down w/the sickness

I got nothing today.  

Hayden and I ran a few errands this morning while Layla was at school.  

We are doing a few upgrades to our travel trailer.  

I should post some before and after pictures.  NOT TODAY THOUGH but we'll see.  

I was getting a replacement part for the toilet.  FUN!

Gary is in the bed with the stomach bug. 

I don't want it.  

I don't want the kids to get it.

  

I hope he gets better soon.  

Bless his heart. 

Last night while we were watching Private Practice {don't even get me started on that show} he just said, I think I'm gonna be sick.  And wow...he was.  Have you seen a grown man projectile vomit?  He made it {for the most part} to the backyard.  I'm thankful that our living room is close to the back door.  Not a chance of getting to a bathroom.  

Gosh...I'll just stop talking about that.  

Needless to say he didn't get much sleep last night, 

and just a few minutes ago I went to check on him.  

HOT!  He has a terrible fever.  

So I am off to the store to get more Tylenol and tummy meds.  Sprite and Gatorade.

Please say a quick prayer for the rest of our household to stay healthy.

I felt so lucky this year.  The sickness pretty much stayed away.  We just had the typical runny noses and stuff, but no stomach bug.  

Shew bug...go away!!

Gone in 60 seconds

That's how fast salsa disappears when I make a batch.

Gary is a salsa hoarder.

He likes everything hot and spicy!

Gary and I judge Mexican food restaurants by how good their salsa is.

If it is spicy and fresh we go back :)

Making it at home is fun.

There is just something so fresh and yummy about homemade salsa :)

I have been making salsa for several years now,

and I'm pretty sure no two batches have been alike.

My mom, auntie and all my friends have recipes they share with me and I try them too.

I always write down the recipes, and then they end up tasting different.

This last batch was really good.

The recipes is below.

1 can of Rotel

{drain half the juice}

1 large can of whole peeled tomatoes

{drain all the juice}

2 tbs of minced garlic

{i used the refrigerated kind}
or you can just use garlic powder/salt

1 Serrano pepper

1/2 a medium red onion chipped into pieces, the blender will chop the rest. 


a couple sprinkles of cumin

salt and pepper

and

about a handful of cilantro.  I use fresh or the freeze dried. Depends on what I have on hand.

Dump all ingredients into a blender and blend it up to the consistency you prefer.

It is that easy!!

Enjoy!!!!

If you have a good salsa recipe PLEASE leave it in the comments below!

I love trying new salsa recipes. I prefer not so hot :) 
 Gary is the caliente man!

Hot or not do SHARE!

I am a chip freak and dipping is one of my

favorite things to do with Baked Tostitos :o)

Have a great Thursday night!!

giggles galore

Favorite Summer Stuff

My #1

favorite thing about summer is of course the food.

I love the fresh selection of fruits, veggies and meats in the summer! I love finding yummy veggies and fruits at the veggie stand near our home.

I love making fresh salads, veggies and really

like when Gary grills in the backyard.

My #2

favorite thing about summer in playing in the water with the kids!

It doesn't matter if we are at the lake, or on the slip n slide.

We love the water!

And summers here in Texas are so hot...we gotta cool off somehow.

This summer will be so fun since Hayden is WAY more mobile.

I gotta start eating my veggies and protein now just to have the energy to keep up with him.

I am linking to Taylor's blog today!

Go visit her to see other bloggers favorite things =)

What are your favorite things about summer??

Muddy weekend Recap

Saturday we did the garage sale all morning.  I lost about 5 hours of my life.  It was SO busy.  People come out of the wood works for the garage sale in our neighborhood.  We were swamped with shoppers and Layla & Hayden were here too.  They were great, and acted like gems, but it is hard to juggle it all.

Sometimes I wonder why I do garage sales...next time 

I'm not...I'm gonna go shopping!!

The rest of the weekend we worked around the house and played ALOT!

Layla helped me in the flower beds.  

She picked out some flowers and they are hers to water and grow for the season.  

She is so excited about the responsibility.

Don't you just love this festive blue pot?  

I found it at home depot :)

I made homemade salsa to help clear mine & Gary's allergies.  The wind was crazy strong, whipping around all weekend.  My head is still congested from all that the wind blew in.  

The salsa worked... and is so tasty.  

There is just something about homemade salsa.  Mmmmm :)

And it wouldn't be a normal day in our household if someone wasn't wet and muddy!

Every time we are outside lately the kiddos find a water hole 

of some sort and just get drenched.

This is the dogs water bowl.

 Hayden is thinking...

What are you doing? 

let me try that!!

And he's back up, searching for another water hole =)

Did you have a good weekend? 

Did you play in the mud?

Lovin' my new lookie look!

I am so excited about my make-over!

I love it :)

I won this fun make-over from Jenn!

Go visit Jenn when you can, and get your recipes ready because
she is starting a recipe exchange!

