Haven't done this for a while, 5 question Friday!

1. If you could have any talent and turn it into an occupation, what would it be?
- Professional organizer. I really wish I was an organized person. Now, if I was this type of person, I would be AWESOME at it. I'm a perfectionist, even though you may not be able to tell, I'm beyond neurotic about some things. So, if I organization was my talent, I would help others. Starting with my mother. =o)

2. Would you rather have a house at the beach or a cabin in the woods?
- Cabin in the woods. Seeing how I was raised as almost "in the woods" as one can get, I'm extremely comfortable in that environment. A house on the beach would be awesome, but I would feel most comfortable in the woods.

3. Is there any meaning or reasoning for the names you chose for your child/children?
- No meaning, but there is reasoning. Erin and Shannon, doesn't get much more Irish than that. Well, it could, but I wanted to stick with somewhat normal names. For a boy we had the name Connor picked out.

4. What is your guilty pleasure? (I know we've done this one before, but I'm guessing people's "guilty pleasures" change frequently. At least mine do!)
- iCarly. I think that's even what I answered last time. I LOVE iCarly. The husband does too. Even if our girls have left the room, we generally don't change the channel right away...

5. Do you live in a house that is deep cleaned or straightened?
- Neither? Joking! Kind of... It's certainly not deep cleaned, mostly straightened. But when I really get in the mood, definitely deep cleaned. In answer 1, when I said I'm a neurotic perfectionist, I can be that way with cleaning sometimes. The military definitely helped with that a little...

5QF can always be found at http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/

Halloween and the sudden onset of November

Heading out the door, all ready to trick or treat.

Meet Astrid aka Shannon.

And Erin was transformed into Snow White for the evening.

This is one of my favorites, Shannon is practically staring down this skeleton decoration on their porch.

Little Erin had to get in on the action.

It started to get cold, so I put the camera away.

We had SO much fun despite the fact it was severely cold this year. The girls didn't whine once about the cold, and lucky for us, they didn't fuss one bit when he said it was time to call it a night.

I still can't believe it's November already. No word yet, but I'm hoping they don't send the husband out to Maryland until after Christmas. 2 years in a row now I've had to finish the Christmas shopping and decorating by myself. Who knows what they will do since the unit didn't renew his clearance, even though he filled the paperwork out before he left for his deployment last April. Sometimes I wonder who deems these people as competent to carry out specific tasks. Oh well, not my job to worry about it.

On another note, tomorrow has been marked as the day... the day the husband and I start our P90X journey. I told the husband I wouldn't post his, but I will be taking my day 1 pictures and measurements today, and I will probably post them by Friday.

That's it, I'm jumping in head first!

Yes, I'm just going to close my eyes and jump, then pray that I don't smack my head on the bottom. Okay, so maybe it's not THAT bad, but still. I've decided to go ahead and start P90X on Monday. Yes, 6 days from now. Since it's Halloween this weekend and there are yummy goodies this week (thanks much to my mil for providing us with awesome cookies) and trick or treating this weekend, I figured, why not?

As you know from previous posts, I hate New Years resolutions, so I refuse to start this after then. Also, Thanksgiving and Christmas are almost right around the corner as well and I tend to gain up to 10 lbs every holiday season. So there really is no better time than the present in this case.

I totally sprung this on the husband yesterday, but he's being supportive. Even when I said there can be absolutely no soda in this house, or at least any that I can see. Before he had even talked about doing it with me, so we shall see if this will be a couples journey, or if I'm flying solo.

On another note, Halloween is this weekend (of course). Shannon is going as Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon, I am SO excited for this! Erin is going as Snow White. I'm excited for this year because Erin will actually have somewhat of an idea of what's going on! AND - I got her to say trick or treat, I'm surprised since it only took 2 days to teach her. Well, gotta run, hope all is well!

I'm alive, I promise!

Yes, I'm alive. And I can't believe I've gone so long without writing! Where do I start? lol...
Erin is 17 1/2 months old already. Walking, talking, and completely weaned (for almost a month now). She absolutely loves animals and books, or any combination of the two. I am having so much fun with her at this age. She's like a little sponge always asking me "whas dat?"
Shannon is doing great too. She's huge too.. I swear, she's going to be taller than me before I know it. She's still going to "school" out at the Children's Center in Kearns. It's been a little rocky with her, but I think we're handling it pretty well. Her counselor at the Center is trying to convince us that medication is the way to go for her ADHD, but I still have a hard time with it since she's only 4! Even though I have my moments of desperation at times and wish for one of us to be medicated, I still want to try other options.
Husband is battling the cold from hell, but good. He's still enjoying his job and got to go elk hunting in the mountains for a week. He also passed his most recent dlpt with a 2,2, so we are in the clear for another year!
And me! I'm still in the first semester of school, not going to lie, it's not going well at all. After battling with some depressive issues and some rough patches with the husband, I definitely let it get to me and I got behind in my classes. I won't be going back next semester, and I honestly think it's the best overall decision for myself and the family. I haven't given up completely, and I'm still trying to get the most possible out of my classes. So, while I'm still on the journey to find me, I also decided not to continue on the path of a degree as a Physical Therapy assistant. I still don't think it's for me, and I'm confident I'll find something that's more suitable. I'm doing well though. The husband and I are almost back to how we were in Monterey the second time, which has helped things tremendously. Anyway! I don't wanna make this too long, and I will write more another day, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Ugh!

I think gender roles are complete crap. I didn't grow up thinking my mom did anything specific because she was mom, and the same thing with my dad. I'm not going into any kind of details here, just need to vent.
We are back from Oregon and California. I had such a blast in Oregon. I can't wait to go back, hopefully before next summer.

Well, it's official

I have ADHD as well. I NEVER would have guessed this until I started reading books about it to help me understand Shannon, and I also started seeing a psychologist. Even Shannon's counselor thought I showed signs of having it since the day she met me.

Ever since I was a kid, I have always felt a little "off" and totally out of place. I'm famous for random outbursts and constantly putting my foot in my mouth. As a child, my parents would joke about paying me to be quiet for 5 minutes even. So many things make sense now. Now I know how what needs to be done, I just don't have a clue where to start. I'm excited to make some big changes. I'm ready to stop feeling so socially awkward. I want to be able to finish all the projects I start. I'm tired of procrastinating because I'm entirely too overwhelmed. I'm SO ready to tackle this thing head on.

Anyway, I'm off to Barnes and Noble to buy a book or two. Happy Friday!

P.S. - I'll be back to do the 5QF later!

Unclear frustrations are frustrating

I'm not sure why, but something just doesn't feel right. I hate feeling like this. I can sense this hole or void that needs to be filled. I just can seem to put my finger on what it is.

I'm actually somewhat looking forward to my appointment with the psychologist tomorrow. I'm also thinking I need to work out tomorrow morning sometime. I think I need a good cleaning session in the apartment and a hardcore work out.

I hate feeling like this and I'm really hoping I can change it soon. There are some things I want to discuss with the husband, but I can't seem to find a way to do it. Anyway, logging off Blogger and making some lists. To do lists, long-term "to do" lists.. Or, maybe I will just take some melatonin and go to bed.

I jinxed myself by dyeing my hair

It's totally true.

I'm back to my old ways. Since I dyed my hair blonde, I have managed to sprain my ankle in a very humorous fashion. Last Friday after my college placement tests, I tripped as I was walking up the stairs. Good thing I didn't trip going down, eh??? My newest injury is due to poor depth perception and long legs (thanks genetics!).

In order to get into the kitchen, you now have to step over a baby gate. So, I attempted this daring feat about 30 minutes ago. I had one leg over, then as the second was going over the gate, I SMACKED it right into the little piece of the counter top that sticks out. It is already slightly swollen and beginning to bruise.

In conclusion, I think I'm going to walk around with moon boots, football pads, and a bicycle helmet. If you see me in public, please don't avoid me..

Hooray, I haven't ripped my hair out yet!

