Has anyone ever heard of Alice.com b/c I'm wondering about it? I just found it online and I have absolutely no idea how I found it. I'm really tired. They do your shopping for you and ship it for free. Plus find coupons for you. Plus remind you when you need to buy something again. Plus, plus, plus. Have your toiletries, dog food, vitamins, diapers, wipes, soap (for every room of the house--laundry, bath, kitchen) coffee, etc. sent to you at the cheapest price and free shipping? Oh, and you sign up for free too? Hmmm.... not sure what to think. Sounds too good to be true. But it's talked about on Forbes, Good Housekeeping, CNN, Rachael Ray, Redbook, ABC News, The NY Times, CNBC and the list goes on and on. If you've heard of it, good or bad, or use it, please let us know. I'm very interested!

I've seen a few blogs write things about "keeping it real," but I thought I'd SHOW you keeping it real. And I'm not afraid either. I had planned all week to really clean the house on Thursday b/c my sis-in-law and nephews are coming to stay the weekend with us and we are super excited! (I haven't reminded Christopher b/c I knew he wouldn't go to school today if he knew.)

About mid-morning yesterday Brandon called to see if it would be ok if the intern he was working with could bring his family over for dinner. I told him no problem b/c the house was going to be clean by then anyway. I took some before pics, just so you could see what I was up against. Now, remember the dog had 2 separate explosions in the same area (and of course I'd already vacuumed before he did that), so I didn't get started until about 10:00 on anything. Brace yourselves b/c it gets pretty bad:

But after all the cleaning was done, the chaos began around 4:45. (Our company was coming at 6:30.) I was just about to get up to start fixing the quiche we were having for dinner and still trying to decide whether to make the crust from scratch, when the doorbell rings and it's housing maintenance finally showing up to fix the eyes on my stove. They haven't been lighting themselves for months now, but they finally quit "clicking" and I was afraid the gas would be on and I wouldn't know it.

The sweet man comes in, somehow gets the stove out into the kitchen. Rips the top off and starts looking for the problem. He finds out that he doesn't have the part he needs (of course!) and has to go back to get it. Now, remember I'm making quiche and it needs to bake for an hour. Meaning, it needs to get in the oven umm.... NOW! I no longer have a working oven. I grab the bacon, throw it in a pan and run to Tiffany's to bake it, run back home to get the rest of the ingredients (thankful for the back up frozen crust I'd bought) and run back over to her house to throw it all together. I call Brandon and tell him what's going on and he comes home right away. I come back home to put together the spinach dip and send it back over with Brandon to throw in the oven while the two guys come back, find out the new parts still don't help, tell me I'm getting a new oven and ask if they can take the old one away now. Heck yes you can!!! : ) They laugh b/c the women always get excited to hear this. The men don't care. They haul it off and I rush around to start mopping and get the outdoor utility brush to clean the nastiness from underneath. We get it all done and here's what I'm left with when our company arrives:

They feel bad. I told them I don't care, so they shouldn't either. We still have food to eat and we are going to enjoy it. Now, I thought the guys weren't going to come back until tomorrow b/c they knew we were going to have company, but they came back with this little beauty and hooked it up in no time. I love living on base! I may not have a dream house (or a pretty house for that much--it's pretty ugly on the outside), but I love knowing that if anything goes wrong I will be taken care of.

We had a great dinner and lots of fun and we are ready to have our company this weekend. Plus it feels great to finally have those counters cleaned off.... well, at least 90% of them!

Let me just start by saying that I wanted to put a different word in there other than "crap", but I know some of my readers (mainly my mom and her friends) would be very offended by that. Now to the story:

Last night Brandon and I got the kids to bed and I was exhausted and couldn't wait to go to bed myself. Brick had been outside all day long b/c the kids and I went to Destin to hang with the cousins who are in town and then I had a meeting at church, so he was outside a REALLY long time! He was very excited to see all of us when we got home and we were happy to see him. He came running into our room and smelled like he'd been rolling in crap. It was awful! I got up and checked the floor and didn't see anything, so I followed him down the hall, where I sent him right after he came in stinking. Brandon yelled, "Stop!!!! Don't move!!!" I froze and looked down to see that Brick had shot crap, yes, S.H.O.T it, across the floor. He had just come in from Brandon letting him out to go to the bathroom. We were both gagging from the smell. We got everything cleaned up and my cleaner rinsed out and we went to bed. Brick slept outside for the first time ever that night

This morning Christopher came in and woke me up saying, "Mom, you gotta come see this." Thinking how in the world could he already have something for me to see I crawled out of bed to see. This time I shouted, "Stop!!!! Don't move!!!!!" and Sophie started crying. I wanted to too. Brick had done it again. This time it wasn't as bad, but it was still there. I ran out of floor cleaner and had to call Tiffany and used the rest of hers too. Christopher informs me while I'm cleaning, "It looks like chocolate!" He's laughing. I'm thinking of who would want to adopt our dog.

