Splish, splash, sploosh!

**Since we are away this week, I thought I would post some funnies from the past... Originally posted September 2009)**

It would not be life at Casa de Staci without some bumps along the road.... Anthony's birthday party was AWESOME (more tomorrow) but it ended with a BANG! Madison wanted to be just like her big brother and "fish" too.....

Don't get too close to the edge Missy!

 

oops! She did!



Never will I forget this moment!



I SWEAR I do NOT make this stuff up!

**Since we are away this week, I thought I would post some funnies from the past... Originally posted September 2009)**

Two Tales of Poo

(you have been warned)

EVERY time, and I mean EVERY time, Anthony goes poo, I must proclaim, "Holy moly cow, that's alotta poop!" If I happen to forget to say this excitedly as I wipe his butt I am reminded repeatedly until I say it! At this point I say it without even realizing it...

*****

Madison is an animal lover... She loves them, snuggles them, and kisses them... It is really so sweet! The other night, the kids and I were out front and my neighbor walked by with her cutie pa-tooty pug. Her and I were chatting and Madison was getting some puppy love....

Have you ever noticed how a pug's butt is a little black? (I have attached a pic of some random cute pug for you to see just what I am talking about! Visuals... we need them for this one! TRUST me!)

Well, I noticed Madison noticing this... She was quite intrigued and I knew what was coming.... It all played out in slow motion but yet I had no time to react!!! All I saw was baby girls finger slowly moving to the pug's black booty.... I could just imagine her thinking, "hmmm my finger is the same size as that black button...." Before I could grab her, She poked the pugs butt hole!!!! OMG I about DIED!!!! The pug jumped, I freaked, and the neighbor laughed! GROSS!!!

Let's just say we sang the ABC's THREE times under ridiculously HOT water and used a TON of soap!!!!

"Where my hiney at, mommy?"

**Since we are away this week, I thought I would post some funnies from the past... Originally posted August 2009)**

This is what I hear as we are traveling 80 + down the interstate on the way to the beach last night.... "On, your bottom Madison" I answer distractedly as I am reading a book.... After I finish the page I was on, I turn back and glance at my bug a boo and I don't even know what to say....

She has opened a box of tampons and pads and has them every where! Tampon applicators litter the whole back seat, pads are taped to the car seat, the windows, her body, and there she sits with two tampons in each hand spinning them by their strings!

What do you say to that??!!

Heading down the highway....

looking for adventure....

Well, we are off! After 14+ hours in the car with 2 children we will arrive at the Mouse's House; our sanity may or may not be in tact... The sun should be shining and memories will be made and it should all make for a great week!



The only semi decent pic in front of the castle from our January 2009 trip

 I scheduled a few of my favorite posts, so enjoy! Pics will come soon!
xoxo

He's arrived!!!

The elf has arrived! This morning the door bell rang and two very excited and surprised minis SCREAMED for joy once they saw him! Our elf has arrived!



yes, I am aware my sons PJ's are too short, on backwards, and inside out... he has a mind of his own I tell ya!



Of course he came in style, flying in with two balloons sporting a new Christmas DVD and a letter to the wee ones urging them to PLEASE name him this year as he dislikes being called just "elf"... So, they used their noodle and decided upon....

wait for it...

Princess Old Warrior!

So our elf has a name even if its a bit odd and quite a mouth full! Happy Holidays! They have started with a bang around here!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving!! Jason had to work, so the minis and I headed to a friend's to celebrate with them! It was great! Dinner was yummy, the kids had fun playing, and I enjoyed some wonderful friends :) It was a great day...

After we were all stuffed, we headed to the kitchen for clean up... I asked Jess if she wanted me to save or toss the gravy... and she said toss... I asked if she wanted me to pour it in the trash, she paused thought about it for minute and directed me to the bathroom?!

Just flush it...

Seriously? You want me to flush it?

Yes, I have a thing about garbage disposers, so just flush it...

I started to laugh, and she thought I was nuts and did not get why I found that funny...

I must say, THAT was a first for me... Flushing gravy who woulda thought?! I must say it was a pretty good idea though!

