Rapture!!

So while thinking about the impending end of the world I have decided today's blog is going to just be very random things that have brought me joy, laughter, peace and love during my time on earth.....

First would be my Monkey & Babycakes.. I can not even go into words what they mean to me and there is NOTHING that I wouldn't do for them, as crazy as they make me I can not imagine who I would be without them!!


My family!! the WHOLE HUGE lot of them!! Who could ask for more??? I know that at any moment I have at least a dozen or more people who LOVE me!!! It is truly a blessing and I hope that they all know how much they mean to me!!

My Carrie & Rachel...these girrls I mean there is so much I could say & share but can't because my lawyers have advised me not!!

Haley & Melissa...ohh the time we would have!! I miss them, we need to take a car ride!!

Cathy my partner in sooooo much debauchery!! I REALLY can't share those stories..unless you get us drunk and ask!!!

Haley, Tracy, & Sarah... you are my childhood!! I remember sooo much fun and again trouble we would have!! Ask Sarah about the slap!! The old lady telling us she would burn down our house!! running away to under the Koolocks (sp??) stairs...gathering all the pennies and change we could find to go to the drug store!! Rotten Tomatoes!!

There are so many memories I have with my cousins that I can not even begin to list them but here are just a few...
Bekah & worm man
Sunni & the baseball bat
NY with the Lofgren's & the things my ears will never forget hearing
Kelsey & holding her when she came home!!
Linnea & a hell of a night out!!!
Meghan & the honor of being in her wedding

Brian, well I don't know where to even start, together we made 2 beautiful children and we have lasted almost 12 year!! You are a HUGE part of the grownup(gasp) I have become..THANKS

My parents... who showed me that you do not need to have enemies!! what knowing you are loved means and that even though you may not talk to or see someone for a bit does not mean they aren't there for you!! What sacrifice REALLY is and just how much you will give to make your kids happy!! I thank you for ALL you did and still do for us!!

My Grandma's... they are both amazing wonderful women who taught me to love myself and God!! How to give and care with a firm hand but never hurtful. I admire both of them for all the did for my Grandfathers!!

God... I may not be the most outspoken person on religion but I believe and love God. I know that something put me here and I fully embrace that being. I talk to god and share my hopes & fears. I may not go to church but I pray for my soul and the souls of the ones I love everyday if not more.

If this is the last day of our world I wanted to let you all know that you were loved!! I also am at peace with knowing that I will once again see many I have loved and lost over the years, and that is a blessing to me!!

Sorry Dion Warwick....

Many have heard the story about when I graduated from kindergarten that we where asked what we wanted to be when we grew up and the teachers also said what they thought we would be... Well MY answer was a Solid Gold Dancer, the path I seem to be going down most my life, and the teachers said I would be President! Well that path came true last night in the path of my children's school PTO!! Yep from now on I would like to be called Madam President..just kidding, but it does have a nice ring to it!!! This is not to say my dancing shoes have been hung up, just might not get as much wear now!! Oh wait this mean I have to go and buy some Presidential shoes!!

I am very excited and a little scared at what I am taking on. This is a big job and I have never done anything like this. I look forward to the challenge and using my mind which I have felt was going a bit mushie in the past couple years. I enjoy all the people I have met on the PTO so far and look forward to seeing how the new board works, our last one was pretty great and I am glad to say that several have stayed on and moved to different spots. So wish me luck on my next two years!!!


p.s. I don't take over till July 1st!!

Knee's!!!

I LOVE MY FAMILY!!! We can find and laugh at sooo much about ourselves!! We just have a so many laughs!! about everything from our kids to our pierceable knees!! I love them all!!!

Saturday!! is Friend day!!

I am looking forward to hanging out with a bunch if girlfriends!! I have got a great group of friends and I am soo thankful to have found them!! When I first moved to the burbs it took me a long time to make friends but the ones I have now were worth the wait!! My blog is going to be short today because I have LOTS to do!!

So hug a friend today or just call or email and let them know what they mean to you!!

That's my boy!!!

