Tuesday, August 31, 2010

SUH-WEET!!!

You guys already know my passion for movies.  If you have been lucky enough to win one of my QUINCE QUOTE prizes, you can probably guess one of my other passions...CANDY!  So, it only makes sense that when I come up with a linky party, it will most likely involve something I love.  Right?  Also, in true to Sami form, it's gonna be tricky, and it's gonna be unique...kinda like me!
At least, I HOPE it's unique.  I couldn't find anything like it, and I looked*...
So...here's my thought:
WHAT IF ALL BLOG TYPES COULD COME TOGETHER AS ONE, AND UNITE FOR A COMMON INTEREST?  CANDY!
(Sissy's first Halloween)
Here's how it will work:
On the 1st of every month, I will post about the "candy of the month".  I could tell a personal story about it, give facts about it's origin...whatever strikes my fancy.  Then, it's up to YOU to think outside the box.
That's right...OUTSIDE  the box.
Use your particular God given talent to include that candy.
If you're a seamstress, you can use your abilities to make a Halloween costume or something that looks like, or was inspired by that candy.
If you cook...GREAT!  You could possibly try to come up with a recipe to mimic the candy, or dream up a recipe that includes the candy.
Scrapbookers?  You can join in too!  Do a layout of your kids getting all kinds of sticky with that particular candy.
Ordinary moms or homeschoolers?  You can try to come up with lessons that will incorporate the candy...counting, color sorting, science experiments- THE SKY'S THE LIMIT!!!
Have your kids help, don't have your kids help...it's totally up to you!
The catch?
TAKE PICTURES!
On the last Saturday of the month, come back here, and be ready to report.
Post about what you did, and link it up over here.
Everyone will blog hop for a day or two, giving you some comment love.
Then, I will pick my top favorites.  Depending on the party size, it could be anywhere from 2-7...
Then YOU get to vote on which one was your favorite!
The winner will (hopefully) get a small prize, but more importantly will be automatically entered into the BIG contest for all 12 months!
12 months...12 winners.
Then, YOU vote again, to determine the grand prize winner!
The Grand Prize is yet to be determined, but I'm pretty crafty...I'm sure it'll be good!

So, what am I calling this sweet brain child?
I have no idea.
Maybe YOU can help me with that!
Leave a comment with your best suggestion (or email it to me if you'd rather) and if I like one of them more than I like what I've already come up with...I'll give you full credit.
I'm desperate!  Everything I've come up with sounds so lame!

Tomorrow begins this scrumptious journey!
I will announce my first candy selection, and (with any luck) have a name for it as well. 
Was it worth the wait?
If not...soften the blow, would ya?

*To the best of my knowledge, this is a completely original idea.  If you have a party just like it, please know that I did not know about it, even having searched for it.  I, therefore, am not "stealing" it, and in no way meant any offense to you or your affiliates.  Did you invent the internet too?

Monday, August 30, 2010

Potatoes Au Rotten

My pantry has always smelled different.
When we first moved into the house, I thought it was because it was new, and the paint was extra potent. 
Later, I blamed it on the fact that we stored so many different things in there, and bought a scented candle to keep it smelling fresh.
About 2 weeks ago, the weird smell returned. 
I couldn't, for the life of me, think of what it could be. 
An ivestigation surfaced a probable suspect in the form of a bag of slightly wilted russet potatoes.
When the smell didn't go away by 2 days later, I reopened the case.
This time a questionable sippy cup and cracked jar of green olives were placed in a lineup.
When this did not offer relief, with the smell getting weirder and then more rancid, I launched an assault on the pantry.
I moved everything I thought I had moved previously.
I looked under things I am almost positive I had previously looked under.
And...
Have you ever seen a liquified potato?  I have. 
You're welcome for not taking pictures.

Friend Makin' Monday

I am a newbie.  I have never participated in Friend Makin' Mondays before, but always wanted to.  Thanks to a little nudge from Shortmama, I decided there's no time like the present!  Apparently, it is usually hosted over here on the first Monday of the month, and then is hosted by a variety of people for the rest of the month.  Today, it is over here.  If you found me from over there...WELCOME! 

I like...doing laundry.  I know, it's boring but it's true.  I like to fold clothes fresh from the dryer, and I love that of the 90 minutes it takes to wash and dry a load of laundry...I only have to "work" for about 7 minutes.  Making a machine do all the work is my kind of chore! 



I don't like...every other chore, which is why I need a maid (or for my kids to be a little bit older...).

I love...quiet time with Roon after the kids go to sleep.  It's the only time of the day when I can talk to him without having to shout over noise and chaos.  Even if we don't have anything to say, and we just sit there wathing old TV episodes from Netflix, it is my favorite time of day.
I dream of...one day having my house under control.  I keep implementing new systems for organization, and it's slowly falling into place...but I dream of a day when it all just runs like clockwork, and I don't have to think about it so much.


