. 31/365 .

this was the start to a VERY L.O.N.G. basketball game tonight.  and the picture was taken with my phone.

 
 

 

. 30/365 .

balloons that MY BFF brought me for my birthday.

. 29/365 .

 
texting each other love notes.  hee hee.

{they are getting married some day, ya know.  like, when sweet baby is 35?!}

. 28/365 .

guess who came to see me for my birthday?

obviously i didn't take this picture, but it was taken ON my camera by my sweet hubby.  so it counts.  jasey and i have been BFF's for 17 years.  man, we're old.

. 27/365 .

 

. 26/365 .

let me introduce, sweet lexi.  she comes to play at my house every day and is an absolute character.  this was taken right after she ate waffles with syrup and used the syrup as hair gel.  never a dull moment, i tell ya.

. wendy's chili .

my favorite fast food is wendy's chili.  now that i know how they make it though, i think i'll be making my own from now on.  a friend told me how they do it.  kinda ruined it for me.  so, here's how i made it.

 
this turned out very similar to wendy's chili, but not exactly like it.  it was still VERY de.lish.ous. though.  to be honest, i did not add the onion or celery b/c my family doesn't eat those and instead of fresh tomatoes i just threw in a can of diced. 

2 lb. Ground Beef (Browned)
29 oz. can Tomato Sauce
29oz. can Kidney Beans
29 oz. can Pinto Beans
1 C. Onion Diced
1/4 C. Diced Celery
1/2 C. Diced Green Chilies
3 Medium Tomatoes
1 Tsp. Cumin
3 TBSP. Chili Powder
1 1/2 tsp. Pepper
2 tsp. Salt

Add all ingredients into crock pot or onto stove top. Simmer for a a few hours.
**I would always half this recipe unless you are cooking for a really large group!

. ranch oyster crackers .

 
i wanted to share how i made these crackers.  my mom used to make these for us and i STILL love them.  they are quite the addicting snack and, so far today, i have avoided piling up with a big bowl and munching down.  so, i'll give you the recipe and let you do it for me.

(i doubled the recipe to make a bunch because these kiddos love it too)

1 package oyster crackers

1 package dry ranch dressing  mix

1/2 tsp dill weed

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 c oil (i used canola)

put the crackers in a bowl.  in a separate bowl, mix together all of the other ingredients.  pour over crackers and mix well.  let sit for 2 hours before serving.

enjoy!

. 25/365 .

i LOVE fruit in this house.  LOVE it and i wouldn't have it any other way.  ask karsyn if she'd rather have an apple or cookies for snack, and she'll pick an apple 9 times out of 10.  don't ask sweet baby though.  it's obvious what she'd choose, but she does love strawberries, grapes, bananas, and apples. 

i went grocery shopping last night and restocked our fruit supply.  this is what's on the counter today.  yes, that's a coconut.  from my mother.  and i have no clue what to do with it.  i'm not even sure why she had it. 

i fill myself with fruit daily, which explains the 800 bananas we always have laying around.  right now, i'm following weight watchers and fruit is 0 points.  you can have as much fruit as you want.  so i load up.  when i'm hungry or want to snack, i fill up on fruit.  when i cook, instead of tasting everything i'm cooking, i eat canteloupe b/c it is VERY filling.  and eating all of this fruit has helped my sweet tooth tremendously at the same time.  i'm loving it.

. if you give a girl a cookie .

sweet baby has somewhat of a sweet tooth. 

that cookie didn't have a chance once she laid her hands on it.  and how on earth do you get chocolate from head to toe when eating a chocolate chip cookie?  seriously.  she sure enjoyed that cookie, i tell ya.

 

. freezing eggs .

