Fun Fact Friday

Yup....that time of the week again!!

I recently learned that Truthful Tuesdays have been changed to once a month instead of once a week...in case you were wondering...


My little fun fact...hmmmm....I haven't really thought this one thru this week...been a little busy....

I guess I'd have to go with the side of the bed I HAVE to sleep on! Picture (if you will) standing at the foot of the bed, looking towards the head of the bed....I MUST sleep on the left side!! No ifs, ands or buts about it! I don't care where the bedroom door is...where the bathroom is....where the closet it...or even if it's north/south/east/west facing....if I'm looking at the bed, I'm on the left! Ask Howie...it drives him nuts that I refuse to change sides! He constantly falls asleep on my side only to make me roll him over to his side when I come to bed...which has the added bonus of a pre-warmed bed...as well as drool on my pillow....blech!

So, there ya have it...which side must you sleep on...or does it even matter?? My little sister could care less which side she's on as long as she has a side! lol


Til next time...ciao!

Finally...a day where there

Should be no drama!!!!! The only thing on my agenda today was laundry!! And lots of it!!! In fact, I've washed 4 loads, dried 4 loads, folded 5 loads and there's still one in the dryer....either I have a small dryer, or we have too may clothes!!! lol I'm inclined to agree on both counts! Oh, and I've put away 5 loads!! With one sitting by my chair waiting for distribution. Never ending!

The drama of the day!?!?

Jake lost his cell phone yesterday at school. Put it in his locker (which doesn't lock by the way...) to go work out after school...when he was done, the phone was missing. We suspended it yesterday so no one could make or receive calls....but that left him phone-less.

Imagine if you will...being 16....and cell phone-less!! Its his main source of communication with his girlfriend...how will he ever survive?? HA!

Needless to say, I started getting the frantic calls this afternoon when he got home from school. Had I called Verizon yet (no, cuz I sorta forgot, but I'll get right on that!) and found out how much of an upgrade he can get? At the time he called I was visiting with my neighbour who dropped by to indulge in that dessert I raved about yesterday...and I kept on visiting and kinda half-assed checked into it....and Howie came home. Right at the same time Jake called me back to see if I'd learned anything...which I hadn't....lol

Lara and Caleb left and Howie and I got down to business. Turns out either Howie or I HAD to be with him in order for him to do anything....but we're 45 mins away! And, Jake was planning on coming out tomorrow for the weekend anyways, so why not just wait one more nite (THE HORROR!!!) to get his phone. The other problem with that plan was that he'd have to pay in cash for the phone if we did it at Verizon...he wanted to get it at Best Buy where he could use the gift cards he got for Christmas that he hung on to...smart thinking! So we called Best Buy to see what their policy was in regards to us HAVING to be there....they had a wonderful solution...add him (Jake) as an account manager and he could go on his own! SWEET! Crisis averted! Moody teenager happy! World keeps turning!

Now, he's the proud new owner of a Droid...the phone I desperately want, but am waiting patiently til August when my contract comes up for renewal to get...the brat! Which means he HAS to have the data plan with this phone...that he's paying for! PLUS the insurance for the phone in case something happens to it...and let's face it, the kid has been thru phones like I've been thru loads of laundry!!! I've had 3 phones in the course of my cell phone life....he's had 6! If not more! Yeah, insurance is a good thing!

Once everything was settled we got down to doing dinner and I bathed the kids! Oh, and I'm pleased to say that Snickers is responding VERY well to her medicines! She eats them like no other animal I've ever had to medicate! It helps, of course, that I'm sneaking them into pieces of cheese, or hot dog...but she eats it and looks for more! Her nose is no longer bleeding...or bothering her...she's well on her way to healing up! She's also sticking closer to home...I caught her today in the back neighbour's yard, but she came right home. I hope she sticks close like that! She does drink a lot more water, a side affect of the steroids...and pees less...poor girl! No woman likes water retention! But over all...she's fabulous! Our new vets are pretty awesome too! They sent a get well card for Snickers and a 10.00 gift card to a local pet store...that's pretty kool!

Now, I'm off to finish watchin Survivor...this will probably be the most ruthless season yet!! Heroes vs Villains!! Not sure yet who my money's on...like I'd bet! I'm too cheap for that!! lol


Til next time...ciao!

