Wish Us Luck

Wish us luck this weekend!

- Max is being neutered today.
- Tristan has his first tball game Saturday morning...
- Which means Todd coaches his first tball game.
- Tori has girl scout camp this weekend...
- Which means I do too.

See y'all Monday - hopefully with some fun, not cold and wet, pictures!

Not just at tax time!

Lots of people make big end of the year donations to charitable causes to be able to write it off in taxes but it seems like helping the less fortunate should be a year round event. So in light of a bunch of neat organization that have recently come to my attention or have kept my attention over the year this is my "save the world" post of the year.

Looking for somewhere to give check out these options!

World Vision is saving lives one child at a time. Through the sponsorhip of a kid you can help save a whole generation in an African village, island city, or even in the poorest parts of India. Meet Maheswari.

For only 20.00 you can buy a poor third world country family an entire flock of ducks that will provide eggs, meat and a higher crop yield by going to Heifer International. You can also choose to provide a heifer, llama, pig, chicks, bees and more.


At Kiva you can help support entrepeneurs around the world. Your donation goes towards a business loan to help men and women start businesses from farming to clothing sales internationally.

Buy a handmade bead necklace from TAPP. The money you spend will go to support the woman and children making the necklaces as well as AIDS prevention programs in Uganda and medications for those already infected with HIV.

All grown up

Sometimes being an adult is completely overrated. Sometimes you need to face facts.

I know that some people think I am uptight, or tense or whatever. But I am just a fairly serious person. I enjoy life, have fun, can laugh easily and so I am not really all that worried about what other people think. I have never been one to enjoy "double dare" like games, video games, or making a fool of myself.

So we went to a childrens place this weekend and I was shocked by the sheer amount of people that were playing like they were elementary school aged. Now if you want to, have at it but not at the cost of my kid! It ticks me off when I see my son waiting to play ski ball or something and some adult goes before him - what?!? Face facts...

This is where a kid can be a kid. Not an adult can be a kid.

Got milk?

Because I have cookies!

Sad Mommy

Today was supposed to be Tristan's tball pics and his first game but it rained, and then it rained some more, and then some more and then there was just big clay puddles. So no game.

Here's the sad mommy part - his first game is now next Saturday, while I will be an hour away at Girl Scout Brownie Camp with 10 crazy little girls. It breaks my heart that I cannot be there. I knew this day would come since we have 2 kids and I can only be so many places but it still is sad.

And I got no pictures today - they took pictures under a tent but I could not take them because it was raining. So no pics for a couple of weeks either :-(

Just Beachy

It's that time of year again - we're preparing for summer, digging out the bathing suits and being invited to one birthday party after another!!!

Need a great new accessory for your little one? Or a super special and unique gift?
Check out these personalized towels...completely custom. You pick the colors, theme and name and for a great price. Check 'em out!

Custom Kids Beach Towels

Top Ten

Okay so I slacked on my top ten...

1. American Idol is back! Love it.
2. Apple Juice Lite by Motts - its good, not soda, and a low 70 calories. Not to mention I can't drink it fast so its last my whole night at work making me feel like I am eating/drinking without wasting a million calories.
3. Perceptivity Studio - an old friend's new venture - she is AMAZING at what she does.
4. Etsy, the new ebay for boutique childrens clothing, where I have a new shop.
5. Swell by Moda, a new fabric line I just got in the mail and can't wait to make something out of.

6. T.A.P.P an amazing charity that is helping people in multiple ways including providing a way to earn an income and AIDS prevention in Uganda and other African countries
7. USA Today Daily Puzzles for the crossword junkie in me who is also learning to love Soduku
8. TAZO chai tea, available in the grocery store, add milk and heat and it tastes just like Starbucks Chai Latte for a tad of the price and easy at home convenience
9. Cody's Roadhouse is an old favorite for me - they have great deals too!
10. Samoas. They arrive tomorrow (thin mints too). Lord give me the strength to resist eating too many!

Yummy!

I am trying to cook more and eat out less to save money, lose weight, be healthier, etc. We tried this recipe last week and thought I would share because it was yummy...very moist. Dont think of it as a Salisbury Steak though...more like a Meatloaf Patty.

Full moon

And the crazies were out. I completely missed the eclipse because I was drowning in work in the ER last night. I am not superstitious at all but I do believe in mind over matter. So if you are crazy and believe the full moon makes you crazier or is the perfect time to attempt suicide - well then it affects me even if I dont buy it.
Last night....

- we had 16 Baker Acts (thats 16 people who want to harm themselves or others)

- a guy run out the doors trying to "escape", 6 of us chased him down, he got in a swing at one nurse breaking his glasses and making his eye bleed and then got hauled off to jail

- another guy in restraints

- one guy locked in our "padded room" after he managed to threaten our entire staff and tried to whack me with his dinner tray

- lady who stepped out into Hwy 54 traffic, got hit by a car, and still medically was stable enough to come to our unit (seriously this is the worst choice of suicide attempts)

- the most intoxicated/high man ever known (23 beers, 12 xanax, cocaine, marijuana, and an entire bottle of tylenol pm) that lived to tell about it

Good news - the full moon has passed and I am officially off until Monday! Now to catch up on sewing orders!

Incident Report

When I picked Tristan up from school today he had a ice pack on his eye. Of course his teacher hurries to explain that just a few minutes ago he got hurt but they knew I was on my way so they did not call. And then they handed me this "official incident report" to sign stating where it happened, who witnessed it, time, date, location in school, actions they took and space for my signature. Then it had copies - one for me, one for his record and one for the school. Very official. Until I read the incident description:

"while sliding down the pole on the playground Tristan whacked his eye"

Whacked his eye?!? Very professional. He is in fact fine with the tiniest cut at the corner of his eye and some slight bruising underneath his eye that you have to look for to see.

