Times Are Tough...

Times are really tough right now, people are losing their jobs, the president is bailing out companies that can still afford to give their top people bonuses and Jay Cutler is mad at his new head couch.

Mothers are a resilient bunch and when times get tough we get to work...we work hard to make sure that our families are taken care of and that the paycheck Daddy brings home goes further than it did last week. We cut coupons and shop sales and Ebay. Some Mommies will go back to work and some will try to find something to do from home.

There are lots of things that Moms can do from home. Take in more children to watch, transcription and data entry, phone sex operator, or some kind of sewing project.....

Since I am an excellent sewer...I decided that this would be the way I would help take care of my family. I have found a product that I think is just going to FLY off my shevles and will make my family rich! Now I just need a little help. I hosted a casting call the other day for a model to be the spokesmodel for my product. Three ladies showed up....can you help me pick the right person for this job?

From left to right: Debbie, Sally & June.

They Say It's Your Birthday!

It didn't take me long to be excited about having another baby but also scared out of my mind. A few weeks after I found out I was expecting, Calving accepted a job in Utah so we packed up and moved. We lived in a hotel for 3 long weeks.

The next 5 and a half months would go by in a flash. Before I knew it, I was 36 weeks pregnant and I was in so much pain I could barely walk. I didn't realize just how hard it is a for a body of advanced maternal age (35) to be pregnant for 17 months....almost in a row. I felt like an elephant!


At my 36 week appointment, I told my doctor that Mallory was coming that week and he laughed at me. He didn't know about my special *gift* and I didn't know if I could make it another 3 weeks. I was also really worried that I would be giving birth in the hallway of the hospital because there was a baby boom going on in Ogden. Every week there were 50-60 births announced in the paper. I was told that there had been lots of camping going on the summer before....

On the morning of March 15th, I awoke with horrible pain in my back and pelvis and I was sick to my stomach. I felt dizzy and like I was going to throw up. I coughed and peed my pants! (this is a common occurrence when I am pregnant) I laid on the couch wondering how I was going to take care of Alex in this condition and started thinking about when I had peed my pants earlier and wondered if my water had broken. I called my doctor's office and they told me to come to the hospital. I called Calvin and told him to come home...but we had a problem. We didn't have anyone to watch Alex...my mother in law was planning to come from Denver closer to my due date but this was too early. Amazingly, a co-worker of his agreed to watch Alex overnight! Never mind that we barely knew these people....

We arrived at the hospital around 11am and I was tested and hooked up to monitors. It turned out that I had indeed peed my pants and not broken water but I had a fever and my heart was racing. They decided to monitor me.

At 3:30pm, someone came in and told me that I had an infection in my uterus and I was going to be induced. Three different people came in to install an IV but I was so dehydrated that no one could find a vein. Finally, an Anesthesiologist came and rescued me from my fate as a human pin cushion.

They started Pitocin at 6:30 pm.....I was 2 CM dilated. Calvin finally showed up after dropping Alex off at Tracey and Brian's house and we watched TV. I tried like crazy to watch Ugly Betty but the contractions were kicking my ass. At 7:50pm...I got my epidural. I was sitting there joking around with the Nurse and the Anesthesiologist and then he stuck me with the needle and everything started to go black. The epidural caused my already low blood pressure to plummet even further and they spent the next 30 minutes trying to bring everything back to normal. I could hear Grey's Anatomy starting on the TV and I was irritated that I was going to miss it! Calvin would tell me later that I was in and out of consciousness....while I thought I was awake. Needless to say, this little turn of events scared the hell out of him.

Mallory's heart rate increased so they upped my Pitocin to speed things along but I stalled at 4CM. At 2:30am they broke my water and then I stalled at 6CM. At 5AM a new nurse (that I hated) came on and I asked her to check me but she wouldn't. I had not been checked since 3:30am and I was sure that I had progressed because my epidural had been wearing off and I could feel some of the contractions. No matter how much I insisted...she refused.

At 6:30am, she finally decided to check me and she yelled 'Oh no! You are 10 CM and your baby is in the birth canal!' There was a flurry of activity while they called my doctor and prepared the room for Mallory's arrival. And then she told me to HOLD MY LEGS TOGETHER because she could see Mallory's head. At this point, if my baby wouldn't have shot out of my vajayjay...I would have kicked her in the freakin head!

Finally....my doctor walked in the door and sat down between my legs.....then he noticed the camera that Calvin was holding and said he had one just like it and they decided that this would be the perfect time to discuss the pros and cons of the Nikon. I tried my best to bring them back to attention by informing them that I was having a baby and that my poor little girl had been sitting in my birth canal for 30 minutes!

I pushed 5 times and she was out! They laid her on my stomach and even though she was crying her head off and covered in white goo....I knew she was the most beautiful baby I had seen in at least a year.

Mallory Tressa Weiss was born at 7:09 am on March 16th , she was 6 lbs 10 oz and
19 inches long.

