Our Happy Home

Brendan Turns SIX

2010-11-28T15:10:00.003-05:00

Fall Fun! HALLOWEEN

2010-11-28T15:07:00.002-05:00

Fall Fun! PUMPKIN PICKING

2010-11-28T15:01:00.002-05:00

Fall Fun! APPLE PICKING

2010-11-28T14:57:00.002-05:00

Summer gone by!

2010-09-06T11:32:00.006-04:00

Happy Labor Day all! I can't believe this is the last day of summer vacation! It has gone by so fast. We have been so busy this summer. I didn't even have too much time to post. With two active boys we just kept so busy each day. We are certainly looking forward to fall- our favorite season here! Apple picking, pumpkins, Halloween, back to school, cooler days etc... But we will miss all the family time, carefree unscheduled days, and swimming in the pool! Here's a recap of the rest of our summer! We spend a lot of days relaxing in PJ's. It's nice to just hang out & have fun!

Sean & Brendan went to the Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaurs!

Christian celebrated 15 months! LOVES to eat EVERYTHING!! And has started to walk~ although he still crawls most of the time. He "talks" a lot too~although we have no idea what he is saying!!

We had a lot of fun pool time. The boys both love to swim. Brendan even learned how to swim w/o swimmys & can jump off the diving board.

Summer is Flying By!

2010-07-17T21:13:00.031-04:00

I can't believe it's already the 3rd week of summer vacation! We have been so busy since school ended. Here's a bit to catch you up! {be prepared for a LONG post with A LOT of pictures!!!!}

We celebrated Brendan's graduation from Kindergarten. We can't believe he's off to 1st grade in Sept!! As our tradition we had a little grad cake to end our year! He was most excited with his new Leapster 2!!

Our first week off Brendan went to Lacrosse camp- he enjoyed not having to "play" real games but rather do practice drills & just have fun.

Then we spent a few days in PA. We went to Hershey, PA & stayed at the Hershey Lodge. We went to Hershey Park (on a day of nearly 100 degrees!!) and spent most of the day in the water park. Both the boys had a fun time playing in the water. Brendan went on his first roller coaster- but decided they weren't for him!!

Too tired to play anymore!!

This past week seemed to be filled with many library activities. Our library offers many programs over the summer and even opened a new outdoor exploration play area. Brendan is enjoying a sign language class, many reading/craft classes & has joined the reading club. HE has to read 6 books & report on them to attend the end of summer party. Christian is also enjoying some singing & dancing classes. He is in the Read to Me club & must have 20 books read to him to attend the end of summer party! Reading will certainly keep us busy!!

Brendan also started swimming lessons again this summer. We hope to toss the swimmies by the end of this summer!!

Christian has become such a big boy! He is eating up a storm and following Brendan everywhere {still crawling - thank goodness!!} They especially love to eat lunch together!!

I've been busy with my garden. Loving my herbs this year {basil, parsley, rosemary, sage & thyme}

Happy Summer All!!

Christian's First Birthday Celebration{s}

2010-06-06T13:57:00.014-04:00

On Christian's actual birthday {May 29th} we celebrated with cake and had just the grandparents over. The tradition is that the house is decorated birthday theme! I have cup cake place settings, chair covers, banners, signs etc.

Then we celebrated {again} with family and friends on June 5th. We had a Western themed party. Here are a few {more} pictures from both parties! (And yes, everyone dressed the theme! And we had animals too!) Happy Birthday to our sweet little boy!

YeeHaw! Yippy Yeah! A Western First Birthday Celebration! Part I

2010-06-06T12:43:00.021-04:00

For Christian's First Birthday we decided to go with a "Western" theme. Complete with cowboy attire, BBQ, and animals!

The Decor/Theme ideas:

Oriental Trading is a "gold mine" for theme supplies. I also found items at Birthday in a Box and Party City.

Kid attire were coyboy hats, bandanas, sherriff badges. We served BBQ- Hamburgers, hotdogs, Pulled pork, brisket, ribs, beans, cole slaw, mac salad, potato salad, "wagon wheel" mac n' cheese. I found western plates & bowls. We rang a "triangle" to call everyone for "chow time"! The craft was a horse door hanger from OT. There were coloring pages for the kids to color. The goody bags were red bags with bandana baggies inside. The "loot" was western themed goodies. I also made candy bar "wrappers" with 1st information and chocolate dipped pretzels. I then hired a "petting zoo" from Lollipop Ponies which came to the house with a llama, goats, chickens, bunnies, & ducks. They were set up in pens on my side lawn & the kids could feed them. It was so cute! Then I had a Western cake made by JamieCakes.

Look Who's Turning "ONE!!"

2010-05-29T08:00:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe but time really does fly...We are so excited to celebrate Christian's 1st Birthday today! We can't believe how much our little angel has grown!!!Feel free to reminisce here He's FINALLY Here!

Favorites: cars, anything that belongs to his Big Brother, clapping his hands, looking in the freezer, FOOD(!!) especially yogurt & puff treats, he loves to play with his toys, he crawls EVERYWHERE, touches EVERYTHING, loves baths, kids & people, screaming, and hugs and kisses!! He is still so relaxed, quiet & laid back - after 12 months!

Next week's post: Christian's big WESTERN COWBOY 1st Birthday celebration!

Getting Crafty!

2010-04-12T20:16:00.011-04:00

Next week is Brendan's school play, "Save the Rain Forest". He chose to be a chameleon. This past weekend I created his costume. I bought a dark green sweatsuit & I glued foam & lame fabric for the scales. For eyes I'm using styrafoam halves w/ google eyes. I bought green costume fabric to make a tail. I made spikes with the foam too.

UPDATE!! The play was a HUGE delight!! We are so proud of our little star!!

Our Spring Photo Session

2010-04-03T07:33:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

March Madness!!

2010-03-31T15:35:00.006-04:00

Here are a few pictures from our busy March! We attended the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Islip. Brendan created a Leprechaun Catcher for school. We took the boys to White Post Farms to feed the animals. Christian turned 10 months! He's finally crawling! Sean participated in St. Baldrick's for a cure for children's cancer - by shaving his head! Enjoy! Happy Spring!!

Valentine's Day 2010

2010-02-14T19:52:00.015-05:00

Here are a few pictures from our busy Valentine's Day! It was so nice to have it on the weekend this year. We got to spend the whole day together! We added a little culture this year being that Chinese New Year also started! Gung Hay Fat Choy! Our dinner was Chinese take out. Yum!The table is set for a delicious breakfast of french toast, bacon & sausage. Brendan enjoyed his new "color change" hotwheels car & sponge bob candy.

Happy 1st Valentine's Day to Christian!

Our Chinese New Year dinner!

Yummy! My Crantini!
Funfetti cupcakes & heart sugar cookies. Double yum!

Happy 8th Month! 1/29/10

2010-02-07T08:52:00.005-05:00

I am so behind!! Christian is almost 9 months soon!! YIKES!!

Here's a few stats:
About 22 lbs (I know!) Brendan was 20lbs at one!
Got his first tooth 2/1/10
Loves to "talk" No words yet-
GRABS everything!! Then tries to put it in his mouth.
Smiles like crazy when he can "stand up" especially on his own-holding on to something.
Likes to "eat" his socks
Figured out how to pull himself up in his crib - we had to lower it.
Favorite meal: Breakfast - he loves yo baby yogurt
His favorite toys: Brendan's cars & trucks
Adores his big brother
No crawling yet - thank goodness!!

Cleaning & Organizing...I {{heart}} it!!

2010-01-26T08:28:00.017-05:00

Ok, so here's a post about my two favorite things...well next to my family, of course!! Laurie from Tip Junkie is asking for ladies to share their To Do Lists, Tips, Routines, etc...and well I thought I'd join in! Sounds like fun, right? Please check out her site...she's a super cute Texas girl who LOVES to be crafty & creative...her site is AWESOME! I WISH I had time to do all she does!

So let me start by saying I'm a full time working mom. ------> Read my Bio! I teach 4th grade, have 2 boys, & one busy household! But I find organizing & cleaning a way to relax...seriously! Here are some tips, ideas & my top 10 cleaning must-haves!

Since we remodeled our kitchen 2 summers ago, mine has now be reorganized and updated! Here's one thing I was so excited about adding. A "command center" in one of my kitchen cabinets!! It's a way to organize and control paper clutter in the kitchen. Let's avoid that "pile of mail" and kid/school information that gets forgotten in the pile too.
I started by purchasing black tier plastic trays for catching paper work. I put all papers I've got to get to on the top and Brendan's school papers on the bottom shelf.
Then I have a basket for note pads and post-its. My other basket holds my coupon organizer and weekly shopping fliers.
I have a can for pens,pencils, markers and scissors.
Then I got a mail sepera tor for school/babysitting/house cleaning envelopes which I've pre-dated for the year. That way all I have to do in put in the $$$ weekly money for my sitter and my house cleaning woman.
I also purchased those little metal magnetic cups for paper clips, magnets and rubber bands.
On the top shelf are my recipe boxes, a basket for charger plugs, and menus.
I just open the cabinet to find everything I need at my finger tips. I usually clean through the bins about every 2 weeks to keep it all up to date and neat.

