No one likes a braggart

Every other mommy website (not blog) has Cutest! Baby! Ever! photo contests.  Have you ever entered your child into one?  I have, once, but I don't remember what it was for.  It was a long time ago and apparently the judges didn't agree that she was the Cutest! Baby! Ever! so whatever. 

I saw on the TODAYMoms  facebook page - have you "like"d them?  If not, you should.  They are a great resource and have some great posts about important topics.  Anyway, they are looking for a new face for their page and asked their fb moms to submit pictures of their kids.  Soooo, I did.

I haven't won (yet!) but guess who made the sneak peak page?! 

I know, it's not polite to brag about your kids but I figure the last 20 posts of me complaining about them makes up for this one post.  Plus, it's not really bragging.  It's not as if they've won.  YET!

Click here to see my 3 blonde loves on the TODAYMoms page. 

Click here to get to their page.

~ What the Hell Wednesday ~

It looks like a SNL skit but it's not.  It's a good idea for a product when you think about it but I just think there is no way it could actually be pulled it off well.  Clearly.

Totally awesome spelling activity that takes almost no energy on your part. Awesome!

Do your kids have weekly spelling test?  Do you have an iPhone?  I have something fooooorrrr yoooouuuuu!

(If you haven't already) download the Spell Test app.  It's free! but even if it wasn't it'd be worth the $0.99.

It's really easy and within minutes you can have your child's entire spelling list entered and the words recorded.

Download Spell Test

You enter their words and as you enter them it asks you to speak the word.

Your child gets on and it speaks the word you entered and recorded (your voice!)  He/she can click "say word again" if he/she need it repeated.  The child is to type the word in.  He/she then hits "next" and it goes on through the entire spelling list.

At the end of the test it will show the child the words he/she spelled correctly and the words he/she didn't with the correct spelling given. (took this image from google, this is not one Drew did).

You can easily check in and see how your child has done!

Drew takes my iPhone to bed with her and does her tests and she retakes them over and over from previous weeks.  It's also something good to throw at them while you're waiting at the doctor's office or whatever.  It keeps them quite is a good educational activity.

Now go download this app and help create good spellers! 

Cooking is not on the list

All I've ever wanted is to be home and raise my kids.  I got my degree and my teaching credential just in case.  I wouldn't trade the fact that I have this opportunity to stay home for anything.  When I see it in writing, though, it's not nearly as an attractive life as I seem to think it is.  What's really sad is he really had to struggle to come up with the third thing.  And cooking never crossed his mind.  As he gets older he'll see that my job encompasses much, much, much more.  For now, if he thinks of "takes care of the kids" first then it's alllllll good. 

Sometimes it's the little things

It's so easy to get sucked into the negative crappy stuff, you know?  To walk into the livingroom and say, "Who left their socks on the floor?  I told you to not eat your yogurt in here.  Who turned Shake it Up on, you know you're not allowed to watch that!"  Instead of saying, "Hi, children whom I love and adore.  Let's turn the tv off and sing songs together!" 

Today was filled with little things that just tickled me.  I'm really not often negative and I make an effort everyday to see things positively.  It better pay off - this optimism I have - 'cause some days it requires a lot of energy.  Anyway, today I just happened to see lots of little things that really could have turned my day around had it been not going well.  A nice reminder that it really is the little things that make a difference sometimes.

1.  I turned the heater on in the car this morning. 

2.  I thought I had no gum left but then alas!  I found one at the bottom of my pocketbook.  It was even in it's wrapper with no crumbs attached.  Gross, but true.

3.  It was cloudy and cool outside which allowed me to crawl under a blanket this afternoon with no guilt.  I have no idea why that is but on cool, rainy, or cloudy days it's ok to snuggle in during the day and not think twice about it.  In fact, that's what you should be doing.

