With spring like weather finally here, we've been spending some more time outside. I took these series of pictures of the kids out on our deck. Note the sequence of events.

Baby is playing cutely in boat so Mommy decides to take a picture.

Big Sister notices and has to get in on the action and spotlight.

"Hey, don't leave me out!"

Poor baby is off to find something else to play with.

Note the steering wheel my son is using... this is why I can never find what I need in my kitchen!

My kids have been fascinated with my pots and pans using them for a variety of purposes... to pretend cook, to drive boats, as masks, as hats, as steering wheels for cars... I have found them in the couch cushions, in my sons bed, in the toy room, on the deck...
Oddly, I never seem to find them in my kitchen cabinet.

Tonight I had a hot date with my hubby. My son's birthday is coming up and we needed to go shopping for his present. Since we had to get a babysitter to watch the kids, we decided to take full advantage of that fact and we went out for dinner as well. I really enjoyed having an uninterrupted conversation with him while getting to hold his hand as we walked into the store. As we pulled into Toys R Us after our dinner out, I realized that the last time we went on a date we went to Toys R Us for our daughter's birthday gift. Funny how kids change things.... we now go to Toys R Us for our hot dates. :-)

In case some of my faithful blog readers are wondering why I didn't write any new posts yesterday, I want to assure you that I am still out there and still writing. Actually, I did lots of writing for my blog yesterday, it's just not ready to be unveiled quite yet.

Curious?

I was conflicted with the fact that my blog was titled My Three Ring Circus while my address was a completely different www.onehappymommy.blogspot.com. So, my hubby and I set out to change it. I've been blogging for almost two weeks now, and we thought we should get it properly fixed early, before people bookmark the blog (hopeful thinking that I will gain a faithful following one day).

Of course, mythreeringcircus, my3ringcircus, 3ringcircus, thethreeringcircus, the3ringcircus and just about every combination of three ring circus had already been taken. But, we finally found an address we like. I spent yesterdays bloging time developing a detailed about me page, about family page and a more general blog introduction page. I'm hoping readers will stay and get to know us better as they visit the new site. It won't be all new with custom layout & formatting or anything (YET - We've only been at this for two weeks) but it will be more inviting for people who don't know me already.

Where is it you ask?

Well, even though my hubby stayed up WAY too late last night working on the widgets for the new site, it's still not ready for you to see. Hopefully, we'll unveil it soon. Don't worry, we will invite you all to the ribbon cutting ceremony. :-)

Until then, anyone care to make a guess as to my new title???

My son loves sunsets. He comes by it naturally as his father also enjoys looking at God's handiwork. One evening, several months ago, when we were looking out the window for Daddy to come home, he pointed out to me how pretty the sunset was. I told him that sunsets are like pictures that God draws for us to show us He loves us. I told him that just like he draws pictures for me and Daddy to show us he loves us, God makes the sunsets to show us that HE loves US (pretty amazing stuff)! I told him we should thank God for the sunsets. This began a tradition. Every time he sees the sunset he points it out and he or I prays to thank God for it.

One night a few weeks later Daddy was driving him to swim lessons and they saw a gorgeous sunset. Daddy relayed the following conversation to me when they got home. It went something like this.

"Look at the sunset!"

"Yea, it is pretty."

Pause

"Daddy, when I am in heaven, do you think Jesus will let me help make the sunsets?"

Pause while Daddy (who is a very technical person) started to explain to our 3 year old that God already set up the system for beautiful sunsets long ago....then he cut himself off.

"Yea son, I think He would."

"Good, because I love sunsets."

I love teaching our children about our awesome Creator God. I love enjoying His creation with them. I also love watching them enjoy His creation on their own. It's now several months later and tonight when my son looked out the window, he excitedly pointed out another beautiful sunset. "This one looks like a rainbow Mommy. I've never seen a sunset with so many colors."

Thank you God for caring for me and my family. We love you too.

Mom, I can dress myself!!

(Earlier this week I posted two other pictures worthy of a Wordless Wednesday - check it out HERE)

This afternoon my son asked if he could, "have some Charlie Brown candy". It took me a few minutes to figure out what he meant.

"Peanuts?" I asked.

"No"

Then I realized, "Oh Peppermint Patty?"

"Yup!"

I think I may start calling them that from now on :-)

Today I took the kids to the grocery store and in addition to some much needed food, the older two each got a balloon with a lollipop tied to the bottom. The store has them for free at the check out. A nice bonus for everyone! After I unloaded the van, they were out on the back deck eating their lollipops while I putting away the groceries. I heard some commotion, so I went outside and saw my daughter staring up at the sky like this.



Meanwhile, my son was in hysterics crying, "My sister's balloon is gone!" I totally didn't even think about warning them that when they finished the lollipops to hold on tightly to their balloons.


