I scream, you scream...

 The summer is almost over and my kids are itching with excitement of going back to school. Entertaining them and keeping the busy lately is getting tougher by the day. When all else fails in this house, we do art projects. 

What better to do than make ice-cream cones!?

 What you'll need:

 -Pom poms
-construction paper
-scissors
-Glue

Cut cones out of the brown paper

Have your child tear up construction paper for the scoops of ice-cream. Different sizes make them unique.

 Have your child glue the cone on a bigger sheet of paper and then start gluing the pieces of construction paper in the shape of an scoop  of ice-cream.

 Do two or three scoops of ice-cream with different colors

Add pom poms for sprinkles and a 'cherry' on top

Super sweet and delicious looking!

I said I would never.... {winner announced}

{things I said I would never do, when I became a mom}

...

Get a 'gate' for my child, that was until I had Blake. He was such a mellow baby...then hit 11 months old and walking, now there's no stopping him. To get a few minutes to ourselves, especially while camping and at our other kids sports games, it is a must. He really doesn't stay in it long and we fill it with toys, but I always said I would never put my kid in a 'gate.' So, we'll just call it a play gym!

Allow my child to dress themselves in public until I decided I didn't want to fight that fight. When you are running late and you have a head strong toddler. you choose your battles. Who cares if they want to wear orange leggings, a hot pink tutu, a navy and white strip tank top and black tap shoes.

Give my child store bought baby food, then I realized it wasn't as convenient to bring frozen homemade baby food when we are out and about. I made the majority of my kids baby food, but when they made those amazingly convenient little food pouches....who could resist the ease of popping one of those in the diaper bag when you are on the go.

Let my babies 'cry it out.' Well the time came when Chase was 9 months old and we had to bounce and rock him to sleep. No sitting down, no rocking chair...bouncing on the balls of our feet, while swaying back n' fourth. The time came to let him put himself to sleep. He cried for less and less time each night and it was hard to listen to him, but babies can easily get you wrapped around their finger and 'play' you for want they want and like. (I learned with the rest of my babies to put them in their crib for naps and nighttime, while awake, to put themselves to sleep)

Allow my babies to co-sleep and though we got better with each kid, we still did it. They are only babies for a short time and my husband nor I roll when we sleep. We always kept our arm around the baby, to ensure we wouldn't move over them. It let us get a few extra hours of sleep and started some bonding between us and our babies. It didn't last long and they grew out of it, but I had always said we wouldn't do it.

Finish my shopping trip while my kid was having a fit. I always told myself I would leave the store, full cart of not. Well, since it is usually at the end of my trip and my cart is full, I usually stick it out and try my best to 'bribe' the child having a fit to stop their behavior. Like I want to come back and shop all over again or be the rude guest to leave the full cart. This is when my 'we are going to deal with this at home' instincts kick in.

Let my toddler skip nap time, so we could have a day of fun. My kids are very adaptable and usually just go with the flow, but I do try to get their naps in on time. There are just those days that we want to go do something that will go into or past nap time, so every now and then we will skip nap and 'go with the flow.' {I might pay for it later that day or the next day, but it is usually worth it}

Let my child eat their snack/food they dropped on the floor. I know gross, but there are those times that the 'world is ending' because they dropped the last cracker on the floor or their Cheetos fell off the stroller onto the parking lot. I mean they put worse things in their mouth and it isn't going to kill them.

t 

linking up with From Mrs. to Mama for 52 weeks of blogging

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The winner of the Photo Contest 'the look of love' was...

#6

{Congrats Jessica! Please email me your address so I can send you your package}

There will be another photo contest September 4th, so get your pictures ready for the theme

'Pure Joy'

(ok, go sit down and search through your pictures!)

Friday's Letters

Dear Mother Nature - I am definitely set on the 90* weather being done with. I could really use a week of high 70's with no humidity. I know I ask a lot of the weather, but it is no fun for the kids when it is this hot and I hate running in this heat! Thanks for understanding!

Dear Kendall - I couldn't be happier in just 29 days you will be marrying my brother and officially becoming a part of our crazy family. I couldn't be more excited! I have loved helping with all the wedding details and can't wait for it all the play out! I am pretty sure we were BFF's separated at birth. Love you!Dear Blake - Bam Bam in the making! You are the cutest and funniest little guy, but man, I swear all you do is look for trouble. You surely keep me on my toes and keep my heart racing. Slow down buddy!

