Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Crazy.....I think not! A little crunchy.....you bet!

First off, I wonder who reads this blog other than my family and friends. If you do keep up with it feel free to leave comments every now and then so I know I am not just talking to myself!

Ok, I have a lot going on in my head lately. From raising chickens to a little business that I have had stuck in my head since I had Brady but never voiced because with 3 young kids I knew it was impossible to make it happen. Now that Chase is not a newborn anymore I seem to have a tad more time on my hands. Actually, I probably don't but my mind thinks I can take on more. I swear my mind rarely shuts off! I'm talking to a few people about my little business idea but I'm not going to type it all out right now because it's late and I want to get some sleep. No worries though, eventually I will. I just need to investigate more. My biggest concern would be A) the obvious...would it succeed and B) since there are other businesses like it how could I make it succeed and make a profit? Anyway, Dan seems to find my idea interesting and those that know me well will see that it fits me. Really I see it as a side business that I think would be fun and good for the environment, it also fits in with the little bit of crunchiness that I have in me! I'd still continue with recruiting because that is a guaranteed paycheck and I enjoy it(the money and the job that is, well ok the job I enjoy most of the time ;) ).

Let's discuss my slight crunchiness. It started with cloth diapers. I remember telling Dan that I was going to cloth diaper Brady. You should have seen how he looked at me. I'll never forget the look. It was as if he didn't have a clue as to who I was or who he married and had been with for 12+ years. He was completely disgusted by the entire idea. I explained how it all worked, that it was so much better for the environment and that it wasn't hard to do. In the end his response was "this is your thing" and he started calling me crunchy and asked if I was going to start wearing Birkenstocks(BTW..no I wasn't taking it that far). Eventually he dealt with the peed on cloth diapers but he never did deal with the rest! If Dan had Brady and I wasn't around we would stick to disposables but if I was around I'd do cloth. I figured some cloth was better than none. Then I got pregnant with Chase and all cloth diapering bets were off. I just couldn't deal with it without gagging loud enough for the world to hear for 3 months straight. So, I quit the cloth diapers...bad me! Now they are going to slowly work their way back into the picture part time again on Chase. I've even used them again on Brady lately and believe they are really helpful in terms of potty training him. You just can't feel when you are wet in a disposable one as well as you can in a cloth one.

Anyway, onto chickens, Dan jokes that I am white trash for wanting to raise them. In all reality he knows I'm not. He knows I don't make spur of the moment decisions and I am not a super spontaneous person. He knows I fully research and educate myself on all things new. He knows that when I was little I spent my summers back east at the mill which was practically a small farm. I've helped raise chickens before, I've milked goats and had fresh goat milk, cheese and yogurt. I fed our ducks and geese, and helped take care of the sheep. I had dogs and cats and to this day ride horses. I love animals. I also am madly in love with my kids. I buy a lot of organic stuff...eggs, milk and the occasional organic meat(that breaks my bank though so it doesn't happen as often as I like). I hit up the farmers market often from spring-fall and finally the last couple years we have planted our own little fruit and veggie garden with Celine and Kindra. I like growing my own stuff. I like that our kids like it and I love watching them taste all the things we grow. I also like knowing that it's not sprayed with all sorts of crap! So, my point is why not raise a couple hens that produce fresh organic, yummy eggs? I see it as a fun little teaching/learning experience for my kids and my guess is if and when we do it Dan will be running out there daily to check for eggs right along with the kids! In the end, I know they will love it and I know he secretly loves the little bit of crunchiness I have in me!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Practice Makes Perfect


As you can see Baby Chase is well on his way to walking! 2 weeks ago I would have said I don't think he'll walk before the end of February. Funny how quickly that changed!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Baby Chase and Brady

If you don't know by now this is Baby Chase's I'm tired look:

And here is that devilsh, sweet smile:
This is what happens when your big brother, Brady, takes a toy away from you. Just imagine the loudness of the scream!
We had a lot of rain this week(5 days in a row). Needless to say, we watched a lot of movies. Brady is singing the HO part of HI HO HI HO It's Off To Work We Go from Snow White right here:


Hmmmm, just realized since Kendall was in school I didn't get any pics of her this week. I owe her a pics of Kendall only post!! Gotta keep it fair!




When mommy's not looking!


Every now and then I just want to sit. Sit on my bottom and just veg out in front of the TV or the computer. I rarely get to do that when the kids are awake. This week, I let myself though. I sat for about 2 minutes while Chase played and Dan bathed Brady and Kendall. Dan came out of the bathroom and yelled "Ummmm SOMEONE(me) is NOT watching Chase". Yes I got caught! When I got up this is what I saw, it really wasn't that bad but just goes to show I am not allowed time off when kids are awake!





Then something else caught his eye and he was off...


