Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and Gavin's first dentist appt!

I made this today for the boys lunch. I make a yummy baked mac and cheese (if I do say so myself :-P) that I thought for sure they would love. Not to mention, not entirely processed. Um....nope. They turned their noses up at it and prefer the Kraft, hmph. Same with pizza....they would rather have 'triangle' pizza as Gavin calls it...Papa Johns. I can't blame him...I do love some Papa John's pizza and butter garlic sauce! YUMMY!!!

Both the Kraft mac & cheese and pizza have such good memories for me. I feel like my life revolves around food. I remember when I first met my friend Christine at Big Brothers, Big Sisters...we shared an office for a while. I am pretty sure we talked about food, our favorite restaurants or what we wanted for lunch (but couldn't have due to our wedding dress diets) everyday :-P The Kraft mac & cheese reminds me of Michelle. She is my first cousin but we grew up like sisters. Every weekend when we were teenagers, we would be at one another houses. And every weekend we would rent 3-4 horror movies and make either Kraft mac & cheese really soupy or a big pot of spaghetti at around 2:00-3:00 a.m. And we would eat it all...this was back in the day when our metabolism was ridiculous and we could eat whatever, whenever we wanted. My how things change in your 30's :-P So every time I taste Kraft or cook for the boys, I think about those late nights with not a care in the world except for how to get our chores done quick enough so we could go do something fun!!!

When my mom and I lived by my grandparents in Mississippi, I spent alot of time over there. I loved to help her cook. I try to pass this onto Gavin and J&K later when they are old enough. One of my favorite things she used to make was pizza. Just a simple pizza with thin crust, hamburger and cheese. I would 'help' by eating most of the meat & shredded cheese before it made it on the pizza, hehe It was scrumptious!!! I would eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner until it was gone!!! When Gavin started to liking pizza, I started making my own pizza. He does loves to help me (read: make a big mess!) but if I cut into squares he won't eat it. Occasionally if I cut it into triangles like Papa John's, he will eat it.

Now I am getting hungry....sheesh

On another note, we are still sick and it stinks, big time. We have all been coughing but it would seem that we have now all acquired a cold on top of that. I am 100% blaming that darn play area by Target that we went to the Friday before Thanksgiving. Every time we go to an indoor play area....my kids get sick. Even though I disinfect them thoroughly *sigh* These boys are going to have kick butt immune systems! I finally got in with my doctor today, I got at 3:30. And I am taking Gavin back at 4:20. Our doctors are right by each other so hopefully we can make it. Gavin has been coughing for 4 weeks.....I just want to make sure it is not in his chest at this point :/ J&K are also coughing and sound terrible. They have been coughing for about 2 weeks. My friend suggested I put Vicks vaporub on the arches of their feet for bedtime....she says it works, I am willing to try it!!! I am going to try on mine too because I didn't fall asleep until 1:00a.m. last night due to coughing. I figured after 2 doses of nyquil in a 2 hour period, that should knock me out! Sick  Mom plus FOUR sick boys = exhaustion and short on patience. I really hope our doctors can do something to give us some sort of relief.

I took Gavin to his first dentist appointment today! He did really well! The dentist was nice and really good with Gavin. He would explain to Gavin before he did anything and let Gavin touch it....being that Gavin loves to explore how things work, this was a big plus in Gavin's book that the dentist let him touch it! They took x-rays that didn't turn out....I told them they probably wouldn't being that involved Gavin to sit still :-P Then they cleaned his teeth and brushed them. Gavin has a discoloration on his front top tooth from when a chair fell on his face when he was a little over a year old. The dentist not to worry because it is not a cavity and once that tooth falls out, the permanent tooth will not be effected, whew! Dentist said his teeth look great! And he has more space in the back teeth than front, so maybe the orthodontist bill won't be too expensive for us :-P My teeth were a mess growing up, I had braces for at least 7 years....head gear, retainers, etc. So I am sure the boys will need them also. The dentist also let Gavin pick a special surprise from his treasure chest to take home. I asked the dentist about what age to bring in J&K. He said the American Dental People (I forget the right name) suggests 6 months after their first tooth is in. He then followed up with that based on how good Gavin's teeth, he can tell we take good care of his teeth and would guess we do the same with the twins (Yes we do, thanks!). My only concern there is Kaleb's thumb sucking but the dentist can't take off his thumb and he sure can't reason with a 15 month old to tell him its not a good thing to do. So we will cross that bridge when we get there :-P

lol this was a very random post but I figured this was better than 2-3 different blogs in one day :-P If you have been reading this long, I am sure you can keep up! here are a couple recent pics of gavin being silly!


This was outside the Cheese/Butter Factory in NC




A toy soldier at Christiana Mall....Gavin thought it was great!



It's Been a Good day! YAY!!

Despite the icky, rainy weather...it has been a good day! Gavin had school and as soon as we walked, one of the morning activities was playing with shaving cream that was put on the table...with bare hands! His teachers are brave to do this with 16 3 year olds lol At first, he didn't want to stay at school which I figured since he was off last week but he got distracted and I snuck out :-P

Jakob, Kaleb and myself came back home so they could take a much needed nap. These coughs, along with Kaleb cutting molars and Jakob working on some teeth, have not made it easy for them to rest at night. They are still sttn ::knocking on wood:: but just not getting good rest. So while they were napping, I walked/ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes while reading my new book (more on that later). I took a shower....in peace! Blissful! A little laundry done, kitchen cleaned up...this is a productive morning for me!

When I picked Gavin up from school, he was grinning ear to ear! This isn't normal...I usually get some whimpering/whining that he wants to go home. lol We all got lunch, played and I cleaned some more with three little helpers under my feet :-P geez....you all ask how we keep our house clean?! lol And then its nap time for everyone, YAY!!!! Floors got cleaned (don't know why I bother because they will be destroyed by tonight but it makes me feel better!). Listed some more toys on Craigslist, sorted out my pile of coupons, worked on Christmas cards AND got some blogging time in.

I really need to stick to the treadmill. I feel much, much better when I exercise regularly. I have more energy and more motivation, unless I am reading a good book :-P

You may remember last week I started the Matched Trilogy. I was very excited to read the first 2 books because they are similiar to the Hunger Games. After reading the first 2 books in about 4 days, I was excited to get started on the 3rd. HMPH...the 3rd book doesn't come out until next November. Please remind me next time to check on this before starting a book series. I would recommend the series though...easy read and a different society just like in Hunger Games.