Side bar: Madison came home with her Thanksgiving letter on Tuesday and it made me giggle... It reads:

Dear Mommy,

Thanksgiving is a holiday of Thanks, so I thank YOU for...

my animals (we currently have none)
my dad
your cooking (yeah, for the last 6 months my family is lucky if I cook a meal once a week... maybe this is her hint)

Love,
Madison

I love those little notes :)

Wordless Wednesday

For more WW: A Beautiful Mess, Look at What Mom found... and Dad too,  Momspective,  Wordless Wednesday ,

Check it out!

A friend of mine, Aubrey,  is MAJORLY crafty... I see some of the things she creates and am just amazed! Since I have known her she has made cute stuffed animals, bags, pouches, coffee sleeves, all kinds of stuff and it is all SUPER cute!

She has started selling her wares, and I wanted to share them with all of you :) It's kinda scary to put yourself out there and I want to support her!!

 I bought a kindle pouch from her and just LOVE it! She did a FABULOUS job and it was so totally worth it! The stitching is perfect and my kindle will now be nice and snug once I drop it into my bag...  I LOVE the fabric and I think the little reading monster adds that fun touch... Plus, she stitched one of my favorite sayings: Today is where your story begins... She has all types of fabrics and patterns. Everything can be made just how you like it...

I was checking out some of her other things and stumbled across this bag.... O.M.G! Love it!! Hint hint Jason (yeah right as if he reads this crap.... ;) I think it is uber cute and just screams Staci!

She has a cute diaper bag and baby accessories I would swoon over but thankfully, I am not on that route at the moment.. I would be even more crazy with a baby, BUT I would have a FABU diaper bag on my arm!

Anyway, if you have a moment, take a peek and let me know what you think!

I wish he would have...

Yesterday was GORGEOUS so I decided to finish up a few things around the house and take the minis out to ride bikes. As I headed upstairs to make beds, I could not help but trip over the 30 Thomas engines lined up along my steps waiting for Anthony's "story"... He was not too pleased with me when I made him put them away!

As soon as the last one was slammed into the bin, I noticed that my mini monster had grabbed his sister's cell phone... As he stomped his way into his room, I asked who he was calling.

Mom-meeee, I am calling the police mens.

Really? Why?

Because they are gonna take you to jail because you made me wreck my story!

To which I explained that it was not really nice to make your mommy go to jail just because she asked you to clean up your toys...

BUT what I really wanted to do was jump up and down begging and pleading him to please... please call!!! I mean really why would I NOT want to sit in an 8x8 room all ALONE with nothing but my thoughts and a book? Not being mommed to death all day long, constantly fixing and cleaning up meals, not having to put a stop to sibling bickering and fighting, I mean really... How is THAT punishment?! Sounds like vacay to me!

My future world traveler?



Every second with him is an adventure which
 MUST be enjoyed and explored!

 I was snuggled on the couch reading a book to Miss Madison when Anthony comes up to me and in a strange, almost English accent, says...

Misses bank man? I am taking a play date to Mexico so can I pwease have 100 Pesos and 20 pounds for my play date?!

Stunned, by his vocabulary choices, I oblige and pretend to give him all the loot he had asked for, which earned my a quick gracias as he "flew" away...

About 3 minutes later he was back:

Misses Bank man? I need more peso pounds because Mexico said its too little.... What can I do now?

To which I suggested he save his birthday money so that he can take me to Mexico with him! What a fun play date THAT would be... Pristine Beaches, Hot Sun, and Cold Cocktails as the minis frolic at the water's edge building castles.... Ahhh... One day... Hopefully sooner rather than later!

Sometimes it amazes me that I attended graduate school...

because I am brain dead about three quarters of the time!!!

Tonight, being the super mom that I am (insert eye roll NOW), I decided to build a wooden train with Anthony, build a jewelry box with Madison and let them paint while I fixed dinner. It was great, we all worked together and made some super cute projects...

The kids finished up their painting so I squirted their hands with soap and sent them off to the sink. I grabbed my rag and started to clean up the Picasso splatters on my table. And then, I looked down!

