Memorial Day

Big Brother is the sweetest little thing. He talks about Gramps, his great-grandpa who passed away when he was only 2, all the time. Over the weekend, we went to Gramp's farm, one of the boys' favorite places to go. This morning Hubs asked Big Brother if he wanted to go to see Gramps (or go to the cemetery).

Big Brother had other ideas. He looked up at the sky and said, "Are we gonna climb up there?"

He thought we were going to climb to heaven and visit Gramps. Sweetest. Little. Thing.

Happy Birthday Baby Jaws

You're quite the big boy now Baby Jaws. I can't believe the little personality you've grown to be. Mommy loves you and had a very fun birthday party with you!

Bob

Tomorrow is Baby Jaw's birthday and he loves Bob the Builder. I've been wanting to try fondant for a long time, but have never been brave enough to do it. I made marshmallow fondant for Bob's head and it was so easy and tastes so good. I can't wait to make another fondant cake!

Yard Sale

We had a yard sale today. I snapped this last night after we had set most of our crap by the front door. Hubs and I both said, "It doesn't look like we're having a yard sale. It looks like we're moving."

Yes, we had that much crap. Thankfully, we sold half of it today. Hopefully the other half will go tomorrow.

Walking Football

Mommy's Sad Week of Milestones

I've been a mess this week. My boys seem to be growing up overnight and it makes me sad to think about it. Big Brother's last day of preschool was today. I cried about it last night. I cried about it this morning. I cried about it after I picked him up after school, especially after reading the little poem with his little painted hand prints on it. Thank you Mrs. J. for making me cry even more.

Although he's no longer a preschooler, Big Brother did put a big smile on my face today. He was extremely good today. When I told him how proud I was of him for being such a good boy today, he replied, "Well that's what kindergarteners do." If being out of preschool is the cause of his good behavior, I can handle him growing up a little more.

My baby is also making me a mess of a mom this week. Baby Jaws will be 2 this Saturday. I can't believe the sweet little guy he's grown into. It's amazing what he's accomplished this past year. This time last year, he wasn't even walking yet. Now, he is on the move constantly. He is turning into a little boy. He has the most fun personality and always has a smile for me. I just can't believe he will be 2.

This week of milestones is making me more sentimental than usual. Like I said, I've been a mess when I stop and think about it. Thankfully, with these two boys, I don't have much time to stop and think about it. Thankfully, they keep me having fun.

But this mommy is sad this week that my babies are growing up so fast. I now have a kindergartener and a 2 year old. Where did the time go?

Field Trip

Today was Big Brother's first field trip. He had a blast! He was so excited, even waking up early this morning saying, "I have to get up early for my bus ride." He was pooped out by the time we got home this afternoon and to tell you the truth, I was too. But it was well worth it!

Garlic Panko Chicken Strips

I've been wanting to bake something using Panko bread crumbs for quite a while now. I finally picked some up last week at the grocery store. We tried Garlic Panko Chicken Strips and they were so good. The Panko crumbs baked up crunchier than regular bread crumbs. I am a big Panko fan now and can't wait to try more Panko recipes!

Alphabet Hunt

Big Brother had a great time going on an alphabet hunt this afternoon. I got the idea from Teach Mama. I wrote out the alphabet, giving each letter it's own space. I should have made bigger spaces because Big Brother really got into it, finding more than one item for some letters. It was fun watching him search through his toys figuring out which letter each item began with and he had a fun time learning.

Turds on Our Porch

Preggo here is the reason I have been finding little turds sprinkled around the railing on our new porch. I just love leaning over to watch the boys play and all of a sudden, Surprise! Turd on my arm! You enjoy that stale french fry.

Happy Blogiversary to Me

I knew it was coming up soon, but couldn't remember the exact date. I happened to look it up this morning and realized today is the day! It's my Blogiversary! Yep, I've been blabbing on here for an entire year.

I've talked about everything from poop to puke...my gynecologist to my boobs...boogers to zits. I'm quite the professional in writing about disgusting things, huh? My life is full of disgusting things so get used to it.

