Why does a church need a fog machine?

Ok so i went to an church we used to go to. I felt really uncomfortable. I used to love the vibe and feeling of the music, but man has it changed. Crazy stage lights, huge screens, fog machines blowing fog juice all over the stage, a guy running around the stage with a camera to to flash fancy shots of the musicans on the side screens. It was way to much for me. I would prefer a few people with acoustic guitars and diffrent hand drums. I don't know I find that all the cool stuff puts my focus on the cool stuff and not on being in a group of people WORSHIPING the GOD of CREATION!!!!!! The sign on the way into the parking lot said "Are you ready for an unforgettable experince" Well I had one but I don't think it was the kind they were intending. I used to love this church but as they have grown so much they have changed soooooo much.

Now the people are still just as awesome as they used to be and the church is doing tons of awesome stuff in the community but I have a hard time with the feel and vibe of the place now. It seemed to be all about apperences. Maybe its me?

Adventure

Yeah thats Santa at Nene and Papa's house. Oh wait I mean Santa Claus. Audy made a point that it was Santa Claus and not Santa.

Ok so are here and Christmas is over we have had a great time. We have had to change our plans seeing as the weather isn't great and the drive here with my mom was revelatory in the sense that driving a long trip alone with three little ones would be a nightmare. I spent a big chunk of the trip in the back of the van managing snacks and dvd players and other such nonsense that needs to be managed when you have a 4 and 2 year old and a 6 month old.

Goodbye friends!!

I am off on my trip tomorrow I have no clue if i'll be posting at all there will sure be lots of stories when i get back. I am ready to get on the road and get this trip started. If I can post I will. Peace Out My Friends.

Dear god i am freezing

Ok so It's 10:30 and I am sitting at my computer with a sleeping two year old in my lap, toes getting really cold. Ihave been getting colder and colder all evening. Suddenly I realize that someone must have turned down the heat. I head to the front room to check the theremostat. It's 64* in my house. I know for some people thats were they might normally keep it. I am not that woman I need warmth in the winter. I usually keep it between 68 and 70. But ANyway back to the story.

So I go check and it 64* AND the heat is turned OFF!!!!!!!

Who did this they need to be shot. It's cold outside you don't turn off the heat when its cold. Thats just craziness.

Well its fixed now. On and set at 69*.

There are going to be two little children gettting tickled till they cry in the morning for this craziness. My feet feel like ice cubes.

I am busy!

I am going to probably be a bit flaky with the posting for a while. I am starting a major undertaking in the house and then I will be going on vaca till January. A three week road trip with the kiddos and I. My Mom is flying out to drive with me to back to MO for Christmas. Then on to Des Monies to see this lovely lady and her brood. Next on to the in-laws in Ann Arbor, I am so excited to see them they are more like my family then my in-laws. Then the train makes a stop in Pittsburgh to see my mother-in-laws family. Finally we make our way home with a stop at Ikea on the way. Yes Iam insane to do this by myself but my kids love to travel. So we should be golden.

Guess what?

You can play games and waste time for a good cause. Check this out. I know most people know about this site but I just realized that you can do more than just words. I was just doing artwork. Man was that fun. You can also do chemistry, other languages, geography and more. Too cool . Go check it out.

Menu Plan Monday

I had to share this piece of dried Papya in the shape of California. I did eat it. That's why I took the picture.


Monday
B- Crockpot Oatmeal
L- Nuggets and Fries
D- Sloppy Lentils

Tuesday
B- Applesauce Oat Bran Muffins
L- Annie's Mac and Cheese
D- Trader Joe's Veggie Pasta Blend

Wednesday
B- Cereal, Fruit, Hard boiled eggs
L- Smoothies and PB and J
D- Hummus, chips veggies and smoothies (quick, easy dinner before church)

Thursday
B- Carrot cake Oatmeal
L- Hummus and Veggies to take to Paula's
D- Crockpot Mac and Cheese

Friday
B- Muffins from freezer
L- PB and J, fruit, carrots
D- Crockpot Honey Orange Tofu

Saturday
B- Cereal, Hard boiled eggs (whatever I am going out)
L- Nuggets, PB and J, Leftovers, whatever looks good. I am hoping not to be home long.
D- Tomato soup and Grilled Cheese

Sunday
B- Crockpot Grits
L- Out
D- Nachos (using my friends Paula and James' recipe)

Snacks for the week:

Organic Chocolate Chips Cookies (from mix)
Pumpkin Brownies
Seasoned Chickpeas
Cinnamon Rasin Bread
Dried Fruit
Granola Bars

Check it out here.

