meal plan for the week

I've made my meal plan for the rest of the month, we'll see if I stick to it. Things happen, schedules get crazy and something simple can be replaced with something that might take me longer to prepare. So for this week...

Monday - Beans and Rice
Tuesday - Mini Meatloaves
Wednesday - Chicken Quesidillas
Thursday - Spaghetti
Friday - Turkey Calzones

Have a wonderful week of cooking for your families!

decked

{PoTD 11.30.09}

santa's helpers in the pink barbie jeep

Okay so the title says it all.

Beautiful weather here today.

We had to take advantage and soak in the sun in our Santa hats.

I'm sure the neighbors got a kick out of it.

the day after thanksgiving

As tradition in our house, we put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving.

This year the girls were jazzed and very helpful in getting it all done.

I couldn't help myself.

Art was just thrilled I got this shot of his and Grace's tushy.

They were getting the tree in just the right spot.

Sarah putting the angel on this year. With a little help from Daddy and big sister.

Sarah testing the track in her tutu.

One tuckered out elf wearing her Santa hat and holding Mr. Grinch.

thankful #4

for my family

<3

thankful #3

April...May....June... and half of July.

That's how long AP was out of work in 2009.

This year has proven to be one of challenges and stress.

So today I am thankful for two things.

AP and his job

He works hard so that I may have the privilege to stay home with our girls.

He loves me.

He is my hero.

I love him.

thankful #2

For health.

For this healing

For not having to use these and...



to not wearing this anymore.

I am thankful for not only getting over my broken foot but also the health of my entire family.

thankful #1

Thanksgiving is almost here.

I'm taking some time this week to give thanks each day. For today, I am thankful for the way my kids express themselves in how they play.

Below is Fawn. One of Tinkerbell's fairy friends. She found her way to my window. This window is small as you can see and up high in our bedroom. I know who got it up there, only my first born could have done this and I know the story behind it. There are three of these windows on this wall. In the morning light streams through them, with it you can see the dust in the air or Pixie Dust as my girls say. It's only logical (at least in Pixie Hollow) that a pixie fairy would want to be near that dust. So there she sits. Smile on her face. You have to love the imaginations of children. So clever, fun and creative.

I'm sure Tink and her other friends will be up there soon.

Love it.

crocodiles

This is a game that gets played in our house at least once a week but I never knew what it was called or maybe it didn't have a name until today. Sarah and Grace usually do this together but for today Sarah put all her toys from the shelf onto her bed as well as the toys from the floor. When I asked why she did this, she answered, "because the crocodiles would get it!" Of course! It makes perfect sense. Why didn't I think of that? Love the imagination.

{PoTD 11.19.09}

{and yes J I have learned my lesson, it is documented & marked}

one of those nights...

A cold night in Missouri. They are saying we will get down to the upper 30's. Brrr....



Perfect night for these...



So put on your warm, comfy sweatshirt, snuggle up by the fire with your hot tea or cocoa and stay warm everyone.

wondering, hoping and wishing and praying

Notice anything about this picture?

I purchased these for my family. Following through on a tradition I had growing up. My siblings and parents all had matching mugs we would have hot cocoa in throughout December. They were Santa mugs and just one of the Santa's was winking. It was a treat to be picked to have that Santa, he was my favorite. These guys are all the same, cute as can be but do you notice something about them? Look closely....



There are five of them. My family number is four. Now I am not Pg, but I stood there in the aisle of the store staring at them, thinking maybe I should get just one more, just in case. It brought emotions in Wal-Mart. Crazy I know. :-)

Lately the conversation around me has been about whether or not Art and I are done having children. It's been on my heart and in my prayers too. Are these conversations and my need to buy three mugs God's little nudge? Or is it that I just turned 39, my last year in my 30's that I feel this pressure! Am I too old? Are we past those years?

Part of me says yes but the aching part of my heart says no. I have dreams of another chubby cheeked baby. He or she completes us.

Silly that snowmen mugs brought me to this thought and to this entry. It makes me wonder, hope, wish and pray.

lists

Have you started yours? Are thoughts of Christmas entering your brain causing you to run to your closest notepad? I am.

Only 38 more days.

I promised myself all the gift shopping would be minimal and done by the first week of December. I can do it. I must to create a calm in my home as we approach Christmas. A calm to ensure the holidays are cherished and remembered as a special birthday not as the world may see it.

This year will be all about our family celebrating the reason for the season. This year will be about hanging out in our pajamas all day long on December 25th. No commitments to run here or there, just us, at home. Loving, laughing, playing, enjoying family, monkey bread and pizza. Just us. I like the sound of that.

ready to shine

Saturday we had some wonderful weather here in Missouri and we took advantage of it. It never fails that we pick the worst weather to put up our Christmas lights on the house. Art has climbed up there in sleet and snow against the wishes of his wife. I kind of put my foot down (in a good way) this year. He agreed and we are now all ready to shine come November 27th.

