Organizing the World - One Piece of Crap at a Time

I know I'm not alone when I say I like organization. I'm fairly sure I am alone when I say I want every ioda of my life to be organized. I want my clothing categorized by season and color. I want everything in my pantry, all the dvds, spice cabinet and under the sink organized alphabetically. I want all of the storage items in my garage organized by purpose. I want my makeup organized by feature (IE: eyes, skin, lips). I even want my dirty laundry to be organized by person and article. Is it certifiably insane? No. Leaning on the side of OCD? Possibly. Would it make my life so much easier? Definately? Is it likely I will ever acheive all of this? Certainly not. But I'll try, damn it. I'm revamping my work book. When I was pregnant with (or possibly shortly after his birth) my first child I constructed a home management binder that kept my life organized. Everything from scheduled daily, weekly, and monthly chores; recipes; important numbers; etc. It kept my life running smoothly. After the birth of my second child I had less time to devote towards maintaining a perfect home with counted food calories and nutrients for each family member. I didn't abandon my organization completely, but instead wrote down a list of daily to-dos for myself in a composition book - my work book. Now that baby number three is here (all three babies in 2 years) my life is a chaotic disaster, but I take solace in knowing that even though I barely have time to shower, can't pee without a bystander in the bathroom asking for M&Ms, and am constantly cleaning stuff off of, well, stuff... I still have my daily to-dos and it's my job as a good mother and wife to make sure it all gets done. Although I love the simplicity of tasks on lined paper that I can cross off when I finish them, I think I may feel better about my world if I had a defined day-to-day docket of sorts. I found some great ideas on the internet and now my mind is in a fury trying to add one more to-do to my list for today (create dtd docket) which will be far more time consuming than I want it to be. I'll have my normal list of things to do for the day but I will also have 3 MUST HAVES that must be completed every day. 1 will focus on ME. I haven't done that often enough in the past three years and it's killed an important part of me (time for a resurrection!) 2 will be one mandatory part of maintaining my home. 3 will be focused on the relationships that are most important in my life (IE: call mom, family outing, date night with the hubby) I will also have the days meal plan written out on my dtd-d as well as part of a health regime for myself. Don't worry, it won't include exercise. I get enough of that. Hopefully I can find some friends to motivate to join my task. It makes me so angry to know that somewhere out there, there is someone who is sitting on the couch watching tv while her husband works and the kids are crying while the house is a mess. What's the point of staying home if you are worthless in the home? Take care of your kids, provide a positive learning environment, clean (NO ONE likes this but it must be done), and cook. If you can't do all of those things all day, every day then you shouldn't be at home. You should be employed somewhere trying to benefit your family. When I tell people I'm a stay at home mom I generally get a flicker of disgust before some shmoozed comment. It's people like the aforementioned that give us a bad image. I work my tail off for my husband and my kids. I don't get sick days. Ever.... Ever.

Now that I'm off of my tangent, this organization helps me to keep pace with the workload of life and I think with a little more definition, my daily outline can help me de-stress. I'll post a final product when I get it finished... after I finish putting away 3 more loads of laundry, do a load of dishes, and clean the master bathroom. I need to start dinner soon too....

Thursday is Garbage Day

No, really... it is "Garbage Day" in my neighborhood. However, it is also figurative "Garbage Day" as well. For a few months I had fallen out of my routine and not only did my house cleanliness and nutritious meals slip a little, my self confidence, my ability to be the best mom possible, and my overall happiness slid a little as well. Today I am tossing out any bad habits that I had picked up and am returning to the way things used to be done. I have my "Work Book" (I bought a new one at the store today) and tomorrow morning I am picking up the mail sales ads to search for necessities to complete my menu plan - which also needed to be set back on track. I had resorted to trying to come up with last minute meals at the end of each night. That just added to my stress.

Today I speed cleaned the play room and Aiden's room in preparation for the new mattress set that was scheduled to arrive for Aiden. He and I left at 6:30am to go to Walmart and pick out a few new sheet sets as well. He loves his new bed so much! As soon as it was all set up, he ran around looking for stuffed animals and babies to "put to bed" and it was adorable. I've got to say, it's pretty comfortable as well. As usual, I got an AWESOME deal on it too. It was a steal. We got the mattress and the box for $90. They even delivered, carried it upstairs and put it in his room for me. But wait - it gets better. They let me pay via COD and wouldn't even accept a tip! YAY! Once I got the mattress protector (the waterproof cloth kind) and the sheets on, I took on the task of dismantling Aiden's old crib-converted-to-toddler-bed and moved it to the third bedroom. Eventually I will have to trudge back upstairs and set it all back up for Aralynn when she is old enough to move from the cradle to a crib. Anyway, you will notice that I have two pictures posted right here. The top is of Aiden's new bed. The second picture is of the accent wall in his room. It has a cute little puppy decal on it. Ambria's room has a purple accent wall and flower decals (which we will be changing to butterflies in time) and the third room (which will be Aralynn's room will have a dark pink accent wall. Why did we do accent walls? 1) It's cheaper to only paint one wall. 2) Too much color becomes overwhelming and looks low-class to me for some reason. 3) The kids' taste will surely change so it's less to repaint later on.

I have been making a diligent effort to spend a little time nearly every day (except the days when Daddy gets to be home) to implement learning time and arts & crafts with the kids. Learning time is spent being read to, mastering manners, colors, shapes, animals and letters. Arts and crafts consists (so far) of coloring and drawing. Their toys are also (painstakingly) categorized into boxes and although I do have a "fun" box pulled out into the loft, they also ALWAYS have the educational box. Will this make them child geniuses? Probably not. But it might help give them a leg up and hopefully teach them an appreciation for learning. It really is paying off though. Aiden (26 months) can identify all the letters of the alphabet, sing the alphabet, count to 5, knows all of his basic colors, knows tons of animals and the sounds they make and knows a couple shapes. Ambria (16 months) is also learning. She can (kind of) sing her alphabet, knows many animals and the sounds they make, can identify a circle and can count to 2! Aralynn (2 months) doesn't have dedicated learning time but at this point, everything is a learning experience for her. She can sit supported, smiles when talked to, and holds her self up with her arms. It's all going by so fast but I'm enjoying almost every minute of it.

In store for tomorrow:

MORE ORGANIZATION!

Afterthoughts

Wrapping paper is finally tossed out and only bits and pieces are left from what was once an over-abundance of desserts. Sometime this week I am hoping to make it to the store to exchange some of the things I purchased for Ian and the kids. I'm dreading it though. I can only imagine how long the customer service/gift return lines will be. I also need to start working on my list of "To-dos" and one of those needs to be registration for classes. I need to use up the last of my grant. Unfortunately, I need to speak with an advisor before I can register because I should only have 1-2 classes left if I haven't graduated already. The last time I went to see an advisor, the wait was estimated to be nearly 3 hours. UGH! Hopefully I can get in last minute while no one else is there.. because that's plausible, right?

Merry Christmas Eve 2010

Well, the end of the year is upon us and my family has been blessed with the ability to provide our children with a very plentiful Christmas. I've never seen so many gifts under a single tree and I am so excited in anticipation of seeing their faces while they tear through my hours of wrapping work. Aralynn only has a few gifts since she is only 2 months old, but the other two have no less than 10 each. Ian has 5 or 6 under the tree and then there are the (about) 20 gifts that I've made for extended family as well as 15 dvds. Stockings (which I have conveniently pre-stuffed with goodies) are hung and cheer fills the air in the Casey house this week. Now I just have to carry out and survive our Christmas dinner! Merry Christmas!

