November - Gobble Gobble!!!

Wow - October went by quick....and its been a crazy couple of weeks so I'm sorry I've been gone.  My aniversary was last month and it was amazing! Hard to believe that I have been a married woman for ten whole years!! 
We finished with softball and now both kids are starting basketball.  I have to admit that I am so excited to be able to sit in the bleachers and cheer for my kids for a change :)

Derek got a promotion a few weeks ago.  It is such a blessing too - I am so proud of him.  He wasn't thrilled, it wasn't a promotion he asked for, but I think deep down he was proud of himself too.

Did I mention that  I am pumped that its November?? Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!!! I can't wait!!! Not to mention my birthday is the day before and the best shopping day of the year is the day after, so its going to be a fabulous week!!!

I'm changing...

I am going through some changes....and because of that, I wanted to start fresh....

Please join me!! :) www.mylifeplaylist.blogspot.com

So exciting!

Bamboopink is a new fashionable, yet affordable jewelry line made and designed by a famous, high-end designer whose current line is sold in upscale department sotres, is all over the red carpet and worn by Oprah! This compay is the first of its kind, an internet launched company with virtual trunk shows...there are no parties to host and o phone calls to make. Sign-ups are free, with no risks or obligations.

The free signing period is only for 30 days (through March 15), after that you will have to pay to be a consultant.

What sets this company apart from other direct sales compaies:

* GROUND FLOOR opportunity (probably won't ever happen to you again!)

* Strongest comp plan in the industry

* Very successful "designer" multi-million dollar jeweler making/backing this jewelry,
so sure to be successful!

* Instead of growing one sales rep at a time, this business model usig the free sign-up
period - we can grow fifty sales reps at a time - but the time to do that is NOW!

This company is goint to explode in a few weeks with a national press release and official launch. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So be one of the first to sign up!

Then you can do the same as me and get credit for signing up your friends, which is what we are compensated for with jewelry,cash and/or an ipad. It is not about sellig the jewelry at this point, but networking and creating interest. IF you decide not to sell, you have lost nothig and your name is dropped from the list.

It's simple to sign up, go to my site: www.bamboopink.net/cshoptaw

Opportunity knocking!

I am very excited about an opportunity presented to me today by a family member. I am still waiting for a little more information, but as soon as I have all my facts and information, I will let you know!! :)

Heartache

So, yesterday was 2 years since my dad died. It doesn't hurt any less now than it did then. I miss my dad more than anything.

I LOVE....

I said in my last post I was on a journey to self re-discovery....so I am slowly trying to find myself. So, today, I am going to share 20 things that I truly love, aside from the obvious which would be my husband and my kids.

1. Severe weather - see previous posts for explanations on this..lol.

2. Softball weather - these are the days that are a little warm but cool at the same time. It feels like there is no temperature because your not hot or cold, there might be a light breeze but it doesn't bother you and you can smell the cool moisture in the air. Its the perfect day to play softball. I love those days.

3. Books. I love to read. There is nothing on the planet better than a good story to take you away from your current struggles or worries and help ease your mind.

4. Online shopping. I rarely if ever buy anything online, but I prefer to shop online at home and then go to the store to get it. That is so weird I know, but I like to read the reviews and price compare and so forth. If it is anything that costs more than $100 you can bet it takes me a month to buy it. I just spent a month and a half purchasing a new washer and dryer. Last year, I shopped for 3 months just for a new television. My husband ended up waiting until I was gone to a board meeting before he just went and bought one himself.

5. Mascara. I love mascara. I rarely go without it. I get compliments alot on my "beautiful", "long", "thick" lashes, but really, if I am not wearing mascara, you don't see them. They are few, thin and short. Without makeup I look lashless. lol.

6. My blackberry. I cannot survive without my phone. You will not see me without it and I don't know how to go the whole day without it. I am seriously attached to it. It is my lifeline. For real.

7. Weird food combinations. I think I have touched on this before....but I eat weird combinations. Easy cheese on my hot dogs, Cheez its and ranch dip, pintos and cheese with cheetos....it goes on and on. ;)

8. Disney movies. I love fairytales. I love Disney. I have always just wanted to live at Disney World. It really is the happiest place on earth. I think the old Disney movies are the best - Snow White, Robin Hood, Peter Pan. I love the music, everything.

9. Old houses. I love old houses. I think every house has a story and the older the house, the better the story. I think I get this from my love of books....my imagination tends to run wild.

10. Trees. trees are my happy place. The woods, a forest, I love them. It relaxes me and I try to keep my trees as a focal point throughout the day to keep me balanced and relaxed.

