The Dog's a boy, too!

SYTYCD Contestant?

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:01:00 +0000

James LOVES to dance! You turn the on the music and James starts moving and grooving.

He really likes to see his reflection in the sliding glass door.

{Steve is getting them while they are young.... did you notice the hat?}

James likes to dance with his eyes closed {and just peek at himself} which I think is so funny.

{Tommy wanted in on the action.... he drew a picture of dad, and it took some convincing from the husband to put hair on it.}

Something for Tommy to do

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:53:00 +0000

So Tommy was board one day and just didn't know what he wanted to do. I suggested that he watch the rain. So I opened the door and he sat there for about 30 minutes! I love this picture of him just sitting and contemplating something.

a HUGE thanks!!!

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:22:00 +0000

Thank you SO much to all those who commented on Monday! I can't believe all the love that is out there. The husband never really "got" what SITS was all about until that day.

I do have a couple things to say... SNAKES really people!?! and I thought I had problem in the bathroom!! I'll take my frog over snakes any day!

I'm glad that you can use my child proofing ideas, they definately came by trial and error!

And I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who has had an affair with two tasty men :)

I am going to work on getting back to everyone, I would like to just sit all day and respond to all my love... but alas... the children like to eat. So I'll do it as I can. {although... is it bad to just let them eat cereal and crackers all day??}

Everybody look at me!!!

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:01:00 +0000

I'm so happy that you are here!! Let me see what I can dig out for you... hum... not much... today is Monday, and today I am suppose to go grocery shopping. Oooo wait I found some crackers and cereal, and 3 apples. There you go.

Well, today is my day!!! Oh I love being the center of attention! For those that don't know why it's my day let me tell you. I'm part of a a great group of women {and the occasional gentleman} called SITS. Do you love comments??? I totally do! Anyway, it's about the comment love that we all love!

So today is my day, and here is a little about me. I'll give you the shortest version possible. The husband and I met on the internet way back in 1999. Six months after that we were married. {Holy moly!!! we are almost at 10 years!} When we got married I had just gotten my degree in Computer Aided Drafting and working as a residential drafter. The husband was in school to be a nurse. Then 9-11 happen and the husband joined the Army. Since then we have moved 8 times, been in 4 states, had 3 boys {really close together!} been through 2 deployments, and taken 1 neurotic dog with us everywhere. After the second deployment the husband decided to do something completely different, and we are now poor students again as the husband is going to Chiropractic school

I love my life it's crazy and unpredictable but it's mine. Like I said, my boys are really close less than 3 years between the three of them. It makes for interesting times at our house and creative ways of dealing with things.... here is how we baby...I mean child proof our house.

I like the outdoors, I like being outside and surrounded by Gods great creations, but I also like to be in my house. So I really don't appreciate being attacked by nature IN my house!

I know I'm not the only one.... just admit it!!

I think I'm clever every now and then, and here are some of my other posts if you have have time and would rather lock yourself in your room with your computer.
{your kids will be fine for another minute... I know :) }
My child got in a fight with the coffee table and loss!
Did you hear... we have world peace!!

Well thank you again for stopping by! I love making new friends! I love comments and I love when someone else cleans the bathroom... hey I'm just saying.

He stinks!

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:18:00 +0000

You know when you finally get to hold your new baby and all you can do is stare at him and smell him? Oh, I love those days! The wonderful smells of my babies, oh, I can't get enough!! {for those that don't know me.... I don't like other peoples babies, nothing against them, but I won't ever ask to hold a baby... it's not my thing. I totally love mine... just not yours}

Well trying to savor those moments as long as possible, I took a wiff of Tim today as he was cuddled up in my lap. Holy Moly!!!!!!
That baby smell is long gone! That boy STUNK!! A really gross stink. Like little boy, who had not had a bath in at least a week {he really was thrown in last night}

I guess now I will have to save my smellings to freshly washed hair as he gets out of the bathtub. That's the only time I can be sure off.

I love you Tim, even if you do stink....

Oh, Christmas tree..

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:09:00 +0000

So every year that we put up the Christmas tree we have some solid traditions. It includes the husband yelling at the tree for not being put up right. And getting mad that the lights are all screwy. Then there are at least two of the ornaments that are broken in the process. There is swearing that there is the Christmas music is to much. And... this year there was also swearing that it was to hot, and "could some one please turn up the AC?!!"

