Laundry

Thursday I was driving Thomas home from preschool. I was in a driving daze and trying to figure out what I was going to make for dinner and how I was going to make the house look like something productive happened - you know, the normal 4:00 pm problem housewives face each day. Thomas and Clara were in the back messing around - you know, the normal thing that happens anytime there is more than 1 kid in a car.

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As I was turning onto one of the main roads, Thomas started praying. I was wondering if he really was praying or just pretending to pray so I adjusted the rear view mirror to catch a glimpse of him. Sure enough he had his arms folded and his eyes closed. He was praying for real. Because Clara does everything her brother does, she was praying right along, repeating everything he said. It was the normal prayer, "thank you for this day, thank you for Mom, Dad and Clara, help me to have happy dreams..." Then he said something that made me cover my mouth to try and stifle the laughing. "Please help my laundry to get done because it is getting too full and it is going to fall out."

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I asked him about it and he explained that it was just too full. I then changed the subject. I didn't need my 5-year-old pointing out my shortcomings when it comes to laundry.

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The same night at dinner, Steve asked him to say the prayer. Thomas requested the same thing. Steve and I both opened our eyes during the prayer and looked at each other. I am sure Steve was thinking..."Yes, why is the laundry falling out over the top?" Lucky for him he didn't say anything.

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Friday morning I was sleeping. I was in a fog when I heard both the kids come in. Thomas came and stood by my bedside and said one thing, "Mom, you need to do my laundry."

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I was planning on doing it that day, I just had hoped that a miracle would have happened during the night and his laundry would have been done. I guess he got tired of waiting for the angels to do it and decided it was time to make mom do it.

She makes me smile.

I have no idea what she was doing. I came across this scene and decided to grab the camera before she knew she had been caught. All I know is she loves this horse. She holds it, talks to it, feed its, and now it looks like she is trying to potty train it.

10 Years

Steve and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. I can't believe it has been 10 years, and sometimes I can't believe it has only been 10 years since we married. So much has taken place over those years.

Steve and I met in September of 1999 and were married in January of 2000. Our wedding date was a very short 4 months after we met. We definitely paid for that decision. We make it no secret that we struggled as a couple those first couple of years of marriage. Steve was old and set in his ways, and I was immature and didn't have enough life experiences to prepare me for living with someone. However, we worked through those years and came out a lot stronger and more unified. Looking back, I am grateful for those opportunities we had to grow. I love him so much. He is a wonderful husband and a great dad. I know it is a cliche', but I really do love him more now than I did when we were married.

We had planned on getting out of town to celebrate, but the week turned into a fiasco and we decided that we would just celebrate in town.

He brought home Greek food that night and we had a candle light dinner with 2 of the greatest things to come out of our 10 years of wedded bliss. Saturday night we went out for a night on the town and enjoyed some time with just the two of us.

This picture is proof that you should never take a picture from a low angle.

Happy Birthday!

Thomas is the big 5! He was so excited for his birthday.

One of the things he wanted was a fish. I am a pushover, so Wednesday morning at 6:00 am I was at Wal-Mart picking out the newest member of our family. Thomas and Clara have been thrilled with the new arrival. Currently, his name is Fishyfriend -who knows what it will be tomorrow. We did end up going and buying one more fish the next day because Fishyfriend seemed a little lonely. I do have to admit he has been swimming with more gusto since we added a friend.

I ended up making 2 cakes and cupcakes for his birthday. This one was my favorite, even though it was the easiest one. It just made me smile every time I looked at it. He wanted a Diego cake for his birthday party. Both of us searched the Internet for an idea and came across one similar to this one. I didn't really get a chance to make it as fancy as I would have liked because I was given the gift of strep throat for his birthday and felt like crud.

He was happy with it, and that is all that mattered. He didn't even realize that I didn't make trees or rocks out of gum pastes.

He had a great birthday. We love him so much and are so happy he is a member of our family.

Catchy Phrase - if you're 4.

Steve and I are participating in a double ward biggest loser competition. Here was the conversation Steve, Thomas and I had this afternoon. It should make the ad wizards at Weight Watchers very happy.

Thomas: Dad, where are you going?

Steve: I need to go weigh in.

Thomas: What does that mean?

Steve: Ask Mom to explain. I need to get going.

Thomas: Mom, what does weigh in mean?

Mom: Dad and I are doing a diet to try and lose some weight.

Thomas: Mom...you need to stop dieting and start living.

I'm not going to lie

and say that I am working on getting Clara to give up the binks. I could, but I shouldn't waste my breath.

Clara has gotten herself into quite a love affair with her binks. In the matter of 2 or 3 months they have gone from novelty to necessity. She must have them! She must know where each and every one is. She carries them in her purse, keeps them in her play kitchen and happily shoves them down her shirt hoping that her cleavage will keep them safe. (Unfortunately, she learned that one from me. That was my hiding spot until she figured out how to pull down my shirt and locate them).

Last week we decided to only let her have them when she was in bed. After she made her way downstairs and was involved with a carton of yogurt and a her favorite episode of Curious George, I snuck around the house and collected all the binkies from her favorite hiding spots. I thought maybe I could keep her entertained enough to forget about them and go on with her day. How wrong I was. About 15 minutes after the confiscation I heard a scream from upstairs. It was one word - and it was loud..."BINKIES!!!" She said it over and over again screaming at the top of her lungs. I made my way upstairs to her room and found her next to her bed sobbing. I felt so bad for taking away her lifeline so I did what every other mother who is a HUGE pushover would have done. I opened the top drawer to her dresser where I had them hidden and handed every one of them back to her.

We'll try again in a month or so when I am sure it will be so much easier.

He really is growing up.

My little guy will be 5 years old in a couple weeks. Where did the time go? I still remember vividly the Doctor placing him on my chest, still attached to the cord. He was so warm. His eyes were so dark and alert. They still are.

I have been dreading 5. It sounds so old. So...not little.

However, there is a bright side. He is getting more mature. The 2 of us have great conversations. We put 100 piece puzzles together. He loves to help. He tells funny jokes. He sings along with the radio in the car. He dresses himself in the morning and picks out outfits that kind of match. He clears his plate from the table and actually scrapes the scraps into the trash. He walks around the pile of stuff I am sweeping up instead of right through the middle. He loves his sister and takes care of her. He shares. Most of the time.

So. As hard as it is to see that number go up. It is exciting to see him becoming the boy he is. I not only love him with all my heart. I like him.

We are in that phase.

The one where you lie to the pediatrician and say that your child does eat well. Oh absolutely!They do eat veggies and fruit! Even though you know very well they spit out anything has any kind of fruity or veggie texture.

That's why I don't have the heart to tell Clara that her favorite meal is bursting at the seams with stuff I want her to eat. She thinks that just because it has some pasta in it, there is no danger for fruit/veggie cross contamination. If she only knew what I was feeding her...

Pasta Fagoli

1 T olive oil

2 pounds ground beef

2 onions - chopped

1 pound carrots - chopped

1 pound celery - chopped

3 cans diced tomatoes (16 oz size)

2 cups red kidney beans

2 cups white kidney beans or great northern beans

88 ounces of beef stock (I just use water and beef bullion)

2 tsp oregano

2 1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

48 ounces of Spaghetti sauce ( I use Prego)

8 ounces dry pasta - take your pick, any shape will work

Brown beef in oil in a LARGE pot (at least 10 qt size). Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper, Tabasco, spaghetti sauce. Simmer until carrots are tender. Add the pasta about 20 minutes before serving.

This makes 9 quarts of soup. I divide it into thirds. With one portion, we usually eat it for dinner one night and have it for lunch during the week. I stick the other two portions in separate food saver bags and seal it up. It freezes really well.