little girls are funky

Megan had a friend over today. They were playing dress up with Megan's clothes.

This is what happens when your daughter watches too much Hanna Montana. Thanks again Disney Channel. I have a feeling this show is going to end up costing me a lot of money.

What happened to my little girl? At the beginning of summer you had to beg her to get dressed. She announced during the first week of summer that she was not going to brush her hair AT ALL because she hated to do it so much.

What happened? Now she won't stay away from the front of the mirror. She is constatly re-applying her Bonnie Bell strawberry lipgloss.....and pretty much if we go to the store....she dresses like this. Plus she saved up her allowance and what did she want to buy? Not Polly, but a purse! Which she now carries with her whenever we go out. It is hysterical. She IS a rock star.

Slow news day around here, can you tell? Ha ha!

Whoopie! Today was a good day!

And the whole day was topped off with THIS!
OK, I LOVE VWs. I have ever since I was little. I still remember being about 4 years old and my mom took me to Safeway in Palos Verdes, CA where we lived at the time. I got to pick out a toy. There was this little plastic orange and yellow VW beetle that probably cost 5 cents. I still have this thing today!!

Long story short, we went to this awful chinese restaurant for dinner. I wasn't even hungry, and couldn't eat after seeing a cooked shrimp on the floor by the restroom...complete with eyes. Barf.
So I just got super hungry and went to McDonald's to get something. I bought a happy meal thinking I was going to give the toy to one of the kids.

Uh uh. No way. This baby is MINE. Mine mine mine.

I got the VW bus!!!! I did take off his hippie stickers though. Now he sits on my computer desk. I may have to find my orange beetle to keep him company.

I still remember crying as I traded in my beautiful Passat for a minivan because Matthew was on his way. I loved the days when Mike and I had a two Volkswagen garage. Me and my Passat, and him and his Golf or Jetta.

Since VW doesn't make anything big enough for my family (without making kids sit next to each other...no way, not happening for my sanity's sake.) next year I plan on getting my beloved beetle. Just for Target runs and whenever I don't have all the kids.

Until then...I have my cute little VW bus from my happy meal. A HAPPY meal it was. ;)

w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l

Well, knowing my friends the way that I do (you all are a bunch of freaks! But I still love ya!) This little update will probably make you laugh and confirm any suspicions you had about me all along. ;)

I went to the doctor.

Yep...it is vertigo! But the best part...you want to know why? I have rocks loose in my head. Yep, that is the non technical diagnosis I got.

Apparently we all have rocks in our head. In the ear canal. These little rocks move when you do, and touch little hairs in there letting your brain know that you are moving so your equilibrium stays balanced, your legs and arms know what to do, etc. These rocks are attached in normal people. I have some sort of swelling that knocked the rocks loose and they are flipping around in my inner ear. Touching those little hairs and constantly telling my brain I am moving even when I'm not.

Why do I get these weird things? :p

Now I'm right up there with Maddy and the plastic bottle sound in her ear. Ha ha!

Hmmm. Vertigo. Who'da thunk??

OK, I have said before that part of my loving U2 so much is because ever since 1982 is that their music has always seemed to run parallel to things going on in my life. Every album, there was always at least a song or two that hit me. Lyrics that just were what was going on in my life at the time. This has always been a cool thing, and kind of makes up a soundtrack to my life. Can't beat that with the best bad ever now huh??? ;)

So...I haven't been around as much because I haven't really been feeling well for the past week. I couldn't explain it, but just all around yucky. Dizzy, always feeling like I was going to puke, not sleeping well, etc. I was about to make an appointment with the doctor again today. Trust me, the U2 similarity will come back in a minute.

I called my dad to see how he was feeling today. I told him how I have been feeling. He started to tell me that his mom, my aunt on his side, and him have VERTIGO??? Apparently it is an inner ear thing that he has been seen for. Vertigo? Sure enough, I looked it up on the net. It is exactly what I have been feeling. I am constantly dizzy, but it is more intense like I am moving or the room is moving when neither of us are. Especially the me part. Sometimes I would just get hit with this feeling that I was spinning, and would run into a wall going down the hallway. Hmmm.

