New House

Our Front Porch

Our backyard area.

Different angle of backyard

Matt's Man Cave.

The Guest House

Our Acreage


Our Frontyard with 5 Pecan Trees and 1 Pomagranate Tree

Our Driveway

Truly Blessed

For those of you who keep up with my blog, I know it's been a while. We moved and I have been busy unpacking and trying to find a place for all of our stuff. Plus, I didn't have Internet right away and that was torture. I would post pictures of the new house, but I can't find my cord to download pictures from my camera to my computer. So, maybe next time. I thought I would tell you in detail about our moving experience. It was truly God's hand at work.

We put our house on the market July 1st. I am guessing we had maybe a dozen showings before we got an offer on July 30th. Yes, it only took 30 days to have our house under contract. In this market, it was awesome. I had seen several house in the area that had been for sale for at least 6 months. The girl had the inspection done and nothing major came up. Just a few odds and ends came up that were easily fixed.

So, since everything was coming together with the sale of our house we thought we ought to start looking at where we were going to go. We looked into renting something because we didn't know if we wanted to build or not. However, when it came down to rentals, we couldn't find any. So, we went to a local Realtor office in Comanche and looked at some houses. We found one. We made an offer and we haggled with that for a couple of days. Then we finally agreed on the on a price. We were going to get a house. However, time was ticking and we had to be out of our house by August 27th. So, we set a closing date of August 28th for the house we wanted to by.

Several people told me that they weren't sure if our mortgage company would be able to get it done in time. We had our inspection, appraisal done and all of our paperwork done. All we could do was wait. Our mortgage company was great about getting all the financial stuff in order to make this purchase go through at that date.

So, I started packing a few boxes but knew that I was going to get packers and movers to move me. It was so much weight taken off my shoulders to have someone come in and pack me up. The packers came in on August 26th to pack us. They packed everything. Then the movers came to load the trucks on August 27th. That was the day we closed on our house. We were allowed to have the place until 8pm that night. However, there was major problem. The moving company that we went with had underestimated how many trucks we needed for our house. They planned on two trucks for our house and a 10 x 10 storage unit we had. Well, we needed 3 trucks for our house and storage unit. We didn't realize this until later that afternoon when stuff was starting to close and the clock was ticking until we had to be out. So, the company brought in a third truck. But was unable to pick up the stuff in storage due to the time they got finished loading my stuff.

It was 20 minutes until 8pm and the girl who was buying our house came by and asked if we needed more time. I told her yes just another hour should do it. I told her the ordeal with the trucks and she was very kind to let us have an extra hour. So, we put it in high gear and got everything loaded and cleaned as much as possible. It started raining while the guys were loading things and so they were tracking in all kinds of dirt and junk on their shoes. We finally got out of there at 9pm and headed straight for McDonald's. We were all hungry and that's what was open and we were able to drive to Comanche that night.

We stayed in a hotel in Comanche. Our closing for our new house was at 11am. We signed our lives away on August 28th, or at least that is what it feels like when you sign like a hundred papers at once. Our closing took an hour to get done. We met the people who were living there. They were very nice. We headed to our new house about noon. We were there no more than 10 minutes before the moving trucks came with our stuff. The timing was perfect.

The guys unloaded the three trucks and then it was my turn to start unpacking. Which still isn't done. But I have my house. Can you see how smoothly everything went? It couldn't have been an easier move. It was amazing.

So, we now own a 2,900 square foot house that was built in 1950. It was an old farm house. It has been completely remodeled in the last 5 years. I have wood floors, fake, but nice. Our house sits on 1.87 acres. It has a huge shop or man cave for my husband and a guest house for my mother in law. We have about a dozen pecan trees, two pear trees, and probably a dozen or more live oak trees. Big ones too. You can see the stars and hear the crickets and silence when the girls aren't screaming. It is total country living. Something I am going to have to get used to again.

The people in town are nice, very nice. My mother in law has been looking for work and everywhere we go she asks if anyone knows of anyone hiring. They stop and think and give her a few ideas of who may be hiring. Living here is definitely a slower paced life and it is going to take some getting used to.

This all for now, but I hope to post some pictures of the new place soon. I just need to find all my stuff first.

Moving

Just thought I would write one last time. My house is being packed up by the movers as I type. It is fun to watch someone else do all the work, but I guess we pay for it in the end. Anyway, I will write more when we get Internet hooked back up. This will be my last blog at the "old" house. Anyway, yay, kind of excited to get this over with.

Happy Early Birthday, Baby Bec!

Thought I would give a shout out to my Baby Bec who isn't much of a baby anymore. Rebecca is turning 5 on Friday. Rebecca is my first born and the most beautiful baby girl ever. Yes, I am biased and I will say the same thing about my other baby girl too, because I can. Anyway, Rebecca is so smart and funny. She surprises me with something new everyday. Sometimes it isn't a good new surprise, but nonetheless a surprise. There are days that I sit back and look and think "wow she looks just like me, but acts just like her father!"

Rebecca has learned a lot this last year. She has learned to write her name really well, write other letters, ride her bike, drive a car (well a kid car), swing on a swing by pumping her legs and much more that I can't think of right now.

This year we decided to buy Rebecca house. She gets a house for her birthday. Who gets a house for her birthday? Rebecca does. We are moving to our new house on Friday. I will finally have my family all under one roof all of the time. It will be a good move and I am looking forward to getting settled. I am going to be busy for the rest of the week. The movers are coming to pack us up on Wednesday, Thursday they are going to load the truck and the Friday we unpack.

My next post will have pictures of the new house and I promise to get back to writing more often. This summer has been crazy and I am glad that everything is finally settling down and getting back to what I call normal.

Happy 5th Birthday, Rebecca Glenn!

Monthly Post

Since blogger is cooperating with me, I will start with pictures from our vacation. The girls had a great time. Can't you tell?

Seems like I only have time to post once a month. My monthly posts will be, hopefully, changing in the upcoming months. Actually, a whole lot is going to be changing in the months ahead. In my last post I mentioned that our house was up on the market. Well, it is now under contract! Took 30 days to be semi-sold. I say semi-sold because nothing is final yet. But it will be on August 27th. Yes, August 27th. That is why I may not have time to write in the next couple of months, but I will try. I know how much everyone misses my posts.

