tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76159328537751276182024-03-13T10:47:32.175-07:00Adventures of LifeBeth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.comBlogger191125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-55310140506624984542011-04-28T12:19:00.000-07:002011-04-28T12:19:51.187-07:00TornadoWe're Okay. the tornadoes went through about 5-10 miles north of us, about 15 miles west of us, and about 20 miles south. <br />
<br />
Safe to say it was a close call. We don't even have wind damage. We're totally okay. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwTB4htXcm57BgPd022p8jQgEe0AHqzLX-ZQ2rFHXpl6NDlbC-xV5oYuc_erU7dNvnvKH2q0azboOzqmqqeoU06-U1Ixw-xoZ6lu58GF9EAL245QCXndwFXkS3VQhjBL7Oi_L3u1RkDA/s1600/222465_10150566278230444_766825443_18409175_1652323_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwTB4htXcm57BgPd022p8jQgEe0AHqzLX-ZQ2rFHXpl6NDlbC-xV5oYuc_erU7dNvnvKH2q0azboOzqmqqeoU06-U1Ixw-xoZ6lu58GF9EAL245QCXndwFXkS3VQhjBL7Oi_L3u1RkDA/s320/222465_10150566278230444_766825443_18409175_1652323_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This photo was taken 15 miles north west of us.Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-2552107822945133822011-04-12T16:00:00.000-07:002011-04-12T16:00:41.540-07:00Lifestyles of the Rich and FamousSarah's been bugging the daylights outta me to give an update on here so I snagged a few minutes to blog a bit about my life right now....<br />
<br />
New York was WONDERFUL. Brent and I had a great time. We knew everything about where to go, what to do, how much to pay, etc and we had a great time. We spent a lot of money but I'd set aside alot of money for it and we really got a huge bang for the buck. We saw Mary Poppins, Spiderman and Avenue Q on Broadway, and we saw a show called "The Unrehearsed Historically Innacurate Story of Mr Rogers" at the UCBC theatre (a comedy improv club). I was actually drafted as a cast member for that last show and it was hysterical. We were given scripts as we went onstage and I laughed my butt off, it was awesome. I swore I'd load up some pictures but I'm not gonna right now, lol. <br />
<br />
After NYC we went back to the grindstone for a bit. I got transferred to the Dalton Sprint store because the Cleveland store was closing (not enough volume). Bob quit and we fired most of the Dalton staff, so I spent all of March training and hiring and training and hiring more. Its been okay - not as awesome as I'd hoped, but closer to home for sure. <br />
<br />
About a week into the month a man named Andrea Ori with a company called Felplast bought an account from me and set up 2 lines of service. I was my normal cheery self, did my job effeciently and didn't think more of it. About a week later he came back on a Saturday (this was the 2nd weekend of March I think) and offered me a job. He took me to lunch, told me whatever benefits I wanted I'd have and whatever pay I needed he'd give me. I tried the job out for a day and a half (when I was off at Sprint) and agreed to work for Andrea. I'm making $18/hour plus commission, bonuses and have all the benefits I could dream of -- Sick pay, 2 months paid maternity leave, 2 weeks paid vacation per year, health care, and a company car. And plus, he's italian so if I ever want to go visit Italy, I can for really cheap!! <br />
<br />
I turned in my notice last week and am working out the last few days of my 2 weeks notice. I'm anxious to be out of retail and into the office style job that Felplast will be. I've already landed an account and sold off a load of material, so I'm making comission before I'm even full time over there which promises a big bright future for me comission wise. <br />
<br />
Simultaneous to my job offer and acceptance, Brent decided to quit his job at Walmart and go full time into production. He worked out his notice, and already has solid work through May, plus a play we're producing ourselves and 2 shorts he wants to put together for a film festival, and our camera will be back from repair soon and he'll have our movie to edit as well. Its been AWESOME having my hubby back in bed with me at night. I've slept better and we're doing really well because we get to see eachother alot more now. <br />
<br />
On the way home from his first shoot in ATL, Brent totalled our station wagon. Totalled totalled. Gone. He ran a red light and hit a SUV and our insurance isn't paying for anything I missed renewing it two days before. So I'm tabbing the money I'm suing Rick's Automotive for (the one that blew up our Suzuki) for paying the damages for that wreck and hoping it more than covers the tab. All that just happened so we're just waiting to see what happens right now on all that... frusterating but I can't do anything about it. <br />
<br />
We bought a van from a family memeber of a chuch friend and drove it for 2 days and found out it had a big problem with its motor. The seller gave us a few hundred off the purchase price and we're putting a new engine into it. Turns out that it will probably be better this way, but frusterating again, nonetheless. The van will be out of the shop in another few days. In the meantime, my new boss, Andrea, rented a car for me to use!! <br />
<br />
Last saturday I took the kids over to a co-worker's house for a playdate. Sheila and Derek have 2 kids, Breanna is 3 and Braden is 2. Alina and Raziel had a blast playing and we're going over to cook out on Sunday evening. I'm excited becuase the kids have got someone their age to play with!! <br />
<br />
Okay so that's about all for now. Its time to go home!!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-83006396288726687742011-02-23T12:46:00.000-08:002011-02-23T13:02:02.542-08:00NYC here we come!!!OMG I am so sick! I didn't get but 5 hours of sleep last night, and I woke up 3 times in those 5 hours, worrying about various things I needed to do. <br /><br />I've finally planned out everything possible. I've picked up the rental - free upgrade from an economy to a luxury (Crystler 300 instead of a Ford fusion) and I'm so ready to curl up and take a nap in it! <br /><br />A last minute glitch turned my life upside down when we realized Mom (who was previously child care for this fab trip) was really very sick and didn't need to take the kids. Turns out she has viral meningitus so that was a REALLY good decision. With some persuasion, I talked Steve (brents dad) into keeping the kids for the 5 days we'll be gone. We still have to drive to Charleston to fly out but I'm not too bummed about that - I desperately need the sleep. <br /><br />We are staying in a hotel in Times Square. We got a great discount from a brother of a friend who works for Marriott. I am glad about our central location. Friday I am taking Brent on a crazy "Day of Mysteries". Basically its his anniversary present - he knows nothing of what we are doing all day and he's gonna get a little paper with directions and a hint about where we're going next at each stop and then off we go. Its like a crazy treasure hunt with the treasure being fun and adventure. <br /><br /><br />Yesterday when I got off from work, I went to Walmart, dropped off Steve (who brought me my newly repaired and finally running well Tarus) at home, went to Food Lion, went home, cooked 5 meals and put em in the fridge, cleaned our bedroom and the kitchen, packed and handled kids. I didn't crash until about 2am. And then I got up at 7am to clean the living room (a condition of Steve keeping the kids was a clean house) and haul off some trash on the way to work. <br /><br />My head hurts. I need sleep. I want to puke. I think I have a fever. I am really hoping my "time of the month" holds off another week so I can really enjoy NYC without that extra hassle but I can't remember how many weeks its been so idk if I'm gonna be that lucky. <br /><br />I am so siked about our trip and I am counting down these last 2 hours at work before I book for Brent and home but on the flip side, I'm not ready to talk with Brent about who's gonna drive cuz he's been up since like 4 am because he's still not aclimated to my schedule (he's on vacation too right now) <br /><br /><br />I cant wait to share all my happy stories of our 5 year anniversary trip (our anniversary isnt til March 25th but we wanted to celebrate big and its hard to do that so close to Spring Break). I can't wait to upload all the pics and tell you about all the cool stuff we did and all the good deals I'm bound to get in China Town. But right now, I just want to sleep!! <br /><br />Love and Kisses!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-12453478869785877032011-02-08T08:47:00.000-08:002011-02-08T09:00:18.083-08:00NYC here I come!OK so Brent and I argued and fought and bickered and finally resolved to go to NYC for our 5 year anniversary trip. <br /><br />Brent wanted to do something different and new and adventurous. I like knowing where we're going and what to expect when we get there. I was TERRIFIED to go to another country. I'm doing everything I can to make it fun and romantic and exciting. Brent put major emphasis on it being SPECIAL and so I'm doing everything I can to make it SPECIAL. <br /><br />We're flying (instead of driving). We're staying in the same hotel we always stay in (because its less expensive). But, we aren't going to any of the same boring places we normally go. We aren't even buying the NY pass because we're not going to a bunch of the places we'd use it for. We're going on a romantic harbor cruise, we are going to a couple resturants cited Most Romantic in NYC and we're going on a carriage ride in Central Park. All these things are super-romantic and super expensive but we haven't done any of it before and I REALLY want to make an impression about how wonderful this trip is gonna be for us for years to come. After all -- its our 5th year of marriage. That's a BIG deal. Its not 10 or 15 or 25 or whatever but its a little big one :-) <br /><br />So I ordered a small, pretty romantic present for us. He'll like it but it only cost $20. Beside that idk what in the world to give to him.... He ordered some kind of $130 lingerie type present for me that he is so excited about but what in the world do you give a man for his anniversary / valentines beside lingerie?! I can't think of anything that's what I'd really want to do.... idk!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-70478642589616886702011-01-29T18:30:00.000-08:002011-01-29T18:54:05.419-08:00RIP SuzukiThursday was the day I was supposed to get my Suzuki back. We had it taken to a man who claimed to be a wiring specialist since our mechanic couldn't find the problem.<br /><br />Thursday evening, when I called to see if it was ready, I am informed that my car had caught on FIRE and the entire car was burnt down to the frame. I yelled so much they asked to speak to Brent.<br /><br />Apparently the guy did not know what he was doing.<br /><br />He wants us to come talk to him face to face. He also wants to blame our regular mechanic (which we all, including our normal mechanic) just think is hysterical since Lynn had it for 2 weeks and all it would do was a blow a fuze after a few hours and this yahoo has it for 2 days and blows the daggum car up. He replaced a fan and a relay system and it blows up. Hmmmm. <br /><br />I got the fire report, it was called in at 5:20. So when I called at 5:15 and he was just starting to run his final diagnostics to see if he'd fixed it, it only took 5 minutes until the fire was started and bad enough that he called 911. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it probably exploded into fire as soon as he cranked it. Nice.