Rush Rush Rush

Lately I feel as if our lives are Rush Rush Rush!!!! With both girls being in volleyball, soccer, Girl Scouts and Religion Classes we are always rushing out the door to go to an activity. With my husband working nights and us only having 1 car things are difficult. Thank goodness my mom is around to lend us her car and help me take the girls to different activities.

This week I have been horrible in the dinner department...dinners were not done in time to eat before going to activities. I am sure you are wondering "Well, how is she finding time to blog right"? The answer is simple, "I am waiting for dinner to get done cooking". Right after dinner we are rushing out the door to go to volleyball. I will be ready for the weekend, we can take some time out and just relax. Next week I am going to utilize my time more wisely and prepare as much of dinner ahead of time that I can.

OH the Drama!!!

I know by being a girl/woman that it is hard, but raising two girls is twice as hard. The morning started off with my oldest daughter being tired and having a stomach ache. She was so difficult to wake up she started to run late for school, she could not put an outfit together that she liked, her black lace leggings were missing (I know what your thinking, black lace leggings? find something else to wear) and before I know it she was crying uncontrollably. I did not want to send my daughter to school upset, cause then she would have a bad day. I let her stay home an extra 30 min until she found an outfit she liked, ate a good breakfast, got her hair fixed and stopped crying.

As if our house hold did not have enough drama in it already, enters my younger daughter. She put on an outfit that looked like she literally rolled out of bed. I tried to explain to her that she has an entire closet of very nice clothes and she is not going to wear ratty clothes to school. Also I believe that the way my children dress is a reflection on me and our family, I do not want teachers at school to think that my children/me do not take an interest in their looks and appearance. I know that sounds kind of vain but that is how I feel. After making her change her clothes and putting up with a lot and I mean a lot of tears she was off to school as well.

So our house was full of sooooo much DRAMA this morning and I am sure the DRAMA will come again sooner or later. Because when you are a girl, especially a growing girl DRAMA is just a part of your life. Like it or not!!!

For the Joy it!

This year our town put together a 5k, 10k walk and run that went along with our annual town celebration. My oldest daughter (11 yr) loves, loves to run and she has completed a few 5k's. My younger daughter (8yr) however is not a big runner, but she really wanted to run with me in the race. I was leery letting her run ( I knew she would complain half way thru) since she had never run this far before. I had prepared my self for complaining but I did not prepare myself for soooooo much complaining.

As the gun shot went off my daughters took off running FAST! I tried to tell my 8yr old that she was starting off too quickly and she would crash and burn half way thru, but did she listen to me? NOOOOOO. She got so far ahead of me I could not her for awhile, but then came the first of many hills......and she suddenly hit a wall, a BIG wall. From that point on she whined, cried and complained that her body hurt and she had to get up so early.

When he headed up the final hill and the finish line was insight I told my 8yr old to keep running and don't stop, what did she do? She stopped!! I had to grab her hand and literally pull her up the hill and across the finish line. I was not going to cross before her, I wanted us to run across
together. Mean while my 11yr old had crossed the finish line way before us at a mere 30 minutes. I just have to say I am so extremely proud of my daughters for giving all they got and running not only for the exercise but for the pure joy of it.

Before our Race

About to begin

After (notice my 8yr old is not smiling)

Everyone loves a Parade

Last weekend we took our kids to a parade. Once we finally found a parking spot and joined our family we had a great time. Sam loved the Horses, Firetrucks and the Marching Band. We collected so much gum, suckers and candy my kids didn't know what to do with it all (they have never been to a parade that threw so much candy). The weather was gorgeous and it was such a terrrific day spent with family. Great times and Great Memories!

Rain Rain Go Away

A few weeks ago we were outside gardening and it started to rain, it didn't look like it was going to last long so we hung out in the garage till it stopped. Well my kids thought it would be funny to get the umbrellas out. Sam had so much fun playing in the rain, usually I would not let them get so wet but I wanted to get some great pictures and I think I accomplished that. I learned how to make these fun story boards on Photo Shop Elements.

Hearty Baked Beans

McLinky blog hop- recipes

I made this for the 4th of July this year and I thought it was so delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 3/4 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 cans (15 ounces each) pork and beans
• 1 bottle (18 ounces) honey barbecue sauce
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) lima beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke, optional
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook beef and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 5-qt. Dutch oven. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until heated through. Yield: 18 servings.

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A few tears

My morning started earlier today, as I had a middle schooler to get out the door. First off she did not hear her alarm go off at the wee hours of 5:30am (I tried to tell her that was too early to get up, but she insisted) I woke her up at 6:30 and she quickly showered. 30 minutes into getting ready she still did not know what she wanted to wear. Now if you are a mother I am sure you have heard of Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez, my daughter idolizes these girls and the way they dress. I have to admit I am very impressed by the way my daughter can mix and match clothes, she has quite the eye for fashion. Since it was the first day of Middle School she had to have the perfect outfit and for some reason today she just couldn't find it. After several (by several I mean 10) outfit changes she (we) finally agreed on something. She looked adorable, beautiful and grown up. We did our first day of school pictures and we rushed out the door.

Now being in middle school she had a lot of school supplies to take with her and she felt out of place carrying in an overstuffed back pack and OMG a target bag with her locker shelf and accessories, that's right she did not want to carry in a target bag with her extra things in it. She opted to leave it for tomorrow. As we got closer to the drop off point she really got nervous and so did I. I was nervous for her, hoping she would find her way around school, hoping she would have friends in her classes, hoping her nemisis would not give her a hard time today, hoping her hair would not get wet from the rain, hoping she would get her locker combo right, hoping she would make some new friends, hoping she had a great day, hoping she love middle school.

Now when my daughter started a new school in kindergarten I walked her into school so she could find her way and I kissed her goodbye in front of her friends. Middle School is a whole different ball game, there was no walking her into school today(dropping off from the car) and no kissing her when I left her in the class room. So I held back the tears as I said my goodbyes and watched my baby girl walk into middle school all by herself. Being just as nervous as she was I knew in my heart she was going to be just fine and she would have a great first day of middle school.

Now I don't want to leave out my 8 year old daughter, she too started school this morning. Unlike her sister she was not starting a new school, but none the less she was still excited to see her friends and learn about her new teacher. Kate's day started at 7:00 am and she was dressed and ready to go by 7:45. No big preparing or make-up to apply like big sis. She was all into her Selena Gomez back pack, she gladly posed for pictures and off the door we went. She had no butterflies as we pulled up to the building, I kissed her goodbye and off she went with out a care in the world. I had no tears as I dropped her off but I did have a little sadness as she left me for the day. I will miss her craziness she provides me with during the day, the happiness she brings to Sam as they play together and the loud music blaring from her room as she dances. But not the worry too much she will back home at 3:50. I know she will have a great day at school too.