Fun Foods for the kids

We all have those days when we just don't feel like slaving over the hot stove. Every now and then, when I'm not feeling up to cooking an actual "meal", the kids end up getting octopus on a bed of seaweed. They like it, but then again, who wouldn't enjoy octopus hot dogs with seaweed macaroni & cheese?

 Very simple to make, by cutting the hot dogs in half and then slicing vertically to make the 8 legs. Don't cut all the way up or he'll have no head!! And add blue (or green) food color to the macaroni & cheese.

 

My kids love them! Cute and fun but also easy to make!

Photo's.....stacked

I am at a loss as far as screwing up my picasa and blogger photos! And I just can't get over it. :( How many times am I going to mention my screw up you ask?? Until I remember NOT to do it again!! So, I think I am trying to make up for my loss by adding more pictures. This time, let's try a widget. I love this site! ☺ Warning: you can expect me to be on photo overload for some time. But for those of you that don't want to look at my pictures while I'm overloading, there is a little, red box in the upper, right hand corner of your computer screen. If you click on it, I don't have to know about it. So, ssshh!


                   

Powered by GoodWidgets.com

P.S. Have I mentioned that I like this site?

It's Christmas, not X-mas...

...or so I always believed. Tonight I came across a web page (I closed it before I could link it here) that explained that the abbreviation of Christmas to X-mas may have actually derived because the western ‘X’ is equivalent to ‘chi’, the first letter of Christ’s name, and a holy symbol, in Greek. I don't know how or if that holds any truth. But I won't feel so irritated if I see it this way. I read many things this evening that I could contemplate and argue, but I'd rather not wind up feeling confused or upsetting any readers.

I'm not sure if it is due to the fact that I completely lost all of my photographs in previous postings or if I'm just feeling a little nostalgic this evening, but here are a few Christmas photo's that I hold dear to my heart. ♥

Camden-2years old

Camden-6 years old, Kainan days old

Kainan-4 weeks old

Kainan-2 years old

And here are some photo's of a little bit of our decorating this year. I have been wanting to try making a "rag" garland and decided this was the time for me to try it out. I like how it turned out, despite my numb and aching fingers. What do you think?
I let Camden put the artificial tree up this year. She put all the pieces together. If you look closely you can see that she misplaced some of the branches. :) But I left it. The kids, one short one in particular, kept adding ornaments to the bottom of the tree in the same spot, but I left it.

 

 

"Rag" Garland I made

Closer detail

Finished product

Ugh...what a stupid move!

So...I thought I would delete my picasa pictures because I never use picasa...okay, so really I wanted to delete them because my phone auto imports these photo's to my phone and I simply don't like them there. However, this was NOT a good idea...it deleted all of my blogger photos in all of the previous posts! Duh! Picasa is Google...or well, a product of...they're like siblings or cousins or somethin. They're tight!

Now I'm upset and hoping my techy husband can restore them, but I still will not be able to go back and restore pics to my blog posts! Damn!

Good news is, they aren't on my Android anymore. (Sorry, searching for a silver lining here!) I'm just not so certain that it was worth losing them from my blog. Okay, well, I'm pretty certain I'd rather live with them on my phone rather than NOT have them on my blog.

Update: They can't be restored...  :(   Not to my blog. 

P.S....this is my 100th post. Woohoo!

Thankful Day 6 & Thursdays Ten

I think I missed a day for my Thankful list...but I believe this one is great enough to cover two days also. I have also added my Thursday's Ten here. You can do your Thursday's Ten by visiting Lora over at Take Me the Way I Am






