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.

Left comment

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

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Left comment

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