Change of plans

First of all, I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone for your comments on my last post. After a lot of research, reading many many reviews on both machines, and of course, the fact that this mixer was also on sale at Canadian Tire, I decided to go with this beauty right here.It has a bigger bowl for one. (5.5qt instead of 5qt). And from what I am hearing from you guys, you find that your bowl is too small to do big batches of stuff. It also has a 800watt motor instead of a 475watt motor like the Kitchen aid has. Hey, more power is always better right?

I am going to the states tomorrow until Sunday so I'll look there and see what they have. But if I remember correctly, I've looked at every store (Kohls, JC Penney, Target etc) and they just do not carry Cuisinart.

Can't wait to start mixing and baking. And now my Christmas list has been started with the attachments. (pasta maker and food processor)

A day for Caden

Today we are taking this boy
here, if it gets as hot as its supposed to get (fun mountain)
Here, if it stays cooler,
or here if we get the thundershowers they are forcasting (childrens museum)
Avery is staying home with my parents so its just the 3 of us. Right now Caden is golfing with my Dad, and once he's home, we're off.
At the end of the day, we're gonna go out for a nice supper and then head home. Can't wait.

Opinions

This is what I'm thinking of getting. What do you have, and what do you think of it? I'm deciding between a kitchen aid and a cuisinart.
Canadian Tire has this one on sale this week for $350.
Suggestions?

Catching up/Help please***updated

I was way behind. You can see that the last picture entered of Avery is her 3 month pic. She's now 9 1/2. Yikes. So, what looked like this, this morning....
now looks like this.

Feels good to be caught up on 1 thing. (I won't even tell you how far behind I am on her scrap book) Plus, hasn't she gotten soooo much cuter. I love to be able to see it like this. I'll be honest. I'm not a baby fan. I rarely think they are cute, including my own. I mean seriously, look at her 1 month pic, compared to, oh lets say even her 5 month pic. What a difference.

Here's where the 'help please' portion of this post comes in. As many of you regular readers know, I've recently started making hair clips. Now what I need, is a place to keep all of Avery's. I don't wanna just stuff them away in a drawer, I want them displayed. Which brings me to this ribbon.

I just got it today. Now I need some ideas on a cute clip holder. Anyone made one? I'm thinking maybe attaching it to some sort of hanger type thing so that it either hangs down, or has something holding it down on the bottom. Here's a few I found that I like.

I don't know. Help!!

Secondly, I need a button. How???

And lastly, I've posted this on FB, but I'm gonna ask here too. Where is a good place to get pictures developed. I have been going to Wal mart. I'm fine with them when it comes to just every day pictures. But when I make cards for my kids, and send it to them, its ALWAYS cropped off. I make my card to be 4 x 6. I go in, crop it so it looks perfect, and it still comes out uneven with parts cut off. Its soooo frustrating. I make milestone cards for my kids often, and its such an ordeal. I have to go back and forth to wal mart and then home to alter the card so many times and I'm done with it. Plus with Christmas coming, I also make Christmas cards for a bunch of people and I don't wanna do so much running around.

I use the adobe photoshop program. Anyone have any help for me?

At the cabin-in pictures

On Thursday my mom and I, along with both kids, left for the lake. We got there at about 11:30pm. Caden was awake the entire 4 hour trip. Friday Rob and my Dad came up, as well as my brother and sil. We had a fantastic weekend, just lazing around. The guys fished. Caden spent several hours on the boat, and we hung out in the cabin. We played games in the evening, ate awesome food, and got up super early thanks to my dear Avery who thought morning was 6:30. I'll let the pictures show the rest of the weekend.

Fuzz head just chillaxin
Caden loved the lake. He would live there.
Hanging out on the deck

The boys

Chillin with the boys. This girl loves her Daddy and Papa

Going for a boat ride

Can you see Rob on the deck of the middle cabin?

Miss A, waking up from her nap

I love to read. But I don't do it often cause I neglect my responsibilities. Like my kids and stuff. But I got the chance to read an entire book at the lake. So good.

Couldn't keep this kid off the stairs.

Mmm mmm good

What could be better than licking a beater with cream cheese icing. Yummy!

