WW- So Sweet

AWW they do love each other:)

More about my mother

So if you read my last post you would see that I lost my mother in Aug. of 2007. The worst day of my life. And I'm sure it will contiune to be so for many many years. Well at least I hope nothing as worse as that day happens any time soon. She was not only my mother but my best friend, my hero, and the grandmother to my children. Its actually really hard for me to think about my children not having her in their lives. Thats what gets me the most when they do something cute (or even not so cute) I just want to pick up the phone and call her.

So I am going to post a few pictures along with a little story about each one.

My mother ALWAYS played with us at the parks. She loved going down slides with us and showing us new tricks. I am the little girl standing in AWW of her amazing mother. I don't have a picture of it but she showed of this amzingness to my son, it was a different park but she was still doing this exact thing 18 years later.

My mother and I on my 23 birthday at a Trace Adkins concert.

My mother with all 4 of her grandbabies in June of 2007

Motherhood

With Mother's Day just around the corner a lot of people are having contest that are centered around that. And the ladies over at Five Minutes for Mom are hosting a Photo Contest theme just about motherhood. Get ready for this prize!!!! A $1,000 American Express Gift Card–Sponsored by Egg Beaters to spend any way you want! Five Minutes for Mom are looking for your photos that you feel tell a story about motherhood. You can put up a picture of your mother, grandmother, yourself, or your kids.

SO, picking just one photo is very hard for me! My mother passed away in Aug. of 2007 so I want to put EVERY photo that I have of her up. Because thats all I have left, and they are my memories, my link to her. She was a wonderful person through and through. And the best mother any child could ever ask for. As I've been looking for just the right photo I think, "Well I want to put that one up because it shows this side of her, or that side of her." So selecting this photo has been very very hard for me. So I hope that it does show the world what Motherhood is all about!
This is my mother with my brother on his 6th birthday. She dressed up like a clown, went to his school and sang and danced and did the whole 9 yards not just for him but his whole class. How I feel this is motherhood at its finest is because a mother does anything for her child and LOVES doing it. Loves seeing the joy that they put apon their childs face when they do silly things like dress up like a clown and come to your class.

Here's are the details about the contest
*If you are a blogger, post your photo on your site and then you need to go back to Five Minutes for Mom and link your post back to them. If your post on your blog, you may explain why the photo says motherhood or just let the photo speak for its self.
*If you are not a blogger - you can still play!!! Just email us your photo, with the subject line Photo Contest, to 5minutesformom @ gmail dot com. (Please add your image into the copy of the email so that we do not have to open attachments.)
*On May 2nd, fifteen finalists will be posted along with a survey box for everyone to vote for their favorite. If you are selected as a finalist, feel free to announce it on your blog, facebook, twitter, etc and get your friends to vote for you. That is fair game.
Voting will close May 9th at 9:00pm EST. We will announce the winner on Mothers Day May 11th.

Feast One Hundred & Eighty Eight

Appetizer
--Name something you would categorize as weird.

Food, everyone has what they think is werid when it comes to food. Weather it be how you take your steak cooked, or if you enjoy eating grasshoppers. Atleast one person is going to think its werid
Soup
--What color was the last piece of food you ate?

Brown (it was a pack of 100 calorie Chex Chocolate Caramel, mmm so good)
Salad
--On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

5 I need me time, but then again I enjoy companu
Main Course
--Fill in the blank: I will _________ vote for ___________ in _______.

I will DEFENTLY vote for HILLARY in 2008
Dessert
--Describe your sleeping habits.

I don't have habits at all. Which is actually a very big problem. For about 4 months it was I couldn't fall asleep until 5am (not good when you have kids and have to function during the day). But now its getting better since I'm working at 9am I make myself go to bed sooner, and I have gotten up at 7:30am for the past 2 weeks!

