Drumroll, please...

Today has been so busy and crazy that I don't even have time for an official post... but, I DO have a winner of a $50 gift certificate to CSN.com!!!

The random winner is....

Ruby Red Slippers at Lions, Tigers, and Boys, Oh My!

How exciting!!  I wish all of you could have won!!  Congrats to my dear bloggy friend, Ruby Red Slippers!  She and I have spent the last 2 years chatting back and forth between our blogs.  She has three handsome boys and is a teacher who is currently staying home.  (Sounds kind of familiar, huh?)  If you haven't visited her blog, what are you waiting for?!

A big thank you to CSN and all of my dear bloggy friends and readers!!

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday, so it must be some time for randomness... and, taking back my house from all of our weekend messiness... and, sleep.  Sweet, sweet sleep. You and I did not spent enough time together this weekend.

*Why is my purse everyone else's trash receptacle?

*It is embarrassing just how much trash can be found at the bottom of my purse at any given moment.

*Why is it that every. single. time. a sales associate assures me that my wait won't be long "at all"... they are LYING?!  Not only will it be long, but I might even need to schedule an appointment to cover up my grays immediately following my wait.

*Why are my children unable to keep track of an entire pair of flip flops?  We seem to have little orphaned flip flops all over the place, but no one is able to find a matching pair.  Bruiser even tried to sneak out of the house with 2 different colors on his feet.

*My daughter is obsessed with chewing gum.  It is currently my bribe of choice.  Not that I would ever resort to bribery.  Nope.  That would be poor parenting.

*My children have NO idea there is a snack bar at the public pool.  I pray they never make that discovery.

*Nurse Boy and I have been asked to be on a local radio show.  HELLO anxiety!!!  Nurse Boy is thrilled and I am just hoping I don't hurl on air.  YIKES!

*One of my friends called this morning and asked to take the boys for the afternoon.  I love her!

*What is up with old men wearing shorts with knee-high socks?!  At what age do you decide that is an approved look to wear out in public? 

*Today I even spotted an older gentleman with tan shorts, white knee-high socks, and brown dress shoes.  I can't make this stuff up, people!!

Well, I need to go buy some more gum... it seems I am out.

***If you haven't entered my first giveaway, please scroll down!!  You have until midnight on Tuesday to get all of your entries in!!*** 

My First Giveaway!!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Today I am thrilled to offer a giveaway to my readers.  I am always amused that anyone reads my mumblings.  This blog has been a fun way to record our lives and remember our fun, crazy moments.  Surprisingly, I have also made friends that I value and cherish.  Today, I will give each of you a chance to win a $50 gift certificate!

I KNOW!!

$50 ain't too shabby, huh?!

Today, CSN Stores is providing me with a $50 gift certificate for one of my readers.  CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from cookware to cribs or even your most specific needs like LED lighting or laptop cases! 

Some of their other online stores include:  http://www.cookware.com/, http://www.allgreenhouses.com/, and http://www.allmodern.com/.  They carry just about everything you can imagine! 

Go ahead and check them out at http://www.csnstores.com/.  They even offer "Hassle Free Returns!"  AND "Free Shipping On Just About Everything!"

And, since I know we could all use a $50 shopping spree "on the house," I have several ways you can enter:

1.  Simply leave me a comment.  Any comment will do, just make sure you have a link to your email on your profile.  Don't have a blog?  No problem!  Leave me a comment with your email.

2.  Follow our little family blog for another entry.  Already a follower?  Leave me a comment telling me so!

3.  See that adorable button on the right side?  Post that on your blog proudly for another entry.  Already displaying it?  Leave me a comment telling me so!

4.  Lastly, if you already know what special item(s) you would love to purchase should you win, leave me a comment telling me what it is.  (Just because I am nosey!)

(I should warn you, this is open for all of my US and Canadian readers only.)

All entries must be submitted by midnight on Tuesday, June 29th.  I will post the winner on Wednesday, June 30th.  I can't wait!

