WTF Wednesday - 11.30.2011

I've been keeping a secret

10 weeks ago I saw this.....

Honestly this is a WTF Wednesday because this was quite a shock. This was a complete accident (yes antibiotics really do mess with birth control) I cried for 3 days after I took this picture. (I'm SO not ready!!!!) 

The good news is that this is our last one. We are done and everyone is getting their tubes tied up! And I think I will be happier that they are closer in age. I am 4 years older than my sister, and 8 years older than the youngest and we have nothing in common at all.

The newest member will be arriving sometime around June 9th. I think this one will come early just like Jakah did, but we shall see.

P.S. We are waiting until we know the sex to announce it on facebook. Please help me out and keep the secret :) Thank You!

This is linked up to The G is Silent who is hosting WTF Wednesday

10 favorite photos

I blog lurk... I enjoy reading other peoples blogs, but rarely comment or link up, I just never know what to say. Or what I really want to say is wildly inappropriate for people I just stumbled upon and don't know. But I saw one today that I really enjoyed and so have decided to join in.

All I have to do is show off my 10 favorite pictures... can't be that hard right!? (bahahahaha)

My newest favorite picture

Our first family vacation - San Diego 2011

I just love this picture

1st Birthday

Newborn - 2 weeks old

6 months

1 year (I love that I got the same pose all 3 times)

1 day old

Belly Picture

I was huge and felt huge and this picture makes me laugh





This is linked up for Monday Listicles at Zook Book Nook

Vacation Week

Casey has had this week off. He always takes the first 3 days of Thanksgiving week off as vacation days, that way its a full week paid off after the holiday days. We have had a busy week.

Neice's 4th birthday on Saturday, Thanksgiving on Sunday, a root canal appointment (for me of course, had to schedule it when I had someone to watch Jakah) another Thanksgiving, a visit to Santa, Saw some trains, hung out in the closest fort (where no girls including mom are allowed!) and sledding!

I thought I would share a few pictures of our past week of vacation or should I say, Stay-cation.

I LOVE this picture!

Cousins

Closet Fort!

I was pushed out right after this picture




Classic Santa Picture



Pure Joy!





Snowball Fight



 Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving week!

WTF Wednesday - 11.23.2011

Saturday Morning we were watching cartoons with Jakah and just lounging around. A commercial came on that we seriously thought was a joke. Its not



Oh yes, its a game about a dog pooping. My poor husband is so disturbed by it he won't even let me buy it as a white elephant gift. Because that is contributing to the problem... But it is an awesome white elephant gift right?!

But really... if kids are that excited about dog poop they can come over and clean it out of my backyard. I won't even charge them money to do it!

This is linked up to WTF Wednesday at The G Is Silent

Brain turned to mush

Wow... So I just re-read my last post of WTF Wednesday and have come to the conclusion I should never write ANYTHING after sitting in a 20 hour / 2 day tax seminar. I guess it turned my brain to mush.

So I'm sorry if my WTF Wednesday post was silly and hard to understand. I blame it on listening to new laws and numbers for two days straight.

I really don't have much to tell anyone so here are a few new pictures of what we have been doing.

A bouncy house place opened up in the town next to us last month and we have gone atleast once a week. Its so much fun! And only $3 for a 1-2 year old. Oh and did I mention that parents get to go in the bouncy house toys for free. My husband and son have been so happy! and its awesome to go there on all the yucky days we have here.

Saying "Cheese"

Look at how we have our pacifer... with the bottom lip hanging out of it!

WTF Wednesday - 11.13.2011

My husband gave my son a bath last night. He did it all. Today, while going to the bathroom I glanced over to the tub and looked at all the toys. And then noticed something that looked odd. Like a piece of poop.

Because yes people it was a piece of poop. Jakah had pooped in the tub. And apparently my husband didn't notice it. (he says there were too many bubbles) And no one noticed it until the next day!

THE NEXT DAY!!!!

So I have officially cometed and cloroxed the tub and all the toys.

WTF husband..... WTF

This is linked up to The G is Silent who is hosting WTF wednesday

Dad on Duty

I have to go to a two day tax class this week on Monday and Tuesday. Casey had some extra days off so he took them off to watch Jakah.

And then Casey works for 3 days, and follows that up with 9 day off......

That equals a lot of dad time. Which is much needed since Jakah loves his dad and wants to be with him more than he does with me. I should have my feelings hurt about that but why, he spends 24 hours a day with me. The only break we have from each other is nap time and sleeping threw the night.

Its exhausting. And I am truly thankful Casey has so much time to take off and hang out. I get a mini break. (although sitting threw two days of new tax rules isn't what I was hoping for some time away from my kid)

We are officially on day 1 of Casey being off and he has already decided he is going to discipline Jakah better than I do. Oh and change his attitude and behaviour since apparently I can't seem to do it. (so my husband says, Really I call it choosing my battles)

And frankly that makes me mad. I try really hard. I don't have a much patience as Casey has and honestly Jakah's personality is just like mine and we clash. We clash a lot. But I also don't see a point in time outs for every little thing. He's not even 2 years old. and yes he whines a lot. And yes it gets on my nerves. But show me a mom who's kids whining doesn't get on their nerves.

But more power to Casey if he thinks he can change all that in 2 days.

