Dakota Dont Dig Crust

Dakota is going through this "thing" right now.

This thing where he doesnt like to eat crusts.

Whats funny about it is, its even crusts on donuts and crackers... 

What is that you say? Donuts and crackers dont have crusts??

Right you are.

But he apparently thinks they do - so he eats around the edges... of everything.

I have no idea where he picked this up. Everyone in this house eats the crusts... well most of the time...

But it is hilarious to watch!

So here is his breakfast this morning....

French Toast - on whole wheat - with the syrup on the side for dipping.... With the crusts left to fend for themselves....

What did you have for breakfast today?

We hope you like Jammin too!

My son Dakota is pretty amazing. He has some awesome talents.

He can contort his body in ways no man ever should. He is super flexible and can fold himself in half. I mean, THAT is talent my friends!

He can stick his tongue out further then any human I have ever seen! Gene Simmons has nothing on him!

His voice can penetrate many decibels inaudible to human ears! I mean he is LOUD!

He has this uncanny ability to make friends where ever he goes. I mean people are just drawn to him!

But of all his talents I must admit his ear for music is astounding.
He LOVES to sing... ( at the top of his lungs.)
And he loves to dance... ( shake it!)
But most of all he loves to make music... ( NOISE).

For Christmas we were able to score him a bunch of musical stuff. Which included a cool roll up Key Board, a harmonica and a musical guitar. He has been tooting his harmonica for a few days and busts out the key board on occasion. But on this particular day he had his guitar out. And was singing.

What is greater on this earth then a man and his guitar? When he gets a little older I am going to put him in some sort of musical instrument lessons. I am praying it is guitar! :)

I have ZERO musical ability. None. Zilch. I can only hope at least one of my children will be able to woo me with their song of their soul!

Eh, heres to hoping :)

Merry Christmas from Melanie's Mania

We wish you a merry Christmas!

Here is a quick view of how we spent our day!
We hope you enjoyed your friends and family as much as we have!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!


Christmas Eve night....

And the children were nestled all snug in their beds...

My family at my moms...

My Family at my moms for Christmas Day

Our awesome moustache gifts!!

We moustache you a question!

Recipe ~ Potato Soup

Potato Soup

Ingredients:

6 large potatoes
1 1/2 cup chopped celery,  (include leaves)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup half-and-half or 1/2 cup cream
2 Cups of Diced Ham
2 Bay Leaves
1 Cup of Carrots
2 Cans of Chicken Broth

Stovetop Directions:

1 Peel and cube potatoes.

2 Put in a saucepan along with the onions and celery.

3 Add chicken broth, enough to just cover the vegetables.

4 Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are very tender.

5 Using a potato masher, coarsely crush the potatoes, but don't mash them--you want chunks left.

6 Add enough milk or cream to thin to desired thickness and add salt& pepper to taste.

Crock pot Directions:

1. Peel and cube potatoes

2. Put all ingredients in crock pot.

3. Cook for 5-8 hours.

4. Enjoy!

Recipe ~ Easy Brown Asian Sauce

Today I was searching for an easy asian sauce to toss in my chicken and veggies..

I found one that was amazing!

And so simple!

Here it is!

Ingredients

• 2 cups beef broth (can be made with bouillon cubes)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup corn starch (Hint: mix this with few tsp of cold water first so no clumping occurs)
• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic

That is it!!
I added sliced up chicken with squash and mushrooms to mine over a bed of white rice!
Delish!!

Homeschooling!

I have decided to homeschool Dakota. There were recent events which led m to this decision, which I will go into detail about another day. Right now investigation is pending on his school so I will not disclose details.

We had the option to put back in public school ( not going to happen) or into another private school ( because that worked oh so well) or homeschool.  I decided after MUCH thought that I would try. I mean I know it will be hard and I know that he and I will get frustrated. But who is better fit to teach him and love him then .... well, ME!

So we transformed our living room into half homeschool room half living room.... photos pending, its a work in progress!

