Mini-vacation

Right up until Friday morning we weren't sure whether we were going to cancel our little weekend vacation (due to my problematic tooth). I thought after 24 hours on the antibiotic I'd be feeling a little better, but I actually felt a little worse. And the prescribed painkiller gave me headaches (isn't that an oxymoron?).

However we did go, and we had a wonderful time.

The Enchanted Forest is a Northwest theme/amusement park. There are only about 8 actual rides there (4 for little kids, 4 for older) but it has wonderful settings from all those well-loved childhood stories and fairy tales.

Here's little red riding hood paying a visit to "grandma".

One of the many tunnels they have there. The artist loves tunnels and caves.



Abraham Lincoln was on hand (alive and well).

Panning for treasure in Western town. The kids really liked getting their own fool's gold.

Fairytale theatre performance of Cinderella.

This was just the cutest little train (with the cutest little rider:).



I don't do roller coaster rides, but hubby is always a willing participant. This was the Princess's first real roller coaster ride (4o foot drop and all) and she absolutely loved it. She doesn't get that from me.

The rest of our vacation was spent relaxing at the hotel, doing a little shopping (of course), and swimming, swimming, swimming. The latter may sound a little strange, but the hotel had a family pool, which means the middle (the deepest part) was only 4 1/2 feet. It also meant that it had very little people swimming in it, so the kids were able to practice their swimming. This was the Princess's first time without a life-vest (in a big pool anyway) and she amazed me. She's a real fish in water (another thing she didn't get from me). She picked up on things so quickly, I have a feeling she will sail through swimming lessons.

We were all so tired by Saturday afternoon that we decided to head home a little earlier than planned. We had to pick up Ginger (our dog) on the way home, which neccesitated a visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house... which meant spending several hours there. Which was fine since my in-laws are great, but it did mean we arrived home rather late.

So now to recover from our mini-vacation;)

I knew I forgot something...

I really did plan to post before heading out the door for our mini-vacation.

My dentist visit went very well. It turned out my tooth was so terribly infected, they didn't even try to touch it. They also didn't suggest I go the root canal route; the dentist said it had to come out after the infection clears up. So in about 1-2 weeks, I'll be having oral surgery.

That's right, no simple little pulling-it-out for me. I'm having it done in style. And hopefully heavily sedated (a martyr I am not).

Monday morning I plan to post about our vacation with pictures (of course!).

Have a wonderful weekend~

Off to the Dentist's Office

I'm afraid it's true. I have a tooth that's very infected.

This particular tooth broke about 7 months ago and was filled with something (I don't know what it's called). Anyway, that came out now, and thus the tooth infection.

Have I ever told you what happened the last time I had an infected tooth? If you're already spooked by going to the dentist, DO NOT read the following:

I went in for an emergency visit. They tried to numb my mouth several times, but it just wouldn't take. Not a bit. So they said that the problem was that the infection was so strong it basically neutralized the numbing agent. The next step they did without any warning...

They gave me a shot right in the pulp of the tooth! I had no idea they would do such a thing!Because the assistant knew what was coming, she actually held me down. Believe me, it was neccessary (the holding down part). No, I didn't scream. But tears rolled down my face for several minutes, and I don't cry very easily over pain. I think they did feel a little bad about that.

So that is why I delayed this longer than I should have. I'm plain scared.

Unfortunately, anything I take for the pain makes me so sick to my stomach that I really have no choice but to go in. A tooth infection can make the whole body sick.

So hopefully the Dentist will listen to me and give me an antibiotic to kill the infection, and have a follow-up visit next week for the fixing of the tooth.

The worst part is that we have a mini-vacation planned starting tommorrow morning, and as things stand now, we may have to cancel it. The kids have been really looking forward to it.

So wish me luck... and a Dentist who will listen to me (it's worth a try;).

Our day in pictures

Here my children are hard at work picking strawberries. Yes, I helped. I was busy taking pictures at the time:)

Here is my friend Mrs.Darling along with Peter and Tink picking strawberries next to us, with an unidentified man. I don't think he came with her..;)

The first thing the Princess did when we arrived back home was to plop down on the walkway and consume the berries in her little basket.

