Prom Dress Shopping -- Not for the faint of heart!

Ah yes, it's that season. Prom Dress Shopping Season.

Now, you think that this specific type of dress shopping would be a fun mom-daughter bonding experience... and it can be, but I can also tell from personal experience (this was not my first Prom Dress rodeo), it can be an exhausting and stress-inducing situation. Let me explain our Saturday...

We first went to Macy's. While we found some cute dresses, nothing popped. We decided to cut-to-the-chase and just make the trip to the mecca of Prom Dresses -- a high-end Prom Dress shop (yes, those do exist) that would allow my girl to get a feel for what style dress she would like. 

My mistake. 

We tried to go for as inexpensive as possible -- which at this store is basically a $250 marked-down dress. They carry dresses that cost anywhere from the $250 dress to over $900. FOR PROM. And people were snapping them up -- WTF???

Of COURSE, she fell in love with the first dress she tried on. Now, in my opinion, this dress was not THE dress. First, it was too big and they did not have a smaller size. The gal helping assured us it could be altered (off-site of course, because why would a specialty prom dress shop offer alterations?!?!?). I've gone down that road before to the tune of $100 or more...so, um, NO. 

Second, it was a black/white combo which, while beautiful, did not flatter my daughter's pale complexion and hair. It was pretty, just not knock-your-socks-off pretty on her. 

Third, the price...it was $250 - the cheapest dress we had found that she liked. Now, don't get me wrong, if it WAS a knock-your-socks-off kind of dress, I would be happy paying $250 for my girly to have the prom dress of her dreams. But $250 for meh and additional $$ for alterations? Again, a big ol' NO. 

And finally, as she tried on at least 5 dresses, each one getting more expensive, I was starting to break a sweat. I was terrified she would fall in love with a $400 dress. 

I had to get out of there. I was getting stressed. The peer pressure of all these other moms oohing and aahing as their daughters came out and modeled dresses over $500 was vomit-inducing. There was not a single person in there freaking out over price, except for me. I overheard many a mom saying something along the lines of "Now, let's just not tell your dad how much the dress costs. Once he sees you in it, it won't matter."  WHAT THE HELL??? Nope, nope, nope. Not gonna do it. Oh, and also -- ALL SALES ARE FINAL. That's right. You get home with that pricey dress and Dad pitches a fit? Ooops, sorry daddy, because I CAN'T RETURN IT. I'm sure that went over well with a load of dads this weekend. 

So, anyhoo, I told my girly we would put the dress on hold, but would go to another shop or two to see what else we could find. I could tell she was not happy. We went to the other shop and tried on at least a dozen dresses. I got a dozen responses full of attitude and sass because my lovely daughter thought the other dress was 'IT'. She was not open to anything else at this point. I was spent. We left the shop and had a tense discussion on the way home. The hubs and I had been talking and decided we were not going to buy that other dress, because in the end, it would be just be too expensive. This prom is her Junior prom, not Senior prom, and she is going with a friend, not a boyfriend. Not spending top $ on that situation. 

Luckily, we got home without anybody completely melting down and I took a breather. There had to be other options out there. I told our lovely girly we would go out again on Sunday, but she wanted to try again at the mall. Fine. Let's just get it done...

And then, we found it. THE DRESS. (cue the angels singing...) At Carson's, no less.

It was perfection on her. Flattering fit, no alterations needed. Flattering color -- blush, which enhanced her porcelain skin and blonde hair. And the price? $149.00!!! DONE!

As we got to the register, I thought, "I wonder if Carson's has any coupons out there?" I looked them up online and BINGO! There was a coupon -- $50 off a $100 or more purchase. WHATT?!?!?!!?

So we got the dress. For $99.00. The universe heard me and came through. And my daughter?? She couldn't be happier. Me too. All is well again. 

Monday morning aches

For goodness sake, I really need this flu virus to leave my household. Let me explain myself...

First, our daughter was sick two weeks ago. Really sick, as in a week out of school. Then I got the virus. Not as bad, but terribly achy and exhausted. Thought I was over it and we were good to go.

HA! How naive of me to think it would be done so quickly. 

