Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: A Perfect Morning for Sharing a Pumpkin Spice Latte

It's a perfect, Fall morning, to enjoy a Pumpkin Spice Latte. So, enjoy! (Tomorrow, I'll have the recipe up!)

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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Dear Fall...(Part Two)

To see Dear Fall part one, click here.

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Dear Fall,
You have finally showed up. I was beginning to get worried last week, when you brought nothing but rain and humidity to our little State. This morning I woke to a nice chill in the house, and the feeling of Fall coming through my window. That's how this time of year is supposed to be. I noticed on Sunday that the leaves were beginning to change colors, and while we watched football on Sunday afternoon...your sound, the sound of Fall was clear through the air. The geese are flying south, my hair is full of static, and the air looks lighter with the lack of humidity. All, sure signs of your arrival and your presence.

The random events that took my place in my life, all seem to come to life during this season. I can't help but think about the Fall Festivals we had in Elementary School. I smile as I remember how fun they were. I'm not sure why they were so fun, but I think it had something to do with my Parents coming with me. I loved showing them my school, my friends, and my teachers. I remember playing outside in the crunchy leaves with my brother, holidays, and so much more fun. I guess you have given me some pretty descent memories, Fall. Although, Summer does win out with the most and the best of memories. You do, however, include Thanksgiving and that is a pleasant time of the year.

All in all, I just wanted to thank you for accepting my request and arriving promptly. You are a little later than I would have wanted you to be, but at least you are finally here. Now, is there any way you could grant me with some money to go Fall shopping? That would be great

Love,
Samantha

Monday, September 28, 2009

Yay!

Mrs. M from "I've Changed my Name to Mommy" has graciously granted me with another award! Evidently, my blog is Over the Top! Woo hoo! This is great, as I am hoping to continue to expand my followers and blog readers :) The rules of this award are to
-answer the questions with only one worded answers (those are below)
- thank the blogger who gave it to you over and over and over (that's exaggerated a bit) :)
- & pass it on to 6 of your favorite bloggers


I would like to give this award to

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just copy & paste the code
Becky from In the Trenches
Nikki from Chocolate Mousse
Jessica from Muthering Heights
Bundle To Baby
Mother Mayhem from Mother Mayhem
Jenny from Our Nifty Notebook
oh & don't forget to alert those who you choose to give the award to


1. Where is your cell phone?
...Couch
2.Your hair?
...Up
3. Your mother?
...Work
4. Your father?
...Work
5. Your favorite food?
...Pizza
6. Your dream last night?
...Strange
7. Your favorite drink?
...Water
8. Your dream/goal?
...Photography
9. What room are you in?
...Livingroom
10. Your hobby?
...Photography
11. Your fear?
...Death
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?
...Here
13. Where were you last night?
...Home
14. Something you aren't?
...Mean
15. Muffins?
...Blueberry
16. Wish list item?
...MacBook Pro
17. Where did you grow up?
...South
18. Last thing you did?
...Laundry
19. What are you wearing?
...Sweats
20. Your TV?
...Vizio
21. Your pets?
...None
22. Your friends?
...Few
23. Your life?
...Awesome
24. Your mood?
...Great
25. Missing someone?
...Sometimes
26. Vehicle?
...Honda
27. Something you're not wearing?
...Socks
28. Your favorite store?
...Target
29. Your favorite color?
...Brown
30. When was the last time you laughed?
...Today
31. Last time you cried?
...Friday
32. Your best friend?
...Hubby
33. One place that I go over and over?
...Target
34. One person who emails me regularly?
...American Eagle
35. Favorite place to eat?
...Ihop

Thank you again Mrs M for the award!! Can't wait to put it in my collection for all to see!

Coupon Savings Monday!!

[Coupon Savings Monday is when I show you exactly how much I spent on groceries, and exactly how much I saved, just by using coupons. Coupons really work, so if you have any questions, never hesitate to ask!]


For some of you who are new to my blog, I wanted to explain the coupon-ing & saving process. Say good bye to expensive grocery store trips, and HELLO to SAVINGS! Here are a few FAQ:

1. Where do I get coupons?
You can get them in Sunday's newspaper. Buy two newspapers, that way you'll have double the coupons! Proctor & Gamble (P&G), Red Plum, & Smart Source are the three main companies who put out coupons. Looks for these in the paper.

2. How do I get started?
The main thing is to get organized. Most coupon Moms buy a 3-Ring notebook or a notebook that zips, with baseball card holders (to hold the coupons) and dividers to divide the different types of coupons. This seems to work best, as it's easier to find your coupons and organize them. I have seen lots of people walking around in the grocery store with their notebooks!

3. How does this work?
Only use your coupons on items that are on sale. For this reason, you may have to visit three or four grocery stores in order to get everything you need for the best deal. In most places you can use a manufacturer coupon and the store coupon together, and remember that you don't have to buy both items if they are buy one get one free. You can just get one, and get it half off! If you do want to get two, make sure you have 2 coupons for each item.

