What I've Learned As A Mom Of Boy's

Boy's- what I learned having 3 of them is:

Boy's are Wild (They run, jump, swing from whatever they can)

Boy's are Messy (Mud is fun)

Boy's are Gross (Burping & farting is the coolest thing)

Boy's are Silly (I have never laughed so hard until my boy's they are too entertaining)

Boy's are Sweet (I constantly get hugs & kisses for no reason just because they want to)

Boy's will Eat you Out of house & Home (yes Ik mine are still little but seriously when they are having a growth spurt they put food down like nothing I've ever seen)

Boy's are Determined (When they want something they don't give up)

Boy's are Rough & Tough (It's bad when a 2 year old can kick your butt LOL)

Boy's Love their MOM!!! (I get so many cuddles & I Love you's)

I always wanted my first to be a boy! I prayed he was a boy & when he was I cried I was so happy!! I've seen the love between a mother & son, I have a brother! I see the love my husband has for his mom. He's a mommas boy (he may not think so, but he is) He loves her very much! It's a crazy bond!

I thought my second was going to be a girl at first I thought that's what I wanted one of each & be Done! The day of my Ultra Sound I knew I was carrying another Boy!! & when I saw him I cried! Because I knew the love a boy has for his mom & a mom for her boy!!!

My first 2 were planned, My 3rd was a big surprise as my middle was only 9 months I was nursing & on the pill. But someone else had bigger plans for me :)

Everyone thought for sure it would be a girl I think they just figured I already had 2 boy's it has to be a girl. I went back & forth of what it was it's a girl nope it's a boy! Hmmm.. I didn't care I just wanted a healthy baby because he was a surprise.

My husband wanted all boys, he's never wanted a girl. He said if it was a girl of course I'd love it it's my baby but I only make Boy's (I was like ya ya we will see). Well he was right. Because there popped up a little wing dang doodle & again I cried!! I was happy he was healthy & I was happy he was a boy!

Boy's are what I  know & personally I'm a girl I know how we can be I know the drama & honestly I like being the main lady in my husbands life (I'm a brat I know ). I would have loved a little girl if that's what I was blessed with. But I was blessed with My 3 Son's & I wouldn't change it for the world!!

I get asked all the time are you going to try for a girl HELL NO!  I am DONE!! I am happy & I am blessed with 3 healthy children!! And healthy was all I was ever concerned about! My family is complete, unless I can convince the hubby to adopt a little boy down the line :)

I know I will be forever loved & protected by my boy's. But I will be the mom on the porch with a shotgun!! Yep them girls better watch it because if momma don't like you you will know!!

Are you a mom of a boy? Or boy's? What have you learned from them?

-Candice-

Homemade Bread In The Crock pot!!!

Ok so another friend of mine inspired me to make some homemade bread she found out a lot of store breads have some not so good ingredients in it. Which inspired her to make her own. She baked hers & I plan to still try that. But I was being lazy & wanted a easier way.

I played around on pinterest looking at different recipe's & then kind of took it all in & this is what I did:

1-packet active dry yeast 
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water

1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 Bread flour


This is the flour & yeast I used

*Do Not pre-heat your crock pot/ slow cooker

*Spray the inside with non-stick cooking spray or use wax paper to line the bottom*
(I think next time I will try the paper my bread got a little burnt on bottom but my crock pot is also 8 yrs old so not sure lol)

Ok Now:
*Mix: yeast, 1tsp sugar & 1/4 cup warm water set aside & let sit 10 mins it will get foamy

Next:
*Combine: egg, veg oil, 1 cup warm water, salt, sugar & yeast mixture after it's set the 10 mins beat with a mixer for about 10 mins

*Add 2 cups of flour beat on low until its a gummy like texture

*Now use YOUR HAND * add the rest of flour a little at a time

*Knead it for about 4 mins till it's smooth. It will be sticky DO NOT add more flour! Form into a ball & place in slow cooker/crock pot

*Cook on high 2-3 hours check after 1 1/2 mine was a little over done by 2

*The top should feel firm when it's done

*Make sure to let it cool completely before you cut it

My whole family loved it!!!

 

Have you ever made homemade bread? Did you like it?
-Candice-

A Painting is Art with Meaning

This post may get a little deep. I know I said Sunday would be my "Slide Show" Day there will still be a slide show but this one requires a post to go with!

