#CampRoemer Week 3

The kids tried some new things this week, along with some well visit check ups and a much needed night out for me!

Monday…

Of course we had to go to Publix but the novelty of shopping with all the kids has worn off. I actually started putting them to work. I tell that what I’m looking for and what side of the aisle it’s on and they have to find it.

Lego Club

We had no idea what to expect at Lego Club today. It was the first one of the summer and the first one ever for us. The room was jammed packed with kids AND legos! HUGE bins filled with lots of tiny pieces. The kids loved digging for all the ‘girl’ legos and creating masterpieces.

Look at all those serious faces! Even the baby loved it!

Cilantro Lime Turkey Tacos

Tuesday…

Maitland Library

Seriously, this library has the cutest story time program ever. My favorite part was the puppet show starring the one and only, Kermit the Frog!

The girls were excited to get back to gymnastics this afternoon. They have been practicing their new skills everywhere…in the kitchen, on the patio, at Publix, in the library…

Baked Pasta with Sausage & Spinach

Wednesday…

We started the day off with a 2 year & a 6 year checkup. While we waited, the girls kept busy with their workbooks and dry erase boards.

Of course, a little bribery helps to keep good behavior at the doctor’s office. We LOVE donuts!

Trotwood Splash Pad

We had a little time to kill before the baby’s nap, so off to the neighborhood splash pad we went. I love going right after lunch because no one is there. The girls found a beach ball that someone left behind and they had a blast trying to get it to stay on top of the water.

We have another swimmer!! Charlotte had her silly swim tonight and passed with flying colors…and lots of giggles! She jumped in fully clothed, got thrown off a raft and was able to remove a shirt that was placed on her head while she floated. Wow! These girls amaze me every single day. #oneproudmomma! Thank you Miss Tina for teaching my girls to not only love the water but to be safe and confident while they swim.

Ahhhh….I had a kid free night out at Carrabba’s with the owner and manager of #CampBentley. Plenty of red wine, delicious food and LOTS of chit chat!

BBQ Meatballs

Thursday…

We had to make a quick stop at Lukas Nursery for more Milkweed. These caterpillars seriously eat more than my kids!

This was our first time going to the Reading Racers club at Oviedo Library. There were so many hands-on experiments and both the girls surprised me when the volunteered to try out a couple. It wasn’t too much fun for the baby but she was content to sit on my lap.

Madeline:

Charlotte:

Friday…

My poor baby girl wasnt feeling well. Low grade fever, teething and extra clingy. Needless to say, we stayed inside all day.

Honey Garlic Crock Pot Chicken

No friday love…my broken heart just cant deal. But Kendra @ The Gilbertson Family put together some Orlando Love and my fellow OMB contributors did a wonderful job at putting their emotions on paper. Here are just a few…

Kendra

LuLu

Elizabeth

How was your week with the kids?? Try anything new?

#CampRoemer Week 2

I think I can, I think I can…

Monday…

I had to do it. We were out of food. I avoided it for as long as I could but today we HAD to go…all FOUR of us. OMG. I haven’t done that in forever. A whole year to be exact.

I knew I had to be prepared. Like really prepared. ‘Stick to the list only’ kind of prepared. And of course use my best parenting skill to get through the shopping adventure…bribery. Ha! #truth 😉

Tuesday…

The big kids are trying something new this summer…Acro at Tutus! They LOVED it but someone, I won’t mention any names, did not.

Wednesday…

My baby girl turned 6 today!! Crazy but true. We gave her a special heart locket with a picture of me and her daddy in it. I seriously thought she was going to cry when she opened it. She LOVED it and wears it everyday! Later that evening, I asked her what her favorite gift was out of allllll her gifts and she said it was the locket, I asked why. She stopped what she was doing, looked up, touched her necklace and said because it has a picture of you and daddy. A giant lump formed in my throat. #heartofgold

Of course we had to visit the library! Best place to be on your birthday!

Thursday…

First visit to the neighborhood splash pad was awesome! We were supposed to go to the library but…we stayed home to watch the caterpillars turn into chrysalises! And I actually took a video of the whole thing. AMAZING! Now I have to figure out how to upload the 5 minute video to YouTube so I can share the magic.