Blogging Competitors

Thanks to my really cool Android phone and the many apps within its depths, I've come across several blogging options. I sure love my blogspot account and it works well enough for me, but are any of these competitors better than what I currently have? Is there any way to compare without spending the time to fully create a new blog? Have any of my followers or any passers by tried any of the following blogging websites?

-Tumblr

-Ameba

-Wordpress

-Any other sites?

Dog Fight!

It has been several weeks since I have published a post for my loyal followers. My clan has been keeping me fairly busy. Coupled with a lack of sleep and a large homework load, I simply haven't had enough spare time to put effort into a post. Even as I type this post, I am multi-tasking. I am currently in class "listening" to a presentation.

On November 10th I decided to take my A Team (my babies) to the park so they could kill some excess energy. While I was dressing them, I heard my dogs (Maya and Llama) fighting. The noise escalated to a level I had never heard from them before and I could hear the back gate rattling. I assumed a stray was barking at them through the fence. I went out the front door and around the side of the house to chase the dog away. What I saw next horrified me. A very large pitbull had Maya's throat clamped between his jaws and he was trying to pull her out under the gate. She was emitting a blood curdling raspy yelp and all of my neighbors were collecting to investigate the sound. I yelled for help and screamed "he's eating my dogs!!" but no one moved. I think they were all as shocked as I was. Finally a large biker man from a few houses down came jogging up and attempted to pull the pitbull off my beloved pet. He couldn't budge him. He started kicking the dog in the head and punching him but the pitbull would not release my dog. He just shook his head wildly trying to kill Maya. Two hispanic men ran up and stood at the end of my driveway and I asked if this was their dog. They informed me that the dog belonged to their neighbor and he wasn't home. I told them I was going inside to get my gun and by the time I got back out, the dog better be gone. After I got inside I realized there were about 20 of my neighbors standing outside including several children and I decided a gun was not a good idea, so I opted for a metal pole from my garage. When I returned to the side of my house with the metal pole, the biker had gotten the dog away from my gate and was holding him up off the ground by his neck. The pitbull thrashed and bit the man which caused him to drop the dog and he ran back to the fence and unfortunately locked his jaws on Llama. While the biker was kicking the pitbull I was beating it with the metal pole as hard as I could and the blows didn't even seem to phase him. The biker then yelled at me to get the dogs into the house so we'd have a better chance at getting the pitbull away. I ran through the house and took the dogs out of the dog run but they were bleeding too badly to let them into the house so I moved them to the larger part of the backyard. The men who live nextdoor to the pitbull's owner tied some twine around the dog's neck and were leading him home when I returned to the front yard. My kids were crying in fear, my dogs were bleeding profusely, and I was a furious wreck. I followed the men and watched them return the dog to it's yard. They informed me his owner knew he was vicious and knew he kept getting out of the yard. His attempt to rectify this was to push a basketball hoop up against the gate to try and keep the animal in his yard. What a fool. One of my neighbors had called the police and animal control who shortly thereafter showed up at my house and were collecting eye witness reports from myself and my neighbors. I called my mom and asked for her help to get my dogs to an emergency vet clinic since Ian was at work with the car. Bill was on his way with the truck, Grandma and my mother were on their way to offer loving support and to watch the kids while I went to the ER with the dogs. I picked up Llama's ear from the yard and put it on ice in the hopes that it might have a chance at being reattached.

After 20 minutes, the ER was able to stop Llama's bleeding and they gave me an estimate to fix both dogs:
$2,300... plus tax!
My heart sank. There was no way I could afford to have them fixed up. I opted to just take them home. The next day I took them to their normal vet and got them into surgery. About $1000 and tons of meds and stitches later, the dogs are doing great! A little disfigured, but still great.

Meal Plan Monday

Here's the meal plan for the week:

Oct 11: Black bean & Rice Wraps
Oct 12: Curried Chicken
Oct 13: Beef Stew
Oct 14: Orzo Hotdish
Oct 15: ?
Oct 16: Restaurant for Tyler's Bday

Welcome Aralynn Elizabeth!

It's been a little over a week since my last post and not without good reason! I was admitted to Banner Thunderbird Hospital on Friday, October 1, 2010 and after no progression in my cervix, the doctors decided to break my water and start me on Pitocin. Five minutes after breaking my water, I was experiencing extremely painful contractions and asked for an epidural. The nurse (Jerri) called the anesthesiologist and woke up him from the doctor's sleep lounge to come right away. Unfortunately when he finally made it to my room and asked me to sit up, I could feel a head already being delivered. Regardless, he put in my epidural and as soon as I laid back down while he was setting up a drip pump to administer the medicine, I was already pushing. Three contractions later, Aralynn was laying on my chest being rubbed down. Beautiful and screaming. He finished setting up the drip anyway and twenty minutes later the epidural started to kick in. (pointless, but at least he gets paid) Aralynn Elizabeth Casey was officially born on October 2, 2010 at 4:07am and weighed in at exactly 7lbs. I spent 1 day in the hospital and requested to be released the next day so I could prepare for class on Monday (the next day.) Luckily, other than contractions to put everything back in its original place, my after-labor experience has been virtually pain free. Bleeding is also very minimal. This has by far been the easiest labor of all three. I truly enjoyed my experience. Lucky for us, Ian had a very light work week. He has been able to spend all day every day with me and the kids. He doesn't return to work until Thursday. He seems to really be enjoying Aralynn as well.

Today is my last day with Ian's help with the kids. Tomorrow I'll be going full force at my duties again. Today I am hoping to get some of the big tasks out of the way. I have three loads of laundry to fold and one more load to wash. I'd also like to finish at least two more Christmas gifts, clean off the office desk, clean off the chaise, vacuum, mop, and do one more load of dishes. Tonight I also need to start working on some big papers for class as well.

Last night for dinner I made apple bourbon pork chops with a side of mashed potatoes. It was devine! Dinner plans for tonight are spaghetti. We haven't eaten a simple spaghetti dish in a long time and I think tonight is a perfect night to go back to the basics.

Ambria has finally mastered using a spoon by herself! Aiden has his alphabet halfway mastered and can correctly identify the letters 100% of the time. Aralynn is only 4 days old and can already lift her head up to look around. I love watching my babies grow! Now that lunch is nestled into their bellies, we are going to go play at the park and then come home to play in the pool great aunt Nancy gave to them!

Meal Plan :D

Monday - Dragon Soup
Tuesday - Cheeseburgers and Seasoned Fries
Wednesday - Hawaiian Chicken
Thursday - Bratwurst
Friday - Beef Stew

Casey Castle Jewels

The e-store is coming along and getting traffic! We've even made some decent sales! I'm so excited to get this thing up and running. Next month I'm even attending a charity event for disabled children and I'll be showcasing new and existing product! What I love about this most of all is 1) I can spend more time with my Dad. and 2) It doesn't matter if I don't sell a lot because any earnings will be supplemental to what Ian already makes. If you haven't already, take the time to check out the site http://www.caseycastlejewels.ecrater.com/ and spread the word to your friends. Next week, I'll be in production mode out in Mesa and by next weekend, there will be even more merchandise on the site so be sure to check back often!

