What's the best photo you took this year? Show and tell!
For anyone who knows me...I take way too many pictures, so I couldnt pick just one. I have so many more that were great, but I had to pick my top 10 favorites :) They may not be the most professional pictures, but they are us, and to me that makes them the best!!
What fragrance/cologne do you put on when it's your night out?
Submitted by noiq.
I could answer this- IF I had nights out. :) Whether it is with Jake or my sister, or my friends...I just dont get out much these days!! If I do...I dont really get all dolled up for it. What I have is some of that body splash from Bath and Body works- and I use that for anything whether I am staying home or going somewhere. If I did have some good stuff...I think I would go buy "Happy". I have always liked that smell.
When did you really get to make a difference for someone else?
Submitted by bodhibound.
I havent gotten to do this yet, but I am hoping to do it on Christmas. I am making my mom a quilt. I am really hoping that this blanket will make her feel great. She will open it up and see a big pink ribbon, and the word "survivor". Then she will see the signatures of everyone she knows: friends, family, co-workers, and her nurses and doctor, all supporting her and encouraging her to stay strong and fight this thing. We all know she can beat this, and hopefully this blanket will be the lift that she needs on those days where she is feeling down and discouraged. She will know everyone is pulling for her. What better way to snuggle up whe you are cold, than with a blanket filled with the love and support of everyone you know?? Hopefully this blanket will be the difference between a good day and a bad day with just a simple glance and a reminder that she can do this- we all know that she can and will!!
I have been meaning to find us all a new dentist ever since we moved back here. I have been putting it off and putting it off, because I adored our last dentist office in the old town. You'd walk in there and they'd know you and call you by name, ask how the kids are doing, and just joke with people. It was like going to see friends instead of going to the dentist. We were supposed to have appts. with them in early December, but I called and cancelled them because I wasnt in the mood to drive 45 minutes north to get our teeth cleaned. I felt so guilty telling them we would be going somewhere else...but that no one would ever live up to what we had there :)
Then... I got this popcorn kernel stuck in my gums about 1 1/2 weeks ago, and it was really getting annoying. So this kind of sped up the dentist- finding job ahead of me. I went to 1-800-dentist. They had nothing. they had 2 offices about 30 minutes away from here. Yeah, right. So I just did a general search and all of the local offices popped up. Wow...how do you just blindly pick a dentist out of a list on the internet? Maybe yesterday was my day to play the lottery, because I found the most AWESOMIST office yet. The people seemed to have almost as much potential to be as cool as the old place, but the other perks were waaaayy better...
First of all, I love the hygenist- super nice and she got the "ginormous" (as she put it) popcorn kernel out of my gums. That right there was enough for me to love her forever :) (KIDDING) But then imagine sitting down on the softest fanciest real leather reclining chair. Then imagine it giving you a vibrating back and leg massage as you are getting your teeth cleaned. Oh, no. I am not done yet. They actaully give you a warm herbal neckwrap and let you pick from your choice of a few good things on TV (flat panel). Holy cow. I laughed and said I felt more like I was at the spa than the dentist. Totally gonna get spoiled here :) Then on my way out, they took a picture of me so they can put it in their computer, so when I go in again, they remember my face. So, they spoil the crap out of people and TRY to get to know everyone and remember who they are.
As Annie put it... "I think I'm gonna like it here! "
The man of my dreams was born :) It is crazy to think that we are already turning 30, especially when you think about the fact that we've been together since we were juniors in high school! We have been through so much together, both good and bad. The one thing that hasnt changed is the fact that we are there for eachother and support eachother through anything... and when I knew I loved him when we were younger, I never imagined how much more I could love him now. Just like I cant imagine now,how much I will love him when we are 90. I am so lucky to have him- and so are Andy and Justin and Ryan. Somehow- I got this guy who is just an awesome hubby and daddy.
A while ago, I was talking to someone and joking about how bad I am at making decisions. Then they asked me how I ever decided to get married then. (Weird ass question)... But all I could say was that that was an easy decision. So this person again with the weird ass nosy question said "Why?". This caught me off guard because I wasnt expecting it- so I said "Becasue he's perfect" Then I laughed because I sounded like a silly little girl and I knew it. They caught on and said "Well, as perfect as any human being can be" Yes, exactly. Now, what I really wanted to say to this person was that he is perfect for ME. If you can imagine this person who just balances you out as a person...thats him for me. He makes me slow down and think things through more than I ever would. He knows how to be silly when I am feeling crappy and he makes me laugh. He gets down and wrestles with the kids and has more fun than they do. He is smart. He is sensitive. He can see what people need before they do and all of the sudden, he is there for you- ready and willing. He will do just about anything to help anyone out...even though he tries to put on this hard-ass man front like guys do :) He sits and yells at the NFL players when hes watching football. He is handy with anything that needs to be done anywhere...the cars, the house, a broken toy...he can fix it. He teaches me things...like how to wire an outlet, and how to be a better person. He is gentle and kind hearted. He is as picky as a little girl when he eats...but atleast he knows what he likes. He is strong, goal driven, motivated and really wants to do the best job no matter what he is working on. He likes to just get in the car and drive places just to pass time and see if we can find anything cool...like a park or a cute little town. He takes the boys fishing on the end of the dock and they just sit out there pulling in little perch and sunnies and sticking a new worm on the hook like its nothing- but to me it is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. He is "real" Tells you how it is- good or bad, and not materialistic. Doesnt have a bad thing to say about anyone. If I say something during a girl moment, he can sometimes (not always!!!) get me to realize that maybe things arent so bad or that they said something with a different meaning that I took it as. Complete and utter trust. And he is a GOOD shopper!!! He finds great ideas for gifts for people and great deals too!! If I am tired or not in the mood to cook- he offers to do it. He makes me feel like a better person, I feel better when he is around, he is the best daddy, and the kids love him to pieces and we are lucky to have such an swesone person in our lives. SO, if you take all of the things I have said, and all of the things I havent said but could, and wrap them into a big ol' cuddly teddy bear...thats him. And that is why I love him :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY
you old fart!!!!!
