Blog Contest Update....

I previously announced a contest on my blog.
The info on the CONTEST is here!!
(you know...the rules and stuff...)


So, I can't tell you what number we are on....but I can tell you that I am fairly certain it should happen this week!!!!!

Someone will win some cool stuff....
BEST OF LUCK!!

As I expected...

I gained 1.6lbs this week. I paid for what I ate. It sucked.

Now....I start over again.

Another Bad Day.....

The boys started the day by missing the bus. Since Logan has a broken arm, he's moving slow. He was almost to the bus when the driver shut the door and went on anyway. JERK!!!! Now Jensen, he honestly missed the bus. When the bus driver left Logan.....Jensen was still looking for his shoes. And because the kids came in thru the garage last night with their dad, Jensen left his shoes in the garage. He couldn't find them when it was time to go. He was so frantic, he started crying and ran into the wall while running and busted his lip open. By mid-morning, it was clear I was gonna have to call my in-laws to see if they could babysit. Ike has a work function we need to go to. Our normal babysitter and our backup (my neighbor) are both busy. So, we are out of luck......so I called and asked them to come up. And after some thinking....they decided to.


Well, great....now I have to clean my house!


So, I've been frantically working on that today.....


And while I was doing laundry, Marinne and Griff had followed me downstairs. Marinne went into her older brothers room and fed the turtle....
THE ENTIRE CAN OF TURTLE FOOD!!!!!!!


Well, #@&#*PICKLES@&#&*!!!!!!


Then, when the big boys finally got home from school.....they went downstairs. Then Jensen came upstairs and burst into tears. One of his mice was dead.

Now, if you know me....I was against this mouse thing from the beginning. Big Daddy allowed this "mouse" thing happen while I was out of town last month.
Yep, he bought Jensen 3 pet mice. I was not happy.


This is Wheels. (cause he's fast) So, because these damn mice are all males....they are constantly trying to "out pee" each other to prove they are the "Alpha Male" mouse.

Translation.....my house smells like mice pee and I'm done with it. So, just this week....I had said the mice have to go...... Sorry, but
I.
am.
DONE.


As I have previously said, I hate mice.


Well, Wheels is dead and my poor 8 year old is devastated.


So, I have to comfort him but I am secretly glad one is dead...so there are only 2 left to worry about. I know. But, I can't help it. I hate them.


But, I do hate that my child is so upset. He cried and cried and cried.


So, we had to dig a mouse grave. We had a mouse funeral. I made a cross out of sticks and a piece of string I found on the grass. It was so sad.


I felt bad. But, not for the mouse. Only my little boy.


In Memory of "Wheels" who passed to mouse heaven on Sept. 28th, 2007.


Like I said, another bad day..........

Can you say bad day?!?!

You know that a post that starts with an x-ray....can't be good.


Yep, Logan broke his arm tonight. He wiped out on his scooter right in front of our house. It was a pretty bad wreck. I was right there. I was giving "J" a haircut. There was nothing I could do. He wiped out, face first and landed on his arm and his stomach flat on the sidewalk. It was awful!


So, since I was watching my neighbor's daughter, I went rushing to the ER with 5 kids in tow! Talk about crazy! Then, the neighbor came to the ER and met me and took home her child and 3 of mine, so Ike could meet her at the house! Thanks, Kelly! That made things so much easier on me.


That's the thing about being somewhere new....it's hard when you don't have family to fall back on and call for reinforcement when something like this happens.
But, Kelly is fantastic. She steps right in and asks what we need. And does it.



Now, why was I doing a haircut? Well, over the Summer, I had shaved the boys hair. So, when they got home from school, I said, "Lets go get your hair cut." (afterall, tomorrow is school picture day...) But both boys insisted that I do it again. (why oh why...I don't know. I have no training and each haircut is really just a crap-shoot how it will turn out!) So, that's why I was cutting their hair.


Right before that....I had seen the men trimming the trees out of the power lines in my back yard had been butchering my trees. My trees used to look lush like this: Now....they look so bad. Butchered. (I'll try to take pics tomorrow.) So, that makes me in a bad mood. They even ask my permission to bring some "bucket truck" tomorrow...to make sure they can "really cut them back." GREAT....just cut down the only thing that makes my backyard look so forest-like. Darn it.


Just before that....I have to take a key downtown to Ike...because he accidently locks his keys in his car (Ike's bad day) at the police station downtown, where he is at a meeting. (you'd think he could get some "professional" help....guess not) Anyway, I have to rush a key downtown (where I've never been) to him....and they have the streets blocked off with a wreck the way he tells me to go. And long story short....


I am 15 minutes late picking up G from Pre-K. (a big no-no!) CRAP!!


Directly before this happened, I had decided to go shopping, instead of rush home and put M down for a nap. While I am shopping, I begin to feel the stomach churning of a girl who is about to pay for her bad food choices over the past few days. Oh crap! (literally...sorry...couldn't resist that one....) So, I rush to the bathroom at Big Lots....only to find it locked. By this time, I am sweating and I have goose bumps up my arms. I wait and wait and wait. I am sick. I am getting desperate. I look at the men's room....could I? No...disgusting. I wait a little longer. I pace. I try to concentrate on something else. I can think of nothing else. Is the person in the ladies alive. (I hear no movement or signs of life.) I wait another few minutes. I quietly knock...no answer.....I knock a little louder. Check the door again...definitely locked. I am really, really hurting now. I glance around and decide there is no other choice. I grab M from the buggy and rush into the men's room. (OMGosh, I can't believe I am telling you this. But it is making me smile just remembering...and after my day, I need to smile!!) I'm immediately met with the stench. (confirmed....men are pigs) I put M against the wall and STERNLY tell her "DO NOT MOVE"!!!! She sees I am serious and does not move. I quickly cover every inch of that seat w/ toilet paper...........and I barely make it in time. I flush and turn on the hottest water I can bare and scour my hands with soap. Then I wash M's hands. Then, I quickly rush from the men's room w/ M and I am met by the smirk of some gruff, woodsy bearded guy....with a strange look on his face. All I can do is avert my eyes and "act natural." And I fight the urge to say "Do not go in there...." ....if you know what I mean. (in the ladies room, there is probably some fruity spray....but, not in there....TRUST ME! The men's room....it is no frills....and a special kind of nasty. (plus seriously, we are in Big Lots...it's not like Dillard's or Macy's bathroom. It was a serious kind of nasty. Seriously!)

