The family and I went camping last weekend, and had a great time.  The weather could not have been better, except for the mornings which were freezing cold.

The bunnies are doing well, and right now as I type this their mommy is feeding them.  Life is so awesome.

My nine year old has to wear a bra all the time now, and after I told Mr. Kell, I was firmly instructed to never talk about it again.  I guess this means I am all on my own when it comes to the puberty talk.

I do not want anyone to be jealous, but I am organizing my computer tomorrow.  My folders, pics, etc, are all out of whack.

Pictures…

Mr. Kell is trying to fix a hole in the air mattress in the dark.  I will let you guys know that it did not work.  I got zero sleep.  At 0500 I got up and walked to the bathroom, then quickly ran back to the campsite because I thought I was being chased by an animal.  I made some coffee, and watched the sun rise all by myself.  No kids, no husband.

A beautiful tree during the sunrise.

It does not get better than a campfire.

The water was crazy cold, but these girls did not care.

The water was so calm in the mornings.  It made me wish for a porch with a porch swing.

Have you bought the abeautifulmess app on iTunes.  You really should, because it is too much fun.

Little bit running after her sister at the bus stop.  They are running around right now playing dress up.

We packed up the campsite on Mother’s Day and headed home.  I took a nap, we ate Whataburger, and watched reruns of Duck Dynasty.  Plus, I got the above poem for a gift.

Another great week!

Go Rangers!

Last night there were horrible storms in the area, and we were worried that the bunnies would drown.  Their mommy built them a nest that is in a covered up hole in the ground.  Mr. Kell noticed that the mommy beefed up the nest like she knew a storm was coming, but he wanted to do something more.

So he put a table over the nest to keep the area as dry as possible.  He even went out there a few times to make sure the rain was not hitting the nest.

After that was all said and done, I was sitting on the couch craving a cup of coffee, and he made me a cup.

For a man that doesn’t drink coffee, he sure does make a mean cup.

I guess after 22 years I will keep him around.

An epic love story set during one of my favorite times in history.  Yep, I am a civil war nut.

Big dresses, southern accents, people thinking they are better than everyone because they are rich, and that was just in the movie.

The first words of the book start like this…

“Scarlett O’Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm…”

One of the most recognized fictional characters, and her creator says she is not beautiful.  Also, I find it ironic that some as stunning as Vivien Leigh played her in the movie.

I am excited to see how the book is different.  I am hoping for more Scarlett and Rhett interaction.  Will Melanie annoy me like she did in the movie?

While I read, I most certainly will be thinking about this guy.

via google images

Seriously ladies, could he be more handsome?

Just for fun, some clips from the movie.

Considering there are over 1000 pages in the book, I better get to reading.

What I am trying to do is introduce healthy meals and snacks in the home that will encourage my girls to want to eat healthy.  I myself do not have the best eating habits, but I am much more conscious of what I eat than I was a year ago.  Convenience rules in most households.  We are just now starting to experience what it is like to have children in activities, so when you are busy, your meal choices tend to slide.

My first priority is to introduce more fruits and vegetables.  I only buy fresh or frozen.  I am on a tight food budget, so buying organic is not always an option.  I have  stopped buying fruits and vegetables in pre-packaged plastic bags, and bag my own.  I recently had a bag of apples that smelled of chemicals when I took them out of the bag, and could not believe how bad the smell was.

It is easier for me to have a meal plan.  I try to introduce something new every week.  A few weeks ago, we ate a tofurkey loaf and I have to say it was pretty good.  Mr. Kell even ate it.  My children have become more picky, so I have to get creative.  Thank goodness for creative people who like to cook.

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You can never go wrong with a pasta salad.  It is colorful, and the kids can participate in making their own.

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My girls love fried chicken as do I, and baking it in the oven makes it that much better.

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Two out of three daughters will eat fish.  I always have it on the menu once a week.  If it was up to Mr. Kell and I we would eat fish every day.

When it comes to snacks. I always keep a large bowl of fruit on the kitchen table.  I also keep fresh fruit and veggies in the fridge.  The girls know when they come home from school one of their snacks must be a fruit or a vegetable.

Snacks are the one place where I slack off.  Chips are easy, so are fish crackers or granola bars.

With the end of school quickly approaching, I thought it would be fun to make some snacks from scratch with my girls.

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Peanut butter does not last long in this house, and to be able to make it without any surprise ingredients sounds awesome.  I would also like to try to make thing like ranch dressing, ketchup, and cream of everything soups.

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Granola bars are a great snack choice.  We like to spend time at the park, or swimming at the lake, and having a snack that is easy to package is a must.

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I got a blender for Christmas, and my girl are always wanting to make smoothies.  It is the perfect way to create a healthy snack for your child, while at the same time hiding some of the ingredients your children may otherwise refuse to eat.

The food we eat is changing.  Many of us as families are busy every day of the week be it with jobs, or extracurricular activities. We all need to make sure that our health, or our children’s is not being put on the wayside because we are too busy.  What we eat, and how we care for out bodies is the one thing we can control.

