Cruddy Crappy Blog

I know. I've completely sucked at posting for the past couple of months. I have a ton of stories too. Hoping that I will be able to get to them sometime soon. But with all the kids (I'm mean nightmares and prepubescent females) being home during this glorious 2 week hell that the schools call Winter Break. It most likely won't happen till it's over. So wish me luck and Merry Christmas!

Yep, didn't do any Christmas cards this year... I apologize to the great friends and family that thought of my family during this Christmas Season. So don't feel bad about not getting one from us.  I did think of you when I got yours.

the pumpkins

Last Saturday we got together with our neighbors to carve pumpkins for Halloween. 

This awesome blue toilet was in one of the bathrooms when we bought the house,  Brian and Andy thought that this little gem would be super cool to have it in the front yard.

Broccoli & Cheese Soup is not throw up...

Tonight for dinner I made a delicious Broccoli and Cheese Soup. All of the kids loved it and had seconds. Except for one...

Reese: I'm not eating dinner.
Me: Why, it's good. You love broccoli.
Reese: It looks like throw up.
Me: Your face looks like throw up.
Reese: Your LIFE looks like throw up.
Me: That's because your in it..Eat it!!
Reese: No, I tasted it and it taste like crap. Why do you make us eat crap?!

Such a brat. Guess what she's getting in her lunch box tomorrow....

If anyone wants the recipe, let me know!!

Baby Tate 11 months

I can't believe Tatum is 11 mo old! This first year with her has gone by way to fast! Especially because I still haven't lost all that baby weight, which just completely blows.. She is doing great! She is walking around the furniture and starting to say lots of words! She still is my "Angry Baby" but in the past few weeks she has been very happy! Not sure why, but I'm not complaining!

Her favs:
1. Tate loves to play with her sisters
2. me
3. her bottle
4. sometimes Brian... ok just me
5. biting
6. the dogs
7. any type of food
8. listening to herself screaming
9. singing
10. laughing

Things that make her angry:
1. people looking at her
2. people touching her
3. her sisters
4. Brian
5. anything that she's not allowed to have
6. kisses (but not from me, I can kiss her as much as I want)
7. hates HATES getting wet
8. her carseat
9.shoes
10. things on her head  ( hats, bows etc...)

Things she can say:
1. mama (most important)
2. dada
3. ozzy
4. ni-night
5. num-num
6. HI!
and lots of baby noises!

Ash lost another Tooth!

Ash is one determined little girl! Her tooth was a little bit loose, not quite ready to come out. But Ash was doing everything she could to make it come out! She had Brian tie some string around it and then tied it to a heavy book and threw it over the stairs. That didn't work. So she found some pliars and had Brian pull it out. It sounded disgusting when he did it.

Petunia

We got another dog! Her name is Petunia and she's 8 weeks old! She's SO stinkin cute and little! Everyone loves her! Hayden especially. She loves to pick her up and toss her around. So far she is a good dog. But she does have a little "hateful" in her... She is a Jack Russell like Ozzy, but should only be around 12-15 lbs... (Oz Nugget is a freak of a dog, he's a 40lb Jack) So she is going to be really little!



Best Day Ever 2011

School started on the 10th of August this year. And it seriously was the best day ever!  And I felt just like this... Was not sad at all to have them gone. Next year will be even better because Nene will be in all day Kindergarten.

Not Reese's Best Day Ever...

Alway's smiling!

Summer Recap

We had a great summer. Didn't do much, but it was still great.  Most of the summer was spent working on the backyard and the house. Brian removed ALL of the concrete that was in the back, I'm so excited that we are actually going to have grass and a fenced in yard!

In July, I took Reese and Tatum to California. It was great to see my family! I haven't seen my Grandma B since I was 15, and it was wonderful to introduce Reese and Tatum to them. I didn't realize how much I actaully missed California. I miss my family. I would love to move my family back there. The best part of all we were able to celebrate this guys 90th Birthday!

Just a few pictures of Reese...

Oh yes I did! (Dark Chocolate BACON Cupcakes)

My awesomeness is just getting awesomer! Last week Ally and I had a Chocolate Bacon Party. Oh my heavens, best thing EVER! SO MUCH FUN!!! Everything was Chocolaty and Bacony. I think the best part was these awesome cupcakes and the bacon drizzled with white and dark chocolate. I have another recipe for a different type of chocolate bacon cupcakes, but I want to make them first before I post it.

Ingredients:


12 slices bacon

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 eggs

1 cup cold, strong, brewed coffee

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

powder, for dusting



Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coffee, buttermilk and oil. Stir just until blended. Mix in 3/4 of the bacon, reserving the rest for garnish. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting* and sprinkle reserved bacon crumbles on top. Dust with additional cocoa powder

*I just used the basic butter, sugar, coco powder, vanilla and milk frosting. Super easy. It's in the Betty Crocker Cookbook

I can do the pretzel, can you?

