Boogie Nights

As some of you will recall tonight was the Annual Father-Daughter Dance in our small town. Busy Bee woke up at 3am in the excitement of it all. I did manage to get her back to sleep, thankfully! Anyhoo, a little girl and the most loved man in her world danced together for the first time tonight.

Here they are before the dance, no worries, we fixed the tie!

The songs I spin...

So, I saw this MeMe all over the place and since its s music one, I MUST DO IT! If I don't have my music I am a miserable, miserable person, so narrowing it down to seven is tough for me, so I have to do two sets of seven. The first are my favs from my Ipod:

1. Gwen Stefani-Sweet Escape: I love this song. Great tune to sing in the car.
2. Corrine Bailey Rae-Like a Star: This song, OMG, just LOVE it!
3. Five for Fighting-The Riddle: There's a reason for the world, You and I. Just gets me, everytime.
4. Hall & Oats-Sara Smile: Now if I had my way, Rolly Polly would have had this for a name. When I feel cold, you warm me, and when I feel I can't go on, you come and hold me. Won't you smile a while for me... Love it!
5. Rob Thomas-Streetcar Symphony: This song just makes me feel good. Everything will be alright!
6. Journey-Faithfully: Just one that takes me back and then makes me think of Big Daddy when he's not here.
7. Chris Rice-When Did You Fall(In Love With Me): This one is the one I repeat over and over right now. Can't get enough of it. Reminds of when Big Daddy and I fell in love and I love songs that remind me of happy times in life.

The second list I love. The kids have our love of music, I swear its genetic. Music is almost always going in our house and there are tunes that we ALL love to bust a move too or just some that the kids know all the words to and its funny to hear them sing.

1. The Foundations-Build Me Up Buttercup: Rolly Polly calls this the Sippy Cup song.
2. Elton John and Kiki Dee-Don't Go Breaking My Heart: Thanks to Chicken Little, This one is on a lot.
3. Blue October-Into the Ocean: The kids know a lot of the words in this one, its so cute to hear them sing it, even though its a pretty dark song.
4. Jackson 5-ABC, 123: Kids love to boogie to this one.
5. Gwen Stefani-BANANAS: Busy Bee has so much fun with this one. The funniest thing is watching her in the back of the van, arms in the air, belting it out.
6. Bay City Rollers: Saturday Night: Just a fun one.
7. Earth, Wind, and Fire-September: Whats a good boogie list without EWF?

Oh, and thanks to MamaLee, Elle, and a bunch of other Momma Bloggers, I have found Imeem.  You are all in trouble now, music will be spinning here.  Consider yourselves warned.

ACK!!!

I've been a bad, bad blogger! Its been a CRAZY week around here! A meetingpalooza if you will. I've been to Parent/Teacher conferences, PTO meetings, and School Consolidation meetings. I am meeting'd out, people! That and we've been busy with family stuff too! SO FREAKIN CRAZY! But I have something that will hopefully make up for it, PICTURES!!!! Those of you with dial-up, well, you'll hate by the time they all load...

Last weekend was Maple Syrup Sunday in our gorgeous state, so we all headed out to see how maple syrup is made. We live in an area that has MANY sugar houses very close so we got to see two. The first was A Wrinkle in Thyme Farm. This was the kids favorite, because they have animals.

The conferences with the kids teachers went great, as usual. The kids are so bright and really love school which is nice. Busy Bee is the Mother Hen of her class, keeping everyone, including the teachers, in line. LOL! Little Man, well, his teacher just loves him. He has a special spot with his teacher, for sure!

I'm heading up a committee for our PTO which is planning a Family Movie Night at the school. Its one of our service opportunities and its shaping up to be a really fun night. Its also a TON of work. LOL

Last night was a really big meeting in town. Our school is looking to consolidate with a larger SAD. It has its benefits, but it also has some downfalls. If anyone of you have watched the news lately, as its made national news, our state government is cooking up a plan to consolidate 176 districts down to 80 at the most, the original number was 26. So, our district is hoping to get a head start to make the transition easier when it becomes mandated. Lots of changes for our little town, thats a definite.

We did find a little time this week to get our Easter decorations out and paint some eggs. In the first picture are Little Man's, Busy Bee's and mine. The next are Rolly Polly's, which should dry by next Easter, she might dry out by then too. We had so much fun doing them that the kids made me promise to get more eggs today. They are wooden so we can keep them forever, one of those things that I'll pull out in 20 years and cry over because my kids have grown up, I'm sure.

And right now, as I type the flooring is going in Little Man's room. FINALLY!

So, now that I'm all caught up, I hope that I will be able to get back here to update frequently again! Thanks for sticking around!

