The Regular TV Season Might be Over....

But there are a ton of shows just starting their new seasons! Thank goodness for mindless television to keep my occupied while I'm a little more homebound than normal.

Shows I'm Watching:
The Real Estate Pros -TLC
Army Wives -Lifetime
The Starter Wife -USA
Hells Kitchen -Fox
Last Comic Standing -NBC
Big Love -HBO
American Inventor -ABC
Big Brother -coming soon to CBS!

Thank goodness for good summer TV!!

7 Random Facts About Me

Jo tagged me recently and I'm finally getting around to facing the challenge.



1.I am a book lover! I do however have a few crazy quirks about my book love. I hate library books, they stink and who knows where they've been? I can't stand the thought of some random stranger reading the book and sneezing all over it or taking it into their bathroom and reading it on the pot and then there I sit in my bed reading the same book and getting those filthy germs all over me and my bed! I never take a book from the top of the stack...I like my book to be a virgin when I open it (or at least believe it is).








2. Ever since Little J was born and I had those 2 am feedings, I found Korean Dramas on AZNTV. I have been addicted ever since! They are basically soap operas that actually come to an end. So, if you don't mind reading subtitles, then give them a try. They are really entertaining.





3. I have been watching the Young and the Restless off and on since about 1980! I can't believe that I've been keeping track of that soap for almost 27 years! Oy vey, that makes me sound really old, but I'm not! It's amazing the things that can happen in a soap opera...where else can a stripper end up running for senate? Where else can a pool boy end up marrying both of the sisters in the family he worked for and then marry the other daughter of the rival prominent family and become a member of the board of directors of rival families company?? And, how come they never got a replacement pool boy?





4. I can't believe I'm about to admit this, but here it goes. Back in the 80's I was a huge Whitney Houston fan. I so wanted to be Whitney! Thank goodnes for unanswered prayers! The first concert I ever went to was Whitney Houston at the Concord Pavillion. I think it was sometime around 1986. I totally remember trying to work out the scam to get away with going to the concert, because at the time I was under strict parental control and this was not going to happen by just asking if I could go. Anyway, as always my scam was detected and I was in huge trouble. I don't know how I ended up getting to go, but I remember it being a fun road trip from Santa Rosa to Concord with 2 of my co-workers from factoid #5 about me. That would have been Vicky and Rich who went with me. Thank goodness Vicky always had my back and helped me get away with a few things that were not on the allowed to do list.....










5. My first job was at Burger King! Ugh! I can't believe that I actually wore that polyester nightmare of a uniform! Just thinking about that polyester with all the grease floating around makes me ill! I can still imagine that smell! Ick!!! Oh well, it was a great time though! Made some great friends and had an awesome time working the drive-thru with my friend Chris from high school. That girl could make anyone on the other end of that speaker laugh out loud! Oh and my cousin worked there at the same time too. Sadly, after 1 year I had to leave the fun of Burger King behind, because I got a better job at Baskin and Robbins!! YUMMY ICE CREAM and no grease!! It was right across the parking lot from Burger King, so I still saw my friends on a daily basis.



6. In 1988 I was the 1st runner up in the Apple Blossom Queen competition in Sebastopol which made me an Apple Blossom princess. Fun times!!



7. Okay, and last but not least I know someone who shall remain nameless that used to dance for MC Hammer. HA!

Now, I'm supposed to tag a few peeps to share their 7 facts. I'm going to tag....Jenn (mesogoofy), Jen (islandgirl) and even though she hasn't finished the tag I did last time, Erin!!

Sweet Happiness!!!

TICKETS IN HAND...July 2nd can't get here fast enough!

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!

OMG! This is too funny!!

This is way too funny! Thanks Jenn for sharing it. I will have to keep an eye out for more funny stuff from Anjelah Johnson.

What do I need?

Got this from Jo's blog.

Laurie needs to read for CBE certification.
Laurie needs to get Laura off the computer.
Laurie needs mourning and rememberance.
Laurie needs to get a picture of The Soba wearing the Hello Kitty Tiara.
Laurie needs flight school.
Laurie needs daily support.
Laurie needs to lose.
Laurie needs a test instance up at the same time USU gets theirs.
Laurie needs someone who knows where he's going, not someone who will get her more mixes up.

Too funny...try it yourself.... Google LINK FIXED

Housekeeping Quiz

Here is a fun housekeeping quiz! Got this from Jenn's blog. Not that there is a whole lot of housekeeping going on here these days, but that is beside the point. LOL!

Aprons - Y/N? If yes, what does your favorite look like?

Yes. Love my Hello Kitty apron....what else would I have on my apron?

Baking - Favorite thing to bake: Cookies

Clothesline - Y/N? No

Donuts - No

Every day - One homemaking thing you do every day: dishes!!!!

Freezer - Do you have a separate deep freeze? No

Garbage Disposal - Y/N? Yes.

Handbook - Real Simple magazine

Ironing - Love it or Hate it? Not my favorite, but I do it all the time.

Junk Drawer - Y/N? Yes, several.

Kitchen - Color and decorating scheme? Next on the list for renovation around here. Right now, it's right outta the 60's. Hate it!

Love - What is your favorite part of homemaking? Since having the baby, it's now cooking and baking. I liked it before, but while I was preggo, I was always too tired to even go near the kitchen

Mop - Y/N? Yes....Swifter wet jet that is!

Nylons - Nope...The Filipino in me, let's me easily skip them.

