Shh...

I have moved...in 2008!!

2010-10-26T11:06:00.001-04:00

I moved my blog to wordpress way back in 2008 but for some blog comments it will only let me link to my blogger blog..which isn't even close to being up to date.

I moved to http://gretam.wordpress.com

Come on over and visit me there!!

Greta

Where's Melody?

2008-04-02T02:24:00.001-04:00

DSC_0369, originally uploaded by Greta121.

The kids were having fun today playing with the huge amount of stuffed animals we have. Melody was burried and really enjoyed every minute of it. How cute is that face?

I have moved

2008-03-31T13:15:00.002-04:00

I moved over to wordpress.com

Come and visit me here:

www.gretam.wordpress.com

Thanks!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T10:31:00.004-04:00

I hope everyone has a fabulous day!

Happy Easter!

Happy Birthday!

2008-03-17T18:21:00.004-04:00

Happy **nd Birthday Patty!

I hope it was a fabulous day for you! The sun was and still is shining and it was in the 40's today..so not bad!

Could have been snow!

Above is the card I made for Patty's birthday.

Below is Patty with her oldest, Peter.

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Patty,
Happy Birthday to you!

And many MOOOOOORRRRREEEEE!

Love your only daughter in-law, Greta XO

Free Card

2008-02-29T17:11:00.005-05:00

Go here to get a free absolutely beautiful card from the USPS and HBO. It is in reference to the new mini series on HBO called John Adams. Apparently he and his wife wrote over 1,100 letters to one another. Such a beautiful love story! Wish we had HBO so we could see it! The card shown above is one of six options. Go and look at how beautiful they are and choose one to have sent to yourself to mail off to a friend or loved one. You can also personalize them and add photos! Have fun!

Don't forget the after Easter Photos...

2008-02-28T23:38:00.003-05:00

Get this FREE 4"x4" brag book! Go here to check out the options: Lifetimez. There are several styles to choose from and they put new ones out every few weeks as well. Just sign up for the free 10 day trial and take all of those beautiful digital photos you have taken lately for the holidays, birthday's, Easter..you name it and put them into a book! You get one free ..you just pay $7.50 shipping. The value of the book is $14.95! It is so worth it! Use my consultant number when you sign on - 435924.

They are perfect to throw into your purse and are a full 20 pages! Don't miss out on this one either..good till June 30, 2008. If you like digital scrapbooking or book binding you really need to look into Lifetimez. You can make posters, board books, photo books, greeting cards, calendars or even chore charts!

Easter/Spring Paper Craft

2008-02-28T22:26:00.003-05:00

Look at these cute Easter Spring Kits just released by Topline Creations. If you have kids coming round during Easter or Spring festivities why not get some of these kits so you are well prepared when they complain they are bored. Or if you visit your relatives or friends your chocolate gifts will look much better with your own creations.

I can't resist the bunnies! LOL They're too cute!

Get them while you can! I have a feeling they won't last long!

Click Here to get them. You'll find them on the left hand side menu under Scrapbook Kits > Craft Kits (scroll down the bottom of the page)

Give that Photo a Name Contest - TIMES UP!-

2008-02-25T22:03:00.008-05:00

Well since I only got three entrants it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be...congratulations mo*reezy...you won! I will send off your prize as soon as I can. Happy Scrapping!

Ok..so I am copying Ree but hey..it is a fun way to get to see what you are all thinking out there in the world! I think this photo needs a name.

Kylie was having a blast "eating" her yogurt. So what do you think is going through her head? What in the world could this photo be named? I am looking for a short title..not a long description. For your hard work one winner will be chosen from the lot tomorrow at 6pm. I am giving more than 24 hours for this because I want you all to go and tell your friends about this and have them get in on it too. The prize isn't huge but it is sure a great item for the scrapbooker out there!

1 Mom - Hot Fudge Kit from TLC..which includes two sheets of celery cardstock, 1 sheet or pixie stix paper and 1 sheet of grape freeze floral 12x12 paper and finally one sheet full of die cuts to mix and match!
Also included will be some Sprinkles from TLC called - Pixie Mix.
And finally a double sheet of pastel block alphabet stickers called Letterz from TLC.
If any of you are interested in looking at more of the product line for TLC go to www.topline-creations.com/Greta121

Please leave any questions you may have in the comment section as well.

Have fun and be creative!

Tagged again...

2008-02-25T14:31:00.002-05:00

The Rules are:

Link to the person that tagged you:

Heather

Post the rules on your blog. Share 6 non-important things/quirks about your kid. Tag at least three people at the end of your post and link to their blogs. Let each person know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. Let the fun begin!

Zachary (11 years old) -
1. We whines worse than my 3 year old.
2. He spends way to long getting ready for bed.
3. He now loves broccoli.
4. He will eat ramen noodles every day.
5. He says "I don't know" more than any other person I have ever met in my life!
6. He hangs out with the girls around our home more than the boys..lol..especially since there are hardly any boys around here.

Melody (3 years old) -
1. She loves to do crafts.
2. She loves to dance.
3. She won't eat much of anything....just cheese, waffles, pancakes, toast, bread with butter..basically carbs.
4. She won't even drink juice any longer. Only water!
5. She loves to play on her v-tech nitro notebook.
6. She doesn't like to pick up after herself and would rather that someone else do it for her. (such a princess!)

Kylie (1 year old) -
1. She loves to play with her food.
2. She enjoys playing with her baby doll and refuses to go to bed without her.
3. She will eat just about anything...but really loves broccoli, yogurt, bananas and spanish rice.
4. She likes to take all the crayons from the easel and put them on the carpet in the living room or the mat in front of the kitchen sink.
5. She can now walk down the stairs all by herself.
6. She is talking like crazy and saying about 10 new words a day!

Now it is your turn: Nan, Maresi, Kim and Lynn. (You are the only ones I know with kids!)

I have been tagged...

2008-02-25T14:01:00.002-05:00

Lynn tagged me so lets see what I have to do:

The rules are to link the person who sent this and leave a comment on their blog so their readers can visit yours. Post the rules on your blog. Share 7 strange/weird facts about yourself. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and link their blog. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Ok..so 7 strange things about me..hmmm...lets think....

1. I HATE socks. I will wear slip on shoes year round as long as the snow isn't too deep..and even then I wear shoes that I can take off as soon as I get to where I am going.

2. I write lists for EVERYTHING. But I never, ever seem to complete each item on my lists.

3. I am always looking for ways to make money.

4. I can sometimes feel my father's presence...he got into a car accident on February 29, 2000 and died March 24th, 2000.

5. I love sappy movies and I cry during each and every one. (think Hallmark channel)

6. I grew my hair out long so I could do more with it but I basically put it up with clips or scrunchies or a barrette all the time. I never leave it down.

7. I wear the same size shoes as my 11 year old son. (Ladies size 10, Mens 8)

Now...I tag Nan, Kim, Maresi, Elena and Amy. (Sorry..I don't really know many more bloggers..lol.

Give-a-way

2008-02-25T13:07:00.003-05:00

Keep an eye out..later today I will be posting a give-a-way. I am expecting you to all share this news with all of your friends! So that we have more than two people to pick from for the winner! :)

First I have to do a few tags I have gotten lately..then I will post the give-a-way..so check back later today.

Eclipse - Part 2

2008-02-21T12:32:00.001-05:00

More photos...the last few taken right as it was about to be a total eclipse. Once it got that far it was really hard to get some good photos with my camera. But you can still see the glow a bit. :)

Eclipse

2008-02-21T12:30:00.001-05:00

Photos of the Eclipse. The first I "borrowed" from someone off the computer..lol. But the rest are all mine. My camera only zooms in so far but I think I got atleast a few somewhat good shots.

Busy, Busy, Busy... UPDATE

2008-02-16T23:41:00.005-05:00

**** UPDATE**** So I just found out that the hall that the VFW was so kind to donate is not going to be ready on time...not till about the end of May..so the event will have to be pushed off till mid June. I am not too happy about this but going to still do my best to make this happen and happen with all the support I can get! If you are still interested in becoming an Angel please check out http://www.soldiersangels.org/. The VFW is building this new hall and adding onto their building so I am happy to be able to use a brand new space in town that should be perfect for this event. Please continue to pray for our soldiers. God Bless! ****

Ok..so I am just super busy now and haven't been paying much attention to my blog. Sorry about that people..but I have important business to take care of..I am in charge of raising $3,000 to get phone cards for our Soldiers! Want to make a donation? Email me or leave a message with your email. Want to help out? Give me an extra 10 hours a day!

