Who's on first?

Today was Griffin's first t-ball game...hilarious...the first practice he was behind Tim and cried, so we thought that he was not going to do so well. he is just one of those kids that is very shy and cautious until he is comfortable in the situation or with people...but he participated, hit the ball twice, ran around the bases, stood in "ready" position but didn't go after the ball...good times. Hopefully, by the last game he will go full force. We all had fun, especially Griffin, and that is what is most important.

About time...

"Dada", "Stop", "What's that", "What's this", "dog", "duck", "okay", "ball"... These are all the words that my little girl says. She says them frequently during the day especially stop and what's that. The story of how she began to say stop is quite funny...when Griffin was in the hospital this last time she spent the first night at my parents house. My parents have this little dog that has as many allergies as Griffin does. So every time Gidget, the dog, begins to scratch someone says, "Gidget, stop." This is when McKenna picked up on the word stop and when we make our way over to my parents, we walk in the door and she points to Gidget, says stop then says dogs. Very cute...in our house it applies more to when Griffin is laying on top of her and she tells him to stop if I am not in the room to tell him first.

But finally, after much anticipation and waiting patiently on my part, yesterday after she woke up from her nap, I heard her in her crib..."mama, mama, mama"...oh what a beautiful sound. She has been saying it over and over...

Speaking of about time...I promised a new recipe last week, got busy and didn't deliver, so here is one that was delicious as well. Griffin didn't eat all of it, but I put grapes in it and that made him more willing to try...

Chicken Salad

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or diced

1/4 cup light mayo

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 cup seedless green grapes, sliced

3 green onions thinly sliced with the green as well

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 T. lemon juice

2 T. honey

Optional ingredients

Salad greens

Sliced avocado (yummy)

1/2 cup walnut pieces

Combine everything except honey, including walnut if using. Then stir in honey. To serve, put it on the salad greens with avocado slices. Or you can toast some bread and make a sandwich, either way delicious...

Easter Love

Blossoms

Today seemed like a good day to get back in the dirt and plant some color in our lives...

A little adventurous girl got to eat some more dirt, grass, and what ever else she could get too...

A big helper got to help mom and use the shovel and hose...

And the final product brings a spring size smile...

refreshing

As I packed up the troops in the stroller this morning and went for a little venture around the neighborhood, I made the decision that I would get a little accomplished today...clean the garage, wash the car, do the yard work out front...(YES, I got it all done) Many times I put off doing things because I think that it will be harder than ever to get it completed with the help of 4 extra little hands. On this morning McKenna hung out in the stroller while I was cleaning and organizing the garage munchin' on some snacks. Griffin, on the other hand, what big helper...I gave him a few small tasks and he got it all done. When I was weed eating and mowing the front lawn, Griffin kept McKenna entertained and I got it done in record time. But the icing on the cake was when we washed the car. Kenna played in the grass, eating everything she could find...and Griffin just couldn't get enough soap on the car. So after all that we were all covered in dirt, sweat, and of course a little water from that beautiful hose, and two babes were in definite need of a bath...oh, the sweet calm it brings to these two. It keeps them occupied for as long as I let them stay in the bath...and the moral of my story is it didn't take any longer for me, and kept us occupied with something to do all morning...

In Love

Today I am just really feeling lots of love towards these beauties...

(My sister, Rachel, took this pic)


Lately, since the sun has been rising earlier, Griffin wakes up at the first peek of the sun. Then he rolls his little body out of bed, he makes his way into McKenna's room and makes sure that she is awake too. Many times she is not yet, and then he will come into our room or yell from the other side of the house, "Momma, McKenna is up, and wants to get out of bed!" I lay in my bed for those last few seconds, praying that I would have received just 10 more minutes of sleep. Then I go through this list in my mind of what I want to accomplish during the day and pray for a little bit of patience, okay-a lot. Just about this time, Griffin comes in and reminds me that McKenna still wants to get up. Then he climbs into our bed and wants to get under the covers saying, " I am soooo cooooold", even if he is not. At least he makes me laugh a little before I make my way to my baby girl. As the day goes on I realize that I have only accomplished about 10% of my list that I created in my head, and maybe should have written it down. I also come to the conclusion that the next morning I will ask for a little more patience. However, today I am really trying to remind myself that it is my job to fill their days with love, creativity, learning opportunities, fun, laughter, guidance, play and more love. If the list doesn't get done it's okay, although this little lady still doesn't sleep through the night...its okay, I'll survive. While most of my days are picking up the chaos, dishes that may not have got done the night before and laundry, its okay, one day they will be old enough to help out. And while I am still struggling to find time for myself while trying to be a wife and a mother, it's okay...one day I will figure it out.
Until then I get to look at these faces all day, and that's okay.

