introducing...

our kittens!

Mani (sounds like Bonnie), Mischief and Mittens.

new art

new art, I love it!  I got it here who blogs here, I don't even know this sweet lady but she is amazing and her print is perfect in our living room!

I still need to get this pillow...

but overall with my new orchid and print the living room is lovely!

mop it!

It turns out that someone likes to mop and is quite good at it too!  Carter was home with a little tummy ache last week, so while Theo was in pre-school, we got our cleaning groove on.  She loved helping and because she has the most cheerful & giving heart it only seemed fair to pay her $3, even though she planned to do it for nothing, it was, however,  the best $3 I ever spent!

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

no, we are not expecting another snow storm but Jeremy and I finally took the plunge and bought a 2nd car and it's perfect for the snow, too bad we bought it a week late! 

our new(ish) car!

ecstatic and creative

day 6 stuck inside, the kids are ecstatic, lots of extra TV time, outside snow playing, sledding, inside game playing, toy playing, all-day pajama wearing ecstatic!  We just finished off our last 2 boxes of cereal, we have one egg left, 2 bananas, 1 red pepper, a lemon and lots of cheese and a freezer full of frozen meat, bags of frozen veggies, a few Eggo waffles and a frozen pizza, we are good for a few more days.  Last night, I got a bit creative with whatever we had in the freezer (frozen bag of hot dog buns, but no hot dogs!) and I made hot dog bun garlic bread. I gotta say they were delicious, easy and obviously really cheap.  I just opened the buns, spread butter, sprinkled with crushed garlic and popped them in the oven for a few minutes at 350 until they were slightly golden brown, they went perfect with bolognese and pasta. 

I have been a bit stir crazy but my kids are homebodies, especially my Carter, they love being at home, playing and enjoying their toys, their rooms, the time with mom, the snow, movies, Kinect games, weird lunches, lots of snacks and reading in bed.  It turns out, that I really REALLY like my kids, 3 cheers for another day at home because our 2 wheel drive beemer is going nowhere!

Thursday snow day

my cute snow ready people!

Carter's ice "pen & paper"

football and mowing on ice-covered snow, fun!

snow day!

new boots that were just waiting for snow!

Theo is excited!

good mail day #1

Look what I got in the mail on Monday?  Our yearly photobook from Snapfish, the Person family from 2011 in a 26 page book, yay!

the packaging alone just makes me happy!

puppy love

Bryn is hardly a puppy, we have had her for over 10 years.  The last 2 years she has had a favorite, every night she is snuggling with Carter, it's pretty cute.

exhaustion, the good kind

Before even 9:30 this morning I had already made breakfast for 3 people.  Jeremy had sausage, scrambled eggs and a english muffin. Carter had a banana, english muffin and chocolate milk. Theo had yogurt, cinnamon toast and a granola bar with orange juice (not a fan of chocolate chip granola bars for breakfast but sometimes it happens)  I had coffee and a few quick bites of a yogurt. I made lunch for Carter and Jeremy.  I bleached our bathtub and cleaned the rest of our bathroom (I like to clean before I shower and dress).  I quickly dusted our room and the living room, made 2 beds (Carter makes her own) and threw in a load of laundry.  I made sure Theo was dressed and had an item picked out for sharing day.  I then quickly showered, dried my hair and dressed, I even managed eye makeup! Threw the breakfast dishes in the dish washer. Fluffed couch pillows and straightened the living room, then started the car to warm up.  I dropped Theo off at preschool at 9:30. I then run to Safeway to get milk and carrots (we always run out of those things).  I also decide to go to Nordstrom rack to try on a few dresses as I need a new one for Jeremy's holiday work party in November, 8 dresses later no luck.  I run groceries home, switch laundry over and throw in another load.  Check emails, respond. Fold laundry. Text back a friend.  Email more. Prepare stuff for dinner (I am working today 2-9:30).  Start to grill some chicken and chop some veggies. Stop to write this blog.  It's only 11:30am and I feel like I have done a whole days worth of work. It's no wonder I can't keep my eyes open past 9:30pm.  But, you want to know something?  I love it, I really do!  I love making my family breakfast and lunches.  I love having a super clean house.  I love folding warm clothes.  I love that we own a dishwasher.  I love preparing a good and healthy dinner for my husband and kids to enjoy while I am at work.  I am so thankful that I have this life.  I am blessed to be able (besides a very fun part-time job) to stay at home and raise my children and be there for my hardworking husband.  I wouldn't want it any other way. I even get to do it all over again tomorrow and the day after that.

disclaimer:  I am certainly not an anomaly, I do get frustrated,  my house does get dirty, my refrigerator is often empty, I snap at my husband and kids and I sometimes have a very bad attitude...but all in all I have a fantastic life and I want my day to day errands to reflect the joy I have in being a good momma and a great wife.


a big thank you to my mom, mother in law and friend Deirdre who watch my kids so I can occasionally work, THANK YOU!

and he cooks too!



Homemade waffles with a cooked apple-walnut topping, delish!

pretty isn't it?

ahhhhh...

that is the sound of me exhaling as I just hid my kids Christmas presents because,  I. am. done!!!!!!! Well, done with my kids.  I did go a bit over my planned budget but they are getting some pretty awesome presents! (you know what that means...PLAYMOBIL!)

I love fall!

my great helpers!

happy kids in leaves!

the shoe fits

I love Manolo Blahnik shoes just as the ladies of Sex and the City do...I however have only one pair of Manolo's and a life far from those ladies of Sex and the City (thankfully). Mr. Blahnik however loved my husband and as a thankyou he gave Jeremy a signed hand drawn picture. We have had it for at least 3 years and it sat nice and comfy in a big envelope waiting to be framed. We finally framed it and it looks lovely!

(as a side note can I just lament that my husband no longer works in fashion and my wardrobe has suffered greatly)