A Boob Man

I have no good story for this...the picture speaks for itself.  That is MY Ronan, at about 1 year old... while looking through old photos we came across this one and it just makes us smile.  The Hooter's girls LOVED him.

Picture Day

I love having pictures of my kids.  In fact, when Riley was born and for the first year of her life, I took her to Sears and spent $128 each month on her pictures.  At 18 months, I stopped, invested in a better digital camera and decided I would go digital un-professional photos by mommy at that point.  Then came Ronan.  Every month, I opted NOT to get his picture taken and so I took pictures of him.  He's my truly "all digital photos" baby. 

I'm glad I didn't do monthly photos because I pretty much had to save it to pay for all the freaking photos I have to order now!  Soccer pictures.  T-Ball pictures.  Fall school pictures. Class pictures.  This list goes on and on. 

Since I can't make any decision an easy decision, I labored over what package to order for their fall school pics.  Do I get the 8x10 to put in their scrapbook?  Do I order the CD so I can make copies?  Do I just go cheap and order the smallest package and take pictures of them in the morning in their outfits?  Yes.  Option 3 sounds great. 

I ended up ordering the tiniest package, which probably makes me look like the worst mom in the world in the eyes of Lifetouch (the company taking today's pictures)....but who knows if they will even turn out okay.  I mean, will Riley remember to juuze (Jersey's version of "fluff") her hair before they snap one?  Will Ronan smile or pick his nose?  Who knows...but I think I got a cute enough picture this morning to make me happy if all else fails. 

Aarrrrrhhhhhhh, Matey!



Not totally sure what Ronan was trying to convey to me here....but couldn't resist posting a picture of him.  I took this with my new camera, too!  (I know, surprise surprise, an Asian with a camera...)  But now that I have a good one, I'm sure I'll be posting a lot more pictures of my kids and close ups of flowers(because that's what people do when they buy cameras...) LOL

Vines for a Life Walk

(Me, Amanda and Jamie)

Last weekend, a couple friends and I participated in breast cancer walk at Laurita Winery in New Egypt, NJ.  When approached by my friend, Amanda, to participate -- I didn't hesitate to say yes, knowing that the proceeds from this event would go towards a good cause.  I also can't pass up a free tshirt. 

Jamie, my other friend, asked me the night before what I was going to wear.  I responded:  workout clothes -- leggings, tank top and a jacket on top.  I mean, what else would you wear to a "walk for breast cancer," right?  Wrong. 

My definition of "walk" was more along the 5K thing (think: long winding paths in the winery) and maybe at the end we'd get to sample some of the wines they had to offer.  THEIR definition of "walk" was more like: Hey!  Come stroll through the vineyard and taste wines at our stations along the way.  Totally not what I had expected. Not complaining...but let's just say that we were slightly underdressed as we looked around us and saw people wearing polos and khakis...skinny jeans and riding boots.  WHICH, prompted me to purchase these:

Not only did I walk for a good cause, I got these boots which were made for walking (or riding). 

Lesson of the Day:  You should always sign up for walks for causes, because you never know just how rewarded you will feel at the end of the day.  For me -- it was a slight buzz and an emptier wallet.  Oh, and a free tshirt, too!

You don't get these...sittin' around pettin' pussy cats....

I'm totally kidding.  I guess you really could, if you pet them long enough.

Since my last "real"post, I had made a New Years Resolution.  Work out.  And work out hard.  I've had a gym membership for 16+ years.  I paid for it, and never saw results.  Now that we don't have to pay for a membership and because I have more time for ME, I'm finally seeing my hard work pay off.  I'm no bodybuilder and I don't pretend to be.  I'm not there yet with my diet -- I've tried, trust me...But, I'm so much happier than I ever have been and it's because I realized this past year that I deserve it. 

As a reward for myself (and because I won it), I did a boudoir photo shoot with Brenda, from {B. Malpedo Photography} -- hence, the photo above.  It was totally liberating and for the first time (in a long time...) I felt sexy.  Who would have thought a few photos could do that to my already blown up ego?! LOL.

But I guess why I originally wanted to post this is to encourage you to put yourself first (at least every once and a while or for 30 minutes everyday) and get healthy.  Work out.  You'll love it or the shopping you get to do afterwards.  I love me some skinny jeans.

...what can happen in a year?

It's amazing how much I haven't blogged about...and I am so sorry to those of you who have randomly checked it and found that I haven't updated it.

Life has certainly gotten in the way...and it's not a bad thing. I just ran out of time. Or, maybe I thought that I had nothing blog-worthy. Who knows. Either way, I'm back! Let's hope that what I write about is entertaining enough to keep you reading. While I get myself organized for a plethora of blog posts...please enjoy a recent picture of my nuggets from the farm a couple weeks ago:

Ronan's Take on Christmas

"If you aren't good, Santa puts you on the naughty wist. And his wain-deers give you poop."

Yep, pretty much sums up Christmas.

Be Nice, Pretty Please?

Why is it that during the holidays, people's rudeness either heightens or is more prevalent? While I'm trying to teach my children about having good manners and treating others as they would want to be treated, I find myself being talked to like an idiot and the general friendly cheer you would hope to see at local retailers or even in the parking lots has completely disappeared.

