Adalyn's 4th Birthday

Addy's birthday was a bit of a drag. It wasn't as exciting as I was hoping that it would be. Let's start back on Friday night. OK, Friday night around 9, we left to go to Wal-Mart. I always do my shopping at night, because less people. We got home around midnight, it was already Addy's birthday and we bought her a big Spongebob and we were smiling and laughing. As I was getting comfortable and ready to put the groceries away, I had a missed called from my mom and I figured I had butt dialed her. Well, I was going to ignore it and I was getting ready to swipe it to actually find out that she had left me a voice message. I called her back and she told me that my grandpa had died. He had major heart and kidney problems, he was just in bad shape. They were actually going to take him off life support and before they could, he went to be with my grandma.

I fell to the floor crying and Cayce rushed to get the kids ready for bed because we didn't want them to see me losing it. The thing is that the news of his passing was already on Facebook before we left for Wal-Mart and my parents didn't want me finding out that way. They knew I hadn't been on Facebook and saw since I didn't call them. I spent a good two hours just closed off and listening to music. I had a major headache and I didn't wake up until 11:30am. Sammy and Airy had workshop earlier that morning, and I usually get up to help them get ready and to say bye, but I just stayed in bed. Addy woke up and just looked at books, and came to get me when she got hungry. She knew I wasn't myself because she was trying to be quiet.

At Wal-Mart she got to pick out a big box of Oatmeal Creme Pies and she had one of those for breakfast along with some milk and she spent some time with me and laid in my bed with her Spongebob and a book.

this Spongebob is so huge

she loves it. I am glad that she was smiling.

Then she got tired of reading her book, and then she started to terrorize President Snow. Well President Snow didn't mind one bit, because he started to cuddle.

I think this is the best one because he has his paw propped on her leg and they were looking at each other.

The rest of the day, we just stayed home and watched movies. We didn't do anything special because she was playing with her new Anna and Elsa dolls that Sammy and Airy bought for her after their workshop. She had some jalapeno cheddar hotdogs and homemade french fries for supper.Then we all just crammed into mine and Cayce's room to watch Rio.

I didn't really take any pictures the rest of the day because I didn't have any energy to do anything and my head was pounding. She did love seeing my mom and dad. She loved the Mr. Potato Head that my mom got her, and she also got her birthstone necklace, so all three will be matching.

Hopefully when Cayce gets his next paycheck, we will be able to take Addy somewhere sweet to celebrate her birthday a little more.

Happy Birthday Addy Baby

My baby is 4. I can't believe my little tiny terror is growing up so fast.

She has grown and learned so much in the past year. She has gained a love of Spongebob and her Frozen love has only gotten stronger and more obsessed...lol. I will be starting her Prep curriculum sometime next week or the Monday after Valentine's day.

Her speech is getting better and she is stubborn as a damn mule. I know she is going to have a good day.

School Week 25 Recap

This week has been so productive. I am starting to get that home school burnout where I just want to cancel and reschedule days, but I didn't. I pushed through.

Monday: We started at almost 11AM. I was so grouchy and the kids were not having it at all that morning and wanted to push all my buttons. They did morning work and went straight to puzzle while I got myself some breakfast. They always eat before we start school and I always eat mine during their quiet time or puzzle. I had Ariana work on words and Samantha worked on workbook pages. She spent a good hour and a half on it.

After Ariana got done writing a few pages of words, she went straight to computer work. She got two days worth of work done.

They ended the day with quiet time.

Tuesday: We had an early morning. We started an hour early, and they watched a movie. They watched Hachi: a dog's tale. They loved that movie and they didn't cry like Cayce and I. After, I had them summarize it for me and then they did some groundhog coloring pages.

After they did their coloring pages, they worked on the puzzle, and did quiet time.

Ariana finished her day with a micky mouse painting by water book and Samantha worked on her sight words.

Wednesday: It was a late start to the day. They started with their morning work and then I read them some library books.

Out of these three books, the Listen to my Trumpet was the favorite. They laughed so much. I let them have some crafty time, with Ariana doing some more in her painting book and Sammy played with some play-doh.

After that, they wanted to have some quiet time, and I read with them. Sammy is trying to get Airy to read some words out loud and she is doing such a great job. I am a proud mommy.

puzzle is almost finished

Ariana ended her day with computer work and Sammy worked in her workbooks.

O is for Octopus

Thursday: Ariana had a dentist appointment today to have her first cavity filled and so I started Samantha on school right after Airy left. Sammy started her morning off with watching The Lorax. Addy was whining because she couldn't go with Airy and she wanted Sammy, so she had a movie morning. She did her morning work and quiet time after. She then spent the rest of her day doing three days worth of computer work.

she had to follow directions.

this is what she had to do

she listened to the boy who cried wolf

Ariana got back around noon and immediately started her school work. She did workbooks after her morning work and quiet time. She did over 5 workbook pages and then went straight to doing the puzzle by herself, which she loved doing.

Airy working on some pages

she was happy to be doing this by herself. 

