Baby Got Crack

When the tunes are thumpin'
this girl is jumpin'

i love this girl

i love this girl

i love this girl

i love this girloh yes i do.

Friday Flashback

December 2007
BEFORE...

January 2008
DURING...well, after LASIK
don't you wish your girlfriend
was hot like me

don't you wish your girlfriend
was a FREAK like me

January 2009
AFTER...
One Year Later & 20/20

who says blondes with glasses have more fun?

Counting Kernels

It's that special time of day...
** Treat Time **
dishwasher running, baths given, lunches fed, stories read, children napping, Quiet House
So in my 7 minutes of free time I "treat myself"
Hmmmm.... what will it be today?
Oreos?
(you & me Liz)
Peppermint Ice Cream with chocolate milk?
Recess peanut butter anything?
no, today it will be
Cheesy Popcorn & Diet Coke.
MMMMM good.
(7 minutes later)
Well, I have finished my post & I have finished my treat.
back to work.
Thank you for sharing treat time with me.
(and I must give a shout out to auntie "V" [Venetia] who made my kids the adored Sponge Bob Quilt behind me)

Beckie Had a Little Lamb

If you ask me, I think everyone needs a little "Lambie" in their life.
My "Lambie" or LambChop (as we so affectionately call it) is always on the couch, waiting to comfort, warm & lull to sleep.
And really, is there anything better than a Loved One and a "Lambie" all snuggled up into one big happy family burrito?

Thank you "Lambie" for the JOY you bring.

Death by AXE... cologne, that is.

14 years of anticipation
all leading up to one monumental event...
Their First Stake Dance

Chase & McKay were so excited to attend their first Stake Dance... and BONUS it was from 9:00 - 12:30, being on New Years' Eve. They could hardly contain their nervous energy. At one point McKay had to come home & lie down for a bit (excitement overload). They went shopping & bought new shirts, took extra long showers, made a list (and checked it twice), brushed their teeth thrice and of course doused themselves in AXE.
All while dreaming about the LADIES.
Prepping
Primping
Posing

Lookin' Good Fellas.
(interested females can contact me for a mothers' interview)

Dog Days - Round 2

I'll give you One Guess as to what we were having for lunch...

hint: "It's the Cheesiest"

For All You Naysayers

For those who proposed that I had cut all of the "personality" out of Tony's hair, I submit into evidence...

I have nothing further, your honor.

Friday Flashback

March 2006
the day we Saved the Chicks!!!
(ok, technically ducklings, but you KNOW i love chicks)
I was loading my kids into the car & looked across the street.
Here is what I saw...

A limping mother duck with 14 little chicks marching down the sidewalk...
Immediately I began to worry about these little chicks & what could possibly happen to them on Heather Ave (cars, kids... dogs!)
I called Karen & we decided it was time for action!
She grabbed her dog kennel & after 3 (short) hours and a loaf of bread, we caught the mama duck. Her babies quickly followed.
Safe at last!!!

We loaded the duck family into Karen's truck & drove them over to Freestone Park, where she set them free.

Happy Day.

Happy Chicks!

I Got My Baby Back, Baby Back, Baby Back...

I never thought I would be grateful to have my boy JUMPING off the furniture, THROWING everything in sight & TEARING up the house.

The girls have even forgiven him today for several incidents of hair pulling and/or general bodily harm.

But tomorrow pal, it's back to business as usual.
I'll start warming up the Time-Out beanbag chair.

Pointing Fingers

When things go wrong, sometimes it just feels better to lay the blame.
And to tell you the truth, between Tony's 1 stint in the hospital, 2 doctor visits, 3 major rainstorms & 4 water pockets in our drywall, I think I am entitled.
So here you go.
(enjoy Brio friends)

Now, don't you feel better?
I do.

The Saga Continues

With Tony still feeling miserable, everyone has joined me in "comfort & cuddle" time...

thank you Mike, Jon, McKay, Courtney & Valerie

oh, and Murphy.

