Back to Cali {part 2}

This is my third post today {w00t!} and progress is being made on the house as well. I even gave both kids a bath, cleaned their ears & clipped their nails - that alone felt like a huge accomplishment since neither of them get too excited about any of that. Like I said I'll be doing multiple posts so I can share my vacation without giving you a novel to read or risk leaving fun stuff out. In case you didn't know I also use this as reference for scrapbooking later. It's a great way to job my memory quickly for journaling. So over the next few days scroll down if you don't want to miss anything. And I'm pretty sure each of my posts will have photos to go along with them. I <3>

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Happy Antique Birthday to Me!

Let me take a moment to explain that subtitle. I turned 25 on June 13 - w00t! When my dad was a kid, about 7 years old, he asked my grandma {his mom} what an antique was. She explained that it was something generally 25 years or older. After taking a moment to think about this he exclaimed, "Hey mom, that means you're an antique!" It's been a running joke in the family since my dad became an antique.

I wasn't sure what I'd be doing for my birthday because it was the day after I arrived pretty late in California and my sister was working that day and had other things on her schedule as well {no, I'm not bitter - promise} and the rest of the family wouldn't be out for a few days so my grandma was planning a father's day/birthday/graduation celebration combo the following Sunday. That day my best friend Chriss called me up to tell me that she was going to pick me & the kids up, we'd stay at their house that night and celebrate because her and her dh thought it was just wrong to not do anything. Wasn't that sweet? I sure thought it was, esp since she had to drive about an hour and a half to pick me up. When we got to her house we dined on our usual hanging out meal - pizza, which hit the spot for me. Two of her daughters made me sweet birthday cards and she had baked a cake that morning - her dh did the icing. Sweet huh? *disclaimer: she thought she had a #2 candle but didn't so I turned 5! w00t!* It was a surprise and a lot of fun. That night we talked about scrapping but were too tired and wound up making shower plans instead.

The Next Day...we done lost our minds! We got all three kids into the backseat of her car - all in car seats - and drove out to see Rockwell Manor, well the model for it and the progress on the manor itself. After drooling over everything in the house, plotting out the furniture & of course discussing where I'd be staying during visits we ventured out with the kids again and decided to feed their cranky butts. They ate but were still pretty cranky. Though I couldn't really blame them since we were driving around on a hot day and they couldn't play or watch their cartoons. Lunch was a fun stop. Lydia had her first french fries & I took a ton of photos {only displaying one}. Michael of course loved his cheeseburger & fries and I shared my frosty with him {don't you just love the value menu?} and he in turn was kind enough to share with Mad. I had asked him to share but he didn't put up a fight & even spoon fed her. Now wouldn't that be the cutest photo to put in a slide show at their wedding someday? {So long as it's understood that they and any grandchildren would be living in the same state as me - K Chriss?} So we were some pretty daring chicks and took the kids to a nearby mall to shop for new summer dresses. I left with two cute ones in hand, there were so many that I liked & all on sale. Unfortunately Chriss didn't find any she liked but a few days later she found some cute stuff at another store - yay!

Later that night we left the sleeping children at home with her dh and hit the stores to prepare for the bridal shower {post & photos on that later}. Before shopping we met her mom whose birthday was that day {one day after mine} for drinks. Well, a drink - a mangotini to be exact. It was very yummy but interestingly enough - not made with mangos, go figure. It was a great start to my visit back home. Thanks again Chriss!

*We forgot to take pics of the mangotini, bummer*

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Back to Cali {part 1} Flying with Children

Ah the joys adventures trials of traveling with little ones. When I finally made it back home I told my hubby that I wouldn't be flying with my kids until they were old enough to walk, do their business in a toilet & carry their own crap stuff. He laughed and said "Oh I'm sure you'll be flying with them sooner then you'd like". And you know what? He's probably right. Even as I sit here, memories fresh in mind I wonder which is worse - spending several hours going through airport security, checking in luggage, waiting at the gate, finding bathrooms & places to eat, keeping kids seat belted to their seat, taking the random photo, running to the next gate hoping to have time to change a diaper all the while juggling to carry more carry ons than you have arms & being so glad you got that handy dandy stroller and finally retrieving your luggage again or spending 2-4 days in a car, stopping for gas, snacks, diaper changes, bathroom breaks, sleeping in a hotel, struggling to stay awake at the wheel & navigate all on my own. Personally they both sound like torture, but one is faster than the other. We'll see what I think of it all when Shawn is gone and I want to visit family and/or friends again.

