Easter Eggs!

Yesterday I had a great idea for a keepsake craft and I am so eggcited with the results! I decided to make wooden Easter eggs with the kids. I want to do this each year as a craft we do together. When they are grown and out of the house, I will be able to decorate with these eggs and think of days gone by. Or, I could pass them along to them as they move on and start their own families. Because I have to have instant gratification, I went out and purchased the eggs and paper grass to put in my glass bowl that I will display the eggs in on the table for the Easter season. We made the eggs after the kids got home last night. They are beautiful! My two oldest were really into it. My middle son, not so much! The baby of course didn't make one. I am crazy, not insane! At least not yet! So, we painted the base coat before dinner and after dinner, everyone went down to the basement, and painted before bed. There was no guidance. I told them to paint what they wanted and they turned out great. My mom loved them and wants my nephew to make one too. Hopefully he will make one at his house. He is only 2 and I can't imagine how much paint will be on him and the house when he is finished. Probably more than there is on the egg. My sister loved the idea. I told her the bottom of the eggs were flat so she could just set the one on the window sill. I had each child make two and I made a couple myself. Thought I would share my ingenious idea for a keepsake craft that actually worked out!

Again!

I think I might scream! We are sick yet again! This time the baby has a fever and is absolutely miserable. I am hoping it is what my nephew has, but you can never be sure. It seems like he might have the flu. But, it seemed like my nephew did and his swab was negative. I am hoping the baby will not have a fever tomorrow and feel better. But, I am not holding my breath. I am however hold my breath to see if anyone gets the stomach virus that appears to be going around. I was at the kids school this evening for a PTO meeting and half the people there had sick kids. Two people there had children that were sent home today, another whose child was vomiting, had diarrhea, and 102 fever. Apparently, Strep is going around. 4th grade has the flu. No wonder we are sick and just can't seem to get healthy. What is going on in this world that every year we just seem to get more and more gnarly stuff going around? It just blows my mind. I was never as sick as my kids get when I was a kid. I guess it could be due to the over use of antibiotics as the doctors say. Huh! Something to think about the next time you go to the doctors office.

Birthday Madness

It has been a crazy few weeks. I assume you might have guessed that since I have not posted in a long time. First, everyone in the house ended up getting sick. I have sent over $120 at the doctor in co-pays in the last 3 weeks! I have spent close to $20 at the pharmacy on prescriptions and even more on over the counter medications. And, that is not even the worst part. The kids have been miserable. No one has slept well and we have been super busy on top of that! Two of our children had birthdays last week. We had 3 parties this weekend. One for each of the two children with birthdays and then a family celebration for both. We did them all on Saturday. It was a lot of fun. I had planned a good portion of both parties before hand so it was not too difficult, but I was in the doctors office several times last week and had to work so it made Friday a little more hectic than I wanted. But, it all went off without a hitch, until last night when I crashed. I was dizzy and tired and fell asleep nursing the baby to bed. This of course did not give my husband and I any time to talk about anything or get anything ready for the week. So this week has begun in craziness, as usual. We will get through it and it will be fine. I will try to organize again next weekend and the cycle will continue. The kids had a great time at their parties. We decorated our own cupcakes. At one party we made shrinky-dink necklaces and the other had football training camp in the light rain that fell in the afternoon. It was a wet mess, but those kids had fun out there. It added to the atmosphere of the training camp. And I only had one extra load of laundry (towels) because of it. I am hoping that today's well check up for those birthday children ends my doctor visits for a while (like the rest of the month). And that the weather will break and with it will leave those nasty germs that have been making us sick. I hear a stomach virus is going around my kids school. I hope we are spared!