So today is all about captions for Cade!! Have fun!!







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SAY WHAT?????

So I am taking today's blog from my blog muse Jen!!

Today's blog is about my pretty baby!! My Babycakes who will be 9, no really 9 years old in just a few short weeks, 6 1/2 weeks to be exact!!! VOMIT!!!

I have posted several pictures for you all to write the captions for!! HAVE FUN!!!


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gonna get 1 done!!!

I will do it!! I will get a project done!! from start to finish!! I have started to sand my stairs, that will be done tomorrow, then I will clean and stain them!! next week I will poly them!! I am soo excited by this, I can not wait to have the foyer DONE!! we have been here for 5 years and I really want to start finishing off rooms! Almost all the wall paper is gone, and will be one next week since I will have to wait between layers of poly! who knows maybe I will even get the walls in the pool table room primed. Then onto the KITCHEN!!! woooo whooo I hope Brian knows how fast I want this ball to roll!!! hee hee

Mother's day

I LOVE my mommy!!! I love my Grandma's!!! and I LOVE what great mom's my sisters are!! I love ALL the kids that we all have running around. Even my 2 that drive me crazy!! It is an odd thought to think of how different life could have been with out just one of those elements in it! I hear stories of families that are not close and it is sad to me!! I miss my family that just lives in other states!!! but to not talk to them is beyond me. I know I have said this before but it always hits me on holidays!

I had a nice Mother's day and got few cute school made projects from Mardi!! Cade just kept telling me he loves me today, very sweet.

I hope all my mommy friends & family had a blessed and wonderful day!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Clumsy???

So my daughter now has sprain #2 is as many weeks!! last Saturday she hurt her ankle at a bouncy party & yesterday she did something to the other foot!!! Oh the DRAMA of a hurt foot!!

So now she is in for the weekend...at least she is fine hanging in the basement with control of the TV and her crafty type stuff!!

Hmmm...not doing well

Maybe I should have said I would do EVERY OTHER day in May!!! So today I am BEAT!! A fun week of activities at the kids school is over and the teachers are SOO Happy!!!

So I am taking an easy blog from my cousin Jen..


Maybe May

Maybe my foyer will get done...
Maybe the kids will clean their rooms
Maybe a laundry fairy will move in
Maybe I will get a new pair of shoes

Every song a memory...

This morning while I was at the kids school setting up a Sundae Bar for the teacher's in honor of Teacher Appreciation week, the aid from Cade's class was having her sundae as my friend Pat turned on music for the teachers to enjoy. The aid says there is no way you guys know this song, it was James Taylor's Fire & Rain, the conversation went on about age and such. I said I have a varied taste in music because I have older sisters and my mom always listened to music, she said her parents did not so she didn't really know music till high school!!!!





That thought was just CRAZY to me!!





Music is so woven into my life that I don't think I have gone a day with out it. I love when a song comes on that brings up a memory some good, some GREAT , and some I wish I no longer had!! I think everyone does that, hears a certain song that will make you remember a person you will never forget and the ones that you can't!!
I think I was in my late teens when I learned that someone was in the kitchen with Dina not Ina (my aunts name)!!
Still to this day when I hear someone whistling a song it makes me think of my Grandpa and sitting in his kitchen while he cooked something yummy!!
Kenny Rodgers will forever be burned into my head as Saturday Morning cleaning music, since it is what my mom would play!
I have songs that when they come on I have to call my cousin Rachel and play them to her!!
When at a wedding that one song that all my sisters and I HAVE to dance to!!

I am passing this love onto my kids and they already will say "Remember when we danced to this on the deck or when we were on our way to Grandma's we sang this."


So take this moment and listen to your iPod on shuffle and see how many times your songs can make you smile!!!

EPIC FAIL!!!

So I miss a day!!! EEKKKK!!

I don't know how I missed it! I thought about it in the morning and said to myself no don't do it now wait for the day to go on...maybe one of your kids will be cute and charming, well that didn't happen ( they now can't talk at the dinner table, don't ask) or maybe Brian will come home and have a story to share...nope nothing good there! So my blog was left neglected, I am a bad bad blogger!! So now today you get a double dose!! So I will share the highlight of my day yesterday.....