On another note, I'm still working on homework from last week. I cant believe how far behind I am. I am determined to catch up, though. I have another Exam on Monday that I severely need a good grade on to keep my A.

I feel bad for not posting my Monday Meal Plan. Just to keep you up to date, we've had Soft Chicken Tacos, Chicken Pepperoni Pasta, and last night was Lemon Peppered Parm Chicken with a side of Garlic Parmesan Rice. TASTY! Tonight is Chicken Pot Pie and tomorrow is Fiery Dragon Soup. mmm... I hope to get my meal plan posted for next week, but nothing is a sure thing. We'll see how it goes!

Errands, errands, errands...

Today has been a very busy (but pleasant) day. We woke up super early so Ian could get in the shower and I could make breakfast and snacks for the kids. We left the house at 6am, I got Ian to work at 6:58 (almost late!) and drove the kids to my mom's house so she could watch them while I was at my OB appointment. My appointment ended at 9:15ish so I collected the kids, and drove way out to Happy Valley and Lake Pleasant Pkwy to pick up a prescription for Ian. I pulled up to Nationwide Vision, unloaded both (now unhappy) babies and walked in. They hadn't seen him since 2007. I was at the wrong place. I didn't have an address, just cross roads, so it took 20 more to find. Relieved I had finally found it, I unloaded the kids and walked up to the (now correct) LensMasters. I pulled on the door - locked. This location wasn't finished being built. So all of this for nothing. Ugh. The kids were both fussy and hungry so I came home and here I am. I still need to go to Mesa to pick up some jewelry orders and go to the store to pick up dinner makings. We are having Nancy & Jesse over for dinner tonight and having chicken tacos. It'll be nice to meet them I just wish I had time to clean the house before they see it. Looks like that's not going to happen in time though. After I get stuff for dinner I have to drive back to Scottsdale to pick Ian up from work, feed the kids, yadda yadda, the normal nightly routine. Somewhere in here I need to get some homework done. I wish there were more hours in a day.

Pre-Holiday Fun and Freezer Food

Oh dear blog page, how I've missed you! On September 2, 2010 my gmail account was hacked and the password changed so I could no longer log into it (nor this blog) and with the recent shut off of my cell phone service, I had no way of retreiving my password. I finally got that all worked out and am back in business! I have so many wonderful ideas to share during this blog so lets get started!

As part of my efforts to stretch my budget and my clock (since there aren't enough hours in a day) I am always looking for new, quick dinner recipes that are still relatively healthy for my family. Lately I have only been buying boneless skinless chicken breasts and ground turkey from the grocery store, not only for the nutritional benefit over steak, ground beef, and pork loin but simply because it's significantly cheaper! (about half the price!) I use the ground turkey in place of ground beef in my recipes but what can I possibly do with so much chicken? We have our few family favorites which recently have been Hawaiian Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie, and Marinated Chicken, however it does get old week after week. So this week I think I'll try some new marinades (a new marinade can completely alter the taste of a meal!) and sauces. I've already separated my chicken into 4 freezer bags. Today I'll be making sauces/marinades to add to the bags, then I'll toss them into the freezer for an easy meal. This doesn't have to be a painstaking ordeal. One of them only has 3 things added to the chicken: garlic, soy sauce, and honey. Another will have italian dressing added, and I'll come up with some clever mix of ingredients for the 3rd bag. The 4th I will leave plain to have the option of fulfilling any special dinner requests. With this done, later in the next week or so I only need to grab a bag, thaw it for a couple hours and throw the chicken in the oven on 350 for about 40 minutes. SIMPLE! Could serve over rice, pasta, potatoes, or with a side of veggies. Can't beat that!

I've also started working on my homemade Christmas gifts (loving frugality!) for this year. I'm taking the time to personalize a gift for my loved ones and am truly enjoying the task. Though I'm not entirely fond of the holiday season (purely because of the added stress it brings)I must admit I am excited to see the look on everyone's face when they unwrap these delightful gifts. I can't wait!

Meal Plan Monday for Many

We now have a household of 8 since the McCombs have bunkered down with us and of course, we'll still be cooking yummy, home-cooked meals. The key will be to stretch the penny just a little farther by adding more filler. One issue any family runs into is that with more people, it is harder to please everyone. This weeks meal plan is just a general idea based on what we have in stock. Naturally, we may switch meals on different days or replace one meal plan with leftovers from a previous night. Nonetheless, here's what is (might be) in store for the Casey/McComb house:

Monday: Marinated Chicken with Mashed Potatoes
Tuesday: Turkey Meatball & Barley Soup
Wednesday: Order out (pizza or chinese)
Thursday: Mini Calzones
Friday: Spagagna

Also, with me so close to delivering baby 3, there is the risk that I will be in the hospital with our newest addition to the family. If this happens, this meal plan will be significantly different.

Discharged and back in Charge.

I'm finally getting released from the hospital today after being here for 5 days. They have taken such great care of me but I am so homesick and miss my kids so much that I was going stir crazy in here. Unfortunately I have been restricted to bed rest with no privilages other than getting up to use the bathroom. I can't even stand long enough to shower. This is frustrating for me but I already have a list of to-do's started in my head to help keep me busy.

1) Sort Ambria's old packed up clothes by age and have Ian put them in a dresser
2)Take pictures and set up an Etsy account
3)Create a meal plan for the week
4)Write up a grocery list for Ian
5)Catch up on missed school assignments.
6)Love on my babies.
7)Work the books on household finances
8)Possibly sew a new mattress cover for the cradle

I'm also hoping to talk my dear hubby into giving me a sponge bath tonight. We'll see how that goes.

Meals, Deals, and Hospital Pills...

Goodness have I missed communicating to the world! I was admitted to Banner Thunderbird Hospital on Sunday because of preterm labor (again) which hadn't stopped Saturday night. When they admitted me I was dialated to 3cm and 50% effaced. I'm not sure why but my baby girls are always in a hurry to get out and start making demands. Little spit fires. So here I sit in this antepartum hospital room hooked up to 4 different IV bags, getting 2 separate shots a couple times a day and enough pills to clog even the most durable garbage disposal. My wonderful family has stepped up to the plate and are taking rotating turns with the kids (who I hope are behaving) and my husband has impressed me most of all. I haven't gotten to see him much since I've been here but I hear he's doing a great job with everything at home and that we have to take care of this week. My cousin Ashley and her husband Kyle along with their daughters Kaylee (2) and Lexi (1) are moving in today and he's been trying to get the house ready for a second family. If I would have forseen my hospital stay I would have left him a detailed checklist and calendar (which I keep neatly stored in my head) to help him with the household duties. My routine keeps things easy and low maintanence but I'm sure he's got it figured out. At least I know he's taking good care of his babies and feeding them (they get loud if you don't) which brings me to meals. I am enjoying being catered to for once. Banner Thunderbird has changed their meal system for their patients. Instead of a nurse coming in and giving you two or three meal options to choose from they now have a detailed room service list that I can create my own meal from and order whenever I like. My diet is unrestricted (thank you Dr. Koon!) so I can order as much of anything I like! Breakfast was a belgian waffle, two turkey sausage links, and an english muffin with some milk and a cranberry juice. Lunch I'll be ordering in about an hour but I'm thinking the glazed chicken and rice pilaf is definitely in the running on this one! It really makes me want to go home and cook. Sadly, if I am released on Wednesday, my orders are strict bedrest with minimal privilages. I can only get up for short bathroom breaks. I think that will be my biggest hurdle. I enjoy being a homemaker and taking care of my house and family. Being there and having someone else do it will be devastating for me. However, I am a mother first and a homemaker second. I will do what needs to be done to make sure baby three can be healthy and safe, even if it means relinquishing the reins on my house for a week or two.
The good thing about being bed ridden and alone is all the time I've had to bond with the Food Network Channel in the wee hours of the night. I have seen so many wonderful meals prepared that I can't wait to try. Robin Miller really has it down right: Chop all veggies and 3lbs of chicken for several meals during the week and store them until needed. Maybe I'll try that. Alex Guarnaschelli also made an awesome chicken soup that I am going to do my best to replicate from memory. Can't wait to get home and get healthy so I can start cooking again!

