MeaganMariee

Don't Blink Photography

2010-01-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

Incase you don't already know, I am a photographer. I do own a busy but it is only a part-time job at the moment. I have been on several shoots including a wedding, senior pictures and several children's portraits. I finally got around to putting up my website.

Don't Blink Photography

It is still in the works but let me know what you think!

Being Realistic

2010-01-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

I have come to the conclusion that there is no way I have time to post everyday! Life is way too busy to set that type of expectation. A couple times a week seems more reasonable. Besides, if you post to a blog while your not feeling creative, chances are it will turn out not-so-good!

Blogging from work gotta run!

On Finishing Our Master Bath

2010-01-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

The hubs and I bought a house last year. The house since then has been completely gutted and remodeled. If you don't know anything about remodeling, which I highly doubt considering HDtv, tearing down walls, tearing out bathrooms and re-doing pipes and what-not is time consuming.

We were so excited to move in that we failed to finish our bathroom first.

So fast-forward a year later... Here we are finishing up the master bath. When we discovered it was going to happen today we rushed out and bought a new shower curtain and rug. No surprise that we stood in the store bickering about which shower curtain to choose. The bathroom decor we have from our previous home had lavender and golds and we ended up choosing a shower curtain that did not match everything we already had.

I guess you know what that means! Hobby Lobby and Ikea I will be making the hour drive to visit you soon!

Free Entertainment

2010-01-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

Not often do you come across free entertainment. I have found something to occupy my downtime. They call themselves the "Shaytards." There is Shay aka Daddy-tard, Mommytard, Sontard, Princesstard and Babytard. They also have a new addition arriving sometime in June.

The jokes may be cheezy but they sure are fun to watch!

2nd Day of 2010

2010-01-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

So far 2010 is going great! It feels weird to type 2010 right? That will take some getting used to. I just hope they don't fire me at work for writing the wrong date on all of the paperwork... I am notorious for that!

Today turned into a family fiesta. My mom spent the day with the kids and I, while the husband worked. This gave me time to clean out our office area and wash & tuck away the humongous piles of laundry that were stashed around the house.

This was probably my biggest accomplishment of the day. I dare not put a before picture....

We baked cookies, brownies, cookies and MORE cookies. Mom was in a baking mood today.
My brother and sister made it in from Indiana and we ordered Domino's Pizza. Speaking of which, Domino's is suppose to have this "new pizza" Have you guys seen the commercial for this yet?

Sounds good right! We were sooo excited to try the newness that we stood in the kitchen in anticipation.

I hurriedly bit into my first slice...Let me be the first to tell you... nothing has changed. I am not a fan of Domino's but this really made me run back to Digiorno's! It actually smelled worse than before. Give it a go and let me know your opinion. Maybe our Domino's just sucks. My Dad did try to lighten the room full of disappointment by stating that he did taste a hint of garlic on the crust. Which I in turn told him not to even bother with.

Everyone went home except my Mom who decided to stay and watch Paranormal Activity with me. Opinion time once again. I enjoyed the movie, but was not scared. Maybe it was the fact that I knew it wasn't real from the get-go. Or that the first time I watched it I sat with the light on painting my nails. Either way, I wasn't that impressed with it. It had a slow moving plot and who wants to watch 2 people walk around their house for 2 hours. But like I said, just my opinion, check it out for yourself and let me know what you think!

This is getting kinda lengthy! See ya tomorrow!

The Dawn of A New Year!

2009-12-31T21:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

I have been back and forth quite a bit about whether or not to keep this blog going. After much debate (deleting/un-deleting) I've decided that I will move forward into the new year with this being one of my resolutions:

Here's the plan... My goal is to post every day (365 days) this year. A big commitment coming from a procrastinator. I rarely set goals because I typically never follow-thru with them. I am hoping (crossing my fingers) that I will succeed and be able to actually complete something for a change!

Since I do have an iPhone I may even throw in a couple vlogs from time to time! But easing back into the blogging world is going to take some time so bear with me!!

I'M EXCITED!

Google Goddess

2009-09-22T05:46:00.000-07:00

Apparently my blog wants to be plain. I tried several time to upload the new header I made with no success. Guess it's off to google land for an explanation : )

Back!

2009-09-15T02:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog,

I know it has been a while but my life has been insanely busy these last couple of months. I sincerly love my blog and have been procrastinating far too long. I am working on a new customized layout which may take a while since I have a jam packed weekend coming up.

I worked Monday night shift (7p-7a), then was called in at 1am this morning (Tuesday), I also work Wednesday day shift. Thursday is the only day I have free to get things together for the weekend. Friday I am going to my bff's sister's bachelorette party. We are "splurging" aka being forced against my will to pay $35 for a limo to take us from point A to B to C to Home. Then while having... I mean avoiding a hangover I am driving the hour and a half back home to prepare for my first wedding shoot. After the reception I am hauling butt to a Pig-Out that my family is attending. Sunday is going to be r&r day at our house and I am so looking forward to sitting on my butt and possible finishing the blog layout.

Lookout world! Meagan is back!

What a jerk

2009-09-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

Okay is it just me or is Kayne West an a**hole. How dare he get up on stage and ruin someones moment. I don't care if he liked someone else's video more than T Swift's, he has no right to ruin that for her. Not to mention Beyonce was looking embarassed for him. I am deleting him from my playlist....
Okay maybe that last part was a little harsh, especially since I already paid to download the songs.. Don't judge me..

2009-07-24T07:40:00.001-07:00

We are on our way to the aquarium! Pics tonight!

2009-07-22T23:01:00.001-07:00

What a long day! Blogging from the blackberry... I am officially on a mini vacation! We plan on taking the kids to the aquarium, going shopping, and making the headboard for our bed, even though my husband is unaware of the latter. Maybe the weather will warm up and we can hit the pool! Until tomorrow!

Fair Season

2009-07-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

Living in Kentucky we have what is called "Fair Season." It is basically a month out of the year where every separate county has their own fair. The fairgrounds are generally in someway connected to a person's farm. But there are a few counties that have actually built a fairground for this event. (By fairground I mean a huge field cleared of any trees, shrubs, etc. and free and clear of cow/horse droppings.)

There are several big events at the fairs. There are the baby shows, the mud slings, demolition derby, horse shows, and baby shows... did I mention baby shows?

The funny thing about these fairs is that they consist of the same cheesy rides, the same babies, the same demo cars and the same horses. Not to mention the same people go to every fair. But hey that's what happens when you are a hundred miles from the mall and have cows staring you down as you as you pull into the Wal-Mart parking lot.

The baby shows are the biggest event of them all. Every person in a 30 mile radius brings their children as if they are trying to prove that their child is the cutest kid for 30 miles. Then when 3 are picked out of the 50 children in the contest, you hear loads of complaining because everyone thinks little Johnny or Suzy should have gotten at least 3rd.

The worst part is that some of these children, and God strike me for saying this, should not even be allowed out of the house. Which makes me wonder, do these parents know that their children are physically challenged? But that's a whole different topic..... And yes I will admit I put my children in 1 baby show each due to my Mother's persistence. Luke placed 3rd even though he was crying and Allie squalled the whole time and I left the stage early rather than put her through that.

Now for the big question.... Meagan, are you going to any fairs?

"OH YEA! What else is there to do in this town?"

2009-07-17T10:12:00.001-07:00

Today has been the longest day. I'm working day shift the next 2 days which is great, but that means late lunch. It is past 1 and my stomach is screaming feed me!! At least my day is 1/2 over. Only 6 more hoursd and I am outta here!! Ok, I vented now its back to work! Thanks for listening!

Opportunity comes a knockin'

2009-07-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

I have been offered an excellent opportunity to kick start my photography business! Every year our town has what we call a "Balloon Race." Hot hair balloons from all over the country attend and they offer hot air balloon rides and a hot air balloon race. The last evening of the 2-day event they have a "balloon glow." All of the balloons light up at night and it is simply amazing.

Here is where the opportunity comes into play... One of my friends happens to be handling the arts and crafts section of the show and every year they have a photographer who has a booth setup to take pictures of people in a hot air balloon basket. Their photographer bailed this year and guess who was asked to hop on board!! *Points to self* This is an excellent opportunity to get my name into the community and gain business. I couldn't be more excited to be a part of this amazing weekend.

Since this is my first big "gig" I did need some equipment to pull me through to the other side. So I invested in a laptop, a photo printer and I am looking into a flash and tripod for my Canon. It's not the Mac I was hoping for since it was on such short notice but we picked up an awesome Toshiba at an even awesomer price.. is that a word.. awesomer .. *shrugs shoulders* Although Walter informed me that he would buy me a Mac and he would take the Toshiba off my hands... maybe he just likes the new laptop?

I'll let you know how it turns out!

And in other news.. Allie is officially ready to potty-train. I bought her this sweet potty chair that looks like a frog and I suppose it was incentive enough for her to get started! Go ALLIE!!

Shopping Spree

2009-07-12T18:17:00.000-07:00

Today was awesome. I slept from the time I got off work until about 1pm. Then my phone rang! It was my bff Katherine who was in town for the afternoon. So I met her, her boyfriend Chris and his son Jayden at the fire department.

Walter gave Jayden a tour of the fire station and all of the engines and ambulances. Needless to say he was the happiest kid on earth as he climbed around the huge machines.

