Clean floors and a full belly

Today I was on the hunt for some clothes and a steam mop.  Heck of a combination huh?  I need some new shirts to go with my jeans and I have a hot date tonight with my family at Paula Deans restaurant.  I got so lucky and found some amazingly comfortable vintage scoop neck Ts at Old Navy and a steam mop at Target (reg price 90 got it for 47 clearance!).  I was super excited to get home and crack that baby open.  I did as soon as I got home only to find that I got a steam mop that someone used to con Target out of new merchandise.  It wasn't even the same mop.  It was used scuffed up and had grass and mulch on the pad.  I called Target to let them know about my purchase and they were so sweet.  I know that they are unable to hold clearance merchandise but there was only one other steam mop left.  They  held it for me until I could get there tonight.  I was so impressed with their customer service.  When I took it back to the store Anthony leaned over the counter and informed the lady that someone mowed the yard with it.  LOL!  She got a kick out of it.  I grabbed my stuff and met mom in the parking lot to head over to Horseshoe.  We all ate till we bust!  All you can eat seafood awesomeness!  How many crab legs did we consume I will never share!  ;)  All I know is that even if my mom didn't get the entire meal minus 4 dollars comped we would have gotten our moneys worth.  My sister was able to join us to along with Tyler, Kirstie, and Ariel.  So nice to have them there with us to keep the party rolling!  When I got home I opened up my new steam mop and cleaned my kitchen floor in about 4 minutes.  LOVE THOSE THINGS!

The glass as 35..

Alright I am just going to cut to the chase and say that I was NOT looking forward to this birthday AT ALL!  Not a fan or birthdays that end it the number 5.  There is something about that halfway mark that gets to my emotions and causes me to reflect on what is what was and what could and should've been. I have so many things to be thankful for. Such as my husband staying home and getting some stuff done around the house and even remembering to get a card before he gets home from work that makes my heart burst.  Kids that look up at me and sparkle with their happy birthdays makes my heart break in two.  It reminds me that they are now 8 and 4 and that there will come a time when Mommy won't be able to be here for them and that there will be a time (only a few blinks away as we are reminded) when they will have their own family and won't fit in my lap anymore for a hug.  I have nothing to worry about I know where I am going when it comes my time but this birthday is just causing me to reflect on my mortality.  Not trying to be a Debbie Downer just being honest.  With that being said I made the best of the day with minimal tears early in the morning as well snuggled in bed and moved on after dusting myself off.

My buddy Leslie offered to give me a facial and haircut and I jumped all over it!  YES PLEASE! It has been about a year since my last haircut and I was in desperate need.  The facial was awesome and it was so good to see her.  I was then on the hunt for some awesome boots.  I love the boot styles out there now. I am not sure how to wear them.  I mean I know "on your feet" but what to put them with as my wardrobe is mostly sweat pants and t-shirts.  Oh well I will keep searching.  I did however find some jeans.  TWO pair to be exact!  Super excited about that and even got a size smaller than last time.  SUPER excited about that!  It was a nice relaxing laid back day and tomorrow my mom, sister, niece, nephew, and his girlfriend are going to Horseshoe for the seafood buffet.  I believe Tyler, my nephew, and I are going to have a crab leg eating contest. 

I will chose to take my half full glass and fill it up to the brim this year.  :)

So nice

Monday the grill was fired up an my marinated pork chops began to sizzle.  The aroma filled the air along with the sounds of a semi pulling up in my driveway.  The kids were beside themselves screaming "DADDY!".  I don't think I will ever tire of my husband having the ability to just pull up in the driveway and be home.  With the beautiful weather we ate outside and had a family date night on the deck.

James was suppose to leave on Tuesday early with a load to Alberta, Canada but was able to switch the load around so that he can deliver it later and will be home for a few days leaving early on Thursday.  I'm bummed that he won't be here on my actual birthday but having him home for a few days to be with our household without an other households schedules to worry about has been bliss. 

James took me and the kids to brunch on Tuesday to Waffle House.  James and I have a lot of history at Waffle House.  Most nights after our shift at the Lighthouse we would head there for some late night grub and snuggle in the booth.  This time was different and I liked it.  Anthony and Addison had their first trip to Waffle House and we sat right up at the counter.  The kids got such a kick out of it and they felt so grown.  Watching your food being cooked is so much cooler when it isn't mom doing it. :)  Chocolate chip waffles with the choice of sausage for Addison and bacon for Anthony.  But low and behold half way through our chowing down we turned to find Anthony with his fork in Addison's sausage, mouth open going in for the kill. "THAT'S MY SAUSAGE!"  I gave him the drop the patty look and then he started eye balling my waffle.  Don't even think about it kid!