Matt and I haven't found a house to buy yet. We may end up renting for a while. Not sure what is going to happen. My mother in law and I are going to go to Comanche tomorrow to look at houses. Not sure what I will end up with. There is one house I have been wanting from day one. It is on 7.8 acres and was built in the 1880's. Anyway, it has had three families that have lived in it for the past 120 years. It is 5 bedrooms and three bathrooms. It has been completely remodeled. It has original wood floors that have been refinished. It is gorgeous. Here is a link to the house. Take a virtually tour, you will be able to see more. Click here to see website. The only reason why we have not bought the house is the price. That is probably the reason why we won't buy the house too. The house has been reduced again and still isn't in our price range. My husband has spoken to the owners and they are really wanting to move. Not sure if they would just take any old offer or not. But, isn't it beautiful?

I just got back from a three week vacation with the girls. We went to California and saw my mom and dad. While there we saw my brother and his family, Matt's aunt and some friends, my grandparents, and my little brother. We went to the beach and the girls had the best time. I was thinking that we will have to make this an annual event.

My mom is doing well. She is taking her treatments just fine. My mom sleeps a lot after each treatment of chemo but other than that she is her normal self. My mom really enjoyed seeing the girls and they enjoyed spending three weeks with Grammy.

Until next time.....

Checking In

I know, it's been a while since my last post. Life has been CRAZY around here. I have been vacuuming, dusting, sweeping, wiping, scrubbing, painting, washing, making, mowing, watering, watching, waiting, drying, and now typing. All these things over and over again. Our house is finally on the market! It was a long process but worth it because the house looks great.

We put the house up yesterday and are waiting for our first showing and hoping that all goes well and we sell this house soon. This is all new to me since I've never sold a house before. I just hope everything goes smoothly and some lucky, pre-approved person that can put 20% down can buy our house.

Since the house is on the market and ready to go. I am taking a vacation. A LONG vacation. I am leaving with my girls on Sunday and we are driving to California. Should be an adventure. I am not sure how long I am going to stay. Probably about 3 weeks. Since I am driving I have the freedom of not planning this trip. Looking forward to seeing my family and some friends along the way.

Pictures

Annie on her 3rd birthday showing off her swimsuit.

Annie getting her hair done.

Rebecca getting ready for Annie's birthday party.

Annie getting ready for church on Easter Sunday.

Rebecca getting her hair done before church.

Isn't she sweet?

Rebecca not looking at the camera.

Rebecca and her silly faces.

Rebecca and Annie posing with Gabe.

Rebecca and Annie checking out their loot.

Playing around.

Rebecca happy about getting some candy.

Annie, obviously, really wanting to get that egg open.

Annie and I decorating eggs.

Rebecca and I decorating eggs.

Oh, and we had a litter of Vizsla puppies. Eight to be exact.

Aren't they cute?

You know you want one.

The puppies are 3 weeks old today. I will post more recent pictures later. They are so cute. Copper had 3 girls and 5 boys. Can my life be a little crazier?

The Story

So, I thought I would explain my last post that I wrote in such haste to help clarify my mind and not to stress over what was going on. It has taken a while to find out exactly what is going on. My mom has breast cancer. A very aggressive breast cancer. I cannot even wrap my mind around how my mom is feeling. I feel sick to my stomach every time I think about it, so I am sure that it is ten times worse for my mom. We have no family history on my moms side of cancer. I just don't understand.

My parents went in and spoke with the doctor/surgeon today to go over their options. The doctors said they want to do 6 months of chemotherapy before they do a lumpectomy. Then they want to do radiation, then another round of chemo. That was the plan that the doctors want to do, but that was not the only option. I am not sure I heard any other options when my dad was explaining this to me or if he didn't even say the other option. They will decide soon.

My mom is scheduled to retire next year. She is a kindergarten teacher. The best one I might add and there are a lot of people that would agree with me and they are no relation. My mom has been with me through two c-sections and gallbladder surgery and I would like to be there to help my mom and dad through this time. I want to help cook, clean, and just be there for moral support. Today, my mom can't even speak to me because she is so upset. Which doesn't make me feel to good. I want to be there for my mom like she been there for me throughout my entire life. It is so hard for me to live so far from them during this time.

So, you ask why don't I go out there to visit? Well, I would love to go and can go, but have been encouraged not to come. Which is heart breaking to say the least. I am already "out of the loop" with my family because I live to far away, but now this is a major ordeal and I want to help, but should I go if my parents think I should stay home?

I am asking all my readers to pray for my mom and dad. Just because my mom is physically going through this my dad needs prayers to stay strong on her behalf. I can't imagine what they are thinking. I need prayer warriors to pray hard for a full recovery. I know my moms process will not be an easy journey, but I pray that it will be a successful one. I pray for strength for them both. I pray that they make the right decisions for treatments. I pray for the doctors to perform God's miracle on my mom. I pray that God places a healing hand on my mom. I pray for a wonderful outcome. I pray for stronger faith while going through this difficult time.

Just pray.....

Moments

You know those moments in life where some thing, good or bad, happens and you remember it for the rest of your life. You know exactly what you were doing, how old you were, the happiness or disappointment you felt. You know what I am talking about.

Well, I had one of those moments last night. It was not a happy moment, but a very sad and devastating blow. I don't want to go into details right now on what happened, but my life will never be the same.

I can't seem to stop crying over the news I received. My mind won't accept the devastating blow and won't let me move on and absorb what happened.

I know I did not provide much information, but I can't at the moment because I don't know much. I just needed to express some feelings because if I don't I am going to explode.

Annie Bananie

Today my sweet baby girl turned 3. It is hard to believe that I don't have a little baby anymore, but a little girl. Annie surprises me everyday. If it isn't something she does, it is something she says. This girl cracks me up and keeps me on my toes.

