Our Newest Addition!

I finally caved!  I have been wanting to paint a wall in our home with chalkboard paint for quite sometime but had never really convinced my hubby that it would be worth it.

He finally agreed and the kids LOVE IT!!  Especially Parker!  The day after I painted it, he used it ALL DAY!  And, no, that is not an understatement!!  The downside?  LOOK AT THE DUST that collects on the floor when the kids scribble in one spot over and over and over and over.  Mr. Parker thinks it’s cute {sarcasm}!

Now, let me say that chalkboard paint is very expensive for the little amount you get.  And when I opened the can, I was really nervous that I wasn’t going to have enough.  It has a very thick consistency and that worried me a bit.  I didn’t think my hubby was going to want to spend $20 on another small can!  Yep, it’s that expensive!!

Needless to say, I had half of the can left by the time I was done!!  YIPPEE!!!  I can’t wait to use it on another project.  I’m thinking organizational tags for baskets or a table top in the little one’s room!  Ohhhh the possibilities!

Now I just need to make a holder for all the chalk that keeps floating around my house every time I turn around!

Yep, I know!  He needs a haircut really bad.  He’s still cute in my eyes though :)

See all that scribbling in one spot….

  

And then the rubbing with the hands…

 

Yep – it’s messy!!  But they love it!!!

What’d I tell ya!!  Good thing this is by the back door where it gets swept alot!

If You Haven’t Been There – YOU WILL BE!

Growing up I heard them and I’m sure you did too.

“Close the door!  Were you raised in a barn?”

“Stop crying before I give you something to cry about!”

Sounds all to familiar AND we swore we would never say such things to our children!  HA………………

Life happened and we had those children…just like us!  The old adage is true, “The apple never falls far from the apple tree” {however that goes}.

A recent poll by “Fans of Being A Mom” on Facebook came back with these comments that we vowed NEVER to say to our children.  It makes me chuckle :)  Sooooooo many are all to familiar with me.  I AM MY MOTHER NOW!!

Because I said so, that’s why.

Because I’m the mom.

I’m not asking you, I’m telling you.

It’s not what you say but how you say it.

I brought you in this world and I can take you out.

If your friend jumped off a bridge would you jump too?

This hurts me more than it hurts you.

In or OUT!

When you have kids of your own you will understand.

You’re going to nickel and dime me to death.

Just wait until your dad gets home.

Fine. Kill each other! I don’t care!

One day your face is going to freeze like that.

Don’t roll your eyes at me.

When you get your own house, you can make your own rules.

I’m not so and so’s mother, I’m your mother.

Do you think money grows on trees?

It’s for your own good.

I don’t know isn’t an answer.

When you break your leg don’t come crying to me.

When you pay the bills then your opinion will matter.

Slam that door again and see what happens.

Nothing good ever happens after midnight.

How many times do I have to tell you.

No IFS, ANDS or BUTS.

The list could go on and on!  How many of these did you hear as a child AND you now say as an adult? 

When did you turn into your own mother?!  I guess it’s safe to say that someday my grandchildren will hear these same things.  Kids will be kids…..

It’s a Sure Sign of Spring!

YIPPEE!!!

My day lilies are reaching towards the Spring sun!!!!

Reach forth my little pretties!!!!

Don’t mind that today it is bitter cold outside!  Spring will be back around soon enough.  I’m in Kansas after all.  The changing of seasons can be like a hormonal women sometimes!  You never know how she might act!

Spring Break Sunshine HAPPINESS

Have I told you how happy I am that it is SPRING!!

This week is Spring Break and the boys have been enjoying it.  Alysia, well she was either reading a book or on Facebook.  You know – that’s what teenagers do when they aren’t with their friends.

 

Mr. Parker threw the ball under the porch so James was more than happy to crawl under and get it.  He thinks it’s cool to be able to fit in there.  I would think it was too…if I could!

LOVE this pic!!  My son doesn’t really have a strange disease on his legs.  He just likes to draw on himself with markers when he is at his friends’ house.

And this one!  I told Parker to say “cheese” and he actually did!!

Then the neighbor boys came to play!

Now – today it’s a blustery 38 degrees and snow is on the way :(

Not a very nice way to end Spring Break if you ask me!

A Little Help

From James framing the basement.  Big Daddy and a friend of his framed the rest of the basement and he lets James cut the bottom boards out where the doors will be.  He thought that was the “coolest”!

Look at the concentration on his face!  Adorable!!

 

And that birthmark on his lip?  I THINK IT IS SO CUTE!  His older sister, Ashley, has the exact one in the exact same spot. 

You do see that Big Daddy only helped him in one photo!  I’m thinking I’m going to be putting this boy to work more often!

Stay tuned for more basement pics.  It’s a slow process but it is coming along.

There is a craft room framed now!!  And I am STOKED about that!!!

It’s Finally Here!

That’s right!  I’m talking about the first day of SPRING!!!

I couldn’t be happier with the onset of Spring this year.  I don’t know if it was all the illnesses we fought this year or what, but who cares!

It’s here and I am going to rejoice and celebrate in it!!

It’s the time of year when all things are new again!

Flowers peeking through the ground, trees budding, lakes and ponds thawing from a frigid winter!  Ahhhh…..and the smell of Spring!  I can’t describe it but I love it!

And the vision of daffodils….

Makes me happy!

