ok, so i LOVE cookies... i think they are the best!!!! baked goods are my weakness, and cookies are my top choice. i love to bake cookies too. every week when i go to the store i somehow manage to get some cookies in my cart, even though i am trying to lose weight. i usually try to justify my purchase as something for the boys. (they do love oreos!)
this week my cookie of choice is the "jumble nut" from whole foods. it is just perfect!!! it has chocolate, raisins, and nuts in it. i am thankful that they only sell them in packs of 6, and that whole foods is not too close to my house. so here i sit after a fun weekend, enjoying my cookie(s).
i really should be exercising right now. i was doing the 30 day shred, and i really enjoyed it. last week i did something funny to my left knee. i tried to continue with the work out, but i couldn't. i really have no idea what the hell i did. i rested for a couple of days, and finally today my knee felt better, so i tried to shred with craig after dinner. as soon as i started the jumping jacks, my knee gave out again. this sucks!!! craig thinks i should go to the doctor's, but i really don't want to. they are just going to tell me to take some ibuprofen and rest it...
i did take some pictures this weekend, but i need to get them uploaded, so i will post them later.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
BINGO
we are trying so hard to get carter to eat more foods. he has been doing so much better, and our pediatrician gave us a great idea. she told us to make a food bingo game. so yesterday i made a bingo board, and filled in all the foods i want carter to try. i made a copy of it, one for each boy.
so tonight for dinner i made chicken quesadillas for the boys, and buffalo chicken quesadillas for craig and i. carter loves plain cheese, and since he has been eating a bit of chicken here and there i thought this would be a good choice for night 1. i also cut up some grapes and celery for the boys to eat it too. since the game is really for carter, i am putting the foods i want him to eat on the board. he likes celery, so he didn't get anything for that.
well, it just killed carter to see that mason was "winning" the game. he started with his excuses to get out of dinner. when i told him that i was going to make it for him every night until he ate it, he finally gave in. his little bites, got a little bigger. and by the end of dinner he said "let's give a round of applause to mommy who makes the best dinner."
so, i am keeping my fingers crossed that this may help our dinner situation...
also, i have no idea when to start to give carter an allowence. he asked me if he did some chores, if he could get some money. so i told him if he keeps his room clean, and makes his bed everyday he could get a dollar a week. he thought that sounded good. let's see how long this lasts...
so tonight for dinner i made chicken quesadillas for the boys, and buffalo chicken quesadillas for craig and i. carter loves plain cheese, and since he has been eating a bit of chicken here and there i thought this would be a good choice for night 1. i also cut up some grapes and celery for the boys to eat it too. since the game is really for carter, i am putting the foods i want him to eat on the board. he likes celery, so he didn't get anything for that.
well, it just killed carter to see that mason was "winning" the game. he started with his excuses to get out of dinner. when i told him that i was going to make it for him every night until he ate it, he finally gave in. his little bites, got a little bigger. and by the end of dinner he said "let's give a round of applause to mommy who makes the best dinner."
so, i am keeping my fingers crossed that this may help our dinner situation...
also, i have no idea when to start to give carter an allowence. he asked me if he did some chores, if he could get some money. so i told him if he keeps his room clean, and makes his bed everyday he could get a dollar a week. he thought that sounded good. let's see how long this lasts...
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
a beautiful day
today is a beautiful day. the sun is shining, it is cool outside, and we have nothing to do today. this never happens... i got a call this morning that mason's speech was canceled today, and it made me happy. we don't have anywhere to go, or have anything to do. we had a long busy weekend, and i think today is exactly what we need. mason, hadley and i are all still in our pj's. we don't have to rush to get out of the house today, we can just relax. it sounds so simple, but days like this are very rare these days.
so as i sit here in my bed, drinking my 2nd cup of coffee, and watching the Ellen show, i am enjoying the start of this day. once hadley is up from her morning nap, i think we will go for a walk since it is so nice out.