Case in point: I'm standing in line at Target. Finally gets to me. I look at cashier. I smile. I say in my overly cheery voice, "how are you?!" Said cashier reponds, "oh, not so good. People are so rude."

My issue is that in her disgust with the customers prior to me, she treated me with the same bah-humbug she just complained about. Nip it in the bud, I think to myself. I kill her with kindness and attempt to make her laugh with the next phrase: "Oh, well, you never know, maybe those people just saw some extra cellulite this morning and are just pissed about it."

She laughed and the mood changed, but this is such a huge lesson for all of us.

If you look in the mirror and find new cellulite, don't take it out on the Target cashier.

Kidding. Seriously though.

BE NICE. Please.

Check out this blog...

This is a friend's blog that just makes me laugh or gag, everytime I read it...

Check it out! Chaos Wrapped in Chocolate Covered Grins

Some Funny Convos/Phrases from the Kids

After we bought Ronan his first tiny tree (for his room), I decorated it and he shouted with glee:

"Momma! I love all my pornaments."

Conversation Ronan was having with Riley while they were playing 'Go Fish':

Ronan: You are a genius, Why-wee!

Riley: I know.

(This one conversation, I just shook my head over, but this is why I love my Riley.)

Riley: When is Hanukkah?

Me: Uh, I think it's over now, Riley.

Riley: So, it's not on the first day of the new year?

Me: No, that's called New Years Day.

Riley: Ooooohhhhhh, so is the day before that called New Years Eve?

Me: Yes, Riley.

Riley: Oh, I get it now. So wait, we missed Hanukkah?

Me: (shaking my head secretly) Yes, we missed Hanukkah.

Happy Golden Birthday to Ronan

Not the best pictures, I know...but being that I get so overwhelmed at parties, this was all I had...

My little dude is 4. I know, crazy. Feels like just four years ago that I was holding onto this little chubba bub that weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces. Now, he'll tell you:

"Momma, I'm 4. I'm gonna be 5 soon." Boy, does time go by fast.

If you couldn't tell from the picture above, we had a bowling party for him. I don't know what his scores were, but I can tell you he had a great time with his friends and next year, we'll forget the party and give the man a DS. :)

Christmas Card 2010

Since I have had Riley, we've always done a photo Christmas card. With how crazy this month has been, I almost decided to NOT do a Christmas card. But then I knew better. I would have regret it and Ryan would hear me complain about it for the next 35 years. So, the other night, I quickly decided to take pictures of the kids with the usual red back-drop and although this isn't the final photo I chose (only those that get my cards will see the final product!), this happens to be one of my favorites of my nuggets. Took forever to get them to look at me and not the TV. Took even longer to convince Ronan to not put his foot in the picture.

Love my babies.

The Squinkie Debacle.

If you don't know what Squinkies are, you aren't alone. Most of the time, if I mention the word, people shoot me this odd look and then I have to go into this long dialogue about what they are and why in the world that one would want them. Well, I'll tell you why one would want them...Christmas. Well, at least we thought one would want them.

If you have read my previous posts, you'll know that Riley found out this year the truth about Santa. Although a loss of innocence, it has become a tiny blessing in disguise. I've been able to use this new-found knowledge she's acquired as a learning tool about the value of a dollar -- which leads me to the subject of this post, the Squinkie Debacle.

Two months ago, she asked her Pa for some Christmas presents. On that list, was a set of Squinkies. And two months ago, they were virtually impossible to find. After searching high and far, my dad was able to find one set. In the meantime, I was able to purchase EVERY. SINGLE. SET. out there. When I say every set. I mean it. A couple hundred dollars worth of darn Squinkies.

Then, it happened. As I was cleaning, I asked Riley about another toy. I said:

"Either take it into your room, or I can throw it away."

Thinking that she would take the toy, she said, "Oh, just throw it away."

I went ballistic. I lost it. A $30 toy my dad had bought her, she asked me to throw away! So there I went into my long and loud lecture about the value of a dollar, how hard Pa, Mommy and Daddy have to work to get her those types of toys and if she doesn't play with them, she shouldn't ask for them.

That was then my opportunity to ask her about her Christmas presents. Knowing she is now aware of where they came from, I asked her point blank: "If mommy and daddy bought you Squinkies for Christmas, would you play with them?"

The 5-second pause was long enough for me to know that she wouldn't and when she said reluctantly, "Yeah, I guess I would..." - well, it was my cue to grab all the Squinkies, retrieve all receipts and prepare to return all that is Squinkie.

When we asked her what she REALLY wanted...she told us books, clothes and few of those Zoobles. Well, guess what...that's what she's getting this year. So even though it saddens us that she doesn't believe in Santa, it has made us so much smarter with our spending, knowing that what we are getting her is exactly what she wants...

(And if you purchased those Squinkies for your little ones this year...there is really nothing to them, I was quite disappointed, if you ask me. They don't do anything...but maybe collect dust after sitting on a shelf for a long time...)

Shout out to Riley

I know I don't often post funny things about Riley...mostly because she's much more serious these days (being a 3rd grader can do that...)