It seems just like yesterday when I was in labor with her and she was the cutest baby ever. And now she is going to pre-school and talking and talking and well, talking. This last year Annie has grown up so much. Annie stopped taking a pacifier, by force, but none the less she got rid of something that made her seem more like a baby. She is potty trained and what an awesome reward that is to me, as her mother, the one who changed 99% of her diapers.

A bit about Annie. Annie is smart, witty, cuddly, and full of energy. I am so blessed to have such a sweetie for a daughter.

Both my daughters bring me pure joy and endless laughter in my life. Not one day goes by where I can't imagine my life without my girls.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Annie Bananie! I love you and look forward to the years to come.

Peeved!

So, how many of you have credit cards? How many of you carry a balance on your credit cards? How many of you have seen an increase in your monthly APR? Not one, but two of my cards have gone up to 14.99%. Really. Actually, we got a notice on our Bank of America card that was 8.9% and was going to increase to 14.99% if we did not call before a certain date. So, that one technically didn't change. The other credit card that did go up from 6.9% to 14.99% was Citibank. We did not receive a notice in the mail, but they claim to have sent them out in November. So, that card has more than doubled in interest. Citibank will not lower our monthly percent back because we didn't call before the date given.

Who in their right mind would want their interest rate to go up so they could pay the bank, that received bailout money, more money because they are greedy? Yes, 116 banks received money from the Obama plan to help out the banks. The banks then turn around and stick it people who are in good standing and have not defaulted on any payments. The banks are going to get their money, but why do they need to hurt tax paying Americans, in tough times, just because they are getting greedy? Isn't this why they had to get bailed out in the first place, because of greed?

Obama is going to meet with four or so banks that took bailout money. I hope that since he is the one that bailed the banks out with his step in good faith with the banking community he makes the banks go back to the original percentage rates that people signed up under. I totally agree with the banks who go after people who don't pay on time, but not the ones who have done no wrong.

I know that when these two cards get paid off, we will no longer be doing business with Bank of America or Citibank. Both of these banks have taken bailout money because they needed help. But look at these banks stick it to hard working Americans who are in hard times, but are still getting their money, I might add, I just don't get it.

Mary Kay Makeover Monday

This is Mary Kay's "Botox in a bottle". Well, it does not have botox or needles, just a wonderful solution, that prevents those not so funny laugh lines. This is a two step solution. Well, not exactly two steps. There is a day solution and a night solution. It is a wonderful product that you can see results pretty quickly.

TimeWise® Day Solution Sunscreen SPF 25
Think of it as a veil of defense. This innovative product helps prevent lines and discoloration before they occur by blocking damaging UVA/UVB rays. Plus, a calming peptide helps relax expression lines.

Characteristics

• Suitable for Sensitive Skin
• Fragrance-free
• Oil-free
• Non-comedogenic

TimeWise® Night Solution
A unique delivery system of encapsulated vitamins and antioxidants combined with collagen-enhancing peptides help fade away deep lines and wrinkles. Nutribeads® microcapsules are even more vitamin-packed.

Characteristics

• Suitable for Sensitive Skin
• Fragrance-free
• Oil-free
• Non-comedogenic

Like all Mary Kay products, they work best if used together. They have been chemically designed to work together for the best result. These products should be used with the TimeWise 3-1 Cleanser and Moisturizer. With all these products your face will see benefits of anti-aging.

Mary Kay Makeover Monday

This product is called TimeWise Firming Eye Cream. It is so awesome. If you have trouble with tired looking eyes that are baggy or have darkness around the eyes this will take care of that problem instantly.

This product was tested and here is what the end result was.

• 96% saw an improvement in the overall appearance of the skin around the eyes *
• 100% saw a visible reduction in roughness/dryness around the eyes *
• up to 25% firmer skin around the eyes *
• up to 40% reduction of dark circles under the eyes *
• up to 75% improved silkiness of skin around the eyes *

*Based on a 12-week clinical study

Characteristics

• Suitable for Sensitive Skin
• Clinically tested for skin irritancy and allergy
• Ophthalmologist-tested
• Suitable for contact lens wearers
  

How It Works
As the skin ages, it loses moisture and becomes dry and porous, weakening your skin’s natural barrier that guards against free radical and environmental damage. TimeWise® Firming Eye Cream works to better protect the skin around the delicate eye area while it counteracts this damage. The combined power of a collagen-enhancing peptide duo works to build/restore the supporting structure to revitalize cells for firmer skin. Soothing botanical extracts and brightening agents are employed to condition and prepare the skin for moisturization, resulting in a more even skin tone.

You should try it, it really works.

Oh, The Possibilities.....

Just a short blog here. I just wanted to show this house as a possible house for us. This house was built in the 1900's. It is 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms on 1 acre, in town. I know a little big for us, but oh, the potential. The inside is a little dated, but since the mortgage isn't going to break the bank, we could totally remodel this house and make it our own. Matt and I have not seen this house in person. Isn't the internet wonderful? We are going to try and look at this house on Monday. It has been on the market for 460 days. Hope nothing major is wrong with it. We are not too thrilled about the way the inside looks, but it will work with some work. We absolutely love, LOVE the outside. Just look at that porch. Can you see me rocking on the porch in my rocking chair. No, I am not an old lady either, but the joys of a small Texas town could do this to me. Anyway, what do you all think about this. This could be a possible home for my family. I will keep you updated.

For Sale by Owner

Yes, we finally got around to putting a For Sale by Owner sign in our yard. So, I guess it is official, we are moving and this is just the first step in this whirlwind process. Our house offically is not ready to show, but since that sign is out there we will have to get our act together and get stuff done. And in the meantime we will be advertising and seeing if there is an interest in our house. I think I might post some pictures on Craigslist and see if we get any bites.

We found nine acres in Comanche with a small one bedroom house on the property for not too much. So, while my husband is working he can live there. When we sell the house we will build a suitable size house for our family on that property. The existing house will become my mother-in-laws house, a little granny unit as we call it. The property has Coastal grass which is hay. We can have someone cut the hay and make some money. So, I guess we will have a working ranch/farm.

