today is the day of Pioneer Woman book signing

and I'm NOT there!!! boohoo I am doing the right thing though. I know. We are all sick. She doesn't need to be sick. But SERIOUSLY??!! I believe these children (otherwise known as Devil's Spawn) are cooking up something to keep me from doing anything other than what they want to do. It does not involve me going off meeting an idol while they are at home without me. Heaven forbid I do anything without them!! Even if I included them in it, they would complain the whole time I was in line. I heard the lines are HOURS long. But I would have waited. In the freezing cold. With snow. (yes snow!!!! in Houston) I betcha she is freaking out wondering why Houston was the first place that had snow. But we did.

And we played in it. Even though we were sick.


Seriously...how cute is he?! I mean really...


And this is where Gabe is pretty much telling me he is done.
Do you want to know why my kids think everything I do has to involve/revolve around them?? Here is why...this is my backyard. Well, it was when we bought this house. Then we moved in. And THEY took over. EVERY.STINKING.SQUARE.INCH. They even use the shed for their storage! The patio doesn't have pretty furniture on it, it has rubbermaid tubs full of backyard toys and sandbox toys. When you look out the upstairs window over the neighborhood, there are no other houses that have this. Sam told me so. We have the best backyard he says. :-) And THAT'S why I wouldn't have it any other way.
and can I proudly say how cheap all this was??!! We only paid full price for that swingset-3 years ago. Everything else came off of craigslist and was so cheap. I love that!

So then Bubba (Austin) and Sam came home from school and we had to go back outside in the snow. Poor Gabe's hands were so cold he was in pain! Unfortunately we use knit gloves around here. Those are NOT good for making snowballs with your brother. And your hands hurt later. So much that you cry.

Of course then there is Sammy. He gets off the bus like this. Jacket? In his backpack. Yeah, cause THAT'S where it goes! (love that hat though! It came from Mudpies and Pigtails. I wish I could buy more!!! But as much as I like her, my bank account -aka my husband-doesn't)


This is Sam's friend (our neighbor) Joshua. Gabe loves being around them, so he always is!
This is Sam's first snow angel. He was so proud!! oh my gosh...my boys are so handsome!!! Seriously, how can you stand it??

These hoodlums? I have no clue who they are. They look like they are up to no good. They are trying to cover their faces and their hands. No witnesses and no fingerprints. Yep, up to no good!!! I am not related to, nor is anyone I am related to related to any of these hoods. And I most definately do not hang out with any of their mothers. Nor am I the mother of any of them!Sam, Joshua, and Nicholas. Always up to no good.


See I told you. Look at them trampling all over our poor neighbors flowers!!! They were playing with their little boy, but he ran and hide everytime he saw the camera.So stinking cute!!

Now we are off to Grammy's for some visiting and picking up a few of her decorations that she is giving us. Every year they buy something else and they just pass on their older stuff.

Oh and I just discovered Christmas shopping on line. It's wonderful. Especially when you don't want to take a 3 month old and a 2 yr old in public, in strollers, in Christmas crowds. In and out of carseats. I bought 4 peoples gifts on line. They are going to be delivered to my house. How wonderful!!

gobble gobble

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! This one was a little bittersweet. I received news late Wednesday night that my cousin, my mom's first cousin, passed away. She was only 55 years old. Close to my mom's age. That is not a good feeling. I had been upset Wednesday thinking about how Thanksgiving was before I was married. I remembered the burn n serve rolls (aka brown n serve rolls) that my grandma always made. The dressing that my family makes. We always had to make 2 green bean casseroles because the first one was always eaten before the actual dinner took place. (I have NO IDEA who did that, none whatsoever) So to find out about Aunt Debbie was just par for the course. (yes, we called her Aunt Debbie, actually more like Ain't Debbie-just a southern thing I guess)

Thursday was us deciding if Elliot and I would be going to my mother in laws house. Elliot has been stuffed up for a day or so and I didn't want to bring him out and around others. But my mother in law insisted. And I felt bad about it. There was only one of Kevin's siblings going to the in laws, so she was already upset. So we went. I'm glad we did. It was really nice. Tim and Kerri brought a bounce house and by the kids reactions, all was right with the world!

And the static electricity makes Gabe look sorta spikey.

