How could I forget!?!

So here I am yesterday saying how I didn't have much to blog about over the summer.  But on August 15th I completely missed blogging about my newly turned 16 year old!!


Yup, crazy right?  It's just not possible for me to be the mom of a 16 year old!!


I was just planning to share some tennis photos of her today when I realized I never mentioned her on her special day.  Bad mom!  Bad, bad mom!!


So here she is during her party with her friends the weekend of her bday....

She will be driving soon.  Well, she technically is.  She has her learner's permit and has finished her behind the wheel hours.  She is scheduled for her road test on September 14th.  I'm just not ready for her to be driving a car on her own!


She made the varsity tennis team this year.  I think.  Things change all the time with her coach.  But she was told to order the varsity dress and has been taken on most of the varsity matches so far.  She's at the bottom of the totem pole and hasn't won a match yet.  But I don't care.  I know she loves it and that's all that matters.  I do see improvement in her playing lately too.  I wish her dad would admit to that......he tends to get frustrated in all the things she messes up on when he sees her play.  I do too sometimes but am trying not to point them all out to her.  She gets enough of that from the coaches.

These are the best two I've gotten so far.  I've only taken photos at one match and we have the darn fence to contend with!!  So I figured I'd get a cool shot of the fence while I was at it!

Happy Birthday to my sweet 16!!

Love you! :)

Birthday Boy!!

Just wanted to take a moment to wish my awesome (and sometimes strange) hubby a wonderful birthday today!!

I ♥  You!!!

Happy 12th Birthday!

My baby turned 12 today!  

Twelve!  

I can't believe that!

This morning we told her that she could finally get the dog she's been asking for.....since she was like two!

I must be getting crazy in my old age!

It all started.....

In a small town in Massachusetts

Where I was born 41 years ago.

Now I'm living in Wisconsin, wearing purple snuggies!

And eating chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.

Made with love by my hubby!

My Birthday Gift {part 1}

Remember back at the end of October when I mentioned I found out what parts of my bday gift from hubby was? I'd include the link but blogger is giving me problems and for some reason I can't copy and paste it. And I'm too lazy to try to copy it because it's really long and the last time I tried I missed a letter!

Anyway, here's the first part. I mentioned to him toward the end of October that I thought I needed a haircut and was thinking of going the next day. Well, he wouldn't let me because he had made an appointment at a local salon for me to have my hair done.

Yeah, not what you'd expect as a typical bday present. Well, hubby can be anything but typical. He did it because he knows how I "struggle" with my hair. I've never been one to be high maintenance when it comes to hair/nails/appearance etc. I usually just go to Cost Cutters, get a cut and be done with it. But I never seem to be happy with my hair. It's fine and limp and just doesn't do anything! I've never had a regular hairdresser that got to know me and my hair. I usually never went to the same person twice. He did it because he wanted me to splurge and do something for myself and maybe come to like it and her and keep it up.....do something for me.

So that appointment was today. He had told her I wanted a perm. I had mentioned it before because my hair is just so straight and lifeless. But going in I had no idea what I wanted. She looked at my hair showed me some ideas for my length and that's what I did. Got it permed.

It's not real tight, but it looks much fuller and not so blah. Are you ready? Here's the "new" me.

This photo doesn't really do it justice, I don't think. It doesn't seem to look at all like it does to me in the mirror. Plus, it seems much darker in the photo and no not just because I converted it to b&w. I don't know, why is it so freakin hard to get a decent picture of myself?

So far I like it. We'll see tomorrow when I try to style it myself! I also liked the woman who did it so there's a good chance I may just go back.

Happy 40th Birthday Sesame Street!!

Reason #123,456 that turning 40 makes me feel old.......I'm as old as Sesame Street!

Well, technically a week younger but what's 7 days when you're this old! LOL

I grew up with that show. I was just searching youtube for some classic episode clips. It's amazing how you can still sing along with some of those songs like it was just yesterday!

Here's a clip that looks like it features most of the original humans........including the one and only Mr. Hooper!

