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March 31, 2010

Best. Giveaway. Ever!! Epiphanie Camera Bag!!!!!

I just stumbled across this great website Design Aglow and they sell some BEAUTIFUL camera bags. They are also giving away an Epiphanie bag or a shopping spree! Excuse me? A free camera bag? YES, please!! So here I go......

Have you seen all the beautiful new products & contest for pro photographers on http://www.DesignAglow.com?


Just look at some of their bags.......




Gorgeous!! Of course I'd have to have the red one because that's the LOLA bag! Hello?! That is only the best name ever. ;) Wish me luck!!!




March 30, 2010

Sweet (Shot Tuesday)

I could come here and talk about how sweet that carrot cake I made a few weeks ago was, but I won't. Or I could talk about this girl right here.....


How sweet she can be when she wants to be. How she likes to play with her siblings, how well she listens (when she wants to) and how great she does in school. Or, I could talk about this boy right here.......


I could tell you how well behaved he is (most of the time). How funny and sweet he can be when he wants to be. I could also tell you about the bloody nose he got from picking his nose, but I won't. What I really want to tell you about is this little girl right here........


See? Can't you just see how sweet she is? Well she is! She is the sweetest thing walking. All my children are sweet, but Lola is at a very sweet age. You know, the almost 2'ish stage when they repeat everything you say, make up they're own little conversations, they feed their baby dolls, they still like you, they still want to hold your hand and she says things like...." Me hardies!" and "CupCAKE!" and she sings her own little songs in her cute little voice. ((sigh)) Extremely sweet doesn't even cover it. :)

Sweet Shot Day

March 27, 2010

Life With A Boy......





That pretty much about sums it up. :)


Day #16 Of Early Intervention

We're back at it again!!! Our new therapist, Patty, came by on Thursday for a meet and greet. Lola knew immediately what was going on and started her whining.  -_- But Patty took the "I'm going to ignore you so you think I don't want anything to do with you so you'll warm up to me" approach, and it totally worked. Patty and I talked about how Lola is doing, how much progress she's made and what I'd like to see her doing within the next 6 months. She was very surprised that Lola isn't walking yet because when Paula left she was so sure that Lola was almost there. But no, she's not. :( I asked her about braces and what she thought about them. She thinks it's worth looking into and gave me the name of a specialist to call and have her legs looked at. She also gave me some exercises to do with Lola. Every diaper change I am to tickle Lola's legs to try and stimulate her muscles. So far, so good! She loves that. I'm also supposed to "rough house" with her a little more. Swing her around, hold her upside down and spin her around on the sit and spin to try and trick her mind into making her legs work. Does that make sense, the way I worded it? Hope so, because that's the only way I know how to word it. HAH! It has something to do with her inner ear and brain working together. For example, if she becomes dizzy her brain tells her legs to try and stabilize her body, which means her legs have to work. Got it? Good. So there's that. Now I'm waiting on her doctor to call me back with the referral so we can have her legs looked at. I'm not going to lie, I think she needs the braces. Her legs are so floppy and her ankles seem weak to me. I can tell when she tries to walk because her feet turn in and her ankles look like they're going to snap. o_O I'll have to get a picture of it one day. We'll see what the doctor says though. :)

For now we're back to every 2 weeks with Early Intervention. I like Patty and Lola warmed up to her. She even let her tickle her. Amazing! She wouldn't let Paula anywhere near her. -_- I think she likes that Patty sings a lot. :) Lola loves to sing. So when Patty sang the goodbye song Lola was like..."WOW!!!" She loved it and tries to sing it. So damn cute. Speaking of cute......enjoy!


:D

March 25, 2010

It's A Shame That Showering Is A Luxury For Me

Today was one of those days when I woke up and said...."I have to shower NOW!!!". I just felt gross. BUT, with two small children running/crawling around the house, showering can be tough. I have to worry about what they're doing........is Lex laying on top of Lola again, is Lola choking on something, did Lex open the window again, are they fighting? The "worry list" goes on and on. So I always look at how things are going. Are the kids quiet and relaxed? Is Lex too focused on Lola? Is Lola whiney? This morning everything seemed A-O-K! So I made blueberry muffins, fed the kids, then let Lex pick out what he wanted to watch, made sure Lola's diaper was changed and that she had plenty to play with, then I ran to the bathroom. But not before giving Lex a list of do's and don'ts!


