Starting my own business!

OK all of you know I love to be creative. I have been painting, scrapbooking, creating personal stationary, and birthday invitations for YEARS! So after being harassed by my nearest and dearest I have decided that now that my little darlings are older this is the perfet time. I will be painting custom canvas boards, invitations, and stationery. I MAY also extend painting murals on children's walls to local people (that I like), that's just so hard on my leg. 

Next on my "new business to do list"... create my web-site. We'll see how long that takes.

Here are a few pictures of some of my stuff, if you have any suggestions or requests let me know I need to build my gallery!

What a great trip!

We are home form our very relaxing 6 days at the beach. We averaged 5 hours a day doing nothing but sitting in in the sun at our cabana! Well when I say we I actually mean Chris and I. Abereese was as usual always busy doing something, riding the JUMBO water slide, trying to master the skim board, digging, swimming you get the picture. McKenzie actually left for 2 days to spend some time with her cousin Angela which gave me a break from their constant fighting. When the cabanas had to be closed at a ridiculous 6 pm we would head to the pool until 8 and then go for a late dinner. We are all more than relaxed and very brown, although McKenzie is ALREADY asking to do something. ~ unbelievable!  ~ 

Back to normal...laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, cooking, and taking care of three very needy dogs! In fact those little darlings are causing me much turmoil! It seems in my absence they ate, yes I said ate, an entire armadillo, well at least the soft stuff. My poor Dad was beside himself with worry that they would get sick not to mention the

disgusting fact that he had to clean up the mess, good thing he lost his sense of smell a few years back! He was quick to inform me that this was above and beyond his Grandparent duty! Thanks Daddy! I am know on the prowl for a mobile groomer, they are so not going in my car to see Maria, and someone to come and brush their teeth.

The JUMBO water slide. They charged us $35 per child each day to use this. I am so in the wrong business!

Seeing the thrills it gave them was worth the money!

McKenzie went down a few times but much preferred "shopping for boys".

The skim board was a little difficult to master with all of the sea-weed, I have never seen it like this before, it was pretty gross.

While swimming amongst the sea weed we found tons of these little fish hiding in it. They did not make McKenzie's fear of sea weed any better, she actually came to tears and was climbing on me like a 2 year old. As funny as it was I do have to admit she was straight-up scared to death, poor thing!

We had a great time people watching and I couldn't resist taking a couple of colorful pictures for your viewing pleasure! Danielle these are for you sister!

The Speedo is so 2007, who new...I'd like to introduce you to the new and improved Speedo, Chris just called it the grape smuggler. I so wanted a front shot but so did not want to get busted taking the picture, I'm sure you can imagine what it looked like!

I'm at a loss for words on this one! The picture isn't of my husband...look in the background. I blurred out her face just in case she's someone sister, if she is please love her enough to tell her to NEVER EVER wear that again! I was told how terrible  I was by my daughter for taking this picture, I know I'm teaching her wrong but I'm going to use this as incentive for myself to set the bag of chips down and walk away, make that run away!

After viewing the blog myself I discovered you couldn't really see the background so I took it upon myself to blow it up. BTW I have already asked for forgiveness for this!

Funniest Picture...EVER!!!!

OK Abereese is going to kill me for posting that but really I have no other choice! 

She and Chris were playing in the pool when he told be to get the camera ready. I did and when he lifted her from the water he pulled her top down, I think it was innocent but with him who knows! Anyway, I was taking the picture with his camera phone so there's a delay, good thing, I think the look on her face and the fact that her little hands are trying to cover her little ta-tas makes it even more hysterical!

Great day, both girls and I got a Henna tattoo. I buckled with the "come on Mom just get one then I can tell all my friends that I  have a cool Mom". 

Great visit, with our friend Alisa and her two girls Haley & Peyton, the little girls must have done the jumbo water slide 30 times each, I bet they'll sleep well tonight too.

Great weather, and we all have the red cheeks to prove it.

 

We're all exhausted from being in the sun all day, Chris is already asleep... so off I go. 

Rain rain go away!

***UPDATED TO INCLUDE PICTURE***

I DID IT, I GUESS I'M NOT AS STUPID AS EVERYONE THINKS I AM!