Meal Plan 8/16/10 - 8/22/10

Monday - Honey Teriyaki Chicken over Rice Noodles
Tuesday - 15 Bean & Turkey Soup
Wednesday - Beef and Parmesan Pasta
Thursday - Mustgo
Friday - Hawaiian Chicken
Saturday - Grinders
Sunday - Shepherd's Pie

Meal Plan Monday on Sunday :)

Sunday - Spicy Dragon Soup
Tomato Soup
Milk
Cheese
Ground Sweet Italian Sausage
Rice
Barley
Cayenne
Garlic

Monday - Bean Casserole
Black Beans
Pork N Beans
Pinto Beans
Ground Beef
Tomato Sauce
Worcestershire
Vinegar
Garlic
Mozzarella
Barley

Tuesday - Mustgo

Wednesday - Steak Chili
Steak
KC's Magic Marinade
Chili Beans
Chili Powder
Cumin
Garlic
Tomato Paste
Onion (powder)

Thursday - Marinated Chicken Bake
Chicken
Rice
KC's Secret Marinade

Friday - Pesto & Provolone Stuffed Meatloaf
Ground Beef
Ketchup
Worcestershire
Brown Sugar
Bread Crumbs
Egg
Garlic
Pesto
Provolone Cheese
Mustard Seeds

*Edited... I came back to edit this post and add in some of the ingredients like I did in my previous meal plan post. Enjoy!

Superhero Tools & Appliances

I have been told many times that what I do is "amazing" and I am always caught off guard by this statement. Yes, it is flattering, but I don't feel overwhelmed by my full time schedule of kids, errands, and chores. It somehow all stays fairly manageable and today I finally took the time to figure out the answer to "just how do you do it?" My conclusion? Superhero appliances. Yes they exist. I have and utilize many tools on a daily basis that save me tons of time and make my job as a wife and mother so much easier. I decided to pay a little tribute to my superhero tools and appliances so here they are in order of usefulness.





Ridgid Wet/Dry Vacuum -


This is by far the most useful thing in the entire world. A shop vac. Not just any shop vac, the best one I have ever used, ever. Initially I was upset that Ian had spent $50 on a shop vac when we already had a Dirt Devil that kind of did the job (as long as I swept first) but after using it and finding SEVERAL other uses for this little machine, I fell in love. If my house catches on fire and I can only save one thing (aside from family) I would save this. The entire 1st story of my house is tile, even the master bedroom. Thanks to a nice long 20 foot power cord, a 7 foot long hose, and a well placed outlet, I can vacuum all of downstairs quickly and without stopping. The vacuum is extremely light and easy to carry (great to vacuum stairs!) and has a 4 Gallon container on it so I don't have to empty it very often and it even sports a 5 horse power motor. Needless to say, this baby will suck up everything from dirt and hair to half a peanut butter sandwich and anything in between! It's a wet vac as well (just have to pull the filter off) so I can clean stains out of carpet and couches. When angled correctly, it cleans the dried on food off of my high chairs and trays and has attachments for EVERYTHING. Here are all of the things I use my Ridgid for now:


Vacuuming Tile
Vacuuming Stairway
De-gunking High Chairs
De-shedding the Dogs
Cleaning out the Car
Treating Upholstry for Stains
Dusting Ceiling Fans
Insect Disposal
Snack & Mealtime Clean-up (gets all the big pieces too!)
Cleaning the Garage
De-gunking the Stove top
...and more!





It even has a blower feature on it so if I desired, I could use it to blow the leaves and seed pods from the front yard. As well as the dirt that collects on the patios. The Ridgid does it all which is why it is at the top of my list. It truly is a MUST have!






Ninja Master Prep -
This little guy is number 2 on my list simply because I cannot live without it. I use it between 15-20 times per day, every day. Yes... every day. I mostly use it for making snow out of ice and cooking. The snowy ice (which I am completely addicted to) is a staple in my house and helps me maintain my sanity (and waistline) however this thing also turns yucky vegetables into a nice creamy puree which makes it easy to hide in our meals. It also chops and dices anything I put into it making dinner time a quick and easy process.

Laptop -
My laptop makes the cut because I use it daily to help me maintain my organization. I use Microsoft Excel for everything: Grocery Lists, Budgets, Calendars, To-Do's, Reminders, etc. I have everything saved and organized and it helps to keep me on track in life.

Internet -
This one is a no-brainer. I use the internet to find excellent discounts on things my family needs and as my only connection to the outside world, it helps maintain a degree of sanity.


Steamer Bags -
LOVE THESE! I can chop up veggies, toss them in the bag and microwave them for 2 minutes. Instantly done and perfectly steamed veggies, every time! It takes a good 10-15 minutes out of my cooking time as well.

Kirby Classic Vacuum - I was given this vacuum by my Grandma and I am so thankful! Yes, it's old. Yes, it's ugly. But never before have I used a vacuum that has done such a great job on carpet! This vacuum is about 40 years old and can still do a better job than any dirt devil, dyson, or hoover you buy today. I keep this vacuum upstairs (since there is no carpet downstairs) and use it about once a week. I never have to go over any areas more than once and I am confident that it "got it all." Thank you Kirby!

Whew!

What a week! Even though I took 2 days off of most of my household cleaning duties, it still feels like my week has been super busy! I did have quite a bit of success of shopping prices though. I bought a whole month worth of groceries for somewhere around $150. I also managed to find a 5' x 8' area rug for only $30! I even found a brand new electric lawn mower with a grass catch bag for $129

but we can't quite afford it yet. Believe me, we'll be getting it soon though! Target also has a great deal on an awesome Oneida knife set that I have my heart set on when money allows. This week's menu has been quite tasty and somewhat experimental. I think I'll be doing my "Mealplan Monday" a little earlier than normal and will probably have it posted by Saturday (tomorrow) or Sunday.