I wonder...why things always seem to break when Roon is at work.  I don't DO handyman stuff.  That's why I got married!


I know...my children love me and each other even when they are screaming the opposite. 


I went...a little overboard on plans to re-do our half bath, and organize the master closet.  Hopefully once it's done, Roon will like it so much that he'll forget how much it cost...


I have...a slight addiction to my iPhone.  Okay, it might be more than "slight".


I think...people who choose not to vote, should keep their mouths shut!


I plan...on going back to college once my kids are all in school.  Something about having my Associate's degree in "Generals" has never sat quite right with me.


I regret...not exercising on Thursday and Friday morning.  Now I'm 2 days behind on my exercise goal.  I hate being behind!


I do...collect Box Tops religiously.  I send in roughly 300 a year.  It's a sickness, really.


I drink...soda WAY more than I should.  I'm trying to get back on the water bandwagon, but parting is such sweet sorrow...


I wish...I lived closer to family sometimes.  It's nice to be on our own, but it sure would be nice to be able to just get together for dinner sometimes!


I am...always making lists.  I get a sense of accomplishment from being able to cross things off!


I am not...going to make the mistake again of substituting other people's opinions for my own.


I need...to lose about 8 more pounds before my next heart check up.  It makes me mad that I gained that much back to begin with!


I graduated...from one high school, but consider myself an "alumni" to 2. 


I hope...people consider me dependable. 


I want...to go on a trip with Roon that would involve me getting a passport.  Australia is my ultimate dream destination...


I sometimes...let the TV babysit my kids.  I feel guilty the whole time, but sometimes it's easier to get things done when my "helpers" are distracted by the glowing magical box!


I always...save the "best for last".  I eat the middles of my sandwiches last.  I always eat the Skittles or Starbursts that I don't like before the ones that I do.  This way, I always know I have something to look forward to.

I can...heal an owie with a single kiss, and that tells me that moms really DO have superpowers!


I work...hard to make sure my children are respectful of others. 


I cannot...function normally on less than 6 hours of sleep.  I may be up, but I am most definitely not myself.


I avoid...anyone who says the words "I don't like drama" because they usually turn out to be the biggest drama queens of all! 


I will...probably go with Roon tomorrow when he has to run an errand for work.  Any excuse to get out of the house is a good one in my book! 

Holy cow!  That took me forever!  I think I overthink things sometimes. 
Now, I'm going to head over to link up, and visit some soon to be friends!  You can do it too, if you wanna...

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Oh Happy Day!


It's been a stressful couple of days. 
It's possible that Boo threw up at Applebees when we went to celebrate our first successful week of school.  It's also possible that 3/4 of my children were forcibly removed from Home Depot for poor behavior on Saturday.  It's possible...but I plead the 5th.
Lucky for me, it's time to link up with Mamarazzi for her weekly "Happy List"!  YAY!!!
So, what am I happy for?



This tops my list!  THAT, is MY nephew.  Isn't he just the cutest thing?  My sister, Boogs, posted this video on her blog, and I am not above pirating when it comes to something that adorable.  You. Are. Welcome.  I get to see this little toe head in about 55 days, and I can't wait!

Next...remember when I hinted about my new linky party HERE?  Well, as you can see, my blog design is not done, or started but I can't take it anymore!  Roon is going to make me a temporary button for my party, and I will be announcing all the details on September 1st.  Linking will then take place on the last Saturday of the month...giving you plenty of time to join in.  I am so happy to get this party started!

Finally, I am happy that Roon and I have finally decided exactly what we're going to do with our little bathroom.  Thanks to my little sister's interior design skills from thousands of miles away, we have designed what I think will probably turn out to be one of my favorite rooms in the house!  Supplies have been purchased, and we're doing all the work ourselves (Did I really just say that?!) over the next couple of weeks.  And you know, there are going to be pictures!  Well...there will be pictures if it turns out well.  If not, I may not want photographic evidence of the carnage.

What's on YOUR happy list? 

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Guilty Conscience

I have secrets.  Things I am a tad embarrassed to admit.  Thankfully, THAT is exactly the point of Mamarazzi's next swap!!! 
Photobucket

Come on!  You HAD to know that I would be all over joining another one!  My last swap partner and I are like this *crosses fingers together*.  Seriously!  I would probably even let her babysit my kids sight unseen.  Of course, after yesterday, I'd be tempted to leave them with the woman behind the counter at our local McDonald's, but that's neither here nor there.  I LOVE Evelyn!  

So, I never participated in one of Mamarazzi's "Favorite Things" swaps, so that is what I voted for, but I'm SO EXCITED to get to participate in her maiden voyage of Guilty Pleasures!  

Now the only question is...How do you put "dancing around the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel" in a flat rate box?  We shall see!

If you want to join up too, click on the cute button and head on over to fill out Mamarazzi's form.  If you do, you just might be my partner!  


