Vacation

I can't believe it is already Monday. This vacation thing sure beats real life! The past few days have been sunny and warm. The kids have been swimming NON-STOP. Beginning at 9:00 A.M. they are ready to hit the pool. (That is after awaking at 7:00).

Steve and I had a fun night out yesterday. Michele took the kids for a sleep over and Steve and I remembered what it was like before kids. We went to dinner and saw the movie 21. We really liked it. It is about some MIT kids who count cards in Vegas and make a lot of MONEY until they get caught. It is amazing how some people's minds work. I can't remember a simple phone number, let alone all the numbers in a deck of cards.

Speaking of great minds. You have to check out my cousin Janina's blog. She definitely has an artistic mind. Oops, I can't find the link right now. I'll post it when I get home for all to enjoy.

Well, I'm waiting for the kid's to get back from Michele's house. She and I are going to the outlet mall this afternoon. I hope to find that new purse. We will see, the search is on................ I'm off to get some lunch. Until next time......

Packing and more packing...........

So............. I should be finishing up packing, but I'm blogging instead. I need a break. The last few days have been soooooooooooo BUSY. I have been trying to get everything in order so we can leave for FLORIDA. The kids are beyond excited. It is nearly 10 o'clock and they can't fall asleep. I'm dreading work tomorrow. I have to be at the gym before the break of dawn and I will be go go going until our flight arrives in Jacksonville at 9:30 p.m. I can't wait until the plane has landed. Then I can begin to relax.

Amanda and Nicholas have been counting down the days over the past two weeks. They can't wait to swim and go to the beach. I can't wait to relax, read, and get away from the everyday monotony of chores, work, dinners, laundry, etc. I can't wait to spend some time with Steve, Mom and Dad and Michele, watch some movies, and goof around with the kids. YEAH!!!!!!!!

On another note, I just got the new Harlan Coben book from the library. I'm hoping to finish my book club book and read this one too. I really need to finish the book club book since the meeting is at my house the week we get back! Has anyone read anything good lately? I've heard the Senator's Wife, The Knitting Circle, and the new Jodi Piccoult book are all good.

Well, I guess I should get back to packing. There are so many things to remember............ cameras, videos, games, coloring books, snacks, clothes, flip-flops........ and the list goes on......

Have a great day! The next time I post I will be in sunny FLORIDA! (though sunny Michigan has been excellent!)

Ramblings from me.........................

I'm BACK................ It has been busy. Right now I am in the midst of 2 sick kids and an ailing husband. I'm the only healthy one in the household and we are leaving for vacation in 4 days. This is NOT the kind of chaos I want to deal with right before a vacation. However, Steve points out that maybe this is a good thing so everyone will be better by Thursday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

This past week we have been enjoying the weather. Here are some recent pictures from our adventures with Mo and Cameron.

It was the very next day that Nicholas came down with a cold and terrible cough. When Amanda came home from school on Friday, she had it too. UGH!! The cough is awful. I sent Steve out to buy another vaporizer. That night I slept in the guest room with the 2 kids and the vaporizer. I wanted to make sure everything was OK. I ended up falling asleep with them and was awakened by Nicholas falling out of the bed. My heart was racing. I could only imaging his eye and face. He ended up being ok and the next night I put the bed rails up so he wouldn't fall out. Needless to say, I didn't work on Sat. I was exhausted from being up half the night and I didn't want to take the kids to the kid's center and expose them to more germs. Instead I decided to work Sunday. (Yuck, I know, it is our family day.)

Anyway...... being home on a Sat. is so nice! I made the kids stay indoors for a while. While Nic played on the computer, Amanda and I made.......

Yummy cookies!!!!!! Also, I finally cleaned up my family room. I'm sick of threatening about the cars, toys, etc. all over the place. I finally took everything, but one bin of toys, into the basement. It is so nice not seeing cars all over the place. The kids helped me straighten up the basement and then we went outdoors to play. They rode bikes, we rollerbladed, threw Tug the frisbee, etc. It was a lot of fun! I love this spring weather. I was so excited to see some of my flowers beginning to bloom. I just love flowers and the pretty bursts of color they give your yard! The pretty looking kids are AWESOME too!

