Confessions of a Shopaholic...The Color Purple

As I'm going through my drawers,

I realized I've become obsessed (again)

I become obsessed quite easily.

But don't you worry, I'm not obsessed like the crazy lady in the Beyonce' movie.

It's just shopping obsessed.

And as easy as it comes, it goes.

For now, me and my obsession are in love the color purple.

I was digging for some clothes and ran across a few of my favorite things:

Now I dont think this is the exact top, but mine is pretty much like this.

And for $6.80 you can get one in every color!

I love that you can wear it on a hot summer day with shorts.

Or dress it up with some dark jeans, cardigan, and boots later in the evening.

Shhh...here's a secret...Get 10% off all your Forever21.com orders by entering code:CHIC21

PLUS free shipping for orders over $75.

While I was school shopping for the kids, we found these tanks for $2.00 ea.

Of course, I just had to pick up the basics - black and white, but totally threw in a purple for fun!

It doesn't look like they're only $2.00 anymore , but they're on sale for $2.99 - $8.50 for various colors.

I just won this gorgeous dress in eggplant on ebay for ONLY $10.00!!!

oh yeah, you read that right! A whole 10 dollars!

It BETTER fit!

I can't begin to tell you how just how much I love ebay. (that's a whole other obsession)

I know ebay clothes shopping makes people nervous.

But if there's a brand that you love that you know fits you well, you might wanna give it a try! (C'mon Cis, you can do it!!)

These are a few of my favorite ebay sellers.

They sell Victoria Secret brand clothes that start out at only .99 cents,

oh yeah, you will never find a better deal.

B H Factory Outlet

MJR Sales

And since I'm obsessed, I totally need a Iman Global Chic City Tote in Plum

Isn't it gorgeous??!!

And look it's almost Sold OUT!!

I bet it won't become an aquarium, like my awesome summer purse turned out to be.

Oh yeah, and since I was trying to find pics of my clothes, look at what I found...

I totally want this too!!

It's only $6.99 at Forever21.com add it towards the $75 for free shipping!

I think the rest of my family would be horrified!

You see, I'm getting my daily dose of fruits and veggies.

In Plums and eggplants- it's good for my diet too!

Happy Shopping!

Lazy days of... dish washing!

Sunday was a lazy day,

the first lazy day in a long time.



It was nice to not do anything,

not have anything planned,

not have any appointments or parties to miss.



I'm not usually one to do nothing.

It usually drives me NUTS.



But today I needed to take some to relax and recharge.

Me and the boy lounged in the bed til 9:30.

Until as I was laying there with my eyes clothes and my head rested on the pillow

I felt something hard hit me in the head, something that felt like it flew accross the room.

I open my eyes to see these 5 characers laying there by my head too!

And I know one of them is the guilty party!

The boys look of worry as he realized that it actually hit me!

Uggghhh...he's such a boy!

I could hear hubby in the kitchen clanging around pots and pans.

Opening and closing the fridge.

I resisted getting up to help.

That is until he brought me a delicious cup of hot java with extra cream to bed....mmmm!!!



I got up to and headed to the kitchen to find him cooking up some huevos rancheros.



But I did notice out of the corner of my eye a sink full of dishes.



I can't stand to cook or eat with a sink full of dirty dishes.



So I couldn't resist any longer. I washed the 1st sinkload of dishes for the day.



We ate our yummy breakfast and I watched the plates, forks, cutting boards, and pans pile up.



I washed the 2nd dishload of dishes.



We sat on the couch and watched a movie.



The girls woke up later and the teenager made herself and her sister scrambled egg quesadillas.



More pans, plates, and forks piled up.



I washed the 3rd dishload of dishes.

(normally I would yell at them to do it, but it's their last day of summer break, so I gave them a break for once!)



Then it was lunchtime. The boy and I had grilled cheese with carrots and chips.



And you guessed it, more dishes!



Round 4!



We lounged around some more, watched another movie.

Then I ran to the grocery store to pick up some groceries and things.



And now that I sit here cooking dinner my hands have just been dried off from washing dishload #5!



Because we've had snacks and drinks in between lunch and dinner, of course.



I love eating every meal at home but I got smart!



I just bought paper plates!!

Dinner...again?

The boy is a sugar freak!
I think he dreams about his juice, candy, gum, ice cream.

He loves it!

He gets that from his Daddy.

