snaps to snapfish.com

I had to do a second post today because I had to send out major props to Snapfish.com. I am absolutley love, love, LOVING this website right now!!!


Background story: I ordered some really cute picture Christmas cards & some collage prints a few weeks back & sat back & waited in anticipation for them to arrive. Well the cards came in the day before Thanksgiving so I waited, waited & waited some more for the prints. All the while getting VERRY antsy, I'm not the most patient person. Anyways, I thought for sure I would see them in my mailbox by this last Thursday (a week after Thanksgiving) & no such luck. So I called the customer service, spoke to a very nice man on the phone. He told me they would re-print the prints & rush them to me at no cost. Okay. Now I'm figuring I would see them by Wednesday at the earliest & to my surprise they were in the mailbox today!!!!! I am so freakin' excited about these pictures. I'm giving them to the grandparents for Christmas & they turned out to be the cutest things ever!


So, much love to Snapfish.com!!! I highly recommend them for all your printing needs!* (my celebrity endorsment)

See for yourself, so worth the wait!

oh, the pain!!

You know it's gonna be a bad day when...you wake up in the morning with a MASSIVE, life altering, right eye blinding headache. It doesn't make anything better when no amount of Aleve, Ibuprofen, or Tylenol will put a dent in the pain. And no Aspirin either, unless I really just wanna ralph up all that Special K w/ Strawberries cereal I managed to get down this morning. Someone, anyone, please shoot me. Aim for the head please!

the magic number

I don't typically include my age in any of my blogs, not because of vanity but because I just don't think much about it. When asked how old I am, I usually have to pause & think about it for a second. I live by the philosophy that you're only as old as you feel & I still feel pretty darn young.

Well, I turned 30 earlier this year (September, to be exact) & had my first doctor's appointment today since turning the big 3-0. Yes, it was THAT appointment, the one every woman dreads but a very important one that every woman needs. I was dreading this one a little more than normal since I wasn't seeing my usual doc. Long story short, I needed to make this appointment for a specific time & day & my doc wasn't available so I going to see one of his associates. (Yes, I said his. You 'd have to meet him to understand.) Weeeell, this appointment was just full of not so much fun. Apparently I have gained more weight than I thought (boo!), my blood pressure is a little higher than normal & I guess 30 is the magic number to start checking cholesterol!! In other words, blood work. In other words, needle. And I HATE needles!!! I don't expect to be getting any bad news from this appointment but I'll know next week if I get a phone call from the doc's office.

One good thing did come from this visit. An undeniable number staring me in the face. I've got to loose weight. I've got to do something to get healthier. Hula hoop on Wii Fit anyone? (I promise you'll look as silly as I do.)

all day

The hubby asked me recently what I do all day & why I can't get such & such done (along w/ all the other things I do). Well Hubby this one's for you.

• 5:30 am: drag out of the super warm bed to get hubby off to work, make sure he's got all his stuff (cell, keys, pen, paperwork, etc. 'cause I sure don't want to drive 2 hrs because something got left)
• 6:00 am: snuggle up on the couch to watch the news before the kiddos get up.
• 7:00 am: rise & shine (I was only checking for holes in my eyelids, i swear). the boys are up & they are STARVING!! the big one chants, "mama, i'm hungry!", while the little one walks around smacking & saying "mor". (BTW 'mor' is the word he uses for both food & drink & also one of the only words he can say clearly.)
• ok, breakfast is done, the boys & the kitchen are straightened up & around 9:00/9:30 am: like clockwork, everyday the little one will have gone off to the corner for his daily constitutional. must change that one quickly, the smell is enough to kill.
• sometime between 10:00 & 11:00 the little one will need to lay down for a morning nap. you'll know it's time when he wants to be cuddly & won't let you out of his sight.
• meanwhile the big one has covered the living room floor w/ approximately 500 toys, asked approximately 4 million questions, asked for the tv to be paused/restarted 30 times, & gone in & out about 5 times. (that one has to be stopped, little brother will have a close call with his fingers & the front door.) the big one will stay outside to dig holes in the yard until lunchtime.
• speaking of lunch, it's almost that time. hopefully the baby went down for a nap & a load or 10 can get started in the washer. if he didn't go down expect to have a cranky little boy following you/holding your leg as you walk around the house.
• uh-oh, the big one is back inside chanting, "mama, i'm hungry" again, must be lunchtime. regardless of whether the baby is asleep or not, get in the kitchen to make food & he's awake. must be sure to make his food first, otherwise he's climbing on brother to get to brother's food, then starts the squealing & the whines.
• after lunch argue with the big one to pick up some of his toys, he got them out, he can put them up. watch, i mean referee, as the boys play while i take a break & catch up on blogs, post an update on twitter, & maybe post a blog myself.
• oh crap, the clothes in the washer are done, break is over.
• little one is getting cuddly/cranky again time for the nap time fight to begin.
• once the little one is down then the housework can begin again. (notice there are no more mentions of time?) the kitchen, the living room, the bedroom all need to be cleaned & the laundry needs to be washed, folded/hung up & put away.
• still fielding about a million questions an hour from the big one.
• by now it's almost 4:30, just about time for the hubby to arrive, make mad dash to try to get house finished or face "the look" & the question, "what did you do all day?" (jackass).
• but don't you worry, just cause the hubby is home my day does not end.
• oh no, dinner still has to be made, the rugrats need baths, the living room needs to be picked up AGAIN, & i am in desperate need of a shower, a shot & some sleep. but first the kids have to be put to bed & maybe have some cuddle time with the hubby. now my day is done.

