Ramblings of a stay at home mom...

*Aubrey has pink eye. It started at breakfast Tuesday when I thought she rubbed her toast and jelly crumbs across her eye. Then by lunch I knew it was definitely infected. By time we got in to see a doctor after nap it was really bad.

*Aubrey hates the eye drops. The second time I went to put them in she took off running hollering "no, no" when I reached for the dropper.

*I have to put them in three times a day!!

*I think a crash course in wrestling moves should be offered to expecting mothers. This would come in handy when instilling eye drops and using a bulb suctioner on a snotty nose.

*We had to cancel two play dates because of Aubrey's eye. Needless to say she was not Ashlyn's favorite sister for a while.

*So far no one else has caught it. My eyes itch like crazy because I'm paranoid. It would mean wearing my glasses if I got it. No thanks!

*I have been spring cleaning our house. It sounds a lot easier than it is. Who named it Spring cleaning anyways? That just sounds too cheerful. I have a better name for it.

*I am going room by room and only doing one room a day when our schedule allows. Although the girls have enjoyed the extra hour of cartoons or movie each day, they still need my attention. So, it's a slow process.

*I'm taking down the blinds and scrubbing them in the bath tub, washing and ironing curtains, wiping down the window area, cleaning the light fixtures/fans, wiping down baseboards, vacuuming under the small furniture I can move, vacuuming around all the walls with the hand tool, dusting everything including the wall decor, and wiping down the doors and door frames.

*I've finished the master bathroom, master bedroom, Ashlyn's room, Aubrey's room, the girl's bathroom, and the hallway. Left are the laundry area, living room, and kitchen.

*It kinda puts a damper on your spirits when you break your back all morning then walk through the house and realize its a disaster since you aren't putting in the normal "maintenance" time. Oh well, it'll get done sooner or later!

*Two Ashlyn funnies:
(After picking up the house when a tornado apparently blew through the place)
Ashlyn: Daddy, Mommy worked really hard cleaning the house. She needs commission!

(We met Phillip for lunch which was following "one of those mornings", actually one of those weeks)
Phillip: Ashlyn have you been a good girl for Mommy?
Ashlyn: No, I will tomorrow.

*And I'll finish with a couple picture of my sweeties from two weekends ago. It's the only reason the grandparents read my blog.

My new morning buddies!

There are some things Phillip and I don't agree on. On the very top of that list is how we like our coffee. We both like a good cup of good quality coffee BUT he likes his with a bit of sugar and real cream. I like mine with loaded down!

Two of my new favorite morning indulgences is this little beauty...


and following behind in second place is this...


Ashlyn loves to drink the last bit of our cold coffee in the morning, more so mine that Daddy's though. :) The other day I had the Cinnamon Bun creamer in my coffee for the first time and she took a sip of my cold coffee and said "OH MOM, you made some good coffee for Daddy to take to work!". If only Phillip was home to hear her, he would have quickly pointed out that he does not drink that nasty stuff. Ha!

18 Months

Aubrey, you are 18 months old. You are such a big girl and are learning something new everyday. I love to watch you figure life out. You are so very smart and I am always amazed at what you understand. You are precious both inside and out! I love you to pieces!

* You are talking more and more. You can say momma, dadda, Ashlyn: ashen, shoes: shhhs, ear, eye, no, more, thank you: dane dum, eat, apple juice: apple, bye bye, nana, pawpaw, banana: nana, cheese, bye bye, cold: brrr, bird, good night: ni ni.

* You have great non-verbal communication skills. You are able to get across what you need or want very easily.

* You love Ashlyn and Ashlyn loves you. You still love to pull Ashlyn's hair. You will grab a fist full and holler "oowwww". Then when I scold you you will grin and pat Ashlyn's hair. You are such a stink! Ashlyn is always so sweet and never hits or pulls your hair back, she just hollers for me to come get you off.

(Sitting on a Rubbermaid box in the kitchen watching Daddy mow)

(I did not tell Ashlyn to hold her. They just love each other.)