Ok...enough about that.....


Prior to this, I realize it's G's turn to bring snack.

Crap...now I've got to fit in running to the store. And if I have to go to the store...we may as well eat Subway for lunch.


So, I run to the bank and call Big Daddy to treat him to Subway w/ some cash I earned scrapbooking...... M hears me and gets excited.


We get to Subway....and I call Ike to tell him to meet us (it across the street from his work.....and I don't have time to pick him up because we must go buy snack, too.) He says he can't come. I tell G and M that daddy isn't coming. And M bursts into tears...chanting...."daddy, daddy, daddy." Well, great......this is great! I call him back and just said, "come on...you have to come....M is crying." So, he comes. But, of course, because he has things to do and work on his mind...he's kinda there in body, but that's about it. Normally, our lunches are not like that.....but today, just kinda blah.....



Then, I rush to the grocery store with the two kids. We grab two huge bags of pretzels, which are on the "approved" snacks list for the Preschool. We pay...and go. But, of course, doing anything w/ 2 kids in tow takes time.


Griff is late for school. By 10 minutes. (another no-no) Great.


Before all that....I get up, feeling like crap because both G and M were up last night. G with allergy issues keeping him awake. And M who was awake and asked for a fresh diaper at 2:45am. Then, she insisted on climbing in bed with me and daddy. He had no idea. She was sprawled out on my head. I couldn't sleep. So, finally I convinced her to go back to her bed. But, all total I was up for 2 1/2 hours.
I was exhausted when I got up and my throat hurt like hell.


So that was my day....all and all....it sucked.


I hope yours was better.

I wanna make it clear...

I never intended to, nor do I plan to stop Weight Watchers.


I was only trying to say.....

....I am freaked out about the next goal.



I only had 1.4lbs to make my 10% goal.....
....but I'd be willing to bet that it's not going to happen this week.


Thanks for the encouraging words.

Sabotage.....

Have you ever committed sabotage against yourself?

You knew you were doing it, but you just couldn't help yourself?

You tried to stop, but it seems the more you try the more you do it?


For me, self-sabotage is a long running problem.

I begin to believe I will fail.

I lose faith in myself.

I get scared.



It's so sad really.


My latest self-sabatoge: Weight Watchers


(I know. I know. I know what you're thinking. You've been doing great.
And I have. And I've been thinking it to.)


But, from the moment I realized I am 1.4 lbs. away from meeting my 1st major goal....
....I have been bad. Not horribly bad. It could be worse.......
....but so far the bad has included ice cream (albeit sugar-free,) brownies and I followed that up with a healthy dose of chinese food, with the leftovers even eaten as breakfast this morning......


ACK!


It's just with the impending "meeting" of this goal......

.....there is the pressure of the next goal.


~what should the next goal be?
~what's a realistic next goal?
~what if it stops working and I start failing?
~will I dissapoint those cheering me on?
~will I dissapoint myself?


All I know is......I'm mad at myself and it's driving my crazy.

Have you heard?!?!

They are now filming the Sex in the City movie!!!


And I can't wait!!!


I was a huge Sex in the City fan. I think the writing was spectacular and there are so, so many episodes that I have seen over and and over! I just love the re-runs that play on TBS. They are edited to exclude the very raw sexual content and language that was included in the HBO original versions. For me, but I never thought the overt sex scenes were necessary, so I don't miss them in the edited versions.

Anyway, that is beside the point.....I was so sad when they cancelled it.

I bawled like a baby when the series ended.....
~Carrie and Big (John) ended up together.
~Samantha was recovering from chemo/breast cancer.
(this whole story line was almost too close to home....)
~Miranda embraced being the wife/mother she was capable of being.
~And Charlotte continued her long-running quest to start a family with the possibility of an international adoption.

Although, many things in the series didn't apply to me at all (being that I am not single and the majority of the story lines revolve around dating - at least until closer to the end of the series) I still enjoyed this series so much. But, so many times I could relate to the relationships, both between female and males. But, most of all....the relationship of getting to know and yourself. Flaws and all......

If you haven't seen Sex in the City....get thy butt to Blockbuster today and rent the Seasons and watch them. They are great!! (right, Tammy?!)

And by the time you finish....you'll be anxiously awaiting the movie, like me!

In the Sex in the City spirit.....check this out:

You Are Most Like Charlotte!

You are the ultimate romantic idealist You've been hurt before, but that hasn't caused you to give up on love. If anything, your resolve to fall in love is stronger than ever. And it's this feminine optimism that men find most appealing about you. Romantic prediction: That guy you are seeing (or crushing on)? Could be very serious - if you play your cards right!

Which Sex and the City Vixen Are You?

Biz's Beat of the Day

What could be better on a Wednesday morning than.....


BIZ'S BEAT OF THE DAY!?!?!?

Interview Me.....Tammy's questions!

