Mahone and his Valentine Box (And Teague- who didn't HAVE a box, but was trying very hard to get hands on some of Mahone's spoils.)
Getting it all out!
Scarlet with the comic book, Super Friends of the 31st Century, that Brandon and I got her for Valentines day (she's making a really weird face...not sure what's up with that.)
Mahone with his Flash comic book
Lilly with her Bat Girl comic book
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(SCROLL DOWN TO LINK UP AND TO ENTER THE FLASH GIVEAWAY)
MUSIC MONDAY!!!
Link Up Below!
I usually only post one song, maybe two, for my Music Mondays
.
But, in honor of Valentines day, I'm doing something a little bit different.
It's no secret that music is a big part of my life- I think it is for most people. And I tend to attach songs and their meanings to my memories of people and events, both good and bad. It's easy for me to admit that music is the very embodiment of love to me. Love now, love then, and the opposite of it.
You shouldn't be surprised, then, to hear that I have a song for each of my kids. I didn't consciously pick these songs. I didn't sit down and pour over a list of them or anything. They just evolved. Any mom knows that there are many nights spent rocking a baby, kissing their fat, warm cheeks while you try to get them to sleep. Every mom knows that as your baby grows, you begin to see a personality, and you don't shape and mold it as much as you behold and enable it.
These are songs that I ended up singing to them the most, and eventually, I sang them every night. Until I had the epiphany that these songs BELONGED to my children, and to me.
What if I Loved You, by Joey Gian is my husbands and my wedding song. As he is my OFFICIAL Valentine, I had to include it. I sing it in the shower, in the car, and as often TO my KIDS as their own songs. I ab-so-LUTELY LOVE this song. It is on the top of my favorites list. SO romantic.
Lilly's Song: L.O.V.E. - I chose Michael Buble instead of the original singer, Nat King Cole. I love Nat, and I sort of feel like a cheater. But the truth is, I like Michael Buble more. ~Wince~
What can I say about Lilly? Sheesh, she's a little mini me. And she makes me feel good about everything because she dances around this place like it's a stage, literally SINGING to me "Mooooooommmy, you're the very beeeeeeeeest mommmy e-e-e-e-e-everrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!" - while my other three children are all about daddy- you know, when daddy's home, I'm chopped liver- Lilly is completely MINE. She loves that daddy of hers, but, when the others fight over who is going to hold his hand in the store, she's already linked arms with me.
I love my girl!
Mahone's Song: Fly Me To The Moon.
EVERYONE has done this song. Well, all the lounge singers. And ol' Blue eyes does it best. THE best!!! NEVER heard a better rendition....EXCEPT for MAYBE the one from the movie soundtrack "Down With Love" (OMG, FAVORITE MOVIE EVER!) where it's a mash up of Frank and some other girl doing a really retro version. VERY cool.
Mahone's over it now, but when he was very little, he was determined to be an astronaut. Everything was ALWAYS about the moon and Mars. It was darling. We also sang Nat King Cole's "It's Only A Paper Moon" to him a lot, but this is the one that stuck.
Mahone is so sensitive. He has so much energy, and so much crazy in him that daily, he makes me want to pull my hair out. I always thought that was the dumbest expression from mothers. Why in the world would ANYONE want to pull their hair out? Well, Mahone solved that mystery for me. LOL. But he is SUCH a little gentleman. I look at him, and I know he'll be a wonderful, compassionate, sweet, and sensitive man. And I would LIKE to take the credit, but I don't think I can. That boy has it built into his very genes. He is my hardest worker. He is a storyteller, and can tell a tall tale to fool ANYONE, but he has NEVER lied to me, not once. He has a smile and a giggle to light up the whole wide world- and he has come up with the best one liners that I have EVER heard from a kid. He has me cracking up daily!
Scarlet's Song: When It Comes To Love by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
I am in LOVE with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. FOR REAL. I was a total "Swing Kid" in high school, and spent many a weekend at the local dance club "The M.A.C" (Murray Arts Center) which, sadly, closed last year. The end of an era. Of course, when I sing it, since I'm a girl, I say "I'm just a small town girl with a handfull of dreams...."
