Our Mixed Up Crazy Good Day!

I woke up really tired this morning.

Brady had a hard time getting up too.

Our sleep schedule is a little off from our holiday travels and driving through the night. Twice.

I let him sleep in an extra 20 minutes before I woke him up for school.

This caused us to rush around a little more than usual.

Homework in backpack-yes.

Lunch packed-yes.

Form filled out-yes.

Pick up note written-yes.

Library books-yes.

Teeth brushed-yes.

Brady and I drove up to the bus stop because it's COLD out there!

The bus is usually a few minutes behind on Mondays for some reason.

We waited and waited and waited.......

Why is the bus so late?

We waited some more.

Did we miss the bus?

Brady said jokingly, "maybe there's no school today!"

Could it be?  We were the only ones at the bus stop.



We came back to the house and checked the school calendar.

Sure enough....no school today.

Or tomorrow!

How did I not know this?!

Imagine thinking you have school...and then you don't!

It was almost like a snow day!

I had my list of things "to do" waiting for me.

You know how it is when you've been out of town...you have catching up to do!

I decided to put my list aside...those things can wait.

I have missed this guy this past week...

he forgets all about me when his cousins are around!

We played a few games of Yahtzee....



made cookies....



 watched the movie Prancer and had hot chocolate.



We had a really good day.

It was nice to just hangout and relax after the busy holiday week.

Tomorrow we are not getting up early for school!

 

Oh, Christmas Tree!



It's only Monday...but I'm already looking forward to the weekend!
We're getting our Christmas tree on Saturday.  Woo hooo!
We usually get our tree the first Saturday in December...it's one of our traditions!
We tend to make an entire day of this...and it's one of the days I look forward to most all year!
We cut down our tree and then spend the rest of the day getting it all set up and decorating the house.
Hopefully this year we will do a better job of picking a tree!
Last year our tree was a little big..and wouldn't fit in the spot in our livingroom where we usually have it.
This was a little hard for Brady and I....as we like things to be just like they always are.
We eventually got used to the tree being in a different spot...but we will try and do better this year.
Maybe this year, Dad we won't forget the tape measure!

Okay, so this was a few years ago...and this wasn't the tree we picked!

Brady always thinks he's in charge....







Someone isn't happy about the saw being taken away!





It's funny, Brady always believes he is the one that ultimately picks the tree.
It's so easy...if you walk around long enough, all the trees start to look the same!
We just say that we'll keep his tree in mind and then go back to it after we've looked at them all.
Once we find the tree that we like, we tell him it was the "one" he picked out that we decided to get!
He falls for it everytime!

This is one of my favorite pictures. 

I'm sure the lighting is all wrong according to professional picture people...

but I just love the look on Brady's face.

It was also our Christmas card picture a few years back. 

Last Minute Teacher Idea- Thanksgiving

A couple of years ago we made these big cookies.
Brady loves giving little treats to his teacher....just like his Mom!
If you wanted to make this even easier...you could buy big cookies and save yourself
even more time during this already busy week!
I'm thankful you're my _________ can be given to anyone!



These may look like happy little scarecrows......

to me....they look like lots of little guys laughing at me!

I made these last night...but it all started two days ago when I bought the stuff to make them.

I bought 1 box of chocolate cake and one can of frosting.

I forgot to buy cupcake liners.

So, yesterday I went to 2 stores looking for small liners.  Couldn't find them.

Decided to use my BIG papers I already have...but then I would need more cake.

Found a box of white cake mix in my pantry.

As I'm mixing it up at 8pm I discover I only have 1 egg left.

Very kind hubby ran to the nearest gas station 15 mins. away.

What's wrong with this batch of cupcakes?  They look weird.

I forgot to put oil in the 2nd cake mix...hopefully the frosting will help cover the terrible taste of them!

Didn't have enough frosting so I decided to "whip" it with my mixer to get more air which = more frosting.