Procrastination 101:

If there were a Reality Show for people like me it would be Slacker Central. I waited too long(even though the websites boast fast shipping) to get any dress here in time for the dance. So I went out shopping yesterday to try to find something suitable. I found a dress that will work, its an really pretty pink one, all Busy Bee cares about. But, I feel like I screwed up. Its NOT what I wanted for her at all. I know we have many years of Father-Daughter Dances ahead, many more opportunities to find the right dress, etc. But, this is the only year for these two to go alone, after Rolly Polly will attend with them. There is NOTHING wrong with that, but to know BB and BD, you would know that they share a connection that I really can't put into words. I wanted so much to make this so special for them. And I feel like I dropped the ball.

Sucky.

Not quite Winter, but yet, still not Spring...

Oy! So anyone who gets a lot of snow and has an unpaved driveway will tell you that they experience 5 seasons. Sure there are the normal 4, but stuck in there between Winter and Spring is an evil and messy season...Mud Season. We were almost dried out last week, but then we ended up with another foot of snow last weekend, and what a freakin mess that has made. Visual Proof-

Be careful, you might lose a leg in there!

Wordless Wednesday

Today's post is below.

It's a sunshiny day!

I've gone from not really liking(but, ALWAYS loving) my kids(Monday...GRRRR) to just adoring them. Monday was a tough day. We all butted heads all.day.long. It just sucked. There are times, I wish I had MamaLee's way of thinking(finding happiness even within the not so good). I wish I were a duck and could just let it all fall away. I am not that kind of person, never have been. But, I told myself before I even got out of bed on Tuesday that I would make the day a good one for all of us. It was up to me to change the flow. And wouldn't you know, it worked. The kids went off to school and Emily and I chatted away the morning(boy, that girl can talk), then we had a playdate for most of the afternoon. The kids were being great so when we went to the market, we invited Little Man's "girlfriend" to go with us. On the way there, I heard Little Man tell her he loved her. These two are already betrothed so its ok. ;) They were all SO good at the market that I couldn't resist and we all went out for Happy Meals. A HUGE treat at our house lately. I asked that they wait at the table near the counter for me and wouldn't you know it, they did. We had a nice talk during dinner. A sweet older man walked in wearing a very nice suit and Little Man asked if he was the President. The man and I had a good laugh about it as well.

I don't mean to detail this post to death, but I really think it was my change of attitude that made it such a nice outing with my kids. Normally, I am so stressed that I'm out with 3 kids, and God, please don't let them fart really loud, or burp, or have a tantrum... You get the picture. So that when I didn't let the stress kill the mood we had a great time and really enjoyed being out together. I didn't think about all that could go wrong, instead we added a kid to the crew and just focused on having fun!

So, last night before I went to bed, I wrote in my journal, HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. Be thankful you can have the kids that drive you mad. Be thankful someone loves you and loves all of you. Be thankful.

So, in today's list of things I am grateful for, you'll learn a little more about us.

I'm grateful that Busy Bee has an allergist appt in 2 weeks to(hopefully) get a better idea of what exactly she is allergic to. This list just keeps on growing. If anyone has a child who suffers food and pharmaceutical allergies and you wouldn't mind sharing your experiences, send me an email, please! I'm thankful for explorer attitude. I have lost count of how many time we have had to stop and look at things differently because BB is curious. Things like the moon and stars, which had never been a big deal before, now get their own special Good Night.

I'm grateful that Little Man hasn't complained of hip pain in over a month. He has Leggs-Perthes Disease and it has caused him so much pain over the last couple years, but the last few months have been really good for him. I'm thankful he's so smart. He's reading at a "2nd grade" level and actually is reading Indian in the Cupboard with me. Sidenote: I'm grateful as well, for his teacher, who manages to find time to challenge him, even though she is stretched so thin.

I'm thankful that Rolly Polly is such great comapny in the morning. I will miss her stories so much when she goes off to school. I love that she and I finally get some alone time to really bond. This morning it was a tickle fight. She got me so good. I was a puddle of giggles. So funny! I'm grateful for her, she was a TOTAL surprise, and had she not been, we probably would have only had 2 loves.

I'm thankful Big Daddy supports me 200%. I never have to worry that I'm alone in something because he's right there with me, even if he's 200 miles away. I'm also thankful that he'll be home for the next 5+ days!!!!

There IS good to be found in everything and everyone.

Wow! This got REALLY long! Sorry! I'll end now with another dress in the running. I have to order no later than tomorrow night, so I'm cutting it close, but I just can't make up my mind. AHHHHH!

