Let's Back It Up.....

I'm so excited.... it looks like my new storage is working.  I was able to upload lots of photos.  Soooo... let's backtrack a couple of weeks to the week of Valentine's day. 

On this night the kids and I were at church decorating cookies for an organization called Bridging Communities http://bridgingcommunities.org/Welcome.html .  I baked a few dozen cookies and some of the children at church came to decorate them with icing and sprinkles.  The last time we participated in this project was a couple years ago and lots of people showed up.  This time we showed up at 7:00 on a Wednesday night, and there were only a handful of people.  We ended up staying until almost 9:00 on a school night.  The kids had fun because they got to decorate a lot of cookies for the elderly.  They loaded them up with sugar and frosting... exactly what diabetic seniors would need!

There was more baking going on during the rest of the week.  I had this great idea (well at the time it seemed like a great idea) to make chocolate dipped Oreos that looked like lollipops for Amanda and Nic's classes.  This was going to be an easy project..... put a stick in an Oreo and dip it in chocolate... this wasn't rocket science.  Unfortunately it didn't work quite so easily.  How many times have you eaten an Oreo and unscrewed the 2 halves? In my case... hundreds of times.  Never before have I destroyed so many Oreo halves.  They were crumpling into pieces, breaking into quarters, ugh.  Then I decided to just shove the stick in the middle and not take them apart.  That didn't work either.  On my very first attempt the Oreos started cracking.  The good new was that the white chocolate acted like glue and eventually I glued the Oreo pieces together.  This became VERY time consuming.  My one hour project.... turned into a 2 hour project... which turned into a 3 hour project. 

Here they are... cute right?

Then Amanda helped me bag 60 of them and then I had to tie them and curl the ribbon.  That is what added the extra hour.

Nic wanted no part in helping... not even putting the Oreos in the bags... he was concerned about his Legos... why was I doing this again?

Here they are all finished and complete!  I was so happy to finish them.  Or so I thought....... Unbeknownst to me... Amanda had an AHA moment at 8:00 A.M. on Friday morning.  1/2 hour before we had to leave for the bus stop, she decided we HAD to put tags on each Oreo.  These would be heart tags that I punched out with my scrapbooking supplies, that we then stamped, and finally added each classmate's name and tied with more curling ribbon.  In theory this could have been very cute.... but not doable with only 1/2 hour before the bus.  I told her ABSOLUTELY no way.  She was so mad at me and argumentative... that I finally caved in and did it stressing out the whole time.... Unbelievably we pulled it off.  I have no photo proof, because we didn't have a single second to spare. 

Here are photos from Nicholas' Valentine's party.  He was making vanilla ice cream by putting ice and salt into a Ziploc bag and then shaking the ice cream ingredients like crazy.  It was cold and messy and needed a lot of adult supervision... so Grammy Gerwatowski came to help out.

Gabby even got in on the ice cream making process!

We were so happy Grammy was able to come help out the first graders.

Here was the final product.... vanilla ice cream.  The science experiment actually worked.

Then it was time to play a little BINGO.

We finally made it down to the 3rd grade classroom which was much less chaotic.

Just thought Gabby looked cute here...

I'll be back soon to post more photos.  Until later.......

A Few Thoughts

A Few Thoughts....

1.  First and foremost.... I just purchased some new storage.  That means more posts and more photos.  I have been frustrated the last few days trying to upload photos only to be denied because I used up my 1 GB of free space.  You would think if I went and deleted posts and photos from Picasa (the site that holds my free storage) I should be able to free up space.... I guess not.  I tried.  Then I tried Mo's trick and created a new blog with a different e-mail address.  Unfortunately..... it didn't work.  It must have been linked to my original account and it would still not allow me to upload pictures.  Well... after 2 weeks of frustration, I went and purchased new space.  It wasn't a lot of money, but now I have to pay a yearly fee.  It just doesn't seem right that I can't free up space by deleting my old photos. I guess Google will get you anyway they can!

2.  I had my blog printed by a company called Blog2print.  I purchased 2008 and 2009.  Now I have a full book of all my posts and photos and ramblings from previous years.  I have to say.... the books are AWESOME!  I am so excited I have a hard copy of my personal journal.  It makes all the blogging worthwhile.  I have captured our family memories and the kids (who am I kidding, Steve & I) will love to look back at these memories in the future.

