This Week's Favorites

American Fare Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets - K-Mart and Farm-N-Fleet sell these in tubs (thanx Gma Engle!).
Capri Sun - the kids don't blurp juice out the straw of these like they do w/ juice box's.
Palmolive - this dishsoap smell reminds me of Gma Joyce's house, when I was a kid :)
Suave Jumpin' Berry Tear Free Kid's Body Wash - the kids like it 'cause its blue. I like it 'cause it smells good and it doesn't dry out their skin.
Wal-Mart's "Home" Department - this store annoys me, but I am impressed with the new home decorating lines they've got out for bed and bath.

Summer Break has Begun

This morning the kids and I must have known it was our first official "no school" morning! I woke to a very loud "Ha-Choooo!", looked at the clock which read 8:45 a.m. (wow!), and went downstairs to find Bryton quietly playing with Lego's! I couldn't believe I'd slept 'til 8:45, and when I asked Bryton how long he'd been up, he replied "a couple of hours!" I then asked him why he didn't wake me up and he said "cause I like being up by myself!" I hadn't even heard him get up, and I honestly don't think he'd been up long after looking at his tired eyes (despite the fact that he said he'd been up a couple of hrs.!) Avery ended up sleeping past 9 AM, which is also a new record!

So Excited!!!

I purchased a new washer and dryer, and had them delivered this A.M.!!! Yippee! I'm excited to use them for the first time. They aren't fancy smancy by any means...but they are to me! I've been using ancient ones for a very long time, so my new Maytag beauties will probably be like heaven when I use them. I am the laundry queen...so it is a very monumental day for me!

My Little Escape Artist...

Jake has figured out how to get out of the outside dog kennel. We figured this out a couple of months ago, when he and Bailey were mysteriously roaming around in the backyard one afternoon. Since then, we rig it so that it is "locked" when they are in there. However, he's figured out how to get out regardless of the "lock!" Stinker. So...now we've got to figure out another method. They need to stay in the outside kennel when I want them in there, on these nice Spring days :)

Cute Quotes...

"Mama, why you sooo... mahd (mad)? You so, so mahd!" (when Avery was up going potty for the 3rd time before bed last night, a.k.a. her new stalling technique :)

"I see a turkey showing all its feathers...I think it see's a girl turkey!" (Bryton, on our way home from Rockford last night. We haven't explained the turkey hunting process to him, but he must be listening!)

"My phone number is a lot of numbers." (Bryton)
"Yeah, its 10 numbers total. Do you know it?" (Brian)
"Yes." (Bryton)
"It's 815.3..." (Brian)
"69.4596!" (Bryton) - (again, Bryton's a listener...'cause we haven't worked w/ him on his phone number, here at home, and they haven't worked on it at school either)

"Big, big chicken! Tum (come) here, big red chicken! Where did that red byrd (bird) go?!" (Avery repeated this multiple times, at Red Robin Restaurant last night...she was a bit obsessed w/ talking to the Red Robin mascot!)

Breakfasts...

Avery prefers main meals for breakfast, I've found out. So, I'm trying to decide if this is OK or not. I'm thinking it is. She'll eat non-breakfast foods, such as fish sticks and green beans for breakfast, a whole lot better than she'll eat cereal, toast, pancakes, oatmeal etc... Since she's eating better now, I don't think I'll pick this battle. I remember a neighbor of ours, when we were little kids, who did this throughout his Jr. High and High School years. I always thought it was strange that his mom would heat him up spaghetti for breakfast. Maybe its just a stage Avery is in, but I'd rather have her eat something than nothing in the morning.
Bryton, on the other hand, loves breakfast foods. Egg McMuffins (made at home), cereal, toast, waffles...you name it, he'll eat it! Usually he eats breakfast at home, and then breakfast again at school...since their breakfast is a little later in the morning.
And then there are the mornings when we are in a hurry, and their early morning breakfast is a few peanut butter or oatmeal cookies and milk :) I count on their vitamins to balance out those mornings!

A Special Mother's Day...

Today, and every other day, I'm reminded of what a special little family I have! Bryton, Avery, and Brian woke me up this morning, saying "Happy Mother's Day!" Then I was surprised with homemade picture frames w/ the kids pics in them, a beautiful ring, and a bouquet of flowers. Wow...I was a bit shocked to get such nice gifts from my extra special people. So, on this rainy Mother's Day, we are enjoying family time...and I thank God for the many blessings, big and small, in my life :)

Park Time

So, this is my assumed position these days, while we are at the park. However, I feel like I spend a lot of time saying "Bryton/Avery please don't do that!" What is it with kids and them wanting to play on playground equipment every wrong way possible?! (For instance, this picture of Avery climbing up the slide while Bryton, who's feet you can see in the picture, is sliding down!) I have 2 daredevils on my hands. I'm trying to "prep" myself for possible injuries this summer...and I hope I'm ready for this next stage!

This Week's Favorites

Kohl's - I'm liking their Vera Wang Intimates line
Lena Park District - We have great summer kids programs and many parks within walking distance, considering the small size of our town.
Nora Roberts - I've just gotten back into reading after the kids go to bed, and oh how I've missed her!
Blueberries - Our kids love these right out of the bag, frozen or not! I prefer them in homemade blueberry muffins :)
Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Relaxing Balm - Good for "calming" my hair, and I only use a quarter sized amount.