The Holidays Are Here!
By admin | November 16, 2009
Have you seen the commercials with the woman telling you how to lose belly fat? Yeah, I totally need to stock up on that one! I was looking over my cake orders for the holidays–and I have at least one a day! Add that in with regular holiday eating….and the New Year’s Eve bash we always have…and my waistline doesn’t stand a chance! We have 4, FOUR, Christmas parties alone!
My youngest starts Kindergarten next year, and I want to join a gym. Until then however, I will have to find ways on my own to work in my field–and not become the 800 lb woman that can’t leave her house!
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First Love
By admin | November 16, 2009
When my oldest son was in Kindergarten all of the parents would wait outside of the doors for their kids to be brought out. You get a chance to see most of the kids leaving the school if your class happened to come out late. I noticed one girl with such dark circles under her eyes, that she looked as though she had been punched. Since I noticed her the first day, I kept looking for her, thinking that when the circles diminished–there would be a case for child abuse, or something. Well, day after day the circles were there. Dark as ever, and I just realized that this poor little girl was going to have them for the rest of her life.
Now skip forward from Kindergarten to third grade. Jake came home from school to announce that he was in love! I didn’t recognize her name, so he grabbed his 2nd grade yearbook—and lo and behold–he was in love with this little girl. Only—she was GORGEOUS! The dark circles had lightened, but were there just enough to attract your attention to her beautiful face and eyes. I was amazed! I laugh now to remember back to being so worried about her safety….and now, my boy is in love with her.
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Yuck!
By admin | November 16, 2009
We have a fruit fly infestation around all of our sinks, and it’s disgusting! I have new, beautiful sinks–and yet, there is this mass of ‘buggery’ that hovers above them! They all came in with the pumpkins, but have found (what they think) permanent residence. I’ve tried everything from bleach water to Drano, to plain old Raid…and they are still around. My husband says they come from dirty drains–and I get that, but boiling hot bleach water—-over and over? How cleaner can my drains get?
There is apparently something for Fruit Flies and drains at the hardware store. I think we’ll be heading there later today!
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Job Search
By admin | November 1, 2009
I have several friends looking for work. We have been blessed in this house that so far, the Chef still has his job. I know that when other people’s budgets get tight, dining out is one of the first things to go. We’ve been fortunate the last few weeks, that the restaurant is still doing really well. You have to really be patient when looking for work. You can work yourself into a nervous breakdown if you don’t just relax and let it happen. It’s nice that you can just type job search pa in the search engine, and off you go! But honestly, it’s probably the most stressful thing I’ve experienced. I can’t even imagine going out right now to look for work—although with the holidays coming—this is a great time to get into retail. Even if it is for just a few months!
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Spring Break
By admin | November 1, 2009
I was posting the calendar today for the next several months. Did you know that before Spring Break happens—I have 16 cakes…and more orders coming in everyday. It’s enough to pay for two orlando vacations—not just the one that we are taking!
I can’t wait for my kids to see Disney. It’s always been one of my most favorite places on earth—and I’ve never been to Orlando. I can’t wait to see Epcot and all of the amazing things nearby! This will be a vacation of a lifetime—and luckily….my kids are far to young to really get the “Spring Break” attitude of Orlando during Spring Break!
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SEO & Cakes
By admin | November 1, 2009
It’s so interesting to look at my life just a few short years ago in comparison to now. I worked online. I blogged for a number of different people on a number of different blogs and I would have killed for some free seo software! These days I have very little time to blog–and spend most of my days covered in powdered sugar. The one thing we still have in common…I’d kill for some free seo software! I have a business site for my cakes–and even though it’s relatively new…I get most of my business from the search engines. Put in Minnie Mouse cake or Elmo cake….and you’ll find my shop! I’ve gotten orders from all over the country–which is amazingly exciting, but also kind of sad—you can’t ship birthday cake!
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Cigars & Humidors
By admin | November 1, 2009
So what is the difference between a normal cigar and an Acid cigars? Really, I have to know! I’m making a humidor cake—and trying to fill it with very realistic looking cigars. You know, the brand the man of the hour actually smokes! I have made one previous humidor cake, and it was awesome! The little paper wrapper that wrapped each individual cigar, had the family name and his initials piped on them with frosting. It rocked!
We don’t smoke cigars in this family—so all of it is lost on me!
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Cooking Up Plans
By admin | November 1, 2009
My husband and I have been looking around at some kitchen space. It would be nice to rent space from a restaurant or catering company, rather than opening a new bakery–just thinking about all of the industrial supplies makes my head spin.
There is a chance I can set up shop at the restaurant that my husband runs—but I really just don’t think it’s big enough for both businesses. We’ve outgrown my kitchen (which I never thought would happen) and we are not to the point of taking on a ‘brick and mortar’. I would love to add an addition to the house–and just bake and decorate in there. Wouldn’t that be nice!
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Business Is Booming
By admin | November 1, 2009
So much goes into buying a new car. From the amenities that you want on down to the car accessories. We should be in the market for a new car for my husband, but since his truck is paid off, it’s far more economically smart for us to keep his truck as long as possible. But–shortly we will be needing a car to deliver cakes in. We’ve been using the mini van—but you should have seen us with our last wedding cake order. We got it there in one piece, but had our 9 year old sitting on the floor making sure nothing moved. The cake business is booming, but definitely not in a position to pay for it’s own vehicle—so we’ll just have to keep our eyes open.
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On The Lookout
By admin | November 1, 2009
It is starting to cool down around these parts! How I really dislike the winters here in the Windy City. I’ve been really enjoying taking my little man out on daily walks around the neighborhood. From here to the end of the subdivision and back it a total of 2.5 miles–everyday! But with it getting cold I’m going to have to start racking up miles on my treadmill. I am thinking of asking for an elliptical for Christmas–just to get a change of scenery inside my own home. They can be pricey—but I’m in no hurry. I’m thinking there will be some amazing “Black Friday” ads to check out!
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Too Many Balls
By admin | October 29, 2009
Have you ever had too many balls in the air at one time? I never used to, but now I’m seeming to be putting things off until life slows down…and it’s just not! I mean, look at this poor little blog. I used to write on it often—then I shut it down and started a new family blog, and never really passed out the url to anyone other than family–and kept this one up for work. But even now…looking at this one, it’s been nearly a month since I’ve written on it.
I would like to say, things are slowing down—but you know…they just aren’t! Especially with the holidays coming. We just celebrated my youngest boy’s 5th birthday this past week and I have my oldest turning 12 in 6 weeks, my parents coming to town, my daughters birthday in 8 weeks, Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as an incredibly busy cake shop! Last year at this time if you told me that in a year I would be selling cakes to people I’ve never met before…I would have called you crazy—but amazing as it is…I am. Business cards and everything!
Now with this cake business comes the whole crate of a website and such—and I always promise that I’m going to sit down and finish it up as soon as I don’t have a cake order waiting. Then, as I get closer to that last cake I look at the calendar and find it loaded with more cake! Do you wanna see my last one??? It’s super cool:
I have a ton more on the website….but I can’t give that out here….you’ll have to check the family blog for that one. I really wish it was still the Katerbug one…that one was my favorite!
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Plans A Crashin’!
By admin | October 4, 2009
How crazy this weather has been lately! I have been planning my “soon to be” 5 year old’s birthday party, and I was thinking it would be fun at a nearby forest preserve. But then Saturday, we were picking raspberries and had to stop because not only was it raining, but our fingers were freezing. About time for a couple of miami vacations for me!! But I digress!
Once it’s cold, I suddenly move into the frame of mind that it isn’t going to be warm again. We’ve moved into Winter and there is no more forest preserve possibility. So that means I now have to plan a 5 year old birthday party at home….with 10 other 5 year olds and their mothers.
Not nearly as fun!
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Lookin’ Back
By admin | October 4, 2009
Coming up on November 17th—it will be 13 long (not really) years, that my husband and I have been together. It really doesn’t seem like that long—until I sit and remember specific moments in our life together. Our first date, our engagment—still have my amazing ring with certified diamonds and everything! We lived in this cute little townhouse right after we got married–and let me just say….that was FOREVER ago!
In our 13 years we have been blessed with 4 amazing kids. We’ve lived in Utah, Arizona and Illinois—Utah and Arizona being my favorites! We’ve been through amazing ups and some heartrending lows. We’ve gotten fat. My husband quit smoking. Our oldest is moving into the ‘tween phase. My baby goes to Kindergarten next year. How odd it is that time moves so quickly—yet appears to be standing still when things aren’t going well.
All in all—I wouldn’t trade a moment of the past 13 years. Not even the bad ones. They are what have made us who we are—and we are stronger for both the good and the bad!
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Green With Envy
By admin | October 4, 2009
We had a tailgate party at the restaurant today. How fun to see the Bears trounce the Lions!! It was YUMMY!!! We had BBQ everything–and even the cole slaw was amazing. The other chef at the restaurant was running around taking pictures with this amazing Canon camera. Normally I don’t touch other peoples “equipment” but I just had to manhandle this thing. It was the kind with the huge lens in front. How cool to focus it by myself and zoom in and out with the flick of a wrist. It was a lot heavier than I thought it would be–and boy could I see it cost a pretty penny. But let me tell you—I was definitely breaking the 10th commandment. You know the one about coveting your neighbor!
One day….in the far off distant future……I will have that camera! Unless I find it cheaper on Ebay…..then I will have it in the “not” so far off distant future!
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Wanting More
By admin | October 4, 2009
Two years ago, right after we moved into our house I hung beautiful glass tiles in my kitchen. You may remember the project, it was for a little buffet area against one of the walls—you can see it HERE!
To this day, it is still my favorite part of the kitchen. And now—2 years later, I’m thinking I should by more tile and finish the whole area up behind the stove and the back splash area by the sink. Glass tile is so inexpensive, yet it adds an amazing element to any kitchen–and I have to say—I’ve never gotten tired of seeing it!
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Business Needs To Boom
By admin | October 4, 2009
Wouldn’t it be so nice to have barcode scanners that only ring up every other item??? I know–there isn’t one…but man, I never realized how expensive it is to run a small business. Every single little item adds up—and the final bill ain’t pretty!!
We’ve tried working in a little bit of this and a little bit of that until business picks up–but I have to tell you, everything I see I totally want–and I want it NOW! I do have a cake order for later this month–it’s a Sweet 16 cake–and it sounds like a lot of fun. I haven’t gotten the specifics, but I’m hoping to in the next few days so that I can have a little while to gel and get my mojo flowing!! I will post pictures!
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Rockin’ Party
By admin | September 20, 2009
We had a huge family party today and I have to say—I ate a TON! I brought a Trifle, which is a family favorite, and after eating half of it—I’m seriously in need of some good diet pills! What a fun party it was. There were people there that we haven’t seen in four or five years—and they live only 40 minutes away. What kind of crazy life do we have, that 40 minutes away equals 5 years???
We had bbq for dinner–and then cookies and trifle for dessert. Good food. Good company. Good times!
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Gettin’ Hitched
By admin | September 20, 2009
My niece got married yesterday in Utah. We received one of her party invitations in the mail a few weeks ago–and felt bad that we would not be around for it. My mom said it was indeed a fabulous party in a truly beautiful location.
My niece broke her back earlier this year snowboarding–so to see her dance down the aisle with her husband to be must have been really exciting. He seems to treat her like a gem–and that is all anyone can ask for. I hope they are super happy, and have many wonderful years together. And I hope they post the video of their entrance dance on Youtube!
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It’s All In Our Dreams
By admin | September 20, 2009
My sister has been on the phone with my husband for the past hour! Her husband is a chef–and has offered a ton of advice on our little project–my husband is an attorney and she’s trying to figure out if he thinks we need to find a business insurance policy. I guess since we are food oriented, it’s not a bad idea–not that we plan on subjecting our clients to the plague or anything. We have thought that we may not need it since it’s just us working, but if someone does get hurt, it would be nice to be covered to help with those expenses. Who knows—it’s all getting much bigger than my head seems to want to allow!
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Our New “Baby”
By admin | September 20, 2009
We are starting a family business—have you heard? All of us sisters are going to pull our talents and work on opening a cake shop. Now–I will be the first to let you know that I know nothing about Quick Books or rackmounts—or anything else business minded. I’m more on the design end. Hey, I may not be able to work out the spreadsheets—but I can pipe you one in a matter of minutes.
How nice would it be to get as big as some of these other “little” cake shops. They charge upwards of $1250 for a wedding cake! That’s amazing and totally kicks the butt of my last wedding cake—that went for $140!!
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He’s Here
By admin | September 20, 2009
My brother in law is in town this week. He has spent the last few years out west in San Diego. The hard thing is—everyone else in his family is here in Chicago. It was so great to see him, and it really seems that he is getting his life in order. He’s clean. He no longer smokes. He’s completely sober and really just looks great. I’m not sure he’s ready, but I’m looking for some cross country movers to bring him home!
He’s supposed to start a new job in Phoenix in the coming weeks. We just moved from there–and it would have been nice to have him around when we lived there. But you know–he looks GREAT! And it has been so nice having him back around!
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Colon Cancer On The Rise
By admin | September 20, 2009
We are a family full of Colon Cancer. My aunt passed away from this terrible disease 4 years ago today. How amazingly fast that time has gone. Since that time, my uncle has had his colon removed in order to cure his cancer, and my mom and her sisters have colonoscopies every single year. I, for one, am not looking forward to that aspect in my future and would much rather read up on a colon cleanse review or two–and see if we can’t get around that “every single year” curse!
It’s amazing to me how many families are touched by this horrible disease. It just seems to be growing and growing–and no one seems to be immune from it. For my kids sake, however, I will go in every year when I’m older and have this test performed too. It is that important!
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She’s Coming!!
By admin | September 20, 2009
My mom is coming to town! That’s right! She’s packing up here Eagle Creek luggage and coming to visit me for a whopping 7 days! I know…not much. But hey, beggars can’t be choosers.
I sat on the phone with my mom until 10 after 1 in the morning last night. Mind you it was midnight where she was–but still–for me, it was very late! I love talking to this lady. Who knew growing up that this woman would turn out to be my best friend. It has been wonderful, and I can’t wait until she gets here!
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NOT Today!!
By Gibber | September 13, 2009
I woke up Sunday morning with the plans to frost my castle cake, cube cheese and wash grapes for my pasta salad and curl Blake’s hair in ringlets. Funny…fate didn’t have the same plans! As soon as I was conscious enough to be aware of my body, I knew something was wrong with my right eye. When I felt it it felt sunken in and it hurt worse than anything. Shots of stars would explode around inside my eye when pressed and I just assumed I had an opthalmoplegic migraine. So I figured I would just get up and take some Advil and a half a Vicodin and call it good.
It wasn’t until I nearly fell on my way to the mirror to check it out that I realized something else was wrong. I couldn’t even open my eye–and I was suddenly very nauseous. So many eye problems ran through my mind, detached retina, scratched retina, migraine, anything but at WebMD I discovered that it was most likely only Pink Eye. Only…now I couldn’t frost a castle cake or cut cheese and grapes for the pasta salad. And if I didn’t get over the sick stomach and inability to open my eyes, I wouldn’t be able to drive to the party anyway. It was awful!
I got in the hot shower and let the hottest water I could stand wash over my closed eyes, and then I snuggled up in bed with a heating pad over my eyes. To my surprise, my husband came right home from work and was there to help get the kids together to go. We stopped and bought a cake at the grocery store and he finished up the pasta salad. He even drove us to the party.
What a great guy!
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Pictures I Never Knew Existed…
By Me | August 29, 2009
At the end of the baby shower yesterday I took my mother in law’s photo card upstairs to upload the pictures to the niece and nephews Photobucket account. As I was looking through the hard drive to find the pictures I had just put on the computer I ran across pictures of my boys that I had never seen before. These were from a Cubs game back in 2003 when my in laws (men) took my husband and boys to the game so that I could get the house ready for a surprise party for my husband. He had just been made Executive Chef and everyone in the family was coming over for the party. I NEVER knew anyone had taken pictures at the game! So I uploaded these photo’s to my photobucket account, and how fun they are to see!!
These were taken May 26, 2003. Jake is 5 (now 10 1/2) and Grayson, in the overalls, is 3 (now 8)! What darling little boys they are!
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So Funny
By admin | August 23, 2009
Have you seen the commercials about identity theft protection, where the host is shouting out his social security number? I know you have. I always think it’s so funny—there are actually people out there trying to use his number. We keep reading in the paper about new scammers getting arrested from attempting to use his number. They all seem to claim that they were just checking out his product to see if it really protected him. Yeah—it did. So take that with you to your 5-10 years behind bars for identity theft!
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Reality Check
By admin | August 23, 2009
I had a little lunch with a friend last week. I was answering her questions about blogging and somehow life insurance came up. I think we were joking around with one of the servers about roughing up the boss (my husband) if he didn’t give us a discount. I made the comment that we couldn’t hurt him too bad, because he didn’t have life insurance. Yes, it was a joke—well, the roughing up part. NOT the lack of insurance. She was shocked! You know, I am too–but in today’s market he would need to get a hefty raise in order to add it to our monthly expenses. She gave me a couple of links to find inexpensive life insurance online and I need to look into them. One of my childhood friends lost her husband on August 3rd (3 weeks ago) and he was barely in his 40’s. She’s now alone with 4 little girls. Oh how I hope they had insurance on him!!
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I Had To Share…
By Gibber | August 20, 2009
My boys and my husband are in watching the 14th inning of the baseball game. The news is on hold until it’s over and they just did a teaser. “Possible clues into the life of the Lipstick Killer”. Grayson’s (8) response…”Why would anyone want to kill lipstick?” So sincere…so funny!
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Why Not Us??
By admin | August 16, 2009
I just got off of the phone with my sister. She lives less than twenty minutes from my house, and her kids start school in 4 days. Mine don’t start for eight! What is up with that?
Now, I should mention that this sister and I spend most days together, either in person or on the phone. But mostly in person. Her kids and my kids are all the same ages, and the best of friends. What am I going to do with 4 kids on my own—when I don’t have her 4 kids to hang out with them at the zoo or at the splash pad? We want to have a picnic–and we can with her and the baby–her older kids are in school. That just makes it a picnic with 5 kids needing attention rather than 8 kids occupying each other. It’s just not fair!
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Who Cares About Pounds…I Want Energy!
By admin | August 9, 2009
While we were out of town I had a conversation with my aunt–and I have to tell you–I was intrigued! She is taking this new weight loss pill, well, it comes in a pill, but she gets hers via injection (ouch) and then lives on fewer calories every day. She didn’t say how much she had lost yet, but what I was most interested in…the energy! She said that she has never had so much. So much in fact, that she has taken up biking (she’s never biked) and was up to 5 or 6 miles a day! Now, the one thing I’ve never had a day in my life is energy–and now just hearing that there was something out there that might boost that…I’m definitely looking into it!
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A Long Absence!!
By Gibber | August 2, 2009
Wow…I don’t think I’ve ever been away from my blog this long before! Bad me!! I haven’t been away from the computer at all, just away from the blog. I have a few sites started for the kids, and oh my heavens, they take a ton of time! But…I have so much to add here! From our evening with the Monster Trucks at the County Fair, to taking all of the kids to a game at Wrigley Field—and so many things in between! There just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to get it all done!
But…I’m home now from vacation–and I’m ready to hit the pavement once again!
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Beginning Again!!
By Gibber | July 29, 2009
Last September sometime my sister in law wrote about a book she was reading. “It consumed her”…so I thought I would pick it up based wholly on her inability to put it down. Mind you, I haven’t lived near this sister in law for like 10 years…I don’t know her book tastes…who’s to say I’m going to like it! But I should also point out, I’m not one to read a book to glean something amazing for my life. If it happens, great…if not, I’m good! I read books to be taken away. To lose track of time and space, and for that one brief moment find myself in the life of someone else. See those books in the right side bar? Everyone of them took me away, that’s why I like them. But this post is about just one of them.
Twilight!!
When I bought the book I refused to even read the back cover of the book. I was going into this blindly to see if it “consumed” me too. After about 20 pages, I put the book down. B.O.R.I.N.G.!! Consuming nothing!! However, I hadn’t checked the book out, I dropped $10 bucks for it, so I was going to finish it! So to help me out, I read the back of the book. I shouldn’t have done that! It was a VAMPIRE book? My sister in law was consumed by a vampire book? (are you feeling sheepish yet, KA?? 
) It didn’t help draw me in, but again, I was going to finish this book.
It wasn’t 10 pages later until I was, consumed!
I finished the book the next day, and purchased books two and three at the same time (so I wouldn’t have to wait for the book store to open if I finished book too late at night). I finished all three books that week and was thrilled to find out Book Four was in the works. I’ve had many conversations with said sister in law (after apologizing of course) about the books. She’s read them many, MANY times. I have not. I wanted to have a ‘forgetting’ period so that when I read the book again, it would be almost as fresh as the first time. As with all of the Harry Potter books, I re-read the series before the newest book was released-finishing the last installment just in time to start the new one.
So, the time has come! I have started Twilight again and I have to say, the first 20 pages were great this time, Boring…nuthin’!! I have forgotten enough to be truly enjoying the same intensities that I felt the first time and remember enough to be excited about ‘what comes next’. The newest book is due out in just a couple of weeks, and since I’m not spending every minute of my day reading, I should finish Book 3 the morning of August 2…just in time to head to the book store for Book 4.
If you haven’t read any of these books yet—click on one of the books in the sidebar…you still have time to finish all three, before number 4 hits the shelves! The movie for book two hits theaters in November…and I have to admit, I’m a little skeptical on that one! Sorry Kel!!
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Burning Discs
By admin | July 26, 2009
I have been working for WEEKS on getting a cute little music player on the blog of a family member. They have 37 songs that they love and honestly would like to purchase. So today after I added one song, I clicked “Buy” and it took me to an Amazon site where you can download an Mp3 of the song for like 85 cents. So here is my question…Does it download into my hard drive where I can then burn it on to a CD? Does it have to be an Mp3 that is burned as we own ZERO Mp3 players? And—once I download all 37 and pay for them, can they all be added to a playlist and burned on the same CD?
Yes, I know—when it comes to the technical world, I’m kinda dumb……..so any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
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Missing Home
By admin | July 21, 2009
My parents are leaving next week for an extended vacation on the east coast. We don’t live anywhere near my parents and we were invited to come along. But I couldn’t talk them into a couple of Outer Banks rentals and hotel rooms with 4 kids is just too hard for me. Especially for an extended period of time. They get bored in our 4 bedroom, 3 floor house….they would DIE in a little room for days on end. The beach would help, but unfortunately they all have my lack of tolerance for heat–so they wouldn’t be outside much during the day.
I have truly been blessed with my fabulous parents, and I hope they have a wonderful (safe) trip!
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Frontier Days–Arlington Heights
By Gibber | July 18, 2009
We have had a beautiful weekend here in the Chicago area. I don’t think we topped 80 which is so perfect for me. My kids have spent the last week doing little odd jobs around the house to earn tickets. Tickets to be used to ride the rides and play games at the Arlington Heights Frontier Days this evening. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at just how amazing everything went. I’m usually so nervous about taking 4 kids out with me–they are (at times) a bit more than I feel like I can handle. Well, the three year old tops the list–he alone is too hard to take out. I did have my in laws with me which does help, but I have to say…Blake held Jake’s hand and Barrett held Grayson’s. I went from being out numbered in the hand division, to having both hands free…Life was good!
Each child played one game each and a ton of midway rides. We purchased carnival food for dinner. My husband’s restaurant was the ’selected’ vendor last night and came home after raking in more than $11,000 in just the day! How amazing is that! We mainly went this evening so my kids could hear Dennis DeYoung singing STYX songs. We had the chance to hear them last year, but since my kids didn’t know their music we went home instead. We listened to the my STYX CD the entire way and for many months afterward. My kids know most of the words to all of STYX greatest hits, and Grayson knows all of the words to the Japanese section of Domo Arrigato Mr. Roboto. Did you know there was a whole Japanese section beside the repeating chorus of Domo Arrigato?? I didn’t until I moved to Japan. As soon as the song started all of my kids started jumping up and down and singing. Even Barrett sang his heart out. He doesn’t quite say it right…but it’s cuter that way! I will have to put pictures up later on!
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She’s Coming Home
By admin | July 12, 2009
She’s coming home! I know—I’m amazed too. What?? You don’t remember a year ago when I wrote that my friend was calling a million moving companies New York–well, she’s coming home! Her contract is up and she’s calling moving companies to get her home!
Now…sadly, I’m leaving for several weeks, but when I get home I hear a lunch date (or several) calling. Just in time for the kids to head back to school–and me getting my days free again. I can’t wait!
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Less Than A Month
By admin | July 12, 2009
My 20 year high school reunion is the 15th of August. You’ve probably heard about me Fastin‘ and working out to try to look great for it. But you know what…I won’t even be there! Isn’t that sad! I had planned the whole summer around it. So we leave tomorrow for 3 weeks of fabulous family time, but we come home before the 15th. The reason? I have a cake order due on the 16th–and that just sounds more fun than a high school reunion does. Plus, I’ve reconnected with everyone via Facebook, and many of my best friends aren’t going either. So I guess I got all Smokin’ Hot for nothing!
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Change
By admin | July 11, 2009
Have you noticed how the world of wedding and baby announcements have changed? Weddings have seemed to stop being so formal, and you are starting to see many homemade invitations. Unheard of when I got married. Babies on the other hand seem to be getting more and more formal. I always hand made my announcements, it was just more fun that way.
But since I’ve started working more with cake, and less with paper–I’m sure I would be looking to purchase any invitation or announcement needs we have in the near future.
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Garage Sale A Comin’
By admin | July 10, 2009
We are planning an end of the year garage sale. Nothing huge, just the kids little desks, a couple of tv stands, a mini moon walk–you know things that are taking up space in my basement that have never been used. I’m not planning on making a fortune, but a couple bucks might be nice.
Hey…are Beanie Babies still desirable? Mind you, I wouldn’t charge $5 for each…but maybe $1. We have many of those colorful little creatures–I’ll have to add them to the mix. I just wish we had cool stuff. Of course, if it was cool…I probably wouldn’t sell it–so what would be the point, eh??
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Some Thoughts
By admin | July 8, 2009
My husband’s birthday is coming up at the end of the month–he’ll be 39. I’ve been trying to think of something really nice for him. He got me a heart pendant necklace and a beautiful matching bracelet. For him, I’m thinking a fire pit. I know…diamonds….fire pit! But it is something he wants–and I want to get him a little nicer one than just the $75 one at Lowes. And hey–diamonds are sometimes called “Ice” so both of our birthdays could have a “Fire & Ice” theme. I’m thinking I like that a LOT!
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Growing Up
By admin | July 6, 2009
I’m 38! How weird is that? I still feel like the awkward 17 year old inside–when did I become the same age as my mom? (Yeah, she’s not 38 anymore…but I remember her when she was) Now I’m not saying I’m looking into a face lift of eye wrinkle cream yet, but 38 is a little older than I think I am, than I feel!
I am not one of those ladies who won’t tell you how old I am…heck, it’s my opening sentence—I’ve never understood why age is such a taboo subject for some. Everyone gets old—it’s lame, I know–but we all do it! I’m different though. Most people dread 40–I can’t wait. However, I think I will disappointed when it’s about the same as my 30’s have been. The 30’s were just the same as my 20’s. I think I’m looking for a magic fix. An age when everything starts working itself out. Paychecks become bigger, financial responsibilities smaller. Heck—just that feeling that finally I’m mature, cause I certainly don’t feel like it now, although I seem to make smarter choices than I used to.
I guess you watch your parents and seem to think that when they were your age they didn’t have the same struggles that you do—but I think they probably did. They just, like us, didn’t share their struggles with their kids! Someday maybe!
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Baseball & Weight Training
By admin | July 2, 2009
Have you heard of Kettlebells? They seem be a great new weight training system. I have an 11 year old, and for the most part he lives a pretty inactive lifestyle. I can push and prod and get him outside on his skateboard or scooter for an hour or so, but usually he’s pretty lax. The one thing that he has going for him, he’s an AMAZING baseball player. He’s never played baseball in a league or anything. I was always worried about breaking the kids hearts when they struck out. Their dad used to bawl like a baby every time–and I wanted to shield them from that.
A week or so ago we walked to the elementary school to let the kids play on the playground and both of my boys brought their baseball equipment. Before long there was a group of kids ranging in age from I would say 15 or 16 down to 8 and 9. My oldest was the pitcher and it was the first time I’d ever seen him throw a pitch. My jaw dropped to the ground! He was pitching for some of the older kids and I finally had to say, “Jake, don’t pitch it so fast, give them a chance to hit it!” I’m telling you—I had no idea of the talent in that arm. So then they switch sides, and Jake gets up to bat. He may not have hit home runs, but every hit was to the fence. Where did this come from????
So next season my boys will be signed up for baseball….and I will just have to figure out a way to get through the tears of striking out. But I’m thinking a great weight routine can only help this boys upper body strength when it comes to his pitching and hitting!
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So…….
By Me | June 27, 2009
Do you think my husband would be upset to come home to find a new trampoline in the backyard, after he’s “hinted” that he doesn’t want one?
No, I haven’t purchased one…YET…but the kids have been sitting on their little tushies all morning and there is nothing to do outside. Last summer they spent everyday at summer camp, and had sports, and swimming, and other fun things to do everyday, but here…there really isn’t much!
They don’t deserve the trampoline, but I do! I think it would get them out of the house for many more hours than they currently are! Maybe a swing set for the younger two! hmmmmm, we’ll see! I guess we could go to the library—everything is just harder with Barrett–he’s not quite library fodder yet!
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New Couches…Yeah!
By admin | June 14, 2009
Well, I think the time has come for us to bite the bullet and head out furniture shopping! I always have these grandiose plans, but then we get to the furniture store and I can’t stomach the prices. So we keep opting for discount furniture. Now….let me just say…I LOVE discount furniture. I’ve never been sorry about anything I’ve ever purchased, but the problem is…in our neck of the woods, there isn’t always a ton of selection, and I’m going to be putting my foot down on this one. My living room is currently light yellows and beiges. Lovely…it’s how it was when we purchased it. But I want more color. I don’t know what exactly, but definitely more. The family room is green. The kitchen is red and tan. So this means that I’m going to walk into the store…fall in love with something and then change the color palette of the room to match. My husband will think I’m NUTS….but that is just how it is going to be this time around!
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What A Downer Day!!
By Me | June 10, 2009
Am I the only person out here who feels at times that life is just too hard? That there is nothing going right in the world and that possibly, as horrible as it sounds, that your family would just be better off without you? No, I’m not talking about suicide or anything like that, but today has been a day when all 4 of my kids and my husband really made me feel as though I was just a minor side note in any of their lives.
I’m told daily that I suck, or that I’m a terrible mother. He’s 10–I know it’s not true…but today of all days. We had planned a family outing to see a movie, and it was something I was looking forward to. Nothing is better than sitting with a huge container of movie theater popcorn and a Diet Coke! Come on…you know it’s true!! So, I’m heading downstairs to find socks for the kids and my 10 year old is coming down the stairs after me. Between he and I there is Wasatch–and yes, he’s a pain in the neck and nips your calves as you walk down the stairs. Being tired of it, Jake finally broke, and kicked him off of him, which basically kicked him down the stairs. Wasatch was fine, but I was mortified. I had visions of Jeffrey Dahmer running through my head! So I told him he wasn’t going to be going to the movie. So he goes upstairs and throws the trash can to the floor spilling everything everywhere. So I kicked him out of the house. Again…I was horrible/terrible and I was told to shut up twice–but before we left I decided it was too hot for him to stay outdoors for two hours. So I took the PS2’s and the Wii and hid them in his closet so that he would have nothing to play with while we were gone.
So off we head to the theater. My spirit has been pretty wounded by this point, and I was hoping to have a little respite at the theater. We walk in and I immediately notice one terrible thing…they are a Pepsi establishment! I can’t stomach Pepsi/Diet Pepsi/Mountain Dew, and definitely NOT a Sierra Mist. So we were at the theater 1/2 an hour early–I’m already unhappy, chasing Barrett and NOW I don’t even want a drink! So I told my husband to just buy his ticket and one for Grayson and Blake, I would take Barrett home and come back and pick them up when the movie was over. He wasn’t thrilled and pretty much called me ridiculous for basing my afternoon on a Pepsi!
So Barrett and I head home, me in tears (AGAIN!!) and I stop to get him a shake to make up for his missed movie–and me…I had my first Diet Coke from McDonald’s in months…it was AWESOME!! So I hang out at home with the two boys–and then head back to pick them up. Hubby asks about dinner plans–I told him what I had, he offered an idea for dinner at Culvers. Now let me just tell you what a Culvers is for those of you who aren’t in the Midwest–it’s a fast food joint with yummy food and amazing ice cream, BUT…it’s a Pepsi establishment! Yet, being too afraid to come across as “ridiculous” again–I ‘man up’ and in we go. Dinner was fine, but at the end Grayson doesn’t like his ice cream selection so he gets Blake’s ticket–and Blake gets his ice cream. She doesn’t like it–so I tell her we will stop at McD’s on the way home to get her an ice cream–which we forget–so I tell her we can get her an ice cream sandwich at home. So…we get home…she’s eating it, Grayson wants one, we say no and we get “That’s not fair” followed by tears. I’m sorry…did he not just have an ice cream cone? Did he not just have dinner out? Did he not just have an afternoon movie with dad? Where in this scenario does “unfair” come into play??
So…long story short (OK, so it’s pretty long) I would be thrilled to find me a one way ticket OUTTA DODGE!! The kids don’t seem like they would care…not sure the hubby would really care…there’s not much going on for me here! All around–today SUCKED!! (sorry mom!)
No, I’m not going anywhere! Yes, I love my family! Most days life is just “Ducky”–so we’ll stick around! But if life doesn’t shape up–I’m not sure how much more of this I can take!!
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Crayola Summer Fun!!
By Me | June 6, 2009
Have you seen the commercials on TV for the 3D sidewalk chalk from Crayola? I have to say…it looks pretty cool! I’m going to be purchasing this ‘Little Bucket O’Fun’ and play with it myself! Sure, I’ll let the kids mess around with it as well, but honestly, I want to be a kid again and create 3D masterpieces!
When I was at the toy store earlier I priced it, and it was a little more than I wanted to spend. So I did the thing that comes second nature to me…I came home and found it online! I can’t wait for it to be delivered, and I’m promising pictures of all of our incredible masterpieces!
Have you ever purchased the super cheap crayons from Walgreens or Walmart? Rose Art, I believe they are called. Well if you have, you will know that they STINK! They don’t color nearly as well as the same great Hallmark company Crayola crayons do! And now there is even more from Crayola than just crayons. You can get paints, markers, magic paper, and modeling clay. Everything so fun and creative for a summer full of nothing but time! So, I’ve been spending a bit more time these past few days on the Crayola Store site, and I could spend SO much money over there! Blakelynn wants the ‘Rainbow Rake’, Jake and Grayson would happily purchase the entire contents of the Silly Putty store–I just think it’s a fun site to gather ideas from. (and NO—nobody paid me to say this…it’s honestly just a great site!)
I’m adding a link button to the sidebar–head on over if you are looking for anything fun to do with your kids this summer! It’s a great site!
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June First!
