Artic Atlanta

Well, we wrapped up 3 full days of snow and ice today.  The temps have finally gotten above freezing long enough to make a difference and we have seen the snow melting.  Praise Jesus for melting snow, and no, I'm not kidding or exaggerating or whatever you will.  I'm glad the snow was here.  I am thrilled my little ones got to play in it, but I'm just as elated to see it GONE.  It is pretty for about 12 hours, after that... I want it gone.  And it is not pretty after someone drives in it.  Then it turns into icy slushy mess that is brown.  Yuck.

Snow days for me have been about organizing clothes in the kids' rooms, planning menus for the month of February, and gathering coupons for grocery shopping.  I was supposed to go to a work conference this weekend, but that obviously didn't happen since I just retrieved my vehicle today.  Thankfully it was still parked at the McDonalds where I left it and it hadn't been damaged or towed.  The roads were actually manageable and I did some grocery shopping before I returned home to the manic children.  I also went to Hobby Lobby and got some ribbon for my stash!

Hayes and Elizabeth are troopers and have been great considering we are all tired of being stuck at home, inside the house.  We did go outside Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, but yesterday we stayed inside all day.  It takes so long to put on all the gear and then they only stay outside for maybe 20-30 minutes.  They don't even like the snow.  They have tossed all the cushions in the floor every day, had a trampoline via couch to floor, and ran multiple laps around the middle of the house.  They have watched numerous Disney movies and sang along to most of them.  We also clap when appropriate during movies.  Every dress up outfit has seen action during Artic Atlanta week.

We made Snow Cream yesterday.  The can of sweetened condensed milk I had said it expired in 2012.  Oops.  Nobody is dead yet and we all ate it, so it must be okay?  Snow Cream was delicious and I'd never made it or had it before, that I can remember... It went along well with the brownies Caroline delivered!

I'm busily preparing dinners for next week while the children are napping.

Sunday is Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Source

Monday is Loaded Potato & Chicken Bake

Source

Tuesday is Vegetable Soup.  

I don't have a link or a source.  I just add a bunch of veggies to the crock pot and some ground meat and add some seasoning.  I also make cornbread, which is my most favorite food ever.  

Wednesday is Queso Chicken Pasta Bake

Source

I've been craving cheese dip like no other with this pregnancy, so I'm hoping this queso bake will be a delicious substitute!  

Thursday we have gymnastics and we go out to dinner after that.  Friday & Saturday Daryk will be coaching at Sectionals, so the kids and I will either have pizza, cereal, leftovers, or sandwiches.  I try to plan my meals around our lives and busy schedules.  I also plan a whole month at a time and adjust depending on grocery store sales, activities, etc.  I go shopping once a week for our meals and try my best to stick within a $100 a week budget for everything.  Maybe I'll post about how I budget that, coupon for savings, and plan meals one day.  I truly enjoy being organized.  Makes my life easier.  

It's a fiesta!

Sometimes summer means we are so busy having fun we forget about a nap until 3 p.m.

And we have dinner around 8 because we nap from 4-6:30 p.m.

Oops.

So I'm too lazy to cook and we go eat Mexican food.

Thankfully we can dine outside and be loud/messy without it being disastrous. 

Family dinner night at the Mexican restaurant. Hayes brought his mens along for the ride. 

This girl ate her own bowl of cheese. We couldn't share. 

He also ordered for himself telling our server he wanted chicken fingers and fries. Mind you, he doesn't eat fries. 

Just like she doesn't eat chips.

Cheese dip, new finger food?  

Literally. 

Fish, Boats, and Vader... Oh my!

We took an impromptu trip to the lake this weekend.

Maw Maw called Friday mid afternoon and invited us to come over for Father's Day.

We didn't really have any plans, except I wanted to paint the master bedroom...

Lemme think... paint versus the lake....

Duh.

Lake.

PawPaw fished and shared.

Daddy fished.

And also shared.

Hayes and Libby hogged the fishing space.

Daryk got a really cool toy that my kids do not like.

It was really expensive at the thrift store in Big Pell... 79 cents.

YouTube... you never cease to entertain.

Wonder what PawPaw did before there was YouTube?

Brandie says he split a lot of wood.

Prolly true.

Daddy and Hayes fished some more.  

I don't think they actually caught anything.

Daryk isn't really good at catching fish on that lake.

And this... is the boating princess.

Happy Father's Day to all the important Daddies in my world.

A special shout out to my husband Daryk.

He always lets me have my way and I always get what I want.

Except when he says no.

He's doing a great job at this 'dad' thing thus far.

Crap balls. I forgot yesterday.

Welp, call me a slacker.  I totally forgot I was supposed to write a blog yesterday.
Oops.
Lemme just fill you in about our weekend!
Friday we decided that Hayes could go with my parents to the deer woods and play with his cousin Lucas.  Dad came to get him after school on Friday and I sent him on his way.  Dad and Sheila decided not to go to the deer woods and just hang by the lake instead.  Lucky Hayes--either way.  Saturday he got to play hard with Lucas and then they went to the B'ham Zoo.  I've heard all about the monkeys, alligators in green water, and elephants he saw.  He was thrilled to see his cousin and go visit with his grandparents.  I was thrilled to know that he missed me and asked for me on Saturday night!  .:Made my heart swell:.

Friday night I took Elizabeth to the mall for dinner and some girl time.  We played, well, she played on the Germ Village (as my mom says) Playground and had a GREAT time.  She ran around for a good little while before I loaded her up into the one kid stroller and we went shopping for Christmas gifts.  I got a few gifts for teachers and various family members before we left the mall.  We saw BeBe and Jack one more time before we left and she had a meltdown.  It was fun!

Saturday morning we played around the house until 9 and then got ready to go see Daddy at the ALX Duals.  I dressed her in her best red and black for the big match!  We got to watch about 2 hours of wrestling before I had to head home to get ready for my basketball games.  I met my sitters at the house and left baby girl with them.  I drove to Cambodia, on the other side of the county, for THREE everloving basketball games.  Longest.games.ever.  Girls won, boys won, 9th boys lost.  Long day!  I got home around 6:30 and debated with Daryk about dinner plans.  We decided to go to Gumbeaux.  Unfortunately they were PACKED and we ended up at The Pub instead.  Elizabeth was a trooper and ate like a champ, nothing new! 

Today our little girl slept until after daylight and we enjoyed sleeping in too!  We served at church in the last service and then went to Kohl's and Target to shop.  Elizabeth passed out on the way home from shopping and we all took a nap.  Daryk and I went exploring behind the house and we can't wait to show the kids!  Dad and Sheila delivered Hayes around 5 p.m. and we got baby girl up to see her brother.  Her hair was CRAZY when she woke up and we all got a good laugh. 

Grocery store run, chicken quesadillas for dinner, and then bathtime for the babes.  Everyone was in bed by 7:15 and we folded laundry.  Aren't we a load of fun!?

He leaves me speechless.

 Pawpaw brought him an airplane on Father's Day.
Hayes hadn't been feeling well, and this day was a stretch for him.
Poor kid has had one heck of a summer with sicknesses.
Plural. 
As in the whole month of June, sick.
Summer sicknesses are misery for all involved.

 But you would NEVER know that this kid is miserable.
He has a face that radiates joy.
His giggles could melt anyone's heart.

 He's just so tickled that he can't stop laughing!

 Look, he pretends to be shy.
Hilarious.

 I love his chubby hands.
I love his dimples too.
I am so sad he's growing up.

 Simply put, he's TOO big for his britches.