Spring Pic

Bradford Pear Trees are so pretty with their blooms. Had to snap a few pics of the kids today.

When they grow up...

Yesterday kids and I traveled to Texas. Along the way we were just talking about this and that and we got on the subject of what they were going to be when they grow up.

Brittney: Mom, I want to be a teacher for special education or a therapist for education so I can help kids with issues like bubba.

Braden: I want to be a demolition expert so I can blow things up. (He stops then says:) that is the first step in my plan (pauses with his evil grin when I ask what is the next step) taking over the world and turning sister and her friend into his minyons.

Hmmm.....I want my kids to succeed but the whole world and minyon thing makes me pause..LOL. That is so my boy.

Seriously?

Snow...flippin snow here on the first day of Spring!

It was 74 degrees and wonderful up till Friday bright sun. Now suppose to have 3 inches of snow by tomorrow. Of course I leave to drive to Austin in the morning. It better all melt quick.

I have never seen snow especially this much in March!

I have good intentions...

I mean to keep up with my blog I really do it just slips by.

The last five weeks have been me recovering from knee surgery. My ACL ruptured and I had to have a graph done and a meniscus tear fixed. I ended up with an infection and they had to drain it two different times and my 1-2 week recovery is now into week 5. Once they got the infection cleared up it has been much easier but I am still not one to sit around so I overdue it and then have a day I can't do anything...very frustrating.

My dad had total knee replacement surgery a week ago....a glimpse into my future that I did not want...ouch. He is doing good. I know eventually I will have to have that but hopefully years and years down the road. Bad bones and bad knees...I told dad thanks a lot. Poor Brittney seems to be having the same issues she has grown so tall so fast that it is causing issues with her knees.

We finished our home school coop. I only missed one coop even during all the knee drama so that was good. I was in a wheelchair for 3 weeks because I couldn't do any weight bearing.

Other than all the knee drama things are going good. I looked at a calendar the other day and realized that our vacation is 60 days away. I have Washington D.C part planned, New York started, and after is still up in the air on what we are going to do.

Yeah! Yippee! Woohoo and all those other excitment words!

After 8 years of driving to speech therapy a minimum of 2 times a week, sometimes it was 3. Braden is done!

Now he does still have a slight issue but thankfully it is something we can continue to work on and that will work itself out with age.

He is so proud of himself. I am so proud of him. 8 years and I don't even want to count up the money but all so so worth it he is so proud that store clerks understand him now. He still has to think and slow himself down but wow oh wow he is doing so good and passed the tests to be done with flying colors!

longest time ever at home

I have not left the house in 6 days! At all not once. I think it is a record. Of course it is a forced stay at home. I had knee surgery last Wednesday and it is kicking me harder than I thought it would. I start physical therapy this Friday and I am hoping improvement shows quicker after that.

So my base is the recliner in the living room. Fun at times but for the most part going stir crazy.

Today the kids each had a friend over and we had a fun home school project. If you count poop as fun...LOL. I had bought (yes paid money for which is astounding) owl pellets! Today the kids dissected them. They had a good time. I was just glad I have a sinus cold and can't smell.

They set up at the living room coffee table and I directed and took pics from the recliner. For some reason I can't get my pics to show up in blogger but lots of them in flickr. You know you want to see what owl poop looks like and what you find inside it!

Funny enough the one that was grossed out and didn't like it was Braden who would have been the last one I thought would be bothered by it. Brittney did well with it and she was who I thought would be hating it. Never know.

Snow Much Fun!

Snow is rare here so to get a six inch snow fall was fun. Well it wasn't fun when it started because hubby was at DFW airport waiting to get home he got one of the last flights in before they closed the airport for the night. Once he was home we enjoyed the beautiful snow fall. Today was out in the back yard for lots of snow fights and sitting around inside nice and warm. Soup to warm us up and Snow Ice Cream to keep it fun!

It is such a Monday!

My blog has been suffering...to much facebook.

Today is a vent day though....it is 9:30 and so far:

Taking hubby to airport for a week in PA on business.
Brae climbed up to the top bunk with the ceiling fan on (still don't know for sure how it happened) anyway knocked his head with the blades which knocked the globe off and down onto Britt who was sitting on his bottom bunk. Of course it shattered everywhere and I wonder if the glass will ever be all gone. Brae has an ice pack on his head trying to prevent a bump.
Both had problems with their computers for school this morning and I am ready to toss them and buy new ones.
It isn't even 10 yet....and then my dad calls and wants to come over and talk about my brother...I am thinking this day is just continuing down the hill.

Basketball

I have no time until April because of this.... Britt and her best friend before the game.

Britt catching a pass

Blocking a shot....she is actually one of the younger 12 year olds on the team she just has some height on her!

Happy New Year

We made it to midnight. We had our friends over the kids were thrilled to get to stay and play until midnight and the adults just had fun visiting.

Christmas Wrap Up!

The house is still a mess, toys still everywherre today we just took it easy and enjoyed our new toys. I have lost my husband to the xbox, the kids to their many games and toys, but that is okay it gives me time to play with my new camera, on the computer or playing with my new Kindle..FUN.

THIS FACE MAKES ALL THE SHOPPING WRAPPING ETC WORTH IT!

We had a white Christmas first one in our area since 1975 so Braden proclaimed it a Christmas miracle.

Braden examining his new toys.

