here today, gone tomorrow.

One thing I love about the south is the fact there really is not winter here. (well, until this year that is) Don't get me wrong, snow sure is beautiful (right after the fall) but then it gets ugly and grey (sometimes there is yellow too:) ) and sludgy. It seems to go on forever and the thought of spring just seems like a dream. I guess you could say that Michigan really turned me against winter. I never really thought about the fact that I might actually miss snow, well, I can't say that I "miss" it per say, but I do feel bad that my kids do not have the chance to go sledding and build snowmen and make snow angels. That is why I had go out and and do this
Then, true to southern style, we did not have to see the grey, dingy, sludgy yuck... the next morning this is what frosty looked like. (he lost his head first, much to the dismay of Sam--- it just rolled right off ha)

belated happenings

Nap time is always an event around here. Sam doesn't seem to nap as often, though we always have "rest" time. This is the time of day when we ALL get to breathe and rejuvenate. Usually I hear Sam singing, or talking or just moaning. It is usually fine so long as he is there and we all have our downtime. For some odd reason he has been preferring to lay on the floor on top of his "road rug" whatever... I don't care. This is where I found him a few days ago when I went up to get him. Guess he just gave up trying to figure out his escape route. (he is at the doorway, against the gate) We put a gate in the doorway to prevent our precious son from disturbing his little sister who happens to be in the room next to him. When he first came out of his crib into the car bed we used this to prevent him from falling down the stairs in the middle of the night. He has long since mastered the stairs and the thought of him falling down them even in a half-sleep state doesn't scare me as much, but we all know that he hates it when Molly is asleep and he isn't, therefore, the gate remained. So for now he just has to continue banging on the floor and the wall to wake her up.

Molly, my little Molly. How do kids know when you schedule a picture session? Do they injure themselves several days before intentionally? It was a beautiful day just prior to Thanksgiving and so the kids and I had a picnic at the park for lunch. Sam and Molly were chasing each other when BOOM, there was a trip and a fall and a scream which then led to a bloody lip (and sidewalk) Poor girl! and only 5 days before Christmas pictures too! Thankfully her teeth were fine and the swelling did go down later that night.
Then a few days later she stole found my mascara and ran off with it. A few moments later I found this.. her hair and head a nice tarry mess. She knew where is was suppose to go to, she usually puts the unopened bottle of mascara to her eye.
This has been the scene at our house for months. Sam is sooo ready for Christmas. He will just sit and stare and stare and stare at the toy catalogs. It doesn't matter which one so long as it has a geotrax and/or Thomas the train picture in it. He just obsesses over these pictures. We seriously have about 12 (no exaggeration) different catalogs and they are all set to the train page. and NO ONE is allowed to mess with his catalogs... No ONE.

us census warning info

I got an email about giving info to census Workers and I thought it was a good idea to share. Most of it is really common sense, but always a good reminder:

2010 Census to Begin

WARNING: 2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau BBB Cautions about Census Scams - BBB News Center (this web site is written to Florida residents, but Google shows many other sites with similar info) that applies to all of us)

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers by Susan Johnson

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau
(BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

** If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.

** Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information.

DO NOT give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. . Census.

REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS..

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION.

The Census Bureau WILL NOT ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION. . NO ACORN worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the
Census Bureau WILL NOT contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.

Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

unemployment map

Take a look at this map. It shows how the unemployment rate has changed over the past several months. When you get to the map, click the arrow in the middle and watch how things changed. Incredible what "The Great Recession" has done. The old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words" is never more true than looking at this map.

Viewing it only takes a few seconds..

The darker the color, the higher the unemployment. 2009 has been BRUTAL.

This is a startling map. Hard to believe!

Click here: multimediafinal

snow, snow, with a chance of SNOW!!!!

WOW!!! what an absolutely unbelievable event. Pete (the weather man) kept telling us it was going to happen, but I do not think ANYONE believed it would happen so much! Early Thurs morning it started to snow. Kirk saw it around 4am, I saw it around 6. The window blinds remained closed that morning. I couldn't bear the thought of having Sam see it and not be allowed to play in it. You see, we have been bitten. Bitten by a very ugly bug. It bit all of us, leaving us all sick this week. Molly has bulging fluid behind her ear now as well. Because we have all been sick and both kids still coughing/sneezing/gagging etc I thought it would be best not to be out in the cold wet snow. But, it just kept coming. 1 inch, 2 inches, 4 then 5... and still snowing!!! Amazing, beautiful huge snow flakes. I gave in, I could not let a chance of a lifetime come and NOT allow my almost 4 yr old to play in this record setting snow day. I thought it would be fun if he noticed it. I opened the blinds and about 15 minutes later we all heard the squeal (and I do mean squeal) of delight. Sam saw it, and instantly tore his PJ's off to put on outside clothes (I did mention that we were all sick right?! um, that means PJ day!!) SO out we go-- there was snow swingingand tasting. there was fun had by all (except for Molly, she was sad... she did not get to go out and play and was a little upset that her big brother did get to)

