TEN!!!!

HOW DID THIS DAY COME SO FAST?!?!?

My sweet baby girls are 10 years old today! They seem to be changing now even faster than when they were infants. One day they want to be grown and the next the are struggling with growing. They are kind, helpful and great friends! Em loves to read, ride bikes, sing, write and draw. De loves to cook, sew, swim, ripstick and watch over the rest of the crew. Emma is a fashion DIVA.... or as I like to call her PUNKY ( just like Punky Brewster)! De can do ANYTHING! All you have to do is ask and she will figure out a way to get it done. I am so proud that we get watch them grow as the do amazing things with their lives every day!

To celebrate the girls BIG Day we went to Barton Springs Pool in Austin with some of our DEAR friends! These girls have all been friends for a LONG time even as young as 2 :-) I am so glad they are all still in touch!

GOLF KIDS!!!!

This year at the Tournement all 5 kids placed! We had 2 First Place, 2 Second Place and a Fourth Place in their age group! WOW, we have some golfing kids.... move over Tiger ;-)

Happy Hump Day

Cooking makes me very happy....

I love finding Healty Yummy recipes... and for them to be easy and taste REALLY fancy ;-)

I found a new Magazine that has some great recipes.

You can find them online: Health Magazine...I just LOVE it!

Here is the latest recipe I tried out from the magazine:

Cheese-Bacon Tart

Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) container 1% low-fat cottage cheese 1 (16-ounce) container 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1 large egg 1 large egg
3 scallions, thinly sliced 3 scallions, thinly sliced ( I used a little Lipton's Onion Soup Mix instead)
3 ounces Canadian bacon, diced 3 ounces Canadian bacon, diced ( I used turkey)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 (14- x 9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed 6 (14- x 9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a food processor or blender, purée cottage cheese and egg 1 minute or until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl; stir in scallions and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) until well-combined.
2. Brush bottom of 9-inch pie plate with 1 teaspoon oil. Stack 2 phyllo sheets together; brush with 2 1/2 teaspoons oil. Place in pie plate with the sides hanging over. Repeat with remaining phyllo and 2 1/2 teaspoons oil, alternating direction of layers.
3. Spoon cheese mixture into pie plate. Pull phyllo overhang in about 2 inches all around, leaving center of pie exposed. Brush top with remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil.
4. Place pan on a baking sheet, and bake 1 hour or until cheese is set and edges are lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Best thing is a serving is 1/4 a pie.... only 298 calories a serving!!!

Summer Fun in the NEW HOOD :-)

We have been enjoying hanging at the pool in the new neighborhood and making new friends! Summer has been fun so far and we are doing our best to beat the heat! Of course, I am mean... and make us ride our bikes all the way to the pool with towels & ice chest full of snacks, lunch and drinks. It is a lot of work but I think it is worth the reward!!!!

SEVEN!

Happy B-Day Sweet Boy!

This little man is a Kind, Gentle (unless wrestling with his brother) soul! He still loves to hold my hand. Some nights he still wants a bedtime story. I am amazed by his JOY for life.... always wanting to make me smile & laugh. He is the protective BIG brother.... even over his Big sisters. We are so privileged to watch him grow and love him along the way!


Jax recently decided he doesn't like CAKE... so we had yummy cookies instead!

Last week, we celebrated Jax's B-day with a SPLASH!

The kids enjoyed swimming, slip n slide and water balloons. After the slip n slide broke.... we made up a water limbo game....these kids can go LOW ;-)

Check out my party decorating skills- chalk on the fence..... aren't I clever ;-)

Happy Hump Day

Well, this Wednesday I am thinking about something that ALWAYS makes me happy......

FINDING A GOOD DEAL!!!!!

I still remember when the girls were about 1 year old and I bought them a ton of RED, WHITE, and BLUE pants, tops and skirts. They were only 99 cents a piece at Children's Place Outlet. That was 9 years ago.....

I remember when I find a BARGAIN!

Here is my latest FIND... one of my new friends let me know about this one!

$4.99 CROCS at the Outlet in Cypress....I got each of the kids a couple of pairs! YIPPEE!!!

OH.... and today is my B-day so that's also makes me HAPPY ;-)

Post Secret

I stumbled on the Post Secret a few months ago and was very moved. Here is a video that explains the draw of these little post cards. If you get a chance also head over to Post Secret Community !

Happy Hump Day!

Happy Wednesday! Today, I am Happy thinking of the YUMMY homemade ice cream we made in a ziploc bag! The kids all chose their own flavor.....mint, vanilla, or lemon! My favorite was the vanilla but they all were very good!

Ziploc Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk (it doesn't matter what kind, whole, 2%, chocolate, etc.
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla (you might try other flavorings)
Method:
Add these to a pint size zip lock freezer bag and zip shut.
Place that bag in a larger (quart or larger) zip lock bag
Add ice to fill bag 1/2 way, 6 Tablespoons salt (rock or regular)
Zip that one shut and shake, turn, toss, and mix the bag. In about 5-10 minutes you will have cold hands and yummy ice cream.
Warnings:
Don't double this it doesn't seem to work.
Be sure you get all the salt off the small bag before you open it.

The boys ate their after 5min. it was good but still a little slushy..... the rest of us waited till 10 minutes and it was yummy. We each just put a spoon in our bag and ate it up ;-)

Clever Kid!

Jax worked so hard on this! He wrote out many more names I just didn't get pictures! It kept him busy most of the afternoon.

Kissing Lesson

The kids were watching TV in the living room when something came on with 2 people kissing. Here is the conversation that followed:

Dax says, "Ollie hide your eyes, you don't want to see that yucky, mushy stuff!"

Ollie replies, "Dad, I want to watch so I can learn how to kiss girls!"

I never really thought he need any lessons. The boy came into the world knowing how to woo the ladies.... of course maybe this is why he recognizes the need to learn different techniques ;-) Smart BOY!!!!!

Getting a hug from his crush.... SNOW WHITE last spring break '08!

Snow White told her about Ollie's charm.....

she came over and gave him a kiss after talking to him!

Oh, the joy..... Mulan has become a new favorite!

Happy Hump Day!

Today, happens to be the LAST day of school and this makes me HAPPY! Ready for Summer to begin, happy to sleep late and well happy for 1 more Mommy Ollie day....our last!

SO MY Happy thoughts to get me through this WEDNESDAY are about

"Mommy Ollie Days", spending fun time with all 4 kids this summer and all before.....

oh and sleeping LATE ;-) Here is a picture from last summer....

I can't wait for all the great ones we will get this summer!