Lunch with a Friend

Aren't impromptu visits and events just the best sometimes? My sweet friend Christie (pictured here w/ her other sweet baby - Gage) and her precious daughter (also Charlotte's good friend) came by for lunch and to play the other day, just spur of the moment. The girls played while we dined on my fav Chicken Enchilada soup with lime tortilla chips, co-jack cheese and fresh avocado, yummy!...We laughed and got all caught-up on the "scoop" that is our lives. Christie is a beautiful friend, both inside and out! She added a ray of sunshine to an otherwise very gray, dull day here, so thanks sweet girl! And, PS - thanks for telling me my hair "looked good" too, just a bonus, huh? What else you could you want from your friends?! Love ya girl!

Lost... (and now I am...) Found

******* UPDATE*****...Guess what I found tonight while packing for our beach trip! I could not be more happy!!!!

Have you seen me? I was a favorite...a 28th Birthday gift! I was also a favorite of Charlotte's...I am lost in the house or I was stolen from the car - we are not sure how sad is that?! One day I was here and the the next time I was to be carried and "used" I could not be found, seems Miss Charlotte liked to stuff it full and then carry it around the house so her Mommy could never find it (good taste though!) Or, after the House has been turned-upside down, now we are thinking maybe it was left in the car and was taken...?! UGH, where am I????????????????????

Lissa's Lunch

A little snowman basket of goodies I filled for a friend who just had baby#4 - Luke! I tucked in Tomato Basil soup and Banana bread so she and her Mom could have a nice lunch. A stuffed airplane/rattle toy and chocolate treats for the other 3 kids too. I filled it with blue and white paper shreds and tied it all up with white ribbons, I hope it was a happy lunch and congrats Lissa!

Girlfriends...

I have so very few pictures of my girlfriends on my camera, they are all of my kids it seems. I used to be great about taking my camera out with me everywhere and capturing the moments as they passed but now it seems I just manage to get our family photographed, anyway I thought it would be fun to post some pics of my girlfriends - aren't they all just smashing? And, hopefully they don't mind that I plastered their lovely faces on my blog?! Anyway, I love them all and wonder where in the world any of us might be without our friends!

Treasure Hunting

Look at my new treasures ! Ironstone!!! I collect it and love it! Most of my collection is all white but I have a few brown and white, as well as black and white pieces too. Bryan and I stopped in some antique stores while in NC over Holiday and found these goodies. We used to love to go together (prior to 3 kids) now I usually go alone (sans kids!) so it was really fun to "treasure hunt" together. Bryan actually spotted the tureen with the french top and knew I would love it. I saw the S&P and was so excited, I have never seen anything like them! It is always fun to add to our collections, yes? What do you all love to collect?

Christmas Eve Remembered...

I finally got around to putting my several hundred pictures from December on my computer...I could spend the next month doing Christmas and Birthday posts but I'll spare you all, I guess we have all moved 0n, yes? I just thought these were cute, Christmas Eve after Church. So, even though we are looking towards Heart Day, maybe I will post some Christmas pics over the next week or so!

I Heart Pink & Green!

Thanks to Nana (my MIL) for monogramming these tea towels in pink and green... aren't they cute?! I love, love pink& green! They'll look perfect in the kitchen with all my pink and brown for Heart Day!

The Best Soup!

I finally got a Dutch Oven - a Chantal that is the yummiest shade of reddish-orange...I have been having a great time whipping-up all kinds of recipes. And with these absurdly cold temps it has been the best addition to our kitchen. I also want to share one of my favorite "recipes" - it is a boxed soup! Good recipe, huh? I love Chicken Enchilada soup and I have tried many, many recipes, most pretty labor intensive and this one is by far the best and all you do is add some ingredients. It calls for canned chicken (not a fan) and tomatoes, I add fresh salsa instead and roasted chicken. If I am in a hurry and don't have chicken I just add it whatever I have - Black beans, Kidney beans or even rice. Yum! Simmer for 20 minutes and then add cheese and tortilla chips, delicious! You can buy this soup at Super Target, it is in the soup aisle, so get some and enjoy!

Loving her bed!

Miss Charlotte is loving her big girl bed...not only does she love the soft flannel rosebud sheets, lots of soft "squishy" pillows and her big fluffy down comforter, but she loves the FREEDOM - she is rather enjoying turning on and off her lamp, bringing piles and piles of books, Barbies, dolls and the occasional music box or two to her bed. She must have at least two drinks of water and a couple of trips to the potty too...and while she is up, she figures she'll make a stop downstairs just to see what her Daddy and I are up to?! OK, so what were we thinking?!...

On another note, we are enjoying (not) our 3 day MLK Holiday weekend that suddenly turned into a 5 day MLK Holiday weekend - school was cancelled - yesterday, because of the additional 12 inches of snow were were to of gotten under the Blizzard warning, now tomorrow it is cancelled due to the -25 degree temps we are supposed to have! Geez, can't they just bundle-up? OK, I am kidding...stay warm and snuggle-up tonight, sweet dreams!

Snow, Snow and More Snow...

Happy Monday friends! Well, 12 inches of snow and yet another Winter Storm Advisory for tonite, ugh! But these babies are helping me weather the storm! Oh Spring when will you arrive? It was a busy weekend with friends - my good friend's son had a dance party for his 6th birthday, we all danced and danced (I'm talking the Limbo and Macarena no less) and had a ball! Afterwards she hosted a yummy dinner and we all cozied-up with some delicious Italian Red wine and continued to watch it snow. Sunday was church and Flag Football, a huge Igloo built by Daddy and the kids, a big trip to the grocery and Target and then dinner out...still working away on my "to do" list, lots to accomplish today, we host our Cub Scouts troop tonite for a meeting! I have my Starbucks in hand and am ready to tackle the day...hope you aall are staying warm and cozy!? yes?

