Hmmm :/

I don't know where my thoughts are or where my head is at the moment. 

I have debated all day on whether or not to touch this subject.

It's one of those thoughts that has left me scratching my head, and thinking "Hmmm."

Ultimately, (obviously), I've decided to take the plunge and blog. 

When my blog was private I had a running list of who's eyeballs were reading this page.  What scares me at the moment, is I could be setting myself up for some harsh words. 

With that said, I feel compelled to write, so, bring it on.

This morning, I hopped onto facebook as I do every morning (CONFESSION! :)  and got a surprise.  It was a notifcation from Facebook that I had violated its terms of use.  I read through it quickly, my eyes wattering, while seeing the words "nudity,"  and "pornography."  I think it took 3 or 4 times for me to read through it to grasp what exactly it was saying.  I had violated the rules on facebook and had posted a nude picture.  "Facebook" let me know they had taken the picture down and I had to check a box saying I would not post anything else "innapropriate."  Then I started wracking my brain, trying to figure out what picture had been taken down. 

I have 84 photo albums on facebook.  YEAH.  Lord knows how many actual PHOTOS I have on there.  And then it hit me- my profile picture had turned into one of those blank, gray issued pictures.  The picture deemed innappropriate, the picture that was referred to as a "nude" picture, was my profile picture of my 3 year old daughter, shirtless, on the beach.

Hmmm.

I got a quick and crazy amount of outpouring of support (thanks friends!).  Lots of love, supporting the picture itself, photography, etc.  (45+ comments in like 30 minutes?)

My head wasn't there though.  It wasn't in the picture.  I have the picture.  It's here, at home with me.  It doesn't matter to me if facebook won't "allow" it.  It's a picture I treasure, and that's all that matters.  My head was trying to wrap around the thought that someone out there looked at that picture, and actually thought an innapropriate thought.

Hmmmm. Again.

Throughout the day, I've tossed a few ideas around; Going private with the blog (again), doing some major, MAJOR weeding through my facebook friend list, removing any pictures I have of my kids that could possibly be misconstrued.

It is the last thought that hung me up.  I did in fact go through my albums.  I went all the way back to when Maeve was a newborn.  I went back to this picture:

http://suziekingsley.blogspot.com/

I didn't take this beautiful picture, my very good friend, Suzie did.  I believe Maeve was 5 days old?  It hangs in our house, and I treasure it.  It will now be removed from facebook, as I'm not sure where the line needs to be drawn at this point.  Along with this picture, I'm deleting any pictures of her (or Henry) that shows them shirtless.

It's so sick that this even needs to be done.  And let me make it clear I am NOT removing these pictures because I find something wrong with them, and I'm worried facebook will "get me."  It's that person out there who looked at Maeve's beautiful picture and thought anything but a 3 year old at the beach.

Anyways, I'm not mad at facebook.  I don't have anyone to be mad at- and to add to the "mystery" more, "the picture" was only deleted from my profile- not my album.  So I don't think its any of my 800+ facebook "friends" that reported it.  Which makes it even scarier.  The report came from someone who really is OUT THERE.  yeeeek. 

The moral of the story, for me anyway, is that I need to adapt to a new kind of privacy.  When it comes to the internet and sites like facebook, and blogger, I can't think like a mom.  I can't post that hilarious picture of my two babes in the bath, splashing like maniacs.  Or the picture of my 2 year old streaking through the sprinkler on a hot summer day.  It's such a shame the world we live in today, but its also the reality.

Anyways, this "stuff" has been running/racing/spinning through my head since I first saw the "notice." 

As a mom, or a parent, or a caregiver,  please tell me, where should the line be drawn?  What should be posted and what shouldn't? 

  

I'm tired.  My head hurts.  So does my cervix. (ha... more on that tomorrow). 

Good night... and please, please, leave your opinion on this. 

Never Say Never.

This is my "real" Monday post.... I started it early this AM and was sidetracked with that awesome photography contest :)

Anyways, I thought I'd make a list of things I'd never do.  Why, you ask?

I was driving down the road the other day, saw a truck with a giant decal sticker that said "I <3 My Stripper!" , and I thought to myself, "who would ever do that?"  Which then led me to the thought what would I never do.... interesting train of thought, I know.

Without further ado, here's a list of things I would never do...:

(AND a forewarning- 100% of the reasons I'd neglect to partake in something, has nothing to do with my opinions on it- but rather my fear, quirks and OCD...)