So, now that we have covered the basics of coupon-ing, have a look below to see how I did this week on groceries!

Bloom
- Wrigley Extra Spearmint Gum: On sale for Buy one Get one Free, got one at half price & paid .50 cent for a pack.
- Activia 4pk Yogurt: On sale for 2/4$ + coupon for 1$ off of 1 = 1$ for 1
- Perdue Boneless Chicken Breasts: On sale for Buy one Get one Free, originally 7.04, got for 3.53
Total: 5.10
Savings: 5.82

Publix
- Kashi Cereal: On sale for 2/5$ + 2, 1.50 off coupons & 1 Free coupon = 2.00 for 3 boxes of Kashi Cereal
- Kellog's Eggo Waffles: On sale, Buy one Get one Free + 1$ off of 2 = 2.00 for 2 boxes of waffles
- New York Texas Toast: On sale, Buy one Get one Free = 1 box for 1.65
- Right Guard Deoderant: On sale, Buy one Get one Free + 1$ off of 2 = 3.00 for 2 Deoderants
- Dole Fruit Cups: On sale, Buy one Get one Free + 1$ off of 1 = .85 cent for one 4pk of fruit cups
- Ronzoni Pasta: On sale, Buy one Get one Free = 1.39 for 2 boxes of pasta
- Natures Own Bread: On sale, Buy one Get one Free = 1.75 for one
- Smart Balance Butter Spread: On sale, Buy one Get one Free + 1$ off of 2 = 2.09 for two
- Johnson & Johnson Cucumber Melon Baby Wash: On sale, dollar of (2.99) + 1$ off of one = 1.99
- Grands! Biscuits: On sale, 4/5$ = 1.25 for one
- Shallots: 1.49
Total:24.32
Total Savings: 32.19

Bilo
- Southern Home chicken broth: .79 a piece = 1.58 for 2
- Southern Home flour: 1.00 for one
- Papers Towels: On sale 10/10$ = 1.00 for one
- Huggies Wipes: On sale 2/6$ + .50 cent off coupon(x2) = 2.00 for one box of 64 count wipes
- Sargento Sharp Cheddar Cheese: On sale 2/5$ = 2.50 for one
- Crystal Farms Cheese: On sale for 2/4$ = 2.00 for one
- Tony's Pizza: On sale 10/10$ = 2.00 for two
- Bananas: .69 a pound = 1.70
Total Before Savings: 17.14
Total: 13.78
Total Savings: 3.36

Grand Total: 43.92
Grand Total Savings: 41.37

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Gonna Build Me an Ark!

noahs ark Pictures, Images and Photos

It started raining, again, late yesterday afternoon. Not just sprinkles, or passing showers. I'm talking an all out, raining cats and dogs, dam busting, river in my back yard, rain. The rain was so clearly audible as it beat the roof of our apartment. I immediately though of Noah and the Ark, and thought that maybe I should start gathering blue prints together to build an Ark or boat if this rain continues. I'm still waiting on the animals to start gathering two by two. Who says the earth couldn't be flooded in 40 days? Atlanta flooded in just a few hours!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Making some extra cash...

We need extra cash. Period. Money is low, Fall is coming, and I need new clothes (yes, I love clothes). Out of the blue, this lady that I met through Facebook said that she sells Tupperware, and would love to get together with me and discuss the possibilities of me also selling Tupperware. So, last night me, my Mom, and this lady met at this little diner and discussed Tupperware.

I was very excited when she said that at her first show last week, she made 400 dollars. Of course most of that went towards her getting the kit so that she could start having her own parties. Every party after that, she makes 20 percent of however much was bought. So, I mean, it's not the jackpot, but it's extra cash. All the extra cash I need :)

Plus, I have 2 scheduled photograpy gigs coming up in October and November. Doesn't sound like much, but it's more, extra cash. This day in age, extra cash, whether it be 20, 30 or 40 dollars...is extra cash. Every least bit helps. Unless of course, you have a hubby that spends 80 dollars in four days and has nothing to show for it. How does he do that you ask? 3 dollars on cigarettes, 3 dollars on a can of dip, 2 dollars on a 20 oz drink, and another dollar fifty on a candy bar, bag of chips, or whatever snack he may be wanting. Yeah. We're not talking at the moment.

Anyway, I don't want to bore you with the normal marital issues, although, it is usually the woman who spends too much money. In my case, it's the hubs, and he doesn't spend money on anything of significance. So, whatever money I make from Tupperware or my photography, is mine. I am not sharing, because I get stuck here without any money to spend EVER, because the Hubs doesn't know how NOT to spend money on useless things like candy bars, sodas, and dip. Cigarettes are useless too, but have you ever tried to get a smoker to quit? It's not that easy.

I need a punching bag, because I am not a very happy camper today. Oh well, happy Friday everyone & have a GREAT weekend!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Just a Bunch of Babble...

