The chicken came first

Today Hayden called the kitchen what it is:
The kitchen.
Pronounced b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.l.y.

That place where we cook
and Hayden drives matchbox cars
and steals treats out of the pantry
used to be emphatically called
the "CHICKEN".

it was annoying and cute at the same time.

I'm gonna miss it, I'm sure.

Samantha's so glad when daddy comes home!

wait for it,
wait for it...

You'd think that he was gone
for days,
even weeks,
but no.
Michael just got home from work
and Samantha is totally ecstatic.
When the garage door opens,
we can all hear it and everyone knows
that it's DA-DEEEEE!!!
She's totally a daddy's girl.

This is such a fun age!
She's sweet, a little naughty,
knows how to say she is sorry
in the most adorable-melt-my-heart way,
and boy is she ticklish!

sigh... one day, she'll be a teenager.

ugh.

lots of pictures to post BUT...

blogger is having issues uploading pictures... boooo.
I'll try again tomorrow!

:)

and the winner is...

Thanks everyone who entered my little apron giveaway!
The giveaway officially ended at 12 noon today and I'm excited to announce that

selected lucky #7.... SARA LYN to be the winner of a super cute Apron from CSN stores!

I'll be emailing ya
but in the meantime, I'll be jumping up and down
being super happy for you!!!

Congratulations Sara Lyn!

Job Interview

So I have a job interview tomorrow and could use some tips.
For one thing, I've always been a little perplexed about
business casual...
and watching The Office totally doesn't help clarify that for me!

I'm also sort of afraid of either talking too much or stuttering,
oh my gosh - STUTTERING!
I totally forgot that I do that in interviews!
Ughhhh! I haven't interviewed for a job in f.o.r.e.v.e.r.

Any tips?

BTW - tomorrow is also the last day to sign up for my giveaway.
So get on over there and check it out!

My very first giveaway!!!

I don't know about you, but the thought of dragging my kids around a bazillion stores to find that perfect gift for my nephew or looking at toddler beds with my daughter would be right up there with getting a root canal... with a baby in your lap (don't ask!). I LOVE online shopping - and I love that CSN stores have it all!

CSN Stores is an online retailer of home and office goods. They're based in Boston and have been growing since 2002. There are 200+ CSN sites in categories including Baby & Kids, Home Décor, and Outdoor Living. They've got everything from toddler beds to lamps to accent furniture available here, at reasonable prices, and all in one very searchable place.

I am happy to be hosting a giveaway sponsored by CSN Stores.

The lucky winner of this giveaway can choose one of these
Sha-weet Aprons!
(choose adult or child size)




or one of these adorable aprons for kids!
(available in duck, mushroom, fried egg or cheese)


*if an item is out of stock or has had a big price change when this giveaway ends
it will no longer be a choice.
I will work out these details if necessary with the winner and CSN.

So Here's How to Enter to Win -
1st Mandatory Entry - Go here and have a look around. Then come back here and leave me a comment about what other cool stuff you found!

Additional Entries - Do any of the following and then leave me a comment telling me what you did. Each comment is worth one entry so make sure and leave a separate comment for each one you do. Also make sure that I have a valid email address so I can contact you if you win! (if you email isn't in your profile, leave it in each comment!)
- Follow my blog (click the google follower button)
- Post about this giveaway on your blog and link back to this post
- Become a fan of CSN Stores on facebook.

Giveaway ends Wednesday, March 24th at Noon EST. All entries submitted after the closing time are void and will be deleted. This contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. The winner will be selected with a random number generator and then announced on my blog and contacted via email. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected.

Disclosure and Legal Stuff: Opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own. I receive no monetary compensation for this post. If for some reason you didn't receive your winnings or if loss or damage has occurred to yourself or your property from participating in the giveaways, I cannot be held responsible.

BTW----giveaway!!!

I'll be doing my very first ever super cool giveaway soon!

I know you are all shrieking with excitement!

because a cyst in the brain isn't exciting enough...

now Samantha has RSV/bronchitis.

But you wouldn't know it now that she's had two back-to-back albuterol (breathing) treatments and a dose of steroids. She is way too happy and hungry to be sick.

