Empty.

Well we aren’t THAT empty, but close. Last babbly post I rambled something about Spaghetti quitting his video store job. It’s a great idea, and we are just using it as a crutch anyway. The job is taking it’s toll on him, and he is SO over working there.
Let me break it down, he works a full time job. It’s a good job, it pays ALL the bills, carries our insurance, and is THE job. Now we also have a seasonal job, that is Wrigley (yes the Chicago Cubs Wrigley field, he’s a vendor at a bar) that is great money, and only during baseball season. (we all know with the Cubs it’s not long) And then there is the video store… this job is year round. It’s about 5-15 hours a week, and it’s to cover food and gas.
Anyway, we’ve done a bit of money shuffling around, and it’s working out that we have more money coming in, SO the video store isn’t needed. BUT that being said I have a new job.
That being the food/budget police. Now I was before, but with out the luxury of the extra money coming in, I REALLY have to make this money work.
I have to say most people are amazed that I get $90 at Aldi (SUPER cheep store) to last me about 4 weeks. NOW that was not counting the weekly trips to the store (Jewel, WAY close but WAY more pricey) for milk, and eggs. So now I need to make this work, so it’s worth my while to drive the 15 minutes to Aldi, instead of 2 minutes to Jewel.
We also get NO McD’s, Taco Bell, Culvers (whimper) and with this hoping to drop a few pounds. I’m a simple cook, and I do cook well. It’s just the lazy factor in my job needs to go.
I buy pancake batter, and we eat from scratch, I also have a 80’s waffle maker so I make waffles in advance, freeze them, and wala. Breakfast. (just made 6 today, and these suckers are HUGE, like 6x6 huge) We like oatmeal too. And eggs are always a staple food around here. Scrambled eggs on a tortilla, and you pick out your sauce (Bagel loves honey, Weaky loves syrup, and Spaghetti and I have veggies and cheese sauce in ours)
Lunch is sandwiches. .99 for bread, and it’s either peanut butter and jelly, or bologna and cheese. Fancy you want? I’ll grill your sandwich and we can call it a Panini.
Dinner is meat, carb, veggie. We eat fish, chicken, and pork. Sometimes burgers but now I’ve gotten into a pork burger thing from the local Farmers Market, OMG they are good.
Snacks are fruit, granola bars, or crackers. We drink black coffee, or off brand of Crystal Light or water. No pop, Spaghetti is 1 year, 9 months and 11 days pop free (soda for some of you) or 649 days. So I figure if a guy who once drank a 12 pack of Coke a day could cold Turkey it, I could too. I tried once for New Years, did it for 3 months and went back. I stopped again on June 10th, and that makes me 23 days free!
We love it simple. Trying to BUY food then make food. So NOT buying the premade mashed potatoes, or the flakes in a bag (gross) I buy a 10 lb bag, peel, cut, boil, and mash. Nom. Nom.
I fight with Spaghetti each time. But I am NOT ashamed of going to food banks. Not the monthly ones. But there are ones that go to our town twice a year, and they give you food. He says it’s for the poor. Well sweetheart, I don’t know about you, but working 3 jobs to keep a roof over our house is pretty damn poor if you ask me. And yes that food is used.
I am thankful for my parents and Spaghetti’s parents. They usually buy the kids shoes, and clothes. My kids are the ONLY Grandchildren they will have, so spoiled is a given. If not from a store, I proudly support garage sales, thrift stores and second hand stores.
Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it sure as hell would make life a bit easier. I know people live with SO much less then I have, and I need to learn to work with what I have, we have to learn to go with out. Plan ahead and not waste. It’s a good thing for the family.
Biggest perk, we get Spaghetti home more often. August 20th is his last day there, and we can’t wait. (I will miss the perks of free videos, and new releases the week before they come out)
So much has changed this year, the BIG room shuffle around the house (making the Sports/Pool table room back into a family room, making the front tv room/toy room into a library, and the man cave in the basement is now a toy room) the flow of the house, is 100x’s better.
The loss of Maggie May is still heavy on our hearts, but with that comes the fact that the kids play more with Sophie, we save money on dog food, and bills, my sister is more comfortable coming over (Maggie would jump at her and at 78 lbs my 4’9” sister had a hard time being around her)
And now that Spaghetti will be down to 2 jobs. One full time one seasonal. I’ve already freaked, knowing that he’s quitting in August, and we have a family wedding to go to ($100) and the car sticker for the year ($105) yikes. But that’s what Wrigley is for. Big things.
And we just got Spaghetti a ‘Straight Talk’ phone from Walmart. No contract, no commitments. $30 a month, 1000 minutes, 1000 texts and well he doesn’t use the web on his cell. I’m still with Sprint till the end of September, and then I’m going to get one too. We have a land line so that saves us minutes. I only said I HAVE to have a phone with a QRTY keyboard, and they do have one by LG that I like. That will probably be my Christmas present.
Sure it’s tough, but we think if we just save, work hard. Budget and plan ahead we can get through anything. We do have a credit card, and it’s for emergencies. (Maggie was just shy of a grand for visits, and putting her down)
We’ve been fortunate in this craphole of an economy to have 3 jobs, when so many people don’t have one. But Spaghetti works hard, and he took jobs that require Holidays, and weekends. He’s done so much for our family. I think SO much of a persons credibility and who they are speaks for how hard they work.
Now I must go and pull EVERYTHING out of our freezer, organize it and start attempting ‘Meal Planning’ wish me good luck!
Feisty

Fat Suit

Unlike Meg Ryan I can not take off my fat suit after a day of work. Mine is permanent.

