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!

Operation stop looking like crap day 1

OK, before you all say the usuals...you look wonderful, what do you expect after having three kids, beauty is on the inside...BLAH BLAH BLAH  Lets give ourselves a dose of reality:  I am unhealthy and look like poop.  So, I decided to go for a jog with the twins this morning.  Unfortunately for Glens Falls, it was about 715am, so a lot of people had to see me!!!

So anywho...I took the boys and went on the bike path for about 2 miles.  I was sucking wind, had the worst form EVER, and really wanted a coffee.  But, I made it.  My goal is to run that same route at least 4 days a week for two weeks and see where I am at.

Wish me luck!

Poor Freddy...

My baby is sick :(

Freddy didn't sleep well Friday into Saturday...finally me letting him get out of bed at 530am only to find that he had a pretty bad temp.  It took a while, but I got some Motrin in him, and that helped with the fever.  He remained feverish and lethargic throughout the day; Cassie couldn't even make him feel better.  Although she did get him to laugh, and she and Isaiah got him to play catch for a few minutes.  Last night was much of the same, with an even worse fever this morning.

The rational side of me knows that he is going to be fine; treat the symptoms, push the fluids, and wait it out.  103 degrees is the worry number, and after 48 hours is the worry hour.  BUT, the mom in me still wants to panic!  As Freddy would say..."Not good Money!"

On a side note.  Mom and Nana very generously gave me some working materials to help me get some more jjewelry in the store.  Yesterday when I was At The Warehouse I ended up making 5 necklaces, 2 bracelets, and 2 pair of earrings!!  Felt good to have my work on display again!  Thanks Mom and Nana!!

Happy Mother's Day

Last night, after work, I went to the store to get the couple of things that I forgot to get earlier (must remember lists!!).  When I got home, I realized that I forgot the most important ingredient for the french toast...the bread!!  Seriously, how do i make it through a day???  So, Dennis went back out for me to get the bread, while I started to get things in order.  When Dennis came back with the bread, I prepped the french toast bake...and then looked at the kitchen.  I really didn't want to clean, so I decided that I would just wake up extra early to clean and finish breakfast. 

I woke up at 530, not happily, and walked downstairs to find that Dennis stayed up and cleaned everything!  I was so excited, that I almost didn't curl up on the chaise and go back to sleep...almost :)

Everything was so lovely this morning.  Mom, Dad, Sueanne, Meredeth, Dennis, the boys, and I enjoyed a great breakfast and wonderful company.  Mom and Sueanne seemed to like their gifts (I am taking Mom out to dinner, and Dennis is taking Sueanne out to dinner - they choose), the boys liked playing with everyone, and I had a really nice time. 

Now, I would be a liar if I said that it had nothing to do with my presents...because everyone Noe's how much I LOVE presents!!!  Dennis and the boys got me a Sony Reader, the pocket edition.  Sueanne and Jimmy got me a gift card for the reader.  Now get this...Mom and Dad gave me a work order...they are going to fix my upstairs bathroom!!  Mom is going to paint it for me and Dad is going to fix my plumbing!!!  I am going to get my Pink Girly Bathroom!!!  All mine...no boys allowed!!!!  I am going to sit in my Pink Bathroom with candles and pretty things and read ebooks on my Sony Reader...for about 5 minutes until RJ climbs the bookshelf, Freddy pushes Liam, and Harley and Macy start fighting!!! 

I love my life :)

Thanks for a great day everyone!!

A bit different...

I was thinking that I would take a stab at doing this who "blogging" thing differently.  I am always amazed that my sister can sit and write a 2000 word blog in the middle of her crazy busy life.  The main difference (other than the fact that she likes to write) is that she make it a priority.  Starting now, I will also make writing at least twice a week a priority. 

So, why the changes to the title and such??  First, I LOVE pink!!  It is such a great color!  Second, I think that every time someone asks me 'how I do it,' I will refer them here!

That is all for now...I am at work and will be leaving shortly.  :)

First off, Sorry Lissa for not writing enough for you!! I guess my facebook statuses aren't enough to keep you entertained!! :)

It has been 4 weeks since i have started school again. i think that I am insane, but am so glad that I am doing it. I am re-taking Anatomy and Physiology for my degree in Nursing. I have to retake it since NYS required that you complete the class within 5 years of earning your nursing degree. not a bad class to retake, since the information is the backbone of nursing!! I am, however, very upset that I have to re-take developmental psychology. Really??? At least I can take it online this summer.

Okay, why am I going back to school...after all this time...when I have three little boys to take care of?? Well, Because I want to. Because 11 years ago I had to magically come up with what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, and I really messed up that decision...many times. Because after a long time, a lot of school, a lot of mistakes, I have an answer to that question. I have a lot more knowledge and life experience under my belt. And now, I can say with confidence that this is what I want to do. I want to be a nurse. I would like to work in maternity or oncology. I want to help people, to take care of them, to help them live. I don't think that it is too late...and I don't think that I have run out of chances to figure be who I want to be.

