Just when I thought I could not go lower

I love to cook. I enjoy making things from scratch. It is an amazing stress reliever for me--my husband knows I have had a bad day if he smells cookies in the oven or a complicated stew simmering. Yet, ironically, when I get insanely busy and obviously stressed, I reach for whatever I can find to feed my family.
At the beginning of the school year, I made sure my lovely children had a full balanced lunch--fresh veggies, paninis with all sorts of good-for-you yummy stuff--and then I slowly started to slip. It started with the frozen spinach walnut tortellini; I made sure to still make a fresh butter based sauce and a pretty parsley garnish. Then I discovered jarred pesto (side note: I love making my own pesto--easy and cheap yet I bought the jarred) and began to spoon this over the tortellini and the parsley was left out. And the kids LOVED it. They thought it was just yummy! Last week, I emptied the dishwasher while the tortellini was boiling. I did not want to dirty a bunch of plates so I used paper plates from a Valentine's Day party. The kids found it festive and I felt I could not go any lower. Until today.
Today was insane--tests, speeches, memory verses. I thought I was reliving college finals week. By the time the inevitable question 'what's for lunch?' was asked, I was drained. And then I sunk to a brand new low. I picked up the phone, texted my husband.
"Pizza 4 lunch"
"Sure" was the swift reply.
I texted back an order and 35 minutes later we had pizza from a local pizzeria on our table. And here's the ultimate low--because we all had personal, lovely, artistic pizzas, we all had out own box. And, blushing, these were our plates.
Don't want to waste those paper plates after all ;)

ShamCREEPY

Is it just me or this the creepiest guy on TV?

Get out the tissues

(Yes I am spending Easter Sunday blogging as Dino suddenly threw up all over his Easter clothes when we were walking out the door for church this morning. He is now happily watching Word World, the girls went to buy Easter dinner at Whole Foods, and I am nursing Spanky and blogging!)
I got an itune gift card from my wonderful husband--actually he had a gift card with his stuff (he gives various gift cards to clients and referrals) and I found it. I snatched it up and thanked him for being such a wonderful, incredible, sexy guy! He said 'I hope you like it' ;)
I hopped onto iTunes and checked out the top sellers and came across "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman. Sara loves Cinderella so got it. I listened to it and just bawled my eyes out. It's like "Cat's in the Cradle" (another one that gets my crying like a baby) for girls.
Anyway, I have it on my playlist right now (it's the very first song-scroll up if you don't see it or hit 'press standalone' and you will see it; if that doesn't work, try the website link for the song above--can you tell I really want you to hear this song) so please take a listen and tell me not if but when you started feeeling tears stream down your face. I cannot put 'Cat's in the Cradle' on my list--my boys are younger and I already feel they are so neglected compared to their older sisters--I can't even say one line from it without crying.
Oh and here's a pic of my Cinderella --you know Sara, the girl who slams doors in her sister's face :0

Oh and another thing

Miley and Sara were fighting, again. Screams, cries, the works.
It finally ended with Miley ordering Sara out of her room.
"Fine," Sara said in an voice as uppity as six year old can,.
She turned and walked to her room and Miley mumbled something like 'finally' and slammed her door.
Sara comes tearing out of her room, opens Miley's door and says, in an incredibly sweet voice, "Miley, "she purrs. "One more thing," and WHAAM, she slams Miley's door shut in Miley's face.
Sisterly love.....

Apparently, I have a bad singing voice, a really bad one.

This morning while nursing Spanky (yep, using those new names), I flipped on Rachel Ray and saw Michael Buble was on. I called in Dino because Dino loves Michael Buble. He even dressed as him for Halloween;


Michael Buble is like a super hero to him! So of course, he was glued to the TV when he found out. He smiled as Mike and Rach (yeah, they're old friends) chatted away and then it was time for him to sing. He sang Dino's absolute favorite song "Everything" (it's on my playlist to the right).  At first I just snapped my fingers to it; Dino followed suit and he began to sing. I decided to join and suddenly he put his hand over mouth and screamed "NO"--Dino rarely screams so when he does I listen.
I smile, "OK. Can I hum?"
"NO!"
So I just continued to bop to the song like he was and he turned around and said, "NO!"
"DON'T WATCH!"
I was dumbfounded. My sweet Dino never speaks in this tone.
Then Spanky joins in the 'la la la' chorus. Dino just turns, looks at him and smiles.
Now I know have a pretty crappy voice, as a matter a fact if I audtioned for American Idol, I KNOW I would get on TV because I'd have one of those auditions but to be so bad that my three year old son gets upset. Wow--I must really suck!

On a completely different note--college football fans---life is good in Buckeye Country!!!

I'm changin' their names

GIRL #1, GIRL #2, BOY #1 and BOY #2 really got the short end of the stick when it comes to names. Turns out these are common, not proper, nouns and since I want to have proper, well behaved children, I figure GIRL and BOY just don't suit them well. So I sat them down and we all decided it was time to get 'real' names.
Introducing my 9 year old daughter:


My 6 year old daughter:


My 3 year old son:


My baby, the 18 month old:


And poof--just like that, they have brand new names.

