PAUSE!

This morning I wake up to an annoying pain in my throat...
My lymph nodes are swollen like crazy and my throat is killing me..
I feel as though I have been hit by a semi truck...
You know the worst part about getting a cold or being sick, when you have kids?!
They don't slow down or stop for a second you still have to take care of them, play with them, clean up after them, feed them, change their diapers, bathe them, etc...
It is funny though because right now I don't feel like I can make myself anything to eat, or wash my hair or clean up ANYTHING.
BUT when my girls get up you better know somehow (I really have never known how) I will be making breakfast, wiping tooshies, wiping noses, playing games and cleaning the house..
When I was a child I was such a baby if I had a cold the world STOPPED! Now that's my girls' job and mine is to always make sure they are cared for, loved and not bored, oh yeah and fed :)
It's funny how life changes.
It's funny how two tiny little cute girls can keep a mommy so motivated and happy, even when I have been hit by a semi truck.

My motivation :) 

Old dogs CAN learn new tricks.

Last night after dinner, I looked at Mitty and said, "Honey I think I am going to go take a bath."

his response "Okay babe, enjoy yourself."

So off I go to have 30 minutes of peace and quiet...

I am reading my book when all of a sudden here comes my husband with a glass of wine for me.

"AWW! Thanks babe!"

It was as though he read my mind....

THEN he comes back in with candles lit and puts them on the edge of the tub just right so I can still read my book when he turns the lights off. 

(Who is this man and what has he done with my husband?!)

Never in our relationship has he ever done anything so sweet and romantic.

I am the luckiest girl in the world. 

And now when he says he is a horrible romantic I know the truth, he is one of the most romantic, sweet husbands around. 

Thank you to my amazing husband!

(Do you think I could get use to this treatment?! Because I am liking it so far :)) 

Hiking?! I think so!

Do you ever get the craving to do something you have never really done before?
I got that just now.
I want to go hiking.
And when I get to the top of wherever I am going I want to pull out my book and read.
And then when I am good and ready I will hike back to wherever it is I started.
Just thinking about the silent forest and something that doesn't have a specific schedule attached to it sounds sublime.
I will be going hiking.
Where... I don't know.
When... I couldn't tell you.
BUT, I am going to do it and I am going to do it when it's good for me and where I want to :)
Man I feel selfish!
But for now, back to laundry mountain ( I guess I am a hiker :)) and the dry erase crayon pictures we are making on the easel :)

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

I can hear...

The ticking and tocking of my..

CLOCK!

That's right people Keylee is down for a nap,

G is at school and it is actually SO quiet that I can hear the ticking and the tocking of my KITCHEN Clock, and not only that but I am sitting in the living room ( A WHOLE ROOM AWAY!)

Now to most they won't understand how the ticking and tocking of a clock can be so marvelous..

BUT moms do!

My house is always so loud I can barely hear my own thoughts 

(now don't get me wrong this noise I talk about is my lullaby or team song as you will)

I LOVE that noise.

BUT!

When My house is so quiet that I can hear my thoughts and the ticking of the clock I don't even want to type, thinking it might ruin the peacefulness. 

Now to get back to my pumpkin spice latte and hmm maybe I will read a book

(as I look around I see chores that need to be done... But I say they can wait! I have a peaceful, silent house and to be honest the next time this happens will probably be when I am retired and the kiddos are out of the house... The housework can WAIT!)

Off I go to enjoy a book with my pumpkin spice :) ahh I love quiet fall days in the Dehnert house!

(don't you dare try to ruin this by telling me it is not fall :) ) 

To break or not to break?!

