It's the simple things

I mean truly it is. What is one thing you enjoy to do? Sit and read a book, drink coffee & read the paper, watch your kids faces light up when they see their Daddy. Simple things that just make your day a whole lot brighter. 

This morning I had a Dr's appointment and in order to try and get Shawn to be occupied while I was talking with the Dr I blew up a glove into a balloon. It worked like a charm and when I got home I blew another one up for my daughter and they were in heaven. So we went outside for a little bit to run around and play with their balloons. It was so cute to see how happy they were with something as simple as a glove blown up. Who would've guessed it was that easy LOL

Wordless Wednesday

There's nothing like watching my babies play with my husband and seeing those big smiles on their faces.

I scream, you scream. We ALL scream for ice cream!

 My sister picked up my daughter earlier today and took her to the park and after I picked my oldest up we met her there. The poor girls faces were BRIGHT red so what do you do when it's 100+ outside. You get ice cream of course!

What can I say....the girl definitely has style!

 

I'm thinking, no I know that my child loves accessories. She has tons of purses, she's always changing shoes and I think she looks totally awesome with her Lei and her one gloved hand LOL oh and don't forget the slippers. And you can't see it that well but she is also wearing a headband.  It's kind of reminiscent of...............  

Yup that's me circa um, like 1988. Look I had natural blond hair back then! I didn't have a glove but I had a wrist band (because those were totally awesome back then) and where my daughter has a Lei I had on a beaded necklace. We wont talk about my scarf that I'm wearing as a shirt lol but omg I remember those dress up shoes!

So much fun watching my kids do the same things I used to do as a kid. I can't wait to see what other outfits my daughter comes up with throughout the years.

Rice Krispies treats

Hello, my name is Shana, I am 28 years old and I have never made rice krispie treats before ::::hangs head in shame:::: LOL I've always wanted to so I finally went out and bought the ingredients I would need, all three of them and got to cooking.

Here's what you need:

6 cups of rice krispies

3 tablespoons of butter 

10 oz of marshmallows

First lightly spray a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray

Get six cups of rice krispies

The chitlens waiting patiently (sort of)

Melt your butter in a pan and then pour in the marshmallows. Make sure to melt them completely

One the marshmallows are completely melted remove it from the heat and add in your rice krispies.

Mix until the cereal is completely covered in that wonderful gooey mixture

Throw it into your baking dish, or lightly toss, whichever works for you

Now smooth and press it down until it's all even and filling the dish. IMPORTANT! If using a spatula or wooden spoon spread some butter on it so it doesn't stick (not a lot, just a like coating) or smooth it with a piece of wax paper.

Let cool and serve same day or cover and save for later.

Since it was the kids first time eating home made rice krispie treats I took pictures. I think they enjoyed them.

Beautified

I am not the type of person that goes out and spends tons of money on myself. Whether it be for clothes, makeup, jewelery, purses, pretty much anything, I just don't do it. But last weekend I saw this really cute shirt at target I knew I had to have it. And added bonus, it was on sale!

On Saturday we had plans to go to my Aunt and Uncles house for Yom Kippur and I figured well this is a perfect time to wear my new shirt. So what did I do. I straightened my hair, did a little poof thing on top (no I don't know what those are called so I call em poofs), did my makeup (in a new way then I normally do) and off we went. I felt good. I rarely dress up and do the whole kitten caboodle. I always love when I do but being a stay at home mom I just really don't have any need for it.

The finished result. 

 

 

 

I had gotten a tad bit of color at my sons soccer game so excuse the red face and chest. So my original point to this post was to say that I enjoyed getting all prettied up and I am going to try and do it more often. Even if I'm just going to the grocery store.

Photo Challenge Week 3

Another week, another challenge. I love it! Brandy chose this weeks theme of capturing an image of a person or persons that seems story like without showing a face. 

While many may think that that is easy peasy it's not as easy as it seems. At least for me. When I take pictures of my kids or anyone for that matter I tend to take it of their faces unless I see an opportunity when they aren't facing me that speaks to me. It's not always simple to find that moment so those pictures are rare.

When I first read what the challenge was I knew I had the perfect picture but I also wanted to include a picture of my kids since I haven't yet really included them, well I did in one picture but I wanted one specifically of them, if that makes any sense. So I am posting two pictures for this weeks challenge.

The first speaks to me on many levels. This is a picture of my Grandfather on his Harley Ride. It was his first ever and something he had wanted to do his whole life. I am so happy that so many people came together in order to make that happen for him.

This next one is a picture of my youngest. It is one of my favorite pictures of him and yes many might think it is embarrassing but I don't care, that only makes me like it more LOL Just kidding. It's just one of those moments where I know he was having a blast playing nakey butt and it's a moment I will never forget, especially since I have a picture of it.

And I'm not sure if this is specifically what the challenge calls for but it is one of my favorite pictures of my husband and my youngest.

Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I had a little bit of a hard time getting into the book at first but once I did I couldn't put it down. The characters were constantly keeping you guessing. I can't wait for the next book in this series.



View all my reviews

House rules

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I don't normally read books like this but I am so glad that I did. I love how not only did you get such a good perspective of the main characters mind but she also brought you into the other important characters minds. It was a great read.



View all my reviews

I totally forgot

To post last week about the two little one's and I chasing down a hot air balloon. Yes I am one of those annoying people who will follow it and park on the side of the road to let my kids watch it and have the biggest smiles on their faces that you've ever seen. Got a problem with that? I didn't think so LOL It's all about the kids. I'd do anything to make them happy so when we were driving home from taking my oldest to school and I spotted the hot air balloon, and two seconds later they spotted it and were screaming and giggling, I knew what my mission was. Follow that air balloon!
Of course I accepted said mission. How mean would I be if I didn't. So off we went for the next 20 minutes. Driving around town, stopping a few time's to see which direction it was heading.