So, I wanted to just say how proud I am of Riley for making HIGH honor roll and being told today by her teacher that she is one of the top two students (grade-wise) in her class! Must be the Asian in her.

Ronan-isms of DECEMBER...and it's only Day 3.

Ronan cracks me up. Since pre-school started, he just talks and talks and talks...and I can't complain because he didn't talk for so long. Two days ago, as we are driving home from school, he says:

I'm Wo-nan, Wo-nan Wino. R-O-N-A-N, wino.

(I know he's saying Rhino, but it's just so funny to hear him call himself a wino.)

Then yesterday, my mom bought him a tiny Christmas tree for his room. In his excitement, he screams, "Mommy! I love my PORN-aments."

15 years ago...

I graduated from high school. 15 years ago, I had very little responsibility compared to what I have now. 15 years ago, I definitely wasn't thinking about my 15-year-freakin-reunion.

I didn't go to the 10-year. Not that I didn't want to. We lived 3000 miles away at the time and so it just didn't happen for me. I didn't want to let the 15-year slip by and not go...so this time, I helped to plan it.

I don't think the actual planning part was hard, or even that trying to get a hold of people was difficult. It was deciding on what I was going to wear. Life or death? No. But man, was the choice exhausting. Looking back at pictures, I don't think I did too bad...

Yes, I graduated with Joe Manganiello...and I have to say, it was very cool to have him come back...happy to have the chance to catch up with him and definitely stoked to have gotten my picture taken with him. This is where the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon thing could really be true...LOL.
And here are Emily, Laura and I, after all the craziness of setting it all up and getting everyone signed in...
Such a great experience to have been a part of, and I'm so proud that it was success. Looking forward to the next one in 5 years....

I'm An Addict.

Step One: Admitting it.

I'll admit it. I love this game. It brings me back to 1988-ish, when my dad bought my brother and I a Nintendo 64 and we would stay up all night playing Super Mario Brothers until our thumbs were raw. We'd sit on the floor of my brother's room and stare at this 13" TV, with our eyes watering from the flickering lights, maneuvering Mario & Luigi through the course to the end where the flag was. Hours would go by and nobody would even check on us...(not sure if that's even legal these days...but at least we were "safe.")

Living on base, we have access to the Exchange (basically a store with all the goodies) and at the electronics department is a Wii, loaded with this very same game. Being that Ronan is completely attracted to all things gamer-related, we end up stopping there to let him try it out for 20 minutes and leave with him crying because he wants to play longer.

Now, you can imagine my anguish in having this game in my home and what I have to deal with when we have to turn it off. I limit him to about an hour (and that's with me playing along), but I've noticed that the past few nights, my dreams involve me, running around, collecting coins. It's become an illness and I'm now going through Mario Wii-thdrawl. Although I still play for a small period of time, I have to force myself to turn it off...or remember that there is laundry to be done, dinner to be cooked, baths to be given and bedtime to be enforced.

Who would have thought that at the my age, I'd still love this game as much as I did over 20 years ago. *Boy, do I sound old now, or WHAT?!!!

The Truth Comes Out

I knew the day would come eventually. I was hoping it wouldn’t happen with Riley so soon. I mean she’s only 8. So innocent. And as a parent, you just hope they stay babies forever...but they don’t. You can only imagine how mortified I was when she asked me. Completely caught off guard, I directed her to ask her father to tell her the truth...and there, we realized, the holidays would never be the same.

Santa isn't real.

"Mommy, I have to ask you something. [My friend] told me that Santa isn't real and that he's dead."

To which I responded: No, baby, he's not dead. Uhhhh, go downstairs and ask daddy.

I'm thankful to have Ryan home on days like this. When you aren't prepared to answer the big questions or WANT to answer the questions and wished you had some sort of manual to guide you through. Ryan was honest with her and told her that he was make-believe and in her confused state, she ran up the stairs, into her bedroom and decided that she hated Christmas -- because it all was a lie.

Ryan and I were really sad about it. Not just for the Santa part, but having her upset about death made us feel really bad. I can't imagine how we are going to cope with the death of a loved one and hope that it doesn't happen for a very long time. But, in the meantime, we no longer have that magic that surrounds Christmas with Riley. Luckily, Ronan seems to have a couple years to believe in the magic -- but if Riley has anything to do with it, she's going to expose him to the 'truth' sooner than later and our babies will just have to settle for gifts from mom and dad, rather than from the big, fat, jolly old man with the white beard.

Pittsburgh Trip ----> Successful Shopping!

It never fails that every single time we go back home to visit my parents and friends, we leave with even more stuff than we arrived with. The kids get toys, clothes, games, whatever my mom and dad can get their hands on to spoil my kids with...and I, well, I usually just try to grab random groceries I can't find here OR, I look for Steeler's gear. You just can't have enough.

My dad is a tailor and generally, we spend a good amount of time at his store, hanging out. I use it as my opportunity to see what's new, as far as clothing goes...and did I hit the jackpot when I picked up a pair of bright yellow sweatpants, only to find that they were STEELERS sweatpants and from Victoria's Secret. I announced to all the Asians in the store (my family), that I HAD to have them and I wasn't going to leave the city of Pittsburgh without them. There, the phone calls to VS began...

