They're Getting So Big!

I took this picture today at my mom's house.  I can not believe how fast these babies are growing!  All four are doing great, even though you can't see the others (they are under these big guys!). Mommy bird was very vocal today, right above my head, as I took this picture. 

I wonder how much longer it will be until they are flying on their own? 

Rain, Rain, Go Away...At Least For Today

 I woke up this morning, and when I opened my eyes, I thought it was still early.  I rolled over to look at my alarm clock, and it said 9:42. 

Well, that didn't seem right.  The light coming in the windows was not bright enough for it to be that late.  Then I heard it.  It was probably what had woken me up to begin with.  Thunder.  Loud, booming thunder.

Great.  That means no swimming today, and the kids have been looking forward to swimming for weeks.  I called my mom, and we are still going forward with the cookout.  Kind of.  We will be hanging out inside, instead of poolside, and we will be cooking on the stove instead of the grill.  It's disappointing, sure, but at least we have many more weekends, and Holidays, this summer to enjoy the pool.

The next big cookout Holiday is, of course, the 4th of July.  Last year, I hosted the cookout, and then we enjoyed a fireworks display put on by Cowpens Battlefield.  This year, we will no doubt have it at my mom's.  I want to go all out with decorations, and finding wholesales, closeouts, liquidations and sale prices on said decorations is a must.   I found this salad set for only $10, and it can be used on other occasions as well.  There are so many other great products for sale to the public at great prices.  You can find decorations for any occasion, too.  I will be focusing on Summer decorations, though, that can be used over and over again.  When I spend my money, I like it to be on things that will last through more than one use.

Hopefully, this storm will pass quickly, and we will be able to at least cook on the grill.  I bought all the ingredients to make those Polynesian Sausage Kabobs I have been drooling over, and I am pretty sure they won't come out right if baked in the oven.  So I will sit here, and silently sing to myself the "rain, rain, go away" song.  Do you think that will help the weather clear up?

I really hope so.

Follow Me Friday

This my first Follow Me Friday, and I want to thank Lydia @ Still On The Verge for being such a wonderful host!  The concept is simple...head over to her Follow Me Friday post, and sign up.  Visit the others bloggers who have joined, and when you find a site you love, follow it.  With a little luck, you will gain some new followers, too.  Just remember, give a little love and leave some comments.  You know we all love those!

I'm off to find some new favorite reads...

The Birds Have Hatched!

 All four eggs hatched, and they seem to be doing well.  My mom says the mommy bird gets very mad whenever she goes near them, and I agree!  When I took this picture, mommy bird almost flew into my head!  Scared the crap out of me.They are kinda ugly right now, but as soon as they get their feathers they will be adorable!  I will try and get more pictures next week so we can all watch them grow.

Summer Television

Remember when Summer television was just repeats of your favorite shows?  I don't remember when, exactly, new shows started showing up on the Summer television schedule, but I am so glad they did.  I don't watch a lot of television during the day, but I do like to relax at night and watch a good medical, food, or vampire show.  That's right, I am talking about my three favorite shows that are all premiering in June.

First up is Royal Pains. Man, I would give anything to let Hank be my doctor!  If you are unfamiliar with this show, it is all about a doctor who gets fired from his hospital position, so he becomes a concierge doctor in the Hamptons.  With his beautiful assistant Divya and his brother Evan, he caters to the super rich, and the not so rich, who need medical attention.  I seriously love this show, and can not wait for it to begin it's new season on June 3rd at 10pm on USA Network.

Next up is The Next Food Network Star.  Now, you all know I love a good reality show, and this is one of my favorites, and not just because it stars Mr. Bobby Flay, who I absolutely adore.  I love the challenges, and watching the contestants cook.  Some of these people are really talented, and some of them, well, they make for interesting television. Check out the season premiere June 6th at 9pm on Food Network.

Last up is my guilty pleasure, True Blood.  I mean, is there anything sexier than brooding vampires?  Yeah, I didn't think so.  I can not wait to see what this season has in store.  I have been watching some previews and mini-episodes online, and it looks like it is going to be an awesome season.  I can not wait until June 13th at 9pm.  I will be tuned into HBO to get my True Blood fix.

Did you happen to notice that I have a conflict of interest?  Both True Blood and The Next Food Network Star are on at 9pm on Sunday nights.  Luckily, HBO always plays True Blood twice, and Food Network airs each episode twice as well.  I will most likely watch True Blood at 9, and catch the Food Network Star when it repeats, usually at 11pm or midnight.  It's a good thing the kids are out of school, and I can sleep in a little in the mornings.

What's your Summer Must See Shows?

God's Promises For Girls

Be Beautiful On The Inside


Lip gloss and nail polish
Fancy clothes and earrings -
None of these compare with
What inner beauty brings.

"God does not see us the same way poeple see.  People look at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart."
1 Samuel 16:7




 I really like this book.  Each "promise" has a little poem, like the one above, and then bible versus (taken out of the best-selling International Children's Bible) that reinforce the promise.  I love the one above, because I grew up having self-esteem issues, and I do not want my girls to experience that.  I want them to be happy with who they are, no matter what they look like on the outside.  Don't get me wrong, my girls are beautiful!  I just hope the rest of the world sees it, too.


The illustrations in this book are adorable, just like the one on the cover.  It is tiny, too, which makes it easy for little hands to grasp.  This is the perfect bedtime book, I think, because it provides the opportunity to talk to your daughter while relaxing.  I know Brandi and I love to read together before bed, and this book has become one of her favorites.  I am going to let Kasi read it, too.  Even though it may be a little young for her, I still think the messages it provides will have an impact on her.


 ***I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Life Can Be Like An Online Casino

 There are so many things in life that are unpredictable.  You may think you are prepared for every possible thing, and then something happens that knocks you flat on your back.  It's kind of like your life is a game of chance, just like an online casino.  When we moved into this neighborhood, one of the biggest positives was that there is a leash law. But because our luck is the way it is, one of our neighbors has a dog who runs free.  This dog terrifies Brandi.  I have had words with the guy who owns it, and Ryan has had words with his wife (I do not agree with what Ryan did, and he got in trouble for yelling at an adult, but that's a whole other post).  We can not go to the maintenance man, because the dog owners are his friends, and he is aware of the dog running free, and does nothing about it.  I hate that Brandi is terrified to go outside now, but I don't know what to do.  We are new here, so I don't want to cause problems. 

