the 1-800 number

It has been one of those mornings I am tired, my heart is heavy for those I know that will have a hard day today. I am trying to get everyone breakfast and I have not even had my coffee yet! Then the phone rings, seriously! thought about not answering but then I have to listen to it ring. I picked it up with not a very welcoming hello. I noticed it was a 1-800 number and I am prepared to hang up.
The guy on the other line states he is from a charity we have given to in the past. They are always sending or calling for more donations. I was just about to say not at this time sir but decided to let him continue to speak as the kids had their food and were busy eating. He stated that the money would go to feed children that otherwise would not get a meal. He went on to speak about these children not knowing where their next meal would come from and I looked over. I had three kids stuffing their faces. Not a worry about them in fact one of the children was getting their second breakfast of the day. How humbling to  know we are one of the "lucky ones". It is so easy to say I don't have enough money, my house is to small, we need this and they need that. But really we have enough. I am rich. I have a roof over my head with central air and heat. It keeps me dry and safe. My kids are healthy and fed daily. I never have to worry about putting food on their table and where the next meal will come. We have everything we need right here. Our house is filled with love and laughter. Which is the most important thing in my opinion.
 I am rich I have enough to give. I am one of the "lucky ones". 

Baking muffins

I am no good at baking. I honestly really dislike it. But we are working really hard around here on spending less on groceries. And when picking up our snacks for the week I realized we were spending almost 20 dollars! I like my 100 calorie packs, Jon enjoys chips or crackers and for savanah I try to buy organic crackers or fruit snacks. So I have decided to make our own snacks!
I have started weight watchers so I got on there website. I picked out a muffin recipe which  was AWESOME The first time I made it. So the second day I decided to make double the amount to freeze.............they were HORRIBLE! No one would eat them. One of the children I watch said:
 "Miss Lisa do I have to eat this?"
I said "No if your not hungry"
the child said "no I am still hungry but I don't like this muffin"
 me {dieing alittle inside}

Not wanting to give up easily I decided to try again a few days later. They turned out pretty good however when I went to serve Savanah the muffins Saturday morning
 she said "mommy I don't like those muffins"
me "no I made new one"
her "where r the new ones?"
me "there on the cabinet"
her "where are the old ones?"
me "they are in the three seasons, I am going to see if the ducks will eat them."
her "show me"
me "Savanah don't you trust me"
her "no show me"

I have decided the recipe is very sensitive. If you don't make them just right they taste funny. So I will not be sharing this recipe. Well really people do you want to eat these muffins after hearing the doubt and disgust that three year olds have for these muffins :)
I have found a few good cookie recipes and will share in the near future!

I'M BACK....for now

Wow it has been over a year since I posted anything. I have written a few things but never got them up! I stopped posting cause I didn't know how I wanted this blog to go and honestly I was just trying to keep up with everything that was going on!
 Now that my life has settled down I will catch you all up!

•  We found out we were preg. on Christmas day!
• Savanah started speech thearpy
• we found out we had lead in our house and had to get in removed
• The SNOW MELTED!
• May we took Savanah in because she would stop breathing in the middle of the night
• Savanah got her tonsiles and adnoids out two weeks later.
• 1 1/2 weeks after her surgery we moved out of our house into a hotel for 2 weeks. so they could do the lead project
• Savanah gets kicked out of speech cause she was doing so awesome!
• My pregnancy was going awesome and we started preparing for our new baby
• One night in August savanah puked for the first time ever(glad I had my mommy there to help!)
• one day after she started feeling better I got the bug and was put into the hospital overnight to get an IV to keep miss or mr. no name healthy.
• Jon went home to sleep and got sick himself
• Savanah turns 3! with two parents that have never been so sick. Luckily others made that day very special for her!
• Sept. 2 we welcomed Natalie Anne Pope into our family.
• That night Miss Savanah met her sister and hasn't stopped being proud of her little sister.
• We suffered many a sleepless night and days.
• 4 weeks after Natalies birth the kids came back, I was now watching 6 children total
• Jon and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary
• Savanah was a monkey  and Natalie was a banana for Halloween.
• Jon's grandpa was welcomed to heaven
• A week later We said goodbye to one of the strongest women I know, My grandma Hoeger
• Natalie had her first Christmas
• We welcomed in the new year
• We decided to put our house up for sale
• we did lots and lots of house projects with lots of help
• Jon got a raise and we decided to down size my childcare a little.
• Natalie decided to finally roll over and sit up at 8 months
• Savanah's favorite activity is to draw pictures for daddy and put them under his pillow
• our house is still up for sale!