On our way home from North Carolina Saturday, I started The Passage by Justin Cronin. According to Barnes& Noble this book was #1 book of the year in Times Magazine. I am not seeing it yet...I am somewhere around page 300 of 800 and it took about 200 pages for the plot to develop. Eh...I will finish it, maybe it will turn out better than it started.

boys are waking up!

EK! Christmas almost here!!

With the way time flies at my house, I feel like it is next week!! so much to do!!

But first we had a wonderful Thanksgiving in the mountains :-) The drove down there was terrible but we made it :-P Gavin has had a yucky cough for almost 4 weeks now. Originally doc thought it was sinus infections but after 2-3 weeks of antibiotic we decided it must be something viral. And since the rest of us in the house also started coughing....we think that must be correct. Sinus infections are not contagious :-P So lots of coughing = lots of yucky mucus. This sitting on a little person's tummy while sitting in car for long time equals puking, lots of it for 8.5 hours in the car. I wanted to hang my head out the window, the smell makes me nauseous. We opened up all car doors once we got there to air it out, it was bad. I felt awful for Gavin, I just wanted to help him feel better. Once we got out of the car, he was 'fit as a fiddle' as my grandmother would say :-) I called pediatrician who told me I could give him Dramamine for the ride home :-)It worked...the ride home was puke free, whew!!!

We didn't do a thing while in the mountains, a trip to wal mart for some groceries, the cheese shop to get lots of cheese and yummy butter to bring home and freeze until we can get there again and stock up!

My brother,his friend and I wanted to go see The Muppets but the small 2 screen theater there wasn't playing it yet. the movies are FIVE bucks and THREE dollars for matinee! That is great!

Our Thanksgiving meal was very delicious...the fried turkey being my favorite. YUMMY! My brother, Reh, made a yummy buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese (Which I need the recipe for please!!) and a banana pudding. I am no a big fan of banana pudding....its a texture thing. But I tried his and it was pretty good, once I added some more nilla wafers for a little crunch :-P

We came home a day early to avoid the Sunday traffic and to also keep Gavin in the car for as short amount of time as possible, just in case ;-) The house is a disaster. I just feel like I can't get it organized. Whether its toys everywhere, little socks, laundry, gloves, hats, this & that...it is just everywhere. I need it to have a place!

I just can't get it done....if the boys are awake, I tidy up here and there but I need to pull everything out of closets and redo it! Throw things away!!!!

I also need to finish our Christmas cards and the wish list. People are asking what we want and Marcin isn't the easiest to shop for. I have done wish list on Amazon in the past, I love amazon! Except for the fact that they will double or sometimes triple the price of an item around this time of year. Talk about taking advantage. I mean I guess if someone wants it or needs it that badly, sure... but it irks me. This year I noticed I can go to other websites and add to my amazon wish list, LOVE this! I am an online shopper, its really all I have time for. Much easier than working around feeding/nap schedules, taking the chances of at least one melt down at the mall or store ( do I need to remind about the day we went to see Santa?!) and I can do it from the comforts of home with more options. So this year, I made us all wish list on amazon with the boys having the largest list of course :-P

I really like wish list. I used to have the time to browse the stores for cute ideas for birthday's and other gifts but I don't have that time anymore. So I always ask people if they have a wish list set up so I can just go there, pick out something I know they want or need and I am all done! Wish list also help me remember things that I may see while searching for something else. Surely, I am not the only one with this line of thinking :-) Also, gift cards!! Those are great too!

Speaking of shopping, the boys and I were at Wal Mart this morning and this nice, older lady stopped us. I was expected a 'you've got your hands full' comment but instead she tells me, "You are a brave woman!" I asked why she says that and she replied, " I always thought twins would be fun but it scared me. Myself, I had NINE singletons." To that I replied, "SHE was the brave woman!" geez....NINE!

Ok I think I have rambled on enough for now...my mind is going in a 100 directions (as you can see from this blog!) and I need to clean, do laundry, work on christmas cards, and figure out whats for dinner :-P

sheesh....discombobulated!

Discombobulated is one of my favorite words!! It is just fun to say :-P We have been SO busy! I should be packing and doing all those things you do before getting to travel for the holidays but I just needed a break from it all. I have been running around like a crazy person all day trying to finish getting the 11 ebay packages packed, postage printed, taped up, etc.

Then Marcin text me that it is ok for us to leave for North Carolina tomorrow instead of Wednesday! AH! I am excited because hopefully we will miss some of the crazy traffic on wednesday and we get an extra day with family. BUT I have LOTS to get together for tomorrow. I am waiting for last load of laundry to dry, I vacuumed out the car (it was a mess!), the boys and I went to the grocery store for a few last minute things and I have lists all over the house so I don't forget anything!!

For some reason, I am not as stressed about this trip as I was for SC. I think the last time we drove it with Gavin, it took us 7-8 hours. That's nothing compared to the 12 hour trip to SC! hehe

So I wanted to get these pictures on here because yesterday was a beautiful day here! It was at least 65 and sunny! We were all outside enjoying it all :-) I am getting braver taking all 3 boys outside...I am still a nervous wreck because I feel like I can't keep them all safe. I am worried someone will fall off playset, tumble down the stone basement steps, wonder to front of house while someone else is up on the play set. I could go on about possibilities forever. But I figured I might as well learn how to do it, right? So Marcin was taking care of the millions of leaves in our backyards and the boys had a blast!!

Kaleb climbed right up and down...by himself! I don't know who was more worried, myself or Gavin :-P

This beautiful day was followed by some shopping with a great friend and then a girls night at Brio. I, of course, had the roasted red pepper bruschetta and fried ravioli's :-) It was delicious and the company was great! My friend and I had a pretty successful shopping trip to DSW and Joanne's...I think I have everything I need for my Christmas cards and packages!!! Now I need to find the time to get all this done :-P

I have tried really hard to blog every day this month, I think I missed one day so far. I have a feeling I will miss a few more over the Thanksgiving holiday. But considering the craziness at our house, I think I have done pretty well so far and if I have time to blog, I will. If not, we will be back next week!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! Enjoy your family, loved one and friends!!!!

Thomas the Train!

