Kids Bathroom Makeover

In the last month we have had three rounds of strep and antibiotics and one round of stomach flu.

I was sick to death of germs being spread around so I did something about it.

I went to Target.

Naturally.

I bought the kids their own separate cups with their own toothpaste and toothbrushes.

 I turned the kids' bathroom from this...

And this...

And this...

To this!

Notice the disposable towels on the rack.

No more wiping mouths and hands with the same hand towel.

Instead, the kids overflow the garbage cans with the disposable towels, especially Sam who, in three weeks hasn't gotten over the novelty of pulling them out one by one.

I don't care.

No one has been sick since I re-did the bathroom.

(Knock on wood)

And this.

Of course, I just HAD to get 2 new polka dot rugs and a shower curtain and 6 new striped bath and hand towels, PLUS two fishy hand towels purely for decoration to make the bathroom fully germ-free, right? 

Right.

Week in iPhotos 6 + a Recipe

We were at the Apple store THE day the new iPad came out.

Jeff is thrilled.

He is the ultimate electronic nerd!

I am thrilled because I get his old iPad, but to be honest, I don't really know what to use it for.  

I have an iPhone, a NookColor, and a computer.  

Really, what do I need an iPad for?  

Someone enlighten me.

I've been too tired to make a really involved (more than 6 ingredients) dinner since my surgery.

I surprised my kids with one of their favorite dinners and they were beyond excited.

Made me feel pretty guilty.

Chicken Chalupas:

1 dozen flour tortillas

4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

2 cans cream of chicken soup (I use Healthy Request--no msg)

1 pint sour cream

1/2 lb. monterey jack cheese, grated

3-4 green onions (optional)

1 can olives, sliced

1 small can green chiles

1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated

Combine soup, sour cream, jack cheese, onions, olives, chiles.

Remove 2 C. mixture and add to chicken.  Roll up in tortillas.  Place in greased 9x13.

Spoon remaining mixture over top.  Cover with cheddar cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

So, I think I am slightly anemic.

I was supposed to take iron pills for a month after my surgery (I lost quite a bit of blood.)

The iron is positively poison to my system!  I cannot take it.  I've tried every which way to take it, too.

Cannot be done.  I get super nauseous.

So, I've enlisted my husband  to make me a green smoothie (spinach is high in iron) 3-4 times a week.  I'm also trying to up my red meat intake, and eat Total or Cheerios cereal.

Sam's latest game.

Stacking all the paper cups from the pantry into the biggest tower he can make.

He's pretty proud of this one.

I'm on the bandwagon.

Sam and I went shoe shopping.

He fell in love with these Yo Gabba Gabba Vans and wouldn't even look at another pair of shoes.

(Me?  I got bright pink wedges and tan sandals--so excited for Spring!)

This is what I get to do every week.

Aren't a lucky?

Aren't they adorable?

(Except I want to push girl on the right-front's shoulders down, and I want to straighten girl on the right-back's knees, and I want to push Lu's heels together.)  :)

My brother and his wife are on vacation.

I have their kiddies this weekend.

When they aren't playing outside, they are playing in the entryway.

We crowded 7 kids into three bedrooms (6 in two bedrooms) for a sleepover.

Once they fell asleep (which took a looooooong time), they slept great!

Happy Monday to everyone!

Stripes

I was organizing my closet the other day when I discovered that I have a disproportionate amount of striped shirts.

I didn't even realize how many until I started grouping them all together.

For some reason I am drawn to stripes when I shop.

(Notice they are all horizontal stripes--isn't that a big fashion no-no?)

I went shopping today for some spring clothes and when I came home to hang up my new clothes I realized 4 out of the 5 shirts I bought were striped.

I was not even aware I was buying all these stripes when I was in the store.

So, what is it about my attraction to stripes?

Next time I shop I will pay more attention and try to branch out a little...

...and get more shirts like this one ;)

Growing Up

In just two short weeks, my baby will turn four.

It's kinda, sorta killing me.

