Business Card Buddies

I went to pick Tristan up from school today just in time to see him handing another mom a business card. He says - this is my mom's number, can you please call her?

Apparently he wanted to have a friend over like his sister does. So he gave the mom the business card from his backpack, the one he keeps in case of emergencies!

I guess it worked out for him - Ben is coming over on Wednesday.

Now.

"I went into the church and I sat before the priest. I explained to him my mother died but I could still hear her voice talking to me. I asked him if this was ok and should I worry about it. He said he would pray with me. Then he held my hands and his holy tentacles slid out and up my arms until they were choking me and the next thing I knew I was here."

Yep, NOW I have heard it all.

Can you hear it?

My sigh of relief. The first round of cookie orders are officially in!

109 cases. Seriously thats 1308 boxes of cookies. And thats round 1.

Top Ten!

I saw this on another blog and thought what a fabulous way to share cute ideas and awesome products with your friends and family. Sundays are usually relatively peaceful at our house so thats when I'll post. So with no further adieu: this weeks top ten!

Clockwise from top left:

1. Bigelow Cinnamon Stick Tea is the absolute best hot or cold. It's hard to find though. Thanks Diana M for my box!

2. Me Bath! ice creams are amazing. They smell delicious, come in a million flavors, make great gifts and make your skin feel like you just put lotion on from head to toe.

3. Starbucks Skinny Cinnamon Dolce - fat free, sugar free, guilt free at only 130 calories for a grande!

4. Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce by Tastefully Simple adds a delicious kick to chicken and pork but also tastes great with veggies.

5. Magic Treehouse books were a favorite of mine when I was little and Tori is loving them now. She is currently reading this one!

6. Todd and I got a whole night out with grown up friends at a grown up place. We went to Howl at the Moon and it was so fun. If you like classic songs and dueling pianos this is the place to be.

7. I really dislike bowling actually but Tori's brownie troop is participating in an activity called Bowling for Books. The girls get to bowl and have snacks but also bring books to donate to the children at local children's hospitals. Gotta love a good cause mixed with good fun.

8. I am amazed, mesmerized, inspired, and blown away by the people on this show. I thought it was a terrible concept but it really is changing lives. Not to mention with the writer's strike it provides some new entertainment. Check out The Biggest Loser on NBC, Tuesday nights at 8/7central.

9. These Reebok yoga pants are THE most comfortable thing I have found to wear to the gym in a LONG time. Fairly flattering too...get 'em at Sams Club for only 13.98!

10. Sally Hansen Hard as Wraps goes on like nail polish but makes nails so much harder to break. For someone who would love to have nice manicued nails but constantly bangs them up this is perfect - get it at Target in like 10 colors!

So Thats Why

We have been blessed to have a fairly smart dog for one so little. He is pretty much housebroken, can sit on command, lay most of the time, and do the other things they have learned in puppy class.

Yesterday he decided to eat the handle off the wicker basket we keep his toys in and got no time really running outside. I am hoping the combination of the two is what kept him up all night. He whine for 45 minutes at 11:30, 1:30, 4:00 and finally I took him out of his crate at 6 where he promptly curled up next to me on the couch and slept for 2 solid hours.

So I guess thats why they say having a puppy is often like having a new baby. Oy vey.

Feast or Famine

I started a job back in September with the plan for it to be 3 weeks of full time training and then 3 nights a week. Well most of you know that did not work out at all. I did the training but then due to budget cuts I was working 1-2 times a week and never the same shift - some nights, some days and everything in between. So I have average about 8-10 hours A WEEK, sad huh? Now they want me to work Monday through Friday. Go figure.

Monkeyin' Around

Click on the picture to see the auction. Special thanks to Izzy for the fabulous pictures - and mom Jessica too!

Simple Joy

All smiles from Tori today. She had a GREAT day at school.

Why?

Because she gets to sit at the same table as her best friend.

Sometimes joy is a simple thing to find.

S is for Snowman...

As we are driving home from school today Tori asked Tristan about the little project he had in his hand. A tiny little plastic thing they turned into a snowman. So Tori says, knowing full well that they are working on S's this week, "Why a Snowman Tristan?"

To which Tristan replies, "Because its winter and you are supposed to make snowmen but we cannot make any because our rain never turns to snow, because snowflakes are too short of a project and we made those last week, and because we've made tons of animals and need to make something else now."

