Mommy's Girls {Wordless Wednesday}

These were taken on Mother's Day... I love my 3 girls!

This post is linked up with 5 Minutes for Mom, Mom Spotted, & Mama to 4 Blessings

Things I'll miss about baby days...

My husband and I have 3 beautiful girls and feel like we're 99.9% sure that we are done having kids... no more babies for us.  Though we have brought up the 'What if we had one more?' discussion, I don't think either of us feel that we need or want to have another baby.  So these are some of the things I'll always miss as my girls get older:

• coming up with baby name ideas
• hearing them cry for the first time
• chubby cheeks & thighs perfect for squeezing
• soft, sweet-smelling baby hair & skin
• open-mouthed kisses
• baby giggles and squeals
• tiny feet and hands
• tiny baby clothes, blankets, and shoes
• hearing "mommy" (why does it inevitably have to go to just plain ol' "mom"?)
• cuddling, rocking, and singing lullaby's
• first wobbly toddles across the floor
• hearing 'I love you' for the first time

Everyday our girls are growing bigger and learning more things.  With each new milestone they reach or each birthday that passes, it's always bittersweet... there's pride in seeing them accomplish something but sadness that they're no longer babies anymore.

Even after daughter #3 though, I always said that I wasn't going to make anything permanent.  We think we're done having kids, but we're not closing the door on it entirely.  And I do still have a backup baby girl name if there's ever a 4th girl added to our family and of course a baby boy name also... just in case.  ;)

Is your family complete?  How did you know you were done having kids... or are there more in your future?

Easter Egg Hunt- Wordless Wednesday

These are a few of the pictures from the Easter egg hunt out at the Grandparent's house.  Thankfully it was a beautiful sunny day!

 

This post is linked up with 5 Minutes for Mom, Mama to 4 Blessings, and Supermom

It's Easter Weekend...

We interrupt your regular scheduled programming (Weekend Wind Down) to bring you...

Easter Weekend!

Today is a busy, busy day!!  Boiling and coloring eggs- I did silk-tie egg dyeing last year but opted to let the girls color them with food coloring this year.

Headed to the store for last minute items for tomorrow's dinner and a few more 'goodies' for the girls baskets.  I need to sew a small part of my 5 year olds Easter dress.

And then finish putting together their Easter baskets tonight, which are nearly done but need finishing touches.  Hope you and your family have a very Happy Easter!!

Luck o' the Irish?

Not for me.  I hit the ground running as soon as I woke up this morning.  This is in fact, the first I've been able to get on the computer... and I should be sleeping.

The first thing I heard this morning before even opening my eyes was "MOMMY, the baby took her diaper off".  So I get up and walk into my girls room and sure enough, there's Miss J sitting in her crib completely in the nude.  No pj's, no diaper, and she had wet her sheets.

Ok, no biggie- strip the crib, get Miss J cleaned up.  Then Miss Curls comes over (in just her diaper) and I get a nice whiff of what's in store for me.  So I change her, dump the dirty diaper contents in the toilet and... it plugs up!  So I'm barely awake, and I find myself plunging a toilet... not exactly what I wanted to be doing first thing in the morning.

But all in all the day ended well.  My oldest daughter and I went to the hair salon and got our hair cut.  We had a great time and she loves her new cut, and mommy's happy too.  My hubby took this with his cell phone because our daughter wanted to send a picture to her Grandma... she's such a sweetheart.

So the day's over now, but hope you had a Happy St. Patty's Day!  ♣

My Weekend Woes and a Winner!

Disclaimer:  Feel free to skip down for the winner if reading about someone else getting sick makes you sick.

*          *          *

So I spent most of my weekend very sick, as in spewing-out-everything-that-was-in-my-stomach sick!  Our whole household has been sick off and on since the end of January- over a month now!

We have all taken turns with coughing, sneezing, running fevers, having chills, vomiting, diarrhea (I always have to look up how to spell that word), sore throat, runny nose, body aches, and on and on... when will it end?!

  

I'm going to have to start displaying a warning sign on our door.

Warning:  

Enter at your own risk...

spontaneous puking may occur!

*          *          *

Ok, now that I've just scared away all of my family and friends who were actually thinking of stopping by my house... here's the winner of the Restaurant.com $25 Gift Card from Social Deal Map.

1. Jen said...

They don't have anything local for me, but they do have a Blockbuster national deal.

I have a Blockbuster near me.

Congratulations Jen... enjoy your dinner out!  Hope you didn't read the first part of the post, or if you did can at least erase it from your mind during the meal.

