Just Funny Pictures....

We have been a very sick house for the past few days.  Sissy Lou decided to share her sickness with Eli and I (and Jesse is feeling it now)so we have been down and out. 

Wasting time yesterday, (since I had nothing to do) I began scrolling through all our pictures  and I kept running across ones that just made me laugh outloud!  I figured that today you needed a laugh as well (since it's Monday) so I thought I'd share them with you!  No stories attached, just pure picture entertainment (but maybe an explanation inserted every now and then)!

Watch your fingers Eli! 

There's not much to say about this 

Andrew dumping syrup on Eli's head  

How the Red's eat goldfish...  

What we do to our kids when we're bored

 The deer was trying to eat Andrew because he looked like a carrot!

 Eli having his morning coffee

Um....Yeah....

 The Flour and Sugar Debacle

 Screen door

 How the Red's help with mulching

 How Eli holds a cat

 Andrew just checking things out down there...

 Again...WATCH YOUR FINGERS ELI!

 The Stare down:

 Best buds...and yes that is a diaper...

 How the Red's play in mud

Hope you at least had a little chuckle!

The Dentist...

Yesterday was Sissy Lou's 18 month checkup and since she was sick I decided just to take her and just not get the shots.  Good thing I did because it turns out she has an ear infection.  Anyways, if you can remember from yesterday's post, the school had called off school due to snow, so I had all three kids with me..and that's what we call a NIGHTMARE!  Eli loves to be right in the middle of everything so I was constantly trying to deal with him, talk with the doctor and manage Sissy Lou.  Andrew was in a zombie like state of his own with his DS so I didn't have to worry about him.
Every time I leave the doc's office when I have the three of them with me I feel like I've been run over by a truck.  This time was no different!  I headed to the pharmacy to pick up Sissy Lou's meds and then we all went home.  I had forgotten however, that I had made dentist appointments for all three of them for that afternoon and it was way too late to cancel!  Not only did I have to stress through the doctors visit, now I had the added stress of the dreaded dentist visit!

Let me let you in on a little secret.....Eli hates the dentist, mainly because he is an extreme gagger.  He has a horrible, horrible gag reflex!  If the consistency on mash potatoes are just so, he gags with a mouth full.  Brushing his teeth he gags, too much in his mouth he gags....he is a gagger!  Which is never fun when you go to the dentist.
That afternoon we headed to the dentist.  Andrew was up first and ran right back and jumped in the chair and did his exam without incident.  Then it was Eli's turn....and I held my breath when they said they wanted to get some bite wing x-rays on him.  He went over to the x-ray machine and they tried repeatedly to get him to bite down on the x-ray film....and he gagged everytime! Poor little guy, he had tears streaming down his face! I guess you know that we didn't get those x-rays!

They bring Eli over to the dentist chair and you can tell he is dreading this. He begs me to hold his hand and right at that exact moment (just like on cue) Sissy Lou blows out her diaper (she's been sick remember so it's not the good blow out...it's a blow out that I have to take care of that instant).  So I tell Eli I'll be right back and head to the bathroom with her and when I return the dentist is almost finished cleaning his top teeth and that's when the gagging began and didn't stop until....HE THREW UP!  Oh yes, he threw up, from the tooth paste getting too far back in his throat. Nightmare!
I have to say that I was laughing, the dentist was laughing and the assistant was laughing. We couldn't help ourselves..the drama that Eli had created was almost too much to bare.  They even commented on the fact he was one of the worst gaggers they had ever seen..NICE!
Eli is absolutely having a melt down about the fact that he just threw up and they still have to clean his bottom teeth!
Finally I was able to calm him and the dentist was able to finish...and have him rinse out often!

I told the dentist that I wish I had a camera to record everything that happened in those ten minutes because there was no way I could retell it like it happened! 
The good news is that at least he didn't have any cavities, so we can wait 6 months before repeating the process ; )

The Endless Parade of Children....

Ever had one of those nights where you had an endless parade of children coming and going out of your bedroom all night?  Last night was one of those nights for me, and I am in a true zombie like state as I sit and write this morning. 

