It's a Girl..

I have some very AWESOME news! Only a very small handful of people know this...and I feel now is as good a time as any to share...

Our family has grown!! Miranda is living with us now! She is one of Chesney's best friends and we could not be happier to have her be a part of our lil family! I won't go into details on here but if anyone wants to know a bit more, give me a call. I will let you all know this, she is safe, happy and very much loved here with us. She has been with us since June 26 and is getting quite comfy! The room that used to be the basement "living room/Ches' hangout" is now Miranda's room. My parent's gave us the bed they had in their spare bedroom, Sheila's mom had an extra dressser for her to use and we've been busy making curtains and putting in carpet and making it, well, her OWN. Her fave colors are green, black and white and her fave new thing in her room would probably be the bed sheets! They are bright green with little white alligators all over!

Miranda's such a sweetheart, so quiet and soft spoken. She expresses her feelings and thoughts thru writing and I encourage her to do that as often as she needs to. There have been a couple of late night tears that have flowed and we have hugged and cried and laughed thru it together. Chesney is VERY protective of Miranda and I love seeing how nurturing of a person she is. Can't say I'm surprised, Ches is fierce when it comes to her friends and family. Dallas is outnumbered now but I think he's loving it! Just one more person to play cars with!!

So...I'm sure I could just go on and on but rest assured, I'll keep you all updated.

My Fave Things Pt.1

My house usually smells like something. Now stop...something GOOD! I always get comments on how nice the kitchen or bathroom smells!! Ok, here's my secret.....CALDREA!! Caldrea Citrus Mint Ylang Ylang countertop cleaner!

I was shopping at TJMaxx one day a couple years ago and found it in their home section. It was on sale twice over and it was a good deal so I bought it, smell un~smelled!! When I finally pulled it out from under the sink and used it a few weeks later, I was in LOVE! It smells lovely, works great and it's enviromentally friendly! I use it as an all around cleaner, it's soo much more than just it's title! Now I just go to caldrea.com to replenish my supply and have found other scents that are just as smelly~good! They have everything from dish soap to laundry soap and they also have an AWESOME body line for grown ups and babies! But my fave will always be the CMYY!

It's too quiet

David is at work. The girls are at the pool. Dallas is at Ganny's til 6.
Normally I'd be all WHOOPIE!! about having the house all to myself. I mean, I can get a lot done. Like the laundry, catching up on my reading, even taking a long soak in a bubble bath or even better, a looong nap. But no. Not me. Not today. Instead I have found myself walking around the house in and out of the kids' rooms looking around at all their belongings, toys, gadgets and what nots with a smile. Standing quietly in the middle of my room running my fingers across the smoothness of the comforter that lies in a heap at the foot of our unmade bed. Peering into the fridge for what seemed like forever hoping that the next great American recipe would just pop up in my head and I'd be cooking away. Laying here on the couch with this laptop listening to the AC kick off and on and the roar of tractors and other farm~ish type vehicles driving by thinking to myself....hmmm? Because that is the only sound I can make right now. It's a content hmmm.
Soon my home will be filled with sound. Chesney laughing just like I do. Dallas making vroom vroom crash sounds with his Transformer of the day. David outside weed eating HIS lawn..(expertly I may add) Maybe I'll just lie here a bit longer and relish the quiet. Close my eyes and enjoy the sound of contentment. hmmmm

How much for a pair of jeans?!?!

Yesterday was the big day. Yes folks, I'm talking about SCHOOL CLOTHES SHOPPING DAY.
Call me crazy, but I actually really like this day. The excitement, the runnin' til your're ragged, the "Oh hell no you are not wearing that...EVER", and the ever popular, "How much? Do I look like I'm made of money? $100 for a pair of ripped up jeans?!" Anyways, David lucked out and was at work all day so it was off too the mall and Target we went. "WE" consisits of Chesney, Dallas, Miranda, my Mom and Dad and yours truly. My parents have long been friends to the "kids clothes fund". It's something that they have helped out with dollar wise since Ches was little. (Hallelujah!!!) I'll keep this short and sweet tho cause we spent a good 6 or so hours in and out of EVERY single teen/juniors store in the mall and Target! Taking a break to eat an awesome lunch at Old Chigago to refuel of course. Here's the girls with their mouths not full of food or saying "how cute...love it...ooh, I want this one...or does it come in yellow or green?"


