YOU KNOW YOU HAVE GIVEN UP WHEN...

• You barely make it to Ballet this morning WITHOUT a shower,wearing yesterdays smudgey remnants of mascara since last night you were too tired and out of it to wash your face, and hope that no one realizes that Blake's socks don't match... AGAIN

• Your house is SO trashed that you have to get Little Ceasars Pizza because you can not FIND your kitchen (and afford the Good Stuff "Papa John's"!), and even if you could find what was once a kitchen, it would take too long to clean enough dishes to make dinner

• AND THEN you let your kids ride their "bikes" around the driveway and garage while you eat your pizza in a camping chair rather than try to FIND that kitchen table!

• You BLOG about it instead of actually CLEANING it

• You finally realize that NO ONE is PERFECT and the sooner you admit to giving up on that facade- the better life will be.....

ok, ok, I don't know if I actually believe that last part. Will life be better when I get over trying to pretend that I have it together? Or will it just get a whole lot MESSIER?

And really- were ANY of you fooled in the first place???

the shout out

Finally!
My man is here to help - so I can finally add the link to Sara's wonderful Blog and the GLORIOUS PUMPKIN PIE MILKSHAKE that has been my staple food the last week! (I am beginning to get concerned that my unborn baby should get something else in his/her diet... but we will worry about that after pumpkin season!)

Sara's Blog is wonderful!!!
http://www.ourbestbites.com/

And even if you are not a Pumpkin Fan (which sounds blasphemous in October) she has tons of awesome recipes! For those of you who remember when I would go with the "Whidbey Island Girls" for the yearly get-a-way ... Sara is the reason we went!! Just to eat her yummy food all weekend and polish our nails! :) ok ok and to get a way from reality and be with the girls... but mostly for the food!!

If I understood this LINK stuff better I would send you to her recipe for White Chicken Chilli and Creamy Chicken Taquitos and all of the other yummy stuff I love.

ENJOY

what a girl will do for a PUMPKIN MILKSHAKE

I WAS going to wake up bright and early to BLOG about the best day of 2009...

Going to see WICKED for the first time last night!!! It was wonderful- everything I dreamed it would be for the past 5 years. The ONLY thing that could have made it better - is if the girl playing Galinda had tripped before curtains opened and her understudy had laringitis and they had to ask an audience member who already knows all of the words and is willing to wear those awesome ballgowns to come onto the stage and sing her heart out in front of a theatre full of adoring gay guys while floating in a bubble!!! And since that did not happen (which is obvious by the fact that I did not abandon my 2 children for a life on the road with the cast of WICKED) it was still a heavenly night!

But when I got on the computer to write about this, I stopped by my girlfriend Sara's BLOG (WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING WRONG HERE THAT I CAN NOT INSERT THE LINK TO HER AWESOME BLOG!!) and got absolutely distracted by the PUMPKIN MILKSHAKE!! I HAD TO HAVE ONE! I just had one at Starbucks the other day after I chased Blake around Riley's ballet class and felt that I deserved a major treat! (Lucky for me, JT gets Starbucks Gift Cards from work) But I was bummed out knowing that the Card would not last much longer and I may not be able to afford this treat after Ballet tomorrow. And there it was- on her Blog (which I have to stay I AM OBSESSED with THIS BLOG!!) and I didn't care that it was 9am. And that I hadn't wrestled to keep Blake out of the neighboring toilets while tugging off Riley's Ballet tights after class last weak! (which is what warranted the last Pumpkin Frappucino!) I didn't care that I hadn't even gotten out of my P.J.'s I HAD TO HAVE ONE!

As I got out my Giant cans of Pumpkin (that I got from Costco after I could not find it anywhere else) and all of the ingredients, I realized- I couldn't do it. I just could NOT get myself to scoop that icecream!

So-- I laced up my running shoes- bundled up the little ones and snuggled them into the BOB double to go for a "run". This is in QUOTATIONS because a pregnant run with two kids in a double stroller is much closer to a waddle. In pregnant miles- I think I ran a marathon! In actual street miles- I think it was 2!

