Museum filled day!!

The Indianapolis Children's Musuem is one of the best I have been in. I was really impressed! The kids had a blast.

We didn't have it planed...and believe me it takes a lot for me and Anne to deviate from our plan...but we went to the Nascar track and musuem...so glad we did it was a hit with the kids and I really enjoyed it as well!

Shopping at a mall...followed by a discount book store...good times for me!

Dinner at a small really good locally owned resteraunt topped off our day!

I will be posting picks in Flickr.

Indiana!

We made it! Anne and Bruce are making us feel so comfortable and right at home! I should have taken a pic of the basket on our bed...it is cool.

Kids are having a blast! They have a pool table and both kids are now insisting we have one eventually.

Off to the children's muesuem today....and maybe a mall!

North and South

We got to visit a civil war battlefield. The kids each got to pick out something in the gift shop. Both wanted hats.....of course opposite sides of the civil war.....true siblings picking the opposite of each other!

Easily amused

It is really funny how excited my kids get about......drive through car washes!

I think it is right up their on level with going to the park, or McDonalds.

I got so tickled with them today, all excited and so thrilled about getting to drive through a car wash!

I would say it is a cheap treat, but not really since those things range from $5.00 to $12.00.

Car is all cleaned and ready to go.

Almost there...

The kids and I have an errand list that is long and scary for the day...but after that we should be ready to go! I started packing last night which resulted in these questions:

"What has my son been wearing for socks?" (I found none and I searched)
"Why do they make little girl tshirts to show bellys?" (ugh Britt has already outgrown her tshirts going to have to go up a size)
"What have I been wearing?" (I definetly had no clothes to pack, I even had to email Anne to see if I could use the washer while I was there)

Hopefully I will get all the errands done today with the kids, we will be out all day, then this evening while hubby takes them to church I can finish up. Then tommorow morning we are outta here!

Always good...

It is always good to have one of these crazy weeks. Normally working from home and filling in for a friend in the actual office makes it crazy! I am used to doing my work at 3am, not having to get up and presentable and out the door, arrangements made for the kids to do things (luckily they can stay with Matt), but still all this stuff to coordinate.

Thanfully today is the last day! But it does make me more grateful for the way hubby and I are blessed with our jobs, etc. So I guess it is good to do this everyonce in awhile.

We are getting ready to go visit ANNE!

When we go visit my aunt she calls it an invasion, hopefully it wont feel that bad to Anne! We are all very excited...of course with a drama filled weekend with my brother (not going to get into it), then working yesterday and today, speech last night, tennis tonight, boy scouts tonight I have not yet packed...and this is so unlike me I am usually planned out have my word document with all my packing items on it and have started putting them in the suitcase long before now...I am such a organize freak...not this time...Britt and I will start throwing stuff in tonight!

Wikipedia Meme

I saw this meme over at Shane Shares and thought it looked neat!

Go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday month and day only.

June 26

List 3 events that occurred that day.

1870 - The Christian holiday of Christmas is declared a federal holiday in the United States.
1819 - The bicycle is patented.
1978 - Air Canada Flight 189 to Toronto overran the runway and crashed into the Etobicoke Creek ravine. Two of 107 passengers onboard died.

List 2 important birth days.

1970 - Chris O'Donnell, American actor
1974 - Derek Jeter, American baseball player

List 1 death.

2003 - Dennis Thatcher MBE, husband of Margaret Thatcher (b. 1915)

Holiday or Observance. (if any):

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

Welcome home and now you might want to leave....

Picked hubby up from the airport at noon. Ate lunch....now poor hubby has went over to his dad's for the evening...why?.....Because as luck would have it his coming home from PA coincided with the Girl Scout sleepover being held here...so soon 7 little girls will be singing karaoke, eating, watching movies, crafting, eating, fashion show, eating and more....what a welcome home for hubby! I will make it up to him this weekend!!!

Row row row your boat...

It is really nice being ahead with our homeschool and having everything sent to Florida for final grading because it means more play time! We are doing review for the next few weeks so more play...and play we have. We are really enjoying some of our friends being out for Spring Break last week and this week too...we have been having lots of fun...the latest was a new thing for both the kids and I...we went in a canoe. I told hubby he will have to take them when he gets home from PA they loved it.

Here is some photos from our fun Nature filled day...

Works For Me Wednesday - Traveling Tips

Works for Me Wednesday at Shannons

We love to travel. That is our family thing quick trips for the day, long trips, doesn't matter we just love to go.

Here are a few things that we do:

I make a travel case to keep in the van using a hinged shoebox size rubber maid box. In it there are Band-Aids, Antiseptic hand gel, Small tissue packs, sun screen, bug repellant, Tylenol - children's & adults, zip lock bags (collecting shells, storing food, wet clothes) umbrella, disposable camera (I always have the digital but I have found it is nice sometimes to always know this is in the car), extra copy of any travel documents, birth certificates, etcs.

