I'm SO excited...

and I just can't hide it! Tonight I persuaded Jon to head back to the baby store with me as I saw a groovy crib and dresser/changer on clearance and I really, really wanted it. There was only one of each item left (in the whole world...?) so time was of the essence. Of course being the lucky lady I am- the one crib was showing as SOLD on their computer by the time we got there. So, the girl said she could sell me the floor sample for 10% off. But, I felt it should be lower than that even... I asked for a manager so I could work on my bargaining. I was hoping for an even larger percentage off. Anyway- a few bats of the eyelashes later and VOILA he gave us the floor sample for 20% off and it's in amazing shape!!! I am super duper happy, as I have never owned a brand new matching set, let alone a changer! I have always changed diapers on the couch or my bed. Anyway- I just had to tell someone! We pick up the crib tomorrow and the other piece should be in next Thursday, woo hoo! Here they are:

dresser/changer (obviously we won't be using pink)


crib (again, we won't be using pink sheets)


the bedding (that I need to hurry up and order)


P.S. we spent a teeny bit over $400, which was way less than the $700 normal price! I think it's a darn good deal!!

Greedy Much?

Yesterday Jon and I went to do our baby registry. I was excited simply because I got to make a wish list and Jon was excited because he got to scan stuff with the little gun. I have registered with each baby and each time I register I feel SO greedy. Like, I want this blanket and this toy, etc. Even though I know it's all in fun and it is helpful to follow a registry when you buy a gift- I just can't help but feel like a brat! And just to add to my greediness, I told Jon that since this was our LAST baby and I have nothing baby left from the other kids, I wanted to splurge. I have never had a nursery to decorate, as my kids have all shared a room with me or a sibling. But, this time I will have Chan's old room to make into a nursery and I am already planning everything from cribs to paint to toys. To say I'm excited would be putting it mildly... until I saw how much baby stuff costs!! Hello- $89 activity mats! $300 car seats! $15 bottles of baby detergent! Things have changed since I had Hayden and are light years different from 1992 when Chandler was born. Oh my goodness! It's pretty funny the products that are out there that these stores make you think have to have. Like a wipe warmer. I know a warm wipe probably feels better than a cold one, but I bet a cold wipe feels better than warm poop! Or a Diaper Genie. I thought you just threw the soiled ones away... And then there's baby monitors. I know they are convenient especially if you are far away from baby, but it is possible to live without one. I don't know about you but my babies had some seriously strong lungs. Jon and I were laughing as we were scanning those very same "non-essential essentials" mentioned above at what our mothers and grandmothers coped with. I know alot of the stuff makes things go a little smoother, but my mom used cloth diapers with 8 of 9 children and we all lived to tell the tale! I guess it's just shocking to me how spoiled we modern folks are! And although it would be really nice to get all the goodies I saw at the store, surely I can survive without them...

It pays to clean!

I FINALLY got around to cleaning my desk off today. It was a mess! I have let several weeks worth of mail pile up and this evening I decided enough was enough. I am sure glad I did it, because I found THREE CHECKS! I somehow overlooked the 3 envelopes that contained the $$, whereas normally I can smell a check a mile away. Plus, not to be outdone the other day I found $22 in cash in the dryer! I love that me and Jon both rarely check our pockets. The money couldn't come at a better time, because Monday my mom and I are going on a shopping adventure for maternity clothes. And, we might do lunch... mom- I am craving Chinese.

P.S. the checks were for: $88.00 (child support), $125.34 (escrow surplus), and $8.00 (bank refund). Add in the cash for a grand total of $243.34! Yay me!

Denim Blues

Well, I can no longer comfortably fit into my jeans. Which is a bummer beyond belief. I wear jeans almost every day. They fit ok after I struggle to get them on and if they are on my second wearing, but that struggle to get them on is not pretty... Yesterday I was in a mad dash to get Hayden after school and I was already drenched in sweat from the hair dryer, then I grabbed my freshly washed jeans. And I proceeded to put them on. They fit wonderful until it's time to zip them and then it turns into an aerobic workout. I would just leave them open or do the rubberband trick but I was wearing a more fitted top. I mistakenly bought three pairs of my regular jeans about a month ago thinking with my recent weight loss that I could wear them til at least the 5th month. Umm no. So, now I'm on a quest to find someone who can alter my jeans and put stretchy panels in them or locate maternity jeans. Which I'm not sure exist. Apparently if you are petite, plus size, and preg-o you're not allowed to dress nice. Wish me luck... I'm gonna need it.

Take it from me...

Never leave the house without looking in the mirror first. That white shirt with the tan bra might be a tad bit too noticeable. People will stare at your bodacious ta-ta's.

