7|23|13

Twenty-FIVE

Yep...I turned 25 today...and feel OLD...pretty sure I don't feel like I act my age at times...hope I grow up before I turn 26:) I got to spend my day doing what I like best! 

Went on a morning walk ~ took the kids swimming with my Mom, Sister and Cousins~

Worked in my flower beds ~ Went to the 4H Fair with the family in the evening for our Pronto-Pup and Ice Cream!

Thank You to all my Family and Friends who made me feel so loved by sending me Birthday wishes on Facebook...cards...and texts!  Love you all so much!



 petting the bunnies

Mr. Reilly and his sward from the balloon man

(I guess Sarina is trying to tell us to WATCH OUT!)

me and my kiddos...love birthdays!

718|13 ~ 7|20|13

7|18|13 Oh, Puddles

 

Suppertime usually results in THIS...why must we always wear our supper in our hair?...I will never know...surely I wasn't this messy as a child!!!  One of her newest words is "dip" anything in a squirt bottle sitting on the supper table...she's gotta have some!

 

 

7|19|13 Best of Summer

 

 

We are loving these long summer nights...especially the weekends when "Daddy stays home on the days" as Reilly calls it.  Tonight we had supper down by the pool...swam for 3 hours and then went out for ice cream after dark...We love spending time together as a family...

Feeling Blessed to have a healthy and safe summer.

 

Good ol' Jacks Pizza!

This little girl loved the peach tea...

4 refills + a gulp of pool water with each jump = full diapers!!!!!!!!!!

Sharing chocolate custard topped with M & M's...what a drippy mess!

 

7|20|13 Good Friends

 

 

And we met this Special Couple last night for supper!  Bill and Shirley Denick we had a great time with you! Thanks again for supper and delicious dessert!  Hope to get together again soon.

 









7|18|12 Marbles

Listening the first time...throwing fussing fits...telling Mommy NO, pestering little sis...jumping on the couch...are just a few of our issues with Mr. Reilly.

When I tell my little boy to stop...come...listen...obey...he is too quick to ignore me and it is gone on far too long...spanking...sending him to his room...taking movies away...just isn't working...sOOOOOOO, we now have a marble jar...and this I'm gonna stick too!! (I hope)

Reilly starts the day with 8 marbles...where I got the number of 8 I don't know...we might have to adjust that...If he tells me NO, eats to slow at the supper table (longer than 30 minutes) fails to listen to an instruction the first time...I get to take one of his marbles and put it in my jar...

At the end of the day...for every marble he has left he gets a nickel to put in his money jar...If there are no marbles...he will not get any candy the next day!...THAT to my 4 year old is a tragedy...because he just NEEDS treats!

We might have to decrease the number he starts with and let him "buy"

some back with good deeds or doing a chore!

He's got his eye on a watch from Bass Pro...it's got fish on it and a second hand...if and when he gets enough nickels we'll be headed to Bass Pro with our money jar:)!!! Hoping this teaches him to think before acting...encourage him to help out around the house...responsibility...and just be a kind loving friend...overall he is a good little boy...just hoping a little incentive helps...
I love my growing boy...makes me smile~laugh everyday:)

Oh...and for the record...he can dive off the diving board and turn his dives into flips!
What an achievement for a 4 year old!

 

 

Reilly's jar has fruit on the front...Mommy's being the one on the left.

Stats~Mommy 3...Reilly 5...keep up the good work little buddy:)

 



7|13|13 The Ice Cream Truck

...or van actually...came to Congerville...one of those things where you hear a little song...and know you don't have music playing in the house at the moment...and the song keeps getting louder and louder...and pretty soon Daddy's arm is twisted hard enough...and you suddenly are walking home, proudly, with a popsicle in hand...Daddy loves ice cream...so I guess it wasn't to hard on the twisting part:)

 

And all the questions that came along with the walk back home...

"Daddy?"..."Yes, Reilly?"...

"Why do I have to eat my supper before my popsicle?

...why does the van go so slow?

...where does the ice cream come from?

...why does it play music?"

...such sweet little innocent minds:)

He even shared his delicious popsicle with all of us...was quite yummy I'd say!

 





7|11|13 Job Security

...messes~dresses...cuddles~puddles...spills~frills...

 

never a dull moment with these two kiddos...how I love them...how they try my patience...how healthy God has made them...thankful for everyday...thankful for the GRACE to raise them...thankful for naptime...Loving my Mommy Job...

 

 

 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

 

I sit and wander, where time goes we try our best to teach them right,as times change and our children grow, we love them with all our might. It's not easy to raise a child at times, we don't know what to do we weren't given any instructions. It's a challenge that's all new. Our children, are our lives and our most important goal, to love and to guide them and to place them in life's role.
Our children are our future and time will only tell the job we've done as parents
and if we've done it well....
Shelley R. Davis

 



Finger Painting and Cheesecake

7|10|13 Finger Painting

 

...because I promised we would on a rainy day...boy do they have ticklish feet...love it then they giggle...

 

 

...and they actually turned out...looks like Puddles has flat feet!

 

 

My little boy and I made our first attempt at cheese cake...looks like they turned out...

tastes like they turned out is yet to be determined...

 



7|4|13 Independance Day

Another beautiful day to celebrate our Freedom! Thank you all who fight four our country...I know I need to do better about praying for all of the brave soldiers...who leave family and friends...and risk their lives...THANK YOU!  We enjoyed the parade...as always...I think we knew about 75% of all the people in the parade...but that's what makes it so fun!  And we now have a whoppin' candy stash to last us the rest of the summer...and hopefully longer!

 



 

 

 

And two little hooligans waiting for the fireworks to start! Another awesome show at the Eureka Lake! God Bless America!

 

7|3|13 Sausage French Toast Bake

Suppertime becomes a breeze when I can do it ahead...found this recipe in the Sunday paper coupons...we loved it...so I thought I'd share it's delisheshness...which I think should be a word!

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 package (16 oz.) Bob Evans Original Sausage

2 apples, cored and sliced thin

2 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tsp. orange zest

1 loaf (16 oz.) hearty white bread, cut into 1" slices

3 cups whole milk

6 eggs

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

maple syrup

 

DIRECTIONS:

In large skillet over medium heat, crumble and cook sausage until browned. Drain.

 

 

In same skillet, melt butter.  Add apples slices and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

 

 

Add cranberries, orange juice and zest, and simmer 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in sausage.

 

 

 Spray 9" x 13" baking pan with cooking oil spray...Overlap bread slices in pan to fit.

 

 

Spoon sausage and apple mixture on top and in between bread slices.  In bowl, whisk milk, eggs and cinnamon until well blended.  Pour over bread and sausage.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  

  

 

When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Uncover pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until browned and custard is set. Serve with maple syrup.

 

AND...wa-la...it's suppertime! We don't do REAL maple syrup...just Hungry Jack:)

 

 

I never know what to serve with this...seems kinda lazy to have one dish for supper...but it really has it all...the meat, bread, fruit...and oh, veggies...what are those? So fresh watermelon it is!

Looks and sounds kinda weird, I know, but it IS delicious!

 

 

 



7|2|13 Play-Dough

...is a serious art!  Perfect morning to haul out the play-dough...sprinkling outside...cool breeze coming through the window...best friends...Phil Coulter hymns in the background...slow summer days how I love you!