Let the fun begin!

whirlwind moving week for me....
people here packing today and tomorrow....
loading the truck thursday,
and arriving to our new house on friday :)....
i'm excited and stressed all at the same time.
thought i should update the bloggage before i'm gone for awhile...

i finished up my cj entry for squillen's RAW journal....
(Real Amazing Women....not wrestling)....
Posted that and got it mailed....priorities! ;)
Working on my new cj for my happyscrappy cj group... excited about that one.
I'm loving the whole cj thing....inspires me....makes me think....
i like having one ....soon two .....to look forward to every month.
Such amazing talent in these groups......love it.

in other exciting news...
my van got repaired......
$600+ later...i can say, hmmm, so THAT is why the brake light was on....
actually i'm happy to report i TOLD my hubby that the brake light was in fact on...
to which i got a....."sweetheart...it's a glitch in your indicator light....it's fine"....
hmmmmmmm..... that was OCTOBER....
does it feel good to be right about such things?
yes, a little... ;) shhh-hhh...don't tell colin.

my sofa has been broken for....well, for forEVER.....
colin sat on it...
and broke it.
in his defense....perhaps it was a faulty leg...???
whatever...
anyway...
being the classy individuals we happen to be...
we took all the legs off, and placed said sofa on the ground.
then the boys broke the leg on the ottoman...
yes, there is a trend in my home...
e is not to have nice furniture...
anyway,
we promptly took the legs off that as well...
so my sofa and chair have been lowriding....and
i've been complaining..... asking ever soooo nicely...
to have them fixed...
for hmmm....a year maybe?
never got them fixed....
this weekend..
my husband spends......oh, about 20minutes..
and fixes them both.
WTF?
ok, so i'm happy about that....and confused as to why this took so long....all at the same time.

Because I haven't mentioned it in awhile...
i hope you're all watching Meet the Barkers....
when landon dropped the salt in the oj...
very funny moment for me...
i enjoy that show so.....
nothing mara....notevenapeep....

ok, miss me...
ask me questions...
talk amongst yourselves...
i shall return...xxe

***Thank you for all the fab teacher gift ideas...
i'm going w/ a giftcard for dinner... :)
i wish i had more time to make something to go along w/ it....
the picture of jack shows how he returns from school most days....with streamers made into headbands...tons of artwork....and a happy smile.
the only thing we will miss from here, besides our friends, is that school....

Help a sista out....

We're moving a week from Thursday.....
and....I need something FABULOUS for Jack's teachers.
They're amazing...the type of teachers you dream about...Jack LOVES them.
They have given Jack the best experience ever, and i want to get them something to say thanks...but i'm having trouble coming up w/ clever ideas...
HELP....please. xxe

YAY!!!! These are SOOO great....keep them coming.... :)

Because I'm bored....

and Erin hates me... ;)
(kidding...kidding Erin, I am however B-O-R-E-D)

The rules for this particular tagging are as follows:
Remove the blog name in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add yourself to the bottom slot.
1. Birgit
2. Wendy
3. Kelly
4. Erin
5. Erika

Then you get to select five people to pass the love on to.
(are we really calling this love now????)
1. Rachel
2. Mara
3. Darcy
4. Moon
5. Tara
(but by all means....don't do it ifin you don't want to....I SO won't be offended) :)

Now, on to the questions!
What were you doing 10 years ago?
First it must be pointed out..that APRIL was in the 10th grade.
April....you are the cutest...and I adore you ....but you made me feel like 107 years old w/ this simple statement....10th grade....sigh.....
Wait...Colin were you in 10th grade too? heehee....KIDDING.....(He is a tad younger than me)
OK....so 10 years ago....I was living in a flat near campus in Madison, WI...with my boyfriend (aka my husband now) and jared who was 1 almost 2.
Good times, Colin was going to class and I was working 3-11pm at night...we almost never saw each other...and we had no-ooo-oooooo money....in fact, I think we had less than "no money".