Company's Coming

Tonite we had a dear friend...well the daughter of a friend really....but since she's almost 21, she can now be the dear friend...oh bother, you know what I mean!

Anyways, we had a dear friend come over for dinner....she had a shift with her company here in Monroe, so we invited her to dine with us since she was SO close!!!

Today was busy!!! We got up and while I was getting breakfast ready, DJ asked me if we could go to the restaurant again for breakfast...he LOVES going out to eat! Mr Social! I declined breakfast, but suggested the library for story time and he was hooked!!!

Today was the first time we actually arrived BEFORE it started!!!! Whew! And today was all about Valentines (I love how DJ says it, like most kids, Valentimes) Day and the stories were about love, the songs were cute and the craft was making Valentines cards. With markers!!! And I have to say, the markers alone took me back! I remember saving up money to buy the markers that smelled.....cherry, licorice, blueberry, apple...and so on....HOURS of fun colouring with those things! I even remember being 13 and selling them (hesitantly) at a garage sale we had before moving!! Wild how a marker can do that eh?

Anyways, they had fun today! None of my other mommy friends were there, til the very end when one showed up about 10 minutes before it was over. We chatted while the kids played and before I knew it, it was almost noon!!! So we headed home, had lunch, I vacuumed, and then put Samantha down for her nap (I'm SO ready to wean her now!!) and then kept on with the cleaning and cooking.

I made this to-die-for dessert! Gooey Caramel Chocolate Bars....sinful!!! And they turned out just like they look in the picture!! Howie, who didn't want one when I served them, ate the whole thing!! Of course, the kids helped both of us!!! They didn't seem to mind either!

After dinner I got to see most of Tiffany's pix from her recent trip to NYC...that was fun!! I've been there (age 19) but we didn't do the touristy thing at all! Hit up the Hard Rock Cafe and then headed for home. Its not my kind of town! I loathe that many people!

Once Tiffany left, we corralled the kids into their beds...Howie into his bed...and I finally got to relax! In fact, I'm off to do more of the same!! With a little knitting methinks...

Til next time...ciao!

Grand Slam Baby!!!!

First off...I want to apologize for not informing you, my readers, but mostly my neighbours, about the amazing FREE Grand Slam breakfast Denny's was doing today! I saw the ad on TV during the Superbowl...plus, I follow Tightwad Mama and get insider info that way too!

So, this morning, the plan was to get up and go for breakfast with another mom from the Mommy & Me group...I was late and she was early! But we did see each other!

I have to say...I'm quite proud of my kids! With it just being me, I was a little nervous taking them both to a restaurant by myself. But they did me proud! We had maybe a 15 minute wait when we arrived...not too terrible! A nice older couple gave us their seats (I tried to resist their kindness, being that they're seniors...) and Sam enjoyed playing peek a boo around other people's legs....good thing she's so cute!

Breakfast was served with in minutes of sitting....literally! They had an assembly line of cooks making the Grand Slams....scrambled eggs, 2 slices of bacon, 2 sausages and 2 pancakes....love it! DJ ate a pancake, his sausage and his and Sam's bacon...Sam ate all her egg, half a pancake and her sausage...I couldn't eat all mine either! I should have just done the one plate between them...hindsight!

Once out of there, shortly after 10 we headed home as today was order day for Avon...my biggest order yet!!!! Hustling is paying off! :)

The rest of the day was a blur....Snickers is already looking better, but sleeping more and drinking more water...expected tho.

DJ got to play for whoknowshowlong outside...and loved every minute of it! I discovered today that we get sunlight the rest of our area doesn't! I was blown away by how foggy it was down the mountain...very depressing!! We had glorious sunshine pouring in the living room window bright and early! I like it!

I went to my Avon meeting tonite...got lost....very annoying! The roads are so confusing in this one area and I seem to mess it up every time! I also got to see my FIL's girlfriend and deliver her Avon to her with a short visit! And after my meeting got to see SIL and BIL as well as the exwife...busy bee I am!

Now, I'm home and really want to sit and relax!!

Til next time...ciao!

I can assure you

I don't make this stuff up!!!! LOL This is in response to my girlfriend Dee asking me if I ask for stuff to happen to me so I can have something to blog about...NO!!!

I swear....