Yesterday, I let Andy and Justin have Egg nog (It was clean- dont worry!!) I thought they'd hate it like they hate everything else they eat or drink (Other than the beloved BP and J and Chicken McNuggets). I told them it tasted like a vanilla malt. Andy gagged a second at first, but then took another sip and said, "ooooh, I LOVE this...it tastes like Christmas, Mom!!" Justin said, "MMMmmm...dis is good." So they both had a second small cup. Ok.
The other day, me and Justin made some brownies. It was so much fun. We had them for a treat after they ate their supper. Andy took a bite and went off! "These are the BEST brownies ever! These tate better than the other ones we've ever had. I love these the best. If you like these mom, you can make them any time...because I LOVE them!" The best part, is that they are REALLY homemade. I am talking chop up the chocolate and melt it with the butter and add your own flour homemade too. It made it all worth it :)
We out some chopped up Andes mints in it and I told Andy that that must be the reason he like it so much! Justin heard me wrong and said, "We put Andy's pants in the brownies?" They all had a great chuckle over eating Andy's pants in the brownies and how gross it would be. Kids, I tell ya!
I have never made anything that anyone has flipped over like that before. I have made things that are good and everyone eats them and likes them...but never gotten THAT reaction before. Seriously- it felt so awesome and I had the little cooking ego boost that I needed :) (Ok...my uncle has flipped over things that I have made... I lied. He is more passionate about his food than anyone I know!!! He is like Emeril!!)
I just love this. He liked my brownies, AND egg nog- it tasted like Christmas. I hope they have memories of good food at Christmas forever :)
What's your favorite thing to drink when it's cold outside?
Hot Chocolate with tons of whipped cream and a couple of marshmallows on top and sprinkled with cinamon and sugar...
Think I'll go have some now that I say that. SOUNDS GOOD!
What's on your holiday wishlist?
A winning powerball ticket...
Otherwise- who knows. Once you get to a certain age, that list doesnt make a big deal...Its what is on my kids' list that I need to be thinking about!!!!
I am super bored today and really have nothing to say. But since I am bored, I am sitting here trying REALLY hard to think of something I can tell you about. There really is nothing. Haha. How boring. I cant even pretend to have something to say to keep myself busy!
I am making progress on my moms blanket (still...Shhhh- she doesnt know- I HOPE. If she does know, and I find out who told her...you will be in SO much trouble :) !!!!!) I have the little squares cut out and now I need to pin them together so I can sew them. I also need to get one more color to add as a border around the outside squares. I am still waiting for some people to sign the thing too. Hmmm...productive people would be getting on those slacker's behinds... but I tried yesterday- dont want to nag! I cant wait to get the thing done and give it to my mom. I hope she likes it and I hope it makes her feel all loved and smooshy on the inside like it is supposed to do!! :)
Also- Jake and his dad have been working their butts off in the basement. We are so close to having a finished bathroom, storage room, semi-finished utility room , and then leave the rest unfinished for the kids to play hard in...and the best room of all- MY room :) I cant wait to get all of my scrapbook stuff out of the boxes on the floor in our closet and use the stuff again. I havent touched the stuff since Ryan was born and that was 8 1/2 months ago :( I feel like I am so lost and behind. When I scrapbooked all the time, my life felt so much more organized for some reason. I still need to do some stuff in Justin's baby book...and need to start Ryans.I still need to start Andy's school aged book too...oh man- I have a lot of work to do. Plus a few other books I want to do for them. It will be great. His dad came over today and screwed in the sheetrock in my room and got most of the mudding done in that room too. I cant wait!!
Now I just need to get myself motivated enough to print out the pictures for Christmas cards and to start a spree of baking! I just feel bad doing that without Andy. He'd only last about 5 minutes and then want to play on the computer anyway...so I should just do it now- and then do a little when he gets home and just expect him to last 5 minutes :) He is getting such a little teenage attitude on him...and he's only 5. Does that mean he will be a NICE teenager since he's getting all the sassing off done now? :) DREAM ON MOM!!!! Ok... enough babbling. I sure can talk alot for having nothing to say,huh??
What are your irrational fears?
Submitted by Dan Culhane.
Haha... I think this was written just for me. I am the queen of irrational fears. Give me any situation, and I will come up with something to worry about. Dont sit on the toilet seats in public bathrooms- you mught get an STD. I have fears of my kids going in the car with anyone other than me or Jake because I am afraid they will get into an accident and I will never see them again. I am afraid to have them spend the night at someone selses house because I am afraid the house will catch on fire or someone will break in a rob the place and that I will never see them again. When I am getting something out of the car at night, I get the feeling that someone is standing behind me so I run into the house and turn on all the lights and make someone watch me out the window next time... I have to cut hotdogs and grapes insanely small so the kids dont choke, I hate it when Jake goes on business trips and I get myself all worked up because I am paranoid the plane will crash, I want to get lasik but I am convines that in 50 years, it will cause blindness or something crazy like that, I wont let Andy go into a bathroom by himself because there might be a pervert in there waiting for some little kid...
Get the point?? Anything and everything that goes on, I would be able to ifnd some crazy way to worry about something that would really never happen!!! I could go on and on... but I think you get the point!! Haha - Worry warts have a special knack for this stuff!
Audio: What's your favorite carol or holiday song?
I have so many favorites that I could never put all the audio on here. I love most of them...old and new. The old ones like "The first Noel" remind me of singing Christmas carols with my cousin for the family while holding candles and serenading them with our AWESOME singing :) HAhahaha But strangly--good memories.
I love the fun ones like Rocking around the Christmas Tree, Santa Baby, and All I want for Christmas is you...
I absolutely HATE HATE HATE that song that they play on Kool108. Its probably called Christmas Shoes or something. I have no idea. I HATE that song. It is the dumbest most depressing song I have EVER heard and I think it SUCKS!!!! They should never ever play it again. If you havent heard it, it is about some poor dirty little boy waiting in line at a store to buy his mom a pair of pretty shoes so she can wear them when she dies and goes to see Jesus. And she would love the shoes, so the guy in line behind this kid, gives him the money so his mom can die in pretty shoes. This sucks. Who the he!! is demented enough to write a song like this??? Blech, yuck. 2 thumbs down. HATE IT. This song can bite the dust.
Why dont I tell you how I really feel?? Hehehe. Kidding. Really, though- hate the song.
Things you'd never think you'd EVER be saying to your kids...