A good friend of mine has her own Blog & an Etsy shop, I will be posting her links because you NEED to check her out!!! She is very talented & she is finally able to do what she loves again. Painting is her passion & I'm so glad she is able to enjoy doing what she loves. Not many of us find our true passion in life!!
So let me introduce to you my friend Linda (on the right): This picture of us is from 2009 ya we go back actually even farther than that try 2006!! She is back up North with her family her husband is now out of the Marines. Can't wait till I can say that :)

We have been through ALOT!! To say the least!! Try deployments, being neighbors, parties, pregnancies (we were pregnant at same time Linda with her  last & me with my first) Births, birthday parties for the kids, Holidays!! A lot of highs & lows!! We know a lot about one another!!  We celebrated every Thanksgiving together we both cooked & had it at my house. It was our tradition!! That's The thing with the Military you make some really great friends & you become like family!!

You rely on each other because when the hubby's are gone your all each other has!! We watched each others children grow from babies to young boy's & a young lady. Our children were each others first friends:

So now you know a Little of our Background onto Linda's Amazing ART!!!
http://artbylmarie.wordpress.com/ (Linda's Blog) -Fallow her :)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/artbylmarie (Linda's Etsy Shop)-Where you can purchase her art

Here is a piece she gave to me & I am so in LOVE with it:

Isn't it beautiful?? It's currently hanging on a corner wall in my foyer. But when we move into a new home it will be on a Main wall in either the dinning room or Living room!! I can't wait this piece is so me I LOVE flowers!! I love the colors & most of all I Love that my friend painted it!! It has meaning behind it!!
 Every time I look at this painting I think of her & all of the memories we have shared!! I think of her kids & how they have grown & how our kids played & made their own memories!! I look at it & think of how I miss her & her kids! But thankfully we still keep in touch!!

We will see each other again when we move back home we will only be a couple hours away :)

Make sure you check her out she is so talented!! Another one of her pieces I love on her Etsy shop is her custom floral design with the word Inspire!! I will be requesting & buying one similar once I get all my color schemes straight for the new home :)

Enjoy looking at Linda's beautiful work!! I love seeing her new creations!! & Happy Sunday
-Candice-

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

 I will be posting some recipes from time to time to break things up & hopefully help out others b/c I know how it is to get in a funk making the same stuff over & over.

Here is yet another blueberry one Lol!!  We may a little obsessed!! Sorry!  Have no fear I have a few more recipes coming but don't worry they don't have blueberries in them ;)

I got this off Pinterest Yep I'm obsessed with that as well!! Here is the link to the original recipe:
http://www.alexandracooks.com/2011/06/29/buttermilk-blueberry-breakfast-cake/


Its so yummy we eat it with either blueberry syrup, alone or some whipped cream yum!!! Here is a pic from when I made it this morning. Enjoy -Candice-

One Of Them Day's

You know those days when you just want to zap yourself to a deserted island where no one can find you & you have a delicious fruity drink  with an umbrella in hand? Yep yesterday was that day for me!!

It all started in the morning while I was trying to shower got up late after a bad night sleep I should have known. Well  the baby kept crawling over my little make shift gate to the bathroom (pillows) it's worked before but now he is more bound & determined to get what he wants!

What could an 8 month old possibly be so after you ask?? The damn trash can! Why I dunno but he is obsessed! Now If I had washedmy hair the other day I wouldn't have even been worried but I was living off dry shampoo & my mop needed to be washed BAD!! So I had to climb out of the shower not once but 3 times to move that little booger!!

Finally showered & trying to get ready now I got my 2yr old climbing the toilet trying to grab my makeup, trying to put on deodorant, he's just into everything I tried getting him to sit on my bed & watch his favorite show yep wasn't having it Mommy's stuff was way more fun! Get myself together finish getting the kids ready & off to take Aiden to preschool. Then back home lay the baby down for a nap & Brycen (2) & I have Dino day :)

The boy has over 20 dinosaur figures from the PBS show dinosaur train he's obsessed so we play have fun we play pirates & make people walk the plank & get eaten by a shark we color. Then it's time to get Aiden well we have to take the dog too cuz she wines so unless were running errands before or after school she rides along.

So the day has gotten better awesome so driving I have my plan home lunch nap for B & then Carsen (baby) will be ready for another nap score then Aiden & I can chill maybe watch a movie or he will quietly play & I can watch a DVR'd show. Right? WRONG b/c I look in the review mirror & what do I see a passed out 2 yr old NO NO Nooooooooooooo!

Yep screwed b/c try as I might to get him back in the house after & lay him down NOPE he's up & crabby feed him lunch & figure ok after he eats he will go back down. Well Carsen is now screaming b/c he wants to eat so I sit down to nurse him & what do I hear I got to pee, CRAP! Ok hang on!!  I pee I pee & yep pee all over the chair & floor AWESOME! (yes he is potty trained has been since 20mo he's 26 mo) Well every once in a great while we have an accident it happens! The baby is screaming b/c he got cut off have to rinse Brycen off clean floor & return him to table to finish eating & go back to feeding Carsen.

