8 Weeks and Gum Etiquette!

Last evening marked 8 weeks since I've had any pepsi/soda. I did take a sip of T's root beer float last weekend just to see if I missed soda. The verdict? Nope!

I've picked up another habit to replace the soda...but I don't think it is as bad or unhealthy. I've started chewing gum more often - helps to keep me out of the snacks.

I've learned a few things that I feel are blog worthy and I hope they help someone. 'Cause I worry about you all, and I want you to take good care of yourselves. (So you can be around in 10 years....to still be reading my blog! HAHA)


One problem with chewing gum is that your mouth may be open more. I have found this not to be good when:

--mowing the lawn on a windy day with a mower that blows the grass out the back. At about face level. And you continually turn around into the spray of grass. Not fun.

--Feeding an 18 month old. Who likes to throw food. And has good aim.

--Changing diaper of 18 month old. 'Nuff said!

--Driving with the car window down.

--Working in the kitchen. Making meals, cleaning dishes. Etc.

--Playing with 18 month old who has a fascination of putting fingers into other people's mouths.



OH! And there this is the whole other side of gum chewing.

Why you shouldn't chew gum when you are working out...

And don't get me started on why you shouldn't swallow gum!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine" Proverbs 17:22

Happy Monday everyone!

OOOhhhhh!!!! If you haven't been by Just Mom's yet, stop over to see one of my newest fun projects!! Click here: Just Mom's Musings

A Tale of Two Days

At one point last month, I was working hard to get the rest of the upstairs housecleaned (or, what I consider housecleaned...please don't come with a white glove!)

I wanted to clean our bedroom, bathroom, closet and a hall closet. My goal was to get it done by a specific Friday.

Was someone famous coming? Was I hosting a family get together?

No, the plumber was coming Friday morning to work on our shower. (If you came looking for excitement, you won't find it at this house, folks!)

There is an access panel to our shower in the hall closet. I knew he'd probably need in there and the closet was pretty much untouched since move in day 2 1/2 years ago. I can sum it up in one word: PILES!

I spent most of Thursday morning that week cleaning. Thursday afternoon, I got a call. The part had not arrived, they needed to reschedule...UGH!! All that cleaning...All for naught...

It was now scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Back up to Friday, I found out I won a cookbook at Soulemama's blog. It was a random contest - BUT, there were over 1100 comments on the giveaway post! And I won!! I was psyched...so psyched I forgot about the bathroom frustration.

Tuesday morning arrives and the earliest of the plumber's time estimate was still 30 minutes away. The kids were still sleeping and I was in the bedroom closet, putting away Monday's laundry. We can access storage space from our bedroom closet and I needed to step out to put something above the garage.

That's when I heard the noise.

I could hear a truck running...

My first thought, 'Its the plumber.' My second thought, 'Oh no, I'm still in my pajamas.' I quickly ran to the window that overlooks the driveway and saw it was a Fed Ex truck....Phew! Close one!! I figured I could tend to that later.

I finished up in the bedroom and heard Colin stirring. I walked into his room and heard the doors from the other bedrooms. Okay, everyone was awake...then their doors went shut again...they weren't ready to get up. Not a big deal...UNTIL, I saw the plumber's truck driving towards the house. AAAHHHH - at least I had changed!

I told the kids to hurry up and get dressed as I quickly dressed Colin. Colin and I booked it down the steps to get to the door. At this point, he had already pushed the doorbell and the dog was going crazy!

I let him into the house and showed him his work area. I managed to get the other two quickly downstairs for some breakfast....

While they were eating, I remembered about the delivery truck!! YAY!! It was my cookbook! I set it on the counter looking forward to when I could sit and enjoy it...later...much, much later.

The plumber was finished before lunch and the day was all well and good.

It came time to put the kids up for their rest time. So, what is a Momma to do with a new shower head that creates an amazingly crazy spray of lovely water and a new cookbook? Well, she goes and takes a nice, long, relaxing shower and then curls up to dig into her new book!

This book, The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper is more than a cookbook. Yes, it has delicious sounding recipes and incredible photos, but it has stories and much more. I haven't gotten to read it all yet, but I've enjoyed the few minutes I got to read it that afternoon.