"Honey, no- you cant have more peas until you eat your grilled cheese sandwich. "
Huh???
I have the strangest kids ever, I swear.
Clank.
Plop.
Flush.
Gasp. Oops.
Uhhh....Mom? I dont see him anymore...he went down there!!! You gotta help me get him out!!
So, mom reaches hand into the toilet and as far into the drain as possible, but there is no hope for Mr. Lightning McQueen.
Kid gets grossed out at the fact that mom is digging her hand and elbow into the toilet and yells at mom "ugh, DONT PUT YOUR HAND IN THERE- yuck mommy."
Mommy is on a mad hunt for Mr. Plunger, which cant be found anywhere. Need to get car out of toilet before broken hearted almost 3 year old wakes up from nap. Mommy made a promise that might not be able to be kept. Maybe lightning wont be back after nap time. Mommy cant lie to her kids...
Oh, God...the tears puddling up in those big chocolate brown eyes and the perfect little lip curl make me want to rip apart the plumbing. Come on plunger...show yourself!!!!!
How do you get a car out of the toilet drain? They dont have instructions on this stuff in mommy 101.
Wish me luck---
I have waited and waited for this day. Every time we get flurries, I get excited and hope we get enough snow to go outside and play in. I, ah, mean, for the kids to play in. Yeah. Not me... the KIDS can go play in it :) So, when we got snow on Saturday, I was-- I mean the kids were extatic! So, finally, they talked me into going outside in the snow with them. Did a little sleddin', and some rolling in the snow, a few summersaults, made a few tunnels and a family of snow angels. This is really one of the most fun times to play outside. I mean, the KIDS think it is fun to play in the snow. :)
One of the favorite parts of going to play in the snow... coming in and having some hot chocolate!!!
Why is it that there are days like today where I feel like wonder woman, and days like yesterday where I felt like...well, not wonder woman. Today, I managed to get up at 6 am...put on my jeans and decide I didnt feel like getting up yet and went back to bed. Still managed to get some homemade chicken noodle soup going and got lots of laundry done. None of it is actaully put away yet...but who cares. Yesterday I might have gotten a load of laundry done. Why is it that some days I just cant do a thing and get anything done and others I manage to do a weeks worth of work and still spend time with the kids?? I dont get it. The sun is out...does that matter? Who knows.
Which brings me to my next point... I am absolutely amazed at Justin (who will be 3 at the end of January). I was upstairs playing with him and doing this pre-K book with him. We came across a page that had the upper case letters of the alphabet on one page and the opposite page was all the lower case letters. We sang the ABC's as I pointed to the letters with him. When we were done, just for the fun of it, I asked him what each letter said. He got 2 wrong out of 26! The Y and the U. Otherwise he told me the sound that each letter makes :) I was speechless and decided right then and there that I will need to go to college so I can help them with their 2nd grade homework once they get there.
If your Vox Neighborhood had a potluck dinner tonight, what dish, drink or dessert would you bring?
I would make these really good chicken drummies. I got the recipe from one of the moms back when Andy was in preschool. They are the best things I have ever tasted :)
I saw a commercial the other day where Oprah surprised her audience and told them that they had gotten on "Oprah's favorite things" and everyone went hysterical. I dont watch Oprah (or any tv geared for adults for that matter) but know this is a pretty big deal. Since I am not Oprah, I decided to come up with my own realisitc list for my own life!!! I am sure the list will go on and on...some big and some small and in no particular order:
1. The sun sparkling on the lake in the summer and fall
2. The smell of a wood burning stove creeping into the car when you drive down the street during winter
3. The smell of grass being cut- even better if I am cutting a fresh watermelon at the same time. Totally a summer thing!!
4. Dairy Queen
5. When Jake puts on cologne and a snuggly shirt
6. Campfires
7. Waterfalls
8. Sweatshirts
9. Coloring with my kids
10. The look of accomplishment and pride in my kids' faces when they do something new for the first time
11. Pine Trees
12. Pop
13. Shopping for anything- groceries, clotes, towels...whatever
14. The smell of freshly done laundry
15. Smooth legs- no prickles
16. My whirlpool bathtub
17. Massages
18. Time alone and good conversation with Jake...a date!!!
19.Pretty skies
20. Ice skating
21. A good song that brings me back to a certain time
22. Butterflies
23. That sparkly paint they use on boats
24. Little Debbie/Hostess snacks
25. The smell of snow and then seeing it glisten in the sun...then the sun goes down and the sky turns that sort of fluorescent blue and everything glows from the snow on the ground.
25. This is an ultimate favorite... seeing my kids everyday and watching them grow and learn new things. Then being able to give them a bath and make them smell like little babies with that lavender lotion. Getting them into their jammies and reading stories and tucking them into bed and getting smooches and squishes (Hugs and kisses). Seeing their little arms reaching out to give mommy and daddy a hug, and imagining myself looking back at this time when they are 16 and wanting nothing more than to make them smell like babies and get my hugs and kisses again- which makes me apprecaite this time all the more :)
Yesterday when Andy got home from school, I was talking to my sister on the phone. We were talking about Christmas and ideas for eachother and the kids. When I asked Andy who he had already told Spiderman 1 and 3 (he is trying to get the trilogy) about as ideas, he got curious about who was on the other end of the phone. He came up to me and said, "Mom, is that Santa?" I smiled and said, "You think I am talking to Santa?" He said Yes. I got distracted for a second and he said, "So, is it him?!?!?!" Yes, sweetie, this is Santa. He got this look on his face. You know the look...its magic. His eyes lit up and he couldnt hold back his smile and he just walked away on cloud 9. How cute :)
Then we went to the mall to TRY (and fail) at doing some Christmas shopping. We walked out of Sears and right there in the mall was Santa! This was one awesome Santa too. Real beard and all. He wasnt one of those that just sit on the chair and wait for the kids to come up to him...he was walking around at the fence and talking to all the kids who walk by. He talked to Andy and Justin for a while, gave them big hugs and we were off. We didnt actaully go see him yet though...we'll save that for another day! We make it up to the 2nd level of the mall and walk back to Sears on our way out and I cant figure out what the kids are doing. I look down over the railing to see what they are being all silly about, and there was Santa- waving at them from the 1st floor! Not just a quick wave either. Justin gave up after a quick little wave...but Andy had this googley look on his face and waved at Santa till we couldnt see him anymore and the cool thing was that Santa did it back. I glanced back at him at the end and I could see him give his "elf" a smile about it. It was so adorable. Whoever said the magic of Christmas is gone?? It was right there with Andy and Justin last night :)
I just picked up my new contacts after wearing my glasses for the WHOLE stinking weekend! I hate wearing my glasses! I cant smile in them without the back of my head cramping up... and not only that, I feel like I am in a box peeking out a teeney little hole looking at the world. I really dont like putting my contacts in every day either, but man...I didnt even make it out of the parking lot before I had those boxes open and the contacts in my eyes!!! Once I had them in and looked around, I felt like I was awake for the first time all weekend! Ahhh... I sure hate the things, but they are SO much better than my glasses. Maybe if I had a different pair, it would be better...but I say that every time I get a new pair and I end up hating them just as much as the last pair.
