MAMARITAVILLE

2 Years Later..

2010-06-30T12:43:00.003-05:00

Today, let me update you on where our lives have taken us since I last "talked" with you! And for those new to the blog..let me introduce ourselves! Before you read this..you should read a post that I wrote not long before I left blogging. It's about the kids and titled "2010", and now here I am in 2010.. Where did the time go??

Jen (AKA Mom, Mommy, Babe, Doll, Independent Scentsy Consultant) -

In less than a month, I'll be 28. I started this motherhood journey, almost 6 1/2 years ago, and I still feel like I'm in training! My life is crazy, and wonderful, and stressful, and amazing. Everyday is a a mix of same ol' same ol' and some kind of new craziness! I've been awfully busy since last August when I started my Scentsy business. I have new customers calling or emailing me every day, and almost every single one becomes a hostess or a repeat customer! I am making a significant income every month, and it has helped take some of the financial stress off of my husband's shoulders. I'm now starting to look to expand my business by bringing on new team members to guide through their own business, and am really excited for the possibilities that will open up. I was hesitant to do that before now due to wanting to learn the business inside and out myself before I was responsible for someone else's training. But now I'm ready and am looking forward to the challenges and rewards that will bring.

W, (AKA Dad, Daddy, My Man) -

Still working hard. The love of my life, and the reason I manage to stay semi-sane!!

Hayden, Our 6 year old -

This little smarty pants will be starting 1st grade this August. Because I never put him in preschool, I was a bit worried about how he'd handle school. I shouldn't have been. He sailed through Kindergarten! Every time we spoke to his teacher she had so many great things to say about him. I couldn't have been more proud. His teacher, after doing the end of the year evaluations, discovered that he is 1 1/2 grade levels ahead in his reading and math skills and has recommended him for the "Gifted Program". He'll be tested for that in Aug. and if he scores in the "gifted" range, he'll meet with the teacher in charge of that program once a week for an hour to work on advanced projects to keep him from getting bored with his daily classroom work and to keep him working at the level he is capable of. He just finished t-ball for the Spring and is looking forward to flag football this Fall.

Tara, Our (almost) 5 year old -

I get to have my sweet girl home with me for one more year. Because her birthday is at the beginning of Sept., she'll be home one more year. In our district, you have to be 5 by Aug. 1st to begin Kindergarten. She's upset, I'm jumping for joy!! She's all sass these days and very opinionated! She's most definitely her mother's daughter. We struggled with her all winter on getting her totally potty trained. That's right..she was 4 and still pooping in her pants. But it was not for lack of knowing how. She became constipated one time when she was around 3, and because of the pain she had, she began holding her poop. So since then, she'd hold it, and then make messes in her pants. I found out online that this is not totally uncommon, so if this is something you are dealing with feel free to contact me and I would be more than happy to tell you how we overcame this horrendous ordeal!

Kayley, Our (almost) 3 year old -

Oh my how this little one has blossomed! She is now walking and talking, but yet still knows she's the baby of the family. She reached milestones a lot slower than the other two, and I'm thrilled about that. Since she is my last baby, I've enjoyed her staying "little" longer. She still lets me hold her, which by this age, the other two had totally outgrown. But unfortunately, she truly is a baby no longer. She's gotten so tall this summer. She is much more independent, and she has a personality all who own! She doesn't let the older kids boss her around, and I admire that about her.

I'm Back..Once Again

2010-06-29T11:59:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm bringing Mamaritaville back to life!

I am no longer a coach with Beachbody. I'm actually now an Independent Consultant with Scentsy. Scentsy has given me so many opportunities, and I am not going anywhere..well except for UP, UP, UP within the company! I'll give more info on Scentsy throughout my posts, but for the most part..if you've never read this blog before, it's about my life as a mom!

Feel free to read through some of the past posts..they're old..but they're about about my family and me. Take time to get reacquainted or to get to know me. And I will start posting full time tomorrow with new updates & crazy stories!

It feels good to be back in the blogging world. I'm looking forward to getting to know new moms and to be reunited with "old" moms.

I raise my glass to you!

CHEERS!
Jen

The "Monster" Down The Hall

2008-12-31T09:38:00.002-05:00

It's almost ten in the morning and I am still sitting here in my fleece "Frosty the Snowman" pajamas my husband got for my Christmas Eve gift. (No, I haven't been wearing them since last Wednesday!) I'm on my 6th or 7th cup of coffee, which I drink to give me a boost of motivation, and I still haven't moved from this spot. Two of the 3 kids are up and playing with one or another Christmas toy and the other is still in bed.

Why is it almost 10am and my darling baby girl is still sleeping. Because she is not sleeping through the night! She's almost a year and a half and has resorted back to her infant ways. It's exhausting. And when she wakes up..she refuses to go back to sleep without a bottle. A BOTTLE! The girl uses sippy cups and has been doing so for months now! But if you try to hand her one of those at 3am, she freaks. And if you do give her a bottle, but only give her water, she freaks. If you try to bypass the liquid all together and just hold her or pat her back...well I think there is a flash of evil that comes into her eyes.

I'm tired. My husband is tired. I can't seem to get motivated in the mornings to do anything other than sit and stare out the window. My husband has been late for work 2 of the 3 days he's gone in this week. The other two kiddos complain that Kayley is too loud at night. And where is Kayley in all of this misery? Sleeping in peacefully, while the rest of us are suffering.

Fun times, I tell ya!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Letters To Santa

2008-12-24T08:46:00.002-05:00

My strange little children's letters to Santa:

Dear Santa Claus,

I want colorful bubbles and um, okay, and I also like a web shooter. Um, a new shirt, um, how about some new pants and some new pair of socks. I've been good this year. I like your reindeer.

Hayden

I want a friend for Bunny.

Yes, I do know how to type. This is just EXACTLY how his letter was narrated to my mom last weekend when they worked on Christmas lists while Will and I were out shopping. Hayden told me when I read the letter that he included that he had been good to make sure that Santa brought him toys. And "Bunny", he's Hayden's lovey that he sleeps with every night. Aww! Oh and out of everything on his list..not that there's much(could have saved a few bucks if I had seen this first!) he did get his Spiderman Web Blaster. It was what he has been asking for since LAST Christmas!

Dear Santa,

I want a kitchen thing, I want flowers, I want a kitty and drink juice. I want a pee in the potty doll and bubbles, and that's all I need.

Your Friend,
Tara

I want a princess.

Tara got her pee in the potty doll, of course. The rest..well the kitty is coming after the tree goes down (and she knows this) and I could probably give her a cup of juice on Christmas morning and tell her Santa left it for her!

Dear Santa Claus,

I want a bottle, a teddy bear and a giraffe and duck. She would really like, how about, a little book for her. How about a elephant and that's all. I've been really good this year.

Kayley (narrated to Grammy by Hayden & Tara)

Hmm...she got her teddy bear, and a couple of books. The rest...well I dont have a shovel big enough to clean up elephant poop! Oh and she really HAS been good this year...except the temper tantrums.

Now this is what I would like for Christmas:

Dear Santa (otherwise known as Will),

I would like to sleep in every day this upcoming weekend. I would like you to make dinner (this includes meal planning and grocery shopping) for one week. I want 1 hour to take bubble bath every evening (before the kids go to bed!) for a month. I would like a gift certificate to a fancy salon to have my hair cut, colored, and eyebrows waxed. Might as well throw in a massage while you're at it. But what I would like most of all...is a maid, a personal chef, and a nanny for 2 hours every afternoon so I can nap! That's all! I'm sure you can manage this!!

Love & Merry Christmas,
Jen

P.S. I'm getting you a carbon monoxide detector and a mailbox, if that helps you with finalizing your list!

Kisses For The Mailman

2008-12-23T08:55:00.003-05:00

I think I need to do more selfless giving while my children are watching. You see, when we moved into this house we realized we didn't have a mailbox. Apparently the man who lived here before had always used a PO box. So..we have to install one. Our neighborhood is in a driving route, and to install a mailbox post, well it would be a bit of trouble with the frozen ground. So my husband talked to our mailman and he said he would just put our mail between our storm door and front door until we can get a box put in. Very nice of him!

Anyway, back to the selfless giving. So I was finishing some last minute Christmas cards and I made up a little goodie bag assortment of Hershey Kisses as a holiday "thank you" to our mailman. Well my kids were totally confused by this.

"What are you doing?"
"Is the mailman going to eat those?"
"Why does he get some of our candy?"
"I'm going to watch him out the window while he eats them!"
"Will he eat them on our porch?"
"What if he's not hungry?"

And it went on and on! Apparently, I am not doing a good enough job of teaching my children that it is the NICE thing to do to give people who are nice to us a little treat.

Hopefully today taught them a little something!

Although, right now they just seems confused and a little pissed that I've given away some of their candy!

Have A Good Day!

2008-12-18T09:23:00.002-05:00

I was up, showered, dressed, with hair and makeup done by 7:05 this morning. This is about an hour earlier than usual. My husband leaves for work around 6:30am and the kids and I are usually up and getting dressed by 7:30-8am. Since moving into this house...lets just say I am now up as soon as my husband is out the door. Sometimes, like today, before that. Our bathroom is right next to our daughters' room and he always manages to wake up our 3 year old.

Now I know that he "tries" to be quiet. But I really think he could try harder. If he showered at night, that would eliminate a TON of noise. If he would not open the linen closet door to get his towel and washcloth out so loudly that it actually wakes me up and I'm down the hall, this would be a good thing. And if he wouldn't RIP OPEN the tape on boxes in the hall closet looking for his winter hat when he has a hood on his coat (like he did today) THAT would REALLY make me happy!

I was so mad this morning! I mean I know that he is up and going to work and I am still in bed so that's not totally fair. But if it's a problem for him and he wishes I would get up when he does, he just needs to ask. But waking up the kids so that I have to get up. Not cool. Of course I have no evidence that he does these things on purpose, but I have my suspicions. I personally don't mind getting up early. I'm not very pleasant in the mornings, but if there is hot coffee waiting for me in the kitchen, I can tolerate it (after about my 5th cup). But having a 3 year old awake before 7am, who is now refusing naps...well that just makes for a miserable day come about 2pm.

So Tara and I were up early. The other 2 slept in until after 8am. And Tara is already rubbing her eyes and crying behind the couch because "Hayden looked at her".

Thanks, honey! Hope YOU have a great day!

Greetings From Our New Home

2008-12-17T08:26:00.004-05:00

Here I am? Were you wondering what happened?

We are all moved into our new home. We moved on the 6th. In the snow. It was hell. But so worth it!

We're getting unpacked and our house is coming together very nicely. We're decorated for Christmas. Major plus there! We just weren't "feeling it" until the tree went up. Now that we are we're freaked out because we have no gifts for the kids! I finally did sit down on Monday and order the items that either aren't available in the stores or were just too dang expensive. Amazon is my friend! That's for sure!

My 3 year old has been saying she wants a "pee in the potty doll" for weeks now. Unfortunately, the one she so desperately wants is $50 (at least) in the stores. It's the Little Mommy Gotta Go Doll. We just can not imagine spending $50 on something like that this year. But I found it on Amazon for $24.99 with free shipping and I snagged that real quick! Good thing because today it's up to $39.99! Strangely, it came in a box, without the actual packaging. Something about "frustration-free packaging" or whatever was enclosed. Made me a little mad, because I want that "WOW! LOOK WHAT I GOT!!" response when she opens it, instead of..."What? A cardboard box with a doll shoved in?" So now I have to decide if I want to set it up beside the tree unwrapped or set it up and cover it with some scrap wrapping paper. I just refuse to wrap her most wanted Christmas request up in a cardboard box...that's no fun!!

My 5 year old wants a Spiderman Web Blaster. I finally found the one I wanted and it actually was on sale! And I had a coupon code for 25% off! So cool! But I ended up paying OVER full price to get it here by Christmas because shipping was over $15. Oh well..it'll be worth it right?

I figure, we only have a few precious years where our kids have a FULL belief in the jolly red elf. If we can afford to grant their most wanted requests, it's kind of our duty. Besides, Christmas morning is so magical, and it's so much more magical to see their eyes light up when the find the treasured toy they've asked for hidden under the tree wrapped up beautifully and awaiting their greedy little hands to play with them for 5 minutes and totally forget they ever got it before the clock strikes 12 on New Years Eve!

Yes I'm PMSing!

2008-12-02T09:58:00.002-05:00

I haven't blogged in a few days because...I haven't had anything to say. I still dont, but I am determined to blog, so please, bear with me.

We're still waiting to close on our house. We should be doing it this week. But it's looking like it may not happen, thanks to our bank lady who's handling everything. She's gone from office until tomorrow. Our appraisal is done and is just waiting on underwriting. It's been waiting since last Wednesday, but like I said, our bank lady is out of the office. Who needs Thursday-Tuesday off for Thanksgiving? That's what I'd like to know. Seriously, getting pissed here. I want to move. More importantly, I want to decorate for Christmas. Brown cardboard boxes are not nearly as beautiful as a Christmas tree. And if I hear one more person talk about how they got their tree up and decorated over the weekend, I am going to scream! I'm highly considering just breaking and entering into our new home and putting a tree up and decorating. Maybe moving in a few boxes..beds..who would really care? It's empty. It's just waiting for us. It's all about formalities now.

To ease our impatience we decided to hit Lowes over the weekend to check prices on the upgrades we want to incorporate into our new home. Things like paint, a new front door, shutters, old-fashioned screen doors, dishwasher, shower for the basement, curtains, carpet, laminate wood flooring, new cabinets. You know, just little stuff. I didn't realize just how much the "little stuff" would actually cost. I have just one room I want to carpet. Our family room. I want plush, sink your toes in carpet in there. The kind of carpet that when you lay on it, you fall asleep. Of course with carpeting like that you need the good pad underneath it. I found exactly what I wanted. I was so excited. It wasn't even the top of the line stuff. I looked lovingly into my husband's eyes. "Please, can we get this once we move in. It's so perfect! It shouldn't cost that much to do just one room." He looked back at me with a smile that said; You simple-minded little fool. Then he said, "To carpet that one room with this exact carpet and padding, with me installing it and not paying for labor, it would cost over $1200." That was a shock! I had budgeted $1200-$1500 to put laminate flooring in our kitchen, dining room, living room and hallway. I thought that was expensive! But over $1200 for one room. I might have to scale back a bit on my "dream carpet". Either that or look into robbing a bank!

So now I am frustrated that I can't move into my house. Frustrated that I can't decorate for Christmas. Frustrated that I don't have bottomless pockets of money to do all the upgrading and decorating to my house the FIRST DAY we move in. Frustrated that the only options for me right now is to wait, be patient, try not to bite people's heads off when they look at me, and learn how to save. Damn home-ownership!

The Christmas Box

2008-11-26T11:03:00.004-05:00

I had decided that this year we would be skipping having the kids' Christmas pictures taken. With our move coming up, we really did not have the time to get into the photo studio in time to have the pictures back for putting in Christmas cards. Also, the cost always seems to be outrageous and we just can not afford it this year. But last night...I had a brainstorm!

The kids were playing in one of the empty moving boxes and it hit me! I would take a regular digital picture of them, in their Christmas clothes, and have 4x6's printed off from Walmart and THOSE would be our Christmas pictures. Plus it would double as a way to inform everyone of our change of address and save me postage having to send out another mailing! GENIUS!

So what follows is our picture taking adventures this morning:

Trying to get them to stop goofing off!

Trying to keep Hayden from touching Tara so she would stop getting majorly pissed off!

Stepford Children.

DISASTER!!! (Maybe this isn't worth the trouble??)

The FINAL product!! SO FLIPPIN' CUTE!!! (And only $7.19 for 45 prints! Cha-Ching!)

Blog Carnival For The Holidays!

2008-11-25T11:12:00.002-05:00

You may have noticed the new button in my sidebar! Its for Tiff's Christmas Carnival! I am so excited for this. I had a blast with her Thanksgiving one! Everyone head on over and check it out!! Just click on the button in my sidebar!