Bree carries on full conversations with me now. The only problem is that most of it is a bunch of babble. I try very hard to make out what she's saying, or to even pick a word out of the whole sentence that I can understand, but with no avail! It really bothers me, because my daughter is trying to have a conversation with me. She wants to talk to me, and I can't understand her. I can, however, differentiate between a question and a statement. To most of her questions I reply, "Yeah". She looks at me like I'm crazy, and then goes about doing whatever she was doing. I think she understands that I don't speak babble.

I do know, that I'll be very excited the day that the babble turns into the english language. I can't wait to sit and have conversations with my Bree. I can tell you right now, she's pretty interesting and pretty funny. She makes me laugh, even when I don't understand what she's saying. I can't imagine the laughs I'll have when I can understand every single word!

Here is a list of a few new words or phrases she has learned lately:
-love you too(my favorite)
-where's errett?(Errett is my brother, and she actually pronounces it "Et")
-Awwww(mostly said whenever she puts a bow in her baby dolls hair)
-got to pee pee?(I guess she figures I need to be asked if I have to pee too)

I hope I begin to understand her pretty soon. A part of me feels like a bad mama, because I don't understand everything she says. I've seen kids babble something that sounded like straight up japanese, and the mother understood what they said. I remember thinking that it must be a mommy thing. That maybe only mommys understand the language. Evidently I'm missing something, but I was never that good at learning different languages either. Spanish was practically incomprehensible for me.

Oh well.

Guess what??

It's almost the weekend!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: Why I Love Being a Stay-At-Home-Mom

Not being a Stay-At-Home-Mom, means I would miss fun times like these...
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Climbing on coffee tables is never acceptable at daycare



See last week's Wordless (Wordful) Wednesday for further understanding

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

The Equinox...

[Taken from Wikipedia]
-An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the Sun being vertically above a point on the Equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens. The name "equinox" is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day are approximately equally long. It may be better understood to mean that latitudes +L and -L north and south of the equator experience nights of equal length.
-An equinox happens each year at two specific moments in time (rather than two whole days), when there is a location on the Earth's Equator where the centre of the Sun can be observed to be vertically overhead, occurring around March 20/21 and September 22/23 each year.


Today, most of the Country will have 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of moonlight. Except for me, and others who live in the South East. It's been dark here for nearly 168 hours. I saw the sun for a total of 30 seconds yesterday, before the clouds took over again. Alot of the towns and cities around here, have been flooded. Has anyone seen the pictures of Atlanta on television? It has rained like it's the end of Spring around here. It doesn't rain in September, and if it does...it's not for seven straight days! I have S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder); I need all the sunlight I can get. So when I hear that today is the second equinox of the year, and that after today, our days will begin to get shorter...you can imagine, I was pretty upset.

I haven't seen the sun in seven days, and now...it's going to start getting dark early from here until Spring? That's not cool.

"Yes, Psychiatrist, I'd like a large order of extra large and bright as you can get lamps please. Oh and could you tell the vitamin store that I would also like a large order of Vitamin D. K, thanks."

Happy Equinox everyone! Go buy some lamps and some hight watt light bulbs! You're gonna need 'em.

Let's Be Honest. Let's be Real.

[NOTE: This post is in no way meant to offend. So, before you read, please keep that in mind & take it as the good humor that it is]

I noticed as I was putting Bree's pajamas on last night, that there was a saying written on the shirt. "Apple of Daddy's Eye" it read. For some reason I laughed out loud, and realized I've never seen a one liner that was the honest-to-God truth, written on a child's shirt. They usually say something like, "Mommy's Little Angel" or "Grandma's Heart". So, I decided to write a list of sayings that I think should be printed on kid's clothes.

-"Pain in Mama's Butt"
-"I'm the only hell my Mama's ever raised"
-"Daddy thinks I'm annoying"
-"Grandma pretends she's not home whenever I come by"
-"Grandpa only drinks when I'm around"
-"I'm why Daddy drinks all the time"
-"I get slapped by strangers in Wal-Mart"
-"I'm the reason why Daddy is gray headed."
-"I'm why Mommy is in rehab"

Those are just a few of more that I'm sure I could come up with. Do you have any? If so, we should all join forces and create a new line of kids clothing!

Monday, September 21, 2009

Hello Monday.

It's Monday, and I haven't seen the sun in seven straight days. It's starting to take affect on me, and I see no escaping the clouds anytime soon. It's supposed to be rainy all week. Yesterday, it rained cats and dogs outside. I don't recall a September in the past that was quiet this...wet. Oh well, I guess we need the rain...but still...I need some sunshine.

Our weekend was pretty uneventful. We sat around all day Saturday watching the Clemson vs. Boston College game. It lasted 5 hours, because of 2, 1 hour, lightening delays. Sunday was the most uneventful, eventful day out of the entire weekend. We had lunch with my parents, and then dinner with the in-laws. It doesn't sound like much, but we only spent a total of about 2 hours at the house all day.

