Jib Jab Funnies: Makes My Monday!!

Not only did Brett put up the Christmas tree for me this weekend, he also found time to put together a virtual movie for me as well. He makes me laugh, and this makes my Monday!!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Join in the fun with Cheryl, at Twinfatuation!

Princess Power! A Disney Small Talk Six

If you have children, you are required by child law to know at least a few Disney characters. If you are a geek like me, and love all things Disney, you may be just a little bit on the obsessive side about movies, memorabilia, music, and more! Today's Small Talk Six prompt is:

6 Disney characters you’ve found to be most interesting



1. Belle
  Beautiful, as well as intelligent; she stood her ground and wouldn't give the big lug Gaston the time of day, no matter how handsome he was. Bonus points for a beautiful voice, that doesn't hurt my ears like Snow White.

 2.Mulan
  Puts her life on the line to protect and honor her family, plus, I love her costume! *call me shallow

 3. Megara
        Remember her? From Hercules? Independant, sassy, and could hold her own with Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Plus, she's got a booty, and one of the few Disney characters I would consider emulating on Halloween.  (Have you noticed all my picks have been brunettes?)

4. Princess Atta
  Scatter brained,  high strung, and apt to run around in circles, panicking. She's me, in an ant's body.

5. Pocohantas
  An outdoorsy gal, with a sense of adventure -- and yet another Halloween costume I might be able to pull off successfully.  I've always loved this movie, partially because of the best love songs ever.

 

6. Tinkerbelle 
 The only blonde bombshell to make my list -- how could you NOT love her? Tiny and adorable, but headstrong and petulant for balance! My favorite clip of her is when she burns through a leaf, red and steaming mad!

See what everyone else's favorite Disney characters are, over at MomDotCom! Have a great weekend!

Thanksgiving Recap: Tot School/Preschool Corner

 

Rachel is 44 months or 3.5 years old. 

More than anything with 'school', Rachel loves to do crafts. I could tell her we were going to do a quantum physics craft, and she'd say, "OK!". This day, we were working on a turkey. I'm still creating my stash of craft supplies, and AFTER I decide that we're going to do a turkey craft, I discover that I have no brown paint. Fun. Consulted with Angie,who told me to go with colors opposite each other on the color wheel. Hmm. My brain couldn't process that, so I consulted Professor Google. I learned that mixing red and green supposedly makes brown. It really makes maroon, as you can see. I also had no brown construction paper ... thank goodness I had a brown marker.

I told Rachel she got to paint, and she was thrilled. I chose to paint topless  for her to paint topless, as to minimize mess. This poor girl is 3.5, and this is the first time I've let her paint at home.  We used a paper plate for the body of the turkey, and I cut out the body, beak and legs from construction paper.

She loved painting! We used foam brushes (Dollar Store), which are super easy.

Then, it was time to glue the turkey body together. She loves using a glue stick almost as much as painting.

Body together, now for the feathers. We added 'googly eyes', too, which she loved!

Being the dork that I am, I forgot to take a picture of the finished product! Duh!


We read turkey/Thanksgiving books over the past few weeks as well. 




Hard to say which one was my Favorite. The Thanksgiving Door is a wonderful story, reminding us to always keep our hearts open to helping others. I'll choose it again next year to read. Rachel loved Turk and Runt -- it's a funny story about 2 turkey brothers, and how they escape getting chosen for Thanksgiving Dinner. I knew Rachel liked it when I heard her talking about the story to her Daddy!



We had a wonderful time with our family at Thanksgiving ..... ended up having 3 different dinners (such is the life of those of us with large families). Rachel loves to help in the kitchen, so she got to make pumpkin pies for the first time this year! (My first time, too!)

Posing with the mixer .....

Mixing up the eggs ....

Boy, this is fun!

thank goodness Rachel is more photogenic than me ....

Sampling the results .....

Filling the pie crusts .....

Yum!!  Success!!  Of course, forgot to take a picture after these were baked. They were delicious! We also made Caramel Apple Dippers, but I'll spare you more pictures of Rachel with a mixer!


The next day, we made cranberry sauce from scratch .. once again, a first time for me. 

Finally, a decent picture of me ..

Rachel, cooking the cranberries, and hearing them pop. I thought these turned out good .... I seriously never ate cranberry sauce before this season. They are pretty tart, even by my standards!




Join in the fun at Tot School, and Preschool Corner, for Christmas ideas, instead of my Thanksgiving recap!

The Adventures of a Home School Slacker Mom -- Turkey Talk

Guess you've noticed that I have not posted any thing linking up to Tot School, or Preschool Corner. I haven't joined in with Susana with her Learning through Love, either. (note to Susana -- umm, yeah, that's how behind I was! I didn't know you took down the linky!)

 I'm stuck, and having a bit of an anxiety attack about homeschooling. Not about the actual education of my children, mind you -- but more so the "How in the world am I supposed to clean house, do laundry, cook, raise a teenager, chase after twin toddlers, and teach a tiny diva how to read????!!!!!" Insert deep breath here. 

