Friday Fragments #181 and Five Question Friday:

 After last weeks fragment post about my laundry, I used the tip from Ann in the Up about throwing in two loads of laundry a day every morning. Now I didn't get the loads in every morning, but I did three on Monday, one on Tuesday, two on Wednesday (thanks to a doggie having a potty accident) and one on Thursday. The laundry mountain never appeared. It was much easier doing one at a time.

 I don't know if I ever mentioned getting a dog back in October that started out as a foster. We fell in love the first day and adopted her. I felt bad for closing the door on fostering dogs for the rescue group so I told them I would open my door to another dog. Well we got another foster last Saturday and boy, having three dogs is a lot of work. Especially this one that came to us. The poor thing has been in several foster homes and needs to relearn basic doggy manners. In a weeks time he has done quite well. I'm impressed. The person that ends up adopting him will get a well mannered, sweet tempered dog.

 The one day that I didn't walk Miss K to class (I have walked her every day this year), I miss out on finding out that there is an awards ceremony for 3rd grade. Sitting at work, I get a text. K received the citizenship award. I couldn't believe it! I missed seeing her get this award!! I was SO bummed. My husband and I were so proud of her that we took her out for dinner, her choice.
This was the first time she received this award since starting Kindergarten.

I have another busy weekend ahead of me. My grandmother was in the hospital for four weeks and last weekend went to a rehab center. She should be there two weeks and then re evaluation to see if she is capable to go home. ( she has been bed ridden for two years) I am going into visit her on Saturday and Sunday. I haven't seen her in three weeks. Again, another reason the laundry work has been a blessing in disguise.  

I really dislike Florida weather. It's really stinks when it can't decide whether it wants to be cold or warm. We went from low 40's at night, last weekend to high 70's Tuesday through Thursday. Then a front pushed through, brought sprinkly rain and now today dropped back to the 50's in the afternoon. It has created a head cold for me. Hot throat, runny nose, sinus pressure..... ugh.


I usually don't combine memes, but this Friday I'm going for it. It's easier this way since I have a full plate this weekend. Heaven help me.






1. Where do you hide the reeeally good snacks?  Well if I told you, then you might come over and eat them. Then when I go looking for them, they'll be gone. Just kidding. Really good snacks would be home made cookies or chocolate covered ice creams bars. All of which are in the deep freezer in the garage, where the kids never venture to unless given permission. Because once, the freezer was left open and you can figure out the rest.

2. Do u keep your vehicle clean or am I the only one who has things falling out of their van?  I try VERY, VERY hard to keep my van clean. I regularly have it washed and I don't like clutter left in it. No toys, books, food wrappers, left over food (that will never and has never happened) or what such will be allowed to take up residency in my vehicle. I carry a small dust pan and broom and a micro fiber towel to wipe things down. Yes, I am THAT anal.

3. Have you ever been to Vegas? Nope. Can't say that I have.

4. Warm room light blankets or cold room warm snuggly blanket? Cold room with snuggly blanket. I would get a nose bleed in a warm room. I prefer to not run the heat (this is Florida, mind you) unless it drops to the 30's or below outside. So prepare to wear socks, long sleeves and snuggle into a warm, fuzzy blanket at my place.

5. What is the worst airplane/flying experience you've ever had?When Miss K was 14 months old (2004) and I flew home from Colorado after visiting my cousin who had just had her second child. I bought one ticket and had her ride in my lap. Going there was not bad because the plane was half full and she rode in an empty seat next to me. Coming back, it was a full plane, the afternoon (she missed her nap) and she was bouncing off the walls. It didn't help that we almost missed the plane, they had to hook up the gangplank (or whatever that is) so we could board. I'm sure the people on the plane were thinking oh great, a woman with a child held us up. Just great. K was not content to sit in my lap and watch tv, she was wiggling and crying. The guy next to me went to the bathroom a gazillion times and then he stopped coming back until we were descending. I felt horrible and apologized several times. I never have done that again. I will never try and be frugal and pay the consequences.

5QF: Last Friday of 2011

So here I am finally back to some blogging! I LOVE when I can find the time to sit down and write or do a blog meme. I have been enjoying the latest thing on some blogs A Year in Blogging. I wish I had gotten back on earlier so I could have done one, but sadly my computer was down to a nasty virus! Somehow I contracted it and thankfully my husband was able to remove it and add a new spyware program. But it took a few days to remedy the problem.
Cheers to one last 5QF for 2011!! Happy New Years y'all!

1. What's the oldest piece of clothing in your closet? I think I have finally gotten the clothes from high school weeded out. Whew! So the oldest article of clothing hanging in my closet would have to be, ten years old! That is still VERY, VERY sad.

2. How many random blog readers have you met? Well if Ican count MckMama as a random reader, then one. We met when she was in Tampa for photo shoots and she took pictures of my kids. 

3. Do you let your kids stay up till midnight on New Years Eve? (Or, if you don't have kiddos yet, did you get to stay up until midnight as a child?) Yes, I let them stay up, if they can make it. I have yet to be able to go to a New Years party without kids, so for nine years (including the year I was pregnant with Miss K) I have had kids with me. Seriously though, I have a hard enough time staying up until midnight. There have been many years where I have passed out on the floor waiting. It's a big joke to see how long I'll last.

4. What are the gas prices where you live? Let's see. Today, the corner gas station near my house is $3.279 a gallon. Two days ago it was $3.199 in the morning and when I got back from Tampa in the evening it was $3.299. It's irritating to watch it jump 10 cents in one day, then 10 more the next, then down 2 the next. ANNOYING!

5. What is one resolution that you know you should do but are too afraid to try? Go back to college. I have been thinking about starting classes again. Biggest fear with this~~ that I won't be able to figure out a major again.

