Back to the grind.

Today I had to go into work. I was totally bummed because I really wanted to take the day off for Graem's birthday. In fact, when I came home she had a horrible belly ache and ended up not eating. She didn't even want to do her birthday cake.

You know she's sick when she asks to go to bed...

Cold feet.

My feet are freezing. I don't have any good snow boots and so typically I wear my clogs or I wear my hiking boots. But my hiking boots aren't dress enough to wear to work. Maybe I'll look at some polo boots. Not only are they stylish but they look warm too!

Now I just have to find a good deal...

Playroom.

Well we're doing it. We started dismantling the playroom a few days ago and now we're working on painting it. Shawna did the electrical work and then we finished painting the ceiling today. Shawna did the first coat of trim this afternoon. I think she might get to the other side of the room tomorrow. We're going to take it slow and do it good instead of driving ourselves crazy trying to get it done.

Hopefully we'll be able to get it done over the next few days!

It's time.

I typically wait way too long to buy glasses. At this point my lenses are totally scratched and the frames are totally out of adjustment. I'm looking for a few pair of cheap glasses that I can buy and alternate.

I'd love to have a few trendy pair that are colored and coordinate them to what I'm wearing. I've thought about going online and looking at the opticals but I'm scared that I might get the wrong measurements, etc.

Tis the season?!

I'm looking for a good gift for Shawna. Typically, if she wants or needs something she just goes out and buys it. I think she's set when it comes to clothes and she's the one that actually buys everything for everyone!

Maybe I'll just buy her the second toilet for the bathroom. I know it sounds drab but she really loves house stuff. OR...I might even splurge and get the playroom carpeted!

Bro?

I'm still looking at what to get my brother for Christmas. We talked about getting each other the charge pads so that we can drop our electronics on a single pad and they can get charged.

But he might also want a football gift! He's never really been into sports but this year he's really started getting into football!

I can just see him in front of the television watching his favorite team wearing one of those tacky football jerseys!

I'm guessing he probably doesn't get many NFL games in Singapore!

It's just ThursdaY?

This week has gone so slow. Tomorrow is the annual Christmas party at my work and we have yet to get gifts. I'm hoping to find something good but I haven't had any luck!

Maybe Shawna will find something over the next few days.

Saturday we're going to check out the chowder festival and then we're having dinner with friends.

Sunday I hope we can just rest. I think Shawna has intentions of PAINTING.

Give me gold, please!

One thing that never loses it’s value is us silver coins! Even when our stocks are floundering you can always look to buy gold coins and precious metals to maintain their value.

US Gold Bureau offers silver, gold, and other precious metals for delivery or they will make arrangements to have your metals stored privately and securely at a bank or depository.

I didn’t realize this but US Gold Bureau is an industry leader. They sell gold in two forms: coin or ingot. The world demand now exceeds the supply demand for gold - which makes it a pretty smart investment.

Especially with the economy doing so poorly and people losing all of their investments with the stock market!

Maybe a day or two?

I asked for quite a few days off of work but I got shut down. We have so much work that I can't just turn it down and not do it! Plus, I get tons of work done when noone's in the office and when I'm not getting tons of calls.

SO....Shawna's able to take off for the holidays and do kid time and I'm going to try to take off some time and spend it with the kids.

I know I'm going to be sucked into helping Shawna paint the playroom...I can just feel it!

We love TV!

We absolutely love our 52" Samsung HDTV. We got it a few years ago and it's performed perfectly!! I wish I could say as much about the Samsung Blu-Ray/Home Theatre package we bought....Grrrr.

We purchased a 32" Sony Bravia for the bedroom and the picture quality isn't as good and it just doesn't look as sharp.

I'm a true Samsung TV girl and would recommend them to anyone!

Weekend?

This weekend is a biggie!

We're going to head out Saturday to pick up a tree and decorate it. Shawna is taking the kids Saturday morning to music class and I'm going to put a few hours in at the office. Then we're going to meet up for lunch.

After we get the Christmas tree up we're going to try and take the perfect Christmas photo. SHould be interesting!

Get up on the...

nano vapor reviews! I'm all about reading reviews these days. In fact, I've been looking into some supplements to help with weight loss because I don't want to do pharmaceuticals like I did last time.

I want to stick with an all natural remedy that will help with the process and not throw my body out of whack.

Plus, I really have the philosophy that no small pill can help you change your habits.

The good thing about my dieting is that I feel the need to get healthy and right now I've built up momentum and have the strength to do it!

All work...

little play.

So these days I've been going into work at the regular time coming home at regular time and then after I put the kids I've been putting in another 2-3 hours of work.

I'm exhausted. But...I'm trying to set myself up so that I can actually take a few days off for the holidays.

Then I'm guessing Shawna will put me to work doing housework.

Damn.

Up 10.

I stepped on the scale when we returned yesterday and was shocked that I'm up 10 pounds. I shouldn't be shocked because I ATE SO MUCH. But I am! It's always so easy to gain and so hard to lose.

At some point I might consider taking fat burners for women. Shawna was on fat burners a few years ago and they really helped her lose some unwanted weight. Not to mention, it went pretty fast and didn't take too long!

Glee!

Can I admit that I love Glee? It's a pretty good show and we are backed up on a few episodes. Tonight's our television catch up. We had netflix and of course I had a DVD that we had already watched.

I think I might have to run out to the grocery store after this to pick up milk. Why can't we have a maid, lawn boy, maintenance person, and personal shopper on staff around here?!?!

Stop it already!

I can't believe that I'm 35 years old and have acne! What's up with that? It typically acts up when it's that time of the month. I've thought about going to the doctor and getting some acne treatments but I figure it's really not that big of a deal to have the occassional zit.

I am sure it is just a matter of time before the girls start getting zits and I have to buy them Oxy pads and cream!

Too much work.

This morning I went into work EARLY. I thought about actually staying late today but I'm whipped and figure I just need to go to bed early tonight and head back to work early tomorrow morning.

It's a good thing that Shawna's had a slow work week because things at my work are C-R-A-Z-Y!

Interesting...

When Shawna was working in healthcare I was always interested in the different items they had around the assisted living place. They actually had point of care carts.

Whoever invented the idea is a genius.

I miss the days of going and hanging out with the old people. The interesting thing is that I could probably go tomorrow and there would be a whole new group of older people that would act very similiar to the old folks that lived there five years ago!

Everybody's doing it.

One thing that never loses it’s value is us silver coins! Even when our stocks are floundering you can always look to gold coins and precious metals to maintain their value. I really love the new American Gold Eagle Coins that are out.

US Gold Bureau offers silver, gold, and other precious metals for delivery or they will make arrangements to have your metals stored privately and securely at a bank or depository.

I didn’t realize this but United States Gold Bureau is an industry leader. They sell gold in two forms: coin or ingot. The world demand now exceeds the supply demand for gold - which makes it a pretty smart investment. That's why it's a great idea to buy gold coins!

Especially with the economy doing so poorly and people losing all of their investments with the stock market!

We're OUTTA here!

Right now I'm trying to finish up some work because tomorrow is going to come FAST. I have my sleeping consult to go over my results and hopefully they'll give me the infamous machine to help me breath at night! Then we're going to go to Graem's thing at school and off we go!

Here's hoping that we survive a 10 hour drive with these two children!

Speakers!

Years ago we purchased some sweet speakers for computer. It made all of the difference in the world and it turned the computer into a surround home theatre too!

I was shocked to hear that most computers these days come with great speakers! In fact, our friend purchased a new HP and it came complete with these awesome speakers and even a bass box!

Too much.

I put in a pretty decent week of work. But I still have more to do. I plan on going in a few hours Sunday. I hate having to break up my weekend because typically Sunday comes around and it sucks Sunday night when the weekend has flown by.

At least we'll be heading out Tuesday and have a good five days or so ... away from everything!

Old.

I'm getting old. I admit it. I'm 35. I think I might start looking at covering up my gray hairs because it's just too much to try and pluck them every day. I might want to also look into the best wrinkle cream!

My friend started using it around her eyes and it was amazing how it helped with the eye wrinkles and even some of the little wrinkles around her chin.

I need some! PRONTO.

Help?!

Mama needs some help!

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I think it's time to buy gold bullion when I get my retirement match from work.

US Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

So much for the hoidays!

The holidays are harsh for me! In fact, the last time I hung out with my relatives I gained 8 pounds. Since we're going to North Carolina next week there's no doubt that I'll gain even more weight!

I might look into quick weight loss pills because I need a few weeks to get down to my base weight before Christmas hits and I am surrounded with delicious food and treats!!

TV night!

