McCupcake

Cheryl McCullough Photography

2010-07-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

So I have started my own photography buisness.

Right now I am doing some freebies :) just so I can get some footing and a portfolio under me, before I feel comfortable taking peoples money!

I have been working hard on my facebook fan page, schedualing upcoming photoshoots with friend, or friends of friends of friends :) And I am looking at buying myself a website and Bludomain.com (directed there by one very savy Brad Harris)

Here are some of the photos from my portfolio so far!

NOT my baby NO way!

2010-07-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

My sweet little lady bug would NEVER be in love with Coke. Not to sure if she likes Coke because she sees mommy drink it, or because I have let her try it out before.

But MY sweet cuddly little 10 month old would NEVER crawl all the way over to the baby gate

stand up

reach over the gate and in to the trash can

pull out an old Coke can that is crushed

and start trying to drink it.

NOPE not my little girl! (we usually leave trash eating to her cousin Reese :)

Mom would NEVER take a picture to prove it!!

The next week, while in the care of her Daddy and her Lovie (Grandma Gina's name) She would never watch her Dad put his empty Coke can in the trash. Wait till the adults start talking and not really looking at her.

Crawl over to the little trash can

get the Coke out

and attempt to drink AGAIN!

NOPE its not official! She is NOT a Coke addict.

Dad would never send Mom this picture from work!!

At least its not food...

YET!

June NOT in Rewind!!

2010-07-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

June NOT in Rewind! June did NOT end with Joee baby sitting her fur cousins! They were NOT all really sweet to her, just like they are to their brother Trent :)
Joee has been NOT trying to feed her self, she WASN'T very proud of the mess she made!

Joee did NOT brush her teeth for the 1st time! Here we are, and we are NOT showing off our teeth!

And I seriously still can not believe she let me brush it!

I did NOT get to take some pictures of some of our friends at the park. I did NOT really like the way they turned out too!

Here are some of the pictures from my session with Rachel and Chris.

This one is NOT my favorite!

Joee has NOT decided now that she loves bathtime! But she seriously does not like the bath part of bathtime, only the toy part. Joee does NOT think bathtime is playtime with water!

We did NOT actually make friends this month that we hang out with. I diffently did NOT talk the boys into playing our Just Dance game. It was NOT funny, and we did NOT have a good time. I also would NEVER catch the boys doing some of the dances while we were at the lazer show.....

We did NOT have a group of friends over to our house for burgers and games. We did NOT have a blast playing Dirt and Pass the Popcorn. Joee did NOT try to stay up late and hang out with everyone...

Maxwell would NEVER EVER scorch I mean BURN the burgers till they resembled charcole.

This is a few of our friends playing games.... Dont stress Rachel, you just suck at Pass the Popcorn :)

Joee would NEVER look this cute!!! Josh would NEVER hold Joee for a long time. He was NOT good with babies!

My best friend Krystle did NOT move back to Georgia. This has NOT been totally awesome. I have NOT loved seeing her more often. I did NOT miss her, and I seriously did not realize how much I did!

This is NOT the 1st picture of Joee's little tooth ... see the white!

We did NOT run in the Swat Trot, Max did NOT get 2nd in his age division! I was NOT proud of him, and me as well for finishing! We do NOT look like total dorks!

Max, Joee, and I did NOT go support a group of troops coming home. They did NOT have a parade, and I did NOT cry!

Joee did NOT love waving the flag! This is the best picture Max took of the troops, we were to busy clapping as they passed!

This is NOT me and Joee waiting on them to get there!

Joee did NOT go to the lazer show with Max and I. She did NOT love playing with a glowstick.

Joee would NOT chew on Max's keys while wearing a princess crown. She did NOT look like some sort of door knocker!

Joee does NOT look super cute in pigtails, this was NOT the first picture I took in June!

In conclusion, June was a wonderful month for Max, Joee, and I. We actually have friends that we see . We have been running ALOT prepareing for the USMC Mud Run in Septmeber. While I havent seen the fruits of these labors weigh wise yet, I have seen it in my endurance! I can't wait to go! Joee has grown SO much this last month, She is cruising around and crawling so fast! She has learned to wave bye bye and is starting to clap. She's also been barking at the dogs so cute!! Can't wait to see what July has to offer! Maybe a new job! :)

May in Fast Forward

2010-06-03T20:09:00.000-07:00

Right before the begining of May Joee started crawling up a storm, and pulling up about two days after she took off.

Then we started May in Flordia, we went to St. George Island (dont worry there was no oil there) with Max's maternal family, which is huge.

Max and I had a ton of fun, we got out and about alot since St. George Island where we were staying doesn't have alot going on and we aren't to fond of the beach. Well I love the beach, sound of the ocean, playing in the sand, feet in the surf. BUT I do not get in the ocean, hardly ever, and I do not lay out, or I turn into lobster woman, I am very fair skinned. I think Joee has a better than than I do.

We played some family games, my team won every challenge that we were in. We are just bad like that :) I brought the Wii game Just Dance, while the pt system is jacked up, the game was fun to play with everyone.

We went up our first lighthouse! So awesome! I hope to do that some more, and got a brochure on all the lighthouses you can climb in FL.

I had a wonderful birthday, Max got me those Reebok shoes from the butt commercials. Some cute cards (he is always good with cards because he has such a big heart) I got some awesome cupcake stuff for my birthday too. And a new cartridge for my cricut!

The day after my 25th birthday I celebrated my first mothers day as a mommy. It was cute, Joee and Maxwell got me cards. My mother really loved her photo book I made her for mothers day. My grandmother was way jealous, and I really should have made Gina (MIL) one, but I didn't have as many pictures of her and Joee because she always tries to HIDE in them or make the goofiest of goofy faces! But I did make her a beautiful card that she loved.

Joee with her cousin Trent!

Then Max and I ran in the Warrior Dash with some of his family, which was AWESOME!

Then this past weekend (Memorial weekend) We went to the mall, and played arcade games with Joee. She loved all the lights and buttons. She also rode her first carousel, she loved those lights too. We watched a billion episodes of Dexter. Then we hung out with Max's (and mine too :) Friend Richard, who was on leave for the weekend from the Marines. I love Richard, he is a wonderful friend to Max. He was my favorite of his buddies to hang out with because he is really funny and very easy to get along with. We miss him since he has been gone. He use to hang out with us alot before he left for the Marines, which was back in 2009 the year we got married.

Later we took Joee to pick strawberries, which wasn't as fun as I remember it being, but she will love it next year! However she did look super cute! Dressed in a strawberry outfit much like this one....

And that was May for our family give and take :)

PS Maybe Ill be a better blogger in June lol.

Shutterfly Dot Com!

2010-04-27T20:38:00.001-07:00

FYI to everyone that has a MOTHER. Shutterfly.com is offering 3 free personalized mothers day cards (with your own pictures) shipping is only 1.05 AWESOME deal. You cant get 3 crappy cards from the dollar store that cheap!

Not Me Monday

2010-04-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

I did NOT forget to post a Not me Monday last week, that did NOT aggravate me since its my favorite day to post, so I did NOT skimp on blogging last week because of it!

Anyways Happy Not Me Monday!

Joee has NOT decided that she only can crawl in reverse. I mean really... we are trying to get her in gear but its not working. She has NOT taught herself how to go from belly to sitting either.

Joee also did NOT just start sleeping through the night ALL of the time. So we are NOT moving her to her big girl room tonight! Yah Mom can sleep!

I did NOT spend way way to much time on Shutterfly this week. I did NOT make Joee a cute book for when she is older with pictures of us from the park. I would NEVER make it rhyme, I'm NOT that creative.

These are NOT some of the pictures of us at the park...

We would NEVER take our 7 month old to have her ears pierced. (Did you notice^^)

We would NEVER take Joee to have her picture taken at Wal-Mart, we sure would NOT buy all 8 poses, and there would NEVER be a problem once we got our pictures and they are big. One ISNT a picture of Joee trying to crawl. Her foot is NOT tucked under, and her big toe does NOT stick out and look like a winkie... yes a wee wee. There is NOT spit up on Joees outfit in 2 of the pictures either. NO this wouldn't happen after we sent $150 at Wally World getting this done. (I took these pictures of the pictures... I dont have a digital copy.)

Did you see it.. well here it is!

We did NOT feel rushed even though we had an appointment, and she did NOT walk away several times to talk to people that were walking up. That is NOT crazy to do with an infant that has a small window of having her attention!

So we did NOT go take pictures AGAIN the next week at Portraits Innovation and these pictures were NOT cheaper, and better!!

I do NOT have 11 days before the beach, and still have a lot of weight to loose, this would NEVER make me want to stop eating. No. I am NOT that crazy or shallow.

I did NOT promise a friend that I would make her little boy a shirt for his bday party that is fast approaching. This is NOT been the most complicated promise (crafting wise) that I have ever made.

I am NOT sick of all this pollen I am NOT tiered of my nose being more like a faucet.

We would NEVER throw our Chihuahua a 6 year old Birthday Party!! We did but I don't have pictures from this year! Rue my first doggy is 6 now!!