Afterwards we went to Tumbleweed and had lunch. Then of course to Kat's favorite store.. Goodwill! I did find some amazing things for my bedroom. The sign was a present from Kat! And the pictures on the right I picked up for a whole $1.50 each. Now what to do with the opposite wall???

PS.. Ignore the room in the background. We are working on our closet door.. hanging it up that is haha.

And not that I needed another purse but...

It is "Guess" and it was $7.50.. so sue me! I am a purse fanatic.. but duh you already knew that.

Ringling Brothers is coming next month.... but Walter wants to see Aladdin.. go figure! I love the circus! I think the kids would love the experience. However I get to see Hannah Montana November 1st compliments of Makenzy who was dying to go! It should be fun. Girls night out!

I am off to work.. since that's where I am at the moment ; ) -Meg

As it turns out...

2009-07-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

I finally made a trip to the emergency room 4th of July. I woke up once again with stomach cramping. After some meds, a ct scan and 4 hours later they determined I had kidney stones!

Talk about a nightmare! I wouldn't wish them upon anyone and I hope I never go through that again. Luckily I was back to 100% later that evening, all except for the fact that the meds made my eyes sooo tired that I couldn't keep them open. This resulted in several hours of sleep.

It turned out to be a lucky evening because it rained and our fireworks were post-poned until the following evening. So I did get to enjoy the time with my family. The kids loved the fireworks.. if you don't believe me see the picture below : )

It's been a while since I have posted pictures.. this one is great. Especially "the look" she is giving me. I think it says "Really?"

My other little girl is growing up so fast. But not necessarily in size. Sasha has turned out to be the perfect addition to our home.

We also made a trip to the fire station where Daddy showed the kids the "new ladder truck" I'll leave you with the picture that just shows their excitement : )

Playing Catch-up!

2009-07-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

Even though it was very chilly out this morning.. especially for July, living in Kentucky has it's advantages. As the ole' saying goes "If you don't like the weather in Kentucky, just wait an hour." It is a warm 70-something degrees outside now and climbing.

As most of you know, I am having a difficult time potty-training my son. So much to my surprise my daughter informed me that she no longer wears diapers, she wears pull-ups, as she paraded around the living room in her brothers pull-ups. This is a stress reliever!

My photography has semi-taken off. I have been so busy with work at the hospital and home life that I haven't had time to give anything else much thought. I haven't given up hope!

We are finally sleeping in our new bedroom! And all that is left to do in our master bath is plumbing. Everything is coming along slowly but surely.

And let me tell you that I am completely sucked into this whole "Twilight Saga" charade. Not that it's a bad thing... ha ha

Yesterday was our 4 year wedding anniversary! 4 years! Here's to 4 more!

I woke up this morning with the worst stomach cramps. I took some ibuprofen and blew it off seeing as I had to work today. By the time I filled up the truck with gas and got back to my street, I couldn't make it any further. I was in so much pain that I made it to the front porch and collapsed. It eased up after an hour and I did make it to work, which is where I am now. The only problem is... my doctor's office is closed for the holidays! Go figure.. just my luck.

I know I am not even close to catching you up on what's going on in my life but that's a start right?!

Missing?

2009-06-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

I have fallen out of the blogging loop. I know it has been a long.. looooong time! I am not much for excuses so just think of my absence as a much needed break! Although things have yet to calm down at this household, I am determined to stay! Catch me up! What have I missed?

Insanely Busy!

2009-05-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

I have been so insanely busy that I have not had much time to breath let alone blog! Between working 12 hour nightshifts, birthdays, getting our bedroom finished, coaching softball.. the list goes on and on! Not to mention we took the plunge and purchased our house from my dad. It feels great to be a homeowner!

I had a wedding setup for Saturday as a backup photog. The only trouble is, Luke's birthday party is Saturday and we have relatives coming into town. I will have to see how that goes. I have also been touching base with my talent agency and they work for me.. can't beat extra cash! It is pure craziness around this house! I do not see boredem on the horizon anytime in the near future!

Loving The Pictures

2009-05-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

My second photo shoot obviously went a lot better than my first. The customer is placing a large order through me for prints! I also have semi-scheduled a senior portrait shoot and I will hopefully be a 2nd photography at a wedding in 2 weeks! Things are finally looking up since I took the plunge.

Working at the hospital is great! But while job hunting when I left the newspaper over a year ago, I applied for a job at a local school. They called me out of the blue and set me up for an interview. Wish me luck with this it may turn out to be awesome!

2009-04-24T21:07:00.001-07:00

As much as I love this blog I have come to the realization that I do not have the time to post as often as I would like. However my other blog will be updated frequently at http://meaganteegarden.blogspot.com/

Busy Busy!

2009-04-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

Today I am going to my second photo shoot. This time it involves 3 children. It should be very exciting!

I am also working my first 12 hour shift on Friday. It will be a long one because I will have to get used to looking at monitors for 12 hours a day. But exciting none the less.

We still have not had our first softball practice due to April rain. I did reschedule a practice for later in the week. Should be sunny and warm. I would sure hate to not have a practice before the girls first game.

Look for pictures tomorrow!

Oh so good

2009-04-18T06:31:00.001-07:00

Everything went remarkably well on my shoot. The client was excited, the child was an angel and it all worked out to my advantage! Check out the pictures at http://meaganteegarden.blogspot.com/

Nervousness

2009-04-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

My first official photo shoot is tomorrow and I am a nervous wreck but excited at the same time! I can't wait to see how everything turns out! I have decided to create a separate blog to post my professional pictures for the customers sake. It can be found here! I am planning my business website and may eventually stick with just the photography blog so make sure you bookmark it! Expect pics tomorrow!

Easter was a blast but it took a lot out of the kids...

Allie very much enjoyed her first shot at egg hunting!

The dogs were lazy all day, nothing new there ; )

1st Timer

2009-04-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

I have been pondering for quite some time on how to approach my photography business. After a lot of contemplation (maybe too much) and thousands of pictures I am finally ready for my first shoot. I have 3 families that are interested. One is a mother who wants memories of her 2 year old daughter, the other 2 are families with children. It should be a great way to raise my experience level and boost my confidence.

PS.. I am not charging any of them being as this is strictly to gain experience and references.

Now for a cute Sasha pic!

Pure Awesomeness

2009-04-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

I have the most awesome husband I could ever ask for.
See Text Message He Sent Below...

"Tomorrow is your day to have with me. I'll be at your beckoning call,
it will be cold and i'll bring home a couple movies and we will relax."

...Rushes to sleep so tomorrow will hurry up and come!

....

2009-04-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

I totally abandoned things here for the past couple weeks! But I'm trying to get back in gear. For everyone who is wondering the puppy "Sasha" is doing great! I think she may have even gained 1/2 lbs. which is good considering she is only about 2 lbs. Our bedroom is finished on the outside and now we are waiting on the drywall and building our closet and finishing our bathroom. So it is still a couple weeks away from completion. But coming along never the less. I have decided to coach my stepdaughters softball team which should be rewarding. I hope! 9 and 10 year olds can be tough sometimes. This is her first year playing and since I have played all of my life and pitched in high school I thought it would be fun to coach a team. I will keep you updated on the status of that last part hahaha. I have started training on the floor at work and although it is a bit confusing at the moment I feel better about it everyday. Getting into a routine is hard for me but it will happen!

I'm Here!

2009-04-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

Things are a lil crazy around here with the new puppy, new job and the bedroom addition! I didn't abandon!! Be back soon! With pictures!

2009-03-27T14:26:00.001-07:00

The new puppy finally made it home! It was a long.. loooong trip but it was definitely worth it! We chose the name "Sasha" because she is feisty and I thought it suited her well. The kids adore her! She is much smaller than I anticipated but don't let that fool you. She is a wild woman! We let her sleep in her crate last night and she did excellent.

We are having a birthday party for Allie tomorrow night. It should be fun. Food Family and CAKE! Doesn't get any better than that.

Allie is 2!

2009-03-25T05:02:00.000-07:00

Today is my daughter Allie's 2nd Birthday.
I have to say that these 2 years have flown by!
T and I have been lucky to have been blessed with
2 healthy gorgeous children
and we are out of our minds in love with them.

Today is dedicated to Allie. 2 years ago today
she came into our world and stole our hearts.

C'mon Thursday!

2009-03-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

Can I just start off by saying I forgive all those lunatics that I made fun of for being obsessed with the movie Twilight. I put aside my thoughts and sat down to watch it for the first time. Maybe it was me actually being able to watch a whole movie without interruptions but I fell so far into the movie and was completely unaware of my surroundings. That alone, to me, means it was an movie. Can't wait for New Moon!

Construction on the new bedroom is moving along quickly! The concrete was poured...

The bedroom walls are finally built and now they are working on the roof today.
How exciting! I can't wait to sleep in my own bed!

I didn't want to say anything before we made it official... but I am so excited I can't stand it! We are going to pickup our new pup Thursday!

She is a mix breed of a miniature pinscher and a chihuahua. How absolutely adorable she is!

Music

2009-03-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

This is my Uncle Gary. He is a singer/songwriter ----> http://www.garyeandrews.com/
When I was young I was always aware that my family is gifted when it came to music. All of my uncles can play the guitar, my cousin favors the drums, and I can play the violin, piano, clarinet and toyed with the drums some. The guitar is unfortunately one of the instruments I never learned how to play. I guess it is never too late. Maybe I'll give it a go.