I'm just thankful that we will be spending a lot of time at my mom's house this Summer, so she will not be stuck inside all the time.  Junior is also going to buy her a dog whistle, just in case this stupid mutt comes into our yard.  I just wish for once, people would obey the rules.  I mean, they are rules for a reason, right?

Drag Me To Hell

Kasi and I were both excited to watch this movie, and judging by the title, we thought it was going to be scary.

We were wrong.  It had a few "make you jump" moments, but it was mostly gross.  And predictable.  In fact, at one point in the middle of the movie, I turned to Kasi and told her exactly how the movie would end.

And I was right.  To sum it up...Christine works at a bank, and an old woman comes in to ask for an extension on her mortgage.  Christine makes the decision to deny her, so the old woman puts a curse on her.  Christine spends the rest of the movie trying to figure out how to remove the curse.  That's about it.

If you are a horror movie fan like Kasi and I, you might enjoy this movie.  If you are not a big fan of this genre, I would suggest skipping it altogether.

White Water

Thanks to my friend Kathy Katson for the post!

We love taking our oldest daughter to White Water Bay Park each summer. I had to pack so much stuff for the trip. I got our bags ready with swim suits, extra clothes, sunscreen, and water. The water at the park is so expensive it is worth it to take our own along. I’m really conscious of home security florida issues, so I set our home alarm system and we were on our way out the door.

It is about a 2 hour drive for us. Luckily our car has a DVD player in it and she watched a movie along the way. When we arrived, we had the entire day to spend riding all the water slides. We started out by going in the lazy river to get wet. It helps float you along and is so much fun. Our daughter was so excited that we quickly moved onto the water slides. We love the Bermuda Triangle. You grab a raft and climb up to the top. We could feel the water dripping on us the entire way up. Once you get up there, you decide which slide you want to go down. These are one person slides and you go by yourself. It twists and turns the entire way down. Part of it is covered and dark. It is such a rush!

Next we went to Castaway Creek. It is a long relaxing ride through rocks on a tube. Their are a few places you go down kind of fast along the way. On one of them, I flipped my tube over the entire way and landed in the water! It was actually funny so I didn't mind. My husband couldn't stop laughing.

We had a blast spending the entire day going from slide to slide. We spent some time in the big pool. We watched our daughter climb across the lily pads trying to keep her balance. This is a trip we plan to take every summer. I can't wait till our youngest daughter is old enough to go along and enjoy the trip!

I Hate When I Wake Up With A Headache

There is nothing worse than starting my day with a pounding behind my eyes and a sensitivity to light and noise.  But, that is what I woke up to when my alarm went off at 5:15 this morning.  Or yesterday morning, since it is technically tomorrow.  Or today.  Oh, crap, I don't know.  Can you see what migraines do to me?

So as soon as I got the kids on the bus, I tried to go back to bed.  I couldn't sleep.  I didn't want to take the Excedrin on an empty stomach, so I got up to get something to eat.  (Let me just say that I love the Excedrin Migraine medicine.  It is the only thing that works when my head feels as bad as it did this morning.) I finally fell asleep when the medicine kicked in.  I slept for a couple of hours, and when I woke up. my head was pounding again.  After checking my email and updating my facebook status, (because let's face it...that is what is important people) I settled into my recliner with my blanket and a movie.  (I watched My Sister's Keeper, which looking back was not a great choice, because the sobbing didn't help my headache at all...man, that was a sad movie) I also drank a bunch of diet Pepsi, instead of my normal sprite zero, because the caffeine usually helps my head.  Eventually it did, but now I am paying for it, because I am wide awake, and it is 1am.  I have to get Junior up for work in an hour and 15 minutes, so there really isn't any point to trying to sleep at this point.  Maybe after I get him up I'll head to bed.

Hopefully I will be able to sleep.

Where Are Carly’s Parents

Posted by Avery Myers

As I was watching iCarly the other day on Direct tv satellite TV with my younger brother and sister it made me wonder where Carly's parents were. If you have never seen the show, the plot is pretty simple as most children's shows are. Carly creates a web show with her friends Sam and Freddie. Carly seems to live in a rather large apartment with her much older brother. There is never any real mention of Carly's parents in each episode. You get the feeling that her parents are maybe dead or away for extended periods of time.

It often leaves me wondering why anyone would leave a teenager in the care of an older brother like Carly's. While I understand that it is just a television show and does not have to make any real sense, it just seems so bizarre I found myself asking this question every time it airs. It's not that Carly's brother isn't very smart hes just sort of nutty. He does things that don't make the most sense. You may even find Carly pointing this out to her older brother. At times Carly seems to be more of a parent type then her older brother.

The whole show is pretty comical and Carly's brother dose need to play some role in that. His quirky attitude is often the side line of many shows. Whether or not Carly's parents left Carly with him intentionally or unintentionally, he seems to make a somewhat adequate parent although at times viewers will find that Carly can be more mature. This show is mildly entertaining at times for adults and can still be quite funny for children while not being too crude.

I'm Going To Win This. I Just Know It!

My friend and computer genius Anna is hosting a giveaway, and I just know that I am going to be the big winner.  I can feel it in my bones!

Okay, in all likelihood, I probably won't win, but there is nothing wrong with a little positive thinking.  I really could use the $60 shopping spree she is giving away to CSN stores.  I have been talking about getting some new cookware, and winning this would help out a lot with that. 

If you want to try your luck and enter too, go here.  You'll be wasting your time, though, because like I said, I am going to win! lol!

I Was Shocked. Seriously. I Was Floored.

Let me begin by saying that Brandi is the ultimate mama's girl.  In the eight years that she has been on this earth, the only time she is ever away from me is when she goes to school.  There have been a few times when she has gone with my mom for a few hours, but that's about it.  She has been invited to do many things, with many different people, but she refuses to go unless I go with her.

Last night, one of Kasi's friends invited her to go skating with her.  When they showed up to pick her up, the girl's Grandmother came in and was talking to Junior and I.  Brandi walked in the room, and the Grandmother asked her if she wanted to go too. 

