cool candle huh! it looks like a real match. cute four year old Sam. He is busy, and talkative, creative and a smarty pants. (I will try to keep all his descriptives positive since it's his bday) I can't believe how time has flown. One minute I was sitting watching Gilmore Girls and before I knew it I was in labor and had this little man 15 minutes after arriving at the hospital. and things haven't slowed down. We love you Sam William Painter!!!

Maggie's Birthday & Halloween Festivities

Here she is posing, all 17 lbs and 28 inches of her. She is my smallest one year old...all the rest were somewhere between 18-20 lbs. She walks full time now and has been for a few weeks. It is funny to see people think she is so advanced b/c she is pretty petite.

there is always One! The tween was having a meltdown about shoes. Our kids are getting a bit out of control with their attitudes as of late so we are really trying to get a handle on things. It is hard. It is also hard when the babies will not stop having runny noses and coughs and the mom has to stay home A LOT more than she would like to!!

there are MANY days, where I question "why in the world do I Have so many children?!"

we are pretty busy, and sometimes the kids are naughty, moody, or the parents are. That is absolutely no fun.

today we are busy...baking and cooking, that I do love and the kids helped and they got a good night's sleep so they weren't even naughty at Walmart.

(as an aside I was placing my items on the conveyor and accidentally knocked over the lady in front me, her eggs...barely. I gingerly picked them up and put them back on top of the other carton as she had stacked them. I apologized and she came right over "DID YOU BREAK MY EGGS!!??? LET ME CHECK...NO I DON"T WANT these NOW because one is cracked!!!!" whatever lady you are rude and there was no cracked egg)

Today is my sweet baby Girl's birthday. ONE already. She is my very last little one and so her birthdays may be harder on me. She is so sweet and cute and from the moment she arrived I knew she was that baby girl that was missing from our family. (EVEN though she came so close to the other two monsters that are running circles around me now and wrestling in crazy boy fashion!) All the kids fit, just like the pieces of a puzzle and if one was missing the picture would not be complete. I love my children, they grow up terribly FAST!! trying to enjoy them before the oldest goes off to college in only SIX years.

see this guy, maybe you know who he is, look how excited he is about his brand new neighbors!!

That is us! set to close on December 2nd on 26 acres and a house just (okay maybe not just but closer than I am now) around the corner from our soon to be best friend Brett. Not sure about getting past those gates and surveillance... Good thing I have a lot of practice stalking from my college days (Kara, Lily, Vinnie do you remember those Nashville Scott twins?).

My brother john came to visit this past wknd, my kids love him. We were talking and decided that instead of all the fund raisers that schools have the children participate in to win extra cool dollar store stuff for selling 250 or more items, that we should just donate money. I would also prefer that instead of buying school supplies. this year was the first year we had to purchase school supplies and I NEVER want to do it again. The lists were too long and it was annoying and just one more thing to worry about. A big donation at the beginning of the year or raise taxes...we paid high taxes in PA but worth every penny because I am lazy like that.





Anna got three teeth pulled and spacers put in this week, she is on her tylenol on the couch today. Braces next Tuesday. She is making more friends and having less sad days. She is doing jr cotillion and dance and piano and all that other stuff as we push her to be our super child...and she has that birth order first child desire to be perfect and all that. I am pleased with her hard work, and try to remember that when she and are are fussing at one another amidst her tween growing pains.





I am almost doing cartwheels, well tried this morning but then I fell down in the front yard and hurt my foot...because next week C and I are going away for THREE days for my BDAY. My MIL will be watching the kids. We are staying at this supposedly haunted hotel in New Orleans and do all the fun stuff down there. Then we are going to this event for Chris' alma mater...he is even getting a tux. I would be glad to go anywhere, but I think we are going to have a good time.