Happy shopping!!

Things That Make Me Smile

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

I moved around a LOT during my childhood.  (I lived in 4 different states, 5 different cities, and attended 12 different schools.)  During 3rd and 4th grade I actually lived in the very same city that I live in now.  Those were the summers that I truly learned how to swim.  I spent every single day at the neighborhood pool.  I loved swimming and I loved the freedom to spend the entire afternoon at the pool.


This spring, my parents moved back into that very same neighborhood.  Twenty-five years later, my kids are now swimming in that very same pool.  And, that makes me just a little sentimental.

It most definately makes me smile!

Mondays Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday, so it must be time for some random thoughts...

**Why is it that every single time I decide to grow my hair out, I can't actually follow through with my decision?  I can't stand that in between stage.

**I am determined to make it through this summer without a haircut.  Brace yourselves, it ain't going to be pretty.  (My hair, that is.)

**I took Dimples to the dentist today.  Braces are in our very near future.  I don't even want to see that receipt.

**Bruiser will also need braces, so no relief there.

**Sweet Pea, you are my only hope!  Come on, permanent teeth, GROW IN STRAIGHT!

**At the dentist office, I indulged in a little reading.  I found myself reading an article about how actress,  Jennifer Love Hewitt, went from fat to fit.  Ohhhhh pleeaassee!!!!

**I pray Sweet Pea never reads a ridiculous article like that one.  I am determined to not pass on my own body image issues to here.  She will always be beautiful to me!

**How is it that I can find the time to paint my fingernails, yet I never seem to find the time to REMOVE the polish when it is chipped and looking gross?

**My van is (finally!) in the shop and I am cruising around in a brand new rental.  I have never hated my van more.  Mini vans have come a long way in the last 11 years!

**I just found an open bottle of glue on my couch.  I don't even want to know.

**I love this time of year when we can eat juicy watermelon all the time.  However, my kids have an amazing gift of covering my entire kitchen in sweet, sticky watermelon juice, no matter what threats I throw their way.  I won't even go into the stains on their clothing!

**Maybe I am not such a fan of watermelon, after all.

Happy Monday... and, remember to come back on Wednesday for a fabulous giveaway!!

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Friday and it is HOT. The kids have been home for 3 weeks now and we are loving every minute of it.  Well, maybe that isn't entirely true.  I have found myself in a bit of a job change.  I guess you could say that I feel stuck in a dead end career. 

I have officially become a referee. 

Not for The World Cup or even the NBA, but to 3 of my favorite people.  While I love each one of them dearly, I absolutely hate my new career.  I have found myself wearing a whistle around my neck and sending everyone to their own corners.  All. Day. Long.  Yes, we are making some lovely memories this summer.

Thankfully, vertical lines are slimming.  I've never looked better.

Honestly, the first week of summer was a bit touch-n-go, but we are slowly getting used to one another.  It always amazes me how the kids have absolutely NO appreciation for the lazy days of summer.  However, I am all too aware that one day I will have a whistle hanging around my neck and no one to toot it at.  They will all be gone and the lazy days of summer will just seem boring.  And, just like my kids, I hate to be bored.

Today, I am going to share one of my very favorite new recipes.  As always, this recipe is simple, easy, and delicious.  An added bonus?  The ENTIRE family loves this stuff! 

Frozen Fruit Cups
(Makes about 25 fruit cups)

Ingredients:
20 oz. frozen strawberries, sliced and thawed
12 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, slightly thawed
2- 20 oz. cans crushed pineapple
1- 16 oz. can mandarin oranges
1/3 cup lime juice (or lemon juice)
6 bananas, sliced
(I also like to add 1 or 2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries)

Combine all ingredients, including the juices from the fruit, in a large bowl and mix well.  The recipe suggests spooning the fruit into lined muffin cups and freezing.  Once the fruit is frozen you can place the liners with the frozen fruit in freezer bags. 