Sissy Lou has been sick with a fever and cold for a few days now and is having a rather difficult time sleeping long periods.  Last night I got her into bed at 7:30 pm and the Red's went down soon there after.  I was exhausted from the night before (another sleepless night for Sissy Lou) so I was ready for some sleep! 
Jesse had a late meeting that kept him until after the kids were asleep.  When he came in he wanted to watch a movie together.  Trying not to blow my husband off and cherishing that he wanted to spend time with me, I agreed....even though I was exhausted!  Around 10:00, right in the middle of the movie, I hear the pitter patter of feet running down the hall.....and it was Sissy Lou.  I let her sit with us for a few minutes so Jesse could love on her some and then returned her to her bed.  Ten minutes later she returned.  So we cut the movie off and I took her back to her room again.  She waited a good 30 minutes (just long enough for me to doze off) for her third return.  This time I snuggled her for a little bit and then again took her back to her room.
Around midnight I hear those precious little fat feet running down the hall again.  In a daze I look up to see her standing beside my bed with her comforter in hand.  She drug it all the way from her room and wanted to sleep in my bed with it.  Again I returned her to her room with the comforter in hand.  This time however, I got in the bed with her....her TODDLER bed....tiny little bed with no room....just for her!  Can you picture a grown woman in a toddler bed with the toddler in it....I was kind of tickled by the sight myself!
After snuggling her for 10-15 minutes I rolled off the bed (literally) and headed back to my bed where there was room!
Sometime in the middle of the night Eli appeared at my side of the bed whacking his hand against the mattress to get my attention. Can anyone tell me why they never go to Jesse's side?  After waking I asked him what was wrong and he told me he had a bad dream.  I asked him what his dream was about and he said that T-Rex was chasing him.  So I did what any good parent would do and told him to go have another dream for me and in this one he should shoot T-Rex with a gun.  That seem to pacify him and he returned to his bed.

About an hour later Andrew appeared at my bedside.  He didn't pat my bed, he didn't nudge me, nope.....he just said "MOM, HEY MOM"....and with that I peeled my eye lids back and said "what Andrew?"
Then he says...with all honesty...."Where's Eli?"...I answered: "Andrew, he's in his bed".  Andrew replied: "no he's not", "yes he is son, he is in his bed, go and look".  And with that he turned and left....
I'm going to say that Andrew's trip into my room was a sleep walking event...not sure....but not sure what else to say about that. 
The phone rang at 6:00 am this morning with an automated call from the school saying school has been cancelled due to the 1 inch of snow we have on the ground....WHAT????  Anyways, as I rolled over to see what time it was and I noticed a little figure sleeping beside me......and it was Sissy Lou.  I have to honestly say I have no clue when she came into our room or how she climbed up and got into bed without waking me. 
The Red's woke up around 7:30 demanding their breakfast so up and out of bed went the momma with little to no sleep. 
I might as well get pregnant again....while I'm use to getting up in the middle of the night ten thousand times! 
The kicker is, since there's a snow day then there is a no nap day for momma....sad times people, sad times!  So if you see me today, pay no attention to the large bags under my eyes that make me look like I haven't slept in a week...cause I haven't.
Serves me right after I posted a story about how hard my kids sleep..ironic right!

Things That Irk Me!

Okay, since I have been getting a lot of comments lately about how calm of a person I am...and how I just let all the things my kids do roll off my back...I thought I'd share some of my quirkiness with you.  Things that irk me....make me grit my teeth, have knots in my stomach, make my skin crawl, and even make my head spin around (like the movie)!
Please don't hold my craziness against me in the future!

Alright here it goes...and these are just a few...didn't want to overwhelm you all at once.

I'm taking a deep breath now:

*Having to find the sheets that have been shoved to the end of the bed every morning by the Red's.  See my previous blog for pictures! How they manage to do this is beyond me, but every morning after they leave for school, i go in to make their beds and find the sheets at the very bottom of the bed underneath the comforter. Jesse says I should not go to the trouble of putting a top sheet on the bed..I disagree.  I am a big believer of the whole fitted sheet and top sheet deal...they go together like salt and pepper shakers.....you must not separate.  The Red's just need to learn how to sleep with the sheet.  Which brings me to my next irk.

*Top sheet must be folded over comforter while sleeping...cannot handle the comfortable touching my face or the sheets just being waded under your chin (Jesse).  They must be folded in an orderly fashion and laid gently on top of the comforter.  Then you may pull the covers up to cover you.  Yes I know it sounds a bit nuts...but this one I get from my mother.  Jesse on the other hand sleeps with a mess of blankets...oh I must move on, I'm getting upset just thinking about it ; )

*After washing, washing, washing, and folding, folding, folding.....going to put the clothes away in drawers and finding the drawers looking like a jumbled mess and then having to refold and organize that drawer! Eli is the culprit for this one!  He will dump his entire drawer of jammies out just to find his Transformers pair.  Then he just throws all the others back in the drawer.  This wouldn't bother me so much if those stinkin' jammers didn't take the longest to fold!

