Book Review- Unwind

One of my favorite things I did on my vacation was relax and read. I was lucky to have chosen such a good book for my trip.


Unwind
This book falls in the young adult category. It's dystopian themed premise about kids who are unwanted teens. Lost in a system which has no value for them, alive. This is a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, called "unwinding". You are taken on a journey where these teens discover themselves while fighting to stay alive. Betrayal and fear are powerful themes.
What makes us alive? When does life begin? This book was a fast paced, gripping novel. I think the premise also made me explore many issues of right and wrong and society's ability to loose track of that. I highly recommend this book.

My sister found this on the American Library Associations list. Which, by the way, has a lot of good books. So check that out too.

So run out and grab it, you won't be disappointed.

You can read more on Amazon... here

Thursday's thirteen.........

1-Water stopped leaking Monday in the morning, thanks for our plumber and a fat check. We are now sporting a big hole in our kitchen ceiling and some fans hoping to dry it out.
2-Officially unpacked (now just HUGE laundry piles).
3-Sore teeth from my ortho appt this week but braces seem to be going well and working.
4-Girls night out tonight (WOO HOO).
5-Feeling sore from the gym (this feels good to me right now).
6-Two days of successful movie naps for the twins.
7-Great report cards and parent teacher conferences.
8-Buying cute clothes from Gap, Janie and Jack, and Gymboree with Ebay money.
9-Thinking about buying bare minerals (any testimonials out there)?
10- Cafe Rio for lunch yesterday. I decided if authentic mexican means a dirty restaurant, scary ice, and questionable everything I would rather avoid it forever. Glad to be home where I can indulge and not starve myself till I am back on my ship.
11-Downloading pictures and editing them for sharing.
12-Adobe CS4 has come and should be here soon!
13- Comments comments comments, love them!

Not so welcome home...

We arrived home late last night. Our trip was amazing, but what happened after was not. On the ride home Hailey was having tummy problems and using the bathroom every hour or so. At one point the gas station bathroom was locked and she did not make it. Both girls have had the croup. Sydney is better but Hailey was coughing so hard she threw up, more than once. Upon our arrival home we discovered a pipe had broken. Water all over the wood floor in the kitchen and the ceiling was bulging. Not good.

Did I mention our trip was amazing? More on that later...

Frazzled......

This is my new nap time. Screaming. Messing. and total mayhem. I am not sure I am going to survive. I am trying to train them to watch a movie and not get up. Is that to much to ask for? 30 min-1hr of quiet time? A break from messing? It's not going to well...

MIA.........

Sorry I have been MIA. I have been swamped. Listing and preparing my ebay is a huge time sucker. You can view my remaining listings here: EBAY . I will be listing more (the second set of the twins clothes - many already sold this time around). Ebay put me behind on everything else in my life (laundry,cleaning, etc). I have tons to do to prepare to enjoy this...

Right now I am feeling so stressed, you know how that goes. I wish it wasn't so much work to get our family packed and ready to go. So much to do so little time.

My rental car....

If you were given these to drive car would you know what to do with them? Would you know to find a hole down by your foot for them to go in? Would you know what to do when the car did not start? Would you know that you could take them out, lock the car and it would still be on? Would you know that the car could be started without those pictured keys and just by pushing the button? High tech devices are very confusing.

By the way I tested the key only needs to be near the car for you to be able to start it, not in the provided hole. Oh and the on and off button is the master. You can actually get out of the car, lock the doors and go away and it will stay on. If you don't hit the off button or notice there even is one. Oh and the car itself... so quiet you can't hear its on even when you try. Craziness.

Girls weekend getaway....

Last weekend we headed "home" (where I grew up is always home) for a quick weekend getaway...

It was my mother in laws birthday so it was the perfect excuse to celebrate.

We went to the spa. A real treat and something I have never done. I loved every minute. Not sure how some women are comfortable enough to go naked everywhere but to each her own.

We ate at all my favorite spots. Shopped all my favorite stores. You may notice I already cheated on my first hand bag and got another (the deal was WAY too good to pass up). Isn't she cute?

We saw two movies and really enjoyed warm weather.


My favorite vacations end with there being another one planned (remember my upcoming cruise). Somehow it helps to know its not the end. Not to mention I was DYING to so my cute kiddies. I can't wait to take my kids to Mexico. I have to give Alan a lot of credit (and Grandpa) without him I wouldn't get the chance to play like this. It really renews me to get a little break.

Thursday's Thirteen......