He will be spending the entire day outside. He needs a bath. I do too.

I was listening to Rick and Bubba (on computer b/c we don't get them on the radio here) and I heard that the two guys got their hug from Taylor Swift yesterday. If you didn't know about this, here's the little I do know.

Two guys (apparently go to AU) started a plan to try to get a hug from Taylor Swift. T-shirts have been made. Videos pleading for a hug have been made. They've been on radio talking about it. They have been working hard. And it all paid off.

Yesterday, Auburn had a huge karaoke party and the two guys were up front leading everyone in, nothing other than a Taylor Swift song. Towards the end of the song, the video cut out and up popped Taylor Swift on the screen. Everyone went nuts. She told the guys how much she appreciated them and she wished she could be there. She really wished she could be there. Then she said she had an idea and she got up and walked away. Next thing you know, Aubie comes walking out. People are going crazy. Then two big guys walk out with Miss Taylor Swift right behind them. You can only imagine how insane it was in that room at the time.

The guys got their hugs. They also got a kiss on the cheek. And front row seats to a concert. Everyone else got a free mini concert b/c she brought her band. How awesome would it have been to be there??? I've never wished I was back in school again (purely for class and study reasons), but today I would have LOVED to be back at good 'ol AU again!!! War Eagle!!!!

Here's the link to the video if you want to watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnBtN4cdanY

The first thing I wanted to try to make with all my strawberries was this homemade fruit roll up recipe I found on Darby's blog. Her stuff always look so amazing and I have to admit, a little (ok a lot) out of my league, but I really wanted to make these. I loved the ones you could buy at the store as a kid and could eat a whole box in no time flat. I knew that it wasn't good for me, but oh so delicious!

She suggests making them at night since she puts them in the oven for 8-10 hours and that was my original plan, but around noon today I found myself with time to spare and thought I'd go ahead and get started. I am SO glad that I did! I already had the berries cut up and ready to go so I started blending them with the rest of the ingredients and put them in the pot to start cooking. The recipe says to bring to a boil, then let it simmer and stir frequently for 30-45 minutes, then continue doing this until it's the right consistency. Me, being the person I am, thought it might take me an hour to do this. I was WAY off! At 5:30 I was finally able to spread it on the cookie sheet and stick it in the oven. That's right, five hours later it was ready. Now I just have to set my alarm to wake up at 2:30 a.m. to turn the oven off. But I'd much rather do that then have to stay up until 2 stirring the pot. Wouldn't you?

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with our supplies we have to work with (and the fact she's much better at these things than I am, ok, much more experienced--I'm not stupid), but I'm really hoping that this isn't a flop. I just wanted to post this in case any of you have made this before, or want to try it yourself and let you know it could possibly take longer than you plan. Please let me know how your experiences with making homemade yummy treats like this has gone in the past. I'm very curious to hear about them!

Today, the kids and I went strawberry picking with Tiffany, William and baby Regan. We didn't get to go with our MOPS group on Monday, so we decided to go later in the week. I had no idea what it was going to be like, but was up for the adventure. I also had no idea just how many strawberries we would end up with. They told you grab a box and go picking until you wanted to stop. Everyone had a box and we headed down the rows and started picking.

I think the kids lasted about 5 minutes and then they were done. Tiffany and I were going to fill up our two boxes no matter what the kids said. Sophie was more interested in eating them than picking them. No surprise there. And there was no hiding that she was doing it. Her t-shirt was covered in red juice, right along with her face and hands. I still don't know how I didn't get a photo of it. I kept telling her to stop eating the berries, but every time I looked up she would have her chin down and her hands under her chin hiding something. When I'd ask her what it was, she'd start to giggle and show me the biggest, reddest berry you could find. I'd swap it for a tiny one.