I am working on a fundraiser with http://www.scrappingforsoldiers.com/ to help raise enough money to pay for phone cards for my soldiers entire unit! I support a soldier who is in Mozul, Iraq right now! He is there with 300 men and women and I want to earn enough to get a phone card in each of their hands! You can become a supporter of a soldier yourself by visiting http://www.soldiersangels.org/ for more information. Scrapping for Soldiers is going to be a fun day of food, scrapping and prizes!

If you live in the area email me for sign up info and I will forward the registration paperwork.

It is going to be held at the lovely VFW here in W (if you know me you know where I am talking about!) which has been donated by the VFW for free so we can earn even more for not paying for the space. April 26th, 9am till 9pm. $35 for the day. Come one, come all! Goody bags and silent auction included.

Check out the websites and contact me for more info!

Thanks to TLC (Top Line Creations) for starting such an event for our Soldiers..who do more for us than anyone else in the world. They give up time with their families, children and life in general to help keep us safe.

I can never thank them enough.

Visit my website for great scrapbooking products:

www.topline-creations.com/Greta121

Digital Scrapbook page....

2008-02-10T00:37:00.000-05:00

P.S. Let me know if you can see this or not...I uploaded it and saw it just fine..then came back to fix something and it wasn't showing up for me..until I clicked on it and it worked fine. If it doesn't work for you I can try to email ..if I know you. :)

Crazy Kiddos....

2008-02-09T16:33:00.001-05:00

UGH!

2008-02-07T23:32:00.000-05:00

Well apparently I am using all of my storage space for my photos. I was going to upload a ton of photos tonight but I can't! My picasa web albums is linked to my blogger page and because I have over 10,000 photos saved in there I can't upload anymore here until I pay to expand my photo storage. UGH! It seems that everyone needs our money RIGHT NOW! I can't wait till we can file our taxes and pay off a bunch of bills and pay down some of our debt. Life will be so much easier once that happens. Living paycheck to paycheck really stinks.

I do know that Peter is getting more overtime starting this week so hopefully that will keep up for a bit and we can play catch up on things. Wish us luck with that!

Love you all...keep checking in. I will still try to update when I can but won't be able to post anymore photos until I upgrade. Sorry!

On a side note: Kylie now says her own name and it is just the most adorable sound you can ever hear. I was trying to record her tonight with my digital camera but she wanted nothing to do with it. Maybe tomorrow.

Can we say busy, busy, busy???

2008-02-07T23:08:00.000-05:00

I have signed up to be a rep. for yet another company. Yes I know...what was I thinking but I love it! Top Line Creations is a great little scrapbooking company and you can sign up for only $20! I thought it was worth it since I received a coupon for $20 in product plus another one for 10% off an order within the first 90 days. Check out the Shape Upz..one of the great new products that just came out on February 1st!

Visit my website to check out the company or what it has to offer.

http://topline-creations.com/Greta121

Kylie's new words of the day...

2008-02-03T19:10:00.000-05:00

Actually..not all new but some are:

cereal

That's a double. (when talking about two pieces of cereal stuck together)

Dee (Melody)

Foo Foof (Zachary)

Daddy Said

I want that

I don't know

Every single day there are more. It is adorable! :)

MIA .....yet again

2008-01-30T19:06:00.000-05:00

Sorry...I have been having computer issues yet again and have been trying to find a way to fix it without starting from scratch. I ended up haveing to reboot the whole system and thank goodness for Carbonite...I didn't loose any of my important files! I have about 120,000 files that are being uploaded to my computer as I type...the last 10,000 are going in now...only taken about 24 hours! But still..that is all of my photos and files for my at home businesses and even just from life in general. I have a billion photos to post, stories of my birthday and of the kids but I want to add photos to those ..so I have to wait just a little bit longer to get them reinstalled on the computer so I can use them.

Thanks for checking in and I hope to keep you entertained or atleast up to date with my family more soon. HUGS!

Kylie's New Word of the Day

2008-01-21T22:30:00.000-05:00

Trombone

27 Dresses

2008-01-21T21:51:00.000-05:00

On Friday Peter took me out for a "date". It was lovely! We went out to dinner at the 99 where I had the BONELESS BUFFALO WING SALAD – Boneless buffalo chicken tenders served over a tossed green salad with tomatoes, roasted red peppers and bleu cheese dressing. Crowned with bleu cheese crumbles, then we had dessert at Cold Stone Creamery where we shared a Cheesecake Fantasy Signature Creation (Cheesecake Ice Cream, Graham Cracker Crumb pie crust, strawberries and blueberries)and then we went to go see a movie. I chose to see 27 Dresses and I loved it! I had a blast laughing through the whole thing. It was truly a better movie than the reviews are giving it. Silly and funny throughout and you are hoping for only the best for Jane all the way to the end. (Click on the synopsis) It was a very fun night out!

Thanks Patty and Will for watching the kids for us!

Melody's Pregnant.....

2008-01-16T10:55:00.000-05:00

Oh My Goodness...my three year old is having a baby! Can you believe it? I know I can't! It just happened overnight..I have no reasoning as to why either. I am just shocked!

Look at just how pregnant she is too! How did that happen and I missed it? I am just shocked here people!! (Oh and by the way..please excuse the potty seat behind her on the floor..we only have one bathroom here and when a little girl needs to go she needs to go!)
Kylie was in awe as well. Notice the food hanging out of her mouth because she was just stunned!

Oops..sorry..just kidding..it is baby Blue! How cute is that? :)

Beautiful Wedding Invitations

2008-01-09T22:44:00.000-05:00

I was looking around the web today and came upon this website full of unique wedding invitations. It is called Wedding Needs, All Your Wedding Needs in One Place..but I found more than just wedding items. I even found baby announcements, thank you notes. I even looked around at the wedding invites even though I have been married for almost five years and came across this one here that would be perfect for a winter wedding.

What is great is that you can buy your invitations online and also get a proof online to make sure everything is perfect before they print them up. They offer samples also of their beautiful cards. I might actually start sending out more thank you notes with the beautiful ones they sell through here. This site is very easy to look around and they offer zoom capabilities that get you so close it would be like you were looking at it in person!

I really love that they have Disney cards available too! Who doesn't love Disney!? They have these absolutely beautiful Mickey and Minnie Mouse wedding invitations. Or what about these beautiful wedding invitations with Cinderella on them. If only I had found these sooner. I am a Disney girl!

If you are looking for a baby announcement, wedding invite, save the date card, thank you notes, even every day birthday cards check them out. It would be great for business to buy them in larger quantities too! I hate to spend too much for cards but these are very reasonably priced.

Rick Springfield - Christmas With You

2008-01-09T13:17:00.001-05:00

Soldier's Angels

2008-01-09T12:57:00.000-05:00

I found this song by Rick Springfield just after Christmas and wanted to share it with all of you! It really touches the heart. It is dedicated to soldiers who have lost their lives in War and for their mothers and families. This is close to my heart because I have become a Soldier's Angel. I support a soldier who is over in Iraq right now fighting for our freedom. If you have the time and about $10 - $30 a month you can share to help keep the spirits up of just one soldier check it out. You can even join a team that just sends out cards or gift only when needed. The way I look at it..it is a way to pay it forward for a person who is away from his family at the holidays and birthdays and even for my soldier the birth of his third child.

God Bless America

Fun with the kiddos...

2008-01-08T23:33:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Kylieisms

2008-01-03T12:37:00.000-05:00

I was given the letter B by Kylie and I was saying, "B" and then listing tons of B words to her. After I had gone through a rather large list I asked Melody what letter it was and if she could tell me a word that begins with B. To that I got an answer from Kylie!! She said "boat". I had not even used that word in my list of many B words. To say the least I was shocked. She is only 17 1/2 months old and already knows this?! She is so smart it is crazy! She is just brilliant! (If I do say so myself!)

