Headaches And Eye Strain

 I have been doing a lot of complaining lately about my glasses.  You might remember how a few weeks ago, I broke the nose piece on my favorite pair, and have been wearing my "spare pair" ever since.  They are supposed to be the same exact prescription, because I got them both at the same place, at the same time.  But, I am convinced that these are different, because they give me headaches.  I also have to hold papers and things a little farther away to be able to read them. 

This makes me think I am getting old, which I am not, so it must be the glasses, right?

Right?

Last night I was sitter here at the computer, again complaining about how these glasses make my eyes hurt.  Ryan walks over and asks if he could see my broken pair.  I told him there was no way he could fix them, because the little rubber thing that goes on your nose broke in half, and I have no idea where the piece is.  He told me he would let me have the nose things off of his glasses.

I asked him how he could do that and still wear his glasses, and he just shrugged.  I then asked him where his glasses were (he only needs them to see the board in class) and he said they were in his locker, somewhere.  I then asked if he ever wears them, and he said no.  He said he can see fine.

I don't really believe him, but it's not like I can force him to wear them.  He'll be sorry, though, when not wearing them now only makes him need glasses all the time later on.

Signs

Every year, Junior's ex-father-in-law Del tries to start a business.  He wants to be able to open a produce stand in his yard.

There are a couple of things that prevent this from being successful every year.  First, he lives right next door to a big, successful produce stand.  Second, he likes to give away his produce for free.

A few years ago, I ran the stand.  Every day during the Spring/Summer, I sat in his yard, under a big tent, selling produce.  Now, this wouldn't have been too bad if a few things were different.  For one thing, I was there from about 8 in the morning until 7 or 8 at night.  That's a long day.  I also had all the kids with me, because Junior was either working or sleeping.  Now, for my littles to be out in the heat, with nothing to do, for that length of time, well, it was difficult.  Add to this the fact that there was no bathroom, so if me or the kids had to go, we had to leave the stand and walk to the closest store.  It was not fun.

But, these people are like family, so I did it.  From May to July.  I would be lying if I said I was disappointed when he decided to close down because he wasn't making any money.  He was investing too much in the produce, buying it at a local farmer's market, and not making enough selling it.  There was a point in time where people were coming to the stand, and asking if Del was there.  most of the time he wasn't, and people would leave saying they'd be back when he was there, because he gave them free stuff and I didn't.  That did not help with the making of money, I can tell you that.

Last year, he decided that he was going to grow his own produce.  You would think this was a great idea, except that his produce always tasted funny.  Junior said it was because of the soil (he planted his garden in an old goat fields...and when I say old, I mean he got rid of the goats and then planted his produce) and the sprays he used on the plants.  Needless to say, he didn't make it work last year, either.

Apparently, he has decided that the time has come to try again.  He called me last night and asked me to make him some signs to hang in his yard, advertising what he's selling.  I did, and now I am waiting for him to ask me to sell for him.

Is it wrong that I don't want to?

Interior Designing

 I wrote a post last night about how badly I want to own my own home.  I talked a little about the floors, and how that would be the one thing Junior would have to do on his own, as I have no clue when it comes to that. I also talked about how I would paint my bathrooms purple.  I realize now, that before any painting could be done, I would need to have some san diego bath remodeling done.  One of the things I absolutely have to have in my bathroom is a jacuzzi tub.  It doesn't have to be too big, but it has to be deep.  I want to be able to sit in it, and have my shoulders under the water.  I wonder if they even make tubs like that?

I might also hire san diego interior designers, just to get an idea of how to make my dreams a reality.  I am the first to admit that I am horrible when it comes to matching colors together.  I just don't have the eye for that.  I also want the house to flow from one room to the next.  My only fear is that an interior designer will take one look at my elephant collection and say, "um, no".  

If that happens, I could always hire cabinet makers san diego and have them build me some custom shelves to display my elephants.  Because, let's face it, my elephants aren't going anywhere.