Who me? I didn't do anything!!!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Love

I'm not the most religious person you'll ever meet and I don't know a whole lot about the bible. Some days I wish I knew more. What I do know is I love this verse.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . .And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - excerpts from 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

Monday, January 18, 2010


Grateful

There is so much that I am grateful for in life. I thought I would take this moment to write some of it down while it's on my mind.
  1. The number one obvious thing I am grateful for is, of course, my family.
  2. I am so thankful for all the cuddles that Brady gives me on a daily basis
  3. For Kendall's great smile, laugh and caring spirit
  4. 2 words: Baby Chase
  5. The fact that Dan cracks me up daily and is one of the nicest people on this earth, never possessive nor jealous. Always supportive and a great friend!
  6. Speaking of great friends...of course I have to add GREAT FRIENDS! Couldn't survive without them.
  7. Horses
  8. Hot chocolate made with milk that is boiled on the stove and real whipped cream. You know, the kind you whip up from heavy cream and add a bit of sugar and a dash of vanilla to.
  9. Big storms and the freshness in the air right after a good rain storm.
  10. The sound of horses hooves walking or trotting on pavement.
  11. Something I never had until 2 years ago and luckily no one in CA has it and if they do it's not done right...Sweet Tea
  12. A well made margarita on a hot summer day or night
  13. Starbucks, although I have really cut way back
  14. Carmex
  15. NY/NJ Style pizza, really it's the only way to have pizza. California pizza is fine but it just does not compare.
  16. Really grateful for all the time I got to spend back east in the summertime growing up. Hanging at the barn with my friends in NJ is one of my all time favorite memories.
  17. The fact that I have been able to be home for a really good amount of time after having each baby without having to worry about work. When I finally did work, I got to do it part time and now SUPER part time. It's the perfect balance really.
  18. Sleep and Spa days because I don't get nearly enough of either of them
  19. The internet....without it I wouldn't have met my mommy friends all over the US and who would have guessed the bonds that have formed with so many of us.
  20. Grateful for my house, not only for being a house but for being a home. A home filled with laughter, love, joy and the(more than) occasional "insert kids name" followed by "KNOCK IT OFF!"

Monday, January 11, 2010

Because I can't resist


I have to just add a few more pics from Chase's party because I love them. These pictures were taken by my friend Leandra. Anytime you see awesome pictures of my kids, most likely it was Leandra behind the camera. She's so super talented!






Sunday, January 10, 2010

Chasey's Winter "One"-derland Party



On Saturday, January 9th we threw Chase's 1st birthday party. I LOVE to throw and organize parties. For this party, I had decided to go with a play on words theme.... a Winter "One"-derland party. The colors and decoartions were all silver, blue and white with lots of snowflakes and some snowmen decorations. I chose white roses and put them in a vases with light blue stones. I chose 2 kids crafts to keep them busy and that was to decorate snowmen and snowflake sugar cookies and make snowmen/snowflake picture frames. I almost decided to go with making snow globes but it was a little more labor intensive. I also did a hot chocolate bar with whipped cream, marshmellows, peppermint sticks and shaved chocolate for the kids. For the adult version, I had Baileys and peppermint schnapps on hand. I think that cocoa bar was one of the best parts and most original ideas I had for the party! I was going to make a wintery food such as chili but we were going to another party later this night where chili was the main dish and I figured all kids wouldn't eat chili. So we went with pizza cause it's easy and cheap! As far as party favors went, for the kids I did "Snowman Soup", you'll see the pics below. For adults I decided to make CDs with songs that remind Dan and I of Chase. The other super fantastic part about the decorations was that I got all of them at about 50% to 75% off after Christmas...WOOT WOOT. I mean who doesn't like saving money! I baked Chase a giant cupcake and decorated it with white frosting with blue sprinkles for his smash cake. I then ordered a cake just from Lunardi's. It was white cake with white buttercream frosting with snowflakes of course. I think this theme was one of the most creative ones I have ever done and it was SO FUN to do!! Here are some pictures of the decorations, cake and such and then we'll get on to the real reason for the party...BABY CHASE!!




"Snowman Soup"



The CD I did:


The Decor:






Flowers:



Cake and Giant Cupcake that I used for a smash cake:



Kids crafts(cookie decorating table and the snowman frame):



Hot Chocolate Bar(Kids version then adult version):



Kendall showing off her snowflake shirt(you know to go with the theme and all :) ):



Brady also had a wintery shirt on of course!


Before we even got to the cake part of the party Brady hit his all time sugar high. He decorated and ate a LOT of cookies and eventually looked like he was all cracked out! At some point his idea was....why put frosting on the cookie when it could go straight into your mouth?! Notice, the glazed over look in his eyes!!!




Eventually the sugar caught up to Brady and he decided to take a little rest on someone's shoe!


The guests and kids stayed pretty busy:






Another little man stole the show for a bit as well....Baby Ryan(one of my best friends little 3 month old cutie pie):




Then baby Ryan tuckered himself out:


Now onto the reason for the party, the birthday boy himself!! I can't believe Chasey is a year old! He loved the party. When we sang Happy Birthday to him he had this surprised look like what are you all doing singing to me! So cute. This was the look:


A smile came about right before I set the giant cupcake in front of him:



He LOVED his giant cupcake, here are some of my favorite pics:







Thanks to everyone who came! It was a lot of fun and I am TUCKERED OUT!!!





About Me

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Married mom of 3 not so little ones anymore but they still keep me grinning and giggling(most of the time). Kendall, age 12, Brady age 8 almost 9 and "baby" Chase who is 7. I have been married for 14.5 years to Dan Graff, who I think is the best dad ever to our kids. He certainly makes me grin and giggle to this very day. I have spent my non mom career working in recruiting on and off over the years recruiting Software Engineers. Other than my kids my most favorite thing to do in the entire word is ride horses followed by Kung Fu, where I earned my purple belt last year. I have been riding since I was 8 years old, with some time off here and there but I always go back to it. As Winston Churchill said, "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man"(or woman in this case)!

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