Keep Up!

I believe it was Gretchen Rubin who stated in "The Happiness Project" that people are typically attracted to others that possess an attribute they themselves are trying to emulate.  I would agree with that statement.  I am completely fascinated with individuals that seem to have it all together.  Typically it's other women cause let's be honest, men are boring.  I mean show me a woman that can cook, teach her kids, volunteer at church, school, sew, sing, craft, and keep a clean house all while wearing pearls and I'm hooked!  Yes, I realize it is an illusion but it is one I'm always trying to capture. 

Therefore, busy time is upon me.  School will soon begin and so will my volunteering with the kids.  Today I met with a group of moms to brainstorm ways to assist the school's Parent Teacher Organization.  Gotta admit, it was fun and I was pumped! 

Here are a couple of the mommas chattin'.  (Who's that adorable baby?)  We had a great time and all our kiddies are the same age so they kept themselves entertained.  Yay!

Summer has truly flown by.  We completed a lot of our summer Bucket List but still have a few more activities to complete.  I really am an outgoing personality but feel like I could honestly stay in my house all day and have PLENTY to keep me busy.  So, this summer I really made an effort to plan activities that would require my kids to interact with others.  It has been a real success.  We've had more planned play dates, sleep overs, and pool parties.  Before the summer began, I sat down with the kids and ask them what they wanted to accomplish this summer then I categorized the list by activities we could do at the drop of a hat, ones that would need a little bit of planning, and ones that cost money.  Here's a pic of the jar we used to write out the activities we could do at the drop of the hat; therefore, when we had the chance, one of the kids would draw a slip of paper out and we would complete that activity. 





Now, here's the rub - I'm good at starting something but suck at the finish.  I know, I know, this is a common problem and volumes have been penned trying to offer helpful solutions.  I work to complete what I have started but am scatterbrained at best. Currently, I am trying to blog for 30 days (suppose to be in a row but that quickly went in the pooper), record my weekly food and exercise intake, follow up on some fundraising incentives, somehow get laundry under control, have kiddos read nightly to me, have Dos practice violin for 18 days in a row in order to have a water balloon fight celebration, maintain milk supply for Quattro, try to figure out how to get better pics from my camera, and sort through clothing bins in storage to prepare for fall and winter.  Other women are doing all this and more.  I've just got to figure out how to keep up!

Tres making a picture for our next door neighbor.

Dos watching TV, which is his favorite pastime and my biggest irritation:(

Comfort Food

I believe my downfall with losing weight is comfort food.  Rich, creamy, sweet, savory comfort food.  These usually take the form of brownies or Chocolate Xtreme blizzards or a moist chocolate bunt cake.  That last one was made by my BFF recently and I believe I could have eaten all of its moist center:)  Cheesy, creamy dishes are also make the list.

Last night I created a good meal.  A fantastic dinner and if you've read this blog much, you know this is a rare occurrence.  I made Southwestern Corn Chowder and corn casserole.  Yes, one might think, "too much corn in a meal" but not so.  The Corn Chowder had very little corn in it and to boot, it was low fat.  How awesome is it when a comfort food is low fat?  I think what attracted me to this chowder is its creamy base.  I got the recipe from Everyday Food.

Everyday Food has got to be one of my favorite publications.  This magazine stays true to its name.  You can find great recipes using the everyday food in your pantry and fridge. 

The best part of last night?  When Numero Uno came home and raved about the meal:)  And by "raved" I mean he said he liked it. 

Learning

 I would love for someone to sit down with me and say, "Honey, this is why you do the things you do."  I would like to think I am an intelligent human being but I tell you sometimes I try to do something new to me and it feels like I hit a brick wall. 

For example, I wanted to post some newer picks of Quattro so I import them from my camera to my computer.  I locate a photo editor and make some changes but then can not figure out for the life of me how to save the photos.  Arrrgh!

Here is a pic of little man at four months old.  He is such a sweetie and so calm and happy all the time.

Here he is at five months.  I couldn't resist a picture of his cute bottom.  One day he will be mad at me for having this pic but it will remind me of his sweet, soft, baby skin:)

I have a confession....this week I will be taking his six month picture but he is technically already seven months.  My plan is to take the six month picture here the beginning of the month and then his seven month picture close to the end of the month but right before his eight month pic.  I know I'm a bad mom but maybe one day he won't know the difference:)

Any ideas on a six month pose or a seven month pose?  Or tips for using a Canon PowerShot A510?



Seasons Change

This is the time of year that I both love and dread.  Time to assess the clothing department of the kids' closets.  We are SO blessed with amazing friends and family that circulate the kids' clothing.  Right now I'm in the process of weeding out what does not fit, what we'll need for the winter, and creating a list of needed items and sizes for the fall and winter.  Consignment sales will start soon.

