When the kids are away, Mom will play

Let me tell you.... summer kicked my ass.  This is the reason there have been no blog posts since June.  This summer was the first summer I had the hubby on U.S. soil AND the kids at home with me.

Up until a little over 2 years ago, I worked full time.  In May of 2008, I left that job for my current job, which allows me to work around the kids' school schedules.  When I made the job switch, Mr. Mudpie was in Afghanistan.  So this is the first time I've had all 3 of them here during the summer.   Let me tell you - it was a lot harder than I thought it would be! 

But summer is over now and school is back in session!  Last week we sent Taylor back to school....

On the way to orientation, the night before school

This was the best photo I could get  :(  She was ready to go!

And then this week TJ started back....

The boy who never stands still for a picture finally decided to pose!

More on that messenger bag coming soon!

Monday was the first day since May of having the house to myself for a few hours.  It was pure bliss!  It's too bad I have to actually go to work most of the time little man is in preschool.  I could totally get used to hanging out at home every morning by myself. 

Fun at the Firehouse

Our local fire department hosted community day today.  Everyone in town was invited to come check out the fire department, climb in the trucks and eat some hot dogs.  Oh. my. goodness.  The chili they put on those hot dogs was out of this world.  Better than any chili I have ever eaten before. 

                   

(in case you didn't know... you can click photos to view larger)

The kids got to spray the fire hose to knock down traffic cones....

They got to climb in the trucks...

And drive an antique fire truck...

And climb up the GIANT ladder!...

Then TJ decided he doesn't like heights and begged the nice fireman to "get me down right now please"...

But the funniest part of the whole event was the fact that TJ is terrified of the Fire Dog.  He's never been scared of characters before, but this dog freaked him out.  Especially when he talked.  It was pretty funny.  Taylor, of course, had no fear and loves characters.  I took a picture of this, but was laughing so hard it came out blurry.  Oh well. 

It was a fun morning out!  We came home with full bellies and drenched in sweat.  Hope your Saturday was fun and a little less sweaty than ours!

Saturday Fun Day

Saturday, I loaded up my two kiddos and two of their buddies for a morning of strawberry picking.  After about a dozen u-turns, getting a little bit lost, and one car-sickness emergency pit stop, we finally made it to the farm.  There was an abundance of strawberries in the field.  Red, bursting berries as far as the eye could see!  It was great!  And you'll have to just take my word on it, because we were having so much fun we didn't take a single picture.  I know, I know....

We finished up picking berries and it was only 9:30.  Hmmm.... what to do next?  We loaded up and headed for the playground before the rain hit.

After playing for a bit, we headed over to the soccer field to run off the sugar high from all of the strawberries.  The boys got tangled in the soccer net and we almost had to cut TJ out.  I have no idea how that boy gets his head stuck in so many random places! 

TJ and Evelyn decided they were going to pick flowers for the mommas.  So sweet! 

 
After all of this, we were getting seriously hungry for lunch.  And what fun day would be complete without a trip to see "the sample ladies" at Sam's???  Saturday just happened to be the Spring Tasting day, where they had about 16 sample stations set up.  We visited every single one of them.... well, except 2 that were offering energy drinks.  NO THANK YOU!  These kids need no help in that department! 

Let me tell you... all 4 kids made me proud.  They were so polite.  Every sample lady (and man) they visited, they said please, thank you, and have a nice day.  It warmed my heart.  Especially after seeing a couple brats running around and dropping food all over the floor.  grrrrr... where were there parents anyways?? 

The day continued with playdates at both of our houses, some flower pot painting, fruit kebob making and a meltdowns by both of my children.  Lets just say that I need to stock massive amounts of granola bars and take away the glitter baton when more than one elementary aged female is in the house. 

Hope your Saturday was fun-filled too! 

A Story of A Failed Tooth Fairy

Let me tell you a little story about how I am officially the WORST tooth fairy in the world. 

We've been privileged to spend the past few weeks watching the Top Left Front Tooth slowly loosen.  Seriously, it took forever!  But Taylor got in the car yesterday afternoon and announced "My tooth is coming out tonight.  It's ready."  So I'm thinking, "ok.... I hope Mr. Mudpie has a dollar bill on hand, because all I have is my debit card".

We head to Firehouse Subs for dinner with friends, because it's Wednesday and kids eat free.  Hello cheap dinner!  We get there and somehow Taylor convinces our friend Ian to pull the tooth out.  At this point I'm thinking "hold the phone!  wimpy girl wants him to do what?"  So he pulled it and she didn't cry.  I was SHOCKED!  Let's face it... Taylor is pretty dramatic.  She must get it from her father. :)

So here's where I failed at my Tooth Fairy responsibilities:  I *forgot* to switch it out with the money.  I even helped her put the darn thing in the tooth fairy trinket box (from Tiffany's I might add) and put it under her pillow.  This morning I went in to wake the kids up and she was sitting in bed looking down at the box with the saddest face I have ever seen.  I have never felt like such a failure of a parent as I did this morning.  It was awful.  So I tell her.... "Taylor, it's still dark outside.  Maybe she just hasn't gotten here yet."  and she says "Sammy barked in the middle of the night.  Maybe she scared her away."  So I clung to her theory as I freaked out inside thinking that I had scarred my child for life. 

She got up to tell her daddy about her misfortune and I flung a dollar bill (thanks Mr. Mudpie) under the pillow.  When she came in, I pretended to make the bed (which we NEVER do) and asked her "Did you look under your pillow or just reach in for the box?"  So she climbs back into the top bunk and finds the dollar.  I'm thinking.... "YES!  You redeemed yourself!!!" 