Friday…

(Photos Courtesy of Little Otters Swim Academy)

We had a make up swim lesson day at our house today. Madeline had her final test…a ‘silly’ swim. She had to jump in the pool fully clothed and do a swim-float-swim. She also had to sit on a raft while Miss Tina flipped it over. The kid passed with flying colors and this momma couldn’t be prouder! I’m not much of a swimmer and it just amazes me to see my babies swim with such ease and confidence! Thank you Miss Tina!

#CampRoemer Week 2 complete!

What fun things did you do with the kids this week??

#CampRoemer Week 1

It was a short week but I still needed to keep the kids busy. For me, I’m a better mom when I take the kids out of the house. When we stay in the house, I try to actually get things done…you know, like cook dinner, do the laundry and so on. At the stage the kids are in now, those are impossible to do in a timely fashion. I make it a goal to plan an outing everyday. They aren’t all fun and games because we do need to do some chores like food shopping, doctor appointments and taking the car in for maintenance visits.

Here’s how our first week went:

Wednesday…

Oh how we have missed #CampBentley!! Our kids go to different schools and have different schedules which makes it a bit more challenging to meet up during the school year. My girlfriend and I LOVE the summer time because we get to spend most of the week days together. For the most part, our kids all get along great and we can actually have adult conversation. It’s a win win for all of us!

Thursday…

Since we’ve moved to the other side of town, we don’t get to visit one of our favorite libraries all that often. The girls were ecstatic to hear that we were on our way to Maitland Library for story time! Granted, it was a story time for the babies but the kids didn’t even notice. It felt great to be back!

Our first stop on Thursday was at The Fresh Market. They have Little Big Meals on Thursdays for $20 and it feeds the whole family and then some! A fresh, delicious and most importantly, easy-to-make meal. This month is Summer Salad and there are many different combinations you can make each week.

Friday…

Elizabeth’s 2nd birthday was on Friday and we celebrated with our dear friends, donuts and a play date at Grammy’s Indoor Playground. All five of the kids had a blast! I wasn’t sure if Madeline would love it because of her age but she did and has already asked to go back again.

The girls even got a little reading in!

The Roemer Girls give Grammy’s a 2 thumbs up!

#CampRoemer Week 1 complete!

What did you do with the kids on their first week of summer break?

Friday I’m In Love

Today marks the first full week of summer break and the girls and I are FINALLY starting to settle into our summer routine. Over the last week and a half, I’ve found a few things that we are in LOVE with and I’m so excited to share them with you!

So…let’s get this LOVE going!

~one~

Legos!

These only come out only when the baby is sleeping. And these are the real deal, not the chunky toddler ones that we have had for years. My oldest loves them! She got her first set for her birthday last week and I LOVE watching her play with them. I can actually see her think when she puts them together. She does this cute little thing with her lip when she’s thinking hard and the whole process of following directions, figuring out which pieces go where and actually creating a finished project has her mesmerized.

~two~

I stumbled upon these dry erase boards on one of our Saturday morning trips to Lakeshore Learning for their FREE weekly craft. My almost 4 year old would rather run, jump and twirl than sit down and practice her letters but…she is in LOVE with these boards! She actually sits down and does them all. And I happened to get them on sale for 1/2 price! #momwin!

~three~

I didn’t expect to add this one to my list but here it is… Grammy’s Indoor Playground. The girls went nuts! I actually wished I had brought my book to read because I was just sitting there. All by myself! Best money I ever spent! And we were there for FOUR hours! If you go, make sure to look for a coupon or get some friends together for a group discount.

The girls even read a few books!

~four~

Trotwood Park Splash Pad was my back up plan yesterday because we missed story time at the library. I surprised the girls with this outing and even hid their bathing suits and towels in the car. It’s a great splash pad! Completely fenced in and small enough for you to stay seated and still be able to see them at all times but big enough that they can run and have fun. Oh and it’s FREE for Winter Springs residents! $3 per kid if you’re not. As you can see, the girl LOVED it!

~five~

All the libraries! I cannot stress enough how wonderful the libraries are. It’s air conditioned and they have programs for every age…even the parents. From Lego Building to Mother Goose Stories, it’s the best place for families to hang out and it’s educational too!

Seminole County Libraries

Maitland Public Library

What are you in LOVE with this week?