On my way out of the building, I helped this little old man through the doors. He was having the hardest time getting in the double doors with his walker. The door was shutting on him and he was getting tripped up on the rug. Then there was another set of double doors on the other end of the entry way so I helped him with those too. He was so cute...His depends were poking up out of the top of his pants and he was so thankful for something as simple as a little help with the door. He said "Thanks for taking care of us old folks!" :) I just wanted to hug the guy! I am glad he wasnt offened by the help.I never know if I should help someone or let them do it themselves. I dont want to offend them! Some people just want to do it themselves and not need anyone else to do simple things!! I am glad he didnt yell... or get hurt by the door!
I am happy to say that I am not too dumb to thread a sewing machine! I got a new one on Friday...got up a 3am to go get it... and the thing works like a charm. I actaully have the whole back side of a a blanket done already :) The one I was borrowing was driving me nuts! I dont know what was wrong with it...I did everything the same on my new one as I did on that one. So maybe something is goofy with it...I dont know. Maybe it was my thread. I am relieved that I got this one to work though, or I would have felt like the biggest moron in the world!
My mom FINALLY had her first chemo treatment about a week ago on Friday. She is doing so awesome. I love looking at her face because she has the twinkle back in her eyes. Hopefully her body keeps tolerating it the way it is. She deserves that after all the B.S. leading up to this point .Something has to go easy on her once!! Hopefully the blanket cheers her up!!! (Shhh....its still a secret though!!!)
What are some ways you save money?
Submitted by Pixiemom.
What??? Money? What is this thing called "money" that you are talking about?? I thought that was meant to spend...why save it :) Just kidding.
Well, here it is. My bathroom. It might be a little bright, but hey... the rest of the house is pretty neutral so far, and this was a SMALL room- I thought I'd have a little fun in there and show how much we love our country :) Hehehe. It is BRIGHT!!! But I think it will grow on me more and more. It is really hard to see the denim look...but both colors are done that way. When you are in the room, it looks like linen or wallpaper. I am kind of proud of it :) Thats all for now!!!
Ringtones: What's yours and how often do you change it?
Submitted by enrico.
I just have my ring tone set to vibrate and this fast "beep beep beep" sound. If I have it set to a song, I never hear it. My phone isn't cool enough to have the ability to play real songs anyway. Mine can play a song I download, but it sounds like polka...and who wants to litsen to a polka version of a good song anyway?? I would change it more often if I had better options. Oh well...Maybe someday I will have a cool phone :)
What is your favorite dish on the Thanksgiving table?
Submitted by Kadeeae.
My grandma makes really good scalloped corn, stuffing, and sweet potatoes. I would pick those over turkey if I had to pick!! Everything else is so yummy too, but I dont normally get to eat that stuff since I live with the world's most picky eater- so I spend the whole year waiting for this day... MMMMmmmmm I cant wait!
Ok...maybe its not, but it comes close in my world now. You would think that all of the little painting kinks would have been taken care of when we painted our kitchen 3 times...but oh no. Thats not true. I had this really neat idea for our powder room and I am trying to do this denim technique in there. It is hard to blend the seams and make them look good and not obvious. So the first wall I tackled last night, I screwed up big time. The other 3 turned out awesome. They look just like what I had pictured. So I kept trying to touch up the darker overlap spots on my first wall. No dice. It looked horrible. So for some crazy reason this morning... I decide that 5:30 is a good time to get up and start my day. I walk into the bathroom and get reminded of my rotten paint job. I am bound and determined to fix this wall before Jake gets home so I can surprise him and have it fixed and done. I get out the painters tape and the white paint. Yay...its a brand new start. One plain old white wall. I let it dry and go at it with my blue glaze. I start rolling the glaze and low and behold...it is not sticking in the bottom left hand corner. The rest of the wall is taking the glaze perfectly. I ignore it because there was enough there to make it work. When I get done, it is so light compared to the rest of the walls that I can't leave it or it would have looked really bad. So I let that coat dry and do a second coat like I did on the other 3 walls. that spot is still lighter and not dry like the rest of the wall was. So as I roll the glaze over it, I am actaully pulling up the stuff that I had already painted. I am removing paint. Damn. This isnt what I was going for. So since the rest of the wall looked ok...I left it and touched up this spot 3 more times. I guess it is bearable...but you can tell it is different. My eye is drawn to it everytime I go in there. Maybe when we do the bottom half, it will distract your eye away from that spot. I really like to paint- now if only I were good at it. (Kind of like sewing, I want to make this stuff, but cant thread that thing. ) Someday, I will find something I am good at!!!!!
Music-wise, what was the first 45, single or download you bought?
Submitted by Paddy Melt Wagon.