Tonight we're hanging out watching and watching television. We have tons of laundry that we're trying to get done and Shawna's blogging. I'm getting ready for my out of town meeting tomorrow.

Where is Friday?

Too much work.

This week I did so many hours. I'm exhausted and tomorrow I have another out of town meeting. I keep telling myself that I just have to get through this week and then I'm home free next week!

Then it's off to North Carolina! It's going to be so much fun to spend time with family and eat the good food!

Let the games begin!

So we've already purchased the appliances for the kitchen. They're sitting in the garage! We are moving to the dining room next. We're painting and changing the fixture.

Then we plan on renting the house out for Cornell and Ithaca graduations. WIth the money we get we're going to be able to do the kitchen!

I've been looking at undermount sinks and I can't believe how expensive they are!

I went to mrdirectint.com and found the perfect sink for around $100! The same undermount sink that I saw at a local vendor was over $400!!!

YAY FRIDAY.

Tonight we're doing spaghetti and meatballs and having a campout on the floor. I think we're going to start up a fire and do the tent and sleeping bags in the living room.

I think it's going to be fun and Shawna can sleep on the couch!

Friggin' kitkats.

Are dangerous when you have a big ass leftover Halloween stash.

I ate over 4 of them and I now think I'm going to barf.

Me *heart* gold!

That's all I hear about these days. On the radio, on television.

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I might buy a gold coin or two when I get my retirement match from work.

US Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

Work.

I have tons of work to do and right now I'm just not motivated to do any of it. It seems like the weekends go by too quickly and most Mondays I sit at my deck and feel like I didn't achieve anything!

That's why I feel like if i clean the gutters out and hang a door I will have been productive.

Trees.

So I wanted to chop down a few of our trees because they keep driving leaves and pine needles into our gutters. BUT...they wanted $1,600 to cut down the trees. Seriously?

I wish I were a little less scared of the chainsaw and could just do it myself. Three of the trees are pretty small and far enough from the house that if I messed up nothing tragic would happen.

The big daddy is located pretty close to the house - that's the one they wanted $900 to take down!

Protect yourself.

This winter I know that the kids are going to get sick. It is really inevitable. Every winter the kids get a cold and then it runs it's course throughout the whole family!

I've thought about putting vinyl gloves on the kids before they leave the house but I'm not sure that's going to fly!

I am going to pick up some hand wash and wipes and make the kids wipe their hands before and after they get out of school!

CareCleaningandProtection.com offers a wide variety of items to help clean and disinfect! PLUS, they offer free shipping if you buy $50 or more!

Grey's Anatomy.

WE're watching it now and I can't decide if I like this format. I guess it's different and it's something new. But I miss the old Grey's and want more juicy stuff.

Next show is Desperate Housewives!

A little printing!

Goes a long way.

At work we're looking at getting some marketing materials. I've looked at catalog printing and it's expensive! I've been able to look online and find some good deals.

More than likely we'll go with a company online because all of the companies local want three times more!

Got to love shopping locally and getting robbed!

It's Sunday already?

This weekend we got so much done. We cleaned the house - SPOTLESS. WE're doing laundry, we painted a room, and we had a fabulous Halloween.

What more could I ask for?

OH YES, did I mention I'm getting a bonus?

Hells yes.

Hair.

Why is it when you get older you get hair where you don't want it and lose hair where you desperately need it?!

I have tons of hair and I even have to get it thinned out at the hairstylist. Shawna doesn't have such good luck!

She's started looking at best hair loss products and I'm pretty sure she's going to start using products because her hair is really thinning on the top.

I was wrong.

We did get the right "Clash of the Titans". I can't tell if I'm going to like the movie or if it's going to be stupid. The effects seem pretty decent but I'm afriad that this is going to get old.

Plus, I'm exhausted and this couch is hugging my body and taking me to another place called sleepyland.

Big muscles!

When I was younger it was so much easier to make muscle. In fact, I spent a summer moving rocks back and forth (making $5/hour) and I had HUGE arm muscles and some pretty nice legs too!

These days my muscles are tiny! Maybe it's the fact that I don't workout or maybe it's just that Asians have a harder time building muscles.

I've thought about hooking up with a muscle building supplement but I just haven't found the right one. Plus, I'd want to do it as naturally as possible.

Every night...

at 10:30pm Emmy starts crying. It's really like clockwork. She's done it since she's been a baby. Maybe she's peeing or she has a nightmare at the same time every night.

Has anyone ever had this experience with their little one?

If so, let me know!

Oldie.

Our neighbors are all old. Next door our neighbor told us that she had a good day because she was able to use both hands to wash her hair. Poor lady.

I've noticed that I have started getting wrinkles and gray hair and I'm not happy about it!

In fact, I might consider best wrinkle creams to help out with the wrinkles.

As far as the grays go...maybe it's not so bad having salt and pepper hair. At least if I leave my wallet at home I won't get carded at the grocery store.

Too many commercials.

We rented Clash of the Titans and I swear to god they have 30 minutes of previews before you even get to the movie and when you have two kids and a job and start the movie at 9:24pm you don't have a chance in hell to actually be able to stay awake for the movie.

Now that I've seen all of the previews I'm exhausted and heading to bed.

Maybe I'll be able to stay up tomorrow and watch the movie.

Of course, I'll probably have to watch all of the damn previews again.

Gold, gold, gold.

That's all I hear about these days. On the radio, on television.

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I might buy gold coins when I get my retirement match from work.

US Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

A little guilt.

Tonight we missed Emmy's daycare meeting. It's really not like us to miss these things. We're just exhausted. The kids have been super needy and Shawna was doing the lawn, the kids were starving, and we still had to put them to bed by 7:30.

We'll really try to make more of the events as they come up.

We're doing it!

Right now we're working on the bedroom. We're painting it a nice deep purple but it looks blue in the evening! We're going to paint all of the trim and ceiling bright white. Then we're adding 6 panel doors to the bathroom and close and the brushed nickel hardware.

We plan on getting a new down comforter and get a white cover. I think it's going to look really great when we get done...

If we get done....

Lookin' good in the neighborhood!

I have recently reconnected with my grandma and it was so great to hear how everyone was doing. Plus, since we don't have much family out there any family we have...we really need to work harder on making connections.

The last time I was in Phoenix I was 19 and went for my grandfather's funeral. I know...bad.

Now that I have kids it is not the easiest trip to make.

I am sure that cosmetology school in Phoenix is quite popular and if you know what I mean....we aren't the prettiest girls on the block!

That is why I am glad that there are places like RegencyBeauty.com! They offer classes around the United States and have some of the world famous clients that walk the runways!

This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com or contact Regency Beauty Institute – 10217 North Metro Parkway West – Phoenix, AZ 85051

Moes.

Tonight we went to Moes and had a nice little dinner. The good thing about Moes is that we get in and out of there quickly and they have kid's nights on Tuesdays and so the kids get their faces painted and typically we eat for about $14.

Heck, these days you can't even eat dinner at home for less than $20!

Tomorrow we'll go back to home cooked meals with our CSA and defrosted chicken.

Ugh...

Well, Graem is in her room and I hear coughing and sniffling. Of course, this is after a major fit because Emmy was looking at her. Ugh.

Supposedly, she went to the nurse twice today with cold symptoms but didn't have a fever so they kept her at school.

Tomorrow I might have to keep her home if she doesn't feel better.

I need help with...

good investments?

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I think it's time to buy bullion when I get my retirement match from work.

The United States Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

I need to lose it!

I totally have the baby bulge from when I was pregnant.

A few weeks ago I read about how to lose belly fat fast. I figured I might be able to drop a few pounds before going on vacation.

Of course, that was futile because all we ate was salted pork and I think I gained around eight pounds.

I've thought about joining the local gym because they are running specials and I can get a membership for only $10 a month!

Working.

This is Shawna. I'm just hanging out watching television and Margot is working! So much for a nice relaxing night.

Between the two of us we take turns on who works at night. However, it is almost nice when we both get stuck with tons of work to do and we can be in the same room, have the television the background and enjoy working from home!

pOp.

I used to be pretty obsessed with picking nose blackheads.

I'd get really excited when I saw one and then after I picked it I was bummed because it wasn't all I ever hoped and dreamed!

Shawna gets them pretty bad and you can pinch her nose and get a hole bunch of them at once.

Totally disgusting! I love it.

Broke.

We spent way too much money over vacation. Between the $500 rental car, the $200 of unanticipated parking that we had to pay for, the $50 gas that it took to get us to and from NJ...ugh.

So to say the least, we'll be eating spaghetti for the next week or so.