Because of the record snow fall, there was still at least 7-8 inches left out there this morning, so we got to go out again. Sam "needed" to build a snowman, and when a boy "needs" a snowman, a snowman he must have. (we later found out why he wanted one... he was so adamant that we had a hat on it too, you know, so it could TALK!!!!) cute huh? He started off pretty good, I really thought he was going to be a good little helperbut then I realized he was just staying with me so he could get snowballs to eat. He did a lot of "lounging around" while I was hard at work creating his new friend. Kirk apparently had quite a few laughs at my expense watching me struggle. I think it was all worth it though, Look at frosty and the grin on his little pal Samoh yeah, and I had fun too!!

conspiracy

I think there is some sort of arrangement between ALL of the companies that make pants for boys. They do something to make the left knee area weaker than any other area so that it wears out, creates a hole and requires a mother to purchase new pants frequently. Case in point... 3 different brands/kinds of pants, 3 holes, all left knee. poor boy, he currently only has 1 pair of play pants at the moment. Do I dare allow him to wear his church/dress pants around the house?!

BBQ deal

If you have a Dickey’s Barbecue Pit nearby, Every Monday, thru January and February, you can snag a Pulled Pork Big Barbecue Sandwich for just $1 (limit 2 per customer). Plus, Dickey’s also offers up FREE soft served vanilla ice cream when you dine in!

penny for your thoughts

7 New Uses for a Penny

Clever ways to repurpose an everyday item.

1. Curtain Straightener

Make an opening in the bottom hem, slide in a penny or two, and sew the hem back up to keep curtains hanging level and stick-straight.

2. Tread Checker

Insert a penny into a groove of a tire with Lincoln’s head pointing into the tire. If the groove covers part of his head, you’re safe to drive; if the head is in full view, it’s time for new wheels. (The distance between the rim of a penny and Lincoln’s head is 1/16 of an inch―the minimum suggested tread depth.)

3. Table Anchor

If you dine out and the table is unsteady, put a coin under the leg to restore balance.

4. Game Token

Misplaced the thimble? No problem. Sub in a cent.

5. Makeshift Screwdriver

Use a penny to screw open a toy’s battery pack.

6. Icebreaker

Hand out pennies at your next gathering and ask each guest to share a story that happened during the year his or her penny was minted. If the coin predates a friend, let the person improvise.

7. Birdbath Cleaner

To ward off algae, toss in a few pre-1982 coins; the high copper content retards growth.

how to make the perfect meatball

We love Italian food. I make homemade spaghetti sauce. Kirk loves meatballs, I do not. There are never meatballs on our spaghetti. When I asked if I could do the cake decorating class with my friends Kirk of course said yes, but also asked if I could take a "meatball making" class as well. Poor guy, he has been waiting almost 7 years of marriage for these little things. I decided to go to my mom favorite secret source for her recipe and grant him his wish. I do not know what was preventing me from making them before... they really are not that difficult--- allow me to take you step by step through the process

~take son to speech class and return home
~gather some ingredients
~give daughter of animal crackers
~gather a few more ingredients
~turn Elmo on the tv
~look at recipe
~notice daughter stolen bread bag from pantry
~take bread and bag away, redirect child to Elmo
~attempt to put ingredients into bowl and mix with hands
~notice silence in family room and take a look
~see daughter with bread pieces (that she has hidden just prior to me taking bag away)--and newspaper ads all over floor~wash hands
~snap picture (of course) and remove bread~notice bread crumbs EVERYWHERE (couch/floor/entry way)---can she look any more innocent with the evidence in her hand?
~start rolling into balls
~notice child has taken every single toy out of the toy boxes in family room
~continue rolling
~notice child has removed all the diapers from the basket and strewn them around the family room
~continue rolling
~notice daughter has now emptied out every single item from her cabinet in the kitchen (with tupperware etc) and scattered them about the kitchen, entry and family rooms
~turn off timer (set to remind me to pick up son from speech class)
~finish the last couple of balls
~wash hands, take picture and place balls into fridge~gather keys, phone, daughter
~cringe at the messes that both child and I have made
~hope that dishwasher that is STILL running doesn't flood house while I am gone ( I never leave washer/dryer/dishwasher running while gone)
~open washing machine lid to remind myself that there are freshly washed, wet clothes in there that need to go into dryer
~Realize daughter has escaped and run up the stairs
~run to get her
~sit in carpool line and realize how completely blessed I am


notice there are not THAT many meatballs... meaning, it did not take that long for the tornado to occur at the house.

and you thought this was going to have a recipe attached to it didn't you?!