BUT here it is - 10:30am, and I am about to indulge in PUMPKIN PARADISE without ANY GUILT!!!! :)
(accept for my kids watching TV so I could BLOG in the middle of the morning!! ooops - Can's win them all!)

the meaning of SACRIFICE....

A few years ago, I began to feel like I should stop doing hair. This was difficult for to me accept because I enjoyed it, the people, the creativity, and oh yeah-- my own spending money. Finally a few months ago the feeling became too persistent and I began to say no to clients. I have definitely seen the blessings already in my family. But as JT and I sat down to budget last month a hard reality struck home: I would need to give up some of my luxuries. I know you are looking at my house, my cars, my stuff and thinking "hate to break it to ya, Katie, but WHAT luxuries are you giving up?" Look Closer, guys. Look into my eyes... well, around my eyes. Look at these dark, soft eyelashes.

Yes, that is right, I am SACRIFICING the unbelievable: LANCOME.

About 7 years ago, while still on my mission, I began to run low on my supply of MAC makeup from my sweet sister Beth who did her best to keep me stocked with my beloved makeup. My companion, Soeur Howell, and I stumbled upon a new little French shop near the main Grocery store in Mada where she introduced me to her long time friend "LANCOME MASCARA". I had loved Lancome before. I even remember the glorious feeling of stepping into the Charles De Galle Airport in Paris and seeing the Lancome store and wishing that the flight would be delayed long enough for me to visit the Birthplace of a dear acquaintance. I had loved Lancome for her perfumes, and also the Dual Finish Powder, but had never known LOVE like this. It wasn't long before I was hooked, using my credit card from home to purchase this extravagance on my mission. And since then- I have never strayed.

...OK... I admit, there was the ONE time I was broke- looking for a job, I had no money, I was DESPERATE! I HAD to go to the drugstore. I HAD to buy that little blue tube. But days later I hung my head in shame as I returned to the forgiving arms of Lancome, and those snobby Nordstrom-Makeup-Counter-Girls with my chunky smudgy black lashes and begged for them to take me back!

When JT asked me to marry him, I thought it appropriate to warn him of this OTHER relationship. It had been 2 years with Lancome, the longest relationship of my life. He understood and agreed that HE would NEVER ASK me to end the affair and further more, do all that he could to support it.
So, he has never asked. I just felt it, deep in the pit of my stomach, that forcing my children and unborn baby to live off of Top Ramen for a week to afford this affair was somehow not right.

So with that, to Lancome's "Definicils", "Flextincels", and my most beloved "Hypnose", the Snobby-Makeup-Counter-Girls, the 7 years of love and unfailing commitment, the days of stalking Macy's and Nordstrom waiting for those 3 beautiful words "Gift With Purchase", the tiny trial size tubes that have faithfully stood by in my purse for a moment of desperation when I needed to reapply, and to all of the cute tote bags I bid "au revoir".

Wow, what a mother is willing to do for her family.
RITE AID - HERE I COME!

Can anyone recommend a REALLY GOOD MASCARA???????

Fly Swatter, Anyone?

So, Friday night we had a Birthday Party for Riley (I know, I know, I should be Blogging that! But I have to vent first!)

At some point during the party that was in and outdoors, two "guests" showed up uninvited into my home! We didn't even notice they were there until Saturday morning when we sat down to breakfast. Riley immediately exclaimed "Shoo Fly! Don't bodder me!" I looked up to see both rude guests on her cereal bowl.
Of course, at first, I was taken back in a nostalgic day dream to the time on my mission when I watched a Gigantic fly (apparently they are the only well fed street animals in Mada) fly from a pile of dog poo, to a slab of hanging raw meat (the little street markets did not have refrigeration- so the meat was left to hang in the sun, smelling wonderful!-- how do I indicate sarcasm?), and in slow motion come and land on my lip!! ... back to my kitchen...
Normally, barring the incident from the mission, I am not too horrified by flies. Yes, they are gross, and they land on everything, and bring it into your home (or onto your lip) but at least they don't have 8 legs. BUT now that the unwanted guests have stayed, camping out in my kitchen, for 3 DAYS-- I AM DONE!
I have left the doors open to try to lure them outside- but I am afraid this will allow them to invite more of their friends.
SO this brings me to the beginning... Fly Swatter... really, who owns a Fly Swatter? That seems so pioneer. Or like I should be somewhere on 'the Bayou' sitting on my porch. Why would I even own a fly swatter? And now - I wish I did! :(