Well that brings us up to date! Hopefully I can find more time to write!

Oh I almost forgot anyone need a house I know of one for sale?

mmmm potato soup

A while back I was looking for a good soup recipe. Oh did I find one! A friend from Kirkwood gave it to me. I changed it a bit to fit what I had in the house. It is the best potato soup I HAVE EVER HAD. So today friends I am going to pass it on to You! Enjoy!


1/2 pkg. bacon cut into bite pieces

3 cups peeled diced potatoes

2 small grated carrots

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 can chicken broth

1/2 tsp. each: celery salt

salt

pepper

1/2 tbs. parsley flakes

3 tbs. flour

3 cup

a few hand full of shredded cheese (original recipe called Velveeta cheese)

- Fry bacon in soup pot and drain grease

- Add potatoes, carrots, onion, chicken broth, celery salt, salt, pepper, parsley flakes. Cover. Cook until potatoes are tender. (15-20 min.)

-In separate bowl combine milk and Flour. Wisk together. Add to soup. Bring to boil and broil only 2 MIN. (NOT ANY LONGER OR THE MILK WILL SEPERATE.)

-Remove from heat stir in cheese until melted.

Dear spring, COME SOON!

We were to get snow today, talking up to a foot. That is on top of what we have gotten on Friday! I just heard that we all can relax because it has missed us!

I THINK THAT IS THE BEST NEWS I HEARD ALL DAY! I REALLY DON'T THINK WE NEED ANY MORE!

That black spot you see above the snow is

JON'S HEAD!

What do you think?

Do you see a differents between

these two pictures?

The one on the left is before Jonathon saw

his baby girl and had his

first fathers day

The picture on the left was the man that

wanted a boy to share

all his car wisdom

The man on right let his little girl

soften his heart

The guy on the left said

I'd rather have a boy

I don't want to play with dolls.

The guy on the right

decided

it really wasn't that bad.

The guy on the left

said "girls don't want

to play rough"

The guy on the right

found girls

Can wrestle with

the best of them!

In fact the guy on the right

found out

His little girl has

the most fun

when she is being thrown

around

The guy on the right

wonders why he wanted

a child that liked to wrestle

The guy on the left knew

he would love his baby no matter

what he got

The guys on the left

didn't know how

MUCH he would love her

or

how MUCH she would

love him

Now do you see a difference?

I do!

Your stuck so deal with it (part one).

Some events have happened and we have to stay in our house for at least 3 more years and if we can up to 5 years (I will tell the full story on why at some point!) But when I was told this is the situation and we are just going to have to deal. I wanted to cry.......ok so maybe I did. Don't get me wrong I love my house I just wish it was bigger. We have taken time to re-decorate and paint rooms and have put a lot of time, energy and money to make this the house something we are proud to call ours and if this was going to be our forever home I will spend a lot more time, energy and money remodeling but at some point you just have to stop! I am very proud of my home and become sad when people put our house down.


Lets face it. It is a two bedroom one bathroom house. The bedrooms are a good size but closets are small. The kitchen has lots of storage but it is very narrow. And the bathroom...... well it is tiny! The bathroom alone wants to make me move. There is no room and there is only one and with me running childcare out of my home I will have 2-3 kids potty training at the same time! (did that just make you want to tear up a little?...oh just me).

I have decided I have two choices I can cry about it or I can get creative, get the wallet and get reorganizing. My first tackle was the bathroom. I have not solved all the problems I face but the first one was the potty training drama. I have to have two potties and one step stool somehow in my already crowded tiny bathroom. The solution I found is GENIOUS! I went to target and found a 1st step potty chair that doubles as a step stool.

          



Then I bought a small seat for our toilet. I didn't know how it would all work but I have had it for two days and already I feel like my problems are half way solved. I don't feel like crying when thinking of all those kids learning to go to the bathroom(well ok maybe a little, how in the heck do u potty train 2-3 kids at the same time! I guess I will learn!). So far when the kids are here I have one that is potty trained and Savanah is starting to work on it. It works awesome and I didn't realize how much it would help at night too. We have one bathroom so if need be Savanah can use the small potty even though she rather use the big one. It is truly awesome! I don't feel like I am falling all over the place when pivoting walking around my bathroom.

I still have to work on some things for the bathroom but I feel like I am half way there! The rest of the things I need for that room I am looking on Craig list and looking for sales! To be creative you don't have to break the bank!

I was not paid in anyway for mentioning these products on my blog