So does that give you an idea of what a couple days of vacation were like? Really, vacation starts the morning after you arrive and ends the night before you leave because all the airport business is no vacation, trust me. There were three reactions I would get from people who saw me & the kids waiting at the same gate they were. 1) Sympathy/Shock: "poor you", "I feel bad for you", "Are you crazy?" {that was more of a look, not so much a comment}. 2) Helpful: "Do you need a hand?", "Can I help you with something?" 3) Scared/Upset: "Great, I'm stuck on a plane with them", "I hope she bought three seats", "I hope I'm not sitting next to her", "I hope I'm not sitting anywhere near her". {Again these thoughts were conveyed more through looks, body language, eye rolls & huffs}.

Once we were sitting on the plane things did go well overall. Michael got antsy if we had to wait to take off for too long, which of course was every time we took off. When it was time to take off he would 'pat, pat, pat' like the little einsteins & blastoff. It was very cute. He also liked looking out the window at the clouds. He did sleep some but not as much as I would have liked. Lydia slept quite a bit like every flying baby should. During her waking moments she enjoyed chewing on a plastic cup, her toys and anything else she could get into her hands. She & Michael had fun making each other laugh too. Here are some photos from our airplane experience, enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by.

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Smart Habit Saturday {week 1 July}

So lately I haven't been SMART so much as I've been SLACK, I don't have an acronym for that it just sounded good. I am back from vacation, have been back since the wee hours of Wednesday morning. I didn't track my habits while I was gone because I didn't have internet access & I'm so used to using my Joe's Goals, but I did keep up on some habits. Brushing my teeth at night & washing my face I did well with. The household chores pretty much fell apart since I wasn't home. Though I did pitch in at my grandparents house it was just a whole different routine so I think I'll have to get back into some of those this week. No new habit for me this, I'm just going to focus on getting the house back in order, unpacking & getting back into my routine. My hubby 'helped' out by doing 3-4 loads of his laundry {he was out of state training for 3 weeks prior to the wedding} and now it's all sitting on the couch waiting for me to fold I assume. But at least part of the work, the smellier part, is done. One thing I'd like to catch up on is sleep. But too many days have past and some of my sleep is just lost forever. :( It's so hard for me to get motivated to do anything but sit on my butt in front of the tv or computer when I feel like this. But I must clean this house, I can't stand it any longer. I think I'll have to grab some water & a snack, put on a CD and get to it. Ha! It really is a nice thought isn't it? If only my body would follow suit. It will get done & I won't be flatlined over at Joe's Goals anymore, this is a new week & I'm starting fresh!

I almost forgot, click on the picture to check out more SMARTy pants over at The Lazy Organizer. And I have to give a big shout out to Christine who did so well in keeping up with her habits throughout the wedding extravaganza week. w00t!

Best of luck to all this week.

Back Home

It still feels odd to refer to Kennessee as 'home', I feel like I've just left home, not returned. Either way we received quite the warm homecoming. When we finally left the airport at 2:30am Wednesday morning it was 70* outside, did you hear me? 70* at 2:30am and once again I felt like I was in the butterfly habitat at a {formerly} local amusement park. How I am missing the perfect sunny California weather. As I sit at my computer there is a thunderstorm and it's probably 80 degrees outside. I know for many many people this is no big deal, certainly nothing worth posting on or mentioning but it's still very odd for me. Having grown up in northern California all my life where there were definite seasons my system is in a sort of shock.

So I'm writing this quick post to let you know that we are back. I've been trying to catch up on things and get back into some sort of routine again. I went through my e-mails, have caught up on a lot of blogs, still have some to browse through and now am attempting a post. In other news my house is in need of much attention and I'm still trying to get back much lost sleep. I know you can never really get it back but it's worth a shot right? Anyway, I've got a ton of stories to share from our trip so I'm going to get my photos organized and post a few stories over the next few days, maybe multiple posts a day so check back often. It's good to be back & I've enjoyed catching up on blogs. Though I really do miss California - well my people in California to be more accurate.

We Made It!

So I have a few minutes for a quick post & wanted to let you all know that we made it. I'll post more about our travels & visit when I get back home but here's a quick one liner to sum up the airport adventures: Next time, if there is a next time that I travel alone with two young ones, I'm giving them children's tylenol before getting on the airplane. I'm still recovering. But anyways, so some quick news. I am currently staying at my best friend Chriss' house and we're having a lot of fun. So are the kids. I'd put up a photo but don't have the cords to transfer photos or my nifty card reader thingy so pictures will come later. If you check out her blog she may post a photo or two sometime in the next few days.

