Thursday, June 16, 2011

Free Food for Your Birthday and More!!

I have spent my morning looking for local restaurants who offer eClubs or Birthday Clubs. I have found these below, and wanted to share them with you! :)


Ruby Tuesdays
.... http://www.rubytuesday.com/
So Connected...you will receive a buy 1 get 1 free entree {up to $10} coupon just for signing up

Sonic.... http://www.sonicdrivein.com/home.jsp#/kids
Birthday Club for kids

Red Lobster.... http://www.redlobster.com/club/

Burger King... http://www.clubbk.com/Register/NewPlayer.aspx
Birthday club for kids

Bob Evans... https://kids.bobevans.com/birthday.asp
birthday club for kids

IHOP... http://ihopcorp.fbmta.com/members/UpdateProfile.aspx?Action=Subscribe&_Theme=30064771093&Inputsource=W
Free meal for signing up, on your birthday, and on the 1 year anniversary for signing up

Stone Cold Creamery... http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/mycsc/

Steak N Shake... http://www.steaknshake.com/eclub
Fill in your birthday and any other special occasion and they will send you a little something extra on those dates!

Haven't signed up yet, but am planning to!

Red Robin... http://www.redrobin.com/eclub/

Monday, June 13, 2011

Monday Musings...

I love my friends! Arlee is spending the night over at a family friend's house. They picked her up after her volunteering today at the karate school, and will be taking her and dropping her off early in the morning for day two of it. I appreciate it so very much! It has helped me out a lot, and will save on the gas it will take this week to get her to and from the karate school! :)

Arlee gave me a call when she got to our friends' house. She said she really enjoyed today! She has to arrive at 8:15am to help get things all set up, and leaves around 3pm, after all her charges are picked up. Arlee told me she has great kids in the group she is helping with...a couple few who have really warmed up to her as well. She is anxious to do it again tomorrow...and also added that she is looking forward to hopefully being able to volunteer next year as well! I'm just so very proud of her!

I had big plans of getting some cleaning, decluttering, and maybe even some organizing done around here today. But, instead, while I was on the treadmill this morning, I was watching Ghost Whisperer...and then Frosty and I was hooked! We ended up spending the whole day watching the last few episodes!

Zach and Liam spent the whole afternoon in the backyard playing. This has been the first year that we are "giving a little" and allowing them outside by themselves. I'll be totally honest and say that I feel panicky the whole time they are out there. So far they have been pretty good about staying where they should. It helps to know that our big ole scary dogs are all out there to keep a close eye on things as well. I check on them frequently....very frequently!!

I will admit that I absolutely LOVE seeing Zach outside playing with Liam instead of being on his video games. I know he loves them so much. He doesn't really "play" a lot of the time. He is very limited with his imagination...but being away from his video games helps that some...which is so wonderful to see. For the most part though...when they are playing around outside...it is just mimicking a video games...but he has to start somewhere, right?

Missed the boys nap today watching Ghost Whisperer with Frosty. I'm sure I'll be paying for that one soon. I never thought I would be one of those mothers who try to work things around my kids' naptime....especially with them being 5yo and 8yo!! But I've found that it makes for a MUCH better evening if they get their naps in.

Last night I made some pancakes so that this morning all we had to do was heat them up a bit and go. It was GREAT! I'm looking to make some Crockpot Breakfast Apple Cobbler for tomorrow morning. I've never made it before, so I'll let you know tomorrow how it turns out! :)

Tonight I'm making some Hashbrown Casserole for dinner. I'll pick a side or two to go along with it. Then some Banana Pudding for dessert. I'm REALLY looking forward to it! We haven't had Hashbrown Casserole in awhile...and it's been AGES since I last made Banana Pudding!

