Manic Monday

This is gonna be a blazing quick post.

I have a man coming to the house to install our new custom closet.
Which means that everything that once belonged in our closet, is now on my bed (and my floors, and my dresser and........).  Jeeshhhh!
I also have my children + two extras - my hubby = stressssssssed out!

#1.
I wanted to share my new verse for the Siesta scripture memory team.  I am supposed to get a new one every 1st and 15th of the month.

"I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me.  He freed me from all my fears."
Psalm 34:4

#2.
I watched more basketball games this week than I care to admit.  Sadly, my teams didn't win one.  So, I'm a little bummed about that.

                     

#3.
I am pumped up about getting the heck out of dodge this weekend.  Three nights of girl time!!!  Believe me, this is highly needed!!  Momma comes back nicer and more patient after little get-aways.

#4.
I have been on an organizing frenzy!  Nearly every closet in this house has been de-cluttered.

#5.

I made a delish recipe last night that I seriously need to share with you.
I made it up therefore, I get to name it.
I shall call it........... (drumroll please)

Crunchy Lemon Chicken

Brace Face No More

Has it seriously been two years since Ryan had his braces put on?  Really?  Two years!  

Holy Moley, where in the world does the time go?

 If I didn't have it in writing, I never would have believed that he got them on February 12th, 2009.  The original post is here.  

 Naturally, if I recorded the beginning of the braces........ by all means, I MUST record the ending.

 So, we had a little party in the small dentist patient room.  

Ryan attended, of course, Gracie and her BFF, Magy Thomas (They were out of school with their second snow day.), and myself (and my handy dandy camera).

She removed the braces, polished the teeth, sanded the teeth (to get the leftover residue from the brace concrete off), then made molds for his temporary and permanent retainers.

.....and voila!!!!!!!  A beautiful, beautiful straight set of canines!!

  

Feb. 12th 2009        and     Jan. 12th 2011

  

We got whitening gel to place in the temporary retainers for two weeks.  This will make his mouth sparkle. 

Then, our super-de-duper dentist will repair a couple chips.  An early childhood skateboarding accident caused the chips (ahem).  Of course, this wasn't your typical skateboarding accident!  This is Ryan we are talking about!  He was riding the skateboard down a small concrete hill ON HIS BELLY!  Then he hit a rock (or a divet, we aren't quite sure)  Are you getting the idea?  He was riding sorta surfboard style.  Like, before you stand up on a surfboard!  Not that I am talented enough to ride a surfboard on my belly or standing up!  Where in the world am I going with this!!!!!!

Long story short!  

His mouth has caused us upset since he cut his first baby tooth.  

THE END!

Snow Angels

It has snowed and snowed and snowed.

I've said it before, and I will say it again....... I only want snow on Christmas.  After that, I'm over it.  SO OVER IT!  

We have between 5 and 6 inches of "the wet stuff" lying on the ground. (plus -4 degree temps)

Therefore,  I made oodles of chocolate chip cookies yesterday! 

 And the kids made snow angels.  Lots & lots of snow angels are floating on the ground in my backyard.   

 We have a mini hill that the monkeys slide down occasionally.  

Ian is nearing the base of it.  Perfect form, wouldn't you say?

I'm in closet cleaning mode.  We ordered custom closets Monday and are expecting a Friday delivery.  We have a handy-man on the books (and it isn't Ricky-Poo).  So hopefully, by this time next week, I will live in the land of organization.  Ahhhh, I have dreamed of that my whole life.  

I love things to be in their places.  

I love knowing where things are. 

 I love woven baskets with tags on the front.  

I love bags that shrivel when you suck the air out of them with a vacuum.

In the process of weeding out what I don't want (to make room for what I do), I found 15 bottles of bubbles.  People!!!!!  Why do I have 15 bottles of bubbles.  Was it a room mother project gone bad?  Was it a craft project I never finished?  I seriously need to inventory my cabinets.  Seriously!!!!!

Lazy days!!!

 I played nurse to a sick baby all weekend.  Then sanitized everything.

