Gotta love the sweet moments

Yesterday was a cuddle with Mommy Day. Jasmine is getting too stinkin cute. I know I complain when she is cranky and teething or sick. I do have it really easy.



She is getting at the stage where she is trying to be independent but still runs back to me for help. She tries hard to put her socks on and wants to try to dress herself but it all goes awry. She tries to play with the big girls but gets so scared. She tries to feed herself, and well we get a mess.





I'm grateful she is investigating and trying new things. It is so cute when she gets excited about doing and comes waddling back to show me. It is those moments that I love being a proud mommy and saying "YAY!"

Here is where I need some expert advice:

In all the brave new investigating of her world, she will not investigate the outdoor world. She is terrified of being put down on the ground outside. She wails and cries. I try to just stay close and she clings to me. When I go to walk away she has big alligator tears in her eyes and shreeches. We have gone outside every day this week for at least 30 mins at a time. Same routine, different day. She is not acclaimating herself at all.

So how do we overcome this stage?

How many bags does it take

Guess how many bags it took to rake up all the leaves in my backyard?




Okay that really isn't my bags all lined up in a row on the curb- I don't have OCD, but it comes close to the amount I gave to the trash guy two weeks in a row!



Yes, my hubby was lazy and "forgot" to rake our yard before the big snow came. Mind you, we are in Alaska and we have 3 weeks of fall and before the snow comes- but still..... Our yard has 13 trees in it. It really isn't that big, but we get huge gusts of wind and things seem to collect in our yard. This is a photo of our yard to give you an idea of how large it is.




So two weeks of leaves have been bagged and handed over to the trash guy. If anyone asks how I lost 10 lbs- that is how! Man that is tough work with just a rake and my two hands. Talk about blisters!

How many bags do you think I raked out of this yard?

I won! I won!

Super duper excited!

I won in Boylerpf 's blog giveaway! Out of 82 comments, my one comment won!

Can't believe it!

This just made my day! Look at this beautiful necklace I will be sporting soon- purple is my favorite!

For more antique and vintage jewelry pieces you can check out her Etsy shop by clicking here.

Woot Woot !!

Here comes the Crazy Train!!! Next stop is Bijoux Designs on Artfire. This shop has some very special jewlery for Moms Day at excellent prices. Click the photo to go to the shop!

Yummy Peanut Butter

So in my love of Peanut Butter and my PMS state this week I did a search for Chocolate & Peanut Butter. I found some awesome Peanut Butter items in the google search and some came from my second home- Artfire.





Except, when I clicked on one it wasn't a product for me.Found in Divine Canine- It was something for dogs! Don't they look like human PB cookies?

Almost good enough to eat right? now I am craving some homemade PB cookies! Gah!!!!! Guess I need to get on making some yummy cookies today!

Currently on my nightstand

I picked up a book at Barnes and Noble a bit ago and finally go started reading it. It is called Marked- a vampire book by PC Cast and Kristen Cast.

It certainly isn't the same story as Twilight and frankly, is very teenage. The language is like talking to a high school girl. Its so frustrating to read. Run on sentences, thoughts in left field. I can not get into this book.

And the premise of how one becomes a vampire is completly new to me. They are choosen by the undead and marked on their forehead. Then they go to the House of Night- a school for vampires. The human world is away of this co-existence are are working to find a way to eradicate vampires.

Interesting concept. But, man I can't get past the very 15 years old language. Ill let you all know if I can make it past Chapter 5.

What books are you reading? I need suggestions for some brain stimulating books!

Needing a long hot...

Needing a long hot bath (you dirty folks probably thought I was gonna say another 4 letter word, huh?)

I am feeling very bloated and sore right now due to that monthly influx of hormones to my body.

Remember those two years of pregnancy & breastfeeding where I didn't have my monthly hurricane of hormones coming down on me to wash me into this bloated, bottled over in pain, bitch of a woman. Can someone knock me up again just so I can avoid the unpleasant side effect of monthly PMS. Please?

My lovely family called this morning and got an earful. I mean, cmon, pick your battles. After I complain to my mother about my new obsession with Pamprin, she promptly goes into a tirad about how I need to visit home more often.

Hmmm, you have never flown your butts out to Alaska, yet I have traveled with my then 10 month old to Maryland. Maybe you can pay $800 for a roundtrip plane fare and get out here.

Then, the DH called. My hubby is in Afghanistan. Far Far Away from my mess here. Yet he got the whole mess of PMS thrown at him-- very rightfully so. He started badgering on about my recent retail therapy.

I ripped him several new holes about how he needs to lay off me- we are a military family and do not need to save money for a new house. We are paying down my student loans. My retail therapy is for fabric for the business, clothes and dinners out. It could be worse. He should thank his lovely stars I am not throwing my daughter at a babysitter and being like some wives who go out and party at clubs and get their therapy by grinding up against other men. I then told him to go somewhere when he started to resist my argument.