Interview Questions for Rox

What do you think the wildest thing you ever did was?

You know my family reads this blog, right?!?! What are you trying to do to me here.....

Well, in the interest of being "real," here ya go: Well, there are really so many to choose from.....the funny thing is my "wildest" is probably considered to be quite "mild" compared to some......

But, I'd have to say that probably Big Daddy and I having $#x in the airplane bathroom on our flight to Charleston for our honeymoon! That's right we are members of the " Mile High Club" and we think it's awesome!!!

And following that one up with having $#x in a lifeguard stand at the beach at night. Don't worry...we were very discrete....no one knew what we were doing except for us...... I mean really....can't you get arrested for that?!? Public indecency or something...... But we were young, in love......what else can I say?!?!
(sorry Janet...just pretend you didn't read that......)

How do you want to spend the rest of your life?

Dude.....it's too early for such difficult questions......

Well, if I can get these children raised and help them become productive members of society and help them reach their full potential.....I would have everything I need in life. (do you realize by the time Marinne is old enough to leave home - meaning college graduate - I will be almost 60!!! OMGosh....I really didn't need to consciously know that!!!!!!)

So, after that.....I just hope to have a calm life with Big Daddy enjoying our Grandchildren!!!

Do you regret anything at all and would love to change it?

Seriously, you are killing me with these "deep" questions!

Well, one think I regret for sure is not having MLP as my Maid of Honor in my Wedding. That was so dumb. I didn't use good judgement in that decision.....and I will forever feel regret for that decision. Although, she knows how I feel and has accepted my apology for this more than once...... I will probably always wish I had made different decisions. Thank God this girl loves me and I love her. As far as friends go, she is my soulmate.

I believe I will always regret not being there for my mom, due to my fear during her bone marrow transplant. You can read about this in detail here.

What time period do you think would have been great to live in?

The only time period I want to live in....is the here and now, baby!!!!!

1. For 12 weeks 3 meals a day you can only have either PBJ or Tuna Fish...what would it be?

This is a no-brainer. PB&J..... I like Tuna fish, but only when I am in the mood for it.......

2. Junk Mail or NO Junk Mail? Do you love it or hate it?

No junk mail.....hate it......waste of my time going thru it.......but I can't just throw it away (the anal part of me speaking there.....)

3. You get an UPS Package that does not belong to you and it has something great in it..something you wanted DO YOU keep it or give it to your Neighbor...Why am I asking this? I have a friend who recently got rugs delivered to her that belonged to someone else and she keep them..for real. The UPS Drive even came back to say he left them there at the door and they denied it...Ok this was a long question.

Oh my gosh....I can't believe you know someone that would do that......that is so dishonest!!! I know there are laws that say (or did I dream this....) that if you are delivered something that you didn't order you can keep it. For instance, you are sent a book along with a bill that says "if you choose to keep the book then remit payment of whatever $$ ......but if you didn't request it in the first place, you can keep it and not return the book and not pay for it..... But seriously, to keep someone else's rugs and completely LIE about it......... what is this person teaching her children?!?!!?!? (you know I am asking you who it was when I talk to you, right?!?!)

NO....I WOULD NEVER DO THAT....IT'S JUST WRONG!!!!

Latest scrapbooking......

Ok....I am in love with this one........I have always wanted to do a "All About Me" type layout, but I just never had quite the perfect picture. Until now!

This was me at the tattoo parlor in Savannah when Sherry and I
got our tattoos. Isn't it a cool picture?! So, based on that, I fell in love with these pink/black Rusty Pickle Pirate Princess papers! They are fun! But, I thought they fit the "bad girl" feel quite well!


And this, is yet another example of working with things that have been in your stash to scrapbook. I've had this base page w/ the flap for probably about 6 years. At first I was saving it for "just the perfect" layout. And 6 years later it was in the bottom of a paper holder....just gathering dust. So, I took it out and laid it where I could see it....looking for pics that would match and work with it. I decided to use it with the "outside" pics, because it reminds me of the color of the sky on a perfect day....even if it is actually a striped pattern. Anyway, I was at the crop and I couldn't decide what to use with it. So, I found the rub-ons that matched other scraps I had previously used and some solid scraps....and viola' .... I made it work...... It's not perfect, but I still really like it. My white doodling pen was being a pain in the booty and that was making me nuts!

As it looks in the book.....

And open......

So....tell me what you think!!!!

Interview Me....Stacy's Questions.....

Okay........let see?? This is just a start. I'm going to think of some really good ones this weekend, but for now........
he he he

1. Who do you identify with the most out of the Snow White's seven dwarfs.

Is there one named PMS-y? (seriously, I would fail a question on naming them......) Let's see there are 7: happy, sleepy, dopey, doc, sneezy, wheezy??? cheesy?? I GIVE UP!!!!

I guess out of those....I'll go with HAPPY!!!!

2. If you had to change Christmas to a different date that's not in December, what day would you pick?

This one is easy....I'd go for late-March. By then, I could have my taxes filed, have received my refund and had enough time for shopping.

For us, this is the most expensive time of the year.....one kid with a birthday each month: October, Novemeber and December. Then: Halloween (costumes and candy to buy,) Thanksgiving (have you seen the prices in the grocery store?) and finally Christmas!!!!!

Late March would help us spread it out a little!!!

3. Are you a Ginger or Marianne kind of girl?

I'm a cross between them....

Well, I am like Ginger. A diva. A princess. A little spoiled. High Maintenance. (but not rich and famous)

And I am definately like Mary Ann in these ways. Naive. Sweet. Kind. Helpful. (but NOT a country girl, AT ALL)


4. If scrapbooking supplies were to stop being manufactured and you only had 100.00 to spend on supplies for the rest of your lifetime, what would you buy?