Check out this cute face! :) Don't you just love those bright blue eyes like I do!? My baby isn't much of a baby anymore..but I will always think of her as one.

Holidays

2008-01-01T19:12:00.000-05:00

So the holidays kind of took over my time and thoughts so I haven't taken the time to post. I have more photos than I know what to do with so I will hopefully if all works out, be posting them and the stories behind them tomorrow. I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2008!

Melodyisms

2007-12-21T14:03:00.000-05:00

Well..now that Melody is such a grown up girl using the potty she has come out with some great lines!

Yesterday after going poop she stood up after wiping..with help...and bent over to look at it and said this, "Wow, look at that big log!" When she has to go she runs to her little potty that we keep in the living room and yells, "I have to go pee pee or poopie!" And look out if you are in her way! When she does go pee she smirks and says, "I went tinkle, tinkle." Although lastnight when she went just a tiny little bit she looked up and said, "I went tinkle!" To which I asked, "You didn't go tinkle, tinkle?" Her response was, "No, just one tinkle!"

While I have been baking lately she comes out and helps me in the kitchen and then takes the kitchen stool and goes to her easel or into the living room and becomes a chef. She makes pudding and cake usually. All pretend but boy is it fun to listen to her at work! "I need to make pudding..chocolate..yes chocolate and I need milk and I need butter and flour and I have to mix it up over and over again!"

"Mommy, can I do a proszac? (project..but it never comes out quite right..that is the best spelling I can do to even come close to how she says it) She has become the crafty queen lately! Today we will be working on Christmas trees!

That is it for today..we are off to work on the projects before Kylie wakes up from her nap.

Salad

2007-12-14T14:24:00.002-05:00

Are you the type of person who LOVES salads? I am and I have found my new favorite! I went to a Holiday Party a week or so ago and this was served. It is a super easy salad to make but it has so much flavor!

Ingredients:

Romaine Lettuce
(I also use iceberg lettuce)
pears
feta cheese

walnuts and sugar for making candy walnuts
I use my own homemade dressing - balsamic vinegar and canola oil and spices
(You can buy the pre-made dry package from Good Seasons - This is what the host of the party did)

All you need to do to make this salad is put the walnuts in a pan and add some sugar. Warm until the sugar is no longer crystallized and is coating the walnuts. Keep a close eye on it and don't put it on too high of a temp..medium at most. Let cool. Then cut/chop the lettuce after rinsing. Peel and slice pears. Add feta and walnuts on top! Use the dressing on the whole salad or add to each one separately. Either way it is Scrumdidilyumptious!! Try it yourself! It can't get any better..fruits and veggies and dairy all in one salad! YUMMY! I am making this to bring to the Lavieri family Christmas Eve gathering this year.

These pictures really don't do it justice. Also I didn't add the walnuts before these photos were taken because I usually add them right before serving. Try it and let me know what you think of it! I personally could eat it at least once a day for the rest of my life! :)

Reindeer Cookies

2007-12-14T13:58:00.001-05:00

Yesterday during the mountains of snow we made reindeer cookies! (Peanut butter cookies that look like reindeer!) They are so cute and fun to do with you little kitchen helpers! Melody is my little kitchen helper and she was the one to put on the eyes and noses for the reindeer. I took a recipe I found years ago in Taste of Home magazine and changed it to make it work for us.

The cast of characters are:

Peanut butter cookie dough (recipe to follow)
red and green m&m's
mini pretzels

The amount depends on how many cookies you want to make! I doubled the recipe for my peanut butter cookie dough and I got about 30 cookies or so...hard to know because they were being eaten as they were made!! Below you will see me slicing up the cookie dough. I had made it the night before so I would have more time but I think it would work better if made maybe 20 minutes ahead and only slightly chilled...mine was chilled for about 10 hours! Just make the dough..roll it into about a 2 inch circle/roll and wrap in plastic wrap and chill just a little! Then take it out and let it warm for about 5 minutes. Slice about 1/3 of an inch each slice..more if you want. Once the slices are made place on a cookie sheet and using thumb and forefinger, make a slight indentation one-third of the way down the sides of each slice. (This makes the shape of the reindeer's face.)

This is what it looks like shaped into the face.

Then add two pretzels to make the antlers.

Add two green m&m's for eyes.

Add one red m&m for nose. (Thinking Rudolph here people!)

This is a full pan of pre-cooked cookies. None will be exactly the same shape as you have to pinch it and smoosh it a bit to make it look smooth...easy really but I prefer my reindeer to not have cracks in their faces. Now place them in a 350* oven for about 9-11 minutes until light golden brown. I put mine in for 9 minutes and they came out perfectly. I also used a the oven temperature for the reindeer cookie recipe and not for the peanut butter cookies..so make sure you watch the temps when making them just as regular cookies. Remove to wire racks to cool. Me, I just let them cool on the pan in between and then placed them in a container to store.

Here they are after coming out of the oven. MMMMMM YUMMY!!

They are done and placed on a plate for show. I store them in a plastic container (Ziplock/Glad) and they last for as long as they can with five people in the house!!

Peanut Butter Cookies

From: Betty Crocker's Cooky Book - Copyright 1963
This was what my father always used to make peanut butter cookies!

I usually double this recipe!

1/2 cup shortening (half butter or margarine)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 1/4 cups Flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix shortening, peanut butter, sugars, and egg thoroughly. Blend all dry ingredients; stir into shortening mixture.

Heat oven to 375*. Roll dough into 1 1/4" balls. Place 3" apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten crisscross style with fork dipped in flour. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen 2 1/2" cookies.

Snow the day after...

2007-12-14T10:41:00.000-05:00

The snow is over with..for now. We are due for a Nor'easter tomorrow!! Here is the forcast for tonight through Sunday:

Tonight: Clear and cold. Low: 18.

Saturday: Sunshine early, then increasing cloudiness through the afternoon - then a chance for snow at night. Snow may mix with or change to sleet, freezing rain toward daybreak. Becoming windy. Low: 18. High: 28.

Sunday: Snow or mixed precipitation (heavy at times) in the morning, ending by evening. Low: 22. High: 29.

Here are the day after photos of the snow. They are still plowing us out a bit. They really didn't do much until this morning. It snowed a bit on and off throughout the night..just little flurries. We do have around a foot of snow..maybe a little bit more. I need to take a ruler outside to find out for sure..lol. But it is rather deep and will be much worse by Sunday afternoon!

We are headed to my in-laws tonight for a nice family dinner and tree decorating with the kids. It should be lots of fun. Maybe we will leave and head home not so late and pick up some necessities at the store before we get stuck at home all weekend!!

Hotel Glasses - EWWWWW!!

2007-12-14T10:38:00.001-05:00

Don't Ever Drink From Hotel Glasses

OMG! I am so glad I don't leave the house that often right now!! YUCK!

Snow - Part 6

2007-12-13T21:39:00.001-05:00

These are untouched photos. Please excuse the lighting. My flash decided to not go off because of the lighting outside bouncing off of the whiter than white snow! You can no longer see the rock on the lawn. See that bump?

Snow - Part 5

2007-12-13T21:30:00.001-05:00

Here it was about 4:30 - 5pm. All of Melody and Kylie's outside toys are buried in snow.

See how much snow is sitting on top of these?? And it wasn't even done yet!!

Our lights out front on the railing. This is the first year we have put lights outside and they actually look very nice in the dark. :)

Snow - Radar

2007-12-13T14:52:00.001-05:00

This is the most recent radar blip for the area. Looks like we will be getting snow for a few more hours at least! They are saying till around midnight! Wow!

Snow - Part 4

2007-12-13T14:41:00.000-05:00

Photos taken just a few minutes ago at 2:35pm. It has bee snowing now for 4 hours and it is non stop!! Check out the last three photos...you can really see the snow in them!

Below is a shot of where my Blazer is parked..it is the second car you can see in..red..but it is covered with about 6 inches of snow! See how heavy the snow is falling?

Can you pick out just one flake? There are only about a billion falling at once, if not more!!

Snow - Part 3

2007-12-13T13:43:00.000-05:00

This is the back and front of our apartment about three hours into it at 1:15pm. It is whiter than white out there right now and it isn't about to stop anytime soon! We are expecting 10 inches if not more!!

