chapter 117 : it's double true

i'm a blogging LOSER! no posting in over a month. lucky you! lots of things have been going on lately and will have to try and catch up sometime. lacking motivation once again, but we'll see what i start doing more of now.

been LOVING the SUNSHINE and i try to leave my house as often as possible. been trying to go to bed at the latest by 10:30. totally not tonight! been doing better at spending less overall. works best if i don't have possession of my little, blue friend, mr. Chase Visa. been feeling socially inept...what's new! been eating too much and working out WAY too little. been loving taking pictures and aching for an 85mm/1.8 lens. been trying to be more grateful, enjoying each moment and trying to YELL less. been LOVING my family and checking one more HUGE one off my list...we "adopted!" and since i am totally the type of friend that everyone has that is always complaining about $, but always spends anyway, i've been totally relishing in this :

without further ado...mr. clean finally agreed/gave into me/felt sorry that cosemtology school didn't work/is more worried about her than i am most of the time/loves me so much...

i present Miss

isn't she so stinking adorable???

cleaning up lots of this (ok, not relishing in this...) :

wasting time on (only some of the culprits) :
* the Bachelorette finale. poor Jason...my home town boy lost!
* playing zone games. got my free online Catan subscription again...oh no!
* finally reading my scriptures again and trying to do those "small" things of "great" importance.

overcoming :
* my almost entrance into cosmetology school. the direct inspiration that i can NEVER deny said, "NO! Now is not time. Maybe it will never be time. You NEED to have more faith."

i was so grateful! in that moment, i was LOVED and i knew it. although i really didn't deserve it, i received it and that was more than i could have asked for.
(Thank YOU for keeping your promises and always giving when i ask!)

more posts to come sometime in the future (distant or far).

peace out.

yours truly.

chapter 112 : no worries...

for all of you still waiting for your giveaway goodies, don't worry, i'm working on them and hope to have them out sometime soon...

thanks for you patience.

yours truly.

chapter 109 : LMBO (laughing my BUTT off)

i had heard this awful rumor on the radio, but thanks so Lindsay for sharing the dreadful news...


hope you enjoyed!

yours truly.

chapter 106 : the winners are...

thanks to the fabulous assistance of mr. clean in a completely unbiased, random drawing, the winners are :

the biggie : Sara
2nd place : Carol
the runner up : Maria

i also decided to give honorable mentions as well because you commented the most:
TaNicka & Shannon. i'm going to make you both 5 handmade cards. thanks!!!

CONGRATS you guys. i really hope you like what you will be receiving and let's hope i can get it to you in a timely manner as well ;).

a HUGE thank you to all who entered! it was so great to hear from old friends as well as new ones, Keren and Rishel. i plan to do another giveaway in the future. i like having something to look forward to.

yours truly.

chapter 105 : a change...

so i'm adding in a pillowcase to the big winner's prize too....check below for the details of the giveaway...

yours truly.

chapter 103 : almost time...

so i'm going to pick the winner on Weds., May 21st, so there is still plenty of time to enter again or tell others about it.
i also decided to change my prizes a bit. i'm going to give like this :

the biggie :
* handmade flannel baby blanket (you get to pick the one you like out of 4 different ones i am making)
* handmade childrens pillowcase
* 3 hair clips for a little girl (you pick the colors)
* 5 handmade cards, designed by my oh so creative friend, Carol Calloway (she designs for a scrapbooking store)
* an original piece of artwork...most likely with a bird in it :)

2nd place :
* an original apron made by my super cute & fabulous friend, Amber Folkman. the apron is yellow and white on one side and a light grayish blue on the other...so cute!
* 2 hair clips (you pick the colors)

the runner up :
* 2 hair clips (you pick the colors)
* 5 handmade cards

i thought this way, i could share with more people. thank you all again for commenting here. i appreciate your kindness...even if you are blogstalking Becky! just teasing

yours truly.

chapter 102 : good ol' flabbity flab and being LOST in the glorious sunlight!