A very good friend of mine asked us a while back if we wanted to go ride Thomas the Train :-) After figuring out our schedule, we were able to get tickets and go! It was so fun! Gavin isn't really into Thomas specifically but he does like trains. I know he would have enjoy it more if he could have gotten under the train and thoroughly inspected it to see how everything works ;-) But he had to settle for riding the train and a few other fun activities they had there. It was a perfect day for it...sun was shining, a brisk 40something degrees and not too crowded when we got there around 10:00 a.m. We were trying to get there at 9:30 but well it just didn't work out that way. And even if we did, we still wouldn't have been out of the car until 10:00. MY GOODNESS....getting 3 kids bundled up in their layers, hats, shoes, socks, etc. That is a lot of work! I felt like we were packing for an overnight stay with all the stuff I had to take in the car!

It was great to see our friends, they also have twins, boy/girl, and now a sweet 3 month old son. Of course, with 6 kids the adults didn't get much conversation time but we were at Thomas the Train..that is for the kids, hehe It was worth a try!

Gavin had a blast! J&K were ok. Kaleb napped on the way there. Jakob did not. If I had to choose one to nap, Kaleb would be it. Jakob handles being tired better than Kaleb. They weren't thrilled to be in the stroller...they wanted to walk around, everywhere. It was getting too crowded for that. Marcin got brave and walked around with them both while trying to hold their hands, hehe

It was a fun morning! I wish I felt better though.... I didn't get much sleep last night. Gavin has had a cough for the past 3 weeks. In the beginning, pediatrician suggested it was probably a sinus infection because his lungs sounded clear. Three weeks later (2 of which he has been on antibiotics with no improvement) he is still coughing (mucusy stuff) and so are the rest of us. Last I checked, sinus infections are not contagious so if I had to guess, we probably have bronchitis and there isn't much we can do for that besides wait it out. I am still taking an antibiotic too, just to feel like I am trying to do something for myself :-P

I need to get some ebay packages packed up and ready to pick up on Monday. And then hopefully tomorrow I can get some cooking done for Thanksgiving...thats my plan anyways, we will see that works out :-)

Did you see that mom at the mall?!?!?

No? Ok good, then the authorities were not contacted. I was that mom with the 3 year old having a full out meltdown in from Target to H&M as we made our way to the car. About a 5 minute walk. But I will tell you how we got to this point first.

We had a great morning! Gavin is in one of his 'good' phases. Since turning 3 y/o he has 'good' and 'bad' phases :-P This week has been good, thankfully! Last week...not so much. So after J&K took their morning nap we set off to meet Marcin at the mall for some pictures with Santa. Gavin has been saying all week that he wanted to go visit Santa. We weren't too sure if he really knew what he was in for and if he would in fact want to sit on Santa's lap and talk to him. J&K....we definitely didn't know how they would react. Gavin's first visit to Santa when he was their age was fine, he didn't mind it.

We got to the mall and Gavin was so cute! He was super excited to see Santa and all the things in the mall. He used to spend alot of time at the mall when he was younger but well, I just don't get there as often with all 3 kids. I don't think I need to explain the reason for this :-P

We found Santa and Gavin immediately waved at Santa. There was no line, thank goodness! ( I had some other places I was hoping to get to while we were there!) So we got the babies out of the stroller and began walking over to Santa. Gavin was perfectly fine with it. He let Santa pick him up and put him on his lap. Gavin then proceeded to ask Santa if he was building his drum set and when he would get it :-P That is really all Gavin was concerned about it.....that drum set! Then we decided to 'try' and get a picture with all the boys. As soon as I put them on Santa's lap, J&K started crying and squirming! Santa had a good grip and no one fell. The picture is classic, we are always going to get a good laugh out of this one!

So then a friend of mine text me that she was at the play area by Target. We were on our way to Target so Gavin could look at the toys...he loves to go to stores and just look. Seriously, he knows that we won't be bringing it home :-P J&K were ready to get out of stroller anyways and the area is pretty well contained so I could easily keep my eye on all three without stressing out too much......My heart always stops for a few seconds when I can't immediately see all of them at once, sheesh.

The boys had a great time playing! J&K little faces just lit up when I put them down. They had a blast playing with all the kids! I just don't get out with J&K to do those types of things too often. It just isn't easy for me to do by myself. I feel like J&K get enough social interaction with each other and Gavin. We do playdates but that's it for now. Gavin had fun too, he had  little friend he made who told him it wasn't time for him to go home yet :-P I then used almost an entire bottle of santizer and container of wipes cleaning everyones hands! I am not a big germophobe but indoor playplaces are just a breeding ground for germs, EW!

I told Gavin that we were going to get ready to leave when my phone beeps (I do this often, he seems tro transition from different activities this way) because we need to get home for naps. He says that's ok. He keep talking about seeing something being built. I have no clue what he is talking about.....it was one of two things, he either wanted to go back to Build a Bear or he wanted to see the bulldozers working around the mall. I am not sure, I never found out because as soon as we got to the door to the parking lot....he lost it. Full out meltdown tantrum mode. J&K are calmly sitting in stroller eating a snack. Gavin is laid out on the dirty floor, screaming " NO NO NO NO NO NO" I count to 10 to give myself a minute to chill out because I am not sure what to do. He will not come with me, he was pretty adamant about staying right there. So I walked away to the bench outside. Relax...I could still see him :-P So he came outside and fell out again, more screaming. Hmmmmm....he wouldn't hold my hand to walk, he wouldn't let me carry him....he refused everything. And forget listening, that was not happening!

Gavin has never behaved this way while we are out in public, so I am still perplexed on what the best course of action is here. He was screaming and refusing to move. Thankfully he wasn't running around like a maniac...there were cars driving around. We had about a 5 minute walk to the car...it seemed like hours as we were walking lol

My first thought is that I need to keep us all safe and I can't do that if he won't hold my hand. So the only, safe way I could get him to the car was carrying him like a football! I picked him up around the waist and carried him sideways like a football all the way to the car. The entire time he is still screaming. He was so wound up, he couldn't calm down if a drum set was placed directly in front of him right then and there. There is no reasoning with him when he gets like this, so I just ignored it. Plus I didn't want to reinforce the behavior by reacting. I just wanted to get to car! We walked by Target, Cheesecake Factory, Barnes & Noble, Forever 21, H&M....people were staring but what could I do? I was not going to be that person screaming at their kid in the mall parking lot. I thought for sure someone was whipping out their cell to call child services! J&K were still calmly sitting in stroller watching the cars.

