So--who do you think she looks like??

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This darling little girl was in a Mini Miss Pageant, and I thought it was so cute. I look at her--and she is beautiful, but with her hair in ringlets, the red bow on her head, and her darling round face and chubby cheeks--she just reminded me so much more of the Cowardly Lion than she does of Dorothy--but that may just be me!!

Sleepy Hollow!!

My kids are watching the move Sleepy Hollow right now. It's kind of become an obsession in this house. You see, there is a road in Illinois named Sleepy Hollow Road, and several years I was on the road with my "Soon2BX" sister in law, and we went from this normal subdivision/semi commercial road to this winding, foggy, country road with forests on one side of the road and meadows on the other. It was late, and dark and foggy--and I said, "Wow, this looks like the kind of road you would expect to see the Headless Horseman on!" We laughed at the eerie little street--until we got to the top of it--"Sleepy Hollow Road"! How cool is that! So we were in the neighborhood for it the other evening--and I had to take them down Sleep Hollow and freak them out! What better way to do that--than with the movie!!

Projects!!

When we moved in we were without DSL for nearly 3 weeks--yes, I know--I talk about that a lot. But as crazy as it was without it, I was able to get some of my projects started. The biggest and baddest...literally, was the master bedroom set. On the move from Phoenix to Chicago it was trashed. It cost a TON of money when we bought it and I was heartbroken when it was ruined. Then--with a two year old monster running around and a husband that brings sharpie permanent markers home every night--well, you can just guess how beautiful my bedroom set became! So, instead of going out and spending a lot of money on a new bedroom set-I decided to paint mine satin black. Mind you we have a head board, foot board, armoire, dresser with mirror and two bedside tables. All of it has this intricate wood work around it--and the dresser/mirror and the armoire have two each!

Well, I started it during my downtime--but didn't quite get it finished. After having a HORRIBLE carpet disaster...we don't talk about that...I didn't dare go back to it. So today--I have been trying to finish up that project! I have so many others to begin-but won't let myself until I finish that one. It should be done later tonight, and I will put pictures up of the finished product. I may look back in my photo albums to see if I have any pictures that show what it originally looked like as well.

Schedules!!

I'm still feeling pretty overwhelmed that our schedule hasn't fallen neatly back into place since the move. Life used to be so much easier--my boys got up all last year with an alarm clock. This year, we haven't even found where we packed the alarm clock. I wake them up, toss them their clothes and head down to make breakfast. I've struggled even with ideas on how to make a healthy yummy breakfast. Then no matter what, there is always a rush out the door to the bus. I don't understand it. It's like I'm in a funk, and haven't quite figured out what I'm doing wrong. They have their homework done the night before (in most cases) and their backpacks are packed and hanging on their hooks before they go to bed--yet some how, every morning we are racing to get backpacks together, shoes on and their hoodies. I seem to always be saying to one of them, "If the bus comes, get on as slowly as possible. Your brother is on his way out the door." Man--I say that a lot! So I will be re-working the evening schedule to figure out where I can improve on the morning rush!

Update On The Candy!!

I mentioned last week that my son was actually excited about going door to door selling candy. He came home with his box of 50, and after a weekend with friends and family--he has 4 more to sell! That's $25 he made for his trip and he only needs $55. I was just going to pay the original $55, but decided to have some candy for my money. I will end up paying for all of the chocolate that has been passed around this family of 6--but it will be just a smidgen of the original $55! That is amazing to me--not only does he enjoy selling--he's pretty darn good at it. It just sends bubbles of nausea through my body when I think about me having to go door to door--Good For Him!!

New Pants!!

Last night we went to Target because Jake needed new pants. Not surprising...Jake always needs new pants! He will be ten the day after Thanksgiving--and we had to buy him a 16H to get it to fit him. The length is out of control - LONG!! People would consider him over weight, and for now they would be right. The problem however, Jake is needing to start a growth spurt. He always grows "round" before he grows "up". As soon as that starts, he will get taller, and thinner.

