25

So I got tagged by Jenn!

1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be? Venice, Italy or Montreux, Switzerland
2.What's your favorite article of clothing? My cute new shirt from The Limited
3.Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex? eyes
4.What's the last CD that you bought? Kenny Chesney Live
5.Where's your favorite place to be? at home
6. Where is your least favorite place to be? The dentist
7.What's your favorite place to be massaged? Feet (love a sweet pedicure & massage)
8.Strong in mind or strong in body? neither, but it is okay. i am doing fine. :) ditto what Jenn said here!
9.What time do you wake up in the morning? 8:00am
10. What is your favorite kitchen appliance? rice cooker
11.What makes you really angry? ignorance
12.If you could play any instrument, what would it be? I already play the flute, but would love to play piano
13. Favorite color? Pink and Red
14.Which do you prefer...sports car or SUV? SUV
15. Do you believe in an afterlife? absolutely, but not like reincarnation, like heaven
16.Favorite children's book? Where the Sidewalk Ends closely followed by Everyone Poops.
17. What is your favorite season? Spring
18. Your least favorite household chore? Cleaning the bathroom
19.If you could have one super power, what would it be? manage time better, so I would have more when I need it and I could make the bad stuff be over with quick!
20.If you have a tattoo, what is it? I'm afraid of needles...
21.Can you juggle? Nope
22. The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to? My grandfather
23. What's your favorite day? FRIDAY!!!
24. What's in the trunk of your car? DH used the car last, so there is a backpack with a change of clothes for work, a moving dolly and a few tools he loaned to a co-worker. Oh and I left a box of Hot Chocolate in there.
25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger? burgers

I'm tagging: Krista, Erin and Jo!!

On a side note Jo tagged me with a challenge the other day and I promise I'll get her challenge done!!

I never thought I would hear someone say.....

"I can feel the hole in your stomach!" That my friends is what the doctor said to me. I knew going in, that was what it was, but still I never thought I would hear that sentence! It totally made me laugh. Anyway, so I headed to the OB today and was given the news that I do in fact have an umbilical hernia most likely brought on by pregnancy. So it is in fact the pregnancy that keeps on giving. She referred me to a surgeon and told me to call right away to get it taken care of. I called when I got to the parking lot and was told that they can't see me for 8 weeks! Um..hello...is this thing working...I have a hole in my stomach that the doctor can feel, and I would like to get it fixed....is there a possibility of a cancelation list that I could be on? Oh, no one ever cancels here, this doctor is very popular. WHAT??? So, I head back into the OB's office and chat with the receptionist. I ask if there is another doctor I can be referred to. She checks the list and goes back to talk to the doctor. When she comes back and gives me another name, she says that they were shocked that they couldn't get me in for 8 weeks and was glad I let them know. So, I called the second doctor. Apparently he is quite as popular I'll get in next week and they have me on the list for cancellations, because they do happen at this office.

What the heck is that all about? 8 weeks to get in to see a surgeon? Who waits that long? If I could go get this thing fixed tomorrow, I would be all over it. I mean, by the time your referred to a surgeon, they know you have some need for a surgery, why would the wait need to be so long? That is just CRAZY!!! Also, what's with the "popular" comment? It's not like it's plastic surgery and I'm trying to get in to see Dr. 90210, I just want my freakin' hernia fixed! I'm starting to see why so many people are rushing to the ER for these things. Might as well just wait it out until it ruptures. Then someone has to take care of it ASAP without you having to jump through all the hoops. I suppose you could just go to the ER and complain of extreme pain without the rupture part and they would probably just take care of it too. Seems to me there should be a better system for all this. Oh well. I just keep posting photos of the little cutie patootie to remind me of the extreme treasure and that this really is a small price to pay.

Pregnancy: The gift that keeps on giving!

