My To-Do List

Josh got Jacob a new (or rather new-to-us) bed yesterday off of craigslist. He loves it - and I am sooo happy because that means I get to mark one thing off my to-do list!

I have multiple to-do lists. For example: Things that must be done today - get Abby juice boxes for her school lunch. Things that must be done this week - plan Jacob's birthday party. Things that must be done soon - get Halloween costumes off eBay. But this one comes off the BIG list - Things to do before the baby comes. Now I am ready to move on to the next step. Unfortunately, the list gets more complicated the further down you go.

1. Get Jacob a bed and out of the crib!



2. Figure out how I am going to fit the crib in my tiny bedroom.



3. Clean up my Subaru and sell it.



4. Buy a new car with third-row seats.



5. Buy a bigger house!

Sounds daunting but I have a little time. One down, four to go...

Abby - Off to School!

Abby's 1st full day of school.
Lunch is packed...

School supplies are ready to go...

Abby is still snoozing... Time to wake up!!!

So cute and ready to go... I can't wait to hear about her day! :)

The Movies Aren't Family-Friendly Anymore

We decided to have a special "Abby Day" on Sunday in honor of our girl starting kindergarten. We left Jacob with his Gammy and Grandaddy and took Abby to see the new 3-D guinea pig movie "G-Force".
Boy were we in for a shock! The movies are not family-friendly entertainment anymore - but not in the way you might expect. When we went to buy our tickets we amazed (in a bad way). For two adults and one child, admission to a matinee was just shy of $30.00!!! Whoa!
Then we headed to the snack bar. We got Abby a kid's pack (small drink, small popcorn and fruit snacks). Josh and I each got a drink and split a large popcorn. I got a hot dog because I was starving and needed to eat. Anyways, the tally for snacks was $30.00 + !
So for the three of us to see a matinee and have snacks it cost approximately $60.00. Josh and I roughly figured that for a family of four to see a movie on a Friday or Saturday night it could easily cost $100.00.
I was really blown away by this. It seems like I am consistently reading reports of the failing movie industry. Usually, the blame is laid on the lame selection of movies that are made. But in reality, how can any family afford to go to the movies more than once or twice a year with the prices they are expected to pay? I think that many movies are highly criticized because it is such an investment to go see them that anything less than perfection is unacceptable.
Anyways, back to our movie. We saw "G-Force" in 3-D. I should mention that the new 3-D is wonderful! It really enhanced the movie. The movie was okay. Abby really liked it, especially seeing her favorite scene ("Get your butt out of my face." "Get you face out of my butt") . Honestly, all I could think of during the movie was what else we could have gotten for $60...

Rainbow Crayons

Here is a fun and easy project for the kids - melting crayons. Just save all those broken crayon pieces through the year and you can turn them into "Rainbow Crayons". The kids love watching them melt in the oven and then drawing with them when they cool.

For directions, check out: http://www.ehow.com/how_5131829_fun-melting-crayons.html

Jacob the Artist

Jacob has discovered a love of art. He now wants to draw, paint and sculpt (okay- more like play with playdoh) all the time. The only problem is that he is not really understanding the concept of appropriate canvases...

The television...

The wall behind the sofa...

His bedroom wall...

The play kitchen...

The computer...

I hope my Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works as well as I am anticipating. To give him a little bit of credit here is a piece of his "respectable" art ;)

Caterpillars

The other day I was VERY disappointed to find caterpillars on my tomato plants. I am striving to keep my plants pesticide-free so I wasn't sure what to do. So I did a little Internet research. What I found out was very interesting (though some might find it a little gross).

Here is one of the"critters". They are actual the very common tomato horn worm. The can devastate tomato plants ( and other plants) by eating foliage and fruit.

The good news is that those white eggs are not caterpillar eggs but a type of Wasp larvae. Eventually the larvae will kill the caterpillars and grow in to more mature Wasps. Thus eradicating my caterpillar problem! Therefore it is recommended to leave the caterpillars alone (as long as they do have larvae) and let good ole' mother nature do her thing. This species of Wasp turns out to be very beneficial to the garden - they not only prey on caterpillars but also other crop destroying pests. So far, so good, no chemicals!

Here are the first few of my tomatoes. I had more but Jacob squashed them. :(

Jalapenos!

The kids have been harvesting Jalapenos for me. That means it is time for stuffed peppers!

These are sooooo good. I can't wait to make them with my home grown veggies!

Try this recipe, you will not regret it:

http://www.recipezaar.com/Paula-Deens-Chicken-Quesadilla-Stuffed-Jalapenos-192325

Here is the finished product, so yummy.

Garden Update

My garden is growing fabulously. I would just like to thank my compost and my organic fertilizer!

Before...

After...

Abby's flowers...

My basil...

More of Abby's flowers...

"Hitchhiker" cantalopes. I didn't plant them, the seeds came in with the compost...

Abby with the jalepenos...

Baby jalepeno...

My cilantro has flowered out but still growing and spreading...

Mint is speaing also...

My tomatoes are my pride and joy. They are HUGE and full of blooms!

Baby heirlooms...

Baby plum tomatoes...

Fish Bustin' Rodeo

We entered Abby in the Fish Bustin' Rodeo this weekend at Cheatham Dam. It is basically a fish tournament for kids. Parents are allowed to help, but the kids are expected to do the fishing. It is organized by TN Corp of Engineers. They stock the pond with 1500 lbs of catfish prior to the event. The kids are allowed to keep all the fish they catch but can only weigh in their biggest five. There is also a prize for the smallest fish.

Abby caught a catfish.

Daddy put the worm on her hook and helped her cast her line.

Jacob pretty much played with fishing equipment the whole time. Note his wet shirt. Josh left his Red Bull unattended and Jacob tried to drink it. Oh my!

There was quite a crowd there. Everyone lines kept getting tangled!

Jacob playing peek-a-boo.

Lunch was provided - hot dogs, chips, lemonade or fruit punch. Perfect for the kids...

I couldn't resist taking a picture of Josh in the little chair. hahaha!

Bicentennial Trail

We rode bikes on the Bicentennial Trail in Ashland City yesterday. It is a great place to ride or walk. It is mostly shaded and cool thanks to its proximity to the Cumberland River.

It is part of the "Rails to Trails" program where old railroad tracks are being converted to walking trails for public use.

Abby rode her bike for 4+ miles! The more she rides, the stronger and faster she is getting. Also, she had no crashes! Yay!

Jacob rode in the bike trailer. I pulled him with my bike. He did pretty well but did not like it when I stopped or stood up on the bike.

We had a great time, but man my butt is sore! I forgot how painful bike riding can be! hahaha!