Dog slippers for a dog

Yesterday evening after having a good case of cabin fever set in I decided we needed to get out of the house and ice cream sounded like as good a reason as any. So we piled in the van and set forth on a cruise to get some. I decided that we should go to the DQ in Ocean View. It's a ways from the house but a nice drive. Audy decided on the way that she wanted something to eat more than just ice cream. So we got hot dogs, chips and our free kid cones. When we do fast food we go through the drive thru and eat in the van I can't chase kids around a fast food joint. I am just not going there. With my spirited brood it turns crazy fast.

So I get parked in my chosen spot. Hop out and jump in the back with the kiddos and dole out the food. Kids of course getting there kid cones first. Cause this is an ice cream trip, so no "real food" first. As we are eating a lady walking a schnauzer in a camo shirt stroll by. Audy then informs me that "that dog is wearing a dress". Ummm... explanation Audy has recently decided that all shirts, dresses, clothing items worn on the torso are dresses. Ok moving on, I then say, "Hey Ellie wears dresses do you think we should get one for her for Christmas?" Ellie is my sister-in-law Leah's adorable teacup poodle chihuahua mix puppy. "No she needs puppy slippers" Background, Last year for Christmas Leah found Audy slippers that look just like Ellie. "That would be funny Audy. But what if we made Ellie Audy slippers?" She balked she didn't really like that idea.

Then we finished eating and jammed out all the way home to For The Kids Three. I am a sucker for a good song about poop. And when done by one of my favorite duos what could be better. Me (pronounced Mae) sent that and this for our impending road trip. I think this is going on my must get list now.

WTH?

Ok so I was just checking my email. In my email box was an email ad from JoAnn's I am reading along and I come upon this craziness. I am just wondering why someone couldn't just use a stereo on headphones. Why would someone need a piece of junk like this. Sorry if ou like it but I just don't get it.

An intresting Thanksgiving.

(Check out this little cutie I have to be thankful for.)

Ok so I was really bummed about Thanksgiving yesterday. My husband is gone. We didn't get invited to celebrate with anyone. Thinking about spending the day in my messy house with my kids who don't yet really get the holiday, with no special food to eat. No turkey in the oven. No hustle, no bustle. Just a parade and a dog show to watch.

Well I woke up this morning in a much better mood about the whole thing. I am going to make few yummy dishes with what I have in the house. Celebrate our traditions even if Dave isn't here. We can watch the parade and the dog show. I can clean the house a bit. Play with the kids. And enjoy the day even if it isn't the traditional Thanksgiving I wish I could have. It will be fine.

So Enjoy your day and I'll enjoy mine.

Wow I crafted.

Ok so I made the extra effort tonight to get the kids to bed at a decent hour so I could have some time to myself to sew. And this is what I made an apron for someone special on my Christmas List. I don't think they read this blog but just to be safe I won't say who.
They had better appericate it too cause I got my finger creamed by the sewing machine in the process. I am sure that only happened cause I wasn't paying close enough attention. Seeing as I had a bit of a stressful day taking kiddos to the ER because the decided that Reese's Pinworm Medicne would be a good snack. Then fining out it wasn't a big deal. Well it could have been but it wasn't. Glad I didn't have to go back to the ER for myself. This was our first ER trip for injury or stupidity. Yes I just called my kids stupid. But they are sooooooo far from stupid. Stupid kids don't figure out how to move a chair half way across the house quietly enough that Mom doesn't hear what's going on and proceed to scale said chair and get on kitchen counter open dish cabinet and find the one random medicene that isn't with the other medicenes in the bathroom closet that is hard for mom to open. No olny smart kids do stuff like that. And they happen to be 2 years old and named Amelie. Now the Master Mischeife Maker at the Spritely Household.
Ok back to happy crafty thoughts I found this cute fabric in a bag of random fanric that I got at the thrift store awhile back. Yes, that is a Rizt cracker. It's all I could find to show the size at that moment. And then I thought it was funny. Anyway, I am going to make some napkins and if its soft enough after I wash it I'll make some hankies out of it as well.

So anyway, heres to a better day tomorrow.

Ice Cream Remix

Ok so I made another batch of soy ice cream. I used a mango that was sitting in the bottom of my fridge, 1 1/2 bananas that I had tossed in the freezer, and some soy Very Vanallia Silk soymilk. Thats it. It was way to bananaeeeeeeeey. You could barelt taste the mango. It was still yummy. Just not what I had been hoping for.

