I’ve been a brunette now for about a year and have tried several shades. My favorites were the ones with a hint of maroon or burgandy in them…almost translated into a purple hue a couple of times against the dark brown. I never went totally black just really dark and I enjoyed it!
You should all feel safe this year…the super twins are here to save the day!
Main Meals
1. Cheesy Enchilada Casserole http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/?p=3352
2. Crispy Cheddar Chicken http://jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com/2011/10/crispy-cheddar-chicken.html
3.Baked Risotto with Butternut Squash http://simply-delicious.co.za/2011/07/26/baked-risotto-with-butternut-pine-nuts-sage/
4. Orange Chicken- Crockpot http://www.examiner.com/frugal-living-in-buffalo/orange-chicken-the-crockpot
Baking
5. Banana Coconut Bread http://fatgirltrappedinaskinnybody.blogspot.com/2011/10/coconut-banana-bread.html
6.We are on snack duty this week for Hayden’s class so I’m trying to come up with some yummy snacks to take. Pumpkin Raisinette Cookies http://mylitter.com/recipes/walmart-deal-raisinets-2-28/
We had so much fun celebrating Hayden turning 6 years old. I still fumble when I try to say that she is 6. That sounds so foreign and old. Yuck!
We hung crepe paper so she would have to bust through it to get out of her door the morning of her birthday. She loved it and it was the perfect way to kick off her birthday.
She lucked out this year with her birthday falling on a school day. (I never had a birthday fall on a school day and always wondered what that would be like.) I whipped up some yummy ice cream cupcakes (thank you Pinterest) for her school friends and ate lunch with her. She requested McDonalds.
Her sisters had picked out a tiara and necklace for her to wear that day and we gave her a Barbie fashion sketch pad. Super fun for our little artist.
While she was at school that day her dad and I were furiously racing to finish assembling the birthday gift we had gotten her (and her sisters). A trampoline! It came down to the wire but we finished it and her surprised face as we pulled up to the house made it all worth it!
After we all bounced our guts out, she wanted to celebrate at Incredible Pizza.
Sunday rolled around and Hayden was so excited to finally get to go to church. Our church has its own happy birthday song that we sing to everyone and she had been talking about it all week. She was smiling the biggest smile while everyone sang…wish I had a picture of that one.
Then we finished up her weekend celebration with a lunch at Red Lobster and of course…..they sang to her there too.
This picture shows exactly how amazing the weekend was. They were plumb tuckered out!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mustard-roasted-salmon-recipe/index.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herbed-basmati-rice-recipe/index.html
It’s 3:44 a.m. and you are officially six. Wow. A 6 year old??? How did this happen??? I really feel like yesterday we were roller skating around the rink celebrating her being 5. I was just as in shock at how that felt, then, and now I have to say, “six year old”???? What in the world!? That sounds CRAZY! I feel the same way I did when I first had to say my new married name. Like my mouth won’t even properly form the word.
Hayden, slow down!! You are the most amazing child. I never could have imagined that my child would one day be YOU. You have taken every vision that I ever had of what being a mom would be or what my child would be like and thrown them out the window, and then exceeded every expectation I could have ever had. You embrace every single moment and make it as amazing as anyone could ever imagine. You see things in a way that some adults can’t even see. You comprehend things that I don’t even sometimes comprehend. You are like girl genius embodied. I feel like I have to give people a warning label before they meet you because you are so unique and amazing and unlike any other person I have ever known. And people immediately love you. How could they not?? That fabulous smile and those warm brown eyes just wrap theirselves around our hearts. I love you in a way that I never knew could exist.
Thank you for making me a Mother. I didn’t have a clue what I was missing and cannot imagine a second without your little life entangled into mine.
Shoot for the moon, little wonder…and then keep going and never stop.
This seems so long ago http://munsons.blogspot.com/2005/10/she-is-finally-here.html
Hayden has been enjoying her last few days as a five year old and I’m stockpiling on kleenex boxes. I cannot believe I’m about to have a SIX YEAR OLD. I cannot even comprehend that.
On Sunday, right before bed Hayden came in and was complaining about her loose tooth. Its been “on the verge” for a while now and we had made a couple of lousy attempts at pulling it, but never could get that sucker to pop out. I always chickened out She would always say it hurt and we’d say ok, we’ll try again when it gets a little more loose.
So, I felt the tooth and thought, wow, I really think this could actually come out. But also wondered how we’d get it out without her freaking out and it hurting her. I knew we’d probably only have one shot at it.
The situation could go down one of two ways:
1. It fly out on the first shot and it be a great experience, pain free and happy!
2. I could pull it, it not come out and Hayden punch me in the face from pain and be terrified of losing tooth from now until forever.
Oh the pressure.
Thank goodness for technology. I had the bright idea to let her play a game on my phone to distract her from what was going on. So we got our supplies. Washcloth, dental floss and the phone. I was terrified. To purposefully, potentially inflict pain on your child by means of pulling out a tooth suddenly felt like some sick torture ritual. Ughhhhh.
