Spam?

Have you ever gotten one of those emails where the person pretends to know you and goes on to tell you that he/she is stuck someplace and they need you send money?

I get them every so often.

This past weekend, both Kyle and I received the following email:

It was "from" my brother-in-law

Subject: possibly stranded in Charlotte

Please call Mom and have her see if Tim can hook us up on us air. We are going to miss our flight from Charlotte to albany today. Have her ask him what he can book us on for tomorrow early morning. Email us back please. Thanks! Love you. 

Kyle and I talked about this email for a good 30 minutes. 

Is it real? 

Gosh, these spammers are getting good. 

How did they know to use Tim? "Tim is a real person in our family." 

If it really is my sister-in-law, why would they be stuck in Charlotte? 

They have money and should be able to purchase a ticket home. 

They are in the US and don't need passports.

Finally Kyle decided to call his sister.

And yes in deed, it was a real email.

Turns out they were in the Bahamas for the past week and missed their flight back into Charlotte which in turn made them miss the flight back to Albany.

They only turned on 1 phone while out of the country and they decided to email us for help instead of calling.

Turns out they rented a van and were able to drive back to Albany.

We just had a really good laugh after it was all over.

So, lesson learned....if you really need help and are really stranded someplace, don't make your email sound like spam :o)

Do you know where your wife is?

My wonderful husband took the day off to play with his new truck

Lucky me, I was able to sleep in a bit and was able to run to Target

I usually only have the chance to go to Target on the weekends. 

I was shocked today to discover that all the stay-at-home moms were at Target today

It was actually really funny!

I only saw women and about 75% of them were wearing workout clothes

Then I stopped at the dollar section to mosey around and there they were...

Stroller strides moms! 

(If you don't know what Stroller Strides is, it's basically an over priced "workout" group for moms with kids from infant to preschool age. You sign up, buy a B.O.B. stroller and workout with your kids in the stroller at a park. It's completely racist in that they only offer classes at times that stay-at-home moms could possibly attend. I have never seen anyone "really" workout during these sessions either. It's mostly a socialization hour.)

A group of 3 or 4 moms with their B.O.B. strollers and kids in tow

They had on their little workout clothes (most too small)

and screaming kids strapped in the stroller

They took over the dollar section and boy did it SMELL!!!!

We needed some air freshener in that tight area. 

They were rude while pushing their way around the tight isles

and very loud when they talked about the Sesame Street snack containers.

We all heard about it. "A is for Addy, just like my Addy. I bought her a ton of these. They are the best things EVER!"

I just had to laugh and leave the area.

Then I was in the grocery section and asked an employee if they sold collard greens

A mom was near me and over heard my question and then gave me a look like, "Gross, you actually eat those things? Where is your coconut water?"

Those poor women. They need jobs!

I think I will stick to the Target weekend crowd

Wonderful kid day

It's Wonderful Kid Day!

At least, that's what I told my kiddos

See, I saw this awesome looking cake on a fellow bloggers blog today and I just had to make it

The kids asked why we were making a cake with which I replied, 

"Why, it's Wonderful Kid Day today!"

So I decided to skip boot camp today and indulge with my kids

\

I also really wanted to use this new cake release stuff I found at the craft store

which, by the way, worked wonderfully!

It was a quick and easy white cake

with a delicious buttercream frosting

The kids decorated with sprinkles (cinderella and halloween)

It was good but I thought it was a little too heavy compared with my usual white cake. 

I think I will stick with this one

Take me out to the ballgame

Bryson has become obsessed with baseball

I can't say I don't blame him. I love it!

I played when I was a kid and my brother and I would spend hours just playing catch in the backyard

Ahh, the memories!

Sophie tried her hand at baseball when she was 3

She didn't care much for it but we ended up buying a tee, really cool bat and a girly glove

This past weekend we found gloves for Bryson and Kaiden (she's our lefty but we found a cool pink one!)

and headed to the park for some baseball

The girls played for about 5 minutes

We couldn't get Bryson to leave! 

He didn't care if he was batting or fielding, he just wanted to play!

After all that baseball, we needed a MoJo break!

btw - Spring training is just around the corner. Guess where we will be going!

Boys will be boys

This little man drives me crazy!

He's the sweetest little guy who gives hugs and kisses all day, loves to sit on your lap and cuddle and has the most contagious smile and laugh around. He also has the funniest conversations with me.

For example, over the past 10 minutes, these are the two conversations we have had:

Bryson: Mom, I took out my ears
Me: Where did you put them?
Bryson: I don't know, I threw them someplace

Thanks! Luckily they make this obnoxious noise when they are not in his ears so we did find them

Then 5 minutes later, he is outside with 2 friends. They have all been told to play nice and not fight

Bryson comes to the open window and says to me:

Bryson: Mom, I fighting with the girls and I not go to time out

Boys! Gosh I love him!

Indulging

If you are ever in town and have the chance, you need to have lunch at Orange Table

It's a great little lunch spot in the Scottsdale Civic plaza.

My friend Jenny first discovered it quite a few years ago and just recently we visited it again while our friend was in town from Tucson.

We went to Orange Table for one reason...the Mexican Coffee

It was delicious!

