SWOON

Moving Day

2011-07-31T19:10:00.002-05:00

I've moved... this place was feeling cramped by a life I know longer feel a part of... come visit me...

http://frequentnewgirl.blogspot.com/

What a year

2011-07-28T19:23:00.000-05:00

So once again there has been a huge lull in my blogging. This year has been a very rough one for me and I think getting back to the world of blogging and looking at all the creativeness that abounds in the blogosphere. So now I am going to come back back time with posts about my life and all of the creative things I see. It's something I need.

Awesome Giveaway~!~~

2010-11-22T11:27:00.000-06:00

Run! Don't walk and check out the giveaway over at Tatertots & Jello!!

And you can make this!~!!!

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

2010-11-22T07:28:00.000-06:00

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama (http://bit.ly/tmwishlist) and GameStop (http://bit.ly/gamestop10) are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family? I have been saying over and over how I want us all to slow down and enjoy the holiday's. My kids are growing up to quickly and I already miss them even though they still live at home.

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition? We start with coffee/hot chocolate and then take turns opening gifts while a Quiche I prepare the night before cooks. After all presents are opened and we eat everyone is free to play with all of their Christmas gifts.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be? A vacation to a hotel room stacked with books that I could take one very very lazy week to read and relax.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money? We walk and enjoy the beautiful VA trees that have changed colors and admire all of our neighbors Christmas decorations

5. What games did you play with your family growing up? Scrabble, Charades, and many many card games

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood? The kids always are only allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve and it's ALWAYS pajamas, it really tortures them and I LOVE it!

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip? NYC to Rockefeller Center

8. Check out GameStop (http://bit.ly/gamestop10) and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year? 1. Kinnect for Xbox360 2. Just Dance 2 for Wii 3. SUper Mario All Star bundle

Invitations

2010-10-28T07:03:00.000-05:00

I really think invitations set the tone for the whole party. Lately I receive less paper invitations and more Evite style invitations. I think in most cases that is perfect, it's an affordable means of inviting all of your guests and an easy way for them to be able to quickly and easily respond. Every once in a while for certain types of events I think that a "paper" invitation is just a great way to go. For the Tea Party shower I posted below I was very lucky to find someone to design the perfect invitation for me and for $35 spent I had them designed and professionally printed. The price was well worth it to me to be able to set the tone I was looking for.

I highly recommend Tiffany with Mira Greetings! Check out her Etsy store at the link below!

www.miragreetings.etsy.com

Mad Hatter Baby Shower

2010-10-24T11:03:00.001-05:00

I recently planned a Mad Hatter Tea Party Baby Shower. I didn't want to go with the new Alice in Wonderland or the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland, but more of a messy tea party with strange touches, something a little messy, not stuffy but fun! I saved so much money by using things that I already owned, hitting up many many yard sales, and even buying from Craigslist.

Beautiful "fake" flowers from Michael's craft store! I was amazed how many people at the party thought they were real!

We had an amazing amount of food!

Gorgeous cake made by Heidi Varden she spent days hand painting the gorgeous Alice in Wonderland sketch drawings I sent her!! The cake was AMAZING!

Beverage station~ featuring our YUMMY Mango Mimosas

I found these drink containers at a Big Lots store for $8

Yummo!!

I am a HUGE fan of Parmesan cheese crisps

These cheese straws were amazing and fit perfectly in the IKEA vases I keep on hand, they work perfectly!!

IZZE drinks make fantastic accents for beverage tables! Not only are they yummy but they come in amazing colors to coordinate with the party. The beverage tins were bought at Target on clearance for $5 a piece and they had "A" magnets on them which is the baby's first initial. The white makes it so easy for them to be used for many different events~~

Tea sandwiches on my GORGEOUS white cake platters

Gift table!!

Gifts!!

You can see just a bit of the FABULOUS fabric I found on clearance at Joanne's Fabrics for $1.50/yard. It had an amazing exaggerated floral print the really enhanced the look of the table

White roses with red paint dripped on them, total cost fifty cents, found the gorgeous silver footed bowl at a yard sale for $1 and the frame was in the clearance section at Big Lots

Favor boxes full of homemade FUDGE!!! Made by the always amazing Cassie of Goldilocks Creations

Food & Beverage table

Tablescape, the angels I bought a few years ago at the dollar store for a Valentines tablescape I did. I liked throwing in random things throughout the party

What looks like placemats are actually very large sheets of scrapbook paper I found at Michaels in a book of 60 pages. It was in the clearance sections for $8

I found an ad on craigslist that a man had placed saying he was selling all of the tea things from his failed tea house, I purchases 6 3 tiered servers many many tea cups and saucers and tea pots! You can just see a little bit of the amazing wing chair I bought for $30 on Craigslist last year, it was the perfect spot for the mom to be to sit

I like how random everything was, it made it so much easier to put everything out

Messy is fun!!

Me & the GORGEOUS mommy to be (again) :)

Gorgeous photos were taken by the talented

Erin of Erin Colleen Photography

and

Ryanne of Bzzy Bee Photography

Surprised on my ability to follow through??

2010-05-04T12:24:00.000-05:00

"D" and I October 1995

Growing up as kid I pretty much lived in the same house all throughout my school years, I was never the new girl, I knew everyone in my school, neighborhood, burbs, other kids were new, but not me, I was staple on the streets of our neighborhood. I went to Kindergarten through High School with the same set of friends, of course adding new friends to our group as the years went, but they were always new and not me.

All of this was true until I decided to get pregnant... while still in High School, this automatically made me the New Girl. I was new to a whole slew of experiences, new to being the only girl in my high school to walk around with a 9lb baby growing inside me, new to a bunch of questions asked by an OB who was so amazingly sweet an patient with my lack of knowledge and understanding. New to just how frightening having your newborn whisked away immediately upon birth due to complications. New to not knowing how my life was going to work out and how I would be able to provide for another life.

Luckily and thankfully, "V" was much more of a man than I think he ever knew he could be at that time and our lives were made so much better by the fact that he had already joined the Army, which definitely helped to provide a life for our automatic and small little family when we were married shortly out of high school.

All of this of course led me to being the New Girl, for what I now think of as the rest of my life...

part 2 of a million more parts to come...

No need to worry...

2009-12-04T11:19:00.000-06:00

Not sure if I shared or not, but a few weeks ago I started having SVT attacks. 2 were long enough to send me to the ER, once in a lovely flashing ambulance. My heart has decided to run marathons without alerting the rest of my body. So anyway after I felt like an idiot (right or wrong) the ER docs said I was having episodes of SVT. I need to see my doctor, the problem is my doctors office was flooded after a nasty Nor'Easter came through and so I had to go to another doctors office instead. The Army's health care system frequently leaves a lot to be desired, I am very greatful that I have it though. So I saw another doctor who said sorry I can't help you, you need to see your Primary Care Manager, now 2 weeks later I finally have an appointment to do just that.

I've been having frequent crazy heartbeats pretty consistently, sometimes it feels very hard and fast sometimes I get very strange butterflies/fluttering in my chest. It is concerning. I am doing the "exercises" the Dr's reccomend to make the SVT stop, and it's working, although it's not very convenient or practical to bear down while someone is sitting in your office. It makes for akward glances and quite a bit of 'splannin.

I hope today I get a few answers along with the referral I've been working on getting to the Cardiologist....

The girl who scheduled my appointment today didn't think I was very funny when I was explaining how irritated I was with the health care system, apparently they don't like it when you say "they're killing you". Okay enough rambling...

Oh and Mom if you're reading this, eveything will be fine!

Dining Room Makeover...finally!

2009-12-01T21:45:00.000-06:00

Ok so here goes... months later and with a few odds and ends to still be picked up and placed in the room, I am finally ready to show you our dining room makeover...

Before

I think all in all it looks so much better, I definitely need a new rug and few more art pieces, for now I'm happy though!

So much to catch up on!

2009-12-01T15:54:00.001-06:00

I swear when I get home after homework, cooking dinner and what seems like never ending Christmas decorating, I will be catching up with you my dear Blog. I am seriously behind, but I have LOTS to share...

Now how do I check to see if "V" is reading this Blog??? I would love to share my gift ideas for him!

Have I told you...

2009-11-25T12:48:00.000-06:00

how much I love you lately? If not I'm sorry and I do, very much so!

Do not pass this up!

2009-11-24T14:37:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite Blog friends Jen over at Tatertots and Jello (which by the way sounds good because i'm starving) is having 2 AMAZING giveaways over at her Blog right now. So run! Don't walk and enter here for a TWILIGHT Giveaway and here for the CUTEST ADVENT CALENDAR EVER!

Oh and I ordered something from Jen's Etsy shop for someone on my gift giving, but I can't say for who or what it is just in case they may be lurking around the ol' blog here...

Just not feeling it...

2009-11-24T08:59:00.000-06:00

I'm trying I really am! I love this time of year I swear I do, but I'm feeling a little 'holiday block'. I'm just not feeling all the usual[ feeling I get this time of year. I feel very rushed and I feel like there is WAY too much to do and I just don't have the time to get it all done. What do I do?? How do I get the good feelings back? I think today I will take the time to get organized or at least some idea of organized.

What may help is that I got my Ornament Swap partner from The Mrs.! This is exciting! I love meeting new people on the blogosphere and how fun it will be to read and find a perfect ornament for someone I don't really know!!