We FINALLY get back in the car. It seems as though a switch has been turned off, Gavin stops screaming. He looks at me and says 'Mom, are you sad?" I said, "yes I am super sad because you are not being a good listener." He says "I give you a kiss and you will be happy?" (this usually works but not this time!) I told him that I would have to think about it on the way home. He didn't talk all the way home. Then we get out of the car and he gives me a huge hug and 'lots of kisses,' while asking me "Are you happy now Mom?" darn cute kid....yes :-P

I can't wait for this phase with twins! Are you sensing the sarcasm here?! ;-)

Thankfully we got home and all the boys went to sleep. A much needed relaxing, quiet afternoon :-) Date night tonight with Marcin! Let's hope Gavin sleeps off all his crankiness!

The Counselor Mom

In my previous life (BC- before children), I acquired my Masters in School Counseling and was working as an elementary school counselor before Gavin was born. Obviously, I did not go back to work....yet. I hope to once the kids are in school full time. I really enjoyed working with the kids. I have always had some sort of job with children. I worked in the psychiatry department at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the commute was awful but the work was interesting. The work was assessing bipolar/depressed children and teens. Then I worked as a case manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters while getting my Masters. Ideally, I would like to find a part time job as a contracted out counselor (if finances allow) that will allow me to be home when the boys get home from school. My mom was always working very hard and was not able to do that. I know that she wanted to, she expressed it often but fortunately my grandparents lived right across the yard and I went to their house every day after school :-)

I digress, there is a group on Facebook that I belong too and they posted about this blog, The Counselor Mom. Immediately I had to check it out and it is full of excellent information that Marcin likes to refer as my 'school counselor mumbo jumbo' when I start discussing discipline, communicated, postive/negative consequences and reinforcing behaviors both postive and negative. So I wanted to share in case you weren't part of this group. She has a really good post today about the top ten myths of toddlers, LOL

happy reading!
http://www.thecounselormom.com/

Needed a new book!

I finished the Game of Thrones, well through book 5. There is a book 6 coming out eventually but I will not be wasting my time. The first three books were pretty good, there is a lot of character development due to there many many characters but having watched the first season on HBO, it gave me a better idea of what was going on. So I stuck with it. I don't know what the author was thinking but he really lost alot of readers with book 4 and 5. They pertained to the series but he introduced even more characters from out of nowhere....they had nothing to do with any other part of the storyline. I was very disappointed.

I read ALOT so when I posted on Facebook today for suggestions (thanks so much for your suggestions!), I had already read alot of them, hehe I love to read, it is my escape and down time. I sometimes read while the kids nap in the afternoon and always before I go to sleep. I read anything from The Help to Twilight Series and mysteries.

I have spent the last 30 minutes on B&N reading book reviews and seeing what I want to read next. My niece suggested the author, John Green, his books do look good. I added them to my wish list. Along with Sarah's Key and a 1000 Gifts.

I decided to start the Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie,
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/matched-ally-condie/1030802839?ean=9780142419779&itm=1&usri=matched%252bmatched%252btrilogy%252bseries%252b1

It was compared to the Hunger Games and I LOVED that series. So I will let you know it is and if it is worth the read :-)

Thanksgiving next week?!

So hard to believe, I thought I had another couple of weeks for until Thanksgiving then I looked at the calendar and its next week! We, of course, very excited for our trip to the mountains and to see everyone again!

I love Thanksgiving! There will be lots of yummy food and leftovers. I think the leftover turkey and ham for sandwiches are probably my favorite part!

And the fun AFTER thanksgiving, CHRISTMAS!!! I have to say, I am usually the person who does not start Christmas things until after Thanksgiving but this year was different. The Elf on the Shelf appeared at the beginning of November, Santa already got his letter AND replied to Gavin, Gavin has been watching the movie Santa Paws for about two weeks and I stopped the radio station the other day when The Chipmunks song, Please Christmas Don't be Late came on! I immediately switched it after the song was over but that along with "Please Come Home for Christmas" and "Santa Baby" are my favorites!!! I blame all of this Christmas spirit on Gavin!! He gets so excited when he sees lights, christmas trees, inflatable Santas, etc. that it is contagious!

I know I said this last year and I will probably say it again next year when J&K are older and have an idea of what the holidays are about but this Christmas is going to be fun!!!!

Boys are waking up from naps, let the craziness begin! The quiet time was nice...I tried to nap since I didn't sleep last night due to a lovely sinus infection but I can't stop coughing to sleep. I went to doc today and they gave me an antibiotic so hopefully it kicks in quickly!

"IS THIS ANY WAY TO LIVE?!"

:-D these were Marcin's words about this time a year ago. It has now become an ongoing joke in our house but boy it was not funny at the time. J&K were just over 2 months old and our house was crazy to say the least. This particular night Gavin was already in bed (thankfully!), we were still trying to figure out J&K's reflux issues and find that magical combo that would work for each of them and not getting any sleep. Jakob had projectile vomitted everywhere after his bedtime bottle...and I mean everywhere on everything. It was like something out of the Exoricist movie. Kaleb was refusing his bottle and screaming because his reflux was awful. Marcin and I each had one of them and then switched off a few times. He finally looks at me and says 'IS THIS ANY WAY TO LIVE?!" I start crying because I don't know what to do besides press on and be as patient as I can be with no sleep. Believe me when I say, my patience was running very thin.

We were talking about this the other night and it just reminded me of this story. It was a tough first few months but we survived it. I think it makes such a big difference that he and I work so well together. Honestly, if we didn't, it would be a disaster. Even now, it takes both of us working together and helping each other out when we need some quiet time or just to get out of the house for a bit. Don't get me wrong, we have fun but sometimes we just need a break from all the craziness!

:-D And now we have two sweet little toddlers who also survived and are now a little over 14 months old walking, babbling and have the best personalities!

Kaleb is a quite the climber with absolutely no fear. He climbs anything he even thinks he may be able to climb, he falls and gets right back up to do it again. No wonder the child likes to sleep so much :-) He is either climbing or reading a book in his basket.

Jakob isn't quite as adventurous until he gets the idea from Kaleb and then he tries it, falls and cries like you ripped an arm out of its socket. He has two volumes....quite and super loud. It doesn't matter if he is hurt or someone takes his toy, he cries the same:-P But I will say, he is persistent because he will go back and try the obstacle again later until he gets it. He is a cuddler, he is always chasing after Kaleb to knock him over and hug him. And he loves his cars, rolling them back and forth.

