A Continual Happiness

going to school

2011-06-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

I'm going to school. Not in the traditional sense, as it isn't really traditional school, but I'm going. I'm glad that I'm not wasting my time when I'm not working as much. Learning about skin care products is interesting, but surely not my passion. Homework is kind of fun, and I do like learning new things.

extended cable

2011-06-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Chris called to see how much extra getting some additional HD channels would be on our bill. Of course, it seems that they had a special where we now have a ton of new channels. I'm staying out of the billing part of it, but I am so happy with 2 of our new channels. The first that I love is Boomerang with all of it's old school cartoons. Last night Ivy and I watched Penelope Pitstop and Hong Kong Phooey (sp) and she loved them as much as I remembered. the other one is the Cooking Channel. I love Extra Virgin and they have Nigella too! I haven't seen a Nigella episode in ages. It was so relaxing and brought a smile to my face to watch her again.

Another post about my kids

2011-06-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

On nights that I'm at the end of my rope, I really need to sit down and remember the good and happy things that my kids bring to my life. Here is my post for today.

DD is getting ready to graduate from first grade this week. And it seems just right! She brought home a certificate today that she had exemplified the character trait of the month for May which was helpfulness. I'm proud of her.

DS is getting ready to graduate from preschool this week. And it seems appropriate as well. He is ready to be a kindergartener. He has a new tennis racquet that he is sleeping with tonight. He was able to go on a play date on his own this weekend. I'm proud of him.

DB (Dear Baby) is being potty trained and doing so great at his school in his big boy panties. Not so great at home, but we'll take what we can get. We put him back into his crib tonight because he just can't get the handle of the toddler bed. He is right in the middle between baby and toddler. His sassy talk shocks me. But he is so cute I can hardly stand it.

lunch with friends

2011-05-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy that I have a friend that keeps on me about lunch dates. She will email the group of us and say that she is needing a girl's lunch, and then we all send in dates that will work for us. It normally takes a few weeks for everyone to find an open day but when we get together, it is so nice to see each other. Bonus for today was that I was able to use a gift card to pay!

I love my babies

2011-05-21T21:41:00.000-07:00

but oh my goodness, sometimes it's hard to be a mama! So, let's take a deep breath and write down a couple amazing things about my amazing kids! And I'm very happy that they are not yet old enough to usefree dating online yet!

Miss Ivy

finished a full book of Ivy and Bean withing 24 hours of checking it out at the library

took over all of her medicine duties for her canker sores in her mouth. whoever said that childproof caps are made only for children is right

she can wear her pajamas all day and love every single second of it.

Mister Bec

the kid runs on every single cylinder in his body at full tilt from the minute his eyes fly open in the morning

he is my only child that can tell when I'm in a bad mood and may need a kind word or two

he can play with his toys like no other child I have ever seen. the noises that he makes for his trains and cars are like none other as well

Mister Hen

He is starting to talk so much more now, stringing more and more words together

He still takes a nice long nap which lets me snuggle him and take a nice long nap beside him

this kid loves to sing and dance along with his television shows. even if he is super tired, he will jump up and sing and move to the opening of Backyardigans and it makes me smile.

7 things that make Ivy happy

2011-05-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

my dog

my family

my cousins

my babies (stuffed animals)

doing crafts

my polka dot blanket

riding boots

New Zumba

2011-04-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

I ran into an acquaintance on Saturday at the grocery store, not shopping for indoor tv antennas, but for yogurt.

We were chatting and she started telling me about a Zumba class that she takes during the week that is really close to my house. I went today and had a lot of fun. I'm going to try to go again tomorrow and maybe talk my sister into going with me. The music was great and I was sweating like crazy.

had my

2011-03-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

beautiful baby niece over for a play date today. she is just the most perfect baby girl ever. quiet, happy, cute as can be. Stays away from all office equipment and scanner software since she can't crawl yet.

I couldn't ask for more.

just a teensy

2011-03-24T19:04:00.001-07:00

tiny bit of time for quiet before the husband and the baby get home while the girl and the boy are screaming around downstairs.

This is a very happy moment.

My word these kids are loud.

Done List

2011-03-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

Today I have

taken Bec to dental appointment

called Roto Router about a backflow test

called Whirlpool to find out where our water heater part is

ordered flowers to be delivered to Bec's dentist office

updated Chris on Bec's progress today

made Bec 2 bowls of hot cereal and gave him 2 popsicles

gave Bec ibuprofen and calming drops

changed gauze packs for Becken 4 times

called on photo schedule for basketball tonight

made eyelash appointment for tomorrow

made Hendrix ear dr. appt.

worked out for 30 minutes

massaged a knot out of my nephew's back

did not order a plus size bridesmaid dresses

gave becken a bath

arranged for Henry's pick up from my niece

I think that's enough by 7 pm :)

we had such great

2011-03-24T10:35:00.001-07:00

service at the dental office today that I ended up having flowers delivered to their office to thank them. What a huge differece in experiences from our othe place that we went to. When we pulled up to the office today, Bec said, "Yay, I like this dentist. It's the quiet one."

Finally tried

2011-03-03T09:27:00.000-08:00

the much advertised fruit with oatmeal from our neighborhood coffee shop. And, it was gross! But I'm happy that I finally tried it and got it out of my system! Every night for the past few weeks, I see their reader board and think, "I've got to try that"! And now, one more thing off of my mental list.

sparkling dishes

2011-03-01T19:38:00.001-08:00

Well, maybe not sparkling, but I wasn't using the dishwasher this weekend and I set the newly cleaned and rinsed dishes on the counter in the shining window sunlight. It made me happy. Kind of like hanging out laundry to dry, but inside.