  • Do sit quietly
  • Do keep your hands and body to yourself
  • Don't get up unless you need to use the potty
  • Don't open any doors or windows
  • Don't lay on top of Lola
  • Don't bother Lola
He said...."Ok, Mom! I'm in charge, I'll be good" :D And 15 minutes later, not counting the many times I ran out naked to make sure all was ok, I was clean and the kids were alive. She played, he sat quietly and all was well. WHEW!! As I was getting dressed I thought to myself...."It's such a shame that showering is a luxury!!" Being a Mom means you give up a lot. You give up sleep, beauty, your body and sometimes being clean. Once the kids are in full-time school those things come back to you, but until then I'll take what I can get, when I can get it! But these faces are totally worth it..................



Yes....even BO.


March 22, 2010

Saying Goodbye And Letting Go

 My Father died last week. We hadn't been close because my Mother tried to keep him out of my life for her own selfish reasons. You know, he chose someone else over her, so she used me as a weapon against him. It makes me sad to think of all the presents and cards he sent to me and my Mother destroying them and then sending them back. She did that a lot, I would come to find out later. She was vicious. Once I was old enough I set out to talk to him despite her warnings. We talked, wrote to one another, mostly on holidays and birthdays. When I moved to Kentucky when Raven was 8 months old I called him and asked him out to lunch. We talked for hours and he played with Raven. It was nice. I felt lucky to have two men to call Dad. I was very close with my Stepfather. He protected us as best he could from our crazy Mother. He was great, he is great. He encouraged me to have a relationship with my Dad, and so I did. I'm grateful for what little was I able to have in such a short amount of time. Do I blame my Mother? Yes. Am I still angry with her for keeping us apart for so long. A little. I just found out on Friday that he died, she knew last Tuesday, but didn't tell me. Probably to keep me from going to the funeral. Doesn't matter anymore. I'm lucky to have had a Dad who loved me enough to fight to be a part of my life. That is all that matters.

Life goes on and I have to learn to let go of all the bitterness towards my Mother. By doing that I separate myself from her. I will not be like my Mother and hold on to angry for years and years. That's pathetic. I will hold tight to my fondest memories of my Dad, and I'll never let go.


March 19, 2010

Nine WHOLE Years!

Yesterday was my anniversary. Yes, that's right! Nine WHOLE years ago we were married by a Celetic Priest on the Aran Islands in Ireland. Romantic, right? It was beautiful. The best day of the whole trip, actually. That is exactly what everyone remembers about it, too, how beautiful the day was. Windy, but beautiful. We made it legal exactly a month later on April 18th. So we have TWO anniversaries and yes, we celebrate both. :) I'm not going to lie, our marriage has been anything but perfect, but we have stuck it out and tried as hard as we could to make it work. There are days when I look at him and think....."Ugh, you really get on my nerves." and he looks at me and says....."Then leave!" LOL! Those are few and far between thought lately. It's just so much easier to get along and enjoy one another, than it is to argue. And to be honest, we haven't really argued/fought in ages. It's just some days I wake up and I don't like him, or he wake up and thinks I'm a monster. :D Which, let's tell the truth, Ladies, there is one week out of the month when we are all monsters!! That week is also the week I can't stand him. That's married life for ya! BUT! We are married, and we do still love each other very much.


I said no gifts this year, but he bought me a set of crystal wine glasses, of course he did, now that I'm not drinking wine as much anymore! They're really pretty though. And they make everything taste just a little better. I drank my seltzer water out of one and it was good! I also got 2 very sweet cards and some new Chihuahua note cards from Papyrus. I love that store. I got him a new shower head and shaving mirror for the shower. Something he's always wanted. So we both broke the rules and got each other something. He just never listens. HAH! :D



March 16, 2010

Sweet Shot

I really love this picture. It's my daughter, Lolita, holding my finger as tightly as she could for fear of falling. Once she starts walking and wants me to let her go, I'll want her to hold my hand, so I treasure these moments for as long as I can. :)



Sweet Shot Day

March 15, 2010

Time To Get Sexy!!.....Uhm, I mean HEALTHY!!

I have been slacking a very long time. I just didn't feel like taking action. I'm happy, somewhat healthy, but I feel like I'm ready to get back to my "old self". That means sacrifice. And lots of it. I have decided to give up a lot of things that I love. For example....