 SO after everyone is fed I try again to lay Brycen down NOPE! Knocking at his door mommy!!  Then comes WW2 here screaming, pushing, toys flying = me yelling knock it off, say your sorry, that's not nice! Would you like it if someone hit you? Answers No! Well then don't hit your brother!

Then Brycen thought he was hilarious & was gonna try & jump off the top bunk bed ya Heart Attack!
Finally he realizes I'm not laughing and stops his craziness!! Que time to make dinner.. get everything ready it was meatloaf & mac & cheese while boiling the noodles Aiden & Brycen are once again fighting baby is crawling all over I'm checking on him noodles boiling over at this point I'm ready to Scream! And then the dog starts barking...

But it was a good bark the hubby was home to save the day!! He walks in hears the screaming & crying & I say welcome home (in my most sarcastic voice) In which he replies I'm leaving lol!!

It was a long day & needless to say Brycen was in bed early!! I enjoyed the quiet of everyone sleeping while I sat & wrote this :) I have to blog at night it's the only time I can truly collect my thoughts & well there is no way I can during the day with my wild bunch!! 

Soon I'll talk more about Military life & different things I've learned as a mom, but this week my children have provided such entertaining material I just had to share ;)

-Candice-

Dinner Drama

Want to know a typical dinner night at our house??

Dinner time is the time of night I dread the most probably because it is the meal time where I hear the most complaining & well it seems everyone forgets how to act by that time of the night everyone has gone straight Crazy, and they forget how to be civilized.

Yet if we were to go out to dinner they are little angles hmmm.. if only I was rich & could eat out every night!

First we have Aiden-
  The complainer, I don't like this I don't like that! How many bites do I have to eat? This looks funny! I don't like the smell!!
  Well kid I don't feed you dog food so EAT!
  We usually end up telling him 5 bites because he's five, so far it's working.
  Weird thing is I never have an issue getting him to eat vegetables (crazy I know).
 The boy loves broccoli the other night I made cauliflower & lied to him & said it was white broccoli hehe (ya ya bad mom card I lied). But it worked & he ate it!
  Some nights we even get into live drama theater here, where it's I can't eat I'm so full & falls off the chair to the floor & end scene.
But I'll tell you if he knows there is dessert he suddenly has room again.
He'd really make a great actor.
Maybe it will be a career :)


Second-We have Brycen the naughty nut case. Seriously if you know this kid you know what I'm talking about!!
  Usually one thing is yum I like it & next it's I don't like it & fling there goes the food!
  If he really does not like dinner oh forget it there goes the whole damn plate sliding across the table at me.
   Then he laughs & give you the cutest little smirk you ever did see in turn me just letting him get away with it (bad mom card again) but that kid has me wrapped around his little finger it's his eyes!!
  He's also known to put his stinky little foot on my dinner table & go no no no as he shakes his finger at you!
  Ya he's naughty! I usually have to bite my tongue or duck my head as daddy takes charge b/c it's hard not to laugh.
 It's really hard to get mad at him especially when you tell him something in a stern voice & he returns with I love you & blink blink the eyes!  Oh that boy will be the death of me!


Last-The baby we call him squiddie it's his nickname
 He sits in his bumbo and he smashes like the hulk & there go puffs & yogurt melts & peas & whatever else flying (it makes the dog very happy)
 So we yell squiddie smash!! & his brothers find it hilarious.
 We have the nights he screams because he's like FEED ME!!!
 Or the nights he shoves too much in & ends up chocking & causes me to FREAK out & my husband laughs at me.


Ya we pretty much have it all going on here, like I said I live in a Circus!!!!

Yes there are nights I just want to cry because I'd love to have a nice calm quiet dinner & not have my food criticized. But the only way dinner goes that smooth is if I make breakfast for dinner!

One day though they will be grown & they wont even be home for dinner,
 So I'll enjoy my Circus while I have it. :)

However I don't blame you if you would never want to have dinner with us LOL!

-Candice-

For the love of Blueberries

So yesterday we had a great day!! Watched some sports, ate some good food, & played with the kids & had a lot of laughs!!

On the weekends I usually make big breakfasts because we are all home & breakfast is the meal we all love the most in this house.

Well I had got an email from Allrecipes about overnight blueberry cream cheese French toast
1-it's amazing & I will post the link
2-it makes a big pan so you have leftovers SCORE!!!