OK day one of our week at the beach.... Can you say not a lick of sunshine in sight! Now going to the beach for us Floridians is really not that big of a deal. We live just 45 minutes from where we're staying but to come here and PAY to sit in the hotel room and watch the rain is a little crazy. Right now all is well, McKenzie is reading a book, no surprise there, and Abereese is just now starting to stir in her bed, it's 10:45~ no surprise there either! We'll see how the day progresses as we share this room, wait out the bad weather, and pray for a better afternoon and rest of the week! I brought the camera but not the cord to connect it to the computer so no pictures unless I can figure out how to send one from McKenzie's camera to my e-mail to my blog. We'll see if i can't  figure that-out I have nothing else to do!

Eating your young????

You know I never understood why some animals eat their young? Rats, Grey Squirrels, Lions, Baboons, etc...are among them. YUCK!

Let me just tell you that I now completely understand...

I have a teenager! A girl one at that. I think that having a boy would be a little easier, you only have one penis to worry about but with a girl you have them ALL to worry

about!

My issues with her are more the sassiness, mouthiness, not being nice to her little sister, and being the biggest slob imaginable than anything else! I'm always saying "clean your room, put your laundry away, I can't see the floor of your closet etc..." It is a battle I refuse to lose but sadly continue to fight EVERY day! My battle is easy compared to some who have children that are buck-freaking-wild! God has blessed me that way for sure. If I could get her to mind her business not mine, work harder in school, be nice to her sister, and keep a clean room we would have the best relationship ever!

Don't get me wrong I love Honey with every part of me and wouldn't trade her and this trying time for anything! I know that all of these things are completely normal for a teen-age girl and will soon pass and that I will, I can't believe I'm going to say this, miss it. But is it wrong for me to wish for the easy, perfect, 'yes ma-am' daughter in the mean time? Oh a girl can dream can't she!

Anyway, to add a little humor to your day I thought I would show you just a glimpse into my "is your clean" life with my darling daughter. Now these pictures are a little old, you can see the uniform shorts on the floor so that's like 2 years ago I guess but trust me when I say it looks no different it just has Hollister and Abercrombie on the floor now.

Making lemonade...

When the weather hands you a bowl full of lemons you can stay inside and do nothing or you can go outside and make some lemonade.

That's exactly what Abereese did this afternoon. With no lightening in sight she brought Deja outside to play a game of soccer. They were just so cute out there, I swear Deja understood all of the rules that Reese gave her. Deja would steal the ball and run with it to her "goal" while Reese gave chase and celebrated with her shouting GOAL! They were out there until Abereese was too cold to play anymore and heard the rolling thunder above. A nice warm shower made her feel better but she's already asking if rain is in tomorrow's forecast!

I stole a few pictures to show just how much fun they had!

Abereese gives Deja the game plan.

She makes the kick...

Deja knew she had to go for the ball.

Then she ran it in for a goal!

37 "I Will Never's"

Following suit with some fellow bloggers and using my age (dang I'm old) to share with you 37 things I will never do.

1. I will never jump from an airplane unless pushed.
2. I will never not be a yeller even though I hate it!
3. I will never be a morning person.
4. I will never be a size 2 or 4.
5. I will never enjoy working out.
6. I will never eat anything that is still alive or even remotely close!
7. I will never not have a dog.
8. I will never stop loving Christopher Todd Trotti!
9. I will never stop loving our two beautiful daughters!
10. I will never have a clean garage, what's the need?
11. I will never look forward to my gynecology appointment.
12. I will never see myself as anything other than average.
13. I will never sit at a table with hot fresh bread in front of me and not eat at least half the loaf.
14. I will never not make my children wear their seat belts.
15. I will never stop loving the beach.
16. I will never love cold weather.
17. I will never not believe in God.
18. I will never be ok with salt water in my mouth or eyes.
19. I will never understand how bowling is considered a sport!
20. I will never not love being the baby of my family.
21. I will never be too busy for my girls.
22. I will never not want to be a better person.
23. I will never be able to type without looking at the keyboard, I gave up years ago!
24. I will never have beautiful, lean legs.
25. I will never have abs of steal!
26. I will never share my ice cream or my husband!
27. I will never stop at every McDonald's I pass to buy a vanilla ice cream cone even though I so want to!
28. I will never stop loving the smell of my husband, children, or my dogs' paws (weird I know).
29. I will never go to a nude beach, on purpose anyway!
30. I will never floss my teeth every night consistently, I've tried and failed.
31. I will never cheat on my husband.
32. I will never be an over achiever or competitive, it's not in my nature.
33. I will never eat alone at a restaurant.
34. I will never not love "jammie days".
35. I will never wear shorts to the theater, do you know what's on those seats!
36. I will never be pregnant again, never, never, never!
37. I will never stop trying to be the best Christian, wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, or friend that I can be.