I forgot to mention, Friday I got to do a little shopping for myself. Steve was home for a couple of hours during the day. I bought a few things for Florida and I stopped at the scrapbook store for some goodies. I was really looking for a cute, small, summer purse. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that at the mall I couldn't find anything under $200 dollars for a purse. I don't want to spend that much. Where can you get something cute and affordable that won't fall apart? If I can't find something, I just might breakdown and get it! Yikes ( especially after I spent a ton of money at the dentist to get the kids and my teeth cleaned. Talk about expensive. With no insurance, I can see why people don't go! That is a whole other post!)

That brings us to Sunday. Remember, I worked! That begins the day YUCKY! I was going to run some errands before taking Amanda to a birthday party, but my time was cut short. Steve called me with some good news and bad news. The good news was he started cleaning out the garage, the bad news was........ he threw out his back. I hurried home and told him to alternate ice and heat and I would help him later. In the meantime, I had to put everything away that was on the front lawn and driveway. Oh yeah, and wrap the birthday present, make a card, and take Amanda to the party. Anyway, it got done, I ran my errands, and I'm thoroughly exhausted at 6:02. We just ordered dinner and I still have to make a casserole tonight (the chicken has been sitting in the fridge for 2 days), do the kids laundry, give the kids showers, and clean up. I hope I catch a second wind.

Finally, I just wanted to tell you about Amanda's party. She went to a chocolate store and made chocolate for her friend Hailey's birthday. She was given an apron, chef's hat, and 1 lb. of chocolate with lots of stuff to dip, marshmallows, graham crackers, oreos, etc. What a cute idea! That should have been a business idea I came up with.
The girls had a great time and Amanda came home with a bunch of chocolate creations to devour, a cute homemade apron and hat, and a lot of chocolate over her clothes.

Hope everyone has a good week. I'll try to post more often so I don't have to ramble on FOREVER..................................

No excitement today.........

No major excitement around our house today. Nicholas' face really looks banged up. It is scabbing over, but luckily his eye didn't turn black and blue (yet). This afternoon I took the kids to the library and then to the park. I was praying that Nicholas would not fall down or bang himself up some more. There were no major incidents, just a lot of protests when it was time to leave. We had left over spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, so that was a no brainer. I gave the kids a quick shower, and Steve is putting the kids to bed as I am blogging. They are excited to read their new books from the library and the book fair that they attended at Amanda's school today.

I am anxious to relax, continue reading my book, and start the finale of the Biggest Loser. I love to see the amazing transformations. I only hope they can continue these unrealistic weight loss goals. They are such extremes, it would be great if they did a follow-up show to see how much weight the contestants actually keep off.

I'm looking forward to some more great weather tomorrow. I'm sure Nic and I will be outdoors cleaning up the yard or the car while Amanda is at school. I'm so happy it looks as if spring is really right around the corner!

Blogging LESS........

So I think that this might be the new trend.... blogging LESS. The weather has been getting so nice, (with the exception of Sunday)and I think I will be spending less time indoors and on the computer. I'm sure I'll still blog, just not as frequently.

So what has been happening since last Wed...... Working, playing, grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, going through the closets, gearing up for our Florida trip, going to dinner, bowling, playing poker, lots of birthday parties, feeling tired (the kids are once again coming in our bed), feeling like I need a vacation, reading, seeing friends, etc.....
Here are some recent pictures..

I doctored up the pictures in photoshop. I have not really been scrappin' lately. I have felt uninspired, maybe because I have no new pictures to scrap. I am unable to order prints from Costco. After I contacted their customer service, I got a list of suggestions to try. Unfortunately, I don't know how to implement the suggestions with my limited computer knowledge. I have tried, but I don't want to mess up other settings. UGH! I hate technology.

Finally, I'll leave you with this. Amanda did not have school today because of parent teacher conferences. After she came to work with me this morning, she spent the afternoon at her friend, Maddie's house. Later Nicholas and I went to pick her up and hang out for a while. Just as we were leaving, guess what happened, or maybe I'll just show you...................

