Gimme A Minute....

Rescued!

2012-01-03T14:39:00.001-08:00

Meet Joanna! Ain't she a beauty?

She's our 3rd rescue fur baby. She's a pure bred Boston Terrier weighing in at 13 pounds. She's about 9 years old and full of energy! She keeps up with all 3 kids AND the Weimaraner! We've had her about 9 months now.

She was an owner surrender to a kill shelter and was pulled by a local branch of a Boston Terrier Rescue.

She loves playing ball, snuggling, and following me wherever I go, including in the car to get the kids from preschool.

Easy DIY Wall Art

2011-10-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Soooo.....I found this lovely idea on Pinterest for a monotone wall hanging (click HERE) and thought it'd make a great gift for a baby shower I have to attend.

It's baby #4 and the gender is a surprise. They already have 3 girls and the nursery is a bright yellow.

HEre's my tutorial on how I made this wall art!

First I started with a blank canvas (2 pack at Hobby Lobby for $5.99). I purchased this stuff for $1.99 and a can of Krylon spray paint in Pistachio ($4.99).

Then I printed out the verse I wanted in the font I liked. Cut it up, taped it to the BACK side of the canvas, like so.....

Then I turned it around and traced the letters with the Writer Paint doodad.

And here is what it looks like after I took the lettering off the back.....
And this is what I got after spray painting it! I think I may go over it one more time to even out the color.....or maybe it's just the lighting!

2011-06-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

Is this thing on?
Hi! Remember me? Yea....Almost a full year later I'm dusting off the keyboard.
It's been a roller coaster. Good. Bad. Ugly.

But I'm HERE.

Let me dust this thing off....

2010-07-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

*cough cough*

*Achoo*

That's what I get for waiting so long to come back to you dear bloggie friends.

Life got a hold of me.

I could go on and on with a list of excuses and reasons as to why I haven't been around.

Some good, some bad.

Some ridiculous-like one of my kids keyboard smashed and somehow zoomed my blogger page to the tiniest view possible and I had no idea how to fix it until yesterday.

But I'm back.
And I'll try to keep up with my blog better than I have. Add that to the list of keeping up with my Etsy store, my facebook (horribly addicted), my facebook "fan" page, e-mail, the kids, and my hair accessory business. Oh...and the dogs and the house too!

Give Me Your Best Shot ~ Snow in Georgia!

2010-02-20T07:04:00.000-08:00

Well...it happened again! February brought a "snowstorm" to NE Georgia! The kids were amazed. I thought we had escaped it by leaving New York! HA!

It was SO beautiful to look at though and it certainly made for some nice pictures!

I caught this little guy at dinnertime.....

The morning after....the sky was breathtakingly blue....no color touch up! That's ALL NATURAL!

Out my backdoor looking out into the acreage. I love the sunshine!

Come join the fun over at Better in Bulk!

Lolli hosts this awesome carnival every week!

Give Me Your Best Shot #17 DR Jekyl & Miss Hyde

2010-02-05T09:50:00.001-08:00

So I'm back into Give Me Your Best Shot hosted by Lolli over at Better in Bulk. All you have to do is post your best shot of the week...doesn't have to be a great shot...it can be your favorite shot. Goodness knows I'm not a real photographer but I love taking pictures.

This week I'm entering my youngest, Ella doing her Dr Jekyl & Miss Hyde impression.

Ella, being her adorably sweet self

and BOOM, with one simple word, "NO"....she turns into this!

Join the fun by clicking the button below!

A New Home

2010-02-01T17:59:00.000-08:00

I finally did it! I created a blog to showcase my hair accessories and personalized digital creations (invitations, announcements, holiday cards, etc).

You can find it HERE.

You can purchase my hair accessories in my Etsy Store, Silly Beanz.

YAY! A Lisa Leonard Giveaway!

2010-02-01T10:04:00.000-08:00

WHO WANTS TO WIN??

ME!!!

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO WIN?

$50 gift certificate to Lisa Leonard Jewelry

HOW CAN I WIN?

Head over to Tatertots & Jello to enter!
There are several ways to enter too!

I WON!

2010-01-29T08:45:00.001-08:00

I WON! I was so excited to hear that I won a set of note cards from Purple Lemon Designs!
It was SO easy too! All I had to do was leave a comment on her Facebook Page.

Kelly specializes in custom address stamps as well as notecards that you can purchase OR print at home for a last minute gift idea!

These Thank You cards are So So Pretty!

I love all the swirly stuff goin' on!

Such a pretty font too!
And look at detail she put into packaging it!

In Loving Memory....

2010-01-27T18:29:00.001-08:00

In Loving Memory Of Anna Rita Ingicco Calise

Dearest Anna....

There are no words that can truly express the depth that your passing has had on so many levels and to so many people.

We met in college at S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook...we were in Math class together..both the giant lecture hall and then the smaller class where we learned together.

You left to finish at Iona. You met Davide. You got married.

I missed it.

You had a baby.

I came to visit....ONCE.

You had more babies.

I got married....you were there.

I got pregnant with a blighted ovum (sac but no fetus developed) and when I miscarried naturally....you were there via e-mail.

I got pregnant again....and was due Jan 2006 as were you, with Christopher.

We enjoyed being pregnant together.

I went on to get pregnant by surprise two more times, and you were there, with so much support despite how scared I was to have 3 kids under the age of 3.

We "closed shop" when the Mr. got a vasectomy.

You got pregnant again with your long anticipated girl. I was SO thrilled for you.

And then before we knew it, she was an angel baby.

Valentine's Day 2009 you found out you were pregnant AGAIN....with another girl.

Again, I was so thrilled for you to have your girl after 3 gorgeous boys.

I read every blog post of yours, with breath drawn, as you went to the Perinatalogist every week to make sure Isabella was alright.

And then she was born. Then I breathed a sigh of relief for you. Then I was overjoyed for you to meet your daughter. Your BELOVED daughter, Isabella.

You adored her, your husband adored her, your sons adored her.

It was a match made in heaven.

Then you blogged about going in to "close shop". You chose to have your tubes tied.

And then you got an infection....

And before I knew it....

you were the angel.

G-d Anna....I can't believe you'll never meet my babies. I'll never hug you again.

I'll never see your "Ciao, Anna" at the end of an e-mail again.

So...one last time Anna Rita....

Ciao Bella.

I will ALWAYS love you.

An Update...on ME!

2010-01-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

So I've been on my new meds for a week now.

What an amazing difference.

I still have so much to work on and so much to realize.

But now, I can laugh. I can play. I can smile.

