Stop the madness

Hermine is dumping TONS of rain on us this week.

This post is mostly just for our family memories.  Most of you have no idea what my neighborhood looks like, so you don't understand the flooding, but it is crazy!

This is an area of our neighborhood that we were just walking through on Saturday mornings during our family walk.  It is all underwater right now. I am in shock!

This is a photo of the fire station.  The school is to the right, I cut it out of the picture..duh!  I was under pressure taking quick photos.  People probably thought I was Nuts!  But it is all under water...wild.

I dumped 5 inches out of our rain gauge. And it was over flowing, so there is no telling how much it has really rained.  AND there is more rain coming our way!  Wow!  I wanted to do some running around since both kids are in school, but I'm afraid some of the roads may close.  So, I am sticking around here today.  Watching it rain, and rain and rain.  I'm thankful for the rain, but don't want to get washed away :)

extreme make-over chair edition

I will begin this post by saying I'm sorry for tooting my own horn, but am truly bending over backwards right now patting myself on the back.  I just dislocated my shoulder.  I have never done something so crafty in my entire life.  I love to color with the kids and play play dough. I can cut out a mean shaped sandwich with a cookie cutter.   I can sew a button on a shirt if it falls off, but that is about it.  So, me doing this to a chair~it has to go down in the history books.  I did have a bit of help from Gary, but 90 % of this was done my me.

I found this chair at a garage sale for $8.00. 

 It stunk...smelt like cigarettete smoke.  Gag!

I sanded it down.

Gary took an inch off the legs of the chair...it was too tall for Layla's desk.

I recovered the crusty smelly seat....

with a pillow case I used to sleep on when I was a kid.

 I had a little helper too.

I painted it pink...requested by the princess we purchased the chair for.

We put the seat back on...and there you have it!

It was fun, and now I know I can do crafty stuff, I may do more soon.

Most importantly, Layla LOVES it! 

Oh, and I found the desk for $20. On Craigslist.

weekend update

We had a fun and productive weekend.  I am so tired!  I feel like all we did was work all weekend.  We didn't really, but we did get caught up on some home projects.  A trip to Home Depot had Gary and I busy all afternoon today.



I got yellow mums!  I love fall...and mums. I got yellow to match the already yellow and blue decor in our back yard. I hope they are yellow.  I always buy mums that haven't bloomed.  So...I have to trust the color pot they are in...ha!  Hoping for yellow this year.

Gary got paint and wood for the work area of his smoker.  He was busy all afternoon doing a makeover on his precious smoker.  I love that smoker, so yes it is precious.  It cooks precious yummy food.

The weather was wonderful this weekend.  It was still hot, but not unbearable.  We spent every second we could outside.  Here's a shot of Hayden with a popsicle.  He wasn't too happy about it.  I just poured cranberry juice in a popsicle mold.  It probably wasn't the best popsicle but it was a cold treat.

Layla was a bit of a pill this weekend.  She is so tired from school, but refuses to nap.  She has tested every once of patience that Gary and have.  Oh! the joy of having a headstrong, beautiful 5 year old.  She wants to do  everything for herself.  She is a toot...end of story.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  I can't wait to show you guys the crafty side of me.  I did something I never thought I'd do, and I must share.  So, I will post that later this week. 

Lemony goodness

I'm not sure why, but I have been wanting lemon cookies for quite some time now.  I looked at a few recipes online, but wasn't sure what to make. Did I want crunchy or soft?   I wanted soft and moist and yummy.  I have made cake cookies before, but never lemon.  So, I just adapted my recipe a bit and this is what I came up with.  I should have added lemon extract or lemon juice.  I'd rather them have more lemon flavor, but the kids didn't care. They were very happy and I'd rather not eat all of them myself...ha!  

I need cookies like I need a hole in my head.

Here is what you need and how to do it:

1 cake mix, your choice of flavor
2 eggs
1/3 cup of vegetable oil



Mix all ingredients.



Form into teaspoon size balls.




Bake on greased cookie sheet @ 350 degrees for 12 minutes. You may need to bake less time, depending on your oven. I started with 9 minutes and added because they were too gooey for my taste.




Let them cool for about 20 minutes.  Then hide them, because they go FAST!  Before I knew it I had eaten 3 cookies.  I'm pretty sure Layla had 5 and Hayden had three.

You could ice these, or drizzle with a lemon glaze, but I didn't.  We enjoyed them just as they are.

I spread strawberry icing on one cookie and mushed two of them together.  It will be a nice surprise for Layla when she opens her lunch box tomorrow at school.  She loves strawberry icing.





Mmmmm!  Yum.  It was hard for me to not eat this cookie samich.  But, I did lick the knife I used to spread the icing.  I'm thinking Layla will love this treat!

I am so happy with how easy these cookies are.  All mommies like easy right?!

the moments before

we dropped Hayden off at preschool.

*His thoughts...

Look mom, it's my lunch box. I am so excited about it!

I think there might be food in there.  I better check inside.

Instead of posing for pictures like Mommy asked me, I'm gonna get into this lunch box.

I can't seem to get it unzipped.  Please stop asking me to say cheese. 

Speaking of cheese, did you pack me a slice?

Maybe if I turn it this way.

Hey mommy, can you help me...

get into this lunch box.

I love food and I bet there are chips in here.

What are we doing here?  I'm not so sure about this.

Why are you putting my back pack and lunch box in there?

But I will give it a try because you are asking me too.

Gary and I left the class room and Hayden was screaming and throwing a fit.  We didn't leave the building for another few minutes, but when we did he had calmed down.  And luckily he did great the rest of the day.  He gave his teacher two hugs and a kiss when we left at the end of the day....sweet little man. When I asked him he told me he wanted to go back.  I hope he does because I enjoyed my time. 

Oh, and just in case you were wondering....he barely ate lunch at all.  I guess there was too much excitement!

double vision