Thursday, January 6, 2011

More than you may want to know.

Wanna know a little about me? 

These questions are floating around the internet world and so I jumped on the bandwagon and threw together my answers!


What was the last book you read?

Siblings without Rivalry.  I really want to make time to read things other than parenting books!


Do you like to cook?

I love too cook!  It is one of my favorite things to do!


What's your favorite food?

Mexican food...I could eat it every day!  I want to learn to make tamales.


Do you have brothers and sisters?

I have one older brother.  His name is Jody and he lives about an hour from me with his wife Billie and his step children and slew of animals. They have a ton of dogs!  He shares my love for animals ;)


Which sport do you like?

I like all sports.  I love to watch football on TV.  I also like Nascar, Supercross and golf.  I enjoy playing golf when I have time.  I don't care for basketball.  I usually only watch March Madness.


Do you live alone?

Nope, I live with my husband, two kids and dog.


Do you live in a house or an apartment?

We live in a house.  Thank goodness. I can't imagine the loudness of my family in an apartment.  We'd be kicked out for sure for being so loud :)


Have you ever lived in another country?

Nope...

How do you spend your free time?

Honestly as a stay at home mom I don't get much free time.  If I do get time all alone by myself I like to get pampered.  A manicure/pedicure is always nice and shopping alone is wonderful!


Tell me about a favorite event of your adulthood.

My favorite event of adulthood would be marrying my best friend. Gary and I have a great relationship and I am so thankful for him.  He went to the beach and were married at sunrise.  It was just the two of us with our bare feet in the sand saying "I do!"

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies are cooking, taking pictures, decorating and redecorating my house. And I'd really like to learn to sew, or read more.  I love to put on my iPod and listen to tunes.  But mostly I enjoy cooking new and fun recipes.


What do you do? What's your job?

I am a stay at home mom.  I clean the house, cook the meals, wash-fold-put away laundry, I wash dishes and pack lunches.  I grocery shop for a family of four hungry people.  I plan all our meals weekly and try to stick to the meal plan.  I dust the house, vacuum the floors, make the beds, clean the bathrooms including toilets.  I keep a blog of our lives and try to post daily because it is our family scrapbook. I take kids to school and pick them up.  I read bed time stories, tuck kids into bed and am there if they wake in the night. I pack and unpack backpacks and read all the paperwork brought home from school daily. I shop for clothes for the whole family and hear the wrath when I didn't purchase the correct things. I wipe snotty noses, change diapers and snuggle sick kids when they feel bad.  That is just a small portion of my WONDERFUL job.



Who has had the most influence in your life?

Cheesiest answer ever, but I have had the most influence on my own life.  I have been through so many different things in my life and they have made me who I am. I can look back at who I was before and who I am now and I am happy with the difference.  I am good with my life and I am glad that I have grown into the person I am today.  I hope I will continue to become an even better person as I age.


Would you like to be famous?

Maybe after I have raised my kids.  I don't want to put them through all the drama of being drug around the country while I am on tour ;)


What do you think you will be doing five years from now?

Five years from now I will be 39.  I will have a 10 year old and a 7 year old. I will be doing the same thing I am doing now. I will be mothering my kids, helping them to be the best they can be.  My kids will be in school, and participating in extra curricular activities.  We will have just bought a much larger home on a few acres with room for the kids to roam with their friends.  Gary and  I will have enough savings in the bank to visit the beach every summer and go snow skiing in the winter with the kids.  I will have figured out my hobby that will bring our family a bit more spending money.  We will have finally found the church home we are looking for! 

When do you feel best? In the morning, afternoon, or evening?

I feel my best in the afternoon.  I used to be a morning person, but am now a day time person.  Daily activities have me ready for bed early, so catch me in the afternoon for the best me :)


How many times did you move as a child?

I lived in the same city my entire childhood. We lived in three different houses, but I went to the same school all 13 years.  I really want that for my kids, but I'm not sure if we will stay here forever.



If you knew could you try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt?

I would want to be a singer/actress.  My freshman year of college was spent studying drama/theatre.  I won best actress in One act play in high school.  I love to entertain people...it would be super awesome to be on the Food Network with my own cooking show, or better yet, one with me and the hubs!


What super-power would you most like to have, and why?

If I had a super power it would be a mind reader. I'd love to know what goes on in my kid's/dog's heads. They are so funny and make me laugh, and I want to know how they come up with their ideas.  Their minds are always spinning.  Also it would be wonderful when they are sick...I could find out how to help them.


Would you rather take pictures or be in pictures?

I'd rather take pictures!!!  I do like to be in pictures, but capturing moments of my loved ones is the best!!


Are you a beach, country or city person?