<br /><br />Any way you look at it, Rick's Auto Shop in Dalton will be owing me quite a bit of money. We're asking for $5800 (approx). $3200 is blue book value of the car, plus $1900 for all the custom paint and the body kit that was on it, another $600 for 3 carseats and personal items, and $115 for the car we rented this weekend til our tarus is back from the other (non-exploding) shop. I got quotes and print outs and estimates and reciepts to back up all those figures too. We aren't asking for pain and suffering or anything given he plays nice. If we have to go to court, things will get uglier. He will then pay for missed work, personal distress, sentimental value, court costs and for my lawyer. So he can pay us the $5800 or he can pay like $10,000, but either way I'm getting our money for that car. <br /><br />Brent is super bumbed. He loved that car. And know what he said? The worst part of my favorite car blowing up is that I didn't even get to see it blow up!! <br /><br />Men. <br /><br />I'm just glad me and the babies weren't driving down the road in it when that happened! I don't know that I coulda got them all out in time if it spread that fast, you know? Carseats are tricky things! <br /><br />Well, I'm not sure how things will go. Brent wants to go without me - I think he wants to prove to me that he can handle this and take care of our family. We got into it the other night because I thought we should bring an old guy for a witness and he got upset and I said he wouldn't stick up for himself at work so how am I supposed to count on him fixing this --- and I guess protecting us and protecting himself are two totally different things.<br /> <br />I just hope that he can handle it :-/ it worries me. <br /><br />Time will tell...Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-65327584786093542812011-01-27T13:25:00.000-08:002011-01-27T13:26:45.598-08:00AAAARGi am absolutely loosing my mind<br />i cant even blog right now because the children are driving me BATTY<br />and my hip is acting up again<br />AAAAARGBeth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-50350642798940138542011-01-26T19:19:00.000-08:002011-01-26T19:20:14.910-08:00Life goes OnGood call Sarah who spotted this blog on my prophetic blog... totally the wrong place :-)<br /><br />Well, day 16 of the car-disaster ensues. I still have niether vehicle with which to grocery shop, haul off trash, or go to and from work. I am still buming rides as is my hubby. Favors are beginning to wear thin. But, I am surrendering to it. Maybe that's the whole point - for me to realize I can't do anything about it so I may as well relax over it. One day at a time. I have a ride home. I have rides to and from tomorrow, and I'm off Thursday. That's all I need for now. <br /><br />I'm worn thin and so tired of everything that its not funny. <br /><br />Well, we are going to NYC for our anniversary this year. Brent sorta dropped it on me outta the blue - he put in for vacay for the end of Feb instead of the end of March and I freaked thinking I wouldn't get time off since I JUST took a week vacay... but I think we'll be okay. I've been scouring the internet for days finding cheap romantic things to do in NYC -- we're going to coney island, we're going on a carriage ride in central park, having dinner in a rooftop resturant, going on a cruise on the harbor... a bunch of other fun stuff like that. I was desperate to show Brent I really do want to go on this trip (he doubted since I backed out of Paris and Vesquez) so I spent a ton of time looking for things we haven't done before, trying to make it romantic and different and spontaneous and less planned feeling. <br /><br />But I'm ready to go and relax some. I'm ready to focus on my hubby and have some romantic nights out. I'm going to get a cute hair cut and some sexy little dresses to take. I'm so ready :-)Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-9038521233809092632011-01-15T05:16:00.001-08:002011-01-15T05:34:31.345-08:00Stressful WeekWell, as my vacation drew to a close (ill blog about it later) i was somewhat ready to get back to work. I was ready for things to get back to normal. Sure I'd miss the kids but its life.<br /><br />Sunday night we got 8 inches of unexpected snow. Brent was sent home from work mid-evening so he wouldn't get stuck in the ice (GA is funny because its not that we have that much more ice or snow than anyone in fact a bunch less, its that we aren't equipped to handle it. no snow plows or shovels or stakes for our tires.) He gets 3 miles from home and the car totally cut off and won't crank. The tarus is already in the shop with a bad headgasket, waiting for the mechanic to get around to it. We have it towed and a nice random person gives Brent a ride home in the snow. <br /><br />We're stuck Monday and Tuesday. The roads aren't cleared until late Tuesday evening. We can't get out even if we had a car. My employers are understanding. The stores are opening late anyway, everyone is having the same problem. <br /><br />Wednesday I convince a co-worker to come and pick me up since my Mother in Law still won't drive (VERY frusterating). Around 1pm the guy finally gets to my house -- the new guy they just hired. Talk about akward -- a 40 minute drive with someone i've never met before. I get to work and its normal. Nothing interesting to report really except that the new employee, Michael, seems to know a substantial amount about me as if he has grilled the existing staff or they've been volunteering way too much info. My other co-worker, Bob, is seemingly pissed off with me because Jimmy was fired although that happened on my vacation and (while I anticipated it) I had nothing to do with it. <br /><br />Thursday I have to wait on Pam to get back from court (she had a ticket for having her dog loose in the neighborhood). Court started at 8am. She got back at 12. My boss was flipping out. I'd told him that I had to wait on her but niether of us anticipated it to take 4 hours. When I finally got to work, I was told to cut overtime that one employee was gaining quickly. I told Bob that he'd need to make arrangements to leave at 4pm so he could cut some overtime. He pitched a HUGE fit about how he's been here all week and its not his fault and he should get to keep that overtime (basically). I mostly say that I don't care and he needs to cut that extra time. There were enough other staff members that there was no reason for him to work extra hours. He sent an email to my boss. My boss told him to go home at 5:30 and we'd discuss in the AM. I sent an email to my boss following this that basically said that things were never going to get better if he didn't back me up on decisions like that. (remember Bob used to be my boss but he sucked at it and now I'm his boss). John (our DM, my boss) told me he understood. In the midst of all this? Bob went home at 2 for lunch and never came back. Friday he told me I said to do that. I didn't say to leave at 2 -- in fact Michael (other guy) and I were texting him trying to figure out WTH he went! <br /><br />Friday was busy at work - thankfully. John instructed me to ignore the elephant in the room until he could talk to Bob. It was stressful. Friday night I get home and have a letter from the IRS saying I misreported my 09 taxes and owe them $1023. I cry and go to bed.<br /><br />Today I am already stressed. Both cars are in the shop. I owe the IRS alot of money potentially and idk why. I depend on others to get to and from work. I can't even haul off trash or go to the store. I'm a sitting duck. Brent and I have been fighting off and on since I'm so stressed out about it. I feel like I can't ever get ahead! I am so tired of trying and working hard and doing everything I can and not making any progress. Oh yeah, and not making any progress on the film -- our camera is out for repair but the place we took it can't fix it --- its complicated. I hate the cold. I'm tired of the snow. I want my cars back. I want to go to church in the AM (aint happening). <br /><br />*sigh* My ride should be here soon. I get to be an hour early to work. I'll blog more probably once I get there.Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-73615071310565590702010-12-30T06:10:00.000-08:002010-12-30T07:03:49.541-08:00Ending the yearWell today is going to be a loooooooooong 9 hour shift. I am so ready for my vacation! I'm going to be on vacation for almost 2 weeks -- its 10 days altogether. I am so ready to get my house back, spend some time with the kids, and decorate my living room. I'm ready to see Tamara again (whom I haven't hung out with in a while because we're both so busy) and I'm ready to just kick back and chill some.<br /><br />When I get home tonight, I have to pack for our trip to Florida. Starting at 5:30 or 6:00 tomorrow morning, we'll be making the 8 hour haul to FL to spend new years with Brent's family. We do this every year and I am so excited to do it again!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfhx9gDcJ-UaLI0A6wj7Mxu-Moa67ZWdR4KWYOMqM5Hg-92wGIlnQHs3hg0Adti0vjMVnDiPXADgCRrkAmuiSOAE6qzdUpvL1JeHt6lLqePnIHGDo4s30Ir__GVbk1dFY9ydOyVgTRtI/s1600/The_Brent_Haley%2527s.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556478810301128322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfhx9gDcJ-UaLI0A6wj7Mxu-Moa67ZWdR4KWYOMqM5Hg-92wGIlnQHs3hg0Adti0vjMVnDiPXADgCRrkAmuiSOAE6qzdUpvL1JeHt6lLqePnIHGDo4s30Ir__GVbk1dFY9ydOyVgTRtI/s320/The_Brent_Haley%2527s.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is our family last year at New Years. How little the children look!!<br /><br />The kids are getting soooo big!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0PoR1v2qcTYIYQVsQL5drDUQos0fM_WFRDX3-h_oir9ym4Vj1WPXR0pwWVi2d6Ii9HHogOhSEErEN4FcrDGDbv1wzF-_lx4tuhtqKQGk9Z0lvHmlTkZDM6_7pkVeicCqAVkBivThXlA/s1600/IMAG0097.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556481650029184098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0PoR1v2qcTYIYQVsQL5drDUQos0fM_WFRDX3-h_oir9ym4Vj1WPXR0pwWVi2d6Ii9HHogOhSEErEN4FcrDGDbv1wzF-_lx4tuhtqKQGk9Z0lvHmlTkZDM6_7pkVeicCqAVkBivThXlA/s320/IMAG0097.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S130A15QQhKWNYocmg56pZ-CF2uN-Hz5eLOfxzWA5oY8f251r3C0rtSRBEKjjJ2FC6rgJT8TAz-Eg4uxm2W5mDeAMaeZgEzTvmfw4cSMFaFGlSisIufktb69Z9nHVTEG5BZ2UjhpJeg/s1600/IMAG0192.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556481634564226162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S130A15QQhKWNYocmg56pZ-CF2uN-Hz5eLOfxzWA5oY8f251r3C0rtSRBEKjjJ2FC6rgJT8TAz-Eg4uxm2W5mDeAMaeZgEzTvmfw4cSMFaFGlSisIufktb69Z9nHVTEG5BZ2UjhpJeg/s320/IMAG0192.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZVjzM3wkcQcfLYjT0Hs3uDkVEFHLc1XXlGis-NUpFHZ74ayx3NhijD40zTGdGPjnGtfq0F2Jkx6KUEuGMI_43UsOdA9I0fVG7pF_UxEkQWx1oVAPbxKLhnK8tNYtRZiYO68d6Cl_uac/s1600/IMAG0184.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556481624962801506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZVjzM3wkcQcfLYjT0Hs3uDkVEFHLc1XXlGis-NUpFHZ74ayx3NhijD40zTGdGPjnGtfq0F2Jkx6KUEuGMI_43UsOdA9I0fVG7pF_UxEkQWx1oVAPbxKLhnK8tNYtRZiYO68d6Cl_uac/s320/IMAG0184.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Adorable, aren't they? And so grown up and big!<br /><br /><br />I snapped this of Brent and Judah last night -- they were so precious I couldn't help myself :-)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKhPsDaC595P8Vira8OFVr_byjhmriYL2UztozkXl9wD2DAfbxwilckiAkR_ua8rzYlsFs_71tuzHsZAwRziRzKNGbmAwBs3hrjXKiFSmXkTJFWzs_wSlrwfxLrodPUxADU38XmkINKU/s1600/IMAG0200.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556481638307364818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 357px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 232px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKhPsDaC595P8Vira8OFVr_byjhmriYL2UztozkXl9wD2DAfbxwilckiAkR_ua8rzYlsFs_71tuzHsZAwRziRzKNGbmAwBs3hrjXKiFSmXkTJFWzs_wSlrwfxLrodPUxADU38XmkINKU/s320/IMAG0200.