Merry Christmas a little late!!

Wishing you and yours a veryy Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

You Go D2

For some reason on Wednesday, I decided I am going to work on D2's Potty Training, he had been wearing undies, now and then but always had accidents, and didn't seem seroius about it, well he did pretty good yesterday and actually got a sticker after I took the picture, he stayed dry all day, even his pull up after his nap was dry !! YEAH!!!

Here his is my big boy!! The one who has so much to say and provides lots of entertainment to me!! Some day I will need to do a whole post on all the funny things he says!!

Now, I need to get more cleaning( well at least vacum their rooms) done before the boys go in for their naps, and I think it's time to remind D2 about going potty,

Ta Ta for now, see what today brings!!

Cindy

Just an Ordinary Day at our house . . .

I used to always pride myself as being an SUPER organized person, and I like my house neat and tidy and keep it that way, Monday and Friday are laundry day, and Thursday or Friday cleaning day, every week. I like to get Groceries Thursday mornings, so I would plan my menu a week in advance, ( i know some people do it longer, but I like to keep it Fresh) ok weird I know, and then I have all the ingredients for what I want and don't have to run for one or two ingredients at 5 when I decide what's for supper at 6:30. It makes our meals healthier too. Maybe it's because last Thursday I was out Christmas shopping with a friend, and didn't get my groceries until Tuesday of this week, that I let every thing go to the dogs this week.

So anyway, As a mom of 4 I am really having a hard time keeping up on the cleaning end of things, well, D3 is scared of the vacum for one thing, how fun is it to vacum when he's screaming at the top of his lungs for the entire time?? Well these last couple of weeks have been kind of busy and when I do have time to clean I just want to sit and relax for a bit, besides if the boys are all sleeping I can't vacum anyway.

It had gotten really bad, like almost to the point of going crazy, and I have picture to prove it, because my sister in law made fun of me, she seriously doesn't believe me it was this bad. My children are really -draggy- right now, (is that a word??) they take stuff and carry it around here there and everywhere, it drives me crazy, honestly, argh, so I'm not sure what they where doing here in the nursery, but the had a couple piles of dirty laundry and whatnot, they were pretending to paint the house, I have been finding paint brushes and rollers in numerous rooms, they must have found them in the laundry room.

So what I did today?? well, here is the before pictures:

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2.3.

And here is the after pictures: Yes the Drawers on the rubbermaid cart thingy were labelled, until the children peeled them off, I know -OVER organized- I didn't get the blankets folded, honestly I didn't notice them until I looked at the pictures! HA I still need to vacum but that can happen tomorrow at least the toys, cloths and whatever else are put were they belong,

Ahh. . . I'm feeling better already!!
Well, that's not all, The dining room was also a major eyesore, besides the paint, I mean, HA we honestly didn't do any decorating in most of the rooms because we were only planning on living here temporarily before we bought a house, Well. . . it will be 8 years and 1-2 months by the time we move into our new house,

Anyway, about the dining room, yes that is laundry from Monday sitting on the table and in baskets unfolded, crafts and stuff on the table chairs in the middle of no where, honestly you would think if I have to keep looking at it I would get it folded and cleaned up in a jiff, but no not this week!!

And the after shot, definately better then before, my old diaper bag is still sitting on the couch, still trying to decide what to do with it, wash it and take it to a consignment shop OR throw it out, it's still in perfect condition, just was ready for a smaller bag that I could keep closed better. So what do you say?? notice a difference? I can feel the difference and it makes me happy.

I hope it makes you feel better too, knowing that someone else has a messy house somedays,( You do don't you?)

I did get the Master bedroom started, and picked up the dirty laundry in the boys room but I don't have picture proof that they are actually clean again, because they aren't!!

Here are the before pictures:

The boys bedroom - and again please don't look at the decor - I know it's bad!! We did change the rug in here, it was a gold shag rug before and that was too ugly for Mr.B

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2.

The Master Bedroom, they even have toys in here they are not supposed to play in here, my bed is not made and under the bed I found quite a stash of toys, awful makes me cranky just thinking about it!!

So yeah there you have it the truth about how my house can get some weeks!!

And now I shall head off to my wark cozy bed, You did notice my warm fuzzy blankets, didn't you??

Till Next Time,

Cindy

Who Am I Kidding Anyway??

Wow, What a day. . . what is wrong with my kids??

honestly you would think with Christmas coming up and all they would be on the best of spirits and behavior, well, around here not so much. This morning S and D1 didn't want to go to school, S got over it but D1 was crying and fussing till he was out the door, he said he was fine on the bus, but S cried on the bus.