♥Thankful Day 6 and/or 7, also, Thursday's Ten #1
I am thankful, oh so thankful to the brave men and women who serve our country every single day and night; putting themselves in harms way and risking their lives, preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice if we, the American people need that sacrifice. I am warm in my bed each night and safe due to the work of these wonderful, amazing people. I cannot stress how thankful I am to the military for the immense list of jobs they must do and the danger they see just so I can enjoy the simplest of things in my life. A great big THANK YOU to those that are serving today away from their loved ones.
♥my family and close friends. they have always been here for me. always supported me. i can call on them anytime.
♥the material things that make my life easy and fun. electronics, books, crafting & scrapbooking, facebook, my camera. these things give me a way to cope with the more difficult things in life. they calm me. when life gives me a bad day i can use these things to leave the stress and rough day behind.
♥teachers. they have a difficult job. i don't think much more needs to be said about them. they're wonderful! :)
♥doctors, nurses, emts/paramedics. again, I don't think they need much explanation. they work strenuous hours all in the hope that they can cure, help and give hope to one patient.
♥necessities...all the things a family needs to function easily and properly. shoes, clothes, shampoo, soap, toilet paper, hygiene products. we all know why we appreciate them!
♥stability (my husbands job). we've been  in so many places with so little money. we are now where we want to be and are finally starting to feel stabilization. it feels so nice!
♥my wonderful, trusting, almighty God. he never fails, follows through with what he promises and loves and forgives more than any one person can or is willing to do.
♥health. both of myself and my husband and kids. we may not be in perfect shape but all in all, we are healthy.
♥the wonderful, yummy, yummy food that i just ate. :) Mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm!


I hope everyone has a very enjoyable and safe Thanksgiving! If you are traveling, stay safe on the roads or in the air...however you may be traveling!! God Bless!!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. If you had known what they knew then, would you have boarded the Mayflower? Probably, yes. I should probably think a bit about this and give a more complex answer, but...not happenin' today! My brain may very well shut down!!

2. How far have you traveled on a boat and how do you feel about boats in general? The thought of boats makes me fearful. I've had too many vivid dreams of drowning to want to chance actually experiencing that. I am not a strong swimmer due to the reason that water scares me. Swimming in pools is okay for me, as long as I can control the depth I'm in, but when you get to over 8 ft deep you can pretty much count on me freakin out! So to answer the question, no I have never traveled on a boat and I feel pretty negative about the idea of them in general.

 

3. What traditions have you kept, acquired thru marriage, and/or tossed? If you're single what are some of traditions  your family has had that you kept? We never really had traditions more than traveling to grandma's house. Which was only an hour away. Now, there is no family closer than 8 hours to us. Okay, none of my family is up here. And the hubs, his family that is here could care less about us. I try to give my kids a history lesson and make sure they understand the true meaning of why we celebrate.

4. What time is your dinner and how many will be round your table? And what is the one side dish you cannot do without on Thanksgiving day?Dinner, don't know yet....sad, I know! And 4 around our table. Side dish we love, The Ultimate Side Dish. Yummy!

 

5. Have you ever used a fire extinguisher? Do tell...Nope...thank God!

6. Tell about a situation that caused you dreadful trepidation and much feet dragging only to realize later it was a true blessing. Spur of the moment, the only thing I can think of would be my ex fiance and I splitting up.

7. Baked, sweet, mashed, hash browned, or french fried...which one's your favorite? Hmmmm....mashed would have to take this one, followed extremely closely with sweet.

8. Insert your own random thought here...

Dear pillow and blanket, I'm sorry I had to leave you for awhile, but with any luck we will be reunited again. So please don't fret! I'll be there soon!

Thankful Day 5

today i am thankful for people who don't sugarcoat things. those that don't beat around the bush. just tell me like it is, no game playing is needed to converse with me. i appreciate a conversation with someone that i don't have to wonder what the person is really implying. spit it out and if i have trouble deciphering the meaning, i'll ask questions. it is so much easier to just get to the point.

Cranberry Fluff

Post it Note Tuesday

As always, by clicking the button above, you will be linked to a page with more information about this blog hop! 

Meet Me on Monday

23rd round of questions posted by  Java.

1. How many pillows do you sleep with?

Just one but sometimes I cuddle with my husbands after he goes to work. :)

2. Where will you eat on Thanksgiving?
At my kitchen table. With my little family! :)

3. Would you rather go to a party or host a party?

I would rather attend a party. Had we a bigger house, I would host. 

4. How many purses (for the guys..wallets) do you own?
I have no idea! More than 5. Less than 10.  No brand names though, although I'd like to have a good, sturdy purse.

5. What is your favorite kind of seafood?
Not a fan of seafood. 

Thankful-Day 3 & 4

I missed posting yesterday. But that's okay because what I'm thankful for is big enough to take up two days! I am thankful today (and everyday!!) that there is a great and wonderful God that blesses me and does just what he says he does. Never has He brought me to something that I couldn't get through. He always knows best. Always. And I'm thankful that I have someone that cares that much about me and continuously sees me through any trial or tribulation. He doesn't care if I get my clothes at Wal mart instead of Ralph Lauren or that I don't live in a multi million dollar home or drive a fancy car. He doesn't want to see me suffer. Everything I  have is all due to Him, all belongs to Him. He sees, loves, blesses, heals, keeps His promises. What more could I ask for?