Friday I’m in Love

Happy Friday!

Two things…I totally forgot it was time for ‘Friday I’m in Love’ and I had no clue it was the last one of the month! Thank you Kendra for reminding me!

Now…on to all the LOVE!

~one~

We bought a sewing machine over the weekend and the girls and I have been itching to use it. I found this simple pattern for a reversible headband and stitched one up while the baby napped. Come to find out, it actually is pretty easy. My sewing skills need a bit more practice but the kids LOVED them! I’m looking for some blogs to follow that include easy and kid friendly sewing projects. If you come across any, send me a link!

~two~

I cannot believe I’ve admitted this in my latest post with Orlando Moms Blog but I did. Click here to read all about what I do in car line. So embarrassing…but it’s the truth. Ha!

~three~

My daughter’s kindergarten class was responsible for the school mass this week. And oh my! It was beyond adorable. To hear the kids sing, pray and recite scripture just melted my heart.

~four~

If you have kids, then I know you have a ton of crayons. I’ve always wanted to do this Melted Crayon Heart craft but I was pretty sure it would be a #Pinterestfail. My friend and fellow Orlando Moms Contributor, Heather, tested this craft out for Valentine’s day and it was a #PinterestWIN! Go check it out and put those old, broken crayons to good use.

~five~

I love these crazy people! Also known as…my siblings! They celebrated Erin’s 23rd birthday last night at one of those fun painting places. Happy Birthday Erin! I LOVE you!

Tell me…what are you in love with today??

Friday I’m in Love…

Happy Friday!

It’s been a whirlwind of emotions these past two weeks and I’m quite eager to get back to somewhat of a routine. So…let’s get this LOVE going!

~one~

On Tuesday, my husband and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. I never knew exactly what love was…until I met him.

~two~

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I’m the oldest of 6 kids so needless to say, we have a huge family. I spent some time with everyone in New Jersey last week and we always seemed to get together around meal time. On Sunday night, my father prepared a feast for us. He was looking to comfort us kids the best way he knows how…with comfort food of course! The picture on the left is a GIANT Chicken Pot Pie and on the right…3 pounds of Shrimp Scampi! Whoa! Talk about two of my favorite comfort foods. Both were delicious and I most certainly went back for seconds. Thanks dad!

~three~

This cutie…my niece, Marina. I LOVED hanging out with all the nieces and nephews! We gave our parents 10 grandchildren, 6 girls and 4 boys. And the oldest is only 7! Here Marina is helping to make the guacamole. She LOVES to mash the avocado!

~four~

Check out this amazing site, Pen + Paint by Lindsay Hopkins. I’ve been following her on Instagram for a while now and I’m soooo in LOVE with everything she posts. I have my shopping cart full of her beautiful artwork over on Etsy but I’m having a hard time hitting the complete order button because I keep finding more things I must have!

What are you in LOVE with this week??

Friday I’m in Love

Happy Friday!!

This has been a fun filled crazy week with soooo many things to LOVE! Maybe it’s because this is the first week of February and as I have trained my kids to say..it’s the month of LOVE. I even have the baby singing…LOVE is in the air! I did my best to narrow it down to just a few (ok maybe a little more) of the things that made me smile this week.

~one~

This beautiful bird! A peacock casually strolled through the parking lot at the ballet studio this week. I have to admit…I was in complete awe. I seriously could not stop staring, or taking pictures. I quickly unbuckled the kids so they could get a ‘bird’s eye’ view of this gorgeous fine feathered friend. We even went back later that day to see if the peacock was still there. No such luck but now that I know the peacock hangs out there, we will keep driving by to find him!

~two~

We had some time to kill after dropping my oldest at school and before taking the baby to the doctor. So we stopped at Einstein‘s for some much needed coffee for me and some bagels for the kids. These scrumptious Cinnamon Sugar Bagel Poppers were just sitting on the counter and well…they looked so lonely, I just had to buy them! Oh my! Deeelicious!! And you will be happy to know that I even shared them with the kids. Ha!

~three~

Sister love. Enough said.