Time Marches On

As I get older, I find myself thinking a lot more about my childhood. Maybe it also has to do with the memories I want to creat for my children. I have fond memories of my childhood and many of them involve extended family. As time goes on I have come to realize jsut how short a lifetime is. I never imagined my life without my grandparents. One of my grandfathers passed away when I was 2 and I do not remember him. Another grandparent passed away when I was 25. I of course have fodn memories of her. Even in her later years when she was ill, I have memories of the funny things she would say and just spending time with her especially after I met my husband. She always remembered him, even if she did not remember me. My other two grandparents are still alive and in the mid-ninties. My grandmother has been in a nursing home for several years now and she just seems to be holding her own. She does not remember anyone and she just seems to exist. This is certainly not how I remember he and not how I want to. But, it is the now! When I lasted visited her, I saw her DNR bracelet. My initial reaction was sorrow. I was so sad to see that on her wrist, but then in talking to her, I realized that she is old and her mind has worn out before her body and she is just waiting for her body to wear out. My grandfather on the other hand lived alone until just this past fall. He moved to an apartment in a complex where his daily meals were prepared and there was someone to look in on him from time to time. Activities were available and he enjoyed this facility. Unfortunately, a week and a half ago he fell and broke his hip. My concern is that he seems to be going down hill rather quickly. I feel the need to visit him because I am not sure how much longer he will be around. However, my fear s that I will not see m "grandfather" but some man I have never met. He has changed a lot since my grandmother passed away, but every once in a while I see him again. I never thought this strong man could be broken down into what he has become. I know he hates this a we all do. But, time marches on. It makes me fear for my parents and myself and ultimately my kids. I think that my children will go through this all too soon with my parents and then with me. So my hope is that I can make memories for my kids that will last their lifetime. And that I make the most of everyday!

Valentine Cookie Recipe

Here is the cookie recipe I love so much! Enjoy!


Sugar Cookie Dough
2 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Butter at room temperature
1 C. Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix flour and salt and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until blended. Gradually stir in flour mixture well blended. Flatten dough. Wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll (2 hr.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Four surface, roll dough to 1/4 in. thickness. Cut hearts with floured 3 inch heart shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on cookie sheet. Chill and re-roll scrapes. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet, then move to wire rack.

Icing
2 C. + 1 Tbs. Confectioners Sugar
2 Tbs. Milk
Assorted colors liquid food coloring

Beat sugar and milk in bowl with mixer until smooth and glossy (2 min.) Divide into 4 small bowls. Add 1 drop food coloring to icing. Cover icing when not in use. Place 1 tsp. icing in center of cookie and spread to 1/4 in. of edge.

Valentine's Day Celebrations

So, in the grand tradition of my over-extending myself, I have once again proved to accomplish just that. Yesterday began the Valentine Celebrations for my children. Our middle son, had his preschool Pancake and PJ Party. This is a tradition at his preschool. All of our other children have done this. Since I can't volunteer to come in, I always send in something they need. Since I am cheap and I already had pancake mix, I volunteered to provide the class with 10 thin pancakes. The kids had to eat breakfast yesterday anyway, so I figured it was only a few extra minutes. It proved easy enough and the baby enjoyed pancakes since he no longer wants to be fed by someone else (but that is another post). I had a late meeting yesterday so my husband, God love him offers to make Snickerdoodles because our oldest child requested I send them in for his class party. I volunteered to send in cookies. I have this great sugar cookie recipe my mom gave me. I loved these cookies as a child. Our whole family loves them and when I make them it brings me back! But, our oldest requested Snickerdoodles. And I love him. So at 6:30 I started making Snickerdoodles. I finished at 9:45. Luckily Survivor was on (DVR)! And now, today I will volunteer at my daughter's class party. It will be great! I am leaving in just a bit to go over there. I can't wait! And even though, I have once again over-extended myself, I feel like my kids appreciate it even though they have no idea how close I was and am each time to not pulling it off. Somehow I pull it off each time. I am sure one of these days it will not happen and my plans will have to be changed. I will have to run to the grocery store late at night to purchase something I was supposed to cook. But, until that day I will continue to over-extend myself for the love of my children.

Beautiful Weather

What is it about beautiful weather that makes me change my attitude? I love winter. But, it has been warm here this week. It has been nice getting the kids out of the house and playing like we do in the spring and fall. Yesterday my daughter went to a friend's house after school. I was home with the boys. They had to finish their valentines for their classes. It was so nice sitting there with them. They did such a good job. Then after 45 minutes of making valentines, we went outside. We played for about 30 minutes before having to go in to make dinner. My oldest had basketball so I had to have dinner on the table in time for him to leave. He begged me to stay out and play, but I had to cook. I am big into having a meal on the table and eating as a family no matter what. So we went in. The rest of the evening was complete joy, making valentines with my daughter and giving the kids a bath. Everyone was so well behaved. It was really nice. I didn't get frustrated and had a lovely evening!