* You are just so sweet and sassy. It makes me laugh. I don't think there is a day that goes by that I don't laugh at you.


* You play very advanced for your age. A couple weeks ago I was watching you play with the toy kitchen. You put something in the oven then started to push on the "timer" sticker and said "beep, beep, beep". You still love to pretend to be a cat. You love to put the Little People in their car and drive them around.

* You are starting to play with baby dolls more. At first you would push the stroller around and make a car motor sound. It would send Ashlyn over the edge, "strollers do not sound like that!!".


* You are quite the "selective eater"! As much as it drives me absolutely crazy I am starting to back off, I know it's a phase and you will out grow it. I give you a daily vitamin, offer you healthy options and have learned to let you choose what you want from those choices. You hate vegetables, sometimes you will eat corn or carrots. You love love love cubed up avacado. You don't like meats except Chick-fil-a chicken nuggets and sometimes steak. You love any breakfast foods except oatmeal, you eat like a piggy at breakfast. You love fruits. The only pasta you will eat is spaghetti. You practically inhale cheese but hate cheese pizza.

* You have eight teeth, four almost fully broke through molars, and a bottom tooth right on the surface.

* You are in 12 month clothes almost in 18 month shirts and dresses (you have a long torso like your mommy), size 4 shoes, and size 3 diapers. You are still quite the petite little thing, you are just so stink'n cute. I am anxious to see if you have reached the 20lb mark at your 18 month check up in a couple weeks. I'm not holding my breath! ;)

* You are starting to become a Daddy's girl too. It's pretty even between me and Daddy.


* You are not as easy going as you used to be. You are very sweet and obedient, but are a bit more high maintenance. I'm thinking the fast approaching "toddler-hood" is the cause. You have started crying and rolling around on the floor when you don't get what you want.


* You are still a thumb sucker. You suck your right thumb with your fingers propped on your nose and twirl your hair with your left hand. You suck your thumb if you are tired, bored, or stressed. People always comment on your thumb sucking. It's so cute but boy is it going to be a tough habit to break!

* You have a little sense of humor. If we ask you for a kiss you will squeal "no" and laugh. You will even come up to us and pucker up your lips. When we lean over to kiss you you will take off running and laughing.


Aubrey, I just can't believe how much you have changed! I think you look very much like both Daddy and I. If you are with Daddy people think you look like him, if you are with me they think you look like me. I think you are just beautiful if you ask me!

Lasanga

I think everyone makes lasagna at home. And I think everyone's lasagna varies somewhere between popping a frozen lasagna in the oven to a labor intensive recipe handed down from generation to generation. I think my recipe is somewhere in the middle.

Lasagna

1lb ground beef

1 Onion, chopped

2 cans (6oz) cans tomato paste

1 (14.5) can crushed tomatoes

2 cups water

1 Tbl dried oregano

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tbl sugar

12oz ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

Lasagna noodles

1 lb mozarella

In a large pot brown meat and onion. Drain off fat. Combine tomato paste, crushed tomato, water, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook until mixture comes to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook 1 hour.

Combine ricotta, parmesan, and egg in small mixing bowl until smooth.

Spray cooking oil on a 9x13 baking dish. Spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of baking dish. Lay down a layer of noodles. Cover with 1/3 remaining sauce (just eyeball it). Top that half with a thick layer of mozarella. Place another layer of noodles, sauce, then the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with another layer of noodles and remaining sauce. Bake covered in 350' oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozarella cheese and bake another 15 minutes. Let sit 10-15 minutes to allow lasagna to thicken and make serving easier.


Here are some of my non-professional tips and opinions. You can take them or leave them! :)

If you don't have as much time in the evening to make your lasagna you can make your sauce in the crock pot. Just brown your meat and onions then add all of your sauce ingredients to your crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours then it's ready for you to quickly assemble before supper time.



