Planning for Christmas: 152 Days

152 Days.

21 Weeks and 5 days.

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Until the big day.

The day that most kids wait all year for.

Christmas. 

Jesususus Birthday! (if you're a fan of Melissa Gorga of Real Housewives of New Jersey)

It's time to start planning....is what I'm trying to say.

I can hear it already.....But Connie....It's July and it's 105 degrees.

I know, I know...but this is the perfect time to make your list and start thinking of gift ideas and pinning things on pinterest.

You ARE on pinterest right?

Credit

All I want you to do this month.....is make a list of people you need/want to buy gifts for and write a few out a few ideas. Dream big.  You can always pare it down later.  Really think about these people and what they love and would love to get from you.  Sometimes...when we think about what would make someone really happy...we find a great idea that is grand..but doable.  Especially if you start NOW.

And if you are still in the mood.  BUY ONE GIFT THIS MONTH.  

Crossing one gift off your list for your kids or husband....will make you feel great and put you one step toward having your gifts all purchased. 

Now....go have a cup of iced Hot Chocolate and pat yourself on the back. 

The Hundred Acre Woods

26 Days until Kindergarten Starts

I decided to surprise the kids and take them to see a movie today.   We ate lunch and then drove to Belmar.  I parked in the parking garage so that they wouldn't have a clue what I was up to.

We walked into the theater and they saw all of the Harry Potter posters and were in awe.  I was able to sneakily tell the cashier what movie we wanted to see without them hearing me.

I got them each a kids combo.  Popcorn, a disgusting piece of candy that is impossible to get the wrapper off from and a blue slurpee.  

They thought I brought them to the theater for lunch and could not contain their happiness when I told them we were staying to see a movie.

The preview were torture!  Each time one came on....they thought it was the movie. 

They decided they really want to see the new Spy Kids Movie.

Finally...the feature presentation came on and they were SO excited!

Secrets...Revealed!

Hey everyone!

I'm guest blogging for Mamarazzi at Dandelion Wishes today.  I'm spilling my secrets about how I read so many blogs and still have time to make sweet love to my husband!



The Google Reader is your friend.

You're Where I Belong

I stood in the upstairs bathroom looking down into my backyard.  I was holding a bouquet of flowers filled with red roses and yellow hydrangeas.  The smell was more intoxicating than the glass of champange I was holding in my other hand.

My dearest friends and family were all sitting in my backyard facing a green metal arch adorned with more of the flowers that I held in my hand.  It was possibly one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

The music started and instead of feeling nervous....I felt so excited!   

The sight of Keith and our preacher friend walking down the grass....took my breath away.  He looked so cute, but kind of pale.  I laughed to myself that he was probably looking for an exit....this 40 year old virgin bachelor was marrying a girl he had met just 10.5 months before.   

I might jump the fence.

My song began and I hurried down to the kitchen, exiting the door a few bars too early because I was so excited to get to my spot in the grass.  To stand in front of my best friend and end this whirlwind romance and start our lives together. 

I was so excited to marry my best friend....and have his babies. 

I love you iKeith!  You're the best husband I've ever had!

My Blog Is Four Today

Today is my 4 year Blogiversary! I started out with a little blog that was supposed to be an update for family in Colorado and Texas....but no one was reading it. Dang people with no computer skills!

Then I started forwarding links to friends and found other blogs to read and the rest is history!

I love this place that has evolved over time and the friends that I've made and never met (yet!).

Thank you for allowing me to share my family, my thoughts and my stories with you.  And thank you for caring about us and being more like a family to me than I've ever know.

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A few weeks ago, I became aware of someone named Carol Tuttle. She is based out of Utah and has written books about Energy Profiling.  I put her book, It's Just My Nature! on hold at the library and read it last Saturday....yes, in one day!  She categorizes people into 4 types.  One of these is generally your dominate and then you will have other types that are secondary!

Each type described a person in our family! I read passages to to iKeith all morning and lightbulbs kept going off.  Yes, this is why you (insert annoying thing you do here) and here is how we should handle it.

I am a type 3.  I have high energy and take action to get things done. I love making lists and marking things off!  I also like to get rid of things that are no longer useful. I'm competitive, friendly and talkative. I walk fast and know where everything is! 

Keith is a type 4.  He is an authority on everything and is able to focus for long periods of time.  He is very aware of structure and demands perfection. He is private, disciplined and uncompromising. Sees things as black or white and can be perceived  as cold and unfriendly.

Alex is a type 2.  He is very concerned with details, easy-going and slow moving. Sensitive to the environment and picky with food.  Not adaptable to change and likes to be comfortable.  Excellent at planning and following through.  Asks a million questions!

Mallory is a type 1.  She is inspiring, fun-loving and hopeful.  She is optimistic, comes up with great ideas and is entertaining.  Is great at making plans and is very disorganized. 

Did you see yourself in any of these descriptions?  The book is much more in depth and goes into great detail about how to handle each type.  For example, type 2 people need time to think things through and are slow moving.  Telling them to hurry up (how many times have I said this to him) makes them shut down.

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I finished reading Don't Breathe a Word: A Novel by Jennifer McMahon last week.  It was soooo good!  It took me no time to read because I couldn't put it down.  It's a mystery set in Vermont and it's kind of about fairies.  But not the cute little pixies that we know and love from Disney movies.

The first person (in the United States of American) that emails me and tells me what kind of company I worked for in my embarrassing vlog from yesterday....wins the book! Mimi wins the book! 

AWKWARD!

Mallory and Alex have been making me laugh recently by coming up with things that are AWKWARD.

They heard it on TV somewhere and it's just the cutest darn thing ever!

Their favorite one is....A squirrel without pants? AWKWARD!

Well...thanks to Shawn from Seriously Shawn, the squirrels will be awkward no more.

She could NOT resist sending me Squirrel underpants! And one of the funniest things is that a portion of the profits from this product will be donated to the 'Small Animal Decency Fund' because the poor little things don't even know they are naked!

Did you see my post over the weekend about when I dunked the squirrel hunter?

I finished Don't Breathe A Word on Friday and I'll be giving it away to another lucky reader this week.

Don't forget about the July Vlog Extravaganza!! I will be telling you an embarrassing story tomorrow.

I've got Google Plus invites....if anyone needs one.  Send me your email address and I'll send you one.

They Can't Stop Me!

There has been a resolution to Mattressgate! Click here for the update. 

Remember a while back when I found out that I wasn't allowed to grill on my patio anymore?

I just found a solution to that problem.

The Hot-Pot BBQ. It looks like a plant...but it's also a hidden BBQ.

If you are interested in Letterboxing...go read the article I wrote for R We There Yet Mom? 

I know you want to read a funny post from Vivienne at The V Spot about how NOT to set up a buffet at your next potluck. I might have given her some pictures to use for her post.

Books, Races and Beer

Happy Fourth of July!

I'm all fireworksed out. We've seen them three nights in a row. Well, I didn't see them last night because I wasn't feeling well so I sat in my hot bed and started a new book that I picked up on Friday Night. It's called Don't Breathe a Word: A Novel by Jennifer McMahon and it's so good that I had trouble putting it down.

Who wants my copy of The Summer We Came to Life? The first person (that lives in the United States of America) to shoot me an email gets it.  It was really good! YAY!  Amy from Nine-Ninety-One gets the book! Go follow Amy's blog...she's planning to pass the book along when she's done.

I hope you all are having a great holiday weekend!  We've been eating and drinking well and Keith's been working like a dog in between going to the pool, the park and fireworks shows.  His app has something to do with the Tour d.e France so we're following the race for the first time ever!

It's Root Beer.