Stay at Home Mommy

2010-04-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

First let me say... I cant believe I forgot to post a Not Me Monday!! I blame it on the Wii Fit, I logged almost 2 hours on that thing yesterday!

Down to the meaning of this post.

I want to be a stay at home mom. Right now I work as a waitress, 5 days a week, I make awesome money, but I want to stay home and go back to school online.

Joee is growing so fast! I feel like its all going to be gone in a second!

I want to work 2 or 3 days at work to get out of the house, then take online classes to get another Bachelors’ degree, this time in something more useful, education. So I can become a teacher while Joee is still young and start teaching when she gets in to school. I might have to start before she gets in to school, since it will prob be a 2 year program for me since I already have one degree (that I'm NOT using!)

Waiting tables is like a game to me. I test myself to see how fast I can do something or how many tables I can take care of at once, or how much money I can make... however its getting old, or its gotten old, and I don't want to do this my whole life!

Don't get me wrong there are some wonderful women that I work with that make this a career, Jean specifically whom is my best friend. But I see how much she hates it every day, and its not the job per say its the darn changing everything every day. Jean is a women of routine. And every time we get a new manager, even worse a new General Manager, EVERYTHING changes. They all think they "know" better, when they have never really waited tables a day in their life. Its always stressful and we get new managers ALL THE TIME. They are always quiting or getting fired or transferred...

I know teaching will be stressful and take up more time, but at least I will come home feeling accomplished!

Now I know what I want, but the question is how do I get it, I need to find a school excepted by the state of Georgia that I can take online... I need to apply for financial aid, I need to apply to the school, I need to see which credits would transfer.... Got a lot to do, and feel like I need help doing it, I get lost in all the FAKE stuff online!

Please Take Some Time!!!

2010-04-09T15:26:00.001-07:00

And vote for Joee for Baby Idol!! She is a ten!!! It takes 5 seconds click the picture below it will take you to her and then click 10!!!

Joee's 1 year birthday party

2010-04-08T21:44:00.000-07:00

Joee's birthday is a looming 5 months away... :)

So I am about to start planning it :)

Because I am going to be that Mom.

Lol

Got alot of cute ideas here

karaspartyideas.blogspot.com

Super cute!!

Oh and some of these people have WAY to much money!!

But lets see what I pull together.

I WILL post my crafts leading up to her party.

1st is to pick a theme.

Bouncing between, poodles, or a design of some sort like one of her outfits, not sure.

:)

Joee in one of my dresses.

2010-04-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

So I didn't know how to sew. I had a crappy little bitty Singer Tailor... that I got when I was 13, now 24 and learning to use it. This was last year when I found out that I was pregnant.

Then I decided to make my soon to be bundle of joy a quilt.

And I did.

I taught myself how to sew last year and have been addicted ever since.

Last year I made Joee 2 baby quilts, a baby pillow to match, curtains for her playroom, and then I started maternity leave 4 weeks before she actually came (they lied and said it would be any day...) and I was bored.

So I made my already spoiled child more clothes. Specifically dresses, and no I did not use a pattern lol.

Today she got to wear one... it was a little odd on her, but still super cute to me.

Dress before Joee was born...

Joee wearing the dress!!

I have to say my newer sewing projects are much better though :)

Wii Fit

2010-04-08T06:47:00.001-07:00

I am a proud new owner of a new Wii and Wii Fit!!! Super excited! Stayed up last night setting it up and playing...

About to put my morning time on that Wii Fit!

Wonder if this is going to work, anybody know any success stories?

Had to Share.

2010-04-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

I thought this was ironic or symbolic so I had to share...

Today Max was rumaging through his pants drawer, because he had pulled some rarely used pants for Easter. He found a recipt in his pocket...

From Longhorns

From the last day that I saw my friend in question that I mentioned a few blogs ago...

WOW... really???

Not Me Monday

2010-04-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

My little girl did NOT say Mama TWICE on Saturday. It did NOT make me cry. I am not sure if I cried because I was happy she said my name or sad because she is growing up!

She also did NOT favor me over everyone this weekend. Everyone says this will flip flop, so I am NOT sure if this will stomp on my heart once she thinks Dada is cooler.

I did NOT try to run at the high school on Easter, and have to listen to my lil girl crying and screaming at the top of her lungs because she wanted me and not Daddy. This did NOT hurt Daddy's feelings, and did NOT frustrate me. Does she want me to die at Warrior Dash???

I do NOT have to work the next 6 days, and I am NOT already plotting on giving at least next Saturday's shift away!

My house has NOT become a bottomless pit for random objects that have began disappearing. We did NOT loose something that is worth at least 300 dollars, Max did NOT loose the key to the riding lawn mower, and there are NOT a few other things missing that I am refusing to look for since I cant find anything.

Joee has NOT been sleeping through the night these last few days. From 10 pm to 8 am. I do NOT still wake up at least twice. This does NOT frustrate me in the least.

We did NOT go have Joee's picture taken with the Easter bunny, and she did NOT think it was cool and try to play with his nose.

We also learned this week that if a meat baby food is mixed with a fruit baby food Joee will eat it. lol. So she likes Apples and Chicken (they make that one) But she did NOT fall asleep while I was feeding her in her highchair the other day...

Happy Easter Everyone!

2010-04-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

Had a wonderful, and beautiful day here in Georgia.

Woke up to a grumpy Joee though, she usually is such a doll in the AM. Not today, must have known we were going to be busy today.

Went to C4 with Max's family. C4 is a small christian church. Max's cousin got baptisted today, which was very moving. 4 little ones got up there, then 4 adults talked about how God has changed their life.

Then we came home for a bit to collect a few thing and change. Joee took a nap, had a cry attack, then was instantly better when we got to her G.G.'s house. She had fun, but was a little clingy to Mommy today. She also got WAY to much stuff!!!

After I tried to go running right before sunset at the highschool by my house. Max was going to just walk the track with Joee. Oh she was having none of that, mommy only, broke Max's heart.
I don't know why but she has been doing that alot lately especially at night.

Sandi, my Aunt, and I made some awesome cupcakes for everyone for Easter. They were adorable. I am planning on posting pictures later!

Hope everyone else had a wonderful Easter as well!!

SERIOUSLY!

2010-04-02T19:40:00.001-07:00

I have two stories to share, one scary, the other nasty, but both very funny!

Story One:

(Standing at my own table waiting "patiently" for the group to order and I hear at the table behind me...)

5 yr old boy: Meme I don't like it when you do that!!!

5 yr old boy: No Meme NOOOOO!!!

5 yr old boy: You chewed on my food!!!

Grandmother or maybe Great Grandmother in her 70's: Honey I don't want you to choke!

I look over and the Grandmother keeps chewing the 5 year old boys food up for him and spitting it on a plate.

I .

Seriously.

Gagged.

I had to walk away from my table with squealing a "I'll be right back."
The kid must have ate some because Jean said some looked like it was missing!

Story Two:

(Standing at my small table against the parking lot window yacking it up with the woman sitting there while her husband daydreamed)

Husband: Oh my god! (under his breath looking out the window, eyes about to pop out of his head)

Me: What are you looking at?

Husband: They are putting that old lady in the drivers seat!!!

( A table that had just left was getting in their car. It was an elderly couple in their late 70's maybe early 80's. The old man hobbled with a slump back, the old lady was in a wheelchair. They had to sit at a table because they didn't want to move her out of her chair. They were ALSO accompanied by their 50 something daughter.

They parked in handicap parking

The old man and the daughter basically carried the old lady to the drivers seat. LITERALLY! She couldn't move herself to the seat.

They put her wheelchair in the trunk.

The daughter got in the back seat.

The old man got in the passenger seat.

And they safely drove off!

SERIOUSLY!

I just don't understand this....

2010-03-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

On our way back from Florida Interstate 75 is cluttered with these types of billboards.

All I could think of is why??

You take your little kids to Disney world, then on the way home from their adorable Innocent vacation they get to learn about strippers, massage (sex) parlors and alcohol.

Yet the less provocative cigarette billboards are banned. Not to mention smoking only kills the smoker, and alcohol (drinking and driving) kills Innocent people all the time. Plus do you really need to be thinking about beer while driving???

It just dumbfounds me how the government is out to get the cigarette companies but care less about the "legal" more deadly or sexually explicit ads.

Just a thought.

What do you think??

Not Me Monday

2010-03-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

These are NOT some of the cool stuff around town that we snapped cell picks of. That lil train with sippy cup holders and seat belts, did NOT pass us in the mall with triplets. The lil ones did NOT feel like they were on a ride! The next picture is NOT a huge ginormous eraser! Totally awesome! Then the next picture is NOT a bathtub that looks like a high heeled shoe! The water does NOT flow don't your back, my husband is NOT the one that wants one of those! And that last picture is NOT just a cool key chain that reminded us of some people in our families :)

I did NOT finally break down and take hours of my life to clean the destroyed Joee room! She does NOT have way to much clothes that are hard to keep up with. These are NOT the socks that are missing their other sock! And those are NOT the spoons that were playing hide and seek in her diaper bag. That's right TEN baby spoons!

And this is not by adorable drooly baby!