A few things: I WON the drawing for the date with dad post. w00t! How excited was I? So excited. I have never won a drawing like this ever so it's fun for me. Just so you all know though it was a drawing contest not a best post contest. I guess it's just the one thing because I forgot what else I was going to share. So more when I return!

Thanks for visiting!

I'll Take Care of It....tomorrow

Hello, my name is Rebecca & I'm a procrastinator. They say admitting your problem is the first step right? So what's the second step? Probably something to do with changing the problem. Though I procrastinate with just about everything so I'd need quite a few steps to change that. My grocery shopping gets done when I'm completely out of the basics, laundry often is washed when I run out of clean shirts, I clean the house last minute before hubby gets home, fill up the gas tank when the light comes on, etc.

And so here it is about 7:00am Tuesday morning I leave for the airport in 8 hours and not one bag is packed. 8 hours, that's plenty of time you say? And to that I say ha! Do you really think that the only thing I have left to do today is pack my bags? If so go reread the first paragraph. Finished? K. So like I said 8 hours. What's left to do you wonder? Well for one all three of us need to bathe & get dressed, diaper bag needs to be packed, purse needs to be packed, bags as mentioned need to be packed, I have to put our mail on hold at the Post Office, pick up Lydia's prescription {rash cream} & clean the house so hubby doesn't come home to a disaster area. All while changing diapers, nursing a baby, making food for the boy & trying to remember everything I need to bring. I can see myself on the plane halfway to California & realizing I forgot my bridesmaid dress or shoes or something important like that.

And now I must go. After reading that list of things my mind is racing so I need to start doing & not just listing. I'm a great lister, not always a great doer. I'll be back in two weeks with lots of photos & fun stories to share. Thanks for the visit & take care!

Update: It's now 2:00pm, errands were made, bags packed & put in the car and the house is clean enough for hubby {& myself when I get back}. That means I have almost 2 hours to not stress, that'll be new for the day. :P

The Story Behind My Blog

This story is brought to you by Chili who is hosting this blogging carnival. It's like a meme but you can look at dozens of other blogger's responses & they can look at yours. I found out about it while reading Rocks In My Dryer last week & was reminded of it while reading I'm an Organizing Junkie this morning. So if you're not inspired to blog this morning or just want to participate join in on the carnival!
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Q} How did you start blogging?
A} I'm sure that some of you have heard this before but for those who haven't I'll tell it again. My best friend Chriss sent me an e-mail telling her about the blog she started. Her friend Sherry turned her onto it so through those gals I got the idea to start one as well. They had both used blogger so I started one on it as well. Mostly because I didn't know a thing about this whole blogging business & figured that if it worked for them it could work for me also. I wanted to have an easy way to keep in touch with family & friends once we moved. A lot of people were interested in hearing about what we would be up to so rather than sending out mass e-mails I went with the blog idea. People who were interested in what we were doing could easily check in & read as far back as they wanted.

Q} Did you intend to be a blog w/ a big following? If so, how did you go about it?
A} No intentions of having any kind of following whatsoever and I guess it shows since I don't really have a 'following'. I had no idea just how huge this idea of blogging was. Yes, I know it's been fairly popular for a few years now. No, I haven't been living under a rock. Though you could compare my personal technological advances to that. I've only had a cell phone for about 2.5 years & a digital camera for less than 1 year. I don't have an ipod or any kind of mp3 player, I don't have a blackberry or any kind of palm pilot. I'm not so tech savvy.

Q} What do you hope to achieve or accomplish with your blog? Have you been successful? If not, do you have a plan to achieve those goals?
A} Well, my whole idea behind this was to keep family & friends informed of what we were up to after moving out of state. And that is being accomplished. Not everyone comments so I don't always know who comes by but they know it's here & I talk about what we're up to so my job is done. My friends who blog are much more likely to comment than those who don't. Over the months I've expanded my topics beyond 'what we did this week' type of thing. I'd like to think that other stay at home moms can relate to the thoughts & struggles that I sometimes share on here. In no way do I disclose my whole life on this but I do use it as a place to work out my thoughts, most of them anyhow.

Q} Has the focus of your blog changed since you started blogging? How?
A} Well, I think that I have more focus then I did before. As I said above I've gone a little beyond just writing about our activities. I've used this as a place to sort myself out. I've also changed some things like joining blogrings which can bring more visitors & introduce me to more blogs. Starting SMART Habit Saturday is fairly new & doing good for myself & my blog. I've participated in one Works for Me Wednesday so far & look forward to doing more. I'm definitely more into the blog world now then when I first started. I have 'friends' on here, which is nice since I don't have any real life friends who live close by - not yet but I'm working on it.