so as i sit here in my bed, drinking my 2nd cup of coffee, and watching the Ellen show, i am enjoying the start of this day. once hadley is up from her morning nap, i think we will go for a walk since it is so nice out.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
memorial day weekend
well, it's memorial day weekend... the unofficial start to summer! on friday it was "grandparent's day" at carter's school. my parents were on vacation last week, so they were able to come down and visit carter's class. he was so excited and was in the best mood all day. after they went to his class, mason, hadley and i went out to lunch with them.
on saturday we had our friends over for a little bbq. the kobs family came over, and so did andra and avery. carter went to my parents for a sleepover, so we were down to only 2 kids. it was a beautiful day, and the boys had fun playing in the jeep.
we celebrated cousin ava's first birthday today. the kids had so much fun!!! there was a bouncy house and a mechanical pony for the kids to play with... it was great to see my family. they set up a tent with baby toys and blankets under it so we could have a nice shady place to hang out. it was also the first time some of my cousins had a chance to meet miss hadley. she sure does love a party!!! before i know it i will be planning hers...
oh, and get this. we stopped at ll bean on the way up to the party today. i had some shoes i had bought for mason that i wanted to return. since it was going to be a quick trip in, i thought it would be easier to carry hadley and not bother with the stroller. anyways, after i did my return, i was on the escalator going up while an older couple was going down. the women says to her husband (loud enough that i heard her) "i can't believe she put a head band on a baby, they are so uncomfortable." i was livid!! so i yelled back to her that it was comfortable and that i thought she was rude... i wanted to say more, but we were on an escalator. wtf???? did she really have to say that so i could hear her... and anyone who knows me, knows i can't keep my mouth shut. some people...
tomorrow we are having some more friends over for an ice cream date after lunch. i figured it would be fun to let the kids play and then make some ice cream sundaes...
i have a feeling the rest of the school year is going to fly by and it will be summer before we know it. i just ordered some bathing suits online from lands end... hopefully one of them won't be too bad!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Recipe
now that the warm weather is here and we are going to lots of BBQ's, i thought i would share one of my favorite dishes. i actually made it for dinner tonight for our family since Carter had a t-ball game this evening, and i was able to make it earlier in the day. it's quick, easy and yummy!!!
Greek Pasta Salad w/ Grilled Chicken
Ingredients - bow tie pasta, chicken tenderloins, grape tomatoes, english cucumber, feta cheese, and good seasoning italian salad dressing mix
marinate 1 lb. chicken tenders in a light caesar salad dressing (non-creamy)
boil pasta - i use 1/2 a box if it is for my family, or a whole box if i am bringing it to a cook-out. i like using the bow tie, but you could use anything.
make Good Seasonings Italian Salad Dressing and chill.
grill chicken, while chicken is grilling, cut tomatoes and cucumber. when chicken is done, cut into bite size pieces.
when pasta is finished, drain and run under cold water.
mix cooked pasta with salad dressing, veggies, chicken and feta cheese. add as much of the veggies, feta and dressing as you like.
chill the pasta salad for a couple of hours before serving.
*for main dish, add more chicken :)
Greek Pasta Salad w/ Grilled Chicken
Ingredients - bow tie pasta, chicken tenderloins, grape tomatoes, english cucumber, feta cheese, and good seasoning italian salad dressing mix
marinate 1 lb. chicken tenders in a light caesar salad dressing (non-creamy)
boil pasta - i use 1/2 a box if it is for my family, or a whole box if i am bringing it to a cook-out. i like using the bow tie, but you could use anything.
make Good Seasonings Italian Salad Dressing and chill.
grill chicken, while chicken is grilling, cut tomatoes and cucumber. when chicken is done, cut into bite size pieces.
when pasta is finished, drain and run under cold water.
mix cooked pasta with salad dressing, veggies, chicken and feta cheese. add as much of the veggies, feta and dressing as you like.
chill the pasta salad for a couple of hours before serving.
