I Feel Loved...

Wow! I've been tagged again by Jen at I Should Be Cleaning for a 7 Fact Meme. I know you all are just on pins and needles to learn more about lil' ol' me...so here we go.

These are the rules:

List the rules on your blog.
Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog.
Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs. (Seven! That's alot of "linkage"...I don't think I have that many readers!)
Here are my 7 facts:

1)I'm finally pursuing my childhood dream of becoming a writer. I recently submitted a personal essay to the Cup of Comfort series, and it's going to be published in A Cup of Comfort for New Mothers due out in April of next year. I'm so excited! (The series is still taking submissions for other volumes so check out the website if you're interested.)

2) I'm blind as a bat. I started wearing glasses when I was in 2nd grade. Finally got contacts in 10th grade (after much begging and pleading). I'm waiting on my new frames to come in this week (hopefully) since my boy snapped the "arm" off a couple months ago. I only wear them at night before bed so I've been balancing them one ear for awhile...haha

3) I've never been able to do a cartwheel...how sad is that?

4) If it were socially (and nutritionally acceptable) I would always eat dessert first!

5) I have a Master's degree in elementary ed. and taught 4th grade before becoming a mom. I look forward to going back when the kids are a little older. I still teach children's dance classes part-time.

6) I would love to go on "Don't Forget the Lyrics" and win a boatload of cash!!! I'm really a closet karaoke singer, but I did muster up the nerve to make my public debut recently...(totally sober too since I don't drink.)

7) If I could comfortably (& safely) fit 2 carseats in tbe back of a 2007 Mustang, I would totally trade in my minivan.

My husband rented this for the day as an anniversary gift last year. Nice, huh?
(My preferred color would probably be the bright royal blue, or maybe black...oh, to dream!)


And the 7 LUCKY PEOPLE ARE (drumroll please.....)
1) Chelle @ Creative Momma
2) Kristen @ Loving Our Simple Life
3) Wendi @ Because Wendi Said
So
4) Jessie @ Muthering Heights
5) Former City Girl
6) Beth @ Little Princess Chronicles
7) Bits and Pieces

* I have to tell ya - tagging all these people took me longer than to write the post! If you have time to play, great! If not, no pressure. :) Anyone else who wants to join in, you're welcome to! The more the merrier!

Why Can't Minivans Look More Like This?

For more WW fun, click here!

Tackle it Tuesday - P.S. I Love You (and Curtains Too!)

Well, it took me over a month, but I finally did it. I literally just finished reading the last page of Cecelia Ahern's novel P.S. I Love You. Unfortunately, I was not sitting in a lounge chair soaking in the sun or enjoying a delish brownie while reading (like I had hoped for in this post). Instead I was surrounded by giant legos and stuffed animals scattered all over the floor, the dryer humming in the background, piles of laundry waiting to be folded, a neglected dishwasher begging to be unloaded...oh, the list could go on! But I was determined to "tackle" that book today, people!

It's been quite awhile since I've made the time to read anything just for pure enjoyment. And since I liked the movie so much, I thought this might be a good one to get me back in the groove. And it did not disappoint! I was really surprised though how different the book is from the movie.
While the plot is the same, so many other story elements were changed or left out of the movie. The setting, characters, the vacation spot, how Holly and Gerry meet, Daniel's entire personality, the fact that Holly's family is completely in tact in the book whereas the screenplay has this whole story about Holly's father leaving when she was 14. I can see making a few Hollywood adjustments, but WOW! It was almost like two totally different stories.

I have to say that I am glad I saw the movie first because I had no expectations. It has an inspiring message just like the book. And Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character was a very nice addition to the movie. :)

While the storyline sounds totally depressing, it's really not. You'll need a couple tissues, but both the movie and the book make you laugh, cry, smile, and make you appreciate life and all the opportunities it has to offer. Now I sound like a movie critic...haha!

I did tackle other (more productive) things this week too. I finally found some cute pink gingham curtains for Abby's room from Pottery Barn Kids no less! They were on clearance for $14.99 each. (I don't think I've ever seen anything for $14.99 in PBKids.) We have plantation shutters on the bottom half of the windows upstairs (which I love!) and a white valance on top, but they don't block the sunlight from coming in very early in the morning so we've been doing this for awhile to salvage an extra half an hour of sleep...

But now....TA-DAH!!!!
A friend of mine suggested just using one panel for each window and gathering it in the middle. Saved me some money, and it really looks cute! Thanks, Becca! I also didn't want to cover too much of her cute 4 wall mural my brother helped me paint. (I lucked out having artists in the family. My dad recently decked out my son's room with an entire golf course!)