Oven - Do you use the window or open the door to check?- I usually just open the door.

Pizza - What do you put on yours?- Pepperoni,Mushrooms,Sausage and Onion. Also known as the PMS....Oh heck no I'm not cooking...call the delivery guy! LOL

Quiet - Read

Recipe card box - Y/N? Y What does it look like? I have a wooden box that my grandfather made for my grandmother to store recipes in.

Style of house - What is the style of your house? We are slowly updating it, so it's a cross between retro 60's and updating to modern neutral.

Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N? Sometimes

Under the kitchen sink - organized in the front (stuff I use regularly) kinda scary in the back!!

Vacuum - Yes..Love a central vacuum system! One hose and attachments for upstairs and one for downstairs so I never have to lug anything around. Usually G does the vacuuming too!

Wash - How many loads of laundry do you do per week? Too many to count! Especially with the arrival of Princess J!

X's - Do you keep a list of things to do that you cross off? Always! Lists make me feel like I am accomplishing things. Plus if I don't write things down, I will forget. Sometimes I even forget where I put the list!!!!

Yard - Y/N? Who does what? We're getting ready to have a landscaper come and do our huge yard, and then we're getting a gardner! No time to keep it up with these two kiddos!

Zzz's - Clean up the dishes from dinner.

A New Look!

So my life has been taken over by this little princess! I'm loving most every minute of it though! She's quite a demanding little one, but she deserves it! Things have certainly been crazy around here, our lives pretty much revolve around feeding kids these days. Between Princess J demanding food every 3 hours and Little J's need for his regular schedule and lots of platytime and attention from mommy and daddy there isn't much time for anything else. I LOVE IT!!

I thought that since the girl to boy ratio in this house has reached 50/50 it was time to bring a little pink to the old blog. A little brightness for when I'm up in the middle of the night unable to return to sleep! LOL! Thank goodness, for our new laptop, or I don't know if I would be online at all! Love sitting in bed while the little one sleeps next to me and getting a little surf time.

We've been taking tons of photos, I still need to get new ones uploaded and pick up the ones I've ordered from Costco. Can't wait to find some time to get some scrapping in. Well, since I'm doing nothing but rambling here and I really have nothing profound at this moment to say.....

So in Love!

Oh my gosh! I can't believe that Princess J is almost 3 weeks old. I just can't wrap my brain around the fact that she's actually here and I get to hold her and love her, but I also can't wrap my brain around the fact that she hasn't always been here. See what a few hormones can do to you? It's just crazy! One minute, I'm so thankful that she's here and then the next minute, I'm so sad that I'm not pregnant with her anymore! I told G that the other day, and he kept trying to remind me how uncomfortable I was the last few weeks of the pregnancy. I told him, that I realized that, but I still miss it. Things are going well, she's growing like crazy, this little girl does not miss any meals! She does not like to sleep in her bassinette yet, but we're getting there. We went from no hours in the bassinette to a 2 hour stint and a 3 hour stint all in the same night. So, like I said, we're getting there. Last night, I enjoyed a much needed break with friends. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband that was up to the task of juggling our two little ones, while I went out to visit (and get a little bit of scrapping done). It was so nice! I didn't stay very long....I really started missing Princess J after about 4 hours, but just a bit of chatting with Erin , Suzy, Michelle,Nichole and Roccio was just what this new mommy needed!

Also, a huge thank you to Roccio, who picked up some adorable little outfits and socks for Princess J! I can't wait till they fit her! She is going to be so stinkin' cute in that stuff! It's nice, now that I can actually use some pink and bling in my scrapbooking!! So many photoshoots in my head, with all the cute clothes she's received from family and friends!

Look What I Found!!!

MY THUMB! It's pretty yummy too.

Just a quick hijack from Mommy to share my find! Mommy will share our trip to the Easter Bunny later! It was very eventful!

Welcome Princess J!

Wow! It's been awhile since I've blogged! I really have a very good reason though! On March 27th....exactly 1 week before our scheduled c-section, Princess J decided to make her grand entrance! She decided that she did not want anything about her arrival planned! I had my regular doctor appointment scheduled, and about a half an hour before the appointment, I thought I might have leaked some fluid. After my doctor checked me out, she sent me to the hospital to be checked. They checked the fluid, but it was negative on the leakage...Yay! When they hooked me up to the monitor though, I was having contractions 2 minutes apart. They kept asking me if I felt them, but alas I did not. I knew the minute she said I was having the contractions, that we were having our little princess that day. By the time they got me prepped for the c-section, I was having them 1 minute apart, and still could not feel them. Crazy! Poor G, was at work getting ready to teach a portion of a training day class when I called him. He totally thought I was kidding, when I said, that we were having the baby that day! She arrived at 1:43 pm completely beautiful! She has daddy completely smitten and wrapped around her tiny little finger!

We are absolutely in complete love with this little one! She really is our little princess! I am so excited, because tomorrow, we are headed to visit the Easter bunny with the kiddos. I cannot wait to see Princess J with the Easter Bunny. I still remember Little J's first photo with Santa not 2 weeks after he was born. So tiny and adorable in Santa's arms. I know it will be the same with Princess J in the Easter Bunny's arms!

Well, off to take more photos!! Will have to post some more real soon!

Love a yellow box!

