Tuesday, November 11, 2008

ChicagoLand

Is anyone else having issues with downloads on blogger? These photos are in no specific order because I cannot figure out what the deal is with blogger. So please excuse the random order of pics:) Saying we had a great time would be a huge understatement! The 5 of us clicked so well, even if we haven't been together since high school(or never if you're Mya!) But Mya was like a missing link and it was perfect.
like I said, random order on these pics. That me(the shiny one) and Theresa. Theresa was a huge help for me. I was buying for 3 other people at American Girl Place and had 2 giant bags and a giant BOX. If it wasn't for us all helping each other, I would have been in big trouble. I couldn't even get through revolving doors! So thanks you guys!

Mya and Mandy at dinner...


The Christmas windows at Macy's. Amazing. Kristin was looking for ideas for her windows at work, but we didn't think she could get the same effect on a $100 budget.



We spent a little time searching for Garrett's Popcorn. You know, one of Oprah's Favorite Things. We ended up in the 'hood, but it was worth it. YUM.



One of our 5 cab rides. This one was funny because when we got in the cab, there was a trainee in front so all 5 of us went in the back seat. That's Mya's hair. She was sitting on Kristin's lap:)




The Lego store. I could have spent a lot of $$ here but since it was one of the 1st places we went, I didn't want to lug the giant packages around.



Me and Mya in a cab.







Lego girl.

We tormented all the cabbies. I should say that Mandy and Kristin tormented all the cabbies. Mandy asked each one where Oprah was that day. One told us that he saw Brad Pitt last Tues but I don't believe him. Kristin asked if it was OK for her to call him "Mr-cab-driver-sir" But he said that he actually considers himself a construction worker. And then went on to tell us that he installs hardwood floors. Another cabbie got to hear Kristin's love of certain bras. Seriously K- you could be a talk show host with the way you can get complete strangers to talk about their lives.


One of my favorite places. Everything there is Hello Kitty. Kristin,Mya and I all bought these grab bags for $30 that had $125 worth of stuff in them. Then we went out in the mall and tore them open. I think we did OK. I had one pretty Ghetto-Fabulous item that's a chain that hangs from your belt loops with lots of BLING. Look for it in my Christmas attire this season.


I will explain the story of the $$$.
So, we are all at American Girl. Kristin and Mandy are done so they go across the street to The Cheesecake Factory to get our name on the list for dinner. There are 2 choices for dinner, eating upstairs in the cafe(20 min wait) or downstairs in the restaurant(hour wait). They put our name on the list for both and gave us a buzzer for the restaurant. So the rest of us arrive and we park it on their stairs with a mountain of packages. There are at least 100 people waiting for tables in the restaurant. We wait. finally there is a spot opening in the cafe for us and we are told we can leave our stuff behind the hostess desk. While they are getting our table ready, Kristin decides that she is giving our buzzer for the restaurant table(which must be almost open) to the next people in the door. I think she's nuts and they will never allow it. So this older couple walk in and it seriously has to be a 2 hour wait for a table. Kristin goes up to the gentleman and ask if they are eating in the restaurant or the cafe. The man mistakes her as the hostess and she says"oh no, I don't work here" He is looking totally confused and she explains that we have waited an hour and finally got a table in the cafe, but the table downstairs is opening any minute and all he had to do was say he was Kristin and he could have that table. They thanked her and off they went. So we are sitting and had ordered when he comes looking for Kristin, whips out his wallet and starts throwing $$ on the table, thanking us!! He says Kristin's mom raised her right:) So he gave us $29 and even came back later to try to give us more $$.
So Kristin taught me that it pays to be a little nutty and to really go out of the way to do a good deed. And for the record, Kristin is the reason we all got 20% off at Sephora, even if we were not supposed to. That girl's got some persistence. I will not shop WITHOUT her again;)



Mandy and Kristin at dinner at the Cheesecake factory.





We spent a lot of time(and a pricey cab ride) here. Great shop.







YUM....





At dinner....


Between us, we have 15 children 10 and under(most are 5 and under!)We ALL needed this. I have not laughed so hard in a very long time, and it started at about 5am and I didn't get home until 2am. I can still feel it in my stomach. I couldn't have dreamed of a better time. NO one complained, everyone helped. Everyone paid more than they needed to. Everyone had FUN. I have learned that some of the best experiences are the ones when you develop some inside jokes. And we certainly have few. Which may or may not have something to do with tripping drunk people and retired federal agents.
Love you guys, thanks for the great time! Can't wait to do it again:)

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Keep on Keepin' On

I am a "mantra" girl. I have things in my head that are on a constant rotation to keep me focused and get me through life's not-so-fabulous moments. One that I shared with friends this weekend is "it washes off" I say this over and over in my brain when someone pukes,poops, when I have to dump a lost sippy cup filled with sour milk. Another one I us a ton is"first things first" this one is for keeping organized when I am overwhelmed, which is more often than I expect.