Well, since I have enough paper to last a lifetime and I have a backlog of Creative Memories albums to fill. I'd have to say....a ton of adhesive and LOTS of rub-ons (letters and icons - my current obsession!)


5. If you could design and buy a car what is the top 3 or 4 features you want?

Well, I'm a pretty simple girl. But, I'd want an SUV that can fit all my kids and gets low gas mileage. (you said I could design it)

And, it would definitely have to have a DVD system in it.

And cruise control.

6. If you could meet anyone in the world that has made history, dead or alive, that lived in the past 150 years who would it be. why?

I would have said Jesus, but since you said they lived in the past 150 years........

hmmm....I would say my mother's father. He was a real piece of work and I'd love to nail him to the wall on how he could be such a jerk and make such bad decisions.

7. What 3 pieces of advise would you give Britney Spears?

My 3 pieces of advice to Brit-Brit would be...

#1 - Get thyself to rehab and stay there so you clean up your act and PROPERLY MOTHER those children. Go take some parenting classes. Stop partying and get involved and invested in the care of them. You are wasting valuable time that you can NEVER get back, no matter how much money you have.

#2 - GET RID OF THAT WEAVE!! I know you shaved your head, but I also know your hair is long enough to "make your own style!" That weave looks like crap. And it's time for it to GO! People would respect you more if you "owned" your choices, rather than attempt to "cover it up."

#3 - Quit trying to be a sex goddess, it's not working for you! You are not that girl you were before children. It's one thing for you to be a sexy mother, but you can't do it like you did before you had children. No one will take you seriously. (and you'd think she'd know that.) Quit letting your post-preggers butt hang out of your clothes and go shopping for some dignity.

(and for all those that said she was "fat" at her comeback performance for MTV....whatever, she WAS NOT FAT! Again, she is just not going to have the same body she did before 2 kids in 2 years....and certainly not in the clothing she chooses. I seriously feel sorry for this girl...if you think her life isn't hard....look at this.....

Britney

Can you imagine your every breath, every word, every move being watched and over-analyzed?! I could not live like that. I'd be in the looney bin for sure!!!!

However, she does bring a lot of it on herself by the choices she makes....but I seriously think she doesn't know any better. Getting all the attention is all she knows. This all comes with being a "child" star. She literally doesn't know how to escape it.

But, with the collapse of her career, may come the forced reality that she must re-invent her life.

Let's hope so. It's her only hope to survive and become the person/mother she could be.

8. What is your favorite dessert to make?

Crap! I have to make it?!

Well....ok then, probably Sex in a Pan! (you asked!)

MMMMMMMMMM....good!

Interview Me.....Beth's Questions!

Questions for you -

What do you like best about being a Mom? like the least?

Well, thanks for giving me an easy one. Ha ha! I seriously had to mull this one over for a few days.

Obviously, I love being a mother. As a young child I would dream of the family I always hoped to have. Although, I never thought I'd have 4 kids. In my mind, it was always 2 children. And based on how horrid my pregnancies are, no one thought we'd have another one after our first.

So, the thing I like best about being a mother is the incredible amount of love that it produces. Love from within my heart towards my 4 babies and the love I receive in return from them. Even when I am frustrated or angry with them, the love is always unconditional and constant. It's the one thing in life that we can all count on.


The thing I like the least about being a mother is a particularly bad day when it seems none of the 4 are behaving and I feel overwhelmed. I also hate having to be "hard" on them, but it's a necessary evil.

What was your favorite childhood vacation?

I am a very lucky girl....I have been on so many childhood vacations it would be extremely difficult to choose just one.

My dad worked for American Airlines for 35 years and that gave us many opportunities to travel many places. I have been really cool places: Hawaii (2x) - St. Martin/St. Marteen in the Caribbean - Mexico City (2x.) But surprisingly, not all our vacations were by airplane.

Many of our vacations were by car. (which was insane because both my brother and I get carsick!) But, we had a travel trailer and some of my most wonderful memories involve that tiny travel trailer!

I can remember my dad parking it on the beach at the Gulf of Mexico and listening to the waves roll in as I lay in the top bunk. The smell of salt in the air. And the sound of the sea birds. It was fantastic.....


I also remember our "cross country" trip from Oklahoma to Florida to go to Disney World. I can remember going thru Georgia and stopping on the side of the road because my mom saw cotton fields and wanted to show us how cotton grows. I can remember going thru the town where Jimmy Carter was from. I remember bringing my roller skates and skating in the lot at my Great Aunt and Uncles house in Florida.


Like I said, I was very lucky.


For posterity, even though it's slightly off topic, I want to make a list of all the states I've been to. Here it is...

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Washington
Wyoming

Wow! I've never done that before.

Thanks for the questions....Beth!!

Hi Everyone!

Well....here's the deal!

#1 - I lost 2.4 lbs this week.....making the GRAND TOTAL

(drumroll, please......)

25.6 pounds!!!


#2 - I have received interview questions from a few people....and I promise to try to etch out time to answer them and post them tomorrow! And if you have been thinking about it.....it's time to send me your questions!!!! (well, really, whenever you want to!) So, keep 'em comin'!



#3 - I was gonna scrap tonight....but, the big boys want to play a game. So, Monopoly or Life....here I come. (this will get me good mommy points, right?!)


Happy weekend!



XoXoXo

Roxann

The LAST MINUTE project.....

So....I've had this "paid" work I've been very busy with lately. I knew I still had one more project scheduled for a "Fall" basket for a school auction.

Well, I was told there was no rush on it.