OMG!! My less than a year old, fabric covered, kitchen chairs were speckled with RED (of all colors) paint! This wasn't good ole washable Crayola either. It was full on craft wood paint!!! I won't lie a full on FREAK out ensued... Our fun little project turned to crap in about 2.5 seconds. A spot here or there? That's to be expected, BUT it looked as though they painted the fabric!!

First, what the hell was I thinking? I mean really, I sure a drop fell and they tried to wipe it up, its my fault not theirs... Who the heck lets a 3 and 5 year old paint while sitting on fabric chairs?!? Who the heck gives 3 and 5 year olds PERMANENT paint?!? Obviously this moron does.... Sometimes I wonder where my brain disappears to... It must be a wonderfully happy place with non fabric covered chairs and only invisible paint!

All I can say is I scrubbed and scrubbed and rubbed and rubbed until my already weak arms about fell off! Thanks to Resolve Multi Fabric spray, Tide Stain Release spray, a tooth brush, tons of wet micro fiber cloths, and the obligatory baby wipe (don't they clean just about anything?!?!)  I am pretty sure it is all gone... The chairs are still a bit damp, but it appears to be good as new... I hope!

Wordless Wednesday

For more WW: A Beautiful Mess, Look at What Mom found... and Dad too,  Momspective,  Wordless Wednesday ,

Maybe small town living isn't so bad after all...

Maybe.

Where I live now is the smallest place I have ever lived. Everyone knows everyone, you run into people everywhere, and the biggest thing of the last year is that Target opened! I'm used to a more city feel, where everyone is a stranger, and while I run into the grocery store looking like well... shit!... I don't have to worry about running into 7 people I know. I won't lie THAT"S the why I like it. Anonymous.

Every Wednesday, after school, I drive past the train station for Anthony. He LOVES it! I mean it is the highlight of his day loves it... Last week the weather was warm and he had an AWESOME day at school, so I decided to surprise him and stop and wait for a train to pull in... He was ECSTATIC!

We were sitting around talking about the signals, and switch tracks, and the old sheds when a man approached us. He was a CSX worker and asked if the minis liked trains. My train fanatic son piped up and began telling this man all about the trains and spouted off his encyclopedic knowledge of all things trains... He asked if an Amtrak or CSX diesel was gonna come soon....

The kind older man saw the sparkle in my son's eyes and told him that they could call the engineer and find out! So the man made a call to find when the next train was pulling through! We waited and watched and Anthony about D.I.E.D when the CSX blew through the station!! His day was made!

Then man then told me that if I wanted, later that afternoon, they were going to have all the equipment out working on the tracks. He told me the best spot to park so we could have a FAB view of all the goings on... After many thanks and a bunch of smiles we headed home...

Of course, being super mom (NOT), we went back later that afternoon to watch the workers... Anthony LOVED it... Wouldn't you know though, that same kind man sought us out and gave my son a little lesson on all the equipment and explained what they were doing. He took time out of his busy day to make an everlasting memory for my little guy... How sweet and nice was that?

So maybe living in a small town has its advantages after all... Even if you strut your stuff looking like crap down aisle 12 there still are kind, generous, warm hearted people that take the time out of their busy lives to make a five year old train enthusiast's day!

size is only a number

Right?!?

As little miss was getting into her jammies she noticed her panties were a size 4. A bit confused she asked:

Mommy why is my panties a four? I is only free?!

Well, your tush is a size 4...

Mommy! My butt is three size (said with all kinds of attitude, hands on the hips, and eyes just a rolling!) What size are your panties? Firty two?

and at that precise moment Jason entered the room and he just howled! A 32? I do not think so little missy! :)

Signs

Anthony has taken a huge interest in signs lately. He wants to know what they mean, what they say, and what their for. If there's a sign he does not know I must go to great lengths explaining it! The worst is when he sees a sign and I missed it.... Can I just tell you his descriptions are quite evasive, yet I "should" know EXACTLY what he is talking about... OY!

The other day, as we pulled into the train station I was looking for a parking spot and my very own back seat driver was assisting...  Suddenly, my little guy pipes up:

Hey Mom! There's a bunch of spots, but their for all the people that have to go potty.. BUT I don't have-ta go potty!! Oh Man!

As I glanced up to see what on earth he was talking about and spotted about 10 handicap spots. As I looked at them, I had to giggle because they DO kinda look like someone going potty!

