Bangs

I can't afford BOTOX.....so I cut my bangs. 

This should also be filed under....words you shouldn't search for on pinterest when you have your period.

The good news is that when iKeith walked in the door and saw me for the first time....he noticed and said that I looked younger.  Too bad he couldn't get lucky last night.

Are you as excited as I am for this week?  MY SHOWS ARE BACK! But All My Children is ending.  I'm thinking of watching the last week just to see how it ends.  Quick someone tell me who are the characters are besides Erica Cane.   My friend Becca went to NYC over the weekend on a #AMCFarewellTrip.  I loved following her tweets and she thought about me when she went to Starbucks!  Can't wait to hear all about it.

Happy Monday!

Happy Birthday iKeith

Becca made me feel badly....for not honoring the father of my children today on his birthday.

I think I brag about iKeith pretty frequently here....although I don't talk about him much because he gets embarrassed when his co-workers read my blog and tease him.

I wish I'd know him when he went to West Point.  This uniform gets me all kinds of excited!  It still hangs in his closet....I wish he'd wear it for me.

iKeith has been a Mac Man since the beginning.  Here he is at West Point with his first Apple computer. Sadly, he never celebrated his birthday those four years because when your fellow cadets discovered it was your birthday they would torment and prank you.  We're talking striping you naked and painting your bottom with shoe polish!

iKeith loves to fish.

He's also a party animal.....but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. 

He looks really good in a suit.

And even though he doesn't like Halloween and dressing up.  He's a good sport about it when we insist.

He's a great husband and an awesome father!  I'm so lucky to have him in my life!! 

I love you iKeith!  

Happy Birthday!


Double Encore got iKeith a cake for his birthday! I may have supplied the picture.  Godzilla was not in the picture when I sent it over!  HA!

Scenes From a Good Birthday

Birthday Margarita

Me...and my *baby*

Italian Men...in Tights

Schweddy Balls

Roses from my honey

Lesson learned:

1.) It is unwise to drink more than one beverage that ends in a vowel. Margarita, Sangria, Chianti
2.) It is unwise to eat refried beans two days in a row when you haven't eaten beans in 8 weeks.
3.) A box fan should never be used in a bedroom where your wife has eaten beans after not eating them for 8 weeks.

I Don't Want To Remember

I don't want to remember where I was 10 years ago.

I don't want to remember that my birthday was ruined and that I ate take out chinese in front of the TV.

I don't want to remember that everytime I tell someone when I was born...they say, 'I'm Sorry.'

I don't want to remember the lengths I went to the following year to avoid the reminders.  I went to Northern Minnesota to a remote cabin for my birthday so that I wouldn't be surrounded by TV or Radio.  I grilled a steak and drank a bottle of Merlot.  And I ran all over the itty bitty town looking for someone to uncork my wine for me.

I just want my birthday back and to be able to celebrate it without being pissed off at some long dead terrorists and now dead Osama Bin Ladin. 

Today, I'm celebrating with my family and avoiding the TV and radio.  I threw my newspaper in the recycling bin without reading it and later I'll grill a steak and drink a bottle of Merlot.

Happy Birthday to ME!

Friday Daydreamin': New York

This Friday....I'm dreaming about one of my favorite places on earth. 

NEW YORK

When I met iKeith and we started to get serious we talked about his West Point Reunion.  Before I knew it that time was upon us and I happened to be 11 weeks pregnant with Alex.  Luckily, my morning sickness ended right before the trip and I got to buy a bunch of new clothes and shoes because my Colorado outfits were not good enough for New York!

I'm sharing more than one picture today because there was no way to just pick one.  I loved every minute of our trip even though it rained almost the entire time.

I got to see Keith's dorm room, where he studied, where he ate and where he walked in a square when he got in trouble.

So much history in one place and the stone buildings are breathtaking! It kind of reminds me of Hogworts!

Then we spent two days in THE CITY.  We walked and ate and walked and had the most amazing cup of coffee from a little place in Grand Central Station and I saw Mama Mia.

I loved Central Park and wanted to spend the entire day there.

Do you have a favorite vacation picture? Link up with Becca at R We There Yet Mom and tell us all about it!

That One Time...I Was In a Bar Fight

Thank you Mama Kat for today's topic. 

1.) Write about a time you shoved someone

Once upon a time when I was 24 and newly divorced, I met this guy in a bar.  This song played (in my head) when I saw him across the crowded bar and I knew he would be mine!

