Those Crazy Leprechauns!!!

We don't miss an opportunity in our house to celebrate! We don't go on big vacations, buy toys whenever, so when there is a little holiday we go all out!

For St. Patty's day the kids dressed up in green, Cailey had two days of wearing green. One day at school (she only has school Monday-Wednesday) and the second day was actually St. Patty's day.

When we got home, we came into our house being destroyed...Those pesky leprechauns...then we had to waste another hour making sure they were out of our house by going through each room, looking under each bed, and through each closet!!! They left the kids a little green squishy ball (smelled like lemons, so that must mean leprechauns smell like lemons!ha!) and green bubbles.

We made a rainbow cake. I was so excited for it to be cut open and quite impressed with how it turned out.

And we had a green dinner. Home made Mac-n-Cheese...noodles were dyed green, which I advise against, it looked like the noodles had rotted!

Nothing huge, but still fun to do a little something different for dinner.

Did you do anything fun for St. Patty's day????

My Bronco Bug...according to Cody

So I am not sick to my stomach anymore...

I am not loosing sleep anymore...

My obsession is over...kind of...

Because I now have this...

I am so excited I can hardly control my outburst giggles. hehehehe. I love it. I can't wait for warmer weather to drive it with its top down. It is going to be so exciting actually being able to park in a tight space!

mixed feelings

I am sick to my stomach...

I am loosing sleep over  it...

It is all I can think of...

It is totally consuming my life...

Do I sell or keep this ????

for this?

Boy, I want this red one sooo bad. But my bug is my bug. We bought it with the our wedding money. It is not that practical, but it is mine!!! and I have loved it sooo much. Cailey even told me to not sell it. She loves it just as much as I do! But this red one, I could drive year around and all around!!! Isn't it gorgeous???

Stay tuned for the dilemma!!!!

It was a Becky Day!!!!

Last Thursday was a very exciting day for me! First, I won a contest on Becky Higgins...it was just a random drawing for a book (which I wanted really bad) and I won! Within a couple of hours later, I received an e-mail from Becky Higgins saying she was going to use one of my pictures on her blog for a contest that I entered! Saying I was excited was an understatement! I was thrilled. I did not win anything for it, just pure satisfaction. Becky Higgins to me is like Oprah to others! She is such an amazing person with wonderful ideas! I really wish I could do half the things she does!

So if you did not get a chance to check out my winning picture go here , there are a lot of amazing pictures on there. My favorite? The little boy watching his dad out in the field! ...Or better yet, I will just post it here.

 If you have never heard of Becky Higgins go here. I check her blog quite religiously!!!

I love Gimmicks!!!

It is true, I have a love/hate relationships with info commericals!!!! I hate them because I know they are not going to work like they say they are going to, I hate them because I want them sooooo bad! I love them when they really do work. I am always wanting and looking for the newest and best thing to clean my floors without me having to actually clean them on my hands and knees! So of course when I came across one of these bad boys, I HAD TO HAVE ONE!!!!

I have been looking for a steam cleaner for months. In fact, I could not get it out of my mind! I finally broke down and bought one. I figured if it did not work like they say they do, I would just take it back!

I just have to report that I am in LOVE! I love, love, love it!!! I actually steam mop my floors everyday to every other day. I can do it while I talk on the phone or cooking dinner.

It still streaks my floors (still looking for something that does not streak!), but it actually makes them shine and look pretty! I still get on my hands and knees, once a month! And no, I don't feel bad not doing it more than that because I feel like the steamer does a good enough job! And I do miss not having cleaner smell, but not enough to get on my hands and knees! Heck, I will just buy a scentsy smeller that has a clean smell.

What is your favorite kind of cleaning system? Have any ideas on how to get laminate floors clean with out streaking or getting on your hands and knees???

Back to Reality!!!

We just got back from our family vacation to the Oregon Coast. We left Thursday afternoon and came home on Tuesday, within an hour of me having to be back at work for parent teacher conferences. Ugh! I am exhausted. However, we had the best family vacation to remember for years to come (or at least until we have another one!)

