Jan 29 2012- Chef Maddie at your service

For Christmas Maddie got an Easy Bake Oven....

never in a million years did I think it would be a pain to get the right lightbulbs, transformer, or cake mixes for this thing... but in the end it was a blast...

Maddie Collin and Chris spent about 2 hours playing with this thing.. Maddie did all the work on the cake and Collin made 6 cookies!!!

I have a video but Ill post that to FB.. but here's a photo of them prosting (CHEERS!!) with there cookies... (As they do everything else) for a job well done..

Teamwork has never looked so cute...

Jan 28 2012- puppy love

Maddie has been OBSESSED with the dogs lately... making sure they eat all there food, to wanting to take them on walks all the time.. to giving them lots of hugs and kisses... now Apollo would let her kiss, hug and pet him ALL day long... but Butters on the other hand... likes about 2 seconds of it then she's done...

but this is a RARE photo that Butters actually sat next to Maddie for about 20 min while she pet and kissed her... (they were watching a movie together )

This photo is being frames... it is one of my ALL time favorite photos....

Jan 27 2012- would you like cheese with that?

Today I had a tupperware party to go to hosted by one of my coworkers... she loves Maddie although she had never met her... (she has seen all the videos and photos.. I mean who couldn't love her...) so I thought I would take her along...

As Maddie called it it was a girls party... and Chris and Collin were having there boy's party...


so we went to Burger King (fancy I know) for dinner and then off to a tupperware party!!!

Jan 26-2 2012..... mmmmm BACON

2 posts in one day... you are lucky!!!

 Today Chris came home with 10 POUNDS OF BACON... you read that right... 10 POUNDS....

Now Im one who loves bacon, Im not a vegetarian.... but 10 pounds is a little much..

~side note: I must say that we did NOT eat 10 pounds... this was for work.. they were making breakfast tacos ~

so Chris was in charge of bacon... omg... I will be fine if I don't eat bacon for the next year... I think my kitchen will smell that way for months to come....

Jan 26 2012 The stars at night are big and bright....

Today I was in a crafty mood (really are you surprised?) so I dug out some mason jars that I have stashed in the basement.. and some glow in the dark paint (thank you Melanie) and decided to do "stars in a jar" for the kids....

literally you paint dots all over the inside of a jar... and then it glows in the dark.....

the kids are in love...

Jan 25 2012... brrr it's cold outside

I really have the best sitter... not only does she manage to watch 4 kids... the ages of 4 3 2 and 1.. with NO tv in a small apartment... but she also manages everyday (weather permitting) to get them all dressed and outside to play in the cold weather!!!
 Here is a photo of Maddie and Logan playing outside...

they have SO much fun!!!

Jan 24 2012.. Hot chocolate with smarshmallows

It is freezing cold right now... so when I go to pick the kids up there usually playing out side all bundled up with ROSEY cheeks... it's really freaking cute...

anyways... they are usually still really cold even with 4-5 layers on that it's not unusual for us to come home and have a nice hot cup of hot cocoa with smarshmallows...

and then of course the smarshmallows tend to sink to the bottom and we must retrieve them so that's where the spoon comes in...

Jan 23 2012... my hand are like raisins

For about a year now (more like 8 months or eternity which ever) I have been fighting with my dish washer... and with no luck I was the only one who truly believed it hated me as much as I hated it..... until one week it stopped running....

COMPLETELY....

one day with out a dishwasher in this house is like 20 years....

so Chris tried and tried with no luck....

so we finally called the landlord... and it was FIXED!!!!

only for 1 day...

so we called again and he spoke words that sounded like a million bucks.... A NEW DISHWASHER...

Monday the 23rd at 615 pm I received a new dishwasher

Jan 22 2012- basement fun

Today we cleaned up the basement a bit and found some old baby stuff and the kids played in the playroom...  here the kids are playing "dinner time"

and Collin decided he needed to be a baby again....

Jan 21 2012- Im HUNGRY

the other day I went to there airman's attic (A place on base where you can get things for free if you're under a certain rank)  and they had the game Hungry Hungry Hippos... so Sat morning after breakfast we busted it out.. and had a BLAST!!! we probably played for about an hour and the kids LOVED it!!!!

