Pictures? What pictures?

I have been pretty picture-less lately on my blog. Reasons are simple...yet complicated. I recently upgraded my camera situation and in the last month I have taken lots and lots of photos. Many photos have already been designated to different posts. I just have not sat down and transferred pictures to my computer. I know it is not a hard thing to do! I just haven't done it. Well today we went to the Pumpkin Patch and I was in photography bliss. The first chance I have had at a great location, great reason, just great everything to take pictures. Well while I was snapping away my camera displayed an error message about my memory card. I wasn't even able to see my past pictures. I started to panic. And of course I didn't have another card so the picture taking fun was done! Well, on our way home I was hopeful that I would still be able to transfer my pictures to my computer. (I should have done this forever ago...I know, I know) However, after setting things up the response I received was "no images found". WHAT???? I have tons and tons of pictures documenting haircuts, losing teeth, pumpkin patch, etc. all of which the thought of not having them just makes me so saddy. Then a thought...I think a friend might know what to do. Yes sure enough she gives me the name of a place that has helped her before and then there is hope again. I called and... they are closed. I just didn't want the stress of waiting over the weekend to know if my pictures were gone or saved. Well after chatting with another friend I found a solution. Her husband was going to be able to help. (Thanks John!!) So the last update I received was that he was able to pull about 200+ photos and his magic handy work was still in the process of getting more! (I told you I took a lot!) So I have learned my lesson and will be transferring my pictures sooner. I will also be cursing technology for taking away my photo memories, while at the same time praising it for retrieving them!

Hitting the wall

It has been a long week.

Too many paint fumes and not enough sleep...

I will be back tomorrow!

(maybe)

Project a go-go

For the last few days I have been working on a project. What project you might ask? Well it involves my whole bonus room/toy room!! When my father was here a few weeks ago he helped me build or complete shelves in my bonus room. He was able to complete them and they look fabulous. Thanks Dad! You Rock! So on Monday I started sanding, caulking, painting, patching, etc. in the room to finish it off and finally (after 6 years going on 7) this room will be complete and all the "toy room" nicks will be erased (or at least painted over) to create a great fabulous room that we all can enjoy!

On a side note...it is really hard for me to do this 30 in 30 because my computer is on the floor covered in a sheet. Okay so it is not that bad but I have to complain about something! I have no complainin' to do about this room...It rocks! Hey I rock! Go me! (next week I will be ready to go back to being mediocre!)

30 posts in 30 days...

Well I have decided to put my foot down and post all of my back logged post ideas! So I am teaming up with my sister-in-law and we are each posting on our blogs for the next 30 days!

Now with that said...I must move on to the meat of this post.

I think my Crock-Pot is on Steroids. Sure it has 3 settings (low, high & warm) but I think it can only process...Consistent INTENSE heat! I have looked and I can't find that setting anywhere so it must be an internal heating sensor that is only operated by my steroidal Rival. I am sorry to say that there is no "slow cookin'" involved in its cookin' process. So I think there is a lesson in this for all of us...Just Say NO!!

Spiders & Ghosts & ????

Those are the things going bump in the night at our house. Ty recently has been having nightmares about...you guessed it! Spiders and Ghosts!

A few weeks ago I awoke to terrible cries and screaming coming from the boys room. I stumble in to hear Ty screaming "spiders get cho, spiders get Ty...on and on..." Well, he usually he sleeps with many a things and at this point he was sleeping with a whole box of little animals, dinosaurs, bugs with the occasional spider. Well being the great mom I am at 2am I thought he was screaming because he wanted the spiders. So I managed to find them by feeling around in the box handling all the critters til "ah ha" I found the spider. So I am already patting myself on the back because I found the spider in a box full of critters in the dark!!! (Way to go me!!) Then I hand it to him and he FREAKS OUT! Yelling about spiders getting him and crawling into the corner shaking! Now I am thinking... "not so good momma". I sat with him for I am sure hours (time goes by slowly when you are half asleep in the middle of the night!) trying to calm him down and tell him that the spider is a toy and that it is in fact "Ty's toy". So I listened to him repeat over and over...here is a tidbit of our conversation.

