Sunday, March 30, 2008

Pottery Barn OUTLET

Hey--I know many of you ladies live in and around the Atlanta area and I'm wondering if you have been to the Pottery Barn Outlet that is in Dawsonville, just north of Gainesville (GA)? It is the closest one to me, but still would take several HOURS to get there. Just wondering if it is worth it? I know many of them are a 'hit or miss' type of place, also.

For those of you living near other Pottery Barn Outlets, tell me if you've had any luck there. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Pottery Barn, but am all about some deals.......unless I just HAVE to HAVE it, then it's another story altogether.

THANKS!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

She's done it again...


Jodi Picoult's latest novel is incredible! Change of Heart is still in hardback but you can get it at BooksAMillion for 40% off if you have their savings card. Worth every penny! I'd have bought it without the savings, but that is always an additional reason for a purchase, isn't it?

I'm still reading it, savoring every word and not wanting it to end. I've not read a book since Miss Bug was born and she is five months old! As usual, I ignore all else, let Big Brother watch gobs of TV and eat cookies, etc.

It is REALLY REALLY AWESOME and Jodi Picoult is so intense. I've not found another author as good as she is--have you? Let me know if you know of someone similar to her because I've read all the rest of her books.

Monday, March 24, 2008

100 Things

DRUMROLL, PLEASE.....

1. I love ceasar salad, light on the dressing and cheesey fries from Outback.

2. I love almost anything with cheese-sharp cheddar & Colby Jack are my favorites.......but not Kraft American singles-bleck.

3. I don't like onions unless they are disguised in a good ol' southern casserole--which has cheese, of course.

4. One of the most heart-wrenching experiences I've EVER had was when my dearest friend's son had a heart transplant. He was 2 at the time--he is now 4 and doing wonderfully. He is the same age as my own son--they are two months apart.

5. It changed my outlook on life forever. I have never prayed so much in my life.

6. One of my best friends I've had since the third grade. We still talk almost everyday whether it be by phone or email.

7. I brush my teeth in the shower. I consider it killing two birds with one stone--plus I like long showers.

8. I love teaching kids how to read and write. That is why teaching first grade fit me so well..

9. One of my very good friend's is a chef--went to school in Paris (Le Cordon Bleu) and I never pass up an invite to her house for a meal! Who wouldn't?

10. My grandmother could do the same thing. And my mom is a close second. And I could care less about cooking.

11. I love paper products of any kind-stationery, wrapping paper, stickers, address labels, etc. especially if they are plaid.

12. I love the color red for almost anything except a car. Cardinal red is my favorite.

13. My favorite pants are JCrew khakis favorite fit. I'd wear them everyday if I had 7 pairs. I need to work on that...

14. I ramble. Sometimes I like it. Sometimes I don't.

15. I have a very close and extremely special relationship with my mother. Don't get me wrong, I have 'cut the cord', but we are still very close and I love spending time with her.

16. I lived in Colorado for 6 years (2 years in Keystone and 4 in Vail)and they were the hardest (Keystone), yet best (Vail) years of my life thus far. I felt like I discovered who I truly was and wanted to be as a person.

17. I enjoy snow skiing.

18. I wished sometimes we still lived there, though I enjoy being closer to our families now that we have children.

19. Family is extremely important to me. So is my relationship with God.

20. I like children's songs as much as my kids.

21. I love sugar of any kind, especially sugar cookies--with or without sprinkles, peanut M&M's, Reese cups, etc.

22. I love PEANUT BUTTER and so does my son and husband. Don't know about baby yet.

23. I have dark hair and dark eyes and my kids have blonde hair and blue eyes. I'm still pondering the reason for this one.

24. I have taught computers to Middle Schoolers (Hell), First Grade,
Pre-kindergarten and substituted all grades up to 8th.

25. I love Grey's Anatomy.

26. I love reality TV.

27. I can't stand to pay bills late--makes me crazy to think of someone getting some of my money just b/c I'm a day or two late. Obviously I'm rarely late.

28. I worked in Yellowstone National Park for 2 summers before getting married.

29. I left early the second year because I fell in love with my husband.

30. It was the biggest learning experience I've ever had in my life. (not the love part, the Yellowstone part! )

31. I now love love love hiking and the mountains. Some people are beach, some are mountain. I am mountain, though I do like the beach quite a bit.

32. I once hiked 50 miles in one week. The last hike of that week was an overnight in the Smokies where my husband proposed.

33. Though he can make me crazy-basy as my son would say, I love my husband so so so much. He really is my best friend and makes me laugh and feel safe. He is my rock.

