Interviewing the Crumb Snatchers

I saw this cute kid's interview at Our Simple Life and had to play along. I interviewed both both Hannah and Ryan. But of course Ryan's dance contest with his favorite pals Tuggie and Uncle Rodgie took precedence over talking with momma, I had to wait until it was finished. BTW, Tuggie and Uncle Rodgie are his stuffed dog and Pooh Bear.

Hannah is 6 going on 19.  Ryan is 5, but has PDD/NOS and a mile long list of delays, so if his answers are a little off. 


1. What is something your mom always says to you?

Hannah- "Broken Bones or Bleeding" (This took me a minute to understand what she was saying. Then it dawned on me that I do say something like this..at a least three times a day. When she and Ryan fight I try not to play referee. Heck if I did, I could get nothing else accomplished. So I tell them I don't want to hear any tattling or fussing unless someone has a broken bone or is bleeding. I guess that throws me out of the running for mother of the year, huh?)

Ryan- "Listen to them"

2.What makes your mom happy?

Hannah- "For us to get along" (LOL, yeah, with Hannah and Ryan only being 14 month apart...one minute they are best friends, then the next they have contracts out on each other...any mother knows how annoying that is)

Ryan- "Make them a treat, like I'm doing now"

3. What makes your mom sad?

Hannah- "When you don't get anything for your birthday" (Guess my husband is out for Husband of the year. Nah, she is forgetting my new apron.)

Ryan- "Make..hurt you" (we have bad days)

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

Hannah - "Just wait...I'll show you" She got the bunny teeth. Little teeth that forgot to be put back into the Cooties game...I was just being silly one day...

Ryan- "Play the banjo" (Tickle game, hold their arms and play the banjo by tickling their underarms to silly tunes like Oh Suzanna LOL)

5. What did your mom like to do when she was a child?

Hannah - "Play with her farm set." (I think she is talking about the Little People set I was talking about this morning)

Ryan- "Play"

6. How old is your mom?

Hannah - "Uhhhh 30!" (No, I'm staying 29 forever!!!)

Ryan- "6"

7. How tall is your mom?

Hannah - "51." (HUH?)

Ryan- "This big" (About 5 inches)

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

Hannah - "Knit" (Yeah, this week)

Ryan-"Uhhh, put up my heart" (Huh?)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

Hannah - "Clean the house" (Yeah, pretty much..until they get older then child labor will be mandatory...it's why I had them...totally kidding...well just a little LOL)

Ryan- "Make me a treat"

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

Hannah- "baking" (Look out Betty Crocker)

Ryan- "me" (This makes me a little nervous LOL)

11. What is your mom really good at?

Hannah - "What are you really good at?" (Thanks for the ego boost baby girl)

Ryan-"I'm hungry"

12. What is your mom not very good at?

Hannah - "Needlepoint" (Um, yeah...I bought her a childs needlepoint kit the other day...for ages 6 and up. I must be 4 because I couldn't do it...)

Ryan-"being sad"

13. What does your mom do for her job?

Hannah - "You don't have a job" (If she only knew LOL.)

Ryan-"clean up my room" (No sir! LOL)

14. What is your mom's favorite food?

Hannah - "Shrimp" (Bingo!)

Ryan-"Roast beef"

15. What makes you proud of your mom?

Hannah - "You're going to make me a Butterfly cloth" (knitting pattern)

Ryan-"I give you a hug"

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

Hannah - "Mrs Spider from Sunny Patch"  (Works for me.)

Ryan-"A teenager" (I wish I had the boobs I did back then...they do make good knee warmers now)

17. What do you and your mom do together?

Hannah - "Have fun."

Ryan-"play and make cakes"

18. How are you and your mom the same?

Hannah - "We act the same."

Ryan-"Your pants have snowflakes on it"

19. How are you and your mom different?

Hannah - "We don't wear the same clothes"

Ryan- "We are different sizes"

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

Hannah - "Because no matter what I do she loves me...she is part of my family" (AWWW)

Ryan-"Because I love her back"

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

Hannah - "He is fun to cuddle up with"

Ryan-"Because he is silly"

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Hannah - "Grocery Store and Hobby Lobby" (I sound exciting don't I)

Ryan-"The beach and the market"

The Pink Polka Dotted Princess and the Big Boy Bed

So I'm not really a fan of football. While daddy was busy watching the game with the boys, Hannah and I decided to pass by the boredom with letting her try out my new bath products and lotions. She also requested a manicure. You know she had to pick pink polka dots to match her jammies. 