Husband has officially been home for 3 days now. Today was by far the easiest day we've had together yet. Friday was a close second. I was able to do most of my daily stuff today and not feel like he was completely invading my space. I'd have to say my biggest annoyances are video games and South Park... So, I'm blogging while the kids are calming down for the night and watching Yo Gabba Gabba.

Thursday was great. It was so nice to have the husband home. Thursday was pretty much the most awesome day I've had in a long time. Friday started off pretty slow, it was totally throwing me off my groove. Especially since husband and I both woke up at 5:30 in the morning. I also took my college placement tests that afternoon. I didn't do nearly as bad as I was expecting! Then the husband and I were able to have a date night courtesy of my mother-in-law. I was totally surprised, it was great! We went to my favorite restaurant, and I got prime rib, totally awesome. Saturday was the most interesting day thus far. I think it had a lot to do with adjusting to him being "in my space" again and me being a female. I swear, every little thing set me off, when I wasn't acting like a complete biotch, I seemed to be overly emotional. Today was easy and laid back. I'm actually somewhat looking forward to the husband going into work for a few hours tomorrow. It will help prepare us for the upcoming week of his leave.

I'm also looking forward to (hopefully) registering for 2 or 3 classes tomorrow. I CANNOT wait to start that chapter in my life. Anyway! Time for me to put down these Apple Strudel Bites and get some more work done! Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Fudge, crud, darn...!?

Yeah, the title pretty much describes how I feel right now in a PG manner. Those are the words I've said frequently throughout the last few days, but I've said the more "grown up" versions.

So, here I sit typing, with my legs up on the couch. Sounds good huh? No. Not since I didn't even manage to get half of my "to do" list done today. I made it to Costco and the doctor's office and that's about it. Didn't go to the regular grocery store, or mail off my mom's gift yet.

Yesterday, I was trying to open up the big stroller (one-handed, well, with one hand and one foot). While trying to use my foot to "pry" it open in way, my foot got caught, the stroller fell over, and it twisted my ankle in the process. The result... a sprained ankle. Boooo. That's what I think of that. My doctor always wants me to see a dermatologist so I can have a few moles on my back examined and possibly removed. Fun stuff (not). I'm officially boycotting doctors for a few weeks.

On a good note, husband will be home very soon.

Freaking out!

..But in a good way!

He's coming home! I just got a skype call from him, he will be out of A-Stan shortly and starting on his way home.

I don't really know what to do with myself right now! Lol! I don't if I should clean something or what. But, I am just totally stoked!

Great weekend!

Well, it's Monday again! Yay? Yes, I think it's a "yay" kind of Monday. I found out the latest date for husband to come home. SO excited, I feel like we are rounding third and headed into home base.
Anyway! I think this following weekend was pretty nice. I didn't spend much time at the apartment. I tried to keep the girls out and busy! So, we had dinner over at the in-laws Saturday. And Sunday we spent most of the afternoon over there.
This weather has been PERFECT lately. The only thing I can't stand about being outside are these stinkin' cottonwood trees! I opened my sliding glass door yesterday morning, and I had it open for a few hours. Anyway, when I went to close it, there was this HUGE pile of cottonwood (I'm going to call them flurries, since I don't know what to call it!) flurries. A few days ago, there were so many "flurries" in the air, Shannon thought it was snowing. I had to keep waving my hand in front of my face while I was walking today since I forgot my sunglasses. Other than that, this weather is amazing. And soon, we will have daddy back to enjoy it with us!

5QF

I haven't done one for a while, but I want to get back into it! So, here is another 5 Question Friday from http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/

1. If you could go back to college would you change your major? Or if you were to go to college right now...what major would you choose?
- Well, I would get my associates first in Physical Therapy Assisting. That way I could have a job and pay for my Bachelor's in Exercise Phsyiology or Exercise Science. Then, it would be onto my PhD in Physical Therapy.

2. What do you love most about your home?
- That it's mine, even though we pay rent. I don't have to have people over if I don't want. I can wear what I want, listen/watch whatever I want to, I can just be me.

3. What types of books do you like to read (if you like to read at all)?
- All kinds. Most of the time I like something with a little humor. If it's too serious, it puts me to sleep. One kind of book I absolutely cannot stand are the trashy love novels. Total snooze fest!

4. What is the grossest thing you have ever eaten?
- Chocolate covered worm. 8th grade, we had this class party thing. And there were like these "dares" some o the parents set up. One of which was eating certain chocolate covered bugs. I'm not a bug person, period. So, it took a lot for me to stomach the bug...

5. If you HAD to be a character on a TV show, whom would you be?
- No real specific character in mind. Despite all the drama, I would love to be a wife on the Real Housewives. I would love to see what it would be like to have the finer things all the time. I'm not the type who would want to spend a gazillion dollars on furniture for rooms I wouldn't even use or anything I like that. I would like to think I'd be a fiscally responsible millionaire... But! I wouldn't mind having some REALLY nice foreign clothes, or luxurious cars. Most of all I would love to be able to travel whenever I wanted.

So much to say, but not enough space to write it down

Hello again, this time, from Utah. Back home now, well, have been since the 25th. The first few days were hectic, then there wasn't enough going on, then hectic, then absolutely nothing again. I swear, my mood changes as much, if not more, than the weather.
Our trip to California was wonderful, and very much needed. I posted all the photos from our trip on my facebook. I really just had a lot of fun with my family and my camera. =o) The girls had WONDERFUL birthdays. It's actually kind of nice having their birthdays in the same month, not going to lie!
Anyway, the first few days back home were nice. I was busy with tidying up the apartment and doing loads upon loads of laundry. So, that kept me pretty busy. It was the day or two I did absolutely nothing that sent me into what I will just refer to as "crazy." It didn't help matters any that I didn't talk to husband for almost 4 days. Yes, I know, he's on a deployment, that should be no big deal. He tries to talk with us everyday on skype if he can, so, call me spoiled I guess? Anyway, after day 3 (this has only happened maybe three times the whole deployment) I start to just go stir crazy. Monday was Memorial Day and also day 3 of no communication. So, I decided to put on my big-girl panties and brave the Hogle Zoo. The girls had SO MUCH fun, even the baby. I kept catching her waving at all the animals, so stinkin' cute! The big one had just as much fun. I gave her the zoo map and she showed me where she wanted to go. We spent nearly 4 hours at the zoo, it was great. I was able to get some sun and exercise!
Well, finally heard from husband the next day. So, all was well in my world again, or so I thought. The next day I logged onto his facebook and saw he had a message from his ex-girlfriend, the same one who just couldn't seem to let him go for almost the whole first 2 years we were married. I flipped! I actually gave myself and anxiety attack over it. He wasn't really trying to communicate with her or anything else. But, I still couldn't handle her trying to form any kind of relationship with him again. Later that day, I told him everything and I even told him I blocked her from communicating him completely, which he was fine with. This "episode" made me realize that maybe I do need some help, so I made an appointment with a psychologist, whom I saw today. The appointment was only supposed to be 45 minutes, as it is usually just for evaluations and such. Well, it ended up being nearly an hour and a half long. Janie's got issues ;o) Good news, I will be meeting with him weekly at least until husband returns home.
I guess I'm just tired of pushing everything aside or to another part of my brain and trying to convince myself I'm "A Ok." Also, I was supposed to hear back from my OB-GYN yesterday or today about my biopsy results. Yes, I had an abnormal pap back in February and had the biopsy last week. Anyway, got the results back today and I have moderate dysplasia. Pre-cancerous cells were found and they want to set up an appointment to do a LEEP procedure. Well, I told them I wasn't ready to set up the appointment yet. Call me crazy or whatever, but the doctor did say July would still work, it shouldn't be put off too long. So, I'm going to wait for the husband to come home. A) so he can watch the girls and be there for me B) after the procedure, no sex for 4-6 weeks. I'm sorry, I just had to go 2 1/2 months without any loving of any kind.. TMI possibly, but sorry, lol...
Anyway, long update, I don't usually like to post so much, but I had a lot on my mind! Hope you are all still awake ;o)

Short, sweet, and to the point...