Having this beautiful little girl has really given me a run for my money. I will say first, that everything I have been through this pregnancy has been completely worth it, and I would do it all over again in a nanosecond! Just when I thought we were getting back to normal and getting into sort of a groove around here, I feel this sharp pain in my belly button area. It went away and I ignored it. We got back into a little groove, we were making appearances all over the place. Target, Starbucks, Costco and we were getting ready to brave the mall when the pain returned! I called my doctors office and talked to the nurse practioner and she says it sounds like I have a pregnancy induced hernia! A WHAT????? Ugh! So tomorrow, I'm off to the doctor...good thing I like her! Not sure how it gets taken care of, but everything I've read online says surgery. That should be fun!

I really hate feeling like I can't get stuff done. When I talked to the nurse practioner on Friday, after she makes my appointment, she tells me that if the pain gets worse to go to the ER, and not to lift anything heavy. Ummmm...what's heavy? I realize that my 2 year old is heavy, but what am I supposed to do? He's not quite walking yet. Is my almost 2 month old heavy? Sheesh! What am I supposed to do? Leave the kids in their cribs until G gets home? So, as you've guessed, I'm still lifting the kiddos. Luckly G is off on Monday's and Tuesdays, but Wednesday all bets are off again. I really hope I can get this taken care of ASAP, because I really want to be free and mobile again. I want to get back on track, getting the kiddos out and not feeling like I'm chained to the house until G gets home. Wish me luck!

7 Wonderful Weeks

I can't imagine life without her. Time is flying by so quickly! I can't believe she's been here 7 weeks already. It seems like we just brought her home yesterday. So in love!

I Give Up!

I am no longer posting To Do lists on my blog. They just don't get done, and then I have it sitting there in writing...staring at me....taunting me...that yet again...I did not get it done. Ugh!

Today's adventure! For those of you who know me, you know, that I am not one to be homebound for too long. I love to get out and about. Love to enjoy the weather, love to feel free to do what and go where I please. This task has just become a bit more problematic, with two little ones. Making the task even more problematic, is that neither of them walk! Currently, we are in the market for a double stroller, otherwise known as a baby Hummer. We have yet to find the right one, so my outings are a bit limited, to places that are either a)small enough that it's easy enough to push Little J around in the umbrella stroller and carry Princess J in her carseat or b)a shopping cart is available to put both kiddos in. Today, our adventure outing was to one of my favorite places...Target. There were a few things I needed, and Target is always a treasure hunt. So, off we go to our local Target. Little J sitting and belted into the seat of the cart, and Princess J in her carseat fast alseep in the basket portion. Little J was fascinated with checking her out, and I'm sure wanted her to be awake and entertaining him, or at least entertaining her. Nonetheless, an hour of shopping later, we head to the checkout. As the cashier is ringing us up, I am frantically looking for my debit card. UGH!!!! It's sitting on the counter at home where I left it. Thank goodness no one was behind me, cause that is super embarassing! So, thankfully, we live close to this particular Target. Back out to the parking lot, load kids back into vehicle and head for home. Run in grab debit card, jump back in vehicle and head back to Target. Park, unload kids and head back to checkout....(thank goodness I didn't have to re-shop!)..pay for merchandise, unload merchandise into vehicle, reload kids back into vehicle and head to the Drive-thru Starbucks, because now, I really deserve that Venti Mocha Coconut Frappacino with an add shot blended! I probably should have added 2 shots.

Another thing I'm giving up is predicting winners this year on reality shows.
Amazing Race...my pick = Rob and Amber / actual winner = Eric and Danielle
The Apprentice..my pick = James / actual winner = Stephanie
Survivor...my pick = Yau-man / actual winner = Earl
Dancing with the Stars...my pick = Ian and Cheryl / actual winner Apollo and Julianne
At least I can pick a mate for the bachelor...Yay for Tessa!

Must Do Tomorrow!

I must get started on that bathroom! I have been avoiding it too long. That should be obvious, since that stupid bathroom has made an appearance on my blog 3 times now! Yikes! Here is my new updated To Do list!

Deep Clean Bathroom!
Finish organizing our bedroom
Clean out my closet!
Finish scraproom
Buy flowers to plant in front yard and on porch.
Watch DVR'd episode of King of Queens and ER!

Those are my top things to get done! I will feel so much better about actually scrapping if this stuff is complete.