Abby even "tackled" something today. She made her bed all by herself! Doesn't she look proud?
By next week, maybe I can tackle this...
The beach is calling my name!!!

P.S. Is this the longest post ever or what? :) For more (probably shorter posts), check out 5 Minutes for Mom.

Make a Difference Monday: Be Kinder Than Necessary

Jen over at Daily Mish Mash is making her "Mr. Linky" debut with Make a Difference Monday. (Check out the link for more details.)

This past weekend, we were visiting my mom and stepdad in PA near Amish Country. It's really beautiful there. The rolling hills, towering trees, horses, cows, the pond filled with geese at the end of my mom's street which my kids absolutely LOVE...It's a very pleasant change of scenery.

Not too far down the road is an Amish market with all kinds of home-cooked food, bakery items, handmade wooden furniture, handcrafted toys, quilts, and other home decor. My mom and I kept noticing the decorative wall hangings with inspirational quotes etched into the wood. The one that stood out to me read...

Be Kinder Than Necessary

I'm sure we've all had our share of encounters with not-so-nice people. Whether it's the check-out girl who doesn't even acknowledge your existence as she rings up your groceries, or the two women who are having a conversation in the middle of a narrow aisle blocking your path with their shopping carts as you are holding a squirming 2-year-old in one arm and trying to steer your cart with the other, or the person who just cut you off on the freeway causing you to have to swerve into the shoulder as he chats away on his cell phone...COME ON NOW, PEOPLE! We can do better than that!

It's the simple acts of kindness that really make a big difference. Holding a door for someone, a smile, an encouraging word, a compliment, letting someone with a couple items in front of your overflowing cart in the check-out line...even letting your hubby sleep in once in a while. (Definitely kinder than necessary...that one has to work both ways. haha!)

I appreciate these small acts of kindness and hope that by doing these things myself, I can make someone's day a little brighter.

Sentimental Sunday - He'll Carry You

I just found out my dear friend's sweet mom passed away this morning. I wish I could be there to comfort her, to watch her kids, to make dinner or do a load of laundry...anything to help. I wish we didn't live so far away. These past few months have been so heartbreaking for their family. I can't even imagine what they have been going through. Still, through the ups and downs, my friend, her mom, and their family have shown amazing faith and have taught me so much. Each day we have with our loved ones is a gift.

So many times, my friend has written about the comfort she has felt through all of this and how much her testimony of the Savior and the gift of eternal families has grown. And even though the many miles prevent me from being there right at this moment, I know the Savior is there.

He knows your heart
He knows your pain
He knows the strength it took
just to simply breathe today

He sees the tears that you cry
He knows your soul is aching to know why
He hears your prayers, each humble word
When you said you couldn’t face another day,
He understood.
He knows the path that you will find
Though you felt alone, He’s never left your side

He knew there’d be moments when no earthly words
could take away your sorrow
And no human eyes could see
what you’re going through.
When you’ve taken your last step
and done all that you can do,
He will lift your heavy load and carry you

- Hilary Weeks (Day of Praise)

Tagged Again!

The creative and multi-talented Andrea from Simple Things has invited me to play this Four Things Tag. So here we go!!!

Four jobs I’ve had:
*A retail clerk at an amusement park (high school summer job)
*A Taco Time cook and cashier (came home every day smelling like fried meat. Yuck!)
*A children's dance and musical theater teacher (still do a little of that)
*An elementary school teacher (Loved that. I plan to go back when the kids get a little older.)

Four movies I can watch over and over:
*You've Got Mail
*While You Were Sleeping
*My Big Fat Greek Wedding
*Circle of Friends
(I could name more romantic comedies, but it only asks for 4!)

Four places I’ve lived:
*Orange County, CA (Way before the OC became popular. haha!)
*N.Little Rock, AR (Bill Clinton was the governor at the time.)
*Las Vegas, NV (Gotta love IN-N-OUT Burgers!)
*Boston, MA (really in a little town just outside it, but Boston is more exciting.)
(Again, I could name more...I've moved A LOT!)

Four TV shows I love:
All time favs? The Cosby Show and Full House (I still watch FH reruns with my kids.)
Current favs? LOST and The Office (Although we're big American Idol watchers too.)

