Fun Times

With all of the "busy"ness and craziness of life now-a-days with 3 boys ages 3 and under, I often feel guilty that I can never get enough done - laundry, housework, cooking, baking, crafting/sewing, reading, gardening, etc.  But most importantly, I always feel guilty for feeling as if I don't spend enough time with all of my boys.  That is by far more important than any household chore or hobby (not to say that I don't think that "me" time is important...such as hobbies).  With Gavin so little and still so dependent on me, I miss the time that I get to spend with my older two boys and often wonder if I make enough of a point to make sure I give them special one-on-one time.  Yesterday I set aside all housework that needed to be done and we had a fun day doing stuff around the house...things that we don't do every day.  First we pulled out some of my craft/scrapbooking items and we made birthday cards for daddy (whose birthday is today...but I'll get to that in a minute).  They had SO much fun - especially Landon!!  Cole had fun for about 5 minutes and then wanted to move on to something else...ahhh, the attention span of a 2-yr old.  Anyways...it was a great bonding time for the boys and I...it was so enjoyable watching them be creative and have fun making their cards for daddy. Here are a few pictures:

Afterward, we cleaned up our mess and played a bit.  Come lunchtime, we made our own little home-made pizzas.  I rolled out little pizzas with pizza dough and let them "make" them themselves.  Landon loved being a little "chef" :)  Cole enjoyed eating everything rather than putting it on his pizza!!  Here are pictures of the boys making their pizzas:

It was a fun day - we were also able to enjoy the BEAUTIFUL weather outside!!  And I have to include a picture of Gavin because 1) he is just too cute to leave out and 2) he was so good and slept a LOT so that I could enjoy this time with the older two boys:

And lastly, I want to wish my handsome hubby, Jason, a Happy 35th Birthday!!  Wow, I could go on and on about how wonderful he is!  I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband who is such an incredible daddy to our sweet boys!  I love him so much...he is truly my best friend and I could not imagine my life without him!  He makes me laugh, he listens to me when I need to talk, he cares about me, he helps me out around the house, he takes the boys when I need a break...he's just a great guy!  I'm sure he won't read this, but Jason, I love you!!  Happy Birthday - looking forward to celebrating many, many, many more birthdays!

OK, this has been quite the post today (I've had to save it and come back a few times...ahhh, the life of a busy mom).  We're looking forward to the long weekend and then VACATION!!  Bye for now :)

First-Time Bowling

A few weeks ago, when Nana and Pops were visiting from MA, we decided to take the boys bowling for the first time.  We thought Landon would LOVE it, however we weren't so sure about Cole...we figured he'd just run around the entire bowling alley giving us a good amount of exercise from chasing him.  We were very surprised...he LOVED it!!  I think he was even more excited than Landon (at least he showed his excitement a little more).  They had so much fun and worked up quite the appetite (which sent Nana to the vending machine SEVERAL times to feed them).  Here are a few pictures of our fun time at the bowling alley:

I wish I was able to get some pictures of the FRONT of them rather than their backs, but oh well...it was such a fun day with lots of memories made :)

I Love Saving Money!

I have been trying to get this couponing thing down over the past few months and while I wouldn't say I am one of those people who get $150+ groceries for like $30, I do feel that I have been saving money.  I get so excited when I come home with such great deals.  Tonight would be one of those times!!  I went to Target and walked out with two bags and paid only $4.80.  This is what I bought:

Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer Shower Cleaner (reg. $8.69) - paid $.69
6 Renuzit Air Fresheners (reg. $.94 each) - paid $2.82 for all six
2 Airwick AquaMists (on sale for $1.99 each) - paid $.99 for two
1 Dental Floss (reg. $.97) - got $.03 credit

All that plus tax came to $4.80!!  Savings of $15.93 (or so it says on my receipt).  I was pretty happy :)  I love finding great deals...and I LOVE TARGET!!!!!  I also made a trip to Wal-mart for $.99 wipes, $.50 new Kraft sandwich mayo, $.50 Kraft salad dressing, plus a few other non-saving items.  Of course, I spent more time waiting in line at the check-out than I actually did searching for my list items.  Have I mentioned that I am NOT a fan of our local Wal-mart?  I was so excited to have a new, expanded Wal-mart about a mile from my house, but it has not lived up to it's expectations in my opinion!!  Thankfully, Target is just as close!!

Anyways, just had to share!

