Grocery Lists

I found a greta website that has premade grocery lists to print out based on the layout of whatever store you shop at. Click on the link, find your store and click it. Then scroll all the way to the bottom and click on Go to My List.

http://www.keepandshare.com/htm/lists/free_grocery_list.php#anchor_for_childpagelink

The Princess Tutu

 

 

I was going to make Minnie a birthday dress, but the fabric store was out of the white and pink chenille I needed so instead I went to Walmart and bought 3 yds of Tulle in light and dark pink, cut it into strip twice the length of what I wanted the skirt to be and looped them around elastic… VOILE! A beautiful tutu fit for a princess! She loved it and kept twisting side to side and watch it move. Such a girly girl!

The Castle Cake

 

I am so proud of this cake. I think it turned out great! I made it for Minnie’s 1st Birthday which was a fairy princess theme. I had ordered special 1st Birthday Fairy Princess decorations that arrived late because UPS missed a truck going out (driver was sleeping!) UGH! So the day before her birthday I had to run out and get decorations. The closest I could find was Tinkerbell.. so not quite what I had in mind but it worked! The cake I made with a rainbow chip cake mix and made my own Buttercream frosting. I used ice cream cones for the turrets, frosted them and then rolled them in pink sprinkles to give a glittery look. They sit on cupcakes to give them height. The doors and windows were made from a white chocolate bar. I cut a niche in some ribbon and taped them to toothpicks for flags. I think it came out great and the kids LOVED it!
Here is a link to instructions and a recipe:
A major hint is use a 9×9 pan instead of an 8×8 pan. The cupcakes will not fit on the 8×8! Happy Baking!! http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jsp?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/cookingschool_castlecake_09282002.xml&categoryid=/templatedata/bhg/category/data/SlideShows_BakingAndDesserts.xml&resultsType=&page=1

Mickey The Croc Hunter

 

 

We have a wonderful Chldren’s Museum near us that feature a “real” river. Well, it looks real but it is all man made and basically a natural looking toddler wading pool with a waterfall and a stream that runs downhill over river rock. It has two “Crocs” lurking in it that some how Mickey always manages to get to one first. He created quite the seen when other kids gathered around to watch him wrestle this Gator! I must say it is very realistic looking!

Herb Garden

I have decided to start an Herb garden. Since I have never planted anything in my life, I decided to start small with herbs first. I found a great website that walks you through it step by step. Here is the link:

http://www.gourmetspot.com/herbfeature.htm

Green Cleaning

We have been totally Green for a few months now and I LOVE it! Today I was mopping using a mixture of hot water, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. I have Pergo floors and with pergo you can not use much water at all. This is hard to do with my mixture and it ends up leaving my floor blotchy if I get carried away with the water. Just as I was getting frustrated with my blotchy floor, I look to see Mickey happily splashing in my mop water bucket. Then I remembered why we went Green! I just need to experiment on my mixture and maybe use a squirt bottle on the floor to reduce how much water is used. I want to try some essential oils too.

I am a Pack Mule

I was playing with Mickey this morning and he climbed on back and made me walk a round like a pony. He is very familiar with horses and loves them and we have only seen donkeys in books or on his flash cards. Yet, while I was walking around on all fours with him on my back, he yelled, “HEE-HAW HEE-HAW!” Usually, he says NEIGHHH! But I guess today I am a pack mule!

Disneyland

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I updated this post and it somehow jumped ahead of my newer posts so scroll down to read other newer posts.

We took Mickey and Minnie to Disneyland for the first time this year. We geared them up by telling them we were going to visit Mickey Mouses House. They were really excited about that. So we get there and their heads are looking around as fast as they can turn them. We get in line for the Buzz Light year ride but as soon as the line moves from outside to inside, Mickey starts freaking out and bolting to get back outside. We tried to calm him down but he was SCARED! We get to thr front of the line, get in the little car and he picks up the laser gun that shoots lights and vibrates… after that he was just fine! He was so excited after that you’d think he had been going to Disneyland all his life. We rode the Winnie the Pooh ride which they both LOVED!! We also went on It’s a Small World which again they loved. We had lunch at a resteraunt by the river where Mickey didn’t eat anything as usual but instead had a blast feeding his lunch to the ducks, whom I will vouge for are definately The Happiest Ducks on Earth. After lunch we watched the parade. Minnie nursed and fell asleep right before it started, blaring music and all. Mickey however was enthralled. He loved the Lion King float but when he saw Mickey Mouse and friends at the end he went crazy! He really thought they were real. It was so cute. He kept saying, “Look! It’s Mickey!” We called it a day and went home. The next morning Mickey woke up and as soon as I got him up he said, “Let’s Go!” I said where and he said “Let’s Go! Mickey!” We went back another 4 times since then and I swear you would think they have been going all there lives. They never get bored and have a blast each and every time. They really love the Playhouse Disney Live show with Bear in the Big Blue House, Book of Pooh, Stanely and JoJo’s circus. They get up and dance and sing and they love the bubbles that come from the ceiling. I would say my favorite is the Monsters Inc. ride. The crowds are a nightmare and Disneyland is definately at a civil war with those with kids and those without. People have zero tolerance for people with strollers. But you really have to be light hearted and have a good attitude about it all. The heat and crowds do get to  you though and we definately had a few time outs for the grown ups. This kids were fine. Strangely though I noticed they are too excited to poop at Disneyland. My kids are always regular and have never had problems but at Disney… nothing. The next day at home it is all poop all day. All I can guess is they don’t want to miss a thing, so they just hold it in. I will post pics once I figure it out. (Of Disneyland… not the pooping!)

Church

I am excited that not only does my town have the type of church I have always wanted to attend but alot of the Moms in my Attachment Parenting group also attend. There are several in the area. I am going with Louise this Sunday to the local one here in my town. She says it is great! Next Sunday I am going with another Mom. It is a very famous church and the leader is quite well know. He recentley was featured on several talk shows. I am fortunate to be able to attend. It is really nice to have a group of friends who not only share parenting styles but also some of the same interests. I am looking forward to it.

Feelings of Inadequacy

I really enjoy this blogging. I have so many sporatic and random thoughts it enables me to get them out and focus on them one at a time. However, after checking out other Blogs it has given me some insight on to what other people do with their time. I can not believe how other stay at home moms have spotless houses, run at home businesses, do arts and crafts, homeschool their kids, try new recipes, go to church, take classes, have hobbies, run marathons and have the bodies of 20 year olds.  I am tired alot. I take my kids to do things often but equally as often I don’t know what to do with them. I try activities and they are bored after 5 minutes. The only time I can do a project is when they sleep which has been at opposite times lately and by the time Zeus gets home, I am too tired to do anything. I would love to read, but when? I checked out 11 books for 3 weeks that I never touched and ended up being over due. My house looks like a landfill and laundry is endless. This was our last month paying both a mortgage and rent but other bills came up and we have had to pick through our pantry, so the meals have been very dreary. Am I alone? Is it my depression that holds me back or are these other mom’s wearing themselves out trying to o it all? I am really trying hard to be in the moment. Often I worry about the future or cringe about the past. My children are growing so fast I just really want to enjoy the now. We have moved 3 times this year and have gone through many challenges. I still struggle with my self-image and finding my new identity. I often think “things will be better, when…” Instead of, “let me make things good with how they are now.” I don’t know if I should run out and sign up for sewing, go read more books on things to do with Toddlers, while I am potty training and making a 8 course gourmet meal. Or maybe I will tell my son his coloring is beautiful while I sip on my latte and flip through a magazine… hmm…