I LOVE my Hubs!!!

...and this time it's not because he buys me things or doesn't make me 'work' or lets me start 'home-businesses' or anything else like that. It's because he let me open my Christmas present early!!!!
Check this out!

I AM SO FREAKIN' EXCITED!!! I got these Rachael Ray pots and pans!! We have been married for 8 1/2 years and these are the first real 'set' of pots AND pans that I've owned!!

He said he let me open them now so that I could get them washed up and use them to make Christams Dinner!! Isn't that sweet? You don't think so? Well I do and I am SUPERFREAKINFANTABULOUS EXCITED!!!!

We do this every year! We are so awful about keeping anything secret from each other. We end up telling/giving each other gifts early. That's why I ALWAYS usually wait till a couple days before Christmas to get his or I'll give it to him a week before!!!

OOOh, I can taste my yummy food now!!!! Onions sauteing in my little skillet! Boiling some potatoes to make creamy mashed taters!! Chicken breasts sizzling in EVOO!!! Yumm-O!!!!!

Hungry yet? Come on over and I'll fix ya whatever yer little heart desires!!

(I keep talking like thes pans are gonna make me cook like Rachael or something!!)

You just never know!!!

Need a Boost?

Here are 40 Inspirational Movie Speeches in 2 minutes!!

Can you name all the movies??

I could only think of a few!

Just A Little Coffee!!

Every Saturday morning we let the older girls drink a little coffee with some creamer.
I know, I know.... too much caffeine!!!! My neighbors would 'freak' if they new we did this! They don't let their kids drink anything besides Sprite and Root Beer!

I'm the one who has to entertain these children though, they don't. So bottoms up T!! The house needs to be cleaned!! Let me tell you, they are quite the 'Lil Tasmanian Devils' when it comes to cleaning after drinking a 'cup 'o joe'!! See? There is a method to my madness!!!

A Little Help! Please?

I am making this for my in-laws. They are done having grandkids. (I say this like it's their choice to stop!) haha

When I come up with an idea to do something...I never fully think it out. I just 'start doing' and hope everything comes together.

Well, now I am stuck!! If you all would be so kind to give me some ideas on the wording. I would be forever greatful!!!

A little side note: I usually try not to worry about being perfect when I do things, because I know that I can't be. And I'm less stressed for lack of trying to make it that way. But when it comes to 'outgifting' my sil. THIS BABY HAS TO ROCK!!!!!!

I'm wanting to play on the words of: Favorite things in Grammy and PaPa's Pond.

I haven't glued anything down yet, so there is room to move things around!

Thank you all in advance! I can't wait to get this finished up!!

I just thought you should know!

I was just getting ready to start supper and I realized that today I have a touch of the 'VD'!! (verbal diarrhea!)
What did you think it meant??

It's not the 'drunk' kind. It's just the 'wanting to post a whole bunch of stuff on my blog kind'!
As you may remember, I had mentioned something about a 'Giveaway' when I hit 50 posts?!
I am really excited about that and I don't have to many more to go!
I was going to do it at 100 but I thought that would take too long. Maybe I should have set that for my goal anyway!!
I'm almost wondering if I'm going to have the item ready or not???
Don't worry though, I will!!
This is too exciting!!

I know this is kind of sneaky and probably a little sleazy but I just want everyone to know:
If you are a 'follower' of mine, you'll get a 'heads up' to my giveaway!!!
Just sayin'!
And depending on how well that goes....there may be more!!!

Well, off to feed the 'hoodlums' and bake some cookies!!

Excitement for a 2 year old

Saturday afternoon we were putting up a couple of decorations in our front yard. S got another

little tree out of our shed that had belonged to his grandmother. (That I forgot to put up)

He told D that she could have it. She didn't seem to excited at first because it did not light up....or so she thought!!

S put it in her room and plugged it in while she was busy doing whatever it is that 2yearolds do...

Later she wondered into her room and came out screaming!!!!!

Daddy fixed my tree!! Daddy fixed my tree!!! And then she proceeded to hug his legs, tell him 'thanks' and 'I wuv you daddy!'

