Thursday, January 31, 2013

New microwave. Exciting stuff!

Well, my husband decided to go ahead and install the new microwave.  He thought there was some sort of short in the electrical cord, so he decided it was better to just fix the entire problem instead of trying to repair it, then having to replace it at a later time.  I am so thankful I have a husband who can fix anything!  Although he always says he can't fix stupid.  He is definitely a problem solver.

Here is my newly installed microwave heating up my milk and sugar-free creamer.  It is way better than the little pyrex bowl on the stove, and it is much quicker!

 I forgot to share this picture from our weekend.  We went to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate my nephew's 5th birthday on Saturday (between basketball games!)  Devin and I played this game a lot.  We spent lots of tokens and kept getting 1 or 2 tickets.  Boo!  Then I took a turn and got the jackpot!  We were very excited to finally win.

I have my big weigh in tomorrow at work.  I lost 9 pounds last week, so who knows how I will do this week.  I was really craving some ice cream and chocolate last night.  I broke down and opened a dark chocolate Toblerone bar that has been in my fridg for a long time.  I just had one small piece and thoroughly enjoyed it!  Hopefully it will tide me over for a while.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Crazy weather!

Last week it was freezing cold here.  So cold we had a two hour delay one morning due to the below zero wind chill factor in the morning.  And then today it is in the 60's. Seriously, my boys are in the backyard playing basketball without coats.  This warm spell is supposed to last about 24 hours, then it's back to below freezing temperatures.  Crazy January weather here!


This morning after putting the kids on the bus, all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed. Then I saw my oldest son's math book and homework on the kitchen table.  What to do? Get back in bed or take the book to school.  I chose to be the nice mom and delivered the book and homework to school.  Then I stopped at a grocery store for a few things.  Then I climbed back in bed and didn't wake up until 11:15!  I must have needed some good sleep.  After my nap, I tried making coffee.  (I always microwave a touch of milk and flavored creamer to add to my coffee)  When I pushed the microwave buttons, I got nothing.  I checked the breaker and nothing.  It died.  So I had to heat up my milk the old school way.  And now after not having a microwave for a day, it's driving me crazy.  I went to Home Depot and bought a new one for my husband to install tonight.  Then while I was working on dinner, the microwave spontaneously turned back on.  So I don't know if I should take the new one back or not.  I'm sure my husband will decided what to do in this case.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Weekend!

We had another Saturday full of basketball!  I love watching my twins play ball together. It's like they have their own thing going out on the court.  I guess all the fighting and wrestling and hurting each other every. single. day. has paid off.  They are in sync out there on the court.

I saw this and had to laugh.  This explains my love for Duck Dynasty.  I just finished reading the book that Korie and Wille Robertson wrote, and I highly recommend it.

And lastly, you must try these buffalo wing Pretzel Crisps.  They are my new favorite snack.  They are just the right amount of spicy and crunchy.  My youngest loves the original ones, and they were on sale 2/$5.00 at Kroger.  So we are both very happy!!


Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Cold and Boys

It's still really cold here in Indiana!  Thankfully the kids did not have a two hour delay today.  We had our MOMSnext meeting at church today, and if there is a two hour delay, we have to cancel our meeting.  I made hashbrown casserole for the group and there were yummy cinnamon rolls there.  But I resisted and just ate a cup of fruit (strawberries and bananas) and drank coffee.  We have our first week's Biggest Loser weigh-in on Friday at work, so I really want to lose some weight the first week!

This is my middle son with one of his favorite foods I make, cinnamon jello.  It's just water, red hots, lemon jello, and applesauce that turns into a really good treat.  He asks me to make it all the time.  And he always eats the leftovers.

This is my youngest son with a mouth full of grapes.  My boys love purple grapes!  I had not purchased any grapes for a while because they are so expensive in the winter time. But now that I am trying to eat healthier, I started buying grapes again.  The boys are happy happy happy!!