Snow - Part 2

2007-12-13T13:40:00.001-05:00

This is about an hour into it. Now more grass showing and the rock out front is about to disappear.

SNOW - Part 1

2007-12-13T13:30:00.001-05:00

Around 10:30 this morning we started getting some snow...and we got more and more. These are the first photos I took this morning. I will be posting photos throughout the day to show you how quickly it builds up. :) Notice you can still see the grass under the light snow in these photos.

Whoooo HOOOO!! UPDATE

2007-12-12T20:54:00.000-05:00

It is finally POTTY TIME! I have been working with Melody for what seems like forever trying to get her to use the potty and she had no interest until tonight. Before her bath I had her sit on the potty and guess what..she went pee!! Then she sat there and went again! She waited to get into the bathtub because she wanted to sit on the potty longer! This amazed me as she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES the bathtub. She finally she finished and got into the tub and suddenly she said...I feel like I got to go pee..and jumped out and sat on the potty and went again!! She did this twice while in the tub and then again twice once she got out. I am so PROUD of my little girl. It took time and we are just starting out, finally but we are starting. She even picked out some Dora underwear to wear in the morning. It is going to snow here so we will be in the apartment all day doing Christmas Crafts and making COOKIES!!! Each time she goes potty she gets to put a sticker on a little chart we put on the inside of the front door and also gets to pick out a treat to eat. She picked out a lollipop..but that is fine with me. She has been dry since and it has been over an hour and she drank a whole cup of water/juice since. I am going to put her on the potty one more time before she brushes her teeth for bed. Lets hope we get to put another sticker on her chart! YAY! We even did a different potty dance for each time. :)

What is really funny about this happening today is that we went to the library for 2 1/2 hours today and I picked up the It's Potty Time video to bring home..hoping it would put the bug in her ear..so to say to start trying. Well she started before I even put the movie in! We watched it after she was dressed for bed and she loved it! Sorry to be going on and on about potty but I am just such a proud Mommy and so excited for my little girl. Thanks for sharing in my excitement.

***UPDATE*** We were just about to go upstairs to start getting ready for bed and Melody told me she felt the pee coming and needed help pulling down her pull up. So we pulled it down and she peed again!! YAY for Melody! I am again super excited here. I asked he at bed when we were cuddling if she was going to keep going pee in the potty tomorrow and she happily said YES!

Pay It Forward

2007-12-08T09:53:00.000-05:00

I was just over at KJ's Stamp Pad and decided to also join the Pay It Forward exchange. It is a great time of year to do for others and I think this will also be a great way to share the love. If you are interested in joining as well..just copy and past the below directions and post it on your blog or print it out and mail it along with your item or crafty product to friends and family.

*** I will send a handmade card to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF (Pay it forward) exchange. I'm not sure what that gift will be. It will be a surprise! The only thing you have to do in return is to pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

So basically, if you’re one of the first 3 comments, I’ll send you something crafty that I’ll make!

Once you sign up, I'll email you to let you know that you are one of the three. Then copy and paste this paragraph on your blog, and three other lucky people will be recipients of your handmade work. Pay it Forward!***

I'm taking this one step further and extending the Pay It Forward to 3 people who don't have blogs! We'll operate the same way. The first 3 people to respond who don't have blogs will also get a handmade card and you can pay it forward to 3 people in the mail. It will be fun to get something other than junk mail!

It doesn't have to be anything time-consuming or complicated ... it's just a little "spirit of giving" thing. Since it's a busy time of year, you could even wait until January to pay it forward if that works better for your schedule (spread out the love so to speak). Just comment below if you want to join in the fun & I'll e-mail you for your address if you're one of the first three. I haven't decided what I'm going to make yet, or when it will be done, so it will have to be a surprise.

Christmas Tree Photos

2007-12-07T12:29:00.000-05:00

If you look in my sidebar you will see a slideshow of the 93 pictures...not even all of them..that we took of us just putting the tree up!! Take a look! We got a fake tree at the end of the season last year and I think it is beautiful! you really can't tell it is fake at all! It barely fit in our living room! We had a find a different way to put the angel on top because she was bending over because she hit the ceiling! When you have the time take a look!

Happy Holidays!

Yummy Dinner

2007-12-07T11:37:00.001-05:00

I made the Pioneer Woman's recipe for Chicken Spaghetti and boy was it yummy! I had to change the recipe to what I had on hand but it was very close to her recipe and I am sure it would be even better if I had everything for it. As you can see..it looks yummy right? I used chicken breast, cheddar cheese and fettucini noodles, pepper to season, Lawry's Seasoning and cream of chicken soup as we can't use mushrooms here. (Peter is allergic!)

The boys each had two servings and I had one and so did Kylie. Melody wouldn't touch it but that is normal. She doesn't eat anything!! We are working on that one. So if you aren't afraid of an easy recipe and lots of cheese..try it out!

What a day....

2007-12-06T08:04:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I was going to post about how we put up or Christmas tree this past Sunday but then my day went a bit crazy.

First off I woke up and I always put my slippers on before I leave the room..and as I was putting them on I looked down at the bed and saw what looked like just a piece of glass...and when I went to pick it up I realized..it was the stone to my engagement ring!!! We has just gotten this put back in only a few months ago so I was not thrilled in the slightest. So I looked at my ring and sure enough..it was not sparkly and shiny..it was dull metal...my ring is white gold. So anyway...I was looking closer and come to find out it was not just the prongs being pulled apart or something so simple as that but that the top of one of the prongs is broken clean off. All that is left is a sharp piece of metal. So the ring came off and the ring and stone were put into a baggie to be brought to the jewelers. I called them and they said that the previous fix was covered for a year. Phew..thank goodness. But now I am afraid that I won't be wearing it again because after having it for almost 6 years it has been broken twice. I guess I am rather hard on my rings. Who knew?

Another event happened last night as well but it is very personal and I don't want to go into it but please pray for me that God will lead me in the right direction on how to handle this tough roadblock in life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

2007-11-28T14:40:00.000-05:00

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY

Maresi!!

I hope it is a great day for you! Enjoy it!

Hugs from your family here in Connecticut!

(Sorry I had to borrow this photo...I lost all of my photos that I had saved on my external hard drive.)

Zachary on Thanksgiving

2007-11-28T14:38:00.000-05:00

Reading..what else. This kid loves, loves, loves to read! Thinking of what to get him for the holidays...gift cards for Borders or a store like it would be perfect!

The only photo I am in from the whole day...lol..I have to start having other people take the pictures for me!

Grandpa on Thanksgiving

2007-11-28T14:24:00.000-05:00

Receiving early Christmas presents. Christmas ties..one with Santa conducting and one with a choir on it. Very musical. :)

Reading to Kylie. She loves turning the pages!

Thanksgiving Dinner

2007-11-28T14:01:00.000-05:00

We had it all. Turkey, stuffing, fresh baked rolls, broccoli, corn, potatoes and gravy. For dessert we had apple/pear pie and pumpkin pie. Melody enjoyed her roll. Kylie ate a bit of this and that and the rest of use enjoyed everything!

Thanksgiving Parade

2007-11-28T13:55:00.000-05:00

Care Bears.....what little girl doesn't love them?!

Wow..look...they are ice skating.

Big hugs for Oopsy bear.

Wow..look at them.

Melody on Thanksgiving

2007-11-28T13:12:00.000-05:00

Big smiles!

What Mom?

Riding the "elephant"...

Huge smiles from having so much fun on the "elephant". :)

Kylie on Thanksgiving

2007-11-28T13:05:00.003-05:00

As Dr. Kylie...

Just being cute

Kisses and hugs for Ernie and Daddy!

Apple Pear Pies

2007-11-28T13:01:00.000-05:00

Every year around the holidays I make my Apple Pear Pies. Instead of just apple pie I add pears to give it an extra yummy flavor along with that yummy crumb topping. :)

Computer problems

2007-11-28T00:29:00.001-05:00

Well...I have a billion photos to post but at the moment..well over the past few days..our computer has decided it doesn't want to stay open. Well not the computer itself..but the internet explorer. Which is really annoying. I can't close a single open page of internet explorer with it not restarting itself and then I have to go back in and try again. I am trying this now..I have tried six times already tonight to post photos but it just doesn't want to let me.

