Ten on Tuesday

1. My precious, Tyler Gracie, sick as a dog, I think this picture pretty much captures how she is feeling, although she is still so sweet! She is trying so hard to smile because that's what she is trained to do when the camera comes out, but don't her face and head just look like they hurt!

2. Tyler Grace really thinks her name is Tyler Gracie! When she was small, Jackson and I spent a lot of time with her, trying to get her on a schedule, and HE made up the rhyme, "Wake-y, wake-y Tyler Gracie!!" when we were trying to rouse her from her slumber! It kind of stuck, and she will probably go through life telling people that is her name.

3. I used to think that going two days without talking to Karissa was dang near impossible, now I know I will survive if I go two weeks, two months, two years. We will always be the best of friends, and we can pick up just where we left off, but times have changed and it is NEARLY impossible to have a phone conversation with her-I swear my kids have radar if I pick up the phone to talk, they go ape sh**, I spend the majority of the call disciplining, and it is really just NO FUN.

4. I despise doing dishes by hand! As if my hands weren't all cracked and YUCK already, this just adds to the dryness of my hands, and on any given day, they are probably bleeding. This is just a sample of how I am now doing dishes, using dish towels as a "drying rack", I am completely unskilled in the art of hand washing dishes!

5. Cynthia makes me feel like I am a completely normal and rational HUMAN BEING! Most moms out there do not admit how difficult it is being a stay at home mom. I love her blog, her video post of Campbell throwing a temper tantrum is HYSTERICAL, and the day she snapped and went and signed all the kids up for extracurricular activities so that someone else would have to deal with them, I fell even more in love. I want to do that EVERY SINGLE DAY, except that my bank account won't allow for it, so I try to remain happy they are enrolled in preschool.

6. I am loving the new Monopoly Slots on POGO. It is the closest I will get to being in Vegas for quite sometime, so I am thankful for this little nap time indulgence!

7. Tyler has a jealous streak like you would not believe-only towards Rylee. About a month ago, she whacked her in the face while my mom was holding her because she didn't like that grandma was paying attention to another little girl! Saturday, Katie and Rylee came over, and there is Tyler, throwing one of Jackson's little Matchbox cars at her head because everyone is sitting around looking at her on the blanket. I don't even know what she will do if she gets her hands on Rylee when Pat is holding her. . .HIDE THE KNIVES!!!!!

8. I have ALWAYS hated LeAnn Rimes, I find her to be one of those whiny people, kind of like Renee Zelweger, I know I don't know them, just how I feel. Anyway, I have always LOVED Eddie Cibrian-LOVED HIM, since his time on Young and the Restless, I have been infatuated with him. Why did he have to go and have (1) an affair and (2) an affair with LeAnn Rimes. Just to remind me that all men are flawed, even the most beautiful ones???? Except my Justin Timberlake, he will never fail me-although Jessica Biel is kind of a failure in my eyes, but I will let it slide-I like Cameron Diaz with him much, much more!!

9. Jackson's ability to eat all day long is so frustrating! It's not like he won't eat dinner if he has too many crackers, he will still eat dinner and request a surprise! This morning for breakfast he had a bowl of Cinnamon Life, two scrambled eggs and a piece of toast. He is still requesting more cereal and eggs!

10. Tomorrow is the day that Pat's Sprint account rolls over and he is eligible for a new phone. He will get a new phone and have nothing else to complain about-actually that's not true, he will complain about not being "allowed" to join the Phoenix Police Reserves! His argument, "You only go to the academy for seven months-AT NIGHT, and then you only have to volunteer 60 hours every three months to keep your benefits!" ONLY 60 hours as if I don't already lead a tortured life, now you want to volunteer 20 hours a month, AND THE BENEFITS=uniform and gun! OMG, he just has to have something to fixate on and complain about otherwise he is completely unhappy!

Tyler's Sick

Tyler is sick, she has a double ear infection and bronchitis! Just in case you are following the drama that is my life. I SWEAR I AM COMING UP WITH a soap opera title! I've got it-Keeping the Doctors Out of Foreclosure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear I pay their water bill every month!