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!!

what do you think???

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:08:00 +0000

Yeah, I don't think so.....

Merry SITS-mas going on!

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:40:00 +0000

We wish you a merry SITS-mas, We wish you a merry SITS-mas, We wish you a merry SITS

Good tidings we bring you you and your kin, Good tidings for SITS-mas and a happy new year!!

{go and take a look at what is going on down at SITS today, there are prizes every hour!!!

What you don't know what SITS is??? go and look, you will be pleasantly surprised!!

Birthday bowling!

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:59:00 +0000

For his birthday James had one request.... to go bowling. So we did. It was so much fun!!

Michelle, Brian, Riley and Tyler bowled two games in the time that it took us to bowl one.

It didn't help that Tim would send the ball down the lane at a whopping .94 mph!!! {ok, if that picture doesn't melt your heart, I don't know what will}

I HAD to take a picture of this... do you see it??? I won!!! I NEVER win against the husband. This was a wonderful day!!!

We went to Red Lobster for dinner {another request James had} and then went back to the house for presents.

Tyler's birthday is also in December so there was a little gift for him too. There was $20 inside soap.... {he as suppose to use the soap to get the money... instead he broke into it... really cute idea though, and it was really easy to make}

James was really excited to open presents!!

James got pie...It was funny because when I asked James what kind of cake he wanted, and he asked if he could have left-over cheesecake. Lucky for him.... we had some.

What a lucky boy... last year all he wanted was his dad home for his birthday. So this year I tried to make his dreams come true. And what wonderful fun requests, bowling, Red Lobster, and dad. James I love you!! You are an amazing wonderful boy. You bring so much joy, and happiness to my life. I look forward to watching you grow into a young man. Happy Birthday!

I just had to show this again so everyone.... the husband... will remember who won that night!

Stories by the fire

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:54:00 +0000

Being up in North Carolina we got to be in the cooler weather {finally} so while we were up there we had a couple fire. Well if you have fires you NEED marshmallows and stories!

James really enjoying the marshmallow, this was one of five that he had.

James kept asking for stories, so Aunt Michelle told us a great story about a bride and a groom and a man named Chief.

Tommy is trying really hard to just sit and enjoy the fire....

But alas...he had to throw things in like any little boy.

And Tim he was just as cute as possible until....

Thanksgiving Holiday in pictures

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:32:00 +0000

This year for Thanksgiving we traveled up to North Carolina to stay with some family for the holiday. We left on Tuesday and our usual 9 hour drive took only 13 hours.. yup 13!! We got stuck in traffic and it took up 4 hours to go 5 miles!! How's that for you??

I thought I would give you a peek in to our holiday through all the pictures that I took {they ended up really good if I do say so myself... and I do}

Bread getting ready to be stuffing,

Look at those turkeys!! There really is nothing better than a fried turkey, honest!! If you haven't tasted one you are missing out.

Brie Cheese wrapped in a crust with a cranberry sauce, holy moly!!

Look at that baby coming out of the fryer. {this is the husband and his sister Michelle}

Here is Brian enjoying the smells. {Tim has given him the name of Uncles}

Here is our table setting...

Ok, really doesn't that look BEAUTIFUL!!!! {jen are you missing us yet?} Ok, on one side you see the stuffing, pretty huh... And next to that is the sweet potatoes. Oh, sweet goodness!!! It was good for dinner, great for dessert, and excellent for breakfast!!

Here is Riley and her turkey on a stick.

Dinner was wonderful, good food, good family, but really what family get together would be complete with out having something to laugh about later...So we karaoked.

Here are the boys and I doing Rock Star by Nickleback

Here are the boys singing Joy to the World

Here is James doing Your Beautiful, by Jame Blunt... when he was done he yelled out "I was INCREDIBLE!!" {yes James you were}

I had to add this one! Here is Michelle rocking out to Sheryl Crow's Soaking up the Sun.

And finally here is the husband singing One Week by Barenaked Ladies.

I am thankful for family, I am thankful for lots of great food. I am so thankful for my health and the health of my family. I am thankful for the safety that we had while we were driving. I am thankful for good friend, the ones that love me from so far away. I am thankful for my wonderful husband and my amazing boys.

On a Saturday afternoon

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:49:00 +0000

This past Saturday we were able to spend it as a family. {the first in awhile} So out we went...