And lastly, this is the paper mache mask that my oldest son and I made for his school project.  I We He got a 30/30 A+ on the project.  I wanted to add some gold earrings to the mask, but he decided that would be dumb.  So we just stuck with this design and were happy with the results.


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

It's CoLd!!

The boys had a two hour delay this morning because it is so cold here.  Right now it is 7 degrees outside.  Luckily we can stand at the back door and watch for the bus, then they run outside to the sidewalk and hop on the bus.  I am grateful they don't have to wait outside in weather like this!

The Biggest Loser competition has started at my workplace.  I weighed in of Friday. UGH!  I think I've said before that I hate weighing myself.  I am 6 feet tall, so the number on the scale is always a big number.  I can usually tell by how my clothes fit when I gain or lose about 7 pounds.  And of course when I lose weight I feel much better all around. So I have eight weeks of weigh-ins.  The prize is $600.00, so if that is not motivation, I don't know what is.  Every month we have a birthday cake at work to celebrate the birthdays in that month.  Yesterday was cake day, and over half of it was left at the end of the day.  (Some months it is gone by lunchtime!)  I resisted the cake and snacked on celery and peanut butter instead.

We had our first Upward basketball games Saturday and everyone had a great time.  My husband, oldest son, and I are coaching the twin's team.  So we have nine 1st and 2nd grade boys and girls who are a hoot!

Today I am going to make a big pot of vegetable soup, and that will be what I eat for lunch all week.  Hopefully it will keep me full all afternoon and I won't be craving junk in the evening.  The hardest time for me is after dinner, especially if we don't have anywhere to go in the evening.  I will just keep going in and out of the kitchen and eat something every time.  Maybe we will go to the library tonight so I can stay out of the kitchen!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Random Wednesday!

I now have the Downton Abbey theme song as my phone's ring tone.  Thanks to my awesome hubby who is way more iphone techie than I am.  I get very excited about Downton Abbey every time my phone rings!

It's January and my boys went to an indoor baseball clinic.  It's January and Walmart has their baseball equipment already out on their shelves.  I don't know which is crazier!?!

I am now a paper mache expert.  Thanks to my sixth graders project that is due tomorrow.

I signed up for the eight week biggest loser competition at work.  After seeing this girl's story on the Today show last week, I feel really motivated to be in even better shape!

Today I worked in the MOPS nursery at my church.  We had nine babies!  I changed lots of diapers and rocked a few babies to sleep.  I miss my babies, but was oh so glad when the mommas came to pick their babies up!

I ordered a few things from Amazon last week.  A man in a blue prius pulled up to my front door yesterday and delivered the package.  I thought that was a little odd.  The prius had no markings and he got my package out of his trunk!  Maybe Amazon has different delivery methods than most.

One of things from Amazon was The Duck Commander Family book.  I cannot wait to read it!  Maybe that will hold me over until March when the new Duck Dynasty episodes start.



Thursday, January 10, 2013

January

{Reading}  Our new book club book is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  I have read this book before, but am very excited to be reading it again.  What a great book to start the new year with!  I am also finishing Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin.

{Watching}  So much TV, and so little time!!  The Biggest Loser.  Downton Abbey Season III.  Nashville.  Parenthood.  Revenge.  The Middle.  Modern Family.  And then Duck Dynasty returns in March.  I am still doing my elliptical machine daily, so that is my excuse for watching so many shows!

{Wondering}  Why is Tamiflu so expensive?!?  After going to the doctor on Tuesday, all three of my boys were put on Tamiflu.  Their doctor even wrote me a preventative prescription.  I am glad to report that all three boys are in school today.  And I haven't gotten a call from the school nurses yet!  YAY!!

{Wanting}  I really want a pair of black flat shoes.  I wear size 11, so it is really hard for me to find cute shoes in my size.  I may have to break down and order some online.

{Listening}  Over You by Miranda Lambert.  Begin Again by Taylor Swift.  Try by Pink.