Not much on the agenda for this week. We're broke, so staying home is always the better and cheaper alternative. I am excited that the Fall television schedule is beginning to take form. I am a "House" addict, and tonight is the 2 hour season premiere of "House". I am VERY excited. If you don't have much experience with "House", you should definitely watch it tonight. It comes on Fox at eight o'clock. I promise, you won't regret watching it! Plus, Hugh Laurie is just...well, sexy.

Bree has learned a few words over the weekend:
Here Kitty, kitty
Touchdown!
Come on!

Seems she wakes up every morning, having expanded her vocabulary. I guess that's a good thing, until one day I let a curse word slip, and she repeats it. She's a walking mimicker these days. Seems nothing I say will go un-repeated by Bree. Oh well, at least she understands the significance of a cloudy day. At the moment, she is wrapped up in my fleece blanket, laying down on the couch, and watching "Max & Ruby" (the motherless, fatherless bunnies).
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Maybe we'll take a nap in a little bit :)

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Potato, Ham & Cheese Soup Recipe!

Fall is around the corner, and cold, chilly nights are upon us. I for one, absolutely love soup during the fall & winter time. Nothing can soothe the soul quiet like a PB&J served with a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup. However, two years ago, I came across this recipe for Potato, Ham & Cheese soup. We made it up one night, and have been hooked ever since. During the Fall and Winter, we have this soup at least once a week. Yes, it's that good. I thought I would share with you this recipe, and hope that you make it too!

Potato, Ham & Cheese Soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients
-1 stick of butter
-A pair of shallots
-1 Cup of chopped/cubed ham
-1/2 cup of flour
-2 cans of chicken broth
-2 large white potatoes, cut into cubes
-16 ounces of half & half
-1 cup of graded sharp cheddar cheese
-Dash of black pepper

Directions:
In a large saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter. Add shallots and cook until translucent. Add ham, flour and stir. Add chicken broth, stir until smooth. Simmer until thick & creamy, stirring frequently. Add potatoes, continuing to stir frequently until potatoes are tender. Add cheese, and half & half, stirring together. Add pepper to taste, and serve.

I promise you, that you will not regret making this. It takes a little bit of time, but it's well worth it!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Completely Random Friday

Seems that all I have written about lately is weather, but it is seriously beginning to take an effect on me. Yesterday, it was overcast all day long with a 70 percent chance of rain. It never rained a bit, and today it's pouring. I think days like this should be pajama days. In fact, I intend on remaining in my p.j's all day long. I have nowhere to be, and no money to spend. Mid as well just hang out in my pajamas.

Seems the rest of the weekend is going to be like this also, so I think we should save some money and just have a movie filled weekend. It's not much fun going out in the rain anyhow.

Bree isn't doing much these days. Just being sweet, mean and sweet again. She does have quiet the imagination these days, but she hasn't yet graduated to playing in her room by herself yet. Wonder when those days will come? Instead, she enjoys bringing all of her toys to the living room. At the moment there is an entire tea party set spread across the coffee table, a play microphone, a book, some random pieces to Mr. Potato Head, and of course...a cup of milk. The light bulb beside me is burnt out, so thats rather bothersome since it looks like it should be about midnight outside. No, I don't have any light bulbs. If I did, I would have replaced the bulb yesterday morning when it burnt out.

Does anyone let their kids watch "Max & Ruby" on Nick Jr.? If so, where is Max & Ruby's mother? This show really bothers me. There is no sign of adult life anywhere except for their Grandmother. That's it. No more adults. Did they kill the other adults? What happened to them?

I had this crazy dream last night. I dreamed that all of the Disney characters were frozen, and I couldn't figure out why but it was a guinea pigs fault. So I was like beating up on the Guinea Pig who had like this cozy, warm den. Finally, the characters began thawing out and coming back to life, and I was just super excited! Where does that dream even come from?

I think I need another vacation.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Dear Fall...

Dear Fall,

Why do you take so long to get here? It's not that I like you that much, it's just that your constant teasing becomes very annoying. If you could talk to your friend Summer into staying around longer, I would really appreciate that. If that isn't possible, then you should definitely finish packing and get here already. I mean really, what's the point in teasing us with cloudy, 75 degree weather? You can't lay out by the pool in cloudy, 75 degree weather, but you can't wear long sleeved shirts either. I'm not a fan of your in-between-ness. Either get here all at the same time, or don't come at all. Period.

And another thing, I don't mind rain, if it would just rain. Maybe you could talk to Mr. Overcast and ask him, that if he is going to hang around, he should at least shed some rain. I don't much like heavily overcast skies with no rain. Just seems like a waste of time to me.

I apologize for my complaining, but it's football season and I just think that it should feel like it. I remember how you're supposed to feel. You are supposed to feel crisp and cool in the morning. Not yet cold enough to see my breath, but cool enough for the tip of my nose to be a little chilly. Cool enough that I can wear a long sleeved shirt and never get cold or too hot. I know that you could never be perfect, but you could at least try. It's not too late to show up on time. Just don't be as late as Christmas, as you usually are. When you arrive late, that means winter comes later, which pushes Spring back later, and Summer back even later. Let's all be on time, shall we?