I've definitely been drinking a big 'ol cup of Instant Bitch every morning for the last 2 days or so. At one point yesterday I had to completely avoid facebook to keep from going off on someone every 5 seconds. Things that normally don't annoy me are just setting me off left and right.
I feel horrible, but one of the things really starting to bug me is breastfeeding. After last night with Erin, I'm officially over it. I'm SO ready to just be done, but she's not. I'm lucky if I can get her to drink out of a sippy cup once every few days. My allergies kept me up until around 1 last night, and Erin woke me up at least every hour as well. I just wish I could stop it cold turkey, today. I keep telling myself, "yay, you made it to a year, be happy about it." But, I'm just so ready to have the ladies back, I'm done sharing!
Here's to hoping the day changes from suck-tastic to fabulous ASAP...

I just need 5 minutes for me...

I LOVE reading and responding to my comments! Love it! I try to respond back in comment form as quick as I can. Sometimes, I like to respond to a comment or comments in a post, this is one of those instances.
Julie - You left a comment on my first 5QF post, I started to reply with a comment, but I felt like there wouldn't be enough room. You wanted to know where this totally paid for house of mine would be located...
I would have to say northwestern Oregon or if I had a second choice, anywhere along the Washington coast. I am absolutely in love with the Pacific northwest. I have been since I was a little girl. Any big trip we took usually started off in Oregon, then we would travel into Washington. I loved reading and hearing stories about the local Native American tribes and all the totem poles. I was way into that stuff as a kid.
Those locations would also be less than a days drive away from my family. So, if they needed anything, I could still be there the same day. I guess I would love to be close but not TOO close. ;0)
My perfect, completely paid for home would have 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Husband and I could share a bathroom, but I would want the girls to have separate ones so we wouldn't have to hear them complain about their sister taking too long. Like I said, that would be in my perfect world, haha. The house would have a living/family room, with a fireplace of course! I would have a huge kitchen with an island and all black appliances. Can't forget the tile flooring! Oh, the oven would have to be gas and not electric, since I have yet to master the art of cooking on an electric stove. Can't forget the HUGE master bathroom with the HUGE tub, and 2 sinks. You know, his and hers sinks, that way I don't have to clean his nasty sink. Guys are messy, they shave and stuff, and the hair gets everywhere, so gross! There would have to be a separate shower, big one too, with a little place to sit down. My mom's shower has one and it's great. Also, I want a little connecting to my bedroom that I could make into a reading room. Lots of windows for some natural light during the day, a chaise lounge, and a big comfy blanket to wrap myself up with while reading. The house would have to be all one floor too since I don't want to have to deal with stairs. I'm clumsy, and I could see it could be hazardous in my old age. Last but not least, the exterior... A deck would completely wrap around my little white house, with blue shutters. Azaleas and rose bushes would line the deck, if they could grow in that climate of course.
That is the house where I imagine we could raise our girls, celebrate every holiday, grow old with the husband, and play with the grandkids....

Confession time..

It's driving me completely nuts. I didn't realize just how unhappy I am in Utah until I returned home I am hoping it will get better once we get out of our current apartment complex. I know for a fact things would be better if we just had our own house. I want the girls to have a place of their own to run around. If we had an actual house, they would have an entire backyard. Having my husband gone makes me hate being in Utah just a little more.
Since my vacation started, I haven't had to force myself to get out of bed in the mornings. I have been up before 8 everyday since I left. I'm also in bed before 11 every night! I'm really trying not to be so negative about Salt Lake, but it is SO hard!
You know, it really would be great to get a home soon. But, I want to live outside of the actual city and the husband pretty much wants to live in the middle of the city.
I feel so at peace here. I haven't been my usual "Negative Nancy" self. I feel so conflicted about all of this. I have told Warren how unhappy I am, and that I keep trying to find new things to do or other ways to distract myself. But, I'm at the point now where I almost feel as if I'm forcing myself to like Utah. I understand it's our "home" now, and it's where we will be for at least the next few years. On the inside, I'm hoping we will move someday soon and only ever have to come back to visit...

Totally forgot it's Friday!

5QF #2!
1. What is your worst memory of your siblings?
None, because technically, I don't have any.

2. What was YOUR naughtiest childhood memory (Must be something YOU did, no pawning it off on someone else!)?
Ooo, I was bad.. I once smothered the cat with a pillow. She still went on to live a few more years. I knew it was something I shouldn't have been doing, but I still did it anyway. She was such a good cat too...

3. Where do you like to go to relax?
Whenever mommy needs a "time out," I like to go to my room and just lay on the bed and kind of think over things. Another one, I like to just get into the car and drive. It doesn't matter where, driving relaxes me.

4. What was the last thing you won?
I honestly don't remember. We never do drawings or auctions or anything. But, the most favorite thing I ever won was a trip to Disneyland in 5th grade.

5. If you could be on a game show, which would you choose?
Are you smarter than a 5th grader? - I ROCK at those questions, haha. Plus I think Jeff Foxworthy is a hoot.

I just want to..

Write. It's all I want to do. I can't think of a single job out there in the "real world" that appeals to me. I don't want to have anything to do with shift work. I want to go to college and study the English language. Maybe take a few photography classes while I'm at it.
My dream job consists of traveling the world with my laptop and camera so I can see fantastic places, write about them, and take pictures.
I don't want to sit at a desk. I don't want to do anything with retail.
I just want to write.

New Blog Tradition: 5 Question Friday!

So! I started to do this earlier this morning, but got sidetracked. Here I go again! I came across a blog a few weeks ago http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/ Every Friday she posts 5 questions to answer on Friday. Hence the 5QF...
1. If you could, would you go back to high school?
That's a big HELL no. I have some pretty great friends from high school and often miss high school athletics. But it was such an awkward, uncomfortable time. I'm a much different person now than I was back then. I'm confident, happy, and most of all, an adult. I figure I can live vicariously through my children when they hit that age. ;o)
2. If a genie appeared and granted you two wishes, what would they be? (And, no saying "more wishes.")
Not going to lie.. money! I would love to have enough set aside to buy a house. But, I would make sure and ask the genie for a sound $250k for a nice, new home. The other would be for an all expense paid trip around the world for the husband and I once the children are older. I would love nothing more than to visit as many countries as I can.
3. What kids show do you secretly like?
Well, it's really no big secret to some, but I could watch iCarly all day everyday. I'm so glad Shannon is more interested in that show than Hannah Montana.
4. What is your beverage of choice?
WATER! I drink a few glasses first thing in the morning, then a few more throughout the day. But, if I had to choose something else, it would definitely be Dr. Pepper!
5. What is something that you would change about yourself (or are working to change in yourself)?
My weight. It hasn't been this big of an issue to me since I was in high school. It's kind of silly. I'm more concerned about my weight now, than I was when I weighed 35 lbs heavier. Maybe it's because I'm so scared I will ever weigh that much again. I'm not sure. But I've been TRYING to watch what I eat overall. And, I go to the gym regularly. Well, I try to, it was kind of hard when we were all pretty much sick or recovering from being sick for two weeks. I also became a Beachbody coach, so we will see where that takes me!

Slow ending to a fast day

The day didn't start off so well. Well, last night didn't end so hot either. I think miss Erin finally fell asleep around 0230 this morning. I did my "usual" routine of waking up no later than 0715 to get Shannon ready for the bus. Erin was up with me, we got Shannon on the buss by 0750 and we were back to sleep by 9. I woke up around noon, by that time I was totally freaking out. I had SO much to do in order to get ready for the party at our place. I don't even remember what I started with. But the break I took from like 1-2 on the computer didn't help anything at all. We were out the door by 2:30 to buy presents and a cake, I already had everything else. We arrived back at the house by 3:30 and I put the finishing touches to the housework.
The Utah birthday party for Erin went great. I wasn't that stressed and things went really smooth. We had the in-laws over as well as my friend and her son. Erin immediately dove into her cake, but it didn't last long before she was screaming for me.
So now it's about 8 pm and we are relaxing. The girls are watching tv and I'm blogging, of course.
I took a few pictures of pictures today. I had a paper bag with some pictures of my dad. I really miss him. Moments like today just make me wish he was still around to see the girls grow up. His illness made me think even more about how important it is to take care of your body. Regular check-ups and a healthy diet are the way to go, with exercise too of course.
I can't wait to be in California, 4 more days left in Utah. Then, 3 wonderful weeks in northern California.