Gina at http://lyricandariasmom.blogspot.com/ is having THE BEST GIVEAWAY EVER!!!! I say that because its for a Bink Tee's from Got Purseonality . And what just is a Bink Tee's? Well do you have a child who loves their binkie? Than this Tee is for you!!! Bink Tee's lets you attach your childs binki to their shirt without having to attach a plastic holder. BECAUSE the shirt is made with one on it. Bink-Tees reliably hold your baby's pacifier using velcro fasteners. They are simple to use and comfortable to wear. CLICK HERE to see just how the Bink Tee works and safe it is!
Gina is giving away 2 Bink Tee's, one for a girl and one for a boy. Go check out Got Purseonality to see what Bink Tee you would like and if its for a boy or a girl and what size. Then leave that info in a comment for Gina!!!! Giveaway runs until April 27, 2008 and winners will be contacted and announced on April 28, 2008

Free Money! Well a Target Gift Card

Emma's Dad is helping to celebrate with Bloggy Giveaway Carnival and his daughter Emma's 2.5. And he's giving away free money!! I guess its a Target Gift Card, which is awesome because who can't live without Target? I know I can't! So like I said free money, the Target Gift Card is for $25!!!! So go over see what you have to do to entry to win. Its really easy, just leave a comment on what is your favorite tech tip (you know something that saves you time or you just couldn't do without). Mine is the favorites tool bar, I have to many to remember them all!

This giveaway ends on Friday April 25, 2008 (sorry for the short notice but I just found it myself!) And the winner will be contacted on Sat. April 26, 2008.

Pillowcase Dress Giveaway!

Notes from My Nest is have a super cute giveaway for a Pillowcase Dress from http://www.trendytot.etsy.com/ Head on over to Notes from My Nest so you can enter!

Drawing will be held on April 26, 2008 so you better go now!!!!

Here a couple of the dress from http://www.trendytot.etsy.com/

my personal fav.

Chocolate Turquoise Paisley

Dainty Dots

Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Brush Kit and Refills Giveaway!

An Island Review is having a great giveaway for not 1, not 2, but 5 Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Brush Max Toilet Cleaning System. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on what is your LEAST favorite house chore, its that easy! Of course you can get extra credit by blogging about it:)
Contest runs until April 28, 2008
Head on over and see if you can be one of the 5 who wins!!!!!

minusbags giveaway

5 Minutes for Mom is having a great giveaway for 2 minusbags. Head on over and see how you can win one and help save the Earth today!!!!

Heres some more info on the minusbags.

-minusbags are reusable 100% cotton tote bags that provide a stylish and earth-friendly alternative to plastic grocery bags.

-Created with a modern design sensibility, these bags demonstrate that you don't need to forsake style for sustainability.

-The goal of minusbags is to provide consumers with a reusable shopping bag that combines quality and good design. They are made in the USA of 100% cotton that is extremely durable yet lightweight enough to fold up into a small bag. They're easy to carry along for any unexpected shopping.

Wordless Wednesday

"Do you mind, I'm trying to eat. So stop with the pictures already!"

10 on Tuesday

10 Things You Love About Your Life
Sometimes we’re so busy moaning and groaning about the stresses in our lives, wishing for things we can’t have or the life we should have had that we forget to appreciate how lucky we are to be alive. So what makes your life wonderful?

1. My husband

2. My son

3. My daughter

4. How I have changed in the last 5 years

5. Being able to go outside now!!!

6. My IL's they truely are wonderful

7. My sister and brother

8. The rest of my family

9. Seeing my son's smiling face wake me up in the morning

10. Watching my daughter take her frist steps

Its OFFICIAL

The sold sign is up in the yard!!!! I will go take some pictures tomorrow so I can show you all our new home!

OMG I have so much packing to do!

Beautiful Day

It was a perfect day in Iowa! In the mid 60's with NO major wind. I live right on the Mississipi River so we get a lot of wind. We spent pretty much all day outside, jumping on the trampoline, Aidan learning how to ride his bike, playing on the swingset. The only downer was, we went for a family bike ride, and the trailer that the kiddo's sit in got a flat tire from something. So Joe will have to take it to get fixed. We had only been riding for like 15mins so BOO! But we came home had dinner, THEN took Aidan and Kayleigh fishing for the first time. Well really just Aidan fished but Kayleigh went along of course. We had found a great little pole for him the other week, it was so cute! He did really well with it and he was so excited to try it out. Not to mention when we were driving around the lake he got to sit in the bed of the truck with me. I love how the smallest things mean the world to him! We didn't catch any fish, don't even think we had a bite but oh well there's always next time.




