Seizing My Day

My lovely blog friend Heather at Blessed Little Nest

is hosting a fabulous lovely linky

encouraging and inspiring bloggers to think about

the little things in our life that are lovely!

Do go and say hi to Heather…

and maybe even join the lovelyness next week!

Here is my “lovely” of the week!

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Abby is turning 10 years old in 11 days!!  (yikes)

Today we made this clever invitation!

Her theme this year is Owls and Cake Pos!

Abby loves reading… LOVES it!  (** proud mommy**)

one of her favorite books series is The Guardians of Ga’Hoole

by Kathryn Lasky

a 15 book series about Owls!  =)

and guess what?!

there just so happens to be a Guardians Movie

releasing on the day of Abby’s party!

he he

My little girl…

she REALLY wants to go the movie the day it comes out…

she (we) already had her (our) heart set on a Cake Pop Party..

So we are going to do both… Owls and Cake Pops!

Do y’all know Bakerella??

I discovered her this summer…

and well…

Words Can NOT express how excited Abby and I are about her Cake Pops!!

Over the Moon!

he he

We can not wait to bake, make and eat these yummy pops with family and friends…

on HER special day!!

Of course  ~ later this week We will have to practice making them !!

And Guess What else??

Bakerella just released her Cake Pops Recipe Book … THIS WEEK!

AND

One of the Adorable Cake pops is an OWL!!  =)

see it… the cute owl on the cover?!!

I tried to go out and buy her book this weekend…

Not a ONE on the shelf!

rats!!

No worries…

the nice guy at Borders said he has 4 more copies arriving on Tues!

I can’t wait to get my hands on it!!

As if that was not enough excitement for one blog post…

Guess what ELSE?!!

I went to Bakerella’s blog the other day

and….

Bakerella is going on a book signing tour Early Next Month…

and Guess where she is going to be FIRST??!!

Yep… just a short drive down the Interstate from my home town!

or I could go to day 2 in the Seattle area!

Since I live half way between day one and two!!  =)

The next few weeks are my busy time of year…

back to school, start of home schoolin, a birthday to plan, soccer is in full swing,

my in-laws usually visit on birthday months.. (oh my messy house needs help!!)

ha ha …

Alrighty good then… what am I still doing here!??~  =)

Have a Beautiful Day!

Jenn~

(the book images were borrowed from other sources)

A lunch made with love

including an I love you note, a heart sandwich, strawberry applesauce, a capri sun, Girl Scout Cookies reserved for a special occasion! and a piece of taffy from summer! oops… the taffy wasn’t in the picture!   and a baggie of cheddar chicks for snack time!

and

One Adorable young lady

Standing in the Same spot she did 5 years ago

Be Still My Beating Heart!!!

Here is one of her standing in front of her last classroom

in Elementary school

just like she stood in front of her first classroom

in Elementary School

5 years ago

Look at that sweet nervous smile!

No book can ever prepare you

for the emotions you feel as your babies grow!

This Handsome little lad

is standing in front of his school

on the first day of 2nd grade

(snicker snicker!)

This picture was taken in front of our home!  =)

Sammy went to one year of Public School

His First Year of Preschool

5 years ago!!

I can’t handle this!!  =)

Look at his adorable sheepish grin

I think I am going to explode with emotion!!

I loved this shot!

ta ta mommy!

(not really!)

he was waving at big sister!  =)

When Abby was in Kindergarten

Sammy went to the “special needs” preschool

while I worked in the first grade classroom as an Ed Assistant

It was an “interesting” year.

The Preschool was supposed to be 50% role models

and 50% Special Needs

Over the weeks Sammy would quietly tell us…

“that boy over there mommy… he bites”

“that girl over there… she screams a LOT”

“that boy hits people with sticks..”

“that boy scratches people”

NICE  role models in a special needs school!

It was 90% Behavior kids…

My little man was an easy target

having low vision and low muscle tone…

the teachers even “lost” him a few times in the building

b/c they had to cater to behavior kids

apparently they forgot Sammy couldn’t follow a line of kids with his low vision!

among other things…

Lets just say not only were the kids “interesting” …

so was the attitude of those on his “team” of educators!

That year was the deal breaker for me…  No Brainer!