Jan 20 2012- keeping up with the Jones' (a few years late)

Im so behind with this thing but I have the photos!!

Today I got a new phone!! Im a little behind the times when it comes to these things... but I finally got an IPHONE!!!!!

it's a little warped... but    Im one happy kid!! Happy Early Birthday from Chris!!

Jan 19 2012- this is why I had kids..

so my dishwasher has been broken for almost a week.... and we have been having to hand wash EVERYTHING... one thing I HATE doing is hand washing dishes... so Maddie helped me finish the last of it before our landlord came over to fix it...

Oh she loved drying and putting away the dishes!! (don't worry she only did the sharp knives and everything that was SUPER breakable and irreplaceable..)

Jan 18 2012... teachers pet

Chris started taking online classes and his class started Monday.... he has lots of homework... how does he do it...

on 2 computers.....

Jan 17 2012- best schnitzel sandwich arround town

ok so this is a little late but at least i have the photo right?!

ok Chris came home the other day and told he has been looking for this restaurant on base (German Kantine) that apparently has this AWESOME schnitzel sandwich and he couldn't wait to try it... so my boss wanted to go eat there for lunch the other day... I had never been either... when i put two and two together I got 4... or a restaurant with a sandwich that Chris was dying to try... so what was the nice wifely thing to do?

eat it before he did and rub it in his face....

it was awesome....

(don't worry... I got hit with a nice taste of karma... I left my jacket there and didn't have a jacket the next day... did I mention the weather was in the teens?! so I had to take him to lunch the next day... and we went back and he didn't even get the sandwich...)

Jan 16 2012, DONT TRY THIS AT HOME.... or do

I was NOT a total slacker today... so there are photos...


I have been wanting to try for awhile glass cutting... so we gave it a shot.... here's the first (what seemed like a million) tries....

we read SEVERAL blogs to find the right way to do it.. we used acetone, lighter fluid.... and a lot of string.... we finally got it down and Chris didn't realize what side I wanted... ha ha so this is the first one we did....

I just need to do some sanding and they will fit perfect on my window ledge!!

Jan 15 2012....SLACKER

I was a total slacker today... no photo....

Jan 14 2012, just keep swimming

Today we decided to expand our family by 4 more.... fish that is...

we went this morning with the kids and bought a tank, rocks, and some dinosaurs.

we set it up let it run for a few hours... then sent Chris to the store for some fish!!!!

4 fish and 1 plant later... we have a tank!!!

we have 3 dinosaurs... Tom, Lucy, and Flo...

our 4 fish are named.... 1,2,3,and 4

Jan 13 2012- come on baby light my orange?

Happy Friday the 13th!!!

Today I was struck by the "FRIDAY THE 13TH CURSE" and was forced to spend the day on the couch watching movies and catching up on tv.... so I decided to do a small project (mainly before Collin came home and finished off the oranges) in less than 24 hours my family.. and mostly Collin has finished off a BOX of clementines!!!

here's what I did with mine today...

I made a candle!!


 I think it would have smelt more like orange if I had the energy to put the top on and cut a shape out... maybe tomorrow....

Jan 12 2012- single, double, TURKEY!

Bowling is something that the kids LOVE to do!!! so today we traded in our pink shoes and roos for some sweet velcro bowling shoes!!!

each kid got a 6 pound ball and did most everything by them selves!!!

Maddie beat everyone both times... (I'm usually a good bowler but after 2 hardcore kickboxing classes IM doing good to walk)

Jan 11 2012- dance class.. take 1

due to the fact that I went to bed at 615 pm last night this post is a day late...

so we tried dance again today with Maddie.. and it was another disaster... well not disaster per say but she hid behind the coffee table the entire time.... 

this was before we went into the class....

I asked the teacher if it was normal for her not to want to do anything... she said she had one student who just watched for 4 months before doing anything... I have a feeling we may come close to that.... wish us luck...

Jan 10 2012, work, school, dance class

So today we have a video instead of a photo... Maddie is OBSESSED with with 3 things... work, school and dance class... she dosnt do ANY of these things but tells us all the time that she is leaving for one of these 3 places...

at work: she works at the commissary and does one of two things... cleans up dog poop and puts it into little trash cans.. or sells corn....

at school: she colors or writes her "M" for Maddison or puts Collin down for a nap

at dance class: she wears her "fancy" (tutu) and twirls

here is a video of her...