But back to my point. Music is a large part of the majority of our lives. It is inspiring, we dance to it, sing along to it, it's lyrics get stuck in our head and sometimes in our hearts. It's always there for us when we need it. It can lift us up when we are down, or comfort us when our hearts are broken.

By the way, my playlist needs some re-adjusting... open to any songs you wish to send my way!

Puppies... Again

2009-03-20T16:24:00.000-07:00

As you know, I finally talked my husband into getting a puppy. It wasn't too hard to persuade him, he just has the male gene which makes him automatically say "no" when something is not his idea. The only problem is, I cannot pick between two wonderful dogs. They are 2 completely different breeds and totally different sizes.

The first one is a min-pin/chihuahua mix. She is the one on the right.. Isn't she adorable?

The 2nd is a rescue not too far from my home. This lil booger showed up there today..

How could he not steal your heart. Such a cutie pie!
I am having such a hard time decided on a puppy. And let's be honest, I have a hard time deciding which pair of socks to wear in the morning, so when I am left to decide who to bring into our family it can make me a little crazy. Knowing me, I may end up with someone completly different! But.. I need Opinions?

And.. for American Idol my top 3 ..err... 4... definitely Meagan, Danny, Allison and Adam.

Music to my ears!

2009-03-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

There I was standing in the living room when I heard a small voice. As I approached the room where the singing was coming from, I realized it was my daughter. I carefully peeked around the corner and to my amazement saw her shakin her booty and singing Beyonce's Single Ladies. Now let me tell you that her pronunciation isn't the greatest in the world but it is coming along! So instead of hearing.. all the single ladies... I heard.. awww mah swingle wadies. Which in my opinion is even MORE adorable than the actual lyrics! She even has the uh-uh-oh parts down to the "t."

I find it hard to believe that she will be 2 on the 25th. It seems like only yesterday I was carrying her around and complaining of swollen body parts as I shoveled anything and everything into my mouth. They grow up so fast that I am afraid to blink, I may miss something!

One things for sure, she sings everyday and has an incredible passion for music. American Idol here we come.. just kidding ; ) But she does bust out some pretty good tunes.

Speaking of American Idol.. who is in your top 3?

Crushed

2009-03-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I posted the most adorable picture ever, then my hopes were crushed and he was adopted by another family. After I threw myself a small pity party, I have picked myself up off the ground and moved on to other options. It is true that there are plenty of puppies that need homes. I have also decided not to post any more pictures until it is official. Keep your fingers crossed!

I am not sure if any of you are Desperate Housewives fans.. but the next episode is going to be "killer!" I am sad to see Edie go but interested to see if the plot will thicken.

Adoption

2009-03-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

Had to skip out for a couple days to work on training for work. Learning the different heart rhythms is definitely challenging but everything is coming together. Memorization is key.

I have also been working on another project which I am even more excited about!
Adopting a new addition to our family! After much discussion my husband and I have agreed to adopting a dog. There are so many personal benefits that come with adopting a rescue. This little feller is at the top of our list...

How can you not fall in love with that face! My heart strings were not just tugged.. they broke. His name is Rocky and he is 11 months old. After reading into his profile I found he is excellent with children and other dogs. I filled out the adoption application this afternoon and emailed it off into wonderland. Now we play the waiting game to see if we are the parents chosen to bring home this adorable baby boy! *Crosses Finger*

As Promised..

2009-03-07T20:27:00.000-08:00

As promised earlier... DELURKING DAY!!

Why you may ask? Because I know your out there! And even if you are a couple days short of reading this post.. that does not excuse you from commenting!

Dreaming of puppies!

2009-03-07T17:51:00.000-08:00

From time to time I drive my husband crazy. I can't help it, it is in my DNA. This time it is over puppies. Let me start off by telling you that my husband was not always an animal lover. It was not until he found out that my boxer, Princess, and I were a package deal that he found his love for dogs. Princess was born around my birthday in 2001 which makes her a lil over 7 years old. She is the love of my life and the best guard dog I could ever ask for.. very important when the husband works the 24 hour shifts!

She is a little camera shy mind you!

But now here comes the point of the story. I want another puppy! Hubs isn't too big on this idea, as he made it clear last night by saying "Not for a couple of years" YEARS! Doesn't he understand that YEARS is like an eternity to a female? I have the bad habit of taking after Veruca Salt (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and living under the "I want it, and I want it now" concept. It's not one of the best moments in my life, but it happens occasionally.

But I am aware that if I showed up at the door with a gorgeous puppy he would not turn it away! Still, I think it would be wise to let it be "his decision" that way he feels like he has played a part in this shin-dig. You know how guys are.. it isn't a good idea unless they thought it up!

So my plan is to leave random puppy pictures laying around the house and on the computer. Hoping that he will either get the hint or "come up with an idea." Keep your fingers crossed for me!

On a good note...

Construction on my bedroom began yesterday morning! So far it is just a huge hole "The Footer" .....Although I didn't hang out long enough for the massive pile of dirt to become a "hole" It was a gorgeous day and the kids wanted to play! This may or may not have been the reason why this hole took all day to dig....

It is my fault for introducing my Father to technology! But nonetheless, concrete will be poured Monday morning!! The whole back of the house is coming off and the new bedroom is taking over!

In just a few weeks I'll have my own closet and bedroom! And this lovely little lady will have her room to herself! And will gain control of her new television!

Confession

2009-03-05T06:57:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is true. I have been hiding something and I feel now is the time to confess.. My name is Meagan and I am a purse-aholic! But not just ANY purse.... Coach Purses. I do not know what it is that drives me to them but when I come across one... I just have to have it! It is beginning to be a little bit of an issue because I am discriminating against my other purses. And they are rebelling. My Kate Spade (with matching wallet) and Dooney and Burke can no longer take sitting in the back of my closet, watching as I throw the others over my shoulder and head out the door. But how could you resist:::

This was my first. I paid a whopping $5 bucks for her at a yard sale.

It was destiny because I saw her peeping out of a large bin full of random purses. She came with a matching wallet (which I no longer have). A unfortunate accident on my part. I left it sitting in the front seat of my car outside my mom's house. Planning only to be inside for a minute, someone busted out my passenger window and stole her. It was a sad day and I am still in mourning and have not purchased another ; )

This lovely multi-colored one was added a year after the first.

Since the first two are rather small, I jumped at the chance to have a larger one! This one quickly became my third.

At last but certainly not least is my black Carly. This has been "the one" for quite some time. My hubs being the most wonderful husband in the world got her for me as a Valentine's Day Gift.
This was the one I always wanted. So I have come to the conclusion that until another comes along to top it, I won't be buying for a while. My husbands wallet gave a sigh of relief.

Out with the Old..

2009-03-04T20:44:00.001-08:00

Things on my mind:

•I decided to change the layout this evening after growing tired of staring at the previous header for ages. I decided to "borrow" a pre-made layout instead of taking the time to make it myself.
•I pretty much just admitted that I am lazy, but I am okay with that because it is late on a Wednesday night!
•I didn't think about the work I put into the previous javascript lining the right hand side of my page but I will eventually work it all out!
•Most of the day consisted of me having a sore throat and eating ice cream. Not a whole lot accomplished.
•Tomorrow 's goal: to watch the training video on Sinus Rhythms etc.
•Wishing all the lurkers would leave some feedback.
•Thinking I may have a de-lurking day soon since I know people who live close-by are reading this *you can run but you can't hide*

Perfect Fit

2009-03-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

Things have been rather chaotic around this house lately. Between my kids trading off being sick, and accepting a new job, it is a little overwhelming. The good new is.. both children are back to their normal rowdy selves, and I adore my job opportunity.

Yes that's right, after months of being a "housewife" I have decided to re-join the workforce. I accepted a position working at a hospital. My official job title is Monitor Technician. The best part.. currently it's a PRN position. I will only be working 1-2 days a week, 12 hour shifts. This means that Allie will not have to go to daycare, and I will be able to continue exploring photography.

It is a perfect fit all the way around.

I am not big on reading but I did want to throw this one at you.

I saw it on Oprah the other afternoon and decided to give it a go. I am only halfway through.. but it is entertaining and inspiring : )

Birthday Bash

2009-03-01T10:34:00.000-08:00

Last night was awesome. My best friend had a surprise birthday party for her mother, who's age I won't disclose but will be evident after scanning the pictures. They really did a great job of keeping it a secret. She was unaware that any of her family was in town. All she knew was her daughter could not get off work. Her stepdaughters could not make the drive due to weather conditions. And her son was not coming home from college. She was majorly bummed by the situation. Until she walked in the door to the party!

Oh yea.. and the icing on the cupcakes was black.. hahahaha

Organization

2009-02-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

For me, getting organized is easy ... staying organized.. a little harder. But I finally did it. Here are the pictures of the new computer! And some of the house! Enjoy!

These speakers rock!The Kitchen

New Furniture

Allie's TV

Kitchen

Luke's Room

My new toys!

Typical Monday

2009-02-23T18:09:00.000-08:00

Today was a typical Monday, with the exception of a job interview. And being very tired from staying up to catch the Oscars even though I TIVO'd it. Hey don't judge me.. I had to see Brangelina and Jennifer in the same room. Although I was pretty tempted to call it a night after Ben Stiller's impersonation of Joaquin Phoenix.

