I am alive. I have just been very busy. Right now I am home, as I decieded over the weekend that since they were calling for snow it would be best to take Monday off rather then Wednesday like I had previously planned. I couldn't do friday this week because of work stuff. So Monday it was, which is good as I don't like to go anywhere when it snows, AND we got some snow! Will post pics later. We have not had snow in years... so this is exciting stuff.

I have been busy with trying to declutter and organize. I went to a scrapbooking get together at a ladies house Friday night, that she recently moved into and let me say her home is awesome.... She has a shed type house thingy in her backyard, that the previous owner used as a office into her scrapbook shack, and let me tell ya, it was awesome. It was like a freaking scrapbook store in there. Her home, and scrap shack were decorated some beautfuly and organized so well. It was hard to come back to my house that has been taken over by kiddos and chaos. So I have been on a rampage, and I have a notebook. The notebook is for gathering plans. HEHEEHE, my husband is sooo excited...or not....We have been slowly repainting all the rooms. When we built the house 5 years ago, we had the painters just do a light cream color in all the rooms, and we used a flat paint. BIG MISTAKE. Flat paint just sucks. It leaves finger marks everywhere, its impossible to clean without rubbing away pain, it's just horrible. So far we have repainted our bedroom, dining room, den, and the kids rooms. Dave also has done some trim work in some rooms. BUT we have not done anything since Emily's room got done shorly before her debut. So after seeing this house, I have my butt in gear.

So what do I want to do? I want to first repaint the breakfast nook. I am horrible at coming up with colors. I am thinking maybe a maroon red color, or maybe a spicy mustard color? Hard to say... My kitchen countertops are a moss green color, and I plan on painting the kitchen area a light taupe color I think...I really want a color that will stand out in the nook.

I also want more chair rail, and trim work done starting with the entry wall. I also want to paint the entry way, which may require us actually having to hire a painter as the entry way has super high ceilings. Anyone know anybody cheap? I also want to repaint the living room, my sorry excuse for a craft room (after seeing homegirls scrap shack, I obviously have some work to do). I also want to paint the playroom. These have all been things Dave and I have been talking about, and now I am ready to get started. I am for the first time in a long time not preggo, so I am ready to get a move on. Dave before has done all the painting as I used the excuse of being pregnant and the paint fume thing to my advantage. He totally bought it, and never said a word when I had my hair colored throughout pregnancy's I some how dealt like a champ with hair coloring fumes.

So all weekend I have been organizing, plotting, and now I am ready to start painting...as soon as I pick some colors out... I will post pics later and can use any suggestions....

The return of the Birks....

Back in 1993 I was in the 7th grade, and a student at a private school. It was a good school, but the snobbyness factor was at an all time high. You were super cool if you owned Birkenstocks. And coolness could reach an all time high if you even sported them with some tricked out birkenstock brand tye dye socks with the sandals. Needless to say, I needed those sandals. They were in all honesty the ugliest things ever, but hey, Crocs were not invented yet. I begged for those shoes. My parent, didn't seem to understand that I needed those things, as for one, they are $100 sandals, and being I was in the 7th grade they knew my foot had not stopped growing yet, so why spend that much if within a few months they wont fit anymore, and why are those damn things so expensive anyways? It's rubber, cork, and some leather material.

My parents did the next best thing, or so they thought... they bought me an off brand pair that cost next to nothing. For that weekend I was excited, but Monday morning when girlfriend wore them to super snobby school my excitement was soon crushed...My sandals did not have embossed on the sides and buckle the Birkenstock name so soon my school mates were fast to point out I had on fake birks. I remember this ass named James pointing at them and talking smack. Damn my parents sending me to school with generic birks. Sure I tried to tell the kids that they were real, but who was I kidding? I didn't wear them to school anymore to say the least.... It was a huge blow to my self esteem and another reason for me to hate that school.

A few years later my parents gave in and bought me some real birks. I have since owned many pair, and right now I probably have some in my closet. They are comfy, but damn if I will be caught dead wearing them with socks these days. In all honesty I can't even tell you the last time I have worn them, as my passion has since moved on to cheap flip flops. I wouldn't even dream of spending that much on shoes for myself these days. With that being said I am a sucker for designer jeans, and expensive purses, but hey, I am making progress.

This week though I went into my favorite kids consignement shop in Williamsburg, and guess what I found? A pair of brand new Birk sandals that should fit one of my kiddos this summer. I checked them over and found the embossed name, etc, and pretty soon I had paid nothing for the shoes that were only marked $10 to begin with, ( I have a lot of credit at that place as I sell the kids outgrown items there now). I was super excited to get home and show the girls. I thought to myself that my kids would be looking pretty spiffy in this sandals, that I agonized over for years and wished for. My kids? Not that interested. They didn't even want to try them on. Shame on me for corrupting their clueless minds with name branding already, and good for them for not wanting to put those ugly things on. I should appreciate these years that they don't care before the peer pressure sets in, and they are asking for $100 shoes. Hopefully still someone will want to wear them this summer so they can get some use.

Just saying....