It's all me baby!

2011-02-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

I haven't resorted to using diet pills
yet, but I did get some good measurements from my gym weigh in this week!
I lost 3/4 inch in my chest, 1.5 inches in my waist and 2.5 inches in my abs, .5 inch in my hips. I gained an inch in my thighs, calves and arms which is fine by me!

Is it time to tan?

2011-02-25T12:38:00.000-08:00

This weather has been amazing! It's been around 7 degrees with a chance of snow all week, and although there hasn't been any snow at all, it's still nice to be around the cold. That being said, I have been considering using the tanning bed at my gym for a couple of visits. My cousin has been using hers and she looks to much happier. If I wasn't so worried about age spots and skin cancer in the future, I'd be there right now. But, I'm still considering it...

TLC's new puppy

2011-02-25T12:35:00.000-08:00

My partner at the spa is fostering a new little puppy and has been for about 8 weeks now. He was the runt of the litter and only has 3 legs! I haven't seen him for about a week and he came traipsing out of the office today like a big boy! He's gained a lot of weight without the help of hemo rage black
. Just good old puppy food. So cute and rambunctous, just like any other puppy on the market. He is just a doll baby.

I never thought that

2011-02-25T12:31:00.001-08:00

I would look so forward to my dermatologist appointments. The nurse there is very nice and holds my hand while I'm getting my shots. I haven't tried juvederm yet, but there are some days that I think that I'd like to. I have a friend that uses it above her lip where she has a tiny, but deep wrinkle that bothers her quite a bit. Most of the time that I see her, I forget that it is even there or has ever been there.

Another costume

2011-02-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

Last year, or the year before, I posted about how much I loved seeing those people dressed up in the statue of liberty costumes around tax time. Well, this year have you seen all of the enveloopes waving from the intersections? Just more fun to love while driving down the street on my way to work. Now I don't need anything complicated like rv financing
to make me happy. Just a random costume here and there.

Eyelash extensions!!

2011-02-02T20:21:00.000-08:00

I have been addicted to my bathroom vanity today and any other mirror I can come across. Why? Because I got EYELASH EXTENSIONS!!

And I'm in love with them. Chris says that I look like a doe. I'm so happy that I got them done :)

1/27/11

2011-01-27T23:10:00.001-08:00

Today for lunch I made myself one of my favorite meals. A broccoli/egg burrito. I know it sounds gross, but I love it. I make the frozen broccoli. Then I scramble a couple of eggs and put the broccoli in. Today I had a little bit of spinach and I threw that in too. I sprinkle on some cheddar and let it melt. then I scoop it all up in a warm flour tortilla with hot sauce. I could eat this every day. And it's so easy I could make it while talking on my various cell phones
And I will eat it again and again until I run out of broccoli. then it'll be weeks before I have it again because I'll forget to buy broccoli. but when I finally remember, this is the first thing that I make.

Playing hooky

2011-01-18T18:00:00.000-08:00

from basketball tonight. Instead of driving 3 hours to watch my nephew, I had Ivy's dental appointment. I would have loved to go to the game but taking care of the cavities seemed more pressing. I can only imagine what it's going to be like when I have to start thinking about the best acne products for all three of them. I'm going to go nuts. I hope that my sister remembers to text me the scores throughout the game.

1/18/11

2011-01-18T17:52:00.000-08:00

This may seem over the top for a lot of dog owners, but something that has made me happy today is our bark collar for Zel. Hey, at least I'm not writing about colon cleansers!

When we first got her, she would not bark at all. She was so timid that she rarely made a sound. Now that she is much more comfortable with us she has been barking more and more.

The night barking got pretty bad. She sleeps downstairs in her own bathroom, but a couple of weeks ago she started to bark after being put down for the night. Since she wanted to be around us, she would stop barking when I went down to reprimand her and could never catch her in the act. It was soooo frustrating.

We bought one of those collars that sprays them with citronella right when they are barking. I only put it on her at night when she has to go to bed. On the third night I was able to leave it off of her and she still did not bark. It's been a godsend!

Right now

2011-01-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

DH is treating Henry's eczema after his shower, while we are waiting for dinner. It has been wonderful that DH has been having a wonderful route and getting home at a wonderful time each night this week.

On the side table in the dining room is a huge package of zines and indie books just waiting for me to open them and read them. It's one of the best presents I can ever give to myself.

I'll let you know which ones I love. I'm sure there are many treasures.

Saving Henry

2011-01-12T18:24:00.000-08:00

I finished this book on Saturday. It was rough to read as it was about parents and doctors trying to save a little boys' life through stem cell research. Thinking that since I had a little bit of experience with infertility and such, I assumed that I would be able to kind of tolerate and empathize with this family, without being blindsided by the devastating lows that they would go through. I was wrong. It was heartbreaking. I should have researched the most popular diet pills of 2010 instead of reading it. But, I did learn a lot. It's going to haunt me.

I gave it 3 stars.

The Heretic Queen

2011-01-12T18:16:00.000-08:00

Making myself happier, includes reading on a regular basis. I finished The Heretic Queen on Sunday.

It was easy. It kept my attention. I only really read it because it was given to me by a friend at work ( no barcode scanner needed for this book) and some of my other friends had read it. I like anything about ancient Egypt, but now after 3 or so books that are labeled "historical fiction", I don't think that I like that genre very much.