Mellow Yellow Monday

Need a reason to look forward to Mondays? Here's one! Okay, so it's not like you get a vacation day from work or anything, but...who doesn't like simple, fun posts like these? To read more about how to link up, please click on the badge above.

The Story of Jonah as you've never heard before

This was so cute! What a little story teller! I first watched it here

10 celebs

I am actually writing this for Camden. She asked me which ten celebrities I would most like to meet. So I thought, why not blog about it? After all, I like photo posts. ☺ Who would you like to meet?

Dancing with the Stars Derek Hough

Jerry Trainor

Matthew Mcconaughey

Michael W. Smith

Steven Curtis Chapman

♥ Tom Welling ♥

Reba!!

Carrie Underwood

HGTV's David Bromstead

Kristen Stewart

Ultimate, favorite things

Did any of you happen to catch Friday's episode of Oprah? Part one of Oprah's ultimate favorite things. She brought in an audience that was filled with people who do for others. Nurses, doctors, humane society workers...etc, etc. Everyone in the audience was going home with every one of her favorite things. WOW! Mark me down for jealous!
Some of her favorites include Elfa Customizable Closet System from the Container Store-Approximate value $1000, 5 year Netflix membership, Long Sleeve Open Placket Cashmere Sweater and Cashmere Cable Throw by Ralph Lauren-Approximate value: $498 for the sweater; $595 for the throw, Lafco House and Home Collection Candle Set-Approximate value: $55 each (everyone took home the entire collection! 18 of them!), Nike "Free Run+" Shoes-Approximate value: $85 each (4 pairs each), Sony BRAVIA LX900 HDTV with 3D-Approximate value: $3,600, and let us not forget the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas Cruise! This is only a handful of things!
So after watching this I began thinking, what is on your wish list? And I mean, something that in reality you will probably never receive. Something that is just that...a wish, a dream. I'm actually still thinking about what I would wish for (I try to keep my head out of the clouds, so it's hard to put it in them now!)

I can't wait to tune into the part two of Oprah's ultimate, favorite things!

My list:

• A house of my own, built to our own quirky specifications (We like odd different things)
• To be able to see our daughters in WA. (It's been 2 years since we've seen them)
• A stay at the Nickelodeon Hotel in Orlando
• NIkon camera (with a side of Ashton Kutcher please!) 
• Dell laptop (I'll take red please!)
• 2011 Chevy Silverado Hybrid

Thankful-Day 2

Today I am thankful that my children have inherited my (and my husband's) love for books.
My 9 year old reads for at least 30 minutes a day and sometimes will read for several hours, depending how quickly she gets sucked into the story.
My 3 year old loves to be read to. His favorite right now is Green Eggs & Ham. He loves it when Daddy reads to him. Which is good for me because I get impatient with him jumping and fidgeting with other things. And I would rather read other books to him, rather than the same one over and over. While the world is sleeping is one of my favorites. The illustration is AMAZING!  I love you stinky face is another of my favorites. If you haven't read them, I highly recommend them. Normally I would attach the photo to the post, but since Amazon will let you see actual pages, I linked to them. ☺
Thanks for reading, have a wonderful evening!

Friday's Fave Five

Yes, yes it is Friday!!! Which means one of many things...time for Fave Fives! Take a peek at Susanne's blog to see where it all started.

1. Like many others who have posted their 5 today, I have to mention cuddling under my blanket. It is such a great feeling to be able to snuggle up under my blanket on a cool night.

2.  Two words....Nick jr! I know my kids shouldn't watch so much t.v. But they do...and it has really saved my sanity!! AND taught my young en a thing or two!

3.  A family that supports me. Yes, my husband & kids do, but I'm talking about my parents and siblings. And even my close friends. I'm so grateful that I can call on them and it doesn't matter if they agree with my decision or not, they still support me.

4.  My husband's job. There was a time when we thought maybe he would never be able to obtain employment. (When you are jobless for so long, it seems never ending!!) He has a fantastic job now and although I wanted a job for myself before, I am able to stay home now.