Since then I have been craving it once a week. 

I finally figured out how to make my own version at home:

espresso

mocha powder

vanilla flavoring

cinnamon

almond extract (I don't have any almond extract right now so mine doesn't have any in)

milk

mix 1 Tbls mocha powder with 1 Tbls water and mix

add to espresso

add 1 Tbls vanilla flavoring

1 tsp cinnamon

steam milk and pour on top

Enjoy!

If you have almond extract, I would probably add about 1/2 tsp and see how it tastes

Pure Deliciousness! 

Baking

I was asked to bring cookies for Bryson's party tomorrow at school

Since I started making these sugar cookies almost a year ago, they get requested at all holiday parties

They are easy to make...

Measure

Mix

Chill

Roll, cut into shapes and bake

Make frosting and gather sugar

Decorate and let them dry

Try not to eat them all before your party!

Valentines Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

These are my 3 Valentines!

These are the cards we made for each of their classes

They are super easy to make:

1 pvc pipe

white background

suckers

cute kids

Place your cute kids in front of the white background

Have them hold pcv pipe

Take picture

Print picture

cut hole in pvc pipe on picture

insert sucker

tape to back of picture

Enjoy!

Sophie had to make her own valentine's box at home this year

Turned out really good, huh?

Kaiden has show and share once every month and each month is a new theme

This months theme is healthy eating

The kids need to make a healthy snack at home for the whole class and then show the class how to make it at school. It has to be easy enough for them to demonstrate, no peanuts and no refrigerator.

We made these

Sweet and salty in one!

Sophie said they weren't healthy but I had to disagree

Pretzels are low in fat so I considered them healthy :o)

I'm in the process of making cookies for Bryson's class.

I will post those later today for you to see

Enjoy!

Just say no

This is my mom

She's looks all sweet, huh?

Well...I have this problem and it's all her fault

I can't say no to people when they ask me to work

I always hear her voice saying, "It's money. Your not sick. Don't let people down."

THANKS! 

I owe my hard working quality to her and her voice I have been hearing in my head for the last 15 years

I have finally told my nursing job that I can only work 2 nights a week instead of 3. It's getting to be too much. I need rest. 

Tomorrow is my first Tuesday off! I can't wait. Being that it's Valentine's Day makes it even more special.

Well, I got a phone call today. The other nurse that works with me decided to call in sick tonight so they want me to work tomorrow so the family doesn't go 2 nights in a row without a nurse. 

Great. You know who got suckered into working?

Yep, ME!

I guess I wouldn't mind so much except I also received phone calls from my 3 "extra" families. The families that only come occasionally and are extra money for us.

They all called and needed help this week.

I guess it's another busy week but I must say...

Thanks Mom for my good work ethic!

Saturday Fun

I had off a few Friday's ago. It was great! I was able to sleep in and when I got up, I had this yummy sandwich and most delicious coffee waiting for me!

(Don't worry, I took the bite out of the sandwich. It didn't come this way)

Then we went to watch the girls ice skate. They are really doing a great job!

Then we took the kids to Enchanted Island with a groupon I had gotten a few months ago

They have quite a few kiddie rides

Sophie said she wasn't scared on this one even though it went really high

Kaiden held my hand the whole time

This was one of those tea cup type rides. We spun really fast and when we tried to get off the ride, we were so dizzy we couldn't walk straight

Nothing says amusement park like a little face paining!

Spiderman for little man

Butterfly for Snowball

and a girly skeleton for Soph!

Part of our deal was an hour on a paddle boat.

The kids had a great time watching the ducks and laughing at mommy and daddy's lack of speed and sore legs after the first 5 minutes!

Before we left we had to ride the train

Bryson and daddy were in the very last row!

Mommy and her girls

It was a great day filled with tons of fun! I love being able to do things without being exhausted from working the night before. I might just take off another Friday night in the very near future!

Days gone by

Bryson - 6 months

I was reading a few blogs the other day and they all had something in common

the writers of these blogs had plans on Tuesdays

They got their kids together for a play date, had lunch together and took their kids to dance class together

Then they went home to clean, cook dinner and have a perfect day

Sounded so nice to be able to get out of the house, see friends, take their kids places during the week...

Ahh, the joys of having days off

Incase you didn't know, I work 70-80 hours a week between my daycare and nursing job and barely have time to go shopping on the weekends for food

If my kids are involved in activities, they are usually on Saturdays when the dance studio is jam packed, ice skating rink is way over loaded and there are a million cars on the road

My Tuesday's (and Monday's, Wednesday's, Thursday's and Friday's) consist of a lot of these..

I think we go thru about 12 of these bad boys a day

We take turns hanging out in this

and this. Sometimes we take naps in here!

My front entry is cluttered with these. Sometimes up to 4 of them!

We warm up and drink about 12 of these a day too!

but how can I complain? Look at those! They are good enough to eat!

And did I mention the cheeks on these little guys? They are so big and kissable!

I also get my baby fix in and can sleep at night without the midnight feedings

While I don't have the same life as these other ladies and sometimes envy them, I do enjoy hanging out with all my little guys...

snuggling, playing and rolling around on the ground.

Plus, I have an amazing husband who comes home and cooks dinner for us!