Wednesdays Wine

I know today isn't Wednesday but here it is anyway;)


About a month ago Ryan and I were at the store picking up a few things for dinner and of course I needed a new bottle of wine. So we were browsing the wine aisle looking for Middle Sister {our local store is constantly rearranging the wine aisle.....drives me crazy!} Ryan found it and grabbed a bottle and a lady looking for her wine....said, "Thanks", because the wine she was looking for was right next to the bottle he picked up. Anyway she suggested Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet and so we gave it a try and it's super yummy! Our local grocery store only carries a couple different bottles. I will be on a mission to find more because I absolutely love them and want to try them all.

ENJOY!!!!

Saturday Sweetness.

I don't know if this is a "real" recipe or not but it's my recipe now. It's so freaking good. I could eat it by the spoon fulls {and sometimes do}. It's great with strawberries and raspberries. It's cheap to make and would be great to serve at a summer BBQ. 
We had it at a baseball get together one of the parents had and I couldn't remember what the heck was in it but I think it was just cool whip and marshmallow creme. So one day I decided to give it a try..............and it actually tasted good, still not sure if that's really what was in it. Now it's a must have anytime we have strawberries, especially for my husband;)

You really should give this a try this weekend. I promise you will not be disappointed. 


Fruit Dip


8oz.cool whip
7 oz. marshmallow creme


Let cool whip sit out and defrost. Combine and enjoy;)
If you don't let the cool whip sit out for a while it will harden the marshmallow creme. Just put in refrigerator for a while and keep stirring, it will eventually smooth out.


Ok on a side note......I am loving the blog hops have I joined the last couple weekends. Last weekend was he first time I participated and came across some great new blogs and in return I have lots of new followers.....WELCOME! I never thought I would hit 50. 
I hope everyone has a great weekend. The weather here is supposed to be nice, well that means no triple digits and next week I think I saw high 80's in the forecast so that's even better;)

Wednesdays Wine

Lately I have had an obsession with trying new wines. And I just love all the Middle Sister Wines. Target actually as a really good selection of them. I think they might just have about all of them. They are usually around $8.00 or $9.00, not too bad. 
Anyway.....I absolutely LOVE their wines. 

Anyway.......let me know if you give them a try;)


And for whatever reason Blogger was having some issues with uploading pictures or else this would have been posted this morning. 

Potty Training.

FINALLY.....I think we are in full potty training mode!!!!!!! 


A week after Cameron's second birthday he started saying "pee" and would go pee in the toilet like a big boy and I thought to myself, oh this potty training thing might not be so bad after all........yeah right. All last summer he was going to the bathroom inside and outside, so I thought by the time he was 3 we would be good and done with potty training and he would have it down like a pro. Well he is almost 3 1/2 now and I finally think he is getting it! We haven't really forced it on him, kinda just went with the flow because every one kept telling us one day he will get it. We tried treats and a potty chart and nothing really worked.


He has been wearing underwear for a week now and has been doing GREAT! Saturday he had a bad day and had a few accidents {boys are just lazy sometimes}. Now he just goes in the bathroom pulls down his pants and pees.....I am so proud of him! 


Last week he started wearing underwear to the baseball games. I figured that was a good place to start. I take him back behind the fence and he pees on the foul pole;) It's so cute, all the boys know he is wearing underwear and they praise him and say "cool" and "good job".  


Going #2 might take a little more work, one thing at a time I guess.  He will go on the toilet but the past few days he has had some tummy issues and has had a couple accidents. 
One of those accidents was at Chilli's the other night. It wasn't a big deal. The only people who knew what happened were our friends we were there with, no biggie. Dad took him out to the truck and got him cleaned up {the Lightening McQueen underwear didn't make back inside, dad tossed those once we got home}. 


So the only time he has had on a diaper the last week or so was at bed time. I am thinking we need to go get some Goodnites underwear. He keeps asking to wear underwear to bed, sorry dude...not yet. 

And here he is in the backyard;)


I will be so glad when I don't have to ask him a million times a day if he needs to pee!