*Someone (Jesse) walking on my fresh mopped and or swept floor with their (Jesse) hunting boots, dragging in mud, dirt, ice/salt or duck and goose feathers..ARG...this one is the one that makes my head spin. And while we're on the subject of shoes....

*Shoes being left randomly around the house.....Seriously, is it that hard to walk to the closet and put your shoes up?  I do it, why can't you?  I think I pick up at least three pairs of shoes a day of Jesse's....come on already...the Red's even put their shoes away!  I do love my husband I promise!

*Okay, last one!  Whenever you are on the potty and you use the last bit of toilet paper...PLEASE PUT A NEW ROLL ON!!!!!!!  Nothing like having to pee so bad and noticing that there is NO TOILET PAPER! 

There it is, all wrapped in a nice little bow for you all this morning...my craziness...hope you all enjoyed the view inside my not so clam self!
I think I will write a sequel to this called "My Quirks", because it seems like I have a lot more quirks than irks!

Care to share what irks you?  In the comment section below tell me something that makes your head spin, skin crawl or teeth grit!  What is the one thing that gets on your nerves more than anything else?

Now That's a Bed Head!

I thought I'd share with you all how my kids sleep.....my kids sleep......they sleep hard...real hard!  And when they sleep hard they sometimes develop the phenomenon known as: Bed Head!

The other morning Sissy Lou rolled out of her bed and this is what she looked like when she walked into the living room:

Now that is BED HEAD!

Here's a picture of Eli as a baby with bed head too:

They all sweat like little piglets which would explain why they get bed head to the extreme and would also explain this:

This would be the sheets on every one of their beds shoved down to the very bottom of the bed (you will see these pictures again very soon on a blog I'm working on about things that irk me!)Here's an example of how the sheets might get like that......

And here's an example of how one of my hard, bed head sleepers look after just waking:

Now that had to be some good sleep!

Wish I could sleep like that!

I Have A Dream....

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As you are all aware we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. day on January 17th.  Schools were not in session this day so when they returned the next day the teachers at the Red's school wanted to share the story of this special man and why we celebrate him.  Eli's teacher knew that it would be difficult to express to  kindergartners the greatness about Martin Luther King Jr. and how important his role was.  After she told them them about him, they all drew pictures and wrote something about him...or a dream they have.  Then to finish it up she showed them a short movie about Martin Luther King Jr. that was made just for kids.  At the end of the movie it told the kids about Dr. King being shot.  So this is Eli's recount of the events:

When Eli jumped into the car after school he was so excited!  He said "Mom, I had the most awesomest day today".  I replied "really, well tell me about it".
He was so happy to tell me the story he learned about Dr. King and he started with:
Eli: "We learned about Dr. Martin Loser King today"
Me: "Who did you say?"
Eli: "Dr. Martin Loser King, mom"
Me: "OH....Eli, it's Dr. Martin Luther King"
Eli: "No mom, it's Dr. Martin Loser King", "Yeah, he had a dream and someone didn't like it so they shot him".
Yes, I laughed, not at the story...but at the recount by Eli...and the fact that he couldn't say his name right.
Okay, well at least he kind of understood.......

Later that night he retold the story to Jesse and then said "I want to pray for Dr. Martin Loser King and ask Jesus to bring him back to life".  We told him that he would get to meet Dr. King one day in heaven. 
I have to say, it thrilled my heart to know that my son is color blind, and how that's how it should been for everyone.  How exciting to know that this generation is living Dr. King's dream!
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

WINNER Of The Giveaway

Okay...the moment you've all been waiting for.....I won't drag this out...I promise ; )

AND THE WINNER IS:

#25

MEREDITH

"Joy, All your posts are hilarious. The one sticking out so much right now is the fight over the boot and how you waited til she was asleep in the car to change. I have that similar fight daily. Love you and so glad to hear about your beautiful family."

Thank you to everyone who participated!  Stay tunned for more giveaways in the future!!! 
Remember that the winner was chosen at random by random.org!  Much love to all of you!

GIVEAWAY ENDS TODAY!!!

Hi Everyone,
This is just a reminder to you all that the Giveaway will be ending today at 7:00 pm.  If you haven't entered yet then do so today!  Here's the link to make it easy. 
http://thesargeof4.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-1st-giveaway.html
Don't be shy, this giveaway is for you....a thank you for sticking with me over the year. For supporting me, loving me, encouraging me....and for being my friend!  I don't care if I've never met you, you're support means the world to me and this is just a little token of appreciation!  So enter before it's too late!!!!

I love you all and Thank God for each of you!
The Sarge
Philippians 1:3-4

The McDonald's Dream!