This is a new exciting journey for us! I am nervous, but I know I can do it!! Dakota and Eli love the new set up! They have already colored and painted and done puzzles at their table! I am happy they accepted t so easily!!

Look forward to more posts on how the heck this is working for us!!

Happy Halloween!

We decided this year to buy costumes the kids would continue using. So when I saw these hooded capes at the Halloween store, I knew this was it!! Angry Birds!

I brought home these three colors ( Skylar told me she wanted black) and I allowed them to choose!

They loved them and did so well trick or treating! Dakota went up to each door and said trick or treat and then also said, thank you very much! He did great! Even Eli figured it out after a few houses, that he needed his bag and he needed to hold it open!!  These kids crack me up!

Here they are in all their glory!!

Carving Pumpkins!

Carving pumpkins with the kids!!

Eli thought the insides were "gwoss".
Dakota tried to eat them - Um, ew!
Skylar opted to paint her pumpkin - which was a better shoice, because the very next day we awoke to squirrels eating them all up!!

UGH!

Happy Halloween!!

Surgery on the Man Parts

*DISCLAIMER* There are links in this post that contain pictures not suitable for little eyes. Man parts. Please be advised before clicking...


I have gone back and forth on whether or not to post about this. Is it too personal? Maybe it is. But this blog is our story. The truth. No sugar coating. This is how I live my life, my triumphs and tragedys...

Here it is.

My son, Dakota - who is 7 now, was born with a webbed scrotum. Due to this, they would not circumsize him at birth. They had a fear that it would pull back too far leaving his opening too wide. We digressed and agreed. Fast forward 7 years. Dakota throughout the 7 years often has infections and pain in his man parts.

We went to a Urologist down at our local hospital. All Childrens Hospital. They explained to us that Dakota appears to have phimosis. They then begin to explain that he will have to be circumsized and they are no longer worried about the webbing.

Circumsized? At 7? Oh man!

Yesterday was Dakotas surgery, and he is in a lot of pain. I really hope that he feels better soon, and that this cures all the issues he was having below. Being that he is limited in his speech, it was hard for us to make the decision to do this. But it was even more hard when he was trying to tell us he was in pain.

Trying to look on the bright side, I am hoping this will help with our potty training which has been an ongoing battle for years!!

Here are a few photos from our event...

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

Two of the classes in Dakota's school went on a field trip to a local pumpkin patch.
They learned about how pumpkins grow, and where they come from.
They did some fun songs and even got to measure pumpkins with a tape measure, which was Dakotas favorite part!
They also did a scavenger hunt/iSpy game with all their awesome decorations.
And last but not least Dakota picked out 3 pumpkins, one for him self and one for his sister and brother.
As we were leaving, we got handed a coloring book, a recipe book and some seeds to plant.
I intend to plant the seeds with the kids as a lesson. I am not sure if they will grow, but it will be fun, nonetheless...

Here are some photos from our day!

Sun, Wind, Rain - 31 Days of Joyful Blessings

The weather. The rain, the sun, the cool breeze.

I feel so very blessed when the sun is shining on me through an open window. Or when the rain is about to fall and the smell lingers in the air. Or when it is hot out and you get that sudden cool breeze.

Yes, this is something I am thankful for...

I love when the sun is shining and I close my eyes and take in its warmth. I love being able to bask in its light and enjoy the heat. ( Being in Florida, most of the tie it scorches me LOL) But I am still thankful for it!

I love rainy days inside. Or outside. I love snuggling up in a blanket with a movie and tossing a roast in the crock pot! I love going out side with the kids and dancing in the rain and splashing in puddles! I love the calm it puts on our home when we can hear the drops dancing on the roof.

I love when fall starts to roll in and we get those breezy days. Where you drive around town with the windows open and feel it kiss your cheeks as your hair flutters around your face. I love being able to throw on a hoodie and feel so snuggly warm.

These moments make me so grateful for living on this earth, even if it is only temporary.

God Never Makes Mistakes

Against all Odds!

American - 31 days of Joyful Blessings

Blessed to be an American.