Snickers has something going on...remember when I blogged Friday about her nose having a sore on it...well, its gotten continually worse and around both eyes now. This morning when I got up, I took one look at her in the daylight and decided then and there we were going to a vet.

Which vet was the issue! Our old vet is in Lynnwood...and that's too far to go! Plus I'd have the kids with me...no fun! That'd take up the whole day!

So I called my neighbour and she recommended a clinic close to home. Alpine View Veterinary Hospital Before we hung up she offered to watch the kids for me so I wouldn't have to wrangle with them as well as a nervous and scared dog. What a HUGE blessing!! As it turned out, I couldn't get in right away, so made an appt for 3pm and waited.

Michaela came over about 2:30 which was perfect...Sam was sound asleep and DJ was outside playing with Kristopher...both kids perfectly content! Snickers and I drove down the mountain to the clinic which was SUPER easy to get to! We went in and immediately Snickers started shaking...and whimpering...poor girl! She also kept trying to hide under my legs...that has to have hurt her nose!!! I had to fill out a history form for her and then we waited. Not too long tho! We were shown to a room to wait for the Dr...thankfully they didn't try to take Snickers' temp (rectally) as she was just too nervous. Before we knew it the vet came in...and she'd already done her homework! I was SO impressed! She'd seen us in the waiting room (I thought she was an assistant...oops!) and while she was in the back she looked up what she thought Snickers might have.

Lupus...an autoimmune disease...I've never heard of animals getting it...but shouldn't be surprised! They can get just about anything humans do! BUT...because the sores didn't start in the normal spot and have rapidly grown, she wasn't 100% sure. The only way to know for sure was to anesthetize her and do a biopsy (put her to sleep didn't sound right in this instance!) which sounded expensive to me! So we're treating it like its Lupus....she's on a very strong antibiotic and 20mg of prednisone. 3 weeks for the antibiotic and the prednisone could come down in a week...and then lower still after that. Eventually when it all clears up, we'll take her off the steroid and see if it comes back...if it does, then it is Lupus...if not, then she was nosing around outside where she shouldn't have and got into some kind of chemical (like battery acid...) she shouldn't have! Either way....it was expensive! I sure hope its nothing life long!!! Howie already said we're not spending thousands on her....makes me sad, but I get it! She'll be 7 on Valentines day!!!

Then to add to all the drama...Howie got caught up in the traffic on 522 on his way home...there was a 3 car accident ahead of him and he was 1/4 of a mile ahead of the nearest exit...so he couldn't just back track and get off...in the end it made him 40 minutes late! Dinner was easy...but not easy to cook! I did pancakes, eggs and hash brown patties...that was tough to coordinate the timing of! After dinner I grabbed a shower and got to work on Avon. My next order goes in tomorrow! And this, is my largest one yet! All my hustling is starting to pay off!!! I'm excited!

Now, I'm gonna go get sucked into the Bachelor once again!! Supposed to be interesting!!!

Til next time...ciao!

Who Dat!?!?

If you watched the Superbowl yesterday, you know exactly what that means....if you don't...google it! The abbreviated version is: The Saints won!!!

I'll be the first to admit....I don't watch the game to watch the game....I watch it for the commercials! THE best commercials air during the Superbowl as it is the highest viewed game!! And women all over the world watch it for the commercials!! There was even a commercial for a car where the men are all stating what they're giving up by being in a relationship...and I was sitting there nodding while Howie had this dumbfounded look on his face....oh that was good!

My fave tho were all the Doritos ads....oh they had us laughing out loud!!!! Genius!!

This morning we took the kids to church, their first time, as the last time we went was when I was pregnant with DJ!! It was a special service put on by Dr. Hoyle who founded Bible & Science Ministries in Tacoma. He made some pretty accurate statements in relation to Creation and Science and how history is trying to rewrite itself excluding God! It was very thought provoking! The kids had a blast in the nursery and I thought I heard Sam squeal once, but Howie said it wasn't her...lol It was at our neighbours invitation that we went, so the kids at least had friends in there to play with! Absolutely no separation anxiety at all!

We had minor discussion on the way home....and I advocated for me to homeschool the kids....and the end result was that we're in agreement to put the kids in private Christian school...which there is one in Monroe. YAY!!!! Guess I won't be having that bus route fight after all! lol

We then had discussion during dinner about it all and agreed that we both found it enlightening! And that we'd like to go back and hear the pastor speak....get a feel for the church in its reality!

