Crafty Summer

I was just googling, some summertime crafts. Something fun for the kids. Inside fun. I'm all about spending, tons of time, outside. But at the peak of the day, when it's the hottest, I like to be inside. So my kids don't pass out from the heat. Know what I mean?

With 4 kids, ranging in age from 7 to 2, we have to find things that can entertain everyone. And I'm not "A OK" with them watching hours and hours of TV. That leaves this momma looking for some good ideas. I was so excited when I saw this picture...

I never found the original site. I have absolutely no clue, how to make this. I'm not a crafty person. But I did just hint to my hubs. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get one of these indoor tents soon. And maybe, I'll finally learn how to sew. Baby steps. Baby steps. I just feel like a few tents, could be good. For all those hot afternoons.

Dinosaur Train

Logan is very much into dinosaurs. He's our 2nd son, so I should have expected this. But he's much more into dinosaurs than Ethan ever was. For the last year or so, Logan's world has revolved around dinosaurs. We've gone to museums, he's got plenty of toy dinosaurs, and well, anything on TV that has to do with dinosaurs, he begs to watch.

A couple of months ago, I was in the middle of a phone call, with a committee member. I had left Logan and Daniella watching TV. I know. I'm a bad mom. But sometimes, you just have to do what you can, to get things done. When I got back, they were watching Dinosaur Train.



Every weekday morning since, we've watched Dinosaur Train. Interesting enough, Daniella also likes the show. She cracks up with all the different songs. And for 30 minutes, you can't get Logan away from the TV. I should be concerned. But this is the only TV show that he really enjoys. And well, it's PBS. What can be so wrong with that?

Five Question Friday #4

Feels good to be in the middle of summer. Finally! Why did summer, seem to not want to come, this year? The kids and I are having a blast! We've even managed, to set up one day a week, to meet Patrick for lunch. It's good for everyone! And we just might do a little shopping, on those days too. :)

Patrick and I, have been planning lots of fun things, for the kids. We're keeping them active. Which is good for everyone. With that said, I better get this week's Five Question Friday done. I need some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day!

1. What is your current favorite tv show? Tough one. But I've really been getting into Bones. I sorta stumbled on it one night. Our DVR taped it. And well, I'm falling in love with it. Funny how that happens.

2. What's the worst haircut you ever got? I'm a child of the 80s and 90s. I got this weird haircut one year. My hair was long. In the back, it was cut into a V-shape. The front was ridiculous! I had those HUGE "Cowlick" bangs. And let me tell you, I could get some major height for those babies. The worst part about it, this was the "in" hairstyle!

3. What was something that you did as a child that you thought you were so cool for doing? See above answer? Again with the 80s. I used to wear 3 or 4 pairs of socks. Crazy colored socks. All scrunched perfectly. With acid washed, and rolled jeans. Oh, it was bad! And those crazy cut-up, and over sized sweatshirts. The 80s will forever haunt me!

4. Do you have any GREAT frugal family fun tips? We do a lot of  "at home vacays." Camping in the backyard. We go all out. Or "Beach Night." Something fun like that. We honestly go all out. But we stay home. I cook up some themed meal. We'll dress up. Whatever. It just makes us feel, like we are actually there. It's really a lot of fun. Sleeping outside and all!

5. Would you drive across country if you had the money to fly? Yes, I think it would be fun. In fact, long before Patrick and I got married and had kids, we had to drive across country. With all our stuff. We were moving for our residency. We actually had a good time. I think it would be fun to do with our kids. Especially around the southwest. Where there are tons of fun, small towns. Sounds like a fun plan, for next summer.

Learning Grace

Ethan and Madelyn just finished up their school year. I can't believe it, but in September we will have a 1st grader and a 2nd grader. Logan will also be starting Pre-school! It's hard to believe it. My babies are growing so quickly!

One of the things we value and appreciate most, at our kids' school is, the prayer. The level of education is amazing! These teachers are really on top of things. But all of our kids have come home, with this prayer, on their 1st day of school.

We've incorporated it into our daily use. Teaching the rest of the family. We've always said Grace before meals. But now, we have a specific prayer to say. I'm happy to say, all of our kids now know, this prayer. Yes, some days, I'm still trying to figure out what Daniella is saying. But it's a nice tradition to have in our family. I'm very grateful for this school. And all that they are teaching, all of us!

Five Question Friday #3

Happy Friday! You know what that means, Five Question Friday. And I'm pretty excited about the weekend. Our entire family just needs some time to be lazy. Yes, we just need some time to do a whole lot of nothing. We're definitely going to enjoy a weekend of pj wearing, moving watching, and lots of eating.