Ecard Picture

I changed my ecard picture for this blog.  I was tired of looking at the other one.  It was so blah.  I like this one much better.  It is still an elephant I made...only this one is cross stitched instead of crocheted. 

What do you think?  Better?

I Want To Own A Home Someday

I think it's healthy for people to have dreams.  I also think you have to have a plan to accomplish them.  My one dream is to own a home.  Junior and I have basically been renting since we got married.  We did spend five years in a house we thought we were buying, only to get taken for a ride.  Never trust family.  Always get everything in writing.  That's all I'm saying.

One day, though, Junior and I will buy our own place.  I don't want something new, either.  I want a house that I can fix up the way I want it.  If I decide that I want to put san diego hardwood flooring throughout the entire house, than that is what Junior will do.  Did you notice how I said Junior will do it?  There are a lot of things in can do myself, like hanging san diego window blinds, but floors are one of the few things I will not touch.   I won't even put down san diego laminate.  

I will, however, paint the walls.  The one thing I hate about where we live right now is that I am not allowed to paint.  All the walls, in the entire house, are beige.  It's almost depressing.  I have hung lots of pictures and shelves, so they don't look so bad.  My problem rooms are the bathrooms.  I don't know what to put on the walls in there.  When we own our own place, my bathroom will be purple.  My bathrooms have always been purple, no matter where we've lived.

If I had my way, I would paint the entire house different shades of purple.  I just don't think junior would go for that.

New Earrings

I have been known to spend hours on etsy.  I love searching for elephants, and seeing all the wonderful creations people have made.  I love looking at all the handmade jewelry, and have been known to buy a pair of earrings from time to time.  I am very particular, though, because I hate paying for shipping.  I also refuse to pay more than $5 for a pair.

So tonight, I was browsing the earrings, and I found that pair over there in the picture.  They are silver dangle things with purple "crystals", which we all know are just beads. (I know they look gray in this picture, but the description says purple)  I found them in Skippie Chic Jewelry.  I wasn't sure how I felt about them at first.  I mean, they are pretty and all, but I wasn't sure they would match anything I wear.

Then I saw the price, and I was sold.  They were less than $3, and I got free shipping. 

Now I can't wait to get them, so I can see if they match anything I own...

Laser That Fat Away

If you happen to be a new reader, let me share a little something about myself.  I am fat.

Wow.  Felt good to say that.  The good news is, I am not as fat as I was 9 months ago.  Just by cutting down portion size and eliminating a lot of snacking, I have lost 48 pounds.  The bad news is, I still have a lot more weight to lose.

I was thrilled when I saw the above segment on Rachael Ray about a new Fat Burning Laser Treatment.  I don't think I would have the nerve to do it, even if I could come up with the $18,000, but I was pretty impressed with the before and after pictures they showed.  It looked to me like she had better body sculpting in the after pictures.  I believe the guy said the lady lost five and a half inches total, which is awesome for doing nothing but laying under a laser.

The guy did say that they didn't know how long the results last, because the technology is so new.  I think that is what makes me the most nervous.  Even sitting under a Low Level Laser would make me nervous. Besides, I am doing pretty good on my own right now, and would like to see how much more I can lose doing what I'm doing.  Maybe once I lose some more weight I will want to be more sculpted. 

Right now, I am just trying to get rid of the rolls.

Silly Bandz

I should be voted mother of the year.  Want to know why?  Because Junior and I drove all over town yesterday trying to find these stupid Silly Bandz.

No one had any in stock, and most of the store refuse to tell you when more are coming in, because apparently they are afraid of being swarmed.

Really?  Over shaped rubber bands?

But, being the great, awesome mother I am, I went online last night and ordered 48 of these stupid things for my girls.  Why, you ask?  I think it goes back to my childhood, and always being the kid who didn't have the latest "must have". 