Then there's the trees we need to get cut, the fireplace that we need to get cleaned, and the furnace that we need to buy.

It's always something!

Smokin'

Shawna loves her cigars. In fact, when I was six weeks pregnant we went to London and one of the first things she did was smoke a Cuban cigar.

It was a rite of passage for her and something she *had* to do in order to mark it off of her bucket list.

Of course, if I ever saw her smokin' a cigar when I came home from work I'd kill her. Then I'd probably get sick from the smell!

Does it ever stop??

So Shawna's been doing the laundry all day today. I swear I walked in the basement and was shocked to see that she had probably 14 loads of laundry! I guess that is what happens when we wash the sheets, comforters, and go a week or so without laundry!

We've also done two loads of dishes today too!

Boy, I can't wait to see our new water bill...

I need clothes!

I've been looking at nice dress clothes and I've narrowed it down to a few stores that I can shop from. Of course, the things that I like are super expensive and we don't have a whole lot of options here in Ithaca.

I used to love vintage t shirts when I was in college.

I miss the good ole' days when I could roll out of bed put on a tshirt and jeans and be on my way!

Achey, brakey, back.

My back is killing me!

Today I went bike riding with the kids and ended up cleaning out the garage. Talk about a much needed thing to do.

Shawna stayed at home while I went bike riding and finished painting the back of the house.

I think we only have the one side to do and we're completely done.

To say the least...it was a productive weekend!

The miners

So we've been watching coverage on the miners that they are lifting out and it's amazing everything that goes into securing their safety.

I was shocked to see that they had used compression stockings to help with the blood flow and reduce the risk for them getting ill.

Last night when I was watching the first miner come up it was so exciting to see and to see his little brother and mother crying. I'm so glad that they're safe and there's a happy ending to this very scary and long story.

#3.

Cryptic post but.

Must find good IF benefits.

Will probably be a year or so.

We need more money.

Fish.

Yes, we have fish.

We still haven't figured out why in the hell we spent over $50 for the fish tank and why we got suckered into having three fish.

I'm shocked that they're still alive and Emmy hasn't knocked over the tank and killed them.

It was over too fast...

One of my first memories of death was when I was in high school and got a call in the summer that my friend, Rob, was in the hospital with liver failure. Rob was on acne medication and supposedly over the course of a few months it had damaged his liver and caused major damage.

I went to visit Rob in the hospital and he was orange. He was on the transplant list but he was 16 and, unfortunately, the transplant didn't happen. Rob died. He was 16.

I've read recent reports of the Accutane Lawsuit and although I'm not sure this is the medication it was on...it could have been.

At 18 it was hard losing a dear friend and I can only imagine what his parents and sister felt.

I feel like the only way that these pharmaceutical companies are going to make better and safer drugs is if we demand it as a consumer.

We're back!

We had an amazing time in Canada.

I had a great post noting the details but blogger ate it and I just don't have the heart to write the whole thing over again.

Maybe another night.

Now I have to watch the miners get rescued!

New glasses, please?

I have had my glasses for close to four years. They've been through absolutely everything and at some point I really should buy some new ones.

I went to the local optical and was shocked at how much he wanted for new frames and lenses. I have gone locally for years because the service was good and the selection was pretty decent.

The most recent time I went to the optical I was put off by the way I was treated. It was packed and the owner was anything but friendly and accomodative!

Getting glasses for me is a real treat and I deserve good customer service! Many times that's what I pay for!

I've looked online and the place that keeps coming up is Zenni Optical. THey are ranked #1 on the internet. Not only are they recommended for having great customer service but their prices and styles can't be beat!

There's actually a bulletin board where opticians and optical owners go on and they talk about being upset about the new surge of online opticals. They feel that they're losing out of money and losing clients. SO, they're trying to charge to give readings so that people stay with them. It's just outright dishonest.

Maybe I'll just ask Santa for a new pair of eyeglasses and call it a day. I'm way too practical and this gift might just put my birthday gift of a toilet and trash basket to shame!

It's almost time...

to go on vacation!

ONE MORE WORK DAY!!

Of course, there's so damn much to do. Shawna's doing laundry right now and then tommorrow is packing and then cleaning the house.

Then we have to get the cat prepared for us leaving which is a total even.

Know of any good investments?

I do!!

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I might buy gold coins when I get my retirement match from work.

US Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

The daycare.

Can I just say that we really do love Emmy's daycare? It's been such a positive change for her and she's doing awesome there.

OF course, we're getting to the point that it costs a fortune and essential at the end of the day Shawna gives most of her paycheck to daycare...but I think we're doing what's best for our kids!

Guilty mom.

So is it bad that I feel horribly guilty for missing Graem's field trip tomorrow? They're going to the apple orchard and not only am I sending her without either me or Shawna but she also has a gimp leg.

Poor kid.

Bad mom.

Help?

Mama needs some help!

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I think it's time to buy gold coins when I get my retirement match from work.

US Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

Just a few more days...

We are leaving for vacation Friday and I couldn't be more ready and less prepared! This week is going to be a killer but I know once I'm on the plane Friday morning it's going to be O.K!

Of course, traveling with children is going to suck and I know that I'm going to be eyeing the alcohol the whole way!

So strong.

I've been thinking about joining the gym for over a year now and Sunday is my 35th birthday and I feel more than ever ready!

I've also looked at hooking up with a muscle builder so that I can gain muscle faster.

Then there's the whole aspect of eating better and less....

Boy, there really is a lot to this whole dieting thing! I know I've got to make the time though because if I don't this ole' body isn't going to keep working!

Where's the love?

or at least the sun!

It's almost pitch black outside. I know that it doesn't matter since I'm at home but I would appreciate a little bit of sun every once in a while.

This weekend we're suppose to have one day of sun and one rainy day.

Guess what day we had planned to paint the house?

How old am I, again?

This weekend is my birthday. I'm turning the big 3-5. Old. Seriously.

I can't believe I still have acne! Every once in a while I get a pimple and although it's nothing to write home about it feels ridiculous!

I think I might look into the best acne product. Because at the age of 35 you really shouldn't have to worry about the mountain growing on your face.

Instead, you have wrinkles and gray hair to worry about!

The bus.

We're still trying to figure out if the bus is right for Graem. She's on it for more than 2 hours every day! At first she enjoyed the adventure but now I think she's grown board of the idea and even more board of sitting for two hours with nothing to do!

We might do it in the afternoon so that it can give Shawna an extra hour or so of work and one of us take her in the morning.

Or we might have it where Shawna picks her up on Tuesday and Thursday from school and then we drop her off M,W,F at school.

I just hope she isn't forgotten if we're inconsistent!

A little something, something.

Every once in a while I feel motivated to lose weight. I actually get inspired to call up the gym and see how much their rates are and ask if there are any promotions.

Then I think to myself "when will I ever have time to go to the gym?"

The answer: NEVER.

That's why I'm thinking about thermogenic fat burners!

I have had friends that have tried fat burners and they've really helped jump start their diets. I figure once I get started I'll be fine...it's just taking the first step!

The yard...

This evening I think we're going to try to mow the yard and put away all of our outside stuff. It seems like fall is totally here and today we have an 80 degree day and I'm sure it's probably going to drop to 40 degrees again overnight!

Shawna keeps putting our herb garden in and outside and you just see a trail of basil throughout the house!

Thanks, honey.

When I met Shawna 14 years ago she gave me lip herpes! I had the worst outbreak EVER and had to go on medication.

About once ever three years I get a fever blister and it's not too bad. However, I'm always looking for cures for herpes!

I try to stay away from the prescription stuff because it's expensive and, honestly I don't know if it works very good because it still takes the same amount of time for me to heal!

Naptime.

So I'm sitting here and trying to nail out some blogging and Emmy is fast asleep! We went to Mama GOose and Indian food for lunch. She ate a ton and then wanted to come home and eat icecream!

Then she asked to go to bed. I put her in her nap bed and within 10 minutes she was fast asleep!

Princess?

So we've been having a hard time finding Graem a size 8 princess dress! She's a HUGE kid and typically they just don't sell these beautiful princess dresses for bigger kids!

Maybe we should look at a prom dress! I'm sure she'd love the idea and anything with glitter, sequins, and tacky colors and she's in love!

Then again....I don't want to think of my little girl going to prom. Maybe I should try to sign up now to be a chaperone!

I'm ready

Let's go!

We leave in a little over a week to go to my cousin's wedding in Canada. It's been a long time coming and we made the reservations last April! Of course, we had a list of things we wanted to finish before going and I have a feeling we might get through painting the house but there's no way that we'll also have the bathroom done too.

