Weighed myself this morning and I'm down 4 lbs from yesterday morning! Just wanted to do a happy dance on here...

Ok, was looking for a funny comic and came across this one. Not exactly what I was looking for for my blog but my hubby will get a kick out of it!

Last post got too long so I started a new one.

I started my "diet" again today. There was a full-length mirror in that hotel room yesterday and I've got me a horrid picture of what my body REALLY looks like. NOT a pretty sight! Tonight when I was tempted to munch on something, just whipped out my cell phone (took pic with my cell) and stared at it....worked like a charm! (VBG!) I had some very tempting situations today also and I'm happy to say I made the right choices! Hannah very innocently came up to inform me that I had a candybar up in the pantry, it's been there for a couple of weeks now. It was hard since I had not eaten yet and it was almost lunchtime. Then, ended up taking the kids to Wendy's for dinner. Those fries were calling my name but I chose my salad instead. I was even tempted to get the salad....with a small order of fries! I'm so bad I know!

Talked with my step-momma tonight. Me and Hailey are going to be flying up there sometime in late July or early August to visit them and my Grandma. Not sure how long my Gram is going to live, so I want to make sure I get to see her, and let her meet Hailey. Becky, wanna come up and see me??? I'll be there a Thurs-Sunday so maybe that Saturday? I'm totally excited, I miss my daddy! I'm also hoping to lose at least 15-20 lbs by then. We'll see since I'm not going to be hitting the gym. Can't afford it right now...I know, I know, I can always go walking, but it's too stinkin' hot outside.

I finally told Michael about my idea about becoming a photographer. I've tried so many "work-at-home" things that he's been pretty much jaded by it, and wouldn't even entertain any of my ideas since. He actually had a better reaction than I thought he would this time! We actually discussed details of what I was thinking a little. We kept getting interupted by kids, and haven't been able to talk since. I'm going to keep researching things and get it all together, keep praying about it, and we'll see where this crazy idea goes. Maybe it'll stay just that, a crazy idea in my head, but maybe it'll turn into something. This idea just kindof came out of nowhere. Not sure if it's from God or from that pesky "frustrated artist lady" who keeps nagging me from time to time. We'll see:)

Ok, well hubby STILL isn't home, it's 11:48pm. I'm gonna get off this thing though and read my book, journal, and pray. Goodnight!

It's 11pm and hubby is STILL at his deacon's meeting at church, it started at 7pm. Poor guy is gonna' run himself ragged. Tomorrow he has to get up early to work in Tucson...

Tuesday night me and the kids drove down to Tucson to stay the night with him in the hotel. We had planned on spending the day there and going to a museum but hubby had a busy day yesterday and left town early to go to a meeting up in Phx. We weren't going to hang around if hubby wasn't even in town so we left around lunchtime. I stopped at Michael's on the way home and picked up some scrapbook paper. Me and Hannah are going to start scrapping on the night's that Michael is down in Tucson. I've gotta get my boxes of photos organized (somewhat!) first though.

I decided to start giving Hannah some more "big girl" type decisions to make. We had a somewhat serious discussion on the 2 hour drive home from Tucson. I asked her to seriously consider whether she wanted to continue with the piano or not. I was starting to have to "fight" her a bit to get her to practice and I was hoping that she'd take the initiative to do it on her own after just being "reminded". I was also looking for an attitude of "practicing till she got it right" instead of just putting in her 30 mins. KWIM??? I told her I was willing to pay for something else, like painting classes, if she would rather be doing those. I also told her though, that I think that God has given her the "gift" of being able to play, and that she has done very well in the 6 months of lessons that she's had. She stated some complaints about it being "hard" etc...which followed with my "some things TAKE work" speech (Becky this included bowling examples...). She thought about it for awhile, and I think has decided to continue taking piano. This is HUGE! When we first started talking, she jumped at the chance to "do art". After more contemplation, I think she's decided that she can still work on art/crafts but use her "lessons" for piano. Not sure if I'm getting across what I'm wanting to, but she made a "mature" decision, not just an emotional one or just picked what would be "easier". I'm also going to put her in charge of setting her goals for her schoolwork rather than just assigning pages. She will be required to stick with those goals though once they are set. Of course I will go over everything with her and not let her set unreachable ones or anything. I'm sharing all of this boring nonsense for a reason. This is a big milestone for ME:) I've been a micromanager with my kids and an authoritarian. I'm working really hard to NOT be like that anymore and let my kids be more responsible for themselves, their decisions, etc...It's really easy as a mom to get stuck in the rut of just bossing them around and managing their every waking moment. Don't wanna' be like that anymore! I want to be my kids' MOM, not their MANAGER.

