So True...

Seriously these all had me laughing & saying yes I used to do that, I still do that or I can totally relate to that or that is so true or I really wish that was true {cake going to boobs Oh how awesome that would be}.  The last one about peeing alone, find me a mom out there that has never spoke those words.  I just want a few minutes to pee alone without a child in the bathroom with me or even the pets cause if it's not the children it's the pets, especially in this house.

DIY Magnetic Board & Family Rules

So pinterest is ever so amazing {did I just say that again well it's true} & the things you can find on there just rock whether it be recipes or DIY projects or posters, decorating ideas, gifts, basically everything & anything.  This morning I found one DIY project that need to be done like yesterday.  A half hour later me & my partner in crime where out of the house on an adventure.  What once was an oil drip pan that I purchased at the auto part store for $9.99 is now turned into a magnetic board for our three boys to hang their art work & special papers from school on.  I love that it's at their level & then can change it whenever they want.  {if you want to do it yourself i highly recommend washing the pan first it has oil/grease on it, i just used all purpose cleaner & a paper towel.}, I nailed a hole in each corner for screws then put two anchors on the top {the bottom part of the wall wasn't having anchors go in it but the screws when it just fine}   To whomever pinned the originally one thank you cause this lady was brilliant for thinking of it, here is the link Oil Drip Pan Turned Magnetic Board.  Our is in the kitchen on our everything wall {as you can tell in the picture} the rectangle black frame has our family rules which is actually another idea I got off pinterest ;)

Our Family Rules sign that I did on word, it did take me like a half hour to do I'll admit.  Changing the fonts & resizing can be time consuming but I thought it looked wicked neat that way.  Don't you think so? {I've seen them hand painted them on wood or you can buy them through a shop on etsy just search family rules, eventually I may do one of those but my first way was free so I chose to be cheap lol but it still serves its function}, it hangs in the kitchen wall of stuff.  I just <3 it & wish I would have thought of it years ago but thanks to pinterest we now have one.

Inked Finally!!!

I am so wicked excited to say I finally got my {THIRD} tattoo this past weekend & it is by far my most favorite, meaningful, amazing piece of art I have.  I truly treasure & love it with all my heart.  The other two I have I do love don't get me wrong but they were just tattoos.  I got my first when I was {15 yrs old} {YES I know who does that} my mom surprised me & one of my best friends after school that she had gone earlier that day to get hers & that I was in fact being the one to get inked.  I truly thought I was freakin awesome & hard core lol granted I about passed out, turned totally white but after some sugar pulled through like a champ & was sporting this cool looking sun b/w tattoo on my ankle at 15 how cool right?   My 2nd one I got two years later while me & my mom were on vacation, it to was a spontaneous thing & I will admit that was the best experience I was {17yrs old} getting inked by a major hottie so what girl wouldn't enjoy havin a needled embed ink into her lower back for almost an hour. LOL.  So while those tattoo themselves don't really have any meanings the memories of getting them are forever the best part & I do cherish them.   


Fast forward almost 12 years later I was on a mission & knew exactly what I want so finally while my mom was in town which meant me & hubby get to go on a date, I said lets go check out a tattoo place.  I walked in knowing I would get it that night but was freakin out on the inside.  I am not scared of pain {I had three kids natural} but still being in a tattoo shop gives me the shakes lol if you ever felt like that you know what I mean.  I asked how much it would cost & if they could do it now and thirty minutes later it was permanent.  That tattoo itself only took {TEN} minutes & it was nothing but the middle part where the 'y' is hurt like hell I'll admit. 

My Nana passed away almost two years ago & I found a card she had mailed to us from 2003 which is crazy I still had it in a book that was in a bin of all our important papers & it had a butterfly on it {whenever my boys see a butterfly flying around they always say there is Nana watching over us so I just thought it was her saying use this}{I couldn't find a letter my mom had mailed me from my Nana a year ago that I was going to use for the tattoo originally}
So the tattoo artist photocopied the card were my Nana wrote "LOVE YOU" and she is now forever inked on me exactly how she wrote it to me.  I am always missing her & just having that there to see makes me feel something I can't explain it. 