34. Nothing in my life has been more satisfying to me than having children. They truly are amazing and a miracle from God.

35. I love to vacuum.

36. I can't stand cleaning toilets and rarely do it. (My husband does them.)

37. I don't mind doing laundry.

38. I have never taken a cruise. I want to though!

39. Outside of traveling in the US, the only other places I've been are Mexico and Canada.

40. I'm picky about purses and tennis shoes. Oh, and watches.

41. When I was pregnant with my first child and gained over 40 pounds I made a vow to myself that I would never ever (if possible) be obese. Not being able to tie your freaking shoes is no fun.

42. I'm short and wish I was taller, not asking for much--just 5 foot 5 inches would be nice. Or maybe 5'7". :)

43. I write thank-you notes for everything and I am teaching my kids to do the same.

44. It is important to me for people to know that you appreciate them and letting them know it is part of that.

45. I'm a big stickler about saying thank you, also.

46. Friendships are very very important to me. I hold them as a high priority in my life and need them.

47. I dress a mixture of preppy and granola. I keep it simple.

48. My favorite soft drink is Diet Dr. Pepper.

49. I love children's books.

50. I really hate it when people use the Lord's name in vain.

51. But I drop the F bomb on occasion. Okay at least weekly, and find it ok. But my mom would DIE!

52. At least it's not one of the 10 commandments!

53. My feet are the smallest part of my body and I like them.

54. I like my toenails painted. All the time.

55. When we were looking to relocate, I told hubby that I would not live in GA b/c I had lived there for a while as a child and hated it and now I live here again.

56. God has a sense of humor. (see #55)

57. I find the hardest part of parenting is that there is no handbook to tell you exactly how to do something. You just have to try different things and see what works. There is no black and white to parenting.

58. 100 Things is a lot of freaking things. Unless it is dollars. Then it's not
much.

59. I love laying out in the sun. I find it very relaxing and have fun playing in the sand with my son.

60. I'm not a very neat person, but a clean person. In other words, my house is clean, but it's not very neat. It is hard to keep a neat house with 2 small children.

61. I hate it when people put out things in their house with small children and then expect them to not touch them. I think you should make your house child-friendly. I'm talking about when you have babies. Of course older ones need to learn, but babies don't get it yet and how can you expect them to?

62. I love theme parks. Can't wait to take my children to Disney.

63. I have lots of grey and have to color and highlight my hair.

64. I like taking pictures of events and my family and putting them up in the house.

65. I love duvet covers.

66. I love foam pillows.

67. I love to wear flip flops.

68. I'm picky about watches, also.

69. I'm learning from this post that I'm pickier about more things than I thought.

70. I was born in Frankfurt Germany and would like to go back to see it because I don't remember any of it. We moved when I was 2 1/2. My extended family didn't see me until that age.

71. I love Aveda products of any kind.

72. It gets on my nerves that my husband won't smile in pictures. It is the only thing we have to remember good times by and he doesn't look happy in many of them.

73. He's going to read this and get mad at me for posting it. Oh well, my post, my opinions.

74. I love to sleep. In pitch black like a cave. With a sound machine. With lots of covers.

75. My freshman year of high school I liked this guy so much and the first time we kissed he was chewing gum and I got it. I kept it in a Ziploc bag for years, literally.

76. We dated for 5 years.

77. Don't worry. I don't have the gum anymore. But I do remember it was that neon green Extra gum.

78. I started out majoring in Journalism, emphasis in Public Relations and changed to Education after the first semester in the College of Journalism.

79. I grew up Baptist, but now am Methodist.

80. I love it that at my church you can dress casual and the music is contemporary. People are real there.

81. I can't stand fake people. They make me crazy.

82. I am a 'what you see is what you get' person.

83. I've been told I was outspoken. In the South. Not in Colorado. Maybe that's why I miss it so much!

84. Growing up I loved Madonna and Prince.

85. I like to wear black. Not like a Goth, but just because it makes my chest look smaller.

86. I hate it that I have big boobs and am wanting a breast reduction within the next year or two. Have to wait until my body goes back to 'normal' from having a baby this past Fall.

87. What is 'normal' anyway? :)

88. I like to dance and sing. I think I sing pretty good, but nothing professional. I can bust out a good lullaby or two for my little one. The big one likes me to sing him Alvin and the Chipmunk songs.

89. I loved the movie Superbad. Like loved it enough to watch it over and over with the hubby. It is so crass and high school-ish and I still just love it.

