Happy Halloween!

From the Dynamic Duo!

Hope your's was safe and happy!!

Orange

Linking up today with Cari for Theme Thursday, which is "Orange." 

I'm sharing oldies but goodies of Miss Clare (and myself) right around her 3rd birthday...  

So sweet.  Of course it seems like we took these last week and not 5 years ago! 

Love my mini-me!

On an Island

Once upon a time I saw this idea on pinterest of how I could bling-out our island by adding some inexpensive beadboard.  Fast forward to having a carpenter in the house when we did our floors.  And nicely asking if he could cut the beadboard and trim I bought for $40 and put them up for us...(because he would know what he was doing and it would take him all of 10 minutes to do so). 

The island was only covered in a plain white laminate before...  

(And this is before I switched out the handles.)

    

After about $45 worth of beadboard and pieces of trim, some caulk and paint, here it is now...  

I love how it turned out!

7 Months!!

Somehow Michael is 7 months old today!  He continues to be a very laid back and pleasant boy, although I've seen better sleeping habits from him....

Weight: 22 pounds

Teeth: 4

Favorite Solid Food: Bananas

Naps: Around 9AM and noon/12:30

Size: 6 - 12 months

Mobility: Scoots and rolls to get around, gets on all fours and rocks.

Grabs: Ryan's glasses, my necklaces.

Loves: Jumping in the exersaucer, swinging on the swing set, and will still sit in the bouncer seat, that then almost sits on the floor.

Love this boy!

Halloween Felt Wreath

My MOPS group's big fundraiser is tonight....bunco!  We also do a silent auction during the night to raise funds for the year.  

I got my crafty on and made a Halloween wreath to donate.  I made it the same way I made my red felt one for Christmas.  (See here.)  Then I added some letters I painted black from Michaels and stitched up a "ribbon" to hang it from.  (Which may or may not be made from the old curtains from the loft...)  

Festive for a fall fundraiser!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Hour

A day in the life of...after school edition.

3:15 - Pull into garage.

3:16 - Unbuckle, unbuckle Ellen, carry Michael in the house.

3:17 - Realize Ellen has boarded a bike and is riding to the neighbors.

3:18 - Door to the house remains open to every fly in our city as Clare and Jude walk in.

3:19 - Clare tosses her backpack/lunchbox on the island and heads upstairs to get changed out of her uniform.

3:21 - Jude comes in the house in his socks, which are wet from his lemonade that spilled in the car.  (Thank goodness for good car mats.)  His shoelaces were undone when he walked out of school, so he just took his shoes off in the car.  And left them there.  Along with his backpack, lunchbox, and drink thermos.

Jude asks for pumpkin bread for a snack.

I tell Jude to take his socks off and put them in the washer.

3:22 - 3:24 - Jude entertains Michael with his 2 wet socks for several minutes.

3:24 - Jude asks for pumpkin bread for a snack.  

I unload lunch boxes and disassemble drink thermoses and water bottles.

Remind Jude to put socks in washer.

Ellen strolls in with the flag from the yard being sprayed earlier in the day.

Wash Ellen's hands, throw flag away.

Load drink thermoses in dishwasher, remove straws to be hand-washed.

3:32 - Clare comes downstairs dressed and starts homework.

3:34 - Jude has retrieved backpack from car and shows me his new book from the library "The New Baby" by Mercer Meyer.

3:35 - Mix cereal up for Michael who is getting fussy.  I know he is hungry, but if I feed him cereal now in the high chair I can monitor homework in the kitchen.

3:38 - Jude asks for pumpkin bread for a snack.

Empty Jude's backpack.  He has already started on his "Family Homework" that is due Friday and requires one action a night.  He is drawing a rug as something at home that is the shape of a square.  He asks how to spell rug and writes "R-U-D."  I say it's a "g" not a "d."  He erases and corrects the paper to read "rug."

3:42 - Clare helps feed Michael.  Now she needs me to quiz her on the spelling portion of her phonics.

3:43 - Listen to Clare read and spell her phonics.

3:49 - Ellen is in the junk drawer.  She sees a Santa PEZ dispenser and wants the princess one.  I tell her it's in her room.  She settles on playing with princesses from a game in the coat closet.

