4:00 sucks

I absolutely hate the 4:00 hour.

As the clocks grows closer to 4:00 pm my stress level starts to rise.

I am trying to leave work to get home to my family and the rest of the work world is also finishing up their day and gettind ready to clock out for the day.  The last hour of work seems to be the 'dumping' hour.

Everyone is working through their To-Do Lists and trying to accomplish those few last things that they need to.  The emails start flying, the phone starts ringing.  People stop by on their way out and fill you in on the days activities and dump their list to you.  It's like an adult game of Hot Potato.

There is nothing more that I want then to leave but my job doesn't allow it most days.  How do you look at someone standing in your office and say "OK, time to go- I'd like to leave work now."  I can't do it. I don't have it in me and unfortunately some days that is the only time that you can get all the people in one place- the meeetings are over and it's a time when things can finally get done.

When I finally escape and start the trek for home my mind is racing.  I am thinking about work, I am thinking about getting home to see my family, I am thinking about all the things I want to do when I get home, all the things I need to do when I get home, all the things that I need to do tomorrow, all the things I need to do to get ready for ______ (Christmas, Birthday, etc, etc), all the work that I should do when the kids go to bed to get ready for the next day at work, what to have for dinner, etc.

The traffic through Minneapolis is not fun.  And to top it off someone decided it would be a great time to work on the road so my used-to-be-four-lane commute through the city is down to 3 and on some days 2 lanes.  Makes for a long and annoying stop and go ride.

I hate the 4:00 hour. 

I hate the stress I feel trying to leave work.

I hate the stress I feel driving home.

I hate the stress I feel about letting my family down when I am late.

I hate the stress I feel about letting my coworkers down when I am not around if they needed me.

I hate stressing about what to have for dinner.

I hate having to stop at Target every night to get what we need to make dinner.

I hate not being able to accomplish everything I have on my To Do List.

I hate not being able to even cross off one thing on my To Do List (most days).

Most of these things are avoidable.  I can change my behavior or patterns to change the course.

Question is- why haven't I done anything about it yet?

I'd rather be pinning!

And then there was ....Pinterest!
Think of this as an online bulletin board, to do list, idea list, inspiration collector, Facebook for crafters, share ideas type of community.

Idea for hanging frames.  Wish I could bear the thought of putting this many nail holes in the wall. 

Gummy Vodka Bears.  Soak in Vodka for 3-5 days- Twist on an old favorite Jello Shots

Crockpot girls
Where have they been all my life??!

You kidding me?

Just because you saw me pin this doesn't mean you should go and make your own....Santa just might have something up his/her sleeve ;-)

adorable

Tons of recipes and cute ideas for parties

Click on a picture on Pinterest and it takes you to a link or blog that is FULL of ideas

Who thinks of this stuff!

Oh how I wish I could quit work and become a professional internet surfer!

I think I have a problem.

 



Oven Fried Pickles

Oven Fried Pickles

Ingredients


1 jar pickle slices
2 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
Ranch dressing
Directions

1.Turn oven broiler on high.
2.In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and flour. Add Worcestershire sauce,  garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well.

3.Place panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Dunk each pickle slice into the egg mixture, than dredge it in the panko bread crumbs.

4.Place coated pickles on a rack set above a baking sheet and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place pan in the middle rack of the oven. Broil for about 3 minutes on each side.

5.Serve with Ranch dressing

A twist on an old favorite

Peppermint Krispie Treats

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Butter
1 10 Oz. Package Marshmallows
1/3 Cup Crushed Candy Canes
6 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal
2 14 Oz. Bags White Candy Melts
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat.
Add in the marshmallows and allow them to melt completely.
Add in the crushed candy canes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Rice Krispies.
If making balls, pull out heaping tablespoons from the pan and roll into balls. Add a candy can into the center of each ball.
If making cut out shapes, press the rice krispie mixture into a pan prepared with cooking spray.
Allow to cool for about five to ten minutes and then cut out your favorite shapes.
Add a candy cane into the top end of the treat.
Place your finished treats into the fridge for about 15 minutes to cool down.

Melt the candy melts according to package directions and add in the vegetable oil to thin the mixture.
Dip your cooled treats into the chocolate, sprinkle or decorate, and set aside to cool and harden completely.

Note: For a quicker version, simply press mixture into a pan and top with the candy melts.  Cut into bars.   (that's what I did)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

The girls and I put the Christmas tree up today.

I don't have a ton of other Christmas decorations so that is about as festive as it gets in our house.

One of these years I want to purchase more decorations and go all out during the holidays like my parents used to.

I remember when we my parents would decorate for Christmas, it was a weekend project.  The Christmas music would go on and each item would come out.  One at a time.  Mom or dad would give it a fluff and then bring it to it's special place that only it would know for the next 30 days. 

The house always looked so festive and different at Christmas time.  I loved it.

During the season my dad would turn on Christmas music and then sit in his rocking chair and just sit.  I loved laying on the couch in the dark room with him, the only light coming from the tree, Santa house, and nativity scene.  Those days we actually listened to Christmas records so 1/2 way through the album dad would have to get up to flip it over.  We would both just sit there listening to the music and just hanging out.

I never really knew what my dad was thinking about all those days but now being a parent I can only imagine that he probably wasn't thinking about much and instead, being the father of 5 girls, he was probably just enjoying the peace and quiet.

I remember feeling super excited most of those days.  Christmas was a pretty big deal at our house and our parents always went overboard with the gifts.  So, it was only natural that I spent most of those nights dreaming about what kinds of presents were going to be under the tree.  A little selfish now when I look back but isn't that the fun of being a kid? 

It makes me sad that I haven't done more to create holiday memories for my girls. 

I'm not very good at this stuff :-(

I know it's never too late to start but it is all so overwhelming. 

I wanted to make an advent calendar this year but not sure with how busy work has been that I would actually have time to put something together.  I know that I can just go and buy one but that doesn't seem as much fun as making my own. 

Maybe I should try to do that....now that I told you about it, there's more pressure to actually get it done. Right?!

Black Friday

I wish I could say that I took this picture with my phone but actually I got it off the internet.

It is a pretty accurate picture of what you see when you are out Black Friday shopping.

This year Black Friday shopping actually started on Thursday.  Some of the stores started opening at 9:00 pm on Thursday night.  Tammy and Stacey decided to try Toys 'R' Us right at 9 when they opened and I would meet up with them later after the kids were sleeping.

The girls went down about 8:45 and I started getting ready for my night out.

I sent Stacey a text and within minutes she called me back.  Her and Tammy were already on their way to the next stop.  The line at Toys 'R' Us wrapped around the store and down the block (they were at Northtown and said the line was on it's way to KMart).  Knowing it was possible they could have still been there next week waiting to get in the store ;-) they decided to head over to Walmart. 

We met in the parking lot next to Walmart- the Walmart parking lot was full so we parked at the back of the lot next door.  The cars and people were swarming to the parking lot and the store and finally at 9:50 we made our way to the front entrance (the doors were opening at 10).

As usual, it was CRAZY inside.  People everywhere- yelling and scurrying to get their deals.

The items that Stacey and Tammy wanted weren't available for purchase until midnight so we needed to find a few hours to waste in the store.  That wasn't hard. The people watching was awesome and if there was something you wanted to buy it would take you a good 10 minutes just to make it there.

That night we tackled- Walmart, Kohls, Target, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Maurices, and JCPenney.  I got home around 6:30 am.

Each year we see more and more parents with their small children out shopping with them.  It makes me sad that those poor kids should be in bed but instead their parents brought them out in those crowds.  Those poor little ones. 

The deals were not as good as they have seemed to be in the past and this year since so many of the stores were open early, the people had to spread out more which actually made the crowds smaller than usual.  It probably also helped that we didn't have anything that we were dying to get so there was no need to push through the crowds to be the first at an item to be sure that we left with it. 

I didn't get much this year but for me it is never really about the amount of stuff I buy and more about the fact that I enjoy the experience.  It's fun to be out shopping with my friends.  It's actually relaxing to know that we are out shopping, we have all night, our families are home sleeping so there is no pressure to hurry and get home because someone is waking from a nap or someone needs me to bring lunch or dinner home.  It's just us and the other crazies out shopping, leaving for home when we want to and sneaking in the house before everyone else wakes up.

It takes a while to recover from that night and the lack of sleep but the giggles we have while we are out make it well worth it!



Give Thanks

Need I say more?

Coffe Cat Take 2

I was sitting on the couch with my back to the girls when I heard Hailey get real excited and yell out "ME!"

I turn to see that she had found the same video on the iPod that Hannah had found on the iPad.  She was so proud that they were both watching the same thing.  Each time Hannah changed the show, Hailey was just a few steps behind her watching both screens to see if they would be playing the same thing.  When it was a success we would hear "ME!" 

This wasn't just a click on an icon and start a show type of move here.  She had to click on an icon, click to the list of shows, find the category, then find the episode. 

These kids on these devices are amazing to watch!

6 month follow-up

Today we were back to Gillette for Hailey's 6 month follow up.

The Xrays on the left are from today.