Tori then says how she thought it was because Snowman starts with S.

Tristan said "Yeah I guess that too."

Sometimes he thinks too hard.

If I really were one of THOSE people...

who dressed up my dog he would totally have this.

For the record the sweater was for the cold not for looks, he just happened to be ridiculously cute in it. He's more of a bandana kind of dog. Simple suits him.

Another night in the land of the crazy...

me: Why did you take so many pills?

her: IDK (yes she said this exactly like that, 2nd teen in one day to say it to me actually)

me: were you depressed?

her: who isn't?

me: did you take anything else?

her: i smoked some pot, did some shots, but i did not shoot anything this time! (said proudly)

me: so what are you depressed about?

her: just life

So she goes home. She denies being suicidal. Just a kid not using her brain and getting high. She made it out the front door...then she proceeded to beat up her dad in the hospital parking lot, run away, score more drugs a block away and be returned to the ER by cops - in record time - 6 minutes 33 seconds. (ER tracker has a time keeper for a million stats that runs for 30 minutes after a discharge, didn't personally time this)

Sometimes life is sadder than a soap opera.

When I grow up...

In honor of MLK's dreams for the future and for his children I asked my own...what do you want in the future? What do you want to be?

Tori wants to be a first grade teacher. They are "more fun then second grade teachers" according to her. (Can you tell that this year's teacher is not a favorite of ours?) She would also like to have 4 kids!

Tristan on the other hand wants to be a computer guy AND manager of a Toys R Us. And he wants to have "some" kids and hes gonna get married to "someone real nice."

I have a dream...that my children will fulfill theirs.

Saving up...

I seldom buy myself things. I buy the kids stuff...Todd gets new video games here and there. Sometimes I get new clothes but usually more out of need than anything else (of course I do LOVE to get new clothes). But for the first time since I was a lot younger I have actual wants on my wish list! So I am saving up "my" money aka ebay money to purchase them! Ready for them?

1 - I really want a new camera. Mine is finicky and while it came with all the bells and whistles when I got it technology has improved picture quality so much!!! I would like a point and shoot still because I dont have time to learn an SLR but I would like an advanced one that can do closeups and action shots.

2 - And a second honeymoon. Did I mention they were big wants? Todd and I had a very nice honeymoon...but it was to Atlanta. Not that Atlanta is not a lovely place but I have been there no less than a dozen times. Anyway this is a long term goal. Todd and I celebrated 8 years on the 2nd of this month so I would like to aim for our 10 year anniversary. That gives me 2 YEARS to save up for a week in the islands somewhere! Out of curiousity I was looking at pricing for various places so I could figure how much I would have to save (dont worry I added for inflation, rising gas prices, etc) and found heaven on Earth:

Seven Mile Stretch Beach, Jamaica

SEVEN Miles of Private Beach...not to mention the hiking, ATVing, sailing, snorkeling, etc they offer.

I'll keep you updated.

Stop and Smell the Roses.

While this sounds odd - ebay is a big part of my life. I have spent the last couple of years establishing a name for myself and customers that return. I do alot of off ebay stuff for returning customers but still like to list just to keep my name out there. So since it is a big part of my life I am going to keep posting when I list something new - afterall it is part of my chaos. Click on the picture to see the auction.

Sacred Moments.

Tori was baptized this weekend. It was completely her choice - in fact if anything Todd and I were slightly unsure she was old enough to make that decision for herself. But after talking with her and realizing sometimes she is 7 going on 27 we decided it would be fine. So Sunday Tori was baptized by our childrens pastor, Lisa. Lisa also dedicated her when she was 2 and Tristan was a baby. She read her testimony to the entire congregation, it was so sweet! Here is her and Pastor Lisa immediately after. Some moments are sacred because they are holy but some moments are sacred simply because they touch your heart. This was one that was both!

Places to Go!

My newest ebay listing.

Out to Sea

Too busy to be sick!

I am having one of those horrible yucky days where I know my body is trying to fend something off and I need to lie down and give in so that I am not dying tomorrow. But I have to get stuff done. My head is throbbing, my entire body is lethargic and I am just miserable but my to do list is not getting shorter. I barely survived my morning workout and since then my body is in shut down mode. So frustrating. Just whining, thanks for listening.

Need saving?

I'm your girl! After a long drive to Ocala, an even longer training class, and another long trip home I am adult, child and infant CPR trained, first aid trained and camp trained.

