Yipee Ky-YAY!!!

This morning checked Rocky Mtn to see if my order had shipped ...and it said it hadn't been received by the post office yet. So of course I sulked like a 3 year old ;) A couple hours later the mailman knocks on the door and hands me a package from ..........ROCKY MOUNTAIN!!!!
So....I have spent the past half hour studying and arranging every piece of paper...lol...while Sean sat beside me using my hole punch to turn a peice of scrap paper into a colander ;) I think my favorite of all of it is the Sassafrass Sass....close second is a tie between the Gin-x boy buggy stuff and the American Crafts papers. I really thought it would be the Bohemia...and I do love it...butI just loooooove the bright fun colors and patterns of the others!!

Off to touch and smell and organize...and MAYBE even scrap....lol!! 

Why the hell do you blog you freak...so you like it when people WATCH, huh?

There is a lot of "why do you blog" .... "blogging is stupid"... "people who blog are stupid" talk around the message boards...and ironically the blogs...lol... lately. I must admit that Rick thinks the blogging is pretty stupid too...although he did have a good laugh about his "blog." I can see why some would think it's dumb....but why bitch about it?? Who CARES if someone is blogging or what they are blogging about?? If you don't like it... DON'T READ IT!!?? Duh. This is not rocket science here folks.

Why do _I_ blog??

• I started blogging when my favorite scrapbooking site at the time revamped and added blogs...I started mine there because it was a new fun thing to do there.
• I found that I loved being able to go back and read where my head was at on days past...like on December 15th of last year I was fuming because the house building wasn't going well....in April I was having some severe baby fever! I know that a private journal would accomplish the same thing...but I have never been able to keep a private journal as long as I have blogged. I think knowing that people are going to read it...and click on that link just to see what I am up to keeps me going. Gotta keep my fans happy :) ....ROFL!!
• I blog as an extension of my scrapbooking! I have done several LO's based on blog entries. This one is based on my very first blog entry here at blogger. I have also used my blog as a reference a zillion times when scrapping to look for dates or details to use on my pages.
• I LOVE reading blogs! They are even better than soaps because it's REAL life (well...really typed by them anyway...as to whether what people type is true or not......) I have a whole folder in my favorites of 'blogs I stalk'...I have about 20 in there right now! So as much as I enjoy reading them...I think it would be a bit hypocritical of me not to have one of my own.
• I REALLY like blogging because I am lazy :) My family (Hi Mom!) and my friends read my blog...therefore I don't have to tell the same stories over and over again....love that! I like to share what is going on with my life and I enjoy writing.
• And last but not least ...why I switched to THIS blog... I like this format MUCH better. My family was not as inclined to go to the scrapbooking site to read my blog...I can't swear at sb.com... the atmosphere at scrapbook.com is VERY "Leave it to Beaver" I am not that kind of girl ;)

So...that's about it. That's why I blog.

I'm sure you were at the edge of your seats waiting for the pics....

If you click on the pictures you can see them larger and read the journaling better. On a completely unrelated to sports note. I will never be a digital scrapper. I just don't get it. Every time I start a digital layout...I get INCREDIBLY bored and want to just be DONE ALREADY...so I half-ass it (as illustrated above...l0l) just to finish and be done with it. I never feel that way when I am paper scrapping.

 

Officially fall!

The kids start thier fall activities today! I lucked out somewhat because both kids have their practices and games at the same time on fields that are adjacent to each other...so I can just go back and forth and watch them both :) I can't WAIT to take pics and do scrapbook pages of my little football player and cheerleader ....what do you want to bet I will forget my camera today?..lol!

This past week I did lots of fall cleaning! Worked a ton in the yard putting away all the summer toys...cleaning up the porch....cleaning up all the doogie doo doo ;) Sean was a big helper with the yard cleaning! We also cleaned Sean's room BIGTIME....I even was inspired ;) to go through all his zillion toys and weed them out. Ended up with 1 big trashbag of broken, yucky toys...and another of toys to go to goodwill. He is happy as a pig in shit!! (ROFL...sorry it just came out) He is in his room constantly now and has a renewed love for all his 'good' toys. It's so much easier for him to play with them now that he has ONE box of toys, and ONE basket that holds all the parts to his train set. Jessi is past the age of toy weeding. When we moved she got rid of all her toys and only has stuffed animals now. So the only 'weeding' we do for her is the seasonal weeding of the clothes.

Rick is working tomorrow...so I can't go to crop in Bangor like I had planned on doing :( ...guess I'll be scrappin at home!! I cleaned my scraproom yesterday so it's ready an waitin'!!

Wow....that was boring...guess 'tis the season for boring blogs ;)

Pics later...if I don't forget my camera!

Happy Happy Joy Joy!!!!!!

Just got this e-mail....

Res# 86686735
2/4 - 2/12/07
Disney's Port Orleans Riverside, Standard View Room
Magic Your Way Package, 7-Day tickets with Park Hopping Option
Total: $2332.12

Deposit: $200.00 Paid on 9/5/06
Final Due: $2132.12 on 12/21/06

You will receive written confirmation along with information about your resort in about two weeks. Please let me know if you have any questions when you receive it.