And at the rate I am eating it will be forever.

I am eating, yet another Volcano Box from Taco Bell. (this is my 3rd this week)

I am on and off on this diet/Lose it Bitch/ Biggest Looser/ life change thingy. I have recently picked up some WW books from my dear friend Mudd Pimp, and it seems like the best idea for me, hence I can NOT give up food, carbs, or what I want to eat.

That being said I do need a bit o' dicipline in the whole what I want and portion control. So the WW has had a trial. A shitty blotchy, messy random trial.

AND so again, Spaghetti is FINALLY tired of his "fat suit" too. So we have decided to start Monday. Sunday is a family get together, to celebrate the Superbowl, and all it's hot wing goodness, and Spaghetti's 34th birthday (damn! 34 already?!)

Monday it is... P90X? to bed early? Up to work out? Yoga? Healthy food?


I sure as fuck hope so. I am SO over stuffing my face wth burritos...

Bitches I lost weight!!

I did it twice just to check.

Make that 3 times.

I am proud of myself.

I really am.

What am I doing, would be the first question you ask?

Not working out. I feared that working out would push me to far to fast, and I would go back to my lazy ways again WAY too fast.

Eating you ask? Sure I eat. Little meals. Eggs, or toast, or oatmeal, or yogurt (youplait lights. Boston Cream Pie, or Strawberry Banana) or an english muffin for breakfast.

Lunch is tuna on toast, or salad, or sandwich.

Dinner is chicken, or pork. A veggie and one potato (covered in butter and cheese)

I eat nuts or popcorn, or cheese for snacks, I portion them out prior to sitting and eating.

Cheating? Sure just the other night I ate 4 slices of stuffed crust Pizza the Slut pizza. Sorry? Nope. I needed it. And I eat Taco Bell too. Not their "diet" shit either, I'm not going through a drive through for a light taco, I love Volcano Tacos and they love me. (plus both of the above foods tend to give me the shits, so it's a win win, nummy eats, and I shit out a bunch of weight afterwards)

I want to start working out soon, and now that my little weight loss is starting this will make it more encouraging to start. Gaiam ball it is, some OnDemand too. Whatever floats my boat that day. I am a random girl, so I need a random stlye of eating and working out.

Other big helps I think are I don't eat past 7 pm, should be 6 but I'm working on that. AND I go to bed (most nights) by 10, I loves me some sleep, and it's a nice pay off getting up early and being able to putz around the house before the kids get up.

AND I gave up pop. Sure when I eat Taco Hell or Pizza the Slut I really want Mt. Dew, but let's see how long I can go with this one. 17 days and counting!

So I may have started out slow, clinging to my macaroni pot and spooning it in my mouth right off the stove like a homeless man on a sandwich, but I've gotten better. Forcing myself won't work. But easing myself into this routine is working, fantabulously!!

Have a good week, and don't forget to Lose it Bitches!!

Curious as to what Lose it Bitch is? Check it out here...

Ewww... Cheetos

This is my fantastic sister. We call her Francis. This is a fun picture. She is eating one of her favorite foods, cheetos.

I have to say if your around Francis you have a great deal of empathy for her, (if your new around here go here and check out her story,) since she has such an impossible time eating because of her disorder.

NOW if your her sister. And that would be me. My job is to give her a hard time no matter what.
Don't get your "I Love Disabled People" bumper stickers in a bunch. I must say it was because of what we did prior to the eating of the cheetos that made this picture funny for us. Well more so funny for me then her.(and with out explaination, my parents and husband were completly baffled as to why I was pointing and giggling at my sister for eating cheetos, they just chalk it up to my random behavior. Or my giddy love for the Zoo)

So if you must know, and I won't keep you waiting any longer...

Francis and I were petting the sting rays. Over at the Sting Ray Bay. So we pet them, we even had a cool moment where we both held a big piece of shrimp and had a HUGE mother fucker of a sting ray come over and suck our hands till we sqeeled and let go of the shrimp, let me tell you it was awesome, yet terrifying to be sucked by a sting ray.

So then after our forever bonding sting ray shrimp sucking moment, we go to leave, well Francis is too cool for school and didn't want to wash her hands. I tell her she's gross, scrub up to my elbows (I had a 15 month old Bagel at the time and was a new mom with OCD issues) and we head over to mee the rest of the family. So we are walking along, and Francis goes into her back pack to get out some nummy cheetos.

She starts to eat them (you do see where I'm going with this right?) After Francis makes a dent in the bag, and is all orange fingered, I point to her and say. Did it ever dawn on you that you are eating sting ray cheetos?!? And I laugh. Then she laughs, spits out some cheetos, then we laugh some more. It's gross, but it's one of those moments, that makes me smile each time I see cheetos. Sting rays. Or Francis at the Zoo.

All time low.

I am depressed.

And you can eat my fat ass if you make any of the following comments...

• NO! Your not fat. You just had kids!
• I only wish I was as tiny as you!
• With the Holiday's coming you should just wait to diet.
• You are nuts! You look great, you carry it so well!

Well folks here you have it. Me "carrying it SO well" oh and if you haven't noticed this is a pity party for me.

Not you.

So if you wish to be 5 feet tall and 30 lbs over weight, go right ahead. When I bitch about my weight and you hear a number like 135, and could only wish to be so tiny, you must understand that people who are ONLY 5 feet tall should weigh around 105-115 at most. Understood?

