Life with a toddler in the house...

I probably already mentioned this but for those who forgot...we have two little kiddos with us now... a 5 1/2 year old and a 22 month old. When they came, the younger child was 18 months old. He was pretty sick and not walking at all. As time passed he got better, learned to walk, and has since been gaining confidence in himself and the world around him. Now he's like any other 2 year old and we have had to keep an eye on him so he doesn't get into everything! Our first indicator that he was developmentally caught up was when my husband came home from work and found this in the kitchen...

The funny thing is I was with A in the kitchen earlier (making dinner) and had left him just a minute prior. When I was in there with him, he was opening drawers and playing with the stuff inside. I had to laugh when I walked into the kitchen and saw this! It's too cute! He had dropped the container with the pink sprinkles and it cracked. Upon picking it up, the sprinkles started coming out which led to him shaking it. The pink sprinkles were everywhere! We stripped him, gave him a bath to remove the pink dye then cleaned up the kitchen. After sweeping, we had a huge pink spot on the floor still! Love the pink feet!!

A loves to give us kisses and hugs and always has a smile for us. He's such a sweet little boy. I will miss him when he leaves!

Summer Visitor

The other day Kaitlyn's friend came over to play and brought her motor scooter. She parked her scooter in our garage and we closed the door to keep it from being stolen. As her friend was leaving, Kaitlyn and Jared come running in to my bedroom..."Mom! There's a snake in the garage!! Come get it, quick!" I thought for sure this was some sort of prank. So out I went to the garage and sure enough, right where the back wheel of the motor scooter was, there's a small snake coiled up, poised to strike.

Of course I go in panic mode (but not too bad because I'm the only grown up around and I gotta protect my kids) wondering how in the world to catch this snake. So I run inside and find a bucket, find some leather work gloves and a stick when my prince in shining armor comes walking up the driveway (just arriving home from work). I gladly handed him the stuff and told him he had to catch the snake then proceeded to get up on a chair so the snake wouldn't come after me. I'm not a fan of snakes. I'd rather see them in a glass aquarium than in my personal living space. (I guess this is one of the downsides to having a field in your backyard.)

So my kids, after seeing my reaction, found a rubber snake that Jared has and for the last 2 days have been strategically placing the fake snake in places where I will find it like my purse, the cereal bag, my chair, and right inside my bedroom door to name a few. The first few times it startled me, now I just find the snake and look accusingly at my kids after which they giggle and take pride in the fact they put a toy snake somewhere where I'd find it. I think it's so funny that they find this so entertaining...even after 2 days!

We took pictures of the snake and then went online to figure out what kind of snake it is. We can't tell exactly the breed but we are sure it's not venomous (what a relief, right?). It does have teeth but we aren't sure if it will hurt if it bites (and I don't think I want to find out). Now my kids and husband are begging to keep it as a pet. My neighbor, who found a baby rattlesnake in her garage a couple of years ago, actually encouraged my hubby by telling him that Wal-Mart has aquariums for $12! She even told us that it would be better (less time consuming and cheaper) for us in the long run to get a couple of mice and breed them in our garage for feeding to the snake! Ugh!! I'm just not ready for this. When my kids ask about keeping the snake, all I can think of is the snake getting out of it's cage and being loose in the house. I just can't handle that thought. I'd temporarily move out until the snake was caught..er, found, and evicted from the house.

What do you think? Would you let them keep this snake??

Rain, rain and more rain

Quick!! Someone alert Seattle! Are they missing any rain? We certainly found it.

Ever since school got out on May 28th, it has been raining. I don't mind it, it certainly beats 100 degree weather...but it's hard to keep kids entertained indoors for days on end! My yard has mushrooms growing in it and we haven't turned the sprinklers on all month! My friend was commenting a few days ago that it rained 12 out of the last 13 days (as of that date). It didn't rain yesterday so by that calculation, it rained 18 out of the last 20 days. At this moment, the clouds are gathering overhead and the wind is blowing like crazy. A few drops of rain even made it's way to the ground. I think now would be a good time to invest in a rain coat and good rubber boots. Except if I cave now and buy it, chances are the rain will stop the minute the debit charge clears my bank.