And honey, that is my day. But this is really only a glimpse at a single day at home. This does not include the days when we have to run errands, have doctor's appointments, etc. This also doesn't account for the number of times i have told the kids to quit, stop it, be careful, no hitting, no spitting, what's the matter?, what are ya'll doing?, don't do that , get that out of your mouth, pick that up, gross, throw that way, dude, chill, quit holding yourself & go pee pee in the bathroom... you get the picture. Also, I've never counted, but my most educated guess would be that by the end of the day the big one has asked about 10 million DIFFERENT questions & I have answered each and every one of them TWICE! And if he's not asking how or why, he's asking to play video games. (Darn you Playstation 3 & Nintendo Wii) Oh yeah, I almost forgot, sometime in all the craziness that is my day I in have to carve out time to work with the big one on his ABC's & 123's. Remember he starts school in only 9 months & I keep hearing (in my head) a kindergarten teacher friend of mine talking about how they can always tell which kids stayed home with a parent. (Was that a dig against daycare or parents that stay home?) So honey, next time you ask me what I've done all day I will gladly refer you to this post as I cannot possibly recite all of this all over again. Love you!

long time, no blog

Okay so long time, no blog. I know I've been gone for awhile & no, I didn't fall off the face of the earth, just VERY VERY busy. So, in case you didn't know, we finally moved back to Texas. We got the word the Thursday before the move the following week. Well, that would have been plenty of time to pack up our little bit of stuff (see previous post: Gonna need a UHaul). Except that I was sidelined Tuesday morning when I was taken to the ER for emergency gallbladder surgery. I don't care what anyone says, when you're passing a gallstone (or one is stuck, as it was for me) the pain is WAY worse than having a baby! Anyways, I'm getting off track. We left New Mexico Friday night after our very good friends helped the hubby pack up the UHaul (much love to them) & headed for Texas. Since being back we have cleaned up & moved back into our craptacular house, had the boys' b-day party (remind me not to do that again) & started our new home search. Which the home search by the way has been a event all in itself. Between not knowing what our next move is going to be & can't decide were we want to live, we really can't make any definate decisions & get started with anything. Very frustrating!! UHG! Hopefully we can get some answers soon (like tomorrow) & life can begin to slow down to normal & I'll have more time for stuff like blogging! He he he!!

fighting childhood cancer

Hello everyone, Today's post is a little different from the norm, I don't usually send out emails or repost about sob stories or anything asking for money but this one hits close to home for me. Below is an entry from my friend Wendy's blog. Her blog is mostly about her son Kaden, who was diagnosed in Dec. 06 with leukemia. I encourage you to check out their page: Kaden Kilburn & read more of his story. In the mean time, I'm posting this for all that read this blog to encourage those that can, to make a small donation to this fundraiser that is happening now. If you can't it is understandable, prayers are needed just as much. I've followed Kaden's blog for about a year now & in that time I have read of several children that lost their battle with cancer. Please do what you can. Hopefully they'll find a cure for this awful disease soon. Also this is a link to Kaden's team on CureSearch where you can make a one time donation: Kaden's Crusaders And remember that all donations are tax deductible & prayers are just plain free! Pass this along to friends & family, every little bit helps. Thanks, Kim

The CMN Country Cares for Kids Radio-a-thon is on all day today! To donate by phone call 1-888-499-KIDS! They are asking for pledges of $15 a month or .50 a day, but anything is appreciated. This money stays right here in Central Texas to help our kids!Tonight is Stand U 2 Cancer that will be broadcast on all three major networks ABC, CBS, and NBC at 8EST/7CST.I have heard through the grapevine (trust me that is not easy, these guys are very tight lipped about this show) that Katie Couric is going to focus on pediatric cancer, so hopefully that is a good sign that some of the funds will go to help our kids. All cancers need funding, and hopefully this effort will provide funds to researchers who do not qualify for government funds and cures can be found. It is my understanding (based on the info on their donation page) that funds will be awarded to those that have promising research in the works!Curesearch provides the funds for the trials that most of the children with cancer are on. Contrary to popular belief most kids are not treated at St. Jude (though they do great work), but rather kids like Kaden are able to be treated closer to home with a protocol funded largely by Curesearch. There are a few other independent hospitals also that treat our kiddos. My point is that Curesearch is responsible for the treatment plan that has saved my son's life. You can become a virtual walker and help Curesearch with a $10 one time donation. Their goal is to have one walker per child that is diagnosed with cancer every year, that is 12,500. http://host.curesearch.org/site/TR?fr_id=1170&pg=entry&JServSessionIdr012=nxji3g2be2.app13bThis is also Chili's month to give to St. Jude, and if you are going to eat out it might as well go for a good cause right! Our Chili's is donating proceeds from Sept. 29th to St. Jude. Check with your local Chili's to find out the date or dates for your town.Ok, I must go start school with the kiddos, but I will update on Kaden after his appt. Monday. Please pray for 'good' counts, not to low not to high. For those that need a specific number, we want the ANC between 750-1500. Have a great weekend and don't forget to do something fun with the kids!

i just don't understand...