*for main dish, add more chicken :)
Sunday, May 17, 2009
weekend review
we had a great weekend... nothing planned, just spent time together as a family. it sounds so simple, but with 3 kids, and our own busy plans, some weekends are just a blur of activities.
first bites - we started hadley on solids last week. she was not a fan at all. she gagged and cried, and hated the experience. i waited a week and tried again... still not a fan. i thought maybe it was the oatmeal she didn't like so i gave her a taste of apples... the liked those! so we mixed the oatmeal and the apples together and she did good. she tried to suck the food off the spoon like it is a bottle. she also sticks her hands in her mouth after every bite, so she makes a mess. we are getting there though, slow and steady!
30 day shred - craig and i started the 30 day shred by jillian michaels. we have now done it for 3 days, and we are both feeling it! i put up a calendar and have been counting down the days. i like the help of a visual aid. let's hope i stick with it... i'll keep you posted!!!
hydrangeas - these are my favorite flowers!!! we finally planted 4 hydrangea plants in our yard. we still need to mulch around them, but they look so good. i will try to take some outside pictures soon.
girls night out - my friends and i continued on our "movie of the month club". we met at the CBS scene for a quick dinner, and then went to see "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past". it was a good chick flick... i look forward to this night out every month. it is amazing how one night out, can make me feel whole again. my girlfriends are very important to me, and i make sure going out with them is a priority.
btw, i am having the hardest time getting into Twilight... i know so many people love it, but i fall asleep every time i try to read it. i think i am only about 50 pages in... at this rate it will take me all summer to read it. any other good suggestions???
first bites - we started hadley on solids last week. she was not a fan at all. she gagged and cried, and hated the experience. i waited a week and tried again... still not a fan. i thought maybe it was the oatmeal she didn't like so i gave her a taste of apples... the liked those! so we mixed the oatmeal and the apples together and she did good. she tried to suck the food off the spoon like it is a bottle. she also sticks her hands in her mouth after every bite, so she makes a mess. we are getting there though, slow and steady!
30 day shred - craig and i started the 30 day shred by jillian michaels. we have now done it for 3 days, and we are both feeling it! i put up a calendar and have been counting down the days. i like the help of a visual aid. let's hope i stick with it... i'll keep you posted!!!
hydrangeas - these are my favorite flowers!!! we finally planted 4 hydrangea plants in our yard. we still need to mulch around them, but they look so good. i will try to take some outside pictures soon.
girls night out - my friends and i continued on our "movie of the month club". we met at the CBS scene for a quick dinner, and then went to see "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past". it was a good chick flick... i look forward to this night out every month. it is amazing how one night out, can make me feel whole again. my girlfriends are very important to me, and i make sure going out with them is a priority.
btw, i am having the hardest time getting into Twilight... i know so many people love it, but i fall asleep every time i try to read it. i think i am only about 50 pages in... at this rate it will take me all summer to read it. any other good suggestions???
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Shannon's favorite things
here are a couple of my favorite things... i love this travel mug from starbucks. for years we never made coffee at home, we would just get it while we were out. when craig was on paternity leave after we had miss hadley, coffee became a staple in our house. for christmas i got him this starbucks travel mug. it is the best! it keeps the coffee so hot! i liked it so much i got one for myself and use it at home all the time! i can never find time to sit and drink a cup of coffee while it is still hot, so this has been great at keeping my coffee hot while i am busy getting ready, and dealing with the kids.
the busy body book is my life safer!! (http://www.busybodybook.com/) my friend jen had one and loved it, so i thought i would give it a try. i like my calendars to run for the school year, not calendar year, so i ordered one in aug. i can't tell you how organized i feel with it. i have learned pretty quickly that having 3 kids, with many appointments and activities keeps me busy, and if i don't keep track of where we need to go or what we need to do, i feel scattered. keeping my life organized, keeps me happy!!!
and finally, my new shopping list. i saw this Real Simple shopping list at target last week and thought i would give it a try. i always have an ongoing list of what we need at the grocery store. craig is a big help and will do the shopping for us a lot of the time, but he needs me to make him a list. it doesn't get more simple than this. i can just check things off as we need it. this week i wrote out our weekly menu on the back, and then checked off the things we needed. i give it 2 thumbs up!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
a week of doctor's appointments...
