Oh so cute!

Fun little icons ... a lot of people have them, and now I do, too!! Yay for me!! Hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend!!

A little drivers education ...

There is nothing more aggravating than stupid drivers!!! Just a couple words of advice:

Always go the posted speed limit!! I never mind if you want to go faster than the limit, but for sanity's sake, DO NOT drive below the posted limit!! It drives people crazy!!! Move over if you are too scared to put your foot on the gas pedal!!
And use your turn signals!! You know, those are controlled by that stick lever thing on the left side of your steering column!! Arrgggg!!!

LOL! Have a nice day and drive responsibly!

A Face Only A Momma Could Love

Our Oregon Zoo was blessed with the birth of a new baby elephant! Rose-Tu gave birth to a cute little 286-pound baby boy who has not yet been named. He was born on Saturday, and after a rocky start with his first-time mommy (who actually kicked him as he was coming out), the two elephants are doing great and the rest of the herd seems to be accepting the new arrival.
I'm a sucker for baby animals (who isn't?) and thought I'd share!

Oh my!

I had a busy day out today with the boys and my gram. Lunch and shopping at least once a week is what my gram loves to do - it has been our norm for years. Target was on our agenda today. Who doesn't love Target, right? Our Target has been under construction and remodeling for the last couple months, and I must say that I am loving the new look and selections they are bringing in with the expansion of the store (including a Starbucks!!!). Yay for us!! The parking lot, however, is a joke right now. The construction has temporarily wreaked havoc on the lanes and available parking spots, causing a lot of frustrated drivers!
Today, as we were trying to pull out of our spot, we were having to wait for a minivan who had stopped behind us waiting for a car to pull out (Hello! Just put your car in reverse and you can have my space!!). Low and behold, another woman swooped in and stole the minivan's spot she was waiting for. Keep in mind that the lanes are not that wide due to the construction and there was no way someone could not have seen another person stopped with their turn signal on.
Of course, we have all had this happen to us in our lifetime. It sucks! I like to yell and blare my horn at the offender from inside the safety of my car and I'll shoot some dirty looks their way. Call me a chicken, but there is no way I am going to put my kids or myself in any danger for the sake of telling someone off. People can be crazy!! Apparently, the minivan lady had some balls though and marched right up to the window of the other lady and was yelling at her about the incident. The offender just rolled her eyes and rolled her window up as she went about gathering her things to go inside the store. What a way to piss off the person even more ... not only did you steal the spot she was waiting for, but go ahead and act like you could care less about what you did! Sheesh!!

Favorites

Since joining the world of blogging a couple months ago, I have learned the art of browsing/snooping/stalking (ha, ha!) other fellow bloggers. My hubby has asked if I have an obsession, due to the fact that my computer time has now been lengthened checking in on all my favorite blogs. My only explanation: I enjoy reading what other moms think about random things in their worlds. I love discovering their personalities and laughing at their humor in things. I can relate to a lot of them.
I currently have five random blogs (random meaning I do not know these women personally) that I check in on each day. Four of these I browsed from my friend's blog, JenWebb702. I absolutely love Jennifer's personality and sense of humor ... if only she kept her blog updated more often (LOL!!! - J/K!). Jennifer and I have been friends for years and met through our bhp sites, and how she finds such great blogs to read, I may never know. So, in addition to my friends and family blogs I keep up on each day, here are the new ones I enjoy - check them out!!
More, More, More
Musings of a Housewife
Sasha Says
Clemsongirl and the Coach
Swede at Heart

Boycott Blog

No cute little picture for this blog, just a simple rant about the latest irritation!
What has irked me to the point of blogging about it? Toys R Us and the cheap toys they sell!! I have been to Toys R Us 3 times within the last couple months, and 2 out of those 3 times I have come home with toys that are busted, falling apart, and do not operate as they should (and I'm talking about toys that are straight from their packaging and only in my boys' hands a matter of minutes!!). I don't buy the cheap, no-brand items either. My kids are into all the latest characters - Wall-E, Buzz Lightyear, Handy Manny, Spiderman, etc ... and I expect these toys to live up to the price I pay for them.
Want examples?
I bought a Wall-E action toy for Sean last month, got it out of it's package, handed it to Sean and 10 minutes later (definitely not enough time for my 21 month old to destroy a toy) Wall-E's head was laying next to it's body on the floor.
That same purchase, I got a Buzz Lightyear bubble blower machine. Got it home, undid all the twisty ties and other miscellaneous packaging, found the right size screwdriver to open the battery case, inserted the batteries, turned it on, and Buzz's arm wouldn't move up or down to blow the bubbles.
Today, Nana got Maddox a Super Mario Brothers remote control go-kart. We put the batteries in (which by the way we had to buy the special 9 volt batteries), and the thing wouldn't even turn on! Upon inspection, it looks as though one of the wires in the cart was damaged. Aaargg!!! So frustrating!!!
Not only am I mad because of the lack of quality of these toys, but I am so angry at the time and money, and tears (my poor boys who don't understand why their new toys are huge disappointments) spent on this junk! Returning the toys are a hassle - try going to a toy store with 2 small kids and telling them they have to patiently wait in line to return their broken toys they didn't even get to play with AND that mommy won't even let them look for new toys because she doesn't want to have to go through this all over again!!
Needless to say, I am done with Toys R Us! For such a big company, you would think they would stock better quality toys. I am happy to take my business elsewhere - Target, here we come!!