5QF: Feeling like Fall

 Woohoo!! It's Friday and I am so glad for that for several reasons. One, we are actually getting cooler weather this weekend in this neck of the woods. I have had my fair share of HOT, muggy weather and it's time we bask in the cool, crisp mornings of fall. We are quite busy this weekend and you'd think I'd want to slow down after a long busy week. Lemme think about this for a minute.....Nah. 

I'm going shopping with my SIL and niece on Saturday with no kids!! My hubby has graciously accepted kid responsibility for a day while I go spend money. Also, with our Sea World passes we are heading to SW for their annual Spooktacular on Sunday after church. We haven't told them yet and I can't wait to see the excitement!!! 

Now onto some 5QF. I haven't participated in weeks!! W E E K S!!! I'm usually volunteering in Miss K's class on Fridays, but I'm such an overachiever and got so much done, the teacher does not need my help today. Cool for me. I can enjoy three solid hours of no children, checking my blogs, writing and emailing. Nice.

1. Do you apologize to your kids if you're wrong? Yes I do. I've actually had to do that a few times when I made a mistake and blamed the wrong child for something. Like an innocent child, they have accepted my apology with a kiss and a hug. If only adults could display such innocence in a mistake.

2. Do you have a class ring, Letterman's jacket, or similar obscenely priced high school "must have"? Yes I did have my parents pay for a class ring. I wore that thing for so many years then when I got pregnant with my daughter I put it away. It's been sitting in my jewelry box for ten years now. I haven't even looked at it anymore.

3. If you could be one age for the rest of your life, what age would you choose? I would like to be 25. It was such a carefree age for me.

4. What is your favorite (unused) baby name? I love quintessential names that my husband wrinkles his nose at. Alexander, Nathanial, Edward, Elizabeth.. Wow I am at a loss for girl names. Boy names are easy for me. I also loved the names Natalie and Aubrey. Those names were never used for my little girl. Again.. the *nose wrinkle*.

5. If you could make your child like something what would it be? For Little E~ vegetables!! If I could get that boy to eat veggies without me trying to sneak them into foods or bribe him to eat them, it would be great. He is such a picky eater and it really frustrates me. 
If I could get Miss K to like cleaning. That child is not me at all, in the sense of OCD. She might be obsessive about her trinkets and papers, but she is in NO WAY obsessive about keeping a clean room. She is definitely her father's daughter.  

5QF: End of Summer

It's Friday!! The last Friday before school starts! Woohoo!!! We're going to meet Miss K's teacher today and I'm so excited! I think I'm more excited than she is. She is going to third grade and this is an important year. The first year of FCAT testing and it is imperative that we have a good teacher. We had an amazing teacher last year and I'm hoping we do again this year. Wish us luck!!





1. Do you close the bathroom door when you are home alone?

Nope. I usually head to my side of the house and try to go as quickly as possible. If I close the door, the kids think I'm doing something fun without them and will head in the direction of that closed door. Like, seriously, what else would I be doing in there?

2. You have to walk around with a word on your forehead. That word describes you. One word. What is it?
Spastic. I wasn't sure of the real definition so I googled it. Here is the use of it in the United States according to Wikipedia. In American slang, the term "spaz" is largely inoffensive, and is generally understood as a casual word for clumsiness, sometimes associated with over excitement, excessive energy, or hyperactivity. I usually have this excessive amount of energy and am going a mile a minute. I talk like that, drive like that, do everything like that. That's me a nutshell.

3. What store do you refuse to shop at and why?

Victoria's Secret. They do NOT make a bra in my size and panties in my size. And I'm going on a limb here I AM not that big. An extra large is not big enough to head to the plus sizes!!! I think the lady who started VS is a big old snooty b!tch.

4. If you participated in arranged marriages for your child(ren), who would you choose for your child(ren)?

Heck, I have no flipping idea!!! I don't know any boys who are Miss K's age that I find worthy enough and brave enough to be my future SIL. My BFF's son is the same age and absolutely adorable, but considering the difference in religion, they would not be able to marry. (according to her)

Little E , I have no idea again. You have to remember, the person they marry has a family and you forever become linked to them.

5. If you could pick how and when you would die, would you?

I don't want to pick when, as long as I've lived long enough to see my children marry, then I'm good. I would like to die in my sleep, just like my sweet grandmother who passed away when I was very young. I don't want to have my life linger in pain.

5QF:Summer almost over

It's Friday and I'm looking for a little down time. The first nine weeks of summer have been very busy to say the least and we have three left. I think I'm counting right. Miss K has been in various summer camps for several of the weeks and the last one ended today. As much as I like that she is kept busy doing things she loves, this mama needs a break before school starts. I want this to feel like summer. We need to squeeze in a few more trips to the beach and head to the zoo. We have been so constricted by summer camps that we haven't been able to relax and really enjoy what we used to do when the kids weren't old enough for camps.

I had good intentions of doing my 5QF early this morning, but we headed to the mall after picking up Miss K to get more school clothes. Dillard's is having their fabulous 40% sale and I scored some good deals for my girl.






1. Vow renewal ceremonies-yay or nay? Ok, I was on the fence about this one, but after reading a few other answers I think that an intimate ceremony on a special anniversary on an island like Hawaii would be my idea of a vow renewal. My parents actually had a vow renewal on their 30th wedding anniversary but only because they never had a real wedding. They eloped before my dad had to leave the country while he was in the military. It was a wonderful ceremony and the last time I remember my grandmother being out of her house. Ok, I'm completely going off the question.. sorry.

2. What sound/s annoy you the most? The noises that people make when eating. It's like nails on a chalkboard. Slurping. crunching food with an open mouth. chomping loudly. Gulping for air in between bites of food. NO THANK YOU! I cannot stand it and have taught my kids to eat quietly and even had to train the hubs. It's funny how he never noticed and after showing him he can't stand it either.