 I've been mothering this wee mustard plant for three weeks.  Gracie brought it home from school before Christmas break.  I cannot say that I'm a master grower, nevertheless, it's not brown and wilted.  So I say, job accomplished.  Now I can toss it?

Rick cleaned his muzzle loaders Saturday morning while I put supper in the crock-pot.

Two matriarchs from church commented on how much the boys had grown recently.  Even with two inch heels on, they tower over me.  So, we decided to break the ole' measuring tape out.  

Ian stands stiff as a board and measures 6 foot tall.  12 years old and 6 foot!!!!

Ryan puffs out his chest and holds his breath for every centimeter he can get.  6 foot 2 is what the tape says.  Ryan argues that he has to be taller than that.  Six one way, half dozen another, he's a tall 14 year old boy.

I've been feeding the birds.  Surprisingly, I'm loving it.  These little creatures are fierce!  They claw, dive, and bite each other to get every last kernel of seed.  

 Congo, sits dreamily watching them.  I know that he is wishing he could unleash his pouncing skills on my feathered friends.

It's a Hard Day

Happy Birthday Mikey!!

(one of the greatest men I've had the pleasure of knowing)

Pam, Mike and I went to a weekend scrapbooking retreat.  This was Mike's first page.  It had all his grandbabies on it.  His title says, "I love my kids oxoxoxoxox".

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

Matthew 5:4

I founds photos of some of his favorite things and thought I would share them with you.  

 

  Hunting and fishing.  Actually, anything where he could be outdoors.  (note: Ryan in the right picture "pretending" to hunt.)

 

 The Lord and playing "Risk"

 

 Jack Bauer and being on the water

 

River trips and old movies

 

and of course, his family.

I wish I had told him more, how much I love him.

Holiday recap

This morning was our "official" end of holiday break as the monkeys went back to school.  We did get an extra 45 minutes of sleep because Mandy  some moron forgot to set the alarm the night before.  It's always a frenzied and chaotic event when I do this.  Even Ryan jumped out of bed a little faster this morning.  In todays case, it meant I had to hand deliver the kiddos to their respected schools, instead of bus #13 doing it.   That really is a high price to pay for not pushing a button the night before.  It did not help that I developed a GUSHING nose bleed at a 4-way stop in town (with no kleen-xes in sight and gagging kids who were more worried about not vomiting, than helping me).  Thank goodness for a Burger King napkin that I waded up and stuck in my nose.  I glanced in the rear view mirror and took in quite a sight.
1. Firstly, no make-up
2. Blood smeared clear across my chin and cheek
3. Then a white napkin sticking out of my nose

Little embarrasing!

Anywhoo, I thought you might like a recap of Christmas 2010.  The intakes....... the out-takes...... the what in the world takes!!!!!

 Our first snow of the winter.  Gus is pretty much anti-snow.  He potties, then runs as fast as he can to get to the porch.

 The boys each got a Nerf gun for Christmas.  Yeah!!!!  (note sarcasm)  Nerf bullets are my foe!!!

 Rick once again lead us in 7 nights of devotion ("What God Wants for Christmas").  Then on Christmas Eve, he read "The Night Before Christmas" just as he has for 14 years straight.

 I bought two gingerbread house kits for the kiddos to assemble.  Ian tackled the main construction on one house, while Ryan and Gracie built the other.  Notice the depth of concentration on Ian's face, then the complete boredom on Gracie's.

 I'm already noticing a slight tilt to Ian's house. 

 

Then Ian discovers the icing is sweet and yummy and delish.

 Angus, who is highly aware of someone enjoying food, decides to assume the position, which means:

1. sad face

2. unwavering gaze at the person enjoying the food

3. then a quiet grrrrrrrr)

Ian then gives up on any hope of an architectural masterpiece and implements plan #2.....

MAKE A GIGANTIC MESS!!!!!

 I'm not sure if he is proud of the mess or warding off the paparazzi.

 Ryan and Gracie's Gingerbread house

and Ian's gingerbread house. 

 

Gracie was able to see Santa at Rick's office.  She was amazed that he knew exactly what she wanted before she told him.  Santa is so cool.  

 I'm crossing my fingers that I get one more year of "Santa belief" out of her.