The kids are still growing like weeds and learning like crazy. I did set up a new and improved bath time schedule for them which I hope will be better for everyone. Now bathtime will be every other night (unless otherwise needed) and will be given on an alternated shift of first Mommy, then Daddy. So I give bathes one night and Ian will do bath time with the kids the next time. Etc, etc.. Aiden is getting so good with his ABC's and identifying animals. I am so proud of him. Even Ambria is learning more and more every day. She can say Mama, Dada, No, Kitty, Bye, Hi, responds to several commands, loves to dance, and can eat anything except super hard foods like nuts and chewable vitamins. A normal day consists of 8oz of cereal (kix, mini wheats, or fruit loops) and a sippy cup of milk. Snack time is fruit (bananas or berries) and gold fish or animal crackers. Lunch is either a turkey and cheese OR peanut butter sandwich and a side of veggies (corn, carrots, or peas) and Dinner time ALWAYS includes some type of meat (ground beef, chicken, or ham) along with pasta or potatoes and veggies. I don't know how she manages to chew any of her food but she gets it down without any issues. I am so thankful to be done with baby food and toddler meals (until baby 3 arrives) because it sure does save money!

My to-do list for today is still somewhat long. Here it is:

Make bed
Dishes
Fold Finished Laundry
Wash Linens
Wash Basket of Clothes
Feed Dogs
Vacuum Upstairs
Vacuum Downstairs
Clean off Chase in room
Write Thank You Cards from Ambria's Party
Organize Toys in Playroom
Order Text Books for Classes
Sort & Put Away Ambria's Laundry
Clean My Corner of the Bedroom
Bring in, Clean, and Set up Bassinet
Wash Highchair and Booster

and that's all for today!

Rain, rain, stay a while...

This weekend has been absolutely wonderful! There has been so much rain these past few days and my back yard has truly appreciated it! The yard is 90% covered in nice thick, green grass.. my nearly dead tree has been revived and sprouted tons of new leaves. It is beginning to look like a real yard. Tonight Ian let the dogs out of the run to play in the grass with the kids and everyone loved it! (especially the dogs) Afterwards, we brought the dogs inside to eat not only their regular dog food but also a specialty of leftovers from the fridge which we no longer had any intention of consuming. The dogs felt truly spoiled tonight. It was nice to see them so fat and happy. Ambria was thrilled about being so close to the dogs. Her face lit up from the moment we let them out and she stayed excited about them until we put them away. Then the kids ate dinner and dessert, were both bathed and are now playing in the play room. I think for dinner tonight for Ian and I, I'll be making honey battered chicken with a side of white rice. I did get the chance to go grocery shopping today (for 3 hours!) but when I was putting everything away I realized I had forgotten a lot of things. Looks like I'll be making another trip this week which I know Ian will not be thrilled about.

School starts for me in a little over 2 weeks. I am so excited to be going to school again. My degree is so close I can almost taste it. Just a few classes left! After I receive my degree, I will be returning for a second degree (in finance.) My mom always told me to never stop learning. I really enjoy working numbers in excel anyway so finance may be a fun way to go! I even managed to get a little over $6k in grants so I don't have to worry about any financial burden while I'm going to school. How blessed am I?

I did not get around to creating a meal plan for this week. I figure we'll just play it by ear. I have tons of wonderful ingredients to make several wholesome meals so whatever we are craving that night will be the star of the dinner table.

Meal Plan Monday 07/19/10

I've decided to do this week's meal plan a little differently. Obviously different families have their own unique ways of cooking certain dishes. I'm going to post some of the main ingredients with this meal plan to give a better idea of what I'm making this week. Remember, this is not ALL of the ingredients I use in my dishes, this is just an outline. With that said: Here's this week's meal plan! Enjoy!

Mon- Beef & Barley Stew
-Steak
-Beef Boullion
-Carrots
-Peppers
-Potatoes
-Celery
-Barley
-Spices

Tue- Hawaiian Chicken
-Chicken
-Pineapple
-Bell Peppers
-Cream of Chicken
-Soy Sauce
-Worcestershire
-Garlic
-Spices

Wed- Chicken & Black Bean Quesadillas
-Jumbo Tortillas
-Chicken
-Black Beans
-Cream of Chicken
-TONS of Cheese
-Spices

Thu- Marinated Steak & Potatoes
-Steak
-KC's Secret Marinade
-Whole Potatoes

Fri- Lemony Chicken Risotto
-Chicken
-Rice
-Lemons
-Cream
-Cheese
-Spices

Sat- Chicken Enchiladas
-Chicken
-Black Beans
-Rice
-Enchilada Sauce
-Cheese
-Onions
-Peppers
-Jumbo Tortillas

Preparations for Ambria's Big 1!

After spending all holidays and special occasions driving to and from various relative's houses, Ian and I have decided we just can't manage it with the kids. It puts too much stress on us so from here on out, holidays will be at our house and anyone is welcome to come, but we don't plan on going out. This being decided upon, we held an Easter party at our house this year that turned out wonderful. Now, I am throwing Ambria's 1st birthday at our house. Her theme is butterflies and though it will be a wonderful party, I am so stressed about it. I have 6 days to get everything ready around the house. Today I spent a better portion of my afternoon, sorting through the third bedroom upstairs which we have used as my scrapbooking/our storage room. It was a disheveled disaster! I feel great knowing it's finally nearing presentability! This room won't be used during the party but I do have family coming over that have never seen our beautiful home before and I'd like them to see it in all of its glory. I have cute out hundreds of paper butterflies which I hope to affix to my walls and ceiling by Saturday and I'll be baking cupcakes on Saturday as well in hopes of decorating them to look like butterflies for the party on Sunday. Grocery shopping for the party food will be done on Friday as well as a preliminary floor to ceiling house cleaning. I will clean any child related messes and dishes on Sunday morning before guests get here. That leaves me Tuesday - Thursday to worry about any other things that I need to get done. However Tuesday (tomorrow) I have to go get an iron injection since my bloodwork came back with alarming results, then rush home in time to meet up with my home nurse who will give me my weekly injection, then fix lunch for Ian and the kids and see Ian off to work. My weekly injection drains me for a day when I get it so I suppose the remainder of my Tuesday will be lost to dishes and activity time with the kids in the loft. That will leave me Wednesday to clean the changing room, and upstairs bathroom as well as pay some bills, pick up the play room and finish all of the laundry in the house. Thursday will be spent (hopefully) at a Farmers Market in Mesa, and the swap mart in Phoenix in search of some worthy rugs for the living room and foyer. I've got a busy week ahead of me but I know I'll get it all done!

Chapter 2

The Crooked Path has its dividends.

The great thing about growing up is getting to leave the house and make your own decisions, thus, deciding your own future. The crappy thing about growing up is having to leave the house and make your own decisions, thus, deciding your own future. The important thing to remember after this transition and for the rest of your life is to trust your inner compass. It will never let you down, although sometimes it will confound you. Each and every one of us has her own crooked path complete with detours, wrong turns, and dead ends. Even more frustrating, we have our own timetables! I wanted to graduate college at 23, have an awesome career, get married at 24, have my first child at 25 and maybe a second or third by the time I was 30. As it turned out, I was pregnant and married by 21 without any sort of college degree and ended up losing my job. Baby 2 came when I was 23 and baby 3 will be here shortly after I turn 24. If I had been told this was how things would work out back when I was just graduating high school, I would have been horrified. But I have to say, it's pretty perfet the way it's worked out.

I'm sure some of you today are attending the perfect college (or have the perfect degree) and have the perfect husband and the perfect career. Congratulations! - I hate you. For those of you who do not, take heart. Things have a way of working out for the best - often in very surprising ways! My husband lost his job and we were left without any income for several months. Although it was devastating, he found a new job which he truly loves and enjoys every day. This job has medical benefits which the other did not, he is now working indoors instead of the Arizona heat, and he is in a career field which he has always wanted to settle into. The crooked path has its dividends.

