Hello

Well it has not been easy to keep this daily journal. So we will keep it to a 2-3 day a week journal; 1 day a week on those bad weeks. I have to admit the only reason I started this journal was because of the difficulty in keeping my thoughts straight in my head. Sometimes it gets really frustrating when you can't remember if you said something out loud or if it was just inside your head. I guess if I end up in a straight jacket then I have said too much......lol!
Well any ways thanks for listening to me; even if you are only a computer.

Dallas!

Sorry I haven't posted lately; I have been in Dallas Tx for the last 6 days. It was fantastic. Just the break I needed. All it takes is a little trip away from your children to see just how much they really mean to you. Of course I always love them but do I really see how much they mean to me.
By the second day I was missing them badly, but by the 5th day I couldn't stop thinking about them. On the flight home it seemed like time was going by in slow motion. When I heard them yell 'mommy' when I walked in my heart jumped for joy!
My advice for the day is don't wait until you are a raving maniac before you get some time away from your children; they deserve a better you!!!!!

Recipe of the day!!!

Homemade chicken Parmesan
dip boneless skinless chicken in flower then in egg then in Italian bread crumbs
place carefully in oil in heated skillet; works better in an iron skillet that you can place in the oven.
After browning both sides (3 mins each side) place in a 375 degree oven for 30 -40 mins or until chicken is completely cooked.
Spoon sauce onto each chicken and place slice of mozzarella cheese on top place on top rack of oven to melt the cheese.
Add favorite pasta and sauce.

Sorry about the delay!

I have neglected my daily journaling here. It seems that I have neglected a lot lately...I seemed to have missed a whole day this week and just now have caught up on everything.
It started with my oldest staying home from school on tuesday throwing me off. I missed two doctor's appointments and a kindergarten registration. Luckily the doctor was flexible and I just barely made the last day of appointments for registration. I had to cram three days of school work into a 6 hour time slot.
To top it off my daughter was just acting sick...................Yeah! Ugh!
No matter with God's guidance I made it through and with only 2 20 oz bottles of Diet Pepsi..........which is really good for me.

Monday again?!

It's a typical monday morning at the Puckett household.....Can't find the jacket or the shoes, or the keys. Someone left a light on in the van. Can't get it to start....Son is late for the bus.
And I decided to give up Diet Pepsi today of all days.

Kid and Adult friendly Picnic

I was watching a cooking show the other day that showed you how to make the perfect picnic. It showed cute little crab filled deviled eggs, chocolate mouse tart and cafe style paninnis. This is a great picnic for adults that are going to a concert in the park under a shelter that was close to the house (so the food stayed hot or cold). When you are having a picnic for a family of 2 adults and 3 small children you need to be a lot more flexible. So flexible that you can eat the meal in the back of your vehicle when the rain shows up. So flexible that you won't need a lot of ice or any heating devices. Even so flexible that it will please the pickiest of 5 year olds. Here is a great family picnic menu sure to please all.

Crackers (town house club crackers are more filling if considering a dinner picnic)
2 types of cheese (sharp chedder and mozzerella are my faves and they are mild enough the kids will like them)
Pepperoni slices (for the hubby and it tastes great rolled up with a piece of mozzerella)
1 small jar of bread and butter pickles (a little sweet with the savory)
Freshly cut pineapple for dessert

Easy Easy Easy
Guarantteed no left overs and if so it will carry on to the next day for lunches!!

Weather does effect everything!!

Had a good weekend. The first half mama got to have a whole night to herself....refreshing after the initial hour long zone out session after the kids left with Grandma. You want a break, you need a break so you take a break.....then you sit for awhile trying to figure out what it is you wanted to do if you ever had a break!!
Second half of the weekend we tried to have a family day. The long nights with grandma were against us, the grandma lets me do it syndrome was against us and then the weather was against us. Even after planning for everything, swimsuits, snacks, drinks, extra clothes and dinner the day was still full of surprises...and not good ones. However, I did make my kids smile today, we laughed and giggled as a family and my moody kids still wanted to hug and kiss me goodnight.....

Recipe idea for today!!!

The same as yesterday
Call the pizza guy, that you have become close friends with, and order your favorite. You know you don't feel like cooking and you know you don't feel like doing dishes.

That's Life!!!