Grilled Chicken

Yesterday I shared one of my favorite summertime desserts, so today I thought I'd share one of my favorite summertime meals.  It's my favorite because 1) it's SOOOO yummy and 2) it's SOOOO easy!!  We love to grill out a lot during the summer...several times a week at least!  This "recipe" is something we eat A LOT!!  It's so simple!!  You just need chicken, Italian dressing mix, and zesty Italian dressing:

All I simply do is take the dry mix and rub it onto my chicken.  Then I put it in a large ziploc bag and pour Zesty Italian dressing into the bag.  I don't have any particular measurements because it depends on how much chicken you are using...so just eye it.  I usually use one packet of dressing mix for about 4 chicken breasts and enough of the liquid dressing to cover it and marinate.  I let it marinate most of the day.  Then I take it out and grill it!  It's so good!!  Some of the things we like to eat it with are: rolls, corn on the cob, salad, rice...lots of possibilities!

Bon Appetit!!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit pizza is one of the most delicious desserts out there - it is my most favorite summertime dessert when it's topped with yummy fresh fruit!!  We had it for dessert on Father's Day, but since it's such a favorite around here, I thought I'd post a pic with the recipe (the pic was from a previous time I made it):

FRUIT PIZZA

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Assorted fresh fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in egg. combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Press dough into an ungreased pizza pan. 
Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool. 
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until light. Spread on cooled crust. 
Arrange desired fruit on top of filling, and chill. 

NOTE:  I used low-fat cream cheese and I thought it still tasted great...I may try fat-free cream cheese next time to save even more calories!!


Anyways...had to share one of my favorite dessert recipes - I wish I could eat this every day!!

Happy Father's Day

I want to wish every dad out there a VERY HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, but a special one to the three "fathers" in my life :)

To my dad, I am so thankful for such an amazing father who I respect, admire, and love so much!!  He is such a compassionate and giving person.  He is such a hard-worker and is always willing to help all of us when we need something done.  He is a fantastic "grampa" (or "gampa" as Cole would say) to our sons.  Our boys get SO excited when they get to spend time with him (and gramma too).  I love watching him and Gavin "talk" to each other in their own special little language...so funny!!  He is someone who makes us all laugh...I have many memories of laughing so hard until we are all practically crying!!  I am so thankful for such a wonderful dad!




To my husband, my best friend and man of my dreams.  He is such an incredible daddy to our three little boys.  I always have such great joy watching him with our sons...putting them to bed at night, playing with them outside, wrestling with them in the basement, reading them books, taking them to special places...I look forward to watching more of those memories in years to come.  He is so patient with them, so kind.  He loves each of them so much and cares for their well-being.  He is such a hard worker and great provider for our family.  I'm so thrilled to see the special relationship he has with each of our boys...they all love their daddy!!  I love you Jason and I'm so thankful for the amazing husband and father that you are.



To my father-in-law, someone we don't get to see as often as we like because of the miles that separate us.  When he comes to our home, I might-as-well say good-bye to my boys because they LOVE the time they get to spend with their "Pop" :)  He is such a kind, tenderhearted man who loves his kids and grandkids - they all have a very special place in his heart!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!

I'm Back :)

Well, after taking a break from the blogging world, I think I'm going to try jumping back in! We'll see how long this lasts...my 3 little boys keep me very busy, so time at the computer is limited now-a-days!!

Lots has happened since I last blogged, so here is a whirlwind update.  We welcomed our 3rd baby boy into the world on February 23, 2010...Gavin Scott. 

He is such an angel baby!!  He is very laid back, very content and happy most of the time, and such a sweet, sweet baby!  The Lord knew I needed an easy one :)  Especially with two other little boys so close in age!  My labor with him is one I will never forget - the most intense, painful time in my entire life!!  Thank goodness it went so quickly (I was in the L&D room for 37 minutes)...because it went so fast I could not have any pain meds, so he was born natural.  We chose not to find out what we were having (although Jason apparently knew all along because he saw "something" on one of the million ultrasounds we had).  I figured with our track record that we'd have another boy and I was right!!  I love him to pieces...I couldn't have asked for a better baby!!  He is now almost 4 months old and he's growing up WAY TOO FAST!  In fact, it seems like they grow up faster and faster with the more kids you have!!  I don't want him to grow up so quickly!!  Here is a recent picture of my sweet happy baby:

Cole just had his 2nd birthday...he is such a sweetie (when he's not screaming or fighting with his brother).  He just had his doctor's appointment and he was in the 100th percentile for height...he is very tall!!  He was in the 60th percentile for weight.  He looks so different from his big brother with his light blond hair and bright blue eyes.  He adjusted VERY well when Gavin came along which surprised us since he is such a mommy's boy!!  He does very well playing on his own, but he loves to follow his big brother around and copy everything Landon does!!  Here is a recent picture of him (on spaghetti night):

And then last, but not least, my big boy Landon!!  Wow, that boy is growing up TOO fast!!  He talks so "intelligently" for a 3.5 year old...and is sometimes TOO smart.  He LOVES having a baby brother.  He tells me every day how much he loves baby Gavin.  He is also a good helper and big brother to Cole.  He is such a funny little guy - always has the funniest expressions and funny faces!!  He LOVES playing outside - especially baseball with daddy.  Here is a recent picture of him (eating lunch...hence the food in his mouth, but such a nice picture otherwise):

So that is the update on my 3 boys.  I think that's all I'll update for now - it's getting close to lunchtime and then NAPTIME...YAY :)

Birthday Cakes I've Done

So my friend referred me to the Birthday Cake Round-Up so I thought I'd post a few of the cakes I've done for my boys' birthday. I am by far no experienced cake decorator, but I enjoy trying to make the cakes for their birthdays :) The Curious George was my first cake, the Farm Animals my second, the Lightning McQueen my third, and the Jungle my most recent.