We started seeing each other and hung out a lot at our favorite bar called The Gambler. 

He told me about a long distance girlfriend named Melissa and that he'd been trying to break up with her for a year but she wouldn't have it.

And then he told me that he broke up with her and he was free to be with me.

He lied.

Fast forward a few weeks and I'm drinking an ice cold Coors Light at The Gambler when this giant goth looking girl walks up to me and asks if I'm Connie.  I'm thinking she wants to know where I got my beautiful blonde hair permed but no....

It's Melissa.

I say yes and she shoves me.  I shove her back and in a flash OUR boyfriend is between us and he and a couple security guards drag her stupid ass out of the bar.  As she's exiting the building I hear her yell...

I knew you'd find a petite girl!

Me? Petite? I'm freakin 5'8" and not very thin! 

And then I couldn't be mad at her and felt bad for having her banned from the bar because  she thought I was petite.

I miss Melissa.

Bless Your Heart

All The Suckers I Can Eat

Now that Alex is away from home in the mornings....Mallory and I have more time to run errands and get coffee.

We have some great talks in the car and she sometime's makes me laugh until I have tears streaming down my face.

Today, we needed to go to the bank and she was very excited at the prospect of getting a sucker.  This led to a discussion about what she wants to be when she grows up.

At first she told me that she wants to work in a bank.  I had to laugh because I could see in her mind she was eating unlimited amounts of suckers.

I explained to her that when she is an adult....and has a job, she can buy as many suckers as she wants.  I heard a gasp from the backseat and she asked me if I was serious.  I assured her that I was.

I asked her if this changed what she wanted to do for work when she grows up and she said yes....she'd like to be a black girl.

I glanced up in my rear view mirror and I said, 'Really?  A black girl?' and she said, 'NO MOM!  A Blogger!'

I think I need to get my hearing checked.

In other news....at the *Kindergarten Lunch with Mom's* which I've dubbed Lunch and Learn...I was mistaken for the hot Danish Swedish Nanny that is employed by one of the classmate's parents.  I have to tell you...with only 6 days until my 41st birthday it was better than being carded for booze!

It's All Fun and Games Til Mommy Wins At Golf

Hey All!

I had a great weekend! We ran up to Blackhawk with Robert after the guys got off from work Friday night and spent some quality time at the roof top pool!

Keith and I celebrated our birthday's over the weekend and stayed in another beautiful hotel suite courtesy of Robert and his gambling problem! 

Brother Husband & Husband

Yesterday, we did a little letterboxing at a beautiful park and then went to Dick's and used my Klout Perks to purchase putters for the kids.  They were so excited to use them so we took them to Agua Golf in Denver. 

Our kids have some serious talent and Alex got a hole in one on the 17th hole! I might have to get my own clubs because I ended up #winning!  Uncle Robert is really thrilled that they have interest in golf and now we have a fun thing that they can do with him since they aren't old enough to gamble yet. 

balls

What did you do this weekend?

My Day...Unplugged

What did I miss? Apparently blogger updated their interface but it says my browser doesn't support it...whatever that means.  I guess I need to look into that.

I also missed an invite to a Mile High Mama's event at The Museum of Nature and Science.  It was sold out at 4pm.  It happens to be the night of my first PTA meeting and if I'm going to be the President someday...I can't miss the first one.  So...it's all good.

Here is a run down of my day:

8am....shut everything down. (I'd like to know the electricity that was saved today)

8:15am...eat breakfast in front of the TV while watching a segment on The Today Show about Teens that are addicted to technology.  Find out that Teens are cyber bullying each other anonymously on Formspring.  Vow not to get a formspring account...or a cellphone for my kids until they are 30.  Tips from the *expert*: don't take your phone to bed with you.  Any texts tweets sent after 10pm are irrational. Park your phone when you have company.

8:50am...sign an 8 month lease on my apartment and vow to get the hell out of here and BUY A HOUSE by April.

9am...watch Nancy Drew with Mallory.  Think to myself that her Penny Loafer's are kind of cute and wish I could google *penny loafer*.

10am..Impulsive Addict calls to check up on me.  Love her for doing this with me!

10:15am....Wish I could check my weather app to see what the temp is.

10:35am...Email break (but not twitter) I have 51 emails.  NONE of them are important.  Check the weather app.  It's 80 degrees.  Turn on the AC and straighter my hair just like a You Tube Video I saw yesterday.  Wish I could watch the video again.

