just wanted to say...

Happy Birthday to this great man of mine...

{the one on the right of course...sorry I didn't have time to photoshop}

We LOVE you!

meet madeline

My son's first crush.

Is that okay if it's his cousin?

Every time Jake sees Maddie he starts jumping up and down, wiggling, and then a high pitched squeal comes out. It is hilarious. He knows how to give kisses and gives them freely (especially to this little princess). The only problem is that when he goes in for the kill he grabs your hair just to make sure you don't go anywhere. One time, when I wasn't watching super close, Maddie started crying and I told her Jakey was just giving her loves. A few minutes later I found a chunk of her hair in the little stinker's hand. Poor girl. No wonder why every time he starts to get close she gets this worried look on her face as if to say...Isn't anyone going to get him?

{Sad when you have to protect a 2 year old from an 8 month old}

Nice part (in his hair) huh? Little man.

Isn't she cute?

Although, I have a feeling that she can hold her own.

can you smell it?

T R O U B L E.

Jake has finally started getting good at the army crawl. It seems like it has taken him forever (which it kind of has). The hubs kept asking when he would do it, and I just kept saying to enjoy it. This little monkey has so much energy I have a feeling I am going to be in for it.

I am thinking the bar stools might have to start hanging out on the counter.

Doesn't he just look like he is trying to find something to get in to?

Found it.
Well at least one of the things.

the third of may?

7:35-7:50 p.m. Ran cookies to a few neighbors. (wearing shorts)
7:55-8:00 p.m. Started reading to Bigs.
8:01-8:04 p.m. Hear some light rain, heavy rain, and then...

I finally decided I couldn't read Green Eggs & Ham over what sounded like golf balls hitting a trailer park.

After the hailing had subsided...we found this bundle of joy on our front porch.

Why am I still amazed, annoyed, surprised, angered, excited about this crazy weather we have after 24+ years of living here?

Oh well. I guess when you find Dip n' Dots on your front porch on the third of May it is a sign that summer is just around the corner.

We'll see.

good laughs

Leftovers. That's what we had for dinner tonight. Somewhere between working, coming home to cut hair, and catering to Mr. I Am Crying Every Second Because I Am Getting My Third Tooth This Week I forgot to make dinner. Very June Cleaver of me isn't it? Anyway, after things settled down a bit and my little monkey was all tucked in, it hit me, THIS make you laugh til it hurts show is on TONIGHT. SO...if you are looking for a good laugh this is the show. I find it especially funny because my hubs is exactly like Jeff. I SWEAR at least once or twice a show I look over and exclaim, "WE JUST had this conversation!" Anyway, you get my point.

Funny show. Lots of laughs. Enjoy.

Sidenote: The hubs doesn't think it's laugh out loud funny like me, but he is entertained by it too.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind this is my guilty pleasure...so don't be too offended.

my little boy

{easter 2009}

is growing up. fast.

it's sad that after weeks of not posting this is all I could come up with.

maybe next time.

my world...for my record

I always imagined myself living in a black & white, eat your food storage, and sew-your-own clothes kind of world if the economy ever went through another depression. Surprisingly enough though, my world is still in color. Instead I feel as though my world is rather prosperous. Can you say that even if you aren't talking about money? We are still able to purchase what we need, the hubs and I both have jobs, and I have a healthy 7 1/2 month old child. Don't get me wrong, our family is definately feeling the pinch, especially since both of us work in the real estate industry (remind us never to do that again). But I never thought that I would be in the prime of my child bearing years when things hit rock bottom.

For the past few months I have wondered what to write about this period in our lives. While it might not be the most uplifting time, I don't want to forget it. Remember: Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it? (My dad managed to drill that quote by Winston Churchill into my head when I brought home a D in history in 8th grade). Although I didn't exactly welcome this economy with open arms, it's here, and it will be here quite some time. So we might as well embrace it. Or at least learn something from it. I could go on and on about how it's been coming. How stupid I think it is that the people that got us into this aren't the only ones being affected. Or how about the fact that I can't get health insurance if I am willing to PAY, but if I CAN'T pay I can go get some from the government. Ok, I threw in that last one just to get it off my chest...but it's just another example of how out of wack the system is. My point is, if I let myself I can get worked up everyday about something different. So for my own sanity, I have to tell myself...it is what it is. Now do something.

Ever since I graduated high school I have been working non stop to 'make something' of myself. I went to beauty school, college, and found a stable job. At the time, I told myself and others how I wanted to 'be prepared'. I wanted to be done with school and have something to fall back on if I didn't work. I wanted to work as hard as I could to build up a savings so we could be in a good position when we had kids. So two summers ago, after I had been graduated almost a year, we decided it was time. Not two months after we started trying did the market start to dip and kept on going. Down.

I often laugh that I had this 'plan'. I laugh that I thought that we were finally to the point of making extra money. What is extra anyway? I laugh that I thought I got to plan how things happen. Now in the heart of this terribly damaged economy, I feel blessed. Not because things went my way, but because I was prepared and didn't know it.

When I was pregnant and people would ask if I would be coming back to work. I always replied with a confident yes. Almost every time without fail, the person would slightly wince and apologize. I found this reaction odd, in so many different ways. After our sweet Jake was born, we tried to get private insurance so I didn't have to feel like I had to as much. We were rejected. So doing what I have to do, I work. Trust me I have my days where I think I might not survive. On those days when I am breaking down and Mike says I can quit. I feel a brief sense of relief, followed by a heavy heart. Wouldn't it seem ungrateful to give up your job when so many are struggling to keep theirs? And for that reason alone, I am sure I will always work (in one form or another). But in the end I have to remember to be thankful. Thankful that I have a job. Thankful that I can provide for my family. Thankful that in a time like this I can still enjoy life and raise a family.

Besides, the other day on Facebook I took the quiz "What tv mom are you most like?" and the answer was 'June Cleaver'....so who says you can't do both?

P.S. Don't you think it will be a little bit fun to tell our grandkids about this? Like our grandparents told us? Just something to think about.