I am looking forward to helping you plan a magical Disney vacation. If you have any questions on anything at Disney World, don’t hesitate to ask.

Have a Disney Day!
Stephanie DelVecchio
Small World Vacations, Inc ….where the magic begins!
Authorized Disney Vacation PlannersDedicated to Your Dreams and Your Dollars
Phone: 781-598-9211
Toll free: 866-264-2539
Fax: 775-263-9283


Sooooo happppppppppy :) We were going to stay at the cheapo All Star resorts...but Liz found this great travel agent who got us a great deal...so we upgraded for just a little more. We couldn't get into the Coronado Resort like we wanted as it was sold out....but Rick and I have stayed at Port Orleans Riverside before and LOVED it there too!! The kids are so excited and spend tons of time looking at guide books and on the computer at disney.com and youtube.com looking at rides. Here is a scrapbook page I did about Sean's excitement...it's going to be a 2 page spread about Jessi also....but I am waiting on pics!

McDonald's Musings....

I wonder if sociologists have ever just sat in the Playplace and done studies? I could sit in there all day and just watch the insanity that goes on in that place. (OK...I couldn't REALLY....I get bored there fast unless I bring a magazine ;) ) We played at the Brewer playground the day before yesterday for around an hour. I like to take him there because I can usually bank on there being lots of kids his age there....and the social interaction is the whole reason we go there! Not that day. It was a ghost town. So I was lucky enough to be his playground playmate of the day ...hee hee ;) We...slid...we climbed...we played tag...we monkey barred (actually...I held his legs while HE monkey barred)...and we swang. After about an hour of still no kids showing up...and Sean starting in with the "I'm REALLY ReALLY HOT, MOM....I'm GONNA DIE of bein' hot...REALLY I AM! LOOK AT MY SWEAT" So we left. I suggest going to get a drink...He asks to go the the playplace... I figure...why not..we have nothing else to do... so we go.

Thank goodness there are some kids there for him to play with...cuz I wasn't gettin in those hot, smelly tubes today ...especially with the scary old playplace lady that looks like Ronald McDonald on duty...she rules that playplace with an iron fist!! ;) So Sean and I each sit down with our Happy Meals (I get one too ....saves calories... and Sean gets 2 toys)...Sean sips his drink and goes off to play. I sit and watch him...and the other parents.

I see...

-A mother who talks on her cell phone the entire time they are there and completely ignores everything her kid says to her...COMPLETELY oblivious to the "Mommy...Mom...Mommy...Mommy....MOM....MOM....." every few minutes that the rest of us have NO trouble hearing.

-A couple moms that won't allow their kids to go play until they finish thier lunch. This one seriously drives me bonkers. YES...Let's teach the kids that fat-laden...sugar filled deep fried food is MUCH more important than exercise!! That makes sense. Not to mention I think it's pretty mean to put something REALLY cool in right in front of a kid and then tell them they can't do it. So not only are they eating the crap...they are scarfing it down as fast as they can so they can go play....teaching them mindless eating which also is not a healthy habit.

-Then there is the mom who stands under the playplace the ENTIRE time coaching her kid thru EVERY STEP she takes..."IT'S OK SWEETIE...KEEP GOING...YOU CAN DO IT...GO THRU THE TUNNEL....KEEP GOING..........................." Cut the cord lady. I understand every now and then having to get up for a little coaching...but this lady did this the ENTIRE time they were there!!

-Then there is the parent who's kid is refusing to leave and won't come out of the structure. (hee hee...these ones always make me laugh...probably because I am not the one dealing with it...lol) So for 5 or 10 minutes we all get to listen to, "It's time to go...come on out...we have to go home now...(it always starts out nice and light before going to the darkside)....I mean it...we REALLY need to leave...you need to come out of there NOW...I am going to leave without you...ok bye...I MEAN IT!! YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THERE NOW! .... IF YOU DON'T COME OUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO COME BACK HERE! (yeah...right)....." I don't really get this one either. I mean...Sean is right up there on the naughty scale...lol...but he has never done this. Jessi never did it...and I have never seen Sean's buddy Sophie do it. I'm PRETTY sure it's a parenting thing. I just tell them 2 more slides and we are going to leave. They slide 2 more times...and go get thier shoes on...and we leave.

That's not even all....but I have gone on and on enough....

In a quandry....

The company I used to work for just called me and begged me to come back. Apparently the laws for being a Behavior Specialist have changed and only those with higher levels of education can work with these kids now (which ...well...it's about time). She said I could work as little or as much as I want to...but to please consider coming back because they REALLY need me. I just don't know what to do. I COULD go back and work just 2 days a week, Mondays when Rick is home anyway...and Wednesdays when the in-laws have the kids. Of course we could use a little extra cash....but here are the 'buts'....

