Joseppi’s Pizza To The Rescue!

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Mom of 2 Peas

What happens when you forget to pick up the key to the building you are having your girl scout meeting at?? You frantically call around and try to find a new spot!

On this specific night before the meeting my Co-Leader Abby called a few places and was happy to report Joseppi’s pizza on Hoover Rd would open early just for us to meet there. How cool are they?

So of course the first order of business after the beginning ceremonies would be to make Joseppi’s thank you cards(-:

The girls were actually pretty excited to have the meeting at a pizza shop because everyone knows if you go to a pizza shop there is going to be pizza!

The girls had so much fun and we were able to have our badges presented for our yarn crafts we did a few weeks before.

(I took a picture of the girls getting the badges but WOW they were bad LOL)

Before we left the girls got a picture with the guys that saved the day!

So thank you again Joseppi’s Pizza!! and for those of you that want to show them some love you can order online if you’re in the area!

http://www.joseppispizza.com/11/

Girl Scout Swaps

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Mom of 2 Peas

I keep reading about these swaps and thanks to Pinterest I see TONS of ideas. I also happen to have a million and one craft supplies to do many swaps. SO friends, troop leaders, moms and dads of scouts. Let me know if you are interested in a swap with our troop. We would love to do it!

Mom of 2 Peas….Brownie Co-Leader!

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Mom of 2 Peas

October 2010 the oldest Pea joined the Girl Scouts, she was so excited! Her leaders were awesome Abby is the mom of one of her classmates and Jo is a Grandma to two of the scouts. Our first meeting the parents filled out a thousand forms it seemed and paid the dues.

Py was having so much fun, she got her Safety Patch and a new helmet and visited the Fire Station in the first month. (I got to go too)

When January rolled around it was Cookie time and I text Abby to see when we would get our order forms there were already people selling at work. unfortunately, there was a death in her family and our meeting was cancelled. Jo claimed the same and no they aren’t related never met until they started the Troop.

The next meeting was in February now we were behind with the cookie sales and even missed an opportunity for the girls to win prizes with the initial orders. I then got a text from Abby that the parents needed to be at the next meeting for what I assumed to be direction for the cookie sale…..Boy was I wrong.

Apparently, Jo the co-leader had never turned in the girls membership forms along with the forms the money. Therefore, our girls were not a Troop. Jennifer from Council came in to explain to the parents that we were not an official troop and with this being said we could not sell cookies until we were. Also, the girls needed another leader to work with Abby or there could not be a troop. The look on Abby’s face the whole time Jennifer spoke was heartbreaking so I volunteered. Yes, me….the woman who works full time has a 7 year old and a 3 year old pea whose mentally disabled Mom just came to live with her family…..volunteered. What the heck was I thinking? I thought about becoming a leader at the initial sign ups for Girl Scouts because so many girls needed a troop but I thought maybe next year. Nope, this year it is and I have to say…..I absolutely love it I think I was born to do this co-leading with Abby. Abby is awesome when most people would have prosecuted Jo for taking off with the Troops money she kept giving her a chance to give it back. Eventually, Jo did give the money back but not ALL of it. I hope it was worth it to her for less than $200.00 and all the supplies to disappoint 12 little girls 2 of them who never came back to the troop because she was their Grandmother. Shame on you Jo.

Now as for me I have jumped in head first, Dad of 2 Peas has been amazing while I attended meetings and training in a rush to get leader status so we could sell our cookies and become a troop. Without him I couldn’t do all this he takes good care of Mom and the youngest Pea while the oldest and I do out Girl Scout things.

So here we are and I am super happy to say this is the best, Abby is wonderful we think alike and have the girls first attitude. She has become a great friend and I look forward to all our adventure in Girl Scouting! There is nothing we can’t do together!

Mom of 2 Peas plus one

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Mom of 2 Peas

Sunday January 15, 2012:

It was just another Sunday visiting with Gramps, Pyper stayed with Chad at home so this trip it was just me and the little one. Phoebe loves her one on one time with him and Uncle Ben so she was in heaven.