I know we have a sign on our office door that says no soliciting… so I am a bit confused as we have home dude in here selling posters of Obama to our patients…and my boss is falling all over herself saying people have to do their business and buying a crap load ….hopefully he wont ask me to buy one, cause I don’t think I will be able to keep a straight face or be very nice, maybe I should take the no soliciting sticker and put in on my forehead to save him the trouble. Seriously people.

WW end of week 2

My second weigh in was tonight and I am down .8lbs. So total loss to date is 5.6. Not a huge loss like last week, but you know I will take it. Considering all the crap I ate, and I have no reason to be shocked. If the scale said plus 5 for this past week I wouldn't have even argued then. I was that bad this week. Here is to staying on track this week or at least trying better....

Fore!

For approx 3 months I have been eyeing this golf bag at Tjmaxx. I am a huge TJMAXX fan, and all of the ones I have been to lately have a couple of these suckers. They are brown and pink polka dotted, some have the pink background with brown polka dots, and some have a brown background and pink polka dots. The price tag is $150.99. Apparently, that's not an awful price as I came across another one I liked online that was zebra print for $2,000.

I have told the husband about the bags (polka dot ones from TJ's), and he's encouraged me to buy one, but I have not broken down yet. Why? Well, because I don't play golf. I have hit balls at a driving range before, and who doesn't enjoy going to play putt-putt, but I am always a bit of a wuss to try new things. He tells me that since I have good coordination and have excelled in other sports that I will be fine.... I'm not so sure... And golf does look super boring on TV... I mean seriously, all the hushed voices and whispering? I'm not that quiet.

Dave wants me to play as he says then we could play together since he loves playing, etc etc. Some how I think he will rather play with his friends, and let's face it, I don't know any females who play, so I would only get to go play with Dave every other blue moon. Golf can also be expensive. I also have a million and one other hobbies. But gosh darn it that golf bag is cute. I don't even own any clubs. I did go on my free cycle community and request a used set, but no one has replied, and I doubt anyone ever will. Apparently male and women clubs are different so I have to get women clubs per my husbands advice.

In the mean time I will just visit with the golf bags at Tjmaxx.

Happy 2nd bday Rachel!

The first day at home from the hospital.

Your first pictures.

Finally holding you on delivery day.

Finally meeting you.

Dear Rachel,

Your two years old today. The years have simply blown by. I became pregnant with you when your sister was three months old, and it was a hard pregnancy in the begining with some bed rest, kidney stones, hospitalization, and a million kidney infections. You were worth it all.

Right now you are talking more and more each day. You are fiesty, and you are sweet. You want to do everything your big sister does. You love on baby Emily, and are so gentle and loving with her. Almost every time we go out people mistake you and Laura for twins. I hope you continue to stay close with your siblings, and continue to grow into the little lady you are. I love you!

It's probably PMS

I am having a "debbie downer day". I am irritated, and have been since yesterday. My oldest two were born a year and 2 weeks a part so February is a busy month around our house with another family's birthday in the mix, and everyone is still recovering from Christmas, and another crazy amount of family birthdays in Jan. ANYWAYS, I do seperate birthdays for my kids despite suggestions from some family members to combine their birthdays. I know it would be easier for me, attendees, etc, but I want my kids to have their own special day. As there is 3 of them they have to share enough as it is, so I am determined to make sure their days are special and non shared. Maybe I will give in, but for now I am holding my ground.

Yesterday was Rachel's party. I always do a dinner or lunch as I just want it to be a nice time and feed people who make the time and effort to come and give a gift, and celebrate another year of life. I already posted on how stressful that is enough when people wont RSVP so I end up over cooking, wasting time, money, etc . Well, my sister, the one I hold dear to me, called 3 hours before to say she wasn't coming as she was going out with her friends to this other function. My kid doesn't have a clue, but it hurt my feelings greatly. She's going through her own thing, and trying to find herself I guess, and I am trying to understand that, but she's been sucking as a sister for over a year now. She treats her friends like gold, and the rest of us catch hell. I feel sorry for her, and I worry about her. But I would never in a million years miss one of her kids birthday partys. It wouldn't even be an option for me to choose something else over their bday. I love her bad ass kids that much. And she refers to herself as the favorite aunt, whatever.... To top it off, she apparently had told everyone else in the world she wasn't coming way ahead of time, but I didn't get the notice from her until three hours before. Her kids came, and I invited her ex in to eat, which I am probably going to catch hell for, and be black balled from her life.

I was already rattled as I had my MIL pick up the cake on her way over and apparently I told them the wrong spelling for Rachel's name. It was able to be fixed, and it was totally my error, but I felt bad about that. I even had a stellar mom moment at the party and started cutting the cake totally forgetting she needs to blow her candle out. Way to go mom.

So the sister situation thing had occured, and then a couple who said they were coming didn't show, and another couple didn't come, and then my nephews called to say they have a friend coming with them, and we had another one of those requests as well from more family. \ I guess that part was no big deal since I had so many party bailers I had plenty of food, but I totally think its rude, and would never think to bring someone else along to a party. Did I write on the invites bring your own friend or something?

So I was in a horrible mood for the entire party, busy trying make things nice, and I just failed in every aspect. I am making a mental note to stop trying so hard, and to just never get my hopes up or have faith in anyone especially my family and friends.