  • Wine during the week. There is way too much sugar in wine!! And sugar = calories. Done!
  • Bread. I'll eat whole wheat, but very little and not everyday.
  • Whole milk of any kind. That means coffee creamer, too.
  • Portions. I am cutting them in half.  
I want to be my "old self" again more than I want any of that stuff. I refuse to give up sugar in the tea or coffee. I love sugar. I never drink sodas anyways, so that's not a problem. All I really drink is water, green tea and maybe a few cups of coffee, if that. I already cook healthy, besides that awesome carrot cake I made yesterday. :D I totally owned that thing!!!! Anyway. I have started snacking on fruits and veggies during the day and exercising started today as well. Just 20 minutes in the morning and I'll do 30 minutes at night. When the weather is nicer I'll hit the roads for nice long speed walks. I started all this last week, and so far I feel great. I don't miss the wine, I've actually cut the amount of sugar in my tea in half. I only use about a teaspoon and a half now instead of 3 teaspoons.

Let's face it. I'm almost 36 years old and it gets a lot harder to maintain at this age. I used to work 4-5 nights a week dancing my a$$ off and that is how I stayed so thin. I don't do that anymore. I don't even exercise! That means that I have to start trying harder. I haven't even told Kevin yet. Let's see if he notices. HAH! Doubt it. My goal is to be back in my 10/11's, I'm in 12/13's now. I'm 5'9", so you can't tell because I'm evenly proportioned, but I can feel it. That 1-2 sizes makes a huge difference to me. I'm curious to see if my Lola "pooch" gets any better. Gawd she was huge. My stomach stretched so far I thought I'd burst open Alien style! We'll see. And no, I refuse to post before pictures. You might get lucky with some after pictures though! :)

I am going to try and write about my progress every week. I was thinking of buying a scale. They say it helps you to keep going when you see you're actually losing. I hate those things.

March 14, 2010

Beef Stroganoff Slow Cooker Recipe

I love my slow cooker....set it and forget it. Easy as pie! My hubby loves beef stroganoff so I make it about once a month. I'm also all about easy!! I have 3 kids and a very busy life, so if I can find an easy recipe, I'm a happy girl!!! I've been a fan of McCormick's recipes for years. They have the fastest, easiest, tastiest beef stroganoff recipe there is. I've taken it and added a few things to it to make it a little better. But this is what you'll need....
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 package (8 ounces) mushrooms, halved or sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 package McCormick® Slow Cookers Beef Stroganoff Seasoning
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sour cream


    I use more mushrooms and 2 packs of their seasoning to make it just a little thicker/tastier. I also like to brown the meat just a little bit in olive oil before putting it in the pot. Mmmmmm!! Good!!



    Then place beef, mushrooms and onion in slow cooker. Mix Seasoning and water until blended. Pour over beef and vegetables, make sure to mix well till everything is coated. Cover, cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. When it's done add the sour cream and mix well. You can serve it with rice or noodles. We love egg noodles! Whatever you choose, just pour the beef stroganoff over it and serve!


    Quick and easy. And also very, very good. :) Enjoy!




    March 11, 2010

    I'd Have A Dozen Kids.......If It Weren't For Teething!!

    Teething sucks. But I don't have to tell you that! You already know. And so does my Lo......


    She has been miserable for days!! Not sleeping well, not eating well, which is so not like her. All that works is holding her.....


    I took her outside to see if the fresh air would help. It didn't. It may have had something to do with Lex not being able to keep his hands to himself!!


                             


    Or the fact that she just wanted to swing in peace but he insisted on pushing her, which really didn't go over well with her.


                 


    But then Daddy came home and was determined to make her happy.....

        

    And she couldn't help herself, she just had to smile!



    But that may have had something to do with the bubbles he bribed her with......



    And just like that, we had our Lo back. :)

    March 8, 2010

    Adios Weekend!!

    I can't say I'm sad to see it go!! Birthday parties kinda stress me out. It was nice to see all of our friends and all of their kids, but I like it quiet. Lex, on the other hand, is already talking about his next birthday party. ((sigh)) We're done for the year! Sorry, Lola!! You will only be 2 and not know the difference, so it's cake and ice cream here at the house with just us!

