Creative Decorating...

OK. So have you ever had a large coke with caffeine and then got a headache and took headache medicine that has ...you guess it...caffeine? Well it makes for a late night of little sleep and lots of time to ....I don't know...solve life's great mysteries...like what to do with the magazines all over the house?

Steve always complains he never sees the magazines because they come in the mail and I put them in a pile (in the magazine basket) but he never checks there because? it just looks like a pile...

Also at the same time...this year I wanted to do this really cool front porch decor...well we got hanging plants and an old cool planter thingy. I wanted to plant flowers in the planter...but funds being what they are...and the fact I am stressed I will kill the hanging plants...we didn't plant anything. So I was sick of looking at the planter on the porch...looking pathetic like it has been ignored and wouldn't fullfill it's true destiny.

Then in a caffeine induced insomnia haze...it came to me...

I am sure Steve will LOVE it. :) OK maybe not...but he has put up with me this long... then I just remind him...I just saved him money on a fancy magazine rack...that usually does the trick. Plus it goes with my decorating theme....cottage/country/stuff for free...look.

Have you ever used something in an unusual way that solved a problem???

Happy Anniversary # 17

Today's Harvest

Sadly this is the last of the asparagus. Everything else is going strong so far. I think we are going to make some more strawberry jam with the berries. Maggie and Curt decided to try a strawberry yesterday...and can you believe it..."strawberries are good"

Geez you think I was making them try lima beans or something. (no offense intended to all you lima bean eaters out there)

TOPS UPDATE

Lost 3/4 of a pound...

A Perfect Summer Day

It's a good summer day when dirt and chocolate are a part of your wardrobe.

Curtisism's on Vacation

"Isn't it funny, Grandpa R---- and Grandpa Rau------ have the same first name...Grandpa!

My Grandfather's house is nicknamed the Cliff House...Curtis found a nut by the sign that says Cliff House...he said, "They should call this place the nut house."

Curtis to waitress: "I'll have onion rings."
Me to Curtis: Are you sure?
Curtis to waitress: "Wait, do they have onions in them?"
Waitress: Yes (trying not to laugh)
Curtis: "No thanks"

Someone (who shall remain nameless) toots in the car. Steve says..."It smells like fritos" Curtis says, "IT SMELLS LIKE FARTOS TO ME"

When Grandma showed him a harmonica and asked him if he wanted one he said, " Sure! I've seen these before, they play them in prision."

Vacation to Virginia Pics

Here are some pictures of our visit to Virginia. We all had a great time.

TOPS Update

lost 3 pounds this week!

TOPS Update

I lost 5.5 pounds this week. Yeah me.

Strawberry Jam

The Jam Master Steve!

Preschool Graduation!

Here is Curt's preschool graduation. So handsome... Curtis was the 3rd green and speckled frog. He got to jump of his speckled log...I was so proud. :)

Hey I noticed something...

Today I had my 200th post. Wow.

Curtisism

By the way the bleeding was just his blister...

Now in the shower playing with shampoo bottles...

"Hey Mom...Hey Mom...Hey Mom... Taking a shower is just like that church song..."

Me..."what song?"

Curtis, "You know...the rain came down and the suds came up, the rain came down and the suds came up and the house on the rock stood still!"

Time to get it together!

Well....I joined TOPS today. TOPS stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly. I need to get it together and stop using food to deal with my other "stuff" I also need to get off my butt and move more. I hope that this can keep me on track. I hope the fact that I have to weigh in each week helps me be more honest with what kind of junk I am putting in my mouth. I haven't really put together a plan yet...I know what to do...now I just have to start doing! Wish me luck. I will keep you posted and hopefully that will help me be more accountable too.

Gotta go...Curtis says he is bleeding...no screams so it is probably nothing!

Update...

Hi everyone...
where have I been??? Well the end of the school year is so crazy... Here are a few of the things we have been up to.

Washington DC trip, Boy Scout archery day, Band concert, orthodontist appointments, father/son campouts, pack meeting, field trips, soccer sign ups, 4-H meetings...and more to come.

Youth temple trip, baby shower, preschool graduation, transition to 3rd grade meeting, campus school picnic, doug field trip to bowling ally, Maggie going somewhere? field trip, bouncy days, petting zoo day, and finally the last day of school on June 3rd! Oh then we are going on vacation. I'm sure that will be restful! :)

Sorry this is boring! I know you have probably been waiting by your computer for days waiting for my post. What things do you have planned in the next few weeks?

The Circus...came to town...

The kids came home from school with free
tickets to the circus. Since it was Steve's vacation
this week we decided to go...

Here is the happy crew.

The juggler. He juggled knives and fire and other stuff.

This lady makes my head hurt. She is suspended by her hair. Talk about split ends.


And the big show at the end...the live boxing kangaroo. He beat up the clown.

Other than the fact that it was a money making endeavor. They would get the kids worked up into a frenzy about getting their mom and dad to buy this and that...then they would have a chance at a flunky dollar store prize...it was good. Curtis had one melt down because we wouldn't get him a coloring book, Maggie was mad because I ate her melting snowcone that she left with me to watch the circus up close with the other kids. She wanted to eat the snowcone 45 min later...yeah right. It was fun for the kids as they have never been to a circus before. They didn't really know what to expect. Low expectations are sometimes good to have. :)

Latest Curtisism

Upon being told to go to bed...for the millionth time...

"Mom, I have trouble falling asleep. I fall asleep, wake up, fall asleep, wake up, fall asleep, wake up, fall asleep. My life is way more complicated than yours, you know."

I have Label Depression.....

I remember being "30 something" and going to Walmart to buy jeans...probably sometime after the birth of a child... and having to endure this label...good grief...what woman in her 30's wants to wear a label that says "faded glory" I mean really is that suppose to make you want these jeans? What advertising genius came up with this? Why don't they just say...Wow you were hot in your twenties...but now you are 30 ish...and your glory has faded...sucks for you! Then...just recently...as I have changed from shopping at the prestigious Walmart to shopping at the goodwill...and growing out of my "faded glory" and having to endure moving up a size...or two...I had to endure this label...
Now I tell you. These were the only jeans that fit in the whole good will store. Nothing like a reminder that your weight is at a cross roads. Which way are you going to go? Up or down? Time to decide appartenly when you move up to this particular size...which I am NOT telling! It is just a little reminder to me of how fat I have become...How I have let myself go...how I need to make a change. I hate that little label. I am beginning to resent these $4.00 fat jeans! And the fact that I think they are getting too tight!

Now for the kicker...I had to buy bras today. I hate to buy bras! (Sorry to all my male readers) you can skip this part! What bra fit me the best? You guessed it...the one with this tag.

Nothing more to say...I am going to crawl into bed, eat some ice cream and never come out...

The Princess Ball

I love this first picture. Right after the hot rollers came out.

Here is Maggie. She is ready to go to the princess ball with Dad! She looked so pretty. Aunt Bobbie came to help with the hair. I am really glad she did. It looked so pretty. I hope they are having fun dancing the night away.

Easter Pics...well almost

Here are some pictures of Maggie in her Easter Dress. We didn't take any pics on Easter...running late ya know...

Today is picture day at school and for the first time...not gym also, so she decided to wear her Easter dress. So I took some...not really Easter, Easter pics.