As I was leaving today for Suzy's official grand opening at Picture Me Perfect, I saw the postman arrive on our street. He generally starts at the house right across the street. When he pulled up, and started organizing his load for the street, I recognized a familiar yellow box through the window. My parents live in Switzerland, so they have these yellow letter post boxes. I was so giddy, cause I'd been waiting for the package since my stepmom told me that had found a few things for the baby. It couldn't have been better timing either! I waited for the mailman to bring me that package. It seemed like it took forever! Finally, he started his route and dropped it off to me....I ran in the house all giddy to open it and see what was in store for our princess! Much to my glee, I opened it up and found 2 cute sundresses and this adorable Hello Kitty outfit!! Yipee!! As most of you know, I am a Hello Kitty fanatic. Love me some Hello Kitty! Now, I can't wait for our little princess to wear her Hello Kitty proud....and of course I'm planning a scrapbook page for this too!

Suzy's Grand Opening party was fantastic! I am so happy for her and her new venture. There were so many people that turned out for the event! It was really great to see lots of the other Garage Girls too, as sometimes we don't see eachother as often as we'd like. I got to see Krista, Kent, Erin, Michelle, Carole and Nichole! Love these super talented and awesome friends!! Check out the Garage Girls and their amazing layouts
here! Just scroll down until you see the Junk Yard link!

Who says a little shopping can't bring happiness?

I hope nobody says it, because if they do they are lying!!! Got some things crossed off my list of things to do, so that is great! The things I got done were all about spending some quality time at the local mall too! Wahoo! So much fun! First I had to head to Pottery Barn Kids, to purchase the tiebacks and finials for the baby's room. They are soooo stinkin' cute! I do remember, that I promised to post some photos of the baby's room, but we're not quite done yet. Then it was off to Gymboree. I picked up an outfit for little J, from their "Little Rome" collection. Our little princess has an outfit from this line as well, so I thought it would be adorable for them to have cooridinating outfits for our first family photo when we bring her home. Then, I had to go and give Bare Essentuals a little love too. Love their make-up Shhhh....got some on QVC last night too! LOL! Then we went to Nordstrom, I swear, I was only going there to get the MAC make-up wipes. I loved having these things while I was in the hospital with Little J! Made my face feel clean and refreshed every morning and evening! Anyway, I found the cutest shirt for Little J, with Cookie Monster on it and it says "Got Cookie?" Little J loves his cookies!! I'll have to post a picture, since I can't find one online anywhere. Well, that was our fun for today, tomorrow, I'll be hanging out at Picture Me Perfect for the grand opening!! Come by if your in the neighborhood, it's going to be lots of fun!!!!

A Negative into a Positive...

This really was going to be a negative post. It was going to be one of your some people really suck posts. The worst part of this post was that it involved people that I thought were friends. It's very possible that I'm overreacting with all these end of the preggo hormones, but I don't think it is. Anyway, many of you who are my friends know that Little J has a diagnosis and that he is developmentally delayed. It is a heartwrenching thing to have happen. You always want the best for your children and have so many hopes and dreams for them, you never imagine that this could happen to your child.

I want everyone to know, that I am so blessed to have been trusted by God to care for this amazing little boy. I see more love and have more pride than anyone could ever hope for. This little boy is one of the best things that has ever come into my life. To those people who shy away from me since our diagnosis, all I can say is your loss. I also hope and pray, that if this does happen to you or someone in your family, that you will step up to the plate and be a support for them. It can happen to anyone. Unfortunately, even with the greatest technology, reproduction is not a perfect science. Many, many things can and do go wrong. This is not something that we passed on to our child, it was just a random occurence. So, for those of you who question our choice to have another child, maybe you should find out the facts before you jump to conclusions. Your words, while they are meaningless to me now after the fact. They do hurt when they are first said.

Here is the bright side of things....when something as serious as this happens to your family, you really do find out who your friends are. I have been blessed with some of the most amazing friends and I want to thank them all, for all their support, and friendship. I love spending time with all of you and I know that Little J loves you all too. You all know who you are! Thank you, because if it were not for you, I don't think I would be able to overlook the negative in some people. It's the power of all your positivity (is that a word) that inspires me, makes me have a positive outlook on our situation, and not feel like a pariah.

Just a random post....

So, I know your sick of hearing this, but it's now down to 13 days until the new arrival. I'm feeling all kinds of things right now. 1. I can't wait to get my body back! 2. I'm gonna miss feeling her move and kick! 3. Oh my, I'm gonna have to chase after 2 little ones. 4. I'm gonna have a little princess!! 5. Oh goodness...they have to get this thing outta me..I'm not so sure I'm ready for that. See, the whole back and forth thing going on here. As far as getting her out, I'm a little nervous, even though I know what to expect. Still not fun to think they are gonna cut you open.

So on to the fluff stuff now! Dude! I love television! So many good shows on right now! Actually, too many good shows on right now! I know I've talked about this before, but I'm just so giddy with the television love right now! Here's what I'm lovin' 1. Amazing Race -Go Uchenna and Joyce! I was rooting for Romber, but since they are gone, I gotta root for Uchenna and Joyce. I swear these are the only two people who just take on the task and leave the whining to all the babies. 2. American Idol....Please, for the love of music, send Sanjaya home tonight! We were watching last night, and I was a bit worried about the future of music when the little girl was crying those happy "i love you" tears while he was singing. Thank goodness they showed her crying for the others as well! Whew! 3. Survivor...what doodoohead thought it was a good idea to put this on at the same time as AI the last few weeks. 4. Pussycat Dolls/Search for the Next Doll..Don't even ask how I found this show or how I got hooked....I'm almost embarassed to admit it. 5. The Hills 6. Engaged and Underage 7. Real World- Denver 8. Dancing with the Stars...Go Cheryl and Ian!!! It is definately time for Cheryl to three-peat!! 9. Crossing Jordan

Here are other shows I love, but wish they would be done with the re-runs already! All three Law and Order shows, ER, CSI -Las Vegas.