    I'm looking forward to the weekend already. Kevin is taking Lex and Raven to NY for a convention. It's going to be so quiet here. I love that. Don't get me wrong, I'll miss them, but Lola and I will be here playing quietly, napping together, eating together and I won't have to pry Lex off of her once. :D Wonderful!! Lex is looking forward to spending the weekend at the hotel in the "trip house bed". For some reason he likes to take all his clothes off and hop in the bed to watch t.v. and eat. That's his thing. :) He says "I gotta get maked and get in the trip house bed to eat chips, drink apple juice and watch movies." He will make a great billionaire one day. LOL!!

    I'm not much in the posting mood today. I received horrible news. One of my online Mommy friends from JustMommies lost her husband in a motorcycle accident. They have a 4 year old son and a 10 week old son. It just breaks my heart. I've been trying to comprehend what she must be going through, but I just can't. Losing someone you love has got to be the biggest, worst thing ever. I'm hoping she has family to hold her close in her time of need. :(

    March 4, 2010

    Birthday Parties And Booze

    Last weekend I went to my friends house for her daughter's 1st birthday party. It was at 11 in the morning. -_- Gawd awful time to have a party, if you ask me, but I was up and ready to go at 10 a.m.! We got there and my friend said to me..."There are mimosas, if you want??..." She already knew the answer, but just wanted to offer. There is no way I'm drinking any kind of alcohol 1.) at 11 in the morning, 2.) When I'M the one driving AND I have my kid with me. She gave me this look like..."I know, I know!!" But there was a woman there, who lived right next door, who was pounding them down one after another. Hey, I'm all for having a few drinks at home, no problem!! I love my wine!!! But it wasn't even NOON!! I knew she had had just a little too much when she started talking to Lex. She kept calling him a girl. He would look at her and say "I'm a boy. I'm Lex!" and she just didn't get it, she actually said....."You don't like being girly at ALL, do you?" and she laughed. Now, we get it all the time because of his long hair, but once we say, or he says "he's a boy" they get it. And he even dresses like a boy!! It's just that he has long hair. Finally, after like the 4th time  I said to her..."No, he really is a boy. He has a penis." -insert evil smile here to shut her up- I'm normally ok with it, but the fact that she had been drinking mimosas and we had already said that he was, in fact, a boy, set me off. As we were leaving she came running outside to apologize, over and over again and I just said..."We get it all the time. It's fine, really" What I really wanted to say was..."%&#@ OFF!" But Lex was with me and I was in a very good mood, so I just smiled and got in the car. The whole time we were walking to the car Lex was kicking snow, making shooting noises and yelling as loud as he could........all boy. It doesn't bother me that people think he's a girl because of his hair. I love his hair and so does he!! He refuses to let us cut it and you know what, I won't cut it until he is ready.

    Now, this weekend is Lex's birthday party and I will not be serving wine, beer or any other kind of alcohol. But you can bet that I will be having some wine after the party, when the kids are playing quietly, or not so quietly, after dinner, while sitting on the couch recovering from the many children who will probably have wrecked my house. I just don't feel comfortable serving booze at a kid's party, I just don't. There are parents who have to drive home with kids in the car! Maybe it's because I have friends who have been in horrible car accidents where liquor was involved. I don't want to be responsible for something like that. Now, an adult party with no kids and everyone has someone sober to drive then home, then that's ok. I've had plenty of those parties before. In no way do I think badly about someone who does serve alcohol at a kid's party, my friends do it all the time, it's just not for me. I just hope everyone is responsible when they do drink, and please don't go around calling little boys little girls because you can't tell the difference thanks to mimosas. :D


    March 3, 2010

    Happy Birthday Lex!!

    4 years ago today I gave birth to Alexander Julian Kevin-James. He weighed 9 pounds and was the chunkiest baby I had ever seen!!! He's the sweetest boy a Mother could ask for. Happy birthday, little man!! We love you!!!

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    March 2, 2010

    Early Intervention Day ????

    We were supposed to hear from our new theraphist this week, but so far, nothing! I'm starting to think that I may have to call and setit up myself. I wouldn't be so pushy about it, but Lola needs to learn to walk already!! I took the kids outside today because it was so nice, and I had to carry her around or I had to bend over tohold her hand while she walked and I was exhausted. I just want her to walk!! Paula had mentioned something about braces a while back and I'm thinking that may be a good idea. Her legs turn in when she walks and her ankles do, too. Braces would help correct that. I'm willing to try anything at this point! Don't get me wrong, I'll carry my baby as long as she needs me to, but GAWD she's heavy!!! My arms are aching. Hey, at least I'll get lots of exercise this Spring/Summer. :D

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