After hair cuts and lunch we headed up to the Lighthouse. We happen to make a detour and go to the Marine Science Lab. It's an inter-active place and it look like fun.

We looked at a bunch of different fish, the boys really enjoyed seeing all the fish and turtles. The husband enjoyed sharing his vast knowledge of fish tanks.

Outside there was a rehabilitation area for turtles. Did you know that there is a species of turtle that is 8 feet long!!! Really.... there are HUGE things swimming in our ocean!

After that we walked over to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. It's the tallest one in Florida. It's actually really pretty. Capitalism at it's best.... they were charging admission to get up close and personal with the lighthouse, so we are saving that for a different day. but I did get some really nice pictures.

Next to the lighthouse was a park. {we LOVE parks} The boys ran off to play for a little bit. Tim started wandering off to a party that was going on. The husband ran to get him and direct him in a different direction. By the time the husband got there Tim already had a party bag! Tommy was watching a mom peel an orange for her daughter, and before I could get over to get him Tommy had an orange in his hand.

I think we need to re-address the issue of stranger danger... because apparently my children have forgotten.

Pomegranate Time

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:11:00 +0000

Oh... the pomegranates are ripe!!! We get one or two every time we go to the store. We go outside and enjoy this tasty fruit together.
I love the red inside and how juicy they are.

And for the boys this is a shirts off spitting A-OK activity.

I guess this is one perk to Florida... We get to be outside and spitting in November.

NASA's Oops

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:58:00 +0000

After our {great} time seeing the launch and knowing that traffic would be horrendous, we decided to wait a bit. Nicole decided to take the older kids to a little free museum that was just down the way.

{getting set up at ground control}
{Testing, testing... 1,2,3}
{Ground control to Major Tom.....}

I sent James with her since he was really interested with all the space talk. {from what I hear} it's a really cool little place. There are the original control panels from Central Command. Original space boots. Original pictures of the shuttle and launch.

Originals of what you ask???? THE FIRST MANED SPACE MISSION!!

Why does this little free museum have this stuff?? {good question} Because apparently after that first NASA thought that we were done so they threw everything away!!! Some of the gun ho old timers picked the stuff out of the garbage and started this little museum. Where you can, not only see everything, but touch a bunch of it as well.

{Original Space suit}

The funny thing about all of this is that when you go to the Kennedy Space Center to pay and look at all of their stuff... it's not really the original. So if you go to 12 Mile Park to see a launch, head down main street and go to the little space museum.

Thanks NASA!

Where are the boys??

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:40:00 +0000

After the launch while Nicole took the older boys the the museum, Megan, Laura, and I took all the rest of the younger kids to that park. Boy oh boy, did they have a lot of energy!! We were there a total of 2.5 hours!! It was a beautiful day, sunny but not hot with a little breeze.

Everyone was playing happily, all the mom's were chit-chatting. I look up and I do a quick count of heads. I see Tim on the swing....
The next thing I know we are missing one... no, we are missing TWO!!!

We looked around and then some guy who was at the park with his daughter pointed to a couple of hooligans and asked if they were part of our group.

Yes, indeed they were. You see... Erin 4, and Tim 3, have a great advantage of getting into mischief together. The boys were being very good while they had wandered away....

Yes, that is two naked boys standing in the dugout. Really words can not explain, so I'm glad that I had a camera so I could capture this moment. The funny thing is.... Tim was wearing a shirt that he can't take off by himself. Erin would have had to help him.

The joys of naked childhood....

Rocket Launch

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:12:00 +0000

On Monday the 16th the boys and I went with some friends to see the Space Shuttle Atlantis take off. TOTALLY AMAZING!!!!!

We got there about 2.5 hours before take off. It was already pretty crowded, but we found a place that would hold 11 kids and 4 adults and sat down for lunch. It was hard for all the kids to be so confined to one area, but they did great.

As you can tell... my kids need hair cuts.

About 30 minutes prior to take off people really started to crowd in, so we moved up closer for a better view. It was good in the fact that we actually got to see a little better, but asking each small kids to stand in a 1 foot square area for 30 minutes is a bit much. Fortunately most people were understanding.

And Tim found that he is still very strong and broke the concrete step.

We waited... and waited.... and waited.... but all that waiting really paid off!!
We had a perfect view for take off!!