I was shocked when Brandi said "sure".  Five minutes later she was gone.  If I'm being honest, it was a little weird for me that she left.  I am so used to her not wanting to go anywhere without me, I felt a little un-needed.  I know that's crazy.  But hey, she's my baby.  I am not ready for her to not need me anymore.

When they got back, Brandi was all smiles.  Apparently she made friends with Kasi's friend's Grandfather, and he helped her learn how to skate.  I was glad she had a good time, and I hope this is the beginning of her being a little independent.

Even if I am not ready for it.

My New Favorite Deodorant

I am a creature of habit.  I like doing things the same way, at the same time every day, and if my routine gets interrupted, for whatever reason, I get a little cranky.  I am also loyal.  When I find a product that I love, I never buy anything else.

That said, I think it is time for me to make some changes.  Why, you ask?  Well, I received two deodorant samples in the mail to try, and they were not my normal brand.  I have been using the same deodorant since I started wearing it as a teen, so I was a little nervous about switching.

Let me tell you, this Suave deodorant smelled really good!  I have always used a "powdered" scent, because perfume bothers me.  This deodorant was "wild cherry blossom" scented, but not too strongly.  There was just a hint of fragrance, which was really nice.  I decided to take this deodorant with me on vacation last weekend, and I really put it to the test.  After a day of walking around Dollywood in the heat, I still smelled a little like a cherry blossom, and I was dry, too.  I have to say I was pretty impressed, and will most likely buy Suave in the future.

That was my experience, but like I said, they sent me two samples.  The other one was for Kasi.  Unlike most teens, she was excited to try a new deodorant.  At 13, she has been using deodorant for a couple of years already, and thankfully she is pretty good about wearing it every day.  I am lucky in that my kids still love to tell me everything about their lives, and we talk about everything.  As far as I know, we have no secrets.  So even on the rare occasions when Kasi comes home a little stinky, I can let her know about it without hurting her feelings.  She has been using the Degree deodorant for about a week now, and she loves it.  It smells feminine, but like the Suave, it is not overpowering.  She has come home every day stink free, and dry.  I am pretty sure she will request I buy her a new one once this one runs out, and I will be happy to.

For those parents who would like more information, Unilever has a website called DontFretTheSweat.com.  It is here that parents can find information about talking with their kids about the changes going on with their bodies, and how to find the right deodorant for their specific needs. I also found some pretty awesome coupons.  I am all about saving money, especially when it is on a product that I love.

And I think I can honestly say that I love this deodorant. 

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Unilever and received the items necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

I Need New Pots

I have pots that are about 15 years old.  They are Teflon covered; or at least they used to be.  The bottoms of all of them are peeling up and flaking, but I just can not bear to throw them away.  I don't use them anymore, but my mom gave them to me when I got married, so they have sentimental meaning.  I know, I'm a little nuts.

I do have pots that I use everyday that are no-coated.  These work well for most things, but sometimes I really need a non-stick pot.  I have had my eye on a set from Rachael Ray, but they are pretty expensive.  I looked for Cooking.com coupons, and found a few coupons I can choose from.  I just need to figure out which coupon saves me the most money.   (I am not good at math, so it's hard for me to figure out if I save more money using a coupon for 10% off, or one for free shipping.  This is where Junior comes in very handy)

I love the Silicone handles on the pots and lids.  They are even oven safe up to 400 degrees.  The glass lids make it easier to see what the food you are cooking is doing, and this is a good thing, especially for me.  I have a tendency to remove the lids off pots too frequently while checking the food inside, and I know this messes with the temperature inside the pot.  I want to be a better cook, and I think having good pots will help me get there.

Now if I can just convince myself to throw away the old ones.

She's A Terrific Kid ~ Again!

Brandi did it again!  her new school selected her to be a terrific kid for the last nine weeks of school.  She didn't get a certificate from this school, just a note saying that she deserves this honor because "She is cooperative in class and very respectful to everyone.  She is a hard worker."

I knew switching schools would be a little difficult for her, but she has adjusted well.  I am so proud of her!

New Comforter For Kasi

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Linens 'N Things. All opinions are 100% mine.
Kasi's birthday was last Friday, and I still haven't gotten her a gift.  I want to get her something special, because it was her 13th birthday.  I keep asking her what she wants, and she always says she doesn't know.  So this means I have to decide all on my own.

Great.

I was thinking that maybe I would buy her a new comforter for her bed.  We are not allowed to paint the walls here, so when we moved in, I let the girls pick out big stickers for the walls in their room.  They picked big brown and pink circles.  At the time, I only had money to buy matching curtains, so Kasi has been using her old comforter, which is kind of childish.  I started looking online, and I found a cute comforter at Linens 'N Things.  

I think it would look great on her bed.  It has the pink and brown, and also purple, which is her favorite color.  It was kind of hard deciding which comforter I thought she would like, because there were so many to choose from.  Linens 'N Things carries more than just comforters, too.  They have a nice selection of  kitchen gadgets, bathroom supplies, and even vacuums.

Now that I have found what I want to get for Kasi, I am going to show it to her first, just to make sure she likes it.  I would hate to get her something she didn't love.  If she decides she likes it, I am going to order it, and get free shipping.

How am I going to do that, you ask?  Well, I have a coupon code for Mommy Bloggers like myself to use.  It's MOMBLOG.  Easy enough to remember, right?  It can be used on all orders over $26 until June 1, 2010.

So get shopping!

$5 Gift Card

Yesterday, I got a $5 Walmart gift card in the mail.  They recently remodeled a local store, and this gift card needs to be used at that store.  I guess it's their way of getting people there.  I know when they were doing the remodel, I wouldn't shop there.  The store was a mess!  I guess it's time to go back, and try and figure out the new layout.  I hate when they move things around.  It takes twice as long to find things.

But, I guess five dollars is worth checking it out.