What were you doing one year ago?
Let's see, a year ago....umm, ok, I guess we were here then...I was doing just about the same thing as right now, just w/ a 3 yr old, a 5yr old, and a10 yr old....instead of 4, 6, and 11. ;)

Five snacks you enjoy:
(ok, food, now we're talking...)
1. Chips/Guacamole/Salsa
2. queso dip
3. popcorn
4. coffee...it's a meal, or a snack in my book
5. sour patch kids

Five songs, to which you KNOW all the lyrics:
there is a fine line....when you say knowing all the lyrics ... i probably think i know them all ...
(sometimes e has been known to make up lyrics)
1. most early Madonna
2. Take it to the Limit...The Eagles (my favorite song in preschool...cut me a little slack)
3. Pour Some Sugar on Me...Def Leppard
4. that annoying photograph song by Nickleback (it's on the radio like every 20mins)
5. most of the sugary pop music my boys blare upstairs.....(i actually understand the words to them ;) )

Five things you would do, if you were a millionaire:
1. pay off my debt....
2. pay off my debt.....
3. pay off my debt....
4. build an amazing house by my design....
5. spoil my boys even more ;)
(ok, you know i'd give to charity, go on vacation, and do other stuff too right?)

Five bad habits:
1. yelling (bad mommy)
2. swearing (bad mommy) <---i'm working on both of these 3. cracking my knuckles 4. drinking WAY too much coffee 5. not saying "no" enough..... Five things you like doing:
1. taking photos
2. playing w/ my boys
3. hanging out and watching movies w/ my hub
4. drawing/scrapping....
5. reading

Five things you would never wear, buy, or get new again:
1. most of my clothes
2. bodysuits...heehee..i actually thought of this before I read missy's blog...I'm so there w/ you girl.....WHAT were we thinking?....they were cool back in the day though....yikes.
3. tapered jeans....awww-yah
4. a bikini....sad to say
5. spandex shorts....

Five favorite toys:
1. my camera....oh NO WAIT...mine is broken.....urgh...
2. Gabby's camera...(thankfully she got the digi...and i have her film camera on loan)
3. the computer
4. uhhh.....urrrrh.....I'm about as low-tech as they come....my rubberstamps/ink...and
5. my sketchbook????

My husband was sad because i wasn't updating the bloggggg....
I am not sure this is what he had in mind....
but it's something ;)
I've been thinking about scrapping....
worrying about selling our house...
and trying to transfer my son to another club soccer team...
I'm fairly certain that it's easier to transfer professional athletes..
and they get paid more than me.....xxxe

LEGO love

"MOM...come here a minute....I want to show you something...I made it just for you..."

I love U too Colten...I love you too.

Restaurants, Cats, Tats, and a Lake....

"Colin said... You forgot your most important job, mother to our future soccer stars, rock stars, and restaurant entrepreneurs."
awwww..baby ;)
Love this man...yes, i do.
AND...he's coming home tonight for the weekend.
Makes me so happy.
Even when he makes me crabby....he is still nice to have around ;)
SO, I didn't list "mommy" as a job, because honestly...it's a blessing to me, not a job.
Or at least it's a job I love so much that putting it next to hotel front desk is just...well....wrong.

Had to laugh when he wrote our future soccer/rock stars and restaurant entrepreneurs though.
Jared and Colten have come up w/ this rather elaborate plan that involves playing professional soccer long enough to earn the money to buy their own restaurant....
I have no idea how this idea came to be....but they talk about it a lot....
and they have many details worked out....seating, menu, lighting.....
Colten recently added a "little stage, maybe fo some live music".
Oh, and if you noticed rockstar...
yeah, guess which one is aspiring to that?
Yep...the Jack.
Shocked? I think not.
I love hearing them talk about "what they're going to be when they grow up"....
just as long as they stay little for a LOT longer ;)
Oh, and Klala....
how about in 10 years or so I send them to you for a little apprenticeship at Mosaic? hmmm?!?? They'll work for food....and they're cute ;)

