I have come to the conclusion...

I have come to the conclusion that my kids have certain things that they do when they know there is work to be done in the house. A specific thing that they always do to get out of whatever housework currently needs done. I fly around the house, upstairs, downstairs doing laundry, tidying, dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, etc...I must do something that they are aware that I am about to ask for help. Cameron runs off to the toilet because he knows that is one place that I will never tell him to wait. Genin takes the food route, pouring a big bowl of cereal that will sog if he has to do anything besides eat it. Crazy me, I am very concerned about him wasting that food so I let him eat. I need to somehow figure out what it is that I am doing to tip them off that I am about to ask for help...

The choices are:

A. They took notice of my new hand jewelry...broom and dustpan.

B. I am wearing a new scent...Endust.

C. Instead of clothing in a shopping bag, my favorite store sold me dirty clothing in a laundry basket.

D. All of the Above




Hmmm...what would you pick?!

Wacky, Weird, Weekend Grocery Shopping

Have you ever taken the time to really look at a lot of the weird things that are sold in stores nowadays? How about to look at some of the wacky people who frequent those stores?! I went to Giant Eagle for my huge 3 month trip this past weekend. What a trip!

I saw a guy walking back and forth with a loaf of fresh bread, a can of black-eyed peas and a seedless zuccini. I am not quite sure what he was looking for, but he never picked up anything else the whole time he was there.



*Never get the salt water taffy in the bulk candy area...it can be a little too gooey! Sorry kid...tell your mom to buy you some wet wipes.

Giant Eagle in Washington has a huge variety of products available. If you want it, most likely they have it. Even...



*Digestives? Does this milk chocolate cracker snack even sound appetizing to you?! $5.99?! Your money would go right down the toilet along with your crackers!

I can't believe how many ice creams there are to choose from...oh look who's back....



*For goodness sakes, those are for girls...if you have a problem with it, tell your mom to switch them out for the Spongebob fun fruits...oh and quit bothering me kid.

Who knew there were so many fruits that you could make jelly and jams out of. I saw a lady staring for a long period of time at the jelly section...not sure what she was waiting for. Her husband was doing the same thing in the Worchestershire Sauce area...strange. I, myself stick with grape jelly, however, I have been known to buy strawberry, raspberry, even peach, but....



*I don't like guava :( My son and little sister do though ;)

Now to get back to trying to pick out an ice cream flavor amongst the millions of shelves of yummy goodness. I ended up getting $1 off of the already on sale Giant Eagle brand ice cream, the generic form of dippin dots (4 of those), a box of Minute Maid Popsicles and 3 mini cans of Edy's ice cream :) What the....



*I guess he was driving his mom crazy....

I would know, the lovely model for these pics is MY son....take a bow Cameron.

Isn't grocery shopping wacky and weird...or is that just us?!

Lovin Yard Sales!

I had another great weekend of yard sales. The kids and I started out on Friday and I continued on my own (with Matlyn in tow) on Saturday (Greg had the kids in the pool all day) Have I mentioned how much I absolutely LOVE having a GPS system?! It is so much easier to find streets in the yard sale section of the newspaper. Though I have been in this area for 10 years, there are still quite a few streets that I can't find. I have found gorgeous streets that I didn't even know existed thanks to my GPS :)

The first yard sale we hit on Friday took half of my money! Expensive prices...no...they just had so much stuff we wanted that I spent just over $17. I bought unique Christmas ornaments, clothing, knick-knacks, jewelry and a small dresser for Matlyn. The kids each bought a few things as well.

Saturday is when I found some awesome buys. I bought this cute little homemade bench and a chair, only $5 for the pair!



They would be so cute for a child, dolls or even potted plants out front on the lawn!

Check this out! Anyone remember this from the 70's? I think it may have been a few years before I was born, but I did see this Barbie fold up airplane at the Toy Museum in Wheeling. Only paid $1 for it!



It opens up to show the galley area and the seating. Too cool!



