Boys My Joys

A Day in the Life (Crazy Edition)

2012-01-23T22:06:00.004-05:00

One day a month, my life swings out-of-control busy!

It's sometimes a little stressful.

But, it's worth it in the end.

7:55 am-

My alarm goes off.

I was up until midnight last night, so I slept in a little to make sure I'd make it through the day.

10:25am-

Dropped the boys off at karate for class.

10:39am-

Rushed home instead of staying with the boys at their class, to re-boot the laundry and clean the 1/2 bath for tonight's meeting.

1:23pm-

While Wyatt was at OT, Cameron and I ran to the health food store to pick up some of the snacks I needed for tonight's meeting.

1:50pm-

Back to pick Wyatt up from OT.

Waited until his session ended at 2:00

2:11pm-

QUICK stop at Zaxby's to feed the boys.

Feeling pretty slack in the mama department at this very moment.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

This, too, shall pass!

2:18pm-

Arrived at dentist/orthodontist for the boys' appointments.

Having a high moment, their appointments weren't until 2:30.

Me, early?

No way!

2:23pm-

Working on a little school while we wait.

4:08pm-

HAD to go to Wal-Mart for bananas and strawberries for part of tonight's snack.

14 Carrot was out.

Could think of 4 million other places I'd rather shop, but today there just wasn't any extra time.

4:54pm-

HOME!

FINALLY!

8:18pm-

Hosting the small-group meeting for our local homeschool group.

Love this night every month!

So many good ideas shared amongst the other moms.

LOVE IT!

10:14pm-

Meeting over.

Superman and the boys are home from bowling...

and enjoying the new chocolate fountain.

10:46pm-

Finished cleaning up the kitchen.

Starting a load of dishes.

10:50pm-

Tucked in the heffalump.

She's beyond spoiled rotten these days.

11:23pm-

Checking FB for the first time today.

Snuggled up to Superman.

Heart full and happy.

Realizing that though it was a crazy-busy day, it was so very worth it!

I love being able to be home and taking the boys to all the places they need to go.

I am so thankful that there are stores I can go to to pick up our groceries, versus having to grow them all myself

I love being able to host our small-group.

I am so thankful to have a comfortable home to open up to other moms.

I love that Wyatt wanted to buy a chocolate fountain for when we host gatherings.

I love that the boys have some father/son time on Monday nights.

I love that there is a dishwasher to clean up the dishes for me.

I love that my children have such compassion towards these furry cats that they've spoiled.

I am so thankful that I have a warm bed and an even warmer Superman to snuggled up up to at night.

At the end of the day, it was worth it all!

Samaritan's Purse~ Shoeboxes

2011-12-16T13:12:00.001-05:00

Last Friday, Cameron and I went with our local homeschool group and volunteered at The Samaritan's Purse Packaging Center in Charlotte, NC for Operation Christmas Child.

Our day began at 5:30am, as we got up, dressed, packed a cooler of snacks, and left with our carpool at 7:00am.

We arrived at Samaritan's Purse around 8:45am.

First, we unloaded all of the shoeboxes that our church collected.

43 shoeboxes this year!

SO very proud of my church people!

Then we headed inside and met up with our group.

It was a BIG group this year!

If you're interested in volunteering, you can put together a group and go.

Click here for more volunteer information.

All volunteers must be at least 13-years-old.

And, you need 1 chaperon for every 4 teenagers.

First, we were trained how to handle the boxes, what items must be removed and added, and how to perform each job.

Then we were sorted into teams.

Each team was then assigned an area, and each team member was assigned a specific job.

I thought it was interesting to see the way each shoebox was processed, and thought you might like to see it, too.

At the first station, the volunteer must check the shoebox for money.

(Samaritan's Purse asks that you include $7 with your shoebox to help with the cost of shipping.)

Once that money is removed and put in the dropbox, the box moves to the next station.

At the next station, the volunteer goes through the contents of the shoebox and removes any items that are on the no-no list.

These items include: food, liquids, war-related items, used items, etc.

While at that station, the volunteer makes sure that the shoebox is full and that it has candy inside.

If it is not full or doesn't have candy, he gets additional items from the bins above to fill the shoebox.

That was one of the neatest things to me!

I loved it!

I loved that someone thought ahead about children who may not have a full box, or that may not have any candy.

I loved that there are people and stores that will donate items to help fill boxes.

At the next station, the shoebox is securely taped shut so that no items are lost during shipping.

The shoebox is then packed in shipping boxes according to gender and age.

This shoebox is being shipped to 10-14 year-old boys.

Though we were hard at work, there were still moments of fun!
Often times, it happened when we discovered precious surprises tucked inside the shoeboxes we were working with.

It made me think differently about our shoeboxes for future years.

For example, in all the years that we've packed shoeboxes with our boys, it never dawned on me to pack actual SHOES in the SHOEBOXES!

Yet, I have no doubt that the little girl that opens this box will be tickled!

And the person that donated the box made sure that no space was wasted.

There were socks and other goodies packed inside the shoes and all around the inside of the box.

We also saw lots of marbles.

What a great idea!

They're inexpensive, fun, and easy to squish in loose spaces in the shoeboxes.

Sometimes we'd pull a Slinky out of it's box to make more room for other fillers.

At the end of the day, there were lots of no-no's in the buckets below our sorting tables.

If you pack a shoebox, please don't put food, liquids, and other no-no's in the shoebox!

They DO get removed!

(These items are not thrown away! They are all donated to local charities and shelters that can use the items.)

Items are removed for safety purposes.

For example, we had to pull out lots of mouthwash and lotions.

Those items could leak and ruin the contents of their entire shoebox... or worse, the leak could ruin the contents of a whole shipping box full of shoeboxes.

This bucket was mainly filled with food that had to be removed.

Samaritan's Purse is not against distributing food; however, they must abide by the rules and restrictions that the receiving countries levy.

At this point, the only 'food' items that are accepted in every country that they ship to are hard candies.

All in all, it was a wonderful day!

We left pooped, but with full, happy hearts!

I loved that as we walked out the door, this board was displayed.

It let us know that the fruits of our labor were being shipped to Georgia, Mali, and Zimbabwe.

Since I hadn't filled out the on-line form to follow our shoeboxes, this was the next best thing!

So nice to have an idea of where our packages were headed!

On the way through the parking lot Cameron said, "Mama, I can't wait to come back and do this again next year!"

And my heart smiled!

I felt exactly the same way!

Christmas Tea

2011-12-13T11:20:00.001-05:00

Last week was one of the busiest weeks of my life...

but such a good one!

Through one of our homeschool groups, I was invited to attend a local Christmas Tea.

It was a lot of fun.

I even volunteered to decorate a table.

I loved the chance to use the Christmas china I've been collecting over the last few years.

Don't get me wrong, we use them at the house, but I never get to see them on a 'set' table.

One day, I WILL have a true dining room that I can make beautiful.

Who needs functional, right?

And the very, very, very best part of the day?

It would have to be that I was able to share it with The GodWoman!

I'm Back! Birthday Edition

2011-10-06T14:34:00.002-04:00

It has been forever since I blogged, but...

-Today is my birthday!

-I was told to relax and enjoy the whoooooole day!

-So here's my chance to get caught up in the blogosphere.

(And, oh my word- Blogger sure has changed while I was away! I couldn't even figure out how to move my pictures around the easy way I had used before, so all of these pictures are completely out of order. Oh, well!)

I've had friends and family tell me how far behind my blog is, and all I could say was, "I've been so busy living, I haven't had time to blog about living!"

And that's the truth!

This boys has kept me on my toes.

It's been in a great way!
But, I am NOT a fan of this growing up thing!

We've been able to spend time with friends.

This night we were enjoying the drive-in movie.

The boys have been busy with karate.

We survived a HOT summer.

This photo was the end of May... hotter weather was ahead!

We spent a week with the grandparents at the beach.