When they took her to be examined they discovered that her glucose levels and body temp were low so she spent 6 hours in NICU....and then the next 24 hours she had to have her foot pricked constantly to test her blood sugar levels. Her poor little feet where covered in little round band aids when we took her home.

At 1:30pm, they finally brought her back to me and she didn't want to breast feed. They had given her formula and she was rejecting my nipple. I can't tell you how vexed I was that she spent her first 6 hours away from me sucking on an artificial nipple!

Further testing revealed that she was extremely jaundiced and would require a bili blanket for 7 days. So, again...I was discouraged from breast feeding because formula helps the toxins leave the body faster. I was so sad....

I am not a good patient because I hate hospitals but this place was the worst. I ran out of giant mesh panties and pads and it took an hour to bring me more, I was not given pain meds until I asked for them and then when my doctor was checking me out before being discharged...I found out they were supposed to be giving me antibiotics for my infection but they had not! I threatened to escape if they did not release me and let me take my baby home. They made us stay over night and then let us go Saturday after they forced me to eat some of their god awful food and a piece of pie.

And then I went grocery shopping.

I was filling my prescription and the pharmacist asked me when I gave birth...and then gave me a hard time for already doing my grocery shopping when I had just given birth the day before. I explained that I had a house guest arriving and I had meals to prepare....it's what Martha Stewart would do.

Mallory was such an easy baby and once she arrived we couldn't figure out how we lived without her.

Thank Heaven...for Little Girls!

There was a time, not so very long ago that I didn't think I was going to be a Mother. From the time I was a little girl, I knew that my heart's true desire was to be a Mom and at the age of 33 it still hadn't happened for me. I could think of nothing in the world I wanted more....

Of course, once I stop looking for love... it found me. And after one heartbreaking miscarriage I finally gave birth to a baby boy. Life was so good! I was in love....I adored taking care of Alex and we fell into an easy routine.

Then, 10 weeks after I gave birth....I found myself staring at two lines on a pregnancy test! I was devastated! How could this be happening? Alex was a baby, my husband was unemployed and my breast milk was drying up from the hormones. I thought this must be the worst thing to ever happen....how would we manage?

I blamed myself. I tend to pray for stuff I don't need and I had asked the lord to please give me TWO children before I got too old. I figured menopause must be right around the corner if God had to bless me with two pregnancies in under one year.

I had company. You know Britney did the same thing....two kids in one year. We all know how that turned out. I was determined not to go Bat Shit Crazy...so I did what I always do...I sucked it up and looked at the bright side. Our Theme Song....



I decided that I was giving Alex a gift. A sibling that would be his bestest little friend....a playmate, a partner in crime....A Sister!

My girl just hours after her birth...

Just look at her! Isn't she the most precious thing you have ever seen? I was instantly in love and thought my heart would just burst from this wonderful gift. The gift of life! Babies that smell so good and are truly miracles......

Looking back on the last two years....I can't believe what an amazing blessing this little girl is. Instead of being overwhelmed by having two babies...I thrived! She was such an easy baby and Alex took to her so well. She was so eager to do what brother was doing that she is way ahead in verbal skills....it has often felt like I have twins and I forget that she is 10.5 months younger. Our family would not be complete without her....

She is sweet and mischievous, beautiful and rambunctious, thoughtful and sneaky. And every night when I rock her to sleep....I say to her, I love you Moo and she looks up at me with those big blue eyes and she says....

Yeah, that's nice.

Come back here on Monday for Mallory's Birthday Party Extravaganza!

A Rock and A Hard Place

Tell about a time you hurt somebody that still bothers you to this day.

There have been a few times in my life when I have had a best friend that I felt was like a sister to me. I met Denise because the man I was dating was working for her husband's construction company. We immediately clicked and for the next 10 years she would be the person I looked to for friendship, comfort, fun and advice. She would end up standing up for me when I married my ex-husband and she was there when it all fell apart.

Late one night, as I often did...I went to a bar looking for my ex-husband and I found Denise's Jeep in the parking lot. I parked behind it and went up to the window....but she wasn't the one inside. It was her husband and he was with another woman. I panicked, got back in my truck and left.

The next day, I was told by my husband that I was forbidden from telling Denise what I saw. Her husband had threatened his job and we couldn't afford for him to lose it. I felt terrible each time I saw or talked to her and wanted so desperately to tell her what I knew. And each time I saw HIM, he would leer at me because he knew that I wouldn't expose his dirty little secret.

For months....this went on. Keeping this from my friend was tearing me up inside....and I didn't know how I could go on with this information in my heart. Denise's husband didn't make it any easier for me. He treated her badly and finally he did something that allowed me to break my silence.

He hit her.

I couldn't stand by any longer and I told her the whole story! I was so conflicted because Denise had two small children with this man and she was going to forgive him....but once I told her the truth she made a decision to leave.

I have always felt so badly that I hurt my friend by withholding this information, that I didn't protect her and that she had to endure months more abuse from this man. It taught me to always listen to my gut. If it feels wrong...it usually is.

