Crazy time is on it's way!

I wonder if life has any plans to slow down a bit?   Probably not... especially with the holidays on the way.  I am exhausted.  Who wants to clean my house?!  It's a mess.  I need a bowl of gluten free chex and almond milk before I do anything.  Inlaws visiting, Nolan breaking out in hives, Link pooping on the carpet, Taylor getting a new TV, dishes, cooking, parties, work, kids, cleaning, kids, errands, kids, baseball, did I say kids?  I would really like a day where my kids are not here so I can clean the house, go on a run, shower and sleep until I wake up... without someone peeing on me or screaming "MOM!".  I am tired.  Nolan just sneezed ALL OVER MY ARM!  I... I don't even know what to say. 

Super Pee Man Strikes Again

I have all 3 boys enjoying a fabulous lunch of organic gluten free noodles, organic marinara pasta and a slice of my mom's homemade gluten free zuchini bread.  They are being so good.  Then I look up and Lincoln is gone.  Where did he go so darn fast?  Ohhh there he is under the table near Nolan's feet.  Then Nolan yells "LINCOLN!  What the heck are you doing?!" and in the dark I see Lincoln on his knees a trail of urine strategically aimed to drench Nolan's socks (and my zebra Pottery Barn rug).  I hear Lincoln cracking up and within 2 seconds I have one kid on time out and another freaking out that he just got peed on.  My life people... welcome to it.

Runnin4Nana

I did it!  I ran my first 5K.  What all started with signing up to motivate me to run and get healthy turned into something much bigger!  After signing up to run for The National Parkinson Foundation and creating team Runnin4Nana (that consisted of just me to begin with) ended up in an amazing turn out and an very FUN, successful morning!  Turns out EVERYONE loves Nana Margaret and wanted to run for her too!  :)  It couldn't have turned out better!  I am so happy to have been a part of it and can't wait to do another 5k!  My time was 30:23 (darn those 23 seconds!) 

Me and my cousin Vanessa showing off our bling.





Team Runnin4Nana October 9th 2011 LB ICB 5K



My Inspiration... or should I say

OUR ENTIRE TEAMS INSPIRATION

Nana Margaret hanging out with baby Dylan



remote

What is it about little kids and the backs of remote controls?!  They disappear within a few days.  How are the batteries supposed to stay in?! 

Life behind bars...

Watching Scared Straight with Nolan. (A tv show where they help troubled teens see the reality of jail) And Nolan says "I don't want to go there!" I told him "Nolie, I know you will never go to jail. You are too great of a kid." and Nolan looks at me and says "Well what about Lincoln? He is pretty bad." :/ Ummm... I have no come back for that. Writing on walls, and running around naked are illegal when I think about it. Goodness.

Toy Story

I am so used to my husband asking me "did you really spend that much money?" in his mean, annoyed voice that tonight it caused a funny misunderstanding.  My son is very into Toy Story right now.  Our cable allows us to purchase movies and it stores inside the cable box memory under "purchases" allowing it to be viewed unlimited amount of times.  It was 11.99 and we watch it about 5 times a day.  My husband restarted the movie and looked at me and said "Toy Story was 19.95?!"  I was quick to defend myself.  "IT WAS NOT!  IT WAS 11.99.  I wasn't lying to you!  It really was 11.99!"  and he just looks at me (with the usual "you are an idiot" look... and I realize he is saying that Toy Story came out in the year 1995... and he is right!  It did.  Phew... thought I was in trouble!

My husband has conversations with himself.

"I can never find the house phone. Ya know it's never where it's supposed to be.  Oh, here it is.  Is this thing that dead?  Must be.  It's not even charging?!  WOW!" 

That will make a HUGE mess!