Typical saturday in the life of a mom:

• Got to sleep in, due to my husbands generosity...thank you dear!
• Because I slept in I felt out of wack and couldn't get in gear.
• My medicine was forever lodged in the back of my throat...sorry I forgot how to spell throat for a second.....the lodged medication made it hard for my cereal to want to stay down....the blasted acid reflux doesn't help.
• I couldn't find a towel to take a shower so had to do something with my bed head and my right contact wouldn't go in my eye without feeling like sand paper.
• Got down stairs and tried to find something to wear...but figured out that you have to actually wash and dry the clothes in order to have everyday clothes available to wear.
• Still couldn't get my act together, tried to do some school work; failed. Tried to go to a yard sale but my daughter, after hurting herself before leaving the house, cried horribly while we were gone and we had to return home.
• Back in the house I became irritated at myself for not accomplishing anything in the first four hours that I had been awake.
• I had to fight my son, who had also gotten hurt on the top of his foot around the same time his sister got hurt, to get his shoes on so we could leave again.
• So returning home from a quick errand with two crabby kids I really did not want to be in my body any more today.

I hung my head, and could only think of two words, THAT'S LIFE!!!

Recipe of the day!!!

Pizza to go!
Pick up the phone tell them your favorites and jump back on the couch and read another book to your kids.

Best meal you will ever eat!

Short but sweet!

Even though I post all the rough stuff about my kids they still are the most happiest when I come home; even if I was only gone for 10 minutes.

I LOVE THEM LITTLE BRATS!!!!

Recip of the day

The most perfect chocolate icing ever invented!
2 sticks butter softened
2 cups powedered sugar
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted
1/2 tsp vanilla

cream butter, add sugar until smooth. Be patient it takes a little bit. add melted chocolate and vanilla and blend well.
This icing works on brownies, cakes, cookies and your finger!!!

Bribery a sin? Is "hurry up" in a kids' vocabulary?

• Whoever says bribery is a sin has never tried to get there kid to eat there lunch so that you can make it to your doctor's appointment.
• Even though your kids have soooo much energy that they could wear out speedy gonzalez (is that how you spell it?) they don't have enough energy to keep moving closer to the door when leaving for church. Church friends that is why I am never on time and only one side of my face has makeup!!!!
• Here is the situation: your son's bus shows up at the bus stop at approximately 1:30 to whenever they feel like it, and you have to walk a 10 - 15 minute walk with a 3 year old and the time is 1:20.............enough said!!!!
• As an adult that has had 3 lovely children your bladder is not what it use to be. Try explaining that to your 3 year old when you are trying to get in the bathroom door that she has locked. She claims to be peeing but her voice is right on the other side of the door. Bladder exploding, you make death threats while she giggles!!!!! Is it time to say thank you God for these lovely blessed children???

Recipe idea of the day!

Southwestern egg beaters with taco sauce served with a warm tortilla.
Walmart is the only place so far that I have found this type of egg beater. I make myself an omelet with some fiesta cheese mix and then pour some taco sauce on top. My indulgence is a tortilla pan fried in butter; just a dab. YUM!!

The first 2 were perfect..well almost!

You would think that the first child would be the more challenging one because you don't know what to expect. Not true! Sure the first diaper, feeding and injury was a challenge but not the biggest challenge. The middle child had his quirks; ok they were more like grating on your nerves annoyances. He wouldn't sleep during the night all the way past 1 year; we burned out 2 copies of Norah Jones keeping him asleep. But still not the most challenging one! The Last Child!!! Now that one is the one your mother wished on you, the one that gives you all the health problems that would normally happen to fifty year olds, the one that exhaust you body, mind and spirit and the one that you cannot wait for school to start. Crying on her first day of school? HMPH! Yeah because of the peace that has fallen on your household and because it is time to pick her up!
Don't get me wrong I love my last child with every ounce of my being; because that is what it takes to change my mind into not giving her back! Out of all my endeavors in life The Last Child is my biggest challenge!

Recipe idea for the day!!!

In a pinch for something sweet and can't get your mind off of that yummy candy bar that you had lastnight? Grab a bowl of cereal instead..and yes make it a sweet kind or add sugar. The milk will fill your belly and soon your mind will move past the chocolate long enough for you to fall asleep!!!

Perfect?!

I try to be the perfect mom. I attend parent/teacher meetings; organize and attend doctor's appointments; even my own; teach the abc's and 123's; keep regular bath times; administer medicines when applicable; provide healthy meals; excluding the busy night mac & cheese and hotdogs meal; wash, fold and sometimes put away the clothes...Well you get the picture. But you know what? I AM NOT PERFECT; not even close. This is who I am. I wasn't even going to have any kids. When someone asked me to watch kids when I was a teenager I ran away as far as I could. I don't even like kids; except my own; most days.
PERFECT?! At the end of the day if at least one of my kids say, "I love you" or "Your the bestest mama ever", then that is perfect enough for me. Even if they don't say it I can try again tomorrow!!!