{i really need to work on creativity with my titles.  seriously.}

ok, so my grandpa is a farmer and has lots of chickens, which means we get lots of farm fresh eggs.  i'm so very thankful for that right now because my children are in love with scrambled eggs, breakfast tacos, and omlets.  like, we eat them several times a week. 

 
but last night, i had approximately 15 dozen farm fresh eggs in my refridgerators (yes, i have 2).  FIFTEEN DOZEN.  not 15 eggs.  15 DOZEN.  that's 180 eggs, folks.  we could eat every kind of egg you can imagine for a few weeks.  BLECHT!  {eggs are not my favorite food to eat.}

 
what's a girl to do with 180 eggs when it's NOT easter?  why i froze them!  ok, i froze some.  i put some in my fridge, like normal.  about 7 dozen, i cracked, mixed, put in little zip lock baggies, and stuck 'em in the freezer.  i had no clue you could freeze eggs!  no clue.  but, thanks to my mom, i am now smart and my freezer is stocked full of ziploc baggies of 2 and 4 egg combos, ready to be made into omlets anytime (after we eat the other 8 dozen in the fridge).

now, when i'm ready to make omlets, all i have to do is pull a little baggie out, defrost it of course, then add ham/sausage/cheese/whatever to the eggs, close the baggie, and boil it for about 2 minutes and i'll have an omlet in a baggie.  it'll slide right out onto a plate. 

this probably isn't anything new to you, but i'm excited that i learned something!  so, if you are like me and just learned this ... get to freezing some eggs!!

. 24/365 .

this is my favorite shelf in my refrigerator now!  my mom got these storage bowls for me for my birthday.  she knows about my secret crush on clear bowls with clear lids.  {yes, i know there are some in there with aqua lids, but they at least match my kitchen decor, so they are permitted to be in my fridge}

 
 i'm afraid posting these pictures will reveal to you, over time, how OCD i really am!

. 23/365 .

just so you know, i collect willow tree angels.  these are two of my favorites, given to me by my mama when sweet baby was born.  reminds me daily that i was blessed with two healthy babies.   

. 22/365 .

do you see anything wrong with this picture?

yes, that's a horse.  on our street.  strolling down the road like their walking in the pasture.  crazy.

{ok, so i didn't actually take this picture today.  and i didn't actually post this picture today, but it's my blog and i can do that.  we are at my parents house, so i'm away from technology.}

. 21/365 .

this is what my counter looks like 5 days a week around 11:45 each day ...

 

. naked and dirty .

wow, that title could go so many ways.  let's focus in on sweet baby though.  while scanning through folders of pictures from this past month, nearly ALL of the pictures i have of sweet baby she has no clothes on and her face is absolutely filthy.  i promise i do take care of my own children.  they do take baths almost daily.  now, the clothes wearing business .. with her, its just one of those battles. 

 

 
poor baby.  it's because she's the second child.  i swear.

. sister room .

i love that my girls share a room.  i don't love that karsyn tends to wake mykah up in the mornings, but i love that they are in there together.  that's where the sister bonding really happens, ya know.  and they love it just as much, if not more, than i do. 

i also love that no matter how tornadic (is that a word?) the rest of my house may look on any given day, their room is clean and organized 90% of the time.  i know, that doesn't make much sense, but it's the one room we keep clean.  and the girls help keep it clean.  the other children are not allowed in there and the girls toys are in there as well.  it's off limits until 5:30 and everyone else is gone.  then, it becomes the place where we play countless hours of barbies and read millions of books.  but it's still the one place in the house that remains clean. 

and, other than 2 things, the room is complete.  i want to add a rug.  and i want to find 2 big antique frames to hang on the walls above the girls beds with their initials in them.

wanna see some pictures?

{here's a view from the door}

{karsyn's bed and a cute little bookshelf i'll post about another time}

{sweet baby's bed and rocking chair}

 
{dresser and bookcase.  and i just realized how cluttered this all looks and will have to go rearrange and reorganize}

 
{the closet.  sweet baby's clothes all on light pink hangers.  karsyn's clothes all on hot pink hangers.  ocd?} 
 
 
 
 
 

. 20/365 .

(have you figured out that sweet baby is the life of the party around here.  AND, more importantly, she still somewhat cooperates when i pull the camera out.) 

"hey mykah, where's your belly button?"

