This Little Guy.....

 Has the GREATEST imagination!!

Who needs blocks?? Canned veggies are way more fun!!

 He is becoming famous around here for his comments and phrases!! The latest episode in "What goes on in a 4 year old's little mind" happened at the dinner table tonight. There was a lively discussion going on, about several things, actually. My 10 year old was expounding on the virtues of playing an instrument and the details of how that could happen in 5th grade. The 7 year old was sharing his wish list for his up coming birthday (in about 2 weeks.) Not to be left out R pipes up with this......

"For MY birthday I want an MP3 player AND a Phone. A cool phone like Daddy's, one that takes pictures; a saxophone!!"

Oh My! what's a Mama to do with a request like that?? Thankfully his Birthday is still 9 months away. Maybe we can come up with a more practical idea before then......a lego set or some matchbox cars perhaps.

This creation prompted a cheery rendition of "Happy Birthday to ME!"

I don't watch much TV, partly because I don't have time but I think the main reason is that it's seems sorta boring with this kind of live entertainment around here!! Never a dual moment!

In other news.....

A Lollipop to celebrate  Success!

.........while others are posting cute pictures of crafty projects they've created.....My project isn't quite the photo opp that those are, but it's an accomplishment just the same!!! I am just about ready to declare boy #4 -- Potty Trained. Yeah!!! I've said more than once that I'd rather give birth than potty train...at least giving birth isn't gonna drag on and on for weeks or months. It's just NOT my favorite part of parenting, that's all. But "they" (whoever, the all knowing "THEY" are) claim girls are much easier so it should be all downhill from here! =)

Mama's Day Off

Yes, it's true. Every once in a great while this Mama with 5 Kids gets a W.H.O.L.E. Day O.F.F!!  My Mother came to stay with the kids on Friday while I did a host of errands, some of which had been put off for a looooonnngg time. 

My first stop was the Produce man.  A friend introduced me to this  local farmer who sells fresh produce from a little shed every Friday. You never know what you might find there. This week I was Thrilled to find Pummelos. We discovered these on our trip to Florida this winter and they are my newest favorite breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dessert, bedtime snack (you get the picture.) They look and smell like a jumbo grapefruit but their flavor is not as tart. Mmm! so yummy!

Yes, that's an average size orange there.

Mmmm! fresh citrus-y goodness!

Already having a wonderful time, I set out for a couple more  boring  routine errands but I got sidetracked. Every week I pass the Royer's Flower shop sign that advertises  B1G1 free on Fridays but I never stop, not with 3 little people in tow. This time I stopped and splurged on a little bit of "springiness" to brighten my kitchen. I love fresh flowers on my table but rarely spend the money for them. When I do it's typically the $3.99 bunches at the grocery store. I felt so special and classy as I waited for her to carefully wrap them in tissue paper and tie them with a pretty green bow, just for me! (Well, kind of! Since I'm really to cheap to splurge like that [all of $10]  on myself I "paid" my babysitter with half of them.)

They make me SMILE!

I had chocolate for breakfast (or maybe that was my lunch!) and.....

.....Coffee for dinner!

I found this fun little project to add a little extra spring to my kitchen window.

I wasted spent a couple of hours treasure hunting at the Goodwill Bargain room. Another place that is just NOT fun with little people. I have to admit it was a lot dirtier and more disgusting in there then I remembered but it's amazing what you can put up with for a great deal!! Next door in the regular GW store I picked up some good deals too. How could anyone pass up this super adorable little thing for only $2.50??

 

Okay so maybe my spring fever is slightly completely out of hand.....I'm sorry, it's JUST TO CUTE!! FYI, shopping for bathing suits is a lot more fun when fat legs are still cute, people admire your fat rolls and if your little tush is hanging out nobody minds......this is NOT my personal lot in life, however!


Before heading home I decided to stop in and check out one more of those places that I drive by "all the time" and never stop because it's not worth buckling and unbuckling 4 seat belts and dragging little people,  just to check it out. A fabric outlet, literally 5 minutes from my house and almost next door to one of the places I regularly get groceries. Oh what fun!!! Upholstery fabric, buttons, trim, lace do-dads........all kinds of goodies. Definitely not a place for little boys but it almost made me wanna get out my sewing machine and create a sweet little something for the baby girl to wear. I used to know how to sew, I made my wedding dress, but my biggest accomplishment in the past 5 years is some straight curtain panels. Hmmm! maybe someday when I get my house organized, my laundry caught up and the dishes are all done.....I'll let you know if it ever actually happens!

Goofball!!

I came back to this crazy place I call home.....exhausted but refreshed.......somehow the munchkins are always cuter and more lovable after a little break!!!  And then just because I'm spoiled rotten and I have the most generous sweetheart e.v.e.r. I went out Saturday morning for the first Yard Sales of the season. It was C.O.L.D! but the feeling has returned to all my digits and I'm counting the days till Saturday rolls around again!! Stay tuned for the best deals of the season.

Finished the weekend off with a Birthday Party for a cousin. There were science experiments, slimy things, things that blow up and eatables with food coloring as a main ingredient ....The boys LOVED it!!