After we filled our boxes we headed back to have them weighed and pay for them. I ended up with 24 pounds!!! But at $1.25 a pound, you just can't pass them up. Not exactly sure what I'm going to do with all of them, but we will find something. We finished off the trip with some strawberry frozen yogurt and then headed back home. Christopher helped me wash one box and I even let him help me cut them up. He did a very good job! I've got one bowl for eating, another bigger bowl for making "fruit roll ups" and another spread out on a baking sheet freezing as we speak. (Tiff's mom said this way was the easiest if you don't want one big ball of frozen berries... very good to know!) I definitely recommend going if you never have!

This morning we had William and Della come over and play. If your kids are like mine, they love to have other kids around to play with because they get tired of me. We put on costumes, played with playdough, jumped on the trampoline, colored, rode on the swings, played with the bikes, squirted water with new water toys, ate lunch, played legos, etc. I think you get the idea. And surprisingly, the house was not a disaster like you might be picturing. Yes, it was messy, but it was made because fun had been had by all. And I got a Lenny's sub out of it and got to eat it with two friends. So, it was totally worth it! (Just a note, the sandwich and friends were a surprise, not part of the deal.) I'm just glad I can help. Everyone's gone now and my kids are starting to fight so I best be going now. Hope you are having a good day wherever you are!

Last week the kids and I watched Keenan and Moriah while their mom had to go somewhere and to thank us she treated us to Mcdonald's and the Gulfarium. We hadn't been there since we moved here so the kids were really excited about seeing the animals. I only got a few photos and most of them didn't turn out. Here are the kids watching the sea lions do their stuff:

Saturday we went to a birthday party at the bowling alley. It was the first time our kids had ever been bowling. They weren't real sure at first, but the got into it. We had a lot of fun and will have to do it again another time.


Even Sophie got in on the action. The kids loved their bowling shoes too, which I thought they'd hate. Only problem was they think kids have skinny feet and the velcro wouldn't stay.


That afternoon we walked over to the Ramages house to help them put together their new swing set, or "playground" as the kids were calling it. We ordered Chinese and hung out for hours. It was lots of fun, no surprise though, we love these guys. (Fingers crossed and hands together praying they find out where they are going soon, hint: Tiff and kids might be staying here!) We went home around 7:30 to get ready for bed and Sophie had been very congested for a couple days, causing her to throw up on occasion. She started again around 10:30 that night and did about every 30-45 minutes, so I slept with her on the couch. Sort of. Then it hit me. Later it hit Christopher. He had climbed in the bed with Brandon who didn't know he had company, until Christopher threw up all over him. I felt horrible! He had taken a Lunesta to help him sleep (coming off two weeks of nights and totally thrown off) and we were all keep him up and needing his help. Thankfully he never got sick and everyone was "better" on Sunday. I'm keeping the kids home from school today b/c they both still have runny noses and every now and then say they don't feel good. They typically say this for about a week after getting better, but I didn't want to take any chances.

This morning I have tons of laundry to do and the windows needed washing and the kids LOVE to wash windows. We got the inside finished and then headed outside. We played out there for a while (Brandon is home sick today) and we are trying to stay out of his way, but not being very successful. Here are my new favorite shoes for outside. I got them at Target in the gardening section for $10 -- full price -- and LOVE them!!! Been trying to find some I liked and for a decent price. They were definitely worth the wait.


Sophie kept trying to take her stroller (holding her cup) in and out of the back door. She wants it to stay open like a regular door. Doesn't happen. Tried to help. Got yelled at. On her own.


And finally, Christopher doing what he loves most, making mud puddles. He told me that about 40 times while he was making them. Thankfully the ground soaked it up pretty quickly.

Hope you all had a great weekend. We loved the weather and hated the throwing up. But it's done and over with and now everyone has clean sheets. My book for the book club just came in today and I can't wait to get started on it! Now I just need some clean clothes. Better get on that. Later chicas!!

This is Sophie on Monday ready for school. Grammie made this adorable outfit for her last year, but it was too big. (Pillow case top and capri pants.) LOVE it on her!!! She wanted to wear her flip flops and sunglasses. She kept them on until she got in her classroom. Her teachers loved it!


The kids and I had an Easter egg hunt the other night (not just for once a year guys!) and when we were done Christopher decided to add a bunch more to the tree. When he finished he told me to come look and shouted, "Happy Christmas, Mommy!!!" He was SO proud of himself and it was pretty cute, I must say.

One of the first ideas that popped into my head when I started thinking about getting a sewing machine was a cape for the kids. I've seen photos of other kids wearing them and figured it looked easy enough that I could do the same. I googled patterns just to see what was out there and decided the one in my head was the best way to go. (Some of you--in the www, not anyone I know--make it way too hard on yourselves! Curves, reversible, seriously?)