Friday, August 27, 2010

I Swear, Therefore It's Friday!

Yes, I already did one post today.  But, it feels like it's been forever since I've linked up with my pal MiMi for her weekly party, so I'm posting again.  So sue me!  Maybe that can be YOUR F Bomb for the week...

I have had a very productive few days.  Yesterday, because of my accomplishments, Roon decided I needed a special treat.  He asked what I wanted, and I told him I didn't care as long as it came with a side of a Route 44 Dr. Pepper from Sonic.  It was decided that he would also get me a Butterfinger Sonic Blast.  No whip cream, extra Butterfinger.  Otherwise known as "Heaven in a cup". 

Roon returned, and when he did, he set my drink in front of my as I feverishly worked to finish up a large vinyl order we had been working on. 

I didn't see my ice cream, so I assumed Roon had been a sweetheart and put it in the freezer for when my work was done, and I could really enjoy my indulgence, and not get everything sticky.  And I couldn't wait!

As the last item was completed, and Roon went to throw away the scraps, he walked by our kitchen counter and indicated the cup sitting on it.  "Hey, your Sonic Blast is sitting up here getting all melty."

Ah, flibitiyjibity!  What the?!  Crapweasel!

It was completely melted, and was not the least bit appetizing. 
No I did not eat it.  Gross.

Roon gave it a proper Glad ForceFlex burial, as his wife looked on...heartbroken.
Maybe next time I'll remember the old saying about assuming things.

Go link up with MiMi!  I mean NOW!!!

On Modesty

Sissy was beaming as she got home from school yesterday.

Friday, she learned, would now include "Show and Tell" for the WHOLE YEAR.
"What do you think you want to take to show your friends?" I asked.
She immediately settled on her favorite Barbie doll.
"Can you get my Barbie out of the attic for me?" She asked her dad repeatedly as soon as he walked through the door.
Why was her doll in the attic? Well, remember THIS? Yeah. That's why.
Since it's about the time of the month where we let them have some more toys back anyway, Roon agreed.
Once Sissy had the doll in hand, she lovingly dressed it, brushed it's hair, and got it ready for it's first day of school.
"Everyone is going to just love how stylish she looks..." Sissy proclaimed.
So, later that evening, as Roon and I were getting the kids ready for bed, we were surprised to see her packing up this:
"Why are you putting your Zhu Zhu pet in your backpack, Sissy?"  Roon inquired.
" I found her in the bucket with my Barbies, and I decided to take her instead."
"I thought you were so excited to take your Barbie.  What changed your mind?" I wanted to know.
"Well, I realized that my Barbie doesn't really have any clothes that would be appropriate for her to wear to school."


Hussy!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

This is Why I Normally Warm the Bench...

Athletics.  Some people have the ability...some people cringe at the word. 
I am no athlete.  In fact, I have no idea what the term "off sides" means, nor do I care to find out. 
Bug, on the other hand, is a born athlete. 
Give the boy a ball, and he's happy. 
Since Bubble was always more the type of kid to sit and do puzzles or watch TV, I don't know how to handle it.  Puzzles, I can do...
Bug's need to be active and play ball has increased over the past 6 months.  Roon did a pretty good job of playing with him in the evenings, and then the summer came, and Bug had Bubble to play with. 
But now, school has started. 
And Bug has become desperate.
"Mommy, will you pway socter ball wit me?"
"Sure Bud!  Where's the goal?"
"Right dare."  (Indicating a dining room chair)
"Are we on the same team, or different teams?"
"Same team."
Then the game begins. 
Bug kicks the ball in my general direction, and I kick it (after possibly missing, and stubbing my toe on the floor...) into the goal.
"WOOHOO!  YEAH!"  *Cheering and carrying on, thinking I had just scored a goal for our team*
"Dat's not how you pway!"
I notice that Bug is nearly in tears, and looks extremely upset with me.
Bug then clarified that we were NOT on the same team, and that I was on the "Bad Team".
So, when Bug kicked the ball at me again, and I scored another goal, I was reprimanded.
"The bad team doesn't steal balls, Mommy!"
I informed him that stealing is just the sort of thing a bad guy would do...
I don't think he appreciated that.
After Bug started using his hands to throw the ball, instead of kick it, I figured that his version of soccer was different from any I had ever heard of before.
Aftr a while, I was behind in points, since I was no longer allowed to "steal" the ball from him, so I did the only thing I could think of. 
I cheated.
The ball came to me (so I wasn't stealing) and I picked it up and threw it into the goal. 
Then I did my victory dance.
And Bug, was mad.
"YOU TAN'T FROW DA BALL, MOMMY!  DAT'S CHEATING!"
"But, you were throwing it, Bug.  I thought throwing was allowed."
Then the tears came.
"I WANT TO WIN.  YOU TAN'T WIN, MOMMY, I WANT TO WIN!"
"I'm sorry, Bug.  I'll let you win now."
Bubble heard all the commotion and came down to join in the fun. 
When Bubble stole the ball, claimed to be on my team, and scored a goal...Bug lost it.
"I NOT PWAYING WIT YOU ANYMORE.  I WANT DADDY!"
He then layed down on the floor to perform a one man chorus of "I WANT DADDY!" until Roon got home 30 minutes later.