When you are still suffering from a cold, make sure you have kleenex or at the very least one of your kid's socks in the car. If not, you will need it, badly... if you catch my drift. You might discover another use for that see through white shirt.

Take a list to the store, if not you will end up coming home with things like pig ears, M&M's, and the same nail polish you already own.

NEVER eat refried beans and cole slaw on the same day. I'll leave it at that.

It's probably not very smart to drink a 64 ounce ice water less than an hour before bed. In between blowing your nose and peeing every hour, you will get like NO sleep!

Don't leave the bathroom blinds open while you are home alone. Especially if you plan on taking a bath. Otherwise some strange man (the septic dude) might walk by your window on the way to your back yard...

And lastly- when trying to catch a whiff of the lotion you might buy, don't squeeze the bottle too hard. I can almost guarantee you will squirt the same amount of lotion necessary to moisturize one whole leg up your nose.

Yo baby, what's up?

This afternoon I headed to Wal-Mart for groceries. I didn't take a list or a menu plan. I just knew we were thisclose to starving and I needed to get food asap. I got in there and grabbed the stuff I knew we needed like milk, eggs, paper towels, etc. and was drawing a blank on dinner ideas. I had already planned at that point to make sure I had stuff for breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the week and that I would get a weekly menu planned and shop again later. Silly, I know... Anyway, I saw a display of buns and Manwich and voila- we would have sloppy joes. We hadn't had them in at least 5 years, so I figured why not? I grabbed some ground chuck, the buns, and sauce and was headed down the aisle for some dill pickles. I am just about to the pickle section when this short little black guy starts walking towards me with a HUGE grin on his face. He seemed as if he thought he knew me and I could tell by the look on his face that he was gonna talk to me, and boy did he ever.

Little black man- "hey baby, you are gorgeous, what's your name?"

Me- not a peep. I am just flustered, trying to figure out what kind of pickles we want. I slowly start walking away. He is staring straight into my eyes.

Little black man- "hey, what's your name? You sure is pretty."

Me- "gosh, that's really sweet, thanks." I grab my pickles and start walking away. He is next to me.

Little black man- "what is your name? You are fine!"

At this point I am so uncomfortable, my face is burning red and I can't get away fast enough. He asks me my name once more and I say-

Me- "dude, that's sweet of you to say, but I am married with 4 kids."

And then he looked me up and down really slow and said "that's a shame, cause you are gorgeous."

WOW! I was so red and uncomfortable and flustered at that point that I couldn't even think straight. I am wondering if this man was playing with a full deck. He was short and resembled an African American Oompa Loompa. It was just so strange. I mean, was he crazy? I was not looking my best, to say the least... And, he was just so forward. I didn't feel threatened, just puzzled. I am still scratching my head...

P.S. for your viewing pleasure, here is a picture of me and how I looked while shopping today.

Nervous Nelly

I am sure that I am not the only one who has heard all of the stories on the news about purse snatchings, muggings, robberies etc. I know it happens every year, but this year it seems worse. Not sure if the economy has people more desperate or if it's just a sign of the times. I live near two areas (Burleson and Ft. Worth) where the shopping is pretty good. Just about every store you need is right there. And, I am a frequent night shopper. Jon is home to watch the kids, the stores are less crowded and me being a night owl all make for perfect late night trips. I have never been afraid to go out alone, ever. I am always scolded by my friends and family for going out by myself, but I do it anyway. Well, this year I have been more nervous and cautious than usual. I have taken steps to protect myself, such as only taking my debit card and driver's license, and keeping them in my bra or the back pocket of my jeans. I keep my keys on a little strap around my wrist and my cell phone in my jacket pocket.

Well, today I just had the most genius idea: I carried a "dummy purse". I took an old purse, weighted it down with bottles of bubble bath, and a note for any would be criminal. Just in case someone decided to attack. I thought it was funny and smart. Although I am not sure I could have pulled off the acting skills necessary to act mad or scared. Anyway, tonight I took the kids for haircuts and we were gonna meet Jon for dinner. We made it in safely and were paying at the register when the stylist told us that next door at Chili's 2 women were recently robbed at gunpoint. Lovely... I had more shopping to do after dinner and neither of my big boys wanted to go with me. So I reluctantly went alone, and put my debit card in my pocket, my wallet in the sunroof cover in my van, and carried the dummy purse. I went to several stores and was totally safe. Then, my last stop was gonna be Wal-Mart and Payless. Not so fast. I was only in Payless for 2 minutes when I realized that they had nothing I liked or needed. I quickly ran out to my car and go to start it, nothing. I immediately freak out and start manually locking the doors since there was no power. I finally get Jon to answer the phone (after 10 trys) and he came to rescue me 20 tense minutes later. When he popped my hood we discovered that the idiot who serviced the car last "forgot" to tighten the cable to my battery! It could have come loose and died at any moment, like driving to Austin... But, it chose to die in the middle of the ghetto. So, I made it home safely, the cable is tightened, and I am no longer going shopping at night. The End.


the contents of my "dummy purse"


the note I included, just in case


and, just because... today's the 14th anniversary of mine and Jon's first date. Silly, I know. But chicks keep track of this kinda stuff.

