Marketing...

OK, so does anyone else get really grossed out by the term "Active Cultures"? I don't even know what they are but they totally disgust me! I think that is why I don't like yogurt. Not because it tastes bad but b/c there are "Active Cultures" in it and who wants that gross stuff in thier body? Not I that's for sure! Wouldn't you think that for marketing purposes they would find something different to call it or maybe market more the taste & stuff? Maybe I'm the only one they would be marketing to then but I promise you that I will not be able o eat another bite of yogurt til they remove that part from the packaging and quite talking about it. Yup, even when it's not written on the packaging it's still in thier, but I won't have to see that it's still in there.

Yup... that's all I have for ya today! Important... NO, but on my mind it is!

Snow days & Cranberry Apple Muffins...

Yippeeeeee! We have a snow day! Wasn't the weather crazy last night? I walked over to a neighbors for a minute and it was just raining out... 20 minutes later the ground was covered with snow! Only in Michigan right? Now there is ice and snow on the ground, although in parts of the yard you can still see grass b/c it's drifting so bad! My jeep is covered though, which is fine b/c I think we will stay in at least most of the day if not all of it! (Although I think I have a little cabin fever already... safety first though)

Right now I have in the oven some of my fav muffins EVER!!!!! I got this recipe off of All Recipes dot com and have included my revisions in the recipe here...
INGREDIENTS
2 cups shredded peeled apples (I use about 3 apples, whatever that measures out to be is what we get!)
1 1/3 cups sugar (or splenda)
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup shredded carrots
handful white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, combine apples and sugar; let stand for 10 minutes. Add cranberries,w choc chips carrots, nuts, eggs and oil; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg if desired and salt; stir into apple mixture just until moistened. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! And boy do we! Three times in one week!!!!

Anitique Lovin'

So, I went to an antique store this afternoon thinking I would hate it as much as I hate garage sales and that one trip would be enough, but that was not the case at all! I think I might be hooked! There was SOOOO much great stuff in there, I'm definately going back... with Matt. I really want to get two old weathered windows adn while I did find one it had a broken piece of glass adn I'm not sure what it would take to replace it! Matt could tell me thouh, so now he HAS to go with me! I want to check out a few other places too! How fun!

Weather is supposed to get bad again tonight... but we WILL have school tomorow... I'm sure of it (wink! wink!)

Not much going on around here... not much more than normal at least! Sunday after church we grabbed lunch at Red Robin then home so E could take a nap. In the evening we had our Health class at church to attend, we weren't done making dinner though still at 5:30 so lucky for us Matt's mom was able to come and watch the kids. (Thanks!)

Today I babysat and taught Sarah how to turn her camera on... and take a picture or two! We had a very uneventful day all in all.

Matt is headed to my grandpas to take staples out of th floor tonight. I'm so thankful that he has taken on such a huge load with doing all this, I feel like it's not his responsiblity at all yet he's willing to do so much. He already doesn't have any free time, he's making time in his schedule to go do these things. Seriously he works from 8am (b/c he can't/won't get out of bed earlier) til 10pm on days like this, he won't get home til 11 and probably won't have eaten dinner yet. I'm so thankful for him!

So anyway, this leaves me home alone all day (besides kids at least). I've bothered Sarah a few times on the phone for adult conversation. I made Coconut Curry Chicken for supper... can't say I'm all that impressed and my kids weren't either, they are currently eating peanut butter & honey sandwiches. I'm about to take them to my dad's house in a bit so I can head out to BSF for an hour. I'm skipping the second half so that I can get the kids in bed on time. (Specifically worried about E). I so can't imagine being a single parent and I respect those that are able to handle it on thier own all the time! WOW!!!!!!

Guess what I'm doing...

eating yogurt! That's only blog worthy b/c I have refused to eat it for at least 25 years if not more. I picked some up today though and decided it was time to at least try it! Not bad, it's just that thought that kills me. I got Yoplait Light (can't normally do light stuff but since I don't know what the "normal" stuff tastes like I can handle it) Thick & Creamy - Key Lime Pie! I love Key Lime Pie (actually not sure I've ever had it, but I do like the taste of limes). So yeah... there's your big news for the day!

Oh, and check out the 365 blog (link on right) for update on Landon's game today!

Update: Ok, so I could only finish half of it. I think I may get some chocolate ones to try, Bailey seems to like that kind! And who doesn't love chocolate!

Non snow day snow day...