Jan 9 2012- I heart MC

Today was a great day!! I made it to the gym with a coworker, had a great day at work.. and then got to come home and have a wonderful Skype date with Michelle Copeland!!! 


For those of you who don't know she is my best friend!!! She recently left me here in cold Germany to move to the deserts of Albuquerque New Mexico!!!


We havnt "seen" each other since we said Auf Wiedersehen in Germany! 


A little back story.. Michelle and I met 3 years ago in unlikely circumstances.. and since then we have had the most untimely yet comical events happen to us that would break most friendships.. in our case it only made ours stronger since we were and still are able to look back and laugh at!! We know that with out a doubt how many miles are put between us we will always be best friends... 




besides Maddie is going to marry her youngest son... 


you have to admit.... Maddison Copeland has a nice ring to it....

Jan 8 2012- do we need any more toys?

so a few weeks ago I entered Maddie and Collin in a toy give away that they were having at the BX... well I entered the entire family even my parents... that night we got 2 calls!! one for Maddie and one for me.... Chris went to pick up the toys the next day and they would only give us one.. they said it was one win per household...

no worries... Collin had no idea anyways...

well last night I got a call from the manager saying that we never picked up our prize for Collin... I explained to her what happened that we already picked up one prize and I was told we could only have 1 per house hold...


they said that they had one toy left and we could have it so we went to pick it up... Collin got a new Pirate ship!!!!

Collin LOVES his new pirate ship!!! he wouldn't even sit still for a photo.....

Jan 7 2012 Happy Anniversary

so today we celebrated our 7 year anniversary!!! (although it is actually tomorrow the 8th) we went out tonight!!

here is our before photo!!

then we went out to a local indoor Go Kart track beyond fun.. although FREEZING in the winter.... note to self... socks and Uggs next time...

Then we finished off with dinner at a local Thai restaurant in Kaiserslautern!! Thaiarama... SO GOOD!!!

Chris and his beer... and my Thai tea....


 after 7 years... 2 kids and a move across the world... it still feels like yesterday that we were standing up saying I DO!!! (twice)

Jan 6 2012- chocolaté eggs....

Happy Friday!!!

Usually after dinner the kids (if they eat well) then they can choose a dessert! it vary's from chocolate balls, to candy necklaces, to ice cream or cupcakes!!  really what ever we have!!! A popular treat in Germany are Kinder Eggs. They are actually illegal to send to the states because in the middle of the egg is a hard plastic shell with a toy in it  (see the yellow ball in Maddie's photo... that's what is inside the chocolate and a toy is in there!) Today both kids chose Kinder Eggs for dessert!!!

Jan 5 2012- cancakes please

so before I started working I used to make pancakes 2-3 times a week for breakfast!! but then I got a job and started Thursday's were pancake day... then I got lazy as the kids love easy things as yogurt, oatmeal, cereal and things like that. So I decided that I was going to start the pancake ritual back up!! today the kids helped me cook pancakes and we used food coloring to dye them GREEN!!! It was so fun!!!

Jan 4 2012- picnic for 2

Today Chris forgot his lunch at home... so he emailed me and asked if we could have lunch together... I had planned on taking my lunch as well.. so I told him to meet me at work at noon and I would bring his lunch!!

I took a table cloth, real plates and forks, the food drinks and dessert!! We had a lunch picnic date!!!

Jan 3 2012- tchuss!

Today's picture is what I get to see everyday when I drop the kids off at our nanny's house!! all the kids sit in her window and wave to me as I drive away!!!!

Happy Tuesday everyone!!! 

Jan 2 2012- can we shrink him?

Today we (and as in we I mean Chris) did a little cleaning in the basement... in a box we got some stuff from some friends who PCS'd we found a hip hugger... Collin was the test kid.... as you can tell he was beyond thrilled about it ha ha

Jan 1 2012- A year of new beginnings

Happy New Year!!! This year I am challenging myself to doing a 365 photo challenge!!! Every day Ill post a photo with a caption or two!! hopefully I can keep the blog up better this year than I did last year!!

Here was our first photo of the year!!!