Big Boy Number 1

Really, isn't he just the sweetest thing?  That would be my 2nd oldest baby, and my oldest boy, Aidan.  He is the love of my life (for today at least), and I'm sure you can see why.  Have you ever seen a smile more innocent, a look more angelic... oh really, who is this mama kidding?  We can say this about all of our kids right!  


In this picture, Aidan was helping make pancakes, his all time favorite food to help with.  There was a time when Sagwa was his favorite cartoon show, so in honor of that minute long love affair, he dubbed the pancakes, Sagwa Pancakes!  

We no longer make that particular pancake variety, but the memories are still dear to my heart.  I have high hopes for this little boy... he is beyond his little years bright, loves with all his big heart, and melts mine at least a billion times a day.  With his fathers culturally rich background, and my ever emerging love of all things foodie, I do believe he will one day be a great cook!  If nothing else, he'll look super duper cool in an apron right (super duper being his favorite new phrase). 

Nothing much else to report today, we've got an over packed weekend as usual.  I plan on making a Creamiest Lime (lemon) Cream Pie for Tuesdays with Dorie, and Spanik
opita...a little scared of both of these, we'll see how it goes.  I'll be taking whatever is worth sharing to a board meeting/get-together for my mother's of multiples club Sunday...wish me luck!

And let me just leave you with this little piece of heavenly mommy pride...gotta love it...

Two on Tuesdays | Cookbooks

The anticipation was killing me. Patience is not my greatest virtue...to be honest it isn't even in my repertoire of virtues! As soon as I joined the group Tuesday with Dorie I ran right out to Barnes and Noble to buy the book, O-M-G was it ever expensive. I didn't care, I was set to buy it anyway, except they only had one really beat up copy, and since I plan to beat up my own copy, I decided to I better go new. With all the money I saved by buying at Amazon, I went ahead and threw in Hello, Cupcake too!

I can not wait to get started on my first recipe as a Tuesdays with Dorie baker, this week is Applesauce Spice Bars...yummy! I really hope they taste as awesome as their picture looks, I need to collect a ton of apple recipes to have on hand for the fall. Every year we visit Carter's Mountain Orchard in Charlottesville, VA and bring home a billion apples, so many that I end up giving tons away to friends and family.

And these next two are cookbooks that I'd like to purchase. Thank God for FoodNetwork online, it's afforded me the opportunity to pretend I'm Ina on a regular basis, but I think I'm ready to own one of her cookbooks. I'd plan to start collecting cookbooks, and no collection would be complete without Ina's Barefoot Contessa.

If you're not already familiar with Jaden Hair of the Steamy Kitchen, then you're really missing out. She produces some super amazing food, is an awesome blogger, and has a new cookbook for sale on Amazon.

* All pictures are clickable, so check them out :)

Two on Tuesdays | A Little Music

I can't believe another week has come and gone. New this week, Aidan is now completely addicted to PlayStation... just great... I have no idea what my husband was thinking when he introduced this item to my children. This is now yet another thing they fight over, and they are fighting ugly I tell ya. I had to take them all to the pool yesterday just to get a break from the game playing, screaming, hitting insanity!

This is however, how I came up with the first item on my Two on Tuesday's list... if you have never seen/heard this video, well prepare to be amazed and absolutely amused!



Anita Renfro | Momsense. Now wasn't that HIL-AR-I-OUS!

And here is my new favorite kids song... our kids are so spoiled, their music is just so much cooler than ours was.



Cathy and Marcy along with Christylez, how awesome are they.

Two on Tuesdays

Starting something new... Two on Tuesdays. Each Tuesday I'll post a list of 2 new things - maybe it's 2 things I own and love, 2 things I can't live without, 2 things that really tick me off... whatever!

So for today's Two on Tuesdays I'll start with 2 things I love: one I already own, and one on my wish list.

Jill-e Small Camera bag | bone

I can't say enough awesome things about this bag. It's seriously stylish, and totally functional, what more can you ask for? Well, I could ask for it to be cheaper, but you can't have it all right.

Cuisinart PowerPrep Plus 14-Cup Food Processor

A girl can dream right. I want this in a bad way, it would make my life so much easier, especially now that I'm getting more into making my own dough... ah well, one day maybe.

Love You Mom

Later I'll have more to say... for now, it's been a long week and it's time to rest and be with family.

Tears and Fears | I am a Happy Swimmer

I am happy to announce, Aidan is a Happy Swimmer :) A mere 10 days ago, I would not have thought that possible. I sat in my car, windows rolled up and radio going strong so as to avoid the screams and pleading of my four year old. I know that makes me sound like a slightly terrible mommy, but it was for his own good! Some kids need the gentle approach, and others, well... they just need a good dunking.

I am beyond glad we chose the swim program we did, knowing my boy, I knew he wouldn't learn squat in a group program and that one-on-one was the way to go. For years I'd heard praise after praise for the Morgan Swim School, but boy oh boy it is ex-pen-sive! I have to hand it to them though, they took my terrified boy and worked some sort of voodoo magic. He will now jump in the pool, go under water, lay on his back (this is something he is SO proud of and shows me every chance he gets)...worth every last penny! We spent the afternoon just hanging at the pool and soaking up the sun, I can see him begging me to take him every day, it has quickly become his favorite past time :) So far, the twins seem to be much more comfortable in the water, so I'm hoping maybe we'll be able to avoid the lessons with them next year.

Kids Lunch Ideas... Help a Mama out!

Alright fellow Mamas out there, what the he..err heck are you currently feeding your little monsters? For those that don't know me and my brood too well, I have a just turned 15 year old daughter, and she's on her own for lunch. My problem would be the 3 precious little men in my life (and no, the hubby isn't one of them). My household is rounded out by a picky and temperamental four year old, and two and half year old twins, I'll be nice and call them crazy, little Tasmanian devils!

As you can see by my photo here, I've resorted to Chef Boyardee from a can, in my defense, Aidan (the 4yo) found it in the cupboard and begged for it. He was such a good boy too, he ate two bowls, then helped himself to the twins, since they were having none of it! The boring grilled cheese eventually got eaten, and the Granny Smith apple slices with peanut butter were a real hit, I had to cut an extra apply as they were screeching for more.

OK, so we all know the standard lunches, PB&J, chicken nuggets, cold cut sandwich... a favorite for my kids is Cheese Quesadillas, I even found a great cheese for it, although I'm a tad embarresed to admit it. I tried every shredded cheese out there, and even shredded up some variety I can't think of right now. The winner is: Kroger Brand Quesadilla Cheese. I have no earthly idea what type of cheese is in the bag, it's a closely guarded Kroger secret, but it's a fave here. However, I live in constant fear that Kroger will some day decide to pull this mystical cheese off their shelves (or God forbid, close up shot altogehter and leave town), so if anyone has a better suggest, I'd love to here it.

So, back to the point.... I need help here, what are you feeding your kids for lunch??? I'll take any suggestions, links, whatever you've got, my kids are tired of my lunch options and may start throwing it back at me in protest any day now.

Day 1

Well, I've thought about it forever, so I guess eventually the time has come... obviously I'm talking about starting a blog. Not that I think I have all the much to say, but I felt I needed to document my life a little, maybe this will just end up my personal journal.