Wow, what a month (or two) that it's been.  There's been birthday, holidays, and trips to the zoo.  Here's a little of what we've been up to.  I keep setting the goal of updating more frequently, but sometimes things don't work out how we plan, right???

Took all three boys to the zoo.  Josh had so much fun, like it was his first time.  Even Steven, an almost full grown man, was a trooper and had a good time.  I couldn't be more thankful for big brothers!

We also had a little mother's day / KG birthday celebration.  Here's a picture of the cake that I made....It's the only one that's ever actually looked pretty.  Of course it was tasty, I just wish I hadn't eaten so much of it!

And splashing....it's all Peanut wants to do.  Splash and Kick Kick Kick!

Mother's day, Lolo came by for a visit.  she's such a cutie and so easily amused!  Makes it fun for all of us!

My hydrangeas that hubby makes sure look gorgeous every year.

And more Kick, Kick, Kicking -

Ahhhhh Blisss.....

That's it for now!  More birthdays, showers, parties, etc this week.  Will try not to become a slacker again :)

Love to all.

E

Getting it  together…

I am over 30, and for the last two years, have felt like I just don’t have it together.  I finally, because I had no other choice, am feeling like I can manage these little tasks that add up.  Seems like there’s so many little things to do, that I often choose to do nothing.

Not anymore.  Because I now drive to the office every day, I decided it was time to GET IT TOGETHER.  No more weekday grocery trips because I didn’t plan well, no more eating out because I am too tired to cook, no more getting gas as I am already running 10 min late because I came up with every excuse not to go over the weekend or the night before.  For the past several weeks now, I have gotten all of the groceries on the weekend, gotten gas on Sunday while I’m out, and cooked enough food for at least 5 meals for the week plus enough for more leftovers to go in the freezer.  It took me about three weeks to build the freezer stock up so that I could cook just two to three meals on Sunday and pull a couple of things out of the freezer and be ready to go.  It’s been tricky coming up with that many meals, especially when Mike decided to lay low on red meat to see if it really does reduce inflammation.  It’s been really creative around here.

So here’s my list (as much for me, so I know what I need to make again, but just in case you’re wondering what freezes well…):

Mom’s spaghetti – with meat sauce.  This was before we cut back on red L I even put it in small containers so that Spence could have a real meal instead of mac and cheese when desperation for something quick strikes.

Taco meat – red and white

Turkey chili – this was the biggest batch I’ve ever made – enough for the super bowl, one additional night that week (or more) and 3-4 more meals worth in the freezer.  Better stock up on fritos.

Taco soup – because sometimes you get tired of chili and it seemed like an easy red to white conversion.

Chicken noodle casserole – easy and comfort at it’s best

Veggie manicotti

Chicken Spaghetti

Homemade crunchy no oil granola – addicted to it with yogurt, so’s Spence.

Pulled pork – okay, this made enough for multiple meals for our household, some for my mom’s and some for the freezer.  Thank heaven it’s so tasty and easy.

White cheddar mashed potatoes – in case we just need a side

Vegetable beef soup – Yes, I said beef.  Mike’s famous friend who likes to dole out his SSN was in town, and I felt like the occasion called for a small 3 lb prime rib.  The boys went to the store and felt like 7 lbs was more like it, so what to do with all of that yummy meat?  Hence the beef back in the diet this week.

Who could forget the pumpkin oatmeal breakfast cookies?  Sometimes you just need oatmeal you can eat with your hands.

And this weekend a whipped up a second (double this time) batch of strawberry rhubarb jam because the first batch went way too fast!!!

I have secretly been loving the pace at work…so fast that you don’t sit down or think straight.  It helps so much that I have an easy to throw together dinner with minimal clean up when I get home.  And, since the hubby’s doing the poker thing tonight, I cheated and ordered pizza :-) Hey, it's whole wheat crust, that counts right?  Wait, I had to add cheesecake to make the minimum delivery charge....bummer.

Now that the four of you reading this are completely bored.  Here’s a couple of recent pics of my boys.  Okay, who am I kidding, pictures take too darn long to upload, but there's a bonus...you get to see the video of Spence with Mimi and his new pet mouse.

http://www.photoshop.com/user/erikafallas/?galleryid=0cbacbd7fc4d480c8a6851bc9b92e6e3&trackingid=BTAGC&wf=share

See ya next time! Love,

E

And following the wedding, I got a shortened week due to another snow day.  Can you say bliss???

Spence, as always, wanted to go outside....who cares about rain or snow?  He wasn't too sure about walking on the snow, but was more than content to sit in his stroller and watch the excitement of the other kids and the fact that mom and dad were taking him for a walk before dinner.

So fun.  What a great year to get so much snow.

Well, it's Friday night, or it was a few minutes ago.

Took on more work at work.....worn out, but, when you are crazy busy all day, it goes by fast and then I am back home with the peanut.

Two weekends ago, I took my first overnight away from my boys since the peanut came home from the hospital.  Headed north for my sister's wedding, and while my trip was super fast and rushed, it was otherwise uneventful. Wish I could say the same for Mike's first overnight....So it's taken me a few weeks to pick a few of my favorite pics from the wedding and of course edit them.  I should narrow it down and just put a few up, but it's late, I'm tired and if I don't get this up now, I probably never will.  So, sorry, just a link :)

https://www.photoshop.com/?user=erikafallas&galleryid=52477f13be094a03824b16abf5587797&wf=share&trackingid=BTAGC

I am sad.  Can't say much else right now about what is happening, but times they are a changing at our house.  Everyone's fine, no emergencies, just changes coming fast in my little world.  Whatever happens will have very little effect on anyone but me :) I guess things just happen, not always for a reason, but just because that's life.  We have so much to be thankful for, especially as people are searching for loved ones in Haiti, struggling with diseases, and or just struggling to get through life.  I know I am strong and there is little that I will let ruin my family or me.  But tonight just sucks.  So I drink a couple of glasses of champagne, and post my very late Christmas pics and fun stuff.