90. I could also watch Steel Magnolias, Ferris Bueller's Day off and Breakfast Club over and over!

91. I graduated in '91 from high school.

92. I met my husband while dating his cousin (this is the South you know...).

93. My husband dated my best friend while I was dating his cousin.

94. Both my best friend and my husband's cousin were part of our wedding party.

95. I spent my wedding night in a train car at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo!

96. I graduated from the University of Florida with honors with a Bachelor's in Education and a minor in Psychology.

97. I can't believe I'm almost done and want to end my list with something profound. Doubt that will happen.

98. I like only white gold and silver jewelry.

99. I like the smell of cotton, linen, citrus and verbena as perfumes and/or candles.

100. I have lived in the following places in order: born in Germany; then lived in Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Wyoming (Yellowstone), Tennessee (again), Alabama, Colorado, and now back to Georgia!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Sleeping with the Mamaw

We are visiting Mamaw and Papaw and when we do, my son likes to sleep with his Mamaw. They are very close and he adores her....it is quite endearing.

Well, last night he woke up and told my mother, "Mamaw, please turn that a'way when you sleep." So, my mom said, "Okay, honey, whatever you need," and rolled over. Well, she must've scooted closer to him again because he then woke her up in the middle of the night and said, "Mamaw, I told you not to sleep in my face!"

Can you say bad breath, Mamaw?

(Mamaw would DIE if she knew I posted this...hee hee-shhhhhh!)

Monday, March 17, 2008

Mid-Life Crisis Mobile


Here's the mid-life crisis mobile (MLCM). I didn't have the one hour drive to the dealership as mentioned previously (thank goodness). Hubby is 39, and YES, I know it's not a Corvette or Ferrari. But, we have 2 small children--a 5 month old and a 4 year old. Can you say CAR-SEAT friends? How 'bout CAR-SEATSSSSSSSS. Ok, so they fit in there, but you know it's not too comfy back there for them. Little one, Miss Bug, will get out of the rear-facing monster seat soon enough, so that is good. And since we live in Deep South, Big Brother will be riding shotgun by the time he's 5. So, it's all good, I guess.

It's a Mazda SPEED 3. Not just a Mazda3, but a SPEED 3. Can you say SPEEDING TICKET? He does have a radar detector, but has already gotten a speeding ticket, or two with it. It is a stick shift. It has a Bose stereo system in it. it is silver, just like in the picture. It goes, as he says, "zero to sixty in 5.4 seconds". I believe him. Not that I tried it. I didn't. But I did give it a little test spin near our neighborhood (after stalling out the first time--DUH).

I have to say, it did make me feel young again. My first 2 cars were stick shifts and SO fun to drive.

And then I got back into our other car, the minivan and went to the grocery. I am the 'ying' to his 'yang'.

Congrats, honey, on your new 'baby'. Hope this one sleeps through the night!:)

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Mix Mingle GLOW

...is the name if my dear friend's new website. She is an events, wedding, etc. planner and she is incredibly creative and super cool. So, check it out and leave her some feedback if you get a chance--tell her I sent you.

Go to Mix Mingle GLOW and see her awesome ideas and such. She has found some great FREE stuff you can get, too. And I know we are all about the freebies....Sasha, I know you are feeling the love. You may even want her for your next birthday party. She has sent me several personal pictures from her own children's parties and they were so cute!

Hope you are having a great weekend! Will post more later. Hubby got the new Midlife Crisis, I mean new car I posted previously about, so we'll chat about that later.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Friday Fill-In

Been waiting to fill out one of these...nerdy of me, I know...

1. Contact may cause me to go apeshit on you because I'm TIRED so don't ask please.

2. The parties hereto do mutually agree to put a garbage bag BACK in the can after taking out the garbage!!!!

3. Disney parks rock the house and make me feel 7 again.

4. A Tylenol PM sounds really good right about now seeing as how I've already had my 17 cookies for the night!

5. I positively don't want to wake up in the middle of the damn night to feed a baby.

6. Waking up to coffee percolating always makes me smile :-)(I have a pretty good husband.)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching some crap tv, tomorrow my plans include driving my ass 1 hr. to a car dealership to sign papers b/c Hubby (and I guess me too?)is buying a new car probably and Sunday, I want to wear my pajamas to church so I don't have to get dressed! Shouldn't churches have a pajama day just like elementary schools do? I bet more people would show up...

Cool Blog Find....

I picked tulips......




What These Tulips Say About You



You are very popular and universally admired.

You are often hopelessly in love, and you connect to other people easily.