Okay, I've got something that I just don't understand. These people that agree to go on t.v. & then act like total a-holes. I watch alot of HGTV & shows like Buy Me, Sell This House, etc, etc and these people simply astound me. They whine & cry that they can't sell their house but when they are offered advice by the professional that is assisting them, they dig their feet in & refuse (in some cases) to follow it. For instance: The other day on Buy Me, a lady in massive debt with no real job needs to sell her house FAST. This lady is beyond quirky & has decorated her house to express that. Okay fine, while she's living there it works for her. Her realtor suggest she declutter & repaint (a common theme in most of these shows) & you would have thought that she asked her to cut off her arm! This lady started out asking 309K & then repainted (a little) & decluttered (a little less) & lowered the price to 299K. At that price she got an offer for 284, she countered with the full asking price & the buyer countered with 290, SHE DIDN'T ACCEPT!! 16 weeks later with a new realtor she finally repainted some more & finished the declutter & sold for 264K. Okay so lets do some math here she could have sold for 290K & ended up selling for 264K, a loss of 26K!!

I just don't get it...why can't these sellers understand that 1. Realtors are pros, they know what they are talking about. If they suggest something to change, DO IT!! 2. Quirky only appeals to a very limited buyer pool. When most buyers see lots of quirky (500 different colors in one house) they think repaint & their offer price goes down quickly. 3. If you realtor asks you to declutter, do it. You're gonna have to pack all you SH** up anyways, why not just get started now. It might help you sell your house faster.

I don't know why I watch these shows sometimes. I spend most of the time pulling my hair out & shaking my head at the ignorance they proudly display. Oh my, I just don't understand.

so many projects, so little time

I have to admit, the closer it gets to the holidays the more I get "project fever". It doesn't help that I've been helping a friend prepare for her wedding, you know perusing Martha's website, Better Homes & Gardens website looking for reception ideas, feeding my habit!! Also bought a magazine the other day that is chalk full of crafts for the holidays, this stuff is like crack to me, I just gotta have it!

a galvanized bucket that I saw decoupaged on Martha's website,

wanted to use it for a candy dish for Halloween

the tray is already cute on its own, but I've got some other ideas for it

these have magnets on the back with a little picture & flat marble in the middle

the candles would be really easy & cute for a backyard bbq

the picture is hard to see but these are soap rolls with an oriental charm

future projects part II

So here's some more projects that I want to try, maybe I can get to them sometime before NEXT Christmas. Here's hoping!!

too cute, canister cozies

lollipop ornaments

snow buddies pillow

santa pillow

originally place card holders but I was thinking picture holders?

future projects part III

Don't be suprised to see this one on some Christmas gifts this year!!!

just a really cute pillow, I really want to try (maybe by NEXT Thanksgiving)

and then there is the list, I've started

page 1 of MORE future projects

page 2 & 3 (i've just started a pg 4)


but how can I start ANY new projects

when I have so many that I haven't finished yet?

funny phone call

I got a call from my husband this afternoon that made me chuckle. So he calls me and asks if I know a person with a phone number of 466-blah, blah, blah, blah. My answer was no, why? He got a phone call from this number earlier today & when he answered the voice on the other end says, "HI, DAD!" Me: Hmmmm, honey, you got something you need to tell me?? It was a wrong number of course but if I didn't know my husband so well, I might be a little concerned. ha, ha, ha. I've got a good laugh out of this all afternoon

CALLING ALL PRESS...

So Smart A$$ Mom posed an interesting question to the public a few days ago, "what would you say at your press conference?" WEEELLLL, let me share what mmmyyyy press conference would sound like:

'Ladies & Gentlemen of the Press, Thank you for joining me today. As most of you have reported my lying, good-for-nothing, scum sucking, rotten ass, bastard husband was caught & "voluntarily confessed" breaking our wedding vows (that we professed in front of God & family) with a nasty, scank-ass tramp. Okay, so here's were we go from here. You can crucify him, I simply don't care. Do whatever the hell you want to, to him, I'm not sticking around for the fallout. I know that in the past, scorned wives (ie: First Lady Clinton, Mrs. Spitzer, Mrs. Edwards and others) have stuck by their dogs, I mean husbands, but that is not my cup of tea. Now, what does that mean for me & my children? Well, we are packing up and heading off into the sunset (with half of everything I can get my hands on, cause you know we didn't sign no prenump!). What does that mean for the press? Good question, my instructions are simple... leave us alone! My children have been traumatized enough they don't need a bunch of blood suckers following them around everywhere. And as for me, I just dumped my husband of 9 years without a second thought, can you imagine what I would do to you? Again, thank you for your time & have a nice life.'

So that is what my press conference would sound like if my famous political husband cheated on me. There are a few times that I do believe in second chances but this is not one area that that holds true. I understand that no one is perfect and all marriages struggle at one point or another but seeking out the "comfort" of another person (male or female) is not the answer. If you are so unhappy that you have to go out & get some somewhere else, chances are your other half is equally unhappy. Find a solution to the problem, get some counseling, or just get it over with & save the other person the heartache & humiliation that an affair brings to the marriage. Especially if you are a public office, do you think you're not gonna get caught? Don't you think you owe it to the people that elected you to hold yourself to a higher standard? And with that I will leave you with one piece of advice: "Keep it in you pants!! (and don't cruise airport restrooms looking for trouble!)"

8.6 down & 68.3 to go!!

Okay so you may have noticed the new ticker on the side of my page. Weeeelllll, I it added last week to brag about my weight loss. I've been doing Jenny Craig for 6 weeks now & have lost 8.6 pounds & 7.5 inches (overall) so far. I have 68.3 to go to get to my goal weight of 130. I know a lady should never reveal her age or her weight but I don't always do things they way they are supposed to be done. Ha ha ha Stay tuned till next week to find out how much much more I've shrunk!!

one word...AWESOME!!!

All I can is AWESOME!!! (& who the hell comes up with this stuff?!?) Follow the link to check out the latest & greatest from Sephora.

