The Kids and I on the News!

http://www.nbc29.com/story/14945475/agnor-hurt-elementary-toy-library

Oh shoot, not again.

Let's try round two.

Visiting with Daddy-O

Always good to be back to my roots.

You know you're flying out of a small airport when...

The security line is closed because the one flight that is leaving still has 40 minutes before it leaves.

Oh... and the security comes and finds you in the bathroom, they have your watch that you forgot at the checkpoint.

Hey Parents wanna drink?

Dear PTO parents:

Lots of Info: Grab a drink and your calendar!

That was my opening line of the email I sent to 200 parents. Yeah, it kinda sounds like I'm encouraging ya know, liqueur.

As one who has never drank anything stronger than a Mountain Dew, it's kind of ironic.

No worries I sent the following Addendum:

By Drink - I mean beverage of your choice. I'm not condoning or encouraging adult beverages. Oh my goodness, embarrassing...

Looks like another fun week with the PTO.

Have you ever done this in the mirror?

I am such a girlie girl when it comes to make-up, beauty, etc. I know it drives Josh crazy how much make-up, lotions and potions I've got in my bathroom. I can't help it! I want to smell good, I love how make up can seriously change the way you look. It's funny because at the gym I had this friend Annie, and I swear she didn't even recognize me from when I came in to workout to when I left for the day. I love how it transforms you! You can look glamorous, you can even do make-up to look like you aren't wearing any... It's so much fun to play, It's like painting on a canvas. It's fun for me. I think it all started in college... somehow I started learning the tricks of the trade, and now all I want for my birthday is that super cool bag thing the ladies at Sephora wear with all their tools... I know I dream big. But lucky for you, I've tested a few products in my time, and I thought I would share with you some of my fav's. Ready for it:

Favorite Facial Mask

Favorite Lip Liner

Favorite self-tanner For those that tan well...

Favorite Eye Shadow

Favorite Mascara

Favorite Blush

Favorite Lip Gloss\

Favorite Skin Care

Favorite Body Butter

There's probably more. I'm kind of embarrassed already at this list. However, if you're looking for a quick gift for me here you go:

Lucy's Toolkit

In the quiet of the AM

Quiet in my bed, awake before all the kids, I lay here realizing how lucky I am. When all the kids get up life changes, hunger, diapers, messes, playing, more hunger all take over with very little time to just think. The sun was shining, and the house was quiet.

Thank God for my children and my life.

PS. Laila has a horrible habit of finding me in the middle of the night. Here she is waking up as I write this.

15 years ago.

I was at a the Sunday Morning Session of General Conference, with my good friends the Zinn's. We slept outside the temple all night and then took turns changing into church clothes in the car. All so that we could see the Sunday Morning session with President Hinckley. Ironically, I was so tired I barely got anything out of it. Today I am watching the sessions of conference with a husband and four children. Wow how things have changed. What a joy to have been a part of the church for this long, and to have the blessings that have come my way. Unbelievable.

I'm the April fool.

All I have to say is I was a fool believing spring had sprung. I'm a bit chilly and have been for days, I hate being cold. Like a lot.

Anyway... blessings this day. A super convenient sitter who always does a good job, and a date this evening with my husband of 11 years, wow that is a long time!

I sold my soul to the Classic Cookie Company, shamelessly.

As you might know I volunteered to be the PTO (PTA) President at my kids school. I wish I could say it was a hot contentious battle that I barely won, but really, there was no one else to do the job.

As part of this job you get inundated with constant offers that, this fundraising company, or that one, offers the best, most, fill in the blank, benefits to your school. It's an exhausting amount of emails and paperwork to toss (I mean patiently take my time to sort).

One company finally clinched me.

After coming to the school at least three times with BAKED yummy cookies, and countless emails, and even a phone call or two, he made an offer I couldn't refuse. 1,000 cookies for my next PTO event, if he could present at our next board meeting.

I warned him, I said I canceled our last fundraiser where we sold overpriced wrapping paper and crap gifts and that I was adamant there was an obesity crisis in our country in no small part due to gobs of yummy cookie dough, and that our PTO was going to be a nearly, basically totally impossible sell. And yet the poor guy said he would give it a shot.

So... about a month ago we sat through a ten minute, actually very good, presentation, in which we politely declined. We endured. And then today, the cookies have been delivered JUST IN TIME for our school's talent show.

Yes, it was worth it.

Spring Time and New Beginnings

Who doesn't love spring? With all the rain, it's like the Earth is spring cleaning itself!

Today was one of those horrible no great days that Alexander talks about. Tough to find some joys in a day like this, but I will try.

1. I ran and both stations (VH1 and the Country Music channel) I watch played music at opposite times and I didn't have to run through any commercials.

2. I had a yummy lunch with a new friend.

3. I said NO to a super cute pink leather handbag at Marshall's. This is a joy, because it gets me closer to my kitchen.

4. Two of my kids made me heart cards that said I was the best mom in the world.

5. I went to bed before 10 p.m.

I think sometimes we get into these cycles where we kind of are stuck going around and around. It's almost as if we are our own worst enemy when it comes to changing and doing better. Well just as the earth is spring cleaning itself as we speak, it's time for some changes for me as well. So, here's to taking one step, just one, in the right direction. Better.

Cheers!

New post

Coming to a Computer Screen Near You.

A new Blog Look, a dedicated writer, and a photo or two.

My sister rocks and needs the loot.

Are you looking for someone to update your blog? Or want a button to spread the word.

Check her price list out here

She did my cute header, although, i'm thinking let's do another one! :)

Anyway, tell her I sent you, and that would rock because maybe she'll still do things for free for me.

Grant Writing

Seriously just won my first grant. Don't even know what to say, but AWESOME!

Baby Shower This Weekend, Birthday Party Next.

I'm hosting a baby shower this weekend, a cute rubber ducky theme, and am making some Lemon Meringue Cupcakes. Mainly because I had an excuse to buy a kitchen torch.

Don't they look scrumptious? Thank you Martha Stewart.

Next week you will get to see Charlie's 2nd birthday party fun!

sledding, decluttering, quiet house

I took the kids on an incredible hill - to enjoy the .5 inches of snow. It still rocked. Colson has a scraped up face, Hallie, a scraped up hand, and Laila, a bloody nose. Charlie couldn't 'put her arms down' so she was good. The 2 friends that came with us escaped injury free. Thank Goodness.

I've spent this month decluttering. My dream was to have it done quickly and efficiently that eventually my whole house would look fabulous with everything in its place. Yeah. A dream. Instead I have a garage FULL of crap to get rid of. Still have 'random' projects, drawers, closets, and rooms that I haven't yet made it too. And well, where I started is a mess again, too.

No School today. And a surprise Play Date equals a quiet house were I mastered my inbox. Which is always full of bills to pay, things to do, papers to file, and other various information. It's Cleaned Out, and that feels good.

Overall, a good day.

Overnight Oatmeal

My mom sent me a recipe for overnight oatmeal. I'm giving it a try tonight. I love the idea of hot oatmeal for breakfast straight from the crockpot. If it's any good - I'll share the recipe tomorrow! Good Night all - it's back to the grind!