The World Fair project

you know...the one at Desi's school where I was completely stressed out for weeks on end. Well the photos are starting to come in so I thought I'd share. Enjoy!!
First is Angel Falls: during the event we had the lights dimmed, a fog machine running behind the falls to create a misty effect & a CD player running behind the falls with waterfall sound effects. It was sooooo cool!









This is the rainforest we had in the back of the classroom. We had anotherCD player hidden back there playing rainforest sound effects. It was awesome!!



Here's my girl D. ~ she was an Andes tour guide!








Here are the Andes Moutnains...those took more sponge painting than I care to think about! :)

I am a genius!!!!

Thank you, thank you...please hold the applause........ okay, seriously, I am so freakin' dense about my computer it is not even funny! All this time I have been waiting for K. to come home from the slope to download photos off our camera cuz I couldn't figure it out...duh! He does it via a cable into a port...blah, blah, blah....I still don't get that. However, as I was in the shower at 6a.m. it dawned on me, just maybe...I could do it through our printer. I know...clear as mud, eh??? Well we have the HP 2410 photomart printer/copier/fax/scanner thing-a-ma-doo. Anyway, K. always razzes me cuz I don't print out photos on in. What can I say..I'm a chickenshit when it comes to technology. So anyway...I decided to try the thing where you take the card out of the camera & put it in the little slot on the printer....and guess what....it automatically loaded all my pics onto my PC for me. How about that??? C'mon...I KNOW you are impressed....***please, work with me here**** LOL
So know it's time for show & tell:
First we have our Christmas tree on the big morning just before the kiddos got up! (I know...I'm only a month late! :)






Then we have Miss D. in all her Cheetah glory!!









Next is R. & K. doing the guy thing with the new race track!!









Here are the uber-cute stocking my mom made the kids this year!! Both of my kids love animal print & G-ma delivered! (Hey Mom~ You rock!)






Here it is ~ the Secret Project. It's recipient, My sister Femmie, recieved it on Saturday! It's a 7 Gypsies Tie Album that I filled with misc. photos of she & I over the years. It was super fun to make!!

Okay...I have more to show ...but I gotta go.. somehow, gymanstics class does not revolve around my blog...the nerve! :)

Real life experience #2......

take it from me...... sleeping with a Hot Wheels car in the small of your back ('cuz your 3 year insists on sleeping with said car & in your bed) is soooo not conducive to waking in a chipper mood...
just in case you were wondering

Things a boy will say......

This is the current (& ongoing) R-ism:
*Mind you, this is kind of sung, rather than said...& in the craziest, silliest 3 year old voice voice imaginable!*

R: Credit Mama Spank Butt!!!


What the???? I have no what this means, where it came from or why it so insanely funny.....even his sister dies laughing the instant these words tumble from his precious little lips. I have begged them to let me in on their little secret... "what's so funny"...but neither of them knows, but it sure as hell doesn't keeping them from breaking out it huge belly laughs! :) Crazy thing is they rarely get spanked & credit is pretty taboo in our house.......probably way too much TV. Damn that Disney Channel! :)

I'm going to......

Vegas, Baby!! Here's the scoop....my hubby, K. is going to Vegas in February for a week. He is shooting in the World Archery Festival & has been planning this trip for over a year now. He is really psyched about the whole trip & has spent hundreds of hours at the archery range preparing for this competition. However.....since day one he has asked me to join him. And I have consistently said "It just can't happen". Who will watch our kids? And what about the girls (I watch our friends girls during the afternoons, while she & her hubby work)??? It was just all to much to coordinate. Well a yesterday he called from work & I was trying to arrange with him for Heather & I to have a girl's day before he leaves. He said no problem & then got really serious and said

"It's the least I can do.....I feel really bad. I just figured there would be someway you'd swing it & join me in Vegas. But I've realized it's just not gonna happen this time around & I'm not looking forward to it in the same way."