Four places I’ve vacationed:
*Myrtle Beach, SC
*Orlando, FL (went to Disney for the 1st time w/kiddos. SO AWESOME!)
*Waikiki, HI (Sooooooooo long ago...would love to go back!)
*San Diego, CA (For our honeymoon....again, sooooo long ago.)

Four of my favorite dishes:
Um...all my favorite dishes are desserts!
*Crepe Diablotin (you know I had to mention that!)
*Strawberry Shortcake
*Pineapple Coconut Cake
*Pretty much anything with chocolate!!!

Four sites I visit daily:
(More like every other day...)
*PBS Teacherline (I'm taking a class right now)
*5 Minutes for Mom
*Writer Mama
*And I have to admit, I check my blog for comments pretty much everyday & try to respond! (I LOVE comments & "mommy blog" hopping.)

Four places I would rather be right now:
*Definitely at the beach
*Watching a housekeeper clean my out-of-control house while I sit there and finish reading P.S. I Love You. (I'm getting so close!)
*Ireland (The scenery is so beautiful in the movie, P.S.I Love You. I'd love to go! Can ya tell I liked this movie?)
*Getting a pedicure. (But a regular one, not one of those fish pedicures...have you heard about this? Definitely not for me.)

Tag Four People:
(I thought I'd tag some of my frequent "commenters"...if you wanna play.)
Laural @ Mamasphere
Rachel @ Life At Our House
Carol @ The Siswick Construction Zone
Jen @ The Most Important Work

*You don't have to be as detailed as me...I can be a bit long-winded. haha!

WW - Stayin' Cool...

Link up to Wordless Wednesdays & share your cool pics...

Tackle-It-Tuesday - "WOO-HOOOOOOO!!!"

I didn't know if the day would ever come. I hoped our "Garden Experiment" would be successful. Still, I was pretty sure everything would shrivel up and die. But as Mary (from So You Think You Can Dance)would say, shrilling at the top of her lungs, "WOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Check these out!


I swear, last week this zucchini was half the size.

How do ya get this thing off of here?

We just picked these last night. Abby is a little excited. :)

Noah's turn (with Abby's help, of course.)

Uh-oh...Noah's going for the tomatoes. Not quite ripe yet, buddy!

Until then, my gardener will just have to keep watering.

****P.S. I LOVE YOU UPDATE*****
If you saw last week's "Tackle", you know I am trying to finish this book. Not done yet...but I did read almost 100 more pages this past week! I hope to have it "tackled" by next week along with this...
I really want to see this movie. (So much more fun than housework!)

To see what other moms are tackling, click here!

Sentimental Sunday - Live in the Moment

The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make.... I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.
- Anna Quindlen (Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).
7/06

6/07

8/07

3/08

What the World Needs Now Is Love, Link Love

So if you haven't heard already (which I'm sure you have if you've been perusing the blogosphere), this weekend is the BIG BlogHer Conference in San Francisco, CA. Learning how to improve your blog, socializing with other blogging moms, discussing topics like Is Mommy Blogging Still A Radical Act?, maybe meeting a few of your favorite bloggers...throw in a Crepe Diablotin from Baker's Crust and you've got the utlimate girls' weekend!

So am I a little envious of these lucky ladies who are in sunny San Francisco as I am typing away on my computer in my pjs as my husband is snoring beside me?

Not at all! Thanks to MommyPie and her brillant idea!

BlogHer Not '08 - It's really pretty hilarious...I would have posted the banner for it, but I'm keeping it G rated, ladies. haha!

Through her "instructors", many blogging mysteries have been revealed:
How to Make a Living at Blogging (with bonus handout: How to Drive Traffic to Your Blog!)
AND
Five Best Ways to Find Blogging Time...Without "Accidentally" Leaving Your Kids at Target.
I really struggle with this one (not the Target part, just the time part! If I try to blog when the kids are awake, they are literally climbing all over me, pressing buttons, putting their feet on the computer...shall I go on?)

In all my blog-hopping tonight, I found a couple other posts I found to be link worthy in hopes to better my blog -
Punctuation Promiscuity
I am so guilty of this! I couldn't help but laugh. :)
AND
Five Tips for Being a Friendly Blogger
Good to make sure I'm on the right track...I've never been schooled in blog etiquette.

It's a virtual girls' weekend, ladies...if only I had one of those crepes.

Stay tuned for more "link love"...

It Keeps Growing and Growing...

It's been awhile since my last garden update. (I know you've been waiting on pins and needles...haha!) Stuff is sproutin', people!

This, believe it or not, is going to be a watermelon. We probably won't be eating it until Halloween. (I should have planted these seeds sooner.) Do people carve watermelons? haha!