Honestly, that would be pretty but I don't have that kind of time.  When I make this recipe, I usually double it.  I just place the fruit directly into sandwich bags and large freezer bags.  Some bags only have 1 or 2 servings in them and I use the larger bags to fill with 5 or 6 servings. 

After the fruit is frozen, I can simply pull out the perfect amount from the freezer for a quick breakfast or lunch, or even enough for the entire family come dinner time.  I try to remove it from the freezer about 30 prior to serving.  In a pinch, I place the frozen bag in a sink of hot water.  I like to serve this cold and a little "slushy."

This stuff is fabulous!  And, I will let you in on a little secret... IT IS AWESOME ON TOP OF A SCOOP OF VANILLA ICE CREAM!!!  I mean, serve-it-up-to-your-special-guests kind of awesome! 

Have a wonderful weekend!!  Please come back next week.  As promised, I will be hosting my very first giveaway!!!  It will be even more awesome than fruit covered ice cream... and, that is saying a lot!!  I will post my giveaway next Wednesday!  I can't wait for this opportunity to give back to my faithful readers!

My Favorite Weekend of the Year!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

About a week and a half ago, our family spent the entire weekend outside enjoying my favorite festivities of the year. I look forward to this weekend each and every year. This weekend signals the true beginning of summer to me. It is full of parades, rides, games, running into old friends, kettle korn, music, sun, fun, and this year.... orange pop. But, I am getting ahead of myself.

This weekend is known to most of the locals as Old Shawnee Days. To me, it is the one and only true sign that summer has begun once again.

It all starts with the parade. And, who doesn't love a good parade?! Oh, wait... that would be my husband. But, he always plays along and forces a smile and a handshake to all of the politicians that find some lame reason to waltz their way into our day of family fun.



The kids LOVE collecting candy and stickers... even from the politicians. (Yeah, I have trained my children to take candy from strangers... don't judge.)

Just look at that face! Something tells me she knows that summer has officially begun.

Dimples has attended this parade since he was a baby. (Of course, he will always be MY baby, but let's keep that between us, K?)

I always find proof during this weekend that some men NEVER grow up!

Classy, I know.

Nurse Boy now wants one of these. I don't think all 5 of us will fit on this so I am sticking to the plan to purchase a mini van. Sorry, Nurse Boy. Try again during your mid life crisis, K?

After the parade, we took in some "Funky Mama." We ran into Sweet Pea's friend and they had a blast dancing.

I can't wait to share these pictures with the girls when they hit their teen years! They are so cute together.

I love that my boys aren't too cool to join in... yet.

Next, it was time for some "CRAZY" fun.



Sweet Pea HAD to have "Pinkalicious" hair, of course.

Dimples entered the Whipped Pie and Bubble Blowing Contest.

He didn't win, but I think he had fun.

Of course, it is "Monkey See, Monkey Do" around here. Nurse Boy just couldn't be left out and entered the contest as well. He didn't place either. Unfortunately, I think it hurt his ego more than he will ever admit. Ha!

My friends, it was here that my day went horribly bad. It was here that my weekend was ruined. It was here that I developed a hatred for orange pop that I never even knew was possible.

You see, this was the time of the day that Nurse Boy decided to treat each of the boys to their very own bottle of orange pop. I had suggested water, but I am simply no fun at all. Or, so I am told. Each boy took a swig and shoved their bottles into my purse as they headed off to ride a few rides. Since I prefer my rides less "portable" and more permanent, I hit the craft boothes. While leisurely looking at all of the crafts and wondering why God didn't bless me with any crafty skills, I started to feel something dripping onto my foot.

Suddenly, I realized that my purse and all of it's contents were swimming in orange pop. After scooping out my checkbook and wallet, I made a discovery that made me scream louder than the fire-eating man who was currently performing on stage.

MY CAMERA WAS COVERED IN ORANGE POP!!!