Last night I cleaned bacon grease off the wall, the stove, my picture above the stove, the microwave, the counter, the floor, a pan, the sink, a plate... Thanks to my husband who likes to cook and doesn't EVER clean after himself (but he swears he does).  Since I stopped cooking for him (or should I say that he hates my hippie, healthy food so he won't eat what I make him) he has started cooking for himself.  This consists of scrambled eggs and bacon.  No joke.  I swear that is all he eats.  Oh and these nasty skillet things that are frozen from TGIFridays.  ANYWAY... I went to get my juicer out and he said "ARE you KIDDING ME?!  That thing will make a HUGE MESS!"  Maybe he thinks the cleaning fairy cleans his bacon grease... I dunno.  Sometimes I just can't help but stare at him when he talks... there are no words.  Sigh...

Lactation Cookies

That's right people... Cookies that will get your milk a flowin' just like a dairy heifer.  And if they don't work at least they taste good.  I had to alter the recipe to make it "safe" for our households allergens... But this is the original recipe-

Major Milk Makin' CookiesRecipe by Kathleen MajorDetailed recipe with photos found here

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 3/4 c. oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 c. almond butter or peanut butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. flax
3 T brewer's yeast
1/3 c. water
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 c. (12oz) chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
In a large bowl, beat almond butter, butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, brewer's yeast, flax and water until creamy.
Mix in eggs.
Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Mix in nuts and chocolate chips.
Add oats slowly, mixing along the way.

Place balls of dough onto greased baking sheets or baking stones.

Press down each ball lightly with a fork.
Bake 12 minutes.

click here for more...
http://www.drmomma.org/2010/08/lactation-cookies-recipe-increasing.html

Ohhh and don't worry if your husband or kids eat them on accident.  My husband didn't start lactating... that I know of. :)

Kombucha Bucha Bucha!!!!!!!

Makin the tea!



The SCOBY/ Kombucha Mushroom



My Komucha doing it's thang in my cupboard.

 So, what do ya think?  Would you drink it?  It's not too shabby and full of great benefits.  I think it's interesting that people won't drink fermented tea but they will drink many other things without questioning the contents because it claims to make you skinnier, have more energy (what is in 5 hour energy anyway??), yadda yadda yadda.  This is the real deal.  I saw them drinking Kombucha on The Ultimate Fighter (UFC TV show) and I am sure they can beat up most people that don't drink Kombucha.  So if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired... try something different.  My kids even like it if it's mixed with grape juice it's fizzy and tastes a bit like grape soda.  So have at it... call me if you want to start your own batch and I will give a funky looking glob of Kombucha Mushroom.

Here is why it's good for you.
*Probiotics – healthy bacteria
*Alkalize the body – balances internal pH
*Detoxify the liver – happy liver = happy mood
*Increase metabolism – rev your internal engine
*Improve digestion – keep your system moving
*Rebuild connective tissue – helps with arthritis, gout, asthma, rheumatism
*Cancer prevention
*Alleviate constipation
*Boost energy – helps with chronic fatigue
*Reduce blood pressure
*Relieve headaches & migraines
*Reduce kidney stones
*High in antioxidants – destroy free-radicals that cause cancer
*High in polyphenols
*Improve eyesight
*Heal excema – can be applied topically to soften the skin
*Prevent artheriosclerosis
*Speed healing of ulcers – kills h.pylori on contact
*Help clear up candida & yeast infections
*Aid healthy cell regeneration
*Reduce gray hair
*Lower glucose levels – prevents spiking from eating
-Kombuchakamp.com

But don't take my word for it (or the UFC fighters)... Try it OR just keep on drinking soda and all the other "good stuff" that is horrible for ya and let me know how that works out for ya! :)  Or better yet if this stuff freaks you out make it simple.  Drink water.

Here is the Kombucha recipe from Nourishing Traditions that we have been using for the past year. Like the other recipes I've shared from this cookbook, it involves little effort and mostly time to do the work for you.

Kombucha
(makes about 2 quarts)

 

3 quarts filtered water

 

1 cup sugar

 

4 tea bags or 4 Tsp of organic black tea

 

1/2 cup kombucha from a previous batch

 

1 kombucha mushroom

 

Boil 3 quarts water. Stir in sugar until it dissolves. Remove from heat, add tea and steep until cool. Remove tea bags, pour into a gallon glass jar and add 1/2 cup kombucha. Gently float "mushroom" on top of liquid. Cover top of jar with a cloth and secure with a rubber band. Place in a warm dark place for 7-10 days and voila! Tasty kombucha.-http://mountainhearth.blogspot.com/ 

 A friend sent me to this blog.  There is info on Kombucha there.

