What's Going On Wedneday!

One of my favorite things to talk about is being a wife and mother---and I don't mean I like talking about *ME*, I mean I like talking about what we all do and I like to hear what others do--that is why I blog hop--I go to blogs that are after my own heart, goals, and such.

I was soooooooo busy starting Monday--I went over to my grandmother's, I knew she had some errands to run--we went to Walmart---she had to get some things from there, I also got a new pair of sandals--and then off to Costco--Oh, I could spend a fortune in that store----they had little samples all over the store too--yummy.

Then after that it was girls scouts--cookies are coming!!!

Yesterday afternoon my girlfriend that lost her husband came over, it was the first time she had actually gotten in her car to do something---we talked for awhile, and she is going to be just fine--she has a strong faith in our Lord so I know she will be okay.

I also went to Michael's and bought calendars at .40 cents each----they had so many to choose from --Kelli, made this awesome post about what to do with old calendars--I love it--I am going to make these too.

Thursday is going to be a very busy day for me---My grandmother has a doctor's appointment, plus she has to go to CVS and Radio shack---and then Alexis has her Ballet class. So, today, I am going to work on my laundry, and just detailing my home and making it nice. It is going to be in the 60's today. I picked up some pretty little doilies and I put one on my nightstand with my bible on it--it looks so lovely, and then I have one on my table with my little roses on it.

Baby Food

I am 100% pro-breastfeeding---I will not get into debates with anyone about it though--I have been there already---and no one can change my mind about it. Okay, this is not about formula bashing, I promise, this is about feeding our babies---or I should say, this is how I feed my baby:)

Breastmilk is most important, so I always offer my baby the breast before I offer anything else, and will do so until he hits a year--I am also an advocate of self weening. I read somewhere that a mother weened her baby of the breast because she thought it was *gross* to do so any longer after 6 months--that just broke my heart!!! God made the perfect food for our baby, how can anything be gross about it.

Little Kevin is 8 1/2 months and he eats egg yolks for breakfast, with soft bananas cut up--babies should not have the whites of an egg until they are at least a year--it has something to with allergic reactions sooo, I stay away from those for now. I also will not give Kevin any thing with citrus, like oranges or orange juice: to hard on there little tummy. His very first food that he tried at about 6 months was mashed up avocado--all my kids started on avocados, and I never had a problem with it. I have a very good Doctor, he has been a doctor here in San Clemente since 1978 and he is very *Old* school--which I like very much:) With Alexis I made all my own baby food--all of it--with Kevin, I am buying some already made jars--I look at the ingredients and go from there-he loves the Beach Nut tender peas----the ingredients are peas and water, and that is it. He also enjoys mashed sweet potatoes. I buy Yo Baby yogurt, and cottage cheese.

Here is a little run down of his eating day:

Breakfast:
Egg yolk
Smashed or cut up bananas
Sometimes baby cereal

Lunch:
Peas

Snack:
Baby yogurt/cottage cheese


Dinner:
Sweet Potatoes
and I will introduce small soft foods to him, like a small taste of chicken---

He nurses on demand, and he is not that demanding...LOL---I also give (Watered down) juice in a sippy cup and water in a sippy cup--no bottles.

I also wipe his teeth off all the time---to keep them clean.

I hope this post answered some of your questions, if any of you have a question or I missed something ask away

Show and Tell Friday!!

YAY!!! I made it. This is Kelli's Show and Tell Friday, so please go over to Kelli's and look at everyone's Show and Tell and add your own link too--it is fun!! I have found so many wonderful blogs and blog friends. :::::Waiving to Everyone:::::

I am showing you today, my hat box--isn't it just a happy box--I love this box. I bought it about 15 years ago--and I keep it on my dresser---inside I have tissue paper and my extra buttons. I haven't actually ever put a hat in it...LOL. Thank you for looking at my Show and Tell have a wonderful Friday everyone:)

Books and More Books

Today is Thursday, Thankful Thursday--and I have so much to be thankful for. I have been to my Grandmothers a few times this week, and we went to a used bookstore--ohh, I could spend hours, days, weeks in a book store...LOL. I picked up some books that I am going to share with you. Also, I had finished my list of chores, and now, I must start a new list. I made this chart on my computer to make up menus---When I have charts and lists and notebooks to play with, it just makes my days more fun and organized.

I am going to make chicken for dinner, and rice in my steamer, salad with these beautiful tomatoes I got.--Alexis has Ballet from 4-5, so I need something that I can prep now, and have ready for dinner when Kevin gets home. I bake the chicken through the day and keep it warm.

Alexis has a *Show and Tell* today, she is sharing her *Build A Bear* at school...LOL

Look at this book---it is a beautiful children's dictionary I got for $2.00.