After Waffle House we headed home and got productive.  I have my muscles home to do some stuff around the house.  James hung my curtain rods in the living room and I got to hang my 24.99 marked down to 6.48 curtain panels.  I will have to post some pics.  They looks so nice.  They give the room some warmth and block out some sun too.  Will be posting pics soon.  Today we will tackle the garage.  If you don't hear from me in a couple of days send a search party. 

Taste of Home

I am so excited about my clearance find at Target.  I found some curtains for Addison's room.  She is now in what was Victoria's room and taking Victoria's bedding I purchased for that particular room.  It is this that I had found at Target for a very reasonable price.  Today I found curtains regularly priced $22.99 (A PANEL) for $5.74 a panel!!!!  I am so stoked!  I only found two panels and she has two curtains in her room.  I believe I am going to brave a trip to Louisville tomorrow to see if the 5 panels that are showing on the computer at the Bashford Manor store are still there.  Fingers crossed.  I can't pass up that price.  Plus they are SO PERFECT for her room!  If you have a kid and are wanting to change the bedroom decor I highly suggest heading to Target BUT do NOT go and buy these curtains from Bashford Manor Mall without my permission :).

Had such a good time tonight up at Salem High School with my sister and mom at the Taste of Home cooking class.  I learned some super helpful hints that I didn't know. Such as how to fix beans for dinner and not have to quarantine the house afterwards.  How to keep a pizza crust flat when making homemade crust.  The lady cooking was so funny and the crowd was great.  They had over 80 door prizes to give away and I didn't win any of them but my sister did so we left happy.  A late night for my little ones but man did we have a good time.  Now I am back home staring at my curtains I got for dirt cheap and the lamp that I got for Anthony regularly priced $30 but marked down to $7.48.   Love me some Target clearance!

Ketchup soup

Picky eaters, what do you do with them?  Trick them, lie, cheat, steal, do whatever you can do not throw food away.  Tonight I was craving some tomato soup and grilled cheese.  I knew that this would NOT work for Miss fussy pants Addison Marie so a light bulb went on over my head and an invention was born.  Ketchup soup!  My little Addison freaks out over tomatoes.  I was the same way when I was a kid so I don't blame her but in adulthood I got over my fear and now I am a fan.  I still don't get the whole chomp into a tomato thing but will take them on my sandwich without a fuss.  Anthony grabbed the can and said "Look sissy tomato soup!"  The flames started to rise in her eyes and her head began to spin while walking down aisle 9 in Walmart.  I quickly tried to diffuse her by saying "Honey that is just a picture of tomatoes.  THIS is ketchup soup!"  Those eyebrows raised, "ketchup souuuup?"  She had taken the bait and I reeled her in when she asked for another bowl at dinner tonight. 

Bless this food

Dinner tonight was turkey pot pies.  I thought the kids would get a kick out of it as they would get their own pie.  I was sadly mistaken.  Anthony was very excited when I told him that he would get a whole pie to himself.  My son likes to eat in case you didn't know :).  I then told him that it was a mini pie and he looked puzzled and a bit disappointed.  "Is it thick?" He asked hoping his vision of a whole pie (full size) had gone down the drain.  I plopped the pot pies on the plate upside down and chopped them up so that they would be able to cool and added a bit of salt and pepper.  He came into the kitchen sat down and looked at his plate.  I could see it in his eyes.  Kind of a what the heck is this thing?  I thought I was getting a pie!  This looks like it has already been eaten and I haven't even started.  He took a bite but the disappointment of not seeing the "pie" was a bit too much for him.  I tried and tried to get him to eat but he wasn't budging.  Birthday cake for dessert wasn't even working.  I ended up having him throw it away (Addison didn't eat hers either)

Tonight Anthony's prayers went a lil something like this:

Dear God, Thank you for our prayers and stuff.  Thank you for my mom and for taking care of us and stuff.  I am sorry that I always want juice and didn't get to have cake with Mom and Tori I just didn't like that dinner.  Amen!

Happy 8th Victoria

The festivities started on Friday when Victoria came home with a prize from the treasure box.  You relieve these when you don't get your name moved on the behavior chart all week long.  So proud!  I took her up to Salem to the festival on the square.  It was the kick off of the Old Settlers days there.  Victoria came home ran downstairs to put her backpack up and Addison ran to the top of the stairs and yelled "COME ON VICTORIA WE ARE GOING TO THE VEGETABLE!!!"  I heard Victoria downstairs "The what?!?!?!"  Addison yelled down again "THE VEGETABLE!"  Upon correcting her she just gave a shrug and an "oooooooohhhhh"  then her cute little giggle.