Thanks & With Much Love,
Samantha

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Wordful Wednesday: Stay At Home Moms are not as valuable as working Moms

I didn't know that when Paul and I made the decision that I would be a stay at home Mom, that I would be looked down upon. I didn't know that, evidently, it makes me less valuable than a Mom who works a paying job. Notice I said paying job, because being a stay at home Mom is just as much of a job if not harder than most, and we don't get paid for it.

This is all came about when the Hubs went to talk to his manager about what he could do to earn a bit more money. Somehow, the entire conversation got turned around to me and why don't I get a job. Oh, and Facebook made it into the conversation too. Evidently people think I sit on my butt all day long, update Facebook, and do nothing else. Obviously, these people have never been in my house, or spent a day with me. And obviously these people have never been on Twitter. Tweeters can't fart without having to update about it. Anyway, I feel like my place right now, at this point in time, is right here with Bree, at home. Why would I want to place her in daycare where she would catch all kinds of illnesses from the other kids? Bree has never been sick more than three times in the entire two years that she has been alive. That number would double if I placed her into daycare.

Yes, money is tight around here, and a second income would be nice. But if that involves getting a job, and placing Bree into daycare...there wouldn't be enough money to make up the difference. The cost of daycare these days is outrageous, not to mention the price of gas to take me to work and back, the cost of clothes to wear in an office or wherever, the cost of lunch, etc. I really don't think it would make much of a difference.

I shouldn't have to come up with a list of reasons of why I am a stay-at-home-Mom. It's really no one else's business. I'm not any less of a person, or any less valuable than a Mother who is working. If you're not a mother, you can't have an opinion. Period. If you don't know what it is like to stay at home with your two year old, and keep a house clean & running, then you just can't have an opinion. I mean, I guess you can, it's just not valid.

I have had one crappy week. Monday I have some girl cussing me out telling me that I am liar, and this and that, and Tuesday I have someone telling me I am lazy that I should be doing something to contribute to my family. These people have no idea who I am. Everything I have been accused of over the past couple of days, are things that go against my integrity. Things that aren't true, and things that I make a point not to do. What do you do when you have people like this, just talking straight up trash about you? I've been out of high school so long now, I forget how to deal with it.

I'm not going to get a job, but I am interested in trying to make money with my blog. I'm not exactly sure how to go about getting started with it, but I am definitely interested. Also, I was thinking about getting a Hooked on Phonics program or something of that nature, based on Bree's age, so that I could go ahead and start preschooling her. Not sure what I should be looking for, but I definitely think she is ready to do alot of learning.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

I've Had a Case of the Crazies...

I was working on changing my blog template for Fall colors, when out of the blew some "business" issues came up. Evidently she wasn't happy with her wedding pictures, although she had seen them on the computer and loved them. She was particulary nice about anything, and I pretty much was verbally abused for a part of Sunday night and on in to Monday morning. Twas not a fun, end of the weekend/beginning of the week. Not of the issue was my fault, so, I'm glad about that. Anyway, I don't have the problem resolved yet, but I'm working on something just to shut her up.

On another note, I can now successfully wear a size 4 in jeans. That means, that over the last 2 years, I have dropped 10 pants sizes. That doesn't really sound like alot to me when looking at it over a course of two years, but when you break it down to 5 pants sizes a year...that kind of sounds like alot. Nevertheless, I am officially back to my pre-pregnancy weight. So, to all of those people who said I couldn't do and I would never be that thin again...here's to you! Honestly though, I had never been more afraid to try on a pair of jeans than I was yesterday. Why? Because I knew that if I put them on and I couldn't wear them, I would feel fat again and I just HATE feeling fat. Sometimes "fat days" are an every day thing for me, so I'd like to try and avoid those if I can. I put on leg in, the other leg in, and then pulled them up. Buttoned them with no issues whatsoever. I breathed. Nothing was too tight. No muffin top. How could this be? This time last year I could barely wear a 6, and I had a muffin top. Wow. I could wear a 4. Now, I know that a size 4 is considered plus size in the modeling world. But I'm not a model, and never plan to be.

I do wish this week would go by a little quicker. I enjoy the weekends. They make me smile.

How is everyone's week?

I normally don't talk about celebrities, but did anyone see what Kanye West did to Taylor Swift on the VMAs? Well, I did, and I'm sure if you didn't, you saw it on some other television show or heard it on the radio. I watched Jay Leno's premiere last night, and he had Kanye on there. He asked him if his mother would be disappointed in him. I have always felt sorry for Kanye West. He looks so unhappy. He is one of those people who if I heard on television that he had been found dead from an apparent suicide, it wouldn't surprise me. It makes me so sad to see people like that. I don't get joy out of other people's reveries. I get sad. I hope he can fix himself. I'd like to see him happy. Just once.

& RIP Patrick Swayze. Sad to see another great one go, but I was glad to hear that he went peacefully. I'm sure everyone across the States will be watching Dirty Dancing this weekend. I think I might!