Stayed at our usual place.

Love the fireworks there!

Enjoyed a night with good friends.

The kids had a great time.

But, we sure hated to see one of the families head back to Tennessee.

Began a new school year.

Figured out that using Friday afternoons for Math Bingo was a fantastic motivator for the joys to finish up their work!

Had a quick visit with The Baby brother.

Wish he could have stayed longer.

Love that he has to come to my town for business a few times a year!

My first-born became a teenager.

I cried!

Have I mentioned that I'm not a fan of this whole growing up thing???

And my baby turned 11.

How dare he?

Because, in my mind, I'm still only 23!

There's no way I can possibly have an 11-year-old!!!

Aside from crying over my children growing up on me, we did manage to squeeze in a little more during the summer.

We ate our weight in tomatoes straight from the garden.

Have you ever eaten a tomato still warm from the garden?

If you did, you'd become a tomato snob like me, and not dare to eat tomatoes in the off-season.

They just taste like mush once you've eaten true, fresh ones.

These beauties came from our neighbor.

He was always bringing up tomatoes and cucumbers from him garden.

They were incredible!!!

We spent a few days at the beach with Little Miss Priss.

Lord knows, I love that child!

We spent a few more days at the beach with The Godfather and The GodWoman.

We made some serious changes to the house.

I'm loving it!

Superman is awesome, as usual!

I'll eventually get all the before and after pictures together so that I can show you just how many changes we made.

And early in the summer, when we stayed at the beach with the grandparents (but stinkin' Blogger won't let me move these pictures up there without making me pull my hair out) the boys were able to swim with the stingrays at the aquarium.

On that same trip, we celebrated Grammy's birthday.

She's pretty amazing at spoiling the joys, so we had a chance to spoil her back just a little!

So you see, we've been busy living!

And I wouldn't change a thing!

But, I'm surely going to have to do a better job of blogging about all this living we're doing!

Until next time,

Dana

365: Day 58-64

2011-05-09T21:46:00.000-04:00

2/27/11
Can you tell that they merely tolerate my camera?
2/28/11
The oldest joy is working hard to get his Bo Kata patch!
Maybe, just maybe, do I have to bite my lip during class to hide the ginormous grin that wants to spread across my whole face!
I.AM.SO.BLESSED.

3/1/11
Sorting produce for our co-op.
A box full of fresh produce for $20.
Try to do that at the grocery store!

3/2/11
Quite possibly the best invention ever.
I'm in love with it!

3/3/11
Did you know that newer cars don't have ashtrays?
That drove me crazy when we had the rentals after the wreck.
Just curious, but if you have a newer car, WHERE do you keep your change?

3/4/11
He saved his money to buy his own guitar.
We're so very proud of him!
And, if it wouldn't make him roll his eyes at me, I'd gush about how cute he is, how well he plays, how much I love him, and how proud on so many levels he makes me- but since it would make him roll his eyes, I won't say any of that!

3/5/11
She is beyond rotten...
and the fur she sheds is driving me nuts!
But, I'm somehow out-voted on the whole animals-in-the-house-thing.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T06:03:00.006-04:00

I'm finally getting caught up on my DVR'd programs.
Heard this song on Parenthood, and had to find and listen to the rest of it.

Made me cry!
Sure sign of a great song.

Full circle.

That's all I could think as it played.

From thoughts of my little joys, that aren't so little anymore...
to my sweet Nannie, who fancied holding the hands of her children and grandchildren.

If I could turn back the hands of time
and read her mind as we sat quietly holding hands on her couch,
I can't help but feel like the lyrics would be quite similar to her thoughts:

I see your face in mine
And I know there will come a time
When you will take my hand
And I will understand
That you're there, too.

Hope you enjoy the song as much as I did!

It'll make your heart swell!

And, Happy Mother's Day!

I'm off to my childhood home for lunch with my own Mama.

See you again tomorrow!

For Paige

2011-04-07T12:46:00.007-04:00

365: Days 51-57

2011-03-05T13:49:00.004-05:00

2/20/11

Enjoying the journey!

Yep, there are some hard days along this road, but...

it's our journey together.2/21/11

He thought he could enjoy eating today.

He thought he could enjoy some potato soup.

He thought getting out of the house would do him good!
Well, the fresh air did us both wonders!

And, he did manage to down a bowl of potato soup and a glass of tea.

I'm lovin' all the one-on-one time with him!

Too bad it took tonsil and adenoid surgery to get us here.

2/22/11

My dad orders hot tea every time we go out to eat.

I had a hankerin' for it myself tonight.

I snapped a pic with my phone and texted it to him.

He called me laughing, after receiving the text.

I love technology.

I love hot tea.

And, I love my dad!2/23/11

I'm working on a little sewing project.

I promise to post all about it once I have it all figured out.

Let's just say that it's harder to get this particular idea out of my head and into my hands!

Ruffles may do me in!2/24/11

Sans make-up, but so happy my boy is back home!

With one child incapacitated and the other out of town, my house literally sparkled this week.

There is surely a day coming in which my house will sparkle every day.

But, for now, I'd rather have a house filled with stinky, sweaty boys than every corner squeaky clean.

Lord, I love my boys!

2/25/11

Happy Hour!

Made a quick run for the joys while Wyatt was in guitar.

Picked up pick some to share, too.

2/26/11

The weather is amazing!

We all have SPRING FEVER!

Can't keep the boys inside...

and wouldn't want to even if I could!

365: Days 44-50

2011-02-21T12:16:00.011-05:00

Whew! Am I the only one having trouble uploading pics to Blogger?
It took an hour to upload these...
one
at
a
time!2/13/11

Superman has the flu.

He's pitiful!

He thought these would make him feel better.

(Have you ever read what's in them?)

GROSS!

Needless to say, they didn't help.

:(2/14/11

Cameron is his sign language co-op class.

He loves it!2/15/11

After 13 years married to Superman (18 in all), we've celebrated Valentine's Day all sorts of ways.

This year he had the flu and I had an upper respiratory infection.

We were both in bed early.

Nyquil + antibiotics= Very Romantic

But tonight, I had the best Valentine's gift ever- Superman went to Target for me and picked up the littlest joy's prescription, so I didn't have to go.

And he came home with me some chocolate!

He knows my love language!2/16/11

The littlest joy had his tonsils and adenoids removed today.

Hopefully this will help with his sleep apnea.2/17/11

So happy he's sleeping today.

He was so hyped up after his surgery, that he hardly slept.

2/18/11
With the oldest joy at Grammy & PawPaw's for the week, the littlest joy has been able to recuperate in Cameron's room.
To say that he's enjoyed access to satellite and video games is an understatement.
I'd say he's enjoying the special treatment! 2/19/11
Not wanting to be redundant, but this is what the latter part of our week has consisted of- one sleepy-headed little fella.

365: Days 37-43

2011-02-14T09:51:00.007-05:00

I think this is the first time I've ever decorated for Valentine's Day.

You can read the how-to's here.

I've worked really hard to try and grow the meetings for our homeschool group's small group in our town.

We have about 80 families in our group, with small group meetings in several different towns.

I'm hosting meetings once a month in my town, and tonight we had our highest attendance of the year!

So freakin' excited!The littlest joy and I dipped every fruit we could get our hands on in melted chocolate that I had left over from last night's meeting.

What a wonderful day!

The days are few and far between when EVERYTHING seems to go as planned, but when we have one of those days, I rejoice!

I'm thankful for so many things.

I'm thankful for a husband who knows that the greatest desire of my heart is to be at-home actively raising our children.

I'm thankful for how hard he works to make that dream possible!

I'm thankful for the years of training I've been able to put into our boys.

I'm exceeding thankful for nights like tonight when I can SEE the fruits of that labor!

I'm thankful for the time I get to spend with them.

I'm thankful for children that WANT to spend time with us...

even if that time is spent working in the kitchen!