A 9x13 pan of lasagna is way too much for my small family. After three meals of leftover lasagna we still have a lot leftover and are tired of it. I split my ingredients into two 8x8 dishes and freeze one for later. An 8x8 dish gives me just enough lasagna for leftovers the next night or lunch for everyone the next day. I line one of my 8x8 pans with foil and spray with cooking spray. Then I assemble my lasagna. When the sauce has cooled a bit I place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top. I put grated mozarella cheese in a ziplock bag so it will be ready to sprinkle on top when I cook it later, I won't have to worry about grabbing some at the store. I lay that bag of cheese on top of the plastic wrapped lasagna then I wrap a layer of foil on top. I put the dish in the freezer, then the next day I take the frozen block of lasagna out of the pan (it is all wrapped in foil now) and store it like that. I use 8x8 dishes a lot so I like to have two on hand. When I am ready to cook my lasagna I pull it out of the freezer, let it thaw, then cook as directed. Easy weeknight meal!
You could buy a disposable pan at the store but
1. I don't have to remember to pick one up at the store
2. It's cheaper this way
3. I'm not generating as much waste.


Have you tried these Barilla lasagna noodles? They are flat and thin. They claim to be rolled flat like homemade. Not as thick and chewy. We love them!


And lastly, buy a block of mozzarella cheese and grate it yourself. It will melt so much better! The pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it that keeps it from sticking together while packaged, which keeps it from getting melty, gooey, and stringy- which is the best part! Trust me, it's worth the extra minute to do it yourself!

Made in His image

I praise you,

for I am fearfully

and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:14

Tiny Dancer

Yesterday when Aubrey and I got home from Walmart (Ashlyn was at MDO) we were listening to music while I put up groceries. Aubrey started dancing and it cracked me up. After dinner that afternoon I told Aubrey to come dance for Daddy. I turned on some music and she left the room, I assumed she either wasn't in the mood or didn't understand what I was saying.
A few seconds later she walked into the kitchen with one of her dress up dresses in her hands.
I kid you not!!
She went to Ashlyn's room, dug through the drawer of dress up clothes and found HER dress. (She has never dressed up and danced, she has only seen Ashlyn do it)
I about died!


I have another little dancer on my hands!

More food products I like

Have you seen these?

It is pureed fruit in a pouch. You twist off the top and squeeze/suck the puree out. I had a $1 off coupon from couponmom.com. They are normally $2.66 for a box of four, which is on the high side since each of my girls will only get two each, but with the coupon it was worth it. Aubrey had one while I was putting up groceries and she loved it. The packaging says not for children 3 and younger since the little spout is considered a choking hazard. The spout doesn't come out but I guess if you leave a little one alone long enough they will figure out how to demolish it and pull the spout off. Each pouch is a serving of fruit and contains no high fructose corn syrup, which is awesome for this time of year when fruits aren't in season and there isn't a variety at the store to choose from. Oh, and an added bonus. They are pretty much mess free!


Another one of my healthier food choices is this lunch meat...

There aren't any additives or junk. It is nitrate and nitrite free. It's up for debate whether or not nitrates and nitrates are "safe". Lunch meats that contain nitrates and nitrites can trigger migraines for some people too. That may be a clue that your body doesn't need it! My opinion is, if it's being debated and there is a healthier version of that product why choose to put that junk in your system?

Oscar Mayer also has a Premium hot dog that is nitrate and nitrite free. I actually prefer them over Hebrew National. Hebrew National is waaaay to salty for my taste and also has nitrites.

Now if only my Supercenter would carry a nitrate/nitrite free bacon. Someday... They are getting better at stocking healthier options so I should give them a little slack.


I have also switched over to this pasta this past year...

Barilla Plus. It has 40% more protein than regular pasta, a good source of fiber, and has Omega 3 fatty acids. Enough said!
We really enjoy angel hair pasta for our spaghetti and other "long pasta" pasta dishes. The switch from regular pasta wasn't noticed at all. I haven't tried any of the thicker pastas like Bow Tie or Penne so I'm not sure if it has a "meatier" texture. Has anyone else tried the thicker Barilla Plus pastas?

She said Yes

This weekend my brother, Aaron, proposed to his long time girlfriend Kristine. She is such a sweetheart and is going to be a great wife to my brother!