Late last week, I was feeling better and wanted to be out and about. I went to the beach with my hubs (Lake Michigan - to collect rocks, of course), I cooked full dinners from scratch, ran to the store for necessities, walked the dogs in the glorious sunshine, and I was even up scrubbing the bathrooms and bleaching the house. And then I woke up Sunday morning. 

Asshat.

This flu, that is. This flu virus is a major asshat.  

I woke up at 7:00a terribly achy Sunday morning. I got up, started the day thinking it would subside. Then I took a nap -- at 9:30a. For TWO HOURS. Got up again and was in a total haze. Took a shower because, that should help wake me up, right?? Seriously, I think I was firing on only 2 cylinders. Decided I needed to change location to get my mojo back up and running. That worked for another few hours. Hubs and I decided to watch a movie. Made it one hour into the show, then took ANOTHER NAP. Again -- it was TWO HOURS. Got up, finished the movie. Went to bed at 9:30p and slept until 6:00a this morning. 

WTF flu virus?? I slept yesterday more than I was awake. This morning, I again am completely achy and am doing my best not to nap. I really want to gargle with bleach and run it through my veins. I have never had my ass handed to me like this from a flu virus. Blerg. I feel like I have been run over by a convoy of trucks, not just one truck.

But enough about my viral hell. 

The reason I am really on here today is because I wanted to show you the projects I DID finish last week during my small surge of energy. 

The gardening planter I was working on? Yep, it is done...and it is ADORABLE! Just what I had pictured. 

Perfection -- Am I right???

Additionally, I had started working on an old, small globe that I purchased at the resale for $1.99. It is about 10" tall and the globe itself is about 5" in diameter. 

I painted the globe black, spray painted the stand gold, and added a cute little message:  "Darling YOU are my Greatest Adventure"... 

Pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself.

I still have to put a layer of ModPodge on the globe, to make sure none of the vinyl peels up. But I just looooooove how it turned out. Now I'm on the hunt for other globes so I can make even more!

Enjoy the rest of your day -- I'm off to take another nap with my heating pad.

Good Morning!

Good morning everyone...

I've been laying low the last few days. My daughter's flu from last week? Yep, I have it as well, but nowhere near as bad as her bout. I have been hanging out in bed with terrible aches (especially in my lower back), occasional cough and some random stuffiness. Some times I'm congested, other times nothing. Weird. Oh, and exhaustion. Crazy exhaustion. I'm talking three naps a day. I feel like I've run a marathon. But no worries, I'm on the mend...today I am only slightly achy so far. I will take that as a good sign. Fingers crossed!

Good thing I am feeling better because I have a project mid-stream hanging out on my kitchen table. I started it this past weekend after my hubs and I went out to the resale shops in the area. I found this adorable small wooden toolbox and I am turning it into an herb container garden. I need a little Spring here in Chicago -- I think this will do the trick. 

This is one of those little boxes they have the kids build at Home Depot. You know what I am talking about... 

I cleaned it out and removed the dowel handle (which I will reattach after it is painted a contrasting color). I've chosen a nice dark purple mixed with a little bit of gray paint. I am thinking the handle will be ivory and gold, then I may create a little vinyl doodad to put on the front of the planter. 

For the herbs, we have four small terra cotta pots that fit neatly inside. I am going to leave those as is...I love the natural color of terra cotta pots. As for the herbs, I'll probably plant our favorites -- thyme, basil, oregano, parsley.

I'm going to try my best to finish this one up today. I have a couple of other projects up my sleeve as well. Stay tuned! 

Friday!

Happy Friday, everyone!

It's been a looooong week. My HS Junior has been home all week with the flu. Influenza B, to be specific -- which I now know is not the crazy bad flu that is sending people to the hospital. That would be Influenza A, also known as H3N2 or H1N1. Thank goodness she doesn't have that particular strain...I have to admit that I was a tad bit worried. 

We went to the doc on Monday after a horrible Sunday filled with aches, coughing, and a crazy bad sore throat. They swabbed her nose and within minutes she was diagnosed. I love how quick we got an answer -- Yay for scientific technology! With her flu diagnosis, we were issued a prescription for Tamiflu and sent on our way. I thought, "Well, thank goodness... Let's get her the meds, some chicken soup, and set her on the path back to healthy! She should be feeling 100% better by Thursday or Friday."