I also found 5 old license plates from 5 different states (I have this obsession with license plates)



I have been hanging them up in my 2 car garage. Hoping to cover every wall at one point.

I just love going to yard sales. You can find so many unique things that you could never find in a store. You don't even realize how many items there are out there! I pick up brand new items to put away for gifts all the time and save a ton of money!

I just zone out during yard sale season...it is my sanctuary of peace!

Top Ten Greatest Characters

Entertainment Weekly recently listed their top 100 greatest characters. Out of those 100, I have picked my top ten favorites and the lines that made them great!!

10. Rachel Green (Friends):

Rachel: Wha... married?
Ross: Well, yeah, I think we should get married!
Rachel: What? Because that's your answer to everything?

9. Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump):

Bubba: My name's Benjamin Beauford Blue, people call me Bubba.
Forrest: My name's Forrest Gump, people call me Forrest Gump.

8. Rose & Jack (Titanic):

Rose: You used this woman several times.
Jack: She has beautiful hands, see?
Rose: I think you must have had a love affair with her.
Jack: No, just with her hands. See.
[turns page]
Jack: She was a one-legged prostitute. Ah, she had a good sense of humour though

7. Woody (Toy Story):


Woody: Tuesday's plastic corrosion awareness meeting was, I think, a big success. We'd like to thank Mr. Spell for putting that on for us. Thank you Mr. Spell...
Mr. Spell: [mechanically] You're. Welcome.

6. Napoleon Dynamite (Napoleon Dynamite):

Napoleon Dynamite: Well, will you do me a favor then? Can you bring me my chapstick?
Kip: No, Napoleon.
Napoleon Dynamite: But my lips hurt real bad!

Deb: What are you drawing?
Napoleon Dynamite: A liger.
Deb: What's a liger?
Napoleon Dynamite: It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed... bred for its skills in magic.

5. Jerry Maguire (Jerry Maguire):

Rod Tidwell: I feel for you, man. But a real man wouldn't shoplift the pootie from a single mom.
Jerry Maguire: I didn't shoplift the pootie.
[Rod gives him a long Look]
Jerry Maguire: All right. I shoplifted the pootie.

4. Roseanne Conner (Roseanne):


Becky: Cindy Clark's mom lets her stay home alone!
Roseanne: YEAH WELL CINDY CLARK'S MOM IS A DRUNKEN SLUT!
-Roseanne and Becky


becky- cindy clark's mom pays her two dollars an hour to babysit
roseanne- well cindy clark's mother is a RICH drunken slut



3. Cher (Clueless):

Mel: Do you know what time it is?
Cher: A watch doesn't really go with this outfit, daddy.

2. Truman (The Truman Show):

Truman: What are you gonna do? Dice me, slice me, or peel me? There are so many choices


1. Allie & Noah (The Notebook):

Young Allie: Why didn't you write me? Why? It wasn't over for me, I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late.
Young Noah: I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year.
Young Allie: You wrote me?
Young Noah: Yes... it wasn't over, it still isn't over
[kisses Allie]

Who is your fav movie/tv character?

Fun with Food!

It is a "Thrifty Thursday" and check out what I picked up!



They are shaped sandwich cutters that I picked up at Deals for only $1 each! This is such a fun way to liven up your sandwiches. My kids get especially bored with lunch in the summer because they basically get either sandwiches or soup (hey, I have to spend time cleaning up after them so no time for gourmet lunches) This adds some much needed excitement to the sandwiches. I already own the Pampered Chef Cut n Seal which cuts the sandwiches into a circle and seals them shut so nothing drips out the sides. These don't do the sealing part, but they do create the fun shapes :) Kaplyn loves the star! The square one cuts the sandwich into 2 triangles while cutting off the crust...how simple is that for the busy mom?!

These would also be great for get-togethers! Not only can you cut the bread in these awesome shapes, but you could do any other soft things such as meats and cheeses. What a great cold cut tray you could make! I am so tickled over this find :) Very practical and fun!