Perhaps, I should take up coaching soccer full time...

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

One Track Mind

The first day of school went well yesterday.  Sissy loves her new teacher.
When I asked Bubble if he liked his new teacher he said "I don't want to say.  If I say, you'll tease me."
Oops.
I might have made one too many jokes about his teacher last year being his "girlfriend".  My bad.
He finally admitted that he did, in fact, like her once I swore on a can of Dr. Pepper that I would not tease him. 
 My favorite thing about their first day, is that for once they didn't come home with mountains of paperwork for me to fill out.  YAY!
One thing that Bubble did bring home from school, was a "getting to know you" assignment, in the form of a paper bag.  The directions stated that you were supposed to fill it with things that would show the class something about you.  The catch, was that you had to pick one thing for each category included. 
Due Friday.
Since very often we are THAT family that ends up half a$$ing projects because we forget about them until the morning they're due- I opted to get a head start on this one. 
I sat down to go over the categories and brainstorm what we could put in the bag. 
This is how it went...
"What's a hobby or freetime activity you enjoy?"
"Playing my D.S.?"
"Cool!  What's 'one of your favorites'?"
"My D.S.  I LOVE my D.S.!"
"Okay, well, I don't think we should use your D.S. for two things, how about we do your favorite color?"
"Alright."
"Future plans or goals?"
"Huh?"
"It means, What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I don't know.  I'm bored.  Can I go upstairs now?"
"Not yet.  Moving on...what's something you would like to do better?"
"Beat levels on my D.S."
"Bubble.  Not every one of these answers can be about your D.S.!"
(At this point, he managed to answer two questions without mentioning his D.S.)
"What was the best part of your summer vacation?"
"When I got my D.S. for my birthday!"
"Ugh."
"Something that reminds you of a special time in your life?"
"My D.S.!  It reminds me of the birthday, when I got my D.S.!"
(At this point, I considered trying to slit my wrists with the sheet of paper)
"Something that you really don't like?"
"When you won't let me play my D.S.."
"Something that you're good at?"
"Beating the levels on my D.S.."

I may be mistaken, but I think the boy wanted an excuse to take his D.S. to school.  Yeah.  Right.  Like that's gonna happen...

I think the boy needs a hobby.  Oh wait!  He has one!  His D.S.!!!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Hooked on Fonix

Today was the day! 
The day I had waited for all summer.
I got to shout my 3 most favorite words in the English language...
TIME FOR SCHOOL!!!
And it, was glorious.
I don't mean to sound like I don't love my kids, because that is so NOT the case.  I loved having them home, but I'm sure most of you can relate to the final month of summer vacation fight fest. 
One day, I spent a good portion of the morning referreeing fights over one particular toy that we have 4 of. 
We no longer have even 1 of that toy.
So, how did Sissy and Bubble handle their first day back?
Differently.

Sissy is a total girly-girl.  As soon as she spotted this ensemble in the store, she just HAD to have it for the first day of school.  I'm all for supporting my kids in making a good impression, so I said yes.  Don't worry.  She's far too fancy of a girl to let this be the only time she wears it...


Bubble, on the other hand, was a little harder to convince.  "I think you should wear this." I encouraged.  "You'd look so handsome"...

It was like pulling teeth.  I assured him that he could pick his own outfit tomorrow.  I just couldn't agree to the Lego Star Wars shirt on the first day of school.
Roon gathered them up, and dropped them off at school. 


But it was far too crowded inside to stop for pictures by their classrooms. 
How are the rest of us handling two less children at home?
Bug and Boo are going through sibling withdrawals.  I spent 2 hours this morning just holding and cuddling Boo, because she didn't know what to do without Sissy. 
I'm okay with that.  It's not very often that I get unrestricted cuddles from my 2 1/2 year old. 
Roon's report was that Sissy couldn't wait to get to school, while Bubble was a bit more apprehensive.  That is, he wouldn't even talk to his teacher. 
Let's hope the rest of his day went better than the first 3 minutes. 
I'll let you know...

Saturday, August 21, 2010

And the Winner is...Susan Lucci!

It's that time of the month, where I have to break the hearts of a few contestants, in order to fill one heart with joy. 
But I'll get to that in a minute.
First, the answers!
THE MOVIE:

CHARACTER:  MR. WELLING
ACTOR:  MEL BROOKS
LINE BEFORE:  "HEARD ENOUGH".
LINE AFTER:  "IF WE WERE YOUR KIDS, WE'D PUNISH OURSELVES!" (SAID BY STYMIE)
OTHER LINES:  "Alfalfa!  This is a side of you I've never seen before!"
                           "Hey, you're mom's here!"  "Whoopi!"
          