11. Sweet Tea. And nobody makes sweet tea like my dad used to.

12. Quotes. I love quotes. I don't know why but I do. I have tons of them. I write them down and try to memorize them. Whether they are inspirational or silly, I love sayings. Not cheesy ones like "just believe", but things that people can appreciate or make someone laugh. For instance, my Southern Belle shirt that I am wearing today says "Lord fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and nudge me when I've said enough". I love that.

13. Music. I love music. I have so many grooveshark playlists its not even funny. I have everything - Classical, songs from musicals, country, rock, love songs, easy listening, rock and roll, classic rock, you name it, I have it, and I listen to them all. regularly. Right now I am on a serious grunge kick..like 90's alternative....I also love to fall in love with some random song from a movie or tv show. I go look it up online ad find it on grooveshark. I have a playlist of just those songs. My favorite soundtracks are the Twilight Saga soundtracks. Those songs are dark and moody and for some reason I find them relaxing. I heard Peyton from One Tree Hill refer to her Ipod as "100 songs to save your life". Thats my grooveshark account. 1,000 songs to save mine. lol.

14. Pictures. I love pictures. I have a horrible memory and the only way I can remember anything is to have a picture of it. I love to flip through my photo albums.

15. Romance. I love romance. I love to be romanced. and I married a man that is soooo not into romance. Don't get me wrong, he has his moments, but in the grand scheme of things, he is not a Romeo by any means. And I have this constant need to feel like Juliet. I want him to say things to me like Edward does Bella, like Noah did Alli, like Nick did to Kat....(for you non-movie buffs out there that last couple is from Wedding Date....and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that movie). aaawww swoon *big sigh* lol.

16. Movies. Movies are really up there with books for the same reason.

17. Space. I love outerspace. I could stare at stars forever. I am a nature girl, can you tell?

18. Pineapple. I know this is totally random right? I love pineapple. Its one of my favorite thigs to eat. I love love love fresh pineapple.

19. White gummy bears. I also love the white gummy bears. The rest are not as good to me, but the white ones rock... go figure, they are pineapple!

20. Brent and Sam / Ben and Jerry. I have an ongoing love affair with four different men other than my husband.....Brent and Sam Key Lime cookies (and I hate lime, but those are DIVINE) and Ben and Jerry ice cream. Which is probably why I look like an orca whale, but some B/J chocolate fudge brownie gets me every time ;)


So, there is some random 20 things I love. I am a random person and I enjoy random. Lol.

I hope you all have a great start to the week. I have to work from home tomorrow. Due to the weather snowing us in Wed - Fri last week I believe it will be a long one!!

XOXO

C.

Me. Exactly who is that again?

I've been gone. I know. But I am back now and I am ready to document what I am going through. My blog has been an outlet for me in the past and to be honest, the last couple of monhs, I just really haven't been ready to share. I have been struggling emotionally alot and I think now I am at a place that I am ready to turn a corner. I can't go into every thing I have been going through, that would take about 2 hours to type and a week to read lol. But I can share it in bits.

I have spent the last year doing alot of thinking. I absolutely used to love myself. Not in a conceited way or anything. I have always thought I was fat and definitely not pretty. But on the inside, I loved myself. I loved the fact that I could roll with anything. I didn't care what people thought of me and the way I lived my life so long as I was happy, and wasn't conforming to anything someone said I have to be. I was brave. I was fearless. I would shake my butt when I felt like dancing, I would eat an entire pint of ice cream and not feel bad. I would dance in the rain because there is no better music than rolling thunder. I layed on top of my mothers mini van every night staring at stars because there was nothing more peaceful and the picture changed every night. I love change. Same old every day gets boring. My bedroom in highschool was crazy and I loved it. One window had a hula skirt over it for a curtain, my border was actually bright yellow "CAUTION" tape courtesy of a close friend who used it for his truck shows, I had all the taco bell dog dolls tacked above my closet, which had a closet door that was actually a clear shower curtain that held photographs. The wall paper was thick and ribbed and a brown color so it was like cork board and I could tack and hang and never mess it up :) So one wall had about 25 different mall bags tacked in all different ways, from everywhere, Abercrombie, Macys, Wet Seal, Victoria Secret, Banana Republic, everywhere. Another wall had photograps from top to bottom, another wall had a spiral notebook wire stretched out and pinned up I could hang my necklaces from it. I had a dark blue blow up chair covered in glow in the dark stars, I had glow in the dark planets and stars and comets all over my ceiling, and they were actual beige stickers so you couldn't see them when the light was on and I had HUNDREDS, it was like the actual night sky on my ceiling complete with planets here and there, constellations, comets, and stars. It took HOURS to do and I loved it. I loved my room. I slept to my Aerosmith CD's everynight. Music calms me. It was great. I look back and I so miss that girl. I am not like that anymore. I am not fearless. I am afraid of everything. I don't quite roll with everything like I used to. So, in realizing this over the last year that I am not the same person I used to be, I am going to change that. I want to be that person again. Not so much the ACTUAL 17 year old person, but the fearless, brave, unique, optimistic, happy, memory making me. I want to be that person again and I know my husband would like that because it is the person he fell in love with. I think having children scared me so bad that it changed me completely. Almost changed me too much. I had children at 18 and 19 and I don't want to be the stereo typical mother. I try to do things with my kids to make them appreciate and love life. I want them to grow up to be like I was - dying for adventure, ready to go at a moments notice, unfraid of the real world and ready to take it on. I was fiercly independent and couldn't wait to be on my own. Then when I got the actual chance, I didn't go anywhere. Its funny to me when I look back, but I can change that now. So I am going to work on it. Hopefully in another year when I look back at this, I will realize I succeeded. 2009 was the hardest year of my life and it was truly an eye opener. I realized that I couldn't take so much for granted and I shouldn't put up with alot of what I did and still do. I am changing and I have already changed quite a bit over the last year and I am okay with that. In fact, as I said when I was 17, "It's all good"....and of course "I'm ready....bring it on".