11am...Pick up Alex, remember to take my watch so that I know what time it is instead of checking my phone. Go to McDonald's Drive through and remember that I can't check in on 4square or Gowalla or FB or Forkly.  Wonder how my friends on twitter will live without knowing where I was.

12pm...Watch Y&R on TV that I DVR'd instead of watching it online.  I actually pay attention to what is going on without being distracted by twitter and cry at the end.

12:45pm....Open Alex's backpack and find that Ms. M is helping me out.  She sent me a Scholastic Books Magazine to read. Get to page four and see that they want me to follow @parentandchild on twitter.  Read 1/2 of magazine and find things I want to google:

The Rhythm of Family by Amanda and Stephen Soule
Skiphop.com
My Future Listography
How Your Child Learns Best by Judy Willis
Recipe that I'm making for dinner
The house I saw for sale by the school.

1pm...Do a load of laundry and wish I could check my weather app because it's hotter than hades outside. Decide to watch this really bad movie so that I can see a love scene with Michael Muhney in it.  Luckily the kids stayed in their room playing legos.

2:15pm..Check email (49) and weather app (95 degrees).

2:30pm Watching Nancy Drew....again.  Ask Alex 50 times to stop calling her Nasty Drew.  Find the little chubby kid that loves her annoying and think that the penny loafers look stupid now.  Wish I could google the name of the cute kid that likes her from her old town.

4:10pm...turn on my computer.  Send out my first tweet of the day and check my weather app again.

Impulsive Addicts Unplugged Post.
Yoga Pants & Coffee Results Post.
Outta This World Unplugged Post.
Mighty M Family 8 Hours Post
Emmy Mom Lessons From Unplugging
Jenny Kate  Calling Betty Ford

iPhone Challenge...

Do you ever feel like you've become too dependent on your phone and your computer? Are you addicted to Words with Friends and Twitter?

Every now and again....I find it really helpful to unplug from all of my electronics. It helps me realize that there are OTHER ways that I could be spending my time and that there are PEOPLE that I should be focusing that time on.

I've gotten way better about this as my kids have gotten older and over this summer actually. I have taken a lot more time to read (I've read NINE books this summer. Looky here.) and I've done more things with my kids.

My kids need me more and I NEED to be more in the moment.

So...when Impulsive Addict started talking about taking a break from her phone...I pushed encouraged her to do it and said I'd do it with her.

Tomorrow...I'm joining up with Impulsive Addict, Emmy Mom and @AmberNDE for a iPhone/Computer Fast for 8 hours.

Could you give up your phone (except if it rings and you don't have a landline) and your computer (except for 2 ~15 minute breaks to check email) for 8 hours (me: 8am-4pm MST)? Should you?

Join us, keep a log of what you did instead and blog about it on Thursday!


YAY! Barb from Yoga Pants and Coffee is joining us!
WOOT!  Pam from Be Colorful is joining us too!
Boo YA! Teri from The Mighty M Family is in!
Yippy! Sara Jo from Outta This World wants in!

First Day, The Ugly Cry and Santa

*two posts today! I had to catch you up on yesterday and I'm excited to share another vacation picture!*

The first day went really well....as far as we can tell. He's not saying much, only revealing small details like *someone threw rocks at me* and *raising two fingers means I have to use the restroom*. I haven't received an email from the teacher yet so I'll count this day as a success.

Uncle Robert went with us to see Erick off. I think it's possible that he was the only uncle that cared so much and that we looked like a reverse polygamous family.

My tears didn't come right away...mostly because I was growing irritated with my husband's driving and had to keep barking orders at him. He's going to have a tough time at drop off against these mini van ladies when he's driving 15 miles an hour.

I had him so rattled when we got to our parking spot that he accidentally forgot to turn off our vehicle and left it running the whole time we were taking Alex to his classroom! Oops!

Saying goodbye to Alex was hard.  I waited until the last possible moment because he looked like he was about to cry.  I walked to the door and turned to take one last picture and he was sitting with his head down.  As I stepped out into the sunshine....I started the ugly cry.

Keith and Robert decided that I needed coffee STAT so they drove me down the road to The Village Roaster and I ate some gluten and drank coffee.  Then I opened a little baggie that had been handed to me as I was leaving.  It contained a cotton ball, a tissue, a tea bag and a note.