Feeling so very blessed!I really need all of these sweets out of the house!

These were left over from Monday's meeting.

Well, to be honest, I actually stashed them away for the boys.

A little 'thank you' to them for helping me get everything in order before the meeting.I had to pick up a new soundtrack to sing at church on Sunday, and while at the store we picked up another CD set.

I love Adventures in Odyssey!

Do your kids listen to them?

They are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

The joys listen to them a lot at night when going to sleep.

By putting in a CD instead of a DVD, the room can stay cozy and dark.

Perfect for drifting off to sleep.Tried my hand at making the soup I love so much at our local Mexican restaurant.

It was actually pretty close!

Working on a little sewing project.

Doesn't this fabric just ooze happy?

Cameron helped me pick it all out at the fabric store.

We decided that we had the happiest buggy in the whole place!

365: Days 30-36

2011-02-10T13:53:00.005-05:00

The drive to NC was sheer bliss!

I thought the boys needed new TVs for the car for Christmas, Superman thought it was a waste.

As we made the three-hour trek in perfect peace and quiet, I may or may not have reminded him that I was right!

(photo by Cameron)

Names Caroline currently answers to:
Caroline
Beautiful
Sweet Girl
Pretty Kitty
Little Heifer Cat
Precious
Worthless
Spoiled Kitty
And funniest of all...
BELUGA

Today we elected a new mayor in Elgin.

I always take the boys with me when I vote.

I want to model the importance of voting, and not taking our right to vote for granted.
I love how they are so interested in elections now!

After a long day of appointments and schooling, I found meat thawing in the sink.
Superman wanted to make sure I wouldn't forget to feed him.
Looks like a roast and lots of cube steak will be on the menu!

Superman refuses to get a Facebook account, but I can't keep him off mine!
Every few months he goes through spells where I pick on him and say he's addicted to Bejeweled Blitz. This becomes my standard view of him.

We had a great time at the circus!
Superman and I took the boys with our homeschool group, and made a day of it.
It was raining again this year, but that didn't slow us down.
After the show, we went out to Little Pigs for BBQ, then did a little shopping.

Even though it looks really gross right now, I have big plans for this frame!
It just needs a little TLC.
With a good scrubbing and a fresh coat of paint, no one would ever believe we only paid $4 for this huge frame!

Valentine's Mantle

2011-02-06T17:15:00.013-05:00

I love to decorate for Christmas, but I can't say that I do a lot of other seasonal decorating.

Between cooking, cleaning, teaching, and all those other mama things, I just don't have the time, energy, or money to make the house festive all year long.

Or, so I thought.

Then I stumbled upon some super cute seasonal subway art downloads.

If you're looking for something quick, easy, and inexpensive- here's a project for you!

I started with this really yucky $4 frame from Goodwill.

I took it apart, cleaned it, and spray painted it white.

Then added this sweet, free download from 1825.

(I printed it out as a 16X20 at Sam's for $6).So, for $10 and about an hour of my time, our house has some Valentine's decor- for the first time in a long, long time!

Now, I'm off to shop the house for some other red items and decorate a little more!

(I also had this free download printed for later in the year. It's stored behind the Valentine's print, so I can just swap them out and use the same frame.)

365: Days 23-29

2011-02-03T15:39:00.014-05:00

1/23/11
Cameron still loves Legos.
I see no end in sight!
And, I must say, that makes me happy!
I love them, too, except for when I step on one.
1/24/11
On his way out with our carpool to karate.
So glad that he enjoys karate now!
Incredibly thankful for good friends that make karate even more fun.1/25/11
I've found a new favorite at our local Chinese take-out place...
Vegetable Mei Fun with no mushrooms or broccoli.
One order of this can literally feed 3 of us.1/26/11
I spent today helping Wyatt DEEP CLEAN his room.
This was when we were almost done- 2 of the 3 bags of trash.
Who knew one child could make such a mess?

I had promised him 30 minutes of help, which turned out to be more along the lines of two hours.

We rearranged some things, took out some furniture, brought in some other pieces.

It's looking really good now!
I need to make a couple of curtains for his room, then it will be finished!

1/27/11
We had a surprise visit from Grammy & PawPaw today.
They were on their way home from a meeting at the beach.
Love that our house just so happens to be 'on the way' to so many of PawPaw's meetings!
1/28/11
Thanks heavens for these two!
While The GodWoman and I were working on a picture video, we had issues with some of the music files.
Superman and The Godfather fixed it for us.
Add that to the list of reasons we're thankful for them.

1/29/11
We traveled to Raleigh this weekend to celebrate Natalie's 40th birthday.
She is some kind of wonderful!
You know how there are sometimes people in your life that you truly feel blessed to have had an opportunity to know?
Well, Natalie is one of those people.
She has special needs, and I learned this weekend that she wasn't expected to survive the first year of her life.
I'm so grateful that God chose to keep her here on this Earth for a lot longer!
I'm a better person for having known her!

365: Days 16-22

2011-01-24T16:02:00.006-05:00

01/16/11

I sure love this boy!

He's entering that pre-teen stage that I'm not so fond of, but I'm determined not to lose his heart.

Sure, that means I'm having to adjust some of my strategies of dealing with him.

And there are days when I catch him rolling his eyes at me, and I literally must count to ten in order to hold my temper, and respond kindly.

But, I have no doubt that there is an incredible,responsible, respectful man inside that pre-teen body!01/17/11

I love the car wash, but it had been too cold for me to run the War Wagon thru lately.

With the snow last week, it was a mess and really needed some TLC.

As I snapped this picture, I felt water splash on my hand.

Seconds later, water was gushing in the rear door.

Guess the body work from the wreck needs a little adjustment!

01/18/11

I heard Superman call out, "Honey, come here quick with your camera!"

I assumed the cats were doing something silly.

Not so!

While experimenting with onion rings, Superman noticed a smiley face in the grease.

Love it!

Love it even more that he called me into the kitchen to take a picture.

Lord, I love that man!

01/19/11

Time again to refill Superman's bedside candy jar.

01/20/11

LOVE!

I absolutely love Sparrow & Co. jewelry.

I've posted about previous purchases here.

Her prices are crazy-good.

Here is a link to Missy's website.

Here is a link to her FB Fan Page.

Go check her out, and tell her Dana sent you.

Happy Shopping!01/21/11

I'm playing catch-up, trying to finish my 2010 Project Life book.

But, though I haven't finished it, I'm determined to stay up-to-date on my 2011 edition.

If you don't know about Project Life, it's the brain child of Becky Higgins, and a way to compile all of your photos and stories if you're taking a picture a day.

I'm doing the digital version.

Can't wait to see the final product!01/22/11

The afternoon sun that shines through the backside of our house makes me smile.

I was working in the laundry room and noticed the rays lighting up the 1/2 bath.

Had to snap a picture.

Maybe one day I'll actually get around to photographing our house.

We moved in the beginning of March, and I don't think I've truly photographed any rooms other than the kitchen and the laundry room.

Most likely because those are the rooms I'm normally in!

365: Days 9-15

2011-01-18T20:46:00.008-05:00

01/09/11

Packing up Christmas.

Really needing things to be empty and sparse in the house again!

01/10/11

I can't believe it actually snowed here again!

We got about 6 inches of beautiful, white snow.

It's such a rarity, that snow days put me in the most amazing mood.

I want to cook and bake like a fiend.

Hot Ovaltine flows in abundance!01/11/11

I love snow almost as much as I love Superman!01/12/11

Still cooking and baking everything I can get my hands on, but the beautiful snow has turned to treacherous ICE.

The view from my kitchen sink is still beautiful, though.01/13/11

Superman has ruined Tiger.

All it took was leftover ham from Christmas dinner.

After Cameron successfully trained Tiger to meow, "out" and "want out" at the door to be let out, Superman has now trained him to meow "ham".

