Kansas State Fair

This past week the Kansas State Fair has been going. It has always been a favorite past time of my family to go. 

When I was younger my dad and mom would take us on the first Friday night because it was free for us to get in. We would walk all the buildings and grab a bunch of free stuff we didn't need but thought was the coolest thing since sliced bread.

Come on who doesn't want a salt cube that cows use? Shoot that was the bomb.com! 

It actually taste like crap but we thought it was awesome! 

We would also see all the animals that they had there to win the blue ribbon. Honestly this is probably my favorite part of the fair. I don't know what it is because I could have just gone to my moms cousins farm in Salina and saw the same thing. Shoot I can drive down the street and see 20 cows. My backyard has chickens and rabbits for goodness sake. 

I told you all I am a Kansas girl. Or should I say I told ya'll I'm a Kansas girl. 

We also had dinner at whatever place we chose which usually ended up in us all wanting 5 different things. My parents didn't care though they did it for us. I usually got a Pronto Pup which is just a corn dog but 2,000 times better. You think I am joking come taste one and you will agree! However they are so bad for you. 

My parents also let us go one other day. It was always a Wednesday. It was also ride-o-Rama day. We paid for a bracelet  that would allow us to ride as many rides as we wanted. It was the amazing! 

When I was in high school my dad and step mother bought a fair booth with two other couples. It was called Messy Marvins. If I wasn't in school or volleyball practice I was at Messy Marvins. This is where I fell in love with fried pickle spears. 

OH MY GOSH these things are to die for! I have not found anything that taste like them since my dad decided it was the last year. Trust me I look every year for them and no one has come close to my first love. 

This year we took the boys on Monday during the day. It was dollar day so you get in for only a dollar vs the $10. We actually got in for free because we had a Dillion's card. Anyone who showed one got in for free. The boys were free because of how young they are. We took them to the pig races!!! It is D3's favorite and we have to see it every year. All it really is is 4 pigs running around a little race track to get an Oreo cookie which is at the end of the track as well as pig feed. Add a crazy announcer with some pig cheerleaders and you have a crazy fair event that every kid wants to see. Well not Bug but he doesn't understand what was going on and there were marching bands walking by that he would rather watch. 

One of my favorite things we saw that day was a Tiger show. There were 6 female tigers which did an arrange of different tasks for chucks of raw meat. Some of the tigers jumped boxes, dance, through hoops, and stand on their hind legs. The coolest tiger was the one who was walking on a tight rope. Seriously on a tight rope!!!! 

I was a little worried for the trainer running the show. One of those tigers was not very corporative and I was just waiting for her to do something. Thank goodness she didn't. 

After the tiger show was lunch and seeing some animals. D3 really enjoyed it because we went to the birthing center and a baby cow was just born. There was also baby sheep. Not going to lie but it was disgusting. The cow wasn't completely clean yet and there was still blood and fluids all over. 

So....gross.

So gross. 

We took the boys home after we saw the animals because Bug was getting sleepy so we thought it would be better to let him sleep than try to fight him. After SJ got out of school we walked to the fair grounds since her school is two blocks away. We let them ride a few rides since the rides were all one ticket. 

We then took the kids home so we could have a date night at the demolition derby. I have never been to a demolition derby so this was a new adventure for me! 

The hubby loved it! He wasn't getting into it like a lot of the people there were but he really enjoyed it. He told me he had no idea what was going on half of the time but he really enjoyed it. 

I am ready for the fair to be done. My allergies can't stand it because of all the dust and animals. 

It was a really good day and I am looking forward to next year! 

Do you have a favorite past time with your family? 

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Quote of the week #5

I have been very lucky to have found my best friend when I was 16. We both decided to give our summer up one year and participate in the Ulster Project. That summer together changed me in ways I could never explain. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be able to be a part of something so amazing. 

I have not been so lucky to live in the same town as my best friend. We are almost 5,000 miles apart and have been for 14 years. 

She however has always been my rock. 

She has been the one I go to whenever I have a problem. 

She makes me see both the good and the bad. 

She keeps me level headed. 

She makes me laugh and smile when I don't want to. 

She tells me I am being ridiculous when I don't want to hear it. 

She makes me feel like I am doing something right when everything is going wrong. 

She makes me a better person and I don't know where I would be without her. 

I may not get to see her everyday or talk to her exactly when I think I need to but I will always know she is there for me when I need her the most. I will always know that she loves me and my kids with all her heart. That is what being a best friend is all about. 