Well, I was kinda planning on a snow day today, we were supposed to get a ton more snow but when I woke up at 5:30 there were only three school closings (one being the one that the mom of the boy I babysit for works at), none around us, so I changed my alarm time b/c I knew I didn't need to get up that early. At 6:45 Landon came & woke me up asking if he had a snow day... "no buddy, get up, eat, get dressed etc" I switched on the t.v., Just In Case and got my hopes up when I kept seeing all the local schools listed... but then the alphabet ended and ours never showed up. I didn't believe that though, so I had to go check the other major station, then b/c it wasn't listed there I had to check the internet and my email, but no luck! Really, it's worked out well though, Carson isn't here today and my oldest two are at school so that has left plenty of time for E & I to spend together. We ran a few errands this morning, then had lunch with Matt & Landon at school, then we headed to Baileys school to have lunch (but ended up out for a COLD recess instead). Now E is in bed... notice i didn't say sleeping, he's talking & playing, but he's not screaming, so he will stay there!

So anyway, in conclusion... not the day I planend, but a good one none the less. Thsi one on one time with e was much needed!

I also took some toes pictures of E I would love you to check out and vote for your favorite... you can see them here. It's the post from 1/24 if you can't find it! The poll is on the right side of the screen! Thanks!

Crazy Bounce Pics

Relief

You just never value your health until you are not healthy and I tell you... today I am so thankful for health. I have had a headache for the past two days. Not a migraine, although almost as bad. I think it was soemthing to do with sinuses because I now have a soar throught, swollen glands and other cold symptoms, but all of that is minimal w/o a headache.

Last night I was sleeping by 8:15 and slept til 6 this morning, and this is the third night of going to bed early for me, I have gotten more sleep in the past three nights than I do in a normal week, but obviously I needed it!

We had the BEST dinner last night... I picked this sauce up at Meijers yesterday, not exactly sure what it was, but it sounded good. I sauteed chicken and then heated with sauce and made brown rice & steamed broccoli to go with it. Bailey ate TWO full helpings... which is a TON for her, both kids were raving about it and E ate a ton of the chicken & Broccoli, even thought the sauce had just a hint of spice to it! He loved it, we all loved it! And I have to think it was healthy, or at least a little healthy, no cream, no cheese and it was still good, imagine that! I also picked up to use on Salmon sometime soon! (Maybe tonight!) Although if I remember right orange sauce is spicier so I may have to have other options for the kids!

Snow day...

We are having a much needed mental health day, er... I mean snow day! I was able to sleep in until almost 9 o'clock. Or at least stay in bed 'til then, I really was awake quite a bit last night. I was up at three with Bailey & a terrible bloody nose, then six to check if it was still snowing and to check closings... Yay!!! Not only our school but pretty much every other school in the western portion of Michigan! Then E was up a few times just talking for a minute then he went back to sleep, not actually getting up til 9! I was awake but didn't want to get out of bed! So nice!

I actually had a headache yesterday so I didn't/couldn't go to BSF, normally my headaches go away after one night of good sleep... not so this time. I am still suffering, but it isn't a migraine at least so that is helpful! I think we will be hitting Crazy Bounce this afternoon with some friends so the kids will be excited about that!

I think I've also decided to put some other things (photography) on hold for a while, mostly for financial reasons. But I still hope to persue things a bit more this spring or summer maybe. We'll see what happens, it's all in Gods timing I suppose.

Enjoy the snow, it really is pretty, but there is just SOOO much of it! At least it's warmer today than it has been the past few days!

This CRAZY BUSY life...

So yesterday was a crazy busy day with the kids home from school, at one point we had 10 people in my house (which isn't worthy of 10 people). It was a good day though! Fun times catching up with friends.

Matt & I were supposed to go for dinner and to the RV show in Grand Rapids but unfortuantly didn't even make it to Grand Rapids b/c of terrible road conditions. We did have dinner at Olive Garden which was yummy (and oh so fattening). But then decided not to go on. Oh well, we won't buy a new camper anyway so not exactly sure why we were going in the first place.

Today was basketball & soccer games. I was able to make it to both luckily. I feel so guilty missing a game or choosing one over the other. They both seemed happy with the arrangement though! Next week we will be able to do both, one at 9:45 and then one at noon. Not great timing for the noon game, but we'll make it!

Tonight we watched D & Ange and the boys & I went over to wish Cobe a happy birthday. Sarah & I chatted for a bit while the boys were CRAZY wild. Good to get out of the house althoguh the roads were TERRIBLE and I probably should have just stayed home. I almost got hit on the way home crossing the highway, but I didn't, God is good!

Elliot was up again at 6:20 this morning... and 6:00 Friday morning. What's up with all that? We've always been lucky to have him sleep in but something is up now and I DO NOT enjoy it! I was supposed to be able to sleep in a bit this morning, so Matt got up with him but he cried and screamed adn I could hear him all the way upstairs so the sleeping part didn't happen.

