Saturday, February 28, 2009
Hamburger & Salsa
I ate the best lunch today. I didn't take a picture, but it's easy and you should definitely try it. I didn't feel much like cooking, but I had a half pound of hamburger meat to cook. I threw it in a skillet and fried it, breaking it up as it cooked. When it was done I added 3 spoonfuls of medium salsa, big chunks of onions, and green peppers. I cooked it just a little bit, leaving the onions and green peppers slightly crisp. It was just so good. I wish I had more.
We've got to run to the grocery store tonight. I'm definitely going to pick up more hamburger meat.
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/28/2009 02:40:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification Food and Recipes
Friday, February 27, 2009
Be it Ever So Humble
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/27/2009 04:56:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification Reflection
Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/27/2009 04:46:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification Book of the Day
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Red Red Red by Valeri Gorbachev
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/26/2009 07:51:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification Book of the Day
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Shame On Me
It's time for a little "shame on me" moment. I've been giving in to sleeping with my son every night. I must admit, I love sleeping with him, but I should be sleeping with my husband in my own bed. Last night I slept in my own bed and it was nice until crying began in the wee hours of the morning. "Mooooommmyyyyyy!!!" Matthew actually dragged himself out of bed instead of me. I was just so tired. He returned to our room, "He wants you to sleep with him." I grabbed my pillows and went. I didn't get to go back to sleep. Jamie kept telling me he didn't want me to sleep with Daddy and that he loved me.
So, it's past bedtime. Jamie's asleep and I've finished watching American Idol with Matthew. I asked Matthew what he thought I should do and he said I should probably sleep with Jamie. We all lose sleep if Jamie wakes up crying. So I think I've started something that's going to be hard to fix. I know what I have to do to fix it, but I just don't feel like it right now. How horrible is that?
I'm going to bed... with Jamie. Good night.
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/25/2009 11:18:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification being a mom
Haircut Woes
I can not wait until Jamie will let a real hairdresser touch his hair. My sister-in-law cut his hair last night. I decided to let her give it a shot since I'm certainly not proficient with the scissors. It wouldn't be quite so bad but while she was cutting McKalah reached over to try and help. She made my sister-in-law's hand slip and she cut it really high in the back. I had to even it out when we got home with the clippers. Ugh, another disastrous haircut.
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/25/2009 02:09:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification being a mom, Just Jamie
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Easter Egg Wreath
Paper plate with the center cut out
Easter basket grass
Egg shapes cut out of card stock
A heart shape cut out of card stock for bunny head
Bunny ears cut out of card stock
2 pink fluffy balls
3 cotton balls
small, thin strips cut from black foam paper for whiskers
large googlie eyes
Various colors of poster paints
String or ribbon
Glue grass onto cut out paper plate. This is more challenging than I originally anticipated. The grass does not like to stay in place. Perhaps paper grass would be better suited to this project or perhaps sticking grass to the back of the eggs after completion would have been easier.
Paint the eggs different colors. Paint bunny parts. We used brown for the bunny. You could use blue or pink and that would be cute, too. Once the eggs and bunny parts are dry (which will probably take many hours since kids use gobs of paint) you can glue the bunny together (see picture).Glue eggs, bunny, and flower petals to the paper plate wreath with grass on it. This will probably be the following day since it takes forever for the glue holding the grass to dry. Attach a piece of string or ribbon to hang wreath.
Some fun additions would be glitter on the eggs or pasting shapes to the eggs. I didn't want to make the craft too long and tedious for Jamie, so I kept things relatively simple.
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/24/2009 03:00:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification crafts
The Personal Schedule
I took Jamie to school today and checked out his personal schedule. It's a paper with velcro on it. Each activity during the day has a card that attaches to it. There is a large card beside the chart labeled "NOW". As the day goes on Jamie picks off the card matching the activity that he just completed and puts it in a little cloth pouch beside the chart. Then he puts the current activity on the big card labeled "NOW". It's really cute. He was so proud to show me how it worked this morning. When he put his backpack in the cubby he picked off the card and put it in the pouch and moved the "Play time" card to the NOW position.
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/24/2009 02:03:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification Jamie's Development
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lazy
I feel so lazy today. I did get the dishes done and a load of clothes, but little else. I should be doing something, but I just can't get myself motivated today. I think I'm going to lay off the cleaning for today and see if I can find some cute Easter Craft to do with Jamie when he gets home.
Just after finishing that last sentence, Matthew called. He's sick and coming home. His throat is sore and he just doesn't feel good. Darn it, I bet we're passing strep around. With a sick husband home I might not be able to be as lazy as I just planned on being.
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/23/2009 10:49:00 AM 0 Remarks
Classification being a mom
Where Did Dynisha Go?