My little circus LOVES blueberries my 2 year old eats them like they are going out of style, the baby loves them & the hubs & I both enjoy anything with blueberries. My oldest likes them but he can take them or leave them he's like that with UM pretty much everything!! He is Mr. picky pants!!

Anyways so I needed blueberries for this so off to the store I had went on Wednesday  after I dropped my oldest at preschool so I had the my 2yr old & the baby with me..

So I grab the 4.99 pack of blueberries (yep you read that price right!) Ouch! Well Brycen (2yr) starts freaking b/c he sees blueberries & is screaming for them I say not right now.

Well I turn to grab some bananas & what happens in 2.5 seconds yep Blueberry explosion all over the store floor :/ YAY!! Now I feel like an ass & there are blueberries rolling everywhere.
  So what do I do.... pick up what I can throw them out buy the half full container now & peace out!

Problem is I need 2 cups of blueberries for this dish so what does that mean Friday late afternoon I head back to the store to get more, I had needed a couple more things anyways no biggie right??

Well I have all 3 kids this time as there was no school Friday BOO!!! Well Brycen is pissed that this time I put the blueberries under the cart so he can not open them all over the store again.

Aiden (5) is in his face trying to help yet only making the already mad 2yr old even more pissed so I fly through the store get what I need & checkout. Then I HAD to stop at the Starbucks that is inside the same store.. I NEEDED one lol!! No but really I did!! They had been little crabs all day fighting on & off.

Now I have my Java Frap.. Life is good again! So I get all kids in the car & groceries & home we go thank goodness we are only 10 mins from the store.

By this time my husband is home so he meets me outside to help unload, well he lets Brycen the blueberry addict in the house and goes back to grab the mail as I'm getting the baby out of the car.. I see him at the mailbox... duh duh duh...

I run but it was like in slow motion I get to the door I see said blueberry addict with blueberries in hand running & laughing.. I'm yelling NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

And And... Yep you guessed it...
Blueberries ALL over! I mean rolling under furniture all through the living room & kitchen (we have a very open floor plan)  I'm now trying to fight the dog to not gobble down all my blueberries..

Brycen is shoveling blueberries down his throat faster than the speed of lightning & there I stand sipping my Starbucks b/c For the Love Of Blueberries I gave up!!

I watched as my husband and the kids cleaned them up & then I washed all the blueberries for breakfast for the next day!

So here is the recipe that caused the blueberry drama ;) : * I used sourdough bread from the bakery & I softened the cream cheese & beat it with 1/4 cup powdered sugar*
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Overnight-Blueberry-French-Toast/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=102993573&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2013-01-12&prop28=RecipeOption&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1

Enjoy -Candice-

Sunday Slideshow

So Sundays are our family day!! Not that everyday isn't a family day but we focus on family time!! Usually we bum around all day & laugh & just enjoy each other & the hubby cooks :)

So on Sunday's I will be doing a little slideshow of pics, so that I continue to focus on my family & not be on the computer!! Here are some pics enjoy
 -Candice-                       

                                                                             The Start

                                                      The Dog:  Miss Leta

                                                                       The Wild Things

Hello & Welcome

Why hello & welcome!!! I've done a blog before with a friend, but decided it was time to have my very own. One where I can share my stories, my up's & down's. My life & my love's!! Something that maybe one day my kids will look back at & they can read funny stories of when they were kids!

Who knows it may end up they just think their mom is crazy if they ever read this!! But no matter what I want them to know I love them more than anything, and my life would be nothing without them!

To start off I figure for anyone who comes across this should know a little about me...

 Well I'm 28 I'm a marine wife been married 8 years next month. I originally grew up in Western NY (nope not the city) it's actually kinda  country where I'm from, small little town where everyone knows your name (yep you have the theme song of Cheer's in your head now don't you?) -Well if your old enough to know of that show hehe!!  I met my now husband when I was 18 & we were married 2 years later &  moved to NC where we have been stationed since 2005 but soon we will returning to snowy Buffalo :) YAY!!!  (can you tell I'm excited). I miss our family!!

I am a mommy to 3 adorable little boy's whom are my entire world!! They are 5, 2, & 8months. Though they drive me crazy many days I can't imagine life without them!! We also have a 5yr old boxer. So can you see why I decided on my title!! I kind of live in a circus :) our day's & nights are filled of running, climbing, jumping, it is WILD around here!! I really feel like I live in a Circus most days but I wouldn't change it.

Well that's enough for now I have to keep you wanting more right?? Stay tuned for more on me & my life. With: My Little Circus & Me

-Candice-