5 things I'm lovin' right now...

1 - waking up to the sound of rain (even though it didn't last long)

2 - a shower after working out

3 - looking forward to spending some time in the woods this weekend (even though we won't be able to stay and camp with the rest of the church families)

4 - Dreams of the chocolate chip cookie dough blizzards I had on the boardwalk last week

5 - Three wild and crazy kiddos asking me if I'm getting off the computer soon!

6 - My new header!!! (I like to break the rules sometimes too, Just Mom!!!)

What are you lovin' right now?

Wordless Wednesday

A few birthday pictures...

Tiny Talk Tuesday

Last week, we spent the week at the Jersey shore with another family and their three girls. Quintin enjoys playing with their girls, but there was some confusion in the "girl-lingo" and we'd hear him say things like, "Mom, I want to wear my two piece today."

Elle was eating a Fruit Roll Up with these tongue tattoos. You put the roll up against your tongue and it leaves a print. Here's Elle asking me, "How does my tongue look Mom?"



And here is Colin. His bib says, "Color Me Happy" and his face says, "Color Me Oreo!"

For more Tiny Talk, visit Mary at Not Before 7.

My baby is 6!!! :-O

Where has the time gone? And who can I speak with about slowing it down?

This young man is 6! Say it ain't so!!

I asked Quintin last night what he'd like me to make for his birthday supper. I should have known the answer. My lil' pirate wants Pirate Stew!

Separating work and vacation....not!

You can take the man out of the quarry,

but you can't take the quarry out of the man.

He's informed me that his is to scale. ;-)

Wordless Wednesday

Siblings....Friends!!!

{PS - While I do not enjoy including words on my WW posts, I've found I must so as to appease the bloglines monster people!)

The ocean and "baby pool"

The ocean for the bigger kids....and a baby pool for the little ones!!

2 for 1

Its a 2 for 1 weekend here!

Sunday is, of course, Father's Day....but it is also our 12th anniversary. I know I've mentioned before that we dated 5 years before getting married, but just writing that we've been together for 17 years blows me away...that is more than half my life now. Crazy!

I wish a Happy Father's Day and a Happy Anniversary to the best-est guy in the world! God gave me a wonderful gift in a man that loves me for the crazy person that I am. A wonderful kind of love with his whole heart. And he loves our children just as much!

I love you T!

Happy Father's Day & Happy Anniversary!

Silly Sewing Bug Bit Me Again

SewSensible's Twirl Skort pattern with her Hope Joy Bubble Top

Valances in Quintin's room

Valances in Elle's room

Valances in Colin's room

Wordless Wednesday

(yes, this is how she sleeps)

Tiny Talk Tuesday

Quintin has his pirate ship in his room and he enjoys spending the afternoons playing with it during his rest time. So, I decided to keep Elle's doll house up in her bedroom to play with a little before she naps.

Now, with Elle, we're getting to that point that if she naps too long in the afternoon, she'll be up til 11 singing in her bed...which isn't that bad since she stays in her bed, except we can still hear her when we're in bed!

The other day, she and Quintin were in their rooms playing and I had hoped they wouldn't take naps so we could put them to bed a little earlier at night.

As I took her up, she asked if she could play with her dollhouse til it was time to get up. I told her yes, but she had to stay in her room. I also said if she got tired, she could climb in bed and rest a little.

She assured me she was not tired and would play until I came in to get her.

Famous Last Words: "I'm not tired. I will just play until it is time to come out."

Here's what I found when I opened her door (it was just too precious that I had to grab the camera!)


Poor lil' thing. She's got a bruise on her chin from trying to pull a "stick" out of the ground - it was a root and snapped back down after she had just gotten it above her head!

And her shirt? "Tiaras make you taller!"

To read more Tiny Talkers, visit Mary at notbefore7.

Fish and ketchup

I was talking with some friends about how I prepare fish, now that we are trying to eat more of it. One of them asked if my kids eat it.

