Time to Purge Mr. Facebook

I have been thinking about purging my Facebook friends account for awhile now.  Not that I do not like seeing a wide variety of people from my past on there and what they are doing, just that about 3/4 of my FB friends have never had any contact with me on the site... then I just figure what is the point of them being on there?

I read a friends blog last night about them saying they were going to do the same and it has motivated me to do it.

It is not my goal to have a million friends that know everything about me and my family... I am also going to be better about who I accept as a friend.

I always thought it was attention seeking to post about defriending, but now that I am about to do it, I felt letting people know why (not that I expect them to care) makes me feel better :-)

Pita Chips, Cheese and Grilled Chicken for Dinner

I LOVE pita chips!!  I eat them plain, with hummus or avocado.  Tonight I wanted to try something different with the pita chips, so I spread them out on a baking sheet, sprinkled them with mexican flavored cheese and added grilled chicken on top.  Then, I baked it in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 min.

It came out AWESOME!!  We dipped it in avocado and salsa.

My husband and I thought adding the salsa on the top before we baked it might add a little bit more flavoring and make it not so dry. . . next time we will try that.  Otherwise, it makes a great light dinner or appetizer :-)

Weekend with my in-laws!!

We took my husband's 5 youngest siblings up to my parent's lake home this weekend, along with my sister-in-law and her hubby!!  We are having sooooo much fun with a cabin full of laughing :-)  Today we spent most of the day down by the lake swimming and fishing. The kids LOVED jumping off the dock and playing... so fun to watch!

I have to make this short since we are just about to play Apples to Apples!  Here are some pic from today:

New Neighbor Etiquette

So, we moved into our new home about 6 weeks ago and in that time we have not had ONE neighbor come over and say "hi" or introduce themselves to us!!  At first, I told Brady give it some time for them to scope us out and see that we seem to be nice people.  Now, I realize that no one is ever going to come over!!

At our last home, I always went over to meet our new neighbors within a couple days of them moving in... I felt that I wanted to know who they were and wanted them to feel welcome.

Here is the thing... I FEEL that it is the existing neighbors job to come over and make the first contact with us.  They are all outside mowing their yards and hanging out IGNORING that fact that we are here!!  I think it is super rude that no one has even said hi to us...

So, what is the proper "New Neighbor Etiquette?"  Should it be the existing neighbor/or new neighbors job to make the first contact??

WHAT?? Summer is almost over??

Has anyone else just noticed that summer is almost over??  I did and now I am completely overwhelmed with trying to squeeze in all the things I was planning on doing with the boys this summer into the next three weeks!!

So, today I took the boys to the Springbrook Nature Center!!  My Mom tagged along since she loves doing activities with the kids and I.  It was a perfect day for it... upper 70's and sunny!!  We walked the trails and saw so many neat things... fish, frogs, birds, butterflies, bees, along with good old beautiful nature!!  We Minnesotans LOVE our natural habitat :-)

We also went into the nature center and looked at a bunch of living (and non-living) animals, amphibians and fish.  The boys had so much fun and the best part was, it was FREE!!

I love getting the boys outside to play and just let them explore!!  I found this great pamphlet on getting your kids outside for free play, since most kids only get about 30min a week of unstructured outdoor playtime.

Click Below:
A Parent's Guide to Nature Play

Wordless Wednesday: Brock found the Markers!!

My In-Laws

I thought I would share a little about my husbands family, since I do talk and post pictures of them often on here and it might be a little confusing.  They are a super awesome family to be apart of and along with my own family, I feel extra blessed to have such loving & close people in our life.

My husband comes from a family of 14 kids... same mom & dad and no multipuls!!  Brady is the second oldest (almost 30), the oldest is 31 and the youngest just turned 9 years old.  So, my husbands youngest 4 siblings are more like cousins to our boys than uncles and aunts.  Since no one else has had kids yet, I am happy that they have them to grow up with :-)  Landon and Brock LOVE going over and hanging out with their uncles & aunts... Landon asks me almost everyday when he gets to go to their house to play!!

Brady and I have been together for almost 15 years now and I was around when the last 4 kids were born.  I have watched all the kids grow up and become such awesome people :-)  It is really fun when the older kids get together and go out, we all just click and have a blast!!  Holidays are SUPER crazy, chaotic and FUN!!  I love when everyone sits around the table telling stories, such a good time.  I understand that it is not easy growing up in such a large family, but once everyone gets older it is a lot of fun!