I think we need at least one more person in this relationship to do the handy stuff...

Old

I woke up this morning and I swear I feel like I'm in high school again. My face has about 10 zits and I have no idea where they all came from!

I think I might need to look at www.bestnightcreams.net and hook up with some of their creams!

Not only do I need something for the acne but since I'm aging I also realize that I'm getting smile lines around my eyes and I know it's just a matter of time before my whole face starts sagging!

Poor mama!

Mama needs some help!

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I think it's time to buy gold bullion when I get my retirement match from work.

United States Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

A little exercise...

goes a long way!

That's why having a pull up bar in the new bathroom really isn't a bad idea. It would be out of the way of other household stuff and the kids really aren't spending much time in our bathroom/bedroom anyway!

Not to mention, we could probably do a handful of chinups each morning before we start our day. Not only would it work our arms but it would also help with starting our morning metabolism!

Potty girl.

Emmy is doing so good with the potty. In fact, she has been going once a day in the potty for the past week or so. The other night she stayed up late with us since she kept keeping Graem awake and at 10pm she said she had to go to the potty.

She sat there and nothing. Then both of us had to go to the potty and since one bathroom is down we moved her off the potty. Within 4 seconds she had peed on the floor.

Darn.

Mad reader...

Shawna's been a crazy reader lately! Over the past week she's finished off two books and as you know...those can get expensive!

Even with the Kindle and the pretty good discount for electronic books it can be a $20/week habit!

I guess it's better than buying the trashy magazines and recyling them at the end of the week or a carton of cigarettes. Really, there can be worse habits than reading?!?!

Not much longer...

and we'll be with family in Victoria! I'm really excited to travel and to see my brother and everyone.

Plus, just time away from work with the kids and Shawna....YAY!

Alex and Dom are also getting married so it was just meant to be that the weekends coincided and that we'd be on that part of the world during their special time.

Can't wait...the countdown begins!

This weekend..

we're pretty jammed packed already.

Shawna has to work Saturday til about 1pm. She will start at 9am and then hopefully get back in time.

Then L's going to come over and watch the kids and we're heading to the theatre and lunch with the Jasons! It should be a nice getaway and much needed.

The next on our list...

After we finish doing the outside of the house, the bathroom, and the basement...we're moving on to our master bedroom.

I would love to get some matouk linens and comforters. We purchased a comforter from them a few years ago and it not only looked good but wore very nicely too.

I think we're going to go with a nice light brown for the bedroom and I'd like to get a light creme/blue ensemble.

This will more than likely turn into a winter project when we have more time and money!

Is it Friday, yet?

Seroiusly it's been a friggin' long week. I'm exhausted. I feel like I work all of the time and it's not like we are even coming out ahead!

We still have to touch up the outside of the house this weekend and I still have an unfinished bathroom.

Damn...when can we have enough money where we can just hire these shit jobs out?

Gold please.

One thing that never loses it’s value is us silver coins! Even when our stocks are floundering you can always look to gold coins, and precious metals to maintain their value.

US Gold Bureau offers silver, gold, and other precious metals for delivery or they will make arrangements to have your metals stored privately and securely at a bank or depository.

I didn’t realize this but US Gold Bureau is an industry leader. They sell gold in two forms: coin or ingot. The world demand now exceeds the supply demand for gold - which makes it a pretty smart investment.

Especially with the economy doing so poorly and people losing all of their investments with the stock market!

The house to-do.

Outside:

Mailbox
2nd coat of paint
Mulch beds
Take down trampoline and bring inside outside toys
Extend deck
Cut down 3 trees

Inside:

Finish bathroom
Paint bedroom
Replace doors
Paint dining room
Knock down wall in kitchen
Paint kitchen
Re-floor kitchen
Paint garage entry way
Refloor garage entry way
Paint playroom and closet
Refloor playroom and closet

Now if we just had a third wife/husband that could do this on the side we'd be in good shape.

Bug strips.

SO I bought these bug strips in hopes that I would be able to catch all of the mosquitos are making me crazy.

I put one in the living room and one in the dining room.

Wouldn't you know it that the fattest mosquito just landed on one....

And just flew right away.

Damn.

Any good advise out there?

Mama needs some help!

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I think it's time to buy gold bullion when I get my retirement match from work.

US Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

Monday again?

This morning I woke up early and went into work. I have so much on my plate right now and the only way I can stay ahead is putting in extra hours before and after work.

Of course, there's still the balancing act and it's pretty hard trying to figure out how to get everyone's needs met.

Including my own!

So tired.

This weekend we nailed out painting the house.

Yes, the whole house. Our friends came over and helped us do it and without them it would have been numerous fights and I'm guessing we probably wouldn't have even finished the front!

The house looks incredible and totally like a new house. It's amazing what a few coats of paint can accomplish!

Rain, rain, go away!

It rained all weekend. IN fact, that's all I remember is rain! It stopped long enough for us to have wine club Saturday but continued to rain through the night and into Sunday.

Maybe I can blame my demotivation on the rain...

To say the least...the bathroom is still unfinished and I am uninspired.

Next weekend we're having a painting party at 2pm and I'd love to be able to get the first coat up on the house!

Sorry second child.

The other night I was looking at photos of Graem and we were so good about capturing each month of her life!

My friend uses slide shows to capture her kid's growth each month and actually emails the link out to friends and family.

It's nice .. pictures, music, and even video!

I'm going to try and make a real effort to document this time because I know too well that it goes by so fast!

What did we do?

We moved back in March and since we've been here they busted up a druggie house down the road and a neighbor's car got stolen!

We're now in the market for good deadbolt locks that we can put on our back door and even our deck door!

Who would have known that you move into little town Ithaca and all hell breaks loose.

Maybe we should have stayed out in the country after alL!

Almost done?

We really don't have that much to do on the bathroom and I'm hoping in the next week or so that we'll be able to finish it up.

The tile work looks pretty good. Shawna gave up on using the little damn spacers and you can kind of tell.

We will probably start painting tonight and they do fixtures and radiant heating tomorrow.

I can't wait for this to be done!

A little PHilly Phun.

THis weekend we went to PHilly to visit Shawna's friends. I was like the dad and took the kids while the girls giggled and drank too much!

It was fun though. We spent most of the time in the pool and it was nice to be away from Ithaca!

The girls are getting so big and they're a lot of fun right now.

Of course, now it's Monday and I'm back at work.

When on when will I have another vacation?!

My poor hands.

Today I worked on the bathroom. It might not look so good now but I'm guessing over the next few days it's really going to come together.

When I'm working I typically use eye protection, and on occassion even get ear protection but today when I was working with all of the chemicals I had to use safety gloves.

Shawna got some of the blown insulation on her skin and for the rest of the day she was picking it off. Not to mention, it's pretty hazardous and some of it will just burn your skin off.

Terrible twos are here.

Emmy has been absolutely horrible lately. She's always been a tough kid. The other night we went to a movie and during the movie she kept standing up in the chair, leaning on the lady next to her.

Finally, Shawna walked out with her. I took over and within minutes she was throwing a major fit in the back of the theatre. It was so bad I got asked if I needed "assistance" by a movie watcher in the middle of the movie.

I finally just gave up and left the movie.

We have a meeting over the next few weeks to discuss strategies for dealing with these behaviors and temper tantrums. It just seems like we've tried everything and nothing at all is working.

A little SEO...

goes a long way.

Our business really is not the type of business that we feel we have to market. In fact, a firm from Chicago recently hired a seo chicago firm to market their website.

Not only does the website look incredible and was the talk of this year's conference but they've gained tons of business from the little marketing that they've done.

Considering we're in the computer age and with the market as depressed as it is you really have to take advantage of things. With that said, it might just pay for us to reach out to a SEO to market our firm.

Back to the grind.

So I'm on vacation. Can you tell? That's right in a few minutes I have to run to work to drop stuff off. Then I have a meeting Wednesday and one Thursday.

So much for the idea of a few uninterruped days off. Maybe when I'm in Canada for the 10 days I'll really be able to get away!

Zzzz...

Last night we were in bed by 9:30pm. We had tucked the kids into their beds and Emmy kept waking up. She finally ended up sleeping on the futon mattress with us.

I've thought about treating my skin better by applying a night face cream.

Since I'm hitting the big 3-5 I know I really need to do certain things so that my skin does not get wrinkles.

I've been trying to eat better and even wearing sun screen more often. I just hope that my past behavior will be forgiven!

Germany -VS- Spain

Watching the game on television now and I think I'm probably going to cheer on Spain here. I think it's going to be a good game and I love the crowds. It looked like a fan just ran to the turf and they're now running im off of the field!