I've noticed that I have not been baking like I used to. I'm really sad about that. I do really miss it. I'm hoping to be finding some more time soon to get back into creating some yummy goodies! :)

Hopefully Danny will be home soon and we can have some coffee together, eat dinner, spend a little family time together, then hit the hay! I've had this horrible headache all day today. I'm looking forward to HOPEFULLY an early bedtime with the boys who have not gotten their naps today!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Frosty Seizure May 7th

Just wanted to update everyone really quick...plus so I have this all written down just in case I ever have to look back for it. We are trying to just compile all the details...so some of the stuff seems like way to much info, but I just want it written down in case we need it later. And I know our family and friends want to stay updated on him. :)

This week, Frosty has been having headaches when he wakes up in the morning. He says they feel pretty bad, but subside after he's been up for awhile. He also had 2 nosebleeds last week.

While Danny and Frosty was at the Matt Maupin Memorial Fishing Tournament {May 7th...around 12pm'ish}...they were sitting on the edge of the water fishing. Frosty remembers looking off to his side/behind him...and that is the last thing he remembers before waking up a bit later. Danny called his name, but he did not respond. Still sitting in his chair, with his head to the side, he was shaking. His eyes were kind of to the side.

Danny scooped him up, and kicked his chair out of the way so he could lay him down on the ground. Danny put Frost over on his side. He noticed that Frosty's lips were turning a blue color, and was sort of foaming at the mouth slightly. It lasted about 1 to 2 minutes.

Once he started coming out of the seizure...Danny asked him where he was, and he wasn't sure. Danny asked him his name, and how old he was...he answered these fine. He was unsure of what day is was when asked, and then was asking Danny what day it was. He was asking if they could leave because he was very tired. It took him a few minutes to really "come back around". On the way home, Danny found out that Frosty did not remember Danny asking him all the questions right afterward. Danny said that it did not seem like it took him as long as last time to "come back around" as the two times before.

Danny cradled Frosty's head with his arm while he was seizing because he thought it was bouncing around so much...hitting the ground kinda hard.

Danny and Frosty ate lunch not long before the seizure started...a hot dog on a bun {ate only part because he saved some for the fish :) }, banana, chips, Sunkist pop. {He also had shredded wheat blueberry cereal for breakfast} On the way home, his stomach was feeling upset, and Danny had to pull over so Frosty could throw up on the side of the road.

Now that he is at home, he does not seem as tired as the two previous times, either. He is right now laying on the couch watching some TV. He currently has not headaches. He has stomachache, just like he did on the way home. No sore muscles, though.

We will be calling the neurologist's office here in just a bit to leave a message for the nurse to let them know what happened.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, well wishes, and support! We appreciate all of it so very much. It means so much to our family!

Monday, May 2, 2011

I Woke Up in the Year 3011

I wanted to share the story that Arlee wrote for a contest going on at our local libraries. It had to beginn with the line, "I woke up in the year 3011...", and had to be 1000 words or less.


“I woke up in the year 3011,” said Jonathan. He was a handsome young man with blond hair and deep brown eyes that if you angered him they would turn as black as night. He looked the part of a bad teenager, but he wasn’t bad. He was, in fact, the complete opposite. He was one who got good grades and helped old ladies cross the street, but if he was mad he had a complete personality change. Natalie made him stay calm for the most part.

“I remember when that happened,” said Natalie, “I was there too, remember?” Natalie was the prettiest girl in school, but she was also the shyest. She had long black hair that covered her face; she had brilliant blue eyes and a kind smile. She looked like a model and that made other girls jealous so they avoided her normally.

“Tell us, Tell us!” chanted a group of children; JoJo, Katherine, and KC. Jojo was a blond-haired, hyperactive five year old, Katherine was a black haired girl who loved to dance, and KC was a brown haired tomboy who loved wrestling. The trio loved to hang out with Jonathan and Natalie because of Jonathan’s wild stories and Natalie’s sweet personality.

“I don’t know,” said Jonathan playfully, “Do you think we should, Nat?”

Natalie said with a wink, “Hmmm…. I guess we should Jonny—but what do you say kids?” She giggled.

“Pleaseee,” wined Jojo and Katherine at the same time.