Oh well, enough fluff. I hope to be done with most of the little ones room tomorrow, so I will try and post some photos.

Peace!

Where did the last nine months go???

Wow! As of today, we have 16 days until the arrival of our new little one! I think we've almost got everything done that needs to be done. I can't believe it is coming up so quick! Little J is doing so well too, I really feel blessed! I will say though, that the more pregnant I get, the more Little J seems like a mack truck coming through. I really miss being able to sit on the floor and just play with him. He's just way to strong now and it is way too hard to get off the floor now. As a matter of fact, just a week ago, I thought it would be fun to play with Little J in the ball pit he has, so I climbed in. We played for a little bit, and then he got tired of it and crawled away. He kept coming back, because I was still in there, but he'd just come back and laugh.....that's because mommy couldn't get out! I had to call for G to come down and help me out. Way too funny!

The days are flying by, but thankfully, I've spent some days busy with appointments, others taking naps and others with great friends! This last Friday, I went to the scrapbook expo and met up with Vanessa, Jenn and Erin. Jenn and I walked around for a few hours, and then sat outside for the million dollar lunch. Check this out. $15 for a Grilled Italian Garlic Chicken Sandwich, Garlic Fries and a bottle of water. Talk about sticker shock! It was yummy though. Then it was time to head home to take over Little J duties from G. G had to go to court on his day off for some crazies that wanted to fight their tickets. I guess they were just hoping that he wouldn't show up so they could get out of it. No such luck! Anyway, then later, I went to Suzy's store Picture Me Perfect for the very first crop! I got to hang out some more with Erin and Jen, and then Michelle came to scrap with me too. I tell you, these three ladies are full of creativity and inspiration. Me, I'm so preggo, that I just sat there and enjoyed their company. I didn't have any energy left in me to scrap, but I was so happy to be hanging out with the girls!

Oh, and thanks to Jenn, I am no officially addicted to the Andes Mint Milk Shake at Jack in the Box. Unfortunately the Jack in the Box near my house sucks big time. Their Shake machine is down all the freakin' time. First, I tried to go on Friday on my way to Suzy's, I ordered at the drive through, and they told me their machine was down. This really sucked, because of course there were two cars in front of me and several behind me. So I had to wait in the lousy drive through line for nothing! What was even worse, is the lady in front of me gets her food, and then pulls up just enough so I can get to the window to retrieve the nothing I ordered and decides that's a good time to hand out the food to all her kiddos. I honked at her, but she still took for freaking ever! Then I went in on Saturday (did not trust the drive-thru), but again, no shake. Thankfully, G went out to Baskin and Robbins after dinner and got me my favorite Mint Chip Ice Cream! All was well!

Another thing I've been really wanting lately is Linguine and Clams! Ugh! It really sucks when you can't have the thing you really want! Soon...very soon though!

It's All Good!

What a day! Whew! Busy! Busy! Busy! It was all so much fun though! I spent the weekend, really trying to get some things crossed off my "to do" list. The baby room is just about ready! All the furniture is in, got the bedding, got the mattress, the changing pad and tons of other accessories. We're almost done putting it all together too. Got my list of stuff to pack to take to the hospital...now I just have to pack it!

So, today, I made plans to head over to Suzy's new store...check out the info at Picture Me Perfect. What an awesome opening day she had! Tons of people shopping and tons of fun stuff to buy. I did not get out of there unscathed! Then I got to hang our with some awesome women! Stacey, Jenn and Erin! It was fun to hang out and just relax and chat. We all went to lunch at the Olive Garden and Jenn recomended this awesome dish Chicken Giardino. It was so yummy and actually on the healthy side! We had all the kids in tow too. Mathew, Little J, Emi and Mari. Jenn was the only lucky one to be kid free for the afternoon, but it wasn't long before she had to run off and pick up hers. Once we got in the car to head home, Little J was out like a light!

Anyway, it was nice to have a girlie day, before I gear up for the next busy busy three days! Little J has several appointments and I have one for me to check on this little one who is only 22 days away! Whew! Thank goodness I'll get some scrapping in at Suzy's new store and get to hang out at the Bay Area scrapbook expo for a little while on Friday. Friday will be mostly kid free too! I'll have little J for a bit in the afternoon while G goes to court because someone wants to fight a ticket he wrote. That ticket fighter is a bum, because he messed up my original plan of a entire kid free day! =p I haven't been too impressed with the last few expos, so we'll see how it is, if it is good, maybe I'll head over with little J on Saturday for a bit. Hmmmm.....

A Good Week!

First things first though.....I did not get one thing on my to do list done. I'm very unaccomplished in the to do list area, but that doesn't mean I didn't get anything done. So, the list still stands, and I'm commited to getting at least 3 things on it done this week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it really happens though.

We found a crib for our new little bundle, it is a beautiful, Mon Cheri crib!! What a deal we got too! We got it for $75! Love a deal! We picked the color of the room to be Water Sprout by Behr paints. It is a really light green. It will go perfect with the bedding from Pottery Barn Kids. For those of you who really know me, you know I couldn't resist a tulip theme for our little princess!
G has been working really hard getting the room painted, getting the crib set up, and refinishing some furniture to match. I can't wait to see the room completed! I'll be sure to take photos when it's done.