It's headed North Captain. Full steam ahead then!!!!

And off we go, headed North to catch up with the balloon. When we do you can imagine the kids excitement at getting to watch it land. :Insert smile that was mentioned earlier:

They thought is was so neat that the balloon floated across the street to land. I was busy taking pictures of the kids watching it instead of the balloon but that's okay. I think my loves are better subjects.

Good bye pretty air balloon. I'm sure we will see you another day.

It's the first game of the season

For soccer that is. Yes I do like football BUT this is my kid and he's way more important. Besides first day of football wasn't today LOL I'm not that hardcore of a fan to even blog about football. Okay, getting distracted. Today was Jr's first soccer game of the season. From the moment he woke up he had been asking if it was time to go to his game yet. As soon as he was done eating breakfast and showering he put his uniform on. Mind you this was three hours before we had to be there but that's okay because it was cute.
When it finally came time for us to leave he was the first out the door, soccer bag in hand, and in the car ready to go. It was awesome. If only every morning for school were that easy!
He had a great game. He wasn't scared of the ball like he was a few years ago and he actually got out there and got the ball and defended the goal. He did awesome today. I am very proud of him. What I love about watching Jr play is no matter what the kid has a smile on his face. He is just having the absolute time of his life being out there. If watching him wasn't enough to prove that we came home and he looked at me and said "Mom, today was the BEST day I've ever had". Love it!
Here are a few pictures of my little man having the best time ever :D

Goooooooo Yellow Dragons!

Forgot to mention, Jr is number 4. Here he is running, see that smile on his face!

Eating grapes for half time, I think he got a tart one

Jr throwing the ball in

I know it's small but you should be able to click and enlarge it. His expression here cracks me up. And look at him getting right in there. Go Jr!!!!!

Jr assisting another team member on making a goal

And leave it to my kid to mess around when the ball isn't near him

Of course I had to take some pictures of my other little's. Here is my princess Mantha Pantha

And my little Shawn man who decided ten minutes into the game that he was going to wait until I turned my back to get his sister some water and then run out onto the middle of the soccer field to find his brother LOL

7 Random Bits

Im sitting here eating my breakfast, a bowl of green beans (yes I love me some veggies for snack or meals) and I'm sitting here staring at my blog wanting to write a post and nothing is coming to mind. I know later I plan to post pictures of my sons first soccer game this season but that's a few hours away. So I decided, hey why not give you a few random things about me. So here it goes.

1. I am not a morning person. My mom says I used to be. I would always wake up with a smile. Not anymore, I wake up and all I want to do is snooze the alarm and go back to sleep. Ahhh blissful sleep.

2. I am a bit of a loner. I have tons of online friends but not many in real life. I know this is because I am shy, yes me, the one who has no problem talking about anything online is shy in person.

3. I am a walking stress ball. Literally, if you touched my shoulders you would be in shock at how tense I am. And it is always like that. It's part of who I've always have been and probably always will be.

4. I smoke. Yes I said the big ugly S word. I smoke and I use it as a crutch. I know I do and I admit it. At least I do that. I didn't smoke for 4 years and went through a lot of emotional crap in my life and like a fool I started back up again. I need to quit and I know this but I don't want to. I enjoy it and I need to learn other ways of relieving my stress and anxiety in order for me personally to be ready to quit.

5. I yell. I never used to be a yeller. I used to have the patience of a saint. Somewhere along the last three years that has slowly trickled away. I hate that I yell and that I've lost my patience. I hate it. Simple. It is one thing I am working on changing about myself.

6. I love my family more then life itself. There is nothing I would do for my family. My kids are the world to me and they bring such joy into my life every day that I don't know what I would do without them. I am truly blessed to have been given such a gift, and times three at that.

7. There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to me. I am spontaneous and I tend to not think things through. Sometimes this is good, other times it is very bad. I have a great sense of humor and love to make people laugh. And I have this uncanny ability to jump from one subject to something totally different. Drives my husband nuts sometimes but half the time he just looks at me, cocks his head and laughs.

So there you have it. Seven things you might not have known about me or might have. Either way it was random and that's what I was going for :D

White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

I know that got someone's attention. It did mine when I was browsing my Moms recipes this morning. I offered to bring a dessert to dinner for Rosh Hashanah tonight but I didn't want to just pick something up. I wanted to make something and I rarely bake or make desserts of any kind so this was a good excuse, especially since it wouldn't be sitting in my fridge calling my name for a week.
This was actually a recipe my sister entered at the local fair a few years ago and got raves about. Oh and did I mention it's insanely simple to make! So I copied it and ran off to the store to get what I needed.

White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

1 ripe banana, sliced

1/2 cup chopped almonds (I omitted these because of the nut allergies in my family)

1 box (about 5 oz) instant banana or vanilla cream pudding mix

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

2/3 cup grated or finely chopped white chocolate

2 cups frozen whipped topping (cool whip)

1 frozen pie crust, baked according to directions

Arrange the sliced bananas on the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the chopped almonds on top of the bananas. 

In a medium bowl whisk together the pudding, evaporated milk and 1/2 of the white chocolate.

Pour the pudding mixture over the bananas in the pie crust

(Of course you have to let the kids lick the spoon)

(And don't forget to share)

Top with the cool whip and then sprinkle with remaining white chocolate and remaining almonds.  I had a few pieces of banana left over so I put those on there too.

I can't wait to enjoy this tonight after dinner.

Oh, I almost forgot! This needs to be refrigerated for at least one hour before eating.