My grandpa bought me a record player when I was 5. I used to listen to "Border Line" by Madonna every day before I went to kindergarten!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCdXCKor6B0
I dont know how to add videos to this or anything...I dont even know if I put the link in here right :) But I try...thats all that matters- haha
After wondering why Justin is consistently up this early every morning (about 6:45) I finally figured it out today. I had suspicions before, but now I know its true. Every morning the people who live behind us and over one house let their 2 beagle type dogs outside before they go to work. They couldnt be two quiet dogs. Nope. They go runnning outside like wildfire and think they are hunting. Full speed around their yard BOTH of them barking and howling and chasing up birds from their birdfeeder. How can these people NOT hear this? And if they do hear it, how can they not care? That is so early to have the kids woken up by something so unnecessary. If those were my dogs, I would hurry my butt up and get them inside or teach them not to bark so damn loud in the morning... maybe even get rid of the birdfeeder since that seems to be making them bark in the first place??? All I know is that it is annoying that Justin gets woken up everyday by these dumb dogs. :( Its not fair to him. He cant help it that his window is the only one on that side of the house. It is SO inconsiderate. They are really nice people- just shut your dogs up so my kid can sleep like he needs to!!!
What did you do as a child that you feel guilty about even to this day?
Oh my gosh- I was so mean to my sister!!! I feel so bad about it...I cant believe she doesn't hate me :) I was the big sister and we shared a room. I would never let her in there because I wanted my privacy and she ended up sleepig with my mom and dad forever because I was such a brat to her. One time, we were arguing and I threw milk in her face...she got me back by putting dishsoap in my shoe and garlic on my pillow. Now we get along the way I wish we did when we were little. We laugh about those days...but really, I feel like a big old jackass about them. I said some really mean things to her too. Good times :) Atleast she gave it right back to me...if she didnt, I would feel even worse :) hahaha
I am going crazy trying to thread this sewing machine!!!! I have looked online at directions and they dont have directions for specific types of machines...unless you want to buy them. I think I have it right...but I cant get the bobbin to catch. I took home-ec...why is this so hard??? Does anyone know how to do thread a stupid sewing machine??? I have done everything that 5 different websites have said to do. This is making me cranky. :(
This weekend, we went and rented some movies for the first time in about 2 years. We got a funny one, and a scarey one. I dont know why I thought I was ok with the scarey one...I hate scarey movies. I am a big wuss... I dont like to watch movies that make me feel scared and sad, creepy or whatever.I hate movies that depress the hell out of you like Armageddon etc.. I am pretty much a chick flick, comedy, kind of girl. I will watch the occasional high speed thriller- just so Jake doesn't go nuts... or lose his watching all the girly stuff! So we watched "Knocked Up" kind of so stupid it was funny... then we rented "Disturbia". I dont know if that is scarey to normal people or not, but I was freaked out! The worst part was that there was a car that turned onto the road behind our house and it lit up the wall with its headlights. Then the icemaker started making noises like 3 minutes later. Normal people would have realized that someone turned into their driveway, and 3 minutes later, the icemaker made ice since I just filled up our glasses with ice before the movie started. But...not me. Nope- I freaked out because I havent seen the lights from a car on the wall like that before, and was freaking out that the noises were someone trying to get into the house and get us. I forgot about using the icemaker 30 minutes earlier! Hehehe! I am such a moron. I was sitting on the couch afraid to look into the kitchen to see what the noises were, and pretty much sitting on Jakes lap so he could save me from the big mean refrigerator! I wont even get into the bad dreams I had from watching it. I am such a whimp. I guess I will stick to my nice little happy movies. Give me the happy little girly movies with rainbows and puppies and happy endings :) Haha
What's been your worst experience at a restaurant?
Other than the normal old waitress forgetting about our table, or getting raw meat on my plate or trying to go out and eat when it just wasnt a good day to try that with the kids who decided to raise he!! there...I would say the worst experience I have had in a restaurant was when I was really little and went to eat with my dad's side of the family. I ordered a hot chocolate and everyone else ordered their drinks too. The waitress brought all the drinks out to everyone a few minutes later and leaned over me with her tray to hand someone thier drink, and spilled my hot chocolate all over my back. It hurt like hell...but since that side of the family is so over dramatic and loves to dwell on any thing unfortunate, I played it off and choked back my tears! They made me go put a cold towel on my back so it didnt burn so bad. As far as I remember, I think we all got to eat for free though...and the table was full of people. I wouldnt say it was worth it since I was small and I didnt have to pay any way. Talk about taking one for the team...
So, I got a job tonight. I saw an ad in the paper for data entry not too far from here. I went and applied and took a typing test and a written test last Friday, and got the job. It is 3 days a week from 6 till midnight. The pay isnt horrible, but its not great. The hours are ok- sort of. I am going to feel horrible that 3 days out of the week, Andy will get home from school and I will have to be rushed out the door to go to work until midnight and then be up early in the morning to start the day again. I feel like a bad mom and like I will be missing out on fun nights at home and making bad memories for the kids when they are older. I am freaked out to leave the building at midnight. I dont know if everyone else works until midnight too, or just a few?? It is an industrial area surrounded by a weedy swampy area. I should be excited to get out of the house for a little while- but I'm not. It is only 3 days out of the 7 days of the week... but I just dont feel it with this place.I am only doing it for the money. I am hesitatnt and sort of regretting that I said yes tonight. I am seriously trying not to cry thinking about leaving my kids to go to work 3 nights out of the week. I dont think it would be so bad if Andy were still at home and I got to see him all the time like I do with Justin and Ryan, but he is at kindergarten...ALL DAY LONG- EVERYDAY. I am so bummed out. I guess I'll try it and see how it goes... but I feel horrible about leaving here to go to work. It will be like I say, "Hi Andy, how was school- ok...bye. See you tomorrow morning." Too sad. I dont know if I can even do this now that I am typing this and thinking about him. Atleast I get to spend time with the younger ones during the day...but not him. Maybe it wouldnt be so bad if I felt better about the place to begin with?? It seems weird. I just dont know if I can do that to him. I already feel like I dont spend enough time with him. I dont know what to do. We need the extra money, but how do I look him in the face and leave him right when he gets home from a long day of school????
So... not much going on in my life right now...so I have to write about my dads! :) Hehehehe. This is a little (ok...a lot) scarey for me!! He was up north deer hunting with the guys and saw a wolf!!! He was in the woods and it was walking right for him. My dad said that he didnt think the wolf knew he was there, but that it was huge! Bigger than a german shepard. My mom said that he yelled "HEY" to try and scare it away and it just stopped and looked at him for a second, and then kept on walking towards him! I have always been afraid of bears up there...but a wolf never crossed my mind!!! Thankfully he had his gun with and I hope that he would have shot the thing if it came any closer!!! I bet that would have been kind of cool to see...if you knew it wasnt going to snap and attack you!! (I did it again...att-ack...defense, attack- damn curse) This is why I am too scared to sleep in a tent when we are up there!!!! I like the bunk house where it cant get in...not by the hair of my chin, chin, chin. (not that I have hair on my chin...)
