School Days, Texas and Twitter (yeah, you read that correctly...)

We all know I'm a slacker and don't ever get around to this thing. Ok, that said, I have a few updates.


1. Joseph is now in school... in KINDERGARTEN even!

      This has been a wonderful thing, except that he is being teased by the other kids for his love of hot pink, and his shoe laces, which are black with hot pink stars. Here's what it looks like all together:

I don't think it looks "Girly" at all! I think he looks just fine :) 
     Anyway, he's been getting teased relentlessly, and yet he still refuses to change them because he absolutely loves them. I'm not making him change them either. Yes, the teasing is something he could very easily avoid by switching them to the skull head ones we also bought, but I am REALLY proud of him for deciding he's NOT going to let peer pressure force him to do something that he doesn't want to do. I'm so glad that he has the confidence to just be who HE is despite being made fun of for wearing "girl" shoes. I know that while this is a very hard thing for him to go through, it is also the RIGHT thing. And not to completely toot my own horn, but I'm pretty proud of myself for, as one person put it, "raising a child who is comfortable enough with himself to go against the grain." 
    We're hoping that this will quickly pass, although two days ago, he ended up punching a girl in the face out of frustration. That he hit a girl actually upset him more than the teasing had. Anyway, we got that all worked out, and I don't think she'll be teasing him anymore, and I KNOW he won't be hitting any girls again either. That was very not so cool. 
     Aside from all the teasing, Joseph is actually really loving school. He's picking up reading really quick. We've been working with him a lot, and it's really starting to show! He's doing very well at mathematical concepts as well, and we've been working on social graces a bit more too. 
    All in all, it looks like it's going to be a good year for him.


2. We May Be Moving Back to Texas Sooner Rather Than Later!!!
       This is a very exciting thing for me, personally. We have been trying to move back for about 3 or 4 years now, and it just might be happening come Christmas break. The only drawback will be that it'll only be me, the kids and my mom at that point. Alex will move in with my dad and stay until a) he gets his degree, or b) my parents' house sells, whichever comes first. Even so, I AM SOOO EXCITED!!! I'm willing to do just about ANYTHING to get out of here! Ugh. 


3. I am a Twitterholic
       This last little bit of an update is really not important at all actually. I just really like twitter at the moment, and find myself thinking of little tweets all day long... Did I mention I am a twitterholic? Oh, I did. Ok... I mean seriously, I hashtag things in my head ALL FREAKiNG DAY! It's kinda fun actually. 
      Through twitter and all its addictiveness, I have met some truly wonderful people that I would have never even known existed. I guess it's a little pathetic that some of my favorite people on this earth are ones I've never officially met before, but eh, whatever, so be it. It's kinda crazy how you can just connect and drop into a conversation with such a mass amount of people. The best way I've heard it described is this: Twitter is for the people you WiSH you knew, Facebook is for the ones that you do know and wish you didn't at times, and Myspace is for the people that you forgot. So sad, so true, but in a funny kinda way. So, now for a shameless plug: If you have a twitter account, feel free to follow me too! @YoMama2005 <--- that's my handle. Drop a note, say hi, and let's be friends


I'm pretty sure that's about it. If I think of something else, I'll try and remember to come back and post it, but let's be honest here... that's probably not very likely :P 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part 2!

So Friday night my husband and I went on a double date with our freaking AWESOME neighbors, Brandon and Esther to see Harry Potter 7.2 :) Needless to say, WE LOVED IT!!! I totally died when I saw the glasses because they are freaking the CooLEST 3D glasses I've seen yet.

Aren't these totally awesome?! They're HARRY's Glasses!!! After we'd seen the movie we popped out the lenses so the kids can play with them... Ok, so I can. What can I say, I'm a dweeb.

So the movie was absolutely incredible. If you haven't seen the previous seven movies, I highly recommend you watch them and then go see this movie so you don't miss out on the epicness of this film.

I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the first time during the summer of 2001, when I was 14 years old, almost 10 years ago to the day. I instantly fell in love. I remember it took me only a week to read through the first four books, and I couldn't wait to read more. I have been a loyal fan since, anxiously awaiting "The Next Big Thing" in the world JK Rowling created.