Another thing you need besides your inner compass are your fearless shoes. I am wearing mine today (which happen to be in the form of bare feet) because I have a few inner demons that drift by now and again. But self-doubt is not a good reason to say no to any new opportunity. We are all capable of so much more than we think.

Excellence takes hard work and commitment. It's so easy to think it's a snap for everyone else. You automatically assume that everyone else has it together. They may give that impression, but it's simply not true. Everyone has to struggle. Sometimes your biggest battle is to believe in yourself.

Chapter 1

I've been inspired by a book that my husband's aunt has given me and I have decided to dedicate a string of blogs to my best friend, Lainy. I hope they will help her find a release for the stress in her life and make things a bit more tolerable for her. At the very least I hope she can find strength in them.

There are things every woman should know. I intend on going over each of the important things one by one.



Chapter 1: Carpe Diem.

Simply put - seize the day. Every day. Wake up early and take your time in rising. Be refreshed, not rushed. If you have kids then be sure to wake at least 10 minutes before them to give yourself some quality YOU time. Wash your face, drink a cup of coffee (ew) or do whatever you need to do to feel like you have officially started your day. Rushing into it in a frenzy starts the day off with stress and if that's how you are jumping into the day - it's likely how you'll finish.

Look for small revelations all day long. If you are inherently pessimistic, you'll have to look hard but they are there, daily. It could be anything from your child learning a new word or skill to witnessing a stranger do something nice for another stranger. Is everyone in your family healthy today? Awesome! Victory for one day! Did you conquer your urge and replace that pizza for lunch with something a little kinder on the waist? If you have gone through your day and are finding yourself feeling down because you were unable to find any revelations... do you know without a doubt that there is a person out there that loves you for you? Then great! It's still a victory to add to your belt! Love everyone around you and someone is bound to return the favor.

Don't know ANYONE? Go outside. Take in nature. Everything from the bugs that gross you out to the butterflies and the rodents to the more appealing mammals are all sharing this moment in history with you.

Love your work and enjoy your play. There is no lasting joy in doing things for money or fame. Do them simply because you love what you do. If you stay at home while your spouse works, you may not enjoy doing chores around the house but if you love doing these things to keep your family in a happy, healthy, clean environment, there should be no reason to ellude these duties. I enjoy doing the chores around my house. I know I am keeping busy, burning calories, and not being lazy. It makes me feel good about myself and my home and I know my husband appreciates coming home to a cozy house.

Finally, welcome the night. Good sleep is your body's mending time. When dreams take hold of your mind, all worry and anger becomes subdued and temporarily doesn't exist.

Take time out of your day to

Monday Meal Plan 07/12/2009

Good evening everyone! I've got this week's meal plan put together. It is heavy on the chicken because of a great sale on chicken breast last week. I was also fortunate enough to get 3 full carts of fresh produce from the farmer's market for only $50! Three whole carts full?? Yes. Three. It is a lot of produce but it will also help stretch my dinners further, thus saving money. So here it is:

Monday: Baked Kielbasa, Potatoes, and Peppers.

Tuesday: Chicken Stroganoff

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday: Chicken Cheddar Melts

Friday: Steak and Onions

Saturday: Turken (Turkey stuffed Chicken) & Veggies

This week I'll be hanging all of the paper butterflies that I've cut out for Ambria's birthday party. I'm getting excited even though it's still 2 weeks away. I figure it's best to start slow and steady to make sure everything gets done and that I am not rushed (and forgetting things)

I also hope to slowly make my way through my scrap booking room and get everything organized and labeled and ultimately moved into storage so I can make room for baby three.

2 1/2 Hours & Sanity?

After a nice day at the farmer's market with my brother yesterday turned hectic as the kids tore through my mother's house. I had been experiencing severe pelvic pain (because of baby 3) and had a nasty head ache and back ache to boot! Ian drove us home and he was such a wonderful help. When we got home the pain was so severe I actually started throwing up (not pleasant) and it was painful to walk. I was able to lay down in bed while Ian played with the kids and kept them happy. I'm so thankful that he was able to see how much I was suffering and stepped in to help. I woke up to screaming about an hour later, got up and went to investigate. At this point it was about 7:30pm and I did discover 2 hungry babies. However, I also found something else which also surprised me. Ian already on the ball and making them dinner. He didn't even ask me what they needed to eat. On top of that he warmed up leftovers for him and I to eat as well. He was so on top of things and took such good care of me.

Despite planning to go to bed around 10pm since Ian had to be up at 4am, we ended up staying up until nearly 1am! Ian has been having trouble sleeping lately so he was up every hour until his alarm went off at 4. I tossed and turned as well and finally decided to stay up at 3:30am. I got up and started laundry. This spurred an entire laundry day! By noon I had washed, dried, and folded 4 loads of laundry, done 2 loads of dishes, cleaned out the truck, fed the dogs, vacuumed all of downstairs, got Aiden ready to go to his Grandma's house for the night, made the bed, etc.. etc... I am still amazed I got so much done! From noon to 7pm I have a rule about minimal electricity consumption since we get charged more during those peak hours, so I like to have laundry, dishes, and vacuuming done before noon or after 7. Ambria laid down for a nap at noon so I rested and snacked on beef jerky. Overall, I am super happy with my day. I will be taking Ambien tonight so I can guarantee myself some sleep but luckily ther is no housework that needs to be done tomorrow (though I'm sure I can find something if I get bored)

I hope you are all keeping happy, healthy, clean homes too!

Under-the-Weather and Over Budget

What a Thursday. Everyone in the house is feeling under par today. The kids are completely stuffed up and lethargic. Ian is dizzy, and stuffy, and achy. I am... well, it doesn't matter because I have to work anyway. Someone has to keep the house going. One bright side to our lazy sick day is the kids have both wanted more naps than usual. This gave me time to take a short 30 minute nap today which I treasured to the max! Ian brought Ambria into bed with us when she woke up and she was kind enough to wake Mommy with a barrage of wet, slimy kisses. But I loved every minute of it. Ian and I laid in bed playing with Ambria for a little over an hour while Aiden continued to sleep. I wish we could have family time like that every day. It was wonderful.

Sadly, Ian has had a week off of work due to a shortage of available hours at work so our finances will be taking a monumental hit. Today and tomorrow, though, he has a few side jobs to earn some extra income. He left at 5pm to help his sister move a roommate in to her house, then he'll be picking up a pay check and stopping by a customer's house to set up an amp and some speakers. Hopefully it will be easy work and won't take too long. Tomorrow he has 2 more customers to set up audio for. If his schedule allows it, he'll be going to my father's house this weekend to texture his ceiling and cut up some scrap metal. I just hope he is feeling better. I hope we all are.

On the menu for tonight is our bean casserole. I love this dish! It's a simple recipe that has very little prep time and is rather healthy too! You can find my recipe here. In my picture you'll notice bits of white mixed in with my bean casserole. I added barley to it. I love cooking with barley since it is so good for you. Other than that small addition, the recipe is virtually the same.

Master Re-mastering..

