do you even LOOK at me??

I often will get home after being out with Donovan and find some odd thing on my face or in my hair.  More times than I can count I will get home and find food in my teeth. 

So while cleaning my makeup brushes tonight I decided to do an experiment.  I drew a big mole on my face and waited to see how long it would take Donovan to notice.   I planned on increasing the size every 30 minutes or so and see how long it took for him to notice.  I was going to take a picture each time I increased the size. 

This is the only picture I got to take!  

As soon as I walked into the room Isabella says "eeeeew, you have a huge zit!" and I tried to hush her but then Zach chimed in "I want to see the zit!  Where's the zit?  Can I see your zit?" and by then Donovan heard about it.

So I guess I need to rely on Isabella to tell me about random things on my face from now on. 

Hell

After visiting Disneyland I now know what hell is like. 

Everyone stands too close to me.
Everyone has bad breath.
Everyone stops in the middle of WALKways.

That's what I feel a small part of hell is like.

mincing words

Do you mince your words?

I do.  ALLLLL the time. 

Today's was good, and it was only in my head.  "hmmm, if it's cold enough today I can use the seated heats."  Yep, that's how my brain works.  BACKWARDS!

My never ending wish list

Do you have a HUGE to do list?    I do!

I would like to:
replace all of the baseboards
remodel master bath
remodel the kids bathroom
replace downstairs bath tile
finish the back yard
paint living room walls, we are normally DIYers but the cathedral ceilings scare me to pieces!
paint all of the interior doors
concrete on the front porch
tile front porch
remove planter in front yard
put in mow curb in front yard
remove dead tree in front yard

We are hopefully going to get some concrete soon, so I can check one thing off my list.  Sigh...so much more to do. 

Well hello there!

It's been a long time.  As my friend Nicole loves to tell me!  We had a great weekend, yesterday we went to IKEA.  I love that place!  The only bummer was that Isabella is too tall for the kids play area.  : ( 

We have been doing homework at the kitchen table since Isabella started kindergarten and with all the papers they are given our kitchen table was often a complete mess!  So we decided to take a small area in the playroom and make it into a homework area.  

 Here is the area before.  I left it open because the kids used to sit in front of the bins and play.  Don't look at my messy closet.  That's in the schedule for this week!

 Here is my hardworking hubs putting things together.  He HATES this part!

 Hutch is helping.

 Almost done!  Putting together the bar stools.

 That bin has been sitting on my kitchen counter for 4 years.  I am so excited to have my kitchen counter back!  Now I just have to clean it out.  uggg

The kids are so happy!  They are playing school, they have played games and put together a puzzle. 

Easter love

This Easter was one of the best Easter's ever!  We had a great time as a family, and had a blast with my extended family.  My cousins and I talked make-up and nails, we looked at old pictures and best of all I beat my brother in ping pong.  Awesome.

My favorite part of the day was the church service, it was like a Broadway play.  I was truly amazed.  I also loved that my mom got my kids bibles and they loved them!  Both took them to bed with them! 

Of course I have to talk about something funny that one of the kids said.  Zach was sitting at the kids table and my mom says "Zach, will you come over here so we can say grace?" and Zach replies "I'm gonna stay here but can you bring me some grapes?"  he thought she wanted to give him some grapes!  I love this kid!

pfft

Is what I said last night during dinner.

I ate my dinner and had some left on my plate so I set it on the ground and let the dogs finish it for me. Donovan and the kids and I are chatting and Isabella and Zach can't finish their food so I took a little big off each of their plates to make it easier for them to finish. I put it on my plate. About 5 minutes later I got bored and had a bite off my plate. Than another bite. And lastly, a third. Then I remember that the dogs licked off this plate.

pfft
pfft
pfft
(how I think I sound when I spit)

do you have...

a closet or drawer where you just throw things when you get a phone call where someone says those 3 dreaded words "I'm coming over"?

As of 8:00 this morning I did. Now, at 11:45 I don't! I took everything out and put it in little piles for similar items. I threw a lot away and donated a TON!


