Friday, August 29, 2008

I am back

having internet thats all wonky, has some positive side effects.

like, I was able to get the whole house cleaned... baseboards, corners, cabinets... . and get caught up on laundry... and finally put away the mounds and mounds of kids clothes! seriously, these kids have more clothes than a small dept. store.(ok, maybe not that many..) tjese are just the summer stuff, I have to start boxing those up to make room for the back to school and winter stuff! its crazy!
and having the internet unavailable to draw me in and keep me captive, allowed me to get some projects done.
like these birth announcements for my dear friend...












and then here are some of my favorites from sweet baby A's photo shoot, along with her big sister Miss M.




































awe! I forgot how tiny these little ones are... and now I think I am going to have to get me another!!


Remember I said it was baby nation around here? well, we just had two more arrive this week!

I have been doing something a little out of my element in the last few weeks.... cooking!

yeah.. so with all these babies being born, there are lots of meals to be taken, and I always love a good excuse to actually cook, more than my usual once a week!! LOL

I've made a pork/asparagus bow tie pasta, pork loin with blackberry sauce, and chicken enchiladas. I got huge raves and requests for the recipes-

the best part is when I make a meal to take.. then I just double it, and we get to enjoy it too!

I'll share the recipes here on the ol' blog soon.


Looking forward to a great long weekend! The last one was packed...we had THREE fantasy football drafts, girls night of scrapping, a birthday party, for which I made a cowboy cake, and we enjoyed a downtown jazz and blues festival in the steamy humidity!

Something our town offers several times a summer are these downtown festivals, with bands, and food, and tons of fun.. we try and go to them if we can!


Going to chill out and watch some good ol' HGTV and scrap tonight...

yeah... so lucky for us the internet had been horrible for the last four months... it pushed me to call for a service call... and when the guy came out on Tues he explained that our signal and set up was so 'horrid' that we were basically squeezing by on basic cable like we had bunny ears!!

So, since he doesn't keep the replacement filter piece with him, he took our corroded one off, and we now enjoy ALL the channels, for the basic price!

Some friends kidded me about my statement on face book where, I said "I was giddy over the freebie from the cable guy this morning"

When I called Andrew at work to tell him about it, he said.. "great job honey, way to use them. I asked what he was talking about it.. he said "your boobs of course. way to use your boobs."


Hey , if I can now see Design on a Dime and Househunters, along with Paula and Barefoot Contessa..its totally worth it..


I have been having a pretty sappy reunion with my TLC and HGTV and (lifetime, i admit) and Andrew agrees it couldn't have come at a better time.. we now get all ESPN's plus the big 10 network. I am pretty much sure, I'll miss my husband for the next 4 months! LOL

and Brigham has been introduced to a whole new world... Nick, Disney and cartoon network!

oh, help us!

though I am still limiting him to just a few shows a day...he was so excited as he called me in to watch this cat and mouse called 'Tom and Terrytales"... pretty funny... don't know where he got the 'terrytales' from, but it was actually Tom & Jerry, from back in the day!

so funny.


anway, I am off to work on some more photos.. had a fun family shoot on Monday, that turned into more of a 4 month baby girl shoot, b/c the 2 year old had other plans. but hey, he's two.. he can do what he wants right? at least thats how it was when Brigham was 2... and 3... and still at 4...geesh...


hope you all have a a fabulous four day weekend!










Wednesday, August 27, 2008

I'm here.

lots going on... and horrible issues with the cable/internet... UGH. I hate. Comcast.

hopefully, be back with a post soon. =)

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Grant's farm with a focus on Bud

I had grandeous visions of Grant's farm, as I reflected of my childhood visit.... but a las... it was not all that I had remembered. well, maybe it was because we had just seen 7,456 different animals at the zoo the day before...
or because this 'farm' had quite the interesting collection of animals. none the less... the kids had a great time. it was pretty darn hot and sweaty... but we had come to expect that... and there was a prize at the end for us grown ups =P
the horses were beautiful at the Busch stables..

here are my pseudo kids posing.. my real ones were having some attitude issues about this time!



you can't really tell how ginormous these things were! Andrew took this with the point and shoot.. so its a little grainy... their feet were HUGE! what amazing , mammoth creatures these horses were.
in fact the first one that Kelli and I came up to, was just standing there in all his man-hood glory! seriously.. I think he had just taken a pee, or something... it was kinda like a train wreck... you just couldn't look away...
"hung like a horse" doesn't hold a candle to 'hung like a clydesdale" !
luckily the bars on the stable, were high enough, the kids couldn't see... oh, the explanation of that to 4 year olds would have been interesting!