I love seeing the world from the eyes of a child.... Its so much more interesting (and often much more fun)!

What's in a name? That which we call a rose..

By any other name would smell as sweet ~ Juliet

Do we or don't we? That has been the question of the hour! Should we change Juliet's name? When I first heard it I busted out with the ole 80's gag me with a spoon, but since Juliet has started to grow on me...

Since Bichon's are french, I thought of French Fry, but who wants to say "come here French Fry" all day long. After the first 5 times it loses its cuteness...

Madison has decided to call her either "cute wittle puppy girl" (now THAT's a mouthful!) or "foodie" (so typical for my nonstop snackin little junker)

Anthony has suggested on "Old Warrior" so she can be strong and brave!

Jason says he doesn't care but TOTALLY dislikes Juliet!

So all you creative peeps out there: Give me some names! Help me name my 8 pound ball of fur :) PLEASE!!!

Wordless Wednesday

For more WW: A Beautiful Mess, Look at What Mom found... and Dad too,  Momspective,  Wordless Wednesday ,

We are EXPECTING!!!

Well, kinda...

OK, sorta...

All right, not really! But we are expecting a new addition to our family! After MUCH thought and consideration we have decided to get a puppy. We were VERY particular about what type of pooch we wanted and the two main qualities were: NON-SHEDDING and must have a FABU temperament! Murray was the best dog EVAH and if it weren't for the darn clumps of hair (aka: tumble weeds) constantly floating by we would have gotten another golden retriever.

After searching I think I have found the most perfect dog: a Bichon Frise... They do not shed and the AKC describes them as "merry" and "cheerful", and the breed standard calls for a dog that is "gentle mannered, sensitive, playful and affectionate"... PERFECT right?

10 weeks

 I contacted the AKC for a recommended breeder and got in touch with a lady that is semi-local. She has one litter a year and sadly had just adopted her last puppy out... BUT she did have a 10 month old puppy (Juliet) who she was gonna show, but Juliet would rather play and lick the judges than prance around a show ring...

Immediately, I shot the idea down, but then I got to thinking... This pooch is crate trained, house trained, micro chipped, has all the puppy shots, and is a lovable happy girl... All the work is already done. Do I really want to house train a pup in the middle of winter?!? So I contacted the breeder and we decided to adopt her! I am SO excited!!!!

Juliet and her mama

 I can't pick her up until AFTER our Disney trip though, which has me so BUMMED! I would love to have her now, but I would not feel right bringing her home just to leave in two weeks. I thought that would be a bit confusing and could affect her negatively... So the countdown to bring Juliet home has begun and I cannot wait!

Juliet just woke up :) Bed head like me!

 We are trying to decide if we should rename her... What do you think? Juliet or some super cute new name? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Juliet's Mama....

FMM: Top Ten of 2010

I decided to join in on this weeks Friend Makin' Monday :) This week is all about what we are thankful for as 2010 is coming to a close... I thought this was a great topic so close to Thanksgiving so I decided to join in! 

I am so thankful: (in no particular order)
 1. For my healthy, beautiful, mostly smiling minis! They make each day awesome and can always make me smile!

2. For my fabulous husband and that we have celebrated 15 years of marriage! We have climbed many mountains, hit many bumps, but we still manage to be the best of friends!

3. That I am able to stay home with the minis... I cannot imagine not being with them All. The. Time. (even though they often drive me CRAZY)

4. For my friends... We coffee, we gym, we chat, we cocktail, we laugh, we cry! I LOVE these girls!



Where we are 3-5 mornings a week :)

 5. For the Gap and their damn Sexy Boot jeans... Holy cow do they fit me PERFECT and every one asks how much weight have I lost... My answer? NONE! Love these jeans that make me appear thin :)

6. For step class... My saddle bags have left the BUILDING :) booyah!

7. The air force... If Jason would have never joined, we would not be where we are today. We are so fortunate for the path we chose!

8. Birth Control... without it, I may have TOTALLY lost my mind!

9. My Kindle... Oh how I love thee... He is always with me, entertaining me, and keeping me company!

10. Our health... So many people struggle each day with health and wellness and I am so thankful that we are all healthy!