What are you supposed to think when your 5 year old boy walks up behind you and starts singing "You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I wont back down!" I know what I think "Yeah, you have been acting like a stubborn little devil lately, I am not surprised!"
He learned the song on "Barnyard" when Ben is singing it- but what a weird thing to hear out of the mouth of your little sweet 5 year old!! But then he walks around saying "Holy Shoot" because Mater says that on "Cars"... and on occasion, a real "Holy Sh*t" comes out. I tell ya. pretty soon I wont be able to let him watch these full length cartoons! They are giving him quite the potty mouth!! Its one of those things that it is more funny when it is NOT your kid saying them!! :) Hehehee...although I always have to turn my head and laugh because it just doesnt fit coming from such a sweet little voice!!!
Just dont sing it at school, whatever you do!
Today begins Día de los Muertos. What are your rituals or occasions when you remember loved ones you have lost?
I dont take one day and remember them. I think about them each and every day. It could happen in a daydream or I could hear a song and it will remind me of them, or just talking to people when an old story comes up -then you spend 1/2 hr. laughing about it on the phone, and the rest of the day thinking about it :)
I havent looked forward to a date this much since me and Jake set our wedding date, and got the due dates for the 3 little monkies when I was pregnant. This is the date my mom starts chemo. I (and everyone else too) have been thinking about this date and wondering when it would ever come. I dont know if it is that her inscison has finally healed enough, or they said no more fooling around when she got the cancer on her tongue too... but whatever the reason, she got her start date today. She starts next Wed the 7th. It will be a long, hard haul- 24 weeks worth, but I know she can do it. It is the beginning of the final steps of this whole thing. Once she gets done with chemo, we can think of this in "past" terms. Thankfully they are very thorough and will have her go back every couple of months for the first 5 years and then once a year for the rest of her life. When the doctor said those word to her today, she got so happy and smiled and said "The rest of my life, I like the sound of that." I dont know how she holds it together like she has, but I know that after watching her go through this and feeling so many mixed emotions with her, I dont know a stronger person than my mom. Who said a litte 105 lb lightweight cant be tough?? All I know is that my mom is a hero... for me and anyone who thinks they cant get through something... she is proof that you can. She has been through so much, and look at her. She is amazing and I am so glad she is my mom!!! Go mom!!! We all love you :) You can do this!!!!!
So I have tons of stuff I want to do today. Phone calls to make, things to clean, laundry to put away, and
kids to play with...
But, I have ZERO energy/motivation to do anything! This is going to be a beautiful day to get outside too. Maybe this half coffe/ half coffee mate that I am drinking will give me that boost :) Just say something to motivate me!!! Kick my butt into high gear- Please!! Haha!!
I will introduce the group of characters from left to right...
"Haylee Montana" Entertaining everyone with her pizazz and show stopping talent!
"Ryan the Dalmation" Melting hearts with his cuddle-ability and big slobbery kisses!
"Andy Earnheart Jr." Running in circles around the rest. So fast, he'll knock your socks off!
"Justinman" Friendly neighborhood spiderman, saving all from the evil do-ers of Shakopee!
"Ra-Ra Rachel" A kid after my own heart :) Cheering on her cousins during a race or while spider-izing enemies
"Princess Rayna" So fitting, minus the devil horns she had on!
"Austin of the Jungle" King of the jungle sitting high on the thrown...Just dare to knock him down and he'll growl at you!
Or should I say, I have had it with my eyes?? I know there are way more important things to be thinking about right now...lots of them in fact! But I just realized last night, how much I hate not having 20/20 vision! I hate having to wake up and put in contacts. I hate having to wear them all day and then take them out every night. That is just so irritating when you are so tired that you stagger like a drunk up the stairs! Oh, gee...hope I dont miss and poke my eye out. But whats the difference then anyway! I can't wear my glasses because I hate them and the way I look in them. If I smile too much, they make the back of my head cramp up...and they give me such a headache. I love it when people put on a pair and look super cute...not me though. I feel like I am peeking out from inside of a little hole in a box at the rest of the world. I could get all cleaned up and ready for my day...but if I put glasses back on, I feel like I am still in my pj's- so even if I am lazy, I STLL have to drag out the contacts and put them in. I was joking to Jake that I should get Lasik. Then he said, "I thought you hated the idea of that??" Yes, infact- I do! I dont know what that laser is going to do to my eyesight when I am 50, 60, 80... No one knows YET! I give up. I pretty much just hate everything that has to do with my eyes- and there is nothing I can do about it. Awwwww....bumm-o.
So, thanks for listening to me whine and complain about something that really does not matter in the least compared to what some people have gone through or are going through in their lives! How petty of me. It's just one of those teeny tiny little annoying things in life that really dont matter all that much- but just annoy the crap out of a person... kind of like mosquitos.
Kids say the darndest things... here are a few of my favorites that Justin has said recently:
-He just honked his noise (as a car honks its horn)
-We just habed jack da appo's (we just had Apple jacks)
-Look at this bubble boy!!! (What he says after he stands up to get out of the bath tub)
-Get out mom! I need my pwivacy. (As he is in the bathroom going potty)
-I dont like gool colos, I like kid colos. (He doesnt like girl colors, he likes kid colors. Apparantly, girls are not classified as kids in his book, only boys are kids!)
- I am in kindo-gawden too! (Wanitng to be like his big brother and go to school too!)
- I like aiwpwames, and wato-hackos! (airplanes and helocoptors!)
How funny :)
Why did I wake up this morning all stressed out and grumpy?? This morning has gone so crazy- it feels so much like a monday. The positive thing here, it that it actually is FRIDAY!!!