AGAIN.

I'm still not the same, but I'm better.

Depression Sucks.

I am stronger than it.

I have more than enough to want to beat it.

I CAN do this. I WILL do this.

For Me. For him.

For them.

I'm Searching For...

2010-01-13T14:05:00.001-08:00

I'm looking for someone, ANYONE (preferably with a blog) that would like some

FREE HAIR ACCESSORIES!

That's right, you heard me, FREE.

I'll send you some of my products and all I ask in return is a review on your blog.

Check out my store, Silly Beanz (on Etsy of course)

and let me know what you'd like me to send you to try out!

If you don't see something in the store, PLEASE ask and if I can make it for you specifically, I most certainly will!!!

New Items in The Etsy Store...come take a look

2010-01-10T08:08:00.001-08:00

Check out My Store, SillyBeanz!

Valentine's Day Clips

Gerber Daisy Bow Holder

Petite White Blossom Clip (only 2 inches wide)

Petite Pink Blossom Hair Clip (only 2 inches)

Homeowner Happiness is....

2010-01-10T08:01:00.001-08:00

Finding the PERFECT light fixture after 3 years.

We've had a kitchen extension for almost 3 years.

I got my gorgeous Broyhill dining set (which is always under wraps because of messy eaters called KIDS).

We've searched high and low....Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware, online.....but we could never agree on a fixture.

On our latest venture to find a storm door (which we did NOT find), we meandered past the Lighting Dept....and there it was!

This BEAUTIFUL fixture! And we BOTH loved it.

And the best part...Only $40!!!!

And now we can actually see the food we're eating and each other! HAHA!

Etsy at it's Best!

2010-01-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

I'M IN LOVE!

I was checking who hearted my Etsy store and found the newest addition.....

So Lovely Creations

Her Letter blocks are the most creative things I've seen

EVER!!

Go check out her store AND her blog!

Just take a look at some of her pretties!

A Personal Battle

2010-01-08T06:39:00.000-08:00

I apologize for being MIA for awhile. The holidays were a whirlwind.

I'm going "public" with my battle. I'm dealing with what my Dr thinks is a combination of depression and anxiety. I've been through three different medications. This last one required me to stop breastfeeding my beautiful 16 month old baby girl which I was upset over. She is our last and the only one I breastfed for so long.

I personally think there may some Adult Attention Deficit in there. I start things and can't finish. My house is a cluttered disorganized mess which is how my brain feels.

My moods can swing almost in a split second.

I cry when it's all too much, which has been more often in the past week or so.

I can't find the good things in life, I almost always see the negative and don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I even think that it'd be easier to just NOT be.

But then I look at these 3 beautiful faces.....and I temporarily forget the pain, the unforgiving pain that is draining my happiness.

Sparkly Stuff!

2009-12-14T11:57:00.000-08:00

I was so excited when this package arrived in the mail...
I've been waiting WEEKS for it to make these....

GLITTER HAIR CLIPS!

You can find them in my Etsy shop HERE!

YAY! I'm being Spotlighted on a Blog!

2009-12-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

Head on over to Everything Stitch N' Love to see my Etsy store being highlighted!!

Spotlight on Silly Beanz

I need a Change...

2009-12-07T15:21:00.000-08:00

I think it's time for a change.

I need a new name for my blog....Can you help?

Some info about me: 3 kids (had them in a total of 2 years and 8 months).
"thrice is nice"?

I enjoy crafting, reading, baking, and photography but who the heck has time for all that with 3 little kids?

This is MY blog, my place to let everything out, post what I do, think, say, want to achieve, and just have, as Tina fey on 30 Rock said, "crazy mouth".

El Cheapo Christmas Decorations (Snow Garland)!

2009-12-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

Want some cute decorations on the cheap (FREE actually)?
Want to be green and recycle?
Well have I got a project for you!

Take a box full of packing peanuts....

String them onto beading wire (string, fishing line, whatever you got!)
Yes, that's my 4 year old holding the needle...such tiny hands!

You get a garland that looks like this....

And WA-LA! this Georgia Christmas tree (which we've had for 5 years and only cost us $20 at Home Depot!) has "Snow" garland!

CYBER MONDAY SALE IN MY ETSY STORE!!!

2009-11-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

CHECK OUT MY ETSY STORE

50% OFF EVERYTHING FOR CYBER MONDAY!

FREE SHIPPING IF YOUR TOTAL (after discount) IS OVER $6.00!!

You can get adorable hair clips for $1.00 or LESS!!!

Something New...Six Word Saturday

2009-11-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

I'm trying something new!
Six Word Saturday over at Show My Face...

My Kids Are Ready for Christmas (pic to be added!)

Give Me Your Best Shot #16 ~ Pumpkin Picking!

2009-10-23T10:06:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Picking 2009 (& Give Me Your Best Shot)
We got to take the kids to the Pumpkin patch and we had a BLAST.
It was our family, my in-laws, and my sister-in-law with her boys.
It was SO hard to pick just one good shot, so I cheated and posted a few!

Join the Give Me Your Best Shot fun over at Better in Bulk by clicking the button below!

All the GA grandkids!

Someone put a lil' pumpkin in with the other pumpkins! Oh, it's just Ella!

Paul FINALLY found the perfect pumpkin!

Some creative shot, huh?

Credit goes the the hubby for this shot...I think it may have been accidental, but I love how it came out AND I got out from behind the camera!!

Give Me Y our Best Shot #15 - Star Festival

2009-10-16T08:16:00.001-07:00

'Tis Friday....Click the button below to join (or just look) at some of the participants in the Give Me Your Best Shot! blog carnival hosted by the wonderfully talented Lolli of Better in Bulk!

We went to a local Festival in our little town of Bethlehem. It was called the Star Festival.
There is just something about this shot that I adore. Can't put my finger on it though! I apologize for putting up yet another photo of one of my kids....y'all must be sick of seeing them! LOL.

Random Craftiness!

2009-10-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Sooooo....Little Miss Aly P. and I did some quicky crafts while the wee ones were napping at the same time (rare!)

Stuff you need:
clothespins
3/8 wide ribbon/ribbon scraps
mod podge
OPTIONAL: round magnets & hot glue

How to Do It:
measure ribbon and cut to fit on top of clothespin
throw on some mod podge
set ribbon on mod podged clothespin
slap on another layer of mod podge
let dry
OPTIONAL: glue a magnet on the back

Super Cool Giveaway!

2009-10-09T17:58:00.000-07:00

CHECK IT OUT!