Here's my bad mommy moment! We all got sunburned, well Kayleigh did NOT because she was sleeping in the house during the time Joe, Aidan and myself did. Its on the back of our forearms. I feel so bad, Aidan has never gotten burnt before and was wanting to keep it that way for a long long long time. I just didn't even think about it at all. I'm sure his little arms hurt, because mine sure do. We put some aloe on it and some meds, so hopfully it won't cause him too much pain!!!

Zoobie Giveaway from Mommy Goggles

I usually check my fav. blogs a couple times a week. I need to do it a lot more than that, because they are always having great giveaways! And today I found a great one that http://www.mommygoggles.com/ is having. It's for a Zoobie , and if you are like me and don't know what that is here is a little info. Zoobies are a wonderful MULTI use product! A pillow, a blanket, a toy. And they have many different designs, so every child can find the right one for them. We were looking at the site today (me and Aidan) and he kept going "OH MOMMY LOOK AT THE TIGER, NO MOMMY LOOK AT THE RHINO". And it was like that for each and every one! He finally said "The best one is Lencho the Lion."


Head on over to www.zoobies.com check them all out and then head on back over to http://www.mommygoggles.com/ to see how you can enter to win one!!!!

Back into the "real" world

So on Monday I started a job as an administrative assistant at a assisted living facility. And so far I am loving it! Great people to work with in the office and all around the whole building. And the residents are wonderful. There are at this time about 80 people who live there and getting to know all of them by name is going to be hard. However, I have already gotten to know a few of them. Those are the ones who come into the offices everyday to say hello and chat. I was a little worried about using the phone system. I have never used one like it before but today I think I did great. Only lost one phone call and that was with someone in the building so not a huge deal. They all know I'm new so are being super nice. This is where I work http://www.kensington-evergreen.com/ . This is a great company and I know I will be able to go far within it.
Oh did I mention how I LOVE adult conversations? Its so nice to be able to have a normal conversation, and not just with a 3 year old. I'm only working 4 hours a week Monday-Friday. I will get to spend the same amount of time as I do now with the kids as before. Joe and I will see less of each other in the week. But its not like we don't see each other at all. So it is A OK, well I guess at least for now.

Found a great giveaway!!!

So I was looking at some other peeps WW. And found this great mom who is having a great giveaway!!

Do you ever HATE when total strangers will come up and touch your child? I know I do, and so does mother!!! She found great shirts from Wordsies They have super cute and different sayings to go onto baby and toddler shirts plus much much more! Such as "If you can read this you are too close" or "My mom is hottier than yours" or my fav. "Don't Cha Wish Your Baby was Cute Like Me?"!!!!!!

Head on over to http://livinwithme.com/2008/04/what-drives-me-crazy-and-giveaway/#comment-2714 and leave a comment saying what saying you like the best! The giveaway is open until Tuesday, April 22nd at 11:59pm

Wordless Wednesday

This is a picture that my 3 year old took. After sneaking into the freezer and getting the popcicle out. I was in the shower while this happend. And I didn't find the evidence until the next day. Along with this photo and about 10 more of him playing with it and eating it. He took them ALL :)

I know I already posted about this

Ok so I know I have already posted about 5 Minutes for Mom GREAT TWO WEEKS OF GIVEAWAYS. But I have to again!!!! The items they are giving away are amazing! Such items as ExerSaucer® 1-2-3 Tea for Me™ Active Learning Center™ or the ExerSaucer® Mega Farm™ Active Learning Center™, and bébéPOD® PLUS baby seat. Those are ONLY 2 of the items and we are ONLY in the 5th day of giveaways! Go check it out for yourself!!!!! http://www.5minutesformom.com/3198/2weekstoys/

A new giveaway from Gina!!

So Gina is having her first giveaway and its a great one. You need to check out Gina's First Giveaway! It's for an awesome towel from Barefoot Bella. I am now in love with this site. SUPER CUTE EVERYTHING! Head on over to Gina's First Giveaway to see how you can enter to win!!!!! Oh and if you blog about it on your page you get a second entry!!!!

My prize

So I entered a contest over at An Ordinary Life...As told by Kristin (http://www.kailasmommy.blogspot.com/). And I won a ImagiPLAY puzzles from her!!! It came in the mail yesterday, and as soon as I opened the box Aidan was at my feet asking "Mommy what is that? Is that for Aidan". We got it opened and he played with it for like 20mins. He was finally able to get it together, and then apart without much trouble.
So this is a SUPER SHOUT OUT TO KRISTIN...
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PRIZE!!!!!