I Wish My List Looked Like Theirs!

2008-11-24T09:04:00.002-05:00

While working on a "To Do" list this weekend, my children wanted me to make each of them one as well. I did the writing, they did the listing of things they felt they needed to do. Here are all of our lists:

"Mommy's To Do List"
1. Clean living room
2. Clean kitchen
3. Clean downstairs bathroom
4. Fold & put away clothes
5. Pack hall closet
6. Pack Hayden's closet
7. Call HVAC contractor
8. Pack & clean back porch
9. Pack 1/2 of kids' toys
10. Put dinner in crockpot

"Hayden's To Do List"
1. Rest
2. Do some push-ups
3. Eat something healthy
4. Rest a little bit more
5. Talk to Daddy when he gets home
6. Go to sleep for a little bit
7. Sit around

"Tara's To Do List"
1. Twirl
2. Exercise
3. Take a nap
4. Drink juice
5. Have water
6. Play dollies
7. Hold Kayley
8. Play with Barbies

"Kayley's To Do List" (planned by Hayden & Tara)
1. Do baby exercises - Hayden
2. Stand up - Tara
3. Relax - Hayden
4. Fly a plane - Tara
5. Take a nap - Mommy!

42-7

2008-11-23T08:59:00.004-05:00

It's A Big Day!

2008-11-22T08:55:00.004-05:00

Let me start this post by sharing you a few words from the song that I woke up to singing in my head...

"We don't give a damn for the whole state of Michigan, the whole state of Michigan, the whole state of Michigan! We don't give a damn for the whole state of Michigan, we're from OHIO!"

Oh yes, today is THE day! It's Ohio State vs. Michigan day. The BIGGEST day of the year for every Buckeye fan!

In about 2 hours, it'll be time for us to put the "BEST DAMN BAND IN THE LAND" in our stereo for our own personal "skull session" and cheer as "Hang on Sloopy" fills every corner of this house! Oh it's a mighty big day indeed!!

At noon..it's KICK OFF, BABY!!!

GO BUCKS!!

Abracadabra..Make Mommy Disappear!

2008-11-21T10:10:00.003-05:00

Questions I've Been Asked In The Past Three Hours (and my most sarcastic responses):

1. Can I have my cereal and juice..NOW?
(please for the love of God let me get my coffee first!)

2. Is there poop in my panties?
(I don't know, go look! ... NOT IN HERE, IN THE BATHROOM!)

3. When do we get to take a bath, we haven't had a bath in DAYS?
(You just had a bath yesterday, LET ME HAVE MY COFFEE FIRST!)

4. Can I have some crackers?
(Finish your cereal first!)

5. Why are there boxes all over the back porch?
(Because we're moving in a couple of weeks and Mommy has to work like a slave to get ready for it!)

6. Do we get to get our kitten the first day we move?
(No.)

7. Why not?
(Because we're getting our Christmas tree that first day, and I don't want the kitten climbing the tree and knocking it down and RUINING CHRISTMAS.)

8. Can we get it the next day?
(Absolutely not! We'll get it after Christmas is over.)

9. Can we name the kitten Rover?
(Seriously, get over the kitten thing, okay?)

10. Can I have crackers yet?
(No. And if you ask me again I'll throw all the crackers in the trash)

11. Why is Kayley biting that toy?
(Because she thinks she's a puppy dog.)

12. Can we get a puppy?
(Next spring.)

13. Is Daddy coming home yet?
(Not until this afternoon, you KNOW that!)

14. Why do you drink so much coffee and we only get one cup of juice?
(Because I'm the Mom.)

15. Can I have coffee, Daddy lets me.
(Your daddy is crazy.)

16. How does toast turn to toast?
(Because it just does when you put it in the toaster.)

17. Mom, can we eat in the "ricka room" (living room)?
(No way! Do you really think I want to clean up your messes all day like I'm some kind of maid?)

18. Can you make Kayley shut up?
(Shut up isn't a nice word.)

19. Can you make Kayley zip her lip?
(Sure let me wave my magic wand.)

20. Are you a princess, Mommy?
(I wish!)

And my day has only JUST begun..

I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE!!

2008-11-20T08:50:00.003-05:00

I know we all would like to have perfect kids that played together, never fought, never refused to share, never punched each other...

But it's a pretty unrealistic dream, at least in my house it is.

Hayden and Tara spend the entire day together, a huge chunk of it they actually do get along and play nicely...but it doesn't take much to have them turn on one another. Hayden will punch Tara in the nose (he actually just did this about 2 minutes ago), or Tara will tell him he smells and all hell breaks lose.

Hayden: "I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE, TARA!"
Tara: *crying* "Mommy, Hayden says he don't love me no more!"
Me: *yelling from the kitchen* Hayden YOU DO TOO LOVE HER, knock it off!"
Hayden: "NO I DON'T!! I ONLY LOVE KAYLEY!!"
Tara: *crying hysterically* "Mommy HAYDEN SAYS..."
Me: "I HEARD WHAT HE SAID! Hayden I. SAID. KNOCK. IT. OFF."

(insert a few minutes of blissful silence)

Tara: MOMMY!!!!!! HAYDEN SAYS I'M A BABY!! I'M NOT A BABY!!"

...(silence)...

Tara: MOMMY!!! Mommy...??

(a few more minutes of confused silence)

(insert sounds of normal playing coming from their bedrooms)

Sometimes when the kids are acting in a heathen manner it's just easier to ignore them! Seriously. I always find myself pulled into their little "trap" and yelling and pleading, and begging them to get along... But it never fails that once I just ignore them, and keep a ear out for what's going on, they always seem to resolve their "issues" on their own.

Or maybe they are just plotting against me?

They both like to remind me multiple times a day that not only do they only love each other half of the time, they pretty much "don't love me anymore!" most of the time too.

Just part of the job description I suppose. They seem to come around and love me again once I remind them who is responsible for feeding them!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-19T10:11:00.002-05:00

We Got The House!!

Thanks Tiff!

2008-11-18T08:58:00.004-05:00

HOUSEHUNTING UPDATE: We have fallen in LOVE with a home! We put in an offer last night... Please, please, please send prayers, good thoughts, whatever, our way so they accept the offer! This is truly the PERFECT home for our family!

Okay..now..

Tiff at Three Peas in a Pod awarded me with the following award:

Tiff is the mother of 3 great kids! She is a very busy lady, but has always made time to be my (online) friend and I appreciate her so much!! You really need to check out her blog if you haven't already! She's always sharing great tips, crafts and giveaways!! Seriously GO VISIT HER NOW!!

There are rules and tagging involved with this award, but I don't wanna follow them! Because I think you all are nice mommas!

Okay so I'm going to tell you just a bit about the house we put an offer on last night. Yes, I know, ENOUGH already! But seriously...I have a feeling there will be plenty of house-hunting, moving, decorating posts to come! This house has 3 nice-sized bedrooms. A cute kitchen with lots of cabinet space. A huge living room with a gas fireplace and large picture window facing the quiet street. An even more HUGE family room with built in shelving/entertainment center on one wall with a large picture window looking out to the wooded back yard. A nice sized bathroom with a big vanity (just what I need!), a basement (with a half bath) that is ready to be finished. And a breezeway from the garage that is big enough to use as a covered patio. It's also in walking distance to a park!

So please, if you are a praying person...pray pray pray!! If you like to send positive thoughts out to the universe...DO THAT! Whatever you can do to support us so that the owners will accept our offer and we'll get the house, I will be forever grateful!!

Oh and one more thing..this house is empty. If they accept our offer...we'll be moving in the first week of December!!!! My head is spinning!!!

Total Chaos!

2008-11-17T10:01:00.003-05:00

I know I didn't blog much last week. I had the flu the beginning of the week and the end of the week was filled with house-hunting excitement! So far no luck, but it was wishful thinking that we'd find our perfect home right out of the gate. I'm sitting here now very impatiently waiting for our Realtor to call and let me know which of the 4 properties we're interested in we can view tonight. We looked at 3 over the weekend, all turned out to be NOT for us! Three of the 4 houses we want to see tonight we are both really excited about. I'll keep you posted!

It's amazing how stressful this actually is. I had NO idea!! There is the problem of picking out the diamonds from the duds. Then we have to worry about whether we'll get to view it before someone else does and puts an offer in. Then we have to worry about once we DO put an offer in if it'll be rejected. Then of course, what if we actually get the house and it turns out we hate it once we're in it!? I worry about everything non-stop, so this is obviously no different.

My husband and I are both irritable, grouchy, emotional and stressed out! It's going to be a long process, and by the time we do find something and I'm sure by then we'll both have aged about 5 years!

But on top of all the stress, there is a ton of excitement! So much so that I still am having trouble not jumping up and down at any given moment. The kids were not too pleased when we told them we'd be moving. But once we told them they would have bedrooms they could paint any color they wanted, they started to come around. Then of course (without consulting me) my husband told them they could get a puppy AND a kitten...they are now very excited and won't stop talking about our new animals.

Our house is in an uproar of chaos, stress and excitement. It's scary and wonderful at the same time! Now if we could only find a home! I can't wait to move in to our OWN home. Hopefully this will be our last move! I really really am dreaming of the house we will live in for the rest of our lives. The house our kids will grow up in and will bring THEIR kids back to. I sure hope I'm not getting my hopes up too high!

Sorta...

2008-11-13T09:51:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was just "business as usual" around here. Tara took a black Sharpie to Hayden's bedside table and his box springs. (She's a very destructive girl, I tell ya!) I spent the day doing all of my usual "mom" duties. But then I got an unusual phone call. From my mom. She wanted to come speak with my husband and me. Hmm...were we in trouble?

Will and I spent the hour and a half before she finally showed up wondering what could be wrong. Was it something good? Was she coming to tell us she won the lottery? Did she just want to tell us that she preferred ham instead of turkey for Thanksgiving? Was she moving to Alaska so she could become a "hockey mom"? What the hell was going on? It was torture!

She FINALLY got here. She hemmed and hawed and finally said, "Now you can say no if you want to, but..."

"I want to buy you a house."

WHAT!? SHE WANTS TO WHAT?!? AM I DREAMING!?! WHAAAAT????

"Now, it has stipulations. I am already preapproved. You'll have to find a house within a certain price range. You can get whatever house you'd like, although I'd like to get to be a part of the house hunting since it's always so much fun. And I'd like you to buy the house from me in 3 years for the remaining amount of the loan. You'll be paying me the house payment (taxes, insurance) monthly until then. But it would be yours."

So WE'RE BUYING A HOUSE! Sorta.
My mom is BUYING US A HOUSE! Sorta.

I'm freaking excited..to the point that I was jumping up and down and doing a wild dance in the privacy of my bathroom last night!

I'm scared out of my freaking mind as well. What if we make the wrong choice? What if she changes her mind? What if our Realtor hates us and gets us a bad deal?

But with all of the emotions running through me right now..the one that is the most overwhelming is how much I love my mother!

Yesterday was the best day of my life! Sorta.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-12T10:57:00.006-05:00

Another Mess Courtesy of Tara! (If you look closely at the wall at the top of the picture..you can see one of the blobs of nail polish from her last bout of "curiousity".

Can I Crawl Under A Rock?

2008-11-08T08:44:00.003-05:00

I am on Day 3 of a major headache. This is not unusual for me. I get a headaches ALOT...very few last for 3 days. It's been a stressful week at our house so it's not a total surprise.

Kayley has learned to scream. About EVERYTHING. The temper tantrums she throws, makes up for all of the temper tantrums the other 2 never threw! Hayden is constantly mad at me about every decision I make. And Tara...well she is just always into everything, which in turns causes her and Hayden to fight because it's usually HIS stuff she's getting into.

This morning, I was NOT ready to get out of bed at 6:30 when they all woke up. I sent Hayden down to turn on the weather, and decided I'd lay in bed an extra 10 minutes or so hoping that my headache would ease enough to be bearable. (I haven't mentioned that along with working 10 hours M-F...my husband usually works until noon on Sat. & Sun. so I usually have to face the mornings alone with these monsters!)

I fell back to sleep. For like 20 minutes. I woke up to Hayden screaming "Tara has that finger painting stuff ALL OVER MY ROOM!" He was right. Tara had escaped from her room when she heard him turn on the TV, took the cherry red nail polish, I had used the night before on my own nails and forgot to put away, and painted on his walls, sheets & night stand. Then when she heard him yell for me she shoved it under his bed where it pooled into a giant puddle.

After starting to calm down I walked into the living room to find that she had gotten it all over an area of carpet, smeared it all over my husband's leather footstool and put three large blobs of it on our big screen TV.

I got it out of the living room carpet. I will have to take a stain remover to it later, but soap and water got the majority of it our because it was only on the surface.

I can't get it out of Hayden's carpet, off the walls, sheets or footstool. Any suggestions? (Besides buying a cage to keep my daughter in?)

Hallelujah! It's the weekend! NOT!!

2010

2008-11-07T09:03:00.004-05:00

Some days I just can't get over how quickly my children are growing up. Hayden, who will be 5 this winter, gets up every morning and before turning on his cartoons, will watch the weather first to see what kind of day it's going to be.

Tara is 3 and is now sleeping without her beloved binkie, and informed my mom the other day that she is "too big to sleep in that stupid crib anymore". Tara has been in a twin-size bed at home for almost a year now, but at my mom's house she'll still sleep in the crib because my mom is worried about her waking up at night and roaming around. I guess now she'll be sleeping on the futon that my mom has set up in her "grandbaby room".

Kayley turned 1 this fall, this girl is as smart as a whip. If we say it's time for dinner, she'll crawl into the kitchen before anyone else. If we say it's time to brush our teeth, into the bathroom she goes. It's amazing how much she understands.

I just have such a hard time accepting that my babies are really not so much babies anymore. It's sad, it depresses me. But at the same time it thrills me to think of all that we have ahead of us! I have my 10 year high school reunion coming up in 2010, I was thinking just yesterday how old my children will be when it comes around. How will I talk about my life. I realized that when people ask me if I have kids and how old they are I'll will have a 6 y/o, 5 y/o and 3 y/o! It was shocking to me! NO BABIES! AAHH!! But with any luck, I won't have any diapers to change, no bottles to wash, no crib sheets to fight with, no strollers to break my back loading into my vehicle. Everyone will be walking and talking and my heart will be breaking thinking about what my life will be like in another 2 years. It's a vicious cycle, but I wouldn't change it for the world!

INFO

2008-11-06T10:39:00.003-05:00

Please read TODAY'S POST below...but this is just a little extra "info" post.

**If you were in my sidebar and are now missing. I am so sorry, but anyone who has "Playlists" for their music on their blog I can not go to your site or I lose my wireless connection! I have no idea why that is...but the same thing happens when I view Myspace pages with those on. If you know how I can fix that..please let me know!

**If you'd like to follow me on Twitter...CLICK HERE!

**If you have Google Talk and would like to chat with me on that my name on there is "Mamaritaville".

Okay..I think that's it! Now READ TODAY'S POST BELOW!! :)

Since I Depressed You Yesterday...

2008-11-06T09:36:00.003-05:00

...I'll try to make you make you smile today!

Here is the list of things I've done this past week that have either not cost any money, or if they did cost some money, the emotion reward was MUCH greater!

1. On Saturday I threw a surprise party for my husband's 38th birthday. It was HIS FAMILY ONLY! Something that we NEVER do! I made pizza's and hid them in the freezer in the basement the day before. I bought beer and liquor and also hid them in the basement so he didn't get suspicious. I bought presents, wrapped them in the Speed Racer wrapping paper that Hayden picked out and again, hid them in the basement. Oh and I made a cake that morning...and you guessed it! HID IT IN THE BASEMENT! He spent the whole afternoon, once he got off work, washing our cars and working on the brakes in our van. Around 4, our son(who knew of the surprise) started yelling "SOMEONE'S HERE!" As we walked around to the front of the house he saw his sister and her family getting out of their car. As his sister handed him her present. I said "Surprise, this is your birthday party!" About 15 minutes later the rest of the family showed up. He was so happy and truly surprised. I had pulled off his first surprise party of his life! I am still smiling about that!

