Recipe Funk

My poor family has been eating the same dinners week in and week out for months and months. Every week when I sit down to make my grocery list, I'm too chicken to try out new meals without someone attesting to their goodness! So please, dear friends, join me in a recipe exchange. It is as simple as printing out 5 of your favorite recipes (nothing overly difficult please!) and sending them to as many people who decide to join me in this. We will pick a day and all send out our recipes on the same day, so that you are assured to get your stack a few short days later. Any takers???

Six 5 year olds = too much

Madison had 5 of her friends over tonight for another girls movie night. The movie selection of the evening was Annie. They played outside, ate pizza, then hopped into jammies for popcorn and a movie. I had visions of 6 little girls all snuggled together, giggling and watching the movie, perhaps breaking into song now and then (because Annie will do that to ya!)....but it was quite the contrary. While they all had fun, there was a lot of drama between all the girls. One queen bee tattle-tale, two bored with the movie they'd seen "100 times already", one playing waitress dishing out popcorn to unsuspecting patrons, one begging the others to be quiet, one feeling left out, 16 potty breaks, 9 refills on drinks and 37 attempts to get them to sit and watch the movie, left this mommy feeling a bit frazzled! Thank the good lord I had no intentions of having them sleep over or you might have found me hiding in a closet with a bottle of wine. One friend did stay for a planned sleepover and, fingers crossed (please don't let me jinx myself!) they are in bed and quiet, hopefully for the night.

Don't let the picture fool you. They didn't stay like this for long.

On their way up....

Nathan trying to squeeze his way into the girls movie night. He succeeded and quickly snuggled in next to Madison on the floor.

The trial run

In anticipation of a spring tea party with girlfriends when it gets warmer, Madison and I practiced making an adorable "purse" cake a couple weekends ago. It turned out pretty cute! Through the trial run, we learned what candies NOT to use as decoration, so when we do it for real, it will look even prettier. I'd say not bad for my first 3rd dimensional cake!

Decorating

Taa-daa!!

It's gonna be a long one....Catching up!

For the last month or so, I've been swamped with school and life, but we've still been up to some fun stuff! Here's a quick recap.

Nathan and Madison were both signed up for swim classes on Saturdays during January and February. So every Saturday morning, we'd head out to the community center in the frigid cold...in our bathing suits. Nathan's class was a 'mommy and me' class and Madison entered her class alone. Typically I was the brave one (uh hem, Scott) and got in the water with Nathan, while Scott watched Madison's class. But this particular day, we changed roles and I took pictures! Nathan had a blast spending quality time with his daddy...something that doesn't happen nearly as often as it should!

Madison had "Wacky Wednesday" at school...a day she was looking forward to for a MONTH! The idea of wacky Wednesday was to wear crazy clothes, crazy hair, backwards clothes, etc. So here's Madison heading off to her wacky wednesday. Her shirt and skirt were on backwards, she had mismatched shoes and we did her hair all crazy. She LOVED it!

Also in January and February, Nathan took a weekly gymnastics class with his buddy, Lauryl. He looked forward to spending time with her at "jumpin' jellybeans" as well as seeing his teacher, Ms. Sunny, and the cool stamps and pretzels she gave out at the end of every class.

At the end of February, we went with friends to see Disney on Ice! Madison has been a couple times already, but this was Nathan's first year going. He almost missed it because he wasn't feeling good on the days leading up to the show, but thankfully was much better the day of and I'm so glad because he loved it! We had amazing seats, about 3 rows up from the ice...it was perfect!

Soccer season is upon us again! Madison started practice last week and so far moving up a league has made a huge difference! Last season they had ONE practice before games started, and both the practice AND games were only about 20-25 minutes in length. This season, she has practice twice a week for 3 weeks before games start, and her practices are over an hour long. She is BEAT by the time they are done! She loves it though. They play all sorts of fun games in their practice that she then comes home and practices with us.

Welcome to the world, little miss Elly!!

My very best friend of 25 years (yikes, that makes me sound old!) had her first baby this week!

Ellyson Jean entered this world on Monday, March 16 at 1:46 pm weighing in at 7 lbs 9 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. Mom and baby are doing great!!

Congratulations Hayley and Kris!! She's an angel!!!! I just want to squeeze those chubby cheeks. We are so excited for you both!

Photo overload

Nathan got his 2 year pictures done today. Of course, I had to get a couple shots of the two of them together. And then THOSE went so well, I got a few shots of Madison alone. We had such a good experience! That's not always the case when I go in for pictures with two kids who are typically on opposite ends of the mood spectrum for me, so naturally the selection process at the end of a good session was rather difficult! Bear with me because it's very hard to choose "just a few" to share!

Is this what our country is coming to?

Anyone see this article? I really hope that this woman has some sort of mental retardation, because otherwise it's just downright embarassing!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29498350/from/ET/?gt1=43001

Graduation!!

Well, unfortunately not mine...yet!

Scott graduated today with his BS in Computer Information Systems. Yay! We are so proud! This is a degree that he started many years ago, put on hold, and then decided to put forth the effort to finish it. So glad he did.

Madison was an absolute angel throughout the entire 3 1/2 hour long process. Nathan, on the other hand...whew! Poor boy was in the prime of his naptime, and was completely restless and irritated and just about drove me over the edge! Don't let the picture below fool you...this is before the commencement began....and also before the tears and breakdowns began as well...

Afterwards, we went to the Spaghetti Warehouse where Scott was surprised by his close friends and parents for a celebration in his honor!

What an accomplishment....way to go, daddy!!