SO, last night, after nursing the headache that would not leave the live long day...
I was sacked out on the couch...watching tv...
when low and behold I see they've made a movie about the urban legend that growing up scared me the most....
The one where the babysitter comes over, and the phone rings and the voice says "have you checked the children".....uh huh....
later the police trace the call to inside the house.
OK, yes...soooooo... it looks horribly dumb....
BUT when you're home alone...
and the kids are upstairs...
and as soon as that preview is over the door makes a funny noise...
Yeah, I was on the phone waking my husband up...yes I was....
I believe he called me a dork...
I still wasn't completely convinced someone wasn't in the house w/ me as I went to bed last night.
nope.
hate scary movies...
and their previews...
when Colin is gone....

Ok, so before I sign off for the weekend.
Lake photos are for Darcy....
who is just adorable...and has a funny cat.
She also, come to find out, lives near the lake that my husband
spent EVERY summer as a child at.
So, here are some photos of my boys at that same lake....
some old some new....
(was Colten not the cutest baby EVER?!?)

Secondly....Tattoos.
What do you like about them, and what do you hate.
Like ..."I hate skull tattoos" or "I like bunny ones"
(horrible examples yes...but you know what I mean)
I'm designing one for my hubby and want some input...and inspiration ;)
Y'all are good for that....a very inspiring bunch.
The plan is......
I design something fabulous....we send him to see Garver ....
and I get to see Nunez.... ;) ahhh-yah....
Happy Weekend! xe

Tag...e's it......

Tagged by the very adorable and ooooh so talented Kelly......
here goes....

*Four jobs you have had in your life:
these are going to be sooo exciting...hold on to your seats....and realize i could fill a page w/ past "jobs".....so most "recent" (@8years ago)
1. Reservations at a resort in Lake Tahoe (ok, this one was ok)
2. Nanny
3. Front desk (hotel)
4. Third party liability claims for an insurance company (LOADS of fun let me tell you)

*Four movies you would watch over and over:
(anything that's not too serious really...)
1. Ferris Bueller
2. Top Gun
3. Blue Crush....(yeah, that's two of gabs but we are related..i also would watch happy texas over and over)
4. Legally Blonde

*Four places you have lived:
1. Incline Village, NV (L.Tahoe)
2. Madison, WI
3. Oskaloosa, IA
4. Hope Mills, NC

*Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. LOST
2. Meet the Barkers (nothing from you on this one Mara :) HA!)
3. House MD
4. Miami Ink....forgot about this one...so i changed it.....so bored.

*Four places you have been on vacation:
(e doesn't get to go on vacation...sooooo this one will be short ;)..)
1. Disney World
2. Lake Wauwasee, IN (awww yeah...i don't even know if that's spelled right...colin???)....
3. Vegas, for my friends wedding.
4. New Orleans, " "

*Four websites I visit daily:
1. 2peas (I try to at least peek)
2. my pea-friend's blogs
3. celeb gossip blog (love that crap)
4. Childish/Miniboden to scope out sales for the boylies (although "daily" is pushing it)

*Four of my favorite foods:
1. chicken enchiladas
2. guacamole/salsa/chips (that's going to count for 1)
3. good pizza
4. sushi

*Four places I would rather be right now:
1. right here is just fine....but....
2. i have a ragging headache right now....
3. so maybe back in bed....
4. or on a beach sipping pineabus

*Four bloggers I am tagging:
1. Rachel (hope you're feeling better)
2. Genevieve
3. Christy
4. Sneaky Ash

****By the way.... mara is SO cool. Thank you lovebug. (you've created a monster...look at me linking! HA!) xe
*****Sarah....pineapple juice and malibu. ;) yum...I think Ash coined that drinkage.