By admin | May 31, 2009
Do you make goals that you can only start one the first of something? The first day of the month? The first day of the week? The first day of the year? I’m totally like that! Sitting in church today, I realized that I have been very lax in a number of areas in my life…bad me! So tomorrow (June 1st) I’m starting anew. How is that for timing??? Anyway, I have a few things on my “online” to do list–finding a new spine doctor for Jake’s scoliosis. Researching a natural acne treatment for me, and signing Barrett up for Pre-K next year. Other than that the day is mine.
I’m moving the computer from it’s current spot (in the kitchen) to a new (harder to get at) location in the dining room. Why? Because I spend entirely way too much time on it—and I need to replace that time online–with time with my kids. They are growing up so fast–and I don’t have much of it left——–so tomorrow…we start anew!!
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Summer Friends
By admin | May 31, 2009
My husband announced today that this summer he would like to have a backyard bbq with all of his friends from high school and their families. Now—this scares me because my husband is RENOWN for his backyard parties while in High School. They included intoxication, mud volleyball, destroying the basement, major intoxication and again—more intoxication. All of the friends I have had the opportunity to meet up to now—always bring up his parties. So I’m a little worried about what they will be expecting. I mean, we are ‘tea totellers’ these days! But, if people are coming–it may just give me the incentive I need to finally finish the little tasks in the kitchen.
I need to purchase fabric for the window treatments and bar stools. Find some cool discount faucets. Paint the cabinets black and add the new hardware. And I guess the most important…finish peeling all the wall paper off and painting the walls. So—if I can hold him off until August—that should be enough time!
Do I have time to take some bartending classes? Cause I’m sure a full bar will be expected! (Kidding)
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Growing Old
By admin | May 31, 2009
Well, it’s official! My FIL is not going back to work. He is retiring and looking at taking his social security disability. Not that he isn’t entitled to it–the poor man can hardly walk anymore. But with this little piece of knowledge, I’m left to face mortality. His, my parents, my husband’s, my children’s, my own. Sooner or later we will all hit this portion of the road. The portion when life as we’ve known it up until now, ends. And a new—more limited one begins.
I’m not ready for that for my parents. I mean–they are aging. My dad is 77–how is that possible? My grandma passed away at 70 and when I was 17–that was old. But now at 38, 70 is young—really young. It scares me to think about my life without these two people in it. Would I ever need to venture home to Utah if they weren’t there? Would Utah even continue to feel like home? I have family there. Siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews—-but really—I’m not sure I’d ever make it back, if my mom wasn’t there.
Even more crazy–my oldest will be 12 years old in a few months. TWELVE!! WHAT??? I remember being 12. Heck–there are times I still feel like that shy, under confident 12 year old–and now my baby is there. Jr. High, High School, College, Missions, Marriage. It’s all just way too fast!
Blake asked me the other day, “What if you were 110?” I told her, “If I was 110, you’d be 79! You’d be Grandma Blake…and I guarantee you won’t want me around at 110!”
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Pinewood Promises
By admin | May 31, 2009
Do you remember my post on the Pinewood Derby? I mentioned that my son wanted his car to be all pimped out with Ferrari parts and a little Lego rider. I told him at the time, that he was welcome to it–but that chances are his car wouldn’t win. I actually convinced him to wait until after the race—and then we could max out his car.
Well, it’s been several months. I kinda thought he’d lost interest and forgotten about it–but sadly, he mentioned this morning that tomorrow he and I would be heading to the Hobby Lobby to purchase the items he needs to make the car of his dreams. Then it’s off to Target to buy the Lego kit with the driver in it.
I don’t know who’s budget he’s planning to pull these little purchases out of—cause it won’t fit in mine!! I just hope he forgets about it again between now and then! Sadly—he’s a bit OCD…and I’m thinking I’m outta luck!
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Piano Tales
By admin | May 31, 2009
Growing up my grandma was an amazing musician. She could sit at the piano and play anything you sang to her. She was the first person I took piano lessons from, but due to her deteriorating health they didn’t last too much longer than the basics. I remember taking them again when I was a little older. I remember hating them–not so much for the piano work–but because my piano teacher had ’stale coffee’ breath—and I’m sorry, but there is NOTHING worse in the world. Seriously, I have no problem with coffee drinkers, but let me just offer you a hint…..breath mints!!
Anyway–I did eventually learn to play the piano. I taught myself when I was a teenager. Now, I’ll admit, I’m not the greatest piano player. I’m not the quickest. I couldn’t sit down at the piano and play a song sitting in front of me (at the speed it requires)—I could, however, pick my way through that thing–and totally finish the one song in and hour or so!
Because of my being self taught, and missing out on all of the techniques–I’m looking for someone (other than me) to teach my kids. I just hope they luck out better than I did!
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Summer Woes
By admin | May 31, 2009
I talked in a post (a few posts back) that I was looking into a new acne treatment. Well, I have failed to find the time to get some research done, but I will be starting again tomorrow. You see, when late Spring and Summer actually hit–my face DIES! The humidity here mixed with sweat leads to chaos on my face.
As I was getting ready for church this morning I actually tried to count how many zits I actually had. You know—they are literally un-countable. It’s just a horrible problem that I hate–and will hopefully find an end to!
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Summer Is Here
By admin | May 31, 2009
Woot…summer is here! Well, not officially, but in the Nykaza house–we are a few short days away. This summer we were planning to hit the open road and head home to Utah for the summer. That has been curtailed just a bit. I have a 20 year high school reunion that I have been getting ready for (read…taking the best diet pills!!) and now it turns out, I’m not even going!
Well, yes, we are still going to Utah. But we won’t be staying long enough for me to attend the big event. I’m still happy to start looking better, because there are quite a few lunches scheduled with some dear friends that I haven’t seen in a while (read—since turning into a ‘frumpy momma’!) so it will be nice to look a little more presentable!
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Blakelynn Playing Dress Up!!
By Gibber | May 27, 2009
Blakelynn turned into an “All Girl” little girl. She loves dress up and pretending she’s a princess or her most recent hobby…
…pretending she’s getting married. So for Christmas she got a wedding dress! I was going to make a joke about Mormon’s getting married young, but with all that has happened over the past several weeks in Texas, (not Mormon’s) I didn’t think it would be as funny! So I figured I would just put up the pictures in her favorite dress!
Ha…I just noticed she has her hair in a double French Braid—just like everyone in Texas! Whoops!! I promise, we are NOT marrying her off!!
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Hangin’ With Uncle Bob!!
By Gibber | May 24, 2009
My kids have had the opportunity to get close to my husbands family since we live closer to them. There are two brothers and a nephew and all of my kids seem to have chosen their favorites. Grayson and Jake love Uncle Mark, Barrett loves Uncle Bob, and Blakelynn loves her cousin Jason. Uncle Mark and Jason aren’t always around, but here are my four snugging with their Uncle Bob.
When my husband and I went to Vegas last fall, we left the three older kids with their best friends from the old neighborhood. Barrett got to stay with his best friend for the weekend too, only his was Uncle Bob. Here he is in his jammies getting snuggly for bed…so cute!
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Growing Old
By admin | May 17, 2009
This weekend we went with my husbands family to Medieval Times. I’ve seen that castle for the past 12 years and haven’t actually made it inside. But I have to say, it was so much fun. My four year old was so mesmerized by everything going on that he didn’t touch one bite of his dinner. We were voting for the Black & White Knight, and I’m happy to report that he was victorious! Plus, as he passed by he kissed a carnation and tossed it to my 6 year old. She TOTALLY felt like a princess!
Between the Dragon Tail Soup and the 1/2 Baby Dragon (chicken) my mother in law told me that there had been a huge discovery at her doctor’s visit. She has been in constant pain that radiates all over her body. She was told to get off of her cholesterol medication and it should ease the pain. She thought it might be the Liporexall, and was happy to see that it wasn’t. She’s been off for 3 days and is feeling so much better already!
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Vexing, Hateful Zits
By admin | May 3, 2009
One week from Friday and I will turn 38 years old. I am not one of those women too concerned about sharing her age and honestly, I can’t wait until 40! But the one thing that is driving me crazy, and has since I was a teenager? Acne! Were we not told growing up that acne was just an adolescent/puberty thing? I may just have to find me the best acne treatment out there to finally conquer this vexing problem! I can’t even cover up most of my problem skin with make up and when I do, it just makes it all the worse.
My son is turning 12 this coming November and sadly I think he and mom will be sharing the zit cream. How sad is that?
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My Kids Can Sing
By admin | May 3, 2009
This week, my two “sandwich” kids (the 2nd and 3rd) had their Spring Sing concert. I will admit at this point that I am a TERRIBLE mom because I hate these things. But I showed up armed with my digital camera and my camcorder. Since it was my Kindergartners first concert I had to take videos of her portion. She even had a dancing part. Her brother, my 9 year old had an instrumental solo on his first song, so of course I had to have it for that as well. But I also took my digital and hopefully caught some great shots of each. I’ll post those tomorrow!
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It’s Getting Close
By admin | May 3, 2009
I am still plugging away at my work out and weight-loss routines. Kinda happy I didn’t dive into the whole Hydroxycut fad about now, eh! I was online looking up nuphedra reviews just to make sure I’m covering all of my bases where my health is concerned.
The weight-loss has been slow, but steady and honestly, I’m quite happy with my progress. I have about 40 more pounds to go, and I will call it good. Then I will be off to shop for my new “healthy” wardrobe! I can’t wait!
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Re-doing
By admin | April 20, 2009
Do you ever make big plans for your house and then suddenly remember that you don’t plan to be around to make it happen? Every minute I spend in my kitchen I dream of ripping down the rest of the wallpaper, painting the main wall dark red, the other walls brown. Removing our current stainless steel sink and adding a deeper wider basin. New Moen faucets would be great as well! But this summer we are heading to Utah, so I won’t be able to do too much!
Then, add into it the cute checkerboard “bbq” items I found at the Hobby Lobby…and I’m so THERE! So, it may not all happen by the end of the summer, but by the end of the year, I should have a new kitchen, and I can’t wait!
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Desperate…
By admin | April 19, 2009
Do you watch Desperate Housewives? Tonight’s episode was totally lame, but holy cow, I want Nicolette Sherdan’s body. She’s literally 3 inches wide at the waist. I’m sure she has an incredible metabolism and a great workout routine–maybe even some diet pills that work, but man oh man does this short little “mom” wants that body! I would never see that size, because I don’t have that body type. I’m only 5′4″ and even at my thinnest (which was thin) I would have been considered 25 lbs overweight. Short and stocky, that’s me!
But seriously, the ending of the show—LAME! The whole Edie voice over, creepy!
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I’m Getting Old
By admin | April 19, 2009
My son is in the fifth grade. Do any of you remember what happens in the 5th grade? I’ve thought about it for the past couple of years, knowing what was coming. His Maturation Program! I still can’t believe he’s old enough for that.
I still remember 5th grade like it was yesterday. Are you like that? Do you still feel like you are that same gawky kid making your way through life? Me, constantly! My 5th grade class photo is one of my favorites of all time. I was wearing khaki knickers (did I just date myself?) and a blue and white tuxedo shirt. It was my FAVORITE outfit and I wore it more than I probably should have. Kind of funny how silly little things stick out in your memory.
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My Memories
By admin | April 16, 2009
Spring cleaning has come and gone and I’m happy to say, our garage and shed is clear! My husband wasn’t happy with the fact that I kept my car lifts. These are ramps that my dad gave me when I got married and moved out. My dad taught me to change my own oil with those ramps, and even though that was a little Ford Escort and now I drive a mini van that I wouldn’t know the first thing about changing the oil, I just can’ seem to part with them. But I did move them from the side of the garage to the shed. I figure when the boys are older and working on their own cars, maybe I can pass them down to them! Until then…they aren’t going anywhere!
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I’m Finally Feeling Better!
By admin | April 14, 2009
I am starting again. Yeah, I say that a lot. But it seems as soon as I get a jump on my workout, I get sick. I just got over bronchial pneumonia…you’re jealous right!! Anyway, I headed to bed for a week straight, and you know, I kicked it without any medication. Love that!
So tomorrow it’s back to the weight loss pills and the treadmill, as I kick my own butt back into shape. 20 year reunion…here I come!
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Health Problems
By admin | April 5, 2009
Are you on Facebook? I swear…I have found so many old friends and have so enjoyed getting back in contact with so many friends. It’s so fun to see what everyone is doing these days. Doctors, lawyers, song writers…who knew! This year is our 20 year high school reunion, and I’m hoping to go. I have lost a couple of dear friends over the past 20 years. Some to Leukemia, pneumonia, a car accident and one to a cancer like Mesothelioma–but I’m not sure how it’s spelled. There was a girl who was kind of unpopular in high school. I remember one instance in Jr. High when the boys were absolutely cruel to this poor girl. I certainly didn’t have the self esteem needed to stand up for her, but never forgot the tormenting. After I got home from Japan I found out that she had passed away from lung cancer. I have no idea how she contracted it, she was a non-smoker who was never even around second hand smoke. I just remember feeling so sad for her, remember the time in junior high as well as the fact that she would never get to grow old and experience life.
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Utah Plans
By admin | April 5, 2009
We are driving to Utah this summer. I’m wanting to stay a bit longer than my parents are wanting to put up with us, so I’ve been looking into some hotel reservation promos to see if we can find a hotel for a week or two so as not to wear out our welcome!
There isn’t a lot of money left in the “summer slush fund” so it will have to be a pretty cheap hotel. That really doesn’t bother me. It’s just somewhere to sleep every night, so I’m not too picky! I’m just excited to get there and spend time with my family and friends. My four year old is the most excited to play baseball with grandpa in Utah!
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Thinking Of The Man
By admin | April 5, 2009
I have been looking into home theater chairs recently. I know, it sounds funny, but have you seen these things? They are far more comfy than a lazy boy! We don’t have a home theater, but my husband ends up falling asleep on the couch so often, I’ve always wanted a recliner. Plus, with his back and neck problems, I always wonder if he’d sleep better in a more upright position.
I’m not sure he’ll let me pull the couch out of the family room to ‘re-seat’ it, but I’m tellin’ ya, if I could, I would do it in a heartbeat. I do have to have a tome theater in place by the time my kids head to high school. We are so gonna be the house where everyone wants to end up after the school dances. No hotel rooms for my kids!!
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I Want One…
By admin | April 5, 2009
We had a family baby shower yesterday. It was so nice to be able to see everyone and sit and yack with frst time moms…as though we are nothing but fountains of endless helpful knowledge! Even though our puffed up essence of baby brilliance goes unfettered for an afternoon, you have to admit no one knows the perfect baby gifts for first time moms than an existing mom! No way on those cool looking diaper genies…way too much work!! But when it comes to the Bob stroller—it’s a MUST for every mother!
Many of the cool items out these days weren’t around when I was a first time mom, but I did have a ton more than my mom had. The one thing I never had, that I want (even now) a diaper wipe warmer!! How cool do those sound??
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One More Schedule!!
By Me | April 5, 2009
You all know I love schedules! Heck, I have mine listed up above the entire blog in the “Schedule” page! Mind you, it isn’t a schedule as far as what to do at what time, it tells me what’s going on by day. What dinner I’m cooking, what room I’m cleaning, who has laundry duty–that kind of thing. But today we are adding one more facet to the schedule. My little girl has long hair. I NEVER had long hair, and when it was a little long–I didn’t care if it was combed or not. Yeah–dumb me! But with Blake, I want to make sure she looks her best everyday, and I just discovered yesterday for the first time ever that she looks so cute with just braids on either side of her head. Normally I French Braid her hair on both sides, or just one over along the front. She has a bun she wears for church–but I want to have a list so that she doesn’t duplicate. You know–too much of a good thing!
Ok–so I’m really not going to create a schedule, but I realized there is much out there to do with a little girls hair! I’m kind of excited to get into it all!
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Wimpy Eyes!!
By Me | April 3, 2009
I am a total wimp when it comes to my eyes! Lately they have been clouding over sporadically (kinda scary) and it makes my vision cloudy. It usually lasts for a few minutes and then clears up. Monday both eyes went cloudy (very strange) and they had a burning sensation. So I finally stopped into Walgreens and purchased Visine and a medication for Glaucoma. I don’t think I have Glaucoma but it specifically read ‘cloudy vision’ so I bought it. The only problem…I CAN’T put drops in my eyes! I would rather do just about anything, root canal or even try those natural colon cleansers, ANYTHING other than putting drops in my eyes!! Well, maybe not a root canal…dental shots are even worse!!
OK, so I’m a wimp about most things!! On our way out on Monday I announced to my husband that my eyes were clear, but that because I used both drops I didn’t know which one cleared them up. They were both clear on Tuesday and just now they clouded over again. So I whipped out just the Visine. OH THE TORTURE!! How do I ever think I’m going to get Lasik done when I can’t even put a drop in my eye!
Anyway…good news…the Visine worked–and hopefully I won’t have to use it again for a couple of days!
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Barrett’s Hair Cut!!
By Me | April 2, 2009
Today I finally bit the bullet and cut Barrett’s hair. I went for the little boy cut, even though I’m not very good at it. I’m better at the moppet cut–you know where all of the hair is trimmed neatly but it flops around their little faces–I love that one! Anyway–here are some pictures of my monkey boy!
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I’m Shopping This Week!
By admin | March 22, 2009
I love that you can pretty much purchase anything online these days. Heavens, my sister shopped for and found her house that way. Even my dad has turned into a web savvy shopper and he’s 75 years old. He’s bought bigger purchases than I have. He’s bought a scooter and his biggest purchase yet…a huge, beautiful 5th wheel–from the internet. Yeah, he’s got us squashed with that one-well, except for my sister’s house that is, her purchase was bigger. I generally shop for Christmas gifts, sports collectibles and insurance policies.
Speaking of insurance, it’s been years since I’ve actually talked to an agent in order to get an insurance policy. In fact, in most cases I will move on to company number two rather than having to speak to an agent. Luckily, you can now buy every type of insurance online, even Life Insurance. That one was always the tricky one because they wanted a doctors visit. But now, you can get life insurance leads right from the privacy of your living room! No doctors appointment needed, and no agent to talk too. If you qualify for a policy, you can print your documents in minutes!
I love the ease technology brings to our lives! I’m just amazed we ever lived without this kind of stuff!
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Bad Times Are Here
By admin | February 22, 2009
Have you ever heard of a hardship letter?? My neighbor two doors down called me yesterday to see if she could come over and have me help her create one. Apparently it is a letter that you write to you bank in order to stop a foreclosure. If this neighbor loses their house, it will be the 11th foreclosure in our neighborhood since we moved here. The house across the street is still empty!
This economy is killing so many people that even when I’m complaining about the paycheck not going quite as far as I’d like it to, we are still blessed beyond comprehension to have what we do!
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The Plan
By admin | February 22, 2009
Tomorrow I’m hoping to start working out on my treadmill again. I mentioned earlier that the treadmill made the move from the basement up to the master bedroom this last week. I am SO against the treadmill in the bedroom, but you know…you have to have something to get your mind off of what you are doing! So I had it moved up to where I can take one of my great fat burners, load up my favorite shows on my DVR, and walk to my hearts content!
I’ll be sexy in no time!
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What The Man Wants
By admin | February 22, 2009
My husband mentioned this week that he would really like to get a new television. There is a nick in our current set and when he watches hockey the divot looks like the puck to him and it drives him crazy! But, I’m of the opinion that we have so many other things we need to take care of before we need to be looking for this! Plus, I would want one that has one of those tv stands that hang on the wall. I know, I’m weird. I just think the reason it got nicked in the first place is because it was low enough for our child to damage it. So why not mount it on the wall, and call it good!
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Speding The Money
By admin | February 22, 2009
We got our tax return this week. It’s always nice to get it, but I’m always wishing it would last just a bit longer than it does! Since our budget is tight, I’ve been thinking of finding affordable life insurance and paying the full year premium right up front. I can’t afford another monthly payment coming out of my budget, so this is a way to get the coverage we need, but only pay for it once! Then next year (if we get a tax return) we can do it again.
I can’t imagine how lost we would be if something happened to my husband. He is the breadwinner in our house. I’ve been a stay at home mom for over a decade…what could I do? So insurance is a way to at least cover our needs while I try to figure out what we would have to do!
But………let’s hope there never comes a time we’d have to use it!
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Jose’s The Man
By admin | February 22, 2009
Well, aside from sickness keeping me off of my exercise goals…I can no longer blame my treadmill! Jose came last week and moved it from the basement, up to my room on the third floor. And he carried this behemoth…all by himself! I couldn’t believe it! I couldn’t lift the darn thing, and he carried it up two flights of stairs ALONE!
So, once my final dental work is taken care of and my health is back, I’m going to kick it into full gear! It just makes me so unhappy that I’ve lost an entire month that I had planned! But there is always March! I’ll just have to double up my workout!
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SEO ????
By admin | February 22, 2009
I have a ton of internet stores. In fact, so many that I do believe I have myself an addiction! but then I found a website the helps with conversion rate optimization and I’m thinking it’s got something for me!
Now I have to say, with our Monster Truck store…it’s had over 10,000 visits in just the few months it’s been around, and those 10,000 have purchased huge amounts of products from us. This is AWESOME!! But what I’m looking for is a little higher ranking in the search engines. Mind you, you can put in Monster Truck Books…and we’re number 1! But what about some of the more common keywords? I’m wanting some of those as well!
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Puppies
By admin | February 22, 2009
My kids have been so funny this week, well the two little ones anyway. It has been decided that our next dog will be a Labrador. It’s one my husband has always wanted, and hey, as long as it’s female I’m not going to care. So I made the mistake of showing my kids the puppy in Marley and Me or on the Cottonelle ads and they wander the house all day long talking about how we are getting a new puppy today. Mind you, with two dogs already there isn’t any more room for additional dog supplies! So they’ve been told that it will be after Brownie (our shepherd/coyote mix) dog passes on. Now I’ll admit it, I adore Brownie! She is a great dog! Who knew a Coyote could be. But my kids are now talking like we need to get rid of her now to get this puppy! See…I’ve created monsters! It just breaks my heart to think of Brownie not being with us anymore…maybe a third dog is the way to go! Ha, not really!
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Redoing The Kitchen
By admin | February 17, 2009
I have been away for a very long time! All of the kids have been sick, and with four of them with different symptoms, all I can say is I was exhausted! But sitting here now, I’m looking at the wall behind my computer screen. It’s on of the main walls in the kitchen area, well more of the dinette area, but I can tell you…this week I’m pulling the wallpaper down and painting it red! I think it will be a lovely addition to the already tanish brown room. But it will require the purchase of Cheap Blinds, because the ignoramus that purchased the kitchen blinds before we moved in, chose a hideous peach color. That really won’t work in a brown and red room!
After that is done, the only thing left I want to do is paint the cabinets black. They are dull and lifeless cabinets, again we’ll blame that on the ignoramus before me! Instead of paying to have them all switched up, I’m just going to spice them up with black paint, and chrome fixtures. I’ll have to let you know how it turns out!
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My Coming Week
By admin | February 8, 2009
I need to apologize! I’ve been sick for the past 3 weeks or so, so I haven’t been blogging much! This next week (hopefully I’ll feel better) I have to start working on Grayson’s Pinewood Derby car. This year I’m back to just one car to make, last year I had two! It’s not like we are working with linear motion or anything technical–it’s pretty straight forward. It’s just one more thing to figure out time for this week.
Grayson is taking cupcakes to school tomorrow for his birthday treat, and honestly…I just want to go to bed-so we’ll see if I have to frost them in the morning. I know, I’m just a bad mom when I don’t feel well!
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Getting Hurt
By admin | January 25, 2009
A few years back our family had to go through the entire process of hiring a personal injury lawyer. My husband was injured at work, and you know, even though everyone knew it happened at work–we still had to fight for workman’s comp. Why is that? Why if we are the ones wronged, why do we have to hire the Seattle injury lawyer?
We had a good attorney, but it still took nearly three years to get everything sorted out. Even though my husband lives in constant pain, his settlement was set. Far too low for what he went through, but when you are fighting for a paycheck, you settle for just about anything!
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Amazing!
By admin | January 24, 2009
I want them both!!
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My Shiny New Desk
By admin | January 22, 2009
For Christmas Eve this year, we hosted the annual family party. It’s never been at our house before, and it was so daunting. Don’t get me wrong, we have a lovely home, but when you think of all of the people we’d have inside, I was certain it just wouldn’t be big enough. So the first thing I did? I went looking for new computer desks. The one I’d been using was actually a bakers rack–and it was old and falling apart. It also took up a ton of room along the side wall in the kitchen. This side wall was a main stumbling block in the whole plan for my kitchen–and it made it much too small to open the table, and in order to feed this number of people–I have to open the table.
So I found the perfect one. It fits perfectly on the wall, and we were even able to open the table. Now we are several weeks past Christmas, and it’s about time I start looking for desks for my boys. They are getting to the age when they would do so much better with their homework if they were on their own. So that quest starts soon!!
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Monday We Begin
By admin | January 22, 2009
This year is my 20 year high school reunion! It’s comin’ quick. So until then I will be dusting off the treadmill, stocking up on diet pills, and walkin’ my way to “Hotness”! Yeah, I know…dream on, right! Hey, one can dream!
Actually, the “hotness” factor isn’t really even involved, I’m just going for healthy and honestly—that shouldn’t be too tough! The kids and I are big fans of salads and vegetables, so it’s just the moderation part I need to work on.
When I get my oldest and I healthy…I’ll post some photos!!
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Monster Truck Plans
By admin | January 21, 2009
If you have spent anytime here among the Nykaza family, you will know that both of my older sons are bound and determined to become Monster Truck drivers. This is a big step up from last year when my oldest wanted to become an NBA star. I would ask him to practice his terrible penmanship and he responded with “All I have to do is sign a contract, mom!” Yeah…good luck with that!! But I digress…
I’m not sure where their Monster Truck dreams will end up, but I find it interesting that now, during the Monster Truck events on TV, there are actually commercials for technical schools. Monster Jam has even sponsored scholarships to these schools. I guess you learn the trade of monster truck mechanics, work the pits…and then drive. Many years away…but it’s always good to have dreams!
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A Year Gone By
By admin | January 18, 2009
It was a year ago I was looking at moving trucks! It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in this house that long. In some ways, it seems as though we’ve been here forever, but there are still times when it all seems to have moved so quickly. The house we used to live in still for sale. There were a couple of offers made before the holidays, but they weren’t very good. Mostly people trying to take advantage of the economic times, not realizing the house was free and clear. Just because it was empty…it wasn’t in danger of being lost. There may come a time in the not too distant future when the in laws will need to move into it—but we are all hoping that it doesn’t come to that!
It was a classic older home. It’s a Chicago bungalow. They have their own charm–there is a commercial on TV these days where there are kids playing outside in front of two of them. I’m sure most people in America wouldn’t be able to look at that and be 100% sure where the commercial was being filmed. But once you know the classic bungalow…it’s very apparent! I miss that…but at the same time, I don’t miss only having 1 bathroom!!
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Is It Too Late??
By admin | January 17, 2009
To add a new Resolution?? I have 5 going, but I want to create a new one!
After watching Ted’s video of Shamu, I really want to get my kids to Sea World this year! Mind you, I should add “There is NO WAY we can”…but I’m thinking, if I can be fabulous with my “hounding”, save 1/2 of what I saved at the stores in a separate account. Blog more for the moo-lah and live all around frugally…maybe we can! I mean honestly, my kids have never been to Disneyland! We are making a trip to Utah this summer, I’m wondering if there is a chance we could throw in a California leg of the trip and kill two birds with one stone! What do you think??? Any other ideas on making/saving money???
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I Said No More….But
By admin | January 15, 2009
Ok, it’s been a long and dry season on this here blog! There are just so many other things I would rather be doing—plus, the super secret blog is so much more fun to play on!! But I do have to share a moment of “Aha” that my husband had the other day.
Yes, you all know I’ve started working rocking the coupon scene, much to the poor man’s chagrin. Money is tight…why in the world are we stockpiling shampoo? That is his frame of mind. Mine is…when I can get full size bottles of Shampoo and Conditioner for pennies…why not? His classic line…”If you don’t use the lotion, why would you get it?” Me, “Because it’s FREE”. Yes, I don’t buy that particular lotion, but if it’s on hand I will certainly use it before going out and buying my standard lotion.
So…here is my last share of my shopping. Plus…this week is pretty L.A.M.E. in the savings department so I won’t be ‘dealing’ until next week. BUT, I ran to Walgreens the other night to finish up with that weeks sales. I was pretty confident (novice or not) that I knew what I was doing–but I have been known to make many a newbie mistake. So when the register rang up $107…my heart dropped (my jaw may have too). I handed over my minuscule amount of coupons picturing certain death when I got home. To my JOY & UTTER AMAZEMENT after all of my coupons were in I was left paying $5.89! An entire, over flowing basket full of items that I will use…$5.89! A couple of them were even rebate items, and out of my $5.89 out of pocket, I will get nearly $10 back!
So they basically gave me $107 worth of stuff, and threw in $4.00!! Yeah…I’m addicted!
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It’s Late…& I’m Finally Home!
By admin | January 11, 2009
People think I’m crazy to be up posting at 1:41 a.m.–but ya know, I’ve been out all weekend, and this is my first chance to sit at home, in my kitchen, with my kids in bed…and just blog for a bit, so indulge me!
My agenda for the coming week is pretty boring! I need to pay the bills tomorrow…dum dum dum (scary music in case you missed it), try to find a life insurance policy/policies that fit our budget…it’s about time. And if at all possible, I would like to go look at sinks. I wrote earlier about loving the sink at a friend of mine’s house-it’s deeper than normal–and I WANT IT!! I want to get an idea of price, so that I can start saving up my cash to get me my very own.
Basketball practice starts up this week for both boys. Tuesdays and Thursdays. They are kind of a pain, but they enjoy it so much that I figure it’s worth it for the exercise they get. Barrett doesn’t go back to pre-school until the end of the month, so he and I are going to go stalk out Aldi’s and Walmart. I don’t normally shop at either one, but apparently there are gold mines galore at each. I’ll have to let you know!
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Dani’s Cake
By admin | January 6, 2009
I have been thinking about my neices birthday coming up. It’s not until February 5th, but I would really like to make her something fun for her cake. I was online looking at some designer items, and even found a cake decorated like a shoe box of Manolo Blahnik pumps. Now that is something I would love, but she is more the handbag girl. So what I think I’m going to do is have my mother in law pull her favorite handbag, and then re-create it in a cake. She’s got a lot of purses, but I’m going to venture a guess….it’s gonna be a Coach!
Something like this…
would be AWESOME!!
I’ll let you know what I find out!
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$100.00 In Food For $4.72
By admin | January 6, 2009
Ok, it’s not quite that good. Out of pocket was $19.72, but I walked out of Jewel with $15.00 to spend on my next purchase, so for the moment, I’m out $4.72!
So what did I get? 4 Tag Deoderants, 1 Betty Crocker Frosting, 6 Boxes of Cheerios, 1 Box of Trix, 2 Betty Crocker Brownie Mixes, 3 Pantene Shampoo, 2 Pantene Conditioners, 4 Boxes of Bisquick, 4 Cartons of Minute Maid, 4 Boxes of Yoplait For Kids, 5 Boxes of Granola Bars, 2 Boxes of Potatoes, 2 Dasani Multi Paks. I did have to do them in 4 different transactions, and after each transaction I got $15.00 for the next transaction (I walked in with $15.00 already).
Next, I’m off to Walgreens. I need 4 Eletrasol Dishwasher Detergents, 8 Garnier Hair Care Products, 2 Free Ben & Jerry Ice Creams, 2 Palmolive Dish Soaps, 3 Soft Soaps, 2 Band Aids, 3 Hydrogen Peroxide, 1 Viactiv Calcium Chews. All of this will cost me $ .96 out of pocket! Not too shabby! I do have $14.30 on a Walgreens gift card from the company for previous rebates…I will pay with those…but since I didn’t pay to get the card…I’m not counting it! The one product I’m not sure of is the Viactiv. I have $4.00 in coupons for one, and my memory is that they are around $8.00, so after I get that, it will be $4.96 out of pocket. But I really want my kids to start taking them to boost their calcium intake.
I promise I won’t bore you with my fabulous shopping finds again…..but this week is just too good to not write about! And if you are like me and bought 5 newspapers on Sunday…you should have a TON of coupons to put to work! I haven’t even started the CVS deals for the week!
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Making It All Fit…
By admin | January 6, 2009
I was cleaning out one of my readers today, and found a nice little post about how food storage and couponing/stockpiling go hand in hand. Mind you–the very act of stockpiling, of course, goes hand in hand…but I needed to sit down and work out where my stockpiles fit, and what quantity, of what category they fill!
I’m happy to report that the Nykaza family has a years supply of toothpaste & brushes! Yes, you heard me correctly…our teeth will outlast our bodies if some major disaster happened today! What makes this item fun…I’m not sure I paid over $5 for that year supply! Ok, that’s a lie…my kids and I are very finicky (imagine that) about our toothpaste…we will ONLY use Pepsodent. Nobody but dollar stores sells that much anymore—so where ever I find it…I buy it. It’s always a buck—and I have 24 tubes of that stuff! BUT…if you look at the ‘other’ 24 tubes of Colgate/Crest/Aquafresh….I did not spend more than $5 on those! Phew, my conscience feels much better after getting that little tidbit out of the way!!
With the sales this week at Jewel…the years supply of toilet paper and paper towels should be finished as well. Have you ever thought of storing paper plates, napkins and plastic utensils? I hadn’t! But in a water shortage it would save on having to wash the dishes….and, you don’t have to rotate them! Methinks a new shelf will be relegated to food service!!
I’m hoping to get good enough at this to start freeing up a chunk of change in my budget! I know the man would love one of the new Suunto watches, and starting next school year Grayson will be playing the violin, which will require an additional rental plan for that. So if I can’t make this work…I have to think of something else!
Now, I’m off to save a small fortune at Jewel….ciao!
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Forgot The Landscape…
By admin | January 6, 2009
This blog was the first website I migrated over to my new host. Because of that, I didn’t really look at the landscape before I moved it….and now that it’s moved, I don’t remember (or want to think about it right now) what was in my sidebars. Silly I know, but I am one who is very finicky about sidebars…and yes, I mock other people’s when their’s look chintzy!! Yes, I’m bad! But until I remember what I had, or find something new that I like…I might just have to leave them blank for a bit longer! Lame, I know!
Have you seen the blogs that have the little ipods in the sidebar? Ok, not really an ipod, but little music players that can hold like 10 songs and you have the choice as to whether or not you want to listen to them? I want one of those. Not so much for all of you, but to have my kind of music to sit and play in one tab while I’m working on another. Now that would be grand!
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I Thought I Would Share…
By Gibber | January 5, 2009
My mother in law got a Facebook account, and uploaded these photo’s on her page. I have seen these before, but since they were on her camera, I can’t actually put my finger on them…so I stole them! I know, it’s not nice to steal other people’s content, but come on….look at my kids! Blakey looks so sweet snuggling with her daddy, and in the lower picture, we went to a pumpkin farm, and for some reason…my kids look like ‘thugs’! It is not often I get a picture of all four kids looking decent…so this one will have to do. If I had sent Christmas cards out this year, this would definitely be one of the photos (’cause it’s the only group one taken of them all year! Bad Mom!!)
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Well…It Wasn’t So Bad!!
By Gibber | January 5, 2009
Today was the first day of my computer fast! From 2 pm until bedtime, I don’t get to be online. Did I make it? Well…not quite! But I have to say, we got all of the kid’s bedrooms cleaned and vacuumed, homework finished and even managed a board game. I’m not sure the kids enjoyed having so much “mom” time! But it was nice to chill.