This wonderful but a bit naughty, cover the kids eyes joke

I got this from one of my fave author's, Jennifer Weiner, Facebook pages she was asking for funny jokes to win a copy of her newest book & this was one of the winners

A husband and wife are watching a T.V. program about Psychology which was explaining the phenomenon of "Mixed Emotions". The husband says to his wife "That is just a bunch a of crap. I bet there is nothing you could say to me that would make me feel happy and sad at the same time"
The wife turns to him and says

"Out of all your friends you have the biggest dick"

Day 2!!

I am love loving the sunshine of the last 4 days!! I would love for the heat to start to kick up also!! We got a pool for our backyard and I am looking forward to swimming and relaxing in it. I am thinking that I will have kid free hours for my pool!! LOL just so I can float and listen to music happily with out being splashed or flipped!! SO BRING ON THE HEAT!!!

Jumping all in this month!!!

So I am joining my cousin and doing a blog a day in May!!! I am not promising awe inspiring blogs everyday but hopefully I will at least give you a nice smile!!

I am happy to have had a nice weekend with sunshine!! I am now on the fast track to get our house all ready for my 35th Birthday party in July!! EKKK it is sooo soo close!!! Not sure my house or me will be ready for the big day!!!

So have a great night and join me in this blogging adventure I would LOVE to read what everyone is up too!!!

For Good

Many have left a hand print on my heart...This song fits in so many ways for me & really is just kind of how I have been feeling lately... (Elphaba): Im limited Just look at me - Im limited And just look at you You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda So now it's up to you For both of us - now it's up to you... (Glinda): I've heard it said That people come into our lives for a reason Bringing something we must learn And we are led To those who help us most to grow If we let them And we help them in return Well, I don't know if I believe that's true But I know I'm who I am today Because I knew you... Like a comet pulled from orbit As it passes a sun Like a stream that meets a boulder Halfway through the wood Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you I have been changed for good (Elphaba): It well may be That we will never meet again In this lifetime So let me say before we part So much of me Is made of what I learned from you You'll be with me Like a handprint on my heart And now whatever way our stories end I know you have re-written mine By being my friend... Like a ship blown from its mooring By a wind off the sea Like a seed dropped by a skybird In a distant wood Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you (Glinda): Because I knew you (Both): I have been changed for good (Elphaba): And just to clear the air I ask forgiveness For the things I've done you blame me for (Glinda): But then, I guess we know There's blame to share (Both): And none of it seems to matter anymore (Glinda): Like a comet pulled from orbit As it passes a sun Like a stream that meets a boulder Halfway through the wood (Elphaba): Like a ship blown from its mooring By a wind off the sea Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood (Both): Who can say if I've been Changed for the better? I do believe I have been Changed for the better (Glinda): And because I knew you... (Elphaba): Because I knew you... (Both): Because I knew you... I have been changed for good... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQJaZO2nfGg

Now I am starting to feel it!!

2 weeks ago my son was diagnosed with Asperger's. Now I am not having issues emotionally dealing with this, I love him no matter and will strive to make him the best him he can be!! I am currently trying to find some summer activities to get him into and to start his therapy and social work, but here in Northern IL I am finding BUPKISS!! To say that this is pissing me off/annoying me would be a good call. There are camps but they cost in the THOUSANDS for a week or two and are over 40 mins/miles away which with gas prices where they are adds hundreds more onto the cost!! I am not working and if I was he couldn't go to any of the camps anyways!! So I am thinking I will be looking for support groups for me so I can network, more then to talk about how he is and my feelings about the whole thing. I am very very luck to have a WONDERFUL child. Honestly for a child with ADHD& Asperger's he is very well behaved at home, our biggest issues are mornings & getting him to clean his bedroom!!Don't get me wrong we still have lots of work to do, but at home we just know what works. Now outside of the home he is still a wonderful child but you can see the social delays come out a lot more and the change issues. I am just getting very frustrated!! Cade is a "mild" case of Asperger's, so the special needs camps are not for him. Hopefully I can get this all worked out and set by May because that seems to be the cut off for all of these camps. Well wish me luck I am off to do more searching!!!