Weird Addiction

Alright ladies, it's time I confess. Granted I already told a couple people yesterday. I think it's time for an intervention...
I am addicted to purchasing, and then clinging onto, tote bags and perfume. I bought my second Del Sol canvas tote bag yesterday from the kiosk at the mall. But, the day before I looked online at Del Sol, Eddie Bauer, LL Bean, and a few different stores looking for my next fix. Oh gosh! I didn't even think to check Amazon!
Perfume, I have about 6-8 perfumes I wear at any given time. But, I do have one I only use for the special occasions. It was purchased in 2000, so yes, I know it has probably lost some of it's kick, but it's still my favorite. We found it at the Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris. I got the pink one and my mom picked out the green one. This was my first "grown up" perfume, did I mention it was also a Christian Dior perfume? This set me up to be COMPLETELY spoiled when it comes to perfume. Our first Christmas, my wonderful husband surprised me with DKNY Be Delicious, the one that looks like a green apple. My absolute favorite casual or everyday perfume is Black by Kenneth Cole.
Yesterday, I was at the mall and went by Nordstroms to pick up some Jo Malone perfume my mother-in-law ordered. It's right next to the Chanel, Dior, Coach fragrances, all the pretty, colorful bottles...
These are my simple confessions as a "shopaholic," now I'm back to being the frugal housewife ;o)

Hump day hunk of the week #3

Chris Evans from the Fantastic 4 movies and Not Another Teen Movie. He has also been cast as Captain America for the upcoming Captain America movie.. yay! I will definitely see that one..

Coming out of a funk

This week has been fairly easy and it has gone by quick. But, it hasn't been a very pleasant week at all. I thought we were all getting sick on Wednesday, when really, it finally hit us all on Friday. Stomach flu was in full force here on Friday. The baby and I were both sick, stuck to the couch. Saturday, we felt a little better, even went downtown for a while. By the end of the day, I felt like complete crap. I had to go to the clinic by 7 pm. They found I had 2 infections, anxiety, and reflux, tons of fun! So, Sunday and most of Monday was spent feeling like crap. By the time Monday afternoon rolled around, I finally felt like doing something.
Aside from being sick things seem to be going very well. Shannon is doing wonderfully at the new school. Husband is doing well in the "country." Erin is approaching her first birthday at a rapid pace and I'm just trying to keep up with it all!
I have been trying to take this time I have while the husband is away to focus on myself and my relationships with my daughters and friends (and other family members as well)! I have been going to the gym as much as I can. I can't work out really until I'm a bit better but I'm thinking of inching back into it. I also became a Beachbody coach. I have my own website and everything! I'm really excited to see what this can do for me and for others as well. I hope my trials and tribulations can help inspire others to do the same. If you want, feel free to check out the site http://www.beachbodycoach.com/JMULCAHY.
Well, that is all for now, gotta hit the hay!

I'll think of a title later

It's been almost week since he left. And this has been one of the hardest weeks ever. I went 3 days without talking to him and it drove me nuts. I just wanted to make sure he got to his destination safely. He had no clue either he wouldn't be able to call when he finally got there. But all is well in that part of my world again. I talked to him 4 times in the last 2 days. I LOVE my husband.
Today started Shannon's first week at her therapeutic preschool. I have had so much fun with her the last few days. I'm glad to finally be getting my relationship back with her. I also started back up at the gym today. That treadmill kicked my butt! I ran a 13 min/mile though. Not as good as my 12 min/mile a month ago or so, but I'm sure I will do it again in no time. Once husband goes to bed tomorrow, I will be back at the gym! This time I won't come home and head straight for the cobbler though. ;o)
Anyway, I called a psychologist today to set up an appointment. While husband is gone, I REALLY want to take the time to work on me. Physically, spiritually, all that jazz. Doing housework usually outside from the norm has really helped me lately. I feel good at the end of the day knowing either the clothes are completely folded or the dining room table is completely cleared off.
I also have myself convinced I have a mild to slightly more than mild case of hoarding. It's embarrassing. And I really don't want to end up like these people on the hoarding shows. Besides, I think it would help husband to get rid of some stuff too if he comes back and sees I have done the same. This pretty much started for me as a child. I would hang on to EVERYTHING. One time when I was close to 10 probably, my dad told me it was time to get rid of all my "baby toys." So, I went to visit him the following weekend, just to find he had taken all that stuff and burned it all. I found the smoldering ashes, and some remnants as well. So, I really want to know if that possibly has something to do with why I am the way I am. I still have all my stuffed animals I had as a child. I never wanted to get rid of them, because I was afraid some other little kid wouldn't treat it as good as I would.
Anyway, it's getting late. I have to have Shannon up and ready to get on the little school bus pretty early. Hope you all have a good week!

Tomorrow, you're only a day away

Crap, today is Tuesday. Tuesday is generally the day before Wednesday. Wednesday is usually a pretty good day for me. By Wednesday I'm probably the most motivated I will be all week. Not this week.
Tomorrow I drop husband off in the morning, and I won't see him again until sometime in June, possibly July. Of course, he had to work a full day yesterday and he has briefings and such all day today. The AF is about to have him for the next few months, can I at least have him for the days following his departure?! The last few days with him have been absolutely perfect. Tomorrow is also supposed to be Shannon's first day of preschool, but I think I'm going to see about moving it back a day. Anyway, don't really know what else to post about. Think I'm going to go back to stuffing my face. I think I've already eaten all the chocolate in this place.

Today = sucktastic

I'm so glad this day has come to a close. It was awful. Neither of us could get a grip on Shannon at all today and Erin didn't even want to be put down. She even settled with daddy holding her.
It was semi-rocky up until Shannon dumped the crumbs from a bag of chips onto the couch. I asked her to help clean them and she flat out refused. She preferred time out over picking up the crumbs. Then, I discovered my brand new Victoria's Secret mascara in the middle of her bed, under the sheet of course. She swabbed it all over her feet, top and bottoms, a little on her face, then on the wall above her pillow. That sent me over the edge. I had only used it twice, and she stole it out of my bathroom. I told her more than once she couldn't use it. I've never put mascara on her, and actually refuse to until she's a teenager. So, given the fact I've been on edge the last few days, I had a meltdown. Husband came out to help defuse the "Jane bomb."
Later in the afternoon I decided I needed a haircut. More or less, I just needed to get out of the house one last time for some relaxation, or so I thought. I told the hairdresser I wanted full color, not highlights. I was reading, and even asked when I noticed just parts of my hair were foiled. And she said, "that's okay, it's supposed to be like that." Obviously still not understanding what I wanted. And I didn't know since I've never really had my hair professionally fully colored before. Well, she ended up putting bright blonde and a darker, copper red highlights in my hair. Definitely not what I asked for. I wanted red underneath with blonde all over the rest.
I'm really hoping I don't have another meltdown soon. Poor husband doesn't need to be dealing with this before he goes. I just hope I can keep more of a grip on my emotions. I kinda started back up again once I saw our friend's obituary. It's real now. Not like it wasn't before, but it's just so unreal. I REALLY hope tomorrow is better. Husband is going to the priesthood session with his brothers and dad. I'm not sure what I'm going to be doing yet. We are going to dye eggs at some point tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that, it was totally the husband's idea.
Well, off to bed I guess, good night world...