2. Sunday morning we woke up and our 4 and 3 year old crawled into bed with us to watch their cartoons. We never do this. It was so warm and snuggly! What a great way to start out a day!

3. I taught my 4 year old son how to spell and write "Halloween". That was cool! (In the picture his writing is the bottom one.)

4. We took all 3 of our children to vote with us. Even gave the older 2 our "I Voted" stickers. They knew how important it was, and were so quiet and well-behaved! I couldn't have been more PROUD to be American!

5. My husband and I cheered when Obama was declared to have taken Ohio. Our home state! What a PROUD day to be an Ohioan!

6. I took the kids to their Tuesday morning class, "Jump & Shout"...on the way we drove past my husband's work where he was outside for his morning break. We all got to tell him "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" since Tuesday was his official birthday. It was wonderful to make him smile.

So...what things have YOU done this week that have made you happy. What things have you done that have made others happy? I'd love to hear about it all!

Don't Let Me Depress You

2008-11-05T08:36:00.003-05:00

It's pretty obvious from some of my posts over the last week that I do not have to tell you that I am very pleased with the political headlines this morning! But...I AM, I AM, I AM!!! :) On that note, this is the extent of my political blogging. Back to the regularly scheduled mommy-blogging for me!

Now that Halloween and the Election are officially over, it's time to start thinking about the Holiday Season. This really has my head spinning. I am NOT ready for any of that. It could be that it's been over 70 degrees here for the last couple of weeks, but it could also be the fact that money is TIGHT and I get bad anxiety in normal circumstances...add in trying to buy all the fixin's for a Thanksgiving feast, Christmas presents for all 3 of my children, my 3 stepchildren and my 1 step-grandson, not counting all the extended family we buy for, plus things for myself and my husband! It makes my head spin!

I have been trying to put money back for all of this...but it never fails, something else always pops up. You know, things like rent and groceries!! Thank goodness gas prices are now cut in half! Right there is a major relief!

Wow, I'm even depressing myself with this post. I can't help it. It's stressful times in this country, I think everyone feels it. I just certainly hope our new President really will bring CHANGE! And maybe by the time the holidays roll around next year, things will be better. One can only hope!

He's Voted...Have You?

2008-11-04T11:22:00.000-05:00

Go Obama!!!!

2008-11-04T08:48:00.002-05:00

All I have to say today....

HELP!!

2008-11-03T13:28:00.003-05:00

A few questions...

1. How in the world do I learn to work "Twitter".
2. How do I put "Twitter" on my blog.
3. Do you like the new look now that the sidebar is complete?
4. What is an easy way to set up a blogroll that I dont have to manually add people to?
5. How in the world could I only have been gone from blogging for a year and so much has changed??
6. Could you leave the links to some of your favorite blogs so I can check them out?

Thank you for all of your help! Now don't answer these in your head...go comment the answers to me!

:)

Halloween Recap

2008-11-03T09:56:00.004-05:00

So Halloween has come and gone. Thank goodness! I was tired of listening to "When do we get to go get candy!" Now its a fight over when they are allowed to eat the candy. They've been begging since 7:30am today. I'm ready to throw it all away already!

While we were out it was pretty uneventful. It was the typical, "Trick-or-Treat", "Thank You!" You know the drill! But we made it to one house in particular and their grass was very high. For the most part everyone's lawns around here are very meticulous looking because we've had frost so everyone has done their final mowing and there has been little growth. Well Hayden and Tara walked up through the yard to get the candy and then came running back through the yard to Will and me waiting on the sidewalk.

Hayden took that opportunity to YELL "Why is their grass so HIGH!? Don't they know they should MOW IT!"

We just smiled and grabbed their little hands and headed on to the next house as fast as we could trying not to crack up laughing.

Yeah, not very exciting, but it was funny and I thought it was worth sharing! If you live in the neighborhood we trick-or-treat in...one word for you! MOW!

And on another note..if you live in the United States of America...I have just one word for you as well! VOTE!!

Don't forget, if you haven't taken advantage of the early voting, tomorrow is ELECTION DAY! Let your voice be heard!!!

Random, I Don't Feel Like Blogging Post

2008-11-01T08:09:00.002-05:00

So I'm not really in the mood to blog today. I have to finish getting things around for the surprise party that I'm throwing for my husband tonight, that I'm pretty sure he knows is coming.

I'll have something fun to say on Monday I am sure. Actually you'll probably just be getting some trick-or-treat pictures and the story of how my son managed to embarrass us on our little journey. It'll have to do! :)

Tuesday...I'll remind you to vote.

Wednesday...I promise I'll figure out something thrilling to post....or maybe I'll do a "Wordless Wednesday".

I don't know! You'll just have to keep coming back to see what going to happen! You just never know!

And MAYBE someday soon I'll get all of your links back up on my sidebar! If you're good and leave me comments!!!

Have a great Nov. 1st! Only 55 days til Christmas (say it ISN'T so!!!)....

A Conversation With A Future Voter

2008-10-30T09:19:00.003-05:00

**Like the new look? Let me know!** (Sidebar is still in progress)

Last night while reading my October Good Housekeeping, Tara, who is 3, asked me what I was reading. It was an article about raising future voters. I started reading to her and asking her questions. Here is our conversation (I took notes, it was too funny!)

Me: This article talks about how we could go online to watch the candidate's ads so we can discuss whether or not they are fair.

Tara: When you eat grapes, you're eating grapes, it's fair.

Me: Okay... Um.... Do you know how old you have to be to be able to go vote by yourself?

Tara: ONE!

Me: No you have to be 18. Now, do you remember how old you have to be to vote by yourself?

Tara: TWO!

Me: No, 18.

Tara: ONE!

Me: I said 18!! Alright, do you have any idea what you have to take with you to be allowed to vote?

Tara: A bucket!

Me: No, your driver's license. Now...let me ask you... (at this point it was just plain funny for me!) Are you a Republican or a Democrat?

Tara: *covering her eyes with her hands* Don't look at me!!! Is this over?

Yes I know that she wouldn' t know any of these answer or have any idea what we were even talking about. But it was funny to hear her response and I can't wait to remind her of this conversation when she IS 18 and heading to the polls!

For now, she'll be taking her bucket and tagging along with mom and dad!

What Could It Be?

2008-10-29T06:20:00.001-05:00

Just a little note....

To say....

Changes Are Coming!!!

The Countdown Begins

2008-10-28T11:11:00.004-05:00

Does everyone know what day it is? It is exactly ONE WEEK until ELECTION DAY! This will be my 3rd Presidential Election I have been able to vote in and this is the most exciting for me. I am a very passionate Obama supporert, as it seems that everyone who supports this candidate is!! Funny thing is...I am registered as a Republican!

Who really cares? Once you go over the issues and take the time to learn about each candidate, it is then up to YOU to choose who YOU want to be YOUR President! I highly encourage each of you to do that if you have not already. Don't vote for who "seems" the most qualified, go and EDUCATE YOURSELF!!

Recently I was making dinner and I got a call from my mom who lives across town. She had a very interesting story to share with me. A woman had come to her door campaigning for Obama. She explained to my mom that many months ago, her two 20-something year old son's had talked with her about a man whose name she had to practice pronouncing! Barack Obama! She then started following his campaign for the democratic ticket, and now is working as a volunteer for his Presidential campaign. She believes with her WHOLE heart that this man is the man to become the President of OUR United States of America.

Many people believe this, it is not surprising to hear that someone carrying around pamphlets for a candidate would feel passionately about that candidate. This is the first time she has ever felt drawn to put her time and efforts into getting the word out. Again, so have many others this year. The "kicker" in this story, she is a Canadian...she CAN NOT VOTE! Here this woman is out there getting the word out and showing her support to anyone who will listen because she believes Barack Obama will be THE ONE to make this country a better place for her children and grandchildren! That is why my mom felt as though she should call me and tell me this awesome story! I was truly fascinated and would love to meet this woman. My mom and her have since struck up a friendship and I look forward to the day I can meet her.

So, come next Tuesday...pack up your children and head to the polls! Voting is a family event in our house. We want our young children to see us exercising our awesome right as a citizen of this country! Do not take this for granted!! VOTE!!

A Little Fairy Magic?

2008-10-27T08:24:00.002-05:00

Mama Divas are having a Tinkerbell DVD/Bluray give-a-way! I am so excited and hope I win the DVD! :) No matter what, it will become an addition to our DVD collection as Tara has so loudly requested it for Christmas! The screaming at the TV everytime the commercial comes on is a major clue!

If you love Tink as much as we do in this house...go on over and sign up to win yourself! Just click on this post's title!!!

Now speaking of fairies...I need some magical fairy dust to get me through the day! I thought this morning's coffee (that I normally DON'T drink) would have done the trick...but not so! We are officially potty-training Tara this week. By "we" I mean ME! The kids and I have only been up for 3 hours, and already Tara has "earned" 7 stickers for her "Progress Chart" but also...is on her 5th pair of panties. I am EXHAUSTED!!! I dont know how much of this I can take.

It's so tempting to just put her back into her Pull Ups, but that would just be putting off the inevitable. She is 3 years old for heaven's sakes! She SHOULD be peeing in the potty! I refuse to have her in Pull Ups anymore. But man this is hard work! Hayden literally potty-trained himself. Having to actually work at it with Tara, is going to put me in a mental institution!

My husband keeps sending me "encouraging" text messages on my cell phone...but it's not helping at all! Really its just pissing me off! Why isn't HE here helping!? Why was he here yesterday when we started this but still I was the one running to the bathroom every 5 minutes while he talked about how "WE" were finally going to get her potty trained!?!

UGH!!! SERIOUSLY I NEED SOME SPECIAL FAIRY MAGIC FOR THIS FEAT!!!

Halloween Zoo Trip!

2008-10-24T08:28:00.003-05:00

Still following Tiff's "orders" for this post. Today's topic is "Halloween Present" Remember, click on this post's title to head over and take part. I am SOOO hoping to win today's prize! I NEED SOME PAMPERING!!! :) Now on to the post!

Trick-or-Treat is not until this coming Friday, but we've already dressed the kids all up and taken them to the Zoo. There was candy stations, animal's smashing pumpkins, and BATMAN!

We didn't know Batman was going to be there and once we did find out we didn't tell Hayden (who chose a Batman costume this year) because the chances of actually seeing him were pretty slim.

Well we were really surprised and excited when Batman's parade came through one of the areas where we were walking. And this Batman, was THE REAL Batman! OR at least he could have been if Batman was real. We told Hayden he was though! Not that there was any doubt in that kids mind...his jaw was about to hit the cement!

So imagine our HUGE surprise when Batman got OFF OF HIS FLOAT to come shake Hayden's hand!!! I thought my husband, mom, aunt and myself were all going to pass out! It was soo cool!

Hayden is still talking about it. But he's being very "cool" about it. It's really cute! What a lucky boy!

The Kids Before Heading To The Zoo:

BATMAN:

Batman Shaking Hayden's Hand: (bad pic, but I was too close to get them both in the screen very well)

Fall Extravaganza Craft

2008-10-23T09:23:00.003-05:00

Well I missed my blog entry yesterday, I was at my mom's most of the day and by the time I got home yesterday afternoon...well I was just too tired!

Today we're posting our fall crafts. I have two grapevine wreathes, 1 on the front porch and 1 on the deck that I decorate every season. I just get some inexpensive ribbon and whatever else I want to add and see what I can come up with once I'm home.

Theses are our wreaths. Everything on it was purchased 50% off from Hobby Lobby. I spent a whoppin' $16 to decorate both wreaths! I don't think that's a bad deal at all! And at the end of the season, I'll just pack it all away with my fall decor and re-use it next year!

Now head on over to Tiff's blog by clicking on this post's title and enter yourself in her contest! It's so fun!!

Halloween Past

2008-10-21T09:15:00.003-05:00

The Fall Extravaganza is still in full swing and today we're supposed to post about "Halloween Pasts". I looked through all of my pics stored on this computer, and of course pics of my most favorite Halloween costume when it comes to my kids is not stored on this computer. Grr! But let me tell you about it anyway!

When Hayden was 8 months old we dressed him as a mechanic. It was the cutest costume ever! He had a pair of denim coveralls and I took black Halloween face paint and put smudges on his knees tushy, and little smears elsewhere like he had been working in a lot of grease and kept wiping his hands. I also put a few little marks on his face as well. It was DARLING!!

We put a hat on him backwards and my husband made a little "Our Last Name's Garage" label for his "uniform" and I made a name tag! It was toooooo cute!! Man! How I wish I had access to that pic to share!!

Click on this post's title to head on over to Tiff's blog to take part in this contest!

Celebrate Fall Recipe

2008-10-20T09:01:00.003-05:00

Today is the kick off for Tiff at Three Peas In a Pod's Fall Extravaganza. You may have seen the "button" in my sidebar..?? ANYWAY!! If you want to participate for some awesome prizes head on over and see what it's all about!

Today we're posting recipes...our favorites for Fall. This is mine. In fact I am making it tonight for dinner. We have company coming over and it is OH SO GOOD!

HERBED CHICKEN

4 - boneless chicken breasts
4T - olive oil
2 T - grated onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp - thyme
1 tsp - ground pepper
1 tsp - rosemary
1 tsp - sage
1/4 tsp - marjoram

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix all spices in olive oil.
Coat both sides of chicken with spice mixture.
Place in baking dish.
Bake for 45min-1hr.

Serve over brown rice.

I'm also making steamed broccoli tonight and THIS! YUMMY!!

REMEMBER: To join in on the fun to win some great prizes...head on over to Tiff's blog (click on the title of this post to get there)!

To Conive? Or Not To Conive?

2008-10-17T13:29:00.002-05:00

So my aunt is coming to Ohio tonight for a one week visit. We are all very excited for this and it worked out that I was going to be able to go to the airport with my mom to pick her up thanks to my husband getting home from work in time. I was just going to go alone because there is not enough room for all of us in my mom's vehicle. After listening to Tara's heart being broken this morning when she realized that she wasn't going to get to see her Aunt Susie today I decided to take her with me and leave the other 2 at home with Will.

This presented a problem. How was I going to convince Hayden to let me go somewhere with his Grammy(his most best friend in the whole world) without him.

I thought and thought about it and decided to do what every mother has to do from time to time: be coniving.

Me: Hayden, you know how you and Daddy are going to be cleaning your room tonight and making it look super cool for when Aunt Sue comes to our house?

Hayden: Yeah, but I don't really wanna clean. I just wanna play my video games.

Me: Oh you do? Well why don't I tell Daddy to let you stay up late playing your games if you get all your cleaning done.

Hayden: That sounds great!!!

Me: Oh, but it will take a really long time to clean your room if Tara is here. She'll just mess everything up as your cleaning and by the time you are finally done, it will be too late to even get to play your games.

Hayden: Oh, she always messes everything up.

Me: I have an idea! Why don't I take Tara with me and that way you can get all your work done really fast and she won't bother you!

Hayden: Yeah, do that! I dont want her making my room a mess.

Hey, if I would have just said I'm taking Tara and not you, I'd have never made it out the door. Now he gets to get something he wants and I get what I want. Everyone is happy. Well except maybe Will, he is after all the one who will have to put up with "late night" Hayden. That in itself is a whole 'nother post!

Yard Signs

2008-10-16T10:02:00.002-05:00

Last night as my husband, the kids and I were pulling out of our driveway a car pulled in front of us and blocked us from getting out. I thought it was someone just turned around but then the woman got out and walked up to my husband's open window.

Lady: Hello! I'm running on the Democratic ticket for County Commissioner and noticed your Obama/Biden sign and wanted to know if I could put one of my signs in your yard?