Jakob is starting to speak with a Southern accent, it makes me laugh when I hear him. Last week H.N. hit him in the mouth with a nerf gun and knocked out his icky half tooth (it was from him sucking his fingers for 6 years). I was sad he was hurt, but glad because that tooth looked kind of trashy. He is doing great in gymnastics and can do all sorts of things and does not fall and hurt his foot when doing cartwheels in the front yard.

Sam got a big boy haircut, he is still cute...and still naughty and a smarty pants. He loves DIEGO and riding his trike outside and even though he is sassy, he makes me laugh.

H.N. is moving into a big boy bed because Sam taught him how to crawl out of his crib (and into Maggie's). This is making nap time and bed time very difficult and we rarely go anywhere because tired children are not really the funnest companions especially to my least favorite place WalMart. Nollie is adding more words to his vocabulary, the best phrase is "you mean mommy". It is satisfying to know I am doing my job well.

EG is becoming sassier each and every day, and super sweet too. Always had the split personality, grateful that she is not 100% sassy. Does anyone remember the Phil Hartman SNL thing about the sassy boat and sassy land?? it was very very funny!! She is still doing her ballet and growing legs as long as a giraffe's neck. She is no longer the teeniest one in her class. She is also hilarious and I need to post her letter to Santa it will make you chuckle.

and baby MOOskers, with encouragement from Uncle John she took her first two steps!! Three is her high number now and I am sure it will not be long before I am chasing three kids around Wal Mart.

I will one day add some pictures when I get tired of talking about myself!!

paninis

I have been wanting a panini press for a while now, and I finally got one...
here is a yummy sandwich we made today

ciabatta bread
spinach leaves
honey
brie
pears, or apples peeled and thinly sliced
olive oil (brush bread with this)
I added a teeny bit on a grainy mustard
assemble and grill!

we also made a basic mozzarella, tomato, basil, and balsamic vinegar one and it was also tasty. Those are some of my favorite items, good alone, with pasta, or on a sandwich

and my kids just had ham and cheese w/ lettuce, cucumbers, etc.

if you do not have a panini maker, don't wait as long as I did. They are fabulous!!

anyone else have some good recipes???

no more paying a mortgage on a house we don't live in!!
Yippee!! today was settlement.

recipes

French Hot Chocolate

1/3 c. semi sweet chocolate pieces

1/4 c. light corn syrup

3 Tbsp. water

melt the above in a saucepan until smooth, then add 1/2 t. vanilla and let cool for about 30 mins

Place 1 c. whipping cream into bowl and beat, slowly adding cooled chocolate mixture. beat until peaks form. let this cool in fridge for about 30 minutes.

Add 1/2 c. chocolate cream to 1 cup of warmed 2% milk and stir.

Doris Abel's Brownies

Mix:

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2/3 c. cocoa

2 cups sugar

Add:

2/3 c. oil

4 eggs

1 cup nuts if desired

top with chocolate chips, reeses, andes mints, heath bars, etc. (optional)

Bake in greased 9X13 pan at 350 for 30 minutes

Toscana Soup

2 3/4 cans chicken broth

1/4 c. heavy cream

1/2 lbs link italian sausage sliced or cooked and crumbled

4-6 cups red potatoes

4 c. chopped Kale

1/4-1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like it SPICY!)

if you love baby legs legwarmers
go here
there are lots of choices AND the more you buy the more you save. If you buy 10 pair it is a little over $3 a pair. they are about $10 a pair most places. and FREE shipping!!!!

Instead of uploading some pictures from the last few weeks, I will just talk about nonsense. I find I blog more when I am trying to avoid something, today it is all the cleaning I need to do. I have started the laundry so that is something.
It is the middle of September and I am MISSING the beginning of Autumn. It makes me a bit sad. It is my favorite season.
At our house we have a ton of kids books. We LOVE Kevin Henkes!! I think we started with Lily's Purple Plastic Purse, we love to interchange our kid's names in a lot of the books, Emma for when Lily's teacher got married like Mr. P in second grade and Owen and his blanket for Jake...ok, so the Absolutely Perfect expression we got it from one of his books. So I am trying to make myself not get too terribly sad about missing Autumn time here in the south. I am going to list a lot of the things I think are ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!