So, my kids wake up nice and early...still dark out. Thats not hard to do now though, since it is still dark out at 7. Hehehe. (Never said I was a morning person!) It is just sooo hard to drag myself out from underneath my nice warm blankets. I sleep under a sheet, a warm throw blanket, and a down comforter that usually has a flannel duvet on it. See why it's so hard to get out of bed? Well, that, and the fact that Ryan got up once or twice last night and also at 4:30 and wouldnt sleep until I gave him a bottle! Finally I get up and start getting Andy ready for school. There is something in the air, or it is a full moon or something- I cant believe how much energy these two have! And they are deviant on top of it! Anything they could do to NOT listen, they did! Then as I am on the floor putting Andy's homework and folders in his backpack, I get another surprise! I pick up his red Thursday folder, and some nice runny cat puke drips onto my nice clean pants. The bitc* puked on Andy's homeowrk! No,teacher, my dog didnt eat my homework, my cat threw up all over it! ICK!!!! So I clean my pants and the folder. Why she aimed for that, I dont know. She is a snot. She is mad at me because she ran out of food in the middle of the night and I wouldnt wake up to feed HER. I will feed my baby at 4 inthe morning, but I refuse to let my damn cat start waking me up for night-time feedings! So needless to say, the cat has been at the foot of the bed almost all night MEOWING, meow, reaaawwww, maw.... Oh, shut up- your just the cat. Ay ay ay. And the day just started. :) Maybe all the weird stuff that could have happened all day, happened at once and now the rest of the day will be smooth sailing!! Heres hoping!
(As I type that, the cat looks at me and meows in my face, like reah right, bitc*, give me the food, or your day will be Hel*, and Ryan wakes up and goes from 0 to bawling in 4 seconds flat).
I wonder if I am alone in this, or if other former cheerleaders are haunted by the same thing. I just went to type an email to my sister-in-law, and I was spelling the word spirit... but the thing is, I cant just spell the word In my head. I am chanting the cheer trying to remember how to spell the word. Spirit, s-p-i-r-i-t- spirit!!!
I do this with the word TOUGH- get tough- t-o-u-g-h. I cant say the word "go", without thinking Lets go, lets go, L-e-t-s-g-o. LETS GO!!!!
There are so many other examples I could write about, but it is just too embarrassing. Seriously, here I am, almost a half a year away from 30 (holy crap!!) and I am still having these cheers haunting me from about 13 years ago. What is wrong with me... get out of my head!! Hahahha (just teasing). I can honestly say that I have not cheered since 12th grade...so why do they still pop into my head like I said them yesterday? Why do I still rely on them for some spelling? DE-FE-NSE!!! defense!!! YEAH! WOOOO HOOOO rock on baby!!!! HELP ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHa
I just sent Andy off to school on the day of his first solo fieldtrip EVER! I am freaking out! We woke up this morning, and he tried telling me he couldnt bring a lunch on the fieldtrip. What?? You are going to be starving. He had the details a little jumbeled. Bring a brown bag lunch so you can throw it away, but you cant bring it on the fieldtrip. Well...that still wasnt quite right, so I checked the reminder the teacher sent home, and yes,they do get to eat lunch! They need a brown paper bag so they can trow it away, do not bring nice insulated bags. Aaahhhh. Ok, irrational fear number one- Check!
Then he got this sad little look on his face, and said, " I wish you could maybe, come with me mommy." It was hard for him to ask me, and even harder for me to explain that I couldnt go with him. That totally broke my heart :( I told him not every mommy gets to go, only 4. He can still walk with his friends and have a great time though! Then I tried to explain to him about the Children's Museum and to see if he remembered going there. He didnt- and looked overwhelmed... so we got online and went to the Children's Museum website- Ah! Curious george :) I read him the details about what was there, and he was better. I was afraid I got him a little too comfortable with the idea of being there..."Oh, by the way Andy, You need to make sure you are paying attention to the teacher and always watching for your group, ok!" He says, "Whats a group." I am thinking...Ok- I am going with you now... but instead I played it cool and explained to him what his group is and that they will all be wearing their green marathon shirts, and to make sure to stay by them the whole time. The thought of him going downtown on a bus, and being there in that big huge place without his mommy or Daddy, scares the crap out of me. I am going to be listening to the news to make sure there are no bus accidents, and constatly trying to clam myself down and NOT , I repeat NOT going to drive myself crazy thinking about him getting separated from the group downtown, getting involved in playing and looking up to see that his group is gone and he is not, going into the bathroom and having a child molester hiding in there (crazy fear, yes, but unheard of- NO) , being sad that I am not one of the mommies that went with. (He asked me, "why don't you WANT to come with me mommy?") God, I want to go with you more than anything kiddo- but I cant just show up. Maybe I can just happen to "bump" into them down there! Oh, what are you guys all doing here, you mean your fieldtrip was to TIHS Children's Museum? Gee, I had no idea...Mind if we tag along? I dont think they'd buy it :) So, irrational fear numbers 2,3, and 4... CHECK!
Then to make my little heart break even more, as his bus is at the end of the driveway and he is running in front of it to get on, he turns around out of no where, with the sun shining on his face, and blows me a kiss with the SWEETEST little smile on his face!!! Awwwww, why'd you go and do that, now I am going to be thinking about that and trying not to freak out about you being downtown...and thats just gonna make it even harder.
So, reality check:
mommy's fear that her first born baby is growing up...
check???
I havent been keeping up with putting our paint colors on here like I wanted to do :) I meant to put a picture of each room as it gets done, but I am lazy- so here are 2 rooms for the price of one.
This is the living room- it is the same toffee crunch color as the dining room (which is why I wasnt in a hurry to post it!) But it made the pumpkin guts orange that used to be in our kitchen, actaully a very nice accent! The pictures dont do it justice :)
This is the laundry room (obviously) It is like a blue/gray... it is called Sailor boy. Someday, we will have nice cabinets and organization in there... but not yet :) So, ignore the clutter!!
Wow...like I said before, cant something just go the way it was planned ONCE for my mom??? She was supposed to have a CT scan this morning to see if there were any more spots that showed up on it since she had that one on her tongue. My mom is allergic to the contrast dye they use in the scans...so when they set this up, they SHOULD have told her to take benadryl 12 hours before the scan. They didnt. She goes in and they ask "did you take the benadryl??" My mom and dad say "What??" They go on to tell them that since she is allergic to the dye, she needs to have taken benadryl atleast 12 hrs before hand and now she cant have the CT scan done today becuase she didnt take it. Now she has to wait 24 MORE hours and have it done tomorrow.