Haskell Fest

Night one of Haskell Fest is over! we did pretty well. We won our first game and lost our second...we play again tomorrow! Yippee!!

Do you even remember me???

Hi there! It's been over 2 months since I blogged. I am so sorry. We have been super busy these last couple of months at the ball park, work, school, just life in general. I love being at the ball park and this weekend is our big softball tournament and Haskell Fest, which promises to be bigger and better than last year! Last year we had a water slide, a dunking booth, a bouncy house, face painting and a 6 and under softball tournament with three teams. It lasted all day Saturday. This year, we have 2 water slides, the bouncy house, face painting, bbq dinners, a car show, and a 3 day tournament for 6 and under, 8 and under and 12 and under!! DEFINITELY a step up!! We have worked hard on it and I am so excited to get it underway! :)

I promise to try to stop by and post more often! I hope you all had a safe and wonderful Memorial Day!!!

Carson is 8!!!

My sweet baby boy turned 8 today. He's such a big boy!!! I love you CArson

WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WEATHER!

Today, I get to do something i have not done in soooo long. I get to open the windows of my home and clean. It feels so wonderful outside. Very light breeze, perfect temperature. Perfect Spring weather. LOVE. IT.

So it begins!!

It's official folks...Its springtime in Arkansas!! Woop woop!! :) How do I know this you ask? Two things that I have a sick unending love or awe for have arrived: 1. Softball 2. Severe weather/tornados.

Yes, Arkansas had its first round of all nighter terrifying weather. For some reason, it calms me. I love the lightening, the thunder, the rolling clouds. It scares me to death and I worry about people I care about in harms way...but I love severe weather at the same time. I know. Sick.

and.....Sudden Impact debuts at a 6u tourney this weekend!! YAY!!! SOOOOO EXCITED!!!! I will let you know how we do!

Okay then...

Okay, when I make a major purchase I simmer over the decision for awhile. I have been tv shopping for a year. It has taken me more than a year to commit to getting DISH. I have been without television since June, 2009. I thought I was going to die. I missed it so much. Well, a few weeks ago, while I was in a meeting at the ballpark, the hubby decided to go out and purchase a tv. While he got a good deal on it, I nearly had a heart attack. I just like to slow walk this stuff....apparently, hubby liked the shock factor.

Last Thursday I told him I wanted to start looking into trading my car in. I don't buy new vehicles. I don't want to pay that much for them especially if you are going to need a new one in 5 years. Why pay $20,000.00 over 5 years for a brand new or 1 year old car when you will end up needing a new one in about 6 years? Pointless. I rather pay $10,000 or less for a 5 or 6 year old vehicle that I can drive 5 0r 6 years. My last vehicle (although not the most beautiful thing in the world - but it was decent) was 13 years old this year. I have driven it for almost 4 years and it had just started to fall apart really. We paid about $3,000 for it all together. Someone knew my father-in-law and wanted to get it out of there garage. Pretty sweet deal for no car payment and a vehicle. :) Anyway, it was time to move on. I told him that morning that I wanted another blazer like my old one (which was a 96 blazer)....he came and got my car in the middle of the day and traded it in on a 2001 blazer 4x4 (which I soooooo wanted). He already had the papers signed and done before I even got to see it!! I was shocked. Mad. Upset. Furious....but I loved it so I got over it quickly.

I couldn't believe he did that - but I am very happy (so far) with his decision. It is cherry red (which I am not a fan of red, but I admit that it is pretty) and its previous owner took very very very good care of it. It also has low miles which is a HUGE plus.

So, I have threatened his life and told him that if he makes another major purchase without me involved he will pay :) But I love him....he does spoil me.