I know...melts your heart, right? Mine too, I'm just a little jealous though. S ALWAYS gets to swoop in and make everybody happy!!

Another piece of excitement from D came this morning when she got a hold of my camera! She came in screaming all excited AT me and honestly, I had no clue what she was saying. She held out the camera to me and I pushed review. She had taken a picture of her chair!!

MY CHWAIR, MY CHWAIR!!!! ( I know, I know.. you are probably thinking she needs speach....I think we will be okay though. If she is still talking like this at Christmas next year, I'll get the phone book out!)

Yes, it is quite blurry but I guess that's what you get when you take a picture with the camera turned to 'mountain'.

Good try though! Sometimes I think it's way better than anything mommy coulda done!!

This could happen to you!

Be sure and check your child's homework!!
This didn't happen to me, but you never know who may fall victim!!



(This mother works at Home Depot – she is selling a shovel.)
The teacher thought she was a pole dancer!

My Grandpa

I decided to participate in the Wordful Wednesday today that
Angie is having. Click her blog button to check it out!










My Grandma Jerry got sick three years ago before Thanksgiving. I was pregnant with D at the time and we were all naive and thought it was her Gall Bladder and would be a quick fix! Boy was I ever wrong. Grandma was later diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. She got so sick and kept a smile on her face despite. She passed away in January before D was born in March. I like to think that they met in Heaven when Grandma got their and before D was born. D acquired alot of the little quirks that Grandma had!
This of course is a picture of H and I like to think that she also hung out with Grandma before she was born. H even more than D shows ALOT of my Grandmas characteristics. The main one being that she is ALWAYS so smiley!! Even if she is crying, she will stop, sob, smile and then continue to cry!!
This picture of my Grandpa Jim holding H really doesn't need any words. You can see the love he has for her already. You can also see how he wishes his wife, my grandmother was there to see her and love her!

Just another day.

What is it with me?
One week my house stays clean......
my laundry is clean and put away......
we have good, homemade meals for supper....
my kids aren't fighting......
my kids are listening to me and polite and loving!!

And then there is this week....
I don't want to do anything but sit on my behind!!!
Which makes me feel super guilty when I do..
because when S asks what I've done ALL day..
My mind is racing to give him something productive I've done..

If anyone knows how to 'fix' me let me know!! I may take into consideration.

Well, off to watch Falalala Lifetime while the little ones sleep and before I have to get the older girls.

I'm sure this afternoon will be hell since I'm doing nothing. I only punish myself!!




Oh, and as a side note. If anyone is interested in being a Follower of me, by all means go ahead and add me! As soon as I hit 50 posts I plan on having a Giveaway!! You don't want to miss out on that!!

Merry Christmas from the little Hoods

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Merry Christmas From the 'Adult' Hoods

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Only 3 months left!

Today my youngest and last little girl is 9 months old. Where has the time gone?? I remember a year ago when I felt miserable and I was wanting the next 3 months to go quickly so I could meet her.

Her birth was quick.

It seems that the past 9 months have gone quicker!

I just had to throw this one in because I laugh everytime I see this!!

D: I don't want to hold this!! She's going to ruin my life by taking away ALL of my attention!!! I'm not the baby anymore!!!!

No worries though! They are the best of buds for now!!!

The whole reason for this post is because my dear husby keeps telling me that I'm going to nurse this poor child till she's 3!! I don't plan on it. I will probably take the boob away when she turns 35 months. That seems fair enough. Doesn't it??

A Tad chilly this morning!!

For my friends who don't live in the immediate area please disregard.

I'm sure you will become quite upset with me over this post!

This morning when I woke up I checked the temp. to see what I should dress my children in for school. It was 33*.

I know that technically this is not cold. But here it is cold. It really hasn't been to bad here yet. I'm sure it will get colder and I'm going to enjoy it while it's above freezing. I dread paying my heating bill.

I've lived in Missouri and New Mexico so I know what cold is. I just want others to understand that. I don't want anyone thinking that I am complaining about this 'just above freezing' tempurature. I'm not. But I have felt cold. Not 'Northern states' cold, but enough to realize that I don't like it!!!