Tonight she had skating and she started crying because her throat hurt, well not really, she was nervous, that people would laugh at her, It's beginning to drive me nuts!! She used to not be like this and now all of a sudden everything is a big deal, I try to be patient with her, I try the stern, iron hand mode, but, nothing seems to ease it.

We didn't go to skating, the boys were cranky and she didn't want to go, so I said if she wants to stay home, she can get in her pajama's and go to her room till bedtime, NO TV, and that's what she chose, so early to bed for her, and hopefully a better day tomorrow!!

Thankfully I was able to get my running around done with only the 2 youngest boys, I had 5 stops to It was enough in and out of car seats for them.

Since supper they have been at each others necks all the time, there is usually at least one crying I am ready to quit!! Right now It would feel good to walk away, before I loose my mind completely. Mr B has been working long hours, so it feels like I am a single parent right now, If I would have known it would be like this I may not have signed up!!

D1 is pround of his gingerbread house he made at school

Anyway enough Hum Drum just 10 more days till Christmas, Where is the enthusiasm?? I hope to be feeling it soon!!

Show us Your Life - Christmas Cookies!!

Over at Kelly's Corner she has the Christmas Cookie Edition of 'Show us your life' and I just couldn't resist adding my favorites!!

Being the 'good mennonite' that I am HA; You need to have some sort of Christmas cookies on your menu this season!!

My Mom , sisters and myself try to get together every year to bake cookies, we each make two kinds and that takes the work load off of each of us, but also gives a good variety.

My all time favorite kind is Mocha Truffles: they are the black ones second from the top, they are met in your mouth goodness for any chocolate lover, honestly yum, my mouth is watering just thinking of their taste, so here is how You can enjoy them;

Chocolate Truffles

2/3 cup butter

1 egg yoke

1 1/2 cup icing sugar

6 oz. chocolate, melted & cooled

1 tsp instant coffee

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, eggs & icing sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients & mix well. Chill 3 - 4 hours. drop by teaspoon full into 1 cup Chocolate wafer crumbs and roll into balls.

Drizzle with additional chocolate.

Want more recipes?? Well, Message me and I may edit this post by adding,

Cream Wafers - 3rd row
Chesnuts ( Peanut butter ) - 4th row

Coffee Wafers - 5 th Row

Fudge Puddles - bottom row!!

Hope to hear from you!!

Till next time,

Cindy

The babe is walking and my supper sucked . . .

Anything else you want to know ? HA

Ok so this is the second time I am typing out this post, that's just how my day has been.

First of all I think I can officially say that D3 is walking!! He use to walk till he fell and then crawl from there, but , today when he fell, he got up and tried waking again!! So yeah I am very excited about that. I got a little clip of him on the camera, but it was hard because as soon as he saw me with the camera he comes and says 'cheese, cheese'

Here he is "cheesing" at me; LOL

So anyway about supper. . .

I like to plan my meals 1 week in advance so that when I get groceries I have all the ingredients I need for the week, efficient right?? Well, this week I decided to make Enchiladas, now I got the recipe from a friend a couple weeks ago, she made me these awesome beef enchiladas, and so I decided I would try my hand at them. I have been looking forward to them all week!! well actually a couple of weeks, I was even going to post a pictorial tour to show you how it's done. You will get the tutorial and I will insert my comments of the mistakes I made.

Since I've had beef a couple times this week I thought I would try to make them with Chicken instead , ---first mistake--- I think the sauce tasted so much better with beef.

Anyway here are the ingredients, Cheese, tortilla, Enchilada sauce -original-, and oil to fry the tortillas. Easy, peasy so far!!

I decided to grill my chicken with my George Foreman grill - you know healthy-

Looks good so far

Then I shredded it up

Get your daughter to Shred the cheese, and if you don't have a daughter who can do it , well, do it yourself!!

Fry the tortillas in oil, I use olive oil, once again trying to be a bit healthy ;)

Then you dip the tortilla in the enchilada sauce, place chicken and cheese down the centre fold in both sides and place in a 9 x 13 pan. ( Sorry no pics of that my fingers were too messy)

Cover with remaining sauce --second mistake--- I had way too much sauce, should have only used half of the tin, my friend used one tin for two smaller pans. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 till heated through and cheese is melted .

So yeah, maybe better luck next time, S so kindly told me, I don't think I will want leftovers in my lunch tomorrow Mom =) Yeah I know, she choked down more than the boys, oh and Mr.B, Well, he was working just got(well,blew in is more like it) in around 10:00 pm; so if he eats anything it will be cereal not what I made anymore tonight. Anyway enough about my flop the bottom line is I hope your supper was better than mine.