And that, my friends, was the day my camera died. May it rest in peace. I had a simple point-n-shoot that my in-laws had purchased for me about 3 and 1/2 years ago. I had it with me at all times. Basically, it was attached to my right hand.

That night I informed Nurse Boy that I needed a camera ASAP. That was when he, very politely, explained to me that a camera is a "luxury."

Those, my friends, were fighting words! I began to fear for our marriage. OK, so I am being a bit dramatic. But, seriously, who in the world tells a mom that a camera is a luxury?!

I am happy to report that he has come to his senses and we are on a mission to find a point-n- shoot that may or may not be waterproof.

So, what do you think??? Is a camera a necessity or a luxury??

Oh, and my children are NEVER allowed to drink orange pop again. Ever.

Randomness... on a Tuesday

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

I have been off of a schedule for so long that I seem to have lost my "bloggy groove." Normally, I enjoy posting random thoughts on Mondays. Lately, my Mondays have been so random that I haven't even gotten around to posting. I am hoping to get myself back on a schedule. This blog is really our Family Scrapbook. I enjoy posting pictures and funny "snap shots" of our lives, so one day our children can look back at our memories. I am blessed that anyone else even bothers to read this!

So, today I am attempting to get back into a routine. And, before I do that, I MUST tell you that I will be having a giveaway NEXT week. It promises to be a FANTASTIC giveaway. I am thrilled that a company wanted to bless my readers. I will reveal the date of the giveaway this Friday. I am so excited that I have an opportunity to give something back to my faithful readers. I can't wait!

Now, time for some randomness:

**I was rear ended on Memorial Day. Car accidents immediately rob you of your time, money, and they are simply a pain in the... bumper! It feels like my van will never get fixed.

**However, there is something I hate more than a fender bender. That is the search for a new car. We are currently trying to scrape up enough cash to buy a used mini van. It honestly gives me hives just thinking about it. We haven't had a car payment in 7 years and I sure don't want to take one on now with Nurse Boy in school. But, Nurse Boy's car in on it's last leg. I fear it most go soon, or we will be towing it to a junk yard.

**We once bought a 2 year old mini van that didn't run after 5 days of owning it. I think that explains the hives. Surely that can't happen to us more than once, right?!

**Yesterday I found toothpaste on the toilet seat. I don't even want to know...

**I recently bought some "all natural" deodorant. I didn't realize that it would truly make me smell "all natural." Not quite what I was going for. Apparently, all of those ingredients I can't pronounce in my stick of deodorant actually give me the results I am looking for.

**Why must I spend every Sunday morning in the bathroom with the ENTIRE family?!

**It turns out orange pop and cameras are not a good combination. (More on this another day.)

**I love late summer nights. It is those early summer mornings I could do without.

**God did promise not to flood the earth again, right? We have had so much rain lately, that I am beginning to wonder.

**Lastly, why is it that every time I mop the kitchen I seem to find my own foot stuck to the floor an hour later?

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Things That Make Me Smile

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Today I took the kids for a photo shoot. They had a blast. Plus, there was no whining, frowning, or crying. I call that a success!

Does this look like fun, or what?!

If you must know the secret... our photographer was very silly. She also let the kids get silly. I love these silly shots of the kids.

Check out Bruiser's face! How can you not smile while looking at that?!

Bruiser is his father's son!

Nice one, Dimples!


What a cutie!

These kids definitely put a smile on my face each a every day!

A Little Bit Ironic, Don't Ya Think?!

Check out the sign posted next to the pump at a BP Gas Station:

Hmmmm...

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Friday and we have had a pretty busy week. I started off the week in a car accident on Monday. Thankfully, nothing too serious. I was reared ended, thus being pushed into the car in front of me. Oddly enough, the car in front of me drove off! So weird. The kid who hit me was 17 and scared. I tried to remember that he was some one's child the whole time. There was no need to be mad at him. Thankfully, Nurse Boy was home with the kids and no one got hurt. The poor van will be in the shop all next week, but I will be sporting a rental car in the mean time. Truth be told, I am sure it will be much nicer than my 11 year old van. Odds are it will smell better, too.

