Private Blog

P.S. Thinking about a private blog again. Not for sure, but would like to compile email list if I do. Please submit your address to jjscrazydays (at) gmail (dot) com if you would like to be an invited reader. Thanks.

How to NOT have dinner ready on a busy school night

Attention Marathon fans: I AM going to finish my blog marathon. I really want to. It may be after the FINISH ribbon has been taken down. I may be crawling and out of breath. But I WANT to finish. Suffering from a new cold + all the regular stuff. This little update doesn't count in the race - just a little sideline chat while I catch my breath.

I'm sure many of you can help me compile a HUGE list of how NOT to have dinner ready on a busy school night, but have you tried this way:

*defrost premade meal a day in advance that is ready to go except for ONE ingredient in the sauce

*go to grocery store and buy $200 of groceries but forget one needed ingredient

*bump that meal to Tuesday night after you get a chance to drop buy the market quick to make the sauce

*proceed to meal plan #2

*defat chicken and place in crock pot for meal plan #2

*add sauce, plug in, turn on, walk away with a spring in your step

*check back in 2 hours when your home is lacking the aroma of dinner and find out you have a short in the crock pot chord

*wiggle cord and feel things start to heat up (in your temper AND in your crock pot)

*so now dinner isn't going to be ready until 8 p.m. YEAH!!!! so frustrating

Blog Marathon - Mile 22 - Tuesday is Like a Holiday at Our House

This marathon is killing me. I'm out of breath. I'm not getting to things as quick as I'd like. I keep falling further and further behind, but I've just gotta finish....

TUESDAY is Garbage Day. The truck comes by three times - 0nce for trash (black cans), once for recyclables (blue cans), & again for green waste (green cans). Jayson looks forward to this every week. "Come on" he'll say as he hops and scrambles his feet in anticipation.

My older boys watched the trash truck too. They would sit on the step of our front door and watch from the porch. Goose runs around court following the truck. Some of the drivers honk for him or wave. He never seems to tire of this ritual.

Just a note: See him clasping the neckline of his shirt? It's his signature move. He used to hold on to my shirt. As he became more independent with the bottle, he would hold his shirt when he drank his milk. Now we see him do it when he's content.

Some days Jayson makes it his personal mission to close all the lids of the cans. It's a BIG job. I can usually only stand to watch him do a few before I make excuses to go back inside.

Until next Tuesday....

Blog Marathon - Mile 21 - Painting

I didn't realize that it's possible to use up a watercolor set all in one sitting. But I've learned that if water sits on all the colors they liquify and are easily spilt or painted all over. My children discovered that painting on paper wasn't nearly as fun as painting on themselves. "We are doing face painting, Mom." I don't even need to invite the circus over - it's already here.

I'm not sure what pulled face phase is all about. Whenever my kids see a camera they want this shot.

Cute little butterfly and BLue.

Blog Marathon - Mile 20 - Play School

So I dusted off my front door photo booth again for Jayson's first day at Play School. On Tuesday we went and met Ms. Korie and toured the classroom. Today he happily put on his Buzz Lightyear shirt and carried his lunch pack. He was a sport taking photos and came up with all the original poses himself. Cutie.

We arrived at school. He looked inside and then glanced back and me and said, "uh, bye." He kindly gave me a hug per my request. Then he was off to be a big kid. He has been wanting to stay with Jessica in 1st grade all week.

I climbed in my messy minivan and looked back in the rearview mirror and all the seats were empty. Weird. My eyes got all misty. My baby is a big boy. I'm happy for his confidence and independence. I need this little break and I haven't had one for 2 1/2 years. He's been my constant side kick - and what a character he is. Congrats on your first day Goose!!!!

I packed him some blueberries (his favorite) & goldfish. He came home with his snacks untouched AND with a baggie of chocolate chip cookies. So I don't know if he's a charmer or a thief?!

Blog Marathon - Mile 19 - Cupcake Birthday Party for my Sweetie

I had lots of fun ideas for this birthday party. I purchased little white aprons and then attached rainbow ribbon to pretty them up. I baked and baked so we'd have cookies and cupcakes and one super cupcake cake for the. I also stayed up late making cupcake fridge magnets for party favors. I was so frustrated because the glass glue bubbled all over. So I stayed up another night and made a whole new batch of magnets.

Jon was the pizza chef. While I was dressing new arrivals in their aprons, he was rolling out the dough and cooking dinner all in preparation for our pizza picnic.

Only a couple girls chose to come inside to mix the cookie dough. My friend/party assistant helped the girls play cupcake bingo while I got the table ready for cupcake decorating. The girls were very focused on their creations. Some of those cupcakes had more sprinkles than frosting. I found the cutest little cake boxes to package up their goodies (of course no photos because things were way to crazy by the end of the party).

They played spontaneous games on the trampoline including duck, duck, goose.

Happy Birthday to You!!! Make a Wish Sweetie.

Cake. Ice Cream. PRESENTS!!!!!