• I would never get a dermal anchor.
• I would never eat something off the ground.
• I would never pick up a hitch hiker
• I would never go a day without washing my hands
• I would never buy an outfit at Gymboree, full price
• I would never sleep without a carbon monoxide detector
• I would never lick the floor of the ER... haha or any floor, I guess... (well, maybe Leslie's :)
• I would never  turn down an epidural
• I would never fly with children under the age of 3 to Hawaii
• I would never stand on the roof of a building
• I would never hold hands with a stranger  (unless said stranger had just washed and sanitized their hands :)
• I would never throw away my crockpot
• I would never want to see my OB at Toys 'R Us (or anywhere outside of the delivery room) again.
• I would never fall asleep without telling Ryan and my kids, they're my world and I love 'em.
• I would never choose to eat steak.
• I would never wear  these for the obvious reason that I'd look like a stuffed sausage.
• I would never eat a circus peanut
• I would never (consciously) let a nurse or whoever, put a needle in me without confirming 700000 times that it hasn't been used.
• I would never.......

What would you never do?  Do you have a weird OCD thing?  Or a fear of something?  Share!  And you never know.... a commentator might just get a little somethin' somethin'.  :)

just a quickie...

question is all I have for this FAAAAAA-REEEEEZING December morning.

What is going to be underneath your Christmas tree?

• for your kids?
• for your husband?
• for your parents?

share? share? :)

Please & Thank you... & a question in between.

Hi friends!

It's bright and early here in the "hand state."  And its cold.  Really, really cold.

As I was downing a few cups of coffee, I decided today was a soup day.

I make soups at least twice a week, if not more.  They're quick, easy, and CHEAP!  :)

My kids aren't the fondest of my soups, but they eat the croutons and cheese, so I guess we're good.

Anywho, back to the task at hand... on this frigid morning... I made my favorite soup- and you should too!  Because..... its QUICK, EASY AND CHEAP!


It's very similar (if not identical?) to the Beach Bar's recipe.  The thing is, I don't follow any of the measurements in that recipe and I don't add all the ingredients.  I cheat.  And I love my crock pot- so I adapted the recipe, and came up with this:


"*KIND* of Beach Bar Soup In The Crock Pot, the easy peasy way"  (that's the name of this recipe)

-1 BIG can of tomato soup + 1 little can of tomato soup (this is adjusted for my family... if you have, say, 5 kids, you probably want to use 2, maybe more big cans of soup.... )

-2 cans of HUNTS "Fire Roasted" diced tomatos with garlic!  (very important they're spiced with garlic and fire roasted!  This is the cheating part!)

-as much 1/2 and 1/2 as you want.  (some days I dump a motherload in, other days, I care about my waist line and add just a bit)

-1 bar of cream cheese

-a few tablespoons of butter

-croutons and mozz. cheese for topping :)

Alright folks, take out your crock pot (whenever- I started mine this morning at 8 AM... but you can start yours at 4 PM and I think you'd still be fine! :).

Dump the soups in.

In your food processor or blender... puree the 2 (or however many you're using) cans of the diced, garlicky tomatoes.

Dump the tomato mixture in.

Slab off a hunk of butter, and throw that in there too.

Put the lid on, set your pot on low and you're done for awhile.  (I told you this is ridiculously easy)

Fast forward to an hour or so before dinner time....

In your food processor or blender, add as much or as little half and half as you'd like.  Throw the bar of cream cheese in and puree.

Pour this mixture into your bubbling, brewing pot of tomato soup.  Stir it around until it makes a lovely orange color.

Wait another hour... (or until everything is hot and well combined)

AND EAT! :)


PLEASE enjoy...

Be a dear, and leave me your favorite, easiest, peasiest, Japanesiest recipe.  THANK YOU  in advance :)

& as for my QUESTION IN BETWEEN:

- what should I do with my 3 year old, who tells me she "doesn't do the big girl potty anymore?"

(I know soups + potty= nothing to do with each other... but still, share.)

What Am I Missing?

We are not doing Black Friday here. :(

I've resisted looking at the ads. But I've seen a zillion facebook statuses referring to the great deals, crowds, etc.

So please, tell me, what got you out of bed at 4 AM this morning? :)

Happy Black FRIDAY!

Would You Rather...

get a series of rabies shots or fly solo, with your kids on a two hour flight?

My answer? Bring on the dang rabies shots. (this is a fact by the way- my husband has had the full series of rabies shots... for real.)