Home School IS the BEST way to give him a Fabulous education

and keep him safe!!  =)

I feel really good knowing I am keeping him above the learning curve

and I am providing him with fun learning that meets his unique needs

I love taking him to the home school program

which complements my weak areas and provides him social friends!!  =)

*ahem**

I think I got off task there…

oops!

anyway…

My babies are really NOT going to let me call them babies anymore!

It is a milestone year…

Makes the mommy weepy and proud and all that stuff!  =)

I think I need therapy!

Beach therapy!  =)

Honey .. can we book a Hawaiian vacation?!

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease!??!!

ok ok

the drama queen is done  =)

oh… Hi Sammy…

yes… yes I am going to teach you today!!

=)

Have a Fabulous Weekend folks!

Blessings~

Jenn~

What do you all make your babies for school lunches??!  =)

Today

This seemingly sleepy well behaved (HA) dog

Is at the groomers!

ALL DAY!

I LOVE my new dog groomer!!

Found her early this summer!  Blessing!!  =)

So Today..  I am going to Bust and MOVE!

Ah.. that song takes me right back to my first year of college in 1989!  =)

*ahem*

anyway…

I am also Finally feeling MUCH better now…

I think?  =)

So I am going to get some a million MUCH needed things done!

it will be SO much easier ~ without my pesky lovable dog under foot

stealing TP  or chasing the cat or eating shoes or counter surfing

the who has been ON the kitchen table more than a few times this week!!!

too bad I wasn’t in a funny enough mood to use my Broken Camera

to capture it when my curious food stealing dog was standing ON my table!!

Bad Dog Merlin!

So there you have it folks…

Not another Puppy Free Moment to Waist!

See ya all later in the day!

Jenn~

ps I was going to post first day of school pics… but given my camera is broken…

I used the neighbors camera so I could SEE what I was taking with the camera

so I am at her mercy as to when I can post those!!  =)  wink, wink Anna!

to sew the waist on my little girls jeans

a little slimmer than slim…

(I wish I had that problem…being slimmer than slim!)

one more day

until I need to fill  little girls back pack

and her lunch box

and send her off to school.

5th grade already?

Can’t I have 2 more days?

*sigh*  =)

school starts tomorrow.

the weather is cold.

it is Fall.

It is Time to embrace it!

*sigh*

Secret.

September is actually my Favorite month of the year!!

I am just not ready for it this year.

odd!!??

what is wrong with me this year?  =)

I guess I better clean out the school work bins today as well…

the ones we collect completed school work in

little girl is going to start bringing home papers in her back pack!

what on earth?

Nana how on earth did you get in there?!

This photo was taken yesterday…=)

I can’t believe I did not clean those bins out all summer long!

too busy travelin, campin, playin, bein lazy and well…

I don’t want to talk about last week anymore!!

*shudder*

anyway!

We collect all the school work in those bins …

or should I call them cat beds?

Slowly we fill them up each week when the kids complete school work

and when the year is done

I go through them…

I keep the fun stuff like writing, stories, art…

and recycle all the not so fun school work!

Usually I do that the first couple weeks of summer!

oops!

It is fun to go through and read all the stories they have written over the years!  =)

I guess I have one more day

until

I teach 2nd grade to Sammy!!

I NEED to get myself organized…

home school starts tomorrow as well!

Good bye camping.  good bye beaches.  goodbye parks.  good bye lazy mornings.

Good bye swim lessons.  good bye hot summer nights.  good bye sunshine.

(I live in Washington after all)  ha ha!   Good bye summer… sniff…

What do you all do with all the papers, art & stuff that your kids bring home?

What do you keep?  how do you store it? or display it?  =)

Alrighty good then… time to get moving….

busy day ahead!

better get to all those last minute things!

Happy Fall y’all!

(trying to get in the mood!)

Jenn~

2 extracted teeth

2 oral surgeons

2 teary phone calls to the oral surgeons office

2 “extra” visits to the oral surgeons office

5 or so trips to the pharmacy

way too many pills to count

hours and hours of unnecessary pain

7 days later

I think

I might

Finally

be coming round the mountain!

I’ll see you on the other side!

Hope you are enjoying the “long” weekend!

This chick is going to rest a little more…

it has been a LONG painful week!

Jenn~

ps  I will need therapy before I will EVER sit in a dental chair again!   =)

it POURS.

I had to 2 teeth pulled on Friday.

I actually felt OK on the weekend.

It is now Monday night.

and my healing is NOT GOING SO WELL.