Soon after we arrived we got a call from my sister, to make a long story short we decided on this day that it was in my Mom’s best interest to move in with me and my little family. I admit I wasn’t surprised or shocked my sister had taken my Mom the day of my Gram’s funeral to live with her and her family (8 hours aways) a year and a half ago. She hadn’t been with Mom like my brother and I had she had no idea what to expect and what was all involved. My sister hadn’t lived close to home since she was 18 and now approaching 40 (hmmm she may not approve of my putting her age out there) our Gram passes away but not before deciding that my sister was in the best position to care for out Mother. I love my Gram but I even knew then that I was the one.

Mom moving in with us means some big changes, some little changes but changes none the less. We only have a three bedroom home so the peas will be getting bunk beds and will share a room. Mom will get Phoebe’s room and although I just redecorated both their rooms I will have to redecorate again for Mom I’m pretty sure Tangled isn’t her favorite kind of decorations!

The oldest pea insist we get Gram her own chair to sit in she had one at my grandparent’s house and at my sisters. She also insist Gram get a padded seat at the dining room because the wood chairs will be to hard on her butt. I love this child, Chad spoke to her about her Grandma Cheryl coming to live with us and she was excited she has asked every day when is she getting here. She can’t wait to color with her and do crafts like they did before she moved away. Thank God that they are young enough to adapt to change. They don’t care that they have to share a bedroom or that they have to share a bathroom with Grandma they just can’t wait to have her here.

When my Mom first fell ill in 1984 my Grandparents didn’t flinch to take in all 4 of us, I am forever grateful for them. I want to live my life as much as I can to make them proud So to take my Mom in and care for her well….I didn’t flinch. The one thing my Gram made us promise was to not let her be put into a home we will not let that happen as long as one of us kids can help it. So as my brother cares for my Gramps in his own home I will take care of Mom in mine. Growing up we all lived in a cape cod all 6 of us! So for 5 to live in my home will be cozy and manageable. Who knows maybe one day Chad and I can afford to get a place with more room but for now we will be great.

For my Sis I know this is hard for you, you did an amazing job with Mom, you got her off more than half the medication she was taking, she dropped some much need weight and she was happy; but we all know how much she missed Grandpa and the rest of the family. You are doing the right thing by letting her go. But you should always be proud of what you accomplished with her.

Mom will miss my sister and her grandbabies (and their little pug too) like crazy but that’s what Skype is for (-: and she will have to get used to cats because I know one cat that will LOVE her LOL (-:

So to close this post February is approaching fast and I have a lot of work to do to get prepared for our Plus one but I have an amazing husband and children and we are ready (well emotionally anyway that paperwork….that’s another post)!

Be sure to follow my other blog once I get it up and running it will be all about our adventures with Mom. http://momof2peasplus1.wordpress.com/

Garden Update August 2011….Stink Bugs 1 – Mom of 2 Peas 0

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Mom of 2 Peas

Dear Stink Bugs,

I official hate you, yes, hate is a very strong word that is why I chose it. I would never allow my children to use the word hate unless they were speaking of you, stink bug.

You are a menace to vegetable growers every where.

I would say I hope you died but we both know you won’t. Next year I will be ready for you so lets just do us both a favor and never come back.

Sincerely,

Mom of 2 Peas

I have tended to this years garden more than any garden before why?? because of these nasty bugs. I would find eggs cut the leaf off and throw them in a jar….

I was out there every day morning and evening looking feverishly for these darn eggs so I wouldn’t get veggie eating bugs! Every day I found more I didn’t get it I thought I drowned the two bugs that made all these buggers (no pun intended). After a month of filling jars with egg filled leaves, it just got worse…..

I missed some apparently and they hatched~!!

I even had the peas looking for them, they are menaces! (the bugs not the peas)

Would we get any vegetables this year? Hmmm….that’s it??

Why does the 6 zucchini that were growing look like they are mushy???

Well I will tell you why!

The nasties were not just on the leaves they were at the bottom of the stalks and I saw them when I was weeding. It was so disappointing there were thousands LITERALLY…

The more weeds I pulled the more bugs I found and they can not be squished or they stink to high heaven! So I pulled out huge stalks of zucchini bushes and shoved them into a big plastic jar.

Then I saw them the adults …they needed to die……

One even dared to stare at me while I screamed die die die!!!!!

Stink bugs will destroy your garden from what I read and what I saw they will get to the bottom of the stalks and keep the new squash from getting nutrients.