We've been so blessed to have friends bring clothes over for our little one. They grow so fast, it's nice to have some clothes passed on for those first few months, that seem to fly by. Thank you!!

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to hang out with Erin. Have you every met someone and even though you haven't known them long, you just feel connected. Erin is such an amazingly positive and creative person! I definately feel blessed to be able to call her a friend! We headed up to Young Play Memories store in Tracy, to take a class from another inspirational woman Ali Edwards. The class was amazing and just really inspired some ideas in my head. Now, if I could just get that "clean scraproom" off of my to do list, I might be able to get some of those ideas out of my head and start creating again.

Little J has been working so hard at his therapies. He's becoming a very proficient mover lately. He is now 4 point crawling and trying to get up on his feet. Such a triumph! It's funny, how we've been working on this for months, and just when I have to slow down, this kid figures out how to speed up! He is making so much progress, I am so proud of him!

On another front, Suzy if finally moving her store out of the garage and into a real store front. I feel so blessed to have her as a friend and be a part of this amazing group of ladies! I am so excited for all of the changes and new things that will be happening for Suzy and her family and for the Bay Area Scrappers.

Things to do.....and I don't feel like it!

Well, I feel like my to do list is over a mile long, and I have no gumption to do any of it either! So, I thought I'd post my list here to put it out there and see how much I can get done.

1. Clean Scraproom!
2. Clean up dining room area (lots of clutter going on here)
3. Clean bathroom
4. Reorganize Master bedroom (get rid of more clutter!)
5. Pick curtain rod at Pottery Barn Kids for the baby's room
6. Safeway trip
7. Buy new towels, soap and candles for new bathroom.
8. Finish reading current book, so I can get started on the next one.

I know there is plenty more, but my head hurts now from thinking of all of this stuff! =)

When your husband really tries to make your day.....

So, as many of you who have been checking in, know that things have been super crazy around our house....and I mean super crazy! Anyway, we've been working at getting everything we need for the new arrival, getting ready for family to visit and help, keeping up with Little J's therapies and everything else that goes with everyday life. We've been fighting colds and contractions along with a few other unmentionable things.

The thought of Valentines Day was a little overwhelming, but we decided that we were going to celebrate after the new little one arrives when there is family here to watch the little ones so we could go out to dinner and have time for just the two of us. We were not going to do anything for Valentines Day until then....lucky for me, since the little homemade project and gift I'd been thinking of is nowhere near complete!

Well, G knows, that I've been a bit tired and a little on the sad side, because I just can't keep up and get all the things done that I want. I can't get comfortable at night to sleep, and during the day I'm chasing little J. And my big plans for Valentines Day? A trip to the OB! Wahooooooo!! He decided, that he was going to go ahead and send me a cheerful bouquet of flowers on Valentines....just because. He is the best hubby ever! He had it all arranged, he sent a sweet box of sweets and a dozen roses......the problem.....the roses never arrived and the box of sweets were damaged. We've been trying and trying to get in touch with the provider (1-800-flowers.com) but to no avail. Today, we are watching the news and guess what.....See news story here!

Poor G! He is so mad! For those of you who know him also know that he does not get mad very often either. For me, just knowing he tried to send it to brighten my day...makes me super happy!


Just as a recomendation....if you ever want to order flowers online and get really good customer service, use iflorist.com! They are really awesome! One time I ordered a bouquet for my Mother-In-Law...and not 5 minutes after I ordered it, the contacted me to let me know that the bouquet I requested was not available in her area. They helped me choose a new bouquet...which was a little more expensive, and didn't charge me the difference. Awesome service! She received the bouquet and said it was one of the most beautiful arrangements she had seen!

I have mojo for scrappin'.....but....

I cannot scrap! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! Can you tell I'm not happy about that? We've had another crazy week around here. My stepmom went home to Switzerland on Friday. What a help she was to have here for the last two months! Whew! Helping me lift little J and tote him around. It's nice to be able to get out and not be completely exhausted from lifting your 2 year old all over the place!

Who knew that the Friday she left, things would get really crazy! When we were pregnant with little J, he showed up 2 weeks early, because I had a slow leak of amniotic fluid. At first, I didn't even suspect that it was that, but when I called my OB, she had be go in to have it checked out. The nurse we saw didn't think it was fluid either, but ran the test. 20 minutes later she came back and told me they were going to start inducing me, because it was indeed my amniotic fluid leaking. Fast forward to Friday, I was standing in Starbucks getting my treat for the day otherwise known as my daily fix (decafinated of course!). I felt a familiar feeling. This time it worried me, because I am only 31 weeks pregnant. I went home to let G know, and then headed for the hospital to get it checked, while he stayed home with little J. They hooked me up to the monitor and ran the test to see if it was my fluid, thankfully, it was not amniotic fluid, but as they were monitoring me, the saw that I was having contractions every 2 minutes!!!! OY! This little girl is giving me a run for my money. They gave me some medication to stop the contractions and kept me there for observation for about 2 hours total. When they released me they put me on more of the medication to keep taking until I see my regular OB. This stuff makes me feel crazy!!! At first I was taking it every 4 hours, and not only did I get a headache and have tremors, but I felt so anxious! When I called the on-call doctor the next day, he had me start taking it every 6 hours. This was better, but still get the headaches and the crazy tremors! Needless to say, this is why I can't scrap! I'd probably cut my finger off with the paper trimmer! Sigh! This little girl made me miss out on a night of scrappin' with my friends too! Well, anyway that's all for now, hopefully, the doctor will let me off this medicine tomorrow and I can get back to scrappin'! I have so many crazy ideas in my head that I want to get on to cardstock!

