7 Minutes Straight

Aubrey sang this for. seven. minutes. straight.

I am driving, we are on our way home from school and after 3 minutes I grabbed my cell phone thinking no way would she keep going... but she did.

Can you guess what she is singing? Can you tell me the "real" words and her words?

Thursday Flashback

Feb 2005 - Aubrey has carrotts. Homemade I might add...

Me. All Over The Place

I am a winner! I am so excited. I have won a cookbook from Pensieve and some MyFruitRollUps from Amy. The fruit roll ups will be here in time for Valentine's Day and I have put an appointment my hubby's calendar to remember to take them to school so Aubrey has something to share - while I am out of town for work :(

PLUS I have a new T-shirt that says "knit happens" in pink crystals, so freaking gorgeous! If you want your own customized gorgeous shirt, click on the link or the new button and mention my name :) And if you haven't checked out Sunshine's Blog... DO IT. She is a blogging celebrity. I don't make this stuff up.

AND while I am not a rock star I was able to hit 84% of the notes in Slow Ride AND have a 50 note streak in Guitar Hero. Yeah baby. But dude, (it is required I start saying that more because of the game), that game is HARD. My hand hurts and I can only do like (required to say like more too) 2 songs in a row before my hubby like gets to like play, dude.

So some things that have been seen and heard in my world:

• For all my lady friends, please check out this book and review.
• Be weary of silly putty, who knew?
• Have you seen York Mints in your grocery store? I have, they are addicitive. LOVE them.
• Also, that song Bubbly by Colby Caillat made me by the CD> love it.
• Have you checked out the Bloggy Giveaways?
• And that is all she wrote cause she can't remember the long list of stuff that started the idea for the post.

But dude, I like totally like Wii. And the web. And my family. DUDE, I love my family. Even if they are all CRAZY.

Who Wears the Pants?

Remember when I disappointed everyone when I talked about the new "chair" in our house.

Yeah, so today someone new decided to start using it. And when I REPEATEDLY requested that his highness please move, he. rolled. his. eyes. at. me.

This is a 100 lb dog in a "beanbag" chair the size of Rhode Island.

Photographic evidence of Max's disdain for me.

Ode to Toast

A piece of white bread
all toasted and warm
A slight layer of butter
will do you no harm.

A sprinkle of cinnamon
with sugar to taste
Can warm your heart
and slow down the days

Oh Cinnamon Toast
what you do to me
I haven't seen you in months
and you are a real treat

So easy to make
so easy to eat
Cinnamon toast just can't be beat.

Aquarium Video and Pictures

We really had a fun day at the aquarium on sunday!

Say CHEESE
"That turtle has a nose just like mine"
'ook' 'ish'

Too soon she will be kissing frogs...

Per request... me and Aubrey.

Music Help

Good Monday Morning! I hope all are feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed this fine winter morning.

I had the first of 7 birthday celebrations yesterday and it was a blast. Doug, the kids, and I skipped the gym and headed to the Baltimore Aquairum yesterday morning, than to ESPN for lunch, and then right to the birthday celebration at my folks. We had a total blast.

My parents got me Guitar Hero III for Wii! I am so excited to bust that out tonight :)

But what does any of that have to do with the Post Title "Music Help"... well I will tell you now, geez so bossy.

I have been thinking for a while that I want to put together a playlist for my iPod related to total 80's Pop music (you know, like Jesse's Girl, Mickey...). My sister got me an iTunes gift card for my birthday so that is just the catalyst I needed to get moving on my new playlist.

So what do YOU think should be on it? And I am opened minded enough to include the 90's if needed. Thoughts? Input? Suggestions?? PLEASE!

Oh, and if you are wondering... my birthday isn't for like another 9 days. But we do a once a month family dinner with EVERYONE and celebrate all major milestones then. And we do Jan and Feb at the end of Jan because of holiday overload and Super Bowl conflicts. So usually it is the first Sunday of every month... about 20 of us... very fun. And probably way more information than you were ever intersted in knowing. But I like to share.