Max did NOT finally come to the conclusion that its better late then never, and get me a paper anniversary present. 1st there is the roses (don't really like roses but whateve) then 2 paper posters for my future craft room. No that is NOT Taylor Lautner my werewolf love, and he did NOT also get my Taylor Swift whom I adore.
So I haven't been nagging him as much :)

This is NOT how lame Max's uncle is. I did NOT find that sticker with his name on it stuck on my daughter under her onesie, and the back of the sticker in her diaper. GRRR!
I did NOT get an eye infection last week. The Dr did NOT write me that "back to work"
slip. It does NOT sound disgusting, or like I do not wash. And btw Mr. DR man, you told me to wash my eye 4 times a day for two weeks. That is not "normal" hygiene!!

Joee's Half Birthday

2010-03-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

My little girl is already 6 months old. We celebrated by letting her feed herself a cupcake, well really the icing. I know I know she isn't suppose to have it, but whatever the pictures were AWESOME!

Messy baby!

Easter Cupcakes I love!

2010-03-26T22:33:00.000-07:00

Check out these cupcakes ladies!

Being Fulfilled

2010-03-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

In response to my sister-in-law's blog... which you can read here
http://www.themcculloughway.blogspot.com

I think its because all girls grow up, in this day in age, with several "ideas" of what life SHOULD be like for you to be happy.

Be married to prince charming.
Still have a wonderful social life.
Stay friends with our best friends for "like" FOREVA!
Maintain our beautiful high school like physic, so that we may be the envy
of all the girls from high school. Especially at class reunions we need to look "supa fly"
Acquire material possessions (house, car, etc)
Get in to the most awesome college.
Graduate from said college.
Have wonderful, well behaved children.
Be a full time mommy/ or a work mommy. (both which are fulfilling, however not sure why you’d go to school to be a full time mommy, just a waste of money if you ask me.)
Grow old. Acquire even more possessions. Bigger and Better. Have grandkids.
Maybe even great grandkids
Die a ripe old age still in good shape, living every day to its fullest.

My point is this. If any of these things do happen for us, they might not be in the order we planned. I do not believe that children or school fills the void that we women force ourselves into. We are the reason we have the void. We are the ones who set these ridiculously high standards for everything and when it doesn’t meet up to exactly what we had planned we are let down. We are constantly measuring the life God gave us against the life that we “should” have had, or “could” have had.

We say to ourselves, if only I wouldn’t have made this mistake, or if I would have waited for this, or tried harder in this, or thought this through.

Hine sight is not always 20/20. Most of the time its wrong.

If I wouldn’t have made the mistakes that I made in my life, eck um, I could have settled for someone who didn’t make me feel the way Max made me feel. My mistakes led me to the path that God had intended for me.

The walk across that graduation stage was a wonderful feeling, but fleeting. Especially when circumstances keep you for looking for a job right after you graduate. Then the economy sucks so when you do look there is nothing, or nothing you want to do. I felt more pressure since I graduated then before. Now I am an even bigger failure. Not everyone goes to college, but the ones that do and graduate find flippin jobs don’t they!!!

Joee has not filled the “I want to do more with my life” or better the” I thought I would be DOING MORE with my life by now” void. She is just a marvelous addition. And she is not an accomplishment. Maybe I will feel different about this later. I know my mother feels proud of my sister and I. I am proud that my daughter is wonderful, but she isn’t MY accomplishment, all I did was carry her and take care of her. The way I nurture her, raise her, and teach her will be a great accomplishment for me.

Fulfillment comes from the inside out. No amount of acquired possessions, awards, beauty, or people will make you fill fulfilled and stay that way. I acquired my possessions, and awards while I was in my “first life” and it was not fulfilling. While I had bragging rights for some of the things people said I couldn’t do I did, it still did not make me happy, because I wasn’t happy. I was constantly told how mean and awful a person I was that that took its toll.

It wasn’t until it left that the vail that I was seeing through made my life feel better. And in that months before Max I felt more accomplished then I ever had. And I was a waitress and that wasn’t going to change for the time being. But I was accomplishing my goals week by week. Whether it was getting to books that were collecting dust, or just having time for ME. It was MY life and I loved who I was. Max only made this better for me.

Now I am not saying, “ladies leave your husbands and life is great” I am saying make time for yourself to do the things you’ve longed to do. See the movie you want to see even if your husband or friends won’t go with you. Indulge yourself on your favorite dessert. Make a fool of yourself as often as possible. Say whats on your mind. Just steal a few hours for yourself every week, even if you think taking time away from your kids makes you a bad mother, I promise in the long run it will make you a better mother. Your children will know if their mother is happy in her own skin, and that is one of the best things you can teach a child, especially a girl, to be happy in her own skin!

Also make small goals for yourself every week. If you have always wanted a garden start one. Don’t have a yard start a planter. You always wanted to take ballet classes, get on youtube, buy some used ballet slippers and go to town in your own living room. Goals that are accomplishable within a week. Even if it’s a big goal. Want to go to Hawaii, plan the trip in your secret notebook, price it up, say you want to save it by 5 years time, do the math, and start a collection!
It is honestly the little things in life that are fulfilling.

Why I quit my Church as a teen.

2010-03-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

Someone asked, so here it is!

Both of my parents grew up in hard core Baptist churches. My mother didn’t like them so she decided not to go as an adult. Not sure why she never looked for a different kind of church but she didn’t. When I was little she sent my sister and me to a Baptist church with my cousins because we started asking questions and she thought it would be good for us to learn what she learned in Sunday bible school. I went with them for a while, but hated the hustle and bustle of Sundays because we would ALWAYS be stuck with my cousins family ALL day long (Looking back this is probably the reason I drove everywhere as a teen and refused to carpool, I hate feeling stuck when I am ready to go!) So I didn’t start back to church untill I was a teen. I made friends with a few girls in my freshman art class that went to the same Weds night teen church, so I started going with them. Went every Wednesday and some Sundays. I didn’t like Sundays as much (early, by myself etc..) But I would go, especially during events.

I started going in 9th grade then into 10th grade when we moved to Loganville (about a 40 min drive in traffic away from my new house) My mom would take me to Sundays but not Weds when we moved because she wouldn’t get home in time to pick me up take me all the way out to Lucerne Baptist Church which is almost in Stone Mountain. Dad would take me some Weds but that required WAY to much begging.

I got a car (FINALLY) in fall of 11th, and took myself. In Dec that year I had jaw surgery, I have 4 screws in my jaw, and couldn’t chew for 6 months. But I still wanted to go on the winter retreat (my first church retreat ever) the first weekend of Jan, even though I couldn’t ski. We got to North Carolina and ate in the mess hall and headed up to our cabins. Only one of my girl friends went, but all 4 of our guy friends came. Our cabins were all separated boys/girls, there were a lot of younger girls that I didn’t really know and 3 moms for our girl cabin. The boys cabin was far away and they weren’t allowed to come near ours (I know DUH but it plays into the story later)

Our cabins were literally almost a mile from the mess hall if you were walking.
That night at about 4am I woke up sick. I started throwing up. The girls woke up at 6ish, there were only two bathrooms for about 16 girls in this cabin. All they did was complain that I kept taking up a bathroom because I was sick, because "they were going to be late to the ski slopes" The moms asked me how I felt, I answered the obvious, they said they would come back after breakfast and check on me and bring me pepto bismal (SP).

THEY NEVER CAME BACK.

Not until ONE OCLOCK IN THE MORNING. No I am not kidding, I never stopped throwing up. I was drinking water out of the sink so I would stop dry heaving and have something to throw up. There wasn’t even any food in the cabin to eat. I didn’t have a cell phone, I couldn’t call anyone, and I didn’t want to OR think I could physically walk the mile to the mess hall to use the pay phone.

One of my close guy friends (I found out some of this later from him and the other 3 guys) kept asking the youth leader and the moms about me. They said "Oh so and so was going to check on her" he kept asking around in a circle till he got fed up around midnight and walked that mile to the cabin from the gym where they were doing a Weds like singing service. The mom's and youth leader ONLY came back to the cabins because they noticed that he was missing and figured he went to see me. So he was breaking the rules, they thought we must have been doing something naughty. They passed us on that walk. He was literally carrying me down to the mess hall to call my parents.

My parents showed up a few hours later. I refused to go back to the cabin with the women. They were really mad about that, and my guy friend refused to go back to his cabin and sat there with me at the mess hall with a trash can and took care of me. My mother could have literally killed them when she got there. I think she tried to keep her language clean, lol, but I doubt she did. I was her baby. I hope to make Joee feel as protected from everything and everyone the way that my mother made me feel. She reamed them for not checking on me, and pointed out that the 16 year old boy had more maturity then the adults she had entrusted with her daughter.

I could have died.

I ended up in the hospital with an IV because I was too dehydrated.

Even if my mother wouldn’t have forbid me to go back to that church I wouldn’t have went.
They lost more than just me that day. My friend left too, we both demanded a refund which the church hesitantly gave to me and him.

I tried MANY churches in Loganville after my wounds healed. Loganville 1st Baptist, Victory Baptist, Sharon Church (I think that’s its name I can’t remember), I decided I didn’t like Baptists churches lol.