I did breakdown after dinner. The kids were enjoying some PS2 time, and the house was put back together…what is there to do?? So I mapped out a plan of action for tomorrow & called my mom. We talked about how my uncle is most likely not going to be able to live alone much longer. They are looking into some state programs for assistance. From his eating habits to his bathroom safety, he’s just not able to care for himself. He’s several years younger than my mom, so it’s scary to see him deteriorate so quickly.
Down time wasn’t so bad, and deep down I know my kids enjoyed it–I think this may just work for this family!
All in all, I think I like it this way!
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The End Of The World…
By admin | January 5, 2009
You knew it was coming didn’t you! I just thought I would post this (kind of tongue in cheek) cause you all know how excited I get thinking that the end is nigh. No, I’m not excited about the death and destruction that comes with it…but with what, rather “who” comes after it! Now…the next few lines please take at face value. I’m not predicting anything…I’m not spouting gospel…I just think it’s interesting. Most things happen in three’s and when my mom called me last night with this tidbit of info…I just thought it was something fun to share!
Are we clear? I am NOT going off the deep end! I’m not predicting Armageddon. I’m not even going so far as joining this group, just sharing something interesting!
The Mayan calendar ends on 2012. It has proven to be the most correct calendar in the world, and when asked why it ends in 2012, “Because there is nothing after that” was the reply.
A few weeks ago, Yahoo carried the headline “U.S. will see a major catastrophe by the year 2013″.
And last night, on the Discovery Channel, we were told that Nostradamus has predicted Armageddon to come 12/21/2012.
When my mom and I were talking about how strange all of these 2012 things were, I made a joke about not worrying about college funds for the kids! And really, I don’t put a lot of stock in all of this. But there is one thing that I plan to do in the next 4 years…prepare as if it were going to happen. Get our year supply taken care of as our prophets my whole life have asked us to. Get our finances in order. Make my home a Zion for my family. And if needs be……get back home by then!
Yes, we will still plan savings for the kids college, missions and weddings, years and years away. We will still plan for retirement, years and years away. And if nothing comes of 12/21/2012…I’ll be ready for it when it does come!
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Goodbye Computer!!
By Gibber | January 5, 2009
Well, from 2 pm - 8 pm that is! That is my new rule. I can not touch my computer from the time my kids get home from school, until they go to bed. That doesn’t mean it’s out for homework help, or a quick mapquest of a destination. But business and pleasure ends at 2 pm.
The kids also have a new rule. They have their chores to do and their homework before they can turn on an electrical device of any kind. Saturday was their first day, they had actual lost all electronic devices for a week for not taking out the garbage. They did pretty good most of the day. They played hockey in the basement. They played Card Jitsu with Blake. Watched Barrett play PS2—yeah, the 2 younger ones weren’t grounded! Around 3 pm Jake came in begging for a way to earn everything back. His job—-all the laundry in the basement, through the washer and dryer and up to my bed for me to fold. He and Grayson did it–6 loads of laundry piled up on my bed (and Grayson emptied the dishwasher). So while they played PS2 downstairs, I sat up on my bed watching “The Locator” and folding a massive amount of clothes, yes, I’m not kidding here—this is my FAVORITE thing to do!
Sunday we came home for church and they wanted to know what they could do to earn PS2 for that day. Their job, take all of the Christmas boxes downstairs (we have TONS)–and without one argument, both boys figured out a way to get all of the boxes down the stairs (unbroken), and cleared out my living room! I’m LOVING THIS!!
So today, we’ll pick up with their daily chores, I’ll help them with their homework. They will have some electronic time while I figure something out (since I can’t sit at my computer) and then we’ll do dinner, basketball tryouts and Family Home Evening. I think it sounds awesome! I do need to look into my cheap auto insurance and see if I can get any more discounts by adding a life insurance policy or two under our umbrella policy. The husband is definitely getting one on himself…it’s up to him if he wants one on me! But I will have to wait until after bedtime to get back online and see what can be done!
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Desires Of The Heart…
By admin | January 5, 2009
Do you have things that you wish for? It’s silly I know, but sometimes you just can’t help it. There is a position in church that I have wanted since I got home from my mission. It’s a silly little calling (no aspiring to positions here). I have always wanted to be the chorister in the Relief Society. Now I’ll never get it, cause you just can’t put it out there like that! But I must also be very clear…I don’t want to be the chorister in Sacrament meeting or in the Primary, just the Relief Society.
When I was in the MTC (Motherboard you were there, you may have taken my place) I was the music person for our little district. Every week I got to choose all three hymns for the meeting. How I loved that calling. Nothing in the world beats hymns, and when you get to match a hymn’s lyrics with lesson materials–even better! I find it exhilarating to the soul to just sing hymns while driving, working in the house and cooking dinner. I love to sit at the piano when the house is quiet and play some of my favorites.
I think I’ll add that into my “To Do” list today…play a favorite hymn or two, my soul could definitely use it!!
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A Year In Review…
By admin | January 4, 2009
Wow…the year is gone! Don’t they just seem to be going faster and faster?
This year I’ve had the opportunity to get to know my kids just a little better. They are exhausting little creatures, and probably deserve a better mom than me…but alas, we survived and honestly we are doing’ better than ever! One of the best parts of the year, Barrett transformed from the mess making, Tazmanian Devil, into a little precious soul that I enjoy immensly! He’ll come into the room and I’ll ask him if he’s been kissed today. He giggles and always answers no, even if it’s the 15th time I’ve asked it! So he runs over for some snuggly kisses. I just watch him, amazed at the transformation that has seemed to take place over night.
Blakelynn is still the beautiful little princess. 6 years old and loving every minute of Kindergarten. Learning to read, and finding much more joy than she should in tormenting her big brothers.
Jake and Grayson played Fall Basketball, and this was the season of scoring! Both of them have picked up some pretty good skills. I am the type of mom who cringes when someone throws them the ball, because of the heartbreak that will occur if they mess up. I shouldn’t fear. Both boys are amazing little sportsmen.
I have started a new addiction hobby, thanks to my friend–and although I’m terrible at it…there is an amazing rush when it all works how it’s supposed to!
As for our life online. I still do some blogging for cash. Not so much–nothing like I used to, but it’s still there on many of my blogs. The stores are doing amazing. Grayson’s store is over $1000 and Blake isn’t that far behind. Jake changed from a sport store to a “secret” store, and he’s doing amazingly well too. I spent the weekend migrating every website over to a new host, there are 21 of them…that is some serious internet real estate…I think it’s a sickness!!
Mostly this year has been a time when I look at my family and plan for what is coming. I am not a doomsdayer, really I’m not, but hey, we’ve been told and told again that somethin’ is a comin’…so why not prepare! It warms my heart to see my kids get excited about some of the storage we have been building, and to know that we will be OK, come what may!
To all of you, thanks for hangin’ out here for the year. And may 2009 NOT be as bad as it feels like it’s gonna be!!
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The Kids Have Spoken!!
By Gibber | December 31, 2008
Well, I put it to a vote, and Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler beat Marley and Me HANDS DOWN!! So tonight the four kids and I (call me brave) will be heading to a local theater for an NYE flick! I called the “man” to see if he would like to join us, but lucky for him, the restaurant actually seems packed for the night! Plus, it was supposed to be his night off….so I’m NOT worried about him at all! So it’s just the kids and I–and I think it will be great!
What are your plans??
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Did You Know??
By Gibber | December 30, 2008
As the mother of little boys…I spend WAY TOO MUCH TIME examining the toilet seat!!
Nothing is worse than sitting on little wet spots! Blech!
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It’s Time!!
By Gibber | December 29, 2008
Are you resolution makers? I am! I make them every year. Actually, I wait until the beginning of anything to start a goal. It’s just not the same to start something on the 16th of the month or on a Wednesday. It must be the first of something and that includes days of the week!
Mind you, this first starts on a Thursday, but it’s the “Big Kahuna” so we’ll let that pesky ‘day’ thing slide!
Currently I have 4 resolutions going! One, get out of debt! I know, it’s a lame one as we don’t have much more than $1000 in credit cards and our cars are paid off. But that $1000 looms over me, and causes much loss of sleep! Our budget is TIGHT—so I have to pay strict attention to it for the coming months. Trying to squeeze as much into savings as possible. I have a dry pack order in for February 20th that will sink the ship if I’m not ready for it!! So that is my biggest one!
I’ll let you know the others as they come up, but for now…pray for a Christmas bonus!! (doubt it will come…but oh it would be nice!!)
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Well…Maybe Not!!
By Me | December 22, 2008
I have tried all weekend to start posting some goopy family stuff over on the secret blog…and ya know, I just can’t do it! The new blog serves one purpose and one purpose alone. I just can’t bring myself to muddy up it’s content with gingerbread house pictures, and cello concert videos! Pretty bad when you call good family time “mud”, but in this case it really doesn’t fit with the niche of the blog itself! I was even going to mesh food storage into the new one, which is closer to the niche…but still…MUD! It’s like reading Katerbug Cakes and finding posts on life insurance or weight-loss.
Yes, they HAVE to be there…but really, you can only be so creative with the paycheck before it’s no longer a blog about cool cake ideas, but some big ol’ flashing Vegas billboard (and just as trashy!!) Yes…I know my income takes away from my content, but ya know…we’d kind of like to keep the heat on this winter, so I don’t really get much choice in that! But there is hope. The new blog is perfectly niched for such content, and honestly…If I can get it up and running to it’s full potential…I can drop some of the required links on this blog, and bring it back to “family friendly”!!
We’ll see!!
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I Think We’ll Call This Done!
By Me | December 19, 2008
Not that it’s a bad thing…I just don’t think anyone comes around anymore! Plus, I don’t have much to say here, but I have a ton to say over at the “Top Secret” blog! Some of you have the address over there…that is where you’ll find me!
I do have some posts that are required to be on this blog, so those will show up…but as a whole, I think this qualifies as a dying blog! I mean, it gets many visitors a day, I can see that in my stats…but no one has anything to say (which is perfectly fine). I’ll post a few things here and there while I make the migration, but as a whole…I’m outtie!!
Plus….most everyone has “friended” me on Facebook…and let’s face it, it’s far more private than this thing!!
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Merry Christmas!! (from us Mormons!!)
By Gibber | December 17, 2008
The primary presidency shared this video with the kids last Sunday, and it was awesome! None of my 15 nativity sets comes with the visual that this video gives you. After having four kids-in rather sterile conditions…the look of this and the sound of the flies…so NOT what I picture when I think of Jesus’ birth.
I am one of those eagerly awaiting his coming, and I wonder if I were around beforehand, would I be one that was eagerly awaiting him the first time. After so many biblical prophets prophesied of the Savior’s birth…if you saw that star…would you follow it? Or would you be too caught up in your day to day life to see the signs? I hope I would have.
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Christmas…RU Ready?
By Me | December 16, 2008
- Image via Wikipedia
I can not believe that in just a week it will be Christmas! I’m definitely NOT ready for that one! I wrapped the last stragglers of presents today, and you know, it doesn’t seem like enough! It is ALL…and they are nice gifts, but we have toned Christmas way down this year, and aside from books and 1 “big” gift each, there isn’t anything more. Mind you…they are getting Rock Band from Dani…so maybe we’ll let her gift shine…I still need something fabulous for her to make up for it!
Now…about Dani’s gift…all of my cousins out there, did we ever exchange gifts? Joey? Heta? Anyone?? NEVER!! Yeah, I’m hurt! No….I’m kidding, but as cousins, we didn’t do that. Dani is my kids cousin. Mind you, my kids are closer to her than I ever was to my cousins. They see her weekly. But still…Rock Band???
So, all of you…help me think of something AMAZING for a 21 year old girlie girl!
And for all you party animals around my neighborhood….Rock Band Party at my house New Years Eve!! (we’ll make the Chef cook!! )
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Cubs Vs Sox…A Chicago Crime Story!!
By Me | December 15, 2008
I SOOOOO debated putting this up! I had to overcome my personal phobia of looking at the new P.E.’s nasty ol’ mug!! But I guess since Blago’s disgusting face is on it too…..I can live with it!
Plus….it’s really cute!
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Cute (Frozen) Husband At The Bears Game!
By Gibber | December 15, 2008
He’s the guy in the red ‘actually’ watching the game!!
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SBR’s Centerpieces
By Gibber | December 12, 2008
I was given the assignment yesterday morning to get 9 $5.00 centerpieces for a catering party the restaurant was doing today. Do you know how hard it is to find really cool centerpieces for $5.00 each?? IMPOSSIBLE!
In fact, as pretty as I think these are, they failed! The total cost came to $7.00 each, but I’m keeping the candle sticks–and the chargers–so they were only $4.00 each. Thanks to the Family Dollar!
I don’t mean to pat myself on the back, but I think these are so pretty…I want them all back!
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My FAVORITE Part Of Christmas!!
By Gibber | December 11, 2008
Did you know I have another blog. It’s called Kid Cookin and it is one heckuva fun site, if I do say so myself! It’s a site that is devoted to getting kids off of the couch and into the kitchen, with fun cooking recipes and crafts–my kids love it!
Anyway, for the month of December, I thought I would kick it up a notch and feature a cookie recipe a day (everyone needs an excuse for Fenphedra…why not use cookies!! ) We have a TON of cookie exchanges this time of year, and it’s always nice to find a fun new recipe. So I was typing up my inagural submission, and I have to say it got me excited! This is one of my most favorite things about the Christmas season…my mother in law’s Kolacki (co-la-tchski) cookies!! I figured I would share this one here, but if you love Christmas cookies as much as I do, you’ll have to check out the site for the rest of the cookies!
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
2 cups flour
1 large cream cheese
1 can jar filling found in baking aisle at store
Directions:
Cut butter into flour with knives or pastry cutter until dough is the size of nickels.
Add room temperature soft cream cheese and continue to cut into flour mixture until consistancy of soft dough leaving cream cheese in nickel size pieces.
Form into a ball and refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
Roll out dough on floured surface to a thickness of .5 cm or 1/4 inch thick.
Cut into 2 inch round shapes or 3 inch squares.
Add just less than 1/2 tsp of filling to center of each piece. If using square shpe fold corners over filling - either two opposing or all four to middle of square.
Bake at 425 degree oven for 10 minutes or unti a slight brown begins to show on edges. Careful do not over bake.
Let cookies cool and sprinkle with powder sugar.
NOW….if you have a fabulous cookie recipe to share, you can either leave it in the comments here, or over at kidcookin.com!
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Another Repair!
By Gibber | December 10, 2008
Yesterday we had a MISERABLE night! I hadn’t noticed anything was wrong, but when my husband came home from work he thought the house was really cold. Something I would never know, since I’m always HOT! Anyway, he went to turn up the thermostat only to find that it was 62 degrees in our house and that he couldn’t get it warmer. He went down to the basement to find that our igniter had gone out on our furnace.
This time last year we had to have a tankless water heater fixed at the old house, and that kind of stunted my Christmas budget, I wasn’t excited about this year being hampered as well! But after waking up FREEZING in the night, I knew we had no choice but to fix the heater before all of our pipes froze.
So the man came out and got us fixed up with only a $200 bill! Mind you, that was the phone bill’s allotment…but watching my kids turn into Popsicles was not an option!!
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I Promised Pictures…
By Gibber | December 8, 2008
I had never heard of Libby Lu, until about a week ago. Because Libby Lu is closing for good come January, I was happy to move Blake’s party there this year. I had to re-invite all of the family members who were planning to meet us at Build a Bear! I thought I would be banished to the Outer Banks for changing the party so close to the date–but everyone was just fine with the change!
You know…I would have set this puppy up a little better than it is. I was expecting a back room of the store for the party, but instead it all takes place in a very narrow hallway with merchandise across the walk way. Well…there was no room for us to watch the girls get their cute makeovers, and no room for the holiday shoppers to get behind us to actually shop!! Way strange…but amazingly fun. In fact, it’s 3 days out, and Blake is still talking about her awesome birthday.
They aren’t the greatest of pictures for two reasons…one…I’m not a photographer and two…we are stuffed in a back hallway of a crowded girlie store!! The group photo out front just looks terribly off center, but they wanted the sign behind them, so there you have it!
The final photo…Blake and her dad! I think it turned out really cute. How nice is it to just bring everyone to dad’s work for amazing food, and the only finger I had to lift–was to sign the check! Yeah…those are my favorite kind of parties!!
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What A FUN Day!!
By Gibber | December 6, 2008
Here are some pictures of Blake’s cake. We were originally supposed to go to Build A Bear, so she wanted a teddy bear dressed like a Princess. Sadly, there was carnage when removing him from his pan…he lost a leg, so this was the fastest, easiest cake I could come up with. I made the cakes last night and frosted them today after basketball. HOLY COW….I frosted like a banshee, and actually made it to the party on time!! So honestly, only about 2 hours to frost and decorate….Thanks to Kelly’s friend Amy…it was on her blog that I first saw this cake.
I will post more photo’s of the actual dress up party at Libby Lu’s tomorrow…right now, I’m just going to rest the piggies while I talk to my mom and then re-find my kitchen!!
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I Thought Of You, Motherboard!!
By Gibber | December 6, 2008
Are you easily swayed? You know me, I’m your basic fluffy white sheep! The other day we were at the old house and thought we’d stop for a burger on our way home. We got to the stop light and one of my boys mentioned how a friend of their’s had a dad who made the best nachos. Well…right then and there McD’s went out the window as my brain scanned it’s databases for someplace (any place) that had nachos. Thanks to my “standing date” at Denny’s every Tuesday night with Jonathon King…I knew that Denny’s had some fabulous nachos, thanks Jon! So my bill at Denny’s was three or four times what it would have been at McD’s…but I got nachos! Baaaaaaaa!
So then I’m on another person from High School’s blog, and she’s talking about how the Taco Maker lady gave her cheesy tots when she did not order cheesy tots, but then ate the whole thing and has thought of them ever since. Well……..I AM NOT a tater tot fan. Not at all! As in I would rather eat LIVER over tater tots. Well, Sonic just opened up in Algonquin. You know, Sonic…I’ve been waiting 6 years for it to make it to Northern Illinois, and it has. So we hit the massive traffic jam that is waiting in line for the glorious chance to order from our two day old Sonic…and what do I order?? You guessed it…LARGE CHEESY TOTS!! BAAAAAAA~~ Yeah, thanks Circe!!
And as for my dear Motherboard…I thought of you today, and your moment of “Dork Wad” as I struggled to put on my jeans. You see, I purchased the same size low riders that I wear in normal jeans—soooo not thinking that my hip bones are far wider than my waist. So these really are “Eye Poppin” jeans. I wore them the other day, and by store number 3…yep, they were unbuttoned and un-zipped….and my sweatshirt was pulled terribly low! So today…basketball practice and then some deal hunting at Meijer and what do I happen to pull out of the drawer?? That’s right…my Bitten low riders. Eh, it won’t be so bad…it’s just a few stores—I’ll be fine!! Until I sat down to put my high heel boots on. Then everything on my evenings agenda lined up neatly in my brain…1 hour of basketball practice, where I will be sitting on bleachers or wrestling with a 4 year old…10 minute drive to Meijer for 1 hour of shopping…30 minute drive to Sonic…and the 20 minute drive home! Yeah, I RAN and changed my jeans!! Had I not just read your FANTASTIC post…I never would have thought about it, so thanks Motherboard…I owe you a scone!!!
I think I bought the Bitten jeans at the Steve & Barry “Nothing in the store over $8.00″ sale—-so sorry Sarah Jessica Parker…your jeans are hitting the retired box only to become a very fashionable square on my Levi quilt…that is so far, only in my head!!
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You Know That Spot? I’m So There!!
By Gibber | December 6, 2008
I have found a new passion! I know…blame it on my addictive personality, if it’s not one thing it’s another! WELL, I have to say…do you see that purdy little white speck in the middle of the three circles? Well, my new passion IS that little speck! It’s everything I’ve been working on in my life, at the exact point all of them intersect. There be I!
Am I being cryptic enough? Good!! It’s top secret (unless you really want to know at which point, comment here, email me, or message me on Facebook–and I’ll tell ya!!) But as I’ve been putting it together, I have not only learned a ton, but there is an addiction brewing! And sadly, as today has come to an end, I have to finish my research…and head to bed!
But oh, sweet little white spot……I will see you again tomorrow morning, no Sunday morning, ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME??? I have to wait until Monday morning to even get back to work! I didn’t realize I have another big weekend! But aside from two boy’s final basketball games, decorating Blake’s birthday cake and getting to Libby Lu by 4 pm, husband’s work by 5:30 and the ward party by 6:30…….I guess there really just isn’t time tomorrow! And then with Church, Blake’s actual birthday, and time with the in laws…it really won’t be until Monday! Oh…..I will totally be ‘jonesin’ by Monday!
Well, my sweet little addiction…I will feed you on Monday!! But probably not too early! hmmmm, maybe we’ll catch up after lunch!!
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The Best Laid Plans…
By Gibber | December 4, 2008
Earlier this week I posted the “FINAL” plan. Blakelynn had chosen to go to Build A Bear with her cousins for her birthday. That is until she talked with her 21 year old cousin Danielle, who seduced her to the dark side! Now…she’s going to Libby Lu, something I’d never heard of, but looks girlie and fun. The only problem…they didn’t have the 1 pm slot open, so we had to move her party to 4 pm. This normally wouldn’t have been a problem, except that with the time so late, we won’t get to dad’s restaurant until close to 6 pm, which is the same time the Ward Christmas party starts. I would have originally gone to the party, but honestly, I still feel like the “new” kid, and am way to shy to just go hang with people I don’t know too well. So it would have been me and my kids sitting in a back corner trying to stay as unnoticeable as possible! It’s STINKS to be shy!! Any hoo…the main downer…Blakelynn was inviting one friend, Abby. But with the time change and the interference with the ward party, we didn’t want to mess with her families plans for their evening. But…Blake is sad!
I need to cook her cake today so that I can get it frosted and decorated so that my husband can take it to work with him Saturday. This way I’m not schlepping that puppy all over the mall Saturday afternoon.
it’s still a Princess Teddy Bear…not so fitting since we aren’t going to Build A Bear, but we are going to glitter it–so it should fit with Libby Lu!
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Way Too Old
By Gibber | December 4, 2008
Today I was reading the little “Yahoo” news blurbs and there was one about Grammy nods. Now this isn’t the first time that I’ve mentioned this, but today’s music holds no measure in my life. I couldn’t tell you a recent song or band or anything (well, now I can, cause I read the Grammy nods). Lil’ Wayne…never heard of him. Coldplay I only know of as being the band with the sire of Apple and Moses. Katy Perry…I do know she “Kissed A Girl” although, I’ve never heard it.
If I were to sit and figure out an MP3 player or an iPod…people, I would have nothing to put on it!! Well, hits from the 80’s, but I certainly don’t need it in my ears, I get enough in the few minutes I listen to music in the car.
Now Christmas carols, church hymns and primary songs…I’m golden! I can sing ‘em all! But I’ve even been left behind by the MoTab! WHO gets dusted by the MoTab?????
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On This Day…1992!
By Gibber | December 3, 2008
On this day in 1992, I was on a train transferring to a city my Mission President told me I could never go, but to a companion that I had met at Thanksgiving and WISHED was my companion. I was going to Inuyama (Dog Mountain), and it was magical. Not only did I get to see this Castle everyday, it was my one and only Christmas in Japan. There were four of us missionaries in this little town, and we four were the best of friends. Such good friends that the Elders actually (unknowingly) broke a Japanese law by cutting down trees, and surprising us with one as our Christmas tree. Being the poor sister missionaries that we were, we decorated the poor thing with hair bows.
Out of all of my memories of my mission, Inuyama is MY place. It is where I went from being the dreaded “Sansom Shimai” to the nickname of “Sammy”, which stuck for the rest of my time in Japan. (I’m pretty sure the Mission President called me Sammy in my final interview to go home.) It was here I had my first baptism (Christmas night), plus four others a few weeks later. It was here that I got to see how the spirit can work when there is pure harmony not only in a companionship, but throughout our district. We were one in purpose, and I don’t think any other city in our mission saw 5 baptisms in 1 1/2 months.
Now here we are 16 years later. I’m married with four kids. That first Christmas baptism (Tomoko) has gone on her mission, moved to Utah and is married to a great guy with 5 kids of her own. Sadly, I haven’t kept up with the three members of our district. But to Wilkes, Gardner and Harry (another nickname), Inuyama represents the best 2 1/2 months of my mission!! And to Tomoko…..happy 16th anniversary as a member of the church!
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Dumbest Line Ever…
By Me | December 2, 2008
Are you listening to Christmas songs on the radio yet? Hey…it’s the “most wonderful time of the year”!
Listening to the radio today the song “Do you hear what I hear” or see–or something was on. The dumb line…
“Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king, “Do you know what I know? In your palace warm, mighty king, Do you know what I know? A Child, a Child shivers in the cold– Let us bring him silver and gold, Let us bring him silver and gold.”
What in the WORLD is this shivering child going to do with silver and gold? An electric blanket and fuzzy slippers maybe…but silver and gold?? I think not!
SO there you have it, my take on the dumbest line ever!!
Got one? Is there something that just irks you??? Spill…
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Two Monsters Slayed
By Gibber | December 2, 2008
Do have little spots in your home, ‘clutter magnets’? I sat down today to count mine out so that I can get them cleared. I found 5 spots (not including the garage). What’s so strange, it’s like the sub-conscious is running the show. When I have something to put away, the brain automatically bypasses the first spot–and heads to a second, or third, or fifth in this case! Somehow it knows nothing more will fit in the front closet, so it moves automatically on to the book shelf.
It took a moment to look at our lives and see just how the use of the front closet could make it work smoothly. Then I cleared it out, set it up how I envisioned it, and introduced the kids to the new system. It didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would—and it looks really great!
The second monster slain…the filing cabinet next to my desk. It is not only the catch all for every important paper in my life…it’s the catch all for, well…my life! So I cleared it out, got the files set up correctly—and I have to say, it’s streamlined and fabulous!
I just can’t wait for garbage day. The men in the family missed it last week–and there is NO ROOM for anything more!
sidenote: I put “messy room” in the search engine for a fun photo…but thought that everyone would think that the mess was my own….so I thought better of it!
Are you organized? Do you have any amazing secrets you’ve learned for you and your family? If so…dish!
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Another Belly Laugh!!
By Gibber | December 1, 2008
The winners circle comment is the BEST!!
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The Christmas Pig!!
By Gibber | December 1, 2008
I have to tell you about the coolest thing! Many weeks ago (way too early in the season) the kids and I were walking through Meijer. They were just putting up their Christmas displays (did I mention this was WAY too early??) and I noticed they had a big pink light up pig with a Santa Claus hat on. Now I have to admit, my first thought…”WHO in the H.E.C.K. would want a light up pig out on their front lawn. This pig is big, you know, like the reindeer and angels people put out…but he’s pink, with a Santa hat! Honestly….who would want that? Then IT HIT me! My husband would want it! And then, suddenly…I had to have him!
You see, my husband works with Sweet Baby Ray…the barbecue company. They serve hundreds of pounds of ‘pig’ in a given evening! How perfect is it then to have this little darlin’ sitting out by their big ol’ digital signage?
Everyone at the restaurant loves him, he even has a name tag! Someone even suggested getting eight more, and putting them up on the roof attached to a Santa sleigh!! How fun!
Meijer also has a big old light up cow with a santa hat, and a big green dinosaur!! Now, honestly…WHO WOULD WANT EITHER ONE??
I will get into the restaurant this week….and take a photo!! He’s just that cute!
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Sick Kids!!
By Gibber | November 30, 2008
Last night was horrid! Actually I guess it was this morning. I finally got to put my head on my pillow at 5:30 in the morning. I had gone to bed pretty early for me, but just after 2 in the morning both Blake and Barrett were up with fevers, tears and a little LOT of vomit! My turkey, you say? Heavens NO!! It takes 24 hours for food poisoning to kick in. If there was a problem with the turkey (which there wasn’t) I’ll be up again tonight!
With some Tylenol and cold cloths on their foreheads, I finally got them both back to sleep. I got online to see if my Primary President had an email…nope…and could you just see me calling her at 5 am to let her know I wouldn’t be there (so not gonna happen). I figured I would be awake in time, even if I was in Zombie mode, but I was wrong. We have blackout curtains in our bedroom, like the kind you see in hotels, and I didn’t stir until after noon. I hate leaving people in a lurch!
I think today is a day to keep the kids and I in our jammies. Turn on the Christmas tree lights in the living room, and snuggle up with a good book…all day long!! Sadly, the one thing I get with lack of sleep…a migraine…we’ll see how great today is!!
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A Be-lated Thanksgiving!!
By Me | November 29, 2008
I just made a mini-Thanksgiving dinner here at Casa Nykaza! Since we go to relatives for the actual holiday, we never have those fabulous left overs to enjoy for days to come. Sadly, this year, the people hosting didn’t have many leftovers. Apparently as all of these kids are getting bigger, so is their appetite–by the time the kids had made it through the buffet line…there was no dark meat to be found!
Last week the Chef brought home a fresh turkey, and we’ve been waiting to roast him up. So I took care of it today, but I must say, I totally missed the man when it came time to carve that bird! So, it will sit covered in my fridge until he gets home to give it a proper carving!
What is so bad…we have two dogs. A puppy who lives to jump up on the bar stools and onto the table, and an older girl who hardly “gets up” at all! We’ve got the puppy chained up to keep him out of mischief, but who would have thought that Brownie would suddenly slide out of character…she is the one standing up at the barstools to eat off the table. I’m just hoping the turkey bones slide right on through her, cause there is no money in the budget for a vet bill!
Won’t you join me in 3 hours for a cold turkey sandwich??
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Marley & Me
By Gibber | November 29, 2008
Last night we purchased the book “Marley & Me”. Our plan…read it as a family (sans dad) every night before bedtime. Then, the day after Christmas…we’ll take the kids to the matinée to see it. I’ll just let you know…there are 29 chapters in the book…so in order to finish in time, we have to read two chapters one night, and then a chapter a night after that. Not too bad!
I have long been a fan of reading a book and then watching the movie. Rarely do the pictures on the screen match the pictures in my head, but still there’s the draw. I remember in 1994 I read “Little Women” just before the newest attempt opened. Since I had already heard about the stars in the movie, they were already in my head when as I read the book. Except Susan Sarandon…she’s just yucky and had no business being in my head at all!!
I’m excited to see how the kids react to a movie once they’ve read the book, and hey, what’s not to love about snuggling up in my bed to read a book with them!!
A side note about movies….have you ever seen all that soundproofing goop they spray up in the rafters at theaters?? Is that the stuff that causes mesothelioma or is just harmless??? Not that it will stop me from goin’—-just contemplatin’!!
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The Final Plans!!
By Gibber | November 28, 2008
Blakelynn is turning 6 a week from Sunday. So she has finally figured out her party…and her cake! The Saturday before, we are taking her and her cousins to Build A Bear Workshop, then to McDonald’s across the hall at the mall, and we’ll bring her cake there.
As for her cake, she originally wanted a ‘Mermaid’ cake, but since we are going to Build A Bear, she now wants a Teddy Bear Cake dressed up like a princess. Hmmmmm, the cake is no problem, but adding clothing…to a frosted cake…still working on that one in my head!
This is the closest I’ve ever come to putting clothing on a frosted cake! This is Barrett’s first birthday, it was a “wear your costume” Halloween Party, so the cake needed a costume too!
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The Evens & The Odds!!
By Gibber | November 27, 2008
Being the mother of a boy for the past 11 years I have learned a few things about his ‘cycle’. Most of his even years are HEAVEN, while his odd years are…well…HARD! (gotcha’ huh!) Anyway, this has been the cycle he’s followed the past decade until last year, age 10…even year…should have been easy. It was anything but!! I spent much of this time on my knees, and much more time in my head trying to figure him out. I do have to say I’m BRILLIANT!!
I have seen areas within the psyche of this child, and have been able to figure out how to help him. He and I had not been friends many instances throughout the year, but after putting many things to work in our house I have to say, there has been a mighty change.
I’ve wanted to write this post for the past few months but have put it off thinking that I would be jinxing myself and changing the peace and happiness in our home. But now…jinx or no jinx I needed to share, this being Thanksgiving and all!
Jake and I have never been closer. The spirit in our home has never been one of such unity. Not only are he and I best friends again, he’s found that instead of disliking his younger brother…he relishes in his friendship. That alone has been huge. They have become each others best friends, and oddly enough when one needs to go somewhere the other one just instinctively knows that he has to (or wants to) go too.
When Grayson was in for stitches this past week, Jake was very near to coming with us to hold his hand (figuratively of course). Knowing how small doctors offices are, and how long the wait at Immediate Care could be, we decided it was best for him to stay home.
Today at dinner Jake sat next to me (as he always does now) and my arm was wrapped around him. If I had to remove it to cut my meat or take a drink or anything, as soon as I was done using it…he pulled it back around him. HE DID THAT!
I have to say…I understand so much more about this boy…and he IS awesome!!
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Ponderings!!
By Me | November 26, 2008
Tonight we had dinner at the in laws house. After dinner us girls get together to get the kitchen whipped into shape, and every week as I stand at the sink washing the dishes my mind begins to ponder kitchen faucets. It sounds so strange, but before Blake was born we lived in a house where every night I did the dishes at the sink, and every night I would have to lean onto the counter because my lower back would ache. Yet at my mother in laws sink, it’s easy. This week, mid-pondering, I actually mentioned it to my mother in law. I wouldn’t mind washing dishes, if I had her faucet. Come to find out…she has an over sized kitchen sink. OH MY, how that makes all the difference! When it finally comes time to update the kitchen…that is the first thing I’m getting!
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Favorite Memories…
By Gibber | November 26, 2008
When I was younger my dad traveled a lot for business. So we would take amazing family vacations on his Frequent Flier Miles and Marriott Hotel Points. Since most of the longer breaks from school were during the major holidays, these were the times we could use the miles and the points…but only if we flew out on Thanksgiving Day. I believe we had at least two Delta Thanksgiving Dinners, on to Hawaii and one to Cancun.
What this created for our family was the need to do our own Thanksgiving Dinners the Sunday before. Which made it possible for all of the married kids to come because they could do their spouses’ family on Thanksgiving Day. I LOVED Thanksgiving Sunday…even when we weren’t traveling because we would go out for Thanksgiving Dinner. Yes…TWO of my most favorite holidays in one week!!
I remember being in the hospital after I had Jake. I had him at 12:30 am on Thanksgiving Sunday…I was going to miss my family’s dinner. I remember Kelly and Kelly came to the hospital before they had to head home to make mashed potatoes. Chris and Sally stopped by the hospital on their way home after dinner with Rick and Robyn…hey, nobody brought me any contraband pumpkin pie!! I remember being so sad that I was missing this big family event; it wasn’t the first one I’d missed, I missed one in Japan as well, but it was still hard.
That tradition has died now, but when my kids are married and have in laws to visit as well…I think I will start it up again for our family, so that I’m sure to get every child-every year!
How about you?? Any fun family traditions that you have?
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Sharing What We Have!!
By Gibber | November 26, 2008
We just got home from taking the kids to the food pantry. We donated 15 boxes (160 lbs) of sliced turkey, 15 boxes of corn bread mix and a case of barbecue sauce. It was kind of nice for my boys to see that even though we don’t have a lot of excess…we can always give to people that have even less.