Friday's Feast by StoneGirl

So I have never done a Friday's Feast before. And the week I pick to do it is the week the Chief over at Friday's Feast has decided to take a week off and asked others to come up with some. These questions are from http://stonegirlblog.multiply.com/ go check out her page for her answers and more questions from others!!!

Appetizer
What is your favorite vacation spot in the United States?
I would have to say Tennessee, its so beautiful through out the whole state. (well at least all the places I've been LOL)

Soup
If someone else (friend, co-worker, family) brings up a religious or political topic, how likely are you to join the conversation, on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 = not likely, 10=very likely).
Well it really really depends on the person! I feel each person has a right to voice their thoughts but that doesn't mean I have to agree with them. Most of the time I just kinda say "Oh yeah" and stuff like that LOL

Salad
What song do you listen to when you feel very sad?
Umm not really sure on that one.

Main Course
Someone you really admire is coming over for a home-cooked dinner. What do you serve him/her?
Well I have no idea. I'm not a great cook or anything like that. I would pick some thing that I know you can't mess up

Dessert
If the only form of transportation left in the world is by animal (horse, mule, camel), where would you live?
I would live anywhere that horses could get around. I would like for it to be close to family as that would be a problem in seeing them offten.

Giveaway from An Island Life

An Island Life is hosting a great Giveaway: My Precious Kids
PRIZE: Swaddle Blanket from My Precious Kids - valued $34.99
HOW TO ENTER: Its so easy! Just head over there leave a comment about what product you love from My Precious Kids and thats it!!!!
DEADLINE TO ENTER April 16th, midnight.

I personally LOVE the Personalized Pacifiers from My Precious Kids. You can just about anything you want put on there! Great for daycares or as a Unique baby shower gift! I love the one they have shown saying "MUTE BUTTON"

Earth Day Giveaway!!

30while30.blogspot.com Is hosting a great Giveaway!!!! Here is the Contest Link Kids Earth Day Giveaway

These are their great prizes!!!
1 My First Green Book1 reusable bag that says REUSE ME on it
1 Horizon Chocolate Organic reduced fat milkOrganically made snacksColoring books from the EPAUp cycled Crayons
1 tree seedling for them to plant
1 iron-on for the shirt they are going to wear on Earth day
This giveaway is valued at $30 (so far).

HERES HOW YOU CAN ENTER: Go leave a comment on their post, telling them a way you teach your child to help the environment.
This package can only be sent within the United States.
DEADLINE TO ENTER---Midnight April 14

What a Great Givaway!!!

So I have been spaning out more and reading more and more blogs. GLAD I did, I found this great site 5 mins for mom (http://www.5minutesformom.com/). And they are having a great 2 week givaway!!!! Their button is the the right,(2 weeks of Toys) go check it out and you could win lots of great things!!!!!!!

House inspection

OK so we got to read all about the house inspection today. Mind you it cost almost $300 for someone to go through and say well this is good and this is bad. I want that job! Anyways, most of the stuff is good. Somethings are ok and a couple of things are alike UMM do we want to buy the house still. Some of the electric is the oldest kind you can have. NOT A GOOD THING! Oh and the idiots who lived there vented a dryer down into the basement and put a sock over it to catch the lint. HELLO how stupid do you have to be to NOT know you are putting a TON of mostiture into your basement. That washer and dryer was going to be taken out anyways but still. This post is mostly me just thinking out loud so if it doesn't make sence well its not suppose to!

Wordless Wednesday

Its empty don't worry :)

Sweet Sweet boy

So Aidan is a trip I tell you this much. He is always on the go and gets into a lot of trouble. Most of the time he isn't doing it to be bad I just feel he has no impulse control. Something we have been working on for some time. Well like I said in an earlier post today (tuesday) I woke up feeling like total poo. Well we were getting ready because I still had stuff to do, and Aidan was running around and not listening. So here is a conversation that we had after I told him I was sick.

Me: Aidan can you please come over here and put your shoes on. Mommy is sick and I don't feel well.