Q} What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started?
A} Hmm....well, I still feel like I am in the starting point. I guess I wish I would have known more about the basics of blogging. I went into this thing blindly & feeling my way around. I think I still have quite a bit to learn & things that I want to improve on.

Q} Do you make money with your blog?
A} No. But for as much time as I spend on here I really should. I have some google AdSense things on my blog but nothing beyond that. Some day I'd like to find more info out about how to make money on this thing. I'm sure hubby would appreciate that as well.

Q} Does your immediate or extended family know about your blog? If so, do they read it? If not, why?
A} Everyone in my yahoo address book knows about my blog. As well as anyone who has looked at my profile on meetup dot com. My whole point of this from the beginning was to keep family informed so telling them was an important part of this. Some do read it, some more than others. Not many comment even though they tell me that they've read. Most aren't regular readers due to lack of time & the fact that I post so often. One day I may start a blog that is totally anonymous but for now I'll focus my time on this one.

Q} What two pieces of advice would you give to a new blogger?
A1} Do your research. Find out as much information about blogging as you can before you start or while early in the stages of it. And some of that research should include browsing around other blogs so you can get some ideas of what may work for you & what won't. Start with some kind of focus/purpose for the blog & remember you can change/grow/adjust later.
A2} If you want traffic on your blog then comment on other's & join blogrolls/blogrings & get involved with weekly carnival type posts like SHS, WFMW or Thursday 13 and many others. However, don't get involved with those things just for the traffic, choose ones that actually interest you or it won't benefit anyone.
A3} I know the question asked for two pieces of advice but I have one more. Have fun & be yourself! I guess that sorta ties into what I was talking about in the last piece of advice but really I think it's important to just be you. No matter who may be looking at your blog and if they know it's you.

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Well that was fun. Now I'm gonna go over to Chili's blog & sign Mr. Linky. I'll take a look at other posts too & see what kind of advice/tips I can get from other bloggers. Let me know if you join in on the fun!

And this will not be my last post before leaving. I'll post again tonight or tomorrow sometime, maybe both even. Just depends on how much I get done, still have a lot to take care of before going to the airport tomorrow. Thanks for the visit.

Smart Habit Saturday {week 2 June}

This week I was all over the board. I had a couple of good days but began slacking in some areas. It seems that clearing the dishes, doing a quick pick up & a quick kitchen clean are pretty solid habits. Drinking water more often is as well. I've been thinking this week about the enjoying 'me' time habit. While I've checked it most days I'm wondering - did I actually enjoy my time or did I just do nothing? I guess either way it's my time and I can do {or not do} what I want, just a thought that I had. One other thing I noticed is this whole unscheduled preschool time just doesn't work for me. When we are out or playing or eating I often ask him his colors, we count things & we sing educational songs like Old McDonald - so he knows a lot of animals. But I think that I need something a little more structured. I want it to be more intentional. I don't mean homework or strict lesson plans & I'd still keep it short. My friend Chriss told me about this site for just that sort of thing. I haven't used it yet but I want to so I'm going to put the whole preschool thing on hold for now. On a more personal note, I brush less when my hubby isn't around. I need to get back on that one. And I need to take better care of my skin by using my face wash, night solution & moisturizer each night. I do well during the day but it works better when you use it all together.

This week I'm going to just try to maintain my current habits. I'm leaving to go back home to California {where they don't typically have thunderstorms in the middle of June while it's 82* outside} for my oldest little sister's wedding. I don't know how often I will be able to get on the computer to post. I hope you all have great weeks & thanks for stopping by.

For more SMARTies visit Lara at The Lazy Organizer & join in on the SMARTness! You can click to see my full checklist if you'd like, I still don't know how to put it directly into my post.

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A Date with My Dad

I was glad to come across this contest at Pinks & Blues. It gives me an excuse to brag about my dad & try to win him a fun gift, courtesy of Once Upon a Family. You should go check it out & enter yourself. For your dad or your baby's daddy! ;)
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Now that the 'business' is taken care of onto the important stuff. I ♥ my dad. He is the best dad in the world - I know every child says that about their dad but mine really is. He was always there for me when I needed him. He is loving, supportive & encouraging. We have had our rough patches as every other parent/child relationship but we always bounce back & usually closer than before. My dad was my dad, he wasn't my friend - I had friends, that wasn't his job. He taught me how to play baseball {softball}, got me thinking about the science behind things & showed me the love of God. He is my hero.