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day!! Derek and I bought a new television yesterday. I am so excited!! We needed a new one! I just can't wait to get my Dish in!! :) Finally get to watch tv. Today would be perfect if my home was all cleaned up already...and I could watch it snow in my fuzzy jammies and watch Lifetime Movies in my bed!!! So Ready!!!

Snow and Ice

Weather in Arkansas....we had snow and ice twice this week!! Wow. There was a "chance" of snow after 3:00 p.m. on Monday...we get up Monday and SNOW ON THE GROUND. and it kept coming and coming! Derek said the roads weren't really bad so I drove myself to work...I knew better. I ended up doing a donut in the middle of the highway (Thank the Good Lord no one was around) and spun off into a ditch. I somehow managed to land as though I had backed into an old driveway. I somehow missed the culvert that I by all reason should have hit. If I had, my car would have flipped. I had an angel with me that morning and I was so blessed and thankful. I was fine and my car undamaged. Very Blessed.

The kids enjoyed the snow and made a snowman and threw snow balls at everyone. Its been a cold slippery week so I am glad its over! The snow falling off the roof cause the roof of our porch to cave in so we have had to temporarily prop it back up to get in and out of the house and will have to replace it in the near future. I know the hubby is so excited about that! lol.

I hope everyone locally has had a safe and wonderful time in our snow!!

Arkansas winter weather sucks. Period.

okay, so if we are gonna have winter weather...can we PPPLLLLEEEEAAASSSSEEEE get some in my area??? My kids get their hopes up, I could use a long weekend, and then NOTHING. Everywhere around us gets it but we just need to move <> this much to the north or west.....it sucks. Its 5:30 in the morning...its been sleeting for an hour! and its NOT STICKING. Irritating!!!

OMG.

So I went to Walmart to get some make up b/c I am out...and they didn't even have the brand of foundation I used! WTC? So, now I have to shop foundation...any suggestions?

Milestone post!!!!

This is my official 100th post!! YAY ME!! :) That's crazy that I have documented various aspects of my life 100 times!! ha ha ha...

I am super pumped about tomorrow - the first day of softball/baseball sign ups. I am soooo ready for the season to get underway!! But before you know it, it will be done! That is pretty much my agenda for the next 3 or 4 weekends so i don't have too much going on other than that!!!

I am currently waiting on the hubby to get home. We should have a quiet evening at home tonight since the kid are at the Big Buck Classic with their aunt this evening.

I hope you all have a happy weekend!!!

So this Saturday starts....

BALL SEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have signups starting this Saturday. I. AM. PUMPED. :)

I love love love softball and my girls and I can't wait. We have alot of work ahead of us and some great changes but I can't wait to see all the girls back out there. Not official word on all of them yet, but I still can't wait and I hope that they all return.

I had the most boring weekend. Well, not really boring just crummy. Derek went out and I stayed home all Friday night. It broke my heart and he felt bad when he got home and saw how upset I really was about it. I would just like some time at home with my husband. One on one. For some reason when we have "alone time" with no kids, we have to go some where or do something that is just easier done without the kids. So, hopefully we will get another one of these rare chances soon.

Mom came and got my dishes. That made my Saturday. When Derek and I got married I did my kitchen in Ivy. I had cute little ivy dishes and for some reason I went nuts. I had the bakeware, the dishes, the accessories no one ever uses, several tea pots, and odd and ends and serving pieces. All together (lids and everything) there was 135 pieces. THAT'S OBSCENE. Well, I decided with the way my house is going and want I want to do when we remodel our kitchen this year, the ivy wouldn't really work. So I bought some heavier, simpler, "prettier" dishes. :) I love them. They are khaki/beige, and square and heavier than Corelle (which is what I had) and there are fewer of them. So its nice. My mom has never had matching anything. So she bought my ivy ones from me so I could turn around and buy my new plates. She was so excited and i was excited for her. She's got so much now I am not sure she will find places for it all! But I was happy to see her so glad. So that brightened my weekend up for sure.

Well, I am off to bed. :) Nighty night!!

Oops...

Lol...I forgot to mention yesterday was my first blogger birthday!! As of yesterday, I have officially been blogging for a year. Even though I have only have 3 followers, I am very happy I made it a year!! I am glad I did it. I thought about stopping a few times, but going back and reading the last year of blogs...there is so much i would have forgotten without it! So I reckon I will keep on going....tee hee....tonight I am at home by my lonesome. DErek went to a party without me (I didn't feel like going and I couldnt believe he actually went without me - that never happens and I am not crazy about that) and the kids are with nana tonight. So its just me and the Tob-meister. So I did what any 26 year old mother of 2 would do.......I cleaned. I am soooo dull. :)