I actually have a faint memory of this from when I was a kid... you actually go into this huge pen armed with baby bottles of milk.. and literally get mauled by baby goats.. just ask our friend Greg! I think he is seriously scarred for life.. and he needed a clean pair of shorts when he was done!! - don't ask.






Tatum was thrilled about this new experience. But we felt that every child should feed bottles to baby goats before they are two years old!




Brigham was being punished at the time, so he didn't get to go in and actually feed the goats. aren't we mean parents... make him stand within inches of his sister getting to do it!! LOL






Eagles of course. Brigham has an imaginary friend names 'Eagle', ( don't ask!), so we had to spend quite some time, interacting with these birds!! LOL







Brigham was so into these turtles! I forgot how slow and uneventful turtles are!








Tatum was willing , unlike her brother to come within arms reach of the horse... she still wimpered a bit!



our prize for unduring ridiculously hot and stinky conditions, fussy kids, and husbands, and pretending to be in awe at the guinea pigs on display.. (seriously,they had an entire 'guinea pig habitat', b/c every farm has one right?)
TWO FREE tastes(actaully 16 oz) of refreshing, wonderful , filled with alcohol, anything of our choice beverages!!!
They had pretty much anything the company makes , there on tap or in bottle, so I tried their new vodka/rasberry.. kinda like a smirnoff but better!

then we boarded the train.. thank goodness, because we all just downed 32oz of fun drinks, and headed where... to the Budweiser Brewery of course!
they even come over the loudspeaker on the train back, telling you that the brewery is still open, so head on over...
stay tuned for those pics!





Monday, August 18, 2008

better late than never

and with the way this month has gone ,and the way that the next is.. it was beginning to look like never.
so as promised. VACATION PICTURES( and due to the fact that I am a picture taking fool, and that we jam packed our week , the recap is going to be a multi-post recap!)...and while I know you all read my blog because of my whitty humor and charm, perhaps the anticipation of experiencing ST. Louis, through another family's eye will keep you coming back.. lol !

both my friend Kelli and I were really bummed that we didn't get to go on the riverboats. It had rained so much (while we were at the zoo!) that the river was over capacity, and they weren't running the tours.
our cute kids at the park in front of the arch. can you tell how hot it was?
(if not.. just wait... you'll get it soon)


cutie head Tatum in her lopsided piggies. We say she has the Keady combover(any Boilermaker fans, know what I am talking about!) I just can't bring myself to cut her hair yet.



this thing was pretty awesome. though I still don't know what possessed someone to build this.
unfortunately we didn't realize the time factor for going up it, and this was our 2nd to last day, that we compiled the baseball game and the arch into, since they were both downtown. Andrew was the most dissapointed about this one, I think the rest of us, minus Kiley could have done without riding to the top in a tiny car!! I have promised my husband , that the next time we drive thru St. Louis, we'll go up in the arch.





some self portraits. of course!





a photographers dream... though, my fixed lens pretty much sucked. I am guessing the post cards you see were taken from guys hanging out of airplaines or something!! I just couldn't get all of it in w/o a zoom.



Brigham holding hands with Mr. Lewis, or Mr. Clark. not sure.



that night we headed here. Brigham's first baseball game. He was so stoked.(and Andrew was a little excited too)

Here the kids are, in the afternoon, on our way to the arch...figured it would be easier to get their pictures in front w/o the crowd of game time.




Andrew made Brig stand in front of all the statues outside the stadium. Of course Brigham wore his baseball shirt.


are you starting to see how hot it was? look at that nice reddish glow, we all have.. lol !

a snow cone right away, to help cool him down


and then whats a baseball game with out cracker jack? we had taught him the song the day before , each time we were in the car going from place to place. He picked it up super fast. So of course Andrew bought a bag of peanuts.. and then this. I don't think the boy has stopped singing that song.. he says ' Hey wanna hear the baseball song?" to just about everyone we see now!



Tatum is doing the wave..poor kid.. and poor mama and daddy... it was so miserable during the entire thing. I think my skirt was soaked by the end. We were pretty much all dripping with sweat when it was over .. still at 10:00 at night!


we did manage to cool off (BEFORE) we hit the arch and the game! We thought we would be at the pool every day at some point.. but we were just on the go so much, that we didn't have time. I even searched and searched for two new suits for myself..and got new towels and everything.
well lucky for brigham we only went once. it took him about 25 minutes to stop clinching Andrew's neck. He finally realized he could float with his waterwings, but insisted on kicking his legs underwater. He eventually had fun, but never stopped 'running' in the water!! Poor kid, we told him, he would have more fun, if he just relaxed and floated.. oh, well... maybe next summer.