Hopefull she's a T-Bow fan and I can get her this, lol, like I've just ordered myself!! Or maybe she's a Twilight Fan and would like this! Or she could be a dog lover and this ornament from Etsy could be perfect!

Hmmm, I guess I will just have to wait and find out.... maybe I'm starting to feel the holiday spirit a little after all!!

Draggin...

2009-11-20T15:01:00.001-06:00

I am seriously draggin' butt today. Getting up at 5:30am yesterday morning and not going to bed until 3:30am this morning, oh wait and waking up at 6:30am again, may be killing me today. The real point though is that 'M' and I

LOVED NEW MOON!

Oddly enough this is one of the few books to big screen jobs I've seen where they stay pretty close to the book. I was very impressed. I'm being good and not giving anything away for those of you who didn't have the luxury of staying up at unnatural hours to see the movie, but hurry up and go see it, it's worth it.

Adventures of a 'cool mom'

2009-11-19T10:25:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I'm being "cool mom" and 'M' and I are going to the midnight showing of
NEW MOON!

Now I'm not one of these creepy mom's

but I do like a good teenage Vampire love story as much as the next one. I like even more the fact that my daughter said she would rather see the movie with me than to see it with her friends, I'm verklempt.

So I can only imagnie the buzz of the blogospher the next few days!!

Okay off to do some actual work today!!

I would rather be here~

2009-11-17T10:13:00.000-06:00

Life has been keeping me pretty busy these days. I’m starting remember fondly those days over the summer after the big move when, I knew no one and I was COMPLETELY bored. Now my clean house is not so clean, my clean kids, well I’m not sure if they’re clean anymore, I’m too busy trying to get dinner cooked and homework done. I keep trying to remind myself that this is what I wanted. I wanted to be busy again; I wanted to have something “to-do”.

I miss it here in blog land. For me it’s a peaceful place that I have been neglecting for far too long!

I really wanted to show you all my dining room makeover but my dining room is currently the home to “V’s” best friend who just moved to the area and is looking for a home. So until he finds one or I kick him out the photos will have to wait!

Till later blog land!

Stranger's in the night..

2009-10-13T12:36:00.000-05:00

V and I are currently working opposite schedules, it sucks. We now usually have one full day together, Saturday, well it's a full day as long as you look past the fact that he has to sleep until 2pm so he can stay on his night shift schedule. The whole thing stinks. I feel like I am back to being a single Mom just like I was when he was deployed. I get up at 6:30am when he's going to bed and I get the kids ready for school and head off to work myself, he get's up around 3pm when the kids are coming home from school and head's to work at 4pm and hour before I get home. The whole thing is very taxing and it's definitely putting a strain on us.

My new job is okay, I really am not sure if I like it and it's pretty hard to explain why I feel that way. Hopefully I'll like it alot more when I get a full paycheck next month. In the mean time I am going to console myself with the dream that Daddy Warbucks is going to walk through the door any minute and I'll be rich...

The sun will come out tomorrow... unless it's overcast...

A year in the making!

2009-10-11T13:47:00.000-05:00

V and I worked on some of the outdoor decorations for the house on Friday, above is the door alcove we "lit up" all spooky!

Below is the decoration I've been waiting a year to put together after seeing the idea at The Curious Sofa

I just love her! She came out super cute!

I'm hoping we can put together a few more fun things for outside. V would like to put some ghosts out and Lowe's has a cute Halloween fence idea.

Day 1

2009-10-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

I survived Day 1 at the new job, seems like an okay gig, we'll see how it goes in the next few weeks.

I have BIG plans for this weekend, most of them include more organizational items for 'A' to help him adjust better to the idea of me working. For some reason my working is making him incredibly anxious and I would like to find a way to help him feel more comfortable with the idea.

Okay off to bed so I can be bright eyed and ready to go in the morning!

I think reluctance should be a 4 letter word...

2009-09-29T21:39:00.000-05:00

courtesy wsvn.com

That's how I feel about the new job I took today, reluctant.

I was offered 2 and accepted the one with the better pay and less of a chance of weekend work, and yet still I don't feel good about the deal.

I'm trying to think back to when I started my last job to see if I felt the same way, but it was so long ago I don't remember.

Maybe it's just the idea of the unknown that makes me nervous and the idea that I may miss being a SAHM even though I never felt comfortable staying home.

Who knows maybe this will be the job I was waiting for all along..

I can't keep up!

2009-09-28T18:37:00.000-05:00

There are so many amazing blogs out there I just can't keep up reading them all! I've only been away 2 days and already there is way too much to catch up on!! How do you handle it? I really need to manage my time better so I can fit in some blog reading time!

In the mean time I am working hard to finish the re-do on our dining room. The paint has been done for a few weeks, the new chairs are in, and I've been staining the wood on a mirror I picked up a couple of months ago to hang. I just need to find some artwork and figure out the curtain part and I will be set! I was thinking of going with this idea over at The Lettered College, I've saved the link for a really long time even before the big move!

OK I leave you with the before pic of the dining room, hopefully soon I will have an after to share!

It must be said!

2009-09-24T13:41:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN!!! Jen over at Tatertots and Jello has been such and amazing Blog friend! I've said it before and I'll say it again, if there was anyone I would choose to sit down and eat a bunch of cupcakes with it would be Jen, she has such an amazing spirit and she's just so FUN! So please take a moment and go say Happy Birthday to Jen, and you'll also have a chance to win a Sprinkles Cupcake mix, see how great she is! On her birthday she's doing a giveaway!

Stool re-done

2009-09-23T20:18:00.013-05:00

So my fabulous sister gave "M" a stool for her vanity when we were down in Florida last month. It needed to be spruced up a bit for the re-do that we're going to eventually do in M's room.

Before....

"M" working hard with the spray paint...

Almost done...

Okay, the base looked great but the fabric was not working, it was just a little to brown...

I let "M"pick out any fabric she wanted, not my favorite, but hey it's her room...

While she was at school I recovered the cushion...

Here is the finished product, honestly I may have to see if I can't convince her to find a different fabric, I'm just not loving it, but hey it's her stool.

I think I got my craft on...

2009-09-22T20:31:00.002-05:00

For some of you goddesses of Modge Podge and Duchesses of Spray Paint crafting comes easy to you, but for me not so much so I'm still beaming over my success with the projects below so I decided that I would join in with the fun over at Today's Creative Blog where everyone's getting their craft on...

Go check it out

What to do when you have no job and you're bored...

2009-09-21T20:49:00.018-05:00

I've been wanting to get my hands on the glue gun again and make a few Fall & Halloween decorations for the house. Now that I have a ton of free time with the kids in school and not working it helps keep me busy!

I saw a video on HGTV for a Halloween Wreath, so I grabbed a few supplies at the Dollar Store

$1 Christmas Wreath

Spray Painted Black with spray paint left over from another project

$1 Black Halloween Garland to fill in the cheap wreath's bare spots

The wreath with the garland, it definitely helped fill the wreath out

The garland had black irridescent bat's on them which I thought was kind of cool

$1 Black glitter skull, I picked up 3, and in the back you can see a bag with small skulls, there are like 8 skulls in there for $1

I set up the way I wanted the wreath and then hot glued everything on

Here's the finished project, I really liked how it turned out!

Here it is on the door, I used a $1 store wreath hanger that was originally gold, but I also spray painted it black.

I saw a really great centerpiece at Michael's a few weeks ago when I was in there so I copied it...

I grabbed a Styrofoam pumpkin with a 40% off coupon I had so it was $4

I cut a whole in the top, I went for a jagged cut hoping that it would help hold the flowers in the grooves.

Picked up flowers at the dollar store and Michael's had a $1 sale on a few, there's are 4 bunches total

I literally just stuffed them all inside the pumpkin

Probably one of the easiest projects I've done

There are a few more projects I have in mind including a few things outside, hopefully I can get it all done!

Life is

2009-09-20T18:23:00.003-05:00

sweet! This weekend was a good one! I did manage to get all of my indoor Fall/Halloween decorations out, and I've started the first of a few projects I wanted to achieve. "M" had a friend sleepover and I went out with a few girl friends for dinner. I love weekends like this.

This weekend should prove to be pretty busy. I need to make a follow-up doctor's appointment, I have 2 job interviews and I need to get a WHOLE bunch of PTA stuff I fell into accomplished. It should all keep me very very busy!

I need to get quite a few pictures up here that I've taken specifically for the blog and just haven't had time to get up, but hopefully tomorrow I can get it all done!

Tooting my own horn...

2009-09-16T20:18:00.004-05:00

Today to try and help myself out of my rut I went way out of my comfort zone. I rode my bike all the way to the beach and back... it was just a quick 5.8 miles EACH WAY!!!! It wasn't easy and on the way there I had to take a slightly scary bike path, but the point is I MADE IT!!! Once I got to the beach I sat on one of the benches on the sidewalk and just watched the water, I kind of got a little teary because I feel myself changing. In a good way! I've been a smoker for most of my life but I've been cigarette free for 2 days now! I haven't had caffeine in 4 days. I can't say that I feel healthier, but I know I'm getting there.

So here was my view from my where I was sitting extremely proud of myself watching the water...

I do love my new hometown! I have so much available to me here!

There are no words to explain...

