Trip to Science center

After going to Children's hospital for Sophi's apt I wanted to make the trip worth it! The kids sat in the hospital for 5 hours and needed to run off some energy. Tanor has been learning about space so we thought the science center would be a great place to start!

The kids LOVE it there...love is and understatement! There wasnt much for them to do really but they thought all the science stuff was so cool and neat...we walked around for hours enjoying all the history and telling them all I remember about it from school...I never thought that would come in handy but it did! lol. 

I am so happy my kids enjoy history and want to learn more about it, can you say proud momma! I am one proud mom!

Tanor's New Glasses

Tanor finally got his glasses in so we went and picked them up only to find out he hated them! 6 weeks ago he loved them - mommy even let him pick them out all by himself. :(

Well it turns out he loved the other ones better so he begged me to order them too...we will have to wait and see how he does with these first!

He just melts my heart when he wears his glasses he is such a sweety and looks so smart with them on!

Valentine's Day Sweet's

Tyler got me the best gift ever! My favorite Gobstopper hearts! I found this sweet box of candies on my door step when I brought Tanor home from school! I have such amazing husband!

Valentine's day was fabulous this year the kids enjoyed the gifts from Tyler and I and we made a dinner together that night along with a night of games. Tanor won 3 out of 4 candy land games...he must have a trick under his sleeve! ;) Hope you all had a fantastic Valentine's day with you sweeties!

Museum Fun Trip

-February 12th-

We decided to go have a fun day for the kids. So Sunday we took them to Decatur and enjoyed some family fun time at the "Decatur museum".Tanor and Sophi had such a good time, only problem with the museum was it was really to small to make it more then a hour of family time(I would recommend spending the extra money and going to St. Louis museum) but if you want something fast this is the way to go!.  Here are some pictures of our little day trip! The bubble room seemed to be a favorite of Sophi's and Tanor really enjoyed the climbing tree! If you want a little fun make the trip...there is a really cute zoo right next to this museum that we LOVE too!

Tanor's Got A Yellow Belt!

Friday night was so exciting, Tanor went to karate class and was awarded a Yellow belt!

He was thrilled to say the least! All his hard work paid off and his instructor gave him a little speech about how great he was doing and what the belt meant and how he was to respect it! I haven't seen him so happy in a long time he was jumping with joy! Here is the only picture I could get decent enough to show off.

Settling in to our new home!

Wow, moving has been such a emotional roller coaster! We are finally getting everything in order and unpacked and organized and it has been one month since we moved in!

Since moving into our new house we have had one sick animal after another, dog fights, things got broken in the move, we had the flu for 2 weeks, etc..etc...its been one thing after another!

Our most recent is the passing of our beloved pet Layla. She was hit and killed by a car on Friday February 10, 2012. In our family an animal is not only a pet but a best friend and truly is one of the family! She was like a daughter to me and I greatly miss her!

I am hoping and praying things settle down this next week so I can make a huge dent in our house "to do" list!

As for the kids....they are doing great! Tanor is excelling in school and Sophi has started her "homework" as she calls it.   Tyler is still working and enjoying all the new things he is learning as a carpenter. Brody(our dog) is now a inside family member and is loving all the perks! Well that's a quick update on us! :)

Week 3 Meals

I am really behind on posts and remembered I forgot to post week 3! Over the next couple days I plan on trying to get all the posts up!!

Monday- Buttered Beer Brats, Macaroni and cheese, Green beans - Cherry Pie

Tuesday- Foil Pack Chicken (WE LOVE LOVED this - super easy too!!) & Roasted Potato Wedges

Wed- Chili & Crackers

Thursday- Chicken Fajitas -Salsa & Chips

Friday - BBQ Pork Steaks & Crispy Potato's

Saturday- Cheesy Mostaccioli & Garlic Bread

Sunday- Out to eat or quick meal?

Week 4 Meals

Just now getting time to post this! We had quite a busy week so fast comfort food was the way to go!

Monday- Veggie Soup

Tuesday- Pizza

Wednesday- Out to eat

Thursday- Individual Meatloaf & Seasoned Potato's

Friday - Chicken Noodle Soup

Saturday- BBQ Chicken, Mac & Cheese, Spanish Rice

Sunday- Italian Beef & Crash Hot Potato's

January 6th - Sophi's appointment!