I prepared. I tied the floss on while she logged on to her game and asked her to keep her mouth open so I could see it. I slowly moved the floss lower into the gum and kind of back and forth to see what progress we could make without her realizing. I had my washcloth ready. I held onto the floss with washcloth in hand and closed my eyes and pulled as hard as I could. I heard Hayden gasp. I opened my eyes and saw the empty spot! I screamed. She screamed. I looked at the floss. The tooth was gone. (Uh oh.) I found it close by on the bed and then Hayden started crying. She had immediately tasted the blood and was freaking out. Then she saw the tooth and got so happy.
So she rinsed her mouth out with salt water and showed off her new smile!
She told us that tooth fairies bring you 5 bucks! WOW! What a high roller! I told her that was probably her initiation fee and the rest of the teeth might be less valuable.
So Hayden finally lost her first tooth. She was so happy and kept telling us all the tricks she was going to do with her gap. Drinking with a straw through it, keeping her mouth closed at the water fountain and slurping the water in through it..on and on.
Of course we cross another milestone right before her birthday…just kick me when I’m down why don’t ya 😉 Can this mama get an emotional break once in a while, please!
Disclaimer: I did not write this, but came across it today and thought it would be a good post. Sometimes marriages go through lulls that may last a while. That doesn’t have to mean your marriage is over.
http://www.simplemarriage.net/the-secret-to-a-lasting-marriage.html
The divorce rate continues to hover around 50%. There is even a belief among some that if marriage becomes too much work or is too difficult or if you are not happy enough, get a divorce.
My opinion of this idea: why take the easy way out?
Marriage is work. Marriage is struggle. But then again, any close relationship is. And for that matter, so is anything of value in life.
There are times I have been asked,
“What makes a marriage last?”
“What’s the secret to a lasting marriage?”
The answer is actually simple (simple is not to be confused with easy).
Before I divulge the answer, let’s tackle a few marriage myths.
Thanks to popular press and Hollywood, the work involved in marriage is poorly displayed. Many people seem to think that marriage will be a lifelong romantic escapade along the shore at sunset before returning home for the nightly passionate adventure enveloped in silk sheets with your lover. I know you’ve bought into this idea somewhat if you can easily complete this phrase: “and they all lived…”
The honeymoon is over, morning breath has set in, your partner sees you for who you are, plus you see your partner more for who they are. You realize that marriage requires more of you. The dream of marriage has been replaced with the reality of marriage. You and your spouse don’t see eye to eye on everything. You’ve slept on the couch at least once in your married life. There has been a roller coaster of feelings. Close. Distant. Passion. Boredom. Joy. Sadness.
When you get right down to it, marriage is not about happiness. Marriage is about two people growing up and becoming better humans.
Nowhere else are we faced with the task of growth more than marriage.
So what’s the secret to making marriage last?
Two people who choose to stay married. That’s it.
Marriage is choice. Choice of partner, choice of self, choice of growth, even choice of passion and adventure.
While this may at first appear simplistic, it should be.
When you view what’s going on in your marriage as a process for growth and experiencing more in life, it makes the choice simple.
Most of the time, we focus on our partner and our desire for them to change or do something different. This is focusing on something we can’t control. If we decide to grow, do something different, change the things we don’t like about ourselves, we take charge of our own life as well as our relationship.
With everything that happens to us in life and love, how you view it will determine the outcome. When you have times of disagreement, could it really be a time to grow closer? Or a time to understand more about your spouse? When you feel your partner pulling away, maybe it’s an opportunity to engage your partner in a better way.
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I would like to add to the article that those of us who have entered into this covenant with God involved also have Him to rely on during these times. He can restore joy, hope and growth and rekindle love, even when it seems that there is no other option but to separate. If you feel like you are alone in your marriage, always remember that God is there too. Its a three part commitment, and He will never be the one to back out of His part.
I do believe that physical abuse and infidelity are definite grounds for reconsideration but I do believe God can heal even those wounds if both parties are in total humility and allow God to do a work. There is so much more to this than I want to blog about and I’m not trying to open up a huge battle ground topic.
I hope you are encouraged if you needed this! Its always a good reminder, even if everything is going swimmingly in your marriage.
Hugs,
Deadlines. The funny thing about deadlines is that they bring out the most crazy urges. When I have a deadline, suddenly I want to rearrange my closet, cook gourmet meals, go through old photos, repaint my bathroom. I feel the need to sort and catagorize my kiddos messy rooms, make them clothes, learn how to use Photoshop.
But really I should be locking myself into my office and chaining my arm to my desk, disconnecting my internet and doing my taxes.
Yeah, taxes that are due in October. The ones that were due in April and we deferred.
And for those four of you who actually still read my sad, sad blog, (hi Mom & Dad, hi BJ, hi Paw Paw) I leave you with my most favorite meal. Its super easy and quick and one of those that can help clear out your produce drawers when you have half an onion, a smidge of parsley, half a tomato, etc. and you need something to put them all in.
~Lemony Orzo Salad~
Cook 1 cup of orzo according to package. Drain and add to a bowl. Mix in a diced tomato, 1/3 cup purple onion, a handful of parsley, sprinkle of dried basil (or fresh if you have it), a pinch of salt and pepper, 1 tsp. olive oil, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 cup of feta cheese crumbles, and chopped kalamata olives . Stir it up and eat. Can be eaten hot or cold.
And have no fear…I’m sure I’ll be blogging like crazy now since I have a deadline staring me straight in the face!
This is my norm 