Hubby picked up the boy from school a couple days ago and took him to the grocery store. When they arrived home, the boy was just ecstatic because his daddy bought him Bubble Tape.

Yes, 3 feet of ooey, gooey, sugar goodness!

(I'll admit, I'm not a perfect Mom, I give in, he does eat sugar and processed food sometimes. He's #3, I'm too tired to argue! He'll be ok, really)

So night #1 hubby tells the boy, you can have a piece of gum AFTER you finish all your dinner.

He complies.

However on morning #2, as soon as Daddy leaves for work, he pops another piece in his mouth. I told him to spit it out and brush his teeth, at least eat a processed waffle with some syrup first!

As dinner rolls around, the boy has his piece of gum prepared. It's sitting on his dinner plate so that he can enjoy it after he finishes all his food.

What was that?! Daddy heard you had a piece of gum in the morning??!!

Oh no Son, sorry, no gum for you tonight!

Oh, the torture. He was devastated.

Move on to night #3, as we're driving home from pre-school the boy asks if he can have a piece of gum tonight.

After dinner son, I reply.

D I N N E R??!!!

(with the most perplexed look of disappointment on his face)

A G A I N??!!

Why do we always have dinner??!!

I couldn't help but laugh.

Sorry, Son, you're gonna have dinner every night for the rest of your life.

Dinner was great!

and even more fantastic because the Teenager cooked a whole chicken all by herself!

And this was probably the look she had on her face when she read the directions via text message. Mixed with that look my lil' sis is giving in the background!

I'm so proud of you girl, Mom's never even done it! Thanks for your help.

Here's a copy of the recipe, fairly simple, and delicious! (you probably shouldn't make it on the hottest night of the year like I, ahem, I mean she did!)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Juicy-Roasted-Chicken/Detail.aspxINGREDIENTS
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon onion powder, or to taste
1/2 cup margarine, divided
1 stalk celery, leaves removed

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place chicken in a roasting pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle inside and out with onion powder. Place 3 tablespoons margarine in the chicken cavity. Arrange dollops of the remaining margarine around the chicken's exterior. Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces, and place in the chicken cavity.
Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove from heat, and baste with melted margarine and drippings. Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy your dinner!

The Big Debate - M.D. vs Chiropractor

So on goes the drama of my shoulder/arm/neck/hand pain.

I had gone to the Dr. a few weeks ago and he diagnosed it as radiculopathy.
The Dr. understood all my symptoms and as he explained the syndrome to me,
It all made sense.

Yes, he gets it.

He prescribed heat, Bengay, light rubbing/massage, and anti-inflamatory (ibuprofen)
I've gone for the x-rays and blood work, but the pain is still constant.

I know that these two professions have a bit of a disagreement in beliefs, but I asked anyway...
Should I see a Chiropractor?
Now just imagine this dr. turning to me with one raised eyebrow and replied in his thick accent...
This is a problem with your nerves, I don't want to say I don't like Chiropractors, but if you don't feel better you need to see a real Dr. (now I don't think he said real, but he said something of that sort)
I aint no dummy, I caught his drift.
So I decided for a few weeks, I'd give this Dr.'s way a shot.

Yesterday the pain spread even further down the shoulder blade...
up along my back,
thru the armpit,
down the arm,
all the way down to the tip of my pinkie.

I was in agony and misery.

Crying is not something that comes easy to me.

My mama is one tough cookie. She's a cynic, abrupt, and does not break easy.
My pops on the other hand is friendly, calm, and non-confrentational....

So that makes me a mean b*tch with a kind heart that laughs everything off.

I do NOT cry.

This broke me.
This made me cry.

So after a couple weeks of following Dr.'s orders, I decided I was going to the chiropractor.

I give him my symptoms and tell him what the Dr. has diagnosed my pain as.

Now, he turns and give me that one raised eyebrow crooked look too


Then of course, he gave me his spiel...
When you have a problem with your nerves, muscle, tendons, come see me!
What kid of Dr. did you say you went to?!

The Chiropractor diagnosed it as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome


Now when he explained all my symptoms, he too describes everything right on.
He explained how the nerves are inflamed, which makes the muscle irritated,
and that further aggrivates the nerves.

Aha, he gets it! (too?)

So the Chiropractor prescribes the complete opposite-
ice, deep masage, muscle stim and ultra-sound.

I left there feeling understood and relieved of some pain.

But who is right?

I'll try my Chiropractor for a few weeks and try to answer this debateable question.