Will: Well we're just heading out..

Lady: I know but....

Will: Go ahead, we really have to go.

And we pulled around her car and headed off to the store. We get home, and there is a sign that is larger than the Obama sign. I don't know this woman. I don't know if I'm voting for her as I haven't reviewed our local candidates yet. Hell, I'm not even a Democrat, I'm just voting for Obama because he is who I believe will be the best president for this country.

So now what do I do about this lady's sign? Do I take it out of the yard until I actually decide if I want to vote for her? Do I leave it there? What if I do take it out? Will she bang down my door wondering where it went? I don't know!! We only agreed so we could leave without being held up by her speech.

What would you do?

He Wants To Be A What?

2008-10-15T12:39:00.005-05:00

Tonight my husband and I are taking the kids to look at Halloween costumes. I of course want to be the "perfect" mommy and make their costumes, but depending on what they want to be, it may just be easier to buy them.

Kayley, our 1 year old, is easy enough. A friend of mine gave me an elephant costume...so that's what she's going to be. No sense in buying something when I have a perfectly good costume in a closet...somewhere in my house. I just have to find it first...

Tara, our 3 year old, is unable to make up her mind. One day she says she's going to be a princess. The next, a witch. The next, a cat. She needs some guidance. And if looking at all of the costumes doesn't help her to make up that pretty little mind. Mommy gets to choose!! (I'm voting for cat! It's easy, and I can put it together myself with the help of a bought tail and ears. So I get credit for actually making it!)

Hayden, our 4 1/2 year old son....Well he's the main reason for this post. He's been planning his Halloween costume since Spring. He's wanted to be a Ninja Turtle, Spiderman, a pirate, a dragon....all very good ideas. Now that Halloween is approaching and it's time to get the costume. He's made up his mind and he's NOT budging. He wants to be a black ghost. No it's not some cartoon character. He wants me to throw a black sheet over his head and call it a day. I just can't do it! So he is the real reason why we've planned this Halloween costume browsing trip. I'm crossing all of my fingers and toes that he'll see a "super cool" store-bought costume, fall in love and then I wont have to purchase a black sheet.

Halloween '07:

FORBP

2008-10-14T10:11:00.003-05:00

You know what sucks about being gone from blogging?? Having to get everything set back up again and remember how to do it!

For instance...take a look at my sidebar...there's nothing there except the archive. I have to DO something about that. I need to get a blogroll set up, a stat counter, ect. You know what I'm talking about! My poor little "mommy brain" is running at full tilt trying to remember how to do it all. I think I may possibly have dust flying out of my ears!

On top of all of that, I'm so out of the mommy blogging loop! What's new out there? So...I'm asking all you lovely mommies (probably all 2 of you who actually read this!) to fill me in! Let me know your favorite blogs, or your favorite additions that you use to make your blogging more fun, easy, whatever!!

SHARE SHARE SHARE!! Pretty please?

Now I must go because Hayden wants "you know, one of those strawberry things you bought last week at the store". Hmm...doesn't he know mommy's brain is in OVERDRIVE!?

What Happened To Me??

2008-10-14T08:32:00.003-05:00

Well I had planned on getting this blog back up and running...but what have I actually done? Nothing.

There's been quite a bit happening in my household, and although very dramatic, I can't even blog about it...just way too personal! Geesh!!

But I believe things have calmed down...so today is the OFFICIAL relaunch of Mamaritaville!

I'll be posting the "first official relaunch blog post" (referred to as FORBP from here on out) later this morning...after finding a semi-decent template to replace this green one!!

Hang tight!!! ;)

I've MISSED Blogging!

2008-08-28T10:23:00.005-05:00

OH MY GOODNESS!! Do you know how long it has been since I have been in the blogging world??? Like a year!

The kids are great...

I am okay...

I'm just so excited to be back! And even more excited that the "Mamaritaville" address is now available again!

I'll be back later with some great blogging..haha! (Nothing better than being overly-confident..)

YEY! Mamaritaville is BACK and going to be as good as it ever was! :)

OR..it will be once I get a new template...

Searching For Something New

2007-10-03T10:20:00.000-05:00

I forgot how hard it is to find time to blog! It's even harder now that I have to fight Hayden for computer time. He just gave me a 2 minute warning...so I better think of something to say and FAST!

Right now I'm very sad. I just got my mail and was reading our church bulletin. It turns out that our minister who had recently taken 2 months leave to decided whether or not he was going to retire has decided to retire. It's very upsetting to me. You see, he didn't just hit retirement age and decide he was ready to spend his days on the golf course. He was single-handedly pushed out of our church. By a sour group of members who used to call themselves his friends.

Apparently this group decided that recently his views were too liberal for the United Methodist Church and they didn't stop pushing until he left. He had been the minister of our church for over 12 years. Which was a record for that church; before most ministers had moved on within 6 years.

I personally do not find his views too liberal. Nor apparently do many others as his entire staff has since left the church along with many many members. I'm in limbo. I just quit going during his time off and now that he has made his decision, I'm not sure what to do. I dont really want to stay there with those that were so cruel. But I dont really want to leave either. This is the church I grew up in. But for me, it was because of this minister that all my good memories were held there. That church is where I became a Christian. It's where I found some of my best friends. It's where I was married. It's where my oldest 2 children were baptized.

But do I stay there even though I'm uncomfortable with the people there now, just because the building holds those memories? It's going to be a bumpy ride. I mean there is no staff. There's no permanent minister. Or do I use this time to explore my options and maybe find a church that is more fitting to my families needs. Because obviously...the "liberal" in my old minister which I so agreed with will not be coming back into the church with whoever the new minister is. The people who made it their mission to push him out will not hear of it.

Its just so sad. He's gone. And I'm lost. Making a decision like this that will likely affect my whole family is exhausting! I have looked into our local Vineyard church. It's pretty appealing, but I dont know..there's a lot of hype behind it. Do any of you attend a Vineyard church? If you do...let me know your thoughts!

I'm BAAACCKK!!

2007-09-25T14:16:00.000-05:00

I'm so hoping that the people who used to read this blog will find me. I made a new blog and put this blog onto an archive site and then after months and months of being offline I decided I really wanted to go back to Mamaritaville. Unfortunatly, by that time someone else has scooped up my old site address (and is keeping their blog private, BTW) so here I am at http://myowndamnfault.blogspot.com instead of http://mamaritaville.blogspot.com.

Okay. That was boring. Let me give you a quick update before my 2 year old wakes up from her nap and demands my full attention. Let's see. Before I disappeared from this blog, I was *just* pregnant. Now that baby is 5 weeks old and a beautiful baby girl!

Say hello to Kayley!

Hayden and Tara are thriving. Hayden is now 3 1/2 and is loving his role as big brother. He's 100x more independent than he was before, which is good and bad. He's mastered Playhouse Disney Online and spends almost as much time on the computer now as I do. It's a source of conflict between us and he's already pushing for a computer of his own in his OWN room. Not gonna happen!

Tara is more of a diva than ever. She is into everything and since turning 2 at the beginning of the month has started to display major attitude. It's cute, sure. But it's always making me stay awake at night out of fear for the teenage years.

So for now that's that. I really have to go. I hope to be back blogging on at least a 2-3 day/week basis. Just this morning I was thinking I wasn't going to be blogging at all. But yet here I am...I hope to be around to everyone's blogs soon to let you know I'm back! :)

Save Sesame Street!

2007-02-20T10:56:00.000-05:00

It seems like PBS is always fighting for it's life! Again, for the 3rd year in a row our President's budget proposal is slashing funding for PBS and even worse, Ready to Learn.

Personally, I believe that the free, educational programming that PBS provides is so important for our impressionable children! In my house, Big Bird is welcome at any time. Sponge Bob on the other hand, has a permanent ban!

How many of us grew up watching Sesame Street? I can still remember a lot of the little segments that are now non-existant. "There's more to a hero than his size, he's just a teeny little super guy." Well, okay, I'm not sure if that's the exact wording, but I know I have most of it right! Remember, he was the little fellow that lived in the cupboard? Oh and whatever happened to Guy Smiley?

I want my kids to be able to continue to enjoy the antics of those lovable puppets. I want them to be able to be an adult like I am looking back fondly on the characters they loved.

Dont let Congress take this away from us. Lets also tell them that this is enough! Leave PBS alone, for good!

If you want to help. Sign the petition at Mom's Rising. They already have over 500,000 signatures! Wouldn't it be great to see that number rise?

Want to read an actual news article on the proposed budget cuts? Go here and inform yourself!

Salmonella??

2007-02-16T11:39:00.000-05:00

I have abdominal cramps. Tara has a fever and diarrhea. Could we have salmonella poisioning??

Honestly, I dont know, and I'm not going to the doctor to find out, because neither of us are severe enough for that. But I was on the phone with my mom last night complaining to her about how the two of us weren't feeling well. Five minutes later she called me back to tell me about the recall on Peter Pan peanut butter. She saw it on the news but didn't catch what product number to look for.

Today, before I even had a chance to check it out online, I read about it from Momma K. (Thank you, Momma K!)

Our jar has the incriminating number 2111 on the lid. So I will be tossing the jar and saving my lid for a full refund..as the above news link tells me to do. I sure hope I dont need my receipt!

This recall is also affecting Great Value peanut butter as well..so check those lids too for the number 2111. Its followed by a longer sequence of numbers, but those dont matter. Believe me, I double checked. I didn't want to waste a whole jar of peanut butter if I could help it!

I guess this will be the end of my love for Peter Pan. I sure will miss him. He's been my favorite since I was a baby!! I just can't see myself buying it again after this. But then again, I thought the same thing about Taco Bell after their lettuce problem, and I just ate dinner from there Monday night, so I guess only time will tell.

Valentine's Day = Overrated

2007-02-15T14:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I wasn't online. I was actually feeling pretty good so I decided to spend the day catching up on laundry. So, today I had a lot of blog reading to catch up on. Wow, where there a lot of Valentine's Day posts! And a lot of those posts were from unhappy wives.

We dont really celebrate Valentine's Day here. Our anniversary is in two weeks, and we really feel that our anniversary is the day ~~to spend too much money~~ celebrate our love. Not Valentine's Day, the day that has become so commercialized that people feel that they HAVE to celebrate!

I don't need my husband to buy me flowers and gifts to make me feel special on Valentine's Day. I dont even need a card. Just the fact that he snuggled a little closer to me on the couch last night was enough.

In my eyes, Valentine's Day is a day to recognize your love. There's no need for expensive presents and/or dates. I dont need a stuffed hippo with wiggling ears to know my husband loves me, nor do I need to spend hours getting ready for an over-priced meal at an over-crowded restaurant for my husband to know I love him.

We told each other Happy Valentine's Day. We held hands while watching American Idol. And then we held each other while we fell asleep. It was the perfect Valentine's Day. No pressure. No hurt feelings. No stress over how to top it next year.

I love him. He loves me. That's all either of us needed to know yesterday.

Oh Hell No!

2007-02-13T10:38:00.000-05:00

My Baby Shaker post was meant to be funny. I wouldn't want the contraption because I know how much a baby kicks when you're in your 9th month and I KNOW that the bells would irritate me. My husband LOVES me and he LOVES our children and unborn child. He really enjoyed being able to feel Hayden and Tara kick when they were inside of me...it just gets tiring after awhile..whether your the PROUD papa-to-be or the bloated expectant mother.

But apparently what my post really meants was that my husband doesn't love me and I have no family to enjoy my miracle with.

Vicki had this to say:

I have to say that first, having a "perfect child", I can understand why you would say those comments before even seeing something.

My first husband was not a nice person and pretty much didn't care when my stomach was turning upside down when our baby was in my stomach. He made me feel like he had nothing to do with the baby and I was all by myself. When our little boy kicked for the first time, I was excited, but he made the experience dreadful, He just didn't care. I am sorry if anyone has to have childbirth in that manner. I have been there.

I remarried and am expecting a little girl. My new husband surprised me with the baby shaker. At first I didn't understand it until we were sitting there one night and the bells rang. I moved because I felt the baby kick me but to have my husband react out loud before I did was wonderful. If you have a family to share the experience of life with you,…….. that is what the baby shaker is about. I have friends that have experience the kicking and the movement of my little girl with me and she is not even born yet. Now instead of telling them that my baby is kicking, they too, get to be there with me. Having friends and family that care to experience this with me is the most wonderful thing I could ever imagine.

I am sorry if you are pregnant and you have to carry this alone... you really don't have to be alone. I am not alone this time around.

Thank You Baby Shaker…....who ever you are.

Screw you, Vicki. I'm not alone, my husband loves me and I'm sorry if you picked a loser the first time around. But I didn't. And I dont appreciate you implying that I did.

Seriously, don't I have a right not to like something? Dont I have a right to tell you that I dont like the idea of something? Or that I think it's a waste of money for me? I believe I specifically wrote that you may not find the idea as amusing as I did.

That post was not an invitation to "feel sorry" for my poor alone pitiful self. I have 2 kids, a husband, 3 stepkids, a mother who lives 5 minutes away, a dad and a brother who visit from out of town, and aunts and uncles out the ass.

I couldn't be alone if I tried!

I'm Calling For A Hibernation

2007-02-12T11:46:00.000-05:00

*updated link below*

I'd love to post all about the crazy stories that happened over the weekend, but it's too painful to do. I'll just say that I spent the whole day yesterday crying...and I dont care to elaborate more than that. I will add; it had nothing to do with anything my dad did. And Hayden had a wonderful party, he was unaware of everything else going on.

Today we're bracing for the huge snow/ice storm that is expected to hit us sometime tomorrow morning. I am begging my husband to cancel work tomorrow because of it. It's going to get nasty. The last time they called for a snow/ice storm like this, parts of our town were without electricity for a week. (We lucked out and only lost it for 16 hours.) If that happens again this year, we wont be so lucky. If we lose it, we'll probably be out for awhile since we now live in a rural area.

I know I probably sound like I'm overreacting...and I really hope I am. But, I'm pregnant. And in a pregnant woman's mind...a storm that's forcasted like this, has me convinced that no one I love needs to be out driving at all tomorrow.

I'm going to go make my grocery list now. Yes, I'm planning on being one of those crazy people at the grocery story tonight stocking up on obscene amounts of food and water in case the worst happens. ( I swear, I'm usually not like this...it's all hormones! )

Happy Birthday, Hayden!

2007-02-09T10:20:00.000-05:00

Today my baby boy is 3. He's enjoying the fact that it's his birthday and he can not wait until his party tomorrow. He's so excited about the presents, the cake, getting to see family we dont get to see all the time, and did I mention the presents? Even his imaginary friend, Fish, is going to be in attendance.

Listening to all of his excitement, I just couldn't stop myself from reminising about the infamous 1st Birthday party that we threw for him. What H-E-L-L!

Since it was my baby's first birthday I had to go all out. I invited everyone we knew and went all out on the menu and making the cake. I was especially excited about the cake. I had made sure that for his entire first year he had never had a bite of any cake so that on his 1st birthday he'd really get to dig in and relish in his first sugar-high! I was so excited!

So the party got started at 1 in the afternoon. Of course Hayden had sensed all of my ~~stress~~ excitement and refused his nap before hand. Luckily we were having the party at my mom's house so she was there during the whole set up and was able to help me and keep Hayden amused while I set out the appetizers while finishing cooking the main lunch. Soon after getting all set up, our guests arrived and so did the gifts. It looked like Christmas morning in my mom's living room! Except it was ALL for Hayden!

We did the presents first and Hayden could have cared less. I wanted him to look at everything and sit nicely on my lap, but that was a joke. He spent the whole hour sitting on the floor playing with some annoying ball popping machine that a friend of ours got for him. Needless to say, it was my husband's idea to open that up before the rest of the presents were opened. I was not amused.