No pranks this Fool's Day

It's been a rough last few days around our household. I don't even know where to start. I guess I'll start with the newest. Husband's deployment has been moved up rather than back. It didn't do a whole lot to me other than numb me a little bit more. When I told my mom she just started crying. I'm still waiting for it to fully set in.
Yesterday morning, we got news that an airman my husband was in class with the most recent time in Monterey committed suicide. He was such a sweet and funny person. He was hilarious. My heart goes out to his family and friends. His death really has caused me to take a few things into perspective.
Anyway, thought I was in more of a mood to write. Especially since this is my first post from my new computer. We bought it more for just a second family laptop. But, I have the world's greatest husband and he says it's mine. ;o)

Happy Hump Day #3

Gerard Butler... I don't know a single woman that wouldn't appreciate the chiseled bod in 300. Or the brief butt moment in Law Abiding Citizen. But, most any woman would know him from P.S. I Love You. Granted he wasn't in the movie for very long, he was still amazing. I just want to say something real quick before ending this, Scottish accents are HOT.

Assessment #2

Today was Shannon's second assessment with the LPC, the counselor at The Children's Center. I did a final "at-home evaluation" on her and it turns out she's definitely a hyperactive child. So today the counselor and I discussed courses of action and how I felt about all this. There will be an opening soon for the occupational therapy/preschool at the center and we have decided to enroll Shannon when the opening becomes available. Not only will they do regular preschool activities, but they will work with the children and their various difficulties. The even greater news to all of this, Shannon will be placed in with an older class, because they feel she is definitely advanced.
I'm just so glad to finally have some answers, so maybe I can finally be at peace about this whole thing. I can't wait to have a normal, healthy relationship with her again. I want to be able to enjoy her like I used to. I'm hoping this will mostly be able to help me in how I interact with her. Now, she exhausts me and I get extremely impatient with her. I am on edge all the time now it seems. I just feel really good about what we are doing for her. We aren't trying to "slap a label" on her or anything like that. I want to know how to better understand my sweet girl again.
On another note, husband leaves soon. At least all his paperwork finally got sorted out and they are giving him the deployment orders this week. Anyway, I should figure out if I'm going to a cycle class at the gym or staying here to cook dinner. I'll write more later sometime.

It's that time of year...

Tax refund.. ugh.
I love it and hate it all at the same time! I found the federal return in our bank yesterday after Shannon's appointment. Let me talk about that first. The counselor has basically decided little miss Shannon has a case of OCD. Friday was just the assessment, Tuesday we find out more of an actual course of action. She might have a slight case of ADHD as well. We will find out more with the occupational therapist. Also, the counselor also thinks she is an advanced child. She did a graph with some of the evaluation questions I answered, and it pointed straight to Shannon being a very high-stress child. Which I don't doubt whatsoever, I already thought parenthood was stressful lol.
So, we finished her appointment, got some coffee and saw How To Train Your Dragon in the early afternoon. That movie was so freakin' cute, I recommend it to anyone and everyone. Erin even stayed awake for most of it! After that, we went back to his mom's house and dropped the kids off for our first date night since little Erin was born. Husband wanted to hit up Best Buy first, he bought a new computer tower. Then, a keyboard and headset to go with it, and I got a webcam for it for when he's deployed. I also got a brand new Nikon P90 camera. It is SWEET! I've played around with it a little already. Once our shopping extravaganza was over, we went to dinner!
Today was another busy day. Got up, mother-in-law came over and we left for the mall. We spent like 4 hours there and only went to 3 different stores (haha). I was glad to finally buy something from the Bare Minerals store though. I really like their products. Then I got even more stuff for the girls from Carters. I'm in love with Carters. I apparently received the "best kind of customer" coupons. Whatever that means.. lol. Guess it's a good thing I buy pretty much anything new for Erin there. Came back home, gave the family some food, then I was off again. This time to the furniture store! I picked out just a regular bed frame and mattress for Shannon. Her toddler bed is one step away from becoming firewood. She's almost destroyed it. Then, I had to go to Wal Mart of course for brand new bedding for it. ;o) I also picked up a new office/computer chair at Wal Mart.
Now, I'm pooped, and my allergies are severely kicking my ass. So, I'm going to leave daddy with baby duty for about 20 minutes and go take another shower. It's the only thing that really seems to help my head. I really wish I knew what the heck was going on. Not like I don't already take a daily allergy pill, it seems like a horse pill nonetheless..

I love love love my family, especially the husband

Shortly after I posted my latest entry, probably within 5 minutes afterwards, I grabbed the husband and asked him to talk with me in the back bedroom. I told him EXACTLY how I felt in the blog. Told him everything from feeling like a lazy parent to feeling like a crappy housewife.
He is so sweet, he totally made my day. Usually he just sounds like, "oh well, snap out of it" when I vent to him. This time it was completely different. He told me I do great, that I do way more work with 2 kids than I ever did with just Shannon. He also said how he is exhausted just 1 hour after being home from work and doesn't know how I do it. I felt uber guilty for taking off for nearly 4 hours yesterday, and told him that. He was completely understanding and told me to do it whenever I need to, no problems at all.
After our talk I just felt SO much better, so I took Shannon for ice cream. It didn't go as smooth as I would have wanted it too, but I'm sure she appreciated the one on one time with me out of the house. I don't spend nearly as much one on one time with her as I probably should.
Anyway, big day tomorrow! Shannon has her appointment first thing in the morning. Then, we have lunch at his mom's house and opening day for How To Train Your Dragon. After that, I GET THE FIRST ONE ON ONE, TOTALLY ALONE, NO KIDS, DATE WITH MY AWESOME HUBBY in almost a year! Lol, can you tell I'm a little excited?? We wanted one date for ourselves before he deploys. So, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.

And I don't feel like venting to my husband..

I am overwhelmed right now.
I have no desire to do anything or talk to anyone. Actually, locking myself in my room with some water, chocolate, computer, and a few books seems ideal to me.
I want a vacation from everyday life.
I don't come close to even feeling like Superwoman.
I find myself getting extremely short and easily irritated with Shannon. If she throws one more outburst or tells me "no" one more time, I'm handing the kids over to Warren and shutting myself out for an hour or two.
I'm so irritated that I can't seem to keep up with just the basic housework. Or today for example, the garbage bag was completely full. I walked into the kitchen and saw it overflowing. Instead of getting out another bag and putting stuff in that one, the old one was just piling over.
This morning I took a few bags of clothes to DI and got some coffee for the husband and I. I was happy and the girls were happy to see me. I walk into the kitchen to do something and discovered Shannon drew all over the counter panel (whatever the part of the counter that's eye level with her). She somehow got to a pencil and drew "spiders" all over it.
I'm tired, actually I'm exhausted, emotionally and physically.
We have an appointment tomorrow morning at The Children's Center for Shannon. She's getting a behavioral health evaluation or something along those lines. It's supposed to be a 2 hr long appointment. I REALLY hope to get something out of this. To be honest, some days I feel I need to be medicated just to keep up with her and her needs along with doing everything else I'm "supposed" to do..
Please no judgements or anything. I don't feel like I'm an unfit parent. I actually like to think of myself and pretty average. Right now I feel like I've just hit a bump or five in the road...

Fluffy

Fluffy, that's exactly how I feel right now. I'm stuck at 150 lbs in this awkward stage. My pants don't seem to fit right and my shirts all "look" too tight. I feel like wearing my sweatpants and a baggy shirt most of the time.
I highly doubt the chocolate and all the crap food I bought around my birthday is truly helping any of this.
I almost NEVER let any of this effect my self esteem. It actually takes a lot for me to get down on myself.
I haven't been to the gym in a little over 2 weeks now I think. First reason, or excuse, is because I kicked the head of a nail sticking out of a baseboard and took a little chunk out of my big toe on my right foot. Reason #2 is because 3 days ago I broke the middle toe on my left foot. It feels fine if it's in a shoe, but the second I start walking around barefoot, I feel the discomfort.
I hate how the second I get motivated for the gym, something happens. I've been trying to lay off the crap food since I can't go run it off. But, being laid up because of my clumsiness has made me want to just dive head-first into the box of Little Debbie's Oatmeal Pies... And the fact that the husband has officially started preparing for his deployment has me on edge.
We had a brief argument yesterday because he scheduled a dentist appointment too close to my OBGYN appointment. Usually, there would be no discussion or problem with this. I would just call up my doctor's office and cancel, no problem. The problem, I have had the appointment for a month now, and it would probably be that long before I could get another one. Still, no big deal right? Well, I'm totally freaked about having to have a second colposcopy. I had one back in 2005 after an abnormal pap. I know it will probably turn out to be nothing, but I can't help but think of how it may be something.
I really wish I could go work out though. It would definitely help take away some of the stress from everyday life.