Dealing With Disabilities And Transportaion

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.
When I first met my husband, he was not in he best place financially.  He was working as a delivery person, and not making very much money.  When we found out I was pregnant, he decided it was time for a change, so he went to school to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.   After working in a nursing home for a couple of months, a friend of the family recommended him to a church member who was looking for someone to care for her elderly father who just had a stroke.  Junior agreed, and worked for them until it became too hard for the old man to live alone.  During the time he sat with the old man, they did a lot of things together.  They would go out to eat, or just drive around in the country.  One of the most difficult things for Junior to do, though, was getting the old man into and out of the car.  He was in a wheelchair, and Junior would have to lift him into and out of the car.  No wonder he has back problems these days!

The family should have looked into making their vehicle wheelchair accessible.  There were so many things the old man wanted to do, like going to church three times a week, that were impossible for him.  His children were older, and unable to lift him into and out of the car.  I wish I knew then to recommend NMEDA.  

NMEDA stands for National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association.  They educate people about buying products from a NMEDA qualified dealer.  These dealers will come to you, and custom fit your vehicle to your specific needs. This will make it so much easier to transport your loved ones with disabilities.  Make sure that when you choose a dealer, you chose one that is a Quality Assurance Program (QAP) Dealer. 

"The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality."

 It is easy to find a dealer near you.  Just check out the website and fill in your area code.  When I put mine in, I had several dealers come up.  I hope I never have to use them, but it's nice knowing that if I do, they are there.

Apologies

Night before last, I was sitting here at the computer (what else is new?) when our cell phone rang.  The number came up, but not a name.  I answered, and a woman asked for Junior.

I asked who it was, and she gave her name.  I told her Junior wasn't home, and asked if she wanted to leave a number.  She said, quite rudely, that he could call the number that showed up on the caller ID.  I asked what it was in reference to, and she got all pissy and said,

"it's personal".

Well, that ticked me off, so I told her that if she didn't tell me what this was in reference to, I wouldn't give Junior the message.  She said, "Ma'am, this is a LOAN".  I took a deep breath and told her, "look, you have no reason to get nasty with me.  You call my cell phone, asking to speak to my husband, tell me it's personal when I ask what it's about" and that is when she hung up on me.

I walked outside and asked Junior (who was home...I just didn't want to get up...lazy, I know) if he knew who it was, and he did.  It was a woman who works at a place we have a loan with, calling to remind Junior that we have a payment coming up.  This is a place that I have spoken with numerous times on the phone.  They know that I know about the loan.  I have even made some of the payments.

So yesterday, Junior called her back from work, to tell her that he hasn't forgotten, and that he was going to come by after he got off.  The woman who called me told him to apologize to me, because she had the "big wigs" in the office, and couldn't tell me who she was.  I was a little shocked that the "big wigs" would rather hear her being rude than friendly, but whatever.

When Junior went by there after work, she was still wanting him to know how sorry she was for the way she spoke to me on the phone.  I was home, and the phone rang, and caller ID showed it was the loan place.

I didn't answer.

Junior called me five minutes later from the cell, saying it was the woman calling to apologize to me herself.  I kind of figured, that's why I didn't answer the phone.  He told her I was probably home, just not answering, and that made her feel worse.

Oh well. Maybe next time she will think twice before being so rude to her customers.

The End Of Another School Year

 I can not believe that next Friday is the kids last day of school.  Where has this past school year gone?  It seems like only yesterday that I was registering them.  Time flies, I guess.

It's crazy to think that I am now the mom of two teenagers.  Ryan will be in 9th grade next year, and Kasi will be in 8th.  They are growing up way too fast!  Ryan is dreaming about driving, which is legal at 15 down here in South Carolina.  But, just because the law says he can drive, it doesn't mean that he will.  I think that is too young, and plan on making Ryan wait until he is at least 16, and has taken some driving classes.  They actually offer those in the schools down here.  I bet I would be driving now if they were offered to me in NY.  Well, maybe not.

I wish he would be thinking more about furthering his education, and doing better in school.  I know it is not easy to qualify for a college loan, but I think having good grades helps.   Or maybe that is for scholarships.  Either way, I want him to get into a good college, so he can study automotive like he wants to.  I want my kids to all have good jobs one day, so that they don't struggle financially like Junior and I do.  If that means having to take out student loans and work through college, than that is what they will do. 

I mean, when they have to take me in someday, I don't want to be living in their car with them.

Being A Helpful Cousin

Since the day Lylah (my niece) was born, Brandi has wanted to feed her a bottle. I haven't let her yet, because I think she is a little to young to hold and feed the baby.  So on the way to Tennessee, when Lylah needed to be fed, Brandi jumped on the opportunity, and finally got to give the baby a bottle.  

She loved every second of it, too.  Someday, hopefully in the distant future, she is going to be an amazing mom.

Oh, and notice the blanket on the baby?  It's the one I made her.  It's her favorite!

Falling. Not So Much Fun.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Medical Guardian. All opinions are 100% mine.
I remember when I was pregnant with Ryan, I fell getting out of the shower.  I was pretty far along, and just completely lost my balance.  Thankfully, Junior was home, so he was able to help me up.  Other than a sore knee, I was fine, and so was Ryan.  I don't remember ever falling while pregnant with Kasi, but Brandi was a whole other story.  When I got to be about seven months along, I fell all the time.  I was so big (she weighed 9 pounds, 13 ounces) that my center of gravity was off, and I lost my balance easily.  I remember going pumpkin picking for Halloween, and I fell in the middle of the pumpkin patch.  Talk about embarrassing!  Junior joked that he was going to get me one of those personal alarms made for people who have medical issues and live alone.

I think he was only half kidding.

But, all kidding aside, I think those medical alert bracelets are great.  Medical Guardian has alarms that can be worn on your wrist, belt, or around your neck.   When you press the button on the alarm, you are connected to a live person who can help you with whatever you need.  The alarm button is waterproof, which means you can wear it in the shower.  This is great because a lot of falls, like mine, occur while bathing.

My mom lives alone, and is very independent.  Right now, she doesn't need one of these, but when the time comes that she starts having trouble getting around, it's nice to know that there is a product like this available.  I know I will sleep a lot better knowing that if something were to happen to her, she could let someone know.  I have heard too many stories of older people falling, and laying on the floor for hours, or even days, until someone came by and found them.  I do not want that to happen to my mom.

Would you?

Watch Out Ronald

Leave it to Brandi to beat up a clown.  This was taken on the way to Tennessee last Thursday.  We ate so much fast food over the weekend. I seriously don't want to see another Wendy's or McDonald's for a while. 