• Once a month or so the in-laws go to Boston for Liz's cancer treatment...they usually don't take the kids that week since they are tired from the trip
• If I am working on Mondays...I am giving up one Rick and my days off together
• I did NOT like that job...especially since the new 'no kids in your car' policy. I hate 'hanging out' with a child at their house. It's really dumb and feels...and sometimes IS...babysitting. At least before we could take them out to the library...playground and other activities. They also always give me the 'worst of the worst' because I am one of the few that can handle them. I'm talkin' kids that should are one step away from being institutionalized because they are so dangerous and the bs1 thing is a last ditch effort before resigning to the residential program.
• We always seem to have car issues of one kind or another...no big deal right now because I have no where I 'need' to go at a certain time.
• I am planning on watching a couple kids in the mornings before school...and possibly after school also...so if a parent called me needing before school AND after school care...I'd have to say no.
• I lose my "Wednesday" I look SO forward to my break from it all one day a week when the kids are at school/in-laws.
• Even tho they say I can work as little as I want to...they always hint and ask if I would like more hours...making me feel guilty and like I am 'in trouble' that I am not working enough

Pros....

• extra money...but working 6 hours a week...that's like $80...Is it really worth all of the above crap?
• I get out of the house a couple days a week

Hmm...I really can't think of any more pro's... I think I have my answer to the quandry.

Ok...he can come home now...

OK it was fun for a couple days...but I'm ready for Rick to come home!! There is just nothing to look forward to when he is gone! (OK...that sounded a little dramatic and depressing....but let me explain... ;) ) Usually the routine is the morning spent getting everyone ready for the day. The day til Jessi gets home from school is spent hanging out with Sean doing preschooly things like the park...the library...swimming... and of course cleaning. Then Jessi comes home and it's General Hospital time ;)... homework time... then cooking dinner time so we can eat when Rick gets home. Then we spend time together til 8pm when the downstairs is dubbed a CHILD FREE ZONE!! With Rick gone...the whole timetable is thrown off. There is no reason to rush anything....so.... nothing seems to get done. I didn't even exercise today because I knew he wasn't going to come home and say, "did you work out today?" (ok...well that and becuase we take Sunday and Monday off anyway...but still...lol) I guess he is feeling it too tho...he was supposed to be gone til Friday but he called today and said he is coming home Wednesday :) YAY! He is lucky he is where he is right now tho...Cooper has some SERIOUS gas goin on tonight......holy sewage :-P

When the cat's away....

I am IMing with my bestest friend Nicole right now. I am also in my livingroom watching Brokeback Mountain (or Bareback Mtn as my mother calls it...lol) and drinking yummy watermelon and green apple smirnoff's with her. We are having a slumber party :) We had planned on hanging out and watching a movie...but we the kids were having so much much...as were we...that we decided to make a night of it!! The kids wore each other right out and fell asleep around 8...so once they were all snug as bugs in rugs...out came the beverages :)

Wow...this movie is really gay...

ROFL

I am a single woman

Until Friday ;) Rick is officially gone on his 'week of maniless' (lol...he doesn't call it that...that's all me ;) )at Beech Hill Pond. Yesterday was one of those days where I often found myself wondering if I was his wife, or his mommy. Crack of dawn 5am....take him to work so that I could have my van...then home to work out, get the kids ready for the day and get Jessi off to school. Then I spent a couple hours getting ready...cleaning the house...and doing laundry so Rick would have his 'special fishing shirts'...yeah...he's a freak. Then Sean and I were off to Walmart...the Bangor one of course as I would rather have major dental work than go to the Supercenter in Brewer. Man I hate that place. Anyway.... At Walmart I had to get Rick a new watch...new underwear...shoelaces (since this week he has been using zipties to fasten his boots (back to the freak thing again ;) )...and Tae Bo on DVD so that he wouldn't have to run outside as he was dreading that. The kids also needed new sneakers so Sean tried on about 10 pairs to find ones he liked...then cried for the rest of the Walmart visit because he REALLY WANTED THOSE COWBOY BOOTS!!!!!!! Good times...good times. Then it was on to the library to return our very overdue books and movies...only to discover that I forgot 1 book..1 movie..and my checkbook. ARRRGH! After the library we had to stop at the grocery store so I could get the stuff I needed to make Rick and the guys some yummy treats and a bottle of Seagrams...which they wouldn't let me buy because I had also forgotten my ID at home. Once home in a flurry of activity I baked a cake, made rice crispy treats, and completely trashed my kitchen at the same time. No time to clean up tho...as Jessi had arrived home from school and we had to go back to the library to return our books, pay the fine and get Rick a couple books to read at camp. Off we go again. Jessi manages to finagle a sleepover invite on the way to the library on my cell phone...perfect...I wasn't busy anyway...why not add bringing her to a friends house?....lol! Library books gotten...fine paid...Jessi dropped off...JUST in time to get home to cook dinner!! Wasn't I complaining of boredom the other day?? What the hell was I thinking!?

Oh what a BEAUTIFUL morning!!!!!!

Is this not the most beautiful thing you have ever seen.....

Some of us weren't so happy about back-to-school time...

Have a great first day of school, Jessi!!!

You think I'm happy today? Wait til next year when the bus takes BOTH of them away!!!! :) :) (Yeah yeah I know...who am I kidding...I will be bawling like a baby from the time the bus takes them away til it brings em back....lol)

 

There is something to be said for privacy...

Yes...me...the blogger and life sharer just said that.

