With family in town we are still celebrating Christmas over here! Yesterday I was hanging out with my aunt Bibi who, with so few years between us is more like a sister than my aunt. We took our girls to the "Eggies" play area at Willow Bend Mall. We were just visiting with each other and enjoying watching our girls play when suddenly our attention is drawn to a little 3 year old boy who could have been the poster child for Riddlin. He is running full speed ahead, caution to the wind as fast as he can, leaping in the air, flinging himself all over the play area. He is leaving a wake of crying babies and angry parents. There is hardly a person that he hasn't hit, kicked, jumped on or knocked over. Parent's begin to throw their bodies over their babies when they see him coming. At one point he jumps into the giant cup of coffee where three other boys about his age are playing. Scared for their safety they begin to hiss and growl at him. Undeterred he knocks one of them over and leaps out to continue his reign of terror. Bibi and I are sitting on the bench. We've been commenting for 10 minutes. "OH MY GOSH!" "Did you see that, he just took a running leap over that baby and nearly landed on him!! That's the third time he's knocked over that cute little Asian boy!! Where are his parents?" GASP!! "I guess nobody wants to claim him – Ha Ha!! At that moment, he runs in front of us. He waves at the woman sitting right next to me on the bench and pauses just long enough to say "Hi MOM" before he takes off running again!
I know what you are thinking. "April you are a horrible person, you should have given that poor woman ever last dollar in your purse and crawled away." Well, normally I would agree with you but listen to this. I was telling John this story when he stopped me and said "Did that little boy have black curly hair? Yes! Did his mom have long dark hair? Yes!! Yes!! I said. "Oh my gosh, they were there last time I took the girls to the play area and that little boy would knock the kids down and then stand over them while they were crying and start shoving them." His mom never did anything!!"
So there!!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
How we got a Wii for Christmas
This is the true story of how we came to aquire a Wii for Christmas this year..
4pm Saturday December 15th – John and I went to Circuit City to pick out a Christmas present for my grandparents – or so I thought. (I can be really naïve at times)
4:10 pm – John asked the store manager if they have any Wii’s.
4:11pm – The manager says “We have 20 in the back and we’re going to give away 19 vouchers tomorrow morning at 7”.
4:11pm – Time and space stood still and John obviously lost all ability to use reason or logic – it was him and Wii alone in the universe. John hatches a plan to camp out in front of Circuit City at 4:30 am Sunday morning to claim his Wii voucher.
5:00 pm – John told his equally gullible friend Rob about his quest.
5:01 pm – Equally gullible friend decided to go with him.
5:02pm - The plotting and planning begins…
12am – I am still up in the kitchen digging out thermoses, blankets, making sandwiches and helping Dumb and Dumber get there stuff together to go sit in a sub-freezing parking lot.
2am – Dumb and Dumber and I go to sleep.
4am – Alarm goes off!
4-4:28 - Much running around! Coffee making and packing up car happens.
4:30 – I kiss John goodbye and yell “Have fun storming the castle!” as he and friend drive off in the arctic blast.
4:31 – Only Sane person (ME) Goes back to my warm bed.
4:40 – Dumb and Dumber pull up at Circuit City to find a line has already formed.
4:40 – Car pulls in right behind them.
4:40– Rob races to the front of the store and goes up on two wheels as John does a roll-dive out of the car and into the line.
4:41 – John finds out they are number 18 and 19 in line. YIKES!!
5:30 – Previously mentioned Circuit City store manager comes out and says they may only give out 15 vouchers instead of 19.
5:31 – John calls and wakes me up to tell me this.
6am – John beats on CC’s front door and has a “Come to Jesus” talk with the manager
6:01 – Store manager assures John he will give away all 19 vouchers as promised.
6-7 – Dumb and Dumber freeze butts off.
7 – Manager hands out vouchers
7:10 – Rob and John find Starbucks to warm up in and wait it out until 8 when the store opens.
8 – John and Rob go back to Circuit City to buy Wii.