In the middle of mixing, my mixer broke.  Nice.

The two boxes I bought to transport the cupcakes in aren't big enough due to the scarecrows.

Not a good baking experience!

However, I'm THANKFUL that these are for the kids...and they will probably enjoy them regardless!

The funny thing is...Brady won't even be at his class party tomorrow!

We're leaving this afternoon for Indiana!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving
everyone!

Pumpkin Goodness









I put the fudge in little boxes I found for .50 cents!



Brady will give one to his teacher and one to his bus driver this week!



Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

What Would You Do?

We're having a little shoe dilema over here.
Brady wore his new Adidas sneakers on the first day of school Aug. 30th.
A month and a half later, he can no longer where them because his toe is coming out the bottom!

This is his 4th pair of Adidas shoes. 
He always wants the same style and color.
The people at the Adidas Outlet are very kind to give us 30% off everything in the store...
since he is a walking advertisement for them!
(I also may have mentioned to them that he would like to sign a contract with them someday!)
Anyway, I'm kind of a slow learner and finally realized I can't keep buying new shoes every month or so...
and probably not those Adidas ones!

I found a pair of Nike shoes that have a reinforced leather toe made specifically for tennis. 
They were $75.00 but on sale for $60.00 which is way way more than I usually spend.
But if they could last six months...they would be worth it!
Called hubby at work...he said to get them.
Called my girlfiriend (cause hubby never says no)...she said I'm spending $35-40 every month on sneakers anyway....
So, I bought them.
And we made a new rule. 
These sneakers would only be worn for tennis.


And, one month and two days later....this is what those stupid sneakers look like:

Brady only wears these to the tennis courts. 
Granted, he plays almost everyday...but....
somedays for an hour, other days for two or three.
These shoes look like crap.
It's hard to see, but the tread is completely gone.

I've never returned shoes before...but I'd really like to return these.
Is that allowed?
I still have the receipt.
These shoes were double what I would ever spend on shoes for myself.
Don't get me wrong...I know that the court surface is rough and there's
lots of quick movements and lunging forward which will definately
wear down a shoe.
I just can't keep doing this every month.

Can I return shoes after 32 days of wearing them?!
Will I get my money back?
Or will I get the same shoes again?
Should I get the same shoes again?

We have a tennis store about 35 minutes from us called Fromuth.
Maybe we should go see what they would suggest.


Thanks for listening to me complain.

What would you do?

Soup's On!

Potato Corn Chowder



This is one of the easiest recipes I have in my recipe box.

There's only 5 ingredients!



Mix mushroom soup and cream corn in a large pot.  Add 1 1/2 cups

of milk.  (You can add more later if you want it less thick)

Dice potatoes and throw them into the pot.

I let the chowder cook about an hour.  I dice my ham and

add it the last 20 minutes.  That's it!



I debated about whether or not to add the picture.  But then I thought...

you have to add the picture!  One of these days I'll work on my

photography skills!  The chowder doesn't look all that great...but

trust me...it really is a yummy soup that's so quick and easy!

And quick and easy is exactly what I plan to do this

holiday season!

{Giveaway} Winner

Poor guy had a cold and cough all weekend....he's all

drugged up in this picture!

Note to self:  Even though that black trunk is very functional...it is ugly and needs to go!

Jenny from I'm an organized Mommy is the winner of the Christmas sign!

I will send you my email Jenny so you can send me your address!

I also need to know what color you would prefer!

*************************

I thought our weekend was pretty laid back...but as I was making a list of everything we did, it looks pretty full!

Date Friday night

Pizza and swimming for Brady

Football

2 Harry Potter movies

Grocery shopping

Tennis clinic

McDonald's

New Zac Brown Band cd thanks to a friend

Worked a banquet Saturday evening

Started Christmas photobook gift

Laundry

2 washed vehicles

Chatted with neighbors

Tennis match Sunday evening- Brady played a girl 5 yrs older than him and won!  Played the best tennis I've ever seen him play.