The way Henry (yep, I think I wish we called Nolan by his first name) LOVES his baby sister Maggie, and he is really into baby dolls carrying them around and packing up his sparkly purse to take to the store. It always makes me smile!

great shoe sale at Watermelon Patch!!

Pink Lemonade with sprite, Shirley Temples, and cranberry juice with lime!

Matilda Jane

Orange

cool fabrics, chenille, vintage tablecloths

Anna being so excited at the orthodontist yesterday, she has not been that happy in awhile. as a side note, we found out she is missing 3 permanent teeth, anyone else with that??

A great online sale 75% at fgmnk!! TEA collection! a miniboden $50 credit for filling out a survey!! I love kids clothes!! I used to love Gymboree, but now after having quite a few things fall apart and that there is too much to choose from, and EVERYONE else wears it. I no longer am an avid fan.

Emma Grace collecting bugs and lizards.

Jakob singing all the time

central Air

finding a great new pizza crust recipe

Williams Sonoma kids cookbooks

pink lemonade cupcakes

really good tomatoes, and basil too

my new side bangs, which of course you only see if I don't wear my hair curly, so not too often

Toy Story 3 is coming out

the possibility of HN getting out of diapers SOON

Philosophy products

MK satin hands

flavored tortillas for wraps

Havarti, smoked Gouda (really any cheese) and bread

paninis

YBB, Zumba

being able to fit into some clothes that I used to couldn't

that having a large family in MS is not quite the freak show it was in PA

Bumble and Bumble products

my new sewing machine

Hobby Lobby with ribbon that matches the fabric

NordicWare

texting during the day with Chris

getting my grandma's very old art deco punch bowl and old handmade wooden biscuit bowl and rolling pin!!!

Any big mixing bowls, yelloware

baking and cooking

visiting with family

getting a good night's rest

a book that you just can't put down AND love the ending

laughing so hard it hurts

a good cry when you need one

waking up and being happy, not wanting to put your head under the covers.
I am glad to having more of the happy days lately.

I just saw this, CUTE! I think these sandwiches would need to go in a bento box.
herehttp://funkylunch.com/

Only TEN days until we close on our house!! Yippee!! I am fairly confident it is a sure thing, but you never know. Since my better half caved and got cable...I am hooked on that HGTV, I love that Real Estate Intervention show. Our second realtor Rose, was like that guy Mike...we hoped we would make some money on our first home and were emotionally tied to it. She said if you want it sold, lower the price. It worked.

We bought it at the height of the real estate bubble...put a lot of money into it, but selling it after the bubble burst. Well, I am thinking in most cases people are sometimes even lucky to sell their home (we have friends who have had a house on the market for over 1 year), and to break even that would be lucky too, but just not the case :(!!! So many people have loved to share their real estate experiences and all I am thinking if it was not in this market then ZIP IT UP!!!

On the other hand, it is possible for us to get a great deal on something now. We are not ready to commit to that now, though I hate renting a home. I do not like anything out there . Needs to be PERFECT to spend good money on. SO we are looking for land and will build unless we find something close to perfection.

Maggie got her first tooth two days ago!! She finally crawls like a real baby, no more army crawl. She is cruising around the walls and tables and gets so amused by her big brothers.
The kids are getting more adjusted to things, as I am. Think we are getting into the groove of the never ending chaos of taxing around to different activities, homework, playdates, etc etc. Having a lot of kids is BUSY!!! BUSY! BUSY! BUSY!!