I gave it 3 stars.

Bec 1/8/11

2011-01-09T15:46:00.000-08:00

Last night when we were driving back from a basketball game, Bec tells me that when he is older he is going to fly an airplane to his land. (Africa) He then says, "Mom, will you come with me and sit right in the spot next to me? You will have to hold the globe. Then when I need to find Africa, you can hand it to me, so I can find Africa and not get lost." As long as he had an HDTV set up for the flight, I'm going with him!

Becken 1/6/11

2011-01-09T15:43:00.000-08:00

My niece Jaiya, Ivy and Becken were playing at my mom's house this week. While in their playroom, Bec saw a globe by the glass tile in the window and showed Jaiya (12) where Africa is. He said, This is my land Jaiya. Then Ivy says, "Becken, what was your Africa mommy's name?" Then Bec replies, "I'm not sure that I remember, but I think it was Cindy."

Where does he come up with these things?

The cooties

2010-12-27T10:24:00.000-08:00

My kids have cooties. At least, that's what they tell me they have.

Ivy came into my room this morning all squiggly with her shirt off. She says, "mom, I have the cooties again! Yep, I'm all itchy on my skin so I have the cooties"!
Then she takes off the rest of her pj's, throwing them on my rustic furniture for me to scratch her back.

Weekly Challenge 12/19-25

2010-12-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

I subscribe to an online organizing newsletter that gives challenges every week to accomplish. These are to help to organize and clean all areas of your life. I started doing the challenges in a hit and miss fashion last year, but this year, I really hope to do them weekly.

This past week I was supposed to donate a minimum of 10 things to charity. And I think that I took 3 bags worth. It felt great to get that stuff out of my house before the new deluge comes in with Christmas tomorrow. Let's hope Bec doesn't end up with an engine driven pumps in his stocking.

My first week is done! On to week 2!

Not a hoarder :)

2010-12-08T15:01:00.000-08:00

I'm reading a fascinating book on hoarding called, "Stuff". It is so interesting. Some people could even use a life insurance quote to use for all of their stuff falling onto their kids ! And it has the added benefit of inspiring me to take a break from reading and get rid of stuff. I told my mom that I think I'm the opposite of a hoarder, more of a purger. I feel the best after I have sorted through a certain area, bagged up stuff to donate, then actually take it to Goodwill or wherever it needs to go. That last part is key, actually getting it out of my space. It feels so freeing. So, before work today, I went to the used book store to trade in books, dropped off a sack of hand me downs to a friend and then took bags to Goodwill. I can breathe easier now :)

I love

2010-11-25T20:43:00.001-08:00

to write on my hands. If people even try to hand me a piece of paper, I'll refuse it. The only way that I will really remember to accomplish something important. It has to be written on the palm of my hand. And sometimes, if I really think that I might forget, I'll write it on the top of my hand too. Sometimes I use my smartphone like the htc sense but that always makes it slip my mind

surprise

2010-11-23T14:23:00.001-08:00

I may need to begin shopping for prom dresses! My brother said that there is talk of throwing a 40 birthday party for me and a 60 birthday party for my step dad this April. Not too sure if it will pan out, I was actually hoping for a low key day this year, but who knows?

Black Friday

2010-11-23T14:20:00.000-08:00

I love it when you think that you know someone really well, and then they throw you a curveball. My friend for a million years just confessed to me that she loves Black Friday. she would be the absolute last person I would expect to be out on that day. but, lo and behold, she surprises me.

funny

2010-11-20T09:25:00.001-08:00

I was telling Chris this morning that we have a sick Becken. I said, "He has a icky throat, cough and his nose is sick." I didn't put in that he should reduce belly fat Becken pipes in, "Don't forget the cootie!" So I added, "Yes, he also has the cooties." Too funny.

Henry

2010-11-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

Hendrix's favorite person in the whole wide world teaches in our 3 year old room. She sent me these photos (posted below) this morning and texted that Henry now says he is 3 and is refusing to go to 2s. :) He gets dropped off with her and then eats lunch with her in her class. Good thing she isn't using best proven weight loss pills, otherwise he wouldn't be liking to share her food!

4x4

2010-11-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

just got this from my friend Jenn Emmerson, and thought I'd pass it along. anyone else want to participate?
1. 4 Places I spend $. Goodwill, Walmart, Safeway, Borders and a page to visit next Feburary may take some of my money as well
2. 4 Favorite smells: new make up, johnson and johnson baby wash/lotion, good food cooking & patchouli incense
3. 4 People I think will respond the quickest: n/a
4. 4 TV shows I like to watch: Law and Order SVU, Glee, LA Ink, Flipping Out

making myself feel better

2010-11-08T15:55:00.000-08:00

with a list of today's accomplishments since I feel so very unmotivated:

got ivy to school on time
worked out
put in 2 hours at daycare
picked up ivy on time
separated avon order
not checking insurance quotes

at least I've done somethings...

Bat princess

2010-10-29T19:28:00.000-07:00

Dropping the girl off at school today, I noticed many princesses heading into class. A cinderella with plastic glass slippers. A pink princess with a long train coming from her hat. And then there was my kid. Long black dress with clip in bat ears and dark smokey make up. If I would have had a choice, she is the one I would have picked. I like having the odd one. She is a leader.

Mario and Luigi

2010-10-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

Bec and his best friend dressed up like Mario and Luigi today. They both love the Mario games so the costumes are right up their alley. Those two could be twins. It was neat to see them hanging out together at preschool. Super cute.