So many other good things to share, but you'll just have to stay tuned for them!

I have to sit here for 3 hours!

Oh my! I knew the minute I took the standard glucose screening test, that I would end up taking the 3 hour version. I took it when I was pregnant with little J, and I offered to bet my OB's assistant a million bucks that they would be signing me up for the 3 hour version. Lucky for her, she didn't take the bet. We saw the OB yesterday, and everything seems to be going well with our little princess. She's a little tougher on mommy, that Little J was. She likes to be a bit rambunctios throughout the night. She makes it difficult to stay comfortable, and I know she thinks my bladder is her personal trampoline! We did get the news, that I was in store for the 3 hour version of the glucose screening test. I had to fast for 12 hours! Do you know what it is like to wake up at 2:30 in the morning with a little one kicking your guts out and your tummy growling louder than you can turn your television up? It is miserable. I was so hungry, I couldn't go back to sleep! Ugh! Thankfully I got the test over with this morning, but by the time I could eat, I was beyond hungry and nothing seemed to be satisfying. Oh well.....with all the joy Little J brings, I know that all this discomfort will be worth every second.

I remember after 17 hours of labor with Little J, and they decided to do an emergency C-section, that the minute I saw his adorable little face, that I wanted to do it all over again. I know I'll feel the same when when our princess arrives. Since I'm having a C-section again, we got to pick our date yesterday too. It's almost like waiting for Christmas to arrive! I am so excited, that I can't wait for the date to get here, but also, I'm going to miss being pregnant with her. Kind of a double edge sword there.

Off to play with Little J, he's jumping up and down for some attention now!

Maybe it's the hormones or the lack of sleep...

but some crap is just bugging me today. I've really tried to stay positive about lots of things with the new year and all the awesome friends and blessings that I have.

I'm sick of people complaining about what they think is not fair in the world. Whether they think a contest was fixed, or someones scrapbook pages are not good enough to be published. Are these things really important in the whole scheme of things in the world? They want to boycott a company and blast it all over message boards, because someone that they don't think deserves it won a contest? That is crazy nuts! Don't you have anything better to worry about? Why can't we just be happy for people when something good happens to them? Why do we have to get upset and green with envy when something good happens to them? Oy!

Okay, I'm going to let this go now and get back to some positivity.

Officially a duck...

QUACK! I feel like I have officially hit the waddling stage of pregnancy! I can't believe that really the arrival of our new little princess is only about 10 weeks away! It didn't really sink in, until I saw Erin and her new little one Mari. It was so great to see Erin, and to finally see little Mari. They both looked beautiful! Then I started thinking about the fact that after this week, I have an appointment with the OB in 2 weeks, and then every week after that. WOW! I can't wait to meet her!

I know I haven't updated my blog in a few weeks. I'm not trying to let it go, but I've been so tired and I keep making lists and lists of things to do. I'm certainly not getting much done, but I keep plugging along trying. I'm hoping to set some time aside soon and get some scrapping done. I feel like it's been forever since I've been creative.

Thankfully, family has been helping us out....speaking of which...my stepmom is making us dinner tonight and it's just about ready! I'll have to update some more later!

Take Care everyone!

Feeling more settled...

It seems, that everyone is beginning to recover from the icky's that were going on around here. Thank goodness. Now, that all the holiday decorations have been put away and we're getting back to our normal routines, I'm feeling much less anxious and much more settled. As much as I love the holidays, I realize how much comfort I take in the everyday activities of life. A sound schedule makes me feel like I'm getting something accomplished and that my life is somehow balanced.

Since I'm feeling more settled, I've started to make lists of things I want and need to complete. Unfortunately, I have multiple lists going since there is so much to be done. I can't believe that our little princess is due in just 90 days. While this pregnancy has been much different and a bit more difficult than Little J, I know I'm going to miss it. I need to find a way to savor these last few months.

Little J had a full round of therapies this week. Overall, he did very well. We are so proud of all the progress he is making. We are truely blessed to be the parents of this amazing little boy. Not only are we proud of Little J and all his determination and hard work, we are also so thankful for the therapists that work with him. They are really some amazing women! I'm so sad, that one of them is going to be leaving us. Unfortunatley for us, she had to take a different job in another area for her family well being. We are really going to miss her. I hope that we can keep in touch with her. She has been an amazing advocate for Little J and for our family. We have been blessed to have her help.

I've also been reflecting on the last year and pondering it's ups and downs. We have certainly had some bad days, but when I think of the year as a whole, I can say that we are really blessed and we really do have a joyful life. I am so thankful for all of our family, our friends and the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. I thank God for bringing so many wonderful people into our lives and for all the support we've received from so many people during the rough times this last year. We are definately looking forward to a joyful new year and look forward to celebrating all the joys and blessings in store for us! Thank you so much to all of you who have been an amazing part of our journey in the past year. We love you!

Whew! Looks like all is good!