Guess it's my turn to hunker down and get cabin fever with a kid --- you know, now that it's ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL outside.

sigh...

at least I can leave the windows open all day! :)

I have a headache...

in case you were wondering..

click here

The cable guy vs. The doctor

The cable guy wins... last time we had a problem with our cable box he was sitting out in his van 5 minutes before 9... he was scheduled to be here between 9 and 12. He waited there until it was exactly 9am. No joke. He was in my house a total of 15 minutes and in that time diagnosed the problem, removed the box, replaced it and set it up, and then verified that I was happy with the results (which I was). Then he asked if there were any other issues with the service... anything at all... 'cause he wanted to leave my house with a customer that was 100% satisfied. WOW. Not your stereotypical cable guy.

It's been 6 days since Michael had his MRI and nada, nothin', sorry we haven't received the report yet... grrrr! - People are eating weird foods, gaining ridiculous amounts of weight, NOT SLEEPING WELL and cleaning corners of the house that haven't been touched since we moved in. And I'm back to my old Farmville addiction too. Seriously, it's that bad.

answers, we want answers... so we'll know how much money we need to raise at the charity carwash to pay the hospital bill. Only my AZ buddies will get this ;)

today is the day...

that we will find out if it's a tumor or a failing gland in my honey bunches brain.

"Today" - We've got anywhere between 1 minute and maybe 10 hours till we find out.

The cable guy gave us a smaller window of time for when he would show up. sheesh.

I'm going with the school of thought that if it was something big, or urgent, or just plain bad, they would have called us sooner. For now, I'm gonna go with what a friend suggested it might be...
"an air bubble in his head that he just needs to fart out".

on an entirely more serious note...

on this dreary rainy day, spattered with joyous laughter from the kiddos
while they run through the dozen or so leaks from the playroom roof,
it is heavy on my mind, the looming news
that all is not well with my honey bunches of oats.
today, two possibilities.
tomorrow, an MRI.

right now, many silent prayers.



... and chocolate. lots of chocolate. 'cause in my experience, it cures everything.

tonight at the dinner table...

an intense conversation about Spiderman and Superman and Batman.

and then out of nowhere in the middle of singing the Spiderman song,

Hayden says, "mommy, mommy, wait...stop singing! I gotta tell you some-ting!"

"Spiderman doesn't got any boobies!"

me: "No?"

"Nope - he don't got none... and Superman? No boobies!
and Batman? Batman has boobies! {intense head bobbing}

me: really? Batman has boobies?

"No. Batman no have boobies... I just kiddin'."


I love this kid.

imagine my great joy...

when my daughter brought one of these home today.

{the hills are alive with the sound of screeeeeeching!}

oh motherhood.

All about Amanda.

I have to say, pictures of Amanda are few and far between lately. The girl has quite a social calendar, what with church activities, fake dates with her bff M. and lets not forget all the time she spends at school.



We hardly ever see her and when we do, she's doing homework or reading or playing some elaborate pretend-play with her dolls. She also enjoys playing teacher to Hayden and Samantha. She even gives them homework assignments.


She loves her brother and sister. There are times when they really annoy her and she just need to get away from them, but 2 minutes later she comes back and is hugging them and telling them that she loves them.

{i love this picture of my girls!}

Lately she has been preparing for the FCAT's (don't get me started...) or shall I say, stressing out about the test that could make her repeat 3rd grade if she doesn't pass. She has had some anxiety attacks and a trip to the doctor to try and work stuff out. This is a tough age and I know I am making tons of mistakes. sigh...

All about Hayden.

though I am certain this will totally upstage my
recent post about Samantha, the show must go on:

my sweet little Hayden...

my sweet little, mischievous, Hayden ...



a face to be feared...


"I'm a PRINCESS mommy!"
ummm... yeah. and now mommy is going to post it on her blog
and ruin any chance you might have for a political career
...
or girlfriend.


sumo wrestler wanna be?
perhaps a diaper thong?

{I saved the best for the tail-end of my post...ba hahaha!}

All about Samantha.

Welcome to the Samantha Show!

I haven't posted pictures of the little chick in our home lately
and she'd love to show you what she can do!

Where's your tongue Samantha?


and your nose?


how about those ears?


what about those shiny, pretty eyes?


bet you don't know where your head is?


okay little miss smarty pants,
show us those pearly whites then!


ohhh... I just wanna squeeze those cheeks!


and yes. about 80% of the time she has peanut butter and jelly all over face... and in her hair.