Welcome Spring, we have Missed you!!!

There are lots of "springy" posts happening these days. (I like spring, but mostly because it's a direct route to SUMMER!!) I've seen pictures of robins and little green things sprouting from the ground. Ahhh! tis lovely indeed!! But spring looks a little different at our house. When we moved to this house a little over a year ago I was somewhat distressed to find not one blooming thing planted here.

I left these behind when we moved.

(Well, there was one, a fragile little  bleeding heart buried under multitudes of weeds. Unfortunately, I didn't identify it clearly enough to my volunteer gardener and it disappeared with those weeds. It's ok though, I forgave him, he was after all volunteer!! :o) Since we were only intending to be here very temporarily and because I have plenty of other things to do, not to mention my "brown thumb," I didn't do anything to  remedy the situation either. So the first signs of spring at our house look something like this.......

Sign of Spring  #1. The Giant Mulch Pile.

 

 NO! I  am not planning to mulch the whole front yard. This belongs to the small landscaping business that rents the barn on the property where we live. I love that I get to enjoy the fresh earthy smell without ever getting my hands dirty or acquiring any sore muscles. 

Official Sign of Spring #2.  A CLEAN  truck with a shiny, brand spankin' new, BUMPER.

 

This bumper has been in my garage for ever several months, carefully guarded and prepped by it's owner  for when the snow and ice finally disappeared so it could be safely displayed on the big rig. Even the 2 year old is obsessed with Daddy's new bumper!! (It's a guy thing!!)

Sign #3. Mud Puddles!!

They attract little boys like Magnets!!

 But this is how we celebrated the first day of Spring. (slightly more normal typical)

FREE Rita's! MMM!

 Followed by a trip to the Park for some fresh air and exercise!

Everybody had a good time! Even Daddy...............

He says snow and cold drive him crazy, I'm starting to believe him. ;o)

Enjoying a little snack!

And Thankfully, Baby Girl is feeling SOOOO much better! Her super sweet, easy smile is back!!

Of Projects, Purchases & Priorities.....

I found this skirt

at the Salvation Army Thrift Store (I think) a couple of months ago. It was a little big around the waist, but hey, that's a good problem, Right?? So when I got a chance to do some errands solo (a special treat, thanks to my DH who is super good about that!!) this week, I finally swung by the fabric store for a few inexpensive supplies to fix her up.

Since I almost never get to that particular store (fabric stores and little boys were never meant to co-exist) I simply had to run stroll down the scrapbooking aisle en route to my intended destination. What do you know, they're having  a sale! I just couldn't resist this lovely, lace~y, GIRL~Y paper stack (on sale for 1/2 price) and a few treasures from the $1 bin.....

(For those of you who don't know, after 4 boys, we recently added the color pink to our family......I really needed  to update my supplies, right???) So $20 later my thrift store skirt isn't quite the bargain it started out as. But, this

 was also delivered to my door this week......almost 400 pics from just the past 3 months.....added to my already ginormous stack of  "waiting to be scrapped" pictures. And really, that sounds like lots more fun than sewing!!

But in real life  this is my currant project.

 

Yes, I've used distributed ALL of these plus a few more to one or more members of my family in the past 48 hours. Poor little Baby Doll is so congested and hoarse she can barely squeak. She sounds just pitiful, one simply must pick her up and love on her!!

The Great Awakening

Have you ever been rudely awakened by your own children??  I'm not talking about the midnight bathroom runs or the 6 a.m. "I'm Hungry" kind of awakened. I'm talking about the "What is up with that behavior?" kind of awakening. Every now and then I get smacked square between the eyes and realize that somewhere along the way a really ugly habit has crept into my house and it must be dealt with in high gear and dealt with NOW! (Okay. maybe I'm the only one that has this problem. Feel free to skip to your next blog if you totally can't relate!)

 Those angelic smiles aren't permanent? Who Knew??

The latest episode at our house came when I found myself answering the question  (usually with a NO) "Can I watch a movie?"numerous times in a 30 minute period, sometimes before breakfast was completely swallowed. I decided to go for a week of no movie watching. I admit, I wasn't brave enough to declare my intentions out loud, just in case I recanted such a decision. After an expected increase in requests the first morning I started to see positive results. Yeah!! Of course it helped that we offered to loan the majority of our movies to friends who were taking a long road trip. What a well time "coincidence!"

 Of course saying No to one request means saying Yes to something else, right? So this week  I tripped over we set up a blanket fort in the middle of  the playroom. (Oops! forgot to take pictures of that one.) We played "puppy" with dry cereal "puppy food." (Surprise! we had to pick that up and put it back in the dish a time or two!)

 

But in the end it worked, it  really worked! He spent over an hour playing a game--with himself! =)

I asked him when he was finished if he won and he said "no, I just quit, cuz no one was running out of money." Love it!

Thursday morning we woke up to pouring rain and the question was "Mom, can I play with my umbrella?"  Embracing  a moment of insanity opportunity for adventure, I said, "sure!"

(If only this mommy had been equally excited about getting wet, the pictures would be clearer but.....these will have to do.)