This question always stumps me. I can be happy anywhere I am.  If I had to dig ditches for a living I'd make it fun.  I was married on the beach.  I visited my grandparents farm my entire childhood.  I love the outdoors. And I love the city and being close to shopping.  So I really didn't answer this question....I like them all!


Where do you spend most of your money?

We spend most of our money on food.  I love to cook, and so does Gary.  Our meals are fun for me to prepare, and so our largest expense every month is shopping at the grocery store.  It is cheaper and usually tastes better when we prepare our food at home.  While we do really enjoy eating out once in a while we love experimenting with new recipes!



Tuesday, January 4, 2011

our day in iPhone pics


this little chica is back into the school rhythm.

she got up this morning sassy as ever.  so i took her picture as she did her sassy poses.





Potato Cheese Soup

5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small onion chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
2 stalks chopped celery
14 oz chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon minced parsley
salt and pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese
In a large saucepan, combine potatoes, onion, carrot, celery and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, simmer for 15 minutes, lightly mash.


In a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir into potato mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add parsley, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted.

Sadly this is an iPhone pic...the soup is wonderful and totally deserved better pics. But I was busy and this is all I got! But Gary and I ate all of it and I will be making it again soo.  So I will get more pics in the future!





Hayden played with his olives today as usual. My kids love olives.  If they don't eat olives I know I should call the doctor...something is wrong.


Tonight my silly daughter told us she could breath through a macaroni.
We were informed it has a hole in in and therefore she can breath through it.  Cool! Now you know!

This is my life with a 2 year old and a 5 year old.
I wouldn't trade this for anything.  I love my job :))



Gary and I's nephew Rob, had is first baby tonight!  She is 9 lbs and she was born just a bit ago. 
We are so excited for him and can't wait to meet her!!

She shares a birthday with my Mom...Happy Birthday girls!!


Monday, January 3, 2011

miscellany monday

1.  I am freezing today.  I am sitting on the floor right next to the fire and I am still not warm enough! But I love winter and am so thankful for it.  Winter is short around here and before long the hot Texas summer will set in.

2. Today is Layla's last day of Christmas vacation. Wednesday Hayden will return to preschool.  I love having the kids home, so I am a bit sad about the fact that they will be gone to school again. BUT I love my time alone.  I am ready for our routine again.  Layla loves school, so she is ready to see her friends!



3.  I need a new dishwasher. Mine is broken and has been since November.  I am getting really tired of washing dishes by hand.  But you know, the budget and all...ugh!  Hopefully this month I will get a new one.  We have lived in this house for almost 5 years.  The dishwasher is the one the home builder put in brand new.  Why didn't it last longer than this?  If you have a good, quiet dishwasher let me know.  As I said before...I am shopping.

4.  My 5 year old Layla Kate is a tattle tail.  She tells on me, Hayden and Gary. She should be a news reporter.  Seriously. It is wearing me out.  News flash...we are not perfect and one of us adults may or may not saw a bad word here or there.  Hayden repeats those words, and Layla tells on him. Or if Hayden spills something, or throws something.  We know about it.  Fun times I tell you :)



5.  Layla got a new Wii game.  Build a Bear. IT is so annoying. Cute and fun for her, but very annoying.

That is all the miscellancy I have for today.   I am going to enjoy the day with my kiddos.

Happy Monday!


Miscellany Monday @ lowercase letters

Sunday, January 2, 2011

single sentance Sunday


Layla is trying to learn to ride her bicycle without training wheels
with help from her daddy!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

b.e.p's and ham

 We aren't really a black eyed pea family.  We don't eat them normally, but if you eat them on New Years day they bring you luck for the upcoming year.  Ok...whatever, I'll eat them.  I don't like them though.  So this year I made them salsa style with some things I had in the pantry.  I looked for a recipe online, but didn't have all the ingredients. So I just flew by the seat of my pants. And I love the flavor this little mix produced.



1 can black eyed peas...drained
1 can mexi corn w/black beans...drained
2 tbs chopped cilantro
2 tbs chopped green onion
1tbs pickled jalapenos
2 tbs chopped green bell pepper

mix it all up and chill.

we have been scooping it with Frito's scoops. 



my favorite new years day meat...ham!  Gary cooked this bad boy this morning, and honey glazed it.  It danced in my mouth...made me sing...ha!  I love ham.  The kids were like baby birds getting samples as dad was slicing it.  And speaking of the kids....


Our munchkins are checking their email. in their pj's. 
It is 38 degrees here, and we don't have any plans so far for today, so we are in pj's. 
Just hanging out eating. 


Awesomeness ~ a great way to start 2011.

Last night Gary and I hung out and watched a movie. It was a low key NYE. I am good with it.  The kids were sleeping by  8pm so Gary and I had all night to eat nachos, watch TV and ring in the new year.  I was worried I  wouldn't make it 'til midnight, but I did. 

Happy New Year!!