Max and I HATED that cult of a church Oasis. However I liked the church Max went to Snellville Christian, but I am not sure why we/I decided we didn’t want to go there. (we will talk about this later now that I have thought about it) I say we/I because Max is so easy going sometimes its hard to figure out what he does only because he picked up hints that its what I want to do.

In conclusion, shame on you LBC! Thank god for my friend Chris, and my wonderful Parents. Who might not have always been “perfect” and might not have always raised me the cookie cutter politically correct way that outsiders expect. But they have been the best parents a girl could have asked for. They taught me more about life, love, compassion, right/wrong, family, and faith by just being my parents then going to LBC ever did.

Not Me Monday

2010-03-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

This is NOT where my neighbor parks every day.

This is NOT the same neighbor that I blogged about earlier on a NOT ME MONDAY.

I did NOT volunteer to HELP with a baby shower for my boss at work. WE did not quickly become ME. With the others backing out, or not bringing what they were suppose to. With the exception of Emily who brought some yummy mini chocolate cupcakes! And a surprise Flan was also brought, but decorations, invites, pink and white cupcakes etc. all me baby! Here are some pictures...

Joee was NOT having a good time at the party. She did NOT love all the attention. She also was NOT obsessed with the balloons.

Joee would NEVER pass out on the ride home holding on to her balloons.

And she would NEVER want to play with them at home.

My baby is NOT the cutest baby EVER!!!

2010-03-20T15:14:00.000-07:00

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Lily is on Vaction. I so stole this idea from her website. I just wonder where she finds these cool things? Check out Lily's blog, she is a great writer.

http://www.bilslandfamily.blogspot.com

Sunday Church and Work

2010-03-18T11:56:00.001-07:00

I have been a waitress since 2002. I got my first waitressing job when I was 17, and have stayed with the same store since then (minus a small break during college when I worked at an eye glass store).

I was a teenager so I got the dirt hours (in my opinion) I worked at least 5 days a week usually 5pm-12am even when I was in high school. I still made decent grades, good enough to get HOPE for college. I saved and saved, and splurged and splurged (mostly on Vans and Hollister clothes) I paid for just about all my friends outings since they were all lame and didn't have jobs or couldn't hold on to their money.

I have gotten a little off topic.

Point is I ALWAYS have worked Sundays.

When I started my freshman year of college I moved about 40 mins away, but they let me still come back and work Fri night, and Saturday and Sunday both lunch and dinner. So I still logged about 27 hours a weekend. Which was more than enough money for my college needs. I ended up paying for friend there too lol for bowling etc. Mainly I did this because I wanted to have fun with these friends, and nothing is fun by yourself, so I didn't really care about the money.

The next four years of college I had to work to pay for my apartment and such. So I lived closer to work and whatever days I wasn't at school I was working. I hardly missed days. I was seriously scheduled (day shift now) every day to do something. If school was M W F , I was working Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun, and even some of those school nights. I made decent grades in college too.

Now that you realize my crazy work ethic, let me get to my point.

Sundays have always been a day of work for me. As a waitress they are one of the money days. So I hardly ever go to Church. Its partly to blame with my experience with the church that I went to through out high school treating me poorly and me turning my back on Church's, NOT GOD or JESUS, Churches. I really haven't found a church that I like, or that has immediately made me feel comfortable and welcome since then. (I'll tell you that story later)

But EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY that I worked I was confronted with the same question from customer after customer.

"Do you go to Church"

Here they are all dolled up in their church attire sitting at my table. They just got out of church. They are arguing with their families (which is the most common day for family problems at a restraunt in my experience) And they are asking me if I go to church. Um, would I be here this early if I had just gotten out of church?

Never the less, I say blankly.

"No I do not go to church." and move on to doing my job.

Then I become their cause, table after table every weekend.

"Oh then you should come to our church and be a christian" "why don't you go to church" "Can't you just take Sundays off"

My answers are "I am a Christian, but I don't want to go to your church. I don't go to church because I need to work to make money to keep food on my table and a roof over my head. " I also add in my head "Oh what church do you go to? I'll make sure never to attend service there"

My point is this...

If you are a Christian and you go out to eat on Sundays. Do NOT harass your waitress about your religion. Restaurants are only open on Sundays because all the church goers go out to eat. You Sunday Eat Outers are to blame for the staff not having Sunday off. Don't get me wrong I go out to eat on Sunday's sometimes with my in laws family. But I have never once seen any of them harass a server, and if they did I would probably say something because I can. ( lol I can't at work)

I have always wanted to respond with

"Do you go out to eat every Sunday?"

"Do you realize you are the reason that we are here?"

"If Christians as a community would decide to not eat out or shop after church then a lot more people would be off of work and go to church. But in till Mondays are as profitable as Sundays (usually at least a 50 dollar difference in tips) then people like me are going to not go to church and choose to work on Sundays.

I got to thinking about this again the other day because my mother-in-law and I were talking about how Mormons (this is what she says, not sure if it is fact.) don't go out to eat at all on Sundays. They don't even stop to get gas. So that they are not fueling the system.

I might also add other Sunday observations that I think are ironic:

Sundays we make money by volume not by good tipping. No one likes to tip well on Sundays, not sure why my two theories are 1. They think the people that work on Sundays aren't as worthy cause they didn't go to church and 2. They just gave all their money to their church.
A LOT of people are mad and angry on Sundays. I have witnessed more couples/family meltdowns on that day then all the other days combined.
One Sunday when I was 7 months pregnant an old man (60's) slapped me so hard on my arm when I was walking by that he left whelps then a bruise. He wanted a to go box, and he was in a hurry and I wasn't paying attention to him. He wasn't even my table. Oh, and my manager did absolutely nothing to the man. I was mortified.
People are constantly leaving those little pamphlets "Are you Saved" Or "Here is a TIP" which is religious paraphernalia as my actual tip instead of money.

Since mid-January I stopped working on Sundays so that I could have a day with my daughter AND my husband. Money wise it has been an adjustment. We still aren't going to church yet though. We have discussed it several times, but I don't want to put Joee in the church daycare while we are there, and I am not sure she will behave that long. I don't want her to be in there because she isn't around kids yet, so she isn't getting sick all the time, and I don't know these people. Like I said it would be a new church. I think soon we might go fishing for a church. I'll let you know what we turn up with. I am very picky. I think I am because I am headstrong and have a set idea of what I want to get out of a church.

Honestly I would rather go to a church that teaches, instead of preaches. Max said he thinks I mean bible study, which I guess is true.

Invites

2010-03-17T18:49:00.000-07:00

These are just for a shower at work. Erad is from another country. He and his wife have NO family here in the States. So we are throwing them a last minute shower at work. These are the end product.

Shots and Crafts AHHHH

2010-03-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

LOL! Didn't happen.

Note to Self: Don't schedual craft day the same as Joee shots day!

Fever all night, puked on me several times, I was very worried :( And she did NOT want to be put down AT ALL!

Ill post some picture of the one craft I did do. My bosses invites in a little while!

St. Patty's Day crafts, and bosses invites

2010-03-16T15:35:00.001-07:00

These are my sketches for what I want to accomplish today. I need to make invites for my bosses baby shower (he is from another country and he and his wife are alone here so we are doing one at work) I want to make Joee a St. Pattys outfit, and St patty pin for me and my friend Jean.

Lets see if I can get it done. lol.

Not Me Monday

2010-03-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

This was NOT my baby having a good time at her Grammy's while we were on vacation a couple weeks ago.

She would NEVER get spoiled at Grammy's and Mom would NEVER have Grammy send her a billion pictures while she was gone.

This is NOT my baby in her super cute PJ's.

And Joee has NOT conquered sitting while playing, when she get bored though she throws herself back.

And Joee has NOT conquered her jumper!

I am NOT at all proud of my baby for growing up, but I do NOT get sad all the time to watch the baby time go!

Ladybug Nusery

2010-03-12T14:37:00.000-08:00

I had a serious case of nesting syndrome before Joee was born. She took over two rooms in our small house. Well I can not take full credit for all of the nesting, Max was pretty bad too, but my mother was worse. Joee was to be her first grandchild. Enough said right. I decided I wanted to show off some of the pictures of her nursery before it got currently unorganized and trashed with clothes shes out grown that are in laundry baskets :)

We decided to do her bedroom in ladybugs. Ladybugs were not a fetish of mine at the time ( I am very into penguins, fairies, and cupcakes) But Max and I had been shopping at my favorite store Joann's and I had decided that I wanted to learn how to quilt. After trying crocheting and failing horribly. We didn't know the sex yet. So we tried to choose things that were unisex. So I picked out brown and white pokadots, red and white pokadots, and green with little ladybugs. Max assured me that because they were bugs they could be ok for a boy, I now think different but he always though she was going to be a girl anyways.

That was it. So when we found out that she was a lil' girl we decided to do ladybugs, and the rest is history of the nesting grandma with a credit card. My mother seriously bought my furniture off of Craig's list, and my bedding at TJMax and Marshalls. She had to travel to a billion different stores to get all the pieces. What she didn't find of the bedding she got off of eBay. I told mom that I need to buy some of the stuff to but she wouldn't listen, and I quote, " I'll buy the sticks, you can make the nest." Thank God for my mother, she is so wonderful to me. Here are some pictures of Joee's nursery!

