Mr. Green Jeans

I've wanted to plant/have a garden for as long as I can remember. I'm not quite sure why I have not ever had a garden, but I figured now is the time to change that.

Somewhere I heard about planting a garden in a child's wading pool, the harder plastic ones. I did a search and came upon this site: Benefits of a Wading Pool Garden.

This is what I'm going to do!! We have such yucky soil in our backyard, and being on an acre, we don't have any sprinklers set up. As a matter of fact, we have *no* landscaping whatsoever...unless you count tumbleweeds as landscaping.

Friday is the day! I'm going to get the pool and the soil and pick out my veggies/herbs!! I'm so stinking excited!!! I'll post pictures as I go!

A week of reckoning.

In case you haven't noticed, I have been absent for the past week or so. Before I was just really busy. This last week I just haven't been myself. It's taken me a week to break out of this and I think I'm just scratching the surface.

So much has happened in my life in the past year and, more specifically, the past few months. My dad has been sick (pancreatic cancer), and he just has not been feeling well. He went for a PET scan last week and tomorrow, Monday, we find out the results...whether he is clean or there are any tumors. Waiting is the hardest part.

I've always prided myself on being an optimist but lately I've turned into this ginormous pessimist and it is affecting every aspect of my life. When I'm down/blue, then I don't want to do anything. My housework suffers, my cooking suffers, my commitments suffer, my exercise and eating habits suffer.

I've only exercised a few times this past week. I took Thursday and Friday off due to illness, and I took today off due to laziness. In my defense, however, I cleaned my bootay off yesterday, so I was exhausted today. I think since I made myself do all this housework yesterday...and I lurve how my house looks when it's clean...I'm ready to break out of this mini-depression episode.

Sorry about the bummer post but I didn't want to go another day without an update from me. Thanks for reading. *Ü*

The Biggest Loser contest update!

As you may or may not know, our little down does its own version of The Biggest Loser contest. Those entering have the opportunity to win cash and prizes while getting healthy along the way.

I joined this year, and the contest ended on April 2nd. We had a live showing, and it was pretty exciting. They showed our before picture and then we walked out as our "after," then we got weighed. They had taken our measurements previously, and all was entered into their computer. The winners were announced...and I had won second place in ladies! My total weight loss was 21.7 pounds and I lost a total of 14.25 inches. Not too shabby!

Well, a day or so later, I get a phone call from the people running the contest. Apparently there was a computer "glitch" and I did not get second place. As of right now, I can't even tell you what place I got because they keep talking in circles around me and I don't understand. They told me I could keep the prizes, though. Yay. I kind of liked bragging rights better. Oh well.

D says it doesn't matter what place I came in during the contest. The important thing is that I lost weight...the right way...and I am now in a better place as far as eating and exercise. I know he's right, it's just a bit of a let down.

I cut it all off!!

(more info to come later!!)

It's good to be home.

I had forgotten just how much I enjoy being in my home. I love the feel of accomplishing things that need to be done, and I love to be able to prepare food in a timely manner instead of having to throw things together and call it a meal.

Today I was cleaning the counters in the kitchen and I happened upon a bunch of ripe bananas. These were prime candidates for banana bread! So, I whipped up a couple of batches and they are baking in the oven as I type. I think it will be a nice surprise for hubby and the kiddos when they get home from school/work.

Tonight's meal is going to be Texas Style Spaghetti. My aunt gave me the recipe many years ago, and it has become a family favorite...for all of us!! I will post the recipe later.

Things are getting clean. Laundry is getting done. Things are getting sorted. I need about a month or so and my home will be running smoothly again. *Ü*

Remember me?

Wow. Almost a month since my last entry. Not that I have any readers or anything, haha. This is mostly therapy for me, and the fact that I enjoy doing it, so no worries.

A lot has happened since my last entry. One of the major ones being that I have closed my store. Business was slowly going downhill due to the rising cost of, oh, just about everything else. So, sales suffered. It's almost like a blessing in disguise. So much heartache and let down in that store, and now I have time to go visit with my dad and spend more time with my kiddos.