Funny thing was that he wasn't being the least bit pitiful or whiney....just genuinely sad. I felt really bad for him. All this time he just thought I'd just hop on the plane with him & run away for a whole week. In the summer of 2004 we did just that...I had surprised him & took him to Vegas as his present when he retired from the Air Force. It was awesome. Although he has been to Vegas oodles of times, the last trip was together & so he was thinking of Vegas as 'our little getaway'.
Anyway, I hopped on the phone...made calls & made it all happen. I'm not going for the whole week.....I'll just be there for 3 day/2nights. But it's something & I'm gonna make the most of it. I am uber-grateful to both my mom & Heather for helping me to make this happen! I love you both!
We'll be staying at the

Riviera. Neither of us has been there before & I don't think we would have chose it on our own, but the hotel is hosting all the World Archery Festival activities, so that's where many of the competitors are staying...viola. If you've had a good experience there, let me know.....if not, wait & tell me about it when I get back ;) LOL

So since this trip is in just 2 short weeks (I'll arrive in Vegas on the 10th @8a.m.) it's a good thing I made a hair appointment for today. There is nothing worse than a trip with bad hair (**shudders**). So now I am really racking my brains to figure out what to do with this mop....... I found this pic online....what do you think??? Honest answers....... Now let me tell you....I am NOT a celebrity hairstyle type of gal..never attempted to copy one in my whole life...but I like this a lot. And for your reference, here is me.... Now I am fully aware that is hairstyle will not magically transform me into rich, thin & beautiful...but I wanna know if the style will work for me??? So what do ya think???

I'll be sure to take pics afterward......please oh, please...I beg you to let give me your opinion before I head out in about 2 hours!!!

Real life experience #1.....

take it from me.....if you accidently (in a sleepy stupor) use Olay Body wash to shampoo your hair, it's doesn't turn out so well.......just in case you were wondering.....




***I intend to make this a new feature of my blog. I consider it my civic duty (***cough cough...choking on my own line of crap here***) to help others learn from my mistakes*****

"Secret project~ complete!"

Yep..late last night I finished my secret project. But I still can't tell you abo t it, just in case the recipient is lurking. I haven't been able to actually 'give it' yet. Stay tuned......... (and yes, I did take a picture)

Now I am working on another mini-pseudo-secret project. Only my kids know...for now :) (I know, you could just smack me right about now)

I got a call from Ohio today saying the photos for my grandmas brithday album should arrive by 2pm tomorrow. It's about freaking time! I mean the damn thing has to arrive back in Ohio in time for her big party on February 12th. Sheesh......... I guess a few more sleepless nights are in my future!

Wait....maybe my fabulous pink tote (that I flaunted yesterday) will hold the key to my creative mojo!

I love my family.....

however...my genes, not so much. I attempted to pull my hair back this morning and much to my dismay, there was a clump of about 35 grey hairs just above my left ear that were being really stubborn. They refused to cooperate. Now, I am fully aware that I have a lot of grey hair. It's a family trait...(so Femmie, look out!) but what bothers me so much is how freakin' stubborn they are. They won't color, they won't lay flat...they are just a pain in the ass. When I found my first one (or should I say, my hairdresser in England found it) in 1996 I just tweezed it out. However, if I attempted to pull out all the grey at this point I would look something like this ..... so not a good look for a 31 year old woman. So I have made an appointment with Amber the Hair Diva (my name for her) for Friday.It is long overdue.....my last appointment was November 3rd, just before the Red Jeep Club trip. In just 3 months this head of hair has gonna from looking 'pretty good' to sad-sad-frumpy-housewife-hair. Again, not a good look. So lets hope Friday 'transformation' (who am I kidding, it's just a freakin' appointment) does something for my current funk. And I also seem to hear a few sessions at Extreme Tan calling my name...**do not throw tomatoes on the tanning issue...if you don't agree, just back click on outta here to whatever site you came from** I am fully aware of the dangers of tanning. I don't go to the extreme of looking like an old leather jacket. But until you have lived in Alaska for the winter, you have no idea...
So now I just have to decide , do I just want to freshen up my current style, or search for a whole new 'do'......hmm....


Since I haven't put one up for a couple weeks, here's the newest R.-ism:
Just a few hours ago...
R: I want a bath

Me: Okey-dokey (yes, I did really say that)

R: I want bubbles

Me: yep

R: Lots of bubbles

Me: Sure

R: I want red bubbles like sister had

Me: Huh?

