Nothing New

There really has been nothing new going on in our lives to write about, so, I thought I’d write about nothing.

Girly Girl has struggled since early Fall with wrist problems related to gymnastics. She did not compete all of last season due to this injury…so, she came to us in December and said she was ready to quit gymnastics because her wrist hurt everytime she came home from practice (to the point of her crying every practice day) and she felt like she needed to work on her grades at school (she had been struggling in Latin). Her last practice was in January — we are officially out of gymnastics. Her grades have seen some improvement and she has turned into a real “tween” and spends most of her time texting her friends…we have to find something for her to do!!!!

Button Boy spent the fall playing Upward Flag Football. It was the first time Frazer had offered it and he jumped at the chance to play. In the beginning of the season he couldn’t catch the football…by the end of the season he was able to catch it and continue running some. He made great improvements!!!

After Christmas Button Boy played Upward Basketball…his favorite! He did very well, even though I don’t think he made a basket all season…he didn’t get frustrated, he just kept his calm and worked every minute of playing time he got.

Button Boy thinks his next sport to take part in will be karate. We are waiting for Spring Break and then will register for that.

For Christmas Button Boy and Mojo got season tickets to Auburn Basketball again. They have thoroughly enjoyed the Da-Da/son time it has given them even though the basketball team sucked! Girly Girl and I decided to go to Auburn Gymnastics again this season, but we didn’t buy season tickets. We have enjoyed the time together….I truly hope that the kids look back on these times and remember them fondly.

Button Boy has not had another EGD since this summer, we plan on having one sometime in March. He has been getting his swallowed FloVent even though he still has some coughing (we think this is part of his EoE). If his next EGD results come back favorable we will be adding Nuts back into his diet….he can’t wait to have a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup!!!

Mojo and I celebrated 15 years of marriage on December 20! It is hard to believe we have been married 15 years…most of those years have been great…but like every marriage we have had our trials. God has blessed us richly!!!

We have several things that we are looking forward to this summer including a trip to Tallahassee, FL, for my college roommate’s wedding and a trip to Sevierville, TN, for a family reunion.

That is our update for now…Hopefully I’ll have some pictures to post soon so everyone can see how much Girly Girl & Button Boy have grown!!!

Crock Pot Spaghetti

A friend of mine posted on FaceBook about a slow cooker spaghetti she had made that turned out delicious…so, I thought I’d try it.  Well, I ended up burning it to pieces, but the pieces that were not burned were soooo good!!!  I thought I’d share the recipe with my vast audience!  🙂

CrockPot Spaghetti

1 box uncooked spaghetti noodles, broken ( I used Angel Hair Pasta)

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Classico because it was on sale)

1 bag frozen meatballs (again, I used what was on sale)

Break up noodles and place in the bottom of the Crock Pot.  Pour spaghetti sauce over noodles.  Add 1/2 jar of water.  Add meatballs.  Cook on LOW. (I burned mine because I cooked on HIGH….do not cook on HIGH!)

The sauce is absorbed into the noodles and just makes it so tasty!  Much better than just plain noodles with sauce on top….this may be the only way I make spaghetti anymore!!!

Daily 7’s

I am always looking for tips and suggestions that make housekeeping easier.  I will never pretend to be a perfect homemaker, but I strive everyday to be a better homemaker.

Today I was looking for some slow cooker recipes and found out that a blog I follow A Year of Crockpotting….is now posting on another blog Totally Together.   She had a great post called The Daily 7 for a Highly Successful Household. 

I love to get ideas to make my house cleaning an easier task…luckily I am already doing a few of her tips.  Mojo and I make our bed every morning (this is a new thing for us, but it makes it so nice to go to bed with straight sheets and not crumpled up sheets!).  I try to keep my sink clean — this is a Fly Lady trick that I attempt to stick with because it is amazing how much cleaner your kitchen feels and looks without dishes all piled up in the sink!!  I try to do a load of laundry every day…my mom always wonders why I am always saying I have laundry to do, but I do….and one load of laundry — washed, dried, folded and put away — a day is a way to help me to keep from drowning in piles and piles of laundry.  The kiddos are becoming better at helping me with laundry also….Girly Girl helps me get clothes washed and dried and she puts away her own clothes….Button Boy helps me pick clothes up and sort (he’s still working on getting this right) darks and lights…., but they are learning!

One thing that I will probably try to begin doing is the daily wipe down in the bathroom.  I really don’t like cleaning the bathroom and it is easy enough to keep Clorox wipes on the counters and wipe down daily….this is a great suggestion!!!

The suggestion that I am the worst at is the Clean Up After yourself and Help Your Children Do the Same.  I get lazy…very lazy.  And you can tell in my house when I get lazy because my shoes are at my chair, not in my room…there is my snuggie in my chair, not folded and put away…there are papers on the kitchen counter, not put in their place…  I do try to remember to clean up after myself, because I want my kids to be better at housekeeping than I am….

My challenge to myself is to take time everyday and clean up after myself and train my kiddos to do a better job of cleaning up after themselves! 

Way to GO, Girly Girl!!

Girly Girl was promoted to Level 4 in gymnastics!  We are so proud of her and her willingness to work hard at something she loves!  Way to go, Girly Girl!  I love you!!!!

 

Memory Wreath

I am a sentimental fool.  I think I get it honestly.  My mom is quite sentimental, also. 

I turned 40 yesterday.  Yep, the big 4-0.  Does it feel any different?  Not really…except for the fact that I now know that I am 40, I still feel 35….I probably still act 25! 

Last night my Mom and Dad gave me the sweetest gift….a Memory Wreath.  Or at least, that is what I am calling it.  It is a wreath that my mom put together that has things on it that have to do with my life.

Some of the items on it:

• pictures of my family (mom, dad, jk, & me)
• birthstone ring
• peanut (I was born in Dothan, home of the Peanut Festival)
• 2 or 3 angel pins (my grandmother collected angels)
• Russian Laquer pin (I went to the USSR in the 11th grade)
• Finnish spoon (I went to Finland the summer after my Senior year in high school)
• a Robert E Lee pin (my high school)
• a Disney Music Days pin (my high school 11th grade band trip)
• a cat pin (I love cats….and the play CATS!)
• an Eiffel tower (trip to France w/ my family)
• strand of pearls (when I was in high school I wore pearls with **everything**!)
• strands with my kids names on them
• TSU pin
• turtle pin (sorority)
• Aubie pin
• flute charm

and so much more!  I actually have some things at home that I plan to add to it, too.  What a terrific gift to receive on such a sweet day!