Hmmm...thinking I need some cake.

Happy Graduation

Yesterday was my niece's high school graduation. I can't believe she's old enough to head off to college in the fall. She makes me feel really old. She was born my junior year of high school and she was my little buddy for so long. She was my world for so long. I spoiled her every chance I got.

Then I grew up. I got married and had my own new little buddies. She grew up through jr. high and high school. I can't believe she just graduated. She's awesome though. She has a good (bobble) head on her shoulders. She's wise beyond her years. And I know she'll be great at whatever she does. Congratulations!

Five Quote Friday

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."
~Phyllis Diller

"I'm not going to vacuum until Sears makes one you can ride on."
~Roseanne Barr

"My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance."
~Author Unknown

"This mess is a place!"
~Author Unknown

And my favorite:
"Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy."
~Author Unknown

Hoagies and Grinders

Thanks to Hubs and YouTube, my boys are now mesmerized by Adam Sandler. Big Brother walks around the house singing, "Sloppy joe, sloppy, sloppy joe!"

Fungus Among Us

We were all playing in the back yard tonight when I heard Hubs say, "Crap, the Smurfs have moved in."

And then, "You wanna see me go all Gargamel on 'em?"

My Little Darth Vader

Treaty of Sisterhood

I found this in my step daughters' room the other day. It was drawn up by Little Miss Priss. It could possibly be the best treaty evah! Names have been changed to protect the innocent or not so innocent, however you want to look at it.

And I quote:

Treaty
In this peice of paper, Little Miss Happy Go Lucky, must let me:
1. Read
2. Draw/Color
3. Doze off
4. Go on computer first
5. Leave me alone!
6. Let me sleep.

Otherwise, if any of these rules are broken, she must listen to torchure music.
(We're guessing torture music.)

And that poor child checked the 'agree' box and signed it.

What was she thinking?

Happy Mother's Day Moms

"There never was a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him asleep."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers with ease."
-Lisa Alther

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.”
-Tenneva Jordan

“When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.”
-Sophia Loren

“With what price we pay for the glory of motherhood."
-Isadora Duncan

“There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one."
-Jill Churchill

“A mother never realizes that her children are no longer children."
-James Agee

Big Brother on Marriage

Big Brother: "I'm going to Gran and Pa's Saturday."

Me: "Not this Saturday. They're going to a wedding."

Big Brother: "They're not married yet?"

We Love Leftovers

We had leftovers from our Blackened Chicken that Hubs grilled the other night. So tonight we turned it into our own Blackened Chicken Salad. It was another yummy, quick meal. Baby Jaws even chomps on salad when he's in the mood and Big Brother ate his share too. That boy can put away the salad! We don't turn our noses up at leftovers at this house. If you don't want the exact same dinner you had the first time, you can usually turn it into an entirely different meal.

My Little Sanford & Son

For the past few days, Baby Jaws has spent the majority of his time hauling a bunch of stuff around in this old toy trailer. It's the first thing he seeks when he wakes in the morning and we have to pull him away from it to put him to bed at night.
He continually empties the trailer one piece at a time, then loads it back up the same way. And oh the fit when something falls off of it. I'm not sure what his fascination is with it all, but it keeps him, as well as Dad and Mom, entertained.
He may have an old beat up trailer, but he's hauling it in style behind his Hummer.

Blackened Chicken

I love to cook and bake! I've been posting lots of things I've made lately to share with everyone. I would love to start a food blog, but keeping up with this blog, my Save With Scissors blog and two little guys is enough for me at the moment.

We grill almost constantly once the great weather gets going. Hubs is the Grill Master. Tonight we had blackened chicken that I found in a Taste of Home magazine a few years ago. We loved it the first time we tried it and have made it many times since. It went great with some of my great coupon deals: Green Giant Steamers potatoes and veggies, Green Giant Steamers corn on the cob and my Kroger crescent rolls. It was a quick, easy meal we pulled together with things we are stocked up on and already had on hand.