Then when they run out of stalk they move onto whatever squash is out there, they start from the bottom and just never stop eating turning the squash yellow and squishy.

SO this year we got 8 zucchini Chad gave his mom 4, I hope they used them well. I got to make 2 loaves of bread and Gramps 6 heart-shaped little zucchini bread.

That was it for this year from the Pea’s Garden. Oh we did get a couple of tomatoes and when I say a couple I mean 2.

Oh we did get beans, apparently these stink bugs could care less about beans they only want to destroy squash.

Looks like we will be at the Farmer’s Market a little more this year. All four of us love the market so it’s a great excuse to go!

Now next year I will be more aware and I will win……but this year

Stink Bugs 1 – Mom of 2 Peas 0.

iHeartFaces….Friendships

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Mom of 2 Peas

Birthdays in the Riley household are always big, I admit it I go overboard but I love to plan a kid’s party. This year however we found ourselves down a job, Dad of 2 Peas was without employment for several months so a large party wasn’t in the cards. I was nervous and sad to tell the oldest pea that a party wasn’t going to happen. After all, I got her used to them.

Py had been talking about her birthday for months, she wanted Chuck E Cheese, no she wanted Pinkalicious again, NO let’s do a rock party again……so I asked her……”Py what do you want to do for your birthday?” to my surprise she replied “Mom I just want a sleepover with my friends”. Seriously? you got it!

All she wanted was to be with her friends and have fun so that’s what she got. They sang and danced with the Wii. They had a pillow pet fight, they decorated pillow cases with material paint to take home, they ate pizza and a homemade birthday cake (made with the as seen on tv Big Top Cupcake!) and other sugary treats. It was just me and 6 little girls laughing all night, we had such a great time.

Now, I know that I go overboard every birthday but that’s this Mom’s thing (-:

So look out 8th birthday Mommy’s planning now!

Be sure to head over to iHeartFaces.com and check out the other stories and fabulous pics!

Summer Chicken Curry Salad

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Mom of 2 Peas

It’s summer time!

One of my family’s all time favorite meals……Chicken Curry Salad YUM!

This salad is so easy to make and literally takes 10 minutes.

I originally looked for a good chicken salad that we would eat (the picky eaters that we are) I found one that was simple and fast but it had onions and raisins well that wouldn’t fly……so I took the basic recipe and tweaked it.

First mayonnaise 1 cup (I like two cups for a more creamy salad)

and then a tablespoon of curry

Mix these together first so the curry doesn’t chunk up once it is together; add in already cooked grilled chicken strips these are refrigerated and bagged the recipe calls for 3 of the bags. They are in the grocery store by the pre-packaged ham and hot dogs the precooked chicken comes in cubes too if you prefer.

Add 1/2 cup almonds I like whole so I can pick them out if we have little ones eating it, now that Phoebe is older we like the slivers but the slices are good too!

Now cut your grapes in half I add a ton of grapes! but if you’re a stickler it calls for a cup (-:

Wallah very easy and so good!

and happy little ones (-:

I hope you love it like we do let me know if you do!

The Littlest Peas 1st Trip to Cosi

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Mom of 2 Peas

The first time we went to Cosi with my in laws I took the oldest Peas thinking that the littlest pea would be stuck in a stroller and miserable all day so she stayed home with Daddy…….. little did I know they practically have a whole floor just for those little people 5 years and under!

So we had to come back with Phoebe and our friends Brandy and Dave and their boys THEN come to find out it was Dad of 2 Peas first visit too so we had lot to look at and do for both of these two!

When you first walk in you are immediately greeted with “cool stuff” as the oldest pea would put it. A harp without strings but plays when you touch it because of lasers!

Then we wandered on over to the heart beat thingamagig Py liked this one a lot Phoebe was still a little confused LOL!

Once our friends arrived we headed up to the little’s floor, unfortunately Pyper was too old so she and Chad played a X-Box Kinects in a little room away from the big kids. And trust me when we say this the staff makes sure the big kids don’t mix in we had Py comes out of the little room to watch rat races they were putting on and this one staff member stared her down like she was about to rob a bank!

Once we were in there Phoebe was a little overwhelmed yeah, she just stood there taking it in not knowing what to do first. There was so much!

I finally got her to go back to the water part where she had to don a rain coat and looked so dang cute !

What to do what to do. I have never seen Phoebe so shy about playing!

