Remember Me?

My latest great read is a Sophie Kinsella book. I liked her shopaholic series... I didn't care too much for the "Shopaholic & Sister" book, so I wasn't sure if I wanted to tackle this one. The story line sounded good, so I gave it a try. It had me hooked! It is a book that I didn't want to put down... I got so caught up in the memories that she lost, and tying to figure out what was real and what wasn't. Here is the synopsis from Publisher's Weekly:
Shopaholic powerhouse Kinsella delights again with her latest, a winning if unoriginal tale of amnesia striking an ambitious shrew and changing her life for the better. After taking a nasty bump on the head, Lexi Smart awakens in a hospital convinced that it's 2004 and that she's just missed her father's funeral. It's actually three years later, and she no longer has crooked teeth, frizzy hair and a loser boyfriend. Initially wowed by what she's become—a gorgeous, cut-throat businesswoman—Lexi soon finds herself attempting to figure out how it happened. As her personality change and lost memory threaten her job, Lexi tries to dredge up some chemistry with her handsome albeit priggish husband, Eric, though the effort is unnecessary with Eric's colleague Jon, who tells Lexi that she was about to leave Eric for him. Amnesia tales may be old hat, but Kinsella keeps things fresh and frothy with workplace politicking, romantic intrigue and a vibrant (though sometimes caricatured) cast. Though the happy ending won't come as a surprise, readers will be rooting for Lexi all along.

Face Painting

I made some face paint for the kids today. The recipe I used is:

1 part shortening

2 parts cornstarch

a few drops of food coloring

I put a multi-colored heart on Jaden's face to match the hearts that she had on her outfit. Camille got a flower, and she wanted me to make it brown... So, it is kind of hard to see, but that is probably a good thing because I am NOT an artist. The other 2 girls wanted hearts like Jaden's. The face paint recipe with cold cream is probably better, but I used what I had on hand. They had fund looking in the mirror and showing off the designs for about 30 minutes... And then, most of them were all rubbed off. Oh well...

Halloween Candy

She has a candy bracelet on her wrist and a sucker in her hand

Eating her candy bracelet

Jaden is holding up her half eaten tootsie roll.

Still trying to get a piece off of her candy bracelet

Yesterday, the girls picked out 3 pieces of candy out of their Halloween bags to eat. Jaden picked out a tootsie roll, nerds, and a Hershey's kiss. Morgan picked a tootsie roll, candy bracelet, and a sucker. I am trying to consciously allow them to eat 2 or 3 pieces a day. They are not used to eating candy, and so it is hard to remember. I just threw out last year's Halloween candy yesterday. Last year, Jaden probably ate about 20% of her candy, and it took her all year to do so. It's not that they don't want to eat it, but I only let them eat at the most 3 a day, and then, we all just forget that it's there.

Enjoying the oudoors

Book Recommendation~ Letter to my Daughter

Though I stay busy throughout the week, you will rarely see me without a book (not in my hand, but I mean that I will always be in the middle of reading one. The book lays next to the bed for when I get a free moment). I read about 15 minutes before I go to sleep (sometimes longer depending on how caught up in the book I am). Before I finish a book, I have several more lined up, so that I won't be without a good distraction. I finished this book a month ago, and I was entranced. The book has short stories (2 to 4 pages long) of experiences in Maya Angelou's life. I couldn't believe some of the stuff that she did. We are all human, and I understand that... However, she always seems so poised, proper, and not one to offend anyone. She shows you that she is human and makes human mistakes just like the rest of us... Most of the stories had some humor in them, and it left me with a better appreciation of the generation gap. Even though there is a gap in age, she was once 34 (just like I am). All of us in this world are really not THAT different, regardless of our age. We have fears, struggles, and what we are going through now, someone before us has already been through! This is definitely a must read!
http://www.amazon.com/Letter-My-Daughter-Maya-Angelou/dp/1400066123/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225721469&sr=8-1

Halloween in Mexico~Janitzio, Michoacan

I wish I had gotten more pictures of the cute little kids in Janitzio, but this is all I've got. I was there Oct 31, 1999 until November 1, 1999 (so, I got to see the Halloween and Day of the Dead rituals which I posted earlier). Anyway, If you are in the state of Michoacan in Mexico, you have to get on a boat to travel to the small island of Janitzio. It is the cutest place you have ever seen, but around the time of Halloween, it gets VERY busy and touristy. The people there make money that day as a tourist attraction, so everyone goes all out to sell things. The island is a mountain, so as you walk the streets, you are walking up and down the mountain. It is a lot of exercise and the mountain air is very refreshing. Along the trek, people are selling Day of the Dead items like food, souvenirs, etc. Plus, everyone who lives there (practically) makes hot cider to sell. So, you buy the cider and walk. By the time you run out, there is already someone els to sell you another glass. The best part was the kids walking around with jack-o-lanterns. The jack-o-lanterns have lit candles in them, and they trick or treat with them... Not only is the jack-o-lantern their "flashlight" to see their way through the darkness, it is also their "bag" for holding their goodies. Here is the biggest surprise that you might not guess... They don't trick or treat for candy. They want pesos. You drop the pesos into their jack-o-lanterns, and you can easily be out several thousand pesos by the time you leave the island. Kids are everywhere!!! Now you know why the kids are smiling so hard in the pictures. Trick or Treat!