today is one of those days for me...a FAT day! i've been super sick this past week with allergies (which my 1 year old also seems to have as she scratches her ears, head and rubs her eyes...poor baby) and a dumb cold so i haven't danced since last Sat. i can so tell! i just feel GROSS!

thank you all for your comments. i'm was working on items that are part of the giveaway tonight, but then of course i got out of my creative groove thanks to LOST. which by the way, i had almost given up on that show again (like the 10th time), but after last week and tonight, i'm back in Baby! next week's season finale will definitely not be one to miss. on nights like this, i love the 52 incher, but still long for a remodeled kitchen as well...awww the irony!

the most important information of all...it was like 75 degrees today and we were able to go outside and actually enjoy it. it's getting so bad that yesterday my 2 year old even commented something to the effect of, "where's the sunshine? i don't see it!" all i could do is hang my head in sadness and say, "i know. me too!"

i'm excited to get posting more again and to get the giveaway taken care of soon. keep your little eyes here for the exciting news of who the winner is...

yours truly.

chapter 92 : we're all going to die...

thanks to all of you who commented on my "100th post giveaway." since i loved the comments and like everyone who said something so much, i'm going to do it. so stay tuned into this, your most favorite blog in the entire blogosphere (i'm a huge dork, i know!), and pretty soon #100 will be here...well if i'd actually post more anyway!

so last night as i was trying to find something and with our "on demand" out for like the 4th time in 3 weeks, i happened to see a commercial for the news. one of the quick teasers they said was something like, "tune in to find out why walmart and other big stores pull baby bottles off the shelves." so of course with my cute little ones using bottles and sippy cups like 50 times daily, i knew i needed to check it out. upon a little research, i found out that they were talking about BPA (bisphenol A) and it's possible problem causing issues.
in my Social Work program at BYU, we were told a saying that goes something like this, "if you see something once, notice it. if you it a 2nd time, pay attention. if you see it a 3rd time, do something about it." ok, ok, that's definitely not word for word, but i like to use this type of reasoning when i see something come up time and again in my life as has the issue and awareness of BPA.
my wonderful MIL was warning us about this exact thing 2 years ago, then i heard about it again subtly and now when i saw that last night on the news and read this earlier, that Canada is banning products without it, i knew i needed to do more research to try and protect my family from a possible danger.
now i know there is so much in the world that we can worry and fret over, like the lead based paint toy scare and only eating organically because of the toxins and chemicals in food, but i'm really starting to feel like my family needs to try and avoid BPA as much as possible. i also know that there probably is no for sure way to avoid everything that has it in it, but i want to try. so earlier today, we made a trip to Babies R' Us and picked up some great bottles, sippy cups, and utensils for the girls.
some of the items that show as "BPA free" on their packaging are a lot more expensive that the usual cheap cups and lids i've bought in the past, but i think it's worth it if i can help my children stay away from the possible dangers that may end up being linked to BPA-containing plastics.

so if you're interested in learning more about what's safe and what's not, here are some great links to check out :

http://safemama.com/2007/11/22/bpa-free-bottle-and-sippy-cup-cheat-sheet/
http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/11/z-report-bisphenol-in-baby-bottles-and.html

just an FYI though, these lists sort of contradict each other, so some other research may need to be done or you can even call the manufacturer of a product if you want to be extra sure. my best advice would be though to just follow the Spirit and go with what you feel right. now that we have some new products in our home, i feel better and like we're on a better path of safety for our children.

hope this helps...

yours truly.

p.s. just found this link http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/12/bpa-in-infant-formula-notes-on.html regarding baby formula and that the levels of BPA in them are too high! so i'm going to stop reading anything as i'm starting to get panic-attack feeling over the dangers of this...just hoping i'm doing what i can to help my children now and in the future!