I am so excited about this :)


You guys know how much I love to cook & eat.
The exchange is right up my alley =)

And this whole make over was done by Jenn

Jenn was so easy to work with. I felt like I was so indecisive. I wasn't prepared for a make over, and I prefer a really simple style. Jenn was so amazing to work with and very patient with me :) She was able to help me stay with my love for fences!

I hope you all have a great Sunday evening!

I know I will, and I'm going to have an even better start to the new week with my new look!!

another spring salad

chop up 4 heads of {raw} broccoli

really small pieces work the best

chop a small onion

add a handful of raisins

a handful of {real} bacon pieces

throw it all into a bowl

add & mix about a cup of mayo & a couple of tablespoons of vinegar

you can put a few pinches of sugar in there too if you like it sweet

{sometimes I add sugar and sometimes I don't...depends on my taste for the day}

I put it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge overnight.

You can throw a handful of sunflower seeds on top before you serve it.

{if you have them on hand, I didn't}

Mmmm!

Yummy & refreshing broccoli salad

a bunch of mumbo jumbo

*When I eat my stomach burns. This has been going on for three days...booo!

*Layla called me 'little missy' this morning. I think she gets more sassy by the day.

*I shouldn't be sitting here right now typing this because I should be getting ready for the garage/yard sale. {I don't call a garage sale a yard sale because to me a yard sale is when someome falls really hard while skiing. Snow/water it doesn't matter. Just seeing skiis and poles spilled around a person as they are snow skiing down a hill. All of the sudden they take a tumble...that is a yard sale. Or when Layla fell off of her bike. She blew her shoes off and the visor on her head flew off. That is a yard sale.} Oh and she wasn't hurt.

What do you call it? You know when you sell stuff on a Saturday morning.

Speaking of garge/yard sale...a lady down the street already has her stuff out and set up. REALLY?? What an over achiever.

*My husband has been out of town for three days. He is on an airplane as I type this! I can't wait to see him. All you single moms...I admire you!!

All you moms with dads overseas serving our country...I admire you!! IT is a tough job!

*I took a clipper to my shrubs yesterday and butchered them. They look very different. I'm not sure if it is bad or good. I have blisters on my hands from using the clippers. And I filled up the trash can with the clippings. Now I have no room for trash. Poooey!

*My face is breaking out...why do I need to go through puberty at age 33?

*I'm thinking I am just days away from publishing my blog makeover. I am so happy. It was unexpected that I got {I won it} this makeover and so I had no idea what I wanted to do. I have a hard time making decisions anyway. I have to work on that.

*Hayden has been making a fish face and it cracks me up! I sent a text message to my mom this morning and also tweeted about him [being] the fish of the day.

Mom sent a message back and I am still laughing about it. She said "Got a brush?" HA!

Crazy fish face and wild as a March hair!

{ww} camping + rain = playing in the mud

tuesday morning

6:45 am:

I hear little feet entering my room.

Layla: Mommy can I get up?

Mommy: Does the clock say 7:00?

Layla: No, okay just checking.

I hear feet going back to bed.

Mommy thinking to herself: I have told her a million times...don't come out of your room until 7:00. Seriously why does she do this every day? Mommy needs her sleep. I think if she were awake she would come out at 5:00am. Checking? Checking on what...whatever. I gotta get up!

6:50 am:

Roll myself out of bed. Go potty and weigh. Nice...lost a pound since yesterday! Good, maybe by tomorrow [weigh in day] I will be back down to last weeks weight since I gained weight over the weekend. I really should stop weighing every day. Brush teeth. Say morning to Gary. He is usually gone when I wake up, but he is on a different schedule today.

6:59 am:

Children come screaming out of their rooms.

Hayden: Hi, Hi, hi!

Mommy thinking to herself: I wish I could wake up that happy. Where is the coffee?

I grab Hayden after chasing him around the house. You'd think he'd like his diaper changed. I think there is about 5 pounds of pee in there. Ly him down and surprise...not just pee pee in there. Whew...so nice though...get the poop changed 1st thing and then I don't have to do that again for the rest of the day.

7:05am:

Get coffee for me, milk for kids and check something on the computer for daddy. Open all the blinds, we need light in the house, and it is always my first duty of the day. Habit. As I open one I see dust on the blind and act like I didn't...my house is spotless...I think to myself...ha! Who am I kiddin'!

7:15am:

Pop two toaster strudels [really healthy] into the toaster for the kids, and then put their initials on each one with the frosting that comes with them. Hayden sees his and then I cut it into pieces. Anything sweet is shoved into his mouth super fast. I'm not awake enough to do the Heimlich maneuver this morning. Cutting is safe. Cut up some fresh strawberries.

Layla: I only want two strawberries today mommy. Yesterday I had three, but I only have room in my tummy for two.

Hayden: beebees beebees peas, peas. {berries berries, please please}

Ummm K. Hayden eats two before I can even get Layla's two cut. Then I put a bagel into the toaster for myself. I cut up some strawberries into pieces and add cream cheese and strawberries to my bagel. I sit at the table with my lovely children. Reaching for my coffee I realize that I have left it beside the coffee pot. Get up, go get it. Sit back down.