Super Cade!!

My amazing son will be shaving his head this sunday!! It is for a great cause and he is soo excited about it!! I am just amazed at when a little man he is becoming but yet he is still such a child at heart. He is my monkey and always will be, he is my first born! the one i worry about his heart being broken or feelings getting hurt! he is so sweet and just wants to be everyone friend!! he will play with younger kids and teach them new games when all the other "big" kids are to busy. He is my math wiz!! he can do stuff I can't even grasp, not that that is saying much I am HORRIBLE at math! He was funny and did say that no matter how much money they offer him he is keeping his eye brows!! Last year at the same St. Baldrick's Event his dad let them shave off ALL the hair on his head!!! I just wanted to share a bit about my wonderful guy!!

Shoe Dazzle

I LOVE this site!! I love the price point and that every month I get a to choose if I like the shoes or not!! I found a pair of over the knee boots for only $39.95!! I have been looking for tall boots for months and could not find a pair in my price range that I liked!! I will post pictures as soon as they get here!!! soo go check it out, you can sign up and not get charged till your first order!! Put you can pass on every month if you would like, you can get up to 10 shoe options a month..plus bags & more!!!

TOOT MY OWN HORN!!!

Oprah's Master Class... Let me just say I am LOVING this show!! I have watched Jay Z & Loren Micheal's so far and have a couple more on my DVR....I watched Loren Micheal's today and really enjoyed it. It made me remember all the memories that SNL plays a part in. For many years EVERY Saturday night was spent with my cousin Rebekah watching SNL, I miss the way that friendship use to be, because as we know we all change as we get older. I think SNL helped to form some of my sense of humor, I can be very tacky and no holds bar in my jokes. I LOVE my sense of humor and wit. That last sentence is a part of my new year, I am going to say what I like about myself and not care if others think I am being conceited or egotistical. How are we to love who we are if we are taught that speaking highly of your self is cocky, conceited or rude??? How am I to teach my kids to love themselves if they are not supposed to say what they are good at?? Why did this become a bad thing?? It took MANY years for me to take a compliment or to believe that at face value instead of just wondering what that person wanted from me. So no more of that and I challenge all of you to embrace and SAY what you love about yourself!! Hell I say brag a little if you really want...TOOT YOUR OWN HORN!!! no one else can live your life for you so why do they get a say in who you are???

DAY #3

So as I am on day 3 of unemployment I have got small things done. Past 2 days I have kind of been lazy and not very motivated. Today I have done 5 loads of laundry, ran over and watched my niece for an hour, stopped off at the old job to drop off a file which ended up being an hour long stay, cleaned out under Cade's bed, put a desk in his room and now I am off to fold, sort, get rid of and put away laundry. This is a HUGE project for me since we are basket people, meaning we all get our laundry out of baskets!! Well NO MORE!!! It is going to be a fight and take an effort to get over this habit, it may even be harder then stopping smoking was!! I did find an AWESOME new product that I am LOVING....Purex Complete Crystals. They are fabric softener that goes in at the start of the wash, I have put the link on here go read about them. the scent really is in the clothes!

http://www.purex.com/products/softeners/purex-complete-crystals

Happy Washing!!! No really I am trying here!!

cute kids giveaway

these little guys are a cute new twist to the shape bands!!

http://canadianladybugreviews.blogspot.com/2011/01/piggy-back-bandz.html

Giveaway

Here is a great giveaway that is open till the 27th...http://ascendingbutterfly.blogspot.com/2011/01/spotlight-handbag-of-month-win-marissa.html

also they are a great beauty blog!! GOOD LUCK!!!

