Way Back When-esday and Wordful Wednesday

October 1996

Brooke - 5 months

I thought I would feature Brooke again this week as we are heading towards her 13th birthday next week. This one was taken when Brooke was 5 months old. This toy was one of her very favorites...and yes even then she was loving phones...She's asking (more like begging) for a cell phone for her birthday this year because we have been horrible parents and have made her do without one even though "ALL" her friends (well except for Kenzie) have had one for years :-)

As I was looking through pictures this morning to find the one above I found one of Lexy in the same toy at about the same age...

Lexy-2004

To check out who else is playing along join Cheryl for Way Back When-esday and Angie at Wordful Wednesday !

In case you didn't know, I participate with Laura over at Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday. It's a great way to find a new recipe or two as there are hundreds of participants each week. Plus, planning my meals each week (and shopping only one time a week for those meals) really helps in knowing what's for dinner without all the headaches and keeps the food bill low. An added bonus is that we don't eat out as much if I have a plan!! Go take a look...you might get some ideas!

You can always find my weekly menu on my Dinner's Done blog (click here or on the button for Dinner's Done over on the right!).

Our menu this week includes...

Pork Chop & Oven Fries Bake, green beans, applesauce
Waffles, bacon, mandarin oranges
Frito Chili Pie, raw veggies, apples
Crockpot Teriyaki Beef, cheesy potatoes, green beans, pineapple
Crunchy Onion Chicken, lipton noodles (chicken), corn, apricots

and one day this week, Muffin Glory Cake

The weekend family fun

We had a good weekend. Saturday we did some shopping and then went to play at Chuck E. Cheeses.

Then on Sunday (cleaning day), I got this accomplished...

Focus Friday

Ellen over at Thrifty & Chic Mom has this great weekly challenge. Focus Friday is where you list a couple of small and/or large projects that you want to focus on for the week and then the next week you tell how you did at getting those projects done.

Last weeks goals...

1.) Stop eating Easter candy! Well, I guess I completed this one...the candy is gone :-)

2.) Make Brooke's 13th b-day invitations. Done! Brooke and I worked on these while she was home sick. Brooke has decided to have a fashion show birthday party.

We started with this...

This is what it turned out like. It's meant to resemble a runway (the runway pulls out from the card). On the runway it says "You have been selected to be a model for Brooke's 13 b-day fashion show" and has a sticker that looks like her friend. On the back is the when, where, why information. I think they turned out well.

3.) Get 2 areas in the basement straightened. Half credit for this one. I got one area done. I am going to use this area for pricing garage sale items so I figured it should be first. The tubs under the table contain things already found for the garage sale.

Before
After

This weeks goals...

1.) Straighten two more areas of the basement.

2.) Get the flower gardens ready for planting.

3.) Exercise 5 days this week.

A rare sighting!

It's VERY rare that Lexy plays with the (millions of) dolls sitting around our house so when I saw this site I had to take pictures to capture the moment!

Just a few minutes later she went out to the playroom and came back with this to be her baby instead...

If that girl doesn't grow up to be a vet, zoo keeper or something similar I will be totally surprised! Although she still says she wants to be a spy and make dinosaurs happy (the other day she was asking me if she could be the person in the museum that takes care of the dinosaurs).

Way Back When-esday and Wordful Wednesday

January 1997

Mike (33) & Brooke (8 mos.)

Wow it is hard to remember Brooke this small...especially since she'll be turning 13 in just a few weeks! She was definately a daddy's girl back then (and still is). Daddy would come home for lunch or after work and Mommy would no longer matter, all Brooke wanted was Daddy's undivided attention! They were constantly laughing and being silly.

To check out who else is playing along join Cheryl for Way Back When-esday and Angie at Wordful Wednesday !

Update on Brooke's sickies

We visited the doctor's office yesterday afternoon since Brooke was still running fever and feeling icky. The doctor put Brooke on antibiotics for an ear infection, ordered benedryl at night for the "drippage" and put in her notes that if the cough gets any worse to put Brooke on an inhaler. Oh did I forget, we also got to go to the hospital for an influenza test and chest x-rays since the doctor suspects that Brooke has pneumonia, influenza or both??!!!!

We didn't hear from the doctor last night so I'm assuming (yes I know I shouldn't do that) that the influenza test came back negative. I'll call later this afternoon to see if I can get results of the x-rays. In the meantime, Brooke has now had two doses of antibiotics and she's still running fever and sleeping all the time. Brooke doesn't get sick often but when she does, she does it BIG!

If you get a moment please say a quick prayer that Brooke gets over this quickly and that Mama doesn't get it as I have now taken care of 3 people in the past 3 weeks that have had the sickies!!!

Brooke will not like me very much for this picture when she wakes up but I couldn't resist, she always looks angelic when she's sleeping...

The weekend

This weekend was quite eventful.

Friday night Robin and I hosted the 2009-2010 Cheerleader Slumber Party. All of the girls were able to attend so we had fourteen girls present (ages 11-13). It was fun seeing all the girls together but OH THE DRAMA!! I don't remember having that much drama in middle school! It seemed like if one girl wasn't mad or upset about something another was! Then the cell phone thing...we finally had to tell the girls to either put their cell phones away or go home.