Yesiree...that is a tomato!!! And there's more where that came from!

If you look closely, you'll see a zucchini right in the middle of those two blooms. I had no idea...I was thinking zucchini grew underground. You learn something new everyday, don't ya?

A couple more weeks and we'll be having some fresh, home grown, organic produce right out of our own garden...unless the squirrels get to it first.

WFMW- "Creative" Fireplace Cushion

Moms always compliment my "creative" fireplace cushion when they come over to my house for the first time...so I thought I'd share the idea with all you bloggin' mamas out there!


I'm not a big fan of foam edges on the fireplace since there is still nothing cushioning the brick area on top. (The edges don't do much for the decor of the room either...the beauty of babyproofing.) So I thought, Wouldn't it be great if there was a fireplace cushion that could lay just across the top?

And if I were an accomplished seamstress, I could just stitch one up. No problem! The sad reality is that I cannot sew at all, hardly even a button. I need to learn one of these days.

So I came up with this idea while browsing through Target one day. The lounge chair (or chaise?) cushions were on summer clearance, and I thought, Hey, maybe this would work! I bought one (@ $20) with a neutral fabric, cut the strings off, and it fit perfectly! Only problem was it was slippin' and slidin' a bit so I thought, How about this?
I cut a couple pieces of the plastic rug gripper material and put it underneath
and VOILA!!! A non-slip, sew-free fireplace cushion!

I even amazed myself with this one! :)

*FYI - Cushions are 50% off right now at Target in the outdoor furniture dept.if anyone wants to use this idea! Click here for more WFMW!

WW - Little Piece of Heaven...

...on a plate! Too yummy for words!!!

(See letter I under this post for more indulgent details.)

Click here for more WW!

Tackle it Tuesday - Getting Real...

Okay, so I was a little over-zealous last week thinking that I'd be able to spend 15-20 minutes each day organizing something. There are days when I barely have a chance to brush my teeth so what was I thinking? Still, I am making a little bit of progress. I cleaned out the "junk drawer" and the bread box. There is actual bread in there right now instead of random papers, junk mail, dress-up jewelry and Memory game cards, etc... How long will this last? I do not know. It's just so easy to tuck stuff away really quick and pretend it's not there.

I am proud to say that I did follow through with my "Tackle" teaser from last week...

That was before...

And this is after..

OH YEAH! Unfortunately, that took a lot longer than 15-20 minutes. (I'll spare you the details except to say, it's better to attempt bigger projects like that when your kids are asleep.)

As for next week, the thing that I would LOVE to tackle most is this....

I really liked the movie, and I heard the book was 1000 times better. I daydream about lying in a lounge chair in the sun or sitting at Panera with one of those yummy caramel brownies and finishing this book. (I'm only on p.100 & I started 3 weeks ago!) I know there are moms out there who are reading some good stuff. I want to be one of those moms! I'm going to see how many pages I can tackle for next week (and I'll still do some organizing too. You should see my dining room. Yikes!)

For more "Tackles", check out 5 Minutes for Mom!

High Five for Barney!

I never thought I would utter those words, but this morning "Barney" seriously mesmorized my kids for 30 minutes straight. No fighting, no yelling, no jumping off of things, no climbing all over me while I'm typing...just quiet little children sitting in front of the TV. Barney is a bit of a novelty to them. I don't think they have ever seen a full episode. My dad told me before my kids were born if he was going to help babysit from time to time that he had one rule: "I don't do Barney." haha!

However, this morning, I wasn't paying much attention to what the kids were watching. Sprout, Noggin, Playhouse Disney...I knew it was one of those. I've been pretty swamped this weekend working on assignments for an online class I'm taking (for teacher recertification points)so I've been trying to squueeze in some time to work on the edits for my Cup of Comfort story too. (still keeping my fingers crossed!) Moments of peace and tranquility are rare in this house. In fact, as I am typing this, my children have just finished their popsicles and have started running around the house yelling and playfully tackling each other. Uh-oh! Now I hear the water running in the bathroom...Does Barney come on in the afternoon too?