I went to lovely Hobby Lobby and got a bunch of art supplies... paper, charcoal pencils, gummy erasers, pastels, colored pencils, blenders, etc. I love to draw, but have not done any real drawing since well I cannot even remember. college?? when Anna was a baby I was still in school, then we had Emma, and then Chris went to med school, and then I Had a boat load more kids and I have NOT DONE Anything for myself. no time, no money for a sitter. I am pretty much a mom, but who is Nikki??? I am not sure anymore.
I enjoy reading and read a book probably once a month, but mostly just brain candy.
I enjoy sewing, kind of...more now that I have a better sewing machine.
I love to bake, and cook with my kids
I don't love laundry and cleaning but I do a lot of that.
Where is my passion??
I used to draw as an escape from reality, and go into my own little world. Kind of as therapy. I probably should have been doing this the last 11 years.
I am committed to finding out who I am now, if there is any of the artist Nikki left in me. My first attempts were not exactly fabulous.

and I am wondering who has some great lunch ideas for kids??? something funner than a wrap, pinwheel, or sandwich?? by the way if you have not tried Horizon organic strawberry milk, it is great!!! I am also wondering why I ALWAYS misspell have ahve????

Sweet Emma Grace turned NINE last week!!! She LOVES
BALLET
hot pink & zebra print
Sideways stories from Wayside School and lots of other books
playing with Barbies, Bitty Baby, and bugs, worms, and other creepy creatures
(so funny because she is absolutely terrified of dogs and cats (tigers)
cooking eggs
her hamsters Sugar and Despereau
Funyuns
cookie dough ice cream
drawing
horses
shopping
painting her nails
cuddling
science

here she is blowing out her candle. Chris was on call on her bday so we had cupcakes with our Gulfport family that came up and around nine that night had her cute "e" cake.
SHe is having a fabulous carnival birthday party this weekend even with a cotton candy machine.

I love my EG, she has so many different interests and I think that makes her so unique...she can be quite the girly girl but LOVES to play outside and get dirty.

"You can look back, but don't stare.
The best is yet to come."

This week, I had one of the worst days I can remember. It was a bad day for my kids as well. I could have earned the meanest mom award.


I am really trying to "enjoy the journey" more. It is a constant struggle. I feel a lot of guilt and always have, deal with feelings of inadequacy, worry and stress more than I probably need to.

I felt helpless as I hugged my "baby" that is almost 12 years old as she cried about missing her friends and her struggles of finding her place in her new surroundings.

Sometimes there is not a quick fix, no magic fairy dust to sprinkle, no magic wand, it takes time...and there will bad days. But I do know that there will be some good days too.

I am not much on being a testimony sharer, just not. I do know that prayer works. I know that when you put all your ping pong balls (you know the church stuff) in the jar first that miraculously all the beans (LIFE which is busy!!) do fit. We have been praying and praying that our house would sell for months and months.
Jakob asked "mom, why don't you ask that it will sell on a certain day" So I did, that night I prayed that our house would sell that week. The next day the realtor called and said we had received an offer on our house the night before.

Whether or not things will pan out with this sell, I am happy that my children and I could have that wonderful experience.

Chris keeps a jar of rusty old water...he has had it since he was a child. When he was on a vacation, he prayed that it would snow. It did. That water is the melted snow.

No matter how far away I feel from the Lord...I do know that if I pray He will hear me.

I am hoping that as we go through difficult times, that my kids will know that too. They are sometimes a great example to me because I see my girls reading their scriptures more than I do. They have great faith in all things.

It is nice to be reminded of how simple things are sometimes.

here is my new favorite item...the Aden & Anais burp cloth/bib. If your baby is too big to be swaddled by the great gauze blankets, get these. They wrap all around the shoulder, there is no retarded pocket to "catch", but really means just make another mess, and they are soft and lightweight. I LOVE them. you can get them at your local Target. (and the blankets too, if you have an itty bitty baby)

