4.30.2009

Warning: Slobs live here.

We've had our over-priced house on the market for almost 90 days now, I think. For the first month or so, nothing. The next month, 2 or 3 were interested and came to check it out. But this last month? Much better. We've had four separate people come look at it in just the last two weeks, so really, I don't think we're being totally unreasonable with our barely-break-even price. You really only need ONE buyer. Wouldn't you agree? Who CARES if the junky foreclosure down the street is like 80 grand less???!!!

I'm standing firm on our price. Whomever is going to buy our house will want it because of its style, and upgrades, and features*... not because it's a screaming deal. I'm fine with that. {It's barely worth cleaning for bargain hunters, come on!}

Today I forgot to take my phone with me to volleyball - which really, when you have your house up for sale, you should NOT do. Got home at 11:30, fed the kids lunch, and then my cell phone rang at 11:44. You guessed it, it was our realtor telling me she'd tried to get a hold of me this morning, and that people were coming. No, not tomorrow, TODAY. Like, in 45 minutes.

Crap.

I barely had time to panic! I quickly threw all the food back in the fridge, the dishes in the dishwasher, and the pillows back on the couch. I'm bribing Manda with everything I can think of to go pick up her room (please don't let there be panties on the floor!) and take care of her clothes on my bed (I DID fold them this morning, right? Hope so...) I hadn't even made it upstairs when the doorbell rang at 12:02.

WHAT? I can count to 45, can't THEY???

I walked to the door, hoping it was the UPS man... inadvertently kicking Josh's bus and activating the way-too-loud music as I opened the door. Imagine me, yesterday's makeup pooling under my eyes, still in sweaty workout clothes and kneepads, fumbling with this annoying purple bus as I greet them.

Lovely.

I made apologies as they walked through the house (but really, it was just a guy, without his wife... did he really CARE what state of cleanliness the house was currently in?? Probably not.)

But still...

There were piles of sheets on the guest bed downstairs - clean, but not re-made yet. Toys and random headbands littered the stairs, the roman shades in the playroom are still broken, my craft room? oh no...

Clothes had pretty much been cleared from my bed (thanks M!), but there were several items draped over the footboard (classy), J had taken the lids off our hampers this morning and strewn them across the floor, the bathroom counter was covered with makeup bag, shaving kit, toothbrushes, etc...Josh's room was still black as a cave, with all of the shutters still drawn...

But NOW?

Okay, it's 1:30. House is ready to show. Guest beds are made. Counters are cleared. Laundry is picked up off the floor. Lids are back on hampers. Toys are quiet and residing in their respective toy boxes.

Okay you can come back NOW, sir! But you better hurry!

Sigh! I can't believe I live in such clutter every day! It's one thing, I guess, to have toys scattered when children live here, but quite another to have MY rooms and MY clutter covering every square foot! Sheesh! I'm so embarrassed...

Ugh. I need to move out until my house sells, just so it can stay clean for more than 10 minutes!

*The guy DID comment on how much he liked the granite countertops, the stair railing, hardwood floors {does he not know the diff between hardwood and laminate? Really? I didn't correct him...}

4.29.2009

IDOL Recap

SHOCKeD! I can't believe Adam was in the bottom two - but otherwise, last night went according to plan...! The little I heard of Allison proved that she had every right to be on top. Can't wait for Rock week next week - should be fabulous!

4.26.2009

C is for Cookie Hysterics


Looks like my son has inherited my sweet tooth. 'cause MAN, does he love cookies. He can hardly function when he knows there are homemade oreos in the house. Screaming, hysterical, pointing, "DOE! ... DOE!" And no, he's not just content if you hand him ONE. He wants EVERY SINGLE one you made, and will crumble and throw them until he gets what he wants... or gets put in time out. Tonight I made some white chocolate chip macadamia nut, straight out of Nestle's refrigerated bag (not bad!) but it was SUCH a bummer, since Josh wouldn't touch his dinner (Chicken Parmesan courtesy of Sister's Cafe... also a winner) he didn't get any.

Question is... does he really understand me when I say "You HAVE to eat your dinner first!" ? I know he's old enough to get a LOT of things, but that isn't too complex an idea for an almost-2-yr-old, is it?

4.23.2009

The gray tooth is GONE!

Mixed feelings about A's dentist appointment today:

Relieved, that they listened to my opinion and were actually going to pull the FOUR teeth that needed to be out, instead of just the two.

Surprised, that they decided to go ahead and pull two more, and were actually concerned about her potential "jack-o-lantern" appearance.

If you're counting, that means SIX teeth.

Irritated, that the appointment took two hours longer than it needed to.