BEAUTIFUL weather

Just wanted to post a little note to make everyone green with envy. The weather here has been absolutely GORGEOUS today!!! Being a lazy Sunday we've been loungin' around the house doin' nothin'! I went out to get movies @ 2 pm, the temperature was 81 degrees with a nice breeze. Now, just getting back from Texas I can tell you how much I enjoyed the nice, cool weather. Don't you wish you were here??

government warning...

The government issued a new warning recently....

DO NOT SWALLOW YOUR CHEWING GUM!!

(the results could be more than a little embarassing)

too good to pass up

Today's post comes to you courtousy of Cynical Dad. This is one of several blogs that I read on a regular basis, it's just too funny. Well yesterday's post is no different. I don't know how this guy comes up with this stuff or where he finds it all. Must be super entertaining to live in an area that's got so much interesting stuff all around. Anyways, check out his post on Reminiscing.

ready, aim, fire

Question: How is it a 4 yr. old boy can point & shoot with better accuracy than his 31 yr. old dad?

One of my biggest pet peeves is sitting down to a wet seat!!! I know there is a huge difference is height but that is no excuse poor aim.

While I'm on the subject of husbands, we'll just men in general. Why is it that men can plan something, a little get together, but when you start asking questions about the details, they are clueless. Take tonight for example. I got the call from the hubby earlier today that a couple of guys from work were gonna come over to watch a movie that was released today.

Me: Okay, what time?

Him: Around 6:30.

Me: Are they gonna eat dinner at the house?

Him: I don't know, probably.

Me: Alright, I'm making spaghetti.
...end of conversation...

Later that night, as I start to make dinner, the guys show up. One brings Subway with him & the other ate before he came over. Uggggg! Well looks like we are going to be eating some leftover spaghetti sometime later this week. Why can men not see the importance of DETAILS?!?!?

bloody snotrockets LIVE IN CONCERT!!!

So, Saturday night we had the unique experience of hosting the bloody snotrockets in our home for a private concert. Let me just say, THEY ROCKED!!! I snapped a few pictures to share with everyone.


THE bloody snotrockets

fans of the bs

just to prove their serious skills; they switch it up a bit!

w/ guest bassist...Toby!



ENCORE! ENCORE!! ENCORE!!!

Why?

I got this picture in an email sometime back, came across it again today & decided that I wanted to share. Is it just me or is this just a big ol' target for a tornado? I have just one more question...WHY???

work resume: Part 1 - The 90's

So, I read a blog entry recently that discussed a lousy previous work experience. Well thinking about that this morning, I decided I would chronicle my work experiences prior to starting my illustrious career as a stay-at-home-mom. I should preface this by explaining that before graduating high school, I had never had a job. It wasn't for lack of trying, I did ask my parents once or twice if I could get one & they told me no. (Ask them if you don't believe me). Part of the reason for the no was they wanted me to concentrate on school & the other was I didn't have a car of my own so they would have had to taxi me back and forth to said job. Okay so after graduation I began my "brief" but varied work history. And so the story begins...

• August 1997: Hobby Lobby San Marcos, TX Pay: minimum wage ($4.15/hr.) - This one was fun. For about a month I worked along side a girlfriend from high school before she moved on to bigger & better things. Stayed there for a little while longer, even had my own department & keys to the cash safe up front. Don't remember much of my career w/ the Hob Lob other than my department was the only one to score a 100% when the regional manager visited. Left there right before inventory. Trying to work full-time & go to school full-time, something had to give.

• November 1997: JCPenney San Marcos, TX Pay: minimum wage ($4.15/hr then $4.25/hr) - I believe this was the only job I've ever had that I got all on my own, didn't have a connection one to the place. Started out in the children's department. And if anyone remembers the Penney's in San Marcos from way back when, the kid's department was in an adjacent suite in the "mall". (Remember the way it was? Run down, WAY past it's prime, scary to small children. Yeah, I remember it all too well). Need a restroom break, change, manager approval? Well, you were SOL until someone from up the hill decided to grace you with their presents. After serving my time in the "dungeon" I was moved up to the men's department. I was never officially told why but my guess was that they needed a pretty young thang over there to boost sales. Yeah, I thought pretty highly of myself back then. I was young, thin & wasn't afraid to talk to strangers. Not long after that an opening came available in jewelry & I begged for it. Got it & never looked back. I was in heaven! Surrounded all day by diamonds, silver & gold; what more could a girl ask for. Quickly moved up the ladder within the department & one day in walked an old friend with promises of riches & gold. Not really, but after talking on several occasions she did come with a job offer. Seems that a new position was created at the McCoy's Corporate office in the receptionist office. Hmmm, no weekends & more moola? Where do I sign up??
  

Well, this concludes Part 1: The 90's. Please join me again as we explore more of memory lane in Part 2: 1999 to Present. Hope you enjoyed the ride, "Come back now, 'ya hear!"

alcohol and....