~four~

Have you tried this yet? You must! The Fresh Market‘s Little Big Meal. Put in on the meal plan for next week. It is easy, delicious and only $20. It’s a great way to try new things and get out of the same old, same old for dinner. It’s every Thursday and The Fresh Market makes it VERY easy to pick up all the items. They have it all together on one table and you pick and choose what you like. In my store, it’s between the deli and the meat department. Between rain storms, doctor appointments and a sick baby, I just couldn’t get to TFM this week but I’ve already added it to next week’s meal plan and you should too!

~five~

We ended Catholic Schools Week with a school picnic and a Pep Rally. I have not been to a pep rally in probably close to 25 years so needless to say, I was just a wee bit more excited than the kids. The kids loved the music, the band and these very talented young ladies. We didn’t stay for the whole thing because skipping naps always sounds like a good idea…until the meltdowns begin.

~six~

I took probably close to a million pictures just to capture this one. This one was the best. We are all kind of looking and smiling, right? These kids may drive me crazy, keep me running and my wine glass full but I love them with all my heart and soul. They complete me.

What did you love this week??

Until next Friday…

Menu Monday {Jan 25, 2016}

It’s always good to start the week off with a plan but as we all know, life with children and a husband who was traveling for work, it can get a bit unpredictable and crazy. We never had the on Tuesday because we had more than enough left overs of the Chicken Soup. And I used the white meat from the chicken to make several homemade chicken salad sandwiches…my husband’s favorite lunch! I did make the Mustard Chicken but served it with rice instead of spaghetti squash and a potato…much easier! The Little Big Meal from The Fresh Market was DELICIOUS!! I can’t wait to check out what they will have this week! We ended up eating the The Pioneer Woman’s Sloppy Joes (the best recipe ever!) Friday AND Saturday night so we saved the Pork Chops for Sunday night. I didn’t have the kids try it because I needed to feed them earlier and I knew we weren’t going to be eating until later. These pork chops NEED to go on a regular rotation because they were OUT OF THIS WORLD!

Homemade Whole Chicken & Veggie Soup

Mustard Chicken, Broccoli & Jasmine Rice

The Fres h Market’s Big Little Meal

The Pioneer Woman’s Sloppy Joes

Ruhlman’s Twenty Brined & Fried Pork Chops and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

What do you have cooking this week?

Friday I’m in Love

Happy Friday!!

This week has been the first week since the holidays, that it feels like we are back on a somewhat predictable schedule. Naps are back in full force, bedtime routines are kept to a manageable time frame, everyone is sleeping through the night and life is good!

So let’s get this Friday love going!

~one~

Ahhh….Dunkin’ Donuts, oh how I’ve missed you! Since I started my half marathon training, I have really been focusing on what I eat. I’ve also started saying to myself before I eat, “will this fuel my body?” and that has helped me to continue to make healthy choices. Except for Monday morning…I wanted and needed a donut. It had been 8 weeks for goodness sake! Oh, Toasted Coconut it had been way too long! You will always will be my favorite. I LOVE you!!

~two~

My baby girl, Charlotte. Although, these days she seems more like a kid than a 3 year old. She started ballet last year when her older sister decided to stop. The studio let Charlotte (then only 2.5 years old) take Madeline’s place. Charlotte did wonderful! And she loved it. At first, I thought she only loved it because she was doing something that her older sister did but that’s not the case.

In May, when classes were over for the season, I didn’t enroll her again. We weren’t living close to that studio anymore and I really wasn’t sure if she loved it or not. A few weeks into the summer she asked me why she didn’t do ballet anymore. I answered her question with a question…”Do you like ballet?” My love responds with, “Oh momma, I love to twirl and leap!” And yes she does! She leaps and twirls allllll over the house, the yard, the driveway, at school, in the parking lot, at Publix, at Target…

Needless to say, I did sign her up for another season and on Monday, I was finally able to capture my baby girl doing what she loves…leaping! Watching her do something she loves with a huge smile on her face, makes this momma’s heart skip a beat.

I love you Charlotte Anne!

~three~

Eeeek!! My girl has hit the 100 day mark in kindergarten! I just can’t believe it. There were some days that I didn’t know if we were coming or going. It was a HUGE adjustment going from VPK to kindergarten…for both of us!

I’m so proud of my girl and everything she has accomplished in these past 100 days. Her heart is so full of love and compassion and she continues to amaze me every single day.