I'm not at a loss for a lack of resources -- instead, I'm more overwhelmed by the sheer amount of resources. I almost don't know where to begin. There are so many things that I see, and want to do. My poor brain starts spinning out of control, thinking about Before Five in a Row, and Itty Bitty Bookworm. I really love literature based unit studies -- I love to read, Rachel loves to be read to, and a lot of the work is already done for me. In other words, there are crafts, etc to go along with a book. That way, I don't have to re-invent the wheel. We're also looking at some phonics programs. Way back when, I think I learned to read with sight words. Only thing I recall is, in second grade, being bored TO TEARS when we were working on phonics. I knew how to read -- what the hell did I care about the 'ch' sound. Blech!

We've started on Progressive Phonics, and we're working on the first book now. This is an approach different than what I'm used to .... for starters, it teaches children lower case letters first. This goes against my way of thinking, but maybe I'm being a bit too anal.

I recently saw these planning sheets on Jolanthe's blog, Homeschool Creations, and I think I'm going to give these a whirl. My husband is in the midst of a transition back into working in the office outside of the home, so we are planning on setting up some sort of routine to our days.

We worked on some Thanksgiving crafts over the past few weeks, and I'll get the pictures and books posted later today. Thanks for listening to me vent in cyberspace!

Giving Thanks: Small Talk Six

Today’s topic is “6 things you are most thankful for this year.” You can answer this with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 photos, 6 videos, etc . . .

Piece of cake!

1. My husband, Brett 

My best friend in the universe, bar none. Here's to many more years with you.

2. My children

Abigail, Rachel, Adam and Thomas. I each of you more than you can possibly imagine. One day, when you have children, it will begin to make sense.

3. My best friend, Laura

You know I couldn't have made it through all this without you. I love you, and have no idea how to repay you.

4. My church

Solid, secure, and grounded in its beliefs and values. It's been a place of comfort for me in sorrow, and a triumphant arena to celebrate life's blessings.

5. Flexibility in our jobs

We aren't rolling in money, but we are rich in the things that truly count -- family and being together. When my children are older, I want them to appreciate the time we had together.

6. Circle of friends

I'm blessed with an amazing circle of friends to support me, make me laugh, listen to me vent, and teach me to be a better mother. Thank you all.

Share your Thanksgiving blessings with everyone at Momdotcom. Have a marvelous weekend!

Prematurity Awareness Day: Nov 17th

After the initial shock of discovering that we were expecting twins, I busied myself with discovering all there was to know about a twin pregnancy. Lovely. Not that I had enough to be concerned about, but being an 'older' mother, as well as carrying twins put me at risk for a host of issues.

Biggest concern for me: premature delivery. Being a nurse, I have limited knowledge of the NICU, but know that I wanted to avoid any time there, if possible. During the pregnancy, I debated about touring the NICU. I knew about tiny babies, and the ventilators, medications, etc used to help keep these babies alive,  and give them a chance to grow and be healthy. Call me crazy, but I was in a bit of denial -- I thought that by avoiding touring the NICU, I could put the possibility of ever utilizing services there behind me. (I never said I was perfect in my logic!)

I was beyond blessed in my pregnancy with the boys, and 'passed with flying colors'. I had a minor scare at 24 weeks ... just dehydrated, and was having contractions. Ended up going to L&D for a few hours for IV fluids and monitoring, no big deal. My twins are identical, which put us at risk for TTTS. For us, it meant more trips to the OB, and more ultrasounds.

I watched the calendar, and as we passed 'gestational milestones', I focused on growing big healthy babies. Score #1, 24 weeks; Score #2, 28 weeks, Score#3, 30 weeks; Score #4, 32 weeks, and so on. Once we hit 36 weeks, I began to breathe a little easier. (figuratively speaking -- very hard to breathe when your belly is this big!)

After a false start, we had our twin boys just shy of 38 weeks -- 37 weeks, 5 days, to be exact!  Our boys were healthy, both were over 6 pounds, and nobody went to the NICU! Yay!  I'm thankful every day for our healthy boys.

Today, however, I'm joining in prayer and remembrance with some of my fellow moms of multiples, like Cheryl and Missy. The March of Dimes is instrumental in helping premature babies live, and be a blessing to their families. Please keep these tiny babies in your prayers.

Fun with Leaves: I heart faces Week 45

I haven't done one of these for a long time, since I never have time to sit down, much less take photos, edit them, etc.

There's nothing I love more than pictures of children in fall .... pumpkins, leaves, trick or treating -- you name it! I was the worst mother in the world this year, and neglected to take the wee ones to the pumpkin patch. (suppose I should start saving money now for therapy)

However, Brett did get some shots of Rachel in the leaves at Grandma's house. I'm not that fond of the colors (lack thereof), but I adore her expression -- this is SO Rachel.

Stop by I Heart Faces for more beautiful fall photos!

Small Successes - A few days early: Multiples and More Question of the Week

I was thrilled to see one of my favorite twin blogs give a shout out to my favorite Catholic blog this week. I've been following the mom bloggers over at Faith and Family Live for a while, and participate in their Small Successes blog carnival when I have the chance. (you know, those weeks where I'm not mired in my self pity.)