At Open House night for the school, he stood next to Grayson's teachers 5th grade daughter, and she towered over 6 inches taller than him! That was amazing to see how much he may grow in the next few months! Then the 16's will be out of control HUGE--and he'll be back down in his regular 10's! I just wish it would start quickly--I'm starting to worry!!

The Last Hurrah!!

We spent the day yesterday at my in laws house. It was a very warm day, and they had heated the pool. The kids were able to swim one last time before they close it up for the winter. It was kind of sad, it doesn't seem like it's been open all that long, and yet-the summer is over. Mind you, it was a crazy summer--but it's over just the same.

Their neighbor brought two different pies over for dessert. They are in the middle of Ramadan and couldn't finish the pies. Too bad for them--they were YUMMY!! Another neighbor, the one we bought our living room set from, was throwing out a perfectly good little boys bike. So we grabbed it for Grayson. He is "UBER" thrilled! We'll pick it up today, and stop by Kmart for new tires--it should be up and running later on.

Selling Chocolate!!

When I was in high school I had to go door to door selling a number of 'fund raising' items. I hated every minute of it, and vowed (at the age of 16) that I would never make my kids sell anything door to door. If they had to earn money for their "Cheer" uniform--I would just pay for it!

Well, fast forward...holy cow...20 years! OH MY GOSH!! It was 20 years ago that I was 16!! Ok--sorry, had to restart the heart there!!! My oldest is in the 4th grade and his grade is planning a field trip to the State Capitol, Springfield. The bus ride alone is 3 hours--and it will cost each child $55. They sent around a permission slip where your child could sell candy to help raise the funds--or you could just pay it. True to my word--I wrote in that we would just pay it.

Then I got to thinking! I have to pay $55 either way--I might as well get $55 worth of chocolate for it! So I sent in another note--and Friday, Jake came home with a box of candy.

Unlike his mother--he's LOVING this selling candy gig! He's found himself missing money--and I told him that we were going to need to send the box back to school--I'm not paying for candy I don't get to partake of!! He was actually crushed! As a 16 year old--there wouldn't have been happier words to my little ears than that--but he is just the opposite! So more candy will be sold!

My New Kitchen!!

I love my kitchen! It is finally getting in to shape! Mind you, I have to peel all of the old wall paper off and sand it and paint it the color I want it to be--but for the most part, everything else is in!

I think I've mentioned in the past that because my husband is a chef, I have been collecting "Chef Stuff" for years. Every treasure I found I carefully packed in our basement just waiting for the day we would get to move into a new house. Of course, that new house was supposed to be many more years away--and in Utah! But here we are, and I have a ton of red, black and white stuff--with a floral kitchen!

I want most of my kitchen done in red and black--but since I've never seen microwave ovens in red--that will just have to stay stainless steel!

As excited as I am about getting the kitchen completed--I still have a ton of projects that are half way done--just waiting for me to finish them up!

Workin'!!

I spent most of the day trying to get my sister's blog up on her new domain. After it was up--I had to play with the design of it all. It turned out really cute in my humble opinion--but it is TRUE that she and I have vastly different tastes in some things---so I'm not so sure she'll like it! But some of you (Plinko Mom) may recognize the theme--but it's now green instead of yellow--and it only went to green because of the awesome flower and dragonfly I found online!! Anyway--if someone in the know can walk me through how to get it so that her blog comes up with just the www.domain.com rather than having to type www.domain.com/blog--I would ever be indebted to you! All of mine are that way--and I was sooooooo close to getting this one that way--but once everything went haywire for a few minutes--I decided to stop trying! So PLEASE let me know!!

Oh--I almost forgot to show you what it looks like...

I've Dropped Again!!