Trick or Treat 2008

We spent the whole day celebrating Halloween yesterday. During the day, I had punch for the kids that had ice cubes with gummi worms frozen inside. We had a trick or treat scavenger hunt with candy (in small ziploc bags) hidden throughout the yard and house. We made masks that I printed from www.nickjr.com Jaden was a Hippo; Morgan a Elephant; Gabby a Lion; Camille a Tiger; and Danny a Hampster (Nathan who is only 10 months old didn't make a mask). They, also, colored a witch and a haunted house.

When the day care kids left, we rushed to get Jaden and Morgan dressed up to go trick or treating at the mall (just like we did last year http://ilovemykids08.blogspot.com/2007/11/halloween.html ). Morgan was more coherent about what was going on, but when she got her first sucker, that is all she wanted. She continued to follow Jaden going shop to shop while she sucked her sucker. She is so tiny and cute in her cat costume... She got most of the attention from the people there. I think people just like seeing the really young kids dressed up more than they like seeing the older kids (even though Jaden is only 4, she didn't get as much "awwww, look how cute" as Morgan did). I made sure to dote on Jaden, so that she wouldn't feel left out. Stay tuned for my 2 upcoming posts... Halloween in Mexico and New Year gifts to my sponsored children's familes.

Our Friday Ritual

The kids just LOVE our Friday cleaning ritual. During the week, I wipe down the table, vacuum with the hand vac, and clean up spills and accidents. Every day, I also have the kids pick up the toys in the play room and any scattered throughout the house. Friday is the day for the bigger cleaning. I sanitize the toys, spray down the table and chairs (the kids wipe), they fight ovr using the hand vac, and then, I go over it with a real vacuum, and ALL of the toys and random items have to be put where they go. Then, Saturday is not so hard for me because half of the chores are done. I still have a week's worth of laundry at that point, mopping, cleaning the bathroom that they use all the time (and sanitizing, sanitizing, SANITIZING!!), washing the blankets and sheets, etc... You get the idea. I don't know why the kids enjoy this, but, hey, it works for me!!

Breakfast with Morgan and Nathan (Pop-Tarts)

Twins~ 2 1/2 years apart

I love it when my two girls get to wear matching outfits!! I don't get out to buy them clothes much. For one thing, Morgan can wear Jaden's old clothes. For another thing, new clothes are so expensive. The last items that they got were matching shirts that I bought at Old Navy for $1!!! Unfortunately, they didn't have a big selection, but the girls each got about 5 or 6 shirts... Did I say they were $1??? LOL!! Anyway, Grandma Leslie bought them a few matching outfits (including these) and she even made them some matching flannel pajama bottoms that they got in the mail yesterday. They are so excited when they get new clothes, especially MATCHING outfits!! Unfortunately, Morgan's pants were too big for her (she is still only wearing 18 months in pants, but wearing 2T in shirts), so they didn't get to match pants. They loved wearing the matching shirts, jackets, and scarfs though!

Happy 5th Wedding Anniversary!

This was our first Christmas photo as a new family. The picture was taken just a few days after our 1 year wedding anniversary.

Jaden tagged along to our 1st anniversary getaway not too far from home.

All of the celebrating wore her out, and she called it a night (at least for a few hours).

Today is our 5 year wedding anniversary. LeCount and I met and fell in love 8 1/2 years ago. We got married on his grandparents' 51st wedding anniversary! Two weeks later, we had our honeymoon in Key West, Florida. Two weeks after that I found out I was pregnant! We knew we were ready to be parents, we just didn't think it would happen that fast! So... We took our 2 month old baby girl with us on our 1st anniversary celebration. This year, I am not sure if we will get away without the kids or not... I know we aren't going to celebrate today because Jaden has her dance class, and I am still taking care of one more child until 8:00 PM... Maybe this weekend some time. But, it is still a milestone to be happy about :0)

After the clay was baked in the oven, the kids got to paint their items. Jaden had more items than any one because she made a lot of things with the clay including: a pumpkin, peas, carrots, a bowl, doughnut, flower necklace, and my favorite~ me! She made me out of clay, and she made my belly HUGE. I asked her why my belly was so big, and she said because it has a baby in it. I asked her what baby she was referring to, and she said, "me and Morgan!" Then, as if the big belly wasn't enough to draw your attention to my mid-section (at least the clay me), she added a big bump right in the middle. I asked her what that was, and she said, "Mom! That's your belly button!" LOL!! She cracks me up.

Morgan spent her time cutting the clay (before it was cooked). That is all she did. She just cut and cut and cut, and she kept saying, "look, mom, I'm cutting!" LOL!!! So, when it was time to paint, Jaden shared some of her pieces with Morgan. Otherwise, Morgan wouldn't have had anything to paint. The pieces she cut up were so small that you couldn't do anything with them.

Fun with clay~ DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

I made clay for the kids to play with last week. It is the kind that you make and then bake. They had a blast wth it, but t was EVERYWHERE!!! It was so bad, that over the weekend, I moved out all of the furniture and steam cleaned. At least the floors feel cleaner now with out all of that salty clay.

If you still want to try this at home, here is what you need:

3 cups flour

1 cup water

1 cup salt

2 tsp oil

Mix it all together with your hands until it is mixed well. After you make your items, bake them on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 350 degrees (it may take a longer or shorter amount of time depending on how thick the items are, so just check on them regularly to make sure they don't get too brown)

When I was younger, we did this activity with my mom around Christmas time. We made clay ornaments. You can do that by rolling out the clay and using Christmas cookie cutters to make the shapes you want. Then, make sure to make a hole to put string through, You have to make the hole before you bake it. Obviously, you don't put the string on until after it is baked, painted, and dry.