Keeping Up With the Bowens is celebrating a blog re-design/100 posts by giving away
a CAMERA LENS!

Go leave a comment! Contest ends Monday 10/12!

Give Me Your Best Shot #14 - Mushrooms!

2009-10-09T07:26:00.001-07:00

I"m back in the game for Give Me Your Best Shot over at Better in Bulk!
I tried my hand, err...eye? at shooting some mushrooms that had popped up on our lawn from 6 straight days of rain here in Georgia.

I'd LOVE some constructive criticism.

Click on the button to join in the fun!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2009-10-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

My My....

We have been busy, busy, busy over here!
Pre-K started back in August.
Ella turned one in Sept.
The husband has been busy with working, doing online school, AND hosting a radio show during the week from 10-11pm EST (www.uneducatedrich.com)

With the little free time I have found, I've been frantically cleaning and organizing in between playing, cooking, and laundry.

I've also been busy with my hair clips! I had a last minute wholesale order for a School Spirit Store in MI.
Then I had an order for a gift basket full of hair clips. I was told the 2 year old recipient AND her parents LOVED it. I hope it leads to more sales!!

I have also FINALLY learned how to do a BOW. So now I have another style to add to my Etsy Shop!

I've gotten some great feedback on this style!

Miss Us Much?

2009-09-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

We're BACK!

Our computer crashed!

The new one has arrived and I got it up and running!

YAY!

Give Me Your Best Shot #13 - Morning Glory

2009-08-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

It's time for Give Me Your Best Shot over at Better in Bulk! Thanks a million to Lolli for hosting such a great blog carnival!

I too cheated, I experimented with different angles and framing the shot.

How can something as pretty as these morning glory flowers grow like weeds? We pull it up every year from our front garden and every year it comes back!

Give Me Your Best Shot - Daddy's Girl

2009-08-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

It's Give Me Your Best Shot Friday over at Better in Bulk! I love this shot of hubby with Baby Ella. I had a shot similar from when Alyson was a tot and I'm glad I got a repeat shot!

Join in the fun! Click on the button to head over to Give Me Your Best Shot!

Cooking Class: Quesadilla CAKE from El Salvador

2009-08-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

My wonderful stepmother is from El Salvador.
As a teenager, she made this wonderful cake that we ate for breakfast, snack, whenever.
The only problem is that it never lasts very long because it's super YUMMY.

It's called Quesadilla but it's truly a cake, not the mainstream quesadillas that are on every restuarant's appetizer menu.

We've since moved away and started our own family and during one of her visits, I asked if there was a recipe since we missed the cake so much.
Her is her version...which disappeared so fast that I couldn't snap a picture of it!

Salvadorian Quesadilla Cake (makes 2 cakes)
2 cups rice flour (can substitute regular flour, cake ends up being a little lighter)
1 1/2 cup sugar (she advised to start with 1 cup and taste for sweetness)
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick melted butter
16 oz sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 pint of heavy cream
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese
pinch of salt (which I forget all too often)
sesame seeds (optional)

Blend ingredients together. Pour into 2 round cake pans
Bake at 375 for about an hour or until bottom is browned and knife comes out clean.

let me know if you make it and what you think!

Give Me Your Best Shot #12

2009-08-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

It's Friday!

Time for Give Me Your Best Shot blog carnival over at Better in Bulk with Lolli.

My precious son is obsessed with water....dirty, clean, soapy, pools of, puddles of, tubs filled with.
I love that I captured his excitement in splashing!

Click on the button to come join the fun!

She's turning the BIG ONE!

2009-08-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

My darling Ella will be 1 come mid-September.

That means a PARTY is in order to celebrate!

After all, my LAST one is having her big FIRST.

*sigh* *sniff* *tears welling up*

I need HELP with ideas for her party....

We live in GA so it's still pretty warm out.

Simple and economical would be GREAT!

Give Me Your Best Shot #11 Three's A Charm!

2009-08-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

I grabbed this shot thanks to my grandma yelling into the house, "Shana, BRING YOUR CAMERA QUICK!"

For some reason these shots from behind of kids make me smile!
Although, it does kind of look like they are trying escape, doesn't it? LOL.
Not the greatest of shots "technically" but always a favorite of mine.

Want to join the fun? Go link up your Best Shot of the Week with Lolli over at Better in Bulk!

Apologies

2009-08-04T10:20:00.001-07:00

Dear Bloggie Blog,

I am truly SO sorry for neglecting you.

I promise to come back and keep you company.

So much has been going on!

Give Me Your Best Shot-BEST Summertime Photo CONTEST

2009-07-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

It's time for Give Me Your Best Shot over at Better In Bulk.

This week's photo is just one of my FAVORITE Summertime Shots. It's my oldest daughter, Alyson Paige, at the State Park/Lake near our house for the first time. It was taken way back in 2007 when she wasn't even walking yet! She's just over a year old here.

The lake has a "beach" with real sand and everything. I just love her shadow and the waves of the sand. It was hard to choose this one over a picture of her daddy holding her, looking down at the "shoreline". That's HIS favorite.

Come join the fun and put up your favorite summer shot or your best shot from this week!

A VERY Special Giveaway!

2009-07-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

A very old friend of mine (Heather) is now a jewelry designer (Heatherly Designs).

She is giving away this BEAUTIFUL ring you see here.

She calls it Frosty Flower and you can pick white, pink, or yellow.

3 days left to enter over at her blog

Why Is It....? Wednesday!

2009-07-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

I'm starting my own blog Carnival and I'm calling it "Why Is It...? Wednesday".

Why is it HE can sit on his porcelain throne WITH his iPhone for 20 minutes, play with said phone, use the toilet paper that is PERCHED on top of the toilet paper holder but HE cannot take the roller out and out said toilet paper ON the roller?

I am truly perplexed.

Join in with your "Why Is It....?"

Give Me Your Best Shot #9 - Fireworks!

2009-07-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

It's FRIDAY! Time for the Give Me Your Best Shot blog carnival with Lolli over at Better in Bulk.

Like Lolli, I did not take a lot of pictures this week. The kids were very uncooperative (full moon anyone?) and I had to deal with 2 killer sinus headaches this week.

This was my first venture photographing fireworks with my D40.

4th of July in pictures

2009-07-09T16:20:00.001-07:00

We had a simple 4th of July here at home. We did some fireworks out in the cul de sac, let the wee ones stay up late.
I experimented with taking pictures of fireworks and think they came out good!

Waiting....

After the first fireworks....

I am famous....sort of

2009-07-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

One of the blogs I follow , Mrs D. Lightful , put out a S.O.S. on learning how to shop a little more saavy with coupons.

