When is the last time you did something new for the first time?

I was reading an Ezine Article yesterday about when is the last time you did something new for the first time.  It really set me to thinking all day long.  I know when my last time was.  I had accupuncture done about two weeks ago for my back.  The doctor ordered it so it was not something that I personally went to to do.  But this article made me start thinking how we all get into our set little routines.  We go through our days and sometimes there is no excitement.  So I came up with some suggestions for us all to do as firsts:

• Make a new recipe
• Do a something for a stranger for no reason at all
• Read a book by a new author that you have never read before
• Read a new blog - you all know we love new followers
• Eat something new (Have you ever wanted to try frog legs?  Go for it.)
• Create something with your hands
• Make a photo album on Snapfish or KodakGallery
• Do something to spice up your marriage (Yes yes try a strip tease, lap dance... come on do something that sets your significant's eyes on fire.)
• Record a song of your kid's singing
• Do a vlog for your blog.  (Wait is it called a vlog..need to ask my friend Lee)
• Have you ever colored with your kids..if not do it.

So what was your last first?  Do you have more suggestions for others to try?

Christmas Memories

My Dad and Faith.. such a joy that she loves him so

My living room on Christmas morning

No money but still spoiling the kids regardless.

The kids were beyond excited.  Which is good since this is pretty much all they will get on Christmas.  I'll write about that later this week.

Got new remotes for the Wii games.  Kids took advantage of it.

They were scary.

Wii Fit is a great game but...  As you can see in this video, they got pretty close to knocking each other out.    I'm very very thankful that my husband didn't record me when I was doing the boxing game.  I got to close to the tv and ended up taking off all of our decorations on the mantle when I hit.  But I did get a good workout.

Jason is sitting in his truck that he got at Grandma's.  This is the only other gift he got besides ours.

Faith got a CD player from Grandma.  This has become my headache daily.  She is playing it constantly so loud that I can hear it all over the place.

My baby niece, Gabrielle, in one of the dump trucks.  Isn't she adorable?

Me and Gabrielle

I'm back

Ok its a New Year and I'm so excited.  I decided that I simply am going to accept that things will happen as they come.  I can't change the past so I'm going to share as well go.  I've been in a little stump.  I must say that I appreciate you all being patient with me.  I'm surprised that I have any readers at all though.  My husband finally told me to stop worrying as well.  We know that I just can't work for two years.  I'm going to post if I find any new things to do online as well.  New portion.. Crazy trying to work online is coming up.  hope you like it.

As typical, I want to know what you want as a reader too.  I want to improve this blog.  So please leave comments on what you want.. such as:

• Do you like the jokes I post?
• Do you want the quotes I find?
• Is posting once a day enough?  Or did you like it when I posted 3 or 4 or 5 times a day?
• Do you like hearing my husband's tips?  I've thought about expanding that portion to include more trades.  You know, my husband can literally build a house from ground up.
• Do you like all the stories I tell?
• Do you like the poems that I've written?  That I share?

Sorry I can't get away from writing the stories about the kids and the family.  That's what the blog is about.  So tough toe nails.  Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Stay tuned as well.. Post Its coming up tonight.

New Baby and Pregnancy Community Revealed

I was asked to review a new Baby and child community website about everything to do with babies and pregnancy called Babiesbase.  It is a fairly new website but it has a lot of promise.  It is very organized.  I love the parenting section where they go into topics such as:  ineffective parenting, emotional, parent tools, repercussions, etc.  I, also, like the featured articles and did you know facts on the home page.  Since the website does have a lot of great information, you will have to ignore the ads.  Its well worth ignoring them for the information.  Did you know that your baby won't shed tears for 3 weeks up to 5 months?  I never knew that.  I found that out on the website.  Check it out.


Disclaimer: This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

2009 Survey & Answers

So I was reading over at Keeping Up with the Schultzs.  Amy was doing her 2009 End of the Year Survey.  I liked it so much that I want to join it.  If you do please let me know I want to read your answers.


1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
You all must not being reading my blog.. I've never blogged before.  Ok wait wait..there is more.  I carved a pumpkin for the first time.


2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did make some last year.  I didn't meet them all.  I didn't get find a new job.  I'm not making new resolutions this year.  I have all I need I have my family, our health and great friends.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, I'm starting to wonder who didn't give birth.  Let's see, my nephews both had sons, Aiden and Alexandria.  My brother in law had a baby girl, Gabrielle.  Two of my friends had a baby.  Oh I adopted my son Jason as well.  So does that mean I gave birth.  Oh man that is a scary thought.  He weighs 45 lbs.  Ok I'm tired I need to go to bed for a year lol.


4. Did anyone close to you die?
I had two friends lose their dad.


5. What countries did you visit?
None. I just stayed in the United States.


6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Money money money!!!!  Give me money!  Have you not read I'm broke?


7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Visiting my brother in Florida.  I got to reconnect with my brother.
Visiting my sister in Florida.  The feud don't you read me?


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Adopting Jason.  We are so very lucky.


9. What was your biggest failure?
Not making money


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Pneumonia


11. What was the best thing you bought?
Things for my family that made them smile.  The pumpkin to carve for Halloween.


12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Faith and Jason


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My brother in laws, My own at times


14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills, Home, Food, and to my family.


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
That I could go visit my sister


16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Carrie Underwood - Lessons Learned




17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
I am still happy, I'm still the same size and I'm poorer.


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Playing with my kids at every opportunity


19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Laundry.. I hate laundry


20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my family on 5 different occasions


21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes, as always deeper with my husband, Ken and my daughter, Faith.  I fell in love with my son, Jason.  My new niece and two great nephews.