Just to let you know... THIS is what happens

when mom feels like
i just have one thing to say...
Can Someone PLEASE Come Shovel My Kitchen???

What I've Been Up To...

You might be thinking...

Christmas Cards
Cinnamon Walnuts
Shopping
Decking the Halls
Teacher Gifts
NOPE.
None of the Above.
THIS is what I've been up to...
Watching poor Tony carrying his "puke bucket" around for 3 days... what a trooper.
Taking Tony to the hospital for dehydration... mean, nasty, ugly flu.
Helping Tony navigate his first hospital visit, which included rectal thermometers, chest x-rays, IV fluids (after 2 failed attempts) and urine output monitoring.
Somehow I don't think he will be anxious to make a return visit, in spite of the Elmo sticker.
Feeling happy when Tony's 5 hour ordeal ended with a much perkier boy & a purple popsicle (that is, until he threw it up immediately upon arriving home)
Snuggling. Kissing. Comforting. Commiserating.

You know, sometimes a girls' gotta do what a girls' gotta do.

A Festivus Miracle!

Mike & I found our kids the perfect wooden play set (for the perfect low price) on Craigslist, after much research & googling. Once we had made our purchase the reality began to set in...
HOW in the WORLD are we going to get the play set from point A to point B ???

Stress.
And then came Kent, Dave & Bob (with kids in tow) to our rescue. Our super hero friends helped Mike pick up the play set & transport it to our house on Bob's flatbed.

This was the scene as they pulled up.

Pause for Dave & Mike to de-spider-web... ewwwwww!

Kent, whom we now refer to as "The Man", skillfully maneuvered the play set UP & OVER our fence with his forklift.

The crew on the other side lifted the play set off the forklift & into our backyard...

and I didn't see my 3 youngest children until the sun went down...
Oh Happy Day!
Thank you Super Heroes.
ps - i'm still looking for the perfect thank-you gift, but haven't come across any "thanks for moving my play set with your mad skills" cards...

Friday Flashback

DECEMBER 2006

~ Our Nativity ~

a beautiful angel
a sweet little sheep
a nurturing shepherd
a glowing Mary

three distinguished Wise Men
one very happy Joseph
and our very own Babe in a manger

JOY

Random Thoughts

You know you're *SMITTEN* when you love the smell of your kids stinky morning breath... okay, maybe LOVE is a bit strong

But seriously, stinky breath aside, my favorite time of the day is that moment somewhere between sleep & awake... when they are warm, drowsy, snuggly & oh so kissable.

Friday Flashback

December 1998
Just a Bit O' Holiday Cheer

Is there really any question why I love these rascals?
ho ho ho, bro.

It's Just a Flesh Wound...

Weird, but TRUE story...
not for the faint of heart...
I was wearing my one & only pair of jeans with (minimal) BLING, if you can even call it BLING.
I had a pleasant day... nothing out of the ordinary... that is until I was getting ready for bed.
As I was getting my pajamas on, Mike says, "Beck, there is BLOOD all over the back of your leg!"
What the...?
Yes, there was in fact BLOOD dripping down the back of my leg.
We did a bit of sleuthing & came to the bizarre conclusion that the BLING on my jeans had STABBED me... yes you heard me, my jeans had inflicted me with a minor (or not so minor) flesh wound.
It took us about 40 min to get the bleeding controlled.
Weird.

funny (weird) side note: I actually had a picture of my butt bling on the night of the "incident"... I guess I should be flattered that Mike still likes to take pictures of my butt after 18 years.
so romantic.

I decided to snap a few photos.
just in case you didn't believe me.

What's the old saying,
"beauty is pain" or "pain is beauty" ??
either way, I wholeheartedly agree.

Ping Pong Protege

Tony is all about being just like his big bros.
No surprise that he is working on his mad Ping Pong skills, double-teaming on Chet.

serious concentration

sup dawg