Lesson for the Day

How to remove melted plastic Walmart bag/bread bag from your glass top stove:

• Step 1 : With great haste remove the Walmart bag containing loafs of bread.
• Step 2: Check loafs of bread for holes.
• 2a: If you find a large hole: slip loaf of bread into a old emptied bread bag.
• 2b: If you find a small hole: use wide roll of masking tape to cover the hole.
• 2c: If no holes are found, you're luckier than I was.
• Step 3: Allow plastic to dry for 4 days and use other three burners until you think of how to remove it.
• Step 4: Try peeling plastic bag remnants off stove. (if plastic remains, see step 5)
• Step 5: Try scraping plastic off with thin plastic spatula. (if plastic remains, see step 6)
• Step 6: Use a sharp metal wood chisel you find in husbands garage to carefully scrape up the remains, without scratching glass surface.
• Step 7: If 6 is still no help, you're worse off than I was, just go buy a new stove.

*Above all else, make a mental note to warn husband BEFORE he puts groceries down on counter and glass top stove, that the stove is still hot.

Front Yard Fun

My children love playing in the front yard. It's true, our back yard is great. There is a new swing set/slide/fort back there, as well as shovels for digging, dump trucks for pushing and a lawn mower in case someone wants to help daddy mow. However, in the front yard, there is a greater chance of seeing the children across the street. Lianna and Brooks love their neighbor friends. They seem to have the best toys too. Though they might argue that our toys are more fun. You know, the grass is always greener...

Here are some fun snaps of our evening together last week:

Mommies' night out!

I have just returned from being away from my husband and children for 30 hours and I loved every second of it! Don't get me wrong, I missed them, but it was so great to miss them for a while. I went to Houston for a weekend of shopping with 3 other mommies.

It took a while for Kelly, Heather, Jenny and I to stop pointing out all the yellow buses, construction equipment and big trucks, but after about an hour were were speaking like normal civilized adults again. Upon arriving in Houston we checked into our hotel with minimal unloading of luggage. The four of us carried on adult conversation over dinner at the Grand Lux Cafe, and spoke in complete sentences with only an occasional interruption from the waitress. We actually spent 2.5 hours at the restaurant just taking our time and enjoying the opportunity to get to know each other better. We then went back to the hotel and prepared only ourselves for bed.

In the morning we woke up when we were ready, and didn't rush to prepare breakfast or change diapers. We ate at this wonderful little bistro-like place that serves breakfast and lunch in central Houston, called Tiny Boxwoods. It was fabulous! We ate outside on the patio and had things like fresh fruit yogurt parfait, sausage spinach quiche and orange julius. Okay, yeah, so Jenny knows the chef and had the inside scoop, but I'm so glad she told us of this little diamond of a place. The next 6 hours were dedicated to nothing but shopping. We each had our own agenda and didn't have to stop unless we wanted a break. We tried on clothes in dressing rooms, all by ourselves. Imagine! No strollers or children, and still no diapers to change. As Jenny would say, "it was fabulous!"

It's so rare that moms are able to get away from being a mom, and a wife for a while, but it's so important. I was able to just be a woman for a while and enjoy time with friends and take care of only myself. I came home refreshed and ready to take on all the family tasks that I do on a normal daily basis. My attitude and perspective however had drastically improved. I think from now on, this will be an annual event (bi-annual if we can talk our hubbies into it.) :P

Spring is in the air

We have a new addition to our family. No we're not pregnant, and no we didnt buy another dog/cat/other . However we found a Mocking bird's nest in a bush outside my and Darrell's bedroom window. It's low enough to the ground that we can see in it, and the kids and I have been watching to see when the baby birds hatch. Friday afternoon we saw one baby bird poke his little head up. My neighbor, Heather, happened to have her camera handy (as I rarely do) and took a great shot of the newest member of our neighborhood. Isn't he/she adorable!





Another sweet capture my friend, Heather, took of our two kiddoes. This was taken at Mother's Day Out, back in February at the Valentine's party. Lianna love's her friend Hudson.

Simple Pleasures

There are little things a stay at home mom indulges in. I honestly believe we all have we need them in order to keep our sanity and prevent losing ourselves in the midst of serving our families. Here are a few of mine:

Home-made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - that's right, when I bake cookies I rarely bake ALL the dough. I like to have a spoonful or so in the middle of the day.

Blue Bell Ice cream - I'll admit it. I'm a complete ice cream snob. If it's not bluebell or from some special creamery like Marble Slab, I probably wont eat it. I savor the stuff. It's smooth and creamy and best enjoyed after 8:00p.m. when children are in bed and you don't have to share it.

Lay's Potato Chips dipped in sour cream - no extra spice or flavor... just plain full fat sour cream.

Bubble Baths - I haven't partaken in this luxury in quite a while, and I miss it so, but when we upgrade to a larger home you'd better believe I'm upgrading to a better tub. One that is better suited for laying in it.

Nap time - This quiet alone time seems to be fading, but I'm hanging on to it for dear life. Lianna is napping only 1-1.5 hours these days, but it's enough to allow me some silence to work, pray, or relax in.

I recently was introduced to these new tortilla chips last Wednesday. These may be added to my luxury list soon too. You've got to try Tia Rosa MegaThin tortilla chips. They are da bom diggity!

Hmmm... I'd better find some new non-food luxuries. Four of the six are some kind of food. If my mom is right, now that I'm thirty I'll start having to work harder at keeping weight off. I'm not nursing much anymore either, so I have no excuse for extra calories.

My Inchworm

My sweet husband went to the trouble of converting this video so I can show off my littlest baby to all of you. It's amazing how God creates us all so completely different from those around us. Canaan has been different since birth, and continues to prove over and over that he his not like his brother or his sister. Contrary to how they crawled (up on all four) Canaan has decided that he's got his own style. Enjoy!