3.  It is day 3 of mid-winter break and I'm barely surviving.  The natives are restless, have been up early everyday, and are very demanding.  We have gone to play tennis everyday to try and get some of this excess energy out.  I don't think it would be so bad if we weren't cooped up inside.  I don't feel like bundling everyone up to go anywhere (like yesterday when I bundled Gabby and Nick in the car to drive down the street (6 houses) to drop Amanda at a friend's and then she called an hour later to see if I could bring her snow pants and hat over... which I did.... which involved bundling Gabby and Nick up again to drive the 6 houses down the street.  Ugh! 

4.  So excited for our upcoming trip to Chicago.  I hear we are going to get snow Thursday, Friday, Sat. Sunday, etc..... What perfect timing... (yes I'm saying this facetiously!)

5.  Came across an article the other day called "Surviving the mess or neatness of your loved ones."  It basically told me if I'm a neat nut.... It's not about me!  It might feel like a statement about you or a personal affront if your family leaves stuff all over the house, socks on the floor :) etc., but it's not.  The article said to GET OVER IT!  UGH!  I don't know if I can take that advice.  That is a hard pill to swallow when I function so much better in an organized, clutter-free house.  Don't sweat the small stuff... right?  The advice to the "slobs," ... before balling up the socks and throwing them on the floor, not putting away the Legos, leaving your shoes and tennis racquets out, throwing your wrappers on the car floor etc., STOP and THINK about how it might be interpreted and who will inevitably be the one picking it up.  I think that was right on the money.  The only problem is I don't think the kids every take a minute to stop and think...... that is why they are kids right!  I guess this will continue to be the battle I wage day-in and day-out!

6. Although I've been feeling tired lately.... I've continued with my creative projects.  I have a new scrapbook page to share when I get my storage (it takes up to 24 hrs), I made some cute peace sign cookies for Amanda's birthday (no pictures) and I'm making a picture frame for my entryway.  Yesterday I also began a scarf project.  Once of my friend's, Ellen, is a wonderful knitter.  She makes all kinds of crazy, beautiful things.  She gave me a refresher course on knitting and I bought some fantastic yarn at this knit shop that opened near my house.  I'm starting a beginner pattern, but I've already picked out my next project.  Now if I can only find time to knit. Ellen says you just need an hour here and there.... I hope I find a few extra hours.  I'm hoping on the drive to Chicago I will be productive.... until I drop a stitch... or add a stitch....

7.  Well it is nearly time for me to bring the kids to tennis.... so I should get going (Besides... I'm sure if Mohamed has read this far down in the post.... his head is about to explode... seeing there are no photos and an overabundance of English words... this could put him in a reading coma......

Until later.... with LOTS and LOTS of photos to share from my new 20 GB space!

Out of space.....

Looks like I ran out of space on this blog.  I've tried to delete posts and pictures but it doesn't seem to be working.  I'm in the process of trying to figure out the problem or I will be starting a new blog soon.  Until later.....

This blog has been taken over....

Uh Oh!  It looks like my mom has forgotten to blog this week.  Let's see..... maybe I can help her out......

If I can just get this computer to work......I'll tell you a little bit about my week.....

Well....My Mom has been busy driving everyone around, helping out at school, and making Valentine treats.  I'm sure she'll tell you about that later.  Me.... I was playing with the Tupperware, emptying all the pots and pans, unfolding the laundry (Mom didn't like that!), hiding the remote controls, reprogramming the phones, breaking Nicholas's legos, and the list goes on and on.  I wish everyone would stop and play with me more.  Thank goodness for Grammie!  She stopped by on Friday to have a tea party with me!

 I poured her a cup... she poured me a cup... The green tea was fantastic...chock full of antioxidants...

 It was so good I think I just drank it straight out of the pot....enough with this "being dainty" stuff....

I know Mom was working on a scrapbooking project this week... remember when I put on Amanda's boots and clomped through the house.... here is my Mom's tribute to MOI!

 

I'm sure my Mom will be back soon.  Until later.....

Dancing Phenomenons...........

Just made me laugh today...........

Playing Catch-up

So... has a week really passed by since my last post....I guess it is time to put off cleaning the bathrooms play catch-up.  I only have a few minutes so here goes...