Church in the morning then Matt is making breakfast for lunch (another grea food day Sarah). Then we don't have any plans. We discussed going to either Grand Rapids for the RV show or St Joe to clean... not sure either one will happen though! Stay safe in this wonderful weather!

Let it snow...

My kids are off from school tomorow but I still have to babysit, so I still have to get up at 6:30, bummer for me! I love having Carson here... he is SUCH a GREAT boy, but I really would love to sleep just til 7:30 at least. Oh well, that's life!

Matt & I are supposed to go check out the RV show in GR tomorow night. We aren't thinking we will get anything new by any means, but we would like to get a very inexpensive camper for this summer, so we want to check things out! And it's something to do... together!

Saturday Landon & Matt have thier first basketball game at 9:45 (if your interested email me and I can let you know where they play) and Bailey has her first soccer game at 10:00 (same sit, email me if intersted). Unfortunately they overlap, three out of the six games they will play overlap. I'm going to try to make it to both, landon's first, then the 2nd half of Bailey's! Landon has a party to go to in the afternoon adn then Bailey has two girls from school coming over while E sleeps! SHould be fun. In the evening we are watching D & Ange too! Fun times! The kids will be thrilled! :)

So, I think I'm ready to commit! I think I may start doing a little photography. For others. I'm working on a few things to make it official and I need to get a bit more equipment, but it's something I LOVE to do so I'm going to give it a shot! Wish me luck! More information later! Stay tuned! I'm nervous to hit post right now... I'm so unsure of this all... oh well, here goes...*hit button*

Scared

I am at a jumping point. I really want to try something new (not ready to give details) but I'm scared. Scared that I'm not ready. Each day a I make a little progress toward achieving this goal, but then I start to doubt myself and pretty much scrap everything.

I used to have a decent self esteem, but not sure what happened to that. I'm am so self critical, definately my worst critic. I doubt everything that I do, doubt that I'm capable of most everything (like making bread... :) I get overwhelmed SOOOO easily and intimidated just as easily. I need to GET OVER IT! But how... something ot think about... hmmmmmm!

On a side note E is doing a BIT better today! He woke me up this morning (late for me, way to early for him) at 6:55. So I knew it was going to be a difficult day. We've only had a few meltdowns though and he only pounded me on the head once (with a brio train track I might add). I've started giving him time outs... at first I thought it would be way to early for that... but no way! He knows! Hopefully this afternoon goes better!

Check your local paper...

in the next few days I may have listed something (or someone) for sale! I think he is getting sick again poor guy and I can't handle it! He and the boy I babysit were fighting like CRAZY today, pushing each other off the steps, pounding each other on the head, cheerio fights, stealing toys, you name it they did it! Hopeing for a better day tomorow, I'm exhausted from this day!

Probably exhausted because I made a pretty hands on meal tonight too! I have to share the soup recipe... it does include Leeks, but seriously don't be scared of those... they are just big green onions! The recipe can be found here! Seriously try it! Oh, and you can't leave the apples out, I thought about it but am so glad that I added them! I also tried to make some bread too. Like using yeast bread, not the bread machine. Not my talent, that's for sure. They didn't taste bad, but they never rose so they were really HEAVY! I won't even share that recipe, but if you have some sort of secret to get bread to rise I would be THRILLED to hear it!

Just a picture...

From a couple of days ago, but I just loved it! Shows how little he still is and shows that he CAN indeed sit still to look at a book (as long as mom isn't reading it). Such a sweet little guy! They all are, I just love my kids!!!

Lovin' it

2 weeks ago I would have sold my youngest to you for a fair price, he was driving me nuts on a regular basis, but I have to tell you that this week has been such a turn! He is the BEST! I'm lovin' every minute with him, even at 4 in the morning and even more suprising is even at 4 in the afternoon! This is when he normally melts!

Just had to share!

Request for prayers...

We have had some great days here... weather has been beautiful! The sun has been shining, at least a little bit each day, giving me just a little glimpse of joy! I thrive on sunshine. I know when it's been gray or dark I just start getting depressed. I hate the feeling, but there really isn't anything I can do. But God is so good and in his infitnit wisdom & grace he has given me just what I needed these last few days. He knows just what I need to get better, I am always amazed at what he provides when he provides it! His timing is so perfect!

I'm in the process of making some decisions for my life right now, still trying to figure health things out, what I want to do with my life in the future etc. I think that God is opening up some doors, at least in my heart, but I'm not sure if this is God working or if it is my diesire at work. So with that thought, I would appreciate some prayers regarding the decisions I'm about to make. Just God's clear guidance as to where to go next! I know that his timing is perfect, he has proven that time & time again. I need to trust him!