The other day while driving home from church the conversation turned to school.  The past week we had a few snow days that left the Red's out of school.  With those few days of freedom Andrew decided that he did not want to return to school....EVER!  So here's how that conversation went down:

Andrew: "I wish that I never had to go to school again"
The Wise MOM: "but Andrew, if you never go to school again then you will end up working at McDonald's one day"
Andrew:  "YYYYEEEESSSSSS!!!!!  WHHHOOO HOOOOO....THAT'S AWESOME!!!!!  I could eat all the chicken nuggets I wanted and get all the Bakugan toys (it's the toy they are currently giving away) that I wanted too!!!!

The Wise Mom......to Laughing Dad: "Well.....That totally backfired"!

*This post is in no way belittling the people who work at McDonald's as a career...it's a job that pays money...nothing wrong with that!  I,  just like any parent hold out the best for my kid!
Andrew has never been one to aim high....we laughed last year when they had career day at school.  They asked all the kids to dress up like what they wanted to be when they grew up.  Andrew chose:

A Construction Worker! (He's three in this picture..but it's the only one I could find with the hat).
What can I say he Dreams BIG!  Somebody has to do the work!

So tell me....What did you dream to be when you were little....um..or now?

Shrimp & Pasta in Foil

SHRIMP & PASTA IN FOIL

This recipe is courtesy of the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond.  I came upon her website around a year ago and fell in love!  She makes some incredible dishes and this is one of them!  If you haven't checked her out you need too!!!  Her website is:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/

The only thing I changed from her original recipe is that I added Parmesan cheese in the tomato sauce and again at the end on top of the dish! 

1/2 cup Olive Oil

4 Cloves of garlic (minced)

3- 14.5 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes (I used the fire roasted can tomatoes)

1/2 cup White Wine (you can substitute chicken broth)

2 Lbs of Jumbo or Large Shrimp peeled and deveined (I like getting the raw frozen peeled)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 Lb of Linguine (uncooked)

Red Pepper Flakes to taste (if you like it with a kick...I omit this ingredient)

Parmesan cheese 

1 Lemon

Okay, here we go:
Take out a large pot and fill it with water. Add some Olive Oil and garlic salt.  Cook the pasta for 1/2 the recommended cooking time (the recommended cooking time will be on the back of the box the pasta came in).  The pasta should not be all the way done.  I think I cooked mine around 7 minutes.

Now take your large skillet and heat 1/2 cup Olive oil over medium heat then add the garlic and saute for a minute. 

 *If you're like me and hate chopping garlic you can always get a Garlic Press..the one I use is from Pampered Chef (shocking I know)....here's the link:

http://www.pamperedchef.biz/tonyabeasley?page=products-detail&categoryId=123&itemId=2576&productId=26463

Dump in the tomatoes, wine (or chicken broth), and Parmesan cheese.  Stir the mixture together and season it with salt and pepper (and pepper flakes if you desire) and let it cook for around ten minutes. Make sure to taste, taste, taste to make sure you get your seasonings right!!

Meanwhile, prepare a huge piece of aluminum foil.  It should be large enough to hold the entire pasta dish (which is huge btw)  I use three long sheets of aluminum foil over a cookie sheet.  I layer them so the juices won't run everywhere. 

Take the shrimp and throw them on top of the pasta sauce.  Then throw the drained pasta  on top. Then  take everything and pour the it onto the foil.  Sprinkle some more Parmesan cheese over the top and then sprinkle the chopped parsley over the entire dish.  Tightly wrap the foil into a nice little (big) package.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Open the foil right before serving and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the top then squeeze lemon over the dish!

Oh My Pancreas!

**Don't forget only TWO days left on the GIVEAWAY!  Contest ends on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.** http://thesargeof4.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-1st-giveaway.html

The other night while I was cooking supper, Eli decided to provide entertainment to me by jumping around and trying out some break dance moves.  As he flung himself into the air  I see that there is no way for him to land this outrageous move.  When I hear his body hit the hardwood floor with a thunk I gasp and asked him: "are you alright?".
He stands up, grabs his side and says in Eli style: "OH, MY PANCREAS!" 
I have to say this completely caught me off guard so I follow up: "......What did you say???"
Eli looks a bit puzzled by my question and says again "oh, my pancreas".....that's when the laughter hit....that's what I thought he said...but figured my ears were playing tricks on me!

Please keep in mind....He's only FIVE!