So, when the polls closed, it looked like this:


And, as always, Random.org did the dirty work for me...

Which means that SHORTMAMA is the winner!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!
 Hey, even Susan Lucci won eventually...
I still have your address from the post card thing, so only worry about sending me your address if it's different than what I already have, okay?  I hope to have both last month's and this month's prize packages in the mail on Monday.  Be on the lookout. 
But now, the big question is...how to spread the word for future Quince Quotes.  I feel the creative wheels a' turnin'! 
Thanks for playing, everyone!

Friday, August 20, 2010

6 Years of the Bubble

6 years ago, yesterday, I showed up to the hospital looking like this...
Only to be told that there had been a miscommunication, and that the entire nursing staff had been expecting me the day before for my induction.  Definitely not something to tell a woman who was tired of being pregnant 6 weeks earlier.  For cryin' out loud!  It was mid to late August in Nevada, and I was no glutton for punishment. 
Approximately 2 hours after I arrived at the hospital, my induction started.  Why 2 hours?  Because there had been another miscommunication, and they did not have the orders from my doctor in their possession. 
After laboring for 8 hours, my doctor felt that I wasn't making enough progress (personally, I think he was trying to make a 5:00 tee time) and ordered that my pitocin be stopped until the following day. 
Joke's on him!
In less than 2 hours time, I went from a 5 to a 10, WITHOUT the aid of Pitocin.
My epidural only worked on half of my body, and I had to wait patiently for the doctor to deliver, seeing as how my heart condition wouldn't allow me to push. 
At about 7:30, Bubble made his grand appearance, and we were ecstatic!

albeit a little tired. 

Roon finally had a son, and Sissy was finally...a Sissy!

I'm quite certain Bubble was thinking...

"What on Earth did I do to deserve this?!"


Roon and I have discussed our children's collective conspiracy to make us broke, in that ALL of their birthdays fall around another major bank account draining event.  Sissy's is the day after Christmas.  Bug's is right around Easter and MY birthday.  Boo's is right there by Thanksgiving, and Bubble, we just recently realized, is right next to BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING. 
This is part of the reason why he got a backpack for his birthday. 
In addition to Bubble's birthday, yesterday was also "Meet The Teacher" night at their school.  So, no time for a party. 
Roon decided that since cake and ice cream would be delayed until Saturday, he would come home from work early, so we could spend some family time together before we had to go to the school. 
Being highly intelligent people, we picked 6 Flags as our fun filled destination.  Season passes made it cheap.
102 degree temperatures made this stupid.
In our defense, we didn't know it was that hot when we left.  The last we had checked it was a cool 98, and the heat advisory had been lifted.
By the time we left the park, I had a migraine headache, and Sissy started puking in the car. 
I was able to wait until we got home.
Roon took the kids by himself to meet their teachers. 
While I laid in bed in complete darkness, praying the Tylenol would stay down long enough to work. 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBLE!
I'll post pictures of his party on Sunday...hopefully.

Holy Moley!

On Wednesday, I bravely went where I had never gone before. 
The dermatologist.
There were 4 main reasons why I felt the need to visit with him, 2 of which were lovingly referred to by my husband as my "back nipples".  Another reason was the attention I would get from the kids in my Primary class as they would notice another large mole on my arm.  Why every one of them felt the overwhelming need to poke at it is beyond me, but it got to be more than I could stand. 
One day, Roon suggested I make an appointment to have all 4 moles removed. 
I hesitated, because I worried that an appointment such as that would end up similar to THIS ONE had by the Meanest Mom herself. 
I was just not ready for that kind of humiliation. 
But, when I almost ripped off reason #4, while hurriedly trying to go to the bathroom one day (#4 was on my hip), I agreed. 
Roon doubted that I would actually have them removed at my first appointment, and would instead, have to return for a follow up appointment.
He was wrong. 
My doctor's office was awesome!  I probably had 10 minutes of wait time TOTAL.  After checking my moles, and assuring me that they were nothing to worry about "cancer wise" he asked if I wanted them removed. 
HECK YEAH!
He thoroughly explained the procedure, and the pain associated with a "scrape biopsy".  When I didn't react to the idea of it being painful, he chuckled, and then said "I guess this isn't the first 'procedure' you've been through.  You probably know the drill"
While performing the biopsies, he decided it was necessary to cauterize the wounds. 
"You may begin to smell something smokey.  Don't worry...it's just you."
I laughed hysterically and decided that my yearly appointments may not be so bad after all.
Who knew a doctor could have such a witty sense of humor?!