Master Curly top also decided that he was to big to sleep in his crib any longer. 18 months and he moves like a member of the NYC swat team escaping and scaling anything within site. So he has moved on to his big boy bed. Now if he will just sleep in it and not with the super fab pooch. Holly likes her bed to herself. 

Winter Readiness~Hot Cocoa

I think its finally winter here in the South. I say this because I finally closed my windows this week and had to turn on the heat. Granted it hasn't kicked on much, but at least we have to put on jackets or sweaters before we venture outside. With the kids back in school I like to have something warm and comforting when they walk in the door. Since they get home during my smallest crumb snatchers nap time...they walk unless its raining enough to sweep them away.  

Fridays I make them a special treat if they have had good behavior all week. This is one of my son Ryan's favorite treats. Paired with a few chocolate dipped shortbread cookies...its a chocolate lovers haven. I searched for what seems like ages for the perfect recipe. I hate using jello mixes or store bought mixes, yet wanted something quick, simple, and inexpensive without being gritty or overly sweet. I found what seemed like a perfect recipe on Recipezaar, but tweaked it my way and doubled it for our large family.  

Its the ultimate blend of creamy and smooth, rich chocolate with the perfect cinnamon kick. 

The Perfect cup of Hot Cocoa

Serves 4

1 cup Ghirardelli dark chocolate  sauce

4 cups of whole milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sweetened whipped cream
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
4 cinnamon sticks for added kick and novelty


Combine milk and chocolate sauce in 1-quart microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 5 minutes or until hot.
Stir in ground cinnamon.
Pour into 4 large mugs; garnish with whipped cream, morsels and cinnamon sticks.

Lord grant me patience

So I admit it. I'm a neurotic mother. I've always owned up to it. I worry about my kids behavior, manners, dress, and cleanliness. I boarder on the line between pushy and obsessive. Its all the fault of high expectations. I expect perfection. I never receive it and that's okay...but I expect it. LOL I joke with my friends that instead of a college fund I have therapy funds for my three. But as far as my neurotic quirks, I've always worried that my kids were utter brats. I get the normal back talk from them that I guess most parents get, not that I tolerate it one iota, but hey...kids are kids right? With having my two oldest so close together they can fight like rabid dogs one minute and then the next shouting from the highest peak how much they love their sibling. Being an only child, for years I thought that my children had some sort of relationship complex or inherited bipolar tendencies.

I never knew until 10 minutes ago just how wonderfully behaved my children are. They may whine, complain, and be brats occasionally or have exorcist type tantrums....but they are close enough to perfect for me. Even my son with PDD/NOS and ADHD and other behavioral delays is greatly behaved.

Enters my great nephew. Two months younger than my Ryan who turned 5 in September. My great nephew was invited to spend the night with us for the first time, has graced this house for 10 minutes and already I'm wanting to send him packing. Lord grant me the patience I need to make it until morning without the use of children's benadryl.

Christmas here, Christmas there, Christmas everywhere!

The Christmas season is officially at my house. Our trees are decorated and beautiful. Snowmen, Santa's, and angels are placed throughout the house. Christmas music softly in the background setting the mood. The wonderful smell of spice cake in the air, (thanks to my lovely tart warmer LOL). To kick off the season we always make a ginger bread house. The kids had a blast decorating and frosting it. Looks good enough to eat, and if I know my Ryan, some of the candy will be missing by morning.

How do you get your wiggles out?

I don't know about you but there are days where you feel like just running away...especially some place where silence and coffee are abundant. I have those moments (days LOL) weekly. That's when I like to throw in a CD and let the kids (and mom) get their wiggles out. Some times its Laurie Burkner, Silly Mother Goose songs, or even the sound track to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I know...I'm a dork, but that's besides the point. I'm glad I'm not alone. Heather and Ivy over at Home Ec 101 are having another one of their fabulous give aways. This time a great kids CD. They as mothers know how stressful certain points of the day can be with three kids, and how to turn that stress into something fun.