***Ding, Ding, Ding***Round 2

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Mostly Wordless Wednesday...here's lookin at you kid!

Since I'm still camera-less,

me and the boy had fun goofin' around with the video camera last night...

Lookin' Good!

Happy Wednesday, enjoy your day!

Visit here for more Mostly Wordless Wednesday

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Old Age is right over my shoulder...

everytime I turn around the smell smacks me in the face

B E N G A Y!

If that smell following you around doesn't make you feel old,

I don't know what else will.

My radiculopathy has been visiting me these past few days

and when she does

I slap her in the face with Bengay.

Bam! Pow! Take that you shoulder offender!

However since Bengay is all gooey and sticks to everything

like my bra strap

my hair

my clothes

the smell sets in and

WHAM!

She smacks me back everytime!

Reminding me that I can run,

but I can't hide...

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If you're going on a Cricket Hunt...

make sure you're wearing the proper footwear...

because you might have to catch a spider

with your bare hands!

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Honest Scrap & Straight Outta' a 3 yr old's Mouth

I have to thank Sunshine for handing out this awesome award to me...

I feel like I've won an Emmy or maybe a Grammy (because you know I sing so well!)

So stop by Sunshine's blog and visit her lovely life as she soaks up the sun in the tropics. I'm so jealous!

There are three rules for this award:
Rule #1. link back to the person who gave you the award
Rule #2. Give the award to 10 other bloggers

Now anyone that knows me knows just how much I hate this part.

I'm really bad about this, because I wanna choose everyone in my blog roll.

So please consider this passed on to you!

I truly enjoy reading each and every unique one.

I laugh, I cry...oh sorry, more of that emmy nomination speech coming out!

Rule #3. List 10 honest things about yourself.

1. I overthink just about every thing I do, but alot of times I jump into things really quickly.

2. I H A T E to play sports, but I'm good at shooting hoops!

3. In most ways I'm probably a polar opposite of myself, oh no, does this mean I'm bi-polar??!!

4. Once my mind is made up, I rarely change it, I'm just stubborn that way!

5. I can sing amazing and dance all the latest moves in the car, but once I'm out all rythm is gone

6. I can't stay awake thru a whole movie unless it's really really depressing

7. I cannot measure the width of my body, I'm constantly running into doorways

8. I rarely pass up dessert (maybe that's my problem with #7)

9. I graduated high school at 15.

10. I usually say inappropriate things loudly at the wrong time and don't realize it until I've completely overthunk it! (this is hubby's favorite, he's so embarrassed of me!)

Since I'm usuing my blog as journal of our life, (hopefully one day I can figure out if I actually print this stuff), I have to write down some of the witty comebacks and crazy questions from the kids when they were 3 before I forget...

Teenager- this girl's personality is fierce. She's a fighter and since she was born on my b-day, we clashed A L O T! I've had to learn to deal with this one in an amicable way. (yes Ry, I linked the dictionary meaning for you)

Remember she's 3- I told her she needed to pick up her toys and clean her room. She is very defiant and would not do it.

She's standing there in her doorway with one hand on the door knob and the other on her hip.

Me- If you don't clean you're room you're gonna be in trouble.

Her- So What!

Me- Don't say So What, so what is a bad word.

Her- So What's not a bad word, F*@% you is a bad word!!

Now thank goodness I was in the right mind to punish her right then for saying it, but as soon as I turned around I laughed so hard...sassy little thing you!!

Pre-teen - this is the comeback queen. From the time she could open her mouth, she's been spittin' fire. Problem is, most of the time she's right,take this case for instance...

We're getting ready to go to the playground and she's in her room getting ready. She's always been a little diva and hasn't let me dress her or fix her hair since she was 3. So she comes out of her room with her cute little white sandals on.

Me-You need to take your sandals off and wear tennis shoes

Her- No, I want to wear my sandals

Me- You can't wear your sandals to the playground because you're gonna get sand in your shoes.

Her- I'm gonna get sand in my shoes anyway with my tennis shoes on!

Ugghhh, ok, wear the tennis shoes!

The Boy- now this isn't a comeback, but since he's my only boy, this is the funniest thing ever to me right now...

Call me naive, but I had no idea that boys just have this fascination with their anatomy from the moment they're born. As he's taking a shower yesterday he calls out that he's done.

I go in and open the shower door to see him squeezing his poor little testie in his fingers, back and forth he goes.