The good news is that Denise went on to marry a wonderful man and have a beautiful daughter with him.



This post is part of Mama Kat's Weekly Writing Assignment. Click here to see the prompts, pick one and join in! Click here to see what everyone picked.

Coming to a Mall Near You....

I like to hang out on the couch. I like to sit and watch TV, or read and I love watching movies from my couch. But I think when I order this item....I have officially spend way too much time on my couch. I'm thinking once you are comfortably situated with your couch dress...you don't get up much. Is there a potty under there too? I think I might accidently dip part of this in the toilet while trying to do my business. And my home has stairs. I think this is just an accident waiting to happen....

The Call of the Wild

I found something fun that I want to participate in! Mama Kat does a weekly writing assignment! How fun is that? Here are the prompts....

1.) Write a limerick.

2.) Normal is...

3.) Describe a memorable camping experience.

4.) What's the best thing that has happened this week?

5.) Did you have a childhood hideout? Where? Describe it.

6.) Words that hurt me.

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When I was a teenager we did a lot of camping. Around this time...my family became friends with a wilderness survival expert and I was forced to spend two nights in the woods in a shelter that we made out of sticks and I became violently ill from eating wild mushrooms. I believe that was our last camping experience because there were three of us(me, Bobbi and Mom) and one of him and we put our collective feet down. But that isn't my most memorable experience...OH NO....today I shall tell you about peeing in the woods.

In July 1980 something, my Dad came home from an Alaskan fishing trip a few days early and he had the wonderful idea that we should go camping in the Rocky Mountains. In true teenage fashion... I'm sure I threw a fit and I'm sure I sulked and pouted. During the night, I woke up and had to go 'potty'. We were in a camp ground but I had no intention of searching for the potty house in the pitch dark so I was going to just squat outside the tent. I got out of my sleeping bag and started to pull my sweat pants on when a wild animal screamed just outside of the tent. My heart stopped and I took my sweatpants off....since I had just pissed myself. My Dad, who apparently was awake...started laughing at me and asked if I needed to go to the bathroom. I informed him that I no longer needed to go thankyouverymuch.

After this...my Dad joked that my idea of roughing it was staying at a hotel that didn't have room service!

I MAT

I had a lovely post prepared for you today with adorable pictures of my daughter Mallory who will be turning 2 years old in a few days. She is just so darling and saying so many funny things. Last week, she got feelings. I have nicknamed her Sybil because in a moments notice she gets MAT (she means mad) and sighs heavily and sulks off. We don't know what causes it or how long it will last but she is MAT and don't talk to me.

I have to tell you...I have not been very careful with how I present my family on the internet. People talk all the time about how careful you need to be...about not showing pictures of the front of the house and of your children, and using fake names. I have taken some of those precautions but I guess I just thought I was immune from it.

I recently had to distance myself from a online message board that I have been a part of for two years. There was a woman there that I became very close to and I would say we became great friends. As will happen in a group of 40 ladies, I became more close with some the gals than others and she didn't like that. Then...she got a blog and began to copy everything I did. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery....and it felt like that at first but then when she started following my commenters home to their blogs and commenting there it started to feel weird. I felt like she was following me all around the internet! You might be thinking...that's not so bad, we all comment on each other's blogs. Well. I also have Statcounter and I discovered she was visiting my blogs 16-20 times a day. I had to do something before she threw my puppy out the window. There is slightly more to the story but I will leave it at that.

Now, I feel nervous about posting pictures of my children and sharing too much. I am not the kind of person that censors herself and I don't want to start now. What you see here is exactly who I am. I don't want to stop being myself because blogging is such a wonderful outlet for me. Stay at home mom's are sometimes so isolated and this makes me feel like I have a connection with real people.

The reason that I'm telling you about this is because I want you to be careful. I never in a million years though this person would end up being this way. And it makes me MAT that I have this fear in my heart right now.

Be careful out there.....

The Year Ahead...March

“March is the month of expectation, the things we do not know. ”
– Emily Dickinson

Plugging right along here. I am baffled that it is March 1st already. My children are growing like weeds and I'm getting older every single day. March has always represented hope for me. I've always lived where winter is a major season. This is the month when slowly the temps start to creep up and then all of a sudden one day....you see tulips and daffodils popping their heads up through the earth.

Do you remember me telling you that a little storm cloud follows me around? It is becoming quite obvious to me that this is true. For the second winter in a row, my little town which sits up against the mountains and is 45 miles from SLC has gotten tons of snow. And the little mountain pass behind my house...had it's first avalanche since January 1997! The road was closed for a week! Do you think it is a coincidence that I have lived here for two years?

Here is a quote from my local newspaper last week:

It snowed so much, it took the guy who measures the snow three hours to dig out his driveway, and he lives in Layton.

It snowed so much, even the ski resorts were having trouble handling it.

