Chip It! with Sherwin Williams

This is what I would Chip It! It's an all time favorite of my daughter.

leftover candy canes = valentine's day treats

thanks, crystal, for reminding me what to do with all those leftover candy canes. i had seen the post in prior years but always forget.

think i have enough for 2 classrooms. my 5th grader's last valentine's day party. :(

talking to your kid about sex

We have a 10 year son who will soon be 11. He has been asking about sex lately. He is so excited to be starting puberty and cannot wait until the 5th grade film at his school which discusses changes taking place within his own body, but not sex. I love that he wants to ask us all kinds of questions and feels no embarrassment talking to us. I love that he wants to learn from us and not his friends. I want to keep that line of communication open; but I have to be honest, when he first approached me about "the talk", I did panic. I quickly picked up half a dozen books from the library. None of them talked to us like the one below. I ended up buying it from Barnes & Noble.

Is your child ready to begin the talks? I strongly recommend this book. It's easy to read, and is just an all round great guide.

whopping cough

a friend of mine acquired whopping cough. she got it from her son, who didn't have as severe case as she did. Yes, he got vaccinated. She's battled it for a month now and is still coughing. Did you realize you need to get immunized again for whopping cough as an adult? At one point, whopping cough wasn't even around the USA, but now with all the immigrants coming into our country, most of whom haven't received the Pertussis vaccine, it is a major concern. Watching my otherwise healthy friend battle this disease, calling 911 two times because she couldn't breathe, spending the night in the hospital is very scary. I have asthma and cannot imagine going through what she has just gone through this past month.

Whopping cough is severe in California, Michigan and Ohio, and most likely coming to a state close to you. Please get vaccinated, if not for yourself, for your family. And for all those non-believers in vaccines, mercury is not in any vaccines for childhood diseases.

my baby is growing up

She declares that this is too babyish for her in all of her 7 years oldness. Soft baby pink walls, darling patchwork quilt from Pottery Barn Kids in soft greens, blues, pink. Cute, floaty butterflies. We built our house when Sophie was 1 1/2. This was what I did her room in back then, so I guess it's time for a change.

I still picture her sweet head upon these pillows all of 2 years old with bouncy curls and a whale spout on top of her head. So tiny in this big bed.

And change we did. She should wake up happy every single day with this color on the walls. Turquoise and fuchsia. She actually picked out the paint color. Ah, a decorator at heart.

Quite an impact color, but yet quite feminine and pretty too.

[More to come]
sweet daddy making all her wishes come true

4th of July on the 3rd

I jumped on the 4th of July red, white and blue cupcake bandwagon. These were super easy, super cute and super fun to make. I made red [white chocolate] stars earlier in the week and just kept them away from the kids hidden in the refrigerator.

One white cake box mix, divided between three bowls, food coloring in each. The red looks pink in the photo but it was really darker in person.

things that make me smile ....

her first fish

his first fish

is this really fishing?

zoey - 1 year old

just one project .... homework station

My goal today = get one project done and off my list.

Sounds simple, right?

Well, it's not. I haven't crafted in quite a while and I needed it today.

I found this box at Target.

Filled with these greeting cards, perfect for the kids to give. It was on clearance for $2.50.

I kept the box, knowing it would come in handy for some project.

The kids really need a homework station. They sit at the bar to do their homework and are constantly up/down, up/down getting scissors, tape or an eraser. I need to have items contained so they didn't have to always search and create another mess. However the blue stripes didn't go in my kitchen. A little Basic Grey paper and we're good to go.

Brock even left his homework out from this morning which he needs to complete when he gets home. See how it almost hides under the edge but yet perfect for them to grab from ... and cute. Believe me, they'll think it's cool.

keeping busy with .....

This sweet thing turned 7. My baby, I just can't believe it.

She requested heart cakes, one chocolate, one vanilla please.
cute and sweaty after playing on jumpies and slides and obstacle course.

And then off to Indianapolis for Brock's hockey tournament this past weekend in Indianapolis. My fantastic defenseman is bottom row all the way over on the right. They made it to the finals. We were very proud [and surprised] for our Stars team. Fun weekend with just me and Brock. BN and the other two kids stayed at home because of basketball games and tournament.

here's the team's plaque

Upcycle ~ Second Hand Stores

I have a favorite second hand store. I stop by to look about once every couple weeks. I have scored so many Abercrombie shirts for my sons. Can't beat the prices, 7 shirts for $35. Gotta love that, plus I'm helping the environment by upcycling. Gotta love that too!

it's skiing time

Getting fitted for the skis. Very exciting, she's not quite sure what's going on, hanging close to her daddy.

I couldn't take many pictures outside because it was lightly drizzling.