Dynisha decided to go back home. I waited to post about it until I knew what was going on. Brianna told her that her mother didn't love her anymore because she left her. Dynisha believed it and didn't want her mother to be mad at her. I think she also got confused because my mother-in-law called me to bring her stuff home. I bagged it all up and Matthew took it to her. She asked why we brought all her stuff back. Matthew told her he thought she wanted it. I wish I had been there to talk to her. I think it gave her a message that we didn't want her anymore, too, no matter what we say now.
About a week ago my father-in-law brought her by because she wanted to spend the night. He didn't call before coming. I had contracted strep throat from Jamie and spiked a fever of 104. When they got here I told them about my fever and said that Dynisha was welcome, but she'd probably be better off not coming that day and possibly getting sick, too. My father-in-law agreed and made her go home. I really do think it was the best decision, but I'm afraid it could have reinforced the idea that I didn't want her here.
She came last week with her sister when her Pap was put in the hospital. I didn't get a chance to talk to her alone and I regret that. She spoke on her blog like she was forced to come here and I certainly don't want her to feel like she shouldn't be here. I want her to know that I love her and I want her. I just couldn't really talk to her with Brianna here. I did make it clear to both girls that they are both welcome here anytime. I just think I need to sit down and talk to Dynisha one on one.
Jamie cried for her for several nights. He really had a melt down the night that we packed her clothes up. Jamie's been sleeping in "her room" since she left. I think it makes him feel closer to her. The poor little guy keeps getting attached to girls living with us, first McKalah and now Dynisha, and then they are ripped away and he hardly ever sees them. I think he's lonely.
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/23/2009 03:14:00 AM 0 Remarks
Classification being a mom, Dynisha, Reflection
Out for a Walk
I wanted to do something nice today as a family. First I tried to get my husband to get up and go to church. That was a no go. Then I talked him into going on a walk with Jamie and I. We needed butter so we walked to the little store that is about a mile away. Matthew complained a little because he was cold. In his defence, there were snow flurries and his jacket is pretty thin. Jamie and I enjoyed the walk to the store. We jumped cracks on the sidewalk and he pointed out a million things to us.
We got to the store and got the butter. Of course, there was candy at the checkout line and Jamie started to fuss for some. We said no and he persisted. We didn't cave in and began the walk home. Matthew insisted we walk down the Turnpike because it is shorter. The problem is that there are no houses and trees to block the wind and the traffic made me nervous. The traffic also made so much noise that we couldn't hear ourselves talk, only the constant crying of Jamie, who cried the first third of the walk because he wanted candy and two thirds of the walk because he was cold and wanted to go home.
I will never agree to walk on the Turnpike again. That was awful. I don't think it would have been so bad if we had taken the back roads home.
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/23/2009 02:34:00 AM 0 Remarks
Classification being a mom
It's That Time Again
Well, it's that time of year again. Twice a year I put myself through an indescribable amount of torture. It's time to sell my sons clothes from the previous summer.
I'm pretty confident that this isn't torture for every Gymboree mom. I know there are thousands upon thousands of us out there. So why is this such torture for me? As I get out the boxes of clothes from the previous year to take picture, I find that nearly every single item of clothing has some stain or defect. I want to throw up. As though that's not bad enough, my washer leaves mystery lint on my clothes. So now, while I'd like to taking pictures and posting the clothes on ebay, I'm washing them again in a last ditch effort to maximize the profit I can get on them. However, I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact I will have to throw these clothes into "play clothes" lots and take whatever I can get for them. I'm trying to tell myself that it's okay. Kids play and they get dirty. Kids ruin their clothes. That's why so many parents won't buy their children name brand clothes. Whatever I get from them is more than I would have if I just tossed them in the garbage.
Jamie's wardrobe is important to me. It's become important to him, too. I like people complimenting us on how cute his clothes are. As he gets older it will be important to his peers. I like dressing him up and just enjoying how good he looks for myself. I also know that he is a reflection on me. I want people to take one look at him and know immediately that I care about him. I hate that his hair is a mess, but he won't let a hairstylist touch him and I am certainly NOT a hairstylist!
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/23/2009 02:15:00 AM 0 Remarks
Classification being a mom
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Cornbread
"I know what kind of food you cook at your house," said one of Jamie's teachers. "What?" I asked, confused. "We had beans the other day with lunch and Jamie asked for cornbread."
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/21/2009 01:36:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification kidisms
Toilet Paper Roll Bunny
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/21/2009 12:40:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification crafts
Egg Carton Caterpillar
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/21/2009 12:30:00 PM 0 Remarks
Classification crafts
Daddy's Day
Blah Blah Blah by Laura at 2/21/2009 09:24:00 AM 0 Remarks
Classification Just Jamie, love