3. If you had to pick, would you have only all boys, or only all girls for kids?
I don't think I would pick all of either. I used to want all boys before having kids and I had a girl first. She is such a drama queen about things. It's very trying. My son is a complete polar opposite. He's laid back and goes with the flow. If I have another babe, personally I'm hoping for another boy. We have enough drama here.

4. Do you believe in alternative medicine?
In certain circumstances. Western medicine is a lot about pumping you full of drugs. I'm not saying medicine is a bad thing, because I have been very grateful that I have advanced medical care readily available for me.
BUT..

When I was in a car accident many years ago I went to my family doctor first. (I skipped the ride in the ambulance to the hospital) He prescribed a barrage of drugs to take. I then went to a chiropractor who took xrays and determined my back and neck were under pressure from pinched discs. I went for the chiropractor. Six months later my back and neck were almost back to normal.

5. Would you take a family member's children and raise them if they needed it?

Yes I would. If it meant between my house or under state's care I would take them. I would make sure that the situation would not adversely affect my family and consider the circumstances as to why they need care to make sure.

It makes you think about if you and your spouse were to die unexpectedly, ie car accident. Where would your children go? Do you have a will? Something I haven't done either and have talked about many times. I want to make sure my children go to the right home.


Have a great weekend y'all! I'm heading out this weekend on Sunday again. Tampa bound!

5QF:Summer

Is it Friday? Ah yes. I look forward to Friday's every week because it starts a four weekend for me every week! And now that the dance recital is over (pictures to come soon) there are no more dance classes on Friday nights. Yippeeee!! I get my Friday nights off again, at least until school starts again. Shhhh. I know, we have 10 more weeks left of summer and I plan to enjoy every bit of the sun, sand, surf and whatever other excursion we plan.

Now for some 5QF.


1. How close to your childhood dreams is your life now?

Funny you would ask, since I wrote this really off the wall post about what my life would be without kids. If I followed that childhood dream my life would be extremely different. My choices have not paralleled those dreams at all. So my life is not what I thought about as kid, not really.

2. What is one must have item for the summer?

FLIP FLOPS. I love my flip flops. I can slip into them and just go. Whether I need to run a quick errand, go to the pool, hit the beach or take a walk down the road chasing the kids in the Power Wheels Escalade, they're convenient. If you're looking to do a flip flop swap, my fellow blogger is having one.

3. Do you have your kids stay up on school stuff during summer vacation? (Or, if you don't have kiddos, did your parents make you keep up on school stuff during summer?)

Only Miss K is in school, Little E will be starting Pre K this fall. I never kept up too much on it besides having her continue to read and write stories during the summer. But last year she struggled with some Reading Comprehension testing in second grade so I purchased some books to help her out. Her teachers sent home books and workbooks that were not used during the school year so we're going to start doing a few pages each day. Third grade in Florida is a big year with FCAT testing. If your child doesn't score high enough, they will fail. I think that 12 weeks is too long during the summer (even though I am excited about all the fun time) for a kid to go without school. Little is pretty prepared, almost over prepared for Pre K and we'll be working on learning how to read this summer.

4. Do you can or freeze fresh produce?

Nope. I used to prepare baby food for Little E and freeze it when he was a baby, but other than that no. I probably should start thinking about it. We're growing fresh vegetables in our garden but have not attempted fruits. I want to start checking out my local farmers market to get some pesticide, GM free produce. If I got an overabundance I might just need to learn how to freeze or can it.

5. Do you get ready for the day first thing in the morning?

Only three out of the seven days a week I have to. Only in the summer anyways. I have been a homebody these first two weeks of summer vacation and sat around in my house shorts and t-shirt until 1:30 yesterday. It was movie day at home for the kids and I. It was so much cheaper to rent $1.00 movies from the Blockbuster Express box, pickup a $1.80 bag of Whoppers candy and pop our own popcorn. Boy that was fun. But seriously it depends on the day. Soon, when Miss K starts her day camps I'll be getting up early again, showering and leaving the house by 8:30am to get her to art camp. Cheers to summer!

5QF: Floating on a Raft

1. If you had to choose, how would you prefer to choose to spend money...on landscaping or a pool? If I had to choose between just these two, I would go for the pool. Since I live in Florida and grew up having a pool, swimming the entire summer and every weekend we could, I want my kids to have that same opportunity. Nice landscaping would really go nice with a new pool but maybe next time...

2. (Scott likes to get things stirred up...) Death penalty, yay or nay? ohhh, going all controversial are we?? I say yay. If the punishment fits the crime, then it's that persons time. If the criminal kills some one(intentionally) then they should be punished for what they did.

3. What's the worst thing your kid has gotten into when you turned your back/blogged/showered/blinked?
I can't think of anything over the top that my kids have gotten into when I was busy. I don't have any of those funny stories with kids pulling out a box of tampons and opening them up in my bathroom or dumping powder and lotion all over. The one thing that I can think of is that Little E had an obsession with liquid soap. I would give him a bath and let him play for a little bit, leaving him in the tub. (yes, I can see the children's bathroom from my recliner in the living room) At least a handful of times I have gone back in the bathroom, he would have extra bubbles in the tub and we'd have an empty bottle body wash. Once, it was a brand new bottle.


4. How often do you REALLY go to the dentist?
I had not been in YEARS! until last year. Now I regularly get my cleanings. dental work isn't cheap and it's nice that I have dental insurance. Hence the reason the whole family goes now.