These last few days have been so busy! Thursday a bunch of us headed over to La Fondue for a tame bachlorette party for Angel West. It was a lot of fun and the food was super yummy!! Friday as you know was all about taking care of these kiddos, setting up and changing some upcoming appointments, and doing the scrub down in our family/kitchen area. Saturday was a whirlwind trip to find something to wear to Angel's wedding and then heading off to the wedding sans kiddos. G stayed home with them!! Wahooo! Sunday, I way overslept, which is why there are a few things on my list to do, that I wanted to do today. Anyway, got the grocery shopping done, made cookies from scratch, and cooked up some dinner. Gave princess J a nice bath too. Love that clean baby smell!

Avoiding....

I am officially in full avoidance mode. I HATE to do that deep cleaning in the bathroom. No matter how much it needs it, I HATE doing it. I will do everything and anything to avoid it. I know I am officially avoiding it, when I decide it is time to move furniture and clean, vacuum and mop underneath it. Today it was the floor in the kitchen and ajoining family room. I also started on the master bedroom too. I don't know why I am in full on cleaning mode. Can the nesting thing set in AFTER you give birth? I started to get into full cleaning mode the day before Princess J decided it was time to come a week early. Same thing happend with little J. I guess when I decide it's time to clean while preggo, the kids decide it's time to arrive. LOL.

Anyway, I am going to make an admission here....I am really digging Young and the Restless. Well, I've been watching it since I was about 10. Thank goodness for Soapnet! ;) Love not having to plan my life around a specific time...now I can watch it nearly everyday without having to take up space on the DVR.

Accomplishments?

Not so much.

Who knew you could do this at Hallmark? So cute! Found this in my email box on Mother's day!

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Another Day of Survival!!

Day two of G back at work, and again I survived and accomplished a few of the things I wanted to...or at least got started on them. I even got the kiddos dressed and out of the house for a bit too!

On Krista's recomendation, I picked up a copy of Computer Tricks for Scrapbooking by Jessica Sprague. I've had Photo Shop Elements software forever, but under utilize it alot. I see all these amazing things that others are doing with their photos using this program, but I'm just using it to stitch layouts together and reduce the size of photos for emailing. What a waste of an expensive program. So in an effort to start not only using the stash of product I have laying around gathering dust and becoming outdated, I need to start using the tools and equipment I have as well. I'm hoping that this simple approach to using the program will get me started, and then maybe I can venture into even more usage. We'll see how that goes. I still have a sewing machine, a Bind-it-all and a Cricut to break in as well.

I ventured into the scraproom today, to start doing some organization. I still have a long way to go, but at least I made some progress. I've been drawing some sketches and writing down some ideas on titles and uses of product I just recently bought, and I really want to get it down on paper and into my albums.

Tomorrow, on our list of To Do's:

*Deep clean the Bathrooms!
*Straighten up our room
*Finish Laundry
*Clean up in Princess J's room
*Make sure we have everything for dinner
*Call and make a few appointments
*Little J's therapy appointment
*Go to mall and get something to wear to wedding this weekend
*Find something to wear to bachlorette party on Thursday.
*Set DVR to tape season finale of ER!!!! Oh my I almost forgot!!
*Organize my closet!
*Continue work in scraproom!
*Not to mention feeding the kids, keeping kids clean and playing
with kids!

Obviously all of this won't get done tomorrow, but at least I have a list and know what I want to work on! Let's see how day 3 goes!

At first I was afraid....

I was petrified! Today was G's first day back at work and I survived! Wahoo! I'm so happy, the morning went like clockwork! I was even more productive than I thought I would be. I know G was suprised when he came home for his break. I know he thought that the kids and I would still be in our jammies....at NOON! That was not the case. Everyone was dressed and presentable! Wahooo! So excited, that I even got the dishwasher emptied and reloaded, bottle washed and the bed made! All in time to sit down for my daily dose of the Young and the Restless! Didn't get much else done, besides feeding kids and changing diapers. Since Little J had a therapy appointment this afternoon, that kind of stopped all other productivity for the afternoon. Thank goodness that G was such a sweetheart and brought me my Venti peppermint mocha frappacino with a double add shot blended. I knew (and apparently he knew too) that I would need an infusion of caffeine! Alas, that was only day 1, we'll see if day two goes as well.