Fuck the Holidays, I mean I love them and all but I can't sit around and just eat my weights worth of Holiday food, I will be in a deeper hole then I am in now.

And the whole "You just had kids" line is bull shit too. Seriously people. Weaky is 19 months. I have had MORE then enough time to get my ass even started on the right track.

I blame the insanity that they drive me too. I mean between the kids, the house, the bills and lack of money, the pets, and just everyday drama, eating is just what can make me happy.

SO I through myself a big fat pity party. Spaghetti was invited.

I was folding clothes. I tried on some old t-shirts... ha. That was a joke. Then I found my corset bra thingy I wore under my wedding dress. You know how it hooks in the back? How the two ends should match up around the back? Um, mine two ends of the corset? They made it to my sides. I am TWICE the size around that I was when I got married.

THEN when I thought that was bad. I found some maternity shirts, and tried them on, being all sad that I was done making babies, and realized I was to fat to look even remotely decent in them.

...

So if you sure as fuck don't fit into your skinny old clothes, and you are now looking quite muffin top-ish in your old maternity clothes. Then someone tell me what in the flying fuck am I supposed to wear?

So I cleaned my closet. I bagged up 2 garbage bags (so far) that was 78 hangers of shirts that in NO way I should wear in public. I refuse to muffin top, even around the house it's just gross.

I am now the proud owner of hoodies, sweaters, and a few tshirts.

1. This will cut back on clothes all over the floor, because I can't pull out the 90% of my wardrobe that doesn't fit me and PRETEND to suck it in, only to toss it in an angry fit 20 seconds after it leaves the hanger.

2. This will open my eyes to the limited wardrobe I have, so I MAY want to wear something besides the 14 items I have that fit.

3. I at one point REFUSED to buy clothes that fit my fat self, in fear I would stay this way. BUT for Christmas my MIL wants to take me Xmas shopping for clothes. I may just have to cave so I have clothes to wear (I have 1 pair of jeans, and one pair of corduroy pants)

What ever shall I do?!?

Spaghetti was invited to the pity party for the reason of I need his help. He needs to police me.

I do think P90X will be in this new me make over process.

I think my Giaim Ball and work out DVD will too.

Eating will consist of nothing fun. Nothing creepy and out of normalcy for me either.

Eggs for breakfast. WAY less coffee (I know, I know, but I can't function with out it completely)

Snack

Salad for lunch.

Snack

Dinner will be chicken and a veggie.

Work out of some sort for at LEAST 1 hour a day.

Results should be a skinnier me. And Spaghetti.

Will I stick to it? Will I be fat forever? I can only hope there will be a change... stay tuned for when we are starting, and how it is going...

Me likey. Me not likey.

This is one of those mommy posts. I want to keep up with what my kids are up to now a days. So here are some likes, dislikes and just general Bagel and Weaky news...

Bagel Likes...

• To be the boss. Of me, Spaghetti, Weaky, Ding & Dong...


• To not eat much of anything.


• To change her under wear all.the.time. (again better then the other way right?)


• To brush her teeth.

• To sing. If she is singing she will scream at you till you participate in the song encourage you to sing along.



• To tell you what to say. (I SO did this as a kid. I again apologize. It is SO annoying!!)



• The new Saturn Vue we got 2 months ago. She like that she has her own door, and window to see. The other day we were all in, and she was SCREAMING (think acid bath scream) it was because Weaky was looking out her window! Too funny
• 
  Bagel LOVES her Sprout channel. As does mommy. She is in love with Cailou, Zaboomafoo, Angelina Ballerina, and the newest Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies.
• Tumbling class! She goes once a week to the park district. This is her first class anywhere!
• Riding her bikes! She has a pink tricycle, and a Fischer price two wheeler (with training wheels) she loves them both. She even has a helmet (she wipes out often!)
• The art room! Alright what kid wouldn't? She loves to draw, stamp, color, and play with her play dough. Painting is for rare happy mommy time, and that is not often enough for painting... someday...
• New big girl pants! Oh she loves them all. Mostly her Tinkerbell ones. She just loves to tell me she is a big girl now! (I love to hear it!)
  
  

Bagel does NOT like...

• To eat food. (unless it's candy, in which she ONLY gets from her gramma. And chocolate and that is if she eats good at dinner. Sometimes we have pudding after)
• Me talking. No really she will piss me off, because I tell such long stories to Spaghetti at dinner she would cut me off by saying "The End" we quickly taught her that was a bad thing. (via time out, and Spaghetti got the giggle from the whole ordeal. Wanker.
• Nap time. This one is all about timing. I have to say it right, and let her feel independent enough that it's her choice too. Same goes for bed time.

Weaky likes...

• Tumbling. He loves to go to Bagels class, the teacher loves him, so to keep him from trying to tumble with the big girls, he now gets his own mats to play on.
• Anything that fits in his mouth! Yuck!
• Food! The total opposite of his sister! Ever since he went to table food he eats SO much! I do think I have a line backer here!!
• Sucking his thumb, but only when he is really tired, and I hold him. It's the sweetest thing!
• The heartbeat bear. You know the one you buy for the little infant baby so it sounds like mommy? He LOVES it, he pets it, and hugs it. Now he sleeps with it right next to him.
• Pinch! Ohhh... he is a pincher. Wookie Nipple Pinchie!!
• Climb. Oh sweet Cheeses! That kid will climb anything he can. ANY.THING. he loves to just be ALL boy!
• His penis. He just thinks it's amazing. I guess I would too. He like to push it, pinch it (found out that hurts a bit) laugh at it. Then he smacks his butt and laughs again.
• Tooth brushes. This goes along with anything he can get in his mouth. But it's the best time to cut his hair. Just plop him in the sink, and he could brush for 10 minutes!
• Baths! He loves those too. I LOVE to bathe a boy. I mean the hair washing is great! (unlike Bagel and her LONG wavy hair)
• Me. I know it's a bit ballsy, well not really. Everyone knows I got's me a mamma's boy. And I love it.