Family picture last summer during camping trip

At one of the "Older Witt Kids" night out

Crazy Fun Time :-)

We are super excited about this weekend, as we are taking 5 of the youngest siblings up to my parents lake home while his parents are at a weekend reunion.  I am little nervous about taking care of 7 kids, but I think we will manage just fine being that most of them are over the age of 10.  Landon is just soooo excited that is literally can not contain himself... he asks me 100 times a day, how many more days until we go??  This will be such a special weekend for our boys to spend time with his uncles and aunts up at "their" lake home!! hehe

So there is a quick rundown of my in-laws :-)

Must be Nice... Rough Life (Justified Vent)

If you are a SAHM, you have probably heard that a million times from people when referring to you being home... I get it all the time.  "It must be nice" or "rough life" ALWAYS said in a rude way!!  Implying that being a SAHM is easy... well, it is not.

This is what I say to all those who think or feel this is true about SAHM's:

-Must be nice to have a lunch break
-Must be nice to be able to talk to adults all day
-Must be nice to sit at your desk at work... in silence
-Must be nice to go out to lunch with friends from work
-Must be nice to be able to listen to whatever you want on the radio in the car
-Must be nice to take a day off and then drop your kid off at daycare

For those without kids:
-Must be nice to be able to sleep-in on the weekends
-Must be nice to come home and veg out in front of the TV
-Must be nice to have no one but yourself to spend money on
-Must be nice to go to a movie & dinner whenever you want
-Must be nice to go out to happy hour after work every day
-Must be nice to travel whenever you want

For those that say, "Wow, sounds like a rough life," when I tell them about my day... here is the skinny on that my friends:

-We go to the beach for the afternoon- NO, I am not laying in the sand, relaxing with headphones getting my tan on... I am up pacing the beach watching my kids, getting them snacks, cleaning up snacks with sand all over it, drying them off over and over again, applying and re-applying sun screen, and cleaning up our area when it is time to leave... UGGGG

-We go out to lunch- There is no small talk, laughing or relaxing going on.  Once we have got past the ordering ordeal, we have to find a spot, which usually ends in fighting between the boys over what spot is better, then it is waiting for the food to come out... anything can happen in the 5-10 min, either harmony or chaos!!  Trying to keep the boys happy and calm so they do not interrupted the other people eating is extremely STRESSFUL!!  By the time the food comes, I am scarfing it down so we can leave as soon as the boys are done.

-We go to the mall- You shop and have fun, I race through the stores, grabbing what I need quickly... at the same time chasing after kids who are completely bord and want to leave.  There is crying, whining and there is NO WAY they are even going to let me stop for one second to look at something for myself!!  I am there for 30min and my head hurts... we are done at the mall.

The next time you want to judge a SAHM and THINK you know what their life is like, remember it is not the same as being by yourself having a day off... this is EVERY day of my life taking care of two other human beings.

Thank you and enjoy your day ;-)

Highlighting My Own Hair... Success or Fail???

I have been going to the salon to get my hair highlighted since college, so about 10 years.  I LOVE going to the salon!!  It is me time and I always walk out the door looking and feeling pretty.

The first problem is, I need to get my roots retouched every 6-8 weeks since my hair is so dark... sooooo, if you do the math, it is about $100 every 8 weeks... coming out to be around $600 a year!!!  I feel like that is just a lot of money with me being a SAHM.  I mean, who do I need to look so good for??  My kids and hubby don't even notice what my hair looks like!! lol

The second problem is, TIME!!!  Finding a time to get to the salon during the day is sometimes impossible.  My mother-in-law has been nice enough to watch the boys for me to go a couple times, but I hate to ask so often.  There is not enough time at night when Brady gets home, since he gets home around 6:30pm and most salons close about 7-8pm.  I refuse to go on the weekend, everyone goes on the weekend and it is usually super busy.  With the time factor, on most visits to the salon, I am there a good 3-4 hours from start to finish.  Just way toooooo long.

So, after 10 years of getting it professionally done, I did it myself tonight!!  The total cost $14 & 1 1/2 hours from start to finish (including shower).