After presents came lunch. I was already a little pissed. Hayden was very pissed. He didn't want to sit in his high chair and he didn't want his hat on. (see above picture). As I was making up his plate, there was silence from the screaming demon behind me. I turned around to see my dad holding a fork and pure bliss written across Hayden's face.

No. He. Didn't.

I whipped around to look at my cake, only to find a forkful taken out of a corner. MY DAD HAD FED MY SON HIS VERY FIRST BITE OF CAKE! The screaming was heard even by the guests in the other rooms of the house. I was beyond mad. There was steam coming out of my ears and tears pouring out of my eyes. Who did he think he was? (you also have to know that my dad and I have a strained relationship, thanks to his drinking, and I didn't really even want him there in the first place).

In my eyes, Hayden's birthday was ruined. Ruined. I still haven't been able to forgive my dad for that. He wasn't invited to Hayden's 2nd birthday. But this year he is. I'm hoping it goes a little more smoothly since we're just having a big family dinner, instead of a party with everyone we know.

The only concern to me is that...my dad now lives 2 hours away. So he's arriving tonight and staying through Sunday...

Heaven help us all.

Anyway, Happy Birthday to my Baby Boy! I can not believe that you are now 3. I'm scared to blink, because if I do...who knows how old you'll be when I open my eyes!

Baby Shaker

2007-02-06T15:30:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things about being pregnant is reading all of the pregnancy and baby magazines with a renewed interest. I hadn't picked up a BabyTalk since Tara was about 3 months old until I found out I was pregnant again. I get bored reading them after awhile. It's like once you have that baby, who needs a magazine, you have living-proof of anything and everything those magazines have to say. But, when I'm pregnant(even though I have other kids) I love to read the magazines and dream about how everything the articles say, I will do...and of course I will in turn have a perfect pregnancy and a perfect baby.

While reading through a past issue if BabyTalk that my doctor's office had included in their "Congratulations Your Pregnant" bag, I stumbled across an advertisement for this.

If you start cracking up laughing, don't feel bad, I did too. Who knows, maybe you wont find it funny at all..but the thought of putting that strange contraption on my belly so that my baby can tell me "hi" is ridiculous!!

After checking out their website I got to laughing even harder.

Not since the sonogram has there been anything so exciting for parents waiting for their child’s birth!

Oh really? Do they really think a mother needs to put a huge eyesore on top of her already incredibly swollen natural eyesore to know that her baby is in their playing kickball with her ribcage?

Priceless to Capture on a still or video camera for precious memories!

I dare someone to put that thing on my belly and take a picture...go ahead and just try it.

In a way I'm not surprised that a man invented this. A woman gets to sit around all day feeling that ~~evil spawn kicking the crap out of her insides~~ precious miracle making it's life known all day every day; she doesn't need a jingle bell and waving flag to make that known. So, in theory, a father would love to have that life be known to him every possible moment that the mother does.

But then I remember very vividly while pregnant with both of my kids how I would jump and yell for Will to feel my stomach everytime the baby would kick. I remember the first few days of it being so exciting for us both. I remember Will getting totally bored and then annoyed with me that I would bother him every time. And then I remember me complaining after awhile because it was exhausting and painful and even a tad annoying. The thought of either him or I getting excited over a bell ringing during American Idol every few seconds makes me laugh.

I could just see it getting slammed against a wall by my husband because it disturbed our show one too many times. Or buried in the backyard because on top of me having to deal with constant kicking and punching, I now have to be disturbed by the tinkling of bells.

So no, I will not be investing $21.95 for the Baby Shaker. But if you're pregnant and would like some peace and quiet from your husband, this may be your ticket. Just slap that baby right up on your belly and let the jingling begin. I dont think it will take long before the novelty wears off and your husband heads for the solitude of his garage. And then you'll have the TV all to yourself!

Loving father, Ken Duncan; I admire the fact that you truly loved enjoying your unborn child. I think it's a great idea...just not for most of us hormonally driven pregnant women with husbands who honestly do not want to know how often their unborn child is causing discomfort to the woman he loves.

Oh and the name itself....well I can only say that I can just imagine the internet hits your site gets.

February, Dreaduary

2007-02-01T11:52:00.000-05:00

It's February. The only month of the year that makes my head spin...even more than the holiday season. We have so much going on this month that this year I wish I could just skip it all. I'm tired. I'm nauseas (even while taking the Zofran). I just would like to skip February this year.

Both of Will and my's siblings have birthday's this month.

Hayden's 3rd birthday is this month.

Then there's Valentines Day.

Will and my's 2nd Anniversary is this month.

Oh, Super Bowl Sunday is now this month...didn't it used to always be in January?

Plus, this year I've got Hayden starting Sunday School, and although I'm really excited for it, it's just more things that we have going on!

It may not sound like a lot, but it really is. And I'm just too tired to deal with February this year. Oh how I wish I could just hibernate for this one month!

A Personal Revival

2007-01-29T11:17:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to church for the first time in months. I've really been feeling that I needed to make some changes within myself so that I can better my family. First and foremost in my mind was to strengthen my faith. I dont know why I felt so strongly that that was what I needed to do, but I did it anyway.

Once I got to church the answer was there. The sermon touched me in a way no other sermon had. Some of the points that my minister made pushed me into realizing that I'm not going to be able to better the life of my family without first living a God-centered life. Now, I knew all of this deep down. But sometimes it has to be spelled out for you over and over before you finally GET it.

Let me just say; I got the message this time!

Not only did I decided to join a Sunday night Bible Study (which I attended last night). But I found out that starting this Sunday Hayden can begin going to Sunday School. And because I'll be taking him to Sunday School the hour before church begins, I'll be joining my own Sunday School class. Something I haven't done since I was 4 years old!

Hayden's birthday is next week, he'll be 3.. that's why he'll be able to start the class (which is beginning a new session, so he wont be behind) this Sunday. He'll be working on memorizing John 3:16 and on a Sunday in mid-March, his class will get up in front of the church and recite what they've learned!! Then they'll have a party! I'm so excited!! I remember when he was a baby watching all of the little Sunday School kids up there, doing the same thing, and imagining what it would be like when he was able to join them. Now that time is here!!

I just wanted to share this with you all because I truly feel like a change is taking place in my heart and life. I dream of a day when my whole family walks hand in hand into the church. I dream of the day when my husband joins me for the Bible Study while our children benefit from the free childcare in the next room. But, until then (which knowing Will probably will be in the near future, he was so excited hearing my stories last night) I am going to work on me. I plan on benefiting from what a huge blessing that was opened to me yesterday. It was no coincidence that I felt I needed to go back to church. I was meant to be there on that specific day!

One added benefit to my husband coming along with me to Bible Study would be the fact that I wouldn't have to come home to him telling me that he couldn't find any pj's for Hayden; checking in the obvious place, the LAUNDRY ROOM, didn't occur to him. Instead, he dug through a bag of hand-me-downs from his sister's boys and found a pair of footie jammies that had the knees worn out of them and the feet cut off! My son came downstairs this morning looking worse than one of the Lost Boys from Never-Never Land!

Good thing I fed them all dinner before I left...

Update

2007-01-27T11:26:00.000-05:00

Well, I didn't have to resort to illegal drugs... ;) ...my OB/GYN prescribed Zofran for me. And it is working wonders!

I feel more like myself than I have in weeks! Not 100%, but I'm actually out of my pj's. A HUGE step in the right direction!

Have a great weekend! I plan to!

One HIGH Momma?

2007-01-26T13:39:00.000-05:00

Well I'm desperate for some relief of my nausea, since none of the at-home cures are working and neither is the Phenergan Rx he gave me last week.

That's right I'm DES-PER-ATE.

I was reading this website about different medications prescribed to combat morning sickness. Scroll down until you see the Misc. column. See what the fifth item is on that list...

Marijuana.

I'm waiting on a call-back from my doctor's office. I can pretty much guarantee you that he will not be recommending that I call the kid I knew from highschool who the last I heard was still selling smoke to everyone and anyone who would buy it.

I dont think I'm that desperate...yet.

10 Things About Me

2007-01-25T11:23:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Chris I have my blog entry for today. Of course I dont know if I should be thanking her because this is kind of hard.

10 Things About Me

1. I love squirrels! I think they are so darn cute! I even have a small collection of them (fake, not real ones!)

2. I can't watch the movie Field Of Dreams because the "If you build it, they will come" part scares the crap out of me! My husband and his boys think it's hilarious and they'll wait until I'm in a room alone and then they'll sit outside the door and whisper that. It usually induces blood-curdling screams out of me! Seriously.

3. I started blogging as A Tight Knit Mom. You can still go there and read the archives. I'll delete it someday, but I need to print out all of the posts before I do that.

4. I love to knit and cross-stitch. I haven't been able to do either lately because they both make my nausea worse.

5. I want to move to Clearwater, FL more than anything. (or somewhere in that surrounding area) My husband lived there for 8 years with his first wife and kids and he's dying to move back. Of course we probably never will because his kids are here.

6. If we did move down there, my mom would have to come along. Neither of us could stand to be apart for too long.

7. I used to sell Mary Kay when Punk was born. I actually thought I'd have the time to grow that business. hahahaha!! Stupid mistake. Dont let those Mary Kay ladies get ahold of you...they're scary!!! I'd love to find a work at home job...but it'll probably never happen. :(

8. I have a serious TV addiction. Especially since we got our DVR. We never watch live TV. We always have something to watch on the DVR while the shows that are on are recording. Right now we're 5 episodes behind on ER and 4 behind on Desperate Housewives.

9. I am mad at Good Housekeeping because I always get my subscription 2 weeks after I see the magazine on the newsstand! Such a piece of crap! I'll never win any of their "first 100 to enter" contests because people without the subscriptions are getting the chance first! I thought the point to having a subscription was to get it before you could buy it at the newsstand!?

10. I hate to shop for clothes. I really do. I'm so not a girl in that aspect. Just the thought of going into a clothing store induces a panic attack. You'd think I'd have no style and not care what I was wearing because of that, but it's not true. I do want to be in style...I think it's just the thought of spending money on clothes that sets it off!

The End.

I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you want to do this on your own blog...let me know and I'll link to you.

I'm Just Not That Into Her

2007-01-23T11:14:00.000-05:00

My husband's ex-wife is harrassing me! I had to email her our picture's from 19's graduation party a few months ago and ever since then she has been sending me forwards. Unfortunatly, it didn't stop there.

She apparently joined a new MySpace-wannabe website and she invited me to join. The other day I got one of those automated emails from the site saying "Are you Ex's Friend? Yes or No Click One."

I, of course was not falling into this trap, so I just deleted the email. I just dont want to join the stupid site. I have a PRIVATE MySpace page and I dont even like it! I just can't delete it because I like being able to snoop on what people I knew in highschool are doing now. It's really funny sometimes! But I dont want to go joining ever generic out there.

So now she keeps sending me invites. I really dont want to click the NO I'M NOT YOUR FRIEND BUTTON, because who knows what kind of drama that may start. So, I guess I'll just continue to ignore her. Just like I ignore the forwards. I never respond, I never send on my own.

I just wish I knew why she insists on all of this. I can guaran-damn-tee you that I would never invite her to be my friend on some website. No way, no how.

Any suggestions, or do you think I should go right on ignoring her. It seems to not be working, but is the most polite thing I can think to do. I really dont want to respond, I dont like her enough for that!

One more, off the subject, thing: I mentioned yesterday that there was a site that I picked first but I couldn't in good conscience link to her. Well she commented and promised me that she'll work hard to get that "offensive" post off of her front page, so she's going on my blogroll! :) Check her out at Diary of a Crazed Mommy.

A New Read For Me

2007-01-22T12:48:00.000-05:00

I'm really trying to get myself back into blogging like I used to be. I really am. I promised myself when I logged on to the internet today that I was going to post a blog entry. I sat here for ever just staring at my screen. Nothing was coming to me. SO I decided to go searching my blog roll hoping that by some off the wall chance someone would have tagged me for a meme. I just wanted to post something!!

What I found was no meme(thank goodness), but a small challenge from Karen over at Troll Baby. She wanted her readers to discover a new blog that they enjoyed and then spend time getting to know all about it. I thought it would be really easy and I'd be back on the couch in a matter of minutes wallowing in my "morning sickness" misery. But it actually took a lot more time than I could have ever imagined!

The first one that I really liked and wanted to use had a post devoted to wishing the Florida Gators well in beating MY Ohio State Buckeyes in the National Championship game...so although her blog was good, I could not in good conscience use her as my pick. ;)

So this is the one that I finally found. It's unique in it's own way, and actually captivates me enough to want to continue reading.

Not Calm (dot com)

She has 4 kids ranging in age from 9 to 3 and I couldn't help but want to read her blog. Mainly for selfish reasons. I'm hoping that through her writing I'll be able to get some sort of idea of what my life will be like down the road with my 3, since they'll all be close in age like her 4.

I'd love to elaborate more, but because I just spent the last two hours searching for and then reading this new blog. I am very tried and my stomach is very unsettled! I need to go lie down, or puke, or something. So please...ignore me and all of my whiny-ness and go read this new blog! It's good. And comes complete with pictures of squirrels! My favorite animal...although after reading her post...I'm glad I haven't experienced them like she has!!

It's Not You...

2007-01-18T12:53:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm not doing a good job at sticking to any of my New Year Resolutions, but what's done is done, I'm here now.

I've been missing for so long because I am suffering from severe "morning" sickness. I have to deal with intolerable nausea from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed. My OB has prescribed me Phenergan, but because taking a whole pill or even a half a pill knocks me out cold, I'm reduced to taking a quarter of one. (I heard about a drug called Zofran that would not make me drowsy at all, but when I asked, the nurse said he will not prescribe me anything else.) Although taking a quarter of the Phenergan pill does not knock me out, it doesn't really do much for my nausea either. As long as I sit somewhere perfectly still, I can actually enjoy a few minutes of comfort. But the minute I stand up, or even reach for my water bottle, the waves of nausea are back.

I'm miserable.

So please forgive me for not blogging as often as I used to. I still have been checking my email and even getting on Yahoo! IM at least 3 days a week. So it's not like I'm never online, it's just that when you feel sick all of the time; creativity is something of the past. I haven't even been reading blogs because honestly, all of your creativity just pisses me off. Who do you people think you get to be so quirky and fun while I'm so sick and have no one to take care of me?

Well, I do have my husband, and he's trying, but the fact of the matter is; he's not here all day long. And I need him (or someone!) here with me all day. My house is a mess, my laundry has fallen behind, my kids are literally living in their jammies because planning outfits for them is just too much work. And me...well I'm lucky if I get a shower, let alone put on make-up or even brush my hair.

I am going to try to post more regularaly, but if I go missing for days on end...please understand. It's not you, it's me!

MY New Year Resolutions

2007-01-02T09:08:00.000-05:00

1. To rejoin Flylady. I was a much happier person with a MUCH cleaner house when I followed her system. (the complete story as to why I decided to put up with the millions of emails a day to follow tomorrow!)

2. To call my younger brother who lives in the city once every week. He may be 21 with lots of friends and lots of parties to attend, but he gets homesick. I need to make that effort to call him more often!!

3. To blog on a regular basis.

That's it. Last year my resolution was to send out birthday cards. That turned out successfully and is now a regular habit, not something that I have to try real hard to achieve.

What are your New Year Resolutions?

Batteries In The Trash

2006-12-28T14:29:00.000-05:00

Last week during a mad rush to get my house clean for Christmas, I managed to drop our cordless phone in a bucket of mop water. For Christmas, one of the presents my husband bought for me was a new cordless phone with two handsets. He knew I hated being stuck only having the corded phone to use...it was a very nice gift.

Well yesterday I finally got around to getting it all plugged in to charge. After setting it up I moved on to gathering up all of the Christmas trash since today is our trash day. I added the phone box to that huge pile.

This morning, I went to get the cordless phone off the charger to see how it worked, and to my surprise, nothing happened when I pushed the buttons. I was totally confused until I realized I hadn't put the batteries into either of the handsets. The trash was gone, along with the batteries.