Ingredients

•1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water

•1 tablespoon sugar

•2 teaspoons kosher salt

•1 package active dry yeast

•22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups

•2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

•Vegetable oil, for pan

•10 cups water

•1/4 cup baking soda

•1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water

•Pretzel salt or Kosher Salt (I used Kosher)


Directions

1.Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using a spatula, mix until well combined.

2.Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

3.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

4.Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

5.In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

6.Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.

7.Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Hayden Jumps

Hayden likes to hide in our house. She gets "lost" on a pretty regular basis. Kinda my fault because I let her have full access to all 4700sqft. Usually she is doing something absolutely horrible. See picture below...

This was with pancake mix...

But today I found her in my room jumping on our bed. Not ruining or breaking anything. Just happily jumping.



Quirks

Everyone has quirks, some are stranger than others. Here's a little about me...

• I hate feet! I think they are gross and disgusting.
• I hate when people touch my feet
• I hate it when people touch me with THEIR FEET!
• I also don't like being touched unnecessarily. Not a big fan of getting tickled...

Reese has discovered these little "quirks" and now won't leave me alone! Constantly coming up to me and putting her foot on my leg or tickling my arm. Little stinker! She thinks it's funny...

• I throw up a lot. I don't know why, I just do. It's been like that since I was a baby.

Ok, now this next part is really weird and a little OCD. I'm  not! I promise!

• I don't like when people scratch their skin near me. It grosses me out. I hate the noise. And all of their nasty flaky skin particle are going into the air and I don't want them in my lungs. (told ya it was weird)
• I have a hard time sleeping in beds that don't belong to me. Goes along with the flaky skin...

About craziness above, I don't have this problem with Brian or my kids. Just people outside of my immediate family.

• I like to pop pimples! gross huh?
• I'm lactose intolerant and have a milk allergy (yep, they are 2 different things and I am blessed to have both)
• I have a retarded toe on my right foot.
• Hated my name when I was younger.
• Hate when people call me Kristin or Kurstin. (It's Kirstin. let me sound it out for you... K - ear-stin. not that hard)
• If you listen closely you can see that I have a funny accent.
• I love to read, alot.
• I  also love to learn. And sometimes will search the internet to find more information.
• I am also full of useless information and facts.
• Love the library
• I hate doing laundry! Can't stand it!
• Actually never wanted to have any kids. (HA!)
• I'm not a big fan of kids. Let me explain this... I love my children! They are mine and they make me happy. But other kids don't. I hated babysitting when I was younger. I could never be a teacher!
• Don't understand why people are stupid.
• My parents and Brian think that I am "a force to be reckoned with". Here's the definition:
  The phrase a force to be reckoned with is usually applied to ideas or things that are considered so big, so strong or so important that they cannot be ignored and must be confronted or taken into consideration

(Whatever, they don't know what they are talking about. )

• I played the piano for many many many years. I haven't really touched it for the past 5 yrs, which is really sad.
• Sang for many many many years and had all of the lessons to prove it. I wanted to be an opera singer. Haven't sung in a really long time. Which is also really sad. Sometimes the kids and I will sing around the house, our favorite stuff to sing is the Phantom of the Opera. And sometimes I can still hit those high notes..
• I used to live in a tanning bed, can you say sun spots?
• I brush my teeth at least 4 times a day
• Scared to get wrinkles
• Really love to work out
• I have a birthmark (poo-mark) on my upper thigh, I hate it and I can't hide it very well when I'm in a swimsuit.
• I have horrible hair.
• Still hates my freckles. They have faded alot since I've gotten older but I can still see them.
• I've grown 2 inches since I graduated high school! I am now 5'1 and a HALF!
• I don't like animals
• My eyes change color, they are weird like that.
• hate my "bubbies". Just too big and in the way.
• I hate leaving messages. I also have a hard time returning phone calls.
• really struggle with my body since having children. I don't know if I will ever be happy with it.
• I really hate BAD smells! And will do whatever I can to stay away from them
• I can't parallel park.
• I get lost while driving alot
• Cannot dance!
• I don't like to cry. Will only cry in front of my parents and Brian.
• I HATE being pregnant. There is nothing fun about it. It's not cute either. 
• I am late for everything. So expect it next time we get together.
• I hate spiders!
• I am also scared of chickens
• I hate getting wet. Which is funny because I was on the swim team my whole life.
• I think hot tubs are flithly and won't go in them
• I don't like playgrounds with sand, gross and won't let my kids play in them.

I'm sure there is more, but that's me!

Things Nene says...