Not Me Monday

2010-03-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

Joee has NOT decided rolling over and over and over is fun... she did NOT try and roll off of our bed. I am NOT terrified of this, and I did NOT yell at (poor sweet) Maxwell for sitting beside her and not watching her close enough.

Max and I did NOT celebrate our 1 year anniversary. I did NOT make Max a really cute coupon book along with a poem. I was trying to stick with the "paper 1 year gift theme"

He did NOT not get me anything. He would NEVER just absolute suck and not even get me a card. He did NOT proceed to stay in the dog house all weekend. I was NOT expecting much, I mean come on it was a paper theme, and my husband does NOT usually get me the cutest cards and write the cutest things in them (mothers day and valentines he did not disappoint) I was NOT so upset that he didn't even try that we didn't even go to our dinner reservations. We were NOT suppose to go to an all you can eat chocolate buffet. I am NOT mad at myself for not going either. Oh, and he can NOT say he forgot, because I purposely gave him his at midnight of our anniversary, and that gave him all of Friday to find/make SOMETHING PAPER.

My husband is NOT a total TURD!!!

Whoo now that that is over with...

Joee has not become such a good sitter that she rode in the shopping cart without a carseat sitting all by herself. She did NOT love it, and she certainly did NOT flirt with everyone we went by. No not my baby Joee, she would NEVER be the center of attention :) Oh and we so weren't at JoAnn's either.

Then we did not take her to Petco, as a test run to take her to the Ga Aquarium. She loves Aquariums, and we are thinking we are going there for her 1st birthday!

She would NEVER try and beat the fish through the glass though.

I have NOT wrote and made several crafts for my blog that I have neglected to finish and post. I do NOT hope to get caught up soon.

I Love Peanut Butter

2010-03-04T13:55:00.001-08:00

Ok usually I am not a huge peanut butter fan. I seem to stick to Reese's and PBJ's but the other day we are walking around hungry in the grocery store and come across the peanut butter and jelly section of Kroger.

I usually am very cheap and only have the Kroger brand peanut butter and jelly but I was first drawn to the goober mixed PBJ mix. I thought for a second the reason why I was drawn to it. Because we had just watched The Nanny Diaries, and they eat it out of the jar which looked really really good. I put it back so I don't impulse buy, I really don't need it right?

But however right next to it is a peanut butter called Dark Chocolate Dreams, looks a lot like the Nutella that I love in IHOP. But I read and it is " Peanut butter blended with rich dark chocolate" not hazelnut like Nutella. So I very sneakily put it to the buggy.

Well it did not disappoint. I love it. It is great on bread, and Ritz crackers! I want to try the companies other flavors, and I guess I will after I get done with this jar. Hopefully Kroger will have the others by then since it is so much more expensive to buy it off line.

Take a gander at their website! www.ilovepeanutbutter.com

I can't wait to try it on a cupcake!

Cupcake in a mug!

2010-03-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

So I have been seeing these cakes in a mugs everywhere. A couple blogs that I follow have mentioned them, one has a giveaway for 101 recipes for cakes in a mug. One of my craft magazines has a recipe for one that you give away as a gift.

I decided that I would try and make one. So I found a recipe online.

Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons cake flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil
1 Mug

Instructions:
Mix flour, sugar and cocoa:

Spoon in 1 egg

Pour in milk and oil, and mix well

Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt)

Wait until it stops rising and sets in the mug

Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy!

This is what it looked like in the microwave

This is it after I got it out of the microwave.

This is it dumped out onto a plate.

(I think it looks like a rose :)

Then I added some scoops of icing that I had in the pantry (chocolate of course!) made by Pillsbury.

It was delicious while it was warm, but the cooler it got (while I was blog hopping :) the spongier and chewier it got. So make sure to eat it HOT!

Vacation: Top Disney Rides

2010-03-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

As you may already know Max and I did all 4 Disney parks in one day. We wanted to hit up the best rides offered in each park. This is the rides we chose.

Animal Kingdom

1. Expedition Everest- This coaster took my breath away. Expect the unexpected

2. Kilimajaro Safaris- Nice to see the animals, watch out for the crazy driver though!

3. Dinosaur- Fun inside semi-coaster.

Epcot

1. Soarin- Breathtaking, awesome effects. Worth the wait, even the wait line was neat.

2. Test Track- Max loved this.. he likes going fast. ALOT!

3. Inside the Innovations East area was a small ride that you got to design your own coaster on the computer and then get in a simulator. It was alot of fun, Max and I designed an awesome coaster. It was called the Sum of all Thrills.

4. The World- Ok ok I know this is not a ride, but I love the walk of the world showcase. After all I did major in international studies.

Hollywood Studios

1. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror- I loved it but at one point I was screaming enough lol. I got sick of having my stomach drop.

2. Rock'n'Roller Coast- Awesome indoor coaster.

Magic Kingdom

1. Space Mountain- Classic. Right side is better, yes the sides are different coasters.

2. Its a Small World- My favorite Disney ride, can't wait to take Joee one day!

3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad- I dont think Disney MK has changed since I was a kid.

Those were my favorites! Can't wait to go back except this time WITH Joee!!

Not Me Monday

2010-03-01T20:09:00.001-08:00

I did NOT just get home from Florida.

I did NOT cut it short because I missed Joee to much.

I did NOT make my mom send me at LEAST 3 pictures of Joee a day.

Friday was NOT crazy. Thursday night to Friday morning Joee did NOT think that it was playtime at 3am she did NOT stay awake and keep me awake till 6:30am only to sleep till 7!!!

I did NOT make Max get up early to take care of her. (at 7 before work)

Friday night we did NOT decided to go down to Florida two days early. Our reservations were NOT Sunday night through Weds morning. We did NOT decided that we should just get it over with and went.

So after my whole 2 hrs of sleep from 1-3am then two more from 830-1030am Thurs to Fri I did NOT drive 90% of the way to Florida, with NO sleep that night while Max slept soundly in the passenger seat.

We did NOT decided to go to Disney which was not on our plans. We did NOT buy park hopper passes and go to all 4 parks in one day. ( in which I had no sleep, no seriously NO sleep from Fri to Saturday)

Disney is not a blur. It did NOT seem like I was drugged out, and it was definitely NOT 44 degrees and RAINING most of the day!

The next day we did NOT go to Universal Islands of Adventure. I was NOT angry when I was there and I did NOT go to guest services to complain. (Which is completely out of the norm for me, waitress' don't usually complain about anything, or well at least not me.)

Today we did NOT check out of our hotel two nights early. I did NOT fib and tell them that it was a baby emergency and that my parents work for GA Power and are now on call because it is suppose to snow. This did NOT result in no penalties, this did NOT make me and my wallet very happy!

I will NOT blog a bunch more on our trip to Florida.

Going to be away!

2010-02-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

Leaving for Orlando! Wish me luck on missing Joee, Ive already been crying like a "baby"...

Special thanks to Rachel for house sitting, take good care of Carley please! :)

Blog yall later!

Turning 25

2010-02-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

I turn 25 this year (May 8th) and have already started thinking about my birthday. I always have the worst birthdays. I mean absolute worst, and not just by my standards, by anyones.
For example:

15th- Got dumped by my bf of a year (big deal at the time)
16th- Was at school late trying out for cheerleading when my whole family forgot to pick me up for my own birthday party.(ek um correction mom was at work on the other side of Atl. she let dad/Candi have it when she got home, so much so that my sisters bf was very uncomfotable being there) This was before every kid had a cell, so I sat there, for hours, and just waited...
17th- My dog, not just my families, but specifically my dog who was ten died. Not only did she die, but we rushed her to the vet, she was having heart failure. They couldn't do the surgery so we would have to take her to another vet, thirty mins away, in rush hour traffic. While we were discussing this with the vet Bubbles started coughing up blood again, I stayed in the room alone, while my sister and her bf walked out cause she couldn't watch. I watched her die. My dad got there shortly after. He drove her home to bury her. I held her till Mom got home, so Mom could say goodbye.
18th- I dumped my prom date 2 days before the dance because he was a Jerk! At least I dumped him.
19th-20th- I guess uneventful bc I cant remember lol.
21st- absolutely no one celebrated with me. My sister got married the day before, so she was gone on her honeymoon, and she was the only one of my friends who was over 21 who could have celebrated with me.
22nd- Was on a cruise with the ex. He gave me nothing, said nothing, did nothing. We were also hiding from a storm, the ocean was really wavy, and I was pretty seasick that night!
23rd- was right before I graduated from college, so I don't think anything happened, which seems to be a good thing lol.
24th- Max absolutely forgot, I don't really want to say forgot. Maybe saying was to lazy and unthoughtful to get me anything would be more accurate. Nothing. At all. Not even a card. And trust me I don't let you forget my birthday. I dread the day approaching so I sure let you know its coming. Oh to make it worse I was 5 months pregnant too, so I was like super emotional when midnight came around and he still hadn't said, "Surprise!" like I was crossing my fingers for.