But what I really wanted to share is this quote.
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude,to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past,than education,than money,than circumstances,than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. Its more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that LIFE is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes."
-Charles Swindoll

I have no idea who Charles Swindoll is. But I can tell you how much of my life has become better because of the basic message of this. Things are only as bad a you DECIDE them to be. It is an embellishment on the glass is half empty/full. This kind of thinking has given me more power over my life. I decide how bad something is and how long I am going to choose to suffer over it.

Whew...its been quite a weekend. I'll post Chicago Pics tomorrow:)

Friday, November 7, 2008

GrosgrainStore.com Grand Opening & Giftcard Giveaway!!!!!!!!

I really need to get one of her skirts for Teagen. She would be adorable! The new store's website is www.grosgrainstore.com
another new favorite:)
GrosgrainStore.com Grand Opening & Giftcard Giveaway!!!!!!!!

Friday

So today....

Grady dumped 1/4Cup of salt into his cereal bowl
The dogs got into a garbage bag I had set in the garage
"someone" dropped their yogurt on the floor, who it was remains a mystery
Teagen has had a bathroom"incident"
I brushed toothpaste out of Summer's hair(the smell of kids toothpaste makes me ill)
Grady is on his 2nd outfit
Teagen needs to change again
I found a football in the microwave
my oatmeal EXPLODED in that same microwave
I have about 6 ounces of flat diet pepsi to keep me sane

its not even 10am.

BUT-
Bob and Joan are taking the kids overnight! I get to hang out with my hubby again! I am leaving for CHICAGO with some extremly wonderful girls for the day on Saturday! I even have a little spending $! And I found shoes that look cute and wont hurt my feet when walking for an entire day!

Life is so good:)

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Oh, no broccoli for me please...



This is much cuter than the stickers they gave me. But I took one of those anyway for my art journal.

I was really concerned that I would have to wait in line forever, but Jason went right after work and called me to say be ready, there is no one here! So off I went. We vote at the McGraft Park so needless to say on this beautiful day I dodged more than a few Frisbees(there is a really nice Frisbee golf park there). Those people were every where. I nearly ran one over with my jeep(a frisbee not a player)!

Anyway, I cast my vote for the lesser of 2 evils. I hope you all did too;)

Funny story-

I took the girls to pick up pizza(all that voting really took it out of me)and we were talking about the candidates and that I believed that neither one would harm or really help us much, blah,blah,blah. And when we got out of the car, Teagen asked,"Mama, who's Broccoli Obama?" Ha!

Monday, November 3, 2008

method playground challenge

Sorry for the bad pic...but its late and there is no good light for this kinda thing...









Totally out of my comfort zone here...LOTS of stuff, tons of layering. I even used some riped raw canvas I painted a bit back and some garbage!(cardboard and a pice of paper that had embelishments on it)
All thanks to an awesome challenge on www.methodplayground.blogspot.com.
Check them out!




Saturday, November 1, 2008

Trick-or-Treat 08

Whew, I'm tired all over again just looking through my pictures! But it was a good night. Amazing weather! Thanks Holly for letting us come over and "use"your neighborhood. It was perfect for little ones not up to the major walking. We went with the Burn's Fam and it only took an hour! Left us plenty of time to visit the grandparents here in town.




And some shots of the costumes.
Summer wore this one for 2 years and now Teagen loves it too! I'm glad because its a fav of mine.



I couldn't resist posting this rear end pic. best part of Grady's costume.




The crew...Teagen,Grady,Reid, Kennedy and Summer Jaye




















The only time I saw Reid in his mask! He just was not into it. But this is just too funny!





My favorite Grady pic...














More bat-boy...






Hippy Chick...







Its all about the peace, people.






Sweet Woodland Fairy...















Hope everyone had a good time, I am still exhausted! Good thing we get an extra hour of sleep tonight(yeah right, not like kids follow daylight savings rules!)
Summer is a little under the weather(temp 102) so I will be up taking care of her I am sure...hoping it does not make its rounds...but we will be missing the birthday party at my bro-in-laws tomorrow, so we are kinda bummed. Just don't need to spreading the wealth of a virus to all those kids, that's for sure!