8:01 – John and Rob get talked into buying extra controllers and games – OF COURSE!!
8:30 – John comes home a very happy camper and immediately starts setting Wii up in the living room to play.
8:31 – I remind John that this is his Christmas present and he needs to wait until Christmas and let me wrap it.
8:31 – John growls at me
8:32 – 9:30ish – We all play Wii games in the living room before church.
4pm Saturday December 15th – John and I went to Circuit City to pick out a Christmas present for my grandparents – or so I thought. (I can be really naïve at times)
4:10 pm – John asked the store manager if they have any Wii’s.
4:11pm – The manager says “We have 20 in the back and we’re going to give away 19 vouchers tomorrow morning at 7”.
4:11pm – Time and space stood still and John obviously lost all ability to use reason or logic – it was him and Wii alone in the universe. John hatches a plan to camp out in front of Circuit City at 4:30 am Sunday morning to claim his Wii voucher.
5:00 pm – John told his equally gullible friend Rob about his quest.
5:01 pm – Equally gullible friend decided to go with him.
5:02pm - The plotting and planning begins…
12am – I am still up in the kitchen digging out thermoses, blankets, making sandwiches and helping Dumb and Dumber get there stuff together to go sit in a sub-freezing parking lot.
2am – Dumb and Dumber and I go to sleep.
4am – Alarm goes off!
4-4:28 - Much running around! Coffee making and packing up car happens.
4:30 – I kiss John goodbye and yell “Have fun storming the castle!” as he and friend drive off in the arctic blast.
4:31 – Only Sane person (ME) Goes back to my warm bed.
4:40 – Dumb and Dumber pull up at Circuit City to find a line has already formed.
4:40 – Car pulls in right behind them.
4:40– Rob races to the front of the store and goes up on two wheels as John does a roll-dive out of the car and into the line.
4:41 – John finds out they are number 18 and 19 in line. YIKES!!
5:30 – Previously mentioned Circuit City store manager comes out and says they may only give out 15 vouchers instead of 19.
5:31 – John calls and wakes me up to tell me this.
6am – John beats on CC’s front door and has a “Come to Jesus” talk with the manager
6:01 – Store manager assures John he will give away all 19 vouchers as promised.
6-7 – Dumb and Dumber freeze butts off.
7 – Manager hands out vouchers
7:10 – Rob and John find Starbucks to warm up in and wait it out until 8 when the store opens.
8 – John and Rob go back to Circuit City to buy Wii.
8:01 – John and Rob get talked into buying extra controllers and games – OF COURSE!!
8:30 – John comes home a very happy camper and immediately starts setting Wii up in the living room to play.
8:31 – I remind John that this is his Christmas present and he needs to wait until Christmas and let me wrap it.
8:31 – John growls at me
8:32 – 9:30ish – We all play Wii games in the living room before church.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Lo's New Do
This morning we were awakened when Sav ran into our room and yelled “Loralei cut her hair”. Turns out that was only half the story – she BUTCHERED her hair AND victimized poor unsuspecting Dora the Explorer's hair as well. I’ve been thinking of getting Loralei a bob. She has great, thick hair for it but just haven’t been brave enough to take the plunge.
Lo plunged me over the edge today and is sporting a new bob.
Friday, June 22, 2007
New Playroom
I don't mean to lie to my husband. In fact I have a strict moral and spiritual no-lie policy especially where my husband is concerned. Unfortunately my life motto "How hard can it be?" recently caused me to convince John that I thought we could remodel the girls playroom "in one weekend"! A can of paint, a few curtains and voila!!Looking back, I'm not sure what surprises me more - that after almost 9 years of marriage John believed me AGAIN or that I convinced myself and honestly thought it was possible. Whatever the case, both of us fell for my persuasive arguments.