Him- Mom, I have a knuckle down here. (as he proceeds to show me)

Me-No son, that's not a knucle.

Him- What is it?

Me- (thinking oh my do I really have to have this conversation right now?!) It's a testicle son.

As I wrap him up and carry him to his room, he's got a steady hold on his new found friend! BOYS! (Glad he can't read yet, he'd be horrified)

And that's some honest scrap!

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Just one wish

A man was riding his Harley along a California beach when suddenly the sky cleared above his head and, in a booming voice, the Lord said, 'Because you have tried to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish.'

The biker pulled over and said, 'Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can ride over anytime I want.'
The Lord said, 'Your request is materialistic, think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking, the supports required reaching the bottom of the Pacific and the concrete and steel it would take!. It will nearly exhaust several natural resources. I can do to it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of something that could possibly help mankind.'

The biker thought about it for a long time. Finally, he said, 'Lord, I wish that I and all men could understand women, I want to know how she feels inside, what she's thinking when she gives me the silent treatment, why she cries, what she means when she says nothing's wrong, why she snaps and complains when I try to help, and how I can make a woman truly happy.'

The Lord replied, "you want two lanes or four lanes on that bridge?'

Aint that the truth?!

Being a woman, you know these things first hand.
But yet, in that moment, you just cannot break this terrible curse of
"why doesn't he just know"
that's embedded in our genes!

Being a mother of two girls, I have the joy of being on the opposite end.
You get the look,
the stares from accross the room,
the peeking from around the corner,
the cold shoulder,
the small talk that is feeling you out to see if you're in a good mood,
or my favorite (from you middle child) the notes!!!

I'm trying to teach them - If you want something, just ASK!!!
Don't beat around the bush, don't expect me to "just know" because most of the time I do.
But because I'm your mom, I'm not gonna make it that easy, sorry darling!

There will be alot of people that we come accross in life that don't "just know" what you want.

Unfortunately, hubby (or shall I say I) took the beating on this one this week.
As I mentioned earlier this week, I've been having some terrible shoulder pain.
Being that I'm always trying to be the OVERLYindependent woman (Rooaarrr!!)
It gets me in trouble sometimes.
I don't like to complain,
I HATE asking for help.
I don't like to be in a position where I can't do things for myself or my family.

But guess what?!

Sometimes your body needs you to be vulnurable, needs you to take some time out.

My shoulder's been hurting me for about 3 months or more
The pain comes and goes.
I thought it was from stress, I needed a massage, my purse was too heavy, etc.
But then the pain moved down my arm thru to my elbow.
Then to my hand.
Then the muscle weakness set in.
When I thought back over the past few months, I remembered that I was dropping things alot.
I haven't been able to sleep good at night because my arm and shoulder would hurt so bad.
It started to hurt to grip the steering wheel for my long trek home.
It hurt to have my fingers bent.
The sensation of the vibration from the steering wheel on my hand drove me insane.
It bothered me to have my hand closed to hold the boy's hand.
Finally, it was time to see a doctor.
The dr. thinks it's radiculothapy which is a pinched root nerve in the neck. It explains all the symptoms that I'm having. But he's checking for athritis too since it runs in the family.

Again, being the indpendent woman, I hadn't really talked about the true pain and worry I was feeling. I expected him to "just know".

Needless to say, every small thing turned into a big thing.
I wanted something, but when asked, I would reply, No thanks, I'm fine.
Of course, getting more hurt and angry that he doesn't "just know"

Finally after 3 days of being angry and probably putting him on an up and down roller coaster,
I gave up.
He tried, I was being resistent.
Honestly, there's no reason for playing the game of CLUE.
Just ask.

Honey, you're not off the hook, my shoulder still hurts, I think I need a massage! (wink wink)



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Growing Pains...

The end of the year is steadily approaching which means birthday season is fast upon us...

The boy will go first, turning 4 in September.

This boy has quite an imagination and can tell a story, well, just about as good as all my other kids! They tend to stretch the truth and turn a small thing into a much grander, more eleborate event!

If you went upon his words, you would think this boy has a dirt bike, and 2 street bikes (motorcycles). (Yes, he wants to be a biker boy, just like daddy and Uncle Jeff)

His bikes are in the shop. They're being worked on because he had an accident.
One is red (because 1 of everything in his life is red) and one is green.
If you'd ever like to see these bikes, you get on the freeway, then go right, then left. I know this because he screamed that during a tantrum on our way home, apparently we were supposed to be going to the shop!