Love You Nana <3

I Have The FALL Itch!!

Something about school starting makes me think I need to decorate for FALL & everything needs to be fallish {from candles to foods to the weather etc}.   The older boys started school on Wednesday {which btw they <3 especially our middle one who as you know started KG, the past two days he has come home & told me all about the new friends he made in his class and everything about his day.  I just love the excitement that comes from him as he talks all about it} and after I got home all I thought about was "okay it's time to decorate for fall, I could smell the pumpkin muffins like they were baking in my oven" {unfortunately it wasn't reality dohh!!}.  But to my defense it was beautiful out this week, we even woke up to temperatures in the 70's which truly isn't normal for this time of the year so for a few days it felt fallish outside.  It's still August for Pete sakes who decorates in August, I truly don't want to be known as that crazy newish neighbor who decorates over a month to early for something.   Back North when school started it was common to see fall everything {decorations, the weather, the leaves changing...} cause they start school after Labor Day only a month & halfish before Halloween {I feel that is very much typical time to start decorating for a holiday but more then that, like over two months prior then yeah you're a little crazy} but we are not we are here in the South where school is now underway in August. 

So instead I dream about it, I of course 'pin it', & I count down the days.  I think fall time is one of my most favorite times of the year, something about coolish weather with that fresh crisp smell in the air is just so amazing.  Being able to open the windows & not have the A/C running up my electric bill will make me every so happy.  To wear flip flops with jeans & a hoodie at night is the perfect combination & the fact that my boys all live in their flip flops like I do makes me {SMILE} cause they will soon be rockin that look with me.   Lighting candles with the fall smell {like pumpkin or apple cinnamon} can make any house smell yummy.  Lets not forget the fall sports with the kids, going to a pumpkin patch, on a hay ride, apple picking {which is a tradition in our house}, just being able to play outside for hours after school, go to parks or on hikes without the deadly heat and all the fall baking {delicious pumpkin muffins or homemade apple pie} & the recipes that follow{especially homemade soups & chili} to make fall time complete. 

I don't want time to fly by cause it will be here before we know it but I am truly without a doubt looking forward to Fall time & everything it has in store for us, especially living in a new state it will be a new experience of my most favorite season.   

New Lunch Ideas For The Kids

So school starts tomorrow.. YES TOMORROW {as I tell myself now breathe in & out} & with that I wanted to change things this year especially with {TWO} now being in elementary school.  Our oldest son is picky but has come a long way {if you only knew the battles & the list of what he wouldn't eat years ago till now you would be like wow} and our middle son loves just about everything & anything.  I mean that child just <3's food, or what I meant to say is that he just {ENJOYS} his food.  It's actually cute to watch him eat cause he's loving every bite of it.  Reminds of me Eat Pray Love when Julia Roberts character was truly enjoying all the new foods she was trying.  Anyways back on track so this year I wanted to get way more into healthy eating & less on the crap.  I found this amazing system called Bento Lunches which just had me amazed & I'm the adult.  I thought wow the boys would love this & I will for them cause it's healthy foods but I am not so very talented like so many others are.

See what I mean & there are a million more out there.  What child wouldn't love their lunch to look like Mario or Ferb.  They would definitely be the talk of the lunch room & kids would be running home saying "mom why can't you make my lunch like so & so" lol.   But realistically it can be time consuming which most of us 'moms' don't have enough of.  It doesn't have to be that in dept & still be cool or adorable & healthy.  The american bento {as I found on pinterest & like to say means mom only has so much time in a day but lunch can still be healthy & cool}   Take these for examples:

 

Do you see why I am so pumped & ready? just little things you can do to make lunch even better & my goal is to get our oldest to be requesting fruits or veggies like my other two do for a snack.  Hmmm can this work?? I totally have faith... so if you never heard of it google or search on pinterest Bento or Bento lunches or healthy lunches etc...