I can't believe I am showing this:

This is the living room where I had my piles:

Here is the donate pile:

All done! I finally have a spot for the vacuum and suitcase, they both were hanging out in the hallway before.

In the back is stuff I need but I don't really access, the 2 bins are crafting boxes and our beach towels/sunscreen in the blue bin and my Hello Kitty swim bag.

On the left are little bins that are organized and labeled. Magnets, glitter, ribbon, tools, glues etc. The big bin on the bottom is gift bags that we have gotten at birthday parties that I re-use, all my wrapping paper and the tall bin is birthday ribbons and smaller gift bags. The green box is greeting cards and there is ribbon hanging on the wall with a pair of scissors all ready to go!

Now all I have to do is figure out where all the stuff I took out is going to go and keep it looking just like this!

My $7 kitchnen cabinet remodel

I love shows on the Do It Yourself Network and HGTV. I love seeing when they use beautiful open cabinets or glass doors. This is my idea of a beautiful cabinet. Everything matching and organized.



Mine look like this:



Mis-matched everything. Cheap Wal Mart dishes, Donovan's favorite Super Smurf mug, my lovely Starbucks coffee cups, wine glasses that we have never used.

I don't particularly like it so I thought about how I could make it better. Scrap book paper! I bought 6 sheets of $.99 paper and cut them up to fit. I even hid the seams behind the panes (it's so hard to type when I am patting myself on the back at the same time!) I am so happy with how they turned out and I can change them when I get tired of them or when I want to change the color of my kitchen!



here is the close up of the pattern:



What do you think?

half ass hugs

What's the point of giving a hug when you barely even touch the person? If you don't want to hug, don't! I have cousin, his name is Jarred he is 20 years old and he is the best hugger ever. He could crack a rib! Everyone should hug like that.

Zach's funny for today

My truck stinks, I'm not sure why. I'm sure there is a rogue chicken nugget somewhere, perhaps it is the funk of my children who play hard. Anywho, I get in my truck a few days ago and I say "ugh, it stinks in here!" and Zach immediately and without skipping a beat says "wasn't me!" that kid cracks me up!

annoyance

I'm a good wife.

I cook a good dinner most nights of the week.
I keep as clean of a house as my kids will allow.
I grocery shop.
I do all the laundry.
I iron.

Here is what my husband's laundry looks like:



I washed it, hung it to dry and then ironed. Making sure to hang it up nicely so it doesn't crease weird.

So last night I went to a photo shoot and asked Donovan to finish the load of laundry that was in the washing machine.

Here's what I found today:



Ugh, is it hard to hang up one shirt?! Now I have to re-wash it because of the weird creases. Ugh.

End rant.

It's not me, it's you

No really.

I love it when girls pull them drama card and then blame you for it. When strangely they have so many failed friendships, they don't talk to their sister, their marriage is in trouble.

Nope, not my problem!

pancakes

If you give a 5 year old pancakes
He will probably ask for syrup
Then he will drip that syrup on the table
And then put his napkin on it
Which will stick for 3 days
And on the chair
Where he will sit on it
Then sit on everything else
And on his clothes
But who doesn't want a sticky sweet hug from a 5 year old?
I know I do.

Disneyland

We went to Disneyland thanks to an awesome friend who is an employee who got 3 of us in for freeeee!

We got there around 9:20am and left at 11:30pm! We had a blast!

The only unfortunate part of the day was when we were waiting in line for the tram to take us back to the car. A grown man wrapped in a baby blanket took cuts in line. Stood directly in front of me. Then came his daughter. And her boyfriend. All in front of me. As the tram door opened they ran in and so did Donovan and Isabella. Zach and I stood outside the tram and there was no room for Zach and I to get on. I was FURIOUS!

I stood there almost crying and decided I was going to say something to the people. I said "If you would have waited at the back of the line like the rest of us and not took cuts in front of me I would be on this tram. Instead I will be waiting for the next tram while my husband and daughter are on this one."

