Long Time No Blog

Ugh, well I have totally dropped the ball on this whole blog thing! Life has been whirlwind crazy with the Holidays. I suppose to should catch you all up starting with Halloween--  Bryce decided to be a pirate this year. I decided not to talk much about Halloween and trick or treating after my mistake of reminding him in early Oct. what trick or treating was; I think he asked me about 100 times if we would be trick or treating that night. (It reminded me of the "Are we there yet" saying) I had a costume  ,ut left it in the package so we wouldn't have any tantrums and finally decided to bring it out 2 days before Halloween. BAD IDEA! It didn't fit! I quickly tried to run out to replace the costume and I could not find any reasonably priced pirate costumes. In a panic I decided to search the rest of the store as I couldn't come home empty handed. I ended up coming home with fleece skull and cross bone jammies hoping that they looked pirate enough. Luckily, we had already purchased his sword, and eye patch so I didn't have to worry much about that. Surprisingly, he loved it and didn't know it wasn't a costume. I'm so glad I was able to be "thrifty" because we now use make-shift costume as actual jammies and spent the same amount of money as I would have on a 1-time use, paper thin costume. Well done Jess!


This was his "Argggg" Face...

Troublesome Tuesday!

Is it the weather or are all 3 year old's acting crazy lately?! It seems that Bryce and I fought on EVERYTHING today. It was my day off, so I decided I should do the grocery shopping today and get my oil changed as well. I kept Bryce on his daily schedule and even waited until after his nap to venture out. He had a MASSIVE tantrum in Walmart today and it just plain wore me out! He started in as soon as we got there and landed himself in "time-out" (at the store we have time-outs in the cart and we actually have to sit in the strap) He was flailing uncontrollably and drooling goobers everywhere since he wouldn't stop crying/yelling. He kept trying to hit me and grab my shirt. I could have taken him to the bathroom and spanked him (which we DO believe in...) but really it would not have helped. I've realized that this kid will continue at any cost to get what he wants. I simply explained that if he stopped crying he could get down...and of course he wouldn't. Finally he got out and we continued the shopping with a pirate sword until he started trying to sword the cans on the shelves until he landed himself in time-out again. He was flailing so wildly that I thought he was going to collapse the cart-he was shaking the entire thing. It's so frustrating to have tantrums in public places like that when we are trying to accomplish a task. There are so many different looks that you get; we've got the "That sucks for you" look, the "wow, that parent doesn't have any control and walk away" look and then there are some that give you the "keep at it" look and then finally and in particular was the priceless look of the worker who thought he was going to see someone beating a child as he turned into the isle" look. I felt like I could crawl under a rock and I just wanted to get outta there. Needless to say....I didn't come home with as many groceries as I had intended and you better believe we didn't get the pirate sword. Come to find out tonight when Bryce was bathing...he has several bruises in the middle of his back where he was throwing himself backward into the cart seat and it looks as if he has been beaten. Ugh...my strong willed child....

Just thought I should mention that we actually get into fights because I will have my hair down and he wants it up and won't stop until he gets it. Just a battle of wills...

We then made a yummy comfort dinner together--Sweet and Sour Chicken. BEST HOMEMADE CHINESE YOU WILL MAKE (as least for me thus far) 

Cut 4-5 bonelss skinless chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces.  Mix 1 egg, 1 tbls corn starch, 2 tsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. salt and a dash of white pepper into a bowl. Stir in chicken and refrigerate 20 min. 

In separate bowl, mix 1/2 c. all purpose flour, 1/2 c. water, 1/4 c. cornstarch, 1 tbls oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. baking soda. Dip chicken into batter to coat and deep fry for ~4 min.  or until golden brown

For sauce: Buy sweet and sour sauce and add onions, pineapple and or green peppers and heat through. You can add pineapple juice to mix to make it thinner and thus make it go further as well.

I also like to make my own rice on the stove according to directions. I add peas, carrots, onions, eggs, soy sauce and s & p and its so yummy!!

After a lot of trials of getting him to read with dad,  and getting him to stay in bed, he has finally given up about (9:45)  So much for mommy or daddy time, it's stinking bed time! 

I should report that we are 1 day shy of being in underwear for 1 week...yaaay!! And Bryce's funny comment while swinging today was "wow, this is really nice in here"
 
Here is a random, but useful tip: You can use 1/2 as much laundry detergent as is says...I use Tide and there are markings on the cup that says 1,2,3..... I always use 1/2 of line 1 for my large loads and my clothes smell just as good as I would have if I filled it all the way (yes, they are clean too!) This tip makes your detergent last twice as long--and if any of you know, laundry detergent isn't cheap! Thanks to mamma Oney for passing that info a long time ago. Hope you don't think I'm crazy, but if you are a penny pincher you should give it a try!



Got this verse emailed to me today and I like it and will share in a minute, but first...did you know what God said when he made us??? 

Every step of the way, God looked at what He had made and said it was good. But after he made human beings, when He had finished everything, He looked at it all and said it was "very good."  Then on the seventh day God rested, and He blessed that seventh day and set it apart from the rest.

"Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better."