Gavin is the best big brother! He tries his hardest to keep them both safe and away from his 'drums' (aka..pots, pans, tubs, anything he can turn upside down and bang with drum sticks). Oh and did I mention that Gavin is pretty much 100% potty trained!? I never thought it would happen but he decide a couple weeks that he didn't need his 'sleepy underwear' for naps and bedtime. He wanted to wear to his "big Boy underwear." What could I say to that besides ok? (While quietly hoping and praying for as few accidents as possible!) So far, he has done great! We are so proud of him. Everyone said it would happen and it did. Please remind of this when it is time for J&K to start lol

My oldest child, Marcin is slowly but surely coming to the realization that he has three children. :-D We still look at each other in amazement sometimes and say to ourselves that we have three sweet, healthy boys and how very blessed we are to have them in our lives, crazy or not.

Did you miss me?!

lol yesterday was busy so I did not get a chance to blog :-P I know I was terribly missed, right?! (answer : right!)

Yesterday morning we cleaned, played and played some more with the boys :-) It is SO nice to have a clean house...for a day. By the time we woke up this morning, it was a disaster again but it was nice while it lasted lol This is the life with 3 silly boys right?! Gavin was a huge help with the vacuuming and mopping, the child is his father's son, he loves to clean! After cleaning it was time for the bounce house where Gavin's lastest obsession lives, his bounce house :-P It has now become Jakob and Kaleb's lastest obsession as well, they get so excited when we just start walking down the stairs to the basement :-P

Do you see what I mean?!

Then I guess it was tickle Kaleb time? Kaleb loves it!

Time to relax in his favorite spot & read :-)

Gavin of course was either listening to his radio, really loud. Playing his drums, really loud. Or doing something that was....really loud.

Once we finally got everyone down for afternoon nap, Marcin and I had to get ready for our good friends engagment party in West Chester. It was a beautiful engagement party with yummy food! And it was so nice to finally meet their families and friends that we have heard so much about over the years.

Not bad for three kids, eh? eh hem and 12 pounds lighter I might add :-) I went ahead and weighed in before we went to the party because I figured I would have some drinks and sweets, hehe I must admit I am getting a little tired of eating the same thing because I already have my favorite Medifast meals BUT at the same time, I like not having to think about what I am eating. I know I can go in my medifast cabinet and just grab something that will be low calorie, taste decent and keep me satisfied until I eat again. I can live with that, especially if my jeans continue to get looser :-) 13 more pounds to go....I am hoping that will be gone by end of january. HOPING...it is the holiday season we may have to push that to February LOL



I officially took the plunge....

.....and got on Pinterest. I logged on a couple months ago and immediately closed the window.I knew I would get sucked in and I don't need something else taking up my time when I should be doing other things. It took me some time to find the time to figure it out but it is pretty straight forward once I got the hang of it :-)  I do love it! So many creative ideas for everything you can think of! THANK GOODNESS I didn't have access to this when I was planning the boys birthday parties, overload of ideas! lol

On another note, do you know how you hear of those toddlers who climb on everything and end up in places that you aren't quite sure how they get there? Or perhaps you have/had one of those toddlers. Gavin was never like this, he wasn't very adventurous when it came to that. So I heard about these kids but hadn't really experienced it. I think we have one ....Baby A, Kaleb climbs everything! He climbs the gates, couches, walls, tries to sit on the window sill, in and out of all toy bins, laundry baskets, boxes,etc., if I let him loose in the car...he is all over the place! I have to wonder if this is how it starts..... for example, he started this last week. Carry drum to ottoman and climb.

1

2



3. Looking pretty smug with himself :-P

Thankfully he can get down by himself. It when Gavin starts jumping on it while he is sitting there that gives me a slight anxiety attack.
Will I survive 3 growing boys? LOL

Jakob just thought it was all very funny, as usual :-P

aahh the mountains are calling!

My dad and Gay have a gorgeous house the North Carolina mountains. It is in West Jefferson, NC (Ashe County) about 30 minutes east of Boone (dad..correct me if I am wrong lol) The last time we were there was Thanksgiving '09 and that was just too long ago! We have had some good times there over the last several years. The house is at the top of a mountain and the views are just breath taking, the pictures do it no justice but you get the idea,

That is their house with the green roof...ok so it's not at the very top of the mountain but just about lol
Here is a better picture of the house,

My favorite spot!

I love it here. It is so peaceful and relaxing. And it will be nice to unplug from most technology for a few days. Actually I would guess we can still use it all there but I will pretend we can't because it's nice to put the computer, phones, ipads and whatever away for a bit.

There is a little town at the bottom of the mountain with a really cute Main Street and last time we were there a movie theater that still shows movies for $5! DEAL! And the Ashe County Cheese shop is amazing!
http://www.ashecountycheese.com/

Every time we go to the 'cabin' as it has since earned this name, we go here and load up on fresh cheeses and real butter. You know...the good fattening, creamy kind. This butter is amazing. It makes everything tastes so much better especially scrambled eggs and grilled cheese. And I just used some last night to make mashed potatoes...YUM! If you are ever in this area of the world, stop here, seriously. It doesn't look like much but we plan on bringing back lots of yummy goodies to get it thru to the next time we can get to the cabin.

Last time we were here Gavin was so little, almost 1.5 y/o.....My dad gave him his very first snickers when we were there lol And of course, Gavin loved it!

I know J&K are going to have a blast, especially now walking! I may have a few heart attacks while they are out on the porch since we are about a story above ground lol I need to remember to bring baby gates for outdoors :-P

Another stop we also make is the Christmas tree farm! This area is covered with Christmas tree farms. Eh hem, my husband.... will not tie a tree to the top of the car (such a city boy!) so we usually just get a wreath for the front door. My dad usually get a few trees to take him. We will be getting a real tree this year. Usually we have a fake tree but we (yes dear...you and I had this conversation) decided last year that we could get a real tree this year.