It snowed so much, the amount of new water in the snow on top of Ben Lomond is blowing the minds of those same snow-measuring people, so much so they're skiing up today just to see for themselves.

I'm experiencing a bit of a conflict over my desire to live a fuller life. I've always fought an uphill battle with wet blanket syndrome* but many of my thoughts and ideas are meeting resistance. I have always been a glass half full/plan for the future/passionate person and it is sometimes really hard to deal with a spouse that won't plan more than a month out at a time and doesn't share your excitement for things.

On to my goals for the month of March!

Reading: I finished The Yoga Mamas and I'm now reading Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster. I love this book so much! I have been laughing and calling my sister to read excerpts to her. She needs to hurry and get a copy of her own! Goal: To finish Bitter and start Bright Lights, Big Ass

Weight Loss: I only lost 2 of the 4 pounds that I wanted to lose by the end of February. Goal: lose 5 pounds. I will do this by eating smaller portions and drinking Slim Fast.

Cooking: Still trying new recipes and I have submitted my application for The Daring Bakers. Goal: more new recipes

Garden: I bought my notebook! Now, I am going to start ordering lettuce seeds to plant. I am going to plant lettuce in a planter on the patio. I also need to plant my tulip bulbs in containers and put them in the garage to be forced. Goal: Order seeds and draw out landscape in notebook.

Whoopie: I did not meet my goal for February and this is another goal that I am going to abandon. Calvin decided to give up sex for lent and we aren't even Catholic..... GOAL ABANDONED

Me Time: This is a new addition....and against the wishes of my husband....I will be doing something for myself at least twice a month. Even if I have to get a babysitter. Goal: see another movie, plan a couple play dates and find something else exciting to do.

*Wet Blanket Syndrome ~
when someone disregards your thoughts, ideas and dreams with their negative attitude.

In the comments...please tell me your goals for March! And if you don't have any...make ONE now! Don't make me come find you.....

Visit The Inspired Room for more ideas on how to make your life better...and more beautiful!

Something More...

**warning**
This post contains lots of run on sentences.

You know how sometimes you are just going along, day after day and you think your life is going well. I mean, your days do kind of run together and if LOST didn't come on in the middle of the week you might not know what day it was but you are pretty happy and don't really have any complaints.

And then someone says something to you and upsets your little apple cart and you take a look at your life and how you are living it and you realize that you have been wearing the same black sweat pants for a week and you can't remember the last time you shaved your legs.


I wrote last week about what my husband said to me.

Don't be a slave to the TV and get out and live your life.

I don't know why but it has really been bothering me. I thought I was living my life. I thought taking care of the kids and house and husband is what my life consists of. I don't often take time for myself....every two weeks I go grocery shopping alone and I take a hot bath with a glass of wine once a week...but I don't ever really do anything FOR ME. For one thing, I hate to leave the kids. I know Calvin can handle it but I feel like I am imposing on him. Isn't that strange?

They are his kids too....so it shouldn't be a big deal for me to go off and Live My Life. Frankly, at the end of a weekday after dinner is eaten and kids are put to bed...I'm exhausted and all I want to do is relax. I can't really imagine going out at 8 o'clock at night for fear of falling asleep somewhere and having the po po call Calvin to retrieve me from wherever I went in search of my life.

The moral of this story is that I am going to TRY to find some things to do for me! Going to the movies with Monica was so much fun and I love movies, so maybe more of that. I desperately want to meet my friend Chrisy in Salt Lake City for lunch and I want to make plans to meet Jen at IKEA. And I really want to go back to Cache Valley and meet Jess! OH and I really really need to go to the dentist.

So, what I am trying to say is....Big Papa....get ready to take care of the kids because Mamas making plans!

EDITED: I have a date with Chrisy in Salt Lake City tomorrow! We are going here for lunch and a glass of wine! I am so excited!!

Confessions of a Foodaholic

I love watching movies but I really love going to the movies because I enjoy going to the concession stand. My only issue with this is that some popcorn, a soda and a candy bar end up costing twice as much as the price of admission.

My favorite local movie theater has a food court inside and they have little trays that fit in your cup holder so you can eat an entire meal while watching the latest flick! Oh, the joy of combining my two favorite activities...eating and movies!

For this movie I chose the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich with swiss cheese and extra mushrooms. It was divine! I think I shall see a movie every single week so that I may partake of this fabulous sandwich. I shall call it research for my blog! And the fries! Oh my...the fries!

My good friend Monica went with me to the movie. We haven't seen each other in two months so I felt like we had lots of catching up to do so maybe going to a movie wasn't the best way to use our time but we both desperately needed a couple hours away from our children and wanted to see this movie!

First of all. Have you seen the commercials for the new Hannah Montana movie? I got all choked up and was fighting back tears and trying to hide that fact from Monica. I don't like Hannah. Why on earth did the preview effect me so much? Am I pre-menopausal? Is it PMS already? With God as my witness....I will not become a slave to Smily Miley!

The movie. Confessions of a Shopaholic. LOVED IT!