I truly believe with all my heart that given the right amount of alcohol, just about anything can be funny. Take karaoke for example. Alone karaoke loosely translates from Japanese as "tone deaf", but add just the right amount of alcohol and anyone can become a superstar! Well, I've had a chance to prove my theory recently, this time with video games. Alone Mario Kart for Wii can be & is a fun game for the whole family. Now insert alcohol, add a couple of big bad macho men & you've got yourself a damn funny scene!!

alright boss man, you're on!

boss vs. peon

Peon: "I just crashed you!!"

boss vs. peon #2

peon #2 is winning!

my mother's day

Well, let me just start off by saying that this has been a wonderful Mother's Day. I do believe that my husband is really starting to get it. This is the first Mother's Day that he has tried to make special for me. He didn't buy me anything special or fancy or expensive it was just all the little things. I got to sleep in! In the nearly 8 months that our youngest has been a living & breathing being, I have not gotten to sleep in, so this is a big thing for me. When I did get up (8:30) he made pancakes for all of us. Okay so he's no gourmet chef, but you better believe that I made out like they were the best thing since sliced bread! I did appreciate the thought. Later in the day we went to Santa Fe did some wondering around the mall, caught a late lunch at Red Lobster & then came back home & went to the movies. Speed Racer was not my first choice of movies but the big one (Eric) really wanted to see it so off we went. I have to admit, the movie was really cute. I got more than a few chuckles from it. I am glad to see that John Goodman has lost some weight, he was looking really bad there for a while. All in all I've had a pretty excellent day. Now, I just hope the hubby remembers that it is the thought that counts when it comes to Father's Day. (Seeing as how I don't work & therefore have no money!)

Mother's Day

I got this in an email yesterday & wanted to share with everyone.

MOTHERS and MOMS

This is for the mothers who have sat up
all night with sick toddlers in their arms,
wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer
wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying,
'It's okay honey, Mommy's here.'

Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end
soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at
work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains
on their blouses and diapers in their purses.

For all the mothers who run carpools and
make cookies and sew Halloween costumes.
And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to
babies they'll never see. And the mothers
who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art
collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns
on metal leachers at football or soccer games
instead of watching from the warmth of their cars.
And that when their kids asked, 'Did you see me, Mom?'
they would say, 'Of course, I wouldn't
have missed it for the world,' and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids
in the grocery store and swat them in despair
when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner.
And for all the mothers who count to ten instead,
but realize how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with
their children and explained all about making
babies.And for all the (grand)mothers who
wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go
hungry,so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read 'Goodnight,
Moon 'twice a night for a year. And then
read it again, 'Just one more time.'

This is for all the mothers who taught
their children to tie their shoelaces before
they started school. And for all the mothers
who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons
to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns
automatically when a little voice calls 'Mom?'
in a crowd, even though they know their
own offspring are at home or even away
at college or have their own families.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids
to school with stomach aches, assuring them
they'd be just FINE once they got there, only
to get calls from the school nurse an hour later
asking them to please pick them up. 'Right away!'

This is for mothers whose children have gone
astray,who can't find the words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they
bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of
recent school shootings, and the mothers
of those who did the shooting.

For the mothers of the survivors,
and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror,
hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their
children to be peaceful, and now pray
they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good mother anyway?
Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips?
The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and
sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?
Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache she feels when she
watches her son or daughter disappear
down the street, walking to school alone
for the very first time?
The jolt that takes her from sleep to
dread,from bed to crib, at 2 A.M. to put
her hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes again
at 2A.M. when she just wants to hear
their key in the door and know they
are safe again in her home?
Or the need to flee from wherever she is
and hug her child when she hears news
of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are
universal and so our thoughts are for
young mothers stumbling through diaper
changes and sleep deprivation...
And for mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers;
single mothers and married mothers;
mothers with money, mothers without.
This is for you all. For all of us...
Hang in there. In the end we can
only do the best we can. Tell our children
everyday that we love them. And pray
and never stop being a mother...

'Home is what catches you when
you fall - and we all fall.'

new venture

Having DVR has opened up a whole new world for me again. I absolutely LOVE the Food Network & especially Alton Brown in all his "comical" ways. Yes we had the Food Network with our basic cable at our other apartment but I rarely got to watch it (had to fight for control of the remote from both Danny & Eric). Well, I've been keeping the DVR busy at night catching me up with old "Good Eats" episodes. A couple of episodes in particular got my motor revved, an old-fashioned coconut cake (from scratch) & this really yummy sounding cream cheese frosting. The frosting was on a chocolate cake & looked & sounded ohhhh soooo gooood!! I’m really excited to try that one out. So everyone prepare to be a guinea pig a time or two. One tid-bit about me that not too many people know is that I learned to bake before I learned to cook real food & I love to bake!! It has always been a dream (fantasy) of mine to make cakes & other baked foods for $$$. I'm not saying that I'm ready for that step yet, I still need LOTS of practice on the decorating end. I hope to take the Wilton cake decorating classes when I get back home. In the mean time I am doing what I can to practice while I’m here. And that brings me back to my original thought, when I get back I’m going to get myself set up & started making cakes. I’ve got a lot of what I need already (some pans, tips, spatulas) so it won’t take much other than time & space. Okay okay, I can hear the laughter from here. This is something I’ve wanted to do for awhile, I’ve just not had the time until now. In the beginning I plan on only doing b-day cakes (mostly for my kiddos) but I would like to spread my wings eventually & make a real business out of this. Part of what gave me the final push to get serious about this was doing the groom’s cake for my brother’s wedding. It got RAVE reviews & was long gone before I got a chance to even taste it. And no, no one knew that I did the cake except for the bridal party, my parents & Kim’s mom (not even my Grandmother). I think I did a darn good job for my first rattle out of the cage. Below you will find a pic of it. I actually had another idea for the strawberries but they were already done by the time I got to the reception. The cake was a chocolate cake with a fresh strawberry filling & butter cream icing. Who knows maybe I’ll make a huge success of this & get my own tv show like Duff (Ace of Cakes)!!! Dream big baby!!

allow me to explain...