I think I feel worse today than the day after even!

Dang!

*sigh*

they had to “dig” one out…

and my face is swelling and not seemingly going down.

I am pretty sure I am getting worse at this point.

dang again!

Pray for me, okay?

Please pray!

My face hurts and my spirits are low!

Rats!

and

the forecast really is Rain today.

good day for a nap I guess.

anyway…

I will be back at it when I am on the up end of healing!

Maybe on the weekend.

Thank you for your prayers!!  =)

Jenn~

we did a little patio painting

don’t worry it was washable paint

our landlord would have come unglued had he seen us  =)

we didn’t even own a  home yet!

5 years ago We picked flowers

with the help of our trusty tricycles!   =)

and

We climbed trees.

with the help of our trusty tricycles

(which you can not see in this pic! *sigh*)

But we weren’t sure we liked climbing trees.

In the summer of 2005 we also did a little

Singin in the “Rain” with our Dora & Caillou  umbrellas

Oh how I miss those days when they were smaller =)

and my baby used to dig in the dirt

and he was still wearing a diaper!   =)

at a 4th of July Picnic that year

all the kids rode horses

Little girl LOVED horses back then

the summer before she started kindergarten!!  (sniff)

Sammy was not so sure about this!

I can’t believe how little they were 5 years ago!!

Abby was just learning to ride with training wheels!

Little boy was so cute on his Hot Wheels

He was only 3 back then!!

Oh my how they have grown in 5 years!

Why on earth am I posting about summer of 2005?

You see…

I NEEDED a certain picture from around then…

but you will have to wait until Sept 8th to see it!

I’ll explain then!

So for now you get to reminisce (sp?) with me!!

I love looking at old pictures

that wonderful tug on your heart

remember sweet days of their childhood..

*sigh*

I love my ‘older babies’ …

but I miss those days too!

*sigh*  =)

I am going to go snuggle my babies now!

What were you doing 5 years ago??  =)

Jenn~

Well.. I can not prove it… But….

Maybe they are a little more heart healthy with my changes!

remember I break rules and I don’t follow recipes

I am like that.

Chocolate Heaven on a plate!

don’t forget

… all my photos are being taken ‘blind’…

just sayin.  not the greatest pics…

But for a broken camera… I won’t complain!

So here’s my secret.

Buy the Reese’s Peanut butter chips

you know the one in the orange bag

You can’t miss them they are right next to the chocolate chips!

Flip over the bag

and Magic!  A recipe!  =)

OK .. that wasn’t really my secret

My secret is this

Substitute

Butter and Flours

and reduce sugar

I use 1/2 the butter and 1/2 lighter bake

When using Lighter bake just read the label on the back

it tells you how much to use per whatever measurement you need

So I use 1/2 the butter and substitute 1/2 the butter with lighter bake

then I add a bit more lighter bake so I can reduce the sugar!

I take away at least 1/3  or 1/2 of the sugar that the recipe calls for!

I take away 1/2 and I use brown sugar

I am weird that way!

OH… and When tossing in the eggs… I also leave out one yoke!

every little bit helps right?

then  I mixed all the wet ingredients

like this

and then you are ready for these

So the Reese’s recipe calls for all purpose flour

I use mostly oat flour and whole wheat white flour..

I might put in a 1/3 of a cup of all purpose white.

I have been tossing in two table spoons of ground flax seed also!

My heart loves me for it!

and I happen to have DARK chocolate powder right now

I can not tell you if it is better for you or not..

but it does offer a rich dark chocolate flavor if you like dark chocolate!

SO mix up the dry stuff in a little food processor or something!

Oops!  Don’t forget these ingredients in the wet mixture!

This is my Favorite part!!  YUM!

sweet chippys

eat a few right out of the bowl

they taste better that way!

The SAD truth

I cut the amount of chips in 1/2 also!

Reducing sugar folks! I am trying to trim the fat! 😉

For those of you who said I don’t have fat on my middle…

Thank you… but you are wrong… it IS fat!

and it IS contributing to my high cholesterol!!  BAD fat!!

Go away!

😉

So there you have it.

I didn’t write out the recipe b/c it is on the bag!

and it really is simple to switch to healthy flours

and I LOVE lighter bake!

Love it!

but a girl needs a little butter in her life!

things just don’t taste right with out SOME!

anyway…

if ya all want me to… I will type it up…

just comment you want me to stop being so dang lazy

and I will happily send it to you altered in black and white type!