I carefully chose my outfit for the movie and for the weather and decided to wear my GREEN cashmere scarf. Imagine my surprise when a GREEN scarf makes an important appearance in the movie. I felt so fashionable and special sitting there in my seat holding an entire Belly Buster of Coke in my bladder.

I loved the costumes. Even though some of them reminded me a little teeny bit of something Ugly Betty would wear. And I thought Isla Fisher did a great job as Rebecca Bloomwood.

Becky's boss. *Swoon* I totally fall in love with accents and his is so yummy. I wanted to climb into the screen and let him give me a little whisker burn. His real name is Hugh Dancy....doesn't that just sound....so....british?? Holy Crap! I just found out he is engaged to Claire Danes!
I am disturbed about something. Joan Cusack....I tend to think of her as being MY AGE. And I don't like the fact that someone that I consider to be MY AGE...is playing the mother of a 20 something in a movie. It made me feel a little bit OLD!

Monica and I made a pledge at the beginning of the movie that we would NEVER purchase ugly shoes for our daughters. NEVER! I loved the scenes when the mannequins would talk to her and I loved the debt collector guy...but I always like the geeky guys!

My favorite scenes of all....when she is dancing in Florida, when she fights for a pair of super ugly boots and when she is thawing her credit card out of an ice block.

And of course...I love a happy ending!

Are You Annoyingly Happy?

Despondex

List of symptoms treated by Despondex:

• Personalizing License Plates
• Talking to people in line at the Grocery Store
• Participating in community theater
• Planning Christmas for 6 months or more
  
• Squealing loudly when a friend calls
• Use of the phrases AWESOME and COOL BEANS
• Excessive hugging
• Watching Romantic Comedies
  
• Organizing Mommy and Me play dates
  
• Doing Meme's on your blog
• Tweeting every little thought that pops into your head
• Wearing the color Pink

Despondex....could be right for you!

Despondex is not recommended for patients that are hypersensitive to caffeine. It should not be taken by anyone who is allergic to the inactive ingredients, which include high fructose corn syrup, glucose, sugar, fructose, titanium dioxide, vodka and animal tranquilizer. Caution should also be used in those with a seizure disorder. Despondex is not approved for use in children or adolescents.

Common side effects include:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Apathy
• Nightmares
• Constipation
• Ongoing Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Vertigo
• Dry mouth
• Sexual dysfunction
• Sweating
• Vivid/Abnormal dreams
• Impulsive Actions
• Increased Appetite
• Electric shock-like sensations also called "Brain zaps"
• Increased anxiety at the start of treatment
• Memory Loss
• Restless Legs Syndrome

Ask your doctor if Despondex is right for you!

Oh, By The Way....

I have all of this stuff that I want to tell you about and they have been piling up here in my head so I'm just going to have a clear my head post and then I can relax again. Okay?

Okay. First thing I want to tell you about is my little sister. I love her with the power of a thousand burning suns. (I stole that from Loralee.)Like most big sisters, I want to protect her and I want her to be happy and have a wonderful life. She has had a rough time. Most recently, her landlord stopped paying her mortgage and Bobbi had to move. Also, her business as a Massage Therapist had dropped off because of the economy and she had to move back home with my parents. The end result of all of this is that Bobbi is regrouping and she had to get a JOB!

She is a brilliant and caring Medical Assistant but she doesn't enjoy being one. She loves massage. But...when you are an adult you do things you don't want to do and Bobbi is working at a job that she really doesn't like but is making the best of. The end result will be that she saves enough money to move out of my parents home and get on with her life. I'm encouraging her to follow her dreams! To figure out what she REALLY wants and DO IT! I'm helping her figure out what this might be and make plans to make it happen! It is really exciting to motivate someone to change their life! I think I was a Life Coach in another life.

While coaching Bobbi...I knew she was going to need something visual to help her remember WHY she is working this job and what she is working towards. And that is when I contacted my beautiful friend Monica at Moon Over Maize and asked her to help me design a necklace that would contain characteristics that would help her in her journey.

This is what Monica came up with.....we have named it The Dream Catcher!

• Chrysoprase is a powerful stone and can bring happiness, which is partly because it helps its wearer get rid of negative thoughts and irritability.
• Aquamarine is known as a stone of courage and fortitude. Mystical and folk lore states that it is attuned to the sea, and protects travelers on water.
• Apatite is said to increase intellect, imagination, and intuitive awareness and can be used to enhance the energies of other crystals and stones.

Bobbi loved the necklace and it is helping her get through her days at work. Thanks again Monica for helping me with this project! To see more of Monica's work check here.

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I mentioned a few weeks ago that I am really excited about the new show starting in a few weeks called In The Motherhood. One of my favorite bloggers contacted me and informed me that I didn't know her at all because I didn't know that she is an actress and has a bunch of cute little segments on You Tube that are along the same lines. Her name is Jessica Bern and her website is called Bernthis. Click HERE to see all of her videos. One of my favorites....Introducing My Family!