Come On Over for a Recipe Party!!!!!

In an effort to help me get back into planning out our dinner meals each week and help inspire me in the kitchen I am going host a recipe party. Not only will this help me in the kitchen but I am hoping it helps all of you. 


I feel like we are having the same old meals every week.  I love trying out new recipes, especially when they are easy and don't require a million ingredients, but feel free to share whatever you would like.  


You can post anything from desserts to side dishes to casseroles. Since we are heading into the heart of summer it would be awesome to see some new ideas for summer salads.


I am sure most of you have posted a recipe on your blog, so this will be easy. Just leave a comment with the link to your recipe post and in a few days I will put together a post with all the recipe links and hopefully it will be a great resource we can all use. And if you haven't posted a recipe on your blog before you can just leave your recipe as a comment.
If you have any great cooking tips or know of some great food blogs, I would love to hear those as well. Anything to help us all get inspired in the kitchen!
Hope this makes sense, I haven't tried doing anything like this before so I hope it will all work out;)

Grocery Shopping HELP!

OK folks.......I might need a little help with something. Last week I finally got around to adding some of our accounts to Mint.com. For those of you that don't know what mint.com, it's a financial website that helps you manage and budget your monies. It takes everything you spend and categorizes it into categories like, groceries, gas, home, shopping, and etc. It's actually pretty cool and now I think I might be addicted to it {Thanks Cynthia for telling me about it}. The only bad thing is seeing how much debt you really have. It includes mortgage, car loans, student loans, and credit cards. Once you add your mortgage account it really sucks seeing how far in the red you are.

Anyway my point is I finally have a rough figure on the amount we spend on groceries. Everything from Walmart, Target, Costco, and Raley's get categorized in the Grocery column. So not only is that grocery items but also diapers, laundry soap, cleaning products, toothpaste, bath soap, and other personal care items for us and the boys. The amount was a little over $1000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe this is good.......I don't know but to me it seems kinda high for a family of 4, which 2 are just toddlers. 


I go to Raley's at least 3 times a week for milk, fruit, vegetables, yogurt, meat, and anything else we might need for dinner. I love using coupons but at the most only end up saving like 5 bucks on a $125.00 grocery bill. 


I would to hear any grocery shopping tips you have that might help me out. How do stop from going to the store every couple of days? We go through like 4-5 gallons of milk a week, our refrigerator only has so much space. And your fruits and veggies usually don't last for more than a couple days without going bad. For a few months I was planning out dinner every week {helps out during baseball season} and that helped a little because I knew what I needed on a weekly basis and shopped for the entire week. But haven't done that for a few weeks or so. 


I would absolutely love to hear whatever helpful info you can give me;)
Thanks a bunch!

New Shoes

Check out my cute new shoes! I just wish I had more places to wear them. Chasing the boys around the baseball field isn't exactly the best place to wear them. 
I finally made it to DSW, Designer Shoe Warehouse, a couple weeks ago and oh my.....it's like a shoe orgy. So many to look at and pick from. By far my new favorite shoe store.  


I tried to find these on their website but it looks like they might be sold out and I couldn't find them online anywhere else either. But I did find some that are very similar, Moda Spana Heloise Wedge Sanda. 

Coconuts Howell Wedge Sandal 


Do you like?! Aren't they cute?! They are pretty comfy, they left no blisters and I didn't trip or fall down in them which is always a plus;)

Super Yummy Dessert.

Last week one of the blogs I follow posted this ridiculously looking delicious brownie cookie Oreo dessert thingy. It looked so good and irresistible I just had to make it. 


If you are not already a follower of Kevin & Amanda you should check out their blog and follow them. They always have great recipes and interesting reads. For all my scrapbooking buddies you have to check out her scrapbook room.


OK........so this super yummy dessert is called: Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n' Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar. I made it over the weekend but forgot to take pictures but if you head on over to their blog Amanda has posted some awesome pictures {she takes great pictures and her food always looks amazing}. It's so good when it comes fresh out of the oven, it's all warm and gooey inside...........it's so freaking yummy;)


Please give it a try......I promise you won't be disappointed.....ENJOY!