1-I have the kind of job when I go on vacation my work piles up. My week has been busy playing catch up.
2-Sydney decided that her new name is "Laura". Flattering huh. Except she was serious. She was sad when her preschool teacher would not call her that.
3-We got a new garage door, that actually closes. Nice feature eh?
4-Coming home to freezing temps, snow and thick ice is hard. After being in warm weather for the weekend. It made me covet spring.
5-Thank goodness we are going on a cruise to Mexico in just a few weeks!
6-Ironing,photographing and preparing to list all my twins spring/summer clothing.
7-Saw Taken and New Kid in town while on vacation. Loved Taken. Liked New kid in town.
8-Got a new cell phone. Love it. Now I have been working on getting people on verizon (lol) so I have more people that are free.
9- I am loving the text keyboard.
10-I have never been so happy to be sleeping in my own bed.
11- or to snuggle my little girlies.
12- or to just be home.
13- Really appreciating Alan these days. I think a "girls weekend" will do that to you.

A tip...

After returning from a weekend of blue sky and sunshine its REALLY hard to come home to snow and ice. I just hate it.... I thought it would be a good time to share this little tip (more on my trip to follow)...



Because I like wearing my cute shoes (or have to because my jeans would be too long without them)...

Because it there is too much snow and ice around here...

Because my driveway is steep and could kill you...

I love these you can get them here REI
These babies can actually keep you standing on ice on a hill. They are amazing. You will not be disapointed.

I'm off...

I'm off for a girls weekend getaway. Celebrating a girls birthday in style. It's always stressful preparing for me to leave, but by this time tomorrow that will all be behind me and I will be soaking in sunshine and complete freedom (thank you sooooo much Alan). Muah! See ya in a few days!

Tid bits...

The View from my house...




and a tidbit from Hailey....

Hailey loves shoes. Every barbie opened on Christmas (all there were a lot) she exclaimed "Oh look at her shoes".

This morning the following conversation took place:
H-Mommy did you sleep in those shoes"?

Doesn't everyone wear high heeled boots with the jammies driving kids to school in the morning?

Later she noticed my boots had a few scuffs on them. "Oh no she exclaimed, what will I wear when I am Mommy if your Mommy boots are ruined"?


Have a good Monday.

Picture quest...

You may have noticed I have a tendency to take a lot of pictures. It's a disease almost. I can't stand to let a moment go unrecorded. Especially the ones that look so crisp and nice on film. Snowboarding and skiing are no exception. So last weekend I dragged the girls up the ski slopes.
Mistake #1 the girls were not in snow clothing.
Mistake #2 Underestimating the crowds.
Mistake #3 No picture is worth all that...

Upon my arrival (it's not a short drive). I found that there was absolutely no parking. I mean NONE. After driving around for the better part of an hour. I finally made myself a little parking spot. It seemed to work.

Then I unloaded the girls and we headed up to find Alan and Jacob who were already there. I immediately saw Jacob coming down the mountain. All smiles. Snap Snap snap. Then behind me I see Sydney trip and fall and get her hands in the snow. This began a crying fit that lasted the rest of my visit. She was cold. She was miserable. It was not worth it.

After I got my pictures... we headed over the lodge for some food and warmth. Really most of skiing or snowing boarding is, all so you can spend a little time in the lodge. At least if you have kids in tow right? Today, not possible. Packed to the rim that lodge, all levels, all tables. People everywhere. We give up. They hit the slopes. I pack up the little girls, Hailey is now crying too because she wants to ski/snowboard the slopes. I was SO happy to get to the car, where Sydney promptly told me (still wet with tears), "That was the greatest place ever, when are we going back"?

Ummm I got my pictures. Not any time soon..............

Here is a few of my spoils...


For more Photo Story Friday's go here...

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

All Smiles....

Apparently smiling isn't natural with braces on. You have to relearn how to smile. Well atleast how to do it without looking like a today dork (see above). And relearn how to eat, it's so hard to eat. I have to brush 4 times a day. Turning this expander is the worst. ACHE. This getting straight teeth business is a down right pain. Yes I get points for posting the picture of me looking like a complete dork.
For more Wordy Wednesday's go here...

Did you know....

I know who Serifina, Analese are, I can sing " I feel connected" with a barbie too. I can sing lot's of songs (out of tune).

I know all about build a bearville, club penguin, webkins and toontown.

I find Arthur a witty show. Beats all those lame kiddie shows. It's actually funny.

I spend most of my time looking for socks and don't get me started on shoes.

I am always doing a load of laundry and its still never done.