Who's the best mommy ever?!

What a fun day! We started it off by going to the grand opening of our new Kroger and literally ate our way through the store. There were all kinds of goodies from cheeses, more fruits than you can count, nuggets, lunch meat, chocolate milk (yes, you guessed it, my kids passed on this one) salad, sushi,pasta salads, sauted mushrooms in a fresh tortilla, salsa, ice cream I know there was more, but I will not bore you (or make you any more jealous) Though the store was insanely crowded, and it was hard to maneuver while trying to feed yourself as well as a child, it was a fun experience. Thankfully my mom came to check out the new store too so we tag teamed it , she took 1 kid, I took the other. Germ-a-phoebes would have been completely freaked out, I typically am not a big fan of the food samples left out in the store, though don't mind it if it is a manned station that they are cooking or preparing right there. BUT I figured, it is a brand new store, the food was being snarfed up so fast they were replenishing it frequently so we should be safe

Later that evening Kirk went over to a friend's house so the kids and I decided we should have a fun night too. We headed to sonic, where Sam got his beloved "cearn dog" and cherry slushy, then we headed back home for... what else but a PICNIC in the house. Yes, a very very rare occurrence took place, we spread out the blanket on the family room floor, ate our food and watched Shrek (Sam's choice believe it or not... I did not complain, it is a million times better than Strawberry Shortcake Christmas!!) WOW, how cool am I?! Maybe this will win me some brownie points and I can redeem them for an extra hour of sleep, aahhhh, wouldn't that be nice?!

First cake

Sam was sooo ready for cake he was dreaming about it. From the moment I started baking the cake he kept asking about it. He was so confused as to why I was baking one and wanted to know whose birthday it was. (it is obvious we don't have cake in our house unless there is a birthday) I had promised him that once the cake was done (after my class) that he could have a big piece. Unfortunately we ran out of time at our class and were unable to finish decorating them there, so we needed to finish at home. I did not expect Sam to still be up when I got home from class that night, but he was and was all set and ready for his cake. I felt so bad telling him that I still had more decorating to do and he could not have it until the next day. Poor guy, woke up the next morning waiting for that sweet bit of cake goodness, but, um, I had not finished the cake yet, so he had to wait til later in the day (sorry kiddo)
Here is Meghan at class with the start of her cake. . mine...
And here it is what you've all been waiting for... the fruit of my labor. I just keep reminding myself, just wait to see the improvements (can't help but to improve on this one!)
But, I guess the proof is in the pudding and I got 2 thumbs up by 2 very tough critics!

The class

So, I had thought about making one of my New years goals about doing something fun and out of the box, but since I wasn't sure that would work, and the fact that I already had a ton of other goals I thought I'd better not add it. Well, I think maybe I should have added it, because if I had I could have something to scratch off my list as DONE. Oh well, (note to self, put things on goal list that you KNOW will happen so that it looks like you DID actually achieve something!)
Sorry about all the rambling, I just got back from my girls night out (Bunco) and managed to drink several Dr. peppers so I think I am going a little zippy. Back to topic...
My friend Melissa called me up and said, hey, Kelly, do you want to take a cake decorating class with Meghan and I? It starts tomorrow and we need to sign up in the next few hours. Ok, as most of you know, I am not the most spontaneous person in the world, but I have always wanted to take one of these classes, and it is always more fun to do with friends right?! So, I called Kirk (since he would need to come home early those nights to watch the kids) and signed right up! I am so glad I did. It has been fun. I am learning a lot of neat "cake secrets" though I am not sure that I have the ability to repeat them ha.
Here is the class homework... bake a cake and make butter cream icing... The kids are enjoying the fact that mommy has homework!


honestly, are those not some pretty happy faces?!
oh, and yes, there has been a couple of time that I have regretted the fact that I have given my children and abundance of sugar during the day... those people who say it is an old wives tale about the sugar making children hyper, well, they have not seen these two in action post icing beater licking!!!

