Countdown to 30: Giveaway 6

This, the eve of my birthday, is my Grandpa's birthday - he is also turning 30 :)...plus a couple of years. :) We have shared a few celebrations together over the years and I tried to find a photo that commemorates that but I could not (I know it exists!). We liked angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream and we had one cake that said, "For a Couple of Teasers." I have always loved that our birthdays are but a day apart. He is an amazing person - truly an example and he and my Grandma have given us an incredible heritage!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDPA!

I'm so excited about this giveaway today! When I came up with the idea of the countdown to 30, I asked my sister if I could give something away that she had painted and she agreed! So, today I'm featuring the artwork of my sister Liz (she blogs at capture life's rhythm). She graduated in 2006 with a double major in painting and illustration. She has a studio in downtown Indianapolis at the Harrison Center which is open the first Friday of every month for open studio night. Liz will also be one of the featured artists at the Element Spa & Salon in Lafayette, IN for their upcoming Grand Opening celebration.

Liz shares about her inspiration and work, "I like to explore concepts or ideas in my paintings, often in a somewhat abstract and subtle way. I draw inspiration from poetry and the written word and I enjoy mixing aspects of illustration with a more free form of painting. My hope is that my work will evoke emotion, whether that is negative or positive, from its audience. I want my art to communicate with the viewer in a way that provokes thought."

This giveaway is for 4 notecards with prints of her original paintings. These beautiful cards would be great for sending or for framing. I'm so delighted to offer this giveaway to you and to encourage you to support local artists in your area! Here are the paintings that will be used for a couple of the cards:

Jennifer noted that I forgot to leave how to enter so here it is... :)

To enter, simply leave a comment about how you support local artists, your favorite art form or medium, or something about the Harrison Center (linked above).

Believe if or not, the rules haven't changed :):
1) 1 entry per person per giveaway - you do not have to live locally or even know me personally for any of the prizes (I will cover all shipping costs).
2) You can enter all drawings for the week - just leave a comment with the specified guidelines on each giveaway post.
3) Make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner (winners will be chosen randomly unless otherwise noted).

I will draw winners for all giveaways next Wednesday, June 3 and contact the winners via e-mail and list them here on the blog. And I'll try to get everything in the mail or delivered within the week. Thanks for joining in my birthday celebration!

Countdown to 30: Giveaway 5

Here is proof that the birthday banner has been around forever - since before home computers were common. And proof that my siblings were cute; I'm okay with them hating me for these great pictures! :) I loved this gift by the way! It was a hat decorating kit and came with probably 5 or 6 different hats, numerous feathers, a boa, sequins, ribbons...you name it. So fun and so girly!


Today's giveaway is another cookbook - an outdoor and entertaining cookbook that looks so fun! Summer is my absolute favorite time to have people over because we can sit outside, grill out, and just enjoy the beauty of the day. I've been learning more about outdoor cooking and really enjoying it - I'm finding that my meats and marinades are getting better. Once upon a time, I tried to let grilling be Andrew's job but now, I really like doing and he prefers it. :) Recently I've made NY Strip Steaks and burgers. I think the real challenge is to cook an entire meal from appetizer to dessert on the grill! Anyway, this cookbook has other great recipes for entertaining and of course, some beautiful pictures.

You are all eligible to enter! Just leave a comment with an entertaining tip, favorite picnic fare, a grill recipe or whatever you like (again, a simple 'pick me' will not work).

Just for a reminder, here are the rules (clarified a little):
1) 1 entry per person per giveaway - you do not have to live locally or even know me personally for any of the prizes (I will cover all shipping costs).
2) You can enter all drawings for the week - just leave a comment with the specified guidelines on each giveaway post.
3) Make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner (winners will be chosen randomly unless otherwise noted).

I will draw winners for all giveaways next Wednesday, June 3 and contact the winners via e-mail and list them here on the blog. And I'll try to get everything in the mail or delivered within the week. Thanks for joining in my birthday celebration!