I have not had ONE- NOT ONE- pleasant flying experience with my kids. Even when it was just Maeve, it was tough. Maybe not horrendous, but not enjoyable by any means.

A friend messaged me this morning asking for tips on how to fly with a baby and a toddler. After laughing for a minute or two, I told her I was the wrong person to be asking- clearly- because every flight I've been on with my kids, has been disastrous. We're almost always asked to move to the back of the plane, where, as the flight attendant puts it, we "will feel more comfortable." AKA- get your kids as far away from us as possible- even if that means you're sitting in the back row of the plane, in a jump seat without a window.

No, no, we haven't really had to sit in the jump seat- but we do almost always end up in the last row without a window. I compare this to being trapped in a box, being tortured with hot coals or something.

Every trip starts off with the best of intentions, and good thoughts. I have a bag packed, full of snacks, activities, and "prizes." I am fully stocked up on nuks, candy- all that stuff that normally thrills my kids to pieces, but then seems to have no effect on them, while on an airplane.

I am particularly concerned about flying this week because I've got two kids coming off of being sick. Henry, (as of Friday) has fluid in his ears and Maeve is still dealing with the stuffies.


After some careful thinking, I've decided to break down my flying experiences into phases, to give you a better understanding of the areas I really need some help with.

Phase one: At the airport, stressed, sweating, trying to make it through security with everyone and everything, but in a semi-cheerful mood because strangers can be so kind. They like to help put shoes on my kids, unfold the stroller, grab my stuff, etc.

Phase two: Waiting for the airplane. Excitement is in the air, because we're about to board a giant "birdy," as Maeve calls it. Things are a tad crazy. Something is guaranteed to be spilled, dumped, destroyed- watchful observers are silently praying that they won't be the lucky ones, stuck sitting by us on the plane.

Phase three: boarding. This is a debacle all in itself. I am holding Henry and the carseat, pushing a stroller, trying to keep slow poke poking along, and balancing the giant (and I mean, GIANT) carry on bag. Again, strangers are kind, and will ask if I need help. At first I was hesitant to allow anyone to help. Now I gladly hand over a bag, stroller, heck a kid- whatever, just to make it through. As we get on the plane, its almost like Russian roulette. Every single person looks up, with fear in their eyes, as we walk down the aisle- they're all thinking "PLEASE pass us. PLEASE don't sit by us..." And then we make it to our seat, and some poor teenage guy gets stuck with kicking babies, boogers and smells that could wake the dead.

Phase four: the flight itself. I might bring a themometer with me, because I am curious as to what my core temperature is while in the middle of this chaos. I feel feverish- hot- I'm sweating buckets. Maeve is kicking the seat in front of her, Henry is screaming to get down. I'm digging through my bag, practically throwing suckers, jelly beans, starburst- whatever- at Maeve. Maeve (who is probably on a sugar high; is this my problem?) is shouting embarrassing things like, "I pooped!" or "Momma, I not stink, YOU stinky. HAHA Momma pooped!" or how about, "Oh momma, you take your medicine and feel so better?" (as I'm popping my xanax).

Phase five: deboarding- or whatever you want to call it. The rush of relief is similar to just giving birth. It's over. It's done. We've made it- its time to relish in our success. I'm a mess- the kids are a mess- we've lost nuks, coloring books, sippy cups, hats, etc. All I'm thinking as I'm steering the stroller is "Get to mom. GET TO MOM."

So, moms, please, PLEASE give me some flying tips!!!

and if you want to check out our past flights, click the link/label below called "plane rides"


PS-THE DRAWING FOR A $20.00 CREDIT TO "NANNAH BREAD KNOTS" IS TONIGHT. IF YOU HAVE NOT LEFT A COMMENT, COMMENT HERE!!!!! -the contest will close at 9 PM, tonight.

***and stay tuned... the winner will be announced tomorrow AM :)

so thrifty, thrifty.

I made something today...

but I'm going to blog about it tomorrow.


I made it from scratch.
It's thrifty.

It's nifty.

It's resourceful.

It's white.

My husband made fun of me.

My sister will most definitely call me a hippie momma for SURE.

It works.

And tomorrow... I will share the secret with you...

For now, take a guess at what I made! :)

winner gets.... a shout out! :) ha!

good nightsssss!


PS- The hat give away ends TUESDAY. If you have yet to leave a comment (which takes 2 seconds to do.... get on it! :) Click HERE!

Thoughts For Thursday?

no clue what "Unicorn Meat" is... and I am thinking its not real... but its an interesting picture.