I have been appalled several times over the past few days when visting online scrapbooking galleries. Layouts of naked little boys cupping themselves and standing in a line.... another little boy peeing into the ocean... a layout about a little girl getting her first period complete with cut up maxipad dryweave as embellishments. All of these layouts were beautiful...well done...layouts. Even the pictures themselves were adorable and innocent enough...FOR FAMILY to see. When I first discovered the joys of the online scrapbooking community I was quick to scan and post every decent LO I had in my book. I even posted one of my son's potty training layouts....and a REALLY cute (if I do say so myself...lol) LO about my son's obsession with his butt crack ;) I have since removed both of those. I have realized...and I hope others do too...that there are some SERIOUS freaks on the internet. The possibility of some sicko pedophile looking at MY CHILD in 'that way' makes me sick to my stomach. I have NO DOUBT that those pigs prowl around those scrapping galleries like vultures. I have even heard of pedophiles being busted and having piles of Creating Keepsakes and Memory Makers....scary.

Of course there are those who prefer to see the world thru rose colored glasses...but even those people should stop and think before they post certain things if maybe they are embarrassing thier child...and not just laugh it off and think...'oh she'll laugh someday too'...maybe she won't, would you?

TMI/Pity Party...don't wanna hear it? Too bad..it's my blog and you are not the boss of me!! :-P

Yesterday was a blah blechy day....could have had a lot to do with the phase of the moon ;)...but everything was getting to me. I started to scrap...but wasn't feelin it. All this exercise and healthy eating...got on the scale today and have not lost an ounce in the past couple weeks. What possessed me to get on the scale the day I started my period??? Not a clue. Rick has lost 25 pounds since we started this!!! I am happy for him and he is lookin HOT but...you know....

Also...I was having a pity party all day because overall I am BORED BORED BORED!! This SAHM gig is boring the bejeezus out of me. Since I have been exercising I have more energy than ever....and the TV and computer are just not 'doin it' for me like they used to. Of course...we still down a car for another couple weeks so I am bored and trapped.

Things are much brighter today!! (moody much...lol...ahhh the joys of being a woman) I feel great and even tho today is Rick and my 'non exercise day'....I did it anyway because I felt like it! And...now that my pity party is over, I realize that Jessi starts school on Wednesday and all the kids fall sports will start....Rick's car will be on the on the road again...and Sean will have playgym and storytime ...and maybe preschool in a couple months to go to. I am also going to apply to substitute teach...and maybe watch a couple kids before and/or after school for some extra cash. So...boredom will NOT be an issue in a matter of days ;)

I also earned myself some serious guilt-free retail therapy today!! I sold a couple scrappin' things on ebay and am using the cash from the old scrap stuff for some NEW scrap stuff!! I got some great stuff on ebay this morning including these tags that I have been drooling over on gallery LOs(I got the small AND large assortments :) :) )...and later I am going to order from Rocky Mountain. I have been working on my Rocky Mtn list for a week now...it has been revised about 42 times...and may need one more revision ;) I am getting lots of new CHA goodies sassafrass lass....daisy d's (never liked their stuff before but I am LOVING the gypsy harvest line)...autumn leaves...MME Bohemia...AC...BG Romani...Urban Lily...Flair.... ahhhhhhh I can't wait to get my hands on that stuff!!

Play day!!

Sean's lifelong friend Sophie came over to play today! The kids..and Cooper... had a BLAST playing outside! The weather is absolutely gorgeous today!

They spent most of the time in their "fort" under a bush. I have no idea what the appeal of that is...
They are so funny to watch. They always seem to be on a VERY IMPORTANT mission!! Like they are going to be the ones to discover the next new bug or type of grass. Wouldn't it be nice to still have such a exciting view of life??

Jessi played a little...but my little tween just isn't down with playin with little rugrats anymore. Plus she is having a 'end of the summer' slumber party tonight and is preparing for that.

Sophie and Cooper became fast friends. They wore him right out and couldn't understand why he didn't want to go back out with them after a juice break. He was ready for a NAP!!

Off to do errands now...zillions and zillions of errands. Yahoo.

 

Today we went...

Thru the backyard...

thru the woods...

and onto the pipeline (which WAS a field with 5ft grass just yesterday...and is now freshly mowed...and MUCH easier for walkin')

to pick some BERRIES!!

Jessi is a berry pickin' slavedriver!! "Don't STOP!! WE NEED MORE!!!!"

Sean does a lot more eating than picking :)

We had lots of fun and now the kids are in the kitchen having a blackberry FEAST! Wish I liked them ....lol!

Some random TV ramblings....

It's that time of year again...all the shows come back and new ones start...so Rick and I were chatting about TV tonight....

Survivor is seperating the 'tribes' by RACE!!?? Now THAT is just crazy and a disaster waiting to happen!! I really don't think it's a good idea...but I DO think it will make for some good TV drama ;) Amazing Race is another Fav of Rick and mine...looks like they are playing the race game a bit too with a Muslim team spouting "Don't think we are terrorists" in the ads.

A commercial for the new 'Heroes' show came on...it said 'Watch the heroes as they change the world' (or something like that), I said "Yes...watch them change it for a month until the show is cancelled." hee hee I got a dirty look for that one...apparently Rick is looking forward to watching it. Ooops...lol! He is also looking forward to 'Jericho'...which I agree could be pretty good...or REALLY dumb...

We have to wait til October 4th for Lost! WTH!!??