Sleep Deprived Boots

Sissy Lou has been sleeping in her toddler bed going on two months now and has made the switch like a champ.  From the first night she laid right down and went to sleep.  Every so often though she will get up in the middle of the night and come find us.
Last night was one of those nights and around 3:30 a.m. I could hear the flopping of her feet down the hall.  I waited until she got to my side of the bed and then I picked her up.  I held her for a few minutes and then took her right back to her bed.
Only she returned within five minutes holding this:

Okay, I have to admit, I laughed...cause that's funny...3:30 and she wants to put her boots on.  I couldn't be the only one to enjoy the cuteness of this little girl....so I woke Jesse up ; )  He didn't appreciate the cuteness....and wasn't too happy about being awake at 3:30 a.m.
 
These boots are her most favorite thing to play with.  She puts them on and wears them all day......we even had a fight about them last week (and yes I know she's only 18 months old, but she's feisty).  I was trying to put her brown shoes on that matched her outfit  and she refused, tearing them from her feet every time I put them on and then putting on her pink rain boots instead.  So I did what any "good" mom would do....I waited until she passed out in the car and I switched shoes!
Anyways, as you can see...she LOVES the boots! This morning when she awoke I could hear her toddling back down the hall.  When she got the the living room she was holding the other boot..HA!  Guess her shoe addiction runs a little deeper than mine!

My 1st GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Alright, the time has come for my 1st official GIVEAWAY!!!!  I'm so excited...can you tell? 
On January 9th I celebrated the one year anniversary of "The Sarge of 4".  When I first started this blog I just thought it would be a great way to archive my stories for the kids and keep the family in the "know" so I didn't have to recap events everyday.
Since then I have been blown away and blessed by you all who have come to The Sarge of 4 to read about my embarrassing moments, my nutty kids and my hunting addicted husband....oh and my crazy dogs (the wonder pets)!
So in honor of all of you for taking the time out of your days to visit, I am hosting my first giveaway!  I wanted to show you all how much I appreciate you and all your comments!  You have encouraged me to keep going and to keep writing and I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

The time has come for me to announce the prize....you ready? I AM.....I'M REALLY EXCITED!
Okay...so for all your dedication, I am giving away a Visa card that is filled with $100.00.  YES, you read correctly....$100.00....ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!!!!
WHOO HOO!!!!!!!
I bet you are wondering how you can get your hands on that money.....well let me give you some rules!

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:

1.  You must answer the question (given below) in my comment section on this blog.
2.  Make sure to leave your email address so I can get in touch with you in case you win.... I have to have a way to contact you!
3.  Contest will end on WEDNESDAY JANUARY 19TH at 7:00 PM.....that gives you all one week!   The winner will be announced the next morning (Thursday January 20th).
4.  You have 72 HOURS TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE once I've contacted you (just reply to my email with your shipping info).....and then I will send you your prize!
5.  One comment per person please!
Okay.....got it....let me review:
Answer the question in my comment section below and leave your email address with your answer.  That's it!  You will be entered into a random drawing by "True Random Number Generator".   Your comments will be listed in order starting with the first comment being #1.  So whatever number you are in the comment line will be your number for the drawing.  I will enter how many numbers I have and the "True Random Number Generator" will pick a number at random....yes I know I am repeating a lot, but I want to make sure everyone understands the rules!  It's all fair!  I AM NOT picking the number...the computer is.  If you would like to read more on the True Random Number Generator then you can go to: http://www.random.org/.
Alright, so you have the rules so let's get to that question you have to answer to enter!  Since this is the one year anniversary of the Sarge of 4 then I would like you to tell me:

*What has been your MOST favorite post (story) over the past year from "The Sarge of 4"?

Yes, really, it's that simple.....answer that question in the comment section below with your email address and be entered in to win $100.00!!!!!!

Thank you all again for sticking with me over the past year and I look forward to the years to come...no telling what the Red's, Sissy Lou, Jesse, the "Wonder Pets", and Sarge will get into!

If you have any questions feel free to contact me at:  joy.richardson@insightbb.com

Love,
The Sarge!

The Demolition of DVD Players....

Over the past four years we have gone through three television's that have the DVD player inside them for the Red's.  You might be asking yourself why would we keep purchasing these TVs for the Red's if they keep breaking them and the answer is simple....I HAVE NO CLUE.....call it a few mini strokes (a friend of mine said that phrase this weekend and I fell in love with it....so it's my new phrase....anytime I screw up it's because of those dogged "mini strokes")!

Any who.....These TV/DVD combos are the cheapest ones they sell at Walmart.  I did have enough smarts about me to realize that the Red's did not need anything extravagant. However, for Christmas this year we decided to get them a flat screen DVD combo because they had them priced so low....

again, you might be asking yourself why...and again..."mini stroke". 

So I thought I would indulge you all on the stories of how they wrecked the past two TV/DVD players. 

