Saturday, July 31, 2010

Pocket Diaper Giveaway Winner!!

Congrats to Linda who was my winner for the diaper giveaway! She has 48 hours to respond or I will be forced to choose an alternate winner!
Thanks for all who commented!!

Friday, July 30, 2010

Friday Fragments

Welcome to the day of purging. Leave your Fragments behind for the weekend with Mrs. 4444 & Half Past Kissing Time’s Friday Fragments!


Mommy's Idea

  • I’ve been hacked. I apparently sent out Viagra ads to all my email friends (and my mom!). If you get one, please don’t open in!! I’ve already changed my email passwords as well as other ones while I was at it. Don’t wait to update yours!

  • I’ve had an extra two kiddos this week for some friends. It’s been crazy but not so bad, really. Just more cooking and planning. Otherwise with a few ground rules, they entertain each other nicely. That being said, I’m pretty sure I can’t do this alone next week.


  • The hubby is going to a professional’s master class for French Horn, he’s being sent there through the National Guard (he plays in their band). He’ll be in FLORIDA all next week.



  • JC got a mosquito bite on his forehead. It swelled up so big that he looks like someone else’s kid! He had one earlier on his arm that also got huge! I guess we’ll need to keep him in more if he reacts like that all the time. Spray or not, you get bitten around here! I tried giving him Benadryl but he wouldn’t take it (too bad, the long nap would be nice, too).


  • I’ve become addicted to FB’s Family Fued, and have a sort-of-competition going on with my husband. Won’t you please play, I need more friends that play!?!?!


  • Took all the big kids (+2) to a city park nearby. It was probably the largest park they’ve played in in recent memory. They had a great time. THEN we saw the signs for FREE ICE CREAM sponsored by a local dairy. Sweet!!!

Summer 2010Summer 2010Summer 2010

  • I’ve had the kids picking choke cherries all week. I now have juice that I plan on making syrup from this evening. When there are fewer kids around….


  • We have well over 50 jars of various jams made. I love it!!!


  • That’s about all I’ve got. Have a great weekend!!

Out of the Mouths of Moms...

OutOfTheMouthsOfMoms

I always say I’m going to need to write these down…and then I forget.

  • No one wants to look at your “business” anyway, and if you insist on changing on the living room you’re not giving us much of a choice in the matter.

  • Yes, honey, when you are older you will have big boobies. Right, your brother will not. Yes, because he’s a boy.

  • No you cannot spend the night at your 13-year-old friend’s house tonight. Because you’re a girl and he's a boy. And you’re eight.


  • Sure honey I like your princess dress! No, I don’t think I need to borrow it tonight. Yes, Daddy might like to see me wear it, but I’ll pass.




  • Drive a pimple? What? Oh…that’s called a BLIMP!


  • Can you watch cartoons? Honey, its 5 am, you can watch whatever gets you out of my room for another hour…..

Like these? See more at MckMama’s place!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Block Party 2010

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Our church’s annual Block Party and Safety Fair was a big success!
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The people we had from the fire, police, and ambulance crews were awesome.  They were excited to share their jobs with the kids and give them some hands on experience.

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JC helped me at the tattoo booth.

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There were bouncy houses!

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All the kids sampled the free food. Several times.

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Hey, it wasn’t just the kids that had a good time!!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Friday Fragments

The week has zipped by once again.  Mrs. 4444 invites us to invites us to join in cleansing our minds of all those little fragments cluttering up the place.image

  • The hubby and I spent the entire day at his parents’ place canning.  His mom had a million cranberries that we smashed and canned.  We brought strawberries, rhubarb and choke cherries to make jam and syrup!  It was a very productive day!IMG_1539a

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  • We still have tons of strawberries to do as well as an entire tree full of choke cherries.  We may set up scaffolding to get to them all.  Yes, they are SO worth the work!
  • Last weekend was the church’s block party.  Max was able to try on a real fireman’s gear.  It was super adorable!  There are lots of awesome pictures HERE on my Flickr page from that day!! (I’m still adding as I post this, too.)

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blockparty6  blockparty11

  •   I put up a set of photos I’m considering for display!  Will you help me decide?  Click HERE for the photos and use the poll in the sidebar to vote (or email me or leave a comment!!)  THANKS!!!
  • JC spread most of a bottle of After-Sun lotion all over the couch.  I was somewhat resistant to leather when we got our couch, but after having JC, I am SO glad we did.  I wiped it all up before daddy came home (he ran to the store) so I neglected to take a picture.  It literally happened RIGHT behind my back.  I was on the computer (really?!) and I smelled coconut…..  I turned around to see him swishing his hands around half a gallon of lotion, splashing it all around the living room and carpet!!  Seriously, it was totally silent!!!  He is truly the trouble maker of our kids…I’ve never had such a naughty-sweet-big-bad-baby before!!!
  • We had a big yet quick storm as I was leaving for work Saturday night (same day as the Block Party!) It showered heavily and dropped some pretty big hail!  I was trying to load up the kids to leave when the downpour started.  I ran upstairs while we waited for a break in the rain and I thought I heard the kids slamming the door.  It was actually these things slamming into the roof and window A/C!  Luckily all the windows survived.  My van has little dings all over it.image
  • I’m giving away a cloth diaper for you to try out (or give to someone who would like it!) Please stop by HERE and enter until 7/25!!  

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Choke Cherries – again!!

I originally posted these couple of pictures last August, but this year with all the rain and heat our choke cherries are early!! I have to go pick.  Tomorrow we head to my Mother-in-law’s place to can rhubarb jelly, strawberry/rhubarb jam, and something with cranberries (I don’t know that we plan on making with them yet).  So enjoy a few shots from last year’s harvest while I get some new ones!!

We have a choke cherry tree in our yard that always produces massive amounts of berries each year. I usually try to pick what I can reach. This year I plan to get up higher and harvest as much as possible. My first excursion into syrup and jelly last year went SO well and we loved all the jars of tart tasty toppings. I was pretty proud of myself for canning for the first time!

I will post some recipes soon!!

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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

First Round Pictures

I was recently asked to show some photos locally and I need some help deciding.  Here’s my first set of photos to narrow down.  Please take a look, then vote for your FIVE FAVORITES in the poll on my sidebar.  Please leave a comment to let me know what you liked/disliked about your picks!! THANKS!!

IMG_0018redshoesRed shoes

IMG_0703sepiaFamily walk

IMG_0918sepiaSweet Dreams

IMG_1128bwMud is fun!

IMG_1131bwEscape

IMG_1148redAlways the princess

IMG_1256a Maximus Defender

IMG_3554bTwirl

IMG_1596red2  IMG_3584a

Red Umbrella                               Sparkly Shoes 

IMG_3915aExploring

IMG_4422Blue Eyes

IMG_4442bMeeting the new baby

IMG_5242aDancing in the leaves

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Baby Jackson                   Sisters and Friends

IMG_6576aA Moment

IMG_6750sepiaFamily Fun

IMG_6504aHolding Hands

IMG_5470aProm Dress

IMG_5413BW We Love You

IMG_8038aCherry Frost

IMG_9138aFlood and the Farmer

piperdandelion Dandelion