2009-09-15T19:05:00.002-05:00

what a funk I've been in for the last few months. This move really took a lot out of me and I didn't want to face it. I love our new home and the area around it, but I went from having a full time job and a busy social life to stay home with the kids and building new local friendships. It's been busy and boring all at the same time. Now the kids are back in school and they're slowly starting to adjust and I have started a course to get my Real Estate License and I'm looking hard and heavy for a job, and it's starting to feel more like "normal".

I've missed blogging but I've been so blocked by the funk I was in that I didn't feel like I could write, shoot I didn't even want to.

I am going to challenge myself to pull out of this funky mood! Tomorrow hopefully if I make a pledge to get out and get some exercise and get moving early I will feel more motivated and less funky! And I am forcing myself back here to get more of the funk out here where I have the freedom to say what I really feel and express myself.

What a whirlwind!

2009-08-05T23:22:00.000-05:00

Man I have missed this place!

We've had company the last few days and then the kids and I are off to Florida on Friday for 2 weeks to visit family and have "D"'s 15th Birthday Party!!!!

I really need to get some pics up here that I've taken in the last few days... I'm hoping I will find some time to do that tomorrow after we drop our company off at the airport!

And the winner is!!

2009-07-30T07:54:00.001-05:00

Kelly! Kelly you'll have to email me your info since you don't have a blog :) (email me at rubybeaner at gmail dot com)

Well that was fun!!

Today I am determined to be more productive than I was yesterday. Not that will be hard considering I did NOTHING yesterday!!

Would it be weird to invite the gas station attendant over for coffee?

2009-07-29T20:41:00.003-05:00

The kids are really sick of hanging out with me and each other all day. Unfortunately our neighborhood does not seem to have a lot of kids in it, so that's making it even harder. I think it was easier when the kids were younger to introduce them to more people, I mean playgroups make it so easy, but it would be pretty awkward dragging my 15, 13 and 9 year old to a playgroup. I attempted to sign the kids up for swim team here but by the time we got to it the team was already to far into the season and we will be out of town for 2 weeks. I attempted to sign them up for music lessons, but they don't start until September. It doesn't help that they've had such a very long summer with the move.

"V" and I are felling the loss of our social network as well, it's been an interesting move for all of us, and the first time we've all had a hard time getting to know and meeting people. We miss the BBQ's and the crazy parties (see here) and just the ease of being to call up friends to go on different adventures with us, We're a social family and this is definitely not been easy for any of us to get used to.

Thankfully I don't feel completely crazy after talking with another friend of ours who moved shortly after us, they're felling similar, which let's me know I'm somewhat normal, and not quite the neurotic person I feel like I may be portraying to people...

I have decided to draw names first thing in the morning for the giveaway :)

Please don't

2009-07-29T15:57:00.002-05:00

go and get in on the Giveaway over at Tatertots & Jello, because I really want to win all of things being given away, but if you do go, make sure you read all about how cool and fun Jen is! I just want to pack my bags and hang with her for a few days!! Of course we would eat cupcakes and Jen would show where I go wrong when it comes to Modge Podge and we would be friends forever!!

If you must enter ( and you really should) just don't brag to much if you win, I will be jealous, unless you like making me miserable...

One final day...

2009-07-29T10:17:00.003-05:00

Ok today is the last day for the Giveaway! I'll be announcing the winner tonight!!

Go here if you missed it!

Shhh...don't tell

2009-07-28T18:32:00.002-05:00

I want to go to this so bad it's not even funny.... but I would have to go alone.... "V" doesn't seem too excited to go. I don't mind going alone but, I would rather go with someone, that always makes everything more fun (you have no idea how bad I wanted to say funner there but my Mom occasionally stops by and she would have made a comment).

So decisions... do I throw forth the $75 (or more) to go by myself or try and convince "V" to go with me... on a work night.... decisions decisions...

Off to read more of this... hopefully I don't have coke fly out my nose again from laughing at his writing... it stings a little.

Adult talk...

2009-07-27T23:12:00.002-05:00

Tonight I went to a book club meeting. I had a great time and it reminded what it was like to talk with other adults. I've been forgetting that there are people in the world who I don't need to remind to brush their teeth or yell at to stop fighting...

I went to the library and grabbed a few books on the Virginia Real Estate Exam and Real Estate in general. Both books I picked up look a bit formidable.... we'll see how the reading goes down.

Ok, now if I can get "A" off the computer and into pajama's I may make it to be before 1am!

Weekend in review..

2009-07-25T20:09:00.017-05:00

Here's what we've been up to...

I spent a little time at the Water Park... just to the left outside this picture is a woman who I noticed when I put my phone down after snapping this pic, was coming out of her bathing suit top in a MAJOR way... thankfully I was there to alert her... we both laughed for quite sometime!

"A" was grounded for driving me nuts... don't judge me... everyone has their own way's of parenting...

"V" made me coffee in my favorite coffee cup... I drank a lot of coffee this weekend...

I started reading a book for the Book Club I've decided to join... so far so good....

Unfortunately there are no nudists colonies close to where the Army has decided we need to live so I am forced to do laundry.... way too much laundry...

"V" decided that he would add some accessories to his new "toy"... this involved me holding up said "toy" for about 45 minutes very uncomfortably while colorful words could be heard coming from my garage... good times...

Another accessory....

And another... apparently all of these accessories add up to new dining room table chairs soon for me so I guess I can live with it!

I spent a lot of time watching TV with "A"... this would be okay with me if his favorite show wasn't The Nanny.... ugh....

"V" being awesome as always fixed my super deal table and it is now safely ensconced in the living room... not sure that it will be the final resting place for this table, but we'll see....

"V" and I were out and about pre-scouting for the dining room chairs when we ran across this huge mirror on sale... reg price $169, marked down to $74 and after another sale we paid only $16.82... LOVE it!!

We ate Sushi... it was YUMMO!

I cleaned the messy dining room. Hopefully I will begin to pull the wallpaper in this room next week!

I hope everyone else had a GREAT weekend as well!!

Money doesn't grow on trees...

2009-07-24T21:30:00.003-05:00

'D" had his first lawn job yesterday! It was great, a small fenced in backyard that just needed a bit of weed eating and some raking and bagging of leaves!! I think he did a great job and he'll be back to do a little mowing in a few days. I was very proud of him!! I think the kid may have more money than I do at this point... when I asked him what he was going to do with his riches he told me he will be saving it for gas money for the car his grandparents (lucky kid) gave him!! What a great kid! I love it! I mean don't get me wrong the fact that he's old enough to save money for gas kills me, but hey at least he's thinking ahead!!

I am one proud momma!!

Some people call it stealing...

2009-07-23T19:19:00.004-05:00

Today was a busy, but somewhat productive day! I found another Tuesday Morning store in the neighboring town and it was probably the biggest one I've ever been in. Tuesday Morning is one of those store that drives me nuts. Some of their stuff I feel is outrageously priced, but then when I dig a little I can usually find a deal...like this little baby!

And I bet you'll NEVER guess what I paid for it....

Can you see that little red ink on there??? Yep! That's right I only paid $15 for it!!!

The top is loose but no biggie!! "V" said he's all over it and will have fixed up for me this weekend!! YEAH!

I see the original price on there is $230... and well I think they definitely inflate those prices...I'm cheap I would never pay that much for that table!!

Don't forget about the giveaway!

The post where I LOSE my mind! And a thank you!

2009-07-22T14:07:00.002-05:00

Let's start with the thank you! Thank you for the great tips on the post below! Both were super helpful and I am definitely printing out that schedule!!

Okay on to my losing my mind! Before we moved I completely forgot to pick up our medical records and so I had to request they be sent by filling out paperwork with the records department of our Army Health Clinic. On July 7th while I was waiting for Dale to finish up with the doctor I filled out the records paperwork. I called today over 2 weeks later to be told there was no record of the paperwork I had filled out and that basically no one had any recollection of me being there. The gentleman who I ended up on the phone with was INCREDIBLY rude and made me feel like I was lying about being up there. I was really ticked! I mean not only was the guy being rude, but now I had wasted my time the first time I was there and "V" or I would have to go back up there to start the process again, and I HATE doing things twice!!! SO to say that the conversation with the guy in charge did not go well is putting it mildly! I couldn't even talk while he continuously told me to calm down and get a hold of myself, ridiculous statements from someone who's doing all of the talking! Oh and to top it all of this was the guy who took the missing paperwork from me in the first place! I hung up the phone and quickly called "V" he agreed that we both needed to go up there together. So I drove the 45 minutes to meet "V" we went up there and "rude guy" was nowhere to be found. Thankfully a very nice woman took our info and started the paperwork for us again. I came home and filled out a comment card complaining about the "rude guy" but praising the nice woman.

I had to go back up there this afternoon for the kids school physicals and when I checked in at the front desk, the very nice lady from records told me she was just getting ready to call me. She had most of our records faxed over from the Kansas Clinic!! Can you believe it!! Why couldn't "Rude Guy" just handled things that way!!! Why if you're the person in charge can you not properly handle paperwork or even give decent customer service after you've messed up??? Shoot an apology for not processing the paperwork in the first place would have been appropriate!

What a day!!! But now I have all of the paperwork I need and the kids can finally be fully registered in school! And speaking of school...is summer over yet??? I love having them home, but since the move has given us an extra 2 months of summer...well let's just say I think even they're ready to go back to school!!

Okay rant all done...now we're off to the beach for an hour and then I MUST go grocery shopping...otherwise it's pancakes for dinner...again...

Staying home....