After waiting almost 3 years the day had finally came! January 6th was the day the kids and I drove up to Children's hospital to see if the hole in Sophi's heart had closed. After so long it was finally here! Wow!

The 3 of us get to the hospital and while sitting in the waiting room I noticed how so many of the people sitting around me are there for a "real" reason! I felt like we were there for this tiny little hole and it was being made a huge deal when most of the children in the room are in wheel chairs or fighting for their life....who was I to be here? I felt like we were completely out of place and had no right to be at that hospital! We got called back into our room pretty quick and they did there normal checks to listen to her heart and the doctor told me that she sounded great! Hole free and healed but wanted to be sure of it so we needed to do a echo.

While waiting in the heart room for Sophi's echo we met a family from Greenville,IL and they seemed like such a amazing family! Sophi and Tanor loved there little girl named Maddie ....which was great to have a friend to play with since we had to wait 1 in a half hours to get the echo done!  Seriously, by this point I would normally have been ripping my hair out for the kids going crazy...but God must have known I couldn't handle it because the kids did amazing! I was in awe...

The echo...Sophi hated and screamed most of the time(either lack of sleep or food) she was not liking this test at all, but the lady scanning here was AMAZING! She made Sophi calm down right away before it got out of control! She had a way with both my kids that I have never seen in a tech before! Once we finished with the scan we got escorted back to the "conference room" which right away worried me something was going down but didn't know what was to come!

The doctor came in shortly after and told us that he had bad and good news(not what you ever want to hear)!  Sophi's hole did not close up any at all and continued to be the same size as it was when she was less then a year old. The good news was she couldn't have surgery because her heart was not enlarged or inflamed and due to the nature of the location of the hole it makes surgery more risky so he needed to be 100 percent certain surgery was a complete fix for her.

I was feeling mixed emotions at this point until I decided to ask him if there was anything I needed to be worried about and he said "I don't believe you will have any issues but you need to be prepared in case something happens because it will get dangerous quickly".  Freaking out at this point! I mean what am I supposed to do wrap her in bubble wrap? How do I prevent her heart from racing or prevent a stroke? I have no control over that!! GRR!

Remember at the beginning of this post when I said it was just a tiny hole? Well this tiny hole could take my daughters life...

Wow, what a feeling it is to know something can happen at any moment and you have no control over the situation! God is in control( I know that, I feel that) but sometimes its just so hard...


We needed a little "fun" before driving home so the kids and I ran over to the Science center...this is the first time I have done anything like this without Tyler but I am so glad i got to enjoy this with them...sometimes memories are all we have.... We had such a great time and the trip altogether was amazing! Besides the news...we got there and back safely, got to enjoy a nice outing together and when we got home Tyler and the dogs where there to welcome us back(with supper waiting)!

Crafting with the kiddos

Last minute decision to craft at home tonight!

Tanor had to have a decoration for his Valentines day show in tell tomorrow that I forgot about so we had to come up with something quick! Thankfully pinterest is there to help when needed!

Sophi then decided she wanted to make a craft so we made a napkin holder! I have always wanted a place to put them so now we have the perfect spot and its made with love!

Sunday & Monday Family Fun Night (Slime & Playdough recipe)

When I was younger we used to make homemade gak(slime) so I decided to make it in to craft night for my family! Sunday night we made and played with Slime and Monday night we made play dough!

We all had a blast and it was such a cheap family fun night! Who doesn't love cheap!! Any who, here is my recipes:

GAK(SLIME) -

Ingredients
- Elmer's Glue(White is what I prefer) - 4oz 
- 1-cup of water
- 1 tsp of borax
- Food coloring


Start by dissolving a teaspoon of Borax in one cup of water(any size bowl)

In a separate bowl pour 4oz elmer's glue and (once the glue is all out of the bottle) fill up the glue bottle with water and pour in the mixing bowl with glue. Then add your choice of Food coloring. Stir

Then add your borax mixture into your glue solution bowl and begin to fold your gak(slime) until solid enough to pick up with hands and knead to a firm state. (you may feel as if you messed up the recipe because at first it feels like snot but I promise you its right!)

Enjoy! WE love this recipe!