Forced Evolution=Following My Bliss

I have stolen this term from a friend and really LOVE it since it truly is where I am at in life. I was talking on facebook to an old friend about the end of my job and he said that sucks and sorry, I replied with thanks you and yeah it does suck but i am OK with it since I was ready to move on but I wasn't because the hours were great, my boss was cool about time off for the kids or if the kids had to come with me ect... over all it was a great job that I enjoyed but after 2 years I felt I had done all I could do there and was getting bored. He then said so it is forced evolution! Now I am embracing that!! I am looking onto my own stuff! as I said in my new years post I want to be creative again, I miss it and it was always my outlet. I will be starting up a web site, more will come on that when it is rolling but i will share that it is fun & so very ME!! I am going to volunteer for a charity that I LOVE, hopefully do a bit more at the kids school and get my house in order. I want to get our "Bears Room" done since that is an idea that has been in my head since we moved in!! Pictures will be posted on that project. I hope to get back into scrapbooking, looking forward to a scrap weekend with my Mom & Holly in April. I am Following My Bliss, that is my mantra for this year!! Maybe next week I will work on that pie! :)

Can't say I didn't see it coming...

Well I got the news that come Monday I will no longer have a job. I must say when I got this news I wanted to cry & felt relieved at the same time, for those of you who may not know the store I work at has been struggling for a couple months and it has been a question of when not if we close. I am not looking forward to going into work today knowing that it is going to be sad and I hate sad!! I am an optimist sometimes to a fault, I do not want to look at the bad stuff and try very hard to keep it at bay!! I know that there are times this comes off as being flaky or dumb even but I always know the bad is there I just don't think it is good for my body, soul or mind to dwell on it. I speak to God and tell him my fears and ask for his help with them, then I let them go because what will happen will happen and I know with the strength of my friends & family we can get through it as we have shown to many times we are a strong group of people!! we love stronger then many families and embrace each other for who we are!! I love that about each and every one of you. I hear stories of families who don't talk and think to myself how sad that is!! I could not imagine nor would I want to a world without each of my in laws, cousins, aunts, uncles, mothers, father, brother in laws or my sisters!!! How sad that would be! Back to the subject. I now will have time to work on the list in my last post! that is my silver lining! I have many creative ideas that have been in my head that I now will have the time to get out of there so I can sleep!! I will start to look for a new job in a month and I know I am so lucky that Brian is working and I have the luxury to hold off.

Here is what I find hard about the blog, when do I stop?? I think I could ramble for a long time, maybe that is the answer when I feel I am rambling to just stop!! Like now...:)

Twenty Eleven

We are now 11 days into the New Year and I am working on what I want from it...

1.To run 6 5k races, I was going to do the Chicago Marathon since I am turning 35 this year and I really want to have cooler accomplishments then I saw New Kids On The Block in concert 5 times!! but 26 miles scares the crap out of me, which is also one of the fear i have of happening during those 26 miles, so I in turn am going to do 30 miles just spread apart!!

2. I want my daughter to learn how to put stuff away and that doll clothes DO NOT go in the laundry!! Really with 4 people I am good on the amount of laundry I have to do!!

3. I want my wonderful amazing son to find himself and see just how wonderful and amazing he is!!!

4. I will have a clean house!!! and invite people over at a moments notice without worry!!

5. I will keep on track with getting fit!!

6. I will follow my bliss!! not sure yet what this means but I am working on it and I have almost a full year to get there!!

7. I will embrace turning 35!!

8. I will keep up on this blogging stuff!! I hear it is a great outlet!!

9. I will read non fluff books!! well not only non fluff, can't go cold turkey, it's not as easy as quitting smoking!!

10. I will learn how to make pie crust!! I have always wanted to make a pie and oddly enough I never have, I think when you have a grandmother who's pies are sooo amazing you get intimidated.

11. I will start taking classes!! I am not sure in what and I don't want any kind of degree but I feel like my brain is going to mush!!

I am sure I will do more then is on this list and that is great but now I am going to hold myself to what I have put to print!! As I re read I know that I have alot to be thankful for and no matter what this year brings with my family a & friends I will have enough love and support to work through it all!!!