There was lots of running around and riding bikes too. We love that Grammy lives in a cul de sac.
There was lots of playing with our family and making Christmas decorations.

I managed to capture the a rare site on camera. I am disappointed at the overall photo, but to have captured it at all is a great accomplishment that i am very proud of!!!
The elusive teenager!! The only proof that Austin was actually at Thanksgiving. This was also the first holiday since his dad passed away. It's a little different than most because he didn't know his dad. But he is very close to his dad's sister now and it was very rough for her. Friday was also Vinnie's birthday, again the first since his death. Austin spent Friday with them. That was tough for me, because I am not used to him splitting the holiday time with anyone. But I was already so sentimental after Debbie's death, I could understand why Renee needed Austin. Besides, I can't imagine losing my sibling. That's just awful.

We had a fantastic dinner and lots of family time. Fun was had by all!

Lazy Day

We are sitting here enjoying a wonderful, though rare, lazy day. It's wonderful! No cooking dinner (have lots of leftovers), no school or work tomorrow...just lazy. These are actually very rare in our house, with 4 kids you can't sit around a whole lot.

So yesterday we were off the computer for a lot of the day. We stayed upstairs putting clothes up and washing a few more. Gabe loves when we play upstairs-that's 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and the hallway! He can drag some toys out in those areas. And Lord help you if you don't watch him the whole time. I went down to get us drinks and a snack and I was greeted by this.


I recently moved the games to this cabinet. They were previously in a closet in an area they couldn't reach. Then I did that. Stupid, I know. But in my defense, I moved all my photography stuff to the closet, which is downstairs. It actually makes better sense. Except on days like these.

When Gabe is so proud.
Then he did this
Yes, that is my bracelet he is wearing. Another perk to being upstairs...mommy's jewelry box. One of his favorite toys. So much so that it had to be moved into the toilet area so he wouldn't always get in it!! lol Oh and I got in some serious trouble when I moved that horse back out into the hallway. You know those "angry, scorned women"? They are NOTHING compared to my pissed off 2 yr old. Lemme tell ya!

Remember those leftovers I was telling you about? Well I have been cooking up a storm this week. Mostly from the Pioneer Woman's book. I made her Comfort/BBQ Meatballs and her Mashed potatoes. huge hit! big!!

Then last night there was Marlboro Man's Fav Sammy and her Onion Strings. This is what we have been eating all week and tonight. it has been F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S. around here!! And I feel good about cooking such good stuff!

And because it's Thanksgiving, here's one of my lil man's having his turkey parade at school!!! Gooble Gooble!!

I need to focus on my blogging...

ok, so I suck at bloggin. shut it Jenn!! (I know you are a follower and will get updated because I am actually *gasp* bloggin! You moved, so you can't say anything! hhhmmmpphhh!! but you better come Dec 5th!) I really want to blog though. I think about it all the time, don't you know that? oh wait, I gotta blog for you to know that huh? darn it.

I especially need to keep up with it to show my photography to people that may not walk in my house and search my files for all my photos. Because that's where I keep them. It does so much good!!! But we are on a new venture to get my name out there and to get more practice for my photography. Kevin is pretty sure people would pay for me to shoot them, I disagree. I feel guilty if they ask how much and I actually give a price. Like I am Olan Mills or something! lol Then talk about huge guilt when they compare me to those places that have initials like PP and PI that can give you your photos in 15 minutes!! And they are way cheaper than mine! It's like Dodge vs Mercedes. I am neither, more along the lines of a 72 Pinto. But since my baby making days are over, I need to bring something to this household. Cleaning ain't happening. Hey, maybe I will make enough to hire someone?!! oh wow....the possibilities. What a dream come true! (hey the economy needs all the jobs they can get, right?!)

So anyway, right now I have one photo on my business card


But dang it's a cute photo!!! (this is my big Elliot)

So I promise to add my photos! Maybe i will be good enough to have a blog like PW (Pioneer Woman, aka Ree Drummond-yeah-AS IF!!!), but her photo layouts are the way to go! I love the amount of photos she has. I am having a hard time getting them in the right spot though. Any tips? I do my typing, add the photo, it pops up at the top, so I have to cut and paste it where I want it to go. Is that how it goes? oh well, till you tell me different, that's how it goes for me!!!