5.  Music. ♪♫ Music is such an inspiration to me. It gets me through so much. And makes me happy. I've always loved music. From high school show choir to c.d's and the radio in the car. Gotta have it!

Thankful-Day 1

I know everyone has been posting the things that they are thankful for during the month of November. And I probably should have done the same. Truth is, I would have been so burnt out on doing it by the time Thanksgiving was actually here. Not to mention, I try to remind myself of the wonderful things I have in my life every day. Which to me, is the same thing as showing myself  that I've got many reasons to be thankful. Only difference I guess now is that I'm publicly posting about it.
Today I am thankful that I have a warm, dry place to call home. With the many times we have moved in the previous years and everything we have been through, it could have easily had a different result. The economy was horrible and neither me nor Jim could obtain a job. It was not easy. It was hard to chew on the fact that we didn't know what the next day was going to bring. But God never let us down. And we are now at a place where we will probably stay for many years. I am so grateful! And even though I am several hours from family, we are happy here. And I feel like this is where we belong...at least for now.

New, simple look

I wanted to change up the look of my blog. Yes, again! I get so bored with it so quickly! I was trying to go for something simple, with less chaos and "noise" but I am almost thinking this is too simple. Which is a complete contradiction being that I generally prefer simple. I don't need nor particularly want anything fancy schmancy. I typically like things not to take away the focus of something, so maybe this isn't so bad. It will take some time getting used to I suppose. ((sigh)) You see, I'm not a very patient person. Ask my husband, he will tell you!  When I have to wait on things, I get very agitated. Which is something I need to work on. I've tried to work on it, but got tired of waiting on results. Hehe! So, anyhoo, for those that follow, you will know if I got tired of getting used to this blog design....when/if it changes in the near future. You can tell by the splashes of color and text size that I feel that I need some fun in the post. 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What is the most amazing weather you've ever seen?

This probably sounds pretty harsh, I assure you, I do NOT mean it that way! But, I am in awe of the weather that causes natural disasters. I don't like the result but just seeing things change quickly in the weather and seeing how powerful it can be, leaves me in awe.

2. What is a sound or noise you love?

Other than the sound of my children laughing, thunderstorms, hands down.

3. Do you like seafood? What's your favorite seafood dish?

I, have not had many opportunities to eat seafood. Also, I have no desire to cook any of it.

4. What part of your day requires the most patience?

Morning....'nuff said!

5. What's your favorite shade of blue?
I have no favorite shades...blue is blue to me.

6. Do people underestimate you?

I believe so. I don't think I am taken seriously and then when someone witnesses that I truly am, I am perceived as rude or mean.

7. When was the last time you had butterflies in your stomach?

Ya know, I honestly don't know...I don't really get butterflies. Goosebumps maybe...but no butterflies.

8. Insert your own random thought here,

I am praying for everyone involved in this case that happened only 40 minutes down the road from where we live.

Wordless Wednesday-Kainan

Hello again

It has been a good while since I've posted anything here. I've just not had a lot to say. (Believe me, I was just as  shocked as you are!)
There has been a lot going on, but nothing really noteworthy. Until just the last couple of days. :)
Kainan had his annual echo cardiogram and ekg last week. He has a mild aortic valve stenosis. If you don't know what that is, you can read about it here.
I am so, so, so proud of him! As you may guess, last year he had barely been two years old when he went in for his appointment. You try getting a 2 year old to sit still for that long!! It's not easy!
After his appointments, we met with the doctor where she proceeded to tell us that there hasn't been any change since he's been seeing a cardiologist. This is GREAT news! It means that his stenosis hasn't gotten worse! She also told us that since he hasn't had any problems and nothing has gotten worse that he PROBABLY wouldn't have problems with it or need surgery! PRAISE GOD!!! They will continue to monitor him annually but there is not a need to continue the echo cardiogram unless there is a change!! WOOOOHOOO!

Camden really wanted her hair cut...short. So, courageously, I began the journey through her long hair and ended up with this:

Before

After (but before cleaning up!)

 I realize that it isn't exactly even on each side, but I didn't go to beauty school either...

Jim celebrated a birthday Monday. I won't post how old (or young) he is....not that I think he would really care. :)
Kainan celebrated his 3rd birthday yesterday! I can't believe how fast the time has gone!
November is an unusually busy month for us regarding birthdays!! Here are a few shots from the festivities: