And were in the clear for a while...

We have pretty much been partying from Christmas until now... The majority of my family members birthdays start in December and taper down in February. It's been quite busy, and expensive. We finished up this month celebrating my two older girls birthdays, and though it was a lot of work, it was worth every penny and every minute. Wednesday we celebrated with family on Rachel's actual birthday- The big 4! I kept it like Laura's and just did cake, punch, and icecream because we had the big kid bash. I bought some cake pops from a friend who has a business out of her house (super cute stuff if you live locally and want her info I'll get it to you).

Today I took a birthday snack to school and enjoyed snack time with her, and letting her be the star today in the classroom. Emily had a good time visiting too, and I know next year she will have a blast there. I have to admit, knowing all three will be in school next year makes me whimper a little bit....Laura is heading to St. Andrew's and I just can't believe how grown up they all are now!

Party Time!

Sunday evening the girls had their joint friend party at "My Gym". It did not disappoint, and I can not stress how glad I am that we had it there. It was clean, fun, organized, and most importantly all of the kids had a complete blast! They had some gymnastic type equipment scaled down to their size, a rock wall, lot's of other climbing things, trampolines,zip line, and a real ball pit like Chucky Cheese (minus feeling like your going to catch a serious illness) used to have (I can't not express to you how much I used to love the ball pit at Chucky Cheese when I was a wee one). The party helpers also led several fun games with the kids, and it was just so cute to watch them. The parents were pretty pleased to with the place as we noticed two parents actually book future parties while they were there.

Tomorrow night is Rachel's actual birthday, and my big girl will be 4 years old! We are having her family party in the evening. She's growing up so fast, and amazes me every day.

Casino Night

Dave and I went to my JL fundraiser - Casino Night last night. We had never been before, and I was kinda not sure what to expect. Everyone said it would be a lot of fun, but sometimes I just get wigged out in large crowds. I'm just a nervous nelly sometimes. But no need to be nervous, we went to Plaza before hand for some chips and queso and some drinks, and then headed on over to it. The cool thing was the place was about 2 miles away from home. It was organized really well for the most part. Dave enjoyed playing poker, and I enjoyed people watching and well drinking. I was supposed to assist with the silent auction in the last half, but someone didn't show up for another station so I got moved that instead... which was working the beer tasting lol. I got to serve beer and basically be every drunk persons best friend. I really enjoyed it though, and will definitely try to get that station next year. I like easy, and fun.

I wore a dress that I blogged about before from renttherunway.com. I loved it! It fit, and it definitely fit in with the whole vintage theme of the night. It came the day before like they swore it would, and all I have to do is drop it off in the mail by noon tomorrow. I have to say I was a little nervous to use them, but they will be my go to for weddings, and other events like that in which you have to dress up. It's cheap, you get your pick of designer dresses, and you don't have to worry about being stuck with something that you wont wear again. Let's face it, most of the time we say we will wear the dress again and then we don't. I still have a crap load of old prom/formal dresses that I wore once and maybe lent out a time or two...what a waste of money those dresses were... so glad my parents footed the bill for those.

Yes I am alive.

Hello! I am alive, but I have just been in a bad mood for a wee bit, so I stayed away from blogging or it just would not have been pretty! So, in the last week we have celebrated Valentine's Day, which was pretty much the source of my mood as I expect my husband to be a mind reader, and he isn't. The whole transition of him working from days now to nights has been hard for all of us, so being stressed with that, and also being let down on a "romantic" holiday, just doesn't make for a happy household. Ok, so maybe it wasn't the most awful V-day ever.... but it is what it is. He got me flowers (always nice), and a pandora charm. The kicker, it's a charm that he got me last year.... and I may or may not have been banking on him getting me the new verizon iphone. Also, our romantic dinner equaled us taking the kids to the mall where we ate in the food court while listening to horrible people attempt karaoke, and while I attempted not to grab my husband by the neck. UH! I could have killed him. So enough about my week long PMS fest/pity party.

This weekend is a busy one for us, our big Junior League fundraiser event "Casino Night" is tomorrow night, so that will fill our evening, and then Sunday we are having the girls big friend party at My Gym. For party favors I kept it small and just bought a bunch of bubbles and put them in cute gift bags with some ribbon (ala dollar store). I figure since we are having both boys and girls, bubbles it was. Who doesn't love blowing bubbles? So that's what I have been up to. Some bday party planning and throwing a hissy fit.