I cant believe how frustrated I am at these doctors of hers. Cant they just be thorough and make sure they know this stuff ahead of time and not at the last minute? There is so much more I could say here... but just need to stop because its not my place to be talking about her stuff...but I wish she had a whole different group of doctors who were on top of things and communicated with eachother about her care..and would stop putting her on the back burner and making her wait a day here, a weekend there... all this nickel and diming of her time is adding up and they havent even started chemo yet. They'd be treating her a whole lot different if this were thier mom, wife, or any family member. I wish I could just yell at them, and get them to care. What a bunch of half assed doctors. They make her wait an extra week for an appt. because the guy wanted to fly to Germany and take a vacation with his girlfriend. Ok, fine- everyone's entitled to a vacation...but then make arrangements for my mom (or any patient you have) and who will be doing her appts while he's gone...other than his nurse. GRRRRRRrrrrrr
You know the old saying that some one who thinks their shi* dont stink??? I dont think that about myself at all...but I guess Andy does!! Haha
We were standing by the window waiting for Andy's bus, and Ryan just made a stinky stinky diaper. Justin walked around saying "I HATE that smell" I told him that he couldnt help it and it smells bad when everyone poops. Andy goes into explanation mode, telling me that, yes, it does stink when everyone poops...except for you mom! You smell like flowers! Boys smell like rotten eggs :) Hahaha... Boy do they learn that young!!! How sweet. That kid just earned himself an extra piece of candy.
So, I just thought I'd let it be known that my sh*% dont stink ;) Hehehe
So for the 4 people in the world who actaully read this page, I think most of you know that my mom has been fighting breast cancer since August. Well, atleast that is how long she has known about it. She had a double masectomy, and should have started chemo and had only one week of it left by now. The problem is, she hasnt even started one round of it yet. One of her inscisions (not sure on that spelling and too lazy to go to Word to figure it out for sure..) isnt healing like the other. There is dead tissue instead of nice healing.So the surgeon has not let her do chemo even though her oncologist has been telling him to speed things up because she has the aggressive/invasive type.
Just when it seems like things are going to start progressing and she might get to alteast start herception (the antibody) She gets a sore on her tongue, and her doctor wont start her on the anti-body till its fixed. So, she heads off to the dentist who assures her not to loose any sleep over it and he is sure it is nothing. Then yesterday my mom calls me and tells me the sore was cancerous. But it is like a mole, they remove it and hopefully there is nothing left. Now she might need to see a different specailist...and probably more delay in starting chemo...which she obviously need to start ASAP since it is apparantly still growing in there.
How much can one little underweight mommy who has no spleen, actaully take? She has been so strong and up beat this whole time, and she has had to sit and dread chemo for 5 weeks now. It is bad enough when you are able to start it immediately after surgery, but to have to sit and think about it, loosing your hair, how sick it will make you feel...for 5 weeks??? It is so not fair for her. Why cant something just turn out great for her??? Why couldnt that have just been a normal old sore that showed up after she healed super fast? Instead that is cancer too, and she is STILL trying to heal from her surgery 5 weeks later. I think we have enough angels up there to help get things going the way they should... so- Hello??? Where are you guys- she needs you!!!!!! Put down the fishing pole, get your wings and get to work!!!!!! Hehehe...
So, she doesnt know where this is giong yet and how it will change the game plan with chemo (it is does change) or if it is anywhere else in the vicinity of her ear/nose/throat.... So now all we do is hope it was a random fluke and just sprouted in the middle of no where and there are no more cells around.
If you have a minute, could you just say a little prayer or have a little talk with the Big Man up there on her behalf :) I know we'd all appreciate it!!! I guess I am not saying the right things to him-
I give Justin a hug and kiss, and he asks me"Why you doin' dat mommy??" I tell Justin that I love him and he is my special 2 year old. He gets totally insulted (thankfully I had the camera attached to my hip and got a picture of his disgust!!) And says "NO I AM NOT" I say "ok...what are you then" He Growls back "I am 6 1/2" Then I laugh and he tries hard to hide his cute little smile but he cant do it, so we laugh at how silly he is.
Andy brings home the school mouse and gets to keep it over the weekend to take it on adventures. He brings it with to Haylee's house and buckles the mouse up safe and sound... when we get home, he "reads" the mouse the book, "If You Take a Mouse to School." Then we write and illustrate a story and stick it in the binder and he gets to read it to his friends at school.
Ryan is a big boy now... he has gotten 2 teeth, and figured out how to hold his very own bottle :) He still doesnt grasp tilting it up so it flows better...but he'll get there :)
Justin is practicing to be on the show "The Next Iron Chef" Quite the little chef I have!!
We got SOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We decide on a whim Saturday morning, to drive up to Duluth for the day. It was awesome fun!!! We brought the kids to the train museum. Dont worry, this track wasnt in use... its not like I had them hog tied anyway :)
Andy and Justin think that they are strong enough to move the train wheels. Keep tryin boys. If you do it, I will buy you anything you ever wanted... hahaha
Just had to get a picture in front of one of their favorites... A train signal :) Easy entertainment!!
Ryan takes a whack at imitaing a stick person at the Childrens Meuseum in Duluth.
My little men see the boat and the rest is history. We had to go "fishing" for about 15 minutes.
Then we drive up to Gooseberry Falls... now that I look at this picture, it isnt the one I wanted in here :( I have one that someone took of all of us in front of the waterfall. Oh well. It is crazy once you get up north and do something fun like this- all of the sudden the people who you know drove like jerkuses are super nice and friendly and offering to take your family picture :) Everyone is so happy and willing to take a minute to do a favor for someone else... Its the magic of being up there. It makes you a nicer person!!! :)
Ryan discovers a pine tree...
And finally, on Sunday, we painted our dining room. It is some sort of Toffee color. We are happy with this color!!!! ;)
(Justin is still trying to get used to eating lunch without his big brother Andy while he is at school...he looks so lonely all by himself at the table...)
It was a busy few days, but sooo much fun. It feels SO good to finally have grass- and I have been wishing we could go to Duluth for about 3 months now- and the painting..well...that will be an ongoing thing for probablly 6 months :) But one more room down!!!