Back from CA

2010-10-27T14:03:00.001-07:00

But man did I miss my boys. This morning Bec said to me,
"Mom is your heart fixed cuz you came home from Disneyland? Cuz my heart is all fixed now."
I love this guy so much.

Release date!

2010-10-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

Just picked up the new Kat Von D book! I'm only a day late and I used a 33% off coupon. Lots of amazing reading and studying hours for less than $13. The book is waiting on my bathroom sink for me to climb into the tub and read it tonight!

And Friday is the beginning of dress up weekend for Halloween.

This is exciting!

Disney Princesses

2010-10-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

Being around all of the princesses the last couple of days has me wondering and thinking about which one is my favorite. Ivy really likes Ariel, and from the cartoon, I'd guess that Belle would be my favorite because she loves to read like I do.

But, although she isn't a princess, my favorite character would have to be Mary Poppins. We saw her a couple of times at the park today and I was enchanted. I'd love to be her for Halloween one year. I wonder if they sell the costume somewhere? She was wearing the white dress and hat that ties under the chin with red accents. Pretty.

bread and chocolate

2010-10-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

croissants with chocolate baked inside. YUM!!
I had one in the Seattle airport yesterday morning. Then I had one at the La Brea bakery this morning on our way into Disneyland. YUM!!
The Seattle one was better by far, but I'm not going to pass up the CA one tomorrow or the next day. We are having a very nice time. Not a Branson vacations but a Disney vacation is just fine by me.
I can breathe a sigh of relaxation for the first time in a very long time.
Sigh.

Is there any better smell

2010-10-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

than Johnson and Johnson's baby lotion? I think not.
My baby niece wears it after every bath and it smells like heaven to me. So, today I dug through an old diaper bag and found a trial size to use on my boys. Right now my hands smell so wonderful. I love it.
Chris said that when he was little his parents used to put the baby oil in the tub. Too bad I couldn't throw some in our jacuzzi to help with some stress relief! Along that line, too bad we don't have a Jacuzzi. :)

we have a dog

2010-09-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

she has been with us for about a month and she is wonderful. there is a huge story to go along with her (isn't there always when you add a family member)
she is cute and sweet and although she is another responsibility, I really look forward to seeing her every day. And I'm kind of surprised.
Took her to the vet for her SD card, which is more like a chip for them to scan if she gets lost. That's how much we love her already.

junk

2010-09-26T14:38:00.001-07:00

food! quarter pounder with cheese with extra pickles and extra onions baby!! perfect Sunday lunch as far as I"m concerned :)

Add into that, eating said lunch while dreaming about an ipad. Also eating lunch while working with my netbook that I love but want to upgrade to an ipad. While watching dvr'ed Law and Order on our television. Each day, I consider how lucky I am.

One for the afternoon

2010-09-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

The older two are at a birthday party. The baby is home with us. We have taken a walk to eat our lunch and walked back. Our service at lunch involved someone who was working on a sales career. We have napped and watched television. We ask each other if this is what one child feels like. We kind of can't wrap our minds around it. We are enjoying him. We are missing the others.

Nana's nightgowns

2010-09-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

Today was a day where I looked forward to putting everyone to bed. Most of all myself. After my bath, I put on a jewel toned, beautiful green nightgown that was my nana's, never once wondering ' do diet pills work' because my mind is so relaxed. I have many of her night gowns from over the years, but the ones that I have gotten from her estate are especially comfortable. A few times a week I will wear one and it always is comfortable and it always makes me feel better.

Holy Smokes my kids are loud

2010-09-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

But now, since we have been in our new bigger, much loved, bigger house, they aren't even as close to as loud as they used to be. Even if they took some hgh supplements, I don't think that they could be any louder! The designated noisy areas are in the basement and in the backyard which, are a nice ways away from where I usually am. It's just nice to have some distance before the soundwaves hit my ear drums.

A nanny

2010-09-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

I wish. But, since I'm laid up this weekend and I have a woman staying in my home and caring for my children, I'm pretending that I have a nanny. I love it.

The 4 year old isn't having it though. He keeps sneaking away to 'wash his hands' or 'find a car' and then he ends up in my room and won't leave. He really misses his dad. He really misses his brother who is staying with a friend of mine. But, for now he is asleep and I'm living the nanny dream.

Sigh

Jack Frost Cold Pack

2010-09-03T20:50:00.000-07:00

In my recouperation kit from dental surgery today, they put in one of those cold packs that you snap and shake to make cold. I am in LOVE with it!

I'm supposed to pack for 20 minutes then rest my face for 20 minutes. So guess how long the cold lasts? 20 minutes!! And then guess how long it takes to chill in the refridgerator before I can use it again? Yep, 20 minutes.

It's so cool when things work like that!

Another one from B

2010-08-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

One of Henry's favorite people in the world calls him "Henrique". So, in Bec's mind, and his variation of it is, "Henry K". It's so cute when he is wandering around the house calling, "henry K, henry K, where are you?" The things that this kid comes up with! there are times that I wouldn't even be shocked if he started spouting off rv insurance quotes compared to the other things that come out of his mouth.

grilled green chiles

2010-08-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

from the garden of my sis in law, charred on her bbq and put on to my chicken breast sandwich. Sooooo good. I love green chiles! And we got extra to bring home. So YUM you guys! A nice night, although it was pretty windy. The kids playing in the yard with the dog. My brother in law smoking cigars on the deck. me not having to cook.

lemonade cookies

2010-08-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

actually iced lemonade cookies. The box/bag says that the old favorites have returned. they never used to be a favorite, but this summer, I cannot get enough.

