TRICK or TREAT

Meet my Beautiful Bumble Bee and my Little Leopard!!!



Halloween this year was again a warm and beautiful day. We spent the day relaxing, baking sugar cookies (that failed mind you). I always ruin my baked goods somehow or another. Reason I don't bake often.

So the night started out by all of us getting our costumes on and heading up to my mom's to show the kids off in their costumes. My mom headed off to work and we were headed to my Dad's to do some trunk or treating. We got into the car....(or should I say "the lemon") And it wouldn't start. We tried for 1 1/2 hours trying to fix it. The night was slipping by. Jack was protesting about being a leopard, and Emmi is in the back seat saying, "mama....can I go trick or treating?" Poor kid! We practiced all day on how to trick or treat. She was so ready to get her candy. We finally got a ride home around 8:00 from my dad. Emmi grabbed her pumpkin bag and we headed up and down Keller Lane. She had a pit stop at Ella's house for a cookie and for a little play. Then she headed out for some more candy. By about the 6th house she asked to go home...she was exhausted.

The night ended on the up side. Emmi got some treats and Jack finally got out of his costume that was a furnace and into bed.

Family Pics!!!

It's that time again for family pictures for the good ol' Christmas card. I always hate doing this, but you know you just got to do it. It took me weeks to get together everyones outfits. I stewed and stewed about where I wanted the shoot and what style I was looking for. I hired this amazing photographer and I am for the first time extremely impressed of how things turned out. Here are a few sneak peeks!

Emmi was handing out fake smiles and frowns the entire shoot. I can't tell you how hard it is to get everyone with their smiles on in one photo. I think that our little Jack stole the show. He was by far the cutest in every photo.

P.S. Oh yeah..... I completely CHOPPED my hair. It's been a little hard to adjust to, but a good change.

The dreaded update!

To put it blatent and direct.......Life has been so freaking HARD!

First, my back pain is at the top of my list of why life sucks! It has gotten so bad I had to stop all exercise and just let my body rest and stay chewy. Pain has always been the reason for stopping exercise programs. I am so sick of it. Good news is that I found a certain ridiculous diet that helps the pain. Such a long story I will save you all the details. But, I am getting so super depressed that I pretty much can't eat anything I enjoy without the consequence of pain.

Second, I feel like a failure as a mom. I have about the most strong willed 2 year old on the face of this planet. If any of you out there can relate I am so sorry. She is so stinking stubborn and relentless. I am completely sleep deprived and I feel my patience running thin. I am always so ornery and mean. I feel like I need a shrink or someone to tell me it gets better and that she won't be the end of me. Brian and I are constantly saying silent prayers for help to know how to get through to her. There is a fight with EVERYTHING. Dang....we are at our ends rope. Help!!!

On a more light note.........a friend of mine emailed me a picture of Little Debbie because he said it reminded him of Emmi. It put a little smile on my face!

Update on my beloved little Jack, Jackers, Jack Bird, Jacky.....

He is 5 months old now and growing up before our eyes. Funny how that happens!

Things he is up to doing!

1. rolling all over
2. reaches and grabs for anything in sight with his amazingly LONG arms!
3. giggles, screams, and squeals
4. still spits up on command
5. not a binky man AT ALL
6. sleeps on his tummy for naps. back for night
7. adores his big sister even though she's rough
8. can sit up with a little bit of support
9. total mama's boy

Jack's Big Day!

Jack is official!

We blessed Jack on September 6th 2009. His daddy did such a beautiful job. It is always such an emotional thing for me to hear my cute husband bless my child with such wonderful gifts and attributes. It is always a day that I will never forget for both kids. It was so fun to see so many of our friends and family come to support our little Jack.

We love you Jack and can't wait to see you grow up!

Look who is one year OLDER!

Yep....It's ME!

I feel like I was just blogging about my last birthday. Wow does time go by fast. Isn't it sad that as we get older time goes by faster and faster. When I was in elementry school summer felt like it lasted forever. I remember actually asking my mom when would school start because I was ready to go back. Then when I got into Jr. High and High School summer went by way too fast and I never felt ready to get back. Now as an adult summer is a blink of an eye, and I never felt like I even had a summer.



My day was fabulous. Brian got Kelley, my sister-in-law, to watch the kids so he could take me to lunch at the Zinn Bistro. Of course it was amazing. In the evening my bros came over and we just hung with the kids and played on our front porch. I couldn't have asked for better weather.