Weaky does NOT like...

• Bagel yelling at him. He will cry, then assault. That's when mommy has to separate and play time is over together. I am noticing the do good apart some of the day.
• Diaper change. Holy jeez. This kid squirms, and fights, and tries to remove what I just put on, and rolls, and I swear he uses SO much energy on a diaper change!
• Bagel getting my attention. He gets SO mad at her!

That's what I can think of now. Thought it would be fun to share!

How do I really feel about this diet?!?

Here is a typical P90X breakfast. (cute I know)


Sure it looks yummy. It a pear, and egg omelet, and two slices of turkey bacon. No sauce, I only get one fucking condiment a day. So I aint wastin' it on breakfast...


Lunch is usually something like green beans and a turkey burger covered in low fat no taste mozzarella cheese. Gag. me.

Dinner is usually me crying over how badly I want a WHOLE 4 cheese frozen pizza. Or a WHOLE box of Mac and Cheese for myself. Only ending in a chicken breast (here comes the condiment of choice!) and my carb for the day of 1 cup of rice (brown rice. Not the yummy white rice)

See the book below for the food chart of allotted meal options. There is also a page of how many of each I get per day. (take for example the light brown section on the left page. My fav. that is the carb section. But I only get one a day. Now the dark brown section above that is the protein section and sadly I get 5 of those a day. I can't pronounce most of them.)

The work out kicks my ass. That guy is funny, and I like his humor, joking about how he will come to my house to make sure I DO not have my heels on the floor while doing the walking lunges. All while he is forcing me to find muscles that I never knew I had. And causing me to have nights like last night. Holy batshit.

So last night I was SO sore. I mean I have been working out, but obviously the Kenpo X and the Yoga X are nothing compared to my fat ass doing the Legs and Back work out.

I couldn't walk with out wincing.

My legs, my back and my arms were like rubber. That work out was on Monday. Tuesday I was sore but yesterday... holy shit... I could even see straight. But it wasn't pain, it was just S.O.R.E.

Like body flu sore, is the best way to explain it. I swore I was coming down with the flu. But after soaking myself in the tub, and some Tylenol for that killer headache I had. I woke up fine.

Fine? I swore I would be bedridden for days, and wondering if I should call my mom to cancel the get together for Carrots (my dad) birthday tonight, and would I make it to the October Fest at my parents on Sunday... um sure, because I woke up just fine! To weird!

My friend on Facebook said that I was doing it right if I felt sore like that. And I mean I didn't over do it. at. all. I spent half the DVD in the confused head turned to the side position, and the other half of the time attempting to do at least one or two reps, while the fit people on the DVD screen did 25-30 reps.

My arms are killing me. I can only do one chin up on a chin up bar, but their variation had a girl using the band (you throw it over the chin up bar and pull like your doing chin ups.) the only problem was this was SO much easier I could do all 15 reps with the girl! (paying for it now! Hopefully I will have my Madonna arms sooner then later because of all that!)

I must share with you an in the moment picture. I am good for taking the camera and showing my real emotions (I did it once with post partum. Mid meltdown, I took a picture of myself. And yes I made a whole scrapbook page on it)

This was day 2 of the diet and work out. And how I really felt...

A wee bit to much eeffoc!?!

gOoD mOrNiNg everyone!!!!

Yep WAY to much coffee, and up to damn early again. I say to early at 7:45 am, because I have the privilege to have children who are locked in their rooms so well behaved that they love to sleep till 9:30 am.








This folks is what I have gotten used too. I mean from sleeping, an easy 10 hours before kids, then to 3 hours while pregnant, then to 4 hours after baby is born, and then now back to my insane amount of sleep again.





So even when I go to bed at midnight, I still get a lovely 9 1/2 hours of sleep. (who just gave me the finger? I saw that.) But now I can't sleep as well. Hmmm... not sure what. I guess I will just use it to get over caffeinated and blog! Hooray!

Anywho. Onto the subject at hand. Is there one? Kinda. Sorta.

Well with the holidays right around the corner, what else would be a better time then now to start dieting, and working out. (I know from Candy over load in October, to Carb Nation in November, then their is It's-the-Holidays-I-can-eat-what-I-want in December)

Yes I know, broken record, same blog post different pictures. BUT their once was a time when I looked like this...

That was a month before I was pregnant with Bagel (in Oregon at Spaghetti's cousin's wedding) Damn I looked good in that dress. I had a waist!! And only one chin!! An arms that were in proportion to my body!!


And the point of my blog today is....

Yep. Happy Sweetest Day. This is what Spaghetti and I got each other. (don't freak out, Sweetest Day isn't till next month)

Yep. We have now vowed to an hour a day, to working out together, with our fabulous P90x that is in mid shipment right now.

I am trying to enjoy my last of the over Caloried, and carbed Mocha drinks, my last of the poptarts, sigh, I think I will just go eat a tub of lard to satisfy my dirty little food habit.

I still have a week before it gets to my door. And a week after that Spaghetti is done vending at Wrigley (his schedule is chaos when he is there) I am thinking October 2nd-ish is when we are starting?