5. What is your favorite animal (doesn't have to be a pet-type animal)?
hmmmm. That is a tough question when you can choose any animal. I still LOVE dogs the most. If I could have any dog I would have a great dane. I don't have a house big enough for one but if I did....I just love how goofy and clumsy they are. A sweet dog in a big package.

5QF: Easter

Happy Easter Weekend!
I'm looking forward to a nice family fun filled
weekend. The kids and I dyed our Easter eggs this evening
and they look really cute!
I was going to take the kids to an egg hunt on Saturday but the hubs
didn't want to fight the masses and stand in line to get a few
free eggs filled with candy. So we have decided to go to Sea World .
The best part, this weekend starts the new Shamu show called
Ocean One. We couldn't have timed that better.
The kids don't know the plan, so they'll be excited. Especially
since we skipped seeing Shamu last month because we were so tired of the Believe show.
I won't say this will be a relaxing holiday weekend..
I decided to host Easter dinner at my house for my parents and
the hubs' dad and stepmom. Wish me luck!
Now for some 5QF.

1. What is your favorite Easter tradition? I LOVE hiding the plastic Easter eggs and watching the kids find them. Before having kids, I used to hide them for my niece and nephew and it was so fun! Now watching my 16 yr old niece and 12 yr old nephew is pretty funny, because they get into these drag out arguments when hunting the eggs. Hiding the eggs has been a tradition for my family for years. I remember waiting in the house with all the curtains pulled while my dad would hide the eggs outside. There was always one "golden" egg and one "silver" egg that were prize eggs to find, which were created from tinfoil and paint for the gold one. Those were the days.

2. Are you a "shower" or a "long, hot bath" kind of person? I like to take a long, hot shower and let the spray of water beat on my shoulders. An uninterrupted shower is the best kind, but those are few and far between. For some reason there is always a crisis when I step into the bathroom. So long gone are the days when I can just relax in the shower. I'm lucky if I get to shave my legs without one of the kids calling me.

3. Can you parallel park and if so when is the last time you did it? I sure can. Unlike the people I watch trying to pull straight into one at Walmart. (our Walmart has parallel parking) I wonder how they ever passed the driving test?! I think I parked the van like that about a month ago. It's hard to get one of those spots. Or I could learn to do it like this.

4. What is your favorite Easter candy? Cadbury eggs or Robin Eggs. It's a toss up between those two. I had to stop buying the Robin eggs because I would eat an entire bag in one sitting, I just can't stop.

5. Easter: do you go all out with the Easter Bunny or focus on the religious part of the holiday?
I try to focus on the true meaning of why we celebrate Easter and not go overboard on the bunny. I want my children to know why we celebrate this day and why it is so important. We always attend church service so my children know why we do. Like all the religious holidays, I remind my kids of the true meaning of why it's celebrated and still let them enjoy the "magic" of it.

5QF:Never

So.... usually I'm excited about Friday, I get all giddy and can't wait for the weekend. But today, actually right now it's already 2 am and I'm sitting up reading blogs, checking email and writing my posts. My husband has been out of town visiting family and it's driving me crazy. Taking care of the home front, caring for the kids, going into work and planning fun stuff for Spring Break has exhausted me. I overslept Thursday morning by almost two, TWO hours!
I genuinely miss my husband.


So to keep my mind busy and to continue with what I enjoy, a little bit of 5QF is in order.


1. Have you ever testified in court? For what? Nope. That is so weird, but I have never been to court for anything of the sort. Not even traffic court.

2. Do you still have your wedding dress? Sure do. I'm actually embarrassed to think about or even admit where I currently have it. This is my 10th year of being married, this October. I think about six months after being married I shoved the dress, in it's white zipper bag into a storage trunk. I put a masterlock on it and I had, yes had the key. I used to have it. I kept the trunk stored in Miss K's closet after moving into the house we live in now and about a year or so ago I moved it to my closet. I went looking for the key to open it and can't find it.
Now it's going to involve bolt cutters.. or maybe a blow torch.. That lock has to be removed. One day.

3. Is there a special place you like to go when you're happy, sad, stressed, etc.? I don't really have a "special place" persay. When I need to get away, I go for a walk alone. I've found the quiet time is soothing and lets me collect myself. That is if I'm stressed. Otherwise, I like to escape with music. I put on my soundtrack on my iPod and "jam out" as my husband would say. I like to escape into the music.

4. If you have kids, do they sleep with you? If you don't have kids...will you let your kids sleep with you when/if you have them?

They do not sleep with us. Since this Wednesday when the hubs went out of town Miss K has been sleeping with me, but Little E prefers to sleep in his own bed. Fine with me.
I tried letting Miss K sleep with us when she was about a year old, only when she would wake in the night and wouldn't settle back down. BIG MISTAKE. She would kick us, shove us and eventually get up out of our bed and wander around our bedroom. I put a kabosh on that quickly. No kids sleeping in our bed around here unless they are a newborn/infant who is nursing.

5. Do you watch late night TV?
Occasionally I watch The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. But I usually just stay up late to catch up on shows I have on my DVR. I try to watch my television when the kids are sleeping.

5QF: 02/25/11

I think I say this every week, I can't believe it's FRIDAY already??! Where does the week go? I love when Thursday afternoon rolls around. I work Thursday mornings and after picking up Miss K from school I have the next four, YES four days off from going into the family business. The only thing that I have to worry about is getting Miss K to school on Fridays and then the weekend is mine.
This weekend we are starting our back yard garden. I'm looking forward to planting some summer squash, tomatoes, carrots, onions and cucumbers. I'm not looking forward to building the boxes for the beds but it will be well worth it.

Enough about my weekend! So onto some 5QF from Mama M!!

1. Can you drive a stick shift? Sure can! My mom taught me when I was 16 in my dad's Nissan pickup truck. She would come pick me up from work in the evenings and we would go to a vacant parking lot. Those were some good times!! It was so hilarious when I would try to shuft gears and the truck would buck and do that wrrroomm, wrooomm. Good times.


