I'm still here

Last week was long.......really long. For so many reasons. This week thus far is off to a much better start. However things have not slowed down. Kennedy is at preschool and I am soaking up these few hours of "only one small child" to get many things done. Including a blog update! Laundry is hanging on the line outside. Laundry is going in the dryer. Laundry is going in the washer. I am up to my ears in it. I only do it once a week and today is my day. Gentry is sifting through Dana's Jaguar books from school (she is like a magnet to them??? there might be a car profession in her future too) and Doodlebops are playing on the t.v. The wind is ROARING outside.....which totally ruins outside time but dries the laundry really fast! Kids just don't like to wear hoods over their ear infection prone ears when it is warm outside. Right now it is a huge struggle to even keep shoes and socks on our youngest outside for longer than 5 minutes.

Speaking of our youngest.......she is wonderful, talking a ton and sooo smart. She now can say some of the "Our Father" prayer some of the ABC's and the other day she counted to 10 all on her own w/ no prompting. We did not know she could do this! Her sister can get the credit for making her so smart and "talkative"! And she is still getting into everything. Unrolling the toilet paper, dunking toothbrushes in the toilet, unfoldling folded laundry in the baskets, bathing her baby dolls in the bathroom sink and this one is the latest...........

Unrolling the whole container of my GOOD expensive floss.

I really do pay attention to my children and try to monitor what they are doing. But if I do it every second of every hour of every day no one would get fed and the laundry would never get done. So I have to pick my battles.

This weekend is going to be a big one here. Leslie and Deric get married on Saturday!!! So momma's going to throw on her red dress, daddy his handsome tux and Kennedy is going to grab that basket and throw those flowers! We can't wait for their big day and to see all of our family!!!!

A Sad Day So Please Pray

Today one of my co workers lost her husband. It has been the hardest, roughest, toughest, saddest day of her life. And the roughest day that we girls as a salon have had to experience. Not only did she lose her husband but she lost her best friend and the father of her children.

He was taken unexpectedly this morning while driving his semi through Texas. Only 3 miles from his destination one of his semi tires dropped off the side of the road and he over corrected sending the semi rolling. He was hauling a form of acid in his trailor tank . His semi caught fire and he did not make it.

Jack was 56 (I believe). I am asking all of my blog followers to please pray for my coworker Rita and all of her family. I visited her this evening and she needs every last prayer that you are able to offer. She just wants to wake up from this horrifying nightmare as any of us would. Each day is going to take every ounce of energy she has, to get through. Pray....Pray...Pray

5 Dollars!

I am sure most of you have seen the Subway Sandwich commercial where they all say "5 dollars" or "5 dollar foot long" in different voices. Well this is our girls' favorite commercial. Kennedy doesn't do her "best" impression in the video since she knows she is being filmed....but Gentry......she does her impression ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. Most of you will laugh to the point of tears so I am warning you to go use the potty before you watch this!!! Oh and don't forget to pause the playlist music before you play the video.

*Mommy displays a really good example of "why mommy should not talk while filming" during this video. I sound like I am talking like a real hick so I apologize for that in advance. PLEASE just ignore the crazy behind the camera.

Finally Finished!

Well after being patient w/ me here are some pics of the dining rooms makeover! Thanks for waiting! Oh and I show you what the living room looked like before!!! When we very first bought the house 6.5 yrs ago. But that only lasted a day. Literally!!! Before it was GONE GONE GONE to the DUMP DUMP DUMP!

What the living room looked like when we very first bought it.....okay you can throw up now. Yes the carpet was original from 1973! We ripped that nasty stuff out immediately. It was the first thing to go. Then my hubby layed our beautiful solid wood floor. That is so LOW mantienance and EASY to clean!


Not the best living room pic. It is actually not near as dark looking as this picture leads you to believe. However you get the idea. It was night time. But do you see those OH SO AWESOME aqua boxes? My OH SO AWESOME husband madE those for me!!! And I painted them! I must say they house my sticks nicely!!! Oh and also there is my new fireplace screen! Totally cheap ebay buy. I practically stole it.

The hutch has some new additions. However they are "OLD". I picked up some really cool colorful pieces at the flea market and antique mall. I am 'N LOVE w/ them!



New curtains too! They were my one sewing project of this whole makeover ordeal. They turned out alright. I couldn't find what I wanted so I just made them. They certainly don't possess the best sewing job in the world but they meet my needs. HOWEVER don't get all excited. After totalling the cost of these mothers I would have actually have saved money had I purchased them from Jcpenney's like my last ones. But there again...they didn't have any that I liked.....b/c these are apparantly not "IN" right now. But they will be soon...now that you've seen mine right??? Oh and I got new dining room chairs!!! JCP sale 1/2 price!!!