Countdown to 30: Giveaway 4

Hope you aren't getting tired of giveaways! And have I mentioned how excited I am about Sunday & Monday's giveaways?! You'll have to stay tuned - no hints. :)

I thought you might enjoy some recipes today. These are for a couple of my favorite birthday desserts. The photo is of one of the coolest cakes my mom made for me! We were banished from the kitchen when she decorated cakes for us - such a fun birthday surprise!


STRAWBERRY PIE:
(Better Homes & Gardens)

1 Baked Pie Shell
8 cups medium fresh strawberries
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Several drops red food coloring (optional)
Whipped cream or Vanilla Ice Cream (optional)

1. Prepare Baked Pie Shell and set aside. Meanwhile remove stems from strawberries. Cut any large strawberries in half lengthwise; set aside.
2. For glaze, in a blender or food processor combine 1 cup of the strawberries and 2/3 cup water. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Add enough additional water to the mixture to equal 1-1/2 cups. In a medium saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in blended strawberry mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. If desired, stir in red food coloring. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes. (Do not stir.)
3. Spread about 1/4 cup of the glaze over bottom and sides of Baked Pastry Shell. Arrange half of the remaining strawberries, stem ends down, in the pastry shell.
4. Carefully spoon half of the remaining glaze over berries, making sure all berries are covered. Arrange remaining berries over first layer. Spoon remaining glaze over berries, covering each. Chill for 1 to 2 hours. (After 2 hours, filling may begin to water out.) If desired, top with whipped cream or ice cream.
5. Makes 8 slices

LEMON GLAZE CAKE:

1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 eggs

Glaze:
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, combine together cake mix, oil, lemon juice and eggs. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

To make the Glaze: In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice and confectioners' sugar. Beat in the melted butter and 1 tablespoon water. Poke holes in the top of the cake and pour glaze over.

The giveaway for today is for book lovers. I really enjoy a good book and was an avid reader as a kid. I would devour sometimes 2-3 books in one day (on break, of course!). I don't read as much as I would like these days but I still enjoy wandering through book stores, adding to our library, reading something new or revisiting an old favorite. So the winner of this prize will have their choice of a $5 gift card to Half-Price Books, Barnes & Noble, or Borders.

You are all eligible to enter! Just leave a comment with a favorite book, favorite quote, or whatever you like (again, a simple 'pick me' will not work).

Just for a reminder, here are the rules (clarified a little):
1) 1 entry per person per giveaway - you do not have to live locally or even know me personally for any of the prizes (I will cover all shipping costs).
2) You can enter all drawings for the week - just leave a comment with the specified guidelines on each giveaway post.
3) Make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner (winners will be chosen randomly unless otherwise noted).

I will draw winners for all giveaways next Wednesday, June 3 and contact the winners via e-mail and list them here on the blog. And I'll try to get everything in the mail or delivered within the week. Thanks for joining in my birthday celebration!

Neglected

I know, I know, I've seriously neglected this blog! I'm not sure anyone really reads it but it's good for me to record the boys' growth and development. Calvin turned 4 in April and Titus is 9 months and just took his first few steps this week. Both of them are in the 25th percentaile on height and weight (it would appear that Patrick, on the other hand, is on the upper end :)).

Calvin's speech has improved so much in the past 2 months - we can't believe it! We are so proud of him and how hard he works. The older boys just finished their first year of preschool and did very well. They are already looking forward to next year. Life is full and busy. All three of our boys are incredible and we feel so blessed! And what would a post be without pictures of them? :)

Countdown to 30: Giveaway 3

Let's see...the first birthday party I remember was when I was 10 (I really haven't had very many - there were 7 of us after all!). I think I was allowed to invite 10 friends. I chose to have several girls from school. The thing that I remember the most is that I *had* to have bozo buckets. I just didn't think it would be a party without them! And I'm pretty sure one of my friends gave me the attractive outfit I'm wearing in the picture below - I LOVED it and wore it all the time! In retrospect, someone should have seriously given me some fashion advice. :)

Aren't the glasses a great touch? I've worn glasses since I was 8 and I remember feeling embarassed that I needed them at all - no wonder. :) This picture is not of the party - I couldn't find any of it but it is the yellow outfit and it is clearly my birthday. The cake is a paint palate decorated with m&ms - I really liked art and my parents even gave me art classes for a gift. That clearly didn't pay off - oh well. :)

The giveaway for this Thursday is 3 re-useable bags from Trader Joe's! I not only really like that store but I'm also a little crunchy. :) If only I could remember to consistently bring my re-useable bags to the stores - I'm working on it! These bags are great for so many uses - picnics, shopping, travelling... And they are definitely eco-friendly. I seriously can't even tell you how many ways I use my bags!