ShhhhhAdy fo shizzle....

that's all i'm saying about THAT. ;)

I'm PROcrasTINating.
I have to clean...showing the house at 5:30.
I am soooooooooo either going to come out of this w/ self induced cleaning OCD...
or I'm going to be one of those people you see on 20/20 w/ the bags of garbage in their house.
Ok....probably not...but I'm feeling like somebody needs to come in a tell me to put the pine-sol DOWN. I'm normally clean....but this is absurd....
hAte it....

whiney whiney.....
i know.
SO, we watched the end of Vision Quest at lunch today..
Gabby just choked on her water ;)
heehee...
ok, so it's a REALLY old movie....but it's good.
I dated a wrestler in high school so there was quite a bit of Vision Quest viewing.
Colten wants to wrestle, so I told him he could watch the match at the end of the movie.
I always swore none of my boys would wrestle... WAY tooo much disordered eating for my comfort......BUT....it's Colten.
He'd be one of the guys that in high school will HAVE to eat...to get up to weight...
SO, I'm thinking about it.
I had no idea little ones wrestled.
CRAZY.
Anyway, Matthew Modine looks like a teenager in it....
(he probably was) and Michael Schoeffling is in it...(aka JAKE from 16 candles ;) )
and it makes me feel REALLY old...so I probably will refrain from viewing it again for quite a LO----NG time.

Finished up my cj entry.....

A couple layouts I have out are staring at me....
so perhaps I'll try and get something else done tonight..?!?
We shall see....LOST is on tonight isn't it?
And I think it's new.....?!?!? Priorities you know ;) HA! xe

14 minutes...

14 minutes is how long it takes you to drive what is normally a 25-30 minute trip when the school calls to tell you your son is having an allergic reaction....
That was my morning....
Jack is fine now...
Gameboy is helping "make his tummy better".
Amazing how it does that, huh????

The weekend came and went SO quickly...I can't believe it's Monday again.
I need to finish up Dagmar's circle journal for Erin, and start and "finish" my circle journal for my other supercoolgroup#2 and pass that on to Gab.....
I think having lots of great scrap stuff makes me sort of ADD....I can't focus, and figure out what I'm doing, because I'm so totally overwhelmed w/ options...
Is that weird? xe

Alrighty.....

Let's just put that "game" out of it's misery shall we?!?
heehee...
It was Tara Whitney :)
You all guessed greatness in GG-age though....
I don't think it was really fair, since Tara hasn't really posted as a GG in awhile...
SORRY....bad RAK....

I use to read her blog every morning, and jack noticed I guess.
He was at the "Who's that?!" stage,
and would ask who everyone was...
This year when he decided to get a haircut he announced he wanted his haircut like "Nates"...
we were all like ..."uh, Nate?"
Well, he meant Tara's little boy.
Yep...
Cuz..."He's a cool skater"...
Kid you not.
So I shared this story w/ her... (It's a mommy thing! HA!)
and she emailed me back and complimented one of my photos..
which coming from her, was huge, and well, it made my day.
(It doesn't take much to make my day folks!)

I think I will come up w/ another RAK....
let me think on that.
If I was rich I would just send everyone something :)
ahhh, but alas, I am not.

Jessie emailed me this morning w/ a very rad site for my guys...(cool t-shirts)
I just love that my 2pea-friends actually think of me when it comes to things like that.
That is just seriously cool....and probably the best part of 2peas honestly....meeting the people I've "met"... I love it. Thanks Jess ;)

See, now Jessie made my day! HA! but don't worry I won't make you guess that one........
WTheck was I thinking.....seemed like a good idea in my mind! HA! :) Duh....
Whew....
ok, now I'm laughing at myself...

SO....
in other exciting news...
My mother-in-law and sister-in-law are coming tonight :)
I am debating what to make for dinner, if anyone has any suggestions that would be GREAT!
I am just hoping we don't end up showing the house ALL weekend...because trust me...there isn't much to do in this town. ;)

OK, off to pick up the Jack...xe

R.A.K.

