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!