Look inside the book--it is in perfect condition, I wonder what little child had this book before, and took such nice care of it too



..and then at the .99 cent store, I bought one of my favorite stories--Jonah!

. OHHH, and look at this children's bible story book!
and these are the chapters in the book

Aren't these little petite roses just gorgeous!!! These were .99 cents too---I should have bought more...LOL



The weather is cold, but when the sun comes out it is nice--I took a long walk yesterday with the kids and I actually got a little color on my face--I couldn't believe it--I try and protect my face, I didn't think i would get sun yesterday. Little Kevin just loves those walks. Speaking of baby Kevin, I am glad I was able to share that video with you all--now I can make more --YAY--baby is up--be back soon.

::Giggles:::

I just figured out that my camera can do this...LOL. There is audio--but I think the Little House and the Prairie song has to finish first to hear me talk.

How neat is this??...

Tag!

I've Been Tagged

Here's how it works:

Link to the person that tagged you---> Mrs. A from Country Life

Post the rules on your blog.

Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog.

1. I love Non-fiction books

2. I like the show "Wife Swap"--and was so happy to see a new episode last week.

3. I don't like sports

4. I like talk radio

5. I like getting a sun tan (not on my face)

6. I got my ears pierced when I was 10 years old.

7. I learned how to surf when I was 25...LOL


Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Okay, I am going to tag everyone that wants to play--I know a lot of people I read have *no tag zones*, and I can't remember who likes to play and who doesn't--so please if you like tags let me know in my comment section so we can all read yours, and so I don't break the rules.

Mrs. A thank you so much for thinking of me, it was a lot of fun reading your answers, and it was fun to sit here and reflect on some of the things about me, you all may know or not. :)

Build-A-Bear

Over the weekend we went to Build-A-Bear. It was so much fun, I want to do one too...LOL. I set a budget for Alexis at 40.00 and it was a good thing I did, because you can easily spend a small fortune in there. We ended up spending 42.00 which was okay---

Here is the front of the store--they are already inside, I ran out and quickly took this picture.

Alexis picked out her Bear (dog...LOL) and the lady helped her stuff it, add a heart and pick out a noise to put in. When you squeeze her paw she barks--Alexis wanted to make it Meow--which I thought was funny--but she decided to make it bark.

Little Kevin was such a good boy through it all.
...after her dog was stuffed, she got to bathe it....and brush....
..all done.
...now she picked out clothes for it..with Daddy helping, and little Kevin looking on

they are now sitting at the computer making the birth certificate, and Alexis named it Love---you can see in this picture, Kevin repeating to her the name "LOVE"...(HA-HA!)

...all done!Now off to the candy factory....
...so much candy. We then stopped at the Food Court in the mall and had lunch....Here is Alexis at home with her little "Love"
...all dressed and ready to go.

Also, the animal comes with a code just like the webkinz did ---so she has a another fun and safe website to play on too with her doggy.

Come and Play!

Happy Saturday---the rains came last night--I see in my comments I have a lot of questions to answer--I will answer all of them in the next following days---I especially like the question about feeding my baby--I will make a post all about that----

I want to play a game---a little game--what does it look like looking out your front door?

This is what it looked like when I opened my door today--cold and wet:

What does it look like outside your door? Take a picture, post it on your blog, then add it to my Mr.Linky:)

Rain? Vinegar! Garlic?...

It has not rained yet---this is the sky this morning--it is coming--the news keeps saying..LOL Little Kevin waiting for his breakfast--I like feeding him in the swing for now--I am still looking for pads for his high chair--my Step mom says it is a Jenny Lynn Highchair--never heard of that kind but I am going to Google it and see what I find.

I have three big windows in my dinning room--and we like to eat are breakfast and watch the rain(?)--and every one in our neighborhood leaving for work
He had banana and egg yolks with some apple juice--and then after that he nursed and went to sleep--so content:)

I am a big fan of apple cider vinegar--I don't need to write all the great things about apple cider--Google it and see all the wonderful things it does for your body--myth or not--it works for me. Kevin uses it on his salad too--so when I did my shopping yesterday I bought some more. Also, I have done a lot of reading about garlic--but I am a little nervous about taking it, because of the smell---I don't want to smell like garlic. I read if you swallow it quick it won't give you bad breath--but if it is taken for a long period the smell comes out of your pores--does any one know if there is any truth to this?

I stayed up late again last night--I was working on my menu, I was using my tools on the computer and made this chart. The word *Wednesday* was messing my chart up--that is a really long word...LOL.--I was having too much fun---I made myself stop and go to bed--morning comes by super fast--especially when the baby wakes up and wants to suckle a bit through the night.