Now, I do miss snow. I miss snow dearly. And I'm coming to the realization that I may not see snow here or any that's worth playing in. I've seen the pictures of the snow on the Sandia Mountain already this year and I have to admit that I am missing New Mexico. I never thought I would say that but I do. (I miss my people there dearly, I just never thought I would miss the state!!)

And I know that Missouri got some snow Sunday and Monday.

But this is what I found this morning!!

You gotta take what you can get!!!

Oh Yeah!!

So, this is why I was putting this off!

H has stopped fussing. She's hitting a barn with a sheep. So she is happy as a clam!!

I just had to share this picture of my dad holding H.

She wasn't being very cooperative when we were visiting family the other week. You know,

the whole seperation anxiety/being a 'titty' baby thing? That was her. It broke my dad's heart.

He just wanted to hold her and spend time with her. And ALL she wanted to do was cry and look

around the room for her momma!!

Of course, the last night we were visiting. My dad takes H and goes into the living room. Crying and all. I help mom clean up the kitchen, give the other girls their baths, take the dog out and realize...I haven't heard H crying?? Did she fall asleep???

You bet your bottom she DID!!!! AND SO DID GRANDPA!!!

What Happened???

I get so irritated with myself sometimes. Okay, more than sometimes, but right now I'm a little irrate. *sigh*
So, I leave for a week and come back home and try to get my house, laundry, kids, etc. etc. back in order and I make absolutely NO time for blogging!!!!
How dare I, you ask. Now, I have been reading blogs, because that is what keeps me going. I've been leaving comments here and there because I want to show my appreciation for being able to read those blogs. I just haven't posted anything myself!!!!
There have been many a 'bloggy' moment that I have thought.....'oooh that would be good', or' I should post that.'
But I never seem to make it to the computer too type.
So.....I have jumped back onto the 'blog-wagon'..
while my baby is screaming in her high chair (not a hurt/mad/red in the face cry) just a little
'I'm pissy, come and pick me up squeal',
God only knows where the two older girls are and WHAT they are doing
and Dakoda is running around with her paci in her mouth!! (Big NO-NO!! That is only for bed!!)
So you can see how I have become a little distracted by life!
Now I know that I can stop what I am doing for a little and share with you what goes on behind our closed doors, blinds and windows. (No curtains yet so I thought that really didn't apply)
Okay, too much screaming now....better go!!!

No Blogging

I will be out of touch with 'Blogland' for awhile. We are going up to MO for an early Thanksgiving and Christmas visit. My mom still has dial-up and it's a little difficult for me to even consider using the computer at my in-laws. I will miss all of my fellow bloggers dearly.

Canton!!! Only the World's Largest outdoor Trade days!!

A week ago my mom and a couple of her friends came down from Missouri to attend 'First Monday' in Canton, TX.

(They came to see us of course too! But only because we had a free place to stay and some food!! Just kidding mom!!)

Anyway, This place is amazing! They have everything!!!! We didn't even see half of it!! That would take the WHOLE 4 days it goes on!!!

100 acres of EVERYTHING!!!!

I'll post some more pics later, but I at least wanted to get this up here!

If anybody wants to come out and go to this you are welcome to stay at my house! I am only 42.8 miles from it (according to google) and I won't even charge you to use my air mattress!!

Pumpkin Patch Day (If that's what you want to call it!)

Finally! One of my posts I've been meaning to get up here!!

Two weeks ago yesterday, my in-laws left, taking my neices and nephew with them, after spending the weekend with us. So, to ease the heartache my girls were feeling as they drove off. S and I decided to take them to the pumpkin patch. I had done a little researching since we are new to the area this fall hoping to find something fun! I was willing to drive up to an hour away. (I guess we should have looked farther!)

A place in Flower Mound sounded fun. So we fed the kids lunch, filled up their water bottles and loaded them into the van! We began our drive! Personally, I was pretty excited. I always LOVE taking my kiddos to places like this! We knew there was going to be two farms right next to each. They looked to offer pretty much the same things and parking was free along with their bounce houses and 'hay tower'.