Scarlet, oh how I love her. She's a typical 3rd child, I think. Right now, I spend a lot of time alone with her, because she is at home while the older two are at school, and Teague still sleeps a lot. What an ANGEL she is! She is quiet and sweet and polite...until the older two come home, and then she's hell on wheels. That girl, from the moment Lilly and Mahone walk in the door, she is picking on them like there's no tomorrow. She makes me laugh, she is responsible for every single one of my gray hairs, and she is independent, sassy, and such a REDHEAD!!!! So beautiful, so sweet.
Teague's Song: Beyond the Sea, and The Way I Am - I put up The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson a couple of weeks ago, so I'm putting up Beyond the Sea this time. Teague is still little and his song may change. I don't have a reason to be singing this song to him. I don't know why I started singing it, it just felt like a soft, but upbeat song late one night. But I'm leaning toward The Way I am more...something about the lyrics "sew on patches to all you tear" and "if you are chilly, here take my sweater"- such a lovely song for a mom to sing to her little boy.
Teague. What to say about him. Oh dear. He's the cutest thing this side of the universe. Already, this child is careful. He is gentle and specific. He loves trucks, and light sabers and pretending to sword fight with his brother. He loves our dog, Hunter- well, any dog at all really. And he sure loves his mommy. He is a happy thing, all the time, and always has a smile for me. My cuddly little man, just makes me think everyone should have one of him. He's the answer to world peace.
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February's Weekdaily Flash Giveaways
ANNOUNCEMENT: READ FIRST:
Okay, friends. It's time for a chat.
I have been doing giveaways for a grand total of about 3 months. At first, this was working really great for me! My numbers got up pretty high on my twitter, google+ and facebook accounts.
And then I noticed something. The number of visits I had to my blog PER DAY were going through the roof! Multiplying! BUT the people who were actually READING what I have to say was declining. I know, because the comments that were made on a daily basis have declined by about 75%! (And my numbers aren't growing much now, because most of the people who enter already follow me.)
So, since I do about 2-3 giveaways per week (and have been doing these daily flash giveaways for 2 weeks now.) I added "Leave a comment" as a way to earn an entry. For a day or two, this got my comments back up, but the majority simply stated "thanks for the giveaway!" - You know, you're all very welcome!!!!
The problem is, that's really hardly very genuine or thoughtful, though. I feel like I have much more provocative and wonderful stuff here on my blog than "thanks for the giveaway!" In truth, I feel a bit discouraged. Especially since, after a few days, the comments went BACK DOWN.
If you do giveaways on your blog, you know how long it takes, and how much work it is. If you don't do giveaways, trust me when I say that it takes a TON of time, sacrifice, and, when I do these sweater giveaways and these ring giveaways, MONEY- out of my own pocket.
So, since my Rafflecopter hasn't seemed to make it clear, I'm posting my own disclaimer: ALL ENTRIES ARE MANDATORY. Every one must be done, or the entrant is disqualified. That means comments, follows, and likes. (I WILL let such things as google+ or my linky friends follow pass here or there because I know not everyone has those accounts - BUT they are worth a lot more entries than others BECAUSE I know it's a pain to create an account.) PLEASE understand that I want these giveaways to work for everyone. You get your entries and your chances to win AWESOME products. And I need to be more than just a free for all blog that doesn't get looked at beyond what's free.
(Scroll down for Foodie Friday, AND the February Weekdaily Flash Giveaway!!!)
What I Want My Children To Remember About Their Childhood
I have always had a good memory. Most people can't remember when they were very young, but I do. I recall sounds, smells, and even exact conversation from the time I was very young. I don't usually need a calendar to remember important dates or times, and, without looking, I still know my babies birth dates, times, and their size and lengths.
My childhood was filled with summers spent catching snakes and throwing water balloons. Christmases, birthdays, baby brothers and sisters, giggling with friends, card games with my family, and lots of small details that made me who I am.