Get out and enjoy the first day of Spring!!  Out with old man winter!!

Inspired Spotlight -

It's Thursday, so you know what that means!  It's Hanna from  bouffe e bambini!

Hello Patchwork Cronicles readers!!! 

I'm so honored to be guest blogging today on Beth's blog. My name is Hanna and I have a blog called bouffe e bambini, which very roughly translates to "food and babies." I named my blog that because those are the two things I enjoy the most. I started a blog during my pregnancy with my first baby because a friend suggested I might enjoy it. I hardly even knew what a blog was let alone how to write one. I kept up that blog for about a year and I loved it but it was geared more towards family only so I decided to start another blog where I could share recipes and highlight handmade shops that I loved. 

So bouffe e bambini was born. I currently only feature handmade on my blog. All my sponsors and giveaways are handmade only! Even though I don't have a shop myself, I am passionate about protecting the handmade trade! 

I feature lots of recipes on bouffe e bambini. I love to cook and I find that the blog helps to keep me motivated and eager to try new things. My husband and I both love to cook and eat. In fact, that's how we plan our vacations, around where we would like to eat. We planned out entire honeymoon around food and went to Italy! It was the most amazing culinary experience I've ever had! 

I have two children. Little Milton is 16 months and Ginger is just 7 weeks. I have my hands full:) I am also a nurse by trade and am going to be going back to work next month.

Today I am going to share a recipe for Potato Leek soup. 

Because I have two small children, I find that one pot meals work the best for me. So I am always on the hunt for new and exciting ideas. I came up with this one last week and thought it turned out GREAT! I hope you enjoy!!

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

1 package of bacon

3 leeks, thinnly sliced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery Stalks, diced

1 onion, diced

4 toes of garlic, pressed in garlic press

5-8 russet or yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped

3 quarts of chicken stock

1 tsp. cayenne

1 pint cream

Garnish: 

sour cream

fresh chives

Recipe:

In a large pot cook entire package of bacon until crisp. Remove and chop for garnish. Set aside. Now saute leeks, carrots, celery, onion and garlic in the bacon drippings for about 15-20 minuets or until carrots are soft and leeks are falling apart. Next pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and simmer until potatoes are soft (about 15 min). Now add cream, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. 

Garnish with fresh chives, sour cream, and bacon bits.

I also made blue corn jalepeno muffins to serve on the side. I made them from a box that I found at Whole Foods but you could just as easily use a box of Jiffy Corn Bread mix! 

easy and oh so delicious!

I can not wait to try this recipe!  I tired leeks for the first time this last Thanksgiving and I am in LOVE!!  Thanks Hanna for sharing with us!  You really should go check out her awesome, amazing blog!!  She has some yummy recipes on it -- and her kids are ADORABLE!

Joy of Luck – Day 1

Prompt: What inanimate object/thing/concept is something that you take for granted on a daily basis?  What would someone who is not as fortunate as you are say about your “luck” to have such a thing in  your life?  Think about your blessings today – (don’t focus on people for this one…that will come later)…focus on opportunity/experience/something you have/do EVERYDAY that is an unforeseen blessing in your life.

According to statistics, only 30% of mommas are able to stay home and care for their young children.  That is not a very high number.  It seems to me that the number has been rising over the past few years, but it is still very low.  I am one of those stay at home moms.

I don’t show my thankfulness for this near enough!  Seriously!  My hubby works his tush off trying to provide for our family just so that I can enjoy being home with my children.  Does he ever want me to go back to work?  Nope….

That is something I should REALLY be thankful for!

It’s easy to get stuck in the day to day with all the baths, homework, discipline, dirty toilets, and slamming doors.  But would I rather be somewhere else letting someone else raise my children?

Not at all!

Do I tell my hubby often enough how much “I LOVE HIM AND THANK HIM?”

Absolutely NOT!

Today I am reminding myself that I need to be more thankful for the joy that he gives me in allowing me to be at stay at home momma AND also to find the joy in the everyday mundane tasks that come with it.

What is your joy that you take for granted on a daily basis?

Join Willette Designs to take part in her series on the “Joy of Luck”.  For 17 days she will email you a photo/blog prompt and then you will blog, write, meditate about it.

Mmmm…mmmm…Good!

This is my hubby’s favorite breakfast right now.

I “think” this could be what “Huevos Rancheros” are.  Please don’t hold me to that though.  I’m don’t have a lick of Mexican background to support that thinking :)

They are DELICIOUS!  I know it doesn’t look appetizing in the pics, but this is one time you must TRUST ME!

Simple ingredients:  Corn tortillas, onion, eggs, salt and pepper.  Chop your tortillas.

 

Fry them in a little oil until they are crispy.  Soggy tortillas aren’t good :(

 

Add the onions and cook until they are translucent.

  

Add the eggs and scramble it all together.

Simple as that!!

How much you use depends on how many you are feeding.  I always just eyeball it and just when I think I am going to have leftovers, I NEVER DO!  That’s just how good they are.  As a general rule, I use about 6 corn tortillas, one small onion, and about 6 eggs.

Try it!  You’ll like it!

My “Hoopster”

James and his buddy, Jackson, participated in a basketball clinic a couple weeks ago. 

Yep, I’m late in posting.  ‘Tis my life.

Back to the story.

They had a blast!

 

PRICELESS!

They can’t wait until third grade when they can actually play on a basketball team!