The kids started back to school last week...one of the many changes we are all trying to get used to, going to school the beginning of August and school hours that are too early. I drive them or they would get on the bus when Owls, bats, and other nocturnal creatures are still scurrying around. None of them have come home in tears yet, so I think they may be adjusting fairly well. We still miss a lot of things about Hershey, but are enjoying reaquainting ourselves with some very good friends and making new ones. I am busy with cleaning...whoever loves ceramic tile that is not textured you are CRAZY! I feel I need to clean the floor constantly (though it doesn't always get done). I think some area rugs in the living area with wood floors would help out in my dilemma. In my dream house we are not getting ceramic tile of any kind. I am also busy being a chauffeur to the kids activites which are increasing, and entertaining the littles and trying to enjoying their "creativity" in all forms. We have tried out a bunch of new recipes and when my two boys stop their training for the UFC I will post them.

so here the kids are posing in front of the moving truck, it was a LONG trip since we drove straight through (yes we are crazy, but I did not want to get out of the car and get back in the next day) we unpacked the next morning and are feeling settled in. Although I miss the moderate weather, it has not been unbearable...and the fact that people are SO much kinder here and welcoming I wish I would have moved here sooner. The big kids are at GMAS this wknd so even more perks!

Sam trying to lock Henry Nolan in the shower, notice his Chocolate Cocoa Buzz light year utility belt/embroidery hoop. Since we get No stations here, we have had to be extra creative at playtime, and the fact that I gave/threw away most of their toys.

Hershey's mint Brownies

Anna got these out of our ward cookbook and has made them quite a few times. You should too, they are good. Freeze these after baking too and if they will not be eaten right away.

HERSHEY'S DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MINTBROWNIES

1 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

4 eggs

6 oz. can Hershey's syrup
MINTY CREAM LAYER:
2 c. confectioner's sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 tbsp. water

1/2 tsp. mint extract

3 drops green food coloring

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9 inch pan. In large mixer bowl, beat flour, sugar, butter, eggs and syrup until smooth. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Top may still appear wet. Cool completely in pan. Spread mint cream layer on cake and chill. Pour chocolate topping over dessert; cover and chill.
Chocolate topping: In small micro proof bowl melt 6 tablespoons butter, 1 cup morsels (mint, milk, semisweet) at medium 50% for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes or just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.

pink lemonade cupcakes

1

we made these tasty cupcakes the other day, got it from recipezaar. I added a little more concentrate to the frosting recipe so it was not so thick so I could pipe it. and they are really yummy when frozen. It makes 10.


½ c. sugar
pinch salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda

1 c. flour
¼ c. oil
2 egg whites
1/3 c. pink lemonade concentrate
¼ c. buttermilk
red food coloring

combine dry ingredients
whisk wet together then add alternately
20-25 min 350

frosting
3c. + 3T confec sugar
1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
1/8 t. salt
2 T pink lemonade concentratered food coloring

do you think my hair is too crazy to add one of these hair fancies?

yes it is about 2:15 in the a.m. and I am not asleep
I am moving in TWo days so I was thinking about that
not looking forward to the drive,
but I am pretty much all packed up...just some odds and ends
I did a lame job at labeling the boxes though
so we will all be surprised when opening them
that could make for some extra FUN when getting our house organized
and I sometimes have a hard time sleeping when CNP is out of town/on call

not sure how my parents moved around so much,
this one is making me tired
and stressed out'
YES people I am still talking about my house NOT selling
we are getting more interest because everything else has sold
including the charming home down the street
BiTTeR!
I think realtors like to use the phrase "it is what it is" when referring to a multitude of things
I don't like it
I NEVER want to sell a house again
or not in "this economy" (in case you forgot I despise hearing that too)
if I could sell a house when we bought this one
that would be Fantastic!

however, I do not need to clean my house for showings and go someplace to entertain my kids anymore! today was the last one
I took the little ones to (close your eyes for this next part C)

the store Gabriel Bros. as usual I found some treasures
but when you buy stuff for six kids and yourself the total can get up there, even when bargain shopping
of course I struck out with Anna, she would like some more dresses. I bought two, she approved of one. so I will run over there in my next two days to return. I have to exchange her viola at the music store near by anyway.
I really do much better under pressure, a procrastinator I am
but I produce great results that way.