{Did you know.... that after only 30 seconds the space ship is traveling 500 mph! And after 2 minute it's going 2000 mph!! We saw the Side Rocket Boosters (SRB) fall off. They land in the Atlantic Ocean and are retrieved and used again. The External Fuel Tank (ET) falls off over the Indian Ocean but it is so far up that it disintegrates as it falls back to earth}

Unfortunately after it took off we didn't see much other than a big tree. I grab Tim and ran a little bit to see it go further into the atmosphere. {fortunately my great friend herded James and Tommy with them and saw that they got back to me}

Every moment was so worth being there!! And I can't wait to do it again.

The dog and his satilite dish..

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:57:00 +0000

Once upon a time there was a neurotic dog.... this dog was beloved of his family but one day something happen.

No one knows for sure what it was, but he started licking his back end, right next to his nubbin... {for he doesn't have a tail} until it was raw. It was thought that it must be a bite from a bug or a rash. Now the family who loves this dog dearly didn't want to take him to the Vet to be told it was indeed a bite from a bug or a rash, so they did the next best thing.

They gave him the "Cone"

Saying the Cone seemed so harsh, so one of the children...Tommy... noticed a great similarity between it and something else... Hence the satellite dish.

So now as the wonderful {neurotic} family dog wears his satellite dish, his back end is healing for it was just a bite from a bug or a rash.

It is quite funny though... because the satilite dish has velcro we often find the dog stuck to the carpet. Oh, but the velcro does provide a useful tool...caring the tennis balls back to be thrown again.

Alas, he does get time off for good behavior because, the poor thing just looks at his food and water because he can't figure out how to eat with it on.

Oh, and he won't pose for pictures while wearing the wretched thing.

Kinda, sorta, fall.... for a day

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:32:00 +0000

It was cold!! Not bone chilling, need a snow suit cold but we actually had to break out jackets last week. We went to the park to have a little birthday party with some friends and it really felt like it was fall! I was so happy!

But then the next day it was back in the 80's and sunny again. I guess you get what you can and be happy with that. Here are some cute pictures of the boys, on that chilly day.

{James really did like the cupcake he was eating... I just couldn't get him to smile about it}

Tommy showing me his tricks

Tim before the cupcake attacked him!

This would only happen to me

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:21:00 +0000

The other day I got up in the morning and did my morning thing.... You know, I went pee. As I was washing my hands I heard something, and out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw something in the toilet. I looked and could see nothing so I just brushed it off.

About two hours later Tommy comes running down stairs telling me that there is a frog in the bathroom!!! I am shocked!! I mean really... I asked him where it came from and he said the toilet. I go up stairs and yup... there is a FROG!!!

OH... you can't see it... here's another shot!

Right there... on my toilet!

Fortunately the frog jumped the way of the tub and he was trapped in there while I was trying to catch him. {can you imagin us chasing this thing in and out of the rooms and under beds and toys and stuff... }

There was a lot of screaming by me and the boys just giggled with delight as they watch me jump around trying to catch this thing.

Finally I got it in a cup and covered with a wash cloth and we put Froggy outside. Yes, it was in the house long enough to get a name...

{I ALWAYS check the toilets now.... I really don't want any more surprises!}

Oh... and by the way... this is the SECOND frog that was found in the house.... I bet they both got in the same way! I'm all about nature as long as it stays outside!

This is really cool!!!!

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:00 +0000

So look at this. I read about it on another blog and decided to try it. I didn't think it would work but it did!

I stood my broom up.... all on it's own!!

You are thinking about trying this huh...
Now you are thinking about where your broom is....Ok, we are done here, go grab your broom and give it a try. {be really gentle}

Vetran's Day

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:53:00 +0000

I am so thankful for the Veterans in my life especially for my husband. I am proud of him and the other men and woman he has served with.

This song is by 3 Doors Down called Citizen Solider. It talks about the me and woman who are part of the National Guard. A lot of the time you have no idea who these people are, they are all around but they are not out wearing crowns or lifting them selves up.

Here is another song that I really like. It's "The War was in Color" by Carbon Leaf. I think it's easy for those that have never been in war, to think of what it's like. The reality is that it's all "in color" and it's not glorified like the movies like to make it out to be.

Thank you to all the Veteran's. To my friends I know the sacrifice you have given. To my husband, I love you!!! You are my hero. Thank you for doing your part to keep me and our family safe!

Me, being domestic.

