Catching up...

ok, when I say things like, high fever, double ear infection, fever with chills...what do you think?

Yes, all three of my kiddos are sick...which means. No sleep, dosing of medicines and somehow managing to snuggle love all three of my kiddos at the same time.

Its been a long week....

More later.

Friday Five

When was the last time you...

1. ...went to the doctor?

****um, when I was pregnant with Elijah ;) In general I don't go to the Dr, because I never ever get sick enough to warrant it...that is a blessing. I *do* need to go for a yearly check up though (since well Elijah is 17 months old now...)

2. ...went to the dentist?

****all you need to know is that I brush my teeth like a banshee, I faithfully get a new toothbrush every 3 months. I floss and use a waterpik ;) LOL My kids go every 6 months and have cleanings etc.

3. ...filled your gas tank?

****maybe 2 weeks ago? Since we are down to just my van and Donald is the primary driver he is usually the one that fills it up. I did fill it up a few weeks back when I was out and it was down to half a tank.

4. ...got enough sleep?

****Sept 10, 1998 ;) The night before Nathan was born, I don't think I've slept through the night since.

5. ...backed up your computer?

****um, well, um, you see, ...that is *so* Donald's department (did I deflect that well???)

80 degrees an ocean breeze and a brand new phone :)

Whew we've had a busy couple of days. Yesterday I went by and ordered our furniture. So in 8-10 weeks (uggggh) it will arrive. I'm excited...but can't believe it will be that long. We ended up going with the Lazyboy SlumberAir Sleeper Sofa in Indigo and a chair and a half with ottoman in a kinda yellow undertoned with some mingling (hardly noticable unless you REALLY look...the mingling doesn't just jump out at ya :) the chair is in a kinda of brown/tan-ish color. I can't wait for it to arrive. We are getting an area rug at Target. Now that we've settled on furniture colors we went by today and picked the rug. Now we just have to get the entertainment center for the living room and the boys bean bags for tv watching and the living room will be pretty much taken care of. :)

Yesterday after ordering the furniture we headed to SPI (South Padre Island). It was a beautiful day and we just sat in our beach chairs while the boys dug tunnels and ran around. The water was chilly (although there were some folks in the water) but it was nice. Here is where I should insert that I am sure that there are those that think the beaches in S. Texas are nasty. I will say that the beaches at Galvaston the time I went were kind of icky. But I really think the ones out at S. Padre are well taken care of. The water is by no means like that in the carribbean...but it isn't icky to me either. I've been to the Atlantic and also along the gulf side of Florida (St. Petersburg, Panama City (ick), Clearwater) and they all seem about the same to me. So ...theres my opinion on Texas beaches. LOL

Today was filled with a trip to Brownsville, a stop by Sam's Club, a trip to Target and we ended to day by going to the park. The boys friends H and L were there and so they had a good time. :) Donald ended up going to the Sprint store while we were at the park. We had Verizon and our coverage had been fine. It was great while he was at the academy and my coverage was fine here where we live. But when Donald went to work he had no coverage...so it was pointless for him to have a phone for me to reach him, if , well I couldn't reach him. :) So we now have Sprint and some flip phone that takes pictures. I'm sure there is a model number or something but I don't know it. LOL I had no imput in the decision, because frankly I just am not into *what* kind of cell phone I carry. As long as it dials the number and I can talk. I'm good. Donald however wanted some particular kind so he can have a wireless modem for his laptop (near future purchase) etc etc...so I suppose whatever we have will accomdate that.

I think I mentioned before we were in the market for a second vehicle. Donald sold his car before we moved here so we've been using my van (El Rojo Go-O...hee hee, yes I name my vehicles....) He's tossed around getting an extended cab truck and me keeping my van. Or getting and Expedition for me and him driving the van and then getting him something in a couple of years. I think he's about decided to go with a motorcycle. We'd still end up getting an Expedition or such and he'd use the van for rainy/cold (ha ha) days. But the motorcycle would save money in gas and insurance and hey, he's always wanted one to boot. So for today...thats our decision.

Finally, prayers of comfort would be appreciated for the family of a classmate that graduated with Donald. He was killed in a car wreck last nigh/early this morning. He was a young guy (23) with a great future ahead of him.

Off to watch Food Network Unwrapped. More later...

Who's Your Daddy???

Hee Hee, you can take a girl outta the south (and NO Texas IS NOT the South..) but you can't take the South outta the girl. ;)

It actually asked me if General Lee was my daddy...with my 94% score. LOL

And yes, I'm proud of my Southern-ness. I have an accent...I don't think it makes me sound like a hillbilly or redneck nor uneducated...it simply makes me sound Southern. :)

Homework Time


When you were a child, did you keep your room neat, or was it a disaster area? Why do you think that was?