As you can see, things are looking better already!

Still no reason for concern.  Still no need for intervention.

Next follow-up is in one year.

We were expecting this kind of news today however, when you look at your child everyday you don't see the same things that others see. It was hard to know if I had my mom-goggles on or if yes indeed things are starting to straighten out.  I was relieved to hear that they feel that as she grows she will probably continue to straighten more-  it may take until she is 7 or 8 so it will be a while before we know for sure but either way, there is nothing to be concerned of.

I'm Glad I'm Not a _______

Sing to the tune of 'Have you ever met a Lassie?'

Oh I'm glad I'm not a turkey, a turkey, a turkey

Oh I'm glad I'm not a turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

They stuff you, they bake you

they all want to taste you

Oh I'm glad I'm not a turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

Hannah called Stacey to sing her this song.  When she was done she said "Now you try!"

Stacey said "I'll practice and learn it and we can sing it tomorrow."

Hannah's response "Put Shane on the phone."

Shane was busy so she had to wait until she saw him.

He wanted to hear her song.

She started like this "I'm glad I'm not a chicken....no- wait- I'm glad I'm not a rooster....no, no- wait- What is it again mom?"

 



Not my idea of a Fantasy

My Fantasy Football team is absolutely dreadful this year.

I have yet to win a match up so now I have decided that I want to be the only team without one single win this year.    The last two years we have played a 'fun' Fantasy Football league with The Bustas and The Sumners.  The kids love it and it gives them something to talk about- which the grown ups don't love so much.  Lucky for Brian and I we only get to hear about every stat for every player each weekend when we get together with everyone.  Poor adults at the Sumner and Busta households get to hear everyday and most days it feels like everyminute.

My poor team- I thought I was going to prove to everyone that you don't need a long list of A-list players to win a game.  My sleeper picks actually turned out to be asleep :-(

8 is great!

Happy Birthday Agustin!

Me:  "Hannah, today is Tin's Birthday.  We should call him and tell him Happy Birthday!"

Hannah:  "That's ok, I will just tell him next week when I see him."

Hmmmm....I sure wish she was right.

Sorry we never called buddy- it wasn't for a lack of thinking about you- that's for sure!

Hope you had a great day and a wonderful Birthday party at school!

My newest addiction

I wish one of these times when I blogged about my newest addiction it would be about cleaning my house or finally going through the closets to purge the items that need to find a new loving home.  Nope- this time it's another thing that keeps me away from all of the things that I should be doing.

Meet the Words with Friends game board.

Currently I have 10 active games going.  I love that Kari can be sitting in her house in Ecuador and I can be sitting on my couch in Minnesota and we can be playing this game back and forth as if we were together in person taking turns on a scrabble board.  The game also has a chat feature which can be great for times like these....what in the heck does Assuage mean?!  No need to look it up- I asked Kari and she looked it up for us.  At first glance I thought it said sausage ;-)

Did you see that Kari got 79 points for that word!  YIKES!

(I actually ended up winning this game 346 to 312)

:-)

Watch out- if I know your able to play this game you just might be getting a request from me!!!

Although, play at your own risk- I can't be responsible for how much time you lose....

Beiber Sisters

Tonight Hannah helped daddy set the table for dinner.

She got out silverware, drinks, napkins, and even set up her radio and played us some dinner music- of course it was Justin Beiber.

When I came to dinner, she pulled out my chair and told me to stay there and daddy would bring me my food.

After dinner she helped us clean up the table and then her and Hailey asked for some chocolate ice cream.

They INSISTED on sitting next to each other in the same chair.

I was finishing up the dishes, Justin was still serenading us and all I could hear was giggling.  I look over and these two were snuggling up together while they ate their ice cream.

I love these moments.  Simple moments that warm your heart.

Risky Business

You know that scene in that movie Risky Business where you are looking at a staircase and all of a sudden Tom Cruise comes into view and starts dancing?  Well, this wasn't quite like that but it sure reminded me of that famous scene from that movie (that I have actually never even seen).

Hailey was cracking Hannah and I up tonight.  I was trying to get the girls to get into the bath and this one was finding any reason she could to stay in those jammies.

A party built for two

It all started with this.

We got these delivered to our house.  An invitation to Chloe's Bday party.  One invite for Hannah and Hailey and then the CUTEST tiniest invites for Emerson and Baby.  Soooo adorable!

Chloe's Bday is September 8th but there is always so much going on around that time that Tammy decided this year she would let Chloe get settled into Kindergarten to see if she would make new friends that she would want to invite to her party.  It worked out just fine for us and I think Chloe liked being able to celebrate her day again a few months later.