My girls have been talking about these things for a while now, but have only recently decided that they want some, because "all the kids have them".  I know it's materialistic, but I don't want my kids to be the kid I was.  Does that make sense?  And if that means I have to spend, gulp, $13 on Silly Bandz, then so be it.

And it was totally worth it when I told them this morning that I ordered them, and they did proclaim me to be "the best mom ever!".

Acne Treatment Gone Wrong

 Have you ever used the acne medication accutane?  If so, have you had any negative side effects?  If you have, you might be interested in finding out information about accutane lawsuits.  According to the accutane lawsuit website, accutane can cause weak skin, Alopecia, depression, suicidal tendencies, birth defects, miscarriages, back pain, joint pain, dry mucus membranes, pink eye, dryness of the eye, vision problems, ringing in the ear, psychosis, liver damage, anaphylaxis, erectile dysfunction, aggressive behavior, bone loss, heart attack, stroke, seizures, lowered white blood cell count, inflammatory bowel disease, and allergic vasculitis.  Doctor's should only have prescribed this medication for severe cases of acne, but some have been prescribing it for mild cases, in which the side effects are not worth the benefits.  If you feel that you suffer from any of these, or other, side effects from using this product, contact an accutane attorney to find out what your options are.

Sleep?

I slept until 12:30 today.  I set the alarm for 10:15, but when it went off, I just reset it and went back to sleep.  I blame the meds I am taking for my tooth.  They make me sleepy.  I just hope I will be able to sleep tonight.

If not, I guess I'll get my ecards dropped early.

Let's Talk About Bugs

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of SaferBrand. All opinions are 100% mine.
Spring is here, which means flowers are blooming and gardens are being planted.  I always loved having a garden full of tomatoes, cucumbers and squash, and wish I could plant a garden here.  I probably could, but the guy who mows the grass would probably mow it over, and that would be an incredible waste of money.  So for this year, I will just steal the veggies I love out of other family members gardens.

Consider yourselves warned, family of mine.

I was able to convince Junior to buy me a hanging plant, and I hung it outside my front door on a hook that was already there.  I was wanting ferns, but they are so expensive.  The flower I got is purple, but I can't remember the name of it.  Pansies, I think.  Thankfully, it is growing beautifully, with no signs of bugs or disease.

If you find your gardens, or flowers, or even house plants infested with bugs, you should try EndALL insect spray.  It kills 45 different insects on contact, from eggs to adults, and is safe to use in organic gardens.  The website says is uses a "unique formulation of organic insecticides that has been blended to kill on contact. Organic Pyrethrin and soap kill adult and larval stages while Neem oil kills the eggs to prevent re-infestation".  You can use it on your plants up until the day before harvesting, but they recommend not spraying your plants in the heat of the day, because that could lead to photo toxicity (burn from the sun). 

If I had to use a spray, I would feel better using one that is organic.  I don't want harsh chemicals on the veggies I'm going to be eating.

Would you?

Boys Will Be Boys

The other day, I was sitting here at the computer, and I heard a funny noise outside.  I got up to look out the window, and could not believe what I saw.

The people who live in front of us have three kids.  All boys.  The parents are not friendly, and the kids are monsters.  Totally undisciplined and disrespectful. Their two youngest boys, who are 5 and 7, I think, were responsible for the noise I heard.

It was their laughter.  Their sinister, evil laughter.

You see, they were hiding under their back porch (I guess so they wouldn't been seen by mommy or daddy) and the oldest one was holding a water bottle while the younger one peed in it.  He must have really had to go, because he filled it almost all the way.  Now, had Brandi or Kasi been outside, or saw this out my front windows, I would have gone and knocked on their door to tell them how inappropriate that was.  But, since they didn't, I just watched to see what they were going to do with it.  (they hadn't yet spotted mt through my window)  The oldest one was carrying it, and they decided to come into my yard area, behind our van.  I couldn't see them from where I was, so I told Ryan to go outside and get something out of the van, so he could see. 

