Happy Birthday to Natalie!

5 years ago yesterday my little girl was born. We had her family party today. Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Jeannie, Amber, and Aunt Sherry all came over today. We went out to lunch at Mongolian Barbecue and then came back home to open gifts and have some cake. It was a fun day.

Here she was 5 years ago at 17 days old:

1 year old:

2 years old:

3 years old:

4 years old:

Today-5 Years old:

Best Day Ever...

I had the best day today!

*Dropped Natalie off at school at 7:30*

*Met up with some friends that I haven't seen in awhile and we made some Christmas Cards. It was totally fun and just what I needed this morning.*

*Picked Natalie up from school at 11:00.*

*We headed over to the Dr. to get her a flu shot. We didn't have to wait very long. Thermisol Free)*

*After that, we went to the mall and shopped around for a few hours and had lunch and a snack.*

*I got one of those Mall Massages. $12 for 12 minutes. It was awesome and I KNOW it had to be more than 12 minutes. It felt like forever! Natalie sat in the chair and quietly waited for me to be finished. I was so proud of her.*

*Played in the play area for awhile.*

*Then we left the mall and met some other friends we haven't seen in a long time at Pump It Up!*

I had great conversations today. Wonderful conversations that I needed and missed. I needed to see and be with my friends today. Thank you Jennifer, Laurie, Kim, and everyone else for great times today with us!

We came home and had some bowties with butter for dinner. Natalie actually ate the entire bowl! Now she is laying on the couch watching Scooby Doo. Soon, I will read her a book and it will be bedtime and back to work tomorrow.

What a great day!

School Pictures are In!

I was a bit nervous to order school pictures. I have taken TONS of pics of Natalie and have seen first hand the funny faces that she can make while taking a pic. And the blinking from the flash makes for a whole slew of drunk looking pics! So, when picture day arrived, I ordered the smallest package. (6 minis, 3 wallets, and the class photo). My intentions were to take her to Walmart where I could SEE the pics as they were being taken so that I could approve them. After all, nobody wants to pay hundreds of dollars for a half drunken, eye closed, sneezing, photo! Well, the pictures are in. They came out nice. I have the option to order more online but I think I will still take her to Walmart and get them done. Or maybe not, I'm just not sure! So anyway, without further ado...

Where did my sweet child go?

One of us is not going to make it out alive! lol (Okay, we WILL make it out alive but at the moment it doesn't seem that way!). My wonderful, sweet, nice, caring child has been taken and replaced with a rude, spoiled, bratty little stranger! EVERYTHING is a struggle. Getting out of bed-struggle. Eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner-struggle. Getting dressed-struggle! I am ready to pull my hair out. Please and Thank You has gone out the window. Today she went to the bathroom when she finally got out of bed and said, "I didn't turn the lights on". Meaning... I didn't turn them on so I am not turning them off. I told her that bratty little children don't get visits from Santa. They don't get Birthday parties or presents. Today for breakfast she ate 3 bites of apple sauce in a baby spoon and said she was full. Of course she is full, she refuses to eat a meal and her stomach is probably the size of a pea! I have to find a different approach. It seems like all I do all day is yell and as Dr. Phil might say......."How's that working for you?" It's NOT! She will be 5 in a month........if we make it! lol

Be Heard! Vote!

Your vote is your voice. You cannot complain about what happens unless you vote. You have the right to Vote. Just do it! Every Vote Counts!
I will be voting tomorrow. I feel a bit discouraged that the candidates are my only choices this year. However, I cannot dwell on that. I have to vote for who I think will be the best for my Country. I don't completely follow politics. There are many things I don't really know much about. These are the things that I do know:

1. I don't believe in Abortion and I would never have one. However, who am I to tell another woman what they should do with their own life?

2. I believe that we needed to go into this war the way we did and I stand behind President Bush's decisions on it.

3. I believe that we need to continue further with Stem Cell Research. This could be the only way we find cures for diseases such as AIDS.

4. I believe that we need to make it possible for EVERYBODY to be able to afford Health Insurance no matter how much money you do or don't make.

5. I believe that our borders MUST be more secure.

6. I believe that we have the right to bear arms.

7. I believe that homosexuals should have the same rights as anyone else. If they love one another and want to enter into a union together, who am I to say they shouldn't?

8. I believe in the Space program.

Sometimes I wonder if I should have all of these beliefs. I am a practicing Catholic. I go to Church every week. My child goes to Catholic School. I believe in my religion but I also believe in my opinions above. I will be voting tomorrow for who I think will be best for our Country.
I will be voting for McCain. I just cannot vote for Obama based on who he is associated with. I know he is not those people, but he is associated with them.

Photo Card Giveaway!

Who wouldn't want to win 40 Christmas Photo Cards? I would! My friend, Jennifer, is having a giveaway on her website. www.cutiepiescustomcreations.com

Simply click this photo below to get to her site:

If you go to her blog from her website there is a place to sign up for the contest! You just have to comment her and tell her which design you would pick if you won! So Simple and worth the chance of winning your cards for this year! Good Luck! If I don't win, I hope it's you!!