****My room was always realitively neat. My bed was made daily and it was picked up in general. My mom wasn't super strict about it having to be ''perfect'' but she also didn't allow it to get out of hand.

A few of my favorite things...


Mr. Clean magic erasers...LOVE THEM

Diet Coke w/ Lime ...can't even tell you how much I love this and I tend to really dislike diet drinks ;)

Eddie Bauer oulet with an additional 30% off their sale price... WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO momma got a new pair of shoes and a bag and duffles for the boys ....

Temps at almost 70 today...we played out at the park for over an hour :)

Sleeping kiddos (save the youngest) at 9 almost time for a little HGTV I believe


Hope yall had a great Monday...more tomorrow.

Quickly


Since two of my three children are still awake and it's 11:30 pm. I'll make this one quick. :)

Did anyone else watch the race today? We are pretty far from what you would call race fans, we've never even watched a complete race etc...but we did watch the start and a bit of the race today. Did anyone else notice that Dale Earnhart Jr. was in what seemed to be EVERY commerical? Geeze, what the kid don't make in racing he'll make up for in endorsments, no doubt. ;)

Shopping complete...well for today. I got new bedding and shower curtain and bathmat for us. I got new pillows for the boys and us too. [well we have down pillows but I needed pillows for the shams with our bedding, the boys have had shams since we moved in Nov. and I'm just getting around to buying them additional pillows for those]

Ok, loud noises upstairs...more tomorrow....

Bullseye

Off to Target to pick out bedding, curtains and various other things for bedroom and master bath. Shopping with 3 kids 5 and under...fun LOL

More later. :)

Sunday Brunch

1. Are you a morning person or night owl?

****by nature a night owl, be default a morning person ;)

2. What is the last thing you do before bed?

****take off my glasses

3. What time do you usually wake up?

****7 a.m. at the absolute latest...I try to get up an hour to an hour and a half before that, usually.

4. Do you eat breakfast regularly?

****I go through phases. A lot of times if I have a cup of coffee, that becomes my breakfast.

5. What is your favorite breakfast food?

****currently taquatios :)

Happy Valentines Day :)

More later...

Gift with Purchase


There was a day when I lived to get the Clinque gift with purchase :) Now, I tend to just grab my makeup at Walmart and I love Loreal as much as I loved Clinque. Today I got free mascara with my new foundation. LOL Ok, so no I didn't get mini moisturizer, travel sized soap, toner, shadow and lipstick in a cute carrying case...BUT I got free mascara no less. I'm considering it a gift with purchase. LOL (an glimpse into my sad little life)

It's time for lunch and then quiet time for the boys and then we have to run out to Target and see if we can find some long johns for Donald. Hee Hee. He has to work tonight and we are actually have cool weather here in S. Texas. It's going to be in the low 40s tonight and well considering we've been in the 60's in the evenings thats quiet a drop.

I picked up the boys some valentine candy and some valentines plates for them to eat off of tomorrow. This morning while at walmart getting groceries we passed by the Little Debbie stuff and Daniel was like "I want a zebra cake, I want a zebra cake'' So I grabbed box and told him that would be his valentine treat. Not to be outdone Nathan was like "I want some fruit...I want some fruit'' LOL Funny, that kid cracks me up with his love for fruit. :)

Ok...off to fix some lunch and put the boys down.

FRIDAY FIVE

1. Are you superstitious?

****nope

2. What extremes have you heard of someone going to in the name of superstition?

****I know a lady that will turn around and take an alternate route if she sees a black cat.

3. Believer or not, what's your favorite superstition?

****? I can't even think of one

4. Do you believe in luck? If yes, do you have a lucky number/article of clothing/ritual?

****nope. I do have a favorite number #5, the number of grace (in biblical numbers, which is a very interesting study by the way) and it is also the number of folks in our family.

5. Do you believe in astrology? Why or why not?

****nope. I look to the Maker of the stars instead of the stars for guidance. ;)

HOMEWORK

If you live with other people, how do you divide the housework? If you live alone, what chores would you like to give away, and which would you keep?


****On the whole, the house is my ''job''. Do not misread that to say Donald is one that *won't* help. Because he will and gladly. But considering he averages working between 10-12 hrs a day and I'm here all day, staying at home, raising our family because of him working so hard. I think it balances out. I have no issues with it. :) And since I'm the type that ''appreciates'' the help but would really rather just fold the towels my way...it's better this way. :) My boys are still young but they help around here a good bit. They daily help with laundry, they tidy their room, they put their clothes into the correct hamper, the put their PJ's away in the a.m., they help with the dust buster and help to tidy their bathroom and the powder room downstairs (using the swiffer wet and clorox wipes).

