Friday Confessional...

I confess:

*I know being a parent is hard work. It has it's ups and downs, good days and bad days. Twice today my Kindergartener has told me he wants a new mommy. Ouch. That one hurt. I take it a lot more personal from him because he is adopted and for some reason, that just cuts a little deeper. I know he doesn't mean it. I know he is just upset with me because I combed his hair before school (that's when he said it the first time) and I wouldn't let him have a snack while I was making dinner. (second time he said it.) He is growing up and learning how to deal (or not deal) with his feelings and disappointments. It still hurts when he says things like that. I am still the one he climbs in bed with every night and still the one he wants to snuggle with when he is upset. I can't be all that bad then right?

I confess:

*I am a paranoid, freakish person who has seen way too many episodes of Criminal Minds for my own good. I think everyone is going to kidnap me, torture me and then kill me. I hate being out alone at night. I just know that I am gong to cross paths with some psycho murderer. When I am walking to my car I carry my keys so one key is between each finger so I can poke your eyes out if you attack me. I am deathly afraid of parking garages. That's where the bad guys always seem to hang out. If I see a big van pass by slowly or parked next to me, I know there is a crazy lunatic in there too cuz that's the only type of vehicle they drive.

I confess:

*I feel so ungrateful. My husband finally started his job that we have been waiting on since December. That part is awesome. The not so awesome part is that I feel like everything else is falling on my shoulders to take care. All the stuff with the photography business that normally he would take care of is now my responsibility. Keeping up with the kids by myself is exhausting. AND...he does have some traveling with his new job. So that part will be awesome too. We have been wanting this financial stability for months. It finally starts to happen and I whine and moan and have a pity party for myself because I am feeling overwhelmed. Toughen up girl and deal with it. Geez!! Be grateful your husband now has a job and the job that you have allows extreme flexibility and not a lot of work for decent money. Okay, that description of my job makes it sound like I am a stripper. No stripping here...unless you are into a 30 something woman, who has given birth and still not gotten her pre-baby body back yet but does have a nasty question mark shaped scar from kidney surgery on her stomach who also won't get naked unless the lights are out. If that sounds good to you, then hey, you never know what could happen.

I confess:

*I'm addicted to my cell phone. We are talking down right ridiculously obsessed. I'm outside jumping on the trampoline with the kids today playing Words with Friends and checking Facebook. Put down the phone Monica and step away. I need to be on the show on A and E called Intervention. I need to start spending time away from my phone. We are growing too close.

I confess:

*Speaking of jumping on the trampoline, ever since I gave birth, I hate jumping on the trampoline. I'm sure if you have given birth before, you know why. TMI?

Head on over and read all the other Friday Confessionals. They are sure to be entertaining!!

Easter Decor

I didn't decorate for Valentine's Day.

I didn't decorate for St. Patrick's Day.

I didn't even decorate for President's Day...okay, I haven't ever decorated for President's Day, but you get my point.

I figured I would get my Easter decorations up in plenty of time to enjoy them. I also like the colors and fresh feeling they bring to our home. It makes me envision Spring and remember that eventually, the snow and nastiness of Winter will go away and we can enjoy the nice weather. Someday. Right?

This is the entry way of my house. I got the table off KSL last year and LOVE it.

The vinyl blocks were a church project last year. Love the colors!!

I heart Tai Pan Trading!!! The bunnies were really inexpensive and notice the colors? One brown and one white...just like my babies!! Awesome!!

This is the table in the sitting room. I think it would look great as a sofa table, but our current couches recline so having a table behind them doesn't really work.

These bunnies kinda drive me crazy, but Emma helped me decorate, so there they sit.

Top of the piano, also in the sitting room.

Another Tai Pan find. It was 50% off because some of the eggs were coming off. A little hot glue and we are as good as new.

I'm loving the flowers I found. I don't know why they got put away with the Easter stuff. They are so Springy.

Entertainment center in the family room. A couple of Easter decorations and a lot of greenery. Again...think Spring and maybe it'll get here faster.

Not really Easter or Spring, but I think it's cute.
I had the plate and then just cut out a vinyl G.

More color to liven up the house.

Oops...picture is a little crooked.

This is the front door. As of tomorrow, it will also have a No Soliciting sign on it. We had a solicitor last night at 9:00. Normally the kids would have been in bed and probably asleep. Last night we weren't exactly on schedule, but still 9:00? Really?! I understand these people are just trying to do their job, but it drives me crazy!!

Linking up to Centsational Girl Spring Decor Party.
There are such cute ideas posted over there. Go check them out!!

Friday Confessional...

It's time for my favorite post of the week:

Friday Confessional!!

I confess:

-It drives me crazy that I have to use anti-wrinkle cream and zit cream. I mean, come on! I'm not 13 any more nor am I 50. But if I didn't use either one, ScArY!!

I confess:

-I have been coloring my hair to cover my grays for almost 10 years. When Marcus and I got married almost 8 years ago, I had one gray hair. If I didn't color my hair regularly, I would be almost completely gray. I'm only 29!!! (I know, I know...remember..I am always going to be 29...for like forever!!) I use to always get it colored professionally, but when we had to start watching every penny, that luxury went out the window. Now I have to do it myself. from a box. from the grocery store. The horror, I know.