Festival Fishing

We went to the Festival today to get some food and ride some rides. We had some lunch that consisted of a sausage sandwich and corn on the cob on a stick for me and cheese fries and cotton candy for Natalie! Yummy! After that we got a wristband for the rides for Natalie. She had so much fun riding the rides. Then, we went and walked around the carnival area. If you have ever been to a festival, a lot of them have the game where you toss the ping pong balls onto a table of fishbowls filled with fish. I paid the $2.00 and got 20 ping pong balls. On about my 15th toss, it landed in the bowl! Yipee, we won a fish! Natalie got lucky though, the girl handed her a bag with 2 fish in it! We left the Fest with our prize in tow! We headed to Walmart to get a home and some fun stuff for Fluffy and Sparkle.

We set the bag in the home and waited for the water in the bag and in the home to stabilize. When I went to put Fluffy and Sparkle in their new home, Fluffy was gone. But that's okay because we still have Sparkle and she's doing great so far!

I love Festival Fishing!

Nothing bad to say!

So, today I am sick. I woke up with congestion and a sore throat. I took some meds and we headed off to Church. Halfway through Mass, I feel like I might pass out because I made the mistake of wearing a sweater and I was sweating to death! I just kept thinking pleeeeeeeeease let me not faint in Church! lol We left a bit early right after Communion. By the time Natalie and I get home, my entire body is aching so much that my skin and hair hurts. I lay on the couch until I have to go back out 45 minutes later to a mandatory tithing meeting for school. After the meeting, I stop at CVS and pick up some NyQuil and some DayQuil. When I get home, Natalie and Rich had done the dishes and made a cake! I pass out on the couch. When I wake up, dinner is done and so are the rest of the dishes! I asked him to bring a bin in from the garage for me to put some of Natalie's summer clothes in and end up passing out again. (DayQuil makes me REALLY tired!) When I wake up again, the bin is inside waiting for me. Normally I have to ask like 50 times for something out of the garage! Now I am having some coffee and hoping to stay up the rest of the evening so I might be able to sleep tonight. My darling husband has been so nice today. He must truly love me! Hmmm...wonder if I can get him to do the laundry tonight too!

Happy Birthday to Amber!

Amber is 3 now and we had a little party for her today!

Pure joy and excitement!

Rich was outside using the chainsaw to cut some trees down in the front yard and he found a little frog. Natalie was so excited! I thought it was pretty darn fun myself!

In a perfect world, I would be a great photographer and you might be able to actually tell that it's a frog! But, with me, you get what you get!

I am in on THE secret!

I wanted to update you all on my job! As some of you know, I got a job at Victoria's Secret. I LOVE it! I never thought that I would work at a place such as V.S. and I am so excited to have gotten the job. I am a cashier for the PINK, Beauty, and Lingerie sections. I have been working there for about about 6 weeks. We just redid our store and it is all completely brand new and beautiful. It is actually the size of 3 stores in the mall. If you haven't shopped there in awhile, it's not just lingerie anymore! There is an entire beauty section and an entire section of "Pink" brand clothing! You definitely need to check it out!

I like junky stuff!

hahaha words from my precious Natalie!

Natalie: Can I get that? The commercial for GEMZ was on.

http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=10&e=gemz

Me: Natalie, that's junky. It's not even real gems, it's has holes that you color in with markers.

Me: If it was really gems I'd say okay but that is junky.

Natalie: I like junky stuff.

Natalie: Junky stuff is FUN!

Natalie: So I can get it right?

God love her. She really does like and want all the junky toys! They really DO make them look fun! lol

Let's Roll...

September 11, 2001. I remember it like it was yesterday. My dog had gotten loose that morning right before I was leaving for work. I had not turned the tv on at all that morning. I was searching all through the neighborhood for Scarlet. I could not find her. I came home to call work and tell them I was going to be late for work and wouldn't be in until 10. I flipped on the tv while I was waiting to go to work. I could not believe what I was seeing. It was pure shock and horror. I immediately called my family in NJ and got my Dad on the phone. He said that the sky was black. (My family lives about 2 hours South of NYC). I asked about my brother. My brother at the time was living in Hoboken at a halfway house. He was stuck there right across the Hudson. My Dad said that they let them on the roof to see what was up and he saw the 2nd plane hit. I felt horrible for him. I wouldn't wish seeing that in person on anyone. I can only imagine the fear. I hung up with my Dad and went to work. When I got there it was somber. The sister of one of my co-workers lives and works in Washington DC and he could not get a hold of her. We had our cell phones out the entire day hoping that they wouldn't ring with any bad news from his Sister or my Brother. I watched the news in shock for days after. I couldn't believe that this was happening in our Country. To our own people. It is so very sad. I think of it often and worry and pray for the families of everyone affected by this tragedy.

Yearbook Yourself!

www.yearbookyourself.com
This is the funniest!
Love it!
Thank you Stephanie for showing this to me!

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1982