If you or anyone you know happens to know something about Windows Vista and Internet explorer problems..please send them my way!! Thanks!

Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T09:10:00.000-05:00

HAPPY

THANKSGIVING!

Heavenly Father, on Thanksgiving Day We bow our hearts to You and pray. We give You thanks for all You've done Especially for the gift of Jesus, Your Son. For beauty in nature, Your glory we see For joy and health, friends and family, For daily provision, Your mercy and care These are the blessings You graciously share. So today we offer this response of praise With a promise to follow You all of our days.
--Mary Fairchild

God Bless Us All

First snow of the season continued....

2007-11-20T12:40:00.000-05:00

Come to find out we still don't have winter boots for Kylie or Zachary..so I took a small bowl and went outside and scooped up some snow. They had a blast playing with it in the kitchen until it was all a puddle in the bowl and on the floor. Melody even wanted to keep her winter had on because the snow was so cold..lol. How cute is that?

First snow of the season

2007-11-20T12:27:00.000-05:00

We had our first snow of the season on November 20, 2007. It was only a few inches but it was lovely..atleast while it was there. It melted by the next day. That is New England for you. These photos are the back and front of our apartment..what we saw out of our windows.

Pioneer Woman Calendar

2007-11-19T14:09:00.000-05:00

Those of you who know me know that I can't make it through the day without reading: Pioneerwoman.com

She lives on a ranch with a billion cows and wild mustangs and horses to use for ranching and four kids of her own and her own man who wakes her up before 5am to get the kids up to help with rounding up the cows. Fun stuff right? Well take a look at her blog and her photos! They are to die for! I just wish I could afford to buy the prints that she sells of them myself. But now I can atleast enjoy several of them for only $15!! Yup..you got it right..only $15 for a lovely 13 month calendar of some of her famous photos. The $15 also includes shipping!! It runs January 2008 through January 2009. I ordered one for myself already but I know I can use more than one...lol. They also make great gifts and you can even have Ree..the Pioneer Woman herself sign them or write a note to whoever you are giving it to as a gift!! Below are the front cover and back cover..but the photos inside are just as or even more beautiful! I am jealous of her fabulous ranch. The wide open spaces and the many, many things to take photos of to share with all of us.

Just go to her blog and you can pay through paypal or email her for other forms of payment at ree@thepioneerwoman.com

Kylie and her yogurt....

2007-11-18T12:23:00.001-05:00

The pictures say it all..lol. :)

Hail Storm, Nov. 6th, 2007

2007-11-18T11:52:00.000-05:00

It was an on and off day with the clouds and sun throughout. I looked out the window at one point and it was super sunny and then moments later this is what I saw....

Can you see the hail falling? How fast it was going because I got streaks of the hail falling so fast in this photo?!

Notice all the hail in my herb plants? It just colleted there and stayed that way for a few hours after the event.

I had to get up from my seat to look at the "rain" closer when I realized the big chunks were not rain but hail. Rather big chunks of it and in a large amount in just minutes. This lasted only about 10 - 15 minutes! It looked like it had snowed by the time Peter got home from work because the ground was white ..full of the hail. But look at the beautiful sun and clouds shots I got once it was about over. There were still a few drops of hail falling but nothing like when it was full blown. I love the fact that we live at the top of a "mountain" because we get such great views up here.

Sorry...I've been busy

2007-11-14T23:07:00.000-05:00

The girls and I have been sick. Just the usuall stuffy noses, runny noses and coughs. Kylie's is related to her teething. She has only six teeth at 16 months (TODAY!) but she is now getting two more in the front and a molar. Poor kiddo. She hasn't been sleeping well and neither have I! Melody has just gotten over the stuffy nose and coughing and I am still stuffy.

We have been staying in and watching movies. Zachary has been working on his school work and helping with the girls. I have been busy with my Tastefully Simple business. I had a Pampered Chef party at my house on Saturday and I had a Tastefully Simple party for someone else on Sunday. I have to get all the paperwork put all back together again for another party on Saturday.

Peter is no longer working a second job so he has been getting home at a normal hour so we get to really enjoy our dinners together more now than before. It has been great getting more family time together. I can tell the girls love it too. They run and give Peter hugs the moment he walks in the door. It is truly adorable.

I have a ton of photos to post but just don't have the time right now...so keep checking in for more updates. :)

Sales deals!

2007-11-09T01:42:00.000-05:00

Well I just came across a great deal for anyone looking for a cheap gift! I love stuff that I can get a deal on! If only I could fit into this stuff..lol. You can get several gifts out of this one purchase. Just look around the sweater section of the website and find what type of deal you can get! Good luck! Please come back and let me know how you did!!

Here's how to do it: go to www.victoriassecret.com and order any sweater. The person I got this info from went to the clearance section and found one she liked on sale for $19.99. After you order a sweater, add item #3F-203514 (scarf set) to your order. (The scarf set will be free when you check out).Go to check out and check the promotion codes box. You will be entering 4 code boxes. (1) SHADE4 (for a free lip gloss) (2) SHINE (for free gloss set) (3) GIFTSET (for the free scarf set) and FA78137 (for $5 off purchase, if it is your first on-line purchase). (If it is not your first online purchase with them, you can create a new account with a different email address) The $5 off basically pays for the shipping. My friends total for everything came to $21.20! Enjoy - it makes a great Christmas gift or just pamper yourself. I know how everyone likes a great sale!

Final MRI Update

2007-11-08T23:53:00.000-05:00

I got a call from the Dr. yesterday saying, "Well it isn't what I thought it was..but you do have water on the knee and possible tendinitis." I was like...oh ok...."so what can I do about water on the knee?" He said, "I will prescribe some anti inflammatory medication and we will see how it feels in two weeks." So I am off on some meds for two weeks.. Joy Joy! Lets just hope it feels better soon. It is killing me!

It could just be because I am a total klutz. I fall on my knees all the time. Just walking can be a problem..let alone when I am carrying something. Don't ask me to move breakables or they may not make it!! I just seem to find a way almost every chance I can get to fall. Not on purpose..just out of klutziness. I should have grown up to be a clown...I would make more money at that.

ON another note..if you are looking to shop for the holidays at either KMart, Borders or Kohl's please use the links at the left. I will earn some credit that way and be able to buy my kids some stuff for the holidays as well.

Thanks for your support!

Kylie's 15 Month Dr's Appt.

2007-11-01T12:45:00.000-04:00

This morning we went to visit the Dr.. Kylie is such a good girl at the Dr's office. She received two shots and not a peep came out of her mouth! I was expecting screaming and yelling..but nope..not a peep.

Here are her stats:

Weight: 23 lbs 1 oz.

Length: 31 inches

Head Circumference: 46 1/2 cm.

She is at the 50th percentile for growth.

Which means she is perfect in every way!

UNICEF

2007-11-01T00:53:00.000-04:00

This year I signed my children up for the UNICEF Trick or Treat program. We got the little boxes and went around asking for donations. Well my three little children were lucky enough to collect a total of $18.86! What great family members we have! Thanks for your support!

This is what our small donation can buy for sick and hungry children around the world:

6 cents provides water for a thirsty kid
$1 can immunize a child against measles for life
$2 provides nutrition to three hungry kids
$3 can provide a child with a pencil, paper pad and a pen to use in the classroom
$12 can buy 20 packets of high-protein biscuits to feed malnourished children
$17 can immunize one child for life against the six leading child-killing diseases: measles, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and tuberculosis
$24 can provide 4 long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets, protecting children from Malaria
$52 can provide 2 micro-filters which can supply safe drinking water to large families or schools
$75 can buy 208 sachets of PlumpyNut, a ready-to-eat therapeutic spread to nourish children with severe acute malnutrition
$100 can vaccinate 200 children against polio
$150 can provide 2,500 packets of Oral Rehydration Salts to help save the lives of children suffering from diarrheal dehydration due to drinking contaminated water
$176 buys school supplies for 80 kids
$200 can buy a large vaccine cold box to keep them safe during transport
$318 can provide a hot air sterilizer for sterilizing medical instruments
$450 can supply warm blankets for 150 children in an emergency
$581 can provide a Supplementary Dry Feeding kit that contains enough equipment to feed 500 moderately malnourished children
$700 can provide 64 families with Basic Family Water kits for use during emergencies
$750 can buy a sturdy tent for emergency shelter for a family
$880 can supply five “School-in-a-Box” kits to help resume education for children affected by natural disasters or armed conflicts. Each kit contains enough educational materials for a teacher and up to 80 children.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T23:48:00.001-04:00

We went out tonight around 5:30pm or so...we never leave on time...and headed out to visit a few neighbors then drive off to visit all the relatives around town. Here are the kids getting ready to go. Melody is a ladybug, Kylie is a unicorn/pegasus and Zachary is Davey Crockett.
Ok..so I am taking it easy..laying on the floor and eating my waffle. :)
Trying to keep the crumbs off the costume. Waffles in hand. No syrup..just plain and warmed in the toaster oven. Yeah, yeah I know..great dinner..but that is all they wanted at the time and I wasn't about to start a fight over it.
Side view of Zachary and his coonskin hat.
A few photos of the kids out front..our apt. is the one on the right...but Kylie wouldn't sit still..lol.