I must admit that going to a World Cup game is on my bucket list.

Maybe they'll have another WC in the US soon.

These children.

Last night we all camped out in the basement because it was so hot upstairs. We moved the futon mattress to the floor and the kids slept on a comforter on the thick rug.

Emmy was quite the pill. She absolutely would not go to sleep. She kept climbing in Shawna and I and by 10:30pm she finally made it to bed.

Of course, I've been looking at eye cream for dark circles because despite getting a good eight hours of sleep last night having a tossing and turning kid just makes sleep miserable!

More time, please.

Yesterday Shawna called me in a panic because the faucet that I installed in the bathroom had started leaking again.

I'm not even sure why either. I called Moen last time and they sent me out a new part. I installed it and it seemed to help for a few weeks...then all of a sudden is starts leaking again.

I know I've got to pick up the pace on this bathroom because it's taking a brutally long time.

BUT>....I just don't have the time!

I've got to lose it.

The other day I stepped on the scale and I was totally depressed. I am now weighing what I weighed before having Graem. Ugh.

Shawna was on alli
a few years ago and had great success. She was on the prescription brand and her insurance paid for it and she paid a co-pay.

However, what I've realized is that many of the insurance companies are not paying for it because it's now over-the-counter and they're being cheap.

SO EARLY.

This morning I had to get up at 5am. That's after getting home from a softball game at 10:30pm. I'm friggin exhausted. I'm driving most of the day and on campus doing site work.

Hopefully, when I get home tonight I can just relax and the kids will be on their best behavior. I still don't know if I'm going to soccer practice. I guess it just depends on how I feel.

Pretty cool.

The other day Shawna went to the mall and peeked in the new fitness place. They have great deals and it's so close to the house.

I've though about getting fitness equipment for the basement but not only are they really expensive but I'm afraid it will turn into the same thing as the weight bench turned into - a drying rack for our clothes!

Soccer.

I've decided to do soccer tonight. My friend started a league and it's free. It's just a few women that are getting together and kicking around the ball. But it feels good and at least I feel like I'm moving my body a little bit!

Super Mario Galaxy 2

We were stuck in a routine of every night putting the kids down and then racing to the living room to play SMG2. It's been a great game and between Shawna and I we go right through all of the worlds.

Of course, I do miss the days of play Dynasty Warriors and being able to battle together. Maybe when the ps3 drops again in price we'll be able to pick one up!

The drama...

I must say that the past few days have been really hard for everyone. Saturday our minivan was involved in a hit and run and then Shawna started her job Tuesday.

Which means she's been trying to put in lots of hours to train and get that out of the way. Then I've been scrambling to meet deadlines and I was out of the office one full day.

This weekend Shawna has work all day Saturday and I'm going into work for a few hours Sunday.

I need a vacation.

I've got a craving...

tonight we went for Mexican food. It was alright. For New York.

I miss my mexican restaurant dallas! When Shawna lived in Texas we indulged in some of the best Mexican food. Heck, I could eat there almost every night.

Please don't get me started with the margaritas either!

The school play.

We just got back from Graem's school play. She's too young to be in it but I think she will be in it two years from now.

It was really cute. The kids were great, the staff did a good job, and what could be better than them finishing with "We are the World"?

Seriously...I loved it.

This weekend...

has a lot of stuff already planned!

I know I have to try and tackle the bathroom. There's so much to do on it though I'm just not sure where to start!

Plus, I really need help with hanging drywall and that's a two person job.

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I have used a water filter pitcher for some time now.

Not only does the water taste wonderful but I was able to cut down on the cost and waste that is created with bottled water.

Moving.

I'm not talking about physically moving houses.

I'm talking about moving my body! At some point I had talked to my friends about getting a gym membership and actually working out. I figured it would just add to my life and in the end it might even add a few years to my life!

I like reading weight loss success stories. At one point I was watching "The Biggest Loser" and afterwards I always felt like I should get off the couch and move and work out!

Maybe I should start taping it again and then get my gym membership!

Successful Saturday!

We got so much done today. I love that feeling!

Shawna was able to do the yard. I cooked dinner, made cupcakes, and was able to clean about half of the house.

Tomorrow we have a big day and I'm glad that the kids are sleeping without too much of a fight.

A birthday party!

Tomorrow is Emmy's 2nd birthday party!

I'm pretty excited! She's old enough to be able to enjoy it and more than likely she'll even sing the Happy Birthday song to herself!

I've been a bad mama because I have been eating way too many birthday cupcakes! So much for losing weight and fitting into my bathing suit?!

I've thought about getting on herbal phentermine because I like the idea of it being natural and I know that Shawna had such a positive experience.

Sunday.

Tomorrow we're all about cleaning the house. Today we were able to do about half of it.

We figure that since we're having the party here we want it to be super nice for our guests.

We've also promised Emmy that we would take her to the Ithaca Festival down at the park so that she can enjoy the pony rides.

Every morning when Shawna takes Graem to school Emmy looks at the horses and says "ride'm, mama".

I'm guessing she might be too scared to actually get on the horse!

Doh.

Maybe I should not have eaten the three cupcakes. But I felt it was my obligation since I am going to have others eating them tomorrow.

I just wanted to make sure that they tasted alright!

Of course, I'm thinking about hooking up with some apidexin!

I've heard it works wonders and everyone knows that I need a miracle to get rid of this muffin top!

Saturday night.

It's hot.

We're watching bad television.

And.

I just ate three cupcakes.

Damn.

A new room in the house!

Well, the basement is almost finished.

Shawna put the insulation on the walls leading to exterior and we have moved down all of the furniture. It looks awesome!

Now we just have to finish cutting ceiling tiles, touch up paint, and at some point I'd really like to find a cheap new mattress for the room.

We know Alex and Dom are visiting in August and the futon is not very comfortable!

Busy weekend.

It's Friday and already I know that this coming up weekend is going to be crazy and hectic! We have tons to do on the house including cleaning and yardwork.

Then Sunday is Emmy's birthday party.

God, before I know it I'll be posting Sunday night asking what happened to the weekend.

These boots are made for walkin'...

or workin'!

I've been thinking about getting some good work boots for some time. The ones I have are not steel toed and with all of this house stuff that I am doing I figure it might be a good investment instead of a trip to the Emergency Room!

Not to mention, I think I would probably look pretty kick butt in a new pair of boots!

Is it bedtime yet?

Tonight we went out for Indian food for Emmy's 2nd birthday. To say the least...she was awful! Seriously.

She only tried to get out of her chair a dozen times and almost tipped over the fake flower three times.

To say the least, I think we might be doing a few more take-out meals in the near future!

Always learning.

I feel like I always have to stay current in my job or else I'm going to be left behind. What I have realized over the years is that there is always a new trend and typically if I go to the annual conference I feel on top of my game and able to follow the upcoming trend.

I have also been able to learn more from some of the CEUs that are required. However, those are few and far between and many times they are offered by companies who want to market their products!

Let the painting begin!

Tonight we actually decided on colors for the exterior of the house. We're going with a dark sage green for the main body of the house, white for the trim, a mahogony for the new door, and a light green for the ceder shingles in the new porch cover.

Tonight we did a test run and painted a few boards on the back side of the house...it looked good!

Cancer. Again.

We just had another friend who was diagnosed with colon cancer. We couldn't believe it. He is 33 and it came as quite the shock.

Since I know cancer and specifically colon cancer runs in my family I feel the need to give my colon a little extra love.

That's why I've been looking at colon cleanse solutions for a while now.

I figure I'll do some online research and order one online.

Laundry.

Right now I'm trying to fold three loads of laundry. It's like the washing machine threw up all over the living room. I'm trying to blog, watch Glee, and fold laundry.

I'm guessing that the only thing that will get done is a little television !

Anyone know of a good investment?

Mama needs some help!

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I think it's time to buy gold bullion when I get my retirement match from work.

US Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

Here goes nothing...

and everything!

We're starting up on the bathroom project today. Dave and I are trying to tackle the floor and the plumbing. Any walls would be a plus.

Of course, this morning our plumbing started to gurgle and bubble in the toilets when hot water is running.

SHIT. This house is sucking the life out of me!

A little marketing...

down the toilet.

Years ago Shawna started her own consulting business. She stayed at home with Graem and this was inbetween her trying to get pregnant.

We had business cards printed up, paper, and we even came up with a pretty good brochure.

At one point she was using her marketing materials and putting them in jumbo envelopes and dropping them off at local hospitals, assisted livings, and nursing homes.

To say the least...she wasn't able to put the time into the business and before we moved we disposed of the $200 of marketing materials that we had invested.