1. What is your favorite summer time activity? Long evenings on the lake. It doesn't matter if we're swimming, fishing, taking a long walk, having dinner, just as long as we're together. As a family. There's just something about the lake and summer. It's like PB&J.

2. Do you have one laundry soap you stick to, or do you buy whatever's on sale? I've always used Tide. When I moved out for college, it's the 1st kind of laundry soap I bought. And I've just stuck with it.

3. What is your favorite dinner to make in the summer? Grilled chicken or fish, and a yummy green salad. Grilled peaches, for dessert, are a total bonus! With ice cream. :)

4. Do you have any talents? Patrick would say organizing fundraisers. I'd say, cooking. I've gotten pretty good, in the last few years.

5. If you could instantly be an expert in something, what would it be? Why? I'd want to be crafty. Sewing, crafts, crochet, knitting, painting. I think crafty people are so talented. I wish I could be too. I've never been good at crafts. As a kid, craft projects at school, used to stress me out!

Cute Cupcakes

I was recently googling, for cupcake ideas. And I found these cute cupcakes. Hello! They're definitely on my list. And now that Madelyn and Daniella have seen them, we're definitely going to be making these cuties! Now, I just need to figure them out.

I"m pretty sure that the eyes and mouth, are candies. The crown? I don't know. But I'm sure that I could figure something out. Oh, and Madelyn has also requested a "Princess Cupcake." You know, like the Fairytale. Yes, these cupcakes, look like a good summer activity. I know that my girls will enjoy making them. And my boys will enjoy eating them!

Getting Real

I want to use my blog to be real. It's not going to be a "Sugar Coated" blog. But a place of "real life." Of struggles and triumphs! It's time to get a little real here.

I know what people think. When I say that my husband and I are both doctors, people think we're rich. We have it all. We've never struggled. Life was handed to us. The good life. But the reality is, we've struggled a lot. We've only begun to "enjoy life and our hard work" in the last few years.

Both Patrick and I, come from working class families. When I was younger, I was in band, and later I was on a dance team. I had to do so many fundraisers, to be in those extra curricular activities. My parents worked hard. They provided for their family. But we didn't have a lot of extra money. We didn't go on lots of vacations. Mostly, we went camping. And once, we went on a family vacation.

I wouldn't say that we were poor. Our needs were met. We had enough food. We had everything we needed for school. We got new clothes, twice a year. But there were definitely hand-me-downs. When we became teenagers, my siblings and I all got jobs. We wanted money to spend, so we worked.

When I was really young, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. I knew it would cost a lot of money. I worked the entire time I was in high school. Ya, I spent my money on things like school dances, and clothes. But I saved well over 50% of my money. For college. And when I went to college, I still worked. I used as much of my saved money, as possible. But I did have to take out student loans.

Through college and medical school, I worked. But I still had to take out loans. After medical school, Patrick and I had a combined debt of 6 figures. It scared me to be honest. I saw this debt, and thought, we're never going to have the life, that we want. How are we ever going to pay this back? When?

Lots of thoughts flooded my mind. I felt like I'd never own a home. We'd never be able to have a family. How could we get married? It was a daunting feeling. I'd go to sleep thinking about it. I'd wake up in the morning, still worrying.

When Patrick and I moved, it was tough. We moved to a southwestern state. A border town. The cost of living wasn't too bad. We were both going to be working at the same hospital. We set out. We made our plan, and went for it.

We sold my car. And packed up Patrick's car. We loaded our stuff. Which wasn't much. Let's just be honest. And we drove across the country. I remember our last 2 gas stops. Both Patrick and I were hungry. Our snack supply was dwindling. Our cash was also fading fast. That 2nd to the last stop, we literally pulled out our calculator. Tried to calculate the cost. Wondering if we were actually going to make it. From that point, to the next gas station, I cried. I wasn't sure, if all of this was going to be worth it.

It didn't matter that we had all of this knowledge. Or that Patrick and I were finally going to be "real doctors." It didn't matter. How could it matter, if we couldn't get there. If we didn't have the means to survive. It was a tough road. But Patrick was always positive. Always telling me that we'd find a way.

Patrick and I moved into this teeny, tiny apartment. It was literally 2 rooms, and a bathroom. The rooms were so small! One room was our kitchen/dining room/living room. Big enough for a couch, and little more. The other room, our bedroom. Nothing more than a full-sized bed fit in there. We had a mattress to sleep on, 2 outdoor chairs, 4 bath towels, and miscellaneous supplies. We lived in this place, until I got pregnant.