Leland on Dog the Bounty Hunter (which I only recently saw for the first time now that there is NOTHING on Wednesday nights)....yummy ;) ...he may just keep me watchin even when there IS other stuff on...lol!

Oooh....I almost forgot about ER...they left us hangin' BIGTIME at the end of the season...And for the record Luca...is WAY above Leland on the yummy scale...except that Leland is a real person which does give him a slight edge ;) ;)

All-in-all...I guess it will be an ok TV season...not very many comedies now that so many have ended. That one with Brad Garrett looks like it might be funny...and I like Reba and (I can't believe I am admitting this right now...lol) that show with Fran Dresher...so I will have a little funny on the tube...and I love me some funny :)

ETA...Anyone know when Big Love is coming back??? LOVES that show!!

ENOUGH WITH THE FREAKING CAMERA, LADY!!!!

FOR REAL!!!!

Hee Hee.... Cooper had a bath AND photo shoot this morning! Guess who is NOT his favorite human today ;)


(Actually, he still luvs me...all these pics were taken with half on my lap leaning against the back of the couch :) ) 

It's FRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDAY!

Today was Sean's last summer swimming lesson and I FINALLY remembered batteries AND to bring my camera!!! YAY ME! He didn't pass on to the next level....but I didn't expect him to...there is a huge list of stuff they have to 'master' before they move on. Sean can do about 5 of them ;)
~~~~~He has definately mastered the 'jumping in' thing~~~~~~
After swim lessons it was errand time...WOO HOO! First we went and registered Sean for fall football and Jessi for cheerleading. Then it was on to the grocery store....which is a chore I know some hate...but we have a blast :) There are not nearly enough grocery store photo shoots...lol!

"Look Mommy! I'm riding in a school bus!!!"





And now...we are awaiting the arrival of B and Grampa cuz the kids are having a SLEEPOVER!! YIPPPPEEEE!!!! Mommy and Daddy get the house all to ourselves!! Bring on the wine coolers :)

Tomorrow is Hampden Children's Day and the kids are doing the day's activities with B and Grampa...and in the evening we will all go the the fireworks together. I think Nicole and Sophie might come along too :)

What a great day..so far ;)

Sean had his second to last swimming lesson today. He has come so far in just these 2 weeks of lessons!! Just last Monday he was a COMPLETE FREAK about putting his face underwater and today he dunked his whole head COMPLETELY under!! Nicole and I taught Jessi to swim and I must say...taking him to someone who knows exactly how to teach kids to swim is MUCH better! He is playing football in the fall, so I will work with him at the pool myself during football season...then when that's over, I will re-enroll him in the lessons. OMG...speaking of the football.... It is SO FREAKING CUTE!! They have thier practices every week and then at the half-time of the high school homecoming football game they have a little mini game!!! HOW FREAKIN' CUTE IS THAT!!??

AFTER swim lessons (which we rode to with B (MIL) today), B wanted to come in and look at my countertops again because she wants to get the same ones in a different color. So when we got home Jessi ran ahead and when she got to the porch she said...'whats this?' and I said, "Whats what?" Then I saw and let out a HUGE GASP and yelled "OMG!!!" Liz ran over cuz she thought there was something wrong...lol!!! There was a HOME THEATER IN A BOX on my porch!!!!!! WOOO HOOOO!!!! I had mentioned that I wanted one to my mom, but I had NO CLUE she ordered me one!!!! What a great suprise!! I wired my house for speakers and surround sound when we built it, but the wires have just been sitting all only in the walls because we had nothing to hook them up to...lol. NOW...they are still sitting all lonely because I can't figure out how to hook them up to the system...ROFL! I have it all set up though with the factory wires until Rick can figure out hwo to do it 'for real.' I am LOVING IT! It has a 5 disc changer and plays CDs, DVDs, MP3s, photo discs...and other things I have never heard of ;) We are SO renting a movie tonight!!!

Yet another conversation I never could have guessed I would have....

Sean just said to me...in ALL SERIOUSNESS mind you.....

"Umm...Mommy... I was wondering if maybe we could build a big cave outside with a REALLY REALLY REALLY big pool with water in it and get a hippopotamus to put in there"

"No silly!" ....I responded...

He is visibly angry and sad... "WHY!? All we need is a lot a lot of water and some rocks and we would just feed it the hay"

At a loss for a better reason as to WHY he can't have a hippopotamus....I explain to him that hippos can only live in places where it never snows. This seems to make sense to him and he sadly says, "ok" and with his head hung low sulks off to bed.

I'm pretty sure this isn't the end of the hippo thing ;)

My mom would make a terrible crack whore

Today at around noon or so, Mom calls. She tells me that she just had the BEST dentist appointment (yes you read that right). Apparently they gave her Halcion for the appointment which knocked her right out and she never even felt a thing. We then chatted for about an hour or so about ...well... stuff... Then she decided to go take a nap.

Today around 5 or so, Mom calls. She tells me she that she just had the BEST dentist appointment... ROFL ROFL!!! I tell her..."yeah mom...I know...you told me earlier" She is incrudulous (and I also think she MUST be messing with me), "I MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT!! You are TEASING ME! Chris (my brother) told you about it, didn't he!?" "No, Mom...we talked earlier for over an HOUR...you told me about the dentist...the Halcion...." and I tell her lots of other specifics about the appointment. She gets all quiet for a minute and then says, "Oh MY! Well THAT'S a little scary, huh!?" We laugh and talk for awhile about all the stuff we already talked about this morning...which she remembers all of...but insists that we talked about it all YESTERDAY...lol. I finally convince her that we didn't even talk on the phone yesterday....and then she has no choice but to believe me that we really DID already talk this morning...lol!