My TOP TEN Organizing/Cleaning MUST-HAVES & TO -DO'S!!

10. Swiffer mop. I use mine daily. It's awesome for getting up pet hair!

9. Shark Steam Mop. Hot steam? Now that's clean! I invested in the upgraded model & it's awesome. Great on my hardwood floors & tile!

8. Do Laundry EVERYDAY! Don't let it pile up. I throw on a load in the AM & Dry/fold it in the PM. It's usually small. PS- this is NOT my laundry room...I wish!

7. Use Green Works products. I love them and they are good for your home & environment. They really work! And smell fresh too.

6. Get a Dyson. I know...they are expensive BUT if you have animals or allergies...they are a must! I am shocked still when I vacuum at how much it picks up!! By the way- get the Ball model, it's a smooth glide!

5. Weekly Calendar- Write out the activities, chores, & reminders for the week & post it on the fridge. When I write it, I remember it better! Keep lists, use post its, I also color code things for different family members. I write in HW reminders for my kindergartener. I use a highlighter too.

4. Meal planning! Pre-plan meals for the week. I write that on my calendar too. That way I know what I'm cooking. I also try to pre-cut or prepare anything for the week. Then make out a shopping list, grab your coupons & shop for it all! I love all the coupon websites & the Coupon Lady! Saving is awesome! Some nights are take out...hey I'm a working mom! I also LOVE my crock pot. On Sundays I prebag my son's snacks in snack bags in the fridge. When he gets home each day, I empty his lunch bag & pack it for the next day. It gets stored in the fridge. Saves time in the morning!

3. Declutter- Daily, weekly... baskets & bins are a MUST. Don't let things 'pile up'...it will only get worse! I try to clean up at least 1x a day - at night when the kids are asleep. Store toys in bins & baskets. That way your house doesn't turn into a toy store!!

2. Baby Wipes! And you don't need a baby around! I have them in almost every room of the house, the car, even outside in the summer! Those things clean up everything.

1. Get a cleaning girl!! If you work full time w/ kids...it's a must!! She "deep cleans" the house every 2 weeks. It really saves me time. It's well worth the $$$!!

Thanks for reading & please comment! I can' t wait to read all the other posts!! And happy cleaning & organizing!

December/Christmas Roundup!

2009-12-31T20:12:00.012-05:00

Here's how we celebrated the December & the Christmas season. Enjoy! Happy New Year!

We started out the holiday season with our annual trip to NYC to see the Macy*s train layout, toysRus & out for a special lunch. We decided to stop at the M&M store. Wow! I never realized that they made so much M&M stuff!!

Here's Christian in his reindeer suit/coat. He looks so cute! Then we had Breakfast with Santa & friends at our Firehouse. Brendan had so much fun. Although he was quick to point out that Santa on visited. We didn't ACTUALLY eat WITH him!

The boys put out their Christmas cookies for Santa. Brendan was sure not to forget to sprinkle his Reindeer food. That way the reindeer can magically keep flying all night. Brendan was excited the next morning when Santa had come to his house and gave him & his brother so many great gifts! Brendan's favorite gifts were his REAL guitar & the Mario&Sonic Wii Winter Olympic game. Christian's favorite gifts were his Hungry Caterpillar toys. Finally Brendan had his Christmas Show at church after Christmas due the the snow. His grade were farm animals. He chose to be a cow. (He's the one w/ the guitar shirt...yeah, I know, his choice) They sang Away in a Manager. It was really cute.

************************************************************************

Christian also turned 7 months this December

He's really getting active. He loves to grab everything in reach. He's starting to sit up on his own, roll everywhere, and he's growing so fast!

Christmas Card Photo Shoot!

2009-12-04T19:33:00.005-05:00

Last Saturday we took the boys to Target to take pictures for our Christmas card. My idea was matching GAP pj's with trains, Brendan reading The Polor Express, & Christian holds a silver bell. Well, it WAS a good idea!! Christian kept wiggling and would NOT smile! I was just happy that there was NO line, NO hours of waiting & NO crying! All in all, we did get some cute shots...here's a preview.

Happy "Half Birthday" - 6 months!

2009-11-28T07:34:00.007-05:00

Happy 6 months to our little Christian!
Here are some stats:

18 lbs, 11 oz

{finally} rolled over! Now he's rolling everywhere!
Loves to grab & hold things
Loves his "sweets" fruits & yogurt
Dislikes veggies & meat - really! He screams & spits it out!!
Loves everything Brendan!
Trying to use his sippy cup of apple juice
Loves to look at books and anything that lights up
Likes to play in his exersaucer

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-28T07:23:00.007-05:00

On Tuesday, Brendan had his Thankgiving Feast. He chose a pilgrim costume. He was so proud to sing his songs! Although he was very serious while singing. The children then sat down at 2 tables to eat their {Boston Market} turkey feast. Brendan {our picky eater} ate his own lunch. He was so excited that I came and kept hugging me! It was so cute!!

Christian's First Thankgiving!

Manga!

2009-11-22T15:02:00.007-05:00

On Saturday, Nov 21, I went to our local "little book store" (aka not B & N) to a book signing. I got to see Lidia Bastianich. She's on channels 13 & 21. (I know...not the food network.) But she has a great cooking show with all Italian cooking. She also gives you history & shows video of her trips there. So her new cookbook focuses on the smaller, outskirt towns & their culture. She came with her daughter, Tanya, with whom she wrote this new book. Together, they share their food tasting & historial experiences. Lidia was very warm, and full of interesting stories. Here are some pictures I took.

Here she is signing my book. The woman in line behind me, took the picture.

Here's my book signed!

Halloween 2009

2009-10-31T20:48:00.008-04:00

Happy Halloween!

Wishing everyone a spooky, scary trick or treat!

What a great day! Nice weather, lots of fun on a Saturday and all that CANDY!!

Here are a few pics from our Halloween...

Mr. Skeleton
Brendan wore his costume ALL day and then said he's definately going to wear a few more times - on "not Halloween" days! The Cowardly Lion and Dorothy

Christian kept chewing on his furry costume!

Carving jack'o lanterns

Daddy and Brendan's Haunted Gingerbread house!

The Boys turn "5"

2009-10-27T08:51:00.005-04:00

It's going to be a big week around here... Yes It's HALLOWEEN!! (Stay tuned for costume pictures.) Sean & Brendan's favorite holiday - not really mine. But OK. Christian also turns 5 months on 10/29 (actually Brendan's original due date) and then on 11/2 Brendan turns 5 years!

We are celebrating a lot!

Here's the boys "birthday" photo session. Enjoy!

STATS:

Brendan - age 5 years

Likes- dinosaurs, trains, CARS, transformers, Hot wheels, space, his baby brother, school (sometimes), riding the school bus, playing the Wii

Christian - age 5 months

Likes - making raspberries, his fruits & cereal, sticking out his tongue, grabbing his feet, watching his big brother, playing peek a boo, putting his hands in his mouth

Happy Fourth Month!

2009-09-29T20:30:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th month to our little Christian. I can't believe he's 4 months! Here are his new stats: 15lbs 4 oz; now eating veggies {yum}, loves to grab his toys and put them in his mouth; just started to "stick out his tongue"; loves to smile, laugh and is "getting loud" and likes to screech.

Apple Picking

2009-09-26T12:31:00.004-04:00

Today we went Apple picking at Lewin's Farm. Brendan was so excited to pick his own apples this year and pick them for his brother. Christian loved being outside, looking around and smiling. We also picked up some veggies at the farm stand, flowers and pies/cookies at Briemere Farms.

Christian's 1st Portraits

2009-09-19T12:33:00.002-04:00

Christian John

Firsts

2009-09-19T06:46:00.009-04:00

Yes. We're still here! My blogging {Sadly I must admit} will be a bit sporatic for a while. Maybe only special events or weekends. Things are too busy right now. But here's my UPDATE on our exciting few weeks...

Brendan's first day of Kindergarten {I know! Where does the time go???} was exciting. He rode the bus and brought his lunch. He did enjoy it - however is he's trying to get over the fact that his teacher doesn't have "cars" in her classroom. Each day it seems that he's enjoying it a little bit more. He says his favorite time of day is P.E. because she let's them run! {typical boy.} He also loves his teacher. He really likes the books she reads. We also already had our first Open House up at his school. {yes, I'm admitting this} I was impressed how organized she was. She also seems very structured {whew!} and right on top of things. I'm also happy that she offered many opportunities to working parents to get involved {she has class moms but other parents can help too} - I signed up to help with the 100th day of school (centers/party), a project prep helper (get projects organized at home for her) and a mystery reader {SHHH!!! Brendan doesn't know that}. She I'm looking forward to it all!