Let him deal with the tantrums, whining, screaming and whatever else. I can't seem to break them so maybe someone else can.

Handprint Tree Skirt

I know, I know... Ugh Christmas is coming! And really the last thing I want to think about before Thanksgiving is Christmas...

But if you are anything like me, and actually want to make something for Christmas, you need time to get it all together.

Last year I made a tree skirt. I had read somewhere (a magazine perhaps) about starting and doing family traditions. One of the things that stuck out was a hand print tree skirt. Every year the lady would trace her kids hand prints onto the tree skirt with the year. I LOVED the idea! But couldn't find any tree skirts I really liked or that could be drawn on. So I made my own.

With the help of my mother and father in law. Ha ha! We used her old tree skirt to make our pattern. My father-in-law made a nifty giant compass this to trace it out so it would be perfect. (he's so handy when it comes to sewing... just like Casey)

I cut out a 43" circle out of 2 different fabrics. Laying the circles on top of each other I then traced out a 10" circle (using a dinner plate) directly in the middle of them. I pinned them together with the patterns facing each other and sewed together all but a 5" section on the inner circle. Then turn the whole thing right side out by shoving it thru the tiny hole. Sew the 5" section together and TADA! You are done!



I love it. It is reversible, the other side is sparkly white. I made one for my sister-in-law and BFF also. Hopefully they are smarter and better than me and actually traced their kids hands on it. I forgot and then only seem to remember when I am home alone and need help to do it. BUT it will definitely be getting done this year.

Its such a great memento and tradition to do with your kids.

This is linked up with Frugal Girls 

Behind the Blog

Do you ever find a blog and get to reading and really wonder who is on the other side?

I have created a page that tells everyone a little bit about us.

The Crew

I hope everyone goes and reads it

Happy Tuesday!

P.S. Tax class is super boring and eating up 95% of my time during naps when I might normally be here making posts or reading others blogs....... LAME

Boys and their toys

I have been knee deep in tax classes learning all the new rules for next year, along with gearing up to take my test with the IRS in order to be a preparer.

Thrilling and exciting I know. I can hardly contain myself, or keep my eyes open Ha Ha!

But this weekend I took Casey out and let him buy his truck. He has been wanting a "big boy" truck for.... forever. And since we sold the Neon a couple months ago we have been a 1 car family. Its been fine and dandy but Casey has some classes at work he is going to have to drive to and he can't drive the work truck. And he realized that during tax season when I am working on the weekends, he doesn't want to be stuck at home with no car.
(really it was all a matter of time before he was going to figure out what I kinda already knew)

So he finally found a truck that he wanted and it was a price I couldn't argue with.

He bought...... (drum roll please)

A 2003 Dodge Ram 2500

(everyone together now...OH AWE)

Honestly I really don't care what he buys since I already have my super sweet mom car that I love. But both the boys are happy. Jakah keeps running to the front window and looking out saying "wow a truck" Its adorable and he loves riding in it! It will also be nice to be able to load up our dirt bikes and go riding. And that makes me happy!

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

I swear the only time I eat pumpkin anything is in the Fall. Feels just wrong to eat it at any other time right?

I found this recipe in the Real Simple magazine a couple years ago.

This is my FAVORITEST cookbook in the whole world. And I keep all the recipes I print or cut out in it. I should come up with a better filing system. In case you don't know what the cookbook is, its the Betty Crocker 40th Anniversary Edition. Someone gave it to me as a gift atleast 10 years ago and its my go to cookbook!

Anyways onto the cookies!

Pumpkin Pie Cookies found in the Real Simple Magazine

Ingredients:

Cookies:

3 tbsp butter at room temp

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Cream ingredients:

2/3 cup cream cheese at room temp

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Heat oven to 375

Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and egg. Beat until combined.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar and butter. Beat on a medium-low speed until fully incorporated.

Spoon heaping tablespoons, 2 inches apart onto a greased or lined baking sheet.

Bake until puffed up and cooked thru. About 10 mins. Let cool for 5 mins.

For frosting:

Beat the cream cheese, heavy cream and confectioners' sugar until smooth and spreadable.

I actually prefer mine plain or with a dab of whipped cream. Taste just like pumpkin pie! I think I ate 10 of them and realized I better make another batch for our halloween party!

This is linked up with The Frugal Girls

WTF Wednesday - Halloween

We have a halloween party at our house every year. Its not really a party, we all get together, eat and go trick or treating together. It started 4 years ago when my sister in law and Casey's aunt didn't want to take their kids trick or treating in Seattle. So everyone came out to our neighborhood.

This year we had 12 kids and a million adults trick or treating. We had a good time, but it will probably be the last year since all the kids are getting older and have school the next morning.



This is what Jakah wanted to wear trick or treating



Instead Casey picked out a Carl Edwards firesuit for him. He looked super cute. BUT a little like John C. Reilly's character from Talladega Nights.... WTF Maybe its time to cut his curly mullet!

Here are Jakah and his cousins in 2011

And last year in 2010! They have changed so much!

We tried to get a picture of all 12 kids together. But HA HA HA getting 12 kids 5 and under to sit and take a picture together is just crazy talk!

Jakah brought home some excellent candy for Casey and I to eat!

Until next year!

This is linked up to The G is Silent who has been kind enough to host WTF again!