Happy St. Patty's

I hope everyone has a wonderfully green day. Tim made some scrumptious corn beef and cabbage yesterday, that we have every year in celebration of today. And this momma got herself a brand new camera that is very overwhelming, but with some help from my little sis, I am working on it. So back to my point, every morning I try and get out and walk a few miles or run, however I am feeling. Sometimes in crisis negotiations with my children, this is my way of calming the troops and they usually surrender. Especially when we need to be lulled to sleep. On this day we were feeling a little fussy, so away we went and so I took my camera and try to capture some pics that would be fitting for this green day...

(This last picture I took on Saturday in my parents backyard, but I thought it was beautiful)

Dad

(Papa and Griffin at 5 days old)

When I was growing up I only remember seeing you show emotion in the form of tears twice, once at Uncle Dennis' funeral when I was 11; the other was about a month before I left for college. I am sure that there were other times along the way, I just don't remember seeing that side of your emotions. On this second time, you and I went out to breakfast at Earll's. Toward the end of our breakfast we were talking about how fast my high school journey seemed to go, and I know at this point you realized just how fast that time did go, and I saw the emotion in your eyes, your face and most importantly your heart. At this moment, not only did I see the love you had for me, our family, but I felt it...

Now as a parent myself, I get it, I understand it. I think of that conversation that we shared that morning and try to enjoy all the small moments along the way and try and not let time slip by and I hope that my children not only see how much I love them, but that they feel it as well.

Happy Birthday to a Great Dad, a Great Grandfather and a Great Man

Dad ~since then, I have seen the emotion on many occasions, I hate to say you have become a softy, especially since Grand kids :)

mmm..mmm..good

A few weeks ago, my good friend posted this most delicious recipe on her site, and yes it was scrumptious Jess. So I thought about how I try to find things new and exciting things for dinner to make and keep it interesting at the dinner table, especially healthy things to keep Griffin on track. So I am going to try and post one recipe a week to share with all of you, so for this week this recipe is courtesy of Rachael Ray with a few variations...

Pizza Cobbler

Ingredients

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 C. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

8-10 oz. sliced mushroom

1 1/2 c. tomato sauce (I used organic tomato and basil spaghetti sauce)

1/2 c. sliced black olives

2/3 c. sliced pepperoni (I used turkey pepperoni)

(** for the veggie loves replace pepperoni with broccoli)

1/4 c. pureed carrots or squash

( I added this myself for extra veggie goodness, and reduced tomato sauce to 1 1/4 c.)

1 c. shredded mozzarella

1 7.5 oz. can refrigerated biscuits , separated and cut into quarters

Preheat oven to 400. In large skillet, on medium high heat, combine oil, onion and garlic and cook for about 2 mins. Add mushrooms and cook until tender about 5 min. Stir in tomato sauce, vegetable puree if using, and olives, bring to a simmer.

Spread sauce in greased 2-quart baking dish. Arrange pepperoni in single layer and top with cheese then biscuits. Bake until bubbly and biscuits are brown, about 15 min. Let cool for 5 min, and enjoy!

** I don't like mushrooms, but I thought I would give it a try and ate it all**

Plus, it only took about 25 min from start to consumption...

giving it an effort...

So while I have been trying so hard to get this place organized in the way that I want it, I can't seem to keep focused on it too long cause the weather has been so nice...we just can't get enough. While I sit there with my babes I dream that I am at the ocean and the wind is on my face, but the sandbox in the backyard will have to do.

McKenna has also decided that sand is not the tastiest thing that she has had in her mouth, but interesting none the less...

On a mission

(Griffin's list is on the left)

When Tim and I bought this house, we did so with the idea that we would be having our first child about 6 or so months ago...okay so plans don't always work out the way we plan and we found out I was pregnant 3 months after we moved in. Our little modest house was great for just two people, now that our family is four it is tight for space. I thought that is was important for the kids to have their own rooms and space, and that meant cramming every thing into our bedroom and our office went from its own room to the living room behind the couch.

My house has been saying things to me in several subtle ways, and screaming when I seem to be ignoring the daunting task of getting organized. Sometimes I feel like I am drowning in all the "stuff" and lack of space and I don't feel relaxed in my own house. I have been complaining to Tim and my mom and myself about this for awhile, and I decided I needed to be proactive. So I have begun my "mission organization." I made my list and I am going to just do one thing at a time and mark it off with a big red pen. The mission is to get organized in creative ways, simplify our lives and get rid of all the stuff that is collecting dusk and taking up unnecessary space. I would like to do it like they do on that show "Clean Sweep" and take all of our belonging outside and start over, but I don't have that kind of time of luxury with two kids (and a husband) so one thing at a time...