Pretty much it comes do to this...I want to be my Mom. I want to be someone that my kids can look at and be proud of. I want to be able to support and take care of my family (and remove some of that burden from Dennis!). This is how I know how to do it, and also be proud of myself.

So, I will go back to school. I will work while doing so as well as take care of my little boys. I WILL do this...and I will do it with flying colors...because gray is really boring!

So nice of me to show up!

Ok, so every other month I am reminded that I have a blog....and then I make a post. I guess it is that time again!!

Unfortunately I have nothing funny, inspirational, complaints, or anything really to write about.

Boys are good and getting big.

Freddy is talking more and more everyday.

Forgive me, but it is 1225am and I am tired...only half hour to go and then I can go home. I will try to make a more interesting post later this weekend!

Confessions...

I don't seperate my laundry. I am sorry, but I don't. I do take out my sweaters and things that have to be hand washed. I may do a load of towels on their own (not for seperating purposes, but because I love to come to 'that' load when it comes to folding...it goes so quickly!), but for the most part, whatever is in the hamper goes in the washer.


I don't move the baskets/tv/toys/knick knacks/etc. on my shelves when I dust. Once a month I will (maybe), but I usually just go around them.


I make the same dinner 2/3 times a week because it is easy...


The twins only get a back about twice a week. Freddy does get a bath at least every other night.


Sometimes I will do nothing but lay on the couch during the entire nap-time, and then act like a maniac to pick up just before Dennis gets home (and I go to work) so that he comes home to a clean house and I don't feel guilty for being lazy.


Some of you may be wondering why I am saying this. Do you know how many times I hear this question: "I just don't know how you do it?!?" I hear it multiple times a day. As much as I appreciate everyone knowing that I do a lot (and I really do take it as a compliment), it is getting a little much. I mean seriously...everyone is busy. I am just a different kind of busy. How do I do it??? I just do. And not by myself. Dennis is an amazing husband. Our families are our greatest supporters. We have wonderful friends.


Do you know who asks me this question the most??? NANA!!! For those of you who don't know Nana (ok I know that only 2 people read this and you are both related to her, but let me pretend that there is a wider audience), Nana is one of the most amazing woman that I know. She single handedly raised 4 children while working 2 jobs. She does more now than some people my age do. I can't beleive that she "doesn't know how I do it."


I feel really good about everything that I do to raise my boys, and keep my house looking nice, but I could never do some of the things that you all do. So the next time you want to ask me, "how do you do it?". Stop, look at everything amazing that YOU are doing, and pat yourself on your back for doing a good job. Because I often wonder how YOU do it!

Welcome to my home...

While I was on a quick getaway to Massachusettes, Mom and I went to our favorite metaphysical shop in Rockport, Dark Star. We always find wonderful treasures that we can use with our jewelry making. This trip, I was drawn to the kits for house blessings, candles, and aromatherapy. Those are all things that I have always been interested in, but never pursuied. Now that I have heaps of time on my hands (HA), I have decided to add one more thing to the mix! I want to learn more about how to surround myself with good, positive energies and rid myself and home of negative energies.

Well, instead of just buying a cute little kit with a candle and smudge stick, I decided to look at the book section. There I found a great book titled Cottage Witchery. It is all about different ways to bless your home and provide different energies and auras in the various places of your home. Everything from flowers, herbs, candles, etc. I really liked what the book had to offer, and Dennis was sweet enough to get it for me (even though I know that he is freaking out about me coming out one day dressed head to toe in black carrying a broom!!).

I have a MILLION things that I want to do, but I decided to start small. With Mom's help, I got some dried bundles from JoAnns this afternoon. After I got home from work, I took apart my bundles, put them back together with wire and ribbon, and hung my first swag on the front door!! It was made to promote good luck, blessings, and prosperity.

I hope that when you walk through my front door, you will feel blessed and welcome!

Tomorrow I am going to steal some herbs from Mom's garden!! :)

I did it!!

Well, I survived my first walk-to-work/run-home exercise program! Whew, that is a mouthful! Although my co-workers thought that I was insane for running home so late at night, I still did it. During the day, I had taken the boys for a walk to the grocery store. Round trip it is 1.5 miles. When I take them, I have Freddy and one of the twins in the stroller, with the other twin in a backpack. It is a good workout! Then I walked the 1.5 miles to work, and ran the 1.5 miles home. If i can do that three days a week, I will feel really good about myself. The bonus is that Dennis was finally able to hook up our Wii. Now I can Wii Fit again!!!! I haven't used my book camp game since I got it for my birthday. My goal is to run/walk three days a week, and do the boot camp the other 4 days. I have started to gain some weight again, and I DON'T LIKE IT!! My goal is to lose a total of 35lbs starting now. Lets see if I can do it!!

bye bye black clouds...

