Octopus for Dinner?

I got this idea from a magazine so I tricked the kids, telling them we were gonna eat octopus for dinner. You should have seen the look on their faces. :D You just cut 8 "legs" in each hotdog and boil until their legs curl up.
After we took them out of the water Sarah thought it looked like their "sticky things" or "suction cups" fell off in the boiling water. :D
The kids all got to make faces on their octopus before eating them.
Adam painted a face on his octopus using mustard.
Sarah made her octopus face using pretzels.
Jack pierced a "sword" (toothpick) through his octopus instead of making a face.

Jack doing brain surgery on his octopus.



Jack, Sarah and Adam enjoying their tasty treats.

The mind of a 3 1/2 year old... "The Sword in the Toe."

Or should I say inside Jack's mind...:D The other day I was driving around town when Jack informed me that a "sword" was stuck in his "second pinky toe" aka "big-little toe or other pinky toe" (the toe next to the pinky toe, incase you couldn't figure that out LOL). When I looked in the rearview mirror he was holding a small, sharp toe nail which really did look like a little "sword". He makes me laugh. He also calls butter knives "swords". Can you tell he likes weaponry. :D

Smiling Faces

Me & Tootie

  Me and Grace on the beach over Labor Day weekend before school started.  Probably one of the last, if not THE last nice beach day.  Don't mind the fat arm shot.  What can I say, I am alittle buff these days, HA! *wink*

School Days

Adam's 1st day of school today!(kindergarten)





Sarah's 1st day of school yesterday!(2nd grade)

I asked Adam if he made any cool friends at school today to which he replied yes three, only he couldn't remember there names so he described them as such using these exact words in this exact order: "The little guy with the glasses (friend #1), the big guy with the green shirt (friend #2), and the brown guy (friend #3). I thought that was sooo cute! :D

My "offical" seal

Pumpkin Heads

Garden Harvest 

 The kids each picked out a pumpkin from our very own pumpkin patch that we planted this year.  I don't think we will plant another pumpkin patch next year since it is quickly taking over the rest of our garden.  

Cousins

 Here are some more Sephia poses of my kiddos and their cousins.  My sister's girls...Kaylyn, Jenna and Lauren.  Beautiful! :D

 

*Check out Grace's face in the all girls pose (top right)  She looks like a drunk zombie!! LOL

Brothers & Sisters

The art of "Multi-tasking"

I want to start a bullet list for the things us mothers get accomplished through "multi-tasking"
Feel free to add your accomplishments in the comments and I will add them to the list. (That is if anyone reads my blog anymore :D )

• You know you have successfully mastered the art of multi-tasking when you can nurse your infant and clip your toddlers fingernails and toenails at the same time.~Momblogs
• When you can take care of your all your children while 3/4 of them are sick with the stomach flu and throwing up, without getting a single drop of puke on the floor, all the while feeling nauseous yourself.~Momblogs
• Managing to cook dinner (chopping or stirring something), hold a crying or nursing baby and talk on the phone (say to make an appointment). ~Princess Ruby
• Holding a conversation with a doctor, talking to one child, and getting the other child out of trouble? ~Princess Ruby
• Nurse while cleaning up a puking kid. ~Choppzs
• Nurse while grocery shopping. ~Choppzs
• Nursing a baby while cutting out a pattern. ~Amie

I know I have more, I'll have to think about it and update later.

Happy Birthday to the man I love!

Today is my honey's birthday and since I don't have a photo to post of him (he will never allow his picture to be taken alone without his hand covering his face) I thought I would list 28 reasons why I love this man.

1. His love of and devotion to our Heavenly Father.
2. He has given me four beautiful children.
3. His strength, both physical and mental.
4. His lips.
5. His hands.
6. His smile.
7. His eyes.
8. The way he talks.
9. His sense of humor. (he makes me laugh all the time and I love to laugh)
10. His intelligence.
11. His God given ability at problem solving. (he is amazing at this)
12. The way he is with the kids. (they adore him)
13. Because he loves me even though I can be a nerd (through song and dance :D ) sometimes.
14. His ideas about our future and how he is taking care of us.
15. His ability at making decisions
16. He is compassionate when he needs to be.
17. The way he suprises me with things on my birthday and other special occasions.
18. The way he listens to me.
19. How he keeps me focused.
20. He is my best friend.
21. He does a lot of things that remind me of my dad and I love that. (my dad died 7 yrs ago)
22. He works in a way that allows me to be a SAHM.
23. He is wonderful as the head of our house.
24. He is great at encouraging me and the kids.
25. He knows how to have fun.
26. He's an excellent gardner :D (I'll have to post an updated picture of our garden)
27. He knows how to cook a good meal.
28. For all the little things he does for me to let me know he loves me.