The kitchen...

is totally not coming around.

We thought we were going to get cabinets online and then we added all of them into the cart to find out that shipping is a total bitch and almost as much as the cabinets cost.

Talk about rip off. Now we're thinking we might just go through Lowes or Home Depot. We were quoted $5,500 for some pretty crappy cabinets and I'm sure that Lowes and Home Depot should be able to do better than that!

Too many cookies.

Tonight I made cookies with the girls. They were delicious and of course I ate way too many! At some point I really need to think about joining a gym and eating better!

I've even considered looking at diet pill reviews! Years ago Shawna took diet pills and did incredible. She lost tons of weight and I'm sure I could do just as good.

Our new home office...

is about to be unveiled over the next few days. I promise to post pictures. We purchased a nice Mission style desk off of the internet and also a black file cabinet. We're going to move the futon downstairs and we might also get some better lighting for the basement.

Of course no office would be complete without some sleek new office supplies!

Half way.

I can't believe we pissed away today! Actually we got tons done. We went to the plant sale (that sucked, mowed the grass, planted some plants, painted the basement, and had Graem's first sleepover.

Tomorrow I plan on putting up walls in the bathroom and I think Shawna wants to finish doing the painting in the basement.

Will this house stuff ever end?!?!?

Blubber.

So I still have my post-pregnancy ring around my belly. I must admit though that after pregnancy I lost tons of weight and at one point I was even less than before pregnancy.

Then life happened.

We started eating out, I started loving my food again, and now I'm a chunker.

I've looked into top fat burners and I'm pretty convinced that in the near future I might need to think about trying something.

Sleep over - 9:28pm!

Well, tonight we made cookies, did nails, and the girls are in bed with a flashlight reading a handful of books.

It went excellent. Both girls were so excited and it was fun to do the activities together.

Now we'll have to see how it goes....

I'm guessing there might be a mid-morning trip to drop someone off in our near future...

Got insurance?

I've been looking around for a good life insurance online quote. I called my local person and it sounds like I'm probably not a candidate for getting good premiums because I have asthma.

Even though I've never had major issues I'm on medication to control the asthma. They consider it a liability and then they want tons of money because I'm such a "risk".

Laxin'

Right now we're hanging out like grown adults and watching Nurse Jackie. LOVE IT.

Of course, I liked last years season better. I'm still lost on the cliff hanger and trying to figure it all out.

My body aches because I wiped the hell out playing soccer! Thank God Shawna has some good meds left over from her back injury!

Left Comment

Actually, I was given a two rolex watches from my grandmother when I was little.

I hardly knew the expense of the watches and to this day wish I knew where they were!

Now I’m much older and responsible and thinking about purchasing one of the newer Rolex watches.

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Great blog and I was happy to get the information on how I can save money on those high priced printer cartridges!

Now I’m headed your way!

Thanks for the info!

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credit counselling is a hard thing to go through… In fact, after I graduated from college I was faced with numerous bills and no job!

I was glad that I was able to get the help I needed.

ccofAmerica.com offers a great website that is useful, supportive, and unique.

Left comment

So refreshing to find an online website where I can get all of my health and beauty needs in one stop. They have something for everyone and my favorite part is that free shipping with a $25 purchase is absolutely unheard of! I’m off to shop!

Left comment

I just went to the spa store today to pick up cleaner and sanitizer. I was shocked at the different varieties and even more shocked at the cost! They had everything from http://www.spa-daddy.com/" target="_blank">pool filters to shocker solution.

Spa-Daddy.com is a great place to pick up good deals and they are a wealth of knowledge on pool and hot tub maintenance!

ZZZZZzzzzzzz

As tired as I am now I have a note that the electrician is going to be here first thing tomorrow morning. Which means that I'll probably have to wake up to and help him fish wire, ect.

The good thing is that this is probably the last time he'll be here and hopefully by the end we'll have poop vans in the bathrooms and an overhead light in the kid's playroom.

A little cosmetic surgery...

This website is so informative. Not only does it talk about something very sensitive and real like plastic surgery but also the costs associated with receiving quality care.

My aunt went to Mexico and received $20,000 of dental work for around $1,500.

I know in a few years I'm totally going to want a cosmetic surgery facelift.

CosmeticSurgeryMexico.com sounds like it has amazing staff and surgeons who are ready to make you feel good!

Speech Therapy...

Emmy's doing speech therapy right now and it's so nice to hear her using her words with the therapist. It takes her a few sessions to get comfortable and I think we're finally at that point with the new therapist.

PLUS...all of this therapy gives me a nice little break and time to go to the bathroom and put away laundry.

Yippee.

So refreshing to find an online website where I can get all of my health and beauty needs in one stop. They have something for everyone and my favorite part is that free shipping with a $25 purchase is absolutely unheard of!

I’m off to shop!

TGIF.

Maybe I'll just leave it at that...but it's been one slow ass week. I've been working hard with blogging and Emmy has been really high needs.

We switched out her crib for the big girl bed and that's been somewhat of a disaster. We might be bringing the crib back this weekend.

Everynight Margot has to go and put Emmy to bed and it ends up taking a good two hours.

SEO Services

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Actually, I was given two rolex watches from my grandmother when I was little.

I hardly knew the expense of the watches and to this day wish I knew where they were!

Now I’m much older and responsible and thinking about purchasing one of the newer Rolex watches.

Zitty.

I think it could be the humidity in our house because I feel like my face is constantly oily! Even after I get out of the shower I have quite the shine!

Then there is the whole issue of my zits. I don't get good zits. Typically, they are anti-climatic. It looks like a big one, I pop it, and it's nothing. Bummer.

Maybe I will look at pronexin. I've heard it works pretty good and I can hop on the website and purchase it directly.

Volleyball.

I absolutely love watching sports and many times I'll go months without watching television. Now I'm watching the National Championship Women's - Texas vs Penn St. It's such a good game.

These girls totally kick some major ass and I just love it when they spike it.

Plus, they're all really hot.

Stressed...

I don't know if we're ever going to get to the point where we are done with this house. It seems like there is so much we need to do in order to get it the way that we want it.

With work and then home being so crazy I have started getting pimples! I literally have had about ten zits my whole life and now at the ripe age of thirty four...zits.

I've looked at products like Acneticin and I think I might order some!

So much for a weekend...

we totally busted our balls this weekend.

Shawna took the kids Saturday and I stayed home to fix the home theatre and then the plumbing. What started out as an easy task turned into hell. Before long I realized that the plumbing in the basement was leaking water everywhere. When I went to fix the upstairs spare bedroom faucet the tiles started popping off at me.

Damn, this house has issues!

Lookin' purty in the south.

I have recently reconnected with my grandma and it was so great to hear how everyone was doing. Plus, since we don't have much family out there any family we have...we really need to work harder on making connections.

The last time I was in Louisiana I was 19 and went for my grandfather's funeral. I know...bad.

Now that I have kids it is not the easiest trip to make.

I am sure that Cosmetology school in Louisiana is quite popular and if you know what I mean....we aren't the prettiest girls on the block!

That is why I am glad that there are places like RegencyBeauty.com! They offer classes around the United States and have some of the world famous clients that walk the runways!

Dryer fixed?

We've had some seriously shitty luck when it comes to our washer and dryer. In fact, the washing machine crapped out first.

Then after putting totally damp clothes in the dryer - it died too.

THe parts have been purchased - and sure enough...I just heard Margot start up our working dryer!

She just saved us a good $75.

Maybe I will keep her around after all.

I can't resist...

potato chips.

I don't know what it is about the crunchy and salty taste...but I'm hooked! The other day I sat on the couch and ate a full bag while Emmy was taking her nap.

Maybe I should look into getting on the best fat buners out there!

I mean, it could be worse, right? It's not like I washed down the chips with Pepsi...

Oh wait...

Shawna here...

I've got to nail out painting two doors in an hour before I have to leave to pick up the kids.

Emmy fell right asleep for naptime and she is sleeping soundly in Graem's bed. Maybe we should set up her big girl bed! I have a feeling it's going to go pretty smooth!

All tied up.

So I'm constantly looking for things to buy my brother for Christmas and his birthday. I figure he has enough mens ties and business attire. However, when I spoke with him Sunday he said that he just purchased a new tailored suit set for around $250 US dollars.

Knowing that he has to dress nice for work maybe the perfect solution is to buy him work clothing! That way he can focus his time and money on picking out something entertaining!

Doors.

I'm about half way through the doors. Last night I was able to make two cuts, screw in hinges, and the door was hung! Really, not so bad. Of course, tonight I'm aiming to put up two doors and I will probably need to start once the kids have gone to bed.