I commented.

Said comments became a bloggie post....my name and comment are now
*famous*.

Happy 4th of July!q

2009-07-04T07:10:00.001-07:00

Give Me Your Best Shot #8

2009-07-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

My favorite blogging day! Fridays! Lolli over at Better in Bulk hosts a weekly carnival called Give Me Your Best Shot!

The overgrown grass at our neighbor's house (VERY sore subject) brought in some butterflies!
Not the greatest shot, but my favorite because I love butterflies.

Join in The Favorite Things Swap!

2009-06-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about this!

Please join me in the Favorite Things Swap hosted by Kelly of According to Kelly...

You pick no less than 3 of your FAVORITE things (it can be anything) and you send it to your partner!

Get the details HERE and make sure you sign up with Kelly ASAP!

Mommy-Daughter Baking Session

2009-06-23T11:21:00.001-07:00

Ahhh....I was lucky enough to get the youngest two napping at the same time today. I jumped on the opportunity to have some special Mommy-Daughter time with my 3 year old, Alyson.

We whipped up a Banana Crumb Cake that I found at Southern Plate.

Alyson poured all the ingredients, sifted the flour, poured batter, made the crumb topping, and sprinkled the crumb topping.

It's in the oven NOW and we can't wait to taste it.

I'll update later as to what ours looks like and how it tasted!

Color Help!

2009-06-23T07:23:00.001-07:00

I'm in need of YOUR help!

See the awesomely cheerful yellow kitchen wall? We painted that about 2 years ago.

I need a change!
Those boring white cabinets keep calling me to be painted!
I'm wanting to paint the doors on all the cabinets but I don't know what color to paint them!

When we first painted the yellow walls, I was feeling the yellow/green/purple garden flower thing.
Recently I've been loving the turquoise/yellow/orange/lime green Caribbean vibe.

Can you help me pick something to liven up these boring, standard white cabinets?

Pics of my newest Hair Blossoms

2009-06-22T12:25:00.001-07:00

Make sure to check out my Etsy store for my newest creations! Here are a few for you to drool over!

Give My Your Best Shot #7

2009-06-19T08:57:00.001-07:00

It's Friday which means it's time for Give Me Your Best Shot over at Better in Bulk with Lolli (and her sweet family).

I snapped a kagillion shots of the kids on the swings....This is my favorite of Alyson. She has magical eyes! They make me melt every time I look at this picture!

Want an easy way to earn some extra money?

2009-06-18T11:09:00.000-07:00

In this world of "who has extra money?" I have found a way to earn some extra money while staying home. All you do is fill out a personal profile and you view online ads. That's it!
Youdata.com is a relatively new concept in marketing.

The best part is that it's automatically deposited in my Paypal account each week.

Want to Join?
CLICK HERE!

Cooking Class: Creamy Chicken Casserole

2009-06-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

Creamy Chicken Casserole

This is one of my favorite meals to cook for a few reasons:
It's yummy
It's easy
It's budget-friendly
It's a one dish meal

1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of long grain rice (NOT the instant kind)
2 cups of cooked chicken (usually about 1 or 1 1/2 chicken breasts)
salt & pepper to taste (I skip the salt)
OPTIONAL: frozen mixed veggies

Spray dish with cooking spray
Mix all ingredients together in a casserole dish (I use a large oval Corningware-the one that's almost the size of a 13 x 9)
Cook uncovered at 325 for 1 hour
I also check mine and mix to ensure all the rice cooks properly
If you decide to throw in the veggies, I do it in the last 10-15 minutes so they aren't too mushy.

WAH-LAH....easy, budget friendly dinner.

Like Giveaways?

2009-06-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

Do you like giveaways?

Then head on over to Nesting Place! Today is Giveaway Day on her blog and she has some AMAZING giveaways including one from Lisa Leonard Designs and Back 40 Life (vinyl wall art).

Happy 2nd Birthday My Son

2009-06-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

My Son....two words I never thought I'd get to say.

Paul. A name I didn't think would bless this family after my beloved grandfather passed away.

My Son, Paul. A love I never knew existed. It started back in the fall of 2006 after we found out we were pregnant again. I secretly wished, hoped, and prayed it was a boy so that we would have one of each because we were only planning on 2 children (that's another story).

On January 5 2007 we found out it was a boy. I knew that his name HAD to be Paul. Named for one of his great-grandfathers on either side, our son now had a name, Paul Edward. We anxiously awaited june to come so we could meet him.

Paul's entrance into this world didn't go as smoothly as possible, but he made it. Our sweet baby boy was born on June 14th. We adored him instantly.

The first 6 months were THE worst. He was colic, he didn't sleep, all he did was cry and nothing consoled him. The day he turned 8 months old he SLEPT. I can't remember if it was just a 5 hour stretch or all night, but it was THE best Valentine's gift EVER. And then everything changed. He became this sweet and squishable baby. I feel so guilty for not loving him more during this difficult time.

Today he turns 2. I sit here laughing at him dancing and marching around the house. HE sits in the dog cage pretending it's a car and tells me he's going on a trip.

I sit here with tears in my eyes because I just love him SO much. I love how he grabs my head and plants a kiss on my cheek for no reason at all. I love how he asks where Daddy is, and when I tell him "at work" he responds with "STAY!" He wants daddy to stay home. I love how he walks around with a book under his arm saying "read, read". Then he crawls into a lap to read the book. I love how he helps me unload the dishwasher and with each single dish he takes out, he says "Mama" alerting me that he has a dish for me to put away.

There are no words I can think of that describe how much I love ,adore, and cherish my son.
My one and only son Paul.
Happy 2nd birthday my little man. You are loved more than you could possibly imagine!

iPhone love

2009-06-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

iThink someone loves me. Mr FedEx rolled up with a small brown box and inside was my very own iPhone!
Lucky for me the husband works for AT & T and with the new iPhone coming out, the "older" models are on closeout!

Now...how do I work this thing?

Do you know of any great Apps for it?

Are there any Etsy Apps?

We're HOME!

2009-06-09T06:56:00.001-07:00

We made it back! We had a great time seeing our families and enjoying what Long Island had to offer. It was a little chillier than we expected and it rained more than we wanted it to, but we took advantage of the nice days that we had.

Some mishaps happened along the way....Poppa bear threw out his back (again) while loading the suitcase. We came home to our deep freezer unplugged and full of rancid, spoiled meat, milk, and cheese. Good thing Poppa bear has a strong stomach and cleaned it out because I thought I was gonna lose my digestive system just from the smell in the garage! EWWWW.