She is a silly, silly lady...and I gotta get me summa that Halcion....ROFL!!

Damnit I forgot to buy batteries AGAIN!

My camera has been dead for almost a week. I have been out SEVERAL times with the intent to get batteries and came home sans alkaline yet again today!!! :-[ <---grrrrr We have had a GORGEOUS sunny weather the pat couple days....and the blackberries are ripe for the pickin' So both yesterday and today we trecked out through the woods to the pipeline where the "blackberry motherload" (<--- the kids new favorite phrase) can be found. GREAT picture taking opportunity...and me without my camera!! Tomorrow the kids are dragging their Aunt Nancy (who lives next door to us) out to pick more berries...I may have to tag along ....after making Rick go buy me some batteries with his winnings from the Slot machines today ;)

All-in-all it was a great weekend! I got lots of scrappin done yesterday! I made a mini-album out of an AOL box with all the pics from our trip to Moosehead. I'd take pics but...well....you know ;) Today Tim and Christy came over to visit and do laundry. Christy toyed with my delicate 'auntie emotions' saying "yes the rooms are small in our new house...but it'll be fine for just Tim and I and the little one on the way"---as she pats her stomach. That chick is just plain EVIL!!!!....lol!!!

The gaping hole where my tooth was is still driving me crazy. It doesnt hurt or anything...but it really grosses me out. I have tried solids a few times, but stuff gets in that hole...and just grosses the hell out of me and gives me the heebie jeebies and pukey wukeys. My diet of ice cream, yogurt and pudding since Thursday really is taking it's toll tho. When I worked out today I was all shaky and thought I was gonna puke...so after 15 minutes, I hopped off the Gazelle and decided to go for a jog in the woods instead and meet up with the berry pickers. I was still so shaky and feeling yucky, the ground is so uneven and covered with sticks that after my FOURTH time falling down (with the 4th as I was trying to get UP from the 3rd and tripped an fell again...thank GOD I was all alone as I can't imagine what a sight I was falling all over the place, jumping up and thrashing around brushing myself off for fear of ticks being on me and then laughing out loud at myself and calling myself an idiot... all alone in the middle of the woods)...I decided a very brisk walk would be a better idea today than a run.

Mass hysteria...or just being prepared???

Yesterday my mom sent me an e-mail...

"http://www.pandemicflu.gov/planguide/

Have you seen this info? ******* is working at the state (of Maine) level on preparedness in the state and greater Bangor area. She says it is a true and serious threat that we all should be preparing for. Info also available at the CDC website."

Now obviously the whole bird flu thing is not news to me...but I have to admit, reading the 'pandemic flu checklist for families' did freak me out a little. I mean...should we really all be doing this stuff?? 70% of me thinks the only people that really stockpile food and water are the same people that live in the woods and wrap their heads in tinfoil so that the government can't hear their thoughts'...but the other 30% of me thinks maybe we should have a supply...I mean it can't HURT to have a supply of food and water 'just in case,' can it? I don't know. I am definately torn on this one...it may be more like 60-40.

Along those same lines...even more than the bird flu thing...THIS disease freaks me RIGHT OUT! I mean...FIBERS COMING OUT OF YOUR SKIN!! Feeling all the time like BUGS are crawling under your skin...that's just plain NASSSSSSSSSSSSSSTY!!!!!!!!!

Not that I would like to have either....but if I HAVE to choose....I'll take the bird flu. At least then I get really sick...then get better...or die. Either way...nothing is crawling around under my skin and popping out whenever it needs a breath of fresh air. BLECH!!!

Wah :(

I had to have a tooth pulled this morning. I freaking hate the dentist. OK...that's not really true. I LOVE my dentist...he is wonderful...as was the tooth puller dentist I saw this morning. I just hate having dental care procedures preformed on me. There...that's more what I am trying to say. I felt so silly this morning sitting in that dentist chair, waiting for him to come in and trying with all my might not to just start bawling. I felt even sillier when pulling the tooth took about 5 seconds and didnt hurt at all. I am glad Liz took the kids today since the entire right side of my face is still completely numb rendering me unable to speak ...or yell ;) And for the next 3 days I am only allowed to eat soft things like pudding and ice cream. Wow...poor me ...lol!!

This morning I felt Autumn on the way. We got up early and needed sweatshirts and socks. Some may be sad to see summer ending. Not this girlie. I LOVE Fall. I love it when Jessi goes back to school and I don't have to listen to the 2 of them fighting all day long ;) I love picking apples and pumpkins. I love taking the kids for walks in the woods. The best part of autumn is all the great photo opps :)

Alrighty...guess it's time to sit and drool and wait for the novacaine to wear off .

Take away my 'Mommy Card'

I caved in to the old, "BUT ALL MY FRIENDS ARE DOING IT!!" Jessi has been wanting highlights in her hair for AGES...and I have always said 'no way jose.' Over the weekend we were out shopping at a surplus/salvage store and apparently a drug store went out of business or something cuz they had ALL that kind of stuff 1/2 off. I got myself some hair color...and Jessi begged and pleaded for highlights...again. Apparently ALL her friends have them...except the ones that don't (rofl... this is really what she said)...and even the ones that don't are getting them (Suuuuuurrrre they are ;) )