so this week all 3 kids had a doctor's appointment. that's a lot of money in co-pays!!! here is what is going on with them...
carter had his 6 year well appointment on monday. he is 48 1/4 inches, and 50 lbs. craig brought him, so i don't know where he was in the percentiles. i know compared to the kids in his class, he is tall and lean. he is also the only kid in his class who hasn't lost a tooth yet.
we have really been working on carter's eating habits. he has so many texture issues and i have had enough. i am back to only making one meal at dinner time. take it or leave it! also i have been using oreo ice cream as a bribe... and it works!!! so, some of the foods we have been working on don't seem like a big deal, but they are. for the love of god, carter won't eat birthday cake b/c of the frosting. anyways, back to carter's food issues. in the last 2 weeks he has tried for the first time the following foods. hot dogs, pasta (w/ butter and sauce), real chicken, cucumbers and watermelon. we have also made him eat pizza a couple of times. these all seem like basic foods that most kids love, but they are foods that carter has refused for 6 years.
our pedi gave us some great games to get carter to eat more foods... she said we could play food bingo or make a rainbow chart and have carter try to eat a new food in every color. i am planning on making the food bingo chart this weekend. i am also going to make one for mason even though he doesn't have these issues, but a little sibling rivalry may work in my favor!!!
mason has been potty trained since feb. he was doing great! and then about 2 weeks ago he started having accidents. his undies would get a little wet, like he was waiting too long. that was also around the time we stopped his naps, so i thought maybe he was just so tired. well, all of a sudden this week he started to have a ton of accidents... so i tried going back to a reward system. but it seemed like he had to go potty ALL THE TIME! yesterday we were running out to do some errands, so i had him go pee before we left. well, after a 15 minute drive we get to our first store and he says he needs to go potty. so we go, and then continue with our shopping. 20 minutes later he says he has to go again... i told him we were on our way home he could just wait. well, as i was putting the stroller in the back of the car i hear him yell in pain, says his back hurts. by the time i get to him, he is SOAKED!!! good thing i have all weather mats in my car that caught it all. i then realized he complained his back hurt when he woke up.
i called the doctor's and they wanted me to bring him in to check his urine. he was fine... no uti, kidney stones, or diabetes. all they said is to work on the reward system and to try to get him to hold it for 2 hours at a time to build up his muscles again. i am keeping my fingers crossed!!!!
and now onto miss hadley. last week i called the ENT when she got her 4th ear infection. she is so happy and content, and they don't seem to even bother her. but since mason has a history of ear infections, tubes and a speech delay, i wanted to get this taken care of earlier rather than later.
so, today she had fluid in her ears. they are not infected (yet), but she just finished her anti-biotic on sunday, and the fluid is already back. we went over the options and decided to go ahead and do the surgery and get her tubes. they want to wait until she is 6 months old, so somebody will be calling us this week to schedule the surgery. i hate the thought of it, but i know this is the best thing for her.
so, that is what's going on here!!!!
carter had his 6 year well appointment on monday. he is 48 1/4 inches, and 50 lbs. craig brought him, so i don't know where he was in the percentiles. i know compared to the kids in his class, he is tall and lean. he is also the only kid in his class who hasn't lost a tooth yet.
we have really been working on carter's eating habits. he has so many texture issues and i have had enough. i am back to only making one meal at dinner time. take it or leave it! also i have been using oreo ice cream as a bribe... and it works!!! so, some of the foods we have been working on don't seem like a big deal, but they are. for the love of god, carter won't eat birthday cake b/c of the frosting. anyways, back to carter's food issues. in the last 2 weeks he has tried for the first time the following foods. hot dogs, pasta (w/ butter and sauce), real chicken, cucumbers and watermelon. we have also made him eat pizza a couple of times. these all seem like basic foods that most kids love, but they are foods that carter has refused for 6 years.
our pedi gave us some great games to get carter to eat more foods... she said we could play food bingo or make a rainbow chart and have carter try to eat a new food in every color. i am planning on making the food bingo chart this weekend. i am also going to make one for mason even though he doesn't have these issues, but a little sibling rivalry may work in my favor!!!
