Fact About Me

I'm not a total wuss. Some things scare me, but I'm not freaked out by everything. I would have to say that this is in my top five fears:

Growing potatoes.

I found one of these bad boys recently and it totally freaks me out. I will literally throw it and run. I don't know if it's the fact that I'm so gross that I've let a potato grow under my cupboards or the fact that they look like some sort of weird vegetable alien. Either way. Horrified.

Oooooh My Gooooodness!

I needed to bake some cookies today. Need. I love eating cookies, but really I just like to bake. So I found this recipe. Yum...... Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. I was worried that it might be a bit too much. Nope. Not too peanut buttery, not too oatmealy, and not too chocolatey. Just right. Original link is here.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.

4. Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

5. Get a giant cold glass of milk and enjoy! (I added that step myself!)

Birthday Boy!

Wow. The big boy is 3. I'm not sure how much I like this.....

Here's what we did this week.

We kicked off the birthday celebrations on his actual birthday with a homemade cake and supper of his choice....anything he wanted...his pick? Butter noodles. Excellent. I can manage that.

.

We continued on Saturday with a trip to the Buffalo Park. This kid loved it. I won't go into details, but it was a blast.

We finished up with a "friend party" on Saturday night. I think I enjoyed it just as much as the children did. It was Yo Gabba Gabba themed. So, we had Gabba Gabba cupcakes and decorations. We had music and DJ Lance games (march in a cirlce, see above.) We even played Pin the Party in Brobee's Tummy (shout out to Juston Hooper for the game! Whoop whoop!)!

Kirk

Things he loves:

Mom

Noodles, rice, and bread

Computer games

Playing with his bff, Alaina

Popsicles

Being read to

Watching movies

Helping mom cook

Playing sports with dad

Joey...sometimes....

Things he doesn't love:

Fruits or vegis of any kind

Monsters

Sleeping alone

Sharing

Being told what to do

Any one playing with "his baby" (Joey)

Things Accomplished In The Past Year:

(time for mom to brag)

Potty Training

Learning to clean up

Counting to 10

Learning shapes and colors

Operating the computer/mouse by himself

Climbing on higher things...eek

Sitting semi-quietly in church

Staying in nursery by himself

Some days I think he is giving me a run for my money and other days I am just thankful to have a snuggle buddy. He is such a joy to have and a love. He is wild, curious, loud, happy, lovely, and a gentlemen. I love my big 3 year old!

Ok, I'm Done

I am finished being thankful.... Not because I've run out of things to be thankful for or because I don't think it is necessary, but because I am a horrible blogger and I keep skipping days.

Oh well.

This whole deal was harder than I thought it would be. I am a negative person by nature, so coming up with good things was kind of hard some days. But, it taught me there is always something good if I look hard enough.

I skipped yesterday....

Opps!

Oh well! Today I am thankful for Netflix. I know. I'm thinking really deep, right?

Thank you, Netflix, for letting me have a Cosby show marathon, for putting up the newest SNL, for getting me addicted to Grey's Anatomy and Glee, and for having all the Wonder Pets and Blue's Clues a 3 year old could want.

You rock!

Nerves....

Sometimes I want to throw up.

Things could be ok or they could be bad and I do NOT like that uncertainty.

I am rooting for the ok things.

I'm thankful for....

my job.

Monetarily, the pay stinks. There are no health benefits and no vacation time. My boss can be frustrating and my customers cranky.

However....

I love this job that I do everyday! I may not get "paid" but I get rewarded every single day.

Today...

I am thankful for homemade bread!

Hot, steamy, dripping with butter, smothered in jam....

Homemade bread!

Yum!

Day 10

Today I am thankful....

that the day is over!!

This has not been an overall pleasant day. I've been in an awful mood (plus getting sick, again, blah). Kirk has been a hellion. Joey has ear infection grumpiness. People are NOT being very nice to me.

Sometimes, at the end of the day you just have to be glad that you get to go to sleep and get a do over in the morning.

Day 9, mighty fine

Today, I am especially thankful for the baby man. He is doing so much better! I took these pictures yesterday. Look at him! He's playing! He's holding toys and doing things with them, using his hands! Today, I took him into the doctor (ear infections) and he has gained a whole 3 pounds in the past month!!! THREE POUNDS!!!!! He's going to be a big fat fatty after all!!

