30 DAY BLOG CHALLENGE DAY 5: MY SIBLINGS!

DAY 5:  MY SIBLINGS

Wow, can you imagine being a Dugger and having to post on 18 siblings?  Ha!  Lucky for me I have one brother and two sisters.

I'll start off with Jennifer.  Although she had a short time with us, she is still a sister to me.  Jennifer would have been my oldest little sister.  When I was 4, Jennifer was 18 months and was in a car accident with the babysitter while my mom and I were at church and my dad was on a hunting trip at the time.  Jesus called her to come home to him on that sad day in April but we will always cherish the time we had with her.

Elizabeth is my baby sister.  She is 7 years younger than I am so it took us a while to 'see eye to eye'!  She was just 11 when I left for Baylor so I missed out on alot of her growing up.  Now that we are older we are the best of friends.  She is the most amazing aunt to my girls and they love her like she is their second mom.  She is full of life and always is on top of the latest fashion trend.  She has a way with kids that is truly a gift from God.  She is following in my mom's footsteps and is now a 2nd grade teacher at the same school she went to elementary at and the school my mom taught at and retired from.

Cody is my baby brother.  He is 8 years younger than me.  He has always marched to the beat of his own drum and I envy that.  He recently got married and is a giddy newlywed.  He has many achievements, the most proud one being his Eagle Scout.  He played the violin at my wedding as I walked down the aisle too.  Cody has turned into my dad but he won't admit it to save his life.  I know I can always turn to him for a straight up honest answer when I need it.  He too loves my girls and is known to get them both so wound up and wild just in time to send them back home.

Cody and his wife Kelsey (we love her!!)  

30 DAY BLOG CHALLENGE DAY 1-4

I'm joining Katie in her 30 day blog challenge (a little late).  Since some days I don't have much to blog about this will help me out and also help anyone who reads get to know me better.  Who knows....maybe I'll get a follower or two out of it!!!  




So here goes... Day 1-4!! 

Day 1:  Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

I'm Heather, I'm 31 and I was born and raised in Texas.  I love Texas... as do most Texans and I think it would be really hard to get me to leave.  I've lived in several different parts of the state and am partial Fort Worth even though I don't live there anymore.  I got my Bachelors of Nursing from Baylor and was a nurse until shortly after I became a mommy to my oldest.  I now have 2 girls 19 months and 6 years and am loving staying home with them.  

Not the best pic, but the most recent!!

1.  I love candles and especially love the fall scents.  I usually have about 3 burning!!

2.  The furthest I've been is Moorea and hope to go back someday, without the kids of course.

3.  I swore I would never come back to my home town and although I am not back, I am pretty close and wish I could move back and live really close to my parents and siblings.  I really miss those family dinners.

4.  If I could have all girls I would love it.  Matt says if #3 is another girl, he is done :(

5.  I love to sew and would sew 100% of my girls' wardrobe if I had the time.

6.  I haven't worked in several years but am kind of starting to miss it.  Shhhh....don't tell Matt!

7.  I used cloth diapers on my youngest baby and now think it is a total waste to spend money on disposables.  I saved so much money using cloth.  (I'm not a crazy go-green person either)

8.  I regret ever quitting ballet after 10 years and wish I hadn't quit piano either.

9.  I graduated in the top 10% of my high school and was accepted into the one and only school I applied to.  Whew!!

10.  I can't stand to watch sports on TV.

11.  I love a clean house.

12.  I haven't read a book in....well, I can't remember the last time I read a book.  But I do wish I was more of a reader, I just can't find time in my day.

13.  I will never have my own facebook page but will admit to hacking into my husbands account.


14.  I rarely watch TV but I do try to catch Ellen when I can.  That woman cracks me up!!!

15.  I am a Christian an am in love with our Lord!  I love seeing my girls raised in a Christian home and love Sunday mornings and going to church as a family.