My first day of 4th grade was exciting too. What changes - new classroom, new class {well, all except 5 kids from last year's class}, new projects, curriculum, etc... It was pretty fun and I'm actually loving it. Honestly, it's not much different than 3rd - well now they know all about tests, our reading program, etc. The work is a bit harder but that's not so bad! I'm actually {not tooting my own horn or anything...} proud of myself over all this "change". The first time I switched grade levels {1st to 3rd} I was so stressed! It was a big jump for me. But after 10+ years of experience I'm able to be more flexible and open to new experiences. {ok, I'm not looking to change again any time soon!!} But I'm happy for the new experience. Just can't wait until all the routines are "ironed out".

Christian's first day at our babysitter's house went great. He goes 4 days a week {she sat Brendan for a few years}. She says he's a "dream" baby {he is!!} and never cries. He loves to sit, watch all the kids play, smile and nap. We were so happy about this. He seemed to be attached to me all summer and we were worried he would be upset. But he loves it. He's there with a little girl who is a month older and next month a little boy who is 2 wks younger then him will join. So he'll have plenty of playmates.

Happy Labor Day! Welcome Fall!

2009-09-07T07:09:00.003-04:00

Wishing everyone a Happy Labor Day! Enjoy the day!

Fall Nesting

2009-09-02T21:22:00.008-04:00

Fall {Autumn}is my FAVORITE season! And my friend Melissa over at The Inspired Room is hosting a Fall Nesting party! If you want to be "inspired" with great fall photos and cool ideas...head on over! As for me, here are my 20 Little Fall Treasures...

Apple picking out East
Crisp cool air/temps
Fall wardrobe - cozy sweaters, corduroy pants, boots
Warm fall colors - browns, greens, deep reds
Pumpkin picking out East
Making homemade sauce & chili
Making dinner in the crock pot
Back to school shopping
Smelling spices, apple pies
Watching the leaves turn color
Planting mums
Corn mazes
Enjoying warm soups
Halloween- picking costumes, candy
The smell of fireplaces
Warm glowing scented candles
Getting back into a routine
Meeting my new class of "wide -eyed" learners
Football season - no not the games - the munches!
A new fall season of TV!

Happy Third Month!

2009-09-02T21:15:00.008-04:00

Oh, I'm so bad at posting this month. I've just been so busy enjoying the last month of summer! So I'm late in sharing pics of Christian and his Three Month stats. He's weighing in at 14 lbs now. And loving food! He started cereal and fruits this week. He just can't get enough! He's still "chatting" up a storm and really starting to enjoy his surroundings, people and toys. He has "conversations" with everything. It's so cute! We are seeing lots of smiles and laughs especially when Brendan and I sing him Laurie Berkner songs! He adores Brendan - although he is often "tortured" by him- he just smiles and stares at him. Here are a few pics of our big boy!

"Talking" to Mr. Bee...

Who's who?

2009-08-03T11:40:00.006-04:00

So the good thing about having 2 boys is the sharing of clothes. I have saved many of Brendan's outfits, sleepers & onsies - "just in case" I had another boy. So last week I was looking through the 3-6 month clothing bin and found my favorite sleeper - a red/navy blue striped from Ralph Lauren. Ok, someone out there has nice taste! So I decided to take a picture of Christian in the same outfit, same chair, same age. It's amazing how alike they look.

Brendan (top) Christian (bottom) age- 2 months

Happy Second Month!

2009-07-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today, Christian is 2 months old. Can you believe it?? It has been some wonderful and special weeks. Christian likes to look and "swing" at his toys. He's been "talking" ~cooing and gurgling~ to us and smiling like crazy! He's such an easy-going and happy baby. He's 13 lbs, 1 oz ~ 23 inches. He LOVES to eat! This wellness visit was a tough one, he got his first 3 shots. OUCH! He was not too happy. Here's a few cute bathtime pictures.

Camping in the Backyard

2009-07-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

Brendan has been talking about camping since winter. He saw a cartoon where some kids went camping and since then he had been saying that he wanted to go. A few people suggested that he "camp" in the backyard to see if he likes it before really goes"camping". So we borrowed a tent and Sean bought some sleeping bags. We decided to try out our new firepit and toast marshmellows too. At dusk, Brendan had fun catching fireflies. Love his "buggy" PJs? Autumn also enjoyed the fun. She stayed out all night "protecting" her boys from the elements. What a good puppy.

Summer Fun in the Pool

2009-07-10T14:16:00.005-04:00

Finally some nice summer weather! It has felt like forever since we've seen the sun and warm temps. The pool has been freezing cold but finally after a few days of sun it has warmed up. Brendan has enjoyed swimming and jumping into the pool. He is looking forward to swimming lessons in 2 weeks at the town pool.

Happy 4th of July - 2009

2009-07-04T22:35:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th of July to everyone!

We have an exciting day planned. We have a first birthday party (yes she was actually born on the 4th) to go to. Then we are heading off to a block party. After that we will head home in hopes that our neighbor will be doing fireworks. Nothing like free entertainment in your own backyard.

Happy First Month!

2009-06-29T06:39:00.005-04:00

Today we celebrate Christian's first month! Today, 6/29, he is one month old! We are so blessed to have him here with us to love. He is such an easy baby. He loves to sleep, eat, and be held. This past month he has jumped from a 8lb 10oz birth weight to 9lb 12oz! He's probably just about 10lbs now. He is starting to smile and we know it's not gas, hold up his head, and he has even started to notice toys and swing at them. He likes to take baths, sleep in his swing, and look around.

Happy First Month!

Brotherly Love

2009-06-23T20:57:00.005-04:00

Brendan is absolutely in LOVE with his brother. He loves to hug him, hold him, talk to him and kiss him. Today he told him
"I'm going to love you forever."

Here are a few pictures of them together.

Brendan loves when he can match clothes and be "twins" with Christian. (Not an easy task shopping wise- being that they are so spaced apart in age) Here they are, as Brendan called it, "Froggy Twins"

Here is Brendan feeding Christian. He loves to burp him too. Although he's a bit forceful in his "back slapping!!"

Interview with Brendan - The Daddy Edition

2009-06-21T05:00:00.005-04:00

Happy Father's Day!

What is something that your dad always says to you?
I love you Buddy!

What makes your dad happy?
When I make good choices.

What makes your dad sad?
When I don't listen.

How does your dad make you laugh?
He tickles me.

What was your dad like as a child?
He was a boy.

How old is your dad?
100

How tall is your dad?
55 feet long

What is your dad’s favorite thing to watch on TV?
sports

What does your dad do when you're not around?
Play video games

If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for?
Playing baseball

What is your dad really good at?
Chasing me and playing Mario Kart

What is your dad not very good at?
Chasing Autumn

What does your dad do for his job?
work

What is your dad's favorite food?
steak

What makes you proud of your dad?
when I play a catch with him

If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be?
Mario

What do you and your dad do together?
play Mario Kart, have a catch

How are you and your dad the same?
we have the same eye color

How are you and your dad different?
I'm short

How do you know your dad loves you?
He says I love you Buddy

What does your dad like most about your mom?
He loves her

Where is your dad's favorite place to go?
someplace to watch sports

A Busy Night...all rolled into one!

2009-06-19T15:22:00.006-04:00

So this past week it has been quite busy around our house. (Yes, I know having a newborn is pretty busy!!) Brendan caught a virus over the weekend and was sick with a fever, bellyache & a really bad (not strep) sore throat. The dr said it's going around. Now try to keep him away from a newborn! So we were washing our hands about 100x a day and spraying lysol! Luckily it seems to be passing. Unfortunately he missed his last 2 days of school. Not that he really cared - he was happy to be home and play MarioKart! So we wanted to celebrate his graduation with cake but he was sick. We kept it in the fridge until Tuesday...we ate it then...

The same night we planned to give Christian his first bath! Brendan was so excited to pick out and use the dinosaur bath towels "HE" bought for his brother. We got our old baby bathtub out, soap, lotions etc...we were all set up. Then I filled the baby bath on the kitchen counter. Unfortunately I didn't realize that the foam padding had dried out (after 4 + years in the shed) and now the water was going EVERYWHERE in the kitchen! UGGG! Well, we had to still bathe the baby. So we put the leaking tub in the big tub and quickly washed him. Here are a few picks...quickly taken...because the water was leaking out so fast! Oh well, can't save everything!! Needless to say I bought a new tub on Wednesday!! We'll try again on Friday night!!

Capturing the Moment

2009-06-11T21:07:00.010-04:00

Here are some new pictures of our sweet little Christian. He will be 3 weeks this Friday!

Here's a proud BIG brother!!

Class of 2009 Graduate

2009-06-11T16:13:00.007-04:00

Today was Brendan's Pre-school graduation. He was a proud graduate and had a great time singing and performing his graduation songs.

Rockin' out to The ABC rock song!

He's FINALLY here!