I still have a ton of unpacking, laundry, and uploading of photos to do.

Hello from NEW YORK!

2009-06-03T14:44:00.000-07:00

Hello from New York everyone!

We made it safely, albeit tired. We pulled out of the driveway at 9pm Saturday evening and pulled into my in-laws driveway at 2:30pm Sunday. It was rough, I'll admit but the kids were amazing considering the circumstances. Alyson had no potty accidents.

We all suffered from lack of sleep.

Alyson slept till 10:30am Monday morning which is unheard of for her.

We've been to to playground, the beach (oh so good for my soul), eaten NY pizza, drank a pina colada (oh that was just me!), indulged in ice cream twice ALREADY, and we're only half way through our vacation. We chose not to run around doing "things" and take it easy.

And the best part, I've got tons of AMAZING pictures already. None uploaded as I am on borrowed computers.

Has ANYONE missed me? We'll be back in GA on Monday so be prepared for some great pictures (mostly of the kids). I'm still rooting for a dinner date without kids, but the kids don't seem to want to cooperate.

Give me Your Best Shot #6! I'm BAAACK

2009-05-29T19:23:00.000-07:00

I'M BACK! I finally got a new lens for my camera and I'm back to participate in Lolli's Blog Carnival at her site *Life is Sweet*

She hosts a GREAT blog carnival where you post your "best shot" of the week.

So here I am, back in the game. It's been hot and humid here in Georgia but we got outside for plenty of playtime!

My little "Tiger" as in Tiger Woods...makin' his daddy proud!

Come join the fun!

My First Pillowcase dress!

2009-05-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

I have started and finished my first sewing project. I found a cute ruffled pillowcase at a thrift store and thought it'd be the cutest dress!

Here's the dress...my model isn't in the mood to try it on right now.

I used the tutorial from Grace Violet.

So what do you think??

Our BIG Adventure

2009-05-23T05:36:00.000-07:00

We'll be embarking on our biggest adventure yet in a week.

While the husband and I LOVE a good road trip....we've only done 1 with offspring.
And that was when our oldest was only 6 months old. That was 3 years ago and she was our ONLY child.

Now we have 3 babies. It's the only way for us to travel to New York.
No one up there has a car big enough to hold all of us!

So now I need YOUR help. I'm looking for things to keep the wee ones busy
(something OTHER than the DVD player).

Thanks...and wish me luck. I'm hoping I don't go criminally insane!

Super Strawberry Yummies!

2009-05-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

One of my FAVE bloggers, Marie over at Make and Takes did a post on Fresh Strawberry recipes.
Oh good grief....
That's it! We need to go Strawberry picking NOW!

Change is Good, right?

2009-05-20T18:53:00.000-07:00

Eh...I did it again. I changed my background! Shabby blogs added 3 column designs (2 days AFTER I changed to a 3 column layout) so I jsut HAD to go and find one!

FREE Kraft BBQ Sauce at Target!

2009-05-20T05:54:00.001-07:00

AWESOME!

I scored FREE Kraft BBQ Sauce at Target yesterday!

My Target had it for $0.99 and I had $1.00 off Any Kraft BBQ Sauce coupon from HERE.

Perfect for the ribs we're going to have soon!

For The Birds

2009-05-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

Want to bird watch in your own backyard or from your window?
Here are some wonderful ideas for making homemade bird feeders with the wee ones.

Pine Cone Bird Feeder from Marie at Make and Takes
Various Bird Feeding Ideas from The Crafty Crow
Feeding Wild Birds from the Crafty Crow

Enjoy!

Shabby Shout Out!

2009-05-13T11:05:00.001-07:00

Like my new background? It's all thanks to the wonderful and FREE shabbyblogs.com. you read that right....FREE blog backgrounds, buttons, tags.

KRAFT BBQ SAUCE RED HOT DEAL!!!

2009-05-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

I hope I'm not the only one who noticed this red hot deal on Kraft BBQ Sauce!
Dollar General has it on sale for $1.00 this week and there was a $0.75 coupon in the 5/4 Smartsource Coupon flyer.

Who can't use $0.25 BBQ Sauce with BBQ Season upon us?

Want to know why I jumped for joy today?

2009-04-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

I am SO happy right now...giddy like a school girl.
Jumping for joy happy.

WHY???

I got my VERY OWN sewing machine today! My mother-in-law blessed me with a new one, a simple Brother 14 stitch sewing machine.

I've already done 3 REALLY bad beanie bags for the kids (who apparently seemed JUST as happy about the beanie bags as I was about the sewing machine)! But hey, I thread the machine myself (my husband did the bobbin for me) and I SEWED.

So I'm now looking for some beginner projects....something that's easy. Something that can satisfy my Crafty ADD (I stole that term from Grace Violet I think.

Can someone help me find my inner seamstress?

New Designs and SALE in my Etsy Shop!

2009-04-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

I've finally got some new patterns for the wonderful, no-slip, stay put, adjustable toggle headbands in my Etsy Shop.

And to celebrate the new designs AND a whopping 35 sales I'm offering a SALE. Buy 2 toggle headbands, get 1 free!

I'll personally attest to the wonder of these simple headbands....I have fine hair. I also have a VERY active 3 year old daughter. These headbands stay put on BOTH our heads.
Hers even stayed in after jumping on Bounce Houses for 5 hours.

Oh the disappointment....

2009-04-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm heartbroken.....

My oldest daughter (a whole 3 years old) will NOT wear the hair bows I make for her. Nor will she wear the headbands I make for her.

She will ONLY wear the hair clips......

Oh, and the worst part is that she tells me I cannot play with her hair.....
the curls I've dreamed of all my life and I can't play with them.
*SIGH*

Getting To Know YOU and You and You...

2009-04-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

I found this great little idea through A Heart For Home.

It's a Getting To Know You blog "carnival" of sorts being hosted by Lynnette over at Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground.

All you do is leave a comment about what YOUR blog is about and your 5 favorite blogs and Lynnette will feature the blogs of those that leave comments. The end result: more people reading your blog, finding more interesting blogs to read, and making some BLOG BUDDIES!

So head on over to Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground and leave a comment!

Got a New Target opening nearby? Go Find some GREAT deals

2009-04-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

I love me some deals! We had a Target open almost around the corner from our house. I was giddy with excitement JUST over that!
Once we went wandering through the aisles, there were deals galore to be had ASIDE from the normal weekly sale deals.