I have many fond memories with my dad growing up; playing catch, building a super special secret city, and summertime camping trips. And he taught me how to weld. One of my favorite memories are the father daughter sock hops we went to when I was in girl scouts. We got dressed up in 50's attire head to toe. I wore a pink poodle skirt, a white top & cardigan sweater, ruffly white socks with those black & white shoes - I can't remember what they are called. And my hair was pulled up into a pony tail with a scarf tied around it. Dad donned the greaser look with jeans, white t {with a pack of cigs in his sleeve partially rolled} & sneakers. Oh and his black leather jacket. I had so much fun dancing with dad, especially during the slow dances when he'd let me stand on his feet. My best friend Whisper & her dad always went also. After the dance we would go to Lyon's restaurant for a tall chocolate milkshake & appetizers. It was so much fun. At the time it felt like we were out all night though I'm sure we were home by 10. But for a 7 or 8 year old - that's exciting stuff!

Over the years dad & I went to two father daughter dances while I was in high school. {Some people saw the photos afterward & asked if he was my boyfriend - good for you dad!} The last dance that we went to was in June of 2004. I was 8 months & very pregnant. This time it was a double date, sorta - dad had two dates. Myself & my sister.

Dad & I have a special relationship - as he does with the rest of my siblings, all 8 of them. I won't be home to post on Father's day & I'll actually be with my dad this year so I wanted to get this up beforehand. Happy Father's Day dad! I love you.

Faithful Friday {week 4}

It is Friday. This week has just crept up on me outta nowhere it seems. In 5 days I'll be leaving for California and very soon my sister will be happily wedded. This week has been a challenging one. With Shawn gone I've been very lonely. He's been able to call a few times but for very short periods of time so we don't get to talk much. I ♥ my kids and enjoy chatting with a friend on im and the occasional phone call but aside from that I don't have much adult interaction. I'm working on it though. I've joined a few meet up groups & look forward to meeting some other moms through that but this week has been lonely & emotional. But I have had some good days & moments throughout it. I think that is what I'm thankful for this week. The rain comes down but the sun comes up. There was a song we sang in church that better describes it but I can't find my notes on it right now. So I'll do my best without them or the words to the song. I would do a search for the lyrics but I can't remember the name of the song either.

The storms in life come. We've all heard that saying "when it rains it pours" & for those of you who haven't heard it - it's true, or at least it can feel that way at times. Like when you realize you are out of mascara you are also running low on the rest of your make-up, you are behind on one bill and get a notice for yet another. Whatever the situation is, times get challenging & it can seem overwhelming. But what happens after the rain? The ground is replenished, things are cleaned & the sun comes out. When challenging times come we can either approach it kicking & screaming the entire way dragging our feet through the mud or we can stand, be still, spread our arms open & look up to the rain falling down. You can even stick out your tongue if ya want. Regardless of our attitude the rain will fall, things are going to happen. But rather than letting it drag you down & keep you down you can learn from it and grow from it. I'd much rather be living in the midst of a storm than a dry desert.

It's Not too Late!

If you haven't entered the apronpalooza contest yet you still have time. You must enter by today @ 11:59 pm, pacific time. This goes for each days contests, you can still enter ones that were posted throughout the whole week. As of 6:30 am pacific time it was up to 16 contests, 16 chances to win a cute, fun, gorgeous, classic, vintage apron - the styles vary but they are all great. And let me just add this, if you aren't interested in an apron you can still enter & give it away as a gift. Should you know anyone who has a birthday coming up. Someone who may have been entering the contests herself & has discovered a new interest in aprons. I won't name any names but I think you get the idea. Most of the people who are providing these aprons also make and/or sell other great items as well. Cute bags, potholders, tablecloths, kids items, etc. So you should go over & check them out just to see if there's anything else you may be interested. The great thing about window shopping via the net is no one can see you drooling at the window.

Thanks for stopping by, I'll be back on later to post again - busy day today.