Next time I'll say something as they step in front of me. Of course they wouldn't have understood me anyway.

NEWS!

We finally booked our Disney cruise! It's not for a loooooong time but it's booked and we're going!

i don't know who is more excited, me or the kids!

today

Seems like my blog has turned into "What stupid thing did Melissa do today?"

I went to lunch with my husband and on the way back my lips were dry so I reached for the chapstick that I keep in the car. Totally forgetting that it was just about 110 degrees inside the car. Of course it was melty and the whole thing came out in a huge blob on my lip. I quickly opened up the center console looking for a napkin. What do you know, if you stop eating fast food you no longer have stacks and stacks of napkins in the car! All that was in there was a pad...a feminine napkin. So I did what I had to do.

I hope no one had a camera on me. : )

El Pollo Loco saved me

I have a new found love for El Pollo Loco, not because their chicken and salad combo is under 500 calories and delicious but because they saved me!

I went there last night and they usually ask me what kind of dressing I want. Let's see, I ordered the under 500 calorie meal, do you think I want ranch that has about oh...500 calories? But last night they didn't ask, so when I got my bag I asked if the dressing was hidden under something and she apologized and got me some. As I was pulling out of the drive through a truck came flying at way too fast of a speed and slammed into the back end of another car that was right in front of the truck. She hit the car so hard that it spun full 90 degrees landing oh...4 feet away from my car. I just sat in the car in shock. If I hadn't asked for dressing I could have been tangled in this mess too.

So thank you El Pollo Loco, I will love you forever.

the writing is on the wall...

or...my face.


Last night I had an idea, a friend's daughter is 2 today and I will be at their house. How rude to visit and not bring a gift! I remembered all the tutus that I have in the closet and thought it would be perfect for a sweet 2 year old. I was laying in bed and didn't want the monsters to grab my ankles if I get out of bed so I found a pen and wrote "TUTU" on my hand assured that I would not forget to get the tutu when I woke up in the morning.

Well, I did forget until I looked in the mirror! Who knew I slept with the top of my hand on my forehead?!








And no judging zit faced, no make-up in my jammies awesome look!

The hot girl on the treadmill next to me...

I've never encounter such a rude person

I went to McDonald's to get Zach some lunch today (I know, I know, BAD mommy!) and while waiting to order I hear the woman in the speaker ask if the car in front of me is ready and the driver says no. About 10 seconds later the guy is apparently ready and yells "HELLO?!" in the speaker 2-3 times in the span of oh...4 seconds. The McDonald's worker comes back and the guy says he wants 1 Big Mac and a #1 (Big Mac meal) so the worker asks what kind of drink he wants and he says no drink. The worker tells him that it comes with the meal and he says "I don't give a f*** what it comes with, I don't want it" HOLY COW! So then he gets to the window to pay and says he now wants an iced tea. The McDonald's worker was very nice about it. He pays and goes to the next window to get his food and the guy then says he wanted a large ice tea so they girl says that it would be an extra $.70, he threw a FIT! A 3 year old wanting a sucker has nothing on this dude. I was shocked! After he was done stomping his feet he drove away and it was my turn. I told the worker I was sorry and wished her a better day.

Ugh, I would NEVER treat anyone that way. I wouldn't even think of treating someone like that. Poor ladies!

a day in the life of a "stay at home" mom

up at 6:30
showered
fed the kids
dressed the kids
got dressed and did my hair
out the door at 7:45
took Isabella to school
ran back home to put my make-up on
left at 8:10 to go to a friends house to pick up my new Starbucks tumbler (thanks Kim!)
got about 20 minutes away and realized I forgot my camera for today's Mothers Day Tea party
drove back home
left my house at 8:45 (Needing to be at Zach's school at 9!)
got to Zach's school at 8:58am!
Enjoyed the tea party immensely
left Zach's school at 10:20
headed back to Kim's house since I didn't make it the first time with the navigation leading the way
tried to go back home with the navigation system leading the way...to a dead end on a dirt road! UGH!
made my way back home
ran in the house to let the dogs outside
dentist for me at 11:20
quick 15 minute lunch
left at 1:00 to pick Isabella up early from school for a dentist appt.
over to Zach's school to pick him up early
made it to the dentist at about 1:55 for our 2:00 appt.
left the dentist office with no cavities!