Driver's License Picture.

Last week I had to make a trip to DMV to renew my Driver's License since it expired on my birthday. I never updated my address when we moved {4 years ago} so I never received my renewal noticed in the mail. I was totally unprepared to take a new picture. I thought I was going to be able to keep the same one {although I wasn't prepared for a picture that time either, its a better picture than this new one}. 


Last time I was at DMV was about 5 years ago after I got married and needed a license with my new last name and I was told anytime you change your name you HAVE to get a new picture, so last week I thought I was good and didn't have to get a new picture taken. 
At least my hair was down and not pulled back like last time. So, the new license came in the mail Tuesday and it's the worst picture EVER! The dude taking the picture was taking forever and just told me to look at the blue dot. They don't tell you to smile or anything, just look at the blue dot. I was kinda biting my lower lip with a funny expression on my face...... IT'S TERRIBLE!!!! I am not brave enough to post the picture. Can I have a do-over?

A Good Fun Weekend.

Well this weekend was a good one for us. My husband and I got to have a night out without the wild ones. It was a much needed break for myself. I am with them 24/7 and rarely get anytime without them. Don't get me wrong I love my kids dearly and would anything for them and miss them to pieces when they are not with me but Cameron has been so naughty lately. He doesn't listen and just starts doing things to push my buttons, like touch everything on the counter tops and knocking things over and just doing things he knows he shouldn't be doing.


Saturday we went out to dinner with some friends and out to a couple bars to celebrate the big 3-0. It felt good to get out, put a nice shirt {there are some clothes you keep for "special" occasions without kids, they always seem to dirty and stain everything} and let loose a little. The people watching is always fun. Watching the older folks drink and dance is hilarious. There was this couple {probably in their early 60's} and they were dancing on the dance floor all by themselves, it was super cute and they were pretty good. Then after that all the crazies got on the dance floor and that's when the good people watching started {I should have got the camera out for that, would have made a great blog topic}.

Goofy smile {the flash was hecka bright}




Then on Sunday we met up with the family and an early dinner and some birthday cake;) And thank you for all my presents. I am truly lucky to have such a wonderful family and great friends. 

The little man sitting nice and good {for once} while we are waiting to eat.

30.

When I was 18 I never thought I would ever turn 30, it just seemed so far away and so old. The past 12 years have gone by so fast and now that I have kids the years seem to go by even faster. I knew one day I would turn 30 but I guess I wasn't ready for how fast it would actually happen. I couldn't be happier with my life at 30. I have a wonderful husband and two crazy adorable kids. It just seems surreal to be actually 30. I know 30 is not old so why does it feel so old?! {half way to 60....yikes!}

Yes folks.....today is my birthday!  I have been dreading this birthday since my last birthday, I am no longer in my 20's. I have already started to get a few grays and some chin whiskers, I am sure the wrinkles have already started coming too but I am just in denial.
I am not doing anything exciting today, just another day. The high school baseball team my husband coaches made playoffs and they play tonight, so that's what we will be doing......I know boring.

This weekend Ryan and I are going out with a couple of our friends. I guess we are going out to celebrate the big birthday but really I just needed an excuse to go out and have a little fun.


I woke up to a couple birthday cards sitting by the coffee pot  and a gift certificate for a spa day {Thank you Ryan......very sweet and so thoughtful}.


So what's next?! What happens after you turn 30? Is everything just downhill from here? Is turning 40 even more traumatic than 30?! I am going to try real hard to look at my age as a just a number now and try to make my 30's even better than my 20's, it will be tough.....I got married to the love of my life and had 2 beautiful healthy babies in my 20's {that's going to be hard to beat}.

Sunday Stew.

The weather here has been kinda weird for the month of May. Every other year or so we have a rainy May. It was cold, windy, and rainy Sunday so I thought it would be the perfect day to cook a pot of beef stew. It might be the last time for awhile since it won't be long until we are all complaining that it's too hot and we won't want to be eating HOT stew for dinner. 