Summer is coming to an end

In {ONE} week school starts here as in summer time is officially over.  It's earlier then up North by almost a month but the boys are so ready to get back into the swing of things & also meet new friends.  They are not happy about getting up early & I don't blame them {by early I mean 6:40 am wake up} which is why we already starting getting them to bed by 7:30/8:00 this week so they will be back in that school time routine.  Our oldest did adjust well in February when we moved here but it's a whole new world for our middle son who is going to Kindergarten this year. {Oh by the way time where did you go cause literally he was born then between him turning {ONE} and now it just flew by}.

I am still not sure I am ready for {TWO} to be in school full time, I think I will feel like I'm forgetting someone throughout the day,  really what does a mom do with just {ONE} child for that many hours out of the day?  I may be lost for a few weeks & I think our youngest will be also {heck he may even realize mom is just to boring for me} but hopefully with preschool & joining some groups we will meet other moms & children so we'll stay busy.  It will be nice to have one & one with him I will admit & then I can hopefully help out in the older boys classrooms while he is at preschool so I know they will just love that cause before now I could never do that.  So I do see lots of positives out of this "kids do grow up & will not always be with you 24/7" so face the facts lady & get a life lol}

With school starting means a photo shoot, now it's hot here & by hot I mean you are outside for  2 minutes and that shower you took right before you left was pointless.  I think we were literally outside for {FIFTEEN} minutes total in the shade then we all couldn't take it anymore.  But the boys did awesome even with Gavin being in an episode.   I manage to get some of him with his 'cheese ball' smile before he started crashing & was over it.



Philly Cheese Steak 1 2 3

If you are a lover of cheese steaks & you haven't tired making any yourself you need to.  Ever have a busy day & you get the kids fed dinner with something easy cause they are dying of hungry & can't wait any long for food otherwise a huge meltdown may take place.   Then think what am I going to make for us tonight.  Well you can pull this meal together in less then 20 minutes.  I used to make them all the time & get the frozen steaks at the commissary when my husband was in the Marine Corp but since then I haven't been able to find them & I don't like the steak ems or whatever it's called.  Well a few weeks ago while shopping at walmart one kid less Saturday morning I saw them just sitting there in the freezer section & fell in <3.   Later that week I tested it out & it was ever so wonderful.  

Philly Cheese Steaks :

• Frozen Cheese Steaks {I've used two steaks & four, with four you will have left overs.. trust me after one sandwhich you will most likely be full}
• Green Peppers cut up
• Onion cut up
• American Cheese {I have used just slices of american cheese or even Velveeta cheese or shredded cheese will work}
• Sub Rolls

Cut up the peppers & onions, Next I spray non stick cooking oil on the pan then put the peppers & onions in to cook {since they take longer then the steaks to cook I always cook them first}, before they are fully cook I move them to the side of the pan & add the philly steaks.  Cook I believe it's for 6 mins on each side {directions are on the box} then  mix up the steak all together with the peppers/onions.  When the steaks are fully cook I drain any juices cause I don't like the cheese to be really runny & add the cheese {whether it be american cheese slices or Velveeta cheese, shredded cheese} once all melted put on a philly roll or sub roll & enjoy. 

Simple Pasta Salad

One day I wanted pasta but not just with butter or sauce, so I put a little of what I had in my frig & it turned out great.  Now I make it for parties & when we have company cause it's so simple yet delicious.  You can basically add whatever you like but this is usually what I add.  I have noticed the longer you leave it in the frig the better it taste so if you want it in the afternoon make it that morning.