I've seen this on other blogs... and I can't remember if its "Thoughts FOR Thursday" or "Thoughtful Thursday."

I'm going with "Thoughts FOR Thursday."

Today, I have an incredibly deep, insightful, thought provoking question for you all. And I'd appreciate honest answers...

DOES MEAT IN A CAN FREAK YOU OUT?

Really, this is my question; My group of girlfriends and I have been chatting a lot about preservatives, additives, steroids, etc. And there is something that kind of makes me want to puke, when I think that a can of spaghetti-os (with meatballs) does not expire for 5 years. What the heck are they pumping into those meatballs to keep them "good?"


Anyways, don't get me wrong- I do feed my kids a can of chef boyardee when we're out of fresh turkey or whatever...

What a thoughtful thought, huh?

Leave me your brain picked answers... I'm dying to know (for real though- I really do want to know your thoughts on canned meat :)


PS- My kids were up at 5:30- that would be 5:30 AM- this morning. Ryan was still here, getting ready for work and I mumbled something about turning the oven on so I could make cinnamon rolls. Let me tell you, the entire dish of rolls is gone. My kids (aged 3 and 1) ate the entire thing- holy moly... they do eat. :)

For real???

Is Thanksgiving seriously a mere 20 days away?

Because that would mean that Christmas is 45 days away... and that seems too soon, right?

Right.

This morning I was blog stalking surfing, and read my blogger friend Jodie's post on, It's ALL Good in Mommyhood, and realized it is that time of year. And as if my suspicions weren't completely confirmed then, they were when I opened my email and saw ads for Black Friday and "guaranteed shipping before xmas." Woah.

And then I remembered I have a shopping date at the Toy House with this lovely lady. And the purpose for our shopping, you ask? Christmas layaway. YIKES.

Yes, Christmas is coming.

Last night, Ryan and I were talking about some deep stuff, (as we always do- HA- just kidding :) like how many gifts should we get the kids this year? (so deep, right?) and, "We're going to be in Florida for Christmas, so when should we open presents with our family?" -such poignant questions, I know.

In Christmases past, I have been known to go a tad overboard with gifts. Although I WILL maintain, that a good amount of the presents under our tree were "free" thanks to couponing and gift card deals.

This year, I have no motivation to coupon... a big reason in being that we don't need anymore CRAP in this house. Remember that massive garage sale I had a few months back? That was such a fabulous purge, I can't stand the thought of stuffing our house with more stuff.

But, like any guilt ridden momma, I can't justify not getting the kids at least SOMETHING for Christmas. I mean, even though we'll be in Florida, I still want them to experience the tree and presents, all that nostalgic Christmas goodness.

Anyways, back to our (Ryan and I's) conversation last night- we decided on a very strict, STICKING TO MY GUNS budget....

The kids will each get 4 gifts.

Gift #1: One from each other (example- I pick out a gift from Maeve to Henry and vice versa)

Gift#2: One present from momma

Gift#3: One present from Dadda

Gift#4: One present from Santa.


Cute, right?

Why is it, that we (as parents) feel the need to flood our kids with presents on Christmas, birthdays, etc.? I KNOW, that come Christmas morning, when the kids "only" get 4 presents (and I'm saying that very sarcastically, knowing full and well that they don't need anything and that life will go on with "only" 4 presents under the tree) that I'll feel guilty that the whole floor isn't covered in paper and toy boxes.

So dumb, but the truth.

Obviously, we're leaving out the most important part of Christmas, the reason there IS a Christmas... and I am hoping that this year, we can focus solely on that- and that the presents are just blurbs in the background.

What a rambling post this has been...

But, if you've followed along, and you feel so compelled, please leave me a comment about the gift sitch in your family. Do you go wild, nuts for Christmas? Or do you strictly budget? How many gifts do the kids get? Any reasoning behind it?

Alrighty, that's my blog for this COLD AS HECK November morning... have a good day!

a mess.

because its getting late (9 PM here ;) I decided to forgo the post I had been working on for tonight... it's too thoughtful for a night like this.

Instead I'm going to throw a mess of questions out. Questions that mean nothing.... I'm just nosy... and making sure I'm not the only one... ha :)

vote & have fun... and get some sleep y'all!

Battle of the Bands.