You are a naturally cheerful and upbeat person. You have an amazing smile.




Check this out......cool, eh?

Thursday, March 13, 2008

My Most Recent Find



Look what I found-I'm so excited! Isn't it so cute? Miss Bug is needing a few more decorations for her room and this will be a great addition. I saw this lady's blog on someone else's blogsite (can't remember who--sorry) and checked out her stuff on etsy.com and just had to get this---used that 'free money' that I made from Ebay (see a few posts back).

Go to sarahandabraham to view her items. She is also having a sale. If you buy the frame you get the print for free..including personalized prints. You get to pick your color, graphic, etc. I chose walnut, but am considering painting the frame a different color once I get it. We'll see how it looks in her room.

Check out the site though. It is really cute and she responded so quickly and sent me a proof of what mine would look like before she sent it out. Can't wait to get it.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Attitude Wednesday

In the car Miss Bug (babygirl) is cooing and gurgling and 'talking' and my son is annoyed. Here is how the conversation went:

Son: Mommy, Bug is too loud.
Mom: Honey, that is just her talking.
Son: Mommy you need to change her out-of-tude.
Mom: I need to change her what?
Son: Her out-of-tude. She has a bad one. And when I have one you tell me I need to change mine or I can go to my room.
Mom: Sweetheart, that is just how she 'talks'. She has to listen to you when you talk, so you get to listen to her when she talks.
Son: Nevermind Mommy....

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Into the Wild

Have you ever watched this movie based on the book by Jon Krakauer? We are watching it now and it is really depressing........and weird and doesn't make me feel very happy, which I like most movies to do. You seen it?

John Mayer


I think I'm in love with him.........no offense Hubby.
It's probably just a crush on his music--but if he sang 'Your Body Is A Wonderland' to me, I might just pass out.

The only bummer is that he dated Jessica Simpson.

On Oprah Today...


I am OVER, and I mean O-VER the freaking OSMONDS. Why is everyone so freaking ga-ga over them? Donnie and Marie just performed on Oprah and I'm SO sick of them. JUST LOOK AT HER! eck...

They are all over the place these days. Now Valerie Bertenelli is around quite a bit too, but at least she is normal and not all goody-goody.

Now I'm sure we'll get to hear about Marie's eating disorder, etc.

And yes there are a lot of them--like 125. But hell, there are plenty of families like that around the world. Here's the clincher--one of the Osmond women was named OLIVE OSMOND!! Try saying that one five times fast...

I just realized this is a re-run. Shit.

Monday, March 10, 2008

The Ultimate Blog Party

A quick post to tell you that there is an ULTIMATE BLOG PARTY going on and you should check it out. It is a way to meet more bloggers! It is very cool and I've loved having people come check out my blog.

When I get a chance, I'll post a 'little something about me' to introduce myself a little bit better. So, check back soon and go to the 5minutemom's site. So neat. I've got to feed a baby, put in a load of laundry and clean up the living room.......sound familiar?

I'm trying to get the 100 things about me going too.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

I HEART EBAY...

I've been so jazzed because I sold one of my Coach purses (& a few other random things) on Ebay a while back and got some good money for it. SO, I've had a little cash in my Paypal account to 'play' with you might say. It has been wonderful--kind of like free money (not really, but feels like it, you know what I mean)--and I've enjoyed spending away! I've bought Miss Bug some DARLING Gymboree PJ's (some NWT others in EUC). I also bought her some outfits made by Janie and Jack. If you don't know about that clothing line, check it out. I'd link it to you, but don't know how to do that yet, so just go to www.janieandjack.com. Their stuff it SO STINKING CUTE! I love it! I've been lucky too, because all of the purchases have been exactly as they were advertised. Loving the good deals, I tell you. I feel like Sasha at Barely Keeping It All Together. She is always blogging about some wonderful deal! If I get a chance, I'll post pics of my good stuff. Right now it's in the wash getting ready for a cutie baby girl to wear.

I also bought ANOTHER Marpac Sleep Sound Machine. Do you know about these lovely mechanisms? They are like a white noise type machine (but to me sound like a fan) and they are wonderful for sleeping babies (and mamas). They are a bit pricey if you ask me ($50 bucks), but if you like the noise and need something to drown out your kids cries (just kidding...maybe), then these are wonderful. They are small too, making them easy when traveling. I just like them because then Big Brother can act like the wild banshee that he can be and Miss Bug doesn't hear him, and vice versa.