So I need ideas please. Help. :) I need to have at least one good birthday in the last decade, and one that is worth remembering!! I'm not really a big drinker, but a couple margaritas are not out of the picture. What did you do when you turned 25?

Beautiful Blogger Award!

2010-02-23T15:40:00.000-08:00

I'm super excited to receive this award! It is my first award! I was given this by Be Your Best Mom, a blog that I just started following a few weeks ago! Go Check her blog out!

There are a few rules to accepting the award so here they are:

1. Thank the person who nominated you

2. Copy the award and paste it on your blog

3. Link to the person who nominated you for the award

4. List 7 interesting things about yourself

5. Nominate 7 other Beautiful Bloggers

Seven Interesting Things About Me:

I am deathly terrified of water slides, because when I was a kid my mom and I went down one together... in an inner tube... that flipped when we got to the water... and our little butts were stuck in it... my mom flipped me out.. and a man jumped in and saved me.
Rubbing my feet puts me to sleep very very very easily.
I make up songs and rhymes all day every day... when no one else other than Max is around. He catches me doing it in the kitchen all the time, which is usually accompanied with a very dorky dance.
I majored in International Studies, graduated w/a bachelor in '08 BUT have never been anywhere international other than Mexico, Bahamas, and Grand Turk for like 5 hrs a piece on a cruise.
I am the worst speller... ever... thank god for spell check!
My best friend, other than my mother and sister, is my work buddy Jean who is 55. I think its neat that we are 20 yrs apart in age.
I love traveling, Joee, Max, my family, dogs, cupcakes, fairies, penguins, chihuahua figurines, and waterfalls.

Seven Other Beautiful Bloggers that I am passing this award too:
1. A Lil' Story
2. This Crafty Mommy
3. The Pursuit of Mommyness
4. Freebie Fairy
5. 504 Main
6. All Things Cupcake
7. MckMama

Post-it Note Tuesday!

2010-02-23T15:01:00.000-08:00

Not Me Monday

2010-02-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

My neighbor has NOT gone crazy and has NOT said any of these things...

That they added a water drain pipe under their yard that drains in to their side yard, which is also my side yard, which in return has been flooding my garage EVERY SINGLE TIME IT RAINS! They did NOT put it up while we were in the hospital 5 months ago, and I did NOT just put these pieces together.
He did NOT threaten my big dog Carley, he would NEVER say that I might find her four paws up in my yard somewhere! That did not make me want to attack him but I couldn't because ...
He did NOT come to work to tell me these things either!
The next day I did NOT find him blowing all the leafs from his yard into ours, he did not quickly panic, turn off the leaf blower, and act like he was going to rake them and put them in a wheel barrel.
I would NEVER find him or his grown kids that still live at home kicking my fence and laughing when Carley gets mad. They are NOT so stupid not to know that if you harass a dog (which is considered abuse in our county) that if the dog bites you you can not press legal charges. Carley is NOT an awesome and sweet pup that would never do anything unless she felt attacked!

Things that have NOT been going on around our house this week:

Joee does NOT like her jumper!

Joee's new tempertantroms when she does not get her way do NOT make me laugh. I do NOT think its funny that she already has a temper at 5 months old, but I am also NOT worried that she is going to be like one of those bratty kids that drive me crazy at work.

Joee did NOT get sick of having her picture taken on Valentines day! She would NEVER go from this...

To this...

In a blink of an eye (or camera :)

My babies would NEVER fall asleep together in the middle of the afternoon. Nope not Daddy with baby Joee NEVER!

Joee would NEVER have fun in her snow suit in the snow.

She would NEVER giggle while we forced her to make a lil' snow angel.

Max would NEVER (and finally!) bring home my Christmas present... yes you read that right... my Christmas present..

But he was completely forgiven for being the late punk that he is when I saw how beautiful it was! ( he also made the nightstand which was originally my fish tank stand till he forgot to feed them while I was in the hospital having Joee via C-section...)

Thanks and Happy NOT me Monday!

Nuddle blanket from Vday giveaway

2010-02-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

Remember I posted the Nuddle as a valentine day gift idea. Well now Guessing All The Way is giving one away. If you want to win one go here

http://www.guessingalltheway.com/2010/02/nuddle-blanket-of-hollywood-giveaway.html

Thanks!

I am SO excited!

2010-02-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

Max and I have wanted to go to Orlando since 2008, however due to money then pregnancy we never got to do it. I am happy to announce that we have actually made the reservations and are going to Orlando soon!

Tonight we booked a 4 day vaca in a cheap hotel by Universal. We decided to go ahead and do it before Joee gets older. I know how desperately I am going to miss her while she stays with her Granny, I am not even going to think about packing her little ladybug suitcase! Ah. But if we don't go now, we never will. Next year she will be old enough to let us know she is upset with us going, so I know I would chicken out. We cant take her (unless others go with us) plus what fun is it for a six month old? When we go back next time it will be ALL JOEE TIME at DISNEY :) I cant wait for her to be old enough to love that.

My grandparents, and parents took my sister and I to Disney nearly every year growing up. I loved it. Now I look back and think my poor parents. They spent all their vacations on entertaining us. I do have the best parents in the world. My parents never even went to the movies bc my mom couldnt stand to be with out us :) Wonderful mother.

But for now, I am going to suck it up, pack Joee's bags, and enjoy Max and my last us vacation, plus we get to celebrate our anniversary!

PS. Little unknown fact about me... I am not scared of much... hardly anything unless I am feeling girly that day, however this picture makes my stomach turn

I am DEATHLY afraid of waterslides... like I could have a panic attack just thinking about it. Umm the reason why is a story for another day, but it is on my list of things I want to do before I die!

The Love Dare: 1

2010-02-18T17:08:00.000-08:00

Max and I bought this new book called The Love Dare.

The book is about two things God and love. The purpose of the book is to teach couples about what real unconditional love is and to dare to love. The set up of the book is where they take a aspect of love (think Corinthians 13) uses other references in the bible to change (or applaud) the way you treat your husband. The book really gives you a different perspective on situations. Max and I have a beautiful relationship, but I figured this could help us keep it beautiful, plus I really like Corinthians 13 and that is what sold me on it.

So far we are on Day 4, we have been reading it for about two weeks. I have really enjoyed reading the short passages with Max on the nights we get to it, and I have enjoyed the dares as well.

To give you an example of the dares that we have accomplished so far... Day 1: Love is patient-say nothing negative to your spouse at all, Day 2: Love is kind- Say nothing negative and do at least one act of unexpected gester as an act of kindness, Day 3: Love is not selfish- Say nothing negative and buy your spouse something that states "I was thinking of you today", Day 4: Love is thoughtful-Contact your spouse sometime during the day just to say hey and ask how they are doing.

Day 1 was easy sheezy for Max and me, we aren't usually mean to each other. Well its alot easy for Max because he thinks alot more before he speaks, but we got through that day with in a day so it was a success.

Day 2- was a little harder. I had gotten aggravated with Max and blown it one day. I wasn't very mean but I was just snippy with him a couple of times, so... But we both also had a problem with figuring out what the book meant by gester. We do things for each other all the time. So we took a few days and finally when I was fed up that we hadn't moved on, we sat down that night and thought of the kindest thing that we had done for one another that day, wrote it in the journal part and moved on. Max's act of kindness was making breakfast, lunch and dinner the day I was sick and pathetic, and mine was all the homemade dinners I had made that week. Doesn't sound like a big deal right but it is rare for us to cook in that much, especially with things that take good work for me.

Day 3- this day was also easy for us. I knew I had wanted to buy Max this Punch house plan program, and Max got me the Lady Gaga Cd since I am obsessed with the Paparazzi song right now.

Day 4- We finished this, but it was easy to. We usually talk at least sometime during the work day via texts.

While we have liked this book there have been several times that I have marked through some of the things in the book that I didn't agree with.

Day 3: Love is not selfish.
"When a husband puts his interests, desires, and priorities in front of his wife, that is a sign of selfishness. ~~When a wife constantly complains about the time and energy she spends meeting the needs of her husband that is a sign of selfishness.~~" It made me angry that this was there example. The wife gives her all to her husband, he is obviously not appreciative, and she complains, so she is selfish... didn't she just devote her time and energy to her husband. This book was written by men, and sometimes has a pretty sexist outlook on Christianity, love, and marriage. But I just strike through them and keep on reading. I figure the pros will out weigh the cons with this book.

Ill skip ahead to see Day 5 to tell y'all the dare. Day 5: Love is not rude- Ask your spouse to tell you three things that cause him/her to be uncomfortable or irritated with you. You must do so without attacking them or justifying your behavior. This is from their perspective only. ha ha... Wish me luck getting Max to participate on this one! :)

I'll blog about this again sometime!

Wish it was baby weight!

2010-02-17T16:41:00.000-08:00

Do you think I could wish or pray the weight off?

No its not baby weight even though Joee is only five months old. For the first few weeks after I had Joee I had 5lbs left to lose before I was back to pre-Joee weight. I was a skinny pregnant woman, pregnant woman all over snellville hated me. I had Joee, had alot of water weight and swelling from the c-section, and had 5 lbs left to lose! Well instead of losing the five I gained about 15 more. I crossed Thanksgiving and Christmas thinking oh I can do what I want, I did when I was skinny in 08. Obviously not. Now I am trying to get inspired to lose the weight, but I am having a mental dilemma here.