And I found a pair:

Yes, I had to have them hemmed 6 inches (I'm sorry, I am nowhere near VS model height...), but tell me how freaking cute they are! On the back, they say "PINK" which my dad said didn't make sense because they are yellow...valid point, but still didn't stop me from getting them...

And because we were in the store and on the rack were other cute VS Steeler's stuff...I also came home with:
And this:
It's a long sleeve thermal shirt...so cute!!! And a shout out to my dad who hooked me up with all of my new clothing...I love it and I'm wearing it right now!

If you didn't know, VS has the college gear for that hometown (well, most towns/colleges, at least) and they have just added the NFL teams, too. Too cute to pass up...love me some Victoria's Secret!

Thirty-One Gifts: My New Business Venture

(Pic of me at my first business expo!)

I stay-at-home. And there is nothing wrong with it. In fact, I have loved that I've been able to spend the time with my kids and see the things that I probably would have missed out on, had I been working outside of the home during those times. But, I haven't ALWAYS stayed at home. There was a time when Riley begged me to go to work, so she could go to school and make friends...so I did. I went out and found a job and loved it. But then with Ronan, it just didn't make sense, financially, to go back to work and so Ryan and I made the decision to keep me at home.

I'm not complaining. I love being a stay-at-home mom. Do I have my moments where I secretly wished I had some high power executive position in a corner office with a view of a city skyline? Yes. But the amazing moments I've had with my kids, well, I can't compare it...

Now that both my kids are in school for 6 hours a day, I have a lot of time to myself. And guilt rides over me that I'm home, doing "nothing." Knowing that I had the time, I decided to become an Independent Consultant for Thirty-One gifts. It wasn't an easy decision. There are costs. Start-up and maintenance costs. As Ryan said the other night, "I guess you have to spend money, to make it."

So far, I love it. I can make my own hours and put what I want into it...but I believe that if you work hard, the payoffs will come...and I'm hoping that happens sooner than later!

I know that money can be harder to come by these days, but if you are looking for a great holiday gift idea, I'd love it if you at least browsed through the online catalog! Visit my page and if you feel like shopping, go for it! If you want to book an online party or host one in person (contact me directly regarding this...I travel, but I'm restricted!)

egalfamily4@gmail.com

Thanks to everyone for their support.

Just had to share...

It's Hard Being Perfect -- my friend's blog...just something that really hit home for me.

You are going to sit where?

Two weekends ago, Riley had a soccer game. With bleachers set up, Ronan and I grabbed our seats 20 minutes before anyone even got there. We pride ourselves on being early. Slowly, the other players began trickling in and with an entire field length of room to sit and 4 rows of bleachers...these parents decided to sit RIGHT.IN.FRONT.OF.ME. Best part, is that one parent actually turned around and asked me, after he opened his big beach umbrella, if I could still see.

Respectfully, I said, "oh yeah, and if I can't, I'll just sit under that umbrella, too!" Not a minute later, God must've heard me complaining because the guy's umbrella flipped inside out (from a burst of wind) and he had to sit in the hot hot sun like the rest of us.

Where are the manners anymore? People just sit wherever the darn well please, I guess.

C'mon, get craftin'....

To my NJ peeps...my friend, Jamie, is starting up crafting classes. So, if you have ever had the urge to craft but didn't know where to begin -- this is it. All the deets are on her blog. Come and hang out!

A Conversation with Ronan

When I picked Ronan up from school today, we had a funny conversation and it went something like this:

(Ronan was singing, "diapers are not forever....diapers are not forever...diapers are not forever...")

Since he is now potty-trained and has been for a few months, I thought it was funny -- but I think it has to do with the potty-training they might be working on in school with the other kids.

Ronan: Momma, 'member when I was a baby Wonan (Ronan) and I used to poop in my diaper?

Me: Yeah....

Ronan: Dat (That) was fun!

Me: Hahaha, no. It wasn't fun.

IHaveToPayWhat?!!!!

What is $63 + $25 + $25 + $20 +$16?

A. Lot.

That is what I spent LAST WEEK, on the kids...on all school-related/sports-related things.

Break it down, you ask? Gladly.

$63. That was the cost of Ronan's SCHOOL pictures. Not the ones from Picture People, or Sears, or Target, or even your local really expensive professional photog. And the best part, is that I didn't even get to keep all the pictures. That was just 8 sheets. And trust me when I tell you that the thought of them shredding your child's photo is devastating. I didn't want them to do it, but I couldn't justify another $57 for the last 7 sheets. I mean, I got a copy of all three poses (and he's too handsome for words!) and enough to make sure I can get one to family and friends...but still. Who did that company think they were selling pictures to?!

$25 and $25. Soccer pictures. One team picture of each kid. And them some single pictures. Could I have purchased a car magnet, a button, a mouse pad, some mugs and a calendar? Sure...but then I know we wouldn't be able buy groceries for the next 2 weeks.

$20. T-Shirts. And not just any t-shirts. Spirit t-shirts.

$16. For a good cause and so I can't complain, but it was for Scholastic Books. Not a necessity in the very least, but hard to pass up when your kid walks by the school book fair and begs for a book...to read...I mean, how do you tell a kid, "No! I will not buy you a book to read!"