His sister on the other hand, could have been left there by herself and been totally content for hours! She is my water bug!
( and you'll notice that I match my kids floaty devices to their suits(or maybe the other way around =)... and my towels always have to match the suits we wear too.. I am kind of a dork, like that!)
I am feeling hot, just going back thru these pictures... Andrew and I did make a life decision while there.
WE ARE NEVER MOVING TO ST. LOUIS.











no offense to anyone who lives there... incredibly cool city, ... but horribly hot and humid weather. bleck!!



































Wednesday, August 13, 2008

my inbox

just thought I'd share what kind of emails I have been getting.( I am kinda getting a complex that I am uber popular)..lol

1. jane manning wants to know if I am looking for a fling? always, but after having two kids,I am doubtful.

2. Real Visa wants to give me one.. RIGHT away! don't they know the fake visa gave me cards years ago, I still haven't paid off.. (kidding. we are debt free and don't have a single evil piece of plastic)

3. "dating' wants to share people looking for me. I am intrigued. didn't know I was lost.

4. Panda research will pay me for my opinion! I don't know squat about pandas. if they're willing to pay for my thoughts.. bring it on.

5. free credit report/ I'd love to see how much credit I have(according to VISA?)

6. YEAH!! I just have to respond to claim my free Rachel Ray chef package. they are willing to send me something of hers, even though I am pretty open about how much I can't stand her...well maybe they're trying to win me over.

7. I have been given the chance multiple times to meet black singles in my area. We only have about 6, and I have already met them..so I think this is a scam.

8. Sylvester Lay, and Bertha Joiner both want to give me FREE cialis. I am willing to try...as a stay at home mom, I am willing to take drugs.. especially if they're free. though how much sanity cialis will give me , I am not sure.

9. Jamie Johnson is passing out a free rolex. So nice of him, but I am not into gold bling..

10. Michael Draper, Colby McAlister, and Archie Gomes, all are providing me with drugs online.
these guys must have stay at home wives.. and know the desperate need for women that can't get out of the house.

11.Tatum's new blackberry is ready to be shipped ! no fair.. she gets one and I don't!!

12. Viola Butcher is sending me Viagra. I wonder if there is a coincidence to the name and the drug. anyway, we're not in need(yet.) in our household.

13. Jackie and Rebecca are sweet enough to send me smileys for my email. AWE.

14. My confirmation number that my Victoria Secret order has been shipped! Damn. My husband will not be happy that his suprise gift to me was spoiled.

15.Kaplan University is ready for ME to enroll . they must be desperate for students,if they're begging me.

16. Old witchcraft secrets? oh, yes, I am a little interested... ask me again around Oct. 31st

17. The government is holding my money.. respond to claim ! while I know this is true.. the chances of them actually turning it over to me, is slim.

18. Alert : for truck loan.. my money is available. This is so cool. perhaps because of all the drugs I have been, on, I didn't realize I had applied for a loan. wonder if the truck comes with the gun rack already installed?

19. Paul the internet guy says 'HI". well hello to you paul, the internet guy.

20. Claim my $1000 Wal Mart gift card now! I am a tad giddy, just thinking of all the diapers I can buy... and all the truck details(mudflaps) I can get

21. I am wanted: all women ages 25-34 willing to.... um, be transported to a tropical island, with people(extremely hot island boy) waiting on me hand and foot, with ney a nose or hiney to be wiped. I AM IN.

22. rebate processor position available if this is like running a food processor.. sign me up!

23. Eat food and lose weight and feel good. I already can do the first and the last with no problem. its the one in the middle giving me issues. this one is peeking my interest

24. Incorporate in Nevada... learn how to be incorporated in Nevada. good thing, because I have always wanted to own a business in Nevada.

25. Christian Dating can find me the ONE. the ONE. or the ONLY one. and is it really dating at that point?

26. pedi paws will give me an incredible pet nail trimmer.. absolutely free! wonder if these will work on kids?

27. Advanced Bright will get my teeth SEVEN shades whiter. this is going to be fabulous for when I meet all these singles in my area , first impressions mean everything

28. an offer to help find cheap car insurance this will be fabulous for my new truck.. eh?

29. and another to help find affordable health care, although with all the money that the government is sending me, I hardly think I'll have a problem with paying for healthcare.

30. Amazon and Google, repeatedly are trying to convince me to work with them. I am pretty good at buying things and sending emails.this could work out.

31. My new friend is waiting to meet me! oh, I wonder if he/she will like my white teeth =)

32. I am inivited to start a career in criminal Justice, as a stay home mom, I am often, thinking about entering the work world again... if its really as glamorous as it looks in Miami, then CSI, here I come!
33. John Cummata is sharing all his secrets with me.. how to pay my house off in 5-7 years!
is this a trailer- kinda- looking house?

34. Financial aid is available for Tatum. well, perhaps this aid can be used at Kaplan U? but knowning John's secrets , I am pretty sure I won't need financial assistance , when it comes time for my kids in college.

