Our new toy...

We got a new car a few days ago.
















Well, they did....











And, oh the fun they're having!

And, oh the fun I'm going to have. They rode around in the backyard and had a blast today. Yes they ran over every dog "pile" that Opal has ever created, but cleaning off the tires was a small price to pay for the free time I got out of it.

Pictures, Prizes and Pumpkin Bread

This probably isn't my best idea as far as hygiene goes.

I can only think of 2 times in Zachary's 5 years of life that he has had a popsicle outside of the bathtub. They have enjoyed ice cream, popsicles, Halloween candy, Easter chocolate, lasagna, pot roast (well maybe not All of that) while bathing. Clean up made easy for mom.

Well, I know you didn't come here to see pics of my kids eating ice cream. You are here to see who won the giveaway....

Congratulations....

Check out her shop here.

Thanks to all who entered my giveaway! I plan on doing more in the near future!

Here is the recipe for New England Pumpkin Bread that I promised:

15 oz Pumpkin Puree

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water

3 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground ginger

(you can add chocolate chips and nuts if you wish)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 7x3 loaf pans. In large bowl, mix 1st 6 ingredients until well blended. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir dry mix into pumpkin mixture until just blended.

Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 50 minutes - 1 hour in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Take a stand for handmade...

Please help amend the regulations that will require all toy and children's product manufacturers (including independent crafters like myself) to spend thousands of dollars testing and labeling handmade products in order to prove that they do not contain toxic chemicals. I am all for protecting our children from harmful chemicals and that is one reason to buy handmade. If the regulations are not ammended, many handmade artist will go out of business beginning Feb, 2009. Take a stand to protect both our children and small-business crafters. Read more by clicking on the above icon or by clicking here.

GIVEAWAY!

You deserve something special.

So here is your chance to win a fabulous prize package:

The above items all came from some fantastic Etsy sellers.

Aromatherapy soap samples by FarmhouseSoaps

Lavender-Lemon Sample Cuticle Cream by ButterByEssentials

Glass Tile Pendant by Cynthia VH Ehrlich

Silver Nile Earrings by DayJeweler

Visit all of the above shops and then comment here letting me know your very favorite item in one of the shops for a chance to win. One name will be drawn on Monday and that winner will receive all 4 items. Be sure and use your blogger id or leave contact info in your comment. Good luck!

Catching up...

A few months back when Josh was out of town for a few days, the boys and I participated in "bed swap". During "bed swap," the boys can choose any bed in the house they want to sleep in. Of course, they choose to pile in the queen bed with me. Josh does not like to participate in bed swap and frankly I have second thoughts now that I have encountered Lucas ~ AKA Flip Flop. Both boys slept like a rock despite Lucas' tossing and turning all night. An elbow to my eye, a foot to my stomach, on and on all night long. So....when we decided to have "bed swap" again a few nights ago, I decided to coax the boys into sleeping in their own room. "Hey wouldn't it be fun to sleep in sleeping bags on your bedroom floor!!! It would be just like a campout!" They agreed and had a great time side by side on their bedroom floor. I snapped this pic after they finally got done laughing and talking. The room is really dark, of course, and the flash didn't even cause them to flinch.

Lucas enjoying (wearing) some chocolate candy...

I was really stressing at the idea of hauling all the "Santa" presents to Grandma's house in Dallas this year. So we asked the boys if they would like to write a letter to Santa and ask him if he would bring their presents a day early . He wrote a lovely letter back to them and later tonight he will be visiting our home a night early! I ran out of milk yesterday, which doesn't seem to be a problem as we decided that Santa prefers Cherry Coke.

By the way, this is Zachary's new face for every single picture...

I have baked my little oven mits off the last few days, making bread and cookies as Christmas gifts for Josh's entire family. Soon I'll post the recipe for New England Pumpkin Bread.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Cartoon Cuts Here We Come!

Lucas hates haircuts. It's seems to be a big production each time we take him. I usually end up holding him on my lap or making goofy clown faces during the duration of the haircut in an attempt to keep him calm.

