Hello from the beach...

We're here and in normal fashion having a water-logged, too much food, wonderful time. Every time we're here we talk about picking up and just moving to the beach. Everything just moves slower - the kids are better behaved and TIRED from playing so hard. Here are some pics from our days thus far. (even though we still have 5 days left) Carter and Jackson are swimming by themselves with water wings and Bailey is her traditional water bug. Justin is taking TOO many pictures but is having fun - check out his blog soon for more of his great pics!

Cash/check or....

Credit? As an ever expanding business we are constantly looking for ways to help our clients experience with us as easy and painless as possible. We are now looking at ways to expand business while making sure those clients PAY. So we are considering using authorize.net to process credit cards. What do you think? Do you accept credit cards?

Captain Underpants and his Booties!

Carter is HILARIOUS. He loves to be superheroes around the house. He puts on his cape and is Superman or Spiderman (even though he doesnt have a cape). I came in the other day and he had on my bra and I just cracked up - and he said - "Look Momma, I got booties just like you!" "I the bootie-man!" HAHA. Then with sister's help - he was transformed into Captain Underpants! I think I am going to have these printed, custom picture framing done and hung on the wall - I think he will be so proud in about 10 years - don't you?

Getting married...again!!

So tonight, Justin (who had already won - now just needed several engraved plaques) got the Husband of the Year award. He came home from work and said, "We're going out to dinner". Fine by me - I hadn't cooked yet anyways. So, I said I needed to change and would be ready in just a minute. So, I put on my new dress and he said, "I think you need to wear something else." So, I thought, oh man, I am overdressed and I turn around and he has this massive rock for me (pictured above) and says, "I think you need to wear this instead. Would you marry me again?!" OMG. I about died. He really is the bestest ever! I love you, honey! (THANK YOU!)

Needing Advice - AGAIN

I HATE my floor mop. I was reading Becca over at Life With Boys and apparently she does too. Apparently floor mops are the antitheist of many homemakers homes. I had a cheapo sponge mop that I thought did OK until I got hardwood floors - all it really does is push the mess around. Then I tried the string mop - which is great until it is old, stinky and falls apart all over your floors. Then onto the Swiffer WetJet which is OK also but you spend a fortune on solution and refills and you still never get a GREAT clean floor. So, what do you use?

Money STUPID

You know what makes me CRAZY. People who are money STUPID. You read about these people all the time. Living WAY beyond ones means....not being able to pay their bills but can still buy Prada etc... What world do these people live in? I was ACCIDENTLY 3 days late for a mortgage payment one time and I lost 2 weeks worth of sleep over it. Did my bank care, no. Did I? Yes, I was a wreck. I was watching Oprah the other day about these people who were needing foreclosure help and hadn't opened their bills in months. Had no idea that they were over $250,000 IN DEBT. OMG. I about fell in the floor. Thank goodness Justin and I try to plan and stay within our means (not always - but we try).

I am how old again?

I thought I was past having zits. Minus the few random ones I get when stressed, I have been (thankfully) zit free for a while. Until I started working out. My body is transforming and apparently so is my skin. I feel like I am 15 again. I wash my face as soon as I get home from the gym but still, it breaks out. I think it is boycotting sweating (afterall, it has been a WHILE since it experienced that sensation). So I have tried OXY and all the other OTC products. I have also tried oatmeal soap etc... Heck, I even ordered this herbal acne treatment. Hopefully one of these will kick in before I have to go to :gasp: the dermatologist.....

The perfect size....

What is the ideal clothing size for a person? I ask because you see all of thebest diet pills ever advertisments with women on them that cannot be any larger than a size 2. While the normal woman is supposed to be around a 10-12. When did culture change so much from the 60s when Marilyn Monroe was the ideal to these poor girls now that have bodies so small their heads look like bobble heads? Just something I have been thinking about when setting my weight-loss goals. Don't get me wrong, I do wish I were thinner (but a lot) but I do not want to be a skeleton (not that I have ANY chance of that happening regardless). What is your ideal size?

Workout Re-Cap

So we had our 6 weeks measurements at the new gym last week. I was nervous about my results. BUT, turns out I lost another 10.75" and a total of 8 lbs. So, not too shabby. I still have a LONG way to go though. If I could cut out carbs and sugar I would do much better - but what fun is that??? HAHA.