If I do, you might see me taking a swing at Ronald, too.

What's Your Escape?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dove Ice Cream. All opinions are 100% mine.
What do you do for yourself everyday that helps you to keep your sanity?  Do you lock yourself in the bathroom as kids bang on the door?  Do you long for nap time so you can sit and have an uninterrupted cup of coffee?  Do you sit on Facebook and ignore the chaos around you?

Me?  I take a good book and sit in a hot bath.  Luckily, my kids are old enough to not need constant supervision, so I can get away with a little more than mommies with babies can.  But trust me when I say that I have paid my dues.

An indulgence I have always allowed myself is Dove Ice Cream.  Check out those little bars of heaven.  Each one is only 70 calories, so it is okay to have one.  Or two.  Or three if you are having a really bad day. I believe that a good piece of chocolate can make most bad days seem a little better.  Dove now has a new Cafe Collection for all you coffee lovers out there.

Dove is having a "My Mini Moment" contest right now, where you can win one of three fabulous mini grand prizes. You could win a mini-getaway to Napa Valley, Spa services for a year or a mini-home makeover.  I have to say that I would love to win the middle prize, spa services for a year.  I have never been to a spa, but I have a feeling I would enjoy it immensely.  To enter, all you have to do is submit a photo and short essay about your favorite mini moment of escape by June 7, 2010. 

Good luck.

Cades Cove

On our way back home on Sunday, my mom wanted to go through a park called Cades Cove.  They have this loop that you can drive, where there are historic buildings to walk through, and wild animals to be seen.  My mom had been twice before, and both times she saw a bear.  We were hoping to see one, too, and luckily, we were able to see two of them.  The first one, in the picture above, was pretty far away, but we saw it pretty well because it was big.  Actually, it was huge!  Brandi was a little scared it would come running towards us, but it didn't.  She even got out of the car for a better look!

The one in the picture below was a lot closer to us, which was pretty cool.  It was too busy eating to pay us any attention, and when I say us, I mean the twenty or so people who stopped on the side of the road to watch it eat. 

It was a pretty nice way to end a wonderful weekend!

Antonio’s Pizzeria

Guest blog by Kane Wright
I was at home playing my guitar when my phone rang and my buddy Nick wanted to go out for lunch. Nick suggested we try a new pizzeria called Antonio's that opened up in our tiny town of Allred, OR a few months ago. Bored with my practicing I quickly agreed to meet Nick in 40 min. After finishing up a few chores around the house I head out to meet Nick. I jumped on my motorcycle before I remembered that I had forgotten to enable the home security alarm I’d just gotten off of www.securitychoice.com. I ran back up, entered the 4 digit code, and waited for the beep beep beep that told me I had 30 seconds before the alarm would be activated. I closed the front door, jumped on my bike and 8 minutes later I was pulling up in front of Antonio's. I didn't think much of it at the time, but it should have occurred to me an establishment that only has 4 people at lunch time is not the best omen. Nick and I ordered a medium all meat pizza. 25 minutes later our all meat pizza arrived at our table. The first bite should have been my clue to stop but hey, I'm a guy just trying to fill the empty stomach. If I had to guess I would say the dough was undercooked by at least 15 minutes. It was that mushy. And the all meat only consisted of ham and bacon. Oh well, the soda was good! After consuming most of the pizza Nick and I both agreed that if we ever found ourselves with a hankering for pizza, to go somewhere else.

Dollywood

Most of you know that I spent last weekend in Tennessee.  My sisters and I have been planning this trip for a few months.  It was a surprise for my mom's 60th birthday.  I can not even begin to tell you how much fun we had!  It wasn't just the things that we did, either.  It was just enjoying being with my sisters, who I hardly ever get to see, because one lives in NJ and the other in NY.  My mom's sister also came, which was a great surprise for my mom. 

On Friday, we headed to Dollywood.  I had never been before, and I was shocked at how expensive it was.  It cost over $100 for Brandi and I to get in.  I will admit, though, that it was worth it.  Brandi had so much fun riding the rides.  She had never been on a water ride (we did the one where you sit in the big round tire tube and get soaked!) or a ferris wheel (my aunt went on that with her...I have a fear of heights).  We were able to watch a bird show, where Brandi and Matthew (my nephew) almost got hit in the head as a hawk flew over them.  It was a long but fun day, and I got each of the kids a little souvenir.  I can't say that I will ever go back, but I am glad that I was able to experience it at least this one time.

***if you want to see all the pictures from this trip, check out my facebook page!

Party Prep

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine.
I have so much to do this week to get ready for Kasi's parties this weekend.  That's right.  I said parties.  Plural.  She is having two.  On Friday night, she is going to have a few girlfriends over for a slumber party, and then on Sunday, we are doing a family party at my mom's house.  Well, it's a family and close friends party on Sunday.  I am super excited for this one, because my mom should have the pool open by then, which means the kids can swim.  Okay, so I'll probably swim too.

My only problem is that I spent way too much money while I was away over the weekend, so now I am on the hunt for cheap snacks and stuff for the party.  I found the New Dollar General Circular online, and am going to head there to get the chips and soda.   They have Doritos (which are a family favorite) for $2 a bag, and sodas for $1.  I can also get the paper plates and napkins there, and their prices are cheaper than Walmart.

These prices are good this week (5/16-5/23), so if any of these deals look good to you, head to your local Dollar General before Sunday.  This is only the first page of the circular, so be sure to head to their website to check out the rest of this weeks sales.  Be sure to check out their mix and match 10 for $10 section.  Let me know which ten things you would buy.  Me?  I'd go for the candy.

Is that really a surprise to any of you?

A Bunch Of Floosies

From left to right: me, Brandi, my sister Colleen (holding Lylah), my sister Tami (holding Jake), my sister Cheryl (holding Ashleigh) and my mom.  In front: my Aunt Cindy (mom's sister) and Matthew (my nephew).

