Going Banana's and a Giveaway WIN!

I am SO excited! Last night I got tickets for us to take the boys to see The Wiggles Go Bananas LIVE TOUR in Indianapolis in August!! I LOVE the Wiggles and so do my boys;) The little one calls them the "Goo-Gees"! We are trying to keep it a secret from them so they will be SUPER surprised! We also plan to stay a day or two in Indy to see the awesome zoo too!

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I recently won a pretty giveaway from my new friend Melinda!
I won these adorable statues and...

... this vintage hankie set! Woo-hoo!

Can you believe that its almost July? We are 7 months into the year already; time is FLYING!
What are your summer plans? Taking any day trips or vacations?

I am taking the boys to Toledo Zoo in Ohio in July to meet my bloggy girlfriend Stacy! I can't wait to see her; she has 2 little boys as well. The boys and I will stay over night too; cause its a 2 1/2 hour drive for us to get there! I am excited for a one-on-one bonding day with them!

I am also planning to meet up with another dear blog friend, Katie somewhere in Michigan and her cute little daughter:)

I think its gonna be a pretty fun summer!

Noelle ♥

Sweet Tooth ♥

Hey girls! I got a sweet tooth tonite that I can't do ANYTHING about!! Darn! I have to fast for 12 hours till tomorrow morning to have some bloodwork done:(

I came across these fun 4th of July recipes and thought I'd share them with you!

Has anyone seen these red, white and blue M&M's anywhere? I have been looking at stores around here and have had NO luck finding them!!!

This is my 276th post; only 24 more to go till my BEACHY themed giveaway!! YAY!

Noelle ♥

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Red, White and Blue Candy-Topped Brownies

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Colored candy-coated chocolate candies are the simple sprinkle that turns no-fail brownies into celebration brownies. Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 1 hour 40 min Makes: 24 brownies

1	box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix
	Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
1 1/2	cups red, white and blue candy-coated chocolate candies

	Print these coupons...
	About Concordance™

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening.
2.	In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, water, oil and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Bake 15 minutes.
3.	Sprinkle candies over partially baked brownie. Bake 13 to 15 minutes longer or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For brownies, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on brownie mix box for making batter; bake as directed in steps 2 and 3.

Special Touch

Cut brownies into triangles for a celebration touch.

Nutrition Information:

1 Brownie: Calories 200 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 100mg; Total Carbohydrate 31g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 23g); Protein 2g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Brownie 'n Berries Dessert Pizza

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Want to wow a chocolate-craving crowd? Make a sweet dessert pizza topped with a creamy layer and tart berries. Prep Time: 20 min Total Time: 2 hours 50 min Makes: 16 servings

1	box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix
	Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
1	package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3	cup sugar
1/2	teaspoon vanilla
2	cups sliced fresh strawberries
1	cup fresh blueberries
1	cup fresh raspberries
1/2	cup apple jelly

	Print these coupons...
	About Concordance™

1.	Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray or shortening.
2.	In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, water, oil and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan.
3.	Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4.	In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base. Arrange berries over cream cheese mixture. Stir jelly until smooth; brush over berries. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled. Cut into wedges. Store covered in refrigerator.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on brownie mix box. Use 14-inch pizza pan.

Substitution

Use your favorite combo of three berries.

Health Twist

Use a low- or no-fat cream cheese for the regular cream cheese.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 310 (Calories from Fat 110); Total Fat 12g (Saturated Fat 4 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 180mg; Total Carbohydrate 47g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 34g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 25%; Calcium 2%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Mostly Wordless Wednesday #6: FUNNY CAT PIC!

OK! This pic still makes me roll on the floor laughing when I look at it! This is our oldest cat Maddie who we call "Chatty Maddie"! She NEVER shuts up; meows constantly!
The other day Gage woke up from his nap and was grumpy so I put Maddie in his bed to make him laugh! I took some pics and caught her in "MID-MEOW" right here; but it looks like she is CHEESING her little cat A*S off, doesn't it?? LOL!!

Gotta love funny animal pics!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Noelle

A Day at the Pool!

Make a Smilebox slideshow We took a break from life today and headed to the pool! The boys had a blast and I am so sunburnt! But it was relaxing and fun; so that is whats important! Check out this cute slideshow I made:) Noelle ♥

A happy time... ?

Sometimes I wonder how life can go from being this happy, like in the photo above when I was about 7 months pregnant with Gage... to how crappy life feel today:(

Today I sit here evaluating where my life and "our life" as a couple, and as a family HAS become today...
FULL of stress, bitterness, not-nice words, frustrations...
it makes me SAD!

I know I am not perfect but I do the best I can to raise my children well and to make them happy. I slack on housework sometimes to spend extra time outside, or at the pool, or playing with them. I slack on housework too sometimes to give myself some "peace" by blogging, or scrap booking, or chatting with a friend.

I admit that I slack on paying a bill right away sometime/s to buy myself or the boys something new and nice; or going out to eat to just "get away".

Does this make me GUILTY and to be the one to blame all the time?

Brian has barely talked to me in 3 days because I didn't have money to put gas in the truck and he had to do it for the 2nd week in a row. Well, I DON'T have a job, nor do I have much $ in savings anymore... what am I to do?

Its constant fighting about $$$$$$ that drives me crazy!
Our wedding in less than 5 months away and sometimes he acts like he wants to throw it all away because he gets in a "tizzy" over the fact that he pays for everything!
Should I quit school and go to work full time?
I refuse to put my kids in expensive daycare to have them raised by someone else; which is an AGREEMENT that we both have had for years and now he is going back on his word!

I just can't ever "win" this battle and I am getting so burnt out!