Kailyn really can be the cutest little girl! This is a conversation that we had today...

Nene: Mommy, why are your legs so beautiful?!
Me: I don't know Nene, why are they so beautiful?
Nene: They are so shiny and soft! Mommy do you know that your eyes have sparkles in them?! Do I have sparkles in my eyes?!

I love that I have a kid that see's the best in me!

(Even if I haven't showered today and my legs haven't been shaved in about a week...)

rear-ended

Yesterday afternoon some super awesome trashy chick rear-ended the back of my van. She actually hit me pretty hard! We pull over and turns out stripperella doesn't have any insurance (of course) AND finds out that her license is suspended. She begs me not to call the cops and she will give me all of her info and pay me whatever not to do it. So I call the cops. I was so angry, I felt like ripping her face off. As soon as the cops show up, she goes into this giant story of how a big white truck slammed into her and that made her hit me. Oh and the truck drove away. LIAR! There was no freakin truck! It was just you in your Chevy Aveo! Anyways after 2 hours of dealing with this the cops don't believe her and take my side. (I think it was because I had all of the kids in the van). My van is a freakin tank! 5 star crash safety rating! All it did was just take some of the paint off and now there is some type of grinding noise coming from the back when I drive. Just very thankful that no one was seriously hurt! The 3 older girls have a little whiplash and the babies are fine. I have raging migraine and whiplash.

Time to get in a normal size crib.

Found her like this the other day and had to take a picture!

(Ignore the crappiness of the pic, taken with my phone)

Done!

With nursing that this!

And Fatty MeGee isn't having any problems with it!

Ashlee's 6!

Ashlee is 6! She turned 6 back on the 9th of May. For her Birthday we just had a little family party at Hacienda. She HAD to get a sombrero and if she didn't get one she was going to die...Ash is seriously one sassy little girl. Run's her mouth CONSTANTLY and doesn't really care what she says. (We are working on that.) Ash is also super funny! I love listening to her! Right now her favorite saying is "Oh my Heavens!"

I can't believe that she is 6! 

Does this make me weird?

* Please please please do not take offense to this post. I apologize if this does offend someone and no I'm not talking about anyone directly.

Am I emotionally retarded?

After stalking many blogs and reading sappy crap on Facebook, I am really starting to think that I am. If you look over my past blog posts I have never done this. I think if I did Brian would think I have seriously lost it.
Ok here it goes....

What the heck is up with all of these freaking women that WORSHIP their Husbands?! Don't get me wrong, I do love Brian, alot. But I don't think that I need to tell everyone in the world how blessed, how amazing, how hot, how wonderful, how honored he is/I am to have him! It has been driving me crazy reading all of this sappy crap! And you know what?! I don't believe it! I think that YOUR LYING!!! Seriously, your husband doesn't ever annoy you? How can that be?! Tell ya what, there are some days I would like to give Brian a roundhouse kick to the face! (But I can't reach his face... too short.)

I think one of the reasons why I might be emotionally retarded in the "worshiping" department is because I see Brian as my equal. He is not better than me (he might think he is but he's not). I am not a sappy person, and neither is he. We have a very sarcastic relationship and it works for us. Its super fun and I love it! My parents say that we were made for each other. And you know what? He really is the most difficult person I have ever had to deal with and I know for a fact that he would say the same about me! I feel like our love is just between us and I don't have to scream about it to everyone prove it.

I'm glad that some of you can sing your praises about your super awesome wonderful husbands, I just think that it's a little weird...

And just for your information, MY Husband is the bestest, hottest, awesomest, cutest, AMAZING person EVER!!!

Just thought that I would throw that in for ya!

Yay!

Yay! We got a trampoline! It's about freakin time! I have seriously been bugging Brian about it for the past 8 years. The girls LOVE it! I love it too because it's the new babysitter...



Sucky Blog

My blog sucks again. My life is super boring. Maybe something interesting will happen soon...

I went to the Zoo

Oh I went to the zoo, And what did I see?

I saw a great big tiger, Lookin' at me

He went Raaar, raaar He went Raaar, raaar

He went Raaaar raaar raar, And that's what he said to me

Oh I went to the zoo, And what did I see?

I saw a great big monkey, Lookin' at me

He went Ooo-ooo-o Ooo-ooo-o, He went Ooo-ooo-o Ooo-ooo-o

He went Ooo-ooo-o Ooo-ooo-o, And that's what she said to me!

Ok, so the tiger didn't roar at us and we didn't see a great big monkey or an elephant or any polar bears. But during Spring Break I took the girls (by myself) to the zoo. Evansville doesn't have a really big zoo, but they try really hard. The girls had fun and I'm sure that we'll do it again.

 

Reese 4

Ash 2

Nene 6 mo