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A Journey in Speech Therapy

D3 has had a rough time with his speech for a while. He started speech therapy last year around this time which I have seen a great improvement in his vocabulary. If you want to read more about where his journey started read What Did He Say?!?!

I have been so focused on his speech that I haven't noticed how smart he is and the things he has learned. I was able to see all of that this week. D3 had a screening for his preschool. I was a little confused as to why he would have to do that because he already has an IEP.



When we got there they were running a tad bit behind so D3 and I had to sit for a little while. He was a good little trooper while we were there. I had a notebook with some pens and highlighters in my bag so he just sat there and colored until it was his turn

Fortunately for us we did not have too wait long!

He went inside this small room that is used for Sunday school since his preschool is in a church. He sat in this little blue chair while I sat behind him in a green arm chair.

His teacher proceeded to go through 4 test. She asked him to count as high as he could. He clear as day said ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, FIVE! Okay okay we need to work on some of his numbers but hey he got 8 out of 10 right! For a lil guy who couldn't even say nine last year we have made some significant progress.

The next three test he had were all timed. His teacher explained that she did not think he would get all the answers 100% right or any of them for that matter.

The first test he did was that he had to identify the number which he saw in the book that she had. She flipped over the first page and demonstrated for him what she wanted him to do. He quickly got the hang of it. The first number he saw was a one which he could identify quickly as well as the next three numbers. He then saw the number 18.....EEEKKK that's a big number. He just looks at her and shrugs his shoulders and says "Me No Know!" She told him that was fine because it was a BIG number. When he got a few more numbers in the teens he told her that it was a ONE and a TWO when it was 12. He is so stinking cute!

The third test he had to complete was to point which bunch of dots had more in it than the others. My little man only got two wrong! How stinking smart is that kid!!! Some of those were so hard for a 3 year old.

The final test D3 completed was counting all the dots which were on the page. Oh boy where there a lot! He looked at the page and said WHOA! It was actually quite cute and made me as well as his teacher giggle! She demonstrated for him what he needed to do then allowed him to get started. He only had 30 seconds to do this test. I am not sure how long he had for the others but it seemed like a lot longer. He started counting the dots in the top row then went down the border then across the bottom row and then followed in a creative pattern. His teacher let him know that he was the first one to count the dots in that way. She also told him she was proud of him because she heard him say some numbers in the teens.

I guess all the counting has done some good!

When it was time to go D3 ran up to his teacher and gave her a huge hug!!!

This brought tears to my eyes. He has made me so proud with how much he has learned in the short amount of time. His speech has doubled in that short time. I still have to pinch myself to remind myself how far he has come.

He is really an amazing little boy.

He makes me smile at how well he has done.

Have you had a moment when your child made you smile and cry at the same time? Have they surprised you at how much they knew? Leave me a comment and tell me all about it!

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Interview with a PreSchooler

Last week I had sat down SJ while D3 was taking a nap or supposed to be taking a nap and asked her 15 questions before kindergarten. I thought why not do the same for him since he is going to preschool again this year.  

Let me tell you coming up with some questions for D3 was hard! I even had to ask for help from friends. 

Back 2 School

I have been dreading SJ going to Kindergarten. I don't know how I am going to deal with her being gone ALL day long. However it is a milestone that I am more than proud of her for reaching. 

SJ and I had some mother daughter time going through her school supply list. We even went to Walmart just the two of us. She loves when she gets Momma time because it doesn't happen as often as she would like. That is something I am working harder on for not just her but all the kids. 

A Playdoh Alternative: Cloud Dough

SJ and D3 have always liked to play with messy things. I on the other hand do not like being the one who cleans up the mess. I am trying very hard how to come up with new ways to hone in on their creativity. I was able to find the recipe for fizzing cloud dough from Powerful Mothering on Pinterest the other day.

It is perfect for us since everything I used was already in my cabinet. 

1 cup of flour

1 cup of baking soda

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

Food coloring

Now I did it a little different than the recipe I found for a few reasons...my kids can't agree on one color between them. If I allowed SJ to choose everything would be pink and sparkly. D3 would have everything blue. Special K would probably have it be purple or black....depends on her day. Also I decided to not color it completely so my kids could search for the different colors that are within the dough. 

All I did was mix the baking soda and flour together then added the oil. When I added the oil I used my hands to mix everything and pinch the oil that bunched together. I then added drops of pink, purple, green, and blue food coloring directly to the dough. If you have the powder dye you could use that instead. If you want the dough to be all one color you would then add the coloring to the oil before mixing. 