'Tis the Season

Well, I am off to a roaring start. I have been to the mall 2 times, Hobby Lobby 3 times, Wal-Mart 4 times, and Target 7 times and I have bought 1 gift. Umm yeah, I need to work on that... I have been mainly looking at decorations, ornaments, cards, lights, etc. Normally I would have decorated my house and then some by now, but I can't get Scrooge (Jon) to get his butt in gear, he keeps my Christmas stuff in the scary place- the attic. And, I don't do the attic. Ever. So, I have just been accumulating more decor than I need. I am hoping he'll get the hint. Hmmm, we'll see. So, while I am on the subject of Christmas, I thought I would ramble on about a few things I have noticed/encountered the past few days.

First, other than a beautiful snow globe depicting The Nativity, I have never actually owned one. So, I am on a mission to find the most beautiful set I can afford, hopefully no more than $100. I have been checking out all the stores I have been in and nada. Hobby Lobby had some nice ones and they were on sale, but the prettiest ones were gone. I went in Michael's tonight and searched and searched, but again- nothing. So, I asked the girl at the front counter if they had any, and she didn't know what I was talking about!! I am not even kidding. And I said to her, in one giant run on sentence: "Are you for real, seriously, you have got to be kidding me, you don't know what a nativity set is???" I am stunned.

Second- I am a little nervous to go out shopping this year. I have heard countless stories of people being mugged or robbed, some at gunpoint. I know it happens, but this year seems worse than ever! I have never been afraid to go out at night, I do it all the time. But, I am changing that this year. Today I went shopping and left my purse at home. Felt very weird, but I am gonna keep doing it or drag Jon shopping with me. Which, is pretty painful. He just shuffles along, looking bored, hands in his pockets. I can practically see the dollar signs flying out of his ears. I really think he would rather get his chest hairs hot waxed than shop. Men, is it really that bad? I just love it. My heart really does skip a beat when I pull into Target.

Third- Yes, I know all the Santa stories and legends, etc. But, when exactly did Christmas turn into what it is today? Not much more I can say about this, but I think you know what I mean. Even though I am a Christian (yes, it's true) I had never before focused on the true meaning of Christmas, especially since I had been inactive for so long. I mean I did, but not as much as I should have. But, I have learned alot this past year and I am more thankful now than ever for the gift of our Savior. So, Christmas will have a much deeper meaning for me and my family than ever before. We will still do all the same stuff we normally do: Santa, cookies, presents, etc. But, we will be focusing alot more on Christ. And, on a sorta side note: does anyone know if Santa Claus was one of the three wise men? I didn't think so. Because, I kid you not, I saw a decoration that is Mr. Claus looking down at baby Jesus in his manger. Seriously.

And last but not least: I am missing 1 antler from my car reindeer costume. Remember from last year? Enjoy last year's giant reindeer post here. And yes, I am gonna use it again this year. Instantly embarrasses children, one of my favorite past times.

Can't Stop Smiling!

I have ginormous calves. I know, crazy huh? But, I do. Even when I am thinner, they stay the same size. Which means I have never owned a pair of knee high boots, EVER! Until tonight, approximately 1.5 minutes ago. Because, I just ordered the most amazing boots in existence, at least to me. JCrew carries extended calf boots and I have had my eyes on these babies, forever! Our gas lease check ended up being twice what we thought it was going to be, so I was given the green light by the hubby to order my boots. Imagine my surprise when I logged on to do so and they were on sale! They are normally very expensive, but with the sale and a special Thanksgiving shopping code I got them for $200 dollars off!! I am just loving them and they aren't even here yet. If you need me, I will be outside by the mailbox waiting on Wanda to deliver them to me. She better not start acting a fool like last time either.