So my dad told me to take a dramamine. I have SCADS (thanks Maddy!) of those left over from cruise days. After a couple, sure enough I felt better. I still need to go to a doctor though to have my ears checked.

But vertigo?? Hmmm. Why is it as crappy as IT makes me feel, I can't get the song out of my head now! Hello hello....I'm at a place called vertigo!!!

Now, of course, that song is stuck in my head, so I'm going to go listen to How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

Happy me!! Wooohooo!

Next mother's day, ask for these

Mike got some fancy shmancy headphones for his birthday. Some sort of pilot ones. He was showing me how they worked when we were standing out in the garage with my car engine on. I guess I would say they are like the Bose ones that a lot of frequent flyer people have, but this is like the super duper pilot version. (Like my technical talk?) It pretty much cuts out the engine noise, so if you were flying a plane you could hear other people talking to you through the headphones and microphones, but not the loud plane noise.

OK, so after a long day of hearing, "Mooooom....he hit me. Mooooooom I'm hungry. Moooooom we are out of toilet paper in the bathroom again....." you know the usual.

I try on these headphones, flip the little switch on them and the noise is gone. Mute. Quiet. Niiiiice.

I could see if my kids were fighting, but I don't have to listen to it. I'm just there in my own little quiet world.

So why don't they market these in the parent magazines??????????

***

Megan had some sort of huge growth spurt this past month. I just had bought her a few pair of shorts last month, and after trying on clothes in her room today, NONE of them fit. We have ONE denim skirt that fits perfectly right now, and I remember it was big when I bought it. Yikes. These kids grow too fast.

So we were out shopping tonight for some shorts. Fun stuff. I had so much fun with Megan. She is so fun right now, trying to be trendy, but not really knowing too much about it.

One of our stops was at Target. (surprised??) On our way back out to the car there was a bra on the ground. How does something like that happen?? I dont' think it was new. It was newer looking than mine...but that doesn't say too much. LOL. This was missing its tags if it was just purchased and fell out of a bag.

I don't know why, but I said, "Oh no somebody lost their bra." Megan started laughing so hard she was actually snorting. I love when kids think that undergarment humor is funny. She laughed about that bra all the way home, and it was the first thing she told mike when we got in the house.

So tonight she is in bed and I am talking to her. She hugs me and tells me that she had so much fun with me tonight. That she is lucky to have me as a mom. I actually think that *I* am the lucky one to have her as my little girl. It is times like this that I just love. I was telling my mom not too long ago that as moms you try to come up with all of these great things like trips to Disneyland in hopes of making some fun memories with your kids. But sometimes the little things that you don't even realize are a big deal end up being what you remember years from now.

Like my mom and I eating rice krispy treats right out of the pot one day. I remember we giggled and ate the whole thing. I mean the marshmallow was still HOT. But I doubt she knew at that moment, that THAT would be something I'll always remember about her for the rest of my life.

I know, for me anyway, that tonight will be one of those nights that I'll always remember spending with Megan. It was awesome.

Off to bed! Night night!

summertime blahs? Try D.I.

I know, a few posts ago I mentioned how this was going to be the best summer ever. Megan was going to be so busy, blah blah blah.

We have hit a brick wall. So many people have gone on vacation, or kids are signed up for summer camps. So after going through the class phone book, there aren't any little girls to come over and play. The kids have read every single book they own and it is too hot to go out and play during the day.

Which of course means the only form of entertainment for the kids is to watch Tv or fight with each other.

Time for some redirection.

I have had a box of stuff to take to DI. I thought we would go for a ride and take our donation stuff. At least then I am accomplishing something and don't have to trip everytime I go out into the garage.

A long time ago, we went inside the store and the kids found some books. So of course they think that they are always going to have a bunch of books to choose from. They really wanted to go inside. Oh heck, why not. It isn't like we have anything else to do.

So they were right after all. We ended up with several books! Magic Tree House books, and two Goosebumps books for 25cents each. Can't beat that...and now Megan and Trevor are upstairs reading.

They also have this huge bin that I call "Happy Meal Heaven." it is where all the lost and thrown out happy meal toys go when they get 'relocated' when moms just can't take the piles of them in your house anymore. It is their last chance of adoption before taking a trip to the big landfill. - The funny thing is, there are always adults digging through this bin instead of kids. Probably looking for some rare happy meal toy to sell on ebay.