Chicken receipe

We went to Chickfila Thursday to meet and greet Elmo, so instead of heading out tonight, we are hanging around the house, and I'm making something from one of my new cookbooks.
This is in the CookNotes Cook book from the Atlanta Junior League.
It's called Two Old Ladies on a Bus- cute name. It was apparently overheard on a bus.
To make you will need

1/3 orange marmalade
1/3 cup your favorite BBQ sauce, I had some random Food Lion brand one
2 table spoons Worsheire sauce
2 table spoons lemon juice (I used pineapple juice cause that was all I had)
salt and pepper
2 lbs chicken with bone and skin (I used some thighs)

Line a pan with foil,then place the chicken skin side up. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Combine other ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake in oven on 350 for 1 hour basting occasionally, then after 1 hour increase temp to 400. I served mine with brown rice and some veggies.

A Valentine Treat

This morning before I left for the girls school for their party, Emily and I whipped up a popcorn snack, that we will take some family members probably Sunday/Monday for a V-day treat.

I popped a large batch of popcorn with our popcorn popper (I'm sure microwave would work too), then melted some white almond bark, and took a bag of Valentine's day colored M&M's, dumped them all together and stired it up and then gave the almond bark some time to harden.

I had some left over treat bags I never used, so we just put the popcorn in the bags, and tied them with ribbon. I am going to let the girls stamp some tags. This is amazingly good, and it was hard to not scarf this down....My husband has already requested that I make some later tonight for just us to have while we watch a movie when the kiddos go to bed...

A pictureless post isn't exciting, but it's what you get.

This evening I went with my mom down the street to a book sale that was held at a local church that my daughters attend. I felt a bit guilty for going as I still have not read the book I am supposed to for book club this month (The Mercy of Thin Air), but it was too much of a good deal to pass up. All of the books were priced $1.00 for hardbacks, and .50 for paperbacks. They had a good variety, and I of course ended up leaving with an armful. Two of the books were items I had on my "to read" list with goodreads.com, and one is on our book club reading list for later in the year.

In other news I have to give myself a pat on the back for sticking with my meal plan so far this week. I have to admit it though I am unsure what I will come up with tomorrow. I had planned on making something from a new cookbook my mom got me, and I did see lot's of items I wanted to try, but truth be told Elmo is supposed to be at our local Chickfila tomorrow, and my youngest is a huge fan of the furry thing, so we may slack off and head there.

I did accomplish one February goal this month, and that was to pack up some outgrown Spring clothes and take to my favorite consignment shop. I packed up some things last night, and took them on my lunch break. Sugar and Spice in Williamsburg is just my favorite place for consignment. I always have good luck there, and of course I left with a few items today.

I have not figured out their Easter dresses (another February goal), but funny enough I have figured out Emily's first day of school dress. Yes crazy, but I got a good deal on a adorable smocked dress just perfect for it, and I am a sucker. I have to also admit that I might have to tweak my goal as it's really not that major of a thing that I have to get done in February. I am just going to keep my eyes ready for any good Zulily.com deals, or something cute on Etsy.

Menu Monday....

So... back to the whole menu planning thing... We did end up having another couple over for the Super Bowl, so we feasted on all kinds of junk food, but it was all homemade junk food with the exception of the Hooter's Wings... Homemade junk food is semi healthy right?

Monday- I made breakfast for dinner (scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast). I went with this as I forgot to take the hamburger out to defrost for the Sloppy Joes and I wasn't feeling creative...
Tuesday- We will be having Pioneer Woman's Sloppy Joes gosh darn it.
Wednesday- Chicken Enchilada's that I was supposed to make last week
Thursday- I have not figured it out yet, but I really want to make something out of a new cookbook my mom gave me today - It's a Junior League one from Atlanta called "Cook Notes".
Friday- I don't know where we are going to go, but we are going to go out somewhere!

The weekend is up for grabs, and will be determined after I do some grocery shopping Friday morning while the girls are in school. I can't really plan past friday as I don't know what the sales are going to be like.

Oh I also want to copy another blogger I saw somewhere and start doing monthly goals!
My February Monthly goals are as follows:

1. Offically quit the gym, and continue with the kick boxing/boot camps.
2. Pack up the outgrown clothing items of the kids that I am willing to part with and take to the consignment shop.
3.Purchase the girls Easter dresses.
4. Register my two younger girls for preschool.
5. Organize the mess of a closet in the den/kitchen.

And that's it, and enough for me to strive for.

Happy 5th Birthday Laura!

Today my oldest turned 5. I've been a mess. Seriously, I spent the morning crying. I just want time to slow down. We had a late morning party, because we wanted to do something on her actual birthday, but it's Super Bowl Sunday, so we didn't want to worry with other people's plans of parties in the evening. We did it semi early (10:30am) because my husband is on night shift, and after the party he had to go to sleep.