2009-07-21T14:36:00.000-05:00

Ok, I am at home ALL day today, and I've finally decided that I SUCK at this domestic diva thing...

How do you do it? I'm not sure I'm cut out for my whole day being dedicated to cleaning the house...I'm not very good at it and it seems to take up my WHOLE day leaving very little time for me to pursue other activities!!

So please tell me your secrets! I need to know how you do it!! Do you have a schedule you keep to, maybe a to-do list???

I'm so used to cramming all the house work into small windows when I'm not working and doing a million other things that I suck at it...

I really only cope well when I'm stressed I guess...

**Don't forget to register for the giveaway below!**

I missed it...but there's still a GIVEAWAY!

2009-07-20T11:54:00.005-05:00

Getting caught up in my everyday life has made me miss the anniversary of when I started this Blog...I knew I had missed it...I even thought about it when the day came but, I wasn't prepared and so like a lot of thing I let it just slip by...but now I am here and prepared to go for it!!

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to Giveaway and well honestly I will only tell you about half of the prize! I want there to be a little mystery...I swear it's good!!!

So for the part I will tell you about...I am going to give away a 1 year (6 issues) subscription to Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Magazine! I think it's brilliant and has a LOAD of great info...without a ton of advertisements stuck in between!!

(Pic Courtesy of www.sandralee.com)

But wait! That's not all... I am also going to send you my dear winner

(pic courtesy of http://www.hellocupcakebook.com/)

I LOVE cupcakes! They're cute and tasty, portable, and so smart or little hands! Plus I swear I can eat 3 cups cakes and not gain any weight (not scientifically proven!) So I would LOVE to send you the Hello, Cupcake Book!!

Okay so those are the 2 things I will tell you about and the other half of the prize is a secret!!! A secret that if you enter into this Giveaway you must BLOG all about once you've received the prize!!! It's that good!!!

These prizes are things I've found in the last year that I really do love, the magazine has improved my cooking skills while keeping me fiscally minded in this CRAZY economy! The Cupcake book, well I just LOVE cupcakes, and I love to make them for almost every event!!! It's been fun to even have "V" and the kids involved in the decorating! And the last surprise well in the last year it's something that I've found but not even mentioned in my blog but it makes me happy!!!

So all you need to do to enter is leave me a comment telling me about one thing you've found in the last year that makes you happy. It can be a hobby, a product, a recipe, it doesn't matter just let me know what it is and why it makes you happy!!

So go forth enter! Oh and sure I will give you an extra entry if someone say's your referred them, and my lovely follower's will get one as well!

The giveaway will end on July 29th!

Tut tut...

2009-07-17T12:43:00.003-05:00

So when I'm having a down day...like today...I go here, and nothing seems so bad anymore...

Feeling toasty!

2009-07-16T18:19:00.002-05:00

This morning I drove my Mother in Law to the airport, she was here for 2 weeks and I'm sure she's happy to get back home to he quiet and peaceful house. The kids and I hit up the water park for a few hours today... hitting up the water park means I sit on my butt reading a book and making sure all of our "stuff" is safe while the kids have all the fun going on all of the sweet rides and having all the fun...I swear I'm not bitter...

Now that our company is gone it is time for me to get down to business, I am going to sign up online for a Real Estate Course, thankfully there is an AWESOME new program for Military Spouses that will cover the cost of training, tests and licensing fees. I think it will be a good fit for me and I do want to concentrate more on the Property Management aspect of the field, but I'm hoping the plan will help me stay around the house a little more for the kids...

Okay only 2 more days until my big surprise giveaway...I have no idea what it will entail or even what I'm giving away... it will be awesome...I think... maybe....

High School...

2009-07-15T08:52:00.003-05:00

This morning I took "D" to register for high school. The process was relatively simple, and I was pretty proud that "D" took all of the classes I thought were smart. I am hoping this is the beginning of motivating him to work towards his future goals. "V" and I have always said that we would prefer the kids did not go into the military, not because we don't love this country, but because "V" has been there and we have lived it and although it's not been horrible it hasn't been easy, and I cannot imagine sending any of my babies off to war. That being said last year "D" decided that he wanted to go to the Air Force Academy, and "V" and I relented. For us the Air Force is the lesser of all "evils" ( not that we think any of the services are evil). So I started today talking with him about all of things that need to happen in order for him to accomplish his goals. The one thing I did not tell him was that I wanted him to be a little more self motivating...I think that will be talk I will save after our company leaves.

A testament...

2009-07-12T15:42:00.002-05:00

Ok I am getting back on the wagon! Because I really do love blogging, and I know I've been "blocked" lately which is shocking to me because I do have quite a bit of ranting going on in my head, that it's frustrating that I can't just type it all out! So I am going to do my best to get back to it and get all of these thoughts in my head out here on the blogoshpere. You have been warned!

Just not feeling it...

2009-07-11T07:02:00.002-05:00

I don't know if it's the move, or the lack of working or what, but lately I am just not feeling blogging. Maybe once our company has left I will feel more up to it but this weekend not so much....

Anyway we are off to the water park!! Woo HOO!!

4th of July Re-Cap!

2009-07-07T16:15:00.025-05:00

As always I am way to lazy to do a proper post so here is a run down of photos from our FABULOUS 4th of July weekend! Oh and just so you think I am not COMPLETELY lazy my family and I are collaborating on a giveaway for my upcoming Blog Anniversary!

You have been placed on notice!

2009-07-03T20:13:00.003-05:00

Don't you know my Mother in Law arrived yesterday for her 2 week visit??? That means all of you fabulous bloggers who are blogging such fabulous things should wait and go on a short hiatus til I can come back around to reading all of the fabulous bloggy things you have to say... hopefully I will eek out a little bit of time to catch up tomorrow... should be easy if the oldest still has the flu and I skip out on all of the 4th of July festivities!

I hope you all have FABULOUSLY FANTASTIC FOURTH OF JULY!!!

2009-07-02T20:48:00.001-05:00

What a day! I was up at 6:30am trying to get the floors cleaned while everyone was in bed and out of the way. Then it was off to pick up V's mom and I'm pooped!

You just can't make this stuff up...

2009-06-30T15:12:00.002-05:00

Photo courtesy of freeweb.com
The other day "V" and I went to a neighboring Army Post to see if we could score any deals at their PX ( Shopping Center). This post happens to be a training post where a lot of the Soldiers that used to work for and around my husband will at one time or another be sent for additional training. We were in the check out line behind a guy, who kept looking at "V" and I recognized from the Army post we just left. He asked "V" if he knew him and "V" said yes they were in the same unit together just recently, the guy was instantly made aware and even said my husband's last name, he then turned and looked at me, now mind you I was standing right next to "V" we were even talking, and asked me if I was another Soldier's wife from the old unit. WHAT?????? How would that possibly make any sense? One I do not look like this particular wife at all, and two what in the heck would I be doing shopping with "V". The guy was obviously not all there...even "V" was like what just happened??? It's probably one of those things you would have to be there for, but believe me the whole thing was so weird it had us talking for days!!

It makes me want to get married all over again!!

2009-06-30T08:35:00.002-05:00

I just got a great email from Cinchouse!

Bride's Across America Second Annual Nationwide Military Wedding Gown Giveaway Event

Military spouses and women in uniform can receive a free bridal gown! To qualify, brides must be engaged, be on active duty in the military or have a fiancé on active duty in either Iraq or Afghanistan. All military brides must show ID, copy of deployment papers, orders or other qualifying proof. Brides do not have to reside in the area where the giveaway is taking place. Here are the current locations available:

California
July 7th-The Bustle
1011 Camino Del Mar
Del Mar, CA
858-523-9254
www.thebustledelmar.com

July 12th-The Unique Bride
1209 Howard Ave.
Burlingame, CA 94010
650-347-7001
www.uniquebride.com

Colorado
July 7th-D'Anelli's
7301 W. Alameda Ave, Suite E
Lakewood, Colorado
303-980-1400
www.coloradobridal.com

Connecticut
July 12th -Stylish Impressions
254 Main St.
Farmington, CT
860-676-9990
www.stylishimpressions.net

Illinois
July 7th-Volles Bridal Boutique
53 S. Old Rand Rd
Lake Zurich, Illinois
847-438-7603
www.vollesbridal.com

Kentucky
July 7th-Rebeccas Bridal
159 Chenoweth Lane
Louisville, Kentucky
502-895-4627
www.rebeccasweddings.com

Lousianna
July 7th-Town & Country Bridal
1514 St. Charles Ave
New Orleans, Lousianna
504-523-7027
www.townandcountrybridal.com

New Jersey
July 7th-The Bridal Suite of Hamiliton
2607 Whitehorse Hamiliton Square
Trenton, NJ
609-588-4976
www.thebridalsuiteofhamilton.com

New York
July 7th-Bridal Reflections
Fifth Avenue
286 5th Avenue
NY City, NY
212-764-3040
www.bridalreflections.com

July 8th-Bridal Reflections
Carle Place
80 Westbury Avenue
Carle Place, NY
516-742-7788
www.bridalreflections.com

Ohio
July 7th -Evalines Bridal
211 East Market St
Warren, OH
330-392-6569
www.evalinesbridal.com

Pennsylvania
July 9,10,11th-Bridal Suite
320 Main St.
Irwin, PA
724-861-5506
www.bridalsuite.biz

Rhode Island
July 7th-Ana's Bridal
456 Warren Ave
E. Providence, RI
401-438-5932
www.anasbridal.com

Texas
July 7th-Brick House Bridal
200 Valley Wood Dr.
Spring, Texas
281-681-3430
www.brickhousebridal.com

Oregon
July 7th-Charlottes' Weddings & More
8925 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy
Portland, OR
503-297-9622
www.charlottesweddings.com

*If you are overseas or not able to attend an event please visit the link below to find out how you can qualify for a bridal gown gram www.bridalreflectionscares.com

Thank you! And how perfect is this after my last post!!