Dear State Fair - I will not be 'hanging out' with you this year, since I know I would regret eating anything you have to offer. Anything that you have on a stick sounds amazing, especially the chocolate covered bacon and my favorite deep fried mac n' cheese, but my stomach will thank me.

Dear School - I am ready for my kids to be on a set routine and be back in school. Often times with summer, things get crazy and off track. Thanks for quieting down my house for 10 month out of the year. I welcome you with open arms, but might change that feeling come the first day of school.

Dear Vacation - You are just over 2 months away {holy cow that is coming up fast} and I couldn't be more excited. I will be extremely sad to leave my littles at home, but will know they are in great care and much needed grandma and papa time. The Mexico beaches are calling my name and this mama needs a Pina Colada {thank goodness I can steer away from the NA ones this trip}

Happy weekend everyone!

{The Amazing Ashley who hosts Friday's Letters, had her beautiful baby boy, so she didn't link up today, but I decided to write mine anyway}

I want to be the mom that...

…talks with her kids about everything. I want that open talk about anything relationship.

…can tell my kids ‘I love you,’ in front of their friends, forever.

…all my kids friends like to be around. I want to be known as the ‘cool and nice mom.’ The mom that gets asked to host events.

…never forgets to tell my kids how much I love them.

…will always put my kids first.

…that will stick up for my kids through thick and thin.

…can tell when something just isn’t right with my kids.

…supports the choices my kids make, without judging them.

…is always fit enough to keep up with my kids and in the later years, grandkids.

…looks for new adventures to always be making memories.

…can handle anything ‘thrown’ at me.

…retires early to spend tons of time with my kids and grandkids.

…sets great examples.

…doesn’t ever want to intentionally let me kids down.

…let’s my kids show their personality, by dressing themselves and being different.

…cheers loud at every sporting event to encourage my kids.

…stands behind my kids with the tough decisions that life throws at them.

…has the kids that go to their friends house and their parents comment on how well my kids use their manners

…lives life to the fullest so my children experience everything possible.
… kids come to for any and everything.

…sets a great example of what marriage is.

…shows patients and tolerance for my children to learn from.

…will always be proud of the things my kids do.

…isn’t always seen as ‘mom,’ but also as a friend.

What kind of mom do you want to be?! 

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Photo Contest Pictures!

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"The Love of Love"

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Ok...vote away!!

Bam Bam's Twin!

{Do you see the resemblance?!}

My little Bam Bam is 17 months!

*You love airplanes and get so excited when they fly over

*You are a great passenger in the car

*You love baths and when I say 'bath' you waste no time getting in the bathroom and trying to undress

*You run everywhere, walking is for 'babies'

*You are starting to love looking at the pictures in books

*You are a good eater

*You look like your mama...especially when you smile

*You love any kind of ball. Ball is your favorite word and you can spot one from a mile away.

*You love to dance

*You love being outside and will bring me your shoes to go outside

*You love camping and being able to roam around outside

*You won't sit still 5 minutes to watch TV (I guess that is a good thing)

*Your favorite thing to play basketball, kick a soccer ball or throw a baseball
*You can say ma-ma, da-da, more, ball, basketball, baseball, all-done, Chase, this, snack, Bauer, eat, juice and I'm sure there's some I'm missing

*You have the cutest most kissable cheeks

*Your favorite foods are mac n' cheese, bananas, veggies, bread and pears

*You aren't a fan of milk, but you are getting better if I add a little Nesquik

*Your most ticklish spot is on your neck, under your chin and your sides

*You love slides and are a little dare devil

*You are very independent and love doing things yourself...especially using utensils

*You had your first hair trim, we cut a little of your curl mullet off {I didn't want to do it, but daddy told me to}

*You love your Nuks! You go to sleep with one in your mouth and one in each hand

*You are an amazing sleeper! (1-3 hour naps and 12+ hour nights)

*You are transitioning to 1 nap a day and you are doing great 

*You adore your older siblings and smile/giggle whenever they talk to you

*If I tell you something is hot, you blow on it
*You are always on the go and rarely stop moving, unless you are sleeping

*You wear 18 month clothes
*You wear size 4 diapers

*You wear size 5 shoes

*You have 14 teeth, with two more about to pop through any day

 *You are a very happy busy boy!

*You have many expressions and they make you adorable!