If I ever learn to upload videos, I'll have to post Tiger in action!01/14/11

An added perk of Wyatt taking karate is that he's started guitar lessons with one of his teachers at the dojo.

We are so blessed to have Matt working with Wyatt.

(Italian Grilled Chicken)

01/15/11

You know you're old when your favorite Christmas present was a cast iron griddle.

I swear, I should have bought myself one of these years ago!

Since Christmas, I've used it at least 3 times a week.

I am not only loving the griddle, but seriously lovin' me some cast iron these days!

Off to a Good Start

2011-01-10T13:52:00.001-05:00

Look for weekly updates for our 365 in 2011 on Mondays this year.

That should be much more do-able than posting them daily! 01/01/11

Ringing in the new year!

01/02/11

Tree will be coming down soon and I wanted a shot of the view from outside.

Kinda miss the old house and the big front windows.

01/03/11

Starting the process of allergy and apnea testing with the littlest joy.

01/04/11

Muffin mix in the mini loaf pan was a hit.

01/05/11

A 'hot date' to Home Depot with Superman.

When he heard the camera click he looked at me and said, "You'd better be glad you got that one!"

It drives him crazy when I take pictures in public... normally while shopping with him.

oops!

01/06/11

Long, long night with very little real sleep for either of us.

01/07/11

How did I not know about Red Box before tonight?

01/08/11

Superman surprised me by buying me an electric blanket today.

Guess he'll no longer have to hear me beg him to warm up my side of the bed!

Love that man!

Have you ever...

2011-01-06T14:33:00.002-05:00

Have you ever had a spontaneous idea strike in the kitchen?

I wanted to whip up something quick, easy, and sweet.

I had a few bags of strawberry and blueberry muffin mixes that needed to be used, but didn't want to dig for my muffin tins.

I pulled out my mini-loaf pan and made loaves instead of muffins.

Superman loved them!

He said he actually prefers them over the muffins.

So, that has me thinking, what else do I have in the kitchen that can be used a little differently than it's original purpose?

What have you successfully used in an alternative way?

Linking back to Rhonda@Down-to-Earth.

Day 365~

2010-12-31T21:01:00.001-05:00

I DID IT!

I took a picture a day for the whole year.

I was just really bad at getting them all posted.

I'm planning on taking a picture a day in 2011, but I'm OK with it if I stop somewhere along the way... or if I don't get a picture a day, but do get 7 pictures in a week.

Sometimes I couldn't tell the whole story with just one picture.

Sometimes I had to search for something to take a picture of, because not much was happening.

One thing is for sure, I'm going to try to do like Tara Whitney and get a picture of my whole family once a month.

If I'm successful, I may just have one that will work for our Christmas cards.

Here's to wishful thinking!

I'm also for sure that I won't be even contemplating posting my pictures daily.

But, I may try to post them weekly, like Benita at Chez Larsson.

Love her blog!

She's one of the 3-4 that I actually read every day.

Here's to looking forward to all that 2011 has in store for us!

Day 363~

2010-12-29T22:19:00.001-05:00

Great night.

Friends over for dinner.

Computer working again.

Yummy southern leftovers for later.

A clean kitchen to boot.

Quick photo before heading to bed.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

Remembering that Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Merry Christmas!

Day 357~

2010-12-23T17:32:00.000-05:00

Just a couple quick shots before heading to Central... most of these presents will be unwrapped there tonight.

Ahhhh, I'll be home for Christmas!

Day 351~

2010-12-17T23:16:00.002-05:00

Christmas cards addressed, stamped, and ready to mail...

better late than never!

Day 333~

2010-11-29T16:53:00.004-05:00

Which of the following could cause such a laundry room disaster:

A. Being out of town for the better part of 3 weeks

B. Building, sanding, and painting leading one to escape her home for days

C. Preparing for weekend house guests

D. All of the above

* Needless to say, it's crazy around here!

Day 331~

2010-11-27T19:11:00.001-05:00

The tree is up!

Construction is going on in the living room, so it will be awhile before any ornaments are on, but this is a start!

~Nannie~

2010-11-16T21:54:00.001-05:00

Saying goodbye to Nannie.

Be back when I can...

Day 303~

2010-10-30T20:24:00.002-04:00

Joined our extended family for a cookout and bonfire tonight.

It was so very nice!

We loved every minute of it!

Day 302~ The Old House

2010-10-29T11:12:00.000-04:00

We've procrastinated long enough!

Today was the day to finish emptying out the old house so that we could rent it out.

Seeing it empty actually fills me with relief and not the first bit of sadness.

It is the first home I lived in with Superman, the home we brought our little, bitty babies home to, but also the home we have future plans for.

And for those plans to happen, we needed to move out and move on...

Day 301~

2010-10-28T19:40:00.004-04:00

(photo by Cameron)

The joys are so proud of their pumpkin carving skills!

They go out each night, replace the tea light, and light up their pumpkins.

I'm pretty stinkin' proud of them, too!

Day 300~

2010-10-27T21:32:00.003-04:00

Probably one of the last of our nights to have salads for dinner for awhile.

It's beginning to cool down, and I'm already having trouble finding our favorite salad toppings- like yummy, summer tomatoes.

Day 299~

2010-10-26T21:18:00.002-04:00

I am beyond thankful that Superman loves to do pumpkins with the boys.
I find and print out patterns, then hide behind my camera!That way I'm involved, but not covered in sticky pumpkin 'guts'.

BrytonPick Review

2010-10-25T20:33:00.004-04:00

My purse will now officially hold one more item!

And my teeth are sure to be 'brightened'.

BrytonPick sent me these two "string-free, portable and reusable dental space cleaners" to try out and review. I was a little sceptical, because I'm accustomed to dental floss, but I really wanted to see if they really worked as advertised.
AND THEY DO!

They come as pictured on the top left side of the photo.

When you pull the top and bottom of the packaging at the opening, you're left with a credit card sized case to store the BrytonPick in, in you're wallet or billfold.

I was amazed at how flexible the stainless steel edges were. See what I mean?The edges are germ-resistant, can be cleaned with a napkin, tissue, or hot water, and are reusable for up to 30 days.
To learn more about the BrytonPick, please visit their website here.

When you do, check out the images of how you use BrytonPick if you have braces: here.

I wish they had been around when I had braces!

Product review & giveaway disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Day 298~

2010-10-25T20:20:00.002-04:00

Note to self: When these are the only items in your buggy at the grocery store, the woman behind you in line will ask if you have a sick little one at home.

To which you will reply, "Yes."

The tummy bug has invaded our house, and the littlest joy is down for the count.

SmartKnitKIDS WINNER!!!

2010-10-24T20:49:00.003-04:00

AND
THE

WINNER IS...
Mommy Wants to Read!

Thank you to all of you that entered my first-ever giveaway!

And, special thanks to SmartKnitKIDS for graciously giving away their wonderful products!

Congratulations to Melissa at Mommy Wants to Read!

Please email me with the style, color, and sizes of your three free pairs.

I'll be back tomorrow with another product review!

Day 296~ The Big MO

2010-10-23T23:53:00.004-04:00

(photo by Cameron)

Beautiful farmland at sunset on our drive to Monetta.
I obviously have much to learn about taking photos at night, but I had no choice but to document the joys' first trip to a drive-in movie!
We loaded up the car with drinks and snacks, stopped by the local pizza shop for pizzas to-go, and began our one hour trek to The Big MO!
It was all I expected and then some!

Thanks to some Facebook advice, we were well prepared.

(Thank you, Sherry!)It only cost $20 for us to get in- and it was a double-feature.

The boys enjoyed 'Legend of the Guardians' and 'Alpha & Omega'.

I mainly enjoyed snuggling up to the joys in the cool, fall air under a quilt.

Poor Superman dozed in and out in various seats in the car.

He had worked all day, so when the first movie started at 7:45 pm, he was already pooped.

Next time we'll do things a little differently.