3:52 - Continue feeding Michael.  Clare needs timer set for her nightly math facts drill.  Find phone, set stopwatch.    

3:53 - Find word list in Jude's folder that he needs to read for homework.  He reads 10 words!  I'm amazed!  I'm proud!  I glance over at Michael in the high chair and realize someone left his bowl of cereal on his tray and he has dumped! it! all! over!  Stop stopwatch for Clare.

3:57 - Get Michael out of high chair and wash him off.  Remove his pants that didn't survive the cereal dump.

3:59 - Review Clare's math fact sheet - 100% in 1 minute, 32 seconds.  Initial her paper.  Initial her phonics.  Initial her assignment book.  Initial Jude's calendar.  Make sure all papers have made it into correct folders.

4:03 - Nurse Michael.  Quiz Clare on her vocabulary for her Friday test.  Ellen is getting the full pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge.  Ask someone! to help her!

4:08 - Michael is done.  Pour Ellen lemonade in her specifically requested La La Loopsy cup.

Realize Ryan will be home in about an hour and thank the crock pot gods that dinner is 99% done and wonder if it's too early to pour a glass of wine...  

Laundry Room - Final Version

I have posted about my laundry room before (here and then again here).  But in the great flooring project of 2013, the laundry room was included in the love.  And now I love my laundry room even more than before.

I wish I had a picture of what it looked like when we moved in 4 years ago.  The door didn't even open all of the way because the previous owners had installed large shelves along the one wall that were too big to even be useful.  I literally sawed those out one afternoon when an 18 month-old Jude napped. And now our laundry room is very functional for our family and a pretty place where I spend time every day!

Here's the old floor...

And here's the new tile.  

Also loving my new little rug from Tarjay.

Happy Monday!

Five Favorites

It's Wednesday and I'm linking up with Hallie...

1. New healthy babies!  New nephews to be exact!  2!  Born one day apart!  We are loving getting pictures and videos and ichatting with our new cousins!  I'm actually quite impressed that Ellen knows baby Nate is Aunt Katie's baby and baby Wesley (she pronounces it Wes-A-lee) is Aunt Mary Jo's baby.  We can't wait to meet them soon!

2.  Onto something not nearly as amazing...  A big thanks to whoever posted the 20 minute Peppa Pig video on You Tube...and the 50 minute one, and the hour long one.  (We ditched cable in March...and Peppa went with it.)  The 5 minute clips weren't allowing me to be nearly as productive as the 20+ minute gems are!  It's the little things.  Really.

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3.  Fall clothes!  Call me crazy, but I love going through clothes for the kids (and myself) for each approaching season, making a list of who needs what, and then getting me some dealzzz on what everyone needs.  I scored big time shopping online at Old Navy.  Extra 15% off and free shipping?? Yes, please!  Everyone looked very spiffy in their new Sunday best at Mass this weekend!

4.  Pumpkin everything!  Ellen and I made pumpkin bread yesterday afternoon while Michael took a 2 hour nap (there's a favorite inside a favorite!) and an entire loaf was almost devoured after dinner.  Tis the season.  (This recipe is our fav.)

    

5.  This quote from St. Bernard that I recently came upon:

"In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary."

Happy Wednesday!

Phone Photo Dump

I'm cleaning and caulking and dusting and reorganizing our entire first floor....but here's what else is going down...

School is in full swing and my kindergartener leaves his beloved magnetic belt carefully laid out on his dresser every afternoon.  Instilling good habits here.  One magnetic belt at a time!

Someone took the scenic route in phonics...

This is one of our favorite Mad Libs to date.  Enjoy a laugh on us!

(Some spelling errors here with speed typing...)

Enjoying the swing outside - such a big boy!  And big sister helper! 

Two top teeth are f-i-n-a-l-l-y in!  Although those suckers have messed up our former quiet nights big time!  Boo!

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow....

Our new floors will start going in tomorrow!!  

Love the carefreeness of subfloor (bonus: crumbs hide well on subfloor), but ready for some long-awaited for hardwoods!  

And tile!  

And not having my house in disarray!  

And finding tomatoes on my dresser!  

And storing my sewing machine on my bedroom floor!
And using my bedroom as a coat closet!  

And climbing over boxes of hardwood!  