So $149 broke-er, but at least now I'll have pictures, t-shirts and books to show for it.

Welcome October!

Last year, me, at this time...longing for the day when "sweater weather" would finally be. Now that I'm a thousand miles north of where we were and "sweater weather" is here, I can't tell you that I'm not slightly nervous.

While standing outside last night, talking with a friend, I was shivering. I had to hold back the chattering of my teeth...because while she was in short sleeves and jeans, I had my Northface jacket on with jeans and I was STILL cold.

I'm in for it, I think. Ryan said I'm in trouble. I didn't have him turn on the heat but last night, I had the sheet, fleece blanket, comforter and the 'x-ray vest at the dentist' heavy blanket on me and I was still chilly.

Could it finally be that I am going to need to invest in jammies with feet?!

There's Always A First Time...

to score a lot, for very little at a consignment sale!

I love the thrill of competition. Black Friday? I'm there. I'm up early and I'm in line (with what some people consider to be fools...for wanting to be up on the day after a holiday!) I have a plan of attack, for the most part. I know that there are certain items I shoot for and then depending on my location in line, I adjust it to get the hottest items I can.

Last year, I bought a flat screen tv, for like $200. I know, crazy awesome, right?! We didn't need it. It was the thrill of the competition. A bunch of us raced to electronics and there I was, by chance, and just because I saw other people going for it, I knew I just had to have it and in the cart it went.

I then would go about the normal shopping, looking for the best deals, texting my husband to find out if he could get online to see if someplace else had it for less...and after waiting in the horrendous line to pay -- I'd be on my way home.

...feeling nothing like buyers remorse. I didn't need the tv. WE didn't need the tv. And there I was again, the next day, waiting in line....

to return it.

But today, well, it was the same adrenaline rush, sans the guilt on money spent. Because we lived in two warm weather states prior to this move, we had no winter clothes. No coats, just a few pairs of jeans and with my thrifty shopping, I've been able to pick up long sleeve shirts here and there. Unfortunately, it's just not enough for the kids, so I was turned onto the whole concept of consignment shopping. Why buy it new for full-price, when you can buy it gently loved, for less?

I, I mean, WE (meaning Ryan and I) spent $92.70 and got the following:

5 pants

8 shirts

4 sweaters/sweatshirts

1 coat

1 set of winter overalls

2 pairs of snow boots

1 pair of brand new Adidas shoes

1 new wooden puzzle

4 new plastic kids chairs

Average: $3.43 an item! Say it with me people, "Woo, that's a great deal!"

I wanna pump it...pump it real good...

...at least now I do, but I'll probably appreciate someone else doing it for me when it snows.

And I'm talking about my gas, people...regular unleaded.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, moving makes you have to adapt and adjust. It's not enough that one has to learn new roads or find the fastest route to the nearest hospital in case of an emergency -- you have to restrain yourself from the urge to NOT get out of the car when you pull up to the gas pump.

For over 16 years, I have always pulled up to the pump, made the harsh realization that the my gas "thingy" is on the other side and, turned around to the pump onto the other side. I then get out, do my thing and then leave.

Here in NJ, they make it hard. You can't just pull up and do your thing and then leave. You have to pull up, have someone else do your thing, pay them for it, and THEN you can leave. I don't know what it is...maybe I take some sort of pride in pumping my own gas. Maybe it's one of the only things I can do for my vehicle. I can't change my oil. I take it somewhere for a quickie. 20 minutes and I'm outta there. In all honesty, I can't really do anything for it, except wash it, vacuum it, love it and give it gas...well, only in PA, I guess.

Perhaps when it snows, and I hear that happens here a lot, that I'll appreciate the guy at the gas pump. But until then, all I have is pent up resentment for him taking away one of the one things that makes me a driver.

Hair-tastrophy of 2010

I was 8 years old when it first happened. And then at the age of 10, I thought it couldn't be any worse, and maybe at the time, it wasn't...but looking back, I can't believe it.

I had a perm. I was 8. I had big ol' buck teeth and a perm. Not a normal hairstyle for a little Asian girl. How many Asians do you know with naturally curly hair? Not many, if any at all! But, what do you do when you don't have something? You go out and you find it. For me, it was the hair salon, run by a Vietnamese woman, in Falls Church, VA. My dad let me get my hair permed and for 2 hours as I sat in the big girl chair, I inhaled chemicals...that must have affected my brain because not two years later, I went to that same salon and got my hair cut.

But not just any cut. Not just a trim. I went Billy Cyrus and got my first true mullet. I'm sure I thought I looked like I was the sh!t. But when I flip through those old pictures, I can't help but stare in embarrassment. I am convinced I was not loved by my parents. I mean, who would let that happen to their child?! I was not of the age to make a decision like that...but it happened.

I've had previous hair issues. Most brought on as an adult, so I have noone to blame but myself. I have colored my own hair, with horrific results. I have then had to spend massive amounts of money to fix. And luckily, I had an amazing stylist in Tampa who was able to help me, and not judge me. But moving, well, it forces you to find a new everything.

New doctor. New dentist. New Target. New Hair Salon.