Today we got our first snow storm of the season, the roads were a mess this morning, by afternoon things cleared up and it was looking nice out there, well tonight the wind has picked up, and the temperature has dropped, it sounds wild out there, if it starts snowing like predicted It will be a blizzard out there. Mr.B said they have a busy day tomorrow some will be starting at 2 am, thankfully I will be tucked in my bed, however, I was planning on going Christmas shopping with my friend!! See what tomorrow brings, until then, Ta Ta for now!!

Bible Study

This morning I went to our Ladies Bible Study, it is always such a blessing to me, we are Studying the book,"Lies Women Believe and the Truth that sets them Free" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss it's a fabulous book and I am thoroughly enjoying it!! The two Lies we studied today were- "I am not fully responsible for my actions and reactions" and " I cannot walk in consistent victory over sin" We talked about how it is so easy to blame others for our problems instead of taking fully responsibility for our own actions. After Nathan confronted King David after he sinned with Bathsheba he wrote these words " Have mercy on me O God, According to Your loving kindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my son is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight- . . Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me." Ps 51

David knew he had sinned, and when he fessed up to it, He didn't blame others he wanted God to purify his Heart, and so often when we sin we know that our relationship with God is no longer pure, and until we confess it to God there is something there that is keeping us from full communion with Him, it's guilt, it's not God's fault it's there it's our, we are the one who put it there.

I like the verse from 1 Cor 10:13 - No temptation has overtaken you except such as common to man; but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptaiton will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it.

Wow what an awesome promise to us, He has provided that way of escape for us!! PTL

After Bible Study I took a friend out shopping, I think I am almost finished my Christmas shopping, I just need a small colouring book or something like that for my neice, I will need to check my list again to make sure, but for now I will enjoy the fact that I am $ 5 away from finished!! Hurray!!

On a totally different note - - - D3 is pretty much walking!! I need to take a picture or video clip of him sometime, but he's sleeping right now so . . . I will bless you with pics of his Birthday the other week!!

Now isn't he such a sweety??

We love him to bits!!

Till next Time,

Cindy

First Post

SO. . I decided to try this out. . . hope I can do better than Xanga. I am by no means a writer, but I'm hoping to post some of my thoughts on life, family and such and hopefully as I look back I can see growth in my life and remember somethings that I would other wise forget.
For one thing I would like to forget is this teething stage!! D3 is So cranky right now, I will be glad when it is over, I shouldn't be sitting here typing, but he's really not happy any where right now so I will plod on for a little more, It's time to get my kids ready for bed. It seems such a shame to put them to bed before they see their Daddy, but hopefully he will be in soon!!

Well, The kids are in bed hopefully sleeping soon!!

This is us!!
















A little about our family, Mr.B and I have been married for 7 1/2 years. Mr.B runs a livestock trucking company with His father and brothers. Mr.B does most of the dispatching and such, so he is oncall 24 hrs a day 7 days a week. I've tried answering his phone with a "pre-recorded " message stating his new office hours 9-5 (LOL) but I get laughed at, no one believes me. Sigh.
I am currently a stay-at-home Mom, I do a bit of sewing on the side - veilings - and also do the Quarterly fuel taxes for the business. I enjoy scrapbooking and like to do that in my spare time, but, what is spare time anyway, we are in the midst of building a house so after Christmas I may start thinking about packing, and well I am a Mom what better describes what I do all day??
We have 4 children,

S is our only daughter, and the oldest she is 6 yrs old, and most definately a girly, girl!! We need the pink in our house to try to keep it in balance. She is in grade one.

D1 is next he is 4 yrs old, and he is our thinker, he likes to figure everything out, he is a bundle of energy and just watching wears me out somedays; however, he is in JK and really is learning to channel his energy into learning and that has been exciting for me to watch him mature.

D2 is our third born, he is 2 yrs old, well, almost 3, it is hard to "label" him, I call him my strange one, he is very territorial, if you know what I mean, everything has to be "just so" and has frequent meltdowns when things don't go his way, on the other hand he is our clown and can produce lots of laughs for the family, he talks all the time, and gives me the minute by minute play by play of what he is doing.

D3 is our baby, well not so much anymore, he turned one 2 weeks ago, and is really thinking about walking, he is BUSY, always crawling and getting into everything!! He rarely plays with toys, but gets into 'stuff ' constantly!! Let's see, the toilet, my cupboards, the dishwasher, as soon as the fridge is open he's right there seeing what he can find. I am really trying to get him to walk, it will slow him down for a little while, he's already a climber so that won't really make a difference. I could hire some one full time to follow him and replace what he's messed, and keep him out of trouble!!