The sad part is they have more in their piggybanks than their poor parents.
Although I know they have no concept of how much things cost, they did love getting the money out & putting it into their wallets and billfolds. And they had so much fun going to Walmart with mom & dad to get their new outdoor treat!

Here they are before the big purchase.....getting ready for the buy.....







Look at our new sandbox!!!




And so many fun times afterwards....Mom loves it too, she can sit in peace without running around for a few minutes while we play...

watch me wednesday (nature trail)