Vote For Veltman! and a whole bunch of other stuff!

So....today is a HUGE day for my family! My dad is running for judge in Marion County, Illinois!! He won the democratic vote in the February primary election and is now the sole democratic candidate for the position on the ballet today! He's up against another local lawyer who is Republican. Although I live a couple of thousand miles away, I am there in spirit! I wish more than anything that I was with my family tonight! My parents split when I was little, but they still get along and my mom and step-dad are there, my step-mom, all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, brother, grandma's, grandpa's...my ENTIRE family...except for the few of us here....are all there supporting him today!

They are all getting together and the votes start coming in at 5:30 my time (Pacific). I have the page bookmarked and I will be hitting "refresh" "refresh" "refresh!" just like I did in February! It's so nerve wracking!! Everyone says he has it in the bag, but...you just never know! A bunch of republicans can rush the polls today...who knows?!

The few of us here in Southern California got together last night to send our love...via Facebook!...


and...since I missed Halloween posts...here are a few pics!

My boyfriend..."The Biebs"

40 year old Biebs...and 36 year old Hannah Montana!"




Chasey was a kitty...but for some reason she refused to wear her ears or tail to school!


Hopefully I'm back with good news tonight!! :)
Vote for Veltman!! Go Dad!

Who Let the Dogs Out?

There is never a dull moment around here!

I guess I haven't totally F&#@ed her up! ....at least not yet!!

My poor kids....Divorce is never a good thing for kids...When you are 2 1/2, I'm not sure if it's harder because you have NO CLUE what is happening...or if it's easier...because you have NO CLUE what is happening! I'm thinking it's the latter...at least that's how I sleep at night. I feel like it was going to happen eventually so I'm glad it happened when it did.

My kids (according to those around me who tell me this...people like their old daycare providers/preschool teachers) are pretty well-adjusted. I've tried my hardest to keep their lives pretty normal and it was rare that I ever even cried in front of them. I cried ON Cash many many nights while he was nursing...taking a shower in my tears, but I kept my tears to myself when it came to Chasey. Looking back, I'm pretty sure I did the right thing.

So...Chasey is more my concern with long-lasting effects of divorce than Cash. Cash was oblivious to all that was happening around him and now he is just one lucky little guy to have a dad that loves him AND to have James in his life who loves both of my kids dearly. Basically my kids have 2 dads! I have 3 dads...and I consider myself one of the luckiest girls in the world! (I won't get into details on my 3 dads today...but really...I'm just lucky).

I was walking Chasey to school the other day and we walked past one of those dandelion seed things...You know..the kind you blow on and the seeds go flying into the air!? We walked past it and Chasey RAN back to get it. She brought it to me and said "Mom, make a wish!" I did...and I blew on it....I only blew half and told her to blow on the other half and make a wish.

As we were walking onto campus, she looked at me and said "Do you want to know what I wished for?" Of course I said yes. She told me in her sweet little five year old voice....
"I wished that everyone in the world was healthy!"

WOW! I thought for sure she would wish for the latest and greatest toy she saw on a commercial that morning...but no...she wished for everyone to be healthy! I don't even know if she realizes what it means to really be sick?!

My heart melted! I am one proud mom! I've done good! (and yes...I say I...because I take credit for about 75% of their upbringing! Disneyland Dad is just that)

and...just a picture of why it's cool to write reviews...When I get frozen products (ie...Seapaks new frozen "popcorn fish") the kids get to play with the dry ice!


oh...and HI MOM! We love you and miss you!

Blogging is so....time consuming!

So...I have completely and 100% neglected this blog all summer! I thought for SURE once I wasn't working I would have so much time on my hands! HA! That's a joke! I'm WAY busier now than when I was working full time. Not really sure how that works, but all my other unemployed friends say the same thing!

I HAVE been blogging all summer...just not here. I write for Lady & The Blog and it really takes up quite a bit of time to review products, gather info, pictures etc to get it all posted in a timely manner!

I'm LOVING this new gig though. I've reviewed everything from chicken nuggets, to beautiful Italian leather boots, to cookbooks, to makeup and everything in-between. It's so much fun to have the UPS guy or the Fed-ex guy or the mailman deliver packages to me all the time!

The kids are loving their new schools! Chasey looks forward to going to school every morning and always tells me how much she loves homework. She told me Friday that she REALLY wants to tell her teacher that she is the best teacher ever, but she's too embarrassed to tell her! AHHHH...how sweet! I told her she should make her a card....so when she gets home from her dad's tonight, that's what we are going to do! We will make the teacher a card! She needs to know how much she is appreciated! With 17 boys and 9 girls to deal with everyday, I'm sure a "thank you" every now and then is MUCH appreciated!