For months in 07/08 my BFF Mandy and I ran. We ran/walked 3 miles 3 days a week at a park between our houses. I ate healthy, gave up red meat and fried foods. I only drank two cokes a day (big deal for me) Weighed the most I had ever weighed at the time, and lost only 5 lbs. I was devastated, the only benefit that I knew I had gained was endurance.

Then my ex left me in 2008. I was devastated... for about a week. During that week I wasn't thinking "Oh I miss him" or "I can't live without him" No. I was thinking "Look at me, who would want me" and "Can I make all these payments on my own?". This lead to me working all the time but back then it felt like there was more time in a day. This short time I had on my own I lost 35 lbs in one month. Part of it was I only ate if I was hungry, I worked at least 40hrs a week on my feet, and I ran maybe once a week.

So I look at these two times in my life and that is my dilemma. I tried really hard to lose the weight and lost 5lbs, I didn't really try at all and lost 35lbs. Doesn't seem fair right!

So I have the inspiration to lose the weight, I signed up for Warrior Dash, however I haven't found the drive yet. I work all day on my feet, then I come home and don't feel like stepping anywhere near that treadmill. Not to metion Joee is a full time baby :)

So until I get the drive I guess I will just settle for watching what I eat, and wishing I was back to pre-Joee weight. (Don't think I will take up God's time with praying to be skinny!! But maybe healthy??)

Not Me Monday

2010-02-15T18:52:00.000-08:00

I would NEVER get so sick of Joee crying while spoon feeding her that I hand her the whole baby food jar and let her feed herself. This did NOT make Joee incredibly happy, and she did NOT break down in tears when I took it back from her.

I did NOT work a full work week for the first time in a month. I have NOT been lazy and left early nearly every day. I did NOT miss work for a few days a couples weeks ago because I was sick, and this does NOT make me wish I was a stay at home mom. ( However if I was a stay at home mom I would get cabin fever all the time, so I am still thankful for my job)

My sister and her two month old did NOT get violently sick this week. That did NOT make me worry about them ALL THE TIME!!

I did NOT buy Max an expensive computer program called Punch Home Design,\ that I saw on Christy's blog. This has NOT resulted in him spending WAY to much time on the computer, and taking up my Yoville time lol.

I do NOT want to punch Joy from The View in the face, she is NOT the stupidest person on TV, and does NOT annoy me every day!

Valentines Day Gifts

2010-02-12T19:41:00.000-08:00

I was just blown away by my tivo version of The View this morning. Their Valentines Gifts were so neat I have to share!

This was my least favorite of all the gifts. It is similar to what I would say is the Snuggy, but the guy said it is more comfortable and useable, with hand pockets, feet pocket, and more plush.

Personalized ice cream. You can make your own ice cream flavors, even alvacado!! Add mix-ins, custom wrapping, and you have a gift! Little too Pricey for me though, but Max does love ice cream!

I love this idea, and plan on buying one for someone special, no not Max he doesn't read unless its a magazine :) but someone I love. Well anyways, there are many topics to choose from! You add different characters that match people in your life, and can even customize the cover and back of the book! Neat!!

Viva Box seems pretty neat. It is a gift box that has a gift in it as well as a giftcard for more of the same gift. For example the wine box includes a book on how to pick out wines, a subscription to a wine magazine, and a gift card for 6 bottles of wine.

Once Max and I win the lotto I throughly EXPECT these roses! I do not really like flowers, and I certaintly do not like roses, I am more of a tigerlily or mixed flower kinda girl. However THESE roses are stunning and make a statement and are very different than the traditional thoughtless rose!

On to my TOP TWO

This is very romantic and sweet. However it can be created at the dollar store/Joann's and still be just as romantic. A sweet note written by the lover sent in a bottle. Message in a bottle! Love it!

You send in your DNA on a cotton swab and it becomes art. This picture is two peoples DNA side by side. I would love to have Max, Joee, and Me. Very expensive though! But it is going on my list of something I want after Max and I have career jobs

Commercials...

2010-02-12T17:55:00.000-08:00

I think I need to vent about my distaste for some commercials lol. They get stuck in my head and haunt me... this is one of my least favorite nemesis right now.

Could they have made this anymore annoying. It looks like an awful rendition of something WDVL's (my highschool broadcasting class).

I will never take Restasis for as long as I live. This lady freaks me out!! "Twice a day, every day"

This one was awful and ironic since shortly after it was launched (and watched over and over and over) Saturn closed. "Saturn builds cars that Americans want"

WHY do they make us stare at this poor womans butt this whole commercial. I cant stand it!!

I love this Travelers commercial though!! The dog is soo cute! I love this commercial!

The Progressive lady, I just love her! lol She always makes me laugh. Plus this makes me think of the story Max told me about his dad coming home with THREE motorcycles without telling his mom :)

This songs get stuck in my head, but are fun, not annoying.

What are the commercials that YOU hate or love??

Giveaway on Guessing all the Way

2010-02-09T07:52:00.000-08:00

^^ is giving away free personalize pop art from allpopart.com! It is amazing and beautiful!! Check it out, and enter to win at guessingalltheway.com!!

-Cheryl

Doggy Dog Dog...

2010-02-08T15:45:00.000-08:00

As you might know, or might not, I have 4 wonderful doggies! I got my dog "collecting" honestly, as my mother has TEN! I just thought it would be cute to share my other "babies" or furbabies as they would like to be called :)

Introducing my furbabies, in order, Rue 6, Jasmine (Jaz) 5, Carley 5?, Delilah (Dada) 3.

My babies are always so helpful. This is my little Mexican Chihuahua Rue helping me with my Spanish homework, Jaz wearing my bowtie getting ready for work, Dada would NEVER think clean laundry is a dog bed, and Carley would NEVER think she is a lap dog!!

Delilah had a special connection with my baby belly. Before Joee was born Dada would lay her head on my belly ALL THE TIME!! She thought that it was her own personal lullaby! Now they still have a special connection, Dada is like the baby watcher. Always with Joee, always cuddling, she gets her fur pulled alot now, and whimpers but never gets mad at Joee. She is such a good dog!

All my three little dogs love Joee so much. Rue probably only loves her because she is a warm cuddly baby :) Jaz thinks she is Joee's protector, from Carley and my mothers dogs when Joee visits over there.

I love my pups!! Luckly I married a man who loves my pups like they are his pups too! :)

Not Me Monday

2010-02-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

I did NOT go blog surfing and find an adorable hat that I wanted for Joee. I did not get all excited that it was only $2.50 on Etsy. I did NOT buy the item like it was the last one on the shelf, only to find out that it is a crochet pattern, so I will NOT be gettin the hat, literally, just some paper that I do NOT know how to use :( I did NOT demand that my MIL Gina do it for me :)

I did NOT start laughing when I saw this. This is NOT a banana peel... on the sidewalk... and I certainly did NOT picture joggers falling on themselves. lol. My husband did NOT think I was "corny". I did NOT reply "well you like Billy Madison, and the O'Doodles (I know) drive off a cliff because of one!"

Mom and I have NOT become so cheap that we fight over coupons. Kroger use to send ME coupons to HER house, and I would NEVER give her lip about how they were MINE. Well Kroger did NOT change their mind and start mailing it to MOM! Mom would NEVER rub that in my face!!

Max and I did NOT find enjoyment in watching the crazy Iranian arsonist set fire to his grass last week. The arsonist did NOT accidently let his neighbor’s yard catch on fire after he thought his was out. I did NOT lose in a vote on who had to run up his GINORMOUS hill to tell him. He did NOT walk in a circle with a water can to put the fire out, then the neighbor came out and let the arsonist finish his work and he lit up the rest of the guys yard so it would match! lol.

Crazy Iranian Arsonist's house

Poor Neighbors Yard (Notice the circle of grass in the picture!)

(Notice the circle of grass in the picture!)

Joee has NOT decided to hold her own bottle WITH HER FEET. While I didn't get a good picture of it, since she is a ham for the camera, I did get some cute photos!

I am falling in love!!

2010-02-06T22:43:00.000-08:00

Yep that is right. And not with my darling Max, or my baby Joee this time. Nope. With my Cricut! You heard it I am in love with a Cricut. If you do not know what a Cricut is let me show you...

My mom bought me the Circut for Christmas. I had seen them at the last two scrapbooking conventions that I went to, and I was haunted by them everytime I went to my favorite store JoAnn's. The isle use to call my name, I would hear "Cherrrylll buyy meee!!" But I would talk myself out of it, because I had not "needed" one when I had made my previous scrapbooks. Then I would glance at the back of a "Cartridge" and be completly intemidated. Not to mention how expensive both the Cricut machine, and cartridges are... I was like uk-um no ma'am, slap my own hand, and make myself put it back.