Annoyed, that they wouldn't let me stay in the room with her.

Ticked, that they "just to be safe" added a second drug to knock her out - you know, that TEASPOONFUL that costs $260 and happens to NOT be covered by insurance? Yeah, that's the one.

Concerned, how and what she's possibly going to eat the next few days, knowing that she won't touch applesauce, oatmeal, soup, yogurt... and most of the other things they recommended.

Happy, that it's over, and we will possibly have fewer orthodontic issues in the future.

Curious, as to how much the tooth fairy is going to pay up, considering she spent all her money on anesthesia this morning. I've heard that if you have to get teeth pulled, they're worth considerably more to the TF, isn't that right?

Thrilled, that the dreaded GRAY TOOTH is finally GONE (a metal fix from an accident in 2005), years before we thought it would be!

4.21.2009

Disco Night?

Hmmm... really?

Word of the season: Indulgent.

Let's get on with it - my review of this week, I mean. For my fans (ha, ha) I apologize for not re-capping last week. It doesn't really matter, though, since no one went home! Right?

Lil - at this point, I just feel sorry for her. The judges decided a long time ago that she sucked, and I'm quite tired of her fighting back at their criticisms. She comes off just... *itchy. Just accept the fact that Simon has ultimate power, sweetheart, and America will do as he says. I didn't really mind her performance, but tonight seemed... well, desperate. And the outfit? Was she just trying to distract everyone? Or trying to make it memorable?

Kris - WOW! Totally impressed. Though I was concerned when I saw the guitar coming out for a "disco" song, he was probably my favorite this week. And sorry, but is Simon a complete idiot? How could he not have understood Paula's "women's department" comment? I get that she doesn't make a lot of sense most of the time, but he's just appallingly rude to her.

Danny - Again, a solid performance. I like the way he moves (even though the judges don't) and I love his glasses and I adore the tone of his voice. Yes, America likes him, but ... tiny yawn here... he's not "amazing" me anymore. Maybe it's just the fact that Paula keeps pronouncing that he'll be in the finals - which SO bugs me. Am I the only one?

Allison - once she started I thought it would be awesome, but the middle all the way through to the end of the song was just... weird. At one point I thought she was screaming "pasta" instead of "hot stuff". But I digress. Of course, the judges love her, so I'm sure she'll be around next week - which is perfectly okay with me. Her voice still rocks my world.

Matt - DUDE! He was freakin' awesome tonight. I'm glad SOMEBODY, at least, sang a song like I was expecting. He just seems like a nice guy, doesn't he?? I'm glad he got to stay around one more week, at least.

Anoop & Adam - I'm grouping these guys because they both tried to re-create their own great performances of the past, but they both fell way short. It's kind of disgusting how much the judges are still gushing over Anoop, practically begging America to keep him on. Didn't like the song a bit - he seems to have one great note that he belted out over, and over, and over again. But that last note of his? Ouch. The sweater was just a little too bubblegum for me, too. As for Adam, he tried to hit "repeat" on his Mad World performance - but this just didn't come close to that one. But no matter what, I appreciate his confidence, his always-surprising range and vocals, and his ability to stir up controversy - all the while being completely entertaining.... again, can't wait to hear him next week.

:)

Prediction for tomorrow night: I think Lil is going home, for sure. And the second? I think it will be Matt or Anoop... I really hope it's Anoop... we shall see!

4.20.2009

Things I heard today.

"I wish the whole world was made out of bacon - and then I would eat the WHOLE WORLD."

Mmmmm... sounds good to me. Who do you think came up with that one?

Manda also was so impressed with her hair cut, and my hairstylist today, that she informed me she wanted to be a "haircutter" like Lauren when she grows up.

And my favorite:

"Cheek. Eye. Sick. Noggin."

Explanation: This has been a rough couple of weeks for my children's faces. First was Allison's crash on the playground resulting in her black eye, and then Manda crashed on a bike and now has a huge bruise on the side of her head, and then Josh konked his forehead on his dresser as I was changing his clothes one day...resulting in a bruise and goose egg on his noggin... and now Allison is sick with a massive sore throat.

Hence, the reminder for Daddy during bedtime prayers tonight to pray for:

"Cheek. Eye. Sick. Noggin."

4.19.2009

HOLY SCRAP!

This weekend I made the annual pilgrimage over to the Mesa Convention Center for the CK Scrapbook Convention. WOOHOO! Sorry, I'm still in the habit of yelling for everyone getting door prizes and giveaways...