“What about you KC? Don’t you want to hear my story?” asked Jonathan sorrowfully.

KC groaned out a, “Fine…..please?” She looked very unhappy about having to ask.

Jonathan jumped up, saying dramatically, “Are you three ready to hear a story that will make you laugh, cry, and keep you on the edge of your se— Ouch!” He was hit in the leg by Natalie, “Hey!!”

Natalie grabbed the back Jonathan’s shirt and pulled him down. “Alright don’t get their hopes up. Its not that good.” She said impatiently, “Now calm down.”

“Oh, Fine!!” He said crossly. His eyes started turning black.

“Cool it,” Natalie said calmly, “Anyway we promised the kids a story”

“Oh right,” He said, “well….I woke up in the year 3011….
When I opened my eyes I saw what looked like giant Frisbees! They were UFOs! I stood up just to jump back down again; I almost got hit by one!”

“Hello Human,” said Jonathan like a robot, “What are you doing on the ground?”
The boy started making robotic noises and started to dance the robot.

“Johnny? What are you doing?” asked Natalie.

Jonathan started to blush, “Oops, I—uh—got in the moment…” Natalie started to giggle again.

“Jonn,” wined Katherine, “What happened next??”

“Did the robot take you to its maker?” asked Jojo.

KC asked, “Was its creator an Alien?”

Natalie, wanting to add to the series of questions by the kids, “Did the alien take your brain and exchange it with a dog’s??”

Jonathan looked at Natalie with a twinkle in his eye. Then he started barking and howling, and then tackled her to the ground.

“Ruff,” Jonathan said with a snicker.

“Jonny!” giggled Natalie, “get off me! And quit eating so many dog treats you weigh a ton!”

Jonathan pretended to lick her and then got up. “Okay, back to my story,
I asked the robot where was I - on some sort of highway? No wonder I almost got hit 10 times……in a row.”

Natalie laughed, “In a row? You never told me that part”

“There was a reason why I didn’t,” Stated Jonathan, “So the robot took me to its domain. It was a butler robot programmed to work for its master. Who I had the unlucky task of meeting; It was a giant, green, smelly alien!”

“Knew it,” Smirked KC.

“Oh! I know this part!” Natalie looked overly excited, “It’s where I come in!!” She smiled a huge grin.

“Any more interruptions?” asked Jonathan rather irritably, “No? Let me continue;
As I was sitting across a coffee table from the alien the butler robot in with Nat. She ran into my arms saying “I love you so much Jonn—”Nat are you blushing? You are!! ” Jonathan started laughing just to have Natalie’s empty lunch sack thrown into his mouth. “Yuck…Plastic!” he exclaimed.

“That part did not happen!!”

“But you wish it did!!”

“Do not!!” Natalie blushed even more.

“Apparently you do,” Laughed Jonathan. He glanced over at Natalie. She looked ready to kill. “I’m going to continue the story now…
As I said before, the butler robot came in with Nat, saying “I found another one, master.” Nat walked to the couch where I was sitting and sat next to me.”

Natalie cut in, “it was weird sitting across from that thing, but then it started talking. Its voice sounded like someone speaking and trying to drink at the same time. It said, “So I found the two time walkers. You two high jacked my time machine! So where is it, chillllldreennnn?” It hissed at the end.”

“So I yelled at him,” Jonathan started again, ““We don’t know what you’re talking about! We just want to go home, back to 2011!” Then he hissed-slash-growled and started to chase us! I grabbed Nat’s hand and ran; we ran and ran through door ways and passages until we hit a dead end. I turned hoping to see another door way but unfortunately, nothing. I did see the Alien heading straight for us. And then –” Jonathan paused for dramatic effect.

“Jonnnaathhhaaannnn,” Jonathan’s mom yelled, “Time for dinner!!”

“Alright! Bye guys! Bye Natalie,” Jonathan winked, “I guess this story has to be continued later.” He laughed and ran towards his house.