(Although they do make good barricades for a mobile 6 month old...)  

And finding dust drawings everywhere...although I think there are going to be many, many more of those before things are done!  

6 Months Old

Michael officially reached the 6 month mark...I can't believe he's half-way to being 1 year-old!  

celebrating Ellen's birthday

Moves: Rolls, scoots, arches back, kicks, wiggles.

Latest Accomplishment: 3 new teeth!  He cut his bottom 2 and is p-a-i-n-f-u-l-l-y working on his top 2 teeth.  And has already figured out how to grind those itty bitty teeth together.  

Sleeps: Still likes to nap 3 times a day.  

Diet: Wasn't too sure about cereal the few times he has tried it.  

Hangs out: In the exersaucer or any place he has a good view of the action.  (He liked watching football this weekend!)

Favorite Toys: Starting to broaden his horizon and reach for "big kid" toys.  Likes to "play" Transformers with Jude.  Also was found with R2D2 this weekend.

Talks: Babbles a lot!  Says "Da-da."

Disposition: Still very pleasant although his teeth can quickly turn his mood.

Happy Birthday Boo-boo!

*disclaimer - Ellen was nicknamed Boo-boo long before the Honey Boo-boo epidemic.

With her hair straightened ("long and gorgeous") the other day.

Our dear Ellen Anastasia is turning 3 years-old today!  Her self-esteem knows no end...she loves her "curly yellow hair" and wearing "beautiful dresses."  Every morning she likes to stand on the bathroom step stool and watch her hair be brushed and done into a ponytail, a bun, or braids like Rapunzel.  She loves painting her nails, choosing her shoes, and adding in a bag as an accessory.  She likes to play Barbies, but can also entertain herself with a pair of anything...receipts or charging cords are favorites...with one as the "mother" and one as the "girl."  She is a huge Peppa Pig fan, and loves Dora and Minnie Mouse, too.

We love you, Boo-boo!  Happy Birthday!!!  

Five Favorites

Happy Wednesday!  Linking up with Hallie today for five of my favorites right now...

1.  Sherwin Williams cashmere paint.  This paint spreads like butter and covers very well.  And it has a great washable finish to it.  We helped ourselves to a gallon for some painting over the weekend and, bonus, Sherwin Williams was having a Labor Day sale!

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2. Garnier Skin Renew Dark Spot Corrector Kit.  I have my share of dark spots on my face from the sun and acne scars and pregnancy and everything else and have been using the dark spot corrector and peel and am noticing the dark spots fade and a more even skin tone on my face.

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3.  College friends.  One of my housemates from college stopped by with her family over the weekend while they were in our neck of the woods and it was so nice to see them and catch up!  Of course I took zero pictures of our 7 kids playing nicely together.  Thanks for making the trip, Theresa!  

4.  Mad Libs.  My kids have been L-O-V-I-N-G the Mad Libs app and obviously think some of the stories that come out of it are H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!  The "headless bathtub" is topping the list as most comical.  And I'm thinking Jude is one of the few kindergarteners that knows what an adjective is, even though we have to remind him every time!  

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5.  My crock pot.  School is in full swing and it's so nice when dinner is 99% ready at 5 o'clock!  

Apple Cinnamon Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oatmeal

School mornings can get a bit hectic here.  And in doing a lot for everyone else in the morning, I'm usually the last one to eat breakfast.  A friend shared this recipe and I made it earlier this week.  It was nice to have my own breakfast "done" and ready to enjoy.  I started my crock pot at 11 PM and when I woke up with Michael at 4 AM (to the smell of baking cinnamon) I turned it off.  Mostly because my crock pot cooks very fast.  The next time I make this I might do it during the day when I don't have to worry about it overcooking/burning and then just store it in the fridge for the week.

Apple Cinnamon Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oatmeal  (Recipe found here.)

2 apples, peeled and cored, cut into 1/2 pieces

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup uncooked steel cut oats    

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1tablespoon ground flax seed

1/4 teaspoon salt

Coat inside of slow cooker with cooking spray.  Add ingredients and mix together.  Cook on low for 7 hours (this time varies).  Can be stored in fridge, just mix 1 cup of oatmeal with 1/3 cup of milk and heat in microwave.