It was awful!!!! Nicholas fell outstretched on the driveway. He skidded on his face and hands. It looked like he was going to completely somersault over. It was terrible! It is pretty swollen and red. Of course, he hated the ice. I wonder how black and blue his eye will be in the morning. Poor Guy! The picture doesn't even do the injury justice. Have a good night!

Shopping, indecision, and Laundry with Nic

So Tuesday was another beautiful day. After work I got my haircut and then I decided to take the kids shopping. Amanda was in dire need of a new pair of shoes, plus I was also looking for somethings for our Florida trip. Nicholas needed a new bathing suit and the kids needed sandals. Let me tell you......... we were very successful. We found Amanda gym shoes immediately. I was going for the pink Nike's, but she liked the pink sparkly Skechers with hearts on them. (The girl loves her bling!) I found some good deals at the Children's Place. I went in looking for a summer dress and some polos. However, this is what I left with...................

I know they look cute........... Amanda was drawn like a magnet to the hat and she looked so darn cute in it, and it was a cowboy hat. I couldn't resist. Nicholas will not wear a hat. (I've tried.) Instead he found the glasses, orange sunglasses nonetheless, and would not take them off. So I just added them to my purchases.

The kids were so pleasant shopping, I took them to the park afterwards. Then it was home for leftovers, showers, and last minute homework. We had to look up info on the sun. Did you know a million Earths could fit into the sun, which is a medium sized star composed of various gases? I know......... it takes you back to grade school and this is only Kindergarden.


On another topic, I came across this today.


The Dangers of Indecision: Much like avoidance, indecision only delays the inevitable. There may be many reasons you hesitate to take action when an important decision needs to be made. In most cases, indecision is caused by a fear of making the wrong decision. By doing nothing though, you will only continue to fret about your situation and the stress you feel will only continue to build.Forge ahead, trust your instincts, and make a decision. Even if you make the wrong choice, you will at least have cleared your mind of that particular worry. Errors are one of the prime learning opportunities life throws our way, so you still have the chance to take something good away from the experience, even if you do not make the best choice.


I enjoyed this because it always takes me a L O N G time to make a decision. It reiterates some points that Mo Mo brought up in a conversation. I really have to get over my fear of making the wrong decision. I really want to improve on this............


Finally, I want to share this Nicholas tidbit. While Amanda was at school, I had to do some cleaning. We have been outside playing so much, I haven't gotten any chores done. Anyway.......... I washed the kids sheets and Nicholas' cherished "Blankie." Before, he would never let me wash it. He would stand at the washing machine, banging on it and crying until the final spin cycle. I would then give it to him wet, it never made it to the dryer. He has gotten a little bit better lately. Today, he was patiently waiting for the dryer to stop so he could get his blankie. I was in the kitchen when the dryer stopped. He wanted it so bad...... I told him to get it out of the dryer. 5 minutes later I hear, "Mom I helped you with the laundry." "Uh oh" is my gut reaction. What did he do with all the freshly laundered sheets and pillowcases? Well, he did this......


























I couldn't believe it! He took a laundry basket off the washing machine and then took all the laundry out of the dryer and put it in the basket. That is when he yelled for me to come over. I grabbed my camera, of course. At 3 years old, I think this kid has some major potential. That made my day!

Riding Bikes........

What a gorgeous day! I hope this weather stays for awhile.....I worked and played today. Since I left my purse in Steve's car, I was confined to the house. I couldn't even get the 2 items for dinner from Kroger, because I didn't have any money. The kids were so excited we didn't have to go. Instead, they rode their bikes after school. Amanda is becoming a real pro on her BIG bike.

I captured that cute photo of the 2 of them on the porch. You can get amazing results with a little bit of cooperation.

Just before dinner I started my new book (The Friday Night Knitting Club). As I sat on the couch, I was interrupted for goldfish crackers, Hershey kisses, a yogurt drink, and milk. I was waiting for the water to boil and the kids were starving and couldn't wait. They promised they would eat dinner. Twenty minutes later, I had finished 6 pages and the kids were NOT hungry. Some days you can't win. It is either whining because they are hungry, whining they don't like dinner, or complaining that they are now NOT hungry and they have to sit there. Anyway, my point was........... I'm enjoying the first 6 pages of the book, and I'm looking forward to going upstairs and reading more before watching Dancing with the Stars. Have a good night. Tomorrow is suppose to be another great day.