chapter 90 : dangerously so close

so i'm getting dangerously close to my 100th listed post on this blog. many other blogs i stalk send out a package when they hit a big milestone, so i'm wondering...does anyone want me to send something out when i hit the BIG 100?
i'm thinking it could include, but not be limited too some things like :
* an original piece of art
* a baby blanket
* some cute little girl hair clips
* some cute cards
* a yummy, sugar-loaded treat (who am i kidding anyway? sugar sober...blah, blah, blah)
* and possibly something else i come up with

so if you even occasionally glance at this blog and think you would be interested in me doing this, leave a comment here. if i only get one comment, then i'll still consider it, but hey you might never get so lucky again as to get something from me (c:

yours truly.

capter 87 : weirdo weather

i think the rain is turning to snow...i'm TOO ready for summer. skip the spring crap! i think i'm getting a love/hate feel for you now, spring. you are only bringing dreariness to seattle!

yours truly.

chapter 76 : common routine

often my daily schedule goes something like this...

if we are staying home, which doesn't happen that often...
* get up and send mr. clean to work
* get breakfast around 8:00
* put baby K down for a nap while the little Bug watches some of her shows (Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Super Why, etc.) and i either jump on the computer for a bit or catch a little shut eye
* lunch around 11:00
* naptime at 12:00 while baby K and I hang out watching tv/locking ourselves in the computer room so naptime will actually happen for big Sister.
* 3:00 work on the list affectionately entitled, "try to get done so mr. clean is happy when he comes home." this includes picking up toys, doing dishes...surface cleaning any clutter that accummulated during the day, make dinner, play with the girls, etc.
* 5-5:30 eat dinner
* 6:30 get the girls ready for bed
* 7:00 enjoy freedom ;)
* 6:15-7:00 am next morning wish they would just sleep in one morning...

if we go out...with rising gas prices, this will probably slow down a bit or i am trying anyway...
* get up, shower if i'm lucky that day and send mr. clean to work/sometimes take him to work
* get breakfast around 8:00
* let the girls watch a show while i try to get ready...there are probably many days that i don't look like i spent more than 5 seconds on myself, but i guess you sacrifice what it takes to just get out the door somedays
* if we have our lwtg class, make it there around 11:00; otherwise, go out to whatever is scheduled that day
* eat lunch while out or as soon as we get in the door
* naptime for the Bug shortly after we eat or get home.
* after naptime, work on the list affectionately entitled, "try to get done so mr. clean is happy when he comes home." this includes picking up toys, doing dishes...surface cleaning any clutter that accummulated during the day, make dinner, play with the girls, etc.
* 5-5:30 eat dinner
* 6:30 get the girls ready for bed
* 7:00 enjoy freedom ;)
* 6:15-7:00 am next morning wish they would just sleep in one morning...

yours truly.

chapter 60 : afb (away from blogging)

i haven't posted too much lately and i'm blaming it on this and the Gilmore Girls dvds i borrowed from Lisa.

chapter 46 : so sorry

so sorry to all of you who love my blog ;), but i'm going to have to take a little break and get caught up on my family space. i've been doing so great at my daily thankful thoughts, but i am so FAR behind with 2 cameras now. i also need to update my recent projects here too. will come back soon...hopefully. it all depends on tonights tv line up...

*b

chapter 41 : F Y eye

just in case you were curious...

saw dan in real life last night. it was super great! just added it to my fave movies list. love steve carrell and it's pretty clean minus the 2 little risky parts.

i officially love roasted red pepper hummus with pita chips. now this is a huge stretch for me since i don't enjoy healthy food that much, but it's absolutely wonderful. i definitely prefer the trader joe's version over others and come to think of it, their pita chips are better too. oh and their flowers last the longest and are super inexpensive too.

still love my girls as much as ever. taylie is starting to speak in sentences and kylie is like a "baby buddah" when she goes from crawling to sitting. it's adorable.



i am so grateful for the health insurance that we have because of mr. clean's job. it's such a blessing to not have to worry about that on top of everything else in life or how we will pay for doctor's visits. we are truly blessed.