The first TV/DVD combo is a mere mystery to me...I have no clue how they did what they did.....
Somehow they managed to insert a cup full of sand (I have no clue where the sand came from) into the DVD player...after taking the whole thing apart, Jesse and I realized there was no hope for the DVD player and it became just a TV...with sand. 
I would love to take a tour through their brains sometimes and understand the decisions they make and how sand in a DVD player made sense to them.
The next unit we bought on a whim on a hunting trip because we had nothing to entertain the kids with in the cabin and it was so cold outside we couldn't play!  We had made a trip to Illinois for Jesse to do the "big horn" hunting and after arriving and spending one day couped up in the house with the kids we decided it would be best to do something.......or I could have rocked myself in the fetal position while sitting in the corner...kidding!
So that's how we came about the second unit...how they killed that one is a total different story. 
When I make Spaghetti I also make garlic cheese biscuits with melted butter and garlic poured over the top (no need to post this recipe...it's on the back of the Bisquick box)!  There are usually tons of biscuits made and a few extra left for later. 
Eli, being the little sneaky boy that he is, snuck into the kitchen and grabbed a few garlic cheese biscuits for himself.  He then ran down the hall and into the room where the TV was.  At this point I'm not sure what crossed his mind (maybe he had a "mini stroke") but that boy of mine decided it would be a great idea to take that garlic cheese biscuit and insert it into the DVD player.....yeah, we never got that out.....

We have a growing graveyard of TV/DVD combo units in our storage room!
Jesse and I made the vow that we would NEVER get them another TV/DVD player!!!! Until this Christmas.....when again "mini stroke" and we bought one. 
I am happy to report that from the 17 days since Christmas the TV/DVD player has gone unharmed....but we were gone 9 of those days.  I think that if they break this one Jesse might just have a FULL BLOWN STROKE!

GIVEAWAY TIME Coming Soon!

In a few days I will be hosting my first official GIVEAWAY!!! YAY!!!!  It is to celebrate the one year anniversary of this blog (which was January 9th) and to say a BIG HUMONGOUS THANK YOU to all you readers!
It has been an incredible year and I have loved sharing our "moments" with you all and receiving your feedback!
So prepare yourself and get ready....cause it's coming soon!!!!!
If you're not a fan of the Sarge's face book page go ahead and become one.  I will be posting updates on there.....and you don't want to miss this one!!!!!!  Click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Sarge-of-4/118453054884863
I LOVE YOU ALL AND THANK YOU ALL for stopping by the Sarge's Post!
Stay Tuned........

Shampoo vs. Carpet

Can anyone please tell me what is up with my CHILDREN????  Why must they dump things out on the floor????  It's my fault really...let me explain:

Last week I decided that it was time to get our carpets cleaned once again.  This is an annual thing for us...having three small kids and two dogs thing get pretty messy around here.  We are trying to hold out on getting new carpet (with extra super duty scotch guard) until the kids get older or the dogs die....whichever comes first!  jk

We have lived here now for five years and this carpet has withstood a lot....I mean A LOT!!!  I'm talking, destine cream, juice, milk, spit up, lotion, dog "stuff", candy smushed in, tea, more dog "stuff", bloody nose drippings (Andrew) and my all time favorite SHAMPOO!

So far we have survived...or better yet..the carpet has survived...not very pretty in spots...but survived nonetheless.

The other morning as I was trying my hardest to get dressed, Sissy Lou wondered into the bathroom and before I knew what was happening had grabbed a shampoo bottle out of the shower and decided to pour the shampoo on my FRESHLY CLEANED carpet!

*GASP*

(this picture really doesn't do the suds justice)

Knowing how much work was now in store for me just made my heart sink! You see, I've been in this exact spot before.  When the Red's were in the dumping stage they dumped out a big ole' bottle of baby wash all over Eli's carpet, bed and plush rocking horse. It took me hours to clean up that mess and to wet, sop, wet, sop, wet, sop the soap out of the carpet.

I regained my composure, took the shampoo from Sissy Lou, put it back in the shower, shut the shower door and headed down the hall to the laundry room to get my "supplies".

When I returned I think my head nearly spun off my shoulders...because my little angel

opened the shower door, grabbed that shampoo bottle out again and poured even more watermelon scented shampoo out all over MY carpet!  I just hate that she can get into anything these days.  The things the Red's have taught her......must be them, who else?

So while I began to clean the soap out of the floor my sweet little girl decided to:

get into my cabinets and dump my curler clips out EVERYWHERE (sorry about the strategically placed heart...but she is my little girl and I know you all understand)! So I did the only thing I knew to do...put our shoes on and got OUT of the house.  There is one thing that raising the Red's has taught me...when the day starts out with the "dumping"...GET OUT OF THE HOUSE....HIGH amounts of bored energy needs to be dispursed....and not in my house!
*****I will be hosting a GIVEAWAY very soon...so stay tuned!!!!******

All The Single Ladies.....