Oh I will let you know how it goes. Oh and for the laundry's sake. If your sitting on the edge of your seat wondering how that project is going. I did rearrange all the clothes that were already hung, by style yesterday. Then I laid in the big pile of clothes and took a cat nap.

I am thinking if I am going to be a super hot mom, I need to keep all my skinny clothes. So I think for now, I will just hang up and put away the clothes I have. Decide later what to keep and what to toss.

Until then, it's a big box of Mackie Ronie and cheese, for breakfast lunch and dinner!

A staycation of nuts and berries and all around a good time

This summer has been all about staycations for this little family of 4. Money is tight, blah blah blah, I know we are all broke.

Spaghetti and I have now started the Mc family adventures of going on evening bike rides to find different parks or just revisit the ones we like alot.

Spaghetti and are are trying to get out, exercise more, and so why not exhauste ourselves and the kids by taking a long bike ride. Now we do visit parks for a break. The main need for a park break is when a 3 year old and a 16 1/2 month old are trapped in one of those tiny two seater thingies that ride behind daddies bike (yes daddy's bike. Mommy proudly strapped it to her bike the day our nice neighbors gave it to us, and almost died riding to the bank (1.4 miles away) since it was uphill going there, AND I didn't realize that the carrier itself weighs in at about 40 lbs. Add the 20 lb baby and the 28 lb tot. Holy shit. Again why I quickly strapped it to Daddy's bike)

This has now required me to ride side saddle on my bike to either yell at Bagel or Weaky. It's pleasent. I mean who doesn't love a beautiful family of 4 ridding down the lane, all while the mommy is yelling...

"Bagel stop pushing!" "Weaky no pinching" "Bagel don't hit your brother!" "Weaky no bitting, well I did tell your sister not to touch you"

So yes a park break has become more of a necessary stop to sepreate the monkey children.

So this adventure leads us to the Hunt West park. A sister subdivision built right across the way.

We like to play on all the fun toys (parks have the weirdest inventions of things to ride on)

This first fun toy we found at the park. I like to call, simply... Barf. Not much else to it. You hold on, spin and probably barf. I laugh at the picture, because I either look the same height as when I was in grade school or that my legs have been removed from the knees down. (I did not barf though)

Spaghetti has been really into getting his picture taken. NOW if you know Spaghetti, you must know that he HATED getting his picture taken. REFUSED to smile, and now after 10 years together, I have NO idea what I did or said. But I will take it. He smiles, and for the most part will humor my momarazzi photo stalking ways.

Spaghetti wanted to try something different since he is 6 foot over my 5 foot. And so he said. "I want to throw my feet up to the bar and spin, you take my picture. K?" "oh and I hope I don't rack my nuts."

Yes folks like the genius he is, Spaghetti did not think that jumping up, spreading his legs to straddle the HUGE yellow pole would result in racking his nuts. (before I tell you more, the kids are safe in the baby swings about 5 feet away laughing and pointing at daddy. And yes we are the only ones at the park)

In fact he did rack his nuts.

I fell to the ground in a fit of laughter. I clutched my crotch to hope not to completely wet myself. (I did) I was covered in playground mulch and urine, tears of laughter streamed down my face. Spaghetti to was laughing, since he already thought he would rack his nuts he was able to let go fast enough so there wasn't to much damage.

So for the photo opt. I picked myself up, dusted the mulch from my hoodie, attempted to adjust my urine soaked Capri sweats (oh it was SO worth it though) and then Spaghetti attempted to put both legs to one side.

Nice shot.

They also had this cool rock wall that you could go into. Or climb. Or even use the funny 1/2 ladder to play with. Either way everyone played on this. Happy Bagel below...

Daddy enjoyed being king of the mountain...

Along with Weaky Man who also enjoyed his time on the rock wall...

Bagel loves the slides, funny it take her the WHOLE park visit to get up the guts to go down but once she starts she is on EVERY slide, covered, twisty, you name it.
She even raced Daddy a few times!

Afterwards we all returned home to sit on the counters and eat some blueberries!!

(How do you not just LOVE this picture of my little man?!? OMG! To cute! And yes, for a TMI FYI he did eat to many and pooped out a blue berry pie the next morning!)

Hope you enjoyed your summer of vacations, or staycations, or just relocation's!

Wanna know what it is?

So a while back I posted the beautiful picture above, of the fuzzy, slimy and ever so colorful moldy finding from the far back of my fridge.

I had some guesses but no one got it. If you look at the right bottom corner you will see the orange there...

That would make it.... Weaky's leftover carrots! EWW! Who knew carrots could do such crazy things in the back of the fridge!

Anywho, thanks for those who played. I know, I know. Gross. Maybe next week I will show you another extremely gross picture... yummy!

Pop quiz.

Q. WTF, was growing in the back of my fridge?

I did finally figure it out.

Now lets put your creative minds to a test... what do you think it is?

Yogurt.

In an effort to restart my healthy eating via Sparkpeople, I will be starting on February 2nd. The day Weaky get's his DOC band. He has to wear it for 3-4 months. I will be crazy working out and eating healthy as long as he has on his DOC band. Maybe after 3-4 months, it will become a habit. So I am humoring myself and attempting to try my hand at scheduling in Yoga, mini meals, and figuring when my work out will be. Along with the kids, pets, house work and Stampin' Up! business.

Anywho back to the gag story on yogurt, and my hate for it.