I was born and raised in the states. I have freedom to do as I please.

I can vote for who runs the country.

I can freely speak my religion.

I can come and go as I please. I can have as many children as I want.

And though this country isnt perfect, I am proud to be an american!

Residence - 31 Days of Joyful Blessings

My residence.

What does this mean?

I am blessed to have lived in many different places. Each place has taught me something in my life!

I was born in Massachusetts, and resided there for some time! Then New Hampshire! Then a small stint in Vermont and New York.

Then we moved to Florida which I call home. Only for me to head to California, where my daughter was born! And then we headed back home, to Florida.

I have had the pleasure of making many memories and friends with people in each state and I love that!
Each person, each memory will be held in my heart!

The most beautiful state and weather by far was California. But the people were not very friendly. Massachusetts will always be where my family is, but it is darn cold there! And Florida just feels like home. I like it here.

What states have you lived in?
Which is your favorite?

Fearfully and wonderfully made!

Laughter - 31 Days of Joyful Blessings

Laughter.

It seems meaningless, right?
Why is laughter a blessing?

Laughter has gotten me out of some hard times. I mean, who doesnt love to laugh.

I am a jokester, I am snarky and sarcastic. Thats me. I joke. About everything.

If I am uncomfortable, I laugh. If I am sad, I laugh. If I am happy, I laugh. Its just what I do.

I am so thankful for laughter. It has turned some really dark times into something worth living. And that has to be worth something, right?

Look, I can be serious if I need to be. But who really wants to walk around like a zombie in a depressed state of living? We only have one life. One life to get it right, or wrong. One life to walk around in coma, or one life to live up and laugh!

I know which one I choose!

But hey, I am not always happy and chipper, I do cry, a lot... But I hope when I get to the pearly gates I can get there and God can say, "Wow, you made a lot of people happy and I could hear their laughter from here!"

I hope to the person reading this, that one time, just one, I made you smile, or I made you happy, if only for a moment! And if not, then lets talk! :)

Thank you Jesus, for laughter!!

You are EVERYTHING, that I didn't know I needed!

Quit staring, Just ASK!

My Dog - 31 days of Joyful Blessings

My dog, Jude.

I have always been a dog lover. I have always had a dog...

But my dog Jude, is the best by far.

We got him in October of 2008 or 2009 ( ack I cant remember!!)

We went to the flea market one day, as it was super nice out and freezing! As we were walking about the outside aisles, we saw this cage with one lone pup. As we got closer we noticed he was shivering to death. Pit bulls are known for their short hair, and get cold easily. As we looked around this mans booth we noticed he had tons and I mean TONS of rabbits, but this was the only dog. When we asked about him being the only one all he repeated was " No english, Spectra 7".  LJ and I had no idea what this meant! LJ took the pup out of the cage to warm him up, I kept walking. When I noticed LJ wasnt by my side I looked back. And there was LJ snuggling the pup. I walked back, and the "No English" Man offered the pup at a very very low price. LJ looked at me and I looked at him. There you have it, thats how we got Jude.

Jude was not very well taken care off prior to us. We assume he was kept with the rabbits, because he had a disease only caught from rabbits, and we found out Spectra 7 was some type of shots that breeders use, that isnt very good. When we took him to the vet, he had everything under the sun - the rabbit funk, worms, a parasite and an allergy to corn! So we got all his shots, got him all fixed up good and gave him tons of love.

I know he wont be with us forever, but I cherish the moments we do have. He is a great family dog, even though he is a pit bull. He is the most loving playful dude I have ever met. He is tolerant of the kids poking and riding him. He gives kisses and takes food from your hand so gently! He never barks or growls at us but he sure does love howling to sirens!!

Thanks Jude, for being our protector and friend!!

Then

Now

Friends - 31 Days of Joyful Blessings

My friends.

The real ones.

See I have several types of friends. I have real friends, I have occasional friends, and I have people who think they are my friends.

This post is for the real friends. The ones who really know me, who have seen me at my best and worst and are still willing to call me a friend.