4.  I dreaded my circuit training class tonight because the instructor often plays the Bee Gees and it makes me want to vomit.  Tonight she played some awesome, loud music that 20 year olds listen to at clubs and it made the workout go by so much faster.

5.  I went to Target today and (amongst a shitload of other stuff) bought William a pair of shoes that he likes!  and bought Drew a new toothbrush that she likes!  and got out of there without Lauren throwing a fit!

6.  Lastly, I got to listen to Drew read to me tonight.  We read often together but tonight was different.  She sat over there rather than over here.  She wanted to sound out the words she may not know on her own and have control of the reading situation.  Not only did she do such a fantastic job but her choice of book is the best ever. 

I know you don't believe me but I swear this book was a gift and she chose to read it.

Love those little things, don't you?

It is OFFICIALLY pumpkin apple bread time!

Do not be intimidated by this recipe.  It's not as complicated as it looks and it's worth every minute in the kitchen.  Double the recipe and freeze the additional loaves for next week.  Or tomorrow.  Because for reals, that's how fast it may go.

Great recipes are meant to passed around & this one is the best I've ever tasted - moist, etc. Will make your whole house smell like autumn!!! *Chris's Aunt Missy passed this along to me a few years ago and I've made it every October and November ever since. It is requested by all I've shared it with!




I add about a cup of chopped walnuts to the batter cause I love walnuts w/apples & pumpkin & also sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of "topping".


I double the topping. I pour 1/2 batter into the loaf pan -sprinkle one serving of topping & pour rest of batter & then put second serving of topping on top of that - killer!

For topping:

1 Tbs all-purpose flour


5 Tbs sugar


1 tsp ground cinnamon


1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened (I use "salted" just cause I don't have "unsalted" in my house usually)

For bread:

3 cups all-purpose flour


3/4 tsp salt


2 tsps baking soda


1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon


1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg


1/4 tsp ground cloves


1/4 tsp ground allspice


1 (15-oz) can solid-pack pumpkin


3/4 cup vegetable oil (I use 3/4 cup butter instead - wonderful!!!)


2 1/4 cups sugar


4 large eggs, lightly beaten


2 Granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (2 cups)




MAKE THE TOPPING: Blend together flour, sugar, cinnamon. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour into the dry mixutre. Mix with a fork.


MAKE THE BREAD: Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 9 X 5 inch loaf pans. (I just spray "PAM" into pans.)


Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice into a medium bowl. Then add oil(or butter), sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin. Add flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Fold in apples (and walnuts if using nuts).


Divide batter between buttered loaf pans. Sprinkle half of topping evenly over each loaf. *Remember, if you double the topping, do batter, topping, batter, topping. So yummy to have that topping the middle, too.


Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of bread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.


Cool loves in pans on a rack for 45 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.


This bread is meant to be SHARED!!! Make for your neighbors, your coworkers, your family. The only downside to this is it will be requested every year!

Point system

The kids are eating up the fake point system I sometimes use.  I can just all of a sudden say, "100 points for the first person to be undressed and ready for bath!" and they all start to scurry like ants.  It's pretty awesome.  I know my time with this fake point system is limited so I'm going to start using it more often.

This morning Lauren was awake at 6:05am.  For some that may be ok or even normal, for me it might as well be the middle of the night.  We're usually up at 7:00 but that additional hour is the crucial hour, I think.  Anyway, after she played for about 20 minutes in her crib she started yelling for me.  Then screaming for me.  Then kicking the crib rails.  Drew was sleeping in my bed with me (don't ask, long story) and she was awake-ish at this point.  I said to her, "Do you want to be the mommy this morning? "  She said, "Sure!"  I said, "If you do a really good job, I'll give you 100 points."  She was up and on her way to get Lauren so fast and she was so excited.  So was I.  Zzzzzzzzz.

I stayed in bed for another 20 minutes or so and got up to find milk had been served, oranges had been peeled, and a show on Sprout was playing just for Lauren.  I think I may just give her 200 points for that.