Back in the day....

when I was young (aka pre children) I used to LOVE when the clocks were gonna "fall back" It always meant and extra our at a club and an extra hour of sleep. It was Oh. So. FABULOUS.

Now? Not so much! I hate it... The kids wake up way too early, are super crabby for days, and it takes for ever for them to get back to "normal" (how anyone can call waking up before 6 most days normal is beyond me, but such is MY life)!! How early did my day begin you ask? 4:45! Yes, 4:45 a.m. !! We have a birthday party today from 4-6 so I am almost positive we will be the creators of some AWESOME meltdowns... yay me!

Have I mentioned in the past how much I love to sleep... There was a time that I did not even begin to stir until noon... I am SO not a morning person, I wish somehow that memo was delivered to my children in utero!

To look n the bright side of things, laundry has been started, dishes are done, and I have vacuumed my room all before 7:00! Happy Sunday!

It's almost THAT time....

Christmas card time!

Christmas cards are a big thing for me... Before kids, I could not wait to have my own little minis to dress up all cute and get creative with THE Christmas card! Once I had the minis... oh boy did that change! I still love it and can't wait to get THE perfect pictures for THE card, but man do you know how difficult it is?!? They never smile, someone is always grumpy, and the pictures never seem to come out right! It usually takes me a month of tries before I get a shot that is deemed worthy for THE card!

Once the shot is captured, I usually head on over to Shutterfly because they have some of the cutest card choices. I heart Shutterfly and their products! I have ordered many of their items (photo books, prints, mugs, and TONS of cards) and have always been pleased with their quality!

As I logged into Shutterfly today to look at the selection of cards this year I was floored. There is a TON to chose from!!!

I love the simplicity of this one and I think it has that classy feel!

This one makes me smile and I think would be perfect for my two miniature peeps...

I love how you can customize this one and is like a fresh little spin on the Christmas update letter!

There are so many choices, I have no clue which I am going to chose!!! There are religious cards and I really like the story cards.... This is gonna be a tough one! Shutterfly even has your holiday party invitations covered!

Now, just how will I torture the kids this year? Hmmmm... I guess I better get started, because the day after the turkey will be here before I know it....

Note: Participating bloggers are reviewing the new Shutterfly cards and sharing their faves, and we have been compensated with coupon codes for 50 free cards.

Wordless Wednesday

Anthony's First Story
(I was totally impressed as it has a clear beginning, middle, and end :)

"First of all... I can follow a path right down there and then got caught by this evil guy and then I destroyed him... Ouch, ouch, ouch. The end"

For more WW: A Beautiful Mess, Look at What Mom found... and Dad too,  Momspective,  Wordless Wednesday ,

Mad Goes Marching one by one...

HOORAH! HOORAH!

Last week the kids had their Harvest / Halloween festivities at school and they had a great time! Each year, Madison's school party ends with the whole school marching in a parade showing off all the little cuties in their costumes.

My little diva woke up PUMPED for he parade. She could not wait!! As I was strapping her into her car seat, she became all worried because I forgot to give her a bag... When I asked what the bag was for she explained:

Mama, I need a bag to put candy in so I can throw it to you in my parade!

Silly girl :) Once I explained that it wasn't the candy throwin' kinda parade she was all good :)

Jason, Anthony, and I all arrived just in time to watch our little miss in the parade! She was super cute and oh so excited... All the parents had big ole smiles as they watched their little ones strut their stuff. You would think Justin Beiber entered the building with all the flash pops! The kids were so excited and loved having all eyes on them...

As the parade made its way around the gym the final time Anthony spotted Mad's teacher (his teacher last year) and she waved him over and he was over the moon excited that he was allowed to "do the parade" too! Madison? Not so much... Once she realized Anthony had joined in her wand was shaking, her face was red, and her mouth was flying! She was insistent that it was "her parade and not Anties"! She stamped her feet and adamantly yelled for him to "go back to mommy!!" She did not want him to steal her thunder. Being the parents of the year that we are, Jason and I DIED laughing as she fumed!

She quickly got over it though once she realized that daddy was only taking pictures of his little candy corn witch  :)