Beyond pissed!

Seriously, I just spent the last 20 minutes typing out a blog. I went to hit backspace and must have hit something else before backspace and it deleted the whole damn thing. This is usually when I would get "back on the saddle" and type it all out again. But, I have no desire to do so, at all. =o( I have a "to do" list I started yesterday and never got to finish. So, I suppose I will just get started on that...

Birthday and other news

So, Friday was the big 23. The day started off fairly slow. We couldn't really do much until after husband's dentist appointment. He woke up in such a weird mood, it totally put me in a bad mood. Then, call me crazy or selfish or whatever, but I generally expect the first words out of his mouth when he sees me to be "Happy Birthday." So, of course I was being petty over that, not going to lie.

After his appointment, he came home and we lounged around until we had to be at the bowling alley. Bowling was SO MUCH fun. We got 3 games in! My friend Allyson came and my oldest brother-in-law brought his friend John. I still keep telling the husband and other various friends how fun it was. Once we had finished bowling, we met up at the in-laws for some brownies and ice cream. Yes, no cake, hot brownies and ice cream is by favorite dessert BY FAR. After dessert we played Apples to Apples. The night was awesome.

Mentioned above, husband never said "happy birthday" when he woke up, well he actually hadn't said it to me all day. And I hadn't really thought about it until he looks at his watch and said "Ooo it's 1159, I still have time... Happy Birthday." He literally made me wait ALL day to say it. But, I've got to admit, it was kind of sweet. =o)

A few months ago, I posted my resolutions for 2010. So, I thought I'd do a 1/4 of the way through the year "check up."

1. Eat better/regular exercise: The last few weeks I have been eating nothing but junk, luckily I'm not gaining any weight from it. So, this week I'm really going to try to get back into it. This morning I shared a bowl of strawberries with Shannon and ate a muffin for breakfast. Not a bad start, I think. Regular exercise: I buckled down and at least got a gym membership! I'm hoping to get into the routine of attending one of their spin classes. I really want to try the kickboxing on Thursdays.

2. Better mother/wife: Things are great for husband and I. I don't know if it's because he's getting ready to deploy and we are just trying to find more time for each other or what. But, I am a happy camper, and I'm pretty sure he is too, not going to elaborate lol. Better mother: I still need to work on this one. I see some improvements when it comes to finding the extra time for Erin and stuff. But, I find myself still disciplining Shannon more than positive reinforcement. She is so close to daddy and he won't be around for a few months and I really don't want it to be hard on her.

3. Read at least one new book every month: January was Heart-Shaped Box. February was Master Your Metabolism. I finished that book just barely at the end of the month. Since then, I have finished book 5 in the Harry Potter series (I have been trying to finish it for over a year now), Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, and Boomsday. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter was one of the best books I have read in a while. It sounds so real, by the end of the book you almost believe all of it. The awesome thing, I had no nightmares while reading it. It's not overly graphic or anything, so I would pretty much recommend it to anyone. Boomsday was a $6 book I found at Barnes and Noble. I was walking up to check out and it totally caught my eye. It's basically about this angry 20-something blogger who becomes very active in trying to pass a bill that would make euthanasia for older folks legal. She did it to try to stir up Social Security reform.

**Okay, so this is my original post I thought was deleted. Luckily for me, Blogger does the draft autosave. Yay! Now I can delete the new post I was working on. Silly me...

Eye candy for Wednesday, on a Thursday

Ryan Reynolds... need I say more??? His abs seem to go on FOREVER.

Good day..

Husband passed his PT test with flying colors. Now he can re-enlist or take care of whatever else he needs to take care of for that and his deployment. So happy for him. It was stressing him out to the max. But, I'm just glad it's all behind him now. This also means, I can start looking into plane tickets to go home in May. I'm so excited, I think I might stay for 3 weeks even. I really don't have much of a desire to hang out here in Utah while he's deployed. Especially since my family is my biggest support system, so I want to be where I will be the most happy.
In other news, husband and I both caught little miss Erin standing up in her crib today, holding onto the side of the crib. I guess she turns 10 months old and then decides she can do anything. Holy cow, I'm afraid to admit it, but I'm sure walking will be right around the corner. I am enjoying this. It's so different having kids at such different ages. I was 19 when I had Shannon and I had NO idea what I was doing. I had Erin at 22, and I felt way more comfortable. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to have Shannon later on. But you know, what's done is done. There are no more do-overs or anything. So, I'm just trying to make the most of it with her now.

March.. already??

Wow, March is here already. And in an hour and a half, Erin will be 10 months. Holy cow, time is flying.
My birthday is in a week, and I really could care less. I am excited to have a good friend coming to town on my birthday, she's not coming for my birthday. It just so happens she will be in SLC that weekend. So, I really hope Eileen and her hubby will be able to come bowling with us. 23, I'm going to be 23.. I feel much older than my age. I guess it's not a bad thing. Especially since strangers have a habit of mistaking me for a teenager. Whether I'm with my children or not. I just feel older than 23, and I'm not totally sure how I feel about that either lol.
I started a new book yesterday. We got a flat tire on the car, and I needed something to do while at the tire shop. So, I busted out my newest Costco purchase, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. It's a fiction novel, but it totally has you believing it could pass as a non-fiction. I'm over a third of the way through already. I plan to get back to it once I finish this post.
I can't believe it's been a week since my last post. Nothing exciting has been going on at all. I have done minimal housework or anything else. I'm back in a funk again, but I have been leaving the house a lot more without the kids which keeps me sanity tank a bit fuller than normal.
Husband has drill this weekend, so I really have nothing going on this weekend either. Which is probably for the best. Something in the back of my mind makes me feel like reading and cooking/baking all weekend. I'm sure husband wouldn't mind since I haven't officially cooked anything since before Wednesday, maybe Tuesday. He had the first portion of a root canal on Wednesday. I swear, I think I brushed my teeth 4/5 times that day. He kept telling me bits and pieces about his appointment, I felt like I was almost going to gag. Keep in mind, I've never even had a cavity. I've had braces twice, but never had a cavity. And I don't intend on getting one anytime in the near future either!
I'm missing my family back home. I can't wait to go home! 2 more months though, and I will be home for a few weeks. I hope, I wish I would just know for sure about this whole deployment thing so I could book the damn tickets already. I HATE waiting until the last minute for this kind of stuff.
All for now I guess. It's a little long, but it could be longer. Cutting it short, I want to get back to the book!

Just a short note

I finished my February book, Master Your Metabolism. Now, I don't know whether to carry on with the 2 I started reading during this last book (5th Harry Potter and The Flat Belly Diet). I also bought The Last Symbol by Dan Brown. I still wanna go browse around Barnes and Noble though.
I have felt really good lately. My house has been clean everyday before noon even. Sometimes I start acting funny and tidy up things or clean random things late at night. No, I'm NOT pregnant.
Today I was awake by 8 and made a HUGE breakfast for the family. Afterwards I headed over to the local 24 hour fitness to set up a membership. If husband doesn't get called in to work, I'm thinking of heading over there for an actual work out. I don't know, the Wiifit doesn't seem to be able to cut the last 10-15 lbs (20 max) I want to lose. Once I lose it, I can see the fit as a way to maintain, but I need a swift kick in the butt for the last little bit.
Anyway, short one today. Haven't spent a whole lot of time on the computer really. Everyone seems to be much happier overall with the changes..

Maybe I will just blog all day..

Since today is "hump" day. I'm going to do a new thing on Wednesdays called "Eye Candy Wednesday." Yes, I realize it doesn't flow at all, but hey, I don't care!

The first candidate for my very first Eye Candy Wednesday is going to be the amazingly hot, M. Shadows from the band Avenged Sevenfold.