One of these days I would love to take them to a soup kitchen to help out as they are preparing the Thanksgiving dinner that they share with the many homeless people. How humbling I hope it would be to help people who have nothing before the kids head over to their own families BOUNTIFUL Thanksgiving dinner. Most of us could use a Leptorexin diet pill after our own Thanksgivings, so it would be an eye opener to them! There is an age limit, so I do have to wait until Barrett gets a bit older. But it is a lesson I can’t wait to share with them.
Anyone ever served at a soup kitchen for Thanksgiving???
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Grayson’s Owie!!
By Gibber | November 25, 2008
Today was the second day of the kid’s week off of school for Thanksgiving break. Jake and Grayson headed across the street to Nick’s house to play kickball. About 45 minutes later Jake came running in saying that Grayson had been hurt and that I needed to come quickly. Grayson was sitting in Nick’s kitchen with Nick’s dad holding an ice pack to Grayson’s eye–his hand covered in blood. Oh yeah…just what a mom wants to see!
Turns out Grayson had accidentally kicked the ball into the swimming pool. With a garage full of auto parts and plastic pipes, they decided to use a golf club to get it out. Instead of hitting the ball out of the pool, Nick’s golf club hit Grayson above his right eye. It split and although it’s an amazingly straight cut…it’s really deep.
We called dad home to hang with the chitlins and Gray and I headed to Immediate Care. I have to tell you, he and I had the best time! We entertained each other for nearly 40 minutes without saying a word–it was so funny–but I’m sure it was one of those “had to be there” moments!
1 hour and 4 stitches later we were on our way home. I just hope his beautiful face camouflages the inch long scar above his eye!
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Jake’s Cake
By Gibber | November 24, 2008
We had scheduled Jake’s first friend birthday party. What makes this so hard is the fact that it’s so close to Thanksgiving, and with a whole week off of school, everyone had left for Thanksgiving vacations. So we ended up canceling his party. How bad is that?
Since it was still his birthday, I made him the cake of his dreams. It took FOREVER!! But I have to say…it was well worth!
This is the cake I copied…(except for the actual shape of the guitar…he wanted it shaped like his Guitar Hero guitar)
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Jacob Michael Is 11!!
By Gibber | November 23, 2008
11 years ago right now I was lying in a hospital bed, finally getting to sleep on my stomach…but being awakened every 15 minutes by nurses checking on me…hated that! I had just given birth to my first born son. The baby I’d waited my whole life for. You know how when people ask you what you wanted to be when you grow up…I always said a mom. The wife part, although necessary, was not even thought of…I wanted babies, and I wanted 8 of them! And now, at the age of 26 I was finally getting mine.
So I thought, in honor of Jake’s birthday, I would tell you the top 11 things I love about this kid…I know, I always give their birth stories on my kids birthdays…if you really want to hear it “again”–head on back to the archives! November of 2006 and 2007 will have whatever you are looking for.
1 Jake is a genius. On his state tests he ranks in the top 99% of all 5th graders, and his test scores are higher than they have to be to graduate for the 6th grade…we aren’t even half way done with the 5th grade.
2 Jake has never been one to shy away from showing me affection. Everyday after school (even in the third grade) he would run out of the building and jump into my arms for a hug. If he and I are near each other, he MUST have my arm across some part of his body.
3 Jake is FUN! What a ham. He has a quick wit, and just knows how to be funny. What a sweetheart to be able to lighten the mood of the room with a cute joke or impersonation! Sooooooooo NOT his mama!
4 Jake can cause a bit of trouble in the house…but the one thing about him that is different than the other three kids, he is quick with an apology. He just needs a moment to calm down, and then he’s just as sweet as can be with an “I’m Sorry” to boot!
5 Jake adores his little brother Grayson. Grayson has always been the one to adore him, from the time he was just tiny, he would watch everything his big brother did–wanting to be just like him. I have a picture of Grayson at about 6 months old looking up at Jake sitting on the piano bench, and the look on his face is pure adoration. Now, 8 years later, Jacob is finally-not only feeling that same adoration–but showing it too. The other day they had a little fight and Jake went up to his room to write his little brother the sweetest letter of apology…what an amazingly sweet little spirit!
6 Jake is my sportsman. There isn’t any one sport, he loves them all. When he was four we lived in Arizona. My dad had seen Jake carrying around his old golf bag (empty) and headed up to a second hand store and bought Jake a set of clubs that he cut down to fit him. He loved golf then and now. He’s played football, basketball and soccer and would participate in whatever we signed him up for. Even with the health problems he has…he’s always ready for a game.
7 Jake is incredibly talented musically. He’s in the second year of Cello and he’s doing so good. I’m impressed every time I hear him play. His concert is coming up on the 9th of December, so I’ll be sure to get a video up.
8 There are times during the day when Jake would like nothing more than to drop kick his little sister and baby brother…he isn’t always the nicest to them, but when it’s night time he is the first one upstairs ready to read Blakelynn a good night story. It’s just the sweetest thing.
9 Jake is starting to take his church responsibilities very seriously. There were times (I called them his ‘anti-mormon’ days) when he didn’t want to go to church. And if he ended up going (so as not to lose his PS2 for the day) he never had the right clothes to wear. Now, with him getting the priesthood next year, he’s taking care of his laundry. He wears a white shirt and tie to church every week…and talks about going to BYU and on a mission.
10 Jake is one of the most forgiving people you will ever meet. Being the oldest there are times that more is expected of him just because he is the oldest. It’s not fair, we know it…but there isn’t a lot to do to change it. I’ve made mistakes as his mom…my husband has made mistakes as his dad, we know it…Jake knows it. But when we apologize for something we’ve done you get 110% of Jake back. He doesn’t hold a grudge, he just forgives you and loves you and lets you know.
11 My most favorite thing about this boy…he’s 100% MINE!!
I remember after months of colic, I was FINISHED having kids. My older sister Susan asked what happened to the remaining 7 who weren’t even here yet. I told her “Jake killed them”! But shortly there after, he grew out of his colic and became the most amazing little guy in the world. I remember then saying…”If Jake is the only baby we get, I’m perfectly satisfied. But because he’s SO cool…I want more!”
If you’ve had the chance to meet this cute little guy…please take a moment and leave a comment about your favorite time with him. Kind of like a cheap birthday present from you!!
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The Dry Pack Cannery…
By Gibber | November 23, 2008
Oh how fun!! Tonight I dropped my kids off at a birthday party for a cousin and headed to the dry pack cannery in Naperville. I had to take a little different route due to the party and wound up getting totally lost. Well, I guess I can’t really blame it on that, I only Google-mapped half the address…yes, a blond moment. Luckily I got my husband on the line and he guided me in.
My job was to box up all of the orders. I had ordered a case of rice, two cans of oats and 2 cans of dry milk. But after we were done, there were so many items left over that you could purchase, that I actually came home with 7 cases instead of the two that I ordered beforehand. I got a case and a half of wheat, some onion, apple slices, white flour, more oats and all for a very reasonable price.
Monday I am getting a new shelf for our food storage as the first one is filled to overflowing. These cases I brought home from the dry pack will actually go upstairs under the kids beds. Blake’s bed is first because her idea of cleaning her room is simply her stuffing everything under her bed. This way…there won’t be any room under the bed for stuffing!
It is addictive I have to say. Stacking food items on shelves or loading them into boxes knowing that my family will be OK. I can’t say times won’t be tough, if we are living out of our food storage it means something is wrong…but with a good start going…I’m feeling more and more calm!
I still have the most important aspect of food storage…the Chef! Someone asked if I wanted to buy any of the left over cans of refried beans. I passed…but probably shouldn’t have. My husband would be able to whip those into something fabulous! So I’ll stock up on the legumes when we go in February…and my man is comin’ with me!
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What A Find!!
By Gibber | November 22, 2008
This is his cake, but he wants colored flames…I think it’s pretty cool for an 11 year old!
I had to go to the Hobby Lobby to pick up a new flat paint brush for Jake’s cake. All of their Thanksgiving/Fall stuff was on sale for 90% off. So I had to grab a few Tsaskes for my house! Ok….lets take a moment and look at the silly little word Tsaske shall we? You know…knick knack in yiddish! Well let me tell you, that there is NO way I would have ever guessed to spell it that way. I came up with something more like this…
Chatchski
So now it’s your turn….how would you spell it phonetically??
(But get to Hobby Lobby….I walked out having paid $10.00 with a savings of close to $95.00–and it’s cool stuff! I got a cool purple bottle for my bottle collection. Yay, me!!
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Do Ya Wanna Know What I’m Doin’ Today??
By Me | November 22, 2008
Decoratin’ a cake! Well, that and going to the Dry Pack Cannery…but aside from the joy that will come as I push those big ol’ boxes of food storage under Blake’s bed…the cake will be the most fun!
It’s an electric guitar and it is HUGE! Have you ever watched those cake competitions on TV and they decorate this 6 foot tall monster of awesomeness and then have to move it to the table while we all wait with baited breath for it to fall? Jake’s cake is only a two layer guitar, and even without the fondant and decorations it’s well over 50 pounds now.
I’ll put a finished picture up here, and the step by step pictures over at Kater Bug Cakes …
OH….and there is a some business about a little WAR er, football game goin’ on back home!! Go UTES!!
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Just For Some Clarification…
By Me | November 21, 2008
I find it strange that someone who is estranged with their mother, sisters, father (before he died) and many other various family members, thinks that when our friendship ends it’s because of my negativity. Not really strange…laughable! I still talk to everyone in my family, and many friends from my past and present…yet she is all alone and apparently very bitter…but yes, I guess it’s all my fault!
Especially when reading through all of our instant messages filled with me cracking jokes…and one too many ROFL’s from her…yes, negativity is always funny! She feels bad that our friendship will end because she thinks I need counseling…now isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black!!!
Just so you don’t worry any further Deezer…my life is great, I have tremendous blessings in it. I’ve got good kids who, yes, drive me crazy quite a bit. But you know…There hasn’t been ONE time that I ASKED for your advice or help…you seemed to want to be the little ‘fixer’…but never once did I ask, or plan to take, any advice you had to offer! As for wanting something for free….I never asked….again….you shoved it on me.
So I say to you…there is no need to stalk my blog….this is the first and last time I will talk about you on it!! So, don’t let the door hit ‘cha in the butt….
Now that that is taken care of….all of my other friends and family…let’s get back to our lil chat…shall we??
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I STILL “Heart” TED!!
By Me | November 21, 2008
I just got my secret code for the Alpha program of Cloudshout. Honestly…I feel terrible, because I heard about it at IZEA Fest a few months ago, but never really checked it out. My bad! So I’m looking through some of the uses, and hope to have the up and running on this here blog momentarily!! And “IF” I love ya…I got some extra keys to share! shhhhhhhhhhh
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My One FATAL Flaw!!
By Gibber | November 21, 2008
Yes….I only have one FATAL flaw….for those of you who think I have more……pssstttttbbbbbt to you!!!
I despise the phone! I won’t make phone calls! I won’t answer it if I don’t know who it is (and sometimes when I do). Don’t call me….with a private or unknown number by golly, because you’ll be talkin’ to the machine!
I have been waiting nearly a month to hear from one friend. I thought she was mad at me, and when I messaged her…I got nothing back. My emails were returned and I figured I was in the dog house for some unknown reason. Well, Wednesday was the husband’s day off from work and the phone rang. He’ll answer anything!! The call was a private call that I had left unanswered, we’d been getting a LOT of those lately. Come to find out…it was her! She’s been calling for weeks, but because she makes phone calls from home for Purple Hearts…she doesn’t have her phone listed. AND….she’s not mad at me at all! New computer system…new IM sign on…and sick in bed for 2 of the 3 weeks! So….take that, me for not picking up the private call!! Not that it will change my answering habits!
So……..back to the fatal flaw! Whenever I am required to make a phone call, whether important or not…I get the cold sweats. I stammer. My mind races and then goes blank. Heart palpitations…you name it, I truly have a phone phobia.
So last week I made a phone call to Brunswick Zone XL for Jake’s birthday party. I got the information I needed. We were having the “Gamers Package” which was bowling, laser tag, game card all for $149.00. So last night we drop off Jake’s paperwork for shoe rentals and the lady calls back and is terribly confused. The “Gamers Package” does NOT include bowling! Ha….take that screwed up phobia head!! So I called her back (better when I get to talk to the machine) and she called this morning. His party will go off as planned, they will bowl first, then I have to pay $4.99 for each of the Laser Tag participants…and then in for pizza and cake. It raises my price by like $30.00…but for my blathering stupidity…that’s pretty cheap!!
—————
Ok, Steph called me out! One more fatal flaw……..Diet Coke Addiction—-So there…I have TWO!!
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My Evening!!
By Gibber | November 21, 2008
Ok, first rule!! The late night picture show is fine on the bod…late night picture show popcorn…not so much! Bring on the Rolaids!!
Now in the light of day, I can share some of my thoughts on the movie…in fact, I’m gonna give you a list of what I liked and a list of what I hated!
Liked:
1 Mike Newton could NOT have been more perfectly cast
2 The same with James…he was the perfect James–creepy
3 Edward was much better than I thought he would be
4 The beautiful, natural settings (LOVED the waterfall)
5 Seeing Phoenix again
6 Loved Esme
7 Loved Charlie
8 Loved Billy (although in my head he was MUCH older)
9 Loved Emmett
10 Not related…but seeing the Harry Potter trailer on the big screen…PRICELESS!
Hated:
1 Tyler….in my head he was an Anthony Michael Hall from 16 candles type
2 Jessica…blonde (of course)
3 Angela…brunette (In fact the girl playing Jessica should have been Angela)
4 HATED HATED HATED Jasper. He was just freakishly weird looking
5 The Cullen house was something that belonged more in the mountains of Jackson Hole, rather than the big, white plantation house it was described as
6 Bella’s voice in her “mind” and her drama when talking to Charlie at the end wasn’t convincing
7 The scenes where Carlisle changes Edward…hilariously BAD!!!
8 Jacob was FAR too old
9 WHY THE H.E.C.K. WAS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT “GOING GREEN” MENTIONED…jumping the shark for me!!
10 Twinkly Edward…not so much…
I think the hardest part was having the pictures I created in my head replaced by someone else’s face. But on the whole…I will most likely see it again (and again), and yeah…can’t wait for number 2!!
I still wish it had been Harry Potter we were watching last night, and Twilight in two weeks. Instead of Twilight last night and Harry Potter next JULY!!
There were two memorable previews that we watched. The first, The Unborn…NEVER WILL I SEE IT! Holy cow, it looked nightmare-evoking! But the next action flick with Nicholas Cage…SO gonna see it!
Thanks for hangin’ Miss Sarah….Have fun in Hawaii!!!
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And It Was…
By Gibber | November 21, 2008
…Eh…Pretty Good! Cheesy in some parts (how could it not be) but as a whole…I’ll definitely see it again!
More tomorrow…it’s 2:40 a.m.!!
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Leaving In 2 Hours!!
By Gibber | November 20, 2008
2.5 hours and Lady Sarah and I will be settling into our seats with a huge ol’ bucket of buttered popcorn…..and equally large Diet Coke (gotta stay awake you know!!) and watching Twilight. Yes, I’m still skeered it’s gonna be ‘cheeseball’…but I’m willing suck it up!! I guess it isn’t so bad living in the Central Time Zone, as we hit Friday before my beloved Utah folk!! Hey…I’ll text you while I’m watchin’ and you’re waitin’!! hee, just kidding!
The trailer was just on TV…and I got to run around screaming 2 hours….2 hours… to my kids! They weren’t happy with me, but hey, we’ve waited a long time for this moment!! I’m gonna wear my new BLING and listen to the soundtrack all the way to Barrington! THANKS SO MUCH K.A.—-the bracelet is AWESOME!!
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Which Would You Choose??
By Gibber | November 20, 2008
Wow, two posts today with Amazon links in them! DO NOT feel pressured to purchase any of these items, I’m just having fun finding them. However, if you are shopping through Amazon…I am expecting it to be done through me…mkay!!
Anyway, here is my question…..Which of the following would you choose?
I already have the Kitchenaid mixer, so I would just need the attachment…but is the second brand better? Price wise the Kitchenaid is cheaper, but again, I have over 200 pounds of wheat coming…so I want something strong and fabulous! But then there’s the cute little cheapy one…and if there is ever a problem with power, there’s the hand crank (I’d rather do it the “Native American” way instead of that thing)…but probably good to have on hand.
What are your thoughts? If this was what you were asking for for Christmas…which would you choose?
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Christmas Shopping
By Gibber | November 20, 2008
Should I feel bad that most of the kids gifts this year are books? I don’t, and it’s every book they’ve asked for…but it just seems to be missing something!
For holidays my kids get tickets for a date with their dad. Bulls / Blackhawk / Globetrotter / Monster Trucks…they are the “big” items that they get. This year, because there isn’t a Monster Truck show in the Chicago area around Grayson’s birthday, we will be traveling north to Milwaukee to see them. So even though the tickets for the kids are only $5.00 each, there will be pit party passes and a hotel room that need to be factored in.
Most everything else they are getting is coming from Ebay…again! They end up getting a huge Christmas, for half the price…so I’m happy there!
This year my big expense is my husband! Since he sometimes stumbles upon a post or two…I’m not going to say what it is…other than, NOPE!!! I’m not even saying that! But it’s AWESOME!!
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Say Hello To My “New” Little Friend!!
By Gibber | November 20, 2008
An airbrush system…I RAWK! Don’t mock it’s size…it’s not like I’m Madame Airbrusher or anything…but for my cakes…it will be so fun! And for $13 bucks…how could I not!! I have to have it for Jake’s ‘Electric Guitar’ cake, or I’ll be improvising on the flames, again! I’ve never used an airbrush, so it may take a bit. But I think it’s one of those things you can’t really mess up…just leave it to me!
All of Jake’s cake’s have been baked and frozen. I will get them out Saturday to begin the process! I may be cutting it close because I’m making the marshmallow fondant the same day I need it. It was way too much wrist work after being in the fridge. So I will stack it, carve it and frost it either tomorrow or Saturday. Cover with fondant, paint and decorate the same day. I wanted a green guitar with flames…Jake wants a black one with flames. His way, at least all party goers will have green poop!! Oh, the fun!
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If You Haven’t…You MUST!!
By Gibber | November 19, 2008
Have you discovered the fabulocity that is Cake Wrecks?? If not, lemme just say…you are missing out on some amazing fun with cake!
It may be because I love to play with cake, but I don’t think so! Anyone who has ever ordered a professional cake and gotten something HIDEOUS will understand the beauty of this blog!
Grayson’s 3rd birthday had a Hawaiian theme. He met his guests at the door with a lei and kisses. We had Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner. Tiki lights…you name it! The cake I ordered from Dominicks was just a seascape and it was horrid! The writing was something Grayson could have written better, and he was 3! There were little sprinkle fish all over the cake (not necessarily in the water)…it was bad! I may have to dig that photo out and submit it!
As for the above cake…WHAT??? Exactly what piece of this cake do you want to eat? The fact that there is a black censored bar going across the “Northern Lights” tells you that this lady was anatomically correct! “Yes, I’ll just have a little boobie, please!!” It’s either that or the cake on the pedestal elevated so thankfully between her legs! YIKES!
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Holy War Weekend!!
By Gibber | November 19, 2008
Even without looking at the teams schedules I can always tell you when it’s “Holy War” weekend! How do I know? Because on Saturday, November 22, 1997 I was lying in a hospital bed in labor with my first born. That day, my husband had great sporting events to watch while camped out in Labor & Delivery. The outcome…Utah–20 BYU–14. It’s been the same weekend as Jake’s birthday ever since.
This year with Utah ranked 8th and BYU at 16…I have to say, “A Utah Man Am I”!!
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Well…It’s About Time!!
By Gibber | November 19, 2008
How long have we been waiting for this one? I’m not a huge fan of Mr. “Adultery” Pitt, or Mr. “Pompous Windbag” Clooney…so it’s nice to see one of my favorite stars get something deserved.
Did any of you see Hugh Jackman when he hosted the Tony Awards a few years ago? It was M-A-G-I-C-A-L! He’s sexy in a clean cut, happily married, man with values, kind of sexy. Of course, he isn’t perfect, and skeletons may rattle in his closet as well, but until then….I’m just gonna look at him!! YUM!
So, how about you? Who is your ‘ideal’ Sexiest Man Alive???
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Anyone…Anyone??
By Gibber | November 19, 2008
Well, it appears that the date I had set up for Friday night is a bust!! My poor nephew is back in the big house until March. So, instead of making my husband sit through a major chic flick that he has no interest in, I’m thinking I’m heading out to the late night picture show when he gets home from work. It could possibly be too frightening to take one of my boys with me…but I’ve never been one to have a problem heading to the movies alone. No one to share my popcorn with!!
I did watch the trailer for the new Harry Potter movie today and wished that Twilight was still coming out in two weeks and that HPVI started Friday. Now we have to wait until JULY…and I could have taken my boys with me for that one. I remember sitting at opening night of number 5 with Grayson next to me. The screen went black and the flute started to play the theme…I got chills!!
As happy as I am to head off alone…if any of you out there are missing a date for the Twilight premiere as well…lemme know!
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Gettin’ The Itch!!
By Gibber | November 19, 2008
2 of Jake’s 3 cakes are in the freezer. I have to make one more today. The problem is, I’ve got the itch to get it started, but it’s only Wednesday and it will go bad by the time I need it…so I’m trying to think of something to fill my time with. So I’m thinking today will be a cleaning day…carpet that is. Didn’t I just do them for Barrett’s party, you ask? Why, yes I did!! But I used Oxyclean, which leaves a big ol’ white spot in some places. So today, I’m going through the living room and spot cleaning carpet! Then…I get to put up Christmas!
After this ‘multi-day’ project…I will be free to stack Jake’s cake…carve it…frost it…paint it…and be done with it! If you read the cake blog you know that I’ve found an amazing substitute for the yucky, expensive fondant. It’s homemade marshmallow fondant, and instead of costing $9.00 a brick, I can make an entire batch for under $5.00 and it tastes so much better! But, I’m going to make this the day I’m going to need it. That way I won’t have to knead it so much coming out of the refrigerator…that was a wrist breaker for the last cake!
And the most exciting news…Hobby Lobby has an airbrush system for $11.00! So hopefully the flames on his guitar will look AWESOME!!
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Dreams!!
By Gibber | November 18, 2008
Last night I was plagued with the same dream 3 or 4 times. That never happens…in fact, after waking up after the first one I was happy that I could go back to sleep and NOT have it again. But somehow, it weaseled it’s way in to every dream last night.
It had to do with my husband, wanting to buy a piece of sports memorabilia. But he owed money to one of the people selling it. Now we are talking thousands of dollars, so he went in with a different name, and was found out. Very stressful! But then to have it pop up again and again…it makes me wonder what it could be that my sub-conscious is trying to tell me! Am I avoiding something? We don’t owe large amounts of money to anything, except maybe the house payment (which is up to date). I don’t know what it could be, but I’ve never had a troubling dream several times in the same night.
The one I have a lot…all of my teeth fall out. Literally, in my dreams I’m spitting teeth out of my mouth. I did read up on this on, it has to do with the brain wanting to confront someone, or say something to someone that hasn’t been said. Being shy little me…I ALWAYS know what that has to do with!!
I’ve had “visit” dreams. These are the best! I remember in one dream I walked into the cultural hall for a ward members wedding reception and there was my Aunt Jeri standing behind the buffet table. I couldn’t get to her fast enough. I was in her arms, hugging her, and sobbing and telling her how much I missed her. It was only after I woke up that I realized that my precious grandma was standing next to her (missed opportunity on that one). But it was such a real moment, that even as I thought about it later in the day, it still felt as though I had just had a little visit all my own. I called my mom later that morning bragging to her that I’d just gotten to hug my aunt…it was AWESOME!!
I know I’m not the only one…Do you have dreams that you ponder throughout the day??
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Shoppin’ Like A Banshee!!
By Gibber | November 17, 2008
C.M. you are my HERO! I spent $6.00 at Jewel today and walked out with countless boxes of hot chocolate, 20 cans of tomatoes, 20 frozen Banquet dinners and 12 Marie Calendar meat pies. $6.00—and I’m going back tomorrow! Grayson had the most fun! We walked out of our first Jewel with 30 boxes of Hot Chocolate, and 28 frozen dinners for $5.00. The next three basket fulls were between 18 cents and 35 cents…so I’m not even sure I paid $6.00!
At Meijer today I purchased a turkey roaster for $29.00, got a free $20.00 turkey and a coupon for another $10.00 off an appliance. I NEEDED a toaster, so we got a four slicer, regularly $29, on sale for $17 and with my $10 off…I paid $8 for a new, fabulous toaster!
The one thing I need to stock up on now…good can openers, cause I if anything happens to the ones I have…I have a TON of cans of food that I won’t be able to get to!
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My Season Has Begun!!
By Gibber | November 16, 2008
Today on the way to my in laws house we turned the radio to a station playing Christmas music. I’m a HUGE Christmas fan. One of the first to put my decorations up and the one vowing to take them down next June (they always come down on the 26th…once Christmas is over…it’s just clutter!!) So, to get into the mood we hit The Light FM.
On the way home, in the snow, my song started. Band Aid’s Feed The World..it’s just not Christmas without this one. I was in the 7th grade when this came out in 1984…magical! Even now I still get chills with it, sing every word and narrate for my children each person singing a given part, what group they are from and I’ll even sing a bit of a song they would know from that group. I was amazed at just who my kids know—of course, my heart belongs to Duran Duran!
How about you? What are your favorite holiday moments that just ZAP you into the mood?
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OH…What A Day!!
By Gibber | November 15, 2008
Today I sat down and wrote out the menu for the next two weeks. Considering one of the days is Thanksgiving and one is Jake’s birthday, plus 2 Friday pizza nights, and 2 Sundays with the in laws…I was expecting a little lighter food budget! I was wrong!
Being the responsible shopper that I’m trying to learn how to be…I sat at the computer and went through the three stores ads that are closest to me, and found the cheapest stores for each item. If you head up to Meijer in Algonquin, there is a Jewel and a Dominicks across the street. So I figured it wasn’t too much farther gas wise. At Dominicks I got an entire basket of food for $98.00, and there were two stores to go! After the same amount at each of the other two stores…and THREE hours of shopping…I figured it wasn’t worth shopping around…I could have gotten everything I purchased for 1/2 of what I spent, had I just gone to Woodman’s. Lesson learned!
I do have to say…it’s time to buy a second shelving rack for my food storage. Every shelf of the one I have is bulging…and that one thing alone makes the 3 hour/$300 shopping excursion worth every penny!!
(P.S… C.M. are you going to the cannery next week in Naperville?)
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Snuggle Bugs!!
By Gibber | November 15, 2008
Today Barrett wanted nothing more than to snuggle with me. I LOVE that! Blake actually got angry with me because I don’t snuggle her anymore. The funny thing is, she never asks. After Barrett was done, she took a turn. It’s always nice. I remember Grayson used to ask me to hold him like a baby…that wasn’t all that long ago. Even Jake used to run out of school and jump into my arms…in third grade! He might still do it except that they ride the bus now.
My time with my babies is coming to an end. In some instances of depression…this is almost welcome, almost. But it is drawing to a close much too quickly! I’ve never been someone that needed expensive vacation rentals or nice cars and such…just quiet moments like these, (or just quiet moments altogether ) all of this is what makes life worthwhile. I would almost have another one, just to keep someone around who wants to snuggle, just a little longer!
The above photo was taken for an interview I had with Crain’s Chicago Business Magazine. The photographer had wanted a picture that captured me being a mom and a blogger all in one. He walked in the door and saw this setting in front of him, and immediately started taking pictures. I love it because it captured my daily life. The boys are right outside the window playing with their friends, Blake is playing on the floor next to me, and Barrett is snuggled up while I worked. Precious!
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Bring It!!
By Gibber | November 13, 2008
Since the constitutional ban was voted for in California the Mormon church has been the target of protests both large and small. I say…”Bring It On”! However, I do find it amazingly entertaining that no one is picketing the Catholic Church, the Baptist Churches or Blacks and Hispanics who OVERWHELMINGLY voted for the ban! Let’s just heap it on the Mormons!
I have a number of gay friends. I was in the hotel industry for a long time, and my husband is in the restaurant game. Many of his servers are gay…and many of them are my favorite people on the planet…(even if they don’t bring me creme brulee from Papadeaux (you know who you are…)). But my prophet says “NO”…so I get to say no too. I really don’t have an opinion on the subject. Shocker, I know…I have very strong opinions about everything. But with this one, I’m happy to side with my church leaders. I have a strong testimony. I know who they are. I know who they talk to. And if they say no, who am I to think myself smarter, more logical, or more compassionate than them.
For those of you who read this blog, you know I spend a fair amount of time thinking about things to come, and being hated by the world…just one more thing that has to happen. So I sing even louder…”Bring It On”!!
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Friends??
By Me | November 13, 2008
Does anyone have friends that only talk to them when they need something? I have someone like that. Someone I would love to talk to more, but you know, life is hectic…I understand that. But the minute they need something, anything they suddenly remember your whereabouts. What do you do with these kind of people? Do you count them among your friends? Are they just users in disguise as friends?
How about if someone you considered a friend is mad at you? Do you confront them? Stage an intervention? Am I less of a friend because I don’t do anything? I have a friend, someone I consider one of my best friends, and I haven’t heard from them in nearly a month (maybe more). My messages have never been returned, and my email has been blocked…hey…I can take a hint!! But honestly, if you have no idea what you’ve done…what do you do?
On my mission I was ‘blessed’ (???) with a companion that was the complete opposite of me. She was the new girl, I’d been there awhile. She came in and went on a cleaning binge. I’m sure she expected me to pitch in, but she never mentioned it…in fact, she rarely spoke to me. I sat back and did my own thing with the thought that “When you want to chill out and become friends…I’m here”. We were only together a month (THANK YOU!!!) and she did eventually chill. At the end of my mission we were paired together again for the last 2 weeks, in a city that I had been in before, but that we were both technically new to. We did just fine that time around! Of course, I had a broken elbow and was on major pain killers….and she made amazing curried rice balls…what’s not to like!!! But I digress….
As for the above mentioned “Friend” types…what would you do?
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Jake’s Birthday!!
By Gibber | November 12, 2008
The 11 year mark is swiftly approaching! Jake turns 11 on the 23rd of this month. He is having his first real “friend” birthday party. He wants to go bowling at the Brunswick XL in Algonquin. We went there last night to check it out and pick up his party invitations, and it is amazing! The price is amazing too! So now I have another week to make a cake.
Jake originally wanted a motorcycle cake, and honestly, I was looking forward to crafting Harley parts out of fondant…but now he wants an electric guitar, black with flames! That means a really fun project for me!!
Hopefully it will look something like this…but with flames!
I can’t believe it’s been 11 years since Jake came along…he keeps chanting “3 years till high school”–how can that be possible? I’m hating this growing up thing!
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It’s Finally Time!!
By Me | November 10, 2008
I need to start planning now for Christmas. You know, purchase a gift or two a paycheck between now and then to avoid the “cash drain” come December. I refuse to use a credit card to pay for anything due to the sticker shock that can come when you get the bill in January, so I have to add items into my budget. But up first, Christmas cards! I need to get the kids dressed up and out for some family photo’s. My sister in law always gives my mom the cutest Photo Calendars starring her kids, and I thought I would love to have one of my own with my kids.
I will most likely go through vistaprint.com because they do a great job, and it’s quick and inexpensive, AND because I also need to get business cards printed up for Grayson’s Monster Truck store so that he can pass them out when we go to see Monster Jam in January. With so many printing needs I can get everything I need in one stop, and still have money left in the budget for a gift or two! Vistaprint even offers window decals, and with my new religious bookstore online, I may just want one of those too!
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T’s Cake
By Gibber | November 7, 2008
This is the cake I made for Trevon’s birthday. He wanted Optimus Prime (animated series…not the movie). I lucked out because originally he was a “Bumblebee” fan, and that robot is NOT easy to create!
It was in the middle of this cake that I really wished I had an airbrush system. You know, give the cake that amazing look. Sadly, I would need a spray booth to protect my house from myself and my kids. So until then, I had to settle for the paint brush method. It works, and the cake was awesome…but just think what it could have been!
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A Date With My Favorite 10 Year Old!!
By Gibber | November 6, 2008
This past week has been a little hard for me and my boy! After a problem with the younger brother, Jake wrote him the sweetest letter. Sweet to him, to me…not so much! I realized that I was the bad guy in his mind. I’d lost that trust that I once had and it killed me. So I’ve been working really hard over the past week, kept us both medicated, spent a bit more time together, just tried to slowly build back that friendship and trust that we once shared.
Last Sunday at my in laws house I sat at the end of the table with Jake at dinner. After dinner, he was turned sideways in his chair leaning on me, and my arm was around him while he watched TV and I talked to my mother in law. This was new! Well, really, this was old…this was how we used to be. My mother in law got up to clear the table and normally I jump up and help her, but this time I said, “Jo, I will do all of this in a minute…but right now I’ve got baby time, and I’m not moving!” She totally understood, but it reminded me of the poem about housecleaning and kids:
The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs;
Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
Today I checked him out of school at lunch time, and we headed to Subway! How fun to just sit and talk to this boy (he’ll be in High School in 3 years!!). We are getting it back! Slowly but surely! We are going to do this once a month. That’s two dates with two boys per month–they only miss the lunch hour…and the office is going to think they have really bad teeth!!
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In A Bit Of A Funk Lately…
By Gibber | November 5, 2008
I have had sick kids, and am still currently cold’ish…but I’m happy to report that this funk really isn’t depression related. I only know this because I am fully medicated-woo! So maybe I’m not clinically depressed…but depressed I am! I have 1000 things that need to be done, and even sitting here typing seems to be a chore to my brain.
There has been a lot on my mind recently, even before the election. Thoughts about the last days and certain things that are going to happen. I don’t want to go into specifics here but it has to do with our ability to buy and sell. I’ve never been able to wrap my brain around how our society would ever diminish so much that the Law of Consecration would need to be lived, until now. We would have to be living relying totally upon the government (Socialism) and if the head of that government weren’t Christian, there could easily be a mark needed to buy food.
No, this is not gospel…this is just the wanderings of my mind. But the JOY…HE’s coming! HE’s close! Are YOU ready for HIM??
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16 Years Ago Tomorrow!!
By Gibber | November 3, 2008
I was living in the village of Toyohashi, Japan. It was a great city, but we lived in this decrepit old house that was just monstrous. We would contact up the main street from the train station to the bank–it was the ‘main drag’ in town. I do remember they had this amazing bread store on this drag and in Japan you could buy mimipan or pan no mimi (the crust) from the bread stores for 10 cents for a huge bag…but I digress!
I remember walking up and down this street and when we’d get to the bank they had a big screen TV in the lobby with a map of the United States on it. As different states election results came in that state would go blue or red. I know…it’s just like it is here, but I was across the world, and this was the first Presidential election I was even eligible to vote in, though I didn’t. It was George H. W. Bush against Bill Clinton. I knew President Bush, but I knew nothing of creepy Bill Clinton. As we walked and walked that day the map slowly began to turn blue until there were no empty states left. Bill Clinton had won. I didn’t even live in the United States but I knew just what kind of crap was about to hit the world stage…and hit it did!
I wonder what the map will look like tomorrow, on the big screen TV, in the lobby of that bank, on the corner of the main drag, in Toyohashi Japan. And just what kind of crap will hit the world because of it! (from either side)
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My Date With Barrett!!