I must have been weak from all the exercize I have been doing lately cuz I caved and bought a box o' highlights. She anxiously awaited Tuesday when I told her we would do them. Today was the day. She quickly learned the price of beauty as I started pulling strands of hair with the metal pick thingy thru those little tiny holes...and then even more so when we pulled the cap off her head ;) All worth it she says tho...she is delighted with the results...and I have to admit....I think her hair looks great too.

This will be one of maybe 2 times in her life I will cave under the 'all my friends are doing it' trick!!

Houses Houses everywhere!

The In-laws house is coming along FAST!!! It is all framed up and this week they will start....other stuff (lol...I don't know what but somthin'). My MIL is BUSTING with excitement. She did a walk thru with me the other day and showed me where everything is going to be...and today they set up a card table in the house (which right now is just a plywood shell and a concrete floor) and had brunch there with her sisters....ROFL ROFL!!

In OTHER house news...my brother and his GF Christy are putting in an offer on THIER house!! Nicole is their agent, so before she went to show it to them, she picked me up so I could go too :) It is TOO cute!! It's a perfect first house! Here it is...
They came over to visit and do laundry today and they are SOOOO excited ...it's a riot. Christy just sits there with this dreamy grin on her face and then burst out...."I'M SO EXCITED!!!" ...and Tim spent 1/2 hour online looking at lawnmowers....rofl!! I'm sure a big part of their excitement is the fact that their current apartment is one SMALL room with a kitchenette ;) I am super excited for them and crossing my fingers for a 'baby mistake'...hey...they'll have an extra room!!! I wanna be an auntie!!!!!! I'm horrible....I know ;)

A typical boring Wednesday post....

All my little changes are catching up with me!! I got on the scale today after I worked out and I am 7lbs lighter! YAY ME!!

Other than that little bit of excitement...not a whole lot else going on. I entered in a couple scrapbooking contests, so I'm having fun working on those. Still workin' on housebreakin' the pup....he's coming along, but still one accident a day or so...there have been a few 'accident free' days...so it's lookin' good :) Jessi has become QUITE the little 'Dog Whisperer.' She already has him sitting, laying down, crawling, playing fetch and 'giving' the fetched item, and going to 'bed' (his crate), on command---about 75% of the time. ;)

The In-laws house is coming right along!! This pic is from yesterday (taken standing in the soon-to-be garage)...I drove by today and the house and garage are already all plywooded and it's lookin' all 'housey' ...lol!! By the end of the week the shell should be complete! I am SO happy for them!!

Alrighty....off to sit and sweat...temp today is supposed to be 98...and it's so freakin humid, walking feels like swimming!

Oh yeah...and we went to the beach too ;)

After Perry's we headed to the pier in Searsport to fish, crab catch, and beach comb....I knew the kids would get a little wet but we didn't bring swimsuits or anything because we werent going to a 'swimmy' place. I should have known better. My kids think ANY body of water is a 'swimmy place' :)


I am such a Moron...I put Belfast on the 'layout' ...DUH...It should say Searsport...oh well...not changing it now...

What a beautiful Day!!

The plan for today was some yard work and house work. BUT...Rick and I are horrible influences on each other when it comes to doing the 'responsible thing'....so instead we went to the coast ;) Out first stop was Perry's Nut House. It used to be such a neat ...strange... place to go. It was full of many oddities such as a stuffed albatrosss (not plush...the real thing)...shrunken heads...mummies...and many many other animals that spent a good part of their afterlife at the taxidermist ;) But...these days it is little more than a gift shop...with most of the cool stuff auctioned off. :( They still have a lot of neat stuff tho...incliding a funhouse mirror that I think the kids...and Rick...could have played in front of all day!





 

I am bored and everything is broken.

And it's freakin' hot.

This morning I slept in til 8ish and it was already too hot and humid to work out. So I didn't. Instead I cleaned the house and gave the dogs a bath. Rick called me to say "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!" (Today is our 11th)...and also was wondering why my cell was going right to voicemail. I searched for my phone and found it dead on the counter. Not dead as in plug it in and it will be fine...dead as in 'time to buy a new phone' dead. I knew it was coming after it's 'vacation' in the wilderness...so it was no big shock, but a bummer all the same. So...cellphoneless, the kids and I pile into the van to take Jessi to her friends house for a sleepover. "chug chug chug chug...." says the van...and then it says nothing more. The van is dead too! WTH!!!?? I also kinda saw that coming and told Rick is was acting funny, but as usual he chose to say everyday this past week, "Is the van still acting funny?" Hmmm....that's strange....I'll have to figure out what that is and fix it." ...rather than actually DO the looking and fixing. So I go in to call him and tell him about it from our real phone and IT IS DEAD TOO...Jessi having just leeched out it's last bit of battery juice calling her friend for a ride!! Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW!!?? This one is not 'dead dead'...just needs charging...but still! So I hang it up to charge and in the process I break the curtain rod and down come the curtains in my scraproom. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Curtains fixed...Jessi gone... Sean sad about his sister leaving. So I set up Shrek 2 that we borrowed from the library to watch with him. "DISC NOT RECOGNIZED" OK...at this point I am laughing. What the hell else could I do?? I try a couple other DVD's and nope...not gonna happen.