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My husband Calvin has been spending some time on The Naughty Step.

Our rambunctious son Alex, has been placing Daddy here for a number of reasons. This time it was for biting. Yep, you heard me right. My husband bit my son. You know how Daddies have this annoying way of teaching their children little habits that are not necessary but they think it is funny? Like...pounding on the table, screaming, jumping on the couch and BITING! Many months ago, I had a come to Jesus meeting with Calvin because he informed me that he was teaching Alex to bite...nicely. I informed him that I found that behavior unacceptable and if he didn't cease and desist immediately, I was going to bite HIM! As many Daddies do...he didn't listen to me and we have had many, many minutes of naughty step time because Alex and Mallory bite each other. They have learned their lesson.....but Daddy. Has NOT!

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I would like to thank all of you for your support of my resolutions. Many of you were concerned about my decision to abandon my 'Dance Like Beyonce' pledge. I have given it a lot of thought and I think I have found a solution that is very similar but more doable for me. Please watch this all the way through and tell me what you think.....

HOT DOG!

I told you I like Vegas....

I saw this at The Stiletto Mom and then my sister did it too. HOW FUN!

Click on the picture to get the full effect!

Go to Wordle to make one of your own!

The Year Ahead...February

I'm having a heck of a time with my resolutions. So I decided that the best plan of action is to make monthly goals. Looking back on what some of my original goals were....I thought I would make some baby steps. The following goals are for the remainder of February which really isn't very much time...only 12 days.

Reading: I will read The Yoga Mamas book that I have had sitting on my desk for the last three months. I have a stack of books that I want to read so I have to get busy on this reading for pleasure thing. GOAL: Finish Book!

Weight Loss: I will start exercising again! I started this yesterday and I found I had much more energy and was much more productive after I got that workout in. There will be no days off. When I take a day off...I don't start up again. Bad Connie! We are going to start TTC (trying to conceive) in three months and I would like to lose 25 pounds by then. By the way, I also quit quitting Mountain Dew again. I tried Diet Dew and I couldn't Dew it. It is gross. I love Mountain Dew! I will just work out harder to burn those calories. Don't look at me like that. I will! GOAL: lose 4 pounds by the end of the month.

Cooking Class: I don't have the time or money for cooking classes right now but what I AM going to do is keep trying some new recipes and I am going to research a cooking class to save up for my birthday present to myself.

Plant a garden with the kids: I am going to start my garden plan...by purchasing a notebook to make my plan in. I am going to plant a bunch of stuff this year to try to cut down on our grocery bill and put that extra money into savings accounts for the kids to pay their future taxes with. GOAL: Buy notebook

Dance like Beyonce: I have abandoned this goal. I can not dance like Beyonce. No amount of wine has helped me achieve this goal. GOAL: Stop making a fool of myself!

Make more whoopee: I have moved back into our marital bed. Me and my feather bed. I am sleeping much better and we are making more whoopee. GOAL: 3 times before the end of the month.

How are you doing on your resolutions?

What's In My Bag?

I was tagged for this fun meme by my friend Jen at Tatertots and Jello. If you want to see what was in her bag....click HERE. As you know, I love handbags so I jumped at the chance to show off what I carry and what's in it!

What's in your bag?

Here are the rules for the tag:

1. Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying today - not last weekend when you and your hubby went out to that fabulous restaurant. No cheating!!!

2. Tell us how much it cost. This is a no-judgment zone -- there will be no ridiculing or eye rolling here. And, if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, I'd love to hear it.

3. Tell us what is in the bag! We want to see everything....

4. Now tag some fellow bloggers and link back to this post so people know why you are posting pictures of your bag.


I carry TWO bags (but not at one time). The purple bag is what I carry for day trips and play dates. It is a Juicy Couture Bag that was given to me by my sister! It is so nice and roomy and holds all the stuff I need when I am out for an extended period of time with the kids. My other bag is a Kate Spade that I just bought on Ebay for $50! It is the first designer bag that I even liked and have always wanted!

• iPhone (Bobbi was calling as I took the picture!)
  
• Sunglasses
• Gum
• 1/2 roll of Rolaids
• Pen
• A small bottle of Excedrin
• Lipstick
• Lipgloss
• Wallet
• Loose Change
• Keys with a hand sanitizer attached
• An extra button for my coat
• Bag of Goldfish Crackers
• Doodle Pad with drawing by Alex
  

• Diapers & Wipes
• Gum
• 2 nail clippers (i was wondering where these were)
• Hand Sanitizer
• Package of Wet Ones
• Book
• 2 cars
• Play Cell Phone

I would like to know what is in.....

Bobbi's Bag (because she is so chic)

Jessica's Bag (because she is so organized) JESSICA'S BAG!

Connie's Bag (because she is so interesting and fun) CONNIE'S BAG!

Ashli's Bag (because is the mother of FOUR kids)

Seduced!

al·lure
VERB: To attract with something desirable; entice:

I can't explain what is happening.....