Real quick, I forgot something

Yesterday, as I was driving back home after picking Shannon up from preschool we hit damn near every red light along 4700/4500 South. At one of the lights, we were stopped for twice the normal time. I swear, I checked the time on my phone at least two times. Obsessive much? Well, these kids decided to move at such a slow pace across the crosswalk, I almost thought they would begin to walk backwards at any moment.
Suddenly, Shannon breaks the silence by saying, "Look at those big kids mommy. Look mommy, 2 boys and 2 girls." I was kind of thrown off for a second. I was counting 3 boys and 1 girl. Then it hit me, my child can't tell the difference between the one girl with long hair and skinny jeans and the boy about her height with sagging "skinny" jeans, and long, unkempt brown hair. Cue my instant laughter. I tried to tell her it was a boy, but she was convinced he was a girl.
This moment made me so happy to have girls instead of boys. I don't see any fads in their future where they will feel the need to sneak into the boys section to buy clothes. I don't know what I would do someday if my son came home with a bag full of girls clothing.

What a day!

Yesterday was pretty crazy. I woke everyone (except husband) up around 5:45, because I thought we would be driving him to work. Well after 45 mins he finally got ahold of someone at work and was able to stay home. There is no way he could have got any consistent work done, he was just too sick. I definitely kept my distance, I don't do so well with stomach bugs.
So, once he finally gave me the word he wouldn't be going to work, I started my daily whatever. I showered, got dressed into something decent, and started doing housework. Then, when it hit 9 o'clock we got ready to make the drive up to Hill. I had to turn in his blues at the dry cleaner and have rank sewn on his jacket. I wasn't going to drive all the way up there for just that. So, I went by the Tricare office and got everything taken care of, finally. The baby is fully enrolled in Prime now (about time if you ask me, since she is 9 1/2 months old...). I also went by the BX. Honestly, for any of you living off base, whenever you go on base, you have to go by the BX, right? Well, I do at least lol. I found a sweet pair of Asics sneakers for definitely less than $70. The tag said $59, but the register said $45, kick ass! I needed a new pair, bad. I've had the same pair since right after basic in 2005 so they were becoming a little snug. Not to mention they had once been saturated in cat urine. Even if I washed them, there was no way I was going to wear them ever again, that's just nasty. The girls and I got back from Hill just in time to take Shannon to school.
This was a pretty exciting day for me. I like it when I get to take the drive up north, especially without the husband. Then I can listen to whatever I want on the radio and not the crap he has on his ipod.
The rest of the day was pretty laidback. Played WoW with the husband, made an interesting dinner. I made a meatloaf.... Well, I accidentally double the amount of breadcrumbs the recipe called for. This totally threw me off my groove. I was deadset on driving to Subway for dinner at that point. But, I didn't give up and baked it anyway. After it had already baked for 3/4 of the total time, I realized I forgot to put the ketchup on top as well. Well, after all the pain, it was done and it didn't turn out half bad! After my triumph over the meatloaf, I just decided to relax the rest of the evening.
The latter half of the day was actually my favorite part of the day. Erin started doing lots of "mmm" sounds earlier in the day. And by the end of the day "ah" had attached to it. Thus, I officially am "mama" again. I was SO excited. Erin usually hates bath time. My mom said I used to cling to her like an octopus whenever I saw water, and now I know EXACTLY what she's talking about. Erin is the same way. Well, I was trying to get her more comfortable before I just threw her in the little tub (figuratively of course!). So, she grabbed onto the side of the tub and looked in while I was still holding her. Next thing I know, she was standing up by herself while holding the side and peering into the tub. I swear, next time she'll be scaling the side of it. Once I finally got her in the tub, things didn't go so smoothly until after about 5 minutes had passed. By the end of bath time, she was a splashing and giggling fool. It was so awesome. I remember when Shannon first started enjoying bath time and how she would splash until myself and the floor had a nice bath. I'm so glad I can watch Erin grow and enjoy bath time as well. This was a very pleasant way to end my evening.
Sadly, it's now 1115 the next day, I'm still in my pajamas with a very overwhelming "to do" list. My alarms were supposed to go off at 8 and 815, and neither one worked. So, my lazy bum rolled out of bed at 10. I guess I should peel myself away from the computer and start getting motivated!

Spur of the moment..

Just wanted to post first about the AMAZING dinner I made tonight. It's one of my first attempts at completely making something wihtout help from a relative or a cookbook. ;o) I'm calling it a chili, since that's mostly what I was going for. It's stew meat, diced tomatoes, corn, pinto and canellini beans, onion, and tomato juice. All cooked up and extra yummy. I was quite proud of my creation. I liked it, husband liked it, and even the kid sat and ate it quietly.

Shannon still has a teeny cough, but Erin is definitely better. Erin just has a cough, but she's not screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night any more. I was so worried about her. The first day I gave her the medicine, she literally threw it up all over me and the couch. It so wouldn't classify as spit up, poor baby.

I love my husband, he's pretty awesome. I may get incredibly short with him at times, but today I realized I just need to have more patience with him. We were up until 4 am last night. We played our game online, then sat on the couch to watch tv for a little while. I ended up falling asleep with my head on his leg, and he ended up falling asleep on my shoulder. I so would have wanted a picture of it. I LOVE those little moments, especially since they don't happen all that often. Anyway, he said he would help me in the morning with getting the house back to "normal." Typical normal doesn't seem to exist in our home. Well, me being the awesome wife I am, I let him sleep in and cleaned up the kitchen and did some laundry. But he has been awesome today. That's why I could never keep anything from him..

There's a blog I came across today: makebelievemormon.blogspot.com. I saw it on Postsecret and was totally intrigued. I don't see how someone can keep a secret like that, especially from their husband. I guess part of me felt like there was some small piece of her I had in common with. When I was active in the church, I totally felt like I was faking it rather than it actually being genuine. But, the second I felt like that the first person I told was my husband. And he did the same for me. I really feel sorry for all the people she's going to end up hurting with that blog. Anyway, that's enough for me tonight! Until next time..

Coming back from being completely out of touch with reality..

What a weird last week! The girls both got sick again, thankfully Shannon is almost completely over it. Poor Erin had to go back to the doctor today though. She spent most of the night screaming in pain. Turns out she has yet another double ear infection. The doctor isn't totally sure if the last one was even completely gone. So, she's on some pretty heavy antibiotics, along with tylenol and motrin. She mentioned today if Erin continues on this path, they might have to put tubes in her ears. Poor baby is currently passed out on me. She doesn't want anything to do with daddy. =o(
Also, I had a chance to speak with their doctor about Shannon's issues she's been having at school and also with us. Shannon's being referred to see a behavioral health specialist. The doctor doesn't think it's any form of ADD, but that she may just be having some issues that could be worked out with us and a little therapy. I'm just wanting to nip it in the butt before it causes long term issues.
There was a little more going on this last week. But nothing I totally find worth writing over. Anyway, kind of in a funk at the moment, think I'm going to find a good distraction. I love my babies so much, and I just want what's totally best for them...

Real quick, before bed...

Since Christmas vacation, I have lost 10 freakin' pounds! Holy crap, woohoo, way to go me! LOL!
I have lost 2 lbs just this last week alone. I kicked some serious butt today though. I did 30 mins on the wiifit, most of it was aerobics, the rest was all at the "driving range." After a brief break, I tried out my Biggest Loser DS game. I did about 30 mins of that too. Bicycle kicks and sit-ups killed my abs, but in a good way. It felt so good afterwards. I tried to get off the table today after my thyroid ultrasound... Omg, I couldn't just sit up. And it burned in the lower ab region, ya know, where all the "fluff" is.
So, today I'm sitting at 146. I haven't been in the 140s since my second trimester with Shannon. Mind you, I was also wearing a size 5 then. My size 11 jeans from Pacsun are loose enough that I didn't have to actually undo them. I pulled them off without realizing I didn't unbutton them. This is awesome, right? NO, I hate pants shopping! Lol, I was in my size 14/16 right after I had Erin. And the lowest I can fit into is an 8. I can't believe I am only 8 lbs above my Basic Training graduation weight, CRAZY!
Sorry! I'm totally on a high right now. It's now 1030 at night and I need to make sure the husband knocks out his push-ups and sit-ups before bed. I'm really hoping I can keep this up. You guys, my wonderful friends and readers, are my cheerleading squad! GO ME! I can totally do this. I fully intend on being absolutely smoking hot by the end of hubby's deployment this summer. And I'm hoping to surprise him with some professional Boudoir shots I think as a 5th anniversary gift. So that's been some pretty good motivation for me.
Good night all, hope you have a great weekend!