Do you see that cute little pink credit card over there in the right sidebar?? It's currently in a contest to win a laptop--and it used to be the number 1 choice! But then, I take a 3 week blogging hiatus and it falls to number 25!! It's so sad! Poor little neglected pink credit card! If you could find it in your heart to click on the little card and vote for it today (and tomorrow, and the next day) it would be so appreciated! Had I already had the laptop--I would have headed over to the McDonalds down the street to blog using their WiFi--but alas--it wasn't meant to be!!

Good News!!

I needed a nap so badly this afternoon that I actually forced the younger two to take one too. We were still asleep when the two older boys got off of the school bus. Jake was really excited to come up and show me something.

Over the past several weeks, he has been failing Social Studies. I've been terribly concerned because I wasn't sure how to help him. Last week he finally brought his vocabulary words home and I went through them with him. He came home with a B+! Not too shabby, eh! Well, this week he did even better---my baby got an A+ on his Social Studies test! I couldn't be more proud of him. It finally appears that he's finding his footing in this new curriculum!

Pre-Tween Addictions!!

Are your kids addicted to High School Musical? Either one actually! It is all that is ever on in my house, and what is really strange--we have the soundtrack so everywhere we go--it's on. My four year old has been able to sing along with every song for quite sometime, but what's really funny is listening to the two year old keep up with it!

Each child has a favorite--well, except maybe Barrett--he just likes them all. Jake's favorite is HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUA'A, Blakelynn loves Fabulous and Grayson loves Bet On It. It's kind of cute!

My $150 Living Room Set!!

Last weekend my in laws and their neighbors were supposed to have a big street wide garage sale. I had put off furniture shopping until then because one of the neighbors (whose yard was immaculate) was moving and getting rid of a lot of furniture. Well, three days before the garage sale--it was canceled. I was bummed because I was hoping to find something. Well, my mother in law called me to let me know that the neighbor was selling his entire living room set (love seat, 2 wing back chairs, an ottoman, a coffee table and an end table) all for $200. Heck, I didn't care what it looked like--I couldn't get a good coffee table and end table for that price! So I headed over on Saturday morning and although it isn't exactly my taste--he was offering the whole kit and kaboodle for $150. He then threw in a torch lamp and the entire decorative wall set behind the living room set. It is in mint condition--a little "girly" for my particular taste--but hey--who wouldn't get a ruffly couch for $150??

My Kitchen!!

This is my new kitchen! It looks almost finished--but there is a TON of work to do! The walls are covered in an old fashioned wallpaper and border--GONE! And the cabinets will be 'spiffied' up with a new coat of dark, dark paint to match the dinette set. It's such a fun kitchen, and so much room compared to my previous kitchen. I even have cupboards that don't have anything in them (yet)! It's been really fun finally getting to use the "Chef" stuff I collected!

Blake's Room!!

Blake's Room is the only bedroom completely finished in the house. Not only because people were going to be sleeping in it--but because I never got to decorate a nursery for a little girl. So this little project was something I couldn't wait to do!!

The castle on her closet door was purchased for a whopping $4.95 from the party store. It's a birthday party decoration and you can get each of the Disney Princesses 5 feet tall for the same price and you use them to decorate the whole wall at a party. Well, this is a princess bedroom--NOT a Disney Princess bedroom--so you will find no traces of Cinderella or Ariel or Belle--Just Blake!! The castle is one of my favorite parts of her room--as well as the letters that spell out her name.

I still need one long shelf put up so that I can put all of her porcelain dolls up out of the two year olds reach. He does love to play with them!!

A Little Juxtaposition!!

Well, I finally took some pictures today of different rooms in the house. I thought it would be fun to put up the original photo from the Realtor and the picture of what the room looks like now! This is the first time my mom will have seen my house--so all of you NOT as interested in the photo's--please bear with me!!
First up, their entry way followed by mine. This is the Painted Console Table that I found and just had to have it--Thanks Mom!! Since my husband is a Chef-I collect little "chef" stuff. They are sprinkled throughout the house.

Summer!!

I have been rumaging through pictures recently and found this really cute one of Blake and Barrett. For some reason, it's just the epitome of summer in my opinion. They are playing in the water fountain at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Nothing too structured about it--just a really cute candid moment with two really cute little kids!