Here's our 26 lbs of berries...Yum!

And, after a long day, here's 12 quarts of whole berries, 16 pints of jam, and the leftover berries to snack on the rest of the week.

You could say we had a very fruitful day:)

Putting in the garden

The weather has finally warmed up enough to be able to plant our garden. I am so happy!

Yes, it's rather late to be planting at the end of June. And we had to buy more plants than seeds. As well as skip a few things that it's just too late to put in. I suppose I could have averted that by starting seeds inside. Maybe next year;)

But we will have bush beans, green & yellow zucchini, pickling & slicing cucumbers, cherry, yellow plum & canning tomatoes, peppers, and small pumpkins. I can be content with that.

The Professor picked out a chocolate mint plant (I kid you not) to put in his row in the garden. It smells so good already.

This morning we head out to the strawberry fields at a local farm. I'm hoping to make a little bit of jam, and put the rest in the freezer for future snacking (minus the many my kids will eat during the whole process:).

Have a wonderful day~

Back to Blogging

This past week has absolutely flown by. On top of having special services at our church, I also had two additional kids at my house (both 11-year-old boys to boot); let's just say I'm very glad for things to return back to normal (or as normal as we get:).

I admit the biggest reason I took a blogging break was due to being plagued with migraines for the last week. Fortunately, they don't start til the middle of the afternoon (for the most part). But that also means that my usual posting time (late evening) has found me laying in bed with an ice pack on my head. I don't know why I've gone from 2 migraines a month, to about 6 in the last week, although a friend of mine firmly believes it's weather/atmospheric related. I'm also thinking perhaps it could be allergies. Most people who suffer from migraines know that it's pretty much alot of guesswork as to what triggers them, but I'm hoping we'll be able to narrow it down soon. The migraine medicine my Doctor gave me makes me so sick, I'd rather have the migraine than take the meds, Lol.

On a more positive note, we had a new addition to our family this week. Her name is Ginger, and she's a 1-year-old Golden retriever. We got her free from a woman who's part of our gleaner's program. She's a sweet dog, and absolutely loves people. I think she's going to be a perfect fit for our family.

I have alot of catching up to do blog-roll-wise, so I'm keeping this post short.

Have a great day~

Taking a blogging break

I've decided to take the rest of this week off blogging-wise due to some health issues I'm dealing with right now.

I still plan to make the rounds of my blogging friends, just to prove I'm alive and well:).

Until next monday...take care, and have a great week~

Recipe Challenge

Nikki of Nikki's Notes is hosting a recipe challenge: try a brand-new-to-you recipe, then leave a link to your recipe with pics.

You have to take a look at her cinnamon rolls she made this week; they look absolutely delicious! You'll gain weight just looking at them, Lol. I'm a big fan of cinnabon, and these are supposed to be a good imitation.

I love the allrecipes site; yes, it has lots of great recipes. But better than that, it has all the comments afterward; sometimes, by the time I read those, the recipe ends up being only an empty shell of it's original self.

Here is the link for Zesty slow-cooker barbecue chicken. I halved the Italian dressing (most of my family does not like it's strong vinegar taste). And I used Sweet Baby RAy's Barbecue sauce.

Pay special attention to the first comment left; I cooked skinless/boneless chicken breasts in broth like he suggested, shredded the chicken, simmered it in sauce via my slow-cooker, and served it on whole wheat hamburger buns. It was delicious! I never tire of trying different types of barbecue;)

Have a wonderful weekend~

Here comes the Sun

I showed complete faith in my local weatherman by going out and buying sunscreen today.

Okay, so I was out shopping anyway, and it was 50% off... but I was still going out on a limb;)

We are expected to have 70 degree weather for the next 4 to 5 days; just the thought makes me want to serenade the sky. Which my neighbors might think a little strange. Although it's just possible they might want to join me, all things considered.