2. What are two foods you just can't eat? Brussel sprouts.. I hated them as a kid and I hate them now. I just can't get over that awful taste. I even tried smothering them in velveeta cheese. And the other food I dislike is celery. I cannot see how anyone can smother a stalk in peanut butter and crunch away. No thanks!


3. Do you buy Girl Scout Cookies? What is your favorite kind?
Yes I do! Even as expensive as they are I still buy them. This year we already bought six boxes!!! My favorite are the Thank You's. They are sooo good. Hubs says they are the same as Keebler grahams with fudge but I disagree. They have the flavor of windmill cookies with that yummy fudge on the back. "Thank You" girl scouts for coming up with a cookie that I LOVE!

4. How do you pamper yourself?
Getting a pedicure and my eyebrows waxed. But that has only been a dream because it's been WAY too long since I have been. The best I have gotten in pampering is taking an extra long shower with the shower head on massage beating on my neck. Sad, I know. The life of a part time working, stay at home mom with one kid in a handful of dance classes.


5. What is your nickname and how did you get it?
Teenie. When my first niece starting talking she couldn't say my name and Teenie was what she first called me. We kept the name even after she got older and she just turned 16 this past January. My other nieces and nephews even call me Teenie and my sister in law (who is the mom to my niece who first called me that) calls me Teenie. It's funny, because body wise, I don't feel like a Teenie. It's cool.

Feeling froggy?? Check out Mama M at My Little Life and join in on the Five Question Friday carnival.

5QF:Fun

So I was so eager to see Mama M.'s 5QF questions yesterday

but they were not posted when I looked. So I am working on
them today, FRIDAY. Because this Friday I actually am sitting at home.
It is soooo nice.

1. Have you worn the same outfit more than one day in a row? Not an entire outfit. I have worn a pair of jeans more than one or two days in a row but when it's cold out and you don't have to worry about sweating in them you can go a few days.
My OCD life will not permit me to wear a shirt or panties more than one day in a row! That is just ewwww.

2. If you had to choose any LARGE city to live in, which would it be?
I would live in New York City! Now don't get me wrong, I like where I live because it's not crowded and I can get in MY car and drive myself somewhere without TONS of traffic BUT I would love to experience city life! The BIG city life! Broadway shows, outside diners, corner vendors with hot dogs, the BIG department stores and walking along the sidewalks to get where you're going!
Living in a 3 bedroom apartment in a high rise with a doorman and some one to walk my dogs for potty breaks! It would be kinda nice.

3. Fly or drive with the kids on vacation?
Well, if money was NOT an option I would say fly. Because driving anywhere more than five hours with the kids is NOT my idea of fun. Too many potty breaks, movie changes and "when are we going to be there!?"'s. ugh. But traveling in the night when they are sleeping is GREAT but it doesn't happen often because that means some one has to drive at night and be completely exhausted.

4. What is your idea of "spring cleaning"?
Purging and dumping out all the accumulated crap from the previous year, moving all the furniture and sucking up all the dust bunnies in every crevice. Wiping down all the knick knacks and airing out the house. Cleaning carpets with a deep cleaner, waxing the floors and dusting EVERYTHING!
I LOVE to clean because I am SO OCD about cleaning. It's hard to do DEEP cleaning often with a 3 1/2 year old in tow all the time. So when I get an opportunity to do it, I take it.

5. What is the best book you have ever read?
Hmmm. I love to read and I would say the best book that has really moved me was The Shack. I am reading a new book for my book club that Laura The Purseblogger started and it's pretty good so far. It's called Cutting for Stone.
I would like to say that the BIBLE is the best book I have read but I have not read the whole book yet. Not from front page to back page. I have read a lot of the Chapters but I like to dig deep into it and understand what it means. So it's a work in progress.

That's it! Hope y'all have a fabulous Friday and weekend! Tomorrow we're taking the kids to Sea World. We have annual passes which makes it more relaxing. No rushing to see it all and going with the flow. And I am making my favorite new burger recipe Cowabunga burgers for my friend Erin and her family tonight. Family FUN night at my house tonight!!!

5QF:Friday???

Where has the week gone? I woke up late
today (Thursday) and actually thought it was Friday.
I thought Miss K needed to turn in her homework
packet and we had not finished her reading fluency paper.
I felt like a kid again in school having to face the teacher
unprepared. Ugh.
Thankfully it was not Friday yet and the work got finished when
it was supposed to be.
I really hope that the Florida weather gets under control soon, this warm 70 degree
weather then whoosh, rain and then it's butt freezing again.
I have developed a winter cold thanks
to the flip flopping weather.
Speaking of flips flops, I really want to be able
to wear mine soon...

1. Would you rather be on ABC's Extreme Home MakeOver or TLC's What not to Wear? As much as I would like to say Extreme Home MakeOver, I don't consider my house a complete wreck to qualify for such extremes. But my wardrobe leaves much to be desired. I'll bet if I dig through my closets I would find dresses that I bought ten years ago, shorts that need to be replaced and and tops that have long gone out of style. I would LOVE a clothing make over!

2. Do you have any tattoos? yes, just one. I got it last year on my Birthday, it was a gift from my husband. It's on my low back, ya know they call it a tramp stamp. It's both my kids birth flowers inter twined with some foliage and their initials in it. I love it! It's so colorful and very tasteful.

3. Do you tell your kids about things you did growing up? Yes I do. I've talked about when my brothers and I used to ride our bicycles around our neighborhood and building forts in the woods by our house. The times that I went to the beach with my parents and the summers spent swimming in my backyard pool.