Nothing is set yet on the house. We will go out and see it tomorrow and see if it is worth it. I am kind of excited about this because at least it will be a plan and I will know where I will live in a year. I don't like having uncertainty in my life, so this is a good thing. I just pray that it all works out and this is where we are supposed to be.

The City of Comanche is growing on me. It seems like the more I go out there the more I like it. The people are all really nice, but I am sure that once we get there we will learn the inside and out of the small town politics that always exist. Last visit we ate at this restaurant called Star Beau's. It was a really cute restaurant. They had the best chicken salad sandwich. It was so good. They also had a really good homade cheesecake that was drizzled with carmel sauce. Yum. Anyway, when we go out there I would like to try this place again. Plus, the guy who I think was the owner was really nice and more than willing to help us find a place to buy. I do love that aspect of small town living.

Mary Kay Makeover Monday

I thought I would show you our limited edition of our spring colors. We call this our Coastal Colors Collection. In the pictures above the colors look a little bright, but when you look at the model on the front of our magazine, it looks so good. You can see a picture of our model wearing the Coastal Colors Collection by visiting my website at www.marykay.com/jenshand. I have not had the opportunity to try these colors out yet, but will soon.


Here are the colors up close with more detailed information. With global beauty as the inspiration, the Coastal Colors Collection embraces the color and cultures of the world. Straight off the catwalks in New York, Milan and Paris, the makeup colors are inspired by scenic locales around the world.


The limited-edition Mary Kay® Eyeliner Pencils come in two shades that complement the eye color palette perfectly: Tahitian Gold and Bahama Blue, $10 each.






The Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color Palette in Coastal Colors is a reflection of earth, sea and sky and enhances the beauty of every skin tone, $15.

Choose a limited-edition Mary Kay® Lip Gloss in Polynesian Petals, Caribbean Coral or Hawaiian Sunset, $13 each.

Don't you just love these trendy colors. When I try these new colors I will tell you about them. And with every Mary Kay product we guarantee our products, 100%. If you purchase something that you don't like or doesn't do what if claims, you can return the product to your Mary Kay Beauty Consultant and get a full refund or trade for another product. How many products can you try out and return if you are not satisfied? I don't know of any.

If you are interested in this product or another one of our products from Mary Kay go to my website www.marykay.com/jenshand. Let me know if this is something that interests you.

Mary Kay Makeover Monday

I thought I would highlight a product from Mary Kay every Monday. It will help me learn more about the products I sell and maybe spread the word to my readers.

Pictured above is our Mary Kay Time Wise Microdermabrasion Set. From personal experience, this is a great product. Leaves your skin feeling instantly feeling smooth and soft. The Mary Kay Company has tested their products and found that after using the Time Wise Microdermabrasion Set for just one week: 85% Saw an improvement in skin texture, 73% Saw a reduction in fine lines, and 71% Saw pores that looked smaller.

Characteristics

• Clinically tested for skin irritancy and allergy
• Fragrance-free
• Oil-free
• Non-comedogenic
  

How It Works

Step 1: Refine is an advanced exfoliator that immediately energizes the skin to reveal a more radiant, healthy-looking surface. This creamy, white lotion with exfoliating crystals:
Feeds and nourishes the skin from below through increased microcirculation. This brings oxygen to the top of the skin to stimulate circulation creating a healthy, more radiant glow.
Reduces the appearance of pores by effectively removing the dead skin cells that naturally form inside and around the outer edge of every pore.

Step 2: Replenish is immediately absorbed into the skin to instantly smooth and soften. This lightweight, opalescent lavender serum: Feeds and nourishes the skin from above with an exclusive Mary Kay triple tea complex. Aids the rejuvenation process, and protects against environmental pollutants. Soothes the skin, and helps to bring it back in balance.
Prepares the skin for the next step in skin care.

If you are interested in this product or another one of our products from Mary Kay go to my website www.marykay.com/jenshand. You can see all the products that we have to offer and learn about what each one does. I even have a virtual makeover thing on there so you can see what colors will look like on you before you purchase them.

We are offering a free promotional deal right now. If you purchase $40 or more of Mary Kay product we are offering a trial size of our Microdermabrasion Set, which includes, the Miracle Set. The Miracle set is a 3 in 1 cleanser, moisturizer, and Day and Night Solution.

Let me know if this is something that interests you. I will be highlighting a Mary Kay product each Monday.

Blog Malfunction

Thought I would right a quick little blurb about how I thought I lost my blog. I was trying to change my blog background and totally lost, or so I thought, EVERYTHING! I have been writing this blog for over a year now and I thought it was gone. I totally freaked out and had to walk away from the computer for a while.

So,when I get back to the computer, thinking maybe, just maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. Well, it still was bad and I didn't know how to fix it. After searching around blogger for help I found what I was looking for. I found how to undo what needed to be done. It worked! However, I had to tweak and tweak different things to make it how I wanted it to appear. It definitely was a challenge, but I think if I were to try it again it would be much easier.

I am still trying to figure out the header part. I would like to add a picture but haven't figured that out. So, if you know any blogger secrets, share with me so I can get my blog looking how I would like it to be. Anyway, that is my stress of the day.

Back to the Boonies

So, I guess I should break the news that we are moving. I am not happy about this at all. I normally would be happy about moving into a bigger, nicer home, but I will be moving away from my friends, my kids friends, our church, and the city that I have grown to love.

I grew up in a extremely small town in southern California called Blythe. Growing up our source of fun was riding quads in the desert, going to the river, raising animals for 4-H (I always had fun), and just having fun with friends. In my small town we had a K-Mart, a couple of grocery stores, a movie theater, (which was in business when I was younger then went out and them came back in when I was out of high school), one high school, one middle school, three elementary schools, one hospital (that totally sucked), a variety of churches and hands down the best Mexican food around. The graduating class at the HS was a couple hundred students. The closest mall was 135 miles from our town and the nearest airport was 150 miles away. This town was primarily an agriculture town and it still is but there are two state prisons out in the desert so a lot of correctional officers live there. The hottest summer I remember the temperature got to 137. This temperature was unofficial because it was our personal thermometer at home. Even if it wasn't accurate (which I am pretty sure it was) it was still stinking hot. This town is small and I enjoyed growing up there, but would not like to live there. My parents and grand parents still live there and I will always hold Blythe near and dear to my heart because it is always home for me.

