Celebrate Spring Chicago with Miracle-Gro at HomeDepot #Sponsored

Thanks to Miracle-Gro and Home Depot my boys and I created some things to beautify our yard.  Available exclusively in Chicago Home Depot store and only THIS month, check out what you can do with Miracle-Gro Premium Plants


 Chicago’s blooms will be bigger* and better than ever this season. And with Mother’s Day around the corner one of these potted annuals or hanging baskets make the perfect gift. One that keeps on growing!


"We’ve taken all we’ve learned over the years in gardens around the globe and created thriving plants for long-lived success. From begonias to petunias, to geraniums, they’ve been cultivated with care to help you achieve beautiful results in your home or garden. And with their roots firmly planted in a custom soil blend, they have everything they need to succeed. You’ve trusted us to help you care for plants, now you can grow with us right from the start.

• 3-month money-back guarantee
• Fast blooms and vibrant colors that last all season
• Available in potted annuals and hanging baskets
• Limited time only at The Home Depot stores in Chicago

*Compared to conventionally grown plants"



Mother's Day sounded like the perfect reason to create some pretty potted plants with Miracle-Gro premium plants, so I gathered the boys and off to Home Depot we went.

After wandering the garden section for awhile we found a great selection of Miracle-Gro plants.  The hardest part was getting the boys to agree on colors! I thought that these plants looked pretty full and healthy compared to the other available brands so I'm super excited to see what they will look like as they grow.

The Miracle-Gro premium Plants happened to be outside (on the sidewalk) at our location, not sure if this the norm or not but there were plenty of available employees in the garden section to ask for help.

Once we made our selections, which included two plants for friends and three plants for ME, we headed back inside.  There we grabbed some Miracle-Gro Potting Mix and some nice pots for our new plants.

I was very pleased that even with a little hunting for the plants, and some 'discussion' on which ones we wanted we were in and out with the trunk all loaded up in less than half an hour!

These are the plants we picked to give to two close friends who I wanted to honor for Mother's Day because they have been so amazing to us helping to get the boys taken care of and to sports etc when I needed an extra pair of hands!
 

They boys were eager to jump in and get dirty repotting the plants in the Miracle-Gro potting soils.  We filled the pots with the soil and the boys loosened up the dirt the plants were already in to allow the roots to spread.

Once they were all done, Bryan had to give them the sniff test?  He says they smell great!

The boys had fun helping with this project and have been carefully watering the large pot that stayed with us since. I love how easy it was and can't wait to see the pot fill in.

Since we don't have any good locations for flowers in our yard (nothing with the right combination of location for they are safe from feet, light and soil) I am hoping we do well with our pot and maybe next spring we can add more pots to our collection so that we can add more color to our yard.

Thanks to Miracle-Gro for providing us a gift card so we could check out the Premium Plants line.  All thoughts, opinions and photos are my own.

#SocialBlackout For Mom #Sponsored

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for MetLife. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

As a blogger, I am plugged in...a LOT but this Mother's Day MetLife has asked me to take part in #SocialBlackout and help spread the word.  I'm up for the challenge, are you?

How are YOU celebrating  Mother's Day this year?  I mean chocolates and flowers are nice.  Handmade gifts are AWESOME! But NOTHING beats real, quality time with mom to let her know how much you appreciate her. And take it from someone who can't spend this Mother's Day with her mom, it's a gift for YOU too.  As a mom, I obviously think that we should be celebrated, or at least appreciated EVERY day.  But Mother's Day is the perfect time to really pause and take the time to enjoy the Mom in your life without distractions.  Make the day special by giving YOURSELF, your undivided attention.  

How you spend the time will depend on what you like to do together but for me it usually means having fun and getting outside.  Oh and NOT having to cook.  In years past, I've spent the day with my boys doing everything from just hanging out in our yard, to heading to the park and flying kites to going to Six Flags.  It doesn't matter WHAT you do, its about being together!  But being together doesn't really count if it just means your in the same general area, ignoring each other for your favorite tech device.  Despite being a serious lover of all things social media, I make it a point to regularly unplug so that my family doesn't know me only by the top of my head behind my smart phone or laptop.  I promise, Facebook and Instagram, they'll be there on Monday!  But take this one day (and if you enjoy it as much as I do, you can make it a weekly thing) and back away from the screen.  It'll be good for all of you!

If you're ready to join be this Sunday and unplug for Mom, check out the #SocialBlackout event on Facebook.  Just make sure you did it BEFORE Sunday! And if you're worried friends may send out a search party when you don't post ALL DAY, feel free to use the badge above as your profile photo so no one worries!

Tick Tock

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That is how I started my morning.  Plucking one of those little buggers off my first born's neck.  Yes I'm thankful it was on his neck because otherwise one of his friends may not have spotted it while they waited in line to start school.  It may have crept to a darker spot and created a much more serious problem.  Yes, I AM thankful.  But, gah, seriously, could karma just cut me the slightest break.  At least this week.  Please!

Sunday is the show for Listen To Your Mother.  I found the perfect dress to make me feel like a star weeks ago. I had great plans to get my hair cut and colored, to have my eyebrows and nails done.  I expected to have time to practice how I wanted to do my make up.  And instead, I've done NONE of that, I have a virus that is robbing me of my voice AND I have a disgusting cold sore that seems to be defying my 'go to' treatment.  Yes, I know, the show will go on.  I'll do the very best I can and will be proud of myself for accomplishing something I never would have imagined trying a short time ago.  But really, pretty pretty please, could I just get a moment to breath.  To drink my hopefully magic OJ in peace?