I looked up and sure enough the balloon was gone. So being the compassionate and caring mother that I am, I grabbed my camera to snap a picture of the quickly disappearing balloon and the looks on my children's faces.


I thought it was rather funny that my daughter was more surprised than distraught. She was over it in no time flat. My son wailed on for several more minutes. He cried, "It's just like at the County Fair when I lost my balloon." "Please, please go back to the store for another one." I told him it was ok, look, it was your sister's balloon and she doesn't even care. He was worried about birds popping it with their beaks. He really wanted it to come back. Eventually, he got over it and we ate lunch. Next time, I will probably have them eat their lollipop balloons inside rather than outside.

I am a big fan of Oreo cookies. They are the only store bought cookie I buy and when I see them on sale I have a really hard time not putting at least one bag in my grocery cart! I have noticed that there are many ways to eat an Oreo. I never taught my kids how to eat them, yet each has his and her own preference. My daughter likes to open them up, lick out the cream, and then discard the rest of the cookie. She is the only one in our family who eats them this way. She isn't mimicking anyone when she does this. My son likes to dip his. He doesn't care what he dips it in. Usually it is milk, but last night his cup had juice in it when he was eating his dessert and he happily dipped the Oreo in the juice. My husband dips his in milk, he doesn't dunk it, just dips it in to get it a bit wet. I like to dunk mine. I put the cookie in the milk, hold it down with my spoon until the bubbles start going to the top, then pick it up with the spoon and eat it.. mmm, delicious. So, tell me, how do you eat your Oreo's?

I have found that I save a ton of grocery money as well trips to the grocery store, by making a monthly meal plan. I write on my calendar my meals for the month. Then, I make my grocery lists based on that and theoretically, I have all I need for us to eat for the month (with the exception of produce and milk, which I have to return to the store multiple times for). I found a blog which lets you post your weeks meal plan on Monday for others to see. Looks like fun to me and a great way to find new recipes to get you over those slumps of the same old meals. So, this is my first post on Menu Plan Monday. Hopefully, someone will find something yummy they want to try.
Monday- Fiesta Chicken: put frozen chicken breasts and jar of salsa in crock pot on low all day. Make rice and pour chicken and salsa over the rice, top with shredded cheddar cheese. Easy and everyone in my house loves it (even my 2 year old)!
Tuesday-My husband won't be home for dinner this night b/c he is volunteering at a homeless shelter. Since it just me and the kids, I will stick with something simple, like French toast.
Wednesday-Mexican Chicken Soup-I got this one from Sheila's post last week on To Love, Honor, and Vacuum. Sounds yummy so I thought I would give it a try!
Thursday- Jamaican Beans and Rice- also found this recipe on Sheila's post last week. You know my kids love beans, so seemed like a winner for our house!
Friday-Sloppy Joes (made with Manwich) and tater tots.
Saturday-My church is having a children's ministry volunteer appreciation dinner this night, so no cooking for me tonight!
Sunday- Roasted Chicken- whole chickens were on sale a few weeks ago and I bought one and stuck it in the freezer. Thought we'd put it in the oven, have some mashed potatoes and serve up a big, home style meal for dinner.

I'm only one week into my blogging adventure and I already had to skip a day. Yesterday was one of THOSE days. Those of you with kids, know what I mean. It started Friday night when all 3 of my kids woke at various points throughout the night coughing, moaning and generally not feeling well (thankfully, no puking occurred). The "night" ended for good at 6:20 when I was up giving my son water, then my daughter a nebulizer treatment for her asthma and as soon as I finished, I heard the baby crying for me to nurse her! What a great start to the day!

Yesterday, was one of those days when I was especially thankful that I am not in this alone and that God gave me a supportive and helpful husband (Even though I had to wake him up to get his help b/c he could sleep through a train going through our house). Once I woke him, he quickly helped and it was one of those tag team days... Me off to the pediatrician with one child while he stayed home with the other 2, then he stayed home with a different two while I took the baby with me to run errands. By the end of the day, we were both exhausted and fearing how many times we would be up that night, we went to bed early and exhausted and thus no post.

It's hard to complain when you know your daughter is suffering though a double ear infection while struggling through her asthma for every breath (it sure seems she has the toughest go of things). I know she deserves a lot of slack on days like that but it doesn't make the constant whining any less exhausting to be around. The one thing I do love about my job though is that the greatest perks can come on the most draining days. While standing in the pharmacy waiting for our perscription to be filled my daughter gave me the warmest, longest and most refreshing hug. Later that evening, she paused from her fussyness and gave me an unprompted "I Love You". It's common to think that mothering doesn't pay well, but the truth is we get paid pretty well for what we do. :-)