Just M and T took a nap on the way there. They were exhausted after their busy weekend!

Upon arriving S was asking, "This one or the next one? This one or the next one?" I said, I don't know just pick a drive way. So he quickly whipped into the first one. We found us a parking spot and walked into the 'area.'

Honestly, I was a little disappointed. Okay, not a little, ALOT!!! The pumpkins where spread out on the ground and all the smaller more reasonably priced ones were set in piles!

We let the girls jump in the bounce houses a little bit and slide down the slides. Then there were a couple of photo opps. The girls 'looked' at the petting zoo. (A couple of goats!)

(I guess her nose is itching! But to be perfectly honest...I'm just not sure?)

And picked their pumpkins! Then we were outta there! I felt bad for the girls, we were there right under an hour.

So.........

Our day at the 'Pumpkin Patch' turned into 'HAPPY HOUR AT SONIC DAY!!!'

I could not stress to my children ENOUGH how AWESOME it is to get 5 of us each our OWN drinks for $5!!! The simple pleasures we enjoy!!It's amazing how happy they were when they got THEIR drinks!! It was hot outside!! We were hot!! These drinks were NOT!!!

I know, I know....this is a HORRID picture of me, but it was hot outside, unbelievably Hot and i wanted you to see how greatful I was for my drink!! I usually don't look like this! It's usually much worse!! Ha!!

This is how stinkin' hot it was!!! Nobody!!! I repeat NOBODY!!! should be out gathering pumpkins on the 26th day in October when the temperature is this high!!!!

But, we did it!!! Chalk it up to the love of fall and wanting to give your children some memories!!! This really isn't what I had planned!!! But does it ever turn out that way?? I think NOT!!!

A sad day in this Texas House

I was mopping the kitchen floor this evening before dinner. (weird I know, but I knew I wouldn't want to do it after. I'm just different like that!)
I was cleaning the floor by the hamster cage and I noticed that she was NOT moving. I gave her 'bedroom' a little tap....and nothing...another little tap.....still nothing......i jiggled the cage a little and decided she was dead. Usually after the first couple taps she about jumps out of her skin and gives me a evil glare. Nothing this time.
Now to break it to the girls. M seemed to be fine with it. I had briefed them before that hamsters really don't live that long. T started to cry. Then she told me she would be okay though because we still have Evan. I haven't even said anything to D yet. I really don't think she will even notice until the cage is gone.
As an animal lover I am sad to see this little creature dead. Anytime I see any animal dead it makes me sad. Even squirrels and other roadkill smashed in the middle of the highway. (Sorry, a tad too graphic!)
But I have to tell you that as a mother and the caretaker of this house......I'm glad to see the little bastard gone!!
No more changing the stinky bedding.
No more turds falling out of the excerise ball as she rolls through the house.
No more 11pm hamster wheel squeaking.
No more 12am hamster wheel squeaking.
No more 2 am hamster wheel squeaking.
No more 4 am hamster well, you get the picture...
No more of her trying to bite me when I show her any kind of affection. (She doesn't like to be touched)
No more 'spraying her stink' on me when I actually do get her picked up.
No more bedding laying on the floor around her cage, (cause she can't find her food she buried)
No more turds laying on the floor around her cage because she dropped them down the chute and they fell out! Blech!!

I'm sure there's others, but I hate to go on since she was a nice little pet. Sad to say the only reason we got her in the first place was because we were to cheap to pay the deposit on a real animal when we were renting in NM.

So fair well stinky Charmony!! You will be missed by all!!!

Another quicky!

D was playing so nicely in the living room yesterday while I was cleaning up the house.


Until I walked in and saw THIS!!!

She had gotten into some of T's makeup that she received for her birthday! (Thanks Grammy!)

She managed to 'hide' it and pull it out when she needed it!!

She did not know the mess she had made on her face until she followed me into the bathroom and looked in the mirror! I wish I would have gotten a picture of that!!!

D said: OOOOOHH, I need a wippee!! Dat too much!!

Me: Well no sh**!!! ( I didn't really say that, but it sure wanted to come out of my mouth!!!)

