Who says blondes have all the fun??

Before

After

Lets hope I have no regrets! I liked the blond....alot, but I was tired of the maintenance and the grow-out.

Here's to the new me!

(Or some might say the old me because this is how I looked when Todd fell in love with me. Except 15 lbs thinner)

35 Candles!!!

The year was 1974.....

1/2 gallon of milk....$.78

Bread....$.38

Stamp.....$.10

Gas....$.63

Movie Ticket....$1.25

Minimum Wage....$2.00

Car....$3850

Avg. Income....$9668

House.....$44,250

Dow Jones.....High 950-Low 590

Best Picture.....The Godfather Part 2

Movie Openings....American Graffiti, Carrie, The Great Gatsby

Top TV Shows.....All in The Family, The Waltons, Sanford and Son

Top Songs....The Joker (Steve Miller Band), Bennie and The Jets (Elton John)

Most Unusual Newspaper Headline...."There will be no weather report today because of the weather"

String bikinis hit the beach

55 mile per hour speed limit is enacted

Sears Tower in Chicago becomes the worlds tallest building

A fad known as streaking sweeps the country

Something called "The Internet" came about

Deaths....Jack Benny, Duke Ellington, Charles Lindbergh and Ed Sullivan

Births..........................................................................ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Wow Mom....that's quite the outfit! And that hair!)

My birthday was yesterday and I had planned to have this post up but things got in the way like power outages and having to go to the hospital thinking my dad was having a heart attack. You know....just things!

Anyways....

If you ask my mom she would tell you that as a child I was so well mannered and always perfectly behaved. The cutest child you will ever encounter.

I was more advanced then any child of my age. Always smiled, never cried. I did everything my parents told me to do.

Yep that's me...the shining star in every ones life!

At least that's what I remember. My memory could be failing though. I mean I am 35 now, 75 is just right around the corner!

But here are 35 things I do know for a fact about myself

* I am an only child

*I eat ketchup on my eggs (and just about everything else....maybe I should buy stock in the stuff)

*I don't know how to whistle

*When I read I don't look at every word...I guess that makes me a skim reader

*I can read and watch TV at the same time

*I don't like Ice cream

*I sleep with ear plugs in

*I have to plan my bites evenly during a meal. I have to end up with one bite of each thing at the end

*I hate talking on the phone

*I have jumped off a bridge

*I don't drink the last swallow at the bottom of the glass (I don't know why)

*I don't know how to drive a stick shift...I don't want to learn

*Growing up I wanted to be a dancer but never told anyone

*I used to hate cats but now I am obsessed with them

*I know Disneyland like the back of my hand

*I've had a miscarriage and still think about how old the child would be right now

*The smell of Burger King still makes me nauseous

*I like "getting friendly with my hubby" in the backyard at night under the stars

*I do monthly meal planning and go shopping once a month

*The chores that I hate to do I make my oldest son do

*I used to commute 1 1/2 hours to work each way

*I have never broken a bone or had stitches

* I wish I could sing so I could sing louder at church

*I thought I would be a better wife and mom then I am. I really need to work on it!

*I spend WAY to much time on the computer

*I am very insecure

*I have held baby bear cubs, baby tigers, baby jaguars and I have hand fed elk

*My first job was making pizzas at Papa Murphys

* I used to manage a music store. That's how I met Todd

*My first car was a 65 Ford Mustang

*I wish I could time travel

*I am pretty good at navigating the New York Subways

*Never go gambling with me....I am the worst luck!

* I have sun-bathed in the nude on the beach

* I know that God knows my name. He hears me when I pray. He knows my needs. He takes care of me. I will see his face and be held in his arms one day!

Happy Birthday to me!

She can't help that she's a princess

It's not easy being the caregiver to one of the most beautiful creatures on God's green earth.

People hate me because of it sometimes.

I hear them whispering. I know they can't stand it.

I didn't ask God to give me a beautiful cat. I just asked for one that would suit me.

I can't help it if God decided that a beautiful cat suited me.