Later that evening Roon worried out loud:  "What if your back nipples were like Chandler Bing's 'nubbin' and it is your source of humor and sarcasm?  What if you've lost your wit?!"
I don't think he has anything to worry about...

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

EnunciaTe!

Before I had children, I thought that every child was unique.  Like snowflakes, I thought you would never find any two exactly alike, in any situation.  Now that I have children, I realize that for the most part, it's true.  Each of my children are unique, but not in the 100% nature that I had originally thought. 
Some "unique" traits are not specific to a particular child at all, but rather to the age they are. 


For example...
When Sissy was 3, I worried about her sense of humor.  Her grasp of comedy and timing seemed more akin to Jim Carey or the 3 Stooges, than to mine.  I worried, until it was my turn to teach her preschool group. 
When the lunch table came alive with jokes whose punchlines were simple variations of  "Banana Poopy", I no longer worried that my sense of humor would end with me.  It was the AGE.


About 2 years ago, I became nervous again.  Sissy had spent time with another child who was fluent in Baby-ese, and seemed to "lose" her Rs, and over enunciate her Ds.  I thought she might be developing some sort of speech problem, and BEGGED her to speak like a big girl again. 
After about 3 months, her bad habit was gone, and I wrote it off as being a side effect to spending time with the "bad influence" child. 
Until...
Over the last week, the "baby language" has returned. 
"Daddy" has become DA-TEE. 
"Sadie" has become SAY-TEE
and "tomorrow" has become TO-MAH-WOW.


Only...it wasn't Sissy this time.  It was Bubble.  Like clockwork, he had developed his what I pray is a temporary speech impediment. 

Even though hearing this coming from the mouth of a 6 year old is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me, I am resisting the urge to book sessions with a speech therapist for the time being.

But, if the word "mouth" becomes "MOWF", I just may have to lock myself in a closet until this stage is over...
Please tell me I'm not the only one!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

The Bright Side

When I was younger, I didn't always have the best attitude.  I know my mom is laughing right now reading that, thinking it's only the biggest understatement of the century.  Hush, mom.  You're interrupting my story...
In addition to having a bad attitude, I was always a bit of a smart alec.  I know, shock and disbelief have overcome you all.
My mom decided one day that she had had enough of my negativity, and decided to employ a new system in our home.  The bright side.  For every negative thing I said, I had to come up with at least one way that the situation was actually good.  You know... if I stepped in dog poo, I could say "at least they weren't my favorite shoes", or other such things. 
This kinda came back to bite her in the butt one evening.  You see, I had become accustomed to finding the bright side in the darkest of situations, something she was not quite ready for. 
One day, my mom came home from work to find her bedroom in disarray.  My brothers liked to hang out in there, because that is where the Nintendo was.  They had trashed her bed, leaving one of her pillows on the floor, amongst dog hair and probably toast crumbs. 
Mom was furious!  She had just completed something like a 12 hour work day, and had been looking forward to the refuge of her bedroom from the time she left it that morning.  I walked in, to listen as she vented her frustration, and to help her fix the disaster area.  When it seemed that she was losing steam, I asked her, in all my adolescent wisdom, what the bright side to the situation was. 
Maybe not the best idea. 
She suddenly found more steam.  "Alright, Samantha (that's how you knew I was in trouble...the REAL name!) I come home from a hard day at work, and find my room trashed, with my pillow on the floor, amongst who knows what!  What on Earth could the bright side in this situation be?!"
Oh, how she underestimated me!
"Well...at least BOTH of your pillows weren't on the floor!"
Mom collapsed into a fit of laughter, and probably called me a brat, or a smart alec.  Either way, she was right. 
So, why do I share this blast from the past with you?
Because I feel my bad attitude returning.  I have a lot on my plate right now, and it's stressing me out that I can't be supermom, super church teacher, super entrepreneur, super homemaker, and super blogger.  I just want to be able to do it all!  Yesterday, my perfectionism and desire to do everything RIGHT THEN, paralyzed me.  I was so overwhelmed, I couldn't do any of it.  By the time Roon got home, I was a wreck. 
The bright side?
He calmed me down.  Instead of suggesting that we remove some of the things from our to do list, he suggested we take steps to complete the tasks one by one.  A not so quick trip to Home Depot later, we had formulated a plan or 10.
The bad news is that in order to complete everything, my blogging my be sporadic for the next few weeks. 
The bright side?
I can use the blog to keep myself accountable.  I can list the things that need to get done, and as I cross them off, I can show ya'll what I did!  Kinda like a much larger version of my "Unfinished Project Closet" posts. 
Lucky for you, a lot of my projects involve fun re-dos and creative expression. 
Hopefully, I'll have a list up on my sidebar by the end of the day for you to all mock enjoy.
Ya'll still want to be friends with the whiney version of me, right?

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Si Estás Feliz y Lo Sabes...

CLAP YOUR HANDS!


For those who didn't know, my title says "If you're happy and you know it..."