But back to the point. This wasn't a "new interview" it was actually the 2nd round of the "interview process." I took the aptitude test and then was rushed over for a drug screen. Still no word as to if I got the job but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Not to change the subject, but 1-615-771-9174 showed up on my caller id this evening. And since it was 8:50 at night, and I had no idea who was calling, and the fact that I screen every call ... I chose to ignore it. Seeing as the area code was not familiar I decided to Google it. This is what I found. Weird right? Why would a Boutique in Franklin, TN be calling me at this time of night... Strangeness..

I'm Baaack!

2009-02-21T14:08:00.000-08:00

That's right! I am officially back in action! I finally have T.V. AND Internet. What a lucky girl am I. These past couple weeks without a connection to the outside world made me realize how much I appreciate technology. I could not imagine my life without it. I Mean seriously what did people do before .... talk? That is so overrated haha.
Regardless I am happy to have a new computer to call my own. Now it's time to download the hundreds of pictures saved to the ole' camera and try to download all the programs necessary to live life normally : ) More later!

EDIT--------------------------------

6:45 pm

So let you fill you in on what is happening in my life.

1) I am officially going to be a great-aunt. Which at the age of 25 does not sound exciting. However my sister does have 17 years on me and my nephew is 21. I met his girlfriend for the first time weekend before last and she is absolutely adorable. They live in Indiana so hubs and I are planning to make an appearance after the baby is born. PS.. I love babies!

1) We are officially in our new home. I am positive that you are tired of hearing about it but I will post pics as soon as I locate my Canon CD. If the software works with Vista :( In the meantime I have been trying to decorate but have not gotten any further than the kitchen.

2) My Dad has been very ill lately. He is the type of person that is up every day at 6am and does not sit down until dinner. But lately he has been sleeping in very lately and staying in bed/his recliner for the better part of the day. At first glance, the doctors assumed he had kidney stones.. .which he did.. But after a couple of weeks and some tests they determined he has blockages in his kidneys. So now he goes back next week to start treatment. Please keep him in your prayers.

3) My great-uncle passed away last night. My mother and I did get a chance to visit with him in the hospital a couple of days before hand.

4) My children have been sick for a week now. Sinuses.. getting better as we speak.

5) Construction on our bedroom has not yet begun since my dad has been ill. But I am confident that it will begin soon.

6) I am officially sick of my blackberry. All I do is talk, text and use the calendar.. I don't need all the extras at this point in my life...thinking about selling it if anyone is interested.

7) I have been to 3 job interviews. I love staying at home but feel I need some "me" time. They are part time positions which will give me the opportunity to still focus on my photography as well as have another stream of income.. why you ask? Because I want to go on vacation Dammit!

That's pretty catches us up to speed.

Happy Vday!

2009-02-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I am not feeling vday this time around because my husband is working. Although he did do the whole card and chocolate thing last night! MMMM I loooove dove chocolate.

In the meantime.. I am feeling very out of touch... STILL No cable, no Internet.. I don't know what to do with myself! I did however figure out that my dad's laptop picks up wireless from my house. Hopefully we will have contact with the outside world by the end of this week. Now was a bad time to block the Internet from my blackberry...But I am still going to miss Desperate Housewives on Sunday... grrrr...

Okay.. look on the bright side... I am in the new house! And we almost have everything moved! I will post pictures as soon as I get my computer hooked up! I can't install any of the software onto this computer to transfer pictures from the camera but I have been taking some!

I am going to fix myself a margarita and draw a bubble bath.

I'll be back to consistent posts soon!!!

Moved!

2009-02-11T12:10:00.000-08:00

The rumors you have heard are true... no I didn't fall off the face of the planet.. I MOVED! I am officially living in the new house. Although some of our personal belongings are still at the old one. But it is such a relief. We still have no Internet... or TV... but that will be fixed this weekend. In the meantime I visited good ole dad and borrowed his laptop. Hang in there! I'll be back...

Splurging

2009-02-08T18:11:00.000-08:00

Saturday we spent the day putting the finishing touches on our new house, which is starting to feel more like a home! I was busily sifting through the paperwork attached to the appliances when I read that the range requires a protective coat of whatever was in the enclosed bottle. So, like any normal person I began searching for the "enclosed bottle." After much searching and distress, I realized the bottle was not delivered when they dropped off the appliances.
We immediately drove to the store and asked about the mysterious bottle that had magically disappeared from our packet. We have dealt with this store for years so it was no surprise when they handed over a huge jug of the protective solution.
Since they were so helpful we decided to browse the store. Eventually running across a piece of furniture we felt we could not live without. It was a pub-style kitchen table and it was screaming our names. Apparently we were spotted drooling on the table because they made us an offer that we couldn't refuse.. Well actually we told them we would think on it, but a few hours later found ourselves back in the store buying it.
Since we are spur-of-the-moment type people, we also purchased both of the children new beds and media cabinets. Then we thought... why stop there, and we bought a new living room suite. It was tempting not to look at the king size beds but I assured hubs that we would upgrade our bedroom next time around.
I am having a touch of buyers remorse but only because I was really in love with our old couch. It's recliners folded almost into a bed. It soothed me to sleep both times I was pregnant and had the worst heartburn imaginable. It cradled my babies while they took their naps. And it holds a place in our family that I will never forget.
PS.. I get really emotional when I must give something up.

On the bright side! They delivered the furniture and it is amazing. And there is finally enough room for the whole family to sit comfortably while watching movies. Not to mention the kids being totally excited about their new beds. Maybe now Allie will sleep in her room instead of being sprawled out in the middle of ours.

Craziness

2009-02-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

Craziness it has been at my home for the past couple days. The new house is days away from being completely liveable! I am hoping we are moved by the end of next week. As long as the snow and ice subside. Did I mention we got another blizzard like snow. It is just a mess of ice on top of snow ontop of ice. Not much fun to walk in : )

The drywall dust had a signifigant impact on the cleaning process. It took me most of yesterday to clean it off of .. well EVERYTHING. But everything is clean!

Posts may be few and far in between. I mean well, but it just isn't happening for me.
My sister is in for the week and my nephew and his girlfriend are coming in on Friday. As well as other family members. It is my grandmother's 80th suprise birthday party! Until next time..

Tagged

2009-01-30T17:46:00.000-08:00

Alright here it is.. because I was tagged by this lovely lady.

8 Things About Me

Rules:1) Post rules on your blog
2) Answer the 6 categories
3) Tag others

8 Favorite T.V. Shows
:1) Desperate Housewives
2) Life on Mars
3) Ghost Whisperer
4) Law & Order
5) American Idol
6) Ghost Hunters
7) Dirty Sexy Money
8) Grey's Anatomy

8 Things I did Yesterday/what a wonderful life I lead
1) Had cabin fever
2) Did the laundry
3) Went on a ride and took pictures of snow/ice.
4) Caught up on blog reading.. failing to leave comments *don't worry I made up for it today*
5) Watched tv
6) Checked my email
7) Watched The Dark Knight
8) Spent time with my family

8 Things I look Forward To
1) The idea of going back to school
2) Moving into our first home
3) Allie's 2nd Birthday
4) Luke's 3rd Bday
5) My parents returning from Florida
6) Returning to my regular workout program
7) Learning/Growing in my photography venture
8) Baking my husband a bday cake!

8 Favorite Restaurants
1) White Castle *what? we don't have one around here.. don't judge me*
2) Mi Camino
3) The Olive Garden
3) Pasquales
4) Red Lobster *but only for the biscuits*
5)Does McDonalds count?
6) Desha's
7) O'Charleys
8) Smoky Bones

8 Things on My Wishlist
1)Macbook
2) New lenses for my camera
3) A new bedroom suite
4) A much needed vacation
5)Flatscreen tv's for the bedrooms
6)To move in our house already!
7) Move to Florida
8) I'll go with my tagger's answer.. a million dollars?

8 People I Tag
If you have already done this.. my apologies!

1) Ashley @ Clever Blog Name Here
2) Vanessa @ Chuliboobs

8 PEOPLE! GOOD LORD I AM STOPPING AT 2!

Snow-Ice Storm of 09'

2009-01-30T16:54:00.000-08:00

For the past several days we have literally been snowed.. i mean iced in. Accumulation I'm guessing around 10 inches and that included a thick layer of solid ice over everything. The tree branches, mailboxes, cars, lamp posts, just about everything was frozen. People without power and no one on the roadways. And did I mention that my cellular has gone crazy! Damn AT&T! What does that mean for me? Picture Time!

I did not photoshop the next one. Pretty awesome.

My husband decided to drive all over the country and this is what we met..

So my husband, being the man that he is, decided to go over the first branch and continue down the road.. Which is where we met this..

Can you say U-Turn?

As if the fallen trees weren't enough.. once again our path was blocked!

Mac Laptop

2009-01-24T15:53:00.000-08:00

From time to time I tend to go through phases where I want to purchase something so much that I scan the internet for hours at a time searching for the perfect fit. (Most Recent: Blackberry)
This time it happens to be a Mac Laptop. I have never owned a Mac but have always heard good things from other owners. I have debated on purchasing one on Ebay but honestly the thought of buying another used laptop scares me. The other problem being I have no idea which one I would want. So if you own a Mac or have had the opportunity to use one, your input would be greatly appreciated.