2009-06-05T13:29:00.006-04:00

After being 6 (!!) days late...he has finally arrived - Friday, May 29th! We were all happy and relieved that he had finally made his debut! It was a fast and quick delivery - 2 hrs after arriving at the hospital he was born. My contractions started around 5pm - 20-25 min apart. Then after dinner continued to be about 10-12 min apart. When we arrived at the hospital (8pm) they were 5-7 min apart. I dialated from 6cm to 10cm in about an hour. Pretty quick - like in the movies- one nurse said! Thank goodness for a quick epidural - the pain was minimal.

Here are his stats:

Christian John

5.29.09

10:30 pm

8lbs 10 oz

20.5 inches

Here's the proud "Big brother" Brendan who refers to Christian as "my baby" or "my baby brother". He needs to know his whereabouts all the time. He loves to hold him, kiss him, {annoy} him when he's sleeping- yeah, he's your typical big brother!! HEHE!

Taking Flight

2009-05-22T07:27:00.005-04:00

Finally (OK, about 2 weeks ago...forgive me for being behind!!) we released our butterflies. For the last 4 years I have been hatching butterflies in my classroom and for the last 3 years I've brought a few home for Brendan to hatch. He absolutely LOVES this. To see the change is AMAZING! The caterpillars grow at morph speed...eating ... eating... eating. Then they form their chrysalis and the change begins...into a beautiful and colorful butterfly. It truly is exciting to see. So we finally set them free.

PS- don't my lilacs look beautiful!

Links to last year's metamorphosis - Caterpillars to Butterflies

Looking for more Beautiful Life Friday moments? Visit Melissa's The Inspired Room today!

Interview with Brendan - The Mommy Edition

2009-05-08T07:00:00.001-04:00

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

What is something that your mom always says to you?

I LOVE YOU
What makes your mom happy?

WHEN I DO NICE THINGS
What makes your mom sad?

WHEN I DON'T DO NICE STUFF

How does your mom make you laugh?
BY BEING SILLY

What was your mom like as a child?
SHE WAS A BABY

How old is your mom?
I DON'T KNOW

How tall is your mom?
{SPREADS ARMS TALL} THIS BIG

What is your mom's favorite thing to watch on TV?
COOKING SHOWS

What does your mom do when you're not around?
SIT DOWN

If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
I DON'T KNOW

What is your mom really good at?
COOKING STUFF

What is your mom not very good at?
MARIO KART - VIDEO GAMES

What does your mom do for her job?
WORK

What is your mom's favorite food?
PASTA

What makes you proud of your mom?
SHE CAN BE SILLY

If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
THOMAS THE TRAIN

What do you and your mom do together?
CUDDLE

How are you and your mom the same?
WE HAVE THE SAME HAIR

How are you and your mom different?
I'M SMALLER AND SHE'S BIGGER

How do you know your mom loves you?
SHE SAYS I LOVE YOU

What does your mom like most about your dad?
I DON'T KNOW

Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
TARGET

The 100th Post! Celebrate!

2009-04-11T11:33:00.004-04:00

So here it is...my 100th post!

Now what do I write? There's a lot of pressure in this... Some people post 100 things about themselves or what they love ...nah...that would take me too long... Seriously, who is actually reading this???

Anyhow, I decided to just post some blogs that have "inspired" me to keep blogging and "posting" ...somehow bringing me to 100!!

So check these blogs out:

4 Reluctant Entertainers

Back Porch Musings

Clover Lane

Like a Warm Cup of Coffee

Check out my sidebar for more... I check many blogs DAILY! I love to read about others thoughts and ideas...and inspiration! Weird, isn't it?

So who are YOU? Do you read this blog and enjoy it? You could be family or friends or a new blog-friend....

Leave me a comment!

Here's to the next 100!! (eek! )

It's a Good Friday..."The Bunny" is almost here!

2009-04-10T13:12:00.009-04:00

Happy Friday! I can't believe Easter is almost here! You wouldn't know it with the crazy weather! Warm, cold, rain, snow, clouds...ugh! Well, that's April I guess. So on this "Good Friday" we decided to dye our eggs for Sunday.

Our little bunny!

Our week has not been too exciting. This year Sean and I have different vacation weeks. Brendan and I have been off since Monday and Sean's vacation only started this Thursday. He's off all next week. Brendan and I go back on Tuesday. It's doesn't really feel like vacation!

A recap...

So this week was a little shopping and a lot of resting. I'm really starting to feel limited in my abilities and energy. Yeah! Only a few more weeks to go!!!

Brendan has been trying his best to help me out with laundry and picking up stuff. We were able to play some games and cars this week - as long as I could sit and play. It 's really our last vacation before the baby comes so we're trying to make it special for Brendan.

Brendan slept over his Nana and PopPop's house one night. And I got the basement reorganized to fit some baby equipment. We even picked up a new vacuum - only a cleaner like me would get excited over this- a DYSON!! Sean and I went out to dinner the following evening while Brendan spent some time with our babysitter.

All in all the week went VERY fast and pretty well. We thought we'd end our week by going out to dinner with Brendan. His choice. So it's Friendly's for dinner. Not our personal favorite but he LOVES to get ice cream. At this point I'm not arguing with him about that!!

So get INSPIRED! at Melissa's Inspired Room

OR start a new family tradition from Simple Mom

What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

2009-03-21T10:29:00.009-04:00

That was the question Brendan was asked at school this week. It was community workers/career week at school. On Friday he was asked to dress up as what he wants to be when he grows up. At first he said he wanted to be a train engineer. Then he said he really wants to be a teacher. What kind? A science teacher! Sean was really surprised/proud that he wanted to be like him. So to fit the part Sean picked up a lab coat at school (which I pinned up), a pair of goggles for "experiments" and a gradulated cylinder to measure things. He was so excited to dress up!
At school his teacher asked him "What do your parents do for a living?"

Brendan: "My mom gives out candy at Halloween."

"My Dad plays guitar hero."

I guess we're quite the professionals!

Wearin' of the Green...

2009-03-17T07:00:00.002-04:00

By the way, this picture of taken at the St. James parade on Saturday by ExploreLI.com! Figures Brendan has to be "funny" and stick out his tongue!

Spring? Where are you?

2009-03-02T10:00:00.012-05:00

Melissa over at The Inspired Room is hosting a "20 Reasons to Look Forward to Spring" party and it's a perfect day to join in on this one! Right now I'm home...no work or school...it's a snow day! We've already gotten about 8+ inches...it's expected to go past a foot. YIKES! March is certainly coming in like a LION! So here's to all the LAMB lovers...

Warm days! A light sweater, a warm breeze, and a lots of sunshine! Longer days of daylight!

Getting my garden ready...bringing out the pots and garden decor.

Meeting our new baby...due late Spring (May).

Walks around the neighborhood.

The smell of fresh cut grass. I love the smell of the ground "defrosting" from winter.

Being able to open the windows and let in the warm, fresh air.

Flip flops...I love open toe season!

Getting pedicures for open toe season...in pink!

Pastel colors - in decor and clothing.
Tulips and daffodils - I love spring flowers.

Hatching butterflies at school and at home.

Easter and bunnies.

Decorating Easter eggs.

Eating lots of egg salad!

Being able to go to the park and sending Brendan OUTSIDE to play!

Short sleeve shirts and capri pants.

Spring cleaning...well, any cleaning usually makes me happy!

Spring yard clean up. I love when those "yard guys" come and blow away all the "dead" leaves and brush and my yard is fresh and clean.

Turning off the heat...lower heating bills.

Seeing all the animals around our house come out. The first robin, and our neighborhood bunnies and their new families.

The Finale to a BUSY Week!

2009-02-22T15:49:00.009-05:00

Whew! It's been a busy week - minus working all week at school! Hooray for teacher vacation time! Well deserved I might add- we've got to gear up for the NYS Math exam the first week in March. Uck!

Anyhow, just thought I'd post before the really busy week begins...

Brendan, Sean and I had a nice week off. Although we've discovered that Brendan is so used to keeping busy ALL DAY at school that a week of less busy days...Bordom rears it's unly head!

HIP HIP HOORAY FOR THE 100th DAY PROJECT!

Here it is... 9 planets+ 90 star stickers + 1 astronaut = 100 things in space! Brendan is really excited to share it with his class especially since they are studing space this week. I'm proud of him because he did most of it on his own. He especially liked his face in the astronaut suit!

On Thursday Brendan invited his friend "O" over and they had a fun playdate. On Friday we took Brendan to Dave and Busters for dinner and some video games.

So by Sunday we were exhausted... We spent the morning relaxing. I , of course, got a pedicure! Then we stopped at the library for some playtime and to look for some dinosaur books. (Brendan's latest interest) We even made another batch of banana muffins. I also decided to get out my ice cream maker. It was a wedding shower gift from some friends...6 years ago...not ever used. Why? No clue. But it was SO EASY!! And Brendan really got a kick out of making his own. Needless to say...dessert is going to be extra yummy. I also decided to pull out the slow cooker for an easy dinner. Italian Herb Chicken - with homemade mashed potatoes.

A Little Bit of Everything

2009-02-16T16:56:00.011-05:00

So we're off to a busy start of the week.