4. If the traffic signal turns yellow, do you stop or speed up? depends on how close I am to the intersection when it turns yellow. If I am within three care lengths from it I will go ahead and continue through but if I'm farther I will slow to stop.

5. What's your preference: chocolate or chips? Chocolate! I only chips when I am eating a sandwich so chips are not important to snack on. I like chocolate and have been indulging on some Edy's French Silk ice cream since Tuesday night and it's fabulous!! I suggest you try it and even better is that it's light, only half the fat compared to regular ice cream. So I don't feel as bad when I have a bowl every night since then.

5QF:01/21/20111

Ahhh, it's Friday and it should be a great day! But I am sitting at the Honda dealership with my Odyssey waiting to see what is wrong with it. I noticed a soccer ball sized puddle under it in the driveway. Well, the technicians find nothing. So now I am stumped,,, why is it when your car does something at home as soon as it gets to the service center it stops???!!! Grrrrr!

So I am keeping my mind busy with some 5 Question Friday!!!!

1. Where did you meet your spouse and did you instantly know it was love?
I was a senior in high school and my hubby was a junior. At the time I was dating his friend who was also a senior and it was Senior early release day. My boyfriend at the time was having vehicle problems so he asked his friend(hubs) to skip school and go with us. They were going surfing at the beach and I was pretty much tagging along. While the guys (there were five of them) were surfing, I was so bored in my cute bikini( yes,, the last time I ever wore one) I decided to walk into the waves and cool off. Or get some one's attention. And low and behold I get stung by a jellyfish! That crap hurt!! So I head back to the pickup truck and sit there, practically in tears and (hubs) saw from the ocean that something was wrong. My boyfriend could have cared less. So my "knight in shining armor" comes in to see what happened. We spent the next few hours chatting and enjoying each other's company. I was interested at ALL. Just friends.
A few weeks of "just friends" and talking on the phone I fell for him. And the rest is history. This year we will celebrate our 10 year anniversary! We've been together 18 years!!!!

2. What is your favorite room in your house?
I love my family room. It's where we as a family spend most of our time playing games, reading books or watching movies together. It's the place in our house where besides the kitchen we spend most of our time being a family.

3. Can you wiggle your ears?
Uhhhh, no. Not without moving my jaw. Which really hurts right now. It's raining and the barometric pressure is killing my head.

4. What is your evening ritual?

Dinner, bath for one child, shower for the other, brushing teeth,taking vitamins and allergy medicine, reading a bedtime story, chasing one kiddo to bed(he loves it) and lights out for kids. Once the kids are in bed, the hubby and I might watch some tv (depending on the night), I check email, facebook, my blog, write a blog post, edit photos, and read a few chapters of the current book I am reading. Depending on what I am doing my hubby my play his online game, or PS3. he has been busy with his MacBook lately. Our nights are random on what we do after the kids go to bed.

5. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
To function I need at least five. I would love to get more and actually get about seven on Saturday's. My body is so accustomed to getting less sleep that if I get too much I have a headache ALL day.

5QF: 01/07/11

Getting back into the regular routine, or at least trying to I'm feeling like a fresh start on the new year would be to participate in Mama M's 5QF! I have been slacking in the posting department and I've got a whole lotta ideas for posts, but I have to find the time to write them. So getting my feet wet, so to speak, I'm stepping out on Friday! I LOVE FRIDAYS!




1. What is your current favorite book, and why? Simplicity's Simply The Best Sewing Book. I just got this book for Christmas, along with a brand new sewing machine! I have been reading it and can't wait to get to the chapters that get me started on sewing. I attempted to sew some pillows before the holidays and was using a Sewing Genie. What a joke! Now that I'm going to be well read on sewing, I can't wait to finish my pillows and attempt to make my very own apron for the kitchen. Wish me luck!



2. Do you go to the dentist regularly? I actually just started going regularly last year. I went for my first cleaning in almost 15 years. Yep, sad. I went because I was having trouble with a wisdom tooth that needs to be removed and they found a few cavities. So I've been going regularly now.

3. What is your worst memory from High School? I told a deep dark secret (it is now) to a "friend" ad she told other people, one of them being my older brother. He was a senior and I was a freshman at the time. It was pretty humiliating to hear him complain to my mother about it but it was much worse to hear about people gossiping about your secret. Sadly, this secret haunted me all four years of high school. One reason I couldn't wait to graduate.

4. What do you hope to be remembered for in your life? First of all, I hope to be remembered. It's like having a birthday party and no one attending. I know that my family would be there and I know that those are the people that matter most. I want my children to be able to say, she was an amazing, loving mom. That their mother was the inspiration in their lives and was their cheerleader, coach, ring leader and friend. I want them to have the courage to go on when I have left this earth and the good qualities I have taught them to reflect from them.

5. Are you superstitious or do you have any superstitions? Both. I have never broken a mirror for fear of bad luck. Walking under a ladder doesn't creep me out but a black cat crossing my path! Yikes! I've had black cats run out in front of my car going down the road and it freaks me out! Spilled salt on a table? Oh yeah! I definitely make sure I throw some over my back. You can never be too careful. My husband laughs at me when I do that. I've done it in a restaurant and he laughs at me. I gotta watch my back.

Well folks, that's it for Friday! Hope you have a great weekend!

5QF: November

Wow! I'm on a roll, two blog hops in one day! I love it when I remember to look at the 5QF questions on Thursday night because I always forget by Friday morning and I'm so busy on Fridays. Tomorrow will be no exception. I hope I haven't over scheduled myself.

Wow. I am not tired tonight. I am guessing it's the coffee. I had half a cup of Kona coffee from my Keurig machine. Bad idea. It's very strong coffee and now I'm not tired. Got up late this morning but was lucky enough to still get Miss K to school on time. I might not get as lucky tomorrow. Wish me luck!


