Benson's Knee Surgery!

Benson has had a hurt knee for as long as I have known him (10 years) and a couple of months ago he was wrestling with the boys and his knee made a popping sound. After that his knee would lock up and was causing him all kinds of problems. He went to the doctor and they told them he would need surgery and physical therapy!! Not the news we were hoping for...on Monday they called to schedule the surgery for FRIDAY! It was very shocking!

I was so mad because when Benson was getting ready to go into surgery I really wanted to take a picture....he had his hospital gown on AND white tights!!! I was so disappointed that the battery was dead on my camera...but seriously you can imagine...it was HILARIOUS! The surgery went well and he has been recovering nicely. He has been sitting on his chair with his foot up all weekend! I think he planned the surgery for this weekend so he could watch all the college football games without me giving him a hard time :)

I am definitely ready for him to be back on two feet!

"Sammy's Pink Cookies"

My friend Melissa posted this recipe on her blog long ago and I wanted to try them. I told Sammy they were called "Kyra's pink cherry cookies" (that is what Melissa called them) and she ask who Kyra was. I didn't know so she ask if we could change the name....sorry Kyra (whoever you are) but they are now "Sammy's pink cookies"! Anyway, these cookies were a hit! I recommend this recipe for anyone that loves cherries or the color pink (they would be cute for a little girl Birthday party or Baby Shower)!

1 1/2 c. shortening

1 1/3 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

1 (14 oz) bottle maraschino cherries chopped (save juice)

Cream sugar and shortening; add eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, and soda together. Add sugar and shortening and egg mixture. Add chopped cherries. Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 minutes.

Frosting: Mix cherry juice, 2 tsp. vanilla and 1 cube butter add powdered sugar one cup at a time, until desired consistency.

(The frosting recipe seemed HUGE to me so I didn't make the full recipe...I probably did like 2/3 of this recipe and had PLENTY of frosting!)

Guitar Lessons with Uncle Kenny

Sunday night my sister Kacey and her husband Kenny came over for dinner. Kenny is an awesome musician and Sammy had been wanting him to teach her some songs on her new guitar. The lessons went like this... First Sammy started off with the guitar and Kenny was teaching her (notice someone else close by that wishes he knew how to play the guitar).

Kenny (having a hard time with the Walmart guitar) then decides to have Sammy sing the songs while he plays.

Umm..who's lesson is this? Now Benson has the guitar while Sammy is watching???

Wait...where did Sammy go? I think she got sick of her daddy taking her guitar from her! Ha!
Benson and Kenny look so cute playing with the pink guitar!!

Meanwhile..Ben and Kacey spent the night taking pictures of each other! The kids had so much fun with Aunt Kacey and Uncle Kenny....please come again!!

I didn't get any pictures of Nate last night but we went to the mall with my sister, Erin, the other day and I got this cute picture of Nate riding on the carousel.

Proud!

Before school this morning I was chatting with Samantha about life. I told her "Samantha, I am so proud of you...you are such a great first grader". She said to me, "thanks mom" then she paused and thought for a moment and said "Mom, I am proud of you too". I said, "Oh yeah, why is that?" And she said, "You are doing such a nice job with the boys"!
She totally thinks she is the mom of her brothers...I'm glad I am performing to her standards while she is at school!

Ice Cream Truck

I can totally remember buying ice cream from the ice cream truck as a kid! Tonight we were in the backyard and Sammy said "what's that music?" and I announce "IT'S THE ICE CREAM TRUCK!" as if I was 5 years old! "The ice cream truck?" My kids have no idea what an ice cream truck is...so of course we ran to the front yard to buy and ice cream...I was figuring everything would be like a quarter or fifty cents...let's just say the ice cream man has raised his prices in the last 20 years! The kids thought this was so fun and can't wait to hear the music coming down the street again!!

Nastia

We have major "Olympic Fever" at our house. On Saturday, we had the Olympics on while we were getting some stuff done around the house and all of a sudden Ben hollers "Mom, its Nastia's turn...come quick" Benson and I look at eachother "Did he just say Nastia?" We go in the room and sure enough they were doing some of Nastia's highlights! This is coming from a kid that can't say "milk"...he is a crack up!

TAGGED!

3 Joys...
1. My cute husband
2. My adorable kids (but only when they are happy...luckily, that is most of the time)
3. A clean and organized house

3 Fears
1. My kids being kidnapped or hurt in any way
2. Roller Coasters
3. Someone breaking into my house

3 Obsessions

1. The Olympics
2. Reading...especially Twilight. Who isn't obsessed with Edward? seriously.
3. Blogging

3 Surprising Facts

1. My favorite treat in the WHOLE world is a chocolate dipped cone from Dairy Queen
2. I love to play Webkinz on the computer with my kids (and I even do it without them)...I seriously think it's fun! If you want to know my favorite game...it's Cash Cow!
3. I always wanted to be a nurse...but only because I LOVE to clean wounds. I don't think it would pan out as a job for me though because I don't like other gross stuff...just bloody cuts! (Its not the blood that I like as much as the peroxide...I love the bubbles! I even like to clean my own cuts!)