Our apartment complex was called the "RHH." The Residents' Hell Hole. That wasn't the real name. But that name, that many people gave it. It was nothing but residents and medical students living there. The rent was a few hundred dollars. We had no AC, cable, internet. Heck, we didn't even use the heat in the winter. There were 2 small washers, a dryer, and a clothes line in the renter's office.

For years, we worked. We worked hard. Payed our student loans. Didn't splurge on much. A big date night for us, was going to dinner at Bennigan's, and renting a movie. And that was rare. But our debts, honestly weren't going down. It was disheartening. I started to wonder, was all this education really worth it? I was doing a job that I loved. But I wasn't happy. My financial anchor was killing me. No matter what Patrick said.

Then Patrick took on a job. Working on the border. It was risky. But it definitely paid better. We still worked at the hospital. But Patrick also worked 30 hours a week, doing border work. Soon, we were talking. We wanted to move forward in our lives. Not be these poor residents forever. And I needed to do something. Because I was starting to get depressed.

We decided to start a family. I was about a year from finishing my residency. Patrick was a full on MD. I started to see the light. I got pregnant a few months later. We moved. Funny thing is, we moved to a place were housing was more affordable. Further, but more affordable. We rented a home, from another MD. Patrick and I commuted almost an hour both ways, 7 days a week.

Just 3 months before Ethan was born, I completed my residency. Patrick and I decided that I should take some time off. And that's what I did. He continued to work hard. Patrick was also working research, writing for various publications, anything to keep us afloat.

And here is where I have to stop and say, Thank You! To all of our friends and colleagues. They were so incredibly kind to us. The threw us a baby shower. Helped us, as much as they could. By this point, Patrick and I had finally bought a real bed, we had a cheapo kitchen table and chairs, and we'd even managed to buy some living room furniture. It was used. But it was ours!

For Ethan's nursery, we bought all the furniture from a nurse. I think it cost us $150 for a crib, dresser, changing table, and a rocking chair. Patrick and I splurged, and bought some new sheets for the crib. We bought some very basic supplies. But we were happy.

For the next 3 years, we worked hard to make our life work. Our family had gone from 2 to 4. Soon after Madelyn was born, Patrick and I had a serious conversation. It was time to take a "flying leap." We needed to do better for ourselves. But more importantly, for our kids. Patrick started to research new hospitals, new positions, new possibilities. Patrick wanted better for all of us.

During the time that we were in the southwest, Patrick had worked hard. He'd worked for the positions that he got. He did a lot. So he decided to apply for an incredible job. It was a complete leap of  faith. a "Holy Mary" of sorts.

18 months later, he got the job. And we were moving across the country. We moved to the southeast in January 2007. In about 7 years, Patrick and I had been paying down our debts. We hadn't even paid 5%. It as crazy! We paid above the minimum payment. But it wasn't making much of a difference.

We did 3 things with the incredible signing bonus that Patrick got. We bought a house. A real home. A glorious home! I cried, when we signed the papers. Second, we paid an incredible payment. Let's just say, with one payment, we paid half of our student loans. Which was A LOT! Lastly, Patrick and I finally went on a "Honeymoon." We'd never really traveled before. Our wedding had been tiny. On a "Penny Budget." Our trip to Paris, was magical! And it must have really been. Because that December, Logan was born. :)

I'm happy to say, 4 years later, we're debt free. We own a home on the lake. And our original home. Making Patrick's commute, just minutes. We both were able to purchase new cars. And like they say, we're making our house a home. Buying furniture. And completing our family. Daniella was born just over 2 years ago.

Life has not always been easy for us. There are a lot of things, that I'd like to do differently. If I could just go back in time. But lots of these things, have made us stronger. The tough times, strengthened Patrick and I's relationship. We value our family more than anything in the world!

We've had our times, when we had $5 in the bank, $20 in our pockets, and had to buy food for our kids. There were lots of sleepless nights. We slept on a mattress, on the floor, for years! And shared one car, until after Madelyn was born.

But now, life is starting to calm down. Patrick and I are able to provide for our family. Our kids are able to go to Catholic School. We have 4 college funds going. And we are able to add to them every month. Pretty much, we are a debt free family. It's not always easy. I'd love to take vacations. My dream would be to completely furnish my home, with a decorator. Better yet, to be able to hire Lola to do it.

I'd love for my husband to slow down on his work. To cut down on his hours. But I know, there is a reason for it. We want to provide for our kids. We want them to not have to work as hard as we had to. We're not going to hand our kids everything. But I don't want them to worry about paying for college. Or worrying about their next meal. That's important to me.