And last but not least, I'm not yet finished with the blog template. I'm going to make a better header. Just let me add a couple of hours to 24 hour clock, and I'll get it done :)

P.S: I lost a follower, and I'm not sure why? I know who it is, and I just want to make sure I didn't offend or upset anyone?

Friday, September 11, 2009

If it looks funny...

Hey guys, if my blog looks a little funny to you...I am currently working on another template. So, bare with me as I make the transition for a Summer time template to a Fall time one :) Thanks!

The Day I Learned What Patriotism Was...

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I was in eighth grade, and it was my first year of homeschooling. I was sitting at the dining room table, doing my history work when my Dad called us into the living room. He had just gotten a phone call from a friend telling him to switch the channel to CNN. He did, and the vision that filled the television screen was something that I will never, ever forget. I remember feeling like I was watching a movie. I had never seen anything like this before. My Parents had never seen anything like this.

An airplane, a real airplane had just flown right into the top of one of the twin towers. No one knew what was going on. Was it an accident? What had exactly happened? No one knew. As we were sitting there watching live view of the twin towers, here came yet another plane, crashing into the other tower. I remember watching that, and realizing that I had just seen that live. That wasn't part of the program, or a replay. I had just witnessed, with my own eyes, live, an airplane fly into one of the twin towers. At that point, we knew, everyone knew, that this was no accident. This was an attack.

I can safely say that I was in 8th grade when I, for the first time ever, actually feared for my life. I realized that there were other people in this world that hated us, Americans, the United States. I realized that there were other people in this world that wanted us dead, and they would go to any length to do so.

I remember watching the live feed of the World Trade Centers on fire. A large black mark wounded their sides. I remember watching what looked like pieces of paper falling from the tops of the towers, and then realizing that it was people lunging from the windows and falling to their deaths. I couldn't imagine how those people felt, and I wondered if I had been in their position if I would have done the same thing. Watching people fall from thousands of thousands of feet in the air, like rag dolls, broke my heart.

I remember when the towers began to collapse, and again, feeling like I was watching a movie. News reporters, witnesses, firefighters, police officers and others ran for their lives, trying to escape the debris and dust that could claim their lives. I remember the tears that came from my eyes, unwillingly, unknowingly. I didn't know any of these people, but they were my people. They were my fellow Americans, and some one had killed them. Someone foreign had killed them, had killed us. Someone foreign had changed the lives of every single American that day.

In some respects, I think we have forgotten that fateful day in September. I learned the meaning of Patriotism that day, as did many more Americans, but how easily we forget. We all came together in that day, and that week, that month and that year. But, as time has passed we have forgotten what it was like to be united. Our Country is divided, and we need to become united once again. Should it really take another tragedy like that of September 11, 2001 to bring us all together again?

3 A.M

Raise of hands, who was up at 3 a.m this morning? I was! And I wasn't happy about it. The Hubs had a pretty severe asthma/allergy attack, and I had to make a little visit to the 24 hour Walgreens to buy some Benadryl. I mean really, who buys Benadryl at 3 a.m?

I probably sound a little cold hearted to you. I mean, why would I be angry that my poor asthmatic hubby needed me to get out of my nice warm bed at three o'clock in the morning, drive to the local Walgreens and purchase some Benadryl? Because, he's allergic to the hops in the beer he drank last night (because a football game was on) and this asthma/allergy attack was COMPLETELY avoidable. Besides, don't mess with me in the wee hours of the morning. That's just not the best time in the world to be waking me up and asking me to drive somewhere.

Anyway, the world looks completely different at 3 a.m. It's a bit more creepier. Even Walgreens was creepy. Not to mention that the cashier had the nerve to say "Good morning" to me when I walked in. "No. Not good morning. I should be sleeping right now." I wanted to say to him, but I didn't. I smiled, walked directly to the meds, found the Benadryl, paid and left.

Just for your information...the Benadryl is still sitting on the bathroom counter...UNOPENED!

[more solemn note]

...The events that went down in my house last night seem so trivial when compared to what happened on this date eight years ago. Please take a moment out of your day to remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and to pray for the troops who are still fighting to protect our Country from terrorism. This was a day that I will never forget, and as F.D.R said when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, September 11, 2001 will be a day that will [also] live in infamy.

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Wordful Wednesday: Toddler Bed or No Toddler Bed?

Bree is at that age, where I am unsure of what to do with her. As I had mentioned a month or so ago, Bree had discovered how to climb out of her crib. This was not going over well with me, because she was waking up at the butt crack of dawn, not completing her naps, and not going to bed. We took the piece that holds her mattress up out of the crib, and dropped the mattress down to the floor. She slept like that for almost a month, and this past Saturday we just put the bars back in and made her crib normal again. Bree hasn't tried to get out or anything, and I'm not sure if that's because she has forgotten that she can or she's already over that and doesn't care anymore. Either way, we switched the door knobs on the doors (bathroom & bedroom) so that we can lock her in her room, and she can't get out & get hurt.