Hey! That was God's call. Not mine!

Don't be jealous.

At least you get to look at her on my blog.

Happiness is....

Homemade Pico De Gallo

and

Guacamole!

Yummmm!!!

But I don't find happiness in the fact that this child will not eat his dinner....EVER!

Still in love after all these years!

Look at these 2 young, hot things!

Its hard to believe that we were that young once. Its hard to believe that I was once that skinny! *sigh* I have always been to drawn to the "bad boys." I don't know what it is but they just get me every time.

Todd and I met about 13 1/2 yrs ago. I was managing the music dept in Sears and he was attending the Art Institute of Seattle for photography. I was needing a new employee..preferably a man. Someone that could do all the dirty, heavy work for me. He just happened to walk in while I was putting up the hiring sign and 2 minutes later...he was hired! Yep...I was his boss! (some might say I still am) Anyways, that was the start of some pretty intense flirting between us. He was intriguing and very entertaining. And according to him, I was "smoking hot with a fine ass" He also felt the need to conquer "little miss innocent" here. One afternoon we went to lunch (just as employees) and during that lunch he decided that I actually might have a nice personality and he decided he wanted more then just to sleep with me...he wanted to actually date me. Wow...what a concept! So he finally asked me out on a date. He took me to pizza and we played miniature golf. I beat him sooooo bad at golf and air hockey! After our first date you could say we were pretty much inseparable. We couldn't get enough of each others company. We were addicted to each other. (any of you read twilight? Yeah that's pretty much how it was...seriously!) After about a month of dating he told me that he loved me (first time ever saying that to anyone) What I will never forget about that night is that he had to turn the lights off to say it because he was so nervous. So we dated for 10 months (much to my parents dismay....but that's another story for another time) and agreed that we needed to get married. Well, we had already decided that 9 months ago but felt we needed to get serious about it. Aka...tell my parents! yikes! They took it....well... I guess you could say. My dad couldn't resist asking me if I was pregnant. Fathers!

At the time I thought getting married on Valentines Day would be soooooo romantic! Of course I didn't think about the future....about trying to find babysitters, everyone in the world going out on that night AND missing out on the actual Valentines Day holiday! Oh well, can't change my mind now

I can't remember everything about that day but what I do remember is this..

*My mom did an AMAZING job on decorating the church

*My dad did an AMAZING job on the food

*The place was filled to the brim with people

*We almost had an incident with the candles (hi Megan!)

*My flowers fell apart right before my big moment

*I was soooo nervous (why do brides get so nervous?)

*Once I saw Todd as I was coming down the isle.....my life started right then and there!

People I think used to wonder... why Todd? And my answer was always this, you don't see what I see.... you don't see the potential that I see in him. I knew what kind of man he was going to grow up to be and I wanted THAT MAN! And I still want him, more then I did 12 twelve years ago.

He is my best friend

My lover

He always seems to know the answers to everything!

We have just enough in common

He works his butt off everyday for us

He is the father of my children (the best father that is)

He always makes me laugh and keeps things interesting

In some ways....he saved my life!

Happy Anniversary Baby! I love you with every breathe of my being and with every fiber of my soul. May the next 12 years be just as fabulous!

If I could have just one wish,
I would wish to wake up everyday to the sound of your breath on my neck,
the warmth of your lips on my cheek,
the touch of your fingers on my skin,
and the feel of your heart beating with mine...
Knowing that I could never find that feeling
with anyone other than you.

Happy Love Day!

Happy Valentines Day!

May your day be sticky and sweet

From our home...

to yours!!

Encouragement Around Every Corner

The other day I posted some things I like to remember during these harder then heck times and if you don't mind I wanted to share something else that a friend of mine shared with me in Psalms. This friend has a had an even worse year then us but still manages to offer encouragement to those around him which I so very much appreciate. Thanks Dave, this is exactly what I was looking for. And if you do mind me sharing this, well....phooey on you...go somewhere else then! This is about me, not you :)

Psalm 40

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;

he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear

and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man

who makes the LORD his trust,

who does not look to the proud,

to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, O LORD my God,

are the wonders you have done.