Needless to say, I am very excited for Thanksgiving this year! We will be in the mountains with the family and be able to relax, well as much as we can with the 3 boys running around lol They have to go to bed at some point right?! And the food.....oh boy this is going to be challenging with my diet but I made it through a week in SC, I can do this! Fried turkey, ham, baked macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, giblet and gravy, mashed potatoes........nom nom!
Speaking of diet, I did not weigh in this week. I usually weigh in on Monday mornings. I figured after going to Thai and Tapas on Sunday, that just wouldn't be a good idea. I still kept to my smaller portions but well, I just didn't want to see the damage, if there was any. So I will weigh in next monday, update will be coming then :-)

Hunger Games MOVIE!!! WOO HOO!!!

I read this series over the summer and LOVED it! I could not put the books down. There are 3 in the series and if I remember correctly, I read them all within a week. The books are 'young adult' fiction but still so very entertaining and full of action and suspense. Along with a little love story thrown in there. http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023483

A friend text me today and told me about the movie. I want to say I heard this mentioned at some point but it was probably fleeting and I didn't have time to look into. Well I made some time today, I can't wait for the movie! It will be interesting how they bring the book to life.

http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/index2.html

Most likely, I am way behind on this news but I rarely watch the news. I try to check msnbc every few days to keep up with things going on in the world but that's it. I am sure when kids are older people will ask me about things that happened during the span of 2010-2015ish and I will not be able to tell them because unfortunately, I just don't know or remember :-P

So if you haven't read this series, READ IT!! And read it before March 2012 so we can go see the movie :-) I need to go see it with someone because Marcin certainly won't go see it, hmph! He doesn't know what he is missing!

A few of my favorite things...

Today I was thankful for leftovers for dinner because I didn't have to cook :-) And since it was so nice outside we were able to go for a walk and to the park !

I absolutely love this hand and foot cream. It was suggested by someone on a message board and I am always trying to new creams for my hands and especially my feet. A person can only get so many pedicures, plus they are expensive and I don't have much time to go get them all the time. So I like to use this cream at night before bed and put socks on right after. So far this cream is the best I have found and I like to think I have used a lot of differents ones :-P This container lasted me a couple of months so I think it is worth the price :-)

http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/body-products/hand-care-products/spa-wisdom-africa-honey-beeswax-hand-foot-butter.aspx

This has been a life saver when trying to 'negotiate' with Gavin to nap or go to bed. A friend of mine suggested this when we were transitioning him to a toddler bed (Thanks Keeley!!!) The "OK to Wake" is brilliant! It has a nap and wake timer, so I can set it with a regular alarm sound or I can set it to turn green. When Gavin needs to nap and tells me " I CAN'T SLEEP MOM!' I simply tell him that he doesn't have to go to sleep, just rest and read his books until his clock turns green. 30 minutes later he is usually asleep, hehe :-) This was also helpful when he wakes up super early and I tell him he can't come out of his room until his clock turns green at 6:30, then it is time to get up out of bed and get ready for the day. It is a little pricey but well worth it! lol It comes with two faces, one green one (as shown) and a pink one :-)

http://www.amazon.com/Onaroo-Wake-Alarm-Clock-Night-Light/dp/B005BR3PFY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1320806166&sr=8-2
And its under Amazon Prime, super fast shipping :-) gotta love that!

I have also been trying to find a safe lamp for Gavin to read his books when it is dark in his room. He has a nightlight by his bed but he keeps telling us he can't see his books. So for a few nights we left his big light on and told him when his clock turned green, he needed to turn off the big light. He did pretty well for the most part but then I discovered this light and it is just bright enough to sit on his pillow and provide enough light for him to 'read' his books before falling asleep at night. Not only that but it doesn't get hot and has a 30 minute timer :-)

http://www.amazon.com/Kinderglo-Portable-Rechargeable-Night-Quarter/dp/B0036Z3DDC/ref=pd_sim_e_5
Another amazon prime item but I suggest checking Ebay first because I found ours there for about half this price! This is also useful in our nap or bedtime 'negotiations' :-)

Another favorite is Amazon Prime! It is great!!! Initially I signed up for a trial membership in April LOL They keep extending my 'trial'! The more I order from them that are 'Prime' items or fall under Amazon Mom, I get emails telling me they are extending my membership. Works for me because otherwise it costs $80! :-)

And well, I just love amazon. It is my go to website when I can't find what I am looking for. It has everything. Well except for shoes but i have zappos for that :-)

Our little leprechaun!

What a day! this time change is kicking my butt....boys were up around 5:30 today : / I REALLY hope by end of the week we will be back to normal. J&K were dropping their morning nap but not right now. With getting up so early, they are ready for a nap by 8:30! 

Today I am thankful for online shopping! Marcin probably isn't but it is so much easier for me to get online, find what I need/want and order. Much, much easier than trying to figure out the boys eating/naps/who is cranky or happy at that particular time, loading car, unloading, etc. Online shopping is great!

Then tonight after dinner, we were cleaning up kitchen. J&K really enjoy playing in my spice cabinet. They pull them all out to shake them (while closed!), roll them, stack them, etc.  eh hem...I forgot that there was green food coloring in there also. And even if I had remembered, I would have never have thought Jakob would be able to open it. hehe I turn around and see all these green spots on the floor. uh oh! Then I look at Jakob and both of the palm of his hands are bright green! He either starting to turn into the Hulk or a Leprechaun! I scrubbed his hands, soaked them in the bath....tried everything safe I could think of and it.would.not.come.off! I managed to get a good bit off one hand but the other hand, not so much. And his face, I got it all off his face. It wasn't quite as concentrated on his face as it was in his hands.

So if you see us out and you get a good glimpse of Jakob's hands, don't judge :-P This is the best pic I could get....he wouldn't sit still.

Oh and I got a fun surprise in the mail today! It wasn't supposed to be here for a couple of weeks. We had some Sony CC points to use and I wanted to get a smaller camera to carry out with us. I love our Canon ( technically Marcin's Canon) but it is big. The case makes it even bigger and just too big to carry when we go out or to other events where we want to take a few pictures. So we got another DSLR but it is size of a point and shoot with a big ole lens on it! It looks a little funny but will definitely fit in my purse and has all sorts of fun features I am excited to learn!

ok must get to bed since is past two mornings are any indication, I will be up early tomorrow :-P well I also need a snack, play with camera and read. And it's already 9:00!!! that's late! lol have a good night :-D



Whew! what a day!

a fun day but why am I still awake? it is 11:00 p.m. and I have been up since 5:15 a.m., thank you time change. I did get a little nap, it wasn't a very good one but I guess it worked since I am now wide awake and I won't be able to sleep.