Although, I'm not even 5 weeks along yet in this pregnancy, my hormones are running at full force and I started freaking out about telling Will what I had done. I got all shaky and sick to my stomach. I just wanted to get it out of the way as quickly as possible. So I called him and coudln't get ahold of him. That made things worse, I had time to dwell on how mad I imagined he'd be.

He finally called me back after getting my message and when I told him what had happened I burst into tears. Full out sobbing is what I was doing. It was embarrassing, but I couldn't stop. I just kept telling him how mad he should be at me and how awful and worthless I was. (yeah, I know, it was only batteries...but that's not how I felt at the time!)

He of course said he'd just go buy some new ones and told me to calm down. I know he had to have been kicking himself for agreeing to get me pregnant and putting himself through this a 3rd time...but it's too late now!!

Emotional, evil, psychotic Jen has returned. Waaaaaahhhhhhhaha!!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas...a couple days late!

2006-12-27T12:01:00.000-05:00

I got tagged by Babaloooo to blog my top 5 favorite Christmas songs. Here they are:

1. Oh Holy Night (Josh Grobin's version)

2. Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire

3. Last Christmas

4. Do You See What I See (Rosie O'Donnel and Elmo's version...silly, I know!)

5. Jingle Bells (my kids' version!!)

Since we're past Christmas I wont tag anyone else, so everyone take a deep breath...you're free from the meme. I personally LOVE doing meme's but I know a lot of you dont.

Our Christmas was wonderful, if not too wonderful! The kids were spoiled beyond belief, as was Will and I! But I'm definitely not complaining!

Christmas is still not over in our house though. We still get to do this all over again for Will's kids. He has 3 from his first marriage.. two teenaged boys, 19 and 17 and one daughter, 5.

For 5, this is just the icing on the cake, but for the boys this will really be their Christmas. Apparentely for 17, all his mom got his was 3 $20 gift cards, and for 19, all he got was 1, $30 gift card. It really broke my heart listening to Will talk to them on Christmas Day and hearing about their utter disappointment. And no, thier lack of ANY gifts was not a money matter, it was all due to a selfish mother and step-father. I am just so thankful that we were able to buy them so many things that they wanted, and will love!!

I just dont understand how you could be a mother and yet, still turn your back on your children just because they've gotten older! Talk about a smack in the face!

Christmas Blubber

2006-12-22T12:46:00.000-05:00

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat....

Oh wait, that's just me!! I've already gained 4 lbs. since the beginning of December. Not such a great thing when you find out that you're pregnant and wont be able to diet it all off as soon as Auld Lang Syne is done playing on Jan. 1st!

Every year I think I'm doing so good. Only having a cookie here or a ~~piece of~~ pie there. What is it about Christmas that we feel the need to bake every cookie we've ever aquired a recipe for and on top of that buy out half of the candy section of our local grocery store!?

At our house, we have everything from peppermint nougats to candy canes, 3 kinds at that! To bread pudding to cut out reindeer! I should seriously consider putting a sign out in my front yard advertising my own goodie shop.

Since I'll be unable to lose any of the pounds that are so generously piling up on my ass, at least maybe I could make back a few of the hundreds of bucks we've shelled out on gifts!

Now wouldn't THAT be a Merry Christmas!?

Updating

2006-12-21T08:28:00.000-05:00

It sure has been awhile. I can not understand how so many of you can keep up with your blogging during this time of year! Of course, I'm stuck with dial-up so its a long process if I want to just jump on and leave a quick blog post.

We've had family in from out of state and that spawned dinner parties, too many to count. Of course shopping has been one of the major time suckers recently. W and I are going to be hitting the mall again tonight. Well, not really the mall, but we need to go to Target and Meijer. It doesn't sound that bad, but we have almost an hour drive to get to the closest ones. So, once again our kids will be having an overnight at my mom's. The bad part is, my mom has to work tomorrow, so I have to get up at 6 to be at her house by 6:30 to pick up the little munchkins!

Once again, that doesn't sound that bad, but I just found out yesterday that I'm pregnant and I've already got the fatigue and nausea...so the idea of getting up that early is not exactly sounding great! In fact it was because of the nausea that I even took the test yesterday. I was planning on waiting until the day after Xmas because then I would be officially "late", but I felt so sick yesterday that I had to know whether it was pregnancy or the flu. I was thrilled that it was pregnancy! I'm so excited...and nervous too. Even though we planned this, the fact that it's actually real now, is scary. I didn't think I'd have that feeling, but I do. At least I know that in the end, it all works out perfectly!

How Snot To Start Off Your Day

2006-12-05T11:30:00.000-05:00

One of the worst parts about the weather changing is kids get sick. It seems that they are the most vulnerable to the colds that come about when the weather goes from only needing a long sleeved shirt to needing the whole winter bunting. Both of my kids are sick. As sick can be. Coughs, snotty noses and heavy breathing has taken over the sounds of giggles and squeals in my house. Fever is running wild, and I know it's only a matter of time before my slight congestion turns into the disgusting gunk that is so freely escaping from my children!

After a couple of days of trying OTC cold medicine I broke down and called the doctor today. The thought of spending $50 (a $25 copay X 2) just on the visit has my Christmas budget wincing in pain, but of course, the health of my children is worth it, right? After being told that this is moving week for my doctor's office and the receptionist was not sure she'd be able to get them in at all, I got a little defensive. I know that having a new pediatrician office will be nice, but it would be even nicer if they could take care of my kids NOW! Not next week when they are all settled. (Thank goodness we had Christmas pictures taken last month, or my family and friends would have a picture filled with watery eyes, and wet noses!)

After waiting on hold for what felt like an hour, the receptionist told me that the doctor could see them tomorrow. Unfortunatly, it's the one day a week that he practices in a neighboring town, so I'll have over a 30 minute drive there. She then proceeds to tell me that although my appointment is at 2pm, I'll probably have a long wait since they are fitting me in. If they're fitting me in, and they KNOW I'll have a wait, why not make the appointment for later in the afternoon? It makes no sense to me, but who am I?

I'm only the mother who's going to be stuck sitting there with whining kids and will receive the looks from the other mother's who are just there for well-baby checkups and ear infections. Those mothers will give me that "thank you very much for exposing my healthy child to your sick one" look. It's not something I'm looking forward to. But if it will save me just one or two nights from being awoken by the hacking over the baby monitor, I'll take it!

This Isn't Your Everyday ABC's!

2006-12-04T07:49:00.000-05:00

Here's some things I learned this weekend during the annual crazyness also known as my husband's work Christmas Party.

A. After waxing your eyebrows, never use rubbing alcohol to get the excess wax off.

Oh that's right, I'm officially stupid. Not thinking, I used rubbing alcohol and holy hell did it burn!! I now have a very large bright red burn scab where my eyebrow hairs where...what was I thinking!?

B. Don't accuse a bartender of hitting on you without taking a good look at him first.

I slid next to my husband at the bar to order a drink the bartender came up and said "Heeyyy, how ya doing?" I had had a few by then so I decided to tell him that it is not polite to hit on a girl who: 1. Is wearing a wedding ring, and
2. Is standing next to her husband.

Turned out...he was someone that I had gone to school with since Kindergarten and he was actually just asking me how I was doing. Ugh, the humiliation!

C. Picking up girls in a bar is much harder than it looks!

Okay, so I wasn't picking up girls, but I was trying to help my stepson pick one up! Seriously, I was shot down about 20 times! Either it's a tough game, or having a guy's stepmother who looks like she's really his girlfriend is not an attractive quality to a girl!

**He did manage to get a phone number...but that was without help from me!**

D. Trusting your husband, who kicked off the night with a Corona and a double shot of Jeigermeister, with the car keys is a BAD idea!

The man lost our keys. LOST them! Luckily, my stepson had driven too and was planning on being our DD so we were able to ride home in his car. But, that was not a solution. We still had to find the keys. We dont have a spare set. W called the police station yesterday morning and our keys had been turned in. But they locked them in the Evidence Room to keep them safe, but can't get them until after 8am today. (Something to do with only detectives have the keys to that room, and none of them work on weekends.)

Apparently, in our town, crime is not a 24/7 job!

E. Dont let your keys get locked in the Evidence Room of the police station when you have to be at the airport at 6am the next day.

This is a lesson my husband learned. Since we can't get our keys until 8am this morning. I had to borrow my mom's car overnight to drive W to the airport at 4:30am this morning. And had to get back to my mom's house by 6:45am so she wouldn't be late for work. Plus, my mom was stuck with my kids overnight for the second night in a row, because she didn't want me having to wake them up that early just to ride over 2 hours in the car.

Oh what a mess!

So, another year, another Christmas party. It's a good thing there is a year to recooperate between these things! At least I looked hot...minus the eyebrow!

November's Perfect Post Awards

2006-12-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

I have awarded Jeannine, from My Ovaries Made Me Do It, my pick for November's Perfect Post Awards for her blog entry, It's Not So Secret.

If you are a breastfeeding mother, were a breastfeeing mother, or against breastfeeding mothers...go read her post!

To get the complete list of the Perfect Post Awards for November go visit MommaK or Lindsey!

After reading Jeannine's post..if you feel strongly about her post. Go visit Mom's Rising and sign thier petition!

Semi-Hiatus

2006-11-28T10:16:00.000-05:00

What happens when you're trying to raise two babies, trying to keep your home spotless, keeping up with laundry for everyone in your family, planning and making all of the meals, losing sleep with a toddler who doesn't think he needs to sleep in past 6am, and at the same time trying to jumpstart a writing career? It means your blog falls behind!! And any other hobby or fun activity that you used to enjoy!

I was just telling Chris yesterday on IM that I didn't think I'd be able to blog anymore. I feel like it's taking up so much time and that time is something I should be using on writing. After all, writer's WRITE! Right? :) She said to use this as practice for my writing, but when you're trying to write for teenagers, a mommy blog is not exactly good practice. But, I did decide something last night and I'm hoping it works. I'm going to continue over at A Comfortable Home, but I'll write out the blogs weekly and just take a few minutes every day to post the appropriate one for that day. And here at Mamaritaville? Well, I think I'll have to go on semi-hiatus. Yes, I'll still blog, maybe once/week, depending on what I have to say, but it wont be how it was. I promise though to add an announcement over at A Comfortable Home whenever there is a new post over here so that you dont have to waste time coming here everyday! Although if you use Bloglines, it'll be updated every time I have something new to say!

So, wish me well with the writing, I'm taking a 2 year course and have only completed Assignment 1 as of now, and I just know that it's going to get harder, and more time consuming as I go.

See you over at A Comfortable Home!

All I Have To Say Is...

2006-11-20T10:47:00.000-05:00

We DONT Give A Damn For The Whole State of Michigan....We're From OHIO!!!

Oh that's right! National Champs, Baby! We're on our way!!

Ohio State 42 Michigan 39

There was no doubt we'd kick Michigan's....well, anyway, but who'd have thunk this!?

Uh, Lady? We've Got One!

2006-11-16T14:14:00.000-05:00

So W totally straight-faced, says to me last night, "19 says his mom got a deer last night."

"Oh! She hunts?"

(Remember 19's mom is W's ex-wife)

"Well, no, she was on the deer call list." Still totally poker faced.

"What's a deer call list?"

"Well, 19 says that if you call the Highway Patrol they can put you on the call list for deer that have either been shot and ran into someone's property and died where the hunter couldn't find it, or...if they've been hit by a car and not claimed by the driver."

"So you're saying she got roadkill?"

By this point I was cracking up and W started rolling too!

"Yeah, she made 17 go with her to get it and they took it out to the farm and gutted it. Could you imagine seeing 17 doing this for his mom!?"

Insert more howls of laughter. A few snorts too!!

"Well babe, I've never heard of a deer call list, but if I had, I'd have wondered what kind of person would put themselves on one....now, I know."

"Hey, it's free meat!"

"Ya gonna put your name on that list, cause if you are, I swear to you...."

By this point neither of us could catch our breath we were laughing so hard. Oh how my husband is glad to be rid of that hillbilly woman!

Oh Hell!

2006-11-15T14:02:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had "one of those days"? Today was certainly one of them. First off, yesterday afternoon I remembered that a month ago I had made my kids' appointment to get their Christmas pictures taken for today. So I went straight into panic mode because I had somehow forgotten to put it on the calendar and Punk needed a haircut and both kids needed dress shoes. It wouldn't have been such an issue, but my car is in the shop and I had no way to take care of any of that. Luckily, my husband took Punk to the barbershop after he got off work and my mom came out and picked me up to go buy shoes. When we got back here, my mom offered to take Punk overnight and would come back around 9am to pick up Twinkletoes and me to make the 10:10 picture appointment.

The phone rang this morning at 8:58...I was still in bed!! It was my mom calling to say she was just leaving her house. It takes her 12 minutes to get here. In that amount of time I managed to wet down and brush my hair, get dressed, wake up Twinkletoes who had kept W and I up most of the night because we think she was scared to be sleeping upstairs without Punk, get her in the bathtub and have her almost all the way dressed before my mom and Punk walked in the door.

We then had to go to Kmart because of course the shoes I bought for Punk were too small. I just wanted to exchange them, but the lady insisted on giving me my money back and making me go through the checkout line again. Because the shoes were "Buy One Get One 1/2 Off" I didn't get the whole amount of money back and when I had to pay for the new pair of course I was charged the full price. I couldn't worry about it then, but I had to go back later and get it resolved...such a pain in the ass!

Okay, so we get to the portrait studio and guess what??? My name wasn't in the book!! When I made the appointment(in person!) the lady said "Oh, you're the first person to make an appointment in November, lucky you!" Yeah, lucky me! They didn't even put me down in their book! So we had to wait 45 minutes while someone else who's name WAS in the book at the time that I had scheduled got their pictures done.

We ended up taking that time to walk through Walmart because I had a few things to pick up and what happened? Punk got diarreah and it soaked through his brand new Christmas pants. Thank GOD we were in Walmart and I was able to buy diapers since of course I didn't bring any along, and also thank God that his pants were black!!

My kids were hungry and mad and by the time it was our turn it was torture to get them to sit up and smile! We did get some good pictures, but it was sure a hassell! I then ended up spending $40 more than I had originally planned to, but by this point I SO did not care!

Afterwards, we stopped to get lunch and then left to go back to Kmart so I could get my money back...only to find that I had left my purse at the restaurant.

Yeah, it's been a great freakin' day!

On the plus side, I do have a new renter! Go over and check her out! She's got a great blog and some really interesting posts!! Go on now...she's right there on the side bar...click on her!!!

Recognition!

2006-11-14T11:16:00.000-05:00

A Comfortable Home was recognized on Blogher!

Go over and read the article writting by Mary Tsao. There's some great links to some new *informative* blogs out there!

Upside Down...Porn Star

2006-11-13T11:15:00.000-05:00

Mamaritaville is planning on getting a little more crazy! That's right, we're planning a new addition to our family! I finally wore W down and we're hoping to be pregnant very soon. Wish us luck!

Talking with Chris today on IM she was asking me about names. I told her that I really like Shane as a boy's name, but that I wasn't quite sure how W would feel about it since it's the name of a children's show character and that's how I even got it in my head. For a girl's name, a few months ago I fell in love with the name Kimber. Now if any of you watch Nip/Tuck you'll know that Kimber was a porn star on that show. Yet, my husband has no qualms about naming his baby girl Kimber.

How strange is is that I'm wondering how I could convince him to name our son after a wholesome character on the Noggin channel, but he has absolutely no second thoughts about naming his baby girl after a character that's a plastic surgery obsessed, ex-pornstar, now Scientologist!

Of course I dont either. So either we're just asking for trouble....or she'll be the sweetest little Kimber there ever was!

That is if this new baby that we're working on actually is a girl. The Chinese Lunar Calendar sure doesn't think so!