NEW STORE SPECIALS is what they're tagged as and the signage is blue and white.
These special prices ran for about a MONTH to 6 weeks after the store opened (our are running till April 13 for the Winder GA Target).

From what I recall and some of what we'll be stocking up on:
Market Pantry version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal $0.99 a box
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish (cheddar cheese flavor only) $1 a bag
Quaker Chewy Granola Bars (chocolate chip only) $1.25 a box
24 pack of Market Pantry water $2.00
Pop-Tarts (frosted strawberry flavor only) $0.99 a box (8)
Archer Farms Sea Salt & Vinegar chips $1.50 a bag
Market Pantry Fruit Snacks (mixed fruit flavor only) $1.36 a box
Kraft Mac N Cheese $0.39 a box! (cheapest I've seen is $0.50 a box!)
Del Monte canned cut green beans and kernel corn $0.37 a can (I think)
Del Monte Canned Pineapple Chunks forgot price!
Box of Luvs diapers $17.99 (pretty sure that was the price on the end cap)

CATALINA STORE COUPONS: we've gotten $1.00 off any Market Pantry item (got a box of fruit snacks for $0.36 the other day!!!), $5 Off $75, and $1.00 off Any Archer Farms product.

We're headed back tonight to do some shopping so I may update the list.

Give Me Your Best Shot #5

2009-04-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

It's FRIDAY! Time for Give Me Your Best Shot over at *Life Is Sweet* with Lolli.
We had a SUPER rainy week, so the good pictures were limited.

I captured some lovin' between our very first baby (the furry one), Bailey the Rottweiler and our last baby, little EJ. It truly bothers my husband and I that Rottweilers have such a bad reputation. Bailey is 7 years old and is the GREATEST dog in the world. She adores the kids. She thinks she's a lap dog but at 85 lbs, she's an awfully heavy lap dog.

New Logo Design!

2009-04-01T18:46:00.001-07:00

I am proud to introduce my NEW logo for my Etsy shop. Do you like it?
It was designed by Elisabeth over at Life of Leo Designs. She designs custom designs at affordable prices! You can see her amazing work at her website, Life of Leo Designs or at her Etsy shop of the same name!

Tell her Shana from Silly Beanz sent you!

Give Me Your Best Shot #4

2009-03-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

Time for Give Me Your Best Shot over at *Life Is Sweet* with Lolli and her super sweet gang!

This past weekend we had Felix the F.R.O.G (fully rely on God) visit us from my daughter's preschool class. We decided a trip to Bruster's Ice Cream was in order! It was P-man's first ice cream cone (he normally just eats from mine).

Give Me Your Best Shot #3

2009-03-20T06:06:00.001-07:00

It's FRIDAY! Time for Give Me Your Best Shot over at *Life is Sweet*!!

Here is what I thought was my best shot this week. I didn't realize that I hardly took any photos this week. Shame on ME! I was having a bad week missing my friends and family in New York (to the point of crying and wanting to move back to NY).

I was lucky enough to get 2 hours away to join my husband Rich on his radio show. I remembered to bring the camera along since he wanted pics for his Facebook page. If you're interested, you can hear his show, Uneducated With Rich via webstream (M-F 10-11pm EST). It's his spin on politics and social goings-on in our world. No political jargon or stuffiness though!

Ultimate Blog Party 2009!

2009-03-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate Blog Party 2009 is ON!! WOOHOO. You can learn ALL about it, how to participate, how to win prizes, and best of all, how to make some new online blogging friends HERE.

It's being hosted by 5 Minutes For Mom. It runs for a full week (March 20-27) and there are a ton of great prizes to be had!

What MUST be done first? A proper introduction is in order, yah? Hi! My name is Shana (pronounced Shah-nah) and this is my blog, My Silly Beanz. I have been married for 5 years to my best friend.

The last 3 years have brought us 3 amazing babies! They are our "beanz". My oldest Beenie (Aly P.) was 3 in January. She's an old soul! We were then surprised when she was only 9 months old and we were blessed with our son, Weenie (P-Man) who will be 2 in June. Then we *THOUGHT* our baby-making was done....at least one would think so after Papa Bear getting a minor surgery! NOPE....SURPRISE AGAIN when P-Man was only 6 months old. Blessings come in 3's, yes? We were again blessed with a beautiful daughter Teeny {EJ.} (because she was our BIGGEST baby at 8 lbs 12 oz) who will be 1 in September.

I am relatively new to the blogging world. I'm a stay at home mom to the Beanz and most of the time, we STAY at home. Why? Because we're on a meager 1 income. Well, 1 1/2 incomes! Papa Bear does a radio talk show on a local AM station here in NE Georgia. You can check it out by listening online M-F, 10-11pm EST by clicking HERE. If you click any other time, you'll just get the live stream of what they are playing at the moment!
We save the outings for when Papa Bear is off and he can enjoy the time out with the kids. He ADORES his kids and I ADORE that. It makes me love him a little more each day!

Right now, I'm starting to develop my photography skills and I just started participating in Lolli @ *Life Is Sweet* weekly blog carnival Give Me Your Best Shot.

I've also started to sell the cute little hair clips that I make for Beenie's hair. You can check out my creations at my Etsy Shop. I also do Custom Photo Invitations and Announcements. I may not have ALOT to look at, but if you just ask, I can do it! It's hard doing ANYTHING but keeping up after these 3 VERY energetic kiddos!

Thanks for reading! Feel free to post a comment! I hope you'll stop by again and be my friend!

My Top Picks for prizes (there are way too many to choose from!):
#19 ~ $50 Gift Card to Target sponsored by Shoot-Me-Now
#21 ~ $50 Gift Card to Target sponsored by Agoosa
#22 ~ $50 Gift Card to Target sponsored by Beginner Baby Blog
#26 ~ $30 Gift Card to Target sponsored by Little Miss Hannah
#56 ~ Box of Art Supplies sponsored by KV Creative Designs
#89 ~ $100 Gift Card to HomeGoods sponsored by HG Openhouse
INTL #33 ~ Blog Makeover sponsored by Southern Girl Blog Design
Amd of course, I'd be grateful for any gift cards to ANYWHERE (who doesn't like to shop for free?), any clothes/shoes/toys/BOOKS for my kiddos but I'd also love some mommy jewelry for ME!

Want To Win Some Vinyl?

2009-03-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

Little Window Shoppe is hosting a giveaway from Studio JK Vinyl! Visit Little Window Shoppe to read how to enter! I hope I win some vinyl to spruce up my walls!

Foto Friday - Give Me Your Best Shot #2

2009-03-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

Lolli over at Life Is Sweet hosts a Foto Friday blog carnival called Give Me Your Best Shot (your best shot from the week).

