Brothers

Happy St. Patricks’ Day

I guess due to the fact that I was a nerd-bomber growing up, I didn’t really like St. Patricks Day.  I remember it was always hard to find something green to wear; I was terrified of being pinched.  I don’t know if it’s the change in the times, or living in the Midwest, but it’s different here.  They dye the river green in Chicago; beer, of course, is dyed green everywhere…wannabe Milwaukee has a parade like Chicago.  At any rate, I think it’s a fun thing for my kids.  This year, we tried building a leprechan trap.   The past few years, we’ve had a sneaky leprechan that manages to get into our fridge and dye our milk green on St. Patty’s Day.  We wanted to put it to a stop this year.  Sadly, we didn’t catch him and he still got to our milk.  The kids are STILL talking about how to rebuild a better “trap” next year.

Sanity Savers

Yeah, I’m behind on my blog; but I do have a few things to show for it.  Crafting has become a sanity saver for me.  I swear, the last few months I have been busier than normal and had less time.  I find myself crafting amid screaming children, piles of messy dishes, stacks of dirty laundry…yeah, it’s bad.  But there is something about taking some time to do something that I want to do that makes it all worth it. 

I LOVE the blog “Our Best Bites” and I’ve been working my way through their new cookbook.  I keep thinking about “Julia and Julia”….

This ribbon wreath wasn’t quite what I had in mind…I bought a flat particle board wreath form.  I liked that it would end up flatter and fit better on my door when the screen door is closed.  I also liked that it was cheap and kept me on budget.  However, I’m a lame brain.  I didn’t buy enough ribbon, so I was only able to cover half.  Besides, my fingers were beyond burned out from the hot glue that I used to secure the ribbon.  NEXT time, I will use a straw wreath and floral pins, and forget being quite so thrifty. 

This cute Easter countdown was SUPER easy and SUPER cheap.  Dollar store eggs and grass.  Leftover egg carton.  A few alphabet stickers….I put a note inside of each with an Easter activity.  It was nice, because it allowed me to do all that I wanted to do with my kids (make an Easter craft, see the E. Bunny, make an Easter treat, go on an egg hunt); but allowed me to pace myself and take it over a few weeks.  The kids, of course, LOVED it.

 

Again, easy, cheap and pretty fast.  I recycled a frame that I wasn’t using and spray painted it black.  I used paper that I’m so not using from my scrapbooking stuff.  I googled the silhouettes of the chick and the bunny (you naïve internet users out there, beware of googling “chick silhouette”).  Used the pictures from online and cut out siloettes with black cardstock.  Seriously, one hour tops on this one.  

Okay, I’m a bad blogger if I don’t give credit due here.  I’m loving this subway art trend.  I found this here, and printed it out at Costco.  Again, recycled frame, made new with my friend Mr. Black Spray Paint.

Yum–O

Mmmm…loved these yummy apple streusel bars.

Our Best Bites -- Apple Streusel Bars

Ty's Class Field Trip

Yes, despite the fact that Sadie AND Jackson are pictured here; this was in fact, Ty’s class trip.  I wasn’t planning on going AT ALL.  That morning, I went in to drop off Ty for the field trip and his teacher was having a nervous breakdown.  This woman is amazing, she has two classes of 20 plus four- and five- year olds wrapped around her pinky.  But she was having an off day, SEVERAL parents that were supposed to help were no shows, and she was nearly in tears.  I offered to go, with the condition that I would have to bring my peeps.  When she took me up on my offer, I knew she was desperate.

Super soft, super cute chinchilla

Super soft fur – notice Jack’s tightly gripped hand trying to take home a sample

Who doesn’t like kittens? 

Our World is a Dangerous Place

Brooklyn is our Captain Safety.  She’s learning to write more, and had a fun afternoon with some note cards and tape.  Apparently, my house isn’t as childproof as I had supposed…either that, or I am a really grumpy mom that is always restricting my kids…

“Microwave Don’t Touch – Pushing Buttons”

“Dishwasher Don’t Touch – Getting Out Dishes”

“Garbage can Don’t Touch – Putting Garbage”

“Oven  Don’t Touch”

“Dangerous Don’t Touch”

“Breaks Easily – Don’t Touch”

“Baking Drawer Don’t Touch” (someone says okay)

“Special Place – Don’t Touch – I Say it is okay”

“Glass – Don’t Touch”

Happy Birthday Ty!

This year, for Ty’s birthday, I wasn’t feeling like being a “good” mom and doing a big party at my house.  Having added the stress of having eight boys running around my house to the cost of the average at home birthday party, I decided we could afford to go somewhere fun instead.  I gave Ty SEVERAL options on SEVERAL occasions, the unanimous decision was Chuck-E-Cheese.  I think he’s just a sucker for the awesome marketing for Chuck-E-Cheese that he sees on TV; this coming from the kid who insists on using Colgate Total toothpaste, because it “protects your mouth from germs for 12 hours”.    Anyways, it’s not that Chuck-E-Cheese is inherently bad, it’s just so dang corny. 

I gave in, as you can see.  Ty loved it and his little friends thought it was fantastic.  Who am I to think that it’s kinda lame?  In actuality, it was a great party.  They did a wonderful job of putting on a show and making Ty feel special; at the same time, his guests also were able to have fun running around using up tokens and eating pizza.  I don’t know if I would do it again, but I certainly didn’t regret it.  Happy 5th birthday Ty!

 

A Long Hard Winter

Snowstorm after snowstorm this year, our kids were devastated by the fact that the inches and inches of snow that fell were most often much too dry and fluffy (and cold) to be of use in making snowmen, snowballs, sledding hills, or really any thing of value.  As the winter got later, we had a few slushy storms that they relished in.  It was a good thing this year that Brooklyn was in school.  As long as the wind chill is no less than –5, the kids have to go outside for recess.  SO, she got used to going out and braving the cold, which helped all of us feel more willing to bundle up and get some fresh air.

Merry Christmas

 

Gingerbread Houses

Obviously, here in the land of blogging, we’re still in December.

Fortunately, here in the land of here and now, spring is here (well, almost…40 degrees is all it takes in the upper Midwest)

Childrens’ Museum–Chicago

Every once in awhile, we get down to this AMAZING childrens’ musuem in Chicago.  On this particular day, I have a limited amount of pictures that I am willing to share.  There is an exhibit with face paints/crayons; so for the majority of the pictures my kids are donning self-inflicted war paint.  Another exhibit, is all water.  Yeah, there are cute little aprons that keep the water off of the limited part of your body that the apron covers.  Kids and water.  Duh.  Like they only need aprons.  My kids could use swimsuits in there.  Anyways, makes for a great deal of fun; but not so cute pictures.  And just for reference sake, this was in January.  Little Jack has changed SO MUCH!

 

Snow Babies

WAY back in December…