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />OMG guys! I've been blogging for over a year and I JUST REALIZED that you can click the "compose" tab in the top right corner of yor posting box and SEE THE PICS and the text all together!! I've been editing the HTML for all this time, clicking "preview" to see what order my pics uploaded in! I feel so silly! And somehow, writing in this tab feels wrong... Idk what to say over here. Ok I'm clicking back to HTML (lol)<br /><br />Well, I have alot to do tonight. We have to locate the gift we have for Kenneth. We picked out something AWESOME for him but Brent hasn't looked for it (he knows where it is, he just hasn't physically laid hands on it, you know?). And I need to wrap that and the stepping stone we are making for Nana's garden for Judah. A few years ago - right before we got pregnant with Raziel - all the grandchildren made a stepping stone for Nana's garden. Brent and I made one together, it had a ladybug and a spider on it. Alina "made" one as well - it was pink and sparkly and had her handprint and name on it. We also made one with Raziel the following year, and this year we need to make one for Juju. Its kinda fun to paint them all detailed and stuff, but I'm just going to masking-tape and spray-paint this sucker and get it done. I'm going to trace Juju's hand onto paper, cut it out, and lay it on the stone so we get the absence of paint for his handprint. I thought that was creative. I finally got all the shopping done for the harder relatives a week or two ago. And all of that has been wrapped for a while now, in a box where Raziel can't open it ahead of time :-) <br /><br />But tonight, I have alot of work to do. I need to locate (wash and dry if needed) nice clothing for our trip, pack all clothes and toiletries as well as presents and toys and food for the 8 hour (per way) car trip we're taking. I also need to vacuum out the car and move the stroller and the other odds and ends out of the car to make as much room as possible for the items we will need to bring back home. I was hoping our station wagon would be ready to go... let me call that guy.... yeah, headgasket... itll be a few weeks... *sigh* and several hundred dollars. OK, its not so bad though. We've replaced (counting this) every expensive thing in this car so we should be okay for a while. LOL. Its important to us to have a big car, and it'll be cheaper to have this rebuilt then to go buy one. <br /><br />Anyway. I haven't even kind of started on all that I need to do for this trip. I've been working late nights (thanks holiday extended hours) and sleeping as much as possible to try and alleviate the stress of said late nights. I haven't really got food in the house, I don't know where the floor of my bedroom has dissapeered to, and my children's room and playroom has become a lost cause. I need to get a few big boxes of their toys out to the shed for storage to pull out later, but I haven't had time/energy/motivation to do that either. <br /><br />*sigh* I so need this vacation. And I feel a little bad for taking this big long vacation and not traveling to see my family in Charleston, but #1) I can't afford it and #2) I need time for my own little mini-family and my home. There's all sorts of things I haven't had time to do and I'm ready to get on that list and get em done!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-6510728191437428082010-12-27T08:01:00.000-08:002010-12-27T09:55:52.999-08:00Christmas FestivitiesChristmas morning, the kids woke up before it was light out, but they didn't think it was christmas yet because the sun wasn't up therefore it wasn't Christmas yet (whoohoo! lets hope that trend stays for a few years). Brent went in there with the kids and watched some TV with them for an hour or so and then he told Alina that it was Christmas and she should go wake me up. She told him it wasn't Christmas because it was still dark and he actually had to talk her into waking me! LOL <br /><br />Anyways, when we finally got up and moved into the living room and we settled in. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_vVHO-Nt2403YbrZ4-oatvp65OqlOLQ-_R65xseN80o8GnnYLj1swA1Q7apbiBPCtQQNmrkuZ34YAKW4karYjl-QM3kLeObBda913PT0b7etpYTg3Nsbfg-WEC1qbB51B9XHM97giR8/s1600/IMAG0130.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_vVHO-Nt2403YbrZ4-oatvp65OqlOLQ-_R65xseN80o8GnnYLj1swA1Q7apbiBPCtQQNmrkuZ34YAKW4karYjl-QM3kLeObBda913PT0b7etpYTg3Nsbfg-WEC1qbB51B9XHM97giR8/s320/IMAG0130.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555394706566593890" /></a> First we opened stockings. Raziel wouldn't hold still long enough to take a good picture, but this is him showing us his candy. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM64tEjBdqcAN4TI2NrBfcwew0JUkF-1Nz2GdShnJ92sdr6101fuzs08UkYBH7oPJ46Nh6-ESKty-tTdRo3MZ9sy8lyIzVz4OTGr4Y2vY9q1s8l8Ax52yDZRcY_WR37wTp4ZhZRcn9N8g/s1600/IMAG0145.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM64tEjBdqcAN4TI2NrBfcwew0JUkF-1Nz2GdShnJ92sdr6101fuzs08UkYBH7oPJ46Nh6-ESKty-tTdRo3MZ9sy8lyIzVz4OTGr4Y2vY9q1s8l8Ax52yDZRcY_WR37wTp4ZhZRcn9N8g/s320/IMAG0145.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555394737193451154" /></a> Raziel and Alina LOVE this little power wheels jeep. Raziel sits in the jeep and rolls his little cars around in the seat of it. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysL4Wj41TusHAqjvAApF6u_tKfeJQZC6Ipx1ENkZq5iW7xCOP5Nhvi35l7PVj2tGvIAwXN1Lnle1wdhBmMdUWl3v2umLF0J6OX3axoaolyhlKpnu8vg5VhskuA8wLtD4Jcn5iLCxEdZ8/s1600/IMAG0149.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysL4Wj41TusHAqjvAApF6u_tKfeJQZC6Ipx1ENkZq5iW7xCOP5Nhvi35l7PVj2tGvIAwXN1Lnle1wdhBmMdUWl3v2umLF0J6OX3axoaolyhlKpnu8vg5VhskuA8wLtD4Jcn5iLCxEdZ8/s320/IMAG0149.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555396774810202594" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqw_Xx57m54lbGiwQt0OKvpjBHLRDJGmMacppC6yzrWKVjxVe5qAlb2ZU_CDMxrdnOKem5sj4icOD7eLwV-SSU85EYPrOqw-k2aIQWkHCHrg9f-D9CuxrTBwF8NFs0yZW_3yRTLuBg7w/s1600/IMAG0138.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqw_Xx57m54lbGiwQt0OKvpjBHLRDJGmMacppC6yzrWKVjxVe5qAlb2ZU_CDMxrdnOKem5sj4icOD7eLwV-SSU85EYPrOqw-k2aIQWkHCHrg9f-D9CuxrTBwF8NFs0yZW_3yRTLuBg7w/s320/IMAG0138.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555394711187601474" /></a> This is mid-morning, we had to stop and pick up some of the wreckage before we could get through the other half (yes, I said half!) of the presents. (Sorry its blurry) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nG3WEswSNBxI5UCn2IHK0_u6Mj0pk-7moHC4jPZp0B48dQP2rV-eAZC2upkAtZApUhdolif7JeaLPl5bkOgU4aNSu8of-TRF_UBYJtoNJEVG-HzWxj3euVk5cVfTGc4xrf_2LDnDfx0/s1600/IMAG0129.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nG3WEswSNBxI5UCn2IHK0_u6Mj0pk-7moHC4jPZp0B48dQP2rV-eAZC2upkAtZApUhdolif7JeaLPl5bkOgU4aNSu8of-TRF_UBYJtoNJEVG-HzWxj3euVk5cVfTGc4xrf_2LDnDfx0/s320/IMAG0129.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555394701533435378" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77f5D99dWWiukC-yGJQ3wQsLK6pKs1K11F6mEPhf2EttuAPaJOEfmfmpbFmFZt_UhyphenhyphenQpz4YRudqi7Wd9y7WBJGFd4uXxXFYX_2TvH7zvTiPfPvi5MmUpXn7R2mo_6G4NvPeko6AQIw9U/s1600/IMAG0146.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77f5D99dWWiukC-yGJQ3wQsLK6pKs1K11F6mEPhf2EttuAPaJOEfmfmpbFmFZt_UhyphenhyphenQpz4YRudqi7Wd9y7WBJGFd4uXxXFYX_2TvH7zvTiPfPvi5MmUpXn7R2mo_6G4NvPeko6AQIw9U/s320/IMAG0146.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555396767086527042" /></a><br />This is Alina and Raziel playing on their powerwheel and trike, while Brent hovers to make sure no one hits anyone else's car. -- they thought it would be fun to play bumper cars :-) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrueusXsRuo_8kgO6jOuQRCnZeMRN0Wjb9JffMi64O9m_yCqsR4U44IFDZ-UbIFaXsdZv7YDwoEKCFdSJvqU0xKVgg_YIrKo_1atI-AQVs6Dhav3N3AAkMYCqydAWoLYcKsIpg86tNJM/s1600/IMAG0152.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrueusXsRuo_8kgO6jOuQRCnZeMRN0Wjb9JffMi64O9m_yCqsR4U44IFDZ-UbIFaXsdZv7YDwoEKCFdSJvqU0xKVgg_YIrKo_1atI-AQVs6Dhav3N3AAkMYCqydAWoLYcKsIpg86tNJM/s320/IMAG0152.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555396777063936898" /></a> Judah hung out in his little thingy and was happy playing with toys and eating cherrios. <br /><br /><br /><br />Then we went over to Nene's and opened presents with the in-laws. I got a few cute pics of Raziel with Nene but not anything good of the other two. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKfs3isX_f65mmTwLVxByNH-xkZkmaXsjiMB86XkrdwIoJiE_8QH6_KweytauG_fphU7CpI8_pR09lpM5c6Sx8sd6z_lesUbfcKqgkGHSK6h2ix9OGyp4WRnPAQ_DhHC89Q2MBPP8TdI/s1600/IMAG0177.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKfs3isX_f65mmTwLVxByNH-xkZkmaXsjiMB86XkrdwIoJiE_8QH6_KweytauG_fphU7CpI8_pR09lpM5c6Sx8sd6z_lesUbfcKqgkGHSK6h2ix9OGyp4WRnPAQ_DhHC89Q2MBPP8TdI/s320/IMAG0177.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555396792768587922" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno19O95rqIixhHGVOhNEXefR-i60gaKy8gsgHwjtTIVv5TSNQmFW5p58xvGi3120etznm4i2qQwMTIj7BTr9AX_CCxVI0yzijV25iU4FcxYNJiiYPu0MmRughjnBotdj2cF_n8S_dpBU/s1600/IMAG0175.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno19O95rqIixhHGVOhNEXefR-i60gaKy8gsgHwjtTIVv5TSNQmFW5p58xvGi3120etznm4i2qQwMTIj7BTr9AX_CCxVI0yzijV25iU4FcxYNJiiYPu0MmRughjnBotdj2cF_n8S_dpBU/s320/IMAG0175.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555396784293317906" /></a><br /><br /><br />Altogether we had a very nice Christmas. Brent did very well for me this year - How I met your Mother (season 1), Blue Ray copies of a few good movies, a Twiglight ornament, a heated blanket (WHOOHOOO!), a new body pillow, the host (by stephanie myer), Evermore (another of that kind of book, its REALLY good), something else (can't remember right now) and a Custom version of loveopoly. That last one was very sweet because I made him a copy of Monopoly when we were still dating - called Buetifulopoly -- custom locations, customized board, etc. He basically did the same sort of thing. Instead of "go to jail" its "go to therapy" (LOL). Theres wedding photos of us on the board, all of the various locations are special to us as a couple. It made me cry. I was so happy :-) <br /><br />Its such a happy happy dayBeth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-5596089502247461222010-12-27T07:23:00.000-08:002010-12-27T07:58:58.046-08:00White ChristmasI have a TON of pictures so I'm gonna break it up into snow pics and another blog for Christmas. Christmas morning we woke up and we were enjoying the morning opening presents and so on, Brent and Alina go into her bedroom to move some toys and they look out the window- and its snowing!! We got a total of 5 inches - it snowed ALL DAY. Enough snow that we ran around and played, then went over to Nene's and when we came back our footprints were covered up! It was AWESOME. That's the first time I've had a White Christmas, also the kids' first and Brent's first! News people said it was the first white Christmas we'd had in 40 years here. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVB6FeZggrJQpEkd1gk_Ejhrs4D4VFXyZJFZx2d4uz4fwa72n4R3mzd6BX7QTJrIdqxECPSv4f8WB8FBxsR-hoLC6iTXKCyBQXgW2q_8IslQL5pfDPgl_x6h8XWH4N8fyLE3dv5pJPQ7Y/s1600/IMAG0173.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVB6FeZggrJQpEkd1gk_Ejhrs4D4VFXyZJFZx2d4uz4fwa72n4R3mzd6BX7QTJrIdqxECPSv4f8WB8FBxsR-hoLC6iTXKCyBQXgW2q_8IslQL5pfDPgl_x6h8XWH4N8fyLE3dv5pJPQ7Y/s320/IMAG0173.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555387682552056498" /></a> Brent and I were so happy, it was the best day ever. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5DEF2r5S5K0CvJj6rR8L3CpED4WTzBYSa-unDgb8-SacxdygLbWe77ZcaeaS6JNOlP7UEqg13e8V86mNx_WBrN5K5zNyLyR42wB9uqJGgVLU66hYQSeXz-Jef3pPUl9nsBmnLTY7TB8/s1600/IMAG0169.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5DEF2r5S5K0CvJj6rR8L3CpED4WTzBYSa-unDgb8-SacxdygLbWe77ZcaeaS6JNOlP7UEqg13e8V86mNx_WBrN5K5zNyLyR42wB9uqJGgVLU66hYQSeXz-Jef3pPUl9nsBmnLTY7TB8/s320/IMAG0169.