He Will Build an Empire

Lately my son has had an obsession with castles. Not your typical stone & mortar type of castle but ones made from pillows, blankets, couches & ottomans. This is nearly an everyday occasion. I hear "Mommy saffle" {in Mikey speak that is castle}. And they change. He'll have one that is set up on the couch(es) or one that is grounded to the floor. This morning he had one on the floor. It was basically a space between the couch & ottoman covered with a blanket & pillows underneath. That's what most of them are though. Sometimes the pillows are propped up on the couch & ottomans to make walls and a blanket on top for the roof. Lydia was crawling around & found an opening into the castle & Michael started coaxing her in. This was before the 'roof' went up. They were having fun crawling around together. Then he asked for the roof & Lydia thought it would be even more fun to bring the roof down - literally. We fixed that problem by anchoring the blanket down with a pillow on each side. I love that he enjoys playing with her, I know it won't always be like that so I really appreciate these moments.

It's times like these I'm glad we have freebie couches with slipcovers & pillows that were made to be floor pillows. Of course I'd <3>

How Many Languages Can You Speak?

Obviously I speak English. I took an intro to French class in Jr. High & two years of Spanish in High School. I remember bits of French or at least thought I did until I went to write something - mon ami! That means my friend. I know or at least understand enough Spanish to get me by on vacation in Mexico. Excuse me while I picture that...ahh... sandy white beaches, cabanas, fun colorful drinks with an umbrella. Oh wait I've never seen that part of Mexico, we saw a beach filled with pyrite {fool's gold}, shacks made out of billboards and corrugated tin or aluminum not sure, and to have running water was something to celebrate. We were in a very poor area. Hmm. Anyway, what was I saying? Spanish, French, English...Languages - right! So yes I speak English & nothing else. {Though I must say I've become nearly fluent in 2 year old speak.}

This post does have a point, I promise. This morning I tried to 'learn' a new language. Really I just wanted to learn where I could copy & paste this confusing language to change the way parts of my blog were set up. I'm talking about the elusive language of HTML Code. And I don't know about you but whenever I see HTML my mind reads hot mail. Anyway, I finally did find something that will work - for now. I was looking for a drop down bar that would display the blogs that I link to but one thing after another & I was typing things like "#$&*%" while im'ing a friend. So I settled with this, it condenses the space taken up by all the great blogs I read and that was the whole point. What I don't like is each blog doesn't have a line of it's own, they all just run together. But I did learn some *fancy* stuff along the way, like how to turn a photo into a link. It's just like doing it with a word, highlight the photo & click on the image that has the world with the linky thing on it, type in the link and voila! your photo is linked. I'm sure many of you already knew this but it was new info for me & I was excited.

Well I think I'm going to be done for now. I can't seem to stay focused. I need to take care of dinner, clean some more & get some pain killers. I guess I can share with everyone that I took a little *test* yesterday, sure that a *surprise* was on it's way because of how I was feeling. I got a *surprise* alright but not what I was thinking. The test was negative & my friend/aunt flo - whatever you choose to refer to that not so friendly monthly visitor decided to visit today. I've rather enjoyed the 18 months that it hasn't been around - nursing has it's benefits. I'll leave you with this. It's something I saw the other day true mom confessions - interesting site - rating varies by post so I wouldn't let your kids browse around there but some of it I think all moms can relate to. This quote describes just how I feel right now.

"I used to have a mind. Now I have small children."

Another one that made me laugh:

"I don't take the potty-ring off when I use the toilet...My condolences to Dora and Boots! "

What Have I Done Today?

Let's review:

• woke up way too early
• caught a little nap while nursing baby
• made a shopping & to-do list
• made said shopping trip
• fought with my 7 month old over my wallet - they learn fast don't they?
• argued with my one month from 3 year old over a shirt
• it was a new shirt & he wanted to wear it before letting me pay for it
• yes, he already had a shirt on
• i only let him do the half or nearly naked thing around the house
• this is the boy who insists on not wearing any clothes
• i made lunch - peanut butter sandwich {no jelly} of course!
• baby napped
• i brought in the stuff from the store {son wasn't in such a helpful mood today}
  
• took both shirts off son {yes he put the new one on after ringing it up}
• gave him a popsicle {why does spell check want me to capitalize that word?}
• i picked up toys, cups, clothing & diapers 934,208 times
• i filled, ran & emptied the dishwasher
• i accomplished 2 out of 6 of my tasks
• attempted another but MOPS decided not to answer their phone
• the next meeting is tomorrow & i'm supposed to call before going for the first time
• guess i won't be going this month
• i made dinner {1.5 times}, cleaned up dinner
• was asked for another popsicle 23,905 times
• cleaned sticky floor from first {and only} popsicle
• i.just.mopped.yesterday
• i entered three, make that 4 contests for some cute aprons
• i watched most of rent, eh - it had two stars
• i made a castle out of pillows, blankets & furniture
• i browsed blogs
• i've posted

I really started out feeling very ambitious this morning. Though I have a long list & other things that I'm sure I left out such as taking a shower & putting gas in the car I don't feel like I got much done today. Blah.