So I decided to save the $12 and the headache and cut his hair myself. I actually prefer his hair "fluffy". He's got great, thick hair and since he is 2, I think he looks cute with shaggy hair. I decided to just trim his bangs. They were hanging in his eyes and I was beginning to refer to him as the "collie" so I guess it was time. He had to tilt his chin up toward the ceiling in order to see out. I made them crooked, by the way, on purpose, so it wouldn't look like a fresh haircut. I actually think he looks cute.

Josh said he looks like one of the Children of the Corn.

So I guess we will be taking him in early next week for a real haircut. Wish me luck.

Promotions, Promotions, Promotions

You know I love Etsy. And I love when I find a new item or seller that blows me away. There are actually quite a few and I intend to promote many of them as the weeks progress.

This guy has fascinated me since I found him a few months ago. You can't imagine how many times I have wished I owned a coffee shop just so I could purchase him and place him by the front door.

If the business did well, I could afford to purchase a wife for him.

Check out http://www.sparkflight.etsy.com/ to see more work from a fascinating artist!

You must visit http://www.nestingplace.etsy.com/

These tassels are divine.

I would love to have a house full of them.

Check out the blog as well for fantastic decorating ideas!

http://www.nestingplacenc.blogspot.com/

I'm collecting lots of special treasures for my 1st blog giveaway to be held the last week of December or the first week of January. After all you've done for your friends and family this holiday season, I think you need a break and a little something to pamper yourself!

Going for # 3????

I love my 2 babies.

Both of them are spectacular and SO helpful.

This is my eldest.

She is 11 years old and I adore her.

I admit, I haven't been the best mother to her at times.

She has a permanent disability to prove it.

I don't bathe her as often as I should and don't thank her enough for all the help she gives.

But I love her so!

My youngest is such a joy to behold.

He is only 4 years old, yet bigger and stronger than his sister.

So helpful, he makes cooking a breeze.

I adore him as well....he is my go-to guy.

I'm thinking of trying for #3...in hopes of having another girl....

In honor of my babies....one of our favorites to make~

BBQ Chicken Pizza

3 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 cup hickory BBQ sauce

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp molasses

1/3 cup brown sugar

fresh cilantro to taste

your favorite pizza crust

mozerella

parmesan

Combine 1st 6 ingredients in your baby. Cook mixture about 5 hours. Remove chicken from crock pot. Spread a thin layer of the sauce on the unbaked pizza crust. Shred chicken and place on top of sauce. Dot more sauce on top to your liking. Top with mozerella. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes (or see crust baking directions). Garnish with parmesan.

You can add onions if you are into that sort of thing. You know by now I am not. Something to do with grub worms comes to mind.....

Ahh, Making Christmas Memories....

Every year at this time, I determine to create lots of "fun" for the boys. So a few days ago we made cookies. I knew I didn't have the stability to have both boys in the kitchen with me making cookies from scratch, so I decided to just dip some Oreos instead. Lucas dove right into the project. After 2 cookies, I decided my "We have to keep our hands out of our mouths when we are making cookies for other people. No licking your fingers. No breathing on the cookies. " lecture wasn't working. So I just moved the cookies the boys made onto a "contaminated" plate and let them go wild. They turned out pretty cute....

Yesterday, we attended the breakfast with Santa at Zachary's elementary school. That was a mistake. There were lots of crafts and of course pics with Santa. The boys made paper bags with Rudolph's face on them. Things were ok until Rudolph's nose fell off Lucas' bag as we were leaving. 2 Hours later he finally quit crying. I love the way the pic turned out. (Lucas wanted nothing to do with Santa....I don't blame him...he is kinda creepy from a 2 yr old perspective).....

So much for my serious Christmas picture....

Oh well, these are cuter anyway. Good Memories....

The boys have finished (I hope) their lists for Santa.

Zachary: Army guys, an airplane, Pokemons, monster trucks and gold. Santa is looking for a 2nd job in order to purchase the gold...

Lucas: Water, milk, blue medicine and toy tractors. Such a good son.

The Underwear Story...My 2nd Most Embarrassing Moment (AKA the, "Jeanette, are you sure this didn't happen to you in JR High?" Story)

Recently this story was brought out of the vault by my dear husband when he met with a group of friends at Starbucks. He couldn't remember all the details, and many of you have been asking, so I thought I should tell you all the dreadful details of that day....