Well Mom went all out and bought me one for Christmas, at first I was thrilled. Then to be honest I started looking at the cartridges and was disapointed because I wanted them all, and could afford to maybe buy two with my Christmas money. I got online and searched for a good place to buy them, I certaintly did not want to pay full price for them. I found a place on Ebay and ended up in their store. I bought two cartridges, one called sweet treats (cupcake fetish come'on) and the other a cheaper valentine one. I recieved them in the mail and put it up to tackle on a rainy day.

What better than a sick day to do crafts... I busted out the machine tonight, and now like I said I AM IN LOVE!!! I hand made invitations to my upcoming cupcake party, and then practiced with other things just wasting paper cutting out stuff :) Here are my results...

Basicly the Cricut cuts shapes. You push buttons to tell it what shape, size, etc, and as you can see you change paper color for different shapes then glue together and vwalla! So the pink and red hearts are TWO cuts pasted together. And the cupcakes are card shapes (yes it makes cards, cupcake holders, favors :) and then the heart, and cupcake wrapper :) So.. I know what I want for my birthday!

Scrapbook:Max and Cheryl's Travels

2010-02-04T22:39:00.000-08:00

I love scrapbooking, yet I have only made three scrapbooks. One for my mother for mothers day a few years ago, one to document my grandparents 50th anniversery a few years ago too, and now a book to document max and I's travels. I haven't done the journaling yet, but I wanted to share it.

I feel the need to explain the page with the house and word YUM, we ate at this little place I found off the beaten path. It was someones house "Farm house" They grew all their own veg/fruit, and picked it, cooked it, served it. Only open two days a week. I dont know if it was because I was preggers or because it is just that good, but I would drive the two hours to eat there again!!

And that Safari was SO FUN!! Cant wait to terrify Joee in that van one day! Note to travelers, buy lots of food for the animals, they dont take no for an answer, and your windows DO NOT roll up. Oh and please rent a van it is well worth it, they would have messed up our cars!

This is it for today, one day I will get better at this blogging thing!

"Not Me" Monday

2010-02-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

Joee has NOT started a stolen spoon collection on accident. She did NOT keep a spoon I let her play with in IHOP, that was totally NOT my fault. And Max did NOT let her steal a spoon by her accidently dropping it in the diaper bag at the Japanese Restaurant. MY husband was NOT to lazy to fish it out!

I did NOT jump like a spider monkey over the creek and run up a GINORMOUS hill to train for Warrior Dash. I did NOT almost die afterward, and I did NOT beat my mother in law Gina :)

I do NOT feel like a Puma Mom lately ready to pounce someone who touches my child. Stranger diffently do NOT think it is OK to touch Joee when we are out to eat. This NEVER bothers me, and I am NEVER overprotective.

I did NOT get sick from Sonny this week at work, and I certainly did NOT bring it home and give it to my baby Joee. So our nights are NOT filled with suction balls and saline solution right now. Joee does NOT immitate me coughing and clearing my throat for giggles.

Jasmine, my black mutt, does NOT have something wrong with her third eyelid. And I hope that she does NOT have to have surgery (SERIOUSLY)...

And we did NOT forget to put the memory card in the camera when we went to Livs 17th birthday so... Sorry Liv!

And I diffently did NOT wait till Tuesday to write this post

Not Me Monday

2010-01-25T16:24:00.000-08:00

First of all I do NOT want to thank Lily for the awesome not me Mondays posts that do NOT make me laugh every Monday! And I definitely do NOT want to thank her for spreading this wonderful idea!

My wonderful mother did NOT teach Joee to blow razzberries.(that nice fart sound with your mouth) Joee did NOT proceed to blow her carrots all over me while I was trying to teach her to spoon feed. This was NOT the funniest thing in the world to Joee, and her laughter did NOT make Max and me laugh so hard we almost cried.

Joee did NOT try chicken for the first time, and she definitely did NOT make this face...

Her father did NOT proceed to say that he disowned her, and he did NOT joke that she was the mail mans. (FYI All Max eats is chicken, he is quite a boring eater)

Joee did NOT proceed to fart for a whole minute long the other day. It did NOT sound like pop, pop, pop, pop... break... pop, pop, pop (SMELL!!) and so on, it was NOT a record for the baby Joee and she did NOT smile and giggle the whole time.

I did NOT accidentally turn an old NSYNC song into a new Joee theme song the other day. This does NOT annoy my husband and amuse him at the same time. He does NOT catch me constantly dancing in the kitchen and singing to Joee. (Here we go one more time baby Joee's feeling fine here we go now..up up here we go Babe Joe has got the flow.. and so on)

I have NOT fallen victim to the hostess cupcake curse. I did NOT only have eight pound left to loose at my six week check up after having Joee. I did NOT gain another ten by eating my weight in Hostess Cupcakes... they are NOT food from the Devil.

I did NOT sign up and pay to basically kill myself in the Warrior Dash in May. I did NOT start training today. I am NOT at all worried about getting my butt whipped. I am NOT competitive at all!

My sister did NOT give Joee the cutest elephant in the world today. Her son Trent does NOT have one matching in blue.

I did NOT decide to name my daughters farts today, I did NOT decide to call the Fairy Fluffs. Joee does NOT constantly Fairy Fluff all day, and she certainly did NOT Fairy Fluff so much in the doctors office that she made her whole exam room spell.

Thanks NOT reading my NOT me Monday! Hope you got some good laughs!

Max the artist!

2010-01-21T13:44:00.000-08:00

Max, my wonderful husband, is an artist (though he might not like me to call him that) I think it up and he figures out how to make it for me (and changes things uck umm..) :) Below are some of the wonderful things Maxwell has made for Joee and me!

This is the built in bookcase and China cabinet that he built for our living room!

Unfinished China part.

A whole look at the unfinished!

INSTALLED, yet I still haven't added my china :)

Max was also really into nesting when we were pregnant with Joee. He painted both her nursery and her playroom, hand painted lady bugs on the wall in her nursery, and he also made us a wonderful door for the nursery. A dutch door instead of an ugly baby gate!! He even went a step further and made a Joee size door for when she gets older :)

Unpainted and both the top half of the door and the Joee size door are open.

Painted with all parts closed. So far we have really loved this door. We can keep the top part open and keep good air flow and hear Joee even without the baby monitor. Not to mention it is ADORABLE!!!

Some other things that I have pictures of that Max has made are a full size bed for Olivia that holds her mattress and has storage drawers, he also made a night stand but I do not have pictures. He also made the tables for our wedding reception. The center of the table dips down about an inch I think. Gina, my mother in law, ended up using the center for sand for kids to play with at the kids table, and center pieces

Not to mention he did also help make this!

Cupcake Playroom

2010-01-19T19:01:00.001-08:00

I think that I am just writing this blog to boast about the beautiful playroom that I have already created. I love cupcakes, I collect lots of things cupcakes (cookie jars, place mats, bowls, etc) So before Joee even got here I decided that my little girl would love cupcakes too. So I spent alot of my "nesting" on making her playroom the cutest little cupcake room! Here are some of the pictures of her playroom.

Max, my wonderful husband, spent hours in the little room painting the pink stripes on the walls. Then I went fabric shopping and found the cutest cupcake fabric to make curtains out of. I made a valance for the long window, and for the closet doors, that were broken, Max removed them and I added long curtains that Joee can pull back to get in and out of the closet. I hand painted the little canvas' to match the cupcake fabric. I just love baby Joee's playroom. I hope one day she will love it too!

Valentines Day Garland

2010-01-17T17:58:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is right around the corner. V-day decorations are flooding every store. I have decided as a new mom that decorating for every holiday is a must. My mother did it for my sister and me which made even the smallest holiday special. I know Joee, my four month old, wont appreciate these decorations for a few years to come but I figured I could start accumulating decorations so that by the time I have enough stuff to feel decorated she will be old enought to appreciate them. However I am refusing to pay rediculous amounts of money for decorations. So I decided to be cheap and make my own using insperation from expesive store decorations.

Here is one of the items I liked at TJMAX that was $14.99

I decided that I was NOT going to pay $14.99 for this but I would rather try and make it.

I went to JoAnn's, the most wonderful craft store in which I always get "lost", and grabbed 10 small wooden hearts. They have a whole isle of wooden crafts, shapes, letters, etc. Each heart was about .29. .29x10= 2.90. I already had some ribbon I had bought a while back ( which was only .99 a spool, I didnt even use one spool on the project) So for about 3.89 (plus paint and glue gun if you dont already have these things) I made my own. Here is how I did it.

First I painted each heart a color that matched the little Valentines day classic heart candies. Let dry.

Second I painted sayings on each heart. I googled sayings for inspiration. (Luv You, Hug Me, Marry Me, etc)Let Dry.

Next I cut ribbons into 15in strands, one for each heart, and hot glued them to the back of the hearts. I put the hot glue dot close to the top of the heart where the little v part is, I choose not to center in the middle of the heart because then the top weighs more and flips the heart. Then the center of the 15in ribbon into the glue dot.

After the glue dried I took each heart and connected it to another heart by tying two of the strands in a knot and then making a bow.

Then I hung on my mantel. :)

The only thing that I would change about my hearts is my handwriting. I wish it was cleaner/neater :)

Sweet Crafting!

2010-01-15T20:51:00.000-08:00

Welcome. Fun posts to come!