Oh well I'll keep trying things out and then I'll have good recipes for when Dave gets home and he'll never have to try the flops. Although I am sure he would enjoy trying all the flops. I miss my Schmoopise Poo.

Friday Food Bite

So I just ate this very yummy treat. Apricot Soy Ice Cream. I recently found the ice cream maker at the thrift store marked down to $1.99 originally a whopping $2.98. But anway I have been wanting one for a long time so I had to have it. Its a hand crank variety but so awesome. So on to the recipe


1/2 cup dried apricots
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup honey (The original recipe calls for 3/4 but its too much for me. I won't use that much
2 cups soy milk ever again.)


So to start you cook the apricots in the water , in a covered saucepan, until they are soft. Then you throw that in the blender. Ok don't really throw it. Boiling hot water and throwing really shouldn't be ion the same sentence.

Ok so you have pureed the fruit in it cooking liquid. You add the honey. Blend some more. Once that's mixed add the soy milk. Blend again.

So then you pour it in your ice cream maker and follow your manufacturer's instructions. Mine say it stir 2-3 times every few minutes for about 20 minutes.

You could really do this with any fruit puree. I am gonna try it with a mango I have in the fridge. Maybe even some pumpkin. The yummy ideas that are a flowin'.



Look at that tasty goodness. What's not to love. Oh yeah and in the background there is wine in a jar. Yeah I am classy like that.

My Baby!!!

IS 4 TODAY!!!!! We had a great day of playing with friends and celebrating.


The smiliy birthday girl. you can't really see but she has purple sugar on her nose.
The happy little sister.The birthday girl and her birthday buddy Leah (her birthday is Sunday). Whose mama happens to be my awesome friend Patricia.

All in all an awesome 4th Birthday.

It's a little crazy thinking that four years ago today I was having baby #1 and today on her fourth birthday I have 3 amazing, beautiful girls. Wow the things that have happened in the last 4 years. Maybe I'll post about that tomorrow?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

...so that picture of my dining room. Go look at it and imagine a huge blue blob on the floor between the table and the dresser.

While I was checking my email this afternoon my girls got into the paint I had put off moving from the shelf. And proceeded to pour half a bottle or more on the carpet. How am I going to explain that one to the landlord. Maybe I can get some more of it out. Why do my kids have to be so damn smart and constantly get into mischief. Oh well life goes on and so does the party. Audy's birthday playdate is tomorrow. It's also for our friend Leah, her Bday is Saturday. Happy 4th birthday you beautiful girls!!!

So those pics...

Ok so first this is my dining room now. That dresser I found it in my neighbors yard. Waiting for someone to come take it home. It does have missing drawer but I'll figure out a nice way to deal with that later. Any suggestions?
Ok the pics loaded backwards and i am having a heck of a time moving them so I'll just leave them. This is the new home for the bookshelf that used to live next to my desk see below.

There will soon be pics of my office makeover so you can see all the work I did there.This is what was were the bookshelf now lives.

So...

...that big project. Isn't finished yet and it just got bigger because my kids turned the tv room into a diaster. I still had messes in here myself. But it will all get done tomorrow. As Thursday is Audy's birthday and we are having a birthday playdate. So it has to be visitor ready. Very little gets done on Wedsdays around here with school and church. So tomorrow is D-day. I'll post pics of the bookshelf later this evening.

I like this way better than the other one

In the Middle...

...of big project. Overwhelmed. Wish kids would stay out of mess. Need motivation to finish. Will post pics when done. Ahhhhhh! That was nice break. Back to work now.

Old Red Barn Quilt Giveaway

This is a shameless attempt to win one of # amazingly beautiful quilts that Dana is giving away.

I am too lazy and my lap too full of two year old to take the time to figure out how to steal her pics so just go look for yourself. GO NOW!!!!! TRUST ME YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID!!!

That soup in my menu.

Yummy Portabello and Barley Soup

2 Portabello caps, chopped large
1 red pepper, rough chopped
4 green onions, snipped up with scissors
Olive oil
Bragg Liquid Aminos (soy sauce would work to)
Balsimic Vinegar
Garlic
Barley
Water between 4 and 6 cups (whatever looks right)

So I started by putting a bit of oil in the pan. Then I threw in the mushrooms and the garlic and let then saute. Then I poured in a bit of vinegar and the liquid aminos just once or twice around the pan (to steal from Rachel Ray).

Toss in the peppers and let them soften a bit. Pour in the water and a few palmfuls of barley and let it simmer on the stove for a bit, to cook the barley. Throw in the green onions right at the end. Throw in a dash of coarse sea salt at this point.