You are all eligible to enter! Just leave a comment with something green you do (or plan to do), what you use your re-useable bags for, or whatever you like (again, a simple 'pick me' will not work).

Just for a reminder, here are the rules (clarified a little):
1) 1 entry per person per giveaway - you do not have to live locally or even know me personally for any of the prizes (I will cover all shipping costs).
2) You can enter all drawings for the week - just leave a comment with the specified guidelines on each giveaway post.
3) Make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner (winners will be chosen randomly unless otherwise noted).

I will draw winners for all giveaways next Wednesday, June 3 and contact the winners via e-mail and list them here on the blog. And I'll try to get everything in the mail or delivered within the week. Thanks for joining in my birthday celebration!

Countdown to 30: Giveaway 2 - updated

Here are a few early birthday pictures. :)

June 1 - my day of birth.

My 1st Birthday!

My 2nd Birthday!

All right everyone - today's giveaway is none other than a Dessert Cookbook. :) Now don't act all surprised, you knew it was coming. And I'll let you on a secret...there's a different one later in the week.

As you probably know, I LOVE cookbooks! I read them for fun, try new recipes, gaze at the mouthwatering pictures, and collect them like they're going out of style. This book represents my first kitchen passion - baking. And while I've tended to be more of a cook in the last couple of years, I still have a soft spot for baking and seize every opportunity to make delectable desserts for company, family gatherings, holidays, etc. (I promise I didn't know the word delectable was on the cover! :))


You are all eligible to enter! Just leave a comment with your favorite thing to bake or your worst baking disaster or your must-have kitchen equipment...whatever you like (again, a simple 'pick me' will not work).

Just for a reminder, here are the rules:
1) 1 entry per person per giveaway.
2) You can enter all drawings for the week - just leave a comment with the specified guidelines on each giveaway post.
3) Make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner (winners will be chosen randomly unless otherwise noted).

I will draw winners for all giveaways next Wednesday, June 3. Thanks for joining in my birthday celebration!

Countdown to 30: Giveaway 1

This week I'm going to share some of my favorite birthday memories, birthday traditions, birthday treats, and/or birthday photos (regular blogging will resume on June 2) with each giveaway.

A few of my favorite birthday traditions were balloons decorated with faces hung in the kitchen doorway, computer printed birthday banners, and the blue, 'you're the best' plate. It was so exciting to go to bed on your birthday eve and wake-up to the custom-made decorations. My dad often designed them and they made each of us feel so special. My mom would make our favorite meal and dessert and serve it to us on the special birthday plate. I occasionally had cake but more often, I chose pie. :) Being a June birthday, strawberries were (and still are) always a part of the meal.

Anyway...today, I'm giving away a $5 giftcard to Starbucks! It is one of my guilty pleasures :) and I'm always thrilled to have a gift card - makes $3-4 for a drink not quite so painful. My favorites are NF caramel machiato, NF peppermint mocha, skinny vanilla latte or unsweetened passion iced tea. My least favorites are the tea lattes and vivannostm - yuck - tried both once and will never order them again.

To enter, leave a comment with your favorite coffee or tea drink or any other comment (okay, not just "pick me" - something interesting :)).

Three rules for the week:
1) 1 entry per person per giveaway.
2) You can enter all drawings for the week - just leave a comment with the specified guidelines on each giveaway post.
3) Make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner (winners will be chosen randomly unless otherwise noted).

I will draw winners for all giveaways next Wednesday, June 3. Thanks for joining in my birthday celebration!