Off to ski school. There's Sophie in pink and Cole with the red jacket and red hat waiting to go down the bunny hill.

Here she comes -- looking good, big smile on her face.

Here comes Brock, ready for the big hills. This boy has no fear and right after bunny hill went to the big hills and skiied for the next 8 hours. He even, unintentionally, went down a black diamond hill, through the woods, through tunnels. Oh my ...

Post Christmas Cookie Day .... but they aren't Aunt Barbara's cut-outs

I'm posting late because my kids wanted this on my blog. Christmas cut-outs for Santa. I cheat. I buy pre-cut cut-outs from GFS. I have made cut-outs before, but they just don't turn out like my Aunt Barbara's cookies. She makes the best, I mean the best. Nothing has compared to her cut-outs ever, and I have tried cut-out after cut-out just to make sure.

Santa doesn't mind though.
Even Bear lasted about 10 minutes with this project.

Sophie wanted her grams to help.

Brock using a "new" technique.

I just realized Brock made a "peace out" sign to me with his fingers. Where do they learn this stuff?

Almost 10 ...... plus a kit kat cake

Bear turns 10 on the 20th. We always have to do something a bit early to celebrate because people get busy with Christmas. We said to him, would you rather have a big party and a small gift from us, or would you rather have a big gift from us and just a couple friends for a sleepover. After 2 minutes he chose the big gift. Everything on his wish birthday/Christmas list this year seems to be over $100. So I'm glad he chose wisely.

Fun cake with kit kats on the side [I used 11 candy bars] and the top covered with mini M&M's.

Throw in a brother and couple of your best buddies and you have a fun, nice [relaxed] birthday. His friend on the right really isn't that small, he's just sitting down in his chair while the others are on their leg or standing.

holiday parties ... kids style

my hand gets twisted pretty easily when someone asks for help with a school party. i do love organizing a party, searching for new games, and pulling it all together. i usually have a friend who signed up to do the party and then asks for help and i usually just end up planning the entire thing. and that's okay cause i'm controlling like that.

This year for Brock's 3rd grade holiday party, we're playing a book game called lefty and righty. There are several versions of this story. you can read 4 of the versions here. Each child brings in a new paperback book, age/grade appropriate, gender friendly, and wrapped in paper with no name on it. During the party all the kids sit in a circle and someone reads the story. Whenever they hear the word "lefty" they pass their book to the left, and whenever they hear the word "righty", they pass the book to the right. At the end of the story, all the kids unwrap their new book. Of course, if it's something they don't like, they can switch with another friend.

Every December I hit our local Scholastic Outlet for 50% off books. My kids get a small pile of books under the Christmas tree, and their elves usually bring them a book or two to read. This year I picked up several neat books for just a couple dollars. You should check and see if there is a Scholastic Warehouse Sale near you. Now you never know what you'll find at a sale, but there are paperbacks, hardbacks, stocking stuffers, computer games, gifts and gadgets, cookbooks, plush animals, science experiment kits, Klutz items. you just never know. You sign up on line and you get a coupon for $10 off $75 or more. Believe me, you can rack up $75 pretty easily, even at 50%!!

h a l l o w e e n

Our beggar's night happened last night. Our city doesn't allow trick or treat on a Friday or Saturday night for safety reasons ..... so here they are: A scary skeleton lacrosse player, the cutest, rockin' Hannah Montana I've ever seen, and a frightful, ugly zombie.

I know my organizing skills pay off now and then when my kids come home from trick or treating and immediately spill their candy on the table and declare "let's organize this mess." Don't ya love it!

we've been busy

Just wrapping up some sporting events here. We've just been busy. Big N was head coach for the boys football team this year ... the Buffaloes. Here they are getting their trophies:

Brock was more interested in playing in all the leaves in the background (lol)

Sophie finishing her fall soccer. To brag a bit, the highest goal scorer on the team and fastest runner.

what an action shot

and we began a new sport this year for Brock ... hockey

talk about an exciting game. We're looking forward to this new [and long season] sport.

Last night Cole began basketball practice with Big N being head coach. He just can't say no.

Fall Grog Mix for the Techers

We decided to sprinkle our teachers with a little fall treat. Fall officially began last week, but we had rain all week and it just was yucky. I bought all the ingredients and this made a ton. I wanted enough to make for 9 teachers [including the principal and secretaries], but ended up using all my mason jars and some treat bags which we'll pass out to some neighbors.

Washed the jars, added a ribbon and tag to the lids, twine for additional fall feel.
Ready to pour - except we took out the blue M&M's because they don't look like fall to us.

This made all 12 jars, plus 6 bags, plus what's left over for us.