Here is a little gift for you as you leave your precious one with me on the first day of school.  As you hold this cotton ball in your hand, the softness will help you remember the gentle spirit of your child. After you've gone home and dried your tears, make yourself a hot cup of tea. Put up your feet and relax. Remember that together you and I will work for your child to be the best they can be.

Thank you for entrusting your child to me for the coming year.  I will do my very best every day to be your child's guide in learning and exploring this bright, new world they've just stepped into.

Of course I started crying again until I made iKeith read it to me with the voice of GRU from Despicable Me.   And then Santa appeared, handed Mallory a coin and said he caught her being good.  She just about passed out and fell off from her chair!

We went to the Belmar Mall, walked around, found the cutest outfit in the whole world for Mallory at Baby Gap, put Mallory on the naughty bench for being a brat, went to my new favorite store...Charming Charlie and then to Sur La Table where I bought a new vegetable peeler. Retail therapy?

I made iKeith take me back to the school 20 minutes early....because I was anxious to get my kid back and he made me sit in the car without the AC running.  I joked with him that he did it earlier...why not now.  He said something about gas mileage.

The bell rang and all of the kids came out and lined up against the wall.  Except for my kid.

I started to panic and then he came sauntering out! Taking his time....like he always does.  He walked slowly to me and gave me a hug.  whew! That umbilical cord hurts when it gets stretched!

We took him out for a special pizza lunch with root beer AND dessert!

I told him that I was probably going to spend the afternoon hugging him....and he said that would be okay!  I love that kid!

What I Wore:

Seafoam green t-shirt sweater from Down East Basics.

Jeans from White House Black Market

Wedges from Tommy Hilfiger.

White purse from Target.

Yes, Denise.  I wore jeans and a sweater on a 97 degree day.  Cardigans are my security blanket.

Question!!  What color accessories do you think I should wear with my green sweater?

School Anxiety

I'm trying to remain calm.

I'm organizing and labeling and drinking too much wine.

I feel like if I can just stay busy and organized then Thursday will arrive and everything will be fine.

I told everyone that today we'd be starting the new schedule and doing a dry run to the school.  I need to know how long it will take so that we can make any necessary adjustments on the big day.

Apparently....I've stressed out my little boy because he didn't sleep last night and now I wonder if I should just let him sleep or continue with my schedule.

Crap!

I had a big Going to School Dinner planned for Wednesday night but now I'm wondering if I should just keep it low key?  He hasn't expressed any anxiety about school....until last night.

********

In one of the emails I've received from the Welcome Committee, it said that Alex needed to wear a name tag for the first week with his teachers name on it.  I had this brillant idea to buy one of those plastic shields with the clip and print out his name tag on the computer.

I stood in Office Max for 30 minutes trying to decide what to do because you can't just buy ONE plastic thing and ONE clip.  You have to buy packs of 10.  This little idea was going to cost me $10.  I walked around and I fretted and I called iKeith and he didn't answer. (he never answers)

Finally, I decided to do the iKeith test and asked myself if Keith would roll his eyes at me over this idea, decided that YES, he would so I put that stuff back and bought name tag stickers and a sharpie.

*******

Mallory is very excited for Alex to start school!  I think she's looking forward to having some time alone with me and has come up with some activities for us to do together.  I have NO idea where she came up with these.

• Go to the mall and ride the Merry Go Round
• Go to coffee. 
• Paint each other's nails?
• Do each other's hair.
• Have a pillow fight in our underwear.
• Go to Target and get coffee.
• Spend Daddy's money.
• Go to the library. 

***********

I am loving my new Cozi Calendar and App!

I went through the school calendar and put all of the important dates in...and all of my to-do lists are in one place and I can mark them off on my phone!  You can set up a journal where you jot little notes about what's going on and then have your journal emailed in a newsletter format to family and friends.

This is going to make starting school so much easier!

Pray for us.....

Mom Getaway

Yesterday....I was running errands with my family and I almost lost my mind. They were crabby, whiney, hungry, thirsty, wet and not listening to a word I said.

I escaped.  I couldn't take it anymore and I got the heck away from them.

Much like this.



Have you met Alli Worthington? I've kissed Ali and I liked it!

Planning for Christmas: 152 Days

152 Days.

21 Weeks and 5 days.

.

.

.

.

.

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.

************

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.

**************

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.