As the World Turns

Since my last post:

(1) Diagnosed with a sinus infection caused by allergies-PAINFUL!
(2) Got a B-12 shot, and I have high hopes for this!
(3) Couldn't go to Cibo because I was too sick!
(4) Had a notice of trustee sale posted on the garage door of the house we are renting (TOTALLY FEEL I HAVE TO SAY, "house we are renting" every time for fear of someone thinking it is MY HOUSE, when Pat and I are the most responsible bill payers EVERRRRRRRRRRR, and some days I wish we weren't!
(5) Dishwasher of said house exploded all over the kitchen floor and will not drain which means that I have done about 100 dishes by hand! Can't call anyone about it, since no one cares about this house anymore.
(6) Tyler is sick, temperature around 104 earlier today!
(7) Stupid security system starting beeping, asked Pat to solve it, he was up on a ladder looking at something else, took it apart, unscrewed it, etc for like 30 minutes until I walked over, pushed a few buttons and poof, it was better. Seriously, the man is not a handy!
(8) Still has no answer on the house we have an offer in on, they have given us a deadline of April 6th, but really, should we believe it! At this point, I am so uncertain of our future, I think it might be causing my illnesses!

HOWEVER, the guilt I feel about complaining about these things, eats me alive when I look at all the horrible things out there in the world. Current blog I have stalked to death over the weekend is:

I can't even imagine being a situation like that! Maybe not knowing where we are going to live in less than two months isn't that big of deal!

Planet Ribbon

This month has been Jackson's absolute FAVORITE unit at school. It has been all about the outer space: aliens, the Milky Way, flying saucers, planets, sun and moon, etc. I find a lot of the crafts they do very cute and fun, but this one impressed me, EVEN as a fourth grade teacher. What a fun way to have a visual of the planets. Even my fourth graders would have LOVED making each of the individual planets (using a different art medium for each one), labeling them, and stapling them to the ribbon! The planets are in the correct order with relation to their distance from the sun. They would make each of their planets when they would come in, and this was the final culmination of all their hard work I am a little sad that Pluto is no longer considered a planet, but I SURE DO LOVE THESE TEACHERS!!

Current Food Obsessions

1. I love grapefruits, seriously, LOVE THEM! I love when they are cold, and when someone else squeezes them for me! I should REALLY invest in a juicer, but I would use it solely for this purpose. My dad went through a juicing phase when I was younger, I think he would have juiced his shoes and socks if he could have fit them in the machine, he seriously juiced the weirdest crap!!! It would stink!!!! AND, the whole thing looked like it was a serious pain to clean! Grapefruit juice was a craving of mine when I was pregnant, usually at 2 in the morning, and it had to be fresh squeezed. I was fortunate that my husband agreed to this, I wonder if he would do it today!!!

2. Creamed corn from Trader Joe's in the frozen food section. Before you go all crazy and write me off to tell me that you don't like creamed corn, I don't even know what creamed corn is "supposed" to taste like because the only times have eaten it is from Rudy's in San Antonio (I think I crave that place weekly), which is the ultimate creamed corn, it is like sugary goodness, and Trader Joe's is equally as sugary! YUM-O!!!

3. Tuna subs from Subway! Although, I am kind of on a break from them right now!

4. Honey, I read on Claire's SIL's blog that she thinks that she has stayed healthy this winter because she has a few tsps of honey each and every day. I am willing to try anything to stay healthy since I am sick ONCE AGAIN, and it is never a small cold or illness, it is always lengthy and awful!!

5. Gouda cheese, apple jelly and pita bite crackers (Trader Joe's)! I don't know what it is about Gouda, and I don't want to know how many calories it has, but it is SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOuuuDa!!!!

I don't have many other things I actually enjoy eating these days! I am sick of cheese, I try new cheeses because I don't like plain old cheddar anymore, I cannot STAND the Morningstar products-fake meat, I think it is nasty, and I am just ready for Lent to be over.

Ten on Tuesday

I haven't done this before, but my friend Claire did it the past few weeks, and I thought it was a way to do some sort of blog since not much is happening here! Ten random things. . .

1. I don't know whether or not I believe that we are going to get the house that we have the offer on, it flips back and forth each day. I feel guilty for not believing because I read The Secret, and according to The Secret, I should believe to ensure it will happen, but the bank has given me WAY TOO LONG to flip flop back and forth.

2. Pat takes longer than I do to get ready, and it really bugs me! SERIOUSLY!

3. The no meat thing is easier than I thought it would be, it is really the little things I miss like pepperoni on my pizza of bacon in my omelet. Not missing the hamburgers or steak as much as I thought I would.

4. When we were at Bombero's the other night, our server looked familiar, so I asked him where I would know him from. He asked me if I "dance or hang out at gay bars"! I laughed and didn't think much of it, until he walked away, and I realized I watch way too much Rock of Love Bus-I TOTALLY thought he asked me if I strip! My friends claim that he just wondered if I went out dancing, but I am still not convinced.