Thank you so much everyone for your kind posts to my last entry and for all the prayers for our puppy dog! They worked! We took him to our regular vet this morning...Dr. Hackler rocks! He had a perineal hernia which they repaired on the right side. The thing that was concerning us the most, was that the ER we took him to said he had a mass on the left side. They did a needle biopsy and said it appeared to be cancerous. When the doc went in to fix the hernia, he had planned to remove the mass as well and then have it biopsied. Well, he couldn't find any mass. He had another doctor come in and look and they couldn't find anything either. Upon further investigation, it appears that the ER did a biopsy on a hemroid. Yukon is home now and recovering from his day of surgery. I am so glad that the weight of worry about a cancerous mass is gone.

We're only 7 days into 2007....

and I think I've already lost my mind! I thought the holidays brought on all the crazies! These last 7 days have been a roller coster ride for us. January 1st started up with a bang....or should I say a barf fest. Sorry to be so graphic. Little J woke up happy as a clam giving out hugs and lots of love, ate his breakfast and then proceeded to barf all morning long. I thought to myself, ruh-roh! I hope this is not a sign of things to come! Later that evening, Little J was back to his happy playful self...so all seemed well.

January 2nd, I woke up not feeling quite right. I had a busy day ahead, and was trying to figure out exactly what was going on with me. I kept getting little cramps all morning off and on, but couldn't figure them out. I got ready for our day, and was drinking lots of water and feeling just a little off. At 11 am, we headed out to Oakland, because my Dad and Stepmom decided to make it official, and we went to the courthouse to get the marriage license and see the justice of the peace. Everyone looked so good....and Little J was wearing his first ever suit and tie. Sooooo adorable!! We came home, and then headed out for a nice lunch. Lunch was yummy, but I couldn't eat very much...still feeling a bit off. As we left, G went to the Starbucks drive-thru, so I could get my Gingerbread Latte fix (you never know when they will be gone!) and then it all went terribly wrong. The stomach bug had hit! G rushed me home and I took care of some business and laid down in bed...just wanting to sleep. I was still getting cramps, but didn't know if they were pregnancy related or stomach bug related. I called the doctor, and she sent me off to Labor and Delivery at the hospital to make sure I wasn't having contractions. All went well with that, our little princess was doing fine, but I was dehydrated and they wanted me to drink lots of water. Little did I know, I was in for a long night of running back and forth to the bathroom. The last thing I wanted to do was drink water, but for our little one, I kept trying and trying. Later that night, my parents had to take our Yukonbear to the emergency vet, where he ended up spending the night. While they were there, my Dad came down with the same thing I had. OY! They came home, and everyone settled in for the night, not knowing that the excitment wasn't over. I don't think I slept for more than 30 minutes at a time here and there, so I was up all night. At 2 in the morning, I hear my Little J stirring...it's a bit earlier than normal, but he wants his clean diaper! I wake up G and ask him to check on Little J. He goes in changes his diaper and then goes to put him back in bed.....and he throws up! G takes Little J to his comfy chair and sets him up, and then goes to clean up his bed. He waits a bit and offers Little J some Pedialyte. It seems Little J is back to ok. Meanwhile, my (now official) Stepmom is coming down with the same bug. Somehow though, after making sure that everyone else was keeping hydrated she became dehydrated and even forgot that she got married. Off to the emergency room she went!

January 3rd, I had an appointment with my doctor for a recheck. I was still pretty dehydrated, so they sent me home with more orders to drink water and eat the BRAT diet. I was then told to come back for a recheck the next morning. I went home, and my parents still were not back from the emergency room. Thankfully my tummy settled down, and I got some good sleep in! My parents finally got home around noon and it was slumber land for them too.

January 4th, back to the doctor....still dehydrated! Ugh! Sent home for a few hours and then had to be back for another test. Thankfully, this one came out okay! All is well. Everyone is recovering and is on the mend.

Yukon, is still not settled though. We're not sure where this is going at this point. He spent Tuesday night at the emergency vet and Wednesday night at his regular vet. They sent him home on Friday with tons of medication and we have to take him back to talk to his regular doctor about his results, options and prognosis. I'm feeling very aprehensive about this right now. We'll see how this goes, keep our beautiful little puppy in your prayers!

With all that drama, I'm still hopeful and looking forward to a joyful 2007! I'll keep ya'll updated and eventually when things settle down, I'll post my goals for the new year!

{The photo at the top is Little J in his first suit and tie!}

So much going on!!

I thought that once Christmas was over, that things would slow down and there would be a bit of relaxing on the homefront here. Not so! It's been wicked busy all the way through!

Poor Little J got sick the Wednesday before Christmas, and ended up in the emergency room on Thursday night. We had taken him to the doctor on Thursday morning, and she diagnosed him with Croup. It was awful, the poor little guy was miserable! Everything had been going exactly like his doctor said it would, but on Thursday night around 10pm he had a febrile seizure. It didn't last very long, nor was it quite as scary as I had always imagined, but he certainly was out of it afterwards. They were so good to him at the ER and took great care of him. We got him home and he's been on the quick mend ever since.

We've got tons of photos for Christmas, but have not had a chance to upload them yet...soon...very soon! Little J had a great Christmas! He got so much loot, I think he's going to think it's Christmas everyday around here for awhile. Love the look on his face when he sees something new and fun to play with and explore!

On Wednesday the 27th, I got to go see the Dancing with the Stars tour in San Jose! That was a blast!!! I thought that originally, that Max and Willa were supposed to be touring with the group, because I wanted to see that chemistry up close! Alas, they were not there. It was Joey McIntyre with Kym Johnson, Lisa Rinna with Louie, Harry Hamlin with Karina, Joey Lawrence with Edyta, and Drew Lachey with Cheryl. They were all awesome!!