Laura, was shy being in the spot light, and slowly opened all of her presents. She got spoiled rotten with clothes, shoes, a Wii game, tball bat, doll, a new charm bracelet, and some money. We then ate some cake and ice cream. I made a snack I found on a blog for us all to nibble on. My grandparents were not able to come, as my grandmothers health has declined the past few weeks. While we were eating cake, Laura asked if we could save some cake for them (I thought that was sooo sweet of her), and she wanted to take it to them. So after everyone left, we went over for a nice visit, so they could see all the kiddos. It's so neat to see their faces light up when they see the girls. I have not been by very much this winter as the girls have always had some sort of cold, flu, or strep throat, and I have not wanted to get them sick. Hopefully, now that we are all well, we can visit them on a regular basis.

Cold Rainy Days....

This dreary Saturday has got me wishing for warmer weather. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy winter, but I hate winter rainy days. Give me some snow, and I wont complain. While the girls nap I have been prowling LandsEnd.Com and I am obsessed with their Spring/Summer items for little girls. Now I am just waiting on a great sale with free shipping and I will be scooping some items up!

We have been pretty lazy around the house. I have been letting the kiddos do some art stuff, and later I am heading to the dollar store to get a few last minute things for Laura's 5th birthday party tomorrow morning. I can't believe my baby is almost 5! I love her so much, and just want time to slow down.

I will try harder next week....

So... the whole menu planning thing... yeah... didn't work out as planned this week. See below.

Sunday- Didn't do leftovers, since we got called over to my inlaws for dinner.

Monday- Family demanded taco's, and since we all had busy Monday's I was cool with something easy. Tacos were supposed to be for Tuesday.

Tuesday- We got invited to dinner out, and I don't turn down a free meal =) especially Outback. Can you blame me?

Wednesday- I made the honey mustard porkchops that I was supposed to make Monday. They were a hit. I served them with baked potatoes and green beans.

Thursday- So... once again we strayed. We went to dinner with friends lol.

Friday- I feel terrible but I strayed from the plan again... we did spagetti. My oldest asked for it, and since it's her birthday weekend, I caved.


As for this weekend, I plan on doing the apple butter porkchops tonight that we were supposed to do yesterday... We do have some leftovers from dinner out Thursday, that will be eaten for lunch today. I plan on making the sloppy joes Sunday evening if we don't have people over. If we do I am going to save that for Monday night, and just have a bunch of good ole junk food.
Yes I was a menu planning failure this week... (hangs head in shame).

Loving 31gifts...

So I know my last post was semi funny, semi depressing. But I am happy to report my luck turned around! Yesterday I randomly won a 31 gifts $25 gift card. 31 is a personalized bag at home show thing. I don't really know how else to desribe it, but I love their items! I had a 31 party a few days before I had Emily, and I earned so many great items. I love their lunch bags, totes, purses, etc. In fact I ordered Emily a lunch tote for preschool to use last month during their amazing thermal tote sale with free personalization.

My consultant did a drawing yesterday on her facebook fan page, and like I said I was a winner! I looked over the new spring/summer catalog which is AMAZING, and I have decieded I am going to get the new thermal picnic tote. I think it will be perfect for the pool and beach this year. The tote is large enough to hold 3 two liter bottles (for my bad diet coke habbit), and it has a zipper around the top. You can see it in the picture above (it's the only item pictured above with the zipper that goes around the top).

If you love what you see friend her on facebook, and enter her contest to win a certificate of your own! http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Thirty-One-Gifts-by-Kristin-Schafer/95569228175

Or sign up a be a consultant and get the amazing kit as pictured above!

Growning up Pains...

I turned 30 this year. Apparently life goes down hill. Yesterday I went to the dentist. I never have issues at the dentist. It's usually a "let's do your cleaning and xrays, and be on your way". Not this time. Apparently, having children, and age are causing me some dental issues. Nothing major, but I am pissed to say I have my first cavities EVER. Oh, and apparently I knicked my gumline brushing, and if it doesn't heal or if it gets worse I might need a gum graft. I kid you not. Didn't know that even existed, but it better heal because that doesn't sound like something cheap or pain free. Apparently they graft skin from the roof your mouth. If I need that they better knock me out for about a week.

Yesterday after that news we plunked down money for tires. Needed, but not fun.

Today I went to the "lady doctor", where we began discussing when to start mammograms, and later colonoscopies. Seriously, since when did I turn into such a old lady?? I still feel 17.

While I am at it, I better get my hearing and eyes checked. I might need cataract surgery and hearing aides at the rate I am going.

I spent my whole life wanting to grow up, and now that I am, I just want to be young again.