Our weather has been quite cold this Spring; rainy weather is nothing unusual here, cold is a different matter. And it snowed on one of the mountains yesterday... it was 15 years ago when that last happened. Snow in June!

Yes, I realize it could be much worse. There could be tornadoes and floods like the Midwest, or the heat wave going through some of the South. The weather has been crazy all around.

Truth be told, the rain has bothered me less this year than any other time in the 10 years I've lived here. I'm not sure why.

But it is hard to keep kids indoors that much (yes, I still shove them out the door in the rain sometimes).

And there is the added worry that if I plant my flowers and veggies too early, they will simply rot in all that cold wetness. What a waste that would be.

For the last week I have had my windows open every day, in spite of the cold. Sometimes you need that fresh air just to clear the mind.

Of course, once my kids start to shiver, I close the windows and turn on the heat:).

Have a wonderful day~

Oops! I did it again...

I really don't know why I am having such a tough time keeping up with holidays/special days this year. I think it all started with Easter being in March instead of April... it's been all downhill since then.

I thought Mother's day was a week earlier than it was (which also happens to sometimes be my father's birthday) and now I just found out (via my much-too-smart oldest son) that father's day is at hand... I thought I had another week!

So if you also find yourself scrambling for father's day gifts- Never fear! Mrs. Nespy is here.

That's right, she did a 5-part blog post on Father's day gifts that would satisfy any dad. I just noticed that she added a post on last minute gifts for people like me as well. Maybe I'm not the only one...;)

Laundry Nook Facelift

The old saying that a woman's work is never done definitely applies to the area of doing laundry.

So it occurred to me as I was washing yet another mountain of clothing, that my laundry area could use a little facelift.

Here's my before picture:


Not really that terrible looking, but not what I would call cheerful either...

And here is my after:

I refer to my laundry area as a nook because it isn't in a separate room, but off in an alcove by my dining area. I chose the apple cut-outs (which I picked up for 5o cents at a garage sale) to go along with my fruit-themed dining room.

The wicker laundry basket with the cute gingham lining is from a local thrift store ($3) and the cart for my laundry supplies I picked up for $5.

This cart originally only costs around $15. (Walmart). I really like keeping my supplies here versus the top of my dryer, where I have a tendency to knock them over when I'm in a hurry...just what I need, another mess to clean up;) Plus, the Princess loves keeping her "pretend" cleaning equipment on the middle shelf.

So for under $10. I was able to add some organization and cheer to this area of my home where I spend so much time:).

To view more tackle it tuesday's visit 5 minutes for mom.

Fighting a bug and hoping for sunshine

Hubby and I had a nice, relaxing time together on our anniversary date. Truth be told, I woke up that morning with some kind of virus; the severe stomach cramps type. I thought about canceling our date (and grandma as well), but I knew we wouldn't be able to reschedule for another couple weeks; by that time it wouldn't really be an anniversary date.

It all worked out though, as I was feeling a little better by afternoon, and decided to go with the flow of things. We went to Olive Garden and had some of their high calorie, but absolutely delicious food. I think it had been a couple years since the last time we'd been there.

Hubby showed up after work with his hands behind his back. I automatically thought it was flowers since we've always been very low-key in our anniversary presents. It actually turned out to be a ring he had picked out! It's really quite lovely, though I have to admit that I'm a bit of a tightwad and would have been content with flowers.

NO, I didn't tell him that;)

The next day I woke up sick again; I wonder if it could have been the food? LoL Seriously though, I couldn't handle the smell of food for a couple days. The princess was fighting a fever off and on as well. So we both stayed home from Sunday church.

On the bright side (literally) it was a beautiful, sunny Sunday. I stayed inside myself, but loved having the windows open, feeling the cool breeze, and hearing my kids playing outside. The next few days are supposed to be rainy again, but they're calling for sunshine from Thursday on out.

Which naturally makes me wonder: is it possible I could actually get my vegetable garden in before July?

Only time will tell.