Who...?

What man lets his wife sleep in, gets up with all 3 kids and then makes banana crepes and hot coffee for his wife...? MY man! Love you sweetie! You rock!

TGIF and Mom Agenda Love

I love Fridays, don't you?! It is snowing here and Charlotte and I just baked a batch of cookies for the big kids when they get off the bus today, I know Campbell will be looking forward to a big cup of hot cocoa! I wanted to share my new purchase...I am loving this new agenda...it is wonderful! Beautiful looking, classic in style but has all the bells&whistles! Space to plan for up to 4 kids and plenty of room to schedule all your important dates and appointments. There is a detachable address book that you can move from agenda to agenda, year to year. So, if you are behind (like me) on purchasing a 2009-2010 calendar/agenda, this is a great option! Visit their website now http://www.momagenda.com/ and they are 20% off, a local shop here in town is selling them for 50% off - yea, I got a great deal! Let me know if you pick one up! Now, I am off to fill it all in-

Cozy...

These little beauties are keeping my tootsies warm and helping me bear yet another cold, blustery, snowy day here in the Midwest, thank you to my sweetie for leaving these under the tree for me!...The good thing about this weather is it causes me to nest - to rearrange furniture/rooms, cook and bake more, organize closets, sort through toys and clothes and de-clutter and start the year off right, yes?! I am excited be/c I happened upon a great buy yesterday...I got a ton (6 units, 4 feet wide, with 4 shelves across) of shelving unit type thing-ies from Bed, Bath&Beyond yesterday for $36.00...perfect for the kids playroom - a big space that I am forever trying to cozy-up and bring order to. So, that's next week's BIG project, yet again, the Playroom!

In other exciting news, Christian took his first real steps yesterday on what was otherwise, NOT a good day...just precious and yes, I think even more exciting or just as, with baby # 3! And... Charlotte spent her first night in a big girl "princess, beautiful" bed (as she lovingly refers to it)...I must admit it was great to make it all up all pretty with cozy flannel rosebud sheets, all her custom nursery pillows in pinks and greens and toile. I used a sweet duvet cover and matching, long dust ruffle. The "crowning" beauty is the sweet, handpainted, french headboard that was my grandmother's...so special! I promise to take some pics and post this weekend. OK, I am off to be productive, after a hot shower, only 1 Bebe at home today and he is snoozing...ahh, peace and quiet!

Little Darlings...

Are you not loving those Darling little Clementines, yes? Yum! They come in the cutest little box too...so, I save the boxes, line it with some great napkins and deliver my favorite cookies in them (Big Soft Ginger Cookies - along with a couple little "darlings") and deliver to neighbors, friends, etc...Good idea, yes? Just, doing my part to be "green", right?...Reuse, re- purpose, recycle!

Happy New Year!

From our home to yours...Happy New Year! I hope you all had the best Christmas and that Santa was extra nice...how about New Year's, did you get a midnight kiss, yes? I hope you are rested and relaxed and ready to take on a new year with all its glory and promise, so what are your plans? We don't make "resolutions" around here, just wishes and goals and "plans", some are kept, some are works in progress and some never happen but I believe in the power of writing it all down and making a "plan" - anyone who knows me knows I am a planner, the classic "Type A", I live for lists and so that is how we operate around here. Lots to accomplish this week and certain;y this Year...Hope your New Year is a wonderful, memorable one! I look forward to catching-up this week with you all and your blogs!

Merry...

I know, I know...you are probably all shopped-out! But, if you need a great little girl's gift for any reason I have to rave about this PBK dolly...she is just precious! My parents gave her to Charlotte for Christmas and we just love her! She received 'Merry" a limited edition doll and all her wardrobe, packaged adorably I might add...Merry was around just for the Holidays I think but she is almost identical to Sophie (in the picture above)...she is soft but bendable too, her clothes and shoes and the details and so sweet, PB does a great job with the details! Charlotte totes her everywhere and has loved dressing her...she is so proud of herself that she can get her dressed by herself (unlike her Bitty!)...definitely a fav gift this Christmas! More favorites will be posted this week! And if you are wondering bout my progress from yesterday's list...I am about to start the tree but otherwise I am about done - yea!!! PS- Anyone else ready for the kids to go back to school...? Or I am the only bad Mom?!

Overwhelmed!

****UPDATE****
OK, it is 4:41pm and I have 3/4 of the Christmas put away (well, not including the mack daddy tree) , 3 loads of laundry done and folded, I have showered and fed 3 kids (almost 2 times now), caught-up on my soap from last week (while working away of course) and have unpacked all the 3 kids bags from the trip...progress, slow and steady...OK, back to work!


Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed...?! We just got back in town after a week away...I am now facing: putting all of my Christmas away ( no small feat), piles of laundry, unpacking bags and all the gifts, thank you notes (birthday and Christmas), a school science project that needs to be started prior to Monday, a playroom that needs to be cleaned and re-organized to make room for the new loot (this sort of happened mid-December but time again!), a closet that is in bad, bad shape (I must find my fav Yoga pants), a craft/scrapbook/Christmas wrapping room that is begging to be cleaned and re-organized...so, these are just a few things on my "to do" list this weekend. I always make a point to start the New Year off right and clean and organized by the time the kids are off to school in January and Bryan returns to his home office (ah, yet another MAJOR job that needs tackling)...not sure what I will accomplish between now and Monday but I am off to start...wish me luck!

PS-Didn't plan to post until Monday again but I needed a way to avoid my list!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Looking forward to catching-up with you all Monday...a whole New Year of possibilities and promise!