The rest of the day was easy! DJ and I ran the movie back (Which I had company watching last nite! I invited Lara over and she came!! She'll tell you she talked thru the whole movie, but she didn't! She cried a bit...lol) which I enjoyed! It wasn't at all what I was expecting! And I found myself thinking on it a couple times today! I recommend it!1

Dinner was the lasagna I made last month that I froze...and I tried making caramel corn at the same time....bad idea!!! For one, the caramel corn needs the oven to be at 250* and the lasagna needs 350*...so I thought if I put the lasagna on the bottom rack and the popcorn on the top it should work out well...HA! It didn't! the popcorn was burnt in less than 15 minutes! And the whole thing was ruined! I still haven't cleaned the roaster out....blah! To top it all off, the lasagna was cold in one spot for Howie...tell me, how on earth it could be in the oven for TWO hours and still be cold!?!?!?! The rest was hot....bizarre!! So for dessert, we had ice cream...can't screw that up!!! LOL

Now, I'm off to watch LOST...I watched the recap show and got very confused! This is what happens when you miss an entire season because your parents didn't have cable!!! Now, I'm gonna watch the 2 hour premiere! One of these days I'd like to rent them season by season and just watch them all in a row! Maybe, just maybe, it'd all make sense then!?!?

Til next time...ciao!

It finally happened!

I bumped into someone I know at the grocery store!!! All the mom group stuff and whatnot, and I finally bump into our new hair dresser!!!! Of course, I looked my most wonderful (note the sarcasm) with my hair in a messy bun and not a speck of make up on...oy! At least we have a tentative time for a play date for our girls....that will be fun!

Today was busy!! It wasn't til after 11 that I decided to finish up the grocery shopping...so I took Sam with me as DJ was busy outside playing...and Howie wanted to wash the vehicles! And work on yard work....in February!!! Unbelievable!!! The last couple days have been in the upper 50's!! Absolutely gorgeous! There are flowers and trees thinking its time to bloom!!

We didn't get home til well after 1:30, and thankfully I'd had the foresight to call ahead and have Howie make Samantha a lunch...should have had him make me something as I was a growly bear by the time we got home! And of course, I MUST put the groceries away before I eat....that and while Sam was otherwise occupied and not able to help me!

DJ got grounded again...this time for peeing his pants....but I think I'm the one who ended up with the punishment....that meant he was whiny and stuck inside with me...not fun!

Once Sam got up from her nap we got ready for date nite...a.k.a Hot Food Night! Tonite it was my turn to pick the restaurant...and boy, I did GOOD!!!!! Last week on our way to the library, I missed the normal road I turn on and had to go down to the other end (the library is on a loop road) and because of this I discovered a BBQ place I'd never seen before. Right then and there I knew that's where I'd want our date nite to happen!

This afternoon I searched for the restaurant to get a grip on the menu pricing and items...and my mouth started watering! It's also a BBQ school...so it MUST be good! We arrived and there were a few cars in the lot...but knowing that it closed at 7 pm we didn't have much time! We ordered the meat sampler (pulled pork, beef brisket and ribs) and then an extra 1/2 lb of ribs, some baked beans, and a cucumber salad. Today's beer special was 5.00 for a pitcher! NOT bad!!!!

I tell you what...it was phenomenal!!!! The meat is all smoked to perfection!!!! And the sauces that this place makes are incredible!!! They have a regular, sassy, grizzly and HOT!!! Howie said the hot was #^&#$^ hot!!! Too hot...he switched to grizzly! I LOVED the sassy!!! And we decided we'd like a bottle of the sassy! So, next time I do groceries, I'm putting that on the list!! The baked beans were zippy and GOOD!!! The cucumber salad was alright...I make one that's better...just saying....

Over all, we'd definitely eat there again!! And do their take out!!! Howie wants that for his birthday dinner! I'd almost rather have that than teriyaki!!! (Sure hope my dad didn't faint over that!)

We got home and the kids were having a great time with Michaela....Sam was all sweaty from playing! They each gave her hugs...Sam more than once! and then she walked home. I must say, I really like that arrangement!!!! Watch the babysitter walk home instead of having to drive them home!

Now, everyone's asleep and I rented a movie...Love Happens...I'll let ya know how it goes!


Til next time...ciao!