Those are just a few of the reasons why I love him and want to wish him a happy 28th birthday!

I love you Dan, Happy Birthday Baby!!

Family Photo

I haven't had much time to blog recently with all the construction/remodeling we are doing on our house trying to get it ready to sell. Today, however, I did get a chance to sneak away from all the painting I've been doing, but just long enough to post this family picture. This was taking on July 4th this year at my mom's house. It is hard to get everyone together to take a family picture so they are few and far between. I will cherish this photo until the next time I have to beg dear hubby to sit long enough for a picture :D
Hopefully I will get another chance to update my blog soon, but until then you can enjoy my family picture as much as I am.

Water or Coke?

Eye Opening Information! (This was an email from my FIL)

This is really an eye opener... Water or Coke? We all know that water is important but I've never seen it written down like this before.

WATER
1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

And now for the properties of Coke:
1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.
3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous China.
4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion
6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for sumptuous brown gravy.
8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.
9. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

For Your Info:
1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 ! years!

Now the question is... Would you like a Coke or a glass of water?

All I can say is a glass of ice cold water sounds so refreshing now! This has made me think differently about coke or any soda/pop for sure.

Happy Father's Day (two days late)

Happy Father's day to my wonderful husband, who is the greatest father in the world. Of course I am a little biased, but only a little. Below is an email my husband recieved from his father and thought it was funny so I decided to share.

Men Are Just Happier People

What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put.The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolateis just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. Youcan wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a waterpark. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You neverhave to drive to another gas station rest room because this one is just tooicky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on abolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tuxrental-$100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected. New shoes don'tcut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time.Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff abouttanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open allyour own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act ofthoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still beyour friend.Your underwear is $8.95 for a three pack. Three pairs of shoes are morethan enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unableto see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its originalcolor. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have toshave your face and neck.You can play with toys all your life. Your belly usually hides your big!hips. One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can "do" your nailswith a pocket knife. You have the freedom of choice concerning growing amustache.You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25minutes.No wonder men are happier.

Happy Birthday!

 My oldest, Sarah, turned 7 on Father's Day this year, June 18th.  I can't believe my baby is this old already.  Happy Birthday Sarah Bear!!

Tootie has teeth!

Gracie face sporting her two teeth she got just last month.

(Oh and Tootie is just one of her many nicknames)

Fun Outside

Wow! The weather sure has been nice around here. I thought I would share some updated pictures of my cutie pies. Sarah is almost done with school and summer break is fast approaching. Can't wait to get to the beach and enjoy the break before school starts again. This fall Adam will be joining Sarah at school, he in kindergarten and she in 2nd grade. I can't believe how my babies are growing up so fast. Next year will just be me, Jack and Grace during school hours. *sigh* Empty nest sydrome is already swallowing me up!

Sunday Best

Our trip to Chicago

We had a great time! We Rode the double decker bus and toured the city, we rode the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier, went up the Sears Tower aka Serious Tower (as pronounced by Adam) or Serious Trouble (as pronounced by Jack),  went to the Shedd Aquarium, and ate at some pretty cool places. We did a lot and I mean a lot of walking and nobody got sun burned.  Hooray! :D

Congrats!

To my sister Tanya and her husband on the birth of their third daughter, Lauren Elizabeth. She was born at 6:48 am weighing 8 lbs 11 oz and she was 20 1/2 inches long. Mom and baby are doing great. Lauren is beautiful and has lots of hair. Hopefully I can post some pictures of her soon.

Judge Roy Moore

Some of you may be wondering what Judge Roy Moore has been doing since he was removed from the bench for refusing to remove the 10 Commandments from his courtroom wall. Please read the poem he wrote below.

Judge Moore was sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are attempting to strip his right to practice law in the state of Alabama.