{LISA F I MISSED YOU!}

It was fun feeling (and absorbing!) the energy of all those crazy, creative ladies in the same place, at the same time. For two solid days. The convention is my much-needed recharging every year. It was exciting and exhausting both. This year was a treat for me because I was able to introduce my scrap world (and favorite tools, and favorite vendors) to a couple new friends. Jackie already knew the craziness, and now Deirdre, and Amberly, and Rachel all know it too... and deny it they'll try, but yes, they loved it.

I liked what one of my class teachers said. "Be careful not to get a paper cut, ladies - once scrapbooking gets in your blood it never goes away..."

The vendor fair was nuts. The Embellish It! booth was once again, my fav. Favorite purchase of the two days was many colors of GINORMOUS ric rac. I'm smiling just thinking about it. I can't WAIT to use it on my pages. **Honey, stop reading NOW.** I spent twice as much $$ as intended... oops... How do those SAME BOOTHS keep SUCKING ME IN, year after year?? Ha! I keep telling myself that it wasn't STUFF I was buying, it was INSPIRATION, and now I'm totally revved up again!

I HEART SCRAPPING! {In case you didn't know.}

A couple of my classes were let-downs, in ways, but others were FABULOUS, and I again learned some new techniques and design tips. Stay tuned for a "What Matters Most" class in a couple of months, too. The idea just may revolutionize the entire way I scrapbook, and journal.

Speaking of let-downs, I'm committing now to NEVER AGAIN going to a Saturday night crop. They've gotten more and more lame the last couple of years, and I'm done. Just like that cursed Quick Quotes booth. Never again, I tell you...

IN THAT SPIRIT, in case anyone is still reading, I HAVE DECIDED TO HOST MY OWN CROP! Complete with dinner, door prizes, goodie bags, make and takes, fresh baked treats, possibly even t-shirts, and more! J and I decided we could do a MUCH better job than CK, and make it a whole lot more fun. Plus, it will be in South Phoenix and entirely more convenient. Price is TBD.

Mark your calendars! It will be on Friday night, May 22nd, from 6pm - 11:30pm or so. Make a comment if you're interested, as space will be limited. If your name is Nerissa, Janna, Becky, Monique, Cindy, April, Karen, Rachel, Sandi, Courtney, Jackie, Deirdre, Cotylee, Amberly, or if you know any of these people and I can't think of your name on the top of my head right now, I'm personally inviting you. Be there, or be a scalloped square.

4.16.2009

Alien Invasion...

The things my children do when I'm not looking...

4.14.2009

Happy Birthday to Nick.

Today I had grand ideas of taking M/J shopping for a gift, possibly meeting you for lunch, making a cake to be ready for when you got home...

Instead, I've been to Walmart twice and stuck in my craft room the rest of the time making posters, and I'm still not showered. Happy birthday???


Am I really married to a 35-year-old... ?

Dude.


I love you hon.

A New Generation.

I'm always amazed at the stuff Manda comes up with. Today, I am in the process of making posters to advertise Allison's school talent show "Rock around the Clock" - upon which I'm putting black records as decoration. Manda figured out what they were, and asked me, "Are these CDs Mom?"

Kind of, Manda, but no, those are records.

"Ooooh... are those the hip hop things that they use to scratch with?"

Uuuhhhh,

Yes,

I guess they are.

Good Bye. And Good Riddance.

I was wondering why the heck there were races going on on Sunday night.
Can I get a WOOP WOOP!

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/2009/04/13/20090413manzyspeedway0414.html

4.13.2009

Easter 2009

Easter was more than a week-long event at our house. It started with a picnic and egg hunt at SRP on April 4th... where Allison led the pack sneaking off the starting line of her age group... once she started inching out, the rest of the kids followed and there was no bringing them back! The girls came home with more candy-filled eggs than their little baskets could carry.
Our Easter FHE turned out great - I'd been waiting years to use my white eggs with the scriptures and symbolic resurrection elements in each one... and the girls were finally old enough this year to really get it. They liked feeling the thorns, smelling the spices, etc.
Grandma Carter brought us an Easter Veggie Tales movie, which remained in the car and played continuously all week. If I have to hear Uncle Nezzar save Easter and the church one more time, I just might scream.
On Friday Manda and I QUICKLY colored some eggs, and then we all hit the pageant at the temple along with 5 million other mormons in the valley. We got to trade Josh in for Coop - who was a much more willing audience. The kids had a great time before the show rolling down the hill. I'm surprised they didn't get stepped on.
The family party on Saturday was the first place I remembered to take my camera - so here are some highlights from the Burrow...
Doing crafts:Waiting to be released for the hunt:Walking with Dad {Notice the plethora of eggs around...}Dylan quickly learned that the plastic eggs were better than the real ones...