I'm home now, and I've been bitten by the spring/summer cleaning bug. I've been doing laundry for two (yes, that's right, two) days, and I'm nearing the end. Cleaning out clothes as I put new, summer clothes in the closets. Next will be drawers. They need a good purging.

On a good note, I have been doing The Biggest Loser contest in my town, and I am hovering right at around 20 pounds gone!! I've gone from a tight 14 to a comfortable 12 in three months. I would have had better results, but I did a *ton* of traveling during this contest, which made my eating and my exercising suffer. This is the last week, and weigh in is on Tuesday, so check back!!

Along the same lines, I received my Turbo Jam DVDs yesterday, and I'm in love!! They are really fun, once you get over some of the awkwardness of some of the moves. I danced for 14 years, and I felt like I was a fish out of water. But, day two and it's getting easier. I plan on doing my DVD in the morning and walking my five miles in the evening. The pounds and inches should MELT off, right?!

Sun Chips...you had me at "hello."

Where have you been all my life?

I just discovered this humble bag of multigrain goodness today at the store. Honestly, the thought of "grainy Sun Chips" just never appealed to me before now. Since I am on a quest to eat healthier, I took a look their way.

Oh. My. Goodness.

These "chips" are just the right combo of grains and flavor without making you feel like you're eating pressed wood.

If you haven't tried these beauties out, go. Now.

Well, it's been a long time.

A really long time since I've updated. So much going on, business and personal, that I've gotten a case of the LAs (lazy azzes).

I'm in the mood to organize. And to scrap. And that means that I need to organize my scrap space! I've accumulated so much stuff lately that my creativeness is hitting a roadblock. So, this weekend I am working on getting things together!!

First off will be my scrap table. I barely have space to make a card in so it's time to take it all off and put back what needs to be easily accessible. Then, the stuff that does not need to be on top of my table will need to find homes. After that, I can tackle the paper holders that are overflowing, and the rubons that need some sort of organization.

Once that is all done, then I can create!!

Any New Year's resolutions out there?

I did not make any resolutions this year. So far, I've never been able to keep one of them, so why set myself up for failure again? But, this year is the year of me and the year of responsibility. Time to get me back in order and time to get responsible about other things, which, unfortunately, I cannot discuss on here. So, if I have a hiatus between posts, it just means that I got caught up in life.

Currently, I have also decided that my house needs a cleaning overhaul. I've started by doing one room at a time, top to bottom. So far, my front room has been cleaned/dusted/vacuumed/mopped, and then put in its final order. Also, I finished my office yesterday, which was pretty big. My desk was unrecognizable, and that is nice and clean now. I have a few things to dust (that I discovered while sitting here blogging about cleaning), and then it is complete!!

In order to keep up on the cleanliness of the clean rooms, I will "go over" each room a few times a week, leaving the deeper cleaning for one day a week. This sounds like a do-able plan, and so far so good!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! I'll post more on my holidays once I'm in a better mood.

Smooches!

Picture time!!

On Saturday, we went down to Caliente to visit the in-laws. It's always a fast trip, and they're always pretty busy with either their store or their restaurant, but this time, we got to spend a little extra time with them which was nice.

D's dad begins growing his beard in October/November. By December, he's in full-on Santa mode, and looks fantastic!! While we were there, he played Santa for some of the resident children. They loved it, and he did fabulous!! Here are a few pics.

With my kiddos:


My kiddos, along with their cousins:



And, just because he's cute, one of Z waiting for "Santa." We told him Grandpa was helping Santa out that night because Santa had to be somewhere else, getting ready for Christmas. ;)

The countdown begins!

One week from today. One week!!!! I can't believe Christmas will be here in one week. This time next week, we'll be settled in at my parents' house, opening gifts and enjoying family time.

For once in our lives, D and I are ahead of the game with regard to wrapping gifts. We usually spend Christmas Eve wrapping and assembling gifts for the kids. Because we're not smart enough to do it ahead of time, heh. Well, this year, we get to actually RELAX on Christmas Eve because we wrapped ALL of the presents yesterday!! Plus, for the first time, there is nothing to assemble this year. I think that a relaxing evening is the best present we can give each other.