Moo!

Today was the last day of the Florida State Fair, the kids had no school and the weather was delightfully warm for February. A coincidence? I think not!

After only 2 hours of sleep (oops forgot the kids were off today, had to work last night) I filled up on invigorating chai tea and off we went. The kids saw a chick be born, made their own butter, planted radish seeds and saw tons of animals. We of course had some fabulous fair food for lunch, aka corn dogs, ice cream and strawberry shortcake. Then we hit the "infomercial building" where Tori scored some really neat new nail polish pens and Tristan realized the fair had nothing for him (a promised pit stop at Sports Authority on the way home for new cleats made this better). So a long fun day was had.

We walked into the house and it poured. Good timing!

This is the kids with a holstein cow - the kind my grandparents had tons of when I was a little girl - yep I can milk a cow with the best of them!

Look what the mail lady brought me

I seldom shop on ebay, I just sell but I splurged this month and bought myself a bag. It came today and I am absolutely love it!!! How cute is this?

Want one for yourself? Could double as a diaper bag! Check out the Keeta Collection by seller mit*lauve.

Remember when...

you were little and you had a friend over to play? And you would disappear into the backyard or your bedroom and you would play for hours with each other so thankful that you had someone of your age, gender and that liked the things you liked over? And your mom would do her own thing. And your sibling would play happily somewhere else.

Okay so thats how I remember playdates. I think I blocked out the reality.

The kids have friends over who want to play something they dont and then they have to have a big discussion that I usually have to step into. Then I reexplain for the nth about compromise - play one thing for a while then the other. Then the child who does not have a friend over is "soooooo bo-red". Its funny how bored becomes two words when whined!

So I teach compromise, come up with fun things to do with a friend, entertain the bo-red one and get NOTHING done. Meanwhile the dog is running circles around everyone.

And as I drop the child off or they get picked up the next question is always "when can we have another playdate?"

Off to find some Advil.

Etsy

There's a new site in town and its time to make some changes. Due to giant fee increases on ebay I am exploring other venues of selling including a website to launch next month and this awesome site that specializes in handmade items. Join me and a slew of children's clothing designers as we participate in the Ebay Blackout 2/18-2/25. Links to my "store" will be posted next week.

Happy Valentines Day!

Back with pictures later but in the meantime have a great day.

For you - they dont taste as good but they are fat free!!

Know what these are?

It's 160 little crossbones with hearts - cut out and glued together by a brownie troop. With a hot glue gun and a bag of barrettes they will be brownie swaps.

I know some of you did not think I could pull it off but I did, so there!

81 years later!

In 1927 the first transatlantic phone call was made from NYC to London. The second Ford - Model A - was released, 19 years afer the model T. Babe Ruth became the first to hit 60 home runs in one season. Mount Rushmore was started. A record cost 39 cents. Gas in St.Paul, MN was approximately 15 cents a gallon. And my grandma was born.

Happy Birthday Nana!
"

New camera = New pictures

Woohoo I got my new camera and its amazing! I love it, dont know how to use it completely but I love it. Anyway here are some pics from "practice" in the park.

Sweet kids.

Sweet Max!

Air, um stick?, guitar!

The attitude smile we see most often these days.

I look sad or mad but really Todd was just driving me crazy :-)

Pink goes Green

I am not a huge fan of makeup and I am not really one for home party type of things either. However you have to admire when a company treats their people well and does good things for the environment. Check out this site to find out what Mary Kay is doing for the environment and if you see something you like while there call Christie - shes a sweetheart and customer service is a top priority for her.

Go green!

Hot off the Press!

Tori was chosen as character kid for the 2nd grade this month. She got a spot on the morning announcements, a tshirt, a pencil, an award certificate, a free Dominos pizza, her name on the marquis outside the school and this blurb in the paper. The words beside her picture is what her teacher said about her in the nomination for character kid (the equivalent of student of the month at her school).

Ending today...

Bunny Dress custom made sizes 9 months - 6

Update...

I have some pics coming but here's my current update.

- Tomorrow is the big day that Tristan has his first school friend over without their mother for a playdate. He's getting so grown up!

- Tori continues to study medieval times and today practiced being a lady learning her Roman numerals. She came home knowing 1-20, 100, and 500.

- I FINALLY got a schedule, an odd one but a set one. I will be working Mon-Wed from 9 pm to 2 or 3 am depending on how busy it is and Fridays from 8 am to 1 pm. Makes no sense but I will have decent paychecks and it does not mess with the kids schedules so all is well.

- I have lost no more weight (it might have something to do with working the last 9 days and not making it to the gym) but have not gained any either. I think I'll call that ok for the day.

- Max is getting so smart. He's housebroken (99% of the time), crate trained, and can sit, lay, stay, and watch me on command. He knows leave it, take it, and come but is still choosy about when he does them, we're working on it! (and guess where he slept last night? yep, at the foot of my bed. Todd caved.)

- I am in desperate need of a cheap and easy pirate favor...I need to make 160 of them in about 2 hours. If you have any amazing ideas please please please point me in the right direction. Its for brownie camp swaps if you know what that means!

Friendship

Tristan: Mom I would like to have a friend over after school one day.

Me: Which friend?

Tristan: Either Connor because he has the same shirt as me or Ben because hes my best friend.

Criteria for friendship is apparently very simple when you're 5!