Now, I tag...Erin, Sarah W., Brittany, Emily, and Colette!! And of course, Whitney!

Lofty Goals!

The other day I was chatting with Ben and this was our conversation...

me- "Ben what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Ben- " When I grow up I want to dig in the trash and find money"

Me- pause"What?"

Ben- "yeah, I think that would be fun."

Me- "maybe we can think of something else you can do"

Ben- "like what"

Me - "I don't know...anything else...baseball player, football player, construction"

Ben- "okay, I guess I will be a ROCKER" as he plays his air guitar

Me- "That sounds great" I was just happy he decided to not be homeless!

My new favorite hobby...

My friend Staci had a bead party last night and I had so much fun making Sammy this necklace! I have to say I think I did a great job ! There were a couple other moms from the neighborhood there (okay, a lot of moms) but the girls were so cute at the bus stop this morning comparing necklaces! So cute...it's too bad this new hobby of mine is SO EXPENSIVE (don't tell Benson!) !!

Peanut Butter Play Dough

Today, I made peanut butter play dough with my boys. They LOVED this activity from start to finish...I let them help me mix it up then they played with it and then they ATE it! I had been wanting to make this for a while and then my friend Sarah W. blogged about it so I was motivated to give it at try. We will definitely be making this again!! Ben rolling out the dough

Nate using the cookie cutters

Ben using the cookie cutters...I grabbed all the cookie cutters and Ben used the Halloween ones. The whole time he was singing the only Halloween song that he knew ("Tis the night of Halloween" from Let's Play Music)

I knew Nate would love to eat the dough...I didn't tell him he could eat it because I wanted to see his reaction when he ate it and it was yummy (unlike the regular play-do that he likes to eat)....he stuck it in his mouth and said "oh, yummy"!

I have seen different recipes but the recipe I used was...

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2/3 cup powdered milk (I actually used powdered sugar because that is what I had and it sounded yummy)

and 2 tsp honey.

Mix together...for the record I actually didn't use a "recipe" I mostly just dumped stuff in a bowl and mixed until I got the right consistency..no measuring.

Some People

As we have concluded our first week of school...Samantha has informed me what "some people" do. I have no idea who these "some people" are but they have definitely influenced Samantha. For instance...
"Some People' like to wear a big pigtail but it's on the side of their head" which is now Samantha's FAVORITE hair style in the world.

Also, "some people bring these little chocolate balls that are like cupcakes but bigger and they have vanilla in the middle and little vanilla swirls on top". Just from her description I knew exactly what she was talking about.
Luckily, these new influences haven't been too bad!

We Survived the First Day of School (barely)!

Samantha started first grade...she loved it of course! And I am proud to say that I didn't cry...although this one mom was giving me really weird looks because I was taking tons of pictures :)

Lined up to go inside... Doesn't she look so cute?

I was so glad she made a friend right away...she talked to this little girl the whole way in.

Ben started preschool today too... I finally convinced him he wasn't going to Kindergarten.

Since he goes in the afternoon I got a babysitter for Nate and took Ben on a special lunch date before taking him to school. I told Ben he could pick anywhere he wanted to go...he ask me if he could get whatever he wanted to eat at the place...I said sure. He picked McDonald's and this is what he chose to eat...I'm sure his teacher was thrilled at his energy level...hot fudge sundae and french fries...the lunch of champions!!
When we were eating our lunch I ask Ben what he wanted to talk about and he said "me...I want to talk all about me!" so we talked about school and all his friends and what he is going to learn..etc, etc. Then he said he wanted to talk about Christmas and he told me what he wanted to get everyone..anyway, he said he wanted to buy Daddy "new tontacs" (contacts) I ask him why and he said "because I think he will want them" then I ask him what he wanted to buy me and he thought for a minute and said "Mom, I am going to give you me...because you love me so much" Isn't that so sweet? That was definitely the highlight of the "date".

Ben LOVES to play with Brendan. They usually ride the bus together but I took him today and let's just say he was HEARTBROKEN by this decision...turns out he isn't even on the list for the bus and I have heard about it all afternoon about how I didn't "sign him up" as if it is a team or something....

Ben and Brendan getting ready to go to school!



When I picked the kids up today it sounded like they had a good day...but mostly they seemed VERY TIRED!! Hopefully we will adjust to our new schedules soon!

I'm a TOTAL Mess!

