I first learned about Cookie's Kids on another blog a few months ago. I was impressed with the cute stuff that I had never seen in stores here before. After logging on to the Cookie's Kids website, I learned that it was established in New York City in 1972 and now has seven stores in …
I remember sleepwalking a few times as a child. One time I remember walking out of my bedroom with my small plastic trash can in one hand, and my blanket in another. My oldest brother was sitting at the computer and he asked what I was doing, which I think woke me up. In my …
I've always loved the idea of Family Game Night, but was waiting for the boys to be old enough to actually be able to play a game. We play "Family Game Night" on the Wii, but the Captain's attention span isn't that long (as it should be!) and of course, Baby D is just happy …
We bought Captain Fussybuckets his first bike at a garage sale last Fall. It came with training wheels, but no helmet. We knew the importance of wearing a helmet when cycling, even if the training wheels were still on. It's important to get into that habit, for sure. So, Grandma bought the Captain a helmet …
"For those of us who lived through these events, the only marker we’ll ever need is the tick of a clock at the 46th minute of the eighth hour of the 11th day." ~President George W. Bush
I taught kindergarten for three years before having kids and becoming a stay-at-home mom, then a houseparent at a children's home, then a stay-at-home mom again. School was always filled with mixed emotions. The first day of school was exciting, scary, exhausting and inspiring all at the same time. The end of the year was …
Parenting Hack for Mealtime: The Awesome Way to Get Inquisitive Kids to Eat I'm so glad that my husband is the father of my children. He plays with our boys like he is a boy himself. He teaches them good things and is a great Christian role model for them. But the purpose of this …
My husband and I first heard of Mark Gungor while working at the children's home. One of the ministers there shared the "Laugh Your Way To A Better Marriage" DVD with us and I, personally, was very encouraged and excited about the DVD. I had a lot of "aha!" moments, where things Mark said clicked …
Back when I first moved into an apartment with roommates in college, I was all about the cute little plastic containers with lids that fit all nicely together and cost more than I wanted to pay for them, but I did anyway.......all for food storage. I don't know why we, as women, (some women, not …
We had a little family movie night making "tuna turtles" with "A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures" this weekend!
Did you know that today, August 15th, is the official National Relaxation Day? There you go, that's all the excuse you need to kick back and relax! What do you do when you need to relax? Maybe get a massage? Go shopping? Lie down in bed and go to sleep? Or possibly leave the kids …
I know, it's the hottest month of the year and you're wondering why on earth I'd be making a hot soup, let alone posting about it. Well, I have been craving Tomato Bisque ever since we had some a few months ago at Medieval Times. So today, I decided to make some! I found a …
It's times like these that I wish I was efficient and liked to schedule posts far in advance. If you're a frequent visitor, you might have noticed that I haven't been posting much lately. Some really awesome bloggers have posts scheduled so when life gets in the way of blogging, they don't have to worry …
When I was little, I spent a lot of time playing with my favorite toy, the Fisher Price doll house. I loved that thing. There's just something about those little figurines with round heads and the ability to put them in the little chairs, lay them on the little beds, and even push them around …
If you didn't know by now, three of the original four Wiggles will be retiring at the end of this year. That's why I was SO thrilled to be able to take the boys to one of the last Wiggles concerts in Texas yesterday, as a part of their Celebration Tour. Captain Fussybuckets and Baby …
I remember watching both the Summer and Winter Olympics as a kid. I'd get so excited and quickly learn lots about sports I didn't even know existed. And it wasn't until this morning when I turned on the news channel and they were talking about the Olympics that I thought "oh! This is great for …
This is a ridiculous blog post, but I have to get the word out. Please, PLEASE stop the crumbs. Crumbs are horrible and my sons, obviously, don't show any signs of stopping the crumbs any time soon. Neither does my dear husband, who is THE worst crumb leaver I know. I love him dearly and …
Something strange has happened, but apparently, it's fairly common. Baby D, who just turned 19 months old yesterday, is acting like a full fledged two year old. Just in the past two weeks or so, he's started becoming far more defiant than ever, saying "NEH!" for 'no' and even hitting and pushing us. This phenomena …
Do you ever have leftover lasagna noodles that you don't know what to do with? I have been making a big lasagna and then a small lasagna for the freezer, and I still have leftover noodles. So, I came up with this recipe that the hubby loves! This meatless meal can also be frozen, just …
My name is Gena, pronounced "GEE-nuh." You know, like Geena Davis, only without the other "e." It's funny because some very sweet people that have known me since birth still call me "Jenna." I guess it's confusing because the typical spelling is "Gina," even though if you're going to phonetically spell it....well....you know my spelling …