15th Wedding Anniversary

Today we celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary. Grandma will be picking up the kids this afternoon so hubby and I can have an evening out. And we plan to enjoy every minute of it!

It seems like so long ago when we were just a couple of kids who met at Christian college. Hubby had spent several years in the Navy before going to college, so we started at the same time. I remember how we planned to have a houseful of kids, and all the other plans you make when you're young and have the world before you.

Of course, you don't always realize at that point that life can throw some unexpected things at you, more so than you can imagine.

I'm not going to say that we've never had disagreements. We definitely have; and I was always right! LoL

Unfortunately, I was probably wrong more times than he was;)

The silver lining (so to speak) of those ups and downs and rough times, is that it bonds you so strongly to each other. And, without a doubt, our strong faith in God and our desire to raise our children for Him, has been the greatest influence of all.

For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness, as in health.... I think those are beautiful words. They speak commitment, unselfishness, faithfulness. Qualities that are so under-rated in our present day.

So to the man who has stuck by my side, through thick and through thin, and loves me in spite of my many flaws:

I love you with all my heart. Happy Anniversary Sweetheart. 15 years and counting...

Ladybug Birthday Party

I think I can say that the Princess's Ladybug party was a success. We had around 20 people attend, mostly kids between the ages of 6 and 12. While it was a lot of work, it was worth it to see the kids having so much fun. So here are some pics:


I had much grander plans for this cake; but I didn't realize til mid-afternoon when I went to frost it, that I was out of food coloring! So hubby brought some home, and I threw this together in about 15 minutes. So, considering that, I was pretty happy with it;)

I had to laugh at this picture; when we started opening the presents, the kids were all several feet away. But with every gift, they moved closer and closer. It was a little hard to get pictures of the Princess at that point, LOL;) It was fun to watch them get excited about someone else opening presents.

This was my BEST idea for the party. Instead of doing a cake walk, I did a walk in the garden. I picked up party favors from the Dollar store that they could pick out when they landed on the flower/insect called. It was so great- they must have walked around that circle atleast 100 times! Not a one wanted to stop at the end, they absolutely loved it. And the prizes they won went into a take home bag. They all seemed pretty happy with that.

The Princess with some Ladybug friends. There are antennaes on their hats, you just can't see them in this picture. And, in case she looks familiar, that's Mrs.Darling's Tink behind the Princess. Funny girl; she snuck into every picture she could:)



Our gift to the Princess was this ladybug tea set. I bought it online and was a little nervous of whether it would be as nice as advertised; it is absolutely adorable. And the basket is perfect for holding it all. Yes, I am as enthralled as she is with it. We're both going to have fun with this:).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS

This post is dedicated to my precious little girl.

God made the world with its towering trees,

majestic mountains and restless seas,

then paused and said,

"It needs one more thing.

Someone to laugh and dance and sing,

to walk in the woods and gather flowers,

to commune with nature in quiet hours."

So God made little girls with laughing eyes and bouncing curls,

with joyful hearts, and beautiful smiles,

enchanting ways and feminine wiles.

And when He'd completed the task He'd begun,

he was pleased and proud of the job He'd done.

For the world when seen through a little girl's eyes

greatly resembles paradise

....Author Unknown


Happy 6th Birthday Princess! We love you with all our hearts~

A new week

We had wonderful weather for our children's fair that was held at our church this weekend. Somewhere around 250 people attended. Everything went quite smoothly, but we're all still a bit tired from the running to and fro.

This week we celebrate the Princess's birthday and our wedding anniversary. I've had two extended family members call and volunteer to babysit so hubby and I can have a date for our special day, which is really nice...even though we don't have any definite plans yet.

Today I will be cleaning and preparing for the party, and helping the Princess make her birthday cake. I admit it would be easier (and almost as cheap) to buy a pre-made cake, but it's a big deal to her for us to make it ourselves...so we'll see how that goes;)

I do plan to take time out a little later in the day to stop by my favorite blogs...I wouldn't want to miss out on anything:)

Have a great Monday!