The trio of children asked, “Natalie!! What happened next?? Tell us….please?”

“You have to wait, I don’t tell it half as well as Jonny,” She said thinking of what happened with a loving smile, thinking to herself Thank you for saving me, Jonny.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Newport on the Levee Art Show

Yesterday was such a great day!! The sun was shining...the temp was perfect...the breeze was devine!! What a wonderful day after so many gloomy rainy days!!

Arlee had a Girl Scout outing to Scarsborough Fair Pottery. Her troop was working with an older troop as a requirement for bridging. She made 2 small vases. We will be able to get them back at a later date from her troop leader...after they have been fired and such. I can't wait to see them!! She's now asking for a potter's wheel! :)

After I dropped Arlee off for her Girl Scout outing, I ran back home. Made lunch while Danny moved some wood out in our yard. After we all finished eating, we headed over to my IL's to visit for a bit. We were running a little late, so it wasn't long after we arrived, Danny ran up to pick up Arlee. It's right down the street. He took his mom along to give her a ride in our new minivan.

We all were enjoying some yummy smoothies out on Danny's parent's back deck. They just got one of those Magic Bullet blender/choppy things...and it was GREAT for the smoothies!! They were so very good! And great on a day like yesterday!

Danny, Arlee, and I then headed down to Newport on the Levee for an Art Show going on in the Mall. Out in the square, there was a guy up on stilts, and a guy doing some street magic! After a bit, we headed inside to look around! One of the first booths we found was the facepainting one! What the artist created was beautiful and amazing!! And she did it in like less than 10 mins!!















































Arlee had such a great time walking around looking at everything! There was also an art gallery in the Mall as well. So, of course, we walked thru there as well! I told her, "you never know...soon we might see YOUR stuff up on those walls!"


Danny bought Arlee 2 prints of these really nice paintings. She really was drawn to them. Now we just have to get her some frames...and find a place on her walls for them!

After hitting up the pirate store, we headed outside to take in the scenic view of Cincy! Plus the clouds were amazing looking over the bridge...










































So that was our yesterday! It was just such a wonderful day!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Hawaiian Delight Pie



Hawaiian Delight Pie

3 large, or 4 medium-sized eggs, beaten slightly

1 cup sugar

1 cup grated or flaked coconut

1 cup drained crushed pineapple

1/2 stick {4 Tbsp} butter, melted

pinch of salt

unbaked 8" pie shell

1. Mix first 6 ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Pour into unbaked pie shell.

3. Bake at 350 for 10 mins., and then at 325 for 40 minutes, or until lightly browned and knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Tip: If you use a foil pie pan, fill it, and then place it on a cookie sheet to bake. That will help the bottom crust to bake more fully.

This pie is so easy to make! And it tastes really good, too! Right at this moment, I have mine cooling on the counter under my kitchen window { pic above :) }! I can not wait to get a slice of it after Easter lunch today!

Monday, February 28, 2011

Frosty's Fall

Had a bit of a scare this morning.

After Frost finished up his math lesson, I sent him to have a quick break while I was finishing up some work on the computer. Not 2 minutes later, we hear a big crash...and in our house, that is really not so unusual, more like a daily occurrence...so I yell out, "What happened?" No one responded...which is not uncommon either around here. I then hear Liam talking about paint. Telling someone, "...it's paint. You have it on your face." He was repeating himself, so whoever he was talking to was not acknowledging him...as he does this often. My first thought was him and Zach were messing around in our paint supplies. I hopped up to find out what they were doing.

I end up walking over to find Liam kneeling over Frosty who was laying face down on top of a trifold display board. {The night before, Frost had used a bunch of stuff he found, like the trifold, to build a fort so he and Danny could have a dart gun war.} I called out Frosty's name, and he did not respond to me. So I yelled his name, and he looked up at me...the whole left side of his face, and his nose and mouth were covered in blood! There was also a bunch of blood smeared on the trifold.