Back to work and November blogging

Today is my last of 9 days off in a row and I'm not happy about it! It went by too fast. I just starting getting into a groove and getting things crossed off my list and working on some projects around here. Now this going back to work is gonna mess things all up! I know, I know, I should be thankful I even have a job. I am, but I'm sure you know how it goes.

I feel kinda bad......my hubby was planning some stuff for me for my 40th without me knowing about it (ya hard to believe isn't it?).....anyway, I've found out about a couple things accidentally and by way of him having to tell me because of something I was going to do! Poor guy. He finally tries to surprise me with something and he has to reveal it anyway. I will tell you all about it next month after the big day!

I've decided to do nablopomo (National Blog Posting Month) for November. They actually do it every month usually with a different theme. I've done once in the past and since November is the "official" month I thought I'd give it another shot. Who's with me?

I'm debating whether I should also do it on my photoblog too. What do you think?

Still "Live and Kickin'" at 60

Today is Rick Springfield's birthday. His 60th. Wow! I can't believe he's going to be 60 and personally I think he still looks HOT! I can't believe I've been a fan for 28 years! Since 1981 with Jessie's Girl and then General Hospital.

Here are a few photos I took about a week ago when we saw him at the Wisconsin State Fair.

This fall he is guest starring on David Duchovny's show "Californication" on Showtime playing a "twisted version" of himself. I am really looking forward to seeing that. It should be fun. I've started watching the first season of the show to see what it's like. Probably not something I would have normally watched on my own. It's quite dirty......but what can you expect with the word fornication right in the title! lol

Here's a clip of one of the promos. Be careful who you watch this in front of........though this is probably the "clean" version!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICK!!!

August 15, 1995

Fourteen years ago today I became a mom for the first time.


I had worked all day the day before. When I got home from work that night I made myself something to eat and went to sit on the couch. I would usually sit Indian style with my belly resting on my legs. When I went to put up my first leg I felt a little gush. Uh-oh! I thought I had peed myself! Not unusual for someone who is 9 months pregnant. I was at the point where I was going to the bathroom quite often.

So I got up and went to use the bathroom. I thought I was done and was going to head back to eat but I kept feeling something leaking and finally realized I hadn't gone to the bathroom. My water broke! Which I have heard since is very unusual for a first baby.

Anyway, I went over to hubby and told him it was time. "Time for what?" he asked! "Duh, I'm 9 months pregnant, what do you think?" So we headed to the hospital and they had to do a test to make sure that was the case and that my water had actually broke. I was admitted sometime around 8pm. And then a mere 13 VERY LONG HOURS later Skowt was born.

She was stubborn and did not want to come out I guess. Now she is for the most part a pretty laid back kid. Quiet and shy like her mom with a goofy sense of humor. Growing up way faster than this mom can handle!

Happy 14th Birthday!! Love you!

Happy 40th!!

Happy 40th Birthday............

To my hubby and very best friend!!!

I love you!

10 Years ago today

I was scheduled to go in and have labor induced because I was past my due date. Well, I woke up that morning to go to the hospital and started having labor pains. She was stubborn and was going to come on her own terms and not have someone "force" her out!

Here she is after they cleaned her up of course.....all 9 pounds and 1 ounce of her! Ouch!


Examining her 1st birthday cake...

And her 2nd birthday cake....

Looking her mischievous self on her 3rd bday....

She can also put on a cute face, which she did for her 4th....

And 5th....

Ok, and 6th too......

With her birthday crown from school on her 7th.....

Finally with some teeth missing on her 8th.....

Showing off for the camera (she's good at that) for her 9th.....

And here she is now. This was taken at the end of April. She always willing to pose for me! I plan on doing a little birthday photo shoot with her sometime in the next few days, unfortunately it looks like it may rain today.

I can't believe my youngest is 10 already!! And I can't believe I haven't gone completely mad yet. She can be stubborn, frustrating, ornery, moody, mischievous and the list goes on......and drive her mother to tears.

But she can also be a sweet, caring, fun loving girl who puts a smile on my face!

Happy Birthday Tiger!!! I love you!!