I do not know about you, but I am going to make some changes.

Besides, my little bit will not eat it unless it is healthy… like McDonalds…..

Happy Wednesday!

Related articles

• The 10 WORST FOODS TO FEED YOUR CHILDREN (secretsofthefed.com)
• What Is Causing Childhood Obesity? (epicahealth.com)

As I get older, I find myself wanting to look nice every now and again, even if it is just a trip to the grocery store.  I want my girls to see me taking the time to look nice when I go places.  I am wanting to break out of my normal summer uniform and add some items that will not only look cute, but will also keep me cool.  I live in Texas, and the summers are not kind.

I was window shopping on gap.com, and found the cutest pair of shorts I have seen in a long time.

P.S.  Gap does not know me from Adam.  I have always loved them, and dreamed of dancing in one of their fun commercials.  I found these shorts, I like them, Amen.

Related articles

• 10 Fashion Trends for the Summer Season (caitlinameany.wordpress.com)
• Denim Shorts: One Of The Must Haves Of This Season (thefashiontag.wordpress.com)

I believe in honesty.  I am dumbfounded and disappointed when I am or others are lied to.  I believe in morals, ethics, and values.  I believe that you are supposed to do the right thing.

Call me old fashioned, call me stupid, I believe in integrity.

I was looking through my sister’s Instagram feed, and I cam across this picture.

It is a home made box in the middle of the neighborhood with books inside.   It runs on the honor system.  I did a a little research and found out there is something called The Little Free Library Movement.

Be still my heart.  Encouraging reading and some good old values at the same time.  I melt.

I wonder if something like this would thrive in my neighborhood?

Speaking of reading, books, and honesty…

Do not forget to join your public library’s summer reading program.  Ours starts June 1.  My girls get excited about winning prizes.  I get excited when they sit down and tell me about the books they are reading with excitement on their face.

Reading brings me joy, and I want it to bring joy to my girls too.

Now to compile a list of books to read this summer.

Happy Monday!

This week seemed to go on forever, like it was in slow motion.

This is my first Mother’s Day weekend off in 9 years.  We are camping with the in laws, and we always have a ton of fun.  I plan to read, rest, eat, and drink some adult beverages.

It will be nice to wake up tomorrow and not have to think about working all weekend.

Now some pictures.

When did this girl get so big?  She will be double digits in September.  I love walking with her to the bus stop with my glass of green tea.  I wave at the bus driver and walk back to the house.  It is one thing that really makes me feel like a mother.  I love this girl so.

A gift from one of my girls.

Books from the library.  I find it so peaceful there.  Oh, and that large book top right…  it is soooo happening.  I am so excited.  I am starting my summer reading list early.

Sleeping demon I mean daughter.  I sign her up for Kindergarten today.  Three kids at school while I am home.  What am I going to do?

Nature walk with my girls.

Nothing screams love like making your children exercise when you take them to the park.

One of views on my daily walk.

It was a dreary day yesterday, and my car was in the shop.  Since the little bit and I were stuck at home, we ordered a pizza and watched Despicable Me.  The dancing at the end is my favorite.  I get up and dance every time.  My girls hate it.

If you are a mother reading this happy Mother’s Day.

If you are not a mom, or are a man…

Have a happy weekend!

You can check me out on instagram @seriouslysassymama, to check out all the camping fun!

My mother has been telling me for forever that I should serve more food kabob style for my girls.  Kids like food that is fun, and I tend to be very boring in the dinner department.

I took my moms advice and started with this recipe.

My girls loved it and had a blast helping me in the kitchen.  It also sparked some great dinner table conversation.

We decided to come up with a list of other edible items we could put on a stick.

My girls came up with the following list.

• fruit
• sandwich fixings
• meatballs
• vegetables
• marshmallows
• candy
• cake
• sausage
• chicken

Marshamallows always seem to find their way into food conversation into our home.  That, and ice cream.

I looked around and found a few other ideas.

1.  Fruit and Cheese Kabobs

2. Grilled Shrimp and Veggie Kabob

3. Gluten Free Chicken Skewer

4. Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs

Kabobs and skewers are a great alternative for lunch and dinner for the upcoming hot summer months.  They also are a good excuse to use the grill.

Did I mention that you could make all the pieces equal sizes.  Yep, perfect bite size pieces.

Yum!

We work long shifts, sometimes without meals or even getting to use the bathroom.

We chart and chart and chart, but we also have a ton of fun.

We tell the best stories.

I will never forget the first time I cared for a patient as a nursing student.  I was hooked.

I will never forget the first patients life I helped save.  I was hooked.

I will never forget the look on my patients face when I told him he was getting a new heart.  I was hooked.

I will never forget my first patient that died.

I love what I do, and I am thankful I get to say that about my job.

So, if you have a loved one in the hospital, nursing home, doctors office etc, say thanks.

We did not choose this job, it chose us.

Now, on a less serious note, I found some hilarious cards on e-cards, and I thought I would share them with you.

Happy Monday!

It really is that simple.