UPDATE:
JT just woke up (before he goes to work tonight... I didn't want that to sound like he just sleeps in the afternoon while I battle house flies) and took out 3 of the 4!! MY HERO!
"Seven in One Blow!"
10 points for anyone who knows what oldschool Disney movie that line is from! :)

WHY am I soooo TIRED????!!!

I have been WAITING to Blog about this for 6 weeks now!
For those of you that know me well, you will know that I don't get zits, I don't like hotdogs, I don't usually feel sick or tired, and I NEVER miss the gym (accept for a serious tragedy!) so what does it mean when all of these things happen???

You guessed it:
WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!

We are about 13 weeks pregnant- I think. We are due with Baby #3 on March 5th 2010!

I was hoping to add the pics from my ultrasound to this blog- but they didn't transfer from JT's scanner to my laptop. (this stuff ONLY happens to me!) But since my ovulation was a little off (being the FIRST and ONLY period I have even had in almost 2 years since I became pregnant with Blake) my calculations were off and my ultrasound was at 6 weeks instead of 8! Which means- the picture that barely resembles a baby at 8 weeks, barely resembled a blob at 6!! :)

So there you go. An explanation for the zit, the Hot Dog, the desire to sleep for hours on end, missing the gym (due to that exhaustion) and the reason I have basically dropped off the face of the planet for the last 6 weeks!!!
But as of yesterday- I seem to be feeling better. I even let JT sleep in today while I woke up with the kids! (the first time in 2 months)

If you do the math- that puts Riley and Blake about 22 months apart and Blake and Baby #3 about 19 months apart! This may also be the definition of INSANITY! At least the baby will be here before we move away to school and while you can all come bring us yummy dinners and help watch my kids! wink wink!

As far as names (which I know is the next question) since I don't know the sex- I have not even thought past the endearing name "Baby #3". I do know that I should not involve Riley in this decision. Last week she decided to name a pink bear and apparently she heard a commercial in the background that inspired her to name the bear "Zyrtec"!!!

Now many of you are thinking to yourself that because I am due on March 5 that Aleisa must be due on April 5 :) sorry guys, this time we forget to send them the memo to start trying exactly 4 weeks after us!! (like they did with their other babies) The same goes for Heidi-- although I DID try to get her to join the baby club and have her's 6 weeks after mine (just like her other babies) but apparently according to Jarod (and much to my surprise) HE and Heidi are in charge of their baby planning- not ME and Heidi!
Oh well guys, I guess there is always Baby #4!!
(just kidding just kidding just kidding! No plans for a baby #4!!!!)

My camera is on strike

You know the commercial where there are all those people who are suppose to be pictures on someone's camera- and they are all bugged that they never get downloaded- just deleted? Yeah, that is my camera.

One of the problems with this strategy of only downloading when you absolutely have to- is what if you take up a new hobbie- like Blogging? And you want to put pictures of your new lawn- the "before and after" of the whole event- but when you sit down to finally download those "after" pictures- for some reason your camera will not connect with your laptop? And you think- stay calm- just blog about Father's Day- that was months ago! And you start to write the Blog before you check your computer for the pics- only to find that those cute pics or JT wearing the tie that Riley made in Nursery are also TRAPPED on that dumb camera that is not connecting with your laptop!!! So you finally give up and say
"THIS is why I didn't want a new hobbie, like Blogging, in the first place!!!"

Stay tuned for lots of pics of my yard when my husband gets home from work (and he can figure out this lame camera problem)... but by then we will have gone on our first camping trip with Blake, AND his First Birthday, and I am sure a hundred other things that will end up needing to be Blogged- pushing my new yard to the very back of the line up!

Oh well, c'est la vie!