We had a very yummy meal at Ubon!!! I did a good job and ate smaller portions. I could have easily eaten my entire egg roll and curry dish. BUT I did not, I brought it home hehe :-) Followed by another yummy, also small, dinner at Ole' Tapas. Honestly, I do like their food but the blueberry mojito's are my favorite!!!

This is a short blog but I had to get in my daily for NaBloPoMo!!! Ha....did you think I would forget?!

good nite blog world!

All to myself!!

The house that is...Marcin is going out tonight :-D Whatever he tells you, please do not listen to him when he says I don't 'let' him go out. I encourage it! Please go out with your friends! I like having the house to myself every now and then. I don't have to cook dinner, I can watch a girly movie without hearing how silly or stupid it is, I can play on the internet endlessly, read my book quietly, etc.

I was so excited when I saw "Water for Elephants" is On Demand because I am definitely watching that tonight! I can't wait! I read the book and I loved it! I am sure that the movie will not measure up to the book but I hope that it is as good as it can be, hehe

Doesn't this sound like an exciting Saturday night?! Please try to contain your jealousy, hehe So today I am thankful for hopefully a quiet night while all boys are sleeping and I watch a good movie!

Gavin and Marcin went to the "Orange Store" today....this is also known as Home Depot to those of you over the age of 3. Gavin loves going to the Orange Store. There are grills, tractors, gates, doors, refrigerators, dishwashers, cabinets, lights, fans and this time of year snow blowers and Christmas decor. Gavin would rather go here than the Children's museum...works for us, HD is free (most of the time, we usually find something that we decide we need :-P) We did need a couple things today so they went and came back with this,

There was a little workshop going on and Gavin made a message board. I think that is a fabulous message written on it, don't you?
I have got a lot of things to finish listing on ebay and I hope it all sells quickly to get it OUT of my house! More baby clothes, toys, shoes, etc. I am hoping since it the holiday shopping time maybe someone will be in the spirit of buying from ebay. Surely there is someone because there is this really fun race track I want to get for the boys for Christmas. Plus it is their stuff I am selling so I figure that is only fair. I guess Marcin would probably tell me to put the money in their college savings...and he would be right. But I think this time we will go in the fun direction and get this!

It has great reviews and seems to be well made to withstand the brutal playing of 3 rambunctious boys. Not to mention there should be enough things to do on it that Gavin, Jakob and Kaleb can all play with it at the same time without fighting over it. A mom can dream....don't burst my bubble please.

Tomorrow is going to be a fun day!! Our friend just opened up a new Thai restaurant on the Wilmington Riverfront called Ubon, http://www.ubonthaicuisine.com/ I have no doubt it will be delicious because he is an amazing chef so we are excited to go check it out. It is a private event for friends and family with 3 course meal, drinks and a DJ. And then tomorrow night a girls night out at Ole' Tapas...another one of my favorites. I started preparing myself to for the all the tempting food I will be around tomorrow. I can do it...small portions. It will be a nice break from the Medifast food. Don't get me wrong for prepared diet meals/snacks....it is pretty good. But still, I am a foodie. I love food....I'm a southern girl, its part of me :-)

Happy weekend everyone! don't forget to FALL back tonight with the time change!

Today I am thankful for....

...my husband :-) Not only is he amazing husband and father but he works really hard for us. And I appreciate it so very much because it allows me to stay home with the kids, which I love doing...most
days :-P Some days I feel like I live in the movie "Groundhog Day" but they won't be this little for long so I am soaking it up while they will still give me hugs and kisses in public.

I am really wishing Jakob would go to sleep so I can go to sleep. I could not fall asleep last night and then boys were up early, I am beat! Thankfully Marcin's parents were over this morning to give me a hand with the boys, that was super helpful!

I feel like Christmas is right around the corner and I need to get things done. But then I stop and remember that I have at least 58 days or 57 or something like that, right? lol It looks like I will be getting a new Nook for Christmas. I have had mine for almost 2 years and it conked out on me : / I called and the warranty expired in january, so no replacement for me :-(

Oh oh oh oh oh Jakob is sleeping...nite nite!

Southern Manners declining?

A friend posted this NY Times article on Facebook and I thought it was very interesting.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/02/us/southern-manners-on-decline-some-say.html?_r=1&src=tp&smid=fb-share

I would like to know the background of the author of this article. There is the subject of racism being brought up because the 2 men at the bar asking to give up their seats were African- American and the women Caucasian. Honestly, while reading this article in the beginning, race wasn't even a factor for me. I was surprised to see that it came to a lawsuit. I grew up in the south, splitting my time between Mississippi and South Carolina. Yes all the stereotypes are there but this country is such a melting pot that I feel like every race/ethnicity has their stereotypes.

Being a southern transport to Delaware and having spent some time living in NYC, the differences are definitely there. It is not that people are rude in Delaware or NYC. Actually I felt people in NYC were very nice and helpful compared to their stereotype. Same for Delaware....many nice & helpful people here. From my experience, they tend to keep to themselves in my area. That is what they know, just as what I know from growing up in the south is speaking to everyone lol

In the south, most of the towns are smaller or have more of a community feel and EVERYONE pretty much knows everyone or at least a family member or friend...there is some connection somewhere  lol I know I have discussed manners before and the differences I've notice. Just to mention again...we have lived in our neighborhood for a little over 4 years. It is not a large neighborhood...maybe 75 homes. And there are STILL people who I either pass daily in the car or while out with the kids who do not speak when we pass on the sidewalk. Or even acknowledge me. This irks me to no end! I have come to accept that maybe its a cultural difference? I sometimes speak just to get a response and occasionally I get ignored. Cultural or not....'Hi' or a wave is universal. Not that difficult.

When we go to visit in South Carolina, I have remind myself to be courteous to others, slow down, speak to people and wave at everyone I pass in a car or who passes me in a car. I will never forget when a group of us went to my dad's house in North Carolina for a long weekend. My friend from Delaware/ Ohio (hi Kelly!) thought it was so funny how everyone waved at us, perfect strangers just waving away like we were all long time friends. It just the way of life. I grew up that way. I guess that why it was such a culture shock when I moved to Delaware and it was the complete opposite. No one waved, no one spoke to me, I was surprised when a door was held open for me by anyone.