DAY 2:  Meaning behind your blog name

I wanted something catchy but simple.  Since I am a stay at home mom and spend most of my time at home I kept it short and to the point....Heather at Home

Day 3-Your first love

My first love was my husband Matt.  I had the normal high school crush and occasional boyfriend but the first time I fell in love was when I was dating Matt.  We grew up in the same town, grew up in the same church, and went to all the same schools but our paths never crossed until I was moving into the dorms at Baylor.  We actually have a picture and video of us together when we were in elementary school and we didn't even remember being at the same place.  We were both chosen to be a part of the ground breaking ceremony for a new building at our church and Matt's parents had taken a picture of him shoveling dirt and I was standing right next to him.  I love him more today than ever and thank God for putting him in my life.

Day 4-Your parents

Oh, my parents.  They are the best!  My mom is a retired elementary school teacher and my dad is in the oil business.  They have an amazing relationship and have made it through more than their fair share of hardships and tragedies. I look up to their relationship so much and strive to make my marriage as strong as theirs.  


I never really went through the 'I hate my parents' stage.  I always felt very comfortable talking to my parents about anything and everything and we still have a very open relationship.  I know I can run to them for anything....a good laugh, a good cry, and sometimes just to be in that comfortable place I call home.  They made it very easy to come to them and I always knew they had my best interest in sight and I could trust them 100%.  I always respected my parents and tried to follow the rules.  


They were always in the bleachers cheering me on when I cheered in High School, they were at every dance recital, piano concert, and any other activity I (an my siblings) had going on as I grew up, and we had alot going on.  They are still there for me, and now my girls, every step of the way.  They were there for the birth of my two girls and love them more than I could ever imagine.  The are the best grandparents and are loving every minute of it.....so they say!!


I have an amazing relationship with both my mom and dad and wouldn't change any part of it.  My mom was always the one bussing my siblings and I back and forth to school, practices, and whatever else we had going on.  My dad, like many others, worked ALOT.  Often times he had to be out of town.  My dad was present for all the big occasions but we always knew that he expected 110% from us even if he wasn't there to see us practice. Even as an adult with a family of my own I strive to make my parents proud.  They always held a high standard for us.


My parents always made sure we had what we needed and wanted. They made sure we had unique experiences and opportunities to make our life full and 'cultured'.  They wanted the very best for all of us and made sure we didn't miss out on any opportunity that would help us succeed.  You could say we were a little spoiled but they gave us the best life that they could....and they still do!!






  

POTTY TIME

So I'm doing it.  I'm potty training Kinley.  I know it seems like it is way too early, and it may be,  but she is doing great!  I'm not getting my hopes up that this will be the one and only time I have to do this.  I know she is young (19 months) and that there is a big chance she may not stick with this.  But mainly I am trying it because SHE is the one giving me the signs that she is ready.

For weeks now she has been taking off her diaper and delivering it to me with a smile.  And, she has been wanting to wear panties like London. She would go in London's drawer and pull out all the panties and start putting them on.  After putting them on she would walk around like she was so proud of herself.  

So, I pulled out some of London's first panties (man those things are tiny) and put them on K for a short time each day.  Sometimes she would stay dry and other times she didn't make it.  No big deal, I was doing it more for her entertainment than anything.  I had no intentions of potty training her then.  BUT, after fighting with her to keep her diaper on I figured I would just give the panties a try full time for a few days and well, so far so good.  I still put a diaper over her panties for trips to the store, naps, and bedtime but so far she has stayed dry most of the time during those times too.

She is rewarded with 2 M&M's if she goes 'tee tee' or 'poo poo' in the potty.  She calls them em-ee's.  She knows baby sign language for potty and poo poo, too.  I am hoping that she will become more verbal about when she has to go instead of me taking her routinely and doing the sit and wait so much.  I can pretty much tell by her actions if she is needing to go but there are those times that I just sit her on the potty and wait, and wait, and wait......  Sometimes  I hear that successful sound and sometimes not. 

My plan is to stick with this for two weeks or so and see if she makes progress.   Until then......

this will be our life!

doesn't she look thrilled to be sitting there!!

Tuesday's List - CROCK POT RECIPES!