I have to tune in here and say that FLYlady has been very helpful to me. I've never liked clutter. But while I was taught homemaking skills growing up...since I was at school all day, my mom did the actually cleaning. In otherwords I've never had a schedule of ''when'' to do things. It just be like ''oh man, gotta clean the ceiling fan blades'' it might happen every month, or 8 weeks or ...heck even every 3 months. It got done, it was never nasty...but there was no regularity to it. With flylady I've been able to break things down into weekly plans and so it all just kind of happens now. I not doing anymore house work then I did before. I've always cleaned my fridge once a week etc...its just now I have a plan/schedule/routine. I don't know if that makes sense...but I'm loving how it is all working out. :)

I'm halfway through "Into Thin Air'' and every few paragraphs I really stop and try to get into the mindset of these folks that desire such a challenge as climbing Everest. My mind cannot even *begin* to wrap around that kind of desire. Good book.

The closing on our house in GA was today at 4pm. My dad called (he had complete power of attorney so he signed the papers etc) and told us it was done and the money was in the bank :) Wahoooooooooooooooooooo. I'm getting new furniture, I'm getting new furniture. Yay. :)

Will you be my Valentine


Today the boys had story time at the library. They had to take their valentines to exchange with the other kids. The boys were so excited. Daniel picked NASCAR valentines (no suprise) and Nathan picked Winnie The Pooh. I was kinda suprised by that considering they had Lion King 1 1/2 and several other things I would have thought he would have picked over Pooh. (I mean no offense to Pooh and all...lol) While we were doing story time and craft time Donald was off searching for books for me with Elijah. I've been wanting to read something by Suze Orman for a while. I catch her when I'm flipping through channels on MSNBC and while I don't necessarily enjoy *listening* to her talk. I enjoy all that she shares about finances. Donald also picked up "Into Thin Air'' by Jon Krakauer. I was up at 4am the other morning and caught a special on Discovery Times about he and the group he was with climbing Mt. Everest. I cannot fathom wanting to climb Mt. Everest. The drive and determination that pushes folks into doing that amazes me. Anyway I'm reading that now and enjoying it. We hit Ci Ci's for lunch and came home and had quiet time and then sorted through the Valentines loot. We baked some gingerbread this afternoon. We got one of those mixes for Christmas...the boys liked playing with the dough about as much as they enjoyed eating the finished product. :)

Ok...off to get supper ready.

Maybe more later.

Edited to add: I just went over the read the interview with Jon Krakauer. There are some strong words used in that interview...not words I use in my daily life, but its not my interview. :) I know I don't have to explain myself, but I just didn't want folks to feel I was promoting that language either KWIM?

Ok...back to what you were doing....

This is not a meme ;)

Snagged from over at Brandy's

Favorite Color: Green

Favorite Flower: daisies

Favorite Scent: um, this could get long...I love baking oriented scents (cinnamon/vanilla), I love *clean* scents (the ocean, and the smell after it's rained), I love yankee candles in the following scents...harvest, buttercream,home sweet home, fresh cut grass, clean cotton and wisteria

Favorite Cocktail: I've never had one, so I wouldn't know.

Favorite Wine: I've never had wine, so I have no idea.

Favorite Soda/Drink: Of all time, Mt. Dew...currently Diet Coke w/Lime

Favorite Food: veggie pizza

Favorite Restaurant: Rio Bravo/Chevys is always good

Favorite Treat: anything with caramel or chocolate...bonus points for both. LOL

Favorite Candy: soft peppermint (but only at Christmas)

Favorite Number: 5

Favorite day of the year: Easter or Christmas :)

Favorite Season: Spring

Favorite Holiday: Christmas or Easter

Favorite Game (video/board): video...as in 80's arcade= Pacman or Galaga Computer um, don't really play any ..although Donald plays collapse and some word twist game that are pretty neat (he also likes Civilization...but....) Board=scrabble or Balderdash...wait, does balderdash have a board?