(It really is this gloomy outside right now.)

Eric decided that Seattle would be his dream place to live because he just loves this kind of weather. It reminds him of the sudden downpours that he saw when he was growing up (Florida). This gives me a sudden flashback- I remember going out on rainy days (when I was a lot younger) and singing on the top of my lungs, "Rain, rain, go away. Come again some other day!"

How are things in your neck of the woods? Is the weather the same as usual for you or different? Leave a comment and let me know!



P.S. I finally downloaded the pictures from my camera- all 592 of them! So I'll post some pictures soon so you can see what we've been up to!

Help the environment

Another giveaway on the Shopping with Cents blog I check out. They're giving away a set of two reusable shopping bags to some lucky follower. So I am shamelessly trying to win by posting about their giveaway. The bags are cute! I don't know abut you but I prefer using these kind of bags anyway- not only does it help the environment but the bags don't break like the plastic ones do and they hold a LOT more stuff which means less trips back and forth from the car!! Getting this for free is a fabulous deal!

Want a new recipe to try??

This 30 recipe challenge made me realize that my selection of recipes is really quite small. I came across a blog that has lots of yummy recipes on there. I made the chicken enchilada recipe from her blog and it was so yummy! It looks more like the kind you get at a mexican restaurant, pretty easy to make and it actually has color! (I don't know about you but the recipe I already had has no color and has too much creamy stuff). The most time consuming part for me was cooking a whole chicken (because it would give me more meat for less $$ than buying packaged skinless/boneless breasts.) There's a ton of other recipes on there too. Go on- check it out !! You won't be sorry.

My techie husband...

I told my husband about this 30 day recipe thing I want to do, explaining that this will help us to stay on budget a little better since there will be less trips to the store. I had downloadeded some fabulous looking 4x6 recipe cards from a link on Nannygoat's website and was typing in my 3rd card when my husband tells me there's got to be a computer software that will compile all my recipes, allow me to schedule meals and produce a shopping list all with a push of a button. So he researched the Net and found some software that does all this. He found one but it costs $80 (Cook'n) so he looked some more and found Bigoven.com for less (can't remember the amount now). He said that's my Mother's day gift. LOL! Now I'm in the process of trying to learn how to use the program and also entering 30 recipes. I was excited when it said I could post my recipes on a weblog but I can't quite figure it out. It's also supposed to allow me to print them so I can compile it into a book (remember the book I want to make for the foster girls we had?) When I figure out how to post to a blog, I'll post a link on here so you can get some more recipes!

Anyone have a good recipe for smoothies? Fruit ones? I saw a recipe book thing at Walmart yesterday full of smoothie recipes but it was $5. I'm hoping to find some free ones from family and friends (tried and true!) and maybe some on the net before caving in and getting the one at Walmart. (Chances are, by the time I go back to get it, it will be all gone anyway!)

Inspire your walls contest

Hi everyone! I heard about this drawing for free vinyl rub ons for your walls through my sister's website. She co-blogs for Shopping with cents that has all sorts of tips and coupons for getting the best deal around. And in these hard times, getting something for less is always a good thing!

Check it out and maybe you'll be interested in winning a $50 gift certificate to use for yourself or give to your mom for Mother's Day! Click here to read more details...

Gotta start somewhere!

Ok- it's time to come out of retirement.