I confess:

-I still shop in the junior department. I can't bring myself to shop in the women's department. I don't want to dress like my grandma. (No offense, Grandma.) I struggle finding my own style. I don't want to look like a teenager, but I don't want to look like a grandma. There needs to be a happy medium somewhere. There have been numerous times that I have had the same shirt, or pants or purse as one or more of the young women I work with at church. I don't want to be one of those 50 year old women that still dresses like they are 12. You know the ones I am talking about: they look like leather from all the years of tanning, their hair is like 3 feet tall and bleach blonde, their clothes are WAY too tight and their fingernails are longer than their fingers. That's gonna be me in 20 years. Except I don't tan since my grandpa died of skin cancer. I'm always as white as a ghost and I'm okay with that. But the rest will be me unless I learn to dress my age.

I confess:

-I find myself watching the kids' shows (I Carly, Wizards of Waverly Place, Victorious) when they aren't even around. I think I Carly is freakin' hilarious!! Love that show. And yes, I listen to Justin Bieber when Emma isn't around. But don't tell her; she will freak out and get all psycho on me. Justin is hers and only hers.

Great...I just realized that I have revealed to the whole wide world....or small handful of people who actually read this..that I am really a 30 something that colors her gray hair, still gets acne, has wrinkles and dresses like a teenager. Classy Monica. Classy.

Poor Thing...

While I was at my mom's house this weekend, I found some pictures she had stored away in a box of me growing up.

Everyone says that Emma is a spitting image of me and my response is always, "Poor Thing!!"

Now I have proof as to why I say that. Let me present the evidence:

Exhibit A1:

This is Emma December 2009. She was 2 years old in this picture.

Exhibit A2:

This is me when I was probably around the same age.

At this young age, it's okay that we look a like. We are both cute, blond little girls.
It's the later years that make me feel sorry for Emma looking so much like me.


This brings me to Exhibit B:

Is this REALLY what she has to look forward to?? Really?! The poor girl!! I have no idea what has happened here. I seem to have a growth on my head. Let's never speak of this again, mmmkay!!!

Exhibit C:

This was my 7th grade picture. Not too bad other than the bushy eyebrows and gnarly teeth. I have the Utah claw thing going on with the bangs, but over all not that bad. But then....

Exhibit D:

(Yes, I know it's crooked..too lazy to fix it.)

What in the world happened in Junior High? And why on earth are my glasses SOOO large?! Seriously! They cover half my face. My eyes had a hard time seeing; not my cheeks!! And to top off the great picture, there is serious glass glare on my bushy eyebrows! Note to photographers: there is a way not to get glass glare, Genius!!

So, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, with the evidence that has been shown before you today, I feel like you can completely understand why when people say Emma looks just like me, I say, "Poor thing." And I think you can see it now too.

The defense rests.

Naughty Little Leprechaun

We had a little visitor the other night that wrecked havoc in our home.

He left his dirty footprints all over the kitchen and left gold coins and candy on the counters and the table.

He was nice enough to make us cupcakes.

And then he ate one

and made a mess with the crumbs.

Then the little bugger turned off my alarm clock and made Christian late for school.

School starts at 8:30.

We woke up at 8:31.

Oops.

I wonder if Christian actually told his teacher that was why he was late...

Friday Confessional: Man Cold...

I confess:

If my husband doesn't get over his "man cold" soon, I don't know which one of us is going to come out alive. You have the sniffles; you aren't going to die. After I continually made fun of him for being such a baby, he had to go online and find proof that a man's immune system isn't as strong as a woman's and so when they get sick, they get sicker. Did he really think he needed to show me proof that women are better? Did he really think I wasn't all ready aware of that fact?

I confess:

I'm not a very good nurse to him when he is sick. Now if my kids are sick, I am Mary Freakin' Poppins. You need a drink? Got it. You want to lay around and watch movies all day? Done. You have an itch, I will scratch it. But when the husband is sick, I pretty much just tell him to get over it. Toughen up and stop your whining. You want a drink? You have legs, get it yourself? You are hungry? There is food in the kitchen.

I confess:

I find it funny that he can donate a kidney and not complain about the pain but when he has a runny nose, he thinks he is going to die. I've had the same cold for almost two weeks now and you don't hear me complaining. Now I didn't say I hadn't been complaining, but the husband's moans and groans drown out my little complaints of not feeling well. I don't want to annoy him by moaning my death bed wishes because I have the sniffles. (just wish the husband was as considerate.)

I confess:

I feel like maybe I should feel bad that I am leaving him for four days to go to the my parent's house. But he's a big boy. He'll survive, right? The two little ones and I are going to my brother's baby's blessing and Emma and I are still sick. I hate when people bring their sick kids out around other people, especially little babies. So we have our hand sanitizer, face masks, cough medicine and nebulizer all packed and ready to go with us. We are going to keep our own nasty germs to ourselves.