I've got some things on my "I want to get this done" list. The bathrooms are really in need of that deep cleaning. They are clean, but you know the cleaning where you really get into the nitty gritty. I'm hoping to get that done tomorrow. If I can get that deep cleaning done on one room at a time over the next couple of weeks, then I can get down to hiring a bi-weekly cleaning service. I've got to do this, because I just can't seem to keep up with the mopping, dusting and bathrooms. I really also want to get into my scraproom and really get organized. Ultimately I want to get some serious scrapping done. I'm feeling the mojo lately. Hopefully, I can get in there and organize before the mojo floats away.

Reality TV...where to start! I'm sad that the CHA CHA's did not win the Amazing Race, I'm sad that Yau did not win Survivor, I'm sad that Dancing with the Stars is almost over this season (rooting for Ian and Cheryl), I'm disappointed in this season of American Idol...really, there is no one left that I think I would buy an album from. Waiting anxiously for Big Brother to come back!

This past weekend, I got addicted to a few shows that I happened to catch in rerun mode. America's Next Top Model: Cycle 8, caught this on VH-1..now I have to watch the final show on Wednesday. Hopefully Jaslene will pull off the win. For some reason, Renee and Natasha both bug me. I also caught the reality show Tori & Dean Inn Love, I don't know why I couldn't tear myself away from the television. So, do I watch season 2 when it starts?

Just received an email today, the the 2nd season of Big Love on HBO starts on June 11th! Yay!!! I think I'm going to have to get season 1 on DVD now. I was starting to get worried, that it wasn't really going to come back and they were just going to leave you wondering what happend. If that was the case, I didn't see the point in buying the 1st season of DVD's, but now that I know season 2 is coming.....

Arriving Just in Time for Fathers Day!

Season 1 Complete with various introductions from the original Poncharello- Eric Estrada. So plan your day on June 5th to run out and get your copy!

Life Journeys

Earlier today, I posted a quote because I wanted to remember it. This last week has been full of tragic news revolving around children. I suppose these things happen every day, but for some reason, I've been running into these posts on 2peas about families that could really use some support and prayers. All these posts with links to news stories about children suffering, chidren being sick, and children tragicly dying. My heart goes out to these mothers and fathers and the families of these children. I think the story that got me thinking the most was the story of the Coble Family. How do you go on? How do you really find a way to trust that God will get you through? I mean, I know he will, but how do you trust that after such a horrific tragedy? I'm so thankful for my husband and my children. I love them with all my heart and can't even begin to imagine what these other families are going through. I'm praying for all of the families that I've heard about and read about in the last week.

Here is a link to a tribute video to the Coble family. Be warned that there is footage of the actual accident (just visual of their van and big rig) at the end. You can also go to Life to Motion and sign a guestbook and/or donate money to assist the family.

Hug your kiddos a little longer tonight and think about some families you know that could use some extra prayers especially for their children. Send those prayers up!

On a lighter note...Go to Coldstone Ice Creamery and try: Strawberry Ice Cream with white cake, strawberries and coconut mix-ins....Yummo!

Because I Need to Remember This

Trust in the Lord completely during the trials of this life and HE will see you though.

Life is about to get really interesting!

Oh my! The time has finally come....G is going back to work on Monday! It's going to be me and 2 kiddos on our own! I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. Princess J is quite demanding and is still waking up every 3 hours. Thankfully Little J is so easy going and sleeps well! The mornings are going to be a little rough, since I am soooo not a morning person. This afternoon, was probably just a tiny glimpse of what is to come. Both kiddos wanted attention at the exact same moment for various needs. My guess, is that I'm going to have to run the house like a triage for awhile. Everything will get a priority. It will all get done, one way or another. I remember when G went back to work after we had Little J, I was so nervous, but got myself into a groove and worked it out. I'm sure the same thing will happen this time too. I'm excited for the next phase to arrive and to settle into a normal routine again.