It's not even 4:00pm and I am wiped out! I love being a stay at home mom, who is rarely at home!

MEAN mommy!

I can't wait until summer, no not for the lovely 110 degree days and 90 degree nights but for the flip flops! My kids wear socks and shoes and will take them off where ever they feel like it and the next day wear a different pair. I find 2 pairs of shoes and 4 little socks ALL over the house. So 2 days ago I was FED UP! I told both kids that next time I find socks OR shoes anywhere but on the stairs they will lose their most precious possession for 1 day. And I don't think it's too much to ask them to put them on the stairs, I'm not requiring them to take them all the way upstairs! So today I found it, 4 little socks and 1 pair of shoes. Zachary lost his Nintendo DS and Isabella lost her American Girl doll.

We'll see if it works.

That man has shoes just like mine!

We were sitting outside waiting for Isabella's class to come out today and Zach is staring at this muscular, sorta intimidating looking guy. Zach says "Hey! He has my shoes!" and I look down and this muscular, sorta intimidating looking guy has on Crocs. Not just plain old Crocs but Crocs with Mickey Mouse cut outs! The muscular, sorta intimidating looking guy says "we must both have great taste" and I look over and the muscular, sorta intimidating looking guy has a Mickey Mouse tattoo on his arm! Hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. What's that they say about judging a book by it's cover? Oh, that's it...don't.

funny the way my 4 year olds mind works

I was vacuuming the floors and Zachary says "I can't hear my DS (video game) TURN THE VACUUM OFFFFFF!" I look at him and think you are going to lose your DS if you don't stop it! So about 3 seconds after he said it he smiles at me and says "I love you mommy"! Such a smart little boy.

Don't you dare drop in!

That WAS my motto, I needed warning to clean the house if anyone was coming over. Not any more!

I've been keeping my house clean! I've tried to set up a schedule for a few years and if it wasn't on paper I didn't stick to it. I finally put one down on a spreadsheet and I have been sticking to it for about 3 weeks now (except for the weekends, I can't seem to get in the groove on the weekends!) on a daily basis I do a few things to keep it up like sweeping the floors, wiping counter tops...etc. Every day I do a load or 2 of laundry. Every day I do one big thing like dust the whole house or clean all the bathrooms. It doesn't seem so daunting when I just did the same thing last week, it doesn't have much time to get too messy!

I love the feeling of a clean house, it just makes me happy! So, if you would like a copy of my schedule let me know! Oh, and don't drop in. lol

Debbie Downer

Do you have a person in your life that is always trying to bring you down? Who takes something you say and spins it around to something negative? I have a few acquaintances like this and it really bothers me!

What kind of life do you have that you feel the need to put people down or make them feel like they are not the awesome person that they are. (I'm not saying I'm awesome, oh wait, yes I am. I'm awesome.)

I got a few of these people out of my life a few years ago when they all turned on me and stabbed me in the back when I wasn't looking. One of the hardest things I've gone through but I SO glad it happened.

So thank you to my true friends, you know who you are and you know that I love you with all my awesome heart.

aqua aerobics, the musical

If I were to cast a musical of all the different people in my aqua class it would go something like this:

Woody Allen as the gawker
Larry the Cable Guy as the bumpkin with summ'er teeth
Rosie O'Donnell as the lesbian who stares a lot
Betty White as the sweet old lady
Walter Matthau as the grumpy old man in the yellow swimsuit
Olympia Dukakis as the grumpy old man's grumpy wife
The bearded lady as the bearded lady
Helen Keller as the oblivious lady who thinks the class is all for her

And who would play me you ask? Christina Hendricks of course! lol

Something to look forward to!

We are talking about planning either a trip to Disneyworld or a Disney cruise in 2012. Whoop whoop!