R: The one with the sparklers (he meant sparkles, BTW)

Me: Uhmm.....

***at this point R. scales the bathroom vanity & pulls out a partial bubble bar from Lush that I brought back from Seattle. It was called Ruby Slipper, red with sparkles with an overwhelmingly strong scent of carnations. Blech! I'm convinced they made it on the off chance a Chapter of the Red Hat Society popped in. Hey what can I say...it was the freebie with purchase. I couldn't believe he wanted that one....***

R: This one, with lots of water & lots of bubbles

Me: Okay....

**I begin filling the tub & as I go to shut it off, he beggs me for more water. Finally when we are on the brink of flooding the house, I shut off the water.***

R: Is that all?

Me: Sure is!

R: Okay, I'm done.

Me: What? You just got in???

R: Yeah, but I don't like this one. I really wanted the banana one.

Gettin' back in the groove......

Yep, I've been MIA~ did you even notice??? LOL
Anyway, the last week & a half has been way more than I bargained for. I spent over 75hours working on the big South America project for D's school. Talk about sleep deprived...... The big event was Friday night (I promise I'll post pics when K. gets home) & I gotta admit it was pretty cool. And to top of that coolness...we won. 2nd grade won for the whole elementary school & so the principal is taking our class to H2Oasis , so the kids are really stoked. All~in~all it turned out well.
Other than that Friday was...well.....hard....some of you know why & know exactly what I mean. For those of you who don't....we lost a dear loved one on this date 2 years ago...there is more about it on my sister Femmie's blog (link at right)....I'm just not in a good place with it right now.

Then Saturday, I took the kiddos sledding with some friends & we had a blast...only to come home & realize I had a 102degree temperature. And within 12 hours R. had spiked one even higher, accompanied by the Pukefest 2006. So there went our weekend..........

Today was our first day back out & about and it is freakin' cold. -9 to be exact...so I bought myself a little treat to cheer myself up..

... actually I am justifying it as a need to aid in the completion of my grandma's scrapbook for her birthday, as well as the top-secret project I am working on. And no...no one is getting any hints. ;) So if you are feeling generous, feel free to assure me that this adorable tote is absolutely necessary in my crafting pursuits....... You know if I say it often enough, I just might begin to believe it!

later! ;)

I haven't disappeared.......

I'll be back soon...just really busy here with D.'s school project. And it's a really bad weeke for me on a more personal level
Later......

The 'good day' mojo continues.....

in a bunch of little ways. In addition to my fab-u-lcious couple hours I spent earlier in the day on the phone (see previous post), I had an awesome day because of a series of little things......

~ I went to the ever-famous Walmart & got a awesome find for just $2.88... everyday the scrappers at Two Peas discuss new products, up coming sales & the always popular question..."what is the best adhesive?" No some of you may wonder why this is so important, but if you are a scrapbooker, you know why this is such a big deal. It is the life-blood of your album...the glue that holds it all together...get it??? LOL Yes...a pun was intended!!! :) Don't hate me cuz I'm funny. ;) Anyway, at 2 Peas the Duck gets great reviews. I am so used to not be able to get the 'cool stuff' here in AK, but Wally World had the goods. And for just $2.88...what a way to make a girl happy!

Then we were off to JoAnn's to find fabric for a giant Anaconda (that my mama is gonna sew for me) for the upcoming South America project. I found some sueded snake print material for a mere $12.99/yd.......ah, I think not! So we meandered back to the clearance section to see if there was something back there that would do in a pinch. Score......I found a polyester snake skin fabric for $4.00/yd. That was do-able. Then when I got my ticket at the cutting counter, it was marked down even more ...to just $1.60/yd!! Wahoo...the savings paid for my previously purchased Duck adhesive. It was like getting it for free! Cha-ching!

Then my super sweet mom came by & picked up the kiddos for a sleepover. The house is ALL mine! Heehee! I got to watch Desperate Housewives & Grey's Anatomy in peace. That is like pure heaven. The only thing that would have made it better was a piece of Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake...my greatest all time weakness. Now I just have one question.....when is Derek gonna boot that old bat Addison to the curb & go running back to Meredith. DUH! It is so obvious! It makes me crazy!!!! Maybe I should give Dr. McDreamy a call......