So today Mitch's mom took the girls to visit their great grandparents at the coast. Ghianna was so excited she could hardly sleep last night! I was so excited for a break of work, kids and the husband I could barely sleep! (It was like we were both going to Disneyland, but G was going to Grandma-land and I was going to quiet-alone time- land!)
So this morning, Mitty and I loaded the girls up and met his mom. While pulling out without the car seats and the girls my heart sank... I missed them already, but I had to suck it up. The girls were going to have a blast and I really did need a break and most of all Grandma needed a princess fix.
So, I planned a marvelous day for myself, I drove to the beach (where my mom lives) and we went to lunch, where of course I had a mimosa (remember no kids) then we went down tot he beach sat our chairs in the sand and just read... Well, pretty soon the tide started to come in, but ya know what.... We didn't move. We sat there, in silence (okay there were lots of giggles) lifting our feet and letting the waves roll right under our chairs. It was amazing. Listening to the waves crash on top of one another and smelling the salty sea air was refreshing.
We then went and got some ice cream and then went back to the beach (You can't go to the beach and not get ice cream, it's a law. I swear they will throw you in jail [well, at least that is what we think anyway])
My mom and I got some good visit time in, which was much needed. And I got some time to relax (I forgot how to do it at first). I wasn't having to chase Keylove around making sure she didn't crawl up the stairs or suck on any wires. I wasn't having to keep an eye on Gbabe or have to tell her no, not even once.
But... To be 110% honest.... It was weird, nice but weird.
Also, all day all the things that came out of my mouth were about the girls....
It is like you want a break so badly, a break from everything so you can just relax and not have to worry about anyone else but yourself. But when you get that break, and the kids wave bye-bye and the husbands kisses you and leaves for work and you are left all by yourself; you don't know what to do. You feel empty, you have been taking care of everyone else for so long, you don't know how to just take care of yourself for a change.
Why is it that we wish for a break and then when we get it we don't know what to do with ourselves?

Smashing :)

Ladies and Gentlemen come one come all and see I, Katie Dehnert have a hobby!

Surprising and out of this world all at the same time!

If you know me you know, my hobbies consist of my darling little girls and my amazing husband.

I used to read... Don't have the time anymore...

I used to cheer.... But I am not 16 anymore....

I used to make mud pies... But I started to get dirty looks...

So NOW I am Smashing :)

Smashing all my memories and ideas into a little homemade book.

(Scrap-bookers, I have tried to be as patient and creative as you but I failed, this is my kind of scrapbook, put it together [or buy a notebook] and then start smashing all your memories into it, it doesn't have to be perfect, you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on stickers or scrap booking supplies)

Hello cheap. Hello easy. Hello new hobby :)

Thank you to my dear mother for the lovely idea :) 

Dehnert Girl Kick Asparagus Chicken Casserole

So I know I am always asking for new recipes from all my friends, They call me the "Recipe Phantom" *Insert evil laugh here*

So tonight for dinner I had noodles and chicken staring me right in the face saying, "EAT ME!"

So I put them on the counter and kept thinking...

hmmm okay one can of cream of mushroom soup...

I will make a casserole! 

As I cook the noodles and chicken I think to myself... It is so bland looking.

(My mom used to tell us stories about her home ec teacher in high school and she said if your meal didn't have color you failed. Well, I would have failed will a capital F! 

JUST THEN, I looked in my veggie cubby in my fridge and saw..... ASPARAGUS! 

*Mouth starts salivating*

So I mixed it right on in and added the most important ingredient CHEESE!

(With my handy dandy helper.. GHIANNA!)

And now filling up my house is the sweet smell of the ...

Dehnert Girl Kick Asparagus Chicken Casserole :)

It was easy peasy and all you need is...

3 chicken breasts (or more depends on how many fine folks you are willing to feed)

One can of cream of mushroom soup (or more.... You are the chef right now, not me, but I did one :) )

Fresh, Absolutely Amazing Asparagus to taste ( If you know me, or not you should still know from this posting I used a massive amount of Absolutely Amazing Asparagus!)

NOODLES, NOODLES, NOODLES! (Again depending on how many you are willing to feed :) )

Yes, I did season the chicken, with some Chicken me up Chicken seasoning :) 

I cooked the noodles, Cooked the chicken and at the very end of the chicken I tossed in the Absolutely Amazing Asparagus for maybe 2 minutes (vital step right.. Two WHOLE minutes :) ) then I combined it ALL into a casserole dish cheesed the thing up mixed in the soup and then... WATCH OUT BETTY! 

It is currently in the oven warming up and I will broil the top of it to make some crunchy crunch cheese..

And this Dehnert Girl Kick Asparagus Chicken Casserole will make me famous... 

In my own cookbook :) 

And to top it off Mitch will be one HAPPY man when he gets home at ooo 2:20 AM :)

But now the cheese is done browning and my handy dandy helper and greatest taste tester in the world is ready to TASTE!

bone appetit :)