I do cardio kickboxing (that kicks my ASS) 3x a week. I mean I still huff and puff through it and usually leave so smelly even the boys notice. But our instructor, bless her skinny little behind - says after trying to kill us - be sure to get on the elliptical for another 15 minutes or so. I seriously think she smokes crack before class.

Then I do pilates/yoga 2x a week. A nice stretching, lean muscle building class that makes me wish to never do cardio again!

But I have to - she will be measuring again in 4 weeks - wish me luck!

New House Want

So, I want a new house - this has been apparent for a while. Justin and I dream about what our new house would have in it. He has a new want (and secretly I am ALLLL for it). We are movie BUFFS. Love them. Favorite thing to do when we have time off so he wants a home theatre. Complete with home theater furniture, a popcorn maker, wet bar, the whole shebang! I can't wait! Now all we need is the house..... :)

Bridal Shower

So as many of you all know, my sister is getting married on the beach in July. So before that can happen we have to have a bachelorette party, shower and all that good stuff.

I am throwing her a shower and need a really cool gift idea. I could always do silk bedding, or a trash can or something equally typical - but I would like to do something really cool. So, what do you say internet, do you have any really cool gift ideas?

Also, I need ideas for cool shower games, foods etc....
Thanks!

R.I.P. Annabele 2000-2008

You will be missed. We love you.

Best morning all week.

We had a great morning here. We played outside with bubbles and even found a froggie friend to examine! Enjoy!

Bubble gun




LOOK BRUBER:


SMILE


"Show me your tongue!"


CHEEZEEEEEEE


"Jump in my hand little buddy"


Carter with his new friend






FYI: No frogs were hurt in the taking of the pictures (none that we know of at least).

Carter's First Performance

Carter had his first public performance as his school put on a program for the end of the school year. He did a great job and really was oh so proud of himself. FYI: The quality kind of sucks but it is severly compressed.

A funny video of the boys playing...

AHHHHHH

So, we just had our house appraised and apparently it is worth 80% more than we had it originally insured for (a whopping 110% more than we paid for it). So, we decided to change home owners insurance carriers and while we were at it we got an auto insurance quote also. Well, initially for more insurance on the house and the same coverage on the cars it was going to save us $800 a year - WOW! AWESOME! Where do we sign up. So, we lept and changed - and turns out because of a claim or two or three on the auto we ended up saving only $33 a year. For alllllll that paperwork. Granted we did save on our house insurance - it was no where near the $800 we were originally excited about. SO, if you are going to switch - be sure to get the ENTIRE quote on YOUR information before taking the leap.

WARNING - DOG IN YARD!

We have two of the nicest dogs ever. We have had them since they were a month old and for 5 years they were our babies. Well, they still are to a certain extent. They are our protectors now - but they are so gentle too. But, watch out if they dont know your car or your voice and you pull up to our house - you would think that they would eat you alive. They bark and growl - just telling people to stay away. They really do offer me a lot of reassurance and safety. BUT, I did feel like I needed to let people know they were there - just in case.

So, I found this AWESOME sign that is not nearly as LOUD as the original black and orange signs that you find at your local hardware stores shouting BEWARE OF DOG! I found the sign in the above picture and found it to be very classy. It is available in blue, brown or green and they throw in the mounting hardware too depending on the type of fence you have. As you can see I chose the brown one - go figure! Even better, the company will ship first and expect payment later - how much better can it get. So, go check them out for your own beware of dog signs.

Blind as a bat.

I went to the eye doctor about 3 months ago and got contacts. I just finally accepted that I was too blind to just wear my glasses when I worked. So, I went into my friendly eye doctor's office and he was AMAZED that I was walking around day to day without anything. In fact, he said my eyes were so bad, I could get Lasik eye surgery.... SO, three months later I am used to being able to see and the whole world and I am SHOCKED at how much I could not see - in fact, it is kind of scary. VERY scary. EEEKKKKK

I am annoyed...

Well, a few months ago, our new TV broke. It was NEW - like 3 months new - but the good people at Vizio sent someone right out to take it off of the tv mount and give us a new one - only when the ding dong took it off he rested it on our mantle - which is wood affixed to brick - not exactly ready to hold up a 42" LCD TV and it slighly bent the mantle - well, now, of course, that is all I can see when I walk past it 10000 times a day - but I am too scared to try to fix it (really - you would never notice it if I didnt tell you about it - but I am sure next time you are over - you will check it out). UGH - I just wanna go back to that moment and say something - why is it I am such a weiney sometimes....