Oh hell no.  Now she's upset about why the fairy left the tooth.  Mr. Mudpie comes up with the scenario that seals the deal.  You see, last night Taylor and Evelyn were talking about how Evelyn wrote the tooth fairy a letter asking if she could keep her teeth.  Mr. Mudpie figures the tooth fairy heard them talking and thought Taylor wanted to keep hers too.  She bought his theory a little, but left the tooth under her pillow in case the fairy came back for it while she was at school. 

She forgot about it this afternoon, and when she climbed into bed she found the tooth had been replaced with a Hershey's kiss in the trinket box.  I'm thinking, "Woo Hoo!  NOW I've redeemed myself!"  Nope.  Can't just let me have my moment....  She looks at me and says "Why would the tooth fairy leave me chocolate?  Does she just WANT all of my teeth to rot and fall out?!" 

~ Sigh ~ 

We're all grown up!

(picture of us on our first Valentine's Day.  we'd been dating less than a month)

Well maybe not Mr. Mudpie  :)    You want to know something sad?  We have never had lamps in our master bedroom.  Ever.  We have always had hand-me-down bedroom furniture.  Why buy an expensive lamp to put on furniture we don't love?  Plus, have you priced lamps lately?  Those suckers are expensive!   

Well guess what?  Mr. Mudpie bought me lamps for the master bedroom today!  And guess what else?  I picked them out and he actually agreed on the style.  --- insert huge gasp here! ---   We don't exactly have the same taste is home decor.  To let you in on how different we think, here is a conversation we had the day after Christmas. 

                Me:  "Where are we going to put that big ass
                       gun safe at?"              
    Mr. Mudpie:  "In the living room"
                Me:  "Ok...." (trying to stay calm)
    Mr. Mudpie:   "And we can hang my grandaddy's old
                         shotgun above that doorway" (he's
                        pointing now and getting all excited)
                Me:  "Oh dear lord" (clutching my chest, I feel
                       the pains coming)
    Mr. Mudpie:  "We can do a WESTERN THEME!!!!"
                Me:  "I'm in hell"   (I think this is the point I
                       may have checked out of the conversation)

You see, I love love love modern, contemporary decor.  I could live in an Ikea catalog and be a very happy girl.  One day, our home will reflect that.  Maybe when the kids hit the road.  Mr. Mudpie says he likes traditional, but he really likes this interesting cross between frat boy & country. 

So to go with our Brand Spanking New bedroom furniture we got in September, Mr. Mudpie bought me the lamps today.  It helped the cause that he has started reading.  Seriously.... the boy did not read until the last year or so.  So now, we get to act like grown ups and read in bed.  You have no idea how happy that makes me.  :)

2010 and Me

I have been giving the New Year's Resolutions thing a lot of thought lately.  I've never been into them, because I feel like I am just setting myself up for failure.  Plus, I am a HUGE procrastinater, so I would probably just wait until December and then try to cram as much as I can into the already busiest month of the year.  I do however, like the idea of giving myself some attainable - and very specific - goals. 

Sewing Related Goal - Take at least 3 sewing / quilting classes in 2010.  I'm signed up for my first one already!  A machine quilting class in February.  I really want to fine tune some skills so I can eventually make more professional products.

Community Related Goal - Open a table at the Pendleton Farmers Market this spring/summer selling SOMETHING.  I am thinking crayon rolls, belts, cutesy kitchen linen sets, stuff like that.  Oh, and Taylor wants to sell her tomatoes as well.  :)  My girl is awesome at growing tomatoes. 
  ***** Hey crafty friends!  If anyone wants to do a table with me, let me know! *****

Behavioral Goal - I need to work on yelling less.  At the dog, the kids, the hubby, the idiot driving in front of me... just yelling in general.  I do it way too often and am seeing it come out in my kids. 

Family Goal - We have never had a family portrait taken.  Not even the kind at Sears.  I want to have some great pics taken in the late summer / early fall to do as Christmas presents for our parents. 
   *** Hey Angel... can you help us with this one? The photos on your blog are great! ***

So there it is folks.  My 2010 goals.  I have lots more in my head, but I am a total list maker.  Which means if I start listing them all the list will grow over 50 of them.  Then I'll get overwhelmed, down an entire 2 liter of Coke and never accomplish a single one of them.  So I am going to use amazing restraint and keep it simple.  For now. 

What I learned...

.... while my husband spent 2 years, 1 month and 14 days in Afghanistan.

1. I can raise my children on my own if necessary. But I really don't want to.
2. I hate leftovers. Cooking for myself and 2 children takes a major adjustment when being used to cooking for a hubby (and his stray friends) too.
3. Video chatting is not an acceptable substitution for a hug at the end of the day.
4. Eating cereal and ice cream for dinner every once in a while makes my children very happy.
5. Men create a whole lot of laundry. The laundry pile doubled on Mr. Mudpie's vacations home.
6. I am a much stronger person than I ever thought I was.
7. With a hammer, some spray paint and a hot glue gun, I can fix most things that go wrong around here.
8. Cutting grass is not my thing. Growing produce is.
9. I like having the whole bed to myself. I am selfish with the blankets.
10. As much as I complain about him being in the way sometimes, creating messes, and generally getting on my nerves... I am very much in love with the man. Even more so now than the day we married.

I love you Mr. Mudpie. Welcome Home.

Let's do this!

I read many, many blogs every day and yet have never started one of my own. Until now! Mudpies and Memories is a landing pad for my crazy obsession with food along with some crafting and the craziness of my family thrown in for good measure. Thanks for joining me on my very random adventures!

Meet my family

Tater Tot: my spunky 6 year old with a passion for singing off key and dressing a little crazy

Little Man: my mischievious 2 year old with a love of anything possessing a motor

And last but not least.... my husband. (Who from here on out will be referred to as Mr. Mudpie): My partner in crime on this whole parenting adventure. He makes me crazy sometimes, but I love him to pieces!