Only In Oregon ...

Is it really too much to ask that we Oregonians have just one month straight without any rain? We got a late start to our summer this year - with rain most of June and some in July, and now, in the middle of August we have a severe storm brewing out on the coast with 50 mph winds! It got dark early here tonight as the raindrops started falling and we have had random thunder and lighting moments for the last couple of days.
Enough of the complaining though .... I absolutely love the way the air smells after a cleansing rain shower! I stepped outside tonight to try to capture some pictures of our summer rain (only my point and shoot camera couldn't do any justice, so I snagged the above picture from yahoo), and had to linger a bit. I have to admit that I am getting excited for the fall season to arrive! I am not a cold weather person, and Oregon winters are usually depressing with all the gray days. The autumn season is so beautiful though with the changing leaves and incredible smells ... crisp apples and warm cider are a couple favorites! I love daylight savings time, holiday bazaars, Thanksgiving, and even football season (especially since Maddox will be playing this year!!). There is a lot to look forward to, but can we please have the sunshine for the rest of our summer?!?

Quick and Easy!

My cooking style is simple. I make what my family likes and don't use complicated recipes to achieve that goal (obviously, the pureeing didn't last). One thing I always love to keep in the refrigerator is Pillsbury Cresent Rolls. Not only are they delicious by themselves, but they are great for stuffing! Cheese, hot dogs, tuna, ham, turkey, chicken, peanut butter and jelly ... the list goes on! Wraps are so easy to put together - just roll out the pre-scored dough, layer in your favorite fillings and bake about 15 minutes in the oven! So simple and my boys love them!

Book #3

Oh yeah ... I am on a roll!! I can't even remember the last time I read this much! Ha!
My next book came about from reality TV. I have been into Tori and Dean and have watched every episode. In the beginning of this season's run, Tori talked non-stop about her new book that had just been released (in March of this year). Of course I was intrigued as to what all the fuss was about, so I waited for a back-ordered sTori Telling to arrive!!
Tori Spelling, as most of you may remember as Donna Martin on Beverly Hills 90210, tells her side of what her life has been like and puts truth to all the tabloid rumors that have come about throughout her life. Everything from her childhood, to her 90210 days, acting struggles, family problems, relationship issues (even giving her experience of the affair with Dean), and becoming a mom.
I will admit that at one point, I got a headache from reading all about her mother. I know that there is always 2 sides to every story, but if Tori's accounts of her mother are accurate, OH MY!! This book definitely opened my eyes about this actress and showed me that not all celebrities have an easy and posh lifestyle. Sure, Tori has more money than you or I will ever have in our lives, but she isn't as high up on the podium as we may have assumed. She has debt and tries to stick to a budget. Tori and Dean are both very grounded people with quirks and issues and real-life problems. Tori is funny and cute, and her book is definitely worth reading!

Mmmmm......

I have never been a huge fan of ice cream. However, a couple weeks ago we went to see a movie - Step Brothers (which was hilarious!) and after dinner I was craving something sweet. Tim stopped at the ice cream counter to peek at the flavors and guess what I found ..... Dreyer's Take The Cake Ice Cream. Oh my goodness - the yummiest ice cream I have ever eaten!! It is a yellow cake batter flavored ice cream with swirls of frosting and sprinkles. I even bought a gallon of it for my at-home enjoyment!! Oh - did I mention it has 1/2 the fat?? Try some - you won't be disappointed!

Sad. So Sad.

