Summer Fun In the Cool Indoors

What do you do when it's 115 degrees outside? You stay indoors as much as possible! The only problem is that the natives get restless, real restless. Bad things happen when you have 4 hot, bored, cranky kids cooped up in the house for an extended period of time. So we try to make little excursions several times a week. We go to story time at the library, fun activities at our local community center, we swim..... we swim some more. So, now what to do with the other 15 hours of the day?  In comes Super Mom! (that's me)

New crafts are a lot of fun because, well... they're new. Anything new is exciting when your 4. I learned long ago that it doesn't have to be a new toy. Your fun is only limited to your imagination. Well, my creativity only goes so far, then I have to enlist the help of fellow mommy's. Actually, my friend Jason gave me this idea. ;-)

The boys were really, really, really excited to build towers out of spagetti sticks and stale mini marshmellows.

It took up a good 30 minutes of the morning!!!! For those of you who don't have kids, that is like 7 hours in mommy time!

What You'll Need:

A small handful of spagetti noodles.

A couple of bored kids....

and some mini marshmellows!

Of course, the best part is eating your towers when you get bored!

Super Hero By Day, Mommy's Baby Boy by Night

     Nolan got these sunglasses from a birthday party several weeks ago. He popped out the lenses shortly thereafter and has been wearing them every single day since. He magically turns into "Batman" when he adorns them. Don't make the mistake of calling him Nolan if he's got his SuperHero glasses on! He can usually be found running at the speed of lightning up and down the halls of Gothem, otherwise known as our house. He can leap tall buildings in a single bound ( Legos ) and soar through the air gracefully ( off the couch) when he has his trusty cape on ( his "white blankie" ).

But by night....... he will always be mommy's baby boy.

Happy Valentines Day!

I took these pictures of baby Mona on Valentines day just because she happened to be looking so stinking cute! Oh how I love my camera.... and photoshop!

Covet Antiqued Copper Charm Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Covet Antiqued Copper Charm Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Roxanna Illuminated Perfume $30 Gift Certificate GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Roxanna Illuminated Perfume $30 Gift Certificate GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

This is what I found waiting for me when I pulled my covers back at the end of a very long day, courtesy of Jack Nathan Wilson. I almost had a heart attack! It was dark and I pulled back the covers and was half into bed when I noticed it. Jack sleeps in our bed for naps so him and Nolan don't play and rough house during nap time. I have found many toys, sand, cookie crumbs and other treasures and tidbits under the covers before but this one take the prize! He loves to put things in various odd places. Everything is either a treasure chest or a suitcase. My jewelry boxes are filled with small toys, my jewelry is in the batmobile, his matchbox cars are to be found in my salad spinner, every last sock in the house was in the entryway table, bath toys are in the sandbox, shovels are in the tub, dinosaurs are in cereal boxes etc. etc. Never a dull moment.

This kid has one BIG appetite! Every 10 minutes he says "Mommy, I think I'm starving." Everything is " I think" I think I'm not tired, I think my owie is better, I think I want to go to the park. I am utterly amazed at the endless list of foods you will willingly eat. I am sure that no other child anywhere has such a wide or healthy for that matter diet! These are just a few of the things you love to eat:

Olives, green and black ( a favorite)

gazpacho - tomatoe juice with pureed onions and other vegetables.

anchovies

orange peels, lemons

Ice Cubes

cottage cheese

all nuts

pickled beets

Salad and ALL vegatables I've given you so far even fennel, radishes, avacados (a favorite) squash, collard greens, kale, broccoli, raw bell peppers etc.

Fish, salmon.. even asian stlye w mustard & soy sauce, & white fish with stewed tomatoes.

Tomatoes ( "bahmatoes")

The list is endless. In fact, the only thing that I can think of that you don't like is cheese.

Our Family Christmas Card Attempt!

TAKE ONE! o.k. , 2 looking away & 1 silly face, let's try again.

TAKE TWO! o.k. 2 silly faces and one not so interested teenager.

TAKE THREE! Hmmmm, not bad, 1 looking at a plane and 1 looking at a bug passing by.


TAKE FOUR! Pretty good! Everyone is looking deceptively sweet! Baby Mona can look away, she still looks perfect and cute!

This is Britton's manly, disheveled, I'm looking non-chalant pose.

I think he pulls it off very well.



One of our favorite all time pictures of the little boys! How sweet are they looking right now!

Someone must have told them about Santa's naughty and nice list!

Christmas at the Wilson's

December 13th, 2009.
Eddie & Wendy hosted the Wilson Family Christmas Party this year. It was beautiful and so much fun! They have a great big back yard for all of the kids to run around and play while the grownups had fun hanging out with each other and eating of course! That is until it started to rain and we had to bring things indoors for a bit! The weather was just gorgeous though, nice and chilly bringing in the Christmas feeling! We had a great dinner, opened gifts around the fire pit and played with all of our cousins!


Eddie, Wendy, Kathy, Ron ( who apparently was the only one that heard we were supposed to make silly faces!), Mary Sergio, Dorena, Grandma & Grandpa Wilson, Linda, Rob, Jim & Gwen.

It was perfect weather for snuggling! Jim & Gwen

(top to bottom, left to right)
The kids:

Taylor, Lindsey, Nick, Britton, Emily, Nolan, Annie,

Aaron, Jared, Yuri, Thomas Jay, Lucas,

Jack.

Taylor & Mona Claire

Nolan & Jack eating pizza.

Daddy & Mona

Emily, Annie, Taylor & Kathy, relaxing after dinner.

Wendy & Eddie

Emily & Gwen

Nolan & Emily This is what Nolan does when you tell him to smile pretty for the camera! Boys!

Grandma & Mona

Nolan

I love this kid! You are soft-spoken and hard headed. Endearing yet stubborn. Pragmatic, realistic and no-nonsense. You are so smart and sensible and perceptive you amaze me that you are only three years old! You have such a natural, calm, sweet and snuggily personality and yet you are so stubborn that when you want something you fall to pieces, throw the worlds biggest fit and there is no distracting you! You just love helping me and grandma in the kitchen, stirring, cracking eggs and measuring. Youre focus and attention to detail makes me smile.

You have the sweetest little voice and these are a few of my favorite Nolan quotes;

" Mommy, I love you every time."

"Mommy, do you love me every time?"

" Just don't worry about it mommy."

"Your making me nervous!" (your all time favorite quote)

"I'm just hungry every time!"

" I'm so hungry that even my toes are hungry!"

"Jack, you driving me crazy!"

" I'm not your best friend anymore!!!" directed at Jack of course

"I'm not talking to baby Mona cuz babies can't talk mommy."

mommy " Hi mister monkey/teddy bear/etc. Nolan " It's just a toy mommy, toys don't talk.

" I just going crazy!" or " Ughhhh, that's it, I give up!" *hands held upright, eyes rolled in exasperation.

"You hurt my feelers."

"Daddy, I want to hold you!"

I love you sweet pea!