{Top picture doesn't have cucumbers & bottom picture doesn't have chicken}

Pasta Salad:

• Spiral pasta {cooked, even used tri color pasta}
• Black olives {I buy the sliced ones so I don't have to them up}
• Cucumbers {cut up}
• Cherry tomatoes {cut in half}
• Polly O Sting Cheese cut up {crazy I know but we had a pack in the frig & I really wanted mozzarella cheese in it}
• Chicken {diced up}
• Mixed with Italian dressing {or any dressing you care to use}

Oh My Word

If you ever wanted to be hooked on a series DEXTER is it, Season 6 starts October 2nd & it can't come fast enough.  My husband heard it was great & truly I wasn't for it at all.  In fact in Season 1 Episode 1, I was like what in the world are you having me watch & why but after a few more episodes I was hooked.  It is one of those series that you have to keep watching even if it is midnight & you already watched 2 episodes you need to know what happened next & you kept going.  It's just A M A Z I N G!!!!! With this trailer it makes me ten times more excited for the season to start it looks intense & crazy!!! 

So you have 2 months to get caught up on the series... go now... hurry up what are you waiting for!!!

My Daily Dose of Happiness

Even when I’m at my “about to pull my hair out” point I feel so blessed for these {three} amazing, wild, happy, sweet, sometimes nasty, yet adorable, cute, funny, goofy boys!!

Every Had All These Plans & Goals...

I know I’m not alone cause I have talk to many friends {especially other mom friends} who have at one point or another said the same exact thing yet why do I still feel like I’m the only person, lady, wife, & especially mother that has all these plans… ideas.. and even goals yet I feel like I either fail or just never get to them or start but never finish. I truly hate it & I try to do or conquer or whatever it is at task yet I don’t. Yes my life is busy & yes there is never any time to just fully think for more than 5 minutes at times but than there are so many people who seem to have it all together. Like it all just flows natural for them, their goals being accomplished, their task at hand complete. But there is me the nothing I feel. Ahhhh it’s so not cool if anything it’s just more irritating than ever.

For instance take blogging it seemed like a brilliant idea.. a way to talk, share, learn even about yourself & almost like a relaxation for me {& I bet any mother to just talk or should I say release or maybe share something brilliant that has been brewing in one’s mind even if no on is talking back {which at times is even nicer lol}} & it’s like a nice adult drink without the side effects if you have to many {or post to many}. I don’t post things or talk about stuff I don’t care for others to read. I’m an open book on most stuff but there are things that are personal & they just stay that way. Yet I don’t find or better yet make the time to do a daily or even weekly post, yet so many SAHM moms with even busier lives then mind or even working moms find the time. A few of those ladies are ever so amazing at it too & others see, they get paid for that I mean how awesome would that be to make some extra $$ blogging about everyday life, or kids or recipes or crafts, DIY projects or a little of this & that.

Then there is finishing school {which I won’t even touch base on} but one day I hope say I graduated college & have this or a degree that I may never even use towards what I would have went to school for but as long as you have “a degree” it doesn’t seem to matter if you apply for a job in a totally different area or planet of the degree you have, you still have that foot in the door from that.

Even being a mom I feel I had all these plans & ideas of the type of mom I was going to be when I was younger way before reality hit me in the face at 20 yrs old with a + test. So at that point in my life I grew up & saw my plans had shifted, being a mom was coming way sooner than I was ready for it & I did jump right into it. If anything my oldest son woke me up from this fantasy life of dreaming/planning doesn’t always go the way you had set out in the first place but it happens & either you accept & live it the best you can or just whine/cry about it. I try to live it the best I can but I just feel or better yet know I’m not the mom I allowed myself to think I would one day be & I so feel like I’m the only mother that feels like she failed. Crazy part is my boys are still young so each day I’m trying to better myself cause I know in the end it will better who they grow up to be. I need to start with believing in myself & letting them see that I am proud of who I am so they will forever & always be proud of themselves.


& the list could go on & on but really I think you get the point.  So what is their {those moms, ladies, wives} secret that have it all together cause I would surely love to know or a dose of their super magic pills to help them do it all please!!???!??