The Case of The Missing Paci's

We own four paci's; however we have not always been so fortunate to have them all at one time. Carlee never had a paci, she just sucked her thumb so we never had to go looking for it. haha.... Zachary on the other hand attached himself to the hospital paci (otherwise known as the soothie) and has loved it ever since. I was warned not to get my child hooked on this paci, but that was only because it was odd looking. Now I know from experience the reason why it's not the best paci... is because of it's shape and it's rubber texture. This paci is not only a paci, but a BALL. When thrown across a room by a toddler, it will not only bounce and hit the wall making it go the opposite direction, but it will spin and spin in circles around rooms making the owner look completely dumb while chasing the thing down. It's quite the site! lol... Recently we found our fourth paci after it had been missing for a few weeks. Me and my Type "A" personality wants to always know where all paci's are at all times, but I have had to let go and choose not worry about such silly things. I knew that two paci's were lost in the house and one possibly in the car (I thought this one had rolled out of our car when opening a door and then straight into the sewer...who would have thought). Anyways, that one showed up last night while looking in the car with a flashlight under the driver's seat. HALLELUJAH, my soul sings! I know it's ridiculous what I praise my Lord for sometimes. Now the other two were not so easy. One paci Zachary found himself (good job little man) and it was under my vanity stand in my room. I didn't know he had found it until I saw him sucking on it with little fuzz balls all over it from our carpet. I literally squealed because I was thrilled we had found another one. Zachary jumped when I made such noises. Once again Praise JESUS!! I think I almost cried over this finding because we were down to one paci and I had spent several hours trying to find it. The things moms go through..... sheeeeesh. Ok now for the last story and the funniest of them all. I remember Zachary having the paci when taking him from his crib that morning, but soon after that it was gone. I looked and looked and looked and... nothing... nowhere... anywhere. "Come on!" I am thinking. "Isn't enough, enough!" I know God can use little things like this in my life just to see how I will respond and to know the purity of my heart. So later on that evening, I put on Zachary's pj's- the same one's he wore the night before (normally I never do this, I'm kinda weird about my kids wearing something twice in a row without being washed) and as Zachary is pulling his arm through the arm hole low and behold his paci is stuck in the sleeve of his pj's. Prime spot for him, it goes straight to his mouth, I look up, blast out laughing, almost pee my pants because I am so happy we have found another one and shout Hallelujah, thank you Jesus!! The greatest thing about these stories is that there will be more like them. I just had to share our latest findings with you all. Happy Thanksgiving!! We are not only thankful for lost paci's, but that God can use little things in our lives to help us choose the right attitude. I could have lost it and got upset or I could have had joy and peace through it all. I know the choice is mine. I can fail and lean on God's grace and be reminded of how much I need Him (which is a good place to be) or I can trust and be thankful that I have grown a little since last time (I love it when this happens). Whichever place your in, God is with you and He is the only one who can help you in that place. Love you all!

A Taste Of My Own Medicine

So today Carlee woke up from her nap and had put on one of her ballet leotards. The only problem is that it was inside out. I told her to go potty and take it off and turn it right side out and that's when she replied, "Mom, I am only three and three year olds can't do that." I died laughing. She literally gave me a taste of my own medicine because I am always telling her that she is three and she is big and three year olds know how to do this and that and so on. I know this is probably not the last time I will hear this or something like it.

Our Growing Kids

Here are some recent pictures of our two. I know it's been awhile since I have posted about them. They are growing so quickly and becoming two very different people. Carlee is getting so big. She is so fun to be around. She makes me laugh constantly by all the things that she says. The other day I was trying to explain to her why she needs to think of Zachary before herself and how important it is to consider his needs first and some where in the conversation I said the word but; however she thought I meant the other but word as in butt. So she stopped me in the middle of my lecture and said, "Mommy did you just say butt?" "I thought you said butt." I lost all control and started to laugh hysterically. Then I went on the explain how some words have two different meanings. She's a smart one I tell you.
Zachary loves shoes right now and wants some on his feet at all times it doesn't even matter who they belong to. Here he is in my new VANS. I think he looks pretty stylish. What do you think? I love the overalls!This girls loves to get her picture taken (just like her mama). The other day Greg kept snapping shots of her as she ran in and out of our room peeking around the corner. She's so beautiful to me. This day she had gone with me to a friends baby shower. I know she loved being with all those women. Fortunately, she found some bigger girls to play with who were around 6 and 8 years old. She admired them so much. That night after the shower, Carlee was talking to Greg and I and she kept saying the word like, like 50 times (you know how you said that when you were a teenager, heck I still say it..haha). It just made her sound so old. Greg and I just laughed. I don't think it stuck though.

Here's a fun picture of them together wearing Carlee's sunglasses. They danced around her room this day and looked at theirselves in her mirror. Zachary just looked and smiled and Carlee just smiled and posed. Too funny!