She did this RIGHT before we had to get the girls from school and it would not come off. Everybody kept asking if she had eaten a cupcake or candy or something!!

There is still a small bit of evidence tonight!!

CVS bargain

This is not a post I've been meaning to add. But something did happen this evening so I thought I would get this up here real quick!

I had to run M to Girl Scouts this evening and since the parents can't stay I ran over to CVS to get some duct tape. (That story will be another post!) While there I saw their Halloween was 90% off! What a deal! I've never been in CVS, I'm more of a Walgreen's girl. Nothing against CVS, this is just the first time I've ever lived near one.

I filled out the 'paperwork' and got my card!

I figured I'd grab a couple of wigs that were regular $4.99. So in my head I was thinking, "90% off that? That's cheap!! I grabbed four....well why not? I have 4 girls and I might want to wear one!!

So I was checking out!

girl: do you have your CVS card?

(Mind you, this is the little lady that took my info)

Me:yes mam, here you go!

(Are you kidding me? Of course I have my card! I JUST got it!!)

(I should have known right there, things were not going to go the 'right' way!)

girl: Well, these aren't ringing up the way they are supposed to....so....what's 90% off of 4.99??

Me:looking at the girl and smiling, shrugging my shoulders, thinking, I don't know. my brains not working. do you have a calculator????

girl: Okay, well, I'm going to take off $3.00

Me:I'm kinda in a hurry, do what you can.(thinking in a nice way, i don't want to think rude thoughts!)

girl: Okay, your total is: $8.62

me: Okay! (that sounds kind of high, but she's the one with name tag!)

girl: have a nice night!

I head out to the car, kind of in a hurry, only because S is home with 3 children and 1 is a baby and he gets all nervous!

I start calculating in my head that I paid WAY too much for those wigs!!!!! I was over charged $1.50 for each wig!!!

So, I run home for a bit and then go pick up M. We head over to CVS to get some money back. I know this is probably wrong, but I let the people at the store do their job and I ended up making

$1.26 out of this whole deal!!! What are the chances of that?? They put $9.88 on a CVS card for me!! How great is that?? If anyone knows of some good deals right now going on there. Let me know and I might go get me something!! Maybe I should just get more wigs!!??!!

We all look a little crazy with our red eyes!!! I guess I should have gotten rid of that before posting?!

A tad behind!

There are a couple of posts I've been meaning to get done, but haven't... we had company to weekends in a row! Exciting, but tiring. So be on the lookout! They are some goodies!!

YAY!!!!

I VOTED TODAY!!!!



This was my first time ever! I'm so PROUD to be an AMERICAN!!!

If you haven't voted yet, please do so! YOUR vote matters!!


Oh, by the way... I am a little miffed! I didn't even get a sticker, saying 'I VOTED'!!! What a rip off!!!! I was so upset! My first time voting and I didn't get a sticker!!!!
Now I know how my kiddos feel when they don't get their stickers!!! .....IT SUCKS!!!!!

Halloween is almost here!

I had to run to Wal-Mart today to grab some staples we were out of and I happened to pass by the pet Halloween collection. I searched for something to put on our poor pooch!! It made me think of a blog I read yesterday!
happymealsandhappyhour.blogspot.com
(Will somebody please tell me how to do the link thing??)

He tried to chew this off but he didn't succeed!!! Muahahaha!!!

Get along little doggie!!!

He's going to hate me for the rest of his poor life!!!

I love Legos, but seriously??

My fil and mil came down this weekend to visit us. They brought our nieces and nephew with them. Friday night my husband, his father and my nephew where 'surfing' YouTube, and this is one of the many things they came across!

I wish that I had this much free time on my hands! I'm not saying I'd use ALL of it on Legos, but can you imagine the free time???

Got Milk??

Cause we have the chocolate syrup!!!

It kind of looks like a haunted house outline!

Can you see in the left hand corner where the dog ran through it??

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think it resembles!

Mornings

I was really hoping I could sleep in a little bit this morning. That's just one of the many things I look forward to when the weekend approaches. I only made it till 7 this morning. The puppy was whining in his crate because he needed to go potty. He was holding his potty 30 minutes longer than usual and he thought he was going to drowned.