5. I HATE SELFISH PEOPLE!

6. I happen to find infant shoes one of the most enjoyable things in life, although apparently many people don't like them. My kids have worn shoes as long as I can remember. Sure it takes about ten minutes longer to put them on, but they always bring a smile to those you run into! I had a personal favorite, they were these little "dock" shoes that were blue with little green POLO horses all over them, they were adorable, but I can't find a picture of them.






7. I am jealous of people who are satisfied with where they are in life and have no desire to change anything. I also feel sorry for these people.

8. I love Obama, but I am super pissed about the bailout plan! I think banks and the auto industry should fail. That is what so great about America, now we are just bailing out stupid people!!!! I still cannot resist his smile and speeches! I think I shed a tear every time he speaks!

9. My idea of a great vacation is ordering room service, while lying in bed watching Lifetime Movies!

10. We went to the Roadrunners game on Friday night, and I had bought the tickets from the fundraiser for Kim, and when we got there, I found out that food and drinks were included in the tickets, I actually let out a little shriek because I was so excited!!! I love hockey and there were some AWESOME fights!

March Madness

In case anyone out there wants to know what the Crazy Little Psychos are predicting. I went through the whole bracket with the kids, alternating between the two and asking them who would win each game. Here's what we came up with!!!



I don't know that we actually have any of them right, but it was fun to do with the kids! I think Tyler chose the last team I said about 98% of the time!

We took a ride to Anthem Park this morning, almost rear ended someone on the way home because I am so out of practice when it comes to slamming on my brakes when the 17 and 101 meet! Seriously, scared the living daylights out of me!




I am in the process of changing the main picture, and I have to say that if you are the mother of a four year old, I am guessing that you have seen the look Jackson has on his face WAY TOO OFTEN!!!!! They are such crazy little psychos that I can never get a nice picture, they always have to be "doing" something! I really think the name of my blog is perfect!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

I wish I had some fabulous blog to write, but things are PRETTY boring here! Spring Break started yesterday, which I think was created by a man! We haven't done anything incredibly exciting. I have been emptying out closets and getting ready for our garage sale in two weeks! I KNOW-we just had one, but if the house falls through (or we just perpetually continue to NOT HEAR ANYTHING), Pat and I are considering urban living, and I just have it in my head that if I wouldn't move it there, I don't really need it! Come on-I have jeans that I have not worn since high school-hoping and praying that one day they will fit again! Even if I weighed the same as I did in high school, I don't think they would fit because after two babies, your body is just different!

I am pretty excited about March Madness, although slightly sad that we won't be in Vegas to place some bets on ASU!!! Pat and I always went to Vegas for Spring Break when we were in college, which happened to coincide with March Madness, so it is difficult for me to watch the games when I have no money on them :-P!

Had a really nice time at Bombero's last night! While it is so difficult to coordinate schedules, I am always thankful that I took the time to get my act together, peel the pajamas off and head out for good wine, food and friends!

If you see Pat today, make sure you pinch him because he tells me he doesn't have to wear green because his name is Patrick-I happen to disagree!

Prayers for Rylee

Tomorrow is Part 1 of 3 to remove the pre-cancerous "thing" on her head! I am sorry, I don't know the exact term. Please keep her in your prayers, as she is only 3 months old, and she must undergo anesthesiology!

Are We There Yet??

STILL NO ANSWER ON THE HOUSE! If anyone in the banking industry or Obama himself needs some help trying to help out the struggling economy, tell the freaking bankers to accept all offers, do not pass GO!, do not collect $200, just take the money people are offering, move on, and write it off as a loss! I cannot believe that a bank would really need a month and a half to decide whether or not they want to accept our offer. It is a yes or a no at this point, honest to GOD, the stress of it all is killing me slowly, and it is certainly giving me a few thousand grey hairs!

They are now mowing, trimming, blowing outside of our house, and my blood pressure shot up since my kids are sleeping, and I need the peace and quiet right now!

In better news, we taught Jackson how to ride his bike without training wheels this weekend. He did an amazing job. I wish he had more confidence in himself when Pat or I are trying to teach him something. At school-NO PROBLEM, when a family member tries to get him to do something, he just crumbles, and while he is completing the task, he is telling us that he can't do it! ARGH! I have a few pictures, but haven't uploaded them yet. I will tell any of you planning on teaching your child, DO IT ON THE GRASS-they feel much more comfortable, and they aren't so worried about falling off, since it is grass!

Tyler is desperate to be potty trained, but I am just not ready! I could totally save so much money if I potty trained her, but I just hate the whole process. She has pooped and gone pee pee in the potty, but I just have no desire to ask her every 20 minutes if she has to go potty, it is such a TORTUROUS process!