Free Again

2009-01-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

My parents finally own their own home again as of 10am this morning. Thank the Lord! It's not that I don't love them and enjoy the time spent with them, but the couple of weeks they spent living with us was straight up torture. OF course I bite my tongue because I did put them through a lot growing up, but I sure couldn't live at home again! It was flashback 10 years to my Mom telling me my laundry is starting to pile up. However I did notice that they do in fact make their own messes. Which made me laugh when I thought about all of the times I was told to pickup my shoes or hang up my coat.

There was absolutely no taking of pictures today. While my hubs helped move my parents into their new house (which is coincidentally 2 doors down from ours) I was on my hands and knees staining the hardwood floors at the new house for the better part of the afternoon/evening. I have to say that the dark walnut color turned out fantastic and totally agrees with the wall colors.
It is finally starting to look more like a home. The plumbing is complete and there are minor odd and end things to finish. The only major project again is the bedroom. Go figure the ground is too hard to dig so things will be pushed back again. Oh and there is the fact that my parents decided today to go on vacation to Georgia for 2 or 3 weeks so that leaves us with a huge gap of time that will most likely be spent cleaning.
Oh yea, I sill haven't started packing!

Get A Deal?

2009-01-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

The strangest/funniest thing happened to me this afternoon. Tonight my husband is graduating CASA. For those of you that are not familiar it is a Children's Advocacy Volunteer and he will now be involved in children's lives, their courts appearances and so on and so forth. I will admit that I am not exactly positive his complete role but I will soon be!

So back to my point.. I went out looking for a new shirt to wear with to this shin-dig and searched EVERYWHERE. I am very picky when it comes to clothes because of the way they fit. I am 5'10 and have no hips so it makes shopping awkward. I learned that my 2 favorite places to shop are going out of business! Of course they are the only two places to shop other than JcPenny's and Wal-Mart so I am basically screwed.

I strolled in and immediately spotted a purse that I just HAD to have. It was my lucky day as the purse was only $10. So I grabbed it without thought. As I made my way around I dug through the clearance sections, which was so awesome because when a store goes out of business... EVERYTHING is on sale! (am I using caps too much?? anyhow)

I picked out this
(apologies in advance for the picture quality. Blackberries.. hhhrfmm )

and the handbag

When I arrived home with my purchases I did as any girl would and decided to admire them. That's when I noticed the tag. That's when I said to myself ... "Self, did I just purchase a really expensive handbag at a thrift store price? So I flew to the computer and looked it up online.. to my amazement/disappointment I found this. Then I clicked a couple times and saw this.That's when the oh so cherished "f bomb" flew out of my mouth. ARE THOSE OLD WOMEN'S SHOES? Did I just buy an old woman's purse? I bought it at a store that carried in-style name brand clothes.. so what's up? I have absolutely no idea! I did find an article that says these brands of purses start at around $100. But I am not yet sure whether to be excited or saddened.. Lord knows I am not telling anyone about this. When they say, "That's a cute purse." I won't offer up any information. I will say "Thanks" and smile...

But... I did get a deal... right?

Kentucky

2009-01-21T20:03:00.000-08:00

I haven't been out much in the past week or so.. mainly due to the below freezing temperatures an occasionally snow flurries. I did however pause on my way to the grocery yesterday to marvel at the gorgeous countryside that is Kentucky. I have watched the same landscapes for the past 25 years and sometimes forget how amazing they truly are. For instance... this one I drove/rode past since the day my parents brought me home.

I am making another resolution.. you can still do that right? I am going to take time out of my hectic life to enjoy my surroundings so that I do not take them for granted.

To think.. I was going to drive the ole jeep to the top.. Thank God there is a sign!

After.. but not complete

2009-01-21T18:36:00.000-08:00

I snuck out of the house this afternoon to get some shots of the new house. Everything is looking great! We did run into the issue of not being able to find the kitchen sink that was imagined. It's either cut the hole in the counter top larger or order one. But it's a small bump in the road.

The Kid's Bathroom

Living Room

Fireplace

Luke's Room

Allie's Room

Kitchen

Kitchen

Eat-in Kitchen

New Laminate

Oh yea! It is sooo mine.. only in white!

If you want to check out the before pictures scroll down!

Day 5

2009-01-20T07:09:00.000-08:00

I am officially on Day 5 of my Chantix Experience. Again I have had no side effects which is a definite plus. I do not feel as strong an urge to smoke, but when I do it is only a couple puffs and I am done. So maybe.. just maybe this will do the job. *Crosses Fingers*

The house is becoming more and more liveable everyday. The central heat/air is functioning and the clean-up process has begun, with the exception of the master bedroom which is a work-in-progress! I hope to have the hardwood floors refinished this week. Which means as soon as the plumbing is finished, it is MOVE IN TIME!

I am so excited about moving but as I look around I see a lot of things that I do not want to follow us to our new home. Including this insanely large computer desk. But how do you tell your mother-in-law that you do not want her antique shelving unit thingy. It fits no other furniture that we own and although it is special, it just doesn't fit our lifestyle! It actually collects more junk than anything. It is in the perfect spot to throw down purses, hats, gloves, keys, junk mail, any anything else that we can fit on it.

I am looking into buying a trundle bed for the girls room because Makenzy is not here but every other weekend. It would give them more space than having two twin beds. My head is spinning from all of the packing that is getting ready to take place!

Chantix

2009-01-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

I started smoking at the age of 16. It quickly progressed from getting into the "in crowd", to an addiction. I love smoking ciggarettes but this bad habit comes with consequences. I smell like smoke (which is disgusting), I have to go outside to smoke because I choose not to do so around my children, and it's expensive. Not to mention emm.. CANCER! I made a decision that has been a long time coming.. to quit! I have tried to quit cold turkey, tried the gum and nothing has worked. So my husband and I (he also smokes) went to our family doctor and received a prescription for Chantix.

Today is my 3rd day on Chantix. I have heard stories of side effects and wild dreams.. none which have surfaced in my case. But after 3 days, I still have the urge to smoke. I didn't expect it to work a miracle in only 3 days.. but there is hope. I have several friends who were able to kick the habit using Chantix. Wish me luck!

Stepdaughters

2009-01-17T19:29:00.000-08:00

Makenzy had her second basketball game today. She has played the last 3 years but this time seems different. She is no longer a small child debating on which direction to run down the court, or trying to remember which hoop her team is shooting for. Now she is speeding down the court, stealing the ball from the opponents as I sit in amazement in the stands.
Makenzy is my step-daughter but we have a very special bond. From the time I met her, she was 3 years old, she has brought nothing but joy into my life for she knows far more than any 8 year old should. My Mother calls her an "old spirit" and believes she has been on this earth before.
One of the first times she came to my church with me, she paraded proudly past he congregation towards the front of the church for children's church. She was wearing a beautiful sundress as she plopped down on the floor to join the others. The youth minister was speaking of flowers. He told a story and then asked the children who grows flowers. Makenzy raised her hand like a bullet and blurted out "My Mamaw!" I remember giggling but then holding my breathe to hear the next words that would come out of her mouth, which happen to now be an unforgettable family memory.
Minister: Are you sure?
Makenzy: Yes I am sure
Minister: How do you know that?
Makenzy: Because she told me so!
Minister: (trying desperately to urge the sense that God indeeds grows flowers said) What about God? Does he help the flowers grow?
Makenzy: Nope, only my Mamaw.. I watched her put the seed in the dirt and water it, and it turned into a flower.
The arguing subsided as the minister carefully danced around her answer to get back to his point.

The congregation chuckled as we slid under the pews. That was my most embarrassing moment in church.. that and the time that she said " I am going to have a baby brother " and I was unwed and NOT pregnant. Now that was interesting..

Nonetheless a year or so later she became my daughter,but I love her as though she were my own.

Indescribable

2009-01-15T17:11:00.000-08:00

The feeling that comes over you when you've found out you've lost a friend is indescribable. I know this because it has happened many times in my life. I lost a close friend when I was a Freshman in High School. She was the sweetest person you could ever meet but had a weak heart. Then last year I lost another schoolmate to suicide. This time it was another schoolmate, Andrew, who discovered a couple of years ago that he had cancer. It is an odd thing to say but he was one of the lucky few who died peacefully surrounded by people who loved him. Even though I have not been close to the latter 2 since school, and spoke only when running into them at the grocery, it is still an uncomfortable feeling when someone your age passes. It makes you realize to not take anything for granted and to live life to the fullness. It's times like these when you cling to your family and friends and never forget to say " I Love You" for it may be the last time. We will miss you Andrew!

???

2009-01-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Here I am trying to figure out the type of nightshot I want to take. This is more difficult than I thought it would be! It was snowing like crazy last night and the flakes were larger than life. I tried every which way but right to capture the moment. That and it was about 10 degrees outside and it felt like below zero.
...But not to worry there is more snow to be found!

On another note.. things are really moving at the new house. The tile is being put in the bathrooms and the plummer and the HVAC guys are still working away. But everything had to be replaced, included water lines. I have every intention to be moved in a couple of weeks.

But, this does not mean that everything will be finished.. there is still the master bedroom to contend with. It is being expanded by about 8ft and although the zoning board approved the expansion, the first shovel has not been touched. Once started, it should only take a couple of weeks. YAY FOR MOVING!

The Lunch Date Blouse GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-01-15T05:21:00.000-08:00

The Lunch Date Blouse GIVEAWAY!!!!
This is a post just full of shout-outs in an attempt to score an amazing blouse made by a very talented lady!
First thanks to this girl for introducing me to the grosgrain website. And definetly visit GrosgrainFabulous!