With G going back to work, I think I better get it together and get my scrap room cleaned and organized. I need to get back to scrappin' more regularly. I was so excited to get some good layouts done this weekend and feel like my mojo had returned. I'll be returning to working on layouts for the Garage Girls next month too...soooo, unless I want to be scrapping on the floor again, I better get it together.

The front of our house looks presentable again. For ages, our front yard has been a disaster of dead grass and weeds. We hired landscapers, and they have completed our front yard. New sprinkler system and all! It's nice to have beautiful green grass again. On the day that Princess J was born (my kiddos are always born in the midst of another pre-planned appointment), we'd had some arborists out to remove dead trees and trim up the good ones. Some of our front planter boxes were empty after the removal, those are now filled up with beautiful smelling Jasmine! I love to be in the front yard when that is blooming! The flower beds are all groomed and ready for some planting, so I'm going to try and work on that sometime in the next month. I've never had green thumb, so wish me luck with that. Thankfully, we have the landscaper guy coming out to keep the lawn mowed and kept up, so I don't have to worry about killing that! I'll post some photos of the before and after in the next few days.

On my agenda for the rest of the week (along with cleaning my scraproom) is a little spring cleaning. I'm planning on hiring a housecleaner a couple of times a month, because I'm pretty sure I can't keep up with the house, the laundry, Little J's appointments and the kiddos in general once G goes back to work. Got any recomendations?

In other news, (no #3 is not on the way yet...LOL!) Little J is going to join his daddy in the local parade this weekend. I can't wait to get photos of that! Princess J and I will be sitting on the sidewalk waiting to waive at them as they cruise by. So exciting!

Must Reinstate the Scrapbook Diet!

The stash is becoming overwhelming even to me...the happy collector! Finally today, I actually got a couple of layouts done and used some of the stash I've been collecting while not scrapping for awhile. I was so happy to break open some of the stamps, open some stickles, cut up some paper, open those flower packages and use some of that ink in those pens and get some completed layouts! I actually felt giddy after my first completion!! Sooooo, how am I going to do this diet. The easiest thing I can come up with is to give myself and allowance per layout completed. Now, those of you who know me, know that I could never go cold turkey.....at least not when it comes to scrap supplies. Tell me a baby is on the way, and I can give up my caffiene in a milisecond, but that won't work here. Soooooo, here is my point system in a nutshell. For every layout completed I'm putting $5 in my scrap-allowance. If I had to purchase a new item to complete the layout, then I only get $2.50. The only exceptions to this rule (meaning the allowance deduction does not occur) is cardstock and items purchase to complete a gift that will be given within 4 weeks. I can't blow my allowance by telling myself that I'm buying it to make a Christmas gift for someone!LOL I know myself well enough, that I would totally use that excuse. I must know the specific person and occasion, and it must be happening within 4 weeks of the purchase.

I'm so impressed with all the people I know purging their goods. Like Erin, so awesome that she took this cue from Ali in her AEzine. I'm just not ready to let go of the material goods yet. I must try and give myself a chance to use them! I bought this stuff with love and intention, and it somehow inspired me to think of an idea....or at least hand over some cash, so I should try and put it together. I can't let that time and money be a waste! Wish me luck!

Are you meeting your goals with using what you have on hand? How are you going to get creative, use that stash and not let it all go to waste? Share!!!

The $65 Million Pair of Pants

This is what is wrong with the lawsuit system in our country today. This has got to be the craziest thing I have ever heard. Why is it, that seemingly normal smart people have to look for any opportunity to make a buck over something so trivial.

Here is a website which is currently under construction to help the owners of the dry cleaners Custon Cleaners Defense Fund

Something More

Today is kind of a sad day. It was exactly 1 year ago today, that we got Little J's diagnosis. While we are saddened by his diagnosis, we are also very blessed to have him and he is a beautiful, wonderful, amazing joy! He is the most awesome little boy ever! We have also been fortunate enough to be blessed with Princess J as well. While today does hold some significant sadness, we also realize just how lucky we are and we are thankful to God for all of his blessings. I also want to thank all our family and friends for all of their love and support over the last year. We couldn't have gotten through those tough times without you. We also thank you in advance for your future support. We are thankful that we know you are there for us. I found this on a message board I belong to and wanted to share it.