The things you planned for us

no one can recount to you;

were I to speak and tell of them,

they would be too many to declare.
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but my ears you have pierced

burnt offerings and sin offerings

you did not require.
7 Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—

it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart."
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;

I do not seal my lips,

as you know, O LORD.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;

I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.

I do not conceal your love and your truth

from the great assembly.
11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;

may your love and your truth always protect me.
12 For troubles without number surround me;

my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.

They are more than the hairs of my head,

and my heart fails within me.
13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;

O LORD, come quickly to help me.
14 May all who seek to take my life

be put to shame and confusion;

may all who desire my ruin

be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"

be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who love your salvation always say,

"The LORD be exalted!"
17 Yet I am poor and needy;

may the Lord think of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

O my God, do not delay.
:

News Flash... News Flash!!!!

Economy Notice

Due to recent budget cuts and the cost of electricity,

gas and oil, as well as current market conditions and

the continued decline of the U.S. economy,

The Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

I'm Bringing Sexy Back

After many years of wanting to join a gym...I have finally done it! After the first of the year and after giving myself the same pep talk from past years I decided enough was enough. I am completely unhappy with how I look and how I feel and I am finally doing something about it. I was having this overwhelming, mind consuming need to get a membership. I almost couldn't get there fast enough! Granted it took a bit of courage to even walk into the place. I felt completely insecure and almost like I was walking back into High School...ugh! But my desire took over and here I am....a member of the gym. And yes you are right to question considering we are so flat broke but I decided I couldn't afford NOT to do it. For once I have to do something for myself. And once mama's happy...everyone gets to be happy. So really it can be considered a gift for the whole family :) (Plus I got a pretty smoking deal...I worked it!) How am I liking it you ask?? I LOVE IT!!! And I am so glad I am loving it because it makes it very easy to go...like everyday. I don't feel as self conscious as I did when I first started. I have my little routine and pretty much just keep to myself. I get free childcare for 2 months so Kaden gets dropped off and plays with the kids while Mama is striving to look hot! Todd has also joined (much to his dismay) but because of his schedule he has only gone a few times. I am hoping we can get to a point that he will go on his own and like it as much as me. So that's whats going on with me right now. If I am not online (Facebook is a major time stealer) then you can probably find me on the elliptical machine if you need me for anything

Sometimes I need a reminder

The Lord is my Shephard, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters,

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever!!

Psalm 23

Footprints
One night I had a dream--

I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord

and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,

one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of my life flashed before me,

I looked back at the footprints in the sand.

I noticed that many times along the path of my life,there was only one set of footprints.

I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life.

This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.

"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,

you would walk with me all the way,

but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life

there is only one set of footprints.

"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,

you should leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,

I love you and I would never, never leave you

during your times of trial and suffering.

"When you saw only one set of footprints,

it was then that I carried you."

...Mary Stevenson

Yep.... its been one of those days!

Working Woman's Household Tips

Margaret Fulton's way:
Stuff miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice-cream drips.
The Working Woman's way:
Just suck the ice-cream out of the bottom of the cone for Pete's sake. You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it anyway!!

Margaret Fulton's:
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking tin, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
Working Woman's:
Woolworth's sell cakes. They even do decorated versions.

Margaret Fulton's:
If you accidentally over salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a potato slice.
Working Woman's:
If you over salt a dish while you are cooking, tough! Recite the working Woman's motto: 'I made it and you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes!'

Margaret Fulton's:
Wrap celery in aluminium foil when putting it in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
Working Woman's:
It could keep forever. Who eats it??

Margaret Fulton's:
Cure for headaches.. Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Working Woman's:
Cure for headaches.. Take a lime, cut it in half and drop it in a double vodka. Drink the vodka. You might still have the headache, but you won't care!

AND FINALLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP…

Margaret Fulton's:
Freeze leftover wine into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
Working Woman's:
Left over wine??? HELLO!!!????