RIP Phil Harris

What a sad, sad day! As some of you know I am pretty much worthless whenever here is a Deadliest Catch marathon on. I dunno, maybe it's like my daily dose of adrenaline since I'm too much of a chicken to do anything like that myself.

Today I was browsing the internet after I woke up like I usually do. Well, after Facebook I went on to AOL.com and one of the headlines was about the captain of a Deadliest Catch boat dead at 53. My heart just sank, I had to call my mom and everything. Phil Harris was one of my favorite people on the show. His 2 sons are deckhands on a boat he co-owns, Cornelia Marie. He struggled with his health in the last season and they are only halfway into filming the new season.

This is soo sad. I didn't know the guy or anything, but when they have cameras in their faces 24/7, you see all the crazy things they go through. My heart goes out to the Harris family and the crew of the Cornelia Marie. In his honor, I've decided to have my own personal Deadliest Catch marathon starting with season 2.

Sometimes nostalgia just sneaks up on me

I'm not going to lie, I'm not a fan of Utah. But when you compare it to the photos below, you would choose Monterey over Utah any day. Sadly, I would even choose San Angelo, TX of Utah. Those pictures will have to wait for another day. But, these are a few of the sights around Monterey I truly miss.

Monterey is home for me, plain and simple. Monterey was the first place I ever lived truly on my own. It's where I met my best friend who became my husband. We lived there for a total of 2 1/2 years. I had Shannon at CHOMP (Comm hospital of the Monterey Peninsula). We also found out we were pregnant with Erin our second time in Monterey. Haha, kind of afraid to ever go back, I might end up pregnant with #3!! Joke of course...

We have so many good memories from this place. We met some really great people who also helped make those memories great and shared them with us. I wish I could have such things to say about Utah. All in time I guess, I just have to be patience. And if you know me, you know patience is one thing I don't really have. Anyway! Enjoy the pictures below!

Monterey Bay

Del Monte Shopping Center, Monterey, CA

The Crown and Anchor, Monterey, CA *Where I celebrated my wonderful 21st birthday*

Cannery Row/Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, CA

The farmer's market every Tuesday, Monterey, CA

9 months already?!

Where has the time gone?! Erin's 9 month check-up was this afternoon. I had originally scheduled the appointment at the same time as my physical, goofy me. My physical went okay. The doctor is kind of concerned about my thyroid and is going to have me to some tests and an ultrasound on my throat. Anyway, I won't know more about that until at least Monday.

Back to Erin! We just got back from her appointment. She's finally 15 lbs, woohoo! So, she's 15 lbs (5th %) and 26.5 in (25th %). She's just a tiny thing. The doctor had me all freaked out for a while, or at least back to feeling like a failure as a parent (I'll shed some more light on that later). She, the doctor, was a little "concerned" about her motor skills. She is on the go so much, she wouldn't sit still in the room at all. They tried to sit her up or stand her up, but she just wanted to get into everything, especially my purse. The doc asked if she was standing up while hanging onto anything too. I told her we have her try, but Shannon is always around when we do. So, she'll do it for about a second, then she's down on the ground trying to army crawl or roll her way over to people. Crawling, she moves backwards. I'm not concerned whatsoever. She'll be doing all this when she's good and ready. She babbles, she's happy, and she's healthy. Anyway, after explaining all this to the doc, she really didn't seem concerned about it any more. So, after the appointment, I went nuts trying to find a drive thru Starbucks. I wanted a Green Tea Frap pretty bad, obviously.

Above was me feeling like a crappy parent "Take 2," yesterday was "Take 1." I was busy folding clothes around 2 pm yesterday when I received a phone call from Shannon's preschool. Apparently she was unwilling to cooperate, wasn't listening, then she was going around bullying the other kids. So, I rushed over there to pick her up and the poor teacher was trying to get her out the door. She practically needed to be dragged out the front doors. My mom had a stern talk with her. When the husband got home, we both sat down with her and had yet another discussion with her. This is the second time this has happened with Shannon. The first was back in October when Warren was out of town. According to them she was acting out Tuesday as well. Also, I wish they would have told me this on Tuesday, so I could have addressed the issue then.

On a brighter note, we all seem to finally be over this sickness. Poor Erin had the double ear infection and got a bad rash from the medicine on her bum. I ended up with an upper respiratory infection (bronchitis, sinusitis, and an ear infection). So, that really was no fun. My left ear is still a little funky.

I'm about 1/3 of the way through Master your Metabolism. It's a great book. I love the true science behind things. This book basically tells you how to eat properly to maximize your health and help the environment while you are at it. You can, learn how to properly portion your food and cut out all the unhealthy crap so you don't have to work your butt of to lose just a pound here or there. It teaches you how to balance out your hormones, something I'm sure can be useful to us all.

Anyway, that's enough for now. Going to hop on the Wii and do some wiifit. Maybe I can talk the husband into it again....

Tag, you're it!

I've been tagged! And I'm the type of person who can't resist a good survey or anything like a survey. Definitely a habit I'm not wanting to kick any time soon ;o)

4 shows I like to watch: (it all depends on the season)

1. Desperate Housewives
2. NCIS
3. Grey's Anatomy
4. Deadliest Catch

4 things I'm passionate about:

1. My family; I will do anything for my family. My mom and my husband are my best friends. I tell them everything whether they want to hear it or not.
2. Sports/athletics; I played soo many sports in school. I love hanging out with the husband and kids on the weekend and watch a good football game or Nascar race.
3. Learning/education; I want to pride myself in being a well-rounded individual. Even though my family wasn't religious, my grandma bought me a children's Bible when I was a kid. She felt it was important for me to know the stories at least.
4. Music; I like any and all kinds of music. If I'm in a funk, one of the first things I do is turn on the radio or search for my iPod. I may not be artistic enough to play an instrument, but I definitely appreciate those who can!

4 phrases I say a lot:

1. Seriously? (yes Jen, me too, lol.. I blame Grey's Anatomy)
2. Alhamdaallah (means thank god in pretty much every Arabic based language)
3. Holy crap!
4. Not right now...

4 things I have learned from the past:

1. History repeats itself.
2. Never go to bed angry; One piece of advice my father gave me about married life "Never go to bed angry, if you have something to say, get it off your chest before your head hits the pillow." Sometimes my head is on the pillow when I decide to talk to Warren, but I hate trying to go to bed with a weight on my shoulders. I'm not the type of person who bottles things up anyway. If I have something to say, I usually say it right then and there.
3. I'm a master procrastinator.
4. I give up too easy.

4 places I would like to go:

1. Germany
2. Ireland
3. Alaska
4. Florida

4 things I did yesterday:

1. Woke up
2. Watched Julie and Julia
3. Got even sicker
4. Napped most of the afternoon away

4 things I'm looking forward to:

1. My birthday dinner at The Melting Pot with my amazing husband.
2. The trip to Cali in May.
3. Our family trip to Disneyland in June
4. Our 5th wedding anniversary in July.

4 things I love about winter:

1. Sweaters/Jackets
2. Hot drinks
3. It's a good excuse to lay on the couch with a good book and a blanket.
4. I can escape to Cali to get out of the awful white stuff on the ground

4 things on my wish list:

1. A new iPod Nano
2. A "sleigh" bed frame.
3. A house
4. New pot and pan set

4 people I tag:

1. Melissa
2. Sandra
3. Julie
4. Marnie