Today is going to be a very productive day (hopefully) in the master bedroom! I'm doing some deep cleaning and re-organizing to get the room set up for baby #3! This means the rocker and chase in the room need to be cleaned off and moved around so I have room for her cradle. All the laundry needs to be organized into their respective baskets, everything will be dusted, vacuumed and cleaned and in tip top shape. I'm excited to knock this project off my to-do list. Here goes nothing!

Meal Plan Monday!

Wow this week has gone by so fast! I guess that's a good thing since time flies when you are having fun, right? Though I did spend a lot of time and energy stocking up on 6 months worth of goods, I did not stock up on meat. Until we can save up for a deep freeze I am unable to buy large quantities (more than a month worth) of meat since it would ultimately end up with freezer burn before our family had the chance to cook and consume it all. This week, our meal plan is a little more limited with the options of things to cook since I will be using the last of our meat until I can make it to the store to restock. So here it is:

Grilled Sirloin, Peppers and Zesty Potatoes

Steak Chili and Grilled Cheese

Hawaiian Chicken & White Rice

Beefy Bean Casserole

Stuffed Chicken and Chutney

Mix & Match Hotdish

I will try my best to try and take pictures of our meals this week since I have been slacking in the picture taking department. Feel free to ask for any recipes!

Farmer's Market Trip

Yesterday was such a wonderful day. I had been feeling really down with no hope of lifting my spirits. My step mom, Angela, picked the kids and I up and drove us to Mesa where we went to the MVD with my dad and legally put the Hyundai in my name. It's all said and done and I am finally the proud owner of a fully paid off, good looking car that not only comfortably holds the car seats, but also sports an awesome A/C! Afterwards, we all went to the Mesa Farmer's Market. All I can say is, WOW! The prices there are so amazing! The kids enjoyed snacking on blueberries and dates while we shopped and I ended up getting a whole cart of fresh fruit and veggies for about $30. I was so surprised. Looks like I'll be going there once a month to get my produce. It's well worth the drive.

Last night for dinner, I decided to cook outside the box. I chopped up an onion, red and green bell pepper, squash, and zucchini and cooked them up in olive oil, garlic and curry. Then I cooked, peeled and diced up my eggplant and added it to a ricotta and sour cream curry sauce that I had made and mixed with a bit of pasta. I layered this over the bed of veggies and Ian LOVED it. The plus side? It was so healthy.

For breakfast today the kids dug into a ton of the fruit. They had blueberries, a banana, a few prunes, and grapes. They are such good eaters. Hoping to do grilled ham and cheese with a few dates on the side and cottage cheese for lunch. Then we'll be off to their cousin Connor's birthday party!

Belated Meal Plan Monday

I did finally get around to our meal plan. Here it is!

Kids' Dinners
06/16/10 - Turkey Spaghetti
06/17/10 - Mexican Chicken Pasta
06/18/10 - Eat @ Grandpa's House
06/19/10 - Spaghetti Noodles w/ Diced Ham & Tomato Sauce

Adults
06/16/10 - Spaghetti & Brie Stuffed Meatballs
06/17/10 - White Bean Quesedillas and Spicy Mexican Rice
06/18/10 - Marinated Eggplant over a bed of Curried Veggies.
06/19/10 - Kielbasa, Potatoes, and Peppers

Hello everyone! Meal Plan Monday was unfortunately delayed to Wednesday so I will be getting on it tomorrow! I did manage to spend 3 hours at the grocery store stocking up on 6 months worth of canned and dry goods for our household. Prices are so good right now, I just couldn't pass them up! Six months worth of canned foods such as tomato sauce and soups, cream of chicken, ravioli for the kids, canned vegetables, tons and tons of canned beans, etc. I also stocked up on bar soap, toilet paper which was only $10 for 24 rolls of Cottonelle, paper towels, shampoo, razors and a few other things. I did not buy meats since I do not have a deep freezer, nor did I purchase any pastas, cereal, rice, or potatoes for fear that it would be bug-infested within 6 months. It's not likely but I don't want to risk it. I ended up spending $300 which is well under the $570 limit I had set for myself however after 3 full carts, I just couldn't push anymore weight around so I didn't get everything I needed. I still need to go back to the store for round 2. I hope to do that tomorrow.

My dear husband and I have been very close this entire week. With disagreements to a bare minimum (none that I can even recall) we have been working as such a great team and I have my husband to thank for it. He has been such a tremendous help with the kids and has been the best play time buddy for them. They love him so much. I love to see their little faces light up while he crawls around the playroom chasing them or throwing them into the air while they squeal with delight. It's fun just watching them.

I'd like to take the time now to say congrats to my mom and step-dad for the new addition to their family! Their horse gave birth to a little colt yesterday at 2am! He's such a cutie! I hope you guys thoroughly enjoy him. (I know you will!)

I'll post again on Wednesday with the meal plan!

But Wait, There's More!

This week is going to be a hectic one. Not entirely busy, just stressful. It's only Sunday and I already feel as if I am behind on everything. I still have to vacuum and quick mop downstairs, do a load of dishes, carry a huge box downstairs and into the garage, clean the back patio, organize the refrigerator, clean the kitchen and fold laundry, figure out a dinner for the kids and make it, bath time, figure out a dinner for Ian and I, and some tidying once the kids go to bed. Tomorrow I have to take Ian to work, take two energetic babies to GCC, get them to sit still in a public setting while I wait to be called, and pay for my summer class, convince my sister Brianna to let me borrow her car for a month so I can actually make it to class (assuming I can find a sitter), try and squeeze in 3 more loads of laundry (on off-peak energy times,) clean the play room, scrub both bathrooms, buy some last minute things from the grocery store, make Brianna a birthday gift and then at 10:30 at night load the kids back in the truck and drive to Desert Ridge to pick Ian up. Ian is having his ex and her new husband over for dinner on Tuesday so the house MUST be 100% ready to show off in every room, the kids need to be scrubbed down and naps have to be timed perfectly for optimal behavior during our dinner. I have to look like a fairy tale Goddess so I will be needing a hair cut, color, and style as well as a full facial and I will be needing to find my most impressive outfit which probably will look less fashionable over a pregnant belly - but I can make it work. The dogs need to be bathed and given a stern talking to about their behavior before company gets here, I need to cook a full 3 course meal that is undeniably breathtaking... and somewhere in all of this mess I need to keep my babies happy throughout the days. After the first half of the week tears through me I'd like to rest - but wait, there's more! Don't forget my obstetrical appointment on Thursday morning, don't forget to put the dumpster out before I leave because it's already full, Ian's friend Brent is having a bachelor party on Thursday night which Ian and I still need to discuss and agree on. I need to find a dress to wear to the wedding on Saturday, figure out a wedding gift, find a babysitter or risk complete and total chaos with two babies, don't forget to feed the dogs every day, somehow manage to convince Ian to clean the dog run, remember to call mom everyday, make Lainy some tarts, make sure Ian always has clean socks, get he car out of impound and through emissions (somehow), don't forget to pay Directv or it'll be shut off, cut out more butterflies for Ambria's birthday party, design, painstakingly hand make and mail out all of her birthday invitations, schedule a day to spend time with Dad, somewhere in here Brianna needs a Birthday dinner and cake, diapers, diapers, diapers... BREATHE!

..and don't forget to shower.