Today, at the store, we are staying open until 8pm, hoping to drum up some business. I have prepared discount cards, and each customer can draw a card and receive a discount on their entire purchase up to 40% off!! Send me be busy thoughts!!

We went up to Caliente this past weekend and tooks pics with Santa. As soon as I upload them (I've been sick), I'll post them!!

Guess who's coming to town?

Nope, it's not Santa, although he will be here soon enough...

HANNAH MONTANA!!!

It was just announced this morning that the young singing sensation has added more dates to her Best of Both Worlds tour and she's coming to Las Vegas!!!

Man...the girls would be in HEAVEN if they got to see her.

I wonder what Santa has up his sleeve.....

Heee-larious morning!!!

This morning had to be one of the funniest I've had in an oh-so long time.

I went upstairs to go take a shower and start my day. The girls were already at school, and Z was eating his cereal. As I pass by his room, I go into his closet and pick out his clothes for the day: a pair of jeans and a rad Quicksilver shirt.

Z goes into his room and begins his process of getting ready. Then, he comes into my room and asks me to tighten his pants (using the adjustible elastic/buttons in the waistband). I think to myself, "Hrm, that's strange. I know he's worn these pants before and he hasn't lost any weight..."

I tighten them. And then I have to tighten them some more because they are still falling off of him!! How strange!!

He gets situated and goes to sit on the couch to wait for me before we head to the bus stop.

As he's getting into my car, I look at his ankles, and see side "slits" in them. I realize he's wearing his sister's capris!!!!!

After my fit of laughing subsides, we rush inside and find him HIS pants and change. By this time, we've missed the bus so he gets a treat...and I take him to school. The whole way to school we were laughing about "the pants."

Hee-larious!!!

It's an illness...

I love shopping. I love decorating. These two things, when combined, can cause havoc and discontent in our household.

I can walk through a mall and find nothing that I can't live without. I can walk in and out of stores, picking up clothes/shoes/purses...and then walk out without making a purchase. These things are "usable" in that they would get daily/weekly use.

But.

There are a few stores that I cannot walk out of without purchasing something I really don't need which will sit in my house only to be seen by guests. Or my dog. One of them is a book store. I can spend tons of money on books. I love books. I love to read them, fondle them, look at them collecting dust on my bookshelves.

The other store is a craft store, such as Michael's, JoAnn's, or Roberts. When I walk into these stores, my inner artist comes bursting through. I may walk in looking for one (or three) particular things, and I walk out with this:


Isn't it beautiful?! I saw the container in the clearance aisle. Then, of course, I *had* to find the foliage to go inside of it. Then, once I had the entire ensemble put together (in my head), I had to think of a place to put it in my house.

Doesn't it look great?!

D was less than thrilled, heh. Because, he said...this is something we really need right now, right?

Stay tuned...I will be posting pics because I bought the coolest frame/stand from a place called Tai Pan Trading. My BFF introduced me to this store and booooyyyy....will my husband be sorry!!! *Ü*

It's SHOPPING DAY!!!

In about twenty minutes, my little self will be on her way to St. George to visit with my BFF and to do some MAJOR holiday shopping damage!!! I'm so excited, and it was hard to hold it back from the kiddos!!! We still have one little believer, so the magic still needs to be there.

Wish lists from my kids have been...interesting this year. My son would like...are you sitting?....Alaska. Yes, the boy wonder would like Santa to bring him Alaska so that he can build a giant ATV track. He would also like a microwave. You know, should he decide to whip himself up a little midnight snacker...

C seems to think that we have turned into the Trumps overnight. Top of her list? A laptop. Oh, and a TV. Let's not forget about the desk, shall we? Thank goodness she has put a few more "reasonable" requests on there....except for the new puppy....

H would like an acoustic guitar. Oh, and an electric guitar with an amp. I wonder if it will sit next to her keyboard that she never uses? Never mind the fact that she does not even know HOW to play a guitar, heh. She would also like the new iPod Nano. Because her old Nano is a year old, duh.

I want to be able to give them everything, but how will they learn responsibility? Such dilemmas during the holidays.

Wish me luck in finding everything I need!!!

Only 19 shopping days left!!

