why I never blog anymore

too lazy to upload the pictures

doing loads and loads of laundry

my normal computer time is in the morning, and now we go to the gym

I don't want to complain when I should be really grateful for all I have, but it is a hard adjustment moving here because the schools are different, the weather, well I do not like being hot, getting a good haircut, not a lot of parks. SEE ? yes, people have lost their homes in earthquakes, natural disasters....I am not sure if it is since I have never lived in one place forever I just am scared to put down roots. and we are having a difficult time finding land to build. no, we did not get that house close to Brett Favre. though he could use a good friend right about now to comfort him.

I carpool all day long everyday to school, activities, etc

my house is bigger so there is more to clean, taking up more time

I am trying not to "waste" my time on the computer and do other things, I have read a ton of books lately. last one was THE HERETIC'S DAUGHTER by Kathleen Kent. very good historical fiction.

for the last few months, we had thanksgiving, I went to Chicago with my friend Cybil for a few days. It was fantastic!! I love Chicago!!! Christmas, New years Eve (Chris was on call and went to sleep and the kids and I missed the ball drop bc we are now in Central time, lame!) Chris' mom visited for a few days. Had some crazy cold for Mississippi or even Alaska weather. Chris and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary, Nolan finally got a haircut...now we need to get Sam to cooperate for one.Saw a bunch of movies, blah blah. If you are a facebook friend I put some pictures up there. I know you are dying to see the beautiful babies!

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???