I wish I weren't so melancholy about leaving here
or not more excited about this next chapter of my life
THE chapter that I have been dying to get to for oh so long!

Chris has been a student since we got married
and we've always been looking to this MOMENT
and talked about when he is done
and what we would do
and how it would feel

I am just not sure how to wrap my head around all this, it is a bit surreal
huh, there are no fireworks
or a big parade
to mark this occasion like I feel it deserves

he is not even here, I wasn't around for his first day as a non peon resident
boo hoo!

maybe after we get down there and get settled
gee, there I go again always looking ahead
why can't I live in the moment and Savor it
and enjoy my blessings

live each moment to the fullest
get the most from each moment, hour, day

nothing wrong with preparing & planning for the future
but if that is all I seem to do
then I don't know how to BE in this moment in time (can you hear Whitney now??!!)

so tomorrow, nope today not just figuratively either it is the morning, we will use our fancy china and linen napkins (aka fiesta ware and dishtowels)

if you have a few extra coins in your pocket, please go here:

no not computer saavy so don't know how to do the link "here" instead but it still works the same just a little bit on the lame side

http://www.transplantfund.org/Restricted/patient-detail.cfm?pat_id=141&CFID=9233251&CFTOKEN=18210618

for anyone who knows someone who is a diabetic (juvenile type 1), they know it is A LOT more than not eating sugar.

my brother, remember the sweet one I was talking about a while back...John has had many complications from the disease that have worsened through the years. so much that he was on dialysis and eventually received a brand new (to him) Kidney AND a pancreas. and no I was joking, they did not come from an African American, he is extra "tan" from his anti rejection meds.

on a side note EVERYONE should be an ORGAN DONOR!!

so John is my big brother and the good kind, that looks out for his little sister when someone gets her with a little firecracker, who takes the jr high sister and her friend to the mall, and calls her when she is at college, and who she can call at anytime with all kinds of questions like when the car won't work and he walks her through cleaning the battery connectors, and exchange great recieps with and talk about CVS carebucks and makes her laugh, because he is absolutely HILARIOUS!!!

and he is a fabulous uncle, Sammy de Lewis and Nollie la Pollie are excited to see John da Turkey the end of July!!

So since he has had this transplant, he has been unable to work (but is a terrific stay at home daddyO to my neice Megan, although she is 19 and at college, she is still a baby to me, and Joshua age 11) and though he is not a diabetic anymore...still has some health issues associated with a life as a diabetic as well as meds and transplant stuff..yeah I am not the doctor in the family okay!

he was a hard working man before this but has incurred expenses over the years which health insurance does not cover. so if you are feeling a little bit generous....don't hesitate click on that link for John Willson and donate!!!!

HEY GUESS WHAT......

HE IS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
done, finished, no longer a student or a resident
he is a DOCTOR today!!
Yippee!!!
all this made possible by ME and my undying support and love of him
okay I suppose he did work pretty hard going to school and completing his residency and all.
if this blog gets confused for Seriously so Blessed today I will not be surprised.

our favorite hang out while people are looking at our house is Bullfrog Valley park

one afternoon, Jake was being pesky, so I sent him to bed. Emma and Sam thought they were SO funny. I did too.

you sly fox outsmarting me again...she still hates getting her picture taken

not this SUper Model! Work it!

here's Jake on his big day LUCKY SEVEN!!

oh I am SO fancy, with my who knows what spilled all over my chest, glitter paint on my face & nice necklace

what a F O X!!!!!!!!!!!

icky feet

this little guy is trying so hard to keep up on his trike with the big kids, not happening yet no wonder my kids dress crazy, Chris was surprised when he found out I put this get up on Maggie, it was a weird cool day and this was what I could find that still fit.

Hah! Hah! these two are hilarious.