I'm linking up with Mamarazzi today, to share with you my Happy List

The first thing on my happy list this week, was the arrival of this: 
24 tubes of Natural Ice!  Not only do I now have my favorite lip balm back, but I also have a spot in my linen closet that smells quite similar to a cough drop.  TOTALLY worth it, to be able to have this stuff!  LOVE IT!!!

Yesterday, I went to a baby shower for a friend of mine.  My favorite gift to give is a BIG basket full of baby essentials.  Usually, I fill the bottom of the basket with tissue paper to make it more attractive, but this time I had another thought.  I remembered when I WON THIS, and I wondered if I could make one similar...

Turns out, I can!

I wish now, that I would have looked back at my post about my winnings, because I actually had bought some ribbon to be able to put on it, I just couldn't remember exactly how it was supposed to go.  Silly me.  I think it turned out pretty cute though!  It was a hit at the party, and the mom to be LOVED IT. 

The last thing on my happy list should actually be on all of YOUR happy lists as well...
IT'S QUINCE QUOTE TIME!!!

I'm actually holding my head in shame right now, because I still haven't put Teresa's winnings in the mail from last month...*blush* I blame the post trip fog, mixed with the getting ready for school to start chaos. 

This month's quote is: 
"If you were my kids, I'd punish you."

Here are your chances to win:

  1. BLOG ABOUT MY GIVEAWAY! (5 entries)- To receive entries for this, you must at least take a stab at which movie it came from. You are not required to get the answer right, just give it a shot.
  2. FOLLOW MY BLOG! (3 entries). This is a fairly new one. However, if you want entries for following, and you are not one of my regular visitors, I am going to have to ask that you read and comment on at least one other blog entry of mine. This way, I know you also want to be bloggy friends. If I'm willing to spend my time, money, and effort to make you a custom prize package...you can at least pretend to care, right? Right.
  3. CORRECTLY NAME THE MOVIE THE QUOTE CAME FROM!- 1 entry- This may only get you one entry, but it is REQUIRED to get entries for anything EXCEPT blogging about my giveaway.
  4. CORRECTLY GUESS THE CHARACTER WHO DELIVERED THE QUOTE!
  5. CORRECTLY NAME THE ACTOR/ACTRESS WHO PLAYED THE CHARACTER!
  6. SUPPLY LINE DELIVERED EITHER IMMEDIATELY BEFORE, OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE QUOTE!
  7. QUOTE ANOTHER LINE FROM THE MOVIE!- If you make me laugh, you automatically get a BONUS entry! This is unlimited, so if you know the movie well, you could really blow everyone else away!
Please leave one comment per answer you give, or task you complete.  I will keep track for you. 
You have until August 20th, at 11:59 pm. central time to get your answers in.  The winner will be announced on the 21st. 
GOOD LUCK!!!

If you want to know what Quince Quote is, and what the prize includes, click on any of the past winners on my sidebar.  It's totally worth it, I promise!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Do You Know...The Muffin PAN?

I had really good intentions of posting yesterday.  In fact, I sat down and spent a good portion of my morning trying to condense LOTS of trip pictures into a few collages, to avoid a mile long post (You're welcome, by the way), but then Photoshop called me an idiot, and kicked me in the shin.  I was fine with that, until the external hard drive stuck it's tongue out at me, at which point, I set the computer aside, and went to my room to cry.  I guess what I'm saying is... you will see pics of my trip if and when Roon ever takes the hint that I NEED HELP!!!  Subtle, right?


Anyway, I've been kind of lazy lately when it comes to the muffin top posts that Shortmama hosts, so I thought I would give this one a whirl.


The subject matter is, support.  Who is a support to you on your weight loss journey? 
Well, this got me thinking about the muffin PAN. 
Think about it...
The muffin pan is what forms, and helps maintain the skinnier part of the muffin, right?  The muffin ITSELF is what loses control in the oven, and sidesteps the support.  Why?  Because of internal factors.  Just like the muffin ingredients, we all have "ingredients" that make us lose control. 
Those little voices in our heads that say "you've had a hard day, you deserve something fatty with bacon and cheese". 
So, who in my life makes up my "muffin pan"? 
  • My husband is my top supporter, for sure.  During the school year, he wakes up at 5:30, so he can exercise, and lets me sleep in the extra 30 minutes, before it is my turn.  He supports my ideas of having "meatless" meals, and is known to grab a handful of baby carrots or grapes, as opposed to m&ms.  There are days that I want to smack him when he nudges me and tells me it's my turn to do the Wii Fit, but I know he's only doing it because he loves me.  He thinks I'm sexy even with my muffin top, so I know it's more that he's concerned about health and my ultimate happiness, than my appearance. 
  • My best friend, Lady, is also a support to me.  We used to take turns supplying a treat on "Bachelor" night, and we'd go and get 44 oz. beverages to have as well.  But, she suggested a while ago, that we should be drinking water, and maybe come up with healthier snacks to have instead.  Granted, we have fallen off the wagon a few weeks, but for the most part, we do pretty well. 
  • My little sister, Boogs, is also a support.  Granted, she lives really far away from me, but it's not uncommon for me to get a text from her hours after I sent one to her, and she says she was at the gym.  Now, for all I know, she's sitting at the smoothie bar the entire time, but at least she's taking the initiative to at least GO.  Since we're built about the same way (although, she is about 5 inches shorter) it gives me hope that if she can unload some of the junk from her trunk, I can too! 
  • Fellow muffin toppers!  I will get comments from people that I only know through this blog party, that are so encouraging.  If I've had a bad week, nobody judges me.  I will even occasionally get comments from them when I don't join in, saying they missed me that week.  Awww!  It makes me feel loved, but also important.  Turns out, they rely on me for support just as much as I rely on them.  It feels good to be needed by people! 
So, there you go!  It may be a small list, but it's a mighty one! 
weightloss