Like, pack the air mattress for laying down in the back of the car.

After two movies, I realized I'm not as young as I once was.

I think we'll also pull the 3rd seat out and set it up for Superman to stretch out on.

All in all, it was a wonderful night!

Best family date night ever!

Thank you, Superman!

Day 295~

2010-10-22T22:39:00.001-04:00

Friday nights are normally date nights around here.

However, Superman has to work tomorrow and we have a family date planned for tomorrow night, so he and I didn't make any plans.

But then I read on FB that the new yogurt shop in our little town was now open, so we had to go!

Well, I had to go!

Superman was not so gung-ho with the idea.

I obviously convinced him to take me!

But, I couldn't convince him to let me take my camera in.

He hates it when I take pictures of random things in public... like gets embarrassed and turns red- sort of hates it!

Bless his heart!

I just couldn't convince him that taking a picture inside the new shop so I could post it here was worth his embarrassment.

Oh well, he took me for a ride around town while we shared a cookies-n-cream waffle cone, and let me take pictures once we got back in the car.

That makes it a hot date, right?

Day 294~

2010-10-21T16:21:00.001-04:00

I have been in a funk all week long.

Pooped, grumpy, funk!
Even my pictures have been out of whack!!!So today I decided to do something about it!
After finishing school, I ordered the boys to their rooms for shoes- and then out to the car.
I wouldn't tell them where we were going.
Because of my aforementioned 'funk', I think they may have even been a bit worried that they were in trouble.
So, imagine their surprise when I swung through Zaxby's for kid's meals, then stopped at a park for an impromptu picnic!
:)
We discovered nothing cures a funk quite like fresh air, sunshine, and a picnic with some veggies for Mom...
except maybe all of that & a side of french fries for her, too!

Day 293~

2010-10-20T22:16:00.001-04:00

Been one of those days.

Ended it on a sweet note, though!

Ahhhh, Ovaltine!

Day 292~ Drink the Wild Air

2010-10-19T14:30:00.000-04:00

At the insistence of the littlest joy, we've added a daily walk to our homeschooling schedule.

Truth be told, I like the idea a lot... it was just the motivation to get up and do it that I lacked!

It felt great to soak up some sunshine (vitamin D) and breathe in the wild, fresh air.
Which, of course, reminded me of a piece of artwork I need on Etsy by Katie Daisy at The Wheatfield.
Superman, if you're reading this... I really, truly need it! :)

Day 291~

2010-10-18T21:13:00.002-04:00

What a Monday!

Made it out the door just in time to take the littlest joy to karate, only to hop in the car and find that it wouldn't crank.

I've known my fuel pump was dying, but had no intentions of replacing it until it was all.the.way.dead.

Today was the day.

Oh well, life goes on!

If I had to find a positive, it would be that I learned I should be having my fuel filter replaced every third oil change.

In all my years of driving, I never knew.

Did you know that?

Day 289~

2010-10-16T13:32:00.007-04:00

Today my sweet, little brother took the oldest joy to a Clemson game.

With us iving in Gamecock Country, he doesn't often get to Clemson games in Death Valley.
My sister was kind enough to let Cameron have her ticket, and she took the littlest joy out for lunch and a movie while I went to shoot pictures.
Thanks, Ashleigh & Daniel!There are not words for me to tell you how much I just want to smush kisses on this sweet little one's face.
I've loved her since the first day I laid eyes on her!Her big brother is quite a cutie pie himself!
Love these kids!

SmartKnitKIDS Seamless Socks Review & GIVEAWAY

2010-10-13T16:46:00.013-04:00

I was contacted by a company that helps match bloggers to companies that would like their products reviewed. I wasn't sure if that was the direction I wanted my blog to go, but I was intrigued. After checking it out, I found several products that are very much in line with me and my family.

So, with that said, I am so very excited to share my first product review with you!

SmartKnitKIDS makes a variety of seamless sensitivity sock products that I am in love with!
You can visit the SmartKnitKIDS website here. When I agreed to do this review, I was highly interested in the SmartKnit AFO & KAFO socks.

As you know, our Wyatt has mild cerebral palsy and wears an AFO.

He was able to go a couple of years without his AFO, but has recently had to begin wearing one again.

To be completely honest, I need to tell you that I had actually purchased SmartKnit AFO socks for him years ago, but due to packaging changes since I bought those socks and the amount of years that have passed, I had no idea these were made by the same company.

With that being said, I can guarantee that I not only truly love and recommend these socks, but I also have lots of experience with specifically the AFO socks.

For example, I found out the hard way NOT TO USE BLEACH when washing the AFO socks.

:)This chart shows how the AFO/KAFO socks are sized.

Though we have only used the white AFO socks, SmartKnit makes them in white, black, grey, navy, purple, and pink.Because the socks are seamless, they are also wonderful for those in the Autism spectrum, anyone with sensory issues, or even diabetics.

No seams = No rubbingThis isn't the best picture, but I was hoping to show how soft and fluffy the fabric is.

They are, by far, the softest socks I have ever felt.

The socks are made with moisture-wicking fibers, which help keep your feet cool and dry... a major plus when your leg is encased in an AFO for hours!

Care instructions for this smooth, soft fabric: machine wash warm, tumble dry medium, and do not bleach.Wyatt prefers wearing his AFO socks a little long.

He likes to fold the sock down over the top of his AFO.
This especially helps when he has long pants on.
It helps to ensure the velcro on his AFO doesn't cling to the lining of his pants. I wanted to include this visual for you, if you're wondering what all the hype is about seamless socks compared to traditional socks.
Not having seams can truly help those who are rubbed by the seams- which is common in AFO wearers and those with sensory issues.See how smooth?I know I've had lots to say about the SmartKnit AFO socks, but what's even more wonderful is that SmartKnitKIDS makes several other types of socks, as well!
These are the kids' socks.
LOVE THEM!
We will be purchasing lots of them!
They are made of the same fibers and are super soft!
They are also seamless.Because they come in ankle, crew and knee-high lengths, there is a style to suit everyone!

These are all mine!

Yep! SmartKnitKIDS makes a BigKids sock that fits adults.

I've considered hiding my pair, so that none of my boys could possibly put them on their feet.

That's how exceptionally soft and comfortable they are!

Now, for the exciting part!

SmartKnitKIDS is kindly allowing me to host a giveaway for one of my lucky readers to receive THREE PAIRS of SmartKnitKIDS socks!

The winner can choose the style/color/size to be shipped to any US or Canadian address.

Leave a message to enter.

You can have a 2nd entry by clicking 'LIKE' on the SmartKnitKIDS Facebook page here.

For a 3rd entry in this contest, become a Follower of BoysMyJoys.

(Giveaway closes Thursday, October 21)

GOOD LUCK!

**Note: I am not a paid representative of SmartKnitKIDS, but was provided products to test and review.

This Product Was a Free Giveaway

Day 278~ Grace Brings Contentment

2010-10-05T20:23:00.007-04:00

This was my teabag this morning.

It nearly made me cry.

Then it sunk in a little deeper, and I was inspired.

Sometimes life is hard!

Sometimes when you see people's true colors, you realize they never were who you thought they were!

Sometimes families lose the very glue that binds them together!

And, it stinks.

But, you know what?

When you extend grace, even when it feels like it is undeserved, you're becoming more like Christ.

You're loving others like God loves you!

I, a fallen sinner, never deserved the grace God gave me!

Yet, He gave me His grace!

Who knew that 3 simple words printed on a teabag would bring such wisdom?

Reminding myself throughout the day to extend that precious grace was a thousand times better than dwelling on the hard, rocky places and the hurt caused by hard-hearted people that I can't change.

In the end, it made for one beautiful day!

So I challenge you to extend a little grace and feel the contentment that comes with it!

Day 277~

2010-10-04T20:19:00.002-04:00

Looking a lot more like Fall around here.