I am not going to make a list and thank each one. They know who they are. Their names are written in my heart.

But I do want to take a second and acknowledge them.

So thank you my dear friends.
Thank you for letting me call you in the middle of the night if I needed something.
Thank you for putting up with my childish temper tantrums.
Thank you for holding my hand through all my relationship woes.
Thank you for answering the phone, even if you didnt want to.
Thank you for listening to me complain for the umpteenth time about something you could care less about.
Thank you for helping me with advice on how to tend a sick baby.
Thank you for loaning me that dollar when I was so thirsty or hungry.
Thank you for not asking for that dollar back.
Thank you for just sitting with me, when I wept.
Thank you for that hug I needed, even if I didnt ask.
Thank you for knowing when to and when not to say the right thing.
Thank you for telling me my fly was down.
Thank you for not always pointing out my faults or saying I was wrong.
Thank you for taking me on adventures, I would have never dreamed of.
Thank you for allowing me to make bad decisions, so I can learn on my own.
Thank you from stopping me, on many occasions, from doing the wrong thing.
Thank you for supporting me, no questions asked.
Thank you for letting me be me, no matter what any one else thought of me.
Thank you for helping me become the person I am.


You guys are amazing, and I know there is nothing I can possibly do to thank you. Ever.

But I promise you, that I will always be a faithful friend and you will always have a place in my heart.

Even if its been a long time since we spoke. Even if I just talked to you an hour ago.

I will always be here, thinking of you and thanking you.

Much love!

Hold on to that something special...

My grandparents - 31 Days of Joyful Blessings

My grandparents.

I know, I know, more family. But if you havent figured it out yet, I am very family oriented. I was raised in a tight nit family and we are all very very close. Including my grandparents!! They are like second parents to me, and I love them so much! They have so much wisdom and knowledge!

The Listeniks:
I dont know my real grandmother, she passed away when my mom was little. But I see her photos all the time and she was breathtaking! Just like my mom. I wish I had had the chance to meet her, I know she would be so full of love and class. But my grandfather did remarry and I do have a grandmother to love and hug! Grandma and Grandpa Listenik are pretty eclectic  They live in this amazing house, which we all loved to visit! It has a huge green house/porch room where us kids would just sit and play! There was always something to do or explore there. They live on a lake as well, so we always went for a swim or dropped a line in the water. They always had stories for us to hear or home videos for us to watch. Or if was too cold, just snuggle up to the fire place! They live down this huge hill that we used to sled down. Or ice skate on the lake, or row a boat to the local place where bands played just across the cove. Now they come visit us twice a year and stay at their condo on the beach. The condo where I grew up and now my children get to enjoy. They watch my children play in the pool and do all the neat tricks I used to do when I was little. "Watch me, grandma, watch me grandpa, watch this neat trick" Something they have seen a million times, but they put a look on their face as if they have never seen it done so amazing.  I love that and I love them!! I treasure the moments I have with them, and I treasure the moments they share with my kids!!

The Simpsons:
Oh man, where do I begin here. I am so close with my Nana and Papa Simpson. My nana is one of my best friends. I talk to her all the time. She is one of my go to gals when I am having a bad day or having an amazing day! She always has the best advice and has a way of putting my in my place gently if I am wrong. She speaks her mind, but is so loving about it, that sometimes I dont even realize she is telling me my faults! My nana and papa come down every winter to spend with us and we enjoy them so much! One year, we surprised them for their 50th Anniversary and flew up to Massachusetts. I had just talked to her on the phone an hour before the party, pretending we were still in Florida. Imagine their surprise to walk into the party and see us standing there. It was a great day! I am so blessed to have them in my life! And I cant imagine my life with out them!! Papa and Dakota are best buds! They snuggle and hug the whole time they are together, and have long conversations about kittys. I love those moments and treasure them!

These amazing people have molded me into the woman I am. I watch them with each other, loving and tender. I want to have the love they have not only for my spouse but for my children and my grandchildren and my great grandchildren. I can only hope to be at least half the person they are some day!