Updated:

Boy George Karma Chameleon
Dexy's Midnight Runner's - Come On Eileen.
Tears for Fears - Sowing the Seeds
Anything Pat Benetar!!!!!
INXS - Need you Tonight
Erasure
Hello! PRINCE!!!!! Can't go wrong with Prince - at least in my
book!
Hall and Oates. (Early 90's)
C & C Music Factory.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Chris DeBurg (sp?) - Lady in Red
I realize this is more like bighair band but it was still a classic to
me: Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, J. Geils (Centerfold, Freezeframe),
Georgia Satellites.
Modern English - Melt with you.
Right Said Fred I'm Too Sexy! (Actually that was
early 90's wasn't it?!)
Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Vacation by the Go-Go's.

Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles.

Shout by Tears for Fears. Stand by REM.

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!.

And early Madonna!!!

Sunday Synopsis

• Friday night wonderful steak dinner at home, just the 4 of us. Watched Peter Pan and then bedtimes for babies and fire/knitting/relaxing time for adults
• Saturday morning was nice, Doug made pancakes and then we did the "rush" to 2 swim classes, errands, lunch, home for naps.
• I love naps
• Naps are coming to an end for Aubrey and this is sad.
• I love naps.
• Easy dinner, Doug CLEANED 2 rooms of the house in a move everything, put the gloves on, go to town way. I played upstairs with the girls. I was the airplane engine and the girls were the airplane's flying on my feet.
• Another beautiful fire, another knitting project finished and a new one started and I watched Doug play golf. Fun times, seriously, it was fun.
• Now Doug is cooking eggs and bacon, my blueberry muffins are in the oven.
• Aubrey is still sleeping, Molly is eating crayons.
• Doug and I are going to stagger trips to the gym today and then we are all headed to my parents for a birthday dinner.

Best weekend ever? Close.

Button Tree

I finished my button trees and they turned out BEAUTIFULLY, if I say so myself. Aubrey a little bit. After I posted a couple weeks ago about having trouble finding buttons I ended up just ordering them online from the same place I found the instructions. That website is no longer available for some reason.. but here is the link anyway.

Comb Picture and Crafts and Moving?

I searched online A LOT for the comb I bought for Aubrey at Rite Aid, and could not find a link... but here is a picture. I also looked for the original packaging and couldn't find it, sorry!



Here is the project I started with my "surprise" package. It is sitting on top of the blanket I just finished.

A better picture of the baby blanket... for a little boy.

FYI, when I use google docs to create and publish a post some people can't see the pictures... sorry! I did not use that for THIS post but did for the posts yesterday (when I am trying to put together a post for the next day I use Google Docs so I don't mess up the Blog 365 thing :)

Don't forget to do post a recipe and link it here! She also just posted a seriously yummy looking recipe here.

I think I am totally going to do THIS:

I will let you know what I decide :) Or what I have the motivation to do.

Snackalicious Reminder and Recipe RePost

Today is the day! Link up your recipe post here. Share in the fun and the yum.


My favorite recipe - EVER - easy, but expensive.

Hot Crab Dip
1 lb lump crab meat
16 oz softened cream cheese
8 oz sour
cream
1 TBL Worcestershire Sauce
1 TBL Old Bay (or more... shake in what
you like!)
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Mix all ingredients except crab and cheese
Fold in Crab
Top With Cheddar
Bake 350 for 30 minutes, no cover
Serve with crackers, bread, pita chips, or carrotts and celery.

Another favorite go to snack - easy and CHEAP!

Cheesey Bacon Roll-Ups
2 Cans Pillsbury (or generic)
croissants
1 container Hormel Bacon Bits
1/2 C onion
some pepper
8
oz cream cheese -
softened
Basically, mix the bacon bits, onion, pepper
and cream cheese
together. Then open the croissant dough and create
RECTANGLES from 4 triangular
piecesby pinching all the seams together (so
can of 8 makes 2 rectangls).
Thenspread in some filling, roll it up slice it
and bake it per directions
oncroissant container and YUM, YUM, YUMMY. If
that made zero sense I amsorry. I don't have that one written formally
anywhere.