Easy right? I mean, you just ask around and go. When we moved here, I didn't know anyone, really...so I had nobody to ask. Everything seemed so far away. I just wanted a bang trim. I even brought a picture, of myself, with the very bangs I wanted. Just a trim. Nothing fancy.

So, I went to the local Hair Cuttery. The lady seemed nice enough. During the consult, I mentioned the desire for the bang trim and I pleaded, nicely, to not be given a mullet, or any form of it. She giggled and reassured me I was in good hands. No mullet, sweetie. I'll just trim it up and you'll look great. (In my best NJ accent.)

25 minutes later. I ended up with this:

I know, I'm smiling. And while you may not be able to see the mullet in its full glory, I promise you, it is there. Let's just say it was so bad, my husband, who only compliments me on everything, asked me to put a hair clip in.

The stylist cut so many bangs, that it basically starts halfway to the back of my head.

Lesson: You get what you pay for. I thought, how hard could it be to get my bangs trimmed at one of these places. Apparently, it's hard. Because now, even 2 months later, I'm still struggling with the bangs and won't be able to do anything about it until I go back home...where I'm hoping the Neville Spa will be able to help me out! I mean surely, I cannot show up at my 15-year-reunion with THIS hair.

First Day of School: 2010

Shall we call the beginning of my empty nest? BOTH of my nugs are now in school. Can you believe it? And no, it wasn't all a joyous occasion. Although from the looks on their faces in the pictures, you wouldn't know it all wasn't rainbows and ponies and whatever they group together with those things. (I have never seen rainbows and ponies together.)
Ronan started pre-school. 6 hours a day. For 6 hours a day, my little man is in a classroom, doing things. Playing. Napping. Eating. Snacking. Playing. And staring at the clock, waiting for the "small stick" to point at the 3.

I cried. He cried. It was the most awful drop-off ever. He walked into the classroom and clung to my leg. I held back the tears. His teacher could sense my anxiety. I mean, this was supposed to be a happy day. I was going to have 6 hours of no kids. But, I wanted nothing more than to have those very 6 hours with the little dude. What was I doing? So I stood in the room and hugged him, very tight. After finally letting go, I saw his eyes fill up with these huge tears and as his teacher held onto his hand, trying to coax him to play with a toy...I ran out of the room and into the hallway. I didn't hold back then. I was bawling. NOT a great scene in a preschool, with parents and kids walking around...

I hurried out into the lobby, where the director of the school saw my state of frenzy. She brought me into the office and there was Ronan, on the monitor. I could see my baby boy and he was fine. Still pouting a little, but totally fine. Playing, in fact. I mean, was that how it was going to go down? Wasn't he going to cry for me and ask to go home? He had coped and there I was, not coping. I was crying and wishing for just 5 more minutes.

But I left, knowing he was in good hands and rushed home to make sure Riley would be able to get on the bus...

Thinking that the bus was going to be there at 9 am, I thought I had missed her. So you can imagine the shock on my face when I saw the big group of students, parents and pets waiting at the bus stop. Running towards her, I could see the mortified look on her face. It basically said, "omg, mom, please stop running towards me...you are embarrassing me in front of all these people I don't know!" But I made it to her, catching my breath - I introduced myself to all the other moms/dads. We stood talking and staring at our watches...waiting.

And waiting.

And waiting.

At 9:40 am, still no bus. Uh, school starts at 9:30!

At 9:49. No bus.

At 9:49 and 2 seconds, was me on the phone with the bus company...who had no answers for me.

My poor child, my third-grader, who was brand new to all this...was going to be LATE on her very first day of school. (Mother of the Year Award to be presented here.)

At 10 a.m., we decided as a group to drive all the kids to school.

The bus never came that morning. I guess there was no bus scheduled to take any of the kids in our area to school...but after a few days of chaos and late buses, we're finally all good!


Happy to report that both kids had a great first day and agreed to go back.

Although I will say it's taken about 2 weeks to finally get Ronan into school without crying! Definitely something to say about military kids adjusting well. As worried as I was about Riley making friends and liking school, she hasn't had a problem with either! Guess when you are forced to cope with something, you just do!

Kennywood

When I was little, there was nothing more exciting than going to Kennywood Park in the summer. I couldn't wait to spend all day there, eating their Potato Patch French Fries and devouring the funnel cake covered in ice cream and strawberries -- and that was just for LUNCH! So, you can only imagine the joy I had in having the opportunity to bring my kids there (thanks to Pa and Grandma) to experience what almost every kid in Pittsburgh gets to experience each year.

This outing was much more relaxed than I remember as a kid. We would spend months figuring out the group of people we were going with and don't even ask about how long we'd spend talking about what we would wear to the park.

My kids were just so excited to ride rides. After being disappointed in the past at the height requirements for roller coasters at other parks, I was smart. I researched...like a good mom would do. We were good. Ronan was going to be tall enough for all the rides, in Kiddie Land! (And, he would be able to ride the mini coaster there!)

Reluctant to ride the mini coaster, Riley did it! She hopped on with her cousin, Travis, and 9 seconds later, they were back to the beginning of the ride. No joke, the ride is like 9 seconds. It took me longer to turn on my camera to take this picture, than it did for them to go an entire round on this ride.

