Friend Makin Monday~ All I Need

I've been so stressed out the last couple weeks. I can't focus, I'm irritating irritable, I'm desperately trying to find ways to save as much money as I can so that I have a little pad in my bank account should the ax fall. I'm writing collection letters to folks that owe me money and I'm feeling completely guilty for my upcoming trip to Vegas...but it's already paid for...I just need to turn tricks be frugal while I'm there and bring my flask.

I compared it to holding my breath and that is exactly what it feels like.  I can't breathe....

I confided in Calvin (big mistake) that I was stressed out and thinking of visiting the doctor for a little Xanax and he got upset with me and told me not to worry about something I have no control over.  He should know by now that you can't say that to a Mother.  It's part of our job and our genetic make up to worry about what COULD happen.  It's how we prevent bad things (as much as we can) from happening.  I know from first hand experience that Dad's don't think like this...and it drives me to drink insane.

So....I'm going to try not to worry anymore.  UGH...that felt terrible just typing it.  I'm going to try to relax and I'm not going to use a bottle of wine to do it.  Which brings me to the topic for this week's Friend Makin Monday.  Amber wants to know about my favorite things that I can't live without.  This was a great subject because I've been thinking a lot about what we will do if we lose our income and lose EVERYTHING.

These three things...bring me happiness and can be quite affordable if you make them yourself.  I can see it now...I'll be squashing grapes in the backyard of my trailer  van down by the river  tiny home and bottling it...Mommy's Little Helper sounds like a good name for a wine right?

I can't live without little adventures with my children.  But Disney will be out.  Shoot!  I can't afford Disney right now.  Instead we will find FREE activities, parks and go for lots of walks.  That is totally affordable.

One thing that I can't live without...that is like WATER to me.  Is Bobbi.  I love her so much and I'm so happy to have her close by again...I'm going to be heartbroken if we have to move away.

 

But there is really only one thing I need...if Calvin loses his job and we have to sell everything we own and start over.  If we have to live in an apartment and I have to give up my SUV.  If we never get to eat out again and I have to buy the kids' clothes at Target Wal-Mart instead of Gymboree.  If I have to color my own hair and drink wine out of a box....

As long as I have my husband and my children...I have everything I could ever need.

Well, and some coffee.  My family, some coffee and that's all I need.  And some cheese.  My family, some coffee, good cheese...and that's all I need.  Well...and Sushi.  I also need sushi.

dear baby jesus. On this day of atonement, I want to say that I'm sorry that I don't talk very nice about Utah but at this point...I'd really like to stay.  And PLEASE have a chat with that Obama guy and convince him to keep the ARES project.  Seriously.  It needs a little more money and I talked to Alex and Mallory and they would rather pay their future tax dollars on keeping the space program alive than rescuing the auto industry.  thanks!

amen

**I was supposed to post my after pictures of my bedroom today....but much of that projects funding was cut due to the impending doom.  I am still working on a few things but I'm totally NOT done.   As soon as I am...I will post.**

So You Think You Can Dance?

My brother in law Rob is in town.  He was working in Salt Lake all week and is spending the weekend with us....and taking the kids to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.  They are very excited.

Last night, Rob showed up and I discovered that he and Calvin had plans for a Man Night.  I guess Calvin is a bit jealous of me and Bobbi...and our little outings.  We couldn't convince him to take the camera and film a vlog.  Whatever....

While Calvin was putting the kids to bed...a dance off broke out in the family room!  I couldn't resist the chance to film it....

To view the vlog...click HERE.

Waiting to Exhale...Just like Betty Draper

I'm so sorry Jenny...but I don't have a vlog today.  The stress of not knowing what is going to happen to Calvin's job has paralyzed me.  That and lack of sleep and I can't form a thought much less try to write a blog post.  AND today is the 25th and I like to do a Christmas post but I can't even begin to think about the holidays right now.  So...here I sit, holding my breath and cutting out coupons.

However...my brother in law Rob will be here this weekend.  So I could end up vlogging something later.  :)

The other day I told you about one of my favorite shows.  Mad Men.  If you haven't caught this yet..you MUST.  Over the summer I watched the first two seasons on DVD (available from Netflix and iTunes) and I was addicted.  I love Betty Draper and I've always thought she and I were very much alike...expect for the the drinking and smoking while pregnant and humping a stranger in a bar.  So I was delighted when this quiz said I was Betty.  And I completely agree with the explanation, people are constantly taking advantage of my kindness and I'm sick of it.