Operation "Ambush Daddy"

After watching Game Plan for the 20th time this summer we decided to ambush daddy with water guns. We love this movie, very cute, very kid friendly, one of just a few out there! Anyway, Abereese and her friend Nadya waited for Chris to get home and get changed into his "play clothes" all day. When he got home they had the water guns waiting for him. He decided to go for a bike ride~away went the guns~the rain came so he decided to stay home~out came the guns~it stopped raining~away went the guns~20 minutes later he's home(more rain) and cooking on the grill~out came the guns~ GAME PLAN ON!!

The pictures speak for themselves, he had no clue and at first was a little peeved "I'm trying to cook our dinner here" then he saw me in the background waving my hands and telling him to smile and go with it. Being a good sport he "ran" from the girls while they screamed with delight that they were successful in their "Ambush Daddy" plan. Can you just here the Mission Impossible theme song playing in your head. When their guns were empty I met him at the door with a little surprise of my own, a full water gun just for Daddy!

What a fun Summer evening! I recommend everyone makes a trip to Wal-Mart and plans a little ambush of their own!

***ankle update***

Look at how good that "kankle" of mine looks, still a little green but who cares right! I think I'm ready to start doing a little gym work again.

OK, truth be known it's been ready for a little over a week now but I hate working out! Let me be a little more specific, I hate, hate, hate working out! I hate it every ounce of my being, and we all know that's a lot of ounces! I hate getting out of bed to go to the gym. I hate getting dressed for the gym, I don't care how hard I try or how many different brands I try ALL workout shorts end up bunching up in the crotch area forcing me to stop every second or third step to remove them, oh so lady like right! That's why I keep myself shaved and short if you know what I mean, all that friction could cause a darn brush-fire (although I do know a couple of hot fire fighters so I could think of worse things to happen)! I know for some of you this is not a problem, I am referring to my skinny ass girlfriends, you all know who you are so I feel no need to call you out even though I sooooo want to. This really is a serious problem! I hate driving to the gym. I hate trying to find a parking spot because Lord knows I want one close to the door. Why in the world would I want to park out in the back 9 and walk all that way to the freaking place that is about to make my legs feel like over cooked spaghetti and my stomach feel like I just rode a roller coaster with my daughters for the third time in a row? Seriously, if I had my vote the gym would have valet parking...yes I said it, valet parking at the gym, you know I'm only verbalizing what ya'll were thinking. I hate setting up all of the equipment that is going to be used in my own torture, the least they can do is have it all ready for me! I hate always being late, because there were no front row parking spaces left. I hate having to work out in the front row, because I was late, allowing everyone a perfect view of me pulling that bunched up short out of my crotch. I hate the freaking smile on the instructors face and the pep in her voice as she "Pumps" the bar over her head with ease all the while my bar, with half the weight on it, goes up side ways because one arm is stronger than the other and my face resembles that of a 4 month old trying to get that first real pooh-pooh out, you know all red with a little bit of spit coming from either corner. I hate putting all of the torture equipment back, REALLY!?!?! How much is my membership at this place anyway? Can they not afford to pay the perky little rock hard instructor to put all this shit away...I'm freaking beat! I hate the drive home, my arms always feel like I never put the weights away and if a small child were to run in front of my car chasing a ball, well I would have to hit him. There is no way on God's green earth that my over cooked spaghetti of a leg is hitting the break fast enough to not hit him! I hate peeling of that sports bra. It's soaking wet and stuck to the girls and my arms are so tired pulling it over my head is near impossible. Since I'm being honest here there has been a time or two I have thought of showering with it on and drying it with the blow dryer, who would ever know right? The best part of my workout, oh yes the silver lining, is standing beneath that shower head letting the HOT water offer a little relief to my aching muscles, wrapping the towel around me and going to the pantry for that big ol' spoonful of come to momma lovin', the peanut butter and honey jars! mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.



Well now with all of that being said I think I wouldn't mind spraining my ankle again. Obviously this forced 4 week break has been very much enjoyed!