Sorry to get so personal here, and I hope I haven't offended anyone.
I just needed to vent and I often do it best in writing.
Don't feel that you NEED to comment; its more just me getting things off my chest!

Noelle ♥

SCRAPBOOK SUNDAY: Fun with Borders!

Welcome to Scrapbook Sunday! Each week a couple gals and I show off our fave Scrapbook pages and tell a little something about them; such as the memory behind the pics or even how we created our pages! Feel free to jump on our scrappy band-wagon by leaving a comment letting me know that you'd like to join. I'll link you up on the next post:)
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The page above is a layout I did when we visited Kellogg's Cereal City in Battlecreek, MI a few years ago. What a FUN place! We got to tour the factory and watch how Cornflakes are made!! Gavin got his pic taken with Tony the Tiger and was able to sample some fresh Cornflakes right as they were made!

There was a wall of all the cereal box covers that Kellogg's has ever made! There also were a bunch of characters made from Lego's such as Tony the Tiger below and the Snap!Crackle!Pop! guys from Rice Krispie's shown below too:)

I made the border strip on the page above by punching out some of the little cereal boxes from the larger photo I took of the cereal box wall!

The border on the bottom of the page shown below was actually the little hat they gave Gavin to wear at the factory:)

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This page shows Gavin at 3 getting his picture taken by Nascar drivers car, Kurt Busch! We didn't get to meet Kurt or anything but daddy is a huge Nascar fan and they had the car here in town locally!

I used square punches for the corners of the page and some fun racing stickers to connect the squares. Gavin looks like he was ready to ride, huh?

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This page shows our youngest kitty Maxie when she was little! I punched out circles and layered them with two colors to create the border here. I also punched a circle out of Maxie's little face too, to add on the border. I had some fun cat themed stickers that I added to each circle punch as well. I got this layout tip from one of my Creative Memories idea books:)

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Thanks for visiting me today! Check out HOLLY's SS post too:)

We are off to the lake today to celebrate Father's Day with my future in-laws! Someone is a GRUMPY DAD on Father's Day today- NOT GOOD!!

Hope your daddies and hubbies are in a good mood today:)

Noelle ♥

Flowers, Finds and more!

Hi girls! Just got back a bit ago from some shopping with my friend/future sis-in-law Amie:) We hit up Old Navy because they had $2.00 tank tops today! We were in line outside the store at 9 am; till they opened at 9:30! LOL I got 3 new tanks, a pair of swim shorts for each of the boys, a v-neck tee for me, a pair of flip flops and a shirt for Brian for Father's Day! I also had a "take 25% off your purchase of $50.00 or more" coupon. I spent $40 and saved an extra $41.00 with the discounts and coupon! WAHOOOO!
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Above are my impatients that are still waiting to be planted in my hanging baskets; I am off to do that next today! We have a birthday party for a cutie little girl who's turning 1 today too:)

Holly, here are the Vanilla Marigolds I mentioned before.
They are a little bit yellow looking too; weird! All my flowers in pots are BLOOMING like CRAZY this year:) I love it ♥

This is a NOT so GREAT shot of my Tiger Lily's that opened this week! I got these pics taken yesterday evening just before it started to rain:(

Here are my planters in fill bloom; look at the Dahlia's!! They are so pretty!!

Here are some of the flowers I planted last week in my garden area, under my living room window. Now I am drawing a blank of the name of the tall purple flowers... MOM- help??

Found these cute patriotic yard signs at Dollar Tree yesterday too!

This area shown here is in front of my boring old concrete slab porch; can't wait to have a wrap around porch someday!! (Dreaming away here!!)
I love this little fence yard sign too:)

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The boys and I did some treasure huntin' yesterday at Goodwill. I found these pretty old plated already with a hanger on the back of them!! I am going to add some pretty ribbon and hang them in my living room! A bit of a GW splurge at $2 each.

A new pretty mug and a vase for $1 total!

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I mentioned awhile back that I had gotten a chance for some FREE old china pieces and linens from a family members home that was going up for sale... but I kept forgetting to show them!
I just love this black hankie!

Here are a couple mroe that I received too! The one with the purple flowers is my fave:)

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This week was a CHALLENGING one with my 2 little boys... WHEW!
Rainy days aren't much fun with these two; we are confined to the house
and they get bored and grumpy!

Last night they enjoyed some popcorn and watched half of Shrek 2 while I did some laundry!

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Here are my "CORN ON THE COB CUTIES"!!
Who would of thought eating corn could look so cute?

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I've been growing my hair out for our wedding so I can have a pretty Up-Do; its long enough for a pony-tail now! This is great for days that I don't feel like doing my hair!!

Here is a shot of the fluffy pony from the back; and my UGLY tattoo that I REGRET!!

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My mom, Lori from Pink Faded Roses tagged me to tell 6 Un-Important Things About Myself.

So, here they are:

1. I love Coke Zero, but refuse to drink any other DIET Pop- yuck!

2. I am petrified to death of water that is over my head and WILL NOT go in it! I have major fears of drowning!

3. I am addicted to the new reality show "Southern Belle's" that is on the SOAP channel on Thursday nights at 10 pm!

4. I now am scared to drive alone at night; because I rarely go anywhere now late since I've had kids!

5. I get my upper lip waxed! Thanks to age and the PCOS; I now get a "CHIC-STACHE"!! NOT COOL or CUTE!

6. My hubby to be weighs 35 lbs less than me and it PIS*ES me off!! I am EVEN more MOTIVATED now to lose weight!

Now its your turn...

I tag the following gals...

BRENDA

KATIE

HOLLY

STACY

and who ever else would like to do this!

Have a great weekend! See you back tomorrow for SCRAPBOOK SUNDAY!

Hugs,
Noelle ♥