~ Colossians 1:10

We are so important to God and I think sometimes we need reminders of that. ;) 
Bye for now, and onto the rest of our crazy week!! I work till 9 tomorrow, freshman game thursday, varsity game friday, work saturday and then to osky for some family and birthday party time! 

TGI Thursday!

Recipes from previous post: 
Crock pot chicken and dumplings (from crock pot ladies discussion board on facebook):
4-5 chicken breasts
2 tbs. butter
3 cans crm chicken soup
1 onion-diced
1 package of refrigerated biscuits
Put all except biscuits into crock pot and fill with enough chicken broth to cover it (i did 5 cups) 5-6 hours on High
30 min. before servicing, place biscuits carefully into crock and keep dunking until heated through)...I also added some celery and carrots into mine and served it with mashed potatoes and green beans


White Chicken Chili:
2 cans great northern beans
6 cups chicken broth
1 c salsa
1 large onion-diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper (i omitted)
1/8 tsp. ground cloves (i omitted)
2+ cans of chicken/turkey (i used 4-5 chicken breasts)
2 small cans green chilies
Cook on high in crock for 3-4 hours or low for 8 
(This recipe was large!! I would 1/2 it for smaller families)


Today was a good day! For the first time ever Bryce woke up and went potty all by himself. He's had underwear on ALL day and only had 1 accident. This is a huge step in the potty training thing we got going on. Typically he doesn't want anything to do with it, but today it clicked. I've been really trying to push the training bc for one, he's 3 and for two, he can't move up into the next class at church until he's potty trained. He's got some other friends who also have not moved up, I just don't want him to be the only "big" kid left in the nursery. 
We currently use a sticker chart for potty training and once he gets all of his stickers we go out for ice cream; this only seems to help when he really wants ice cream or when he's almost completed his sticker chart. 
My recent tactic was to start a "good boy jar". Every time he
s does something nice or good or goes to the bathroom he gets to put a marble into a jar. Every time he's naughty he gets a marble taken away. We decided that after he filled the jar we would take him to Chuck-E-Cheese or Monkey Joes. Man he HATES when we take those marbles away. My babysitter is also bribing him with quarters every time he goes at her house; he's already started quite a collection :) 


We started the day off VERY cold--I think it was a steady 62 degrees in my house today. We busted out the winter hats and started playing with all the gloves and hats in our hat bin. Then Bryce had the bright idea to throw "snow balls" (aka packing peanuts) We had a nice little indoor snow ball fight    :) 

I can't see mom..

Then we decided to warm up and break out the space heater...it is after all September and I wasn't about to turn the furnace on. I do think however, that it will be turned on sooner than later as I have an unusually cold house. (We even got more insulation put in our attic last winter) I suppose it would help if someone got around to refinishing the basement and put back all the insulation back that was ripped out :)  I can show pics of our basement later... We proceeded to play games and puzzles all after noon while watching Despicable Me (GREAT movie--we just LOVE it) 

Warming his hands and feet

Bryce wanted to take a pic of me doing the same thing

There's my cutsie poopsie with his new cyclone shirt

The day ended with me working, Tony practicing and parading, and Bryce went to the homecoming parade with the babysitters and got SO much candy. He had a great time watching all the floats and seeing all the kids. Daddy even went by and threw him a hot dog which was the highlight of the night. Apparently he threw all the candy down and said "I SEE MY DADDDY!!!" 


I am so blessed! Time for bedtime books, songs and prayer...Have a great night all!!

1st time Blogger!

Well, here it goes....first time blogging and I thought I would give it a go!! 

Just wanted to share that is it rather poopy outside with a whopping 51 degree temperature--blah! Bryce and I just returned from his first class of Tumble Bumble; it's a class of about 12 3 year old's who run around with balls and hoops and basically play. He was able to run around with a horse on a stick, hop in a Thomas the train"sac" (pillow case). They sang a few songs, ran around did some forward rolls, log rolls and a headstand. He loved it! He was so excited to go to his own class and play with the kids. He told me that we could come back tomorrow, and I had to correct him that we would for sure come back, but it wouldn't be until next week. Pics to follow...

Headstand

About to jump to go find the big-nosed gray animal in the closet

Getting ready to jump

You may not know, but I coach gymnastics in the evening and often cook dinner for my family during the day. Monday I made crock pot white chicken chili, while Tuesday I made crock pot chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes and green beans. Both were super yummy, but made rather large portions...good news is that today is a leftover day and I won't be cooking this afternoon! :) I can post recipes if anyone is interested??

Gymnastics is going well, although it has been tedious trying to listen to different floor music selections for 5 of my girls. The key is to pick music that will "fit" each girls' style. Some girls may be more powerful and quick, while others are slower and more graceful. They have all given me a list of suggested songs that they like and I will make the final decision since it is I who will be choreographing them all. I'm trying to think of a creative way to let them know which selection I picked. I thought it would be fun to make a big deal out of it and surprise them.  I guess the really tricky part will be when I actually have to choreograph them...and hopefully their poses won't all start to look like each others. I'm pretty nervous to choreograph because I haven't ever done it before. I can dance if someone show's me, but I don't consider myself to be very creative in making dances up. We will see how it goes...

Well, that's enough for now...we will see if I can get a handle on all this blogging stuff...