I had just been hired for the job of my dreams. A newelywed and a recent college graduate, I had landed the job I had always wanted, working for the Red Cross doing social work. It was my 1st professional business trip and I was in Oklahoma City for special 2 day training. I was to take 2 different classes with about 30 or so Red Cross workers from around the country. The room where we were meeting was large and the tables were set up forming a large "U" shape. I sat at the bottom of the "U" where I was visible to everyone in the class (not on purpose). The 1st day was exhausting and when I returned to my hotel room that evening, all I wanted was to shower and get to bed. That night I took my clothes off all in one swoop, you know...underware, and pants all at the same time....showered and went to bed. The next morning came early. I got dressed, wearing the same pants as the day before, did my hair and make up and headed out the door. The class that morning had some new students, so we were all instructed to take turns telling our name, where we were from, etc. If you know me at all, you know that I HATE speaking in public and I consider introducing myself to a room full of strangers, speaking in public. So I was a little nervous. Again, if you know me, you know that I can't sit still, especially when I am nervous, so my legs jiggle around anytime I am sitting. When it was my turn to talk, I did the introduction just fine and the day progressed as usual. After a while we were instructed to group up with 4-5 classmates in our area for a small discussion. As we were shifting our chairs around, I noticed something peculiar in the middle of the "U". After studying it for a while, I realized that it was a pair of panties! "Yuck," I thought. "That is disgusting! Who would just leave their underwear in the middle of a public classroom?"
"Hmmm, that is weird, I have a pair of panties just like that." I thought. And then it hit me, "Oh my Gosh, those ARE mine! They must have stuck in the leg of my pants when I swooped them off the night before. But how did they get in the middle of the room? Oh my Gosh! They must have flown out when I was shaking my leg during my nervous introduction! That means everyone probably saw it!" It was a horrible thought. And how could they not have noticed? They were baby blue and since I was a newelywed and had not yet discovered the joys of the "granny panty", they were quite possibly frilly. (Though I have blocked some of the details out of my mind for mental health reasons).
Now, a new dilema, what to do???? I was pretty sure that people had seen the tragedy unfold so what should I do now. I figured I should remove the panties, I mean the longer they sat there the more everyone would be reminded on the "incident" (besides they were mine and I am oppossed to littering). Now the part that you would think had happened at age 12 instead of at age ___???? (have to keep that part secret...you know...mental health reasons...). It was so cold in the classroom and I still had my big coat on .... you know the one (thanks goodness) with the huge pockets. I scooted my chair into the vicinity and "pretended" to reach down and pick up my text book. Quickly I scooped up the panties and shoved them into my pocket and pretended like nothing happened. No one ever said anything. "And I will NEVER tell a soul about this!" I thought! Later that night I returned home, opened the door and said, "Josh, you will NEVER believe what happened"....

Thanks, Joyshope.etsy.com!

Julie of Joyshope.etsy.com and of joyshope.blogspot.com has been gracious enough to host a giveaway of some of my snack bags on her blog site. Thanks so much! Hop over to her shop for some very cute handcrafted hoiday signs. Then hop over to her blog for lots of fun, neat ideas and to enter the drawing! Thanks again, Julie!

Recipe for a cold winter's night!

This is so easy to make and tastes great on a cold winter's night. Made in my kitchen favorite...the crock pot.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can be frozen)
2 Tbsp butter
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans chicken broth
Tbsp minced onion flakes (you can use chopped fresh onions if you prefer...I say "yuck!" to that)
Pepper to taste
3-4 carrots, sliced thin
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
6 Grands brand homestyle biscuits, cut into bite sized pieces and dipped in flour

Place 1st 8 ingredients in the crock pot and stir. Cover and cook on high 5-6 hours. One hour before serving, shred the chicken and add the biscuits. Cover crock pot and cook for one more hour.

Newest listing in my Etsy shop...

Finished this set last night. These are so fun to make and I hope to be making more soon!

Thankful

Today has been a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with loved ones and lots of good food. I am so thankful to God for the blessings in my life. Among them:
A 2 year old that wants to hold mom's hand as we walk through the woods and climb the Arkansas hills. I treasure this time, as I know one day it will pass.
A 5 year old that doesn't want to hold mom' s hand and prefers to climb the hills himself like a big boy. It means the world to me to have a little boy that is becoming a big boy and will soon be a young man. One of the great privledges of being a mom is having the honor and responsibility to raise good kids that will be good adults. I love being able to help my boys become independent and to help them get to the next stage.
A husband who lets me do my own thing and supports me all along the way.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of love and grace.