Stay safe in this lovely winter storm!

He cracks me up...

Church was at Crazy Bounce tonight for a 2008 kickoff. Elliot LOVES that place! Loves it! Probably the best place we could have been with Matt gone tonight, Elliot always kinda looses it when we are at home in the evening! So anyway... keeping this short, Elliot was bouncing in this one "house" type thing and LOVING it! There was a mesh screen around the outside so he could see me and I could see him. He LOVES to show off and always wants to make sure you are watching him when he is doing something fun! He kept looking at me, motioning toward the door and saying out... then I would go to the door to get him and he would crawl away and giggle! We played this little game over and over and over and over etc! He was loving it though and I really was too, he was cracking me up!

He is talking SOOO much! For his age at least! Out, Hot, Dex, Doggy, Ducky (same as Doggy), mommy, daddy (I think...), night-night, blankie, I think he says "Thank You" too, but that isn't confirmed, it seems like there is more, maybe he's just getting better at communicating what he wants, whether it be with words, signs or actions! He loves to be helpful, getting and throwing away his diapers, helps to clean up toys... a little at least!

enough for now... I'm TIRED! I think I need to eat better, I think I'd have more energy, today has been a terrible diet day, not that I'm officially dieting or anything (no willpower for that), but it started with a suprise donut (haven't had one since the summer walks), then icecream with E after his nap and just now I ate... are you ready, this is embarrasing... almost 3/4 of a block of cream cheese (made into dip for crackers). I don't feel so well either! Lesson learned!

Sorry about the spelling mistakes too, Editor! (Oh and I'm sure some punctuations probs too!)

You have GOT to see this picture...

go here to see it! Seriously... NOT to be missed! (check the January 7 post)

Don't you just love a compliment?

I had a great compliment today when I went to pick up pictures at Walgreens that I printed (trying to update all the OLD pics hanging out around our hosue). The employee wouldn't give me my pictures until I told her they weren't professional pics! I was taken back at first, scared she wouldn't give me my pics, but she was totally fine with it once I said no, they weren't professional. I didn't think of it as a compliment until I was leaving the store!

Off to BSF now! Hope your week started off well!

Check these blogs out

Both Christmas related, but still great none the less!

This one's a good laugh...
Tacky Christmas Yards

This one is just cute! Someone is a good writer adn good at putting themselves in Santa's spot!
Santa's Blog

I'm in love...

I got to play with a speedlight flash today. I borrowed it from a friend and I've fallen in love! So much better than the built in and the color is so much better than no flash at all.
Look at how much more detail you can see with the external flash! Are you as excited as I was?????

I love a baby in diapers! He really didn't want to sit still, but after setting up the backdrop I needed to at least get ONE picture out of him! Aren't all the bruises on his forhead lovely? One is from the Saturday before Christmas and the other is from today! Boys will be boys!

Impromptu Photo Shoot

The E we all know so well... at least the one I seem to know the best lately! But that's a whole new post!

Happy 2008

Did you all have a good new years? Ours was good, EJ & her boys ended up coming over to celebrate with us. We (I) ate way to much between dinner & appetizers/dessert, we played Pictionary, Apples to Apples, Wii, the kids watched a movie and then we watched the ball drop (exciting as usual), then it was off to bed! So really, not anything big, just low key, just like I like it!

Denver had to wear a tie for Bailey... he has a little crush!

Matt & I were going to go to St Joe on New Years day to prepare for painting at my grandpas but there was a winter storm warning all teh way south of us, so we stayed home. We'll probably go this weekend (did you see the weather yet... 50 degrees). But, after staying home all day, and E being so rough and whiney we NEEDED to get out of the house. Lucky for us Matt's mom could watch the kids (not sure how excited she was about it), so off we went to Grandville to do some returns/exchanges, grab dinner at Fridays and then Target to make a return. By the time we headed home the roads were terrible, it was snowing so hard, but it was so worth getting out of the house! Thanks Marilyn, you don't know how much that helped!

So, as I"m typing this I'm watching Super Nanny the second one of the evening. Anyone else watchign this one? It's terrible. These 17 & 14 year old girls are in charge of EVERYTHING while thier parents go off to work, including three younger brothers (who seem to scream a ton). Thier chores fully outweigh thier parents chores, at least 3 times. Then when the mom is home and one of the kids is throwing a fit, she (the mom) gives up, throws in the towel, so guess who ends up taking care of the boys again... so sad, definately a tear jerker!