Aidan: OH sorry mommy. Mommy you sick?

Me: Yes Aidan I am sick and dont' feel good.

Aidan: Mommy you need to drink water, then you feel better.

Me: I need to drink some water to feel better.

Aidan: Yes, you drink water then you feel better, I get mommy some water.

Then he goes into the kitchen askes for a glass of water so I get it for him. Then he turns around and says.

Aidan: Here mommy, you drink and be all better.

Then he leans over and kisses me. Even though his very hard to deal with at times, he is truely a sweet sweet child. And means well and loves just about everyone. I couldn't ask for anything more!!!

MMM new food

So Kayleigh is a great eater, she sees foods and wants it! Some new things she has tried are, apples (brother left it in the living room, and mom (me) knew she was being too quite so I go in and see her holding the apple and just munching away on it. She got very mad when I took it away. So daddy held her and let her eat some more of it.





Then while at Wally World I was getting more baby food and saw these things from Gerber called "Yogurt Melts". I had never seen nor heard about them. So I got them to see if they would work for Kayleigh. OMG she LOVES them, so does Aidan. They were a touch big but we just split them in half and she went to town. She likes the puffs and all but just LOVED these Gerber "Yogurt Melts". To me they kinda tasted like freeze dried yogurt but thats great for a baby. She is always eating my yogurt (yes she's not a year old and is still living, its just amazing I know it LOL). I couldn't find a picture of them anywhere but they are in the resealable bag kinda like the Gerber "Mini Fruits, or Veggies". However, it will say on there Yogurt Melts, we got the Mixed Berries kind, because well thats all they had.

Busy busy weekend

Ok so this last weekend was a very busy one for us. On Sat one of Joe's friends from highschool got married so we went to the wedding. Lots of fun, great time! And from the wedding to the reception we BOUGHT A HOUSE! We have been looking for maybe a month, and had found one we really liked. Kinda waiting it out the house had been on the market for over a year so its not like it was really going to go anywhere. And our realitor was going out of town, she happens to be the sellers realitor as well. We got a GREAT price on it, and I can't wait until we close so we can get in there and make it our own!!!! Then on Sunday we played outside all day long. We even went and got DH a bike and a trailer for the kids to ride in. Then we came home got all that set up and went for a great family bike ride! OH HOW I LOVE SPRING!!!! Then on Monday we had to return to some of the store and take some stuff back. We had gotten some new curtains for the windows in the kitchen (we've lived here for almost 5 years with cows on the curtains lol) and they just didn't do it. And got some other things, such as totes and packing stuff. We have WAY too much stuff! Today (tuesday) sucked a big one. I woke up feeling like someone had tried to kill me in my sleep. Some good drugs and my 7pm I was feeling better. But it rained all day long no stop. I didn't see the sun until 6:30pm :( The house was inspected today and we'll read all about that tomorrow. Nothing wrong was found so thats a plus but we don't know the full details of what the inspector had to say yet. Hoping I wake up feeling MUCH better tomorrow so that I can actually start putting stuff into the totes and boxes!!!

Great Deals

So I love to shop for great deals. I really love to shop for great deals online. As I have 2 kids its hard to shop in the store. They get bored after 5mins and are screaming and crying about wanting to leave. So online shopping is the best! Well tonight I visited The Children's Place. OMG I save a TON of money! Right now they are having 70% off sales and $5.00 shipping NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU ORDER!! You can't beat these prices anywhere. Trust me I've looked at all the name brand stores and The Children's Place by far has the best deals! http://www.ChildrensPlace.com/ Go now and see for yourself!!!!!

Winning

So my dearest hubby things I have a problem with blogging already. HOWEVER, he was really happy when I won an ImagiPLAY Puzzle!!!! I would like to thank Kristin at http://www.kailasmommy.blogspot.com/ and ImagiPlay for the great prize! I know my son Aidan will just love it. He loves puzzles and music so this is just perfect for him!!!

Addicted

So I am becoming addicted to blogging and reading other's blogs. All because of Kristin at http://www.kailasmommy.blogspot.com/ LOL. My husband thinks I have a problem and all of this is within the past week. I see this as becoming my drug of choice. Nothing really wrong with that, is there :) I don't see any harm in it. I do it when the kids are asleep and its my free time for me!!!!