This weekend, I want to take Alexis to *Build a Bear*---I have asked about this before----can she build a bear for under 40 dollars? I looked on their website and it seems possible---the bears priced form 5 to 20--and the accessories were 2 dollars and up (and UP)-----is that accurate?

What Matters

This is my blog, this is my online journal of my daily life as a wife and mother. As long as I can remember, I have been writing--do I think I am a good writer, I think I am okay--I enjoy going back in time and reading what I did, my family, kids..etc did--I enjoy looking at photos I have taken in the past--this is my journal. Sometimes I feel like writing in it all day--some days I just don't have much to say. I just can not see taking the time to write all this stuff down and then just delete it all---I am hoping one day to print this out or save it some how for my children and their children--If I don't write for a couple days--it usually just means I am not writing, if something came up that was important I of course would update. This is just me--I don't want my blog to sound like a running commentary---I want it be personal-I don't want it to sound like an advertisement for products, even though I will talk about my favorite products. I want readers to come here because they are my *friends* they read because we have something in common--trying to be the best wife and mother we can. Okay?
I want to talk about cooking, recipes, cleaning, children, husbands, dresses, housework, gardening, reading--everything about being a woman. There is so much out there to learn and we have the Internet now---I remember when I was first married, I did not have this available---I did everything by instinct and common sense...LOL. I am raising my coffee cup up to all the beautiful wives and mothers out there that enjoy their place in this wonderful world--we are women, we are not men--I wouldn't want to be a man( I just love being a girl) --I surely would not want to do what my husband has to do--oh, my poor husband, how hard he works--I am here to help make his life a little easier, not harder:)

Okay enough about that---for now.

Here is a picture of my Little Kevin--he is now 8 months!!! 8 months, can you believe it??!!!

Here is my closet--it isn't perfect, but it is neat--it looks a lot nicer in real life--I promise...LOL

I have a big box filled with things that I am going to get rid of---throw out some and donate the rest---a few things I am going to use the material to reinvent some things too--ohh, the possibilities :o)

Besides my organizing my closet, I have played a lot this past week and half--now it is time to get back to work--I stayed up late last night and used Microsoft works and wrote out a list that I want to get done by Monday--I printed it out, I am going to do everything on that list!! It is supposed start raining tomorrow and not stop until Monday--so this is the perfect time to get a lot of things done--because once my list is done--I am going to start my reading list--I am going to go to the book store and get myself some new books that will help me and encourage me in my life as a wife and mother. I am going to try new recipes, I am going to be healthier--I am going to be the best wife and mother I can be. Oh I wish my own mother would have had some kind of journal--I would have loved to have really known her. She is in heaven now--so I must wait until I meet her again :)

All that said--I have to get started. I also promise to take some time to not only visit all my beloved blogs, but to leave a comment too ;oP

I have also started my Bible again from the beginning--I am going to read it straight through!!! This should be fun and enlightening; I am not going to chapter hop--I am not!

xoxo

Last Day of the Year!

2007 is coming to an end.....and I am excited for 2008, wonderful things are happening and I am thankful for every single day--because every day is a gift from God. I don't make resolutions, I think they are silly for me--I think every day we should be thinking and doing good--not just one day out of the year. I don't believe in *Dieting* I believe in eating right and in moderation--I of course have had some bad habits/vices---I was a smoker--oh, how I loved to smoke--isn't that just a terrible thing to say? I was a closet smoker---I hid, because I was embarrassed---I remember one day, my sister asked me if I was smoking and I replied yes and she said, Julie--You are so pretty why on earth would you do something so ugly?? Boy, oh boy did that hit me.

I don't know why I just posted that---but I did--I am not a smoker anymore, and I don't ever plan to smoke again--but I do miss them occasionally.

Enough about that...

When I was pregnant, I stretched out all my under garments----so over the weekend, Kevin took me and I bought me all new undergarments---I purged everything out of my drawer----OHHH, I was so happy!!!

Now, I am working on my closet----remember my closet--do I dare show a before picture...LOLA bunch of my white blouses are being washed and then I will press them and hang them up.I am going to go through every single garment and try it on--if it fits I will keep it--if it doesn't---I am going to pack it up.
Okay, so there is my closet--fun, huh? ...LOL--actually I am enjoying it.

I forgot to buy black eyed peas for our New Years dinner, so when I drop Alexis off at her Brownie meeting I am going to pick up some black eyed peas for New Years dinner--I don't believe in the luck aspect of the peas, it is just tradition, kwim?

well---I think I chattered enough--I must get back to the closet while baby is napping:)

Waffles

I made waffles this morning for breakfast with my new waffle maker:

1st attempt.......LOL
(Yes, you can laugh)

2nd attempt---YAY!!!