Ahhh, another peaceful, UNINTERRUPTED posting. I love these........don't you love it when your kids are sleeping? Sometimes I even go in there to stare at them. So peaceful. Now I'm off to get something sweet to eat before bedtime.

Sleep, Baby, Sleep

Baby Girl, we'll call her Miss Bug, slept from 8:45PM - 5:30AM! I slept for almost 7 hours straight! YEEEEEHOOOOO! Then, after a spell of conversation with her blanket and Nuk, she went back to sleep until 7:45Am. I'm one proud mama-- and a half-way well-rested one, too.

This little beauty will be 5 months on the 18th.

Big Brother, on the other hand, woke up at 5:50AM and couldn't fall back asleep. Daddy is charge of him at night. So they went to the 'Waffle Store" for breakfast around 6:45. What a great daddy & husband we all have, letting Mommy and Miss Bug sleep while he took Son out!

Have a fantastic weekend! We will as long as a big ol' tree doesn't hit our house! The wind and tornado warnings are hounding us!

Friday, March 7, 2008

A few moments of FREE TIME...

You never know when you are going to get them...teensy moments of free time. I gots some right now girls.....all children are asleep (so I only have 2, but feels like a load sometimes) and hubby is watching the TV.

A funny for the day--Son had a bad aim today (waited too long to go to potty) and so I told him he is going to have to start cleaning up after himself. So, he got some toilet paper and I didn't see or hear him for several minutes. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "Momma, I'm wasting my time." I repeated it, but said, "Oh, you are taking your time?" and he said "Yes, that's it." AHH HHAAAA

OK one more b/c I have free time--the other day I asked Son to help me do something and he said, "Any problem. " I said, "Do you mean 'no problem'?" And he said, 'Mommy, it's not a problem, so it's any problem." I tried to explain that that is what 'no problem' means, but not sure if it went through...SO funny. That is one of my favorite stories so far. I swear 4 year olds can be HIL-ARRRR-EEE-OUS!

PS. Happy 10th Anniversary, Hubby! WE MADE IT! I look forward to many more...

Sorry

I invited several of you to check out my blog, but didn't have it open to the public. Sorry! I hope you come back to check it out!

Let's Talk Teeth...


Here's the situation. I have a 4 year old son who has been to the dentist 3 times now. The first time was for a teeth cleaning. They found 2 cavities. The second time was to fill the 2 cavities. The third time was for a teeth cleaning again where they found 2 MORE cavities. So, we go next week to get those 2 filled. WTH????? (Look at this cutie pie--and look at those white shiners...he has pretty choppers!)


We brush twice a day, use fluoride rinse at night (and now in the morning lately!) and have been flossing frequently. My husband and I have wonderful teeth. What gives? I don't understand. We are not underprivileged folks who can't take care of their teeth. They say that you get your dental health from your parents. I guess my son didn't get ours--maybe he is from the milk man.


I have asked and asked what to do. Then I Google online (which you should never do when you are concerned b/c it freaks you out even more), and of course, get freaked out. You can use too much fluoride, you can use too little fluoride, eat the wrong foods, etc....


It also, as we all know, has to do with what you eat. So, I analyze the food consumption of my 4 year old...he loves cheese, peanut butter, waffles, cornbread, Cheetos (who doesn't), strawberries, and goes through your typical fazes of eating a ton of other stuff like blueberries, pinto beans, Goldfish, apples, etc. I don't think that is eating too badly!


I have talked to the dentist, who is not a pediatric dentist, and he says that sometimes teeth are just like that. My son might end up with great adult teeth. He says the pits and grooves are deep, though he doesn't think he need sealants (I'm going to ask about that one again).


Dentist also asked about tonsils and adenoids. I know his tonsils aren't big, but the dentist is going to try to check adenoids next week when we do fillings.


Son does really well when they give him the SHOT, but you know it kills me as a mother. I try to get Daddy to take him every time. (I wimp out, but do take baby girl in for her shots...) I want my son to have a positive experience at the dentist, and so far he has had just that. But I know there's going to come a time when he thinks that he's going to get a poke every time at the dentist. We don't even tell him what they are going to do there so that he just can roll with the flow. He didn't even cry for the first shot. I probably would have for him, though, had I been there.


SO, help me out. I'm not sure it I'm forgetting anything else, but if I remember, I'll post again.


They even mentioned putting a toothbrush in the CAR for him to chew on. The boy isn't crazy about brushing his teeth in the first place, so not sure how that will pan out. I just want him to be healthy!


Oh, and he only drinks WATER, could care less about juices of any kind except for the random serving of OJ or apple juice, and we don't give him soda.