He's lived his life in reverse, sorta like the great Benjamin Button.

When he was a older, he was a bad boy. He went to jail.
(Hence his immense fear for policemen and their guns) However he does thoroughly enjoy locking himself up with those red fuzzy handcuffs play handcuffs he finds!

When he was a teenager, he had 5 dirt bikes. He did tricks on his ramp, on his BMX bike with pegs, and big jumps on his skateboard.

But now he's just a boy. A boy who's obsessed with words like butt and poop!
Take your pick, either one seems to fit into any sentence that comes out of his mouth.

The pre-teen will officially become a teenager in October.

I had the pleasure of taking her school shopping this weekend.
She used to be the girl that would find something no matter where we went, just for the sheer joy of getting something because mom said she could.

But now she's a teenager and everything MUST fit just right. So we walked up and down the mall corrider, going in and out of the stores, trying on this shirt, those pants, arguing about prices and drilling in that I'm not buying her another pair of skinny jeans...for 5 hours this circus goes on, only to find 1 stinkin' shirt!

Oh, how I longed for the days when she enjoyed wearing sweats and would just pick something! I guess after all these years of yelling at her for "just picking something because" has backfired!

The teenager will be 16 in December

She took her first vacation without her family, to Vegas of all places! I know, I'm crazy!
She was with her friends family, and yes, I was terrified at times.
But she's alive and she's home, so that's good, right?!

So Sunday morning we're up and getting ready to go to brunch and I go in her room to check out my outfit in the mirror (I mean 5 hrs of shopping and frustration, I deserved something new!)
She's acting a little funny and giving me that wierd look,
that "I did something wrong, does she notice?" smile
At first I figure it's because we're dressed similar, and I think she secretly likes it

Then I realize it

I see that shining reflection that's beaming off the side of her nose
I look, I yell, "What is that?!! Why did you do that?!!, When did you do that?!!!!!!!!"

Smirk, "I did it last night" "I cleaned everything really good Mom, I used the earing cleaner"

Still yelling "You're gonna get an infection!!!" "I told you next time you need to ask me first"

Next time?! you're asking yourself....oh yes, this is the second time. She recently took out a septum piercing. What is a septum you ask?
a dividing wall, membrane, or the like, in a plant or animal structure; dissepiment.

Yep, a dividing membrane in between the nose, like where you pierce a bull...that's where my sweet girl had her piercing. She recently took that out. But who was I kidding, she then became obsessed with how cute they look on the outside of ones nose.

Well my sweet child, you still had 2 father's you needed to go through. If one didn't have a fit, the other would. I'm sorry your Dad made you take it out!

In due time my love!

Now since we're on her birthday, we of course have to talk about mine because it's the same day. And we hate I mean, LOVE it, don't we?

I am definetly feeling the pain of getting older, now that I'm officially in my thirities, now I'm thirty plus a real number, gasp!!

I realize that ALL the clothes we saw in the mall, were clothes that I wore in jr. high. Funny how these things return. Then I worry that I'm shopping in the same stores.
I see women that are older than my mother at these stores trying things on and wondering to myself, is she really gonna wear that?!

Then I wonder if the kids my daughters age are saying that about me?!

I've been having this terrible pain that has set into my shoulder and moved down to my hand. It's been creeping up on me for a few months now, coming and going, but now I feel like it wants to make a permanent home and it terrifies me! Mom's can't be down, I can't be down. I hate it.
This getting old stuff aint no joke!

So last night, I'm just out of commission. I decide I'm gonna lay down and ice my shoulder.

Hubby's got the boy covered. They get ice cream from the ice cream man. Sweet of them to buy me one, but not in the mood to eat it. So they enjoy theirs.
Since mama's not cooking, they get Taco Bell. I said no to that, but hubby knows, I will not refuse food in front of my face. Smart man that he is brought me some...good thinkin!

But after the ice cream, Taco Bell, kimchi soup, and I'm sure a few other snacks hubby has enjoyed, I wonder to myself - why isn't he growing?

I'd like to send a Shout Out

or a shot out...I'm a dork and don't really know what is the right way to say it...

To the teenager:
I know you didn't want to wake up on Tuesday morning and spend your summer day watching your sick little brother because he had a fever and mom had to go to work.
I know because you looked up at me with squinted eyes as I shook you out of your deep sleep and said "I don't want to", but because I'm the loving mother that I am, I replied "I don't care, you're watching him!!!!!".
You complied and were actually pleasent to deal with for the remainder of the day. It may have had something to do with needing to be nice in order to get school clothes but none the less, you were pleasent and complied, so thank you!