Countdown to 30

In one week, I will turn 30. I've spent the last year getting used to the idea...yeah, I'm still working on it. I know it's no big deal to some people but I loved being in my 20s and I'll miss being a 20-something. So, in celebration of my big (to me) birthday, I'm hosting a giveaway every day this week! The giveaways will represent some of my favorite things and the first one will be tomorrow. Stay tuned for an exciting week and welcome to my week-long blog party! :)

Life Lessons

I spent ages 3-8 living in the suburbs of Chicago. My first baseball game was at Wrigley Field watching the Cubs. We took the train downtown to see the shop windows at Christmas. The museums and zoos were excellent school field trips. And I came face to face with poverty. I'll never forget the impact of seeing homeless people on the streets. My young mind could not grasp the idea of people not having people. I loved the street performers - their music and acts mesmerizing but I could not believe that this was their "job". I'll never forget the sadness in my heart.

The past several years, I've come to realize just how much those formative years have effected my life. We lived in a culturally diverse neighborhood and I had friends of all ethnic backgrounds and religions. We knew several special needs children and they profoundly touched me. I remember crying as I tried to understand the world - the pain, the poverty, the "unfairness", the hurt. And even then, I think I somehow knew that God was teaching me lessons; lessons about life, about love, about compassion, about acceptance, about differences, about family.

How thankful I am for the years we had there and for the the things I learned. My parents were incredible examples as they trained us to really see and to embrace people. These lessons have challenged me to the core, inspired passion and purpose, and blessed me more than I ever could have imagined.

Randomness and a Story Since I Don't Actually Have Time to Deal with the Camera....

Must. Get. Coffee.

I'm on day two of a headache - not my favorite thing ever. :) * I'm a little mad at KFC for not honoring their coupons (yes, they will give rainchecks but only if you actually go to the restaurant and bring everyone who has a coupon with you ). * I really want Kris Allen to win American Idol. * I'm glad Shawn Johnson won Dancing with the Stars. * I'm super happy my husband got to come home last night due to changes in the deposition schedule - and yes, I'm a total wimp. * I'm sad that one of my very good friends is moving away. * I can't wait to see one of my great friends on Friday. * I'm kind of in a blog slump - you know, the one where you wonder why you are even blogging. * I'm sure it will pass. * I'm thrilled that today is a beautiful day and I'm going outside.

Now for just a quick story - Titus loudly burped last night, looked at his uncle, smiled hugely and laughed. He has done that before which amused and horrified me but what followed was a first - he tried to replicate the burp. Yes, my nine-month-old was fake burping and laughing. I think I'm in for it. And so the verdict is in - boy #3 is also ALL boy. 3 for 3, my friends - what's a girl to do? :)

On My Own

Yesterday, I thought that Andrew's trip was shortened and today, I find myself doing the parent thing by myself for the next 3 nights and days. Yep, I'm on my own...we'll see if I survive. :) I'm glad for him - he has studying and deposition prepping to do but I already miss him like crazy. It will go quickly and my parents are close, so I'm sure I'll have a little help (I think I might be giving myself a pep talk here :)).

This is a first for me - my hats off to those whose spouse travels regularly and to single parents. I'm just praying that the kids will not think up too many mischievous things to do - it's tough staying one step ahead of my active little boys. :) I've got a couple of activities planned and I think we'll have take-out one night and a movie/homemade pizza night another night. We'll make it fun and hopefully we'll have some pictures to show for it...if I can ever get everything working.

I'm not sure how the house and laundry will fair but at least my sweet boys will be dressed and fed. :)

How Can It Be?

**I don't know what the camera and blogger have against me but I cannot get the pictures off the camera to upload. I'll try again tomorrow. Very frustrating!!!**

How have my sweet little baby boys finished their first year of school? It seems like yesterday that they came into our lives and now they are getting big! I will admit to being a bit emotional on their last day (Thursday). They had moms come to class and the children had prepared a song for us, showed us around their room, and then we worked on art projects with them. They also presented us with dragonfly magnets that they had made. Melt my heart. It was so cute and so sweet. I choked back the tears as I picked them up and took pictures of them with their teacher.