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555387677126198498" /></a> The kids and Brent and Jessie were all walking around making footprints. (Yes, she's wearing shorts, leggings, a robe and slippers.) It was the best temperature for snow -- it stayed right at freezing all day so it didn't melt, but there wasn't a wind chill or anything so it was actually really nice to stay outside and play in it. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2eOsDWChmUwaowt19cCfX9jARXFOTT4v1ThdYaj0C_CatS45HpypezrCDUNtcDf7vhRisRp8ec57e9mODoBM44dIEg_VJgI3SPrcsWJ65f8OblfQ9Rv25YDr-IY5BFOvrmcBfhyTIwc/s1600/IMAG0166.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2eOsDWChmUwaowt19cCfX9jARXFOTT4v1ThdYaj0C_CatS45HpypezrCDUNtcDf7vhRisRp8ec57e9mODoBM44dIEg_VJgI3SPrcsWJ65f8OblfQ9Rv25YDr-IY5BFOvrmcBfhyTIwc/s320/IMAG0166.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555387224900366546" /></a>Judah loved the snow - he thought it was awesome. I remember it snowed once when Alina was a baby, and another time when Raziel was a baby... maybe its because Judah is older than they were or maybe he's just tougher because he's chubbier (lol) idk, but he thought it was great. He was angry when we tried to leave him inside. He wanted to be out there with us too. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLOQgY2H_H-H8W3rSWkoewZB_NzexkUD_ebm9suHAuKVevE0eiW_jvyLWyYRHuOJNJhg7PTKymJkmUWfGzYGN61_fE7JrEPYHv0y-XHs-3emmFZ7CdwzQPdycn0sIgBv5GAmbMJI5XmY/s1600/IMAG0165.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLOQgY2H_H-H8W3rSWkoewZB_NzexkUD_ebm9suHAuKVevE0eiW_jvyLWyYRHuOJNJhg7PTKymJkmUWfGzYGN61_fE7JrEPYHv0y-XHs-3emmFZ7CdwzQPdycn0sIgBv5GAmbMJI5XmY/s320/IMAG0165.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555387222783819634" /></a> This is Brent throwing a snowball at me. We had a bunch of snowball fights, we had a blast! <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9hD-llt6llktcr1t1YSRw9uV8-6V8OHcOsQaS5LRCco7ZT9Td45VydvXA5vJOeDVsnvJ2CDs7K1sPQ29ZyE3NtU9-CQaUdZhDCOMiqS1D5bY31scwiRadRxFjjFc-AEs6DSKm2KCtow/s1600/IMAG0162.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9hD-llt6llktcr1t1YSRw9uV8-6V8OHcOsQaS5LRCco7ZT9Td45VydvXA5vJOeDVsnvJ2CDs7K1sPQ29ZyE3NtU9-CQaUdZhDCOMiqS1D5bY31scwiRadRxFjjFc-AEs6DSKm2KCtow/s320/IMAG0162.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555387209335606930" /></a> This is Judah looking out the window, laughing at Brent pelting the door with snowballs<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPPsZWSicHBOW5Pop0kzUoNyQN-8LY48KJ1tmOGo4MDi-6xC1DLNAm1xywG10Xp7rtOG8hL3KmCes_psSwTFf9bac4ux5M0m415yNGkb-NN_DNTnkXRaGA8aKZ9VIzQkH7EslEFtDzGg/s1600/IMAG0159.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPPsZWSicHBOW5Pop0kzUoNyQN-8LY48KJ1tmOGo4MDi-6xC1DLNAm1xywG10Xp7rtOG8hL3KmCes_psSwTFf9bac4ux5M0m415yNGkb-NN_DNTnkXRaGA8aKZ9VIzQkH7EslEFtDzGg/s320/IMAG0159.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555387203715818834" /></a> This is Alina <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7GcFS8Pk8Q1hwW8ffrMLqtv2MHc3vqvYDlypvztB6h5DOkg6VX8A7_86nhpuVh_2JLTTHH3dNJR8uTetMJ7HvLviT4ryiK-0SOGrV4SxGYM4WLMqfrEWx4-_85aUDgUjdhyphenhyphenC5OcTJXU/s1600/IMAG0156.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7GcFS8Pk8Q1hwW8ffrMLqtv2MHc3vqvYDlypvztB6h5DOkg6VX8A7_86nhpuVh_2JLTTHH3dNJR8uTetMJ7HvLviT4ryiK-0SOGrV4SxGYM4WLMqfrEWx4-_85aUDgUjdhyphenhyphenC5OcTJXU/s320/IMAG0156.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555387198720016834" /></a> And this is Raziel<br /><br />Aren't they so cute bundled up? <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrO3HOsLa_hjmNPThYH2N5gVQbhzHmdNXWT7ByZFNyJxhM8Ob9yfhgT-OO4arPWJvraiyy50QPx_koQ5DEoi7Oa3NuyG46ClI4HgozQwR-Ml9kc9K2OJ-XA-vo68DT4CUdgAAdOjyOGoc/s1600/IMAG0198.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrO3HOsLa_hjmNPThYH2N5gVQbhzHmdNXWT7ByZFNyJxhM8Ob9yfhgT-OO4arPWJvraiyy50QPx_koQ5DEoi7Oa3NuyG46ClI4HgozQwR-Ml9kc9K2OJ-XA-vo68DT4CUdgAAdOjyOGoc/s320/IMAG0198.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555391001809528946" /></a> We still have a ton of snow today<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWA5rlvqjJxCqJCmt1j5MnlMGMnW9u9wnU5ANqegCzIWsrS07iORb8KiTM0RGpGUWBfW_9hGw3lZQZaFnx3uoVjSyvEBDYcHONx47KrdJ631_hdP4fQ9DdQd4K08Rpn6oI_a8Cnhh5tw/s1600/IMAG0197.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWA5rlvqjJxCqJCmt1j5MnlMGMnW9u9wnU5ANqegCzIWsrS07iORb8KiTM0RGpGUWBfW_9hGw3lZQZaFnx3uoVjSyvEBDYcHONx47KrdJ631_hdP4fQ9DdQd4K08Rpn6oI_a8Cnhh5tw/s320/IMAG0197.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555390985847457250" /></a><br /> I thought this was really cool -- the house is warm so the underside of the snow melts and starts to drip, but then it re-freezes as it moves away from the house and voila -- icecicles. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-58-az0o4dGHhff23F6o2zq-5w3jFuQCgQ6OlUwGSWZe23BANbQDWntx_mn1C38ZgpgLqIpbb6bNjA50vL7ED0S49B_x0mzsAENoTvMEx3tpfpZmSec9AoK1h64Y49-GXlYW5Z7bWio/s1600/IMAG0196.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-58-az0o4dGHhff23F6o2zq-5w3jFuQCgQ6OlUwGSWZe23BANbQDWntx_mn1C38ZgpgLqIpbb6bNjA50vL7ED0S49B_x0mzsAENoTvMEx3tpfpZmSec9AoK1h64Y49-GXlYW5Z7bWio/s320/IMAG0196.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555390993784561410" /></a> I had to take a picture of this -- anytime I see pictures of snow, its piled up on some kind of evergreen bush or tree. So when we got enough snow for it to pile up on my bush, I thought it was AWESOME and had to take a photo to share. <br /><br /><br /><br />Well, I enjoyed this snow so much that I can't describe it all in one post, but that was my best shot at it.Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-88351110867219738962010-12-24T06:55:00.000-08:002010-12-24T13:30:07.317-08:00Christmas Eve<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNFGrSKq9WKrHlz9wIEgHbPj3Hgch-kbtGuTdIWy9ni2VES1bLIQTqlWvBxastj19y1MBB3hj9sESsBxruShzLYrj5f7DckJRnW246YgorUSnPXtQZe5pCWCkZAbVbDF73dbzbq8woDU/s1600/IMAG0125.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNFGrSKq9WKrHlz9wIEgHbPj3Hgch-kbtGuTdIWy9ni2VES1bLIQTqlWvBxastj19y1MBB3hj9sESsBxruShzLYrj5f7DckJRnW246YgorUSnPXtQZe5pCWCkZAbVbDF73dbzbq8woDU/s320/IMAG0125.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554263847926401618" /></a><br />Merry Christmas Eve!! <br /><br />When I was a kid I would wish you a Merry Christmas eve's eve's eve (and so on) all the way up to like a week before Christmas. I was always SO thrilled to say Merry Christmas Eve when today finally got here. <br /><br />The last few years I have been only relatively excited in light of Christmas. idk, its just not the same for adults. This year, with the HUGE pile under the kids' tree and several excitingly shaped boxes under our tree (including one big one for me that doesn't fit under the tree.... a down comfoter perhaps?) I am very very very excited! <br /><br />Alina is beyond excited. Brent told her yesterday (teasing) that he thought she had too many presents and so he should take some back. Poor little thing started picking up presents and saying "no daddy!" She was trying to save all her presents -- I wish I had seen it. Brent laughed for ages, and Alina (once she realised he was kidding) had a good laugh too. <br /><br />She got a little haircut last night - its almost a bob. There will be pictures up soon whenever I get stuff up for Christmas morning. It curves so nicely around her face, but I layered it a bit and it is a bit longer in the back so we can still put it up if we need to. Raz got a trim too -- he giggled and kept scrunching his neck up so its a bit rough around his ears but it looks good. I should've trimmed Judah's too around the ears but didnt get to it before I needed to lay them down for bedtime. <br /><br />We were REALLY busy at work for a while -- I started this blog at 10 am and now (4:15pm) is when I'm finishing it. I sold 7 phones and Bob sold one and then its 4 and we don't even have bill payers or repairs. Its nice to be slow like this so we can get outta here and go home to celebrate Christmas. <br /><br />Brent and I are having Christmas tonight. He asked if I wanted to wait till 12:01am and I said no -- I want to sleep tonight so when the kids get up at 5am and start screaming about the power wheels in the living room, I can get up too. He said that was probably true so we opted to do our Christmas immediately after bedtime (around 7pm). <br /><br />Well its 4:30 already and I gotta get the store closed down before 5 so ttyl guys! Merry Christmas!!!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-10690891383385118032010-12-22T06:42:00.000-08:002010-12-22T07:06:39.922-08:00I'm dreeeaaaaming of a whiiiiiiiite Christmasjuuuuust like the one's I never knew!!!!! Where the churchbells are ringing and children singing and no one has ever seeen snooooooooooow. <br /><br />Well, 2 days left til Christmas. I am practically beating Brent off from the presents with a stick - he's been saying its Christmas Eve since yesterday (lol) because he wants to open more presents. I am excited too, but I really enjoy sitting down and opening them all at once on Christmas and just loving it. <br /><br />Lisa came over last night with yet ANOTHER load of toys... this load included a play yard (not a playpen, a little fenced in thingy that you set on the floor...), a dora jeep <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlUsW8gW_F2o4-du_2V5_xHoeSnCa8JP_PwLvUsWV1UDkovnOG9B5pQ1MHHI-kIcjJOp3axvjRWYyzhk1JzTquRSwYE8J4How-7G8O5nLLachlB6t-zw2sI0Ua3ksLMmH4rBzXWOf740/s1600/dora.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlUsW8gW_F2o4-du_2V5_xHoeSnCa8JP_PwLvUsWV1UDkovnOG9B5pQ1MHHI-kIcjJOp3axvjRWYyzhk1JzTquRSwYE8J4How-7G8O5nLLachlB6t-zw2sI0Ua3ksLMmH4rBzXWOf740/s320/dora.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553519422623529842" /></a><br />and a john deer tractor thingy that looks alot like this;<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijT2fssx-7Aoc2BH-x-mg8Y5rhMg6PrJc1zrVGXNTisI8vmJJDN46-RSDdBKUDwiVos31kv2LilYImy2SXsPXwRUfOxkRrnb8J04_6D-FdXEi-JReZWRhqUhY-YzJrL3ocFRpJXKV5ed8/s1600/tractor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 127px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijT2fssx-7Aoc2BH-x-mg8Y5rhMg6PrJc1zrVGXNTisI8vmJJDN46-RSDdBKUDwiVos31kv2LilYImy2SXsPXwRUfOxkRrnb8J04_6D-FdXEi-JReZWRhqUhY-YzJrL3ocFRpJXKV5ed8/s320/tractor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553519424380217634" /></a><br /><br />That in addition to baby doll high chair and carseats, 2 bags of stuffed animals, 3 toy boxes full of random stuff, etc etc etc etc etc<br /><br />I thought I was done wrapping. HAH. <br /><br />Mommy is going shopping for some BIG toy bins that seal up real well and a few days after Christmas, I'm taking a bunch of the toys they aren't as excited about and putting them back for once they break a bunch of the new ones they got. (it's inevitable, may as well plan for it) <br /><br />Theres several really cute little dump trucks for Raz, theres a few play seat things for Judah, theres gobs of baby doll stuff for Alina.... although I anticipate the biggest things brought last night will be the hits of the day - power wheels? Are you kidding? Of course she's gonna be excited!!!!! <br /><br />So I'm pretty glad Brent has to work tonight because he hates wrapping presents and I LOVE LOVE LOVE doing it, so I can do it while he's working tonight and tomorrow night. <br /><br />Looks like I'll have to take another picture of my living room when I'm all done wrapping because I'm pretty sure I WONT have any more living room left!