mason has been potty trained since feb. he was doing great! and then about 2 weeks ago he started having accidents. his undies would get a little wet, like he was waiting too long. that was also around the time we stopped his naps, so i thought maybe he was just so tired. well, all of a sudden this week he started to have a ton of accidents... so i tried going back to a reward system. but it seemed like he had to go potty ALL THE TIME! yesterday we were running out to do some errands, so i had him go pee before we left. well, after a 15 minute drive we get to our first store and he says he needs to go potty. so we go, and then continue with our shopping. 20 minutes later he says he has to go again... i told him we were on our way home he could just wait. well, as i was putting the stroller in the back of the car i hear him yell in pain, says his back hurts. by the time i get to him, he is SOAKED!!! good thing i have all weather mats in my car that caught it all. i then realized he complained his back hurt when he woke up.
i called the doctor's and they wanted me to bring him in to check his urine. he was fine... no uti, kidney stones, or diabetes. all they said is to work on the reward system and to try to get him to hold it for 2 hours at a time to build up his muscles again. i am keeping my fingers crossed!!!!
and now onto miss hadley. last week i called the ENT when she got her 4th ear infection. she is so happy and content, and they don't seem to even bother her. but since mason has a history of ear infections, tubes and a speech delay, i wanted to get this taken care of earlier rather than later.
so, today she had fluid in her ears. they are not infected (yet), but she just finished her anti-biotic on sunday, and the fluid is already back. we went over the options and decided to go ahead and do the surgery and get her tubes. they want to wait until she is 6 months old, so somebody will be calling us this week to schedule the surgery. i hate the thought of it, but i know this is the best thing for her.
so, that is what's going on here!!!!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
baby names
this is my favorite time of the year. the social security administration releases the top baby names for the previous year. it is fun to watch the trends, and i always like to see where my kids name fall on the list.
it also lists popular names by state. carter isn't in the top 100 for MA, but in other states it is in the top 10. there is also a list of top twin names.
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/
Popularity of the male name Carter Year of birth Rank
2008 65
2007 80
2006 75
2005 77
2004 88
2003 102
2002 107
2001 111
2000 152
Popularity of the male name Mason Year of birth Rank
2008 35
2007 37
2006 39
2005 42
2004 51
2003 54
2002 53
2001 53
2000 64
Popularity of the female name Hadley Year of birth Rank
2008 414
2007 469
2006 494
2005 623
2004 692
2003 701
2002 875
2001 858
2000 921
it also lists popular names by state. carter isn't in the top 100 for MA, but in other states it is in the top 10. there is also a list of top twin names.
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/
Popularity of the male name Carter Year of birth Rank
2008 65
2007 80
2006 75
2005 77
2004 88
2003 102
2002 107
2001 111
2000 152
Popularity of the male name Mason Year of birth Rank
2008 35
2007 37
2006 39
2005 42
2004 51
2003 54
2002 53
2001 53
2000 64
Popularity of the female name Hadley Year of birth Rank
2008 414
2007 469
2006 494
2005 623
2004 692
2003 701
2002 875
2001 858
2000 921
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day
today was a great day from start to finish. i really would like to thank craig for making it so perfect!!! craig got up with the kids and let me sleep (i was up by 8:00am, why can't i sleep in anymore?) then he put hadley down for a nap and took the boys out, and told me to just relax. so i made some coffee, watched the today show, and went on the computer. it was pure bliss!!! after an hour i decided to take a shower, and i was able to enjoy it and not feel rushed at all!
craig took the boys to the grocery store and then to panera to get me some breakfast. when they got home they gave me flowers, cards and a beautiful necklace. i tried to take a picture, but it was hard to get the detail. each disc has a name on the front, birth date on the back, and birthstone on the top. it is so perfect!!! here is the website if you want to take a look... http://www.hollymariejewelry.com
did i mention hadley took a 3 hour nap this morning while i was enjoying my downtime??? i love her!!!