One of our new easy quick favorite dessert things we do with Aubrey is the following:

Buy a package of the Pillsbury "holiday" themed sugar cookies - right now
there are pink hearts out.

Cut them in half - not so you mess up the design. Place them on a
cookie sheet and bake a little less than time recommended. Cool.
Grab a can of Icing and ice the "back" of one of the cookies, place another
cookie and now you have a sandwich!

How 2 Dollars Changed My Life

I have a three year old. She has very pretty, curly, blonde hair. We have trimmed it twice and have decided to leave it be for now because we really do not want to lose those curls (and her daddy loves her hair). Every morning we hear, "that hurts, that hurts, mommy that really hurts" about 700 times and that is just when I am 3 feet away picking UP the brush. It is not pleasant for anyone. And it isn't like I am just yanking a brush through her hair. I gently grab each section and try to hold it where I am pulling, but still "that hurts, you are hurting me mommy".

Some women I work with came into town and we had to hit Rite Aid. I was looking at the brush options and these wonderful women guided me to a 2 dollar blue large plastic comb. They walked me through what they think I should do. I also picked up a boar bristle brush.

I got home late that night and I "wrapped" up the new comb and brush. In the morning I told Aubrey I had a "princess" surprise for her. She opened them and was excited when I explained that this is how Princesses did their hair. So I combed her hair out - not one PEEP. I even asked, "does this hurt"... NOPE. And then I used the boar bristle brush -and amazing. It didn't hurt AND it got the pony tail all smooth so I didn't have to redo 18 times.

Now no hastle, no whining, no 10 minutes to do her hair! AND I am allowed to brush her hair at night and in the morning so it is looking much shinier! YAY!

Although I can't get too comfortable... Molly has a completely different kind of hair than Aubrey, different in color, texture, growth pattern, thickness...

Aubrey's First Hair Cut - March of 2007

Thursday Flasback

Here is my first trip to Maine with Doug (August of 01). Portland HeadLight is behind us!

Randomness

Tomorrow: is Thursday, which will mark the end of the chaos at work.

Feeling: a tad overwhelmed with work, disappointed that I haven't worked out in more than 2 weeks.

Happy because: I have a healthy happy family and because there are new opportunities available ALL AROUND (more on that later)

Today I: will be productive all day at work and not LOSE IT!

Laundry: Is done and put away!

Something I know: My husband is an amazing husband, loving father, and smarter than he knows!

Currently reading: NOTHING! I have a stack of 9 books waiting for me

Wanting: to work from home one day this week and so far it doesn't look like it will happen.

Favorite gadget: My new work laptop... or it will be when I have time to get it setup the way I want!

Thankful that: I am strong enough to handle what comes my way, whatever it is!

Wondering why: Aubrey HAS to wear dresses/skirts that twirl.

Thanks Jen! Feel free to copy and paste...it's going around.

13 or 35 - You Decide

Apparently the "phrase" of the boys ski weekend had to do with Caucus.

As in, "we all sat around and held our own "caucus"".

Or "I have the biggest "caucus""

Or "My caucus is bigger than your "caucus"

Or "Iowa held a large "caucus"".

Or "Hilary won a big "caucus".

Or "Hilary Clinton has the largest "caucus" in her grasp"

But really? These guys are responsible husbands, most have children, they all have good jobs and are relatively normal members of society... and I used the word "member" so I am sure they will laugh at that.

I am glad the boys got a chance to enjoy each other, take a break from the everyday and bond. And I am glad I didn't have to hear about "caucus" all weekend.

And the BEST part... I now know what I am getting Doug for Christmas for many years to come.

Snowy Thursday

Our Snowman!
Snowing - looking out my front door to the right

Out my front door to the left.

