Small Successes - Oct 31 - Happy Halloween

It has been a long exhausting week... but I did accomplish some things

1. Visited the In-Laws.  Haven't been to their home in a long time.  Last time we saw them was my husbands birthday.  I was a good visit.   Long drive home but worth it in the end
2. Waterproofed (or sprayed that waterproofing stuff) on my daughters faux suede boots for trick or treating tonight.  
3. returned library books on time for a change!

Time for you to share yours  at Catholic Mom

5 things about you - Colleen

1)  you love to take a selfie - we have dubbed you the Queen of the Selfie in our house

2) you love to dance and sing.  You are currently taking tap, ballet & jazz - I think that is the order of how much you like the style.

3) you enjoy playing with your American Girl dolls, barbie dolls, on the Wii U, and on Club Penguin!  that is your favorite

4) you are in the 4th grade.  You were nervous about attending a new school but it is going great so far

5) you always have a smile on your face and are a joy to be with

Small Successes - 10/24

This is a few days late but I was without reliable Internet...

My small success for the past week are (trying not to include this weekend);

1. hired an after school sitter for the kids.  This will be for Wednesday nights only while I teach and my husband is on 2nd shift.  She is a student on the campus I work at.  We found her via care.com
2. had my annual mammogram and they got the joy of going in for a second look.  Everything is fine just some dense tissue with non-cancerous cysts.  
3. signed up to volunteer at the schools Halloween party.  I will be working in the cafeteria - figured that would keep my inside in case of foul-weather
4. convinced my daughter that there are other costumes out there.  She wanted to be Lela from Teen Beach movie and the costume is sold out until February 2014.  Who wants a costume in February. 

Now go to Catholic Mom to post yours!

5 Things about You! - Daniel

1) You are officially a middle schooler - 6th grade.  You are at a new school and are very excited about that

2) You are enjoying Jurassic Park, Dragon vale, and Mine Craft on the Kindle and iPod Touch.

3) You are a very happy boy with a great smile

4) You do get very discouraged when things do not go your way.  Particularly with school and homework.  You don't enjoy homework time  when we review your work.  But you are slowly seeing why we do this work with you every night.

5) You are kind to your brother and sister.

5 things about you --- Patrick

1)  you do not like your picture taken

2)  you enjoy playing soccer.  This year your team finally won a game!  3-0 and you scored all three goals.  I am proud that you don't give up out there when it would be easy to
3)  you are a great helper in the household.  If we ask you to help out you do without arguing.  You may complain but you do not argue

4) you like to go to Target & Cost Co with me

5)  you really are into playing video games right now.  I don't really get most of them or why  you play but you try to explain them to me

Small Success Thursday

Here are three small successes over this past week:

1) started blogging again - I hope?
2) started Focus T25 with my husband and I am loving it
3) set up interview with potential after school sitter while hubby on 2nd shift

Last two years.... where have I been

It has been nearly 2 years since I last posted....  we have been through a lot in that time...

• My husband lost his job, 
• found a new one, 
• we moved, 
• changed schools, and adjust to all of this.

As I write those bullets - it does not seem like a lot but it certainly took its toll on all of us.   All these are stressors and it is what you do with that stress that determines if you make it through or if you just stop in the middle of the tunnel and wait for life to run you over.

Starting a new routine

Long Long Long Time without a post (see header) - I wish I had a reason why I stopped blogging but I just became lazy!

So here goes another attempt at blogging......

Hubby and I started a new exercise regime.  Focus T25 

My brother, his wife, and many other friends have used the Beach-body products with great results and this one seems to fit into our stage of life the best of all.  It is 25 minutes a day for 4 days and 50 minutes on day 5.  With both of us driving 30 minutes to and from work, driving kids to dance, soccer, and other school or social activities there was not room to go to the gym even 2 days a week any longer.

I have missed going to the gym and realized that was something that grounded me - made me a better wife and mom.