One of those times I'm so happy to have girls

I was at the kids school for a little while again this morning, Busy Bee was helping present a project of hers, and I cleared out her cubby while I was there. In the mix of papers was a pamphlet for a Father-Daughter Semi-Formal Dance on the 31st. O.M.F.G! I couldn't help myself. I turned into a little girl all over again, got a little teary, and realized I get to shop. For a little girls party dress. I am in freaking heaven, people. Except the rush, everything has to be here in two weeks.

Then, I realized I suck at making up my mind, so I come to you all asking for some input. You've all seen pics of Busy Bee, so help a mom out. What colors/style would you put on her if she were your kid? I've been poking around the web a bit, and these are a couple I've found so far.

So, what do you think? Come on spill it!

Go n-eírí an bóthar leat(May the road rise with you)

Its St. Patrick's Day, and I've stumbled out of bed to wish you all a wondeful day, albeit a bit late.

I'm a wee bit Irish, thanks to my grandfather, and I totally play the Irish Card this day every year. We had Corned Beef and Cabbage for dinner, I forgot the Guiness, Ooops! We had green everything all day, made some crafts, and napped...good naps.

You know how it is said that there is twin out there for all of us, that we aren't even related to?!?!? My grandfather's was Mr. Magoo.

Don't let the glasses fool you, behind them is a very squinty old man. I don't remember a whole bunch about him as he passed away when I was 5, but I do remember. Thankfully. I remember when we visited my grandparents, my grandfather would take me for a walk down to the corner store, I would always get ice cream(mint chocolate chip on a sugar cone) and he would get a pouch of tobacco for his pipe. I remember one time we visited and a neighbor came over to show us all his HUGE horse. My grandfather tossed me right up in the saddle. I still remember the smell his pipe made. I remember the goofy shoes he wore. He always wore trousers, I can't remember ever seeing him in a pair of jeans.

Being the oldest of the grandchildren, I'm so lucky I can remember. I don't think any of the others would be old enough to have more than a picture in their heads. But, we'll always have Mr. Magoo

Bummer

Ugh. I hate when my kids are sick. Sure enough, as soon as Little Man started getting better, Busy Bee got sick. Its been Meds, Thermometers, Popsicles, etc for the several days. This leaves me unable to think straight. I can't get out of my own way. I have a Real Moms entry coming, but other than that Mommy needs Sleepy...

Who is this Mom on Coffee???? And a couple updates...

I realize that being a new blogger readers may need a litte better intro that who I am and that I have kids, a husband, etc. So here is a list of things about me the average Joe doesn't know.

1. I have crazy long toes, which I can make the Hang-10 sign with and pick up coins off the floor with.

2. My favorite smell is clean laundry(in fact, I use 2 kinds of fabric softener to achieve the right smell in our clothes).

3. I collect Santas for Christmas.

4. I like Starbucks Lattes, but hate their coffee(Open a bag and it smells burnt).

5. I had colitis last year and dropped 60lbs in 3 months, and since I've gained 1/2 that back, I want it again, no I don't, yes I do, nooooooo...

6. My resolution this year was to be present. I think this blog is actually helping with that.

7. My silverware and glasses have to be a certain weight in my hand or I can't use them. The heavier the better.

8. Big Daddy and I eloped. Only 2 other people were there when we married.

9. I have the mouth and gas of a sailor. Swear and Burp, thats all I do. LOL!

10. I adore my friends. IRL or online, it doesn't matter. And I'm loyal to a fault.

So there are 10 things you probably didn't know, I plan on adding to the list as this blog goes on. Its just so damn hard to think of things on the spot.

**So, I know you are all dying to see who won the knives.**

Winner of the Rock and Chop and Slicer is:

**FROG PRINCESS**

And, winner of the Slicer is:

**KIM**

Congratulations!!!!

Finally, I'm also feeling a little less gumpy, too! Big Daddy took me out for dinner lasy night, just the two of us. It was some much needed down time I needed with him. So nice! Little man is also doing much better this morning. Its all good! Thanks for all the well wishes!

Grrr.

I'm really sorry I haven't been posting or around the last few days. I'm grumpy. I have a sick kid(Little Man has an ear infection and strep) and I'm not getting much sleep. So little sleep in fact that it doesn't matter how much coffee I drink, I'm still in a funk. I learned a long time ago to not address a group of people when I'm foul like this so please pardon my absence. I did manage to get a little sleep last night, so I'm going to try to make the rounds today!

It's a PAH-TAY!

The gals over at 5 Minutes For Mom have organized a Blog Party Week(March 2-9). Since I hate to be the only one NOT doing something I signed up. Besides that, its a party where I can be in my PJ's and not showered and you won't even be able to see the horror that is. It doesn't get any better that that, does it? So, stock up on wine, some yummy goodies, and join the fun!!!