CROCK POT RECIPES.....
This 'Tuesday's List' will come in so handy at our house.  Dinner lately has been such a challenge with 2 picky little eaters.  I can hardly get Kinley to even eat these days and London just wants the same thing every night......Paula Deen's Chicken Pot Pie.    
Here are some of my favorites....
Beefy Stuffed Peppersfrom Sandra Lee
6 red or yellow bell peppers1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef1 can (11 oz.) Mexican-style corn1 can (7 oz.) sliced ripe black olives1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend1/2 cup converted rice (this is just plain rice out of the box)1 packet (1 oz.) taco seasoning1 can (10 3/4 oz.)  condensed tomato soup1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1.  Cut tops off peppers.  Remove stems, seeds, and cores from peppers.  Dice pepper tops.
2.  In a large bowl combine beef, corn, olives, and 1 cup cheese, the rice, taco seasoning and diced pepper tops.  Stuff peppers with equal portions of meat mixture.  Place stuffed peppers in a 4 - 5-quart slow cooker.
3.  In another bowl, combine soup and tomatoes.  Pour over stuffed peppers in slow cooker.  Top peppers with 1/4 cup shredded.  Cover and cook on high-heat setting 4-5 hours or low-heat setting for 6-7 hours.  




Mexican Chowderfrom my mom!
3 cups chopped/shredded chicken1 can Mexican corn1 can cream of potato soup1 can diced chilies (undrained)1 envelope taco seasoning mix3 cups chicken broth8 oz. sour cream4 oz. Mexican Velveeta2 tbs. cilantro
1.  In crockpot, combine chicken, corn, soup, undrained chilies, taco seasoning, and cilantro.  Stir in broth.
2.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
3.  Before serving, in a separate bowl, stir about 1 cup of soup mixture into sour cream, then add the cheese.  Add sour cream and cheese mixture to remaining soup in crockpot.
Serve with tortillas or in bread bowls!!
My mom doesn't like cilantro so she always leaves it out but either way it is a great soup for a cold night!

HAPPY COOKING EVERYONE!!

SHE'S ON A ROLL....

London got her first report card today and she is on a roll.......






Honor Roll to be exact.

I'm so proud of her!!  She was excited too but I think mostly because she got a coupon to get a free Wacky Pack from Sonic!

WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO

Well we are back in the groove of things and it's already Wednesday.

We made a weekend trip to the ranch to celebrate my sister's birthday.  It was a quick trip but so fun to be with everyone and be able to play under the big Texas sky and sit back and relax around the camp fire at night.  

London always has a great time and now that Kinley is walking, even she had fun.  Her favorite thing was to walk up and down a little hill and squeeled 'whee' every time she went down the hill.  London got to drive the polaris all by herself, well with a very brave passenger.  I must say she did very good and didn't get out of control.  I think she is going to be like her mama and be a cautious driver.

Tuesday I took London to try a tap/ballet class.  She has recently started telling me she doesn't like gymnastics....the warm-up mostly....so the gym she is at offers dance, so she tried it out.  She came out and I was expecting her to really enjoy it but she didn't.  She decided to keep going to gymnastics so hopefully she will start enjoying it more.  I think once she gets the hang of things she will start enjoying it more.

Today was 'Walk to School Day'.  All the kids were asked to wear orange.  London and I have started walking to school most of the time but today it was so neat to see so many kids and parents walking to school.  Last night I finished up London's orange outfit and I got so many compliments on it.  Luckily she can wear it all month too!!  I still have a few more Halloween things I want to make too.

We have gymnastics after school then we're off to Mission Burrito for the OKE spirit night.  

Tuesday's LIst - DVR LIST

OK, Even though I have a totally boring DVR list I have nothing else to post about so here you go!!
For the girls we DVR Cat in the Hat

I think it is new on PBS and the girls LOVE IT!!  Kinley starts dancing like crazy when the song comes on and London watches it in the mornings while I fix her hair for school.  It is clean, fun and educational so its a winner at our house.  Thats just about all the TV they watch.  If they want something else I usually just turn on Sprout and they watch whatever is on at the time.
As for me, the only thing I care about on the DVR is Survivor

I've never been a big TV watcher so usually if I want to watch something I just flip through until I find something.  Quints by Surprise, Kate plus 8,  Say yes to the Dress, The Little Couple, Paula Deen and Ellen are what you will find me watching if I happen to turn the TV on and its on.  If nothing is on, the TV goes off!!  I'm the kind that doesn't care if I miss an episode so honestly, DVR-ing isn't something I do....the hubby loads it up with all his shows and sports.   I'm not even sure I know how to work it :)