The call was suddenly dropped. Poor guy never got service again to call me back. Can someone get me a chocolate bar? Seriously, I am needing chocolate therapy today :(

Im Moving!!!!!

I am moving! I am super duper excited about this move. Im not going to lie, Im pumped that I am moving into a bigger house!

We got notice that we have a housing unit on post. This house is a 3BDM 2.5 Bath, 2 car garage. It is huge! We have an Artic entry way, a formal sitting room and dining room, a family dining room and living room. We have a huge kitchen with a nice island with bar stools around it. We also have a sweet amount of closet room!

As painful as it is to orchestrate and complete a move all by myself. I am totally pumped to do it.

I wish I could show you guys my photos, but my camera is still recovering from its attempted homicide. See this post for a recap. Doctors tell me it can take up to 12 weeks for recovery. Needless to say my cat Brownie has been charged with the attempted homicide and will go on trial shortly. Stay tuned.

Are you Ping-ing yet?

If you are like me, spending countless hours updating your status on the various social sites can seem daunting. Ever wish there was a way to do a quick update across the board without logging into every site?

There is a solution!

Check out Ping.


Setting up your free Ping network allows you to update your status, post blogs and other promotions without logging in to those different sites. You don't even have to log in the online Ping dashboard to update your status either, you can simply text message or instant messge your updates and Ping will format them to each of the different sites.

For use with:

Twitter

Myspace

Plurk

Facebook

Blogger

Xanga

Friendster

Delicious

& Many, Many More


Yes, I realize this reads like an infomercial- but what a time saver! ;)

Chocolate Martini Time

Wow, I am surprised most people don't know what a Chocolate Martini is.

Let me give you a little insight into the awesome, sinful duo of Chocolate and a Martini.


This delectable martini combines all these ingrediants together for an orgasmic shot powerful one two punch of chocolate and vodka that brings me to my knees(figuratively).

1 1/2 shots Godiva® chocolate liqueur
1 1/2 shots creme de cacao
1/2 shot vodka
2 1/2 shots half-and-half

Mix like so:


And enjoy! Trust me, its the best drink on the market if you are a social drinker and want a dessert to the end of your meal without all the calories. Yum!

There is also a white chocolate variety as well. Just as delicious and using the white Godiva and white cocoa liquers.


So next time you order a drink, think about my favorite the chocolate martini!

What is your favorite drink?

25 Random Facts about Me

25 random things about me.


1. I love to fish, but hate putting a worm on the hook and never keep the fish to eat- I toss Nemo back in the water every time.

2. My favorite drink is a Chocolate Martini

3. I have played softball for 20 years.

4. I like to think I can dance and get my groove on (but a video of me at our wedding proves otherwise).

5. My hubby and I met through Yahoo personals (don't judge!)

6. We have two cats. My cat is named Raven. My hubby the die hard Cleveland Browns fan had to adopt another cat (a bigger cat) and name him Brownie.

7. I grew up in Maryland- and went to a school that a documentary was made of called "Heroin High"

8. I used to work with drug addicts and do home visits on them- even if they were not sober- talk about scary walking into a drug deal!

9. I have epilepsy.

10. I want 6 kids.

11. I always wished I was a twin

12. My sister and I were baptized together. I was 18 when I came to know Him.

13. I love to volunteer my time

14. I wish I had finished grad school - my MSW

15. I am obsessed with collecting Precious Moment figurines. Someone buy me a curio cuz Jasmine knocks all of them over.

16. I wanna hug a polar bear while in AK (I know I am crazy).

17. I am a huge crafter- and am obsessed with watching Martha Stewart

18. I am obsessed wtih shopping. Although before I would shop for me, now I love to shop for Jasmine. Luckily I handle the finances in our house.

19. I am forever jealous of my sister and how awesome she is. She will be great- I know it. She is a smartie and is going places. Look out politicians in Washington D.C.

20. I am huge on denial. I had a hamster that died for weeks and I ignored the smell and just thought he was sick. My hermit crab was dead in a month and I kept him in his tank because he never moved much anyway and was sick. Those are just mild examples of my denial.

21. I want to buy a house for my future family of 8.

22. I died once. I had a fever so high ( I have heard it was 105) and I was 2. I stopped breathing and was dead in my grandmas arms. EMTs arrived and resusitated me. I have scars in my brain and on my heart from this ordeal.

23. I fear that my parents will prematurly die. I fear this about all those around me. It is my worst fear.

24. I have little tact and am socially awkward.

25. I love gross humor.

Searching for Jasmine

So , as I am trying to distract myself from my daughter as she cries her cranky sour puss butt to sleep, I search on Artfire for Jasmine.

