About Me

My name is Tami and I live in central Illinois with my husband, Larry and three children, Caleb (6), Camden (4) and Emma Grace (2). I hope you'll enjoy reading about my life as a wife/mother and about our family's adventures.
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Wordless Wednesday

Visit 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday.

Tags: Wordless Wednesday, sleeping baby

May 27, 2009 | Filed Under Wordless Wednesday | 5 Comments

Menu Plan Monday – May 25

Monday – Grilled Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, cola baked beans, creamy pasta salad, corn on the cob, homemade ice cream

Tuesday – Pesto Pasta, salad, garlic bread

Wednesday – Grilled Ham and Cheese, chips, fruit

Thursday – Chef Salads, sesame semolina bread

Friday – Out to Dinner

Saturday – Breakfast – Bacon and Egg Cups, fruit – Dinner – Grilled Steaks, twice baked potatoes, grilled veggies

Head on over to I’m an Organizing Junkie for more meal plans.

Tags: recipes, Menu Plan Monday

May 25, 2009 | Filed Under Menu Plan Monday | 2 Comments

Smoky Mountains – Part 1

My family, along with my in-laws and sister-in-law, went on vacation to North Carolina last week. We had a 9+ hour drive and the kids were great about the long car ride. This is the longest they have ever had to be in a car for a trip, but they did find plenty to occupy them and we stopped a lot.

Ready to go…

Welcome to North Carolina

Since retiring a year ago, my in-laws travel the country in their RV. So, we stayed in a nice campground backing right up to a creek. My family and sister-in-law got to stay in a cabin right next to their RV spot. The kids could get up in the morning and go next door (the in-laws are early risers). They would sit by the fire and drink their hot chocolate and we got to sleep in a little.

Emma waking up
On Friday, we headed out in the RV and drove through the Smoky Mountains and went to Cades Cove (another post will be coming on this).

The kids loved being with Aunt Sara for a few days. We had not seen her since Thanksgiving (she lives in NYC). Luckily, we get to see her again in a couple of weeks when she comes home for a family reunion.

Emma and Aunt Sara
On Saturday, the kids stayed with my in-laws and my husband, Aunt Sara and I went on a little shopping trip. My favorite stop was the Lodge Store. I got to get some new cast iron to bring home.

We also stopped at Smoky Mountain Knife Works to let my husband look around. He didn’t have enough time to find anything, but we did find a plastic Swiss army knife for the boys and they had fun playing with them.

The boys and their new toy Swiss army knives
Caleb’s birthday was the day we left to come home, so we had a little party on Saturday night for him, complete with a Star Wars cake.

Caleb celebrating his birthday

By the creek before heading home

We headed home on Sunday and drove straight through (we had taken 2 days go come down). It was a long drive, but again the kids did great and were fast asleep when we pulled in the driveway.

Tags: North Carolina, Smoky Mountains, Cades Cove, family vacation, camping

May 23, 2009 | Filed Under Family Life, Our Children, Photos, Travel | 1 Comment

Menu Plan Monday – May 18

Monday – Panini’s, chips, fruit

Tuesday – Out to Dinner

Wednesday – Chef Salad, grilled cheese for the little kids

Thursday – Scrambled Eggs, bacon/sausage, toast, fresh fruit salad

Friday – Homemade Pizza, salad

Saturday – Breakfast – Crockpot Oatmeal, fruit – Dinner – Kobe Steakhouse

Head on over to I’m an Organizing Junkie for more meal plans.

Tags: recipes, Menu Plan Monday

May 18, 2009 | Filed Under Menu Plan Monday | Leave a Comment

Happy 6th Birthday Caleb!

Check out my 10 on the 10th post all about Caleb.

Menu Plan Monday – May 11

Monday – BLT’s, chips, double decker banana cups

Tuesday – Grilled Cheese, raw veggies and dip

Wednesday – Vacation

Thursday – Vacation

Friday – Vacation

Saturday – Vacation

Head on over to I’m an Organizing Junkie for more meal plans.

Tags: recipes, Menu Plan Monday

May 11, 2009 | Filed Under Menu Plan Monday | Leave a Comment

10 on the 10th

My son’s birthday is this month and so my 10 on the 10th is all about Caleb.

He was born on the 17th (6 days late, he was due on Mother’s Day)
He is our only redhead
He loves Lego’s and loves going to Chicago just for the Lego Store
He loves to read (we work hard at creating book lovers in our family)
He loves anything and everything Star Wars
He gives hugs and kisses and says “I love you” freely
He will eat almost anything, even Indian food (he is his daddy’s boy)
He has a great relationship with his little brother and baby sister and is very protective of them
He loves the color pink
He used to suck his 2 middle fingers while twirling my hair with his other hand (I miss this special time with him)

Tags: 10 on the 10th

May 10, 2009 | Filed Under 10 on the 10th | 9 Comments

Mother’s Tea

Last week, I got to attend the boys Mother’s Tea events at preschool.

During the tea, the kids sing a couple of songs and then we get to have cake and punch…the boys favorite part. The boys each took in a picture of me for their show and tell in April. They then “wrote” a story about me (the teacher asks them questions).

I also got some sweet gifts from my boys. Camden made a cut tote bag with his handprints and Caleb made vanilla bath salts.

Caleb’s picture and story:

My mom’s name is Tami. She is 40 years old. Her favorite food is probably “pasgetti”, like mine! We like to play Lego’s…like in Chicago. Lego’s are fun. I have three of them. At the park mom likes to slide with me. At home she scrubs the floors. I love my mom because she plays Lego’s with me. Caleb, age 5

Camden’s picture and story:

My mommy’s name is Tami. I call her mommy and daddy calls her Tami. She is younger than daddy…but I don’t know the number. She stays home with me. At home she cleans the potty in the bathroom. She is really good at cooking bread and chicken noodle soup. Her favorite food is cereal…the regular kind. Mommy likes to go to her favorite restaurant…Buffalo Wild Wings…and McDonald’s. She likes to wear her cowboy shirt and blue pants. She plays hopscotch with me and we play duck duck goose. I love my mommy because she gets toys for me and she hugs me! Camden, age 4

This is my favorite event during the school year. I love reading the stories and what great things they come up with to say. It is a little sad to think that this was my last Mother’s Tea with Caleb…since he will be entering kindergarten this fall.

Tags: Mother’s Tea, preschool