First off - I've been busy baking. I baked Chocolate Chip Swirl cookies (from scratch - I know!) last week and this weekend Brendan and I baked (his favorite) banana muffins. He's getting to know his way around the kitchen quite well. This time he was able to measure some ingredients and mix on his own. He even did a whole pan of muffins himself.

We've also been busy working on Brendan's 100th Day of School project. We decided on a Space theme since he's really into science and space. He's been reading a Space book and learning about each planet as we color them. Today he painted the "sun" on his poster board. Our next step is to cut out each planet and then glue them on. Finally we will place star stickers to make the remaining "100" things.

We've also been busy with baby stuff. The baby's room is pretty much ready, clothes washed, bed made, etc. We just need to still assemble a few things like the swing, bathtub, bouncer, and put in the car seat. Brendan has been very excited to help with everything. He keeps say, "that was mine and now the baby will use it" I'm happy that he's willing to share! He also thinks it's funny that he used to fit in this infant carrier!

Happy Heart Day!

2009-02-14T20:15:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day to All! We hope you had a day of LOVE with your family!

We plan to enjoy today ... it starts our week-long Winter break! It's going to be a busy but fun-filled week!

This morning I gave my ~Valentines~ a yummy {heart} shaped pancake breakfast! YUMMY!

14 things I ~LOVE

Getting hugs oo and kisses xx from Brendan

Getting hugs oo and kisses xx from Sean

Making our house into a {home}

Cooking/Baking delicious things for my family

Spending a day in jammies

Being a mom

The color pink

Getting chocolate hearts

Vacations!

Roses - not red but pink variations

Getting pedicures

Shopping!

The words "I love you!"

The words "I love you too, Mommy!"

It's a matter of definition...

2009-01-31T12:42:00.003-05:00

Sean's Definition of the SUPER BOWL...

Lynne's Definition of the SUPER BOWL...

Enjoy whichever SUPER BOWL you're thinking about tomorrow!

Happy Blogoversary!

2009-01-12T20:06:00.006-05:00

Happy Blogoversary!

I can't believe it's been a year of sharing stories, adventures, pictures, and laughs! Thanks for being a part of all the fun and excitment! It's always fun to share important moments with family and friends!

Here's to another great year!

Snips an' snails an' puppy dog tails...

2008-12-31T07:25:00.010-05:00

We went for our level 2 sono yesterday, a long a lengthy measurement process, and we are excited to share the news that it's another BOY!

Here's a pic of our new little one...

Brendan's face was just excitement from ear to ear! Why did HE want a boy? "Because I know about boy stuff and he'll like to do boy stuff"- makes sense, right? Everything else looked fine and I'm still showing a due date of 5/23...but we all know that that's just a number....

Anyhow, I'm still coming to the realization that I'm going to have TWO little boys in a few months!! YIKES!! Everyone knows I'm the biggest "girly-girl" and my undying love for everything PINK, poofy, lots of sparkle!! I guess there will just be more pedicures, facials, and girly things in MY future...all for me!! HEHE!

So after the sono I did what any "all-american girly-girl" would do...go SHOPPING!! With a $200 gift card from my class in hand and my shopping sidekick (who has no choice in this situation and neither will his brother) Brendan and went on a shopping spree at Babies R Us! Oh yeah, we SHOPPED!! I really want Brendan to feel part of all this and so he picked out a few items he "insisted" his "new brother" would like. Including a dinosaur bath towel set, a hungry caterpillar rattle (his favorte book) and a bib that reads "I love my big Brother". I picked up so really cute sleepers and outfits - in what seems to be the new "in" colors - chocolate brown and blue!! I found so really cute jungle animals prints in warm browns and some wild west stuff too. We also picked out some new sheets, burp cloths, bibs, and bottles.

Well now to the washing...of all the clothes stored away from Brendan, folding them and putting them in the drawers and bins for future use, setting up the baby stuff (bouncer, swing, bassinet, etc..) Oh yeah, it will get done...probably by Saturday...HEHE!

Brendan's New Camera

2008-12-29T15:15:00.007-05:00

Brendan received a new camera from his godmother on Saturday. Here are a few pictures that he took. Actually he took about 50+ or so since then but I deleted them because I couldn't make them out! He's quick to snap and run. Many pictures were blurry. Most people (and pets) get their heads cut off. He even took one of himself. So I'm posting his pictures because "he wanted to see them on the big screen." Thanks Aunt Jeannine!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T08:48:00.007-05:00

Merry Christmas All! We hope you all had a wonderful and fun Christmas Eve and Day! We spent Christmas Eve at home with both my parents and Sean's parents. Sean made lasagna and chicken cutlets and we had cookies for dessert. We also made our own gingerbread house and Brendan set out cookies for Santa. On Christmas morning Brendan was up around 6:45am and was excited to open his presents! He tour into the gifts like a "wild beast!!" There was paper flying everywhere. His favorites included: the "screaming banshee" from CARS, dinosaur figures, and his nerf guns. Sean's favorite gift? Wii!! I'm enjoying my new cookbooks! Here are a few pictures from the big days...

The tree and Brendan's gingerbread house.

Brendan leaving out cookies and milk for Santa!

Christmas morning before the unwrapping!!

Brendan's Preschool Pictures!

2008-12-22T16:00:00.001-05:00

Here you go...

A Trip Into NYC for the holidays!

2008-12-13T15:51:00.012-05:00

Saturday, 12/13 we took the train into NYC for our annual visit this holiday season. We caught an 8am train from Hicksville to get us in early - we were hoping to beat the crowds!

Our first stop was MACYS to see the "Santaland". Brendan's favorite? The train in the Christmas tree. We just took a "peek" at Santa - the line was too long! (yes! Already at 9:00 am!!) We then looked at a few other trains in the toy department before heading back outside (in the cold) to see the MACYS windows.

Then we walked to Time Square to Toys R Us. We saw the Jurassic Park Giant Dinosaur and the giant Thomas train layout. We even managed to find a few new CARS from the movie to add to our collection.

For lunch we walked to MARS 2112. It's a restaurant themed around the planet Mars! You take a simulated "spaceship" ride to "Mars" to get to your table. Then you are greeted by several "aliens" of the planet Mars. The place is lit up in RED lights and lots of sparkle! Interesting concept!! Brendan LOVED it! He kept saying "This is SO COOL! I can't believe we're on Mars!!" At the end of your meal you take a space "elevator" back to "Earth"!

We finished our day with a well-deserved taxi ride back to Penn Station. We had a fun day.

The First SNOW of the Season!!

2008-12-13T15:42:00.004-05:00

I knew there was a reason why they squirrels were eating our pumpkins before Halloween!! They were getting ready for the first snow...early this year!!

Seen on December 7th!!

The Clarkin Elves

2008-12-12T20:49:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T15:49:00.009-05:00

from the Clarkin Family!
Our Turkey Day traditions...
the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day parade
A delicious turkey dinner with family
Monkey Bread for breakfast...
Here's my recipe for my favorite holiday breakfast-
Monkey Bread
INGREDIENTS
3 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine/butter
1 cup packed brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one bundt pan. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan.
In a small saucepan (or microwave), melt the margarine with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart.

*Serve with syrup for an extra sweet touch!* YUM!!

We love our little monkey!

Dear Santa...

2008-11-23T19:52:00.007-05:00

This Sunday we went to visit Santa. Brendan was a little nervous but excited to share what he wanted for Christmas. I was just determined NOT to be in this year's Santa picture... I've been in the picture for the last 3 years. The only one I wasn't in was the first one...Brendan was only 1 month old and asleep when Santa held him.

We arrived right at 11am to a long line. Brendan was very excited to see him as we got closer and we kept reminding him he was going to sit by himself with Santa. When it was finally his turn, he shyed a bit but then sat right on his lap. I instructed the photographer to start shooting because I didn't want him to get nervous and get up! We got some cute shots of him telling Santa what he wanted...we're not even sure what he was telling him because we were watching the pictures on the screen. But we actually had to tell him to hurry up and keep it short because he kept going on and on... The first thing he said when he came over to us was "Mommy, did you see me? I sat all by myself with Santa!!"

Here's the results....

Shop-A-Thon

2008-11-11T08:14:00.009-05:00

Get your shopping done early this year! Click on over to Tip Junkie's

2008 Holiday Mom-preneur Shop-a-thon!

The challenge is to buy your gifts from women & fellow bloggers this holiday season. Laurie over at Tip Junkie is hosting a Mom-preneur Shop-a-thon. Click on the link below to check out all the great sites! There's a little bit of everything! Happy shopping!

She's also hosting 12 Days of Giveaways!

If you are looking for great ideas/tips for this holiday season, check out her Tip Junkie site! She is featuring an extravaganza of holiday decorating tips, shared traditions, organizing tips, holiday themes and party ideas, tree trimming ideas, holiday card ideas, and plenty of contests. Get inspired!!

Halloween and Brendan's 4th Birthday...all rolled into one weekend!!