I ate some. (No really I hated it)

Like a whole little cup full. (6 ounces!)
I don't like the texture. (Kinda grainy with chunks?!)

I have tried the whipped. (it made me cry. It was lumpy and spooky)

The smooth drinks. (again not a good experience, like coating my throat with thick goo)

I swear there was something crunchy in there. (Aaagghhh!)

I don't like it much at all. (I am trying here people!)
It smells bad. (Not really. Just an over exaggeration)
I gagged a few times. (not lying.)
I chased each bite of yogurt with my coffee. (I had alot of coffee today)
But I did it. And I will do it again. I will get used to it. (hooray to me!)

Gag.

My big ideas for 2009

Happy New Years Eve! As I sit in my cluttered home on the eve of a new year, 2009 holds promise for a new me, and a new home plan for us here.





So here it is. The big list. The list of things I am going to do, or not do, in this fantabulous new year. A year of projects and goals set just for me. I am not going to set out goals or projects that I don't think I can reach. But these are more guide lines for a better life. Starting tomorrow.

Eat better. Shocker right? Who doesn't have this one on there list. (one year I had it to NOT eat good. Go against the flow, worked well. I now have 28 extra pound due to that brilliant idea) Sparkpeople here I come. I am registered there. My Iowa friend says it worked great when she stuck to it. It's more of meal plan, and daily check in.

I know, I know, who's going to keep up with checking in everyday online? Well. Me. I want to try. It's really cool, and FREE, you can track your weight, size, and you get to choose what you want to eat off there menu. (I by the way will be starting this on January 12th, because of my Scrapbook getaway on the 9-11th, will be my last big weekend, until then I have planning to do)

Spaghetti and I need, and I mean NEED someone to tell us what to eat. That mixed with some working out, should do me some good this year.

Yes I said it. Working out. And not the gym like I have done before. I need something to work around being home with the kids. So there is some free Yoga and work out shows On Demand, so I can always go watch those. I actually have a goal of getting up before everyone else, doing morning yoga, drinking my coffee, and having everything perfect each morning. (did you just snort your beverage of choice out your nose too?) I know the hardest part will be getting up, so I need to start with my night routine (Flylady) and go to bed early! (like 10 pm early!)

I can't be negative or put down my ideas before I even try them. There will be many days where this won't work, but the days I have gotten up at 6:30 I am up before everyone, I get the dishwasher emptied, and thing set for the day. Now if I can just toss in some Yoga, what a great way to start my day!

I also would like to walk with the kids, and or dogs more. I have a HUGE neighborhood, and I could walk with the big double stroller. I want to set up Spaghetti's weight bench and we could both work out. I have some 3 and 5 lb weights to work with. Nothing crazy. But to tone my ever so jello like figure.

Budget. I do budget. I could always do better at this. And now with the taxes not being paid through our monthly mortgage payments, I seriously need to watch money. But we can breath better with things like this.

Scrapbook more. You need to make the time, and as much as I love to scrapbook, and take pictures, I need to use what I have and keep up with all my great ideas brewing in my head!

Take care of myself. Kinda goes along with the whole eat better, and work out plan, but I need to floss, and brush my teeth more, I need to just take the time and wash my face and put on lotion everyday (this pretty young face ain't gettin' any younger!)

Organize. Hee hee. Again on everyone's list. I started a HUGE project back in August to organize, and purge my house. I have LOTS of crap around here, and finding homes for it all is a bit time consuming, but that is why I started the "Where do I begin" blog, to keep track of what is going on, and how I am getting there.

We just have to much clutter, and stuff, and clutter, and gah, just everything here is to much. It drives me nuts but especially Spaghetti. I hate for him to be annoyed by the house he barely gets to spend time in. (and just so you know, I took over 100 lbs worth of clothes and house hold items to donate in December! Fly lady has you weigh your clutter, I lost 100 lbs in a month!)

I guess on the organize idea, I want to be able to walk out of the house, just grabbing a few things and go. Not the whole up stairs for a sippy, down the stairs for a blankie, up the stai... oh wait grab this real quick... now where was I going? Oh shit were SO late for this event! Yep that is our routine. By then Spaghetti is sitting in the car with Bagel and Weaky, while I do the crazy circle dance in the kitchen, listing out loud the items I have and need for a simple day out. So if I could plan ahead, or have a diaper bag just ready to go would be smart.

Emergency plan. Seriously with the two little ones, and my dogs, and my cats, if there was an emergency I would need to whisk everyone out the door, into the truck in minutes flat. I would want to have everything saved from our home, but realistically that won't happen. I do need to check and update the fire safe, be sure the picture CD's are easy to grab (in a file box on my desk) and have a emergency bag for all of us.

May sound a bit much. But when Bagel was 7 months old, the Carbon Monoxide detectors went off in the middle of the night, I called 911 and they came in all suited with special outfits and breathing gear, as they read our numbers (not sure what they were) but we needed to get everyone out. Now.

The dogs were let outside, and Bagel and myself went across the street to a neighbors house. After a few hours, we went back home, gathered up what we needed for the night, packed up cats, dogs, myself and Bagel and we went to my parents house. (before Weaky's time, and Spaghetti was working nights) We were able to go back the next day, the found it was our stove (only 4 years old!) had a leak in it. The levels were very high and dangerous.

I didn't have a getaway bag then, like I should, and especially with two kids, and all the pets, I need to be responsible and be ready for anything.

Business plan. As always I love my Stampin' Up! business and I want to keep working at improving my classes, and ideas for my customers. Stampin' Up! is the kind of company that always makes it super easy to do this. They have TONS of ideas, and tools to make this possible. And on that note, I need to track my expenses better for taxes!