I put part of the onions in with peppers and it made them really ugly. So I am not recommending that.

This was really yummy yesterday and I have a feeling it will be even better today.

*In the photo the soup is in the Dansk dutch oven that I found at the thrift store. I won't say how much I paid for it. Lets just say way more than I usually pay for things at the thrift store.

Menu Plan Monday

OK so I have been reading the Org Junkies Blog for a long time and this is the first time I am participating in this so go me.





Monday
B: Soy Chorizo and egg Burritos
L: Portabello Soup (was Sundays lunch and oh so good.)
D: An Amy's frozen Pizza

Tuesday
B: Oatmeal with Pomegranates
L: Pad Thai from a box mix
D: Noodles with Soycutash and Salmon

Wed
B: Eggs with Toast and Jam
L: Chick'n Nuggets with Sweet Potato Fries
D: Tricolor Gnocchi with Alfredo Sauce

Thursday
B: Muffins
L: Annie's Mac and Cheese
D: Spaghetti Squash with Sauce

Friday
B: Granola Bars and Fruit
L: Soy Chorizo Burritos
D: Acorn Squash (still need to find a recipe)

Sat
B: Pancakes
L: Bacon, Toast and Eggs
D: Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry ( I am basing this off an other recipe and winging it.)

Sunday
B: Bacon Eggs and Toast
L: Eat out probally Fast food
D: Meatloaf and a yummy side TBD.

A bit political

Just Do It!!!!

Well I have been thinking about it for awhile. And now is the time. I am going Veg. I am gonna do it in steps. There is a small amount of meat in the house still from my last shopping trip. Once it's gone I no more will come into the house. I will then only eat meat out of the house. Seeing as its the holiday season I don't want to make this whole thing hard on everyone else yet. After I get home from my Christmas travels I won't eat any meat at all.

I had to be practical about this. I am going on a three week, four stop holiday trip. I am going to have to eat at fast food restaurants. I don't need the hassle of dealing with that this year. I have to much going on.

Yes Dave that means when you get home no meat.

Random Ramble

OK so I want to post and i am gonna do a stream of consciousness kind thing. I am NOT sorry if that kind of thing bothers you or if you may be offended by anything I may say. I feel no need to apologize.

I really want to do something crafty, but my current lack of husband makes that slightly more difficult. With no one around to play with the kids while I work I get a bit tense. I have several things to start working on for Christmas. I also have a few charity projects I want to work on. I also have a quite dirty house. I have no motivation to clean. Although it does need to get done tomorrow since i have a babysitter coming while I go to a movie. Yes I am going out by myself for the first time since dave left well i shouldnt say by myself Cassidy is coming with me but at this point in my mothering carrer going out with a little baby is nothing. Its like she is just part of me. I will be so happy when my hubby gets home. It is still a long time off but am still excited about it. I sent him a box today I was really excited bout it. Hope he enjoys it. Hope he sees whats in the book there is a special gift in there.

Well my kids are climbing all over me I am outtta here. This was fun.

Barack Obama

Wow I am so excited for our nation. Change is such a good thing. It's 12:20 and I still don't know how my state turned out. My voting state that is. I am a Missouri voter and the results are still not in yet I'll check when I get up. But I am so excited.

I think the weirdest thing that I am most excited is that fact that we again have a President who can speak with eloquence and a strong grasp of the English language. A President who's words inspire. Who can inspire hope and rally people.

I understand people's fear at his lack of experience. But I always wonder what experience did George Washington have. I mean really. He was doing something no one had ever done before.
Personally I think this is just what our nation needs.

Red and Aqua Swap

So I did my first swap. And today my box arrived. I wasn't here when they tried to deliver it so I had to pick it up. They would have redelivered it tomorrow but who can wait for a package. I was so excited I opened it in the parking lot.

Haircuts

This is my new do. I love it!!!!! I feel really spunky.


Amelie decided Sunday evening that she needed a haircut. She did it herself. Luckily we were already going to Whittney's Manday for my haircut. So She trimed Amelies up to so the hackjob wasn't as obvious. Its as cute as it can be considering.

$35

All this was only $35 today at the thrift store. Including the "train table it's all sitting on that was only $10. In that mess of fabric is a dress, a green skirt and a pair of chocolate brown pants. A bunch of books for the kiddies. Four books for me. A little people minivan. A trash can for my office/sewing room. And a pair of pink Emu brand boots to keep my tootsies warm and cozy this winter.
I just couldn't resist this adorable needlepoint. Its actually a Flavia, It's too cute.