Yeah. That didn't happen.

Unfortunately, my lovely girl is one of the small percentage of people who has an adverse reaction to Tamiflu. Having never taken it before, how could we possibly have known? She took the meds as directed, with food, but the poor thing spent the next few days not only coughing, aching, and exhausted, but once the Tamiflu really mixed it up in her system (less than 24 hours after first dose) -- she was a GI disaster. Vomiting, horrible bad stomach pains, and let's just say it is a good thing there was a bathroom nearby. I felt so bad for her. We made an executive decision that she should stop taking the meds after multiple times of this reaction occurring. And now that we have stopped the Tamiflu -- no issues. In fact, I feel like she is getting better faster. It's no wonder; she is finally able to rest and let her body recover. 

Now, I'm not a doctor, so please do not use my daughter's situation as reason for you or yours to stop taking Tamiflu. For so many people, it is a miracle medicine that shortens the debilitating effects of this virus. Just not for her. Lesson learned. For my little chickita, we will not be on that course of meds ever again. 

She is so much better today. Just a slight cough and that's it. Her energy levels are still wavering, so we chose to keep her home again today from school. By the time Monday rolls around, I know she will be itching to get back to school and back on track with anything that she has missed. 

It's been a crazy week. Thankfully, I'm blessed to be a work-at-home mom so I didn't have to take time off in order to be with her. Now I am busy working to bleach the living daylights out of my house so no one else gets sick. 

Woo hoo -- what a fun weekend for me! Talk to you soon...

Spring has sprung?

Such a lovely day here in Chicagoland. Let me set the stage for you...

The morning started sunny, with a hint of humidity in the air. High 50's, which is amazing for this time of year in northern Illinois. Nice!

Fast forward to 1:00 p.m. -- somewhat misty rain has started and it is now a whopping 64F degrees. What??? Needless to say, I had all my car windows down as I was cruising home from Target. 

It was glorious. 

I also sent a picture of the temp on my display to my KU girlie (because it is 29F and icy rain in Lawrence today. Ha!). Yes, that is the kind of mom that I am. 


So now it's about 5:00p, it has dropped to 44F, and it has been full-out raining since 1:30p. My sump pump has been going to town. To top it off, apparently I now own lakefront property -- our backyard now leads to a ever-growing pool in the field behind our house.

Thank goodness the berm of leaves we create each fall is holding strong. When we moved in 20 years ago, we knew that the field behind us had a little bit of wetlands. No worries though. We don't mind all the water as long as it stays on the far side of our lovely leaf berm. It guarantees us that in the late spring and long into the summer, we will be able to hear frogs singing each night. Which is THE most magical sound...aahhh.

So, for now, all is good. I am headed downstairs to double-check on the sump pump, let the dogs out, and get started on some dinner. Have a wonderful night!

Blerg...

Blerg...

I feel like I have a 10-gallon drum of congestion in my sinuses. ((blows nose)) Being sick sucks. And before you ask -- Yes, I did indeed get a flu shot this year. But this is not flu. Just your garden variety cold virus. 

You see, silly me, I was travelling last week and totally forgot to up my vitamin C intake. 

I first thought about it as I got into the airport and saw people milling about, wiping their noses and touching everything. Gross. I thought about it again as I got on the airplane with an alarming number of sniffling and coughing passengers. Again, gross, and cover your mouth, please! Then once I landed...I promptly forgot. Oy. And now here I sit, up since 3:30 a.m., dripping like a faucet from my very raw and sensitive nose. 

They say it is 7-10 days incubation for a cold virus. Yep, spot on. Thank you, fellow travelers, for bringing your petri dish selves onto my flight. Now we can all share in your viral suffering. 

Seriously, just stay home if you're sick. Really, it's okay, I promise!

My poor hubs has had to listen to me for the last 24 hours as I snort and sniffle my way through the day. He's doing his best to make sure I am comfy and feeling as good as possible, all things considered. I have hot tea, tissues, a bag for the gross used tissues (because, EWWW, I am not going to leave those sitting on my nightstand), and lip balm. All the necessities. Hopefully by Monday, I will be able to breath out of both nostrils at the same time. Woo hoo! ((blows nose again)) I always take that for granted until it is not possible...such a luxury.