Do you have a fav blog? Like Rita's Coffeeshop (free photoshop stuff!!) or like Farrah's (I admit I stalk hers because her little C was born the day after my Elliot was born!) or how about Erin's
she is who I stalk on a daily basis really, I am just an internet stalker, nothing serious. Oh yeah and don't forget The Creative Junkie, seriously she is a RIOT!! So check out some of my favs and share yours! I really don't expect anything. I have one follower, and I think she and I follow close to the same people. But whatever.

oh yeah, and since I am really excited about me actually cooking things that require more than opening a box, I will share. They are usually pretty simple! I like things like that. If they require more than simple, well they usually don't happen. It's just how it is. No apologies. So last night I used PW's (see link 2 paragraphs above) cookbook. If you don't have it, get it! What else will she sign when you go meet her? what? you weren't going to meet her?! WHY???!!! I am-December 5th!!! Here in Houston! I can't wait. Maybe she will bring that delicious cowboy of hers....probably safer if she didn't. Texan women love some cowboys, especially real ones, not the fake ones we have here who work in downtown Houston, but claim cowboy on the weekend. Come here MM, I have some candy....wink, wink

ok, anyway...I made her Penne a la Betsy (which is her way of saying shrimp pasta) It was really good! Added a side of sauted asparagus tips (Sam's favorite) and it was a night! I doubled the recipe because, well let's face it, 3 guys eating at my table, one recipe isn't enough, so I always double. This makes A LOT doubled!!!

Ok, I think that was a pretty good post! Good timing, cause Elliot's hungry and I can't type with two hands and a baby on the boobie! (or should it be bubbie after the Jersey housewife?! hehehe)

BYE!!!

check out the new giveaway!!

I have been wanting this set for a while and now it's a contest!!!! I am very hopeful!
http://thesavvyphotographer.blogspot.com/2009/10/its-giveaway-yay.html#comment-form

really cool giveaway on the savvy photographer!!

this is an awesome giveaway!! and even if you don't win the giveaway there is a great discount!

The Savvy Photographer

Let's try blogging again shall we....

Ok, so I suck. I admit it. this is why I never had a diary. I kept meaning to get back on here, but when I had only the desktop, it was hard. Now that I have the laptop, it's so much easier! Have I said how much I LOVE my laptop?! (It's pink, just so ya know!)

So much has happened since my last post. We are now pregnant with our 4th boy! Yeah, yeah yuk it up! We laughed pretty hard too. Our boys are excited about Elliot. Gabe really likes the baby idea, so much so that he thinks he has a baby in his tummy. He even shares his ninnie (pacifier) with my baby and his baby.

Sam is getting ready to start Kindergarten in the fall, so we are working hard on learning more stuff. He is excited, of course I am sad. Though perfect timing because Elliot will be coming at that time.

Austin will be turning 15 soon. I can't believe that. It amazes me. High school is next year-if he would get his act together and actually do his work. But then again, he has to take this dang TAKS test again. If he fails it, he fails 8th grade.

For those that have asked (and just know about it) my sis is doing GREAT!! Just celebrated a year sober and she is back to the fantastic person she always was. All my boys worship their Nana, as they should. Her kids (John Michael and Lilly) are so happy to have her back and they are doing great with her back. It just makes my heart swell every time I get to see her. I don't think I will ever take my sister for granted ever again.

Mother's Day was great around here. We spent Saturday out in the kiddie pools most of the day. Gabe loved that, as he hasn't played in pools much. He wasn't too fond of the clown pool while the clown was on it though. But once it was off, he loved that pool, probably because of the slide.




Then Sunday Kevin went to his mom's house with all the kids, and I got a day to myself. Which I spent painting the downstairs bathroom. As much as I spend time with them everyday, this was all I wanted was a day to accomplish my projects! Too bad there weren't more hours in Mother's Day! lol

let

ok Jenn-sorry, I know I neglected it...but I been moving-GIVEAWAY IN THIS

So I moved, had no internet for a month, once we did get it, I couldn't get on my computer, cause it was buried in boxes in my scrap room. I got to use Kevin's laptop, but only when he was out of town or in the evening. Yeah, I know I sound pitiful.

Anyway, I was looking around in my favorite mesg board and found this giveaway.
Go take a look!!

I promise I am going to start up my blog again-with real photos this time!!!