Go Fruit Picken'

What to do Wednesday: Go fruit picken'

I love to go fruit picken' in the summertime. It is a tradition that I started with my kids 5 years ago when we bought our dream house. I have peach trees, apple trees, blueberry bushes, blackberries and raspberries that grow right in my yard :)

I love the serenity of picking fruit. Our house sits on a very quiet road so it is very easy to clear your mind and just listen to the tree leaves blow in the wind. I like to sit in the grass while picking the blueberries, getting every last ripe one off of the branches.



Sometimes my cat will walk by brushing me with her fur as she watches me pick. I love the look of ripe peaches on the tree. My mouth waters as I see the perfect shades hanging above my head.

Blackberries and raspberries line the acreage of my entire yard...what an abundance of this gorgeous fruit! All of our fruit has produced this year..thank you Mother Nature :)

Tip Tuesday! Clean and Save

I clip coupons for cleaning supplies constantly due to the price involved in all of the different items you need to keep your house in tip top shape. Wouldn't you like to find a cheaper way to do it though? Sometimes, I run out of an item and do not want to have to leave what I am currently in the middle of to chase it down. I came across an article in "All You, Issue June 18, 2010" It substitutes know-how for expensive products (and takes the weight off of the old wallet!)

Make your kitchen sparkle!

1. Eliminate odors: Try coffee grounds to keep your refrigerator smelling nice and fresh, just as you do with an open box of baking soda. Place them, new or used, in a bowl and remember to replace them every month or two. (I have always used baking soda which eliminates any odors, but does not actually give the fridge a nice smell..will definitely try this one!)

2. Wash the dishwasher: To clean the inside of your dishwasher, fill the detergent cups with whichever one of these four products you have on hand: 1/2 cup white vinegar or a few tablespoons of powdered laundry bleach, Tang or lemon-flavored Kool-Aid (lemon is the only flavor that works). Then run the empty machine through a complete cycle. (What a great idea using lemon-flavored Kool-Aid!)

3. Chill out: Use ice to cleanse the blades in your garbage disposal and break up the grease that collects on the rotors. Every few weeks, toss in a handful of cubes, turn on the disposal and run cold water. Add some orange, lemon or lime peels to ward off odors. (Who knew?!)

4. Soften up: Get baked-on foods off pots and pans with a dryer sheet. Just place one in a pot, fill with water and let sit overnight, then sponge off the next morning. The antistatic agent weakens the bond between the stuck-on food and the surface of the pan, white the fabric softener works its loosening magic. (And I thought dryer sheets were only for the laundry...)

5. Absorb it: Cover the bottom of your trash can with old newspapers to soak up leaks and odors. (Who knows why I didn't think of this one before...would have saved me a lot of time having to soak the inside of that disgusting trash can!)

6. Wipe away: Make scuffs on vinyl flooring disappear by applying a little baking soda with a damp sponge. (This one I knew about :)

7. Gather shards: Pick up tiny slivers of broken glass-the ones you don't notice until you've stepped on them-by gently pressing a piece of bread or a piece of Play-Doh on the area. Be sure to wrap the glass up carefully before throwing it away--you don't want an animal to eat it or a child to play with it. (This one I didn't know, my feet always did the job of the bread..Ouch!!)

8. Nuke' em: To keep bacteria from taking up permanent residence in your kitchen sponges, rinse them with water at the end of each day, squeeze, then put in the microwave for 3 minutes. Let cool before touching. Do the same with your cutting boards, if they are microwaveable. (I don't use sponges much because of the germs and expense involved...now I can :)

9. Get fruity: Harness the power of citrus to clean your microwave: Cut a lemon in half, squeeze juice into a small bowl of water, add both lemon halves and place in the microwave for 5 minutes. The fresh scent eliminates cooking odors, and condensation from the steam loosens random splatters that have hardened. Wipe with a damp cloth. (I always used a bowl of vinegar for this job, but then have to listen to my kids say, "Yuck! What is that horrible smell?! Guess I will visit the produce department more often to cover this job!)

