If you noticed, why didn't you tell me?

So I decided that I wanted a new look for the ol' blog for the new year. I looked through some of my picture files and found one from our many outings to see fire works over the Fourth of July holiday. I loved it that my kids looked so sweet together and my husband looked so happy.


Look closer!


Did you notice that my kids were both looking off...in a rather embarrassed way?


Did you notice that my husband looked really happy???


Did you notice the reflection of what my husband was looking at in his glasses?

Happy 4th of July, y'all. Do join us for the festivities next year, ok?

How to know if it is "Uummm Uummm Good!"

So today at school, I overheard someone in the main office talking about Chicken~n~Dumplins and I immediately knew what the Salyards family would be having for dinner. You see, my mom makes some of the best Chicken~n~Dumplins I have ever tasted and it is WAY easy. I made her recipe even easier tonight. My mouth was watering as I smelled the pot of delicious bubblin (I'm leavin out the g in ing on purpose cause I type like I think/talk and right now thinkin and typin about the dumplins, I'm thinkin I don't need no g's)on my stove top. I knew it was gonna be good y'all. Read that sentence with your best Paula Deen voice.

Well, we sat down to dinner and Kindergarten PrincessGirl who only takes cheese sandwiches or purchases grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch promptly asked if she could take some of that yummy stuff in her lunch box tomorrow.

That, my friends, is how you know your dumplins are Uummm Uummm Good!

Want to make some for your family? Here's what you do:
Go to SuperTarget.
Get a roasted chicken, some 2-3 cans chicken stock, and 2-3 cans of biscuts.
Go home.
Pour chicken stock in your big soup pot and bring it to a boil.
While it is getting hot, cut your biscuts into quarters.
Drop biscut pieces into the boiling goodness. Biscuts will begin to get puffy.
While this is happening, cut up the chicken (this is where I cheated, Cookie usually boils her chicken or at least chicken breasts.)
Add the chicken to the pot.
Put in some thyme, cracked pepper and a couple of bay leaves.
When it looks good to you, eat it!

Happy New Year, Y'all!

Elf MyKids

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

G is for God and JeJus has a birthday

On the way home from Furr's Cafeteria yesterday (no we are not senior citizens, we just enjoy a place where LittleMan can eat beans and meat and PrincessGirl can eat mashed potatoes and pie and DaddyMan and I can eat spinach or greens without stinking up the house after a morning full of worshiping our Lord, thank you very much) following church, DaddyMan and I overheard PrincessGirl talking to her brother in the back seat.

PrincessGirl: Brother, do you want me to tell you about God?
LittleMan: Ess
PG: Did you say yes, brother?
LM: Ess
PG: OK, God starts with G just like you and He can live in our hearts with Jesus.
LM: JE JUS???
PG: Yep, Jesus. He has a birthday in December just like you. It's called Christmas.

DaddyMan and I shed a few tears over that little exchange. I am so glad that God picked me to be their Mommy.

Bye Bye Paci, Hello Big Boy Bed

LittleMan has had his paci a lot longer than PrincessGirl had hers.
He only gets in in his crib when he is going to sleep, but he loves it.
Even two at at time on occasion.

So, you know that I'm an aunt, right?

Well, I offered up our crib for precious nephew. You know what that means...time to evict LittleMan. I'm sure that Graham could wait a while longer since he is still cozy in his little isolette in the NICU, but when I get something in my head, it has to be done.

We knew that LittleMan would probably need a little motivation to make this move, we decided that a car bed was the way to go. We checked out ToysRUs, BabiesRUs, an upscale kids furniture store and settled on Craig's List. I had no idea how fun that list was! After only a few clicks and a short drive up the street, LittleMan was the proud owner of a Ferrari Bed. This is not your run of the mill plastic LittleTykes race car bed, it is a red lacquer Ferrari Bed!

You should know that big boys don't take their pacifiers in their big boy beds, so it was time to say ByeBye. LittleMan and I headed out to purchase a big bouquet of balloons. We picked up DaddyMan and PrincessGirl and headed to the park to release the paci. We tied our two remaining pacis to the strings of the balloon while LittleMan enjoyed a few last seconds of his Paci bliss.

Eventually, the wind picked up and pulled the paci right out of LittleMan's mouth. The balloons carried them away. LittleMan was quite shocked and even chased after the balloons for a few seconds before he realized that his attempt was futile. He began crying big ol' tears and saying, "Bye Bye Paci! Bye Bye Balloons!" DaddyMan scooped him up and they watched as the balloons carried the pacis toward Denton.

We then played at the park for a while.

Finally we returned home to build the big Ferrari bed. LittleMan was crazy about his big car bed and new sheets and blanket. When bed time came, he climbed in and went to sleep with very little trouble at all.

He is so big!

Night-night LittleMan, I love you!