I love looking at what others do all week long...it's so real. We had a crazy week, so it was hard to pin down just ONE shot (especially with 3 kids), so I'm giving you my best SHOTS for the week.

We had some GREAT weather and got outside ALOT.
Enjoy the shots (oh and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE excuse the food in my daughters mouth--she was pretending to be a corn cob monster at dinner and I couldn't resist the faces she was making).

Having Fun Catching bubbles!

There is just SOMETHING about this shot that I LOVE....

The littlest bean having fun with an itty bitty piece of an Olive Garden breadstick in her mouth!

Little Weenie being a Little Man.....*sigh*

Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Graham Goldfish Product Review!

2009-03-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

Oh Good Golly....I can die happy now! I have ALWAYS coveted the rare species of goldfish called Cinnamon Graham. They were once only found in the variety pack in the little snack size pouch or in a box for the holidays. UNTIL NOW!
We were browsing for snacks for our little family road trip and in the Goldfish section of our new Target, I saw the above pictured bag. I think I nearly passed out. Or maybe I was jumping up and down like a child on their birthday. Or maybe I peed a little....ask my husband because I don't recall. I only know that I was SO SUPER DUPER excited that Pepperidge Farm has FINALLY gotten their act together with packaging the Cinnamon Graham goldfish on their own.
These little fishies are SO yummy. The perfect crunch factor. The perfect amount of cinnamon. I eat them by the handfuls. With 50 pieces in a serving size (I NEVER eat 50....10-20 satisfy my "sweet" craving) you can't feel guilty. Each serving has 9 grams of sugar and 5 grams of total fat. BUT....they have 1 gram of protein...so I write off this snack as somewhat healthy (who am I kidding?).

They also come in honey graham AND chocolate graham. I am loyal to my cinnamon graham fish.
So go indulge yourself and by some graham goldfish! Let me know what you think!

Ribbon Wreath

2009-03-09T14:36:00.000-07:00

Spring-y Pink Ribbon Wreath
I had made this adorable ribbon wreath for my daughter's Pink themed 3rd Birthday Party. Since I've yet to take it down, it's now my Spring Wreath!
I got the idea from Little Birdie Secrets!

Foto Friday: Snow Day!

2009-03-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

Now that I have my new D40, I'm super excited to improve my photography skills. Lolli over at Life is Sweet hosts a "Give Me Your Best Shot!" each week. I'm posting mine, which aren't all that great, but I thought they were cute! We actually had snow here in NE Georgia...and I threw the kids outside to experience it. They weren't quite sure what to do with it!

Personal Dilemma

2009-02-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

So I'm publicly admitting (and proudly) that I'm a breastfeeding Mom. Little Ella took to it awesome. I love the bonding experience. I love knowing I'm giving her the best nourishment possible.

With that being said...she WON'T take a bottle-not from me, not from anyone. I can't leave her side for more than 2 hours. I left her with Rich the other day and she SCREAMED for an hour. A date with the hubby can't be more than 2 hours. I was hoping to introduce formula so someone ELSE could feed her.

I'm looking for some advice here.
I've tried Dr Brown's bottles and Playtex Nursers with drop in liners.
What sippy cup should I try with her? I know that time is coming also!
What experience do you have on weaning?

An Alyson Design!

2009-02-25T19:21:00.001-08:00

So on my last clippie creating kick, Alyson asked to "make" one. So I let her design one and I put it together for her. She wanted one with pink buttons and she wanted white ribbon on the clippie.
Cute, huh?

Come Visit My Etsy Shop!

2009-02-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

SillyBeanz Boutique

I started making hair clips for Alyson.

Then I figured I'd try selling them and gosh darn it, wouldn't ya know that people have BOUGHT SOME!

Wow....people out there WANT something I MADE!

Makes me feel like I'm worth something!

Some Come visit my shop, buy something.
Pass it along to someone you know!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T05:46:00.001-08:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Happy Valentine's Day or as the hubby and I call it, Applebee's Day. 7 years ago today my husband laid his beloved Grandmother to rest and later that day, he met me. It all happened at the Bohemia, NY Applebee's. Each year, we revisit Applebee's to celebrate!
We Miss You Grandma.
I Love You Richie!

Another GREAT Giveaway!

2009-02-13T08:19:00.000-08:00

Now's your chance to win a basket of Lauren Mercier Makeup! The gift basket is worth over $250!!! Head on over to one of my favorite blogs SouthernPlate to Enter!

Look! A Plane! No, A Bird! A Lisa Leonard Giveaway!

2009-02-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

Click on the Lovely Little "Love Bird" that takes you to the details of another Lisa Leonard Giveaway! Make sure you tell them Shana sent you!!!!

Are you a Business Owner? Want some exposure?

2009-02-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

My daughters preschool is gearing up for their 3rd Annual Spring Fling and we are currently looking for donations! What can you donate?

There is a Silent Auction....donate some of your goods or services! Your business name will be listed in the program to say Thank You!
There are themed baskets (sports/UGA, Mom/Pampering, Gardening, Home Improvement, Arts & Crafts, Family Fun)
There is a Cake Walk.....Donate your yummies!

Anything you donate is TAX DEDUCTIBLE...I can send you a form via e-mail.

Feel free to contact me with any questions! Spring Fling is Sat April 18 RAIN OR SHINE!! Tune in for more info!!

CRAFTY CHALLENGE!

2009-02-05T20:01:00.000-08:00

I'm issuing a Crafty Challenge!

I have a plethora of toilet paper and paper towel tubes laying around. I figured I'd save them for SOMETHING and now I have NO idea what to do with them! My kids are young (3, 19 mths, and 4 mths) so the only thing they do with them is use them as spotting scopes (As Diego calls them).

Have you come up with something great?
Leave it here!

To Worry or Not To Worry

2009-01-25T19:42:00.000-08:00

WOW....I just got hit with some news that I'm not even sure what to do with. It seems that my real mother has been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Now, we're not talking about the epitomy of healthy living here....she has never taken good care of herself. She's been a smoker for years, in fact, has even been diagnosed with Ephysema. Has she quit smoking? NOOOO. Her excuse is she's too scared to quit. Whatever that means.
I mention this news to my grandma who lives with us. She proceeds to tell me that HER mother (my great-grandmother) was borderline diabetic but managed it with diet. So now I have family history of it on BOTH sides. No one is/was obese or overweight.
Now I'm freaking out. I have not had a full physical in AGES....honestly I'm too scared that they'll tell me something is wrong with me. The only doctors I've seen for the last 5 years are OB/GYNS. OK, I saw a family practice doctor when I had a sinus infection. I just don't go for my annual physical.
I am by no means a "health conscious" person. I do not exercise. I eat way too much junk food. I love my sweets, soda, etc. So now I think I have a reason to be scared.
OH yea....and that's on top of the fact that my dad had cancer back in 1981. F'N lovely.

