routines...

My life has been a roller coaster since I started my new job.  For my first 5 weeks, I had such an inconsistent schedule, that I couldn't get into a routine.  That made it hard to adjust the rest of my life to working full-time again.  Now that I am on a permenant schedule, I think that it will be easier.  I have already started to make some changes.

First one is picking up.  I used to pick up 3-4 times a day during any transition with the boys.  I stopped doing that and it has been chaotic!  I told myself this week, that it was OK for me to sit and relax on the couch, but NOT before the toys were picked up and the dishes taken care of.  So far so good...

Second is meal planning.  I got out of the habit of cooking lately...and I hate it.  Not only have I put on about 20-25 pounds in the past year, but we had been eating crap.  Now that I wont be here for dinners, it is SO important that I make stuff during the day for dinner.  I have this really cool book that Real Simple had at target (clearance $3.50!!) that has pockets for recipes, a meal planner, take-out menu holder, and shopping list.  it is the size of a 2-subject notebook, and lets me plan a month at a time!  Now, I never followed it to a tee, but at least it gave me a guideline!

Lastly, it is OK to stay home.  I have been on the go all summer, that I haven't taken advantage of out house and backyard.  I need to stay home and play outside, take care of the yard and gardens.  We started out so strong only to have slacked off.  Not any more :)  

My goal is to have my routine in place so that when my classes start in 2-3 weeks, I wont be a mess!!  This is going to be a great fall!!

From the girl who never liked tomatoes...

Dennis and I just spent the evening making spaghetti sauce :)  We had oodles of cherry tomatoes from our veggie garden, and since neither of us likes them, we decided to make sauce.  I found a recipe online that used the cherry tomatoes, so i kind of followed that (as much as I follow recipes!!).  Pretty much it was a pepper, onion, tomatoes, olive oil, veggie stock, tomato paste and herbs.

Dennis wanted me to have him help so that we could do it together.  Unfortunately with bed times, he was stuck upstairs while i did all the prep (chopping the pepper and onion, quartering the tomatoes).  When he got down, we started to cook.  Now, everything was going great...smell, taste...but texture was another thing.  because the skins were still on, they didn't break down.  we decided that it was fine, even though I knew that I would be picking them out of my sauce when the time came to eat.

We were going to can the sauce, but my pot wasn't tall enough, so i have to wait till tomorrow when I can borrow someones.  But, as I was putting the sauce in a bowl for the fridge, I thought about a gift that I got from Mom and Dad.  A gift that I don't use all the time, but when i use it, I ask myself how people live without it.  My light bulb went off, and i went to my closet and took our my Cuisinart Food Processor.  I put some sauce in, and turned it on.  VOILA...perfect, beautiful, smooth spaghetti sauce!!!!

If I had it in me, I would take a picture...but unfortunately I have to go clean my kitchen!  Tomorrow I will can three large jars of my sauce.  Next week I will make another batch.  Next Friday, I will have another project. Three Cheese Ravioli...from scratch!

Hiking with three boys...

Dennis and I have always enjoyed hiking and being outdoors.  Now that we have kids we are trying to figure out how we can incorporate this back into our lives and introduce it to the boys!  I found this great website: http://www.adirondack.net/Hiking/kids/ It has a lot of great things to do in the Adirondacks, but specifically recommends hikes to do with kids.  Here are a few that I think we will try out. 
Kid-Friendly Hikes In The Adirondacks

Gurney Lane Nature Trail: Part of the town of Queensbury park system, a 1.3 mile educational nature trail crisscrosses the park. There is a small pond stocked with trout. Gurney Lane is 1.1 miles west of Exit 20 off the Adirondack Northway. Charles Lathrop Pack Forest: This 1-mile trail winds through a marsh, over a boardwalk and through a grove of old-growth hemlock trees. Stop and see the huge white pine called “The Grandmother Tree”. There is a trail guide at the trailhead. Constructed to accommodate people with disabilities, this trail is hard-surfaced and appropriate for even the youngest hiker. Located 5 miles north of Warrensburg on Route 9.

Visitor Interpretive Center Newcomb: The Center has almost 4 miles of marked trails, including 4 separate loops that are fabulous beginning trails for kids. There are lots of neat things to see along the way, overlooks, brooks, views, and Adirondack wildlife. Located on Route 28N just northwest of the village of Newcomb.


Sawyer Mountain: A great beginner hike, this trail is about 1.1 miles to the summit at about 630 ft. The actual summit is wooded, but a bit further along there is a rock ledge with a scenic overlook. Located six miles east of Blue Mountain Lake on the west side of the road, the parking is well marked.


Panther Mountain: This is a great hike for kids because it ascends quickly and the summit is reached in less than a mile. There is are gorgeous views to reward their efforts, and the hike itself is attractive. Round trip is just 1.6 miles. Access to the trail is located about 1.5 miles east of the intersection of Routes 3 and 30 between Saranac Lake and Tupper.