The kids have kept us quite entertained lately. Now that it gets darker a little earlier we don't have time to be riding bikes or playing outside after dinner. So now Cash entertains us with his "dinner dance" so we've named it! Around dinner time every night that kid lights up and dances, sings, dresses up in his sister's princess dresses and just does whatever to make us laugh!
Here a few pictures of his recent antics!




I have a headache...I'm going to take a nap before the kids come home! xoxo

Bike Ramp? For a 3 year old? Sure...why not?!

Another thing we've been doing this summer....teaching Cash to ride a bike with no training wheels! He took off on the day of his 3rd birthday.

I was at back to school night...James was home with the kids...and I came home to this video! It's actually hilarious...knowing that he's totally fine!

Unemployment? I'm kind of liking it!

Hi! Remember me?
Chasey and Cash's mom? Yeah...I've been lost for awhile...well..not LOST for real.. just "blog lost"...I've been playing Monster Trucks, doing "art stuff", riding bikes, picnics, trips to the park, the beach, taking Chasey to school every morning...then walking to pick her up a few hours later, laundry, packing lunches, doing dishes, napping (ha...well, sometimes I sneak one in), homework, cleaning house...and...oh yeah...a little trip to Cabo with 8 girls!! Life isn't all that bad around here! Last time I posted I was not convinced that I was liking this "stay at home" thing....but...I'm starting to get used to it! My 2 favorite times of the day are walking Chasey to school in the morning and then walking to pick her up when she gets out! I'm so thankful we live so close to school.

Oh yeah...since I was here last...Chasey started KINDERGARTEN!! REALLY BAD first day...but now she absolutely loves it! She has friends now and we've even had a couple of playdates with a friend from school. It's so cute to see little girls play together. My baby is growing up and for some reason having her in school makes me feel like a "real" mom! Yes, I've been a mom for 5 1/2 years now, but for some reason, having a kid in school makes me feel like a mom! I'm not sure if I feel old or what...I just feel complete as a mom now!

The first day of kindergarten went from this

to this...in a matter of seconds...

but then when I picked her up...all was well!


So...I'm a stay at home unemployed mom...but yet I managed to squeeze in a trip to Cabo with 8 of my friends & "second family"! My priorities are TOTALLY in the right place!! haha! I'm the token brunette! I joke that they only keep me around so they don't seem prejudice!



I've worked hard for many years! I deserved that trip AND my time off with my kids!

I have time off..yes...but somehow I feel busier than ever! I love it!

She dresses him up like a Princess...and she stole his nose!!

Hello Blog! I've missed you!

I'm off work...well...I've been off since July 1st! My company moved and is now an 85 mile commute in Southern California traffic...soooo...needless to say, I chose to get laid off instead of making the drive. 2 hours a day EACH WAY in traffic just isn't in the cards if I plan on being present in my kids lives! It was bad enough working full time and having them in daycare all day. Having them in daycare from 7-7 just was NOT an option. So...I'm home now...loving some days....wanting to pull my hair out other days. It's a huge adjustment around here. I'm not one to want to be a "stay at home mom". Yes...I love my kids dearly, but I'm just not cut out to stay home. I like to work. Plus...I NEVER EVER want to be stuck in a relationship because I can't support myself and can't leave. It happened once...I didn't leave when I wanted to and then it all ended badly. No regrets because I have 2 amazing kids...but...I know I should have left long before it ended.

Moving on...the summer has been a BLAST! We went to Illinois to visit family for 2 weeks! Yes TWO WHOLE WEEKS! I haven't been on a vacation that long in forever! It was so much fun. I really really miss my family! They are so crazy and fun! We've spent quite a few days at the beach, the pool, playdates and some days just lounging around the house.

I have a funny story to tell....The kids have been fighting quite a bit...because they get bored so easily...one of them takes the other kids toy, whatever and they end up chasing each other around the house or one of them hits or bites the other one. Some days I want to scream...well...some days I DO scream! Yesterday morning as I was making breakfast, Chasey "stole" Cash's nose! You know...like your grandpa used to do to you when you were a kid...Well...she took off running and wouldn't give it back! It was actually REALLY REALLY funny and I didn't know whose side to take in that fight! Chasey was just pretending...but Cash thought she really had his nose! I was laughing and yelling at Chasey all at the same time..."Chasey...at least PRETEND to give him his nose back"....Cash was freaking out! In the end...she "GAVE" his nose back and we moved on.
Look at this picture!! This is just ONE of the pictures, videos, etc that I have of Cash this summer dressed in his princess gear! That's the downfall of having a big sister I guess!