I just saw last night where a "friend" of mine had just switched her baby to a toddler bed, and her baby is a few months younger than Bree. She's not even two yet. I know that you can't make your kids do something based on what someone else's kid is doing, but it makes me wonder if Bree is ready for a toddler bed. I know why I haven't switched her to a toddler bed yet...I'm not ready. Perhaps I feel that she's not ready yet either. I honestly don't think that she would ever go to bed. When I was a baby, I went straight from a crib to a full size bed. Neither one of my brothers had a toddler bed, and so I wonder if a toddler bed is even necessary? It sucks that I am having this realization now, as we have a crib that transfers into a toddler bed, and then into a twin sized bed. But you don't know these things when you are crib shopping for your first baby. You're not sure how these things are going to work out.

So, I guess what I am asking is, toddler bed or no toddler bed? If you chose a toddler bed, how old was your child and what kind of discipline did you have to enforce to keep your child in the bed?

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

& Then It Was Over...

Remember when you were a child, and you would get so excited about Christmas. You couldn't wait for Santa to come, so that you could get up and see all of the things he brought you. When Christmas morning finally rolled around, you hopped out bed eager to see what was waiting for you in the next room. You're ecstatic as you see all of your new gifts. You're playing with them, and looking at them. You're excited! And then. All of the sudden. It hits you. It hits you like a ton of rocks. Christmas is over. You get that feeling in your chest, like your heart just fell into your stomach. And then, sadness and disappointment takes over.

This is how I felt after Bree's birthday party. Yes, how I felt. I had spent so much of my time and energy working to make her birthday party the greatest 2nd birthday party ever! I had spent so much time trying to decide what to get Bree for her birthday, and I had spent even more time wondering what others were going to get her. I had built this whole party up in my head, and I was so excited! Well, the party was awesome and her gifts were even greater! I had never had this much fun at a party in my life. Watching Bree open each gift, then hop up and down cheering "Yay!", even when it was clothes...those were priceless moments! But as soon as we got into the car to leave that night, it hit me. Bree's party was over, and I felt like that little kid at Christmas time again. Perhaps I am a child at heart. I love parties, and Christmas just as much as a five year old. I think that there are just some things you just don't grow out of, and me, I love the excitement of parties!
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Bree got alot of Dora the Explorer dolls, including one from us. I also got her this little purse set that came with a cell phone, 2 tubes of lip stick, eye shadow, keys and a 2 credit cards. She slept with this thing. She has not put it down. She got alot of clothes, which was great. I won't have to do much Fall/Winter shopping. She got two pairs of tennis shoes, New Balance & pink Nikes that I was dying for her to have! With a gift card that she got, we bought her a new bedding set that she needed desperately! I can't wait to get her room decorated now. My brother's girlfriend did a Build-A-Bear for Bree, and made it a Marine bear to honor my brother. She even named it Uncle Errett. I nearly cried when I opened this. Bree doesn't understand the significance now, but she will one day.

When came time for the cake, Bree had her own little cake. After we sang happy birthday, and she blew out the candle, she would not touch the cake until I gave her a fork. She refused to get messy, so everyone else took it upon themselves to wipe icing all over her face. She kept going, "Eww! Ewww! Ewwwwww!". She destoryed most of the cake with the fork, and I'm not exactly sure how much actually got into her mouth. Truth be told, I've never seen Bree have this much fun (besides at the beach), and it made me so happy. My purpose for the party was fulfilled.

Saturday, September 05, 2009

Happy Birthday Baby Bree!!

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I cannot believe that my baby, my little Bree baby, is two years old today! It's hard to believe how fast time goes, and how quickly she has grown. This time last year she wasn't even walking it! She was a master at crawling, but she didn't walk until January of this year! This time last year, she was still in the baby car seat, sitting backwards in the car. This time last year she was wearing 6 -9 month old clothing instead of 18 & 24 month old. This time last year, she was still on baby formula and eating mushy baby food. This time last year the only two words she could say successfully were "Mama" & "Daddy". Now she says, "Mommy" & "Paul". She refuses to call him Daddy. I guess that's because I don't call Paul, "Daddy".

She has been such a smart little baby. She pays attention to detail, and she picks up quickly on words, and the way things work. She understands more than I think she understands. She can sing, and dance, and hop. She's funny, and a little prankster. She picks out what clothes she wants to wear, and she loves her hot pink, sparkly flip flops. The one word she says constantly is, "I want cookie." and she loves peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. She can spot a Chick-Fil-A a mile away, and she is very well aware of what the golden arches are. Whenever she sees these two things she says, "I eat." She loves SpongeBob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer, Khai-Lan, and Full House. She loves music, and picks up on lyrics pretty quickly. She can say "Pizza" very clearly, and when she talks in her sleep, she is usually talking about cookies. I found this out at the beach when we had to sleep in the same room with each other. She minds me pretty well on the big things like not jumping in the swimming pool, but doesn't listen very well when I tell her not to get up on the dining room table in the house. She's prissy, and girly, and loves her Daddy.