22. What was your favorite TV program?
Ellen, NCIS, General Hospital, Criminal Minds, American Idol and House.


23. Do you hate anyone now that you did not hate this time last year?
I do not think so. I really do not hate anyone. I may dislike them.  Well ok maybe my brother in law.


24. What was the best book you read?
Twilight Series by: Stephenie Meyer


25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
David Allan Coe


26. What did you want and get?
Twilight series


27. What did you want and not get?
A new car


28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Duplicity


29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I stayed at home with my kids.  Went out to eat that night with my husband and kids.

Age does not matter.


30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
To have found a job at home.  I don't want to leave my kids.


31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
That's not a paper bag is it?  Ok it works on me.


32. What kept you sane?
My husband


33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't actually think like that.  I fancied my husband most.  No he's not reading this lol.


34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Health Care Issues..


35. Who did you miss?
My sister


36. Who was the best new person you met?
All of my followers.  I love each and every one of you.


37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
That life is for living and not to worry about the small stuff.  That I have to raise my kids the way I need to and not according to someone else's standard.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?

Tips from my Husband

Ok my husband asked me to send out a friendly tip to all my readers.  Hopefully you have already done this but still its a great reminder.  Please make sure to disconnect your hoses outside.  Keeping them connected can cause the pipes to freeze up which will cost a lot of money to fix.

Another winter tip:  Be sure when the temperature is below 32 degrees (freezing) that you turn on your emergency heat.  It will help keep the pipes from freezing.  Yes it can be a little more expensive heat wise but it says your pipes which is a lot more important.

Off to the mall I go to meet my sister in laws.

Happy New Years - 2010

It's a New Year.  I'm sitting here thinking about all the wonderful things that are in my life.  We start the new year as a family together sitting watching parades and cartoons.  Interesting combination my husband has going on.  Does your significant other switch channels all the time?  Its irritating but right now it is what it is.

I thought about New Year's resolutions that I had last year.  Did I do them all?  No I haven't.  Am I happy today as I was last year?  Well No I'm happy.  So that must mean that all those resolutions weren't as important to me as I thought.

So let's see what last year brought me...

We had an awesome winter.

Faith and her sister.  Can't see the family resemblence can you?

You probably can't tell but in the middle of the snow on top of my car is a layer of ice.  It was so beautiful and deadly at the same time.

In February, my husband and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary.  Our love is still going strong.

Though it was challenged when he destroyed our backyard with his 4 wheeler.

In March, we legally adopted our son, Jason on March 27th.

In the judge's chambers with my mother at the adoption.  Doesn't Jason look so happy?

In April, we celebrated Jason's first birthday with us when he turned 4.

Though his party wasn't until May.  We, also, celebrated the new arrival of our 2nd cousin, Alexi.

We, also, said goodbye to my nephew, Will as he got ready to go in the army.  We ate at the Golden Corral.  We are praying for him daily.

In May, we celebrated my birthday and mother's day.  I got some pretty flowers and great drawings.  Faith made me a plant that died in days.  Faith saw her first parade as well.

In June, we celebrated father's day.  Ken was allowed to sleep late and then we had a great time together.  We had an awesome summer.

In July, my great nephew Aiden was born.

In August, we had lots of fun playing with the kids and getting ready for the new year at school.  My nephew, Scott, started kindergarten.

Faith with my sister-in-laws puppy, Choffi.

The kids at McDonalds.  Don't you think this is a great picture?  I was shocked at how it came out.

Isn't Tom gorgeous?

In September, Faith went back to school.  We watched the WEBN's Fireworks on tv.  Totally awesome firework's display.  I want to stay at the Covington Mariott next year for it.  There is an awesome bridge show that you have to be on the Ohio River to see.

Isn't this spectular?

Faith went to the Alexandria Fair Grounds with her cousins.

We, also, celebrated the arrival of my niece, Gabrielle.

We celebrated my grandma's 90th Birthday party

Doesn't she look great?  We found out that grandma was moving to Florida with my aunt that day.

My mom's cousins.  Although I don't know how she thinks they aren't mine too.

Jason started preschool as well.

In October, we celebrated Halloween with Jason being a skeleton and Faith as a cat.

We went to Florida to see my brother and sister's families.

Jason was so happy to be out of that car and know we were in Florida.

We saw Aiden for the first time.  Doesn't my sister look great for a grandma?

We road a train with the Florida Railroad Museum.  We got to see a really neat gunfight on it.

Of course we played on the beach as well.  It was high 90's the entire time we were there.

In November, we celebrated Thanksgiving with our families. 

We went to the Newport Aquarium with Faith's class.  We looked for Santa but didn't find him.  We saw sharks, octopus, penguins.  The kids were writing a report on penguins.  They had a grant to do this field trip.  What a great surprise.  Afterwards, my husband took me to Joe's Crab Shack for lunch.

In December, we celebrated more Christmas's than I can remember.  We had one with my mom where she cried when she opened her gift.  I made her a photo album on Snapfish of the last 7 years of our lives.  So she got to have a book with all of these pictures.  She was so excited and planned on taking it to Florida with her.

Don't you love it when they are that touched with a gift?

We celebrated Christmas with my dad and grannie Fran as well.

We had our private Christmas as well and then on to the cousin's Christmas.

The kids were ecstatic.

Nieces and Nephews Christmas 2009

And of course, we celebrated my husband's 34th birthday.

We went to the mall that day.

Lots has happened this year.  Not all good.  Not all bad.  Babies were born.  Feud were started.  Weddings are coming.  Houses were bought.  I've cried, laughed, screamed, and so much more.  The point remains.  I survived another year.  I celebrated another year with my family.  Nothing bad matters as long as you have your health, your family, your friends.. thats all that is important.  So no resolutions for me this year.  Just great times and great friends.