To the pre-teen:
Thanks for helping your sister with the above. And also, thank you for making dinner on Wed. night because we were at swim and haven't had a home cooked meal in 2 weeks!!! Thank you for not burning the rice! The rice and chicken were scrum-deli-umptious!
in 2 months, mama's not gonna be able to call you a pre-teen anymore...oh no!

To the boy:
Thank you for being good when your sister's were watching you. I know you were good because you kept telling your sissy to "tell mommy I'm being good!". And thank you for being so sweet this morning and giving mommy the last bottle of water from the fridge! I know you were going in there with a glimmer of hope that there would be a juice box however to your disappointment there was only a stinkin' bottle of water!

To hubby:
Thanks for loving me for me. I know you think I'm loud and crazy but you love me anyway. I know because you told the girls "that's just your mom, she's loud!" as you tried to explain to them why I text with so many exclamation points and multiple question marks??!!!

To the boy's preschool:
Cause it's Kid's Night Out! I don't know what you do to our kids to pump them up about coming back to school on a Fri night to hang out with their teachers, but I love you for it! We're just as excited cause that means Date Night!! whoohoo!!

To my scale:
Thank you for not budging in the wrong direction these days! Even though I haven't visited my friend treadmill or that crazy monster bow-flex at all this summer. You've let me enjoy my sangria, bud lite lime, and backyard bbq's. I'm hoping the summer bike rides and teaching that boy mama's version of dribbiling is counting for something! I promise, I'm watching my points!
Now if you could just help me fit in these skinny jeans??!


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Mostly Wordless Wednesday...MUD Party!!

Nothing as fun as celebrating a boy turning 3

than a good ol' fashion MuD pArTy!

And what would a party be without dirt cupcakes...and slime...

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Keep your lids screwed on tight!

Ever since I was in 9th grade and took 3-d design class, I have been obsessed with zebra print

I really LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.

It was sorta a secret love because I didnt want to seem too wild and crazy!

It wasn't plastered on everything like it is now.

I had to get comfortable with my love of the animal print.

When I began my business 2 years ago (wow, cannot believe I've been doing this for 2 years)

I felt this would be the best place to display my love of the print

So I bought business cards, post it notes, address labels, and my beloved luggage with my wild print and of course hot pink accents...

I still do not own clothing in this print, I fear that I would have to admit I may be getting to that cougar-ish age!

Eeeeekkkkkk!

But I LOVE me some accessories!

So little by little my display of love is flourishing out in public.

Look at my beatiful new bag for the summer...

And then there's the subtle phone cover...

(and I downloaded the sweetest theme EVER!)

*insert Beyonce' song here***I'm a, I'm a, I'm a D I V A...

(that song plays in my head everytime I pull my phone out of my purse!!)

Too bad zebra's didn't make a cool loud roaring sound, I think they make a meek little squeak!

Enough background, onto my story....

This weekend the boy and I took a roadtrip together, our first trip in an RV

we were headed out to the RV Resort with Grandma and Papa Nixon

I take my great new bag because it's totally awesome and it can fit all my summer "necessities"

The bag makes it on a trip to the pool...

I load it up with beach towels, extra clothes, sunblock, magazines and my personal belongings

It takes a walk back and forth to the corner mini mart with me, and takes the load of more summer goodness- sunflower seeds, ice cream, juice

My purse sits out on the RV lot with me to watch the boy go back and forth in his scooter-

doing his tricks, talking (too much) to the neighbor, moving from chair to chair as people decide to sit down, get up and change chairs, use a chair for snacks

As the sun is setting, everyone decides to go inside. So I decide it's time to load up the purse once again. So in goes the magazine I was reading, the snacks the boy was eating, my cellphone, and a bottle of water the boy was drinking.

A bottle of water you say? Oh yeah, a FULL bottle of water. A bottle of water the boy was drinking from and screwed the lid back on himself!

As I sit down in the RV, I pull out my magazine- why oh why is this magazine SOAKING wet?!!!

Why are all my electronics floating in this fishtank at the bottom of my purse?

Well, you see, this lovely purse is made of plastic, so it's just holding in all this wet goodness in

and sloshing my blackberry, work cell phone, camera, and video camera back and forth in the bottom of this fishtank.

