BoosterThon 2012

This morning was Layla's Booster Thon at school.

What is a Booster Thon you ask?

The Booster Thon fun run is a healthy way to help school kids raise money for the school and children's education.    Relatives and friends can give pledges towards the number of laps students will run.

Volunteers mark the back of the kids shirts as they run each lap!

   It is such a fun day at school!

Layla loved it last year and she was all smiles again today as she ran!

The young guys in the red shirts sorta "Dj'd" while the kids were running and they were so funny!  They are really good at what they do.  There was fun loud music playing while the kids ran and sometimes the "guys in the red shirts" would have the kids walk, run or skip.  They made funny comments about the music.  It was a perfect day!

I got to walk part of the last lap of the run with Layla. She did a great job running a total of 32 laps!  I think she did good!  Now we have to pay up and all the money goes to the school!

Yay for Boosterthon 2012!

Tuesday night randoms

 I am making this quick because we are about to watch Parenthood.  It is the best show and I am going to be sad tonight after it's over because it is the season finale. Nooooo!  It can't be over yet. 

This week is so super busy.  We have something going on every single day.  It is only Tuesday night and I am already tired.  I am super thankful to be busy and have lots going on though.

Plucking my eyebrows makes me nauseated.  It always has.  I know I have said this before, but I really dislike plucking them.  However, I don't want to have a uni-brow.

Hayden is having some issues with the potty.  It is a weird phase, but suddenly he has decided he's afraid to do his big business on the potty.  It is such a weird thing because he has been going potty just fine until this past weekend.

  

I don't have a flat iron.  I have an old really big and large hard to use wet to dry iron.  But a real true flat iron...I don't have one.  I don't know how to use one.  I think I want to learn.   I round brush my hair to soften the ends, but I think I have naturally straight hair, so yep...I'm weird.  I think everyone I know has a flat iron. 

Our new life group/mom group at church decided to meet once a week.  We met this morning and I am feeling so blessed that I have found these ladies.  I can't wait to get to know them and their families better.

I am so sad that Harley the dog recently turned 13 years old.  She is getting so very old and tired.  Sometimes she looks at me like she is ready to go and I hate it.  I love her and I hope we can make the right choice when it comes to when the time is right. 

I need a new Bible.  Do you have one that you love?

  Any recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated!

Weekend getaway

If you follow me on Instagram (which I am loving right now...it is like a breath of fresh air.) you have already seen most of these pictures.  Instagram is a fun photo editing app for the iPhone.  I might be just a little bit addicted to it.  You can edit pictures you have taken and it is a social network too because friends can follow you to see your pictures!

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We went on a road trip this weekend.  

Gary had a meeting in Austin and I went with him.  We dropped the munchkins off at my parents house for the weekend and hit the road.

Friday night we had a chance to see some friends and visit over dinner and drinks.

Saturday we made a quick stop at the Outlet mall in Round Rock.  That was FUN!

In Austin we ate some delicious food.

This is a stuffed avocado and it was unbelievably delicious.  

It is one of the best things I have ever eaten. It was very rich and filling, but so amazing. 

These enchiladas were to die for.  They were filled with crab and shrimp.  

I will never forget the goodness of this food!!  It was fun to splurge for a few days and eat delicious food and drinks.

Eating this ice cream resulted in me using the hotel gym.  Gary and I ate the whole pint in 3.8 seconds.  It was by far the best ice cream I have ever had.  No kidding.  Or maybe it was so good because I have been staying away from sweets lately.

I did use the treadmill and now I know why people call it the dread mill.  Holy sore legs.  I rode the stationary bike and then decided to run a few miles.  Running kicked my rear.  Just a few short [18] years ago in high school I ran 8 miles a day training for cross country and track meets.  I would love to do that again, but after today I'm not so sure.  It was HARD!

I had a fun time tagging along with Gary, but I was also excited to get back home to see my peeps!

I missed them so much, but I am so thankful for a safe trip away.   I feel like such a better Momma when I get a break from the monotony!  Now I am refreshed and ready for the busy week ahead!

Happy Monday!

reading scene

I took this picture a few nights ago and I just love it! 