And now I will bid you farewell for the night while I go curl up on the sofa (alone) & work on a Top Secret Scrapbook project (I'm gonna leave you hangin' on this one) & watch grown up movies. Yep, I rented movies for just me.......aren't you jealous??? Gotta go....The Wedding Crashers & my diet Coke are waiting.......

2 hours soooo NOT wasted.....

I got a phone call today.....a phone call that lasted over 2 hours...... the best 2 hours I spent all week. Femmie called me! I left Ohio years ago but we are as close as ever. We may not see each other as often as we like, but we know we are always there for each other. In fact we don't even talk (on the phone) as much as we'd like due to our crazy schedules, but when we do get on the horn it's like we've never been apart. We can talk about everything & nothing for hours on end. When we do get together we tend to talk loud, laugh louder, act crazy & giggle into the wee hours of the night. Then we wake up early & start the whole routine all over again. I love this girl like crazy & miss her just as much. Every time we talk I think about how blessed I am to have her in my life. I am so proud she's my sister. And I'm thrilled she's my friend. I had a great conversation with her today....and sadly it made me realize how homesick I really am. So Femmie~ Don't you dare forget...I love you, I miss you & can't wait to see you.................forty nerdy!

BTW.....I thought I'd share with all of you this fabulous photo my dearest Femmie left on my digital camera in Seattle. Talk about sisterly love......................

I've been tagged...

by Lisa. Check out her blog (link to Dear Diary is at the right).....


Four jobs you’ve had in your life:
1. Dairy Queen (very first job)
2. KMART (not long after~ high school job form hell)
3. Civil Service (worked for the USAF Child Development program as a supervisior)
4. SAHM (my very favorite job ever!!!)

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. Entrapment (Sean Connery is soooo hot!)
2. Lord of the Rings (the whole trilogy..love it!)
3. Narnia (can't wait til it's out on DVD)
4. Air Force One

Four places you have lived:
1.Louisville, Ohio
2.Pittsburgh, PA
3. Mildenhall, England
4. Palmer, Alaska

Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Extreme Makeover Home Edition (I cry every time!!)
3. Desperate Housewives (total smut TV)
4. MTV's Gaunlet (but only in a marathon...I gotta see it all at once)

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. France
2.Germany
3. Scotland
4. Ohau, Hawaii

Four websites you visit daily:
1.Two Peas
2. Femmie's Blog
3. All of the blogs link @ right
4. IParent (the check's D.'s grades & assignments)

Four of your favorite foods:
1. Slop (it's a family thing......there of some of you who know just what I mean)
2. Diet Coke (in copious amounts)
3. Ice Cream
4. Chips & Salsa

Four places you would rather be right now:
1.Hawaii
2.Seattle (shopping)
3. Vegas (with my hubby)
4. Ohio (I'm homesick & have been for awhile now )

Four bloggers you are tagging:
1. Femmie
2.Kate
3. oh...man....um......lets just say the next 2 people who visit my blog, okay......



***** this is a plea for help.....since I've switched to blogger, I can't figure out how to include a link in my post that hides the URL & just shows text. Anybody wanna help me out on this one. I've tried a load of things & just can't make it work!!!

She's getting restless

Augustine had another eruption last night & they have moved it back up to a code red alert status. It's kind of weird how everyone is on edge with anticipation. I just stop & think about 100 years ago, they would have been completely in the dark....they wouldn't have know until there own community was covered with ashfall. Although I am thankful that we have early detection, it's unnerving to prepare for something that may not even affect us. But it's better to be safe..... ****FYI: for those of you who are blog impaired like myself, if you click on "She's getting restless" above it will link you to the Alaska Volcano Observatory when there is a ton of info & photos

Do you know where your

obliques are??? Well if I didn't before, I sure do now after those last 2 classes. Enough said...........

Augustine Update

Well...she erupted 3 more times today. The Valley (where we live) is not under any type of advisory at this time, but several communties, including Homer & Seldovia, are. The experts say the 'big one' is still to come. So the waiting continues.........