2009-06-29T15:48:00.003-05:00

As I'm sure you've figure out by now I LOVE WINNING stuff!! And I just saw that the ever amazing Saucy is having an outdoor rug giveaway!! How perfect since I've just finished updating and "homeying" ( not even a word is it?) up the deck!! It would look awesome on the deck and may even persuade "V" to pick up the additional outdoor set I want!!

So get you butts over there and register for the contest! Please let her know I sent ya!

Also thanks for all the tips! I am going to use all of them!!

E's steps to a deck update!

2009-06-27T09:58:00.014-05:00

So I love our backyard but I really felt that the deck was not very inviting! And since I am trying to be economical "M" and I ran out yesterday and grabbed a bunch of plants and flowers on clearance at Wal Mart! We're hoping to eventually pick up a "conversation set" for the half of the deck the table isn't on, but I will be waiting for the end of the season sales to save money!

Step 1.- Start with a disheveled deck!

Step 2.- Raid the Clearance Garden Section of your local big box store...if you're like me you will pay no attention to the plant's instructions and even what their names are and pick them up only based on their price and looks...

Step 3.- Find some minions to do your planting for you...be sure you stand around taking pictures all while yelling out commands like "More Soil" and "Hurry Up, it's hot!"

Step 4.- Open up the umbrella your fabulous husband picked up on discount a few weeks before and be sure to add the clip-on solar lantern umbrella lights you've been saving for the last 9 months after seeing them on sale at Sears!

Step 5.- Squeeze into the corner of the deck and try to get a good shot with your camera of the opposite corner of the deck...this will allow you to show off how you shoved plants into every last corner of the deck!

Step.6- Sweet if you've picked up on things by now you're now in another corner of the deck so that you can take a picture of the side of the deck you were previously shoved into!

Step 7.- This is the easy part stand at the door and take a picture of the flower boxes that came together surprisingly well! If you're like me you will especially love the purple "Sweet Potato" vines falling out of the end of the boxes!

Step 8, 9, & 10- Take more gratuitous pictures of the plants and realize you're too lazy and don't have the brain power to blog about them all... at that point combine all of the steps into one sentence...

Step 11.- Stand on the steps and take one last picture of the gorgeous orange umbrella, not realizing that your body is showing up amazingly mis-shapen in a reflection from the french doors...

Step. 12- Relax, enjoy the quick & easy (especially if you have minions do all of the work) update of your deck!

I really do enjoy the deck a whole lot more! Now I'm just hoping I can keep the plants and flowers alive better than I have in the past! All tips will be greatly appreciated!

I just flew in and boy are my arm's tired!

2009-06-26T18:16:00.017-05:00

Ok so I didn't fly anywhere but my arms are tired! I pulled the wallpaper border down and painted our living room in anticipation of the new furniture "V" picked out!

Boy was it a lot of work!!

Here's the before of what the living room looked like....

I pulled off all but that little bit of wallpaper "V" is taking off...my arm was killing me!

Here is the room with no wallpaper and the curtains are GONE!

I painted the whole room myself...it was A LOT of WORK!! But I finished in one day!!

Here's the finished room...

I was really afraid it would be to dark but it came out ok!

I'm going to add a few more deep red pieces just to break up the brown a bit...

Eventually we will also pick up a nicer TV stand...

I really need to stage the mantle a bit more...this may be where I add some more red in...

Since we didn't have any tables for this room I ran out to TJ Maxx and scored this table, lamp, and little red plate and the tray in the picture above on the ottoman for about $30!!

Dale really loves the room and the couch's are very comfortable even though I'm so short my feet don't touch the ground! One room down a bunch more to go!!

Off to go score some free Glidden paint!!

Can you feel my pain??

2009-06-24T07:30:00.002-05:00

I am sore! I feel like I've been beaten up!

I removed the wallpaper border and painted the entire living room myself in anticipation of the new furniture that is supposed to arrive today!

I'm nervous about the room, it may be a very dark room....

I'll have lot's of pictures to post later this evening, and one of "V"s SUPER COOL FANTASTIC Father's Day gift!!!

Believe me when you see it you'll say WOW!!!

Ok off to scrape the paint of the molding...I'm a sloppy painter....

Cupcake Saturday!

2009-06-20T20:45:00.011-05:00

I am late! As always! I had a HUGE day! And I am squeaking in on Saucy's Cupcake Saturday!!! I LOVE this idea and I was going to make the perfect CupCakes just for today, but then I've made sooo many that I already love that I wanted to feature them again :) So here goes!!

Oh and go check out Cupcake Saturday for yourself!!!

I made so many CupCakes this year that I thought I would highlight my favorites!

The Super Bowl Cupcakes were and are my FAVORITE so far this year. The Arizona Cupcakes were Red Velvet with White Chocolate frosting and the Steelers Cupcakes were Devil's Food Cake with a lemon frosting I dyed to give it the right yellow for the team

I think the whole setup with the Football field really pulls it together! It was a lot of fun!!

I attempted to make Bakerella's CupCake Pop's, it was quite the adventure! But they came out pretty cute!

Ok so it's not a CupCake...but I think it would have made an AWESOME CupCake and will probably make them for one of the kid's next birthday!

I loved these Red Velvet White Chocolate Valentine's Cupcakes! I LOVE Red Hot's and I thought they were SUPER cute and Red Velvet cake always stays so soft that it was easy to make ahead knowing they would stay fresh til the next day!

If you don't already have a CUTE CupCake stand get one! If you like mine click on the At Home America link on the right to order one!

These cupcakes were made with the Famous Magnolia CupCake recipe! I highly suggest it!! They were PERFECT for our Easter Brunch!

I made these for a friend's daughter's Twilight Party to match the apple on the cover of one of the books! I wish I could find the pic of the CupCakes I made for "M"'s Twilight Party, they had a cherry filling and were frosted white with what looked like bleeding vampire marks...I'm sure I'll find the pic as soon as I publish this post!

I think these CupCakes would be perfect for many different parties! I think I will use them for Teacher Appreciation this next school year!

Every last furniture store in town!

2009-06-18T08:10:00.008-05:00

Ok this room seriously needs some furniture and a makeover! So in the next 7 days I am going to try and do that...on a budget...

I've been to every furniture store I could find..

I loved this couch, it was surprisingly comfortable...

I loved this material!

This sofa was FABULOUS!!!!

The red velvet is just too cool!

But this one...this one was LOVE!!

Unfortunately I don't think "V" would have loved it as much as "M" and I did

But we didn't pick any of those...instead "V" picked out what he wanted...lately he's been grumbling a bit about how nothing in the house is his taste...I find this hard to believe since he picked out a lot of the art work with me and our last bedroom set, but WHATEVER...I'm such a FABULOUS wife that I let him pick out this room's furniture...

It won't arrive until next week and so I am going to leave it as a surprise! We still need to pick out table and lighting for the room, but it will all happen soon enough!

Ok off to get my HUGE bunch of paint samples!!

My first serious DIY'ing

2009-06-16T21:36:00.007-05:00

So "V" and I took our first adventure into DIY land recently and the results came out pretty well! I had spied Chalkboards all over the internet recently and I've been really wanting to get my hands on some chalkboard paint! We had a large wall that I had no art work for and, no real budget for the art work and "V" thought that would be the perfect place for the chalkboard.

I drew 'V" a very crude design and off we went to the home improvement store to get our supplies...

First off we picked up 3 pieces of baseboard and a few corner "finial" pieces

I spray painted the baseboards black

We bought a piece of Luan and I primed it

Then painted it with 3 coats of Chalkboard paint! I used the actual paint instead of the spray paint and I think we ended up with better overall coverage!

We used wood glue and glued all of the pieces and once dry we used finishing nails to keep it all together. A few picture hangers on the back and it was up on the wall!

Here it is! I love it! "V" likes to leave us strange sayings on his way out the door in the morning and I think the kids really like it! It definitely solved the problem of decorating this awkward wall!

I wish...

2009-06-16T21:24:00.002-05:00

I love our new home, I love the town, I miss my friends! There are quite a few people I wish I could have packed up along with all of our furniture and brought with me to our new home. It would make this new home complete! I know we will meet new friends, I'm just in need of some good times with my friends. I have this great new house and no one to entertain in it. At least not yet...

I won I won I won!!!!

2009-06-16T07:58:00.002-05:00

Ok, holly cow! I love this whole blogging thing if for no other reason than I get to be a WINNER!!!

So I was one of a few lucky winner's of the Sa-Sea Boutique drawing!!!!

I can pick out 2 of the beautiful pillow cases from her Etsy shop!!!!!

HOW COOL!!!!

Ok now here's the dilemma.... do I let "M" pick one or possible both out for her new room?? Or do I pick them out for my new room??? What to do??

What would you do??

Pics of Downstairs!