After everything was mixed together I separated the cloud dough into two boxes. I don't have a sensory box for them which would have totally worked better. It was just something I have never put on my list of things to purchase. It will be now! There was one for SJ and one for D3...K was at her moms so she didn't get to join in the fun. 

I gave them each a tablespoon and some Playdoh molds then let them go to town!

SJ did a very good job about keeping the cloud dough in the box. She really liked using the PlayDoh molds for stamps and didn't care to get too messy with her hands.


D3 wasn't so good about keeping the cloud dough in the box....you can't tell in this picture but he got it all over his legs and the ground. Good thing I was thinking for once and had them do it on the tile so it would be easier to clean up! Yay for this momma!!! He loved putting his hands in it and squishing it.

When it was time to clean up I brought out white vinegar and poured it on their cloud dough. I explained to them that the fizzing which occurred was a chemical reaction. They could honestly care less and just wanted to play with it. However D3 did want me to keep putting the vinegar all over his cloud dough. I didn't get a picture of the reaction due to my hand being all doughy and not wanting to make a mess on my phone.

I will be making this again for the kids. Next time I will make two different batches. One for each kid. I will also make the dough completely one color instead of speckled. They didn't really care about the color specks and would of enjoyed it all one color.

Over all this sensory activity taught the kids different textures, a chemical reaction, and allowed them to be artistic. It was also edible if Bug happen to get some in his mouth! It was an A in my book!!!

Do you guys have any sensory activities that you particularly like for your kiddos? If so leave me a comment and let me know about it!


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Take Me Out to the Ball Game

I have always enjoyed going to baseball games whether they are little kids t-ball or major leagues. I even asked to go to a minor league game for my birthday when I was in grade school. It was one of my favorite birthdays prior to having my kids. These birthdays are the bomb.com if I do say so!

Quote of the Week #4

I remember being 22 and not having a care in the world! All I had to do was finish my degree and work so I could pay my rent. I didn't have any little humans pulling at my pants to give them some milk or kiss a boo boo. Those days were super easy! But was all the partying and not caring worth it? Probably not....

Being a parent is the hardest work I have ever done. You don't get rewards or prizes for the work you have done. If you do it probably comes in the form of a dirty diaper. You aren't recognized for the late nights and early mornings because you are expected to "work" those hours. 

There are so many days when I would like to throw in the towel because the baby has been up since 3 am or the 7 year old continues to give me attitude.

The worrying about whether I am making new the most epic mistake of the year, scared that something is going to happen to my babies, or even the times when I want to pull my hair out because I have listened to the same gosh darn movie for the thousandth time is totally worth the hugs I get at bed time. It makes the kisses seem sweeter. It is something I wouldn't change for all the money in the world. 

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Extracurricular Activities Yes? No?

There is always a debate about whether or not you should put your kids in extracurricular activities. I have been thinking a lot about this recently. I am all for putting them in those activities and I have done so with my children. SJ is starting her second year of dance which she adores! Both D3 and SJ will be starting fall soccer soon. This will be the first year for both of them and they are super excited! I believe that they will benefit from these activities. I also know that I have benefited from being in extracurricular activities. I was lucky enough to have part of my college education paid for because I could shoot a basketball and kick a soccer ball. I will be forever grateful to my parents for putting me in those activities growing up.

A Tragedy That No Parent Wants to Deal With

I write this post with a heavy heart. Not because I am any way related or know this family but because it hurts my Mommy heart.

Sunday, August 2nd the world lost a little boy due to an accident at a baseball game in Wichita Kansas during the National Baseball Congress World Series. He was struck accidentally on the head on Saturday during a game by a practice swing while he was retrieving a bat. He was rushed to the hospital where he fought for his life. 

Alice is NOT in Wonderland

I remember it clearly....I drove into our driveway and all I see is this little brown hutch. It was dark out so I had thought it was a cabinet or a desk or something my husband was going to fix up.

Oh boy was I WRONG!!!

I got SJ out of the van and was carrying Bug and his carrier into the house when I hear those deadly words. 

"Momma it's a BUNNY!!!!"

What the!!! I thought she was joking but NOPE! There was a little white rabbit sitting in this little brown rabbit hutch. 

Getting Ready for Kindergarten

Last week we received SJ's paperwork for Kindergarten. I almost cried! I am not kidding! I seriously had tears well up in my eyes because I realized how big she is getting.