Now I am a mother, and, while my childhood is behind me, my children's childhoods are staring me in the face.
I'm sure every mother can identify with my emotions here. I am terrified that they will look back and remember every single moment that I yelled at them. I just KNOW they will remember the times I made them sit and eat the food they HATED (usually spinach lasagna.) or the times I didn't give them what they want. I am afraid that somewhere, I will, in the heat of the moment, say something I shouldn't and that, despite apologies, my comment will scar them for life and turn them into bank robbers instead of award winning concert pianists (I'm kidding on the concert pianist thing.) I am afraid that, when they are with their friends, they will have nothing good to say about me.
The truth is, I'm sure that in my past, my parents disciplined me plenty of times. I'm sure I received spankings, and no doubt they yelled at me and maybe said some regrettable things. I know, for sure, that my mother used to insist that I eat mushy green beans from a can (I still can't stand them), and, if my mother is as normal as any other mother out there today, she probably faced a lot of guilt for it, just like we do.
But do you know what? I don't remember those things with any kind of vividness, and I'm not screwed up.
When Lilly was born, my mom got me a baby book for her that is illustrated by Mary Englebreit (who I LOVE) - it is filled with darling pictures of babies, and families, and women in slippers with captions that read "Queen Of Everything." and "Life is just a chair of bowlies"
There is one picture, though, that captured my heart from the very moment I saw it. (And forgive me, I spent, literally, hours looking for a proper picture on the internet and could not find one...so you get a snapshot from my camera.)
I love this because, as this little boy is going off to school, all those hearts are floating out of his home while his mother kisses him goodbye.
Despite my fears, I'm pretty sure that my kids won't remember the times they were grounded from television, or had to put their nose on the corner for time outs. Over the years, they will remember laughing late at night while we all snuggled together on the couch watching movies. They will remember family vacations, and holidays. What I really hope they remember when they look back at their childhoods is a home so full of love that it hit them hard in the face whenever they opened the door after school. I hope they remember feeling safe and secure. I hope it's strong enough to follow them each day to school, and wrap them in a bubble on their way back home. I hope it's enough that, when they go off to college or get their own apartments, little hearts float out their doors and windows whenever they open them too.
THAT is what I want my children to remember about their childhoods.
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Foodie Friday!
Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
14 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
4-6 large strawberries, chopped
1 bag white chocolate chips
PREHEAT OVEN to 375
Chop Strawberries- the smaller the better.
Brown your butter. If you've never done this, don't be intimidated. It makes the cookies taste SO GOOD, and it's actually really easy.
The recipe calls for 14 tbsp of butter- take TEN (10) of those and put them in a pan over medium-high heat. You'll need to swirl the pan around constantly until it's totally melted.
Once melted, continue to swirl it around until it's a dark golden brown and smells rich and a bit nutty.
Pour the hot butter into a bowl, and add your remaining 4 tbsp. Swirl this around consistently until the 4 tbsp are melted fully.
Add white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add eggs and whisk them in until incorporated. Let stand for 3 minutes, whisk for 30 seconds, and repeat twice.
Your mixture will be smooth, thick and shiny.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix in flour and baking soda
Stir in all strawberries and all white chocolate chips. It looks like a lot, but your cookies will be cram packed with flavor!!
Make your cookie balls SMALL- about a table spoon in size, maybe a tiny bit bigger. These cookies like to flatten and spread out. If you make them too big, they will melt together. They're still yummy, of course, but not as "neat" looking.
Bake them at 375 for about 12-14 minutes, until edges are turning brown.
My kids LOVE these cookies- even more than regular chocolate chip cookies.
(sorry! The ring can not be resized. However, you are welcome to come back every weekday in February for another chance to win a different ring. There will be a new one every weekday, in all different sizes!)
Our official Christmas card- Merry Christmas from our family to yours:
Click on the link to enter by rafflecopter to win a copy of My Memories digital Scrapbooking Suite - the software I used to create this AWESOME Christmas card!!!!
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