I can't believe Samantha is starting 1st grade...a couple of years ago I was so excited for this day! Now, I am dreading it! She's my baby (okay, I know she's the oldest...but she is my first baby). I have been trying to psych myself up...but it's pointless! I am SOOO sad! I was making her lunch for tomorrow and I started to CRY! All I could think of was that she won't eat lunch with me anymore (besides weekends and holidays). I feel like this is the beginning of the end...I will no longer be her world. I won't be her best friend. She will make new friends and have this whole other life that I am not a part of. I am heartbroken. Before bed we read "Love You Forever" and when the mom sings the song...I started crying again! I couldn't get through the book. Does it get better? Benson kept saying..."stop crying" and it was making Sammy said so I explained to her that I am not sad because she won't like it...I am sad because she will LOVE it! Sammy kept telling me "mom, I will always be in your heart and you will be in my heart" and "every time I do a craft project I will feel like you are with me". I am feeling bad that she is comforting me (shouldn't it be the other way around?). I am happy for her and I know how great it is for her...but it's not great for me! Tomorrow I should be a total wreck...I have already cried my eyes out tonight! I am trying to be strong so I won't make Sammy sad. I'll keep you posted!
Why don't they send 2 year olds to all day school because honestly...I am ready for Nate to start tomorrow...just kidding (kind of)!

The "New Cabin"

To celebrate Sammy's Birthday and the end of Summer Vacation...we had a Stay-cation! I pricelined a hotel and got one at the Pointe Hilton Tapatillo Cliffs! We went out to dinner the first night and Ben kept saying "I just want to go the cabin" I thought he meant my parents cabin (which he loves) but then I figured out he meant the hotel. The entire trip he was calling our room the "new cabin". I thought that was so funny! Anyway, I didn't get too many pictures because we were so busy! We swam a bunch, they had tons of kids activities...including the Wild Life World Zoo presentation...luckily we had front row and the kids got to see the baby crocodile, python, hedgehog, millipede and chinchilla up close and personal. We also went to a "dive in movie" and they had a Family Fun Center that had tons of games and arts and crafts...so fun! Did I mention we saw a baby king snake outside our room??? Yes, Sammy and I ran and the boys tried to catch it! I brought Sammy's presents to the hotel to open..she REALLY wanted a camera and she knew that she was getting one but she acted surprised. Luckily it's digital because she has already taken 100 pictures (literally). If anyone is wondering, she also got a new Webkinz (not the pink dragon that she requested because I couldn't find it), Hannah Montana Jammies, new shoes, and the American leotard from Target ( I am hoping she is in to the Olympics), oh and a new crab she named "Roxy"..I can't believe I didn't get a picture of that...so more on Roxy later, I guess.

Sammy LOVES bean burritos and that was what she wanted for dinner so we went to Chevy's. They sang Happy Birthday to her and gave her a sombrero...too cute!

Okay, this wasn't this weekend...but my mom gave Sammy a guitar for her Birthday and she is totally loving it. She wants to be a "rock star"!

Okay, back to the vacation (I mean Staycation) the kids tried sleeping in the same bed...didn't happen but they look cute!

Sammy doing arts and crafts and the Family Fun Center!

I never brought my camera to the pool...but here is a picture of the kids before we went swimming!

And finally, the Birthday cake! Over the last week I heard so many times Sammy say this "Some kids get a candle that says how old they are...that's pretty cool" She never came right out and ask for it but she did give me lots of hints that she wanted it...so thankfully, I delivered and she got her number candle!

All in all it was a super fun weekend and Birthday celebration! Too bad I didn't get a picture of me reading Breaking Dawn because you know I am...

Happy Birthday Samantha!

August 1, 2002...This was the first time I held her. One of the best moments of my life!

Samantha's first Birthday! I think she liked her cake!

For some reason, I couldn't find a picture of her 2nd Birthday...but she is 2 in this picture! She was already loving being a big sister :)

3rd Birthday

4 years old

5 years old
almost 6 years old

On Sammy's 6th Birthday her favorite...

color is pink
friend is mommy
treat is cinnamon rolls
song is "Love is Spoken Here"
food is bean burritos
book is Fancy Nancy and Junie B. Jones books (which I am happy to say she can read by herself)
animal is a crab (she is getting one as a pet for her Birthday)
celebrity is Hannah Montana
Things to do...swimming, gymnastics, talking, singing, playing her new guitar (that Gramma bought her for her Birthday), coloring, playing with friends, and reading!

And her not so favorite things...soda (too spicy), cooked carrots, scary movies , dogs, and the idea of going to school all day starting next week.

Happy Birthday Samantha! Samantha is the sweetest girl and I am so grateful to be her mom and be able to watch her grow up (even though I am in total denial that she is actually growing up). She is the best big sister and her brothers love her more than anything! I can't believe she is already 6 years old, but at the same time she is wise beyond her years...seriously, isn't she so smart, sweet, nice, pretty, and fun (or am I just biased?)?!? We love you Sammy! Happy Birthday!