I absolutely cannot believe that it is December. Where has the year gone?? I remember trying to keep my children up for New Year's Eve, waiting to welcome 2007, and here we are...twelve months later, getting ready to ring in 2008!!

So many things happened in 2007; many fantastic, but also a few not so good times.

2007 was a rough year for me, personally. I had many things happen between a few friendships, and while one of them is fine, another has been damaged irreparably. Lots of tears shed, lots of heartache.

On the up side of the year, C and Z had a fantastic time racing ATVs. They placed 3rd (C) and 1st (Z) in their classes. We are very very proud of them. H had a fantastic year with soccer and made us so proud not only of her determination, but of her perseverance. She really shined out there on the field.

Right now, in our world, it's basketball season. We had a small break, but now....back to the harried grind. *Ü*

A little melancholy today...

It's really sad when a certain part of your life comes to an end, whether it be a person, a place, or a thing. It can leave you empty. It can leave you feeling like a part of you is missing. Sometimes these things are easy to get over; other times, it takes awhile to get back to a routine.

I'm finally back to my routine. The part of my life that came to an end is in the background of my head. I am finally able to move on.

Today, I received some unwanted contact that brought it all back.

How does one decide when something is *truly* over and done with? That returning to the former routine will not end in the same way it did the first time? When do you say, "Forget it?"

It's a decision that each person in this particular scenario will have to decide for themselves. This is my scenario...and I have decided. I'm happy in the place I am right now, and I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Things will be alright.

A few pics...

Since I've been a pic-posting slacker, I decided to post a few recent pictures of some things we have done! We are regular jet-setters, what, between soccer games and races. That sentence was dripping with sarcasm, by the way.

So, without further ado, the the picture show begin!!

Since I'm so behind, I'm going to start with some more recent events because they are still fresh in my memory, heh.

We just came back from a race in Victorville. The kiddos did great, and our trip was made oh-so-much better because of the fact that we had a motor home to use!!

Here is Z making a jump:



And before the race, striking a pose. What exactly is he doing in this picture?!




Here is Miss C enjoying a nice warm cup of cocoa...




...before she tears it up on the track!!!



Here is one of H, my varsity soccer player, doing some practice shots before a game. She actually plays keeper, but she was warming up with everyone else:




Thanks for looking!!! *Ü*

I know...I'm all talk.

I say I'll be a better blogger. I say I'll post every day. I say I'll come back and update.

And I don't.

I'm all talk.

This is something I'm striving to work harder at...keeping up on things and balancing my time. You've seen me post time and again about budgeting my time and attempting to get over my procrastination issues. Well, Rome wasn't built in a day, was it? This is a little harder than I thought, and I'm really working on it lately. I have a big event that I'm gearing up for in January, and I need to have EVERY aspect of my life on track.

One day at a time, right?

*Ü*

Coupons, coupons everywhere!!!

It's been awhile since I've made a trip out to Rite Aid and Smith's to do my couponing. So, since I wasn't going to the stores...I wasn't clipping out my coupons.

Today, I spent about five hours clipping my coupons and sorting them. Yes, you read that right...five hours of my life I'll never get back.

But, now they are all sorted and looking all purty in their new little binder that I crafted (read: put baseball card protectors and cardstock dividers in a binder), and I'm all ready to go!! C and I are going when I get out of the store. Why, you might ask, is C going? Well, because I can't go anywhere without C wanting to go...and she needs pants. No, you cannot buy pants at Smith's or Rite Aid. We are hitting Walmart too. Good times.

I'm hoping that I can come out of these stores with a ton of stuff without spending a ton of money. It is possible...I've done it before. Couponing, I have discovered, is not for the impatient or those short on time. When there is something good in the paper that is advertised, chances are there are other sales NOT advertised that are just as good. This is the reason that I now carry my coupons with me ANY time I set foot in the grocery store!!! Nothing like getting toothpaste for 25cents a tube!!! woohoo!! Since you need PLENTY of time to coupon, I like to go by myself. It can sometimes take me about two hours or more to go through each of the two stores. But it is oh-so-nice to be able to browse leisurely, unless I have C with me, lol, and snatch up all the deals I can get!!

I'll report my savings tomorrow!!! (How's that for a cliff hanger?!)