It's a BEAUTIFUL day out!!!

Yesterday was so pretty that the girls and I left the stroller at home and dawdled our way over to get the boys from school...
I love catching them in motion!

You should have heard Caitlynn yelling "wait sissy wait!!!"

She got mad that her shadow was following her :)
Brianna waiting at the corner....
Yes she was dancing :)


Ack... Look she still looks like a baby... I LOVE the way toddler's run....sooo sweet
Poor baby the sun was in her eyes.

Brianna on the other hand it looking wayyyyy older than 3 these days...
Be on the look out for my upcoming posts... We are going to the Natural history museum in Washington DC on Saturday!!!! Should be TONS of fun with lots of pictures!!!!

My Boys

Ah my boys... Where to begin.. They are wild crazy monkeys who drive me nuts!This is Alex at 7:30 this morning.. He figured out how to tie his shoes for the first time Yayyyyy. I could barely get him to be still for a moment so I could take his picture.. Can you guess that he is HARDEST one to get out of bed in the morning LOL.

And Nathaniel.. After getting ready for school sat down to read "All the thinks you can think" by Dr. Suess to his baby sister.. Sigh... And while he isn't the hardest to get out of bed.. he sure does take a longggg shower.
I love you boys!

Not me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

1. I did not roll over tuck my head under the pillow and try to ignore my 6 year old when he came to ask me for cinnamon toast this morning, even though it was already 7:30 and I should have been up 30 min. earlier... Nope not me I am all about the mornings.

2. I did not giggle uncontrollably and accidentally pull Brianna's hair while I was brushing it, B/c Caitlynn told her "S'ok honey, S'ok baby" while patting her shoulder

3. I did not put the girls in the bathtub and hop in the shower this morning, Then get us dressed in jammies for the day... or until we have to go get the boys, Nope not me!

4. I did not get annoyed at Caitlynn for needing to go potty 3 times in 20 min. but at least there where no accidents.

5. I absolutely did not let my 3 year old pick what ever she wanted for dinner tonight because I had no clue what to make.. I plan much better than that!

sooo did anyone else not do something today?!?!

I got new glasses!!!

Ok I took a chance and ordered some new glasses from this website.
I love browsing there they have glasses as cheap as $8 and that includes the prescription lenses!!!
Also add to that you can make any pair into sunglasses for just $4.95 more.. AWESOME and cheaper than well anywhere... well I was nervous, but I went ahead and ordered a cute but cheap pair of glasses, + tinting and I would be getting my first ever pair of prescription sunglasses!!! Yayy well I placed my order on Feb. 11Th, the total was $19.95, and that included their $4.95 shipping (that is a flat fee for everyone!). Well imagine my surprise when they were here today!!! so 10 days to make them and send them to me from the day I ordered them (including the weekend) That really isn't bad timing! and I LOVE them. I was worried b/c I know how much everyone else in the world charges for glasses and well this just had to be to good to be true. But amazingly I really like them and I am thinking about getting a new pair of glasses (as a back up pair with out the tinting) in the same frame.... Anyone want to help me pick a color????

And dinner last night was....

Really really good!
I really was prepare not to like it...and for the kids not to like it, I mean I have never really been a big fan of beans, but as we try new ingredients I am finding I like more than I thought before.. And surprisingly my kids are liking more than I thought they would also!
Ok so lets see.. I didn't really follow and one recipe exactly..
I soaked a 1 lb bag of black eyed peas overnight
drained and rinsed them in the morning.
Then put them back in the crock pot. I poured in enough chicken broth to just cover the beans, they added extra water to cover them by about 2 -3 inches. To the water I added a tablespoon of Montreal steak seasoning. I small onion diced. about a tablespoon of minced garlic. and then I browned 4 slices of bacon and threw them in the pot with the bacon grease. (According to some recipes I read people say that the grease is important... I just know you couldn't tell it was there when it was all done.. Though I think it did add a kick of the bacon flavoring.) And that is it.. I left it to cook on low all day. Then about 30 min before dinner I made a pot of rice, and a batch of corn muffins... I dished out the beans added a scoop of rice and gave the kids each a corn muffin. Brianna and Caitlynn LOVED it.. Not a big surprise they both like beans, and they both love to try new foods. Alex did not like it... I think it just may have been to spicy.. There really is a fine line between good and to spicy with the Montreal steak seasoning and it was a little spicy.Nathaniel.. LOVED it!!!!!!!!!!!! I was really surprised, he doesn't normally really like beans but will eat them if I tell him to :). But yeah he told me that they were AWESOME!!! Yayyy.... and out of the 1 lb of beans... I only had enough leftover to freeze for one more meal... I will defiantly be making this more often!!!!!!!
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And now for a pic. of Caitlynn in the spot she is the most lately LOL

whats for dinner....

Tonight for dinner I made Pan Sauteed Chicken with vegetables.
It was sooooo good. I did alter it some to match what I had in the kitchen, I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, white potatoes, and regular carrots that I just sliced up. Oh and 2 small white onions instead of the red. I think I over did it just a bit on the lemon juice, I just poured some in LOL. The carrots were distinctly lemon flavored but still good. I also added Montreal steak seasoning to the flour instead of the paprika and black pepper. Oh I am still stuffed and I have a whole LOT of leftovers yayyy.
Brianna ate 3 servings of chicken... it was really really good!!!!

Not sure what to make for dinner tomorrow, I don't really feel like chicken again, not sure I feel like ground beef either... I'm thinking beans and corn bread, I got some blacked peas at the store the other day I just need to find the right recipe... you know one that I either have everything or I can alter enough and still think it will taste good... I'm looking, and this recipe looks ok.. But I'm not sure I really want the tomatoes..