A Sentimental Sunday

Still Believe
I haven't seen His face, but I have seen His miracles
I haven't heard His voice, but His spirit speaks to my heart
I haven't felt His hands, but I have felt His peace
And blessed are those who haven't seen

And still believe that He lives
And still believe that He walked upon the earth
And though my faith is just a seed
I still believe

I didn't walk with Him, but each day He's here by my side
I didn't watch as He healed, but His love has changed my life
I didn't see the cross, but I know it was for me
And blessed are those who haven't seen

And still believe that He lives
And still believe that He walked upon the earth
And though my faith is just a seed
I still believe

I haven't seen His eyes, but someday He'll look into mine
And if He bids me come, I will worship at His feet
For blessed are those who haven't seen
And still believe.
- Words and music by Hilary Weeks

I want to express my gratitude today for the opportunity I have had to work with the Primary children in our ward at my church over the last few years. I have loved teaching the children and, more than that, learning from their faithful examples and sweet spirits.

I'm also grateful for the opportunity I'll have this coming school year to teach early morning seminary...believe it or not! :) (For those of you who aren't familiar with this, it's a scripture study program,5 mornings/wk from 6:15-7am, for high-schoolers at our church.) This year we will be studying the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus Christ. I'm really excited to share this experience with these kids. The funny thing is I taught most of them in Primary. One of the girls was in my Sunbeams class (3 yr olds) and now she's going into 9th grade! (Do I feel old or what?)

I know this experience will bless my life, and I'll learn and grow from studying the scriptures and working with these great kids. I'm grateful for our Savior and the love He has for each one of us.

Friday Favorites...

Okay, I admit it...I'm a little addicted to blogging. I started my blog a few months ago, and I still can't get over how HUGE the "blogosphere" is... Tackle-It-Tuesdays, Wordless & Works for Me Wednesdays, Friday's POW, contests, organizing tips, recipes, Tuesday Tours....I could go on and on! Whenever my long time friend, Jen, and I get together for a GNO or just a chat on the phone, blogs are all we talk about!!! We swap sites like some people swap recipes! :)

There was one post in particular this week that I really appreciated as a mom. If you have a chance, take a few minutes to read it, "What Moms Do" @ Rocks in My Dryer. It's my favorite this week...although McMommy's "Would You Have Guessed" was a close runner-up! (You have to read the comments on that one...hilarious!)

So for my friends out there who haven't quite gotten your feet wet exploring all these great "mommy blogs", jump in feet first, ladies! There's really a wealth of great ideas out there, and most of all, it's just great connecting with other moms who are experiencing the same day to day ups and downs that you are. It's comforting to know that we're all "writing" the waves together!

WW - Abby's Pet Fish

Abby's been asking, "Mama, can I get a pet?"
I've been answering, "Maybe when you're older, sweetheart."
So, in the meantime, this is what she came up with... :)


For more photo fun, link up to WW on 5 Minutes for Mom!

Justification for Disorganization:

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow,
For babies grow up, I've learned, to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.

--Author Unknown

Tackle It Tuesday - For My Husband...

I've set a new goal for myself. I've been trying to organize something in the house for 15-20 minutes a day. With two little kids underfoot, there are some days when it takes me over an hour to unload the dishwasher so I may be biting off more than I can chew, but I'm going to try! I feel like my house is a cluttered mess. Too many toys, random puzzle pieces, Candyland gingerbread men pop up in mysterious places, half eaten crackers, mountains of laundry, etc, etc,...I'm drowning here!

So in the spirit of making "housework bloggable", I'd like to dedicate this Tackle it Tuesday (hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom)to my husband.

For some reason, a refrigerator wallpapered with artwork, magnets, and photos kind of bugs him. He doesn't seem to notice the obstacle course of toys, stuffed animals trickling down the stairs, a mine field in our garage, and the fact that I can't even put his laundry away because his dresser drawers are overflowing with mismatched socks, long underwear, and old bike shop t-shirts, but the refrigerator bugs him. Go figure!
So this is for you, Dear...

I still couldn't let the fridge go completely naked, but it's better!
I got this cute little ribbon board (is that what you call them?)for my photos at Kohl's for $9. Turned out pretty cute!

Stay tuned for next week's update. I'll be tackling this -

You never know what is lurking behind closed doors...yikes!

Fun 4th Fotos!

You know how I love smilebox! You can click the photos to zoom in and see captions. There's even a little video at the end...fancy, huh? Hope you all had a great 4th of July!

Make a Smilebox postcard

An Apple A Day...

I took the kids for the their yearly check-ups this afternoon. It was a fluke that I even got in today. I called yesterday to make the appointments thinking I'd have to wait a couple weeks to get in when the receptionist says, "We could see them tomorrow at 2:15."

Huh?