I just got busy with focusing on getting our foster kids (Destiny and Raivyn) ready to leave in January then enjoying the calm and freedom that came when they left. The calm lasted about a month and a half when on March 3 we got a call asking if we could take two little boys in our home, ages 5 1/2 and 18 months. We had heard that Health and Welfare wasn't getting very many cases (which is a good thing!) so things were slow. So when the phone rang and they asked if we could take them, we jumped at the opportunity. We brought them home, gave them baths, went shopping for clothes and diapers and basic necessities (they didn't have anything but the clothes on their back) and in the midst of all this, we discovered that Jared and the oldest boy weren't getting along at all. And that's putting it mildly. To ease strain between Jared and the older boy, whose name is Caleb, we put the foster kids in day care from 8:30-12 M-F. It has been a life saver! After a month, things improved because: 1) the boys got used to each other, 2) everyone got used to the new routine (the foster kids adjusted to having a schedule which they never had before), and 3) Eric and I went to a parenting workshop that taught us a few new techniques (and reinforced quite a few things we already knew and applied in our home). Things improved so much that Caleb and Jared now call themselves buddies!! It totally shocked me when they announced one day that they were going to be buddies now (I think my eyes jumped out of my head like it does in the cartoons). That doesn't mean there aren't "moments" when there's crying and hitting but I feel the relationship they have now is more like brothers.

Anyway, I was looking at a link for a recipe card idea that my sister sent me the other day called Nannygoat. I'm not much of a fan of recipe cards but I love the idea of gathering 30 of my family's favorite recipes and choosing my menu (and compiling a grocery list) from the dinner recipes I select for the week. It's all in one place, not in 20 different books. I was already in the process of putting together a recipe book (and taking pictures of all my meals to add to the recipe book) to give to Destiny and Raivyn because they loved all the things I made while they were here. When they knew they were leaving, they asked me for the recipes so I thought I'd put together a 5x7" recipe book for them. Since I'll already have it made, I might just give it to other foster kids that come into our home and like the cooking. (I'll only give it to them if they ask, I don't want to offend any parents :o) )

So, here's a few of my family's favorite recipes. (Some might have already been posted previously, sorry!)

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef, browned with onion (opt.)
1 can each: corn, pinto beans, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes,
green beans, corn
1 packet Taco Seasoning
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Tortilla chips

Brown burger in pot, add cans of veggies (DO NOT DRAIN), taco seasoning and water for desired consistency. Warm soup mix. Garnish with shredded cheesed, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Southwestern Chicken Soup

1 12-oz jar of Salsa Verde (or use combination
of green enchilada sauce and salsa)
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
3 cups chicken broth
1 15-oz can of corn
1 can of black beans (drained)
1 15-oz can of kidney beans
1 tsp ground cumin (optional)
2 green onions, chopped
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
blue corn chips

-Empty the Salsa Verde into a large saucepan. Cook 2 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the chicken, beans, broth, and cumin. For a soupier dish, increase broth to 4 cups. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-Top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkling of green onions and grated cheese. Serve with blue corn chips.
-NOTE: if you substitute green enchilada sauce and salsa for salsa verde, use about 1/3 cup of salsa and the rest of the amount of enchilada sauce to make 12 ounces.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 C. sour cream (8 oz.)
3 C. cooked fettuccine noodles
3-4 C. cooked cubed chicken
Stove Top Stuffing mix- Chicken Flavor
¾ cube butter or margarine
2 C. chicken broth or bouillon cubes

Mix first soup and sour cream together in a 9x13” pan. Stir in cooked noodles and chicken. Sprinkle Stove top stuffing mix over top (bread and seasoning). Pour melted butter and chicken broth over top of stuffing mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Beef Enchiladas

1 pound ground beef
1 16-oz jar thick and chunky salsa
2 cups Cheddar cheese
10 flour tortillas

Brown meat and drain off fat, if necessary. Stir in 1/2 cup of salsa and half of the cheese (1 cup). Spread 1 cup salsa into the bottom of a 9x13” baking dish. Fill tortillas with 1/4 cup of the meat mixture and roll. Place tortillas seam side down in the pan. After all tortillas are rolled, top with 1 cup salsa and remaining cheese. Bake at 350ْ for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve while still hot with sour cream and remaining salsa.

Serves 6-10

I think that's enough for one day. I'll post pictures soon so this boring blog will have variety. :o)