They are so sour/sweet that they almost taste salty. YUM Hopefully they don't cause anything bad for me like Mesothelioma or anything else serious. Probably just some tooth decay and a few extra calories.

the old scooby doo

2010-08-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

one of the favorite dvds that the kids own, is a collection of "spookiest" original scooby doo episodes.
We watch the new cartoons. We watch the movies with the real actors and sometimes the new series. Which are all ok.
But the original cartoon is where my heart is at. I remember watching them and being scared as a kid. I remember that I had a scooby doo coloring book and that I always wanted to be Daphne. But I've always wanted her to have dark hair.

playdate

2010-08-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

Ivy has one of her friends over, who is also a cousin. they are only about 6 weeks apart and it is so cute to actually hear Ivy be a kid. Instead of a bossy big sister. They are pretending to be dogs, vampires, werewolves. They have made a fort and are in the process of making a picnic/tea party. I wonder if when they are grown if they will vacation together too? Possibly a Branson vacation package? So cute!

today I'm happy for

2010-08-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

indoor running water. My preteen niece and my daughter needed a ride to the movies today and were wearing perfume. Which, I am allergic to. Which gave me a huge migraine. Not happy stuff.

But after a bath/shower and lots of rinsing and coconut hypoallergenic shampoo, I can be in the same room as my daughter.

Farmville, Yes, I did

2010-08-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big television watcher. And I'm really not big on movies. Taking time out to read is my favorite passtime, but that doesn't happen often enough to keep me sane. So facebook, and farmville really let me find some downtime. Even if the kids are home. Simple, quick, but all for me.

door hooks

2010-08-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

today while the kids were at swim lessons, I had to use the restroom. on the back of the door was a hook to use for my purse or jacket if I had had one.

I hadn't noticed how great hooks were until I was hauling a diaper bag around. I really didn't want to set that on the floor. And now if a bathroom has a hook, it has my gratitude.

happy to be surrounded

2010-08-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

by friends. For a shoulder to lean on, arms to hug and ears to listen, I have amazing friends at each job that I go to. And amazing friends in town and out of town. They make the stressful times so much better.

dooce

2010-07-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

for those of you that read dooce, have you been reading lately? Her post about her birthday makes me laugh through tears. Here's a quote that still makes my stomach hurt from laughing. (I'm now doing some editing and thinking about
Asus and I'm still crying reading this quote)

"What would you have done in this situation?
Right.
That's what I thought.
I slammed the door, had a heart attack, died, came back to life, and then ran screaming down two flights of stairs. SC-RAH-HEAMING. It just kept coming out of my mouth involuntarily. I couldn't stop it: AAAAAHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHHH-HHHHHHHH!
The whole time thinking OH MY GOD I FOUND THE MYTHICAL BOBCAT"

My God she makes me laugh.

So much happiness

2010-07-23T21:49:00.000-07:00

I have a beautiful new niece. I'm eating tom yum goong soup. more on both later. Happy birthday to my niece with no name. She was born 5 weeks early, is home now, named, and her mom doesn't need power wheels to get around anymore. Life is great.

not happy night

2010-07-16T00:22:00.000-07:00

but, although the night was horrible, my brother J came to my rescue. And having that man in my life makes me happy. I wish he didn't think blogging was so nerdy or I'd send him this link.

Being sick II

2010-07-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

Feeling much better, but not back to normal yet. I was thinking about things to be happy about while being sick with this cold, and one thing keeps coming to mind. I'm happy that I know I will get better. It's a cold. Or it's allergies, or pms or pregnancy or something else that resolves. I'm so grateful that I haven't had anything chronic or terminal to deal with in my own health or the health of my kids. There are medications. There are treatments. There are natural fat burners to help when I go on a diet.
And that makes me happy.

Being Sick

2010-07-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

Isn't something to be happy about, but this quote from Bec is.
He knows that I stayed home today with a cold. While he was eating dinner tonight he says,
"So Mom, how was your day and your sleep today?" I tell him, "Well babe, I missed you, but I didn't feel so well with my cold."

He says, "Well, you still look pretty."

This boy loves his Ma!

Maybe he'll run a customer service department at wholesale distributors or someplace. He has the charming skills.

funny forward from a friend

2010-07-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Tech Support,

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such asRomance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such asNBA 5.0,NFL 3.0 andGolf Clubs 4.1. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system. And it continually suggests my use of lipofuze reviews for weight loss.
Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.What can I do?

Signed,
Desperate

*******************************************
DEAR DESPERATE,

First, keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system. Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme.html and try to download Tears 6.2 and do not forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update. If that application works as designed, Husband1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5. However, remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5, Happy Hour 7.0 or Beer 6.1. Please note that Beer 6. 1 is a very bad program that will download the Farting and Snoring Loudly Beta. Whatever you do, DO NOT under any circumstances install Mother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your system resources.) In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0. In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend:Cooking 3.0 andHot Lingerie 7.7.

Good Luck Babe!

Tech Support

following

2010-06-21T21:19:00.000-07:00

I have finally updated my blogs that I love to follow on a regular basis, not including the clinicalliex review blog, which I could do without.
Before the following feature on blogger, I used to just click on each link and then get extremely irritated when the blog post wasn't new. Especially if it had been a while and if I really loved the blog/writer. It was pretty irrational and I hate to admit how much it bugged me.