This post was brought to you by Magic Bumpers. All opinions are mine. contains affiliate links. While I have only ever co-slept an entire night while traveling or when the boys were sick, our kids have spent a lot of time in our bed. With the Captain, we used a metal fold down bed rail …
All opinions are mine. contains affiliate links. While I have only ever co-slept an entire night while traveling or when the boys were sick, our kids have spent a lot of time in our bed. With the Captain, we used a metal fold down bed rail on our bed when he was really tiny, for …
The day is almost over and it was just a normal day for us. Daddy was working all day and the Full Moon had it's effects on the boys for sure so we opted to go to church and come home and watch fireworks on TV! Definitely the best choice for us! 🙂 I hope …
I had no idea that VTech, one of our favorite brands, made a video baby monitor until I found them online one day. We really have had good luck with VTech products. It's amazing that they make such a vast array of high quality products! We were able to review the VTech Safe & Sound Full Color …
Did you know that three of the four original Wiggles are retiring? Yes, after this final world tour, Jeff, Murray, and Greg will be retiring and three new Wiggles will be joining Anthony as the new generation of The Wiggles! The 2012 Summer Tour called "The Wiggles! Celebration Tour!" will be the last time you …
June is almost over! How did that happen? Well, get ready for July and Independence Day on July 4th with these awesome ideas from Pinterest! Check out these awesome, all natural, Patriotic Ice Pops from Naturally Educational! And how about this adorable Flag Wreath from Oodlekadoodle Primitives! I was looking for something FUN for the …
The Summer provides many new safety issues, especially concerning small children. Here are a few helpful tips and links to articles that have helped me to think about ways that I can keep my children safe in the summertime! Water Safety - It's obvious, but never let your child in any amount of water without …
When writing a new blog post, I sometimes think about it for a few days, or maybe even a few weeks, but most of the time, I just jump into it and write it the instant I can sit down and type. I admire people who can sit and make an outline, like my dad, …
Do my thoughts jump around or do they glide? An odd question, no? When thinking about this question, I immediately knew the answer. Of COURSE my thoughts jump around inside this brain of mine. Does anyone REALLY having thoughts that glide seamlessly throughout the day? I imagine that in this hectic world we live in, …
Ahhhh summertime! Summertime is very bittersweet around here. Sure, the boys get to run and play outside and go swimming, but I think that we actually spend LESS time outside (unless we're in the water) than in the other seasons of the year. The reason being, it's HOT. I think it was around 104 today …
The question for today is "Would you ever go bungee jumping?" If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll know that I'm a HUGE wuss, so bungee jumping would be a big fat NO. I am one that errs on the side of caution, and bungee jumping is one of the most ridiculous things …
I know, no one likes a complainer. Buuuuuut, everyone needs to complain sometime, and I think these are valid complaints, so here I go. 1. If you're baby-sitting, it's 100% NOT COOL to take the kids to Chick-Fil-A and let them run wild and scream loudly in the play area while you sit and chat …
Do I like scary movies that make me jump? Oh no. Never have and never will. What's the point, really? I may be a huge stick in the mud, but I just feel like I could be watching stuff with a purpose, or doing something with my family instead of a scary movie eating up …
I'm a cautious person by nature, so I like to think that I stray away from places that have things that would scare me, such as haunted houses, dark alleys, and even roller coasters. So, when asked if I've ever jumped out of my skin, I am quite certain the answer is..."I'm not sure." There …
The question of the day is "What do you do to cope when you are nervous?" I do a lot of things when I'm nervous, depending on the situation. I might pace the floor, bite my nails, look for a quick exit, stay quiet, or become a chatterbox. But to cope with being nervous, especially …
I can think of many times in my life that I was a nervous wreck. I have always been a bit of a worry-wart, so these nervous times are pretty commonplace...from job interviews, to speeches, to evaluations while I was teaching, to my own wedding! The times when I have been most nervous, however, have …
I have a love/hate relationship with many animals. I used to love cats, but they make me sneeze. I like most dogs, but their barking and pooping in my yard (when they're not even mine) is a bit ridiculous. And birds, don't even get me started on the birds with the annoying chirping they like …
I'm so lucky to have a great father of my own, and an amazing husband who is a terrific father to our two boys. They are a great example for our children and I'm so blessed to have them in my life! Being a father is one of the hardest jobs in this life. …
I found some funny Father's Day cards on someecards.com that I had to share! It's okay, we love dads, but it's fun to chuckle at dad-isms, too! SaveSave