My nephews were in the process of giving up their pacifiers and it's been hard on them. And their mommy. I remember going through this awful time with my son and thought I'd try to help them maybe forget about it for a little while and congratulate them on being such big boys. The first one took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I didn't have a pattern and if I did it probably would have taken 3 times as long. I think I'm going to have to be a no-pattern sewer. They seem too complicated. I'm much better at copying or following my head than oddly worded directions. Enough blabbering, here's the end result:

A friend of mine (I like to call her that, even though we've never met, but I really wish we could) has decided to start a book club with her bogging friends and I just had to get on board. Our first book is Eat Pray Love and I'd never heard of it before, but everyone else seems to have. It's coming out as a movie this summer, starring, none other than, Julia Roberts. That fact alone let me know it must be really good. If you are looking for a book club that will have deep, intellectual discussions about blah, blah, blah, blah.........zzzzzzzzzzzzz............................... Whoa sorry! Lost me there for a second. If you are looking for a book club that will think/discuss/analyze about the books, this isn't it. We are just going read and have fun and I'm pumped! I've never been in a book club before because in case you haven't noticed I'm not a deep thinker. I think the deepest I will get into anything is a discussion about how the word "poop/poo/poo-poo" has become such a popular word for 2-4 year olds to use and why.

See, I'm kind of picky about books too. Well, maybe not as much as I used to be. I don't like time period ones or things about war or books about vampires (I know, I know, I hear they are good, but I'm still going to pass) or just plain boring books. I used to love a good mystery and John Grishom was my fav for a long time, but then I got bored. Quit reading for a while and then started back up again when Brandon started med school. I had too much free time and nobody to hang with. I started reading funny chick books. Not that silly romance/beach stuff that had Fabio on the cover, but the ones about women who would get into hilarious situations. But my favorite authors weren't writing them fast enough. Then I met Karen and well, you all know how I feel about her. But after reading 15 (I'm on #16 right now) of her books over the last 4 months I'm ready for a change. This book club could not have come at a better time too! I still have to finish the book I'm reading, but I just "purchased" our first book on paperbackswap.com and can't wait to get it! I'm sure you'll be hearing more about it later on. (Not that anyone really cares, but I want proof later in life that I did this.)

If you want to ride along then click here to follow her site. You won't be disappointed! She's hilarious and so are her 3 kids!

Yesterday afternoon we finally made it to the air show. We let Brandon nap for a few hours, I showered, Sophie napped, we got our drinks together (can't take coolers), put the jogging stroller in the car, found Brick, woke up Brandon, loaded in the van and drove up the street to the airshow. We wanted to get as close as we could b/c Christopher insisted on wearing his rain boots and we didn't want to have to walk 4 miles anyway. So we found a perfect spot, walked our short distance and got inside the gate. We walked around and saw different airplanes and helicopters, not after stopping to see the forklifts and cranes that were parked and NOT part of the show.

We found a great place to sit and watched an F-22 do it's thang. We walked around some more, got some food and then parked ourselves to watch the Thunderbirds. They loaded up and drove off, then we waited, we waited, we waited some more and then they FINALLY took off. It was a great show and we stayed until the end and then walked back to our car with the rest of the crowd. This is where everything went downhill.

We decided to not ride the buses that were shuttling everyone b/c the guard we saw said the lines were extremely long. We get in our car and realized that we were going to be stuck. There are thousands of people in three lanes of traffic that are trying to squeeze into ONE lane of traffic so that that shuttle buses can use the other two. It was stupid planning. We put the van in park and waited until anyone moved. Nothing happened. We finally got going and let me give you a visual: we have three lanes of road, one breaks off and goes to the left (remember, EVERYONE has to go this way) while the other two go straight, the one lane road then crosses another road and everyone HAS to turn left, our house is straight, but we can't go there. We have to follow EVERYONE else out the other gate and we are in the middle of the base. Did I mention this is the largest area of air force bases? Yup.

We finally get out the other gate, after much stopping and putting the car in park and have to drive all the way around the outside of the base and go back in on the other side. Brandon had left his id on accident so we had to stop and get a pass. We finally got home 1 1/2 hours after getting to our car. Christopher napped the entire time. Sophie was yelling everything she said, but she was excited. She never woke the boy up. Not sure how that happened, but glad it did b/c he would have complained. He wants to be everywhere yesterday. Not sure who did the planning for all of this, but that was the last air show we will be going to on base. You know what hurts more? We can pretty much see it from our driveway. It's not the same, but we can still see it. Yes, we could have parked just outside the entrance to our neighborhood, but we would have had to wait in line for the shuttle. Not any faster. We should have just parked there and walked. Now, if you want to go to the show, and don't live on base, go! It's great and lots of fun. We just never thought we wouldn't be able to get back to our house.