But that was the past baby! Practically ever day there are updates from my faves. Personal blogs, blogs that only show illustrations, blogs that give tutorials, they are all there. With almost no work on my part. Smile!

Today is Father's Day

2010-06-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

But today, I feel like I'm the one that has walked away with the gift.

During a mid morning lull, I sat down with henry and started to watch the pilot episode of LA Ink, not including any motorhome insurance commercials, since it was on netflix. He fell asleep in my lap which is something he has rarely done.

so, I had an uninterrupted hour of sitting on the couch, watching a show that I love with my sleeping baby on my lap. Heaven was mine for an hour today.

Glee

2010-06-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

Watching Glee for the first time ever! I'm cracking up and singing along. I rented the first two discs for the weekend but I'm thinking that I'll end up getting another before Sunday. That cheer coach is insane. :)

(Well, the kids came in and hijacked the tv, so I'm heading to the tub to soak in some super hot, healing, calming water in the dark with some candles. That sounds pretty happy alright!)

Alice In Wonderland

2010-06-07T21:20:00.001-07:00

I'm not a big movie fan, but I really enjoyed this one. We just bought the combo pack on Friday and are just sitting down tonight to watch it. Finally.
I wasn't sure if I remembered the scary parts, so I didn't want to watch it with them. Hopefully, I'll be able to share some of it with them. It's just so pretty. The costumes, including the riding boots are a visual feast!

Vodka and tonic

2010-06-06T22:03:00.000-07:00

I'd never had this cocktail before this summer. One of my girlfriends ordered it during a girl's only lunch and I had to try it. MMMMMM LOVE! Mandarin vodka and tonic water. Very refreshing. I had another one recently while Chris and I were out to lunch. He liked it too. Which is very uncommon for both of us to like the same drink. Anyhow, by chance, I thought to pick up some tonic water at the store tonight. Let's say that due to these 2 ingredients, PMS isn't kicking my butt anymore today. That = happiness.

a little piece of heaven....

2010-06-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

in my backyard.

This makes me happy. I love rain--it's cozy. I love this teeny-tiny haven...my personal get-away.

Adding more jibber jabber

2010-06-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

Mr. Baby is talking! Last week he said, "Cheese" when we were taking his picture. Yesterday he said, "Bec" which sounds like "Beh" and it is the cutest thing. He even says a version of Ivy that we really think is "Ivy" but sounds more like "Ahhh" with the inflection of Ivy. But as far a the volume of words spoken, Chris and Bec take the gold in our family. Doesn't matter if they are giving diet pill reviews or recaps of Diego, those two talk up a storm.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

2010-06-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite kids movies. I was so thankful when Ivy picked it out at the movie store tonight. She and Bec also picked out Mario Galaxy 2 which they are trying to figure out.

Our routine is that after they are ready for bed, they climb into the covers and I put on a movie. They switch nights that they get to pick. Anyway, back to BHC, the part that cracks me up is when Rachael is reprimanding Sam the gardener about his dog, saying, "Muy bad. Muy muy bad! Mucho naughty!" Every time that part comes on I laugh and then for a couple of days afterwards, I say that to the kids when they act up. They crack up too. Plus, I love the main actress who I totally cannot think of her name, oh, Jamie Lee Curtis! You can tell that woman uses eye creams that work. She looks so amazing.

Mission accomplished

2010-05-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

My piles and piles and piles of laundry are done. I could add on a few more piles in there to make it more realistic. Like I had taken a series of Philadelphia jobs and saved all my laundry to wash back home in WA.
At every point when I thought I could see the end in sight, more laundry would emerge. Changing both of the kids' beds. Finding Chris' laundry still in the closet.

But, I made it through and it's done. And I'm very happy about that.

Daddy's Girlfriend

2010-05-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

So the title to this may not seem like a happy thing but listen to this story:

While I ran into the grocery store for a few things, Chris drove across the parking lot with the kids to put gas in the car. The attendant was a woman that usually works as a checker inside the store and they were talking while Chris paid the bill. When they got into the car, Bec asked, "Daddy, is that your girlfriend?" Chris said, "No, she isn't my girlfriend." Bec says, "So, you don't have a girlfriend?" Chris says, "I have a girlfriend and it's Mommy." Bec asks, "My mommy?" Chris says, "Yes, your mommy." Bec thinks about this for a bit and says, "Karianne?" Chris says, "Your mommy is my girlfriend and after we had you and Ivy, then she turned into my wife." I wonder if I need some of the best eye cream for dark circles? Is that why Bec doesn't think I'm a worthy gf for his daddy?

I still don't think that Bec believed any of it.

Watching weight

2010-05-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

So, after being inspired by Katie and her explanation on the weight watchers points system, I signed up yesterday. And it's hard for me. And, I'm not sure how long I will last on it. Sometimes I'd like to find easy weight loss supplements instead.

But, the happy part about all of this is all that I'm learning! I'm addicted to the web page and am continually looking up recipes, foods and workouts. That part is very fun.

I'm not a big eater in the morning, but around noon, all the way through to dinner time I'm a hungry lady. I have to work on that. But, it's fun to challenge myself.

The timing for all of this is great this week. Mondays and Tuesdays are normally very good days for me to be motivated and to get things done. Wed-Friday, not so much. Any time PMS is involved, it's worse. So, let's take it day to day huh?

Spending time

2010-05-25T15:11:00.001-07:00

Have you ever really thought about how you "spend" your time, just like money? I was thinking about this recently. Just the way that the wording plays out in real life. Yes, sometimes I think way too much about odd things.