This probably should have been my first post on the new blog but I jumped in head first & there was no looking back. So here goes, I have the blog for the boys to share all the fun/funny stuff that they do but this one is just for me. I created this blog with the specific purpose of sharing the goings on of my crazy corner of the world. A few things that you should be aware of when reading this blog:

1. I am not nearly as well versed as others. I spend a lot of time on the net & surf other blogs & there are a ton of really good writers out there. Several blogs I read on a semi-regular basis remind me of the writing style of the tv show The Gilmore Girls. While I wish that I wrote or sounded like that, sadly it will never be.
2. I am not shy when it comes to saying what is on my mind. I don't beat around the bush, to me it's a waste of my time. I know that this fact may not sit well with others but that is who I am, like it or not.
3. Rarely do I apologize for what I say or how I feel. I put a lot of thought into my words before I type them. There are at times only one way I can think to get my thoughts across & it can come across as brash or raw.
4. I don’t intentionally mean to offend or hurt anyone. This is my place to vent, whine, or share my thoughts with anyone that cares to read it.
   

Now with that out of the way, if I didn’t scare you off forever, please leave your thoughts. I love comments. I like to know that someone is reading what I’ve written & I’m not just talking to myself out there. Hope you enjoy & keep in touch!

Is anyone out there??

So just out of curiousity, does anyone read this thing??? I feel like I'm talking to myself sometimes. Can I get some comments, some feedback; show some love people. Lataz!!

What have I signed up for?

That's right folks you read the time right, it is 5:20 AM!! I just got the hubby up & off to work & now I can't go back to sleep. Why, you ask? Well, sit back, put your feet up & let me tell you a little story. This story begins a few months back in Texas when I was trying to decide to either stay employed or to leave my job & stay home with my kiddos. That in its self was a very difficult decision because I haven't been unemployed since I was 18 years old & had been w/ that particular company for over 5 years. Anyways, as everyone knows by now, I left. Well after I had made the decision to leave that's when we found out that Danny would be staying in NM for longer than originally thought. So the boys & I packed up a few things & moved to NM. Our first adventure! I had never lived more than a few miles from my family, much less outside of Texas & saw NM as a good opportunity for the boys to see more than just our backyard. Ever since we got here there has been rumblings of other jobs that they (Austin Commercial) might like to send Danny to after this one is over. Los Angeles was a possibility, then it was Miami, then it was Houston. I have to admit Houston was my first choice. I was actually excited/okay about the idea of moving to Houston (I would be much closer to home, friends & family & the beach - he he he). Well, for the last week or so Danny has been talking about some new opportunities that do not include Houston or Texas in anyway. The first one was about staying here & working for a new company that will be starting a new job at LANL in about 18 months. Okay, I thought Danny bitched that he hated it here & hated the cold weather, why would he want to stay here for 3 more years? The other possibility was Sacramento, California!! That one is a brand new job that the company has just started talking about. They aren’t sure yet if they will just be the management company for the job or if they will actually have A.C. people onsite. That brings me back to the original thought, what have I signed up for? Both jobs would mean we would be gone for about 2 to 3 years. So many thoughts are racing through my head, I can’t type fast enough to keep up. Is this what we are supposed to be doing? Was this God’s plan all along? I’ve always said that I felt like He was trying to tell me that I shouldn’t be working right now, is this why? I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, I’m just not sure what our next step should be. Okay before anyone freaks out let me just say, nothing is set in stone. As of right now our plan is still to come home when this job is over. We’re not even sure that Austin Commercial will let Danny go anywhere when he gets back to Texas. There are several big jobs that are ready to start in Austin & they are going to need another pump operator there to handle the load. Oh well, everything will work itself out the way it is supposed to, if that means California or Florida or Texas so be it. I just keep praying that we make the right decision when it comes time & that we follow whatever God’s plan is for us.

We're gonna need a U-Haul

When the boys & I moved here back in early January, we somehow managed to pack up everything (I thought) we needed into the bed of my truck. Well life has a way of throwing you a curve ball now & then. Our time line for staying & later coming home was supposed to be end of February/early March, yeah not so much. Here we are at the end of March in our second apartment (see earlier post about the 1st apartment) that is growing steadily full of stuff. When we moved out of our furnished 400 sq. ft. studio apartment we had to buy some stuff. I like to say that we are camping in style but the truth is we are making this place more of a home everyday. Well one of the pieces of "stuff" that we bought when we moved in was an extremely cheap ($88) futon from Wal-Mart. I really didn't want to get it, I was willing to hold out for maybe a sofa from Goodwill or some other thrift store. I wasn't gonna be picky, as far as I was concerned we were gonna leave (or sell) the furniture that we bought here when it was time to return to Texas. Well here it is one month later & the futon (like most crap from Wal-Mart) has reached the end of its life span. This thing was not made for 200+ lb. men to flop down on it with any sort of regularity. Danny was the first to break something (a weld I think) underneath. Well now we have a big hole at one end of the couch where the metal "tray" that you actually sit on has broken away from the frame. You wanna see something funny, watch two grown men sit right next to each other, watching a NASCAR race with a huge space at the end of the couch. Neither one would sit back at the same time. One would sit all the way back & the other would sit at the edge of the couch, really funny to sit back & watch. Anyways, Danny & I discussed what our possible solutions were & I think we have finally agreed that we are gonna buy a new sofa or whatever but that it WOULD go home with us to replace our loveseat at home. Up until now I was really thinking that we could somehow manage to fit all our stuff back into the bed of the pickup for our return journey. My mom has gotten quite the laugh at me every time I tell her I've bought something new (the jump-a-roo, the high chair, the big screen tv). We've joked back & forth about how I was gonna have to rent a U-Haul trailer to come home. Well all joking aside, we are gonna have to rent a U-Haul to come home. In the end it might be the best option since we plan on spending the night somewhere between here & home. That way I don't have to obsess over someone stealing Danny's new baby (the tv) out of the back of my truck. Still don't know when we'll be home maybe June, maybe later. I would kinda like to stay here for the summer, you know highs in the 80's & all but we'll see, we won't know anything until it gets closer to that time.