Though I found this one too

HOPPIN' JOHN
1 hour 30 minutes, plus 4 hours' soaking
1 cup dried black-eyed peas or field peas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 smoked hog jowl, or 1/4 pound (3 strips) thick-cut smoked bacon
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt 5 or 6 peeled whole tomatoes, or half a 28-ounce can, drained (optional)
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice.
1. Wash the peas in a strainer, and soak them for 4 hours in ample fresh water. When ready, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a 4-quart pot, and brown the hog jowl on both sides. (If using bacon, omit the olive oil, and simply render the fat in the pot for 5 minutes.) Add onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 6 cups water, black pepper, red pepper and salt, and bring to a boil. 2. Let mixture boil 10 minutes, and then add peas. Maintain a low boil, uncovered, until peas are nearly tender (25 minutes for black-eyed peas, 30 minutes for field peas). In a bowl, lightly crush tomatoes, and add to pot. Add rice to pot, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. 3. Turn off flame, and allow hoppin' John to steam in pot, lid on, for 5 minutes. If using hog jowl, remove from pot, and shred meat. Fluff hoppin' John, and add shredded jowl. Serve.


and I have everything, and I can leave out the tomatoes, I know alot of people cook theirs with either beef broth or chicken broth and I have both of those I just have to pick which one I want to use... and I think I'm going to make it in the crock pot... b/c well I'm lazy and I don't feel like cooking all that much tomorrow.. hmmm looks like dinner :) I will have to let you know how it goes LOL. I can already guess Nathaniel and Alex won't be to happy, Brianna will and she will eat it (or at least the first half) Caitlynn will be ecstatic and love every bite. :)

And then she was 2, with a....pink elmo???

Well yesterday was the big day!!!

Caitlynn woke up and snuck downstairs, then came back up yelling "my rella, my rella" But amazingly enough she didn't touch her presents..
And she waited patiently for her Brothers to finish getting ready for school.
Then the fun began
She was sooo excited, jumping up and down after each of her presents where opened!
Look everyone checking out her new babies :)This is my FAVORITE shirt....She was Steve's best present ever! I'm sad that it won't fit again next year.

And here is elmo... He turned out pretty good even if he is pink :)
She was sooooooo happy!
Yayy for elmo!!!!I was told I make the BEST elmo cake ever!!

yum



All in all it was a great day!!!!

Happy birthday to you!!!

(this is an older pic. but so cute!)

Tomorrow will be a BIG day here. Not only will my baby turn 2 but Steve will be turning 27!!! Yayyy. We are just going to have a quiet day at home doing nothing... well except for making noodles for Steve and Caitlynn"s favorite dinner of chicken fettucini Alfredo, Yummm! And hopefully I will be making Caitlynn an Elmo cake... She loves Elmo but I am really pissed right now, Steve went to Walmart today and they didn't have red or black icing... and I'm not about to spent $20 on a cake (yes the premade Elmo cake was $20) that I could make for $5 at home... sigh Hopefully we will find the icing at food lion tomorrow, wish us luck!
Here is what my baby will wake up to!!! Twin babies, pots and pans for her kitchen, Princess sippy cups, a pooh bear and 2 Dr. Seuss books. Not to shabby :). And yes I know it is Christmas paper... But she will love it because it has Princesses on it.
Happy birthday guys!!! I love you!!!

Just some pictures and the best big brother ever!!

Hanging out looking cute

Can't miss Brianna

A new Cabbage patch kid and a pair of ducky jammies!

Hanging out watching Wall-e

Her shirt says "Don't blame me, The monkey made me do it"

And for the best big brother ever... Caitlynn doesn't realize how lucky she is to have an 8 year old big brother whom she can curl up with and nap on . And he won't even complain once. Not only is he the best big brother she is the luckiest little girl....

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Nothing new here...

Yeah nothing is really new here. We went shopping yesterday and got all sorts of fun stuff, Like elmo panties for Caitlynn. New lunch boxes for the boys (At target they had some on clearance for $1- $3 ). New tight for Brianna (clearance for $0.94) I got some new pants. Oh and I got new dishes!!!! And I LOVE them!! My old dishes had gotten cracked and chipped and the style was retired almost as soon as I got it. Plus as I tried to figure out what I liked in my kitchen I got really tired with blue.... SO I got these dishes.
I love that almost everywhere has similar dishes, at least black and red, so I should be able to pick up what I want to match like platters, serving bowls, and so on and so forth. Yayyy

Oh and Brianna has started letting me play with her hair!!! She requested braids the other day....They were sooo cute she just needs her hair to get a little bit longer!

Today we will be heading to Costco and spending wayyyyy to much money.. :)

busy busy busy

Well This week has been fun, and busy, and trying, and well just what a week with 4 kiddos is..
Monday we had seriah all day and picked up her sister from school with the boys. We then went home, did homework, ate dinner, played outside.. Then came in had cake and went to bed.. Good day..

Yesterday we were supposed to pick up the boy's friend from school but he was home sick :( I hope he is feeling better. But I got a note From Nathaniel's teacher... He was missing some work he needed in class today (he had taken it home to study). So we cleaned out his desk... which took almost an hour and made plans to do so every Thursday until he starts doing better...There where papers in his desk (graded just not brought home) from THANKSGIVING!...oh my..


Today we have Seriah again, and it is a pretty day out, but wet.... I wish it wasn't wet and muddy out.. oh well.
Oh and lets see over the course of the past 4 days, in the morning Caitlynn has been in panties... she wears panties from the time her night diaper is off until we get ready to go get the boys at 2... she has had a total of 3 accidents over all 4 days... she is so close to being potty trained it isn't even funny... is it wrong for me to be upset that she isn't really a baby anymore? This potty training just seals it in my mind that she really is a full fledged toddler... sigh...
And now b/c I have been slacking here are the pictures from our day sunday!