Day #8

I've been trying to do this forever, but blogger has been down...what the heck?

Today I am thankful for my funny big boy.

He does all sorts of things that just crack me up.

"

Funny Kirkisms:

"Look Mommy, I have a mustache like yours!"

"Memmo, your arm pits smell like poop."

"Yum, peanut butter toast! That's my favorite supper!"

"There are boogars in my tummy....they make my bum sick."

We walked past a family at the zoo and a little boy said "Oh, Dang it!" Kirk immediately stopped and looked at the kid and said "Hey! We don't say that!!!"

Kirk was rooting for the Hectics to win a recent game (Celtics)

This kid makes me giggle all the time.

7, that's what time we're leaving

My thankfulness today is inspired by my 3 year old.

We we're on the couch watching basketball together and he said "Mom, I just love my awesome home."

I've never considered our house to be "awesome". It's small and junky(sometime) and I've always thought it to be where we are living until we move. But, thanks to Kirk, I am thankful for our little "awesome" home. It may not be much, but it is where we all come together. Plus, it's where all of our stuff is.

Day numero 6

Today, I am thankful for.........

Lexapro!!

Whoop whoop!!

I have always been a very tender person. It didn't take a lot to worry me or bring me down. In high school, I started having panic attacks. After we got married they became much worse. Irony, huh? ha I went into the doctor and he gave me a wonderful pill called Lexapro. You can't take it while you are pregnant, so, when we found out about little Kirkly, I got off of it and tried to do all I could to better myself on my own. It can be done. And it worked well, for a while. Then, all this stuff with Joey started going on. You never know true worry until you have kids, especially when something is not going as planned. I was anxious all the time, I was depressed, and I couldn't sleep. One day after taking Joey to the doctor I went down to my mother's house and just had a complete breakdown. I was not on a good path mentally and something had to be done. So, Lexapro to the rescue! I hate it when people look down on mental health problems or mental health care. That is silly. I am totally open about it. Not that I go around telling everyone my problems, but it's not that I'm trying to hide it either. If you need them, anti-depressants are fan-flippin-tastic. They have gotten my through when my own mental capacity failed me. The reason I am specifically thankful for them today is that I ran out yesterday and didn't have one to take last night. While they are great, you do NOT want to miss taking a dose. Bad things can happen. So, I got some more today and I am a very happy gal! Horray for crazy pills!!!

Can I go ahead and do my day 5??

Ok, I'm going to! I've been posting the day after for the past couple of days because in trying to get my 3 year old asleep, I end up crashing too....sometimes before he does.

So, now, day 5.

My kids are going to think that the day after Sunday is Cleaningday.

I love Mondays!!

My house goes straight down the toilet during the weekend. I try to take Sunday off as best I can, but by the end of the day, I just have to go sit on the couch and ignore the mess. Monday is officially cleaning day at my house. Not that I don't clean everyday. I do all the small stuff everyday. But Monday, thats when I really get to work: cleaning behind the toilet, scrubbing the tub, windexing and/or cloroxing every surface in my house, tons of laundry, etc..... Kirk is learning to follow suit. He is already kind of anal about things (wow, is that really spelled the same as the other meaning for that word? hmm...) He picks up his toys without being asked, he closes cabinets for me, compulsively straightens things...love him. But Monday, he knows that this is the day that Mommy is going to really put him to work. I'm all about getting my kiddos to do chores.

So, Monday, the day the stress for the weekend gets washed away, literally.

I am thankful for a day to clean!!!!

Uno, Dos, Tres, QUATRO!

Today, I am thankful for....

As I was thinking this over, I had a lot of good ideas for the day. But, not to be too cliche, I am thankful for mothers.

I am very grateful for all the mothers out there that sacrifice and give up things so that their kids can have it better. I know my mom did. I know that I am trying to. My mother and I have a very, um, unconventional relationship. We aren't the type to call each other on the phone to chat or hang out on a Friday night and paint each others toenails. But, that's ok. We get along a little differently, but that is how we work. I am thankful for her and for her selflessness and desire to help any and everybody. I love her very much.