Tonight, rum and Ryan and a little Sublime are my friends. Except I must be a boring friend because I was ditched for laundry... ya- Ryan chose to fold some laundry versus watching "Signs" with me. His loss ;)

Anywho, back to the point of this post... I've been having a teeny little "battle of the bands" in the ol jeep. Here's my sitch:

I have two kids in the car- we should be listening to Disney soundtracks and counting songs, right??? Well, we've tried this. We DO listen to Disney songs and counting songs... and songs about sharing... and songs about not pooping your pants... and songs about not biting... and- you get the idea. One can only take so much.

Music has always been a huge part of mine and Ryan's lives. I have played the piano since first grade or so... and Ryan plays the piano, guitar and sometimes you can catch him singing :)

PRE-kids, my ipod was plugged in to my car 24/7... I've never really listened to BAD music- I mean I think I went through a rap stage in high school- (remember Nelly?:) but I tend to lean more towards the clean, folksy, RASTA-ish, type music. There might be AN occasional bad word... or suggestion... but really, its pretty good.

However, when my two year old starts belting out "WITH A TIN CUP FOR A CHALICE FILL IT UP WITH RED WINE!" or "WON'T SOMEBODY GET ME OFFA THIS REEF?" in the middle of Target, I can't help but think that something is not right. This is usually when (in target) I make my way over to the CD department and pick out one of those incredibly obnoxious children's CDs, vowing that from now on, Maeve and Henry's ears will only be privy to little lambs and itsy bitsy spiders.

Fast forward... we're in the car and on the 3rd round of "The Wheels on The Bus" and I'm ready to rip my entire stereo system out and crunching the CD up in a zillion pieces.

What would be more traumatic for my kids? Hearing that Jimmy Buffett likes to drink red wine from a tin cup chalice, while chewing on a honeysuckle vine or watching momma pull over the car, rip out the stereo and begin to shred and shatter the CD? I'm fairly sure the second option would leave more scarring.

Still though, I can't help but feel a little guilty.... moms, be truly honest with me... what do YOU listen to in the car with your kids?

- I have to say I am a teensy weensy bit nervous about this post... its my first "controversial" post since going public... be nice. no judgement :)-

Anyone Catch This?

Sunday night, I just happened to come across a movie on LMN (Lifetime Movie Network, yeah I know) that was just starting. It was called Amish Grace. I tivo-d it and ended up watching it later that night. It took me by surprise. I wasn't prepared to be struck so hard by a Lifetime movie. There were most definitely some cheesy parts in it; After all, it wouldn't be a Lifetime movie without all the cheese! Still though, the message of the movie was so powerful, I just had to share.

Remember this? That horrific Amish school shooting back in October, 2006? "Amish Grace" (the LMN movie) went through the events of the day, but more importantly the events that followed.

I have always thought highly of the Amish. My dad has worked with them for as long as I can remember. I have vivid memories of visiting their farms and running around with the little Amish boys and girls, petting their animals and sneaking peaks of the...GULP...outhouses! We went to furniture auctions, cookouts, and a group of Amish men even helped my dad build our house (Ryan and I's AND my parents') from the ground up! They're just great people.

Okay, okay- back to the movie. I couldn't hold back the tears as they dramatized the shots being fired- knowing well that five little girls lost their lives that day. But the waterworks really began AFTER the dramatic shooting scene. Apparently, after this madman barricaded the one room school house shut, hogtied and shot the girls, the Amish had one thing on their mind: forgiveness. In fact, immediately following the shootings the elders (including a father of one of the dead girls) got a ride over to the widow's (Mrs. Roberts- the shooter's wife) house to pay their condolences to HER. To offer HER prayer. To offer HER some comfort. To let her know they would help HER out in any way they could. I was baffled. BLOWN AWAY. It's not often that you find someone (let alone a group of people) that truly practice what they preach. Of course, me being, well, ME, this movie got me thinking about my own life. I (thank the DEAR LORD) have not suffered any kind of a tragedy like these Amish people, yet I harvest grudges and resentment about the most ridiculous things. In the grand scheme of things, its actually really sickening to think about- I can't forgive a family member for ((this or that)) but these people can forgive (and TRULY forgive) the man who murdered their daughters??? And offer compassion to his wife? Completely mind blowing.

I have a new found respect for these people. Thanks to a cheesy Lifetime movie, I really feel like this is the first time in a long time I've been able to look at forgiveness from such a humbling point of view.

With all that rambling said.... I really want to know (if you feel comfortable enough to share) if you TRULY, TRULY could forgive your child's murderer. Not just say it, but follow through. It's a horrible thing to think about, and God-willing none of us will ever face that. But, I can't honestly say I could. In fact, right now, in my walk, I can say with certainty I could not forgive that person. So, please share... this movie really got me thinking... and I'm just curious.

