So Unrelated...

When I was at my brother's house, I was able to read a lot of magazines that my SIL had, and they were awesome! I fell in love with "Real Simple ~Life made easier~" It is the coolest magazine ever... easy to read, tons of stuff from recipes to fashion, to homemade decorations etc. Well, I was reading one from November (I told you I read a LOT of magazines) and there was an article about giving back during the holidays. Of course there were people who donated toys, helped serve food at the soup kitchens, and all of the tradition feel good holiday things. BUT there was one thing that really got me motivated... Making cards to be delivered with meals for the elderly during the holidays!!

I mean, it's so simple! Everyone loves to make cards and seriously, it doesn't seem like the holidays without getting at least one card a day, right?! So I started thinking about when my hubby's grandmother would get her meals delivered each day from the local "Meals on Wheels" and how nice it would have been for her to receive a special holiday card from someone. So, I talked with Chef Hubby and asked him to use his connections to find out how many homes these meals get delivered to locally and I'm going to start making cards... now!

I know I won't be able to make them all myself, so I'm going to try to enlist some friends and maybe even ask the neighborhood association to help. So maybe we can help bring that holiday spirit to some of our locals. Maybe you will be inspired to do this in your area, or something else, who knows. Let me know if you have any other ideas that I can use to pull together the community! For now though, I have a LOT of cards to make... lol :o)

I know it's a little early, but "Happy Holidays" just the same

Something to Make You Laugh...

Ok, so I keep thinking that I should post some of the hilarious things that come out my kids mouths, but I always forget. Today I was websurfing and saw someone actually did just that, so I had to pop back onto my blog and type it out.

We had an older computer that didn't run very well, so you would have to reboot it a LOT. I went into the den (now it's Phoebe's room) and started working on it while the kids were playing in the other room. As usual, it froze and I had to shut it down. Immediately after I shut it down, Phoebe came in, looked at the computer and in the most serious little voice said, "Mommy, are you all done pretending to do something?" I didn't know what to say!

Figured that I would make your day - hope it worked!!

Camping... sort of!

So Friday we went camping for the weekend with the kids...

It seemed cool when we got there and were setting up. Don't you notice that things don't always stay the way you planned?? I mean, seriously, that whole "best laid plans of mice and men often run astray" doesn't even begin to cover it! See these two cuties? Don't they look peaceful? Well, this was the last time they got along!! Not fun!!

We go to sleep. The big ginormous tent we bought had a TON of room. We had a queen size mattress, a pack-n-play and all of our stuff on one HALF of the tent... lol! I told you we went camping, but I never said I was roughing it! Anyway, the kids woke up at 5am... seriously. I know many of you are saying, what's the big deal? They're kids. Well, my kids get up at 8-9 o'clock, not 5! Chef hubby actually thought we were gonna be packing up and going home right then. I was not being a good person at that time of the morning.

So being the awesome, amazing, adorable... (I could go on and on) hubby, he made us all an awesome breakfast. She how hard he was working? Well, if you look closely, you will notice our little hamburger grill sitting on the picnic table... it didn't start there. At first, he was cooking on our plastic table. I'm sure you can see where this is going - yeah, he started to smell melting plastic and had to move it! That was hot!!


See - told you it was a yummy breakfast...

He made scrambled eggs, bacon, and homefries... and COFFEE!! My man actually bought a percolator so we could have coffee in the morning! He even thought of the nondairy creamer stuff. Isn't he awesome :o)

Notice the ginormous tent?? Now this is the funny part that you can't see. Inside that tent we had a queen size air mattress, a CD player/radio (battery operated), a ceiling fan/light/nightlight (battery operated), a lantern (rechargeable), and a cool little travel potty for Phoebe, that uses diapers, so no worrying about spillage. Yeah, we were so hooked up!!

Then we went to the beach...

Trust me, they look cuter when you can't hear the whining, fighting, and shreiking... but we made it and now we are home. Think we should try it again?!?

A Little Perspective for the Day

I have always been one of those people who want it all. I know that sounds horrible, but I can't describe it any other way. I've never minded having to work harder to actually get it, but I've always wanted it. I guess that's what happens when you grow up in a rich town, not being so rich. I actually remember signing up for an art class in college and then dropping out because I was going to have to pay for the materials, and didn't want to ask my parents for the extra money.

Don't get me wrong. We never went without, and we were a very happy family. I told my mom recently that I never really knew that we were cutting corners growing up until I was on my own. I actually believed that corned beef hash from the can mixed with mashed potatoes was the best supper ever!! It wasn't until my husband and I owned a breakfast place, that I realized that was a side dish.

We also never went on "family vacations". There were four kids, my brother and two step brothers. My parents didn't really have the money to bring us to Disney, like all of the other kids. We went camping in Vermont every year and we looked forward to that! It cost my parents 100 bucks for food and gas and we had a blast!

But I always thought that when I had kids I'd give them all I could. I've started changing that a little. Talking to friends and coworkers, I've started changing my ideas of what "everything" is. A friend and I would bring the kids to the zoo and each time, Phoebe would ask for a toy and I'd give in. It was starting to get costly. EL suggested the squished pennies once. Ya know what, Phoebe LOVES them!! I also try to offer her special time instead of toys now too. I've started to realize that what I had was enough. It isn't the toys or the clothes or any of the stuff you buy.

It's being a family and teaching the kids to cherish what they have and who they are. It's teaching them to care about others and learning that what you have, no matter how little or how much is actually "everything" you need. I was searching blogs tonight and saw this and it put it into Perspective.

So I wish everyone "enough"! Goodnight :o)