As he looked up at me, he was looking at me, but he was NOT actually seeing me. Took me a bit to get him up. I kept asking him to tell me what had happened. He was still not responding to me...not talking at all...just looking around very dazed. I started to go into panic mode. I started talking a little louder, telling him to LOOK AT ME, he had a very hard time staying focused on me. I was trying to ask Liam what had happened, but he wasn't much help.

I got Frost to the couch and sat down. He FINALLY started trying to answer my questions. He was trying to convince me that he was tired and just laid down to sleep. I would tell him, "Frost. We heard the crash, you have blood on you, I think you fell." He would, a little too calm for me, responded with...I was asleep. I just told him he had blood on his face...and he didn't react to that at all.

As he was starting to talk a little more...we were asking him about what happened. And what happened before the fall...like what he did this morning. He couldn't remember...or he thought he had done it yesterday. We had to fill him in, and remind him of what we did this morning.

I got really worried because he kept telling me he was really tired...and his eyes kept drooping. I called Danny. I was sitting right next Frost talking to Danny telling him what happened, that I was worried, and that he needed to come home NOW! Crying the whole time!

After I got off the phone with Danny, I had to get a tissue. I went into the kitchen, when I did Frosty got up, took maybe 1 to 2 steps, and fell again! I got him back to the couch again. Which was about when Danny called back again. I made Arlee sit with Frosty to make sure he stayed put, and stayed awake. Danny told me he would meet us up at the hospital.

So after a quick throw together of Frosty and myself...who both of us, like a lot of home schoolers, were still in our night clothes...got out the door, in the van, and on our way. Of course, I was OUT OF GAS!! UGH!! So we had to stop on the way to fill up. I was so worried to leave him in the van alone, but I hated to make him walk in the store either!! I just hurried up...paid for the gas, got him something to drink, filled up and we were on our way again.

By the time we got to the hospital...he was talking much better. Remember when I mentioned about calling Danny when I was sitting right next to Frosty?? Well, he started telling me that he got scared when I was rushing around the house. I said to him, "It probably didn't help that I was freaking out on the phone to Daddy sobbing all over the place." He said, "I didn't see you. You must have been in the kitchen then."

He had asked me 3 different times, on the way, where he was when I found him. He also let me know that his cheek hurt. Inside and out. He showed me the inside, which was pretty cut up. Probably was bleeding as well when he hit. Once at the hospital we found on Frosty's left cheek, it became swollen, red and purple'ish, and there was a line like he hit the edge of something. He also has a mark on the side of his neck and on his chest/stomach.

When we finally got to see the dr, they did a once over on him. All his vitals were good. The dr said with the cut up inside cheek and how long it really took Frost to "pull back together", and loss of memory, he's leaning toward seizure. They did a EKG, and the one thing they were looking for which would suggest a possible seizure, was not there. They also drew blood which they said came back fine.

I have an appointment for tomorrow for us to go see our family dr for a referral to see a pediatric neurologist.

We are keeping our fingers crossed that it is ONLY that he just tripped over something, fell, and knocked himself out for a minute there. He does not remember falling at all. He remembers finishing up his math, and going into the living room. He remembers Liam asking him to fix the dvd player so he could use it. We have this older tv that they use to just watch dvd's in our living room...it's sitting on the floor. Frosty's "fort" he was building was sorta around this...and with all the extra stuff piled up, Liam couldn't get the dvd to work with the remote. SO Frosty went to move the dvd player on top of the tv....it fell, and he picked it up again and put it on the tv again. And that's it. He doesn't remember anything else after that. So we don't know if he tripped over something, if he just got up too fast and fainted, or if maybe he did have a seizure and fell because of it.

Oh gosh...I forgot. When the dr was explaining stuff to us...letting us know it could be a fainting spell, he said that sometimes over emotional stuff could bring it on. Then he started talking seizures...next thing you know, Danny's getting majorly light headed!! Almost had him pass out on me too!!!

What a day! I will keep everyone updated on how Frosty is doing. He's resting right now on the couch.