Accomplishment. Cake for Breakfast? Weekday life.

Little E is reading! We are so super proud. A few days ago we were out shoe shopping after school and while riding around in the van we heard him reading but I don't think it really clicked to Nick and I, until he asked "What does this word say?" I looked over and told him "Something". Nick and I suddenly had a case of whip lash as we spun to look at E sitting in his car seat slowly reading to himself. Taking time to sound out his words. What an Accomplishment!
Way to go E, way to go!

Here's the book he's been reading. Pop's insisted I take a pic of the book. First book he's read on his own.



Yes, you read that right.
Cake for breakfast.
I had a few brown bananas and I always make banana bread. This time I decided to make a banana cake. A healthy breakfast Banana cake that is.
I made up the recipe as I went along and it came out pretty good. Not as dense as a bread but not as fluffy as a cake. Hmmmmmm??? I would of liked it to have been more cake like.
My recipe had no sugar, just a few TBSP of light agave and natural applesauce (unsweetened).
I topped the hot cake with chocolate chips and...........



Voila! Instant Ganauche with no heavy cream needed!
Boys like it, they have two squares for breakfast and a cup of oj..perfect and healthy.



Pop's took a few pics of our everyday routine during the week which you know means...HOMEWORK!
Z is not a fan.
Neither are Pop's and I, buuuutt it has to be done.
Z was crying when I pulled out his homework, he said it was hard.
My poor Z, how he struggles. But I see 6 year old Z who struggles with homework especially reading and I feel sad, then I think of 4 year old Z who couldn't even talk and I instantly feel grateful. He talks, he tries so hard and therefore I couldn't be prouder.
How many mom's out there wish they were in our shoes now with 6 year old Z?
Many.
How do I know?
They still come up to me and tell me how blessed I am, they are still with their non verbal little ones.
Yes, I am grateful, extremely. I try to make a point of telling my teary eyed Z how awesome he's doing and to KISS HIS BRAIN! (little ditty I stole from Mrs.Mead, Z's Kinder teacher and E's current teacher)
He keeps whining and crying then I get angry eyebrows because I know he's trying to get out of homework.
He IS quite the sneaky one.

Trying to make <, > and = a visual lesson. He learns better when it's hands on.
He got it and finished his work mostly on his own.



I usually have to help with the long word problems.

Little E had no school work and worked hard on his Ds.

I'm off to mop floors, shop insurance for the car, pick up my little ones and start homework all over again. Phew, I'm tired already.

Sweets

Since Friday was a Snow Day and Monday President's Day the boys' Valentines Party was scheduled for Tuesday.
Yay! A little extra time for baking.

I decided to give the teachers some Red Velvet cupcakes with Butter cream Frosting.

I think they looked so pretty.



I made the packaging simple and I really enjoyed how they turned out.
Never can go wrong with colored stock paper, twine and brown packaging paper.
The containers were 3 for a dollar at Dollar Tree.



E's class was having donuts, naturally no store was selling Valentine donuts anymore so I had to get creative. Bought 3 dozen donuts, made a simple glaze that I drizzled on top so the sprinkles would stick. Quite honestly I don't think the kids would of cared, they would of just say'd Ahhhh and swallowed these babies whole!



On a different kind of sweet is this.........

The boys watching a Mockingbird eat off of their bird feeders.



They just stood there staring at our little guest. I hope this little guy spreads the word so more little visitors will come.


Something relaxing about watching birds while at our dinner table.





Hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed weekend. Our's will be nice and lazy...were sleeping in!

"When we get home."

As many may know I volunteer up a the boys school.

The other week I was in Little E's class helping out with some projects. Well Little E looked so adorable that I gave him an one arm hug (he shy's in the affection department in front of his buds so I kept it simple) and whispered in his ear....."I want to give you kisses.", "Can I carry you?", "Can I give you a bubble kiss?","Can I give you nosey, nosey?" (Eskimo kisses). He never looked up then finally put his hand at the side of his mouth as to tell me a secret and answered "Yes, when we get home." And gave me the cutest most secretive type smile.
And naturally he kept his word to every request.

I love these kids! They are too much!

Snow and after snow crafts.

Last week we actually had something I never thought I would see....A snow day!

This was outside the boys school.



Z making him a snow angel.




Getting creative and sledding down the front walk.




I put large mixing bowls on our patio table out back to catch clean snow.
And voila instant Snow Sno-cones!





Our neighbors Snow Lady.....WOW!





Our Organic Snow Man. ( Our snow man was so humbled next to Sexy Snow lady next door)
I didn't have carrots so we used organic celery for the nose and organic twizzler snacks to make the mouth.
He's environmentally friendly.
All those veggies yet it still leaned to the left...should of had it's V8!




We worried about the birdies since they probably are looking for food so we made Peanut butter pine cone bird feeders.

For those allergic to Peanut Butter you can use shortening. The kids enjoyed making them and they are now hanging on our tree by the front kitchen window.

Now we just wait for our little guests to arrive.

Non-Cliche' Love

I'm not a super romantic person, though the man I married is.
Which I guess is not such a bad thing quite frankly.

But with our 9 year anniversary coming up and so many loved ones preparing to tie the knot themselves it got me thinking about weddings.
Our wedding was extremely simple. Had a lot of Latin customs which I was tickled Nick wasn't bothered by.
Though we had a lot to discuss.....
I wanted to marry in a regular gown, Nick insisted I wear a wedding dress.
I wanted to to go to City hall, He wanted a wedding in a church.
His exact words...."I want us to marry in God's house, you deserve that, we deserve that."
UGH! How could I say NO to the big blue eyes telling me such things?
I'm a sucker.......So we compromised.
But nothing can prepare me for the weddings I've attended.