After we peeled off wet & muddy boots, socks, coats, pants.......and washed the mulch and mud off of our faces, we ran a big load of laundry while we 

Watched a movie!

But amazingly enough I don't think I've heard a request for another one since. Ahh! the beauty of a little intentional parenting. If only I could remember that without the rude awakening moments!!!

A Penny Saved

  This may come as a complete shock to some of you but I've been noticing something lately. It has to do with the amount of money required for one to leave the grocery store with even a few precious bags of eatables. In addition to those (not so sneaky) rising prices there seems to be an equally disturbing demand for food around my house. Seriously that whole "supply and demand" thing they taught is business math back in 9th grade, there's something to that. So I've taken to searching out ways to solve (or at least minimize the damage of) this issue. That's not to say that I was really a money waster before, it's just that I figure there are always ways to do better.

THIS is what I'm up against! =)

It's been about a year now since I've started making my laundry soap. No, we don't eat that but it is a HUGE money saver!!! I even tried fabric softener once.

That started my "thinking outside the box." What else could I make for pennies instead of purchase for big bucks???? There is the basic bread, granola, applesauce....but I wanted to go a step farther. My sis-in-law told me her success story about homemade beef jerky and I couldn't wait to try it. To my delight it's really quite simple to do and  my husband is cheering this one on for sure!!!

There it is! After 24 hours in a simple marinade, it spent about 6-8 hours hanging out (literally) here one night and that's all there is to it. It takes a little time to slice it thin and hang it up but in the end we're talking $6 for a pound of beef jerky instead of $26.

Finished Product!

Then one day this week I stumbled across a recipe for homemade English Muffins. (Never thought of makin' those before but it sounded kinda fun so I gave it a spin.) I didn't have any corn meal on hand so I had to wait  few days till I could get to the store. It's really kinda ridiculous how excited I was about my $1.29 purchase.

Once again they were really not hard and one recipe gave me 18 for about $1 worth of ingredients. (At least as close as I could figure. Exactly how much does a 1/4 teaspoon of salt cost??) AND double bonus, they taste WAY better than those store bought ones!

So stinkin' cute! How could you turn down this kind of help?

You should have seen the little "victory dance" that came with permission to do this job!

So those are my latest ventures. I'm looking for some new ideas again?? What do YOU make that I might not have tried yet??


I've also been trying to learn the CVS game. That's a story for another time but here's this weeks haul.

Grand total $5.45! Yeah! That more like it!

Listed or Unlisted

So I'm thinking about taking up Real Estate Sales (snort!) No, I don't think that'd be "me." And No, our house isn't "For Sale" either, it's not generally acceptable in our society to sell things that don't belong to you anyway.

  Nope, this is me processing the benefits and pitfalls of List Making.  I've never been much of a list maker. I mean really can't you get 2 jobs done in the time it would take to find a pen (that actually works!) and a piece of paper and write down all the itty bitty little projects lined up for today??.....Dress Children, Make Breakfast, Pack Lunches, Meet School Bus, Sort Laundry......

  But recently I've been struggling with that "Spinning your Wheels" feeling. I suppose that's fairly common among people in my stage of life but it was really starting to bug me. So I did it, I found a pen, borrowed a piece of paper from somebody's notebook and sat down with a cup of coffee and a mission to write down ALL those things that just aren't getting done. Not the everyday grind kinda stuff but the "big" stuff. (e.i. Put away Christmas cards, start potty training the munchkin, tackle the chaos in the recipe drawer......) I hafta say, I was AMAZED! I had a instant feeling of control! Now instead of tying up my  limited brain power with remembering what needed done and when, I could focus on gettin 'er done! That answers that question, Right? Well, maybe not. I did get some major traction. Some of the things on my list had definite time limits (Valentines Cards really should be made before March 1st) and I'm convinced they wouldn't have all gotten done without the list..... BUT suddenly I turned into something far more task oriented then my "wing it" personality could identify. I was too busy to bother with "insignificant" stuff like meal preparation and laundry. Going to bed 3-4  hours after everyone else became the "norm." I can't say I was terribly pleased with the "New and Improved(?)" me.

So I'm back to square one, apparently making a list is not the ultimate answer. But perhaps in all of that I did find something a bit more useful to consider.... BALANCE! Isn't that really what so many things in life are all about.
**Balance between expecting too much of my kids and encouraging them to be the best they can be.
**Balance between serving "junk food" for the occasional dinner on a busy night and living on Fruit Loops for the next 5 years.
**Balance between keeping the house in a reasonable state of organized chaos and having time to play Candyland  and not letting things spin completely outta control or being OCD about when the toilet was cleaned last.
**Balance between finding time to be a good friend to other ladies in my life  or enjoy hobbies occasionally and unselfishly serving and caring for my family.

Balance the checkbook, balance the baby in one arm while folding laundry with the other, balanced meals.....
BALANCE! BALANCE! BALANCE!!

 So, I may just make a few more lists to keep things under control around here.( Forgetting to buy milk at the grocery store is not really advisable; especially if you're living on Fruit Loops. =) But I've come to the conclusion that it's gonna be an ongoing project. I don't expect to cross "keep life balanced"  off my list anytime soon.