Just Try Not To Smile

Girls Night Out

5:00 Water Pump is fixed, Lori Anne arrives with her daughter Melissa. Lori Anne and I head OUT. I told Melissa not to call me but an ambulance in case of any issues...

5:30 Buy Tickets for 7:20 show of 27 Dresses

5:40 Discover a significant wait at CPK so head to Panera for a yummy dinner

6:00 Enter DSW, discover sale items are marked down an additional 30%. I get 4 pairs. LA gets 3 or 4 pairs. AND I found Disney Princess Gibits for Easter Baskets... woo hoo.

7:10 Get to movie theatre where there is a GIGANTIC line to get your ticket torn to get into 27 Dresses. It was crazy. We sat in the front - but totally worth it. We loved it. Seriosly, great chick flick!

9:30 Home where Melissa had made chocolate chip cookies and all was right with the world. Children were sleeping soundly, no people are coming to my house to do anything, get to see family and friends on Sunday (which is now today)...

Woke up at 7am. SWEET.

That Can't Be Good

Last night after I put the kids to bed, I was sitting in a VERY quiet house and noticed a very loud grinding noise from the basement. I knew it was the well pump - but it was way more "metal on metal" grinding sounding than normal. "That can't be good" I thought.

I called my Father In Law to validate that YES the pump is loud and to get some advice on making sure no water was "leaking" and no toilets were running to make sure it wasn't going off unnecessarily.

I called my husband who said "yeah, that pump is almost dead I was going to replace it next week sometime". Um. nice.

Today at 11:27 while serving the girls lunch I went to run some water on the dishes and yeah, NO WATER came out. No noise from the basement.

Yeah.

So I called my friend (who is the boss of the guys painting today). He has the stomach bug but is having his wife pick up a pump and will be over later. I feel so bad for him but so relieved.

I started to have a full on melt down but come on... someone is coming to fix it - someone I can count on and trust. How great is that? And if that doesn't fix it I can always go stay at a number of friends or families houses - and the offers have already started pouring in :) (Ha. Pouring). So my pity party only lasted about 10 minutes.

Max has also been favoring his left front leg (it could be he just wants extra love from Grandy since he is staying with her :)). My friend's wife is a vet. Yeah they are coming in handy... she recommended a couple aspirin and see if that helps. Good to know. Dogs can't have motrin but can have 2 adult aspirin. And if it makes a difference, one a day after that.

This is a letter from Aubrey to Daddy:
uuuuaeerbgvjksgg...................................;;.=-9y6yeeZa


And speaking of daddy - they had a full day skiing, a great evening and apparently had an INSANE time on the snow mobiles but all are safe.

So Much Fun

So the girls and I have been home "snowed in" for 2 days and having a BLAST! As part of Doug's surprise boys weekend... I booked some painters to come paint the family room that has had "spots" of the color we were checking for MONTHS! YAY, almost done. Of course they didn't finish it yesterday so are coming back this morning - which means we will miss swim lessons. But it it is sooooooo worth it.

so randomness:

• as I was unloading the dishwasher I was trying to decide what to post and my head was making me dizzy with all the bouncing around.
• Goodreads.com is very cool. I have Started my reading lists and my need to read lists - check it out.
• we have such a great support system with our families and it makes all the difference in the world... it really does take a village.
• Someone from canada left a message yesterday, I went to her blog - which is awesome, and there was a link to a blog from a family in Baltimore, and that was awesome too!
• I am way to lazy/busy/discombobulated to put links in my randomness
• Aubrey just ran down the stairs doing a LOUD "sniffing" noise with her nose saying "I smell somebin"
• When Pillsbury cinnamon buns says 25% less fat what they mean is 50% less icing.
• Molly is still sleeping which is totally CRAZY
• I had other bullets but Aubrey's sniffing totally threw me off.

And I have to say again, we are having a great time. No fights at meals, no tantrums, just fun and snuggling and sillness.