We started last Friday and using Wednesday/Thursday as our weekend since those are the busiest two days for us.

I was very surprised that this workout was so tough.  I had been working out for 2 + years - 2 times a week and only had been away from the gym since mid-August (when we moved) so I could not e in that bad of shape - could I??????   I know I put on about 3-5 lbs in that month on top of the weight gain from the stress of the relocation.   So I was not in game day shape.... but this workout was tough!~

We are doing it together and we are keeping one another on track and I am going to use this as an accountability for my action and to keep my self from quitting (which can be very easy to do).

Happy Halloween!

Jasmine, and 2 Little League World Series players

Small Successes - Oct 6

It's important for moms to recognize that all their small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph!


Here are mine:

1) survived our families first broken bone.  Colleen broke her arm at school on September 28.   She was playing on the monkey bars and fell off at the very end and hit her wrist.  Well she ended up breaking both her radius & ulna.  They had to do outpatient surgery to repair the bones.  They did what they call a reduction of the fracture which realigns the bones without cutting into her arm.  She had to be under anesthesia for this procedure but it went well.  You would never know she broke her wrist if she did not have a splint on it.  Kids are very resilient.

2) received the kids mid-term grades and they are all doing great academically!  The problem we are facing is behavior which is killing my middle son's religion grade. 

3) this one goes out to my hubby & father-in-law -- they installed the new bathroom fan last Friday.  It has a heating element in it - here is to a warm bathroom this winter!!!!

4) took the kids shopping on two different days to beef up their fall wardrobes.

This week I'll: 
1) work on buying new winter boots for the kids (lands end has 30% off)
2) get back to eating healthily.  I have been lazy and that means eating poorly. 
3) visit with local Girl Scout rep to see about re-starting the Brownie troop at our school.  Last years leader quit without notice



It is now your turn to share... visit Sherry at Chocolate for Your Brain to do this

This Week for Dinner

Thanks to Jane and her blog this week for dinner I have my menu for the week and get great ideas from others.

Monday - Crock Pot Chicken & rice
Tuesday - Chili & Garlic Toast
Wednesday – Flank Steak & potatoes

Thursday – Breakfast
Friday – In Laws are in town so probably out to eat
Saturday – Brats! from our local pork butcher who opens on Oct 1 for the season
Sunday – Heading to my parents to drop kids off for the weekend so dining out that night also.

What fun!!!

Yesterday I took my daughter and her friend to the New Albany Classic.  We went to see Big Time Rush!




waiting for BTR



BTR Singing



Kendall Singing


The girls had so much fun!  It is so funny to watch 7 year old girls get so excited about this boy band.  It reminds me of how my sister and our friends were about Shaun Cassidy or Andy Gibb.  I remember going to the Shaun Cassidy concert at Blossom Music Center in the Cleveland area.  We all went and where wearing Shaun Cassidy outfits in baby blue and pink - tops & pants from Sears with his picture on them.

Here are some photos of the girls and the fun time they had!

Small Successes - September 22

It's important for moms to recognize that all their small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph!

Here are mine:

1. Had our first Webelos meeting. I did not want to go - wanted to go home and enjoy the beautiful weather.  I went and it was a good time and the boys did great! 
2. Celebrated several extended family members birthdays!  This requires a 4 hour round trip and a couple of hour visit.  It is so worth it but very exhausting.
3. Boys & Hubby got their hair cut.  I have scheduled a cut & color for myself.  Now we need to get the girls hair trimmed

It is now your turn to share... visit Sherry at Chocolate for Your Brain to do this

This Week for Dinner - 9/19

This Week for Dinner here is my menu for the week:

Monday - Flat Steak with Mashed potatoes
Tuesday - Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoe fries
Wednesday - Hot Dogs & Chips (one of my most memorable meals as a kid)
Thursday - Turkey Meatloaf and not sure the side
Friday - dining out
Saturday -  ???????  thinking ribs but not sure
Sunday - Breakfast - french toast