Elf on the shelf day 3

The boys have packed their lunch for tomorrow, which doesn't happen very often. Ike doesn't pack his lunch so Spike thought he needed one.

I really think I love this more than the boys do...hehe

Elf on the shelf photo bomb

Spike was at it again. This time helping me out with a project I have been wanting to do for a while. Except that he photo bombed Ike....

Elf of the shelf day 2

Spike wanted in on the action tonight too!

2012 hand prints

Today has been a wildly successful day for my to do list and my heart! It is fun to see the boys grow up and learn to be responsible and motivated to do things they like. Patton was on a mission this morning because he knew he would get to put up Christmas decorations. I haven't seen him move that fast in a long time. Kendra and Kenna were able to come over, which is always a treat just for fellowship.

The boys ( yes all of them) decorated the tree, which they did quite well. The blessing of having a special tree versus specific decorations help. The Elge's started a tradition with Casey that they bought him an ornament that meant something about what happened that year or his truck collection. The first years of marriage our tree was a bit bleak. Having 2 kids within 15 months helped that problem. We all enjoy putting up the ornaments and seeing what we have done through the years.
One tradition I started last year was putting the boys handprints on the tree skirt. Today we did this years. It will be fun to see the differences next year.

I just love the holidays! So grateful for God becoming Man!

Elf on the shelf day 1

Oh boy this is going to be fun. I am going to do a North Pole breakfast next year...but for now fun times with Spike.

Too busy to say cheese

I think I have limited Ike creativity by putting all the toys in the basement. When the boys were his age we had an entire house torn up but they had all access pass to their toys on the first floor. I think he could play this all day.

New camera...how did I do?

Never thought that a new real camera would be so much fun!  Still trying out both lenses and various settings.  Just fun to get clear photos of who my true monkeys are.

Closet pre organization

Yes yes yes I am letting you on a severer place no one else get trapped into. I have been following www.abowlfulloflemons.com and her organization challenge. I have a lot of fun giving homes to all of our things. Unfortunately, my closet has been the home to many things because it is not ever seen. Here is to the project that has been on my to do list the longest....my closet. Wish me luck.

Chore documentation

Yes yes I did make one for Kenner too. I absolutely love chore pad, but unfortunately for the boys, I don't get all their chores documented. I have had some time to peruse through many different blogs. I am sorry I don't remember where this came from (probably someone connected to a bowl full of lemons). It was super easy to make. I also made a night time one w moon and stars to help ease of bedtime too. We will see how this works.

What do you do to keep track of your kids chores?

My adorable pillow

So I cut my block of the month down so it wasn't do big. I decided he made a cute pillow. What do you think, Annie?

Kitchen reorganization

Thanks to a bowl full of lemons blog, I am embarking on an organization frenzy of my house. One area at a time. Here are some pics of before and after. Sorry no exciting clear pics, but hopefully you can get the gist. I got all my containers at dollar tree.

She actually spilt the kitchen and the pantry up, as did i. I am just getting around to posting both the pantry and the kitchen. I am also in the process of re doing the boys closet. It is farther down on the list for the bowl full of lemons, but I wanted to do it now w the change of clothes and attempting to establish some type of rotation w the clothes....or patton's teacher is going to think he has 4 tshirts.

Transformed

This picture would have happened one month ago only if the worlds largest bribe was taking place. For this i am so thankful. I need to be reminded of this picture when I am frustrated beyond belief in the mornings when Patton is refusing to wear anything but his batman shirt or the ninjago shirt or the angry bird shirt.

Yes I have tried it all to get the child to wear a variety of the cute clothes he has in his closet. Attempt 1: have him help me set outfits for the week. FAIL attempt 2: have him pick out the outfit the night before. FAIL. Attempt 3: hide the clean clothes so he had to pick something new. HUGE FAIL. Attempt 4: pick out an outfit, sleep in it, no fits in the am. FAIL.

So with the horrors I have for the morning hours, seeing my second born be proud to be a great artist my heart is filled.

March block from crafty

These blocks a lot more time only because I had to cut all the strips. A really fun quilt would be to take all my scraps left over from projects and putting them in a tub to put together on a rainy day. Guess I found myself another project.

Block of the month from crafty.com

So this is the February blocks. I thought I knew how to make half square triangles, but the two methods really were fun to try and easy to make up quick. Maybe an inspiration for all the other scraps I have laying around here. Now only if I burned calories doing this I would be the happiest person in the world.