Day 276~

2010-10-03T17:24:00.003-04:00

Decorating for Fall!

Day 275~ Pumpkin Cupcakes

2010-10-02T17:30:00.002-04:00

Thanks to this college pal for inspiring me to make these cute cupcakes!
Sent several dozen to a fundraiser to help out an amazing friend.
A friend that loved on my boys for me when I had to leave them to go teach every day.
Love, love, love her!

Get Well Soon Ms. Pam!

Day 274~ $2.50 Chandelier

2010-10-01T16:32:00.004-04:00

I usually avoid the dollar section of Target.

But, I strolled down it this week, and found something that made my day!
My kitchen sink before.

My kitchen sink after!If you want one, too, they are mixed in with the Halloween items!

But I think this one will stay up much longer than just Halloween!

For $2.50, Superman no longer has to hear me repeat how much I'd like a sparkly chandelier in my kitchen!(up close without flash)(with flash)

P.S.- The 'SMILE' canvas in my window is from Elizabeth.

You can visit her etsy shop here.

You can see another post about her here.

Day 272~ Green Smoothie

2010-09-29T14:52:00.001-04:00

We're still sticking with making green smoothies every morning.

And, I'm loving it!

Today's consisted of ground flax seed, baby spinach, peach, banana, kiwi, and carrot.

They are delish!

One of the joys doesn't like the texture of them, but with a straw, he'll suck them down happily.

Day 269~

2010-09-26T14:38:00.002-04:00

EMPTY!

Did you know that growing boys can eat you out of house and home?

I'm learning that!

Day 258~

2010-09-15T22:44:00.002-04:00

Two of my boys are headed out of town for a trip.

That means I'm up to my elbows in laundry.

Lots to do to get them packed!

Whew!

Day 257~

2010-09-14T18:10:00.002-04:00

Dehydrating parsley!

Yum!

Had lots in our produce basket this week, and don't want to waste it!

Day 255~ Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

2010-09-12T17:44:00.002-04:00

Poor Superman is s.i.c.k.

He requested some soup, so I whipped up something that is both good for him and super easy to make!

Have you ever tried to make homemade chicken noodle soup?

It's a breeze!

I had some homemade turkey stock that I made after cooking the turkey from the farm.

I pulled a bag of that stock/broth out of the freezer and started it thawing.

While it was thawing, I sauteed a medium-sized onion in some butter in my stock pot.

I also tossed in a few boneless, skinless chicken tenders to cook up with the onions.

Once the chicken and onions finished, I added in my turkey stock.

It wasn't all thawed out yet, but that didn't matter.

As it liquefied in the stock pot, I chopped up lots of carrots that I had in the fridge.

Superman loves carrots, so I chopped lots and lots and lots!

I didn't have any celery, so my soup only included: onions, carrots, turkey stock, chicken, and spices.

As for spices, throw in what you have and what you love!

I added: 3 tbsp of Himalayan sea salt, cracked pepper, Mrs. Dash, and a little tad of French onion soup mix that I had left over.

I could have just added salt and pepper.

It would have been fine!

But remember, I'm a spice-aholic!

Let the soup simmer for an hour or so, to soften the carrots.

My pot looked like it needed a little more liquid to handle the noodles, so I added about a quart of water.

15 minutes before serving it to Superman, I brought the soup to a boil and poured in a bag of egg noodles.

That's it!

Easy peasy!

Broth, veggies, meat, spices, and noodles!

Just in time for cooler weather!

I love making soup in the fall.

Day 253~

2010-09-10T21:23:00.003-04:00

Nearly every Friday night, I get a HOT DATE with Superman!

So very thankful that the joys have an amazing grandpa that makes it a priority to spend time with his grandboys... they are, after all, the only grandchildren there are/will be on that side.

Paw Paw Bruce ROCKS!!!

Also super-duper thankful that said quality time with the grands equals hot date time for me and Superman!
And boy howdy- we live it up on Friday nights!

Nothing but the finest for us...

(I kid! I kid!)

We hit the local Mexican joint.

Lately we've shared chile rellenos, and order margaritas or tea.

Like I said, nothing but the finest for us!

Our little Mexican restaurant rocks almost as much as Paw Paw!

Our hot dates cost $20 or less.

We couldn't even go to the movies for $20.

I love Fridays!

Day 252~ Look what I won!!!

2010-09-09T17:29:00.002-04:00

I am so behind on my poor blog!

But, I must must must tell you about the amazing Elizabeth at My Tattered Rose.

She is one crafty gal!

And she does fabulous giveaways!

I was lucky enough to win all of these goodies from her!

THANK YOU, ELIZABETH!!!

I love them so!

Go check out her blog here.

And her amazing etsy site here.

You'll be so happy you did!

Thanks again, Elizabeth!

Day 249~

2010-09-06T16:42:00.003-04:00

This area is quickly becoming my newest favorite nook in the house.

In our last home I was hesitant to hang many things on the walls.

We lived there 13 years.

What a waste!

I've already hung lots of things on the walls here, and we only moved in in March.

It feels good!

In June, Superman's grandma gave him this cross-stitched picture.

I almost cried when he opened it.

It hung over his grandpa's desk area for years.

And, was one of the few possessions of his grandparents' that he has ever truly wanted.

If you ever knew his grandpa, you'd know he was very old-school in his thinking concerning women.

But, we were all the better for our experiences with him.

He taught us all so much!

Superman has quoted the poem from this picture to me for years!

;)

"Man wants little, is easy to please.

Woman, bless her heart, wants everything she sees!"

Priceless, huh?

I call that saying a 'Tiny-ism'.

(Superman's grandpa's nickname was Tiny.)

It's just one of the many zingers that wise, sweet man was full of!

Day 248~ Historic Charleston, SC

2010-09-05T17:14:00.003-04:00

We spent the day after the wedding taking the joys to some of the historic sights in Charleston.
It was 95* outside, and with Charleston's humidity, it felt like over 100*.
But, I was determined to get at least one shot of the boys on the cannon balls.
When I was little, we spent lots of time around Charleston.
Somewhere there is a picture of me on the cannon balls at The Battery.
Mom?
Dad?
Do you know where it is?

And when you have boys, you're bound to end up with at least one picture like this! It makes me think of the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote.
'It didn't work out too well for the coyote', did it?
(Can you name the movie that line is from?)

Of course, we had to cross the bridge and take the boys to see the USS Yorktown.
To say I thought a lot about my parents while we were there, would be an understatement.
Thank you, Daddy, for dragging us to every historic or military site you possible could in our childhood!
I find myself following in your footsteps!
P.S. The fire station on Meeting Street was fabulous.
I'd like to tour that one, for sure!
Thank you, Mama, for instilling a love of all-things Charleston in me.
Sure do wish The Ice House was still open!
That would have been the perfect spot to stop for lunch!

Day 247~ Folly Beach

2010-09-04T20:16:00.002-04:00

It is not easy to get 4 boys ranging from age 1-12 to not only look at the camera, but smile- all at the same time!

But gosh, they are sweeties anyway!

These fellas are all of the current cousins in their generation.

I've been envisioning this shot ever since I first found out we'd all be together on the beach watching another of Superman's beautiful cousins say, "I do!"

I was determined to get at least one shot that I could frame and give to Superman's grandma for Christmas.
So, now it looks like I have at least one Christmas present taken care of!

WOOHOO!

And as a bonus, I even happened to get a shot to print and frame for me!

What a great weekend!

Day 245~ AFO Fitting

2010-09-02T20:01:00.000-04:00

Time for another AFO.

Tight heel cord=bad.

He's been casted several times this summer to try and help, but it's time to try an AFO.

He's been out of AFOs for a couple years now, and that was nice.

But he's a tough guy, he'll be alright!

On a positive note- this one will be for sleeping.

On a negative note- he picked out a USC Gamecock design for it.