Layla read a book to us and quizzed us about  the book.  We learned 'All about Bats!'  She loves to read and I am so thankful!   Every time she turned to a new page she quizzed us about what we learned on those two pages.  She was a great little teacher!

loving this 77 degree sunny afternoon

Hayden had a fun time playing outside after school.  He got into the car after school and said, "Mommy can I put shots (shorts) on when I get home and pway (play) outside?   It feews (feels) great out here."

How do you say no to that?

Can you just tell he is all boy?  I mean really??  He said the Jeep needed to be fixed.  He crawled underneath to help sissy with her broken Jeep.  (it wasn't broken at all. ha!)

Shorts and short sleeves!  What a fun afternoon in Texas!

We are all getting some serious spring fever.

this and that about me

I am loving the kids ages right now.  They are funny and silly and they are both learning so much.  I laugh at them every day.  I am realizing how independent they are becoming.  Maybe I am doing a good job at this parenting gig!  Y'all...I can ride the stationary bike for an hour alone with my iPod.  It is amazing because I look forward to my exercise time. They don't do crazy stuff and I don't have to worry about them burning the house down.  I am finally getting some time to myself where I don't have to be watching them non stop all the time.  

I feel like when it comes to certain parts of my life in the past I put myself on the back burner.  I think it is a mom thing.  I will say I am getting better at doing things for me, but I always try to put my family first.  That being said...

I am embarrassed to admit, I have been wanting to whiten my teeth for years.  I started whitening them right before I got pregnant with Hayden.  I stopped whitening them because I worried about the chemicals hurting him.  I was a pretty by the book pregnant person.  I'm sure people whiten their teeth all through their pregnancies now a days, but back then I wasn't comfortable doing it. Anyway, since Hayden is now 3 1/2 years old I decided I put it off long enough and I have had a least a million cups of coffee since he was born, my teeth needed some attention.  

I worried about the cost of whitening my teeth.  I didn't really want to spend $250 or more to whiten my teeth.  I thought about Crest white strips and all of the drug store whitening remedies, but I wasn't sold on them.  One day while visiting with a friend she told me our dentist offered free teeth whitening.  Seriously.  I was so shocked and excited.  I went in and got my impressions and after 14 days I am done.  How cool is that?  Why am I telling you this?  Your dentist may do it too!

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I don't watch much TV during the day.  I try to stay busy with the kids and doing chores, but I have made an exception.  I am loving the Dr. Oz show.  He has so many awesome tips and healthy ideas.  I am so excited about the changes I have made in my life when it comes to health and fitness, so getting good tips I can use makes me feel good! 

***

I started using an anti-aging cream about a week ago.  I love the way it makes my face feel.  I am not happy with the breakout on my chin though.  I'm sure it is just a random breakout, but I feel like the anti-aging cream took me way back to age 14.  haha!  Yuck!

I joined a mom's group at church.  We meet every other week and this week we started a Beth Moore study.  I am so excited about learning about the book of Ester and also about getting to know other moms.  We have a fun group of moms and all of us live around one another!  I think it will be great to get to know other moms and Hayden has fun playing with other kids.   Win win!

Finally, I wanted to share my Cindy tote with y'all.  I am loving it.  It is a Thirty-One tote and I'm super happy with it!  I have been wanting one since I started selling Thirty-One.   I am excited about our families upcoming camping trips.  I have so many fun totes to keep us organized.  Yay for Thirty-One!

S is for Saturday

Gary and I started our day with a grapefruit and coffee date.

Gary set up the travel trailer to get it ready spring camping.  

The kids begged to have lunch in the trailer.

I washed sheets and comforters and we cleaned everything up.

I can hardly wait to camp this year!!

We've had lots of Lego action lately!  It rained all day long, so we had to stay busy inside the house.  The kids are both feeling much better today.  I know for sure they will be 100% by Monday!

I had an afternoon snack of pickles, popcorn & tea.

My sweet lady after her bath.  She put a bow in her wet freshly washed hair.

Gary made homemade chicken strips for dinner.  The kids love his chicken strips.  We also had sweet potato fries.  We had them for the first time last week and decided to have them again tonight.

So ..... that was our Saturday in a few quick pictures.