Like Danielle Bean says:

It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that.

Truer words were never spoken.

So, let's review my Small Successes for this past week:

1. I had a scheduling snag with regards to Thanksgiving at work. Thankfully, I've gotten it covered, and now will be off Thanksgiving. Yay! Now, if we can just get straight on what we're actually going to be doing.

2. Finished what was supposed to be a Christmas gift for Rachel -- a no-sew fleece blanket. It's completely adorable, and turned out even better than what I imagined. Since she was with us when she bought the fabric, she knew about the blanket. Attempts to hide the beautiful Dora blanket failed, and she's now carrying it around the house.  I'll attempt to post pictures and a tutorial some time before Christmas!

3. Scored a MAJOR deal on Christmas presents, by actually setting foot in Toys R Us. I abhor that store, but skipped out with my loot, and have plenty of stuff for Christmas presents and birthday gifts as well.

4. Made the boys' 18 month well baby visit. Yes, you read that correctly. I cannot believe they are 18 months old. The older I get, the quicker the time passes with my children. Sigh.

5. I almost forgot! Date Night with my husband (thank you SO MUCH, Laura!). We went out for sushi, and then got some shopping done. I appreciate the opportunity to simply have an uninterrupted conversation with him nowdays. Love you, Brett!


Check out more Small Successes at Multiples and More, as well as Faith and Family Live later this week.

Awards and accolades -- passing it around

Thanks to my blogger friend Lourie, at CA Girl, I have an award to post on my blog. YAY!

My 'acceptance speech' consists of 35 quickly answered questions ... meaning concise answers, and not my usual rambling ones.

1. Where is your cell phone? With my husband -- yes, we share a cell phone
2. Your hair? FLAT today ...
3. Your mother? is probably working
4. Your father? haven't talked to him in years
5. Your favorite food? sushi
6. Your dream last night? Don't get enough sleep to dream
7. Your favorite drink? Diet Mountain Dew, but this week, Hot Apple Cider!
8. Your dream/goal? To be a better wife and mother
9. What room are you in? Triage
10. Your hobby? blogging, reading, crafting
11. Your fear? Losing my husband or children
12. Where do you want to be in six years? Physically, in a bigger house, I hope. :)
13. Where were you last night? The new Kroger in my town (yeah, I'm so dull!)
14. Something you aren’t? Patient
15. Muffins? Love them, especially Cinnamon
16. Wish list item? iPod Touch
17. Where did you grow up? Kentucky born and bred
18. Last thing you did? triaged a patient ....
19. What are you wearing? Scrubs
20. TV? rarely
21. Your pets? Blaze and Gracie
22. Your friends? sweet, supportive, and wonderful!
23. Your life? incredibly chaotic, but blessed beyond belief
24. Your mood? irritable
25. Missing someone? Brett and all my children :)
26. Vehicle? Momma mobile is my Nissan Sentra; the family car is a Toyota Sienna
27. Something you’re not wearing? make-up
28. Your favorite store? For my own clothes, Ann Taylor Loft. For the children, Gymboree.
29. Your favorite color? Red
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today
31. When was the last time you cried? Today
32. Your best friend? Laura
33. One place that you go over and over? The Library
34. One person who e-mails me regularly? Angie
35. Favorite place to eat? Maido (hole in the wall sushi joint)

I get to bestow this award on 6 others .... be sure and check out these wonderful women.

My IRL friend Angie, who talks about her daily life at The Ballard Boys. Be sure and check out her weekly lunch ideas!

Another IRL friend, and 'distant relative' Amy -- she has dozens of delectible dishes on The Salt and Pepper Diva. These girls are making me jealous with mad cooking skills!

Congratulations goes out to Jana, an old college friend of mine, whose husband Lee just won a CMA award!! She talks about her adoption journey, and warms my heart.

Thinking about homeschooling? I love to learn from Susana, as she homeschools her 4 children. She has so many creative ideas!

Need some ideas for crafts with children? Marie is an amazing resource -- check out the adorable turkey crafts!

Looking for ways to save money? Gina, who is also a MoM (mother of multiples!) is a wonderful resource at her blog: Moneywise Moms.

Thanks again, Laurie!

My Christmas Registry: Small Talk Six

 

I get totally caught up in Christmas. I love to put a lot of thought into my gifts, and individualize them. Unfortunately, not everyone shares the same consideration.

For those that may be contemplating gifts for me, (boy, is that conceited or what??) I've followed the prompt at MomDotCom, for Small Talk Six:

6 stores at which you wish you could register for Christmas presents for yourself

1. Etsy

  Sigh. So many beautiful things at Etsy.

2. Ann Taylor Loft

3. Vera Bradley

4.  Fossil

 I'd really like a new watch.

5. The Apple Store

 Two words: iPod Touch

6.  Ebay
Seriously, I do most of my shopping here.

Find out what other momma bloggers are jonesing for this Christmas, at Momdot.com. Have a great weekend!


** yeah .... must read over posts before pressing the publish button. Last week's desert island thoughts were a bit redundant.

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