One horrible curtain mistake, a can of psychedelic green paint, 25 trips to Joann's fabric, 27 trips to Home Depot and Lowe's, one fall off the high ladder with can of pink paint in hand - then on head and body and shoes, one painted 2 year old daughter, one painted 4 year old daughter, 5 bad fabric choices, two green puppies and subsequently green paw prints leading down the hall, countless paint drops on the floor, a large barbecue fork through John's foot (don't ask), weeks of 3am bed times, a couple of ridiculous crying fits (and that was just John), and ONE MONTH LATER - we are finally done!!
I love the results. I love the painted tree on the wall where the handprints of our family and friends become the leaves with special messages written for us to treasure. I love the bright curtains with the oh so practicle sun-blocking backing. I love the zip line with little hooks to display artwork. The girls love the reading nook with little flower lights and comfy pillows where they can snuggle down with a good book. I love the giant peg board we made to hang all the dress up clothes on. But mostly, I love the memories that John and I will always share of giving our girls a special, beautiful place where their imaginations can flourish.
Was it worth it? I say "YES" but you should probably wait awhile before you ask John!!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Parenting Works...yesss!
Today two significant events occurred which caused me to notice a very positive milestone in the life of my sweet Loralei. You all have been such wonderful cheerleaders over the years that I wanted to share with you. This morning the off-limits playroom we are currently painting lime green was broken into by Loralei. She dipped her hands and the paint brush into the can of lime green paint and proceeded to paint the ladder, her hair, her hands, the chalk board table, the tarp on the floor and her sister BUT there was not a drop of green paint on her clothes. In the hysteria of the moment this important detail eluded me. Later this afternoon I walked into the living room and found Loralei methodically spreading Magic Shell Chocolate Fudge all over the coffee table. In the .00005 seconds it took me to run through the kitchen and do a roll dive over the toys, puppies and vacuum cleaner before reaching her I noticed something fascinating. She was being VERY particularly careful not to get it on her clothes. I saw her eyes look from her chocolate covered hands to the chocolate covered table and then to her shirt. She carefully scooted her belly an inch to the left so she could continue to rub and eat the chocolate without it touching her clothes. Finally, after almost three years of me instructing her "Don't wipe your hands on your clothes" it has sunk in! The sky is the limit now my friends - PARENTING WORKS!!! I'm thinking of taking the whole family to dinner!
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Our New Boys
We are the proud parents of TWO new baby boys. Tag and Tucker. We went to the breeder to buy Tucker (right), but you know what they say - "always let the dog pick the family". When we arrived Tag (left) came running up to Loralei shaking with enthusiasm and kisses for her. Of course that melted my mother heart so we brought both of them home to be ours forever!! They are mini Australian Shepherds which means they will probably only be 10-12 pounds. They have the cutest personalities and in the few weeks they have been apart of our family have completely won our hearts. The other day Loralei had her big hat and high heals and purse and I heard her say "Come on we are going to Mimi's" and down the hall she went with puppies following.
Product Review 2007
Some of you may recall my product review written one year ago after what I can only describe as a spirit of shopping entered my body and caused me to plunder the local drug store. In that email I elaborated on the pros and cons of some of the newer products on the market. Well, here for your viewing pleasure and to hopefully get you excited about the coming summer months is Product Review 2007.
Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Body Glow Daily Replenishing Moisturizer + A Touch of Self Tanner
If you are as “translucent” as I am you’ve probably been through the gamut of self tanning options. In the year of our Lord 2001 I left for a cruise with palms and ankles stained the color of furniture polish after falling for the trendy “Mystic Tan”. Since then I have been every shade of orange, tangerine, cantaloupe and salmon found on the Better Homes and Garden website. Vaseline’s Healthy Body Glow is so fabulous I just have to recommend it. I have never had one streak as a result of using it. The premise is a moisturizer that includes a small amount of self tanner. Thus every time you use it you gradually build up to a “healthy summer glow”. It comes in several shades. I use medium and it works! Buy it at Wal-Mart, it’s not expensive and it smells nice so there is really no down side. Go forth and be tanned! I highly recommend it!!
CO Bigelow Apothecaries Mentha Lip Tint
I purchased this wonderful product recently at Bath and Body after my mom gave me a sample of the color-free version. This company believe it or not was established in 1838 and their motto is “Honesty, Genuine, Trustworthy” You gotta love that. Everything I’ve tried from them lives up to their reputation. I am particularly loving this mint lip tint. It comes in at least 4 shades. They cost $7.50 or 3 for $15. The mint is soooo nice and minty and strong. It’s better than a breath mint. The color is just enough to make my lips shiny and tinted without scaring John away. You know how guys hate gooey lips. No matter how much practice they’ve had they still think they will injure themselves in a lip slide off accident if the lips are too glossy. All that said the bonus for me is that the primary job of the product is to moisturize. I have excessively dry skin so no matter what product I use it has to moisturize. I’m looking forward to shiny, minty, tinted lips all summer thanks to CO Bigelow.
Infusium 23 Revitalizing Conditioner
Infusium has been around forever. My parent’s used it so I assumed it was a fogy product. I bought it in desperation because my hair has been getting dryer. I’ll let y’all in on a big secret, my hair is dyed. (shhh – don’t tell) The blonder it gets the dryer it gets. Infusium is supposed to “infuse hair with 23 essential pro-vitamin and treatment ingredients”. Although the side of the bottle doesn’t read like a vitamin label, after one use this fabulous conditioner really did revitalize my hair. I’ve continued to use it for several weeks now and I’m throwing everything else out and sticking with it. My hair feels and looks so much healthier.
Fruit of the Earth Block Up! SPF 30 plus UVA/UVB protection with Aloe Vera
It’s sun tan lotion in an aerosol bottle!! WooHoo. Even my kids stand still long enough to get a solid coat of sun protection. Found this two years ago and I am just mentioning it because we have continued to love and buy it. It’s cheaper than most all the other similar products on the market and I haven’t found a single flaw. It’s easy, it’s water and sweat resistant, the girls haven’t had a sunburn to speak of in the last several years and I have avoided messy oily sun tan lotion hands. Buy it at Wal-Mart!
Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Stay in Place Concealer SPF 10
Anyone who’s seen those “Makeup tricks of the Pro’s” articles in the glamour magazines has inevitably read that the easiest and oldest trick in the book to making your eye shadow stay on and look great all day is to use a good concealer on your eyelids before you apply the shadow. I’ve looked long and hard for “good” concealer and have never found anything I like as well as this. Thank you Taylor C. for introducing me to it. It’s a great liquid with a powder finish. You don’t get those nasty lines-o-gunk in your eyelid crease. Plus you can use it to disguise dark circles under your eyes or hide blemishes. I highly recommend it for those of you who have been perpetually disappointed with the slew of runny, chalky, gunky products masquerading as concealer.
Johnson and Johnson’s Purpose Dual Treatment Moisture Lotion with SPF 15 and Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash
If they were movies they would be called instant classics. If they were super heroes they would be the dynamic duo. In my home they are the must-have's of simple skin maintenance. John and I both use them and they are good for his oily skin and my dry skin.
1 – Purpose Lotion: Every woman knows that gravity is the enemy when it comes to our skin but a lot of women don’t know that the number one best thing you can ever do for your skin PERIOD is to protect it from the sun. I never buy lotion, concealer or foundation that doesn’t contain SPF. Purpose Lotion has an SPF15 and contains UVA and UVB sunscreen. I use it every morning under my makeup or if it's a no makeup day on my clean skin and every night before I go to bed. It comes in an unassuming white and periwinkle container with a handy squirt top. It is oil free, hypoallergenic, fragrance free and won’t clog pours.
2 - Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash: I use to remove dirt and makeup from my face every night. It’s not harsh on my skin. You can get it at Wal-Mart next to the lotion. It’s soap free, hypoallergenic and won’t clog pours. The best thing about it as a dry-skin person is my skin doesn’t get that tight, dry feeling after using it.
Honestly I would compare these two items with confidence to all the budget breaking, highly advertised products on the market I’ve tried. I’m never going back!!
Thanks for indulging me again this year. I hope you find these reviews informative and helpful. Please Please let me know about any products you use and love!
Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Body Glow Daily Replenishing Moisturizer + A Touch of Self Tanner
If you are as “translucent” as I am you’ve probably been through the gamut of self tanning options. In the year of our Lord 2001 I left for a cruise with palms and ankles stained the color of furniture polish after falling for the trendy “Mystic Tan”. Since then I have been every shade of orange, tangerine, cantaloupe and salmon found on the Better Homes and Garden website. Vaseline’s Healthy Body Glow is so fabulous I just have to recommend it. I have never had one streak as a result of using it. The premise is a moisturizer that includes a small amount of self tanner. Thus every time you use it you gradually build up to a “healthy summer glow”. It comes in several shades. I use medium and it works! Buy it at Wal-Mart, it’s not expensive and it smells nice so there is really no down side. Go forth and be tanned! I highly recommend it!!
CO Bigelow Apothecaries Mentha Lip Tint
I purchased this wonderful product recently at Bath and Body after my mom gave me a sample of the color-free version. This company believe it or not was established in 1838 and their motto is “Honesty, Genuine, Trustworthy” You gotta love that. Everything I’ve tried from them lives up to their reputation. I am particularly loving this mint lip tint. It comes in at least 4 shades. They cost $7.50 or 3 for $15. The mint is soooo nice and minty and strong. It’s better than a breath mint. The color is just enough to make my lips shiny and tinted without scaring John away. You know how guys hate gooey lips. No matter how much practice they’ve had they still think they will injure themselves in a lip slide off accident if the lips are too glossy. All that said the bonus for me is that the primary job of the product is to moisturize. I have excessively dry skin so no matter what product I use it has to moisturize. I’m looking forward to shiny, minty, tinted lips all summer thanks to CO Bigelow.
Infusium 23 Revitalizing Conditioner
Infusium has been around forever. My parent’s used it so I assumed it was a fogy product. I bought it in desperation because my hair has been getting dryer. I’ll let y’all in on a big secret, my hair is dyed. (shhh – don’t tell) The blonder it gets the dryer it gets. Infusium is supposed to “infuse hair with 23 essential pro-vitamin and treatment ingredients”. Although the side of the bottle doesn’t read like a vitamin label, after one use this fabulous conditioner really did revitalize my hair. I’ve continued to use it for several weeks now and I’m throwing everything else out and sticking with it. My hair feels and looks so much healthier.
Fruit of the Earth Block Up! SPF 30 plus UVA/UVB protection with Aloe Vera
It’s sun tan lotion in an aerosol bottle!! WooHoo. Even my kids stand still long enough to get a solid coat of sun protection. Found this two years ago and I am just mentioning it because we have continued to love and buy it. It’s cheaper than most all the other similar products on the market and I haven’t found a single flaw. It’s easy, it’s water and sweat resistant, the girls haven’t had a sunburn to speak of in the last several years and I have avoided messy oily sun tan lotion hands. Buy it at Wal-Mart!
Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Stay in Place Concealer SPF 10
Anyone who’s seen those “Makeup tricks of the Pro’s” articles in the glamour magazines has inevitably read that the easiest and oldest trick in the book to making your eye shadow stay on and look great all day is to use a good concealer on your eyelids before you apply the shadow. I’ve looked long and hard for “good” concealer and have never found anything I like as well as this. Thank you Taylor C. for introducing me to it. It’s a great liquid with a powder finish. You don’t get those nasty lines-o-gunk in your eyelid crease. Plus you can use it to disguise dark circles under your eyes or hide blemishes. I highly recommend it for those of you who have been perpetually disappointed with the slew of runny, chalky, gunky products masquerading as concealer.
Johnson and Johnson’s Purpose Dual Treatment Moisture Lotion with SPF 15 and Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash
If they were movies they would be called instant classics. If they were super heroes they would be the dynamic duo. In my home they are the must-have's of simple skin maintenance. John and I both use them and they are good for his oily skin and my dry skin.
1 – Purpose Lotion: Every woman knows that gravity is the enemy when it comes to our skin but a lot of women don’t know that the number one best thing you can ever do for your skin PERIOD is to protect it from the sun. I never buy lotion, concealer or foundation that doesn’t contain SPF. Purpose Lotion has an SPF15 and contains UVA and UVB sunscreen. I use it every morning under my makeup or if it's a no makeup day on my clean skin and every night before I go to bed. It comes in an unassuming white and periwinkle container with a handy squirt top. It is oil free, hypoallergenic, fragrance free and won’t clog pours.
2 - Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash: I use to remove dirt and makeup from my face every night. It’s not harsh on my skin. You can get it at Wal-Mart next to the lotion. It’s soap free, hypoallergenic and won’t clog pours. The best thing about it as a dry-skin person is my skin doesn’t get that tight, dry feeling after using it.
Honestly I would compare these two items with confidence to all the budget breaking, highly advertised products on the market I’ve tried. I’m never going back!!
Thanks for indulging me again this year. I hope you find these reviews informative and helpful. Please Please let me know about any products you use and love!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Loralei's Easter Dress
We had such a wonderful Easter last year. What a joy to celebrate Jesus resurrection and our Resurrection with Him. I'm looking forward to this Easter. This is one of my favorite memories from last Easter.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
New Years Resolutions
My husband started it with a cough and fever last Friday as in Friday the 23rd of February. He came home, parked himself on the couch and stayed there all weekend. Monday morning rolled around and off he went to work, came home and told me "I feel like crap" and went back on the couch. I got huffy. I am a very goal oriented person and last week we had a lot of deadlines. I generally try not to take time to be sick, I just ignore it until hopefully it goes away. This time was no different. Took John to the doctor who told him, you are exhausted, you've been burning the candle at both ends for way too long and you need to rest. GREAT! I've been cancelling appointments all week.
Something about the doctors words really broke my heart. John has been working way too hard for way too long. Why do we push ourselves to the limit? So we went home to rest. I chilled out and decided to let him rest and even to rest some with him. He took the week off which worked out well since the rest of us came down with the same rotten cold shortly thereafter. So this whole week has been spent laying on the couch, eating soup and drinking lots of water. We have gotten caught up on our Midsummer Murders that we recorded but never took time to watch. I love that show.
What has surprised me about this week the most is how many hours we have had. It must have been three times as long as a regular week. We have talked and laughed and coughed and choked together. It's been really nice. A nice break from the normal break-neck speed we live life at. Who are all these people demanding all of our time so that we can't even be a family? Why should I have to be sick to spend time with my husband? It's SIN!! I'm resolving, and this is the first resolution of the year, to spend more time with my husband and girls. I'm resolving to ignore the phone more. I'm resolving to say "No" more. I'm resolving to rest when I need it and to let John rest when he needs it. God help me, Amen!!
Something about the doctors words really broke my heart. John has been working way too hard for way too long. Why do we push ourselves to the limit? So we went home to rest. I chilled out and decided to let him rest and even to rest some with him. He took the week off which worked out well since the rest of us came down with the same rotten cold shortly thereafter. So this whole week has been spent laying on the couch, eating soup and drinking lots of water. We have gotten caught up on our Midsummer Murders that we recorded but never took time to watch. I love that show.
What has surprised me about this week the most is how many hours we have had. It must have been three times as long as a regular week. We have talked and laughed and coughed and choked together. It's been really nice. A nice break from the normal break-neck speed we live life at. Who are all these people demanding all of our time so that we can't even be a family? Why should I have to be sick to spend time with my husband? It's SIN!! I'm resolving, and this is the first resolution of the year, to spend more time with my husband and girls. I'm resolving to ignore the phone more. I'm resolving to say "No" more. I'm resolving to rest when I need it and to let John rest when he needs it. God help me, Amen!!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Knock Knock...
Decided to play a little joke of my own on the girls this morning. One too many knock knock jokes will do this to you...
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