Play dough recipe
( http://www.kristanlynn.com/2011/09/best-play-dough-recipe.html) I found the recipe here

Ingredients:
1 C Flour
1 C Water
1/4 C Salt
1 TBSP Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Cream of Tarter
Food Coloring (actual coloring or a kool-aid packet will do)
Sparkles (If you wanna be a fun mom!)
Sauce Pan and Wooden Spoon


First Pour all ingredients into sauce pan and mix until smooth.Once the mixture is (mostly) clump free. Heat over MEDIUM heat. Stir. Don’t stop stirring. After a few minutes it will start to clump up. You will be able to tell when it is finished it will form one big clump and change colors slightly.

(Only change I made to this recipe was on accident...I made it with only 1 tsp of cream of tarter on my first try and the kids likes that one the best! It was less sticky and more play dough like!)

Menu Plan - Week 2

This is what we had to eat this week!

Monday- Cheesy Beef - Corn Skillet - (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheesy-beef-corn-chip-skillet-55264.aspx.)   (pretty simple and much like taco salad)

Chrushed Potatos - (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/crushed-potatoes-roasted-garlic-70216.aspx)(I LOVED THESE)










Tuesday- BBQ Pork(really good), Grilled Potatoes & Corn

Wednesday- Bacon Cheese Burgers & Spiced potatoes fries

Thursday-  We had a dog emergency so we ended up eating out at Joe's Pizza :(

Friday- Birthday dinner

Saturday-  Stuffed Pork Loin(really yummy and easy), homemade macaroni, baked beans

Sunday- Fiesta Chicken Pasta & Steamed broccoli and cauliflower with cheese - Also making cheesy bacon potatoes because my husband isn't gonna like this meal!!


Trying new foods has been very difficult with my husband(he is extremely picky...mainly a meet and potato guy only!) so I plan on working our way in the world of new foods slowly!

Do you have any meals that you really like and wouldn't mind sharing?

Homemade Window Cleaner

Mix in a spray bottle( I used my old Windex solution)

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water

Mix water and vinegar together in a spray bottle.

You can use this spray to clean your counter tops, stove top, as well as the windows and the mirrors.Vinegar is acidic and it will cut grease, dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. It leaves no residue, is a natural deodorizer and it kills mold and mildew too.

I have heard not to use this on marble or other stone floors. Its acidic nature will damage the surface and actually permanently etch and dissolve the floor surface.


I have been using this solution for awhile now and I LOVE it!!  It lasts a lot longer then the normal Windex and cleans streak free! Perfect for a house hold of dog noses and little kid finger prints!

Homemade Soaps :)

After trying a sample of homemade laundry soap and loving it I decided to make my own and along with it try to make dishwasher soap as well! It turned out pretty well!

Shopping list
 - 1 box borax(4lbs 12 oz) - Cost $4.99 (I used 3/4 the box)
 - 1 box of Super Washing Soda (3lbs 7oz) - Cost $3.24 (I used the whole box)
 - 1 tub oxyclean (any size) - Cost me $7.54 (I only used half the box)
 - 2 bars of Fels Naptha - Cost $1.94
 - 1 bottle of Lemi Shine(12 oz - powder) Cost $3.77( used over 3/4 bottle)

 TOTAL COST - $21.48   ( This is total cost of ingredients to make Laundry and Dish washing Soap!




Laundry Recipe-
(he compatible - does 88 loads)

2 bars Fels Naptha
4 cups borax
4 cups washing soda
2 cups oxyclean

Finely grate Fels Naptha bars and mix with all other ingredients, ENJOY

Use 2 tablespoons per load


I estimated it cost me .11 cents per load with oxyclean.

Compared to purex sheets - It was costing me 19.88 to do 22 loads = .22 cents each.  Who doesn't love saving money!! :)

This recipe smells great very lemony and fresh...I washed my dogs bath towels and bedding and it came out smelling fresh! No wet dog smell at all! I am SOLD!




HERE is the

Dishwasher Soap Recipe
(80 loads)

2 cups borax
2 cups washing soda
1 cup lemi shine(powder)

For rinse agent you can use White vinegar.

Measure items, pour together, blend & Enjoy!

Use 1 tablespoon per load


This cost me .07 cents per load to make.

Compared to cascade action pacs(12.7 oz) -  it used to cost me $15.88 for 80 loads = .19 cents per load.

I have yet to try the dishwashing powder but I hope it turns out great!