I also have a 3x5 index card that has all pertinent information containing health issues for all of us, doctors name, 4 emergency contacts. This goes in my purse and in the glove box that way if there is an accident it is likely to be found if for some reason we cannot answer questions. When my kids were in car seats and booster seats I would keep emegency info and contact number on a 3x5 card taped to the bottom of their car seats in case of car accident when driver couldnt answer, etc.

Kids have a travel bag. My favorite was two rubbermaid containers I found that were approximately 12x15x3 these werent too big but the kids could fill them up and use them as desks. The gameboys are a must for us but in addition to those I like to have each kid their own camera to document the trip and depending on length of trip the journey to get there.

Also stuff for long breaks on the way it is nice to have a ball to toss with the kids or a frissbee to release a little energy.

Let's pray for a little motivation for him....

Brae is not my motivated one, Britt would do 10 different activities, classes, etc if I would let her not Brae.

I got tickled at his lack of motivation today.

On the way to speech...

Brae: "Mom I can't decide if I want to marry A, S, E, or M" (all little girls he goes to homeschool class, etc with)

Me: "Well you have lots and lots of time"

Brae: "Which one do you think will be rich"

Me: "I don't know but money doesn't matter"

Brae: "Well if they are rich I can just stay home and play video games and not work"

Ugh so a little prayer for some motivation for my son.....it was cute though!

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday was yard sale day, after a night of VERY LITTLE sleep I was exhausted. I did really well though so that was good. More money to spend in a few weeks when we go visit Anne!

Friday evening the kids were out by 7:00 pm as they were exhausted from the night before and the on the go week as well! Hubby and I watched "Holiday" with Cameron Diaz, it was good but not great and a little slow to start. But nice to relax and watch a movie. We both crashed earlier.

Saturday found us going to Fayetteville went to Target, the mall, ate at Smokey Bones and then to the health food store. Hubby and I both agree we like the store Wild Oats in Tulsa better than the Ozark one in Fayetteville. So far Wild Oats has the best selection and prices of any health food store we shop at.

This morning was church, dinner with my parents, helping my parents with some paperwork and taking hubby to the airport for a business trip. Kids and I came back cleaned on the garage a little bit and now we are all just doing our own thing for awhile.

Awake and not happy about it

I was exhausted this evening. We have some good friends in town this week which is wonderful but has kept us on the go non stop. Also having a yard sale with same friends plus two more on Friday. So been getting ready for that as well. Tonight the kids are having a sleepover to make Friday morning go more smoothly for friends coming over to help with the yard sale.

The boys crash in Brae's room, girls on an air matress in the living room...3 boys...3 girls. They all went to bed pretty easy the rule was they didnt have to go right to sleep but they had to lay down and watch movies. I doze right off at 10:00. 10:30...giggles and doors shutting, I get up and girls are up, one boy still awake other two are asleep. I tell the girls they aren't suppose to be up. Back to sleep doze off actually easier than I thought I would 11:20 I hear door closing...hubby is sleeping right through it all. I get up light is on in Brittney's room I open the door and two of the girls jump and I am like get back to the living room...turns out I interrupted a plot they were about to pull on 3 sleeping boys. So now I am awake and will not even try to go back to sleep until I hear three snoring girls! I have to be up early to set up yard sale so I think this gives me license to be cranky tommorow!

St. Patricks Day Fun

Works for Me Wednesday at Shannons

Here are a few things I did for St. Patricks Day get together we had yesterday.

This is a rainbow in a cup. It takes some time because you have to let each layer set before the next. But the kids loved it so it was worth the time. I would suggest start two days before to make sure you have plenty of time.


These shamrocks were fun and easy. I used the pillsbury refrigerated bread sticks. Using a bread stick make a heart shape, make 3 heart shapes for your clover and a half of bread stick for your stem. Sprinkle with cinnamon and green sugar.


The kids all loved decorating these cookies. They put on the blue frosting, then using a section of an air head sour candy for the rain bow, a little black gel for the pot and a yellow M&M for gold and some green sprinkles for grass.

Derby, Parade, Dancin and it's not even 4 o'clock yet!

Pine wood derby was this morning my little Tiger Cub got 2nd place with his car! Hubby had him at that while I was busy decorating and doing a float for parade. Me and another mom tied over 200 balloons to a sixteen foot trailer. It took almost 3 hours to complete the float. It turned out super cute for our girl scout troop. After the parade headed straight over to the Irish Festival for Brittney to dance. It was very unorganized, but got to see her dance. Hubby headed to run and errand and the kids and I came home. Ugh...I don't have the pics from hubby's camera but here are a few of the float.

Back to two

Today SIL and BIL are suppose to pick up our nephews today. I am conflicted about it. I want them to take responsibility and right now they are "saying" all the right things. Do I think it will last?, sadly no I don't. Who is going to suffer?, the kids.

The boys have been so good this week nothing like the horror stories we have heard before and seen before in regards to the boys behavior. One started writing his name after two days. Not that there havent been challenges but all in all I have seen so much from them this week.