OK....
So I never knew what RAK meant....
until last week, when I finally asked Gabby.
I kept thinking surely it was something so blatantly obvious....I should know it,
and I was just having another Jessica moment.
I finally gave up and called my sister.
Random Act of Kindness...who knew?!?....
(ok, besides everyone but me... )

SO, here is the deal...
Let's play guess what made e's day today ;)
And Gabby will send the winner a RAK....ur, noooo, wait, I will...heehee..
But Gabby can't play because she already knows, and she'd have guessed right anyway.
I'll tell you the complete story after the guessing....
but hints include...
She was my first FAVORITE scrapper.
She is a Garden Girl.
And she's super cool and fabulous...
OH...AND SHE EMAILED ME this morning... :)
heehee...
ok, it was in response to the story I'll share later..
but guess who?!?
Made my day...yes it did.
Shockingly...two lines can make me this happy....but it did.
I'm a dork.

Later today I got into a cyber fight w/ my "homeschool support group"
because let's just say there is a fine line on what some people consider
"support" and "Christian"...
but that's another story...
and I'm trying to not let it ruin my high from this morning. :)
xxxe

OH, and because I feel every post must have a photo....
there's my skaterboy....w/ his new shoes.
Cool huh?
Yep, he and Jared can now SKATE through stores...schools...streets...
LOOKout! HA! *Great shot Gab... :)

*******OOOOk....little update,
because I'm feeling like when you all hear what the email was about you're going to go...
"ah, e, THAT was dumb".....
So, let's clarify:
Noooooooo GG loved my gallery....
Noooooooo DT was offered.........
actually it was an email I sent, and a reply.....and it all has to do w/ Jack's hair (which sounds really dumb...yet again, I realize this) it was actually completely un-scrap related in context.
And everyone you're naming I LOVE LOVE LOVE .....Lisa McGarvey is AMAZING...
and I really would pee-in-my-pants if ANY of them emailed me...
but this was more like, say, I emailed Martha Stewart (who I adore)
and she took the time to personally email me back type of thing.....
ON the bright side, even if no one guesses......
I FEEL MUCH MUCH better knowing I wasn't the only one that didn't have a clue what a RAK was!!! HA! xe***********

Woofa Oofa 4 Ever......

Yeah, I was going to blog about "my" show last night.....
and borderline on the insanity that is my sister and Veronica Mars....
(heehee...KIDDING GAB!...besides, I don't have a Barkers shirt yet....so I'm noooo where close ;))
Umm....but you see I was gone most of the day....
so people could come and see my home...
not put an offer in on it....
oooh noooooooooo....
just come to see it...
Seriously...
It's been like a tourist site....
people coming to see it all the flipping time...
ITS MAKING ME CRAZY!
Ok, but it can't be...
because no one can buy it if I don't let them see it....
right?!?!?
So....it's fine.....
JUST FINE....

meanwhile the boys enjoyed "homeschooling" at the movie theater today... ;)
not good...not good...

I have to go give baths now and put boylies to bed...
but know I WAS going to post...
and it WAS going to be witty and comical... xe

ps. reason #23 on why not to bring your four year old to a salon for a haircut.....
he now insists that the extremely expensive bottle of aveda nonsense that I purchased..
must be applied to his hair daily...... it was only like $1000/oz...why not?!? HA!...
maybe that should be reason #45 on why e doesn't buy expensive hair product...hmmmm....

the aftermath....

We did it!

Those speak for themselves, don't they?

Happy new year!

xox,

e

Guess....

who is getting a haircut on Saturday??? ....................

now...guess how sad this makes the momma......

What a day......

Uh-Oh...
erika stayed up super late last night watching reruns from a certain show that is premiering January 3rd....
erika slept in....
erika didn't answer the phone...
erika listened to the message...
it was from the realtor...
they were going to show the house at 1pm...
erika almost stopped breathing....
erika cleaned...
and cleaned...
and cleaned....
it was a caffeine adrenaline induced cleaning frenzy....
12:30...erika and boys were out the door....
only to return at 4pm...
to a message saying...
"Your 1pm appointment was cancelled"
erika was not happy.

ok, I'll stop w/ the third person..
it's annoying me.
SO, needless to say...I have not had a very good day...
on the bright side...
my house is clean.
really clean.