we then met my parents for lunch. it was hadley's first time sitting in a high chair at a restaurant. yaya and papa wanted to hold her as much as they could and didn't put her down very much. my mom gave me a beautiful vera bradley bag, it is so pretty!
after lunch we came home and went outside to let the kids play and to clean up their play area a bit. today was a beautiful day, just a bit windy. we then went to our neighbor's house for a bit and then back home for dinner.
i am just so happy! i feel lucky that i have such a great family and was able to celebrate mother's day with them. today i feel very appreciate, loved and valued... and maybe a bit spoiled too!!!
craig took the boys to the grocery store and then to panera to get me some breakfast. when they got home they gave me flowers, cards and a beautiful necklace. i tried to take a picture, but it was hard to get the detail. each disc has a name on the front, birth date on the back, and birthstone on the top. it is so perfect!!! here is the website if you want to take a look... http://www.hollymariejewelry.com
did i mention hadley took a 3 hour nap this morning while i was enjoying my downtime??? i love her!!!
we then met my parents for lunch. it was hadley's first time sitting in a high chair at a restaurant. yaya and papa wanted to hold her as much as they could and didn't put her down very much. my mom gave me a beautiful vera bradley bag, it is so pretty!
after lunch we came home and went outside to let the kids play and to clean up their play area a bit. today was a beautiful day, just a bit windy. we then went to our neighbor's house for a bit and then back home for dinner.
i am just so happy! i feel lucky that i have such a great family and was able to celebrate mother's day with them. today i feel very appreciate, loved and valued... and maybe a bit spoiled too!!!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
hadley's room
finally, hadley's room is complete... it only took 5 months! i guess that's what i get for not wanting a gender neutral room. her room is the smallest bedroom in our house, and has been empty since we moved in. i never wanted to set it up, because i always knew we would have another baby.
anyways, i think it is really cute! it is pretty and girly, but not over the top with pink. the bedding is "Stella" from pbk.
5 months
i can not believe my baby is 5 months old today... time is going by way too fast!!! hadley is such a good girl! she loves her exersaucer, and she thinks rolling is quite fun too. she sleeps 11-12 hours at night, and naps well during the day. she is easy to travel with, and just goes with the flow, which is good since we are always going around here. i could go on, and on... i am in love!!!
i had to add this picture of mason... he is so funny! he loves his winter pj's. his snowman, and christmas ones are his favorite. he also thinks it is funny to wear my shoes. and he is still calling me "Shannon".
Friday, May 1, 2009
another day, another bow
it seems as though my friends like to make fun of miss hadley's bows. even my husband, thinks i have gone a bit crazy! the truth is, i enjoy dressing my kids... when the boys were little, i would put them in cute outfits with matching hats.
also, people are dumb. plain and simple. even if she had on a pink outfit, i would be asked if she was a boy or girl. i figured a cute little headband could solve that problem. when hadley was 2 months old i got her picture taken in a cute tutu, with a flower headband. it was great for the photo, but not something you could wear everyday, so i then got some more headbands that are easy to mix and match with her clothes. some of them are actually hair clips on a headband, so she can still wear them when her hair grows in.
i must admit, once i went bigger with the bows, the newborn headbands she had looked too small!! the bigger, the better!!!
for now i am shut off from bow buying. i may be able to convince craig that she needs a red sox bow, but for now we are content with our options.
here is a little photo time line of her bows...
also, people are dumb. plain and simple. even if she had on a pink outfit, i would be asked if she was a boy or girl. i figured a cute little headband could solve that problem. when hadley was 2 months old i got her picture taken in a cute tutu, with a flower headband. it was great for the photo, but not something you could wear everyday, so i then got some more headbands that are easy to mix and match with her clothes. some of them are actually hair clips on a headband, so she can still wear them when her hair grows in.
i must admit, once i went bigger with the bows, the newborn headbands she had looked too small!! the bigger, the better!!!
for now i am shut off from bow buying. i may be able to convince craig that she needs a red sox bow, but for now we are content with our options.
here is a little photo time line of her bows...
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