And...if you have time, try and find "Amish Grace" so you can see for yourself the truly amazing spirit of these people.

no. This Hasn't Turned Into a "Look What I Made" blog

All week every post has been about me making something. I guess I've just found something therapeutically fulfilling to do during my downtime. And I'm excited about the prospect of possibly starting a store on etsy. Who couldn't use a little extra cash these days? Right now, I am working on my sewing skills (well not RIGHT now). Right this second I'm typing this post and taking a break from my KIDS sewing machine that is tangled up and making funny noises. Dang it. Over the summer I hand stitched some initial onsies for my kids. An "M" and an "H." My friend Jessy came over and said "You should sell these on Etsy!" I guess I'm still thinking that way... Although sans sewing machine because honestly, its more complicating than the rebel I just got. I challenge a 10 year old to figure this stupid thing out. However, once I DO get it figured out I am going to stitch up some more onsies, post pics of them on here and put them into the hands of my "official testers"- YOU, my lucky blog readers (sarcasm again- not about being "official testers" but being a lucky blog reader)! :)

OKAY. Right- this isn't turning into a craft blog! haha ;) Let me get back to those QUESTIONS from awhile back.

Dominica asked:What parts of you do you see in your children?
Another "thinker" of a question! Let's see. Maeve- I think hands down, anyone who knows me well can say Maeve most definitely has my personality. She is stubborn and feisty. She doesn't take no for an answer. She doesn't let anyone boss her around- she's her own free spirit. She's sensitive... she cries when I cry. She has a memory like a sponge (Ryan says that's my worst quality - I don't forget anything... it's kind of true). She's nervous. This makes me sad. I am a very nervous and anxious person. I can't just BE. And one thing I'd love for my kids is to just BE. Be happy, be themselves, be CONTENT. I am always looking for something to worry about. Let me give you an example: During the entire pregnancy with Henry I was worried about me taking medication. EVEN THOUGH I had been reassured that it would be fine, I was worried. Henry came out, he's obviously fine, not effected by the medication. Cross that "worry" off the list, right? OH no. Not me! Instead of being thankful that the medication had not immediately effected him I let my mind wander 5, 10, 15 years down the road. "WHAT IF... in 10 years they find out that women who took lexapro during pregnancy have children who are at an increased risk for.... cancer? for... autism? for.... " And the list goes on and on. I PRAY that Maeve does not suffer from the debilitating anxiety that I suffer from. I PRAY for that every day. But as mentioned above, she is a nervous little girl- she doesn't like the dark, strangers, "spooky" things, men, and the list goes on and on and on. Oh my little Maeve... please be a carefree adventurer! :)

HENRY. My boy... hmmm... what do I see in him? Right now, honestly, he's in that "blob" like state. He seems to be a tad high strung but I won't admit that he got that from me :) although... I'm sure he did. Other than that, all I can think of that resembles me in any way is his big belly and enormous appetite! :)


Okay. Back to sewing. Or lack of. :)

Question #4

By Becky Hoard: "So far, what are some of your favorite memories with Maeve? with Henry?"

What a sweet question :) I've spent some time really thinking this one over and you might be bored with my answers (once again... wow- you didn't realize how boring of a person I am, huh???) but really, they're great, precious, once in a lifetime memories/moments.

Maeve:
**Breastfeeding her in the bath. We ALL know my difficulties with breastfeeding and I spent many, many hours in the bath feeding her. (the heat from the bath/shower helps your milk come out better).

**All of our mommy/daughter trips- (Boston, Florida). Of course I love vacaying with Ryan but there was something special about going on trips by myself with Maeve. I KNOW we bonded more on each and every trip- probably because I was her sole provider for that one week or so. We'd sleep in the same bed together and take every bath together. While in Boston, we were sharing a hotel room with my mom, grandma, sister and brother (it was one of those adjoining rooms) and I didn't want Maeve to wake anyone up, so around 6 AM or so, Maeve and I took a stroller walk down the street to "Dunkin Donuts." It was beautiful outside and I felt SO old- walking around the city with my little girl :)