When I went away to college, I thought I moved up in the world because I had a mall down the road and two Walmarts and all sorts of extra curricular activities that I was not used to. I was very home sick for the small town feel of home and Mexican food which is so different here in Texas. But I grew to love the bigger city. Sure I didn't know how to drive in much traffic and got lost quite often, but loved it because of how different it was from where I grew up.

My college town was just a stepping stone to the big metroplex I am in today. So, after college I move to the big city because that is where the jobs were. Yeah, the jobs were here and I got one, but that is a going off somewhere I don't want to blog about right now. So, we stayed here in the metroplex and started our family. The big city took a while to get used to and not having my family close by was super hard. But then I made friends and found my niche in my community and church. The driving part of the big city, well, still takes a GPS for me to get around. But I definitely know how to drive and handle a lot of cars on the road. Who would have thought a small town girl would find her way around this huge city and love it. But I do.

I love all the places that I can take my kids for cheap or free entertainment. There are so many opportunities here for my family. Good schools, good church, good entertainment, and good friends. It took me a while to make friends and get in the groove of being out here, but I did and now we are moving. Just when I like it and am used to it and have found little secret cool places to take the kids and how cool our recreation center is that my kids are finally old enough to go to and that the zoo is half price on Wednesdays, we have to move. I am not ready, I don't want to go.

Sure, I have played with the idea of moving out in the country and get back to the small town feel of what my life used to be. I am all up for moving a little further out but not from civilization all together. My husband applied for a job in a small town two hours southwest of the metroplex. This town is home of the Indians and a Peach and Melon festival. It has one grocery store and the nearest Walmart is 30 miles away. The population of this town is just under 5000 people. There is no fast food, no parks (there was one but it was poorly taken care of and I wouldn't want to take my kids there), no public pools, just not much of anything that I am accustom to. The housing is not what I am used to so, I hope that we can build a home. This town is smaller and more remote than what I grew up in. I feel like I am back tracking in life and am starting all over. I just don't want to do this. I am comfortable where I am.

This has all kind of hit me at once, so I will have to expand on this subject later when stuff has soaked in and my life has some sort of direction.

Birthday Blog

My birthday was yesterday. It was pretty uneventful. Just like every other birthday when you get older. Rebecca asked me why I didn't have a cake or get presents. I told her that when you get old, you don't always have a party or get presents or have a cake. She was confused. I probably scared her for life and she won't want to ever grow up. But, that is the way it goes.

I did however, get some presents. They just weren't very exciting, at least to a 4 year old. I got 4 different gift cards. Money is always good for me.

I also thought I was going to be free and clear of any ailments on my birthday. I was wrong. I always have some sort of issue on my birthday and I have ever since I was a kid. I remember having strep throat on at least two birthdays and the chicken pox on another and have just been randomly sick on several others. Well, this year I got conjunctivitis of the eye, which is known as pink eye. I looked real attractive on my birthday. I actually was diagnosed the day before my birthday, so it didn't look as bad as it did the first day. It was swollen and I couldn't open my eye completely. The second day, my birthday, my eye looked normal but was really red. I was still able to go out and have fun on my birthday.

My husband took me out for my birthday dinner. We went to Pappadeaux's, which is a Cajun restaurant. It was really good. It was nice to get out without the kids too. My mother-in-law watched the girls for us. My mother-in-law moved in with us and I am glad to have the extra help with the girls. I will write more on her big move from California to Texas.

My husband got some news on my birthday. He got a job offer for a job that he really wants. He has to decide if he wants to take it or not by Monday. I don't want to go. We would have to pick up and move out in the middle of no where. I have just started to feel comfortable with where we are at. I like it here. I like our church, our friends, our house, the area we live in, the big city. My husband wants to move us two hours from here, out in the middle of no where. Are you kidding me? I grew up in a little town out in the middle of no where and loved moving out here where you were close to everything and there is so much to do. Apparently, this small town that my husband wants to move our family has a Walmart. Woo hoo! I know it is hard to be sarcastic when blogging, but that was totally a sarcastic woo hoo. We are going out to the little town today to take a look. This job would pay my husband quite a bit more, benefits are better, cost of living is probably cheaper and my mother-in-law would move out there with us. I don't know, we are just going to have go see it. I will post on our decision on Monday, since that is when I will know if I have to move to the boonies.

Interview with Rebecca

I asked my 4 year old daughter some questions and here is what Rebecca had to say. These are her words and some of them are quite funny. I will try to get Annie to answer these questions in a day or so. It will be interesting to see what a 2 year old thinks of her mom.

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Don't touch!

2. What makes mom happy?
When I clean up.

3. What makes mom sad?
When I don't clean up.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
By tickling me!

5. What was your mom like as a child?
A baby.

6. How old is your mom?
I don't know.

7. How tall is your mom?
Big.

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Get on the computer desk.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Listen.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Fancy clothes, famous.

11. What is your mom really good at?
Making bows.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
I don't know.

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Fix things.

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Strawberries.

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Being married to daddy.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Tom and Jerry.

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Play games.

18. How are you and your mom the same?
You're tall and I'm small.

19. How are you and your mom different?
I'm small.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Takes care of me.

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
You got married.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
The park.

Radar

When you become a mom, you have this radar or what kids think are eyes in the back of your head. Although, most of the things my kids do are so obvious what they are doing before I make it into the room they are in.

So, two nights ago my daughter, Rebecca, has been waking up in the middle of the night. She got up and came in my room and brought her sister, Annie, with her. It was 12:30am. Rebecca asks me if they could play in her room quietly. I told her no, because it was 12:30 in the morning. Rebecca thought that the sun was going to come up anytime now and that it would be okay to play. I put them back into bed and threatened them if they got out of bed. It didn't work. Two hours later I put them back to bed for the last time. Only because they actually stayed.