Birthday gift

My mom gave me this kit called hanging with the boys. I thought I would try my hand at it and make an extra one because they usually give you enough fabric to do 2 or close to it and I have enough matching fabrics to finish what it didn't give me. I haven't ever used double sided webbing. It is applicae cheating!b it is so much r to do embroidery when you cheat and have it all glued together. Not sure what I am going to do with the other one. Many ideas.... But which one to choose. Can't share as you might be one of the ideas. Hehe

Block of the month from craftsy

I found a new website craftsy.com. I really like block of the month clubs as they get me to actually complete a project. This project pattern was free, so I found the biggest stashes of material in my sewing room and now am going to town. I am not sure what my third color should be for the brown, cream and .... Quilt. I have a ton of red whit and blue fabrics will be a nice quilt to have in our Americana back room. This was January's block. Hopefully I will get february done tomorrow. First fun with boys and play for me. It works out so well because we kind of play together in the basement as their toy room is next to my sewing room. I just have to hide the iron and keep an eye on the machine.

Fun birthday cake

This was cooked in the microwave for 9 minutes. Not at all healthy but fun for the boys to make for my birthday and easy clean up.

Menu Monday

Monday breaded chicken breast w sweet corn from aurora. I am trying out the fresh taste from Kraft that I got on sale a couple weeks ago

Tuesday lasagna. It is my bday but we went out the other night to Texas roadhouse and I am on the budget plan...so this freezer meal will be great!

Wednesday : tacos w refried beans that I had made from dry beans and put in my freezer.

Thursday: tuna and noodles

Friday: Casey's pizza as a special treat for finishing a full week for both the boys and myself

Saturday: leftovers for lunch. Dinner: beef stew. Yes crazy to make stew, but I am attempting to clean out my freezer and I have had leftover pot roast in my freezer for who knows how long!

Sunday: hope to go out for lunch to fast food or we can do leftovers. Dinner: pork loin and veggie.

Breakfast will be tested out this week to see how the boys do with getting up and getting breakfast.

I need to find a shopping day, but until I am done with this subbing job in Malcolm I won't be able to get a routine. When do you find you go to the store? Do you go several times or just once?

Menu monday

Just a few days late
Monday - open house out to eat
Tuesday grilled chicken salads
Wednesday grilled turkey breasts that were on quick sale ( a tip picked up by my mother in law. She usually picks up marinated pork loin. This was just like it but marinated turkey breasts. I bought 2 and the first one was yummy
Thursday Tater tot casserole
Friday homemade pizza
Saturday pork butt and a veggie ( leftovers for lunch)
Sunday we might go to first e free church for a fun lunch. Dinner is lasagna that I have made in the freezer.

Fun week back at school.

Today

Today is a day of mixed emotions.
1) my two baby boys are at school. This was a day that I thought would be the day my house would be empty, until God changed that course and now blessed with having Ike.
2) I feel as if I am cheating. I was able to put my two big boys on the bus and not rush off to work or rush off to anything. Instead I got to get a pedicure with my mom while Ike played with Kenna. Then Ike, my mom and I went shopping for the annual birthday shopping. In my heart, I feel as if I am cheating by skipping out on work or skipping out on something if I don't have to rush rush rush places (the theme of any working mom with huge milestones such as first day of school and then having to fit the normal like in there too). This is my normal life. I will work some, but getting to enjoy the little things like making a snack to be ready when the boys come home. Or having all the energy in the world to absorb all the firsts of their school day. To have energy to play guess who with my boys that they have been begging me to play with them.
3) thinking thinking and praying. Praying that my heart be content with this path that I feel as if God has planned for me. Content with running 5 miles an hour some days and 100 another. Saying yes to things that mean the most to me and my family versus sticking my hand up for everything that comes my way.
4) weakness. Many times we are defined by our paid jobs. By not having the paid job be my number one, I need to find my source of strength through being a mom and being content with it. In most of my job situations, I am the only speech therapist so it is easy to not judge myself or compare myself to others. But when it comes to being a mom, they are everywhere and there are so many great moms out there. It is easy to feel inadequate and not as good as the next one. I pray that with God's help I can be the best mom that my boys know.

Not sure any of this makes sense, but those are my thoughts today as I sit down and enjoy nap time and 45 more minutes of silence.