Death by pot pie...

Just a big blurb of randomness... had a busy last few days. It's a busy life when you have a full time job, two little ones to tend to, a wonderful hubby you want to spend time with, pictures to be taken, multiple projects around the house and a bit of time thrown in to take care of yourself.

I've been trying to be good at work lately and remember to bring my lunch everyday. Way more inexpensive and lots better for you (unless you're like me and throw together random items such as a ziplock baggie full of white chocolate chips :-). I actually took my lunch to work all week... a first. I will say one thing though... if you're into watching calories (which obviously after my chocolate chip comment above... I am not), do not buy those Marie Calendar frozen pot pies! Sweet Jebus, those things have over 1,000 calories in one pot pie! One of these tasty, flaky, golden brown crust stuffed full of delectable goodness pies... yes, over 1,000 calories! I just bought several because I figured it would be a quick lunch at work if I didnt feel like actually packing something... I didnt realize I was going to be possibly packing pounds on my ass. I wont even go into how much sodium one of these things contains (trust me, it's enough to kill a whole nation of slugs). I did get a healthy dose of Riboflavin though... that's something right?!

Oh, side note: I've been trying out simple "Bento Box" lunches for Abbie while Im at work... fun stuff. I have seen some that are quite elaborate. Ours, well, not so much, but they are a fun way to pack a lunch. And hopefully a fun surprise for Abbie to open the boxes to see what's inside. Hey, if a box of snacks with some teddy grahams swimming around in a sea of chocolate chips and cashews makes her smile, then I'm all over it! So sweet to come home from work and hear her say "Tank you for my Bento mommy." LOL.

Speaking of work... this just irritates me... get up in the morning, take the time to get dressed and do something with my hair, and no one says a thing. Casual Friday comes around and I do good to throw on jeans and run a brush through my hair, and wouldn't you know... I get all kinds of compliments?! (Dont' get me wrong, I appreciate the compliments... just found it strange on the days I really do nothing, is when someone will say something...lol.) Think I'm going to dye my hair, or cut it or something... I dunno... shave it off and wear wigs! Yeah, a different "do" every day. :-)~  Really though, I do miss my bangs and natural blonde hair. (This color is the result of a costume contest two Halloweens ago! I dyed it REALLY dark to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and its just now faded to this mess.)

Heh, on to other things...

Daddy's garden is full of color and shapes. This year he also grew sunflowers. He grew some different varieties and even had one that bloomed larger than a dinner plate! It was freaking HUGE! These were my favorite though...kind of a sunburst looking orange-y thing. He cut one for me to put on my desk at work that was so gorgeous it looked fake like a silk flower. And, yes, I think all sunflowers should have smiley faces on them They should be "born" that way. They are lovely things... I swear if you get really close to them to, you can hear them speak.

Outside the house is wonderful, tidy and bursting with foliage... inside the house is a different story. Within minutes... seriously...minutes... the livng room looks like a toy bomb went off, or the toy box threw up. This is a familiar scene several times a day, we do get a work out though.

The two tiny terrorists that have declared gihad on our living room...

Heh, it's okay though. I would wade through a mountain of blocks the size of Mt. Everest just to see their smiling little faces.

Josh is growing like a weed and getting really vocal. Grabs everything in sight and is strong as a baby ox! He is one of the smiley-est little people I have ever seen in my life (his sisters were not this smiley). Bless his little bones, he has been a super grump lately due to teething. Poor little guy... just a drooly, cranky, chew on everything mess. But look... finally! We have little bunny teeth peeking right under the skin ready to erupt into two tiny pearly whites! Kind of makes me sad... I know before long, I will never get to see those precious little gummy grins. :-(  My babies grow up too fast. My goal is to make him smile every moment I can before those two little teeth show up!

Abbie is growing into a beautiful inside and out little girl. She is SO intelligent. At two years old she blows me away with what she knows. She makes me smile everyday. The other day her and Daddy were on the couch and it was getting close to bedtime... so Daddy asks... "What do you want to talk about?" (We do this before bed sometimes to wind her down.) The conversation goes:

Daddy: "What do you want to talk about?"

Abbie: "Sissy"

Daddy: "You want to talk about big sissy? "What's sissy's name?"

Abbie: "Sissy"

Daddy: "No, whats's her name?"

Abbie: "Her name Cassie!" (said with much enthusiasm)

Daddy: 'You love your big sister?"

Abbie: "I lub her" - "I like to see sissy" - "Shes pretty girl!"

All on her own, she thought this... sighhhhh. It was one of those make your heart swell up moments. (Biggest Little, who will soon be 19 years old... is extremely intelligent, and she has grown into a beautiful woman inside and out. No wonder Middle Little lubs her so...)  