10. Bring back the bling: Polish tarnished copper with this natural solution: Fill a 16 oz spray bottle with white vinegar and 3 tablespoons of salt. Spray onto the copper, let sit briefly, then rub clean. (Don't have an copper, but this is an easy idea)

11. Floss often: Remove debris from the cutting disc on your electric can opener with dental floss. (I spent an hour once trying to clean my can opener, of course it was during spring cleaning mixed with my pregnancy nesting...someone bring me the floss next time!!!!)

Makeover Monday! Too many Toys?!

Ever have so many toys that you are just not sure what to do with it all?! Having 6 kids, I am right there with you! There is always an overload of stuff that you can't even find room for it. Sometimes, I just fill their shelves and toy boxes and then later on have to rotate out with things that I keep stored in the tops of their closets. The good part is that it is like Christmas for them because it is a whole new fresh batch of toys that they haven't seen for a month or so. What do you do with some of those items that are no longer played with, but the kids can't bear to get rid of? Here are some ideas that I got from Parent's Magazines March 2010 issue to help you out!

Old Metal Trucks: Park the pickup on a windowsill and place a potted plant in the back.

Dated Dollhouse: Renovate this old house into a bookshelf for your child's favorite reads.

Bounced-Out Ball: Turn a has-been playground ball (half deflated pushed down in the center) into a cute catchall for trinkets and accessories.

Lingering Legos: Build a desktop container to hold colored markers or art supplies.



Forgotten Loveys: Repurpose stuffed animals into bookends by replacing the filling with sand.

Been Around Blocks: Unexciting bricks become one-of-a-kind stamps when you glue foam shapes to one side.

Spare Game Pieces: Board-game remains make dunky magnets or pushpins.

Mismatched Barbie Bits: Jazz up a blank card or scrapbook pages with doll size duds.

Jaded Jack-in-the-Box: Use scissors to remove the jester and spring, then stuff about 1/4 boxs of rolled up tissues into his hideout.



Have any items I haven't mentioned? What would you make yours into?

The kids and I made my husband, Greg and my dad a Father's Day dinner today. I love to cook gourmet dinners any chance I get and Greg loves to eat them so we get the best of both worlds! I got all of the recipes out of my favorite cookbook: Essential 3-ingredient, 4-ingredient, 5-ingredient cookbook. It is so hard to believe that such a simple cookbook can produce such great dishes, but we have proof of that today. Everyone left the table with a full stomach with some of the yummiest food I have ever tasted. The kids really did have a hand in cooking each item. Kaplyn made the salad and potato dish, Cameron and I made the chicken dish, I made the green bean dish and Cameron and Genin together made the dessert. These recipes were a first time try and all turned out delicious!! For anyone who wants to try them, here they are:

Green and White Salad



1 (16 oz) package frozen green peas, thawed, uncooked
1 head cauliflower, cute into bite size pieces
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream
1 envelope dry ranch-style salad dressing

In large bowl, combine peas and cauliflower. Combine sour cream and salad dressing. Toss with vegetables and chill.

Wine Chicken



6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 (10 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 oz) can cream of onion soup
1 cup white wine (I used White Zinfandel instead of white and it was awesome!!)

In skillet, brown chicken in a little bit of oil. Place in 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Combine soups and wine and pour over chicken. Bake uncovered at 325F for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 25 minutes.

Cheddar and Scallion Baked Potatoes



1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream'
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
4 Tablespoons chopped green onions

Mix all ingredients and serve on baked potato.

Green Bean Amandine



2 (10 oz) packages frozen green beans, thawed
1/3 cup almonds, slivered
3 Tablespoons butter

Cook beans according to package directions and drain well, In small saucepan, saute almonds in melted butter. Stir almonds and butter into green beans. (I melted another 1/2 stick of butter onto this and stirred before serving)

Hawaiian Dream Cake



1 (18 oz) yellow cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with 1/2 juice

With mixer, beat all ingredients for 5 minutes. Pour into greased, floured 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until cake test done with toothpick and cool.