After a good 30 minutes I got her to look at other stuff, she liked this ball race but once a little guy tried to play with her she took off!

When she gets shy she makes this face that is so funny, kind of like she just got caught doing something embarrassing she did it a lot when the other kids tried to play with her. She is with other kids everyday so not sure why she was so shy but she was!

So we went over to the other side of the floor the medical heath part, she put a band aid on a baby doll….

watched a video on the eye doctor…..

and talked to animals (-:

By this time she was ready to catch up with sissy and Dad, so we grabbed our friends and moved along.

We found Chad and Pyper in the “Progress” section across the way…..it was AWESOME the last time we were there Py and I went back in time to 1898 and now they added 1962!

Chad showed Py how to use the 18oo’s hoops…..

and do I even mention that Peas hair I love her piggie tails (-:

Chad showed both the peas the telegram office with a talking bird!

Birds was kinda frightening dare I say Alfred Hitcocky?

Chad loved the old camera Pyper was posing of course and I missed it OOPS

Then we scurried over to the 1960′s! Phoebe loved this little ride that used to be outside the grocery stores, it was kind of hard to tell what it was a helicopter? a UFO? it didn’t matter she loved it no matter what it was!

Pyper loved the phone booth, I used to go up the street from out house all the time to call boys on a payphone and here my little one had no clue what it was she didn’t even know what the cord was for…..I am getting SO old!

Phoebe was walking with Chad from window to window she was just taking it all in. Here’s a few shots of the 60′s so cool and notice the Sinclair Gas Station this is Pyper last name the thought it was so cool (-:

See Pyper looking at the bike up there? she wanted to ride it we would have never caught her.

After seeing her middle name in lights we lost her again….PYPER! where did that child go??

OH BOY of course she would find the tv studio she always says she wants to be famous!

There she is!

Daddy’s turn he read the teleprompter with breaking news of Kennedy’s Assassination

Pyper was the camera man Phoebe, Xander and Zach were the crew Phoebe was a little freaked out by the tv so she never went behind the desk

Now hoopla hoops! nothing like the 1800′s hoop they just rolled down the street!

Next up the Gadgets so much to tinker with~! Dave even signed Py and Zach up for a class while Brandy and I took the littles to their own thing Brandy has that pic…hmmm you reading this Brandy I need that picture LOL

again Pyper took off Phoebe played with Daddy and I lost the Maas family, this Mom of 2 Peas clearly was not keeping up~!

OK there she is on the pulley having so much fun~!

Phoebe was getting hungry so after discovering their inner engineer we headed to the cafeteria…..I love the burger and fries, but they have everything there and it is all so good.

After we ate and the bellies were happy we made our way outside, I knew my little one would love this!

THE

~BIG SCIENCE PARK~

to be continued so stay tuned! ……….(lots of pics to go through)

Garden Time!

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Mom of 2 Peas

It’s that time again Pyper’s garden!

OR I should say this was Pyper’s garden for a few years and now its the Two Peas garden. Both the peas were pretty excited to pull the weeds and get the dirt ready for seeds; so on one of the few good days we had we jumped in!

Py had picked out some new gardening gloves (I got the same) and we got a few extra ($1 each at Menards!)

She had hers on from the get go and handed Phoebe hers …

Phoebe put hers on they were just a little big but she loved them.

We had a lot of weeds to pull all that rain brought them big time!

It wasnt long before they pulled out the kid tools heck with the boring weed pulling Mommy can do all that!

As you can see Pyper is getting pretty bored already…..it wasn’t long before she abandoned us for her friend next door and her trampoline. But Phoebe kept on tilling!

She was one determined Pea! only looked up once to wave at Dad of 2 Peas in the window…

She did a lot too! barely got any in the lawn….

Then with one last pull of the rake we were done!

Later we caught Chad out the dining room window where he leveled it all out Our Garden space is now ready for seeds!

Now can it warm back up PLEASE!

Let me know what your planting this year, are you doing a square foot garden, a raised garden, straw garden whatcha gonna do???

Leave a comment can’t wait to read them and leave a link to your blog too!

A Blog Button

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Mom of 2 Peas

Yeah! I have finally added a blog button and would be honored to have you put my button on YOUR blog!

Let me know if you do and if you have a button too!