Family snapshot

Hubby and I

The Great Wolf Lodge, Grapevine

We made our first trip to The Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas this weekend. It definetly won't be our last trip. It was so much fun. A grat family get away to just enjoy each other. We got there on Friday and we didn't leave till Sunday. It was so nice being in one place not having to drive. We were never bored. They had a game that was called Magiquest that went all thru eight floors of the hotel kids and Matt loved it. The waterpark was really good and had two family waterslides that we all went on together. The kids and I will never get on one of them again...even Braden who is my dare devil said it was super scary. Food was good, fun was wonderful, service was above and beyond, family time was beyond great!

Christmas Fun

Got together for a Christmas party today. I will be posting some fun Christmas foods soon. Had to share the pic of the kids in their hats. More pics in my flickr including some of the fun "santa suit game" which the kids all took turns being santa and getting their suit stuffed with balloons.

I can't even blame anyone else

When Braden was younger he hated loud noises, loud toys because of his sensory issues so we didn't get them often. He has gotten over that but for the most part we just don't have a lot of annoying toys, etc. Well this weekend while Britt and I were in Branson we found a penguin it plays Chistmas Carols, waddles and says Merry Christmas. Braden loves penguins (hence the pajamas he is wearing). We brought it home and oh is it annoying so so annoying and he loves loves loves it. No sensory issues showing here as we heard it again and again and again last night. Just when it is about on my last nerve and I am 2 seconds from telling him to quit playing it he smiles like he did in this picture and I just down my tylenol an let the fun continue. My husband has also pointed out that I am the one that bought it...several times.

Let the countdown begin!

My kids are super excited about December 1st. The reason being they get to start their calendars!
We love advent calendars. The top two have a bible verse and chocolate each day. Braden's has a playmobil pirate calendar each day opens a new toy or accessory for his pirate scene, Brittney has the new littlest pet calendar.
Makes counting down to Christmas lots and lots of fun. We also have one with candy canes in the kitchen, and one with numbers in the living room....Christmas won't get by us we are counting down day by day!

Early early early morning shopping

Up at 1:30 this morning did some online shopping, then headed to WalMart. This was the first year I let Britt go. Really didn't have that much to go after. It was one of the easiest Black Friday's ever for us. But it is a tradition so out we went. People are nuts, I know I am nuts for just going but the real nuts are the ones who were fighting over the $2.00 towels. All in all we got what we went for and it was fun.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just a few of the things I am thankful for: my family (especially wonderful husband and kids), good friends, my church, my faith, my home, home schooling, good doctors and therapists that care about Braden, so many more people and things that are in my life and last and not lease Black Friday Sales...Yeah....3am tomorrow!

Easy sewing craft for Christmas gift

Brittney is just getting into sewing. With that she wants to make everyone something. That can get time consuming and expensive so we came up with fun project that shows everyone that she is thinking of them at Christmas but can be done quickly and not too expensive.

Supplies: Heat protecting quilting pad (I bought a roll of it at Hobby Lobby for$10 and it made approximately 12 potholders this is with using it doubled for more protection and stronger potholders)
Fabric I either purchased 1/4 yard or 1/2 yards of fabric she liked for certain people, or she was able to find some great deals with scraps and remnants on the clearance racks.

First you cut squares out. They can be whatever size you want just remember you are going to sew around them and turn them inside out so it will be smaller than what you originally cut.

You will have 4 squares the sme size (2 of quiltin pad and 2 of fabric)
you place them in order like the picture below quilting pad, fabric, fabric (make sure your good sides are facing each other) and another layer of quilting.

Then sew around the edges going in enough to make sure you capture all 4 layers. Leave about 2 inch gap. Turn it inside out and close up the gap you left. Basically it is done. However Brittney went thru with embrodery floss in the middle, and sides just tieing little nots to add more to hers.

Here is one she made for my cousin who is known in the family for bringing cupcakes to every gathering. She has made 12 of these for Christmas presents and it is easy to put couples names on them as well.

Thanksgiving Fun Food

I have posted this before, but I figured I would post it again.

I make a centerpiece with my food for Thanksgiving.



Cornicopia ---- THis is really simplier than it looks and is always a talked about item. Instead of a boring veggie plate...take aluminum foil and shape it to a cornicopia, fill it with balled up aluminum foil so it will keep it's shape. Then spray it with cooking spray and using breadsticks wrap around the foil, bake in the oven on 400 till lightly browned. Let cool fill with fresh veggies and put some dip on the side.

Bread Bowl with dip --- Take a round loaf of bread and hollow out place for dip bowl. Then take a small roll attach with toothpick at front for head. Slice a roll for wings (attach with toothpicks) the feathers are zuchini and yellow squash anf carrots cut in feather shapes, for the waddle I cut a piece of red bell pepper, and raisin eyes.



Turkey Cheese Ball - Make my cheese ball as normal, pretzels for the feet, on the back I used pretzel sticks and put on cheese cube, tomato and olive but it might be easier to use long tooth picks or cut down kabob sticks. For the feather appearance half almonds stuck in all over cheeseball, The head is a little trickier you have to cut the craker down and the cut a shape of red bell pepper. I just used black decorating icing for eyes because no one eats that cracker anyway.

Turkey Cookies - I use choc almond bark to attach pieces. I used a almond drop candy for the body (easily found around holidays) attach candy corns to feathers and head.

Happy Halloween