You Are Betty

You are a perfectly polished and put together woman. You mind your manners and always act appropriately.  You are the type of woman who makes an ideal wife and mother. You are able to be completely selfless.

The downside to your kindness is that people sometimes take advantage of you. You don't stand up for yourself enough. You are as sweet as you seem, but there's only so much one woman can take before she snaps.

Are you a Peggy, Betty or a Joan?

Wordless Wednesday: Show Me Love

Randoms Bits of Stuff

My little girl is sick. She came down with a fever last night and I was up most of the night giving her tylenol and rocking her and listening to Calvin snore. Look how cute she is curled up with her Daddy...still clutching her purse.

Yesterday the kids and I finally unearthed the Fall decorations and put them up.  They were soooo excited!  And they took a bunch of silk flowers and made a beautiful arrangement...without my help.  I was so impressed!  Here is the mess we had to wade through....

I'm not online much today because of the sick kiddo and I needed a laugh real quick so I went to my favorite place for a chuckle.  The keyword analysis on my blog stats....here is what brought people to my blog recently.

Mallory arrested in Las Vegas...this gave me a heart attack!

Anything to keep you here, not there....looking for stalker tips?

Buck toothed John Elway...Hey Now...stop picking on my John Elway like that!

Jen Lancaster on Oprah....I'm starting my letter writing campaign now!

What to do when Love doesn't happen...join eHarmony.  I swear it works!

What happened to Nitnots?....what?  Something has happened to Nitnots?  Now I want to know!

I'm stressing out about layoff's at Calvin's work. He was on the list last time (in March) and someone saved him. I'm hoping that he won't be on the list again since I was saved last time. *finger's crossed/praying my @ss off* To keep myself busy...I'm going through all of our stuff and finding things to sell.

Girls Night Vlog: Love Doesn't Happen

Me and the Bobinator had a great time last night. We had wingish things and Coors Light at WingNutz in Ogden and then went to see Love Happens starring Jennifer Aniston. We liked the movie but we didn't love it. And there were tons of people that brought their babies and small children to see an ADULT movie. We saw all kinds of kids that should have been tucked into bed that had been drug out to the movie theater in their jammies. Crazy.

Also...before the movie started we witnessed a commercial for Surfing in Utah...except that in my opinion...surfing requires waves and what they were doing was standing on a board with a paddle. Bobbi renamed it Water Boarding.
Enjoy!

Friday Vlog~Escapees

Happy Friday! Please click on the little box UP THERE above the posts to see my list of 39 things to do before I turn 40. I worked very hard on them and some of you have been chomping at the bit to see them.



Come back tomorrow....Me and Bobbi are going to VLOG our Girls Night Out.

Toddler's in Crime

Saturday night...I didn't get much sleep.

I woke up at just after midnight because I was being blinded by a light coming from the hallway. This usually means that my boy is up and wandering the house, looking for a snack or ransacking my desk....and up to no good. I slowly rolled out of bed and saw that both kids doors were wide open and lights on....at 12:35am.

Alex was in Mallory's crib and when they saw me they curled into the fetal position...hoping I didn't see them. But I'm smarter than I look and I saw them and dragged Alex out and back to his own bed. I found the scissors from my desk and the children's Claritin in Mallory's crib. They were obviously trying to open the bottle and sneak a hit of grapey goodness. My mind flashed ahead 12 years and I shudder to think of the trouble these two will get into when they are older. I made a mental note to have surveillance camera's installed in 2020.

I put everyone back to bed and returned to bed myself...and my snoring husband.  He slept through all of the commotion.

Over the next 2 hours...Alex would leave his room for a number of reasons and I would jump out of bed and return him to his bed...sometimes with a swat on the butt. I cleaned up poop,  retrieved a drink of water from the bathroom and removed all of the toys from his room. Finally...at 2:30am he was asleep.

And then I couldn't. I don't even know what time I finally drifted off but I will tell you that I was wide awake at 6:50am. Dang it.

I'm getting really tired of these nighttime wanderings because I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before he decides to go to the park in the middle of the night. There is a giant irrigation ditch between our house and the park and I pass it every time I walk to the track and I pray to God that my kid never decides to play in it.

I've been threatening to put a lock on Alex's door but Calvin has told me NO...that we can't lock him in his room. I just want him to be safe....so I came up with THIS today.

UPDATE:  Alex Houdini can get out.  Sigh.

P.S. Did you know that Houdini's real name was Erik Weiss?

P.P.S.  Did you know that Calvin's family is related to Houdini?  I guess he comes by this naturally.....

P.P.P.S  We aren't Jewish...in case you were wondering.

P.P.P.P.S  But I'd like to celebrate Hanukkah just once...

P.P.P.P.P.S  I couldn't get my surgery scheduled until October 21st.  5 more weeks.

Friend Makin Monday~ Fall TV

 

The newly pregnant Amber...wants to know what my favorite Fall TV shows are.  I'm sure I've told you before...I'm addicted to TV.  Once the new season starts, it's very difficult to tear me away from home most days of the week.   Here is a list of my favorite shows:

Big Bang Theory (starts September 21st)

I love this show because my husband is an engineer and he is the grown up version of Sheldon.  They are like TWINS!  And I love Leonard and his crush on Penny.  Don't judge me...but I am oddly attracted to Howard Wolowitz.

The Biggest Loser (starts September 15th)

This show is inspiration for me.  Seeing what the contestants go through and how hard Jillian and Bob work them out helps me stay motivated.  I love Jillian!  But I think I would crap my pants if I had to have her for my trainer. 

Grey's Anatomy (starts September 24th)

I've loved this show from day one!  I'm one of those gals that likes a good cry now and then and this show provides that for me on a regular basis!  The story lines are so exciting and tragic and they really got me at the end of last season!  Oh George!  

The Amazing Race (starts September 27th)

I love to travel.  If I had the means...I would have been one of those people that travelled the world with a backpack as a young person. This show fulfills my fantasy of seeing the world and I'm always amazed at what these people get to experience and see. AND Phil is my secret boyfriend (shhh..don't tell anybody K?)

Desperate Housewives (starts September 27th)

This show is my guilty pleasure.  I live for my Sunday night fix of fabulous outfits and pretty houses...and drama!  My favorite character is Bree.  She and I are very much alike except that my husband(s) are not as exciting.  When DH came back from the writers strike...I was so happy that I watched the new episode with a bottle of Champagne and a special dessert! I'm pretty excited to find out who Mike is going to marry!

LOST

This is the show that I love to hate.  I get so frustrated at the story lines that are never explained and bad things that keep happening.....but I can't stop!  This show is supposed to be coming back in early 2010.

MY FAVORITE SHOW

Friday Night Lights (starts this fall on DirecTV)

I've been watching this show for 3 seasons....and I love it more than any show on TV.  I feel like I know each and every character and the football scenes are the best!  I feel like I'm there!   This show was almost cancelled after the first season but a fan uproar brought it back and DirecTV helped keep it alive!  I also love how this show is made.  Producers allow the actors to improvise their lines and give feedback on their characters. If you haven't seen this show...you must! All three seasons are available on Netflix and iTunes.

I can't talk about fall TV without discussing a few of the  NEW shows that I'm excited to see.  The Good Wife looks good, Eastwick looks interesting, Melrose Place looks trashy and the show I'm most excited about is called...

Modern Family! This show is about three families...one of them a gay couple that just adopted a baby and has many of my favorite actors.  It's on Wednesday nights at 8PM. 

Happy Birthday TO Me!

THE WINNER IS LIZETTE! YAY!

Thanks everyone for your birthday wishes and for being a friend of my blog! You all make my life better and less boring! I don't know what I would do without my internet friends!




The Giveaway! Enter to win this beautiful copper circle necklace with a natural clear quartz stone called Copper Glow from Moon Over Maize.  To win...leave me a Birthday wish for my 39th year.  Contest begins at Midnight (MST) and ends at 11:59pm on September 11th.

The winner will be selected at 8am (MST) on September 12th.  You have 48 hours to respond to my email before I will select a new winner.  Good Luck!

What I Do All Day!

A few nights ago, Calvin came to me and asked me if I would put the kids to bed for him because he wanted to play World of Warcraft.  I reluctantly said OKAY because I get up with them every single day while he sleeps in on the weekends.  Granted...I can't sleep past 7am...but that is beside the point.

He tried to explain to me that he works all day...and then I told him I'm with them all day every day without a break.  He then told me that I just BLOG all day and then told me that he would withhold sex....this got a big laugh from me because HELLO...I've already been doing that for years!

I'm got news for him...I do much more than BLOG all day.  I also twitter and facebook and do this:

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

This post is part of Mama Kat's Weekly Writing Prompts. 

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the PARTY!!  Don't be Tardy!  One day only.....

19 years ago today...

It was a beautiful day for a redneck wedding and Bobbi and I went to the hairdresser to have our tresses curled and sprayed into pretty cascades of blonde hair. I remember driving us out of town to the church in Kersey and being nervous.

Much of my extended family had come to Colorado for the big event and I was happy that all of my Grandparents had travelled long distances to spend this special day with me.

My Grandma Evelyn helped me into my borrowed dress and veil in the church's nursery and she pointed out the fact that I did not fill in the top of the dress. I clutched my silk flowers and fully thought I might be sick.

My husband to be...had broken his wrist while working as a cement truck driver and his funny Mom wrote THIS LEFT on his cast...I would laugh at this during the ceremony and it would keep me from crying. I could also hear 15 year old Bobbi chomping on her gum.

We left the church as husband and wife...in a Gold Trans Am with cans tied to the bumper and soaped up windows. My Mustang was also decorated (they didn't know which car we would take to the reception) and my Uncle and Cousin would end up driving it...getting funny looks from people. They surely thought his daughter was his young bride!

We had a small reception with goodies purchased from Sams club and served punch because I was underage. My colors were pink and light green.


My cousin Jenny agreed to be my guest book attendant. This was exciting to me because that meant I had TWO people in my wedding party.

those pearls between my eyes made me cross-eyed

That night several of my friends and family would go to Bruce's Bar in Severance. We ate Rocky Mountain Oysters and danced to a live band....until 8Pm when the bride had to leave because she was only 19 years old. This was our song and should have been my first clue that things might not work out. My boss at the store sang this song during our wedding. I would listen to it over and over and think what a bullshit situation I'd gotten myself into. Til my death? Seriously? Love is blind....

****
I met my ex-husband on the Fourth of July at the Independence Stampede Dance. He was wearing a hat from the Auto Parts Store where I worked and I pestered him to tell me how he got the hat. He had just gotten out of the Army and wasn't interested in talking to a youngster me so I hooked up with his step-brother. I would date him for 3 months, until he realized that dating an older woman when you're a senior in high school isn't cool.

Two weeks after that break up...Dean asked me out and I said yes. His brother was not pleased and I thought we might end up on Jerry Springer. We married 11 months later after a whirl wind courtship.

We lived in the country, had a black lab named Sam, went deer and goose hunting and I drove a 68 Dodge Powerwagon with a Pheasant skin on the dash. I might have been a redneck....

Happily Ever After was not to be...we divorced in 1994 and we have never spoken again. Through the grapevine I would find out that he got back together with an old girlfriend and adopted her daughter. He is now a grandfather and recently had his 19 month old granddaughter autographed by a hockey player. I googled him okay.

Visiting Mom and Dad!

I get the Ogden Standard Examiner on the weekends. I love to sit down with my bowl of Fruit Loops Life and my giant cup of coffee and read the paper. It generally only takes me 10 20-30 minutes to get through the paper because there's nothing not a whole heck of a lot going on here.

I love when I come across valuable information that I can actually use. Have you ever wondered how many times you really should be visiting your parents and your in-laws? Saturday's paper had an article about the Mom-o-meter that helps you determine how often you are forced required to visit your family.

Here are the rules.

Start with 2.

If you live less than 2 hours from your parents, add 6.

If you live 2-4 hours away, add 2.

If you live more than 4 hours away, but in the US, add 0.

If you live overseas, subtract 1.5.

If you have two or more children younger than 5, and you have to take them on a plane, subtract 2.

If one or both of your parents make you nuts and you're pretty sure it's their fault, subtract 1.

If everyone tells you your parents are terrific, add 1.

Your final score is the number of visits per year you should make...at a minimum.

Are you left with a negative number? Your score is ZERO!


What is your score?

Friday Vlog...An Interview

Bobbi's Blog

Thinking About Christmas

There has been much talk about writing letters to Santa and being good so Santa will bring presents. So I was not at all surprised this morning when Mallory made a snowman.

112 sleeps until Christmas....

39 Things To Do Before I'm 40

DONE!   (19/39)

1. Take a Cooking Class

2.  Lose 30 pounds

3.  Do a 5K Race
4.  Learn to Knit

5.  See Wicked The Musical

6.  Go to Vegas with Bobbi

7.   Go Hiking
8.   Be a part of a Flash Mob like this one.
9.   Go to the Logan Farmer's Market
10. Rent a Cabin
11. Have a Party

12. Make a Gingerbread House

13. Run Walk Red Rocks

14. Bake a Loaf of Bread

15. Make  Start a Quilt
16. Make Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls
17. Make Jam
18. Have a Beer Tasting
19. Find and purchase Stilettos
20. Start Geo-Caching
21. Go to a Music Concert
22. Cook a live Lobster
23. Climb a Rock Wall
24. Visit The Golden Spike Historical Site.
25. Paint a Picture...on canvas
26. Visit  almost every coffee shop in Ogden

27. Organize my craft supplies

28. Wear a Bikini
29. Have a Family Portrait Taken
30. Have an overnight sexy date with iKeith
31. Be on Jerry Springer Oprah
32. Make Pasta (from scratch)
33. Go Fishing

34. Go Swimming

35. Visit a Vineyard
36. Go to Aquarium
37. Watch Casablanca
38. Ride in a Cab

39. Read 6 Books

• Such a Pretty Fat...Jen Lancaster
• Pretty in Plaid...Jen Lancaster
• I was told there'd be cake...Sloane Crosley
• Naturally Thin by Bethanny Frankel
• Love, Loss and What I Wore...Ilene Beckman
• My Fair Lazy...Jen Lancaster

Home Redo Challenge~ My Boudoir

Once a upon a time in a land far, far away...okay in Utah. There lived a husband and wife that loved each other very much. They loved each other soooo much that they had two babies in 10.5 months. This made them very, very tired.

Because of this endless tiredness, their bedroom became a place for fitful sleep, laundry piles and toys. It was often dusty and cluttered and not a nice place to be. They spent so little time in this room together that no more babies were made. hint hint

One day the wife said to her husband. I miss you. And he said he missed her too. So it came to pass that the wife would decide to make their bedroom a sanctuary where they could rekindle the spark that had brought them together in the first place. And they lived happily ever after.

The End

**************

I've been working on a plan for this room for a month as a part of Shortmama's House Redo project. I'm sewing a duvet for the bed and I bought some frames but I don't have all of the details figured out yet. This morning, The Inspired Room announced a contest to win a $200 giftcard to HomeGoods for a room make over! What perfect timing!

Our bedroom is a sad place. I love the color of the walls, they are kind of a seafoam green and the big window that looks out to the mountains and some trees but it has become a MESS! I never decorated it....only putting a wedding picture on the dresser. Our summer down comforter has no duvet and the ironing board (i don't iron) is a dumping ground for clothes that need put away.

Click on the pictures to see them bigger.

I really want to make this room clutter free....getting rid of the giraffe, the shelf leaning against the wall and the ironing board. I would like to put some candles on the dresser that could be lit during romantical moments.

This is my side of the bed. I have an old TV stand as a night stand and there is nothing on the wall above our bed. The only thing I like is the big mirror. I would put some artwork or pictures above the bed and I need a little side table for my books....and a lamp. A couple throw pillows would be nice on the bed too.


I love this window in our bedroom. It lets in so much light and there is a beautiful view of the mountains (more so in the winter). I would love to put a simple window treatment on the top of that window. It is the focal point as you walk in the room and unless the blinds are open...it's not a very pretty one.

Please Melissa...pick me and my poor lonely boudoir! Help me decorate my love nest and bring an old (okay...we've only been married 5 years) married couple back to each other.

And I might even be inclined to wear something like this when I vacuum.....


If you would like to enter to win a $200 giftcard to HomeGood, visit The Inspired Room and find out how.

If you would like to redo a room of your house this month and post about it with Shortmama and me. Go here and find out how.