"Um, okay," even though I'm thinking - Crud, that's right in the middle of Noah's nap time. Still, I've been needing to take him in because his eczema has gotten worse and the dermatologist offices I had talked to earlier that afternoon "can't" see any new patients until December. (Crazy, huh? Kids are supposed to just deal with itchy red rashes for 6 months? THAT'S RIDICULOUS!!!)

So I take them in today and have my husband meet me there. I've learned from past experience that if I'm taking both kids to the doctor, I definitely need some back up, especially if shots are involved. Daddy is the designated shot guy. I don't do shots. I get too upset when the kids get upset which does not help the situation. (I know I'm a wimp.)

Abby asked me on the way, "Mommy, do I have to get shots today?"

"I don't know, sweetie." I really didn't know. I was hoping the answer was no, but I told her, "We'll have to ask the doctor."

Lo and behold, the doctor says, "There are actually four shots she can get today."

Abby heard him, of course, and immediately cowered like a scared little puppy dog. My heart sank.

"Can get?" I ask. I thought she may need one or two, but FOUR?

"Well, we can break them up and do two today and two at her 5-year-old check up, but we might as well do them all today so you won't have to worry about it next year," he says.

Booster shots at 4 years old? Then I remembered the immunization sheet the preschool gave me (that I haven't looked at yet) and wondered if those shots were on there. This will be our first year of preschool so I'm thinking maybe I'm supposed to have these for preschool too...I don't know. I go back and forth with the doctor for a couple minutes about splitting them up, and he continues to assure me that it's better to just "get it out of the way."

By that time, Abby has wrapped her arms around Daddy's neck, Noah is still crying from the doctor gagging him with the tongue depressor a few minutes before, and we're pumping Abby up telling her how brave she is. "You'll get TWO lollipops and FOUR cool band-aids(she loves band-aids), and Daddy will hold you."

Then the doctor whisked me off to his office to discuss percentiles, concerns, safety precautions, etc... I know this is important stuff, but meanwhile, Pat is in the hallway with a kid in each arm, Abby's upset, and Noah is still crying and yelling, "Mama! Mama!", but the doctor just keeps on talking. I was hoping he would say, "Go ahead and grab your little boy." But he just ignored him. I wasn't feeling much love for this doctor.

When I'm finally dismissed, Pat has distracted Noah with a lollipop and the nurse is preparing the shots as Abby squirms and clings to Daddy. And you know the rest... Poor thing! She ended up getting two in left leg and one in EACH arm. I'm just glad Daddy was there to hold her. This had to be the most upset I've ever seen her. She cried all the way down to the parking lot and into the car. Luckily, the lollipop eventually kicked in. (Gotta LOVE lollipops!) She was all smiles at home when we made an ice cream sundae. (Dessert makes everything better!) However, she insisted I had to carry her to the kitchen table because "I can't walk very good, Mama." Poor kiddo.

I'm still second guessing myself with this whole thing today. I should have been more prepared and known these shots were coming. I should be more educated about immunizations in general.(I didn't even know there were 2 shots for chicken pox.) I should have stood my ground about splitting up the shots. I should have brought that stupid preschool form with me.

Maybe we should just start eating more apples...


* I did find this parent's guide today with more info on recommended vaccines. Any suggestions for other informative sites on this?

A Magical Moment for "Wordless Wednesday"

Our little princess riding Cinderella's Carousel (Disney 3/08)

Share your magical moments on Wordless Wednesdays.

A Piece of Cake...

Want a cute themed cake for your kid's birthday? Believe it or not, you can make it yourself (with a little help from the web)!!! Click the links for decorating tips!

Noah's Blue's Clues cake - He couldn't get enough of the blue icing! (6/08)



Princess Abby's castle cake - It was royal hit! (5/08) This idea was from my friend, Diana. She is the queen of cute cakes! (Maybe this post will inspire her to post her cakes...hint! hint!)


Abby's "Flyboat" cake. She went through a big Wonder Pets phase. (5/07)


Noah's 1st All-Star birthday cakes - Football, baseball, basketball

These are all cake mix cakes with the exception of the Flyboat. I used a store bought pound cake for that. You can modify the recipes to make 'em as simple or as fancy as you'd like. It's really not as difficult as it may look or, believe me, I would not even attempt it. I am not a skilled baker or cake decorator in any way, shape, or form! But it is fun to make these cool cakes for the kids. They just love them!

*I posted this on Kitchen Tip Tuesdays and Works for Me Wednesdays. (Aren't you proud of me, Jen?) Check out the links! There are TONS of great ideas!