But onto better subjects. With less germs.

So last night, I was freezing. Seriously, I am Queen of the Hot Flashes, yet I was wearing 2 shirts, a sweatshirt, sweatpants, and thermal socks. Not my best look. As I said, I was sitting there freezing when my pups all decided it was their job to come onto the bed and help warm me up. (I love being their alpha...)

Anyhoo, as I sat with the pupsters, our little guy, Bailey, decided that his brother would make a good pillow. Not his twin brother, but his BIG brother, Gus. It was adorable... see for yourself.

This is not the first time that Bailey has decided to lean on his big bro. They've been like this for years. How sweet is their bond?? Gus lets Bailey clamber all over him, sleep on him, curl up for extra heat. You get the picture. Best big brother Bailey could ask for. And a cute photo op to boot!

So there it is, my effort for this morning. I'm off to take care of myself as the sun is now rising. I need to get more tea and more cold meds. And some Shea butter for my nose. Ouch.

Have a great weekend -- and take your Vitamin C! 

Survived another V-Day

Good morning all my lovely friends. Did we all survive the chocolate onslaught that is Valentine's Day? While I do love the sentiment of V-Day, I feel like the pressure has gotten out of control. My hubs and I have resorted to celebrating the weekend following V-Day. We can go out to dinner without a reservation, the inundation of red and pink is gone from all the venues, and we can buy V-Day specific items at half price in the days after the official celebration. 

Sounds like a win for us!

Now, we are not doing this simply for the economic savings. I still got together a V-Day care package for our daughter at KU (Rock Chalk!) and had it delivered a few days before. I also put together a gift bag for our cutie-patootie high school junior daughter and gave it to her last night. We're not animals, after all...

Anyhoo - One of my favorite things I gave to the girlies was one of those felt letter boards... you know, the kind where it is rows of rolled felt and you push in the plastic letters to create messages? Like this:

That would be my motto. 

For the ladies, they each received one of these boards courtesy of the Target Dollar Section (best part of the store). My college daughter got the pink and my high school daughter got the teal. I was eagerly awaiting what thought provoking messages they would create -- they are both smart as all get-out, so I had high hopes. 

My KU gal delivered... 

My HS junior, let's say she delivered the laughs...

I love these gals. They are so much fun.

Of course, after receiving the pix from my KU girlie, she then texts "...on weekends we're gonna change it to funny alcohol puns." Yep, that sounds about right. 

It was a good V-Day. All fun, no broken hearts. What more could I ask for? 
Talk to you again soon! 

Here we go again...

Good morning fellow blogsters and blog readers! I'm back thanks in part to my older daughter's relentless prodding. I am definitely not be the best at keeping the blog-o-shpere updated, so please forgive me.  I need to make this part of my routine...treat it more like a 'to do' instead of a 'when I have time to do' task.

Sounds doable, right? Right.

Anyhoo...since we last met, let's see...here are the updates in no particular order:

• I'm no longer working outside the home! Squee! Loving being home again...
• I am now working as a project manager for my hub's company. Right up my alley.
• Tony is finishing up his college years -- should be graduating in December. We are so proud of him.
• Drew has graduated high school and is off to college -- holy cats!
• Girlies are officially in 8th grade and 6th grade. Accordingly, fashion/makeovers are now some of our top priorities. Love it!
• We have officially booked a family vacation to Florida -- our first in FOUR years! Cue the Hallelulah Chorus...

Phew. It's been busy!

Good busy though. I am so proud of my hubs for following his passion and making this company a reality. I've never seen him happier with work. To quote the Life Is Good guys... "Do what you like,  Like what you do". It doesn't get any simpler than that!

Being home is just what I needed. I have been able to get back into the groove of running our home (which got a little wonky while I was working, no offense honey!) and I have become more involved in my kids activities -- volleyball (Go 13 Purple!), school activities, family nights, etc.

I feel calmer, more in line with  life. Sounds all weird and new age-ish but it's true. Things are right where they should be for now.