Just how much love can one heart swell up and hold? I may need a heart transplant... an even bigger one, for all this love.  ;-)

Sky popcorn...

(This post added a week late due to one hectic work week and one tired momma! Better late than never. :-)

Hope everyone celebrated a safe and fun 4th of July! We had a red, white & blue weekend.  I love holidays... I mean LOVE. The fesitivties began Friday night as I told the Littles about how we were going to Grandma's to celebrate, visit with family/friends, eat delicious foods... and Friday night our neighbors tested out a few rounds of fireworks (nothing like having neighbors shoot off fireworks in your alleyway (illegal) and keep you awake late into the night).

Saturday, we were busy getting prepared for Grandma's (E.E.'s) house in the country on Sunday. Busy packing bags (and going over a list 50 times to make sure nothing was forgotten), laying out our patriotic threads - because we do have to dress the part, decorating Littlest Little's stroller in case we should happen to run across a 4th of July stroller parade (one must always be prepared), and me baking what I thought were the best cupcakes ever for a 4th of July BBQ! Loved these... "barbecue grill cupcakes" (Family Fun magazine). Fun to make and cute as can be, even when they did get hot in the car and the "steaks" (caramels), started melting and sliding off the grill. ;-)~

Sunday morning rolled around and I was up at the crack of dawn (okay, not the crack of dawn, but close enough) getting ready to hit the road. Double check the packed bag status... diaper bag, extra clothes, toiletries, decked out stroller, wallet, keys, phone/charger and most importantly the camera. I mean really who cares if we are sitting around neeekid with tangled hair and dead cell phones... by gosh, don't forget that camera!

Once we got to Grandma's house and unloaded... it was time to sit down and relax (well, as much as you can with two little ones).

Abbie had to head straight to E.E.'s flower garden. This woman has a SERIOUS (yes in all caps, that's how serious it is) green thumb. I think thats where our daddy gets it from...his mother. Abbie had to select several flowers to make a bouquet and carry around.

Abbie carried these flowers everywhere, even after they had wilted and gone on to the big flower bed in the sky. She loves flowers... I will buy her some every now and then, or daddy will pick her some from his garden, and she is so thankful and dances around saying "I lub flowers."

Littlest Little with Gavin and cousin Stephanie who rocked the patriotic gear. We have several rockstars in this family.

One of the many greats of Summer, watching the kids have fun outside (including the big kids who are disguised as adults).

Storytime with "E.E."

Momma caught Middle Little running through the house.

Haha! And you think your mirrors stay clean Grandma?! To the neeekid eye maybe, but look at all those finger prints and hand smears from the little people!

The "Three Stooges".

Daddy, Middle Little & the wilted flowers.

Love, love, love this man... (he lets me be me, stupid stuff and all, makes me feel beautiful & he loves me 100%).

Middle Little had to stop and take a brief cat nap...

Josh lounging in the shade and enjoying the sounds of the country and the tickle of the grass.

Always into something... love watching little people discover and explore new things. Brings me back down a level and makes me remember to stop and enjoy life more.

Once the food was ready, we ate so much... SO much. Good summer barbecue foods & ice cold beverages. Lots of side dishes, vegetable trays and desserts. We even roasted wild pigs that daddy hunt and gathered himself! (The peaches & cream cake was freakin awesome!) Something great happens when you sit around with family/friends and share a good meal...the feeling of togetherness.

We waited patiently for the darkness to arrive so we could light up the night sky.

Look at the sky popcorn (fireworks)! Nothing like the annual event of setting fire to sticks of mini dynamite and watching them explode into a gazillion glittery colors, the big bangs, and the sulfer smell! The Littles did okay until some of the louder bangs, and it was time to head inside.

This is a public service announcement: Fireworks can be dangerous. They are not toys, and it is imperative that you follow the instructions on the packaging. You do not want to set your mother's lawn on fire and make everyone run for the hills screaming. 

After a long day and night of family, friends, food and sky popcorn, it was time for snuggling with little ones and drifting off to the land of nod. (Okay so we did not get the best nights sleep with the four of us in one rock hard bed, but it was all good. Memories made.)

On any given night, I am sure there are thousands of mommas all over this world pacing the floor in the wee hours of the morning rocking and soothing wee ones... it's what good mommas do.

Next morning, it was time to clean up our messes inside and out, throw on fresh clothes, eat another nibble and get ready to hit the road home...

She is awesome... everything about her, from the tip of her golden curled head, to the tips of her tiny painted toes (looking like little red hot candies... I just want to nibble).

Yes, another holiday down... and many more to come. Love it.