I came out alive. So did the wallet. And so did Dallas as this was his first foray into the wonderful world of school clothes shopping. He made out, too! Tons of "awesome rocker guy stuff" as he put it!

One month til school starts!!!!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

These crazy girls crack me up! Allow me to present...Miranda, Tori, and Ches!! They decided to play dress up, 80's Valley Girl style! It was totally radical to see them all dressed up and being silly girls!

Dallas' BDay party

I'm so not the party planner type. Dallas' 5th BDay party was yesterday and it was just a good old fasioned cake and ice cream deal. My sister Kari and I made the chocolate cakes the night before so we wouldn't be rushed the day of, great idea sister! That's about the extent of the planning...everyone showed up that said they would (holy crap) and I thought I had enough paper plates and plastic forks (soo0 not Green of me) and I made some pink lemonade. And ewww...that does NOT go well with chocolate. Anyways, we just barely squeeked by with enough forks, I think a mom or two had to share forks with their kiddos! Dallas blew out the candles before we even got to sing Happy Birthday! Present time was exciting as he thanked everyone for their gifts and cards and I'm very happy to say that the game Trouble got a bigger response than the Wii did! Who'd a thunk?
Anyways, it was quick, fun and an easy clean up. That's my kinda party! Dallas had a good time with his friends and tells me that he knows everyone had a good time cause "everyone likes cake and ice cream, Yaya!"

They love me for my mashed potatoes

It's probably the one thing that I know I pretty much do better than anyone else. Seriously. I make THE BEST MASHED POTATOES. I know this cause everyone who has ate them loves them. I decided to old school it tonight with supper. Well, I kinda did last night too. It was breakfast for supper last night, the whole shebang...French Toast with Cinnamon, scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns(homemade not frozen!!) with and without onions and green peppers and chocolate milk so thick it damn near stuck to your ribs! But I digress...Tonights dinner was meatloaf, the aformentioned mashed potatoes which will now just go by the name of MY mashed potatoes, and sweet corn and crusty bread. And oh my was it yummy!! While my mashed potatoes are ALWAYS delicious the meatloaf is touch and go as I always go with my own whatever-sounds-good recipe for it! But it too was delicious! I used Mrs. Cubbisons meatloaf mix from the WonderBread store and added to it one egg and instead of just ground beef, I used one pound each lean ground beef and lean ground turkey. And I always use Schwans sweet corn, it just tastes better. Now I can't tell you all my secrets with the taters but I'll tell you this...it is seriously doctored up!! I have always said I wanted to leave my mark in just a small way, maybe I'll pass on my mashed potato "recipe"....I know Chesney will love/cherish owning it!!

And away I go...

I'm not sure where to begin? I've never blogged before, so bear with me. A dear friend of mine, Laura, has such a talent/knack for all things creative and she has a blog (elephant juice) that I LOVE! And now here I am, inspired to do the same!
As I sit here, my home is a buzz with random activities. My son Dallas and his cousin Gabe are playing (read..running around like mad men) and my daughter Chesney is outside watching and giggling as her boyfriend Zach and his friend Isaac are popping some kind of fireworks. Ches's friend Miranda is still sleeping downstairs. Ahhh, those endless summer nights of a teenager lend to sleeping the mornings away!! The washer is running as usual and the sound of my fan still on from last night plays white noise in the background. And from somewhere in the house, or is it the front porch...my presense is being requested as Dallas and Gabe are THIRRRRRRRRSTYYYYYY!!!!!