I confess:

I'm so ready for spring/summer to finally get here. Good bye nasty colds and coughs. Good bye jackets and socks. Good bye to feeling guilty making the kids play outside. Hello to kicking the kids outside all day and only seeing them when they need food and when I have to kiss ouchies better. Hello to popsicles and ice cream van. Hello to not having to wake up at the butt crack of down to get to Kindergarten everyday.

I confess:

I am now just rambling so I don't have to get up and get my day going. I have to pack for the weekend and get some stuff done around the house, but yet, here I sit. Typing away at the computer while Emma watches Sleeping Beauty and not wearing pants. (Emma not wearing pants, I have pants on. She can pull it off; me, not so much.)

Head on over and read the other confessionals; they are usually quite entertaining!!

The Beginning of Spring Cleaning...

I use to be completely and totally obsessed, borderline OCD about keeping my house perfect. Eight years of marriage and two kids later, a lot has changed. I've gotten lazy. Or I've gotten more realistic more likely. I've relaxed a lot...sometimes too much. (Don't go near my laundry room right now. The laundry monster that keeps reproducing more laundry might get you. I wish I was as fertile as it is.) Anywho...I've let my house get unorganized and crazy. I crave organization and cleanliness and schedules. I've been so out of whack and out of control lately with all the (insert bad word of choice here) I have had to deal with lately. I went to make a grocery list the other day and snapped. I gutted my kitchen and cleaned, I mean REALLY cleaned it. When I get in this "mood" as my husband calls it, nothing else matters. It took me two days to completely clean the kitchen and of course I didn't take any before or during pictures. Bet your sweet booty I have the good after pics though.

When I cleaned out my pantry, this was all the expired food that was in there. Yum! Yum!

I still don't like the way my pantry is organized. Someday I want a pantry that looks like this. LoVe it!! Until then, we have this:

Threw away all the left overs that never get eaten but continue to get put in the fridge.

A few of the cupboards after they were cleaned out and a box was filled with stuff to donate.

I like to pretend I cook a lot with all those cookbooks. I'm actually in a slump. We have like 10 meals that we rotate among. I need to find new recipes. You would think with all the books I have, we would have a different meal every day and never repeat. Again, I'm too lazy right now, I guess.

This is the cupboard above the the computer desk in the kitchen. It has never really been functional, more like a gathering place for the whole family's junk. Maybe now with a little organization, life can take a short break from being so hectic. Or I can pretend anyway...

I have put some filing folders on the side of the fridge so I can organize things as soon as they come in. The kitchen is the dumping ground for everyone so I am willing to try anything. Five minutes after the kitchen is clean, it's trashed again.

My kitchen hasn't been redone since we built our house and since I am broke, I can't do anything about it. I "shopped" my house and re-arranged the top of the cupboards. I took most of the sunflower stuff down. Once I have a little extra money, I have ideas of what I want to do.

Finally!
A clean kitchen.

Let's see how long it stays clean.

This is our front room, sitting room, boring room, formal room...whatever you call it. I have such plans for this room!! I'm getting rid of the couch. (Hate it!) I want to paint some dark brown in there and finally get curtains up. Once again, when I have extra money to throw around.

This is an area of my house that I have never done anything with. I don't know what TO DO with it. It's above the entry way and the outside wall of the master bedroom. It's a big, tall, bare wall. I need ideas.

Over at Organizing Junkie, Laura is doing a 52 week program to get your house organized. I'm just getting on board now so obviously I am a little behind. I'm anxious to get started on the rest of my house and clean clean clean!! (After I get done snuggling and watching movies with a sick little three year old that is.)

Christian's Jazz Basketball Birthday Party...

My wonderful little boy turned six in January and wanted a basketball party. We had it at the church since it is freezing cold here and we don't have a basketball hoop. (As long as we are in the house we are in, we won't have a hoop. Our driveway is slanted and I see had things happening with a basketball hoop outside on it.)
A big gym where there was plenty of room to run and be maniacs was perfect. I didn't decorate a whole lot, just a few signs, streamers and balloons.

We had hot dogs and kool aid...

and we rented a cotton candy machine. It was a HUGE hit with the kids!!

My attempt at basketball cupcakes. I think this is my last attempt at making the kids' cakes. They never turn out and I'm never happy with them. That's what the grocery store bakery is for, right?!

Cracker jacks were the thank you's.
We invited A LOT of kids, but I didn't think they would all come. All but one of the kids came...leaving us with about 20 kids. It was insane!!!

I was worried about not having enough things to do and that there were too many kids, but by the look on this little boy's face, it was all good.

I think next year we will cut the list of kids in half and only have the party last an hour and a half. Lots of kids meant a lot of presents. It took a while to open all of them and by the end most of the kids, including the birthday boy himself, were ready to be done with the presents.

It was a good party and the kids had a lot of fun.
Now I need to start thinking of ideas for Emma's 4th birthday party in June. She has changed her mind half a dozen times on what kind of party she wants. Ask her right now and I guarantee she will say a Justin Bieber party...that'll be fun!!