2008-11-08T07:06:00.008-05:00

For Halloween this year Brendan choose to be "Lightening McQueen" from the movie CARS. Believe me...we were happy because it was not Thomas trains!! Brendan enjoyed a fun day at school in his costume and then some trick or treating at home...followed by the never ending question... "Can I have candy?"

On Saturday, November 1st we celebrated Brendan's birthday with the family. We had both our parents over for a pasta dinner (Brendan loves homemade sauce). So I made my yearly pot of sauce with sausage. (I froze the extra in about 6 containers to last through the winter) For a treat my FIL made his famous "meatballs" which are another big favorite of Brendan's! For dessert we had our traditional (well, it seems to be becoming a tradition) "Earthworm" birthday cake. For the story behind it see this post.
On Sunday, November 2nd, Brendan's actual birthday, we had his party at "Pump it Up". It's an indoor inflatable playground. This year we had all the boys from Brendan's Preschool class. He was so excited to see all his friends from school outside of school! The kids enjoyed 80 minutes of play on all the inflatable bouncers, slides, and obstacle courses. Even Sean, Uncle Kerin, and some other dads enjoyed bouncing around!! Then the kids enjoyed some pizza and cake. Brendan was able to eat his lunch on the blow up "birthday King" chair! All in all it was a BUSY weekend but a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday Brendan!

2008-10-30T17:03:00.005-04:00

Here's our latest photo shoot!

Fall Fun!

2008-10-19T18:59:00.010-04:00

On Sunday we went to Gabrielsen's Farm for their Fall Festival. Brendan rode on the mini tractors. Then Sean and Brendan went through the big corn maze - it took them 30 minutes to go through it!! Brendan said they hit a lot of "dead ends!" Then we went on a hayride and Brendan had some "words" with a few loud ducks! We also picked our pumpkins - Brendan was doing for "the biggest one" a.k.a. the Great Pumpkin! (He's been watching the Charlie Brown movie!!) Of course no trip to the farm is complete without feeding his favorite cows!! Then we stopped at the Cooperage Inn for their Fall Festival of delicious food for lunch! Brendan was brave and rode on a horse named Chocolate Chip!! He was so excited!

WFMW - Kitchen Organization

2008-10-01T06:24:00.001-04:00

This week's WFMW at Rocks in my Dryer is all about kitchen organizing. Two of my favorite subjects to blog about!! Since we remodeled our kitchen this summer, mine has now be reorganized and updated! Here's one thing I was so excited about adding. A "command center" in one of my kitchen cabinets!! It's a way to organize and control paper clutter in the kitchen. Let's avoid that "pile of mail" and kid/school information that gets forgotten in the pile too.

I started by purchasing black tier plastic trays for catching paper work. I put all papers I've got to get to on the top and Brendan's school papers on the bottom shelf.

Then I have a basket for note pads and post-its. My other basket holds my coupon organizer and weekly shopping fliers.

I have a can for pens,pencils, markers and scissors.

Then I got a mail sepera tor for school/babysitting/house cleaning envelopes which I've pre-dated for the year. That way all I have to do in put in the $$$/check for tuition, weekly money for my sitter and my house cleaning woman.

I also purchased those little metal magnetic cups for paper clips, magnets and rubber bands.

On the top shelf are my recipe boxes, a basket for charger plugs, and menus.

I just open the cabinet to find everything I need at my finger tips. I usually clean through the bins about every 2 weeks to keep it all up to date and neat. Good luck and happy organizing!!

Click here to see the rest of my new kitchen and the adventures of Kitchen renovation!

Who's My Blog "Crush"?

2008-09-30T07:35:00.007-04:00

Laurie over at Tip Junkie has posed the question... "Who's your blog crush?" What a cute idea. Everyone's got one. Someone who has this "addicting" blog that you can't get enough of! You must check it out EVERY DAY!! Reading every post with great joy and excitment. Someone that inspires you to make yourself or your life more enriched!

My "crush" is Make and Takes by Marie. It's such an inspiring site for moms who like to get creative with their kids. Marie is a SAHM who is also a certified teacher. She has a lot of crafty, creative ideas that often connect to a great book. I love that. I'm a teacher and I love to read to my son so making book connections is great. Marie's got great holiday activities, recipes, tips, and parenting advice! I've also shared a few of my takes on some of her books and crafts. Many others share their ideas and thoughts too. And honestly, I'm not super crafty so don't worry...her projects and activities are not hard to do!

So if you've not been to her site already, check it out! What are you waiting for? Get crafty, get creative, and get clicking!

Apple Picking

2008-09-22T05:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Fall again. This Sunday we did our annual apple picking at Lewin Farms out in Wading River. We got a bushel of apples and Brendan picked a few (literally like 3) and then sat back and ate one! As usual...Mom and Dad do all the picking and pulling of the wagon!! Then we stopped at Briermere Farms for pies, cookies and pumpkin squares! YUM! Our final stop of the morning was Gabrielson's Farm in Jamesport. We picked up some mums for my garden and Brendan was able to feed the cows. (His favorite part!)

Bloggers Unite...Do you read NieNie?

2008-09-10T19:34:00.007-04:00

I'm not sure how I stumbled on this mom's website but her great graphics, honestly about life and motherhood and her crafty ideas caught my eye. I started reading the Nie Nie Dialogues about 2 months ago. I bookmarked her site and I'd check it out every week or so. Then tragedy struck. Her and her husband (whom she bought flying lessons for one of his birthdays) were in a serious plane crash! They were in critical condition in a burn unit - fighting for their lives. It was so surreal. I didn't even know this girl from Arizona but I immediately felt sad for her and her family and her 4 children.

Here is her story as covered on Today on NBC.

Click HERE

For Updates visit her sister's blog: cjane

ArE yOu ReAdY fOr SoMe FoOtBaLL? oR FaLL?

2008-09-04T05:00:00.002-04:00

"It's the most wonderful time of the year" Sean is humming.

No, not for Christmas and no not for school starting, but because of {FOOTBALL}. I will say goodbye to Sundays, Monday nights, & goodbye to my computer. (Getting updates for Fantasy Football! - Sean's in 3 leagues!! -thank goodness we have a laptop too!) Well, I don't have it as bad as some of you women out there. Some of you are what they call "Football Widows." {Honestly, I'm just in it for the {chips and salsa!} Hehehe!}
Well, I can also say goodbye to Saturdays and afterschool time until 7/8pm! Sean is coaching JV Football too!

But...Oh... There won't be many more days to sit outside and enjoy the last fleeting days of summer. But I'm okay with that. I am a true lover of {autumn a.k.a Fall.}

(yes I love my dog too...hence the name!) I love the leaves blowing and rustling around the corner of the house and the chill in the air. The smell of burning wood in our {cozy} fireplace. A bubbling pot of hearty soup on my stove.

Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself. After all, we still need to get through "Indian Summer" which tends to show its face right at the last moment when you think you are safe from a warm spell.
I love the fall colors! The deep reds, greens, golds, purples, browns and blacks. Bringing out the cozy blankets and throws to {snuggle} into with a cup of tea or coffee and a good book to read or movie to watch. I'm already starting to feel so cozy! And doing our favorite Fall activities...apple picking out East, lunch at the Cooperage Inn, buying Briermere pies {yum}, picking pumpkins, planting mums, buying roasted corn, and venturing through a corn maze. Ahhh.....I can feel the cool, crisp air already.... {Lookout Autumn!!}...here I come!

Works for Me Wednesday - Magazine Tips

2008-09-03T05:00:00.002-04:00

We get quite a few magazines at the house. I'm one to read through them and file them in the magazine rack. Here are two systems I use for oganizing & controlling magazine "clutter!!"

Tip #1

My cooking magazines {faves include: Cook's Country, Everyday Food, Everyday with Rachael Ray} always have great recipes I want to try out. I don't like to rip them out [right away] because Sean likes to read them too. So when I find a recipe I want, I fold down the corner. Then when I go through the magazine to toss it or pass it on, I look through it fast and then rip out the recipes I wanted. This way I don't have to "reread" the whole magazine again!

Tip #2
If you read a lot of magazines and then "swap & trade" them with friends (that's a good thing to do too!) is to write your first inital on the back corner. This way whoever you swap with will know if you read it already.

Back to School!

2008-09-02T05:00:00.002-04:00

Here's where I am today! It's back to school! Here's a "peek" inside my classroom!

http://www.geocities.com/mrslclarkin/

Happy "LABOR DAY"!

2008-09-01T08:05:00.006-04:00

In honor of Labor Day...Here's a "Labor" meme from Rocks In My Dryer... If you want to do one... Cut, Paste, and Link up at her site!

Enjoy your day!

How long were your labors?
Kid #1 - 14 Hours

How did you know you were in labor?

My water broke

Where did you deliver?
At a hospital.
Drugs?
Yes, thank you Demerol! It made me fall asleep!

C-section?

Nope

Who delivered?

Doctor and nurses - Honestly I don't remember much (see Drugs above) - just that the dr. had another patient delivering in the next room and told the nurses to tell me not to push - who was he kidding?