What a Weekend.......

What a weekend! As usual Steve and I worked on Sat. I picked the kids up from Mom's and I was off to wrap a birthday present and drop Amanda at a birthday party for a classmate. I was pretty excited because I found a sitter for Sat. night so we were going out!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!! It has been too long. I ran on the treadmill, Steve picked Amanda up, and we were off to try a new restaurant in Birmingham, Chen Chow. Steve was fascinated by the name. He kept saying "Chen Chow" all night. It was very trendy and dark. The food was good, but I think it is really a place for sushi. I am not a huge sushi fan, but I told our friends Robert and Debbie I'd be willing to try it again. They love it. Robert claims he can convert me, but there is no hope for Steve. Maybe you have to know what to order. Anyway..... after dinner, we were going to meet a few friends to play cards. While we were waiting for 8:30 to roll around, we shopped at Border's. I got the book club selection for my new book club, The Friday Night Knitting Club, by Jacobs. I can't wait to start reading again. (I have to get down to business since the first meeting is at my house.)

Finally, we got to Robert and Debbie's house and started playing cards with her cousin and husband. Everything was going well, until I got a phone call from the baby sitter. It was only 10 o'clock. Great, I'm thinking someone must be sick. I was WRONG! The power went out and the sitter has been sitting in the dark for the last 10 minutes. UGH! Of all nights.....I can't ever recall even losing power at this house. We had to rush home, and that was the end of our evening. The power finally came on about 1:30 in the morning, when I awoke to all the lights on. It was crazy sitting at home with candles, no t.v., no computer, nothing. I felt like the settlers. No wonder they went to bed, there was nothing to do. They needed shut eye so they could plow the fields in the morning! So that was our exciting Sat. night.


Sunday, the weather was gorgeous. It felt so good to get out and play. After church and grocery shopping, we were off to the park. We took kites, and the weather was perfect. I haven't flown a kite in soooooo long. It was so much fun........... I think I liked it more than the kids.

























Like most things the kids lost interest after a few minutes, but I thought it was well worth it. Here are a few more pictures from the park....


















Well, I'm off to relax. Have a good week everyone!

Trophies and Coupons

Tonight we have a guest poster on the blog. I can't come up with a topic, so Miss Amanda would like to discuss............... Trophies.

Amanda would really like to win a trophy one day.

AG: Dad's trophy is a circle and it is gray.

Me: Would you like to win a trophy like that?

AG: No.

Me: What kind would you like to win?

AG: I would like to win a cup from swimming. I want it to be big.

Me: How do you think you win a trophy, Amanda?

AG: You need to be a good swimmer.

Me: Good answer. But, if you are a good tennis player, do you still get a swimming cup?

AG: No, a tennis plate! I think it is hard work.

Me: Do you think Dad worked hard to win those plates?

AG: Yes. You work hard by playing matches. I would also like to win a gymnastics trophy for bars. Bye, Bye.

Oh yeah, I thought of another topic. Coupons. I have always liked to clip coupons. (You know, the ones that come in the Sat. paper for groceries and toiletries.) Lately, I have been thinking it might be a waste of time. Is it really worth it? They always expire and I have to sort through them. I like to clip them, but not search through them. Anyway...... I decided to do an experiment for the next several months to see if it is really worthwhile. This started in the month of March. I only used coupons at the grocery store and Target for toiletries and paper products. The grand savings total at the end of the month was $35.40. Wow! I was pretty impressed. I guess all those .40, .50, and $1.00 added up. I am going to try it for a couple more months, because maybe this was just a fluke. So far I've realized you can save the most money on non-food items ( toilet paper, soap, dryer sheets, laundry detergent, cleaners, etc.) It is more difficult to save on grocery items because I don't buy a lot of packaged and processed items. (Of course you always get cereal and granola bar coupons which are good for the Herdoiza house.) I will let you know how my tally is going. If I can maintain savings at this rate, that is over $400 dollars a year. That means I will have my digital SLR camera in only 2 years??????

Does anyone else do the coupons thing? I doubt it, but it might be something to start thinking about. Have a good night!