We have a rule around here - the "No Thank You Rule." You must try at least 2 bites of something before you can say "No Thank You." Usually after two bites, the kids realize it isn't so bad and they continue eating it.

Then we had fish. They ate their two bites and thought it was okay, but they weren't real sure about eating the rest. Until Daddy brought the ketchup to the table.

What is it about kids and ketchup?

At least with mine, they'll eat anything if they can smother it in ketchup. Even foods they like and don't normally eat with ketchup, they'll try and dip in. I've seen grapes, chips and countless other things from their plates go into the ketchup - and they still like it!?!?!

It made me think about how daring I might be if I had ketchup to go along with everything I am scared to try.

Maybe I could start taking a swig of ketchup before:
* heading into the dr's office
* driving on an unfamiliar road when its dark and raining
* stepping out in faith
* following where God calls me

I'm thinking I should have a good dose of ketchup every morning before we start school!

And then I thought about how much better my Heavenly Father is than ketchup. I don't need ketchup - I've got Him. And if I follow what He calls me to do, He will be there for me.

Forget 57 varieties...all I need is 1 - The One!

Wordless Wednesday

*Un*important Things Become Important

Many of you left questions in your comments on my Unimportant things post that I just felt I needed to answer them....see, I really am wordy!

First, I want to clarify that my stomach was growLing - not growing. As far as I am aware, my doctor did her job!! (tmi? sorry!)

As I've just hit the 4 week mark of being detoxed of Pepsi, I'll try to explain why.

Um, well....did you know that stuff really isn't that good for you? ;-)

Seriously, I wanted to change some of my poorer dietary choices, and felt it was something that could go. I don't even miss it. Actually, I think if I took a drink of Diet Pepsi now, I'd just taste all the chemicals in it.

I kept telling myself I needed the caffeine, but I really don't. I was feeling sluggish the first week and a half, but I think that was in part to my body adjusting to the lack of sugar dietary changes.

So, *I* would say it is going well without the Pepsi - you might get a different answer if you ask T or my kids - HAHA!

I've even started walking again in the mornings and that has actually given me more energy for my day. My walking time has become a perfect time to have my devotions too. I take a book with short devotionals and my prayer cards and I go to town.

So, here are the stats as of today:
4 weeks and 2 days without Pepsi (or any soda for that matter)
4 weeks and 2 days since changing my dietary habits
3 weeks and 2 days that I've been walking each morning. I started doing 2 1/2 miles and then went to 3 and now I'm up to almost 4 1/2 miles a day! WAHOOOOOO

Saving the best for last...

4 weeks and 2 days = 14 lbs less of Momma Roar!!!!!!!!! JAKERS! That is awesome! (I'm allowed to be proud on my blog, right? Or is that considered a faux paux?)

Now, onto the tea/coffee issue. You coffee drinkers, just settle down already!

I discovered the not-so-nice-throat-swelling due to tea when making meadow tea. Meadow tea is made from mint leaves which my parents had a bunch of and wanted to clear out. I took some knowing it was one of T's favorite drinks. I typically don't drink tea or coffee, but never really knew why (other than I think coffee smells awful - Be Quiet you coffee drinkers you!).

But after I made the meadow tea, it smelled so good. I took a few sips and my throat started to feel really tight. I was on the phone with my mom and told her. In her motherly wisdom, she told me to stop drinking it!! Aaaaahhhhh, yes! That solved the problem! So, no tea, no coffee, not even Pepsi....I just drink water - please don't bother to tell me how dull I am, I already know!

Did I miss anything?

How can it be June already?

June is gonna be a busy month around here - and I suspect it will be in many other homes too!

I had thought about doing a Wordless June...but, well, um, I am just too.....wordy!

My goal is to post pictures of some sewing projects, our vacations and just the everyday crazy stuff that goes on here! Along with some stories when I get a chance....I just want you to know that I'll try to post, but don't send out the search party if you don't hear from me in a couple days! ;-)

I've got a boy in my house that is growing up way too quickly and he's gonna be 6 in 3 weeks! :-O Where did the time go?

So, I may be here, I may not be....but I'll be somewhere...huh?

What are your plans for June?