The map below shows where Augustine is located in reference to Palmer, where we live. We are about 200 miles northeast of the volcano.

It's finally Friday......

Wahoo!!! I am ready for a 3 day weekend!!! Cosmos....my house... if anyone is interested :) No...really, I have gobs to do this weekend. We are having a work day here tomorrow to get busy on the World Fair project for D.'s school. Next Friday the 2nd classroom will be magically transformed into South America. Okay, maybe not so magically...more like a ton of work by a bunch of 2nd grade moms. It's pretty much the same thing, right???

Well today is officially day 2 of me being back on Weight Watchers. So far, so good.... I don't know why I gave it up in the first place. Oh wait...cuz they don't have a lot of room for double bacon cheeseburgers with extra fires, followed by a gallon of cookies-n-cream Breyers for dessert. I'll admit it...I love to eat. I was on WW a while back but unfortunately it fell by the wayside. Then this summer K. & I tried the South Beach diet. He did great. He didn't have much to lose, but he quickly lost 15 pounds & has no problems with it at all. I, on the other hand, didn't fare so well. Besides seeing minimal progress, I loathed the whole low-carb deal. It is soooooooo not for me. So here I am...back at Weight Watchers, but this time I feel better about it. I love the fact that no food is off limits and that I can choose how I want to use my daily points (within reason). Now I just need to find all of my WW 'stuff'. I have one book & one points slider. At one time I had about 8 of the sliders, but I have no idea where they have gone. If anyone has one they don't use anymore, let me know....I'll gladly take it off your hands.

And just in case you are wondering, I did return to the infamous Step class today...and once again, it kicked my butt!!!! I have never sweat, in all my life, like I do in that class. And while my friend & I waited for the class to start, the Pilates instructor from yesterday popped her head in the door & 'insisted' we join her next Tuesday morning for her Kickboxing & Abs class. What the???? Has she lost her ever-loving mind??? I watched that class this week through the doorway while I did my time on the elliptical machine. I distinctly remember thinking "There is no way in hell...". But if my friend has her way, hell might be in the very near future..................

She's gonna blow.....

Augustine Volcano that is. In fact, it experienced 2 small eruptions early yesterday & 'the big one' is expected any time. Augustine is only about 200 miles southwest of our home. It may sound like a lot, but it really isn't . K. called me from the airport in the wee hours this morning reminding me that if it does bow~ be sure to seal the doors & windows with wet towels, do not wear my contacts, cover up all the electrical stuff like computers & such and do not drive the vehicles except in an emergency. Of course, all of these things will be to prevent damage from volcanic ash. So far we are okay....the ash from the 2 minor eruptions yesterday has gone in the other directions. But apparently people are concerned...air filters are flying off the shelves at the auto parts stores. Now we just sit back & let natures work its wonders..........

It's almost Friday.....

this is what I have been singing all day. I can hardly wait for the weekend. I just wanna sleep in...there's nothing as good as a big, cozy bed. R. asked me today when the "hot sunshine" was coming. I told him winter in Alaska lasts a long, long time :)

Update on my weight loss/fitness quest:
Today I tried something else new....I took a Pilates class at my gym. Can you say ouch??? I had no idea what I was getting into...shoulders back, hips forward, stomach tight....ahhhhhhhh! The instructor said it works your core....no freakin' joke! I have never felt more uncoordinated in my life! Luckily, out of the 12 people in the class, only 1 lady didn't struggle...the rest of us alternated between laughing hysterically & teetering on the brink of a slow & painful death. But you guessed it...I'll be back there next Thursday for a full one hour of punishment! Somebody, please tell me that this will all pay off :)



*****Odd fact: the spellcheck on Blogger does not recognize the word "freakin"....how can this be, I wonder??? It recommends I replace it with "foreskin"..... I am walking away from this one..........