Saturday morning, as we were walking around Gatlinburg, my mom spotted this place where they do these old timey pictures.  She decided that she wanted all of us to do a picture, and I had no choice but to go along with it.  I was stressing, because there was no way I was changing in front of everyone.  I know, they're family, but look at them.  All skinny.  They all wore these sexy, floosie outfits, and there I am in a long dress, off to the side.  Kind of how I spend my life.  But, it was for my mom, and since it was her birthday weekend, I sucked it up.  And it did come out pretty cute.

Let's Save The Children Together

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of SEO 5 Consulting. All opinions are 100% mine.
Every day, in the poorest regions of the world, 25,000 children under 5 die because they lack access to things we take for granted – clean water, sanitation, medicine, and food.

This is a staggering number, and a statistic that we can do something about.  We have all seen those commercials asking us to sponsor a child.  For just $35 a day, you can make a difference in a child's life.  When you sponsor a child, you help an entire community, not just a single child.  Money is combined to help communities build schools and run medical clinics, providing a better way of life for these children who may never know what it is like to drink clean water. 

I can not even imagine how hard it must be on the parents of these children.  I know that I want only the best for my kids, so it must be so hard knowing that you can not even provide your kids the barest of essentials.  These kids don't want cell phones and laptops.  They want clean water and medicine.  Is that really too much to ask for?

I don't think so.  With Plan Canada, we can all do something to help these kids.  Monthly or yearly donations can help save lives.

How can we not try to give what we can?

This Is Where We Are Staying

My sisters, my aunt and I rented this house for the weekend.  It's somewhere between Pigeon Forge and Gattlinburg.  I took a ton of pictures, but I have Ryan's laptop and I don't have the cord to upload them.  I took this picture off the internet, and the house looks exactly like it.  Today we are doing all the little shops, which should be fun.  Maybe.  I hate shopping.  Spending time with the girls is worth it, though.

Getting Crafty

I'm still on vacation, enjoying spending time with the women in my family.  I wish Kasi was here, too.  I spoke to her last night and she said she had a great birthday.  She had a friend over, and Junior took them out to eat last night, and then the girls spent time doing some crafts.  There is no question that we are a crafty family.  My mom gave my girls a bunch of rubber stamps when she moved, and they love making things with them.  I don't have the patience to use them.  In fact, I would probably get frustrated using address stamps.  Having to be so precise, and one mistake messing up the whole project is too stressful for me.  I would rather use a paintbrush. 

The girls have fun with the stamps, though, and I love that they can be so creative.  It's just one of the many traits that I inherited from my mom that I passed on to my girls, along with my stunning good looks and awesome sense of humor.

Girl's Weekend Away

We made it to Tennessee! We're in Pigeon Forge. There were more surprises for my mom, and I will tell you about them soon.  For now, I am hanging out with my sisters (yes, I said sisters), my aunt, and my mom.  We have big plans for tomorrow...I am really excited.  I miss Junior, Ryan, and Kasi, but I am enjoying myself.

I will be posting pictures soon...

Okay, Bird Watchers

I just talked to my mom, and she said the speckled egg is gone.  I wonder if the mommy bird got rid of it. 

Mom also said the mommy bird is a brownish gray, with no other colors.

Do we still think it's a robin?

What Kind Of Bird Laid These Eggs?

My mom has a running list of things she needs for Junior to do at her new house, so we spend a lot of time over there.  This past Saturday, Junior was supposed to trim some hedges and trees for her.  As she was pointed out what she wanted done, Junior spotted this nest in one of her trees, so naturally she said to leave it alone.  Check out the beautiful blue eggs.  My mom said they were robin's eggs.

Sunday when we went back over there, I wanted to see the eggs again, and this is what I found...

...two more eggs, and one of them is speckled.  Weird, right?  This is where I need some help.  Why is there one speckled egg?  Is it the same as the others, or did another bird lay an egg in this nest?  We also caught a glimpse of the mommy bird, and it didn't look like a robin.

Any ideas?

Geting Ready for a Toddler at Target.com

This is a guest post by my friend Kathy Right

When my son turned two I had to do a lot of shopping and do away with most of our baby items. When we needed a better car seat I went to Target.com. I liked the fact that my satellite hughes internet was so fast because it made shopping on the Internet less of a headache. Target's website was easy to navigate, with the baby section in bold at the top of the home page.

On the baby pages I was able to get to car seats right away and started looking. I liked the fact that they had ratings and a big selection. My budget was a lot higher than most of them, so I knew I would be able to get a safe model.

What I wanted was a convertible car seat, so my small 2-year-old could eventually use it as a booster as well. I needed something with food and cup holders, that would recline for sleeping. I had a lot of things to look for in a car seat and found several that fit my wants. When I had three picked out I read many of the reviews and checked the safety features. I decided on an Evenflo model that didn't recline but had great reviews and a lot of padding for sleeping comfort.

The seat fit perfectly in my SUV, was side impact tested and had many features that my son liked. It sat a little higher than his last seat as well, so he was able to see out the windows better. Shopping on the web for baby items was easy and I liked the amount of safety information I could find while doing it. Many reviews had info about car accidents that they had been in with the car seat and how well it did. I was pleased with my choice and the huge selection that Target.com offered.

A Song About Me

This is the home made wrapping paper Brandi made to wrap my Mother's Day gift in.  Inside was a folder filled with songs that she wrote about me.  That's right.  My 8 year old wrote me songs for Mother's Day.  Here is one of them:

Your smile makes me wild even when I only see your face
I think my world is a race
cause you're beautiful
I love you mom
You are the best ever
I love you oooohhhh I love you
You are the mom I love
And want and hope I am with you forever
and ever and ever
I love you, yeah, oh yeah

How totally adorable is that?  She put in all the oohs and yeahs, and totally melted my heart.

Ringtones

My son loves his cell phone.

I hate his ring tone.

I really wish he would get something different.  Right now, every time his phone rings, I have to hear "pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground".  I can not even express to you in words how much I hate this song.  I would rather listen to an uncle kracker song than what he has now.  In fact, I love his song, Smile.  Maybe I should just steal Ryan's phone and change his ringtone myself.

That is if I can figure out how to do that.  I am pretty useless when it comes to figuring out all these new electronic devices, and that includes cell phones.  I consider it a success when I can figure out how to dial out from my phone.

For A Special Mother

How cute are these little candles?

