September 2012 ~ These Four No More

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Yes, I realize it's been a while since I last posted. To be honest, I've been so busy just keeping my head above water, I've really had no chance to blog. Like I've mentioned before, the Fall is our busy season. All the birthdays and holidays, due dates and deadlines are all between October and December.

Today was picture day at the girls' pre-school. I took them to the mall yesterday to pick out their outfits. We went to Gymboree because I had a 20% off coupon, and their outfits were already over 50% off. And I still feel like they were too expensive, lol. But they look adorable! The bows are from Hobby Lobby and are $2.99, and their tights ($2) and shoes ($10) were from Walmart.

I also bit the bullet and bought the girls a Furby for Christmas. Apparently, they are the new hit toy, and after spending a week using toy alert text messages and trying to order a LeapPad at 4:00 in the morning last year - I figured I'd buy it while I could this year. I may be regretting this decision, because the suckers don't have an off button OR volume control.

And here are a few more pictures of my goons

This weekend, we're heading to Cherokee, NC to take the kids to Santa's Land. It looks cheesily fantastic. On Sunday, we're doing the girls' birthday party at the local bounce house - and by party, I mean I told my brother to meet us there with my niece at 1 and I'll pay her admission, lol. Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Back to Normal

1:01 PM 6 comments

Things are finally starting to slow down around here. It seems like everyone is getting over the various illness we've had in the house the past month (bronchitis, walking pneomonia, sinus infections, upper respiratory, and ear infections) - and you betcha I just knocked on wood. I have a 5K I'm walking with my dad tomorrow, and am looking forward to getting back in the habit of walking/running (I walk up hill and run down - the perils of living in the Piedmont region of SC) this Fall. The weather outside is still warm in the afternoons, but you can totally feel that crisp, Fall air in the morning.

The girls still very much enjoy school. They pick out their outfits the night before and we have no fuss getting into bed. What a HUGE difference one year has made in that aspect. They come home singing songs and showing me all of their work. I just wish I could be the one to pick them up and hear about their day - or be a fly on the wall in their class room. I still can't believe that they will be 4 years old in a little over a week. Where has time gone?

Oh, and Audrey told me I had to post this picture of my "facesbooks", so here ya go

Happy 10 Months

8:45 AM 4 comments

Dear Corbin - what a sweet baby boy you are!

You have your 4 top teeth, and only 3 bottom teeth

You love to eat, and are eating 3+ meals a day. Sometimes you out-eat your older sisters!

You almost sleep through the night, but typically wake once or twice for a bottle because you are a hungry, growing boy

You are wearing size 12 month clothing, size 3 or 4 shoes, and a size 5 diaper (the same size your sisters wear!)

You love crawling and playing with your sisters

You have deep blue eyes and beautiful, long lashes

You can stand without holding on for about 10 seconds before gently sitting yourself down

You're not so sure about taking those first few steps just yet

You are absolutely perfect, and greatly loved

Herding Cats

9:34 AM 4 comments

I swear, it's like herding cats to get all 3 girls in one picture, looking at the camera and smiling. And don't even ask me what's up with Olivia Newton Natalie's super sweet hair - because I have no idea. At least the baby sat still enough for one picture.

SYUL - Favorite Beauty Products

8:46 AM 5 comments

Ok y'all, let's be real - I have about 5 minutes to get myself ready in the morning. Meaning I don't spend a lot of time (or money) on things to prettify myself. In fact, you'll be able to find everything on my beauty supply list at Target, and mostly under $5.

Makeup:
I love the e.l.f products at Target - which make up my under eye concealer, blush, face powder, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, and even brushes. Coming in at $1 a pop, I can't afford not to love them.

I use L'Oreal Infallible Plumping lip gloss in Plumped Tawny. It wears well. I'm also a huge fan of the Burt's Bees Hibiscus tinted lip balm.

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse has also long been a favorite. In fact, I tried to switch to Bare Minerals and just couldn't - because I love the matte, flawless look of the mousse.

NYC nail polish is awesome. I love the price at under $2 a bottle, the brush is small enough I can use it on the girls, and it wears just as well as an $8 bottle.

Hair:
I like using the Renpure Originals for my hair when I know I have time (LOL) to blow dry and straighten it. Otherwise, I alternate between Herbal Essences (I miss the old pink bottle, though) and Suave (love the Shea Butter).

I also tend to use the Herbal Essences hair spray and leave in conditioner, because I love the way it smells. I also use these on the girls, too.

Body:
Like I said, I'm pretty easy going with what I use. I'm not a total Bath & Body Works junkie, because most of that smells too strongly for me. I like to use a Body Butter for my legs and arms, and Ponds on my face because it reminds me of my Grandma and she has beautiful skin.

So there you have it. My fairly cheap favorite beauty products. I'd like to say I splurge on something, but I really don't. Do you have something you can't live without? Share in the comments! Or, write a post and link up on Kelly's Korner.

And if you could click below to keep us in the top 10 - that'd be awesome!!

Sometimes You Just Need To Rant

9:11 AM 20 comments

I had someone email me a few days ago asking parenting advice. I still haven't responded back because 1. I almost never have time to sit down and respond to emails without having to wipe a butt, clean a mess, or stop a fight and 2. I'm the absolute last person y'all need to take parenting advice from, lol. The truth of the matter is I'm just really run down right now, and in such a funk.

For starters, I've been sick with bronchitis that turned into walking pneumonia. Which is super swell at the beginning of the school year when you have absolutely zero voice. But I trucked on and came to work, because let's be honest - it's easier dealing with 120 teenagers at school than 3 kids at home. On top of that, all 3 kids were sick two weeks ago, and woke up sick again this week, too. And the husband woke up sick, too. Which means multiple doctors appointments, enough drugs to start our own Breaking Bad-esque TV show, and the bare minimum of sleep. Sure, the kids are getting enough sleep, because they might wake once or twice at night. But mom & dad are waking up 4+ times a night dealing with sick and/or hungry kidlets.

On top of that, I'm dealing with all the regular hoopla of opening up a school year. An insane amount of paperwork, learning 120 names, grading hundreds of papers daily, meetings out the wazoo, Open House tonight (oh, and can't forget hanging up student work to make my room welcoming and warm!), collecting money and planning a field trip in a few weeks. My head is spinning!

Let's not forget the graduate class I'm required to attend every Thursday for 3 hours this semester to become "highly qualified" to teach middle school. Forget the fact I've been teaching it for NINE YEARS, and should have been grandfathered in years ago - but my paperwork I sent in FIVE TIMES was "lost".

And at this point, I'm fairly sure I need to de-activate my Facebook until after this election, or until the general population of America raises their IQ twofold and lessens their blind bigotry & racism. If I see one more stupid e-card about drug testing welfare recipients or that everyone who uses welfare sucks, I'm fairly sure my head might explode. So really - when I was on bed rest for 5 months and on short term disability, a viable solution would have been to sell the car I owed more on than I could have gotten cash, completely gotten rid of my cell phone, and made sure I never carried the Coach purse I received as a birthday gift nearly a decade before - simply to keep people from judging me at the grocery store check out while using WIC so I didn't have to choose keeping my house or feeding my children? Add to that the insanity that gay marriage will be forced on us by Obama. Really? Then I hope my new wife is super hot and rich.

And now I feel much better.