The madness that happens when I am behind the wheel.

Go ahead and click the link above.  It will set the mood for this post.

Today was a special day for my uncle.  He got a promotion.  I THINK he is now a Lieutenant Colonel.  I say I think because I really have no idea.  Here is what I do know... My aunt got to sock him in the arm on the stage and once upon a time I lost some points on family game night for not knowing what "Colonel" meant... It went something like this...
Taylor-WHY did you skip this card!  We could have guessed Colonel!  You should have given us clues.  We would have gotten this card and gotten points!"
Me- I have no idea what call-a-nall is so how would I have given you clues?!
Taylor (ripping the card out of my hand) YOU ARE &^%$ing STUPID.  IT SAYS Colonel (Ker-nal)!

Now in his defense he doesn't usually talk to me like that and we both knew he was saying it ummm... lovingly.  Yeah that's it.  :P

But really who is the stupid one???  Who is the idiot that made a word like that??  What ever happened to sounding words out?  I am going to start making up my own words and just expect people to know how to pronounce them.  Let's start.  Here is your word "Allison".  Oh you THOUGHT it says "Al-is-son" but really it's pronounced "Aww-some".  Anyway... that has nothing to do with my driving story.  The madness started while I was on the 215 freeway.  My kids are screaming in the back seat.  So of course, I turn on the radio.  Static... static... static...  SELENA!  Heck yes.  I start singing.  The babies start crying... I start singing LOUDER.  The babies are still screaming... and now I am starting to sweat.  But it isn't because I am getting my Jennifer Lopez/Selena action on... nope.  It's something else... and then I realize... DUN DUN DUN... my AC has blown out.  Somehow between my (horrific) singing and the babies screaming my AC has crapped out.  It is sprinkling outside but my thermometer on the car is telling me that it is over 80.  Muggy, hot rain.  Great, where am I again?  Cause I thought I lived in California.  I don't do muggy rain and I don't do words that don't make sense... to me anyway.  :)  Other than that it has been a great day!

Some of our family on Uncle Greg's Promotion Day

No shots No school

I deleted this..  I deleted it because I was afraid to start contoversy... I deleted it never realizing I had a comment on it... Here is the comment... "I love this, Allie. I feel the same way...if only I had researched, would my son still be alive? I remember all the times I took both of my kids to the doctor and they were stuck with a needle in their little chubby legs 6 TIMES!!! And I held them down and watched, doing nothing. Never again, if I get that chance. The vaccines should not be one-size fits all, are any of us like that? No. Good post, great post. Love all your posts. :)" 

Thank you Baily's Mommy.  :)  You are an inspiration and I think of you and Baily often even though I only know you in this virtual world! :)

I just realized I should never feel badly for how I feel.  I should never be afraid to put something down in words because I am afraid to upset someone.  I won't delete anything ever again.  And prayers must work somehow because I just begged and pleaded to have the "back" button go back enough so that I can copy and paste the original post!  :)
MY ORIGINAL POST...

**Part of me doesn't want to post this because I am afraid of what people will think.  The other part of me knows that it takes courage to go against the grain when you know something is wrong.  Land of the FREE home of the BRAVE but I am being made to feel like I am not free to choose.  I feel "they" are trying to scare the shit out of anyone who dares be brave enough to make a choice regarding thier children's health.  So here you have it... if you don't like it I am sorry (kinda).  But if you chose to bring this up with me I will no longer back down and I am ready to tell people that I don't want my kids having shots.  I don't want your advice and I don't want you to try to make me feel bad.  I have the US Government to do that for you.**