By Gibber | November 3, 2008
Click on the photos to make them bigger
What an AMAZING day! We were supposed to have our “date” last Monday, but Blake stayed home from school sick. So it was postponed until today. I have to say, I had the most handsome man on my arm today!!
If you had asked Barrett what he wanted for his birthday in the weeks leading up to it, he would have told you he wanted a balloon. Well, his birthday came and went and mom totally forgot to get him one. So today we had Build A Bear Workshop, Lunch and a trip to the party store to pick out a balloon on the schedule. Just me and the Brewski!
He had picked his ‘teddy’ out online, (luckily–he’d chosen the cheapy) and he found it the moment we walked in the store. The outfit was next, and he walked straight to it as well. I had planned on spending some quality time at BABW and I have to say…it was whippin’ by! They stuffed his puppy just enough to support himself, but to still be squishy (mom’s requirement) and then it was off to the bath. That was Brewski’s favorite part…in fact, he did it twice. He wanted to do it a third time after his teddy was dressed, but I wasn’t about to start that over again! He named his puppy “Butch” and we make him say it A LOT, because it doesn’t quite come out right…and it sounds kinda naughty. But it makes us giggle!
Next he had his choice of lunch destinations, and even as we passed McDonald’s he said, “We don’t eat at McDonald’s anymore” (we’ve boycotted), but immediately changed his mind from a hot dog to McDonalds. This was his day–boycott or not, he got what he wanted! We headed to the party store for his balloon (Blue’s Clues (don’t know why…he’s never liked Blue)) and we were on our way home.
What a fabulous day! As we were leaving the mall he sighed and said, “Love you, Mom”…yep, it was an AWESOME day!!
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My Jake!!
By Gibber | November 2, 2008
I have to brag a bit about my Jake! He’s 11 and tonight when we got home there was a note from him on the kitchen table. It said:
Mom and Dad,
There are clothes in the washer. Please before you go to bed can you change them to the dryer so I have clothes to wear tomorrow!
Love Jacob
P.S. This note was written on the back of a spelling test. (He’d gotten an A+)
I just had a “Mom” moment when I realized that he is growing up, taking on some responsibility–and even if it’s the last minute…we are doin’ OK!
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Hungry Hungry Humpday!!
By Gibber | October 31, 2008
Wednesday Night was the first “Hungry Hungry Hump Day” at the Chicago Wolves Hockey game. My husbands restaurant is sponsoring the event, so we dropped off the two little ones with grandma and took the two older boys with us. It was so fun! We had VIP parking (so nice after the game) and we even got to go in the VIP room to eat dinner before the game. I haven’t done that since we lived in Utah and went to the Jazz games.
The Rib eating contest was between the first and second period, and it was so funny. The winner took home a $500 gift certificate to the restaurant…and finished with 20 ribs eaten in 5 minutes. The loser only ate 6, but he was sitting at the table just enjoying every bite! Now I have to say, these ribs are not in any way, shape or form “healthy grilling“–especially slathered in their famous sauce.
If you go to a Wolves game, you get a Buy One/Get One coupon for the restaurant. My husband had a man from Chicago call in to let him know that he was in the crowd at the game and seeing those ribs up on the jumbo-tron made him hungry! He would be in later today to get some of his own!
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Ah, Trunk R Treat Time Again!
By Gibber | October 31, 2008
Ah yes, the yearly tradition of Trunk R Treat continues! Jake was undecided as to whether or not he was going to go this year, but Grayson made a poor choice in costumes which resulted in Grayson having two football jerseys–so Jake gets to be a Bears fan, Grayson gets to be Devin Hester, Blakelynn being a bride and Barrett being Captain Feathersword from the Wiggles. One of my favorite little boys from Blake’s class in Primary would not leave her side, almost seemed like they should be shopping for engagement rings! There was another little tiny girl that followed her every where. Her mom said that she thought Blake was the most beautiful girl in the room. I’m sure it was the whole romantic notion of a girl in a wedding dress…cause we have some pretty cute girls in our ward! The kids had a great time, and looked great to boot!
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Mr. B’s Birthday!!
By Gibber | October 31, 2008
It was Brewski’s brithday! We had his party last Sunday, just a little one with the family. The Chef made homemade pizzas & baked pasta (my favorite)! My mother in law made my favorite “Sunshine Salad” - Which I ate all by myself! I think I’ll be in need of an alli diet pill after all is said and done–because…oh yeah, I have a half a sheet cake left too! (Did you notice the “Wiggly” candles on the cake? There is a red one, yellow and blue…but they didn’t have purple…so the 4 is purple! Grayson was amazed by the coincidence. What coincidence? Does he not know his mother??)
Barrett had fun. Got some super cute clothes, some toys and even has a date with mom scheduled for next Monday at Build A Bear! Good Times!
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For My Fellow Mo’s…
By Gibber | October 27, 2008
I was talking to my mom last night (yes, every night!) and she always has the greatest insight on things. She mentioned that at the last General Conference there were 5 new temples announced. I remembered that, I sat there counting them off in my head. But none of them were of too great a significance at the time. Now…Holy Cow…how did I miss the one true momentous, HUGE announcement!
Kansas City, Missouri is getting a temple. Ok, not just a temple…possibly THE temple! If you are still scratching your heads, get out your maps and see just what else lies around the Kansas City area. It’s ripe in church history.
Yeah….I got goosebumps! Had to sit my kids down and let them know just what was going on inside my head (not always easy, or safe to do !!
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Finished Cake
By Gibber | October 26, 2008
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Come Listen To A Prophet’s Voice…
By Gibber | October 23, 2008
Yes, I just spent $200 at Jewel Osco! They are having their stock up sale for canned vegetables. I bought 20 cans of each (Corn, Spinach and Green Beans). Plus, Evaporated milk, Tomatoes Stewed/Diced/Sauce, Salt and Cremette Pasta all on sale 10 for $10!
So, now that my 3 month supply is under way…I just need some shelves for the basement! I do have a case of rice, some oats and one other thing (totally can’t remember right now) coming from the cannery on November 22. Next big cannery purchase…BEANS! Since the husband can cook ‘em up tasty, I’m ready to stock up on them!
How is your food storage coming? Any ideas??
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A Toy & A Cake!!
By Gibber | October 22, 2008
Can you see the difference in these photo’s? The first two are the toy I copied for Barrett’s cake, and the last two are Barrett’s cake. I will put all of the photo’s up on KaterBugCakes.com tomorrow.
The cake will sit on top of a plain white sheet sheet cake with some red frosting edges–to cover the rough edge on the bottom.
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Are You IGNORANT Enough To Vote For This??
By Me | October 22, 2008
”As I’ve said about the flag pin, I don’t want to be perceived as taking sides,’ Obama said. ‘There are a lot of people in the world to whom the American flag is a symbol of oppression. And the anthem itself conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all. It should be swapped for something less parochial and less bellicose. I like the song ‘I’d Like To Teach the World To Sing.’ If that were our an them, then I might salute it.’
‘We should consider to reinvent our National Anthem as well as to redesign our Flag to better offer our enemies hope and love. It’s my intention, if elected, to disarm America to the level of acceptance to our Middle East Brethren.’
‘ If we as a Nation of warring people, should conduct ourselves as the nations of Islam, whereas peace prevails (until you fly airplanes into buildings), perhaps a state or period of mutual concord could exist between our governments. When I become President, I will seek a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity, and a freedom from disquieting oppressive thoughts. We as a Nation have placed upon the nations of Islam an unfair injustice.’
‘My wife disrespects the Flag for many personal reasons. Together she and I have attended several flag burning ceremonies in the past, many years ago. She has her views and I have mine. Of course now, I have found myself about to become the President of the United States and I have put aside my hatred. I will use my power to bring CHANGE to this Nation, and offer the people a new path of hope. My wife and I look forward to becoming our Country’s First Family. Indeed, CHANGE is about to overwhelm the United States of America .”
But don’t you dare call this guy “Anti-American”! PUH-LEASE!
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I HATE My Skin!!
By Me | October 22, 2008
I have been using the Mineral Makeup you see on TV for almost 2 years now. It’s odd because each little container is supposed to hold 6 months worth of make up, and I’m still on my first ones! That is how often I wear makeup (my poor husband!!). If you’ve read any of my other blogs, you will know that I hate my skin. I always have. Other people may not notice every little detail, but I certainly do…and I HATE it!
I’m always on the look out for really good skin care products. I don’t even care if it costs a fortune, if it works, I want it! I’ve been looking at iderma.com, and they have a ton of scientific formulas for skin care. Methinks, it’s time to check them out! They have the Mineral Makeup on their site too!
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15 Years…Oh My!!
By Gibber | October 21, 2008
October 14th marked the 15 year mark since I came home from Japan. 15 years…and there hasn’t been 1 day since that I haven’t thought of Japan, the language, my people…life–since then. We were sitting in church these past few weeks practicing the songs that the kids would sing on the program, and I was amazed how many of them, I didn’t know in English. Even Called To Serve was far more natural in Japanese. (If you look at the above map…I lived in the yellow and orange sections)
Something most people don’t know about me is that I have most of the songs in the hymn book memorized. Every verse. I know…it’s my only claim to fame! HA–not really. My first area in Japan I had a native Japanese companion who had gone to school at BYU Idaho/Ricks, so she was fluent in English. We had an American in the ward so we would go to all of her meetings for her church callings and my companion would translate for her. Not being a part of the ward business, but being stuck at church, I would sit at the table and quietly memorize hymns in English. That was how I would fight culture shock…when I would get really down I would sing the hymns while we rode our bikes around the city. There you have it…my strange little “weirdness”!
I don’t know why I’m sharing this odd little post with you all. But I’m sitting here working and singing “Truth Reflects Upon Our Senses” from the hymn book. It’s a ‘cute’ little song in English…but when you sing it in Japanese, it’s just awesome! The sound effects are just better–and how many times in English do you get to finish a song with “Ta Ta En Toe”????
Yes…I’m still just a bit on the odd side!
However…..Now that you know something odd about me…what’s something odd about you??
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Yes…The Eyes Are Bad!!
By Gibber | October 20, 2008
Today on our way home from the craft store I looked up in the sky and marveled to the kids about a cloud.
Me…
“Wow, that cloud is the perfect shape of a blimp.”
My kids…
“I don’t see a cloud…but I do see a blimp!”
Yep…it was a blimp!
Hey…at least I could match up my shapes!!
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And We’re Off!!
By Gibber | October 20, 2008
During the day it’s just me and Barrett. It’s amazing how different he is as an only child, I actually adore him! Whodathunk?? His birthday is this weekend, and if you ask him what he wants…it’s a balloon. That’s it–plain & simple!
For months he wanted me to carve his birthday cake into a monster truck, and I have to say…I was excited about it. But over the past two or three days he’s set his sites on a Wiggles Car for his cake. It makes the cake decorating a little easier, but man oh man…it’s so cool to sculpt a cake! Maybe I can talk Grayson into a Monster Truck cake for his birthday!
So Brewski and I are off to Hobby Lobby to pick up his ‘cake needs’. Since I’m using fondant, and I HATE fondant’s taste, it will probably sit atop a sheet cake. That way no one has to endure fondant. But definitely pictures when it’s done!!
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I Gave This A Full Belly Laugh!!
By Gibber | October 19, 2008
‘Nuff said!
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Aging Beautifully…Or Just Aging??
By Gibber | October 18, 2008
We are coming into the time of year when I desperately need diet pills! My 3 year old turns 4 next Sunday. My double-digit boy, hits the next digit 4 weeks later, and Blake turns 6–2 weeks after that! Add in Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years…..and this body is TOAST!
I’m still in shock that we are nearing the end of the year. It’s gone by faster than any year I can remember! 2009 brings with it my 20 year high school reunion…what is up with that? It still seems like yesterday! I have started to reconnect with many friends through Facebook, and some have changed (aged) quite a bit…while others don’t look like time has touched them at all. Where is the fairness in that?
The most interesting…some of those gorgeous girls in high school haven’t aged very well, while some of the not so cute girls have come into their own and are drop dead gorgeous. So much so, that it is hard to see the same young girl in the older person’s face. Many of the boys that were sooooooo cute in high school have lost their looks (and their hair) as well! Not that time has done me any favors either, but it seems to be the great equalizer through it all.
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Sweetest Day!!
By Gibber | October 18, 2008
Today is “Sweetest Day”. Ever heard of it? If you haven’t spent time in the mid-west, I’m betting the answer is NO! Growing up in Utah, it was something very new when we moved here. But every year, my sweet husband brings home something for me, and sometimes for the kids. As I hide my face in embarrassment for having forgotten. But not this year!
I was at the mall today getting Jake a collared shirt for church tomorrow, and luckily there was a sign reminding me of this “Hallmark Holiday”. So the kids and I headed to Mrs. Fields to get him his favorite peanut butter cookies. If I’d had a bit more warning I could have come up with something a little more creative…but as it is…it’s going to have to do!
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The Untamed Monster!!
By Gibber | October 18, 2008
Whenever you see a ‘housewife’ on TV carrying her laundry…it all fits neatly in one basket. One basket amid a spotless house. It makes me laugh. Is that even possible? I have four kids and two adults…and a monster in the basement that IS the laundry pile. I really can’t complain too much though. The older two boys do their own laundry and most days off my husband catches it up for me–but there are those times when it is just crazy impossible. One day in the old house we decided to take just the bedding and linens to the laundromat. You know get them all done at the same time…it was like 20 batches! We had enough baby blankets to warm third world countries. When we moved I did go through the linen closet and throw out all of the towels that we’ve had since our wedding, and since Blakelynn was getting a queen size bed in her room (the guest room) I tossed all of the ‘girlie’ twin sheets. Still–we are full to over flowing on just linens.
I would be much better if we had an upstairs laundry room. I actually pay the boys to wash the clothes and dry them, and then bring all 100 of the baskets of clean clothes to my room where I fold them all while watching a good movie. That’s what I will be doing tonight! I can fold with the best of them…just don’t make me put them away!
Barrett’s birthday is a week from tomorrow and he does need clothes. But the thought of adding to that monster downstairs is not a pleasant one! I’m skeered!
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Trying To Decide…
By Gibber | October 18, 2008
This week we got new siding. We asked them to remove the shutters, and not put them back up. When we bought the house they had peach colored shutters (yeck) and I’ve always wanted them darker. Now with the darker siding…it’s my chance. However, as I look at the house now, I can’t decide if I want shutters at all!! What do you think? They would be dark red if I do put them back up!
Here’s the before:
And here’s the now:
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MY Digital Camera!!
By Me | October 18, 2008
My husband and kids have tickets to an upcoming hockey game. I normally don’t mind this, but this year with their two favorite players on the Blackhawk team, my kids are begging for the chance to bring my digital camera. Not that I mind them taking a camera…but it’s giving up my micro sd memory cards for a short time. These puppies are not cheap, and I don’t have that many of them. If they lost one of them, what would I do when I needed an extra two or three?
We have been talking about getting the kids their own digital camera and memory card for Christmas. It would be an inexpensive one that they could take to the Bulls games, the Blackhawk games and even the Monster Truck show. That way…they don’t have to touch my babies!! I think it sounds like a plan!
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Orovo Is ‘Da Bomb!!
By Me | October 17, 2008
I have been using orovo detox for the past several weeks. It’s one of my favorite diet pills I’ve taken. I haven’t had any of the normal side effects that you hear about with some of the pills out there today. Mostly mine comes from loss of sleep. This of course is my fault. I was telling my aunt earlier that when I don’t get up early enough to take my first dosage fo the day, it moves the second dosage back until after noon. That is too late for my body to process the caffeine intake and I become a raging insomniac.
I have worked really hard to remember to take the first dose when I get the boys up for the school bus—and by doing it that way, I’m ready for dose number too well before noon, and thus, I’ve skipped all of the side effects! And I’ve never been jittery once!
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Insurance Woes!!
By Me | October 17, 2008
We have been looking into new health insurance recently. We haven’t had any for a few months, and with my eyes deteriorating so quickly, it’s time to step in and look. I had an Ophthalmologist appointment last week and it was $120 for 45 minutes, and he wanted a follow up appointment. He also ordered some blood tests to be done with my regular doctor and those can add up…so the time has definitely come!
We can’t afford it through my husbands work. Not that it’s expensive coverage…it’s just terrible coverage! He has four prescriptions that he gets monthly and on his insurance we still pay $150 for them. That is ridiculous! So we are jumping in this week to find something better for all of us! Wish us luck!
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Good Golly Miss Molly!!
By Me | October 17, 2008
I have always been one to say that the African American crowd is voting for Obama simply because he’s black…and now, sadly…I guess there’s proof!
And they call me a racist!!
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Mr. B!!
By Gibber | October 16, 2008
Today as I walked my youngest into Pre-school, I looked down at his little hand in mine, the overly big Handy Manny backpack on his back, his cute little hair cut and I listened as he told me in complete sentences just what his favorite part of school was, and what he was going to do after school. I was struck how in just 10 days, this little man is going to be four years old. Four years! I’m not sure I have four years worth of memories of him. He has the most ‘logic’ of my four kids. He will say and do things that are wiser than even my years. His brain will work out something difficult and spit it out in three year old terms and I just stare at him, shocked that he even knew how to rationalize it. He is funny! What makes him funny is that he knows how to be. It’s not just him doing cute little kid stuff that make you laugh….he’s performing…and he’s got it all scripted-hand movements, facial expressions and even his inflection, he’s got it all in there.
While I was waiting for him after class, one of the girls that plays with the kids (he’s in the high school program) asked me if I was his mom, and then went on to tell me just how much she enjoys him. He’s her favorite, and if they were allowed to choose the kids they partnered with-she would choose him everyday. How that warmed my heart that a teenager, a being more interested in themselves than others, enjoys playing with my son.
He then went on and on, from the time we left the building-got into the car-drove the 10 minutes home-and into the garage…I’m not sure he took a breath, but I heard everything that went on in his day and sadly, I missed a lot of it…but I do remember marveling as I pulled into the driveway that he hadn’t stopped talking once, since we left school! He’s just like his mama!!
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The Definition…
By Me | October 16, 2008
Socialism:
1. a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.
2. procedure or practice in accordance with this theory.
3. (in Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles.
What this is…“Redistribution of Wealth”! And which Presidential candidate advocates a redistribution of wealth??? Barack Hussein Obama and if you read number 3…it’s the movement away from capitalism right before communism. We are a capitalist nation…if he redistributes our wealth…we will be a Socialist nation on our way to becoming COMMUNISTS!!
I just hope people open their eyes, and see what a horrible choice for America he is…because if we fall, the world will follow!
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Point A & Point B!!
By Gibber | October 13, 2008
Today my mom brought over some video of my two oldest when they were newborns. Looking into their beautiful, angelic, perfect faces I wondered how in the world could you get from that point, to a decade or so later. I looked at my two boys now and wondered just how much better off they would be if they’d had a better mom than me. Not really—but don’t we all think there are better moms than ourselves? Is there something I could have done differently to bring that extra smidge of joy into their lives?
I got a colored pencil note from Grayson that simply said I Love You placed next to me with a bag of Hot Tamales. And from Blake, a crayon picture of her and I surrounded by hearts. I’m doing an OK job…but these kids deserve so much better than mediocre me. No worries, I always get melancholy after my mom and dad leave…this too will pass. I just hope that when they grow up, they will forget all of the stupid things I do as their mom….and strive to be better parents to their angelic babies!
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I’m Still Blind!!
By Gibber | October 10, 2008
I just got home from my eye appointment. Apparently I’ve got iritis/uveulites (sooo don’t know how to spell that word) but the problem is, I have it in both eyes instead of just one. You only get it in both if there is an underlying auto-immune disorder going on. Well of course there is….I could have told you that! I’m a Code….that’s all that’s crawling through our systems! I should say, I’m typing this with my really dark glasses because he dilated my eyes…so I’m practically blind…therefore, forgive any strange spelling moments, because hey, I can’t see them!
Now here’s my quandary! I’m blind…and I’m not a morning person. Boys have basketball game tomorrow morning, but the husband is going to take them. I’m wondering if I could scoot off to Davenport, Iowa for a McCain/Palin rally. You know….any opportunity to hang out with the secret service should be seized upon!! Chances are I won’t make it….but it’s only 2.5 hours away…I could so be there! Taking part in the calm crowd that then gets flamed for yelling horrible things about Osama. I wouldn’t do that in a group like that…I save my rants for my close family and friends!!
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Say It Ain’t So!!
By Gibber | October 8, 2008
This is my baby! My little three (four the Sunday before Halloween) year old! He’s just too little to be doing this! But boy, isn’t he darling?
He started the Pre-K program at the local high school…it’s amazing! $85 for one semester! Most programs around here are over $150 per month…so I’m feeling really lucky to have found it! There isn’t a budgeting software around that could’ve gotten him into a preschool at that price!!
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Good Bargain…Good Food!
By Gibber | October 8, 2008
It’s raining. It has been all day! I’ve never been one to like to go out in the rain, unless it’s a downpour that soaks you in a matter of seconds. Those are my favorite to take a walk in. But when it’s just a rainy day, I love to hang out in side in my warm sweats and wool socks. Kind of like winter days in front of the fireplace with a good book (not that that ever happens). But last night I thought something warm and hearty sounded good for dinner. So I made homemade Chicken Noodle soup.
Deboning chicken has always been one of my favorite things to do. I remember as a child sitting at my Grandma Code’s big red table. She’d debone the chicken, and I would finish any of the meat that she left on them. So every time I’m doing it, I’m right back there, six or seven years old hanging out with my grandma.
I was going to buy 2 whole chickens to boil—but they were $8 bucks. So I headed over to cut up whole chickens…they were closer to $10 each, but so much easier to work with. So I grabbed them for convenience. Until we hit the deli. They had their rotisserie chicken (already cooked) for $5.99. So I sent Grayson back with the raw chicken and headed home with the cooked!
Holy cow was that so much easier than having to cook the chicken too! And, I got 2 for the price of 1!
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He’s The Key-Man!!
By Me | October 6, 2008
Have you ever heard of key man insurance? I hadn’t heard of it until today. Apparently it’s something a business can take out on one of their most needed employees. That would definitely be my husband. Kind of like how models can insure their legs for obscene amounts of money just in case there is a problem later. It would definitely make sense to cover my husband, because he seems to be the heart and soul of the restaurant. Well….in my opinion anyway!
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How Do I Get Involved In Something Like This??
By Gibber | October 5, 2008
How cool is this? Honestly, what would go through your mind if you were standing in, or walking through a room when this happened? Attack of the body snatchers maybe!! I would definitely be one of the people wandering around poking people or taking pictures! It looked liked the garbage collector on the mini truck might need some cheap auto insurance there for a minute. Everyone just froze, and he had to have quick reflexes to stop without hitting them.
I don’t know what you have to do to get involved in this kind of thing…but I so totally want to do it—and I think Chicago would be a great place for it!
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I Found A Treasure Today!!
By Gibber | October 3, 2008
This is Christmas day 2002, and Blakelynn is 3 weeks old. Grayson has fallen asleep in his chair, but he is holding Blake’s bottle for her. You can see her sweet little head in the mirror (if you click on the photo to make it bigger) on the back of her seat. Just a week or so from this time, she would need some sort of acne treatment. How sad is it when you finally feel good enough to get your new babies photo taken, and baby acne sets in!! Not cool! But I digress!!! When Blake was this tiny her older brothers doted on her. I just wish this cute relationship would have lasted a little longer than it did. These two fight like cats and dogs now!
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You’d Think I Already Knew…
By Gibber | October 3, 2008
…but I don’t!
I am sooooo tech savy! You know you are all jealous. Go ahead…admit it! Okay…maybe not so much. We have an old dinosaur of a computer that the kids use. It was our first, so it has a TON of digital photo’s on it. I did copy them onto a memory stick…but my new computer with Vista won’t read the stick.
I changed the blog template yesterday, and want the pictures of the kids below the headers to work as buttons to their own photo pages. Blake’s works because I already posted a whole page of her. Most of Jake’s and Grayson’s pictures are on the dinosaur. So I spent hours trying to get it to slowly upload a bazillion photo’s onto my photo bucket account, then I thought I would just get them through the network with the laptop and upload them from there…but I have a baby mouse with the laptop…and tons of work just isn’t fun with it! Then remembered that it would be faster to just FTP them. I started it last night, and it was still going this morning when the boys left for school. Either it’s freaky slow…or I have way too many pictures!
Anyway…they are in the picture folder on the FTP…now, I just have to figure out the coding to get them off!! It’s not like I’m looking for the best acne treatment, I’m just trying to find the code…I’m just not that good, I guess!
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What Is Up With That??
By Gibber | October 1, 2008
Last week I woke up with pink eye in my right eye. It’s only the third time this summer, so it’s old hat! Mine is most likely NOT the really contagious kind since I’ve had it three times and no one else in my family has had it once. So I’m thinking it is allergies, but it still hurts and I have zero tolerance for light at all…hence the poor blogging habits recently! By Monday the pink eye was gone, but a cold was coming on. I still have the cold and woke up today with pink eye in my left eye. I knew it was coming late last night when I put my head under the faucet in the shower. I wiped my hand over my eyes to get the water off, and it hurt so badly, I knew I would wake up with it. It’s still at the painful, light sensitive stage…and holy cow am I sick of it! This time however…I have the wonderful cold to contend with too!
I’m just hoping it’s all gone by Saturday when my parents get here! And Chantalle…I PROMISE I will get you the email I told you I would send. I just haven’t had much ability to look at the computer screen much for a week. Ouch!!
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They’re Coming!!
By Gibber | September 26, 2008
My mom and dad are heading to Chicago next Thursday. They are actually going to be pulling the 5th wheel and spending nearly 2 weeks here! I can’t wait! I just wish I could cut down the hedges in the side yard, and one of those freestanding carports and adding in some hook ups. That way they could just stay at my house instead of the RV park 15 minutes away. Mind you, 15 minutes is a heck of a lot closer than 1500 miles, so I’ll take it! I’m just excited to see them again and Lizzy too!
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Budgeting!!
By Me | September 26, 2008
I have been working on our budget the last couple of days. It’s never a fun job, but one that has to be done. The nicest thing about what’s on it right now, is the fact that we only have one payment left on our car insurance. Then I get to drop that payment off and add it back into the food and gas budget. I can’t imagine what it would be like if we carried any car loans or credit card bills. There is one thing to say about being out of debt…other than the mortgage…it makes the budgeting just a little bit easier! We just have to keep the cars running as long as we can…cause I’m not touching a car loan with a ten foot pole!!
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I Have A Date!!
By Gibber | September 24, 2008
Several weeks ago I was at my in laws house waiting for my two youngest who were next door at a birthday party. While I waited I finished Book 3 of the Twilight series. Our nephew Jason was around and asking what I was reading. Even though he is an avid reader, I wasn’t sure this was a book for him, but I left him book 1 a few days later with a sticky note letting him know it wouldn’t hurt my feelings at all if he really wasn’t interested in it. I’ve heard nothing since!
Until today! He called me. He LOVED the book and is anxiously waiting for me to bring him the last three. He was excited that the movie was coming out early, and I asked him if he would like to be my date (since no one in my house would want to)—not only did he say yes, he offered to pay!
How much more fun will it be to have someone at the movie with me, who has not only read the book—but loved it! My husband would have gone…he would have eaten the popcorn…and wondered just what his wife had gotten him into…again!
This way is so much better!
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TRL…Primary Style!!
By Gibber | September 22, 2008
Sorry had to share this! The kids and I were driving home from my in laws yesterday and we started singing some of the songs in the upcoming Primary program, but I let the kids choose which song they wanted to sing for their turn. After a few rounds, Blake couldn’t think of a song from the program so she chose, Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam. So we sang it with the full bravado on “Beam” as is customary. Barrett learned that part really quickly and was able to sing along. Next was his turn. He chose to sing the “Zombie” song. Now before all of you “non-Mo’s” get to wondering…we don’t sing about zombies at church, but that is how he heard the word “Sunbeam”. So we sang the song “Jesus wants me for a Zombie”. Yes, lightning was about to strike us all, but it was so funny I could hardly sing it! I know you are all trying it out…go ahead if you know the words, but you have to go all the way through the song, because it just isn’t nearly as funny until you get to the end!! Yes…I’ll be a zombie for him!!
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“The Girl”!!
By Gibber | September 20, 2008
Today the six of us went to a family party down south…New Lenox anyway. It was really nice to see the family–and have a chance to visit with some of my favorite people in the world. As we were gathering the brood to head home I was doubling back to make sure we had everyone. My husband said…and I quote…”The boys are downstairs, I don’t know where the girl is.”
My baby girl!! My Blakey Kate!! She was just downgraded to “The Girl”. How bad is that??
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Some Of My Most Favorite Videos…Take A Peek!!
By Gibber | September 17, 2008
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Snorkeling Dog!!
By Gibber | September 17, 2008
I have never seen a dog do this. My puppy will not let puppy food stay in his water, he’s rather A.R. about it. He will actually go fishing for it. If you listen closely to him, you can hear his nose blowing bubbles in the water as he tries to get his food out. He’s always victorious…it’s just so cute!
Snorkeling Puppy - The best free videos are right here
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I’d Take Another One…Or Two!!
By Gibber | September 16, 2008
I walked into church today to pick the boys up from scouts and there were two women standing in the entry talking. There was a little boy and a little girl, and what looked like a doll in arms of one of the ladies. I figured she was holding the doll for the little girl, until it moved. This little tiny thing was a two month old baby! I swear all of my kids were bigger than this baby when they made their debut in the delivery room. I got to hold him a little while later, and it was true, my babies were never that light!
I snuggled him, smelled him, held him out in front of me…everything new babies are good for. And I decided that I really could have me a couple more of these little snuggle bugs!! Now, I do have to say there isn’t a SHOT I could get that passed the husband, especially when I would want to ship them off at the first sign of the terrible twos!
But just for that moment…I wanted to go back!!
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He’s Doing Great!!
By Gibber | September 15, 2008
I wrote the other day about my son’s little Monster Truck project. What is amazing is that his site is on the first page of a Google search for “Monster Truck Bedding” and the second page for “Monster Truck Books”. None of my pages have ever been anywhere near the first page, unless you actually type in the names of the sites…Genkidesuyo is usually the first listed on the first page…but hey…who can’t see why? I’m off to figure out the rest of his pages!!
Monster Truck Christmas…he’s number one on page one…too fun!
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Just Shut Up Already!!
By Me | September 15, 2008
I’m sick of being called a “Racist” just because I’m not voting for Barack Obama! MOVE ON PEOPLE!! You aren’t going to guilt me into voting for your under-qualified ‘Messiah’ just because of his skin color!! And yes, comments will remain in moderation! Thank you!!
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The Demon Child!!
By Gibber | September 14, 2008
I’m starting to wonder if there isn’t something wrong with my 3 year old. Well, he’s only 3 for another month…but he’s the only child in his class in church who won’t sit still. Mind you, all of the other kids don’t have a mom teaching a class and sitting right behind them…so really, it may just be that!
If it isn’t just that…I’m in for some trouble! I had to remove him from singing time twice to swat his tushy! Even then he got a little better, but nothing like the kids in his class. Then when it’s time to separate he insists on coming to my class. My girls (I have 2 of them) don’t mind him at all, he makes them laugh…but you try to teach a lesson while having a 3 year old wandering the room making little girls laugh at him.
Today they handed out chocolate treats for each child with their part on the primary program attached to it. He wanted one of the ones in my bag, but there were only the ones for my girls. I told him if he wanted his, he’d have to go to his class. After about 10 minutes he headed off down the hall. At the end of church, I met him at his door. He was eating a donut hole…I wanna donut hole!
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I Finally Finished!!
By Gibber | September 13, 2008
Well…better than I thought it would be…but definitely NOT my favorite! Holy Cow, is there a woman alive with a sex drive like Bella’s?? There was just a bit too much of that for my taste, and in the world today–not quite the message that was needing to be sent. Although I was ok with the no pre-marital sex portion-that works for me!
The final battle (??) was long and tedious…and the final chapter was a let down. All in all, I think I will forever end my reading at the end of Book 3…newly engaged, and happy!
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I’ve Got The Itch!
By Gibber | September 13, 2008
Have you ever just had the itch to paint something? Not like artwork…like a wall? I’m fighting that urge at this moment, and I’m not sure why. Many months ago I pulled the wallpaper down in the kitchen and painted the walls a light brown. It changed the entire look of the kitchen. But I was really careful to do it in sections. I pulled the wallpaper down on one wall, spackled and primed the wall and then painted it, when it was done, I moved on to the next wall. That way the kitchen was quickly put back together after each section rather than living for months “mid-project”. The one thing I didn’t do…the dinette area. It’s huge, and with my sore arms I just can’t wrap my head around starting that project just yet. So here I sit wanting to paint something…and yet not letting myself start!
Maybe I’ll go tweak a template or something!! Or spend a moment finding all of the Firefox add-on’s I’ve been wanting! Do you use one that you love??? Lemme know!
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I Climbed Up Da Mountain…
By Gibber | September 11, 2008
Yesterday Jake came in from a bike ride covered in blood. As I rushed for the cleaning supplies I remembered what day it was…September 10th! Now, I admit, I’m the only freaky one with date memorizations in this little family but I had to ask him if he knew what had happened 7 years ago right then…give or take a few minutes. His response? Airplanes crashed into buildings! Nope, that was the next day…but the day before we had this…
“I climbed up da mountain and I fall off da top!”
We lived in Phoenix and I was vacuuming the living room. As always I tipped the couch over to vacuum underneath it. It sat with it’s back corner in the air creating sort of a mountain that my soon to be 4 year old decided to climb. At the top, as he proclaimed his “King of the Hill” status, he fell forward and off of the couch completely. He melted into tears immediately and I was hoping it was just a bump. He was still unhappy when it was bed time so he came in with me. In the middle of the night, he was fast asleep and I thought I would check to see if it was ‘just in his mind’–so I bent his arm. He sat straight up in bed, in tears…Bad Mommy…Bad Mommy!!
The next morning we woke up to the tragedy of 9/11. I took pictures of both of my boys in front of the TV showing what had happened. I knew that even though they wouldn’t remember the event that would now be in all of their history books, I wanted them to see that they were (kind of) there for it! Then we spent the day in the Emergency Room with a little boy with a broken arm, but like everyone else, our eyes were glued to the TV screen in the waiting room.
Because the break was so close to his elbow and growth plate, he was sent home until the next day when he could be seen by an orthopedic surgeon. That afternoon he came home with his bright green cast!!
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Watchin’ Watches!!
By Me | September 11, 2008
Isn’t this such a cute little watch? This is one of the new Festina Watches, and I think I want one!
When I was younger I worked in the jewelry department at a store in the mall. I loved to work in the watch section because every watch in the case was different. I discovered that I love large faced watches with leather bands. Even when I moved to Japan I took a gold faced Mickey Mouse watch with a brown leather band with me. I LOVED IT!!
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Who Knew!!
By Gibber | September 11, 2008
I have been amazed at how well my kids are getting their chore chart done everyday. Even Jake-who I thought might require the purchase of one of those Nightforce rifle scopes just to track him down in the backyard. He is actually the first one in the house after school–and the first one done with his jobs. It has been such a great week, that if they make it through Saturday to complete the first full week of chores…I think I may have to take them out for something fun. I just never dreamed it would be this easy!