Anyway, this weekend I spent my time very happily and wisely as far as I'm concerned. I drove to another part of the state to visit Melissa and meet up with Katie. Talk about a wonderful weekend and time very well spent in terms of my well being. These two are certified diamonds in my life.
Talking with friends, sleeping through the night and driving by myself did wonders to renew my spirit.

I feel even more in love with my life because of the way the time was spent. Wow, it's Tuesday and I'm still in a good mood!!

Love you guys!

Yes, You Can Make Homemade Bread

2010-05-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

Baking bread makes me happy, mostly because other people enjoy freshly baked bread so much. :)

Basic Italian Bread Recipe, by Katiefucious

1 Tbsp (or 1 packet) yeast
2 cups warm milk (the fattier the better--I find buttermilk works wonderfully)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp salt
5 cups flour

**If you're using a bread machine, add the warm milk and yeast and let them sit for about five minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed. Use the dough setting. Add flour as needed, if the dough sticks to the sides.

**If you're mixing it by hand, do much the same thing, but knead the resulting dough with your hands for about ten minutes until it's smooth and not too sticky. A nice bread dough will feel soft and not lumpy. It will be doughy, but won't stick to everything. Add flour as needed. When the dough is nice and smooth, take out a large bowl and grease the sides and bottom of it with olive oil. Put the dough into the bowl and roll it around to make sure it is covered with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel. Let dough rise until doubled in size--about an hour or so.

When the dough has risen, punch it down and remove it from the bread machine or bowl. Separate it into two lumps, and shape them into your loaves. Put the loaves on an ungreased baking surface like a cookie sheet or pan--you can put them both on the same cookie sheet if there is enough room between them. There should be at least six or eight inches between them or they will stick to each other after they rise.

Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for another hour or so. If you can find a sunbeam, that works very well! The dough will rise until almost double in size again. If it doesn't rise quite that much, don't get frustrated.

When the dough is almost finished rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Depending on how you've shaped the loaves, baking time will vary. I check the loaves while they are baking. It will probably take at least 20 minutes, so maybe set your timer for 20 min and then check it every five minutes afterwards. When the outside of the loaf is a nice warm brown color--not too dark--the bread will be done.

Sometimes I roll out the dough and cut it into strips to make breadsticks. They are really really really really really good. Yummmmm.

Chocolate Chess Pie

2010-05-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

I just made my first Chocolate Chess Pie and I'm in love. Chocolate pie is my favorite so I was excited to try this one. I took out a book from the library, titled simply, "Pie" It has over 300 recipes in it. I'm looking for a used copy on ebay that will be somewhat affordable. Anyway, I used a refrigerated crust, but I partially baked it according to the recipe.

OMG!! What a difference it made with the bottom crust. It took longer, a lot more watching, but it is so good! I can't wait for Chris to try it.

slumber

2010-05-15T00:56:00.000-07:00

having myself and each of my family members fall asleep and stay asleep for the duration of the night. at all around the same time. That would be heaven. And at this point, an unattainable dream. Sigh. There is no need for any plus size lingerie in this house. Double sigh.

junk food and play places

2010-05-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

Since I"m on my own for the weekend with the kiddos, I've been trying to think of things to do to get us out of the house and keep us busy. And to keep them away from the variety of electronics that I let them use during the week.

tonight we are meeting friends at McDonalds, where Chris doesn't like to eat. With the play place, the kids will go nuts and run around. me and tish will pass the baby back and forth, giving me a break from him breaking my arm off holding him.

Time to go!

clothes time

2010-05-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

It's time to break out the shorts and tanks around this place. Some may be hip hop clothes, flowing dresses or bathing suits, but a change of body coverings is in order.

Any reason to jazz up my look, or do something different is cause for a smile in my book. I spent the afternoon looking at goodwill for some original attire, but didn't find anything that I would spend my $ on. Next off, it's heading to the basement to figure out what I already have!

large leaps

2010-05-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

and small steps. The house has started to become more "us". We have had some major painting done, replaced some furniture and now we are having the outside painted. With each little personalization, (not including the new basement dehumidifier into that category) the house becomes ours.

But, I'm noticing more that it is the little things that really make it feel like home. I'm thinking about when I went to the basement and brought up some art prints I had done a while back. I set them up in our bedroom. They don't match. It doesn't "add" anything to the room from a design point. But each night when I fall asleep and look at them, I feel at home.

New Job!!!

2010-05-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Joel got offered another part time job! Yippee! And it could possible grow into full time. We will see! Oh so happy and proud of him!

Given the "Okay"

2010-04-25T06:25:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, I was having so much anxiety. The pressure of deadlines looming without any ideas is one of the most helpless feeling an artist can have. You begin to doubt everything.

THANKFULLY, I'm now on the other side. I just got word from the freelance boss that he loves the look. . . and even better, so do I! I still have more design to do, but it will all be based on what I just did. So I'm feeling ready to conquer this project, get my money, and go on vacation in June. WHOO HOO! Time to kick it in high gear!

A grandbaby for tlc

2010-04-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

My partner at work is a grandma! Last week her son and his girlfriend had a sweet little boy that I cannot wait to see photos of. I keep telling her to take a break from giving facials, massages and back acne treatments to download some pictures, but she hasn't yet. She promised me some today. It's been almost a week. You'd think I would have seen some by now!!