Someone needs to write a book....

on gym etiquette...any takers???
After dropping R. off at preschool yesterday morning, I headed to the gym. Actually, I drug myself to the gym.....I didn't want to do it, but I did. I truly enjoy the working out part, but I loathe being surrounded my super-cute, super fit people that are 10 years my junior. Anyway...I made it through the 50min cardio session & was feeling quite well physically. But (you knew there had to be a 'but' didn't you??) it all took a nose dive upon entering the ladies locker room. Just as I started to pull my shoes off, my friend that I had worked out with, introduces me to an acquaintance of hers. For the story's sake we'll call the acquaintance 'Skinny Bitch'. As my friend introduces us, I can't help but feel like absolute dog crap...I am in frumpy sweats & a baggy t-shirt while Skinny Bitch is wearing something like this (with the body to boot):
As if the visual isn't bad enough, Skinny Bitch proceeds to tell us about the great 2 hours she just spent with her personal trainer. Doing what??? Having martinis??? Cuz her hair was freakin' perfect, as was her make-up...and not a drop of sweat in sight. Anyway......the real kicker went like this. She starts discussing her current homeschooling curriculum (she has 4 kids!) with my friend. At this point she is standing right next to where I am seated on the bench... the next thing I know, in one fluid motion she pulls her tank top & sports bra off & tosses them in the corner. Hello??? Did she forget that I was less than 2 feet away??? Do people have no regard for personal space??? I did not need to see all of that.........
At this point you have probably already thought "Stacy must really be insecure" Well you are exactly right....as I have said before, I have huge body image issues...but that was the ultimate. And Skinny Bitch then wanted to continue to have a conversation with me while she stood there topless. Can you say "NO THANKS"??? As I entered the gym today, I prayed she wasn't there..and to my good fortune, she wasn't.........maybe she caught pneumonia parading around that way ;)

Just pluggin' along

It's only Tuesday & I am pining for the weekend already. It seems that from 6a.m Monday mornings until I hit the hay on Friday nights, that life is chaotic. Running kids to & from school, lessons, playdates, etc. wears me out...then the kiddos expect me to feed them to boot! :) I am just whining....I love it, but I am just tired today. We have a huge project for D.'s class for next week and as Room Parent, I am up to my eyeballs in it. Plus it's the dreaded semi-annual dental appointment day...can you say "fun"??? I cringe just thinking about it! So today I will spend way too much time in my van shuttling both kids to their respective schools, ensure all 4 of us get sparkling whites at the dentist, 'do' both gymanstics & swimming lessons and try to fit it some nutrition somewhere. Oh & did I mention the hour I spent at the gym (**insert shamless pat on the back**)??? Atleast in the midst of all this chaos, I am really trying to keep my goals in mind & carve out a bit of time for myself each day.

Stepped out of my element.....

I tried something new today...I took a Step Aerobics class! One of the things on my "100 things to do in my lifetime" list is to take a group fitness class. And I did it...and survived to tell the tale. It was hard...damn hard...alright, downright grueling....but I enjoyed it & will probably go back for more. It was an hour class & I managed to keep up for about 90% of it. Now I didn't add the fancy arm movements or shout out with enthusiasm, like the other ladies....but I am pretty proud of myself. I'll admit it...I have issues. Not just weight issues, but issues with doing something new in front of people. If I don't know how to do it, I don't want someone watching me......but I took the leap. Mind you I did not look anything like the chic in this photo.....picture something along the lines of a tomato having a heart attack....round, red & panting like hell. But I did it!

I also went to the store this morning to make print of my 'before photos' that I described yesterday. I thought, if I go in early in the morning I won't see anyone I know & these photos will remain my secret. Well, I couldn't figure out how to work the machine that prints from a digital memory stick, so I reluctantly asked for help.........The guy explains it to me & then stands looking over my shoulder while I search through the photos to get to the 2 I needed. When I realized he was going to get a good look at my secret I politiely turned around

Me: I'm sorry but....(hesitates)

Store Clerk: but what? (with a bit of attitude)

Me: Well these are kind of private....

Store Clerk: Yeah, whatever....(and he walks back behind the counter to where a female clerk was doing One Hour photo orders)

Male Store Clerk: (in a not-so-effective whisper to his coworker) I think that lady is printing porn.

If he only knew..........

entitled to perfect????

Did I lose you yet???? Again I have been plagued by a random thought & just felt the need to share....