I found this awesome shop of candles that I had to post about. He is THE Candle Guy.

This candle is entitled "Rain Water" Click on here to see the item.





His description is fabulous:

"The candle fragrance “Rain Water” is best described as a white floral bouquet of carnation, lily and crisp white grapefruit. The heart is a very nice blend of jasmine, tuberose, cyclamen and violet. The base gently combine’s vanilla beans, East Indian sandalwood, rose crystals, and aromatic musk. The hot and cold scent throw is excellent, certainly a room sized fragrance. This is a light blue candle at the top blending into a royal blue color with streaks at the bottom and weighs one pound. "


How can a candle with jasmine sound so alluring & calming as my Jasmine screams her head off. Seriously, I need this candle to counteract my stress.

Can someone help me find my hair

Cuz seriously I think I may have pulled it all out!

Its funny how difficult single parenting can be. Although I am technically not a single parent, this deployment has made me one.

Jasmine is teething and has what apprears to be another head cold or sinus infection. YUCK!

So she is cranky and monopolizing my time.

Can mommy have a time out please?

Outraged over the Neglect

As a horse lover I am outraged.

This morning while watching NBC's Today show, I started crying.

They showed the story about a horse racer who owned 177 Thoroughbred horses who he has neglected to the point of near death. They were eating wood fences, mud, ice. Lice, parasites, leasions all over their body. No health care, no food, severly dehydrated and malnorished. All were near death.

The Humane society has come in an rescued the horses, which are being taken care of medically and need loving homes.

Here is video of the story and information for adoption of these loving horses. If you are animal lover, you will be outraged and may cry.

http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/17/1895781.aspx

I DO NOT understand how someone can be that thick that he can not see the obvious maltreatment of his animals. To blaime their care takers and his mismangement. I hope you go to jail and do your time for the 22 counts of animal cruelty. I hope you never enter the horse racing ring again.

Need your vote!

I entered an artist contest with my guild and would appreciate your vote!
My entry is #4--Jemz- Carnival Bloom Splat Mat

Thanks my faithful followers!

http://artfirecafemomteam.blogspot.com/2009/04/our-weekly-artisian-challenge-is-under.html

ACT Giveaway : Earrings

Reminder to everyone to check out Artfire Cafemom Team's giveaway! One lucky winner will receive these very spring earrings!

http://artfirecafemomteam.blogspot.com/2009/04/giveaway-4-abitofcolor.html

Celebrity Look alike

Happy tax day!!!! Don't these celebrities look like sisters?

Zooey Deschanel (actress-Yes Man) and Katy Perry (singer)

These two are really sisters though- Zooey and her sister Emily from the t.v. show Bones. I didn't know that! Both are awesome actresses !

Easter Recap

Easter was something that I dreaded this year. With Scott being deployed and having our first Easter all the way up in Alaska without any family , I thought it would be disappointing.

Pleasantly it wasn't. My friend Kelsey and her daughter came over for dinner and we had a blast just eating a ham dinner and lounging afterwards.

Jasmine went bonkers for her Easter basket. She is a chocolate fiend already at 14 months old.

This is a photo of the destroyed Easter basket. There was a stuffed bunny in there , which promptly got flung out in an effort to make way for the chocolate.

So in talking with moms around the area, it never occured to me that a child can be "too little" for an Easter basket. Some moms forgo the Easter Bunny basket until the child is older and can grasp the concept of the Easter traditions. Others simply go over the top with a basket, candy and presents.

So how young did you start your Easter traditions? How much did you spend? What kinds of things do you give for presents?

Happy Easter everyone!!!!

Class of 2002

Last nite I was listening to this internet radio station that played nothing but songs from the year I graduated high school- 2002.

Talk about a flashback!

You know how a song can bring back memories? These songs reminded me of hearing that last bell ring and racing to get to my car just to drive to Burger King and hang out with my friends. While I "raced" to get out of my high school, I would be jamming to some of these songs on the radio. When I was chilling with my high school sweetheart we would be listing to these songs. Two words: Senior Week.

Get The Party Started, Pink
Hot In Herre, Nelly
Ordinary Day, Vanessa Carlton
Girlfriend, 'N Sync
What's Luv?, Fat Joe f/ Ashanti
Where Are You Going, Dave Matthews Band
Your Body Is A Wonderland, John Mayer
U Got It Bad, Usher

Class of 2002, what a great year! What songs were came out in your graduation year that bring a flood of memeries back to you?

Attempted homicide of my camera

My camera fell while I was trying to capture a video of Jasmine and I. Thank you Brownie (yeah the one that can't hit the brakes and runs into a wall).

I had the camera posed on my desk and was capturing Jasmine and I sending Scott a video of her walking. Brownie wanted to get in on the action and jumped up on the desk.