Well, that's all I have time to update now, I really should be straightening out my scrap area and getting my Cricut set up for play!

Who is this guy?

Mommy says he is some guy named Santa Clause, and that he will bring me lots of presents! I'll let you know if he does....

Since someone was complaning.....

about me not updating my blog, here I am with a short little post. I've been thinking of posting this since Sunday, but with all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I never quite got around to it, I'll do it now!


CONGRATULATIONS SURVIVOR-COOK ISLAND WINNER...YUL KWON FROM SAN MATEO!!


We'd been rooting for him since the beginning!!

Where are all my curls???

Little J got his first big boy haircut today. It was so adorable, and sad at the same time. He was such a good little boy while Marta gave him his first big boy cut. He was fascinated by the scissors, the comb and the clippers, but he was so sweet while she went to work turning him into a big boy. His new haircut is so adorable, but I miss those baby curls already! His hair was so unruly, and since it's almost time for that Santa photo we had to get in under control.

This weekend is going to be crazy busy now! Tomorrow, I have a few errends to run, and then tomorrow night we have G's Christmas party. That should be lots of fun. The only not so fun part, is going to the mall and looking at all the cute holiday clothes out there, and then heading to the maternity store and buying a tent. I ended up just getting a cute shirt to wear with some black pants, and then picked up some new shoes. Can't wait to wear them. Probably my last huraah in high heels for awhile. On Sunday, Lizz is getting married. I'm so excited for her!! She's been working so hard planning this wedding, and I know it's going to be perfect for her! Congratulations Lizz!!!

On Monday, the contractors come back and hopefully will get the majority of the bathroom complete, and it's time for us to start getting ready for my parents to get here! Whewwwwww....I think I better find a way to schedule some breathing time...not to mention some scrap time!

Our house is bustling with activity!

Wow, have we been busy lately! I was just looking at our calendar, and I am blown away at the amount of things we have going on around here....no wonder I'm exhausted! I think I'm going to have to make a copy and condense our December calendar so I can scrap it.

Today, the contractor came and started on our bathroom remodel! I am so excited to finally get our guest bathroom back! I can't wait until next week when it's all done. They just put in the new shower today, and we're just waiting for the county inspector to sign off on it...then everything will start coming together. Can't wait! I'll try to take a picture tonight and then post it tomorrow.

I really need to get to scrapping, I have so much stuff that I want to work on, I actually have the mojo, but I have no energy.

I'm getting excited too, because my parents are coming home for the holidays. They arrive next Wednesday!!! Wahoooooo!!! It will be nice to have the extra help while G goes back to work. Little J is getting so big and hard to carry around for me. Especially with his little sister taking up so much room up front...lol!! :)

Tomorrow should be a good picture day! Little J is getting his first official haircut!! I can't wait to get his cute little mop under control!! I hope he busts out with that cute little smile of his too. I'm recharging the battery on the camera as we speak, so I know I'll be ready to get those cute little photos!! Something else to look forward to tomorrow on the old blog!

Heartbroken....

For the past 11 days, we have been praying for the safe return home of the Kim family from San Francisco. We were so elated a few days ago when they found Kati Kim and her two daughters alive! This family had been so brave and resourceful, that we held out hope and continued to pray for James Kim and that he would soon be joyfully and safely reunited with his family. It is heartbreaking that the search for him has come to the end that it has. Our family is sending many prayers to the Kim family during this difficult time. For continuing information and to sign their guest book, please visit
The Kim Family website.

The Scrapbook Motherload....and then some!

What a fun time!!! If you read my last post, you saw that I found this cute little scrap store in Bend, Oregon..... Scrapbooking Outside the Box. I thought I'd share with you some of the loot I picked up. We just got back on Wednesday, and then this weekend was crazy busy! On Friday, Krista had a purse party. What fun that was! There were lots of gals there already, since I was late for the opening run at the merchandise. It was crazy! I walked in and there were at least 20 women holding on to at least 4 bags each for dear life! Then there was this calm, where everyone was just waiting and watching for someone to put down a bag they were coveting! I think at one point, I was holding on to 5 bags. I just couldn't decide. I was carrying around this one bag that everyone seemed to want, I had a line for it. Then one of the gals who wanted the bag had a bag that Suzy really wanted. So, I made a deal with her, if she gave Suzy the bag she wanted, she could have the one I had. Afterall, it is Christmas, and I really shouldn't be buying myself 5 purses! LOL! She went for it, so Suzy got her bag and I picked up the cute one in the picture above! Krista put on a great party, lots of great snacks and drinks (even though I couldn't try one of those pomogranite martini's)!

Saturday, was a full day of fun! The group of gals I day crop with at the garage periodically (meaning not as often as I would like) had our annual cookie exchange. YUMMY! There are some yummy cookies in my house now! It was lots of fun chatting with the gals and eating the scrumptious cookies! Then we had our mechanic's gift exchange! Sylvia hooked me up with a fabulous gift of the new Foofala paper, buttons and ribbon. She even added a few pieces of yummo chocolate! Thanks Sylvia!!!

Then I took Michelle's fabulous class! What a fun filled day! I also picked up some more scrapping goodies at the garage as well. I put all my stuff including the purse on my couch and all I could think was WOW! I hit the scrapbook motherload....and then some!!!