Bedtime Fun!

2009-01-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

Most of my day was spent playing with Allie. This is the most alone time we've had seen since.. well last year. She eagerly brought me items from her kitchen such as tea, pancakes, and something else I couldn't pronounce.

Needless to say we were both excited and bummed when Luke came home. Glad to see him, but sad that "girl time" was officially over and testosterone had entered the room. Mom and Dad came over for dinner and they left we basically sat on the couch zoned in on the TV. So I decided that we were going to have some fun.

I always tell the kids

Me: Don't Jump On The Bed!
Luke: Why?
Allie sits down quickly and focuses her attention on something other than me pointing my finger in her direction.
Me: Because I said so.. (while hearing my mother in my voice)

This evening I gave them the opportunity to just go crazy. You would have thought they won the lottery as I watched them bounce playfully all over my new mattress and box springs. And here are the pictures to prove: None of Luke, that lil bigger is quick and was hard to capture this evening.

The Biting Game

2009-01-12T08:13:00.000-08:00

Today I was just doing my Monday cleaning ritual when the phone rang. On the other end was the school nurse. Now.. my first thought was that Luke was sick. . . WRONG. Here is how the conversation went:

Nurse: Luke was bitten (followed by a quick) "He is okay though!

Now I am not sure if it was the shock or disbelief that led me to say

Me: I'm sorry, did you say someone BIT him?
Nurse: Yes, another child in his classroom.

I held back the urge to ask which one of the lil ones was the culprit and instead said

Me: That's what I thought you said.. is he alright?

Nurse: There are some red indentions of teeth but it did not break the skin. I cleansed it with peroxide and put neosporin on it. I wanted to let you know so you could keep an eye on it incase of infection.

Now let me tell you that Luke is only 3 and the other children in school are all 4 and above. However he is the same height and weight as most 4 year olds. What can I say, he is tall and skinny like his momma!

My biggest relief.. that it wasn't my kid doing the biting.

Extreme Home Makeover?

2009-01-09T18:43:00.000-08:00

The new house is coming along right on schedule. Walls were torn down and new drywall put up. The ceilings were rolled. Next step: paint. The fireplace, the woodwork and the walls all have to have primer. If you have never painted woodwork.. it's a bitch! It took 1 coat of primer and 3 coats of paint to cover up the natural wood. Which, by the way, I caught a lot of crap painting natural woodwork that has been in this home for over 50 years. But hey after 50 years... I think it's time for an update, don't you?

However, the living room has been painted, along with the woodwork and fireplace. The kitchen has also been painted and the new cabinets installed. The heating & air guys cut the holes for the geothermal and will be back as soon as the plumber gets in gear and finishes up.

Tomorrow painting will begin in the kids rooms and their jack 'n jill bathroom (aka the bathroom connected to both their rooms)

The only thing that terrifies me is that the bedroom expansion has not yet begun. The tiny bedroom in the back is going to be the master and so far.. it's still a tiny room. They did finish building-in the master bath but we have to go before a zoning board on Monday to get the ok to start. From what I understand there is going to be a lot of digging and tearing down going on there.

This may be the week I take a break and hide out watching Lifetime.
Oh yea! Here are some "before" pictures.. pre-painting and such. I couldn't get all the rooms because there were about 7 or 8 people standing around. I thought it was a bit difficult to shoot rooms with the 50mm lens... *dreams of purchasing 2nd lens*

The Front Door

Luke's Room

The Fireplace

Luke's Room

La Kitchen

ZUMBA BABY!

2009-01-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are not familar with Zumba, go here! It totally rocks my world. Don't get me wrong, I like the treadmill and the weight room, but this is like nothing I have ever experienced! I love it so much that I have already wrangled in several ladies to join me. If you haven't tried it, look for a class and join in. Trust me you will be amazed with the workout you get just by dancing and having a good time. No harm in shakin' what your momma gave ya!

If you are uncomfortable with the thought of shakin it infront of people I believe you can purchase dvds off the website. Obviously I have no shame as I watched several of the older ladies from church groovin haha.

Anyhow, the house is "official" and we have sooo much work to do. There are no toilets or a kitchen, but I have picked everything out and painting begin tomorrow. Hopefully we will see some progress this weekend which means I had better get the "before" pictures or there will be none.

Sunday we went to the Races... the Dirtbike Races! They are required to have an EMT on site for accident purposes, so hubs decided to go and Kenzy and I tagged along. He was excited because they asked him to ne the announcer which was pretty cool. This is something that I have never experienced. Did you know some of these children look like they just learned to walk and they are riding these things? I could not believe my eyes as I watched them zoom around the dirt track like pros. I did get some good shots though.

Major Air

Close Race Between These 2!

One of the lil dudes rockin the bike.

The Big Suprise

2009-01-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

Drum Roll Please....................... and the BIG surprise is, I think we are buying our first house! Woo Hoo! We have house hunted since we have been married but ducked at every chance. It is a huge responsibility not to be taken lately in these rough times. But this one fell into our laps and seems to be destined to contain our family.
Since the day I was born my family has built houses, sold them, remodeled, sold, and then moved again. We must have lived in over 15 houses, all of them in the same city, most of them my Father has built. My uncle jokingly says that every time he helps us move, he finds my diary and it says on every page... " We moved again today! " Ironically enough, it is somewhat true. I guess the tradition carries on into my life because since I have been with my husband we have moved 3 times in the past 5 years.
Back to my point, my Mom and Dad bought a house and decided they were going to remodel it and move in. Then, by chance, the home 2 houses down plopped a "for sale" sign in it's yard and they jumped at the chance to purchase it as well. Leaving them with 2 houses.
I drove down to check out the remodeling on the first house. Walls are being torn down, bathrooms remodeled and added, the master bedroom size increased and a brand new kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances. (When they remodel, they do it right.) As we casually walked around the house my dad discussed his plans for the home. Then, he proceeds to sit down and blurt out, " Why don't you buy this house? " At first I was in shock, which then led to panic, followed by excitement.
A better neighborhood, more space, STAINLESS STEEL. My heart raced with joy. Which leads me to say... I think we are buying our first house. I am not letting myself count my chickens before they hatch as we have backed out of buying a home once before due to my fears of all that comes with owning your own home. But, it would be pretty awesome right?
I think I will go down and take some pictures, sort of a before and after kinda thing. More tomorrow...

Overwhelmed

2009-01-02T16:34:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Kirsten went home this afternoon and as I surveyed the house, I realized that I have a lot more cleaning to do than I had anticipated. I felt somewhat overwhelmed last night with having 4 children in the house. Good thing mine were on their best behavior and the oldest kept them busy. The younger 2 slept in my bed, and the older 2 decided to stay up until 2am playing the Wii. Needless to say hubs and I did not get too much sleep.
My parents also came over this evening and we made an awesome homeade dinner. By "we" I mean, I made the cornbread, hubs made everything else : ) I am assuming it was delish because everyone cleaned their plates.
I also have some exciting news but it will have to wait until tomorrow as I need to go finish up the dishes, Luke wants me to fix his train, and Allie needs usher to bed.

New Years 2009

2009-01-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

Kicking off the new year right, we decided to visit friends and family. Which is something I am going to make a point to do more of this year. On our way to visit my best-girl-friend-in-the-world, Luke pulled down his tobogan and fell asleep and I just couldn't resist. We enjoyed the company of left-over partiers and most of their family. Of course I don't have any pictures considering they were all still in their pjs and hung over from the night before.

After, we headed on to my brother-in-law and sister-in-laws house. Again playing Rock Band 2 (evidentally it is the "thing to do" and chowing down on some cabbage, brown beans, and corn bread. I am not a big fan of cabbage but if it brings me wealth this year, I am all for it! By the way her dog, Bella, is adorable and a total ham infront of the camera. And my neice Kirsten, who is absolutely gorgeous, kept the kids entertained so I could relax for a bit. Because my brother-in-law decided he was not having his picture taken, I had to do a James Bond move and snap a quick one of him with hubs. It has been a very eventful day spent with people I love dearly.

Allie with Kirsten

Bella

Allie searching .... "I know it's up there"
Hubs and his brother

Makenzy rockin out with her tongue out!

Ta-Da!

2008-12-31T13:29:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Crap is finally packed-up! HALLELUJAH! It's not that I don't like Christmas, but c'mon, half the ornaments are missing from my tree the only ones left are above the 3 foot mark. My plan....to find them all again by next December. At least I checked 2 things off my to-do list!

Hubs is working tonight so it's just me and the kids left to bring in the new year! How about you? Any new years plans? And because I can, here is the 'ole New Year Questionnaire..

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Tackled Wal-Mart with 3 children by myself. Oh yea, that's right, I survived it! We also took them all to the zoo!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I pledge the same resolution every year, to quit smoking! It is the worst habit I could have ever picked up but it is also the hardest to kick. Who knew giving into peer pressure at the age of 16 would turn out to be such a hassle for me later in life. I still find it insane as I stand outside in 20 degree weather just to feed my body the nicotine it craves.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope, although my nephew is going to be a Father soon. Does that make me old?

4. Did anyone close to you die? Unfortunately. I had a friend who took his own life, and a lady who babysat me since the age of 6 weeks who passed away. Also some distant relatives.

5. What countries did you visit? Ohio... hey it's like a different country when your from Kentucky!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Bigger boobs, hey it asked!