ok, so go here to see cuteness....
http://www.childishclothing.com/hotmammaphotos/photo/1/23oto/1/23
well, cuteness from a couple years ago...
the hair length is always an age indicator w/ that one ;)

I leave you with funny emails from my husband from the past few weeks....
the man is cracking me up....

from yesterday
"almost quittin' time. Good bloggage by the way. I like having the opportunity to re-laugh at our kids. I don't understand how Jared could look like a girl to anyone though. Still funnny however. Can't wait to rub your feet and watch the barker's. bwahahaha, wtf?"

from the 15th, (regarding why jared wouldn't believe me when i told him Ronaldinho's number)
"cuz I have a pen!$. That means I know everything about sports.If you really want to know what I think. He should be number 21. That is landon donavan's number who is left footed. It is also my number. But he can go with Beckham...cuz his mom thinks he is cute."

also from the 15th
"Good Morning. I am still recovering over the major let down from LOST last night. I slept with Natasha Bedingfield last night. Well actually she is just staying in the same hotel as me. There is a concert in town and all music stars are staying in the hotel I am in. Yippee. Talk to you later. Love, Colin"

heeeheee...he's a dork..
but I love him ;) xe

ps. the margarita scrub....LOVE it...you should all try some....smells amazing.

Sooooo.....

Exciting news...
I know you were all waiting on pins and needles to hear...
Travis and Shanna Barker in fact had their baby on Christmas Eve....
a girl baby named what else but...
Alabama Luella.
*don't forget....January 3rd....mark your calendars ;)

Ok, I know...contain your excitement while I share stories...
of less monumental significance...

SO, we found a new house...
we're renting though...
why do you ask?
well...because THIS house hasn't sold...
oooh yeah....so that's two, count them...two houses e will have.
Do I need two houses?
nooooo....
Can I afford two house payments?
NOOOOOOOOOOO.....
So, anyone looking for a fabulous, newly painted, four bedroom...
look no further..
i've got one.
let's make a deal ;)
I'll throw in some fantastic goodies...
yes, I will.

So, we're looking at houses, and Greenville is a college town,
(ECU, no idea) anyway, college town rentals translate to .....
crappy run-down slums....
which with three kids is not exactly what I had in mind.
(I lived in them in college w/ one kiddo.....that was enough :)
So when we found this cUte little brick ranch in an older neighborhood...
within walking distance to what are suppose to be good schools..
we jumped on it.
....
now I have to figure out, without so much hyperventilation,
how to sell my house is 0 minus 30 days.
But,
my new house...
OMG I'm rambling.....
RachelC is laughing at me right now...
My "new" house is soooooo charming...
with some hardwood floors, and a little sunroom....
and a fenced in yard....
it's substantially smaller, and there is no garage (just a carport)
so I'm not really sure what to do w/ about half of our schtuff.
I'm thinking simple...
declutter....
simplify a la ali edwards.....
It's just a completely overwhelming thought right now.
Thankfully I have this sister.....who has a four bedroom house....
who might out of the goodness of her heart store some of my chit for me.
.....
Side note...
Missy, if you lived closer....
have I got some rescue heros for mister connor...
oooh boy.
I'm thinking next summer...
when you're on your way to the beach....
you stop in to see me and the gab....
and get yourself some boylietoylies ;)
......
ok,
Funny stories from last week.
(aka why I win the bad mother of the year award....again)
We are looking at houses....
We get out of the truck to meet the realtor...
My boys are all wearing hoodies and jeans.
Jared's has hockey on it, Coltens is navy blue, and Jack's has baseball on it.
The lady comes over and says "OOOOOOOOOh look, we have miss hockey, miss baseball, and little mister cool."....she then looks back at my oldest, and says "And isn't she pretty."
At this point, I can't make eye contact w/ the realtor because I know I'm going to start laughing uncontrollably.....Do I correct her? nooooo...
Does my husband? noooo...
So, Jared is bright red....
Jack is so use to being called a girl, he just blows it off...although I could tell he was relishing the fact that his brother had been mistaken as well.
We go inside and the first bedroom has this girlie arched window...
the woman turns to Jared, who now I can't look at either because I'm giggling...
and says "I bet I can guess whose room THIS will be" :)
OMGOSH....
When we finally left.....Jared was not only planning a haircut, but listing reasons why we would not be living in that house we'd also not be using that realtor....
I couldn't stop laughing......
bad mommy, bad mommy.
.....
Colten fell asleep on the way back to the hotel,
getting out of the truck, he grabbed what he thought was his red coat..
it was actually his dad's swim trunks...
he put his head through the leg opening, and then said....
"Mom, I can't get my coat on...."...
I of course burst out laughing yet again.
.....
There were a few other amusing things but I'll spare you..., it was a fun week.
We swam, and swam, and swam....
Well, I swam some and read magazines by the side of the pool some....
it was nice.
My boys will all be enrolling in swim lessons after we move....
yikes...
can you say doggie paddle....
not good...
hard to believe their mother actually was on swim team, certified as a lifeguard, and scuba dived......perhaps her boys should know an actual stroke?!?! HA!