I used my gift certificate for my haircut that I got from Kim's silent auction, and I have to say that I really liked the girl, Lindsay, at Salon Estique (Central and Camelback)-VERY FUN and CUTE! I always like when cute people do my hair, as if suddenly I will be SUPER CUTE! Now, I just want some new clothes, I am almost sick of looking at myself in my black pants. If only I had a windfall of money drop right in my lap!

I get ONE THOUSAND AND ONE compliments on my sunglasses! The girls in Jackson's class LOVE THEM! The nineteen year old that washed my hair was ga ga over them, the director of the preschool asked to try them on! Really a whole range of ages, they are SUPER FUN!

If anyone has anything they would like to donate to our upcoming silent auction at the preschool, let me know. I will accept everything and anything! Pat's law firm stepped up and donated $250, what do you want to do!?

Good Day

We have to find the good in anything we possibly can these days! Today was full of good:

(1) At Jackson's parent-teacher conference, the word perfect was used about ten times! They said he is just incredibly intelligent, sweet and loving, and they don't know what they are going to do without him next year. They are amazed with his ability to spell, and they are now worried that they have been spelling around him, and he knows what they are saying. For those of you that don't know, my little Jackson DESPISES finger painting, and they have been catering to this, until this past Wednesday when the teacher took his hands and STUCK THEM IN THE PAINT! HE HAD A BLAST, and they think he was the one that started sliding it off the paper and flinging it around, which of course was PERFECT in their eyes!
(2) Tyler got on a horse, did not cry and the teachers got a picture. She also went pee-pee in the potty at school, the first time EVER!!!!! Can you believe she got on a horse, the child that hates everything! I am so proud! Seems like we are overcoming fears all around this house!
(3) Pat got a pretty expensive bottle of wine from his boss, called Grace, seems fitting for our little Tyler Gracie-bad side, it is supposed to sit until 2010-WINE DOESN'T LAST THAT LONG AROUND HERE!

I know it may not seem like much, but after the week I had, I will look for anything that brings a tiny little smile to my face. I also received the registration packets for class next year at the conference, and I cannot believe they will be at the same school next year! Who knows, maybe I will shed a tear when it comes to Jackson going to Kinder-if only I could decide where he is going!

For the Sake of Being Honest

I am completely overwhelmed with medical bills right now! It seems I cannot catch a break. We have HORRIBLE health insurance that we pay a TON of money for each and every month, and we have ZERO dental insurance, so I just wanted to throw out the numbers that I currently owe medical professionals.

$4500 Paradise Valley Hospital (which they will kindly reduce to $3375 if I pay it all at one time)
$1100 Valley Anesthesiologists
$280 Desert Valley Radiology
$500 Urologist (Pat's vasectomy-thank God he had it because there is NO WAY I could afford to add another kid to this freaking family)
NUMEROUS other doctors who helped with the appendix who are waiting for money from us because the insurance company is sending it to us because we have met our deductible of $4500 ALREADY for the year-thank you Paradise Valley Hospital!


AND, the latest one today was when I went to the dentist for a cleaning, he told me that I really need a crown in the back (A GOLD CROWN NONE THE LESS-bling bling baby), and since we don't have dental insurance, that will be $1200! Um, thanks but no thanks-it's a tough call to let your teeth just disintegrate, when is the good news going to start rolling in, that's all I want to know!!!!

It is no wonder that people are drowning in a sea of debt! Who the freak can afford all this stuff!????

AND, on top of that, no news on the house! So much for a 48 hour window, try 48 days! To top that off, now neighbors are stopping by to see what we are going to do when this house goes into foreclosure (we rent if you are a first time reader), creditors don't stop calling me to "stop my house from going into foreclosure" (NOT MY HOUSE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and I am just overall annoyed with society! It is a really, really sad world we are living in!

Come ON!

I used to LOVE!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Rihanna! I personally think she is gorgeous, I love her super bright eyeshadow and matching nail polish. Super ghetto, but just looks beautiful with her skin tone. I like just about every song she has ever released, and I think I am a big fan. HOWEVER, I cannot tolerate the fact that she and Chris Brown have reconciled, so for that very reason, I will be removing all of her songs from my play list BECAUSE she is not the type of person I think my daughter should have any knowledge of-or my son for that matter. What Chris Brown did is unforgivable? No matter what she thinks she did to deserve it, I am over these self-destructive women. Who forgives someone who does this to them?



Really excited about the three hours worth of Bachelor on television tonight. I think it is well deserved after Jackson decided to empty the contents of his stomach on Tyler and the white carpet! He ate some popcorn, and I am pretty sure it was reflux related, but DAMN, it was not fun!