We had a great time in Las Vegas. We ate great food and enjoyed our time together but we both said it really isn't our kind of place. We don't gamble and we were in bed by 11pm every night. I left Vegas thinking I would probably never return.

My sister and my friend Jessica and many other people I know have always told me that they love Las Vegas and I didn't know why. I even used to have a friend that would run off to Vegas a couple times a year...she just couldn't get enough!

The last few days....Las Vegas keeps slipping into my thoughts. Certain things keep popping into my head...like strolling down the strip, in the rain...sharing one umbrella with Calvin. Sharing a carafe of sake and some sushi while looking down the street to the Eiffel Tower. Having a pint at The Nine Irishmen Pub. Seeing Elvis in a bar. Watching the Super Nanny in bed with the lights of the city below our window. And walking and walking and walking.....


I think I am going through Las Vegas withdrawal! I think Las Vegas is an addictive drug and I got hooked! Why can't I stop thinking about it? Is it the energy? The Lights? The Food and the Drinks? Did someone slip something in my drink that makes me love Las Vegas? Why does my husband look more attractive to me?

I reluctantly told Calvin last night that I was missing Vegas. I was shocked when he told me he was thinking about Vegas too! OH MY Heck...we are both hooked!

What Happens In Vegas....

Does NOT stay in Vegas!

You know how when you go to Vegas you are supposed to use a fake name because anything goes and you can do stuff there and get away with it and no one will ever know because what happens there stays there? I decided that my Vegas name was going to be Ivana Lottamonee! But I didn't have a name for iKeith until.....Friday morning!

Keith had been on a business trip all last week and he had to go to the doctor Friday morning because he had a Urinary Track Infection and his shoulder was sore. It seems that we were not going to be able to *connect* quite the way I wanted to and he couldn't move his arm very well....so I named him BOB DOLE! It turned out to be a funny running joke as he would talk about Bob Dole in the 3rd person!

We arrived at New York New York in the early afternoon started exploring right away....fried clams, some wine at Gallager's, a yummy chocolate dessert and then some awesome Chinese food at Chin Chin!

Our waiter used to live near Ogden so we discussed Utah with him a little and he told us a funny story about walking from downtown to Clearfield.

We were going to go to The Times Square Bar but we decided at the last minute to check out the other hotels a few blocks down. I didn't change my shoes and I would live to regret that decision!

Keith explained the game of roulette to me but we didn't place any bets. He believes that gambling would be wasting his luck....


Here is where our evening took a turn for the worse. We were accosted by a man that promised us tickets to Lance Burton~ Master Magician for the low low price of $10. We just had to go tour a time share. We had apparently had a enough to drink to impair our judgement because next thing I know we are giving the guy $40! (they give you $30 back when you show up)


In the morning, we joined 15 other couples in the lobby and headed out in the rain to Tahiti Village! A feeling of dread filling me as we drove 2 miles down the strip, windows fogged up so that we couldn't see where we were going. Keith joked with the other couples that we would be split up and made to think the our spouse was eager to buy, playing us against each other. I started to panic!

We were herded into a little room, given horrible coffee and pastries then forced to view a short movie showing all of the old Vegas hotels being blown up and replaced with grand, expensive hotels/casinos. Then this old Vegas weather man got up and gave us a pep talk.

Our tour guide was from a foreign country and was soft spoken so I really couldn't hear a word she said when the presentation was over and 30 people were all talking at the same time in this little room. We kept telling her that we would never come to Vegas every year because we don't have a gambling probelm...we have a drinking problem and we can drink anywhere! We toured a sample condo and then she started give us the numbers. Before she could get too far, Keith explained to her that we were not buying and just wanted our free tickets. She got a little snotty with us and then called her snotty manager over. Once we convinced them we meant business they let us go and we boarded the bus, driven by a crotchety old man who ignored us as we took our seats. Once we started down the road we all started discussing our experiences. One couple got them down to $159 but another only got to $220 and we found out the term was 96 MONTHS. At this point...the driver starts talking really loudly over the intercom, describing different hotels like he was suddenly a freakin tour guide or something! He was just trying to prevent us from talking to each other!

We spent the rest of our afternoon having lunch at Sushi Roku at the Forum Shops in Ceasar's Palace and then walked over to The Paris and had a super yummy dessert! It rained all day...so we were sopping wet and kept stepping in puddles. What you should know about this is that every. single. time. Keith takes me on vacation.....It rains.

• When we were first married he flew me out to his fishing trip in Milwaukee. RAIN and Wind.
• We went on our honeymoon to Disney World. Rain and record cold temps.
• New York City for Calvin's West Point reunion. Record rainfall and flooding.

Keith says our vacationing days are over....as long has this little cloud is following me around!

Lance Burton...Master Magician was AWESOME! Not only is he nice to look at, but his tricks are impressive and he is funny too! We enjoyed the show so much that I wouldn't mind seeing it again sometime.

boobies....