Christmas was lovely.
The grinch tried to bring the stomach flu Christmas Eve...
but I held tight to the aerosol can of Clorox.....and only Jared succumbed.
Poor guy.
We were all well for the big morning though,
and the boys were spoiled....
Jack did not receive an IPOD, but did get a gameboy DS,
along with his brothers, so that more then made up for it.
He also got a furby which is mildly amusing for all....
Gabby, Mike and Maxwell came for dinger...
DELISH....
brought some fab gifts for all of us...
all in all a very nice day :)
Their gift to jack....an electronic basketball hoop....
Is it wrong that my husband and I drank and played fisher price ESPN basketball last night?!? HA!!!

I got some very comfy striped jammy pants, and some furry white slippers that look like muppets on my feet that I'm still wearing as I type this at what ....1:30pm....
WHOOPSIE :)
Christmas break rocks!
xxxe

***This is ridiculously long...I apologize....

Because my sister said so...

I've been tagged, so before it just becomes ridiculously past Christmas ;)
here goes....

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? hot chocolate...with whipped cream...yum

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wraps all of them....

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White on the house (when we put them out...whoops, not this year!), colored on the tree.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but i just might.....I like those mistletoe balls...cuuuute.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Right after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? OOOOH, it's all yummy. Scalloped potatoes and carrots, and the mushrooms in cream sauce.....delish.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Um....probably just the anticipation....the butterflies in the tummy, the excitement.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't really remember a "moment", probably when one of my parents bought a "santa" gift when I was with them ;)

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No, Colin and I don't, but my boylies get jammie pants, and a book. This year jammie pants, and a gingerbread house kit ;)

10. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him? Sugar cookies (and milk), also we normally leave carrots for the reindeer, however this year mommy choked and there were nooo carrots, Jack wrote a letter for Santa though explaining, it was adorable....don't worry, I'm scrapping it ;)

11. Snow love it or dread it? LOVE it. Wish we'd get some...just don't love driving in it....nope, not at all...

12. Can you ice skate? Heck yeah, I dated a hockey player in high school ;)

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? As a child? or now? My lens for my camera last year was way up there....

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Celebrating Christ's birth, and being surrounded by loved ones.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? fudge (and sugar cookies)

16. What's your favorite Christmas tradition? Spoiling my boys, and spending the evening with my family

17. What tops your tree? An angel

18. Which do you prefer? Giving or receiving? Well, everyone loves receiving gifts right?
I think giving is the BEST though...

19. What is your favorite Christmas carol? O Holy Night....love it.

20. What's the best thing to do with candy canes? Stick 'em in hot chocolate!!! <-- Hanni is so right on this one!! <---I'm w/ Gabbby and Hanni on this one ;)

21. How many of your Christmas gifts are you hand making? 2 or 3....Gabby's coffee mug...does that count? and some frames for my MIL and SIL.....only if I get it done before they come though, otherwise 1.