Day 244~ Scoliosis X-Ray

2010-09-01T19:44:00.003-04:00

This is a busy week for the littlest joy- OT, PT, orthopaedist follow-up, and an appointment to be fitted for his new AFO.

3 down, 1 more to go!

I'm floating on a cloud right now!

See that x-ray behind my boy?

It shows that he's only lost 1* from all the improvements he's made trying to straighten his spine.

(So I don't forget- he's gone from a 15* curve, and now is at a 6*)

I am more than thrilled!

I was so worried, because he's had a few setbacks due to the growth spurt he's been going through.

That's the tricky thing with scoliosis, when you're 10 you're going to grow, but times of growth can cause the spinal curvature to worsen very quickly.

We'll have to stay on top of it for the next few years, but I'm so thankful that we're in good hands!

His team knew I was really nervous about waiting until our scheduled November appointment for his next round of x-rays.

They encouraged me to follow my gut and request an earlier appointment.

I'm so glad!

Now I can rest a little easier!

Day 240~

2010-08-28T20:50:00.002-04:00

Superman took the joys on a short road trip to meet Sgt. Slaughter, WWE Hall of Fame wrestler.

The littlest joy collects wrestling autographs, so it was right up his alley!

Flashback: Did you watch the 80's cartoon "Rock 'n Wrestling" on Saturday mornings as a child?

That's all I could think about after downloading the pictures they took!

Day 239~

2010-08-27T20:54:00.003-04:00

I personally despise Wal-Mart.

You could also fill in the blank with: hate, loathe, abominate.

I can count the times I set foot in a Wal-Mart in a calendar year on my fingers.

It's a BIG business thing.

I'd rather pay a dime/quarter/dollar more and feel like I'm paying a fair price for my goods.

Not a fan of Wal-Mart policies.

I also prefer to support local businesses.

But, aside from my personal feelings about the chain, I also don't like that I used to go in for one or two things, and come out with a buggy full.

That sort of defeats the purpose of saving a dime/quarter/dollar, huh?

Today, I was forced (kicking and screaming) to go in for mini-dvds for the oldest joy's camcorder that I couldn't find anywhere else.

I purposefully went in without a buggy!

I made the mistake of swinging by the cleaning aisle after being unsuccessful in my attempt to buy said dvds.

Of course!

Thank heavens I didn't have a buggy!

When my arms were full it was time to go!

Day 238~

2010-08-26T20:35:00.001-04:00

Little by little, we're getting his room finished.

The more we do, the more time he spends in there.

So nice to have a place of his own!

Day 237~

2010-08-25T20:15:00.003-04:00

Though it is completely endearing that he's thoughtful and all,
after spending some time together alone today,

he said to me, "Honey, one day it's going to be just you and me...", and smiled at the thought of it all.And with that, I nearly cried!

I love him!

I love to spend alone time with him!

But, I'm not so sure about the idea of my babies growing up and leaving me.

(It's still OK to call a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old babies, right?)

Day 236~

2010-08-24T23:25:00.000-04:00

One of my sweetest little (twenty-something living on her own) cousins is in town for a few days.

She stopped in to visit, and we decided to head out for an impromptu dinner and a movie.
She's been reading Eat, Pray, Love so that's what we chose to see.
I really liked the movie!
But, it would have been so much better without Julia Roberts in it.
I know... gasp!
I just don't have a lot of tolerance for her.
When I see her face, my mental picture of the People Magazine photo of her wearing a t-shirt that read "A Low Vera", her attempt at putting down the wife named Vera of the husband she was stealing him from, is all I can see.
I feel the same way when I see pictures of Angelina Jolie.
Not a fan of husband-stealing Hollywood actresses.
...but did I mention that I actually liked the movie?
:)

Day 235~

2010-08-23T16:43:00.002-04:00

(photo by Wyatt)

A couple of days ago, Superman mentioned that he passed Tiffany's while he was working, and wished he'd have stopped for a gingerbread man.

They are his favorite childhood treat, just as this is mine.

When he was a child, it was a treat to stop at the Tasty Bake and get one.

The Tasty Bake is long gone.

A Rite-Aid stands on it's hallowed ground.

However, Tiffany's makes them, and he likes them just as well.

I pulled into the parking lot, planning to pick up a gingerbread man for Superman and petite-fours for a cousin's birthday.

The joys rolled out of the car before I could even get my door open.

Seems an affection for gingerbread men may have been passed along in their genetics!

Day 234~ Family reunion

2010-08-22T16:15:00.002-04:00

Ahhh, family reunion time.

I look forward to it each year.

I especially love picture time.

Here are the joys with their generation of cousins.They were nervous about holding the newest babies of their generation for the picture.

She looks a little bit nervous to be held, too.

I kept having to remind Wyatt to keep her head up, bless his heart.

We had such a great time.

So many of us had kept up better via FB that we were even more excited to see one another face to face.

Especially loved that!

Day 233~

2010-08-21T23:14:00.004-04:00

I'm going to tell you a secret, but please don't hold it against me.

I can be a little bit of a brat at times.

(just a little bit)

Like, when I go home to Central and don't have a bed to sleep on... I'm a brat.

Or don't have a room to put my stuff and my children's toys in... I'm a brat.

Or when the shower isn't just so... I'm a brat.
I don't act that way when I'm a guest at other people's homes.

I promise!

It just sort of stinks to grow up, move out, and not be able to go back home.

I've lived out of my childhood home for more years than I ever lived in it, so you'd think I'd be used to it by now.

What can I say?

I'm a brat!

This weekend we packed up the family and headed back to Central for a family reunion.

My children are really good at making themselves at home there.

I'm getting better at it.

But, we were also taking Superman.

And even though I can sleep on a couch, and have no problem making beds for my boys on the floor, Superman is 6'4" and not built for couch or floor sleeping.

As luck would have it, my little brother was coming back into town- and sleeping in his room (that was my childhood room... I know... I'm a brat!)

But luckily my dear Dad was teaching out of town for the weekend.

Mom put my family in her master bedroom.

It was BLISS!

As in, staying at a bed and breakfast sort of bliss!

We arrived to fresh sheets, quilt turned down, lamp-lit atmosphere, and a freshly scrubbed bathroom (thanks, Ash!).

Have I mentioned that it was absolute bliss?

Because it was!

We weren't even in town for 24 hours, but we had somewhere to put all of our things, and a quiet place to escape when needed.

THANK YOU, MOM!

Thank you for sacrificing your room and for such enjoyable hospitality.

It was one of the best trips home... ever!

Day 232~ Lucky #7

2010-08-20T19:07:00.002-04:00

We were headed out the door for a childless HOT date when Superman spied a 'Lucky #7' on the wall.

It took us forever to figure out where it was coming from.

It was actually a reflection off one of the picture frames on the sofa table.

Crazzzy!

But it sure did make us smile!

Day 231~

2010-08-19T21:02:00.002-04:00

What a nice surprise!

Grammy was in town for a short trip, and stopped by to see the boys before bedtime tonight.

Can you tell they have her wrapped?

She is!

(And honestly, they are wrapped around her little pinkie, too!)

Day 230~

2010-08-18T20:31:00.002-04:00

This is the sort of brotherly battle I'm OK with!

They love their Beyblades.

(Beyblades are basically spinning tops- reinvented for the 21st century.)

What toys are getting lots of wear and tear at your house?

Day 229~ Fruit Pizza Recipe Tutorial

2010-08-17T13:18:00.009-04:00

This is the food of my dreams, I kid you not!

When I was young, fruit pizza was my Mom's speciality.

And though I complain about her never, ever making it for me these days (you're reading this Mom, right?) I've never attempted to make it myself... until today.

I started with homemade cookie dough.

You could use store-bought cookie dough.

But why would you want to when homemade is this easy?Cream together 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of softened butter.Next, mix in 1 egg.Every recipe I found recommended sifting together your flour, salt, and baking powder.

I'm entirely too lazy to do that!