As I walked through the living room on my way to the kitchen I happened to glance out the patio door and caught a glance of the sun beginning to come up. I quickly uncrated the dog, grabbed my camera and ran back to the door. These are the few pictures I took. I know it doesn't really show what I saw. But it's beautiful enough!

I do believe this is another reason I love fall. The cool, crisp mornings and the beautiful sunrises!

Garage Sales

Before bed last night I 'googled' to see if there were any garage sales in the area today. Only two popped up and I was a little disappointed to say the least. I was debating when I woke up this morning if I would go or not after I got back from taking the girls to school. I thought back and forth on it for an hour and then finally decided just to go.

Honestly, I don't even know when the last time was that I have been to a garage sale? I have nothing against garage sales. What I think the whole deal is..is this....the few in my life that I have been too...I have never found anything I needed. Or even really wanted for that matter. My house was already filled up. I just didn't want to add to it. Now here is where things change. Since I have been blogging, I've come across a lot of really nice blogs where the ladies are finding other peoples junk and turning them into some really nice treasures!!!!

I took D and H with me this morning and talk about some real troopers!! We were out for 2 1/2 hours and hit 8 sales. I know that's not a lot, but they were kinda spread out and not a lot was going on. It's probably better that I am getting started so late in the season!!

The first place we went to had ALOT!! But in my opinion, it was also way over priced. There were a couple of pieces of furniture I would have liked to have but I didn't have the change for that. I did find a jackpot when it came to these frames! My intentions today were finding frames that needed to be painted, but I think I'm going to end up leaving most of these the way they are. The wooden one with the brushed silver was still in the bubble wrap in the box.

They were .50 cents each. For a subtotal of..............

$3.50

Next stop was a little garage sale that I almost didn't stop at. They didn't have much but I came across this tray. It is nasty dirty but I have a SUPER plan in the works for this baby!! When I say nasty dirty I mean nasty dirty!!! When I got everyone buckled back up and ready to head off down the road I could smell something 'strange' in the car.....it was the tray!!!! YIKES!!! The man wanted $1.50 for it, but I talked him down to a $1.

Running Total: $4.50

My next stop was AWESOME!! (as a little side note: I know this is my first garage sale day. I know there are probably way better bargains out there. But I am so freaking excited about what I have found!!!)

This is everything I found for $2.60!! How cool is that???

Running total: $7.10

The next 3 stops nothing interested me. I can't actually say that. I saw some things but they weren't anything I JUST HAD TO HAVE!!!

Then I happened to drive by the next one because I was lost and didn't know how to get back to the main road! oops!!

This little gem only cost $2.00. I have some big plans going on in my mind for this also!! It's actually pretty sturdy!!

Running Total: $9.10

Dakoda was dying for lunch and an ice cream. I kept telling her, 'Mommy has to make just one more stop. And then we will get your ice cream.' Poor thing, she sure was a trooper!! So I gave in and got her a corn dog and ice cream and then went to the next stop!

I found a couple of things I liked, but once again they were a little on the pricey side. ( I was out for deals today!) So, I ended up with this!! Honestly? Who can pass up a good book for $1? There's 4 stories in it and I haven't read them yet. AND I really like Janette Oake. She's one of my fave's!!

Then, I stopped in at Hobby Lobby. I mean, who can resist? I was that way anyway. I gave myself $20 today. I might as well use it all!! Right? I know, I'm dangerous that way!!

This is what I found. I need a place for the kiddos to put their backpacks when they come home from school so they are easy to grab when we run out the door in the mornings! So I am going to hang these in the entry way when I find a mirror to go above them. And hopefully a bench or some cute little chairs to go below! Total: $10.00

GRAND TOTAL: $ 20.10

Who doesn't keep 10 cents in their wallet for this exact moment!! ( Or have to borrow it from their 2 year old because you let them have mommy's change??)

I am very optimistic about getting alot if not all of these projects done this weekend. I have too. My in-laws are coming down next weekend so I will die if I have to wait until the weekend after that!!!

I can't wait to show you what I've done!!!