So it's a no go

on the baseball birthday party for Asher. Just as I was about to order everything off Etsy here comes my little stinker, almost 3 year old man. He walks up to me and in his most sweetest Asher voice says "Mommy I want a Chuck e Cheese birthday."

Ugh...I am not a huge fan of Chuck e Cheese but what's a mom to do. I love birthdays and want my kids to have a very memorable birthday every year. So if this is what Asher wants, then I guess it's what he will get. So now on to planning a Chuck e Cheese birthday party :)

Little hands can be a big help :)

It's Saturday night...I'm all alone...what's a girl to do?

spend it with Edward ;)

Cameron went to play poker with our brother in law Anthony tonight and honestly I was kind of glad. It's been so long since I have had an evening all to my own...I'm talking no one! At first I really had no idea what I was going to do, that is until I sat at the TV and remembered Twilight was on my DVR. Aww...is all I can say. For some reason after watching that movie I can't seem to stop smiling ;) Hehe! So now I am off to bed to enjoy a nice long nights sleep after a very long, busy, fun day.

Thankful Thursday!

This week I am thankful for Etsy!

It's a little over a month away for Asher's party and this morning I decided it ws time to pick a theme and get to planning. I jumped on the computer, headed to etsy.com and typed in baseball party and here is what I got

It will be customized for 3rd birthday

Seriously how cute it that?! I love DIY stuff and here it is with little fuss. I am so excited! We are having his party at a park and I think with some red plates and tablecloth and baseball balloons it will be perfect! Plus look at this adorable shirt

So in about 20 minutes I pretty much planned Asher's whole party. I cannot wait for him to wake up and see what his party is gonna be. My little baseball fan is going to be so excited!

Recipe of the Week

Since it's Lent and we have to go meatless every Friday I am trying to come up with other things to eat besides seafood. While I love seafood I have to admit, knowing that I have to make it every Friday is a bit of a beatdown. I made this last Friday and it is delicious! I substituted shredded sweet potatoes for the hash browns to make it a little more healthy and yummo!

Potato Frittata
2 1/2 cupes frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
Cooking Spray
3 Tbs olive oil
4 scallions, chopped
8 eggs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
Pinch of black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Microwave the froze hashbrowns in a large microwave safe bowl until they're just thawed enough to seperate and measure 2 1/2 cups.
2. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add hash brows and chopped scallions and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into cake pan and spread out evenly.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture evenly over the potatoes and bake, uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cut into 6 large wedges and serve.

Spring Cleaning!

It's that time of year again! I have been crazy spring cleaning for the last 2 weeks just in time for spring! Yay! I have cleaned out and reorganized all the cabinets in our house (including kitchen), cleaned out all closets, under all beds, cleaned all the baseboards, windows and well pretty much anything else that can be cleaned. Our house feels so organzied which brings a huge smile to my perfectionist, type A husband ;) I bought this book a couple of years ago and have recently started using it.

It's so great, especially for someone who isn't the most organized or feels overwhelmed that they couldn't get it done.

Now that I have a clean house it's time to start "spring cleaning" in the scrapbook department. I am over a year behind on both boys scrapbooks. Ahhh!!!!! I keep putting it off bascially because I feel so overwhelmed with all the work I have ahead of me. This week I plan to get back on track. My goal is to do 5 pages for each boys. That shouldn't take too long and I know once I get going it won't be hard to finish.  I mean if you got to look at these precious pictures won't that motivate you :)

Weekend Off!!!!

So finally Cameron and I are getting a weekend alone! It was suppose to be last weekend but Ash was sick and I thought we were going to cancel this weekend because 2 days ago Cam had strep throat but all is good now. Cameron is working this morning at a vendor's fair so once the kids are up and moving I am packing them up and sending them off to my parent's house for the weekend! They are just as excited as we are :) We were going to go out to eat and see a movie but honestly part of me just wants to lay around and do nothing! Exciting, I know ;) We'll see...either way I don't care. I am just looking to some uninterrupted time with the hubster.
On another note, I am not sure if other moms out there do this but lately I have been finding that I rarely buy something for myself. I have been busy buying Aiden new clothes for spring/summer and bought all the stuff to redo their room leaving me with not a whole lotta. So this week I decided to FINALLY get myself something new.

I am crazy in love with purses. I seriously own way too many but I love them anyhow. A new purse makes me feel so good. Silly I know, but what can I say. So I have been really wanting a cute bag I can throw across me and won't get in the way when I am lugging the boys around. I bought a kind of plain jane one at Target a few months ago but wasn't super happy with it. I loved the style just not the plain black color of it. Then while browsing online yesterday I found this one at Vera Bradley for only $27! It looks perfect for spring and it super duper cute! I am usually not a pink person but for some reason it really stood out to me. So now I just have to wait as my purse comes in the mail in a beautiful Vera box as all their purses do. Sigh...I am so excited :)

Happy Weekend!

 

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for paper/plastic plates, bowls and utensils!!!!