And another favorite for the kids, but not-so-much for mommy who recently discovered that she is easily made nauseous. In fact, it may have been this very ride in which this discovery was unveiled. Needless to say, the kids went on it about 8 times and me, well, I watched from the ground. The very steady, not-moving ground.

It's no Disney. It's no Hershey Park. It's just Kennywood. A classic theme park that has given me wonderful memories and hopefully, has done the same for my kids...

Rockin' and well, rockin'...

Why does one go to Cracker Barrel? Oh, I'll tell you why. For the hashbrown "can't just have one order" casserole. I love the stuff. So, when I have the chance to go (and I don't normally go with Ryan because he doesn't like the place), I go. And, I'm not afraid to drag as many people as I can with me.

This time, I went with my parents, the nuggets, niece, nephew and cousin. It was an Asian outing like no other. Armed with my camera (like that's a surprise), I couldn't resist taking pictures of everyone on their famous rocking chairs. And as much as I love them, I'm disappointed that they have one for each of the Armed Forces, except for the Coast Guard. (Here is me, vigorously writing them a nasty letter...haha).

One big happy Asian family:

And yes, there is a Cracker Barrel here in Jersey. It's just about 30 minutes away. Poo.

Backtrack: Rochelle's Big 3-0

When Ryan was given the options of where we could be stationed, a lot of it weighed on how close we'd be to home... We've missed out on lots of family stuff and what we HAVE gone to, has often costs us a small fortune to get to. So, when we realized we'd only be hours away from friends and family, it didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to be there when Steve called to tell me he was throwing a surprise party for his wife and my long-time friend, Rochelle.


It was so nice to be able to share in this special day with Rochelle and we are so looking forward to having many more hometown get-togethers, now that we live so close!

(P.S. The dress I'm wearing, I won! You can't see the entire thing here, but trust me when I say it was really cute! Thanks to Cocomae.com for having a contest and thanks to me for coming up with the name for it: It's Tierin' Up My Heart (my omage to the best boy band of all time: 'N Sync)!

We're In Jersey, the New One.

(Image borrowed from electrical-designer-guide.com)

1073 miles. Yes, we drove that many miles (and then some because of a pittstop to Pittsburgh) and we didn't just do it once, we did it TWICE. I'm not complaining. We drove from Pittsburgh to San Diego and back WITH children...and it hasn't stopped us from traveling. In fact, I think it's made our kids better travelers. Regardless, we made the move to the Garden State, from the Sunshine State -- and no, it hasn't been all GTL. (For you non-Jersey Shoreheads, that's short for Gym-Tan-Laundry).

It hasn't been all RHoNJ, either. (Again, reality tv rules my world: Real Housewives of New Jersey). It's been a lot of unpacking/organizing, adjusting, and realizing that one of my worst fears would be true. I live more than a hop, skip and a jump away from Target. Devastating, I know.

I cried the first three days we were here. I mean, could you blame me? It takes us 30 - 45 minutes to get from here, to anywhere. And honestly, it wouldn't be such a big deal if I knew where I was going -- but I didn't. Back country roads, cornstalks on both sides, signs of tractor crossings on the side of the road and fat, fat gophers surrounded me...and I didn't like it. I think that's why they call this place the "Garden State."

BUT, since I pride myself on not being a 'Negative Nelly' all the time, I will say that the thought of experiencing 4 seasons again and the fact that the area we moved into offered immediate support and camaraderie helped get me through those "I hate this place" feeling and I'm happy to report that after almost three months of living in Jersey -- I like it (even if I did get the WORST.HAIRCUT.EVER. here -- blog for another time).

The kids are adjusting well. They have both made friends (or fwends, as Ronan would say) and they like where we are. Although I will say, Ronan has asked me on several occasions when we are going back to our "old home." It's sad at some times and then I realize that the job Ryan is in, has allowed us some amazing experiences...chances to live in places I wouldn't have been able to move to, without him...so, I can't complain. I must embrace. I mean, where else would I be able to get away with owning a huge can of Aquanet Hair Spray (for real) and get away with it?

Joi-zee. New Joi-zee. With my cup of coy-fee.

Brace Yourself

Yes, after almost 4 months of NOT BLOGGING one single thing, I think I've decided to come back.

I know I've probably lost some loyal followers and to those that continue to come back and check for new posts, thank you. We've been through one huge move and after finally settling in, getting the kids into their schools and making friends...I have finally found the motivation to start blogging again.

It's been a rough road. I've debated about whether or not blogging was even worth it. Therapeutic to some degree, but after finding out about 'spies', I struggled with whether the pros outweighed the cons. Obviously, for 4 months, the cons won. But, I've had people plead with me to blog again and who am I to fight the cries?!

So, it won't be long before I start posting pictures of my nuggets and life here in the back woods. I'm baacccckkkkkk.......

Toes Should Never Go Naked.

I love me a pedicure. So much so that years back, I actually went to beauty school to become a certified "Nail Technician." Sounds fancy, right? Well, it is. I kid. No honestly, though...I love pedicures and although I rarely get them done, I always make sure my toes have polish on them...especially during sandal season -- which is NOW!!!