December was EVENTFUL.  I guess that's always the case with a toddler around.  Started early in the month with Christmas planning and an oh so lovely dishwasher leak AGAIN!  Had a couple things fixed over the summer, new lower rack basket, you know, pretty much everything we could to avoid buying a new one. Well, this one was the end of the old GE Profile that came standard with our Huntington home circa 2003.  Even consumer reports advised against repairs....so we have a new one.  Which happened to be on sale 20% off (small blessing).  Oh wait, I spent the 20% savings on a new lower basket because we hated the one that came with it.  Back to square one.

Being the handy and crafty bee-yatch that I am (oh yeah, I said it), I also decided that our garbage disposal switch was way to far away from the sink....you shouldn't have to walk to turn it on and stand there waiting for all to be processed before walking back.....so, I installed a sink top disposal switch, yes, all by myself.  While it was a tiny project, it is oh so rewarding.  Is it possible that dishwashing is 100% faster?  Probably not, but it sure feels that way.

Mike's Christmas present this year was a rework of the media systems in our family room.  I had our tv mounted, new blu ray which connects to the internet and downloads direct from blockbuster, netflix, and pandora (aaaaaaahhhhh, halo here please - see previous "geek" entry on my love for pandora), and connecting all blu ray and directv (on demand's free, sweet) to internet.  Installer was great (thanks to Handy Andy for the rec), but I just couldn't leave well enough alone dang it!  I had to make sure our RF remotes were working (look it up if you don't know what I'm referring to, or ask Handy Andy...you know if you know him).  So I spent the better part of a WEEK NIGHT evening (by better, I mean until 1:00am) untangling wires, cleaning out unused cables and digging out our RF transmitters (look that up too) while wedged between the media cabinet and wall.  Those cabinets are crazy heavy, so I could only move them so far on my own.  Ouch my back, and my hammies???  Guess all of that straight leg bending did a number on me (out of shape, but skinny!  Look out!).  Completed that task too.

Did I mention that we have professional grade home theater RF remotes?  Nice purchase babe, but the dude wasn't kidding when he said they would have to come out and reprogram them if we ever changed equipment.  Toot, toot (my horn)!  I found the software, downloaded it, bought special connector for pc, and after a minimum of 12 hours of frustration (who here thinks I'm impatient, suck it - oh wait, I think that!), I managed to program them, including creating little steps within the software so that they can turn everything off and on with one button.  So, we had and used these remotes since a year after we moved in (2004?) but they became obsolete when our old DVD player died, we got a new tv, and a new directv receiver.  However, hubby and I BOTH knew how to use them.....now for some reason, I am the only one.  One day training to be held later this month on how to use them.  BYO lunch, seating limited.  HA!

And then came Christmas....major cold, the most debilitating I've ever had, but I digress and more on the joy of Christmas with kiddos later :)  Loved the snow, the ice, but not being able to get up to make my peanut breakfast?  a little too much for me, thanks again to the hubby for getting up and taking over :)  Have I ever mentioned that when the going gets tough, hubby always steps up to the plate?  <3  Sorry, feeling sentimental.

And so, Christmas ended with a clogged toilet and four rebuilt toilets.  I guess they were just ready for some work.  All at once, all the Tuesday following Christmas.  Cha-ching.

Okay, done complaining.  Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts......sorry, doing a lot of thinking out loud tonight.

Christmas morning was FANTASTIC!!!  (ok, other than me not being able to get up bc I thought I might hurl or pass out).  First of all, my dad drove in to be here with us on Christmas morning, how spectacular.  To see an almost 17 year old get excited about home made bo staffs (from Dad and Uncle D, not the most handy) was pretty cool.  We went simple this year, and the kids were no more excited or upset. Makes you realize that it really is the thought that counts and the attention you pay to them that they value most, even when all they ask for is video games.  Now, since Spence doesn't know what it's like to be spoiled, we spoiled him rotten!  I had to sell his gifts to Mimi so that I could give him a little ride in / push car. It just seemed silly to give him a bunch of stuff he'll never remember and rarely play with all from us, so some were from Mimi and Opa, some from Grandpa and Peg, and some from Grammy and Papaw, but he got everything he (I for him) wanted!  Now, he was spoiled, but really it was the rest of us that had the biggest treat when he saw his car from two rooms away and was running and pushing through everyone to get to it knowing it was for him.  That joy is so undeniable, so simple, and so genuine.  <3 that little booger.  A day spent in your jammies can be like a week of vacation.

Again, toot toot, I forgot to mention I made my first prime rib Christmas eve.  It was so good, no leftovers, and I made another one two days later to go with all of the sides!  Yummy!  I think we'll have to do that again soon in celebration of thankfulness (and gluttony).

So, thanks for listening, whoever sees this.  My fingers are tired, but I am again feeling grateful and less sad for remembering all of the recent events that we have to celebrate.  More than anything in the world, I love my family....all of them.....flaws (mostly mine) and all.

Alrighty enough pity partying again, here's some fun pics from Christmas.  I'll try to add more later this week when I download pics from the New Year.  Xoxoxoxo, E

PS - Dear Santa, I love my new camera, flash and tripod.  I can't think of a better gift or a better way to remember this Christmas.