1. If you could have any talent and turn it into an occupation, what would it be? To be able to read minds like that guy on the show Heroes. It would be very practical in the investigative field that I really wanted to pursue before children. I love to figure things out. I never take anything for face value and always analyze what is said to me. I do over analyze and it gets me in trouble sometimes.

2. Would you rather have a house at the beach or a cabin in the woods? Cabin in the woods! I love the mountains so this cabin would be in the woods on a mountain. I would have a hammock on a surrounding porch with lots of room to roam in the nature. I would have plenty of space to have all my dogs and horses. What a dream!

3. Is there any meaning or reasoning for the names you chose for your child/children? yes. I wanted an Irish name for my first born even though we had no idea what the gender was. And we paired the names we picked with middle names from our families. I picked my son's name the same way but we knew what he was. If I have another, it will have a name from Irish descent as well. I'm part Irish and proud of it.

4. What is your guilty pleasure? (I know we've done this one before, but I'm guessing people's "guilty pleasures" change frequently. At least, mine do!) brownies! Lately I have been craving chocolate, gooey brownies! the gooey the better!

5. Do you live in a house that is deep cleaned or straightened? uhhh, both. Actually I have been really bad about my deep cleaning but anyone else would never notice because all my friends say my house is SO clean. I know where the dust bunnies are though. I just haven't had the time to vacuum them up. But overall the house is pretty spotless and always, always straightened.

5QF:Chef Mom

Where did the week go? Really.?
I cannot believe that it's Friday!
The days fly by and I am running out of time
to get my kids Halloween costumes finished.
I am looking forward to another fun weekend with the kids
and my husband. The kiddos are going to Grandma's house Saturday
night and having a sleep over.
ALONE time for mommy and daddy.
Oh how I'll miss them.

1. Who is the better cook, you or your spouse? I am, because I do all the cooking and LOVE to cook. I enjoy cooking meals for my family and relish the praise when they enjoy what I've cooked.I have taken family recipes and altered them to my liking and perfected them. My husband tells me that each time I recreate a meal it gets better.

2. How often do you talk to your mom? Pretty much everyday except on weekends. I'm so busy with my family doing recreational activities that I don't call her then. My mom and I have a pretty good relationship when I don't tell her too much of my personal life.

3. Are you adventurous in the kitchen or stick to the recipe? I will stick to the recipe the first time I make something but if I taste-test it and it doesn't seem right I might add something to it. If I make the recipe again I will most definitely alter it and make it differently. I have made several recipes of my own and love to get creative in the kitchen. I had made some pretty fabulous dishes and a few duds. Trial and error, only one way to find out.

4. Is your second toe longer than your big toe? Yes it is. On both feet. Isn't is something special if they are? I thought I heard that somewhere.

5. Do you dress up for Halloween? (Bonus question: What will you be this year?) Depends. I did two years ago when I dressed the kids as The Lion and Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. I dressed up as the Wicked Witch, it was so cute! We met up with some friends to go trick or treating and they didn't even recognize me. I wore a fake nose and green makeup that I did myself and it was pretty good. Pretty fabulous.

This year, I won't be anything. Just me.

5QF:I'm back!

Oh how I have missed blogging while my computer was down without power. I was slacking before that, I know. Writer's block, it's true. It happens. But it's nice to be back in my grooove and I have missed playing some 5QF with Mama M. Happy Friday!! I can sleep in and I'm gonna need it since it is 12:30 am and I am still up, but no school for the kids. Ahhh.




1. What is your favorite Halloween candy? If I had to pick a candy that I only consume at Halloween or the month of October because it's all over, is CANDY CORN! But it has to be the original yellow, orange and white made from Brach's. I bought a bag that was store brand and usually store brands are pretty much the same as premium brands but nope, not those.

2. Do you fold your socks? yes I do. I fold my socks and my husband's socks and they are folded a particular way. The kids socks since they are so small are folded and then the top is folded around both socks to keep them in pairs. Anal, yep. I even make sure to match up new white socks with new and old with old.

3. What is something that you wish you had been warned about? that life doesn't get easier with kids after they aren't babies anymore. I thought that once they started school that it would be less hectic, nope. No way! I'll take midnight feedings over getting up at 5:30am every weekday even on my days off. Sometimes I wish it was summer already.. and we're only nine weeks into the school year.

4. What is the most significant difference between you and your significant other? he's messy and I am not. He likes it clean but doesn't have the drive like I do to clean, organize and clean some more. Even when I am completely exhausted from a long day of getting one kid ready for school, laundry, grocery shopping and a 2 hour and 15 minute of watching Miss K at dance class I will still find the energy to pick up the house, vacuum the floors and wash dishes at 9:30. Yep. Did I say OCD? lol!


5. What are three words you would use to describe yourself? (And, just for fun...if your significant other is around, ask him/her what 3 words they would use to describe you!!)

Hubs: strong, stubborn and .......judgmental
Those would not be the words I would have used! But I asked him to give me three words to describe me to some one. I wonder what he means by strong? Strength as in muscles? Or strong minded? Hmmmm. I agree with stubborn because it definitely runs in my family, that is hereditary. Judgmental, I am not touching that one. That was the old me, really. I try hard.


Check out my new meme starting next Tuesday! Come by and play!

5QF: Loving Life

Wow, this is like the first week that Friday
creeped in slowly and I've enjoyed the relaxation.
Life is grand!
I changed Miss K's dance schedule so I only have to drive to the studio
on Tuesday and Friday.
The stress of driving 30 minutes there and back
3 times a week, 3 days in a row was
getting to me.

1. Did you have a pen pal when you were little (or now)? Where were/are they from? Yes, I had a pen pal when I was in elementary school. I don't remember much else.