Kristine is a great match for Aaron. They are both easy going and share a lot of the same interests. She is not high maintenance, a definite turn off to my brother, and is the best of both worlds. She is cute, sweet, and stylish but can put on her tennis shoes and play a mean game of soccer or strap a backpack on and hike the Ozarks.


My girls love her. Ashlyn actually talks about Kristine often even though she only gets to see her and Aaron a couple times a year! Kristine is finishing up her Masters in Education and will make a great school teacher and also mommy someday.


Our family is so excited and can't wait to see what God has in store for them!

A little R&R

We are enjoying a much needed and deserved relaxing weekend! Phillip just returned from a two week long business trip where he was working 80 hours a week. The girls and I are so glad he is home, we missed him terribly!
Ashlyn understands that when Daddy travels he always returns. She did great this trip! Aubrey on the other hand was so confused. The first couple days she would go to the door leading to the garage asking for Dada wanting me to open it so she could look for him. We got to Face Time a couple times and it would just confuse her even more.

Thank goodness she is not able to judge time properly and finally adjusted after the first week.

The second week I ended up with a stomach virus. I was so sick one night, all night, but thankfully was able to keep everything down by sunrise. I was weak and wiped out and only able to lay around all day. We watched lots of TV and I occasionally was able to convince Ashlyn to take Aubrey to her room to play instead of standing by the couch fussing at me. *Sigh* On the positive side, we all made it out alive. :) I miss those paid sick days I used to have with my old job but enjoy the rewards of this "job" much better.

On Tuesday right as Aubrey was waking up from her nap I heard the defining crackling sound of velcro being pulled apart. I have been waiting for the day Aubrey discovered she can take her diaper off herself, Ashlyn was the queen of un-diapering around this age. I kind of laughed and thought, looks like she figured it out, then started to panic because she is teething- four molars and a front tooth I might add, all while Daddy was gone- and had a bad case of "teething poop". I grabbed my camera in an attempt to capture the moment before gagging my way through clean up. But...

I was greeted by this innocent face. She was pulling the velcro on her breathable bumper pads. Whew!
Sorry I ever doubted you sweet pea! ;)

Saturday morning we played outside for a long time. The weather was beautiful! We also took our lunch outside and had a picnic. The fresh air was wonderful! Then after nap time Ashlyn and I went to a fun birthday party for one of her sweet little friends. It was at a little art studio here in town. Ashlyn loved it! They got to choose between painting a bag or picture frame. Ashlyn chose a "purse".

We stenciled on her name, a crown, and flowers then she painted it all in. She did a great job! She loves doing crafty things! I'm going to look into taking her back to do a little ceramic piece for a special activity.

I always love when it's "Spring Forward" time! I don't like dark evenings, I want to be able to go outside and play after dinner. Although adjusting is always hard! This morning I set my alarm at the normal 6:30 time since we attend the first service at church. At seven o'clock I finally rolled my groggy self out of bed, used the restroom them went and wispered in Phillip's ear "can we go to the second service". He gave me a half awake "uh, hu" as I crawled back into our warm bed and we all slept another hour and a half. I'm so glad we had that option because I can't imagine what our morning would have been like had I woken the girls up. They don't like to be woken up, something they got from both of their parents.

I love weekends with my sweet little family!

Our weekend

This weekend the girls and I went to Grandma and Grandpa's house while Phillip was super busy working on an upcoming show.
The girls were so excited to see their Grandparents and I'm pretty sure they were just as excited to see the girls. We had a low key weekend of just hanging out and talking. The girls, of course, enjoyed playing with all the toys in the toy closet.


The weather was a little chilly but we did get out for a little while to blow bubbles.


This little rocking chair was the kids growing up and now the grandkids love it. It's just the right size! Aubrey wanted in it so I helped her in and she thought she was something else.
Such little sweeties I have!