Going through the lights, untangling (his favorite part).

This year he had a little help. The girls begged to go up with Daddy but instead we compromised and Pingu our stuffed penguin made the journey up the ladder. He mostly supervised.

back up dinner

Thursday night my dinner plans were thrown out the window. I had forgotten in my planning that Art was going to be out, working media for the church. When he's out I tend to do a low key, simple dinner. But at the last minute he decided to come home early and eat with us, leaving me scrambling for ideas. One I keep coming back to (because I keep it on hand in my pantry) is this soup. Now normally I don't care for tomato soup but this one, YUUUUUMMMMMM. I was hesitant at first to try it but we both fell in love with it. It is creamy and soooo good. And yes it is from Trader Joes. So this plus some grilled cheese sandwiches fed us for the evening.

to do

My to do list for the weekend (because I napped today instead and tomorrow doesn't look any better schedule wise):

• Mop the floors in the house, especially the kitchen!
• Clean up the downstairs. I have ignored it for awhile now letting my girls go down, play like crazy without picking things up. It's gotten so bad that I've avoided going down there completely.

With that Art has a weekend to do list that he wants help on:

• Put up our Christmas lights. Not turn them on yet, just get them up. It never fails we put them up on the worst weather weekend making me worry about him on the roof. Not this year!
• Maybe, possibly start to fill in the big holes in our yard the trees left. We'll see about this one.

Can we do it! Yes we can!

Well we'll give it a try throwing in some play time here and there and we can't forget birthday celebrations, Sunday church and laundry too.

california smile fairies

I had two smile fairies visit me today. Tomorrow is my birthday and two of my good friends from California brightened my day and made me smile. Not just my regular smile but my smile from ear to ear smile. The big one.

One is not only my friend but "my blood", she is my cousin. She sent me some of my favorite things. 12x12 scrapbook paper, in a bundle, wrapped up with a pretty ribbon. She is also known as my paper fairy :-). I can't wait to dive in and use them. She makes me laugh uncontrollably and you would think we were junior high age by the way we act, we blame that on our parents and our bloodline. I miss her.

The other fairy is like a sister to me, in fact she was part of my family when we lived in California. I got to know her family and they loved and accepted Art and I. I smile every time I see her face come across my iphone (that means she's calling me). She called the other day, I was grocery shopping, I stopped what I was doing and just stood there in the aisle talking. She's that kind of friend, one I can't leisurely listen to. I have to give her my full attention because that's what she gives me. Of course occasionally one of our children may interrupt our time but that is okay. She is a super mom to three very handsome little boys and a husband that is a good friend of mine too. I miss her. She makes me miss No. California. She also sent some scrapbooking treats. Again, she knows me.

Thank you both for making me feel special, even from afar. I love you to bits!

I do have a third fairy I have yet to hear from but a little birdie told me that she hasn't forgotten my birthday and that her smile is coming soon. She has had a hard week with a sick boy and dog. She is a member of my California family too. She and I share a bond of struggle, faith and perseverance from wanting desperately to be Mom's. We will always have that connection and remember the tears and cheers when our dreams came true. I love her to bits as well.

I am blessed to have three fairies loving on me. Not that I need a gift from them to know they are there. Having them as friends is the best gift I could ever have, the rest is just a bonus.

Hugs and jingles my fairy friends.... I love you.

birthday barrier and bash

We celebrated Art's birthday a little early this year.

Today is his actual birthday but our night is full unfortunately.

So, we loved on him last night.

Here he is, coming home from work, busting through our birthday barrier with the half dressed Cinderella and the bride {they wanted to dress up for the bash}. He loved it.

Happy Birthday Art!

I love the man you are, the dedicated father you are, the loving attentive husband you are, the best friend who always makes me laugh or see the silver lining, the hunk I fell in love with at church camp, the Mr. Fix It, the dreamer who dreams with me.

My love, hugs and kisses to you,

Ny

worn out

She couldn't even make it home.

So tired. So sweet, her breathing during sleep.

It's hard being a preschooler!

timber!

Finally the trees have come down! We've waited and waited for dry ground to be able to do this and yesterday they were here. It was neat to watch, the girls were enamored with it and loved all the sawdust in the air. I'm glad they aren't a threat to the house, I can relax now during a big storm, well somewhat :-).

The trees were so brittle they had to bring in a truck to be safe.

They took them apart, piece by piece.

Oh how I wish my friends with their little boys could have been here, they would have loved each and every crash to the earth.

At this point all they had to do was cut down low at the base while another person pulled on the rope to ensure it came down where they wanted it to.

Look how much more yard we have! Well when we get them filled in and seeded. Love it!