Layla: I need a napkin, please.

Hayden: peas peas!!

Mommy thinking to herself: At least she said please.

Get up get a napkin. Sit back down. Gary says he is leaving. Get back up to kiss and hug him bye. Sit back down. Gary asks where his jacket is. Get back up and get his jacket. Take it to him outside in the garage. Come back in and sit back down. EAT BAGEL. Coffee is cold. Get up and pour more {wake up juice}.

8:05 am

Clean Hayden...the dirty little monster is covered in food. Ughhh! And I smell...you guessed it poop. Wrestle poor kid to the floor and change his diaper AGAIN. Change him into clothes, out of pj's. Throw diaper away, wash hands and help Layla wash her hands and get dressed.

Empty dishwasher that washed the dishes in the middle of the night. I don't like emptying the dishwasher, but some one has to do it. Put beans into a Tupperware to soak. I am making quesadillas tonight with homemade refried beans.

Mommy thinking to herself: For the love of Pete is it really only 8:05 am. Who is Pete anyway?Geez...how am I going to make it through the day. I am already tired.

Chug coffee and pour more. Who cares if my throat is scalding? Three cups just isn't gonna be enough. I need to wake up.

8:30 am:

Layla: Remember that play doh you bought the other day. Can we play with it?

I set up the craft table in the kitchen and let the kiddos go to town with the play doh. I leave the room for half a second and throw some rugs into the washing machine.

Mommy thinking to herself: Sweet!! This will keep them busy for awhile. I'll get a few things done.

8:33am:

I hear a horrible fight going on in the kitchen. Hayden is lying on the tile floor crying because Layla pushed him and he fell onto the floor.

Layla: I wanted the play doh scissors.

Mommy: So you pushed him down for them!?!

As I am comforting Hayden Layla and I have a serious conversation about sharing...again for the 800th time.

Mommy thinks to herself: Seriously how many more times can a little boy's head hit the tile floor before it starts to effect him. I'm stressing out thinking about it.

I stop with my chores because Layla needs help getting some play doh stuck from a chicken's head and then Hayden starts eating the play doh. Uggg! I decide it looks fun and create McDonald's french fries and make a few bugs and stuff. Fun stuff.

Mommy thinking to herself: Do I dare walk away? What will happen if I do. I will just do some things in the kitchen. Keep an eye on them.

9:15 am:

I go through the cabinets. I grab things I haven't used in a few months to sell in the garage sale. A few pots and pans, an old kettle, some spatulas.

Mommy thinking to herself: Holy Moly the garage sale is Saturday. Will I ever get it all done?

Layla: Can we have a snack?

Mommy: In just a few minutes...play a bit longer and I will make you some popcorn.

Layla: SWEET! Can we watch a movie with our popcorn? What about Alvin and the Chipmunks, or Toy Story? Hayden, do you want to watch a movie and eat popcorn?

9:35 am:

We clean the play doh mess up and head to the playroom for a movie and popcorn. I leave them on the playroom futon and work in the kitchen. I put the beans in the crock pot, put the rugs in the dryer, and drink a ton of water. I eat a few pieces of popcorn and sit down on the couch for half a second.

Layla: Can I have more popcorn?

Mommy: What, already? What did you do with yours?

Layla: I set it down on the floor for a second and Callaway {the dog} ate it.

I get up from watching two minutes of Regis and Kelly to get Layla more popcorn. I watch a few minutes of Alvin and the Chipmunks while I am in the playroom. Whew...I have had enough of their helium balloon voices.

I and head back to the kitchen. I chop an onion, add some celery and pinto bean seasoning to the crock pot, and boil water for tea. I sit down and read/send a few tweets, check my email and have a phone conversation with Gary.

10:45 am:

The movie is old news and the kids are tired of watching it and so they want to go outside in the backyard.

Hayden: ouide, ouide!!

Layla: Mommy come outside with us!

Mommy thinking to herself: Ok, but really? It is wet out there and you guys will bring grass in and I don't want to vacuum today. I want to see the last part of The View. I need to take the rugs out of the dryer and stir the beans.

Mommy: Ok, grab your shoes.

Layla: WHooohoo!!! I'm gonna swing first and then slide and mommy can we play in the sandbox? Can you help me find ladybugs and what about flowers? Do you think there will me any yellow flowers to pick today? You know the ones Daddy calls weeds? Mommy, Hayden's socks don't match...ha...he is silly.

Hayden brings my shoes and his shoes. He is so cute.

As we are all sitting there getting ready to go outside I realize how lucky I am. I have two amazing children. I have a husband that has a job that allows me to be at home with these stinkers. I get to comfort Hayden when he falls. I get to play with play doh with them. I got to show Layla how to make a bug with play doh this morning and tonight I get to make their dinner. No matter how crazy it gets around here, I try to keep it all in perspective.

And if you got to the end of this post...wow!

I hope you aren't super exhausted from reading all that nonsense!

How was your tuesday morning? Are your mornings as crazy and busy as mine?