This beautiful ivy wallpaper was the second thing to go (okay maybe those sickening drapes were) when we bought the house. And this is what the hutch looked like before it's recent makeover.


The hutch got new hardware too!

You might Drool!

Fall is my most favorite season. The weather also makes be want to cook and bake a lot! This recipe I tried last night and it was wonderful.

Pumpkin Squares w/ Cider Caramel Sauce

Pumpkin Squares
1 c sugar
1.5 c flour
1.5 tsp. baking powd.
1.5 tsp. baking soda
1.5 tsp. cinnamon
.5 tsp. salt
3/4 c vegetable oil
1 (15oz) can of pumpkin
2 Lg. eggs lightly beaten
Ice cream for serving

For Cider Caramel Sauce:
1/2 c brown sugar, packed
1 T. cornstarch
2/3 c apple cider
2 T. heavy cream
1 T. butter

Heat over to 325degrees. Grease 9x13 in. baking pan.
In Lg. mixing bowl combing first six ingredients for the squares. Then add oil, pumpkin, eggs and whisk until batter is evenly blended. Pour into pan and smooth the top.

Bake cake til toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

Just before serving cake squares, make cider caramel sauce. In saucepan whisk together brown sugar and cronstarch. Add cider and stir well to dissolve other ingredients. Cook over med-high heat, whisking constantly, til large bubbles form around perimeter of pan, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to simmer til it thickens, about 2 minutes more. Remove sauce from heat and whick in cream and butter. Let sauce cool slightly.

Cut your cake square, top with ice cream, and drizzle sauce on top. ENJOY!

Last Night

This awesome couple below aka Leslie and Deric are getting married in 3 wks on the 24th. She happens to be my first cousin and he used to work w/ Dana. After setting them up on a blind date 3 yrs ago.....here they are.....IN LOOOVE! Last night I got the privelege of taking their engagement pics and they took us on a picnic. So here is a little of our evening! It was great. Thanks D & L we Love you two!



"The Ring" he picked out all by himself. Might I add that this "little" humdinger is platinum my friends. And no ladies I am sorry.......Deric has no brothers.



I made them do all sorts of retarded things BUT it was funny....for me.....and cute for pictures.


Keeper of the Plains on the water walk

Dana and his girls watching the ducks as the sun sets. This picture makes me all choked up. It's just too beautiful......for many reasons.

This is where they got engaged! Only appropriate that we would do some pics here.


Keeper of the Plains

Bridge by The Keeper of the Plains

Leslie and Deric on the bridge

Picture I took of downtown Wichita while we were standing beside The Keeper of the Plains

26 years today

Today I turn 26! At 9:32 p.m. to be exact.

- I was born on my Grandmother's (my mom's mother) 55th birthday.
- Today is also Jimmy Carter's birthday. He is 85.
- One of my best friend's birthday is tomorrow the 2nd of Oct. and she was born @ 2:39 a.m. We celebrated all of our b-days together starting in grade school clear through middle school. We had a hayrack ride and wiener roast every year. All of the girls in our class (all 6 of them) thought it was awesome. And so did we.
- 10 yrs. ago today I became a legal driver.....to haul passengers.
- 4 yrs ago today I was 7+ mos. pregnant w/ our first child.
- 5 yrs ago today I turned 21 and had a huge party @ our house. We had 15 people spend the night. I think I was the most sober at the end of the night.
- October the 1st is exactly 9 months after New Years Day.......mom....dad????

Last night I got home from work to find Dana, Kennedy and Gentry holding a cake (white cake w/ cherry frosting and sprinkles that K picked out all on her own!) that they had baked together (huge task!). On the cake was a 2 and a 6 candle all lit. They were supposed to yell Happy Birthday when I came through the door BUT instead Kennedy practically exploded and yelled MOM WE MADE YOU A CAKE!!! LOOK MOM!!! And then my girls helped me blow out the candles. It was awesome.
The "actual beginning" of today did not start out so well. Gentry was up all night crying and screaming "ear HURT, tummy HURT". She would only sleep sitting up right on my lap in the rocking chair. A storm rolled through @ 2:30 a.m. and didn't leave til 3:30. Kennedy was awake the whole time. In our bed. BUT as daybreak approached my day took a turn for the better. Dana surprised me big time. He had taken today off from work (which I did not know til this morning) and scheduled a massage for me at 10:00. After he picked Kennedy up from preschool they met me in town post massage and they took me out to eat in the city. And the rest of the day we spent together as a family having fun quality time. IT WAS PERFECT (except for that God awful wind). Thank you Dana for being such a wonderful husband and friend. I Love You Lots and you made my day.
* Also thanks to all the rest of my family and friends who have called me, texted me, sent cards, gifts, and wonderful wishes on facebook. You all are the best!!!