Week(s) in iPhotos 5--Daylight Savings

I just survived the worst week of the year!

I hate Daylight Savings when we "Spring" forward.

Absolutely Hate with a capital H!!!

It takes me at least a week to adjust.

To make matters worse, Jeff was out of town again.  That means that I had to take Josh to school in the mornings for the entire week.  His school starts at 7:30 (ridiculous!) and is a twenty-five minute drive which means we have to leave at 7:00--which really feels like 6:00!

PLUS, I have a hard time sleeping without Jeff home.  

PLUS, I already have terrible insomnia.

We just need to leave the clock alone already!

Now, on with our week:

I am thoroughly enjoying my Australian treats, especially the Tim Tams.

Here's a picture of the kids doing the "Tim Tam Slam."

You bite opposite corners of the cookie, use it like a straw in hot chocolate, when the cookie softens, you SLAM it in your mouth.

Sam started Itty Bitty Soccer.

He's ridiculously cute learning how to trap, pass, dribble, and shoot the ball.

Jeff and I went on a  much-needed date to Market Street Grill.

We have not been on one single date yet for 2012--that's how crazy our lives have been.  Remember? I had emergency surgery?  :) :) :)

The weather has been so gorgeous!  

My kids have been playing outside every spare second.

Sam hates the sun in his eyes so I bought him a hat.  Now he wears it everywhere.

After Itty Bitty ball last Tuesday, Sam and I had a lunch date at our favorite restaurant.

I took the boys to get haircuts.

He looks unhappy here, but Sam loves getting haircuts and he has a running conversation with the hairdresser the entire time.  Such the social kid!

Here's where the week started to get rough and the Daylight Savings REALLY started to get painful.

Josh was selected to represent the eighth grade in the state math competition.

He had to be at the school at 6:00 on Wednesday morning, which meant we had to leave by 5:30, which meant we had to wake up by 5:00, 

WHICH REALLY FELT LIKE 4:00!!!!!!!

KILL ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(We don't yet know the results of the test.)

More great weather.

Sam and his cousin, Sophie.

These are from LAST YEAR'S Trader Joe's trip.

We were supposed to stop there on our way home from Disneyland and stock up on our favorite treats.

But, remember?  That little episode of the surgery?

It really messed up our plans and I'm running out of my Chile Spiced Mangoes.

On Thursday, after taking Josh to school at 7:30, taking Jake and Lucy to school at 9:00, going back to bed until 10:45, dragging myself around in my PJs until 1:00, I finally mustered up the will to take Sam to the park. (We missed Itty Bitty)

I think I had 8 power naps on the couch all throughout Wednesday and Thursday.

They didn't power up any more energy, though.  

I positively dragged through those days.

Did I feed the kids dinner?

I don't even remember.

I found these during my most recent shopping trip.

They are GOOOOOOOD!!!

It's Friday.

Jeff is home.

I finally got a decent night's sleep last night.

I'm feeling fully recovered from my surgery.

I have more energy.

We just booked a really fun trip for October.

I have a whole bunch of projects waiting for me.

I can't wait to get started.

My birthday is in twenty days.

Conference is in two weeks.

Spring Break is in four weeks.

Jeff isn't traveling for awhile.

My recital dances are coming together.

I already have a great idea for next year's recital.

Three more days of antibiotics for my kids (fingers crossed!)

There are cleaners at my house as I type this.

That's a whole lotta things to be happy about.

:)

Disneyland 2012

There are a lot of pictures in this post.

I have to include them all in so I can have them in my blog book at the end of the year.

I put my three favorite pictures first 

(because I KNOW you will be too uninterested to scroll through the rest of them),

 but my niece's face is too priceless to miss.

World of Color

 Walking into the park on the first day

These two were inseparable the entire trip

The last day with the Holland family

Waiting in the Paradise Pier movie room

 Totally captures Yale's personality.

Don't. Mess. With. Me.

The highlight of the entire vacation for Sam was meeting Russell from Up.

 Good times.

Then all hell broke loose.