2009-06-15T21:25:00.018-05:00

Ok, much overdo, and other than a little sprucing up in the kitchen this is true to how we live in this house...for now...while we're still setting everything up, but later, the wallpaper and paint should be adjusted to colors more to my style...tomorrow I will try and take pictures of upstairs...

The wallpaper and paint in this room actually makes me queasy

My new dining room table is under there somewhere...

Most people know that I have quite the "potty mouth" at time so I thought this wall was fitting

And here is our crowing achievement! Jen over at Tatertots and Jello had used Chalkboard paint in her kitchen and I loved it so I modified the idea a bit and here it is! Oh and that wallpaper border is coming down as well!

Our next project is to re-finish the table a darker almost black stain

I like this kitchen a lot, but amazingly we still have to much stuff for the cabinets!

Front door from family room

From front door

From Living Room

I really have to get some furniture in here!!

I love the french doors throughout the house

Living Room, the curtains are coming down as well as the wallpaper border and new paint

View of the living room. We are still debating over the furniture in this room

From the Living room door into the family room

View from the kitchen into the family room

Family Room view from the large windows

Walk the plank!

2009-06-12T09:44:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I took the kids to the beach again...I have yet to find other fun, interesting, cheap, things to do here in the area yet so for now the beach it is!

I was relaxing when I looked to my left and saw a pirate ship in my view! How cool! I snapped a pic with my cell phone

I really do love it here!

Hurry up!!

2009-06-10T18:53:00.004-05:00

I was checking out My Sweet Savannah's Blog when I saw that she had posted that Sa-Sea Boutique is having a 100th Post Giveaway, and it is amazing!

SO RUN OVER THERE RIGHT NOW AND ENTER!!!

wait never mind don't enter, that make's it harder for me to win...and I LOVE to win!!!

Backyard photo op!

2009-06-10T13:01:00.003-05:00

I caught 'M' in the backyard this morning while I had the camera out...here are the results! I love this backyard, and 'M' as well!

I am featured!!!

2009-06-10T09:56:00.002-05:00

I completely forgot after 'M's' birthday party I had subimtted my blog post to Tip Junkie (who is absolutely awesome) and guess what!!! I am featured today! Too stinkin' cool!

Ok off to enjoy a Martini to celebrate my 15 minutes of fame...so what if it's 11am!

Ok, here we go!

2009-06-09T19:39:00.015-05:00

So as the few of you who read know we've been very busy the last couple of month's...I figured I'd share a whole bunch of pictures in reverse order of what we've been up to. Enjoy!

Picked up a new fridge and I LOVE it!!!

It's not quite Gaspirilla...but we still had fun! I had no idea Blackbeard was married 14 times! The scoundrel!!

The eye patch makes him look tough!

This hat was apparently hysterical!

This hat was $250 and we were yelled at for trying it on....

My man Abe

My preferred mode of transport...every city should have one!

Thankfully I didn't lose my head

Hung out at the Smithsonian for a bit

Loved this poster/artwork

Super cool view outside our super cool hotel in DC

We stole Mollie for the day and had some fun in the car!

'M' I think you have a smaller head than we thought!

We love to try on hats!

To cool chicks came to visit!

'A' and his Lochness Monster hat that Grandma brought back from Scotland!

Thank god we took the 15 minute detour to Santa Claus Indiana...this was the most exciting site to see...

We moved across the country...what a very long drive!

'M' really knows how to be dramatic

Some of use have been very tired these last few months!

'M' doing her Long Jumping thing!

Loved the Kayak!

Hang on!!

Crazy Kansas wind, I will not miss it!

She is so very cool!

Thankfully I got to hang with the boys again before we moved!

'A' and his amazing soccer skills...please take note of the plaid shorts (totally not regulation) even better but you can't tell are his checkered socks!

A snugglie and a booklight he couldn't have been happier!

'V' was the big winner

This is how they refrigerate in the Midwest when it snows in April!

New computer...new problems...

2009-06-09T17:10:00.001-05:00

Ok, I love my new MacBook, I really do..but I'm so used to just taking my memory card out of my camera and throwing it in the computer and BAM! I have pictures uploading, well my MacBook doesn't have that ability and so I am coming up with a solution! I will pictures up shortly that I've taken over the last month or so.

Plus my super cool DIY project inspired by Jen is almost done! I can't wait to show you what we did!!

Wish you were here...

2009-06-06T08:57:00.002-05:00

Ok, so during my 14 year marriage I have moved A LOT! So I think I'm a pretty good at it. This move has been great, the house is almost unpacked, it's cost us a fortune but all in all we're ok with it. We love our new area and especially our new neighborhood. The only draw back to this move is that I can't physically share all of my excitement of this place with my new friends. I left a lot of GREAT friends behind when I moved out here and I miss them. I miss walking outside my front door and seeing a neighbor I could chat with, I miss knowing every day even while "V" was deployed that I could have company of the adult persuasion. This neighborhood is fantastic, but I don't think it will be the same neighborhood I left. This is the stinky part about being an Army Family, on this move everyone of us including the dog left a friend that was very important to them, I can honestly say I think this is the first move that has happened. I know life needs to move on and thankfully Facebook allows me to keep in contact with my friends, I still miss them.

In other Army Wife news, I also miss being a part of the on post social networking that goes on through certain groups. Don't get me wrong I don't want to be the leader of a group of 300 wives again, but I am thinking of joining the spouses club on the "V's" new post if only to get a chance to meet other wives whose husband has what seems to be as crazy a job as "V's" new job seems to be.

Ok, off to finish the last of the unpacking, get the kitchen ready for the new refrigerator(I will post a pic or 2 later) and then we're off to a Pirate Festival woo hoo! I'm sure it's no Gasparilla like I'm used to but it still sounds like fun!

How this day broke the fiscal budget...

2009-06-05T19:29:00.002-05:00

Today was a very expensive day. I took the older kids to their Orthodontist appointments and let's just say that the new Motorcycle that "V" wants will actually be constructed in steel on the kids teeth.

After that was went on amazing and ridiculous search for a new refrigerator. Again never something I've bought before and the amount of choices out there are ridiculous. In the end I love the one we picked out and I have threatened the kids with terrible corporate punishment if they decide to abuse my beautiful new appliance.

What was that you asked? How's the unpacking going? Um, well yeah, it's not going I still have a lot to do, but damn "V's" garage looks good!

The post where I LOSE my mind!!!

2009-06-04T13:20:00.002-05:00

Apparently not one person in my family understands that while I'm unpacking I cannot go back and clean up after them! There is not time for such nonsense and I am starting to WIG out! Please dear children load the dishwasher after yourselves, put down the toilet seat my favorite suns and for god's sake if I find one more Crystal Light drink packet mix sitting on the counter the last of my dark hair will turn white!

If only the organizing and cleaning gene were found in my genetics I think I could be doing things a lot more orderly and clean around here right now, but until I found out how to add that gene to my DNA...DO NOT EAT ANYTHING OFF OF MY FLOOR!!!

As "V" would say I'm all about the Junk!

2009-06-04T07:35:00.002-05:00

So if you haven't been over to see the funkiest sister's in the Blogosphere then hurry up and get over to The Funky Junk Sisters! These girls are fun, funky and I think super cool! I love their beach cruiser's they just picked up, it reminds me of the one "M" got last year that I am super jealous of!

Anyway if you are in the Washington State area (and oh do I wish I was right now) then the Sister's are having a SHOW!!

Head here for all of the info on the show and check out the Funky Junk Sister's blog here!

As of yesterday...

2009-06-04T07:09:00.002-05:00

"V" and I have been married for 14 years! We were married ridiculously young and have been through a million hard times and drama that we have caused and if to be honest the last 5 years have been the best of our marriage. I love spending time with "V" and he is my best friend. I am glad at least for a short while he will be home with us and hopefully not deploy again, I am tired of always "missing" him!

Take a Tour Tuesday

2009-06-02T06:46:00.005-05:00

Ok Shawn over at Seriously has a super cool new "game" to play...and since I'm a voyeur only in the way that I love to see how other people live and decorate and function in their own homes and I am moving into a new one of my own I figured it would be a lot of fun to join in!

Below are pictures of our Family Room at the back of our house. It's a long awkward "bowling alley" of a room and I don't have the furniture right now to fill it up...but I have a few ideas.

I love that the room opens up into the kitchen and breakfast nook. I could live without the wood stove, but I say that now during the summer...maybe in the winter I will love it more.

I originally loved these book shelves when I first saw the house. I still do except for the fact that they seem to be in the way. Out of the 5 TV's we own none will fit in the shelf, so we will probably by another one in the future to fill in the big gaping hole. Staging these shelves's was a real challenge and to say they're staged eclectically would be putting it mildly.
I do LOVE these doors. They open up into a very wooded and private backyard and I think it's a gorgeous view. When we moved into the house there were blue and white very heavy curtains hung up, so I switched them out for these. They may not stay, they are curtains I had from a previous house 2 moves ago. I do like how they don't obstruct the light or the view though.

This is the view from the kitchen, it's the space in the middle that is giving me the hardest time. I am tempted to put a pub table in that space. Of course "V" would like a pool table there and while I'm not completely opposed to the idea I wouldn't want it to be to big.

Ok, this was fun, and remember we're still unpacking so the house is a wreck!

FRIEND MAKIN'S MONDAY'S!

2009-06-01T20:59:00.002-05:00

So I figure now that I am attempting to get back into the swing of things, I am going to try and get back into the swing of Friend Makin's Monday's! Kasey comes up with really great topics!

href="http://kaseyhelder.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff98/klhelder/fmmbutton.png"/>

This week Kasey has asked that we share tips that make our lives easier...

I only have two...

In our house with as busy as we all are (or were before the move) having my PDA is a life saver! I love my PDA phone I use the calendar like crazy and my contacts list is HUGE!! I will never understand why people have these amazing objects and don't use them to their full potential! In my phone I have a calendar for all the kids and one for "V" and they all merge together so that I can keep everything straight. "V" I love you man, but you have a tendency to forget things that are on the calendar, and so that's what I am here for! I can pull things up on my PDA in a second to include documents, which is always handy when I am in a meeting and I forgot the one piece of paper I left at home, if I've backed it up on my PDA (which I do a lot) then I am good to go!

My other handy tip...may not be exactly what was looking for but Network people!! I cannot say enough about how Networking has changed my life. I don't care if you are a stay at home mom, small business owner or Fortune 500 CEO, Networking works! I have Networked my way into the best hair dressers, doctor's offices, jobs, and parties! There is always a time for networking and as my Mother taught me you can score some incredible deals just by getting yourself out there and networking!

Woo hoo it feels great to be back involved in Friend Makin' Monday's! Life seems like it is getting back to normal...only better!

I have now joined the world of...

2009-06-01T19:49:00.002-05:00

COOL!!! "V" gave me my Anniversary gift today and it's AMAZING!!!

I am now the proud owner of a MacBook!!!

I love it!

I think one of our children has been moved down on the order of importance around here....I will let you know which one later...

In the mean time I will not be doing any unpacking "V" your gift has made sure that I will be sitting on my already rather large butt doing nothing but exploring my new MacBook!

This will totally help me keep in touch when the kids and I head down to Florida in a few weeks!

I am too spoiled! I will post more about our Anniversary and the last 14 years on the actual date (Wednesday)

In the meantime as my sister said I will probably be posting blog's at a rapid pace now, so watch out!

Oh and a big hello to my Brother! Can't wait to see you guys in a few weeks!

2009-06-01T16:14:00.001-05:00

Ouch! Took the kiddos to the beach today and I need to remember sunscreen for myself next time!

I'm back!

2009-05-30T08:08:00.002-05:00

Ok we're getting all set up here in the "New Hood"! Furniture arrived on Thursday, of course they lost 2 of my Christmas Trees and broke a few pieces of my German Christmas bowls. Other than that everything is here and the unpacking has begun!

We LOVE the new neighborhood. It's absolutely GORGEOUS! I will have to start taking and uploading pictures!

The kids are definitely settling into the house and seem to be happy. "M" is definitely ready to pull down the wallpaper in her room and I will be pulling the wall paper in the rest of the house over the summer and re-painting almost everything.

Ok I am off to do some more emptying of boxes, thankfully we have less than we used to!

2009-05-28T18:59:00.001-05:00

Holly cow this is like the never ending move! All of our furniture was delivered today! So far only a few broken bowls and a TON of unpacking to do!

2009-05-25T19:06:00.001-05:00

Back home now and I am pooped! We had a fantastic time in DC! We took about 500 pictures so hopefully once we get the net up I will get them up here.

2009-05-21T10:14:00.001-05:00

Ok we made it! My parents surprised me with a visit, and now were all off to DC for a tour of the White House and other sight seeing fun!

2009-05-19T18:38:00.001-05:00

I am tired of driving

2009-05-19T06:55:00.001-05:00

Day 1 of the trip down. We left late last night after 'M's school play, we drove 6 hours with only one short stop. We have plenty more driving today!!

Moving is a pain...

2009-05-16T08:15:00.002-05:00

Everything has been packed up, picked up, and shipped off. The house is empty and I am still running around like crazy. We will be on the road in the next few days and I think that is when I will finally relax...and I will be thankful.

I've had many goodbyes already and I really hate to say goodbye to the amazing friends I've made here. I'm hoping I will see many again as "V" and I continue to travel around.

Ok off to do some more moving stuff, and get to 2 birthday parties and a car appointment and another meeting! AAAAAHHHHH.

1 More Day...

2009-05-11T13:49:00.002-05:00

I have one more day at work...then the movers show up and we should be on our way a few days after that!

It will be so nice not to work for once. I love my job as much as it drives me crazy but I'm ready for a little bit of a breather...you know so I have more time to blog....

Anyway, I am super excited and super stressed all at the same time. Over the weekend "V" had set up a camping trip for our family and some other friends. The first night was CRAZY windy...we're talking 40mph wind gusts off a lake and the tents were all collapsing, but boy on Saturday we had GORGEOUS weather...I have some sun on my face and I did relax a bit, so it was worth it.

Now "V" is at home getting the last of the things we need to get ready at the house ready before the mover's come, thank goodness he's here this time. Our last move he was away and so the kids and I moved overseas by ourselves it was NUTS!

I hope all of my favorite blogging friends are doing well and I will be catching up with everyone in about 24 hours while I watch all of my world belongings get packed away!

Hurry...

2009-05-06T14:39:00.002-05:00

Get on a Plane/Train/Bus or in a car and come and help me...don't you want to be my personal assistant..the pay's not so good, and I can be really grumpy....sounds good doesn't it???

Let the countdown begin! 10 days til we invade a new town!

I have a ton of pictures to post...maybe tonight!

The Moving Chronicles...

2009-04-30T09:56:00.003-05:00

Jen asked me how the moving was going...well to be honest it's not...

Like a knucklehead I am working until the day before the mover's come and we move...and "V" has been away for the last month. So needless to say not much has happened in my world to prepare...

All I've accomplished is emptying "M"'s room of useless stuff. I still need to get to the boy's room, the kitchen and I have no idea what's in the attic...AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

Ok on the bright side...we do have the house all rented and ready to go, we have the utilities set to turn off here and on at the new location. I have contacted the kids school to let them know that they will be withdrawn early.

I have so many obligations I still need to finish up here I just don't have time...I am super stressed which I know is normal when moving, but can I just say ARE WE DONE YET?????

Oh yeah and today, 'M" has a track meet, "D" has a Golf Match, and "A" has Soccer...all around the same time..."V" you need to HURRY home!!!

Also as a reminder to myself I need to get pictures of our current home taken for my album of "places we've lived", before everything is packed up!

Who me??

2009-04-29T13:51:00.003-05:00

Shawn over at Seriously thinks I'm nice (boy Shawn if you new me in person or spoke to a few people they would disagree :) but I LOVE it and so now I have this cool new award!!

SEE...

Soo.. I want to pass the award onto just a few of my favorite Bloggers...

1. Jen @ Tatertots and Jello- If you think I'm sweet then watch out Jen, just may be the sweetest and boy do I wish I was her daughter and her new cool Paris room, she's the kind of gal I would love to have a long lunch with!

2. Saucy @ Saucy's Sprinkles- Saucy is the coolest and as soon as I can get my schedule straight I am entering in her Jonas Brothers Contest for 'M" and I...because I too would love anyone of them for a son-in-law :)

Ok I love soo many more bloggers but it's my lunch break after all and I ran by the house for 5 minutes to do this and now it's back to work!

Thanks again Shawn!!!

Oh and don't forget to get in on the Pay it Forward Fun below!!!

Paying it Forward!

2009-04-28T09:54:00.003-05:00

Ok so I thought this was a pretty cool idea! Shawn posted this really cool idea for a "giveaway" of sorts, but this is cool because almost everyone wins!

I squeaked in and made it into the Pay it Forward list on Shawn's blog by the skin of my teeth since I've been "Blog Slacking"... so here's how it works and forgive me for the immense amount of plagiarizing I am about to do, but I'm at work and I am SWAMPED for time after work. so I am going to steal a bit of what Shawn said...

Pay it Forward

All you need to do to participate is be one of the first 5 people to comment to this blog and post your own pay it forward post on your blog linking back to me.

Then sometime in the next 12 months I will send you something homemade...something better than the autograph picture of me...

Now if you do decide to participate you are also agreeing to send your own homemade goody to the 5 people who participate in your own Pay it Forward fun!

The best part is...you have 12 months to complete the project and get it to your participants!

So if you comment and want to participate you will get some super cool (ok that could be subjective) homemade goody from me...like Shawn said if you like it let me know, if not then I definitely don't want to know...

So sign up and have fun with this! Hopefully I didn't leave out any details...if I've confused let me know...

While I was trying to clean up a bit around here...

2009-04-27T12:08:00.002-05:00

I noticed that the post I made telling you all I was a BIG WINNER, thanks to Celebrations at Home(if you aren't reading her blog yet you should be)

So I won a Premium Account from PurpleTrail! What a super cool website, I plan on finding some time (most likely around 2am) to check out all of the cool details on the site!!

I'm super excited!!!!

Oh and do you think I should I lose the shamrock layout??? I kind of like it but it's WAY past St. Patrick's Day...I just don't know what I should do next....maybe a whole new Blog Look is the way to go.

Stressed to the max!

2009-04-27T08:51:00.003-05:00

I am so completely overwhelmed with stress it's not even funny! This whole moving while continuing to work is nutty! I have nothing done, I feel like I need to be in 30 places at once. It's not fun!!!

I almost peed my pants

2009-04-20T21:19:00.002-05:00

Today was a pretty stressful day...until I got the following email from "A"s teacher...

Mrs. V,

Below is an email from "A". Just wanted to let you know. He typed it up himself. And don’t worry, he didn’t cut that much off. Just a small chunk from the front. Sorry that I didn’t catch it before it happened.

I cut my hair in class to day I don’t know why I did it but did because I had scissor’s and I wasn’t thinking and I put my hand on my head and cut my hair and now I feel mad because I love my long hair.

Sincerely,

Miss P

I swear "A" just cracks me up sometimes...I figure he's beaten himself up enough about it without me adding to it. He certainly does love he "skater" hair!

2009-04-16T21:21:00.001-05:00

So I'm sitting on my couch testing this mobile blogger thing! Maybe this will make my blogging/creative outletting easier!

Welcome to Busyville!

2009-04-16T10:27:00.002-05:00

Busyville is filled with women who have WAY overextended themselves! They have too many commitments to count, often the have full time jobs and children with full time activities! Sometimes it's even compounded with a husband who is hardly ever home...this is where I live!

I can't seem to slow down! I had to almost clone myself last night to get the kids picked up and dropped off for after school activities, then come home get homework done, get to the grocery store, pick up the house...and make dinner! I also tried to squeeze in some time to talk with a neighbor!

"V" you need to get home QUICK! I am starting to feel the moving squeeze, I just can't seem to get it all done!

On the agenda for this weekend...

1. Work Saturday morning
2. Take the kiddos on an outgoing they've been promised!
3. Attend a going away party for myself with my co-workers
4. Go through the boys room to get stuff ready for the move
5. Laundry
6. Cleaning

SO yeah I'll be in Busyville for a while!

Hopefully I'll be able to take a few minutes in there somewhere and catch up on all of my favorite blogs! I miss you guys!

Decorating for the new house!

2009-04-13T11:41:00.003-05:00

(This photo has nothing to do the post I just wish I new where it came from because I love it!)

So now that we've found the new house my focus has shifted to decorating the new house. We'll be purchasing new furniture and I am super excited. So today while I was checking up on all of my favorite blogs I saw that 4 Reluctant Entertainers has a fantastic giveaway going on now for a 16x20 Canvas Print from Online Printing! So of course I commented to win, which was super easy because all she asked was how the economy has affected your entertaining and I can honestly say it's made it better!

So head over enter and check out the Online Printing shop!

Such Genious!

2009-04-11T15:20:00.002-05:00

You guys are amazing! Thanks so much for the comments on the last post you all gave me so much to think about...I think that's why I blogged it, in hopes of some "neutral" views!

Ariana- you're right there could be an underlying issue and I think I know what it is, and it will resolved once I move, basically by taking my constant presence out of the picture! Thanks so much for having me think more on the subject!

Caroline- Thanks so much for giving me perspective, I've put myself in her shoes for that particular issue and I can see her need to attack, I had pointed out what I think is a bit of hypocrisy on the subject and so I think it was a defense mechanism, and thinking about that I can understand a little more! And boy did you hit the nail on the head when you said I was vulnerable, I think I am feeling more vulnerable than I have in years!

Jen- I am the queen over analyzing, poor "V" has to deal with so many issues due to my over analyzing, and I need to keep that in mind when I get upset!

Thanks so much ladies, you are all so AMAZING and I am very thankful for your wonderful words!

Opinions...

2009-04-10T08:46:00.003-05:00

I'm pretty opinonated...I know this and I'm ok with it. I like that I have an opinion, like a friend told me today, if you say something to me you have to know I'm going to tell you how I feel or think about what you've said. Yesterday a friend of mine blindsided me and told me how she felt about me, she said I always have something to say about everything...if you read what I wrote above, I'm ok with someone saying that to me, but not in the delivery it was made. It was hurtful...and I was extremely taken back by the whole thing. There are things that bother me about all of my friends...and yes I usually complain about these things to other friends...I have a lot of friends who do this, I think it's cathartic...it doesn't mean I don't like them it just means they're DRIVING me NUTS ( it happens)!!! I'd like to think I'm a good friend, I try and go out of my way to help people, and I've noticed that a lot of my friends have called me to confide in me or tell me when somethings gone wrong and nine times out of ten they usually say it's because they felt like they could. I guess what I'm saying is I'm ok with being opinionated and always having something to say, I actually like that about myself, and I'm not going to change it. This is me, take it or leave it, but don't hurt my feelings, because I have them, and it hurts very badly coming from a friend...especially when it's not the first time. Again I respect anybody's opinion of me, just not always the delivery.

In other opinionated news...I'm missing "V" like crazy. I mean I'll make it a few more weeks, but darn it...we just had 16 LONG months apart, and I feel EXTREMELy vulnerable once again! "V" is my rock...my solid place...sometimes he drives me NUTS, but I think he's supposed to, and I miss him...I hope these next few weeks FLY by!

Skipping Monday...

2009-04-06T21:59:00.002-05:00

I was going to skip Friend Makin' Monday this week...I have quite a lot that gets me upset...in fact I hear that I am a WORLD CLASS complainer, and so because of this there is quite a lot that gets me "FUZZED" up, but a friend of mine recently made me feel incredibly bad about my complaining and so it's made me VERY self conscious...but then I thought about and said forget it I'm doing it anyway...so here goes!

Head over to Kasey's and join in the fun while getting thing's off of your chest!

10 things that get me "FUZZED" up!

1. People who constantly compete with others... I don't care if your child gets better grades than mine or if your husband makes more money or you have a nicer car...I think that's great and I am happy for you, but I am also happy with me and what I have in my life...

2. Thoughtless people, I feel like the art of friendship is dying and it makes me very sad...I would love to see more people put more effort into their friendships in both giving and receiving

3. Ignorance...in every aspect, I am really disturbed with the ignorance I've recently noticed going around me in the world...it's sad and completely uncalled for and even worse that I hear people are passing it onto their children

4. Poor customer service skills...I think this is self explanatory

5. People who give advice they rarely follow, it's EXTREMELY hypocritical and drives me NUTS!

6. Closed off people...put yourself out there sometimes you have to take risks in life...believe me I've been hurt more times than I can count...but I will say the experience in the end has always been worth the risk

7. People unwilling to help themselves...if you need help ask for it or find the answers yourself either way get out there and make your life better...don't just sit and continue to be unhappy!

8. Redundancy....I like to be efficient, I don't have time to to do or go over the same thing a million times, let's just do it once and be done!

9. Homework...seriously, this is torture in my house with all 3 of my kiddos...they are all extremely bright and can do the work, but at home I would love to not have the stress and sometimes fights of homework, I would rather spend the small amount of time I feel like I have with them chilling out and not stressing

10.Blogging...no not really...only at times when I forget what I want to say or can't get to the computer to do it!

Ok all done...hope this makes sense it's late and I tend to ramble when it's late!

Keeping it Real

2009-04-06T12:19:00.003-05:00

Jen over at Tatertots and Jello ( if you don't know her go see how COOL she is...NOW!) tagged me in what I thought would be a fun game til I realized I look terrible today...but wait that's probably the point!

Keeping It Real Game. These were the directions:

Take a picture of yourself right now. No primping or preparing. Just snap a picture.
Load the picture onto your blog.
Tag some people to play. Remember, if you are tagged, we will all be heading to your blog to see if you played along.

This is me sitting at my desk at work...for some reason I am red-faced even though it's 60 degrees in here...I think it has something to do with the fact that I feel like CRUD... so anyway here you go!

Wow, why do I look like I'm 12??? I mean I guess I don't mind...but every once in a while it seems like people don't take me seriously because of it...it's frustrating and can make me feel bad

And now I tag, well I don't really know anyone who hasn't been tagged so my list is short...

1. Anna (who as long as I've known her never looks bad)
2. Chelsea ( my adorably cute sister)

The post where I find out what kind of friends you really are...GIVEAWAY!

2009-04-04T07:59:00.005-05:00

I am sitting obviously at the computer...when I should be in the laundry room, kitchen, bathroom, living room, entryway and bedrooms cleaning!!! "V" left yesterday, which means even though I love ya "V", I can get much more done around the house...that is if I didn't feel like throwing myself on the ground in a CRAZED temper tantrum!

So I'm asking if you're a true friend shouldn't you be over here helping me clean??? And by help I mean you clean while I sit on the couch...I think it's fair, after all I'm exhausted!

Oh and if you guys were smart you would get together and maybe make out a schedule and rotate out all of the work...I have a very small house so 2 or 3 people at a time should take care of it in about 5 hours or so....

Thanks,

E

PS I have cupcakes....

PPS(?) Don't worry about the mouse that "V" let loose in my bedroom and so I slept on the couch last night and made "D" lay 15 traps in there and so until he gets up and checks those traps nobody's going in there...so there's even less work...enticing isn't it!

PPSS(?) I just noticed this is my 200 post, am I supposed to give something away??? Ok then leave a comment and I will give one lucky person my.....oh!I know...the lovely "professionally" edited photo of myself....autographed...I may even be able to put it on photo paper....hurry contest closes as soon as my house is cleaned (which means you have time)

World Autism Awareness Day

2009-04-02T11:33:00.002-05:00

Today is World Autism Awareness Day! It's an important Day in our house... "A" has one of the MANY forms of Autism.

Most people are surprised by that and it's always been very hard to have "A"'s Autism taken seriously, so please take some time...even if it's just a few minutes and learn more about Autism and the millions of children and families it affects, visit Autism Speaks and be informed!