Enjoy your weekend! And I WILL talk to you soon!

Updated blog...

Yep, changed the blog. Again. Oh, and I updated my 'about me' tab. I'll save you the time on clicking over... here's the scoop.

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Welcome to my little 'ol slice of blogtopia, The Lovely Home.


Initially, I created this blog to highlight my creative projects. Huh...yeah, that did not work out so well. I found that while I have unending artistic drive, I do not have unending available time. A hubs, 4 kids, and 3 dogs will do that to you -- not that I mind. I love all the crazy this life sends me on a daily basis.

So where was I going? Ah yes, my blog content....Anyhoo, I found that as I shared my seemingly boring everyday observations aloud with friends, they were cracking up. See, I thought our life was boring and sane; you know, NORMAL. How silly of me. That's why I decided to include the insanity along with the creative -- less pressure to deliver on the artsy, more postings which highlight our (apparently) collective crazy. It's a win-win for everyone! Who knew?

But I promise, there will still be craftasticness, because I run on inspiration (seriously people, I can see the potential in an empty jar). And just so you know, some days it may be a small project, other days I may be found elbow-deep in paint and sawdust. Nothing is safe in our house...if supplies are available, the room will be changed when the hubs gets home. And yes, this has happened more than once. And involved plumbing. Or electrical. And perhaps a staple gun. Pffft....as if I'm the only one who does this...

In closing (it does seem like a speech, doesn't it?), I hope that you get a good laugh or an astounding inspiration from something you read on my blog. There's always something going on over here and I intend to share it all with a smile. Enjoy!

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Better? I thought so too.

blah, blah, blah...

Ever feel like...Meh.? That's me today. I am at home with two sick pre-teens and well... I'm bored, ergo, Meh.

I cannot find the energy to get out of my sweats even though it is a lovely day. Part of the problem is that while I can go outside, I can't actually go anywhere. Remember? Sick kids? I could work on one of my long-awaiting projects, I could clean (yeah, that won't be happening), I could make cookies... but I'm not in a Martha Stewart mood. I'm just ...meh.  Dammit.

How is it that days like this can just remove all of my mojo? I had better find something to do soon or I just may take a nap.

Ooh, nap.

Gotta go. Meh.

Why hello again....

Could I be a worse blogger?

I am sure some of you are wondering where the heck I've been? Well, truth be told, life is busier than ever and posting has become one of my last 'to-do' things. I am so sorry.

Anyhoo -- Here I am, getting ready for work when I decided that TODAY is the day I will begin keeping myself more on track (hence me posting to say Hi!).
When I get home from work today, I will get some more fun stuff up on the ol' page.

Enjoy your day!

Dog teeth brushing...

So I have these 3 lovely dogs...Gus, Angus & Bailey.

The big guy, Gus, never ever has funky dog breath...

Gus

Our two weenie dogs....ugh. It's bad. And we regularly get their teeth cleaned! The problem is that they inhale their food instead of chewing it. Does not matter what size the kibbles are, they still forget to chew.



Angus



I decided I could not take it any longer.

Last night, I whipped out our spare electric toothbrush, put on a new bristly toothbrush head and went to town with a dollop of kids' sensitive toothpaste. They were not happy. But minty fresh? Oh yeah baby.



Bailey



Then I did it again this morning. Good thing they are only 9 lbs or so!



They really don't want to be by me now, seriously. They keep skittering away when I see them. That's okay. They'll be back here cuddling up as soon as it is nighttime.

So what did you do this weekend? Did you have as much adventure as I did?

Hee.

Am I the only mom who says this?

A slice of my day...

So this morning, my lovely daughter comes in to talk to me. I notice that she is wearing the exact same cami that she wore yesterday. She does have a different long-sleeved shirt on, but that shirt closest to her -- yep, it is one and the same.

Let me preface the following by saying I really should filter my comments. I am sure my 'nuggets of wisdom' that I fling about sometimes are a bit much...but hey, that is just me. Anyhoo, as I notice that her shirt is indeedy the same, I say "Is that the same cami from yesterday?" (insert horrified looking-like-I-just-smelled-something-stinky-face here). She replies -- "yeah, I suppose I should change it..." to which I burst out with "Yeah, you better or you are going to spend the day smelling like pits (you know, armpits)".