I also got to meet 2 of my ebay friends for the first time, yep its weird but it was fun!

Max's First Haircut

This week Max went to the groomer and guess what? He has eyes!

2 seasons or 3?

I obviously live in Florida and for those of you that live here or have lived here you go there are really only 2 seasons - hot and slightly warm. I think we have 3 days of actual cold but one can hardly call 3 days a season.

Well I have my own version of seasons - usually I say I have 2 seasons - Yay its Christmas and Yay Its Summer - but today as I begin gobs of paperwork and accounting that is more complicated than my taxes I am reminded I have one other season that has no "Yay" in it.

Today begins Girl Scout Cookie Season. They officially are on sale today. For the record I love Girl Scout Cookies as much as the next guy, and I want my daughter to sell them because it means more money for the troop, and when the troop gets more money it makes my life easier since I am the leader and dont have to work in such a tight budget...but I am also cookie mom by no choice of my own (read lack of volunteers). And that means 100 forms, 100 signatures, the collection of very large amounts of money from very small girls and the living room cookie takeover (pictures to come in February).

So alas I have decided there are 3 seasons: Yay Its Christmas, Boo Its Cookies, Yay Its Summer! May your season be filled with delicious cookies and high metabolism!

Volunteers

I want to be a good parent and do right by my kids and like every other mom out there I want to be super mom. But come on! When did every organization in the world decide they need not only a ridiculous amount of money AND hours of volunteer time from the parents. For example I signed my son up for Little League this weekend which he is very excited about. They practice twice a week and play a game once - so I am already committing to sitting out there 3 x week and paid a very large sum for this to happen. But they still would like to know if I could please play catcher or be team mom - um no?!?

This brownie leader, PTA mom, fall festival planner, youth counselor, chauffering mom is over it!

And yet this teeny part of me says - those are mostly Tori's things, I should go help with something of Tristan's. Please someone teach me the word "no"!

Funny how...

it takes so long to get into going to the gym regularly. But you break it in just moments. I literally went to the gym 5 x week for a year, took 2 months off because of holidays, travel, school stuff and work and feel like I am starting over. Of course I should probably start smaller than an hour and a half advanced step class!

Okay so I am looking for gym buddies - if you live in Clearwater with a YMCA membership or the potential to get one - please please please let me know! It goes so much faster when you are hanging out with someone!!!

Jesus' Underwear

Bet that got your attention huh?

So Tristan has been drawing pictures similiar to the ones in his children's bible lately. Yesterday he brought me a picture that made me want to cry and die laughing all at the same time. If you are not religious maybe you won't understand this but if you are you'll know that when your child expresses love to the God you believe in its a big thing! Heartwrenching.

So he shows me his picture and says, "This is Jesus on the cross, this is a wise man crying and this is me next to the wise man, I'm sad too. Here is the bad guy laughing at him....and these are the paper towels Jesus used as underwear back then."

Yep.

I am gonna be one of those people who dress up their dog. Cute sweater huh?

8 yrs...

ago last Wednesday Todd and I got married. It hasn't been perfect but its been wonderful. Todd took the day off from work and we had a nice family day and a yummy dinner out. He also bought these and bake n' breaks for me - yep he knows the way to my heart is chocolate chip cookies!

So fun!

I really love to pull my hair back - keeps hair out of my face, out of my way, etc - but I hate that it makes my hair look like I just did not want to do it this morning. Anyway found these and thought they were super cute and I would share...check these Trash Ties out. So fun!

Happy New Year!!!!!

To all of you who we could not ring in the New Year with we hope you had a great one. Hope 2008 will be a fantastic one!!!

Celebrating with friends!

Can't teach a new dog new tricks.

You know that saying you cant teach an old dog new tricks - well today I learned my new dog cannot learn new tricks until we learn basics either. I was trying to get him to clean up his toys and to learn "drop it" - as in I throw the toy, he runs and gets it and when I say drop it he gives it to me. Instead he got annoyed with me, carried the toy off and ended up sitting in the toy basket on top of each and every toy so I could not take them anymore. Hopefully puppy classes will go better...

Better late than never.

Some photos from Christmas Day!

Opening the gifts from Santa:

Sharing a present from Mommy and Daddy:

Max and Jake meet and love each other but not posing for a picture(probably dont love the matching Spiderman bandanas either but we got a kick out of them):

The kids trying out Santa's delivery: