Good morning!!

I am such a putz...

I got this really nice award from

APRIL at Delta Kids

the other day,

and have been meaning to put it on my blog...

and am just such a scatter brain

that I haven't done it yet... duh!!

Sorry April.

I really do love the award... and haven't gotten

many awards at all on here, so it is

really a pleasure to get one.

the rules for this award are pretty simple...

link the person that gave you the award.

which is the Lovely April

(thank you again!) :)

Next you have to pass it on to 7 other bloggers!

MY SEVEN ARE:

April ~ even though you obviously already got it... I still think your blog is lovely.

Jenn ~ all three of your blogs win this award b/c I love them and you!! (of course) :)

Sam, Missy & Alex ~ you are a hilarious chick and I really enjoy your blog

Stephanie ~ I love your blog, heck I love you and your family and all your stories.

Aubrey ~ I know you got this from April too, so you don't have to pass it on again, just wanted to give it to you also. :)

Kellie ~ we connect! I love reading your blog and most of all seeing pictures of your BEAUTIFUL daughter and YOU!! (you need to post more pics of yourself!)

Andrea ~ totally cool and has the BEST ideas for making things and decorating and make up tips and is very friendly and so sweet!! :) love your blog!

There are a lot more... but for now I have to get some house work done.

I might be back to post 7 more blogs that I find LOVELY!:)

*we all know I'll be back today b/c I'm a major procrastinator and since I have a HUGE list of "to do's" today I'll be here a lot. :) *

Getting There...

AND where exactly is there you ask?? There is here. AND here is a comfy home that has insulation, walls and paint on them. :)

We still have more to do and further to go, but we are getting closer to being done. :) Today I painted the hallway from the bar to our bedroom, and by the stairs, and then I went a little crazy and painted ONE wall in the kitchen, as an accent wall and also because we are using the paint for downstairs and I'm not sure we will have enough to finish the little bit by the stairs ~ (it didn't get painted today because we forgot to prime it last night and it is small sections near wood and carpet, so I'm not feeling like messing with it today, maybe later but definitely NOT NOW!!) but anyway... I think we may have enough for me to do the rest of the kitchen... but even if I don't get to... I like the way it came out... it gave it some life some color... it was all white and didn't look very inviting or comfy.

I also did some laundry which I haven't done in a few days, so we are backed up some... but thankfully I am down to only a few more loads... although I may have to wash all the winter coats because they are dusty from sanding the spackeling. ugh. As is the rest of the house. I'm going to go work on cleaning that too... I'm going to start downstairs by the WOman Cave and work my way up... I'm not really feeling like doing this... but I have to. I think I burnt myself out this morning with cleaning some and painting... it tired me right out.

My hands also really hurt from holding the paintbrush and the roller... I had to cut in a lot with the paintbrush and that just kills me. I could barely keep a hold of it after a while.

BUT enough complaining... WE ARE MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS!! yay!! This is definitely calls for a celebration... so our New Years Eve Party will be a good time to celebrate everything. :)

LIFE
FAMILY
FRIENDS
GOOD FOOD
GOOD DRINKS
GOOD TIMES
GREAT MEMORIES
A NEW HOME that is FINALLY coming together
A BRAND NEW YEAR TO COME!! :)

Well I have to go wipe some one's tushy... I wonder how old the girls will be when they will wipe their own tushes and do a good enough job so I let them do it??? Hmmm... something else I will be thinking about. ;) lol

Where Am I?

I've been trying to get to the computer for days now. I have had a lot on my mind and a lot I wanted to blog about.

Things have just been wild here lately. But in a good way. We had a great time with the kids and seeing family for Christmas Eve and Christmas, it was very nice. I wish we got to see some more family members, but it just didn't work out for us that way this year. But hopefully we will make some great plans for next year. Maybe even hosting Christmas Eve or Christmas day dinner... but I'm not sure. I'd like to do it because then I get to see everyone and they come to me, but I'm not sure I could handle it all. I also would like to take that work off of my mom's shoulders. We'll see... we have about 362 days to think about it and plan it.

For now, one of my focus' is getting the house cleaned up and done for our New Years Eve party. I'm looking forward to having a good time with friends and family, but I kind of wish it was over with already. I'm not entirely sure why I'm feeling this way. I guess because I know it will be a lot of work to have everything ready for it. We are getting really down to the wire, and there is a lot more we want to do before hosting the party. But since it is family and friends coming I'm sure they won't judge any of it. AND we have only been living here for two months and redoing more than half the house.

Speaking of the house, I have some pictures to post of our house... it is a little bit late, since some of these things we did when we first moved in, but you know how the saying goes... better late than never. lol :P

I'm determined to make 2009 a much better year. I want to make it better for my children, my husband, my parents, my family, my friends and for myself. I want to work really hard to make this year count. I want to laugh a LOT, smile often, make awesome memories with the ones I love. I want to forgive and forget quickly and learn from mistakes instead of carrying them around with me to think about constantly and harp about. I want to think wonderful thoughts, and have great daydreams and not worry and stress about things that aren't worth my time or thought process. I want to be more responsible for the things I can take responsibility for and be carefree with the things that I have NO control over... and let it be in fates hands.

I want to enjoy every single day of 2009. I want to call old friends and get together. I want to catch up and have fun conversations and take pictures. I want to go on walks with my kids and let them run and scream and be little. I want to go to the lake every day it is nice. I want to run through the hose and laugh till it hurts. I want to hug and kiss my children every single day and realize just how truly blessed I am. I want to have time with my parents and go to dinner with them and talk and enjoy them. I want to hang out with my brothers and their families. I want to meet some of my blogging friends IRL. I want to learn to let go and move on. I want to know that there are going to be bad days, but that is all they are... just a bad day... and that tomorrow will be better. I want to be able to cry, get it out, wipe the tears away and know that I'll be okay. I want to be a better mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend... PERSON. And most of all... I AM going to do all these things.

Some dreams are just that, dreams. Some dreams you can't ever touch. These are all touchable. These are within my reach and I'm going to grab tight and not let go till I reach my destination. This is going to be a GREAT year. I know it!!

~well I so wasn't expecting all that. I was just going to post a few things, some updates and rambling, but then that all just came out and well there you have it. I wasn't going to do a year end post because I have been having a lot on my mind lately and stressing to no end... but this just seems perfect. Unplanned and just right.

Here's to 2009!!

Sadness...

~What makes you reflect on your life? What makes you really sit back and examine all that you have and all that is of significant value to you. Not monetary value, but true life value. To me, the most valuable things in my life, aren't things at all. They are people. Those people are my children, my husband, my parents, my brothers, my in-laws (you all know the ones I mean) my nieces and nephews and my friends.

.

~I always am wrapped up in every day life, and living it just to get by. Sure I love my life, my family and friends, but I don't always sit back and really take it all in.

I am wealthy because I have it all, I have a wonderful family. One that supports me and loves me for who I am. The take the good with the bad, the bitch with the mood swings. I'm blessed. I am in WONDERFUL health. I have no major illness and haven't ever had any either. I have never been hospitalized except when I had my children. I have my vision, my hearing and most of all my sense of humor. I am blessed.

.

~I have three beautiful children, and I do mean beautiful. They are gorgeous inside and out. They are loving, affectionate, passionate, smart, caring, funny, sharing, giving, generous and just all around amazing and wonderful. None of them have ever been ill. Sure we have had some common things, like colds and stomach bugs, but that is pretty much it. Both girls have NEVER had ear infections... knock on wood, and Trevor only had the beginning stages of one when he was under one year old. They have never had one single problem in life. They are 100% perfect, in every sense of the word. They are energetic and they play and run and do everything together. They love one another. They are healthy and growing like flowers. I'm truly blessed.

.

~I have a wonderful husband, whose head would swell at reading that, but I have to admit it is true. He is pretty darn wonderful. He puts up with me and my bitchiness and my truck driver mouth... and my mood swings and my nagging. He is good to me and our children. He works every day, very hard, to be able to support our family so I can stay home and raise our children. He helps me cook and clean... he even does dishes, laundry and vacuums. He is a great daddy to our children and just an all around good guy. I'm really lucky to have him in my life. I am blessed.

.

~I have wonderful parents who, still, love and support me in everything I do in life. They love my family and do whatever they can to help us out in any way. They are the most caring, loving and generous people I have ever known in my life. They are that way to anyone they know, not just us. :) I am blessed.

.

~I also happen to have the worlds greatest friends. You know the kind, the ones that are ALWAYS there for you, no matter what. The kind that offer a shoulder and an ear. That are always there to support you even if it is one of the stupidest things you have every in your entire life thought of doing... they tell ya that, but then are right there beside you helping you every step of the way. They want your dreams for you as much as you want them yourself and they try everything in their power to make that happen... as I'm typing this I realize this isn't just my friends that are this way... this is how my husband and my parents are too... I have this enormous, wonderful support team with me all the time, every second of every day... always there. Breathing the same air I breath and walking this same journey through life. Some of them are only 20 minutes away and some are an hour and 20 minutes away, but I still feel them right beside me all the time. Every. Single. Step. I'm never alone and I'm always loved. I AM truly blessed.

.

~The things that always make me take a look at life like this... for what I really have and what my true treasures are... are when people pass away. It always brings me right back to reality and quickly too. It always gives me focus to see what I really have and that I need and want for nothing. Of course there are the monetary things... the house, the car, the dreams, but those things I can live without... those things haven't made me who I am, and they won't change who I'll be. They are simply that... things.

.

~In the last few days, my camera took a crap, my fridge quit, my sugar glider died, my nephew's cat died, my friend, Jenn's cat died... and those are all set backs. The animals are truly sad and are going to be missed. But there is worse news. Much worse.

.

~My landlord's, who aren't just ever day run of the mill kind of land lords, they are family friends, they are loving, caring, giving, generous people, they have been so good to Bryan and I and my family I can't even begin to tell you. They are good people. Very good people. Well on Sunday they found out that their 38 year old son died. He left behind his parents, his wife and two young daughters, his brother and sister and other nieces and nephews. This is horrible. I am just so upset about this. I'm so sad for the family and those two little girls.

.

~Then today I talked to Alyssa, and I found out that her uncle, only 49 years old, died unexpectedly yesterday. I am so sad for her and her family. I can't imagine what they are all going through. I offer her any support and help she can use. I offer her my shoulder any time she needs to cry or vent or for anything. I send my condolences to her family. I'm in shock that this happened to her family.

.

~Tonight I talked to my mom, and she said that my aunt had called to tell her that a man that has lived in our neighborhood, well longer than we have, passed away. An acquaintance/friend of my parents. I'm very upset.

.

~This is a lot to deal with. To try to understand. Three people in three days. I'm afraid for tomorrow to come. I'm afraid to hear what it will bring. This is a horrible streak of bad luck, if you can even call it bad luck. I feel it way more than that. Worse than bad luck.

.

~There are other things going on as well in our personal lives, Bryan's job is taking away a major perk of them having work vehicles to drive to and from work. Something that we really were grateful for and relied in immensely. We will now have to buy a car for him to drive to and from work and also figure out insurance money and gas money and all that, while we are hoping to be moving and fixing up an entire house, which we haven't heard any new news on. Still waiting on contracts! We live in NY and the owner lives in CO... he was supposed to email them to our realtor Monday, but she hasn't heard from them.

.

~Anyway... this is all nothing. Thank goodness we have our health and one another. I just pray that tomorrow is a new fresh day!

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~I do have some good news, the lady that does my nails, her assistant, another Jennifer, had her baby girl on Monday... on Trevor's birthday. See God does delivery great miracles too!

.

~Here is to tomorrow being a lot better!!

CHEERS!

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~PS please say a prayer for all the families that have experienced a loss this week, please keep them in your thoughts. thank you.

FREE CRAFTS!!!

Jenn my sister from another mother & father and state also... well not always...but anyway... my lovely and EXTREMELY talented friend Jenn is having a give away on her blog!!! You can click HERE or her name or the word "blog" to go to check it out.\

She is very crafty and talented at many things. She can make beautiful blankets that are just stunning and she can also paint very beautifully as well. She is HOTT with the dremel tool or whatever it is she uses to make her awesome signs with. You just have to go check her out. ;)

Plus besides all this you are going to just love her blog and her kids and her cats and her entire family... once you are there you will be hooked!! And watch out because she does fish... she might just getcha!! ;)

xoxoxox

Tuesday...

Yep. Today is Tuesday! I'm not sure what or why I'm on here typing... I honestly think it is to avoid from getting up and doing anything else... although I really need to get a bunch done, and was on a good roll till now.

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Trevor is off at school today... meaning he stayed home yesterday... we all over slept and it felt sooooo good I don't even feel guilty. Plus, like my mom said, we must have all needed it. :) So yesterday we all just hung out and I got some things done around the house and we all had a pretty pleasant day. :)

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Bryan had a fishing accident on Sunday, where he thinks (is pretty sure) he broke his thumb... so yesterday after a long and boring day at work he went to Urgent Care, and waited for almost a life time... got an x-ray and found out that they *THINK* there is a bone chip in his joint...but they aren't sure, it could be that or it could be broken... so they are sending him to the orthopedic doctors on Wednesday... They are so knowledgeable there at UC it is unreal, you seriously wonder why they aren't working in a "REAL" hospital since they are such geniuses.

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These are also the doctors that gave me the wrong dose to give Lauren of eye drops that were burning her eyes making them totally blood shot and all swollen and purple around them... Oh. It was a mistake on the RX sheet. Assholes!!

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Brooke & Lauren are playing nicely in their play kitchen together... they are making all sorts of things, right now Lauren is saying that she is making eggs, and Brooke just told her that she is making dinner. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with it or not... but I have been really strict with following through with "threats" that I make to them... I have a hard time being consistent and following through with discipline and so things have been really crazy here lately... I am realizing my mistakes and trying to make things better. So I have been slightly obsessed with time outs... not that I'm giving them for un-necessary reasons but that I'm following through.... I give one warning, and I specifically say, "Please stop doing that... or you are going to go in time out." Then once they do it again, they go in time out... I set the timer on the stove and they have to sit there... I put the girl in for 2 or 3 mins, b/c they are 2 1/2 and then I put Trevor in for 4 or 5 mins since he is 4 1/2. They all seem to dislike time-out greatly so it is working rather well... I just have to remember to stick to my guns, pick and choose my battles and don't let up when things start to get better... keep following through.

This is one of the reasons that they all listen and ultimately respect Bryan more than me, because if he says something then he does it... no questions asked... end of discussion.... period! I always feel bad and try to reason and talk and all that... but really children that are these ages can't understand reason... and talking is just wasting my breath. Time-out is the way to go it gives us all a break from one another too, when we are having a "rough time"....

for example just now

Brooke had a Winnie The Pooh phone, she was playing very nicely with it... Lauren started touching the buttons on it to annoy Brooke, I told her she had to stop touching Brooke's phone, and that she could go get the other W. T. P phone (that is exactly the same) and if she didn't stop bothering Brooke that she would have to go to time-out... Well then she tried taking the phone from Brooke... she I gently took her hand and walked her time-out...

of course the entire time she was saying "No. I don't want to go time-out."

BUT... she went and she sat there and now the timer just went off and she is still sitting waiting for me to come get her... it is finally working!! yay!!

**** As I was getting up,

she said (still sitting there) "Can I get up now Mommy?"

and I said "yes"

Then I walked over to her and told her she needed to tell Brooke sorry for taking her toy away and also that she cannot take toys from other kids. And I told her she did a good job listening to me in time-out.

She ran right into their bedroom and said "sorry Brookie for taking your toy."

Brooke said "okay, you can have my phone."

then Lauren came out and said " Brookie is a good girl, she is sharing with me."

They are playing again nice as could be. :) 2 points for Mommy!!

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So anyway... I have some things I have to do today in the house and then I also have some things to get ready for this weekend... we are going camping. I'm excited and the kids are over excited... almost every day they ask me when we are going camping and if today is the day we are going. :) The girls can't possibly remember what camping is, but I'm sure Trevor remembers it some, and they will all love it since they think they should live outside rain, snow, sleet or sunshine. :)

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Also, my friend Tanya called me on Sunday that she did great... and was feeling pretty well. I also spoke to her yesterday and she was doing good, just a little bit tired... so thank you all for you well wishes, thoughts and prayers! :)

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I have some pictures in my camera that I would love to get into the computer and put up on here, so we'll see about that later... it just takes so long for blogger to upload pics it is unreal.

Have a great day all... toodles!

Friendship Friday edition 5!

Today this Friendship Friday post

will be a little bit different...

this FF post will be about someone

that I am glad to call my friend,

but isn't a blogging friend

... although she may and I think she does read

my blog... she doesn't have her own.

(yet, maybe I can get her to set one up)

Anyway... this post will be for my friend Tanya...

who today, while her MIL is watching

her 5 1/2 month old son Brandon

until her mom takes over for tonight,

her with her husband by her side

is going in to have heart surgery.

She is young and healthy and full of life,

just had a baby and looks AMAZING!!

And her son is so sweet, such a good baby and

the cutest little boy ever...

They found out that she has a hole in her heart

due to someevents that happened they just discovered this.

I'm so glad that she is okay and doing well...

and that she is having the surgery she needs to get better

and live a happy and healthy life...

BUT, I'm really concerned and worried for her today.

I'm sure this sort of surgery is preformed

everyday millions of times day, but

not to someone that I care about.