Tickets are still available, and I promise even if I lose my voice completely and have to learn sign language in 4 days I WILL go on, and TODAY ONLY 25% of ticket sales are going to Greater Chicago Food Depository (all other sales 10% was donated).

Christmas Fun w/Linky Wordless Wednesday #WW

We had a great Christmas with lots of gifts and time with family!

The boys got COAL (technically it was chocolate) and that's really what they deserved after their behavior the last week.

But they still got all this too...

Timmy is IN LOVE with his Kindle Fire!!

Everyone (young and not so young) loved the Perplexus(es) the boys got!  

(I didn't even know there are three different ones now)

And they each got a super soft and squishy stuffed animal.  Bryan's is almost as big as he is.

Bryan and I piled the stuffed animals together and snuggled. Until I brought out the phone for some photos...then it got all goofy....

 Hope you had a great Christmas too!!!

Link up below so I can stop by and visit!

Oh The Places We'll Go, Sarasota Florida Things To Do

This Christmas we're doing things a little different.  We are packing up the van and heading to warmer climates to spend a week on the beach with my family.  There will be 8 other adults sharing a beach house with my crazy kids.  I could easily spend the entire week sitting in the sand reading and playing online but that isn't exactly my boys speed.  So I've arranged a couple fun places for us to check out so the boys don't get bored and cause more trouble than usual.

The first place that has graciously offered to host my crew for some fun and learning is G.WIZ Science Museum in Sarasota, FL.  Check out their website by clicking on their logo or on Twitter or Facebook by clicking those icons.

We will also be visiting Mote Aquarium which was highly recommended by family members as a must see in the Sarasota, FL area. Visit them online by clicking the image below.

You can also find Mote Aquarium on Facebook and Twitter.

Happy 9th Birthday, Timmy!

 I can't believe it's been nine years since I started motherhood by declining to hold you immediately after you were born.  But don't worry, I promise, I loved you more than I can explain at that very moment.  I was just very tired and felt very weak and was terrified of dropping you because my arms felt like jello.
After I took a few minutes to rest, I gathered you in my arms and let you know just how much I loved you.  As you peaked at me through half open eyes, my heart melted.  You HAD me at hello!
Within those first few hours of your life you were surrounded by people who loved you and many of them began commenting about what an old soul you seemed to have.  It wasn't something I could see or understand then, but it didn't take long to realize they were right.  You were so smart, so wise and so mature from the very beginning. 
You continue to be smart and wise and very kind.  You are the best big brother I have ever known.
Your dedication and desire to do your very best at everything you do makes me so proud to be your mom. 
I hope you have an amazing 9th birthday!  I can't believe this is your last year in single digits!

Love,
Mom

And  just had to add this video because you were singing it, well sort of signing it "Annie are walking, Annie are walking", this morning when I woke up!!

I get an A

That's right, I'm giving myself an A.  And while I'm at it, through a nice shiny gold star on it too because I feel like I MIGHT just be doing something right with my kids.

Today was Parent Teacher conferences at the boys school (and based on facebook and twitter a lot of other schools across the country) and I am literally beaming with pride!  My third grader made the Superior Honor Roll with 3 100% and 3 99% grades.  That is seriously mind blowing to me. We won't discuss the kind of grades I was getting in third grade when I attended the same school!  I am thrilled as can be with his teacher who is allowing him to do advanced work on a consistent basis as soon as he masters their current work.  His test scores (NWEA) are off the chart for math and ONE point from being off the chart for his grade in reading.  His teacher allowed him to set his own goals for what he will be working on to continue to improve his scores and some of those things include alliteration, similes, metaphors and inference (which the teacher had to explain to ME) for reading and fractions, area, perimeter etc in math.  He will continue with his novel work for reading and will be starting on a 5-6th grade piece in the next week or two.  He will continue working on his space research project and has been doing some work with atoms and the periodic table for science (all independent work).  And starting this coming week he will be allowed to work independently in the 4th grade math text whenever they are reviewing current topics in class.  I'm really not sure who I am more impressed with at this point, HIM or his teacher!!  So so nice to feel like he is really getting what he needs this year.

And Johnny, my quiet content little thing.  He is doing just as well. He is off the chart on his test scores (NWEA) as well.  He is participating more in class and making himself heard (volume wise) which has been a big issue for him.  His teacher is thrilled with his behavior as well as his work.  She says he always stays busy if he finishes something early (which he almost always does) he simply gets out a book to read or works on their math games.  He also set some goals, though a little more general to help him keep his already crazy high scores on the rise.

I am over the moon happy with the work my boys are doing this year!! And despite my desire to take all the credit for this I simply can't.  While I do hope that the things that my husband have been doing for years has really nurtured their abilities, most of what they are is simply God given.  You see my kids (and yours) are truly the most amazing miracles ever.  I have my share of hair pulling moments, don't get me wrong but when I'm not searching for their mute buttons, because they CAN be crazy loud Xs three, I am seriously in awe of who they are becoming.  I can only pray that I have MANY MANY more years of being able to watch them grow into the amazing men I know they have been blessed with the talent and hearts to be!

Today I am truly thankful for the gift of my children!  And as much as I want to, I can't really take that shiny gold star, but the one who deserves it already holds a whole galaxy of them so maybe he'll let me hang on to this one!

Wordless Wednesday, 10/12/11 My Beautiful Family {linky}

 Sorry for being so photo heavy this week but I wanted to share ALL of my favorite photos from our recently family shoot with www.photosbyaimee.com.  I am so in love with them, it's too hard to chose just one or two.  If you have a favorite, let me know in the comments!