Just Me!!

The photo's above were taken by my husband, on a trip to Ocean Shores, a couple weeks back (with the family camera). I love how he views things SO differently than the rest of us. His views are very unique! These are my favorites! Below are the photo's I captured with my Apple iPhone, that same weekend.

I was in the car tonight, on the ride home from Awana. Let me stop here to say one thing about Awana....I discovered tonight that the church the kids are attending for Wednesday night Awana, has several unlocked doors to the outside, no way to monitor the in and out of kids, adults, or any other lunatics that may want to steal the children. Even my Lexapro isn't helping with the anxiety that I am feeling now! I have already paid the $100.00 (I know it used to be free, right?) for the kids to continue (book fees, shirts and the like), so I hate to be THAT paranoid mom. Regardless, they are my kids, so tomorrow the church will be getting a phone call from this WORRIED mom. Moving on, or back, to what I was saying. My daughter made a very precise statement tonight, one that made me laugh. She said, "Mom, you are a nocturnal animal." After I stopped laughing I told her the story of how I couldn't get myself out of bed today, and how I convinced my youngest daughter to w...

The New Year came, and with it brought about some changes in our family schedule. Mark is now writing full time and continuing to teach 2 online classes with the University of Phoenix . His new writing schedule has left me creating my own routines in the mornings. He did a wonderful job doing this on his own for most of the year in 2009, so now I have to follow in his footsteps. I completed my first week (Mon-Thursday), and this is what I have learned so far: Ethan has to have his homework completed prior to Valerie getting home at 4p Kids have to set their clothes out the night before school Chores done at night prior to dinner Bedtime at 0730, which gets them 30 minutes of reading Start a load of laundry prior to waking Ethan up Wake Ethan around 0735; Enough time only for him to get dressed and eat Let the girls sleep in till 0750, feed them breakfast when Ethan is about half way through It's nice to take a nap when Charlie does! Charlie and I have had a very relaxing week. We h...

Birth 1st Birthday 2 nd Birthday How many mom's say, "I can't believe how fast time flies?" All of us do, especially when we look at how fast our kids grow. Charlie, my last, is now 2! We enjoyed a small get Thomas the Train party/get together at my parents house last night and spent today, just her and I, relaxing together (kids went back to school, and Mark spent his first day writing his novel). Happy 2 nd Birthday Baby Girl, this one's for you: Happy, Happy Birthday to You Happy, Happy Birthday to You You're Good to Grow So Count Your Candles and Blow Happy, Happy Birthday to You

Since the start of my new schedule, I finally get time to cook some yummy, time taking dinners for my herd. I opened my trunk filled with cookbooks and pulled out my favorite chef's cookbook from Food Network, Robin Miller. She has some amazing strategies , time saving tips, awesome recipes, and must have on hand sauce concoctions, all in one book. I love reading cookbooks, almost more than cooking with them. When I cook, I always write on the recipes, spill fixings all over the pages, and most likely dog-ear the pages I will use. I believe that it makes the book special, unique and most of all, mine. Here's what was for dinner on Thursday night... Pork Chops with Apples and Rosemary Curried Couscous with Peas and Carrots (didn't have the carrots...so omitted) Lemon Bunt Cake with Orange Liquor Frosting (a Sandra Lee recipe) She found these Spiderman glasses a few days ago, and they are still on her face!

Here's to hoping Santa doesn't remember us this year! I found the jump drive we purchased at last year's Santa Seatings! Hope this year yields happier kids, and better results. Maybe we should go before Thanksgiving?!

Mamma, this is much better than finger painting! My first time painting! I love days like these. Quiet ones when the kids are off at school, and Charlie and I get to sit around and create. Days when the coffee pot is always one, the wind is blowing, the washing machine is humming, the dishwasher is growling, and my house is dark. I had the opportunity with Ethan to be a stay at home mom for three years and sometimes I wonder why I gave it all up to become a nurse. I do love my job, and know that I needed and still need the outside communication, continuous education, and friendship that it brings to my life, but I miss these days where I am nothing but " mamma " to the sweetest little girl around.