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What A Fun Afternoon!!
By Gibber | September 11, 2008
Barrett and I spent the day yesterday at Lisa’s house. Not only was it fun to have “grown up” girl talk, Barrett had a chance to spend the afternoon playing with someone not related to him at all. It was so cute! As we were leaving Madison even invited Barrett for a sleep over tonight, even though her mom has left for IZEAFest!
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Look What Just Happened Today!!
By Gibber | September 8, 2008
Jake taught his little sister to ride a 2 wheeler all by herself! The most amazingly fun part of this video isn’t the fact that my baby girl is flying along the sidewalk…it’s the utter joy for her accomplishment in her big brothers voice. Priceless!!!
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Another Epiphany!!
By Gibber | September 8, 2008
Holy Cow!! Life just got sweeter! I have found myself buried under 6 people’s worth or “stuff” and all alone on the cleaning front. Until today! If you haven’t signed up for the “Home Helper” newsletter over at Kate’s blog…yes, yes…it’s the same Kate I always talk about…and yes, I’m writing her name in for President this November…but honestly…I was reading her latest installment of her newsletter and the epiphany hit! I LOVE those moments!
In her newsletter you will find not only the letter from Kate (my favorite) but recipes, shopping list and a choreganization chart. It’s the chore chart that caught me this time. I’ve never really followed her chart, because I was already doing something similar, but with different days. But finding myself still buried, I made a plan to follow hers better. AND THEN IT HIT! I found 1 job under each day for each of my kids. Even something little for my soon to be 4 year old. For example, on Wednesday…Jake will scrub all three toilet bowls, nothing else. Grayson will wash all three vanities and Blake will remove all of the towels and clothes and put the bath toys back in the tub. All that leaves for me…the mirrors, the toilet tanks and the floors! And each child can’t really complain because their only chore for the day took what? 3 minutes??
I follow each of her days, picking out little jobs that make up the complete whole, and my job is simply to finish what hasn’t been done! I can tell you that when I unveil the plan tonight at Family Home Evening (our first), there will be some murmuring…but hey…3 minutes??? I think I can put the flames out pretty quick! After all, the treat for FHE is chocolate caramel turtle bars…and what flame won’t that put out???
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The Recipe…
By Gibber | September 7, 2008
Ok, after my post about the vegetable tray for my kids, I got a few requests for the recipe for the dip. Before I give it to you…you will be amazed to hear the differences in calories for our dip and regular ranch dressing.
Let’s start with the calories you get in normal ranch dressing…and this is homemade using the ranch dressing packet. A full envelope using mayo and milk gives you 1920 calories and 1760 Fat Calories. Now, we aren’t talking the “dip” calories…you have to add sour cream for that, and they don’t give you the calories of that one.
For our dip—we use 1 cup of cottage cheese and 1 cup of plain yogurt along with 1/2 the envelope of dressing mix. You can use more or less depending on your taste. We used to pulverize the cottage cheese to make it smooth and creamy until we discovered that once you bite into whatever has been dipped–you can’t even tell the curds are there. With this recipe, you get the same ranch flavor but drop your calories to 330 for the entire recipe and the fat calories down to 11! I will say…even if you don’t like cottage cheese or plain yogurt, you can’t tell the difference…it tastes the same!
How’s that for amazing!!
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It’s Christening Time…
By Gibber | September 7, 2008
Well, after nigh on MONTHS of work…I’ve finally finished the work on Grayson’s monster truck store. Well, I still have the “Kids Zone” to finish, but I don’t know how to create that yet…and who’s going to come to my site for a kid’s zone anyway!! Do you see the monster truck button sitting over there in the sidebar??? That’s it…click on it and head off to Monster Truck nirvana!! Or head on through there to Amazon and make your purchases of “non” monster truck items!
Why would you do this you ask?? Because it will cost you not one penny more to purchase these same items from Amazon directly…and you will be helping out a family that could really use a little help on the money side! We have more to offer than just Monster Trucks…that is Grayson’s. Blakelynn has her own “Tween” store with Hannah Montana and High School Musical items and Jake has a Sports Memorabilia site…but those are not quite finished yet!
Check it out and let me know your thoughts!! I would love to hear any ideas!
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He’s In High School!!
By Gibber | September 5, 2008
Well, according to Barrett anyway! He’s three, turning four just before Halloween and he loves to point out the fact that he is going to high school. Mind you, it’s the High School pre-school…but it still irritates his elementary school brothers to no end! The battles get quite heated, but my mind just flashes to his “Handy Manny” backpack heading through the halls amongst the much older and much taller teenagers! He makes it sound like he’s a regular Doogie Howser!
At least in the picture above, he wears his pants as most teenage boys do!!
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The “Pig” Life!!
By Gibber | September 5, 2008
My husband and his restaurant had a huge barbecue buffet for Labor Day. They served over 550 people that evening…how amazing is that? It’s not really a surprise, everyone around here not only loves barbecue, but the company sauce as well. I can eat anything as long as it has “the” sauce on it! The head of the company has big dreams (which aren’t always bad). Hes bought up a lot of real estate and even a catering company. His plan is to smoke their meats on site and then package them for the grocery store! His sauce is already all over grocery store shelves, but to add the smoked meat…genius! I wouldn’t mind a bacon of the month club, but I don’t see them going that direction anytime soon!
My husband was on the news last Saturday morning, and as soon as I figure out a way to upload the segment…I’ll post it here! Until then, maybe I’ll track down the link!
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I Need Some Help!!
By Gibber | September 4, 2008
This is what my kids come home to everyday after school. It sits silently in the middle of the table awaiting it’s utter destruction! The problem isn’t the fact that the kids want something different…they LOVE this thing, but I want something different. I’ve tried radishes…I’m the only one that eats them. Celery doesn’t get eaten nearly as much…if I would steam broccoli they would eat it, but that’s just more work. Cutting, bowling, steaming, washing of the bowl!! It’s hard enough having to cut up the cucumber! Ok, not really…but this is a quick and easy after school snack that adds zero useless calories to their tummies.
If this were your bowl…and your kids were going to eat it…what else would you add??
UPDATE:
Just in case you didn’t believe me that my kids devour the poor thing…here’s proof!
I did ask all four kids what they would like to see included…Jake (surprisingly) wanted celery…which is in the fridge. Grayson wanted more cucumber. Blake wanted avocado (yeah right)-we settled on a separate bowl of grapes. Barrett wanted olives…we settled on string cheese!
But still…I would love any ideas!!
**After some comments…I should point out…it isn’t Ranch Dressing in the middle there. It’s Plain Yogurt with some secret seasonings that my Chef husband adds to make it thick and delicious!! But far healthier than Ranch Dressing. But thanks for your comments!!**
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Some Fun With The News!!
By Me | September 3, 2008
Do you know how you find people in your current life and they remind you of people that you used to know? It’s either a good thing, or a bad thing! I had a wonderful friend in high school named Julie, she got married–I went to Japan and we lost touch. When we moved to Arizona there was a woman in our ward that reminded me of her, and there was a longing within me to be her friend (strange since I’m way too shy to take that upon myself!!) But before we moved to Chicago, we had become friends. There was another woman in this same ward that I didn’t have an affinity for…not really her fault and she was always very nice, but I kept my distance. When we moved here I found a woman that reminded me of her, and again, I steered clear. Why is that? All four of these women were very nice, friendly and sweet…but I only was drawn to two of them??
I’m having that same pull toward Mrs. Palin, the VP for John McCain. I know nothing about her…I don’t know her politics, I don’t know her history…but she reminds me of the lady I used to LOVE to babysit for, and I’m drawn to her. Now, I know we won’t be close personal friends…the secret service would shoot me if I tried to get close…you know, they just don’t like stalkers, I wonder why? But I am interested in finding out more about her…is she warm and fuzzy? Or cold and prickly?
On the subject of her daughter…I know, everyone has opinions…but I told my mother yesterday, “If the public were basing their judgment of my parents on my decisions as a 17 year old…I would be MORTIFIED! And honestly…I was the model 17 year old! I got good grades, I obeyed my curfew, I had good friends, I didn’t dabble in sex, drugs or rock ‘n roll–you could probably count me as a “Heavy” pop fan!! To this day I’ve never smoked a cigarette or used an illegal substance…nothing that most 17 year olds are facing. I was perfect! And I am still unhappy with some of the choices I made back then. I could say something about kids making adult decisions without the aid of a fully developed pre-frontal cortex…but I’m not going all scientific on ya!! I’m 37 years old and finally living the way I was taught by my parents. I think I would still be sick if they were judged on my choices today…and I’m back to being perfect!! 15, 16, 17 year old kids (boys and girls) are starting to play grown up, and they just don’t have the ability to always make the right choices. (Heck, even Barack Obama’s mother was 18 and unmarried when he was born)Then you add in the starlets of today, the girls that are flashed in the faces of our teenagers…Jessica Alba, Jamie Lynn Spears, Ashley Simpson…all pregnant out of wedlock, and there are hundreds more!
So to end the post…I thought I would throw it out to you…who can you add to my lists??
Shotgun Weddings!!
Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck
Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes (not really a shotgun, as the baby was AT their wedding)
Ashley Simpson & Pete Wentz
Jessica Alba & Cash Warren
Gweneth Paltrow & Chris Martin
Catherine Zeta Jones & Michael Douglas (Waited until after the birth so she could look pretty in her wedding dress!!)
Usher
Good Enough To Breed With…Just Not Good Enough To Marry!!
Nicole Ritchie
Brad Pitt & Miss Jolie
Halle Berry
Jaime Lynn Spears
Matthew McCounaghey
Michelle Williams & Heath Ledger
Isla Fisher & Sacha Baron Cohen
Bridget Moynahan & Tom Brady
Naomi Watts & Liev Schreiber
Salma Hayack
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Not A “Breaking Dawn” Fan!!
By Gibber | September 3, 2008
Can I just say…I have NO INTEREST in a post vampiric Bella!! I have been told by a few people to “Just Keep Reading, Just Keep Reading”–and of course I will, but honestly it was the human relationship of Edward and Bella that I loved…and I’m not a huge fan of the Book of Jacob and all of the ‘maternity’ moments, gyah!
I am a bit behind! I’ve had book four since the midnight it came out, and I’m just starting the second Book of Bella. I was re-reading all of the books, and just finished number 3 again on Monday. I’m now thinking I have to start all over and end the saga with the ending of number 3…unless something sooooo much better happens in the last 500 pages to make me a believer, I will chalk this book up to a TON of wasted time!!
And……..I was so up for a Leah/Jacob connection that I’m none too happy about the little 1/2 weirdo chick! Does Jake get anything good?? Poor Dawg!
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1 Year Later!!
By Gibber | September 1, 2008
Well, one year ago today…was one of the most exhausting days of my life! Many more followed in the weeks and months to come, but September 1st was the biggest!
We moved from here…
To here…
We had lived in the vintage Chicago bungalow for 5 years! It was where my kids had grown up and it was a sad move…NOT! We had 6 people living in a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom house. My husband and I turned the formal dining room into the master bedroom. It was right across the street from “Chicago” and I hated it! The house we live in now could easily be the home we retire in. We loved it then, and we still love it now. It’s not just the house, it’s the area. We are just sub-urban people! I love driving 5 minutes to the mall, instead of 45 to get to the mall 4 miles away from the old house! Everything in the ‘city’ takes 45 minutes, it doesn’t matter how far exactly you are going. The worst part…we used to be 10 minutes from O’hare (so much for the 45 minute rule, huh!!) and now we are 45–(see, it still applies)!
So much has changed in the year! But it’s been the best year of our 6 years here in Chicago!!
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The Freedom Of The Net!!
By Me | August 30, 2008
We spent Labor Day at my in law’s house. There have been a lot of changes there in the past week. Our nephew has moved in and taken over the computer room, so the computer and desk had to be moved to the main floor in the sitting room. They did have to procure some used cisco equipment to get it up and running, but now that it is, it’s amazing how much more accessible it is for my mother in law.
She’s going to be able to go in whenever she wants and fiddle around with it! She’ll love that! There is nothing more liberating than finding your own way around the net. It’s one of my favorite things to do…and I do it all day long!
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Today Is IT!!
By Gibber | August 29, 2008
Three of my four kids started school last Wednesday. I’ve made a big deal with the “Mr. B” (Barrett) that he and I were going to have some alone time together. Just one great big “date” everyday. Sadly, it hasn’t happened yet! Wednesday was dad’s day off of work, so he was around. Grayson stayed home with a fever yesterday…so he was around. So barring any unforeseen “somethings” happening in the next two hours before Blake gets on the bus…Today Is IT!! Mind you, he thinks we are doing something amazing, like the zoo. I need to hit the health food store. Therein lies a problem! How do I make a trip to the health food and produce stand exciting??
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Her First Day!!
By Gibber | August 27, 2008
Ok, I had to share the last post and I will admit…she’s beautiful! That was a hard post to put up today because of this…
The little girl I waited my whole life for started school today! It’s all she’s been talking about for, well, 2 years, but she was still really excited about everything from the bus, to making new friends. There isn’t a little girl in our neighborhood so she’s been a bitl lonely the past year. So I’m hoping in a month or two she’ll have a bunch of little girl friends.
The Kissing Hand
Walkin’ In!
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You Asked For It Auntie Mel!!
By Gibber | August 27, 2008
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A BLAST From The Past!!
By Gibber | August 27, 2008
I was looking through my past blogs for pictures for my next blog post on this blog when I cam across a post I made last year on my birthday. I thought it was amazing what I’d written whenever I talked about my son Jake. I think it hit me really hard again today, because earlier in the afternoon he told me I sucked, called me a Bitch, and pushed me. I’ve been feeling utterly lost the past few weeks as to what to do with this boy, and re-reading this list just struck me again. I understood him last year…but I’ve forgotten. I’m going to print the list out, with the numbers that have to do with him. I’ll bold them here!
This is my picture from my Junior Year in High School. One of my favorite pictures ever. I had braces! Oh, how I loved, Loved, LOVED my braces!! Since today is my 36 birthday–I thought I would take a minute–just for myself, and think of the 36 things that I know now–that I wish I could tell this girl!! Of course, having been that girl–I probably wouldn’t have thought too much about it at the time!!
1. There’s 4 months until your Grandma dies–go spend EVERY moment possible with her!!
2. Study harder-Get good grades, Stay on the High Honor Roll–you will regret that you didn’t.
3. Forget about A & J & G and all of the other boys…there is plenty of time for boys LATER.
4. Learn to save your money better.
5. Be honest in all that you say and do.
6. Get the Butterscotch Colt instead of the White Nissan Sentra.
7. Don’t jump into a 9-5 job when you are in College. Enjoy the kids when you are a kid.
8. Take Japan just a little more serious.
9. Develop good habits–and quit biting your nails.
10.Don’t settle for anything less than a Temple Marriage.
11.Keep yourself worthy for a Temple Marriage.
12.Never Go Out With A!!!!!
13.Stick with S really hard!! Don’t let your self confidence deride you–
14.Wait a little longer before you start having kids. Enjoy time with your husband
15.Kiss and snuggle Cinders just a few more minutes before you leave on your Honeymoon.
16.Be more patient with J. He’s going to need you more than anyone else in the world.
17.NEVER MOVE AWAY FROM UTAH–you’ll never get to go back!
18.Stay active in the church–if not for you–do it for your kids.
19.DO NOT ADOPT THE RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK FROM THE POUND!!!!!!!!!!
20.Work with J on some fundamental habits when he’s little
21.Don’t let your husband take the job transfer to Chicago with the franchise hotel!!
22.Wait a little longer between J & G–J is going to need it!!
23.Always listen to your mom–she is amazing and truly–knows everything!!
24.Don’t spend money you don’t have–always pay your bills on time!
25.Forget about S!! Just Forget about it!!
26.Remember your time with a Baby G. It goes so fast–remember him!
27.Forgive past acquaintances–you don’t need to carry that with you as long as you will!
28.Keep up with the Japanese language–your kids are going to want to hear it–A LOT!!
29.Don’t get caught up in stupid stuff with your sister in law, she won’t be around very long.
30.Get on Anti-Depressants as early as possible–and stay on them!
31.Go on Thyroid pills right after giving birth to J–you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!
32.Take care of yourself–you were pretty when your husband married you–stay that way!
33.Learn to share your time with your kids better than you do.
34.Learn to understand J when he’s little–it will save heartache and stress when he’s 9!
35.Love your husband. Be thankful for him everyday–and show him that!
36.Enjoy being 17 years old. You can’t wait to grow up, but you’ll spend your life wishing you could go back!
I’m now 37, and I should be able to add one more notch to the list…but emotions are very fragile right now…so I’m going to hold off. Chances are I would find something to berate myself over, and who needs that?
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The Coolest Logo Ever!!
By Me | August 27, 2008
I don’t know what made me think of this today–but for some reason Logo’s came to mind. I’m always impressed by the creativity with some, but the one that I think is the coolest is Sun Microsystems logo. It’s made up of U’s both right side up and upside down, but they spell out the word Sun no matter how you turn the square! I don’t even know what the company does–but I do really like their logo. I spent the afternoon drawing it for my boys showing them how no matter how you turn it, it still says SUN. Yeah, I’m goofy!
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I’m Just Sayin’…
By Me | August 26, 2008
Ok, so we have our first “Big Gay Wedding”…now don’t go gettin’ all worked up on me, I was just makin’ a play on the Greek wedding title, you know, bein’ clever!! The major problem I have with the above wedding…couldn’t the bride and the bride have communicated the theme they each wanted for a wedding? You know, wear attire that actually looks like you’re going to be in the same wedding!
Come on…Portia is dressed for a “White Tie” wedding…and Ellen isn’t even wearing a tie. In fact, Ellen looks like she’s dressed for a summer dinner party. They are multi-millionaires…if you can’t get your “dreams” to mesh…just have two different soiree’s! Or 7, like Pamela Anderson…although didn’t she wear the same bikini to like 5 of the 7?
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Swap Meets & Designer Purses!!
By Me | August 25, 2008
Yesterday after church my in laws headed over to a big Flea Market/Swap Meet over on Roosevelt. We LOVE those things, but I haven’t been to one since we lived in Arizona and I was pregnant with Grayson! I asked my mother in law if there was anything fun there and found that they hadn’t purchased too much, but they had found designer bags. I’m not sure there were anyBriggs and Riley, but they definitely had my Burberry purses. How fun is that! When my mom comes in October, we’ll have to go see!
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Time To Try Again!!
By Me | August 25, 2008
If you’ve been keeping up at all with my Scalehopper blog (and no worries if you haven’t…it’s not real current) you will know that I purchased a new diet supplement online. I took it for awhile right before school got out, and I failed miserably. Why? Because instead of using Phentermine they have added caffeine to it. Normally not a big deal, but with me not having to get up at 7 to get the boys off to school, I would sleep in past my first dosage time…which would put my second dosage way too late in the afternoon for such a dosage of caffeine. I won’t even let myself have any after 2 pm, and even then sleep is questionable! Anyway…school starts up again on Wednesday, and I will be back to getting up at 7 to get the boys off, and I should be able to get back into the schedule of being far more productive, not only with my life, but with my fitness goals as well!
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Couple Plans!!
By Me | August 25, 2008
Last Veteran’s Day we had the opportunity to head to Las Vegas. It was mostly a “business” trip for me, but we had the whole weekend, and I was only working for one day. How fun it was to have my husband all to myself in the entertainment mecca of the west! We had such fun just being a couple again. I decided then that it was going to be a yearly tradition!
Now, however, I’m thinking it’s not going to be quite as feasible as it just happened to be last year. With property taxes and everything due soon, we may only be able to afford a hotel room in downtown Chicago (still fun) rather than one of the Disney cruises or a trip to Boston like I’d hoped! Hopefully someday we’ll be able to afford everything we need and want…but for now, a little trip downtown seems just as fun!
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Blond Moments!!
By Me | August 25, 2008
Do you ever have those moments when you do something that is so “off” yet you don’t notice that you’ve done it until someone points it out?? I totally hate my stupidity in times like these…and I especially hate it when someone has to point it out for me!
So then why was it such fun letting my mother in law know that she’d written her son’s birthday on the calendar as today instead of July 25th? Well, aside from the fact that he’s been her son, and has had the same birthday for 38 years…but also the fact that even though it was written wrong…the gift was given on the correct day–so it really wasn’t that bad at all! But…I did let her know that we would be expecting a new HDMI switch to go along with the home theater system we are pilfering from them!! Of course, we aren’t asking for a second gift, but it was fun to be on the giving end of it rather than the getting. I’m on that end way, WAY too often!
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Catching Up!!
By Me | August 25, 2008
My extended family has started getting into the world of blogging! Some have been doing it forever, some are just starting, but no matter how far along they are into it…it’s just a nice way to keep up with their lives. Especially because I live 1500 miles away. In the olden days, I would have been completely cut off from any of their lives, so this is really great for me! I just found out that a couple of my cousins are expecting or have just had babies. My Aunt is opening a small business franchise of my MOST FAVORITE store in the world! How fun it is to be able to catch up on their lives as often as I can. In fact…there is supposed to be a huge cardboard cut out of me at a family swim party going on right now!! You took care of that, right Mel??
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Three Year Olds!!
By Gibber | August 25, 2008
My kids are sitting at the dinner table behind me eating dinner, and it’s loud! We have a couple of Harry Potter PS2 games (OK, so they are just mine, but they watch me play) and so they have become quite knowledgeable about the spells. Barrett, my soon to be 4 year old, just yelled “Moco Damus” at his brother which made me laugh because if any of you are familiar with Harry Potter…you SO won’t recognize that spell! He was trying to say “Locomotomortis” which is a freezing spell—but Moco Damus is all he could get out! His other favorite spell is “Pendo” which really should be “Flipendo”, but his way totally rocks!
All of my kids have been different. When Jake was three, I have visions of him pulling my dad’s old golf bags around pretending he was hitting the links. My dad actually made him some clubs his own size and gave him his own bag…he was one of the few 3 year old’s with custom clubs.
That golfing 3 year old starts the 5th grade on Wednesday! I’m not sure I’m ready for that! It won’t be that long before my “Spell-casting” 3 year old is all grown up too!
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J Was In An Accident!
By Me | August 25, 2008
We headed to Jellystone a week ago Thursday. That evening we got a phone call from a nephew still in Chicago that had just been in a car accident. He was hit by a woman who failed to yield and made a right turn right in front of him while he was driving straight. She immediately started claiming that he hadn’t had his headlights on, he swears he did. The police man (a little lazy in my opinion) said without any other witness it was his word against hers and he had to ticket him for lack of headlights. Now here we are a week and a half later, insurance companies at a standstill and we just found out (from the niece who actually owns the car) that her car has auto headlights. Can they take this bit of info back to the police and have them change the accident report? Do they have to wait for a court date? They should probably call a Chicago accident attorney just to find out what their rights are. At the moment, my niece is in a rental car while the insurance companies are refusing to take care of her car while they argue over who’s really at fault. What a pain in the neck!
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Finding A New Place To Visit…
By Me | August 23, 2008
You’ve heard a ton about our trip to Jellystone. What makes this trip sad, was that it is probably our last time there for awhile. Maybe next year we’ll look into one of those Orlando vacations or maybe one of those Disney Princess vacations! We’ve never done anything like that with the kids. When we lived in Arizona and we take a vacation we usually ended up heading to one of the family’s homes. Now that we live here, we go home to Utah and Arizona. I’m not giving up on my desire to head home for a little stay…but hey, a nice trip to Florida sounds really cool or HOT…maybe we’ll plan it for Valentine’s Day. Blizzard’s here, sun and sand there! Have you been to Florida? What are your thoughts about it?
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Others Thoughts!!
By Me | August 23, 2008
I was reading the newspaper online today as I sat in my little kitchen in a suburb or Chicago and I thought I would share OTHER people’s comments on the choice for V.P.! These comments come from both sides of the aisle. I’m just copying and pasting…I am in no way altering their comments…how fair would that be?
Alex | 7:57 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
Why, Barack? Why? You want “change” so you go and choose a six-term senator who is the definition of a shmucky Washington politician. I think I am going to be sick…
Anon | 7:49 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
I thinks its funny that Obama picked and old white guy. Isn’t that what McCain is?? Just wondering
Bill Aires | 11:16 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
In 1970 when I returned from Vietnam to be Honorably discharged at Travis AFB CA.,We were told to ware civilian clothes because the weather underground were throwing blood on sevicemen around the airport. We still had shorthair, so fortunately that day thet just spat at us. Bill Aires and his wife are friends with Obama.
Not Again | 7:52 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
Wow! An inexperienced politician who can only attack his rival with a series of baseless half-truths pairing with the quintessential Washington insider certainly seems par for the course.
And I thought this campaign was supposed to be about “change”. Instead, Obama has proven himself to be just a typical power-hungry politician. Shocking? No.
We should have nominated Hillary Clinton. In four years when we look back Obama will just be the latest in a line of … Dukakis, Gore, Kerry …
Mahershalalhashbaz | 7:56 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
Another liar. I just watched on the news a couple days ago Biden telling the media as he got into his car he was not chosen. Bird brains of a feather flock together.
JMT | 8:28 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
We should remember that Biden not only plagarized a speech during his failed Presidential run but he also lifted a Masters degree. He claimed to have a Masters degree, that upon further review he never earned. I believe he enrolled for the program but disenrolled before it began, never took a day of instruction but claimed on his bio that he earned the degree. When this came out the media covered it and he had to withdraw.
It should be noted that the Democrats feel they need the Catholic vote to win, Biden being Catholic. It should also be noted that the Democrats are losing the Catholic vote primarily over their constant attacks on religion and support of abortion. The Pope kind of likes religion and feels abortion is wrong. Catholic members follow the lead. Throw in that Democrats support the ghastly Partial-birth abortion practice and Obama supported infintacide as an Illinois State Senator, I doubt they get the Catholic vote. I also recognize that many Democrats do not support infintacide or partial-birth abortion. At the national level the Democratic party supports abortion on demand as a rule of thumb. Disgusting!
What? | 9:11 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
Obama has friends like Write, Fleggar [sic] and Ayres and now picks a known plagiarist for his running mate? What’s next? The real idiocy of the dems are showing by picking this guy as their man….” Change You Can Believe In” is nothing more than a slick con line.
disappointed | 9:36 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
I registered and voted in the primary election for “Change you can Believe in”. Now Obama goes and picks a 30 year washington politician” was there no state governor that was Qualified? This is not chnage it is the same old crud we always get from politicians.
I do not think I’ll be voting this November because it appears that it will just be the same old thing as always so what does it matter, it just a waste of my time.
Change? | 9:42 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
He calls for change and he picks a Washington Dinosaur. So much for demonstrating change.
Madden | 9:54 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
More proof that Obama is about following polls (foolishly) to try and win it. If he stuck with his principles he would take this thing in a blowout. As we go along, he exposes himself as just another run of the mill politician.
Too bad we have been left, once again, with no good choices to lead the country. Can somebody please show me a silver lining? Talk me off the edge here.
Change? | 10:18 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
Well, I guess there won’t be any change now. Biden is about as fresh as moldy cheese. I guess the GOP will have this one wrapped up in November.
AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE…
Now we know | 8:34 a.m. Aug. 23, 2008
Now we have faces for both tweedledee and tweedledumb.
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Just Down The Street!
By Me | August 22, 2008
I just read in the newspaper, a man in my town….eh, let’s try that again. A man that lives 5 doors down and across the street was just sentenced to 35 years in prison for molesting 3 girls. HELLO!!! 5 doors down? He hasn’t been listed on the S.O. website because he hadn’t been found guilty–I SOOOOO wouldn’t have purchased this house knowing we had sex offenders nearby! What if he’d gotten off on a technicality? He would have come home…home to 5 houses away from my amazingly beautiful little girl! I’m just sick right now—Who would’ve thunk?
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Are You As Bad As Me??
By Gibber | August 22, 2008
At Social Networking?? Every time something new pops up, I join! I have a Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Entrecard, every blog-log there is…I sign up—and walk away! Well, except Entrecard. I jumped into that puppy off of Drewski’s blog–and then when everything started rolling in, I had to have him explain it all to me (Thanks Drew!!) As for Myspace and Facebook…they are there and I have people drop in on me every now and again, but every time I sign on I have to have them resend me my password, as it’s been months between sign-ons. Twitter I joined super early…yet never got in long enough to figure out what I was supposed to do, then once I did figure it out I was so put off by all of the @so & so comments to people I wasn’t following, that I found the whole thing completely useless! I haven’t signed on there in months now either. Bloglog, Technorati, Blogcatalog, Fuelmyblog, Spicy whatever, you name it—my blogs are all listed…except maybe the explosion one, yet if I were to visit your site and you have a widget…I won’t show up, because I haven’t bothered to sign in. Not that I remember any of those passwords either!
Are you as bad as me? Do you know how to write on someone’s wall? Totally clueless! Sweet Elizabeth has chimed in on mine a few times—but honestly, I have no friends. Well, maybe like 4. I haven’t gone out fishing though, I may just be surprised at who I find if I did. But where is there time for that???
If you are big social networkers…..how do you do it all??
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Discs & Piggys & Pens, Oh My!!
By Me | August 20, 2008
This is my little package that I sent a friend of mine this past week. It included a disk for a scanner program that has the most amazing photo editing software…I will never live without it! Then there was the cute piggy dressed in a t-shirt from my husbands company and one of the cool promotional pens from Mustard Girl. It’s a mustard company (of course) that the man who created Sweet Baby Ray BBQ sauce is involved in. It is my favorite mustard, and I had to share my pen…because it (like the mustard) is my favorite!!
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One Last Shot…
By Gibber | August 20, 2008
…and then we drove home!
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The Marshmallow Fight!!
By Gibber | August 20, 2008
My boys made marshmallow shooters at Scout camp last week. They got to paint them and they turned out a bit metallic. I thought they were made with copper piping, and I wanted nothing to do with recreating them. But after finding it 100% PVC…I was game! So we made 10 more to take to Jellystone with us. What a hit! We are going to try them at a craft fair of two this winter, kind of like the “Bagg-O” games you see everywhere…the first ones I ever saw several years ago…made by Scouts!
This video isn’t the greatest…but you have to listen to the “Thhhhhhhmp” as a marshmallow is shot! Honestly…it’s addicting the power that comes with that one sound!
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A Few Scenes From Jellystone
By Gibber | August 20, 2008
This is our third summer we’ve gone to Jellystone (Three Bears Lodge) in Warrens, Wisconsin. It really is a magical place, probably because I am by no means a ‘camper’ and yet, this is good camping! We stay in villas (just the word villa makes it cooler than a tent), and our villa has two big bedrooms, a huge loft, and fold out couch and chairs. We slept 13 in ours, we always take the loft and I push the four twin beds together. My four kids sleep on two of the beds and the hubby and I get the other two. The villas are all wood. The floors, walls, ceiling…all just beautiful wood. There is a full kitchen and even a washer/dryer combo. Not bad camping, eh?? We go up with my husbands Aunt and her family so all total there were 21 of us.
We make dinner together and eat outdoors every night, but my favorite part is the campfire. As a Master Marshmallow roaster, it’s heaven! How is it that if you cook marshmallows correctly, there is NO LIMIT to the number you can eat? Yet if you turn them into charcoal you are done relatively quickly?
Since this was the third year, I didn’t bother with as many photo’s as I used to. In fact, I only have photo’s of three events. Blake and Barrett at the beach (not really a beach because, hey, it’s western-central Wisconsin) but they’ve shipped in tons of sand and created a really fun one. A few shots of the boys paddle boating, and then the marshmallow fight. We made 10 marshmallow shooters and gave one to each child and each man-heck, the women loved it too. Next year we are moving up to the 1 inch PVC and using the big marshmallows as ammo…the ground was littered with mini marshmallows-I’m still scraping it off of all of the kids shoes. Oh, and we are actually make hundreds of marshmallow shooters to sell at a few craft fairs this Christmas.
But, if you are wanting to see pictures of just where we were, check Here or how could we forget this ONE…Barrett with his Uncle Bob in the golf cart. He lived in the golf cart this year too…I just didn’t take any photo’s!
But here’s this year!
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Where Has The Time Gone!!
By Gibber | August 20, 2008
I know I’m not the only person with multiple “balls” in the air, so how do all of you handle it? Each different ball seems to take weeks to complete and I can spend entire days on one particular task…and everything else gets ignored. For example…take a gander at THIS. This has been my biggest project, it’s taken hours. But it’s no where near finished, and I have four other ones that need finishing!
Then there is the blog for my husband’s company. It’s been pretty neglected for a few reasons, the biggest being the fact that it won’t let me do anything other than post. That probably doesn’t sound too bad, except that if you know me I am a “tweaking” freak. I love to manipulate the coding to get exactly what I want. As I’m trying to make it super cool-it keeps telling me no, and it’s kinda boring without anything added. SO…I spent all day yesterday working on it, and have finally decided to redirect it HERE and now I can completely transform it how I want it. But again, the entire day is gone!
School starts one week from today…and I will have one child left at home. You’d think this would help on the time, but it never does. The school year speeds by and it will be Halloween before you know it. Once Halloween hits, suddenly we are at Christmas vacation! The longest part of the year is the month of January (Why does that month take so long?) and then you hit Valentines, which immediately turns to Easter, and like my Grandma always said, “Once you get to Easter, the school year is over!” So…I have until Halloween, the entire month of January and then suddenly I’ll have all four kids home again. It makes me tired just thinking of it!
So I have two “balls” for today. Getting my photos and videos up on this blog from our summer of fun, and finishing up what I need to do for the company blog. We’ll see how we do with those two projects!
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I Couldn’t Resist It!!
By Gibber | August 18, 2008
We took the kids to Wrigley Field for a game…and it rained. Who wouldn’t do this??
Barrett is very strict about his hair, even at 3! It can’t be crazy in anyway or you get a melt down. So this was done on the sly, and he was completely oblivious to it, until we showed him the picture. Happy camper no more! Although…I’m not sure quite what face he’s pulling…but it makes me giggle to look at it!
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Wrigley Field!!
By Gibber | August 15, 2008
This was Blake and Barrett’s first trip to a baseball game, but more importantly, Wrigley Field.
Barrett enjoyed it far more than Blake did…she was happy with her hot dog and her cotton candy, nothing else!
At the end of the 7th inning, it started to rain. Once they pulled the tarp over the field…we raced for the car!
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We Made It!!
By Me | August 14, 2008
In my last post I mentioned that if my older two boys didn’t shape up they would miss this weekend, which would in turn cause me to miss it. I’m happy to say that they did pretty darn good, made an attitude adjustment, and even (kind of) cleaned up some of the house.
Wasatch is tucked safely away at his puppy resort. I know, you think I’m kidding…but if I had paid for a little theme suite, I would be able to watch a web-cam of him in his room. Now, I’m not that neurotic…but wouldn’t that be fun?
We are in the same cabin as last year, and just got home from the indoor waterpark. It’s so nice not to have to slather the kids up in sunscreen to enjoy the fun. Mind you it was near dark by the time we pulled in, so it wouldn’t have mattered!
Anyway…I will check in throughout the weekend, since there’s Wifi here, and I’ll get some photo’s added too!
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I Stink At This!!
By Me | August 13, 2008
You know how you always wish you could go back in time and undo all of the stupid mistakes you made when you were young and stupid? One of the biggest of mine…becoming a mom! I remember when Jake was little, Grayson was tiny, my Aunt Jeri and cousin Joey came to Arizona for Robert’s mission farewell. We were talking and I mentioned that I had never wanted to be anything but a mom…how lame is that?? But it’s true, even more than adding “wife” to the resume, I just wanted kids.