Saturday evening we went out to dinner and Aubrey decided she needed to be the center of attention. She was quite the little squealer (begging for bread, of course) and also decided Grandma and Grandpa would be impressed that she can do a great rooster impression. Geez!
Aubrey has become quite the "stuffer". She stuffs her mouth as full as she can before she starts to chew. She is always gagging and coughing on her food. She makes me a nervous wreck! Tonight was no different and she got a thick layer of bread packed in the roof of her mouth and the back of her throat. Long story short I got the bread out and she was left pretty shaken up. Poor Ashlyn was even upset. She had a worried look on her face and said "I thought Aubrey was hurt". Bless her heart! Needless to say we were quite the entertainment for the night...

I have to add in a little funny thing my mother-in-law told me.
(A couple months ago Ashlyn went to Dallas with Grandma and Grandpa to see her cousin Madelyn)

Ashlyn: I've never been to Madelyn's house before.
Grandma: Yes you have. Remember when you and mommy went together?
Ashlyn: No, mommy can't drive to Madelyn's house. She's not a good driver and she can't drive that far.

Ha ha! I guess since Phillip always drives when we travel, he doesn't like being a passenger, she assumes it's because I "can't". It makes me wonder what other assumptions she makes! Silly girl!

Life is Hard!

Life is hard sometimes.
Life is really hard when you have to wait for your blankie to go through the wash cycle.
Sometimes it calls for throwing yourself a big 'ol pity party.


Even your big sister reassuring you that everything will be alright doesn't make it better.

This, that, and the other

Phillip keeps saying he thinks Aubrey is going to be the "tomboy" of the family. I don't think he means full fledged, all out tomboy. It's just that Ashlyn is very girly and doesn't like to get dirty so maybe Aubrey will be a middle of the row kinda gal. I think his predictions are starting to prove incorrect.
Aubrey loves shoes! She has always liked wearing shoes but now that she is walking she wears them more so she doesn't slip on the hard floors. I was putting her in Robeez since they are comfortable and almost slipper like. She now asks for shoes every morning by grabbing her feet and saying "shhhs". She also has a preference on what shoes she wears. If you put a pair on that she doesn't want she yanks on them wanting them off then will get the ones she wants. Which usually ends up being these...

They're her favs!

When she sees Ashlyn getting her hair fixed for the day she will go and pat on the bathroom door where the bows are hanging wanting her headband and bow on too.

She has also become quite the fan of these little guys.

Sorry babe, I think your stuck with more plastic high heels and tutus!


The weather has been so nice lately! We had a little spell of cooler weather but it passed quickly and it's back in the mid to high 60's and sunny! We have spent lots of time outside after nap time. It has been so nice!
Ashlyn got to dust off her big girl bike and Barbie helmet! She did really well. I sent Phillip a text letting him know we were going out to let Ashlyn ride her bike and to wish me luck and his response was "don't forget the tow rope". Last year she would only ride two minutes and be done so we would be stuck dragging the bike along the rest of our walk. This time she rode it the entire time. There is a large parking lot by our house that is always vacant during the week so it's the perfect spot for her to practice!


We also play ball and bubbles in the backyard. We only have one ball and it has become quite the problem. Ashlyn likes to play "soccer" and kick it all over the yard but Aubs wants to carry it around. So Aubrey always ends up crying and screaming toddling 10 yards behind Ashlyn with her arms stretched out. It's pretty pathetic and funny at the same time. So today while at Walmart we splurged and bought another $1 rubber ball.



Saturday evening Phillip and I went out and celebrated our anniversary! We had a babysitter come over and watch the girls and we went to dinner. When Phillip and I were getting ready Ashlyn asked why we were going on a date. Phillip told her that he likes taking mommy out to dinner and it makes mommy feel like she is still a grown up. That comment made me laugh out loud! So true, so true!! Not once during our date did I have to discuss Beauty and the Beast or Snow White!

We went to a great restaurant, Bonefish, and then went and shopped around the mall a bit. It's always fun to shop without pushing a bus through clothing racks and divvying out snacks and juice. Then on our way home we swung by a local coffee shop, that puts the ever popular coffee chain to shame, to grab a coffee to go.
It was a fun evening and so nice to come home to two kiddos sound asleep in their bed.