While Ryan was getting a shirt and shoes on, the boys came back, and they still had a full bottle of pee.  The youngest got out his little ride on toy, and was about to sit and ride when the older brother came up, lifted the seat, and poured the pee under the seat (there is a little storage spot).  The youngest then got on and started riding it.  Yeah, gross.  By this time Ryan was ready, so I stepped onto the front porch as he ran to the van.  As soon as the boys saw him, the oldest one starts bragging about what they did. (they were beside our van at this time)  I told them that they needed to take themselves, and their pee, into their own yard, and stay out of mine.

Well, this ticked the older boy off, so he pushed his brother off the riding toy, picked it up, and threw it.  Yes, all the pee came flying out, all over his brother, who went running into the house.  The older bot gave me a "go to hell" look, then followed his brother into the house.

I wonder if they told their parents what happened????

Finding Online Casino Games

 Do you play casino games online?  Junior was looking for a site where he could play slots and poker, and we found a bunch of different sites about casino games online with casinogamblingindex.com.  The only problem is that you have to play with real money, and that is not what he was looking for.  He just wants to play for fun.

Anyone know where he can find games like that? 

Working The Girls

I know I have posted pictures in the past of Ryan helping Junior work on cars.  Well, a couple of weeks ago, the girls decided that they didn't want to be left out, so Junior put them to work.  I don't think they did much more than loosening a few bolts, but they were happy to be included. 

Learning Poker In Online Casinos

 I am beginning to wonder what my son does at school all day.  Last week, he came home begging me to teach him how to play poker.  When I asked him why, he said he wanted to be able to join the kids at school when they play.

Wait, the kids are playing poker at school?

He said yes, they do, during one of his classes.  I can't remember which. I know it is getting to be the end of the year and all, but playing poker at school is a little wrong.  At least to me.  But, being the super cool mom I am, I decided it wouldn't hurt if he knew how to play, so I agreed to teach him.

The only problem is that my experience with playing poker is limited to the few times I played with my grandparents when we were all still living in NY.  That was quite a few years ago, and apparently, these kids play differently than I do.  So, I now have to do a little research, and play poker at an onlinecasinotx to brush up a bit.  Ryan specifically wants to learn Texas Hold Em.  I have never played this, so I will be learning it for the first time myself.

I just hope the kids aren't playing for real money.  I am pretty sure it is illegal for minors to gamble.

Pretty

The first flower on my African Violet has finally opened all the way.  Isn't it pretty?

I Don't Play Casino Games. Do You?

Something weird has happened to me.  For the past few weeks, I have not been playing any online games.  I think I'm burnt out a little bit.  It is very time consuming to make sure all my pets are happy, my food is served, and my crops are harvested.  Doing all of that leave little time for me to play casino games at casinoscandinavia.com, which has links to the best online gaming sites.

Okay, so even if I wasn't super busy, I probably wouldn't spend my time gambling, mostly because I don't have any extra money to lose. 

I would, however, make sure my pets are happy, my food is served, and my crops are harvested. 

It's obvious I have a problem. 

And I'm okay with that.

Page Rank

I will never understand this whole page rank thing. I am not complaining at all.  I am happy with my blogs, and how they have survived in the past.  My question is this:

How do blogs that have not been updated in MONTHS get a PR3 or PR4? 

How, Google.

How?

The Forum

I write a lot of posts that I get paid for.  It used to be, when you had a problem, you could write to the company, privately, and get the answers you were looking for.  I am not sure why, but a few months ago, they decided that all problems, questions, feedback, or whatever should be posted in an open forum, so that other bloggers could offer their two cents.

The problem I have noticed, though, is that some of these bloggers are just mean.  I am sure that they think they are offering constructive criticism, but sometimes it just comes out as condescending.  There was one instance when someone posted a question, and specifically asked that only a staff member answer.  That didn't stop certain others bloggers from offering up some advice.  In the end, it was something that only a staff member could fix, so why do others chime in?