2. If you could do a different job for one day, what would it be? Well I am a full time stay at home and a part-part time motorcycle parts person/phone answerer for my parent's motorcycle shop. I would like to be a forensic crime scene investigator. That used to be my dream job before I had kids. But that is a demanding job that requires you to be on call so I didn't continue to pursue it.

3. Do you remember your biggest fear from when you were little? I was afraid of the dark ( I'm still afraid of it, here's a post, but I have gotten better in the past few months) and I would freak out if I had to take out the trash. My parents lived, and still live on this big hill with a long, high driveway. So you had to walk way down the hill and take the trash to the cans which were placed near the woods. Creeeepy. I was terrified of doing that job and I would bribe my brother to do it for me.

4. What do you think is a waste of time? Why? This one is a hard one for me because there are a lot of things that I think are a waste of time, like washing my van because hours after I do it the sand from the road covers it but it's necessary to do it or cleaning my sliding glass doors because once they're clean the kids have to wipe their hands on them or walk up to it while I'm cleaning them and squish their noses on the clean glass. But it's necessary to clean them because it drives my OCD nuts!

5. What is the oldest item you have in your closet? I have a satin jewelry box that I had when I was a little girl. It still has old necklaces, broaches, pins and bracelets that I collected when I was little. The broach I have is probably older than the box because my grandmother gave it to me.

This week I'm also linking up with The Girl Creative
and Trendy Treehouse for some
New Friend Friday
I've been in such a good mood lately
and finally managed my schedule, the kids schedule
and work to make more time for my regular blogging again.
I don't like to participate unless I'm serious and going to have
the time follow others back.
So for you newcomers, thanks for stopping in
and checking out my blog.

5QF: I'm outta here!

I am glad to say it's Friday!!! On Tuesday I was stressing that Friday was going to be here too quickly and I wasn't going to get everything done this week before I leave for scrapbook retreat! After typing this I will be heading to drop off Little E with my mother
and heading about an hour or so away to a Bible Camp to scrapbook ALL weekend! I am sad too, because I have never been away from Little E more than a twelve hours. I have never left the kids with their daddy for more than one day either.
EEEEEKKKK!
Wish him luck that he handles the house
and kids as best he possibly can.
Oh and by the way, he has to take
both kids to a birthday party on Saturday too.
He LOVES me!

So now onto some Five Question Friday.

1. Do you feel guilty spending money on yourself? oh yes. I usually have to rationalize spending money on myself. If I go clothing shopping for myself I am more than likely going to buy more clothes for the kids or the hubs than myself. I guess psychologically it makes me feel better to buy stuff for them and then it can justify me buying something for me.

2. How well do you know your neighbors? The neighbor across the street and the guy with all the dogs we know their names. My next door neighbor, I just found out her name from a mutual friend. I never talk to her. I always see her driving her car. That's about it.

3. What age are you looking forward to being? Let's see. 60. I would hope to be retired by then and my kids will have left the nest and I will be looking forward to being a Grandma. I want to be the Grandma that I didn't get. My dad's mom was not the type to teach me sewing, baking or any of those warm, fuzzy Grandma things. My mom's mom was that woman and she passed away when I was 4.

4. Do you get excited when the mail comes? Why? nope!! We have community mailboxes at the end of the road, actually on the paved road 2 miles away and I never know when it's in the box. I dread it because I'm lazy like that an wait a few days to check it, so then I've got a pile of bills and junk. I used to love to get the mail when I first got married. It was so cool to get mail, FOR ME at my house! But not so much anymore.

5. What is your earliest childhood memory?
I was 2 and half and we moved into a rental house while the house my parent's still live in was being built. My great grandma came to visit and brought her viscous dog. He chased and attacked me and my brothers!! It was hilarious because we ran screaming and laughing the whole time. That is my clearest memory.

I do have an earlier one but it's not as clear, I was 2. My parents still lived in Tampa, where I was born and I remember going to my neighbor's house for a pool party. ( The kids were Billy and Janet) I remember their pool and playing kitchen in her bedroom. It was the last time we saw them before moving.

5QF: Sleep is not OVER RATED

Wow. I can't believe that it's Friday already. Where has this week gone? It's like a 5 day weekend for me! I usually have to work on Tuesday but my parent's are closing their business for the holiday. It's going to be a busy weekend with birthday parties (yes, more of those) and cookouts! Then another short week for me and then next Friday I leave at noon to go out of town for weekend retreat of scrap booking! A weekend all to MYSELF! I am excited about having some ME time, I don't know if I'll know what to do with myself.
Anyways.... onto some 5QF!



1. What do you do when you have time to yourself? uhh, lately I am never alone but If i have some alone time, I sleep. Yeah really fun, eh. Seriously sleep is not over rated. I used to grab a good book but reading just leads to sleeping.

2. When you look out your kitchen window, what do you see? you look out into my backyard and see our tomato garden that has long ago stopped producing tomatoes, the grill, the kids plastic Little Tikes slide and cozy coupe in their play yard and the woods that have grown into our chain link fence and created a beautiful shaded canopy over the back part of the yard.

3. Who/What would you want to be reincarnated as? an Amish woman. I have always been fascinated with how people lived in the old west and since I don't see our society ever going back to that I would love to experience living off the land. Back to nature, in touch with the Lord in a way that the Amish do it. They live such a simple life and sometimes I'd like life to be more simple.

4. What is your biggest pet peeve about other people's kids? How inconsiderate they are about toys and putting away their mess. I keep the kid's rooms organized and I expect guests to put it back the way they found it. Not drag every toy all over my house and leave it where they finished with it.

5. Regular or Diet soda? Diet. Diet Pepsi to be exact.