Free pictures

I'm busy at the lake this weekend, but I found this link for 20 free prints from Kodak. So, i'm passing it on to you. Thanks to Lindsay who did the same and gave me the idea to pass on free stuff.

20 free prints

Look a like?

Update on New do

Unfortunately my hair dresser only had me in for a bang trim, so the pics of my new do are gonna have to wait until next wednesday afternoon.
I do however have bangs, which so far, are as annoying as I remember them.

Time for a new do

I have needed a hair cut for a long time. I haven't had one in...well I can't even remember. Its probably been over a year.
Now I need one. After both of my babies, I lose tonnnnnnnsssss of hair when they are around 3 months. Then at around 6 months, I start to grow it back which results in what I call 'Baby Bangs'. I hate them, they look stupid. Not to mention the crazy hair growing above my ears. Sure, I can tuck it behind my ears, but when it gets humid (uh, hello last 2 weeks), they have a mind of their own.


My hair is long. Down to just past my bra strap. I like it long. Its handy that I can tie it in a knot if i don't have a pony tail handy. But its dry, damaged and I have tons of split ends.









So I've been watching and paying attention to anyones hair that I see. I still have requirments.
It absolutely must fit in a pony tail. Thats the kinda girl I am. In summer, when its hot, my hair is in a pony tail. Not that I like it, I feel like its lazy and boring, but its what I do. I have extremely thick hair, so if its on my neck, I sweat.
I don't wash my hair every day. Only every other, so on day 2, thats the easiest thing. Except that now, because of those stupid baby bangs, I also wear a headband to keep them hidden.
I will not do the shorter in the back, longer in the front look. I have never liked it and therefore it will never happen to my hair.
Other than that, this is sort of the idea I have.

Longish, layered, bangs.

Only trouble, is that I am a tucker. My hair has to be behind my ears. The hair dresser can make look all pretty, and I'll try to make a conscious effort to keep it untucked, but no matter what, somehow by the time I get into my vehicle and take a look in my mirror (come on, you all do it) my hair is tucked. I never remember doing it. It just happens. I do not like hair in my face. Could be why I hate bangs.
I also have funny kinks in my hair which makes the bangs have a mind of their own. So anyway, thats the plan for 7:00 tonight. I'll post a picture tomorrow of the 'after' and we'll see what ya think.

Down to 1

For the last 3 days, I have had only one child.

Caden went to the lake with my Dad. It was exactly what I needed.

He's a tough kid. He's a great kid, but he's a tough kid. I was at my absolute end with him.

My mom has been at the lake since last monday. I was texting her on Thursday, complaining about Caden. Ok ok i was telling her that I was on my way ti thesuperstore to sell him, but whatever. Sure, he had a .25 sticker on him. But I wasn't serious...was I??

She comes up with the idea that I should send Caden with my dad the next day, Friday. I said no, no, no. I did not want to wreck their time together.

My mom is up there with a bunch of her friends, and all of their kids. She has her own 2 bedroom cabin. She told me she really really really wanted Caden to come up. She wanted to have a kid there too. (yeah right). I continued to say no. Thats how we ended the talk on Thursday.

Friday, my moms friend texts me to send Caden up. I end up chatting with her on FB for a while and she says that my mom really wants Caden to come up.

Now you may be asking yourself, why would I ever say no to sending one of my kids away with grandparents for a weekend. Well, remember that we live at their house ok. Which means my mom is with my kids ALL THE TIME!!!
But, like my moms friend pointed out, she had had 5 days with no kids, and will have another 5 days without kids once Caden leaves.

So I continued to ponder the idea. I hated feeling like she had offered just because I was complaining about Caden. Had it been just random, I woulda said yes right away. But then she wouldn't have offered had she not really wanted him to come.

And as much as I hate to say it, Caden is sooooo much better for other people, when I'm not around. I remember that about kids that I babysat for. They were always so good for me, but not so good when parents were around. I always said I wouldn't have kids like that. Hah! Eating my own words, thats for sure.

Anyway, Caden woke up from his nap at 4:00. I knew that once I told him, there was no turning back.
'Caden, how would you like to fishing with Papa?'
'YEAH!!!!!!!'

Then it was over. He asked a few questions, like what he needed to bring, who was gonna be there, and which boat papa was gonna take, cause he really didn't wanna take the little one cause that ones not fun.