After the first one, they were very easy, now that I know how--and they tasted very good too.

HAPPY Friday!!

Happy Friday! There are so MANY things I want to do..........My girlfriend called me, and she said, Julie, do you ever have just so many things you want to get done but you can't and you just watch it all around you and not be able to do a thing? I giggled and said, YES!!! as a matter a fact I do know what you mean...LOL. I have to read the Brownie manual that we got--I kept thinking I have plenty of time, well Monday once again is creeping up on me--so this weekend I must read it. I am going to leave the tree up until New Years--last year I took it down early because it was a real tree and I was getting kind of scared of fire.

The weather here is cold--but not that cold--I remember days in Georgia when it was that cold. I would love to be just snowed in here one day..LOL---all cozy in the house--sometimes I pretend, and bake away.

I am still breastfeeding, and I have dropped 5 pounds a month---I actually have been stepping on a scale just to see--I don't normally do that. I was pleasantly surprised when the scale said 115---I was 97 pounds when I married my husband. I swear the extra weight is milk...:::giggles:::: Enough about that.

On my list-----
Kitchen; I want to scrub it--with BLEACH!
Read Girl Scout manual
Put badges on her vest
Get Tony's suitcase ready
CLEAN HIS ROOM GOOD, (after he leaves)
Wash all floors
Organize inside of car
Organize baby clothes
Organize my closet----oh I should take a picture.
Straighten My bedroom
..etc, etc, etc...lets see how far I get.

Dinner--OHHH, I want to use my new steamer--it is so awesome---I can do so many things. My steamer that broke, I not only steamed my rice, but I steamed all my veggies too---after it broke, Kevin told me to go get a new one, I never did, I just steamed the old fashioned way--and yes, it is NOT the same-----ohhh, I am so happy--now I have to go the farmers market and get all sorts of fresh veggies to steam.

..one last thing before I forget--for Christmas next year, we are going to Georgia for 2 weeks--YAY!!!!!! My MIL is going to fly us all out--I am thrilled--she has even started getting her downstairs ready for us :::giggles::::.

Have a great day!

A Christmas Post With Pictures

:::Whew::: It is a cold night tonight. I am wearing my warmest nightgown--and the children are all snug asleep:) I just finished cleaning the kitchen, and I am now having a little computer time. Hopefully my fingers clacking on the keyboard won't wake anyone. I am sharing some pictures of my Christmas. I was a bit behind on things I wanted to do--but everything had to wait while I went to the funeral on Sunday---Everything from that day is still clear in my head--my friend, told me the day was all a blur--and I told her if she needed any details I would help her remember--I took notice to a lot of detail that day---

Christmas was small this year----In Georgia we always had at least 20 people over----I find it easier to cook for a large number of people then for a small--My father was tired this year and said he wasn't having a big Christmas, so it was just my little family this year--it was sweet:)


This is our tree--with presents wrapped.

Alexis in her new Christmas nightie
::Giggles::: It is soooooo early! Santa was very loud...LOLAlexis had outgrown her bike, so she got a new one--she has been riding it everyday since.
Ohh, my sweet baby---When I went to get the choo choo at the store, they only had one left and it wasn't working properly--I was not sure if it was in need of new batteries, but I did not want to chance it--so I got this little Fisher Price farm--(the train was 29.00 the farm was 26.00)
My Tony--waking up:)
Alexis wearing her Hannah Montana wig

Me in the wig......
HA!!! Kevin in the wig...LOL

Big Kevin Helping Little Kevin

Kevin got me a waffle maker.....
...and a new steamer---YAY!!!! My old steamer had broken, and I was without one for a while--I must have been a good girl...LOL:)
Tony got a PlayStation 3
..and a new weight set-----(Don't look at the mess in the garage)

We had prime rib for dinner with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, salad, corn--a few appetizers, etc. With the left over meat I made beef tacos tonight----they came out so good--I just had a veggie taco though--I don't eat much meat.

I have lots to do now--I need to re organize Alexis's room to fit her new things----Get Tony ready for his trip to Washington---and all the fun stuff that comes with being a wife and mother:)

I hope everyone had a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS!!!
Happy Birthday Sweet Jesus!
Thank you.

So Sad!

My best friend's husband passed away on Monday---he was in a car accident on the Ortega's---he died instantly. I went to the service today----ohhh, to hear my friend cry was just heartbreaking!!!

The service was very lovely---the music was beautiful----and my sweet friend is hurting---

I hugged her and she held on so tight----I had no words to comfort her---but I told her I loved her and I would be here for any of her needs. She is my friend, my dear friend!