Even now when I am out with all 3 boys....a big double stroller and a 3 y/o walking by me, people will walk in front of me, open the door and keep going. I mean seriously....considerate much?! When I took J&K to the doctor last week (dermatologist) and the waiting room was full of men & women. I was struggling a big to get out of the door...it was just a bit too narrow for the double stroller. Not a single person got up to help me. It takes 2 seconds to get up and hold the door for me. There were even a couple people watching but they just sat there. On a positive note, I have had many nice people who hold the door open for me after they state how 'I have my hands full!" hehe

Where I grew up, men did give up their seats for women...regardless of race. Doors were held open, we said 'yes mam' and 'yes sir,' those were not signs of disrespect or demeaning. But I have heard that a few times here that some people are offended when kids say those things to them. Why? They aren't saying to be a smart a*@, they are saying it to be polite. I try to teach Gavin to say 'yes mam,' I have a feeling it will be an ongoing lesson but I am trying. He may only end up saying to me or other family members but I cringe every time he says 'what?' or "huh?' to me lol He loves to hold the door open for me or anyone while we are out in public. I hope he holds onto that and all the other manners we try to teach him and J&K.

With all that said, I am not saying southern manners are perfect everywhere and all people are wonderful there. Of course, I am a bit biased because I love the south & everything about it. Nor am I saying that people in Delaware or the north are rude and inconsiderate. I have met some really great friends and people here in Delaware. I am just saying, in my opinion, there are differences and it all comes down to where you were raised. That doesn't mean it's right or wrong, just different. We should respect other peoples differences and learn from them. So please don't send me any hate mail lol

I sure do love some southern hospitality though :-) And that southern twang is music to my ears ! Except for Paula Deen's, she is way over the top! :-P

I almost forgot what I am thankful for today, I am thankful that Gavin's preschool worked out after all because I feel like he is where he needs to be for now :-)

Baby A is walking!!

Of course I didn't get it on video but Kaleb walked half way across family room unassisted :-) He has been working hard it the past few weeks. He is so proud of himself when he finds you in the room and gives a big grin! Jakob is right behind him...I give him a week or maybe two depending on how determined he is. Crawling is still faster for them so if he wants to get somewhere quickly he will drop down and crawl.

I have been saying for months that I am ready for them to walk! I know I shouldn't wish the time away but it is tough carrying two toddlers around everywhere. Downstairs (although Kaleb is pretty good going down backwards), getting in/out of car and just getting around in general. While I am wishing, I would also like to skip the clumsy, uncoordinated part of the beginner walkers and just go right to the good walkers. That's not too much to ask right? hehe

Gavin loves to 'help' J&K practice their walking skills. He will get behind them and hold their hands (just like he sees us doing) and encourages them to 'keep going' or "you can do!" he is such a sweet big brother! He really enjoys playing with J&K. It makes such a difference in Gavin not requiring my 100% undivided attention because he can play with them. They also love playing with Gavin. We have 3 push toys...a mickey plane, lion and a train. All 3 boys will pick one and go around and around the house, screaming and laughing. I love that sound. Kids have THE best laughs! Not to say they don't all fight over the toys...Kaleb MUST have whatever Jakob is playing with. Gavin MUST have whatever he sees one of them going to get to play with. And Jakob usually just sits back and minds his business unless it is something he truly wants, then he will get in the middle lol We are in for some good times as these boys grow :-)

I forgot to say what I was thankful for yesterday. Well not really, I was super thankful for my friend bringing over dinner for us! Today I am thankful for my health. I was thinking last night how the humand body is so resilient. I hope I can stay healthy for a long time!

There is alot I need to do here but most of all I need some rest with this cold. So instead of cleaning, putting away halloween stuff, folding/putting away laundry and all that...I am going to rest :-D Marcin are you reading this...I did think about doing that stuff but I just don't have the energy right now. Plus all kids are sleeping = resting for me!

NaBloPoMo...what's that?

I consider myself new to the blog world but I did read something about this a few weeks ago and then my friend reminded me today, thankfully because I completely forgot, oops!!

Happy National Blog Post Month! yep that's right...every day this month you get to read my exciting blog lol I guess if you consider my ramblings and endless stories/bragging of the boys to be excited you are in for a treat :-P

We are all sick right now so it may be challenging this week but I will do my best! I felt pretty good yesterday and then last night I felt like something came along and zapped all my energy, it stinks : / Especially when I am keeping with the 3 silly boys at my house :-P But we will survive!

We had a really fun Halloween weekend with a fun halloween party, snow, halloween parade and then ending with trick or treating. An odd moment at the parade, a perfect stranger was taking picture of J&K=0 I didn't realize what she was doing, she was smiling in their direction looking at her camera but both myself and a friend thought she was looking at pictures on the camera. And then she walked over and tried to get a picture of my friend's baby. Weird.

I was really surprised by our neighborhood....everyone turned out and Gavin came home with a lot of candy! A couple of years ago hardly anyone was out but I had a lot of people come by the house too. Kaleb went to bed early but Jakob stayed up to help me, he was too cute! Everytime the door bell rang he would immediately drop what he was doing and crawl as fast as he could to the front door. Then give the trick or treaters a BIG smile and sometimes a quick dancing show. He is such a ham! J&K will get to go next year...they had enough fall/halloween festivities this year :-)

My most exciting news for today is I can officially say I have lost 10 lbs!!! YAY ME!!!! I REALLY wanted a chik fil a sandwich today though...I don't feel well so it was hard since we drove thru for Gavin but I didn't get it. I did have a nugget and a couple french fries....the horror! lol Otherwise I have been doing really well with the Medifast meals. I ordered my 2nd month but I really just wanted more of my favorite stuff. I still have alot from my first order since I am doing 4 of their meals a day instead of their recommended 5. So that is saving me a bit of money, always nice :-)

Another 15lbs to go. I know, I know...could I have picked a worse time of year for this? Thanksgiving and Christmas?! But seriously, I don't mind having a taste here or there. Nothing wrong with moderation and I feel like I am getting myself back on track as far as portion sizes and eating 5-6 times a day, those were also part of my goals. So while it will be challenging, we will get there. And hopefully once I get rid of this cold, I can get back on the treadmill and start Couch 2 5K again, thats my plan at least:-P

Must go and sleep! And of course, read some more Game of Thrones. I am book #5..book#4 started losing my interest but I pressed on and finished it. I find myself skimming part of #5 : / It is a good series but the author just keeps introducing more and more characters. There were already alot to start with but now I have to see how it all ends!