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? March 25th and May 15th, my daughter turned 1 and my son 2. Also Oct. 18, because no one forgets turning 25..

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Teaching my daughter how to talk and my son how to say his abc's.

9. What was your biggest failure? Still not being able to potty train my son.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I did catch a flu bug.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My Canon 50d of course!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My husband saving lives everyday!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My cousin…

14. Where did most of your money go? Car payments and the kids

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My daughters first steps

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Beyonce-Single Ladies, because Allie can actually sing the chorus.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? thinner
c) richer or poorer? in the middle.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? me time

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? worrying about the house being clean

20. How did you spend Christmas? With my family

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? More in love with my husband and children.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Desperate Housewives

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? no

24. What was the best book you read? Stori Telling by Tori Spelling, hey it's the ONLY one I read! haha

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Knowing I can still play the piano after several years.

26. What did you want and get? MY camera

27. What did you want and not get? A new Christmas Tree

28. What was your favorite film of this year? The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? We went to the local pub with the fireman and partied, I was 25.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Knowing our family is complete.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? I could be more fashion forward.

32. What kept you sane? My move to a stay-at-home mommy.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Britney Spears, what? She is doing better since being carried out on a stretcher.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? George Bush, enough said.
35. Who did you miss? My parents, they were gone most of the year.

36. Who was the best new person you met? I would have to say Ashley, she talked me through buying my first camera.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Patience is the key when raising children.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. As cheezy as it is.. livin la vida loca

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To Do, Or Not To Do?

2008-12-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or is all of the Christmas decor starting to stare at me? I thought seriously about taking it down today until everyone reminded me of the bad luck curse that would haunt me next year for taking the tree down before New Years Day.

I spent most of the day playing with the kids and enjoying my last week with my son before he returns to pre-school on Monday. I enjoy his 3-year-old-energetic company but if you saw the state my house is in, you would laugh... or run away! Hopefully next week I can take 1 room a day and clean, straighten, and organize.

So here it is, my official to-do list.

~~• Finally take down the Christmas Decorations tucking them safely away in storage~~
• Finish the massive pile of laundry sitting on the bedroom floor.
• Sorting through the massive pile of toys sitting on my son's bedroom floor and hopefully coax my husband into building a toy box.

~~• Scrub the hardwoods so they shine instead of being forced to stare at the tiny pine needles leftover from the holidays.~~

• Organize the closets.

• Seriously clean out my cabinets and hopefully purchase a set of anything that matches.

• Replace the broken bed in the master bedroom *no comment*

• Knit a quilt... just kidding, but I always wanted to learn!

• Talk my husband into hooking up the surround sound we just "had to have"

• Last but not least... Start reading those photography books I borrowed from the library.

IMG_0159

2008-12-27T11:56:00.000-08:00

IMG_0159
Originally uploaded by stumbleduponme

I am in a rush to finish our holiday partying with my Dad's side of the family and then we are going to a friends house for the evening! But here I posted some quick pics to flickr

FINALLY!

2008-12-27T06:48:00.000-08:00

After several months of pondering and anticipation... I finally got it! That's right kids the 50mm lens for my Canon 50D AND a memory card! Yes. Virginia.. there IS a Santa. Although I have virtually no idea what I am doing, it is going to be a lot of fun learning. Of course I have decided to track this experience from beginning to end, but I am feeling that the name of this blog has nothing to do with this journey on which I am about to embark. So naturally I am debating on starting a new blog. Any name ideas? Because I think picking the name is the worst part of starting a new blog. Suggestions are appreciated! I will post some pics in a bit.

12 days of Christmas

2008-12-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

My kids, God love 'em, have discovered that the big boxes wrapped in pretty paper that appeared under the towering Christmas tree are in fact toys! They sneakily creep over and pull a piece of the paper revealing the present inside. It's the friggin 12 days of Christmas at my house as they have opened a present a day for the past couple days. Luckily they are 1 and 2 and very quickly forget what was in them as I make a break for the tape and try to hide the pearing toys from their wandering eyes. Don't get me wrong, it is very cute how they are so excited about Santa, but having to threaten to call him every five minutes if they do not steer clear from the tree is quite annoying! My mom went as far as to call my uncle and have him pretend to be Santa. He told them that if they did not stay away from the presents that he would come and take them all back. It didn't phase my daughter because she does not understand the whole "Santa" concept, but my son threw the biggest fit imaginable and has not even glanced at the tree since.. but in less than 24 hours they will get to unwrap all of the goodies that stare at them as they play. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Back in action!

2008-12-21T18:06:00.000-08:00

After weeks without a computer I finally am back in action! Of course by back in action I mean I borrowed my Dad's computer haha. Hey he isn't using the ole desktop so why not give myself the privelage of internet ability. It is taking me a while to catch up on my favorite blogs but I'm glad to be back. On another good note, I finished my Christmas shopping today. There are about 30 presents under our tree and inside are Thomas the Train sets, Wii games, and a play kitchen. Christmas is going to rock this year since all of the children are capable of opening their own presents. I haven't posted pictures of the kids on my blog because.. well you never know, but I may have to breakdown and post some pictures of their suprised little faces when they find out that they got everything they asked for!

MIA

2008-12-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry I went MIA for about a week! Christmastime is insane. I did finally get a computer woooo. Hopefully I will get it setup tomorrow. See ya then

Abs Anyone?

2008-12-11T12:45:00.000-08:00

I have decided to do something for myself, as my New Years Resolution, by checking out the gym and some aerobics classes. We have a membership to the YMCA, why not use it! I called this morning and inquired about the current classes and there are A LOT. One in particular struck me as fun, it is called "Zumba" I asked what they do in this class and the lady on the other end told me it was Italian Dance Aerobics. What fun! They also offer kickboxing. I do not need to lose weight as I am 5'10 and 130 lbs. But rather gain muscle tone. I am hopeful that the God of abs is lookin my way! Oh yea and a tighter toosh wouldn't be soo shabby *wink *wink Wish me luck.

Brown again

2008-12-10T12:18:00.000-08:00

If you haven't noticed my hair is now brown. My hair is naturally a dark blonde color but for the past couple years I have tried out alternative options. After being blonde for a few months the seasons changed and I decided it was time to go dark for winter. Typically I would go to the salon my friend owns, who is the only person I trust to touch my hair. But being on a budget I decided to save 90 bucks and try the "do it yourself" approach. I slid on the gloves and held my breathe. To much suprise it turned out great! A lil dark but it will lighten up after a couple washes. Check out flickr for the outcome

Today

2008-12-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

Today was spent cleaning and re-arranging my son's room. Of course with three kids here today you pretty much can't tell that I actually cleaned his room. At least the lil booger will go to pre-school tomorrow and I can straighten up.The Christmas decorations still are not up but that is #1 on my to-do list. Well I'm off to finish watching Desperate Housewives

Dear Santa

2008-12-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa,
This year I have been extremely good. I am telling you this not to get a truckload of gifts from my ever growing list, but to insist you grant me this request. Potty train my children. Haha just kidding But seriously as much as diapers cost they should change themselves. And I am becoming increasingly concerned that my 3 year old is going to be wearing diapers well into his teenage years. I have consulted our pediatrician on the subject and he assured me that there are no diapers being worn in the high school graduation procession. Even coming from a professional, this has not aleviated my concerns. And any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Or even if you want to stop by the house and change a couple diapers... Didn't think so!

The Ellen Show

2008-12-04T13:21:00.000-08:00

The Ellen Show is having 12 days of Christmas. Incase you do not watch this show, it is where she gives away the hottest Christmas gifts for 12 days.Today Ellen gave everyone in her audience an IPOD, a Nintendo Wii and several other items. Why am I telling you this? Because she is also giving her viewers at home a chance to win these awesome gifts! So hop over to www.ellentv.com and sign up, today could be your lucky day!

2008-12-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

Incase I haven't officially said it, my husband is a career Fireman/EMT (soon to be a paramedic) Basically since we live in a small town, if there is a fire, he puts on his fireman hat. And if there is call for an ambulance, he hops in the back and rushes to the rescue. He has dreamt of being in this field his entire life.He is truly passionate about going to work and saving lives. I am syked because he is living every little boys childhood fantasy.. Not to mention fullfilling a couple fantasies of mine.... but that's a different story haha. So to the point..Tonight was the 2nd annual Retiree dinner for the fire department. We grabbed a sitter, cleaned up, and stepped out on the town. Mind you my husband and I have 2 children under the age of 4 which means "Alone time" is virtually uknown to us.Sitting in the parking lot we debated on going to the dinner, or skipping out and making our own fun. We sat in the jeep giggling for a few minutes until guilt set in and we trudged in the doors. It's not that I didn't WANT to go, it's just that sitting in a room with a bunch of elderly men while they talk about their glory days isn't my opinion of fun time.The rest of the evening went well, there were honors dispensed and memories recalled. Afterwards we went for drinks. Good friends, good conversation! But it's evenings like these that remind me of the danger my husband faces everyday to help others.Whether it be running into a burning building while others are running out. Or flying through an intersection lights and sirens to rush someone to the hospital. These moments do not hit very often, for if I was in this mindset everyday I would be an emotional disaster. So to all you who serve our country unoticed until needed.. Thank You.

Computer heaven

2008-12-01T19:07:00.000-08:00

It's official.. My computer is done for. Looks like I'll be askin santa for a dell instead of a lense. Of course it WAS 6 years old. Thank god for blackberries or I would be completley lost! Well this lifetime movie is looking promising so catch ya later.