You live. You learn. You never do it again.

We are halfway through Brandon's nights schedule and I'm so excited! He won't have this schedule again for a while, thank goodness! It's a tough one for all of us. But this weekend we plan on having lots of fun. The air show has come to town again and it's here on base. The kids have been asking every day if it's the air show and every time a plane (whether military or commercial) flies overhead if it's from the air show. I was so glad when I picked Christopher up from school to come home and find them practicing. The kids sat on their bikes in the driveway yelling, cheering and clapping every time the Thunderbirds did anything. Christopher was giving me play by play updates on the designs that the smoke made. Brandon and I bought them earplugs and huge headphones so they can enjoy it even more.

We went to the show in Pensacola back in October and it scared them half to death. It didn't help that the first jet that flew over us when we got there was the one that screams up behind you. It took an hour to calm them down and Christopher never took his hands off his ears the rest of the day. They panicked ever time an airplane flew by when we were outside... for months. So, we are prepared today. The weather looks to be perfect and we are pumped! Hopefully Brandon can get a little sleep in before we head out. Hope you have a great weekend too!!

I finally have a chance to put photos on here and only b/c I'm ignoring the piles of laundry that need to be folded right now. (2 on the couch and 1 in a basket to prop my feet up-- actually feels pretty good!) Unfortunately we did not have a single family photo turn out. And I'm not being modest or vain, every single one of them were blurry. Not exactly sure what happened, but oh well. There isn't a nice place (meaning cleaned off enough AND pretty enough) for us to stand in front of anyway. But enough of that, here are the photos:

The kids going down the slide inside the bouncy house at the awesome Easter party we went to with friends from church. It was steep and just as fast as she looks like she's going.


Is he not the cutest little boy you have ever seen??? I want to squish this kid every time I see him! And what a ham too! He just started posing for Brandon and stopped jumping to do so. I wish you could see the rest of the photos too. Hilarious! His parents are just as funny too, so no surprise where he gets it from!


Sophie on the playground. Yes, it looks nasty and moldy, but I think this is one of my favorite photos!



Sophie getting ready for a swing at the pinata. I love how serious she is here. She did well. And then comes Christopher's turn. And no, he didn't crack it open, even though it looks like he would have.


Someone had confetti stuffed eggs that you crack smash on someone's head. She had 4 dozen and they were gone in no time. So fun!!! Just empty out a real egg, fill with confetti, tape it up then smash away.


Waiting to go on an egg hunt. Sweaty and tired from jumping. This kid had so much fun and has no problem keeping up with kids older and bigger than her.

Now, on to the very few lake photos I have:

Sweet Anne Morgan playing one morning. I totally forgot to get a copy of all the pics on my parents camera and am kicking myself for it. She is the sweetest and quietest baby ever! I just wanted to kiss all over her sweet face! She's so happy that she actually got me thinking about having another one! Sophie wouldn't allow it though. Nobody sits in my lap but her. Don't be checking often for any "news" though, I do not want to add anyone to this family before we move again. Pet or person. We are maxed out right now and I'm good with it.

Pop reading the kids a book one afternoon. Sophie kept asking him, "Where'd John go?" He's the truck driver in the story. She asks why more than I ever thought possible. You get to the point where you don't have anymore answers and she keeps asking.

Here are two of the things I made with my sewing machine. My sister has an embroidery machine and she did some stuff for me. I made another one for a friend who has a little boy that's cute too. I have a new project for this week and I'm praying I can get it done.


The kids playing on the screened porch at Grammie and Pop's. They love sitting out here. Especially playing on the swinging bed. Well, we all love sitting that thing! Many a naps have happened here by people of all ages. Dogs too.

Ladybugs come out on the porch this time every year and the kids found one on the swing. I thought it was really funny that Christopher grabbed the magnifying glass to look at it.


I promised Christopher he could go swimming one afternoon, so he suited up. Looks like a shorter version of his Halloween costume. He's had this for two years and it fits him better now than ever. I love this kid! He's so funny!

That's all I got. Hope it was enough to keep you full for a while. I'm off to start supper before Brandon heads off to work for the night. Later fools!