Out I pull each item- wipe, wipe, wipe.

Pulling out the batteries- blow, blow, blow.

Pleading with each item to be safe from the dreaded water damage.

I was able to save all but my poor camera...

So to all you souls out there, please make sure your lids are screwed on tight!

We will be mourning my camera tonight.

http://www.daysoffivelives.blogspot.com/

Confessions of a shopaholic...

My name is Janelle

and I'm a shopaholic! (what is this confession week?)

There I said it...

It's a problem that runs deep in the veins of my family, on both sides, if you can believe that!

My mother is a mini Imelda Marcos - she probably has at least 8 tubs of shoes in the garage (and she honestly donates her "older" ones every few months!!)

My father is a collector of ummm...hmmm....how can we put this lightly eclectic things, let's say! (a lifesize Elvis statue in the family room that changes his hat and accessories with the holidays, a plush moosehead hanging in the living room, the GEM car)

And when Grandpa came home to visit from the Phillipines, he bought the mail order nightvision goggles, listening devices, LIFE music cd's from the 50's - 70's!!

DEEP, I tell ya!

What makes the problem worse is that I'm a regretful shopper, very regretful shopper!

I would buy things, and as I'm paying, this feeling would just come over me...

anxiety - I just feel sick to my stomach! I would go home then go back to the store to return whatever I bought a few days later...

Now I just walk up and down the aisles, fill up my shopping cart and usually have emptied 3/4 of it before I get to check out. I've even been known to buy something at one side of the mall and then go back and return it before I hit the other side!

Bad, i tell ya'

But having 3 kids and a household to manage is alot to worry about when you're shopping!

Of course, there's the "fair is fair" business that you have to factor in. I have to be sure that I'm fairly shopping for the kids, I'm a middle child so of course I know how it feels to think one of your siblings is getting more than you!

Then the cheap girl in me makes it even worse! I could spend 2 weeks on the internet and driving from store to store to make sure I'm getting THE BEST deal ever!!

Gosh, now that I'm writing about it...it sounds pretty bad!

Well it gets even worse, because I become obsessed with whatever it is that I'm thinking about purchasing! It can be something as simple as a $10 purse or party decorations; I must be sure that I'm getting the best deal! And now school clothes for the kids, cause that is coming up soon!

So maybe if I spill some of my finds, I won't feel so guilty about shopping, right?!!

just agree with me...humor me if you will...

School starts for us in 3 weeks! aaahhhh! I have not bought 1 single item!

well that was until about 5 minutes ago...

I usually buy my girls "lots" of Abercrombie jeans on ebay before school starts (and no this is not because of the name, it's because they're so darn tiny that that's what's fits them best!) I'm fortunate enough that they wear the same size!

Their style is somewhat the same, the just do some tweeking and each outfit uniquely fits to their personality...pretty clever those girls are (they got it from their mama!)

This morning, low and behold, I receive the Old Navy circular in my email box and they were having a fantastic sale. Being that I was at work and "working" I didn't have time to check it out.

At 11:45 am preteen sends me a text: "Mom, jeans from oldnavy are only $10 this week you can save money if you buy them now. You can save about $10?(: "

Well isn't that sweet of her, looking out for her dear ol' Mom's wallet??!! (Actually I've trained them well, they know do not even come close to me with an item of clothing that you really really really want without knowing exactly how much it is gonna cost - and my favorite, oh, it's more than $10, nevermind!) I do feel bad sometimes, but with 3 kids, every dollar counts.

Well I did breakdown and buy them brand spankin new jeans from Old Navy.

I got all of these fabulous finds (when is the skinny jean trend going to be OVER??!!)

$11.00 &$12.50 ea

So they're getting 3 pairs each!


And since fair is fair, the boy got some too... ($11.00 ea)

8 pairs of jeans for $94.00

FREE shipping for orders over $50 just use coupon code: FREE50

Happy shopping people!

If I could just fini...

MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh yeah, ummm...finish my sentence.

Could you put that...

ughh...put that over there. Mom!!!

Bring me the...

What Mom? Bring you the what??

If you are guilty of this, you know exactly what I'm talking about

I'm a complete S P A C E R!!!
I make excuses for myself ; I'm too busy, I have alot on my mind, I can't remember everything.
I'm a great listener, but I'm probably not "listening" most of the time
I don't even listen to myself to make sure that I've completed my sentence

This weekend, I deemed the teenager my "Official Sentence Finisher"
what a prestigious title to carry, wouldn't you say?!