Laundry.

I know. Laugh. No really. It's funny if you know me. If you know I STILL have 9 bags of laundry in Weakys closet from the people-are-coming-over-shove-all-the-clothes-in-garbage-bags-deal-with-them-later.

Riiiiiiiiggghhhtttt. Later as in when we are naked from the shower, have nothing to wear, and still need to do the spin around the kitchen dance to get everything to go?

So with Laundry comes the process of doing laundry before it is covering the WHOLE bathroom floor, spilling out of the laundry basket.

After washing it, put it in the dryer.

After drying the laundry, using the hanging rack and hangers in the basement, ACTUALLY use it to hang clothes. Take the laundry up stairs and PUT IT AWAY. No really away, dumping it onto the bedroom floor is not where it belongs.

I do need to purge and get rid of a TON of my clothes, I don't wear or fit into 80% (obviously the 9 bags in the closet) AND maybe if I can get my laundry shit together, I could actually iron, and put together outfits for Spaghetti to wear to work? Maybe? Let's just start with the knee deep laundry covering my bedroom floor, and the 9 bags still in Weaky's closet.

PICK UP AFTER MYSELF. No really, I suck SO bad at this. I can't leave an area with out making a mess, and leaving it there. I really have to out loud tell myself to clean up when I am done. It's a bit much but I am realizing I am a HUGE factor in the constant mess around here.

Any other ideas? I know it's alot to do, alot to change, but it's all real, and doable. I can get up early, do yoga, have things together, keep up with laundry, keep up with myself, and the kids, take care of myself and pets better, walk with the kids, eat better, feed my family better, run a better business, all while making time to scrapbook, read, and just stare at the wall.

Sure it's possible. I can do this. How? Because I believe in myself to do better for myself and my family. It may be the same speech we are all giving ourselves, but I need to do this for a happier family life for us Mc's.

Happy New Year everyone, may 2009 be a more organized and healthy year for all of us!

Manic Monday. 89 mph Lobsters on the Sears Tower

What is the most expensive meal you've ever eaten?
Probably when I ordered Lobster and Fillet, and the sad part was, the lobster wasn't really that good.

What is the fastest speed you've ever traveled in a car?
89. I have little to say about the rest of the story. You just get a number.

What is the highest building you've ever been to the top floor of?
Top of the Sears Tower in Chicago. A few times.

Those were quick and painless. Usually my Manic Monday's are long and extensive amounts of information you may or may not have wanted. Oh well! Enjoy!

Smocks and Scissors

These are two of my favorite things, that make my life as a mom just a bit easier.



First off we have the IKEA smocks, mine are blue and green and cute (the images online were not so cute) either way these are a life saver. Yes I know that regular bibs are great, but these are long, so they cover a good amount of the kid, and the long sleeves make it great for the kid who randomly feeds there sleeves. (2 for approx $3.99)



Scissors. Who doesn't love scissors? Well I am a crafty type of person, so yes I have every kind of scissor, special paper scissors, material only scissors, craft scissors, sharp dangerous snips, oh and snips with adhesive resistant on them, sewing snips, kitchen scissors, yard scissors (nothing fancy, just ones dedicated to the yard) and then there is the zillion other pairs of just regular scissors, for everything else.

I just read that one mom carries her scissors with her when she leaves the house, this is a great idea! So you ask, what do I do with my scissors besides cut paper? How is this handy to the rearing of my children? Well it cuts better and faster then a fork and knife... fish sticks, chicken tenders, hamburger, hot dogs, pizza, yep, its my form of fork and knife. Its fast, and when tots are whining for food like I haven't feed them in days, you will be happy to whip out your scissors and chop up a meal faster then... well fork and knife fast!

Hope you enjoyed this tip for the day!

This is going to give me diarrhea...

yeah... it's 2:27 am... yeah, Bagel is just laying down... ummmm.... the schedule was kinda effed up today.

All up at 7 am

Nap at 3 pm (way late! Usually 1!)

Spike slept until 9 pm, just got Spaghetti ready for work... so I was up with him,

Fell asleep in Spikes rocker with him, till 11 pm, I was woken by Bagel calling me...

I was exhausted, so I set up myself and Bagel in the front t.v. room, I crashed on the couch...

Being woken for probably the zillionth time by "Appuu, Appuu, Mommy!! So I dragged my ass of the couch at 1:45 am and cut us up an apple to eat.

Called Spaghetti at work, Bagel wanted to tell him this... "Hi Daddy, Mommy's change my butt, then I go sweep. I got a treat (witch doll), and a cactus (cactus doll) oh and my monkey (monkey pillow) ok now, night Daddy" stares at phone, then makes ticky noise (she's tired)

Too cute, that was all one big sentence. Spaghetti said it made his night. Since the economy is in the hole, the casino business at 2 in the morning is a bit like watching paint dry.

So I of coarse notice that after 2 am here in the Central Time Zone, I can roll call for The Secret is in the Sauce!

Well, here's hopin' the tots sleep in. But it's highly doubtful, I have the coffee pot set to go at 8:45 and that is hoping we sleep in...

goo-night.

(Note to Maternal Mirth. You Heart Dong, and yes she still asks about the nice crazy lady who played ball at 2 am on the frosty deck, that by they way has snow on it.)