I have been very good to Mother Earth for the past 7 years! I have never ever used any disposible plates. My mom never really used them when I was growing up so I didn't. However when you eat every meal at home that adds up to alot of dishes. I was doing dishes 3 to 4 times a day plus running my dishwasher at least once a day. It was really wearing me out! About a week ago we went over to a friends house for playtime and lunch and she pulled out paper plates. It was like a lightbulb went off and I was thinking wow what a great idea! So on our way home I stopped at the grocery store and stocked up on paper plates, bowls and well pretty much anything you can buy disposible :) Let me tell you it's been so nice! I now only do dishes once a day (amazing) and run my dishwasher every other day. Crazy?!  It's the little things as a mother we appreciate :)

American Idol...really?

I am a HUGE AI fan! With that said I was a little bummed out when I heard they were covering Rolling Stones songs. Those are some of the greatest songs ever and honestly I thought there was no way that any of the contestants could hold their own. Well, in my opinion I was partially right. The only people I thought were good last night were Lee Dewyze, Siobhan Magnum and Crystal Bowersox (my fav). The rest I could have honestly done without. Oh and I am really praying that Lacey whatever her names is goes home. She is AWFUL!!!!

Maybe next week will be better :)

Who are your favorites?

Busy and Sick

So I have neglected my poor blog for a few days but for good reason. Asher has been sick with a terrible cough, chest congestion, cold and fever since last Thursday. Cameron and I were suppose to have a date weekend last weekend but cancelled since little Ash was not feeling well. So instead Cam and Aiden worked outside on our front flower bed turning it into a stone porch. It's absolutely gorgeous and if it wasn't raining I would take pics and post. Since I was stuck indoors with Ash I painted the guest bedroom and our bedroom and they both look fantastic! I am so excited at how well our house finally seems to be coming together. I mean we have only lived here 6 years it's about time right? Ha! Even though the weekend did not turn out as planned it was great! Aiden and Cam got some great daddy and son quality time and I got some pretty good cuddles when Ash wasn't sleeping. Bad news is yesterday Aiden started with the fever and this morning I am starting to feel pretty cruddy. Even though the weather is resembling spring we are still getting sick as if it was winter. I am so ready for the sickness to be gone!
Anyways, I haven't taken any pictures in a while but I realized the other day that I never posted Aiden's 4 year old pic we had done at JCP. So here they are :)

Thankful Thursday

This week I feel like I have so much to be thankful for (it's been a really good week) but today I am going to have to say I am thankful for my wonderful husband!

Cameron has really been going over and above helping me out lately which is much appreciated. Yesterday I had the worst back ache and he came home, did the dinner dishes and offered to bathe thhe boys. That was so what I needed. How in the world did he know? The answer is because he is my best friend. I never would have imagined, looking back, that there would be someone in my life that knew me so well as to offer to do something without even knowing how my day was or how I felt. He didn't have to ask because he knew. A couple of weeks ago, out of the blue, he sent me this email and for a girl who doesn't cry about little things, I was teary eyed. Here is just an exerpt from a very long amazingly sweet email.

"I do not tell you enough, but thank you. Thank you for everything. I want to thank you for being the best wife anyone could ask for. I want to thank you for being such a wonderful mother."

Thank you Cameron for being my husband :)

Recipe of the Week

Cheesy Black Bean and Veggie Quesadillas

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup mild salsa, plus extra for serving
8 small whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup chopped roasted red pepper
1 ripe avocado
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, mash together black beans and salsa. Divide among 4 tortillas. Top with red pepper, avocado and feta. Place remaining tortillas on top and sandwich together.

2. Place quesadillas on a large greased baking pan. Spray quesdadillas with vegetable cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes. Cut into quarters ad serve with extra salsa, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

These are so yummy and a huge hit at our house! To add a little variation I also add fresh cilantro and put out sour cream for garnish. You can also buy really large burrito tortillas and wrap them like burritos...also just as yummy!

Kyle's 3rd Birthday Party

Last Saturday we headed north to Arlington for our best friends son Kyle, 3rd birthday party. The party was a fishing party and the kids got to actually fish! This was the first time either of our boys got to go fishing. Aiden loved it! Asher...not so sure. He preferred playing on the playscape or chasing around Lilly, Kyle's sister :) After fishing almost the entire party Aiden and Cameron finally caught their first fish! I wasn't with them when he caught it, but Cameron said he was so excited about catching it until he actually saw it. Then he wasn't so sure and really didn't like it too much! LOL! As party favors the kids each got a Cars fishing pole. I think fishing might be a new little activity we can do together as a family :)

Last weekend was also a pretty big weekend of firsts for Aiden. He caught his first fish, rode his first power wheel, rode his first scooter and shot a hoop through a real basketball goal all by himself! What a busy weekend for a 4 year old :)

Road Trip!