I have come to notice that in our society, we have come to believe we are "entitled to perfect". There is no room for mistakes... although studies show we have become lazier & more stupid by the second, we sure as hell expect perfection from everyone around us. We expect perfection from our family, our friends, people we do business with, our doctors & educators, and even our government. There is no room for error..... If someone makes a mistake we immediately disown, divorce, fire or sue them as soon as humanly possible. How the hell did we get to the point that we feel we are entitled to something so unattainable in our own lives??? If you follow Grey's Anatomy you might have seen the episode where Dr. Bailey tells interns that her husband can go towork & make mistakes and it's no big deal. But if she makes a mistake, it's critical...and that we all make mistakes.

I'll admit, I get angry when I have to wait to long in line. I get frustrated when I am quoted one thing, when it's really another. I have seen K. go red in the face more than once over the sloppy presentation of a McDonald's hambuger. But could I do much better??? Why do I expect to recieve so much more than what I give in my daily life??? Aren't we all human?? And isn't it human to error??? Something to think about........

Scratchin' the itch.....

Well, I am starting to tackle some of the things on my list.....
~I have made a 'date' to go to the gym tomorrow morning

~I bought an album last night at JoAnn's to chronicle my weight loss journey

~I got 2 pages for the above album completed & I had K. take my before photo....let me tell you, this ranks as one of the 10 worst experiences of my life. I know it sounds dramatic...but this was a very raw photo...no makeup and cute hair. I was wearing my velour lounge pants & a cotton v-neck shirt...not my jeans that have the means to hold my 'junk' in. I didn't slouch, but I didn't suck it all in either. It was truly humilating...but hopefully by next Christmas I'll be able to look back on it & see major progress.


~We bought a new scale to track the above journey.....the good news is that our old scale was off by 2.5lbs...in our favor. Wahoo!!! So without even trying I am 2.5 down, only 36 more to go :)

So...it's a start! It's only the 5th of January & I am aiming high, I tell you! 2006 is gonna be a damn good year!



*****I almost forgot...I am getting serious about upping my water intake. Yesterday was quite successful...I drank 96oz of water & managed to only have one can of diet Coke!!! Anyone who knows me, knows that in itself is MAJOR! So if you or anyone you know owns stock in the Coca-cola company.....sell now, because the decrease in my consumption alone just may bankrupt them!


Having dinner last night with my friend made me realize how much I have missed her since she's been gone. They have been in L.A. for exactly a year now & her kids have been doing quite well in 'the industry'..but that doesn't help me now, does it???? Doesn't she realize that it's all about me, me ME????? They are begging for our family to come to Los Angeles for a visit. Just maybe, a trip to Disneyland in our future......... You know one of the things on my list was to plan vacation.............

Tonight is typical 'mom duty', swimming lessons, dinner, homework, baths...you know the drill. Hoping to pop in a movie & cuddle with my man on the sofa after we put the munchkins to bed! Have a great night ;)

I've got an itch (or two)...

I don't know if it's the New Year or an attitude shift but I have the itch to do some 'things'......
~I want to make myself an altered planner
~I am going to start a weight loss journal/album. I really need to stick with this
~I want to redecorate in a bad, bad way
~I want to get my hiney back in the gym
~I want to make some new friends. I LOVE all of my current friends, but I want to attend a few crops & meet a few pals who like to scrapbook & such
~I want to plan a vacation for our whole family
~I want to catch up on my long distance correspondance
~I want to reorganize my scrap room
.....okay, I have bored you enough. You can see what I mean though.....I have the itch to do so much & I really need to get on it! Funny thing is that I don't feel overwhelmed by it....quite the opposite...I'm excited & committed. Let's hope I can keep up this momentum!

Tonight I am going to dinner with my friend K. She & her kids live in California due to her son being a child actor, but they are home for a month. We vowed to have a girls night before she & the kids head back next week. I am really excited to just have a few quiet hours with her to 'catch up'. Only problem...the Valley has a very poor selection of good dining establishments...it looks like we may end up with Happy Meals even sans kids :)

Flood of emotion.....