All three of my kids are in LOVE with Alvin and the Chipmunks movies.  In the second movie "the squeakquel", the Chipettes are introduced and sing the song "Single Ladies".  For weeks now Sissy Lou has been walking around the house singing "Oh, oh, oh, oh , oh, oh", and the Red's will chime in with the chorus...or at least what they thought was the chorus.
Last night at the dinner table while eating, Eli busted out into song and sings one of the lines in the song that says "If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it".  But instead of saying those words this is what he sang:
"If you like it then you should have been a green boy".....
When he said this I spit my mouth full of sweet potatoes out across the table and died laughing.  With tears creasing my eyelids I squeak out the question "What did you say?".
Eli, not being too happy about the fact that I was laughing at him says "If you like it then you should have been a green boy?"
Then Andrew chimes in, "No NoEli, that's not right...it's..."if you like it then you should be a rain forest".....

HA.....we didn't correct them...because what's the fun in that?

Portillo's

I am a born and raised Southern Girl through and through and I grew up eating Southern food made by two Southern parents.  Our family roots grow deep in the South.  Well, somewhere in my early 20's (more like 19.....just like a true southern girl) I met the man of my dreams and fell in love.  The only problem with the picture was that he was a Yankee, and we are all aware of the North vs. the South rivalry.......
So of course being from the South I thought that our food was superior....what's not to love....butter.....fried anything.....cornbread...sweet tea....not to mention cobbler!
However,  I found that my man not only had a sexy accent, but also had a great palate for food...Northern food that is. 
My dear sweet Northern husband, loving me so dearly, decided to introduce me to a Northern sandwich, promising me that it would change my life.  So he took me to Portillo's, it's a restaurant in Chicago that makes the most incredible Italian Beef Sandwiches ever!  They also have Hot Dogs, but they freak me out because they put cucumber slices on them....and that is just WRONG!
Anyways, back to the Italian Beef.....after I put one bite in my mouth I was hooked!  So over the years I have ordered my Italian Beef from Portillo's in Chicago so I can feed my addiction from time to time!  Last night was one of those lip smacking, juice dripping down my arms nights, when I stuffed myself until sick with this incredible sandwich...I JUST LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!  I'll give the North at least one point for this sandwich.....but I'm still Southern through and through...I just cheat every now and then ; )

Portillo's is MOST definitely one of my MOST favorite things.
If you've never tried them and want to check them out here's their website link below:
http://www.portillos.com/

Meat Loaf Balls

MEAT LOAF BALLS

I have combined a few recipes to get to my desired liking of these meat loaf balls.  Instead of a classic loaf I decided a while back to make them into gigantic meatballs.  Jesse has some kind of phobia against meat loaf so my plan was to make him think it was meatballs.  Seemed to work and the Red's eat them up! 

1 lb Ground Beef

1 1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/2 cup Chopped Onion

1/2 cup Chopped Bell Pepper

1 egg

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

1/3 cup Ketchup

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp Mustard

(if you are a fan of tomatoes you can also add 1/2 can of petite diced tomatoes)

Topping:
 1/2 cup Ketchup
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Pull out your muffin tin and spray it will cooking oil spray.  Mix up all your meat loaf ball ingredients and start rolling them into big balls.  Place a ball in each opening of the muffin pan.  Then mix up your topping ingredients and yes I know that they are listed twice...just trust me!  Then spoon the topping over each meat loaf ball.
Cook for 35-40 minutes (depending on the size of your balls....yes snicker if you must)!  I like mine a little crispy on the outside so I usually lean more toward the 40 min mark.  But if you rolled out smaller balls just keep an eye on them...you don't want them to burn.....*snicker*.....

I made a side of mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli to accompany my lovely meat loaf balls....but you can add any side you'd like!  Hope you all enjoy, and as always feedback is welcomed.....um..encouraged even : )

 

Consume Me Lord.....From the Inside Out

I'm taking a step back from my "usual" stories to bring a message....of hope....of your purpose...of change. Don't worry....it's just lyrics to a song...no preachy preachy from me...just sharing!
I have the wonderful opportunity to serve on our worship team at church.  Because of this I listen to the songs we are preparing over and over to learn them.  I can't say that every time this happens, but sometimes the song (or God) just grabs me by the horns and sends me into full worship mode....and it's FABULOUS when it happens!
So I feel I must share with you the lyrics to this song in hopes that it may inspire, comfort or put you in worship mode as well!  I love each of you so very much...even the ones of you I haven't had the wonderful opportunity to meet yet!  Thank you all for sticking with me and my craziness!  I am just full of "JOY" today!