This was SJ's 1st day of preschool last year and I cried leaving her.

Quote of the Week #3

Since my journey as a mom began I have always known that I would never know what would come out of their mouth. There are some days I worry if they will say the wrong thing to the wrong person. I have been pretty lucky that people who know my kids know that they are being silly when they are telling stories.

My quote this week isn't one from a book or a movie. It is one straight out my babes mouth. 

I was at work this week and received a text message from my husband that said this quote. I was like "What?!?" and all he told me was "Your daughter"

That totally explains it all....

SJ is my 5 year old. She is the one who says random off the wall things such as "If we didn't have bones we would be floppy." 

She also said that we should cook bunnies for the poor family in the same conversation. 

I'm not sure where she comes up with this other than me telling her to be thankful for what we have because there are a lot of people who have less than we do. I could go on and on about her but I will save it for another post! 

I hope this weeks quote gave you a giggle as it did me!

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Painting with Toddlers

I struggle at times to tap into my childrens creative side. Why? I'm not sure. Part of me doesn't want to deal with the mess. The other part of me thinks it is really hard to allow them to do it own their own.

Quote of the Week #2

My Dad's 59th birthday was yesterday July 25th. He spent the day working, attending Saturday night mass with me and my kids, and supporting the Ulster Project by attending the Blarney Sampler. He really spend his day helping me wrangle my kids and telling them to be quiet.

Dad has dealt with so much in his life. Probably more than I know about and that is ok. It may not be fair but unfortunately that is life.

My mom got breast cancer when I was in Kindergarten and passed away when I was in second grade. He raised three little girls on his own for a very long time until he remarried. My dad had to sit by while he watched us hurt because we were without our mother. There was nothing he could do but hold us and cry. He is the strongest man I know! Dad had to go back to school at night so he could give us a life he thought we deserved. My dad made sure our lives remained the same. He made sure we still did the things we loved. Not many men could of stepped up like he did.

This quote is perfect for him! 

I use the things he taught me everyday. 

He taught me how to love even when they don't deserve it. 

He taught me how to work hard. 

He taught me that honesty is the best policy.

He taught me to pray when you aren't sure what to do.

He taught me that dance parties are the best when getting ready for school.

He taught me how to reach the stars.

He taught me that popcorn makes everything better. Don't ask...

I may not remember spending his birthday together but I will remember him teaching me how to be a good person. I will remember him telling me he is proud of me for finishing college in 4 years instead of messing around. I will remember the hugs he gives me every time we leave each other. There is no way I can forget the look on his face when he held my children for the first time. His heart is one of the things that makes him such an amazing man. I am forever proud to be his daughter. 

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5 Things I Learned Nursing

Not everybody can nurse their child and not everybody wants to. That is totally fine! It is your choice and I support you!

There were some days I wished my husband was the one who did the nursing so I could get a good nights sleep! I wasn't that lucky though.

Worst Day of My Life

It all started off as a normal day. I drove to work like normal. Read my emails and listened to voicemails like I do everyday. The only out of the ordinary thing I had to do was meet a client in the ER because they were having a psychological break down but I have done that before so it was not that different.

My day was going fine. I was sitting in an ER room with my client and her guardian researching information on my phone. Not too bad even though I am sure there were 20 other things I could be doing. 

I get a text from my husband. "Call me as soon as you can."

My Top 10 Children's Movies

As parents we watch a lot of movies on repeat. I will be the first one to tell you that some days I would rather run my foot over with a car than watch that movie one more time! I have compiled a list of movies that I would gladly watch 12 times in a row....and maybe when the kids are asleep. This is not a review of these movies just a reason why I would watch them over and over and over and....well you get the point.

What did he say?!?

"Momma! Fi scnalfoe bakcoe wofjxkay!" 

"What?!?"

Huge sigh..."Momma! Fi scnalfoe bakco wofjxkay!"

"What Bubba? Momma doesn't understand."

"Ugh! Momma!!!!"

My son will be 4 in September and he has yet to speak a complex sentence clearly.

What's this about?!?

Oh my goodness! Thank you for clicking whatever link you did to get here! It seriously means so much to me that you would take time to read this crazy shenanigans of a blog I am writing. Fun fact about me...my grandmother used to always say shenanigans so now whenever I hear it or even say it I think of her. Sometimes I am scared I am turning into my Irish Catholic Grandmother. Yup scary thought.