It drives me crazy! 

I am all for helping out other bloggers, but seriously guys, there is a nice way to do it.

Do You Play Slots?

 I was watching Friends the other day, and it was the episode where they all go to Las Vegas to see Joey, who is supposedly filming a movie.  They get there and discover that the movie went bankrupt, so Joey was working in a casino.  In this episode, as Phoebe is playing the slot machines, she notices an old woman following her.  As sson as she leaves a machine, the old woman plays and wins the jackpots.

While watching, I realized that I have never been to a real casino.  I don't even play on line slots.  The weird thing is, I don't really want to go, other than to say that I have.

Maybe I should put that on my bucket list.

The Girl's Pottery

I got a phone call from the pottery place today telling me the girl's pieces were done.  Of course they had to have them today, so we ran over there to pick them up.  Kasi loves hers, and so do I..  Even with black wings, it is a pretty cool looking fairy.

Brandi was a little disappointed that hers didn't come out "perfect".  I told her it was perfect because she made it, and that seemed to cheered her up a bit. 

I think the next time we go, I will paint something, too.

My Girls Love Me

My girls love that we have a cement parking area in our yard now. It's not quite a driveway...it's more like parking spaces. Anyway, we bought some chalk at Walmart last night, and this is what they did with it:

I have the sweetest daughters in the entire world!

I love you too, girls!

I See Bifocals In My Future

I remember back in elementary school, the nurse used to do ear and eye tests on all the kids. For the ear test, they would put headphones on you, and you would have to raise your hand on the side you heard the beep. For the eye test, you would look through the special glasses, and tell her which circle was closest or farthest away. I always passed those tests.

It wasn't until I hit high school that I started having problems with my vision.

It wasn't until college that I did something about it.

I have been wearing eyeglasses ever since. I don't have them checked as often as I should anymore, mostly because it is so expensive. Luckily there are place like Zennioptical.com where I can get glasses for as low as $8. I have a feeling that I may not be able to put off my exam too longer, because I have noticed that I am having trouble seeing things that are close to my face. The other day, I had something on my shoulder, and I had to take my glasses off to focus my eyes. I think I might need bifocals.

I feel so old!

I was looking at bifocals at Zennioptical, and I found some nice frames. These start at $25, which is still a really great deal. Now I just need to save up the money to go see the eye doctor.

Hearts Of Clay

My girls got gift certificates for Christmas to a pottery place, and up until a week ago, I had completely forgotten about them. Bad mom, I know. I convinced my mom to take the girls and I today, and they had so much fun. Kasi painted a fairy, complete with black wings. Weird, I know. Brandi painted a back, shaped as a moon with a fairy sleeping on it. They both did great jobs. We had to leave them at the place to be glazed and fired. We'll go back next week to pick up the finished pieces.

I hinted to Junior (okay, I straight out told him) that he should take the kids to make me a Mother's Day gift.

I hope he listens.

Turtle

Look what I caught! Imagine my surprise when I pulled this little sucker out of the water. Luckily, Junior was able to get him off the hook without hurting him, and he headed straight back into the water. I caught a couple of fish, too. I love this time of year...it's not too hot, so sitting on the lake shore is relaxing. I am hoping we get in a lot of fishing trips this year. We always have so much fun!

We're Happier Now

A couple of year ago, we lived in a house that had a full basement. It wasn't finished by any means, and when it rained, the basement would flood. I'm not talking about a little bit of dripping here and there. There would be about an inch or two of water covering the entire floor. Junior would have to go down there and hook up a pump that diverted the water out a window. We had big plans to have someone come in and do some Basement waterproofing so that we could make a playroom down there. Not for the kids, though. We were going to put the pool table down there, and maybe a big screen television and couches. We wanted somewhere where the adults could go and hang out.