The following is a poem written by Judge Moore:

America the Beautiful, or so you used to be. Land of the Pilgrims' pride; I'm glad they'll never see. Babies piled in dumpsters, Abortion on demand, Oh, sweet land of liberty; your house is on the sand. Our children wander aimlessly poisoned by cocaine, Choosing to indulge their lusts, when God has said abstain. >From sea to shining sea, our Nation turns away> From the teaching of God's love and a need to always pray. We've kept God in our temples, how callous we have grown. When earth is but His footstool, and Heaven is His throne. We've voted in a government that's rotting at the core, Appointing Godless Judges who throw reason out the door, Too soft to place a killer in a well deserved tomb, But brave enough to kill a baby before he leaves the womb. You think that God's not angry, that our land's a moral slum? How much longer will He wait before His judgment comes? How are we to face our God, from Whom we cannot hide? What then is left for us to do, but stem this evil tide? If we who are His children, will humbly turn and pray; Seek His holy face and mend our evil way: Then God will hear from Heaven and forgive us of our sins, He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within. But, America the Beautiful, if you don't - then you will see, A sad but Holy God withdraw His hand from Thee. ~Judge Roy Moore

Happy Birthday Amie!

Just returning the favor :D

Happy Mother's Day!

One Flaw In Women (this was an email forward from a friend)
Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. T hey smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideas. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR OWN WORTH.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there!

Happy 5th Birthday Adam!

  I can't believe it has already been 5 years since he was born.  Happy birthday Mr. Steven!!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Well today is Dan and my 9th wedding anniversary! It is amazing how time flies. Dan took the day off of work, plus it's raining so he can't work, but we will be busy remodeling our house then church youth group tonight so no dinner/date plans for us. Which is fine by me since I am anxious to get the living room finished :D. Next year though it will be special number 10 and we will have to do something then.

Who is Todd?

Apparently Todd is my youngest son Jack! You're all probably just as confused as I was when I first heard "Todd" being yelled out. I was blow drying my hair and heard a bunch of commotion so I stopped to investigate. Sarah and Adam were running around calling for Todd and trying to find him yelling, "Todd, Todd, hurry, come here, the building has collapsed!" and all of the sudden in runs Jack to the rescue. It seemed that the "collapsed building" aka the big cardboard box had indeed caved in while they were playing in it. So in came "Todd" to the rescue and they all helped fix the "building" again. Later that day while driving to town I asked the kids who Todd was and Jack's head popped up in the back seat saying, "It's me!" and they all agreed that Todd was really Jack.
Once again the imagination of children...it's a beautiful or in this case a funny thing!

The gang

Luke and Grace

Don't they make a cute couple? Just kidding Jonah or should I say Sammy ;)

Best Compliment

The best compliment you can get from a stranger besides "You're very attractive" is " You're a wonderful mother" the latter of which I received today at the Grocery store. Normally I get, "Wow you have your hands full" which to me really isn't something negative but sometimes it isn't meant to be positive either. So today when I heard that I was a wonderful mother from a total stranger, I must confess it really made my day. I only had three of my four children with me since Sarah was at school and at times I felt overwhelmed going down a few of the aisles (these were the aisles with elderly folk trying to decide which cheese to purchase) sometimes the older people don't appreciate young children squeaking between carts and will rudely tell you about it. Needless to say when I was complimented all the overwhelming feelings just washed away and I was proud. Proud to be a mother!

Spring Break...

The thing I was looking forward to most about Spring Break was being able to sleep in past 7:00 am since I wouldn't have to get Sarah up for school. But can you guess what happened? That's right, just the opposite! The kids were waking up no later then 6:30 am everyday, Hooray!! So school starts on Monday and it looks like I will get to sleep in, for 30 minutes at least! UGH! I can't wait for summer break :D

Happy Birthday....

to me. Well, today is my birthday. I am 27. Wow I can't believe I am almost 30! LOL

Parent Job Description

I got this from a friend in an email and thought I would share...

PARENT - Job Description This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way when we were young, none of us would have wanted the position!!!!

POSITION : Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa

JOB DESCRIPTION : Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES : The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have the ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION : None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE : None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION : Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS : While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life

Sarah took these...

pictures of Grace.  I thought she did pretty good with the camera.  Grace is already 4 mos old!

Whoo Hoo...

I went to get Sarah at the bus stop today. It was so stink'n nice outside that I almost did a cartwheel. :D I never knew 47 degrees could feel this good. I guess I am just itching to get outside.

Love Story (kind of)

Last week was parent/teacher conference and Sarah's her teacher gave me lots of stuff that Sarah has been working on in a folder to take home. Here is a story she wrote on Feb. 6, 2006. It's really cute. I will keep the spelling the same so you can get the full affect.