Wordless Wednesday- Gabby Girls

They took turns talking on the phone to Grandma

This post is linked up with 5 Minutes for Mom, Shibley Smiles, & My Wee View

Looking forward to Spring!

I hate this part of winter, after Groundhog Day, after we've had a warm spell... a little taste of what's to come.  It's seems as though Winter has been going forever (it's actually snowing as I type this).  I am so looking forward to Spring- no more snow and cold!

One of my favorite things to do with my girls is head to the park and have a picnic.  The fresh air and sunshine, having a snack and playing... there's nothing better!  And generally I would just throw what we needed in a tote bag or try to fit it all into our small cooler bag.  But I would love to have an actual picnic basket to hold everything and keep it in its place.

You can get picnic baskets for 2 or picnic baskets for 4, and they come with everything you need to get started (minus the food).  You get glasses, plates, flatware, and napkins.  So it's ready to go when you are... just add the food and drinks and be on your merry way.

And if you're looking to be romantic, they have picnic baskets that even hold a bottle of wine and also come with wine glasses, corkscrew, cheese knife, cutting board, and salt & pepper shakers.  You can go with a traditional look or a more modern on-the-go look.  Now where's the wine and cheese... I am so ready for Spring!

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of 1001 Shops.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Growing Old...

I've had much of this post floating around in my head for several months now, but have been having a hard time writing it.  It's a difficult topic, no one really wants to think about it let alone talk about it.  Yet we all know that it's inevitable... we will eventually grow old and die.

My Grandma recently passed away and while I was helping to care for her before she did, it got me thinking about growing old.  Seeing her at the end of her life made me think about when other loved ones will pass, like my own Dad, and eventually it'll be me and my husband at that point.

It made me realize that I want to have everything in place and all taken care of for when it does happen.  In addition to senior life insurance of course, I also specifically want to have burial insurance for seniors to cover the cost of the funeral.  I don't want our children to have to worry about any expenses on top of the stress and emotions they'll already be feeling.

A typical funeral can cost between $5,000 and $10,000, depending on the kind of service and the choice of casket and funeral plot. Even for people that have life insurance policies, these costs can create a great burden that can add onto the stress of losing a loved one.

Dealing with the death of a loved one is never easy, but I want to make it as easy as it can possibly be.  I don't want to put my kids in debt trying to give me a proper burial.  I know the inevitable is coming, but in the meantime I can live my life to the fullest and be sure to utilize a site like BurialInsurance.org when my husband and I get to the 'senior' age.


Disclosure Policy

You will be missed Grandma...

I've known this post was coming for some time now, that still doesn't make it any easier now that it's here.  A wonderful woman took her last breath in this world and passed away yesterday... that woman was my grandmother.

This is her on her 90th Birthday

7.3.1918 ~ 1.28.2011

She died at the age of 92... her body just couldn't go on anymore.  A few weeks before, as I helped her into bed one night, she had said to me, "I'm fighting something that can't be won".  And she was right of course, none of us can live forever here on Earth.

She knew she was near the end and so did those around her.  She was at the point of needing around the clock care.  Thursday evening she had just been sent home from the hospital, this time because there was nothing more they could do for her.  She was sent home to live out the rest of her days as comfortably as possible.

That night I stayed at her house... she slept so peacefully.  I remember thinking as I got ready for bed in the spare room, how my grandma was the one who had taught me how to make a bed, the proper way, all those years ago when I was just a girl.

I remembered having sleep-overs, in that very bed, my sisters and I staying the night at Grandma's house.  We would stay up late reading the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books she had in the bookcase headboard.  One morning we had Rice Krispies for breakfast, I sneezed and my cereal flew out of my bowl and across the table... we all had such a laugh over that!

My dad and grandma- Aug. 2010

 My grandma with me and my girls

My grandma lived a long life, with lots of people that loved her very much.  She will be dearly missed.  May you rest in peace Grandma... and tell Grandpa and my mom hello.

Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" A Pop-Up Book {Review}

There's only a week left before Christmas, but still time to pick up this classic tale to bring home and share with your loved ones.  Most of us have probably heard the story as a child or watched it as a movie... in some form or another most people know of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol".   The tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.  This book has a new way to read and look at the story though- in  POP-UP form!

Every page has a beautifully intricate and detailed scene from the story illustrated by Chuck Fischer- it's a book both young and old will enjoy.  For younger children you can go from memory and tell a shortened version of the tale while just letting them look at the pictures.  There's also hidden treasures on some of the pages so there's lots to see.  For the older kids and adults, there are five removable mini-books throughout, one on each page.  The first one is a biography of Charles Dickens the author, the remaining four books include the entire text of "A Christmas Carol".

