Think......

Random thoughts.....

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. What would happen if you ran over a ninja? How the hell do I respond to that?

19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..

20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Busch Lights than Kay.

Think about it......

Happy Holidays!

So I know I've said this before but I am going to get back on a regular blogging schedule again. There has been so much going on that it was the last thing on my mind for a while. But I have taken several steps back over the last couple of months and really regrouped and made so changes. Some really good changes. I've learned to say "NO" to people and have cut back on a lot of things. This has allowed for more family time and more time spent with the girls. Something we really needed around here.

There's been so much going on that it would be hard to recap everything that has gone on over the last two months. But school is going well for both of the girls, they are happy, and I think we have finally really settled in the new house.

From this point on, look for more regular postings again. Updates, pictures, and odd things! It's the fun of blogging, you get to do what you want!!

Until next time, have a great day!

Too Funny!

I love this!

NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.

Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.

There is no fast food.

Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.

In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.

Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out
on time--no emailing.

Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment
and a haircut appointment.

He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care.

He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.

The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done .

The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn themselves with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished and eyebrows groomed.

During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches,
and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.

They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.

They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them,
brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7:00 am.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size, and doctor's name. Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy,
biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote them off the island based on performance. The last man wins only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.

If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years eventually earning the right to be called Mother!

And men say they can do anything! Ya think??

Interesting......

25 THINGS ABOUT TO BECOME EXTINCT IN AMERICA
Will this happen in our life time?

25. U.S. Post Office
They are pricing themselves out of existence. With e-mail, and online services they are a relic of the past. (refer to #9) Packages are also sent faster and cheaper with UPS.

24. Yellow Pages
This year will be pivotal for the global Yellow Pages industry. Much like newspapers, print Yellow Pages will continue to bleed dollars to their various digital counterparts, from Internet Yellow Pages (IYPs), to local search engines and combination search/listing services like Reach Local and Yodel Factors like 20 an acceleration of the print 'fade rate' and the looming recession will contribute to the onslaught. One research firm predicts the falloff in usage of newspapers and print Yellow Pages could even reach 10% this year -- much higher than the 2%-3% fade rate seen in past years.

23. Classified Ads
The Internet has made so many things obsolete that newspaper classified ads might sound like just another trivial item on a long list. But this is one of those harbingers of the future that could signal the end of civilization as we know it. The argument is that if newspaper classifieds are replaced by free online listings at sites like Craigslist.org and Google Base, then newspapers are not far behind them.

22. Movie Rental Stores
While Netflix is looking up at the moment, Blockbuster keeps closing store locations by the hundreds. It still has about 6,000 left across the world, but those keep dwindling and the stock is down considerably in 2008, especially since the company gave up a quest of Circuit City. Movie Gallery, which owned the Hollywood Video brand, closed up shop earlier this year.. Countless small video chains and mom-and-pop stores have given up the ghost already.

21. Dial-up Internet Access
Dial-up connections have fallen from 40% in 2001 to 10% in 2008. The combination of an infrastructure to accommodate affordable high speed Internet connections and the disappearing home phone have all but pounded the final nail in the coffin of dial-up Internet access.

20. Phone Land Lines
According to a survey from the National Center for Health Statistics, at the end of 2007, nearly one in six homes was cell-only and, of those homes that had land lines, one in eight only received calls on their cells.

19. Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs
Maryland's icon, the blue crab, has been fading away in Chesapeake Bay. Last year Maryland saw the lowest harvest (22 million pounds) since 1945. Just four decades ago the bay produced 96 million pounds. The population is down 70% since 1990, when they first did a formal count. There are only about 120 million crabs in the bay and they think they need 200 million for a sustainable population. Over-fishing, pollution, invasive species and global warming get the blame.

18. VCRs
For the better part of three decades, the VCR was a best-seller and staple in every American household until being completely decimated by the DVD, and now the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). In fact, the only remnants of the VHS age at your local Wal-Mart or Radio Shack are blank VHS tapes these days. Pre-recorded VHS tapes are largely gone and VHS decks are practically nowhere to be found. They served us so well.

17. Ash Trees
In the late 1990's, a pretty, iridescent green species of beetle, now known as the emerald ash borer, hitched a ride to North America with ash wood products imported from eastern Asia. In less than a decade, its larvae have killed millions of trees in the Midwest, and continue to spread. They've killed more than 30 million ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone, with tens of millions more lost in Ohio and Indiana. More than 7.5 billion ash trees are currently at risk.

16. Ham Radio
Amateur radio operators enjoy personal (and often worldwide) wireless communications with each other and are able to support their communities with emergency and disaster communications if necessary, while increasing their personal knowledge of electronics and radio theory. However, proliferation of the Internet and its popularity among youth has caused the decline of amateur radio. In the past five years alone, the number of people holding active ham radio licenses has dropped by 50,000, even though Morse Code is no longer a requirement.

15. The Swimming Hole
Thanks to our litigious society, swimming holes are becoming a thing of the past. '20/20' reports that swimming hole owners, like Robert Every in High Falls, NY, are shutting them down out of worry that if someone gets hurt they'll sue. And that's exactly what happened in Seattle. The city of Bellingham was sued by Katie Hofstetter who was paralyzed in a fall at a popular swimming hole in Whatcom Falls Park. As injuries occur and lawsuits follow, expect more swimming holes to post 'Keep out!' signs.

14. Answering Machines
The increasing disappearance of answering machines is directly tied to No 20 our list -- the decline of landlines. According to USA Today, the number of homes that only use cell phones jumped 159% between 2004 and 2007. It has been particularly bad in New York; since 2000, landline usage has dropped 55%. It's logical that as cell phones rise, many of them replacing traditional landlines, that there will be fewer answering machines.

13. Cameras That Use Film
It doesn't require a statistician to prove the rapid disappearance of the film camera in America. Just look to companies like Nikon, the professional's choice for quality camera equipment. In 2006, it announced that it would stop making film cameras, pointing to the shrinking market -- only 3% of i ts sales in 2005, compared to 75% of sales from digital cameras and equipment.

12. Incandescent Bulbs
Before a few years ago, the standard 60-watt (or, yikes, 100-watt) bulb was the mainstay of every U.S. home. With the green movement and all-things-sustaina ble-energy crowd, the Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb (CFL) is largely replacing the older, Edison-era incandescent bulb. The EPA reports that 2007 sales for Energy Star CFLs nearly doubled from 2006, and these=2 0sales accounted for approximately 20 percent of the U.S. light bulb market. And according to USA Today, a new energy bill plans to phase out incandescent bulbs in the next four to 12 years.

11. Stand-Alone Bowling Alleys
Bowling Balls. US claims there are still 60 million Americans who bowl at least once a year, but many are not bowling in stand-alone bowling alleys. Today most new bowling alleys are part of facilities for all types or recreation including laser tag, go-karts, bumper cars, video game arcades, climbing walls and glow miniature golf. Bowling lanes also have been added to many non-traditional venues such as adult communities, hotels and resorts, and gambling casinos.

10. The Milkman
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 1950, over half of the milk delivered was to the home in quart bottles, by 1963, it was about a third and by 2001, it represented only 0.4% percent. Nowadays most milk is sold through supermarkets in gallon jugs. The steady decline in home-delivered milk is blamed, of course, on the rise of the supermarket, better home refrigeration and longer-lasting milk. Although some milkmen still make the rounds in pockets of the U.S., they are certainly a dying breed.

9. Hand-Written Letters
In 2006, the Radicati Group estimated that, worldwide, 183 billion e-mails were sent each day.. Two million each second. By November of 2007, an estimated 3.3 billion Earthlings owned cell phones, and 80% of the world's population had access to cell phone coverage. In 2004, half-a-trillion text messages were sent, and the number has no doubt increased exponentially since then. So where amongst this gorge of gabble is there room for the elegant, polite hand-written letter?

8. Wild Horses
It is estimated that 100 years ago, as many as two million horses were roaming free within the United States. In 2001, National Geographic News estimated that the wild horse population has decreased to about 50,000 head. Currently, the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory board states that there are 32,000 free roaming horses in ten Western states, with half of them residing in Nevada. The Bureau of Land Management is seeking to reduce the total number of free range horses to 27,000, possibly by selective euthanasia.

7. Personal Checks
According to an American Bankers Assoc report, a net 23% of consumers plan to decrease their use of checks over the next two years, while a net 14% plan to increase their use of PIN debit. Bill payment remains the last stronghold of paper-based payments -- for the time being. Checks continue to be the most commonly used bill payment method, with 71% of consumers paying at least one recurring bill per month by writing a check. However, a bill-by-bill basis, checks account for only 49% of consumers' recurring bill payments (down from 72% in 2001 and 60% in 2003).

6. Drive-in Theaters
During the peak in 1958, there were more than 4,000 drive-in theaters in this country, but in 2007 only 405 drive-ins were still operating. Exactly zero new drive-ins have been built since 2005. Only one reopened in 2005 and five reopened in 2006, so there isn't much of a movement toward reviving the closed ones.

5. Mumps & Measles
Despite what's been in the news lately, the measles and mumps actually, truly are disappearing from the United States. In 1964, 212,000 cases of mumps were reported in the U.S. By 1983, this figure had dropped to 3,000, thanks to a vigorous vaccination program. Prior to the introduction of the measles vaccine, approximately half a million cases of measles were reported in the U.S. annually, resulting in 450 deaths. In 2005, only 66 cases were recorded.

4. Honey Bees
Perhaps nothing on our list of disappearing America is so dire; plummeting so enormously; and so necessary to the survival of our food supply as the honey bee. Very scary. 'Colony Collapse Disorder,' or CCD, has spread throughout the U.S. and Europe over the past few years, wiping out 50% to 90% of the colonies of many beekeepers -- and along with it, their livelihood.

3. News Magazines and TV News
While the TV evening newscasts haven't gone anywhere over the last several decades, their audiences have. In 1984, in a story about the diminishing returns of the evening news, the New York Times re ported that all three network evening-news programs combined had only 40.9 million viewers.. Fast forward to 2008, and what they have today is half that.

2. Analog TV
According to the Consumer Electronics Association, 85% of homes in the U.S. get their television programming through cable or satellite providers. For the remaining 15% -- or 13 million individuals -- who are using rabbit ears or a large outdoor antenna to get their local stations, change is in the air. If you are one of these people you'll need to get a new TV or a converter box in order to get the new stations which will only be broadcast in digital.

1. The Family Farm
Since the 1930's, the number of family farms has been declining rapidly. According to the USDA, 5.3 million farms dotted the nation in 1950, but this number had declined to 2.1 million by the 2003 farm census (data from the 2007 census is just now being published). Ninety-one percent of the U.S. FARMS are small Family Farms.

Both interesting and saddening, isn't it?

Be Proud!

Some very good points made here.......

Someone finally said it. How many are actually paying attention to this?

There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, etc.
And then there are just Americans. You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker,' 'Honkey,' 'Whitey,' 'Caveman'... and that's OK...
But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink ... You call me a racist..

You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you... so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?

You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day. You have Black History Month.. You have Cesar Chavez Day. You have Yom Hashoah. You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi. You have the NAACP. You have BET....

If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we'd be racists. If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists. If we had White History Month, we'd be racists. If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR lives, we'd be racists.

We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce. Wonder who pays for that??

A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant, but any color can be in the Miss America pageant.

If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships... You know we'd be racists.

There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US .. Yet if there were 'White colleges', that would be a racist college.

In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists.

You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our white pride, you call us racists.

You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist.

I am proud..... But you call me a racist.
Why is it that only whites can be racists??

There is nothing improper about this.... Let's see which of you are proud enough to agree. I sadly don't think many will. That's why we have LOST most of OUR RIGHTS in this country. We won't stand up for ourselves!

BE PROUD TO BE WHITE!
It's not a crime YET... but getting very close!

WOW!!

WOW is all I can say right now! It's been so long since I last blogged. There has been so much going on that I needed to take a break just to keep up on things. But boy have I missed blogging!! I have so much to catch up on so let's get started.......

I last posted on the 4th of July when we just started moving and Courtney had just left for Dallas. We spent our first night in the new house on July 3rd. It was very different but good. So far we are very happy in the house. Still trying to unpack some things and find the "perfect" for everything but it definitely is starting feel like home!

Courtney made it a whole month in Dallas!!!! She had so much fun and did so much sight seeing. She's already asked to go back next summer. Her highlight of her vacation was going to the JFK museum and location where he was killed. With her love for President trivia and information, she's talked a lot about this along with going to see the birth place of Eisenhower and the street where George W. Bush lives. She got to do a LOT of swimming, shopping, and playing with Gracie. She also got to spend a week at VBS at Aunt Debbie's church which she enjoyed. I had such mixed feelings about her going. I knew she was going to have a lot of fun and was pretty sure she was going to make it the whole month. But at the same time, I did question it a little bit if she would make it. A month is a long time to go being away from your family, especially when you are 9. But I'm so thankful she made it and such a wonderful experience. It's something I'm sure she will remember for a long time!!

Our month of July was busy and crazy. We finished moving and tried to help my parents as much as possible with their move. Thankfully everyone was moved in time and everything went well. I continued working and Kayla got to spend time with Dave, GiGi, Aunt Lisa, and Mrs. K's. She got to do a lot of fun things and go to some exciting places. One of her favorites was the new City Garden downtown with Aunt Lisa. In fact, she's been there twice!! Kayla settled into the new house without her sister very well. I was surprised. I thought she might struggle a little but she did well. She didn't care to play in the playroom too much without someone downstairs but she's starting to come around and be more comfortable with it now.

The last week of July was vacation week!!! And was a very welcomed vacation week because we needed it!!! The for of us spent a day at Six Flags and had a blast!! Believe it or not but it was the first time the four of us had been there together. We actually realized it was also the first time Dave and I had been there together. We had a great day!! Kayla rode her first roller coaster, Courtney rode several roller coasters, and we all had so much fun. The best part of the whole day.....we all got in for FREE!! It was awesome. The girls had passes from school and Dave and I each had a pass from getting cable installed at the house. The rest of our vacation was spent spending time with the whole family! It was very enjoyable and relaxing!!

August rolled around and it was back to reality. Dave and I both had to go back to work and Courtney was actually home! She had an adjustment to the new house. She struggled a little bit but after a week or so she settled in. Both of the girls have adjusted well and seem to be enjoying their own bedrooms for the first time, a nice big playroom in the basement, and a quiet street they can ride their bikes on.

My return to work did not last long. I worked Monday, Tuesday, and a half of day on Wednesday. I had to take off Thursday and Friday off and then over the weekend we made the choice for me not to go back for many reasons. So currently I'm working with my mom a few days a week and selling on eBay again. I'm hoping to find something part time, and working from home would be an extra bonus! ;) We are taking it day by day right now and seeing where things go. With our schedule, working full time just seems....well, very difficult. Courtney has practice on Mondays, Kayla on Tuesdays, and Courtney again on Wednesdays. Not to mention Kayla's girl scouts, homework, and everything else that comes along. So I'm hopeful with some smart shopping, watching every penny, and that something part time will come along we will be right back where we were when I was working. :)

So August continued on and before we knew it, it was back to school time. I was NOT happy about this!! I felt we didn't have much of a summer. But the school year started and the girls are excited to be back. Sort of! They like it, they just don't like having to get up so early in the morning. We are trying to settle back into a school routine and adjusting back to an earlier bed time ans the alarm going off at 6:30am.

Well....I think you are just about caught up now on what's been going on around here. I plan on getting back on my regular blogging schedule again so hopefully I can stay on top of it again. I'm going to try and post some pictures here soon.....sadly I don't have many from the summer since things were a little off this year.

I'm off to bed now....good night!

Happy 4th!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Safe 4th of July!!!

Too much!

* Craziness * Stressful * Exciting! *

Pretty much sums up the last week around the Fritsche house! We are currently in the process of moving. My parents finally sold their house so the hunt for a new place began. We found a new house that we are very excited about! More coming about the house later. So there's been a lot of packing and moving going on for the last week. We got the keys to the new house last Thursday, June 25th. In the middle of all the moving, I have also started a new job with a Farmer's Insurance agent. There's a lot of changes going on around here so I haven't had much time to update the last week. But once we are all moved and the unpacking is mostly finished, blogging will be back on the list of things to do! :)

Our other exciting news for the week is, Courtney headed back to Dallas with Aunt Debbie, Michelle, and Gracie on Monday. They had been here visiting for the last week and Courtney decided to go back home with them. They already had a trip to STL planned for the end of July so the plan right now is for her to stay until they come back to STL.........in 4 weeks!!!!!! It's going to be so strange not having Courtney around. We will have to wait and see if she makes it the whole time. I think she will, she was very excited about going so I think she is going to be just fine. I think it's going to be harder on Mommy and Daddy! :) Kayla decided to stay home after realizing just how long she would be gone. It was going to be too long for her to be away.

Well, off to bed.....I need to try and catch up on some sleep!!

Until next time, have a great week!

Friday Funny!

The Zen of Sarcasm

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either.. Just pretty much leave me alone.

2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

3. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.

6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day .

11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.

12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.

14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

17. Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving .

20. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

AND

22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

Good....Better....Best!

I couldn't pass this up for today!


GOOD
In Haverhill , a Massachusetts State Trooper was running radar. He had a perfect spot to watch for speeders, but wasn't getting any. Then he discovered the problem. A 12 year old boy was standing up the road with a hand painted sign which read 'RADAR TRAP AHEAD!' The officer later found a young accomplice down the road with a sign reading, 'TIPS' and a bucket full of money. (Beats a lemonade stand!)

BETTER
A motorist was mailed a picture of his car speeding through an automated radar post in Bradford , MA . A $40.00 speeding ticket was included. Being cute, he s ent the police department a picture of $40.00. The police responded with another mailed photo of handcuffs.

BEST
A young woman was pulled over in Groveland , MA for speeding. As the MA State Trooper walked to her car window, flipping open his ticket book, she said, 'I bet you are going to sell me a ticket to the Massachusetts State Police Ball.' He replied, 'MA State Troopers don't have balls.' There was a moment of silence while she smiled and he realized what he'd just said. He then closed his book, got back in his patrol car and left. She was laughing too hard to start her car!

Somebody try that and let me know if it works! ;)

Crazy Days!

Here's a little update with what's been going on around here.......

Schools out for the summer and our schedule hasn't slowed down much! Our weeks have been full with softball practices and games, meetings, dinner plans, play dates, birthdays, and much more! The girls are very excited to be out of school and are enjoying their much needed time off.

Our big news around here recently......actually two big things! First, we are moving! I have mixed feelings about this and I'm not going to go into them right now but my parents have a contract on the house so we are moving. We are on the hunt for a new place and hopefully have found that place. We will know more by tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for us and say an extra prayer. The second big thing is, I had a job offer with a Farmer's Insurance agent and have accepted it. It's full time but right now we are working around Dave's schedule and when we have someone to watch the girls for us. This is another thing I have mixed feelings on, but oh well. I haven't won the lottery yet and the girls are set on staying at ASLS so until those winning lottery numbers come across, we are onto this chapter in out life! :)

Courtney's birthday pics are coming soon! I just haven't had time to download them yet. I still can't believe she is 9!!! And for the big question, what did she get? Well, she got a cell phone! I know!!! We are crazy but there's a reason behind this craziness! Actually two reasons. One, Dave gets 2 cell phones thru work with so many minutes each month. These phones have just been sitting because we are under contract with our phones. So when all this came up about me working, we decided to give Courtney one of these phones to use so no matter where her and Kayla are or who they are with, they can get ahold of Dave or I if they need to and we can get ahold of them. Sounds crazy I know but there have been strict guidelines set up with her and this phone and she is only allowed to call the numbers that we programed into the phone. She was very excited and surprisingly Kayla was very happy for her and understands that she can use to phone too when needed.

So there's the scoop for now. Things are busy and crazy around with all these changes. Somehow we will keep smiling and make it to tomorrow! Hope everyone is having a great summer!! :)

Until next time, have a great week!

Happy 9th Birthday Courtney!!

Today Courtney turns 9!! A little scary. I can't believe 9 years have gone by as fast as they have because it seems like just yesterday we were making that drive to the hospital at 6am after my water broke.

Looking back on the last 9 years, it's amazing to see all the accomplishments she has made. She's not just that sweet little girl who I could dress in dresses, put bows in her hair, and would wear cute little sandals. She's a growing girl who has a true love for hunting, animals, and sports. She wants nothing to do with any dresses, no more bows in the hair (except for a very rare occasion when I can talk her into it!), and definitely no more cute little sandals.

The last 9 years have been surprising, amazing, wonderful, trying, and truly unpredictable!! Courtney seems to blow us away often with her sweet, caring, and lovable personality. Her love for learning grows with her daily. And she has shocked us with a new passion for learning about the Presidents. Her knowledge and memory is something that amazes us every day. I can only hope and pray that her love for learning continues on for many, many years to come.

As I look forward to the future, I can only imagine what joys and trails we will face with our strong willed, sometime stubborn, sweet, loving, deer hunting girl!

**pics to come soon.

Happy 9th Birthday Courtney Lee!!

Because they make me SMILE!!

Courtney & Kayla - Memorial Day Weekend 2009 at The Farm
The "Redneck Slip N Slide!

Huh?

If you cannot decipher anything, then try pulling the corner of your eyes as if you were Chinese. It works and its yoo FUNNY !

Mommy to Mom to Mother

MOTHERS

Real Mothers don't eat quiche;
They don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils
Are probably in the sandbox..

Real Mothers often have sticky floors,
Filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough
Doesn't come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what
The vacuum just sucked up.

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'
And get their answer when a little
Voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth
Is not measured by height or years or grade...
It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...

The Images of Mother

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.

14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she
Shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Here's to all the 'REAL' Moms!

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

This made me laugh! Enjoy.....

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _____

Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a damn thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidermal in your eighth month.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

The Layette :

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, & fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Worries:

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Pacifier:

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Diapering:

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the
smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _______

Activities

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Going Out:

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

At Home:

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't
squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Swallowing Coins (a favorite):

1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Funny how it's all so true!!

Underwear Dust

One evening a husband, thinking he was being funny, said to his wife, 'Perhaps we should start washing your clothes in 'Slim Fast'. Maybe it would take a few inches off of your butt!'

His wife was not amused, and decided that she simply couldn't let such a comment go unrewarded.

The next morning the husband took a pair of underwear out of his drawer. 'What the heck is this?' he said to himself as a little 'dust' cloud appeared when he shook them out. 'April', he hollered into the bathroom,

'Why did you put talcum powder in my underwear?'

She replied, 'It's not talcum powder; it's 'Miracle Grow!!!!!!'

Women can always out smart the men!

Interesting......????

In the spirit of Rodney Dangerfield. . . ."How Bad Is The Economy ??? . . .

I'll tell you how bad the economy is . . .It's so bad that . . "


CEO's are now playing miniature golf.

Jewish women are marrying for love.

Even people who have nothing to do with the Obama administration aren't paying their taxes.

Hotwheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.

Obama met with small businesses to discuss the Stimulus Package: GE, Pfizer and Citigroup.

McDonalds is selling the 1/4 ouncer

Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.

A truckload of Americans got caught sneaking into Mexico.

The most highly-paid job is now jury duty.

People in Africa are donating money to Americans.

Motel Six won't leave the light on.

The Mafia is laying off judges.

And finally...

Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madoff scandal. Great news...the guy who made $50 billion disappear will be investigated by the people who made $750 billion disappear.

Now that's funny!

We made it! Schools OUT FOR THE SUMMER!!

We survived the last few crazy days of school and summer vacation is officially here!!! We are 3 days into vacation and loving it! Sleeping in has been wonderful however the weather has not been. Monday was beautiful out, Tuesday we had on and off storms all day, and today.....it's cold, misty, and just plain yucky out!

Our last couple of days have all been busy! Courtney had a pool party at her teachers house on Thursday. Friday was a half of day but was booked with lots going on. Our weekend ended up not being too bad due to all this stupid rain. Softball games were cancelled so that opened up some free time!! Some much needed time of doing nothing!

This week our days are hit or miss but our evenings are full! Or at least they were until all this rain moved in again. Courtney was suppose to have to softball games lastnight. Both were cancelled and we've cancelled practice for tonight. Dave is off on Friday so the girls are "in charge' of planning a fun family day. We'll see what they come up with. ;) Our upcoming weekend actually doesn't look too bad right now......a softball game, dinner plans, and some relaxing time! Maybe we will get a chance to open the pool if this rain would stop! :)

Until next time, have a great week!

Our Recap

Our week of Recovering ~ May 11th - May 16th
My week to recover from all the craziness that had been going on wasn't much of a week to recover after all! But that's ok because being busy is better than sitting around doing nothing! :) I must say though, the week was less busy which was nice. We didn't have too much doing on at specific times so I was able to catch up on a lot of things! Our weekend was much busier with softball games, my brother Scotty's Graduation from Rankin and a Luncheon on Sunday.

Let the Countdown begin ~ May 18th - May 23rd
The countdown was started for the last day of school! We were all very ready for a nice summer break!! This week was busy, we had softball practice, meetings, Kayla's Kindergarten Graduation, and a field trip to grants farm with Courtney's class. Our weekend came and much to the girls surprise they got to make a trip to the Farm with MaMa and PaPa. Dave and I stayed home as he had to work and I had to take my grandma to the airport on Saturday. She was off to Dallas to spend a week with my Aunt. So we enjoyed a quite weekend at home catching up on a lot of stuff. Kayla's graduation was on Thursday. It was really cute and very sad. Our little princess is growing up so fast and learning so much. It's hard to believe she is going to be in 1st grade!! :( I'll have some pics to post later.

The last week of school!! ~ May 24th - 30th
This week is one of those bittersweet weeks. I am so excited for summer vacation to be here!! The break from the alarm clock going off at 6:30am is very welcomed! But it's also a little sad knowing a great school year is coming to a close and come August the girls will be "moving" up. We successfully made it through the school year of the much dreaded monthly book reports for Courtney. I must say, as nervous as I was about those based on what I heard from families last year, it was not that bad. Don't get me wrong, there were months where I thought there was no way we were going to find the time to do them. But we got them all done and on time!!! They were not as bad as I thought they were going to be. Courtney has learned so much this year and has a new love for history and President trivia. It's amazing to hear her quiz us and make the whole family feel very dumb!! :)

On top of this being the last week of school which is very full.......Dave and I also celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on Monday! I can't believe how fast time is going by. It feels like just yesterday we were planning everything.

Now here we are in the last day and a half of school and while I'm looking forward to the break, we are also looking forward to the new adventures ahead next school year!! ~~ Our weekend....don't even get me started!! It's a crazy one and I don't see much relaxing time available. But next week.....sleeping in will be awesome!!!!

Until next time, have a great day!!

What's better than a flu shot?

Better than a Flu Shot!

The church organist, was in her eighties and had never been married. She was admired for her sweetness and kindness to all. One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room. She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea. As he sat facing her old Hammond organ, The young minister

Noticed a cute glass bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a condom! When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat. The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the better of him and he could no longer resist.

'Miss Beatrice', he said, 'I wonder if you would tell me about this?' Pointing to the bowl. 'Oh, yes,' she replied, 'Isn't it wonderful? I was walking through the park a few months ago and I found this little package on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven't had the flu All winter.'

Is this all it takes?

A Woman's Flaw.....the one and only!

One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution..

They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends.

Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Just because!

Well, I finally hit 100 posting! I thought I would have hit this "milestone" sooner but sometimes life gets in the way! ;) My postings are going to be more often and I'm going to hit 200 faster than I hit 100! Here's to the next 100 postings!

Have a great weekend!!

On the Hunt.....

So, I'm on the hunt. I'm looking for a part time job and have been looking for several weeks with no luck! If anyone out there knows of anything, please let me know! Ideally I'm looking for something during the hours that the girls are in school and/or from home. But I'm open to looking at anything at this point. I have a background working in insurance, photography, and design. But I am not limiting myself to just those areas.

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated!!

Finally!!!

WOW! I can't believe how long it has been since my last post! Time sure flies by! We weeks have been so crazy that once the evening time rolls around and the girls are in bed, I am ready to crash!! So, let's get right to it. Time to recap!

The week of April 18th -- Going back a ways......
This was the week of the school Auction. It was a full week with lots going on but we made it and had a great time at the Auction. Our weekend was really busy, of course and there was some recovery time in there for a long week.

The last week of April --
Now with the Auction over with, it was onto the planning of the Church and School Picnic. I was in charge of the planning along with another mom. The picnic was May 9th and even though a lot of the planning was already done, we had a lot to do with finalizing everything. So this week was full of picnic stuff, softball practices, meetings, and then we were into the first of May!! Our weekend was over booked but so is every weekend between now and July.

Onto the first week of May --
The picnic was upon us and after a little stress about the weather everything fell into place. But this week was also full of lots of other things. The typical stuff, practice, games, meetings, and lots of other things. Our weekend was exhausting!! Saturday was taken up by the picnic and Sunday was suppose to be a day to recover. For the most part I enjoyed a quite day of relaxing.

Now here we are into the week of May 10th --
Hard to believe May is almost half way over. This week is going to be a week of recovering, re-grouping, and accomplishing things that have been put off for the last couple of weeks. And yes, I will stay on a more regular blogging schedule!!

Until next time, have a great week!!

I see the light!!

As many of you know, I'm the co-chair of Advertising for the Auction at the girls school. While I love doing this and enjoy it! I'm so glad it's almost over!! I feel like my plate is overflowing a little too much this year. But I'm happy to report all the ads are logged, designed, formatted, and sent off for the page layouts. Tomorrow is print day! I can't wait for the day to be over and all the pages to be printed tomorrow. That means I'm one step closer to being finished! With the exception of finishing up the Sponsorship packages. But that's easier stuff to do and will go a lot quick.

I don't know why but I'm a little burnt out right now. I'm ready for summer vacation. Maybe it was the taste of "lazy days" over spring break or sleeping in for several days during Easter break. But man! I'm ready for school to be done....over with.....no more early mornings!!

Maybe it's this crazy weather too. It's been a long and very cold winter. Minus much snowfall, sadly enough! :( I think it's that time of the year when I'm ready for warm weather, shorts, blooming flowers, cutting grass (yes, I said it), and just having the freedom of long hot summer days. It's time for a change in weather and clothes. I'm sick of looking at mine and the girls winter clothes. It's time for the new spring and summer outfits. The new summer dresses Kayla is dying to wear.

Soon enough it will be here so for now I wait. But very excited my Auction work is almost complete! So to that I say....I'm off to go get a drink for "Tasty Tuesday!"

Good Night!

Is this for real?

Scottish Bar Stool.

Especially made for all kilt wearers.

Seriously? Is this real?

Happy Easter!

Wishing everyone a very Happy and Blessed Easter!!

Thankful Thursday

Thankful this Thursday for sweet memories!

Kayla, Uncle Scotty, & Courtney

after an Alumni LHSS Hockey Game in December of 2004

The Bathtub Test

During a visit to a mental asylum, I asked the director "How do you determined whether a patient should be institutionalized."

"Well," the doctor said, "We fill up the bath tub and then offer a teaspoon, a teacup, and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."

"Oh, I get it," I said. "A normal person would pick a bucket because it's bigger and will empty the bathtub faster than using the teaspoon or teacup."

"No," the director said. "A normal person would just pull the plug! Let's get your paper work and get started. Would be prefer a bed that is closer to a window?"

Time.....

Where does the time go? Recently the weeks seem to be flying by faster then normal. I feel like I never get ahead of all the things that need to be done. It's that crazy time of the year where there is always something going on. It's non stop! I haven't had much time to update with what's going on around here. There's nothing too exciting to report. My time is currently being taken up working on the School Auction, Picnic, and now coaching Courtney's softball team. While I enjoy everything I'm working on, it's a lot!! Cause I'm still trying to keep up with things at home and the Boutique. Not to mention normal everyday stuff that goes on at home, like homework, lunch orders, laundry, and everything else that comes along.

I still haven't had the chance to talk about our trip to Dallas over spring break. Once the Auction is over with, I'll have a little bit more "free time" if I could even call it that and I will for sure be having a post about our trip! Because we had a great time and we are even ready for a trip back!

Other than the Auction and Picnic, nothing too exciting is going on around here. Both of the girls have started softball. Luckily they practice on the same night at the same time!! How luck is that? And they are not on the same team!! I was so excited about this! I'm coaching Courtney's team along with another dad. I'm really looking forward to it! I can't wait to get more into the season. I know it's going to be a lot of fun!!!!

I can't believe Easter is a week away. And to think, here we are in the first full week of April and the weather forecast is calling for SNOW tomorrow!!!!! On opening day for the STL Cardinals!!! What is up with that?? I'm so glad I passed on those tickets!

Well, I'm going to try and head to bed early tonight. I've got another long, busy week ahead of me and I'm finding even though I have a ton of things to do, if I go to bed early and get a good nights sleep, I have more energy the next day and am getting a lot more things done. So even though I should be up getting things done, I'm laying in bed with the laptop relaxing and getting ready to go to sleep.

Until next time, have a great week!!

Wordless Wednesday!

St. Patrick's Day 2009!

In Dallas, TX

Useless Information!

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
(Hardly seems worth it.)

If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.
(Now that's more like it!)

The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
(O.M.G.!)

A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes.
(In my next life, I want to be a pig.)

A cockroach will live nine days without it s head before it starves to death.
(Creepy.)(I'm still not over the pig.)

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour
(Don't try this at home; maybe at work)

The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.
(Honey, I'm home. What the...?!)

The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.
(30 minutes... Lucky pig! Can you imagine?)

The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.
(What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)

Some lions mate over 50 times a day.
(I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)

Butterflies taste with their feet.
(Something I always wanted to know.)

The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
(Hmmmmmm......)

Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.
(If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)

Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
(Okay, so that would be a good thing)

A cat's urine glows under a black light.
(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
=0) (I know some people like that.)

Starfish have no brains
(I know some people like that , too.)

Polar bears are left-handed.
(If they switch, they'll live a lot longer)

Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.
(What about that pig??)

Something to laugh at.....

Those Wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services.

----------------------------------------------------------
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
----------------------------------------------------------
The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.'
The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
----------------------------------------------------------
Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
----------------------------------------------------------
The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
----------------------------------------------------------
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love.. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
---------------------------------------------------------
Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
---------------------------------------------------------
Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I Will Not Pass This Way Again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
----------------------------------------------------------
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
----------------------------------------------------------
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
----------------------------------------------------------
The Rector will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing: 'Break Forth Into Joy.'
---------------------------------------------------------
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24th in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
---------------------------------------------------------
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
---------------------------------------------------------
Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
---------------------------------------------------------
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
---------------------------------------------------------
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
---------------------------------------------------------
The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
---------------------------------------------------------
Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - Prayer and medication to follow.
------------------------------------------------ ---------
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
----------------------------------- ------ -----------------
This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
---------------------------------------------------------
Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
----------------------------------------------------------
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
--------------------------------------------
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
---------------------------------------------------------
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
----------------------------------------------------------
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use the large double doors at the side entrance.
----------------------------------------------------------

Home Sweet Home

We are back home!! I have a lot to post about but I'm short on time right now. I will be posting lots of pics later and updating you on our fun and exciting trip!!

Stay tuned...........

Spring Break Part 1

So we have had a busy last couple of days! The weather has been beautiful, sunny and warm!! We had a great St. Patty's Day on Tuesday. Full of shopping and lots of cooking. There was a lot of corn beef and cabbage, potatoes and carrots but because the girls and I do not eat it, there was also ham steaks and cornbread. Along with jello shots!!!! We had a great evening with lots of laughs! Wednesday was a day out on the town! We headed to the Outlet Mall to do some shopping and have lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. There was an hour wait for lunch so we did a a little shopping before we ate. After lunch we headed over to the Bass Pro Shop. Courtney had to go there but all three girls LOVED looking at all the animals. Today we headed outside to the Dallas Arboretum. It was beautiful there. It's very similar to the MO Botanical Gardens but bigger and more things for the kids. We took a ton of pics there. Tomorrow we are headed back to the Outlet Mall to do some serious shopping. I have lots of pics to post but it's kinda hard to do that without my camera cord to download the pics. The girls have also squeezed in a couple soaks in the hot tub.

More to come......................

Weekly Recap

So my postings with more information on the foot detox's have been put on hold for a little bit. My days for the last week or so have been very full. Last week was so busy, it was the girls last week of school before spring break. The girls had their Spring Musical Thursday evening and it was so cute! I don't have too much to report from the last couple of weeks, just craziness. The girls and I are currently in Dallas staying with my Aunt and Uncle for the week. We are enjoying the sun and warm Texas air. So I'm going to try and keep up with some posting of our adventures this week but we'll see how time goes. I know I'll have lots of pictures to post. I'm happy to report though, we successfully made the drive from STL to Dallas with 3 kids in 11.5 hours which was quite surprising. The girls all did amazing! They were all so good and did a wonderful job in the car for 11 hours.

So we are off to have some fun this week. Today we have just been hanging out and relaxing. All the girls need some running around and playtime. Tonight we are BBQing, having some drinks, and going to camp out in the hot tub!

Until next time, have a great week!

More Info on a Ionic Spa Foot Detox

Why should you consider a Ionic Spa Foot Detox?

The soles of the feet and armpits are two of the body's discharge pathways for toxins. Since 1980 birth defects have increased 1600% and breast cancer has increased 250%. While we could sit here all day and rattle off percentages, we all know we are living in the most polluted environment in the earth's known history. One of the reasons for such a large increase in cancer, birth defects, and other diseases is due to the increased exposure to petrochemicals, toxins, heavy metals, and other chemicals in the environment and our food. While there is no way to prevent yourself from being exposed to harmful toxins, (without locking yourself in a bubble) there are many ways to help your body rid the toxins that can lead to cancer and other diseases.

What can a spa foot detox do for you?

1. It's a healthy weight loss for your body. It will increase your metabolism, reactivate the body's fat burning mechanisms, release the fat cells that hold toxins, reduce cellulite and easily maintain the weight that is correct for you.

2. Gives more energy, better state of mind. Think more clearly, feel lighter, and have energy which will boost your well being.

3. Restore and Regain Health. Create a stronger immunity for yourself. Have fewer aches and pains, reduce allergies and flu symptoms, help activate the body's NATURAL intelligence to heal itself.

4. Rid your body of toxins. Eliminate the discomfort of detox, remove heavy metals, chemicals, and toxins easily and comfortably from your body.

5. Receive Relief. Discomfort from sore and aching joints, which are symptoms of arthritis and bursitis.

6. Maintain Good Health. Obtain high energy levels and long term wellness.

7. Unburden Your Body. Herbicides, pesticides, colorings, additives, preservatives, and other untold chemicals that reside our water, food, air.

8. Slow the aging process and look younger. Clear skin, remove rough discolored areas, smoother, dark areas under the eyes, lighten our skins, color & NATURAL beauty will immediately radiate through. The aging of our skin slows and we are able to gain a more youthful appearance.

9. Rejuvenation. Look and feel great, inside and out, beautify skin and hair.

10.Improved sleep and relief from tension. Help your body rest more comfortably and sleep better. Help your body feel relief from tension and stress which the body holds onto.

** There's my thought on this subject for today. Since I've had several people asking about this, I've decided to use the next couple of days to pass more information about this along to those interested. Stay tuned for more info tomorrow.......

My Journey with a Foot Detox

Back in October, I decided it was really time to make some healthy changes in my life. I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of changes I wanted to make. Wait....time out, a lot of this info is being shared with everyone for the first time. I'm not a person who shares my thoughts on health and other "personal" issues. So some of this might come as a little bit of a surprise to hear some of this info...but anyway, here we go.

Let's rewind here back to October. I've been struggling with losing weight for a little while. I'd take some off and then put it back on. I'm not one who can spend an hour or so everyday in the gym working out. I've tried that before and I have a problem sticking with it. I'd do really well but then, you know, schedules and available time to go starts to become an issue. Walking in the evening seems to be an easier thing to work into my schedule but then the weather was changing and it was becoming cold out. Yes, many will say that this all sounds like an excuse and maybe it all is but with our crazy schedule, it is what it is.

Along with trying to add a weekly workout routine to my schedule, one of the big changes I wanted to really work on making was eating healthier and cleansing my body of unhealthy toxins. I had started to learn a lot about how different a woman's body is and how bad yeast, wheat, and other items are for most women. I started to change my eating habits, cut back on my portion sizes and was walking on the treadmill at least 4 days a week. But I still was not seeing any good solid weight loss.

Enter into the picture - the foot detox. My mom had started having one done once every other week. My mom has made a lot of changes to her eating habits and life style since being diagnosed with breast cancer in March of 2001. She was very lucky and it was caught very early. She knows along with others who know my family well know that we have teased my mom over the years. We've called many of her things "hocus pocus" stuff. This whole foot detox thing seemed a little weird to me. I mean come on, how does it work? Somehow by soaking my feet in the tub, it's pulling toxins from my body and cleansing my organs. Sounds pretty strange and like a scam to me. But I let her talk me into going to one.

November 10th, 2008 - My first appointment for a foot detox. I'm thinking, there's no way this is really going to work. This is such a scam! I can't believe I'm going to do this. But let me tell you, boy was I WRONG!! This was the strangest experience I think I've ever had. Once I got there, they gave me a 1 liter bottle of water and told me to start drinking. So I did. Next I was shown where to sit and in this butterfly looking chair, I sat down and took off my socks and shoes. The lady giving these comes out with what I would call a foot bath tub. It looks like one of the home foot tubs that people have to soak their feet in. As I'm drinking my water she tells me to sit back, relax, and put my feet in. The water was warm and I'm thinking, "Ok, I'm going to at least sit back and relax for 45 minutes. I don't get to do that very often!" I bet my feet had been in the water 4 minutes and I hear, "Oh Honey! Your poor body!" I sat up and looked at the water...OMG! In 4 minutes it had changed to an ugly orange color and there were little black pieces floating. I asked "What in the world is that?" She started asking me a lot of different questions about my health, eating habits, and family medical history. Keep in mind, you do not fill out any medical history form and give any back ground about yourself. But let me tell you, just by watching my "tub" and the water, she was able to tell a lot about me, my health, and my body. It was quite scary. The detox continued and 40 minutes later my time was up. Looking down at the tub when I was taking my feet out, I thought, "OMG! This is weird!" I will say I drank all the water which helps your body release toxins. But what was the most strange, my body felt different. During the detox, my feet tingled, my lower back felt like I had someone pushing on it, I became cold since I was having a lot of blood cleansing, my stomach had a butterfly feeling to it. I didn't feel bad or sick but I did feel different and it's hard to describe just what that feeling is like.

So that was it. I was done so I put my socks and shoes on, thanked the lady and left. I was on my way home (a short trip from the store across from South County Mall) when I'm driving down Highway 55 getting ready to exit onto Butler Hill when it hit me! OMG!!!! I had to pee!! It was so strange cause all of a sudden I really had to go! Do I stop at the gas station or can I make 3 minutes until I get home? Gas Station bathroom? GROSS! No thanks, I'll wait 3 minutes. I'm driving down Kerth getting ready to turn into the subdivision and I'm starting to think "I might not make it!" At this point I had to pee so bad it was unbelieveable. I finally make it home after what seemed like forever and RAN into the house into the bathroom. I didn't even close the front door or bathroom door. Finally relief! I made it!!

The rest of my day was spent running in and out of the bathroom. I have never gone to the bathroom that much ever. I was suppose to continue drinking water throughout the day, which I did and it did not help my peeing problem. That night was a night of little sleep. I got up 5 times to pee during the night. It was like being 9 months pregnant all over again. Tuesday came along and I was still peeing more than normal but not as much. But boy did my body feel different. I still to this day have not figured out how to describe it. It didn't hurt, it was just different. I was also still cold. All afternoon, evening, and night Monday I was cold. I was told to expect that since I had a lot of blood cleansing.

My next appointment was scheduled for two weeks later on November 24th. This one was pretty similar to the first one but I had a lot more liver cleansing. The amount of information you are given during the detox is crazy. They tell you so much about what is going on with your body. I had learned from the first one not to schedule anything in the afternoon and evening on the days I have a detox done. The simple task of picking the girls up from school becomes a challenge to see if I can make it 30 minutes away from the bathroom without peeing in my pants. To this day, I have successfully made it! A few close calls, but no wet pants! :)

December was a month off! I was bummed about this but they wanted to take the month off because of the holidays. My next scheduled appointment was on January 13th and I was told to be prepared for a "good one" after the holidays. I'm thinking, "Man, my water has been pretty gross with the first two and I've had a lot of cleansing. It can't get much worse!" I was wrong!

January 13th comes and oh boy! This is by far the worst detox I had!! It was so gross that it got to the point where I stopped watching. The water was nasty and it was full of all kinds of "junk!" I was so surprised at how different each detox has been. This time, while it was by far the most gross looking one, I did not have to pee as much in the 24 hours afterwards but my body really felt this one. It may sound like I'm complaining but I'm really not. It's a good thing you feel it. And like I said, it doesn't hurt, it's just a different feeling your insides have, it's very strange.

I didn't get to do the one in February.....can't remember why but I missed it. So today, March 3rd was my next appointment. I had what they call a "good one." It's in a way clearing up which means my body is not storing the toxins like it was before. My water was still an orange color and I had black stuff floating but it by far was the "cleanest" looking one so far. Besides being tired, I feel really good after this one. I've peed often but not too much. It seems like my body has really adjusted to having the detox done. It that's possible. :)

This posting has turned into a REALLY long one. Who knows if anyone has decided to continue to read to this point. But I am going to call it quits for this posting and save more information for a posting tomorrow. But I will say at this point, I'd strongly encourage everyone to consider having a spa foot detox done. I'll be posting more information about these including the benefits, more about what they do, and more info about things I've changed over the last few months. I've also starting taking minerals and enzymes which I'll share more about later too. These Enzymes though....since I've started taking them, I've lost 10 pounds and I really haven't done much to increase my chances of losing weight.

Anyway, enough for now. Look for more information coming tomorrow! :)