We needed a small gift for a family friend (Junior's ex-mother-in-law) so I let the kids each pick out a candle for her.  Each heart was $.70 each, and the candles were $.25 each.  Less than $1 each, and she loved them.

And they smelled so good!

Taking Some College Classes

I have been thinking a lot lately about going back to school.  When I finished high school, I went to college for a couple of years, part time, but I never got a degree.  I got close, but life got in the way and I was unable to finish.  Now, as a mom of three, thinking about going back can be overwhelming.  There are so many different things to consider, and when I try to come up with a plan, my head starts spinning.

The easiest way for me to go back to school would be to go while the kids are in school.  I no longer have little ones, so when the kids are at school from 7am until 2:30 pm, I could take quite a few classes. Heck, I could even take online classes, and be able to do my work anytime from home. I would have to look into whether or not my credits from, gulp, 20 years ago could be transferred.  Is there a time limit on that?  I know things have changed quite a bit in those 20 years, but I am pretty sure math and history might still be the same.  If I have to, I know starting over would mean it would take me longer to get a degree, but I think it will be worth it.  Junior and I struggle so much financially, it can only help us if I were to get a good job after graduating.

And speaking of finances, this is one of my biggest concerns.  How will I pay for college classes?  I am aware of several grants I might qualify for, and scholarships I can apply for, one of which is Scholarships for Moms, where I can apply for a $10,000 scholarship.  That would go a long way towards helping me to continue my education.  I can even get information about colleges that offer classes online, and even find loan information.

I know the first step is applying, so I am going to do just that.  I think the rest will fall in line after that.

Or at least i hope it will.

My New Flower

Junior's ex-father-in-law gave me this beautiful purple flower for Mother's Day. (one of these days I'll do a post about my relationship with them) Isn't it beautiful?!?  He was selling all kinds of flowers at his produce stand, and he said I could pick whichever I wanted, and of course I fell in love with his purple one.  I am so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life who made me feel special this Mother's Day.  

Give the Gift Of Choice

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of FriendGiftr. All opinions are 100% mine.
I always have the hardest time when it comes to picking out gifts for people.  I know what I like, but I always second guess myself when it comes to buying something for someone else.  This is especially true for the men in my life.  I live with my husband, but it so hard to go into a store and pick out a gift that I know he would love.  Most of the time he ends up picking out his own gift.

I was really excited when I heard about FriendGiftr.  This is a really cool website where you can but gift cards for all the people in your life who are hard to buy for.   The best part is that you don't have to stress out trying to find the right gift card, because if the person you give it to would rather have a gift card to another store, they can exchange it, free of charge.  They can even split the amount up onto to several different cards.

There are so many different gift cards to choose from, too.  I would choose the Barnes & Noble gift cards, and I know for a fact that Junior would pick the Bass Pro Shops card.  This works out well, though.  We can sit on the shore, and while he fishes, I can read.

It is easy to buy the cards, too.  You can use their website, you can find them on Facebook, or you can use your iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android to place an order.  Remember them the next time you need to get a gift for the person who already has it all.

When Did He Get So Tall?

Me and the kids on Mother's Day.  I wish the sun wasn't in our eyes, but I still love this picture.  I can't believe how tall Ryan is getting!  At least my girls are still shorter than me.

For now. lol!

Live Bee Removal Is The Way I'd Go

 There are very few things in this world that scare my husband.  He will hunt down strange noises, kill big hairy spiders, and clean up when the kids get sick in bed.  But put a bee anywhere within a hundred feet of him, and he completely freaks out. 

You see, a couple of years ago, he got stung on his stomach.  Instead of stinging for a little while and going away, he developed this huge knot that didn't go away for months.  As much as I begged him to have it looked at, he refused, because he is a man.  He decided that he must be allergic to them, and has become this giant baby every time a bee comes around. 

The other day, while we were making the picnic table for my mom, we saw a lot of bees flying around.  I am a firm believer in "if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone".  Not Junior, though,  He was ready to call Bee Removal Orange County and have them come all the way here to find the hive and get rid of it.   Thankfully this particular company does live removals, because I would hate for all the bees to be killed.  I mean, it's not their fault that my husband is scared of them. 

Look What Brandi Gave Me

I really do have the sweetest kids.  As usual, Brandi went to school today excited to trade some of her silly bandz.  Just like I do every day, when she got off the bus I asked her if she traded for anything good.  She just smiled, and took this blue elephant off her wrist, and said she traded for it, for me.  Awww.....my kid loves me!

Modern Or Weird? You Decide

Whenever people ask me what style I would choose to decorate my house in if I had unlimited money and resources, I always say modern.  I love clean lines, which should not be a surprise to my loyal readers.  Of course, there are some modern styles that are just confusing, and would never find themselves in my home. Take modern bathroom vanities, for example.  That sink over there is just crazy.  Is that globe the light fixture?  Talk about blinding someone. 

I think my style would be less 'in your face" and more subtle.

At least I think it would be. 

Horseshoes And Branches And Eyes, Oh My!

Consider yourself warned...this may turn into a really long post.  Ready?

I feel like it has been forever since I have been on here, but I think that is just because I had a very busy weekend, which continued into today.  Let me start at the beginning....

A couple of weeks ago, Junior build a horse shoe, um, what do you even call it?  Let's just say he build the boxes with the sand that you use to play horseshoes at my mom's house.  It is between her pool (that's in the fence on the left in the picture) and the big trees that line the road to the right.  It came out great, and we all love playing whenever we go over there. (which is every weekend here lately) 

Yesterday, we were over there for mother's Day, and Ryan wanted to play.  My sister Colleen and I decided to play with him, but we needed a 4th.  We convinced Kasi to play with us, and while she was cleaning up the game we were playing, Colleen and I took some practice throws.

Well, I threw one of the horseshoes and it rolls into the trees.  And we couldn't find it.  All of us were looking for about 30 minutes, and we never found it.  It was like it disappeared.  But, while we were looking, Junior ended up hitting himself in the eye with a tree limb.  Of course, being a "man", he refused to go to the ER and have it looked at, even though he couldn't see out of it properly.  (everything was blurry)  For the rest of the day, no matter how much we begged and yelled at him, he refused to go, even though his vision never returned to normal.