The next night my mom made a big dinner for me. We grilled filet mignon with veggie kebobs. AWESOME!!! She even docorated the house for me. Party hats and all. I can always count on my mom to have the decor perfect. It is her specialty.

I hope this year doesn't fly by like most. My goal is to slow down, enjoy the simple things, play harder and stress less.

delightful indulgence

A couple of my friends from work got together to celebrate Ashlee's graduation from Neonatal Nurse Practioner school. What a champ she is. I have known her for now 6 years and she is finally done done done. HoOrAy for Ashlee!!!!

Our day began with a nice spa pedicure at an awesome place down the street from me. It is an asian place that of course you have to play charades and use hand gestures to communicate, but for sure this place gets a 4 star rating. We sat back, enjoyed the foot massage, marveled at the heap of dead skin on the floor from the wonderful razor, browsed through their design book, picked a design for our toes and then chatted about everything under the sun.

Just look at our cute toes.

FYI

If you go to this place just be sure to quickly skip over the pictures of the hairy toes. Yes, I guess men get pedicures and go as far to paint them with lightening bolts and other scary designs.

Next, we had a unanimous vote of where we should go for lunch. The ZINN BISTRO. For years I have heard nothing but good about it so we decided to give it a whirl. Were we in for a surprise!

I need to give some background before I go into our experience at the Zinn. The Zinn Bistro is literally in my backyard. Right on 2000 E and 3300 S. It is a tiny little Bistro that is only open for lunch and dinner on weekends. For years Brian and I have tried to "get in" but every time we have been denied. When I say denied I mean for some reason or another we didn't make the cut to get in. First time they discourged us from coming in because we had Emmi with us. I guess they don't like kids. Hmmmm!!! Yes, a picky little stuck up place we were thinking too. Brian made it clear to me we would never go back to support a place like that. Secretly I wanted to go back and see what all the rave was about. So, a year or two later I talked Brian into giving it another chance. We got a babysitter this time and arranged a double date. We got there so excited to have a quiet quaint little lunch. Hours are 11:00-2:00. We arrive at 1:30 and the hostess comes up to us and bluntly says, "we aren't seating anyone anymore". Brian and I were speechless. We walked out stunned and then proceeded to wonder how the heck does this place stay in business when they have the worst customer service ever. So we were shot down 2 for 2. Never again right? Well....here is our girly girl experience.

We had it all perfect. No kids, 12:00 p.m. and hungry. I guess the stars were aligned because we "got in" we made the cut somehow. The hostess was as nice as ever. We sat down to a white linen table with linen covered chairs right by the window. Perfect setting. From the very beginning the whole experience was one surpise after another.

For starters we were brought a little tea cup of hot wassel. How nice right....well it gets better. Then a basket of fresh baked pastries and sweet breads comes to your table. UHHH HELLO!!! Whoever thought of dessert before your meal was absolutely a genious. Of course we indulged! 10 minutes into eating our delectable sweets we realized we had been in silence or maybe even talking to ourselves of how amazing every bite was.

We all ordered something different so we could all have a taste of everything. A good way to go. We even asked the waiter what was good. He said, "everything". He was right, everything was exceptional. We were in complete bliss from the time we entered to the time we left. I think I have since had multiple Zinn dreams. It wasn't just a meal, it was an experience never to be forgotten.

I vouched that I wouldn't tell Brian that I supported the stuck up Bistro down the street. But as soon as I walked through the door my mouth flooded of our experience. He just looked at me like I had gone nuts. I told him he wouldn't understand until he experienced the Zinn too.

Potty Business

So we have begun the potty business!

It wasn't my decision it was all Emmi's. One morning about 2 weeks ago she asked to wear her big girl panties. I told her that she hasn't learned how to wear them yet. Well, she proceeded to beg and beg. I finally gave in and let her wear them. To put it short....she hasn't gone back to diapers from that day. We have had our hooray party in the bathroom. She has gotten many new books for rewards, and her favorite was the trip to McDonalds for lunch. Hard part is that now she wants a reward for every trip to the potty. Which is about every hour. Dang....she is going to break the bank. Or, it means M&Ms every morning for breakfast. I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.

I feel like I shouldn't get too excited about it, but I am. I am so proud of her for being such a big girl. I sometimes get frustrated when she has an accident, but I just have to know that it is going to happen. And believe me we have had our fair share of them, but she has done amazing. We just pray she doesn't reneg on the whole idea.