Of course in the middle of this madness...Matthew (who of all people would) spots this little Percy train. Being such a good mom (ha ha!) I dive in between a few collector type guys and get the train for my son. 10 cents. He has been playing with it for hours now, and he'll sleep with it tonight for sure. Priceless. (And yes, Percy has already had a bath in the sink.)

I also found a couple pair of Land's End shorts for Trevor. $3 each. Can't beat that.

So, our little trip has earned me a few hours of peace and quiet, and happy children. Yay for DI!

scrappin' tonight

I got a chance to do a little scrapping tonight. Mike is upstairs playing with some new electronic thingie that he got for his birthday. (Thank you mom and dad!) So I have some quiet time.

This is a photo taken by the FABULOUS Michelle from the other morning. It was a bit of an impromptu photo shoot. - How she got all three of my kids to sit still, smile and look basically in the same direction is a miracle in itself. All without bribing with candy!! Thanks again M!

Super simple page. You can't get any easier than making more than half of the page a big photo! The quote was on the cover of CK, and I have had it on a sticky note by my computer just waiting for the right layout to use it on. It says:

Because of you I try harder, forgive sooner
give further, live simpler, thank easier,
hope longer, love deeper, laugh louder.

***

I hope everybody had a great weekend! I have no idea where this one went. Saturday was Mike's birthday, and today was Father's Day.

My poor dad is really sick today too. I called him and he had spent some time the other night in urgent care. Urgent cracks me up....my experience with them isn't always that 'urgent' so I hope that he had better luck getting in. It sounds like he has the crud that Beth's family just went through. Some sort of awful virus that has a very high fever along with it. So my dad isn't having one of the best days ever. Happy Father's day dad...and we will have a celebratory lunch very soon! Love you!

Night all! :)

BOOYA!

OK guys, don't laugh at me....but yes, I am a geek. (ha, like that was a big secret!) Anyway, there is a secret side to me. A side that has, yes, lurked at some of the Kim Possible boards for the past year since the show was supposed to come to an end.

I admit it. I am shamefully a KP addict. That poster I bought for Megan's room? Yeah... that was for me, but she gets to keep it on her wall. ;)

You know you have it bad when you actually sit down to watch an episode of Lilo and Stitch with the kids because KP made a 'guest appearance' on it. Hey, it was quality time with the kids no matter how you look at it!

Anyway... good news for me. (err...I mean us, since ya know, it is for the kids too.) I found this on one of the boards that I have been watching. Hoping to hear this:



Walt Disney Co. announced that it will produce a fourth season of its animated series Kim Possible, following a passionate campaign by viewers to reverse a long-standing company policy that limits the lifespan of an animated property to 65 episodes, or three seasons.The “Save Kim Possible” movement, which included petitions to former Disney chairman and CEO Michael Eisner and an online write-in campaign, may have been enough to have helped nudge the Mouse to decide to re-up the series for another 22 new episodes.

summer visitor

This is Mickey the hamster. She is from Megan's classroom last year. She came to stay with us one weekend before school was over.

Megan's teacher asked if we would like to take Mickey for a week during the summer, and then if somebody else wanted her....we just switched houses all summer.

Alas...nobody has called about wanting to open their house to poor Mickey. Which, shhh, don't tell....is totally fine with us!

She is so cool. I had hamsters when I was growing up. I loved them! This little girl is one of the most social ones I have ever seen. She is awake most of the day, and ended up living in the desk area near our kitchen because she likes it when people are around.

Even Mike, who started out calling her a nasty rodent has gotten to where he is the only one allowed to give her the little yogurt chips that she likes for treats. He likes her now. :)

I'm going to miss this little thing when school starts again. Yep, I'm officially attached! :) So that is the story about Mickey. I thought she was worthy of a blog entry since she is so cute!!

Plus things are terribly boring around here right now. LOL!

Is summer over yet?

Strike a pose!

I'm just getting in! What a fun night!

Mike was out of town again last night, and I wasn't planning on seeing him until late tonight. I figured it was another night by myself with the kids.

He called this afternoon and said that he was able to come home early and we were going out. He even got a sitter for the kids. He wouldn't tell me where we were going either. Hmmm. So I had NO CLUE.

Anyway....so I just got back from seeing MADONNA!

How cool is that?

I love pottery barn!

One more for the night! I have been hanging on to this Pottery Barn tag that came from my quilt forever!

I was joking with Lisa tonight that the only way I get organized in my scrap area anymore, is to just use whatever is on the top of the table. Like this tag. (and look! I made my bed! LOL! - Actually because I do love my quilt, I am happy to make my bed everyday! It makes me wish Pottery Barn made toilets. That is one job I LOATHE doing.)

So here it is... my love for all things Pottery Barn.

Journaling says: "I LOVE Pottery Barn. I always envisioned my house looking like the inside of one of the catalogs...simple, straight lines and clean looking. LOVE it!

I tear out pages and save them for future reference, and now that I am in a house that is ALL MINE, I am going to put all of those loose pages to good use. I have a couple pieces from there, but my favorite is a red Sabrina quilt that is on my bed. It just makes me happy when I walk into my room and see it!"

I'm putting this in my All About Me album, which is 8 1/2 x 11. It has been a fun size to work with lately!

happiness

Rain

Well, yes...normally I would be THRILLED that we were finally getting some rain.

But...all you Arizona gals can thank ME for this wonderful weather right now.

Why you ask?

Because I got my windows cleaned today.

Yep, there ya go. Murphy's law.

On the bright side.... the kids are happily watching something since we can 't go outside right now and I am scrapping!

Stay tuned...a new layout posting tonight! Ta da!

Temple Square

Random

I was at Devine Memories yesterday to pick up adhesive. Which of course turned into picking up some other goodies. ;)

They had these cool letters from Making Memories. They are big, like the wood ones from Pottery Barn, but these are made on a really heavy white chipboard. Perfect for altering or covering with paper. Plus they were only 99 cents each! I didn't buy any, since I couldn't really think of a word that I would like to spell in my scraproom.

I was thinking of the more popular words that people use in their scraprooms like:

CREATE

ART

SCRAPBOOK

HOPE

INSPIRE

etc.

As cool as any of those would be....they just arent' really me. So I was thinking...what word is 'me.'

You know, I started to think of words and one that I like just how it looks when it is spelled, how it sounds and rolls out of your mouth because it is 'fun' to say is RANDOM. How would that look as an inspirational word sprawled across the wall in my scrapbook room? Plus it seems to define how things are in life right now. Random. It also isn't a word that means things are particularly good, or bad....just random.

I know...the hot summer sun must really be getting to me for me to put so much thought into something like this. And I'm sure any of you who are reading this are hanging on my every word because this is so exciting. ;)

Try this one: drawer. Now that is one funny word too. Fun to say, fun to spell. Drawer.

Yeah, I promise a more exciting update soon. Hee hee!

It should have had DISASTER written all over it.

OK, Trevor has been asking if we can go to the Rainforest Cafe this summer for months. Like he can't say that he had a good summer vacation if we didn't go there, right?

Today it worked out that Mike was home after an early flight, and had to take some tickets into downtown Phoenix. So he took us all out to lunch with him before taking care of the tickets.

I'll preface this by saying that we have been to the Rainforest Cafe before so the kids knew what to expect. Even Matthew was totally excited about going.

As we are being seated, the hostess is telling us the usual blah blah blah...and then all I heard was, "And the lightning and rain start every 8 minutes." I didn't think anything about it. My kids loooove this place!

We sit down, order drinks, commit to eating there, and Matthew freaks out. Poor guy spends the entire meal with his hands over his ears and yelling, "I want peace and quiet! I want peace and quiet!" (I wonder where he got that from? Ha ha!) I even had to feed him because he wouldn't take his hands off of his ears to pick up food. Poor guy. He was actually scared to death, but even a trip out to the gift shop didn't help as soon as the talking tree started up. He started screaming again. Grrr.

The thing that just struck me as funny after we sat down again, was that I would just get him calm and tears wiped away from his face, and the stupid lightning would start up again. I just started laughing. Mike asked me what was so funny since I was so frustrated and couldn't eat my own food....but my thoughts went back to what the hostess said.

"The lightning and rain start again every 8 minutes."

Lightning.

Rain.

and Matthew.