Brooke wasn't feeling well on Friday and then on Sat. got worse. She's still not better today so we'll be visiting the doctor this afternoon.

Yesterday Mike & I attended our 19 year old nephew, Shawn's funeral while Grammy & Papa watched the girls. What a sad event, the funeral home was packed to standing room only. I did ok until the end and then just lost it, I know Mike was hurting even more but he was my rock and held me while I cried.

Not really any family fun this weekend so we'll have to make up for it next weekend!

Focus Friday

Ellen over at Thrifty & Chic Mom has this great weekly challenge. Focus Friday is where you list a couple of small and/or large projects that you want to focus on for the week and then the next week you tell how you did at getting those projects done.

I'm not sure why but I never got around to posting last week, sorry!
Last weeks goals...(actually two weeks ago)
1.) Straighten 2 areas of the basement-this one has not been started :-(
2.) Prepare for Easter and my Dad's birthday (same day)...buy, bake, prepare things-Done, I have pics in previous posts!
3.) Get Lexy to Kindergarten roundup and have a Mommy & me day with her -Done!
Plus, this past week I went through Lexy's clothes and packed away the winter things (except for a few since we are still having some cold days) and unpacked most of the spring/summer things. Lexy still needs to try on some of the things before I put them in her closet (or in the garage sale pile).

So now on to this week.

This weeks goals...
1.) Stop eating Easter candy!
2.) Make Brooke's 13th b-day invitations.
3.) Get 2 areas in the basement straightened.

A sad day

We got word last night that our nephew, Shawn passed away. We found out on New Year's Eve that Shawn had been diagnosed with cancer. Ewing's sarcoma is a form of bone cancer, his was a stage 4 when they found it. Shawn was only 19 years old. He was a very loved son, brother, nephew, grandson, uncle. Very hard to wrap my mind around the whys of all of this.

RIP Shawn, we love you.

Way Back When-esday and Wordful Wednesday

Lexy - 3 yrs old
April 2007


As I was looking through pictures this morning I came across this one and it just made me smile. I love Lexy's curly piggytails and the determination on her face as she's trying to blow on that dandelion. I remember that day, we were outside playing and I got out my camera and instantly Lexy was in picture mode...she never takes a good picture if it's not her idea so I was thrilled that she was in the mood. Here's a couple more from the shoot...

To check out who else is playing along join Cheryl for Way Back When-esday and Angie at Wordful Wednesday !

Easter Day

Brooke was up before Lexy on Easter morning and couldn't wait to see her goodies so she woke Lexy up. They found this on the table...

The Easter Bunny had left a note saying that they would play Easter Bunny Says to find their gifts. There were eggs all over the house with candy/gifts and notes with them that gave a clue to where to go next. One of the spots had a new Slip 'n Slide that they were both so excited to get (since Brooke broke theirs last year)!

The last note directed them to the playroom where their baskets were.


After they went thru their baskets and ate a TON of candy we headed up to Papa and Grammy's house to celebrate Easter and Papa's 67th birthday (yep had to say it Dad, love ya). My brother, C.J. and Jessi came up too with their 3 girls. The cousins got to play together...

Ashley, Brooke, Tori, Sheila and Lexy

We had snacks, dinner and Papa & Grammy made these Aliens...umm I mean chickens :-) hehe for the girls.

Then we had cake for Papa's birthday, what a cute flower garden!

C.J, Jessi, Ashley, Sheila & Tori

Papa, Lexy, Brooke, MyLinda, Mike, Grammy

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

For "Easter Eve" we went to an Easter egg hunt in our town where Lexy got lots of goodies, Brooke is too old now :-( But they both got to pose with the Bunny (and Daddy)!

After the egg hunt, we went to the benefit bake sale/lunch for Mike's nephew. Then we went to see the new Hannah Montana movie and out to eat.

Before bed Lexy and Brooke left this for The Easter Bunny...

Spring/Easter Fun

We're getting ready to go to the town Easter egg hunt and then to our nephew's bake sale/lunch fundraiser but thought I better post about the past couple of days since I'll hear about it if I go too long without a post (mom!).

On Wednesday afternoon we actually had spring weather and the girls were able to get outside for a little while (before the weather turned cold again)...

We've done some baking...

And some Easter crafts...

And yesterday Brooke, Lexy and I did a little retail therapy for our mommy and me time! So there is our last few days in a nutshell! Happy Easter!

Way Back When-esday and Wordful Wednesday

Brooke (9) & Lexy (2)

April 2006 - Easter Day

Wow, the girls look SO different in these pictures, what a difference 3 years can make! Brooke looks so little with her chubby cheeks. And look at Lexy's short curly hair, how cute!!

These were taken at Papa & Grammy's house where we will be spending Easter again this year. And this year is even more special because Papa's birthday is on Easter!

To check out who else is playing along join Cheryl for Way Back When-esday and Angie at Wordful Wednesday !