So now I’ve got them. Four! Look at those angelic faces staring out at you from the header, their beautiful faces underlined by my favorite names on the face of the earth. Mind you, if you aren’t a fan of my kids names, too bad!! They are still music to my ears! But don’t let those angelic faces fool you…they are EVIL!!! In fact, I’m going to change my header to this…
Life’s GRAND!! Grayson saw my artwork and ran up to his room…slammed his door twice, and hates me. Jake very snidely asked if the only way to get the picture down was that he had to be nice! Hello—I’m not even going for nice….just a little common courtesy would be great!
I’m still debating this, but am thinking that for this fabulous weekend coming up (the one I’ve been looking forward to all year)…I think I’m staying home with my two demon boys. They don’t deserve the fun and excitement of Jellystone…but I do, and I’m the one that gets to miss it…
Yeah, now do you see how LAME it was that I only ever wanted to be a Mom? Life in a cubicle and full time day care are sounding better and better! No, that’s not right…military boot camp!! Now we’re talkin’!!
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Miniature Golfing!!
By Gibber | August 11, 2008
I have fallen out of favor with my blog! There is just so much to add…so many pictures taken…so many videos waiting to be downloaded that it’s become overwhelming! So I thought instead of waiting until I had the time to come up with something fun and quirky…I would just share the photo’s!!
This was the last evening of my husband’s first summer vacation. Tomorrow begins vacation number 2! At least this time, we are actually leaving town. We are heading to Wisconsin…ooooh, the fun! As a youngster growing up in Utah, I can honestly say…I never thought I would go to Wisconsin, let alone being REALLY excited about it. But we are heading up to the Mecca of camping for me, and I can’t wait!! Check out THIS LINK if you are curious about what it is that I call camping! We will be staying in a “Drake”…go ahead, take the tour…I dare you!
Anyway…back to the last vacation week…we went miniature golfing. It was the first time in Barrett’s life, and he LOVED every minute of it. All of the kids had a good time, and heck, I beat everyone…so even I had a good time! I failed to mention the fact that I was chasing Barrett and missed an entire hole…I just took a zero—So I won by one, or did I lose by three? How do you handicap a hole unplayed??
This is a heart breaking photo. We had never been to this particular golf course, and we didn’t realize that once you hit your ball into the last hole, it’s gone forever. Not that we cared…we’re grown ups. But this little guy was NOT prepared to be parted with his beautiful light blue golf ball, and he was broken hearted when he found out he wasn’t getting it back.
He was so mad at me for trying to capture his broken heart. I’d have him in my sights and then he’d see me, get mad and turn around…so this is the best shot you get! Poor baby! Had I known, I would have let him hit my ball, pocketed his, and dropped 50 cents in the “lost ball” fund on the way out!
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Growing Up!!
By Gibber | August 9, 2008
We purchased Wii Fit the other night. This was my insistence since we didn’t get a trampoline. I’m trying to find ways to hide exercise in fun…kinda like Jessica Seinfeld hides healthy food in normal junk food! It’s been a hit, but what is the most amazing is Barrett! In order to play the games, the kids have to clean something. Grayson jumped on laundry yesterday, Blakelynn cleaned her room and Jake’s bad attitude knocked him out of the running for playing at all. Barrett is 3 and although we’ll ask many times for his help cleaning, his attention span gets in the way and he doesn’t get very far. Yesterday he wanted to play Wii Fit and I told him that he had to clean something. He immediately went right in to the family room and picked up all of the toys…I was amazed! This morning he woke up wanting to play, normally they have to wait until after noon to play any games, but I told him he needed to clean something (thinking that would deter him)! I walked through the family room to put the puppy out, and there was Barrett picking up all of the toys again, cleaning the room. Mind you…every night before their dad gets home the kids have to take 10 minutes and get the family room “vacuum ready”, so it honestly wasn’t too messy anyway. But I wasn’t going to deter his cleaning! It’s the first time he’s ever done it…and I’m happy to reward him for his efforts!
So far, I’m a big fan of the Wii Fit! I kicked the kids bootays yesterday in the Hula Hoop section! They just don’t believe me when I say that I grew up with a hula hoop!! Oh, the aching abdominals!!
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The Parade Of Nations!!
By Gibber | August 9, 2008
I watched the Parade of Nations during the Olympic opening ceremonies late last night, and just had a few thoughts. First off, that footstep flag thing was brilliant! Coolest thing ever! Secondly, where did all of these countries come from….and why have I never heard of them? I mean, I pride myself on nailing all of Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking” questions, but instead of the country coming next showing up at the bottom of the screen…a map would have been nice. The commentators did do a good job at adding in the country’s location in the world, but still, a map would have been cool! I knew Europe and Russia had changed since I was in school, but HOLY COW!!! Africa seems to have exploded with 15 new countries and islands I’ve never heard of!
Next, I found it so interesting that there is always an undercurrent of politicism, whether it’s on the part of the individual (me) or the commentator or even the crowd, yet the athlete’s themselves seemed immune to it. The team from Israel walked in a few countries before the Palestinian one, and my thoughts went to their struggles, but both teams walked in smiling and waving and snapping pictures. The color commentary as the teams marched was interesting too. The Russian teams were completely unaware of the serious military action going on in their country, the French President was waiting to hear how warm a welcome his team would get and nice to see that Iraq got a really warm reception due to their IOC problems. And the strangest…the President of Venezuela (Chavez) has moved his countries time zone so that it sits 30 minutes ahead of NYC! HUH???? Did you notice how hard it was to tell from the faces in the parade just what country they were from? They call America a melting pot, but that pot has boiled over. All through Europe you had Africans, Asians and Blonds all representing one country. Africa too had a rainbow of faces. When I lived in Japan, we were the only light haired people we ever saw, and Japan had a strictly Asian team…but Polynesia has “melted”, even some of the Caribbean Islands seem to have melted. It was cool to see!
Most cool…the reception of the United States team. Aside from the home team of China, the United States had the warmest reception. All you hear in the media today is how hated we are, how we are the bane of the world’s existence. But not last night…we were beloved! I watched the faces of the athletes walking in. They looked so sweet…and then the thugs hit! Did you see it? You went from cute, happy faces to the Thugs from the NBA! Rapist Kobe was up first, Carmelo “Multiple Arrests” Anthony was up next, and Jason “Wife Beater” Kidd brought up the rear. They are calling themselves the “Redeem Team”…one can only hope!
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He’s Not Even American!!
By Me | August 4, 2008
Well, well, well!!! It appears that the Leftist, closet-Muslim, Socialistic Barack has a forgery for a birth certificate! If the one that his campaign has called “genuine” is truly a fake…where is his real one? Why has he not bothered to produce a real one? Could it be true? Was he NOT born in America? If this is the case, is Hillary back on the ballot? Now, you all know of my dis-like for my state’s Senator and Pres-hopeful Barack…but could it really come down to his own deception rather than a vote that gets him kicked off the campaign? One could only hope!
Now…let’s not hate the messenger! Don’t believe me…do a search for yourself and see just what’s being said about it!
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The Man Who SHOULD Be The First Black President!!
By Me | July 28, 2008
This is an email going around. I happen to agree whole heartedly with it! For one thing…when this man gives a speech without a teleprompter, you don’t get 15 minutes of um’s, ah’s and completely WRONG information!! Bill would get my vote!!
‘They’re standing on the corner and they can’t speak English. I can’t even talk the way these people talk:
Why you ain’t,
Where you is,
What he drive,
Where he stay,
Where he work,
Who you be…
And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk.
And then I heard the father talk.
Everybody knows it’s important to speak English
except these knuckleheads. You can’t be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth.
In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living. People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an education, and now we’ve got these knuckleheads walking around.
The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal.
These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids. $500 sneakers for what??
And they won’t spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics.
I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit.
Where were you when he was 2??
Where were you when he was 12??
Where were you when he was 18 and how come you didn’t know that he had a pistol??
And where is the father?? Or who is his father?
People putting their clothes on backward:
Isn’t that a sign of something gone wrong?
People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn’t that a sign of something?
Or are you waiting for Jesus to pull his pants up?
Isn’t it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles [piercing] going through her body? What part of Africa did this come from??
We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don’t know a thing about Africa .
With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap, and all of them are in jail.
Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person’s problem.
We have got to take the neighborhood back.
People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different ‘husbands’ — or men or whatever you call them now.
We have millionaire football players who cannot read.
We have million-dollar basketball players who can’t write two paragraphs. We, as black folks have to do a better job. Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us.
We have to start holding each other to a higher standard.
We cannot blame the white people any longer.’
Dr.. William Henry ‘Bill’ Cosby, Jr., Ed.D.
WAY TO GO, BILL !!
It’s NOT about color…
It’s about behavior!!!
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And You Thought Your Kids Were Cute…
By Gibber | July 23, 2008
Here’s my baby!!
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WORST MOVIE EVER!!
By Me | July 22, 2008
What a horrendous waste of money!! I have to say, we were looking forward to this one. My kids even wandered the house flashing their best Wall-E imitation voices. From minute ONE—-we get more and more Global Warming NONSENSE stuffed down our throat! From the first scene, humans are the fat, selfish villains who have destroyed the world. PUH—LEASE!!! I am writing this post in red because it is the opposite of green. I am NOT green! I do NOT recycle! During “Earth Hour” when everyone turned all of their electricaI items off—I turned all of mine on, and turned the car on in the driveway with the air conditioner on! OK, so maybe I didn’t go that far…but that is how hugely I am AGAINST everything that the whole Global Warming community hold so dear! In fact, I’m probably the poster child for “Anti-Green”!!
That said…I love this Earth. I am thankful everyday for the amazing creation that it is. I also know that this earth has survived for thousands of years. Meteor showers that can kill off civilization. Ice Ages. Volcano eruptions (including a vocano that hasn’t stopped erupting 1 day of my life). But now you are going to tell me that this earth will be destroyed because I refused to stick my hand in the toilet to clean my child’s cloth diaper and instead dressed all four of them in disposable? Are you freaking kidding me? I throw out my Diet Coke cans instead of recycling them! If the bagger at the grocery store tries to give me ‘paper instead of plastic’…I correct him—how in the heck am I supposed to handle four kids and non-handled paper bags…thank you…NO! I was once asked “Why not recycle, just in case the wacko’s are right”? To which I heartily answered as I tossed my soup cans (unwashed) into my garbage can…”Because if you give these idiots an inch, they’ll take away everything!”
So, about Wall-E…I’m going to continue to shop at Costco…I’m going to continue to pay monthly for satellite TV! And I will continue to tell my children to smile on Earth Day while their teachers try to load their heads with mind numbing BUNK…and to just let the info slide out the other ear! There isn’t a human being on this earth who could do more damage to it than Mother Nature…and if she hasn’t managed to end civilization, my aerosol hair spray isn’t going to do the trick!
Here is one very SMART man’s take on all of this crap! Amen, brother!
***As anyone who knows George Carlin should know…this clip is NOT for children, or the faint of heart!!
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This Is For Grams!!
By Gibber | July 17, 2008
A moment to “sell” the FLIP camera…I have to say–I filmed 4 different videos and then uploaded them on my computer. The FLIP programming took the four little Wii segments, merged them into one video, and then added background music–all by itself! It’s amazing! That said…If you aren’t grandma…this video will be too long for you!
This is Barrett boxing Jake on the Wii. I had to capture it because when Barrett wins he jumps and cheers and dances, but when he gets knocked out he collapses face down on the couch. In the video, he just leaves the screen for a bit—but once his guy gets back up, he suddenly reappears and continues boxing. I’m not sure if I shouldn’t have called this “Manic/Depressive Barrett”!!
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Vacation Begins!!
By Gibber | July 17, 2008
Tomorrow is my husbands first day of vacation. He has a week off now and then a week off later in August. We had many ideas for this time off. A trip to the East Coast, Cooperstown, Mackinaw Island…just somewhere fun to head with the kids. We were supposed to head to Biker Week in Sturgis, ND and then head down to see Mt. Rushmore, but I’m kind of glad that one isn’t going to happen.
For this first week we will be sticking around town. Tomorrow we are going to the Monster Truck race at the County Fair. Friday I would like to hit the double decker tour bus (like on The Break Up). Over the weekend we will be heading to a vacation home in Lake Geneva, I’m mostly excited about tooling around town in a golf cart…they are my favorite things EVER!
For the second week next month we will be heading north to Jellystone–I actually wish that one was this week as my 5 year old speaks of nothing else! It would be nice to nip that one in the bud!!
What are your plans???
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My AWESOME New Toy!!
By Gibber | July 10, 2008
OK, for those of you waiting to purchase one of these things…wait no more! It’s as cool as it looks! I’m still sick, so you will have to forgive my ‘maiden voyage’ with the camera. This is Barrett, and he’s so shy I’m just amazed I got him to say anything at all.
After I finished the video I flipped out the little USB connector and plugged it right in to my computer…it took over all by itself. After it’s uploaded you can edit the video…I shortened mine by about 2 minutes (hence the sharp ending). Once you save it, it takes you right to YouTube to upload it. And voila!!
This is exactly the reason I ordered the camera. My video camera is so old and huge and clunky…and if I record with it, I can’t upload it online…but I never want to get it out and fiddle with the cords. This little boy is 3 and I have very little video of his life. His first steps, words any thing. I have still photo’s, but my 11 year old is going to go into puberty soon, and his little voice will be gone forever…it’s already not the same. But to be able to carry this in my purse with my digital camera (they are the same size) and whip it out as needs be…I’m just thrilled!
I ordered mine over at GetAFlip.com on Saturday…and it’s already in my house taking videos. So Cool!!
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Food Poisoning!!
By Gibber | July 10, 2008
And all of the fun and exciting things that come along with it—–sloshing through the family. We had burgers and dogs last night at my mother in laws house. I only ate half of my hamburger because it tasted funny. No one else seemed to notice. But today it’s the hubby, me, Grayson and Barrett, all sick!
My cool new video camera came today. I have to say–IT’S AWESOME! I’ve only played around with it from my bed (cause that’s where I am), but the picture is clear, even the digital screen on the back is crisp. You can zoom in or out–it’s just a piece of cake to use! When I feel a little better later on, I will get a video up so you guys can see just how cool this little thing is!
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My New Baby Video Camera!!
By Gibber | July 7, 2008
I ordered one of those new flip video cameras. Have you seen them? They are awesome! They are little video cameras (of course) but they fit in your purse, and they film up to 60 minutes of video. There is even a super cute little tripod for it. I have missed so much of my kids lives because the video camera we have was purchased for Jake’s birth nearly 11 years ago. It’s huge–and very inconvenient when I want to record anything. I ordered it over at Get A Flip and I’m so excited for it to arrive!
Once I take my video a little side USB adapter flips out to instantly download my video’s to my desk top. How cool is that? I’m hoping it gets here in time for the baby shower/21st birthday party this weekend. Even if it doesn’t, to be able to whip it out and start recording instantly…I can’t wait! I should warn you…you will be seeing a lot more video’s on this blog once it comes!!
I had wanted it in the neon green so that I could call it “Grasshopper” (am I the only one that names my favorite belongings like pets??) This one will be my “Little Creamcicle”!
Look at the cute little tripod…I think that’s my favorite piece!
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Sweet Baby Ray’s Takes Rib Fest!!
By Gibber | July 7, 2008
This past weekend was the Naperville Rib Fest–the second that the Sweet Baby Ray’s restaurant has been involved in. Last year they were hoping to place in the top three, but didn’t. Imagine their surprise this year when they didn’t just place in the Top 3—they won FIRST place! First place in ribs–second place in sauce! All around a great accomplishment. What a great restaurant to win…we couldn’t be happier!
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Give Me A Break!!
By Gibber | July 4, 2008
Did you hear about the pregnant man who just gave birth in Oregon? I had never heard this until it was plastered all over the papers after the birth. Apparently he was even on Oprah! I was amazed…there must have been some huge rise in science in the past few years, because hey, wasn’t it impossible for a man to get pregnant?
Well, apparently it still is! This is a woman…she’s gone through a couple of surgeries in order to live her life as a man…but all of the genetics of female are inside of her. No science was needed in the creation of this child (except maybe a sperm donation and a test tube)— SOOOOOO…..let me get this straight…she’s now a man…married to a woman…but still technically a woman, and she gave birth. I’m sorry…where is the big news in this? I’ve done it four times. I didn’t get to be on Oprah! My picture wasn’t splashed all over the newspaper!
Had there really been a huge scientific discovery that made it possible for a “real” naturally born man to get pregnant…then I would understand the hooplah! But this??? This is just STUPID!!
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20 Years??
By Gibber | July 2, 2008
We got the information for my husband’s 20th high school reunion (the old geezer!!). It’s not until October, and it’s $100 a head! I was shocked! Mind you there is a 4 hour open bar, but other than that, it’s a buffet. I don’t drink–so do I get a discount for my non-usage of the open bar? Of course not!
My 20 year reunion (wow, has it been that long??) isn’t until next year. I’m sure it won’t be $100 per person–but considering it would be in Utah, and I’m in Chicago…it would be much more for us!
It doesn’t seem worth it! $200 to show up and let everyone see that other than the 40 or more pounds we’ve put on since high school…not much else is different. The kids aren’t invited, and I don’t keep in touch with anyone from high school, so I don’t really see the point. However, come next year…I will probably be itching to go!
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Flashback To The Past!!
By Gibber | June 30, 2008
Every summer, the week before the 4th of July, the Village of Bloomingdale holds their festival complete with the most amazing fireworks EVER! Last night was our 6 time seeing them–and again, they did not disappoint! What was nice, however, was wandering through the carnival portion of the festival to get to the street where we would sit and watch the fireworks. (So close that you literally could feel the static electricity from them with the hair on your arms…so cool!) But as we walked through with the lights of the rides, the noise of the games and the smell of cigarette smoke from every side, I was right back at Lagoon in Farmington, Utah!
Lagoon was the epitome of summer for us growing up. It’s where we worked. It’s where we socialized. It’s where the boy I was madly in love with worked. It was the live all end all of human existence to my 16 year old self! I haven’t been back to Lagoon since I was pregnant with Blakelynn, standing (with that same boy I was in love with back then…me married & MOM and him…still just him) watching my two little boys riding the rides that I had once worked. We were moving to Chicago the next day–so this was one last evening out with the grandparents before the move. It certainly wasn’t the same as it was 14 years earlier…but it was still a bit homey!
Last night was nothing like it really, but the closest experience I have to it here in Chicago–and it was fun to close my eyes and try to remember it all!
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The Par-tay!!
By Gibber | June 28, 2008
I should probably let you all in on my “craziness” for celebrating a puppy birthday. I’ve had dogs all of my life and all 11 years of marriage, but never once have I had a birthday party for one. Well, sadly, the reason is…I needed content for my cake blog! I know…I have WAY too much time on my hands if I let my actions be controlled by a blog. But that poor little site was being neglected–so hey–I just had an excuse for two new cakes!
That said…here are the party pics!!
Yes…after slaving in the kitchen for two days for this party—the dog WAS GOING TO WEAR A PARTY HAT!!
This was the inside of the ‘doggy’ cake. The chunks are actually little cut up pieces of Beggin Strips.
And here are my happy puppies enjoying their cake. I still call Brownie a puppy, but she’s actually a grumpy old lady nearing 8 years old!!
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Wasatch’s Birthday Cake!!
By Gibber | June 27, 2008
If you’ve been reading over at my Kater-Bug Cakes blog, you will know that today is my puppy’s first birthday. So we made him a cake to share with Brownie, and a puppy shaped cake for the people to eat!
This is the cake for the dogs. It’s made with chicken and carrots and frosted with vanilla yogurt. The filling (yes, there’s filling) is vanilla yogurt mixed with wet puppy food.
Because the cake was for them, I let them lick the baby food jars clean–I have to say, they both loved this little venture into cooking! After I spooned everything into the cake pan, I had the batter on the rubber spatula and both dogs shared it–each licking their own side of the spatula. (Oh how I wish I’d gotten a picture of that!!)
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Feelin’ Better!!
By Gibber | June 21, 2008
It’s been a pretty good couple of days! Jake has only had 1 VERY minor flare up and it was nearly immediately gone. That’s amazing! Grayson is back to being my special, giggling friend. Blakelynn is just excited about going to Yogi Bear this year, but when she gets a “No”, I still get a tantrum…but I’m strong enough for those!! Barrett is oddly enough, the best one most of the time! He’s gotten to that independent state where he can come in the kitchen and get what he needs and wanders back in to finish what he’s doing. The only problem is that he’s quite the “Popsicle Thief”!! He doesn’t realize that the orange, green and purple goop dyeing his chin and chest will most likely bring his thievery to light…but then he wanders in and steals a Dilly Bar! Even on a sugar high he’s still a delightful little jabbering monkey! Who knew the “Demon Child” would grow out of it!
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The Soak ‘n Slide!!
By Gibber | June 17, 2008
The kids had some fun finally getting to get the Soak n’ Slide out to use in the front yard. Our lot has a gentle slope to the street, so it gives them a bit of a downhill effect!
The video is just of Barrett, being 3 and playing in the water. The “doggy shake” at the end is well worth watching!!
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Last Full Day!!
By Gibber | June 2, 2008
Last Friday should have been the kids last day of school, but they had 2 snow days to make up. That leaves today and one hour tomorrow. This year has been an off year for me. Normally I take a photo of them on the first day of school, and then a picture on the last day wearing the same clothes. That way, you just see the growth in their face. This school year started with us still living in the old house, but going to school at the new school, 45 minutes away. So my boys had to get up at 6:20 a.m. to be on the road at 7 a.m to get to school by the 8:00 start time (with all of the rush hour traffic). We had to do that for the first week and a half of school…and then we moved and normal life kicked in.
Sadly, due to the rush in the morning to get on the road, I didn’t get their photo taken on the front steps–so I have nothing to compare it with! I do have a lot of pictures from that time, so I may still try something…but my juxtaposition will be off slightly. How sad!
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Cedric Diggory??
By Gibber | May 29, 2008
I was just on IMDB and found out that the actor that played Cedric Diggory is going to be playing Edward Cullen! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? Edward? There is just no way possible—so NOT cute enough!!
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Out Of The Mouthes…
By Gibber | May 28, 2008
Blakelynn has been spending the past couple of weeks letting me know what her life is going to be like when she grows up. Tonight was no exception! She’s going to have a big house so her kids don’t have to move out when they grow up (she’s been talkin’ to her dad), her living room is going to be blue with pink curtains and there will be two bedrooms upstairs. One for her and her husband and one for her child.
“I’m only gonna have one kid, Mom” she says very matter of factly. “So there won’t be a lot of, you know, trouble in my house!”
Yep….she’s been raised with three boys and is already yearning for the life of solitude that I dream of daily!!!!
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Best IDOL Moment!!
By Gibber | May 26, 2008
I didn’t watch the entire season of American Idol this year. I would read about different contestants on other people’s blogs, and finally tuned in for the final hour of the finale. Sadly, I found nothing amazing about it, except for this clip…it was classic! I don’t know who the guy is that won–other than the fact that when he is singing and moving he’s cute and normal, but in print he’s down right waxy and freakish! Anyway…without further ado, the best moment of the night…
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It Feels Like Sunday!!
By Me | May 26, 2008
It’s kind of funny…we stopped for treats today on the way to the in laws house for a BBQ, and I actually felt guilty about it. No, not because it was so terrible, but because we aren’t supposed to be out doing business on the Sabbath–and here we were dishing ice cream cones to the kids at the local McD’s! Wait a minute…kick that Baptist guilt to the curb…first off…it’s not Sunday and second off…we aren’t Baptist!!
Why is it when we visit the in laws on a day other than Sunday, suddenly the brain turns into ‘Ubber Moral’ Sabbath abider? I realized it after we were were driving off with our ice cream in hand and yet 10 minutes later I was thinking about the guilt of purchasing on Sunday, only to remember 10 minutes later that it wasn’t indeed Sunday!
It was a HOT, horribly sticky, nasty day here in the Chicagoland area, and the in laws have different thermometers than I do–which is a nice way of saying that while I sweated and scratched in the corner, they were perfectly fine with a couple of doors open. (Letting in the yucky, muggy heat) I actually had to excuse myself a few times throughout the day and go sit in my van with the air conditioning on. I couldn’t take it! I was fanning myself off with their church bulletin, but when I get hot I get itchy. I had my daughter get me a fork (best back scratcher around) and I spent the next 90 minutes digging holes in my back trying to find relief! All in all, it was an AWFUL Memorial Day—but now I am home–sitting next to the air conditioner outlet in my kitchen–and FREEZING! It’s great!
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The Rules!!
By Gibber | May 20, 2008
I put this cute email I received over on the restaurant blog, but it is so true, I thought I would share it here as well!! Let me know if you have this same kind of experience around your house! Enjoy!
BBQ RULES
We are about to enter the summer and BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh you memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity, as it’s the only type of cooking that a ‘real’ man will do, probably because there is an element of danger involved.
When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion;
Routine…
1-The woman buys the food
2-The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
3-The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill-beverage in hand.
Here comes the important part:
4-THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.
More routine…
5-The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
6-The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beverage while he deals with the situation.
Important again:
7-THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF OF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine…
8-The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
9-After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
And most important of all:
10-Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
11-The man asks the woman how she enjoyed ‘her night off’. And upon seeing her annoyed reation, concludes that there’s just no pleasing some women!
Is this not an exact recreation of this most cherished summer rituals? I thought it was very well written!
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The Last Recital!!
By Gibber | May 20, 2008
Tomorrow is the last orchestra recital of the year. Jake is excited about it, but at the same time, disappointed because at the same time his scout troop will be going on a nature hike at a local forest preserve, and he doesn’t want to miss it. He will have to hear all about it from his little brother, because I’m making him go to his concert. First and foremost, he’s made a commitment to orchestra, and I don’t want him dropping it whenever something better comes along–we pay way too much money for this instrument to ignore it! Plus, he’s the only beginner cello player in his school–so for the Tenor section…he’s it! I may take a photo or two of this concert, but unlike the last ones–I won’t be trying to video tape it. It’s just too hard with my kids running around!
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My Newest Site!!
By Gibber | May 20, 2008
Ok, I mentioned my newest site…I actually bought 4 new domains, but this is the first one up and running! It’s Kid Cookin’ and it’s just that, a site for fun recipe and craft ideas that the kids can create on their own or with a little supervision. I have found with my own kids that it brings a tremendous amount of confidence as they start to be able to create their own meals. Heavens, just a few posts down I posted a picture of my 3 year old making a sandwich. That was kind of what started this idea. So for my first post, I have what we had for dinner tonight. I made cooked the meat and took the pictures, everything else was done completely by three of my kids. It was amazing to see just how much they could do in the kitchen!
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The Pinata!!
By Gibber | May 6, 2008
I think it’s funny to watch kids with a Pinata. They have this crazed look about them until that puppy is lying in pieces on the floor and they are kicking and scratching their way to the loot! Even watching my demure little girl with a bat in her hands ’swinging for the fences’ against the beast was too much. She was taking her task very seriously! With this pinata the kids had more fun dissecting it than opening it up. They got each of the legs off only to discover there was no food inside of them, so they moved to the trunk. Sadly once the trunk was removed the body dislodged from the head and fell with a thump on the ground—still unbroken. So there was a “Lord of the Flies” moment when everyone was ripping and tearing at pinata flesh trying to get it open. At then end, the biggest kids had shirt fulls of candy while the younger ones had one or two pieces. I made my “bigger boy” share his bag full of candy with his little brother and sister, Barrett had only one piece. My four kids escaped the melee completely unscathed which, considering the scene, was a small miracle in and of itself!
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Daddy’s Boy!!
By Gibber | May 5, 2008
Can you tell his dad is a barbecue man? We were at Greek Easter and there was a lamb roasting on the spit. They broke it down and what does Barrett go for?? The ribs!!
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My Tree!!
By Gibber | May 5, 2008
Throughout the past few seasons I have shown you the tree out in front of our house. It’s one of my favorites. It’s a huge oak tree with a beautiful thick trunk, but during the fall it dropped a TON of leaves. But we have a second tree over by the garage. In the top picture you can see it in the right corner of the yard. This is how the tree looks in the summer. This is how the tree looked every time we saw it, and honestly, it really is a pretty tree. The next picture is how it looked in the snow. I don’t have an “Autumn” picture, because once it drops it’s leaves it’s really just a scraggely tree. But with all the snow, I thought it was kind of cool as well.
However, none of these seasons holds a candle to the surprise we got when Spring hit the tree! Take a look at this amazing thing…
I don’t have a ‘green thumb’ of any type, so if any of you out there happen to be able to classify a tree based on it’s blossoms…have at it! I would love to know just what kind of tree it is, because it’s AMAZING! Here are just some fun close ups for me–and you if you are interested!
Grayson was not pleased to discover that all this time he’s been climbing a pink tree!
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Halloween 2007!!
By Gibber | May 4, 2008
See, I told you I had a ton of photo’s I’ve never added! Not really, most of these recent photo’s have been taken by my mother in law on her camera. I just stole her card to get her pictures uploaded to my computer…so they are still new to me!
Halloween I volunteered to help out in Grayson’s class. In order to do this I had to drop the two youngest ones off at the in laws for two hours. It was awful! 30 minutes there—30 minutes back to school. Hang out for an hour and then head 30 minutes back to pick them up, and head 30 minutes home. Got everyone ready for trick-r-treating, (there are no costumes allowed in school in our new school–so no one was ready), walked the circle of the neighborhood, loaded everyone in the car and drove 30 minutes back to the in laws for dinner and some more walking, and then…another 30 minutes home! So that adds up to 3 hours in the car in order to help out in school for 1 hour! Yeah, it won’t happen again!
While the little ones were with Gramma Jo, they decorated Halloween cupcakes, and I thought the pictures were too cute not to share!
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Archie!!
By Gibber | May 2, 2008
For my father in law’s birthday earlier this year I made him a cake based on his teenage (and current) nickname. Archie. I realized that I’ve posted the photo of the cake over on my cake blog but I didn’t post the photo or the picture of him with 5 of his grandkids on this blog yet. So it’s a little late–but still cute!
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Barrett’s Haircut!!
By Gibber | April 28, 2008
He looks thrilled doesn’t he?? I had started the cut, but he was just to wiggly to get it finished up. So a family friend did and she was enough of a stranger to warrant complete ignoring on Barrett’s part. He sat perfectly still and made no eye contact. Who knew it would be so much easier to have someone else do it!!
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Success!!
By Gibber | April 28, 2008
Well, sort of! I sat down a couple of weeks ago bound and determined to figure out where our finances were hemorrhaging! It wasn’t too hard–and after listing our pay along with our bills I realized we had nothing left! No wonder we’ve been dipping into savings month after month! So I worked out which bills would be paid out of each check and figured how much needed to go for gas and tolls for my husband to get to work. (That wasn’t pretty) It left me less than $200 for 2 weeks for my gas and food for the 6 of us. Yikes! Luckily, as the bills came in this past week or so, everything is much less than normal. The $250 gas bill was only $67 this month—so that portion of the budget got to be moved over to help with the food expense.
I’ve never really learned how to “deal” with money, and I have to say after seeing how it’s working with the second check of the month–I’m excited to see how it works with the first check of the month. Plus…May has an extra paycheck in it! Woo!
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My Concert Wishes!!
By Gibber | April 24, 2008
If you read a few posts back when I was talking about my Duran Duran concert I also mentioned the two other concerts I would love to see. All three had dropped off the music scene so I never expected to get to see any of them. But the day before my birthday is Duran Duran, and the day after my husband’s birthday is … Neil Diamond! I was online today buying tickets for Neil–got two great ones, but I don’t have an American Express and that is the only card they are taking for the AMEX presale (go figure). So I had to let them go!
Now that Garth Brooks is married to Trisha Yearwood, I’m hoping that the two of them will tour and I’ll get to see him as well! I was just amazed to see two of the three touring!
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I’m In The Loge!!
By Gibber | April 22, 2008
I’m singing!! I’m dancing!! I’m Chanting!!
I just bought my tickets!! I just bought my tickets!
I was on Ebay and found tickets to the Duran Duran concert in the 2nd row of the first balcony! Mind you—I specifically went to Ebay looking for tickets in the “Loge” section. I wanted row A, but they were twice the money as row B, so I took ‘em! When we went to see the Lion King, I again specifically chose the Loge section. It is MY section! Front row action, from above everyone else. No tall people, big hairdos….nothing to get in my vision line to the stage! I think we were in Row C of the Loge for the Lion King, and honestly, they were the best seats ever!
The Rosemont Theater is smaller than any of the other auditoriums we’ve been in around the city, but that’s why I’m the most excited. I have terrible eyesight, and I want to see these men up close and personal!! Hey…I’ve waited 25 years to be there, I want to be as close as possible! Of course, I’ve never been one to throw my “personals” up on stage, but the past several musical events we’ve gone to we have taken things for the performers. Mind you, they were roses for Dorothy the dinosaur–but hey, the kids LOVED it!!
So May 14th I will be there! I can’t wait!
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Removing The Dish!!
By Me | April 22, 2008
OK, I got me a new “place to vent”!! Like I need another blog, right? But what this will do is remove some of my political mindedness from this blog and move it to my own little spot to ‘dish’! I’m debating whether or not to remove my little, “Just Say No To B.O.” button in the sidebar! It’s my best creation by far!
My reasoning for the new blog? Cause I got me a new name and it meant I got to tweak a whole new theme and for those of you who know me, that’s my favorite part of blogging! My new blog is for all things “Dish” worthy, not just politics! I’m taking on stupidity in general. Whether in the form of bad politics, religion, movies and even some stupid reality TV. It sounds like fun to me!!
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Saying Goodbye Is Hard To Do!!
By Gibber | April 18, 2008
I have said goodbye to a very good friend! We haven’t spoken in almost two weeks. It’s always hard when you lose something so good to you. They cheer you up when you are down. They make any dinner out just a little better. But the time came, I knew it would, and I had to say goodbye!!
So…Goodbye Old Friend!! I’ll Miss You!!
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My Birthday Present!!
By Gibber | April 18, 2008
Wow, two posts in one day, who’da-thunk!! I told my mom last night about the birthday present I want. I can’t explain why I want it in such a way that anyone would really get the silliness of the gift, but it’s just me!
At this point in life, there isn’t much in the music realm that I enjoy. I listen to talk radio and Broadway show tunes. The kids have their High School Musical 2 soundtrack, Kids Bop (don’t know the number) and Now That’s What I Call Music 22-that filter through at any given time. I don’t mind this, I’m far to mellow needing that if there is silence in the car, I’m Golden!! But if by chance the radio is on and it’s during the talk radio program I’m not a fan of, we move to Jack FM which is an 80/90’s rock station. Good music that!!
But I digress…
Back to my odd little gift! Do you have a moment in time where you were the happiest? Or have the best memories? Mine is 7th grade. That was the year of Band Aid (still get chills every time that song starts at Christmas), but biggest and best of all, that was the year of Duran Duran. My friend Heather and I were IN LOVE with that group! We had their pictures all over our lockers. We had chosen which of the group we were going to marry. You know, tween girl stuff! Then we moved to Farmington, and they weren’t really big there. I had pictures for my locker, but my partner had never heard of them before, so I didn’t get to hang them up. So my obsession slowly died, although I will still turn the radio up when one of their songs comes on.