We will have lots of fun this summer and fall will be here before we know it...and they will be taller, more independent, and in the 4-year-old class. Life is going by too quickly - can't they stay young just a little longer?

You can check back later for pictures - my camera battery has to re-charge first. :)

A BIG Thank You

Today, I want to take a moment to thank everyone serving (and those who have served) in the Armed Forces.

Thank you for the sacrifices you make to protect our country, to protect our freedoms, and to change the world.

May God bless you for your courage, your loyalty, and your selflessness.

Our family is so very grateful to you.

The Winning Spring Photos

We took photos a couple of weeks ago for Mother's Day gifts and because we really needed some new ones! It took over 50 pictures and some crazy aunts and uncles to get a few that were really pretty good. :)

My Favorite! Everyone is smiling!

Our three sons. They adore each other! And yes, that's my arm making sure Ty didn't fall - I tried to edit it out when we made prints. :)

I think this one is just funny...it's a bird, it's plane, it's a.... :) Ty could care less. :)

And finally, one of my sweetie and me. We have relatively few photos together so I wanted to make sure we got one this time. :)

As you can imagine, there were many, many outtakes. The boys weren't crazy about the photo session but they humored us and I'm so glad. The pictures made great gifts and I wanted some for our home, too. :)

A Story

Once upon a time, there was a family with three little boys and one little dog. The dog came first and she was well loved by the family - especially the oldest boy. The dog shared a birthday with the boys' nana. The nana, not being a particular fan of dogs, did her best to appreciate but not be in charge of the little dog. Unfortunately for the nana, she had to dog sit for two weeks when the youngest grandson was born - a task she handled but did not particularly enjoy.

One fine day, the oldest boy asked the nana if she loved mommy and daddy and him, and his brothers to which she gave an emphatic yes. And then the boy asked the nana if she loved his favorite little dog. The nana, who is always very truthful, said no. The boy was so sad and for weeks he would ask his mom, his dad, and his aunt if nana loved his beloved dog. The boy could not understand. The aunt tried to tell him that the nana liked the dog sometimes to which the boy said, "but sometimes she doesn't?" And he would continue to ask.

The mom wished that the nana had answered a little differently - maybe even with only half the truth (which is a lie but this was getting very difficult and the boy was very sad). The mom talked to the nana and suggested that she might change her answer and the nana tried but the boy did not want to talk to the nana about it.

Finally, the boy told the nana that he thought the dog would like to have a surprise. The nana asked what the dog would like. The boy told her that the dog would like a new toy. And the nana asked if she bought the dog a present if the boy would know that she does like the dog sometimes. The boy said yes. And the nana bought a toy for the dog that isn't her favorite. The mom laughed and thought it was a good and funny solution.

The End.

What's Planted

Planted (mostly - there are a few still waiting):
Flowers - allysum, petunias, dianthus
Sage
Rosemary
Basil
Parsley
Oregano
Cilantro
Peppermint
Lovage (came back)
Chives (came back)
Thyme (came back)
Yellow Pear Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Early Girl Tomatoes
Red Peppers
Orange Peppers
Red Chili Peppers
Radishes
Onions
Zuchini
Yellow Squash
Broccoli
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Green Beans

I think that's it. We are hoping for a successful gardening venture this year. My favorites of all of the above are the yellow pear tomatoes and herbs. We use the lasagna style gardening with layering of compost, dirt, newspaper, leaves etc. We do not spray with anything. Andrew has done most of the planting in the ground and I have done the potting. We make a pretty good team. :) I can't wait to eat our first produce (besides the herbs which we are already using)!

I've tried and tried to upload photos to go with this but alas, blogger is being frustrating and I'm done trying - I have many better things to do.

Growing

Lately, I've been contemplating this journey called life. Each path, each journey is unique. I think I've found myself thinking about some of the difficult times that shape us and that often effect our response to our own life and the lives of others. It's humbling and rather revealing - some good, some bad.