the update

Okay, so in the last few days I have not only found out who it was that broke into my house but I’ve also heard they have fessed up (1st to their parents, then to an officer). Well, now I have a big desision to make: to press charges or not. I know at first thought it would be, do it, do it now but two of these kids are family. Can you belive that shit??? Two of the three kids that decided they had enough balls to break into my house & tear my stuff up are my husband’s cousins. I really was hoping it wasn’t them even though deep down I knew it was. Part of what I don’t understand is WHY??? Why my house, why tear up my stuff, go through my personal belongings, take stuff that means so much to us?? Well, I knew it would only be a matter of time before I got the first phone call trying to talk me out of pressing charges. One of the parents called me last night, offering to replace anything that was damaged including my refrigeratror. And like I explained to her, I just don’t see how I can just drop the charges. I can’t trust the kids ever again, I can’t trust they won’t do this again, or that they won’t do worse next time. If I do drop the charges then what, they get a slap on the hands & sent on their way. No real punishment. These kids have gotten away with so much already, it was just a matter of time before they escalated to a felony. Also like I explained to this parent, it’s more than just what the kids tore up & destroyed. I feel so violated, unsafe in my own home. I have lived in that house for 10 years & have NEVER felt unsafe there. So many things have gone through my mind in the last few days. These kids have no idea what could have happened because of what they did that night. Candles, lighters, matches, A LOT of alcohol & very dry conditions, it’s a thousand wonders they didn’t catch something on fire. Who the hell do these kids think they are? Do they think the law doesn’t apply to them? I was/still am so pissed that they did this. I’m not sure how long it will take me to get over this. All this does is makes me want to move from there that much more, even though that probably would mean that I would have to go back to work. GD kids, I should press charges just so that it might scare the shit out of them enough they would think twice before doing something like this again. I would love to have about 5 minutes unsupervised with these thugs. I know I have to move past this but it is still too fresh, too raw.

Thieves

If you are reading this, then you know what I have gone through this week. If you don't well, let me fill you in... I came home for a visit for Easter weekend & realized on Sunday night that our house had been broken in to. I came home on Wednesday, saw the house & thought that a critter had been in the house. Needless to say, I was not gonna stay in that house w/ a critter, we stayed at my mom's house. Well, I went back to my house on Sunday afternoon to start the clean up & began to realize that something wasn't right. I slowly put 2 & 2 together, made a few phone calls & came to the conclusion that some kids have been in my house. Not only did they take some VERY expensive alcohol but also some things from our wedding & honeymoon that cannot be replaced. Damn asshole kids!!! I am about 99.9% sure of who it was but of course can't be 100% without proof. Anyways, called the sheriff's department on Monday, filed a report & here we are waiting. I did hand over 4 bottles that I believe have their prints on them, hopefully! What the HELL is the wrong with these kids that they think it is okay to break into someones home, tear up what they want, & take anything they desire???? Oh yeah, they tore up some stuff. It's just enough to make someone sick to their stomach. I was so mad on Sunday that I was ready to kick some kid ass!! I'm still really pissed off & now worried about my house. I have upped my homeowner's insurance to cover anything that they may break/damage in retaliation to me calling the police. Damn SOB kids!!! I know these kids, they know me; did they not think I would do something about them breaking in??? And as much alcohol as they consumed, I hope they were all sick for a day or two. I hope they felt like they were gonna puke their guts out. Not that I harbor any hard feelings over this... And their parents, what the hell is that matter with them that they don't know what their kids are doing??? Well, I know the answer to my own question but it still pisses me off. Those little pieces of shit are damn lucky that I don't want to go to jail otherwise I would go over there & kick their ass myself.

this town

Ever since I got to Los Alamos in early January something has bugged the crap out of me. This place reminds me of something, I just couldn't put my finger on it. Well, I think I have figured it out. This place reminds me of a combination of Eureka (a series on Sci-Fi) & Northern Exposure (the old, old show from the early 90's). Why those two, you ask? Well Los Alamos is known as the nerd capital of the US & is fairly remote in locale. I keep expecting some crazy futuristic experiment to go awry or for Maggie to pull up in that old beat up truck she drove. I make LA sound like some backwoods hillbilly stick town, well, close. This place rolls up their sidewalks at dark 30, no joke, but the library & aquatic center both stay open till 8 pm on weeknights!! You don't realize how much you take for granted (like eating out or a little shopping at 9 pm) until it's gone. I WILL be going to Super Target late at night at least once while I am at home visiting!! Speaking of, I am set to arrive in Austin one week from today!! My packing list has already been started & my list of stuff to bring back with me grows longer everyday. Now if only I can get that damn title for Danny's truck & all will be good!! I love the company Danny works for, it has been really good for him (us), but OMG they have some pure idiots working in the office in Dallas!! We have requested a new title for that truck 5 times in the last 2 1/2 months, it can't possibly be that hard a job. Oh wow, that was quite a bunny trail I was on!!! Anyways, see ya'll when I get home!