Turns out there was a deadline and I found out at 7:30pm tonight that they need it tomorrow morning, so it can be taken to Kansas City so they have it on Monday.


Ask me if I had started it? Ask me if I had done any shopping for this? Ask me if I had any specific ideas?

Nope.

Nope.

And NOPE.


So, now I had tonight to get it done to deliver in the morning. Good thing I work well under pressure!!


7:58pm - finish dinner and run out door w/out makeup or hair done to go to Michaels (my only option at this late time) to buy supplies. (specifically: paper and ribbon)

8:01pm - silently pray on the way to Michaels that I don't run into any of the handful of people that I know in this town and especially none of Big Daddy's employees.

8:06pm - Have made it to the scrapbook paper aisle and realize that I am screwed. Only 2 "Fall" print papers. One is butt ugly. One is ok, but the worst kind of scrapbook paper...blank in the middle w/ decoration around the edge. Hate it! But, because I am "creative" think of a way "it could work. But, must find other papers to match.

8:17pm - Find fantastic paisley print in Fall colors perfect for this project. Try to think what may be in stash/scrap pile at home that may coordinate with said paper.

8:23pm - Continue to stress over lack of choice. Wonder if idea in head will actually work when scrappin'. Sweat. Swear to self. Sweat some more. Stress for way too long.

8:32pm - decide there is nothing else to do but run with it. Try to pick out a dark burnt orange for pumpkin, realize all orange and brown paper is picked over because of upcoming Fall holidays. Arrgh!

Head to ribbon aisle and start looking for coordinating ribbons. Do happy dance that some of the ribbons are on sale.

8:43pm - checkout at Michaels and have to run out to the car because the bill is $4.61 and I have $4 cash and no change in my wallet. Great! Like I have time to do that..... Now really sweating.... (doesn't the weather know that Fall officially starts this weekend?! It was 90 degrees today...and still warm outside now....)

8:45pm - Finish paying. Rush to car & drive home.

8:49pm - Pull in driveway. (silently thank the Lord that house is close to everything I need)

8:51pm - Hug & kiss little ones who were put in bed while I was gone. Stop off in restroom. Grab Diet Coke (definately needing caffeine now) and hop down stairs with Michaels bag in hand.

8:58pm - clean off desk from earlier scrappin' today.
(hey...i also did some laundry, did the dishes, cooked a meal, put hung some clothes and took care of all children who call me mommy.....)

8:59pm - sit down and just get comfy and realize I need paint that is upstairs in storage. Beg L to run up and get 20lb. tote full of paint for momma.

9:01pm - Try to relax for a second. Take giant swig of Diet Coke. (must get inspiration somewhere...)

9:05pm - Begin searching frantically thru paint praying for a brown that will work. Find one that is acceptable.

9:08pm - Start painting clipboard.

9:12pm - Beg 2 older boys to hush. I have a headache from the pressure and their noise. (why are they up anyway? oh yeah, the weekend. darn weekends.... I mean, yay, weekends!)

9:13pm - beg L to run upstairs to medicine cabinet to bring me 2 Excedrine Migraine tablets. Throw them in mouth. Swallow with Diet Coke chaser.

9:14pm - Start playing with papers and decide I hate papers.
Search stash at home.
Find another paper that help it work better.
Realize I am still going to have to use paper I bought.

Start coming up w/ design in head. Start cutting and manipulating papers. Ink everything. Make handmade pumpkin. Decide one of the purchased papers is just "too much" but not until after I have cut it up and are no longer able to return it. (of course) Choose ribbons and fibers ans start tying them around top of clip. Start putting everything together.

Admire how it's coming together, despite really bad odds.



10:44pm - Finally, sit back and admire work.

Then, go upstairs and take pics.

Then, post to blog.


Sorry pics suck...the colors look washed out.

And the pine branches I stamped on in Versamark...they are watermarked and not all glowy how they look in the pictures....it's the flash reflecting.


I liked this saying, so I decided to add it....

And my favorite part...my handmade pumpkin....

Interview Me.....

Ok....I'm having so much fun coming up with "interviews" for everyone....I want to do some more.


So, SEND ME YOUR QUESTIONS!

Ask me whatever you really want to know.....

Here's your chance....

Post your questions in the comments section of this post....
and I will answer them!!!!!!!



Bring it on!!!!

Explore your world, my darling.....

...and I hope you find all your looking for!

A CONTEST!!!!!!

The Real Roxann Site Summary
VISITS
	Total	4,477

***edited to add new comments***

CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!!


I am about to get my 5000th visitor to my site
very soon!

**edited to add.....I believe it will occur sometime before
the end of the month of September **

SO I'VE DECIDED TO HAVE A CONTEST!!!!


Do you know that over the weekend I had 331 visits to my blog on Saturday and Sunday alone?!! (mostly thanks to J posting my nightmare in my scraproom story on 2Peas!) And out of those 331 visits to that one blog post......only 9 comments were posted.
ONLY 9 COMMENTS......
...can you believe that?!



So, my point is every single day I see people who are visiting my blog, but never, ever commenting! (thanks to my faithful friends who comment all the time!)
Anyway, I wish people would comment and let me know your reading, just say hi, throw in your opinion, anything!!!!!


SO.....THE CONTEST....

I'm gonna give a prize to VISITOR 5000 to my Blog.
But, here's the catch. You must be visitor 5000 and you must leave me a comment. In other words, if you visit the blog and you're number 5000, but you don't post a comment.....then, it doesn't count. In that case, the next person after 5000 that leaves a comment will WIN!!!!!
Does that make sense?

(yes, I am bribing you guys to leave comments....what can I say?!?! A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!!!!)