When we got there my mom had made her famous zoo cake and decorated a Birthday chair for her at the table.  She opened her card to find some Birthday cash.  Always a hit!

 Addison decided to stay at the house with Grandpa and Anthony Victoria and I headed up with Grandma to the "vegetable"  I had to take this pic for her.  There was indeed vegetables!

 There was Victoria's favorite POT ROAST!  Anyone that has followed my blog any amount of time knows about her love for the stuff! Speaking of food on the way home from the "vegetable" we stopped at McDonalds for something to drink.  I asked my mom about the beautiful trees lining the drive thru.  "Mom what are those?  They are so pretty!"  She responded "Those are Hibiscus." from the back seat Anthony pipes up "Mmm I want a biscuit!"

  One thing that she wanted was to take her training wheels off her bike.  She gave it a good go but will still need some practice.  The kids across the street have given her a push in this department as she never mentioned wanting them off before. 

 We also learned this night that silly string scares the snot out of Anthony.  In a split second it went from fun to having to put it out of sight.  Seriously scared him to death.

 When she went to bed on Saturday night I grabbed my decorating stuff and went to town on the stairwell.  Tape doesn't stick to well to textured walls I discovered.  Pretty much all of it was at the bottom of the stairs when she woke up but she understood what we were going for.  :)

 With the money from Grandma and Grandpa and the money from mom and dad she decided to get a razor kick scooter for herself.  You should have seen her at the register with her money.  So grown!

When we headed home from our trip to buy her scooter and our outing to see Smurf (which turned out to be pretty good) I grabbed some Little Ceasers.  I mentioned her cake waiting at home and Addison said "We didn't get a cake for OUR birthday!"  I hadn't realized that they switched their mind and decided to go boating on the day I had the cook out planned.  The didn't get a cake but I had already purchased candles for them before we decided to go to the river.  We decided for a community Birthday cake.  Everyone is 484 years old today!  Mom is still 29  ;)!

Such concern

Tonight at dinner the kids are talking a hundred miles an hour. I am eating a piece of watermelon and get choked while listening to Victoria's explaination of how watermelon is made.  It goes a little something like this...

Victoria - Mom I know how watermelon is made!  First you put some water, you know because it is WATERmelon and you put some food coloring in it and then put it in a blender and mix it up.  (Begin choking and can't catch my breath) Is that right mom?  Mom? Is that right? (still choking and unable to breathe) Mom!  Isn't that right you put the food coloring in and put in in the blender?  Mom is that right? Is it? Is it? Mom!

Addison looks at me and says - MOM WHY IS YOUR FACE RED?

Anthony without even looking up from his plate of watermelon says "She probably has a fever." In the most unconcerned voice he could muster.  As long as it didn't affect his watermelon consumption it didn't matter to him.

Our new rooms.

Would you believe I forgot to take the before and after pics?!  I'm upset with myself.  The rooms are nowhere near done but they slept in their "own rooms" last night for the first time EVER!  The closet in Addison's room is perfect for a reading nook under her clothes.  She was playing in her room and we hadn't seen her in quite a while.  I thought she had fallen asleep.  I walked in her room to find her reading to her baby doll atop her fuzzy pink pillow.  It was so precious. 

On a different note Anthony was sitting next to me at the dinner table and with a mouth full of meatloaf turned to me and said "Every day I'm shuffling".  I almost spit my meatloaf out.  He definitely has my DNA!

A room of my own

Well the project begins today!  Victoria is moving downstairs and the twins are splitting for the first time ever.  I wonder how it will go.  Will they miss each other?  How will drawing the line on "This is MY dance space.  This is YOUR dance space." go?  I still continue to not be a fan of someone sleeping in the basement but don't really have any other options right now.  We asked Victoria about having a bedroom in the basement and she was all for it.  She will be the owner of the biggest bedroom in the house.  That will make her feel like royalty.  Especially after her super small room in our old house.  Painting will come eventually but right now my mom is coming over to help move the stuff around and make room to move Victoria downstairs and then we will get the twins situated.  Before and after pics to follow...

Figure 8 races + school buses = AWESOME!