I have been baking these cookies since I was a girl

I was about my daughters age…

WHAT?!   *sigh*

I didn’t reduce or substitute anything back then

I probably doubled the sugar intake actually!

**did I confess that outloud?**

they are still one of my favorite cookies!!

You can’t go wrong with Chocolate and Peanut butter!

Heck… throw in some Recess Pieces…

Now THAT really is Heaven on a plate!

I just didn’t have any on hand!

I would chop pecans and toss them in too…

except  my family are not NUTS about them!

😉

Go Now… Bake yourself some Chocolate Cookies…

They are good for ya!!

(I think)

Happy Bakin y’all!

Jenn~

PS  Swim Lessons and end of summer play dates have kept me crazy busy

Thus keeping  me in the  lazy blogger mode

and Truth be told

I am having 2 teeth pulled on Friday

So if I don’t post for a few more days

Just remember

You still have all your teeth, mkay!?!!

😉

I love my life, I love my life, I love my life.

just buyin a few things we need

so we can use our new key chains…

see the words Athletic club?

Yeah baby!

( I can’t believe I just said that I HATE Austin Powers!)

We took the financial plunge now that our kids are finally SWIMMERS!!  =)

It makes it feel more worth the monthly fee when we can all benefit from it!

We have been members now for 2 weeks…

walking right past the fun cardio/weight rooms…

to get to the pool!

I like the pool and we have had some great family fun/workouts!

but it is not MY favorite!!

This week we are going to stretch our wings and enter the cardio/weight rooms!  =)

Now that we have new workout shoes!

The Mister needs to bulk tone up his muscles…

he is “thin” =)

me?  well…

I have some inches to loose on my middle *sigh*

(there kk  I posted my fat tummy!)  =)

and I have a slightly unhealthy heart to care for!!

which I can not seem to tackle with green smoothies diet and walking!

So ~

We are excited to add this new chapter to our lives!

It has been a LONG time since I have joined a gym!

This week I am going to use the “dark” cardio/weight room!

The dark offers peace and quiet

and the dark hides the chub makes it less intimidating to workout!

Just my style!!  =)

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We are also Gettin Ready

*sigh*

for School

even though I am STILL in denial

the supplies are bought

and we have a good dent in the clothes & shoes

We are ready enough

*sigh*

I will miss my little girl!

*sigh*

Only 15 more days

*sigh*

I know ~ I know!

Half the world is already back to school ~

I will get over it !!

Right after I eat a chocolate cookie!

A semi heart healthy chocolate cookie that is!!  =)

hey…

Maybe I will start posting recipes again ~

and share the chocolate cookie one tomorrow?

OH ~

My pictures are taken with my broken camera ~ blindly ~ as the view screen is busted ~ so they are try my luck pictures ~ not bad, eh?!!!  =)

Really I am done now.

Bub Bye!

Jenn~

Can this really be happening?

Is MY dog…

My CAT chasing dog…

The wild and crazy Cat Harassing Dog…

the one who thinks the cat is a dog

or he is a cat

yep

That dog

has been doing a little of this lately

MY CRAZY dog is mellowing out

a little

and being nicer to the kitty

SOMETIMES

look at this

he rested his head

while she was on the floor

3 feet away!

once.

but I NEVER

EVER

thought I would see THIS

if I added some fill light

and over exposed it

you would be able to see both animals have at least one eye open

=)

There you have it folks

You heard it RIGHT here

Miracles DO Happen!  =)

(truth be told “I” did not “see” it… my man did… and he took the picture with his phone of course … b/c my camera is BROKEN.. remember?  Stop bringing that up… I don’t want to talk about it!!)

** I have been a VERY lazy blogger this summer… I hope to get back to my less lazy blogger attitude in the Fall… when life is in Routine… =)  I have 17 days to get my butt in gear!!  Until then we have swim lessons to complete, dog sitting,  eye appointments, school clothes shopping, school supply shopping, soccer starting, teeth to be pulled and a camping trip!  Being a mom is no small affair!! ha ha  I will be blogging…  Lazy blogging as I have been this summer!  funny enough… I thought I would have MORE time to blog in the summer!!  Ah ha ha ha ha… jokes on me!**

If you will excuse me I am off to the pool!!

Ciao!

LB ~

(lazy blogger)