Homework

Nachos, beer and House Hunters

I'm making a photobook Christmas gift for Brady on Shutterfly.

Yesterday when I got online to work on the book I noticed that the

12x12 photobooks are 30% off if you order by Wednesday.

So, the next couple of days I will be trying like heck to get that book

done and ordered...so I can get that discount!

Have a great week everyone!



We Are A Family Of Three

An only child clearly has the advantage of always being Mom and Dad's favorite!



I always imagined that I would have two children....a boy and a girl, of course.  I also knew that I wanted to have my children close together in age.  I am ten years older than my one sister and twenty one years older than my other sister.   I was an only child until the age of ten and wanted a sibling more than anything in the world.  I also knew I didn't want to be like my mom who had my sister at the old age of 42.  Nope, that would never be me!



We were married for three years when Brady was born.  March 19, 2003.   The absolute best day of my life.  It was an easy pregnancy...other than an emergency c-section.   Our life would forever be changed. 

We wanted to wait two years before trying to have another child.  Although I wanted my children close in age...I also knew that my type A personality might not be able to handle it!  When Brady was two,  we were in the middle of Eric changing jobs and trying to sell our house.  It was a stressful time and it just didn't feel like the right time.    Again, I like all lights to be on green and everything in order.  Looking back, I would have done things differently.  I mean, is there ever a perfect time? 



Brady was three when we found out a week before Christmas that we were expecting.   With our first pregnacy....we waited three months before telling anyone (except our parents) that we were having a baby.    Everything was so normal that first time around... we decided to share our good news on Christmas day that we were expecting again...what gift could be better than that?!



I miscarried at ten weeks.  I ended up having a d & e.   It was a very sad time...but  having Brady to take care of made that time a little easier to get through.  My doctor said that most women get pregnant pretty easily after this kind of surgery.  We waited about six months before trying again. (Again, looking back, I would have done things differently and started trying sooner) I was 37yrs old.


  Getting pregnant again has never happened for us.   We've talked about adoption.  It seems like a huge mountain at this stage in our life.  I am 40.  Brady is 7 1/2.    It also feels like we would be doing it mostly at this point to give Brady a sibling.   I think there are plusses and minuses to every situation. We are able to give Brady so much time and attention.   I believe that raising a child to be independent, kind, confident, caring and happy has everything to do with parenting and less to do with family size.  Brady has only ever mentioned not having any brothers or sisters once.  We explained to him that it might not be in God's plan for us.  He has never said that he "wishes" he had a brother or a sister.  I hope that Brady doesn't ever feel like he is "missing" out.   I guess you can't really miss what you don't know.  That is probably true for Eric and I as well.  We can only imagine how our life would be different with a larger family...but certainly not any better than it already is. 

Would I have ever chosen to have just one child?  No.  Have I accepted the way things are?  Most days I have!  I like to focus on what I do have that's positive in my life right here in front of me.  We are truly blessed.  Being a wife to Eric and a mom to Brady are the absolute greatest pleasures of my life. 



Linking up with Jen at Denton Sanatorium.
If you live in a cave and  haven't seen her blog...
go check it out!  She has an awesome blog &
a beautiful family!

An Early Christmas {Giveaway}



My husband and I used to make wood panel signs.  It was a fun thing to do together...he would cut the panel, I would paint and stencil it, and then he would distress it with an antiquing glaze. 

We had about 100 signs in a country store about an hour from us.   We made a little profit... but it was definately more of a hobby than a money maker....that's for sure!  





A few years ago we stopped making our signs.  Life got busy for us and our priorities changed.  The economy also started to go down...and fewer and fewer people were shopping in little country stores!



Here's what you can win...your choice!



The giveaway is easy!  Just leave a comment.  Giveaway will end Sunday evening.  I will draw a winner and post on Monday!