I love you Madeline Kate!

~four~

Oh Elizabeth! We have been together every single day since the day you were born…almost 20 months ago. Your days get jammed with to do lists, errands, sitting in car line and fighting your sisters for my attention usually all while perched on my left hip. I loved it this week when you played…on the floor…All. By. Yourself. You are following in your sisters footsteps and starting to grow into your independence. Hallelujah!

I love you Elizabeth Jane!

~five~

And last but not least…An amazing smelling candle for 50% off at Publix, an amazing speed workout that included 8:26, 8:45 & 8:40 mile splits, and a new favorite red wine from Quantum Leap Winery– Kaley’s Rescue Red. This was the perfect way to relax at the end of a crazy day!

What are you in love with this week?

Get Uncomfortable {Jan 2016}

Orlando Moms Blog

I was inspired by a fellow Orlando Moms Blog contributor, Tracy, to just choose one word (or words in my case) to “guide and lead me through adventures of uncharted territories.” I chose ‘Get Uncomfortable‘. Click, take a look and see why.

I have been using this phrase, ‘Get Uncomfortable’, every day. I know words are powerful but I never knew repeating this ONE phrase when I was unsure of what to do or what step to take next, would push me in every aspect of my life. From pushing myself on a speed workout or tempo run, to pushing myself in keeping the lines of communication open with my family when all I really want to do is shut down…and sleep.

Last week, my oldest and I had a disagreement. She’s 5 (going on 25) and I’m 43. Both of us love to be right. Most days, I’m the parent and the other days, she thinks she is. It was a rough morning getting out of the house.

My patience was gone. I was wound up a bit tight and she needed more compassion and understanding than I had that morning. All I could think about was getting to school on time. The big kids were acting up in the car kicking the seat in front of them.

I ignored it…for a few minutes. I asked them to stop…a few times. Needless to say, they didn’t. We were at a red light and I turned around with anger in my eyes I said, STOP KICKING. I didn’t yell or raise my voice but there was not an ounce of love in my words.

They stopped. She started crying. Uncontrollably. I screwed up yet once again.

Thankfully, we were around the corner from school. I had to fix this. I couldn’t let her be angry or mad or sad all day at school.

We parked and I jumped in the back of the minivan. She wouldn’t look at me. She wouldn’t make eye contact or acknowledge my presence. She shut down…completely.

I said all the ‘right’ mother things but she wouldn’t budge. I grabbed her bag and out the car we went. Her teacher at the door said good morning and she didn’t respond. Into the classroom she went…

I drove to the other side of campus to drop off the three year old. All went well and I looked at the time…I had seven minutes before her class was to start. If my heart was aching, what was her heart feeling?!?

Go ‘Get Uncomfortable’ Kate!

I made it to her classroom with four minutes to spare. Unbuckled the baby and ran to her door. I asked her teacher if I could speak with her for just a minute. I walked into the class, she saw me and with the biggest smile on her face said “Mommy!” My heart started beating again, a lump formed in my throat and my eyes started to fill. I can’t remember the last time she called me mommy. Don’t blink. Don’t blink. Not here. Not now.

I walked over to her, got on my knees and gave her all the love I had and squeezed it into one hug. I whispered in her ear that I loved her with all my heart, to have her best day ever and to remember to have fun.

My baby girl was back. The love was in her eyes and and that smile was radiating the room. I don’t know if she was already over it. I don’t know if it was a distant memory for her. We never spoke of it again. All I do know is that I needed to get uncomfortable and make it right. My baby needed to know that I loved her regardless of what had happened.

As I left the classroom and buckled the baby back into the car seat, I blinked and all the tears came pouring out.

I know I’m not the first mom to say this but seriously…

Parenting is the toughest gig I’ve ever had.

How did you ‘Get Uncomfortable’ today?

Mrs. Roemer's Nest

Seated in the front car of that emotional roller coaster otherwise known as motherhood without a seat belt.

#CampRoemer Week 3

#CampRoemer Week 2

#CampRoemer Week 1

Friday I’m In Love

Friday I’m in Love

Friday I’m in Love…

Friday I’m in Love

Menu Monday {Jan 25, 2016}

Friday I’m in Love

Get Uncomfortable {Jan 2016}

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