I am a little confused.  I thought we lived here because we were FREE to do what we want and now laws are being passed that saying that children need to be vaccinated in order to legally attend school?  Casey Anthony gets off FOR MURDERING her daughter and I choose not to vaccinate and am looked at by some as if I am neglecting my children?  So, you guys think it is in my children's best interest to make sure they don't get an education?  Are you punishing them or are you trying to scare me?  Sure seems that if you don't give a crap about my kids education... I can pretty much assume you don't care about my kids at all.  Could this be about something much larger perhaps.  I think so.  I know so.
  With my first son I did no research.  I trusted the health care system.  Nolan has had so many vaccines I lost count.  Is he fine?  Yes.  Did I get lucky.  I believe I did.  Do we know how those immunizations will effect him 50 years from now.  No.  That bothers me.  It wasn't until I found the internet and devoured every book and study I could find digging for information on vaccines.  Only then had made an informed decision NOT to give my children shots.  I felt strongly about this but very alone in my decision.  After being pressured by a friend and my children's old pediatrition... I gave in and got my 2 youngest their first set of immunizations.  I wanted to throw up after.  I felt horrible and I sat in the car thinking I failed them.  I was mad at myself and sad that I felt so pressured to do it and PISSED that I gave in.  I held my newborn down for them to put liquid in his mouth and stab him in the legs.  I let a nurse stick my 2 year old THREE TIMES who had a broken arm and a fever just the day before.  I helped them hold him down.  I will never forget the look on his face or the way he cried.  I will never forget how he didn't use his legs for the next 24 hours because it was too tender for him to walk.  He just sat there with his arm splinted, legs sore, begging me to hold him.  I watched them both sleep night after night to make sure that they were breathing.  I had read too many stories of parents sharing their story of SIDS to be able to sleep.  How if they knew the dangers they would have done things different.  SIDS is my worst nightmare.  This is just the begining of issues immunizations are responsible for.  I trust Dr's..  I just trust myself more.  I cried for about a day and then promised I would forgive myself.  The guilt was heavy.  Never again will I do something a Dr. says if I feel it is not in my kids best interest.  I don't mind having conversations about shots.  I don't mind if you give your kids shots IF you have researched the hell out of it and sat for hours reading and searching for information... then I would assume that you know every risk and you have decided that for you it's worth it.  Go for it... but don't tell me that my kids need shots and they are a threat to the rest of you vaccinated people.  You have your immunizations so why are you so afraid?  You are safe, right?

Carpet

I hate my carpet. 

PLAYROOM BEFORE AND AFTER! so far...

before

AFTER

Cousin for Hire.

My little cousin conned me into making some posters for her 4th grade election.  She is running for VP.  With posters like this... this kids are on crack if they don't vote for her.  Hope she wins!!!

Kids Toy Area



Before

 


 


Almost finished...



 thinking of hanging a rack with some buckets underneath the 2 white frames... not sure what to do with that space just yet. 

Eventually I would like to trade out the baskets with wicker/more natural material or some sort of wooden drawers... Sometime when I can find them on sale!

So here we have what is left of the toys in the toy room.  EVERYTHING else has either been moved into the gargage (ride on toys, basket ball hoop, balls, mini pool table, ect,)

My neighbor... Chuck.



 This is chuck.  He lives by my garage door.  I finally had my camera with my and was able to get this shot of him saying "What up Neighbor?  Do you think you can tell your kids to keep it down?"  Well he didn't really say that but I know he was thinking it.  Don't be jealous of my photography skills... no really... I got lucky.  :)

Cause ya gotta have friends... and couches



We got this couch on sale at Ashley Furnitures Outlet Center for $280!  :)  I was so happy.  I have always wanted a cream couch but with the boys I couldn't bring myself to pay full price. 

Dylan modeling our new couch cushions.  While our friend Sarah babysits



The boys bringin' in the couch.  Taylor and Tony... the moving men.

Playroom to Living Room makeover continues!

Just a little sneak peak on what is going on in the Old Playroom.  :)  It's coming together.  Taylor is still annoyed that his TV isn't purchased or mounted on the wall but we are getting there. :)

12 bucks at Ross

Target prints.  (my husband likes to help decorate... I will make them work.) :D

curtains!