This would make a great addition to your bookshelf at home, a holiday classic to read and look at, over and over every year.  A new tradition with your children (just don't let the real little ones actually get ahold of it as there's lots that can be torn off if not careful).  This is one of those books you'll want to have in the family for a long time, sharing the tale as it was once told to you.

You can find "A Christmas Carol" pop-up book by Chuck Fischer from these retailers, and locally at stores like Barnes & Noble and Walmart.


Disclosure:  I was given a product for the purpose of the review.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and yours may differ.

Giving Thanks... for Sweet Potato Casserole

Before the craziness of the day begins, I wanted to write a quick Thanksgiving post and share my Sweet Potato Casserole recipe.

I am so blessed and thankful for my loving family, they are my world!  As much frustration as they can make me feel at times, they also give me unconditional love and bring a smile to my face every single day.

I'm truly thankful for my health right now.  I hope I have many more years of healthy living to enjoy my precious family.

I'm also thankful for the roof over our heads, the ability to pay our bills, and the food on our table... so without further ado, here's the recipe for my Sweet Potato Casserole!

9 x 11 in. pan, 350° for 30- 45 min.

Bottom
5 sm. cans of sweet potatoes (or 2 lg.)
3 tsp vanilla
4 well mixed eggs
1/2- 1 c. sugar (as needed, sweeten to taste)
1- 2 sticks butter, melted (I use 1 1/2 sticks margarine)
~mix until all liquids mixed to potatoes
~spread evenly

Top
2 c. brown sugar (dark)
1 c. flour (as needed until thick)
2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1- 2 sticks butter, melted (I use 1 1/2 sticks margarine)
~mix until sticky or flaky
~spread/sprinkle over potatoes
~don't cover while baking
~bake until top is brown and crisp

Mmm, delicious!!

What are some of the dishes on your table this Thanksgiving?

Wordless Wednesday- Blue's Clues!!

Who knew Blue's Clues was so captivating?  Well I know 3 little girls who think so anyway.  :)

To see more pictures or to link up your own, visit Wordless Wednesday and 5 Minutes for Mom

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday- Halloween Fun!

We had a pretty busy Halloween weekend so I didn't get a chance to post much, but here's a few pictures for Wordless Wednesday.  I took my girls to a Halloween Stroll at the mall on Saturday.  They had a ton of fun and got quite a bit of candy... the carousel ride was their favorite part.  One of their uncle's was with us so he went on the carousel with them, while I waited with my 1 yr. old and took pics.  :)

Sunday we went to the Grandparent's house for some more Halloween treats and games.  Grandma and Grandpa were very creative this year and the girls had a blast!

'Treasure Hunt along the Candy Corn Trail'

'Drop the Ball in the Can'

'Stack the Cups' (they're in the process of falling over in the pic)

'Spoon Catapult'

'Candy Hunt in the Huge Leaf Pile' (in grandpa's garage)

Our 1 yr. old, the Monkey, decided to steal the shot in this one.

2010 Family Halloween Pic (we tried, lol)

This post is linked up with 5 Minutes for Mom- here & here and with Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday- Being Two can be Tough

My two year old all tuckered out...

To see more or link up your own, visit Wordless Wednesday & 5 Minutes for Mom

Wordless Wednesday- Robot Zoo at the Museum

To see more or to link up your own, visit 5 Minutes for Mom and Wordless Wednesday

Having Company over and Cleaning up

No I'm not talking about having your company over to help you clean up like a cleaning party, how one might have a painting party.  I'm talking about cleaning before company comes over.  The getting ready, tidying up, last minute vacuuming and dusting.

There's nothing more motivating for me to really give my house a good cleaning than having a houseful of people on their way over.  And that's usually the way it works... company is coming the next day, or the same day, and I look around and notice papers on the counter, crumbs on the floor, toys all over the living room, laundry in the bathroom.... the usual chaos.

My home is lived in... by 2 adults and 3 young kids ages 5 and under, it is no way a model home.  It's comfortable and laid back... and sometimes messy, cluttered, and disorderly.  Of course I try to keep it neat and clean and organized on a daily basis, but that doesn't stop the mess from piling up.  So I've found myself up late many a night, or rushing around minutes before guests arrive, trying to get my house put back together... only to have my little monsters ahem, lovely children terrorize re-arrange everything again the very next day.

How do you get ready for company... last-minute cleaning or what you see is what you get?