Haiti help

If you are looking for some way to help out the victims of the Haitian earthquake here are a few reliable organizations that are working diligently in Haiti. The mission organizations listed below are sponsored by our church

http://www.texasbaptistmen.org/

http://www.namb.net/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=9qKILUOzEpH&b=227361&ct=7805655

http://www.gainusa.org/site/c.ihLNK3PFLmF/b.5719947/k.9987/MAJOR_EARTHQUAKE_HITS_HAITI.htm?msource=NJI1B2

www.missiontohaiti.org.

Fresco Taco coupon

Try the Fresco Taco FREE at Taco bell. Just go HERE and print your coupon. Might just have to try one of these....

moaning groaning and a whole lot of whine

It is a sad, sad day around here. Miss Molly is well, shall we say under the weather?! Unfortunately for her, change in personality is not an indicator of illness. (though I have to admit, we have really, really enjoyed sweet Molly lately. She truly has been a lot of fun since around Thanksgiving) Molly started off the day clinging and moaning (not unlike other days) so I really didn't think anything of it. I did notice she was laying around more than normal, but I just thought she was tired. when did I finally realize she was not feeling well, you ask?! well, it was a tell tale sign --she refused to eat. Yes, she has started getting pickier, but this was no breakfast, no snack, no lunch... poor baby. This is the pathetic site I saw following me around the house:
At least she had 3 of her most favorite things: Her green pacifier (hidden) her blanket (she is quite attached to this blanket) and of course mowmow (elmo). Oh, yeah, have I mentioned her new love of hats?!

Sam, well he seemed fine, but the fact that he FELL ASLEEP on the couch today during nap time (I told him he needed to "rest" for a while) was a little bit of an indicator, 2 1/2 days later... fever, causing him to miss out on a fabulous birthday bash here. :(
Thankfully for Sam, "germies" (his word, not mine) only last for a day or two... Molly, poor thing, it goes a lot longer.

survivor is back

Woo Hoo Here it is... they revealed who will be on the 20th season of Survivor "Heroes vs Villains" I think I am gonna like this season!! A few of my all time favorite players are returning.. Rupert, Colby, James even Rob. I also enjoyed not liking Russell this past season and though I did not watch the entire season, thought he should have won. Now you know what my Thurs night plans are for come Feb. 11!

Do I need on umbrella

here is a pretty cool site that you can go to to find out the weather and chance of rain in your area. I know, I know you can go to the news station and see the weather, or turn on the tv etc, but this is pretty fun regardless.

Thank you soldiers

Go here to hear the 3rd grade students from Tussing Elementary in Colonial Heights singing a song written by their music teacher. It is on Youtube and very sweet.

Deals, free breakfast, coupons, and music

IKEA is offering a FREE breakfast this weekend!I Go there January 9th or 10th before 11am to get a FREE breakfast! You will receive a small breakfast and small cup of coffee.

**Offer not valid at IKEA Houston or IKEA Direct.

Michaels has a great coupon! Saturday, January 9th from 1pm-9pm and Sunday, January 10th from 1pm-7pm get an additional 20% off your entire purchase with this coupon! The best part–this coupon includes regular, sale, and clearance items

The Biggest Loser and Subway are offering a free download of their workout mix. Just go here and use the code SW107 at checkout

No title, will let the post speak for itself

It started off like any other crazy day in our little world. Sam has decided he REALLY loves his sister and NEEDS her to be around him. This morning was no exception. He wanted Molly's chair next to his while they ate pop tarts and watched morning cartoons
I couldn't resist, had to put this one in here... apparently I made a better door than window for Miss Molly--- I kept getting in her way during the photo shoot :)It wasn't that much later after the sweetness of the kids sitting together that I headed to the kitchen to make us all some lunch... As I was cooking the grilled cheese sandwiches I looked out into the family room. I saw an ugly, yet familiar site. This is what I got when I reached for the camera--- apparently little Miss powder was quite pleased with herselfAs I go to the table to assess the damage, I see this... Molly deciding to take a load off after all the hard work she had done. (or better yet, I think it was her calculated way to get powder ALL over the couch) I also love the way I captured Sam checking out the mess."Oh, yes, sit back and relax, that's it, maybe no one will notice that I sprinkled powder everywhere" notice Sam telling me that she even got it all in HIS blanketOh wow!! I have been missing my favorite green friend. I must have left it here while I was destroying the house. Better get it now before mom sees it, it might place me at the scene of the crime. Hmmm, I bet the powder has a great flavor.See, I will just stand over here and smile. She will never suspect me!! I bet she blames my idol the one they call SAM... this looks like something he would do.See, I told ya, click HERE