Updates...

Wow!  Has it really been almost three months since I've posted?!  I guess life got in the way like it always does!  Since I've last posted....

• I graduated and recieved my certificate in phlebotomy (blood drawing) -yay me!
• LKS graduated from her program and recieved her degree - yay LKS!
•  We've had 4 visits from family
• My house got really messy (okay, it's always been messy, lol)



Lots more has happened, but I can't think of it all right now.  The kids and I just returned from a LONG, fun, LONG, exciting, did I mention LONG, weekend in Pennsylvania at Blue Knob State Park on Monday.  Me and my kids; Leah, Gene and Sarah; Matthew, Taya, and their kids; Dad and Kay; Gramma Baldwin; and Mom and Tim all went camping together.  Yup, two sets of divorced and remarried parents who hadn't seen eachother in oh.....eight years or so, and my Dad and Kay, and Gramma, had NEVER met Tim.  Considering that fact (yikes!), it was a really fun time and I'm so glad we went.  The kids all got a chance to hang out together, and mommy had a chance to relax and not worry about both boys 24-7.  Yes, there were many awkward moments, but isn't life all about those awkward moments? 

No??  Oh. 

Oh, well....lol!

So now that I have mountains and MOUNTAINS (there literally is a mountain of clothes right now in my laundry room!) of laundry to do, what did I decide to do instead?  fart around on the computer, yeah!  That's a good idea.  Maybe not.  I hear the laundry calling my name.  I think it's actually starting to creep out of the laundry room, slowly so I won't notice of course, and wind itself around my legs.  Ok, laundry, OK!  I'm COMING!  Sheesh, that laundry is impatient.  Alright, blogging can wait, back to real life. 

No fun.  But here's some fun pictures!  And oh yeah, I turned 29 again-hah!

New Saturday Series: Christmas On the Cheap!

So I have a little extra time, you know, like 3 minutes before I have to get in the shower and get both kids ready for a birthday party, lol, so I thought I'd start something I've been considering for a while now. If you're like me, you have NO FUNDS FOR CHRISTMAS this year. And, (insert grumbling moan and choice words here), my embroidery machine is BROKEN! I KNOW!!! No monogrammed gifts for Christmas this year :( It's OK though, I'm still trying to convince hubby I need a Cricut Expression now, lol. Have you seen them?! They are freakin' cool! You can do so much with them, you can cut fabric, vinyl for your walls or your car windows (I know you've seen all those cute monogrammed initials on people's cars!), and so much more. But I'm totally getting off track here!

My first idea in this Saturday Series is....printable paper dolls! Now, I know, they canNOT compare to those cool $100 electric scooters, or a $60 Barbie dream mansion, or whatever else the toy companies are shoving down our throats this year, but they are still really fun! Here is a place where I found some REALLY cute vintage ones:

http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/2009/11/free-printable-boy-paper-doll.html

If you want a couple more, including cute little girls, scroll down to the end of the post and there are 2 more dolls with accessories. They are very easy to cut out, not a lot of jagged edges or funky shapes, and they go together great (yes I played with them this morning, don't hate me cause I'm awesome!). You can print them out on cardstock or thin cardboard cut to the shape of whatever paper your printer takes, you can print them in color or leave them black and white and let the reciever color them in, or you could even print out the whole sheet and give it to them and let them cut it out! I will probably do the latter, because I'm mean and like to make my kids practice their scissor skills (and I'm lazy!). So there you have it! I better go jump in the shower and wash the stank off me so I can go to Chuck E Cheese.....yay.....

Yummy cookies!

The boys and I went to Airman's Attic yesterday looking for pants for Anthony, all of his long pants now fit perfectly in the waist, but are about 2 inches too short. For those of you not familiar with Airman's Attic, it is a program run by volunteers through the AF that's available to E6 and below. Families donate things they no longer use or need, and you come in and you look for what you need. I only found one pair of pants, but I found this really cool game there:



We brought it home and tried it out, and to my surprise, both boys actually paid enough attention to finish a full game! Then as I was looking through the recipe booklet that comes with the game, I noticed a recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.....mmmmm...... Well, we didn't have chocolate chips, but we DID have a big bag of M & Ms from Ayden's candy bank.....heh heh heh. So, here's the recipe (I would post a picture of the finished cookies, but I can't find the camera):

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, SOFTENED (I used tub margarine)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup crunchy peanut butter (I used creamy)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips (I used M & Ms)

(Adults) Preheat oven to 350, then cream butter, sugar, salt and peanut butter. Beat in eggs and vanilla. (Kids can do the next steps) In a small bowl, mix the flour and the baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix. Pour in chocolate chips (or M & Ms!) and mix. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls on a greased cookie sheet, or an ungreased parchment lined cookie sheet. Place balls 2 inches apart, then take a fork and gently press down to slightly flatten the tops. (Adults) Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, I have no suggestions as to time, I never pay attention to time, I just go by what the cookies look like, lol. Cool on wire racks. Consume immediately!! Makes about 4 dozen.

It seems like you could customize this just about any way you want. They turn out good, not puffy soft cookies, more like thin chewy ones. Normally I'm a puffy soft cookie lover, but last night I was a thin chewy one, lol! And it was so fun to make them with Anthony! Ayden could have cared less, he wandered out into the living room after about 5 minutes ands started watching Diego, but he's probably just not at the age to enjoy baking yet.

Anyway, I was really happy to have found a game that both kids can play and be interested in. And it definitely sweetened the pot that it was free! I may check out the whole line of games, they're called Cranium Bloom games, and I believe they're made especially for preschoolers. I've seen them at Target before. Once I wake up and get my arse in the shower, I think we'll go check them out, I love having a Target nearby! I'll post if I find any good deals!

And What Are Your Qualifications for the Job?

Have you ever felt totally unqualified for your job? That is me today, totally unqualified to be a housewife. I have absolutely no motivation to clean the house, do dishes, or laundry. Instead, I just set up 2 big long racetracks in the kids room and we're racing matchbox and hot wheels cars. I mean really, dishes? Laundry? Who wants to do those when your two cute little boys are sitting there making screeching noises and (for the most part) getting along so well?

Oh and by the way, guess what I'm blogging on.....duh duh duh duh......this!



Adam FINALLY got us a laptop, only after YEARS of begging, lol. Anyway, back to the subject at hand.....

What are the qualifications of a housewife? Are there any, or is it just make it up as you go along? Cause that's pretty much what I do! If there are any qualifiactions, someone please let me know. I need to get qualified. Or at least motivated.

Homemade Shrinky Dinks!

OK, prepare yourself, this is addicting. You will find yourself at every grocery store in town begging for #6 plastic containers, lol. I found this post at infarrantlycreative's blog, and just had to try it out for myself. The results are amazing! So far, I have made a keychain and a little plaque to hang in the boys' room. I would take a picture of the plaque, but that would involve going into the room of a sleeping child and taking a picture, and we all know that is NEVER EVER a good idea. I love cheap, easy crafts!

By the way............

I got the Wii Fit game.....and it freakin rocks!!! I love love love it! That's all!