I cooked enough for left-overs which worked out perfect because we had a baseball game and once again it was cold, windy, and rainy. It didn't start to rain until the 7th inning so we didn't get too wet. So the stew was perfect after the game. Our team won so that means we have our first playoff game Thursday night. And today was another cold, rainy, and windy day. I guess we should enjoy the cooler weather while we can because it's going to 100 degrees real soon.


Beef Stew


1 big container of tomato juice { I use the low sodium Campbell's }
1-2 packages of stew meat { that's what it's called at my local grocery store }
4-5 potatoes
1 onion
1 bell pepper
celery
carrots
salt and pepper to taste

I usually cut up the meat into smaller pieces. Boil meat. Chop everything else up {small or big depends on how you like it} combine everything into a big pot and add some of the water you used to boil the meat in { I never measure it maybe like 2 -3 cups } Bring to boil, cover and simmer for approximately 2 hours or so or until potatoes and carrots are tender.


Sunday Stew.....I like that....hmmmmmm..... Maybe I will make this a regular Sunday post..............
The Sunday Stew......well we will see about that. 

Mother's Day Album

A couple months ago I got together with my scrapbooking girls at our favorite local scrapbook store {one of like two still open in our area}. We have been going there for a few years now. A couple of my friends had taken a class there and made these super cute mini albums. And I thought they would make great a Mother's Day gift for our Moms. 


They are the perfect size for 4x6 pictures, no cropping is needed. So for the past 2 months I have been slowing gathering my supplies. It's always a challenge getting what I need to finish up projects because it's not like I can just run all over town getting what I need in one day, it takes me awhile since I ALWAYS have the boys with me. Anyone with kids knows there is a time limit when your out and about trying to run errands. And plus I had to order a couple things online and then reorder it because it wasn't exactly what I needed. 


I finally just got all my stuff last week and busted my butt for 2 days to finish in time for Mother's Day. I ended up making 5 books total. One for each of our Mother's, one for each of our Grandmother's, and one for our SIL. 

This is the book for our Mothers.

Here is what the inside pages look like.

This is the Grandmother book.

Each page has a pull out insert with a tab for more pictures;) I put pictures of the boys in both the Mom's book and Grandma's book and then pictures of my SIL kids in her book.


Once I get the new Etsy shop up and running I am thinking of adding a book like this.....still working on that.
Hope everyone has a great weekend;)

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

The boys and I walked the 15th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure this past Saturday. We picked my Grandma bright and early and met up with Cynthia and Rebecca. 


My Grandmother is an 11 year breast cancer survivor. After having a full mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation she beat it and is cancer free today;) 

That's me in the pink thermal, Rebecca, and Cynthia

I had to get a picture with Grandma.

Grandma with the boys getting ready to go.

I wanted to get a picture with the boys but this is not what I had in mind.

And this is Cameron thinking he is so cool sitting in the drivers seat with the seat belt on.


Get involved and click here to find a race near you. 

Early Birthday Present.

I have the bestest, sweetest, most generous besties a girl could ask for. I got to see Cynthia and her sister Rebecca over the weekend, their poor Mom, Vicky, was missing because she smashed her toe the night before. We met up at the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure. 

Cynthia handed me a bag and said I had to open it now in front of them since she wasn't going to be home on my actual birthday. So I pulled out the tissue paper and saw this cream colored silky bag, pulled it out and was like ........................NO FREAKING WAY!!!!

It was a Coach purse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was so surprised. And still can't believe it. I feel like I don't deserve such a nice gift. Cynthia tries and downplay it by saying...."well its from all three of us and it's a big birthday".....whatever;) I feel so lucky to have such great friends. Cynthia, Rebecca, and Vicky have done so much for me.....bridal showers, baby showers, handmade quilts, and lots of love over the years.

I have never had such a fancy purse before. I feel like it should only be used for special occasions because its so pretty and I am afraid of ruining it. I definitely won't be taking it to the baseball games. 

Check it out.....isn't it super cute?!

I absolutely LOVE IT! 

I cannot thank you girls enough......THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU,THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!