I would like to know what the fascination is with water spouts and kids--they just seem to be irresistible!

Zombie Moments!!

I am a ZOMBIE today! I guess that's what happens when you give a person going through internet withdrawals their computer back at 8:30 pm! Yep, I was up online for many hours trying to catch up on everything I'd missed!

I ended up going to bed around 3:30 in the morning and I was up at 7:15 to get the boys off to school. It was nice to head back to bed for a couple of hours before the babies woke up, but I'm sitting here at my computer and my eyes are just not cooperating with each other and I'm just not doing well without my back space key!

I will wake up soon enough, and everything will be fine!! I hope!

I'm Baaaaaaaaaack!!

Woo Hoo! Let me hear it ya'll!! It has been a long 18 days a comin' and I never thought it would get here! But here I sit in my new house--BLOGGING! I really had given up on the idea of ever having the internet up and running here--yes, ever the pessimist! It is late--we are up and running-so the only thing I can promise you...Pictures Tomorrow!! I can't wait! There is so much to show!! So that will come when the sun comes up! I still have to run to the grocery store and get my shopping done!!

Till Tomorrow everyone!

Yes, I'm Back!!

Borrowing my in laws computer and internet that is!! My internet is still not on--and I was promised it yesterday. But as of 2 pm today-the little DSL light is still blinking RED! I'm going crazy! I have so much to do--and driving 20 minutes to check email is ridiculous! Hopefully I will be up and running and posting photo's really soon!

I'm Still Not Back!!

I know I said I would be back last Tuesday--but dumb old moving out people and even dumber AT&T--I won't be back up and running until next Tuesday! Anyone leaving comments to be added or deleted to the "Favorite Blogs" section--I have not forgotten about you--but I'm using a borrowed computer and while I type--I have 4 kids running amok in the in laws house--so give me until Tuesday (between 8am and 8pm as per AT&T) and I will get everything back in shape!

The new house is AWESOME! Tons of work left in it--and double that is left in the old house--but come Tuesday...I will have PHOTO's!!! Can't Wait! Thanks for all of the emails-and comments--you guys are awesome!!

Till Tuesday!! (Wait, isn't that an 80's band????)

It's Today!!

Well, after 45 days of believing it would never come------It's Moving Day! I'm still in shock. After closing yesterday we went and hung out at the "new" house. I vacuumed all of the carpets--and washed the walls around the doors and light switch, but everything else was pretty darn clean. As I sit here now I'm realizing I really should have gone grocery shopping while I was there in order to have food in the fridge for lunch and dinner today. Now, amidst the move--I have to shop. I will need to remember this for our next move (yeah, right)!!

The kids spent the night at their friends house-and she kept Barrett for most of the evening. I was able to just go out to dinner with my husband. We went to Hooters--because there is a new one near by, I've never been to one and Dr. Laura says their chicken sandwich is "To Die For"! Boy--was it AWFUL!! The food was bad, the service was bad, it's a Pepsi establishment and every 'hooligan' within a 50 mile radius was holed up there yelling from their table in the corner to another fellow hooligan in the opposite corner. I'm definitely too old for this!!

We were up until 2 am packing--notice, I didn't say finishing up!! We are mainly just trying to make it so the movers can get to the heavy stuff. We have TOO MUCH CRAP!! That is all I can say! I've been thinning down as I've been packing--but this is still ridiculous! When we get to the new house--I'm choosing 14 pairs of pants and shirts, 5 pairs of jammies, and a Sunday Best outfit or two. But I will keep a huge supply of socks and underwear, as we are never able to find them. After that--every other item of clothing is toast!! It's terrible to have so many clothes! And it isn't just clothes. We have baby blankets to warm a Third World country--some of those will go to Good Will as well.

Well, I'm off to "finish up"! I won't be on the rest of the weekend--but hope to be back up and running in time for 1K Tuesday!! See you all then!!