I finally have some down time this week - time to just do nothing around the house. With pictures piling up, I now have some time to scrapbook! My long-lost love! I was always obsessed with this hobby of mine, ever since my sister-in-law Jackie got me my first scrapbook as a baby shower gift for Maddox. Friends and family were always so amazed and impressed at how well and how fast I would scrapbook. If I took pictures over the weekend, by Monday they would be printed and scrapped into an album! I always had creative layouts pre-imagined in my head and would spend hours enjoying my creative side! I have 14 completed albums, and 4 albums in process, and now the sad part ... hundreds of pictures to be scrapped and me with no creative motivation to deal with them!! I have fallen so far behind (about a year), and I have absolutely no desire to try to get caught up!! Digital scrapbooking is the newest trend lately, and I don't even have an interest in that!
So, I think I am going to start looking for some cute photo storage boxes to put all my pictures in. I doubt I will ever get into scrapbooking again, being it is now more overwhelming than it is fun. Have no fear though - I am still obsessed with taking pictures and will definitely keep up on our family website!!
Anyone need any scrapbook supplies - for sale at a great price!! Ha, ha!!

Here are all my completed albums - that thick baby blue one is Sean's first year!!

Nobody puts Baby in a corner ...

Aaah ... my absolute favorite movie, Dirty Dancing!! I first saw this movie when I was about 9 years old, and I fell in love with it!! I have seen it hundreds of time (no joke!), and I still get excited every time I watch it! In 2006, Dirty Dancing celebrated it's 25 year anniversary (it debuted the year I was born, 1981) and selected theaters were holding special showings for one night only in our area. I bought my tickets months in advance and explained to Tim that he had no choice in the matter that he was going with me to see this classic on the big screen. Unfortunately, the week of the big event, Sean was horribly sick. I had him in the doctor's office and they were monitoring him for pneumonia (he even had to have chest x-rays!). There was no way I could leave my infant son to go see a movie - my boys always come first! So, as sad as I was to be missing out on the event, I instead cuddled up with my baby in bed and watched it on DVD that night. He was a great date, and my hubby was glad he was off the hook - ha, ha!!

Summer Reading continues ....

I know from the last 3 blogs I have posted, it looks as though I have been spending more time on You Tube than anything else - ha, ha!! I have been reading every night before bed though, for about an hour with my trusty little book light! I will admit that reading each night before bed has definitely put me on a better sleeping schedule! Yay for me!!
So last week, I finished the book Night, by Elie Wiesel. This powerful book is a part of Oprah's Book Club and she did an amazing interview with Elie this last year. She interviewed him from inside the concentration camps in Germany that he was so brutally treated in. Her interview was heart-wrenching, especially when they walked through the Holocaust Memorial where, on display, were the millions of belongings of the Jewish people who lived and died in these barbaric and in-humane hells. Shoes, suitcases, clothing, children's belongings, even hair that was shaved off their heads.
Night is Elie Wiesel's testimony of his experience in the concentration camps in Germany. It is sad, terrifying, and horrific, but a must-read!!

Another favorite ... Happy Thursday!!

Makes me laugh every time ...

My hubby showed me this one day, and we watched it so many times - it was too funny!! Thought I'd share ... Happy Tuesday!!

Gotta Go See This Movie!!!

This movie is perfect for a girls night out ... Mamma Mia!! I went to see it with mom and Jackie on Saturday night. Tim had taken me to see this play on stage when it was here in Portland a few years ago. I loved it live, and Hollywood definitely didn't disappoint!! I loved the movie and the soundtrack is so fun!!

A little shout out ...

Every three weeks or so, my mom (actually Tim's mom, but I have claimed her as my own - ha, ha!) treats me to a pedicure and manicure at a place we have been going to for about 9 years now. If you are looking for a clean, and respectable nail salon with top quality products, then please give Foxy Nails a try! They are located in Clackamas Town Center (here in Oregon - for all you out of state readers). I have acrylic nails and Tawny always finds new and creative styles for my fills. Tam gives me wonderful spa pedicures and usually tries to match my toes to my nail design. Mai takes care of mom's nails and toes and always does a beautiful job! The girls are so sweet and friendly, and I always enjoy a couple hours away from the boys! I don't get any kick-backs for my referrals, and none of the girls know my blog exists, but if you are looking for a new place, go check them out! You don't need an appointment, but I recommend one if you are on a schedule. Just give them a call - 503.652.7967. If you end up going, let me know what you think!! And to mom .... thank you...thank you...thank you! for the special attention and pampering!! It is greatly appreciated, much needed, and I always love our girl's nights out!! Love you!!!