C'mon Christmas!

2008-11-30T12:10:00.000-08:00

Thankfully I am not typing this post on the blackberry! I snagged my dad's laptop for the day : )

I cannot wait for Christmas! Since having my children I pay lots of attention to commercials for the hottest new toys! I cannot wait for the day for my daughter to discover Barbie, especially after seeing the new Barbie dream house.

I seriously need to start my Christmas shopping. Hoping to get the decorations up on Wednesday! I am such a procrastinator and need to kick the habit.. this may be a good new years resolution. I am going to get back to cleaning the house. Having get togethers at your home are nice but cleaning up is a bitch!

doctors... ugh

2008-11-28T10:16:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have been to the doctor all week! Today is the dreaded gyno.. Oh what fun! Annuals are not something I look forward to. Wish me luck!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T17:02:00.000-08:00

What a lovely Thanksgiving! We packed up the kids and drove to Grandmas house.It was nice to see my Mom's side of the family. The doctor said no strep but I the back of my throat is raw and sent me away with Zpack and a steriod to reduce the swelling in my throat.When I woke up this morning I felt like a million bucks. I stuffed myself with all the wonderful food and I feel awesome. Hubs had a headache for the better part of the day so when we came home he did tylenol and bed. Now here I sit watching the notebook on satellite for god knows what reason since we do own it and I could spare myself the commercials. My guess is I'm too stuffed and lazy to hunt down the movie and insert it in the dvd player! Have a good black friday!

Cold weather sucks!

2008-11-26T10:40:00.000-08:00

I could definetly do without winter! 20 degree temps.. Coats, hats, and scarfs. I wouldn't even miss the snow or ice! Florida calls my name! I am at the doctors office for the first time in over 5 years. Well.. Besides the trips to the gyno when I was preggers. I have the WORST sore throat I have ever experienced. For some reason I keep a sore throat all winter long. Typically - wouldn't even think about going to the doctor for somerthing so minor, but I can't deal with the thought of not being able to enjoy thanksgiving by stuffing my face. Keep your fingers crossed that it's not strep!

Whoops!

2008-11-25T06:24:00.002-08:00

Want to hear the funniest thing ever? I have written roughly 3 posts and thought I sent them to blogger using txt msgs... And this whole time they weren't posting! Ha! So excuse my blonde moment while I check back into the real world. More later

Blackberry Power

2008-11-22T05:55:00.000-08:00

After almost 2 wks I am still without my computer. Apparently something happened to the motherboard? Who knew? Luckily I finally went in for my at&t upgrade and left with the blackberry curve. I did pause a moment to check out the LG VU... Very nice but touchscreens and kids do not mix. I am pretty happy with my purchase, especially after the sales associate smirked at my oldass phone asking if it had a sim card... Geez it's not THAT old lol. On a good note.. At least I can blog, take pics, and check my email!

no computer.. no problem?

2008-11-14T16:59:00.002-08:00

Another day goes by without my computer.. I feel so disconnected from the world. It is days like these which makes me wonder why in the world I sold my laptop. I have a brand new Dell on a layaway program but now wish I went for a Mac.. damn viruses! Looks like purchasing my lens will be pushed back yet again. These are the days of my life. PS I am thinkin of gettin back into Mary Kay to make some extra cash

snow?

2008-11-14T06:58:00.001-08:00

Hub picked up another shift at work which means just me n the youngn's today. I cleaned the house and now I'm passing the time by watching Tori and Dean re-runs.. oh what fun. I am hoping the forecast for today is right and 70s are in sight since we are expecting xnow showers on Sunday brrrrr. This could be potentially the last day at the park.

wii power

2008-11-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

My computer friggin crashed ... it will power up but won't load the os. so here I am using the Nintendo Wii to blog. Excuse my language but what a bitch. I think hubs may take it to the fixin place tommorow thank god. I don`t know what hub will do without being able to feed his online poker addiction... lets hope it wont take too long until then posts will be short but sweet

Layouts

2008-11-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

I can officially say I change layouts.. ALMOST as much as I change underwear! I can't help it... it's a sad addiction that I am dealing with. I have so many ideas and being new to blogger I have a hard time expressing them being, as I am not so familiar with css.

Forgive me blogger for saying this but wordpress looks better and better every day. I am not too quick to jump into a domain name, especially since I do not have one in mind. It took me a couple days to come up with my current blog name and even now I am not sure about the choice I made.. *sigh* I just love change what can I say..

Just ask my husband. If I could rearrange all of the furniture in our home by myself, we would have a new arrangement every week! There is just something about waking up in the morning to a new "room" that excites me.. Maybe it isn't change that I love so much as making a decision and sticking with it....ok maybe I am a lil bit crazy. . . can you blame me?

yuuum

2008-11-09T19:27:00.000-08:00

The smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven was just the right ingredient to throw into the mix of a delightful afternoon. After chowing down on homeade sausage n' cheese biscuits we spent they day as a family playing and watching tv. I couldn't have asked for a better day!

Oh yea, and ignore the layout I totally f'd it up last night while trying to make some minor changes.. go figure!

Until tomorrow...

Dilemmas

2008-11-07T17:22:00.000-08:00

After sucessfully leaving my full time job we are starting to feel the rath of being on a budget. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind switching to Kroger brand items and passing up that cute pair of shoes. But there is a point where I draw the line. Thank goodness it doesn't seem we will reach that line anytime soon. There is good news in sight. We are officially eligible for a phone upgrade, as soon as we pay this months bill! Looks like it will be 2 more weeks before the pearl reaches my hands. Oh yea, after careful consideration I have decided on a blackberry. I browsed the iphone and although it is cool and sleek, there are many downsides to it. So as I anxiously await .. I am going to watch The Starter Wife.. don't judge me.

Uneventful Day

2008-11-06T17:24:00.000-08:00

Today was pretty much a typical stay-at-home-mommy day. I took my son to pre-school, went to the grocery and picked up some donuts and dinner items. Ventured home and spent the day with my daughter while I cleaned up the house. Then went back and picked my son up from day care. Fed the children dinner and put the little one to bed.. with some free time on my hands I even cartoonized myself. <- See banner. I love photoshop! 2 more days until AT&T UPGRADE!

The Day

2008-11-04T19:30:00.000-08:00

Here I sit in front of the TV watching an waiting to see if my vote for the presidential candidate of my choice "counts." I am not ashamed to admit that I am Pro-Obama. We definitely need a new face in the White House to change America's direction. I will not pretend that I know everything about politics, but after filling up at almost $5 a gallon gas, I do know it is time for a change. So congrats to the Americans who exercised your right to vote today, and for all of those who did not, no complaining if things don't go your way.

No Work!

2008-11-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

I am going to let you all in on a little secret... I totally quit my job! I was so tired of all the nagging and the feeling of never doing anything right that came from my coworkers...so I resigned. This may sound a little crazy but it seemed disturbing to me to work and only be able to pay for childcare and the gas to drive back and forth to work! Although I quit my job, I am still working aka being a stay at home mommy. Something I have dreamt about since my son was born. I do think I might pickup a small job to earn some extra cash here and there. But we have insurance, and the money to survive. So until my hubby is finished with his paramedic school this is my standing. Also, this will give me a chance to work with my photography venture, VERY cool and exciting.

New Toy!

2008-10-31T05:19:00.000-07:00

I totally abandoned my blog for a week.. maybe 2! But I had to take care of some personal things.
1) Hunting for a new less stressful job
2) Finding a home for the un-potty-trainable pup
3) Potty training my oldest
4) Misc. other things

The bad news is, I have not found a new job, go figure.. this could take A WHILE..

The good new is, Layla found a new home with my cousin who is a animal lover! She fits right in with their family, which is awesome. I already miss her but I know she is going to get the attention she deserves.

Want to hear some more good news? BOTH kids are finally using the potty! Only sporadically but they have used it on their own!

The best news of all? I finally bought MY First SLR camera! The Canon D50 was exactly what I was looking for. I chose a Canon, after some advice from Ashley. I still need to purchase the lense so any picture taking has been halted! But this will come soon ; )

By the way.. did i mention ONLY 8 MORE DAYS UNTIL MY AT&T UPGRADE!

Party Like It's My Birthday!

2008-10-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

Today is October 18th 2008. Exactly 25 years ago today a beautiful woman and a handsome gentleman welcomed an adorable baby into this world at 10:27AM. Expecting a baby boy there was a look of shock upon the this new mother's face when the doctor proclaimed "It's a girl!" So much shock that the nurses which scattered the room were hesitant to let the new mom hold her bundle of joy. Off her husband went to the store and purchased the prettiest dress he could find, since all of the clothes they had accumulated were for boys.

25 long years later, which I am sure my parents would agree with, here I am. A quarter of a century old and just as beautiful as the day I was born *cough*.

For my birthday I am going to get my haircut and buy some new clothes *YAY for shopping!* Then it is a night out with our friends. Hub and I are going to celebrate with his fellow fireman and their wives, since this week is "fire school" and he is going to be gone all day, that leaves me to enjoy my afternoon!

Assuming I can get my piece o' crap kodak to work tonight, pictures will be posted, the good ones, the bad ones, and yes even the drunk ones.

Happy Birthday to ME! And oh yea did I mention it is also sweetest day? Let the pampering begin!