I think that we will start with Gurney Lane (because that it the closest!) to see how they do.  My goal is to get out with the boys at least 3-4 times this summer to get them started. 

Now, Freddy will be able to walk, and possibly carry his own backpack.  The boys will need to be carried.  We have one backpack, and if we get/borrow another, I think that we can start trying.  If we are just on the trails, we will be able to let Liam and Rory walk some on their own.  I already know that they have the energy and strength to do it!!

So, next weekend is Freddy's birthday party, but I am thinking that the following weekend, just might be a day to start!  Anyone want to join??

Happy Father's Day

Dennis is wonderful.  There really isn't another way to say it.  He is so caring, generous, giving, sweet, kind, loving, fun, silly; all those positive adjectives that you can give someone.  I knew all of that when we were first together.  Now that he is a Dad...he blows me away. 


Not only does Dennis work two very demanding jobs, he has to deal with me.  I am a great catch, hehe, but I know that I am not always a picnic.  When he gets home from working two jobs, I run out the door to my job while he handles the home-front. 


Let me explain what that entails...he gets to play with the boys when they are at their grumpiest.  Give them dinner (which sometimes I have, but other times he is on his own).  Baths, brushing teeth, stories, tucking in, falling asleep himself only to wake up and come downstairs to clean up...sometimes ;p  before I come home. 


Now, I know that in today's society, the husbands are doing their fair share.  But when Dennis does it, he does it without complaint; making sure that the boys and I are happy; then he might think of himself. 


Sure I might whine and complain, but, I tend to do that.  No matter what, Dennis is the best Hhusband and Father that I could have asked for!! 


I love you Denno...your my bestest pal :)

silver linings

Gosh, I was being such a whiner today!  I hate it when the boys do it, but I do know where they get it from!!  Today could have been a really bad day...Freddy was feverish yesterday, I haven't been sleeping good, RJ is still recovering, I had to pull a tick off of Liam today, the van was giving me problems, bills, bills, bills...etc. 


I started to go my usual path of: I am terrible, I suck, blah blah...  Dennis had to come home to rescue me from the post office and then to help me with the car.  He gave me a funny look and said "well, try to have a good day."  I was driving to Usher Park to meet with our friends for playgroup.  A little to chilly for the beach, but the park area is really nice.  When we got there I still had a headache, the place was really crowded (Head Start picnic was also going on), and the twins were being grumps. 


I got out of the car, headed over to our group, let the boys out, and then got a hug from Meghan.  All better...


Seriously, everything was so much better then.  I still had a headache, but was able to ignore it so that me, and my iced coffee could climb the jungle gym with my boys.  They were having such a good time on the slides, swings, and climbing apparatus!!  I bonked my head many times while trying to be a kid and climb through everything with them.  It started to sprinkle, but Aarika with her bag of tricks produced a CD player which we took to the pavilion and played music and danced.  Once Liam and RJ had enough I packed everyone in (the car started in one try), and went home.


Even though I really didn't feel all that great today, and things seem to be coming down all around us; the boys and I got to have 2 hours of fun with our friends at the park.  In the end, it was a good day :)

Frustrated

Have you ever had one of those days when you just feel like everything that you do is wrong?  Yesterday was that day for me.  I was getting so frustrated at the kids, getting frustrated at myself, second guessing everything that I do...it was not good.  I was so looking forward to yesterday too; Lissa and Corrin came home!  I will say that the visit at mom and dad's was very nice and I did end the day on a high note. 


Freddy has a new thing...headbutting.  When he hits, sometime I hold onto his hands and say something like"hands are not for hitting."  yesterday he decided when I did that, that he would headbutt...to the point that I was crying.  OUCH!!  I sent him to his room (carried him and then "threw" him in bed)...that was at 9am.  It was a long day. 


I wish that I had a time-out button like Zach Morris had on Saved by the Bell.  That way I can just take a step back and re-focus.  Could you invent one for me please?  I know that people say, just take 5 minutes and take a few deep breaths.  But come on, do you know what the boys would do in five minutes????  RJ would be swinging from the fan; Liam would have found a way to the food; and Freddy will be doing graphic designing on the computer.  Ahh the life with three little boys :)

Hmmm

I feel like I have nothing good to write about.  Lissa told me that I should keep a list of things that I want to write, but so far my list is empty.  I guess I could say that I ran again this morning and that it went better than Monday.  I could say that Freddy is most definitely feeling better.  I could say that I bought a new outfit to wear to my cousin Jenna's wedding next weekend...yes, lets talk about that!!

I got my dress at Target.  It is just a simple summer dress.  Red, strapless, flowy.  The top is that scrunchy looking elasticy boob covering thing.  (gosh I am giving you a GREAT visual huh?! lol).  From there it is just flowy down to mid calf.  I got a white shrug and white sandles to go with it.  This weekend I am going to make some deep purple jewelry to go with it (and then to sell!!).  I am excited to get dressed up and go out with my hubby without the boys, although I am going to miss them like crazy 'cause that it just how I am!