This has been going on for, well, probably longer than I'd like to admit.
I remember when I was younger,
my sister was telling me a story...and in the middle she says
"then these green aliens came down from the sky!"
I just looked at her with that strange puppy dog tilt to the head, Huh??!!
"You're not listening again, I just wanted to see if you were paying attention"

Last year at a convention (for my business), there was a speaker there who talked about

Being Present

Imagine that, would ya'
To actually be present in the moment that you are in.

Now mind you, I did hear this about a year and a half ago, and it's slowly sinking in
But it is sinkin' in none the less

Being present would mean....
paying attention to what my kids are saying, I mean really listen - find out who has a crush on who, what this girls friend said to that boy, that she thinks her teacher hates her one day and has a crush on her the next (yes I was listening!!)

Ride bikes after dinner and feel the summer sun and the wind in our hair

Get down on the floor with the boy and play with his motorcycles
Read his book and make all those funny voices and faces

Dance and sing along in the car (oh well, you already know that story) that I can do without a problem!

Listen to stories about the biker boyz and act interested ahem, I mean, yes, I'm really intersted

I'm working on it...

"The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention... A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words."-Rachel NaomiNemen
"At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent. - Barbara Bush

www.daysoffivelives.blogspot.com

I got it from my Mama

Truth be told, I can't lie

I'm terrible at it

My mind starts going a mile a minute

trying to think of what I'm gonna say

I worry that someone might catch me in my lie

My heart races

I probably stutter

start this uncontrolable giggle

my eyes shift back and forth

I break out in the sweats

just terrible

Well wouldn't you know it...

The teenager who was born on my birthday

and has her mama's personality

has the same problem...

(doesn't she just looked thrilled to be taking this photo?!)

Alot of the times she doesn't even have to start speaking

we can tell by the look on her face or by the way the words are coming out of her mouth that it's not the truth!

She's come to learn that she has this trait and will usually stray away from even beginning to speak!

It's quite funny!

(honestly folks you don't realize what a skill you have received)

Just yesterday, we found out that yet another one of the youngin's has been handed down the dreaded curse of "I cannot tell a lie"!!!

But first let me backtrack a few days...

Swim class was fast approaching for the little dude and duddette in our life

My boy is 3, and his cousin is 4

The swim class we want them to take starts at 4 years old, this is the only swim class that would work for my schedule and we want them to be together

So I go back and forth trying to decide if I should put him in the 3 year old class

He's already taken a full summer of swim classes last year so has some of the basic skills

So I decide I'm gonna try to pass him as 4

As I'm driving to sign him up...my mind begins

What am I gonna say if they ask?

Will they ask for a birth certificate?

What date calculates to make him 4 years old already?

What if they ask him?

I can't possibly take him with me...he talks too much!

Well I get there and all I have to do is fill out a spot on a postcard that says "Age:____"

wheh...that was easy, all that fussing for nothing!

Ok, fast foward to yesterday...

The first day of swim class! whoohoo!

I pick him up from school and as we're riding home,

I tell him, "Son, if the teacher asks, tell her you're 4"

I look at him in the rearview mirror and he has this look of horror and confusion on his face

"But why Mom, I'm still 3 only"

"My birthday's not here yet"

Ugghhh...the curse!

"I know son, but you will be 4 next month"

Oh nevermind!

So we go home to change into his swim gear.

He says a quick hello to his daddy.

We hop back in the car to head to class and the questions begin?

"Mom, how old is Kaia?"

"Mom, am I gonna be 4 after swim class?"

I text my hubby, your son can't lie, I told him to say he's 4!

He replies, yes, I know, he already told me the story!

(we were only home for 3 minutes, how could he possibly?!!)

Aaaaahhhhh, I shoulda' never said anything he's gonna give it away!!

They're gonna kick us out of class, in front of everyone!!

My mind is racing again, my heart is pounding!

We get to class and they just put the kids in the water

No checking names, no checking in, no asking questions

whehhh...what a relief

As class is closing, the teachers go around asking the kids

What was your favorite part of the day?

Then one teacher asks her side of the swim class...

What's your name and your favorite color?

The kids take turns answering...

The teacher on my boy's side of the class asks..

What's your age??!!! and your favorite color?

Oh no, we're done!!

heart's racing, I can't even look!

Sure enough...

I'm 3!!

my favorite color is red...

he get's it from his mama!

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