Battles!!!

KIDS VERSION OF CLEAN







What do you see when you see my kitchen? I will tell you want I see a messy and dirty kitchen. Ask my kids and they will tell you the kitchen is clean. That's their version of a clean kitchen. Recently I have given up on that battle and they have won. When they say pick your battles this is a battle I don't choose to win. The kids call me a clean freak but if you saw my house you wouldn't see it clean. Don't get me wrong when the house is clean and everything is in it's place I feel like I can breathe easier. When the house is a mess I get anxious and I can't breath. Back to my story. At least the dishes are put in the dishwasher and the counters get semi-clean.





I have wrote down instructions to cleaning the kitchen. Depending on their mood sometimes they do an awesome job and others well you see. So I surrendered if that's clean to them then I will let it go. My friend was telling me that she wished her daughter and husband helped around the house. I asked her if she gave them things to do. She responded by telling me she does at times but then she has to do it over again because it wasn't done to her standards. I told her that's why they didn't help her out. Yes the kids way is not my way. At times I have gotten a cup or silverware and it's not clean so I just wash it. Now I have learned to look at everything before I use it. It's not worth it to me to make it a big deal. With 4 kids I would rather have a few dirty dishes and a not so clean kitchen than no help at all. If I want it my clean then I do it when they aren't around. Most of the time they don't even notice that it's way cleaner than the way they left it. So I'm off to fight a battle worth fighting!!!!

MOM'S VERSION OF CLEAN

Not so Crafty!!

These little tulle skirts are everywhere. This was my attempt at making one. Yes it looks like it came out but the truth is it didn't. When I was at the fabric store I asked how much they thought I would need (note to self next time by extra fabric) to make a tulle skirt. When I started making it I thought it looked long so I cut some off. As it went along I started running out of tulle. I only had enough to make the front. Good thing that's all that shows up in the picture. Yes, I could have ran back out to the store to get more tulle but decided not to. Why because this inexpensive skirt has cost me over $80 so far. How's that? Will let me tell you. The fabric store is a little ways, so you have the gas. When I was in the store I thought I needed other stuff. Like patterns (that were for 99 cents) that I don't know what to do with. Material that in my little head I think I'm going to make wonderful things with. Walking out of the store with more than the tulle in my hand. Now I'm going to waste another $10 on the tulle skirt. Except this time I'm staying out of the fabric store and doing what I should have done in the first place. I'm just going to buy one at $10 and saving myself the headache, time and money. So much for me trying to be crafty!!!!

My Room

BEFORE

This weekend was spent coming up with my own space. I really needed a space where I could start things and leave them there. There was no space I could think of. We are already packed tight. Then I thought what if I clear out the storage closet in the hallway. It sounded good so I got to work. Now my laundry room looks like the storage closet. The boys share their closets with storage bins. All that is good because my room is here it's tiny but it's mine!!! I still want to paint the desk and I need to find a chair. I used things that I had or wanted to get rid of. Now I can start things and finish later. The little big boy told me that it was his closet in his house remember, as he brought a basket of cars in. So much for my space!!

AFTER

Taco Soup

This is one of my family's favorite. If everyone eats it and nobody complains then it's a keeper. I don't remember where I got the recipe from or if I took a little from here and there. You can cook it on the stove or in your crock pot. Here is what you will need:

1lb ground beef/chicken/turkey

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans (I like mine with more beans so I add 2 cans)

1 can corn

1 can tomato sauce

1 package taco seasoning (if you want it a little spicier you can use mild or hot)

1 cup water

salt and pepper (this is up to you)

I normally brown the beef then add it to the crock pot. I'm sure you can just throw it in the crock pot but I've never tried it. In the crock pot I put all the ingredients with the juices and stir. Put it on low for about three hours or whenever it's dinner time. Usually I start this in the afternoon before the kids get home from school and leave it in the crock pot till we have dinner. Top it with sour cream and cheese. You can add corn bread or tortilla chips. We like ours with chips but every now and then I will serve it the other way.

Now if you have a big family like I do or big boys I normally double the recipe. Since the HMIC isn't here I don't need to double it. Well I hope you enjoy!!!

Wordless Wednesday!!!

Happy Birthday to Us!!!

We are a year older. The little big boy is 3 and I'm 34. We didn't do anything special just another ordinary day. The little big boy did make a special request for his birthday. He wanted a rainbow cake for his special day. That gave me a chance to finally make this cake. I had been wanting to make it for a while now but didn't have a reason for making one. Not sure if the little big boy meant that kind of rainbow cake or one with a rainbow on it. Either way he just wanted to eat cake all day. It's nice when they are young and there are no expectations. The pre-teen kept saying "what a sad day for brother, he's not having a party". It's a nice thing when they don't understand the whole concept yet. All he wanted was his cake and he couldn't wait. So the cake was finally done. He did let me know that the rainbow was missing some colors like pink. I told him maybe next time we will put other colors in it.