**Halloween '08- when Maeve had Pneumonia- weird that it would be one of my fave. memories and don't be mistaken that I enjoyed Maeve having pneumonia! But I spent literally, an entire night holding her out on the couch. I watched 3 or 4 movies and just held her, watching her- making sure she wasn't too hot and that she was breathing fine, giving her tylenol and motrin around the clock and rocking her when she'd start to cry. Again, it was one of those bonding moments. And I felt so proud to have taken care of her all by myself :)


**nighttime PRE-Henry! :) Throughout my entire pregnancy with Henry, Ryan was in school- meaning, he ALWAYS had homework to do. He'd stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning working on assignments and I got super lonely back in our bedroom by myself! So around 9 or so, (or whenever Maeve was zonked out) he'd bring her in to me and I'd snuggle up with her. Sometimes, she'd stir and wake up and realize she was in our room- she'd put her head on me and I'd tickle her back to sleep. Since Henry is now in our room and he's like a crying time bomb its been too risky to bring Maeve in! I am petrified he'll wake her up and then we'll have TWO wide awake, screaming kids! :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. Henry:

**Henry's birth: NOTE I didn't say Maeve's birth for one of my fave. moments with her! To be totally honest, Maeve's birth was so horrible and awful, I don't even really remember much of it. BUT Henry's was a different story. Henry's birth was incredible- calm and beautiful. I felt in control and focused. Unfortunately the first few moments of Henry's life on earth were scary but after they got him breathing, I was able to hold him and nurse him- AND I REMEMBER IT! So... this will forever be one of my favorite memories with him!

**nap times (OR LACK OF): Maeve still takes her daily nap, but Henry is sooooo NOT on a schedule that most of the time he is NOT napping during Maeve's nap. This means some one on one Henry/Momma time. Lately we've been doing photo shoots ;) I'm practicing with lighting and different features on my camera. Sometimes we take showers (he loves the sound of running water). And once in awhile (once in a GREAT while) he naps and therefore I nap... :) love that.

**middle of the night feedings: Note again, I didn't say this about Maeve! She was NOT a good breastfeeder and therefore, nursing sessions were tense and stressful. Henry is a great nurser (who actually prefers the boob over the bottle) so those middle of the night feedings (which have already stopped- he's been sleeping through the night now for about 2-3 weeks) are great memories. He'd wake up, I'd flip on "Discovery Health," get Henry latched on, then sit back and enjoy "Trauma Life in the ER" while Henry got his fill :) I'd always have a good story to tell Ryan in the morning... "Hey Ryan! Last night during Henry's 3 AM feeding I saw a man get impaled by a 4x4!" :)



Good question Becky! Follow suit readers!! Tell me some of your fave memories with your kiddos!

Question #3... and a Recipe YOU HAVE TO TRY!

Question #3 by, Angie Barney: "If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?"

I am going to be SO lame and boring here but its the darn truth- I would pick to go to all of the Hawaiian islands. Yes, I've been to Maui and the Big island twice... BUT I am in L.O.V.E. with the pacific and the entire "Aloha" spirit. This is going to sound really strange but I have zero, zip desire to go out of the country. Yes, I'm a whimp cat like that. I am too nervous about passports and getting stuck in some foreign city- or getting a horrible disease! Talk about irrational right? But remember folks, I suffer from that debilitating condition called ANXIETY. And I just KNOW if we were to travel outside of the US I'd be a wreck. I'd be worrying about money (the whole currency thing is just too much for me), about the language barrier, bad drinking water, etc. I mean, haven't you people seen the movie "HOSTEL???" :)
So yes, my answer is the beautiful islands of Hawaii. You get all the beauty of an island escape and all you need to know are "Aloha" and "Mahalo."

Once again, please tell me your answer to question #3- what would be your dream destination???


Okay, on to the TO DIE FOR recipe!!!

Mexican Chicken Hotdish
-chicken breasts (COOKED!) (I have used a rotisserie chicken both times though...)
-1 can cream of chicken soup
-1 can cream of mushroom soup
-monterey jack cheese (as much as you want)
-1 can of diced tomatoes
-1/2 jar of salsa (or however much you want to use really...)- this recipe is about impossible to mess up!
-tortilla chips

Combine the soups, cheese, tomatoes and salsa. Crunch up the tortilla chips on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Then cut up the COOKED chicken and put that on top of the crunched chips. THEN, spoon out the soup/tomato/salsa/cheese mixture all over the chicken & chips. Top with MORE cheese. Cover with foil & bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Take the foil off and bake for 5-10 minutes more... until the cheese is melted and it looks GOOOOOD :)

I served this with yellow rice and a salad. DELICIOUS! Even Maeve liked it! TRY IT!!!