My husband can be heard snickering in the other room. My daughter, she is a bit offended, but she does go and change. Stinkiness averted.

So, my question is, Am I the only mom who says things like this? Gosh, I hope not because I like to think that if I am not honest with my teen daughter about the possibility of B.O., then I am not being a good mother. Better to hear it from me than from a snarky teen frenemy, right?

That's what I thought...  : )
Enjoy your day --

Chicago weather....seriously?

Happy Sunday everyone...
It has been a doozy here in Chicago. Sit back, relax, and let me fill you in...

So this past week, our temps have ranged from 45ish, gloomy and rainy, to 60ish with spotty sunlight. I have been hoping for a nice warm, breezy day where I could open the windows. Did I get that? No. Because today it jumped to -- wait for it -- 85 & HUMID!!

Seriously?
It is waaaaayy-ay-ay too soon to be hoping (praying) that I fit in my warm weather clothes. And for the record, I didn't. Yeah, yeah....yuck it up. You know you are in the same place I am.

Now, don't get me wrong. I totally enjoyed the sunny day and all, but it is just too soon. Really. It sets the bar far too high for the coming weeks. For the record, we here in the Midwest know that it will be cold, stormy, and chock full o' tornado warnings right up until the end of May. And it will smell like worms most of the time, just so you know. Generally in Chi-town, we do not schedule our kids summer swim lessons until at least the end of June. Preferably after the 4th of July. But even then we wind up with blue-lipped children whining about how cold the pool is each and every day.

Hey, just saw the weather update -- we are apparently in for some thunder-tastic storms tonight too, so that is going to make for a fun evening for kids and dogs alike. Thunder? Check. Lightning? Check. Dogs in the closets & kids in our bed? Checkity check. No electricity? Planning on it like clockwork.

Gosh I love Chicago.

Gotta go. I need to make sure I have my flashlights ready.
Hope your evening is just as much fun as mine will be!

Yum! Banana muffins...

So, I've been up since 6:15 this morning puttering around the kitchen. I had told my colleagues at my new job that I make a mean banana bread, which totally piqued their interest in my culinary skills.

With that said, I promised I would bring some of my baking finery in this week. However, instead of a loaf o'bread, I opted instead to make it in muffin form (better portability and no need to schlep a knife into work).
Here's the result:

Too bad there is no Smell-O-Vision on the Internet! Oh, wait, that probably is a good thing...considering some of the ahem, stuff, out there.

But seriously, mmmmm....Chocolate chip banana muffins.....and yes, I totally feel like Martha Stewart having accomplished all of this yum-tasticness by 8:00 a.m. The only problem now is keeping myself from eating them before I have a chance to bring them to work! It smells soooooo good throughout my house.

Willpower....I can do it....
I think.

Spring fever...

Spring Fever has hit this household. Unfortunately, we live in the Chicago area, so it is only 40ish. The tulips and crocuses are starting to grow, but I want warm days and open windows. I know, stop whining....It's time to put on my big girl pants and deal with it.

Here is a recap of my weekend dealing with Spring Fever. I know you feel my pain.

My children -- they all are a bit squirrelly and NEED to spend some time running around outside. Arguing? Check. Screaming at your sister for *GASP* playing the guitar? Check. Retaliating by playing the coronet -- which by the way this sister DOES NOT know how to play? Check. Blaming each other and trying to pick fights all day? Check, double check, and would someone please get these parents a drink ?!

No, not bothering me at all (and yes, I am lying through my teeth...they are totally making me nuts).

As for my hubs, unfortunately his Spring Fever truly is a fever -- in the form of a lovely flu virus... poor guy! As for me, I can't clean this house fast enough. Today I kicked my flu-ish hubby out of bed so I could vacuum our room. I know, not nice. But I had to get it done before the mojo left my system.

So, anyhoo, I need it to be warmer so I can shove the kids outside for the whole day. I love them, but they need fresh air in their systems. I need Spring to REALLY arrive so I can open the windows because seriously -- another round of flu virus in here? Not good. And my hubby, sweetie, I need you to feel better so I have a help dealing with all this whack-a doo around here.

