Family Briefs

How is it that in a matter of just a couple of hours, my home can go from neat and orderly (well, relatively) to there being stuff everywhere??!!!! It’s so incredibly frustrating! I don’t want to nag the kids all the time, and I try to remember that they are just kids. Of course, the reality in our home is that we truly have too much stuff! Even the kids admit that they have too many toys, of course I don’t see them tossing their stuff in boxes to give away or sell .

Less is more I’ve decided, so I’m going to Read the rest of this entry »

We had a few days in the upper 60’s and lower 70’s this week, so some things are actually beginning to bloom around here already. Well, they were until the snow flurries this morning! Crazy weather around - no tellin’ what to expect tomorrow!

The warmer weather put me in cleaning and purging mode (too bad my four children kept interrupting, or I actually might have made some progress!). I worked on cleaning out the minivan some this week since Honda FINALLY got the new seat cover in and installed it. I asked them to provide a complimentary vacuum, wash, and wax to keep me as a satisfied customer (I’m such a stickler ). I threw away all kinds of trash and unknown items in my 5-year-olds booster seat slide-out drink holder compartments. I even spent a few minutes organizing all the travel toys that keep my kids occupied while we sit in the car line or run errands.

It looks much better, but I still have Read the rest of this entry »

My oldest is not a picky eater, except when it comes to school lunches. Even though I have a new appreciation for school lunches (I didn’t have to cook it), he lacks that same feeling. Most days he and I put together something for lunch for him, and he’s not a big sandwich eater. So, we have to get a bit creative . . .

1. His favorite soup is Campbell’s Select Italian Wedding. I heat up a can & put some in his thermos (we, at home eat the rest), cut up some apple slices, a few baby carrots and some Ranch dressing dip (in a disposable plastic container, no less); add a cookie, and he’s all set!

2. We occasionally eat frozen pizza (the REALLY cheap kind) on Friday nights for our movie night. I usually cook a little extra, so I can send him to school with cold pizza, grape tomatoes, a banana, and some chocolate pudding. Read the rest of this entry »

Our little sleepy town here is growing by leaps and bounds - mostly in the young family demographic. People come to live here because we have a great school system.

We had a new library built just a few years ago, and this year construction of a new addition for the youth services division has begun. I’m so excited - I go to the library just to get updates on the construction progress (of course, my children tug at my sleeve and remind me that I promised we could get some books this time ).

Our wonderful youth services librarian asked me to help spread the word about a project she is working on. “My Hometown Helper” is a grant program sponsored by Hamburger Helper of the General Mills Company. The library has submitted a proposal for a grant to purchase an Ellison Die-Cut Machine. In order for the grant to get approval, the grant committee must see support and a need for the grant. Would you please follow these instructions to help our library?

1. Log on to this web site: http://www.myhometownhelper.com/
2. Click the “Find a Project” button at the top of the page
3. Type in Alabama and Auburn in the two boxes

4. Click search.
5. Click on “An Ellison Die Cut Machine for Our Library”
6. Read the grant, read comments already submitted, and post your comment in support of the grant.
You must be 18 in order to post.

Thanks for your support!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

Where has the week gone??? I don’t know about you, but we’ve been busy getting valentines for our special friends ready to take to school. Whew! Now that task is taken care of, so I can start thinking about how to spend the rest of Valentine’s Day.

I’ve already planned to make a cute Read the rest of this entry »

Actually, I’m out of off-brand Pull-Ups and store brand diapers. Gee, I never thought about it from the kids’ perspective .

The LAST thing I have my 3 1/2-year-old do before getting in bed for her mid-day nap is to fetch a diaper. Now, she’s very fond of her new princess and Elmo panties, so she’s a bit reluctant to remove them (interpretation: this issue can lead to a major meltdown).

So, after she’s gone potty, here’s what I do: slide her underwear down, put on the diaper while she stands up, then slide the underwear and pants back up. Super-easy and she’s very pleased to get to sleep in her underwear (and I’m very pleased I won’t have to change the sheets after her nap ).

What I really love (aside from less laundry) Read the rest of this entry »

Do you have a hard time getting your kids to sit at the table for more than two minutes? Up down, run this way, and that way - drives me nuts! If my kids are really hungry AND they like what we’re having, their table manners are great. Otherwise, you can forget it!

This morning during breakfast, my 3 1/2 year old suggested that we play “I Spy,” and I resisted knowing they’d be paying even LESS attention to their food. But my brilliant 8-year-old (who could Read the rest of this entry »

I was trying to catch up on some work for my “real” job the other night and it had gotten rather late. I was multi-tasking, which means I was probably getting less done that I should have been. Around 10 o’clock, I found myself making copies while filing a few papers (my least favorite task, next to grocery shopping). Suddenly, I heard the sound of trouble - paper getting jammed in the copier.

Now, this wasn’t just any paper. Read the rest of this entry »

Hootin’ Anni has a Christmas Meme going. Since I’ve never been tagged for a meme , I thought I’d give this one a try.

1. Christmas is _______________. [fill in the blank with ONE WORD]

Christmas is hectic frantic emotional busy special.

2. In memories, what was the best part of your Christmases past?

My favorite Christmas was about 8 years ago when I was Read the rest of this entry »