We also had tickets for another show that we had purchased before we arrived in Vegas but my feet were so swollen from all of the walking that I could possible make it there. So we went back to our hotel and had a couple drinks. I had my very first shot of Jagermister and thought about getting a tattoo...but I got a footlong instead! For the record...I do not recommend eating a hotdog right before you go to bed. BAD IDEA!

Sunday morning, I went out into the food court area of the hotel and had a little alone time with a Venti White Chocolate Latte and a couple Krispy Kreme donuts. Apparently Vegas does sleep between the hours of 6am and 9am because there wasn't a soul around. I had an overwhelming feeling that I was going to see someone I knew, so all day I kept scanning every face to see if they were familiar.

Keith and I decided to cancel our reservation at The Sterling Brunch and check out the Luxor instead. We were so glad we did! We had the most amazing lunch at Tacos & Tequila. They were having 2 for 1 Margaritas and the Crab Tostadas were so fabulous!

And then it was time to head back to the hotel, collect our luggage and head for the airport. We sat down at our gate and I looked across the isle to the slot machines and my heart stopped. There sat my EX HUSBAND! The one that caused me so much pain and agony! I had not seen him in eight years and there he was! Years before...I tried to find him because the IRS was trying to stick me with his bill and he had dropped off the face of the earth. He kept staring, trying to figure out if it was really me...I look so much different now! I didn't approach him because I have nothing left to say to that man. My life is so different and so amazing now and seeing him just brought back so many old painful feelings. In fact, if I never saw him again...I would be a happy woman. I know that old friends have told him that I have children and my husband has an important job so I was pleased that he got to see me with my awesome husband. Is that bad of me?

All in all, blisters and everything, we had a wonderful time! It was so nice to spend some quality time with my husband and we talked each other's ears off! We ate so much wonderful food and just got to be a couple. I've missed Keith but we also missed the kids terribly and couldn't wait to return to our family!

Robert and Mary took great care of the kids and Alex and Mallory are missing them today.

Luck Be a Lady!

Big Daddy and I are off to Vegas today! I've written an extensive handbook about how to care for the children that includes a Toddler to English Dictionary and lyrics to their favorite songs. I've stocked the fridge and packed our suitcase with stylish outfits. And now I find out it's going to rain while we are there. DANG IT!

So...we are off to New York, New York ! Tonight we have reservations at The Times Square Bar, it's a piano bar and Big Daddy LOVES piano bars! Of course I had to make a *mixed tape* for our trip and I'm excited to share it with you!

Are you feeling lucky? One lucky person that comments on this post before Sunday night at 11:59 pm....will win a little something from my trip to Vegas! Good Luck!

Be Back on Monday!

In The Motherhood!

Did you watch The Bachelor tonight? I have two favorite gals..Molly and Melissa. I think there may be trouble next week when Melissa's parents refuse to meet Jason.

Anyway, during the show there was a commercial for a new show starting on March 26th. I love shows about pregnancy and motherhood so I can't wait to see this! Here is a little teaser.

A Letter to My Heart

" Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart." ~Author Unknown

Dear Heart,

As part of a little project at BlogHer, I am writing you a letter. You have had a rough 38 years and much of it is my fault. When I was a teenager, you were so tender and open that you allowed me to fall in like with a different boy every couple weeks. You didn't know any better, you loved everyone!

As I got older, I didn't listen to you as much and instead I let my head take over. I thought I was being smart. If I had listened to you more...perhaps I wouldn't have committed to relationships that weren't right for me. I gave you away to men that didn't deserve me and they returned you to me in very bad shape. If I had listened to you and had confidence in myself, I would have realized that I didn't need a man to be happy and being with just anyone was a bad idea. I'm sorry for all of the times I got you battered and broken. I'm so sorry I didn't follow you.


You know that I had to build that wall around you and completely shut you out. I just couldn't bare the pain anymore and life seemed bleak anyway. As with most things, time began to heal the wounds that I inflicted on you. I built a nice little life for myself and realized that I didn't need a man in my life but I wanted one and I wanted love. True Love!


You know how hard I worked on myself and I told you many times that things were going to be great someday. I told you that our dreams would come true and someday we would be happier than we ever imagined. You were skeptical. I couldn't blame you....you had been through a lot.

The thing is....I believed everything I was saying.

And then it happened. Love, like I had never known! Fate helped a little and I found the man that I was supposed to be with and you inflated like a balloon... full of love. I listened to you and you were right. I look at Calvin and you flutter. When he and I are apart...you ache. When he holds me...you melt!

And if that wasn't enough to completely heal you from the past wounds....I had Alex & Mallory and now you swell inside my chest as if you are too big for my body.

I'm amazed at how far I have come, dear heart. When I think back on all of the pain, and how hopeless things seemed it feels like someone else's life. I can't promise that you won't ache and that you won't break again....but I can promise that I will always trust you.

What is your heart telling you? Are you listening?

How to Meditate.

Meditate Application for the iPhone.