Monday, August 9, 2010

The Fog Is Lifting!!!

Hello all!  Remember me?!  I know, I know.  I really had no intention of taking a blog break last week, but it took longer than I expected to get back into a regular routine again. 
I'm working on a few picture heavy posts, to give you an idea of what we did on vacation, but I thought that it would be better for me to link up with Mamarazzi's HAPPY LIST to help pull me out of my blog funk.  So, here it goes...

1.  MY BED.  Nothing makes you happier than coming home after a long vacation to your OWN bed.  My mattress is a Simmons Beautyrest INDIGO mattress, and it is like sleeping in Heaven. 
Throw on some $400 sheets that you found on clearance for $50, and you you have yourself a honeymoon every night...

2.  MY WASHER AND DRYER.  Laundry is my thing.  I love it.  I really like to do it, I don't mind nearly every task involved with doing the laundry.  Especially since, I got these:
I've had them for about 2 years, but I fell in love with them again when I got home, and had the mountains of laundry to wade through.  Plus, you gotta love an appliance that was paid off with NO INTEREST. 

3.  Speaking of appliances!  I had wanted to get a second vacuum for a while, so that I wouldn't have to lug the one we had up the stairs anymore.  But, since we have a vacuum that's kind of expensive, I hesitated to approach Roon about getting another one.  Luckily, the one we have has started to give us fits.  It hasn't quite given up the ghost yet, but it did present an amazing opportunity to point out to Roon that we would hate to be up a creek without a paddle, when our beast decides to die.  Luckily, Mamarazzi heard my plight, and recommended  this baby:

Only $60, and I am in AWE!  I didn't even think my floors were that dirty, but this thing sucked up things I couldn't even see!  While I do miss the self-propelled awesomeness of the beast, who now resides upstairs, the fact that he cost about 5 times as much, eased the heartache a bit. 

4.  Buying favorite things...IN BULK!!!  This goes beyond Costco, people.  While I do LOVE Costco, there are sometimes things I want that are a little harder to find. 
Like this:
 
And THIS: 
A while ago, Mamarazzi (Do I sound like the president of her fan club?  I think I am...) listed an item on her HAPPY LIST that she had to buy in bulk off the internet, because she couldn't find it in stores.  This reminded me of BUYTHECASE.NET and how they carried my absolute favorite body wash of all time.  I can never find it in stores, and spent a good part of our vacation looking all over the place for it.  No luck.  Once I got home, I ordered a case of it, along with a case of my favorite popcorn.  I have spent the last week smelling sweet, and finding any excuse to pop me some popcorn.  Who says it can't make a good lunch?! 
I also ordered one more thing in bulk, but it hasn't arrived yet.  When it does, it will FO SHO be on my happy list. 


Hey!  Whatdaya know?!  My blogging MOJO seems to be coming back!  I guess I'll see ya'll tomorrow! 

Monday, August 2, 2010

We Survived! But Barely...

Turns out, when you're gone for 2 weeks, you end up with quite the list of things to attend to. 

  • My Email inboxes were exploding.
  • I had custom vinyl orders to create.
  • Bills needed to be paid.
  • Our van had to be returned to it's per-cespool state.
  • Phone calls had to be made.
And this doesn't even touch on the laundry, grocery shopping, and general "life" that is necessary in day to day mommy-dom.  I will get caught up, and return to regular blogging momentarily, but for now, I'm just going to wet your appetites for one of the most hilarious things that happened on our trip. 
I'm totally stealing this idea from my pal CJ, over at Simply Simonsons.  She does this on a regular basis, and it is one of my favorite things that she does! 

HE SAYS...

"It's the most disappointing Transformer ever." 

Who said it?  Was it Roon, Bubble, or Bug? 
What was HE talking about? 

I will give the answer in an upcoming post. 
Until then...I'll try my best to win my battle with the "to do" list demons.