Moving out of that house was a blessing in disguise. I've heard rumors that it is literally falling apart, and I am just glad we are not still living there. Sure, we don't have as much room now as we did then, but we are a lot happier, and that is what is important.

At least to me.

Dyeing The Eggs

I know Easter was like a week ago, it's just that I have been really slack in posting pictures. I still have a bunch from our trip to the mountains to post, too.

Anyway, I was hoping that this year, we could skip the whole egg dyeing thing. I mean, Ryan is 14, Kasi is about to be 13, and Brandi is 8. It's Brandi who decided that she is still young enough to do it. Thankfully my little nephew was dyeing some, so we went to my sisters and Brandi did it with him.

I am really hoping that next year, at 9, she will finally be old enough that we can skip it.

Fort

The other day, during Spring break, the girls were in their room. They were playing nicely, and quietly. Most parents know that when kids are quiet, they are usually up to no good. So I got up and went to check on them, and this is what I found:

They had made a fort, using all the blankets in their room, and they were just hanging out in there. I was pretty impressed that they worked together, and that it came out as good as it did.

If only they could play this nicely all the time...

Escorted Vacation Packages From Cosmos

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Cosmos. All opinions are 100% mine.

I think I mentioned a few posts ago that I want Junior and I to take a vacation together, without the kids. I was doing a little more research on affordable vacations, and found www.cosmos.com. Cosmos offers escorted vacations at affordable prices. In fact, right now they are offering nine different vacation packages for under $1,000. With my fear of flying, though, none of these packages are right for Junior and I. Not to worry, though, because they not only offer overseas vacations, they have local packages, too. In fact, I found a trip I would love to take. It is a trip including Historic Trails & The Blue Ridge Mountains, which begins and ends in Washington DC. That is just a few hours drive from where I am in South Carolina.

You can find other Special travel offers to places like Paris and Italy. No matter where you go, though, there is no need to worry about planning your days and making sure you find the time to see everything each city has to offer. Cosmos does all of that for you. They make sure that your vacation is worry free, and all you have to do is go along for the ride, and enjoy the sites. The packages I looked at ranged from one to two weeks, and they were all reasonably priced. You can Request a free travel brochure, and see for yourself all the things that Cosmos has to offer.

Edible Art

Can you guess what this is supposed to be?

Brandi made this when we stopped to picnic during our trip to the mountains. The pepperoni is the body, the cheese are the ears, the crackers are the head, the bits of crackers are the eyes, and the strawberry is the...

...trunk!

That's right. It's supposed to be an elephant!

I think it's pretty cute!

Yogurt

Brandi has always been my special child when it comes to food. She likes chocolate, but is the kid who still has Halloween candy in April. If we get her a happy meal, she used to put the leftovers in the pantry to eat later. (yes, in the pantry, and then I would find it and throw it away, and tell her that she needs to put leftovers in the fridge, not the pantry, but then next time she'd do the same thing...)

Anyway, she decided a few weeks ago that she no longer wants me to put sandwiches in her lunch. She wants yogurt.

Specifically, Yoplait strawberry cheesecake yogurt. She loves it! I guess I shouldn't be complaining, though. Last year, she took salad every day. Yogurt is a whole lot easier than making salads.

Is this weird for a second grader?

Date Night Opens This Weekend

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 20th Century Fox. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's date night. You and your husband decide to go out to eat, but you forgot to make a reservation. On a whim, you decide to take someone elses reservation, and pretend to be people you are not.

Little did you know, the people you are pretending to be are not exactly good people. In fact, there are other bad people who want to hurt them. These people interrupt your dinner, and you spend the rest of your date night trying to save yourselves, and prove that you are not who they think you are.

This sounds like a pretty good action movie, right? Well, when the two main characters are Steve Carell and Tina Fey, you can bet there will be a lot more comedy than action. Watch the trailer for Date Night Movie, and you'll see what I mean.