Melody with her bucket that she designed with a ghost and bats and crystals. She loves this bucket now!
That is Kylie...cute little unicorn!
Here I come!
Say Cheese!!

Eating cookies.
Hiding from the camera.
Melody checking out what Grandma and Grandpa gave her.
Kylie sitting with Grandma.

Kylie looking at Grandpa so he can take a picture too..but Mommy got one as well. Not the best one I know..but atleast I got one!

Here I come!
Davey...Davey Crockett..King of the Wild Fronteer
Beautiful Ladybug
Picking treats at Gram Gram's house. Melody then ate her very first Raisinets and liked them!

We got home around 8pm and the kids were ready to dig into their candy and snacks and were all in bed by 9:15pm. I will hopefully get to bed soon. Just finishing up the dishes and heading up to bed.

Kylie goes to the Dr. tomorrow for her 15 month check up and she will be getting shots. I think they are harder on me than her...but I really am not excited about it. I just can't wait to see how big she has gotten. She is now wearing size 24 months/2T clothing! Depending on the item..sometimes only 18 months for the pants...she has a tiny little waist.

Ok..off to bed. Goodnight!

August Rush

2007-10-30T22:17:00.000-04:00

OH man....Peter and I just saw a movie ad on TV and it looks great! The movie is August Rush go and check it out for yourself..but if you love music like us it seems like you will love this movie! It comes out November 21st..so if you are bored over the long Thanksgiving weekend head out and check it out!

MRI rescheduled

2007-10-30T11:51:00.000-04:00

Ok..so I am finially scheduled for Friday at 10am. Then I will have to probably wait till the following Wednesday to know the results. I hate waiting!

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

2007-10-30T00:44:00.000-04:00

It is on TV tonight! Don't miss it! If you love any and all Charlie Brown or Snoopy television movies please don't miss it! This is a portion of the show: HERE. Oh I love this time of year. All the TV specials are mostly the oldies but goodies. I think I enjoy them more than my kids do! Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are all about to crash upon us...be on the lookout for a gazillion photos on my blog!

MRI Update

2007-10-29T16:49:00.000-04:00

I got a call an hour or so ago to let me know that they needed to reschedule my scan. I am hoping to go on Friday but I need to check with my sitter first to see if that works for her as well. Please keep me in your thoughts on Friday!

Go watch this video NOW

2007-10-27T22:51:00.001-04:00

This is a must! Every single person must watch this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZFkZiwMLZ4

I can't get it to link directly with the video here but click that link and you will be shocked and amazed. For those of you I emailed it to...please share it with your friends! It really is a fabulous thing to see.

October 14, 2007 - Part 2

2007-10-27T22:46:00.000-04:00

So sorry it took me so long but every single time I tried to upload photos it would not work!!! I was not a happy camper to say the least! I had all of the following photos to post for you to enjoy and it wouldn't let me...oh was I MAD! Anyway..onto better thing....

Maresi and Timon's Tree...how lovely!!

What a big boy he is....11 already!!!
LOVE THE CURLS!
Running away...
...still running.
Smiles :)

Beautiful trees and flowers...

Look at my new hat! I like the pom poms! (By the way...she needed a new coat and we got one the next day...just hadn't had time prior so she was wearing a vest that was purchased for Zachary!! She still looked cute!
I love the shining sun through the fall trees..full of color!
Peter blowing the leaves into a huge pile for the kids to play in...and cleaning up the whole yard.
Peek a boo...you can't find me!

OH..isn't this leaf pretty?

Hi Peter!
WEEEEEE....what fun!
Oh how cute..Daddy and baby.
I love the leaves! Watch me throw them up into the air.

Kylie just being cute buried in leaves.

Melody and Zachary playing.

Oh more of them...

Daddy is funny.

Why don't we bury Daddy too!?

First time down the slide into the huge pile of leaves.

Where did she go?

Knee Update

2007-10-27T21:56:00.000-04:00

I am scheduled for a MRI on Tuesday at 10:45 am. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

Bad Knee..

2007-10-24T10:05:00.000-04:00

I have a bad right knee. My regular Dr. thought it was a medial meniscus tear. So I went to an orthopedic Dr. today to have him take a look at it and sure enough he thinks the same thing. I have to get a scheduled MRI..which hopefully will be within the next two weeks. And then from there he thinks I will need arthroscopic surgery. Below is information on that type of surgery from the website listed above about the medial meniscus tear. I will be on crutches for at least a few days but he said it shouldn't take too long to recover because I am so young. I guess he doesn't know me that well. Being a diabetic everything takes longer to get better for me. So hopefully the kids will behave long enough for me to recover quickly! Once I know more I will let you all know. Please pray!

How is arthroscopic surgery performed?

Arthroscopic surgery is a procedure that is used to look inside a joint. Through one small incision (about 1 centimeter) a small camera, about the size of a pencil, is inserted into the joint. Then using one or more other small incisions, your surgeon places other instruments inside the knee to remove the torn cartilage.

How big are arthroscopic incisions?

Incisions for arthroscopy are quite small, usually about 1 centimeter each. The incisions are closed with one suture that is either outside or underneath the skin. A bandage is placed over the arthroscopic incisions for at least a day or two to keep the incisions sterile.

How is the damaged cartilage removed?

The torn meniscus can be removed using a number of different instruments, including small shavers and scissors. The arthroscope will also allow your surgeon to inspect the rest of the knee joint looking for signs of arthritis, loose pieces of cartilage in the knee, the ligaments of the knee, and other problems inside the joint.

Is arthroscopic knee surgery painful?

There is usually minimal pain associated with arthroscopic knee surgery. An anesthesiologist will be with you for the entire procedure to ensure you are comfortable. Following the procedure you will be given instructions on what type of pain medicine to take in you do experience discomfort. Icing the area is helpful for the first few days after surgery, as is keeping the knee elevated.

October 14, 2007 - Part 1

2007-10-23T22:47:00.000-04:00

Weeeeeeeeee!!!

Such a beauty!
YAY!! Happy Baby!

I'm going to hang out over here..you guys keep playing in the leaves.
Whoa...huge pile of leaves!
Where is she going? Is she about to disappear?

OH Forget it!

2007-10-23T11:30:00.000-04:00

So I tried to go to sleep at 1 am..and that just never happened. Kylie was fussing a bit when I was getting ready for bed but then started screaming so much I had to go and check on her. This turned into her staying up until 6:30AM!! So I never went to sleep until then. I got 5 hours of sleep the night before and last night I got 4 hours of sleep. We had plans today but I had to back out of them because there was no way I would have been able to safely drive my car with no sleep. I just want to curl up in bed and stay there all day!!! But as you all know..that will NEVER happen.

Ok...enough for this morning

2007-10-23T01:08:00.000-04:00

It is now 1am so I really need to head up to bed..I have to get up early. I will do my best to post as many photos as I can tomorrow afternoon during nap time.

Flowers

2007-10-23T01:01:00.000-04:00

Below are some photos of the flowers that continue to bloom in my garden. It is October and they are all blooming like it is early spring! I LOVE IT! There is also one photo I took of myself and Kylie. My little baby who isn't so little any longer. 15 months old!