Airy finished her day by writing words, her handwriting is getting better.

Friday: I am so happy that today is the last day of the week. We started at regular time this morning. They spent a good hour working on birthday cards for Addy's birthday tomorrow.

They did quiet and puzzle time after. They argued with me about wanting to do separate puzzle times. We finished the day with watching Tinga Tinga Tales.

watching tinga tinga tales

Ariana was mid blink...lol

They did the same as lase time where after every episode we watched, they drew some pictures.
It has been a long but productive week. My home school burnout is slowly making its way to surface. It's getting crazy knowing that the end of the year is near.

Breathe Carolina - Mistakes

Cayce started listening to this band after a guy at his job recommended them. He listened to it and fell in love. He got me to hear a couple of the songs and after the first two I was hooked. I knew I would like the band right away because Cayce and I have the same taste in music.

This is my favorite song by them. It's so good. Enjoy!!!

Polyvore Outfit #4

Here comes another outfit that I created. I created this set during a time where I was on Tumblr non stop and I was seeing all of this movie premieres and along with premieres comes conferences and photo calls. I was inspired by an actress and actor who I adore, their movie conferences and photo calls were just amazing and inspiring.

1. Balmain Studded Long Sleeve Mini Dress
2. Ivanka Trump Women's Sinclair - Black Multi Sue
3. Andr Ribeiro Single Diamond Hoop Earrings
4. Micro-Pave Natural Diamond Engagement Ring

I kept this outfit really simple because that's usually how actors keep their outfits during movie conferences and photo calls because later that night, they have to glam up and wear extravagant dresses and expensive suits.

January Favorite Recipe: Sicilian Chicken

I am starting something new. At then end of every month, I will be doing a monthly favorite recipe that the girls choose. The girls are at that age where they are requesting dinner everyday and this idea just came to me. So, the first recipe is Sicilian chicken.

I found the McCormick skillet sauce at the Dollar Tree and I love me some chicken. It is my favorite food. I had to try it. I put it over rice. I have a confession, if the girls could have any food for the rest of their lives, it would be corn on the cob. I might just spend my whole grocery budget on corn on the cob. They are little freaks for it...lol.

I started by cutting the chicken into bite sized pieces. I used a pack of chicken tenderloins. I always season the chicken after I put it into my pan, to not waste any salt and pepper. It keeps it seasoned enough and hardly anymore needs to be put on when we are ready to eat. I always brown my chicken in blue bonnet light butter. It is so good. I also add the butter before I season the chicken.

I let the chicken start to cook and when I start turning the chicken, then I start boiling the water for my rice. I used just regular long grain white rice. I brought it to a boil and added my rice and a chicken bouillion cube. I always flavor my rice while cooking it. None of us can stand plain white rice. When I put the lid on the rice and turn the heat down, then I started boiling the corn on the cob. I cook my rice for 15-17 minutes and that's how long I boiled my corn. The corn was so sweet and delicious. #YUMM!

When the chicken is browned, I add the McCormick skillet sauce, and just heat it through on medium, and then turn it on low to let it simmer and to keep it warm. This sauce is not too spicy but it does have a little bite, but it's delicious. I usually add onions, tomatoes or peppers, but I didn't have any of those items, so we kept it as is, and it was still a hit.

When the rice is done, I let it sit for 5 minutes with the lid off and stir it to get that chicken bouillion more incorporated. Then I turn off the corn and immediately put it on the plate. Then I plate the rice, and then spoon the chicken right on top of the rice and Viola!!!! Yummy Sicilian chicken.

I will be doing one of these every month at the beginning. So, I hope you enjoy this little favorite recipe series.

Strange Candy

I read 5 books last month. I have 5 of 50 books completed for my Goodreads challenge and I need to read another 55 for my personal challenge.

I started reading Laurell K Hamilton novels my junior year of high school. There was a new girl that started my school that year and she was goth and we instantly clicked. She loved to read, she always had a book in her hands. One day she was reading Guilty Pleasures, which is the first book of the Anita Blake series. That review is coming next week as I just finished it again tonight.

This book Strange Candy was listed on Goodreads as an Anita Blake 0.5, like a novella. It is not a novella but a collection of short stories, kind of like the authors ideas that she wrote before her Anita Blake series. The first and last short stories in the book are Anita Blake. The rest are just simply AMAZING. I would love for the second story to actually be published and have a series. It was about a gang of cupids that would become really aggresive if you hit a certain age and was not in a relationship and the two characters in that story were set up by their mothers to "fall in love" and at the end, it talks about revenge and leaves a cliff hanger.

It is all just fairy tale and fantasy. It has witches, demons, mythical creatures, magic, sexual violence. The author truly has a vivid imagination and I am so happy that Nicky, the goth girl who is now one of my very best friends got me hooked into this series. The series in general is mostly erotica. Way to advanced for me to read at 17, but my mom didn't know and now at 25... I am glad that I read through it so quick and missed a couple things.

Be on the lookout for my next review coming next week. If you have read anything by Laurell K Hamilton, leave me a comment and let's chat!!!