Some Mothers Get Babies With Something More
Written By: Lori Borgman
Columnist and Speaker

My friend is expecting her first child. People keep asking what she wants.
She smiles demurely, shakes her head and gives the answer mothers have given throughout the pages of time. She says it doesn't matter whether it's a boy or a girl. She just wants it to have ten fingers and ten toes.

Of course, that's what she says. That's what mothers have always said.

Mothers lie.

Truth be told, every mother wants a whole lot more.

Every mother wants a perfectly healthy baby with a round head, rosebud lips, button nose, beautiful eyes and satin skin. Every mother wants a baby so gorgeous that people will pity the Gerber baby for being flat-out ugly. Every mother wants a baby that will roll over, sit up and take those first steps right on schedule (according to the baby development chart on page 57, column two). Every mother wants a baby that can see, hear, run, jump and fire neurons by the billions. She wants a kid that can smack the ball out of the park and do toe points that are the envy of the entire ballet class.

Call it greed if you want, but we mothers want what we want.

Some mothers get babies with something more.

Some mothers get babies with conditions they can't pronounce, a spine that didn't fuse, a missing chromosome or a palette that didn't close. Most of those mothers can remember the time, the place, the shoes they were wearing and the color of the walls in the small, suffocating room where the doctor uttered the words that took their breath away. It felt like recess in the fourth grade when you didn't see the kick ball coming and it knocked the wind clean out of you.

Some mothers leave the hospital with a healthy bundle, then, months, even years later, take him in for a routine visit, or schedule her for a well check, and crash head first into a brick wall as they bear the brunt of devastating news. It can't be possible! That doesn't run in our family. Can this really be happening in our lifetime?

I am a woman who watches the Olympics for the sheer thrill of seeing finely sculpted bodies. It's not a lust thing; it's a wondrous thing. The athletes appear as specimens without flaw - rippling muscles with nary an ounce of flab or fat, virtual powerhouses of strength with lungs and limbs working in perfect harmony. Then the athlete walks over to a tote bag, rustles through the contents and pulls out an inhaler.

As I've told my own kids, be it on the way to physical therapy after a third knee surgery, or on a trip home from an echo cardiogram, there's no such thing as a perfect body.

Everybody will bear something at some time or another. Maybe the affliction will be apparent to curious eyes, or maybe it will be unseen, quietly treated with trips to the doctor, medication or surgery. The health problems our children have experienced have been minimal and manageable, so I watch with keen interest and great admiration the mothers of children with serious disabilities, and wonder how they do it.

Frankly, sometimes you mothers scare me. How you lift that child in and out of a wheelchair 20 times a day. How you monitor tests, track medications, regulate diet and serve as the gatekeeper to a hundred specialists yammering in your ear.

I wonder how you endure the clichés and the platitudes, well-intentioned souls explaining how God is at work when you've occasionally questioned if God is on strike. I even wonder how you endure schmaltzy pieces like this one -- saluting you, painting you as hero and saint, when you know you're ordinary.

You snap, you bark, you bite. You didn't volunteer for this. You didn't jump up and down in the motherhood line yelling, "Choose me, God! Choose me! I've got what it takes." You're a woman who doesn't have time to step back and put things in perspective, so, please, let me do it for you.

From where I sit, you're way ahead of the pack. You've developed the strength of a draft horse while holding onto the delicacy of a daffodil. You have a heart that melts like chocolate in a glove box in July, carefully counter-balanced against the stubbornness of an Ozark mule.

You can be warm and tender one minute, and when circumstances require intense and aggressive the next. You are the mother, advocate and protector of a child with a disability. You're a neighbor, a friend, a stranger I pass at the mall. You're the woman I sit next to at church, my cousin and my sister-in-law.

You're a woman who wanted ten fingers and ten toes, and got something more.

You're a wonder!

After you dry your eyes from reading this....if you haven't already, watch the video in my previous post and do some smiling and laughing!