{Eating}  Yesterday I made some of these amazing Cinnamon Raisin Energy Bites for my MOMSnext group.  I didn't do the vanilla Candiquik drizzle, but they were still good!  I have about six left, and they will be gone by the end of the day!

{Cooking}  I am still not cooking these days.  My husband still cannot have a regular diet, so I really have no desire to cook for the three picky boys I live with.  And with everyone being sick, we have consumed lots of toast and soup.

{Exciting}  Almost all of our snow has melted.  But it is supposed to rain for the next four days!  Which means more time inside for all of us.


Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Random Tuesday!

Today was the first day back to school after a two week + two day long break.

Only one of my boys went to school.

The other two woke up with fevers.

The one who went to school came home at 11:30 with a 102 degree fever.

Right now everyone who I live with is at the doctor.

I better not get sick, or this ship is going down!

On Sunday, I made vegetable soup and gingersnap cookies.

I am loading up on soup and cookies just in case I get sick.

My email inbox is the shortest it has been in years.

I read 52 books in 2012.

That's one book a week in case you're slow with the math.

I hope to read more than that in 2013.

Tonight is book club.  Don't think I'll get to go.

I'll probably be busy getting drinks and medicine for my family.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Perfect Day at Perfect North

We decided over Christmas break to go tubing at Perfect North.  It was about a 90 minute drive from our house.  Megan, Garret, the boys, and I all went; Steve was home in bed with a bad cold.  On the way down there the boys fought the entire time.  I was about ready to turn around and make them sit in their rooms all day, but I decided to keep going!   Once we got there, the fighting magically stopped.

The best thing about the tubing hills is the moving sidewalk that carries you and your tube up the hill.  I think they were very smart to put this in.  I always say that is the worst part of any kind of outdoor snowy activity involving a hill!


Once we got to the top of the hill, the boys would just sit in their tube and we would pull them along in line.  That also made me very happy.  There is nothing worse than being surrounded by whiny kids pulling on you!   We decided to get a two hour tubing pass, and it was the perfect amount of time for our group.



This little boy got really really cold.  They kept throwing snow (which I told them a million times not to!), so his gloves got soaking wet.  Wet gloves=cold cold hands!  So he didn't last the entire two hours.  I took him to the little heated snack bar, got him some nachos & cheese, and he was a happy happy boy!

Here is a group picture of all my kids!  The best part of the day was when we all linked tubes and went down the biggest hill together.  We went so fast and had a blast!  Even the kids from Colorado (who ski down real mountains!) said it was awesome.
Lookie here.  Lookie here.  Good times have come our way!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

My Christmas Post

We had a pretty low key Christmas around here.  Instead of my usual Christmas tree french toast, I decided to make a Christmas tree out of canned cinnamon rolls.  My boys don't really like french toast, and I would get mad every Christmas morning when no one ate my breakfast.  So I opted for cinnamon rolls that everyone likes!


This is my oldest son on Christmas afternoon.  We titled this photo "Christmas swag".   He can usually be found dressed in shorts and a basketball jersey, but he decided to clean up a little for Christmas with the family.


My bike was stolen from our yard sometime last summer.  I really don't know exactly when it was stolen.  I do know my son rode it to the park, got made fun of for riding a girl's bike, then he left it out in the yard.  And we never saw it again.  Now I have a pink bike with a wicker basket.  Hopefully my boys will leave it alone, because I always most of the time put my bike up.  And it won't get stolen!


We also had a Duck Dynasty Christmas.  I got the TEAM JASE shirt for my husband, and my mother-in-law got me the Uncle Si tea cup!  I have been watching so much Duck Dynasty I can pretty much quote the entire season.  We cannot wait for the new episodes to begin.


I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  I cannot believe it's 2013 already.  Boo Boo!  Gobble Gobble!  Ho Ho!  Happy New Year!  It will be Valentine's Day before I know it!