25 Random Things

2009-01-23T10:32:00.000-08:00

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a post with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose people to be tagged.

1. I like to read but I just don't have the time
2. I want to one day look the way I did in my honeymoon pictures
3. We never planned on 3 kids in 3 years
4. I have to shower every day even when I don't intend on leaving the house
5.My house is a representation of the way I feel in my head...A MESS
6. I love riding motorcycles
7. I have days I wish I had NO kids
8.I wish I was still living near friends and family
9. I had my belly button pierced TWICE
10. I have a major pet peeve with men and unruly nose hairs
11. I start projects and never finish them WAY TOO MUCH
12. I hate talking on the phone
13. I often feel like my friends don't want to be my friend because I don't keep in touch
14. No matter how hard I try not to be, I always seem to be jealous of someone
15. I'm not a big fan of organized Religion....G-d YES, but I don't like feeling I HAVE to go somewhere for G-d to hear my prayers
16. I'm extremely shy and NOT good at making new friends
17. I LOVE Crocs and my kids will wear them too
18. AFter all these years, I'm finally learning to not save every little sentimental thing
19. I prefer to be barefoot...even when it's cold outside
20. I get a major high off finding a good bargain (like food for FREE after coupons!)
21. I'm annoyed that I didn't get to my favorite pick of my daughters names
22. I'm so freakin' lazy...I hate exercise
23. I haven't been to the dentist in many years
24. I hate any kind of responsibility
25. My kids eat cookies, candy, poptarts, and have sampled soda but they prefer fruit

Yummy Snacks Giveaway!

2009-01-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

Denise over at The Centsible Sawyer is giving away a Little Debbie 100 Calorie Snack Sampler! That's right.....You can indulge without the guilt. Details on how to Enter Here!

I did it! Ribbon Ball Decoration!

2009-01-15T16:18:00.001-08:00

I did it! Inspired by the Easy Valentine Wreath at Little Birdie Secrets, I tried doing a ball for part of the pink decorations for Alyson's Pink Party next weekend! Not bad, huh?

I am Determined to Make this!

2009-01-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

I found this absolutely gorgeous and super easy wreath to make for Valentine's Day at Little Birdie Secrets. Although I'm trying the technique out on smaller styrofoam balls as party decorations for Alyson's Pink Party next weekend. I'm hoping the kids nap a tad longer so I can get started!

Kitchen Yummies

2009-01-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

So I'm a stress baker/eater. I like to bake (and cook sometimes) AND I like to snack. Tonight I whipped up Peanut Butter Balls from SouthernPlate(previously posted about) and Homemade Chewy Granola Bars from MakeandTakes. I put in peanut butter chips instead of the chocolate chips or mini m&ms.
I know for a fact that the peanut butter balls are oh so yummy....I practically devoured the first batch all by myself! And who doesn't love a granola bar? I enjoy knowing what my kids are eating (if they get their hands on them!).

MY Newest Venture in Creativity

2008-12-31T08:10:00.000-08:00

I've been toying with Photoshop.....and since Alyson is turning 3 on Jan 5th....I'm working on her party invite. What do you think?

It's Over

2008-12-31T07:49:00.001-08:00

2008 has come to an end. I'm glad to see it go...sort of. No more babies for us. The babies we do have, are growing up SO fast that I'm demanding them to stop.

My sister has come and gone. It was awesome having her here for the holidays. The kids LOVED having her here to play with. I miss her terribly. I hate watching her leave. It was so awesome just hanging out with her and knowing she was here. *sigh* maybe someday she'll move down here to be near us.

I'm hoping 2009 will bring us some better luck. We could use it. I'm hoping my dad finds a job. He NEEDS it.

I'm hoping to find some more personal time to do things I want to do. I'll be 1 year closer to having SOME freedom when ALL the kids are in school.

2009 marks a big deal for me! Poppa bear and & I will be married 5 years!! That is amazing! We'll be together for 7 years on Feb 14th. It's my longest relationship EVER. His too, I think. We're hoping to celebrate somehow!

WISHING ALL OF YOU A HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2009

Who Can't Use some home improvement?

2008-12-16T09:57:00.001-08:00

Found an awesome giveaway! $100 gift card to HOME DEPOT! Visit mommies with cents to enter! Maybe I'll actually get lucky!

Tis The Season...

2008-12-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

Here we are once again....Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas & Chanukah are upon us. Tis the season where I get royally homesick and down on myself.
One would think that 4 1/2 years after moving away, you wouldn't miss it all that much, but I do. I miss stopping by my best friends house just to chat and hang out. I miss running random errands with my sister. I hate that I moved away just as we were growing closer and closer after being so distant as teenagers and young adults. Just a teeny part of me is mad at my husband for moving me down here, away from the few things that made me happy. Now all I have are my husband and kids to make me happy. I hardly have time to keep up a hobby of any sort. I'm tired from morning till night.

It breaks my heart that my dad, stepmom, and sister are missing out on my kids growing up. All the silly little things they do that make me laugh and cry, they will never know. I really wish I had some more family here...someone to spend time with, laugh with, cry with, learn with. I've finally realized how my dad can be such a great friend yet I hardly have time to speak with him.

It's awfully hard to remember that moving to Georgia was a good thing sometimes. I know that if we had stayed in NY, I certainly wouldn't have 3 kids, heck, we may have only had 1. I get the wonderful opportunity to stay home and raise my babies BECAUSE we left NY. But, still....there are times that I really wish I was back up there.

One Lonely Day Left....

2008-11-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is FRIDAY! The last lonely day of the week! Rich has been driving into Atlanta for
training EVERY DAY this week. He leaves before we're up and comes home just in time for the baby bedtime.

I'm not the only one who misses him, Alyson asks where Daddy is each morning. She's so used to seeing him when he comes home for lunch everyday and even getting some mornings with him when he goes to work later in the morning.

And thanks to the newest baby, there's hardly any decent sleep going around, so we're both passing out either with Alyson in her bed or while we're watching tv. I miss having him around.

WIN YOUR THANKSGIVING TURKEY!

2008-11-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

Can across this giveaway....a $15 gift card to Walmart for your Thanksgiving Turkey!