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-20593804714838480142010-12-21T11:53:00.000-08:002010-12-21T12:42:19.761-08:003 days til ChristmasToday has been busy at work. Today I am sleepy, laid back, and ready for my vacation (December 31st to January 10th). Today, I am ready to be done with all the silly little needs of the silly little people who come in today for phone issues instead of spending time with their families. I just want to be at home with mine. <br /><br />This morning, I was a tad late to work - but it was nice. I laid in bed nursing and snuggling with Judah, then got up and dressed Alina and Raziel, spending our ritualistic 10 minutes hidden in the hall bathroom with the heater going. I had started this little routine a few weeks ago and really am enjoying it. I lock Alina and Raziel in the little bathroom with me, and we all get dressed and brush our teeth together, brush hair, etc. Its really pretty nice because first thing like that they are both in a good mood, tickled pink to be spending quality time with their mommy. <br /><br />This week (and month as a whole) there are ALOT of my friends that are having babies. Jennifer (Miolen) is in labor right now with Colin. According to FB she was at 5cm about an hour ago. Jennifer (Birtwistle) is having Caleb via c-section tomorrow (he's breech). Tosha is due any day now, Connie is at 36 weeks, Helen Joy is due soon, Katie Beth in a few weeks, Veronica any day now----- you get the idea. Anyway, I think this is the first time I have been happy that I'm not having one right now too. I am so content with my little Juju and Alina and Razzy. I am so glad to have my kids at their 3 diverse stages and I just am happy. <br /><br />Judah is in one of my favorite stages. (Funny you have to say "one of my favorite" when you have multiple kids lol) He's snuggly. He wants his mommy (ALWAYS). He is in the nursing stage that he nurses for comfort and to be close to mommy (not just for nutrition.) He is scooching and eats things with his hands. He sits up and loves playing with toys. The only frusterating thing is when I have to get things done, he wants to stay with me and HE'S HEAVY! <br /><br />Raziel is also precious; He is starting to talk more persistently, though you have to listen closely for it. Idk if he's just still learning to talk or if he's gonna have a cute little accent and lisp, but he talks none-the-less. Things like "because I said so" and "good job" and "careful buddy." Things we say to him all the time. He's becoming a better share-er. He is becoming obediant - he does what he's told. "Raziel, give Alina that toy back." He does it. He is rough and tumble. He loves food. He loves milk. He loves any toy his sister has. He is excited about Christmas -- he is starting to realize what's going on with this big tree and all the presents underneath it. He wants to be JUST LIKE Alina. As soon as she's done with something - like her new bike for instance - he's on it, trying to do what she did. Its adorable. <br /><br />Alina is getting soooo big. She's talking coherently, in full structured sentances. She carries on conversations. She is so smart too! She schemes -- for instance "Daddy, Razy climbed over the baby gate, so he doesn't get candy, right?" "Yes honey." "Daddy, can we open a little present?" "sure." (its candy) "Daddy, Razy can't have any so I don't have to share, right?" LOL She is such a mommy too. She tells me if they hurt themselves, she wants to help me make dinner, she wants to drink coffee (no, she's not allowed.) and she says she's big enough now to do (practically everything) because she's 4. <br /><br />Well. I guess I just wanted to say I love my kids. <br /><br />And I can't wait for Christmas with them. Its gonna rock. This year will be a little different than normal. We usually have Christmas Eve with Steve and Becca and Jessie but this year we're waiting til the 28th so we can have it with Clint (Brent's older brother). And, since Christmas is SO big for the kids this year, Brent and I are having our couply christmas on Christmas Eve. So this year, we are having Christmas on Christmas Eve for me and Brent, then Christmas Morning with the kids. Once they're all finished, we head across the street as usual to Nene's to have Christmas with Pam and the girls. The 28th we will have Christmas at my house with Clint and Steve and the girls (again), and then the 31st we'll head to Florida to have Christmas with Nana and Poppa Huggins and all the extended relatives on Pam's side. We stay there usually just 2 days but we might stay a 3rd day this year. We will see. <br /><br />I'm excited. Very very excited.Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-41589639295006763082010-12-20T13:17:00.000-08:002010-12-20T13:59:29.069-08:00Alina's Party<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xjOp-2qTehC67VCUOIb8vg3p4B6DvvVP5yYEssExezzzxDHj-tJKAkiHn8ZPUhyphenhyphenk9P20hyWswvBWENAzXmYK_kgNDaZ3qLGtQztKSqTKWYw8Wdoc8dP47m3v4zop1aSQ0kJP9AZU3ss/s1600/IMAG0093.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xjOp-2qTehC67VCUOIb8vg3p4B6DvvVP5yYEssExezzzxDHj-tJKAkiHn8ZPUhyphenhyphenk9P20hyWswvBWENAzXmYK_kgNDaZ3qLGtQztKSqTKWYw8Wdoc8dP47m3v4zop1aSQ0kJP9AZU3ss/s320/IMAG0093.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552880367203964898" /></a> So I have pictures from Alina's party. She was so excited about her little bike :-) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRQvI2_PRiTYC-fEoc7_MwWs8lxA5Hp_367iieSI7LriUCUYvtnbzzA13a2PqCMOJm2vGK-UrkoeU5TVXBrForYvhCtGNuqgSyD8VVY2SGLSC9ihE4-wQxWyRrCQYDydy2f_4UB5AADE/s1600/IMAG0120.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRQvI2_PRiTYC-fEoc7_MwWs8lxA5Hp_367iieSI7LriUCUYvtnbzzA13a2PqCMOJm2vGK-UrkoeU5TVXBrForYvhCtGNuqgSyD8VVY2SGLSC9ihE4-wQxWyRrCQYDydy2f_4UB5AADE/s320/IMAG0120.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552881353027927810" /></a> Isn't it adorable? This is the little $29 one that I got on Black Friday at Walmart. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sLHGt0mHbFu_zriMB2PPWEzJ-mHnfJ26cy2porXqzAa05sqpaOtO3aklGyMgcUGwK7AcP0NM0VwjnvacVF2uKwom1Q2eLXj-0s4tvLjokr35QUHqKJbDm2FBAx5SJnVSNY77ORvvt0s/s1600/IMAG0114.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sLHGt0mHbFu_zriMB2PPWEzJ-mHnfJ26cy2porXqzAa05sqpaOtO3aklGyMgcUGwK7AcP0NM0VwjnvacVF2uKwom1Q2eLXj-0s4tvLjokr35QUHqKJbDm2FBAx5SJnVSNY77ORvvt0s/s320/IMAG0114.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552881345052718354" /></a> Judah got a hold of a pig-in-a-blanket. He liked it alot - he didn't like it when I took the hotdog part away. He was doing fine with it but hot dogs are a top choking hazard and it made me nervous. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHy9GK4GAbvzFvHH9MXh7Uq5sw4Jxk2mfHbfzrYzKhGesxxYAS9xqIYYLYHQujuWxM44oFgJRKmsn5ImCgtnY14JwBzkE4xcH8nCFIwGEA_rwh6qrrbrURsraaO_ydP6sUwgIRacqj3o/s1600/IMAG0108.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHy9GK4GAbvzFvHH9MXh7Uq5sw4Jxk2mfHbfzrYzKhGesxxYAS9xqIYYLYHQujuWxM44oFgJRKmsn5ImCgtnY14JwBzkE4xcH8nCFIwGEA_rwh6qrrbrURsraaO_ydP6sUwgIRacqj3o/s320/IMAG0108.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552881334210355922" /></a> She got a few cute little presents. This one is a monkey that has velcro on his hands.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQZ6g1n0R1EdG3khEL4neNIson9h1oGbFtFwAOZ2SoRblOQqAVwnJEhdQv6jMDncrboNIm4OZhnBY95351egYT2dawY09jXVZJEjzJOj60P9agqhsanvrFZ9k5dZ8CDFSAA5Dc1W5HBo/s1600/IMAG0105.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQZ6g1n0R1EdG3khEL4neNIson9h1oGbFtFwAOZ2SoRblOQqAVwnJEhdQv6jMDncrboNIm4OZhnBY95351egYT2dawY09jXVZJEjzJOj60P9agqhsanvrFZ9k5dZ8CDFSAA5Dc1W5HBo/s320/IMAG0105.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552880374659363506" /></a> She also recieved a little outfit, tinkerbell pajamas, some socks, a dora sippy cup and a dora blanket and doll. Thanks nene and paw!! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLA0k2uTojTdGV0X4tngDdY7jtUkf2K_8ZV6HHiCJlYZwz5iSFAM_Cz9xyO5kLo4L6wFN65UXOQ53IU7Cu4zF4X0DoDef6e6fBBRAKy3YCChnPUvfQLDFLHQJLf75CSFjJi1r32KuslE/s1600/IMAG0101.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLA0k2uTojTdGV0X4tngDdY7jtUkf2K_8ZV6HHiCJlYZwz5iSFAM_Cz9xyO5kLo4L6wFN65UXOQ53IU7Cu4zF4X0DoDef6e6fBBRAKy3YCChnPUvfQLDFLHQJLf75CSFjJi1r32KuslE/s320/IMAG0101.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552883233694658130" /></a> Raziel LOVED the cake we had. So did Juju. Alina wasn't so interested because she wanted to open presents. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXglUQHLrXO_4Ak2JdgTgIrOl6UmcAkK9rdCfly3AGiOxnw_bNBs4MItaLVyYaI9C8bDHukG8aD4EhaaFSleSvjiyGJ6Zlzx1GmIAgv2bvxM0KNY-aH8dWn00do-6zRQm_ogVWKatxw0/s1600/IMAG0091.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXglUQHLrXO_4Ak2JdgTgIrOl6UmcAkK9rdCfly3AGiOxnw_bNBs4MItaLVyYaI9C8bDHukG8aD4EhaaFSleSvjiyGJ6Zlzx1GmIAgv2bvxM0KNY-aH8dWn00do-6zRQm_ogVWKatxw0/s320/IMAG0091.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552880366166714642" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijjBy3WSrNJQYOn_3qAbYIuRHfGtspJpYvJdLR1NPzFuYJrWQV-sGZc8l6AArZj6m6s_1CcJRbBspWE3k4CUR6S483cWBdwCuHSwXAVWR9UbuK0bl-RcagGc2WBfCVyjlrAW5hMuj3WI/s1600/IMAG0089.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijjBy3WSrNJQYOn_3qAbYIuRHfGtspJpYvJdLR1NPzFuYJrWQV-sGZc8l6AArZj6m6s_1CcJRbBspWE3k4CUR6S483cWBdwCuHSwXAVWR9UbuK0bl-RcagGc2WBfCVyjlrAW5hMuj3WI/s320/IMAG0089.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552880361278079474" /></a> These photos are from Christmas cookie decorating on Thursday. Raziel was given his own plate of icing after dipping that brush in the icing paint and licking and going back for more. It was adorable :-). <br /><br /><br /><br />And here are the promised photos of the Christmas trees... <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujNHxzIhVaJtLn-SYu8rxuCzMXXDUe30dCJ0HiW85jtqHMTwjgV9o7ahbr3HeBhakWpVY51iQGbZGjQuUIKZp2sHwXzSAvmZnVA_zOpWx8jlsJ1f2e9mMKyho6kvFyibYQnkXKDQh9y4/s1600/IMAG0121.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujNHxzIhVaJtLn-SYu8rxuCzMXXDUe30dCJ0HiW85jtqHMTwjgV9o7ahbr3HeBhakWpVY51iQGbZGjQuUIKZp2sHwXzSAvmZnVA_zOpWx8jlsJ1f2e9mMKyho6kvFyibYQnkXKDQh9y4/s320/IMAG0121.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552881362455778994" /></a> This is our tree...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0JbeE0o1dBcfGrmMQkoqwfS02wOfkJ2mB2OWyudEOPOtXzT0OHioRQ4Jgy9F-LC02JPnFZt0BRnOSuenTbBjSHa5lMdxS5xYSIFQvHE7a_g_PvOUtIHCpflpQJlUQhuwzurqOuJtpYU/s1600/IMAG0119.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0JbeE0o1dBcfGrmMQkoqwfS02wOfkJ2mB2OWyudEOPOtXzT0OHioRQ4Jgy9F-LC02JPnFZt0BRnOSuenTbBjSHa5lMdxS5xYSIFQvHE7a_g_PvOUtIHCpflpQJlUQhuwzurqOuJtpYU/s320/IMAG0119.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552881350006365874" /></a> and this is the kids tree... insane, isn't it. Merry Christmas to them!! If you've ever been in my living room, please note, I had to lean against the wall on the other side of the room to get all the presents! This shows that tree is taking up HALF OF MY LIVING ROOM!!! I know!! insane!! Its funny, I love my kids but I'm so glad they were adopted this year, they are going to have SUCH a big Christmas! Its gonna be sooo fun! Alina and Raziel are both REALLY excited -- Raz has finally figured out that all that wrapping paper is hiding toys and other cool stuff, and he is gonna be adorable, I'm sure! I can't wait!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-24101306221859965072010-12-17T15:26:00.000-08:002010-12-17T16:11:13.936-08:007 days til Christmas!I keep telling myself to take a photo of the 2 trees and post it for you to see... oh well, I still haven't done it. LOL. <br /><br />Well, I am pleased to state that the last present I ordered for Brent came in today. It is way better than I anticipated!! Also, we both opened a present last night. :-) Brent is like a little kid in that he HATES waiting for Christmas... so we've opened 2 presents each already lol. This year Brent and I are celebrating a "couples Christmas" on Christmas Eve (since Steve and Brent's sisters and brother are celebrating with us on the 28th instead of the 24th this year). So, as a result, I haven't been so dead-set on opening them all on Christmas morning. That and the HUGE pile of things for the kids has me pretty excited and I just want to focus on them on Christmas morning... I guess this is part of being a grown up :-) <br /><br />Today has been somewhat stressful. The brakes on the Suzuki quit altogether. We knew we needed new pads in them, and probably new rotors... that was a few weeks ago... and I bought the parts but we just haven't had time to put them in.... and last night the Suzuki decided it was tired of stopping and the brakes went... and so we had to replace the calipers which are $200.... so in all, Midas charged me $350 because I had the other parts we needed already. That's an expensive brake job!