I wish I could just take a day off of work and nail out the plumbing in the spare bathroom and the doors!

This is such a wonderful blog...

This is such a wonderful blog and I absolutely love the beds that you refer to.

A few years ago I purchased a twin bunk bed for my two daughters. They *LOVE* them! Right now we are just transitioning the younger one into a big girl bed and my older daughter can’t wait for the day when she gets to be on the top bunk.

I like the MOMs bunks because they look safe! The ladder bunk that we have makes me nervous because I can just picture a time where my daughter’s foot will slip and she will fall down.

The stair-like engineering provides steady footing and truly a brilliant idea!

Half day Friday!

Today I took a half day. Shawna had an interview (that got cancelled) and I had really wanted to take the full day and enjoy a day with the girls since Graem was off on spring break.

Since things are so busy at work I was only able to take a half day.

The girls picked me up at work and we went for Indian buffet and then off to Home Depot. We picked up paint and supplies.

When we got home Susan and David came over to drop off a rack of ribs and David stayed with us for a few hours while Susan went to go pick up the baby in Cortland.

Then J, L, and W came over for spaghetti and meatball dinner. It's amazing how much these kids like spaghetti!

The evening was nice and we sat on the couch chitchatting about taxes and watched Shawna paint!

Anyone know of ...

good investments?

Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I think it's time to buy gold bullion when I get my retirement match from work.

US Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

The car from hell.

That's what Shawna's car is. Seriously.

I found a bottle full of curdled milk and I have no idea how long it's been there!

What I do know is that it's got chunks and STINKS.

I decided that her Easter gift would be a clean van! There was caked on chocolate milk on the leather seats and the kid's carseats were nasty! I'm not sure if they had old raisins or turds in them...

Either way the washing machine is running and will be for most of the day!

The Easter Bunny!

Well we got a visitor last night!

This morning came and the kids walked out to find their baskets overloaded with candy, balls, CDs and DVDs! They had a great time and the two girls have totally OD'd on candy.

Emmy is taking her morning nap now and Graem is watching her new DVD!

Insured?

The other day the bank sent me a letter. It said that we had to contact them within 48 hours because our house had to be insured and our insurance was cut off!

I instantly called the bank and come to find out they had made an error and they had received the cancellation for the old house.

You would think with car insurance, house insurance, and health insurance, that we would be TOTALLY insured, right?

Too much work!

Next Friday I'm taking off and I'm sure that Shawna has a list down to my feet of house stuff she wants/needs done!

Of course, I have a different agenda and figure that I need to work on getting the shower in our room up and running.

We're having issues with it because after we use it (6 hours later) it starts dripping. Typically, this happens at 4 in the morning when we're both sleeping!

Stroll away!

It's exciting that we live on a dead end road. I can just imagine in a few years letting the girls ride their bikes to the end and turning around.

Of course, we could make use of all of the baby strollers that we have purchased!

Shawna had to buy a new Maclaren stroller when Emmy was born and has used it only a few times! It's in absolutely perfect shape. Too bad our little princess prefers the older Maclaren that has the wheels about to fall off.

Barf.

Last night was truly from hell.

Graem got totally sick from both ends! The bathroom still smells like barf this morning and I'm exhausted and still had to go to work.

This is a job that would be perfect for a third wife.

I wonder if Shawna can find one on Craigslist.

Buying time.

Our computer is on the way out. I know it. It's actually been alive a lot longer than I would have given it. We got it when Graem was 1 1/2 years old. After she spilled a bottle of water on our last laptop!

Now we're in the market for a new laptop and thinking that the Acer Aspire is a pretty good deal.

We're not looking for something over the top and for the most part we don't do tons of graphics. Just basic email and website viewing.

Any suggestions?

Go Cornell!

Tomorrow we're going to have a basketball get together. Cornell has made it to March Madness and that's just about all I know.

I do know that they will be playing tomorrow. That we will be ordering meaty pizza and drinking lots of beer.

Then I am guessing that the day after the big party will be followed with a killer headache and me asking WTF I was thinking.

I can't see a thing!

The last time I went to the optical I asked our old guy to give me an adjustment. He went to the backroom and then I heard profanities.

He broke my lenses during the adjustment.

To say the least I was in deep trouble. I can't see two feet in front of me without my glasses and he didn't have any replacements in stock!

I know I should be smarter and have an extra set of eyeglasses on hand but who can afford that?

Zenni Optical offers amazing eyeglasses at great prices! In fact, The Examiner wrote a great review.

I think it's probably time that I move on from our old optical guy and find someplace that doesn't break my glasses and offers great eyeglasses at a reasonable price!

RIPOFF

Tonight I ripped out the cabinets above the existing fridge. It was somewhat liberating and we're getting geared up to get our new fridge, stove, washer, and dishwasher tomorrow.

YAHOO!

I can't wait!!!

It's time...

So I've made enough excuses about losing weight!

I've got to take it seriously. My parents have both passed away at an early age and weight loss would help anyone stay healthy and live longer.

I've talked about joining the gym and my excuse was that I wanted to get moved into our new house etc.

Now I don't have an excuse. So maybe today is the day!

The weekend...

was a blur.

Maybe it was all of the beer I drank! Or it could have been that so much happened Friday with the closing and the moving that I have blocked it all out!

Both Friday night and Saturday night L, David and Susan came over for dinner! Friday night we had pizza and Saturday L treated us to a delish Indian dinner.

Hopefully this week will go fast and we'll be able to have another great weekend!

Going natural.

We've been trying to eat better since we moved into the new house. It's still hard to get berries and fruit because they are so out of season and cost a fortune.

Of course, I've looked into natural fat burners too!

Not only are we eating more and more organic fruits and vegetables but if I can find something that's all natural and good for me AND helps me lose weight then I'm totally hooked!

Too little sleep.

I don't know why I have gotten into the habit of waking up at 4am. The past few weeks I wake up SO early and I'm not able to back to sleep. Even on the weekends when I don't have to go in to work.

I think it's partly stress...but then there's the house. I feel like there's so much to do and my mind just races. It's so easy to spend HOURS on the 3d program that I downloaded and I can't wait to get started with the kitchen!

Are you looking ...

for differin reviews?

I sure am! I've started getting acne at the prime age of 34. I never had acne growing up and now it is my time.

It has not gotten so bad that I have to consider medication. It's more embarrassing than anything!

Boogies everywhere.

We have been so sick lately. Graem was home from school three days last week because she was sick. Did I mention that this was in the middle of our move?

Yeah, it sucked. Horrible timing.

Now Shawna is down for the count. She has a horrible sinus infection and went to the doctor today to find out that she has pink eye too! She was given an antibiotic and Claritin-D.

Hopefully, it will start to kick in soon and she'll feel like her old self again!

5 more pounds.

I just stepped on the scale and I swear it's broken. At least I hope.

It said I weighed five more pounds than the last time I stepped on the scale.

Darn.

Maybe I should look into getting on some fat burners so that I can continue my fatty diet and lose weight!

Of course, I could eat better and move more...

House Virgins.

I must admit...I'm hooked to the Home and Garden channel. We watch "Holmes on Homes" and it's a pretty good show! But we LOVE "Property Virgins"!

Typically, we work on the house in the evening and then pop a few ibuprofen - then we lay down and watch more H&G tv!

Can't get enough.

Too bad Shawna won't let me apply for "Curb Appeal"

Owwwie.

I have absolutely horrible skin. I have had it ever since I was young and I'm pretty sure that someone in my family gave it to me!

The eczema is so painful at times and I have a horrible habit of scratching it until it bleeds.

Typically I get it around my elbows and around my lips. However, I also get it around my earlobes and the back of my knees.

Just writing about it makes me want to scratch.

"OWWWWIE" as Emmy would say!

We moved!

We're in our new house and loving it!

Although it's suppose to be smaller than our older house it seems so much bigger. The space makes more sense. Instead of the biggest room being a bedroom it's actually the living room!

Shawna's already started painting the living room and this weekend Dave came over and helped me put up the television.

Doors are ordered and appliances should be in Thursday.

Here we go!

Sales.

Shawna was born to have a sales jobs. In fact, every sales and marketing job she's had she's been awesome at. She's exceeded all goals and made very good money.

That's why we're talking about her going into real estate sales. She could still keep a somewhat flexible schedule, work weekends and evenings, and make some good money.

Still more conversation to be had, obviously, but I think we're going down the right road.

Yahoo!

I just did the calculations for closing costs, bank fees, etc. on the house and it looks like might have quite a bit more cash than I though.