From the Inside Out

by:  Hillsong

A thousand times I've failed

Still Your mercy remains

And should I stumble again

Still I'm caught in Your graceEverlasting

Your light will shine when all else fades

Never ending

Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul

I give You control

Consume me from the inside out, Lord

Let justice and praise

become my embrace

To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else

My purpose remains

The art of losing myself

In bringing You praise

Everlasting

Your light will shine when all else fades

Never ending

Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul

I give You control

Consume me from the inside out, Lord

Let justice and praise

become my embrace

To love You from the inside out

Everlasting

Your light will shine when all else fades

Never ending

Your glory goes beyond all fame

And the cry of my heart

Is to bring You praise

From the inside out

Lord, my soul cries out

My soul cries out to You

 

Lord, help us ALL be consumed from the inside out with YOU!  Please be with each person that read this song and bless them with Your mercy and grace.  Fill their heart with Your love and compassion and wrap Your loving arms around them.  You are above all else Lord and we give You the praise and glory You deserve!  Thank you for forgiving me for the times I've failed you, and being there to catch me in Your grace.  Help these wonderful souls that are reading this right now see that You are their All in All and will catch them with Your grace as well!  Thank you for being such a wonderful, merciful Saviour and putting us is Worship mode from time to time!
Amen and Amen!

Gumballs!

For Christmas Santa decided to bring The Red's a gumball machine filled with...gumballs.  Why you might ask would Santa do something so crazy?  I'm mean come on, with eyes wide open it's a bad idea! Doesn't he know how nuts the Red's are?  Doesn't he know that gumballs cause cavity bugs?  Doesn't he know that the Red's would eat the gumballs without ceasing? DOESN'T HE KNOW???

I'm assuming that "He" got caught up in the Christmas spirit and put away all that knowledge and decided to get the Red's something "He" knew they would love....and love they did!

First thing Christmas morning after seeing all the prizes left they wanted a gumball..then another...and another...then Sissy Lou saw what was happening and got a taste of that little bally heaven and wanted one...and another...and another...until I finally told Jesse to stop (of course it was him....because he just can't stand to say no just like those grandparents).

So being the mean mom that I am I took the gumball machine away and put it up in the laundry room so I could manage the intake of gumball consumption.  Unfortunately, I forgot who I was dealing with...the Red's can break into and climb on anything to get what they desire...and they desired more gumballs.  It's like crack for kids!

They went into the laundry room while I was busy with "Christmas" and climbed on top of the shelf to get their crack candy.  They stole uncountable gumballs out of the machine and hid them like little chipmunk hoarders. 

I have to say that the Red's are getting pretty darn sneaky or my red radar is broken.....because they stole and stashed them before I even knew what hit me. 

After we returned from our trip after Christmas I got busy putting things away (or as Jesse calls it "Nesting") and as I was doing so I opened the drawers that are part of their bunk beds......that they have decided to christen with their names.

In these drawers they keep some of their most cherished favorite toys that they don't want down in the play room.  I wanted to put some of their new toys away for them and get things organized. However, when I opened these drawers I was greeted with the sight of GUMBALLS! 

Again being the mean mommy I cleaned them out.....and with my red radar working once again I put the evil crack spitting gumball machine on the tippy top shelf that I knew there was no way they could reach!
This morning I began stripping all the beds around the house (and before you think we are gross and haven't changed the sheets since Christmas...don't worry....we were gone until New Year's Day and the sheets were changed before we left...just didn't want you all to think we were filthy and sleeping with bed bugs..Whew, glad I got that off my chest).  
To put new sheet on the bunk beds requires me to pull the bottom bed out...it's on wheels to make my job easy.  Anyways, as I was putting the bottom sheet on the bed my eyes wondered over to a small opening behind the bed...sometimes toys get stuck there and I have to rescue them.  My eyes caught a glimpse of what looked to be...GUMBALLS!!!!  NO WAY!!!  My sneaky, brilliant Red's had stuffed the backside of their bed full of GUMBALLS!  Guess they knew I would steal their stash in their drawers so they stuffed them elsewhere.

As you can imagine I have spent the morning investigating the house, looking in every little nook and cranny in their room for the crack balls!
So far I haven't found anymore.....but like I said the Red's are getting really good at being sneaky little boogers!  I will NOT rest until I have searched everywhere...THE SARGE will NOT be out smarted again....until next week at least!