Becky, thought you might get a little chuckle out of this...

I was at the grocery store tonight and they had a display of books for sale. The title was, "Are you losing it?".

It was a book on dieting....

I don't know about you but I'm just about to "lose" it! LOL

This pretty much sums up our day today...

Got up, ate breakfast, watched cartoons.

Kids played, I wrote a bazillion "thank you" cards.

I napped w/Hailey, took a couple of more pics of her, kids watched more cartoons.

We picked up house for daddy.

We mailed "thank you" cards, picked up fastfood, and went to Mom's to swim in her pool.

I ran in the grocery store on the way home from Mom's so I can start my "diet" tomorrow and the kids can have a REAL breakfast and lunch. We've been scrounging for 4 days now...

Pretty much a leisurely and boring day. We're starting back with school tomorrow or Wednesday. We left off "mid-week" when we stopped, so this week will be a halfy.

These are the pics I took today...

I couldn't resist getting a pic of her cute little "ruffly" bottom.

Ahh, like that fuzzy pic of her feet that I posted yesterday, this one turned out that way too.

I'm still gonna work on getting a "good" one of her hand and feet.

I'm going to use these to put together a sortof "portrait study" like they sell at Sears. I'll be putting it in her scrapbook though, and it won't cost me $100!

I've been toying with the idea of becoming a photographer. Been thinking about it for a couple of weeks now. Anyways, I was playing around with our cheap little digital for a few minutes before we had to leave for church tonight.

Came out blurry but didn't have time to mess with settings. I wish it was clearer because I really loved the "shot".


I love how this one came out. It looks great in B/W as well.

I've been wanting an "old fashioned bootie" shot since before she was born. I really love this one as well. Can't wait to scrapbook it! (These are not the booties I crocheted...those ended up too small for her, but I picked these up for less than $3 at Sears on clearance!)

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So what do you all think? Should I pursue this crazy idea a little more? Maybe I could actually be GOOD with a better camera and if I actually KNEW what I was doing??? LOL

Our baby shower yesterday

This was the posterboard that they had in the church's foyer for the last couple of weeks announcing the shower. Isn't it cute!

Me opening gifts...

This was one of the games. You had to use the spoon and try to get the most cotton balls out with only one "scoop"....this is my Mom

Our nursery director scooping/flinging out her "scoop".

This was one of the other games...pin the bottle on the baby.

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It was such a fun time! I'm so glad my friend convinced me to let them throw one for me. I'll try and get some pics in the next couple of days of some of the CUTE clothes and things that they got Hailey.

A little sad news to report. Hannah's little guinea pig died today. I had a feeling something was up, she's not been acting "normal" for about a week and a half...

We're sad of course, but I'm a little relieved to finally be pet-free. We're not getting anymore pets for quite some time.....like when the birdies have flown the coop. ::snort:: I can see myself as a "old lady" with a little "yippie" dog riding around with me in the car. Until then, I'll be content just taking care of my 5 little monkeys.....

Here are some of our latest pics.

Hailey's first bath....12 days old.

Auntie Rikki holding her newest neice. The mountain man in the back is my Gramps.

The mountains in Sedona. Wish we could have spent more time up there.


Hailey, 4 weeks old. She's getting so alert.


Hailey enjoying her new swing, this was taken today about an hour ago.

Tonight I broke down and bought a swing for Hailey. I love her and all but sometimes you just gotta' be able to put a baby DOWN. LOL She's really such a sweetie, she just likes to snuggle is all! So far it's working incredibly well. I just might have to let her sleep in it tonight so I can get a better night's sleep. Last night she was really hard to get to sleep and kept me up most of the night.

Today Hannah had her last tea party. It was a brunch and they made some melt and pour soaps. Hers she scented with "baby powder" scent.

I've gotten some kindof food poisening. Maybe I'll hit my weightloss goal for the week afterall...LOL