. toddler alarm clock? .

who would have thought?  but i am in love with the idea.  after countless mornings of karsyn waking up sometimes before 6am and countless times i've nudged mr. hill to go put her back in her bed, i decided to do some research on how to get your toddler to stay in their bed.  you know, people come up with some crazy stuff, but when i saw the toddler alarm clock idea, lights went off.  it's brilliant. 

so i ordered this little guy ...the "ok! to wake" toddler alarm clock.  it came yesterday and i was super excited.  i set the time, set the ok to wake time and put it to the test.  this little booger (not actually a booger .. i think it's a bug.) turns green when it's "ok to wake".  so i set it.  and it turned green.  and i explained to karsyn that she can only come out of her room when it turns green. 

now.  i set it to turn green at 7:15 this morning.  the time right now is 7:09 and so far so good.  only once did she shout out in her mousy little 4-year-old, can't-pronounce-her-r's, voice ...

"THIS THING IS NEVER GOING TO TURN GREEN!!!!" 

BWAHAHAHAHA ... score one for mama.
 

. 19/365 .

not real sure why i took a picture of my fridge today.  probably because it was actually clean and presentable. 
 

. words for wednesday .

today i wanted to share with you the scripture that i've been focusing on this week.  i wrote them down and clipped them to my frig.  why the fridge?  b/c it's the hub of my house.  it's in the middle and, with having 6 kids around, i'm in and out of the fridge constantly.  it's the perfect place for me to see something 9million times a day.

these verses slapped me in the face while i was reading the book "made to crave".  and they are exactly what i need to read all day, every day.  they turn my focus towards Him and not on snacking constantly throughout the day.   

. i love these sisters .

my sweet girls are ages 2 and 4 now.  how on earth am i old enough to have kids those ages?  seriously?   i watch karsyn day in and day out and she's becoming such a big girl.  she has very little baby left in her.  her legs go on forever.  her hair is wild and crazy.  her feet are huge.  and she's even more independent than ever before. 

my favorite ... she is the best big sister ever.  i mean, if the littlest sister wants to do everything like the biggest one, the biggest one must be doing something right.

she lets sweet baby copy her.  she lets sweet baby do what she does.  she helps sweet baby grab toys that are up high.  she makes sure sweet baby always has her blankie.  she shows sweet baby how to brush her teeth.  she asks sweet baby what she wants to do before they do anything.  she endures hours of toy story just so sweet baby is happy.  and the list could go on forever and ever.

 
karsyn, my sweet girl.  i am so proud of you and i'm so thankful and so blessed to have a big girl like you to be the best big sister mykah could ever have.  you amaze me every day and your lack of selfishness reminds me daily of how we are supposed to be.  you have so much love to give and you care so much for others that it makes my heart melt.  i love you to the moon and back, my sweet girl.

. 18/365 .

does anyone else have a crush on a freshly opened tub of butter?  i love it and it makes me happy.  is that weird?

. 17/365 .

 

. words to remember .

because my 4 year old has the attitude of a 14 year old, sometimes the discipline she receives for said attitude isn't very welcomed.  at all.  she mouthed.  i spanked.  she screamed.

after she settled down, her words to me were "mommy, you made my heart broked."

. 16/365 .

the girls were dressed so cute for church this morning.  we get home, and this is what i find ...

no, it's not a double cast on sweet baby's legs.  its her tights that she wore to church and she tore ginormous holes in the toes.  i'm glad baby tights are cheap! 
 

. 15/365 .

my bff lives around 430 miles away.  need i say more?  so, here's our solution to seeing each other more often ...

our husbands both have an xbox and both got the new xbox kinects around christmas.  it's like a webcam on tv.  we LOVE it!  so there's the bff, her hubby, and sweet boy konner on the left.  in their living room.  (nice, neat living room, i might add).  and there's me on the right.  in my living room.  my hubby and sweet girls are behind me.  they weren't very social tonight.  (and i obviously must add that my living room is a disaster).  isn't it fun?!?!  this is how we kinect.  :)

{dislaimer ... don't pay attention to the conditions of my living room.  i clean every day of the week, so weekends it's a total disaster.  the lamps are not where they are intended to go.  i just bought that orange one (isn't she cute?!) today, and i'm not sure where her permanent home will be.}

. 14/365 .

 
 yes, i'm already decorating for valentine's day.  it comes and goes and i want to enjoy it while i can this year.

