Where in the world have I been??

I have been here.. just not in my right mind is all. Anna's birthday party is in 2 weeks and I am just a mess.. Seriously!

She decided on a "Girls Rock" Party. So I made concert tickets for invitations. I already ordered some items from Oriental Trading(love that place). I still have alot to plan and purchase but my brain is mush! I bought some cardboard guitars that they could decorate and hang on their walls.. I am thinking Anna could have everyone's signature on hers. They will decorate guitar pics.. already purchased a guitar pinata. She wants to also do Karaoke with all the girls.. what fun.. I can picture everyone wanting to sing Hannah Montana songs.. My son is gonna really love that.. not!.

I am really a mess over this party though.. Main reason.. hubby decided Anna should invite some of her friends from dance. I almost lost it when he said this. I love her parties and planning them is so much fun.. but the only ones that come are those very close to me.. I don't do well with those I don't really know, and they are going to be in my house!! I am reminded of the time I was PTO co-president and just before our first meeting I was tearing up so badly.. my heart was pounding.. the other co-president was very aware and immediately asked if I could check on the kids in the next room.. I walked out and just cried.. so yeah, I don't do well around a bunch of people I don't really know. I can do one on one.. but that is about it..

I am told I will survive! I hope so..

In preparation for Anna's party.. we have been working on the house. David and Abby have been painting.. they cleared out and painted the family room downstairs.. moved all the school stuff, toys and books to that room. We found a free couch and recliner in great shape.. bought an area rug. David continued to paint the stairway and hallway. He has been working on the yard. I have been steaming and moving things and trying to organize. When you have to continue with your dailies and school.. it is not an easy task! But we are getting there.. It was supposed to be done 2 years ago but never happened. Now it seems things are starting to fall in place. Alot of work and chaos included.. but it's getting done finally!

I have also been learning alot of new dishes. I started looking up some Korean recipes on YouTube and found a few side dishes I have been really wanting to make on my own. Angel has been very pleased with the outcome. I like to cook when he enjoys the food.. It is also nice to have different things for a change. Our dinner menus can get pretty mundane lately.

This weekend we are picking up my mom for the week. She will be helping with the party stuff and keeping me company while I go insane.

Oh, I should mention next month won't get any better. Anna has her ballet performance in May and we have alot of rehearsals to attend. Part of me can't wait til June!!

Monday Mingle

I have been wanting to do a Monday Mingle for a very long time.. but I keep backing out.. I do not like pics or videos of me so this is way out of my comfort zone.. seriously!  But here it is .. my first monday mingle.. I am not thrilled with it.. but I figured I needed to just not think about it and just do it.. Here you go..




If you would like to be a part of the Monday Mingle, click on the icon above.

Things have been crazy here.. I will do my best to get an update soon!

God is still God..

I have not been around for a bit.. lots of things going on here.. however, I came across this video this morning..
warning.. tissues may be required..

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

Vlogging.....

First I want to apologize for being MIA.  My nieces were here for February break and most of you who know me, knows how that goes.  I have spent the last week trying desperately to get on track.  I am hoping I will be all caught up on Monday. 

So, on to Vlogging.  I have been watching some great ladies lately.  I found a site called Say It Face To Face and really liked the idea of actually meeting online ladies in that setting.  From there I found Jendi at Simple Vlogging Tips and have been learning alot. 

I dug out my old webcam.. it worked ok.. but was dark.. hubby watched me do an online webchat with a friend to test it out and decided I needed a new one..

So I have been playing around with my new webcam.. enjoying the video chats.. and I am itching to make a vlog.. however, I am extremely self-conscious.. scared even!  I have a You Tube account with the kids on it and it is open to all my family and friends.. but I am not sure I want to put my vlogs there..

So the question.. where do you store your vlogs and why? 

Baby Blues

Monday's are so tough..

No one wants to wake up!  Anna drags thru school.. the house is always a disaster from the weekend.  Anna has early ballet class.. Everything on my end is rush rush rush..

Somehow we always manage though.  Anna got 13 hours of sleep!  We went to bed at 8pm on Sunday because we were just exhausted.  Obviously she needed the 13 hours. 

We plan on doing some work in the basement in the next month or two.  Lots to be done.  David and Abby did an awesome job going thru stuff and tossing out alot.  Now the rest is really up to us to go through and get it all cleaned out. 

Jade and Kate are also coming soon!  Can't wait! 

I need to start going thru colors to see what is the best color for the basement walls.  We want to brighten up the room.. It seriously needs it. 

Icy Windows...

That is what I woke up to on Saturday Morning.  Icy windows.. like ice, lined up on the bottom of the inside of the window.  The house was 54 degrees.. Our furnace was not working. 

It had also shut off on Friday.. Angel got it started again.. we couldn't figure out why it was shutting off on us.  However, the basement is the coldest in the house.. especially the laundry room, where the furnace sits.. and it was 10 degrees outside.  The dryer vent going out the window seriously doesn't help..

After getting the heater to work, hubby fought with the kerosene heater.. We needed backup, but it had not been used in quite a long time.  He finally got that working and then he wanted to go to Mirsh Masala.  We have no heat in the van.. I was so not up to that.. I had pj's on under my clothes because there was no way I was exposing flesh in my cold house. 

Well, we went.  After a nice buffet (where Anna's meal consisted of naan bread and 2 slices of raw carrots (gee, if only I ate like her!).. we headed over to Stop and Shop and spent 100.00 on food.. (it's never ending, but thankfully lunch was like 22.00) 

We love the click it scanner at stop and shop.. Anna has a blast with that thing.. although I had to keep reminding her that I didn't need to know the total of everything that went in, every time she scanned..  "Mommy, that was 3.99 and now we have 58.69 total." 

After unpacking the food.. Angel went to bed and I just played around on the internet.. then Abby came and we chatted.. Angel woke up and he and Anna spent the evening playing Asda Story, while Abby and I talked to after midnight.  We never had dinner although made Anna something.. We were still full from lunch! 

Sunday morning I woke alot and had to clean the disaster of our home.. (that's what happens when you slack off for one day around here.. ) and Ethan came. 

He was silly.. He saw the Kerosene heater and immediately wanted to know what it was, does it move, does it make noise.. turns out he thought it was a heater.. lol.. He was totally in awe and talked about it forever.. but he was also skittish because while talking to Abby about it .. he got to close.. backed off quickly and fell into his potty seat..  It was totally funny.. poor kid.. no tears though.. just got up and started talking about it again. 

Today we are back to our daily grind athough slowly since Angel and Anna are still sleeping (we went to bed at 8pm last night!).  Going to be a tough day, but hey, we still have heat!