T: Ty's toy?

M: Yes it is Ty's toy. Spider is just a toy.

T: Ty's toy pider?

M: Yes it is your toy spider. Go to sleep now.

T: Mom, Ty's toy pider? (repeated oh 1000 times)

So I finally slip away and get back to my bed. I lay there and realize that he must have had a nightmare because while we were outside that day we saw a spider in a toy truck. Okay I think, crisis has been resolved...drifting off to sleep...then SCREAMING!!! And we repeat all that was mentioned before. This went on for umm...ALL night! The next morning the other 2 were warned not to mention spiders!!! I think this lasted for awhile. We didn't repeat a horrible night again until....LAST NIGHT!

Last night I awoke to screaming about Ghosts! This time I knew what to do and I was able to calm him quicker! Our conversation last night? Well it went a little like this:

T: Ghost get me?

M: No ghosts. They aren't real.

T: No more ghosts?

M: No more ghosts.

T: Whale get ghost?

M: Whale gets the ghost.

T: Whale bites ghost?

M: (trying not to laugh) Yes whale bites the ghost.

T: (he is smiling now) Shark bites ghost?

M: I repeat.

So he continues to name off many-a ocean critter that would bite the ghost. So I sufficiently calm and he gives kisses and says "goo-ni momma" and I retreat back to my bed to sleep for the rest of the...well I might have just gotten 20 mins and the the cycle began all over again. We did this 3 times and then I just decided that it wasn't so bad to have him come and sleep with us...at least we will all sleep right? All was quiet. The great thing about this is that Andrew wants to be a ghost for Halloween! So maybe our sleepless night caused by nightmares about ghosts is in a "to be continued" status!

Happy Birthday to ME!

I just got used to being 30 in time to turn 31! Yes, I celebrated my 31st Birthday on the 4th. I spent the day doing whatever I wanted to do! I hung out with my big sis Kiki. My hubby invited me to come and have lunch with him downtown in the afternoon. I got my very dirty car cleaned. Although I was ready to shell out $49 for a Express Detail, I went to the wrong location so I settled for a $5 super clean and a $.50 vacuum job by me the Birthday Girl! Then I went to enrichment so I wouldn't have to cook dinner or take care of my kids that night (okay I also went to be spiritually uplifted!) I even got a birthday singin' to at enrichment! Thank you friends! Then to top it off I came home to blow out the candle on my birthday cake (thank you Kiki) while my family sang to me! What a day! Thank you to all who helped me celebrate!

Happy Birthday X 2

On August 7th we celebrated Alli and Andrew's 6th Birthday! They were sooo excited about their birthdays that they started planning in January! I got so sick of talking about birthdays especially since it wasn't for another 7 months that I told them that we had to wait until July before we could say any more about what they were doing for their birthday. You may think I am a stinker of a mom but trust me this rule was put in place for the benefit of all involved!

For their party we had banana splits with all the toppings. They got to pick all the toppings and we had quite the yummy oooey gooey banana splits!

Of course there were presents and they just couldn't wait to get them. In fact they were a bit scared when they heard that only Will was attending from the other Rushing side. They were sad that the rest of crew would not be there then with a inquisitive/worried look they asked "So is he going to bring their gift?" I love that they are so young that it is just all about the party and presents!!

They loved their presents and especially the WebKinz from Grandma Rushing. They were so excited when they opened the box and Andrew found a cute Lion he named Goldie, and Alli found an adorable American Cocker Spaniel named Bella. Andrew was also trilled that he got more little animals to add to his collection. He is now 6 and still loves those animals! And to their great wonderment and surprise...they each received a Lil'Kinz from the other Rushings! They came away with great things! One special gift Andrew received was his very own set of golf clubs so he could go out golfing with Dad! He loves them. And Alli had her room decorated by Mom!

This last year has been full of great things. They are headed to 1st grade in few weeks and it is hard to believe that just 6 years ago I was holding the two most precious things in the world right in my arms! They are great kids and my life would not be compete without all that the stress of having TWO at the same time brings!! Alli and Andrew are quite a marvalous pair of 6 year olds!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!