I surrender. I am going to sit on this couch and not move or I might break a leg...or worse!! Poor Rick...he has no idea what destruction he's in for this anniversary evening...is it possible to break a ...well...you know ;) Guess we'll find out...lol!

YAY US!!

I am so proud of us!! The whole family is all about gettin' healthy these days. We started our health kick about a month ago and usually by now we would have fizzled out and gone back to old habits. Not this time, baby!! our upcoming Disney Trip is great motivation to look and feel better...or as Rick puts it, "We gotta get hot for Disney"...lol. With him on board the health train it's much easier to cook healthy meals for dinner. I am still cooking our favorites too...but I am only cooking enough for us all to have one serving....and I have added more veggies to the reparte ;) Even the kids are excited about being healthy. Before he eats anything lately he says, "Is this healthy or not?" (not that if it's 'not' he won't still eat it) To which I reply, "No...it's not healthy, so let's just have a little bit." Jessi is focusing on sticking to serving sizes too and is even measuring out her cereal in the morning. I think a big part of the reason we are able to stick to it this time is that we aren't being nazi's about it or anything. We aren't "not allowing" anything...just keeping treats to serving sizes and adding more good stuff. I would love for the kids to learn and keep these healthy habits so that maybe they can avoid the 'family fat curse' altogether.

We also got a 'Gazzelle.' I actually ordered it for myself ...never even thinking Rick would use it...and actually thinking he would make fun of me for using it.... WRONG!! He has used it EVERY DAY since we got it a couple weeks ago. His first words now when he gets home to me now are "How many minutes did you do today?" ...used to be "What's for dinner?" We also have a weight lifting station thingy in the basemen that we are setting up this weekend...it will be a nice addition to the gazzelle (which I like doing...and it's a GREAT workout....but it gets really boring right around the 20 minute mark and I have to fight to make myself finish those last 10 minutes ;) )

Off to make lunch...having my fav avocado, bean sprout, hummus on pita sammich today...LOVES IT!!

I can be silent NO MORE!!!

OK...this has been irritating me for some time now.


KY personal lubrication commercials. WTF!? These commercials are always a woman reading the bottle to entice the man to want to give her a little action. I would like to know where in the world this scenario goes down. Where in the world does a woman have to think up little tricks like reading from a bottle of lube...or even WORSE...calling her guy from a balcony on her cell phone to try to convince the guy ....who is putting together furniture (WAY better than sex!! <---insert sarcasm here)... to come do her!? Where does this stuff happen? How is this an ad campaign that works? In the world I live in...and I'm pretty sure I am NOT unusual here... there is no need to trick or entice a guy to have sex. The mere mention of the word 'sex'....or even any word that starts with the letter 's' and he is ready to go. Bending over to pick up a toy... offering to go to the kitchen to get him something... going to bed at the same time he does...going to bed before he does....going to bed after he does.... all considered foreplay in the male mind.

So...am I missing something here? Is there a whole other species of males that I have never heard of that DON'T have sex on the brain 24/7?? Males that would rather put together FURNITURE than get laid!?? If anyone has any evidence of this...I would love to hear it because I am truly vexed by this one.

And...I REALLY HATE THOSE COMMERCIALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Sophie!

Note how my little attention hog insinuated himself into the birthday girls picture....
Today Sophie and Nicole came over to celebrate Sophie's 4th birthday. We had some yummy cupcakes and Sophie opened the present that Sean chose for her. Nicole was such a nice mommy that she even let Sophie open it right there and not wait until they got home!! Jessi got it all set up and the kids had fun playing with it...while Cooper had fun trying to steal all the little parts ;) I think Sean loved it the most...lol...which got Nicole and I talking about little boys doing 'little girl' things and how they all do that kind of stuff and what a weird place society is at right now with being accepting of gay people...but at the same time freaking out if thier little boy wants a Barbie for his birthday. Gotta love those deep philisophical chats ;) 

HOLY (S)CRAP!!!!

I ordered some BG ribbon and rub-ons from 4everscrappin.com cuz they were on clearance. I have ordered from them several times and always do pre-orders with them. This time when I ordered they had some shipping issues and my order took a loooooong time... and a few phone calls. She apologized up and down and said she'd add a little something extra for my trouble. I expected a sheet of stickers or a die cut. When my package came today and I opened it up....my jaw fell on the floor. She went ALL OUT...holy crap... I feel like a kid on Christmas morning! She even put in the new BG magnetic snaps I have been wanting!! The stuff on the left is what I ordered....ALL the stuff on the right is my free loot 'for my troubles!!!' WOW! I'd say she MORE than made up for them, ya think!? I will totally keep ordering there...if this is how she makes up for a mistake...they must not have many or she would be broke...lol!!