Here they are:

Special Field Trip

Today my mom and I headed to Dallas on a mission. We went to Moon's bookstore, so I could get new scriptures. I have owned 2 quads in my life, and just felt the need to get new ones. Part of my "back to church makeover" I guess you could say. The first set I bought for myself back in 1994 with my Deseret credit card. Who knew such a thing existed? I maxed that card out that very same day. I bought me, Kelli and Amy all mini quads in 3 different colors. I had mine until 2001. Which is when I befriended a girl who had been in an abusive marriage and had been inactive for many years. She was trying to straighten her life out and we ended up meeting in a class we took at church together. So, for some reason I felt compelled to give her my scriptures! My maiden name was engraved on them and I didn't think to keep them, not sure what was going on in my head... especially after I bumped into her months later and she told me how she had them re-engraved with her name. I never even thought that was possible. I would almost give anything to have those back. I don't even remember her last name. It might look kinda silly if I tried asking for them back anyway. Hopefully they have helped her throughout the last several years. My mom was kind enough to get me some for my birthday about 5 years ago, even though I never read them much until this year. They have helped me through this past year, and are in perfectly good condition, but I still really wanted another mini set. I just think they are beautiful. So, today I got a burgundy one. My old mini quad was green, which I would have chosen again, but they were sold out. And, I wasn't leaving the bookstore without new scriptures. I am seriously loving them. They are so nice! And, can I just say how awesome the bookstore is? I wish it was closer. I would be there at least once a week. We finished the day at Goff's burgers, which was really good. And, not on my diet. So, I had lettuce and Diet Coke for dinner. Seriously.


aren't they pretty?

I HATE Wal-Mart!

Oh man... what was I thinking going to Wal-mart instead of staying at church? It is like mass freaking hysteria in that place. On a Sunday at dinner-time the night before school no less. There are no school uniform items left. They were all out of construction paper. And the lines, oh my gosh! I swear it was like the world was coming to an end. Which translates to, hurry to Wal-Mart for Top Ramen and Pepsi! Ugghh! I get the whole concept and convenience of a store that has everything, and that is cheaper than Target. But really, hire more cashiers and keep it clean. And, how come no shirt, no shoes, no service doesn't apply to toddlers? I am NEVER gonna wait this late to shop for school ever again, promise. The only thing that kept me happy in that store was knowing that I got a front row parking space. And, in case you forgot, I really do hate Wal-Mart.

Chandler!

I have really tried to stay out of the stores on Sundays, so I can obey at least some of the commandments. But, I had already left church early and eaten at Cheddars, so I kinda messed the day up. We needed groceries so bad that my kids were gonna have to start eating sheetrock or I was gonna be hauled in for neglect. So, I headed to the store tonight at 10:30. Thinking the Lord would be okay with me selecting things as long as I waited until midnight to pay for them. I took my bodyguard Chandler and his little bro Grayson with me just in case someone felt like mugging me. Big mistake. Although I wasn't attacked, I was embarrassed badly! Chandler farted in every single aisle. And, they were so awful smelling that not one but two Walmart workers gagged and let out a few choice curse words. One of them even got watery eyes. If only fart clouds were green like in the cartoons. By the time we got to produce (which is usually my last stop) he was all farted out. So, he decided to liven up the party a little bit by pushing the cart. No biggie, except he managed to knock a bottle of Worcestershire sauce out onto to floor. Where it busted, and splashed me... on my pants... and my toes. Then here came the clean up guy and he said to me: "when you get home maybe someone can suck that off your toes."

Buy Me!

I am a shopaholic! Big surprise huh? But, I am not your run of the mill shopaholic. I am the type who'll see some crazy thing and just have to have it. Not from infomercials, although I have seen things on TV late at night and headed to the "As Seen On TV" section at Target or Walgreens to find that must have item. Sometimes I'll just get an idea that a certain gadget or goody will just make me awesome, cute, more organized, etc. and I go for it. Poor Jon, if he only knew how much money I have spent on doo-dads... There's false eye lashes, a neti pot for my sinuses, the Body Bugg for weight loss, ditto for the Firm system, Crest whitestrips and a dental polisher for my teeth, even an Ipod. I mean how can you not run on the treadmill everyday when you have a pink Ipod? Jon has even done it, one of my gifts this past Christmas was heated lavender scented slippers! Well, in my pursuit of smooth feet, I got a Ped Egg. I would love to be able to afford a live in "pedicure artist" but that ain't happening. So, I am gonna have to do it myself. I will definitely let y'all know how it works! And, for the record: I never thought in a million years I would have dry, crusty heels! Back when I was a kid I would see older women (mid thirties) at church, the store, etc. and they would have some funky feet. I swore I would never have old lady feet.... What happened?

P.S. someone asked in comments, how these products perform. Well, being the strawberry BLONDE that I am, I forgot to include something... that I never really use most of the goodies I buy. Silly huh? I guess I am awesome enough without them, I just like to spend money I don't really need?! I am however fixing to use the Ped Egg.