Yeah! I have had so much fun sewing this week! The more I sew, the more I realize that I hate using store bought patterns, and prefer to venture out on my own...seeing what I can come up with. So far, nothing earth shattering, but it is fun to know that you design and construct something that came from your own head (no matter how simple it is). So here is a yummy little lined tote bag that I am marketing as a lunch tote. It was created 2 days before I realized that it is (of course) reversible! Ha, Ha! I just love this fabric. It is so unique and green is my fav. color. I got it from a great Etsy fabric shop: adelehartlep.etsy.com She has great products and customer svc.

Another fabric supplier that I like to buy from is aliyahshopechest.etsy.com. She has some unique Ikea prints and great prices. Last time I made a purchase, I got one of her pinafore kits as well. I had no idea whether I could actually make this little outfit, but she gave me a sneak peak at the instructions before I made the purchase (thanks!). I just love how it turned out! As many of you know (are there many of you????? Stephanie and Jennifer, I think you are my only readers!!!!) I have 2 boys, so there really is no reason why I need a size 18 month pinafore, but I think I just wanted to see if I could do it. It was so much fun to make and I am hoping all my friends get pregnant with girls soon just so I can make more!

I just purchased this gorgeous fabric and it will soon be a tote bag and baby quilt! Can't wait!

Catching up

I have a closet full of fabric that needs to be sewn. I have a closet full of paper (mostly Christmas) that needs to be made into cards. But, slowly (very slowly) I am getting it done and getting my Etsy shop where I want it. One of these days, I am going to have a "Grand Opening" sale, but I keep wanting to add "just one more item" before I do that. One of these days....

I have done a little sewing this week (in between pulling french fries out of Lucas' nose and lecturing Zachary as to why he doesn't need to cut holes in his shirt during school art time) and plan to do a little more. I'm working on some baby quilts, rag quilts and lunch bags. Then, I will take some holiday time off to concentrate on family, baking, etc.

Happy Anniversary!

Today Josh and I are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary! We've talked for more than a year now about going back to Cancun to celebrate....to the same resort where we had our honeymoon. But since we don't have any more money now than we did then, we decided on dinner at PF Changs and a movie instead. Perhaps we'll splurge and have a dessert at Cheesecake Factory as well. I'm just glad the kids are going to be with the sitter for a few hours. I would have never thought 1o yrs ago that a "dream" evening would just be to have the kids out of the house for a few hours!
Let me say, I love my husband SO much and I am so glad that we are together! He is a great man, husband and daddy! Thankful, thankful, thankful!
Now, about the kids....
Zachary has had "something in his eye" for almost a week now. I think he just has "something in his head." He has refused to have "medicine" (contact solution) put in his eyes, so I told him he will just have to suffer. This morning I had enough of the whining. Is it ok to sit on your child while you force drops into their eyes? No? ....ok well nevermind.
Lucas is hoarse. Before you say, "awww, he must be sick" let me asure you he is not. He has just decided to scream his head off for the last 2 days. Terrible two, strong will, whatever it is, it is much more tolerable behind a closed bedroom door. I guess he does sound kind of cute with his raspy little voice. I can say that now, because the house is finally quite as Josh has taken him fishing.
Happy Anniversary to me! :)

New to this!

I'm not sure that I need one more thing to keep up with, but I wanted a way to share family stories and updates from my shops and thought this might be a good way to do it. Besides, since I have been accused of acting like a 90 yr old woman in a 34 yr old body, I suppose "blogging" might help me get that much needed (apparentely) face-lift.

All I ask:

* Plese don't chek for grammer and speling erors. I know you will find themm....many of themm, so let's just mov on....

* Please understand my heart....I love my kids with all of it. But I can already see that this may become a "my children are making me crazy" outlet. So don't take anything or everything I write here TOO seriously!

Just so we can get acquainted, here are my 3 guys (I'm sure you will be hearing a lot about them in days to come, so you might as well put a face to a name):