Jealous? I knew it.

Yes, I still do exist...

Seeing a pattern here?

Yes, I have been missing in action for the last month or so. But this time, it was with good cause not just poor planning. Nothing extraordinary -- I have re-joined the ranks of the full-time employed. And it is kicking my butt! Gah!

I love my new job. I am working in the front office of a local company -- seriously, it takes me 2 minutes to get to work (LOVE that!) and the people are just fab. I feel like I am finally getting my 'work legs' back and am no longer going to bed by 7:30 p.m. And yes, I know I am a wimp. But as I said, I love it. My hubs said that I am more energized when I get home. That I am finding my groove again. Yay...that is always good to hear.

The only thing I am missing is having an orderly method to keeping the house clean. We are starting to figure out the laundry and who cleans what each weekend; I think it is good because the kidlings are realizing just how much I DID do when they thought I was just hanging out eating bon-bons all day.

With all that said, I hope you will continue to check in to see what is going on over here. It may not be frequent, but it will be fun, or funny....you'll just have to wait and see!

Enjoy your weekend -- I know I will!

Yes, I still exist!

Holy cats! So sorry to all of you lovelies who follow my blog -- I haven't been writing at all in the last month... That icky cold I had? Yep, it turned into a monthlong nightmare of a sinus infection. I was prescribed an antibiotic that apparently is also used to treat anthrax exposure.

WHAT THE HEY??

Exactly. That was my reaction as well. Unfortunately, the antibiotic kicked my butt as well as my infection, hence the non-writing. Seriously, when the major side effects are joint pain, nausea, and the possibility of tendon rupture (yes, rupture), is it a good idea to put it into your body? Probably not. But of course, I was thinking, "eh...I can deal with achiness and an upset stomach". Now I know better. I will not be taking that ever again. EVER. On the plus side, all my tendons are still intact.

Oh, and did I mention the blizzard?

That's right. Chicago was smack dab in the middle of that snow-tastic mess a week ago. We had almost two feet of snow drop within one overnight storm. School was out for a couple of days, the end of our driveway was covered in HUGE mounds of snow. Of course, we already had about 18"of snow on the ground before the storm started. It was quite impressive Mother Nature. Kudos to you.

So, yes, I am still here. And I pinky swear that I will be oh-so-much better at writing. It really does keep me centered.

I hope that all of you enjoy your Valentine's Day weekend!

A new design??

A new look???

Yessiree...Happy 2011 to me!

I have been sitting here since 2:00 a.m. not sleeping (which I will hate myself for later) musing about the things that I have on my list for 2011. I've been trying to 'resize' my caboose since the new year and since that endeavor seems to be not happening anytime soon, I figured I would see what I could do to perk up the ol' blog. Yay -- one thing off my list. I didn't even know it was on my to-do list...perhaps that is the best time to let your creativity loose because, I have to say, it worked for me!

I like it.
It feels more like ME.

And now, I should try to sleep before my kids are up in an hour. Yeesh.

I hope you are all having a lovely week!

Happy New Year!

Wow...has it really been a few weeks since I posted? Yikes. I really need to be more punctual in 2011. Ah, there is a resolution for the new year. So what have you been up to? I am currently lying in bed like a blob due to what appears to be the Flu. And yes, I did get a flu shot this year. So much for that $25.

Anyhoo, while sitting here, I was reviewing my photos from the last couple of months and thought I would share some with you. Here they are in no particular order...

Our pup, Gus. Did you notice he is laying on a pillow, TUCKED IN? Spoiled....um, yes indeed.

My girlie-q's. I cannot believe how much they look like their dad. I am starting to wonder if I had anything to do with their birth....nope, I remember the physical pain. And did I mention that my blondie was almost 10 lbs?? Gaah.

This is my daughter's dog holiday vignette. She set it up and she took the pix. Great, huh?



My lovely kidlings. My oldest is 23!
How is that possible if I am only 29? Heh.

So there you have it. A slice of my December. I hope you and your families had a wonderful New Year's celebration. I will be back at the craftiness once I feel better. Hopefully soon!