Pretty Dresses

2007-10-23T00:17:00.000-04:00

The following are some photos of the kids, especially the girls, in their new dresses that they received from Gram Gram for their birthdays. Aren't they the cutest! I love the tights!

Kylie with daddy!
Melody stretching out so we can see her tights.
Kylie looking rather mad but actually she was cracking
up a second later.
The three kids smiling for the camera. I can still hear Kylie saying, "Cheese"..she says it just the cutest way!
Kylie up on her head..like always..she loves to do this all the time. It is her way of showing off.

Thank You Gram Gram!!

MIA

2007-10-23T00:15:00.000-04:00

Sorry I have been MIA for a bit. I really mean to get on here daily to keep you all updated on my boring life but I get busy with the kids and never get around to getting the time to actually type something for you to read. So sorry about that people. I know you depend on my blog to make your life move forward. You will see several post after this one with about a billion photos of the kids. These are only a minuscule amount of what I really took.

Sickies

2007-10-13T09:30:00.000-04:00

My little girl is sick. She has been diagnosed with Walking Pneumonia.

As posted on KidsHealth.org: Walking pneumonia refers to pneumonia that is mild enough that you may not even know you have it. Walking pneumonia, which has also been called atypical pneumonia because it's different from the typical bacterial pneumonia, is common in teens and is often caused by a tiny microorganism known as Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Like the typical bacterial pneumonia, walking pneumonia can also be treated with antibiotics.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
There are many symptoms of pneumonia, and some of them, like a cough or a sore throat, are associated with many other common infections. Often, people get pneumonia after they've had an upper respiratory tract infection like a cold.
Symptoms of pneumonia can include:

fever
chills
cough
unusually rapid breathing
wheezing
difficulty breathing
chest or abdominal pain
loss of appetite
exhaustion
vomiting

The symptoms of pneumonia vary from person to person, and few people get all of them.
When pneumonia is caused by bacteria, the person tends to become sick quickly and develops a high fever and has difficulty breathing. When it's caused by a virus, symptoms generally appear more gradually and may be less severe.
A person's symptoms can help the doctor identify the type of pneumonia. Mycoplasma pneumoniae, for example, often causes headaches and sore throats in addition to the symptoms listed above.

Please pray for a quick recovery. She has been coughing for 6 weeks and just finally has gotten a fever which changed the diagnosis from a cold to walking pneumonia. My poor baby. The Dr. has prescribed an antibiotic for Melody and Kylie since walking pneumonia is contagious!! UGH!

Sidebar...

2007-10-12T16:04:00.000-04:00

You may all be noticing I have some new advertising on the side bar to the left. Please if you are thinking of buying anything from any of the stores listed please click on the photo/link in my side bar. I will receive a commission on each purchase. I am doing this to help fund our education budget. Homeschoolilng isn't free..so I am doing what I can to try to earn extra money towards my childrens futures. Thanks for your support! Greta

Target

2007-10-10T19:29:00.000-04:00

Finally I can go to a Target store and not have to drive an hour to get there!!! They finally opened one just a town away!! I think I may have to take a drive tomorrow to check it out!! It is literally walking distance from Wal-Mart too! :) I usually just shopped Wal-Mart because it was the only retailer that had it all within 15 minutes of the house..well now they have some strong competition! They are also opening a Bed, Bath & Beyond in the same plaza and a Dollar Tree right down the street! Am I in heaven or what???

For those of you who don't know me..I love to shop and find great deals. So now I have even more options of places to look for those deals!

Maybe tomorrow I will show you what I bought when I get home...don't forget to come back for a visit!

OH My...

2007-10-09T16:04:00.000-04:00

Every single time we have the tv on and a commercial comes on for a childs toy either Melody says I want that or we have that in the basement. Which is so not true! She seems to want every single thing she sees on tv. I just asked her, "Melody, do you want everything you see on tv?" Her response was simply, "YES!". Atleast she is honest, right? She is into everything lately. Little Miss Independent is what I have been calling her for the past few weeks. She wants to do everything on her own.

Siblings

2007-10-08T01:36:00.000-04:00

My children are beautiful...they are kind, sweet, caring and the cutest kids around. They all love one another and share this love with myself and our family. They give hugs and cuddle and give kisses all day long. I am just so lucky. Here are some very recent photos of my beautiful children.

Slippers

2007-10-08T01:20:00.000-04:00

While at the store lastnight I decided I should find some slippers for Kylie to wear. Well I tried on about five different pairs on her feet and none fit right..until we got to these that is....

Can you tell she LOVES Elmo?? Isn't she the cutest thing in the world!? I sure think so! She sure loves her new slippers and loves to show them off to the world!

"Rotten" Candy

2007-10-03T00:30:00.000-04:00

When we went to the Peaboy Museum on Saturday at the gift shop we picked up some rock candy for the kids to check out. Melody thought it was the greatest thing in the world but every single time she would say "Rotten" Candy instead of rock candy. It would make me laugh so hard! She still calls it that! When asked why she called it what she does ..she says it is rotten so that is why it is rotten candy. Not really sure where her three year old head is getting this stuff from..but boy does it make for some great comedy. Below are photos of her enjoying her "rotten" candy.

Teeth

2007-10-03T00:13:00.000-04:00

Missing teeth...

Zachary has lost his two bottom canine teeth over the past few weeks. The one on the left on 9/17/07 and the one on the right today 10/2/07. He had fun playing with them to make them fall out....flossing even more...which I hope I can keep him doing..and brushing even more often as well. If you notice in the bottom photo you can see the fresh flesh from his tooth falling out..just seconds prior to this photo being taken!! Being 11 years old and having teeth get loose and fall out is a great adventure for my son. He loves this stuff. Now I don't know what he is going to concentrate on..lol.

Kiddos and being busy, busy, busy

2007-09-26T17:41:00.000-04:00

This week has been full of fun. Last Friday we went to the BIG E!!! I didn't eat even half of what I thought I would. We were there from about 11am till 8:45pm. What a long day of walking around. The kids had a blast. We bought a few things for ourselves and even a Christmas Gift for someone we love. We fell in love with Emilees Italian Ices. They were in the Connecticut Building..surprise to us. I had never heard of them but boy are they yummy! I found out that they have several in the state and I am sure to take the kiddos there for a visit. We visited the cows, sheep and other animals later in the evening and the girls loved that. We even got to watch a sheep getting sheered. We even got to see two of the parades they have there daily. The first with bands from the New England states and the second a madi gras parade with beads being thrown. The girls loved that! Free necklaces for them! :)

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Then on Tuesday we went to the Litchfield Historical Society for Preschool Tuesdays. They get kids ages 3-5 together to do some crafts and have fun and listen to a story. This is once a month for three months. Melody painted a flower pot, planted a flower in that pot, put some beans in a cup with a wet paper towel - which is already growing roots and listened to a story about flowers and had a blast. Zachary spent the time we were there roaming the house and following the clues that they set up to explore the house as a person from the period of the 1700 - 1800's. I think we will have to go again just to check out the house itself. Zachary loves history so it was a fun day for him. He got to hang out with his friend who is the big brother of another Homeschooling Mom we know..so it was a nice day for them both.
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Zachary has been involved in town soccer as well as Homeschool Soccer on Fridays. Fridays are very long days of soccer for us. He plays from 2-3:30 for Homeschool soccer and then from 5:45 to about 7pm for town soccer. He is exhausted by the end of the day. He also plays usually two to three games a week with town soccer. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the soccer gear..it is sure getting a work out this year!!
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This Saturday we are hoping to head to the Yale Peabody Museum after Peter gets out of work. We haven't been in years and I know the kids will love it. We got a free pass for two people to use to get in so that saves us about $14! I love free stuff. Smithsonian Magazine is giving away free admission for Museum Day on Saturday, September 29th! Take a look and see what fun museums you can check out for almost free this weekend. Even if you are an adult..take a walk around somewhere you haven't been in the state you live in. You can find all kinds of fun places to visit. The museum day pass is good for you and a guest so take a friend or loved one too!
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I am still having problems with the computer and can't get to any photos or even put any new ones on the computer right now..so please bear with me as I still work on fixing this problem. I love sharing my photos with you all but at the moment this lovely computer won't let me. UGH!