<br /><br /> And, I just got off the phone with Lynn who has my other car.... the station wagon's headgasket is blown, they think. I am somewhat frusterated because we took it in for overheating 2x now... they replaced the radiator, and then the fuel pump... and now they say its the engine. Well, headgaskets don't blow unless it was overheating and I'm irritated becasue we've had it in several times and now it's gonna be ALOT ($600) to fix it and idk why it was an issue in the first place. Then I remind myself that we only paid $800 for it in the first place, plus $100 for the radiator work and $175 for the fuel pump so if I net out at $1700 for this car I won't be doing poorly, since it will have a new engine and a fairly new transmission (rebuilt in '05 and the guy hardly drove the car). <br /><br />Beside car troubles we also had a water pipe bust. Our water company did work on the neighborhood well pump a few days ago when it was 19 degrees... and when you turn off the water, it freezes in the pipes... and when it warms back up (2 days later) it busts. *sigh* Well we now have everything under the house insulated and we're buying some plywood to block off the gaps in the underpinning (thanks neighborhood doggies!). I feel like a redneck putting plywood under my house but let's face it : it is a trailer. I live in NW GA where the animals roam free and my german shepard was killed by a coyote. I might be a redneck *eesh* <br /><br />Hopefully I will get to clean some tonight and tomorrow before Alina's party on Sunday. The water going again will help immensly. I was helpless in the kitchen with no water, and the bathrooms are icky (since we had to use the toilet but could not flush). But I can get that cleaned up rather quickly. I just have to will myself into moving around the house in the cold. Maybe it won't be so cold tonight... its only supposed to get down to 30 degrees so maybe I'll convince myself not to crawl in that cozy bed before I get a bunch done.... <br /><br />Brent got time off approved in conjunction with mine for New Years in Florida! I am so glad because we were waiting to see if he got approved and we (once again) have been allowed to take that VERY popular holiday off. I am thrilled :-) I didn't think he was gonna get to come this year. <br /><br />Holiday shopping is complete for my side of the family with the exception of my Dad (who I am in the process of completion) and Brent's Mom - whom we have one or two little things for already. I am glad to be through with all that before these car repairs hit.Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-14122096186075859292010-12-14T15:57:00.000-08:002010-12-14T16:11:07.402-08:00Alina's Turning 4!!!I can't believe my little baby is turning 4 already!! I know its not till Sunday but I don't know how much time I'll have this week being so close to Christmas so I'm going to go ahead and post today to celebrate. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1Sl3P1z4oe7kyFPb8FtFx6XanHMmlIhpsy9sbclC4ebwQEWX3mRSnyogZcfjjgU8arfhtyFhurNjijjJWEEfHkY8RIkrCSVx5GK4yMAHT_gUQlVjVmi8o8fVjSgFmz4SvZBBieFzBNE/s1600/alina.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1Sl3P1z4oe7kyFPb8FtFx6XanHMmlIhpsy9sbclC4ebwQEWX3mRSnyogZcfjjgU8arfhtyFhurNjijjJWEEfHkY8RIkrCSVx5GK4yMAHT_gUQlVjVmi8o8fVjSgFmz4SvZBBieFzBNE/s320/alina.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550691631321872450" /></a><br />Here she is just a few days after she was born :-) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV5I1WSi5cNwqY13u8wy1jVGWdbCR6bgBPSCEa0iO-jXFmRCAJU6NsGp_Vf9GSB4fq1ZwiK_FPEaXV1goq1i6jrHguloQylNXVc5NhJD-CmsZTV19FvJieUQcBJ5k28UUu8o7VBzAl4c/s1600/alina2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV5I1WSi5cNwqY13u8wy1jVGWdbCR6bgBPSCEa0iO-jXFmRCAJU6NsGp_Vf9GSB4fq1ZwiK_FPEaXV1goq1i6jrHguloQylNXVc5NhJD-CmsZTV19FvJieUQcBJ5k28UUu8o7VBzAl4c/s320/alina2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550691638341968546" /></a><br />Here she is at 8 or 9 months -- Judah's current age.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwfHcC4Asxif8NmmcYmyG9tnK-l753EruV6ZTRRNK6henWvbaAlqrnj090rbfCvwIUIPLVz5ZABWZspN-o7LENhyO_7NW-DlyrbeYS7X306IzTp1SBXELHMYe39F5O9ItfsAwmc72ONs/s1600/n1327358412_112291_3838.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwfHcC4Asxif8NmmcYmyG9tnK-l753EruV6ZTRRNK6henWvbaAlqrnj090rbfCvwIUIPLVz5ZABWZspN-o7LENhyO_7NW-DlyrbeYS7X306IzTp1SBXELHMYe39F5O9ItfsAwmc72ONs/s320/n1327358412_112291_3838.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550694038561038674" /></a> This is her in her terribly adorable 2's<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgejlBS40Sym5MIGzwnInxA8IJ1RTTsDSl5aPSo030EkOar4aITrjdX8e7XunYLgD-A5vs0dT6oY5zmaes0EA4G3TB99yzTV7OYznniYY9UuMpi3zujix3NjJEsBfFDZdBXfkNifgqEC8/s1600/alina3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgejlBS40Sym5MIGzwnInxA8IJ1RTTsDSl5aPSo030EkOar4aITrjdX8e7XunYLgD-A5vs0dT6oY5zmaes0EA4G3TB99yzTV7OYznniYY9UuMpi3zujix3NjJEsBfFDZdBXfkNifgqEC8/s320/alina3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550691649385265426" /></a><br />This is her 3rd birthday party. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYO7XXgaNNtlsBXDe548xgBKAxXfPxgq59wu6BC-fN1-EnuQV7V1Glp2YWh6Qj8dYDweBttC2Ve1vpRd063qSvkOVsMww1itIxpiNFS-RwZSaxWFfCIhsYxORC75WdQrU_xRlTr_yvYO4/s1600/IMAG0020.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYO7XXgaNNtlsBXDe548xgBKAxXfPxgq59wu6BC-fN1-EnuQV7V1Glp2YWh6Qj8dYDweBttC2Ve1vpRd063qSvkOVsMww1itIxpiNFS-RwZSaxWFfCIhsYxORC75WdQrU_xRlTr_yvYO4/s320/IMAG0020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550692072926002082" /></a><br />This is current. <br /><br /><br />I can't believe how big she's getting!!! She talks in full sentances, she knows her abcs, she knows her 123's in english and spanish. She recites stories from heart - my favorite is "Monster in the Attic" (nightmare, actually, thanks baba!) and "3 little pigs." She is loving and is such a mommy to her brothers- specifically Raziel. She takes care of them like they were her own, and she's just 4!! Her favorite things right now are Dora, Spiderman and Iron Man. She's getting a bike for her birthday and I will post pics of that because I am SOOO excited about that :-) <br /><br />I LOVE YOU ALINA!!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-29213242996232457972010-12-14T14:52:00.000-08:002010-12-14T15:51:30.619-08:00Christmas PreperationsSo I've started to get things done!! <br /><br />The kids Christmas shopping (and bringing presents from Lisa's) is officially finished. I am officially finished shopping for Brent as well. I have finished a significant amount of shopping for extended relatives as of yesterday. I still need to finish up for Becca, Momma, Clint, my Dad and Alisha. Everyone else? Oh yeah, they're finished and wrapped! holla!! <br /><br />The trees are up and decorated. The stockings are hung. Well 2 are. LOL. The other 3 will be up soon as I unbury them from the laundry on the couch. <br /><br />Alina and Raz's room has been cleaned. The old rickity bunk bed they were progressively breaking into bits has been taken apart and removed, the new toddler bed Lisa got for us has been assmebled and put in. The dangerously rickety shelves were removed. New shelves for the closet have been purchased (not installed yet...). The playroom has been started and I'm making progress. I have brought the new shelves in there (lower and wider and therefore a lower center of gravity = less likely to be pushed/pulled over) I have alot of the toys picked up, alot of the others put in a give away box.... (If anyone wants a big box of kids toys for Christmas, I'll be happy to send them to you) I still have some work to do in that room but we're making progress. <br /><br />The living room has been picked up, a significant amount of the stuff we're giving away has been hauled away (well I put it in the station wagon which promptly broke down but anyway). I still have a ton of laundry to do but its making a nice pile on the couch which I'll get to... eventually.... <br /><br />I got the kitchen sink unclogged and started plowing through the dishes that had piled up... and then this morning the water was off because they're doing utility work :-( I'll get there before Sunday when we have Alina's party. <br /><br />I can't believe my little baby is about to be 4.... I have to make a post about that :-)Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-7916893243722098172010-12-07T12:20:00.000-08:002010-12-07T13:50:48.069-08:00My house is a WRECK!!!My house is SOOOOOOO MESSY right now!! I haven't had time off without guests / things to do in out in town like 3 weeks! I have so much to clean and I have got to get it done before Christmas because almost all of my family is talking about coming before/during/after Christmas holidays. Idk if anyone is actually coming but I will say that my kids play room is so messy they aren't allowed to play in there and it was that way when Grandaddy came to visit, I just kept the door shut (which doesn't actually shut because they broke it off its hinges and when I put it back in it somehow is too big now and won't actually close.......) <br /><br />My bedroom is nice and neat. I swept the floor, the shelves are straightened, etc. We have a live Christmas tree in the corner, elegantly decorated with little silver balls, funky shaped bell type things, and snowflakes, along with a nice deep blue ribbon acting as a garland. The white lights light it up and make the whole thing sparkle against all that glittery silver. Its really lovely. <br /><br />The remainder of the house? hah. The drain in the kitchen is clogged because someone's husband forgot to put a bowl in the sink to drain hamburger grease into and poured the drainings from 2lbs of cooked meat straight down the sink. Then when I ran the dishwasher, the water came back up the sink and eww... so the kitchen is a wreck because we keep forgetting to buy drain-o and I can't do dishes in the dishwasher or the sink. And then we have about 20 loads of laundry on the couch and living room floor... and the babys play room I can't even get into.... <br /><br />and their bedroom really needs to be re-vamped because they keep breaking into the playroom and getting pieces of Raziel's (now dissasembled) crib to use as ladders to get up in the top of Alina's closet. And that REALLY frusterates me because I had a box of keepsakes for her up there -- tickets from her first trip to the circus, ultrasound pics, along with other various things.... and she keeps getting into it and half the stuff has been lost/torn up. And that really upsets me.<br /><br />I'm trying to figure out what to chunk and what to keep. I need to haul off this old kitchen set they tore up specifically because they're getting a new one for Christmas.... and I'm going to sort through their toys and donate a bunch to charity since they are getting a bunch of new ones. I also need to move things - like that crib - out to the storage shed so they don't break it. <br /><br />I hate having to take things away so they don't get broken. But even down to books I had as a kid have been ruined because Raziel went on a book destroying streak and those were the first to go. <br /><br />It makes me SO mad when I find newly ruined things. I just don't know what to do about it. I'm going to probably take some big trash bags and put Brent's collectables in them and move them to the storage shed... and the other things we don't want them getting into... I'm just frusterated. It doesn't matter how much I clean, they still manage to ruin everything.Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-16548782219305948472010-12-02T09:43:00.000-08:002010-12-02T10:07:07.640-08:00Shutterfly CardsThis year I'm sending Christmas cards from Shutterfly!! I spent ages looking around on their site and finally opted to send this one:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUjPaVJ07PQfbh06UstoHovG93aFrPP4U9qvxgIfrquOMJ_TXJ-BLPn2CM15008RrGTUmDPuZaX-oGq4LwAJwCa0k0A0HrWyMu5pet7oNJfL1W0SEt_sFx5EKvQmjK3QAAlLVHk-zVyc/s1600/photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 231px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUjPaVJ07PQfbh06UstoHovG93aFrPP4U9qvxgIfrquOMJ_TXJ-BLPn2CM15008RrGTUmDPuZaX-oGq4LwAJwCa0k0A0HrWyMu5pet7oNJfL1W0SEt_sFx5EKvQmjK3QAAlLVHk-zVyc/s320/photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546142243505818690" /></a><br /><br />I love the light wintery blue color! I know most of my family will not see snow this year because they live on the beach so maybe sending them a bit of snowy winter wonderful will lighten their season... and if not the cute pics of the kids will!! <br /><br />I haven't decided if I'm going to do a big family photo or one photo each of the kids... I'm thinking the big one will be a family photo (if I can get someone to take a few pics of us) and then the little ones up top I'll do one of Alina and Juju and the other of Raziel. Alina and Juju pose well together so they're easy. I usually have to crop out photos of Raz to get something that works. We took photos FOREVER at sears before we got something that worked. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aghyrkQ6-yaLUbMcW2o2nwes8LqyXbAD2vFeHHR1BXLr-YzF9ukXAHQU-mvr7GWFdniPVjwN4u0SQf2qOXKmPke5A8pjYsqeqzT8pSk5ZZCGggPqXeSLsyI4JzFfT5numfgCQ0lT_jg/s1600/IMAG0048.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aghyrkQ6-yaLUbMcW2o2nwes8LqyXbAD2vFeHHR1BXLr-YzF9ukXAHQU-mvr7GWFdniPVjwN4u0SQf2qOXKmPke5A8pjYsqeqzT8pSk5ZZCGggPqXeSLsyI4JzFfT5numfgCQ0lT_jg/s320/IMAG0048.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546144981135819906" /></a><br /><br />Brent wants to use this photo of the kids. I like it but Alina's face is a bit blurry and hard to see... I might try to re-duplicate the photo and take it again... and maybe include a cute pic of me and Brent.... but then I have a 3rd photo slot... so maybe not.... hmmm idk. <br /><br />Anyway, while I'm on the subject of Christmas cards, if you want to do a Christmas card, Shutterfly has a really good deal on cards! Sending a card is a nice way to say Merry Christmas without having to spend alot of money! Most of the cards are 90c to $1.10 so if you have like 25 or 30 printed you've only spent $25ish! Then, you know, you pay for envelopes and stamps but that's not so bad. <br /><br />So check it out <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards">here</a><br /><br />And they also do that cool change your photo to a canvas thing which I absolutely think is an adorable way to display nice photos -- maybe a wedding portrait or a lovely family photo... They've got those <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/home-decor/canvas-wall-art">here</a><br /><br />And then I stumbled across the cutest thank you notes they make <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/thank-you-cards">here</a><br /><br />I thought this would be really cute to send as a baby shower thank you once baby comes! Get a newborn photo of baby and send thank yous? tooo cute! I wish I'd known about those when I had Judah!!! <br /><br />Anyways - I hope you all get some Shutterfly photo cards this year because I want to get some photos of you guys!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-29755468301242051252010-12-02T09:03:00.000-08:002010-12-02T09:40:39.441-08:00ChristmasToday is December 2nd! <br />23 more days till Christmas!! <br /><br />WOOOO HOOOOOO!!! <br /><br />And I am VERY proud to say -- <br />I'm almost totally done with my Christmas shopping!! <br /><br />Alina - DONE<br />Raziel - DONE<br />Judah - we want to get one or two little things for him, but most of it is done. <br />Brent - I need to get 3 more things for him :-) but the majority is done<br /><br />Brent's family -- Completed; Steve. Scot. Kourtney. <br />Need to finish: Kenneth, Donna, Momma, Jessie and Becca (wow... more than I thought) <br /><br />My family -- Completed: Mom, David, Sarah. <br />Need to finish: Alisha, Timothy, Dad. <br /><br />OK so maybe its not nearly as finished as I thought it was... but the extended family is different. I have ideas for everyone except Aunt Donna who I drew for New Years -- that's hard because apparently she likes Nascar and cuponing but she's one of those people that already has her cupon binder with hundreds of cupons so idk what to do for her! I don't want to be lame and uncreative and Nascar stuff is EXPENSIVE!!!! <br /><br />and I totally can't wait for my 50 free Shutterfly cards becuase I'm sending those to the grandparents and friends. I would normally print photos and send them but that gets expensive too so free shutterfly cards = free prints. WOOHOO!! <br /><br />Are you ready for Christmas yet??Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-11978815170544874512010-11-29T14:09:00.000-08:002010-11-29T14:48:01.867-08:00Yeah I'm back...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HFU24st418RJ7CkrT5-6wTNTA7oDFHfFID-Q4JxAsLcYJkLl5fJgxC38Y6-N7zUKDEU3ZiymMiM81LaNbWGww67LbxKoHSmbmoDzpfcexM58wyqmN948xancfkkiRhMjmDTsWrKcAqs/s1600/IMAG0057.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HFU24st418RJ7CkrT5-6wTNTA7oDFHfFID-Q4JxAsLcYJkLl5fJgxC38Y6-N7zUKDEU3ZiymMiM81LaNbWGww67LbxKoHSmbmoDzpfcexM58wyqmN948xancfkkiRhMjmDTsWrKcAqs/s320/IMAG0057.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545105451397841922" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6Sj3q5ZZLdlEWudysEgmNlXS80ktxlMjpde5nAYU_WSyWFZxrCN77_406ao38AQP4J5NVGv2dZU1m_UQRZcY_4kKHMGJTqHumJhIrJbTG_tLyQGzdn8dOGNgrAYOpgJEvplsCXwzlZM/s1600/IMAG0048.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6Sj3q5ZZLdlEWudysEgmNlXS80ktxlMjpde5nAYU_WSyWFZxrCN77_406ao38AQP4J5NVGv2dZU1m_UQRZcY_4kKHMGJTqHumJhIrJbTG_tLyQGzdn8dOGNgrAYOpgJEvplsCXwzlZM/s320/IMAG0048.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545105391222130514" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWxqNQj1LyekUAa85tf-W9zPs-ELuvJ7Yr3BdctK6d6pJLBMtr5i6V-SHeBw-zZ2cVk4vw5DKinTAL57X-rF1HCPKtpqO6arWYIkd8X5K32racehHq-C2Gi3yHcdhojHFCdyEeRqOvGI/s1600/IMAG0030.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWxqNQj1LyekUAa85tf-W9zPs-ELuvJ7Yr3BdctK6d6pJLBMtr5i6V-SHeBw-zZ2cVk4vw5DKinTAL57X-rF1HCPKtpqO6arWYIkd8X5K32racehHq-C2Gi3yHcdhojHFCdyEeRqOvGI/s320/IMAG0030.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545104499019918914" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi221ta1SFTu1IwiHPcRqUwfwL0qVZ233DxB22k-d-D-zEgKinIgCANWwrXXRV-KOIb2OMWe3DRY8gs0Z6u_5GC5F5j652psXtjkVpa8h8URIfL8qFjaZGz9yyIMdphNn-DjREGeDvhPNs/s1600/IMAG0027.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi221ta1SFTu1IwiHPcRqUwfwL0qVZ233DxB22k-d-D-zEgKinIgCANWwrXXRV-KOIb2OMWe3DRY8gs0Z6u_5GC5F5j652psXtjkVpa8h8URIfL8qFjaZGz9yyIMdphNn-DjREGeDvhPNs/s320/IMAG0027.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545104486077035010" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtU6CFmiFuklysEojiIDQwj8uDK__47G13l3Mocqf-bNCQUitX54m-J431786tobPnaFgBgN-IO1Yjz2tgIY0okhBU2Jcv4lVKK5UZUdnfLEtbfQZ1IZcKYddjW5AEqxka5lKqpd02LN8/s1600/IMAG0024.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtU6CFmiFuklysEojiIDQwj8uDK__47G13l3Mocqf-bNCQUitX54m-J431786tobPnaFgBgN-IO1Yjz2tgIY0okhBU2Jcv4lVKK5UZUdnfLEtbfQZ1IZcKYddjW5AEqxka5lKqpd02LN8/s320/IMAG0024.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545104475160453170" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir69u9zvcK6IyxIMr5TrGqWhLGsfsxPb9g4glK8wRNn4x5r3vNtcsSFevQadnrmoumpt5V2e472JA9nbEa0LlDsBxayCGvKjyRyJffZDPtDzppUnTCsQgoJHmIKqLgg3PU4VmhAjGoZ1M/s1600/IMAG0022.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir69u9zvcK6IyxIMr5TrGqWhLGsfsxPb9g4glK8wRNn4x5r3vNtcsSFevQadnrmoumpt5V2e472JA9nbEa0LlDsBxayCGvKjyRyJffZDPtDzppUnTCsQgoJHmIKqLgg3PU4VmhAjGoZ1M/s320/IMAG0022.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545104466823157554" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YnT8KTuidAKWhYkJKKZTXMXEjpu2VwHQKpmzd8DRXh7RNneOOniphPgDHxqDk1_6Ou4Ewj-MfIWZZiKBtkeQUjzz3SX-CluTzvovwj9ZWGoNqaGgQJHpHqu05z2PjvkT8tM-QqEYoZA/s1600/IMAG0020.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YnT8KTuidAKWhYkJKKZTXMXEjpu2VwHQKpmzd8DRXh7RNneOOniphPgDHxqDk1_6Ou4Ewj-MfIWZZiKBtkeQUjzz3SX-CluTzvovwj9ZWGoNqaGgQJHpHqu05z2PjvkT8tM-QqEYoZA/s320/IMAG0020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545104446728703746" /></a><br />Well at least kind of... I want to be back but I am not making any promises. <br /><br />Here's a kids update: <br /><br />Alina will be turning 4 in about 3 weeks. She's potty trained (still the occasional accident) and loves wearing panties. She is a total mommy to her brother and thinks she is a grown up. Some days she gets really childish, but many times I can carry on a rather mature conversation with her. Good Morning Mommy, Good Morning Alina. How are you Mommy? I'm good, did you sleep okay honey? It was kind of cold. Mommy, do you think we can get some heat in my room? <br /><br />LOL <br /><br />Raziel continues to NOT talk. He can talk... he says things like "because I said so" and other things he hears Alina say. He calls Alina "Nah" and Judah is "ju" and every adult "daddy". He also says "woah, woah!" if he wants you to stop something (like we do before he's about to leap off of something) and "help" if he wants to be picked up. He's hysterical! <br /><br />Judah is getting big! He's fat, he's crawling, and he has 4 teeth, all on bottom. He's my snuggle bug and loves his mommy. He's the worst Momma's boy EVER. <br /><br /><br />We set up our tree, we have presents under it (the kids were adopted by a family at Church) and we had a lovely thanksgiving with Brent's dad and my dad. I am in a consistant state of worn out and that's why I haven't blogged faithfully. <br /><br />I also have <a href="http://www.propheticlifestyle.blogspot.com">another blog </a>that my church links to weekly, so when I do get time, I'm usually blogging there. <br /><br />Love you all :-)Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-11422811275941626242010-11-29T12:30:00.000-08:002010-11-29T14:09:42.671-08:00Black Friday Finds!I actually did the Black Friday thing this year! I called around and got a babysitter for Alina and Raziel and took Judah with me in my baby backpack (its made for hiking but works beautifully for just toting the guy around when I need free hands) I got to walmart at 10:30pm Thursday and immediately went to Lawn & Garden to get in line for one of these<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2pGMD4gBm-KlbPCXflkzXxZDYC2jjsGtINYyUxI7qdethW8OUap1NB5sFwh37I-uN1P0Y0dmXqm5mdKaHYHtVTRg_f8An59lK21WoE-gBY9wxEfYmld66GFERF7cW-L8ODxYdSqbWnY/s1600/bike.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2pGMD4gBm-KlbPCXflkzXxZDYC2jjsGtINYyUxI7qdethW8OUap1NB5sFwh37I-uN1P0Y0dmXqm5mdKaHYHtVTRg_f8An59lK21WoE-gBY9wxEfYmld66GFERF7cW-L8ODxYdSqbWnY/s320/bike.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545072919862812978" /></a><br />for $29!!! Which I thought was a fantasic price for a little bike! I got the pink one but couldn't get Walmart.com to leave it pink for downloading the picture to show you. They were handing out the tickets for the big items like bikes, trampolines, and barbie jeeps already so it was a great choice to go over there first (thanks Brent!). <br />I got my little ticket and headed over to Action Alley where there was 1 pallet of $1.33 towels and I knew those would be gone quick! So, I posted up over there with Judah and made friends with the other homemakers that were claiming their spots for the 12:00 rush.