Oh, come on, you know you wanna!

Its here!!! Grab a glass of wine, a martini, or a cup o' joe and join the party!

Well, now that you're here, and I hope have signed up to be a part of the festivities, allow me to introduce myself. I'm a Mom on Coffee(though aren't most of us???), I have 3 crazy and fun kids who keep me busy, and a very patient hubby who puts up with all my crap. I am fairly new to blogging about our household goings on, but I'm enjoying it very much. I have met lots of new and VERY funny moms out there and even a few new friends.

So, since I'm new to the blogging moms and the blog world in general, I thought I would shamelessly steal Lee's idea and allow you all to ask me anything you'd like to know about me, our family, etc. Don't be shy, just ask!

*This is a sticky, current posts are below. Thanks for stopping by!

~*~*~Prizes~*~*~

Since I'm too late to offer prizes thru 5 minutes for mom, I'm left to offer a couple prizes here on my blog.

Both Prizes are Miracle Blade knives. The first winner will receive a Rock n Chop and a slicer. The second winner will receive a slicer. I think these are really great knives, and they are all I use. I ordered a set as a gift and received a set for myself. Since I already have many of these knives already, a couple fabulous bloggers will reap the benefits and get a couple cool knives.

How to enter~ Just post a comment to this post saying you'd like to enter. At the end of the party I will put the blogger names in a hat and draw two winners. I'll send you an email if its on your page or just leave you a comment and how to get in touch with me.

*This is a sticky, currents posts are below...

Picture whoring at its best(or not)

I have taken some rather adorable pics of the rugrats lately, and I just can't help myself, and have to share...

Little Man and his dimples...

Rolly Polly and the only face she'll give me when I want to take her pic.

Here's Busy Bee and the hair she hates...

Is it wrong?

Is it wrong to want to drag Busy Bee to the nearest salon and get her eyebrows waxed? Feast your eyes on the horror that is growing out of her face...



OK, I know its wrong, but DAYUM!

Questions Answered...

MamaLee asked...You are about to meet your favorite person in the world. The ONE person you have ALWAYS wanted to meet. Who is this person? And oh, you have 10 minutes to get dressed and get ready. What clothes, makeup, perfume? (And being naked is too easy of an answer!!)

The one person I have always wanted to meet...Hmm...I guess the one person I would want to meet is Anthony Bourdain. He's a chef, he's very funny(in a twisted sort of way, I love that), and he's seen the world. If I only have 10 minutes, I'm in big trouble this morning. But, I'd probably wear my favorite skirt(black and tan) with the shirt that goes with it. Black flip-flops(yes, I'm pretending its summer, otherwise I have no shoes that go with it...) I'd throw on some lip gloss and mascara, then spray on my favorite perfume Ysatis. Thanks for asking Lee!

Blazer1234 asked...how old are your kiddos, and what do you like to do for fun in your spare time?

My kids are Little Man(6), Busy Bee(4), and Rolly Polly(3). Yes they are close in age. They were all born within 35 months. Sign me up for the nervous breakdown, now! In my spare time(what little I have), I am hopelessly addicted to the internet, blogs, and the like. I do try to fit in some time with Big Daddy too. Like I've said before, he's a patient man.

Race Mom asked..."Your house is on fire, family and pets are safely outside. You can only grab one thing; what would it be?"

This one is wicked easy! My pictures! Aside from the ones on the walls and shelves, they are all in one big tub for just that reason. In the event of a fire, I would chuck the whole lot right out the window. LOL!

This is fun! Thanks Ladies for asking, and keep the ?'s coming!

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Since they are now in the oven, I have a little time to share. This is our family's favorite cookies recipe. Even though its definately a fall/winter cookie, we eat it all year long. Super Easy and SUPER delish!

Iced Pumkpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
1C Butter(softened)
1C Pumpkin(canned is fine)
2tsp Cinnamon
2C Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
1C Sugar
1 Egg
1tsp Vanilla
1tsp Baking Soda

For Icing-
3TBSP Butter
1C Powdered Sugar(Sifted)
2TBSP Milk
1/2C Brown Sugar
1/2tsp Vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Cream Butter and Sugar, then add egg, pumpkin, and vanilla, mix. Sift the dry ingredients and add them to butter mix. Mix well. Cook 10-15 minutes, but you'll want to remove them when they look dry and begin to brown. Allow to cool on pan for 2 minutes, remove to rack. Cool Completely before frosting. To make icing- Mix all the ingredients until smooth. You can add up to 2 more TBSP Milk, but I've never had to. It should look like a thick glaze, you aren't looking for frosting.