Before...
 I have been working gradually to get it less blonde 

This is what I used, Brand: Loreal
I liked it because it came with two colors (Brown & Blonde)
**Sorry pic is backwards lol

I used just regular foil, works pretty good ;-)

Got them all in!!  I did two browns to one blonde

All done!!!  I think it looks good :-)

What do you think??
My hair is obviously not styled... don't judge me ;-)

I would say it is a SUCCESS!!!  I am super crazy about my hair and how it looks... I didn't cry, therefore, success :-)

Marshmallow Addiction

Yes, you read it correctly!!  I have a new major addiction to marshmallows!!  I have always loved the soft, sugary treats, but it really started at the beginning of this summer.  Like every other year, we bought them for making s'mores up at the cabin and now I just eat them plain.  I had to start buying the small ones, for portion control... I have been running and working out regularly, so marshmallows are really not a great addition to my diet, but I don't care :-p

Vacation Bible School- 2011

Landon just finished VBS today and had sooooo much fun!!  He loved his leader (who was a middle school aged boy) and the kids in his group.  He also loved that his aunties & uncles where there too... and of course, Grandma Diane was in charge of snack time :-)

It was such a heartwarming feeling to see a gym full of children singing, dancing and praying!!!

Landon is in the back next to his leader (in blue) they are the "crazy" dancers ;-) lol

Landon & Brock with their aunts & uncles

Finished the week off with McDonald's Playland

Tonight we went to the VBS dinner at the church to celebrate the end of the fun week!!

Brock & Uncle Cam

Having Children (Facebook/People Rant)

Okay, this is not about anyone specific, just something that annoys me in general...

Has anyone else ever noticed that when you have kids and other people don't, they ignore the fact that you have them... don't ask you about them when you are hanging out, don't comment on your status/pictures on Facebook and when you are at events with family/friends WITH your kids, they have no interest in your child's life or existence... BUT, as soon as THEY get pregnant or have a baby they want EVERYONE to oooo and ahhhh their kid??

That is super annoying!! I understand that most people don't realize what it is like to have a child, until they have one of their own... but it drives me nuts, because my kids are my life and when people don't acknowledge them at all, I just think they are rude.  They shouldn't expect me or anyone else to be all excited over their new baby... this is especially something that I can't stand on Facebook. When friends NEVER comment on my pics and then they have a baby and post a million and a half pictures wanting everyone to be so happy for them... oooopppsss, I am not :-p

I know this sound rude, but they are rude... I would love to be happy for them, but they were never happy for me...

** Sorry this is so negative, but I can't be the only who has thought about this**

New House!!

I kept my word and got some pics of our new house!!  I can't believe that it took me this long to take them :-)

Front

Kitchen

Kid's Playroom/TV Room

Lower Living Room

Boy's Bathroom

Brock's Room (pic w/cousin V sleeping over) :-)

Backyard

Back from a Break!!

I have taken a couple months off from blogging due to it being soooo incredibly busy!!  Thank you to all of you who are still following me... I will be back in full blogging swing soon!! Along with keeping the boys busy having a fun summer, we also moved a month ago... we are finally getting life "normal" again.

We have had every single weekend jammed packed with family reunions, parties of every kind and trying to get up to the lake home when we can.  This is what life is all about, right?  Keeping busy with the ones you love :-)

So, yes!  We moved!!  After living in our town home for 6 1/2 years, we were beyond ready to move to a bigger single family home.  The kids LOVE our new house!!  They each get their own bedroom now and we have a family room just for them and all of their toys!!  Brady and I have our "adult" family room with our TV and it is TOY FREE :-D  We also are on 3/4 of an acre... fenced in yard!!  The dog is in heaven.  I will post pics this week... I just need to remember ;-) lol

Also, yesterday I turned the big 3-0!!  I can honestly say, I am proud to be 30.  I am married to my soul-mate, have two beautiful/healthy kids and am living the life I always dreamed... I am not racing against any clocks lets just say!!  I have it all by 30 ;-)  I know that there is much more fun to come in life and I pray that God gives me another 30 (or 50) to experience as much or more then I have so far in my life!!

I am hoping to squeeze a couple more posts in before school starts and I have time to blog more!

Here are a couple pics from my b-day party last night!

Haha... they thought they could embarrass me!!

This is TROUBLE!!!   

Me and my sweet niece, Victoria!!

Brock had fun :-)