Last Day

This is the last day my little big boy will be 2. No more terrible twos.

Not only is it my big boys last day, it's also my last day being 33! This year has gone by way to fast.

Sewing Take One

OMG!!!! All I want to do is sew an outline. Why is my machine giving me such a hard time? I was ready to throw the sewing machine out the door. The only image in my head was of Uncle Phil throwing Jazzy Jeff out the door in the Prince of Bel Air. That's what I wanted to do with my machine. So I called my mom and asked her what to do. She told me to try a few things and that still wasn't working. The whole time there was a baby crying in the background, me yelling at the little big boy to get away and alot of deep breathes in between. She finally told me to step away from the machine and when I had more patience and attended to my kids to come back and try again. So I did just that. The little diva got put in her exersaucer and the little big boy got to smell my arm. I know but lately all he wants to do is smell my arm. I'm guessing it gives him comfort in my smell.(Don't know if it's a good or bad smell.) After a bit I was still frustrated so I baked cookies.

That helped distract me for a while. However I did attempt the sewing machine again and somehow I fixed the problem I was having. But know I'm having a different problem. Oh how I wish they would have another sewing class here on base. Then maybe this time I will make sure I sign myself up. For now the sewing machine well stay on my table and maybe tomorrow we will have a better day.

Parenting

This is hanging in my kitchen. I have it there to remind myself that this is a slow process and at times it can be painful.

Just A Conversation

Lately the little big boy wants to go everywhere I go. (Doesn't take a psychology degree to know it's because the HMIC isn't here.) While we were driving around here's some of our conversations.

Him: There's a bus
Me: Yes that's a bus
Him: There's my dad's bus
Me: No that's not your dad's bus but it looks like his bus
Him: No that is my dad's bus I see him
Me: You see him {the only person in the bus was the driver}
Him: Yes I see him
Me: Are you sure?
Him: Yes I'm sure
Me: Well I don't think he's in that bus
Him: YES he's coming home today, I see him
Me: Remember I said Dad's not coming home for a very long time and it's not a very long time yet
Him: Not yet?
Me: Nope not yet
Him: So he's not coming home today?
Me: Not till like Halloween
Him: Till Halloween {having no clue when that is}
Me: Yup till Halloween. I'll tell you when
Him: Okay

Later that day:

Me: What's that smell? Did you fart?
Him: No, I didn't farted!
Me: Well it smells gross outside!
Him: Yeah that's gross!
I know a bird farted.
Me: A bird farted?
Him: {Laughing} Yup a bird farted outside.
Me: I guess then that's what smells.

Just wanted to share some of our conversation. I love some of the stuff he comes up with, never a dull moment.

Wordless Wednesday!!!

Spring Break

We are all still here. I had such big plans for spring break. Stopped by one of my favorite stores Home Depot picked up some paint (I was just gonna get a sample but I just went for it). Next was Jo Ann Fabrics do they have material there or what. I have to say I've never been in one before. Almost came home with a new fancy sewing machine. Then I had a little talk with myself it went a little something like this. (Yes that is a nice sewing machine but I think you need to learn how to sew first. So the one you have at home will work till you teach yourself how to sew. But the one at home doesn't have fancy buttons or is it computerized. Yes but you haven't even touched the one at home yet. Okay I'll wait it's almost Mother's Day.) As I write this the sewing machine is still sitting here next to me begging me to try something, anything. So I just picked up a little fabric and some patterns. When I learn how to sew I will pick up all kinds of stuff there.
Then spring break started and other plans were already in the works. The only thing was no one thought to ask me if it was okay. Well the flu went ahead and made other plans for us. Yup everyone except the teenager got the flu. So we spent spring break feeling like crap and in bed. So I'm thinking it had to be one of two persons who brought that nasty thing over to my house. Looks like they didn't have allergies after all. So as I write this I have a persistent cough that doesn't want to go away and still not 100%. Last night I was emailing the HMIC and telling him how I was convinced that if we had an air purifier it would of killed the virus no one would of got sick. Am I being delusional? Well I'm researching them and will most likely be buying one. I'll let you know which one I buy.
So that's what we have been up to. Hopefully things can get back to normal soon. The paint can get put on something and the sewing machine can get plugged in. Oh and as I'm looking at the screen I realized I will be 34 in a week. Not sure how I'm feeling about it yet. Well that's it for now.