I saw the first Harry Potter movie in November of that year. I was thrilled! I was walking on air, and was totally content with the completeness of the submersion I had just experienced into the Wizarding World.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2 is the epic conclusion of the movies inspired by the books. I was so EXCiTED! I was literally bouncing in my seats as we waited for the previews.

Then the previews were over and I heard the first familiar notes of Harry's theme song. I couldn't stop smiling! And all the while I kept thinking, No! No no no! This is the last one! Now what is there? And then it hit me. This isn't the END! This is just the end of MY chapter with Harry and his pals. I still have my children who are coming to that age where this genre is cool, and I can't WAIT to watch as they fall in love with this series as I have.

Potterheads are more than just fans of Harry. We're the family he doesn't even know he has. We've read as he's developed mentally and watched him grow up. Harry will always be a part of us, just waiting on the bookshelf to be rediscovered.

So, anyway, enough with the mushy stuff. Here's one more pic of us at the end of the night :) Super happy and ready for the next step in Potterness :D

HARRY POTTER!!!

Ok really, the post title says it all. TONIGHT THE LAST HARRY POTTER MOVIE COMES OUT!!!! AND I AM SOOOO GEEEEEEKING OUT! I literally can NOT sit still! I feel like I have ADD or something... Ritalin for the mom over here...

So, we're not actually seeing it tonight because we wanted to go on a double date with our friends, and one of them is a leader for the Young Women at church and happens to be (inconveniently) at girl's camp until tomorrow morning. BUT, we are going tomorrow evening. Which means that today has been spent mostly making Harry Potter related food items... such as the following:

Pumpkin Pasties

Cockroach Clusters

Owl Cookies

and of course, Butterbeer to fully bring on a sugar induced coma.


Whatever. I'm still saying it's good. And I'm still psyched. Probably more so now actually. Food always makes things for exciting right?

So, to my fellow Harry Potter fans, or Potterheads if you will, I wish you the happiest of weekends. Try not to cry too much as the credits start rolling and you think about how you've spent the last ten years waiting for this moment, and now that is gone, it's well, done. Oh dear... where are the tissues...?

Toasted Marshmallow S'more Bars = Absolute Deliciousness!

These are HEAVENLY. No really. It's really JUST like a S'more, only better. The crust is so buttery and delicious and everything is oh so melty and sticky and good! It's not a clean dessert, nor is it very healthy, but that's ok, just don't think about the zillion calories you're about to consume and try to simply enjoy it :) Oh, and did I mention that it's FREAKISHLY EASY to make? No? Oh, well, it is :)

Toasted Marshmallow S'more Bars

1 pkg sugar cookie mix (chocolate chip works too)

1 cup butter, melted

2-3 cups chocolate chips (doesn't really matter what kind. I like to use semi-sweet or dark)

3-4 cups marshmallows (again, doesn't really matter if they're big or small or swirled or whatever. I like the reg. small ones best tho.)

1 cup flaked coconut, optional

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Line a 13x9in pan with foil, leaving a little hanging over the ends. Combine cookie mix with melted butter. Press into foil lined pan. Bake for a bout 15-20 minutes, or until set and lightly browned. 
2. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let sit for 3-5 minutes, until soft, and then spread across entire crust, reaching all edges and corners. Sprinkle with marshmallows, and nuts and coconut if desired.
3. Broil 6 inches from heat for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, or until marshmallows are toasty and brown. BE CAREFUL and keep an eye on these because the marshmallow do toast QUICKLY. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. 
4. Using the overhanging foil, remove from pan. Cut into 4 rows by 6 rows. Serve warm with lots of napkins :)

            *To reheat, nuke 'em for about 15 seconds or until warm again.

I hope you all enjoy these as much as we do :) So easy and SoOooOoooo GOOD! Happy Sunday! :)

I'm a Slacker

So, I realize that I suck. I'm sorry. It's been almost a YEAR since I last did a post. I'll try and be better, but then again, like I already stated "I SUCK." 