She's a Top Momma

My friend Heather at That Mommy has made it onto the board at Top Momma. Unfortunately Heather seems to be MIA, we haven't heard from her in over a month. I know she was moving & probably has a whole lot going on right now. So, I want to encourage you all to visit the Top Momma website, click on Heather's picture & leave a message on her blog. If you read through her archives you'll see why she should stay on Top Momma for a while. She is so funny. I can't emphasize it enough. She has a great sense of humor & uses it while sharing stories about her kids, husband & life in general. Heather has six Things {children} as she lovingly calls them & loves her Biggest Thing of them All {hubby}. She is a home schooling mom which earns her double points in my book. Anyway, I just wanted to brag on her a little bit since she hasn't been bloggyville to do it herself, plus she is much too modest. Heather's Photo~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>


Update: Heather is no longer on the Top Momma board. :( Maybe she'll get another chance when she's around to stir up some activity.

I'm Allergic to Cleaning

Seriously, well at least my cleaning products. Every time I spray the counters, polish the table or mix the floor cleaner I get stuffy, start sneezing & my eyes become irritated. I have two options here. The first being to just stop cleaning all together, no more scrubbing period. And the second, I could find a healthier way to clean my house. Since the first option would also aggravate my allergies I suppose the second is the way to go. {Although going on a cleaning strike is tempting.} I've seen advertisements for 'green' cleaning products, stuff that's good for the environment & probably my sinuses, but what I've come across costs more than I'm willing to spend on cleaning products. If anyone has any useful tips I'd appreciate it. In other cleaning news. Remember when I started cleaning my counters with Spray 'N Wash? Well, I had another moment. You can choose the type of moment yourself: blond moment, mom of two under 3 moment, nursing mom moment, still trying to recover my brain cells moment, duh moment - take your pick! So after dinner I got started on the clean up. We had some leftovers & when I reached into the cabinet for a storage container I got more than I bargained for. The container already had food in it. I couldn't remember what day it was from but it couldn't have been too old since there was no odor or stuff growing on it. It wasn't at all cold so I don't think Michael switched it from the fridge to the cabinet - though I wish I could find a way to blame it on the two-year-old-that-doesn't-know-any-better rather than take responsibility myself. If any of you are having a hard day or week or month or however long don't feel bad - you're not alone. Right now I'm just hoping I'll recover my brain cells & feel like a real person by the time my kids move out of the house. Does that happen? Ah, anyway so that about sums up my mood for the day. I'm so lonely without Shawn here & am really missing him. Just knowing that I'll be able to talk to an adult toward the end of the day and get a little relief help with the kids helps me get through the day. Oh & I remembered something else. I'm starting this new idea that I got from a blog I read called Psychology of Clutter - Life Maintenance Monday. This is a new format Dr. Ragan just started this week and so far I'm liking it. She talked about breaking large jobs into smaller tasks, tackling one task a day throughout the week until the whole job is done. Check out her blog for more details about it. This week she used cleaning out the refrigerator as an example so that's what I started. I'm looking forward to see what other insights she has to offer throughout the week. I hope you all had a great Monday & good things to come for this week. Thanks for stopping by!

Apronpalooza Contest

I couldn't not share this with everyone. Life is Like a Lunchbox is hosting a week long contest. There will be multiple contests each day. And it's all about aprons. But not just your typical apron. Cute vintage, handmade, fabulous aprons. So far I've entered two contests & really like one of the aprons I found. It makes me want to host a fancy dinner part just so I can wear it. Of course I'd wear it anyway. Plus I'd have to actually make some friends first so yeah. Anyways, you should check it out & enter the contests yourself. If you're not interested in an apron it can always make a great gift. I know there are weddings, holidays & birthdays coming up. Was that some sort of hint? ;) I'll let you all know if I happen to win any of the contests.

Update: I've entered 3 contests today alone & there will be 3 more each day this week - so go check it out. Seriously, these aprons {and other fun stuff} are very cute. I'm wanting one even if I don't win!

What Seems Wrong With This Picture?