Ok, My hubby is still home, so I will write more tomorrow when I'm bored and husbandless.
Hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas ;) xxxe

Merriest of Christmases to you....

May you enjoy all
of your gifts this year ;)




...and
be surrounded
with love.

When I return I will tell you all about my new house...and share some funny hotel stories...
xerika

ps...or happiest of Hanukkahs to you....whatever the case may be...be Merry and Happy, and I'll be back next week!

Happy 2nd Birthday Connor.....

Hope your birthday was filled w/ lots of yummy fun....
I didn't get a chance to post this on 2peas...
but I'm sending lots of love to you and your sweet family.
I adore you Missy, and your son is just a dollbaby...

Ok all....
I'm outta here...
Be back Thursday or Friday, I'm going to go "live" in the hotel w/ my husband so he's not alone the week before Christmas...
The boys are excited to SWIM! :)
I'll miss you all...
xxe

ps...please note there is really noooo red behind the tag....my scanner just hated the wing ;)

Nonsense...

Ok, before I begin this post
I feel it necessary to say that I'm on a verge of a nervous breakdown...
nah...i keed....i keed....
i say that when my kids are making me crazy...
"MOMMY is going to have a nervous breakdown!"
Usually makes people either laugh, or nod empathetically....like ohhh, yeah, we remember that feeling....
Jack has been playing pinball for a good 30 minutes...and it's noisy....oh my gosh...
SO FLIPPING NOISY.

SO, I'm SUPER excited....and about to admit something so dorky...
I can't believe I'm doing it....
MY SHOW IS BACK JANUARY 3rd!!! YAY ME!
What show you ask? heehee...
ok, that's the dorky part...
I am so w/ my CJ buddy Laura (Charmer) who has admitted a love for MTV reality shows...
currently I believe it's the Gauntlet 2....
I watched Nick and Jessica...I'll admit it.
I watched Laguna....yes, I did...
and as of January 3rd....I'll be watching season 2 of MEET THE BARKERS!
HUGE dork am I.... heehee....
Love it....
Laura probably doesn't even stoop to what my husband coins as beyond bad reality tv...
BUT I DO!
YEP...
Where do we think Colten got the idea for a mohawk from?!!? hmm?
oh yes, thank you Travis Barker .....
So excited ;)
Dork...
I know...

I'd like to say that Christmas Vacation IS my all time FAVORITE...
however, I think we've been watching it just a tad toooo much...
my four year old woke up and said...
not "good morning mommy"...
nope..
he said "the shitters full".....
WHOOOPSIE.

Lastly...
I'm working on a layout,
which has caused me to realize....
I mean really acknowledge that I completely suck at writing....
OH YEAH...I mean I knew I did...
I'm not a writer...
not at all...
in fact I would be the opposite of a writer...
Horrible...
I love to read...so that's not it..
My husband doesn't read anything, except Sports Illustrated, and yet his vocabulary is immense....
(So is Gabbys....me : "ur, Gabby WTF did you just say? I have NOO idea what that word means..." yep, she giggles and gives me synonyms and uses the word in several sentences....)
Why I ask....
when I was in school....
did my parents insist that I would use geometry...and chemistry...and other subject I have yet to use...but never insisted I read the dictionary (like April), or pick up a thesaurus...hmm??!??! See...THAT i would've used...
words...
hmf....annoying...
So, I doubt I'll ever be a real strong writer .....which is fine w/ me....
most of the time.....
I'm just not sure it'll fly w/ what I'm working on right now...
NOT good.
perhaps more mtv, not good for the e....hmm...?
perhaps not....
I apologize for the bad writing you are STILL reading.......xxxe

Clark made this....

or at least it appears that way....

this made me giggle when i picked it up today...
all i could think was NLChristmas Vacation...
CLARK??!?!
well,
it's suppose to say "Jack"....
heehee...
poor scary looking reindeer...