Problems

2007-09-22T15:11:00.000-04:00

Lately our computer has been on the fritz and now I can't get any photos downloaded so there won't be any photos posted until that is fixed. I just got the printer finally fixed and running again..after trying since Tuesday!! Being that it is Saturday I am glad it is over..now if only the pictures would work too..or the external hard drive. Those are two things that are going to drive me nuts until they work properly again. I have several thousand photos on the external hard drive and if it doesn't work again..I am going to loose my mind. It should work perfectly well just by plugging in the hard drive..but it doesn't do anything but come up with Windows does not recognize something that was just plugged in...are you kidding me!!?? We have windows VISTA and I have a feeling this is part of it. Lets just hope it all is over and done with soon!!

Photos from Monday, Sept. 10th, 2007

2007-09-12T22:31:00.000-04:00

The kids had a blast at the playground..can you tell? :)

Third times the charm...

2007-09-12T21:50:00.000-04:00

I have tried three times now to post since Sunday and every single time Blogger has an ERROR...ugh! So it basically eats my post and I have to go in and re-type my thoughts. I give up.

Here it is in a nutshell. My fundraiser was a flop. Not one sale. I guess we will be hanging around home more than I hoped this year. The money I earn with my direct sales business goes directly into my homeschooling budget. But with nothing coming in..nothing can go out..which includes us.

The kids and I went to the playground this past Monday to meet up with other homeschooling families in the area and it was a really nice time. I didn't get to chat as much as I would have liked because I was chasing down Kylie most of the time and trying to get the bees away from us..but it was fun none the less. I took pictures but I am going to try to post them in the next post..so that hopefully I can get this one published.

test

2007-09-12T21:49:00.001-04:00

Having some troubles with blogger...trying a test post.

Fundraiser

2007-09-05T13:57:00.000-04:00

For those of you who frequent my blog and know me personally you all know that I am Homeschooling and that I also sell Tastefully Simple products. The new fall season has come upon us with Tastefully Simple and they have some fabulous products. I realized with our Homeschooling that I needed some extra money for a few activities I have planned for the kiddos and I had to do a fundraiser. Well this is it..order anything through me from Tastefully Simple until Sunday, September 9th and all profits go towards the kiddos education! All orders over $50 will get a free Beer Bread as well! Items ship directly to your home by FedEx. I take all forms of payment: cash, check and all major credit cards such as Master Card, Visa, American Express and Discover.

Tastefully Simple has some fabulous gift packs for the fall season all wrapped up and ready to give..so why not order one or a couple for friends, family, your boss, your pastor, your neighbor...or anyone you can think of! They really are fabulous!!

Get in touch with me by leaving a post on here with your email if I don't know you already or just email me directly if you do know me. I will respond as soon as I get it..which is usually right away. Thanks!

It's official

2007-09-04T22:13:00.000-04:00

I have the FLU. Feel bad for me..very bad. Being home sick with three kids is just no fun. I want to sleep but can't..they won't sleep so I can't. Boo Hoo! I went to the Dr's today and she is also checking me for mono, strep and lyme disease..just in case. I never got a call back so I am assuming the strep test came back negative..so that is good. One less worry. Lets all just pray that the kiddos don't get it too!

Being sick...

2007-09-03T21:55:00.000-04:00

Ok..so who really enjoys being sick. No not me. I have been sick all weekend. What a great LABOR DAY! I enjoyed having labor 11 years ago much better! I just want to SLEEP and SLEEP and SLEEP...but does that ever happen? Nope! I did lay down most of the day yesterday because I really had no energy but never actually slept. Today I was up around 8 or 9am and wanted to just go back to sleep..but that never happened. I never took the day off of school for Zachary so we were off to get that done..late of course but finially done. The girls were bouncing off the walls all day and Peter was off mowing his Grandmother Dot's lawn and washing his truck. When are you coming home hunny?? I want to take a nap? Still never happened. I am still up and it is about 10pm. Kylie is still wide awake and if I leave her alone with Peter he will fall asleep before her and that just doesn't work out right! So pray for me that I don't have the flu. I have all the symptoms...I don't want to give details as some are pretty icky...but please pray for me to be well enough to make it through this week!

Homeschooling

2007-08-29T09:22:00.000-04:00

These are some photos of Zachary working on his history and grammar. Notice the blanket (cloak) he is wearing. He sits at the kitchen table with the ceiling fan above him and says he gets cold. Maybe he should get dressed for the day before he starts his school work and not just sit there in his pajama pants! :)

The past week and a half of homeschooling has been ok. Zachary has some subjects he likes better than others and he takes much longer to get those done but he has acomplished a ton of work so far. His grade average so far is 90. Great job for the first week of school! So far in the past 8 days he has done work in: Spelling, Reading Comprehension, Science, Math, Comprehensive Curriculum (a book with everything in it), History, Geography and Grammar. He doesn't like to write sentences or stories ...he would rather just say it quickly outloud..but hopefully over the next year we can get him into writing beautiful stories so I can share them with all of you. He does most of his work in the mornings when the girls are asleep and at nap time. He does work when they are up..but it is rather hard to concentrate when they both want to sit on his lap or need his help with something. This is a constant...they love their big brother!!! I am off to help Zachary with some Science work. Another busy day ahead of us. :)

Busy, Busy Busy...

2007-08-29T09:03:00.000-04:00

Lately I have been super busy...keeping up with the housework, keeping the kids happy, trying to keep somewhat of a schedule for Zachary's schooling, planning ahead for the next day or so....it is draining! I have been sick as has everyone else in the family. Melody and Peter are the only ones who seem to still have the cough left. They are just about better but still have it hanging on...hopefully it will be gone soon!! I haven't been sleeping well because I have been thinking so much about what else I have to get done. So much to do and so little time.

I make lists for everything. What I need to get done. What I want Peter to do when he is home. What the kids need for school or for craft projects or for anything. I make a list. I have paper strewn all over my desk and you would never know I have a desk top because every single time I clean my desk off it is covered within what seems minutes!! I already have a new list started for today with six different things on it that I need to get done..today..not tomorrow but today. Lets hope the kids behave so I can get it all done. Zachary is already up getting some chores done before the girls are up and I am trying to get some things printed and ready for the day. I planned on posting on this blog every single day for the past week..do you think it ever happened? That is me..the busy homeschooling mom of three. Got to love it!

Shh...

I have moved...in 2008!!

Where's Melody?

I have moved

Happy Easter!

Happy Birthday!

Free Card

Don't forget the after Easter Photos...

Easter/Spring Paper Craft

Give that Photo a Name Contest - TIMES UP!-

Tagged again...

I have been tagged...

Give-a-way

Eclipse - Part 2

Eclipse

Busy, Busy, Busy... ****UPDATE****

Digital Scrapbook page....

Crazy Kiddos....

UGH!

Can we say busy, busy, busy???

Kylie's new words of the day...

MIA .....yet again

Kylie's New Word of the Day

27 Dresses

Melody's Pregnant.....

Beautiful Wedding Invitations

Rick Springfield - Christmas With You

Soldier's Angels

Fun with the kiddos...

Kylieisms

Holidays

Melodyisms

Salad

Reindeer Cookies

Snow the day after...

Hotel Glasses - EWWWWW!!

Snow - Part 6

Snow - Part 5

Snow - Radar

Snow - Part 4

Snow - Part 3

Snow - Part 2

SNOW - Part 1

Whoooo HOOOO!! ***UPDATE***

Pay It Forward

Christmas Tree Photos

Yummy Dinner

What a day....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Zachary on Thanksgiving

Grandpa on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Parade

Melody on Thanksgiving

Kylie on Thanksgiving

Apple Pear Pies

Computer problems

Thanksgiving

First snow of the season continued....

First snow of the season

Pioneer Woman Calendar

Kylie and her yogurt....

Hail Storm, Nov. 6th, 2007

Sorry...I've been busy

Sales deals!

Final MRI Update

Kylie's 15 Month Dr's Appt.

UNICEF

Happy Halloween

August Rush

MRI rescheduled

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

MRI Update

Go watch this video NOW

October 14, 2007 - Part 2

Knee Update

Bad Knee..

October 14, 2007 - Part 1

OH Forget it!

Ok...enough for this morning

Busy, Busy, Busy... UPDATE

Whoooo HOOOO!! UPDATE