It's super early Saturday morning and I am the first one up in the house. We are leaving at 7:30am and heading to Arlington for our best friend the Crissey's son Kyle's 3rd birthday party! I am super excited to see our friends :) It's gonna be a long, but fun day! It's about a 2 and half hour drive up there, the party starts at 10:00am and it's a fishing party at a park. The boys are super excited about that :) Then after the party we are going back to their house to spend the day, eat dinner, bathe the boys and get them in the jammies and then back in the car for the ride home. We usually stay the night so I am kind of worried about all the driving in one day but for lots of reasons we need to be home Sunday.

So I'm off to start getting dressed before everyone wakes up...

Happy weekend!!!!

My funny, funny husband :)

I have been looking at this all week on my fridge and everytime I see it makes me laugh. Cameron said yesterday morning that he was going to be late and might just grab a sandwich! LOL! Lucky him I ended up making mexican food.

Happy Friday!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that I gave up Facebook for Lent this year!


I read an article about mom's who spend too much time on FB and it really bothered me. I thought, wow I might actually be one of those moms! It's not like I am on it all day but I would get on at least 5 times a day to check things. It was my crutch when I was bored or putting off chores, well pretty much any reason I had I would use. I just personally feel like FB is creating a society that is self absorbed. Like why in the world do I need to know a girl I went to junior high is eating McDonald's for lunch and why is the world does she feel like she needs let people know? Ridiculous! It's making people feel like they have to post their every move on there to let the world know what's going on in their life. It's also very fake. Most people only post what they want someone to know about their life, not necessarily what's true. Trust me, I have been guilty of this before. Who really wants to get on and post about how terrible their day was or how money is tight or how they need a break from their kids. I get that trust me, but some people ( I know a few) post out right lies. So the time I am spending reading this stuff, the time I am taking away from my kids and housework, well it's really just a waste of time. I know that might sound weird to some FB fans but's it's really my new point of view of that site. So I am going 40 days without going on even for a second in hopes that by the end of the 40 days I chose, on my own, to not be so into it.

Oh and since "quitting" FB I have accomplished so much! I am more attentive to my blog (which I love blogs and will always be a fan) I have read 3 books, painted 2 rooms in the house, taught Asher how to start writing his name, began teaching Aiden how to read, and have been keeping up with laundry like never before :)

So there you go...that's what I am thankful for this week. The funny thing is I have met so many other mom's that also gave up FB for Lent. I have even read blogs of mom's I don't even know personally that also gave it up. If that doesn't tell something then I don't know what will.

Recipe of the Week

So this isn't an actual recipe but a snack I invented this weekend that is the best thing that has touched my taste buds in awhile :)


Raspberry Cheesecake Snack

Ingredients:
Cinnamon graham crackers
Whipped plain cream cheese
Raspberry Jelly (get a really good organic brand like Cascadia Farms)

Get all ingredients and spread the cream cheese on the graham crackers first. Then spread the raspberry jelly and voila! It taste EXACTLY like cheesecake. So yummy :)

The Boy's New Room!

I have been working on designing and decorating the boy's new upstairs room for a long time...since January. Well Friday it finally all came together! I spent Thursday painting and Friday I literally spent the entire day putting it all together. It was exhausting but so much fun! We were going to go ahead and get the boys both a twin bed but as I was laying my bed Thursday night a little voice told me not to spend that much money right now and just go ahead and get Asher a toddler bed. I wasn't sure about it, I mean this meant I would have to return the bedding I already bought for him but I went with it.

And let me tell you I am so happy I did! Because I just got the toddler bed I was able to buy these really beautiful ottomans for the room.

I really think they make the room! They are just gorgeous.

I honestly love how the room turned out and for right now the toddler bed was the perfect choice. Asher loves it! He feels so special and tells everyone who comes over "to come look at his new bed!" Aiden can still fit in it so I know Asher (who is a little smaller) will be able to fit in it another year and a half if not longer. Then after that we can decide if we want bunk beds or just another twin. I really want the bunk beds :)

Here are their adorable letters I made. I got the idea from 2 of my friends and was shocked at how easy they were to make. I already had their letters but wanted to spice them up a bit.

So now to the best part of this adventure...

Cameron was nervous about them being upstairs because he didn't want them walking downstairs by themselves while it was still dark outside. Aiden is notorious for waking up at 5am and coming into our room and waking us. So we put a baby gate at the top of the stairs and told Aiden when we woke up in the morning if Asher was still asleep, to close the door to their room, go into the playroom and watch cartoons until Mommy or Daddy came and got him. We really didn't think it was actually going to work. I could just picture him standing at the top of the stairs yelling for us and waking Asher up. But my Aiden man was a much bigger boy then I gave him credit for. Saturday morning, after I woke up and got a cup of coffee I went upstairs to find Aiden sitting in his Thomas the Train chair watching cartoons quietly! I was shocked and so proud!!!!!! He said "Momma I did what you said, I closed my door, turned on the bathroom light and watched cartoons." So far, 4 mornings later, it's still working! This means that if I wanted to I could probably sleep in a little :)

Now I only have 1 more room in the house to finish...the new guest bedroom. It needs alot of work but I am hoping to get it done this week so our house can be in 1 piece again :) After I finish that room I will also post pics of my new office (Asher's old room).