I am also thankful for my mother-in-law. She is the type of person that I can call and just chat with, and I like that. She has taught me so much in the past almost 9 years that I've known her. She loves her kids so much and everybody can see where her devotions are.

This year, I am thankful to be a mom. Holy Cow. I never knew I could love anybody as much as I love these kids. I am thankful to have each of them in my life and the opportunity to raise them and rear them in a loving environment.

I would like to be more mushy about this, but I have a baby trying to take a swim in the potty and a big boy eating pizza on the couch...naked. Ah, motherhood!

Day #3

Today I'm thankful for.....

Pizza Night!!

Every Saturday night, my whole family gets together at my grandparents house to eat. It started out as just pizza, but now we might go crazy and get KFC too. This is not a grand thing. We eat pizza on throw away plates and use paper towels. It's not the food that I love. It's being with my family. Most of the time, I just sit back and listen to everybody talking; mammaw talking about all the distant relatives, pappaw telling a history of his life. It is all quite refreshing. I love pizza night!!

Day #2

Today I am thankful for nice weather.

It seems like there are only a handful of really nice days a year. First it's really cold, then it gets rainy, then REALLY hot and humid, then rainy again, then back to cold. However, after all the bad weather that came though last week, we have had a lot of really great days. Nothing is better to me than chasing Kirk around the yard or sitting back in a chair with Joey watching Kirk swing, slide, or chase the dogs. When the weather is nice, I try to stay outside as much as possible: playing, cooking, and eating. I am thankful that we are able to enjoy this nice weather and air out our lungs!

Thankful Day #1

I've been thinking a lot today about the power of positive thinking. I really believe in it. Not that you can think happy thoughts and no bad stuff will come your way. But, you know "When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost..." Yea. So, I've decided I'm going to use my blog as an outlet for my thanksgiving. I'm going to blog everyday for the month something I'm thankful for. (hopefully I don't lose my zeal and give up after tonight)

So, day 1.

Today I am thankful for my health. I am thankful that I have the stamina and ability to chase my wild kids around. I'm thankful that I don't have to totally rely on meds to keep me alive. I am thankful that my body is working properly (more or less) and I can do those everyday things that I take for granted. I am thankful that my joints move painlessly. I've seen the way bad health has made an impact on people's lives and it truly hurts me for them. I'm thankful that is one thing that I don't have to deal with at this point in my life.

Birthday Party!!!!!

Ok. I'm so excited.

I am not the type of person that likes small birthday stuff. If it were up to me, every person's birthday party should be an all day, multi-million dollar bash. I like to make birthday's a big deal. I enjoy having a family meal with a cake, but I also LOVE big parties. So, the big boy is turning 3....and I'm getting a bit too excited. I swore off friend parties last year, but I'm throwing that out the window. We are going with a Yo Gabba Gabba theme.....I'm about to squeal like a little girl. I can literally hardly contain my excitement. It's not going to be a huge, expensive party. But, it's a party just the same! Yeep!!!

We love Hannah!!

I have to say, I've been somewhat frustrated and disappointed in some people of the medical profession as of late. (I know, I'm treading dangerous ground with a nurse mommy and nurse mommy-in-law.) Sometimes it just seems like they want to get us in and get us out as quickly and as conveniently as possible. I know it isn't ever nurse, aid, doctor, etc's job to get to know us personally and to come and have dinner with us. I get that. It's not appropriate nor is it feasible. However, I cannot begin to describe to you the comfort that comes from having someone take a personal interest in my child and in getting him the help that he needs. Joey's physical therapist, Hannah, does just that. I was a little nervous about having someone come into my house for therapy. We are a messy, wild group. But, we all just love her. She goes out of her way for my baby man. I know that it is her job to help him and get him the help she can't provide. However, it doesn't seem like just a job to her. She is great and she restores my faith in people and those that care for my family. So, thank you, Hannah, for doing all that you do!!

Supper Tonight:

Fried deer, large butter beans, and cornbread.

Nothing like a good 'ole southern meal....
even if nobody eats but me :-)