Patrick and I want our kids to live safely, and comfortably. To not grow up, wishing that they had been able to be in sports, or a certain activity. We want our kids to have every opportunity that we can provide. That's important.

We've had some pretty low lows. But Patrick and I, well we've worked hard. Hard to dig ourselves out. Hopefully, we'll never have those nights, of going to bed hungry again. Hopefully, I get to be a SAHM until all our kids enter school. It's important to value our family first. All the things we've been through, have definitely been well worth it. At least for Patrick and I. Because now, we have this beautiful family.

I Miss These Tacos...

The one thing, that I miss the most about the southwest, is the food. All the street vendors, and family restaurants. Yum! Especially tacos like this...

Yes, tacos just like this. With tons of fresh salsa. And a big agua. Or pina.Yum! I've been craving this food for a while now. Yes, I cook Mexican food. Yes, Patrick and my Mother-in-Law make amazing meals. But I miss these tacos. The ones, from that little restaurant. The one that's only open in the middle of the day. Maybe we just need to take a visit. Just for a few yummy tacos. :)

Five Question Friday #2

Oh, Friday, Friday. Where have you been? I've missed you so! Since it's Friday, it's time for Five Question Friday. Just typing that, makes me happy!

1. How close to your childhood dreams is your life now? Pretty darn close! I wanted to be a doctor since I was 7 or 8. I still get to work a few times a month. Nothing crazy, but enough to keep me sane. Of course, I always wanted kids. So ya, I'm living my dreams. Minus the ice cream machine. I always dreamt of an ice cream machine in my house. Like the one at Dairy Queen! 

2. What is one must have item for the summer? Sandals. It doesn't matter what kind. Flip flops, dressy sandals, whatever. Just as long as we each have a pair or 2.

3. Do you have your kids stay up on school stuff during summer vacation? (Or, if you don't have kiddos, did your parents make you keep up on school stuff during summer?) Not really. But they're still young. Patrick and I still have our kids read a book a day. And of course, we work on things like math, when I'm cooking. It's a family affair.

4. Do you can or freeze fresh produce? I try to freeze as much fresh fruit as possible. During the summer, I double up on buying summer fruit. It's nice, in the dead of winter, to have some fresh berries.

5. Do you get ready for the day first thing in the morning? Nope! Once upon a time, I used to be a morning person. I'd get up, make coffee for the hubs and I. Mornings were my best time of day. That's when we were interns. These days, Not so much. I drag myself out of bed to get our mornings going. If I can make breakfast, take a shower, and get my kids to school, it's a success!

Sweet Peonies

I have a little confession here. I'm not a great gardener. Usually, I go out and buy flats of flowers.You know, already blooming. Plant them, and pray that they last longer than 2 months. My husband, he's in charge of our garden. Which always has yummy veggies, berries, melons, and herbs. Patrick always tells me, the flowers are my responsibility. And with his work schedule, I know they have to be. I'm still amazed at how he keeps our garden going.

I will admit this, I've always dreamt of a beautiful, lush flower garden. I've wanted our backyard to feel yummy. And so full! Well, we have a gardener that comes in. He keeps the grass looking gorgeous, and the trees trimmed nicely. But the flowers, I've never asked him to go there.

I can't lie. I dream of roses, peonies, lilies, and hydrangeas. All the flowers just like that. I'd also love a few fruit trees. I dream of these things. Of sitting outside, surrounded by this beauty. But I have no clue how to start. I know what I like. Actually, I've had a list going for a few years. Of things I absolutely love. My list is quickly growing. Right on top of my list, is lots of beautiful peonies. Just like these...

I finally asked our gardener where to begin. I'm going to start getting some lessons. Learning lots of tips and tricks. Because I want gorgeous flowers. We're going to start, with just a few things this year. 3 peony plants, and a peach tree. Yum! I can't wait to begin! All I can think about, is beautiful pink peonies.

A Need to Clean

All of a sudden, I have this need to clean. More like a passion to clean. But you get my point. And no, I'm not pregnant. I just want our house to be squeaky clean. With 4 kids, and 2 dogs, it's tough to keep this house spotless. But I do try.

Something about today, had me in a panic. An honest to God, panic! I don't know why. But it lead to a trip to Target. Where I bought $80 worth of cleaning supplies. Logan, Daniella, and I went out to lunch. And I about cried tears of joy, when the both fell asleep, on the ride home.

I managed to get them into their beds. Without waking them up. And I spent 2 uninterrupted hours, scrubbing away. Cinderella style, I was scrubbing the floor in the kitchen. I completely cleaned out the cabinets. Worked my way into the bathrooms. And finished today with tackling "Mud Room." I've got to finish that tomorrow.

