A Thousand Words Thursday - Indiana Jones

You know you have them, those photos worth a thousand words. Show them off! See more at Cheaper Than Therapy.

MD's secret identity is Indiana Jones. He had me make him a messenger-style bag this summer. He asked Santa for the "Indiana Jones Sound Whip with a Hat" (the Official Red Rider 200 Shot Range Model Air Rifle) for Christmas. He likes to wear half unbuttoned shirts w/ white t-shirts underneath. He knows the entire theme song AND who composed it (DO YOU?!). If we need to talk him into doing something he doesn't want to do we tell him how Indiana Jones would do it! He even sleeps with all this stuff by him!

Apparently Indy had just rolled out of bed on this day...

Thematic Photographic - Busted

This week's theme at Written Inc's Thematic Photographic is "busted". This is a few shots of our garage one year ago after it was his by our neighbor's son on an icy evening. Notice the door on the ground feet from our van. Don't worry, the van wasn't hurt. I did, however, total the van the very next week in an accident. It was not a good month.

Wordless Wednesday - more kids

More Wordless Wednesday photos at 5 Minutes for Mom!

I Heart Faces - B&W

This week's theme at I ♥ Faces is B&W. How ever will I choose......
I just love this baby picture of J - black and white suits it well!

Not Me Monday - Family Time

It's time to confess (or NOT) all the stuff you may or MAY NOT have done this week. Go 'head. Get it off your chest. Then go see what others have NOT done at My Charming Kids!

I DID NOT feed my children some form of pizza for at least 3 meals out of 6 this weekend. I ALWAYS cook healthy and nutritious meals for my growing kids! It was certainly NOT ME!

I DID NOT upgrade JC's diapers yet another size just so I don't have to change him overnight anymore. I'm up anyway, feeding him, right? Why would I be so lazy as to not want to change my sweet little boy and keep him from weighing twice his weight in the morning?? NOT ME!

I DID NOT allow our kids to stay up as late as they wanted Friday and watch as much Power Puff Girls as they could stand. I make sure my kids get lots of healthy sleep every night of the week. I know this was NOT ME!

YOU DID NOT SEE THIS...

I DID NOT insert missing people into my family's most recent photo when they all couldn't get together. Pictures are to document the occasion, not create false memories, right?! Besides, do I even know how to use photoshop? NOT ME!

THIS NEVER HAPPENED...

BUT THIS DID (?)...

Friday Fragments - headaches and stuff

Friday Fragments - all the stuff too small for it's own post, too good not mention...even if it's late! See lots more fragments at Half Past Kissin Time!

• A letter to my brain: Dear Brain, I am so very sorry for withholding precious sleep from you. I fully deserved the migraine you reigned upon me Thursday morning that caused me to be miserable and loose my breakfast. I couldn't see in the blinding light through the windows and needed to cover my ears when DH's movie got too loud. I deserve that. In the future I promise not to wait up until certain Mr. Linky's make their appearance or use Skype to talk to someone half the country away while I make brownies at midnight. You have put me in my place.... Mel


• PM, My two-year-old can now cop an attitude better than any of my kids. She will turn her head and yell "I can't hear you!!!" when you tell her to do something she's not in the mood to do.

• Made my first Mei Tai sling. JC's getting a little too large for the regular baby sling and it's a bit easier on my back to have him centrally placed. After trying it out, I've decided what I like and don't like about it when I make the next one. The fabric cost was only about $6 (2 yards) and the time was about 2-ish hours.

• I'm shooting a wedding next weekend where the groom's entire family doesn't speak English. Should be interesting.


• Smashed up my toe with a two liter of soda. A FULL two liter. That's about when my migraine started, maybe THAT's what happened. I knocked it off the counter right on to my big toe. I turned and missiled the bottle into the garbage. I had to restrain myself from throwing the bottle out a window. I was actually shaking while the kids ate their oatmeal beside me and I swallowed every cuss word in the book until I could get the the bathroom. Then I let 'er rip. DH was mad he had to dig the full bottle out of the garbage. Really?

A Thousand Words Thursday - S.W.A.K.

See lots of photos worth a thousand words at Cheaper Than Therapy!

PM again...she just seems to do such funny things! I should pick a week and feature each kid. This week seems to be mostly her's.