I think Mother's Day often triggers these thoughts for me. Being a fairly private person (I know, with a blog who would guess? :)), I sometimes feel misunderstood, take things too personally, feel judged, and generally distrust most people with the things closest to my heart. Some of my privacy has come about because of life experience, some from trying to communicate and not finding the listening, understanding heart that I had hoped for, some from having my words twisted, and some just because of my nature. :)

All that to say, deep thoughts and personal growth have led to some pain, some happiness, and some sadness in the past few weeks. It's good and necessary but hard. I pray for an open heart and the right response to His work in my life.

What's Happening

I'm still feeling a bit sappy today after my two sappy posts yesterday. :) I'm not generally super emotional...only sometimes. I'll try to spare you the sap - here are some noteable things of late:

- Sisters are THE BEST! All of mine were around this weekend for my brother's graduation and it was just great. I miss that we don't get to spend as much time together anymore.

- My 2nd youngest brother graduated from highschool. I'm so proud of him! He is headed to college in the fall and was accepted into a very competitive architecture program.

- My older boys finish their first year of school. This one makes me sad. I can't believe we are already to this point! I missed their first day of school because their baby brother decided to make his unexpected entrance a couple of days before, but I'll be there on Thursday for their final day of the year. What a wonderful year it's been. They have thrived and it's been a joy to watch. (See, there I'm getting sappy again - someone stop me, please!)

- We are headed to Chicago this coming weekend for the Green Festival. We went last year and had a good time, learned a lot, and networked. Andrew is looking forward to more networking and I'm looking forward to lots of coupons, cool samples, and hopefully hearing Alice Waters again.

- Andrew is going on a business trip for 4 days next week. I think this will be the longest trip he has taken since kids and quite frankly, I'm a little nervous. I'm going to be planning some activities during the day to fill some of the time and to wear them out (because as I previously noted, it's their first week of summer break).

I think that's about it for now. Lots going on! I'm enjoying these few moments that the kids are all napping - it won't last much longer. :) I'm thinking homemade pizza for supper tonight, I can't wait!

On Motherhood

In many ways motherhood is not what I expected - it's better and sometimes harder. My journey to motherhood was also a little different then I expected - painful yet amazing. As I reflect on my few years of being called "Mom," I can't help but feel overwhelmed. God has chosen the perfect children for me. He has given me a love unequaled for each of them. They are unique and I love them in different ways, yet my love for each of them is also the same.

They challenge me daily and teach me more about life, more about myself, and more about God. Their hugs, kisses, "I love yous," and fistfuls of dandelions make my day. Their antics sometimes frustrate me, sometimes make me laugh, and always encourage me to be more patient and gracious. I cannot imagine anything I would rather be doing than nurturing, loving, and raising our boys. I am blessed. My journey to motherhood was a journey that led me straight to my children, my own, beautiful children. God brought them to me in the perfect way.

My Mom

Wife of 1.

Mom of 7.
Nonnie of 3 (so far).

Amazing.
Beautiful.
Thoughtful.
Caring.
Friend.
Chef.
Mentor.
Compassionate.
Leader.
Wise.
Godly.
Giving.
Loyal.
Confidante.
Loving.
Committed.
Hardworker.
Smart.
Educated.
Interesting.
Strong.
Frugal.
Supportive.
Advisor.

How blessed I am that my mom is also my friend. I love you, mom. Thank you for your constant love and support and for unconditionally loving all of us. Happy Mother's Day!

The picture above is a picture of my mom and me when I was about 2.

Not Crazy...

...well that could still be debatable BUT I did find 5 pairs of swim trunks. I mentioned to my Mom how we had searched high and low for them and then she suggested two places - one I hadn't checked and there they were. My mom then told me that she was pretty sure she had put them away last summer while we were away with Titus' birth, so it really wasn't me. [insert big sigh of relief :)] Let's just overlook the fact that Andrew and I had both been in that closet searching several times. :) I'm just relieved that they are found and relieved that I'm not going completely crazy just yet.