Last week was really busy and this week doesn't look like it is going to slow down.  I know that it is good to keep the kids active with tennis, catechism, gymnastics, reading, homework, projects, etc.  I figure this way they will stay off the i-pod, t.v.,  and video games.  With that said....it is a little insane after school... the kids quickly change into tennis clothes, eat snacks in the car, we discuss their day, then they hit for an hour or 2, I chase Gabby around the club, then we rush home so I can make dinner... because the kids are STARVING, only to get complaints that they don't like dinner and can they have some cereal instead.... did I mention I'm trying to get homework done with the kids, help Amanda study, and prevent Gabby from destroying anymore serving pieces? (That is a long run-on sentence!) Then the kids shower, watch a t.v. show, and get ready for bed..... Now we all go to sleep and the cycle repeats day after day.....  That was our week in a nutshell..... except for shoveling a lot of snow! I only have a few photos from last week.

When the kids had a snow day on Wednesday I made them homemade buttermilk pancakes.  Amanda cracked up when she saw this one.  It was Gabby size and she wanted me to show it to you.

Gabby enjoyed the blueberry pancakes... the evidence is all over her face!

The kids had a great time playing outdoors in the freshly, fallen snow.

Nick  having a great time pushing the sled down the hill in the backyard.

I think Nicholas was the best sled launcher.  I went outside to give him a few tips and show him how it was done.  Unfortunately, I was not very good and after everyone was laughing at my feeble pushing attempts, I decided to leave it to the pros.  Instead I grabbed my camera and took some photos.

The kids were having a blast.  There is nothing like sledding and playing in the snow to make you feel like a kid again.

With Valentines Day quickly approaching I decided to make some cookies.   When the snow began on Saturday it was the perfect excuse to stay inside and decorate them.

I found a new icing recipe that tastes pretty good, but it is difficult to control the consistency... it makes writing difficult because it is not stiff like royal icing but more like a glaze.  These were some of my favorites.

We have eaten nearly all the cookies and it is only Tuesday. 

Finally... my creative project for the week.  Here is another scrapbook page... after I scanned it into the computer I added more embellishments because I didn't think the layout was quite finished yet.  I didn't feel like rescanning it.  So.... here is the unfinished version.

Now I'm off to start bathrooms and go to the bus stop.  Until later......

It looks like the snow has begun....

Well... it looks like the snow has begun... it has been talked about all day....school has been canceled....and the kids are so EXCITED... Steve just came in from shoveling and said it is going to be really bad by morning.  I'm glad we will all get to sleep in and hang out together in the warm house. I would much rather look at the winter wonderland from my kitchen window than drive out in the snowy mess. I hope everyone will be careful if they must venture out.  Yesterday I stocked up on food and necessities (hot chocolate, marshmallows, cookie ingredients, buttermilk for pancakes, and some fresh fruit).  I was not the only one that had this great idea... everyone was at the store.  It felt like I was Christmas shopping.  There were crowds of people and the shelves were not well stocked.  I guess the weather forecasters really scared the entire city!

This afternoon, when I picked the kids up from the bus stop, they already knew school had been canceled.  They were so happy.  When I proceeded to tell them Catechism was canceled too... they were even more overjoyed.  When I told them I planned to make homemade breakfast in the morning and we could bake cookies and hang out in our jammies all day.... I think Amanda cheered!  They were so excited that they were thrilled to talk about their day at school for a change and quickly did their homework.  Nicholas got to share his dinosaur diorama with the class and explain about all the dinosaurs.  He knows so much information about them, that he can recite all kinds of facts off the top of his head (sometimes I wonder about there validity... but he sure sounds like he knows what he is talking about.)  I then proceeded to ask him if any of his classmates asked any questions.  (Of course my son would know the answer because he is a walking dinosaur encyclopedia.)  Well... of course there had been some questions..... In my mind I'm thinking kids were asking, "What is a herbivore? How do you know T.Rex is a carnivore?  Why did the dinosaurs die out? Do you want to know what the question was....... How did Nicholas get the dinosaurs to stick to the shoe box?  "Some sticky glue things" was his response.  (We used scrapbooking glue dots.)  Can you believe it?!!  That is what inquiring first grade minds want to know about....how we got the plastic dinosaurs to stick to the cardboard.... oh brother!  Well I'm off to bed.  Until later.........