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:21:00 +0000

Me, and my non-domestic self is trying really hard to actually be domestic. On my quest to do so I have met a really neat friend who bottles just about everything! You name it she's done it.

Tuesday lesson.... bottled potatoes! {I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted to} I didn't realize how easy it was to bottle things in the pressure cooker.... I'm so wanting one now!

Step 1) Peel the potatoes {easy enough}

Step 2) Cut up and put in water bath

Step 3) Put cut potatoes into washed mason jars. {I used the wide mouth jars} Fill with hot water, and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Wipe mouths, and put lids on.

{That's it.... done with the hard part!}

Step 4) Put into pressure cooker and from there.... follow the directions in the instruction manual to the pressure cooker.

And about 2 hours later it's done!

When you are ready to use the potatoes just open and drain the water. You can then use the potatoes for salads, stews, mashed.... anyway that you would use peeled potatoes....

.... 10 pounds of Russet potatoes made 7 quart jars full....

Want to Win a Jump Start Game???

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0000

I was given the opportunity to review a new Jump Start game for the Wii Escape from Adventure Island. It was a lot of fun!

There are over 150 games ranging from English and Spelling to Math.

Now the age range on the game is 5-9. James seemed to get it for the most part and Tommy just a little bit. But we took the game over to a friends house and let her older boys play it and they LOVED it!!! {her boys were 9 and 11} I'm picky about the computer/video games they play but this is one that I enjoy being in my house. There is a learning aspect to it and being that it's the Wii my boys are up and moving around too.

Here is the best part!!!! You can win your own game!!! One of your very own, and even better... you can win an Ultimate Game Package!! {Go check out all the stuff you can get it's awesome!!}

Head on over here and see exactly what you can win. Just to get you thinking, they want to know how your family uses your imagination to "Escape." Do you build forts in your living room, or maybe a boat under your kitchen table?

The contest runs until November 16th and each person is allowed two entries.

Go win.... and GOOD LUCK!!!!

Pumpkins in Florida

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:57:00 +0000

We have found out the hard way that pumpkins in Florida have to be dealt with in a entirely different manner than other places.

On Wednesday {only 4 days before Halloween} we did a science project with the pumpkins before starting out and then we scraped the goop out. That's always the part that takes the longest so I thought we would get out of the way.

Later that evening we did the carving ...{be prepared for lots of pictures.}

Peeking to see what is inside

Time and his pumpkin face.

Tommy had a great time since he go to use the little knives. He really enjoyed pocking holes in his pumpkin.

James did his pumpkin all by his self and was quite proud. {I was happy that he still has all of his fingers}

What have we learned from this??? Wait until Halloween day to carve a pumpkin if you don't want mold to grow.

Yup.... there's mold in them there pumpkins.... and now James is really excited to watch them decay. I guess learning can take place in even the grosses things....

On an entirely different note.... look at these cute bags. I used the freezer paper to stencil a really cute picture for the candy bags. I really like the way they turned out!

I thought they turned out really cute! I'm trying to be crafty again... and this is great because it's so easy!!

No Goblins here

peachylg@yahoo.com ({leah}) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:05:00 +0000

There were no goblins at our house this year. I was hoping that our family could go as a group and do "Phineas and Ferb" but the boys wanted to be different things... and well, that's the fun of Halloween.

So we had Anikin Skywalker

A Stormtrooper

And.... and.... Batman!

We went to a great party on Friday! It was a ward party and Trunk'r'Treat. There was great food, and lots of games for the boys to play. There was a bounce house, and a maze made out of cardboard boxes. James really like that, he went through it probably 5 or 6 times. {sadly I forgot my camera....}

Then Saturday, came a day of sleeping in {since we were all up late the night before} pancakes and cleaning. Then a trip to the Library for books for the next week. {Indians} We made a stop at Target to get Tim some new shoes, that boys feet grows so fast!!

The boys could hardly wait to go out to get candy.

Once we were actually out the boys couldn't wait to get back.... Strange I know but that's my boys.

We 'made' them walk around the neighborhood and boy oh boy they were happy with the loot they got. Keep in mind it was hot and by the time we got home we had sweaty boys {I was now the official mask carrier} that needed drinks.

We came home and watched a couple movies... Ichabod Crane and Garfield's Halloween. And put three little spooks to bed.

The tears were relatively few, and the company was good. Happy Halloween every one!