I wrote about this movie when I first heard about it weeks ago, and I am so excited that it is opening this weekend. I am not sure I will be able to swing seeing it opening night, which is Friday, April 9th, but I am going to try my hardest to get my sister to go with me one night next week. I wish Junior would take me, but he thinks it's a waste of money for him to go, because no matter what kind of movie we go see, he always falls asleep. My sister said she wants to see this movie, too, so it's just a matter of finding a night that works for both of us.

How about you? Will you be seeing this movie opening weekend?

Cough

I can not believe that I still have this cough. Granted, it is not as bad as it was, but it is still here. The past few nights, I have been waking up out of a dead sleep, mid cough, unable to breathe. It is not a good feeling. Junior is trying to convince me to see a doctor, but that means a trip to the emergency room, which we can not afford. I have some antibiotics here that I am going to start taking, and hopefully they will help.

My Newest Elephant

Check out this elephant that Junior bought for me last week when we went to the mountains. It is glass with all kinds of colored flowers inside. It hangs on a black cord, making it a pretty cool necklace. For now, it is hanging from the trunk of an elephant shelf that I have. This is where I hand all of my elephant necklaces.

A Second Honeymoon?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of St Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, Florida. All opinions are 100% mine.

My wedding anniversary is coming up in June. It will be my fifteenth.

That's a lot of years!

I have been thinking a lot lately about how Junior and I have never been away alone since the kids were born. I think our upcoming anniversary will be the perfect time to change that. I have always wanted to stay at a bed & breakfast, and I found a really romantic one in St. Augustine called Carriage Way. It will only be a half a day drive at most, and we can enjoy a weekend alone, with nothing to do except enjoy each others company.

The bed & breakfast itself is located in the heart of the historic district, and is within walking distance of museums, fine dining establishments, and carriage rides. What is more romantic than a horse drawn carriage ride along the water?

The rooms at the bed & breakfast all have private bathrooms, some of which have old fashioned claw foot bathtubs. I have always wanted to soak in one of those, surrounded by lots of wonderful smelling bubbles. I am relaxing just thinking about it.

I hope I can talk Junior into going. I think we deserve a vacation to ourselves. I mean, it has been almost fifteen years.

My Little Cook

We were walking in the grocery store the other day, and Brandi said she wanted banana pudding. I told her I would get the ingredients, but she would have to make it, since I don't eat pudding.

As soon as we got home, she started slicing the bananas.

Then she layered them with the vanilla wafers while I cooked the pudding. (she's not quite old enough for that step yet)

Here's the finished product! She had to put extra cookies and bananas on top.

It was gone in about fifteen minutes...three little mouths and one big one enjoyed every last bit!

Cross Cake

My mom made this cake for Easter.

Decorating cakes is a recent hobby of hers, and she is getting really good at it.

My sister, brother, and families, along with my gang, all hung out at mom's house last Saturday to celebrate Easter. It was a beautiful day, full of great food and fun.

I am looking forward to the next time we all get together.

Cookies And Magazines

This is my favorite elephant magnet that hangs on my fridge. When Ryan was in second grade, he drew this picture in art class. As a fundraiser, you could order your child's artwork on all kinds of things, from mouse pads to magnets. I have ten different magnets, made by Ryan, Kasi, and Brandi at different ages.

Now that the kids are older and Brandi has changed schools, they no longer do this particular fundraiser. They have different fundraising ideas. One of the most popular ones was the cookie dough one. I didn't have any extra money at the time, but I have heard that the cookies were delicious. They also do magazine fundraising in all the schools. For this one, the kids bring home a booklet that I have to fill with 10 addresses, so that the school can send a book of magazine subscriptions to each address, hoping they will get an order from at least a few of them. It is really hard coming up with 30 different address, so I usually put the same ones in all three booklets. I know this is cheating, but it's the best I can do. I just hope that their Grandmother, who gets three separate booklets, can find some money to devote to philanthropy. I am waiting to see what types of fundraising they do next year, and I hope it is something different.