No Concept

I have no understanding of the lives of my friends who tell me that their 3 and 4 yr. olds play by themselves (inside or out). My children think up enough mischief in approximately 3.2 seconds that I keep a pretty close eye on them. And if it gets quiet or they are silly laughing, I know I need to run to check on the activity! :)

They are doing much better at playing together without arguing (at least for the moment :)) which has been great! It's such a blessing to see their friendship grow. I love to hear their conversations and see their imaginations in action. Now if I could just get them to suggest great-to-mom ideas to each other, we'd be in business! :) I know it's only a matter of time before they will be independent and won't need so much supervision and that will be an amazing and sad day for this momma.

My Three Sweet Sons

True Confession

I may or may not have sent my 4 year-old son to preschool in 18 month swim trunks. :) In my defense, I could not, for the life of me, find the swim trunks. I have no idea what I have done with them and they each have a couple of pairs. And it was beach day at school - dress-up for the beach. I couldn't possibly let him go unprepared for beach day...I mean really, what kind of mom would do that?! :)

So, he wore the 18 month ones - the only pair I could find besides Patrick's pair. They worked - they might have been a little short but not too bad. And I may or may not have instructed him to wear them a little lower so they wouldn't seem too small. Sigh. Where is my brain? And more importantly, where are the swim trunks?!!!

Energizer Bunny

Don't you just love productive days? I feel they are few and far between these days...something about three kids... :) Anyway, yesterday was one such excellent day. The kids were super cooperative and even helpful! We've had a tough few weeks obedience wise so this was a welcome change. Here's the checklist:

- 5 loads of laundry washed, dried, folded, and nearly all put away (almost never happens all on one day!).
- Boys' room de-junked, cleaned, and vaccumed.
- Pantry de-junked, tidied, and swept.
- Play area & downstairs tidied.
- Meals made.

The boys helped with gathering laundry, cleaning their room, and general tidying. As a "treat", I let them vaccum a little which they thought was great! Don't you love how easy they are to please at this age? For real, I haven't had such a day of accomplishments for a LONG time. It felt so good!

Sweet Choice?

For the past several months, I've noticed an onslaught of commercials promoting high fructose corn syrup - you've probably seen them too. I can't help but wonder if corn producers (the ad campaign sponsors) are starting to feel the squeeze as more and more people are starting to avoid the additive and popular products are removing it. The funny/offensive thing is that the ads make health conscious people look ignorant. In each commercial (I've seen maybe 2 or 3 different ones) the HFCS promoter "converts" the health conscious "idiot".

There is a website given at the end. Here are a few of the facts they list at the advertised website:
1) Research confirms that high fructose corn syrup is safe and no different from other common sweeteners like table sugar and honey. All three sweeteners are nutritionally the same.

2) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted high fructose corn syrup "Generally Recognized as Safe" status for use in food, and reaffirmed that ruling in 1996 after thorough review.

3) High fructose corn syrup offers numerous benefits. It keeps food fresh, enhances fruit and spice flavors, retains moisture in bran cereals, helps keep breakfast and energy bars moist, maintains consistent flavors in beverages and keeps ingredients evenly dispersed in condiments.

I find the ad campaign ludicrous. I'm sure Michael Pollen, Barbara Kingsolver, and many other current (and popular!) authors are on their hate list. And the benefits of avoiding high fructose corn syrup are well-published. It's hard for me to imagine that these ads are successful but I guess it might make people feel better about their food decisions.

As for us, we will continue limiting and eliminating our HFCS intake around here - I remain unconvinced. :)

To Worship

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!
Psalm 122:1

Weather

Rain & chilly temperatures were predicted for today. Instead it was a beautiful, sunny, and warm day. I realized how nice it was going to be after I cancelled our outdoor pictures and after I decided we shouldn't grill out with our company. Sigh. I watched the weather and checked the weather website all week. Can't they get it right?

Do You Ever...

Feel like you aren't doing enough?
Wish for something?
Think in terms of blog material?
Wonder how many people out with their kids will blog about it later?
Feed your kids something you wouldn't eat?
Want to do something crazy?
Bribe your kids?
Disappoint yourself?
Find someone's embarrassing moment hilarious?
Indulge in way more dessert than any one person should have?
Enjoy reality tv?
Screen calls?

Just some thoughts for this Friday...oh and yeah, me neither. :)