I just combined 3 cups of plain flour with 3/4 teaspoon of salt.Then I mixed it all together with the 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder.

(Please make sure you're stocking your kitchen with aluminum-free baking soda!)Then, gradually mix the flour/salt/baking powder mixture into the butter/egg/sugar.

Blend on low until the mixture is pulling away from the sides of the mixer bowl.

Press the cookie dough mixture into a greased 9X13 pan, and bake in a 375* oven for 10 minutes.While allowing the cooked sugar cookie pizza crust to cool completely, mix up your "pizza sauce".
Simply cream together 2 room-temperature cream cheese blocks with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.Once the cookie crust has cooled completely, add the cream cheese sauce.
Though my Mom always made her fruit pizza on a cookie sheet in a circular shape, I decided to bake mine in a 9X13 Pyrex dish.
Because of the rectangular dish, I iced my pizza so that all the edges are covered.
Mom's circular fruit pizzas were not iced all the way to the edges.
This made her fruit pizza look much more like an actual pizza than mine!

Next, top your pizza with the colorful, seasonal fruits of your choosing.
I used:
strawberries
peaches
bananas
kiwi
blueberries
blackberries Finally, drizzle fruit glaze on top of the layered fruits. I made my glaze by blending together the little bits left over from the bananas, peaches, kiwi, and strawberries, with some of my canned peach jam, a few teaspoons of water, and a splash of agave nectar.
(I didn't use the dark colored fruits, because I didn't want the glaze to discolor the toppings.)
I simply used what I had on hand.
The point of the glaze is to add a sweet liquid that will absorb into the cookie dough as it is refrigerated.
The soggier the dough gets, the better the fruit pizza tastes.
Some people don't even add a glaze, but because I grew up eating it that way, I add one.
Mom's glaze was a mixture of pineapple juice and orange marmalade. She added just enough pineapple juice to thin-down the marmalade.

**After tasting the fruit pizza made using this guide, there are a few things I'll do differently next time.
-There is enough dough to make 2 thinner pizzas. I like that this one was a thick crust, but I can make the batch of cookie dough go further, and make 2 pizzas. So, next time I'll keep my same recipe, but make 2 pizzas from it.
- I'll probably bump the oven down 10*, just to see if that makes the cookie softer, so the glaze will absorb more quickly.
*UPDATE- I used fresh peaches and bananas. To keep them from turning brown, dip them in lemon juice. I even poured the little bit of left over lemon juice in the blender to make the glaze.
*UPDATE- You want to leave the fruit pizza in the refrigerator overnight before eating. Otherwise, it's more like a stiff fruit tart.

Day 228~

2010-08-16T17:47:00.003-04:00

Making my first-ever fruit pizza (my Mom's speciality) today.

Just needed to pick up a few more fruits to make it colorful.

I'll post the recipe tomorrow!

Day 227~

2010-08-15T15:40:00.002-04:00

Sang at church today, for the first time in a long time.

You can hear the song here.

Day 226~

2010-08-14T17:33:00.002-04:00

Superman's cousin (who I also claim as my cousin, because I claim nearly all of his family), is getting married next month.

Her mom threw her a beautiful shower today.

It was so nice to go and spend time with such fun friends and family!

Awww, she is going to be such a beautiful bride!

Day 225~ Homemade Turkey Salad Recipe

2010-08-13T17:24:00.002-04:00

Several days ago I roasted a turkey.

Since it was a really good quality turkey, I decided to not waste a bit of it.

I boiled down the bones and made chicken stock, and I also decided to make some turkey salad.

It was super easy!

Simply chop and mix the following: light and dark turkey meat, two red onions, four boiled eggs, salt, and pepper.

This was the first time I used my food processor to chop it all.

That made it go much more quickly, but it was definitely a little different texture than what we normally make.

Day 224~

2010-08-12T18:39:00.001-04:00

It's official, I'm old!

Or, at least my eyes are old!

I have things that need plucking, and I can hardly see them anymore.

;)

I remember when I worked for Clinique eons ago, and our department began carrying magnifying mirrors.

I thought they were absurd!

In fact, when I tried to use one, it was too hard for my eyes to focus, because everything seemed distorted from the magnification.

I gave up trying to use it and just thought they were meant for reallllllly old people!

Guess what?

I'm now reallllllly old, because look what I had to buy today!

Day 223~

2010-08-11T18:29:00.003-04:00

I left my good camera at home, and had to settle for pics with my camera phone.
Not too good, but they do preserve the memory!

THANK YOU, DAD, for dinner at Sumo's!

Add that to our list of reasons that we love it when you're in town to teach!

Day 222~

2010-08-10T19:03:00.006-04:00

I love this boy!

He's growing up so quickly in front of my eyes.

But if I'm absolutely honest, this growing up thing is killing me!

The independence of him wanting to light his own candles, the idea of him changing from the cake I was going to bake to the one he saw at the grocery store, the fact that he brought me home an "I Love You" balloon today when he thought he'd hurt my feelings about the cake, the visual of him now standing taller than me- it's almost too much!

Oh my little boy!

Every year for their birthday, they pick the meal and cake they want.

(They also have no chores for the day.)

His meal of choice?

Meg's Meatballs- found here.Of course, Superman helped.

I {heart} Superman!And here's a look at the oldest joy's last birthday.

Talk about killing me... he looks so grown up since last year.

Does the growing up thing get any easier?

Or do I just need to find a therapist now?

Oh, these boys!

They truly are my joys!

Day 221~

2010-08-09T18:55:00.002-04:00

(photo by Wyatt)

PLUTO from Disney for the littlest joy.

Thanks, Auntie A!

Day 220~ FOUR

2010-08-08T16:25:00.004-04:00

4 people

4 days in a hotel

4 laundry bags full of dirty clothes

UPDATE 2

2010-08-06T22:43:00.002-04:00

May is 100% updated now, too.

They won't post in my feed burner, but you can see them here!

UPDATED

2010-08-05T20:47:00.005-04:00

March and April AND NOW MAY are 100% updated, but aren't posting in my feed burner.

If you'd like to check them out,

March is here.

April is here.

May is here.

mmmmmwahh!

~dana

Day 216~

2010-08-04T15:55:00.008-04:00

I've been dying to roast the turkey we ordered from our farmer in Tennessee.

I finally had a chance to get to it this week.

As usual, I used the Williams-Sonoma brine, as well as The Pioneer Woman's roasting tutorial.

(other posts on brining here)

Day 215~

2010-08-03T21:38:00.002-04:00

LOOOOONG day!

Good, productive, and happy, but very long!

I'm off to take my shower then snuggle into my fresh, clean bed.

Can't wait...

Day 214~

2010-08-02T20:53:00.003-04:00

Friends over for popcorn and movies.

Day 213~

2010-08-01T20:50:00.001-04:00

Playing FreeCell with Superman.

Day 212~

2010-07-31T15:51:00.001-04:00

I'd never had a pedicure until a year ago when THE GodWoman took me as a treat!

We went again this weekend, to have a little girl-time.

Add that to my running list of reasons that I'm thankful for Superman in my life!

If it weren't for him, I'd never have know THE GodWoman or THE Godfather.

I'm supremely blessed to have such a wonderful set of friends... friends that will be in our lives forever!

Blessed!

Day 211~ Chelsea Handler

2010-07-30T23:15:00.002-04:00

I love this man!

Have I ever said that before?He took me to see Chelsea Handler's comedy tour this weekend, bought me a COSLOPUS t-shirt, and
had us spend time with THE Godparents!
They are crazy-funny!
And I love them!

Day 210~

2010-07-29T23:06:00.002-04:00

Kids to my parents' house- check

Superman and I packed for the weekend- check

Unwinding after the drive to NC- check

(Remember to call sister and wish her happy birthday- check)

Day 209~

2010-07-28T13:04:00.002-04:00

At the bank... again!