Question #2:

From Alyssa Sauder: "How important is it that you teach your children about your faith...and how do you teach them about your faith?"

INCREDIBLY important. But with that said, I think I'm already failing at it!!! My bestie Angela bought Maeve a children's Bible before she was even born. We've tried reading stories out of it but Maeve prefers those dumb "Dora" books. :( Instead of pushing it, we just relent and read the other books. I have some burned DVD's of "Veggie Tales" that I've put on... I think the Pirate one held her attention for maybe 5 minutes. We say prayers every night but she has no clue what's going on... she just likes "folding hands." We talked to her the entire Christmas season about "baby Jesus" but she was way more interested in "Ho Ho Ho." We are struggling with sticking to a church. We church hop a LOT. And we church skip... oops. It's almost like I'm scared to commit to a church because it seems as though every time we've become members at a church (which was really just twice) we've found something we really don't like or care for and end up leaving. When we make it out the door to church (which is about once a month) its to the First Church of the Naz. I love the pastor, *some* of the people and their kids programs. However, Maeve has a tough time in the nursery. We end up having to get her at every single service and honestly, that's getting old. She's a very social kid- super outgoing... but she doesn't like separation from Ryan and I (or my mom & dad who also go to the church). I am very confident that as she gets older and her attention span gets longer she will become more interested in Jesus and what He's done for us. But at the moment, it tends to go in one ear and out the other. I guess the important thing is that we're putting it in one ear, right??? :)

So....is this normal for a 2 year old? Not sure. I've heard stories of other 2 year olds who are very interested in Jesus, Bible stories and prayers. Maybe I'm not pushing it enough...

What and HOW do you do to teach your kids about YOUR faith? (I really want to know this one... obviously we need some help over here!)


****Also- head on over to the Luphers blog.... little Witt needs prayers. His Aunt Cheryl (who is a friend of mine) says his heart just isn't pulling through anymore. I can't imagine what his parents and family are going through. Maybe leave a loving comment or something just to let them know you're praying and thinking of them :)

Onto the Questions!

All 16 questions are SO good- I was thinking you'd ask something like "What's your fave. meal to cook?!" :) These were some deep questions and I can't wait to think through them all!

Question #1, by (our winner!) Nicole: "What is one thing you want to do before you die?"

Answer: A few years ago it would've been have kids. So now, I'd say its hands down- go to the summer Olympics. Not like, be IN the Olympics- but go to the games and watch! I want to see the opening ceremonies and catch as many of the events as possible. I can imagine this would be pretty expensive so who knows if I will ever get to go, but wow- I dream about it all the time!

Now, my readers, tell me what YOU want to do before you die?

Please Tell Me...

*DISCLAIMER!*
Now, before all of you nursing maniacs shoot me- DO KNOW that I AM breastfeeding and am planning on continuing! :)

With that said, I really dislike breastfeeding. Really. I hate wearing those nursing pads- they stink and make it look like I stuff my bra. I am now making a good amount of milk (meaning, Henry is keeping up with it- not overproducing- not under producing) yet, every time I feed him there are a good couple of minutes of milk spraying everywhere and Henry sputtering and choking on it. Also, each nursing session is taking about 30-45 minutes. It's sweet as can be to watch Henry enjoy his milk, but my GOSH, I feel like my life lately has been spent sitting with a boob hanging out. Not ideal. I wish I could be one of those moms who just embraces nursing and wants to nurse for years. Nope- not me. I am on a countdown. I am trying to make it to 6 months- if its going better by then, I MIGHT go a year. Who knows. Anyways, I thought I would vent and get that off of my chest (ooooh no pun intended!)

Tell me the honest truth- do you really LIKE breastfeeding?

fast food.

just a quick post today... even though I should throw in the towel with trying to keep up with posting once a day! Come monday, I'll be pretty busy :)

How often do you get your kids fast food?

I used to avoid it at ALL costs, but lately, with my energy WAY DOWN I've found it much easier to run through the Wendy's drive thru and get Maeve some chicken nuggets. It's so gross- I feel horrible feeding it to her! I mean, did I really sacrifice my boobs for 6 months to give her the best nutritional start possible only to feed her grease now??? Hmmm... anyways, hopefully once the baby gets here and I can get some feeling back in my hips and my energy somewhat returns, I'll find my way to the grocery store and start making some healthier lunches.

So.... answer my question- how often do your kids get fed from the grease pit? :)