I love me some school bus figure 8 races!  I have been once before with a friend and remember it being a good time.  Taking my kids there was awesome.   Crissy and Derek were the ones to tip us off that they were happening tonight and they asked us to join them.  All of the kids were greeted with a yellow drawstring backpack saying Sportsdrom Figure 8 donated by some screen printing company and they wore them proudly.  They carried their snacks I smuggled in inside.  That is until Addison dropped her water bottle through the bleachers.  Then Anthony dropped his water bottle cap through the bleachers.  Then Victoria dropped her whole bag through the bleachers. :)  Anthony sat next to me and his eyes scanned the track.  The moment he understood that we would be watching racing was priceless!  His little face lit up fists went into the air and a big "YES!" came out.  The cars came out, Anthony's face got a little brighter. They circled the track under the yellow flag and when the green flag hit and the engines reved up Anthony's eyebrows went down and his hands smacked down on those tiny kneecaps and it was GAME ON for him.  Such a fun night!

This and that

Wow the kids had quite a celebration for their birthday.  I am sitting here going through the blogs that I follow and thought "Oh wait!  I should probably post something to let people know I am still alive."  So here I am.  The festivities continued with another boat trip on the Ohio where Anthony clung to my neck for dear life swimming (Yes I know I NEVER thought I would swim in the Ohio but it was worth the germs to have the memories).  He was hanging on tight in the quarry when I told him to put his feet down.  "NO NO NO"  He wasn't aware that we were on the sand barge and he could touch.  He screamed while putting his feet down and all of a sudden stopped and said "I got my feet down!"  So cute! 

We headed to the riverfront last Sunday to see the Louisville Crashers on the river stage.  Was so stinkin hot but we had a great time.  Anthony got to hear Mark sing "Thoul Thister"  You know that song by Train?  He was in hog heaven!  There was probably about 3,000 people there, it was packed!  We found a place to sit on the lawn so that we could watch the kids dance.  Going to make it to more of their shows so that I can get a dancing spot.  ;)

We are making some plans on the house.  I am not a big fan of basement bedrooms if it isn't a walk out but we are in desperate need of more bedrooms.  The twins are getting older and need their own space badly so we have made the decision to move Victoria's room down to what is now the playroom.  We asked her about it to feel out her thoughts on it.  She was super siked!  After all it is the biggest room in the house as far as bedrooms are concerned and she will have plenty of space to grow in it.  It already has a closet in there as it was James' bedroom when he lived in the house before.  We are then moving Anthony into Victoria's room as it has the blue carpet and Addison will remain in the room they are in now.  I am thinking that what won't fit in their rooms as far as toys will remain downstairs for the kids to play with.  After looking down in the playroom tonight at the mess of toys I believe there won't be much left after all the cars go into Anthony's room and dolls in the girls etc.  Sorry I am beginning to ramble on about stuff as I am sorting it out in my head.  I will post pics of progress.  This mean decorating which I LOVE and I can plan a room for Anthony and Addison.  Trying to think of how to decorate their room with both of them in it is a bit of a challenge.  Trucks doesn't really go well with princesses.

Turning 4

 Our week started out with hanging out at the museum.  We had so much fun and learned that going there during the week early morning was the way to get the whole place to ourselves.  It was awesome.  We got to play in the water and enjoy the play room all by ourselves.  No worries of losing my kids in the crowd.

 On our birthday morning we woke up and found presents on the fireplace just waiting for us.  Mom misjudged how big 40 sq foot of wrapping paper is and had to wrap my gift in tissue paper.  It didn't matter to me I got my pillow pet that I wanted along with a Transformer.  Addison enjoyed her pillow pet unicorn and Birthday Barbie doll too.

Mom took us to Michael's to get something to paint.  That was what Bubby wanted to do.  We picked out some wooden dinosaurs and a picture frame to paint. 

 Sissy wanted to go and pick a treat from a tree so Mommy surprised her and we went to Hubers orchard to pick apples and peaches.  It was so much fun! Grandma had fun too!

 It took more concentration than I thought to pick the treats.  Mom kept getting picky and telling us to not throw the apples full force into the bag as if dunking a basketball. :)

 We ran down the rows of apple trees and broke mommy's heart into a million pieces with special photo opportunities.  I see this pic in photo montages to come. 

 Anthony got yet another wish come true with a picnic.  I got to get chips on my sandwich just like I always wanted.  It was so awesome. 

 Grandma let me borrow her hat she got at Michael's and it was great while hanging over the railing to look at the Koi in the lake.

 Showing mom my up to no good smile.  She sees it quite a lot but good to document. 

Addison checking out the flowers in the garden by the restaurant.

 Anthony was getting a bit tired of Mommy's persistent picture taking.  This is another look I get quite a bit from him.

The perfect shirt for today.

 Such a nice relaxing birthday celebration for me and for them.  I have to say that this has been one of my favorites.  I hate that they are growing up so fast but watching them grow is such a blessing.  I enjoy them so much even on the days that I want to pull my hair out I would do anything for them.  Mommy loves you!