35.captiva is sending me my free stretch mark samples. just an fyi.. out of desperation, have already succomed to this one. they're sending a truckload of samples.

Because if some random glitches in my yahoo acct, I have to periodically take the spam filter off. UGH. its like they are waiting in the trenches... and I get slammed with about 60-100 of these a day.
my husband has been trying to get me to switch to gmail for months. He claims that anyone. who is anyone. has gmail.
well, I like to be unique(yeah, I know yahoo is not unique.).. lol and I have had this same email addy since college!! I am so resisting change!!
whats your opionion on email servers?

Friday, August 08, 2008

just getting by...

and as I typed that I realize that I totally plagiarized my friend LISA's blog.


but she's cool hopefully she won't get to mad... go check her out.




seriously, we are recouping from our week in St. Louis! I don't know how my house could get so dirty with NO ONE home!!... but, I guess a spider (or several) family took up residence while were away.. I have cobwebs all over the place! ... so one cleaning led to the next deep cleaning.. and before I knew it I was re organizing, and cleaning baseboards and inside of cabinets!
(whats crazy, is that I am neurotic, and actually CLEAN my house, before we leave on vacation)





then my garden was seriously neglected... my wonderful dad was in charge of keeping our dog and cat alive, but I think he was a bit generous with the watering of my pots!! Some of them were looking a bit sickly, and the weeds... oh, the weeds,in my flower beds... that I swear were not even sprouts, when we left, were about 2 feet high when we got back!





can you say 'overwhelmed'?? Andrew finally calmed me down, and proposed I just work on ONE thing a day!



surprisingly it worked.. and I was able to cross things off my list. My front and back yards are weed free and deadheaded... and ready for fall planting.. next week is the side yards!



the house is livable again.. ****SIGH*****






and so I was able to deliver the proofs to my friend Summer. I really had a great time with her family. Her kids are so stinking cute... I am so grateful for the opportunity to practice with my camera... I am learning so much about my equipment, lighting, posing, and how to adjust with each new person/family that I shoot.


here are some peeks at what I got:


my
favorite... it shows a mother's tenderness so perfectly! LOVE IT!


These two
sweet girls are about to have another sister.. baby Olivia should arrive in about 3 weeks!!
.. (maybe it will look different when I post)..
I got to see two new babies this week... and I am all giddy about getting my camera on them soon.
My friend Ann had a little boy Harrison(born on brigham's bday!) and then my friend Sarah had little Max.
My dear friend Sarah, had a sweet baby girl last Friday and I can't wait to meet tiny Audrey.
seriously, its like baby nation around here!! LOL

I'm still going thru pictures from the trip.. hopefully I will get that done tonight... Andrew is having a big poker tournament here and the FFF draft, so I am hoping to go out for some girl time, and then back to hole up in the office!!
Maybe , I'll even get into my scrap stuff!!


oh, and I won an award while I was gone...
see it here.. I was shocked.. cuz this girl seriously has some talent.. I am constantly inspired by here. but THANKS RONDA!!

ok, I am outa here.. heading to meet a friend for a picnic at the park! Its actually a breezy 75degrees today!!

enjoy your day!

Saturday, August 02, 2008

out of reality

yep thats right... we're on the vacay.....WHOOP WHOOP!
actually, we're nearing the end of it, but we've been on the go so much that blogging has had to take the back seat for awhile!! LOL

We are in the steamy hotness of ST. Louis with awesome friends, having a fabulous time!
The weather has been in the high 90's each day , cept for the zoo day, when it was cloudy and rainy... but gave us the true 'rainforest' experience, not to mention, we pretty much had the entire place to our selves. BONUS.

Well, we're off for the day again... get ready for a fun recap.. as I have dumped between 200-300 pics on the ol' laptop almost every day!! not only am I tourist,but I am also a scrapbooker.. and that means not only capturing EVERY thing, but that also means.. CREATING things, that I know will make a cool scrappy page..lol
I 've been trying for a year to bring my friend Kelli over to the dark side ... lol, after this trip together,I may just have won her over!! =)
We're planning a scrap St Louis get together!! lol
ok, so I really need to get, and I haven't been able to blog hop since we've been, gone, so I look forward to catching up with ya'll soon.
Oh, and I have to give a big shout out to my friend Sarah, who called us Thursday just after the arrival of MAX!!!(Sarah is the gorgeous blonde on my slide show, who bared her prego belly for me =)
He was a big chunk at 9lbs 14 oz... but thank goodness, he FINALLY decided to introduce himself to the world... SO a huge congratulations for the R family.. I can't wait to get my hands(ok, my camera) on that little pudge!!!

Enjoy the weekend, and I promise to post pics in between the loads of laundry next week!! eck!

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