(and I am finishing this blog at 2:44 am, and Bagel is up crying... this is not fun. Not that any of you think it is... but... just so yaknow... I am going to go kennel the dogs, lock up, or go OCD and recheck the locks for the 30th time tonight, and hope that Bagel passes out before I come back up... well if I can't sleep there is always Breaking Dawn... over half way through it. LOVE IT! Can't wait till, Saturday at noon! My date with Frances, Aerial and Aerial's sister Lu... now I am babbling... blah, blah, blah... yeah, yeah, goo night again...)

(oh and if I don't sleep soon, the water I drank, and the jacked up schedule with make me get diarrhea... stupid I know... but nothing like falling asleep on the cold porcelain with a good book, and ring around the butt, just too fart a bunch... ya know...)

(must leave, computer, giving TMI...)

Over sensitive.

Aunt Flo? Time of the month? Mood swings? Crying for no reason? Over sensitive over everything? Sure.



I was upset that no one was coming to my candle party. (tomorrow night) This is why I don't hold these fucking parties. I just want some candles for myself. (a side note. I do have about 5 people coming)



I was upset that I bought pork chops, and I had them from the meat counter, so I had the guy package them by 3. So there are 2 for Spaghetti, and one for me. After cooking them, they are tiny, and 3 will just feed Spaghetti, fuck it. I might as well just have the butcher just throw them in a pile. Damn it, I am trying to do this stupid menu planning shit. Fuck it.



If you would like to read my very angry vent on laundry go here.



The Scrapbook place still has not let me know which way things are going with our room! Hello! I need to rebook!! (just remembered I need to blog on that)



I am upset that Spike is growing so fast. I remember when Bagel was just a small baby and needed me. Sigh... I need him. (another post)



And Spaghetti brought up subject after subject after subject last night that just were not fun, adult like, and made me not want to grow up.



This folks, is an over emotional freak show here. I need to go get lost in Breaking Dawn. Good news is I have 4 tickets for Saturdays noon show! Hooray!



So that is what is new with me... I have blogging to do, gatta go.

Manic Monday. Fast traveling, lemon hair.

What was the first thing you thought when you looked at yourself in the mirror today?

Not bad. I've had this hair cut for 3 months now and I still love it. Good thing. Wonder when I will dye it again...

Do you have a recurring nightmare? If so, explain.

Not so much of a nightmare, but I always dream of traveling. Fast, usually I just make the train, plane, car. It's usually night time. And I always travel with Spaghetti, and we are almost always going to visit our parents. The kids are never with us.

List three foods you can’t stand:

Lemons.

Ate Lemon pie one time in H.S. got the flu. barfed Lemon pie for days. Lemon just ain't the same since.

Tomatoes.

Just tomatoes. I love ketchup, and salsa but not just tomatoes.

Broccoli.

Spaghetti eats it all the time. Gag. I make it all the time for him. After years I am finally not gagging as much over the smell.

Bagel isms

• Spaghetti says, "Ok Bagel, say "Trick or Treat" when we get to the door" Bagel says "Mr. Tweet"
• Bagel come walking in while Spaghetti and I are eating lunch, she looks at me and says "My name is Feisty and your name is Bagel" Spaghetti and I just looked at each other. I said "Did she just say my real name? Who told her what it was?" (she said our real names)
• I was making a cake today, and I dripped Chocolate on the floor. Bagel comes in, points to the floor and goes "Gah! Mommy come look, quick, there is poop on the floor!" the best part was how well she pronounced poop.
• Today was the first time she feed me imaginary food. I have eaten the fake banana sticker, or the fake plastic food. But it was Bagels first imaginary food. I am proud! Go Imagination Go!
• The sprout channel sings "Happy Birthday to you" Bagel sings "Happy Dirt Day to you"
• Bagel saw Spaghetti in just shorts and no shirt, she points at him and laughs. He asks what is so funny. Waiting for the worst she says "You have a belly button too!!" then lifts: up her shirt and shows daddy hers! I then show her mine. She says that "Mommy has boobs too and so do I. But I have boobs all over"
• She stayed up WAY late tonight, so late she got to see Spaghetti go to night shift at 9:30. He was running late, and putting his shoes on. So she grabs one of his shoes, and he had to chase her twice around the kitchen table for the shoe. Then she locked onto his leg and wouldn't let go! Too funny!

Hope you enjoyed them as much as I did!

Not so Wordless Wednesday. The Queen's office.

Many of us have an office. A space for paperwork, thinking, planning. This is my mom's version of her dream office. It has a comfy chair, a spot for Bagel to play, and her favorite place to be. Her office.

Then there is her veggie garden. Pumpkin and gourds grow behind her chair, tomato's to her right and peppers, and onions too. Those are Marigolds everywhere, the pink dish is her butterfly bath (they like shallow water to sip from) you can't see it but right by Bagel is a wood board that you have to walk over to get to this office (the Queen and Bagel office) these two chairs are right in the middle of the garden. Oh the board goes over a small rock creek my mom made. The house gutters run to it and it waters her garden.

Those blue wine bottles upside down to the left of my mom, are her funky decor. (her neighbors helped her empty them.) Oh and the Queen has hummingbird feeders all over, the are EVERYWHERE! Its really cool if you hold still, they buzz right up to you. Crazy cuz you can't see there wings, since they move so fast! Its like a Minny wingless bird, just floating in front of you. But look fast, because they zip away fast!

My mom's garden is amazing. It's a fun place for her to get away all spring, most of summer it's too hot, so she works early, just maintaining it. Then fall she preps it for winter. As soon as April is here, she is out in her favorite getaway place. Her garden.