So, in the last year, not too much has actually changed. My children are older, but still annoying at times, so that's the same. I'm older and still not down to pre-baby weight, so that's the same too. :) I suppose it could be worse.

My next few posts will probably be about the awesome things we've been making in the kitchen, simply because they're awesome, and I want to share :) So now you have been forewarned. Keep a look out for the yumminess heading your way! 

Our Rock Family

A couple days ago the boys and I were so completely bored, so... we raided our sad excuse of a backyard for some rocks, glued some googlie eyes and pompoms to them, then I added facial features with a Sharpie. Voila! One bonifide rock family :) 

The "Panoramic" View :P

Left to Right: Me, Alex, Joseph, Noah, Zipporah

Also, Alex comes home TOMORROW!!! And my kids have been near angels the last few days. Ah, happiness :)

3 Tales, 1 Post

So, my DH has been away for a full week now, and let me tell you, it's been no picnic without him. Part of it is that I just can't sleep in my freaking California King sized bed without him (too much empty space... it freaks me out.), and nobody is willing to sleep in it with me (yes, I really did ask.) which pretty much just leaves me tired and cranky the next day. No bueno when you have two preschool-aged boys and a toddler princess. The other part of it is that it's been raining like crazy on and off lately and the fabulous US Navy had gotten things screwed up somewhere down the line so he wasn't getting paid (also no bueno), leaving me with three very antsy children and no money to even put gas in my car so I could take them to the playscape in the mall. Yikes! Thankfully, he got paid like two days ago, so we've been here and there running errands and whatnot. 


Oh and I have an awesome funny! Two days ago, I took the kids to go get some Taco Bell for dinner, right, and when we pulled up to the house, I started yelling in my best Coraline voice as loud as I could (still in the car mind you), "We're HOoOOOOme! We're HOOOOOoooOOoOOME! We'reHomeWe'reHomeWe'reHOOOOOOOOOOME!" It was pretty awesome, and the kids found it very amusing, so soon we were all yelling "We're Home" at the top of our lungs, and laughing hard. Finally, I turn around in my seat and look at Joseph and say, "Joe, why do you love me? I'm crazy!" And you know what that adorable little four-year-old heathen told me? He says, "Because you got the Freaking Cuteness, Mommy!" And it's the little things like that that make me want to keep them... even when it's just me and them, and no spouse for two weeks. I'm just glad it's not seven months with a newborn again. Yeckh. Talk about no me time haha. 


On a totally different note, I bought craft supplies! I've been meaning to for like, EVER, but I finally went and did it :) I'm now PrePared for those rainy days when my kids are going out of their mind with boredom. I'm ready for whenI'm going out of my mind with boredom lol. It's amazing the joys some googlie eyes, craft glue and fuzzy pompoms can bring, I tell you what! Tomorrow, we're making Chuzzles!

Best Way to Play

I love late nights when you're just so tired that absolutely EVERYTHING is just friggin' hysterical. Playing Halo 3 is infinitely more entertaining this way. Especially when everyone is yelling, squealing, and making these bizarre sounds asking "Who's driving my Thingy?!" "Oh NO! My Thingy blew up!" I still haven't figured out what exactly said "Thingy" is... Did I mention that the people playing are both male? Needless to say, the sounds coming out of them are what I imagine a dog being castrated sans medication would sound like. Yes... very entertaining. The only thing that could possibly make this more amusing would be a couple of daiquiris and a video camera. Really, you should be jealous you're not here :P

So this is how I know that instead of playing this game and speaking of "Big Thingys" and missing "Ass-etts', we should probably all be sleeping. Oh well. :)

Well, I had a good time :)

So, it's become undeniable that i'm really just a big big kid lol. I love the stupidest childish games.  For instance, I just spent 20 minutes making a Minion from Despicable Me, after spending a bit of time commanding them to do stupid things like Moonwalk and Jump Around... and had way too much fun doing so. I put a lot of thought into my little Minion, haha, enough that i'd like to share him here :)

 I suppose it's not all bad really, my love of children's applications and movies. I mean, I am a mother right? That gives me an excuse to take part in such activities.. right? Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it :P I love kid stuff, and that's just fine :)