Your addictions are: books, journals and notebooks, and pens

If you had a whole day to yourself, alone, and you wanted to treat yourself, what would you do?: A whole day alone? ooooh a good hair cut, manicure pedicure and stop by starbucks for coffee on the way home where I would lie in bed and read my new stash of magazines and watch HGTV or Food TV :)

If you had an extra $200 that you didn't need to spend on bills or debt, what would you buy with it? (And no "saving it", you gotta spend it): Um, something house related or children related. BUT if I could only spend it on ME...well I'd have several new pairs of shoes ;)

Pete and Repeat

Another one of those fun things. I ran across this one over at Melyssa's

EXOTIC FOREIGNER ALIAS = Favorite Spice + Last Foreign Vacation Spot

****Cinnamon Canada (does Canada count as foreign??? I've never been out of the US except for there LOL)



SOCIALITE ALIAS = Silliest Childhood Nickname + Town Where You First Partied

**** Ree Ree Carrollton


"FLY GIRL" ALIAS (a.k.a. J. Lo) = First Initial + First Two or Three Letters of your Last Name

***C. Bro


DIVA ALIAS = Something Sweet Within Sight + Any Liquid in Kitchen

****chocolate chips coffee



GIRL DETECTIVE ALIAS = Favorite Baby Animal + Where You Last Went to School

****Monkey T. McConnell (I went to Truett McConnell college)


BARFLY ALIAS = Last Snack Food You Ate + Your Favorite Drink

****Chips Mt. Dew


SOAP OPERA ALIAS = Middle Name + Street Where You First Lived

****Jeanine Shady Grove



PORN STAR ALIAS = First Pet's Name + Street You Grew Up On

Rex Pine Ridge


JEDI NAME = First 3 letters of your last name + first 2 letters of your first name, First 2 letters of your mother's maiden name + the first 3 letters of your hometown

***Broch Stcar

Wednesday's HOMEWORK on a Friday

Do you have an area of housework in which you could be described as "compulsive"? What's your biggest cleaning neurosis?

****My kitchen...if my kitchen is in order I can handle the rest of the house...if my kitchen is cluttered with dishes in the sink and general stuff everywhere...I feel major chaos.

FRIDAY FIVE

1. What's the most daring thing you've ever done?

****To be very honest I can't think of anything very daring...how boring, no?

2. What one thing would you like to try that your mother/friend/significant other would never approve of?

****Again, there are things I might try that my mother or hubby wouldn't do, because of preference, but nothing comes to mind that I would want to do that would be *disapproved* of....

3. On a scale of 1-10, what's your risk factor? (1=never take risks, 10=it's a lifestyle)

****1 or 2

4. What's the best thing that's ever happened to you as a result of being bold/risky?

****Ah.... I just thought of this...lol I did actually ''confront'' Donald before we started dating as to what exactly it was going on between us, which culminated in me kissing him first...and so there...that my big daring thing...LOL

5. ... and what's the worst?

****3 kiddos later all the by products of that were good I'd say. :)

Waiting for Wednesday


Well, that closing on the house, um, yeah, it's been bumped to Wednesday of next week. Something with the other peoples loan. Who knows, I just want it over and done. We finally got Donalds W2 from his other company and then today we got the 1099 on the mortgage. We need to get our taxes done sometime I suppose. I guess we'll do it next week on on of Donalds off days. Think we'll get about 10K back? ;)

Ok..the boys are about done with supper, so its time for baths and bedtime routines.

Have a good one, yall. :)

Just to let you know


I'm taking down my snowmen adorned "I Love Winter" door hanging, TODAY. It's going to be 78* here today...and I've decided South Texas doesn't have winter...lol

OH the places I've been ...




create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide

What it's Tuesday already???

Everyone is sleeping...as they should be it's 11:30 :) We went to storytime this morning at the library. This was our third trip and the boys just really enjoy it. They always have storytime and then a craft that relates to the story. Today they read one of the Nemo books (I think it was "The Very Best Dad") and another book about fish with counting involved. :) Then they made aquariums with ziplock bags, confetti and fish cutouts that they colored. They turned out really cute. Since Donald was off today he went with us and had Elijah in the stroller. I actually got to hear the story and be with the older two during craft time. Usually I'm wrangling Elijah and also helping Nathan and Daniel. Of course Elijah slept the *whole time* with Donald while he was in the stroller. So Donald got to read magazines. Wouldn't you know it would work out that way. LOL Yesterday after Donald got off work (he's on nights currently) we went to Whataburger for a quick breakfast and then headed to Port Isabel to go to the lighthouse. We always go through Port Isabel when headed to South Padre Island and Nathan has asked several times to go to the lighthouse. So yesterday was the day. We climbed up there and the view was pretty neat I have to say...but geeze imagine helping two kiddos on those narrow spiraling stairs both up and down...whew I was ready to be done with that. LOL

I'm fooling around with things here. I got a couple of links over there and a mini bio (can you really call it that? LOL) and my email link...I'm still very very new to all this so there will be plenty o' kinks and stutters along the way. :)