This was a day that daddy dressed Zachary and got a little lazy and left his onesie unsnapped. I think it's pretty cute. I love that Greg can dress this guy and I can dress our girl. I have to say though, Greg puts outfits together that I would have never thought of and they're great.

These two are so fun. They're both pretty high energy and loud, probably has to do with their age, but they have the greatest personalities. We love them so much and could not be more blessed to have them in our lives.

Recipe Tag

Ok ladies start your ovens and stoves and let the cooking begin. I am looking for new recipes that are easy and good. I have posted my Potato Soup recipe as well as my new Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Scroll down to see who I've tagged.

Potato Soup
Ingredients:
6 strips of Bacon, diced
2 small onions, chopped (I use green onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon pepper
6 cups chicken broth
6 large baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups half and half
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil, and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add potatoes, cream, sour cream and hot sauce; heat through but do not boil. Cook until potatoes are tender about 20 minutes or so. Garnish with bacon and cheese. Serves 8

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix in a large bowl, pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla. Blend well.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Stir into pumpkin mixture, add the milk. Blend well. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Use teaspoon to drop cookies on baking sheet. Bake 8 - 10 minutes.

I Tag Amanda Burkett (since this was your idea), Alicia Adams (b/c you have not posted anything in a while), Kim Guess (b/c I know you have one good recipe you love), and Diana Drexler (newlywed, you've got to have time to cook). Love you gals!

Why is it...

when I make new recipes these days they end up questionable? Probably because, I have been trying the recipes from "Deceptively Delicious," by Jessica Seinfeld. It's an easy way to hide vegetables in your kids food without them realizing it by pureeing. Well this is my second time to try a dinner recipes and not like it. The only reason I wanted to try this cookbook to begin with is to change things up a bit, not to get my kids to eat healthier. Thank goodness they already eat their veggies with a little motivation from Greg and I. I made the chicken nuggets tonight which have broccoli puree in them and are coated with whole wheat breadcrumbs and flax seed meal. So as I cut into one of the nuggets to see if the chicken is done all the breading starts to fall off and the broccoli is obviously easy to see. Now, isn't the whole idea to hide the broccoli puree?? There goes my $5 flax seed meal- it's the one healthy enhancer. I think because I forgot to salt the chicken before dipping it in the mixture, I screwed the whole thing up. Carlee took one look at her plate and told me she was not going to eat it. I don't blame her and I did not make her. However, Carlee did eat about 6 spears of broccoli for dinner. It's the only thing she ate. Like I said, "I'm not trying this to make my kids eat healthier." Greg kept trying to tell me that everything was good, but I did not agree. Zachary ate it all. I'm just tired of wasting food on things that don't taste good. First it's a lot of effort to go and purchase all the ingredients and then when your kitchen is a complete mess and the dinner is gross one can get a little irritated with the whole process. Oh well.... I think I am about to give up on the dinner recipes besides the Tacos (those are delicious) and I do love the pumpkin oatmeal and the sweet potato pancakes for breakfast, but everything else is a toss up. I'm finding that when I do most of these recipes that my children do like them enough to eat them, but I have not been that excited about them.

Do any of you have some favorites from this cookbook? or are there some I should stay away from?

Please understand I am not trying to complain. I'm just trying to save myself some time and be intentional about the recipes I cook. I'd appreciate your thoughts and suggestions on some new recipes. Thanks!

This Boy...

....cracks me up. One minute he is playing with baby dolls and bouncing them up and down....
.....the next minute he is rocking with big sister and being all sweet....
....then he is squishing play-doh with all his might.Zachary goes back and forth all day between sweet little hugger to intense little slugger.He is a boy after his father's heart. Zachary is a true blessing. I find myself totally mesmerized by this fellow. This strong energetic boy is turning into one passionate and tender hearted little man. He's a great balance and I am so thankful for him.

Light the Night

As most of you know I struggle every year with Halloween because I grew up not participating in it and Greg did. However, every year the kids have always dressed up and been taken to the Panther Creek shopping center to get candy (it's very family friendly). This year was different from years past because I had a peace about being around all the other treat-or-treaters. Before we went out, I told Carlee that Halloween was not about getting candy, but about shining the light of Jesus through saying thank you, smiling, being polite, sharing, and being kind. This made the difference. Carlee did exactly what I said and enjoyed every bit of it. Even after we were done, she asked me if she shined Jesus and I told her that she did a great job! I am so proud of Carlee and know this is the beginning of a great holiday season to come. Teaching her to become others focused this year is going to make a difference in her attitude and her heart. Thank you Lord! To this day she has not even asked for the candy she received. Her one lollipop was just enough.

Zachary as Elmo (about the only character he knows from his pampers diaper)
Carlee as a fairy (her own creation) and the monkey from My GymPuffy the Pinecone was there and Carlee loved taking a picture with him.

Enjoying the lollipops.... Zachary was bummed when it was all gone and screamed pretty good.