Today is a new day. I slept for 6 straight hours last night!!!! It was amazing. I feel like a new person; well after my first cup of coffee, since I was up at 515am! I was all set to take the boys outside, maybe to the park. Went to get dressed only to realize I have no clean underoos!! Now there is laundry (with my underoos in the dryer), Freddy is in the backyeard, and I am on the porch with the twins.

Today, I am getting that "Life is good" vibe. We haven't had too many of those around here lately. Dennis is having problems with his job, and therefore we are going to have to make a lot of changes around here. It has left a black cloud over us for a bit. Today though, I am pushing the black clouds away. It is much to nice out, to have metaphorical clouds!

Instead, I have a plan. Play here while the laundry is going. Then we will take a walk downtown for errands (grocery store and bank). Come back here for lunch and put the boys down for a nap. Then I will make dinner (working tonight). We are going to have citrus-garlic chicken with couscous and brocolli. I am also going to attempt to make Guinness oatmeal bread. If it is good, that will also be with dinner. Once that is done, I will pick up the house and rest if I can. Then off to work. I am actually gonig to walk to work today and then run home. I have Dennis's day pack (which is really small and I can cinch down to pit me really good and therefore not have the bouncing bag on my back). I will wear my running stuff to work and change when I get there. Then I will change before I leave and run home. It isn't far, and Warren Street has nice big sidewalks with a LOT of lighting. So it will be really safe. To end my plan, I will shower, pick up the house again, and sleep.

With a plan like that, how can I have black clouds?? I hope that everyone has a "Life is good" moment today!

Happy Mother's Day!

I am so glad that I had such a great Supermom to model myself after!! Happy Mother's Day Mom! And to all the other Mom's reading this!!

OK, so my new favorite books/movie is the Twilight series. I am addicted! I had never even heard of them until this summer when my cousin KT was reading the final book in the series. Even then, the only thing that I knew was that it was about vampires. Then the movie was made...I was still under a rock and didn't know what it was. All of a sudden it came out on video and I started to pay attention.

I started to read up on what they were about, and from there decided that I wanted to try it out. I wanted to read the book before the movie however, so Dennis got me Twilight for Easter. I think that I finished it in three days. It was pretty quick reading, but more than that, I couldn't put it down! Last weekend, I used a gift card from my birthday and got books two and three, plus the movie. The movie was pretty great! And I really liked the second book too. Oh, and I downloaded the soundtrack to my Ipod (which I am listening to right now).

I guess the whole reason for this post is to publicly apologize to Melissa for making fun of her and her Harry Potter antics. :)

After a long hiatus...

3 months...I think that this is the longest time inbetween posts since I have started this blog. However, in my defense, I did say that I was no good at these things in my very first post.

Rather than give you an update on my life (since everyone who reads this already knows what is going on...) I am just going to ramble.

I love barefeet. I don't like to touch them, but I love going around with no shoes on; and once it is nice out, I rarely wear shoes. Dennis has always been very disturbed by this even though he has watched me do it for years now. Tuesday was the start of my shoeless season. Mom and Dad came up to help me pack and to finish the floors. It was GORGEOUS out (no matter what anyone says about 90 degrees), so I decided to take my shoes off once all the heavy lifting was done (about 11am). I didn't put shoes back on until I went on some walking trails the next afternoon! It was a wonderful feeling; going from the cool grass to the warm pavement, from the wet puddles to the dry and warm sand. My feet have never been "pretty" (though really, pretty feet??); full of calluses and usually dirty since I dont like to wear shoes! To me it doesn't matter. Add a little polish and perhalps a toe-ring, and they are perfect!

I know that everyone has their favorite seasons, and mine is summer by far. For me, I think that it goes deeper than that. Mom was born and raised in the south, and I think that her "southerness" was passed down to me. I have always felt at home, even complete, by the ocean. The warm/hot sun never bothers me...and I LOVE it. Most importantly, sometimes I feel that I could stay outdoors forever. Melissa left a facebook comment about the Swiss Family Robinson the other day. It reminded me of how much I have always loved to be outdoors and being adventurous. Even though I am in a whole new adventure these days, I would still love to be able to build a house in the trees and live completely outside and off the land. (Remember how I told you that I was going to ramble...)

I wish that I had the courage to get rid of cable and internet all together. Well, maybe not the internet. I would still keep my TV (a beautiful 32in flat screen that I just bought for Dennis) for movies and games, but would go back to the rules that my parents once set forth for me on the limited time by the TV.

I am hoping that with the new house, with the backyard and playground, that me and the boys will be outside almost all the time. I am hoping that we take advantage of the fact that we live just inches (ok, a bit more than that) from the Adirondacks. I really hope that I can really become the minimalist "greeniemommie" that I want to be.

(nope not my feet, but I love the picture)