Landon's 2nd birthday (Curious George):



Landon's 3rd birthday (Lightning McQueen):



Cole's 1st birthday (Farm Animals):



Cole's 2nd birthday (Jungle):


I enjoy doing these for my boys' birthdays, but I'm glad there are only a couple each year :) Starting next year I will have to do THREE a year!!

Wow, this is embarrassing...

I can't believe it's been almost THREE months since I've blogged...summer has arrived and we are now busier than ever!! We spend so much time outside that I hardly have any time indoors anymore!! And you can tell, my house feels like a wreck :)

Wow, so much has happened in three months!! Cole turned ONE in June!!! I can't believe that my baby is already one!! He has days where he can be a difficult child, but I love that little boy to death and he is such a sweet boy with such a handsome smile!! I have a gazillion pictures from his birthday that I will try to post later.

We just got back from a day at the beach, Wildwood, NJ, on Friday. It was Landon's first time to the beach. He absolutely LOVED it!! He loved the water and he loved the sand - he didn't want to leave. He still asks to go back!! I was burnt so badly and now I look like a bright red strawberry, so I can't say that I wasn't glad to come home!! It was so fun watching Landon have such a blast though. Cole didn't enjoy it as much, but there isn't a whole lot he really enjoys now-a-days :) He did like playing in the sand, but he didn't like the water at all. I was surprised by that because he loves water...bathtime is his favorite!!

The boys are getting so big! Landon turned 2 1/2 in May...it's so hard to believe he will be THREE in November!! He talks so much and does so many different things that it is hard to remember that he is only 2 1/2!! He's a smart little cookie!! The things he comes up with keep laughter at a high in our household!!

We are still loving our new home...what a blessing!! It's been perfect for us!! The basement is finished for the most part, although we still need to add some trim and a few final touches. It's awesome having the extra space down there...the boys LOVE the playroom!! Once it is completely finished, I will post pictures.

This is so random, but I have to say one of my favorite things about summer is being outdoors, enjoying the flowers and the smell of grilling out!!! We have some nice shade in our backyard (wish I could say that about the front), so it's nice to send the boys out to play on their new swing set and just enjoy the outdoors :)

Well, I know I need to post some pictures soon, but the boys are finishing up their lunch and now it's time to clean-up. Hopefully I can get some pictures up before the next 3 months!!

Spring Fever

Well, I have a terrible case of SPRING FEVER!!! We had several nice days in a row and lately it's been a little cooler...I want spring back full-time!!! I am loving all of the pretty plants that are no blooming!!! Spring is one of my favorite seasons...fall being another!!

So, I missed my American Idol recap last week...things were a little busy around here!! Needless to say, I was not one bit surprised that Megan Joy was voted off. It was definitely her time to go!! So, last night...agh, so boring!! I was not very impressed with the night, however there were some great performances!! I have to do a quick recap because I have a fussy 10-month old. I'm not sure I will do this in the right order either. Danny started the show and he did OK, but it was most definitely not his greatest performance. Kris also did well, but once again, not his greatest performance. Lil, well, I think she will be leaving the show very soon - she has not done well the past several weeks and I would not be upset if she were voted off tonight. Scott, I thought he did OK, but I think he will be leaving soon also. Allison did VERY well, I was very impressed by her song!! There is a lot of hype about her probably being in the top two. I don't agree with that (yet), but I do think she sings well. Anoop was OK in my opinion. He did much better than the past few weeks, but I'm still not crazy about him. Matt was AWESOME - I loved it and I think he is definitely one of the strongest in the competition. And last but not least, Adam. I was so disappointed that I didn't get to see his performance because my DVR cut it off since the show went over it's allotted time. However, I watched it on YouTube this morning and I love that song and his version! He was HOT (voice, NOT looks) - that boy is such an incredible singer. He drives me crazy as a person, but he has won me over with his voice...such talent! So, in my opinion, the bottom three should be Lil, Scott, and Anoop. I think Lil should be the one to go home, but it's hard to say - we will see tonight.

Well, I had so much more I wanted to write, but I need to tend to my little hungry boy!! He was still sleeping when I started this post...I should've known better that I could make it through an entire post in peace and quiet :)