One day on Satreday Grace and Jonay(Jonah). I think they love echothre(each other). It is silly very very silly. They lookde at echothre and I laphde(laughed) very very much. They are babys. Grace is my sistre. She is 3 mons old. Jonay has three brothrs and Grace has 2 brothrs and 1 sistre. The babys are two little two play in the snow. But I can play in the snow Adam and Jack and mom and dad can too.

In case you didn't know Jonay is Amie's Jonah. Anyway, I just thought I would share her story because I thought it was so cute that she would choose to write about it at school. :D

Grieving...

For the loss of a wonderful mother and wife...Although I never knew her I read of others who knew her and appreciated her. Please pray for those left behind, her husband and now five children. She never awakened from the c-section of her fifth child on March 1st. My heart aches as I mourn with her friends and family. She passed away from this life and onto life everlasting with our Heavenly Father.

In memory of Missey

Lent...your thoughts requested

Okay so I am confused. I have been watching the news today and the reporters have been reading email from people who have given something up for Lent. One person said they are
"giving up telling people what they want to hear and instead being brutally honest with them". This is where I get confused. I mean isn't Lent about giving up something that stands in the way of your focus on God. To eliminate distractions and reflect on our Lord and Savior. These people seem to be giving things up that sound more like New Years Resolutions. I know you shouldn't always just tell someone something they want to hear, but isn't being brutally honest a bit harsh. I mean that is the whole reason the term "brutally" proceeds honest. What do you all think? Could deciding to be brutally honest with someone help with your reflections on God?

Grandpa Hands...

Definition: (as told by Jack) What your hands look like after staying in the bathtub for awhile. AKA: raisin or prune hands. :D

It was too cute. Adam and Jack were dressing after their bath the other day and Jack said to Adam, "Look I have grandpa hands".

No offense to grandpa's of course! I am sure his definition will bring a smile to Grandpa Clark's face. :D

Old Fashioned

We made beef stew over our woodburning stove. It was so much fun. It felt like we were living in old times. We all sat by the fire keeping warm while the stew was simmering. It tasted yummy too. Just thought I would share our old fashioned story with you all. It did save us a little bit of money too since we didn't need to use the gas stove in the kitchen and with the rising costs of gas any little bit helps. :D

As promised....

 Updated pictures of my kiddos...

Grace Face

Some recent pictures of Grace who is now 3 months old. The last picture is another "a wink and a smile" shot. You might remember this other "wink and smile". She is getting big!

Grrr.....

That is the new sound that is coming from our little Gracie girlfriend. It is so cute. She has been making all kinds of cooing noises just like she should be at her age and then today I noticed that she is growling too. She will even occasionally growl back when growled at. The rest of us are getting a real kick out of it. Sarah, Adam and Jack have been growling at her all day trying to get her to growl back. What a little darling. She is getting so big now too. I 'll post some new pictures of all my kiddos soon. Grrr...

Strawberry Shortcake

No cheating. If all of the desserts listed below were sitting in front of you, which would you choose? Pick your dessert, and then look to see what psychiatrists think about you! (Sorry you can only pick one.)

a) Angel Food Cake
b) Brownies
c) Lemon Meringue
d) Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Icing
e) Strawberry Short Cake
f) Chocolate on Chocolate
g) Ice Cream
h) Carrot Cake

NOW, you cannot change your mind once you scroll down! So, think carefully what your choice will be! Now that you have made your choice, scroll down to see what research says about you!









ANGEL FOOD CAKE... Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm and fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature at times!

BROWNIES... You are adventurous, love new ideas, are a champion of under-dogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up, you whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very loyal.

LEMON MERINGUE... Smooth, sexy, & articulate with your hands, you are an excellent after-dinner speaker and a good teacher. But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at times, but you have many friends.

VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING... Fun-loving,sassy, humorous. Not very grounded in life; very indecisive and lack motivation. Everyone enjoys being around you, but you are a practical joker.Others should be cautious in making you mad. However,you are a friend for life.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE... Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people and can be counted on in a pinch. You tend to melt! You can be overly emotional and annoying at times.

CHOCOLATE ON CHOCOLATE... Sexy; always ready to give and receive. Very creative, adventurous, ambitious,and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to take chances. Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to laugh.

ICE CREAM... You like sports, whether it be baseball,football, basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but you enjoy watching sports. You don't like to give up the remote control. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.

CARROT CAKE... You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warm-hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends.