That's Not Fair!

Photo Contest?!

2008-11-17T15:25:00.004-06:00

I was thinking about adding a picture of my baby to a photo contest. I don't want to be one of those mom's that thinks her children are soooo adorable when they are not. I mean I know that they are both really cute but are they contest winning potentially or not. I need some outsider advice. The other dilemma is that I would like to enter one that I can trust and that isn't a rip off or a scam. So any advice from everyone. I have a Chat box on the side, if you would like to leave a comment that is fine, or the chat box might be a little quicker. So here is one of the pictures I was thinking about. Everyone that reads this, please give your opinion! I have other cute pics too, this is the one that I absolutely love. Also, I don't know if there are photo contests for just babies or children too. So just let me know. Give me some feedback. Please!

Having Troubles

2008-11-15T15:51:00.002-06:00

Well, the past few weeks I have been having trouble with abdomen pain and I went to the ER because I had a terrible cramp that lasted for over an hour. So they checked for possible appendix problems and that wasn't it so they told me to go home and if anything gets worse to be seen again and follow up with my regular doctor. Well, from the really bad cramp, it just felt as if it has strained some muscles or something, it was just sore like that for 2 days and then it was fine. Well then 1 week later I started having this cramping again and it wouldn't go away all day so I went to the doctor and they checked my blood and everything was fine so the next step was to get an ultrasound, but at that point it was too late. Well the next day I had an appointment for something else and the doctor I was seeing just so happened to be an OB/GYN as well so I as her about it during my appointment and during a pelvic exam found that I had a cist on my right ovary. It is 2 in. long and 1 in. thick, which is a normal/fine size. If it were to be 3 in. long, she said that is not normal and then they would have to do something about it. I dont know what they would do, she didnt really explain that part. She just told me that alot of women get them, and alot of times they go away. So if it gets worse to come in and get the ultrasound done and then we will go from there. Well, the thing that worries me about this is that my sister has had two cists on her right ovary. The first was the size of a baked potato, she got that one removed, and the second one she got removed was the size of a grapefruit, but it had turned and actually engulfed her whole fallopian tube and ovary so they had to remove it all. So, luckily, her other was fine and right now actually, she is pregnant! LUCKY GIRL! But the doctor told her that even if the second one started forming right after her first was removed, there is no way is should have grown as fast as it did to get the size of a grapefruit that fast. So they don't know why is grew that fast. And I dont really know how genetics works but she is only my half sister so I dont know the chanced that we could have the same problem. We do have alot in common though. Physically I mean. We have the same mole/freckle on the back of our neck, in the same spot even, the only difference is that hers grows a little hair. LOL We are both the same height. We both have blue eyes. There are several others as well but now we both have/have had a cist, and on the same ovary! So I am a little nervous about that, it has been 4 days now and that cramp thing still hasn't gone away! And now this morning I woke up with a sore throat, but the kind that it feels like you have a big lump or ball in your throat, and for some reason, my eyes hurt, I am not really all that tired, I am tired, but they just hurt for some reason. And I have chronic back pain to go with it. I just keep telling myself, it could be worse! There are alot of people out there that have it much worse! So, I am holding my head high and observing what is going on with me and just takin it easy. I would love to hear any other similar stories if you got them!

Been a while!

2008-11-10T19:26:00.002-06:00

Sorry for how long it took me to write a new post. I had to write and get some frustrations out. We had our fuel company come out and fill our tank, which they only needed to fill 35%, and it costs close to $500. It isn't even terribly cold out yet, today it was in the 30's, but december, january, and february are the coldest months. How are we going to heat our house in the dead of winter? We got fuel assistance, however that wont even cover half a fill! I hope something turns around now that Obama is in office. Right now it is soooo scary how fragile of a state the world is in that no matter who is in office, hopefully they make improvements. I will say that I myself am an Obama supporter, but I am still fearful. I hope all the good things he says he will bring to the table with actually happen. We need a go getter, get 'er done, and do it good president right now. Lets pray!

UPDATE!!...Help!????

2008-10-25T13:18:00.003-05:00

I have been busy busy busy! I apologize for taking so long to post. I took Ashlee to her 6 month check up and she is off the charts for her percentage for hieght! Which I am worried because my grandmothers family on my moms side have really tall men and women. So I wonder if she may have gotten that trait because the top line on the percentage chart is 97% and she has ALWAYS be above it or on it, but never below it! I mean there are some women over 6 ft. Like 6'5 or something. And men of 7 ft. I am tall for a woman, 5'9 and my husband is 6'1, I might just be the short one of the family! That would actually be kind of neat because I have always been the tall one.
My dad came up for a visit. It takes him 9 hours to get hear by car, and he was only hear for about 2 and a half days. But it is always nice when he comes because of course we miss him, and he always takes me shopping. So I got some things that I have been wanting to get for a while now but couldnt afford. And then the last day he gave my husband and I 200 dollars! He probably spent about 600 just on me and my kids, including the 200. But we had a really nice visit, short and sweet but it was a good one! And it was the first time ever for him to meet Ashlee. He absolutely loved her!
My sister always gives me the codes for the McDonalds monopoly and so we put them together and I enter them in online. We are never going to win anything but you cant if you dont try I guess. Its so irritating. I have dial up so it takes forever for the game board to come up. I havent seen it yet because I always end up clicking the quick code entry. Last year I won a monopoly computer game.
My husband works w/ a guy who just had a baby boy and he is looking for a babysitter. He [my husband] is asking me if I will. And he is not putting me on the spot because he hasnt said anything to the guy but I am 'thinking' about it.
Pros:
1. We need the money, thats all I can think of for pros right now.
2. I thought of another, Jason usually works on the weekends so he would be home most of the days that I would have to babysit.
3. thought of another, I could go shopping! I would have money, I am a stay at home mom so I never have money! I would! It would help through, as they say on CNN, the toughest winter ever! Which is pretty important.
Cons:
1. ANOTHER kid/baby to take care of. Ashlee is a really good baby, she can be pretty independent as far as being able to feed herself her bottles and going to sleep on her own when I lay her down. It wouldnt be too difficult, but this is a newborn so it would depend on how good that baby is. I dont want to if he is like colicy or gassy, went through lots of gas with Kevin, not fun!
2. I dont know the hours yet, but I am sure that they would get in the way of being able to just go somewhere because I would have to babysit.
3. I once babysat a little girl before, but I didnt like it. She was really good, and I really like the parents. But I hate being tied down at home. It would be so different if I had a regular job, but I hate be tied down at home. I would so much rather find some kind of work from home, like on the computer, but that seems to be pretty impossible too!, especially when you have no history of anything but factory work, and dial-up!
4. Kids tend to drive me nuts, especially when they are not my own. Unless they are good. But even my own drive me nuts. And babies are so unpredictable.

Okay, so those are the pros and cons of this, give me some advice everyone! Let me know what you think.

My hubby!

2008-10-13T21:50:00.002-05:00

Today is the day that we started dating 5 years ago. So my hubby went out and got my an Mp3 player. Well, he was looking through a flyer and seen that it was going on sale for $5 less in the next couple days. He says 'Aw, I could've gotten it $5 less....oh well, you're worth it.' That means more to me than the gift. He was asking me if I wanted it for an anniversary present, which is in a month, or for the day we starting dating anniversary gift. So you know what I chose. He says 'you deserve it! I know how hard you work to keep up on the house and stuff and you have been working hard and I really appreciate you!' So I just about melted. He has been being really sweet lately, and those words alone mean so much more than anything he could buy me. Well, almost anything ;)

Teething!

2008-10-11T22:27:00.002-05:00

Well, I am pretty sure that Ashlee is teething. She has been just a tiny bit fussy. And I know this because she is never fussy. She is always perfect and content and doesn't really cry unless she is hungry, tired, or wants a nuk. Those are pretty much the only reasons, sometimes if she is bored. But anyways. Lately she HAS been a little bit fussy, and whenever I put anything up to her mouth she clenches her lips together and won't let anything in her mouth, unless its her nuk. Last night the only thing I could get in her mouth was a cold wet washcloth. It is a little bit confusing because when I do get my finger in there to see if I can feel a tooth, I don't really feel anything. She also hasn't been eating at much. The other night she had a low-grade fever, and then I fed her some first foods, solids, and about an hour later she threw up so much it started coming out of her nose! It was a little bit scary. But when we woke up the next morning it was gone. So I don't know if she is teething, because of the fact that I just don't feel anything, of course it probably takes a few days for them to surface; maybe? I don't know. When Kevin was a baby his just itched and he chewed on everything, I didn't really have a problem with him teething other than a runny nose. If any of you have any suggestions, or similar situations, it may be helpful. Please let me know about your situations so that I am not so worried!

Redneck Smoke Alarm

2008-10-07T12:33:00.002-05:00

Why Why Why!

2008-10-06T14:44:00.002-05:00

Why, Why, Why

~Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?

~Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough money?

~Why does someone
believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

~Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

~Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

~Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

~Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

~Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?

~If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

~Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

~Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

~Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

~Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

~Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

~How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

~When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, 'It's all right?' Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, 'That really hurt, why don't you watch where you're going?'

~Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

~In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

~How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

~And my FAVORITE......The statistics on sanity is that one out of every four persons are suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

****A day without a smile is like a day without sunshine!****

What do you think?

2008-10-03T23:14:00.004-05:00

This is a poem I wrote for a friend of mine that I have had for all my life, since I was about 7 years old. She has been the most incredible friend to me that you could ever imagine and I love her so much, so to thank her and let her know how much I appreciate everything, I wrote her this poem. What I would like is a little bit of feedback. I want to make sure it is close enough to perfect before I give it to her so if you have any advice on how I could make it better, I would love to hear it and appreciate it so much. So here it is, Oh, and I also need a title.

You lift me up when I am down,

You're there through thick and thin,

You're truly loyal and loving too,

Someone I can confide in.

I know I've done some bad things

That could upset any good friend,

But we talked it out and you decided,

That's not important in the end.

You don't let any small things

Come between us, you let it go,

You care more about our friendship

And for that I want you to know,

You truly are the very best friend

I have ever had in my life

I love you like I would a sister

Even more through heartache and strife.

I hate to see you in pain

You're just like family to me,

I'll do anything in my power

That will support and make you happy.

We will always be the best of friends

And help eachother out

Whether you're here, or there, or anywhere,

That's what friendship is all about

I love you!

Okay, now tell me what you think and help me out a little, I would appreciate it soo much. Thanks everyone!

9 Crucial Tips!

2008-09-26T16:39:00.003-05:00

Because of recent abductions
in daylight hours, refresh yourself
of these things to do
in an emergency situation...
This is for you,
and for you to share
with your wife,
your children,
everyone you know.
After reading these 9 crucial tips,
share them with someone you care about.
It never hurts to be careful
in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do :
The elbow is the strongest point
on your body.
If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide
in New Orleans
If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse,
DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.
Toss it away from you....
chances are that he is more interested
in your wallet and/or purse than you,
and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car,
kick out the back tail lights

and stick your arm out the hole and

start waving like crazy.
The driver won't see you, but everybody else will.
This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars
after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit
(doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.)
DON'T DO THIS!
The predator will be watching you, and this
is the perfect opportunity for him to get in
on the passenger side, put a gun to your head,
and tell you where to go.
AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR ,
LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
If someone is in the car
with a gun to your head
DO NOT DRIVE OFF,
repeat:
DO NOT DRIVE OFF!
Instead gun the engine
and speed into anything, wrecking the car.
Your Air Bag will save you.
If the person is in the back seat
they will get the worst of it .
As soon as the car crashes
bail out and run.
It is better than having them find your body
in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting
into your car in a parking lot,
or parking garage:
A.) Be aware:
look around you,
look into your car,
at the passenger side floor ,
and in the back seat
B.) If you are parked next to a big van,
enter your car from the passenger door.
Most serial killers attack their victims
by pulling them into their vans while the women
are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car
parked on the driver's side of your vehicle,
and the passenger side.. If a male is sitting alone
in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back
into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.
(And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator
instead of the stairs.
(Stairwells are horrible places to be alone
and the perfect crime spot.
This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun
and you are not under his control,
ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target)
4 in 100 times; And even then,
it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.
RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying
to be sympathetic:
STOP
It may get you raped, or killed.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,
well educated man, who ALWAYS played
on the sympathies of unsuspecting women.
He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often
asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle,
which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point:
Someone just told me that her friend heard
a crying baby on her porch the night before last,
and she called the police because it was late
and she thought it was weird. The police told her
'Whatever you do,
DO NOT
open the door.'
The lady then said that it sounded like the baby
had crawled near a window, and she was worried
that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way,
whatever you do,
DO NOT open the door.'
He told her that they think a serial killer
has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax
women out of their homes thinking that someone
dropped off a baby He said they have not verified it,
but have had several calls by women saying that
they hear baby's cries outside their doors
when they're home alone at night.

Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door
for a crying baby ----
This should probably be taken seriously because
the Crying Baby theory was mentioned on
America 's Most Wanted when they profiled
the serial killer in Louisiana.

A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle.

Sometimes!

2008-09-21T21:23:00.003-05:00

SOMETIMES

Sometimes...
When you cry...
No one sees your tears.

Sometimes...
When you are in pain...
No one sees your hurt.

Sometimes...
When you are worried.
No one sees your stress.

Sometimes...
When you are happy.
No one sees your smile.

But FART!! Just ONE time...
And everybody knows!!

Gotcha!!You thought it was going to be one of those heart-touching stories!

Ashlee

2008-09-20T16:48:00.002-05:00

So, Ashlee finally started rolling over, and not by accident. So far she can only go from her tummy to her back, but she is getting really good at it! She is also getting really close to rolling from her back to her tummy. She always puts her feet up and tries to chew on her toes when she is laying on her back so then when she tries to roll her legs are usually in the way. The few times that they are not in the way, she actually gets over but cant seem to figure out to go a little bit further so she gets over her arm. So she is close! She is also getting pretty good at sitting up. Kevin was rolling over good by this time so I am always confused of whether I should let her work on sitting up or rolling over so I go back and forth. When she is laying on her tummy she also gets her knees up under her butt she that is the first sign that they are getting closer to crawling. It is kind of strange but she seems like she is starting everything all at the same time. But every kid does these things on their own pace so I am not worried about it. I am just enjoying the time that she doesnt move around too much because when they start crawling and rolling good, then are all over the place! A part inside me still cant wait for it though! I cant help it!

Grandma

2008-09-16T15:07:00.002-05:00

My Grandma on my mother's side past away when I was about 10 years old and I didnt really understand it at the time for a couple of weeks. It was really strange to me and felt completely unreal. When I went to the wake, I saw all of my family there crying and they were are really upset, and when I seen my grandmother lying in the coffin, it was really strange. I felt her and she felt cold and I remember thinking that she looked like she was sleeping. I just thought it was all a big joke, that she was going to sit up any minute and say 'Gotchya'. She did like to play tricks on people. There was a time that my uncle in law was staying with her and he had a 'big night out' the night before and he was passed out on her couch. Everyone called him a Yuper, he was supposedly from a family that came from some other country, I can't think of which one right now for the life of me. But the funny thing about him was that he was terribly afraid of dolls. Which was something that my grandmother, of whom he stayed with may I remind you, collected porcelin dolls. The house that she was living in has a room, it was kind of like a closed in porch, but it was a glass room, not completely but you could see in there all the way around so she kept this room as her doll room. My uncle always put up blankets or curtains so he couldnt see them. Well anyways, he was passed out on the couch this one morning and the couch pretty close to this room. It took us like 2 hours to get there but when we did we saw my grandma sitting at the kitchen tables taping knifes into the hands of the dolls and the dolls that she already had done were all facing out the glass toward my uncle on the couch. So when he woke up he would be freaked out. It was so funny though, she got to the last doll and then she said "I cant do that, the poor bastard will have a heart attack", and she went and undid it all. But it was the funniest thing ever. So anyways, a few years after she past was when I got really into writing poetry and this is the one I wrote, in memory of my grandma.

Grandma

I never understood

The concept of death

Then just like that

You ran out of breath.

I went to the funeral

I went to the wake

Everyone was crying

But I thought it was fake.

Several days past

A few weeks too

You still hadn't returned

I didnt know what to do.

I sat in your rocker

And cried myself to sleep

You came to me in a dream

You said, "Darling, Don't weep."

Old memories were revealed

Of everything we've done

We were so close

And had so much fun.

But that's all I have left now

But I'm happy to know

That we got to share it

Before you had to go.

GET A GREAT DEAL ON ANYTHING!

2008-09-14T14:29:00.003-05:00

I dont know if you all get the Reader's Digest but I got one in the mail and usually I just throw them away after briefly glancing through the table of contents and the funny stuff. I might read an article that I think might be interesting, only if it is not too long. Well there was an article that caught my eye in this one and it was called 'Get a great deal on anything!' I read through it and alot of it talks about tips mostly for those that shop online but I found it to be very valuable information that many people might want to know, especially with how bad inflation has caused all the prices on EVERYTHING to go UP UP AND AWAY! So this is going to be along post but there are several different catagories and you can skip the ones you dont want. And I apologize but I am just going to copy the info straight out of Reader's Digest. Here goes:

THE BEST SECRETS

CODES
You're paying for something online--a shirt, suit, or scarf--and notice a place to key in a code for a discount. But what are these secret codes, and where can you find them?
They're at retailmenot.com, and it takes almost no time or effort to search--alphabetically or by category or store (there are over 15,000 stores listed). The site offers codes for home products, sporting goods, luggage, food, and even Halloween costumes. We found codes to get $10 off a $100 order at homedepot.com, 15% off purchases at the sporting-goods store modells.com, and $20 off a two-night stay booked through hotels.com. Before you pay for an item you want on a site, check retailmenot.com first to see if there's a code. The discount codes work for online sales only, but the site has a thriving printable coupons section.
Codes come and go, often timed to the season. Some offers have fine print that excludes certain brands. Also check out currentcodes.com (stores are listed alphabetically), keycode.com (for the latest offers, sign up for RSS feeds), and rather-be-shopping.com (the site updates coupon codes daily).

REBATES
At fatwallet.com, you buy at it pays you back--no joke. This site get a commission for steering you to participating retailers, and it shares a portion of that commission with you in the form of cash back. Recent rebates included 2.5% from toolking.com, 5% from fabric.com, and 7% from gardeners.com. To get your rebate, sign on to FatWallet, go to its Cash Back & Coupons page, then select a store. Click on the store's link and complete your purchase in the window that opens.
The downside: Cash back, yes. Miracles, no. The site doesn't take our rebate off at checkout. It's a rebate, so it can take 3 weeks to post the cash in your FatWallet account and up to 120 days for FatWallet to cough up the dough via check or PayPal. Still, it is free money.

COUPONS
Dealcatcher.com is a good resource for coupons, rebates, and Sunday newspaper circulars listing weekly deals. The printable coupons don't require special software (some sites do). A recent check found a coupon for $10 off a $60 purchase at the athletic shoe store finishline.com and a printable coupon for 25% off a pair of jeans a Gap. You can also compare price here. We searched for the 1.7-ounce bottle of Vera Wang's Princess fragrance and found the lowest price ($43.95) through DealCatcher, versus $55 at sephora.com and nordstrom.com. The Canon PowerShot SD790 IS ten-megapixel digital camera was $299.99 at bestbuy.com. But DealCatcher found it at dell.com for $243 (including free shipping).

COMPARISONS
If you're short on time and want to do a quick price comparison, use "shopping bots" like pricegrabber.com. It won't catch ever deal--it can miss low prices on some less technologically advanced site--but it does give a good overview. Check several different ones (shopping.com, mysimon.com, shopping.yahoo.com), and remember to sort by price.
At PriceGrabber, search by products, retailers, individual sellers, prices, or ratings. You'll find just about everything here--sporting goods, auto parts, furniture, musical instruments, toys, video games, and electronics. The site's bottom-line-price tool shows how much your product will cost at the various sites with the shipping included. Even if you don't end up buying something online, you'll know what's a bargain. For one popular GPS system, we saw prices from 41 sellers ranging from $348.85 (yes!) to $749.95 (are you kidding?).

CLOTHING

STRATEGIES

BUY AT THE RIGHT TIME
A department store will usually mark down merchandise five to eight weeks aften an item has been put on the floor. "If it's been an exceptionally warm winter," says Kathryn Finney, author of How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less, "coats will go on sale earliear." The best day to shop in most stores is Thursday, especially late in the day, because they'll start marking down for the weekend. For the best online deals, shop from Tuesday to Thursday.

HAGGLE
"A lot of people don't realize you can negotiate when shopping in stores," Finney says. If a shirt is missing a button, ask the floor manager for a discount. She usually has the discretion to give you up to 15% off.

OPT FOR EXCESS
Overstock.com partners with name brands to sell its excess inventory of clothes, jewelry, and many other goods at discounted prices. There was a sharp Bill Blass men's silk sport coat here for $99.99 (it retailed elsewhere for $295) and a Nine West women's two-piece suit in red for $39.99 (it was $240). At $2.95, shipping is a bargain and applies to most orders in the continental U.S. If you find a better price elsewhere, overstock.com will give you a credit of up to $500 as part of its Best Price Guarentee, but there's a long list of conditions to qualify.

COMPARE PRICES
Shopzilla.com and nextag.com are two especially comprehensive comparison-shopping sites. Enter your search term at Shopzilla (say, Hannah Montana T-shirts) or start off in one of eight will-defined categories. Shopzilla will list the least expensive sources for those tops in an organized format (they ranged in price from $5 to $30). A North Face boys' Denali jacket was a low $59 at mountaingear.com and a high $99 at peterglenn.com. Worried about purchasing from lesser-known stores? Don't be. Shopzilla rates featured sites on several factors, including on-time delivery and customer support, plus it gives you the scoop on who offers free shipping and clearance deals. And these sites aren't just about clothes--you'll find fresh flowers, computers, and washing machines too. Look at your search results carefully, though. A search for a Tiffany heart tag bracelet turned up sites that sold Tiffany "style" or "inspired" bracelets, not the real thing. An added value: At nextag.com, you can view the price history for various items.

DEALS

SHOES
The selection at zappos.com is superb. Men's loafers, cowboy boots, eco-friendly sandals, couture high heels--whatever you want is probably here. Prices are great, shipping and returns are free, and you can return your purchase up to a year after you bought it, if it's unworn and in the original box. One customer took maximum advantage of this policy by ordering 13 pairs of dressy shoes in her size for a wedding. The shoes arrived on time. She tried them all on, modeled them for the family, and chose one pair for the big event. The rest she returned to her local UPS store with a prepaid shipping label form Zappos.

ATHLETIC SHOES
We found holabirdsports.com to have the best prices and selection. Our site-by-site comparison search for a New Balance men's sneaker (MR805BR) revealed a $20 range in prices, but holabirdsports.com came in first at $69.95, with free ground shipping. (By the way, holabirdsports.com rarely shows up on shopping-bot searches.)

KIDS' CLOTHING
Parents have swapped clothing and gear informally for years. Now they have a formal network for doing it at freepeats.org, which gives access to bby, kid, and maternity finds in 25 cities for a onetime charge of $4.95.

CARS

NEW CARS

BUY AT THE END OF THE MONTH
That's when dealers need to fill their quotas. Or better still, at the end of each quarter (March, June, September, December), says Gary Foreman of thedollarstretcher.com. Tell them you've secured financing elsewhere. They'll counteroffer, and you'll go with the best deal.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Turn to the classic site kbb.com (Kelley Blue Book) to research makes and models. Cars.com will send your request to dealers for competitive quotes. A quick check on a 2008 Acura TL found 393 vehicles in a 30-mile radius of one New York zip code. Anyone flexible on options could save as much as $7,500.

DETERMINE THE REAL COST TO OWN
Know the cost to run a vehicle over five to eight years, says Jeff Bartlett, deputy editor and auto specialist for Consumer Reports. We used the True Cost to Own tool at edmunds.com to compare the Honda Odyssey LX and the Nissan Quest. Factoring in depreciation, insurance, interest payments, fuel, and repairs, the Odyssey cost 55 cents a mile to operate, or $41,091 over five years. The Quest cost 60 cents a mile, or $45,303. You'd save about four grand even though the Honda cost $220 more.

USED CARS

LOOK FOR OLDER MODELS
Depreciation hits hardest the first three years of ownership. Shop late November through December, when used-car lots are less busy. And do your research. The toughest negotiators are selling used cars, says Philip Reed, edmunds.com senior consumer advice editor.

DEALS

GAS
Find inexpensive gas in your area by checking several sites--gasbuddy.com, autos.msn.com, gaspricewatch.com, and gasprices.mapquest.com. Many are community-driven sites, some more comprehensive than others. And remember, it's probably not worth driving 15 minutes out of your way to save 10 cents a gallon. Here's Gary Foreman's rule: "Unless you'll save more than a nickel a gallon and will be buying ten or more gallons, it's best to buy the cheapest gas you find along your usual commute."

TIRES
Save money by purchasing your tires online. The Goodyear Assurance TripleTred tire (size P205/60HR16) is $141.99 per tire at Sears (add $15 for installation). It's $109 at discounttire.com, $102 at tirerack.com, and $95 at discounttires.com. Some sites require store pickup; others deliver. Even adding shipping and installation costs (about $30 per tire), you'll save up to 17%.

FINANCIAL

STRATEGIES

GET REWARDED FOR SHOPPING
Indexcreditcards.com compares credit card features and rewards. Browse through 1,224 offers and choose the benefits you want. You'll find low-interest cards, student credit cards, bad-credit cards, prepaid credit cards, frequent-flier cards, and cash-back-for-gas cards. With the Chase Freedom credit card, earn 3% cash back on purchases in the 3 categories you spend the most on each month--for your family, that might be groceries, gas, and fast food. Racing enthusiasts may go for the NASCAR RacePoints Visa so they can earn points toward experiences--driving on the track or playing crew chief for a day. Indexcreditcards.com has the most comprehensive listing, but also check cardratings.com for consumer and staff reviews and advocacy information. Creditcards.com features a good side-by-side comparison chart.

SAVE, AND SAVE FOR COLLEGE
Shop with a Upromise-branded credit card at hundreds of participating dealers and you'll be doubly rewarded: 1% cash back on all purchases, plus rebates on specific products and services. (Register the credit and debit cards you already have and get cash back, to, at participating companies.) Once you've set up your account at upromise.com, for instance, you can earn 3% cash back at jcpenney.com and Eddie Bauer and 5% at Avis. You can designate that the money be deposited automatically into your child's 529 state-sponsered college savings plan. Babymint.com is similar, so check the lists of retailers to determine which site works best with your current shopping habits. There's no fee for either.

COMPARE INSURANCE QUOTES
Insweb.com is a good resource for obtaining quotes--on life, health, auto, and other types of insurance--from 6,400 agents representing 21 companies. You'll have to scroll through several screens, answering questions (the kind an insurance agent would ask), then you'll recieve an e-mail with your quotes. A single 25-year-old woman in San Francisco, for example, is currently paying $1,771 a year for auto insurance. The lowest quote on insweb.com was $1,124, a savings of $647. Many factors--your health, your driving record, the location of your home--determine the actual cost of an insurance policy. As a result, quotes can vary widely.

LEISURE

STRATEGIES

WATCH FREE VIDEOS
You may not need that Netflix subscription for $16.99 a month if your local library has a good DVD collection. And hulu.com has free full-length movies--including Liar Liar, Sideways, and Jerry Maquire--to watch on your computer whenever you like. There are hundreds of videos from 56 studios and networks, including Fox Movie Channel, NBC Universal, National Geographic, and the Sundance Channel. Catch a variety of primetime TV shows, too (and not all of them from NBC, which co-owns Hulu), including The Office, In Plain Sight, The Colbert Report, and Family Guy.

RENT IT
Need a trombone, power saw, or bow and arrows? Rent an amazing assortment of stuff--you name it, it's available-- from individual at zilok.com, which covers 50 cities in 17 states. Type in what you're looking for, where you live, and how long you'll need it, then make arrangements with the owner for pickup. Mason Carroll, a software professional in San Francisco, rented a kayak for $40 a day. He enjoyed paddling around Shasta Lake for far less than if he'd purchased the same kayak for $350. You can rent your stuff to other too. Both parties sign a contract detailing their agreement, but there is the possibility your renter might damage or disappear with your item.

DEALS

THEATER ON A BUDGET
Broadwaybox.com is your best bet for scoring discounted tickets--up to 50% off--to some of the hottest shows on- and off-Broadway. You'll get discount access codes to dozens of shows. Front mezzanine tickets to August: Osage County go for $102.50, but they're a low $69.50 here. Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy is $66.50, a $30 savings. Select your dates and seat preferences, and note any expiration or blackout dates. To pay, click or call (If you stop by the theater, you'll sve the service fee charged by Ticketmaster and Telecharge.) Just remember to mention the code. This site is free (some sites charge for codes). In-demand shows, like Spamalot and Jersey Boys, often don't discount.

$1 MOVIES
Redbox.com offers recent releases--such as The Bucket List, Charlie Wilson's War, and Juno--for just $1. There are more that 9,000 of the distinctive red kiosks in 48 states, mostly in supermarkets and McDonald's restaurants. Use the website to find them in your zip code. Best day to go? Tuesday--it's new-release day. You can reserve your title in advance via the website. Or try the lazy way: Next time you're at the grocery store, choose a movie from the available titles, watch it that night, and return it the next day for $1 plus tax.

EDUCATION

STRATEGIES

TAKE FREE COURSES
Prestigious universities--including MIT (ocw.mit.edu) and the University of California, Berkeley (webcast.berkeley.edu/courses.php)--offer online courses in everything from art to astrophysics. They don't count toward a degree, and you may need an iPod, Media Player software, or assigned texts to participate fully.

LEARN A LANGUAGE
The BBC offers free lessons in 7 languages--French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Greek, and Chinese--at bbc.co.uk/languages. If our tastes run to more exotic tongues, go to freelanguage.org, and you'll be directed to sites to learn everything from Afrikaans to Luxembourgish. And it's all free.

DEALS

TEXTBOOKS FOR LESS
You can save some serious money by buying used books, renting them, or downloading freebies. The publisher's price for the 9th edition of Organic Chemistry, by T.W. Graham Solomons, is $192.95. Buy is new at textbookx.com for $187.50 or used through its Marketplace for as low as $75.99. At chegg.com, it's $59.16 to rent for a semester. Booksprice.com factors in the shipping costs for the bottom line at a glance. Download more than 25,000 free electronic books at Project Gutenburg (gutenberg.org). You won't find new titles here, only books that have expired copyrights. The list is strong on classic literature and history, but it's not the place to go for math or science texts.

EXCHANGE
Books (paperbackswap.com), CDs (swapacd.com), and DVDs (swapadvd.com), that is. The tagling says it all: "No risk. No spam. No advertising. No gimmicks. No gotchas. No kidding." the sender pays the shipping costs and can send by any method he chooses. "I've gotten rid of an entire bookcase this way and then refilled it with books that I really wanted," says Kelly Neylan, owner of an apparel business in Columbia, Maryland. The book site recently listed more than 439,000 titles and is updated every five minutes. Barbara Warlter's memoir, Audition, and Scott McClellan's What Happened were there, as well as fiction by Dean Koontz, Lee Child, and Danielle Steel. The swapping currency is simple: One book, CD, or DVD equals one credit, but you'll have to list ten items before you earn any credits. If you don't see what you're looking for here, try swaptree.com (you'll find video games too) and bookmooch.com (you can donate your points to sick or low-income kids).

I painted Ashlee's cute little baby toes! They are so PRECIOUS!

2008-09-14T14:05:00.000-05:00

This is really ridiculous

2008-09-12T15:28:00.002-05:00

Okay, I am fairly certain that this is a scam so if you get this email, do not send any information back! My way of getting them to stop is I reply telling them that I am reporting them in every way possible. That usually ends these emails. So if you see this, beware! However if you know that it isnt a scam please tell me! However if it were real they more than likely wouldnt be asking for your account info, and would just have you send a blank email if anything. That is what I think anyways.

Subject of the email is:
Verify Your Yahoo Account Now To Avoid It Closed ( VX2G99AAJ )®

Dear Account User:
This Email is from Yahoo Customer Care and we are sending it to every Yahoo Email User Accounts Owner for safety. we are having congestions due to the anonymous registration of yahoo accounts so we are shutting down some yahoo accounts and your account was among those to be deleted.We are sending you this email to so that you can verify and let us know if you still want to use this account.If you are still interested please confirm your account by filling the space below.Your User name,password,date of bith and your country information would be needed to verify your account..The All-New Yahoo! You Must Be A Part Of It To Avoid Your Yahoo Account To Be Closed The All-New Yahoo! Mail Beta Is: Faster: Fewer steps to get things done. Easier: Drag & drop organization. Effortless: Automatically checks email for you. With the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta you can Fill the Informations Below To Verify Your Account ,PleaseThis For Your Benefit. Read Below To Understand More.CONFIRM YOUR IDENTITY. VERIFY YOUR FREE YAHOO ACCOUNT NOW !!! Due to the congestion in all Yahoo users and removal of all unused Yahoo Accounts, Yahoo would be shutting down all unused Accounts, You will have to confirm your E-mail by filling out your Login Information below after clicking the reply button, or your account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reasons.
* Username: ..............................
* Password: ................................
* Date of Birth: ............................
* Country Or Territory: ................
After following the instructions in the sheet, your account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. Thanks for your attention to this request. We apologize for any inconveniences. Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his/her account after two weeks of receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently.

"Stella Awards"

2008-09-11T17:24:00.003-05:00

"Stella Awards"
It's time again for the annual "Stella
Awards"! For those unfamiliar with these
awards, they are named after 81-year-old
Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on
herself and successfully sued the
McDonald's in New Mexico where she
purchased the coffee. You remember, she
took the lid off the coffee and put it
between her knees while she was driving.
Who would ever think one could get
burned doing that, right?
====================================================================

Here are the Stella's for the past year:

7 th PLACE:

Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas, was
awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers
after breaking her ankle tripping over a
toddler who was running inside a furniture
store. The store owners were understand-
ably surprised by the verdict, considering
the running toddler was her own son.
====================================================================

6 th PLACE:

Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles, California,
won $74,000 plus medical expenses when
his neighbor ran over his hand with a
Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't
notice there was someone at the wheel of
the car when he was trying to steal his
neighbor's hubcaps.
====================================================================

5 th PLACE:

Terrence Dickson, of Bristol, Pennsylvania,
who was leaving a house he had just
burglarized by way of the garage.
Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic
garage door opener malfunctioned and he
could not get the garage door to open.
Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house
because the door connecting the garage to
the house locked when Dickson pulled it
shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em,
EIGHT, days on a case of Pepsi and a large
bag of dry dog food, he sued the home-
owner's insurance company claiming
undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the
jury said the insurance company must pay
Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We
should all have this kind of anguish.
===================================================================

4 th PLACE:

Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas,
garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he
was awarded $14,500 plus medical
expenses after being bitten on the butt by
his next door neighbor's beagle , even
though the beagle was on a chain in its
owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get
as much as he asked for because the jury
believed the beagle might have been
provoked at the time of the butt bite
because Williams had climbed over the
fence into the yard and repeatedly shot
the dog with a pellet gun.
===================================================================

3 rd PLACE:

Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania,
because a jury ordered a Philadelphia
restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she
slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke
her tailbone. The reason the soft drink
was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it
at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during
an argument. What ever happened to
people being responsible for their own
actions?
====================================================================

2 nd PLACE:

Kara Walton, of Claymont, Delaware,
sued the owner of a night club in a nearby
city because she fell from the bathroom
window to the floor, knocking out her two
front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was
trying to sneak through the ladies room
window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover
charge, the jury said the night club had to
pay her $12,000..oh, yeah, plus dental
expenses.

===================================================================

1 st PLACE:

This year's runaway First Place Stella
Award winner was Mrs. Merv Grazinski, of
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who
purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago
motor home. On her first trip home, from
an OU football game, having driven on to
the freeway, she set the cruise control at
70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to
go to the back of the Winnebago to make
herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the
motor home left the freeway, crashed and
overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs.
Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting
in the owner's manual that she couldn't
actually leave the driver's seat while the
cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury
awarded her, are you sitting down,
$1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home.
Winnebago actually changed their
manuals as a result of this suit, just in case
Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might
also buy a motor home.
==========<>====================<>====================<>===========
It's so dry in Texas that the Baptists are starting to baptize by sprinkling,
the Methodists are using wet-wipes, the Presbyterians are giving out rain-checks,
and the Catholics are praying for the wine to turn back into water.
Now, THAT'S Dry!

This is a day late but here is my Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-11T16:30:00.003-05:00

~If Women Controlled the World!~

Another poem I got in my email

2008-09-05T17:51:00.003-05:00

ONE OF THE BEST POEMS

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
as I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
who made me sputter and gasp--
the thieves, the liars, the sinners,
the alcoholics, the trash

There stood the kid from seventh grade
who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
who never said anything nice.

Herb, who I always thought
was rotting away in hell,
was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.

'And why's everyone so quiet,

so somber? Give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' said He, 'they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you.'

Judge NOT.

I got this in an email and loved it!

2008-09-05T17:46:00.002-05:00

Paul Harvey Writes:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better. I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated. I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her. I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boygirl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hannukah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.
Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.

Emial Lottery Scams

2008-09-05T17:10:00.003-05:00

I have been getting like 1-2 of these a day. I am so fed up with them I dont know what to do! Take a look!

Finally this email address has brought you an unexpected luck.Your email address just won you ï¿½1,000,000.00 Euro (One Million Euro).For claims and for more info, you are to Contact your claims agent via email with the below details: Name: Dr.Pauly Ulrich Address: Euro Million Promotional headquaters Avda .Del Petroleo 222 Polig Madrid Spain. Email: (nationaltrustp@aim.com)

I also get these "bookkeeping" opportunities for working at home scams. Here is one of those:

Mrs Laura Kingston#19 Kingston Close,Worcestershire, London,DB 200NE, England,United Kingdom.Greetings in the name of God,Here writes Laura Kingston, suffering from cancerous ailment of the brain. Iam married toDr. Perry J. Kingston an Englishman who is now dead. My husband was intoprivate practice all his life before his death. Our life together as man andwife lasted for three decades without child. My husband died after aprotracted illness. My husband and I made a vow to uplift the down-troddenand the less-privileged individuals as he had passion for persons who cannot help themselves due to physical disability or financial predicament. Ican adduce this to the fact that he needed a Child from this relationship,which never came.When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of £12,000,000.00(Twelve Million Pounds sterling) which were derived from his vast estatesand investment in capital market with his bank here in UK. Presently, thismoney is still with the Bank. Recently, my Doctor told me that I havelimited days to live due to the cancerous problems I am suffering from sinceit affects the delicate part of the brain. Though what bothers me most isthe stroke that I have in addition to the brain cancer. With this hardreality that has befallen my family, and me I have decided to donate thisfund to you and want you to use this gift which comes from my husbandseffort to fund the upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans, destitute, thedown-trodden, physically challenged children, barren-women and persons whoprove to be genuinely handicapped financially.It is often said that blessed is the hand that giveth. I took this decisionbecause I do not have any child that will inherit this money and my husbandrelatives are bourgeois and very wealthy persons and I do not want myhusband’s hard earned money to be misused or invested into ill perceivedventures. I do not want a situation where this money will be used in anungodly manner, hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am notafraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to bewith the Almighty when I eventually pass on. The Almighty will fight my caseand I shall hold my peace. I do not need any telephone communication in thisregard due to my deteriorating health and because of the presence of myhusband’s relatives around me. I do not want them to know about thisdevelopment. With God all things are possible.As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank inUK. I will also issue you a Letter of Authority that will empower you as theoriginal beneficiary of this fund. My happiness is that I lived a lifeworthy of emulation. Please always be prayerful all through your life.Please assure me that you will act just as I have stated herein. Hope tohear from you soon and God bless you and members of your family.Reply to my mail through my email address: mslaurakn@hotmail.co.ukRespectfully,Mrs. Laura Kingston.Benefactor.

I get these everyday. I am so sick of them! Just so you all know, they are scams, dont do them!

A little help please?

2008-09-05T16:51:00.002-05:00

Well, I am finally at the point where I signed up for all the sites that you can make money blogging. It is all a little confusing to me. I have no idea what I am doing. I am desperately reaching out for help. If there is anyone out there that can explain these processes, give hints, anything, it would all help me out soooo much! I am desperate for some extra income. Right now things are sooo tight and this would help us, especially through the winter. I just have to figure it out. lol. So Pretty Please!

Subway Scrabble

2008-09-04T21:18:00.002-05:00

I dont know if you know about the Subway Scrabble going on but it is kind of like the Monopoly that McDonalds does. Between my sister and I doing the Monopoly we managed to win a monopoly game download. So we have been doing the Subway Scrabble and it is kind of frustrating because they have some pretty cool prizes. If you have any letters that you havent used, I would love the code from you, and would appreciate it very much! In return I have some letters that I will not be needing and can exchange them. The letters I need still are probably goign to be pretty hard to find. These are the ones I am looking for: L, G, F, Y, V, U, W, A , R, P, and N. Thanks guys!

My first 'Wordless Wednesday'

2008-09-03T13:22:00.004-05:00

Whoever said that Bambi and Thumper didn't exist?

This photographer got some excellent shots!

May you always have

Love to share,

Health to spare,

and Friends that care.

My Artsy Boy

2008-08-31T17:01:00.005-05:00

My son is beyond bored for summer vacation! He didnt go to preschool for very long however. He had to wait until January, when he turned 3 to start. They also get out sooner for summer break than regular school. All summer long he has been telling me that he has to go back to school in '3 more days!' So he gets bored playing with his toys sometimes so we will let him watch cartoons as long as they are somehow educational and not rediculous. Things like SuperWhy, Curious George, Caillou, WordWorld, Dora and Diego of course, etc. He doesn't watch things like Spongebob, and the other rediculous cartoons that kids somehow enjoy these days. I sometimes think they are funny, but I also dont want my son talking like him. So to get him away from cartoons all the time, we bought him a bunch of arts and crafts. Construction Paper, Coloring books, his own markers, crayons, glue, scissors, foam stickers, etc. And he will sit there and do this for hours! He is coloring so good, he hardly goes out of the lines. That is awesome for him only being 3 1/2! Here are a few peices of his work... Tell me what you think of them. To help you all out a little bit in case you dont know what the pics are, I will explain them from top to bottom. The first, is a bear, a happy bear, and as you can see he has a brown paw with claws. The big purple thing 'getting' the little purple thing is the bears other claw getting a squirrel. The line you see is the ocean. My explanations are straight from Kevin himself. My 3 1/2 year old artist! lol Okay, the second one is a happy bear. The third one is a house that he drew me. 'The sun is going up, not down, because the moon is down, because it is the day'. HEHE. Picture number 4 is another house he drew. As you can see he needs to work on his triangle drawing skills. lol(the roof) Number 5 is another bear. Number 6 is an example of his great coloring skills.

Okay, new subject, but the same topic. My boy. I am so sick of people telling me and my husband that the things we do as parents are strict. Here are some examples. We don't allow swearing. If people around him are swearing we ask them not to and if it is an issue of habit, they cant help it, we just dont bring them around that person as much. The thing we hear the most is, "Well once they get in school they are going to hear it anyways so whats the big deal." Now, to Kevin they are 'naughty words'. Naughty words, obviously, are swear words, but we also consider these words 'naughty words': Shut-up, Stupid, when you say that sucks, fricken, things like that. We have been telling this since he started talking. And my answer to all the people that tell us that, is if you put Kevin on a playground, and a kid says a 'naughty word', he will tell them! It is cute but my point is that him learning at an early age and being reminded of it makes it easier for him to deal with it, and he knows how to deal with it! Instead of being 'peer pressured', and yes, i do realize he is only 3, into saying these words, he tells the other people that they shouldnt say it. And I have to say, we are not perfect, he has had to tell us before and several other adults as well as kids. Ultimately, he is my child! I am the parent, and I am going to do things the way I want, not the way everyone else wants. In the end it is all for my son, so what they say doesnt matter. If they dont like it, oh well, but no matter what I am going to look out for him, as well as my daughter. She is still little though:)

So tell me what ya think of my smart boy's pics. They are so cute!

A couple more!

2008-08-25T23:23:00.006-05:00

I am really unsure of what to do with my poetry. I would love to get some feed back from everyone to see how you think of my poems. Let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks and enjoy.

Weeping Willow

The willow wept in the darkness
The leaves dancing like angels
As the wind whispered in my ear
A soft lullaby.

It stood there tall and strong
Through the good times and the bad
The storm and the sunlight
The joy and the fright.

As it grows old, it weeps more and more,
Waiting for the time to come,
That it will collapse,
And start a new life,
Like a newborn child.

The Great Outdoors

In the tree tops,
The branches give underneath me,
As they sway
From side to side.

Underneath the clouded sky
Raindrops fall upon my face
Like soft metal bullets.

The blue birds fly,
Branch to branch
Like angels soaring through the sky.

I carefully climb down
To the mucky ground,
And let the river
Guide me home.

Something quick, simple, and delicious

2008-08-21T16:06:00.001-05:00

My son and I are both rice lovers! We love fried rice, rice with stir fry, rice cooked in chicken boullion, we just love rice! Most people know about steak and rice. This is basically that , but with hamburger, and I have written down the recipe to make it perfect. Here it is.

1 pound of hamburger (or you can use steak and just kind of cube it)
Soy Sauce
Onion Powder

Brown the pound of hamburger and season it how you like, then when it starts getting browned a little, add 4 tbsp. of Soy Sauce and let it cook into the hamburger a little bit. You can drain the grease if you'd like, but usually after adding the soy sauce there isnt a whole lot left, so I add 4 cups of rice. Stir it into the hamburger and it picks up whatever grease is left and the soy sauce and quickly add 4 cups of water. Sometimes I have to add about 1/3 cup more water. Just so the rice is completely covered but you dont want a lot of water on top. At this point is when I sometimes add 1/2 of a medium onion, but I dont always have an onion so you dont really need it! Anyways, after adding the water, I add 4-5 tbsp of soy sauce and sprinkle a little bit of onion powder on top and stir it in really well. Then put a lid on and let it simmer for about 5-8 minutes or until the rice is tender and cooked all the way. I usually serve this alone, but once in a while I will serve it with vegetables. I always thought about cooking the vegetables in it but havent been brave enough yet. Let me know if you try it how it is. Now I have to go make some of this because I made myself hungry. :)

Another one of my poems

2008-08-18T21:06:00.002-05:00

In Memory of Jacob

I wish I could have been there
To change the way you thought
Or see you, yourself for one last time
Instead of your picture on a plot.

I don't know what was on your mind
That night when you gave up
There were no clues or answers left
Just an empty room washed up.

Throughout our childhood I can recall
How close we always were
Until that day, you were lying cold
Then a fear of you occurred.

A fear of never seeing you
Or hanging out with you again
A fear of losing a great brother
And of losing a great friend.

A fear of the last memory
To be what I saw that day
A fear of even seeing you
In that cold church wear you lay.

They say it gets much easier
As each day does go by
But I'll know for sure the day that ends
My fear of saying Good-Bye.

This poem is in memory of my young cousin who had taken his life in 2006. I will always love him and miss him forever!

Bra Codes. This is kinda funny!

2008-08-16T22:48:00.006-05:00

Spam! Scam!

2008-08-16T00:31:00.004-05:00

Okay, does anyone else get any really annoying spam. Well, I have the spam blocker on my email, however, this is a scam that looks like an email. I keep getting the same one from various different people. It is for a 'job opening' in which you 'transfer funds'. Supposedly, they send you an insane amount of money, like 1 million dollars, and then you cash it, and in return, use a moneygram, and wire it to a 'customer', or something. However before you wire it you take out 10% and keep it, that is how you get paid. I got caught up in something like this once. It was during a time I was entering all these sweepstakes online, desperate for anything, and I got a letter in the mail saying I won! Well, I thought it was a scam at first but I wasn't sure becuase it talked about getting in contact with the Internal Revenue Service, so I thought, well, if the IRS is involved then it HAS to be real. The IRS can't be part of a scam. They sent me a check for 5,000. I was to cash it, and wire it to someone in Canada. Well, I went to my bank with the check and because it was a large amount they held it to make sure it was safe. It came back that it was fraudulent. So I contacted this man again and he wanted me to come up with money for the 'insurance' for the money, to bring it to my house, and then he wanted money for 'landing fee'...and all this crazy stuff. So, anyways, back to the scam, what I am trying to say is that if you were to cash this million dollars, not all banks hold it. They will cash it for you, and then you will wire all the money to someone, and then 5 days later you will get a call saying that the check was fraudulent, and then you will be responsible for paying back 1 million dollars! While they hit the road and run with the money! So whatever you do, don't accept this 'job opening', or fall for this 'Lottery Scam', it will only get you in trouble. The problem I am having is that they will not stop emailing me. What I have found is that if I reply, saying that I am going to report them, they usually leave me alone! hehe

Naughty Doings!

2008-08-12T11:54:00.002-05:00

I realized the other day that Kevin is definately going through a growth spurt. He is eating alot more than usual, he is clumsy, and he is really really hyper. Well, he is always hyper. We always let him watch cartoons in our room if he is good for a little bit. The other day I went in there to check on him and he had broken 3 of his crayons, he had gotten into the band-aids and the wrappers were all over our bed. I didnt see the band aids anywhere until I looked at his legs. He had a little scratch on his leg and he and covered his whole leg in band-aids saying it makes his scratch feel better! Then I looked over at the TV and he had colored all over the TV. I dont know what has gotten into him! That isnt even the worst of it. The next night, I went back there to check on him after I got done feeding the baby and I looked at the comforter on our bed and he had cut all the way down the comforter showing the quilt stuff inside. I was furious! I put him to bed right away and he was crying so hard that I went in there to talk to him because I dont want that to be the last thing before he goes to bed. I asked him why he would do that and he told me "I just wanted to see inside, it looks clean inside there!" Which, I have come to the conclusion that I shouldnt punish him for being curious but at the same time he knows better! So he said to make us feel better he would clean up the whole house in the morning. HEHE...Three year olds! Naughty, but too cute to care!

The fine things in life

2008-08-09T10:40:00.002-05:00

As a mother and wife in the lower class, life has been a struggle. Making UP TO $14,000 a year isnt exactly easy. So getting the finer things in life is not our top priority nor in our price range. My husband just finished school so hopefully things will get a little easier for us. It seems we will save up enough money, and then one of our vehicles will die, so then we will have to get another, cheap, used, hunk of junk, for no more than $1000. We dont have any credit so we can't really get a loan, nor do we really want to because then that will be one more bill to keep up on. We dont use credit cards because what is the point to spend money you dont have only to pay it back times 2! So I will get to point. All summer our favorite family hobby is to go fishing. We always have Kevin in his life jacket if he is by the water just to be safe, but also if he gets bored fishing he will jump in the water and splash around and he is working on swimming too. Its really cute, and funny! Kevin always talks about wanting to ride on a boat. Jason and I would love to get a boat. There is a boat for sale out by our house that includes the trailer, the motor, a trolling motor, a spare tire, fishing seats, etc. They are asking $750 for it which is down from $800. Everytime we pass it we want it so bad it hurts! We keep trying to save money, but Im sure some of you know, as soon as you are trying to save money for something, things just keep coming up. Our bank account is lower than it ever has been. However this is how we look at it:
The finer things in life are what you make them out to be. We have the finer things in life. We have our family, and even though we are struggling pay check to pay check, we are making it. Our family is healthy and happy and we have everything we need. If we ever to get enough saved to buy that boat, it would be awesome, but we don't dwell on it. Someday, things will get better, and wont be so hard, and we will be able to get things like that. But right now, we have everything we need!

Donations excepted, email barrelonfire@yahoo.com hehe ;)

Entrecard Credits Generator

2008-08-09T10:37:00.002-05:00

If you use the generator, you can make over 300 entrecard credits in less than 5 minutes! However, you shouldn't use it if you have dial up because it could crash your browser. So here is the link. Try it and let me know how it works.

http://www.entrecard.thegermz.com/

Yikes!

2008-08-06T16:39:00.003-05:00

There was a cougar and 3 cubs spotted a couple miles up that side road by our house. The side road comes to a county road and on the corner is a little store. That is where they were spotted. So I got news today that 3 or 4 of our neighbors have seen them. Our neighbor on the corner by us was worried about his cow so he always goes down the trail on his 4-wheeler looking to make sure the cow is ok. Well, the pasture lines up along the side of our yard. So as he was checking on his cow, he seen the cougar in our yard! We found out this morning and I dont know what to do! I am scared, especially for my children. I always go for walks and now I cant do that, I cant let the kids play outside, I cant even walk 50 yards up our trail to next door. Its unbelievable to have cougars in northwestern wisconsin! But you know there is more than one because of the mother and cubs that was seen so that means they are multiplying as well. It seriously makes me want to move! Is that a little dramatic. I think the worst part about it is that I dont really know how scared I should be. I mean, we have alot of problems with bears, but they are supposedly scared of people. Are cougars? The other scary part is that they stalk their prey before charging it, so if they decided they wanted one of my kids for lunch, you wouldnt be able to see it until it was too late. I dont know, I guess I am just going to have to keep indoors for now and just watch everything when outside.

Back To School Event

2008-08-05T11:05:00.006-05:00

Come and join in on all the fun!! Mommies United is having an entire week dedicated to that one day the kiddos go back to school!

Plus the prizes... Yes there will be prizes to win, to get your little one started with school shopping. From educational, to clothing there are some great things to win. Just in time for school to begin, so stop by and join us.In anticipation of our big event we are giving one very lucky blogger a chance to win one of our SURPRISE GIFT BASKETS!

Your basket will include:

V-Tech VMotion
Kraft Bagel-fuls
Gift check for Starbucks new beverage, Vivanno
Burger King Crown Cards and Kids Meal Crayola back-to-school toys
Brothers-All-Natural Fruit Crisps and Potato Crisps

Why I think PayDotCom is the Best Affiliate Marketplace on the Net!

2008-08-04T22:49:00.001-05:00

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Another side of me

2008-08-04T14:51:00.005-05:00

Not many people know this about me, this other side of me. I have been writing poetry since I was 12 years old. I would love to create a book of all my poems in it. Like a collection. So I think on the days that I have absolutely nothing to tell you guys about, I will give you and little taste of my poetry. I also have recipes to share as well. Today is one of those day so I am going to show you a little of my work. I would love to have some feedback. And if you have any suggestions of what I can to with my poetry to get somewhere, that would be great as well. I have published many poems in poetry contests but I think it is a scam. The same thing happens everytime, you get a letter saying you are a semi-finalist and that they want to publish your poem in a book. But you have to buy the book. I have one book with my poem in it that was roughly $50 and there are about 9 poems per page! Very small. So suggestions would be greatly appreciated! So here goes!

Love's Intensity

Like the wrinkles in the back of your hand,
I see the ripples in that lake,
In which you stand upon
Watching and waiting
In your world of curiosity.

Like the lines in your palm,
I see those rivers,
In which you stand upon
Flowing freely
In your world of wonder.

Like those fingernails,
At the end of your long, thin, fingers,
I see that ledge, from which you look down upon,
Thinking
In a world of hurt and pain.

And like that tiny ring on your finger,
I see love.
And at that very moment,
Every curiosity,
Every wonder,
And all your pain,
Disappear.

My favorite line of EVERY day: HAPPINESS IS NOT GETTING WHAT YOU WANT, IT'S WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE!

Big Steps!

2008-08-01T18:40:00.003-05:00

Well, I haven't been able to write a new post in a few days, my computer was mad at me for some reason but we have finally come to an agreement...I hope!
On Wednesday Jason and I took his niece and our son, Kevin, out on a hike. It is a really nice trail and part of it is along side of a lake. It is mowed and there are not that many bugs, especially for being in the woods! There were alot of ticks though! Anyways, it was an amazing 3.8 mile hike. It has 3 loops, a beginner loop, and intermediate loop, and an advanced loop. I have had 2 children and ever since I got pregnant with the first, I have not been doing much but sitting at home and taking care of them. Which, don't get me wrong is alot, but, I don't know, you know what I mean! It was up hills, down hills around corners, everything, but it was beautiful, and no matter how tough it was, it was still amazing. But I will tell you one thing, I found muscles in my legs and butt that I never knew existed. I found them because they were sore! Kevin did really well too. He is only 3 1/2 so for him to go on a nearly 4 mile hike, I am so proud of him. There were a few times he would sit down and he looked really sad. We all went over to him and asked him what's wrong. He said "Nothing, just taking a break. My little boy legs are a little bit tired." And it was so cute the way he said it so serious. About half way through our hike we asking him if he liked our hike. I think he may have gotten it confused with hunt, I am not sure, but he says "What are we going to hike with? The kids in Africa don't have anything to hike with." And he said it like he was really genuinely sad about it! It was really cute. I need to start keeping a notebook of like Kevin's line of the day or something because he says things that are either hilarious, or its almost like you forget that you are talking to a 3 1/2 year old. Anyways, when we were nearing the end of the hike, Kevin got a little upset and wanted someone to carry him because his little legs were hurting. Jason came and picked him up and walked about 20 ft. with him on his shoulders and there was the end.
On Thursday night we all went fishing and Ashlee was in her little outdoor enclosure thing, I don't really know what it is called, but she started getting hungry and Kevin was just swimming anyways, so I took her out and fed her. Jason got Kevin's attention and ran and jumped off the end of the dock at the lake and Ashlee's eyes lit up. So when she was done with her bottle she got to dip in the lake too for the first time! It was really cute!

Off to PT again!

2008-07-25T10:40:00.003-05:00

You know, seeing as how this is the 3RD TIME having to go through physical therapy, you would think I would be a little sour about it. Actually I am the exact opposite. You would think somebody would tell me to get a hobby as excited I am. It gives me a different work out than walking 2.4 miles everyday. My last appointment, my therapist gave me an AMAZING back rub. Of course I have never had a massage done before besides by my husband and lets just say...well...he sucks! And being a stay-at-home mom of 2 and never getting out of the house ALONE, you get a little excited when you can whether it is something you hate or not! And I always take as LONG as possible. My husband doesnt like it but he has grown accustomed to it. If I go to town, which is about 15 minutes away, he automatically figures it will take me about 3 hours at least. My philosophy on that is, well, if I got more time to myself it wouldnt always take me so long. I am making up for weeks of being with the kids when I finally get alone! So even doctor's appointments, I get excited! I do enjoy Physical Therapy this time though, the last time I went was just great and I can see things getting stronger! Last night we took the family to my sister-in-laws and I was bending over to give my baby girl her nuk and she grabbed my butt, a little wierd I know!, and said that it looks firmer. So if my pain doesnt go away at least I have a firmer butt!

Two kids, twice tha handful?

2008-07-23T10:00:00.002-05:00

Well, whomever reads my blog knows that I have a 3 1/2 year old boy, and a 3 1/2 month old daughter. To be honest with you, when I was pregnant I was terrified! First of all, for some reason I didnt think I would like my baby, I thought Kevin would have jealousy issues, I thought it was going to be completely stressful with him being so hyper and jumping around by the new baby, and I was also remembering back to how overtired I was constantly. Waking up every 3 hours is exhausting whether you sleep until noon or not. Broken sleep is never the same and that is one big thing alot of people dont understand! Nevertheless, I had her, I did love her, and Kevin is the best big brother I could ever ask for. He knows his boundaries, what he should and shouldnt do around the baby, however of course at 3 1/2 we do still have to remind him from time to tome! He is a very good helper. His favorite thing to do with her is cuddle! He does want to hold her sometimes, more when she was newer than now. And I always have those times where he hears me talking to her, about how she is my baby, and I love her, and I think that he is going to have jealousy, and then he will come over and talk to her, and then look at me and say "Mommy, can we keep the baby forever?", or "I really love my baby sister, I dont ever want her to go away!". That reassures me that he is that much better! And I know that every thing will go great! For now!

Wow!

2008-07-19T20:07:00.002-05:00

So tonight my husband and I agreed to watch our nephew, Joey, who is going to be 2 in October. I have never been so out of control. I dont know whether it is his age or the way he is raised but that boy just doesn't know the word 'no'! Everytime you tell him no he doesnt listen and then goes back and does whatever it is repeatedly. Over and over again. I have never had that much noise in the house either! But yet for some reason we keep agreeing to this chaos because Joey is SOOO cute! He is a really cool little kid. I just wish his parents were there more! It seems like the only time they ever call is when they want something. It is just not very nice. That is about all that has happened in the last couple days. I didnt write anything yesterday because the only thing that went on was a lot of pain! My back has been so painful for the past few days it makes me want to break down! I couldnt sleep the last two nights in a row because of it. I am really contemplating whether I should get the epidural/steriod shot. I was just thinking about it and the thought of being completely pain free, was the best thought I have had in a long time! It is only a 50/50 chance that it will work but I think that is a pretty good chance considering what I have been going through these past 10+ years. I am too young for this. And going on all these 2 mile walks makes it hurt even worse but I do it to lose wieght, which, in return, will help my back! So something has got to give, I hope it is sooner rather than later.

What to do!

2008-07-17T18:27:00.000-05:00

Well, as a mother it is times like these that you wait for. However when you finally get them you feel lost, dont know what do to. BORED! So, Jason had to go to work for some extra training today and when he got home he took a nap. Shortly after, Kevin came and sat by me and fell asleep. Ashlee was sleeping as well. So I am now sitting here bored out of my mind. I want to go fishing really bad...again...but it is raining so instead I was thinking about all the funny things Kevin does that makes us laugh. Things he does, things he says, looks he makes, everything. And I also had to laugh because last night in the middle of the night, I was sleeping on the couch so I could be close to Ashlee and I woke up and saw the refrigerator door opened. I got a little startle because I didnt know why it would be open. We have mirrors on our wall in the livingroom and if you are sitting on the couch and look at the closest one to you, you can see the refrigerator. So I looked in the mirror and I didnt see anything, then I looked under the door and seen his little feet there! Then I could hear him sucking on his sippy cup. Well I didnt say anything, he thought I was still sleeping and he went back in his room. I assumed he was going back to bed. About 6 minutes later he comes back out, walks past me again, opens up the fridge, and agiand I could hear the sippy cup. So he walks past me and he was going towards the bathroom, past his room. So I said Kevin! He came over and looked at me and said 'I'm okay mommy, I'm not scared or anything, I'm just getting a drink'. So I told him to go potty and come back and give me a hug. So he went potty and came back and when I grabbed onto the couch and laid him next to me I realized why he was taking so long in the fridge. At supper time he saved two of the tops of his oreo cookie. So when I laid him next to me, I seen black all the way around his mouth. It was the funniest thing. So, to make a long story short, I was sad because he didnt want to cuddle with me, he wanted to go back to bed. The things kids do!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

2008-07-16T22:48:00.000-05:00

Okay, So as I said in my last blog it is my b-day today! Yesterday Jason and Kevin got back and were so excited about my present. Jason also got Kevin some more arts and crafts so he was a little bit excited about that too! Jason was in the process of asking me if I wanted my present early when Kevin came in the room "Mommy, Mommy, Moooooommmmmmmyyyyyyy." "What buddy", I asked in mid-sentence while I was trying to have a conversation with Jason. "We got you a FISHING pole!!" Lol. Me and Jason just laughed and then Jason pretended he was upset that Kevin 'spoiled' the surprise. "I am sorry daddy, I wont do it no more!" So Jason and Kevin got me a fishing pole, and some tackle. So I loved my birthday present. So today I went to my physical therapy appointment and it went really well. I think it will do alot of good this time. I really like the therapist, she is nice and talks me through everything, and gives me very good feedback. She does alot of explaining too so that I know exactly what is going on, what we are doing, why we are doing it, everything! So while I was at my appointment, Jason took the kids to his sister's house to watch her kids too. One of our niece's is 10, and the other is 1 1/2. So I was supposed to go shopping to get a few things after my appt. and then I was going to go fishing for a little bit. So I did my shopping, which, I love to shop, so when I go shopping, I waste ALOT of time! So I got all my things, one of which is a new tackle box. And then I stopped to get a bite to eat. When I finished my lunch/supper, I was going to put all my new things in my new tackle box. When I realized that the items I had bought at the first store I went to were not in the jeep. I am a little bit freaked out by this point wondering where they could have gone! Well, I retraced my steps. I remember being done at the checkout thinking I am just going to leave my cart in hear so I dont have to bring it all the way to the jeep because I only have one bag! When I was thinking back, I was trying to remember where I put the bag in the jeep when I realized that I forgot it at the store in the cart. I am such an AIRHEAD! How can you forget it in the cart when you only have ONE bag! Wow! So I rushed back to the store, I didnt even park in the lot, I left the jeep running and parked it, idling, in front of the store. I ran in there to find the bag all tied up on the end of one of the cash register desks! Thank God! That would have been $20 down the drain and GOD knows with our economy that wouldnt have been good! So I took so long shopping that I went back to check on the family without going fishing. I was thinking on my way back that I dont get a birthday cake! Well, when I got back, our neice had made me a birthday cake all on her own, and I will tell you what, It was DELICIOUS! So that made me extra happy, especially after my 'blonde moment'! So then we packed it up and went fishing somewhere else. Jason dropped me off and took the kids to a nearby school/playground. Well, he forgot to give me my worms so I had to resort to one of my new plastic worms, which was fine with me because then I got to try them! This place that he took me to used to have really good fishing! Now!, it had weeds! Weeds! WEEDS! Like it was so bad a good question to ask was if it was a swamp, or a lake. Was there water with the weeds! Okay, that is over doing it quite a bit but now you get it! There was weeds! Lots! So Jason showed me how to make and hook weedless with my plastic worm. Well, I guess after about 2 cast they become not weedless because my weedless hook got caught on a weed. They say instead of yanking the pole, it is more affective if you pull the line, plus then when it comes undone the hook doesnt fly up and possibly hook someone or something. Well, I pulled so hard I have lines across my hands still, so finally I just cut the line and put some new stuff on. So much for making it weedless. It might have been more affective if you could have seen more than a 2 foot wide strip of water and less weeds. So I got mad and wanted my REAL worms. At least with real worms, you get a bite. Some action. There may not be anything there when you reel it all the way in but you get some action. And its not weeds! So I walked about a mile with my pole and tackle box to find my children and we came home. Dont feel bad though, good exercise. I am trying desperately to lose wieght. So over all, my birthday was fantastic. And the title of this post, that is what my son told me close to 100 times! He is so sweet. It was kind of nice because when he would get out of line we would say 'uh oh, your not going to be naughty on mommy's birthday are you?' and then he would apologize and it was really cute. I wish I could do that for longer than one day! LOL

Happy Birthday!?

2008-07-15T18:19:00.003-05:00

Well, I am home alone, except for my baby, Ashlee, but she is sleeping. I am kind of excited because tomorrow is my birthday. Kevin and Jason left to go to town to maybe get me a present or something, but Kevin kept telling me "Daddy told me not to tell you anything." So I know that they are up to something. I am kind of hoping I get my own fishing pole. That would be nice. Or a grill. Those are both things I would love. So tomorrow for my b-day I have to go to physical therapy. I have a back problem that I have been struggling with since before middle school. I finally got referred to the pain clinic and I went last week. He told be that he wanted to put be in physical therapy to strengthen my 'base' because the problem I have WILL get worse as I get older so we want to do something about it early so it doesn't get worse too fast. I have one disc in my back that is narrowing, and that disc also has arthritis on it, and the one right below that is bulging. Now I dont really know EXACTLY what that means but I know it hurts. Although I have been throught physical therapy 3 times, I am more than willing to go through it again because I want to do ANYTHING I can to help it. My doctor told me that I am 22 and I have the back of a 40 year old. So it is pretty scary. I have a lot of back problems that run in my family as well. So the doc said that if the physical therapy is still hurting he is going to give me a epidural/steroid shot to get through it. He will also order me some medication I can use to help for up to a year to help manage the back pain while I am working on losing wieght. He doesnt want to issue medication for any longer than that because they are low dose narcotics and narcotics can be addicting. So I am working on losing ALL of my wieght I gained after having kids. I gained almost 100 pounds after having kids. I was going for long walks last summer and lost about 40 pounds within 2 months. Then I got pregnant with Ashlee. But I only gained back 20 so now I am trying to lose it all! Its so hard. I have to find the energy to do it every day and that itself is a struggle but I keep doing it because I know it will benefit me in more ways than just one when I am through with it. So if any of you have any suggestions, let me know...I would be more than happy to hear them!

Bye Bye Bass :(

2008-07-14T23:25:00.000-05:00

So, today was kind of a lazy day for all of us but towards the end of the day we decided we wanted to go do our favorite thing, FISHING! We got the kids packed up and took them down to this dam/river spot and at first we kept catching just some little pan fish and bluegills. Well, we have a joke everytime we go fishing about me because for some reason I can never seem to really catch anything. I mean, I have caught some little panfish and bluegills but never a 'decent' fish. I even have a hard time catching those. I have no idea why this happens but those darn fish do love to steal my worm. Well today, I was, first of all, so proud of myself for breaking the worm. I will put the worm on but when it comes to breaking it, that just seems really disgusting to me! So we were fishing for a little bit and then some other kids with their dad showed up and was like at the top of the hill on some rock right next to where the water came out of the dam. I swear it was no more than 2 minutes after they cast out there pole and they caught this really huge large mouth bass. It was probably at least 20 inches but the thing was really fat too! Bless their nice souls, they threw him back. So after I seen that, I decided to move up closer to the dam. Well I cast my line out and it took about 2 minutes for me and I got a bite. I was assuming it was just some little pan fish because it wasnt a REAL big fighter or anything until I seen it and I called for Jason and he helped me get it out of the water. Well it wasn't as long as Kevin's bass but it was probably almost 12 inches but it was alot fatter than his. I guess the fish in this river eat pretty well! Jason was trying to get the worm out of his mouth. I was using one of them lures that is just a big worm with like 3 hooks sticking out of it. I got my camera ready and everything and was waiting for him to get the hook out so I could take a picture and the thing jumped right out of his hand 3 different times. The worm was stuck way down like on the inside of his gills. I was telling him to just hold it up real quick so I could take a picture and about 20 seconds after I said that it dropped out of his hand again and when we looked the whole worm and swivel and everything was off the line on the pole. I was so disappointed that I didnt get a picture but now I feel bad because the worm was like in a little ball inside his throat so I hope he doesnt die. So that was our big day today. And after that we went to the grocery store to get some milk and other things and they have 3 candy bars for 99 cents. So much for my diet!

About me

2008-07-13T21:01:00.000-05:00

Hello...this is my first blog so I was just going to tell you all a little about me. I am and stay at home mom, mother of 2 wonderful kids. My son is 3 1/2 and my daughter just turned 3 months. So my son is the reason for my title. Although 3 year olds are alot of work there are just so many things they do that make you laugh. 'That's not fair' is a very commonly used phrase by my 3 year old for things like his punishments, or when he doesn't get what he wants. My husband is really great with him, he has much more patience with him then me. I think he is used to it more though. He just graduated from college for criminal justice-corrections and got a job as a counselor for a place that does 90-day programs for teenage boys. He has to have alot of patience for that and in turn his patience has improved a great deal with our 3 year old. Right now the boys are all on a 10 day venture so he hasnt had to work. They have 4 a year, and he goes on 2 of the 4. This one he doesnt have to go on. So during his 'vacation' we have been really broke but having SO much fun with the fam! We take the kids to the park and even bring our neices and nephews with and sometimes spend half the day there! We have taken them to the beach. And we have been doing alot of fishing. This spring Jason, my hubby, got Kevin, my 3 year old, a new Lightening McQueen fishing pole. So we have been getting him out fishing. And I will say that giving the kid, as hyper as he is, a hook is very scary, but he actually has been doing really well. He caught like a 14 in. large mouth bass one day and decided he wanted to bring it home to show everyone and then we were going to eat it for supper. Well, he was so proud of it and then when he saw Jason with the fillet knife he just started bawling. This was because he was going to miss his friend. Well he dont know that they need water the survive so we told him that Daddy was going to bring him back to the lake and get different fish to eat. So he went outside and cut it up and Kevin was upset all night! I had to print him off two pics of his fish! He is so cute!