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhU6Q9PDh5Zan4wiFmuVTjkv23E1FqJkq7G_B1nZYb_U2rbciJxCK3U-6T-CB-gA9kdKO9f4-kCuxXzKvlgSStUaANU-HcaUJZc5xX2Hf2K5NQovbTCkooW6NsljzXAJAypdmDkVy9EP0/s1600/towel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhU6Q9PDh5Zan4wiFmuVTjkv23E1FqJkq7G_B1nZYb_U2rbciJxCK3U-6T-CB-gA9kdKO9f4-kCuxXzKvlgSStUaANU-HcaUJZc5xX2Hf2K5NQovbTCkooW6NsljzXAJAypdmDkVy9EP0/s320/towel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545073843239962850" /></a><br />One nice little lady who was closer to the pallet than I cared to get offered to toss some towels over to me once it was go time. I said I'd like about 5 of them and that I didn't care what color. Around 12 (it was actually closer to 11:54 but that's when the pallets started getting torn open) this tiny little old lady litterally threw (like chucked them) 5 dark blue towels over her head and the heads of the surrounding women to me. I caught them and threw them in the buggy then took off down a back isle to get to my next item. Brent told me later when we were exchanging stories that some crazy women with the towels were actually throwing them to other crazy women and I laughed so hard I cried!! <br />Next on the list: Candles<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3HHv9t_HlSkfJAlgn2osRrKRSLtXvyQboZE8U1hlNDfDilDBHNA9u_16A60E7DM34lAtLqXb7wgzVq-9zq6tWGRAuecTaCCpa7OYGjPv2_uEaFyeZlcDdj2zgdn_eqbN_xjie80tDjs/s1600/candle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3HHv9t_HlSkfJAlgn2osRrKRSLtXvyQboZE8U1hlNDfDilDBHNA9u_16A60E7DM34lAtLqXb7wgzVq-9zq6tWGRAuecTaCCpa7OYGjPv2_uEaFyeZlcDdj2zgdn_eqbN_xjie80tDjs/s320/candle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545075036917416578" /></a><br />This palet was litterally not even opened yet. I tore the side open and pulled out 2 of the vanilla sugar cookie scented sets and continued on my way. <br />Next I grabbed up 1 of the 10-opening picture frame collages and 2 of the 10 frame sets that were on sale (couldn't find photos of these...)<br />Then I grabbed a lovely waffle maker at Brent's request <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-WB_ichmqv4cUZsS-f7BNanjgCP9TUTee9UkJhzoGCAeS57iHIgezjtG59wPTWIA3SowGBo9uRZS97vw4oG5NXu6ySVpSz6xUUMrFs2zZklGq_J2tO8ykWE4AmvSSnm7rx1WiJWwk04/s1600/waffle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-WB_ichmqv4cUZsS-f7BNanjgCP9TUTee9UkJhzoGCAeS57iHIgezjtG59wPTWIA3SowGBo9uRZS97vw4oG5NXu6ySVpSz6xUUMrFs2zZklGq_J2tO8ykWE4AmvSSnm7rx1WiJWwk04/s320/waffle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545076602884691282" /></a><br />And off to the toys!! <br /><br />First thing I looked for were Zhu Zhu pets... no where to be found. I asked a lady and she said they were tossing those over their heads like we did with the towels (LOL). I sighed, reminding myself those were also on sale at Big Lots for only $1 each more. I went on crossing off the list... <br /><br />Radio Controlled Car for Raziel<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimozu1nAvin_MMHI3henwo8tdtDHDwEVF1iw25faQ5v8a_x3DykeKNnmiB9DFazEVdfhPoIsNGNLixynD-usH4Zx0G8qIGKbIKMQFxWUTuTKeX0DvyJ-B61ymRKgLoTcQUbBZTkgigC0I/s1600/car.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimozu1nAvin_MMHI3henwo8tdtDHDwEVF1iw25faQ5v8a_x3DykeKNnmiB9DFazEVdfhPoIsNGNLixynD-usH4Zx0G8qIGKbIKMQFxWUTuTKeX0DvyJ-B61ymRKgLoTcQUbBZTkgigC0I/s320/car.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545083089797436594" /></a><br /><br />Barbie Mermaid for Alina<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQga6M4GCAo-fFELWtmeJrU4P0BQ7GCglYpuPNZpsBgB1s6yxF7QubVli7VilirIuAcV5R7wmERZi9P-c_PyKOAQLQOd_D7QV47EQ8OFLCBVEVuB-Jei_BlWJYD4ODwQIQAqhQp-gMPU/s1600/barbie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQga6M4GCAo-fFELWtmeJrU4P0BQ7GCglYpuPNZpsBgB1s6yxF7QubVli7VilirIuAcV5R7wmERZi9P-c_PyKOAQLQOd_D7QV47EQ8OFLCBVEVuB-Jei_BlWJYD4ODwQIQAqhQp-gMPU/s320/barbie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545083467938194402" /></a><br /><br />HotWheels for Raziel<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzz_PHKfMs5tx6xIjat3DjrIzQwNVliK6kDu7Q8i0UnJHpV_1_B7WeCQ-YHwzz9NHgrmVmKC5Mboim4oFlRCCyyaWONmDMHKlFYoJu0f-T4wuKuArNejAni6KHQMTf3tcK_UZjkEn6uL0/s1600/cars.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzz_PHKfMs5tx6xIjat3DjrIzQwNVliK6kDu7Q8i0UnJHpV_1_B7WeCQ-YHwzz9NHgrmVmKC5Mboim4oFlRCCyyaWONmDMHKlFYoJu0f-T4wuKuArNejAni6KHQMTf3tcK_UZjkEn6uL0/s320/cars.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545084277176094322" /></a><br /><br />Disney Cinderella Doll Set that was apparently only a Black Friday item because I've googled it several times and keep coming up with other crap...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhxn_E-MuLy7oPq1GjcB6aMxZm72oCFuegu_IZiJ1U0aO1XuvMBWR8g8_QNaIkKk11oZ4vwrO8aIW8hf6wrPzaQ3XkKdQD2se-KUc1tGEoDw9kUUfaQFSMUny9g4vXQueDxvlpMBNgI0/s1600/baby.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 116px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhxn_E-MuLy7oPq1GjcB6aMxZm72oCFuegu_IZiJ1U0aO1XuvMBWR8g8_QNaIkKk11oZ4vwrO8aIW8hf6wrPzaQ3XkKdQD2se-KUc1tGEoDw9kUUfaQFSMUny9g4vXQueDxvlpMBNgI0/s320/baby.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545087457720009442" /></a><br />You get this baby doll and you also get a playpen, a swing, a stroller, a crib, and a bunch of other stuff... <br /><br />Then I went to find the $2 and $5 DVD's -- all kinds of stuff there.... and I went back over to a back isle and sat on the floor, changed Judah's diaper and fed him a bottle and played with him for about 10 minutes while the lines died down. I went back over to the kids clothes and found a disney princess pajama set for Alina and a Toy Story pajama set for Raziel. Then, I was meandering down the isle, looking for "dump sites" and stumbled across A ZHUZHU PET!!!! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS7JHb4pQmp5zSvqgR-t4vrGf-nfKTT5RkVmobhyfWD5o8_TW2yLXm3cHt0zxzPYjxJOpvn3RBsCXkLZ82CmGPJ5mC1bWVbBEyop50SdFQkf91XvxJkDT5olQREu-6CY98FP1nAFy2g4/s1600/zhuzhu.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS7JHb4pQmp5zSvqgR-t4vrGf-nfKTT5RkVmobhyfWD5o8_TW2yLXm3cHt0zxzPYjxJOpvn3RBsCXkLZ82CmGPJ5mC1bWVbBEyop50SdFQkf91XvxJkDT5olQREu-6CY98FP1nAFy2g4/s320/zhuzhu.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545088467756956370" /></a><br />these highly coveted electronic hamsters were a hot toy this year and I wanted 2 of them but hadn't gotten any! I found one dumped in a random isle, and then another in the customer service area at the front of the store. <br /><br />The secret to finding hot items on Black Friday at Walmart? Grab what you can, know your items and locations of them, and then wait it out til the crowds have died down, and go scour the cartloads of non-wanted items. People just grab armloads of stuff and then get to the front of the store to pay for it and have to sort through because they have too much. This is where I found my 2nd Zhu Zhu pet! <br /><br />Total Savings (not counting the DVD's becuase that would take way too long) : $190.80<br /><br />Breakdown: <br />Bike -- Normally $55, paid $29<br />Towels -- Normally $2.49, paid $1.33 each (5) <br />Candles -- Normally $15, paid $5 each (2) <br />Waffle Maker -- Normally $30, paid $9<br />Remote Car -- Normally $10, paid $5<br />Barbie -- Normally $10, paid $5<br />HotWheels -- Normally $10, paid $5<br />Disney Set -- Normally approx $65, paid $29<br />ZhuZhu Pets -- Normally $8, paid $4 each (2) <br />Picture Frames -- Normally $25, paid $7 each (3)Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-71716159665494592192010-11-29T12:12:00.001-08:002010-11-29T12:17:51.488-08:00Shutterfly Christmas CardsDid you know?? <br /><br />You can get 50 FREE Christmas cards from Shutterfly!! I am so super excited about this!! I saw it on Hj's blog and couldn't wait to get my confirmation email with my cupon code once I did my little survey thing. <br /><br />Want 50 free Christmas cards? Go <a href="http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/">here</a><br /><br />Also, check out their other great stuff because it rocks!!!Beth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615932853775127618.post-27655551366687933412010-07-03T14:38:00.000-07:002010-07-03T14:59:57.281-07:00Wasp of DeathSo I could talk about all sorts of issues and things going on in our lives right now... about Brent as a Stay at home daddy, about the kids growing up.... nope, I want to complain about this terrible encounter I had with a Wasp!! <br /><br />Let me tell you -- if there is a man-of-war version of a wasp, I met it. I was baby-proofing the playroom and installing our window unit A/C in the room so that the kids have a comfortable area to hang out in. I got it all babyproof, clean, I moved our Japanese table in there, added our little TV and DVD/VCR along with some extra toys and short little chairs. I created a palet area in the corner for Brent to crash when the kids play happily.... and then I go outside on the back porch to tug at the A/C unit that just wasn't sitting in the window properly. <br /><br />Out on the porch (thank God I made the kids stay inside!) there was a wasp that was big and black - about 2 inches long! My mom looked it up online and found this thing called the "Great Black Wasp" <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FEgWB2YrDXg/TC-wNNI4E4I/AAAAAAAAAoc/vVOr2u5v95k/s1600/wasp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 304px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FEgWB2YrDXg/TC-wNNI4E4I/AAAAAAAAAoc/vVOr2u5v95k/s320/wasp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489800211699602306" /></a><br /><br />This sucker runs 1 1/2 in to 2 inches long and is supposedly "non aggressive" but it stung me 3 times -- once on the leg, once on my hand as I swatted at it, and once right on my butt. It hurt so badly I ran inside screaming and crying. I know, terible, I can deliver 3 babies with no epidural but if a wasp stings me I cry like a little child!! Brent picked on me a little bit - I woulda picked on me too if I didn't know how bad it hurt!! I've never had such a bad sting in my life. <br /><br />That was on the 26th. Today (a full week later) I am still being a baby about it so I'm posting pictures. I had an allergic reaction to the stings. My leg and hand (I can't see my butt lol) have swollen up and have developed a rash. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WNIDrYKSXV_vzuX27RfeC9zSTflH1IcP5mHdC-qLBpoXL1hM3wQNiDkCj_Lhatf6OhIyS6h4ytZCN-CdFlymilp5nOFHgshEWNmaIf_6MIl2IMVc-5lGX4BN44P85N57JzPIiPNYFdw/s1600/3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WNIDrYKSXV_vzuX27RfeC9zSTflH1IcP5mHdC-qLBpoXL1hM3wQNiDkCj_Lhatf6OhIyS6h4ytZCN-CdFlymilp5nOFHgshEWNmaIf_6MIl2IMVc-5lGX4BN44P85N57JzPIiPNYFdw/s320/3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489802813745443218" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbgASf5f0hUvYNwuhLLGTBodQ6DQkyLsNy9fBGUyZmbYlS6Tg6olmRw696d0IQ3WnOnDMB451NZTN3ba_hYkhsFQPztfzjXAa9jmJrmeJvuxckSGL-BvutKFToyI8dVHwQc8MiDTCR2E/s1600/2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbgASf5f0hUvYNwuhLLGTBodQ6DQkyLsNy9fBGUyZmbYlS6Tg6olmRw696d0IQ3WnOnDMB451NZTN3ba_hYkhsFQPztfzjXAa9jmJrmeJvuxckSGL-BvutKFToyI8dVHwQc8MiDTCR2E/s320/2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489802632130815218" /></a><br /><br />Wonderful, isn't it? One teeny little bug has caused all that nonsense. And no, I'm not scratching it. And yes, I'm applying liberal amounts of benadryl cream to help with the itching. I haven't broken down and taken anything like internally yet but I might get there. <br /><br />OK that's what I wanted to talk about. silly, I know, Oh wellBeth Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16133597387845518198noreply@blogger.com1