Thematic Photographic - Wordless Wednesday - Up

Carmi at Written Inc. hosts a nice photo posting called Thematic Photographic. Each week he picks a them and throughout the week shows off some impressive shots he took that relate to the theme! Last week's theme was "down", so it follows suit that this week's theme is "up". Here are my "up" photos....

Wind Point Lighthouse - Racine, WI

That's enough words! It's supposed to be WORDLESS WEDNESDAY. You can see more WW posts at 5 Minutes for Mom!!

I 'Heart" Faces - Wonder

This week's theme is "wonder". The photos at this contest are fantastic and I hardly expect to be in the top ten, but please go check them out! They will certainly inspire you to capture more shots of your "wonder"ful kids!!

Totally Talented & Tempt My Tummy - Therapy & Tacos

Totally Talented Tuesday is brought to you by Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House. Find the hidden talent in your household and share with us!

This week I have to hand it to PM who cut with scissors for the first time! She is with her occupational therapist here using scissors with a plastic loop-thing on the back side that springs the blades back open. She tried with both hands.

They then used the cut pieces to stick on a sheet of clear contact paper and make a valentine!!

AND built a heart from these funky block...whatever they are...PM has been a real trooper lately with her therapy and always has such a good attitude! It really helps when she has people working with her that make it fun and love what they do! I actually got a note from an OT student via YouTube who wants to use a couple of her videos for a speech she is doing at a hospital to tell them about the benefits of CIT in children!! Cool, huh?!

Next up...yummy stuff

This is a quick one.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays come from Blessed With Grace. Go see more tasty recipes!!

My husband came up with these little treats. PM is not too keen on the full sized tacos we make, even in the flour tortillas we usually use. Rather than make an entirely different meal (something we agreed not to do with our kids) he made these:

Taco Bites

the nice thing about these is that they can be leftovers in any amount

"Scoops" Tortilla Chips

Seasoned Taco Meat (we use the powered mix packets often)

Cheddar/Mozzarella Shredded cheese

Taco Sauce

Just spoon taco meat into each tortilla chip, top with cheese and other desired toppings. Bake on cookie sheet until cheese melts. Enjoy with or without taco sauce! These can easily be done in the microwave as well. Happy snacking!

Not Me Monday - The Mall

It's time to NOT confess what you've done this week. See what others have NOT done at My Charming Kids.

I DID NOT pay my oldest to change my youngest.

I DID NOT let PM use up all of her Princess sticker earrings in one shot by sticking them all on her face.

I surely DID NOT let the kids eat only deserts for dinner Saturday at the Karaoke party. And speaking of karaoke, I DID NOT play karaoke suicide and sing a song I don't even know in front of everyone!

I DID NOT take the kids after church to the mall for lunch and let them play in the germ infested Dinosaur playland for exactly 10 minutes. You can't catch a cold in 10 minutes, right?

I DID NOT feel exactly like JC watching the throngs of children coughing and climbing and touching stuff....

Friday Fragments - VD

Friday Fragments - too small for their own post, too good to discard. See more at Half Past Kissin' Time!

• I get really restless...I changed my blog look again. I think its actually a form of procrastnation... I have tons of photo work to get done! I also didn't realize just how popular this background is! I may have to give making my own another go.


• So grab a new button...or don't. Whatever. They'll all still work. I'll probably change them again in a few months!


• We made VD boxes this week (ha ha VD boxes, at least I think I'm funny). I had planned on making MD a Lego Man box, but he decided last minute that was not what he wanted. So he set to work on his own and drew Power Puff Girls (latest obsession) and Mojo Jojo and SpongeBob and Plankton and Mr. Crabs and Patrick all over the box. (If you are not familiar with these names, then we obviously don't run in the same circle!!!)


• AM went for the King Tut box, her idea. Did I mention she is going to be an archaeologist when she grows up. (And race the Iditarod) No crowns and Tu-tu's here. Miley who? Love it!!
  

MD making SpongeBob. Check out the book beside him ☺

I am totally in love with his shaggy hair. Military dad is not so much. I have been putting off cutting it. I think its cute!!!

Okay, mom drew it, but she did all the painting!

The finished product. Cool, right?!

Hey, it's first grade!

PM has been kicking butt and taking names in therapy. Since the CIT we have really seen improvement in her fine motor and her strength. Look at those fingers!! They're OPEN!!

A Thousand Words Thursday - Grandpa

See more ATWT photos at Cheaper Than Therapy

Grandpa always knows how to make J laugh. He obviously enjoys this. J does, too!