There was a table set up for the big kids.

And a table set up for the 'little kids'.

(Hailey really enjoyed this little 'just my size' table and chairs)

The little kids did too.  It was complete with placemats, cups, spoons, and  food.

The big girls made princess crowns and wands for them and princess crowns for their babies.

Then they went outside to crack open a pinata.  Each of them got a few turns.  First they were blindfolded and spun around and the next time they got to take a swing with the blindfold off.

Riley and Noah finally were the ones to break it open- that pinata was worth it's price.

Next we were back into the house for a game of musical chairs while the little kids sat on the couch and watched (didn't get a good picture of that- too many girls making too many moves- all pictures came out pretty blurry).

Hannah whispered to me "Mom, look!  Emerson made some new friends!"

 All the kids were sent home with party favors.  I mean ALL.

Such an adorable party idea! 

The sky is falling.....or better not!

Never good when you come to work and find the tiniest of nails on your desk.  No clue where this guy came from.  Nothing near him except that radio that isn't missing one of these anywhere. 

Only explanation....it must have fallen from above.

Hmmmmm....or not.  Hope that little guy isn't needed.

I guess we will be finding out soon enough.

It's the little things

Brian has been starting my car for me as he leaves for work which is very sweet and I love but the best? 

 He turns my seat warmer on for me too.  Those are the things that leave me thinking about him all day.

Thanks honey!  Love you!

Will you buy me....

It's that time of season.  The kids want everything they see for Christmas.

So it's seems completely normal as your watching TV to hear "Mommy, will you please buy me that?"  Shopping at Target "Mommy, will you please buy me that?"  Listening to the radio on the way to work "Mommy, will you please buy me that?"

This one I wasn't expecting...

We were reading a Clifford book the other night and Hannah pointed to this lady in the book and said "Mommy, will you please buy me all those things?  Those boots, and pants, and earrings, that necklace, and jacket, and that hair, and those EYELASHES?!  Please mom!?  Then I can be so pretty like her!"

Too far?

While I was wondering around Toys 'R' Us today looking for a birthday present for Chloe (I know, I know- the day before the party shopping is uncool) I came across this...

That's a pregnant Barbie wearing Maternity Clothes.  She comes with a newborn baby that actually folds up and fits inside her belly (see picture within the picture).

I think I am ok with it now.  I was real disturbed when I first saw it but now thinking about it, if I were pregnant it would be kinda cool to get for my daughter so she could kinda see how that baby is in there....until she asks how it comes out  :-/

Frustrated

Hannah:  "Mom, look at my nail.  It looks frustrated."

Not really sure where she got that from or what it even means but she has been using the word frustrated as an adjective lately. While we were carving the pumpkin the other night and we flipped him over, she looked at his bottom and made a comment about how it looked frustrated.  I looked, didn't see anything that looked different than a pumpkin bottom but Hannah saw something that was apparently having a bad time.

I love when she uses new words.  It's fun to watch her act so grown up and most of the time she uses the words right.  In the case, it's right.  I am just not totally sure how to pick out a frustrated looking object yet. 

3 iPods for 3 ladies

Not sure yet how I feel about this picture...

I am sure Brian enjoyed it!  First time this week that he had some peace and quiet ;-)



Buuuuuur

It's been getting colder out.
Cutest thing- Hailey has been putting her hood on her head, crunching her shoulders up and saying "Buuuuuuur".  It's absolutely adorable.

Tonight when the water was draining from the bath she looked up at me and let me know she was cold.

"Buuuuuur"

So I'm not perfect....

I wish I could say that I was posting these pictures after Halloween because I had so many cute ones around Halloween that I was just 'saving' them for another time.

Nope....not the case

We just got around to carving the pumpkin tonight.

Over a week after Halloween.

I'm not going to make a ton of excuses, there isn't one good enough to excuse what happened here.

So instead we'll just call it a 'continued celebration'

As you can see, the pumpkin that we got at the pumpkin patch a while back was 'tattooed' by Hannah.  Tonight we decided to carve him.

The girls helped me dig the guts out and then we carved a face to look like Spookley the square pumpkin.

The girls were able to enjoy him while they took their bath tonight.  It was like a candle-lit bath.

Don't judge....I never claimed to be perfect ;-)

Awwwww

Bath night!

Hailey brought Dora into the bath tonight.  She washed her hair, taught her to float, washed her hair, scrubbed her up with soap, washed her hair...needless to say we went through a few handfuls of shampoo.

When they got out of the bath, Hailey insisted that Dora get wrapped up in a towel- just like her.

So cute!

(she kept using the towel to wipe Dora's face)