DAMN....stuff like this never works out in our favor!

Could it be true? An extra $10,000 to put into our new house?

Stay posted.

GET ME OUT OF HERE.

I swear this is the year to leave upstate New York! If we were not in the middle of buying a house we would be heading out for another family vacation!

Right now as I look out my window I see about two feet of snow and little flakes coming down. I'm starting to question if spring will ever get here!

A few years ago we left all of this behind and went on a fabulous vacation to Cancun! We had so much fun at the resort and really loved taking advantage of the beautiful scenery and swim up bars!

KarismaHotels.com offers an easy-to-use website with some amazing vacation deals! In fact, I have my eye on the gourmet all-inclusive vacation. This might be just the thing to celebrate our fifteen year anniversary.

Minus the kids, of course!

Clean up and touch up.

At this point we're at a standstill with the packing. We've packed almost everything we can...but we still have the computer and desk that need to be packed up, dishes, bathroom stuff, and some linens. Then there's food....

We're trying to eat everything we can out of the cupboards and fridge but you can only do so much with mustard and garbanzo beans.

Seriously.

Freakin' out here.

We have no idea when in the hell we're going to close. Shawna's been calling our attorney and he's not getting back to her. We could be closing as soon as this Friday....

However, douchebag sellers house has yet to be cleared out AND he has about 4 feet of snow outside so he's going to have to shovel the driveway just to get a moving truck in!

Is this ever going to happen???

My aching back!

When I was pregnant I had horrible sciatica. In fact, many times I could barely get out of bed our out of a chair without having terrible back pain that ran all the way down my leg.

After I had Graem it seemed to get better.

However, there are still times when I feel my back spasm and I run immediately to the chiropractor!

I was very impressed with Hassel Family Chiropractic located in West Des Moines.





They are staffed with professional and seasoned chiropractors who know how to help in areas of headaches, PMS, and backpain.

If you're looking for a full-service chiropractor - look no further! They give care to infants, children, teens, adults, and seniors.

Good chiropractic care is just a phone call away!

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis.

Back to the grind.

You've got to love Monday mornings. It was so hard getting out of the house today. Emmy was so snugglie and kept saying "nuggie"

She's become so snugglie and I feel like I'm catching up for lost time when she wanted nothing to do with me as a baby!

When I walked out the door this morning I could hear her crying.

Why can't we be independently wealthy like most of the other Ithacans?

Slipped up.

Our couch is a mess. We bought it years ago and since it broke we had it replaced under warranty a little over a year ago.

For having two kids and a cat we treat our furniture pretty good. In the past we've had slipcovers to protect the fabric.

Now we're at the point where we give up.

We figure once the animals die and the children leave for college we'll be able to get new furniture and put plastic covers on them to preserve them like most old people do.

Home, home on the range.

That's where I'm working from today.

We're snowed in and despite the fact that the flakes aren't big, it's consistent and we're suppose to get another foot overnight.

I've been able to get a fair amount of work done. It will be so nice when we move into the new house and I can actually have my office in the basement away from kids and wife.

Hell, maybe that will be my woman cave.

Slammed.

The good thing is that I just heard back from banklady and she said that we're good to go for our new mortgage and she's forwarding the commitment letter to us from the bank. Now it's just up the attorneys to find out a good date for us to close.

Now we just wait for the sellers of our house to get ready too!!

Just a little tidbit of ...

So small it could almost be a miniature elephant

Always looking for ...

good investments. Just a few weeks ago I noticed that 2 of my 10 stocks weren't doing so hot. In fact I almost died when I realized that I lost $2,000 in one day of a very bad stock market.

Now I'm looking to diversify my portfolio and invest in things that are more solid and have a positive history.

Gold bullion has always been a strong metal. In fact, I might buy gold bullion when I get my retirement match from work.

US Gold Bureau is one of the biggest and most trusted distributors of the precious metal. They have been around for years and have a great reputation in the field of precious metals.

This is just the thing I was looking for.

God knows, I can't take too many more of those days where I lose $2,000!

Back to work tomorrow!

So I just took one of Shawna's percoset because I was feeling pretty shitty and really wanted to have a good night's sleep without coughing and tossing and turning.

I feel like I'm on a cloud and I don't want to come down.

I can really see how people get hooked on this shit.

Ice Skating.

We're watching ice skating now and there's this ugly guy who has the worst mullet in the world. I'm pretty sure he's European because he has bad teeth.

They just called him "special" and I'd have to agree.

Now there's this commentator and his name is Dick Button. That's tragic.

I never knew ice skating was this much fun.

The saggies.

I've started realizing that with age everything is sagging.

Most recently I've noticed that my eyes are starting to sag a little bit. I've looked into youthology eye serum and think it might be something of interest.

Many places have all natural products that help firm up skin around the eyes and can reverse the signs of aging all together.

Maybe when I'm going through a mid-life crisis I'll get my minicooper and facelift.

Cancun again?

So our friends who just moved to Alabama invited us to go on a vacation with them to Cancun?!?! They have a timeshare there!

They have two little girls too and we met them at Graem's daycare.

A vacation to somewhere sunny sounds divine and I think we'd have a great time with a family that has kids too.

So old.

Some days my body feels like I'm sixty years old. I know I have some rotten genes - but can't I get a break?!

Lately, I've been finding joint pain relief in taking warm baths and my heating pad!

I also have a coupon to visit my chiropractor and the massage therapist. Of course, I've had them for over six months and I just can't seem to find the time to make an appointment.

Is tonight the night?

At some point we're going to move Emmy into Graem's room and she's going to sleep in the bottom bunk. Yeah, right?

With the new house we have three bedrooms and we were really planning on moving in and having the girls share the room next to ours. Ideally, Emmy would love sleeping on the bottom bed and being a big girl!

Tonight we're going to give it a test run and let Graem sleep on the bottom bed with her. I have a feeling we're going to hear giggling and crying probably within a 4 minute time frame.

Roids.

When Shawna was pregnant she had horrible hemorrhoids.

Then the baby was born.

Her bottom was an absolute and complete war zone. (She's going to kill me for talking about this!) She kept using the hottub at the hospital but when we got home she had little relief and it was just a matter of time to heal.

We looked all over for cures for hemorrhoids and ended up with ice packs, sitting sideways, and this analgesic cream that we found at only one store in town.

So excited!

So this past weekend Shawna got our amazing appliances. SHE GOT A STEAL. I'm talking stainless steel dishwasher, microwave/vent hood, washing machine, fridge, and oven - $2,100. After the rebates and tons of negotiations with Home Depot.

Damn I love that wife!

So much for New Year's Resolution...

My weight has been flip-flopping for the past few months. I'm sure it's work stress, house stress, and these damn kids. Then there's the delicious brownies that Shawna just made. Darn.

I should probably just call it a day and hook up with some cheap adipex!

Years ago Shawna did some weight loss meds and lost quite a bit of weight. She was able to keep it off and get pregnant.

Packing!

Shawna's been amazing about getting us packed. I tried to pack a few boxes and became disinterested when I realized that everything I had packed needed a bigger box.

Today Shawna called the out-of-town mover (some asshole on craigslist) - they were totally trying to pull one on her because he said he charged $200/hour and then said they'd need 12 hours. SERIOUSLY?

What kind of crack are they smoking? We could move to Texas for that!

The good old days...

I remember after I had Graem we barely slept, I nursed constantly, was on a prenatal multivitamin, and lost tons of weight!

I had the best hair and nails in town and my figure wasn't too shabby either!

Now I'm on vitamins but they just don't do the same things as those horrible tasting prenatals!

I'm a sicky!

Today I worked half a day and by noon time I was beat.

My body is trying to kick this cold but instead I feel horrible! I've taken enough airborne and vitamins to raise someone from the dead.

Hopefully, it will leave our family soon! Shawna's going crazy with two sick kids and can't just pick up and leave because she's still feeling pain from her gall bladder surgery.

Excited?

I must say we're pretty excited about moving into our new place! We've been going to Lowes and Home Depot on a weekly basis and we want to do so much to our new house.

Of course, it all costs time and money. In fact, Shawna was saying that she might want to find a job so that we can remodel!

There's so much to do though and with two kids with various social schedules I'm not sure that would be the best idea.

PLUS, who's going to do laundry, cook, clean, and take the kids to gymnastics, soccer, music, and doctor's appointments?

The sickies.

are here.

And they won't leave.

Shawna is the only one not sick and she's on the couch do to the staph infection she contracted during her gall bladder surgery.

Tonight Graem coughed so much she threw up in bed and we had to change the sheets.

This parenting thing is a blast.