I watch a lot of spectator sports... basketball (Jacob), Swimming (Lindsey) and gymnastics (twins).

I can't win any of my kids on wii sports.

I know where all the bathrooms are in most public places.

I keep my snacks under lock and key.

I brush a lot of teeth and cut a lot of toe nails.

I get to shop for cute clothes for kids.

I do a lot of hair (I have three girls).

All my time is on some type of schedule or deadline.

I believe in incentives. The whole world runs on them anyway.

I never get to sleep in but I always go to bed very late.

I can make hurts feel better like magic.

I am needed.

I get lots of snuggles.

I read lots of books.

I am rarely all alone.

I am admired which manifests itself in both compliments and modeling (in mostly nice ways).

I am loved.

Gymnastics...

Remember Ballet? Well Ballet wasn't working. Not.at.all. The girls enjoyed it. The teacher was awesome. Yet every Wednesday was horror running the girls back and forth. So after a lot of thought and major guilt I pulled them out.

I have felt guilty ever since (mommy guilt is sure powerful). All along I had a plan, a better plan. Gymnastics was offered at the swim club Lindsey swims at, at the same time. Genius right? Last week the girls started their first class. They loved every somersault, hop or beam walk. Mommy guilt is officially washed away. My life is slightly more manageable.

My first "handbag"...

I won't reveal all the details (that might be to humiliating) but there has been a hang bag search going on around here. Trips to stores, internet research (doesn't everyone do that?). All in search of deals. My sisters have all made a purchase (even my Mom). I have been wanting to join in but anyone who knows me knows that I like to bargain hunt. I like nice things, I really do but I like deals more. I usually have the ability to get deals on anything I buy, in fact I consider that half of the fun of buying.

So today a few stars aligned and the girls and I headed over and purchased my first nice purse. All the credit goes to my little sister who did most of the searching and helped me find my deal and the perfect bag for me. Can you tell I am in love already?

For more Wordy Wednesday's go here...

Chuck E. Cheese

The video speaks for itself... enjoy.

New Years Eve.........

New years Eve was a wonderful night. Good Friends, Good Food, Fun Games. We had Pizza, Fondue, and treats. The fondue was sooo good. Unfortunately my stomach was not big enough to eat all the stuff we had (tough problem to have huh).








The kids slept over at Grandma and Grandpa's. It was top secret but Grandma and Grandpa planned a surprise party at Chuck E. Cheese. They booked a birthday party package and got to have a birthday for everyone on New Years Eve. Unfortunately, Sydney, who has never been to Chuck E. Cheese was terrified. Would not get of the car. She actually hid under the table some of the time. I guess like her mother, she has a phobia of rats. Ha ha. Stay tuned I finally got the video loaded of Sydney and Hailey talking about Chuck E. Cheese. It's hilarious.

Today...

I woke up...
Ran kids to school.
Shoveled the snow off the driveway (45 minutes worth of work).
Made breakfast cleaned it up.
Cleaned house.
Folded laundry.
Made phones calls (at the same time).
Ran to school to drop off toy that was forgotten for sharing day. Dropped off ski stuff for Lindsey to avoid another trip back.
Dropped twins at preschool.
Went to the grocery store.
Realized I forgot a snow hat for Lindsey- borrowed one and ran back to the school.
Came home vacuumed house.
Showered.
Picked up preschool.
Made hot chocolate and set out bought treats for a mother daughter get together here from 2:30-4.
Now I have a lull till I have to...
Pick up skiing Lindsey.
Make dinner.
Basketball pics and Game for Jacob
Try to muster the energy to get to the gym tonight.

WHEW!

Don't you hate days like this?

Oh and I need major helping uploading video. I took a small video. Well its bigger but not out of control big... I click on the film strip and wait and wait and even overnight it won't upload. It won't upload to youtube either. The file is a AVI file and is 284 MB. HELP!

Build a Bear....

A few years ago my sister gave my kids Build a bear gift cards for Christmas. To put it mildly it was a hit and each year she gives the kids this gift again. I give her a lot of credit for spending SO much money (my kids want so many accessories) and for winning for fun and creativity too. This year the little girls got cards too (in the past they got Gymboree) so I came along.







The funny thing about this picture is that a Grandma offered to take a picture of me in it too. I did not need that (as you might notice) but didn't want to be rude. We get all lined up for the pic and she says, "okay kids say whisky". So my kids confused said, "whisky". I was a little shocked. LOL!

Have a great weekend... My braces are on and I am in pain pain pain. I can't imagine why I did this. OUCH!