waiting...UPDATE

Just an FYI just in case you were worried, we did get the cable installed. The installers (3 kids no older than 18 or 19 maybe!) finally showed up several hours late & hooked up the first receiver. Can you guess what happend next? Surprise, surprise it didn't work!! I know that shouldn't shock me. Luckily they had one other receiver & we got it hooked up & it works. Thank God because I was about to go postal. Well, needless to say we finally have cable & I am satisfied. I didn't realize I would miss the kids cartoons as much as I would. HA HA HA!!!

random quotes from photobucket

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite quotes from Photobucket.com. I love that website!! ENJOY!!

waiting

Here I am AGAIN sitting in this apartment waiting for someone to show up. I HATE WAITING!! It seems like that is all I have done for the last few days since we moved in to this new apartment. This all started last Friday waiting for the UPS guy to get here, he had Mason's birth certificate. I was not about to take the chance that I would leave & he would show up & leave the package outside my door. The document is too precious, it is the only way Mason can fly home with me in a couple of weeks. BTW, he didn't show up till 5 pm, a whole day wasted!!! Monday morning I sat around waiting for the cable man to show up. When he wasn't here by noon, I called Dishnetwork. I found out that they rescheduled my appointment for Wednesday morning (and didn't bother to call) & had the wrong service address!! How in the HELL do you get apartment 1 from apartment 45!!! They don't even sound remotely the same!!!!!!! Tuesday I had to wait on the maintenance man to come fix my dishwasher, only to find out there was nothing wrong with it. Well, it sure does make awful sounds for nothing to be wrong. Then today, I am again waiting on the cable man to come & install a new receiver. And while I am writing this I have been back and forth on the phone with Dish. Apparently they have a problem with the fact that my other receivers are back home in Texas. Now they are telling me that they cannot install anything until I get the other receivers from Texas. Well this is just a load of CRAP!!! I hate talking to these people, most don't know their butt from a hole in the ground!! Especially the national call center (located somewhere in INDIA!!). With as much as we all pay for their service, you would think they could afford to pay people in the US to answer their damn phones. At least pay someone that speaks & understands English. UGGGGHHHHHH!!! I HATE WAITING AROUND FOR ALL THESE DAMN PEOPLE!!!!!!!! Oh, got another phone call, now they are saying they can install just the one receiver but I have to reschedule the installation, AGAIN!!! I am so pissed!!!

MOVING DAY!! (repost)

As my first post I thought I would clue everyone into what's going on in my world here in Los Alamos. This is a repost from my MySpace blog from last week.

MOVING DAY!!! Current mood: irate

"Some people think a lot more of themselves than they really need to. I'm just sayin'." - Julie Green
I don't think I could have said it better myself. We have one of those people in our current apartment building & that is causeing a HUGE problem. A little background: this building is very old & was former military housing with very thin walls. For the most part this building is quiet & most everyone leaves to go to work during the day. That is the really good part because I don't have to worry so much about how much noise we make during the day. I know my oldest is LOUD. We try to curb it as best we can but he's 4 & has been stuck in this small apartment for most of the day. And that is where part of our problems begin, I guess someone has complained about his noise level. I totally understand the complaint. Well everything came to a head yesterday morning & it really was not pretty. First of all, our landlord knocked on the door @ around 11 am & asked to speak to me in the hallway. He had several complaints that he wanted to talk to me about.
1. The dirt that comes off of Danny's boots is all over the hallway from the entrance door all the way to our apartment door. (Well, he's not the only one that tracks dirt in & should not be singled out for it!) (Also, if he noticed this before, why wait, why not say something sooner?)
2. Eric's noise level. Like I said I guess someone has complained. (I soooo understand this one & can't believe it took so long for someone to say something.)
3. (This one is the kicker!) Aparently Danny is "intimidating" another tennant in the building. (How the hell is he doing it?) (I think the person that is making this complaint also complained about a neighbor whose little girl was crying ONE night, when she had an ear infection. She & her mother were here visiting for a few days & this guy made a big old stink about it!! A$$HOLE!)

I was told Danny "stomped his feet in front of this person's apartment like a 5 year old the other day." WTF!!! The landlord went on to tell me that "he was not going to loose a good, long term tennant over a bad tennant." Again WTF!! I've known Danny for a long time & if he was having a problem with anyone, I would be the first to know. Oh yeah, I was assured that I wasn't the problem, I was "as sweet as can be." Well DAMN, this guy doesn't know us at all!!!!!! He went on to tell me that he would document our conversation & put it in our file & that we were put on notice. What is that supposed to mean???? Well, when I called Danny & told him what was going on you can guess he had a few choice words that I won't repeat. After we both vented a little we decided to find a new apartment & just get the hell out. Luck was on our side yesterday, I found an apartment, signed the lease & got our keys all by 5 pm Friday afternoon! Well newsflash landlord: YOU ARE GOING TO LOOSE GOOD TENANTS OVER A BAD TENANT!! The more I mull everything over the more I think the a$$hole could have handled the situation better. Rather than attacking me & calling Danny a 5 year old, he could have tried to figure out what was going on. The man didn't want to hear a word I had to say, he had already made up his mind. I stood there & listened, in shock. Oh well, his loss. Our new apartment is MUCH bigger & a lot quieter. Yes, it is more per month but it's a 2 bedroom & a real kitchen. And yes, it is unfurnished but we are closer to the library, the pool & the movies!! I really am trying to see the good side of all of this but this has irked me quite a bit! Oh well a-holes will be a-holes, right?