It was all worth it!

Works for Me Wednesday - Behavior Star Chart

2008-08-27T05:00:00.001-04:00

This week's WFMW is Brendan's Star chart. I created this because we needed Brendan to improve in his potty training. (This was a VERY difficult "adventure") I really likes the positive aspect of this earning chart. Here's how it works!

Brendan chooses something to earn and then we decide on the number of stars he needs to earn his treat. I laminated the chart and I use a Vis-a-vis (wet erase) marker so I can clean it off and reuse it again. When he's earning he really checks the chart often and we count "how many more" we need to get his treat. I use similar ones in my classroom. I personalized this one for him and used Google to find pictures of the things he wants to earn. I attached a velcro dot to the back of each picture and a velcro dot to the chart (after I laminated it!).

See you in September...School's just around the corner!

2008-08-18T14:43:00.003-04:00

Brendan was pretty excited on Saturday to get his letter from school! This year Brendan will be in 4 year old Pre-school! He's proud to share that he got Miss Laura - The Terrific Toucans! He's excited because toucans live in the rainforest - like Diego! We've been busy scrambling around getting all his school supplies, labeling them, and packing his backpack! He has "Meet the Teacher" orientation with me the last week in August. He's excited to meet his teacher and explore his new classroom!

Brendan's New Sport

2008-08-18T14:39:00.003-04:00

Here's a few pictures of Brendan playing Lacrosse. He really likes it! He's got the swing down pretty good, he's working on trying to catch the ball in the net! He's really proud of his progress this summer!

Our New Kitchen!

2008-08-06T11:30:00.000-04:00

Well, after almost 5 LONG weeks...it's finally finished!! We are so excited to share it with you! It's so exciting that we've been cooking up a storm! Brendan is even excited...making his famous "banana muffins!" It's been very busy in the kitchen!

Here are some updated pictures!

Details, Details, Details...

MPM - Week of 8/3

2008-08-03T15:17:00.011-04:00

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday!

Now that the kitchen is done...I thought I'd give this a try! I usually plan my meals out for the week on Sundays before I head out the supermarket. I've never actually "posted" my menu! Hmmm....Here goes!
SUNDAY - Sun-dried Tomato cream sauce over pasta *new recipe!

MONDAY - Breakfast for dinner! Waffles with sausage

TUESDAY - {mets game for Sean} Leftover pasta & sauce (with meatballs & sausage) Make into heroes with bread

WEDNESDAY - Kielbasa with corn on the cob

THURSDAY - Skillet Summer Squash parmesan *new recipe!

FRIDAY - {mets game for Sean} Baked tilapia with herbs; with rice

SATURDAY - Tomato - zucchini tart *new recipe!

For more menus visit Orgjunkie.com

LAURIE!!!!!! - We rocked it out on Saturday!

2008-08-02T16:48:00.008-04:00

On Saturday we saw the Laurie Berkner Band in concert at the Bald Hill Amp. Theatre. Luckily the weather held out and it only rained for a brief 5 mins. The rest of the show was overcast. We enjoyed rockin' out to our faves... I'm Gonna Catch You, We are the Dinosaurs, and I Got Chicken!

Here are a few pics!

Laurie had a pig on her head!
Brendan had a puppy on his head!

Our latest "Day-cation"

2008-07-31T20:05:00.008-04:00

On Thursday we went into NYC - Madison Square Garden to see "Walking with Dinosaurs". It was an INCREDIBLE show! Wow! We got an upclose & personal looked at several types of dinosaurs and a bit of dino-education on each of their prehistoric periods. Brendan loved all the "roars" and "stomping"!! It was very realistic and enjoyable for all ages.

Here's who Brendan was waiting for...T-REX!!

Here's the BEST pic of Brendan!! He sat almost the entire show like this or talking about what the dinosaurs were doing! He loved it!!

I've found the coolest thing!!

2008-07-28T22:07:00.005-04:00

Ok, I've found the coolest thing for those of us who are scrapbooking impared!! (And not computer challenged!!)
It's called SCRAPBLOG! It's an online scrapbook. You pick the layout...upload the pictures and save it. Here's my first attempt... I know I used these pics in a previous post but...I thought it would look cute on a scrap page!! Enjoy!!

tOmAtOeS!

2008-07-26T19:48:00.006-04:00

That's right! They're ripe for the pickin'!!!

BoY aNd HiS dOg! Here's some pics of Brendan and Autumn!

Bobby's Burger Palace - Don't count on the grill to be "smokin'" too long...

2008-07-25T11:58:00.008-04:00

Just opened at the Smithhaven Mall in Lake Grove. So we like burgers, I LOVE the Food Network, and it's only 5 mins away - thought we'd give it a whirl.

On arrival (luckily no line b/c we had Brendan) we ordered our burgers, drinks & fries from a limited "gourmet" burger menu. I orderd a "Miami" much like a cuban & Sean ordered a burger & Brendan- well, the grilled cheese of course. Then we got 3 "Vanilla Bean" shakes, an order of FF & an order of onion rings. Total? $45- What? for lunch? These better be MASSIVE burgers. =Let down!= They were not. Although tasty, not very appealing for the price - $7.50 for this little gourmet grilled beef patty. (Angus meat at that - or you could choose chicken or turkey meat)

You get a # and the server brings you meal to your table. Most of the tables are connected like long 'bar' areas. Luckily we were only 3 - too many more in your party you either had to seperate or wait for a clearing...and it's not too big of a restaurant to begin with!!

So Bobby, we'll see how long the novelty lasts! At these "NYC" gourmet prices...not too long I'm guessing. At least I tried it... Too bad Bobby wasn't there himself. It would have been worth the trip more. Oh well! I'll stick to my own grilled burgers at home...

What we've been up to.. Week 4 of Kitchen Remodel

2008-07-24T23:01:00.010-04:00

Let's start off with what we've been up to!

We've taken a few "day-cations" - 2x to the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium - We splurged for the "Family" membership @$135 because Brendan LOVES feeding the sting rays and looking at the shark tank for hours. It's worth it! We're only about a 35 min drive from the aquarium!

We went to Montauk for the the day last Tuesday. We went with Sean's friend Matt, Lauren and their little baby, Gracie. We went to Hither Hills State Park/Beach and then drove to town for dinner, right on the water at Gosman’s Dock. Brendan got a front row view of the fishing boats coming in and we got a delicious seafood dinner! It was an overcast day with a brief shower at the beach but the sun came out as we set out for dinner and we had a sunny view of Montauk Harbor for our meal. It was a nice drive out - we drove through the Hamptons looking at all the shops and tourists. (no celeb sitings!) But -duh! I forgot my camera! So sorry, no pics yet!

Our 6th anniversary was last Saturday. We went out to dinner at Pasta Pasta! in Port Jefferson. Delicious! And we didn't have to inhale it! Then we went to the movies and saw Mamma Mia! It was OK but we've seen the show in NYC so it was a bit of a disappointment! Actors should stick to acting - not singing!

Kitchen Remodel Update!

We are about 90% done! We have all the cabinets up, filled (I spent a total of about 8 + hours putting things back, reorganizing & lining shelves!) with dishes, etc.; all the new appliances were put in and hooked up. I actually "cooked" dinner, we ate on real plates and used real silverware!!! We also moved the china cabinet & dining room table back so we could eat on it! This weekend I plan to tackle the china cabinet, wash all my china & stemware and put it all back in. I'm also going to "uncover" all the living room furniture & knick-knacks & put back the curtains & rugs! It's going to be very busy! Hooray!
Our final things are: granite counters - being put in on Monday; new faucet hooked up (right now we are using our old sink & counter top as a temporary); tile backsplash put in; tile floor cleaned and sealed & any final touch ups!

Tile Makes Me SMILE :) Cabinets too! - Kitchen Remodel - Week 3

2008-07-16T22:00:00.002-04:00

On Monday our kitchen tile was put in. We did a "running bond" set to give the floor a bit more style then just your basic setting. I really looks nice.

Then on Tuesday they came to put up all the cabinets! Hooray...we're getting to the home stretch! Thursday I'm going to choose pulls and knobs for the cabinet door and drawers. I'm already "dreaming" about where I'm going to put everything. Also on Thursday the appliances are being delivered.

On Saturday they are coming to template for the granite countertop!

The countertop color: Tropical Brown

Works for Me Wednesday

2008-07-16T15:37:00.009-04:00

Here's a supermarket shopping list that can keep any kid busy while shopping!

Here's how I made it!
I made a chart with 5 boxes in each column. One column I called "I need" and the other column "I found". Then I laminated it. Next I attached velcro dotes to each box. I then created "food cards". Each food card is a different food item we buy with the name and picture. I attached the opposite velcro dots on the backs of each "food card" after I laminated them. Before we go shopping, my son chooses 5 food items he will be responsible for finding at the store. While there, his job is to find the items. When it's in our cart he moves the card to the "I found" column. He loves feeling responsible for "his items" and playing scavenger hunt fo them. I love it because it keeps him busy while shopping.