I'm counting this as a success

2010-04-20T12:34:00.001-07:00

My mom told me that Ivy was watching cartoons at her house the other day. After a few episodes (which may or may not have included a noxycut ad), Ivy stood up and told my mom, "Whew! Mema, that is enough t.v! I need to draw or something!" I'd like to think that must have something to do with homeschool art, don't ya think?

Gum

2010-04-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what I would do without gum to keep me alert at work. Some people have coffee. I chew. I've been loving these new fruit flavors from Extra lately. Berry Smoothie, Strawberry Banana, Sweet Watermelon. Mmmmm! So good.

YUM

2010-04-11T18:48:00.000-07:00

You can't see the image very well, but this is a Lindt chocolate bar with chili. This is the only candy bar I have bought for myself since buying one in January. Delish. Can't really even tell you how good it is.

Tonight Chris came home from Target and had brought one home for me. Sweet.

Seeing my own doctor

2010-04-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

or her assistant. This infection isn't resolving and I'd like to find out what is going on. I've put off going back to the e.r. so I can see my doctor tomorrow. It's taken about all of my will to not call her at home and I'm proud that I haven't. But let me tell ya, tomorrow coming closer has me very happy at this point!

I'm one day closer

2010-04-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

to being done with taking the kids to basketball on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Right about this time in the season, I seriously think about taking them out. They wouldnt know the difference and I just dread getting them ready, being there and then getting them home. I'd so much rather be doing blackhead removal on myself than being driver for those 2. But,
Regardless, I'm one day closer. :)

New Pants

2010-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I went to Dillard's because I had a little bit left on a gift card from Christmas, and I desperately needed some new pants for work. It was a reward of sorts for dropping a size. My old work pants weren't fitting as well and were never that comfortable. I was also looking for something that was more in the business casual classification. I only own business or casual—nothing in between.

So I was a little annoyed because I couldn't find my gift card. However I went ahead and looked. And I found 2 pair of khakis (one dark brown, one tan) that were my new size, petite length, AND on sale for—get this—$9 a piece! Whooo hooo!

I've been wearing them for a week, and I'm loving them. They aren't necessarily the most stylish with the waist line hitting me above my belly button, but they are comfortable and go with all my tops. (And it is much better than showing my butt crack when I sit down!) Plus I have a pair of business casual shoes that work perfect with the pants. They are basically sneakers but they look nicer. With these, I can go for walks at lunch.

AND one final thing, I washed and dried them and they didn't shrink. Perfect. Maybe now I won't be depressed when Casual Friday is canceled due to a client visit. I have something almost as good at jeans. :)

When things get easier

2010-04-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

This year for Easter, things have went smoothly. When Chris and I were first together and new parents, any holiday was cause for a huge fight that would last before and after the actual day. for awhile there, I thought that this would never change.

But here and there, there were signs of improvement. Like slowly waiting for acne body wash to improve your appearance. And today was a sure sign of pure happiness in our family. I think that he has gotten to the point of letting go of the house and of being the "host" when my family comes over. He can be himself, let our house be like it is on any other day and just sit back and enjoy the company without having to stress about things being perfect. It makes all of our lives so much easier.

And I've learned to let go of his behaviour. Just let him do what he needs to to feel comfortable and in control, while going on with my own business. Maybe this is what it is all about

Happiness is...

2010-04-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

being parents again! We got the call on Thursday that we were selected to be the parents for Maria age 7 and Alex age 5. They are bi-racial and beautiful!!!! We go on Friday the 9th for our initial meeting with the social workers, foster parents and specialists. We will from there set up 3 or 4 visits with the kiddos and hopefully bring them home the beginning of June. We will post pics as soon as we can. YAY!!!!

Saw my nana today

2010-04-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

and she looked amazing! She was sitting up and talking. I brushed her hair, pulled it back out of her face. She told me that I had to use the hard brush because she has a hard head! I told her that she needed a headband. She then asked if it would be an Indian headband! I told her no, a headband like Ivy wears. And lo and behold, Miss Ivy walked in with a bunny headband on! When I left her to rest, she was wearing bunny ears. What a great visit. And I got photos :) Check my facebook for the evidence.

Happiness is...

2010-03-30T19:46:00.000-07:00

Our daughter's report card consisted of three A+'s, two A's; and two B's. So very proud of our Emma. Good Job Baby Girl!!!

Someone who wants to work

2010-03-25T21:27:00.000-07:00

Our house needs a lot of little things done to it to make it feel more like "ours". The main updating of major things like electrical systems, etc have been done. But, the decor has been described to me as, "Um, Karianne, 1983 called and it needs it's wallpaper back." So true.

Chris of course, can barely handle any of this on any given day, so right after we signed for the house, he tackled his bathroom. Now, he doesn't have the time to really do anything around the house, but his bathroom is painted. He removed the wallpaper using minor industrial products
and took down the fixtures. S L O W G O I N G.

I hired a friend of mine to paint the main bathroom and trim. It looks gorgeous and she only charged us $100 and that included the paint. HEAVENLY!!

But the best is that she called me tonight and said that while we are away on a little trip in the near future, she could come in and re do our kitchen cabinets! I'm over the moon about this. Don't worry, I'm taking photos to share before and afters with you all. I hope that it turns out as great as we think.

Happiness is...

2010-03-24T20:50:00.001-07:00

Having three referrals for kiddos all at the same time and two of them within driving distance of Karianne so we might get to meet sometime soon. I cannot wait to meet this special friend!

Happiness is...

2010-03-22T10:56:00.001-07:00

My baby girl taking 2nd place in dance competetions...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXG8cCXbPY4

Such a pround momma!