Also, this is DH's dad...so this pic is a little taste of what I'm in store for! Did I just say that??

I "Heart" Faces - Silly

One more quick entry for the I ♥ Faces photo contest...post yours quick, it ends Wednesdays!!!
If you can't tell, this week's theme is SILLY!

Wordless Wednesday - Thematic Photographic - "Down"

This week's Thematic Photographic at Written Inc. is "down". Now, I thought a lot about directions, but this photo struck me as the best "down" I could convey. That's all the words I'll say, as this is also Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Not Me Monday - Sick Babies, still

Fess up! It's "Not Me!" Monday! See what others did NOT do at My Charming Kids.

I once again am NOT writing from work. I don't do that. EVER. Not me!

I DID NOT give my sick baby to lovely and motherly babysitters from church while I worked at the hospital with everyone else's sick babies. I'm a stay at home mom...and I DID NOT just admit that!

I DID NOT feel bad that I am not the one comforting my son while he is sick. I WOULD NOT be making him drink from a bottle all weekend when all he wants is more mommy time.

I also DID NOT have to take Jc in to see the Dr. to find out he has one ear infection and the beginning of pneumonia after assuring my husband he's fine. Definitely Not me!

I DID NOT let the Dr. give Jc an injection of antibiotics rather than the oral stuff so it can work faster and keep us OUT of the hospital. Poor baby, I'm too nice, it was NOT ME!

I DID NOT feel a teeny bit jealous that Hubby took the big 3 kids to dinner and a movie while I slept after the previous work night. Just because WE never get dinner and a movie anymore doesn't mean I shouldn't be happy they get to do it! NOT ME!

I DID NOT give in and buy MD his own box of Golden Oreos, then help him eat them all in one afternoon. SO not me!!

I once again DID NOT ignore my housework just to catch up on blogs. Not me! Um, and it was really NOT ME who moved stuff and stacked boxes differently downstairs just so PM's occupational therapist wouldn't think I hadn't done ANYTHING in that front room since last week when she came. NOT MEEEE!

Friday Friday - sick kids

Leftovers? See more Friday Fragments at Half Past Kissin' Time.

• We have had snotty noses all week. JC took the worst hit last night. He started screaming about 8PM and did off and on all night. I was pretty sure it was an ear. Got in to our local little clinic to check. The PA said it was his right ear and she felt like he was heading for pneumonia, too. She said they couldn't rule it out because they don't have the baby cattle-chute-thingy for x-rays at their clinic. She gave him an injection of antibiotics rather than wait for the oral stuff to work. We're due to visit again Monday. This photo is JC pre-cold. Now picture him with red watery eyes and copious amounts of snot, and crying.
• MD drew me a picture of a heart that said "Mome" (mommy). He explained that he "got tears" while he made it. Then I did, too.
• AM's friends think the rockstar hair is cool. I haven't met any moms that roll their eyes at me yet. At least not to my face. Like I care!
• When I scolded PM for someting naughty, she told me "NO, Piper go cry!" I said OK.
• Debating on a photo seminar in Minneapolis in April. It's a one day thing, I'd spend one night, and I really want to go ALONE...like without kids. Is that possible????
• I have to work this weekend, I'll be pretty much MIA, I'll probably Twitter a lot, so follow me there!
• The RaMbLeR and I had this conversation, then not 1 hour later it happened. Grocery store bagging is apparently a lost art. The bagger at the checkout put drippy meat packages w/ my dairy and squished my bread into a bag full of cans....seriously, people??? I would have said something but my attention was divided among my four kids asking for every piece of candy at eye level in the checkout lane!
• Also, Skype is cool! Just don't forget to turn the privacy settings to "only allow people on my Contact list" or you get Christina.super.sexxxy.whatever.the.heck.her.name.is asking you to visit her site. Riiiiiight.

A Thousand Words Thursday -

Post your picture that's worth a thousand words. See more at Cheaper Than Therapy.

She stole my glasses when I wasn't looking....

Love the static-y hair. Notice the Princess Dress of the Day - Snow White.

She switched to a Barbie Princess Dress later, I guess Barbie's too cool for glasses. But not too cool to have lunch still on her face and stinky pants.

Wordless Wednesday - The Eyes Have It

I'm gonna try my hand at the I ♥ Faces contest again. This week's theme is "The Eyes Have It"
This is my current favorite of AM...