May 14th, the day before my birthday, Duran Duran is coming in concert and I WILL BE THERE! I’m dragging my husband (a metal head) along with me, but I’ve already let him know that I’m happy to sit this one out alone. I don’t know why it’s so huge to me to be there! They were old when I was 12! I’ll be 37 this year, so most of them have got to be pushing 60! But there is just something inside that “needs” to be there! There are only three concerts I want to see in my life. Duran Duran, Garth Brooks and Neil Diamond–other than that, I’m good!
So yes, silly as it is…come May 15th, I should have some photo’s of a group of old fogies on stage singing hits from a bygone era, and I will have gotten the chills as the show started, sung along with nearly every song, and probably cried like a baby during most of it! But hey, there are just times when you have to “feed” the child within!!
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Nothin’ Much!!
By Me | April 18, 2008
I have taken a bit of a break the past few days. I have logged on just long enough to check for work. If there was none, I logged off and headed off to clean something. I know, it’s pretty boring, but the main floor of my house is spotless and that is just an awesome feeling all around.
I’ve finished up with most of the kitchen wallpaper removing and painting. I haven’t tried to do the walls above the cabinets yet though. I’m a little worried about my arms, they don’t handle being up in the air very well at all. Pretty sure the fibromyalgia is setting in there. I carried in a 50 pound bag of dog food last night and said to my ‘broken’ husband, “If things continue as they are with my arms, we are going to have to hire a “lifter”! He didn’t find it funny, but he wouldn’t be able to lift the puppy food now, and I could barely do it last night. Oh how I miss healthy arms!!
Today I plan to tackle the kids rooms upstairs. They’ve been doing their own, and not wanting to stifle their optimism at the task, I have let some things slide. SO while they are at school I will go take care of some of the loose ends, and get everything vacuumed and we’ll be set for the week ahead!!
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Report Cards!!
By Gibber | April 8, 2008
Yesterday was a great day all around! Not only am I back on my beloved Zoloft, but it was report card day. Jake got his lowest grades from last term up–and he actually gets money from this report card. Last term he owed more for his lower grades than he received for his higher grades. It was a great report card. Grayson (again) got straight A’s. Being the perfectionist that he is, I can’t say that that was a surprise, but a fun report card all the same.
Also yesterday morning I had a meeting with the Speech Pathologist at the school. Grayson has a rough time with his “R’s” so they have been testing him. In every other facet of learning he scored as a near 10 year old. Mind you, he just turned 8! So aside from those pesky R’s, he’s doing amazingly well!!
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When Life Hands You Lemons…
By Gibber | April 4, 2008
Nope, I don’t make Lemonade! When I get down, I redecorate!! Today was no different. I took all of that ‘depression’ and did something in my kitchen that I’ve been wanting to do since the day we moved in! I tore down old 1980’s wallpaper, spackled and sanded the walls and then painted them a lovely light brown. My plan is to do one section at a time from beginning to end to keep the entire room from a total state of disarray, and the first section was behind the stove. Well, technically–the buffet across the room was first, I hung glass tile on that wall 2 weeks ago. But as for the “just paint”, the wall behind the stove was it!! What do you think??
Here is a corner where the new paint meets the old wallpaper.
And what’s a “How’s it look” photo without a before picture to compare…
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Blake & Jason!!
By Gibber | March 29, 2008
This is my daughter Blake and her cousin Jason. They have really taken to each other. She rode to the church with my dad and had to go back to their hotel before the baptism. When Jason and his dad got to the church Barrett ran and jumped into Bob’s arms and Jason asked where his little buddy was. She got back to the church and ran and jumped into Jason’s arms. She sat on his lap the entire service and wanted to sit by him at dinner afterward. Then a little cousin came and wanted to sit by Blake as well, so we moved everyone down one. Then another friend wanted to sit next to Blake so we had to move Jason to the head of the kids section of the table. After the soup was served Blake kept sneaking down to sit on his lap. He’d take a sip of his soup and then give her a spoonful. I was lucky to capture a cute picture of it.
The future isn’t really sure right now with Jason, so when he was leaving I had Blakelynn give him the biggest hug given in the history of the world.
Watching her today with her favorite cousin reminded me of my childhood. I had a favorite uncle. Uncle Brad. I remember being so excited to see him, and running and jumping in his arms. After my parents divorced I didn’t get to see Uncle Brad except at a family Christmas Eve party. Oddly, I still remember the last time I ever saw him. I didn’t know it would be the last time, or I hope I would have given him the biggest hug given in the history of the world. It’s been 31 years since I saw him last, and I’m not sure he’d even remember who I am. I don’t even remember what he looked like–but I have a vivid memory of running into those arms and being hoisted up, and feeling really special that he really liked me too.
So even though I was so happy that Blake had found her “Uncle Brad” in Jason, the uncertainty of the future makes me a little nervous for her as well!
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Grayson’s Big Day!!
By Gibber | March 29, 2008
Today was a really nice day. I am feeling a bit melancholy, I’m not sure why. It really was a nice service, Grayson looked adorable and little and everyone in the family, whether members of my church or not were very supportive and generous. I really am surrounded by the most wonderful people.
I have been forced into some recollection of the past and although the memory is sweet, there is also sadness that comes with childhood memories. But I will save that for the post following this one. This one I just want to focus on my cute little boy, and how sad/sweet today was. Not sad because of anything other than he’s 8! He’s old enough to be baptized. This little angel boy that I almost lost when he was born has been on this earth for 8 years. As I watched him go under the water I was moved to tears. Just by the sheer magnitude that I was chosen to be the mother of this amazing little spirit. He’s had a rough couple of weeks leading up to today, and I know why. I’ve tried to explain it to him, and I hope he understands why. He is just the most impressive little man, and I’m just so proud of him.
Here are some shots of the “Space Monkey” on his big day!
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What A Day!!
By Gibber | March 28, 2008
Tomorrow is Grayson’s baptism. It will be done at our church just up the street from the house. Then we will trek everyone over to Elk Grove for dinner in the private dining room of my husbands restaurant. That sounds a bit ritzy, private dining room and all–but honestly, it’s about the same cost of cooking at home and it saves me the cooking and the cleaning. I’ve grown accustomed to showing up, eating, writing the check and heading home. This is when being married to a Chef (all the long hours alone, and crappy pay) really come in handy!!
The one thing I am doing is bringing the dessert. There are 30′ish people coming, and that means a lot of different desserts. I’m making…brownies, mint brownies, banana bread, pina colada cake, pineapple upside down cake, rice krispie treats, peanut butter cup cookies, a dump cake and possibly a sheet cake shaped like an eagle–ever the patriotic boy, that Grayson! On top of all of my fun baking…I have to run around the state trying to track down baptismal clothes. Normally our ward has them, but someone in the Spanish ward took them for their baptism and never returned them–total bummer! So I may have to run up to the temple (1 hour away) and purchase a baptismal jumpsuit. Either that or a trip to Joann’s to sew him one all night long! Nordstrom’s does have white pants—so we may go that route—all in all, it’s a lot more stress added to an already stressful time.
But hey, at least I’m not spending the day cooking for tomorrow!!
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Blakelynn–My Little Evangelical!!
By Gibber | March 24, 2008
In our church we do follow Jesus–we try to be like him, you know–judge not lest ye be judged, and love one another. But when it comes to praying we pray to God in Jesus name. In this family, I try to keep the “church” words for church. Well, my little 5 year old, Blake, has really found a devotion to Jesus. Every conversation starts with “Jesus”, and when watching TV or carrying on a conversation with someone, Blakelynn will break in with an important news flash about Jesus. Yesterday it was, “Mom, Jesus was resurrected!”, to which I answer, “Yes, Sweetie, he was!” But it was like 15 times! I told my mom she is starting to sound like an Evangelical with her use of his name.
At Easter dinner Blake was adamant that we have a prayer over the food. My husbands family is not of our faith, they are Catholic, and were fine having a blessing on the food–even though there may not have been one without Blake’s insistence. So…since she insisted, it fell to her to give it. I asked her if she needed help and she said no. Blakelynn has prayed like a Mormon for years. She’s never NOT prayed like a Mormon–until Easter dinner. “Dear Jesus” began my sweet little girl. I was so surprised that I had to open my eyes to make sure she wasn’t joking around. She was completely sincere–and it was precious. She gave the sweetest, most ‘confident’ prayer I’ve heard in a long time. I’m not one that has ever felt really comfortable saying the prayer, but to hear this 5 year old speaking very confident and comfortable…I was humbled. I did tell her how proud I was of her and how much I loved her prayer. Then I had to excuse myself to call my mom in Utah to tell her the story. It still makes me giggle!
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The Awards!!
By Gibber | March 20, 2008
This is the awards ceremony following the derby. I had to put it up—both of my boys are in it! Grayson (8 years old) took 3rd. Jacob (10 years old) took 1st. Notice the shy, blushing, grin on his face. He was jumping out of his skin waiting for her to call his name. I pulled him aside for a quick “gracious winner” moment. This is his final derby–and he’s retiring from the Cub circuit undefeated. Although, he now takes his car to Springfield to race in the district championships. I’ll keep you posted!!
Jake’s car also won “Judge’s Favorite” and Grayson won “Most Patriotic”.
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The Derby!!
By Gibber | March 20, 2008
These are my boys derby cars. Jake’s is the yellow car with the bumble bee and fire–more of a Transformer theme than anything. Grayson went 100% patriotic with a red, white and blue car with eagles and flags. In the normal heats, Grayson beat Jacob 2 out of three times. His car has a thicker profile than Jake’s–we’ll fix that next year. But honestly–they both did great!
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A Date With A Bull!!
By Gibber | March 16, 2008
Every week or so for the past month, a new Bulls player has been at a different Verizon Wireless store in the area. It’s kind of a fun family outing each week to collect their autograph pictures and get our Bulls basketball signed. Last week was Kirk Heinrich, the captain of the Chicago Bulls. The kids waited in line with their dad while I stayed in the car with a sleeping 3 year old. To shorten up the wait, they have “Benny The Bull” (the mascot) roaming the line, messing around with the crowd–having fun. He pulled Grayson out of line (and into the lane of traffic) to put on his matching hat and toss T-shirts at the crowd. He looked really cute.
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It’s All Done!!
By Gibber | March 13, 2008
Ok, it’s finished! I LOVE it!! It really was the easiest thing ever! Mind you, it’s really not totally finished! There will be a beautiful piece of molding under the cabinets meeting the tile–and I have to paint the upper cabinets–but still, super easy! I tiled an entire entryway in our Arizona house over the weekend while my husband was in Chicago for his grandfather’s funeral. The boys and I weren’t invited—so I took out my RAGE (not really) on the vinyl flooring and carpet in the entry. Ripped it out—and laid tile. Yep–I even bought my own tile saw! I’m just a Renaissance Woman!!
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My New Kitchen Tile!!
By Me | March 13, 2008
I wrote a couple of days ago about the back splash tile that I purchased for my little buffet area in my kitchen. It came yesterday, and I spent a few minutes putting it up today. Yes, I literally mean A Few Minutes! I bought the premixed adhesive–and I do have to wait several hours for that to dry before I use my premixed grout–but honestly, this baby could be finished before the “Man” gets home! That’s generally how I ease him into my hair brain schemes. I could have said I wanted glass tile–and he would agree that it would look nice, but that would be where it ended. This way–he doesn’t have to even think about the dos and don’ts, it’s already done. And even without the grout (which is brown by the way) I think it looks really sharp!
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Jacob’s Spring Recital!!
By Gibber | March 12, 2008
Last night Jacob had his Spring recital. He played all of one song during the one hour concert. Not my idea of a fun evening. But the good news is this…I had the right camera–and I got the whole thing with sound! As he’s the only cello player in his school, it’s not too hard to hear him play!
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Beautiful Boy!!
By Gibber | March 7, 2008
I thought I would show you what I made today! This is for the inset of Grayson’s Baptism invitations–all family in state and out of state will receive an invite in the mail–and mind you ALL—your presence is NOT negotiable!! I know, I know, 1500 miles is a bit much to expect out of anyone–but please know–although we do know you won’t be there, you will be missed!!
So back to my original thought, I made all the portions of the invite today–but want to show you the inset. If you got one of Jacob’s invites–they are identical. But this one is just Grayson–and OH MY HEAVENS…where did the time go??
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$5800 Down To $1500!!
By Me | March 4, 2008
We headed out to the old house this morning to meet the Empire Direct man. We need to have the house carpeted and the kitchen floor needs a laminate. He walked us through all of his “stuff”–but wasn’t thrilled when we said we wanted the cheapest possible, because it was just a rental property and we would most likely be changing the carpet after each tenant. His final bid for everything…$5800! Holy Canoli!! It’s a big house–three levels–but only the middle floor is livable. It’s a two bedroom, one bath 1000 square foot floor!
So we took his measurements and headed to the Home Depot–and found everything exactly the same–for $1500. The only difference is that they will head out tomorrow to take their own measurements–but then it could be up to three weeks to install—that will be a bummer–but still—it’s like a $4000 savings–we would be nuts not to take it!
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Snowy Day!!
By Gibber | March 3, 2008
I just wanted to show you our “Winter Wonderland” backyard before it all starts to melt. Of course, we are slated to get a little more snow off and on throughout the week. I’m not a huge snow fan, but honestly, how can you not love how crisp and clean it makes everything look?
These are shots of the backyard. Kind of magical!
And here are some shots of the front.
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16 Years Ago Today!!
By Gibber | February 29, 2008
Wow–that was a lifetime ago! But 16 years ago today I left work early and headed home to wait for my mission call. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s a letter from the President of the Church telling you where in the world you were going to be living for the next 18 months (for me). In order to surprise my mom, I had my call sent to the neighbors. Bad move! I can’t keep any secrets from my mom–and she knew what was up weeks before this day came.
The night before we had watched a church video called “Called To Serve” and one of the scenes of the video’s shows missionaries in their classrooms singing the song in Japanese, and my mom said, “Wow, I’d feel OK if you went to Japan”. Her fear was somewhere like the Dominican Republic or South America–not the safest of places for a young lady to be. While waiting for the mail our conversation drifted to missionaries we knew and strangely happened to center around missionaries that all served in Japan.
The call from the neighbor came, and we headed over to get my call. As we walked toward home opening the letter we paused at the end of the cul de sac but across the street from home and read line by line of the letter, and sure enough I had been called to the Japan Nagoya Mission. We hugged and jumped around in the middle of the street. The neighbor was calling to us asking us where–but both of us had lumps in our throats and we couldn’t speak. I finally managed to croak out “Japan” and we headed home!
We went to the Missionary Store and I bought Brazil paper (for my little brother in the MTC) and Japan paper for me. Both are identical except for the mission name at the top of the page. I wrote him a 6 page letter on Brazil paper and the last paper on the Japan paper. Never once did I mention where I was going. I had a friend deliver it to the MTC that evening and eagerly waited to hear from him. It took him forever, re-reading the letter over and over, and flipping the pages until he finally noticed the different stationary.
That was 16 years ago! Babies being born that day–are getting their drivers licenses about now. It was FOREVER ago!
28 years ago, my parents met for the first time, and an amazing fairy tale began that has encompassed my life from that time on. Life changing events for my mom, myself and my two brothers. We didn’t hear about my dad that same night, it came a couple of weeks later–but this July, my parents will celebrate 28 years together—and for all of you out there looking—Prince Charming was taken off the market that day!! Sorry!
Thanks Mom, for being my best friend and sharing HUGE moments of my life with me—and Thanks Dad–for saving us from everything–and for sharing your best friend with me!!
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You’ve Got To See This!!
By Gibber | February 29, 2008
I want this baby!! You have got to watch this video–it is precious! It just looks like he’s going to eat her–but you can’t tell me that he isn’t showing great love and affection for her! It’s just amazingly awesome!!
Woman ‘embraced’ By Lion - The most popular videos are a click away
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Casimir Pulaski Day!
By Me | February 29, 2008
Monday is Casimir Pulaski Day here in the Chicagoland area, and I’m thinking it must be more of a Cook County thing, because now that we no longer live in Cook—my kids go to school. HAPPY DANCIN’!! They have no school today—which is fine, but the sanity would not be able to handle a four day weekend!
The kids got to have a sleep over last night with their best friends from the old neighborhood. We picked them up after school, headed to Willow Brook for a Bulls players autograph and then home. The kids played Wii and PS2 most of the evening–and then I had to go to bed. I’m not sure why I was so tired, maybe 6 kids had something to do with it. Hard to remember the times I wanted 8!!
I need to be working on Grayson’s baptism invitations, but I’ve just not found the motivation to get them done. Not even the fact that it is a month from today!! I need to at least get the pictures ordered so I can pick them up at Costco tomorrow–I’ll let you know if I get it done!
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It’s Early–But I Guess It’s Ready!!
By Gibber | February 26, 2008
Well, I’m putting the web address down for my new blog. Mind you, if you are on Entrecard or if you just happen to “Roll With My Posse” then you’ve already seen it! But for the rest of the world–I would just like to ask you all to stop over at Kater-Bug Cakes and let me know what you think! It’s not totally finished yet…there are a few more instructions and cake explanations that need to be added–but as far as it’s basics go, it’s pretty much finished. But if you have any comments or suggestions, I would really appreciate them!
Have fun!!
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I’m Giddy!!
By Me | February 24, 2008
I have to say–for someone who suffers from depression–this Euphoria is a welcome relief! I just hung up with my mother in law, and was telling her about the new site–and it just makes me smile. Not quite the same smile as fresh pineapple and seeing palm trees outside your front door (oh, how I miss the palm trees)–but it is a smile that raises the spirits. Makes you hope for the future. Sets your mind to racing about the next project coming!
The official release date for the new blog (yes, there are MANY of you that already know about it and have seen it) but all components will be in place for…) March 1st! If those of you who know about it haven’t been there recently–there is new stuff popping up each day–but the most fun piece hasn’t been added yet. I have to tweak one thing–and it won’t actually go live until the 1st——–SO…check back then!!
I could do it earlier, but this week is full with Baptism invitations which have to be mailed out on Thursday or Friday–and then Saturday…we should be GO!! Holy Cow–that’s not even a week away…I hope we’ll be ready!
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So Sorry!!
By Me | February 23, 2008
I need to apologize to some people who support Barrack Obama — my little tirade yesterday was not aimed at you–or what you believe/hope/dream. I just get tired of people not taking ownership of the things that they do and then pass it off on others as failure. But–I had to vent–and this was my sounding board, so don’t hate me—It shouldn’t happen again!
Yesterday I spent the day working on my new blog. It’s coming along–just a couple of more tweaks I would like to get taken care of before I drop it on humanity!! I must say, I’ve never had a blog with so many sub-domains! I need to figure a couple of more things out–and then I’ll start publicizing it. But for now…I’m off to work on it!
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I Have To Admit…
By Me | February 22, 2008
Since my candidate for President dropped out–I’ve kind of ignored what else is going on. But this…I couldn’t stand! Did you listen, or have you heard any of last nights debate between Osama and Hill ‘o Beans? OH MY GOSH! During the debate Mr. Obama “claimed” to have spoken to a ‘Top Military Official” who made some statement about the armed forces being understaffed, and under-powered, and having to steal Taliban weapons because they were easier to get than armaments from their own government. They have shoddy body armor–and …low grade Humvees. Now I have to say–I was SCREAMING at the radio when this “Traitor” was saying this and then blamed it on the administration. I’m sorry—maybe Mr. Obama has that “liberal” short term memory about …voting against additional spending for our troops! I’m sorry we have inadequate troop supplies (if that’s even true) but don’t you think you should be looking in the mirror when you look for a reason why?
Both of these candidates voted against the funding to protect our troops. And now they both want to be, and think they are not only qualified to be…but DESERVE to be the Commander in Chief of those same troops! I’m sorry–that is down right scary! These are the same type of people that decided to head off on their “vacations” rather than vote to continue to protect this country. Again, short term memory—they must have forgotten that there are people out there wanting us dead–but hey—go off and enjoy your well earned (not) tax payer funded break!
Give Me A Break!!
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Planning A Baptism!!
By Gibber | February 16, 2008
Today I’m trying to finish up the plans for Grayson’s baptism coming up on the 29th of March. I’m not sure what I need to do, but I’m hoping to have cousins in attendance to sing “Scripture Power“. It’s one of my favorite songs, and to hear these little voices singing it will be awesome. No pressure on you ‘parents of cousins’, if you can’t make it…we totally understand! It’s not like you live next door or anything, but we can offer a free place to stay while you visit the Windy City!!
I also have to get his invitations finished up. They will be just like Jacob’s, and his were awesome. I’d like to get them sent out a month in advance, so I do have a week or so to finish them up and get them in the mail. I had to give the talk at Jake’s baptism, and I’m hoping to not have to with this one. But being the only Mormon in the family here, I may not get the choice. Of course, I can hand that off onto Jake–he’d do a great job–and it would mean so much more to Grayson! hmmmmm, things to think about!
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V Day!!
By Gibber | February 15, 2008
How was your Valentine’s Day? Mine was spent shoveling snow…the only Valentine’s gift my husband really needed, and driving around the state! Blake isn’t in Preschool so she didn’t get the opportunity to pass out Valentine’s, so I drove her around to her cousins and we ended up at the old house. We spent the evening with neighbors and got home really late.
I have a yearly tradition where I make brownies in heart shaped ramekins-each family member gets their own. I was also going to make my husbands favorite strawberry cake–but you know, it’s a pretty busy day. Add into that a gas leak that stopped traffic dead in it’s tracks–it took us and hour and a half to go 10 miles!! So, Sunday will be the day we celebrate all things Valentine’s.
My husband has the day off–and the kids are home–so it will be fun!
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Grayson’s Finished Cake!!
By Gibber | February 6, 2008
So……Does it look like a hockey puck??
A few posts down I displayed some of the ideas I had for Grayson’s birthday cake. He’d chosen a hockey puck of all things–but I have to say, it was one of the most fun cakes I’ve had a chance to make! Inside are two layers of lemon cake with a middle filling of lemon custard (recipe over at Cheffin’ It. All in all, it’s a heavy cake–but darn good lookin’ if I do say so myself!
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8 Years Ago!!
By Gibber | February 6, 2008
Every year on my kids birthdays I pull out the old “When You Were Born” story! All of my kids have loved this little tradition–so I can’t stop now! So without further ado…the scariest night of my life (read–LONG POST!!)
Between Jacob and Grayson I shockingly got pregnant. My husband lived a state away, but had surprised me in Utah just a couple of days before Christmas. It was amazing to see him–but I really must say-it was only a “Booty Call”–a really expensive–airplane requiring Booty Call! I went to Phoenix to visit with his mom and his aunt 3 weeks later, and found out that we were pregnant! (I guess it was a VERY successful Booty Call) I ended up miscarrying the next week. Now something strange happens inside the mind of a woman who has just suffered a miscarriage. Timing wise–it was probably for the best that I wasn’t pregnant. But suddenly I have this overwhelming feeling that I have to get pregnant as soon as possible. Almost as a way to prove to myself and others that I can do this. I may have failed at this attempt, but now I have this inner push to prove that I can have a baby.
Enter Grayson! After the miscarriage my midwife told me to just wait a month and try again. Well, waiting a month would have resulted in a possible Y2K baby–and I wanted NOTHING to interfere with my epidural machine! So I waited 2 months. She also told me “what to look for”. As in, ‘when you see this…do this!!’ So my husband was the one getting the Booty Call this time! And yep–we were pregnant!
Grayson was originally due February 14th, but not wanting to ‘interfere’ with his school Valentine’s party-we planned to induce him on the 12th. My husband’s older brother passed away on the 12th of February, and Grayson was getting this brothers name as his middle name-so we thought it very fitting. Well, my doctor didn’t agree! He did a final ultrasound on the 4th of February and about choked! He saw this HUGE head and thought there was no way I would be able to deliver it! By this point, I wanted this baby out–and so I didn’t tell him that my first baby’s head still holds the record at the hospital he was born at! So we scheduled an induction for the 6th of February.
I was finally at the hospital–in no pain, and feeling fine. The IV and the Epidural were the most painful parts of the whole stay. In fact, I ended up telling the nurse putting the IV in–If she pulled it out one more time–I would put it in her arm!! When it was finally time for the Epidural–it was awful! I wasn’t in much pain and I’m leaning over the bed onto a nurse. I felt everything–but then I felt this huge pop and bubbles–all I thought–I’m going to be paralyzed. How can I take care of a newborn and be paralyzed??? I started to cry–but then realized I could move my feet–so I was fine! It wasn’t until a couple of months later–watching ER–when giving an epidural on the show the doctor goes–”Now your going to feel a pop, and then some bubbles–but everything is just fine!” Holy Cow!! Why didn’t my real doctor say that!!!
My husband got to watch the NHL Allstar game on tv. My parents had been at the hospital most of the day, and I was waiting and waiting! The nurse came in and checked my dilation. I had walked in the door at a three and I was sitting at a 4! 6 hours later–and I’ve moved up 1!! I wasn’t happy! The later it got–the more it meant I would have to stay an additional night in the hospital–and I HATE that! But Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (the original with Regis) would be on at 8 pm. SO I kept saying-I just have to make it to 8, I just have to make it to 8! I wasn’t addicted-but it was something I enjoyed that would take my mind off of the fact that nothing was happening!
So it’s finally 8 o’clock and my parents head out for dinner. And I settle in with my Millionaire. 8:45 I let the nurse know that I was feeling pressure–absolutely nothing bad–no pain–just pressure! She checked me and went running out of the room! Now there’s a confidence builder!!
The nurse comes back in with the doctor in full regalia!! I guess we are ready to push. I’m feeling nothing–laughing with the doctor. The nurse makes a comment about how much hair this baby has…What?? You can see his hair? I guess I don’t need to push–he’s basically here!! One little push to get the shoulders out–and I was done! But, but, but–2 hours ago I was only a 4!! My mom is at dinner—there was NO PAIN!! What just happened here!!!
I guess when you have babies really fast there is some bruising and scraping that appears on their faces. But it didn’t show up for awhile. All I remember about Grayson’s looks is that you could see he was going to have really deep set eyes. He would open his eyes and look at me and with his swolleness and his deep eyes–his eyeballs were about an inch lower than his eyelids–very weird to look at!
My mom got in the room shortly after he was born–completely astounded at the turn of events! She walked in and got to hold him. She was planning on not having this moment for many more hours! We called my aunt and uncle and they brought Jake over. They all got to hold my hours old baby–and he started to chant rhythmically when my Uncle was holding him. It was so cute and he commented on it.
Miraculously, you’ll understand that word in a second–the nurse that was taking care of me on the recovery side normally works on the labor and delivery side. She let me know that chanting is NOT a good thing and ran off to get a doctor to have another look at him. There wasn’t a normal nursery at this hospital. Once the baby is checked and found healthy on the L/D side, they move to the recovery side with mom, and they are done. But they did have a NICU. She came back and said that she was just going to take Grayson to the nursery to give him a little oxygen and that he should be back soon. He never came back to that room! I had a flood of nurses and doctors rushing in to fill me in on what was going on–but no baby came with them. One nurse from the NICU told me how everything was going that he’s on full oxygen and that they had called in a Neo-Natal Cardiologist (it’s 2 am–never good), but that everything would be fine. Then she went out to the nurses station–3 feet from my room and proceeded to tell the nurses there that she had never seen a baby looking so grave. What??? He was fine! He was healthy! He had funny eyes–but the swelling would come down and he would be beautiful!! Grave?? I rushed into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub and just cried and begged God not to take my baby. Then as if a man was standing next to me in the room I heard the words, “He will be fine. Your father is here.” I immediately knew what that meant. My dad was here-from Utah-he was 25 miles away–but he was here and he, through the power of God, HE could save Grayson!! I knew it, and I felt so much better.
I called my husband to let him know what was going on. He went and got my parents to watch Jacob and he rushed to the hospital. He just missed the Cardiologist who practically spoke Greek (not really) to me…hole in his heart, common as the hills, heart murmur, 3 weeks in the hospital—AMAZINGLY lucky that his heart condition was caught after he had already been checked off as OK. There you have the miraculousness of having the nurse that I did!! When my husband got there we got to go see Grayson for the first time in hours–and to this day I wish I hadn’t gone! He looked like a little gray, dead baby hooked up to monitors with tubes and wires coming out of every orifice, in every appendage, his head was in a space helmet looking thing–and we were not allowed to touch him. It would cause his heart to race and that could cause a heart attack.
In a nutshell–when the baby is in Utero the heart only uses two chambers and it works to oxygenate the entire body because the lungs are filled with fluid. When the baby is born and takes it’s first breath, that hole shuts the whole heart takes over pumping the blood, and the lungs clear to oxygenate the blood. But not in Grayson. His heart didn’t seal, his lungs didn’t clear. His heart was working too hard to work, and his lungs were in danger of getting pneumonia because they hadn’t cleared.
I went back to my room with the horror of that site burned into my eyes. I couldn’t sleep, and I just kept pleading that he would be OK. And again, I felt this calm, warm reassurance–that my dad was here. My parents came at 10 in the morning and my dad went in and gave Grayson a blessing. In it, he was promised that he would make a full and MIRACULOUS recovery–one that would astound and amaze even his doctors. When he finished with his blessing he had tears in his eyes. He said that he was just really impressed that this baby was a special little spirit, and that he was going to be fine.
I left the hospital without ever getting to hold this baby again during my stay. Tuesday morning I went in to pump for him and I got to hold him for about 15 minutes. The nurses let me know that it was a long road to recovery–that it could be 3 weeks before I could take him home-2 weeks to recover and 1 week under the UV lights for the Jaundice he was bound to get. I went home down–but happy knowing he was going to make it. We went back Tuesday night so I could pump again. My husband went up first, and I stayed in the car with Jake. 15 minutes later my husband came back and it was my turn–he did tell me Grayson looked great! I got up to the nursery and rang the bell. The woman inside the nursery was holding a really cute baby and smiling. She told me that my husband held Grayson, and how good he looked–blah–blah–blah–get out of my way–I’m going to get my baby. I get to his isolet–and he isn’t there. Now my brain is confused but starting to catch on to what this woman was babbling about–she was holding Grayson!! No monitors, no tubes, no wires–and he was darling!! His grayish crown–gone. Bruises from quick delivery–gone. Swollen eyes–gone.
As I took this baby in my arms I knew he was fine. I just did. He was perfect! The nurse said that she didn’t want to get my hopes up-but she said that she couldn’t see why they wouldn’t release him the next day. It was Tuesday night–he was born on Sunday–I’m expecting 3 weeks-not three days!! MIRACLE! So I went home exuberant. I might get to bring him home tomorrow.
8:00 in the morning the phone rings. It’s his doctor. His exact words–”Mrs. Nykaza, this is Dr. (something foreign), Your baby…WOW! He’s ready to go home!” Just like my dad had said in his blessing–he would have a recovery that would astound even his doctors. My Heavenly Father was watching over this baby–and he (even 8 years later) is still a special little spirit in my life!!
Here is a picture taken the day I got to bring him home! No gray head–No swollen eyes–No bruises on his face–No tubes and wires–NO JAUNDICE!!! What a Miracle! Isn’t he precious!!!
And here is beautiful angel boy at 1 Year old!!! Complete recovery–quite the sportsman now!!
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Another Snow Day!!
By Gibber | February 6, 2008
Today the boys had a snow day! Originally Grayson was not thrilled at the prospect of not getting to go to school on his big day. But after an afternoon of sledding with his friends and making a snowman, I think he decided that it was a pretty cool birthday present after all! Here is a quick shot of the kids snowman!
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Just A Boring Mom Post!!
By Gibber | February 5, 2008
Isn’t it strange how your attitude can be based on silly things? I am a stay at home mom. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to be. But there definitely days when a full time job sounds AWESOME!! I work online–but something a few months ago totally knocked me off my game! I went from earning around $1500 a month sitting at home with my kids to making nothing! I lost interest in the work after that, and my mood (depression) totally showed it! Well, I’ve started back into it! I’m up and running, and so far-in the last 15 minutes I’ve made $26.00. I know–mass fortunes it is not, but it is bringing back that feeling of “worth” in my life. It’s lame, I know, but when I can say that I help this family out financially-I really do feel like I deserve to be living in it! I’m not done working today–and would love to make more, but I just had to take a moment (on the one blog that makes ZERO) and be thankful for silly things!
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Big Week A Comin’!!
By Me | February 4, 2008
This is a big week in this family. Grayson Daniel is turning 8 on Wednesday. That means it will be 8 years since the scariest night of my life. Not really an anniversary I look forward to–even after 8 years, I still cry when I think about it! I will write more about it on the “Birthday” post on Wednesday, but for now, I’m just thankful that he is as healthy, smart, beautiful and sweet as he is!
Tomorrow night he gets to go to his very first Scout meeting where he’s the scout. He’s been to many with his older brother, but this will be his first as a Bobcat! Mind you–he’ll be a Bobcat for all of 3 weeks until Pack Meeting. He had wanted to hold off on joining Scouts until after the Pinewood Derby. His older brother has been the Grand Champion of both of his, and with this being his last race, Grayson didn’t want to go up against him. He wanted Jake to win all three of his and then he could win all three of his. But I reminded him that this is a new area–Jake may not win this race–so he might as well participate. Especially since my parents will be in town for it!
When the boys get off the bus in the next minute or two–I will have to head out to the Scout store. I have a Weblos Scout in need of a shirt, and a Cubby in need of his patches. Both need their books! How fun it will be for Grayson to work along side his big brother (read HERO) in earning his badges. Lucky little man!
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World’s Best Daughter In Law!
By Me | February 1, 2008
I was just called the ‘World’s Best Daughter In Law’! I know…I’d like to thank the members of the Academy… Actually, if I must be honest, I am a darn good one! Every Sunday without fail the four kids and I head over to the in laws house for the day. Notice the son of the in laws isn’t with us–well, he makes it over there every other month or so! But not us. If it’s a Sunday, after church, you will find us there. The older kids play on the computer or watch football with Grandpa, Barrett snuggles with Uncle Bob and Blake rotates between everyone. I sit at the table gabbing with my mother in law. We play a mean game of Scrabble and will one of these days break out the Monopoly. Sunday’s are fun! When we do finally move West again, I will miss these afternoons. The nice thing is that I appreciate them, and they appreciate me (us)–and that’s just a good feeling!
On the wife and mother front there wouldn’t be a whole lot of votes on the “Best”–so it’s nice to be appreciated in one aspect of my life! I don’t get to see my mom at all–but I do call her every day, but I still have tremendous guilt about my kids not getting to know this amazing lady! Even though my kids don’t get to see my parents very often, they are VERY close to my mom, and that makes me happy!
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‘Da Bulls!!
By Me | January 29, 2008
Here is a glimpse into a magical evening for my boys. It’s the night they got to use their last Christmas present. Tickets to a Chicago Bulls game with their dad. These events have been such a wonderful part of their lives. A much bigger relationship has blossomed between father and sons–and honestly–to quote the Mastercard commercial…”Priceless!!”
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Our Christmas–Yeah…It’s Late!!
By Me | January 26, 2008
Wow–you know…there really must be some depression around the edges because I noticed for the first time today that I still have Christmas pictures I’ve never even uploaded from my camera. Never has that happened! I’ve always been so excited to get them up that to actually wait a month before noticing I hadn’t even looked at them! So…bear with me, as I take a moment and relive some of my favorite moments from a month ago!
The Cookies
The Stockings
The Haul
Santa Dog
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