Now....I have no idea what the prize will be yet, but it will
probably be something fun and it will probably also be something
that isn't very expensive. (after all.....I have 4 kids who all need Winter clothes! It got down to the 40's here last weekend!!)

Most likely, it will be scrapbooking related!

Honestly....I just don't know yet! I need to go shopping!!!


So.....

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!!!!


Remember to post a comment or you can't win!!!!!!!

**edited to add**
The 5000 comment does not have to be made on THIS post. The 5000th visit & comment can be made on ANY post!!

(my site meter will tell me in most cases...who the person is that was visitor #5000 and then I will go see if this person has indeed left a comment that makes them the CONTEST WINNER. If not, I will defer to the next visitor after #5000 that leaves a comment.)

Clear as mud, right?!?!

I guess my point is.....if you never comment, you definitely
will not win this contest!

Scrapbooking Show-N-Tell

My Dealing Myself a Losing Hand
Challenge Cards


I have been working really hard to get caught up on these....

these are my latest creations!!

The 5th card prompt:
Create your card and show or tell what gift you will give yourself when you’ve reached your goal. And…..don’t just give yourself new clothes. You SHOULD get that regardless. Give yourself something REALLY special that will motivate you that much more!

The 6th card prompt:
Scrap one word to describe your journey and use a Monogram for it somewhere on your card. It doesn’t have to be a positive word….it can be HARD. Be honest….this is YOUR album. What you are doing isn’t easy but it’s worth it.

The 7th card prompt:
Use the theme of TIME somehow on your card. Anyway you want. For instance, Shanna used TIME to get Healthy. TIME to get into old clothes again. TIME to get my body back. TIME to improve my self-esteem. TIME for change.

(the clock is at 4:00 to symbolize my 4 children...
so I'll be alive to enjoy them!!)



The 8th card prompt:
Create a card about the scale! Do you use it? Is it your friend or do you hate it? How do you feel about weighing yourself? I personally deny I am gaining weight if I don’t weigh myself. So, to keep myself on track, I weigh myself every Tuesday morning. It is what works best for me and my continued success.


My take on this.....

(anyone who takes this info and uses it against me is in BIG TROUBLE!!)

The 9th card prompt:
Your favorite healthy snack! Some of you are doing Weight Watchers, some are watching calories, and some are following other plans. On this card, you want to highlight a favorite snack or two that you can turn to when you are hungry, low on points, or want to avoid making a bad choice. Thanks for the fun challenge, Roxann! (yep, this one was my idea....)

The 10th card prompt:
What's your favorite comment that you've received about your weight loss?

(And a great big thank you to my online pals, who don't "see" me, but who follow my story and encourage me right along!!! You guys rock!!!!)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last but not least.....

Here is the "new & improved"
(read: not ruined, completely re-done)
after the unfortunate incident....

Baby Meg's Baptism Frame....

Can you believe it took ELEVEN coats of acrylic paint to cover up the hunter green chalk ink fingerprints
on the back of it!!!! ELEVEN COATS OF PAINT!!!!

Interview Me.....

So, here are my "interview" questions from my friend,
Just a Flip Flop Mom....

Thanks for playing along.. here are your questions....

1) What is the one thing you've done as a mom that you said you would never do when you became a mom?

Miss my child's birthday!!!

Albeit, the first time it happened, it couldn't be helped. Ike and I had to fly out to the East Coast when he had a job interview. It was last minute. We canceled his 1st B-day party, dropped the kids w/ Gramma and Grampa and left town. Of course, they had a birthday celebration while we were gone for 3 days, but I felt soooo bad!!


And I'm getting ready to do it again. J's 9th b-day is next month while I am in Kansas City for the CK Convention working. Again, I can't help it. But, I could choose to not go. But, I have to go. For me, I have to go.
Believe me, I'll make it up to him!!!

2) Someone hands you a $1000.. You can ONLY spend it on YOU and no one else.. and NO bills.. what do you get yourself?

Well, anyone that knows me KNOWS that I would not spend this cash for at least 6 months. That's what I do. I get some money for Christmas...and I won't spend it until Summer. I get money for my B-Day in June.....and I won't spend it till Winter. It's just what I do. I get the money and then I think and think and think and think FOREVER what to spend it on.

One thing, for sure, I'd spend at least part if not all of it on scrapbook stuff. (it's just the question of deciding exactly what I would buy!!)

For me, sizeable amounts of money don't come along often. And $1000, wow! I've never had that to spend, ever. So, I don't know how that would change my strategy of deciding how to spend it.

So.....I guess check back with me in 6 months!! :-)

3) In the next 10 years, where do you hope to be?

This time last year....my answer would have been totally different. So, I guess that goes to show that this answer may be void in a year.

But, you said "hope" to be.

So....I'll have to say this.

~I hope to be in Topeka still.

~ I hope that I get brave enough to submit some of my scrapbooking work and maybe I'll be published and making a name for myself.

~ I hope that I am growing as a person a wife and a mother.

~ I hope to be thin and maintaining my weight loss. I hope I am more healthy than I am today.





4) Luke Skywalker or Han Solo??
Geez....you would give me a Star Wars question! My husband (and now all 3 of my boys) are totally and completely addicted to Star Wars and I sometimes just get sick to death of hearing about it!!!!! So ironic!

Anyway, to answer the question......I think I'm gonna have to go with Han Solo. Harrison Ford...mmmm....

5)What is your favorite Girl Scout Cookie? Were you ever a Girl Scout? If so do you have a picture to share on your blog? ( I stretched this question out.. huh?)

Unfortunately, I won't be stretching out the answer!!!!