It's Friday!

It isn't a regular Friday in our house.  Layla bug is missing her second day of school in a row for the entire year so far because she is feeling yucky.  She came home from school on Wednesday looking pretty run down.  She had fever on and off and so Thursday I took her into see our pediatrician.  Bless her heart, she must have caught strep from her little brother.  Soooo...we are all home hanging out. AND the kids have a school holiday on Monday.  Talk about a long break.  I hope this break is just what both kids need to get better!

I just hate hearing about so many sick people right now.  I feel like every family I know has a sick family member.  I love winter, but I am slowly getting more excited about spring.  Go away sickie germs!

Yesterday was a hiney kicker.  We are so blessed to have a doctor that gets us right in when the kids are sick, but we have a bit of a drive to get there.  Once we got done with the appointment we were starving for lunch and then we needed to get prescriptions filled.  Our pharmacy wasn't in a speedy mood yesterday so by the time we get all of our errands done the three of us were worn out.  I rested for a bit and then I felt like I needed to do a clean up around the house. I cleaned the bathrooms and changed all the sheets....that is the germophobe coming out in me.  Yuck!  I hate strep throat.  I pray I don't get it.

Oh and let me just tell you about my lunch yesterday.  I am such a creature of habit.  I always eat the same things when I go to restaurants.   I don't want to be disappointed so I always stick with what I love.   I usually get cheese enchiladas when I eat Mexican food.  I always eat shrimp at seafood restaurants.  I AM GETTING BETTER though.  I am branching out in my old age...heehee!  Anyway, yesterday the kids were starving for lunch and they wanted Chic-fil-A.  I didn't want the calories I usually consume when I eat the Original chicken sandwich, so I decided to branch out.  I am so glad I did.  I loved the Grilled chicken sandwich.  It is so good and I will definitely get it again.   I put a little bit of mayo and the honey roasted BBQ sauce they gave me.  I enjoyed it so much.  Have you had it?  What do you get when you go to Chic-fil-A?

So yep.  That is all we have going on around here.  I just planned our menu for next week and I need to run to the grocery store.  We are super exciting around here huh?!  And to think I got an email in which the person called me fake. I laughed when I read it and hit delete.  I honestly have no words.   I believe I am anything but fake.  In fact I may be a bit too transparent, and that is why I laughed at the email.   I don't write this blog for other people.  I write it and post about my family as a journal of our lives.  I appreciate those of you that read, but if no one read this little blog I would still post.  Quite honestly it is the best journal I have ever had. I get to look back at my kids and how they have grown.  I can see what the weather was like last year. AND I get to share the things we love to cook and eat.  Sooo....that is all I have to say about that.

Have a great weekend!

super simple broccoli cheese soup

Happy Wednesday everyone!  

We had a great Valentine's Day and I hope you did to.  The highlight of our day was our dinner. heehee! It is always about the food in our house!

I have gotten a few requests for the soup recipe I used.  Y'all...it is so super easy and NOT low fat.  We love it and the kids ate seconds.  It is kid approved!

You need:

10 oz bag of frozen broccoli florets 

2 cups cheese (whatever kind you like)

(I used the Mexican style b/c I was out of cheese and they had 

this kind at the dollar store near my house.)

1 package of Pioneer white gravy mix

1 TBS Parmesan cheese

1 TBS onion powder or fresh onion minced

Put broccoli in a pot and boil to make it as soft as desired for your family.  You can lightly boil it if you like it crunchy or you can boil it until mushy.  I boiled ours for about 3 minutes.  This step is pretty much each individuals personal preference.

Next, make the gravy as directed on the packet.

Then add all the other ingredients and whisk whisk whisk.  You don't want to leave the soup on the stove unattended because it will stick and get all gooey.  

I use the whisk to break apart the broccoli florets as I stir.

You can add salt and pepper as desired.

Now that seems easy right?!

Imagine all the possibilities.  You can make cauliflower soup.  You can use the California vegetable mix and do a broccoli, cauliflower and carrot soup.  You can vary cheeses and even spices.  You could add Tabasco or wing sauce to spice it up!  Can you imagine this recipe in a bread bowl?

Yum! 

Soooo...go make soup!