When it comes to weddings it's all the same is it not?
Weddings in Vegas, Romantic themes, Flowers, Flowers and more Flowers! (Mind you I had NO Flowers at my wedding.) Sure a wedding should be romantic but it's all been done and it's quite honestly boring.

BUT these are my all time favorite, creative, sweet weddings.
Sadly they are only but two I attended one I couldn't but I've seen the family photos and it was pretty cute!

#3--My God Brother Gabriel, we couldn't attend but I wish I had!
They had a country themed wedding outside at his grandparents ranch. They had bails of hay for pews draped in cloth. They had what I heard was delicious home made wine the brides family made. I was told the food was delicious and the wedding was all around looked super cute!

#2---Sara, Rob's sister (Rob being my dearest friend) Her wedding was beautiful. But the Reception was my fave!
They had a man with props come in and do silly dances with guests it was fantastic to watch.
Their guest gifts was a table set up with all kinds of chocolates! Guests were given a little box and allowed to fill it with yumminess.
Then the wedding cake! That cake was too cute for words. The groom loves video games so their cake was Mario Bros. themed. When they cut the cake, the Mario Brothers game song played....I LOVED IT!!
You can see some of it here... http://monkeylemur.blogspot.com/2008/10/mytrip-day-three-five-big-day-bean-and.html

And my all time favorite NON-Cliche wedding

#1----Karen and Davids. (Sadly I don't have any pics)
I LOVE LOVE LOVED her wedding dress. I was almost jealous when we visited her apartment and she pulled it out of the closet for me to see. Beautiful knee length strapless dress, cream and black....simple...beautiful.
Their wedding cake Super Super Simple! Ugh I drove all over looking for cakes! Why didn't I think of what Karen did?!
And what made me giggle in delight was the song that played when they entered the reception hall as husband and wife.
Billy Idol's "White wedding"
I was so tickled with their creativity.
Awesome guys! Super awesome.

Best Friend.

Dear Best Friend:

I heard a song on my CD yesterday that made me think of you, so I called you. You laughed and said you had just heard a song on the radio that made you think of us. Which got me thinking how your truly my best friend.

How you became my best friend....

1) I worked on a Pathology term paper for 3 months, the paper got lost somewhere in my floppy disk (yes Floppy disk!) and I seriously lost my mind! I was overworked, over schooled, under slept and seriously exhausted. It was past midnight you patted my back and told me to go to sleep. You would help me out. I cried all the way upstairs but quickly fell like a rock. Next morning my term paper was nealty printed, with a lovely title page and nicely put in a plastic cover. You drove all night and found a 24 hr Kinkos, they found the file and you came home and left in on the table by my book bag. YOU SAVED ME!

2) I got the flu...BAD! I was running a high fever, you found me upstairs almost delirious. You called your mom for help. You ordered me into the tub clothes on and all (what a gentleman)to bring down my fever. Then you took me to the doctor, fed me, sang to me, did silly little skits and watched over me.

3)When I got the call that my grandmother was dying, you didn't hesistate to jump into my little Tracker and take the 10 hour trip back home with me....you allowed me to mourn, you drove me all the way back home afterwards even though you barely knew how to drive stick shift.

4) When I was the odd man out and the gals had dates, you kept me company. We watched movies, I had Braised Tofu, you had Sweet and sour chicken... our nights were awesome!

5) You made running less lonely, I found a running partner in you, though I found out later you actually hate running...stinker!

6) You made me feel good about myself. You erased my negative thinking on body image...thank you.

7) You always had/have a joke. Nothing is safe around you...you'll find humor in everything. You crack me up!

8) You were actually at the end of the isle waiting for me (even if I WAS 30 minutes late). If it was any other, they would ran when they could!! Your brave.

9) When I was exhausted, worn out and couldn't go on anymore you sang a Beatles song in my ear to soothe me. Odd thing now is when I hear that song I think of painful labor.

10) You love me unconditionally.



Happy Valentines to my Best Friend....my husband.

Mountain Men.

We enjoyed the lake house this weekend. Deb stayed in her p.j's , I stayed in reading, relaxing.

And of course attending the fire pit for the marshmallow roasting and snapping a few pics of our mountain men.

Z by the fire, it was so chilly!

E enjoying his marshmallows.

My little mountain men working hard around the house.

Little mountain men with Big Mountain Man.

Never bored at the lake house...you just take a new found stick and whack the home made swing!



Pop's the Mountain man tending to the fire.

I truly enjoyed knowing these guys were spending the whole day together.

Mamaw and I stuck inside where it was nice and toasty....and where all the snacks were.

Have to??

Me: "I wish you could stay home today and not have to go prospecting in this weather."
Nick:"Yeah but if I don't, I'll have to work Saturday and have to miss your Uncles party so that's out of the question."
Me: "Ugh yeah...no way in H-E double hockey sticks we're missing that.", "I just want to be lazy that's why, we need a lazy day."
( I do nothing when Nick's home, I find myself sitting by him....like a pup. It's tough to have down time at a normal hour when you have little ones, rainy days make that possible for us.)
Nick's phone receives a message
Nick: "Well I guess that's my Que, I'm off"
Me:"Yeah, it's for the best I have to get up and get dressed, I have to go to the library."
Nick grins at me "Have to?""You don't like driving in the rain."
Me: Yeah, I HAVE to go to the library, I HAVE to know what's going on with Bella and Edward!

Stupid books, stupid Love story, I'm so addicted! I need some serious intervention.