The Working Man, the Learning Family

My DH, Ian, started a new job back in April as an A/V Technician for the Marriott. He absolutely loves his job and I find solace knowing that this is what he enjoys doing for a living. We get medical, dental, and vision benefits along with other great perks. I am so happy he found something he actually loves to do. More so, I'm happy he's no longer working in that cancerous sunshine all day! It's nice for him to have an actual schedule too. My only complaint is that he works undesired hours (usually from 2-10:30pm) which force him to leave the house by 12:45 in the afternoon and if he gets off work on time he usually doesn't get home until 11:30pm. It's a long day but it's a steady income and we are lucky to have it. On the bright side, it's nice to have that much time to myself to get my job done as well. On top of laundry, dishes, pets, and cooking, two babies are a non stop wrecking site in the house. Another plus is Ian will be receiving two raises this year. The extra money will hopefully be put towards a second vehicle for us and possibly our looming tower of debt.

I will be returning to school next month and I am so excited! I only have the summer plus one semester until I earn my degree. It has taken me a long time but I surely believe the cliché, "Better late than never."

The kids are also expanding their minds. I read to them every day. I wish I had done it more when Aiden was younger but he was so active and had no interest in sitting still while I read to him. Now he loves pointing at the pictures as I read and Ambria is just thrilled to be in our company so she sits happily listening. I've been reading books in my spare time as well. I have enjoyed a good book every now and then for the past several years but lately I have been looking forward to it on a much regular basis. It is my own beautiful vacation in this vacation-less world of mine.

Oh, How they grow!

I am so proud to finally be putting an update on here today. Ambria has come such a long way. I will admit I was frustrated at first since she has reached her milestones at a later age than Aiden did but I realize all children grow, learn, and develop at different rates. Ambria is now 10 months old and so far she has 4 teeth, can cruise along furniture, she drinks from sippy cups (no more bottles!!), she can say mama, dada, and kaka (kitty, kitty), she waves hi and bye, claps her hands on command, crawls like a speeding bullet, plays very well with Aiden (despite his rough-housing) and as of today, feeds herself with a spoon!!! Sure it was messy, but she did it and I only had to show her how once. I am so proud of my beautiful girl and I don't care that she is taking her time with walking, she'll do it when she's ready.

Aiden on the other hand is so big I can hardly believe my eyes! He runs, jumps, talks very well for his age, and he's already learned some of his ABC's! He can correctly identify A, B, and C 100% of the time, D is still about 50% but we are working on it and he pronounces them crystal clear! He goes upstairs and puts himself to bed when he is told, however lately he has been asking me to read him books before he'll fall asleep. He soaps up and showers on his own, helps feed Ambria, tells me when he needs to be changed, brings me diapers for Ambria, throws things away for me, and vacuums! I am so proud of my big boy! He even plays catch (althouh he's better at the throwing part). He rode a horse at his Gma's house, and he even drinks very well from a big boy cup (not the sippy) I am so blessed to have such wonderful children and I just know number three will be a blessing as well.

On the topic of growing, our dreams of a beautiful yard are coming to fruition. Our grass is slowly but surely coming in thick and green, the dog run is staying maintained, and the tree we planted is growing steadily. We decided against planting an Aprium tree because of water consumption. We instead planted an Indian Laurel since they are great for shade, fast growing, and low water needing trees. We planted it in reach of the sprinklers so it wouldn't need to be watered separate and only run the sprinklers for 1 mintue, twice a day. The grass is bermuda grass so it is also a low water consumption greenery for our yard. By this time next month the lawn should be full and green and Aiden and Ambria will be able to play for hours in the grass while I read on the patio. They love being outside.

My cookbook is also coming along nicely, I've got nearly 70 of my very own recipes in it and I'm nearly done with the designs. Publishing it will be easy since I am not looking to sell and make a profit. I am hoping to pass it out to family and friends. We'll see how it goes!

Happy 2010 Earth Day!

I'm going to further my efforts to reduce spending in our house since keeping costs down keeps bank accounts up! As a side effect, we will also be living a little greener because of it!

This weekend we are completely revamping our backyard. We will be moving the gravel to the back of the yard and creating a wonderful landscape that will give our children somewhere safe to play. We will be laying sprinklers and drippers, planting grass, a blue and a yellow hibiscus and an Aprium tree. We plan on harvesting the Apriums for fruit, juice, jams, and sauces. In addition the tree will be a wonderful source of shade for the yard. Also, I am planting a vegetable garden with bell peppers, tomatoes, peas, and carrots. How do we plan on keeping our yard beautiful with our three monster dogs? A large dog run on the west side of our yard! It will be perfect.

After our yard project, I will be making homemade dishwasher detergent since I go through so many loads of dishes during the week!

After Easter Clean-up

Easter 2010 is the first holiday get together I have ever hosted in my own home. It went so well I am considering which holiday I'd like to host next! The house was clean and sparkling, the food was top notch! I made from scratch 13 dishes and my brother brought a side of spicy bbq beans (he insisted) and everyone ate their fill. We had a wonderful BBQ pork roast which cooked for 8 hours, garlic mashed potatoes, bacon cheese tarts, baked mozzarella balls, shrimp, pudding pie, lemon and raspberry jello squars, lemon glazed pound cake, vanilla braid bread, and so much more. My 18 month old son got to hunt for Easter eggs (which he thoroughly enjoyed) and I got to be in great company.

Ever since my husband and I first got together we ate our meals in front of the television while watching our favorite shows. Last night I did some minor reorganizing and after the kids were asleep my husband and I ate dinner at our dining room table for the first time ever. It was quiet and awkward, but nice. This morning all four of us ate breakfast as a family at the kitchen table. It was so wonderful! I felt like I was in a dream or a family from television. I cooked up french toast and hamsteaks for myself, my husband and my son, my daughter got cheerios and a bottle of milk. This is the start of something I truly love. I am so glad our family made this change.

For the rest of the day I have household recovery scheduled. This basically means my house needs to recover from my Easter party. I will be some much needed scrubbing and cleaning since there were several spills.

Hello 2010!

Yes, I do realize it's the end of March. I also realize I haven't updated my blog in several months. I only have family hardships and myself to blame. I have a whole new gameplan for 2010 though. Firstly, I am going back to school - full time. My intentions are to finish my degree so I can be a little more valuable to society. I have also started work on a book which may or may not be published in the future, depending on it's outcome and quality.

My life is still hectic. Two kids keeps me quite busy and now, with a third on the way, on top of being busy I'm exhausted as well. I have many things I wish I could talk about and vent about on this blog however I have decided it is my duty as a wife to keep it to myself and hope Ian and I can find some common ground. Other than a few minor hiccups along the way, our family is still the same. Aiden is a loving, thoughtful, energetic demolition site on two legs. He's communicating well and is still way taller than all the kids his age. He's a great eater though. As long as he's hungry and it's edible - he will consume it. Ambria is advancing too. She can cruise along furniture, says mama and dada, is feeding herself cheerios and as of 7 months FINALLY sleeps through the night. (I thought this would never come) We are transitioning her off of bottles and onto sippy cups. And thankfully both of our kids weaned themselves off of pacifiers early on. Ambria still gets one for naps and sleep but other than that, doesn't need one.

Today I am going to sit down and write out a 6 month plan for myself and my family and do my best to follow it. It always helps keep the sanity level when there is some order and organization in life.