Vacations

This is about the time of the year we plan our summer vacation. I look forward to vacations as much as a dread them. You see vacations (along with sick days) were not included in my compensation package as a stay at home mommy.

Last year, we went to one of my favorite little coastal towns in Florida. It was beautiful, it was sunny and we got to wake up and look out at the ocean every morning. I also got to spend every morning searching for bathing suits (even though I very carefully placed all items in specific drawers upon our 12:45 am arrival), making sure teeth are brushed, packing the beach bag and carefully applying sun screen--being an all blonde family is not without it's issues ;).

Upon arrival to the beach or pool, it was time to set up the six towels, and become a sheep herder as the sheep, I mean children, ran into the ocean at full force. Within minutes, everyone was hungry and that had to be handled. Then, well you get it, I am sure.

So now, it's time to start planning it again. Don't get me wrong, I love how excited my kids get, I love that my husband can relax--it's just the fact that there is no real break for me. Well, except I don't have to clean the floor or wash the towels or even make the beds. Hmmmm.....that gets me thinking. Wherever we end up going, I have every intention of throwing every wet towel in sight on the floor, eating and drinking barbecue and rice in bed and then making giant forts with all the pillows and sheets (and remaining clean towels) daily. 

Don't worry--I'm a very good tipper!

Like mother like daughter

I am soooo excited--TOP CHEF starts tonight. This show is the equlivalent of chocolate and bacon for me!!! I have been silently giving passing glances to our ancient TV and occasionally watching but not really. Amazing Race is fun, The Office makes me laugh but oh when I hear Padma or Tom, I am at full attention. My kids could be starting fires in the backyard and I am oblivious. I dream of being in the top chef kitchen, chatting with Tom about the future of fois gras, dishing about the latest Jimmy Choo line with Padma and of course wowing my fellow chefs :)
The chefs this year look, as usual, just awesomely talented. Girl #1 and I were going over the bios when I decided to ask her who she thought was cute.
"Oh, I only like the girls," she said. "I don't think boys are cute." ("except Zac Efron, he doesn't count"--a real quote from earlier)
"OK," I nodded. "Who do you think mommy likes?"
Without even pausing, she says the hottie chef's name.
I just laughed.
She giggled, "Well, it's so obvious."
Hmmmmm, so does she know me or do we have the same excellent taste in the boys?!
So do you have a favorite? Surely you know who the hottie is---it's so obvious ;)

The blizzard of '08

Yes--we had snow! A whole 3 inches as a matter a fact--ok, ok, I know you yankees are laughing seeing as most of you saw 3 inches fall in the past hour but for this Southern family, three inches is nothing short of amazing!

As soon as the snow began to fall, all four children were scrurrying about the house ripping off tags of never used mittens, hats and boots. And of course mommy had to assist all four lovely children with their attire ;) After a good 40 minutes, all children were ready for the snow (well the baby and boy #1 wanted nothing to do with mittens or hats but after 30 minutes I was done with that battle). Now it was time to go out but wait, mommy needed the camera (how else would the blog world believe she had snow?!). After standing by the door, mommy grabbed the camera, video camera and extra hats. Finally after 70 minutes of the first sighting of snow, we were ready. The initial reaction on the snow was complete and utter joy:

Exactly four minutes later:

And then for the next three hours, mommy was busy warming blankets in the dryer, making a fire, making homemade cocoa and snuggling with some very cold babies. 

And so for the blizzard we spent 70 minutes dressing, 3 hours warming up and a total of FOUR MINUTES in the snow.

Thank goodness I live in Texas:)

And a big thanks to the very classy OHmommy for sending me on a picnik to 'fix-up' my photos!

I was having one of those days...

I was having a really crappy day, seriously. It seemed like everything I wanted to do could not get done. And then I found this video from my son's kindermusik teacher and after I got over the initial cheesiness and the fairly forward preaching, it touched me. I am going to need to fix my eye make-up now. 

Where did you learn that?!

Part of girl #1's homework is to memorize the preamble to the constitution. To get her ready for memorization, I was going to have her copy it (it's not that long and it helps her handwriting!).
"But Mommmm," she moaned. "I already know it."
I smiled, "OK-say it."
And....she said it word for word (well some wording was slurred thanks to a horrific orthodontic device called a spacer).
"When did you..."I stopped I was at a loss. We have never gone over the constitution.
She sighed, "Mom, I've known the preamble since I was three."

Now I am speechless. Where on earth... and then a tune begins to fill my head....We the people in order form a more perfect union...

Schoolhouse Rock.

And people say TV rots your brain ;)

The last post on this subject--yes, chicken pox

We are nearing the end of our plague here :) The baby finally caught it just as his big brother was getting better. He has been a pill but still manages to smile as you can see.
Now to clean this house!