It's LUCKY Thursday . . .

Shocked, Surprised, Ecstatic . . . I just won the bestest blog prize ever! I wanted to give a shout out and thank The TomKat Studio Blog. . . I am addicted to this blog and inspires my crazy party planning hobby :) I feel so Lucky and honored :) WAHOO! Cant wait to get this amazing machine and put it to work . . . Awww, I LOVE it already!!

Oh yeah. . . here is the prize . . . an amazing piece of machinery

http://tomkatstudio.blogspot.com/2010/07/super-fabulous-friday-giveaway-winner.html

Half way through 2010 . . .

. . . oh yes, sadly it is true. . . .we are on the downhill of 2010, meaning its time to check in on those new years resolutions. . . . I should probably just stop writing now!

Okay. . . .here goes it

fail
GOAL: Lose 20 pounds!
ummmm, pretty sure I have added another 20 (as I sit and eat my sour patch kids at 12 am!)
Maybe next year!

fail
GOAL: Run 1000+ miles this year
not looking so hot. . . .is it possible to run 100 miles per day?? haha
This could possible be the cause of the failure above

looks promising
GOAL: Compete in 3 running events
San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon just passed and I wasnt there :( but I already ran the Carlsbad in Jan and am planning on Disney in Sept and possible the Ragnar Relay in the fall too??

Awww, my favorite goal
GOAL: Read 52 books!
Should SUCEED with flying colors :) Lovin it!!

hmmm??
GOAL: Be a better friend
struggle, struggle. . . always a struggle. I am prob not the one to judge this, but I think all my "Friends" in January are still currently talking to me today :) I hope that counts for something!

I still have all summer break??
GOAL: Help Cayden become a better speller
Horrible speller but read my last post . . .even a horrible speller can be a GATE student :)

hmmm??
GOAL: Let Aubrey act like a 10 year old
Welp, she is ELEVEN now, so treating her like a 10 year old would just be cruel, right??

and my final goal for 2010 . . .

FAIL :BLAH: FAIL again!!
GOAL: Find that 2nd paycheck :)
yeah, probably not going to ever happen, oh well!

Looking forward to my checkin in 2011 :) Happy Half Birthday 2010

My little Brainiac. . . or NOT??

Sharing my proud momma moment . . . we received Cayden's acceptance letter to the GATE program in the mail today. His adorable, sweet, brilliant, "Editor-in-chief of the school newspaper," hard –working sister couldn’t be more jealous. Honestly, the program at his particular school doesn’t offer much, but as momma of this little rug rat, I couldn’t be more proud, and AHEM (clear my throat) ummm, SURPRISED????

Yes, just yesterday it was this "brilliant" child who managed to drive me to near insanity with his less than genius maneuvers, maybe his brain was on hiatus?? We ended up at a local store to pick out some new sunglasses, glasses he managed to lose in an empty church room?? Guess that’s not dumb . . .. maybe magical?? Anyways we arrive at the store, I park, and my little puppy of a kid immediately sticks his head out the window and I nearly chop it off rolling up the windows. "Ummm. . . .get that dang head of yours in the car my love." GRRRR. . . . So again, we are at this store and Cayd and I run in to use the bathroom before filling our cart and heading to the checkout line. Jump scene to that awkward moment where the items are all rung up and bagged and I'm franticly searching for my ATM card. . . we got gas on the way to the store and I could have sworn I put it in my back pocket??? I give up and pull out one of those evil credit cards and hope its one that’s still good :) haha, yeah, thats a whole different blog! So we succeed, get to the car, and head to our next destination. I am driving, and Aubrey is throwing everything out of my purse searching for this card. I get a little flustered and am talking to her not so nicely . . . . she’s in tears, I am mad, and the little puppy in the backseat is completely clueless, and simply along for the ride. We get to 711 and I announce – they are luck I have a couple bucks, and can still get them slurpees (as promised before this whole mess) At this point my "genius” son looks at me and says, “youre looking for your ATM card? . . . and simply states . . . you dropped it on the bathroom floor at target." ummm, serious?? Could you have not mentioned it 30 minutes ago. . . when we were actually in the bathroom??? Guess you can say, I was less than happy and maybe a tad LIVID :) haha, I can say it with a smile now. Where did this kid come from? Completely clueless of the commotion that has been occurring?? At one point I had even turned to him and totally blamed him . . . he is notorious for losing things (hence the trip to the store in the first place) "Ummm, I thought you would pick it up!" Of course, the card was not still on the bathroom floor when we returned once again to the store, nor had anyone turned it in to guests services. But luckily, canceling the card was super easy and my child got a lesson in identity theft :) He loves learning things. . . .but usually takes the hard way!

Oh brilliant one . . .. good luck in the GATE program :)

RSVP Please

I love making invitations!



. . . But, I didn't especially love making three separate sets last month! My nights have seen its fair share of patterned paper and double sided tape :) My last requester said . . . "nothing big deal, I only need like 10 or 15." While it isn't the mass production that kills my time. . . its my initial vision . . . and my over thinking of that initial vision. One of my many faults . . . pursuit to perfection. If I am going to spend my time making something, I might as well create something I LOVE!! I think those "nothing big deal, only 15 invites" costed me 4 trips to the craft store and 12 hours of arranging and rearranging before I ever did start creating :) I was so so so excited at work today. . . I am going home tonight and have absolutely nothing to glue!! Hopefully now I will find the time to blog about the actual events that followed those invites . . . .

Just the 15 invites :) Love you Barbs


Aubs aprons to go along with her cake decorating party!


To be honest, I actually never did fall inlove with these flip flops and will never make again. . . something about them says Grandma's Slippers to me! Oh well. . . we all occasionally FLOP (no pun intended) haha

Forever in a FUNK??