Picnic

2006-11-10T12:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Punk had his very first picnic with his "friends". He asked me to help him lay out a blanket on the floor and to "get the food out of the grill". His "grill" being my husband's new footstool with a lid that opens to store blankets. So, of course I helped and I layed out all of the "food". The "food" consisted of a few Peek-A-Boo blocks, a couple of Hotwheels, a book, and his little fanny pack that he got at a friend's birthday party last week (they had a Dora Adventure and that was their "backpack").

After laying out all of the food he starts laughing at me and says, "Mommy, that's not food!" and he picked up his backpack and keeps on laughing. I asked him what it was and he said "It's my backpack!!" And continues to laugh!!

Uhh...okay. I was supposed to know that the books and trucks and blocks were food, but the backpack wasn't. I guess that's why he's the 2 1/2 year old and I'm the mom. His imagination is much better than mine!

So a few minutes later he comes and asks for something to drink. "But don't forget something for Tigger and Baby!" he says.

I looked to see what he was talking about and there was my sweet little boy sitting on the floor with his half-sister's baby doll on one side of him and Twinkletoes bouncing Tigger on the other. Him and his "friends" were having a picnic and it was the cutest thing I've ever seen!

I wish I'd have taken a picture without him in it to show! It was really sweet!!

Voting Made Me Feel Pretty

2006-11-08T13:33:00.000-05:00

I woke up yesterday morning with a terrible cold and fever! So of course I managed to stay in bed as much as possible with my two little monsters running around! I didn't get dressed, didn't brush my teeth, I just laid around. Around noon I flipped the TV from Noggin to our local news. AAHH!! I forgot today was Election Day!

So...there I was, feeling more miserable than I've felt in awhile and I realized I needed to get up and go vote. I managed to get my kids dressed and me looking halfway presentable and we headed out to my car. Wait! Where is my car!?

That's right, W drove my car to work. So we trudged back inside and I collapsed back into bed. I called W and after a few choice words warned him to be home in time for me to get into town to vote before the polls closed.

Around 5pm, I decided to get a quick shower so I wouldn't go out looking like death warmed over. I styled my hair, applied just a touch of makeup, put on my favorite jeans and my high-heeled boots! Damn! I look hot! Okay, so maybe that was a stretch, but I definitely felt like I was looking pretty darn good!

Finally, W made it home, I made it to the polls and survived the line! I'm happy to report that the Governer and Senator race went in my favor. Not so happy that Ohio is now a "smoke-free" state, but what do you do? I voted and at least I had my say!

Today, I'm back in my pajamas and still feeling really crappy, but I was so happy to have those few moments last night of looking good and feeling good! How American is that!?

How was your voting experience yesterday?

Quarantine, anyone?

2006-11-06T10:33:00.000-05:00

So what would you do?

A child comes to your house for an overnight stay and you find out in the course of that visit that they have something on their back that looks very much like ringworm. Your two young children have been exposed.

What do you do when that child is your stepdaughter, who wasn't even supposed to visit this particular weekend, but it was your husband's birthday and for the first time ever his ex-wife decided that he needed to have his daughter on his birthday, which just happened to fall on a Saturday.

So now, now only did your plans of sending your kid's off to stay with Grammy while you and your husband had a nice dinner and a night out on the town get cancelled, but now your children have been exposed to a highly contagious disease, that the ex-wife knew her daughter could possibly have and has not yet made a doctor appointment for treatment.

What do you do?

Yeah, this happened here this weekend, and I am beyond pissed. Of course I was disappointed that our plans had to change because of my stepkids' visit, but that was okay, we can go out anytime and it's important for W to have time with his kids. But what really gets to me is that they were pushed on us at the last minute, and W's ex didn't even has the decency to keep the youngest at home when she suspected that she has ringworm and needs to see a doctor!

Oh, yeah, I am beyond pissed! Of course saying this to W doesn't help because he just gets all defensive. And counting on him to talk to his ex is a lost cause. Why he can't just say, "You know I enjoy being with the kids, but if they have something contagious I'd appreciate it if you let me know in advance so we can switch weekends, we give you the same courtesy when our children are ill and the kids are scheduled to visit."

Why can't he just say that to her? It's so freaking simple! Yeah, I'm holding a grudge!

Ohhhhh, Yeah!

2006-11-03T12:58:00.000-05:00

My NEW project is up and running!!! Please go over and check it out!! This will be the only time that I'll link to this site, promoting myself. You'll see when you get over there that I'm a whole new person! ;)

Go on now...check it out!!

Going Into Hiding

2006-10-30T08:52:00.000-05:00

I've been reading on a few blogs today about a new blog that's out that is taking pictures of blogger's children off their blogs and photoshopping them. I don't like that thought at all. I dont want pictures of my kids in other people's hands. I got to thinking about it, and I realized that's just what I'm doing. I am putting out pictures of my kids, and their names for ANYONE to see.

I used to think, "Well, its safer than taking them to the grocery store where someone could see them and follow us home."

But maybe not. So, I've decided that I'm going to take down all of the pictures of the kids, and go back to using aliases. I'm going to get working on that right away. You may think I'm overreacting or silly, but I can still blog great blogs while using an alias and not showing you pictures of my beautiful munchkins! ;)

On another note...the new project will be up and running VERY SOON!! Keep an eye on this blog for the update!

My First Time...

2006-10-26T09:32:00.000-05:00

My first time was set into motion my senior year in high school. Interest is actually doing it was fueled by lots of encoragement by my Senior Social Studies teacher. He taught us how to be educated over our choices. How to get behind closed curtains and do it right.

It was the year 1999, and we spent the first whole part of the school year (all leading up to that first Tuesday in November) studying the primary candidates for the 2000 Presidential Election.

What did you THINK I was talking about?

Although I was only 17 at the time, I was able to vote in the primaries because I would be 18 by the time of the 2000 election. We were able to register to vote right from our classroom desks. We had posters made up for all of the candidates and their views on all of the issues all around the classroom.

I remember the feeling of what it was to truly be an American the day I walked into the polling office(which happened to be the music room in the elementary school I attended as a child). Talk about full circle. I walked out of that school heading to the middle school. Feeling scared and not wanting to leave. And when I walked back in...I was an adult. Filled with pride for my country.

I'm writing this for you all today for the organization Women's Voices. Women Vote. In the last election 20 million woman who COULD have voted DIDN'T! If you are one of those woman you need to check out this site. A huge reason why women dont vote is that they dont feel as though they are informed. This site will FIX that!! Get informed, get registered(you can register from the site also), and get voting!! You need to vote to make a difference.

If you are a woman who does vote and would like to encourage other women to get out there and vote. Visit the site. There's so much info!! And lets Mommy Bloggers pull together and get our voices heard!

Mr. Sensitive?

2006-10-18T09:02:00.000-05:00

Punk is such a sweet boy. He is very sensitive to other's feelings, and if someone is anything but happy, it really upsets him. In the past couple of days there's been a two examples of how he deals with things when someone is physically hurt. Let me share those with you...

Twinkletoes and I bumped heads. You'd have thought it was the end of the world for her because she screamed and screamed. Hayden came rushing over and this is what happened:

I need to fix her!! First I need to listen to her heart. He proceeds to put a Mega Block on her chest.

You are so smart! Now what do you have to?

I need a wrench!!

Okay so he was little confused about the actual process of how to fix someone. But how smart is that, that he knew that the first thing a doctor normally does is listens to someone's heart!! Oy! I was so impressed!!

Okay, next example. He ran out of the house yesterday when I was in the kitchen. I heard the front door slam and I took off running after him because we live on a State Route and I didn't want him going down by the road. (He was only heading over towards the cow fence to "say hi" to them, thank goodness!)

It had been raining all day yesterday and I got to the edge of the porch just getting ready to run down the steps and my feet slipped out from under me and I landed on the cement step, and my hip slammed into the hard wooden porch. (I'm still in terrible pain and all swollen and bruised!)

Well of course I started to cry and Punk by that point was running up because I must have screamed when I fell. He was yelling at me!!

Mommy, you're NOT hurt! Dont cry!!! STOP IT MOMMY!!

Then he proceeded to start smacking me in the face.

YOU'RE NOT HURT!! DONT CRY!!!

Hmmm....how do I rank. His baby sister gets hurt and he is all about fixing her up. I, his mommy, gets hurt, and he just wants to smack the sense back into me!

How do your kid(s) react to other's when they are hurt or sad?

Let The Madness Begin!

2006-10-17T09:19:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, but the holidays are fast approaching! Once October hits, it's like you blink and you're eating Thanksgiving turkey. Blink again, and Santa Claus has filled your stocking! One more blink, and you're singing Auld Lang Syne.

I have been enjoying the leaves changing and the cooler temperatures, but I hadn't put much thought into the fact that the holidays were near until I kept getting asked by friends and family if I'd started my shopping yet. Believe it or not, but some of my family members have, and it's only mid-October, but now I feel behind!!

So, I need to get cracking and start making lists. I need to plan our Thanksgiving meal since I'm hosting again. I need to find a babysitter for New Year's Eve in case my husband and I decide to go out.

The holiday stress has begun at my house, and I am feeling behind. I need to start planning so when they actually do hit, things wont be in total chaos for me. That way I can actually enjoy the food, gifts, music and magic. Because before we know it...we'll be watching those July 4th fireworks, again!

Have you started your holiday shopping/planning yet?

My Apologies!

2006-10-13T10:28:00.000-05:00

Lately, I have been an awful blogger! I think it's because of the dial-up. It just take too much time to get online these days and so I haven't really devoted much time to my blog, or to reading everyone else's blogs that I normally LOVE to read.

Dial-up is really sucky, and I dont know how much more of it I can take!! Half of the time whatever I'm trying to look at ends up timing out because things take too long to load. It's getting really ridiculous! So, I just wanted everyone who reads my blog to know that I am trying to update my blog, but it's not happening like it used to. I

have been working on a new blog project, but only on paper, because actually putting it all online right now gives me half of a panic attack just thinking about the time it's going to take. Not because there's THAT much to put up...but because it will take

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So, if you've noticed that I haven't been stopping by your blog much or that I'm not commenting. It's nothing personal. It just is taking too much time, and I do have a couple of kids to raise! ;)

We're heading up towards Cleveland tonight to go visit my Dad and Aunt and Uncle. I have that Alzheimer's walk tomorrow up that way and so we'll be staying with them through Sunday.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Passing Notes

2006-10-10T13:16:00.000-05:00

Dear Zak,

I know you saw me because I saw you look away when I looked your way. You could have at least smiled in acknowledgment instead of acting as though I wasn't there.

Yes, I know your kid was a little angel. I saw the way he was gazing into your eyes and the two of you were cooing at each other. Believe it or not, my kids used to do the same thing. Just you wait. It wont be that long before that little angel will be like my one year old and will be up on it's knees backwards in the bucket of the cart grabbing at everything it can get it's little hands on and throwing it on the floor. And before you know it you'll be wishing for those days because then he'll turn into a two year old like mine and will be screaming "I WANT CANDY!!!!" for the whole world to hear while running away from you and grabbing things off shelves that you then have to pry out of his hands only to induce more screaming.

So, I know you were thinking, "Thank God I broke up with her when I did in the 5th grade so I didn't get stuck with those terrible kids. What a horrible mother she must have turned out to be." Yes, I know that's what you were thinking, and you can go right on ahead and think that. Because in another year when I see you and your ex-angel now devil-toddler in the store and he's getting disapproving shaking of heads from strangers, I'll look your way and smile. I'll smile a smile that will tell you, "Don't worry, everything is going to be okay, it's just a stage. You are not a terrible father."

Then maybe you'll regret ever having judged my parenting. Because I know you did!

XOXO,
Jen

Legal Cocaine

2006-10-09T11:33:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard about this already you may have been living under a rock. I heard about it a few weeks ago on Ellen, who was not endorsing it, I might add. There has been a bit of controversy surrounding it and I dont think that most people are big supporters of the whole concept or idea.

Last night, my husband and I were watching the news and we saw the preview that it had been released, finally.

W, "I'm so getting some of that!"

Me, "You better bring me some home! I wanna try it!"

Cocaine is only being carried in NYC for the time being. I wonder if it will be accepted in our area or if it will even make it here. (Newscaster report)

W, "You've got to be kidding me, I really wanted to try it!"

Me, "Me too, this sucks!"

Apparently, the makers of Cocaine do have a market. If with no one else, then with the people in my living room! Even my stepson who came in the living room towards the end of the news story was disappointed to hear we wouldn't be getting it here anytime soon.

I dont know if it's that we all have addictive personalities but are smart enough not to actually use the REAL cocaine, or if it's just a novelty thing and we want to try it because it is new and it is controversial.

Or maybe it's just that every energy drink we've tried sucks and this one might actually work...

So...what's your thoughts on Cocaine?

I'm Married!

2006-10-06T08:23:00.000-05:00

After almost two years I have finally officially become my husband's wife.

Alright, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. I had never went back to the courthouse after our wedding to get a copy of our marriage license so that I could do all the official "stuff" with it. So..my driver's licence, bank account, social security card all still had my maiden name on it.

I also had never went to have my rings sized. I've been wearing them with a bandaid wrapped around them to keep them from falling off.

Wednesday, I took my kid's to my mom's and got all of that done!! So now I have a driver's license with my married name and my bank account is changed (I even ordered new checks), I still have to make in the SS form, but I'll do that next week. And I dropped my rings off to be sized! He bought me a size 7....I'm a size 5.

It's was really hard handing my rings over. They're not super fancy, but that's not what matters, it's what they stand for. I already feel like I'm missing a piece of myself by not wearing them. If they were to be lost forever, oh that would be so sad!

My husband of course had to tease me that it took me 1 year and 8 months to decide that I actually wanted to commit fully to him. I guess he thought I never did all of that stuff so that if I were to change my mind it would be easier to go back to "my old life".

After almost 5 years being with him, and 2 kids later....going back to my old life...could never happen.

How long did it take you to do all of the little formalities after you were married? Was it hard letting go of "the old you"?

Adventures In Parenting

2006-10-02T10:55:00.000-05:00

I have to apologize to Valerie!! She's my renter this week(what's left of it) and I didn't even introduce her!! I promised her a post on Friday, but I really wanted to get that Alzheimer's information out there and leave it up for the weekend!!

So, Valerie, I'm very sorry!! Valerie's blog is her everyday stories that she chooses to share with us in the blog world. She covers a wide range of topics...heck up on her blog right now you can read about ghosts, Clomid, and sweating!! If that doesn't hook you than I dont know what will! ;)

So go! Tell Valerie Jen sent you and you may just get a surprise*!

Back to regular blogging tomorrow! But today is all about Valerie and her Adventures In Parenting!

*the surprise being the satifaction of supporting another blogger by visiting her site!

Helping Others

2006-09-29T13:11:00.000-05:00

On one of my favorite blogs, Bloggy Gossip, I read about this.

Her Bad Mother was challenging all bloggers to write about a cause they are passionate about. Some way that we as bloggers can make a difference! I read about this before our move and was already signed up for The Alzheimer's Association's Memory Walk and knew that I needed to share all of this information with you. Donations are not necessary, but would be appreciated.

If nothing else, please click on the following links and learn a little about why I'm so passionate about this cause, and how you can help.

So here is my post on a cause I am passionate about. Please read it...and again, please visit the links.

As you may or may not know I have two loved ones who have been affected by Alzheimer's Disease. Because I have seen the devastating effects of this disease firsthand I would like to do my part by participating in the Alzheimer's Association's Memory Walk.

Proceeds from the Memory Walk go directly to fund local programs and services designed to improve the lives of those affected by Alzheimer's.

Please help me make a difference by supporting me with a donation as I walk in the annual Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk.

By clicking on the link above, you will learn more specifically why I'm walking and who it's for. And you'll get to see a picture of my beautful grandma who was my hero. I loved her dearly and seeing her deteriorate was the most heartbreaking thing I have ever gone through in my life. (She's the grandma mentioned in this post.)