I'm Home and a Bday wish

Whew! We are back home. Got in yesterday afternoon. It was great seeing our family but it was a long week. It's always nice to be home and sleep in your own bed and shower in your own bathroom. Though our shower could stand a cleaning, I don't think hubby touched it while we were away.

Hubby was working yesterday when we got in so I didn't see him for a couple hours. But this is what we came home to:

He has his moments but for the most part I couldn't ask for a better guy! I probably could have gotten a better pic, but I was tired!

Speaking of great guys.....I'd like to wish a Happy Belated Birthday to someone who has been a very important part of my life since I was 12 years old. Rick Springfield turned 59 yesterday! Can you believe it?

Amy seems to think he is her man, but beg to differ!

Fun with new camera

We gave my daughter Skowt a new camera for her 13th bday. Her bday is not until the 15th but we are going on vacation so we gave it to her early so she could practice a bit before our trip.

We went out to dinner and the kids saw me taking pics of the design on the table and the ceiling and were questioning why. So I told them not to be afraid to take pics of what they think are ordinary things. Try close ups or different angles. Sometimes those turn out to be the best photos.

So Tiger took this one of my water glass:



Skowt (and grandma) decided to play with her food and create this masterpiece. Notice the hole in the tortilla looks like Africa.

I took this one when we came home for cake

BTW, it's a Canon Powershot A470 and so far I like it.

Happy Birthday Hubby!!

He turns 39 today!

Join me in wishing him a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

That means I'm not far behind.

I will be turning 39 later this year.

Ugh!

Happy Birthday Tiger!!!

Today is the day my youngest turned 9!! How did that happen?

So Saturday was the pizza party and sleepover. We spent 5 times as much money to buy tokens to play games to turn in for prizes than the junk was worth! But the kids love those places. It went pretty well and I made it through! lol I don't think they got much sleep though. I heard them goofing around at 3 AM when I got up to go to the bathroom, so hubby went in to tell them to get to sleep.

Then yesterday was the day we went for the ear piercing! She's been wanting to do this forever now but we made her wait until she was 9, like her sister did. She's not too good with needles so I thought we'd have a tough time. She did get nervous and shed a few tears but she got through it. Then of course she needed a soft pretzel to ease the pain.

Busy week

Sorry I haven't been around much. I guess I just haven't been in the blogging mood lately. Posting everyday in March must have worn me out because I haven't done much here in April. Plus it's a busy week this week.........I've been working one day a week lately. Now this week I'm working 4 in a row. It's all or nothing!

Tiger turns 9 on Monday. Where does the time go? I'm not much for throwing big birthday parties for the kids. So she has invited 3 of her friends over on Saturday to go out for pizza and games and then spend the night. Four 9 yr olds at once is more than enough! Then, lucky me gets to go in to work for 6 am on Sunday morning. That ought to be fun.

I'm beat, off to bed for me. I hope to try to pick things up a bit here and post a bit more than I have the past couple weeks.

PhotoHunt: Thirteen (13)

Running a little behind on my photohunt post today. I had a hard time finding something to photograph that fit the theme. But I remembered an old photo I had so I decided to go retro today and embarrass myself in the process with a pic of me on my 13th birthday.

This is me with one of my favorite birthday gifts of all time...Rick Springfield's "Working Class Dog" album and an "I *heart* General Hospital" mug. I had some rough times around that age and Rick's music is what kept me going. I wore this album out!

And no, my kids did not get a hold of the pic and scribble on it. Twenty years later on my 33rd birthday, I was lucky enough to get the photo signed by Rick himself!

Hubby & I and another couple went to an out of town show he did on the night before my bday. We made a weekend out of it and booked a hotel for the night. It ended up being the same hotel Rick and the band were at. So the next morning as they were heading out to catch their flight hubby *made* me ask if Rick would sign it. It took all the courage I had and if hubby wasn't there to encourage me I probably wouldn't have done it and would have been kicking myself in the a** for the rest of my life!

I was actually able to tell Rick the story of the photo and he wished me a Happy Birthday. I think I floated home that day.

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