I have also used this week to get organized and work on our summer routine. We have tackled all of the kids closets. Sadly, that was quite the project. They are all organized now, but I had my doubts that it would ever get done. I am a pretty organized person, but I tend to let closets and drawers get the best of me. I like everything to be visually pleasing, so I tend to not care what something looks like when it is covered by a door. This summer I am going to try to tackle those hidden places. Today I am tackling 3 "hot spots" in my kitchen, including the dreaded "junk drawer." Everyone has a "junk drawer," right? Mine is currently vomiting into the cabinet underneath it.

I am also working on a schedule for the kids. I am expecting them to do chores, read, complete some math activities, and exercise daily. I am going to require them to read for 30 minutes a day. That will also earn them 30 minutes of TV time. Do any of you have some great ideas to keep kids motivated this summer? My goal every year is for them to, at the very least, maintain where they are at academically.

Today I am going to share one of our favorite homemade snacks:

Granola Bars

(Makes 16 bars)

You will need:
1/3 cup Canola oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 T honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups oats
2 cups rice cereal
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup chocolate chips or dried fruit of your choice
1/3 cup flax seed (optional)

1. Throw all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

2. Spray treat a 13x9 pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan.

3. For chewy bars, bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. For crunchy bars, bake at 300 degrees for about 40-50 minutes.

I actually keep these in my freezer in a freezer bag. They are great right out of the freezer, or when placed in a lunch box for later. As a matter of a fact, this was my breakfast this morning. We love these things. They are simple to make and I feel better about the ingredients, since I can actually pronounce each one. Ha!

But, I would be lying if I said I never bought granola bars. 'Cuz some days I have to tackle "junk drawers" and closets instead of making wholesome snacks for my family!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Don't Judge Me

Once upon a time, in a world that was all blue and filled with little boys covered in mud, I promised that I would never buy my children one of those motorized peddle cars. You know the ones: Crazy expensive, two seater, adorable, and goes up to 5 miles per hour at the press of the peddle. I mean, how ridiculous is that?! If my boys were outside playing, they needed to be peddling. And, by peddling, I mean moving those chubby little legs as fast as they could go. There is nothing wrong with some good, old fashioned exercise!

Oh, the boys begged and pleaded more times than I could count. But, it was like my heart was made of stone. No matter how far they stuck out their bottom lip, I wasn't compromising. Not. One. Bit.

Years later, some pink entered my life. I was older (and, one would think, wiser). Our little princess was about to turn 4. She hardly needed another doll or frilly dress. I had no idea what to add to her pink little world.

That is, until I set my eyes on this sparkly gem:


I mean, how could I pass up this pink dream?! It has it's own radio, a seat for a BFF, and I was sure Sweet Pea would be entertained for hours. I am certain my instant love had NOTHNG to do with my childhood dream to drive around in my own pink car. (Which NEVER happened, I might add. Not that I am still bitter about it or anything.) Imagine my delight when I watched Nurse Boy's eyes light up when he saw the Princess Toyota.

Yes, we are suckers.

On her birthday, we presented her with what we thought was the most amazing birthday present. However, as soon as she pressed the peddle, the car jumped and scared her to death. She started to whimper and asked us to take it back to the store.

Seriously.

We were determined to get her used to this pink dream of mine...er... I mean, hers. The boys would drive her around. When they would ask her to drive, she was out of there.

Finally, about a month later, I found her doing this:

All by herself.



It really is ridiculous.

But, it is also stinkin' cute.

I think we need prayers for wisdom when she turns 16! If we got her this when she turned 4, I can only imagine what we will think is cute on her 16th birthday. (I never did get that convertible I always wanted. I'm just sayin'.)

Something tells me she will live happily ever after.