So I'm driving down the highway to Hopkinsville and this truck ends up in front of me. At first I paid no attention. Then I noticed something odd. Do you see it? There are three license plates, each from a different state. Am I the only one who thinks this is a bit odd? If you are curious the plates were from Florida, Nebraska & Alabama. So I'm wondering if there are different regulations in these states regarding trucks & transporting cargo. ? I may have to google that sometime. Anyway, that brings me to my next curiosity about this truck. Do you see the other oddity? If you can't then click on the image to get a closer view. {Quick tip: if you use firefox like I do you can right click on stuff you want to open & select to 'open in new tab' then you don't lose the page you were originally looking at & have to click back a bunch of times. I don't use internet explorer so I don't know if it works on that or not, but try it out.} Where was I? Oh right, cargo. So by now you should have seen it. Yes. That is a cowbell hanging from the back of this truck. So I thought - okay...? And let me tell you that while I was pondering the 'accessories' of this truck I was driving through a very smelly area. There are farms along the road so this isn't too odd but it was a lot stronger smelling than I've experienced before. Then it all came together {except for the plates, still don't get that}. The smell, the cowbell & the last clue: MOOOOO, and it wasn't Michael singing moo moo where - aka Old McDonald. This truck was full of cows & well, cow poop. Then I laughed to myself about the cowbell. The whole time this is playing out I'm totally thinking in blog and what a funny story this could be to share. And then I remembered that I had my camera. Don't worry I took the photo while I was stopped, mostly. Okay I got the camera out & turned it on while I was at a stop then the light turned green & I quickly snapped the shot before he switched lanes on me.

Faithful Friday {week 3 - a day late}

If I could set an alert for my blog I'd post on time more often. I'll just have to work on recognizing what day of the week it is. Sorta funny how it worked out this week though. I posted my Smart Habit Saturday on Friday, granted it was late at night and now I'm posting my Faithful Friday on Saturday. Guess I'm a little mixed up this week. My days really have been thrown off. Shawn had a four day weekend last week and got off work early on Tuesday and now he's been gone since Wednesday so I'm all out of sorts. But I'd rather post this late than not at all. I do want to keep this a habit.

So this week I am thankful for my family. Not just my own family in my home but my immediate & extended family. My dad & stepmom have really been a great support & encouragement to me, especially after losing my mom. They call weekly to talk and check in with how I'm doing. It's great to have such a loving support system. I am really looking forward to seeing them in California in a couple weeks. I'm also thankful that we were all able to get our plane tickets. The whole family is going to be together for a weekend.

And I must say "Happy Birthday" to my little sis. She is 22 today.

Check out Daily Blessings for more Faithful Fridays.

Smart Habit Saturday {week 1 June}

It's that time again! I think that overall I did really well this week. Thursday was another down day for me. The only habits I did were enjoying my time & drinking water. I need to work on organizing a small space each day. I have a list of spaces that need to be tackled, a large pile of stuff on my counter, cleared space and I just don't do it. So I will keep focusing on that one this week. I was thinking that it would come more naturally, that only happened once while scrapping & I purged & reorganized my scraps. I did have two 8 for 8 days - yay! I really am loving this 'accountability' that I have. It's really helping me to get stuff taken care of and get into a routine. Plus, and this one is major, I have motivation to clean & stuff while hubby is gone. He has been gone since Wednesday and I am really missing him. I realize that I don't have the same *need* to do stuff when he's not coming home. Not to say that he bugs me about housekeeping if things aren't in order, he's really good about that. But when he comes home I *want* the house to look nice for him. This is helping me to find new motivation. If it all depended on Shawn coming home to say 'good job' then we'd be in trouble while he was deployed. I'm starting to do these things because I want to have a orderly house, I want to keep my habits going and I want to check off my list! So thanks again to The Lazy Organizer for starting this whole thing. Check out her blog to see other SMARTy pants and get in on the fun. You can also click here to see my goal's spreadsheet or click on the badge on the left side of my blog. So what to do this week? My first set of habits were focused on the house, my last on myself. I would choose something to focus on hubby but he's gone for a few weeks so I'll do something to focus on the kids, well Michael for now - but I'll still be doing it when Lydia is old enough to participate.

• 30 minutes of 'preschool' time a day (M-F) with Michael. He's not quite three yet so I'm not going to get too technical with this one. It doesn't have to be 30 minutes in a row and there will be no lesson plans. I want to work with him more on his alphabet & numbers and continue him learning his animals, colors & shapes. He does well in these areas considering his age but I want to be more aware of it throughout the day. Take opportunities that come up & use them as learning experiences.
  

Since I still need to work on my daily organizing I won't be so ambitious and do two this week. So there it is. Thanks for stopping by & have a great week.