I am ready to get back to our families routine but I am even closer to the boys situation now and the fact that they aren't wanting to leave and go home is breaking my heart. But legally of course they have to go home since their parents want them too. I am trying to get the boys excited about it, but bless their hearts they want to see their parents but they don't want to go back home.

We are due for a super busy weekend Brae has boyscout pinewood derby, Britt will be in the St. Patrick's Day Parade and then dance at the Irish festival....I am sure I will have lots of pics to share.

Works For Me Wednesday - Cake Baking Tips

Shannon is having a theme works for me wednesday: Kitchen Hints and Tips.

Here are my tips for baking a cake

Prepare cake pans. Grease and flour cake pans and put them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before you are ready to pour the batter in and bake. I usually prepare the pans, put them in the freezer and take them out when I have assembled the cake batter. Cake will pop right.

Instead of greasing and then flouring I mix 2 parts flour and 1 part shortening first to make a sandy mixture the Greasing the pan and use this.

To prevent cakes from cracking while they cool, add one envelope of unflavored gelatine to the dry ingredients of any cake batter. This will prevent cracking, and will also make the cake fuller. The gelatin does not change the flavor or moistness of the cake.

When measuring sticky products such as molasses, honey or corn syrup, lightly spray the measuring cup with cooking spray. The substance will pour out much easier.

To cool a cake quickly for frosting, pop it into the freezer while you make the frosting. By the time frosting is ready, the cake will be cool and ready to slip out of the pan.

Making Tops Level Fill cake pans about two-thirds full and spread batter well into corners and to the sides, leaving a slight hollow in the center.

Stabilizing Layers While Frosting Them
If tiers of a multi-layer cake slip as you are applying frosting, insert strands of uncooked spaghetti through the cake for support. Carefully pull out spaghetti when the frosting has set.

For cakes with nuts and/or raisins
Roll fruits, raisins and nuts in flour before adding to cake batter. The will be less likely to sink to the bottom of the cake.

Frustrating

As expected BIL and SIL are treating this week that we have their kids like a vacation. It was intended for them to get their doctor appointments, therapy, job hunt, etc. But when I finally got in touch with them last night they had done no job hunting, no appointments till Friday and had went to rent movies and shop at WalMart. UGH! The boys are doing so good for us. I am proud of them. A fact I will show today with bringing home a special treat. Brittney is doing so good with them but she had a few tears last night. Bless both my kids hearts I know it isn't easy to suddenly throw in two kids. I have been amazed at what the boys don't know...amazed and frustrated beyond belief that a little boy who turns 5 in a few weeks does not know his colors, how to write his name same for his brother that is 10 months younger. They did really well with school work yesterday and have adapted to our rules pretty easily. What is really sad is that they aren't asking about their mom or dad. Not at all, not when do we go back, or can we talk to them, nope not at all in fact when I specifically asked them if they wanted to call and tell them good night they said no. Ugh....suppose to give them back Friday evening...going to kill me to have to do it. I am hoping to help the parents get some things into place to help them, but I know they wont follow through which makes it double frustrating.

Weekend wrap up...chicken wings, flyin rolls and more!

We spent the weekend with my aunt in Tulsa. A little shopping, site seeing and fun. Britt had a Junior Vet class at the zoo on Saturday. She says this is what she wants to do so we want to introduce her to as much as possible about it. She disected her first subject....a chicken wing....she thought it was gross but neat. She talked ninety to nothing about it for hours so I think the class was a hit.

For dinner we went to a resteraunt called the Flyin Roll....so neat...it is home style resteraunt, food was great, prices very reasonable and the most fun...the dinner rolls you have to catch them. The kids loved this!





As for coming home, I wont go into details but hubby and I will be keeping our nephews for awhile hoping my BIL and SIL get their stuff together very soon...so I will have two extra this week....should prove interesting to say the least!

Spring Pics

I ended up spending a lot more than I intended but hey it is for a good reason!

Pine Wood Derby

We knew pinewood derby was coming up, it was planned to be a big father/son project. We got lots of fun stuff two different blocks of wood, paint, decals, some stuff to add hubcaps, etc. Unfortunately we had the date wrong. So about 5 hours before the meeting we found out he had to have his car that night. Hubby was busy at work so it became a mother/son project. Unfotunately this mom has no experience. It ended up being the exact shape that the one block of wood came in, no way was I trying to shape wood, and the hubcap thing was way too complicated for me. We made it though, not the fanciest car but by the time hubby and Brae left for scout meeting they had a car. HHe got 3rd place...here are some pics from the den pinewood derby, the big county race is in a few weeks so Brae and hubby can build another car for that one if they want.

Spring has sprung

Yes there are a few daffodils poking out in the front yard but that is not the sign that showed me spring was here.

The 3am tornado sirens going off was the clue. Actually in the town near us but close enough.

So at 3am we had the TV on. It went to the west of us, but still I know it wont be the last huge storm. Spring is here and with it comes the severe storms...not looking forward to that.