The part of all this that I love is that it's like Christmas in the summer:)  One of my girlfriends works at a children's shoe store and when her children outgrow their shoes she passes them down to us which means we get some pretty AWESOME shoes.  Another girlfriends' sister has only one daughter and because that daughter is a few years older than my friend's girl, we get to use the hand me down dresses first then pass them back for my friend's girl to wear.  It's a pretty sweet set up.

The dreaded part of this time of year - I have mountains of clothes and storage bins out and about until I get everything sorted.  It stresses me out slightly. 

I need to ask Numero Uno to pull the attic ladder down so I can start to work.

Move Over Pioneer Woman

As I cleaned my kitchen this morning I decided to watch the Food Network.  My interest was peaked as a new show started titled, The Pioneer Woman.  Immediately I liked everything about the show from its setting to her easy recipes to her smile.  She is a country girl with a big family and a farm.  What more could you ask for? 

Her name is Ree, which I love. and she has four kids (same as me):)  Her entire show seemed to embody what my ideal family has been my entire life.  I can remember in elementary school reading Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly series and subsequently naming all of my pencils in my pencil box after the children in the book.  As the school day passed, I would create little scenes with my pencils.  The pencils that had been shortened by repeated sharpenings were always the youngest "children".  By my junior year in high school, I had the number of children I wanted determined (seven) and their names planned out as well as a two story farmhouse as the house of choice.  Unfortunately since then I have been unable to convince Numero Uno that Clovis Jedidiah or Elle Bleu are practical names. I have however succeeded in getting some of the family pets named after my "ideal" children's names.  Our first dog together was named Addie Mae. 

The Pioneer Woman's manner of preparing food has such an ease about it I felt like I could replicate her meals.  And I did.  Tonight for dinner I made chicken spaghetti and it was a hit.  In fact, both my children ate it up (Uno being at his mom's this weekend and Quattro being too young to enjoy this food).  Tres has a friend over and her friend said she liked it. Tres called it, "delicious". 

Two things I learned:
1.  Use the broth from the cooked chicken to cook the spaghetti noodles.
2.  Break the noodles into thirds which makes it easier for the kids to eat.  Now, I have always broke my noodles in half but why I have not thought about breaking them into thirds is beyond me. 

We will definitely be putting Chicken Spaghetti on our list of repeats.

Gratitude

Sunlight's coming through the windows on the east side of the house.  Dos is watching old animated Batman stories on a dvd he picked out from the library.  Tres lies asleep in my bed where she came to at 6:00 this morning and Quattro is making a slight fuss over being put down for his first nap of the day.  I know his fusses won't last long considering he already has his blanket pulled up around his cheeks - a sign that says, "let me get cozy before I go to sleep".  I love the morning time like this. Slow moving, peaceful.

I find it funny that my last post listed my blessings and this morning I opened "The Happiness Project" book to find that gratitude was one of the features this month. 

It is true, "a grateful heart is a happy heart".  And this heart has MUCH to be grateful for. 

My parents as can what only be described as "survived" an awful childhood.  My father's by nature was far worse than my mom's but even hers was no rosy event.  Both of my grandfathers were alcoholics.  My father's father was a mean, abusive alcoholic while my mother's father simply drank away their entire income.  Having this information filed in the back of my mind, there are two things that amaze me:
1.  That I have the most amazing parents.  By their raising and treatment of me, you would have NO CLUE their fathers were not perfect examples of how to raise a family.
2.  My husband loves and cares for not only me but our kids as well.  He feels a strong urge to provide for his family and does a wonderful job of doing it.  I will never know a home like what my parents grew up in and for that, I am grateful.

Blessings

The kids participated in Kidsfest this week and I guess that has me all thrown off because I didn't even realize til today that I had not posted in a few days. 

As I think about the lists that I create on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, I've started to realize a list needs to be made of my blessings.  I've been asking God to show me areas in which I can give and not just with money.  But on the thought of giving, my thoughts turn to things - possessions.  I mean, at first glance, giving means giving possessions to others.  When trying to determine what possessions others really need then I think of what possessions do I need?

I have been obsessing over our budget trying to make every dollar count and struggling with ideas that "we do not have enough money" but in reality, we have plenty.  Thus inspiring me to create my "Blessings" list.

Blessings that I Possess:
1.  A loving, kind, and HARD WORKING husband.
2.  My health.
3.  Four beautiful, healthy children.
4.  A great relationship with my parents and siblings.
5. My children's best friends are thier cousins.
6. A home that I designed with my husband.
7.  A fantastic church that I enjoy attending.
8.  Friends that I can share anything with.
9. A nice, working vehicle.
10. Plenty of food in my pantry.
11.  Two good dogs (even though they get on my nerves daily).
12. Plenty of clothes in my closet.
13.  I live in a safe neighborhood.
14.  My children attend a good and safe school.
15.  I am an American.

Thoughts of my blessings help put things into perspective.

What are your blessings?