I told him we needed to pack. While I was busy with Avery, he went downstairs. Next time I see him, he's got his bed blanket in the living room. From his bed downstairs. He was ready.
So I went down with him and started putting things on the bed to pack in the suitcase. He grabbed everything and stuck it in the suitcase until I finally had to tell him to slow down.

'Mommy, is Papa home yet?'
'Nope, sorry buddy, not yet.'
'Well, I'm just gonna go check'

And he runs upstairs and goes outside to check. I peeked out at him and he was sitting on the driveway just waiting for Papa's truck.
He was there for a couple minutes. Then back inside.
'Papa's not home yet'

He did this 3 times before Papa was finally home.

As soon as his truck was on the driveway, Caden got his booster seat out of the van, put it in the truck, and sat in it. He told me he was gonna wait there till Papa was ready. I told him it would be a long time and he shouldn't wait in the truck cause he had a long drive ahead of him yet. So he got out, helped (hindered) Papa packing and finally they were ready to go.

Caden comes walking up to me and says,

'Mommy, I'm gonna be away from you for a long long time cause I'm going fishing with Papa'

I hugged him, kissed him, told him I loved him and buckled him in for his 4 hour ride to the lake.

Now, I miss him. I missed him about a half hour after he was gone. He's on his way home now but won't be home till around midnight. I told my Dad if I was sleeping when he got back, to just put Caden in bed.

But who am I kidding. I'm gonna stay awake till he gets home cause I wanna see him and I know I'll get a big smile and a big hug.

Sometimes I wanna strangle, sell, give away, etc my kids. But I love them. And time away from them is just what is needed. Caden is a tough kid. He's busy, active, crazy, wild, happy, big attitude, doesn't always listen, rarely listens, beats on his sister, loves his sister, misses his sister, wants his sister at the lake with him after being away from her for 1 day, smart, funny, oh so cute and I am in love with him.

I will remind myself of that tomorrow when I am at the end of my rope with him.

Overwhelmed

Its happened. Although things with our house are moving along very nicely, i'm having a bit of an issue in terms of our plumber. We got a quote from a few, and picked a family friend to go with. Well, when I got the bill for the rough in portion of it, it was almost $1000 more than other plumbers. Which is why nothing has happened in our house since that in terms of plumbing (air conditioner, furnace, duct work etc)
I went and got another quote from another plumber, who was also high.
Now, I'm looking at the quote from our original plumber, needing to call him and make sure that when all is said and done, the total will not be more than he said. It can't be more than he said. We cannot afford for it to be more than he said.
Its stressful.
So after thinking about it all evening, waking up at night and thinking about it, and it being in my head first thing this morning, I feel better about it. Why?
Well, when I got in the shower this morning, a song was in my head. A song that I have not sung for years. I just kept singing it and humming it over and over. I finally stopped to really think about what I was singing. First of all, amazed that I still remember the whole song, but then I listened to the words as i was singing them. Amazing. Just what I needed. A little reminder that I need to put this all in God's hands. Its alot of stuff to deal with in terms of this whole house thing, but I need to remember daily to just give it all to God and it will all work out.
Here's the song.



I CAST ALL MY CARES UPON YOU
I LAY ALL OF MY BURDENS,
DOWN AT YOUR FEET
ANYTIME, I DON'T KNOW
JUST WHAT TO DO,
I JUST CAST ALL MY CARES
UPON YOU

Wordless Wednesday-The stairs are in

Summer swap

I'm so excited to be doing this for the first time. Click on this link to join me.

Nothing goes together quite like....

A Hotdog & Pepsi

A Sandwich & Milk

Flip Flops & Painted toe nails

Icecream & Apple Pie

Salt & Garden cucumbers

Alphaghettis & Toast

Tomato Soup & A Grilled Cheese

A Good book & A Hot bath

A Pair of heels & A little black dress





















A swimming pool & A floating device

A baby & A sleeper

Jello Shots & My best Friends

Laundry & A wash line

Chips & Salsa

Bare feet & Fresh tilled dirt

A fire & Zoat

Popcorn & a movie


Whats your list? Make one, link back here, and let me know that you did.