They were up bright and early that morning and I was in no mood to deal with the day, but unfortunately, when you are a mom, you don't get any days off. I know, who would sign up for this job. So, I go through my entire day exhausted but looking forward to when the girls go to bed. They go to bed between 7:30-8:00pm. So, they finally went to bed.

I stay up a little longer to just relax and just listen to the quiet. Finally, I get to bed and I lay down and instantly I am asleep. I am pretty sure that I slept pretty good. All of a sudden, my mommy radar goes off. I heard Rebecca say, "let's go outside." I look at my clock, it was 3:30am. Running into Rebecca's room to stop her "great idea", I hear her tell Annie (who is still sleeping in bed) it is cold outside and they will need to put on their jackets. I find Rebecca standing in her room, wide awake and wanting to go play. I tell Rebecca it is still night time and she needs to get back in her bed. Reluctantly, Rebecca crawls back in her bed. I leave or so Rebecca thought, because she tries to wake Annie up. This kid is killing me! So, I tell her that if she can't be quiet she can go sleep somewhere else. Then at a little after 4:00am I hear both girls talking. I get out of bed again and tell them they need to go back to sleep. If I hear them again I was going to separate them. They like to sleep with each other. But I think that is going to have to stop because neither one of them are getting the sleep that they need.

So, I make it to bed and get back to sleep. Both girls stayed in bed for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, the morning came to soon. I wish I could have slept a little longer.

Mary Kay

I feel as if I have neglected my blog lately. I wanted this blog to be something that someone enjoys reading and comes back to every now and then. I have been kind of bummed at the lack of people that frequent my blog. Anyway, I will try harder to think of somethings that I would like to write about.

So, my best friends mom, Shari, sells Mary Kay. She has just started and so I thought I would help her out and get her started by letting her practice giving me a facial and trying out their products. So, Shari called me to get a facial. She said she had to do 15 faces in 15 days. I thought okay, I am a stay at home mom that doesn't get away very often and needs some pampering. I actually was really excited to take some time out for myself and focus on me for a change.

I went to my facial and was really impressed by the product line that Mary Kay had out. Their cleanser and moisturizer is great, but what I really liked was their microdermabrasion product. Since I have a really bad case of acne in college I had these horrible acne scars that I thought were more noticeable than they really were, but aren't we all like that? I actually didn't realize how much I liked this product until the very next day. I notice how awesome and soft my skin was. Anyway, after my facial, I purchased a couple of things from Shari, but could not spend much money, so I only purchased some eye make-up remover and some eye gel that takes away puffy eyes. Being a mom that gets up early with the kiddos, my eyes look puffy, and this stuff really works. But like I said the very next day, I really had wished I got the microdermabrasion set.

So, I was done with my facial and when I received my products, Shari asked me if I would like to host a party with some friends so she could get practice doing a group of people. So, of course I thought I could gather some friends and have a get together. I invited all my stay at home mom friends that I knew would like to get out of the house. But unfortunately, most of my friends had something else planned for that day. Two of my friends showed up to the party. It actually was a lot of fun. And my friends loved the products that Mary Kay had to offer.

For hosting the party I was entitled to some free products since my friends were so gracious enough to purchase some products. I was able to get $75 worth of free product. I was really excited and was thinking of what I could get. Hmmm. Of course I was going to get the microdermabrasion set and would still have money left for something else. But Shari had other plans for me and said that Mary Kay was offering a promotional deal right now and if I signed up to be a consultant and sell Mary Kay I would put my $75 towards me signing up to be a consultant and receive $325 of product free. All I had to do is sell Mary Kay and since my friends bought some products they would be my clients when they needed to re-order. Hmmm. I thought I won't be out of any money and if I don't like it I have nothing to lose because I just got $325 worth of product for free. So, that is what I did. I am now a Mary Kay consultant. Plus, since I signed up as a consultant, Shari, moves up a level and is closer to her pink Caddy.

In my big ol' box of free products I got all the cleansing products except the microdermabrasion set. It is a new product and it has not made it into the box yet. So, as disappointed as I am about not having that great product, I have to wait until I sell some Mary Kay and am able to support my beauty regiment. Since using the cleanser, moisturizer, Day and Night solution, which takes away wrinkles because of the retinal in the solution. If any of you have read my previous entry titled A Wrinkle In Time, you will know that I have been concerned about not aging so gracefully. Anyway, I think I have found the perfect product to help me.

So, I was scared of being a consultant because I don't want to be pushy. That is not my nature and I don't like it when people are pushy and won't take no for an answer. So, here is my little non-pushy sale for Mary Kay. I sell it, if you want some leave me a comment with your email address and I will email you back.

Who Would Have Thought.....

You know those little annoying shadow stains that you get on your clothes? Well, I know how to get them out. I accidentally washed and dried a tube of Carmex with my clothes. Needless to say, the Carmex tube was empty when I pulled it out of the dryer. And my clothes had these greasy looking spots all over them. I tried washing them again with a stain remover, but that didn't work.

I called my mom to see if she had any tricks. She couldn't think of anything that I haven't already tried. My mom did say that my cousin, Tonya, might be able to help. My mom said that when my cousin was living in Spain, her host mother got out all kinds of stains. So, I called my cousin. Tonya told me that her host mother just beat the crap out of the stains, literally. Tonya said that there wasn't anything special that her host mother used. Tonya did tell me that a crayon got in her dryer and melted everywhere and made such a mess. She went to the Crayola website and it had a remedy that would help get out melted crayon out of your clothes. So, I thought since Carmex and crayons have a waxy, oily base to them this remedy might just work.

The remedy is W-D 40. Yes, that lubricating spray that makes your doors stop squeaking. W-D 40 and Dawn dish soap that is. It actually works. I was very impressed. I just thought I would share that little tidbit of information for those of you who have a nasty shadow stained shirt that you are about to throw away. Try this first.

Am I Right for the Job?