Like slow motion, the camera wobbled and started falling.

Falling

Falling

I start rushing forward leaving my teetering daughter behind and jump to catch the camera.

CRASH!!!!

The camera braced its fall on my Singer sewing machine.

It hit exactly where the metal rod holds my thread. A verticle metal rod stabbed my camera.

It landed right on the LCD screen-- shattering.

It still takes photos- but I do not have an eye viewer. Luckily I do have a service plan with Ritz to fix or replace it. But is there a Ritz in Alaska- um no.

My camera was pushed off a cliff by my large cat and stabbed by a jutting rod upon landing. Do you think Brownie will see jail time for this attempted homicide?

Celebrity Look Alike Day

New segment today! Celebrity Look alike! Today's contestents are :

Robert Downey Jr vs Danny Goeke (American Idol)

Look alike- yay or nah?

Giveaway- beenie

My Artfire Cafemom Team is having a giveaway! A beenie is being given away by Bows For Baby.

To enter, its as simple as a comment. Go check it out! Ends Thursday!

http://artfirecafemomteam.blogspot.com/2009/04/welcome-to-giveaway-3.html

Crazy cats

So we have two cats in this house. They are loco crazy. Seriously its like having a toddler and a 6 year old. here.

Raven is the older kitty and my cat. Very docile, but he is the alpha male.

Browie is going on 2 years old. He is still very kittenish. He is one large orange tabby.

Last nite as I was getting ready for bed I hear them at the french patio doors. I also hear this sound I have never heard like animal squeak.

Brownie was running from one end of the house to the other in excitement and never kicking the brakes on in time and using the wall and the door to stop him.

Raven is crouched ready to attack.

I hear the noise again. I look for a mouse or a bird or something. Hear it again and think well maybe its a grasshopper.

Hear it again and see Raven shaking his butt. So I go over to where they are and just watch them.

There is a bird right outside our patio window staring at Raven.

Raven opens his mouth.

He is the one chirping.

No, he did not bag himself a bird. He has mastered the art of talking to birds.

Seriously, this cat was chirping in response to the birds chirp.

Mixed bag of news

First off, thank the Lord for a 45 minute conversation with my husband last nite. I needed that. I needed to hear his voice and unload. I unloaded a lot of my frusrations onto my husband in Afghanistan. We talked business, we talked FRG, we talked family.

So, he has been offered a scholarship via the Army to advance his career. He just has to pledge at least 3 years for every year they pay of schooling. Now the hubby already has an AA, BS, MBA and certification in Regulatory Compliance.

What more can he go to school for? Well this program is to get his doctorate or a masters of his choice. Going to school full time while still getting the pay and benefits he would if he was active. He isn't sure if he wants to be a Ph.D or a become another Master candidate.

So... what that means for us. If he gets applys & accepted. He will be going to school full time. It also pretty much confirms he has a desk job for his career in the Army. So it will be bases with Army hospitals that we will go to after we PCS from here.

Also, can I just say if he goes to school full time for a doctrate or masters I think we will be splitting hairs at home with all that tension. Seriously, you already have a Masters. Let me finish mine!!!

Sweet hubby just wanted my blessing to fill out the application. Of course Itold him that his desire to get another degree are only going to benefit our family and we will live with him going back to school full time. Eventually I will finish my masters in social work..... one day

My hubby (on left) in Afghanistan with two of his medics.

The Day has come!

My darling daughter is walking!

She has been taking steps but falls after 4 or 5. Now she is walking from one side to the other.

I am super excited! This milestone is a big one. Just wish daddy were here to see it. Alas, no video will get some soon!

Newest Project!

Now that I have somewhat caught up to my stack of items to sew. I am embarking on something new and exciting.

I am making my 13 month old daughter her very own Easter dress! The pattern I am using is a Simplicity 2767- Project Runway inspired children's dress. The style on the right in the photo is what I plan on using.

I will be using this fabric. The blue is the primary fabric- a pastel blue. The sash in the middle of the dress will be the floral print. Tulle will be used underneath to make the dress poofy!

I can't explain how excited I am to start this! I will post photos of my little model in her dress when it is all complete!

Feeling accomplished

I feel like I have been going and going and going lately.

Last nite I finished my final Bragg Bag. All ACU purses are done, and I will probably get some more this month with all the upcoming FRG meetings. I am excited to finally start working on items for me. Well not me, but my daughter.

I have new fabric that I can't wait to cut into and use for a Easter dress for my little bug. She will look so cute in the pastel blue dress. I am excited to start working on that today!

Heard from Scott and we have a converstation like we are always good at doing. Poking fun at each other just enough to get a laugh. He was having a tough day and really enjoyed talking to me. I could tell he was happier afterwards. I love him dearly and can't wait til Oct for R&R. He is already trying to figure out what he wants to do then.