This is hard work... taking a nap on the floor with Dylan

The Target lamps that almost cost me my marriage.

That's what I'm talkin' bout!



Burlap lamp shades for 3.74?!  I will take 2!



Here is a reminder of what the room used to be! 

Target Medallion rug we scored for 50 bucks!  It was one of the first things purchased when we decided to redo the room.

Alligator table. 50 dolla make you holla

Okay so I will have to find a better photo but this was a Craigslist find for $50 bucks.  The top was covered in alligator vinyl.  I heart it.

Crazy things are happening on our first level!

Lots of redecorating!  And I guess you can say the craziness is gone since I went down there and got rid of a puzzle that was possessed.  It would randomly go off and say a letter of the alphabet.  Taylor is convinced that one night when he was locking up and turning off the lights that the puzzle told him "K is for KILL YOU!"  He was a little freaked out.  :)  Any way... Lets see if I can find some pictures of our progress. :)

PHAT=Pretty Hot And Temping. Not Fat... anymore.

   

Lovely and Large Days before I had my 3rd baby





After "going hippy" and eating well.  This is for you Alexis.  I know you wanted a before and after.  :)

So there you have it.  That was me weighing in at about 205 and then the photo below it is me at about 127.  On a good day it's 124 on a bad day... I don't weigh myself.  LOL  I have much more energy.  I can keep up with my kids easier.  I don't get stomach aches anymore and I don't have sinus problems since giving up dairy.  Yet I still have the same problem as before... nothing in my closet fits.  Only this time it's because everything is too big!  :)  I want to give a shout out to Nolan who said "Fine I will take a picture but only one.  I am hungry."

Here's to eating well... I haven't weighed this much since high school.  I exercise sometimes but it is seriously amazing what good food (and trying to keep up with 3 little boys) can do!

Bacon

Anyone ever watched your husband cook bacon without a shirt on.  It's quite funny.  Taylor keeps yelling "OWW!"  as the bacon pops and hot oil splashes onto his skin.  What. A. Dork.

I guess I have the day off. :(

Took me almost 2 hours to get ready for work today.  Shower, make sure Dylan has a good feeding and gathering my supplies.  Heading out the door 15 minutes early.  Can't find my keys. "Lincoln where are mommy's keys?" He laughs and says "I hab yoo keys mommy." "Lincoln did you take mommy's keys?" "Yep, I took yoo keys."  "Are you copying me or did you really hide them?"  "Ummm... I dunnoo Mommy."  I look all over the place.  Toy box, under the couch, upstairs, the garage, the shoe rack, the pantry... you name it.  I ransacked the house COPS style.  Finally after 25 minutes I give up.  It will take me 20 minutes to get to work.  My client will be there in 5.  My house smells like boy, dirty diaper and the sink is overflowing with dishes.  I want... no... I NEED to leave.  I need to get out of here.  Dylan is crying and chasing me around crawling as fast as he can while Lincoln chants "Find yoo keys Mom.  Find yooooo keys!"  I run past Nolan who is double checking the garage for me but he is playing with pool balls and I catch him.  "WHAT are you doing?!  Help me find my keys!"  "Oh" He says "I think I got a splinter. That is why I am not looking for them."  I yell upstairs to Taylor "WHY does this stuff happen when I NEED to leave!" and he tells me "Well maybe you should always put your keys in the same spot."  Does he really think I want to hear that right now?  HE knows that even if I taped them to the cieling our children would find a way to get them down and do something fun with them... like flush them down the toilet or some other creative game.  So I canceled my client.  She was so sweet.  She wrote me back saying that she understands, that she will reschedule and that she will pray that I find my keys and have a stressfree day.  <3  That made me feel so much better.  NOW WHERE ARE MY KEYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????

Let there be light

I must finish off my blogging day by letting the world know that I spent a good portion of my night cleaning up poop out of my downstairs room.  If I did not hunt for lamps tonight I would have been cleaning it in the dark.  Again... everything happens for a reason and thank you Lincoln... please use the toilet and stop using your poo as paint.