ReCap

Been pretty busy so here's a fun recap of our family weekend.

Homework: Zenon HAS to do it and doesn't quite enjoy it.
But give the boy incentive like lets say....a yogurt cup or grapes yeah...he'll get the job done.



And E....well the child just loves his homework.
For crying out loud he had me downloading worksheets at 8:30 one morning.
Like I've said before Switched-At-Birth!!



While cooking dinner I caught my guys watching a cassette of "Dino Riders."
Nick said his cousin used to LOVE this show and had all the toys.
When Nick used to spend summers with him he said he loved playing and watching the show.
So he bought the cartoons for the boys...at a thrift store.
Boys loved it and I think it made Nick melancholy.
Sadly, his cousin passed at a young age.



Also, I received my "Scentsy" kit. My house is extra yummy smelling.
I also decided to make my own Basket testers...aside from getting a bit overwhelmed from all the scents ( I had to vacate for a while and hide out at Sarah's), the death of 3 party testers thanks to my "SUPER Microwave" all came out great.
So if you want to have a smelling party or know anyone who is just curious about the scents your more than welcome to borrow my testers for a few days.



Barbie, this was so much prettier than the prototype.
I had a hard time mixing the color to match the bodice, but Nick came to my rescue and helped me (he mixes paint for car interior work), such a darling.
Finally...Voila... Cinderella for Presley.




And through it all this smile made it all worth it.
She came and thanked me and asked if I would take a picture with her next to her cake.....
I just about died when she asked...too cute!







That evening I went to a Moroccan restaurant with my friend Amina, and new friends, Naima and Angela.
I had chicken cous cous with a cup of hot mint tea OH MY soooo good!



They had a live band and everyone cut a rug!
We tried dancing too.
Angela and I being the non Moroccan or non Arabic speaking just soaked in the beautiful culture....and I mean Beautiful.



They sure can party.
Angela and I both agreed it reminded of Mexican dances and Quinceneras we have attended in our life time.




Hope you enjoyed our crazy recap and have a great Day.

Ronald and Barbie

Friday after school I along with some fellow mom's from Z's school took the kids to McDonalds.
Ronald was making an appearance and I though the boys would get a kick out of it if not freak out.
They had a ball and they sat and enjoyed the "Magic" tricks and silly doings Mexican Ronald did.
One of my friends and fellow mommy leaned over and whispered that Ronald was definitely Mexican. She could hear his accent.
I laughed and told her I thought she was right but we both couldn't be sure.
Well they had a drawing and one of the kids names was all Spanish and he didn't skip a beat in his pronunciation.
We cracked up...why did we think it was funny..pfffft we were stuck in a hot overcrowded playroom with screaming and laughing children.
Anything laughable was targeted to keep our sanity.




I wish I had been closer those big feet would of been a great pic.



Last my cake fight.
I volunteered to make Miss Presleys cake that she so desperately wants.
Never made one before so I had to wing it.
But I went through 5 cakes to get it just right.
For some reason it wasn't baking properly, I just didn't understand.
Then Nick, (after watching me throw hissy fits) told me he thought I was using too much batter in my baking bowl.

I took his advice and VOILA the cake came out perfect.

So I proceeded to decorate and here is a prototype.




I'm hoping Presley's cake will be even better.
Wish me luck!

Story time with Mark Twain.

E and I spent the morning at the public library yesterday.
He worked on the kids computers and I hunted down Cookie cook books.
It's that time of year again....
Christmas baking!
I love it!! And the boys really enjoy helping out and Nick well...he enjoys the eating part.

When we were leaving the library E sat next to the Bronze statue and pretended to be read to.
Of course with camera always on hand I snapped some pics.

E enjoying the story of Huck Finn.

He insisted I take a pic of his hands on the stacked Bronze books.

I guess he figures I take odd random pics why not a picture of his hand right?

I am off to watch the Kung Fu Panda with little E, they really love that movie and Jack Black makes for one funny Panda.

Have a great weekend.

Herman Alexander 1998-2008

Sigh... I said good-bye to Herman yesterday.
He was part of my family for 10 years.
In college I had a thing for turtles and I so badly wanted a box turtle, but could never find one.
Nick being mister slick thought he'd get a big smooch out of me if he found me one.
Well...he found me a box turtle but he didn't get a smooch. :)

Herman had a organ prolapse and I was told there was nothing they could do.
I had to make the choice of putting him to sleep.
I was heart broken.
Nick tried his best to cheer me up by taking us to dinner and then taking me for a sweet treat.
I felt numb though.