I also use this activity book I found in Target. It's by Cranium/Bloom. It attaches to the cart with a velcro strap and you use a wipe off marker to do the cards.

How Does YOUR garden grow?

2008-07-12T07:00:00.003-04:00

We've been busy with everything going on here but we did manage to plant this Spring and we're enjoying the "fruits of our labor!" (sorry about the cliche!) Here are a few pictures:

Brendan can't wait until these turn RED! We planted cherry tomatoes & beefsteak tomatoes.

I can't wait to have my kitchen back so I can cook with all my herbs. This year I planted basil, rosemary (my 2 faves), 2 types of thyme, 2 types of sage, marjoram, oregano and mint.

Here are my favorite geraniums! I always do my standard red and white!

Please share your gardens! What do you grow? What are your favorites? Please inspire! Share your thoughts on my comments!

(I wanted to set up a "mr linky" but I'm still trying to figure it out! Maybe next time! )

I also have to give credit to Marie of Makes and Takes...she did a post on gardening and gave me the inspiration to share ours! Thanks Marie!

Makin' Mudpies! - Kitchen Remodel

2008-07-11T13:01:00.010-04:00

Well, not exactly...but they laid the mud for the tile floor. It sure looked like a muddy mess! This is the first layer before the tile gets set. Then on Monday it will be set with the grout. *UPDATE! We will have the tile set on Monday & then grouted. Our tile guy had a bad knee on Saturday so work was delayed!*
So we can't walk through the kitchen or go down to the basement until Tuesday. I made sure ALL the wash was done and we brought up some extra toys to make it through the weekend. We've also decided that we need to take a "day-cation" on Sunday since we'll have no work being done...it's going to be a LONG weekend!!

The walls were also painted. I decided on Ben. Moore's Historical "Concord Ivory". It's a rich yellow. I wanted to pick up the warmth of the cabinets and make the granite counters "pop". I hope it works!! (It's really hard to see the color from these pics)

Wine Crawl - 2008

2008-07-11T12:33:00.008-04:00

On Tuesday, July 8th was our Annual Wine "Crawl." Sean and I go with a group of friends from his work. It's set for the 2nd Tuesday in July every summer. The intent is to relax, see friends, nosh of antipasti and of course, WINE! We sampled wine in several wine vineyards before setting out our snacks under a trellis with grapes. How appropriate! Here are the vineyards we stopped at:

Palmer

Laurel Lake

Pugliese (where we had our snack picnic)

Pindar

Lenz

Then we headed to Mike M's for a delicious dinner at his Cutchogue home. It was another great tour of LI Wine Country with good friends, good wine, and good food! The day was hot (always seems to be) but there was a nice, cool breeze. Enjoy the pics!

Works for Me Wednesday - Kid Schedule

2008-07-09T10:43:00.011-04:00

Here's what works for my 3.5 year old. A schedule.

Being a teacher, I know that kids thrive on a schedule. They like to know what is going to happen each day...what to expect...it's makes them comfortable to know this. So I created a schedule for my son so that he knows what's on the agenda for the day. It also got him to take a nap since he knew that after his nap he could do other fun things...but not until he took his nap.

On the front I printed the activity and on the back I printed DONE. I glued them on index cards and laminated them. I have them in a pocket chart. He loves to turn over the cards and say he completed the task. I don't add any times for this since I need it to be a little flexible. (plus he can actually tell time by the hour so I don't need that added pressure to keep on schedule that way!!) I also don't use the schedule every day. I want him to also be flexible. Too much scheduling won't allow that.

(Sorry these pics are not the best- My kitchen is under construction!)

Update! Kitchen Remodel

2008-07-07T12:33:00.005-04:00

So it's been a week...we're going on week 2...
Last week on Thursday we got walls! However, we had some trouble with our tenant's shower that had a leak way back in October...it was still slowly leaking. Well, we had to fix that before the new walls could go up in the kitchen since the bathroom is over it. So we had that fixed, the basement door was removed and then had another leak. When they screwed in the sheetrock, they hit the cold water pipe. So when I took a shower after they left, it leaked into the basement in my laundry room! It was a leaky day to say the least!
Saturday we had the walls spackled and today we are getting the second coat with sanding. We are hoping that this week we'll get the floor in and the cabinets up on the walls...since the appliances come on Friday.
Unfortunately, the leaks set us back a day. Let's hope things go a bit more smoothly...
Sorry no pics!...Stay tuned!

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-04T10:20:00.004-04:00

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck

Happy 4th of July from the Clarkin Family!

Works for Me Wednesday

2008-07-02T07:00:00.004-04:00

This week's WFMW is 5 Ingredients or Less .
Here are 2 of my faves! Enjoy!

Well, the best "quick and easy" recipe I can think of does not have 5 but 7 ingredients...but the extra 2 are well worth it. This is an easy "go to" recipe and you can have most the ingredients in the pantry.
I can't take the credit for it, I found it in the Kraft magazine and they keep reprinting it...so I know it's a good one! I love it in the Fall/Winter b/c it warms the house with a delicious smell!

I also attached a good, quick, "no heat in the kitchen" recipe. It's great for the slow cooker. The hardest part is finding the McCormick seasoning packet...usually it sells out...so stock up!!

Bruschetta Chicken Bake
Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:40 min
Makes:6 servings, 1 cup each

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

HEAT oven to 400°F. Stir tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened.
PLACE chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with basil. Top with cheese and stuffing mixture. BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through. **************************************************************

Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork

Sweet and tangy describe this mild, family-style BBQ pork. Start with a boneless shoulder roast or substitute a boneless loin roast for a lower fat BBQ. Coleslaw is a must have side!
Makes 10 servings. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast, well trimmed
1 package McCormick® Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork Seasoning
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar

1. Place pork in slow cooker. Mix Seasoning, ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar until blended. Pour over pork. Cover.
2. Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH. Remove pork from slow cooker.
3. Shred pork, using 2 forks. Return pork to slow cooker. Mix and heat with sauce before serving. Serve on sandwich rolls, if desired.
IMPORTANT: For best results, do not remove cover during cooking.
Substitute: Use 3 pounds boneless pork loin roast in place of the pork shoulder roast.

Summer Fun!

2008-07-01T22:36:00.010-04:00

Here's what Brendan has been up to...

Playing in his new Diego sprinkler

Then we saw a frog on the lawn...

And a rabbit baby and it's parents!

Pipes and electric and windows...oh my!

2008-07-01T15:27:00.003-04:00

Kitchen Remodel - Day 2

Today was a busy day! The plumber worked on the pipes in the ceiling to accommodate our cabinets, the electrician came to install the new lighting (high hats), and change out the old wiring. Then they also installed the new window. Quite a lot was accomplished!!

...Stay tuned...sheet rock begins tomorrow...

Everything but the Kitchen Sink...

2008-06-30T19:15:00.016-04:00

Kitchen Remodel - Day 1
And the fun has begun...
Today the "crew" emptied the entire kitchen...did I say "empty?" I meant GUTTED!! We're down to floor boards and wall studs. There was a lot of banging, a lot dust, and a lot of floors & walls! We actually had 2 linoleum floors (the one below our current one was definitely a 70's style) and 2 layers of wallpaper, 1 layer of paneling and 1 layer of some other wall covering...then some sheet rock! We do have a minor problem with the upstairs bathroom pipes that need to be moved so that they can fit in the cabinets. The plumber will be working on this tomorrow.
Here are some photos...

Memories...gone and quickly forgotten...

And so the "adventure" begins...

2008-06-27T16:49:00.007-04:00

The cabinets arrived Thursday, the dumpster on Saturday and the contractor on Monday. Autumn goes to my IL's house on Saturday too. Then the cats will get locked in our bedroom on Monday for about 3 weeks.

We now have our dining room full of boxes, our living room filled with the dining room furniture, and soon our make -shift kitchen will be in the den. Thank goodness we're done working for the summer!

I thought I'd share some before photos...

Goodbye BLUE formica, peeling wallpaper, and linoleum floor! I told my contractor that I wanted to rip off a cabinet door or something... I can't wait to fill the dumpster with this ugly stuff!

Stay tuned....more photos to follow...

Brendan Graduates!

2008-06-16T16:56:00.008-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATE! Class of 2008!

Brendan's Tiny Turtle class graduated in a moving up ceremony on Wednesday, June 11th!

Brendan has completed 1 year of preschool! Hooray!

His class walked on stage and sang a few songs...Brendan didn't sing anything...he froze! Shocking because he's such a "ham" at home! But here's the few pics I took of him. He even shyed from getting his "diploma" from the teacher. She had to go to him. Oh, well ... there's always next year! They were so cute in their turtle tees and turtle hats!

UPDATE: Butterflies...Released!

2008-06-16T16:56:00.006-04:00

We finally set the butterflies free!
Here's a few pics of Brendan and his friend! This one let Brendan hold him...he just couldn't say "goodbye!"