. 13/365 .

mommy : "mykah, make your mean face for me."

mykah :

  
doesn't she look so terribly mean!?!?  scares me for sure.  :)

. friendship for grown ups .

i have been best friends with jasey for almost 17 years now.  good grief, it is so hard to believe that i'm old enough to know someone that long, but i am.  we've been best friends since 7th grade.  now, in those 17 years, i believe there were a few years while we were in college that we lost touch.  but when we met up again, we picked up right where we left off.  that's a true friend. 

i often wonder "if i'm able to have a friend love me, know me, care about me, and return the favor back for that long, why is it so hard for me as an adult to develop and keep lasting friendships?"  we have lived here for five years.  i have met some amazing women and i do call them friends.  friends of all ages.  friends of all backgrounds.  friends of different lifestyles.  do i call these friends?  do i see them often?  do i turn to them when i am in need?  the answers to all of those questions is "no".  actually, i have had two friendships that i have actually blown completely, both in the same ways. 

enter in lisa whelchel's book (recommended by a friend) "friendship for grown ups". 

. 12/365 .

29 degree temperatures + the neighbor who left their sprinkler system on =

 

see the little icicles in the tree?  at least their flowers are pretty.  right?
 

. 11/365 .

i took this picture tonight after karsyn got ready for dance.  i had to lighten it up a lot, but i wanted to share with you her choice hairstyle for tonight.  she said "i want it fixed like yours."  here's what we got. 
 

. 10/365 .

. sweet baby turns 2 .

 
oh sweet baby.  tonight i put you to bed for the last night as a one year old.  i simply wanted to hold you and not put you down.  almost as if i held you all night, maybe you wouldn't turn two?  i don't know, but i do know that, no matter what age you are, you will always be my baby girl. 

you are so amazing and i feel so blessed that God chose you to be mine.  i can't say that enough.  you are a light in our family and we enjoy every moment with you.  i am thoroughly enjoying watching you grow, even though i want to bottle you up and keep you little.  you are a firecracker and, even though you are little, you pack a punch and can whip out the diva in you in a matter of seconds.  my favorite thing about you is your sense of humor.  you keep us laughing. constantly.  you are always in for a good time while we're at home, but when we leave the house, your shy streak comes out and you want to have nothing to do with anyone who comes near.  i'm admitting here that it's my fault because i was the exact same way. 

i want you to know that i love you no matter what.  no matter how big you get, no matter how you grow and change, mommy will always love you.  i love how much you love sissy and want to be like her.  i know that will change as the years go, but it's a sweet time in our life right now. 

i love you, sweet baby.  i love your "big girl kisses", "eskimo kisses", and "butterfly kisses" you insist on giving me every single night i lay you down to sleep. 

xoxo mommy

 

. 9/365 .

for christmas, my parents got us a family bible.  my grandmother and my mother both have one of these on stands in their homes and i have wanted one since we started our family.  it's more than just a place to record births, deaths, and marriages.  it's holds a special place in our home and tells everyone who enters what we stand for.  i love it.

. pancakes and pajamas .

when trying to plan sweet baby's birthday party, i was so confused at what i should even do.  she's lactose intolerant and absolutely cannot eat cake and ice cream, so what kind of party would that be to have things that she cannot eat herself?  then, you have a bunch of babies 2 and under coming to the party, in addition to several big friends, but are at the age where afternoon parties just aren't much fun.  they need their naps!  especially sweet baby.  i saw an idea to do "pancakes and pajamas" and it was perfect.  she loves breakfast.  she loves pancakes and donuts.  and she'd wear her pj's all day long if i let her.  easy peasy.

the party favors ... cereal bowls, little cereal boxes, juice boxes, and a granola bar. 

the tablescape.  it's a little dark, but i think you can see it good enough. 

the cake.  a donut hole cake.  i'll show how i made it in another post. 
my favorite part of the party was when we sang "happy birthday" and sweet baby sang it to herself, then clapped.  so so so sweet.

playing 'pin the butter on the pancake'.  how fun is that?!?!  the kids loved it. 
 

it was a great party.  best thing, it was over by 10:30 and we still had the rest of the day to relax.  i {big puffy heart} morning birthday parties! 

thank you to all of our friends who came to celebrate with sweet baby.  and thank you for the special gifts.