4.08.2009

Quick Idol Recap.

SCOTT - I just may have to boycott the rest of this season if he's not sent home tonight. Really. I'm not kidding! This is not an empty threat! That's IT, America! I mean it!

{Okay, I didn't really mean it. I'll still watch, no matter what. I'm just thrilled I didn't have to watch Megan again this week.}

LIL - I'm thinking the judges are getting disenchanted with her and her MOM hair now, don't you? The Tina Turner thing was just okay for me... Outfit was great, as well as the song.

but not as great as

ALLISON - I agree with the judges, she was totally reminding me of Kelly as well! I absolutely LOVE the tone of her voice, and could listen to her all day. Great song.

just like

MATT - LOVE that he brought the hat back. Last night's song was just COOL. No other way to put it. Part-time Lover? That was GREAT. And, I believe the first time that an untouchable "Stevie" song was done without the judges knocking it. Impressive. The boy's got style, and soul.

much more than

KRIS - Horrid song choice. Do I think he's got a good voice? Sure. Do I think he could win this competition? Not a chance. Would I buy his album? ..... well, would you? I didn't think so.

kind of like

ANOOP - I admit, our little engineering student has chops, but not a chance in France of winning the competition, so I think it's time to go home.

and make way for

DANNY - Stand by me any time, my friend.

ADAM - Friggin' genius. Again. Can't wait 'til next week. I hope you didn't miss it because of your DVR.


My "SHOULD BE" Bottom Three: Scott, Anoop, Kris

My "PROBABLY" Bottom Three: Tough one. Scott, Allison, Lil

4.07.2009

You should have seen the other guy.

Actually... that's not really true. Apparently the boys A was playing with at recess have MUCH harder heads than she does. When they all went for a ball and accidentally collided, Allison got the brunt of it. Poor girl. No, I didn't coach her to put on this sad face... Manda said she didn't want to be around her because her eye was scary.

4.06.2009

She ate vegetables.


And she didn't even know it. Our meatloaf tonight was chock full of grated zucchini and squash. No, ours wasn't this pretty, but... It only took a bribe of an ice cream sundae for the girls each to take several bites of it. Dipped in ketchup, of course. But still...

4.04.2009

Whew!

I'm TIRED. I feel like I've been baking ALL WEEK. I've used enough flour and sugar and butter and cream cheese to feed a small country. And I've cleaned my kitchen over. and over. and over. Yawn...

And we're still only about halfway there. Ugh. I think our prices are too low. *SIGH*

One last push next week. We're DONE as of Saturday.

Cinnamon Rolls = 2 Plates $10

M&M Cookies = 2 Plates $10

Homemade Oreos = 2 Batches $12

4.01.2009

Idol Recap

I'm so done with Paula as a judge. I can hardly even listen to her nonsensical drunk blubbering lately. What do you want to bet that this is her last year, and Kara will take her place from next season on?? PLEASE??? One can only hope...

I really wish the judges would stop going on and on about song choice. Part of me wants to have a week where EVERY contestant sings the SAME song - then we'd weed out real quickly who's the worst...

And speaking of the worst...

MEGAN - Once again, PAINFUL. HATE her look. HATE her voice. HATE that the judges still like her, even though she's a trainwreck who has about three notes in her register.

SCOTT - Geez, I couldn't even listen to it last night. Fast-forwarded through most of it. It BAFFLES me why the judges are trying to keep him on. We decided that his hair looked even worse last night than usual - a la Kirk Cameron in Growing Pains...

ANOOP DOG - You're no Usher, dude. And I hate to sound like the judges, but the song didn't do him justice.

ALLISON - I really LIKED her outfit, I don't know what the judges' problem was... song was messy, though- she's no Gwen.

LIL - strapless dresses are NOT her thing. She really needs some lift, if you know what I mean. I can't even remember what she sang, only that it bored me. We know she can sing, but she doesn't seem to be a great song chooser/performer sometimes.

MATT - I LIKED it, even though the judges hated it. Sigh... I guess we'll be seeing him in the bottom three again tonight.... even though he SO doesn't deserve it.

DANNY - WOAH! Way better this week, dawg! You KNOW I got mad love for you, right? Oh, sorry, slipped into Randy mode...

KRIS - surprisingly one of my favorites this week, for the first time! Captivating. Dig the fact that he can play the piano too. Like the facial hair - but next week, please leave the goatee and shave the 'stache.

ADAM - a little strange, but again, COOL. He's the most exciting BY FAR.


Who I THINK should be in the bottom three: Megan, Scott, Anoop

Who I think will ACTUALLY be in the bottom three tonight: Megan, Matt, Allison