Hi, Nanny!...

Today, Braden and I visited Nanny for quite some time...it was great! With only one boy in tow, there were no fights, no fussing, and we could actually hold a civilized conversation. Amazing! I always used to LOVE going over to Nanny and Papaw's house, lay on my mama's lap while she rubbed my back or played with my hair, and just listen to the adults and their conversations...not caring one bit what was said, just that it was so peaceful. Now, I'm one of the adults and Braden seemed quite content to just listen, and he was happily playing spaceship in his own world, too. Thanks, Nanny, for a super afternoon. We had a wonderful time just being with you!

We LUV Churros!...

Last night before cooking dinner, Braden, Garrett, and I watched Paula Deen cook her own Mexican fiesta. Braden became enamored with the idea of churros, Mexican "donuts." So, on this chilly, snowy, winter morning, we decided to print the recipe and go for it.

I don't have a piping bag, so I cut the corner out of a freezer bag...no weird thoughts about what these might look like...I'm warning you!



You make the dough, fry it, and roll it in cinnamon sugar...YUMMY! We don't have a deep fryer anymore, so I had to just heat oil in a sauce pan. We just make do with what we've got. :0)

Crispy, yet light and fluffy...perfect!

First of All...

First of all, I didn't think I would have to get up this morning, seeing as how the temperature had already dropped six degrees just on my way home from work yesterday...but I did have to get up afterall! THEN, with the preschool closed, Garrett did have to stay home with his more than sick daddy, but they played Wii all day and everything was copesetic. BUT, the weather finally hit around 12:30 or so and the students went ape wild just because they could see snow flurries! AND, when the announcement came at the beginning of 6th period that the students would be released at 2:00, well folks...you'd think the fair had come to town again!!! EVEN WORSE...the announcement that the students could use their cell phones in class to phone a parent so they'd have a ride waiting. And then it began...all hell broke loose! I swear, one girl talked to her mother four different times in fifteen minutes because the mom thought the girl was lying about school being let out. THEN, the mom thought the girl was lying about being allowed to use her cell phone in class! WHAT?!?!?!? Just come get here, lady, and be done with it!

ANYWAY, our family was all home, safe and sound, by 3:20. This was AFTER the school called my cell phone to ask why I had not yet picked Braden up..."school has been let out early," the snooty lady said. DUH! I had my usual Friday afternoon hall duty to attend to before I could attend to my own family. So, I called Eric, who had to drag himself out of bed, warm up the truck, and fight the elementary soccer moms for access to the school parking lot...but, like I said...we were all home by 3:20! Yeah!

School Closing?...

WWWWEEEEEELLLLLL...just received three text messages and a facebook post about Garrett's preschool being closed tomorrow. We all know Fort Smith will not close their doors unless Armageddon is about to hit, so what am I to do? Eric had to stay home from work today. He took himself to the doc, had a 101 fever, got his meds, and came home...is it sick I envy him? Anyway, I guess he'll have to stay here with Garrett tomorrow, which the boy will LOVE! He's in some sort of weird stage where he doesn't want to leave the house or get out of his jammies...ever...
So, I guess we'll see what the near future holds in store, but I'm not getting my hopes up. And yes, I should be in the bed right now, but those darn texts just keep coming!

The "Empty" House...

I went over to my grandma's this evening, on my way home from the dentist. It was difficult. She seemed much more frail, as if that were possible, and the house felt empty. Grandpa, like Papaw, simply had such a presence that they both filled a room, so to speak. I guess I worry more about Grandma than Nanny because Nanny is a happenin' granny with tons of friends, a social calendar, and she's not nearly as old. Grandma, on the other hand, was just so small and frail, and she cried when I got there and cried when I left. She told me she'd tell Grandpa that I stopped by...and I know he'll want to hear all about it. Getting old sucks...

100th Day of School...

Wednesday is the 100th day of school celebration for Braden's class! To celebrate, the teacher sent home a project in the last week or so for the kids to choose 100 of something to place in a paper baggie and provide clues to what's inside. I took Braden to the craft store while he and I were off on MLK day and he chose neon colored googlie eyes! :0)

Tonight, we counted them out by tens, Braden never missing a beat. He did a fantastic job! Now, he is in the process of getting them in the baggie...they are static sticking to everything they touch! You know, this is very exciting...100 days of kindergarten!

Is There Life Out There?...

I'm getting pretty frustrated with the whole bloggosphere! It's a bit time-consuming (at least it is for me) to post on my blog, when adding photos and whatnot. When I check back and there are ZERO comments, I feel like I'm posting to myself, which I'm not. Am I that boring? At least my kids are nice to look at, right??? Hello? Anyone out there? Pacify me...comment...

My Handsome Sons...

After church a few weeks ago, I just had the insatiable urge to photograph the boys. They were irresistable in their Sunday finery (ie...shirts with collars!). Garrett was crying just before this because he spilled his box of Nerds.

Now, let me explain...

Garrett demanded to be photographed looking at me through his legs. I have no idea why, but it turned out cute. Then, Braden jumped on the bandwagon and this is what we got...

Braden's Report Card...

Remember the good old days when elementary report cards were filled with S's and U's? Well, those days are long gone. Today, Braden's kindergarten report card came in his folder and it was like having a flashback/nightmare from college algebra! Holy macaroni! Charts and graphs and shapes and reading levels, etc....pretty fancy stuff! So, making his mommy proud, Braden is an "emergent reader," well on his way to being a full-blown, all-by-himself big time reader! Wahoo! I still can't believe we're already doing report cards and school lunches and such. I'm getting misty again...time flies!

Braden Turns 6...

Yesterday was Braden's sixth birthday. We celebrated by taking the boys to have dinner and games at Chuck E. Cheese's. Both of them were very good, and we all had a great time! Braden received a kid's digital camera and brownie mix for his Easy Bake Oven.

I've already had to counsel Braden on what it means to be a responsible photographer! He has been trying to take pictures of various family members while on the toilet, mom in her pj's, and Garrett's booty. Thank goodness it's digital and all just magically goes away!

We're planning to have a "friend" party for Braden later this month, or maybe in early February. It's so hard to get together another celebration so soon after Christmas. It always feels like we're cheating him and I feel just rotten about it. However, it'll all work itself out like it does every year.

Six years...I was just thinking the other day that in six more years he'll be all grown up, a big boy ready to go to junior high. How depressing! How time flies...

Happy New Year...

The four of us celebrated the new year by partying with our friends, the Delassus', all the way to midnight! We met new friends while there and all of the kids had a great time whizzing up and down the stairs to and from the basement play area. Yesterday, we began construction on the Santa gift, the trampoline. Not quite finished...the dark and cold got the best of us, but well on our way.

We also got a suprise visit from the original owner/builder of our house. She had lots of "information" to share, like location of the missing spray heads in the lawn sprinkler system, etc. She begged to come in and see the place and Eric let her...imagine how my pristine Christmas abode looks after having been on cleaning hiatus for four days. Yeah... Anyway, guess she saw what she wanted and was satisfied. She seemed nice enough.

I attempted to take the boys to see The Princess and the Frog last night, but when I got there, they were zonked out! AND, there were tons of people in a line at the ticket window that stretched all the way to the sidewalk and I couldn't find a spot to park w/in 75 yards of the door. SO...I kept driving and went home. The boys were VERY upset and Garrett is still convinced that I just stayed in the garage and woke him up 45 minutes later. Funny! Hopefully we'll go see it today!