. . . Nah, life totally has its ups and downs but at this ripe old age of "almost 30" (grrrr,ugh,blah), I have learned that we can get through anything. . . .even extremely CRAPPY, CRAPPY weeks :) So with that said, I am happy to report that I believe I have recovered from my recent state of FUNK! The last two weeks have been a little rocky in my life. My kids went away to stay with their auntie for their first week of spring break, and while I thought I was going to have a nice relaxing week of fun, the week didnt go quite as planned and I quickly realized how my kids are everything in my life. I was lonely, lost, and kind of felt out of place. I'm not one that spends a lot of time at home, and this week thats where I found myself . . . thinking about growing old and gray all alone, it was lovely. At the end of the week, I found out one of my bestest friends is pregnant. While I am totally, completely, 100% happy for her and her husband, I was a little shocked at my own reaction to their news. After a minor friend freakout, I ate not just one, but two, donuts from the most enormous donut store in town, and proceeded to cry for the next 6 days :) I am not normally a crier so this everyday thing was killing me . . . I guess I want a baby (and maybe a husband that wants a baby too :)

While I have the best support system of wonderful friends and family who I think totally "get" me . . . I cant help but sometimes be sad. I have a wonderful, amazing life but would love to find that missing piece and guess am tired of hearing people give me their take on it . . . .give it time . . . when you least expect. . . blah blah blah. . . I know people just want to help and I love you for it, but sometimes sad and depressed is where I need to be :)


And as an added update (and final blow in my crappy week) . . . I would like to make a public announce so people can stop inquiring about ummm "that situation" haha . . . he is GONE, not gonna happen :) I have always dreamed of marrying a childhood friend, so when this boy suddenly showed up from my middle school past (a boy I happened to have a huge crush on)- I think I immediately thought it was fate and fell in love with the idea of this dreamed up fairy tale coming true. I admit, I maybe jumped to some conclusions fairly quickly and missed the obvious . . . that he and I were going nowhere . . . so we said our farewells (something that did not bring tears) and I again search onward for Mr. Perfect . . . oh how the heart wants :)

This kid of mine is totally random . . .

I LOVE him . . . he is ambitious, determined, driven, a go-getter (hmmm, do all those things mean the same thing?) and someday will be rich and rule the world (or so he hopes), he is adorable and trouble all in the same moment. He has a special seat in the principal's office, but totally makes his teacher smile. He is loving, passionate, and doesnt care what anyone thinks of him, but randomly decides to be shy . . . AND he says the FUNNIEST things ever. If I wrote them all down - I think I could write a best seller. . . . the kid melts my heart completely :) Anyways, my dad has been ever so anxiously waiting for me to post this one, so here is my "Cayden" story of the week . . . a couple of weeks ago Cayd was watching tv and randomly decided to make his birthday list (his birthday is in August . . .ummm, this was March) I didnt pay much attention to him, but he sat and wrote this list ALL night. When I told him to get ready for bed he placed the list on my computer desk and announced he was finished. I could lie and say I was busy blogging, but since proof in in my lack of posts, I will be honest and admit I was facebook stalking :) I pushed the list aside and didnt even give it a glance. The next night, Aubrey was at the computer and asked me if I read his list. . . . "you have to read it mom, my brother is weird." Again, I forgot. A couple nights later I came across it while cleaning up a stack of papers. It took me a minute to figure out what it was, and another minute to decipher Cayden's LONG, misspelled birthday list . . . "ummm, Aubrey . . .your brother is definitely weird!!"

So amongst the normal things a 7 year old boy would ask for . . . a new paintball gun, army googles, nerf gun, speakers for his guitar, a drill . . . .here are Cayden's simple birthday requests ( I of course already posted on facebook and conned many of my friends into taking care of his "desires," but wanted to share my kid with the rest of the cyber world)

Cayden would also like the following. . . A tshirt gun (also a Christmas request that was not fullfilled, although he did receive the plunger from that list, . . . he would like to be the official Cougar tshirt shooter at the hs football games), a pig, a big fat cowboy belt, a mustache, another house built in our backyard, a brick of surfboard wax, a moon rock, to be the middle child, a secretary, a long stick, and 3 boxes of snow!!

I have no clue where he came from . . . but he keeps me LAUGHING for sure!

Happy Easter

I got the opportunity to be with my sisters this weekend :) Yeah. . . I LOVE them! Anyways, we were bagging on Boring blogs (you all know you have read them) and they commented that I dont get an opinion since I havent blogged In over 2 months!! Yikes, has it been that long?? My kids went to their Auntie Shawna's house for their 1st week of spring break. During the day, I of course worked, but at night I was supposed to use my time wisely and read a couple books, get back on my running schedule, do a little dating, and catch up on my blog, of course. Ummm . . . the kids are home now, and NONE of the above got accomplished :( I spent my evenings in a funk (which I will explain in an upcoming post), and really did absolutely nothing but wallow in self pity. Yeah, it was fun and productive :) Anyways. . . I am super grateful this day for my family. I have the bestest one ever!! My sister happily volunteered her 1st week off track (yes, away from her school kids) to take in mine and entertain for a week. I LOVE her and know the kids had a fantastic time in Las Vegas. I got to hear them rub it in to friends today, and I know they realize how super lucky they are to have terrific aunties :) Shawna spoiled them rotten with fun activities. During their 5 days with her they visited a trampoline house, went to a hockey game, painted pottery, visited the M&M and coke factory, went to the 3 different arcades, and went black light miniture golfing. . . I'm sure I missed something, I doubt there was a dull moment. Later in the week, my other super wonderful sister, Molly and her hubby Bryan joined them. I drove in a couple days later and in a short 24 hours we visited, ate, site saw, shopped, played, and got to do the Easter stuff together. I am truly blessed!