**Coconut-Pineapple Icing
1/2 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar
1 (7 oz) can coconut
1/2 cup almonds, slivered, toasted

heat pineapple and butter and boil for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Punch holes in cake with knife. Pour hot icing over cake. (I forgot to buy the coconut for this icing recipe, but went ahead and prepared without it. So wonderful!!)

I also bought fresh tomato basil italian bread to serve :)

What a great dinner! For those who try any of the recipes, enjoy!

I loved Hello Kitty!

I was head over heels for Hello Kitty as a child. There was a store at my local mall in my hometown called "Heaven" that turned me on to the cute little kitty. I used up quite a bit of allowance in that store buying various dolls and trinkets every week. Here are some facts that you may not know about this American Idol:

Born: November 1, 1974

Hometown: London, by way of Japan

Sibling: Twin sis, Mimmy

Hobbies: Traveling, music, reading

Celeb Entourage: Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Carrie Underwwod, Mariah Carey, Suri Cruise and Heidi Kum's daughter Leni, to name a few.

Pop-Culture Honor: Last year, she was the star of her own art show.

Fav Animal: Goldfish and other small, cute things.

Life Lesson: You can never have too many good friends.

Hot Spot: Hello Kitty has an official theme park in Tokyo.

Wear her: On bling, pj's and more.

See her: As a balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Fun Fact: She weighs the same as 3 apples.

Claim to Fame: She's one of the few cartoon characters cool enough for both kids and their moms to love.

I love to see my daughter enjoying Hello Kitty like I did as a child. She has a bit of the new and some blasts from the past!

Yay for Clean!!!

So...I came up with this new system for myself when it comes to my cleaning...the 15 minute cleanup. I have such a hard time focusing on cleaning my house especially since there are 14 rooms to clean plus 4 bathrooms. To me, sitting in one room staring at the same walls is of complete and utter boredom, but I was tired of these wrecked rooms. I came across a book at a bargain bookstore the other day:




The first thing that hit me to begin with was...does that even exist?! A tidy and neat house?! Then I realized...hey, I think I had that once, yeah, Cameron is 12...about 12 years ago. It may be harder to do with 6 kids, but it may be possible....I can do this!!


My system is simply this: Set an egg timer for 15 minutes and then like a bat out of hell, run through the room cleaning. When the timer goes off, move on to another room (on another floor if you have more than one floor), whether you are finished with that one or not. Do the same thing in another room. Eventually, you will make your way back down to the room that you may not have finished the first time around and you will get to it then. The change of scenery alone is worth it! Strangely, this system totally works!! On another bright note, moving this quickly is great exercise! I have 3 floors in my house and in 2 days, 2 of them are finished and... I have lost 3 lb (not sure if this is due to the exercise or the lack of snacking since I am focusing on the cleaning)! Do you know what? I could care less the reason because it is working!! I hope to be able to keep this up, a clean house and possibly another child's worth of weight off of me...woo-hoo!!!

Tips Tuesday! 6 Germy Places to Clean

I came across these great tips in Woman's Day. Here are 6 germy places that you should always take a quick swipe of the sanitizing wipe or a rag dipped in warm water and detergent.

1. Lotion and Soap Containers-Dirty hands reach for soap and lotion constantly, so clean them just as often.

2. Light Switches and Doorknobs-Thonk of how often you use them. All those fingerprints are proof that germs are lurking.

3. Kitchen Appliances-Germs gather on the dishwasher opener, coffee and teapot handles and the dozen other buttons and switches on appliances.

4. Electronics Controls-The TV remote, the kitchen radio on/off switch, the DVD player-give them a good wipedown.

5. Bathroom Knobs and Handles-The bathroom faucets and toilet flusher are some of the most-touched places in the house. Clean them daily.

6. Car Door and Controls-The outer and inner car door handles, as well as the steering wheel and radio controls, need attention too.

Yard Sale Season!!!