We left Thursday and traveled to The Dalles...Cailey marked her territory at the McDonald's because the bathroom stunk so she threw up all over the sitting area there! Her and her poor weak stomach!!! We stayed the night there and woke up early to hit the ever so popular swimming pool (still trying to convince Cody we need a pool!), go to the fish hatchery, the waterfall, and then the Portland Zoo...The weather was ever so crappy and rained the whole time at the zoo. Cailey was very disappointed that the animals were all curled up and not moving. We left the zoo and headed to Lincon City for the outlet malls and then onto the beach house we rented in Waldport.

feeding the salmon

At the waterfall...Cailey really buddied up with Cody on this trip

Cailey refused to be in the picture with us

Saturday: We got to the house way to late so we could not go visit the beach until the next morning and that is exactly what we did. We all woke up and went in our PJ's to the beach to look for shells. Headed back to the house, got ready and went to the Sea Lion Caves. The kids loved it! After the caves we went back to the house, had lunch, Cody took a nap and we went and made sand castles on the beach. Later that day we drove into Newport and hit the peers to see more Sea Lions.

Looking for sea shells

At the Sea Lion Caves

Sunday: Woke up and headed out to the beach to find that perfect sand dollar, did not happen! Had a nice breakfast at the house, headed to the Newport Aquarium and wasted explored the whole day away there. Cailey loved the aquarium and we stayed for a good hour, if not longer, in the exploration area so she could touch the star fish and other little ocean creatures.

Tide went back out, so we went back out looking for shells

At the aquarium

We could not stand it, Cailey wanted a sand dollar so bad. So we did what any other parent would do..Bought the sand dollar and other shells and threw them out on the beach and let Cailey think she was finding some shells..hehehe

Our beach house. Will totally stay there again!!!

The one and only picture of us at the beach

Monday: We packed up, left the beach house, and headed to the African Safari drive through in Roseburg. It was very cool...the camels, giraffes, rhinos, and other African animals just roam the area freely as we drive by them. The kids were in awe!!! Left there and headed back home. Stayed in Bend...Cody wanted to drive straight through, but I needed to get out and the kids were just waking up at 9:00 from a nap, there was no way of them being happy travelers for the rest. So we spent an extra 60.00 from a 30.00 room so we could have a swimming pool. Worth every penny.  

Hippo!!!

Tuesday: Drove home, somebody please tell me why Oregon highways are only 50 MPH??? Makes no sense to me at all!,  and made it back just in time for me to do my hair and leave for parent teacher conferences.

A trip we all needed, definitely!!!

Do it again? definitelyy!!!

Need a vacation from just having this one? Oh yes!!!

Things we learned on this trip...

*Cayden is still the worlds worst traveler and when he gets really tired, he picks fights with himself!

*Headphones are the only way to go with traveling TV's!!!

*Need to take two books next time. Finished the first one on the way down (Great book, Water for  Elephants by Sara Gruen)

*Technology is amazing! Smart phones really keep bordom down to a minumum! The Grimlin is an amazing thing to have, and gotta love the cop zapper thing!!!

*Beach houses are the only way to go. Cheaper than a motel, more privacy, and you are not always telling the kids to keep their voices down!

Valentine's Day

What a great day! There is something special about Valentine's Day that just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This year I did not take the day off because Cailey's school does not have a party or anything for the day. They get a special treat and then the teacher sends home all the Valentines so the parents can go over the Valentines with the child! Cailey was very excited to see a Valentine from a boy in her class named Dallas (oh yes, we are already in trouble!) In fact, she told me today that she got to sit next to him during school and when she left he gave her a big hug and she totally gushed over it....

So here are a few things we did to make the day special!!!

Cody brought home heart pizza for dinner. and it was sooo yummy!!!! And we watched Secretariat as a family (well Cody and I watched it the kids feel asleep in the middle of it)

Cailey's super cute Valentine's...no I did not come up with this one

Candy cane suckers from Family Fun

Cailey's heart hair

Cailey loved her suckers!!!

yummy pretzels

I used this picture to make a I love you card for Cody

My sweet Valentine's

And Cayden was part of all the festivities, little boys just don't get involved as much as girls do for Valentine's Day :)