So, when I woke him up at 2 this morning, he said he was going to go to the ER because he still couldn't see right, and his eye was really, really hurting him.  I told him to call me when he left the ER and tell me what they said.  He ended up waking me up before he left, saying his eye was okay so he was just going to go ahead and go to work. 

I get the kids off to school and crawl back in bed.  (I didn't sleep well all weekend and I was exhausted!)  Not an hour later, Junior wakes me up saying he left work because the lights were killing his eye, and he was wanting me to go with him to the ER.  So I drag my fat behind out of bed and off we go.  We finally got into a room around 9am, and that is when the waiting started.  Finally, around 11:15, the doctor came in.  He looked in Junior's eye, and said he didn't see anything, but it was definitely irritated, and his eyeball itself looked swollen.  He put some numbing medicine in it (which Junior said was wonderful) and then some dye, and looked again to see if he could see any scratches.  He said he still didn't see anything, but he thought that Junior should see a real eye doctor just to make sure.  I told the doctor the reason we were in the ER to begin with was because we didn't have insurance, or any money, so I was worried about seeing an eye doctor.  The ER doc called anyway, and assured us that the eye doctor would see us anyway.

So we drive there (he was actually waiting for us) and when we get there, I start filling out the paperwork.  The receptionist comes over and says that we needed to pay $80 before we could see the doctor.  We were like, um, the ER said you would work with us because we didn't have any money right now, and they said that they were.  Um, well, we don;t have $80, so I guess we'll just go back to the ER and see what they can do. 

So off we go back to the ER, and luckily the receptionist there let us walk right back and talk to the nurse we jut had.  We explained what happened to her, and she said to go back to the room we were in, and she would send in the doctor when he came out of the room he was in.

When he came back in he room, he was clearly ticked.  We explained that we didn't have the money to see the eye doctor, and he said that he really was working with us, because it would normally cost over $300 for the exam.  To which I replied, "when you don't have $80, it's not really working with us".  He said he understood, and handed Junior a prescription for Lortab.  I asked if there was anything else he needed, like antibiotic drops or something, and he said the only thing Junior needed was to see the eye doctor.  By now I was starting to get ticked.  I KNOW that he wasn't an eye expert, but if he didn't see any scratches with all the tests he did, what exactly did he think the eye doctor would find?  I asked if we needed to patch it or something, and he said no.  I asked if there was ANYTHING we could do to make Junior more comfortable, and he said to go home and sit in a dark room. 

As we were leaving, he did say that he was 99% sure that Junior's eye would be fine in a couple of days.  If not, we should go back to the ER.  I felt like asking him what they would do then, because really, if they didn't see anything wrong today, what are the going to find in a few days? 

I know it's hard for people who don't live paycheck to paycheck to understand how difficult it is when something like this happens.  If we had money, we wouldn't have gone to the ER to begin with.  We would have went to our regular doctor.  Now, please don't think that I was expecting the eye doctor to see us for free.  That is is no way true.  We just needed to wait until Junior gets paid on Friday before we could give them a payment.  I don't expect handouts.

So, the end of this story is Junior blissfully sleeping pain free, thanks to the pain medicine.  I am still exhausted, and I still have so much to do before we leave for our "girls weekend" trip this Thursday.  I was going to go to bed early, but then I remembered that Nurse Jackie and United States of Tara is on tonight, and I have to stay up for those.

I am hoping that I can catch up on my sleep tomorrow, after the kids get on the bus. 

The Perfect Place For A Business Meeting Is Not A Fast Food Restaurant

The family and I went to a fast food restaurant the other night, and I was surprised to see a meeting being held in the dining room.  It wasn't an employee meeting for the restaurant; it was a sales meeting of some sort.  Of course wanted to be nosy, so we sat close enough that I could hear what was going on.   They were discussing selling something,  and even though they never said what, I got the feeling it was one of those pyramid type deals.  You know, where you sell a product, and then get other people under you who also sell it, and then you get a cut of their profits?  To me, I wouldn't be able to take them seriously if they have to have their meetings in a fast food restaurant.

I would think that if they were serious about getting people to sell their product, they would take their presentations a little more seriously.  In my opinion, it would look better if they had their meetings in an actual board room, or even a Holiday Inn Meetings room.   It's so easy to find a meeting room close to where you live, and I bet the company would have better luck getting people to sign up with them.  I know I would be more inclined to join a company who took pride in their business meetings.

Happy Mother's Day

You know who you are...all the special mother's in my life.  

My mom, who is not only my mom, but my friend.  

My sisters, who are the best moms in the world.  

My sister-in-law, who is extra special because she has the patience to stay married to my brother :).  

My "adopted" mom, who is always there with kind words and support. 

And to every mother who has touched my heart in some way...I love you all!!!!!

It Started With A Simple Question...

"Hey mom.  Did you know that there are Silly Bandz that GLOW IN THE DARK?"

Aw, crap.

Yes, I caved and bought a couple of more packs of these stupid shaped rubber bands so that Brandi had some that glowed in the dark.  I think it goes back to when I was a kid, and I never really had the things that were popular until they lost some of their popularity. 

I will be so happy when this little fad (is that what they are still called?) is over.

If I'm Buying A New Dryer, I May As Well Get The Matching Washer, Right?

I hate doing laundry.  There are five people living in my house, and that equals a lot of dirty laundry.  Just washing towels can be overwhelming.  It doesn't help matters that my dryer is living on borrowed time, and it takes two cycles most of the time to dry a single load of laundry.

Sigh.

We are trying to hold off until next year to buy a dryer, which means I can look at washing machines, too.  I mean, Junior can not expect me to get a new dryer without a matching washer.  I really want front loading machines.  My mother and sisters all have them, and they only have good things to say.  They are more expensive to buy, but they pay for themselves over time by using less water.  I was looking at some zanussi washing machines online, and found this really pretty graphite one. (in the picture) If you know me at all, you know that white appliances are not my thing, so this washer is perfect for me.   

I also found some pretty nice looking hotpoint washing machines, too.  I know price is going to play a big factor in what we finally decide to get, but I am hoping there will be enough in the budget for one of these. 

I just need to convince Junior to look at them as more of an investment in our future power and water bills.  I mean, they are energy efficient.