Yippie!!!!!

A good stuff day. Awesome deals at the thrift store. My Red ans Aqua Swap package in the mail. could it get any better. I'll post more about this later. I gotta go be my to my babies. They need me more.

WELL!!!

I was going to post about how messy my house is with pictures and everything. BUT the pictures won't upload maybe I should just go clean it up. I wanted to post before and after pics. I'll have to try later. Sorry folks you don't get to see my mes now. Check back later for the carnage.

Hallowe'en at the Sprightly household

I have been inspired to post about Hallowe'en by Apron Thrift Girl.

So I have been asking the girls what they want to be for Hallowe'en. Over time I have gotten several answers from Audy princess, pumpkin, and several times now ghost. I told her she stays with ghost and she seems ok with that. I have some white suit lining that I used in the decorations at our wedding so now I have a use for it. There will be a small amount of sewing to hem the fabric and keep the eyeholes from fraying. Soooo simple.

But Amelie. Amelie wants to be me. Yes my daughter wants to be her mother for Hallowe'en. I am excited so easy put her in a grown up looking outfit and through on her doll sling and a dolly. Add a few cloth grocery bags with play food in them and there you have it free Hallowe'en costume.

I guesss I should check with the Paula and see if a ghost would freak out her kiddos. Since we are going to their house to trick or treat and hang out.

A fall day at the beach

I took the girls to the beach last Monday. Oh It was beautiful. It started out as a way to clam Amelie down while we had to wait for Audy to get out of school. She was having a big fit and Audy's school isn't far from the water(the Chesapeake Bay). So we went for a little walk. Well neither one of us wanted to leave but we had to pick Audy up. So we decided that we would get Audy and some food and head back to the beach.

And that is just what we did. I had capressa salad. The girls had string cheese and rice cakes. The big girls splashed along the waters edge and played in the sand. We collected lots of rocks and shells and a piece of drift wood. Cassidy nursed and then took a snooze on the blanket. I just sat and enjoyed the beauty that surrounded me.

We had the beach to ourselves for the most part. No one stayed for nearly as long as we did. Several folks walking their dogs. Two ladies one of whom was getting ready to board a flight to Chiago and wanted to put her feet in the ocean before venuring back to the Windy City.

It was one of the moments you really want to last forever. And share with the ones you love most. (Yeah Dave that means you. We miss our Daddy! Stay safe honey! We love you!!!!)

HOLY FREAKIN CRAP!!!!!!!!!!

MY DAUGHTER CAN RECOGNIZE WORDS!!!!!! My daughter who has never really shown much interest in words or reading. As a baby would crawl away when I tried to read to her. This wonder I call Audrey just recognized the word GRANDMA. I had the cabinet open in the kitchen while I was making my menu and shopping list for my payday shopping trip Wed. Audy looks in the cabinet and then starts talking some nonsense about GRANDMA'S. I then realized as i looked back in the cabinet that she was looking at the jar of Tastes Grandma's Peach Jam.




HOLY CRAP!!!!!! I know she is four so this isn't too out of the realm of normal but with her former lack of interest in words it is so exciting to me. We now have something new to talk about. Wow the growing she has done since starting preschool. I wonder what will happen with my future homeschooling plans.





Amelie is making me want to pull my hair out her two is so different than Audy's two. She is having lots of tantrums and aggressive behavior. Luckily she did better today at the park than she has been at other things recently.

We are all growing and learning around here recently. I have been learning alot about myself the last few weeks. For one thing I am tough as nails. I can pull my self from the edge of a cliff. Not alone I have to reach out and up. But I can come through a storm. And be better on the otherside.

Well

I am back to my normal cheery self with the few random moments of glum, snarky, or other emotion thrown in. But I would no longer conisder myself depressed.

And I thought I'd share this random picture Audy took of the fridge.

Zombie

That's how I have felt for the last few days. I am not getting anything done. My house is gross. Not just messy I can live with messy. It's gross. I keep trying to get the energy and motivation to do the work that needs done. But it doesn't last long and there is always another mess that needs cleaned up when I am done. Can someone please tell my children not to touch anything in our home ever again. They can sit on the couch that's it.

Anywhere

My girls will sleep anywhere.
In any mess.
In any position.

Things from life

Shaving cream painting in the shower.

Let's play drums with Minnie.

The other evening we had tea at bedtime.

This is what I wake up to in the morning. I swear she doesn't sleep with that much stuff in her bed.

A yummy homemade dinner I made the other night.