Well, I am not a Girl Scout addict, but a few years ago I had a friend who's daughter sold them and I ended up with a pile of cookie boxes!!

(and I wonder how I got fat?!?!) Anyway, the cookie I was aDiCtEd to was the Samoas. Oh. My. Goodness.

Chewy, yummy, scruptious GOODNESS!!!! And I don't even like coconut!!! These are fantastic!!!

(dang....now I want one....or a box.........how many Weight Watchers points are these?!?!?! FYI.....I looked it up and it's points

Anyway....I was never a Girl Scout. And I was a Brownie at one time....but the leader was horrible and my mom didn't care for her....so I dropped out after only a few weeks....

And....to the best of my knowledge.....there are no pictures.

(I guess I did stretch it out, didn't I ?!?!)

Ok.. can't wait to hear back!!! Post away!!

Can I interview YOU?!

If so, leave me a comment and I'll send you your 5 questions.....answer them and post them to your blog and post a link here in the comments so I can read them!!!

Official interview me basics:

Leave me a comment saying “interview me.” I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions. If you don’t have a valid email address on your blog, please provide one. you will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Biz's Beat of the Day

Yo! Gabba Gabba Party In My Tummy

It's 4:08am....

.....and I have a stinkin' migraine.
(it's you and me, Kerry)

THIS SUX!!!


So, I've taken some Excedrine Migraine (because if I take my prescription migraine medicine at this hour....I'll be comatose until after noon.....and heaven knows, I need to be up and ALERT to watch the wild pink monkey ~aka Marinne~

and protect my home and my scrapbooking area at 7am, when she will be up!)

So, let's hope it kicks in VERY SOON!!!

In the meantime, some thoughts.....

Number 1 -
WOO HOO! I rocked it again at Weight Watchers!!!

I lost 3.0 pounds this week!
FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF 23.2 POUNDS!!!


Uh HUH! Oh Ya! Uh Huh! OH YA!
(that's a victory chant!)


Number 2 -

I've really been thinking of some things I miss about Savannah.....

~my girl friends!!! (need I say more?!)

~the outlet mall w/ Carters and the bookstore outlet 5 min. from my house

~Houlihan's (right, Tammy?! mmmmm.....creme brulee')

~my log cabin pines that surrounded my house

~the possibility to decide to go to the beach and pack the car, the kids and be on the beach in an hour (I've got all these beach toys I paid to move to Kansas....what the heck was I thinking on that one?!?! I paid to move them to a land-locked state! Idiot!)

~my pediatrician (have I mentioned recently, I luv Dr. Seibert?!)

~my job at Savannah Scrapbooking (could this be so I can replace my ruined cat's eye chalk inks at 25% off?!?!)

~scrappin' with the funnest people on earth

~the marsh (I know it can be stinky, but it is pretty....)

~high and low tide (that always amazed me)

~downtown Savannah

~River Street

~the mild winters (could this be that 12 days ago we were in our pool--which was freezing--and today it's 51 degrees?!?! seriously....can you believe that 51 DEGREES?!?!)


Number 2 ~

Have you seen Yo Gabba Gabba ?

I know a lot of mom's where bashing it when they first started playing the previews....but dang it, I love that show!! My favorite one so far is called Eat. (no, not because I want to....)
It's just so dang cute w/ these catchy little ditties, storytime, dancing (which M loves) and
even some "celeb" visitors.....and since I'm a "secret celeb obsessor" .....I love it!


Well....crap....can't figure out how to post my video.....see next post......


Anyway.....Yo Gabba Gabba is very cool, hip-hop and FUN!!!

Marinne and Griffin LOVE IT!!!! (momma, too!)

And it's got "Biz's Beat of the day..."
(Biz Markie....remember him?! ........ You, you've got what I ne-eeed.
You say he's just a friend, you say he's just a friend......)

**again, see next post for video**
(why can't I figure this out....possibly that it's 5am?!)

And the guy that does the "drawing segment" ....Mark Mothersbaugh....
he's from the 80's group, Devo!

(the 80's girl I am....I MUST SUPPORT YO GABBA GABBA!
I'm glad these people have work again! It sux to have no job!)

I love my daughter, you know I do...but she's gonna be the death of me......

....seriously!


Have you ever had a day like this one?


So, today is payday. I have to pay the bills. Especially the ones that are due Monday. With online bill-pay, there is a one-business day wait to get the bill paid, sometimes more.

So, I sit down w/ the pile of bills, my computer and the checkbook to get the job done. My princess is next to me and wants to draw. I give her some scratch paper and she draws contentedly on it. As time passes, I look at her and instead of drawing on her paper, she's drawn her version of "smiley face" on the middle of my bill book.........
Although, I'm happy she's a genius and can draw a smiley face at just over 2 1/2 years old. I'm still a little upset with her, but not mad. No biggie. I take her pen and tell her to go watch tv with brother while momma finishes the bills.....

(crucial mistake on mommy's part, assuming 2 1/2 year old will watch tv with brother and not get bored and not get into trouble........
I even checked on her and she was watching the show....but alas, she had already colored all over herself, I just couldn't see it because she had her back to me......)



The next thing I know, it's awfully quiet in my house........
this is NEVER A GOOD SIGN!!!!



I go to check on her and find her....covered from head to toe in a mess of hot pink, dark green, pink, red, purple and peanut butter.
Yes, I did say peanut butter.
And she had a poopy diaper to top it all off with.