So, lately, okay not lately. Mealtimes at my house have always been a battle. Mainly, my 4 year old. She is the most picky eater EVER! Rebecca won't try anything new and sometimes won't even eat something she has always loved. I don't get it and it is totally getting on my nerves. Sometimes I even ask her what she wants to eat. I usually give her a choice between two things and then sometimes I don't give her a choice at all, she just eats what I made for dinner. Which usually doesn't go over well.

Today, she wanted lunch, she saw some Ritz crackers on the counter and said she wanted some of those for lunch. Okay, so I thought she can have cheese, crackers, pepperoni (that she loved a couple of days ago), and some baby carrots. She only ate the crackers. She was done. I told her if she was not going to eat at lunchtime she can go clean her room instead. She gladly went to her room and picked up a couple of things. However, when I did that, Annie, who was eating okay decided she was done also. Annie did manage to eat all her crackers, cheese, and some pepperoni. Since Annie is only 2 1/2, I put her down for a nap instead.

Rebecca came out of her room and said she was hungry. I told her that her food was still on the table and she could go eat it. Rebecca ate a some cheese and was done. That was her last chance, I was not playing her game anymore. She went back to her room to finish cleaning. I later found her asleep. I have decided that I did not win that round.

About 4pm, Rebecca tells me she is hungry. Okay, I will give them an early dinner and surely, they will eat everything I give them no matter what it is. Since I was not ready to cook dinner for all of us, I gave them some chicken nuggets and mixed veggies. Of course they ate the chicken nuggets. An hour later I am still trying to get them to eat their veggies.

Even when they do eat, it takes them forever. They goof off and talk constantly. I will be sitting their monitoring them too. I don't get why they can't just eat and then go play. Tonight, when Rebecca was eating her dinner she kept talking and goofing even after she was asked to stop. She was nearly done with her plate, but she kept on and on. Then she would look up at me and smile and say she was sorry. Really? She was totally pushing my buttons and she knew it. I was so mad. A 4 year old got me and she is teaching my 2 year old how to do it.

Any suggestions or tricks would gladly be appreciated. I have taken privileges, toys, and other things away and it doesn't work. I am willing to try anything.

So, It's Been a While......

Yeah, I know, it's been a while. The month of December was pretty crazy for me and it lead straight in to January. And before I knew it, I hadn't blogged in nearly 2 months. So, I guess I will tell you what we have been up to.

Early December was spent Christmas shopping and getting my house ready for our company. I tried to do most of my shopping online so I wouldn't have to get out in the traffic congested mall area. I did make it to the mall and a few other places without too much trouble but did manage to find some really good deals online for the niece and nephews. I was really excited about the free shipping to two different addresses that Toys R Us had going.


So, like I said I had to get my house prepared for our company. I needed to make sure I had enough pillows, sheets and blankets. I realized that I had never had house guests in the cold winter months and needed more blankets. Walmart fixed that problem with these really plush blankets. They had the same ones at Target, but for double the price. It was obvious where I would be buying the blankets. Then I just had to maintain a clean house with my two girls messing it up an hour later. I would sweep and mop the floor and at dinner it never failed, one of the girls would spill their milk. So, I would have to do it again. Anyway, I managed to have a spotless house before my guests came.


Our house guests started arriving on December 18th. My brother-in-law, Travis, sister-in-law, Sigi, and niece, Olivia from England. And then the best mother-in-law ever, Brenda came out from California. I had a house full with everyone on the 18th, but was expecting more on the 21st. My mom and dad came in on the 21st. I have a three bedroom, two bathroom house and 10 people in my house. Well, obviously, I didn't have enough room to house that many people, so my best friend and neighbor, Leah and her husband offered up their guest room. That was so generous of them and really convenient for us to be right next door. So, it worked out.


While everyone was here visiting we went on the North Pole Express. It was a spin off of the movie Polar Express. We thought it would be fun for the kids. It was nice. The girls liked it, but I thought it was a little pricey for what they had going. It is probably something that we won't be doing in the future. I did get pictures of the girls with Santa. They turned out great. No tears this year.

I thought these turned out so cute. I am kind of sad that Annie won't remember sitting with Santa because she was asleep. Before we went on the train we went in and saw Santa taking pictures. Annie was waving from a distance to Santa. It was so cute. We would have had the pictures taken before the train ride, but thought we needed to get in line for the train. Anyway, the train ride wore her out. Oh, and I forgot to mention, it was so cold that day. It didn't get above freezing and the wind was blowing. That did not stop us from getting out and about, but it sure was nice coming home for a heater and a fire. Oh and Sigi made some wonderful mulled wine. It is warm wine and some other stuff. It is yummy. Helped take the chill of the day off.

The next day we went Gaylord Texan. This place is so awesome. I kept telling my dear husband that would be a nice get away for the two of us. It was a pretty fancy place that we could never slap that much money down for a night away. But it was fun to imagine that we could. This place is a duplicate of the San Antonio River walk. On a smaller scale. It has hotels, shops, and restaurants. We went to this place because they have an ICE! exhibit there. The ICE! exhibit is huge ice sculptures. They had an ice train, slide, reindeer, elves, etc. It was pretty cool. I have some pictures on my camera of this place but can't find my camera to download them. This place is so cold to keep the sculptures from melting. It was 7 degrees inside. They provided us with parkas that we wore over our own jackets. Poor Annie was so little that her jacket was so big she couldn't move. We didn't make her wear it the whole time because she just cried. The exhibit was pretty amazing that we would do it again.

The rest of the Christmas week was pretty uneventful. We just had our Christmas here at the house. We all opened presents and the girls of course got way too much for Christmas. I don't know how may Disney Princess Barbies we ended up with, I think about six between my girls. Everyone enjoyed the day. We had a wonderful spread for our dinner. We had ham, tri-tip, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, and cranberries. I might be missing something in there but I don't remember. Oh and we had three different pies. They were good.

My parents left the day after Christmas. I was sad to have them go so soon, but they were off to visit my aunt and uncle in North Carolina. My uncle was throwing a surprise birthday party for my aunt and thought it wouldn't be the same if her sister (my mom) wasn't there to spend it with her. So, they were off to NC for a couple of days and then they would be flying home to California to get back to work. I am hoping that my mom will come out in the spring or summer this year.