I didn't stop there. While waiting for Ethan and Madelyn to get out of school, I called to make some appointments. I called to have someone come clean our windows, shampoo our carpet, and power wash our driveway and patio. There are just some things I can't do.

Part of my "frenzied cleaning," might be, because my kids are almost out of school. In a few weeks, I will have 4 kids at home. All day long! We'll probably add in some friends too. You know, because I want my kids to enjoy their summer. 

I know when this happens, I'm going to get little done. My house is going to be turned upside down. Maybe this is just in preparation to that. To ready myself for the chaos that is, life with 4 kids. Patrick got home tonight, and was surprised. I'm serious, our house is in the middle of a complete "shake down." I'm not going to leave anything undone. Does anyone ever do this? Or am I just strange?

Five Question Friday #1

I decided to try something out. I think it will encourage me to blog on a regular basis. I wanted to do Friday Fill-Ins like Lola. But I thought, I should try something different. So neither of us gets bored, when we're reading each other's blogs. Enter in, Five Question Friday. I think this is going to be fun! And if you join in, please leave me a link. :)

1. If you had to choose, how would you prefer to choose to spend money...on landscaping or a pool? We're very lucky. We have a pool. An incredible pool, that we live in, during the summer. We also have some decent landscape. But I'd definitely spend money on landscaping. Especially after talking to Lola. She always gives me such great ideas. Oh and all the cold weather, this past winter, killed lots of our plants. I'd definitely like to redo much of our landscaping.

2. (Scott likes to get things stirred up...) Death penalty, yay or nay? This is tough. For 2 reasons. One I'm Catholic. So I'm supposed to be opposed to the death penalty. And two, I'm an MD. I'm supposed to save lives. But I also lived in Texas, for a few years. And I've gotten to see both sides of this issue. I think, for certain circumstances, the death penalty is the right thing. Just think about those sick people, who repeatedly do harm to innocent children. Ya, I'm not 100% for or against the death penalty. But in certain circumstances, I don't think it's wrong.

3. What's the worst thing your kid has gotten into when you turned your back/blogged/showered/blinked? I'm not going to say which one, but one of our kids decided to play with dog poop. Ya, I know! When I asked why, I was told, "It's just like mud Mommy!" At the time, my kiddo was 2 1/2 years old. I was dying! They were covered, head to toe, in dog poop.

4. How often do you REALLY go to the dentist? Our entire family, goes every six months. My hubby is a stickler about this. He makes the appointments. Heck, Patrick even takes the day off of work. He's very concerned with our oral health.

5. What is your favorite animal (doesn't have to be a pet-type animal)? My favorite pet type animal is a dog. Pretty obvious around here. My favorite animal in general, are owls. Since I was a kid, I've been really interested in the cute creatures.

My Favorite Cookbook!

This happens to be my very favorite cookbook! Paula Deen is my favorite cook too! But this cookbook, is amazing! It was a gift from my good friend, Lola. I've made every recipe, in this book, at least 3 times. Many of these recipes are my family's favorites. I tend to mix the dishes, with some of my favorite dishes. And let me tell you, it's Heaven on our plates!

If there is one cookbook out there, that I'd recommend, it would be this one. I've begun collecting cookbooks, because of my dear friend. There are so many good ones out there. But time and time again, this is the one I reach for. I don't know what it is. Maybe, it's just Paula's yummy recipes, and this pitcher of lemonade! :)

Welcome!

Hi! I'm Brooke. Welcome to my blog. It's a place, that I hope to share about my family's adventures. Yes, my family. My #1! I'm married to Patrick. The love of my life! He's an MD. I'm also an MD. Except, I don't practice as much as Patrick. Only a few times a month. Why? Because we have 4 beautiful kiddos. From oldest to youngest, Ethan, Madelyn, Logan, and Daniella. These 5 beautiful souls, are my entire life!

A few more things about me. Well, 98% of the time I'm a SAHM/W. I LOVE it! I'm originally from the West Coast. My hubby is from the SW. We lived in the SW for years, when we first got out of medical school. We still miss it. But now, we live in the SE. And we're loving it too!

I enjoy cooking, baking, and blog reading. I'd love to read your blog. Please leave me a comment with a link. Or send me an email. I'm always looking for ways to connect with moms and wives. I also enjoy reading. Please share your latest read. I collect cookbooks. Love receiving mail. Most of my days, are filled with my kiddos, my hubby, and lots of fundraising. Let's not forget God. He's the center of my life. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. And Welcome to my little place in Blogland!