How could I feel so numb for a turtle who only ate, slept, swam and sun bathed?
He didn't cuddle on my lap.
He didn't look happy to see me.
He was 100% the most anti-social turtle EVER.
Nick and I swore he had an anxiety disorder of some sort.
But I loved him and I miss him terribly.

Sadly, I was always fighting with his heat lamp.It was constantly blowing out the bulbs and I always had to buy new ones.
A few months ago I replaced his bulb yet once again and was happy this one hadn't gone out.
Well that was his demise.
Bulbs for reptiles have to be replaced every 5 months.
The bulb may still be good but the UV light wears out after the 5th month.
This "Super Bulb" that never died caused him rickets and messed up his shell causing internal injuries.
So if you have a reptile remember to replace your bulb.
On a cute side.
When we arrived at the restaurant after leaving Herman, Zenon looked up and told me his turtle was with Jesus.


Pretty cute....he put a little smile on my face as he reached to hold my hand.

Somber

I received an email this past Friday, E's classmate lost his mother to cancer.
I never knew her just had seen her in passing.
Her head covered up due to loss of hair, but a smile on her face as she took her little one to school.

My heart ached reading that email.
I couldn't stop thinking of a woman I never met.
Nick was saddened to hear of her passing and looked glassy eyed thinking of her husbands loss.
We held our kids a bit tighter and tried not to let too much bother us this weekend.

Please keep the family in your prayers.

Seriously!?!

Okay, Nick and I have joked that sometimes we think the boys were switched out with our real kids at birth.
Now with Ethan we're seriously saying....HHmmmmmm?
He LOVES school, cries when he can't go and now he cries for....Homework.
HOMEWORK!
Who cries for homework?
Oh dear Ethan if you didn't look like a mini replica of your dad with moms bad attitude........



Zenon brings homework twice a week and twice a week I have to print off work sheets or find work in Ethans work books.
If he doesn't have homework put in your ear plugs because this child will whine you to death.
On the upside...he really is learning alot.



I'm so excited about this.
My first "Almost no-sew Tutu". I made this for Zen's little classmate, she's having a birthday party this weekend and I thought she might like a tutu and matching wand.
Nick thinks the wand should be a bit glittery.
Oh I think its fine as is.

Next I move on to Presley's gift which is almost all done.

I'm so excited, its the first time I've made one. I'm really hoping it turns out okay.

I will be posting pics soon.

Have a great weekend.

Lovin' It!

I seriously can't get enough of this book.
And honestly, Did I really have to go all the way to Chicago to find it?
Yes, sadly I did.
I've wanted it for months but didn't want to pay shipping and wanted to see, feel and know exactly what I was paying over 30 dollars for.
Well it was so worth the money.



Last night the boys and I enjoyed a dinner for three.
With Nick in school the boys and I have simple dinners.
I made Apple bread and its soooo yummy!
I think what made it yummier was the freshly picked apples from Indiana.
OH MY! I felt like such a pig, I kept eating the apples as I was trying to grate them for my recipe.
SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOD!



In the end we had a platter of fruit, slices of warm apple bread and some good ol' mac and cheese.
The boys swallowed their bread and Zenon even asked if I could pack him some for lunch the next day.




Oh what will I make next?
Tartlets? fried Mozzarella sandwiches? Buttermilk fried chicken?
Chocolate Toffe nut squares?

I'm so hungry.

Out with the old in with the new

Last day of the month, Halloween.
The boys weren't even done with a full block when they told us they were done for the night.
They decided to sit in someones yard and take a candy break.
BOYS! This is the one time of the year where you can get free candy...

FREE CANDY!

They didn't bite they settled for what they had, I think they were switched at birth.









With October gone....worst month ever for us.
(One exception being my trip)
I was glad to see October gone.
So I welcomed November with some baking and family time.
What better way to do that than make something out of my new best friend,
"Apples for Jam".

I love this book and intend on making many more yummies.

( Below: Brownie stuffed with fresh whipped cream and strawberries, drizzled with chocolate)




We sat around the table ate our treats and just chatted a bit.
Though the past month was hard on us we didn't let it break us.






After all we still have each other.