I have found all my thoughts today going to Tanya and her family.

I'm thinking, hoping and praying of and for her today...

so if any of you would like to do the same,

I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated from

Tanya and her family and also from me and her other friends.

I know she was getting nervous,

which she has every right to be, who wouldn't be,

so I'm hoping by this point in the day it is already

done and over with and that

she is already doing good...

and recuperating from surgery.

She is going to call me or have someone else call me today,

I hope, so I will update this if and when I hear from her.

Please all keep her in your thoughts!

Thanks.

Friendship Friday edition 4!

Happy Friday!! Yay, we made it through the week!! ; )

I have a few minutes while my kids are watching Curious George, and being quiet, that I can actually type on here, so I thought I would take the time to do my Friendship Friday post... I missed last week because the power went out and there for my computer took a shit and wouldn't come back to life again... until we had to shock it, to bring it back. (not joking, we short out the plug and for some reason this helps to get the computer running... don't ask!)

For this FF, I'm going to post about my Allie girl... aka Allie Bear... she is freakin' awesome! :) She is over at Friday Night Ambulance, which is what she would name a band if she ever had one. She is all around AmAziNg! She is a military wife, and she has two beautiful and quite amazing children, Nicholas & Sophia. :) She shares her every day life with everyone on her blog and things about her past. She also blogs about her BFF J, who also has a blog, I'm a Trouble Maker ~ you can find it on Allie's blog roll ~ they are hilarious together and show you the meaning of true friendship. I love Allie. She is someone I would totally hang out with outside of the blogosphere. And I know that we would just get along so well, and probably laugh a lot, like almost pee your pants laugh, and there is NO doubt we would probably get into some sort of trouble together! lol

She is so honest and open in her blog that you just can't help but become attached to her. She says what she thinks and she means what she says, it isn't just hyped up bullshit for the readers. She is a good person and can make you laugh so hard, but bring it back home with a heart wrenching story about her youth... just go over and read her blog entry about her son, from Thursday and you will totally fall in love with her too!!

Allie, girl you know I love you!! Maybe one day we will meet up and talk about trashy people and have our kids play together or something...

xoxoxo

Friendship Friday ~ edition 3

~

Friendship Friday

edition #3

~

This blogger I'm doing my FF post on today is a total sweetheart!

She has a great family, including a wonderful husband

and THREE amazing and super cute children!

~

Not only does she love her husband and children,

she also loves the color purple,

ELEPHANTS

and to mow her lawn!

(which I happen to truly enjoy and find relaxing and rewarding as well)

~

If you are reading this Jenn, and think this all sounds like you...

• total sweetie
• great blogger
• wonderful commenter
• excellent Mommy
• three beautiful children
• a great husband
• love of elephants
• love of all things purple even fishing reel =)
• awesome craft spaces in your NEWLY re-done basement
• crafty
• good friend

YES! I am talking about you!!

You all must go check out Jenn's blog... she is a doll.

You will get a kick out of her posts...

she does WW (wordless wednesday)

TT (thursday thirteen)

and FF (Friendship Friday)

along with every day posts about her life and her family

and some really AWESOME meme's.

If you visit her leave her some comment love!!

She is a great commenter, always dropping in to say hi and check on you...

also always leaving a kind word or two!

Thank you Jenn from Enjoying the Ride for all your support,

from FF to the wonderful comments on my blog!

HUGS!

Lauren & Brooke's Friend...

My Other Girls...

I'm getting married this May... the 19th to be exact. : ) And these are some pictures of my girls... not my little girls... although they are going to be in the wedding too... but these are my little bit older girls. : )

From left to right...

Jill ~ Bryan's brother, Kevin's, girlfriend

Jamie ~ My SIL ~ Ralph's wife

Heather ~ Bryan's cousin

Elizabeth ~ Jill's cousin & my friend

Priscilla ~ One of my best friends

They are all really good friends of mine, I didn't pick any of them, just because they are my SIL or someone else's SIL or cousins or whatever... they are all special to me in their own way. : ) I know we are doing things a little bit backwards... living together, having kids then getting married, but you gotta do what you gotta do... we are happy this all works for us. : ) Planning a wedding has been great... my mom and I are getting along so well and we agree on almost every single thing. : ) My mom is on the left in the picture with everyone around the table. : ) I'm second from the right... we have been having a blast and things are just going so smooth! I can't wait for the big day, but I'll miss all the planning. Bitter sweet I guess.