It is yard sale season and I am thrilled!! I usually hit random thrift stores and consignment shops to curb my yard sale cravings during the off season, but now, it is here!! I have already hit a few :)

Last week, I bought the older boys a Pittsburgh Pirates lamp for their room that I believed came from a former player of the Pirates. At his sale, I came across so many Pirates items including things that said "Pittsburgh Pirates Alumni" I never thought to ask when I was there :/

Check out some of my great finds for the week!

I was so excited when I found this beverage fountain. I have been wanting one of these for years and had never gotten one. I paid $10, normally I would never go that high at a yard sale, but it had only been used once at the seller's wedding and I just wanted it so badly! I am planning on having a 15 year anniversary party for Greg and I this summer and can't wait to use it!



This item is a gorgeous piece of wall art. I hope to use it in my great room when I begin the redecorating process within the next year...bargain price: $5!!



Last, this item was what I considered to be the item of the day. I define the "Item of the day" as an item that I see for sale at more than one yard sale. I picked this one up for only $5 and the kids have not left it alone yet!!



I am thrilled that school is coming to an end..my kids love to accompany me on my yard sale ventures...they are little versions of me :)

Did I ever tell anyone...

Did I ever update you all on the clogged toilet situation? We weren't sure what was causing it exactly. 1 phone call to the plummer, give him a few minutes to do his thing and guess what came sailing out?!

Weeks in Review...Reading, Trolley Rides and Septic Tanks

Still a little behind with my blogs having to write every 2 weeks. I really hope to get up to date very soon. What a busy week!

Kaplyn had her 1st grade field trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo on May 18. I wasn't able to go due to Matlyn's birth, but my mother-in-law happily filled in. It rained in the morning, but when they got there it stopped and was a beautiful day! Kaplyn bought Matlyn a leopard printed pacifier that said "Wild Thing" on it. She was so excited to give the gift to her new little sister :)

Cameron's Academic Fair was the same night. He had a Science project on display. He received a 1st place ribbon for his display!



Likes of the Week

Plumbers! They are my new best friend...they fixed my washer problem and toilet issue all in 1 hour...and found a tub toy that was missing...where do you think it was found?!

On with the week....

We enjoyed an afternoon of singing, dancing and reading at Kaplyn's 1st grade Author's Tea. She is such a great reader (must take after her mommy ;)



the same day, Genin attended "Nate the Great" in Uniontown with his 3rd grade class and Cameron performed in his spring band concert. That was one busy day!!

Dislikes of the Week

Bulletproof by La Roux...I absolutely detest this song! Not sure if it is the singer's hair, makeup or accent that you can clearly hear in the song...2 very unenthusiastic thumbs down on this one!

More week....

Matlyn went for her 1 week appointment this week. Everything looked great although they like for the infant to be back up to birthweight. Not only was she not back up, she had lost 2 more ounces. She has to go for a follow-up appointment.

Cameron went on his band trip to Hershey Park. They performed in a competition and then hit the theme park. He and his friends had a ball!! They especially loved the water ride that was similiar to the Pittsburgh Plunge at Kennywood or as Cameron says, "Picture the Pittsburgh Plunge, but add 10 times more water!!" I am so glad that he had this opportunity with the band and had such a great time :)

The same day, Kaplyn had a soccer game and Genin had his U10 soccer tournament. Both did great as usual. They only have 1 more game of the season. U12 game was Sunday (even after the all night Hershey trip) They still did very well even on practically no sleep!

Kaplyn, Reiner and Brandis attended their friend Gavin's birthday party at the PA Trolley Museum (wow, 2 trips in 1 month) It was nice for me (to enjoy as a guest and not the host this time) Trolley ride, homemade popcorn (my friend Stacey, Gavin's mom makes it), kids hitting a pinata...couldn't get much better!

Lost and Found

Lost: our septic tank...actually we just never really knew where it was...last seen in our back yard by the former owners of our house who were nice enough to give us the wrong location.

Found: our septic tank...also 7 cents, 3 bullets and an aluminum can tab by our friend Tony and his trusty metal detector.


Hoping to stay up-to-date...see you next time!