The day after Christmas, we went to Granbury, Texas to go visit with Uncle Willis and Aunt Linda. It was a nice visit. Uncle Willis just had shoulder replacement surgery and was up and around and doing wonderful. We got in a little walk to visit the horses that are on the neighboring property. Then we all came in a played a game of Phase 10. If you don't know what Phase 10 is, get in your car and go to Walmart and get Phase 10. It is a card game that is so much fun.

Travis, Sigi and Olivia were headed off to Austin to visit some friends of theirs. They left from Granbury and would spend almost a week in Austin. So, while they were gone it we only had Matt's mom staying with us. It was nice to have the house a little bit back to normal. At least the girls didn't have to sleep on the floor in our room anymore.

On December 29th, Matt and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. It is supposed to be the year of the itch, so I've heard, but all is well and we are still happily married. Since we had a built in babysitter (Brenda) we took advantage and went to dinner. We went to Razzoo's, which is a Cajun place. It was good. Then we came home. We played Phase 10 with Brenda and then went to bed.

I ended up getting so sick that night and I thought I had food poisoning. The next day I just laid around not feeling good and was so tired. This bug hit me so hard and really fast. The next day was New Year's Eve and I still wasn't feeling good. I had started running a fever, so obviously it was not the food. My throat was killing me too. I called my doctor to see if I could get in and they were booked. So, I went to a Care Now and found out I had strep throat. I was so sick. Got on some antibiotics and went on my way.

My neighbor, Leah, was having a party for New Year's Eve and insisted that I come. I had started my antibiotic and had been able to control my fever and thought I can make it. So, I did. I just sat there on the couch, but had a lot of fun watching other people. Travis and Sigi got back that evening and came over as well. If you go to You Tube and type in Footloose you may see our little party. I haven't gotten a chance to look yet but it was pretty funny while I was sitting on the couch. Anyway, we stayed up until midnight and I went home shortly after that. I was exhausted.

I felt a little better the next day. The antibiotics were kicking in. For the rest of that week we didn't do a whole lot. We had the most wonderful weather. It was in the 80's. It was so nice. We took the girls to the park to feed the ducks and play around. It was nice to get out and get some fresh air. Rebecca, Olivia and Annie got along really well and it was fun to see them play together.

Matt's mom left on Monday, January 5th. I hated to see her go but she had to get back to work. Matt's dad (Don) and step-mom (Daryln) came in on the 5th as well. It was good to see them again. It had been a year since we saw Don and at least two years since we had seen Daryln. We would stay up late talking and then have to get up early when the kids would wake up. You would think they would have slept in for us, but no.

On Wednesday, we went to the Fort Worth Zoo. It was such a beautiful day. It got into the 70's. The zoo wasn't packed like I had seen it before and it was just an all around great day. We got see baby monkeys, baby lion cubs and baby orange tigers. The lion cubs were the most entertaining. They were chasing each other and then the mom would get after them. It was so cute to watch them. The girls went into the bird section. They have all these small colorful birds and you walk through their area and you can feed them. Matt and I don't care for this section so we sent the girls in with the grandparents and they looked like they were having so much fun. They have gotten some bird seed on a stick and the birds would come over and land on their stick. Annie and Rebecca didn't know what to think they got scared and tried to shake the birds off. It was so funny. The birds would also land on there arms. I am still cracking up. That was a fun day.

On Thursday, Sigi, Daryln and I went to the mall. Daryln wanted to get the girls an outfit. We found some really good deals at Gymboree. It was a nice day. We had lunch at the mall. It was nice to have a little girls day without the little girls. Then when we got home we talked Matt and Travis into taking Sigi and I to the movies and dinner. Since we did have the grandparents as babysitters. It was so nice. We saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. That was a good movie a little weird but good. Then we went to Red Robin for dinner. It was good. Then we came back home.

On Friday, we went to Cleburne State Park. It was another wonderful day. We had a picnic in the park and the girls played on the playground for a while. Then we took a little hike by the lake that was there. The girls had so much fun. That night we went out to dinner for Travis and Sigi's last night here. We went to a BBQ place that was really good. I definitely would go back.

On Saturday, Travis, Sigi, and Olivia left to go home. They had a long flight ahead of them. They had so much luggage between them. They had a total of six bags and a couple of carry-ons. Earlier in the visit Kohl's was having these awesome sales and we had 30% off coupons and Sigi bought bedding, bath towels and clothes for all of them. So, that is why all the luggage. I am sure she is very pleased with her purchases. Travis did mention that when they were unpacking their bags, it was like Christmas all over again. It was such a nice visit and I look forward to doing it again. We really enjoyed their company.

On Monday the 12th, Don and Daryln left to go home. It was nice to see them. It was also nice to get back to a normal routine. Rebecca was to go back to her pre-K class at the rec center. She woke up with the lump on her neck by her ear that was really sore. I gave her some Ibuprofen and she was fine. I didn't think it was weird that she has this lump and no other symptoms so I made an appointment with her doctor later that day. Good thing I did, because when I picked her up from school she was not well at all. She was running a fever. Her doctor told me that she had lymphnotitus. Which is an infection in the lymphnode. Never heard of that before, but would explain the pain and swollen lymphnode. We got her on antibiotics and went on our way.

On Thursday, Rebecca's doctor's office called and told me that the culture they sent off came back and she had strep throat. They tested her in the office and that test came back negative. I had no idea that they were sending off a specimen. Anyway, I was a little ticked that her doctor told me she was not contagious and I could send her to school. Strep throat is highly contagious. I just hope that none of her classmates get it. On a good note, both Annie and Matt have been infected twice and they have not gotten it.....yet. I am hoping that we will be strep free in this household.

Anyway, that is what I have been up to. I just didn't have time to blog during these last couple of months. You can see why. Anyway, all is good here and back to normal. I am glad to get back into a routine with the girls. I will try to get out a blog sooner than later. I don't know that many people keep up on this blog anyway and actually missed it. If there are any lurkers out there leave a message, de-lurk yourself.