It will be a nice change of pace from magazines and cookie dough.

Easter Eggs From My Childhood

I was at my mom's house last week, and she had just put out all her Easter decorations. It has been many, many years since she has, and it was great seeing everything again.


I especially loved seeing these eggs. (for some reason, my sister Tami's egg is missing) They are ceramic, and they have to be more than 25 years old. My mom used to have a ceramic studio in our basement, and was always making beautiful decorations.

As you can see, my egg says "Jenny". It has been a long, long time since someone has called me that. Now if you do, I will not answer.

:p

Changes????

I'm thinking about changing things up a bit around here.

I love my header, so that won't change, but I think it needs some more color.

I just can't decide what color.

Let this be a warning to you if you come by over the next few days and things are a little wonky.

Maybe I need to consult a professional???

Butt Paste

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

It has been a very long time since I have had a child in diapers. My youngest is now eight, and she potty trained herself when she was just under two. I know, I was lucky with that. My oldest daughter was over four before she was completely potty trained.

I do, however, have a five month old niece in diapers. Recently, she had a pretty bad diaper rash brought on by some medication she was taking. I felt so bad for her, because you could tell it was painful when she needed her diaper changed. My sister used a particular brand of cream on her, and the rash was under control quickly.

The cream she used was Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. In fact, this is the only diaper rash cream she has ever used on not only my niece, but my nephew as well. I asked her why she likes this particular brand, and she said the main reason is that it is easy to use. Some diaper rash creams are difficult to wipe off, and for a baby who already has a tender bottom, this can cause more discomfort. The Butt Paste wipes off easily, and it has a pleasant scent.

My sister recommends this product to all her friends with babies. You can get a free sample by following the directions to the side right there and find out for yourself how easy this product is to use.

Happy Easter To You!

Just a quick post to wish you all a happy Easter!

I hope you are all spending time with the ones you love today. We had a great time yesterday at my mom's, and are spending today just the five of us.

Fishing, food, and family....there's nothing better!

Camera Critters ~ 46

We went to feed the ducks a few days ago, and Brandi finally got up the nerve to let the duck take the bread out of her hand.

Join the camera critters fun!

Top Droppers ~ March

The following blogs are my top droppers for last month...and considering I don't drop much myself using this blog, I am extremely grateful that people come by here every day!

The Modern Historian ~ A blog focusing on the work of an academic historian and his research into the modern world. A collection of articles and links of interest to anyone who has a taste for modern history.

My Gypsygoods ~ Life, creative moments, saving money, nature, eco-friendly tips. Supporting & promoting the handmade community.

Ruth's Creations ~ This is my blog where I write, among other things, about my online business selling crocheted items I make. Part of my sales are donated to Demelza House Children's Hospice, the favored charity of British actor Daniel Radcliffe.

Kreated BY Karen ~ Let me show you my sewing projects while I talk about my kids, dogs and life!

Alterity Art ~ Specializing in No Harm antique and vintage button jewelry to preserve button's value and hierloom/museum quality of the jewery. Each piece is one of a kind :]

My Opinion Counts ~ I have opinions about just about everything.

Crazy Mom ~ I'm a mom of 4 boys. I have been married to the love of my life for over 20 years. We enjoy sports, cooking, gardening, crafts, painting, music, watching movies and I love to shop.

Moonangelnay on Etsy ~ A contemporary handmade, fine art, photography, crafts, gifts, jewelry, fashion and Etsy focused blog, sharing weekly features, tutorials, original works and interviews of the new artists of Etsy.

All Hobbies You Need To Make Money ~ Get the finest Hobby in the world

Ayzor.com ~ Here we keep a collection of all the lists of top of the tops, especially top 10 lists about every major category.

Thanks to all who come by and take the time to drop!