I can't believe all of the things she has learned in two years. Right now her vocabulary consists of these words:
What is that?
I go night night
Bath?
I want cookie (one time she said, "Can I have a cookie?")
Bye, c'ya later
I eat
I gotta pee pee
Book
I have pizza
Uh oh!
Oh no!
Ewww
Hey!
Hello
and I'm sure there are more than I just can't fully understand yet.

I'm looking forward to the following years and being able to watch her grow into a beautiful little girl. I can't wait to see what she will be like when she is three years old. Just like her, I'm learning as I go, but it's been the greatest learning experience of my life. I love you Kailyn Bree, and I hope you have the hap, hap, happiest birthday EVER!

Bree was born on September 5, 2007 at 11:23p.m
She weight 8 pounds 7 ounces and was 21 inches long

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Gives a Whole New Meaning to "having a buzz"...

I just had to share this with you all this morning. The events that I am about to describe to you will probably go down as the single most funniest thing to ever happen to me.

The Hubs, Bree, and I were sitting on the couch, lights off, getting ready for 3 FULL hours of Ghost Hunters! It's a Wednesday night ritual. Call us strange, I don't know. Anyway, I couldn't find my phone anywhere. I knew Bree had gotten it, but I had already looked in each crack and crevasse of the couch, the trash can, and other miscellaneous places. I couldn't find it anywhere. So, Paul started calling my phone from his own. I keep my phone on vibrate, so I had to listen carefully. I began hearing the phone, but I couldn't place where the vibrating noise was coming from. I'm looking under my blanket, on the floor, behind me, and then I look at Bree. Her Pull-Up is lit up, and she's just sitting there staring at it, not completely understanding what is going on in her pants. I immediately began laughing. Laughing so hard I was crying. I'm not sure why it was so funny other than the fact that looking in my daughter's Pull-Up for my phone, was the LAST place on earth I would have EVER checked. Just to see the Disney Princess' faces all lit up by the backlight of my phone was enough for me. Add that to the look on Bree's face and the location of the phone, and you have a hilarious situation at hand.

I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard, but laughing is good for me & I need more things like that to happen to me more often. Kids do the darndest things!

On a side note, I can't believe that Bree's birthday is just two days away! I have some last minute birthday stuff to get together that I need to talk to my Mom about, but she wouldn't answer her phone to save her life. It is really, rather annoying. I've always left her messages on Facebook. Evidently, she can write on other people's posts and wall, but she can't reply to mine. She hasn't even fulfilled my request of her calling me. I haven't talked to this woman since Sunday. I'm kind of hurt. Just because I'm married and have a child of my own, doesn't mean that I'm not still her kid. I still deserve to be talked to, and I'm having Bree's party at her house. I need to know what's going on for heaven's sake! AGH!

Tomorrow is Friday! Get excited!

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: How do you know lunch was good?

...when it's all over your face & you passed out before you could let anyone know you were going to sleep

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Is It Seriously September?

Oh my! I can't believe that it is already September. I personally am in LOVE with Summer, so I tend to get a bit depressed when I notice that the air outside sounds different. The air has a sound, you ask? Why yes, yes it does. For example:
In the Fall the air sounds a bit more crisp, not so heavy and full of life.
In the Winter the air sounds completely void of anything. It just sounds clean, and cold.
In the Spring, the air begins to liven up more, like everything is waking up.
You may have never noticed the changes in the sound of the air, but pay attention as the seasons change. You can definitely hear it in the air.

I always have a hard time letting go of Summer. I'm not sure why I have this attachment to it, other than the fact that so many of my BEST childhood memories were created right smack dab in the middle of the Summer. The only way to get past hanging on to Summer, is to keep looking ahead and looking forward to the things to come. For instance:
Bree's birthday on Saturday (the 5th);
Labor Day, which is kind of depressing, because you can't wear white shoes after Labor Day;
Football season, is always fun;
My birthday happens in November,
and Christmas in December
I have to force myself to look forward to these things, so that Summer will be back before I know it!
I can't help but think that this time 2 years ago, I was ready to take knife and cut Bree out of me myself. I was miserably pregnant having gone all the way through the Summer. I was a big ball of puffiness. I had the worst water weight gain known to man. My feet were huge, my hands were huge, my nose was huge, my belly was huge. I was a miserable, fat, pregnant woman. I don't know how some women just LOVE being pregnant. I was miserable. I couldn't wait for it to be over with. Bree came two days after her due date. I think she held on just to annoy me. She had even cracked one of my ribs with her foot while swimming laps around my belly. Not fun. When she was born, she was 8 pounds 7 ounces and 21 inches long. Now, she's almost two and I wish she were that tiny little 3 day old baby I brought home from the hospital. But like I was saying earlier, the only way to move on from the past is to look forward to the future & enjoy the present.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful September 1st. Here are some fun facts that happened on this day:
On September 1st 1985, the Titanic was found by Dr. Robert Ballard & his crew! 73 years after it sank!