To learn more about the Alzheimer's Association, click here.

To find a walk in your area, click here.

If you have a cause that you are passionate about. Write a post and put it out there for everyone to see!!

Babies and Drugs

2006-09-28T09:53:00.000-05:00

On moving day, Twinkletoes got sick. She came down with an awful cold. Congestion, cough, fever...you get the idea. So, in mid-moving rush, I had to make a stop at Walmart to get her some medicine. This was the first time Twinkletoes had been sick like this so I of course went to get what always helped Punk. Infant Tylenol Cold plus Cough. It's awesome and would work within a day or two.

My mom had the kids, so I told her I'd be right back with medicine for Miss Sicky. I went right where I knew the medicine was in Walmart and there was one of those little cards telling you to take it to the pharmacy and they'll give you the medicine. Now I know that some of the adult formula medicine had this rule, but not infant formulas. Ugh. So I ran it over to the counter and the lady asked me for my driver's license. Well of course I didn't have it. My purse was in my husband's car because I had ridden with him to the Uhaul rental place and drove his car out to the new house so it was out of our way. Where I then got my car which my stepson had driven out for me and drove him back in to help his dad, took my kid's to my mom's and went to Walmart. I didn't even think to grab my purse. (I had cash in my pocket for lunch later.)

So, there I am at the Walmart Pharmacy telling this woman that I only need one box because I have a very sick little girl at home and why can't she just let me have the one box!! I could tell that she honestly believed me and wanted to just give it to me....but rules are rules and it's now against the law for any store to sell any of the medicines that require that they keep them behind the counter without first running someone's driver's license. She did offer to just look me up in the system by my name, but the problem with that was I had never bought anything that I needed to show my driver's license for so she wouldn't do that because I wouldn't be in the system.

So, I left. I took a chance and went to CVS. They were out of what I needed, but they did have Infant Tylenol Cold. So I bought that. And I didn't even have to go to the pharmacy. I was grumbling about Walmart and all the idiot people using over the counter medincines to make DRUGS and they're using INFANT medince at that!!!! Seriously, idiots!! My child was very sick, and I couldn't even get her any relief! And when I did it wasn't even what she really needed.

Two days later I went to Walmart prepared with my driver's license to get the kind of cold medicine I knew Twinkletoes needed because the other wasn't helping her cough. Right there it was sitting on the shelf. WAH? So I grabbed it and marched right over to the pharmacy. The lady who "helped" me before wasn't there, so I got kind of snippy with the woman who was there.

"Excuse me, but I was in here on Saturday and I was refused to be able to buy this because it was behind your counter and I didn't have my driver's license on me. This sweet little girl has been sick and needed this and I COULDN'T BUY IT and now I see that it's just sitting there one your shelf. Do you realize what you guys put me through on Saturday and now it's just sitting out for anyone to grab? What is there just a "no weekend sales" on cough medicine in this hick store?"

"Mam, Tylenol has reformulated their cold medicines so that they can sell them on the shelves again to make it more conveinient for the people who really need it." And then she just walked away.

Now, you'd think I'd have been embarrassed by my outburst, but I wasn't. I immediately started thinking about what was in the Tylenol medicine now. Would it be as effective? I mean if its not strong enough or is missing the ingredient that makes drugs then would it still work for taking care of my kids' colds? And if it isn't as strong, then why am I still have to pay the $6 price?

I bought it anyway, Twinkletoes got over her cold. But, I swear it took 2 extra days!

I've been seeing that Claritin-D commercial where they are advertising at the end that they are not reformulating just to be able to keep their medicine on the shelf and that you can find it behind the pharmacy counter. So there MUST be a difference in the ways that medicines work after they're reformulated. I guess as inconvenient as it is....I'd rather have to go show my driver's licence to get OTC meds than to not know if something that has always worked so well, wont work as well anymore.

It's really awful that there are people out there that are making this a problem at all. SUCH STUPIDITY!

Damn That Tiger!

2006-09-27T12:10:00.000-05:00

Having a 2 1/2 year old is pretty difficult. Obviously, there are the terrible 2's, which I hear turn in to the terrorific 3's and I am SO not looking forward to that!! But, what I mean by difficult is that it's hard to know how to treat the little person before you. Is he a baby? Or is he a kid?

I know this sounds confusing, but let me explain. Punk is 2 1/2 and I see him as a baby. Yes he can talk and walk and feed himself. But he's just learning so much new stuff that when he remembers something that happened months ago or says something like, "I told you that!" when I ask him where something is and it's really where he told me, I get so taken aback!

He's definitely turning into a little kid...

But what happened the other day, I so did not expect for at least a couple more years. My son has been overtaken by consumerism! OH that's right. I really didn't think that would happen for awhile. I mean, he knows that he likes chicken nuggets. So sometimes when I ask him what he wants for lunch he'll request them. I know that he wants McDonalds, because that's the only time get gets chicken nuggets, but he hasn't caught on to that yet.

But the other day while grocery shopping I let him walk beside me for the first time. We went to Walmart and the only carts they have for multiple children are those stupid blue 2 seater things and Twinkletoes is too small for that yet. I prefer shopping at Kroger because they have the 2 seater plastic car attatched to the front end of the cart and then the basket part fits 2...that right, 2 kids!! I told my husband that we can have 2 more kids because Kroger can accomdate them while I have them in tow!!

Wow, I got WAY off subject! Anyway, Punk was walking beside me and of course he was drawn to the stuff on the shelves. At first he just wanted to help me put things in the cart...but that quickly changed!! Next thing I know he is actually screaming about what he wants to put in the cart. Here are some examples:

Danimals "drinkable" yogurt (has pictures of monkey's on it)
Scooby Doo Kraft Mac n' Cheese (pictures of Scooby Doo)
Kelloggs Frosted Flakes (BIG picture of Tony the Tiger!)

Not once did he choose something that wasn't geared towards kids. Well, except the head of broccoli that he picked up and licked and I HAD to buy after that!! But broccoli is his favorite veggie so that explains that!

I was just horrified. I thought he was too young for things like that. He's just a baby!! Baby's aren't supposed to be able to notice these kinds of things!! I didn't expect him to be throwing the Lucky Charms into the cart until he was at least 4!!!! AAHHH!!!

By the way, I'm going to go broke with this kid helping with the shopping. I bought all of the above listed products that he threw in the cart(they just looked so good!!).

Country Living

2006-09-26T08:56:00.000-05:00

First off, I'm back! Thank you for the emails while I was gone! Our move went pretty smoothly and it's so nice to finally start getting back into a routine again. Everything is pretty much unpacked. The kids' room's boxes and my Ebay things are the only boxes left to unpack. Woo Hoo!!

Living in the country is so nice! There's just this total sense of calm. (Although, as I'm typing this Punk is screaming and throwing himself on the floor because he wants Twinkletoes to wake up and I wont let him go upstairs to wake her!)

I dont know what it is. Maybe the fresh air or the cows? But I just am feeling completely at peace here, and very homemakerish. Yeah that's right, homemakerISH! I made it up...so what?

Since we've moved in there hasn't been a dirty dish in the sink(because I wash them, not because we're eating off paper plates!). I've kept up with the laundry! Huge GASP from my family...I am always about 4 loads behind! I've made dinner every single night without complaining. I've quit smoking! And I even took the kid's to church on Sunday. Something I haven't done for months! W couldn't go because his other kids were here...but he'll be joining us again next week. This is just the best I've felt for so long!

I dont know if it's in my blood because my mom grew up on a farm and I spent my summers on that farm with my Grandma. Or if it's just the total peace you get from fresh air, open spaces, and star-filled skys. But I am a whole new person here. And I LOVE it!

I Have Proof!

2006-09-14T10:04:00.000-05:00

I've been busy with all the packing preparing us for our move. After packing up the living room the other day, I looked a round feeling such a sense of accomplishment. Then I glanced at our fireplace mantle.

This had been the focal point of the living room. I kept a framed wedding picture with the frame matting that all of our wedding guests had signed. There was a shadow box with our wedding invitation in it that a friend had made for us. And our champagne flutes. It may seem silly to display all of that, but they're so simple and elegant and I hated to box them up!

So, glancing at the mantle I was completely taken aback. My beautiful wedding decorations, symbolizing our marriage and commitment to each other, was replaced by this:

I now feel like I'm living in a Frat House! Yes, that's Jegermeister. Yes, its my husband's. I TOLD you he wasn't helping me!!!

Meet Erin!

2006-09-13T08:13:00.000-05:00

Today is not about me. Today's post is all about, Erin, at Its MY Life. She's my new renter, and I hope all of you go over and visit her.

I've never seen her blog before, but I really like it!! I just spent the last 20 minutes or so reading all of her entries that weren't archived yet. She's very interesting and tells it how it is!! I admire that in a blogger.

So, head over there!! Tell her I sent you! You dont want to miss her!

W? W? Where Are the Boxes?

2006-09-12T12:53:00.000-05:00

This is moving week, and there is just so much to do! Its definitely is not helping that W does not want to help me. He had the nerve to tell me on Sunday while he was watching football and I was packing Twinkletoes's room that there just wasn't much to do, so he was just going to watch the game.

HUH? Not much to do!?

I've packed the living room(sorta) , dining room and now Twinkletoes's room. Every other room in the house needs packed and that was our last weekend home together to do anything. Saturday was consumed by Twinkletoes's birthday party, but all day Sunday was supposed to be packing. Oh that man makes me so mad!

He also could have called to get our phone/internet/satellite services set up, but did he? Nope. I did it yesterday.

Moving sucks, and it's getting worse. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, on top of having this house to pack, I need to be at the new house to paint the bathroom, tear down the border in the living room and put up the new one, and clean the whole place to my liking. Where's W going to be? Work. Will he leave one hour early those days to help me? No.

I got my revenge though...I found a border that I LOVED for the living room and bought it. It cost almost $100! He about had a heart attack, but a little crying and voila...I get to keep my border!

We Will Never Forget

2006-09-10T23:06:00.000-05:00

Robert T. Lane, 28 years old
Engine 55, New York City Fire Department

Died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

These comments about Robert were left on the Victims of 9/11 site. I wanted to share them with you.

ROBERT WAS A VERY FINE PERSON. I HAVE KNPWN ROBERT AND HIS FAMILY FOR OVER 30 YEARS. I WANT TO EXTEND MY VERY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO ROBERT'S FAMILY, DICKIE, JANET, SUZANNE AND JASON, PLEASE ACCEPT MY SINCERE SORROW TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

IVE ONLY RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT ROB WAS A VICTIM OF 9-11. MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO HIM AND HIS WHOLE FAMILY. GOD BLESS

My prayers and love are with Robs family and friends...just know that Rob was a wonderful person who shared much love and laughter with everyone he met.

Rob was so loved by his family and friends. I miss his bright smile and laugh. I consider myself so lucky to have been friends with such a special person. I will never forget him, or the great times we shared.

I just want you to know that you are always in my thoughts. I love you all very much and miss Robert dearly. He is always in my heart, as are all of you. I will forever cherish the wonderful times that we all shared growing up.

Robert T. Lane is a HERO. He made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11. I am sure he will be remembered by his family... and that his family and friends are very proud of him. I send my love to the Lane family, and hope that you find some comfort from this. God gave Robert a wonderful gift that day.... He gave him wings....

I miss you and love you too evn though i dnno you that well you wored with my grandpa and i now hes with yo now!

bobby i miss you so much, i really wish you were here right now cause ever since you left me here i've been so lost, so so lost, and i cant seem to find myself without you here, its been so hard these last 5 years to wake up and breathe without it hurting knowing that my best friend is never coming home, so bobby you are missed and loved and please find some way again to show me your still near me...

To Robert and all of the 9/11 victims. You will never be forgotten. Never. May you all rest in peace. You are truly angels. And to Robert, for dying a hero. A very special angel indeed!

Visit 2,996 to read about the rest of the 2,995 vicims of that fateful day.

Preschool

2006-09-08T13:17:00.000-05:00

When it comes to preschool, I SO do not want to send my kids! Around here for one year, it's close to $700! I dont know if that's high or low compared to other places in the country, but it sure is HIGH for me!! I could not imagine spending that kind of money!

I know that Preschool is important. I know this. But I really think it's something that should be decided upon on a kid-by-kid basis. For instance, Punk. Punk does not need preschool. He is already ahead of the game on things that he'd learn there. He knows all of his letters. All of his numbers, 1-10. He can count(most of the time!). And he's learning the ABC song. He can sing his own version of Twinkle, Twinkle and Row, Row, Row Your Boat. He's also very social with other kids. I'm going to enroll him in the ABC Swim Gym program at the YMCA just for fun. But I'm not going to pay $700/yr. for preschool.

Now, Twinkletoes? Twinkletoes is just one, but she may end up needing preschool. She's not as advanced as Punk always was. But I'll make that decision when she's older!

I know that Valerie just enrolled her little one in preschool. And my next door neighbor's son had his first day of preschool yesterday. She, like me, did not want to send him. He's very smart like Punk, and is definitely NOT lacking in social skills. But, her husband insisted that she enroll him. Well....she waited until the very beginning of summer to call. Right at the time when they are booked and you get put on a waiting list.

I remember about a month ago her laughing and me about it because it kept her husband off her back, but she would not have to send her little one or pay the money. I guess the joke was on her....last Monday they called and said he could start right away! Oh was she sad. But, yesterday when I talked to her, she was delighted! She had had THREE WHOLE HOURS to herself!! I was jealous!! And it worked out perfectly for her.

I'm still not going to enroll Punk, but I am jealous of those of you who get a few hours to yourself. I guess I have to wait for Kindergarten. But that's okay...at least it wont put me in debt...right!?

Punk's Version Of:

Twinkle, Twinkle

Twinkle, up side diamonds.
In the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle...
Where you ARRRREEE!

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row, row, row, row yur boat.
Row down stream
merrilymerrilymerrily (insert a bunch of head shaking back and forth)
Where you ARRREEE!

Yeah, I know they both end in "Where you ARRREEE!" But, it's so darn cute, I dont want to correct him!!

My Interview!

2006-09-05T10:35:00.000-05:00

Click on the image to read my interview at "5 Minutes for Mom".

Wondering what the fuss about 5 Minutes for Mom is all about? Check it out. It's a blog for moms run by twin sisters who are helping mom blogs and mom-owned stores take over the Net! With their experience running a retro pedal cars and collectibles store and a childrens furniture store they've learned how hard it is for moms to get their sites noticed. They're encouraging moms to shop with moms and to make it nice and easy, they've created a directory of mom-run sites.

Casting Call

2006-09-02T11:16:00.000-05:00

While I'm waiting for the OSU game to start...I'm hanging out over here today!

Wendy’s Whimsies needs you! For the next 48 hours Wendy will be holding a comment casting call (ok there really is no role for you but you will be rewarded by visits to your blog and comments about your wonderful posts, you might meet some talented, witty, creative new friends while you are at it.) At the end of the 48 hours ONE lucky person will be added to my cast and crew aka blogroll. OHHH AHHHHH and the crowd goes wild.

JOIN THE CASTING CALL!!

We're Gonna Win!!!

2006-09-02T10:22:00.000-05:00

Today'd be da day!! What day is that do you ask!? The kickoff of OHIO STATE FOOTBALL!!!!! WOOO HOOO!!!

(If you're a Michigan fan, please quietly exit out the side door!)

I bought a new necklace for the occasion:

Punk got dressed in his OSU jersey his PaPaw(my dad) bought him before he had even turned one. Its a size 6...he'll be wearing it for many games to come!

I even hung my flag in the garden. Stood outside in the rain, I did, I did!!

My husband had better be in his OSU garb, but I haven't seen him yet(he's still at work).

The kids and I are headed to Walmart here in a few minute to buy Twinkletoes an outfit...she outgrew hers from last year.

Oh yeah, baby! Can't wait for KICKOFF!! Is it 3:30 yet!?