I immediately put her in the bathtub. Honestly, at this point, I am so used to her doing this kind of thing I almost found it to be humorous and I am sure I would have, if she hadn't had the peanut butter. (this girl will color on the wall, her bed, the floor, the furniture, pretty much wherever she can....any time she gets a marker or pen or pencil or crayon she knows she's not supposed to have!!! The boys would do this, but after once doing it and being disciplined, they pretty much didn't do it. But Marinne, no Marinne just keeps on going.......)


When I found her with the peanut butter, I was very upset. Good luck getting that grease out of the carpet!
(and I'm sure you are asking how she got the peanut butter, well...her brothers had eaten it on toast for breakfast and left it out when they went to school. And somehow, I had not noticed it. Don't ask me how I didn't. And they left the lid off with a butter knife in it.)


Immediately after the bath, I fed M and G lunch. And Big Daddy came home to eat lunch. He say Marinne's stained belly and said, "Well, I see she's been busy today!"


Well, the more I thought about it....the only marker she had was red.....and now we have all these "unaccounted for" colors on her body.


And all of a sudden it hit me.......MY SCRAPBOOK DESK!!!!

OH, CRAP!!!!!


So, I ran downstairs and found the BIGGEST MESS!!


Big daddy came downstairs when I screamed. I was so furious and upset and furious and upset!!! I know she's only 2 and I know I wasn't watching her as closely as I should have....but she KNOWS she is not allowed to be in my scrapbook area. She knows she's not allowed!


I literally laid on the couch downstairs and sobbed.

Sobbed for the mistake I had made.

Sobbed for not watching better.

Thankful she didn't get hurt.

Sobbed for the products I love, now ruined.

Sobbed for the things I love, wasted.

Sobbed for all my hard work, destroyed.

Sobbed for the HUGE mess to clean up.

Sobbed for a reallllllly bad day.


Big Daddy really tried to comfort me. He was very sweet.
Then, he started cleaning up for me.
(therefore, I didn't get a good picture of some of the mess....)


******************

So, here's the best I can piece together what she did.....


#1- TRASHED this brand new Stampin' Up! stamp.

(so very.......devastating!!!)



#2 - RUINED my beloved Color Box cat's eye chalk ink.

Hunter green shown here.....this is the ink that was ALL OVER her body!!!!! Apparently, when she pulled it apart....she just got it EVERYWHERE!!!!!

.....I later found Warm Red and Pink, ruined as well!!


As bad as that is, that was not the worst part....

The worst part is #3- She RUINED the 3 1/2 hours of work, I had done on this custom altered frame for a client. I was only lacking a ribbon, a stamped word and gluing some pearls on it. It was seriously almost done, now completely ruined....

The entire thing would need to be completely re-done, including being repainted to cover the pink and green fingerprints all over it!!! Argh!!! (It took 5 coats to cover it!)


Along the way, she found this scrapbooking marker that belongs to Logan. (Thank goodness, because Logan's marker is water-based, if it had been mine, it would be archival.)


After finding it, she colored on the ceramic tile, the grout, the carpet and eventually, all over her self, including both hands!!!!!


How do I know this, you ask?!


Because I found THESEhot pink handprints all the way up the stairs!!!!


Each stair had at least one, sometimes 2 handprints on each stair. That's 12 stairs x 1 or 2 hand prints = 15 hand prints!!

(It took me an 1 1/2 hours on my hands and knees, scrubbing these little hand prints off each and every stair!)


Big Daddy pointed out to me that it looked kinda artsy, with all the pink handprints everywhere. Kinda like a hot pink Monkey went nuts in our house. (well, someone was going nuts...and I think it was ME!!!!)



Here are the pics from the Purple embossing powder mess........my scrapbook table w/ all the purple powder that was stuck into adhesive residue and wouldn't vacuum up.


My kick booty Dyson, which my darling hubby used to suck up my BRAND NEW jar of embossing powder that was everywhere!

----------->
Super THANKFUL to have this Dyson!!

Check out what it sucked up off the table, my chair and the carpet!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, she eventually made her way upstairs....leaving the HOT PINK MONKEY HAND PRINTS behind.......and went to the kitchen......

<--------and
found this!

<------See the green
ink on the counter!!!

She took this peanut butter and the knife and went to this Princess chair.....

(see the peanut butter and ink stains!)

....and she began to smear peanut butter down her legs and on her feet.


What in the world would possess a child to do this!?!?!?!


Here is where the peanut butter go into the carpet.....it still has a stained look to me......but we won't be replacing it.
This carpet is ONLY 7 MONTHS OLD!!!!!


And while I did clean up, I had put Marinne to bed for her nap. She knew she was in trouble....and she cried herself to sleep. That's why she's all sweaty!


Then, when I went back upstairs when I was finished I found these Diet Coke's from our lunch. One was mine, one was Big Daddy's. Both were full.

It probably sounds dumb, but these Diet Coke's reminded me....I am not alone. Although, I do spend a lot of time alone (meaning without adult interaction.) But, I am not alone. I need to always remember that I am lucky to have a partner by my side. Trying to comfort me. {hugs} Trying to cheer me up. {pink monkey} Helping me pick up the pieces. {read: vacuuming up a million tiny pieces of powder} But most of all, being sensitive to what happened and not lecturing me for not watching her more closely. I am lucky.

CAN YOU BELIEVE SHE DID ALL THIS IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES!?!?!?!?

3 cat's eye chalk inks $5.97

1 jar of Ranger eggplant embossing powder $4.99

1 frame, 3 papers, lots of ribbons, paint, adhesive $10.65

Stampin' Up! Stamp set $15.00

Cleaners for carpet, table $7.99

Entire box of Baby Wipes to get ink off stairs $4.97

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser $2.99

Previously purchased Dyson Vacuum $499.00

This entire experience........PRICELESS!