If you scroll down & read my post from just a few hours ago about "2006", you will see I randomly talked about my 6th grade teacher Miss Flick...then in the comments, my sister Femmie mentioned she passed away this past year. Wow....that really hit me 'weird'...I can't necessarily say 'hard', so we'll stick with weird. When I read that I instantly remembered so much from that year , 20 years ago......

~I can describe to you in great detail what she looked like...right down to the super curly hair & heavy black eyeliner

~I vividly remember how she LOATHED gum chewing. The woman could smell someone chewing gum in her class. It was very bizarre.

~I remember the exact spot where I sat in her classroom. And the very unusual day there was an earthquake while I sat in that very seat & the lockers next to my desk shook like hell.

~I remember the trip she took to Russia just before school started that year & all the incredible things she shared with us about it. At that time it was still the USSR & she told us stories about the how poor the people were. How weak the ruble was, how she gave all the Levi's she brought with her to some eldery woman she met, so the woman could barter for food with them.

~I remember how much she LOVED rhinoceros. At the end of the year a classmate & I spent hours in the mall, searching for the perfect rhino gift.

~I remember being the first student to finish her yearly "read this list of 20 books" assignment & how she praised me for it.

~And I remember the exact spot she was standing in & the look on her face when the principal announced over the loudspeaker that the Space Shuttle Challenger had exploded just minutes after it's launch. And I remember how she cried.............

It's amazing how I haven't thought of this woman in years & yet this all flooded back to me. And in my usual fashion, it made my mind wander to others who've passed on....many of whom I'll surely see in my dreams tonight...........

For your viewing enjoyment.....

or not! LOL Since K. is home, he took pity on me & downloaded the pics off the camera......so I thought I'd share! Ciao!
My kiddos at my mom's on Christmas (Dec. 25th)












This is my crazy self acting inappropriately in our hotel room in Seattle! Shhhhhh....don't tell my kids that mama was jumping on the bed! :)








Here is Femmie lookin' dang thrilled about havin' to pack all the crap we bought on 'said' trip.........





And this is just some of what we had bought on that fab weekend! Believe me, the room looked much better before we checked out!;)

Happy 2006!

I can't believe I am actually saying that. I clearly remember being in 6th grade & my teacher, Miss Flick (yep, that was her real name) asked us how old we would be in the year 2000. Duh! We were 6th graders....we could do basic math. We would be 26years old. And I remember thinking "That is stinking ancient!" Well...now it is 5 years beyond Y2K & I am rapidly appraoching the big 3-2 in March. Talk about "things that make you go hmmm"

Anyway...K. made it home from work & this past weekend was Christmas for us. We all had a blast, but like most parents, I can defiantley say the best part was watching the kids. I remember being a kid & my mom would always tell me how fun it was to be the parent watching you kids on Christmas. At that point, I truly thought she was out of her ever-loving mind....but I owe her a huge apology. Watching those tykes on Christmas morning is the best! They both got tons of cool loot & had a fabulous time!!!

Today we went to Anchorage for the day......we had several gift cards each that were burning holes in our pockets.....you know the drill. K. made a major score at Sears when they mismarked Socom 3...it is supposed to be $49.99 & he got it for $17.00!






Then we went to Pier One & I got some of the the coveted pumpkin "Blah Spray" (if you are lost on this one, scroll down to my previous blog entry) way cheap......regularly $6.00 a can.....today I paid $1.50 a piece! Score again! And then after a few other stops I managed to drag the family into our new JoAnn ETC. It was fabulous! And I had a gift card to boot...it doesn't get much better than that! Here are just a couple of my great finds ..........I think I am going to become a Heidi Swapp stalker...just kidding!!! But her stuff is awesome!!!!

I can't wait to use all of this stuff!!!! And you are not gonna believe this...as I was typing this entry my sister K. called & asked me to make a scrapbook for our grandma's 75th birthday on Feb. 12th. She will send me all of the photos & I will make the album. For those of you who scrapbook, you know this will be no small undertaking. And for those of you who know me IRL, you know all about my obsessive tendencies...so say a few prayers for my sanity...oh, & send mucho diet Coke please!!! I gotta get my butt in gear on this one....wish me luck!!!