A fellow Coastie Wife is making these absolutely adorable flip-flops and I just had to share her info...because these are just too cute to NOT have!!!!
Look at how pretty the details are! She has matching hair clips, too!

I think this is the set I'll be going with... Love pink and black!!!

Anyway, she's offering my blog readers FREE SHIPPING! Just mention that you saw it on my site and she'll hook you up! She can be reached at TooTooCuteBows@aol.com or, you can visit her FB page. Check out her stuff...it's too too cute!

Not Sold Out: Rays Baseball

Where I'm from, it seems like someone has to die in order to get season tickets. Hello Steelers Football. BUT, not so much the case for baseball games and definitely not so much here in Tampa.

So, when Ryan said he wanted to take the little man to a Rays game, I can understand why one would giggle when I said: Oh, can you get tickets?!

From the pictures I was getting all evening, you wouldn't have even known they were watching a game. Seemed like more eating and playing than anything...
Can't go to the game without trying the Papa John's pizza. Which, Ryan said was delicious...and from Ronan's face, I think he would agree.

And he kept eating...and eating...

And apparently, they could have sat ANYWHERE they wanted...

But, for entertainment value, Ryan chose seats by the actual rays tank...where you could pet Bat Rays...

Ronan wasn't too keen on touching them...Ryan said he was scared to death when they came by.

For $22 (2 tickets) plus food (unknown cost), it wasn't too bad of an evening, considering Ronan was pooped when he got home! Gotta love having the space for a little man to run.

Necessary Evil: The Portable DVD Player

2 kids. 15+ hours in a car. = no way to avoid the portable DVD purchase.

Let me rephrase that. No way to avoid buying yet ANOTHER portable DVD player for the vehicle.

We've had, oh let me see, 5, I think?!

Riley had one as a toddler. We bought one for our first trip from Pittsburgh to San Diego. Life-freaking-saver.

Any parent knows that even if you can get 1 hour and 37 minutes of quiet because your kid is watching Aladdin, you'll do what you have to, to get that time of driving in. For Riley, back in the day, it was Veggie Tales. In fact, I still think I could sing every single one of their Silly Songs from beginning to end. Pathetic. Roll your eyes if you will, but you know what I'm saying!

Of course, with how well these fine pieces of equipment are made, it didn't survive our entire time in SD, so before we moved yet again, we purchased a dual DVD player.

***Sidebar: Can anyone tell me why oh why not one company can make a dual DVD player and do it so that there are no issues? You would think with how much technology we have out there, that someone would have figured this out. Rant. Over.

We get to Tampa and one of them dies. One screen works, the other doesn't. With two kids, it just doesn't fly. To avoid a tantrum, we put it in front of Ronan...but then Riley was straining her neck to watch with him -- and don't mind that he would occassionally swat at her for watching HIS screen. Nightmare.

So, with this pending drive and my anxiety of being in the car for that extended period of time...I went out and bought a new set of DVD players. Target specials always get me excited, so I couldn't pass it up...until it was installed and everytime it would play, it would suddenly stop.

After lecturing the kids on how to properly take care of their DVDs and handling them in the car, I came to realize that it wasn't their fault (at least not completely.) The reviews on the DVD player I purchased were, well, how should I put it? They sucked. FAIL. Back to Target it went which brought me to right now.

A trip to HHGregg and then to Best Buy brought out the worst in me. Who would have thought I would get so frustrated over this purchase? Finally, after debate - with myself, with Ryan and with Ronan (who had nothing to offer that was of any value other than telling me he had to pee --go Potty Training!), I purchased the Philips portable 9" Dual DVD LCD screen player.

It's installed. Test run complete. So far, a success. BUT, if this thing fails on me before we leave Tampa, I am going to flip a sh*t. $200 isn't easy money to come by and to have spent it on something I've already purchase several times over, well, it's not easy to swallow, either.

Wish us luck. And if you are curious as to the DVD players that failed us, the first was a JWIN and the other was an RCA.

Goodwill: Hate Me or Love Me, Here I Come!

Every transfer I have experienced with my family, we do a few things.

1. Sort into piles of: Keep and Not Keep
2. Sort the Not Keeps into Sell or Donate
3. Hold a Garage Sale and pray you sell it all
4. Bring the unsold items with the original donate items and DONATE IT ALL.

I have made 3 trips to the Goodwill Donation Truck. And can I just tell you, I breathe only sighs of relief as I empty out my trunk into the hands of the donation person and they give me a receipt for my goods.

I think I was hereditarily born a hoarder. My dad keeps everything. You need a 1967 stapler? He's got it. And not just one of them, he's probably got 3 of them. The difference between him and the hoarders on those shows, is that he's an organized one. He buys the most random stuff, but he has a place for them. Sometimes, being in his house is like being in a really clean flea market or antique show.

Example: I called him last night looking for a Polaroid Camera. (I know, so random, but I have a purpose for it.) I only called him because I know if anyone has one, he does. Of course, he has one...but due to film complications on my part, I'm not going to be able to use it. I digress, because my main point is that he has everything. And here I am...trying to get rid of what I can.

So, I have this tiny grain of guilt everytime I bring a bag to donate because I do go through the thinking that maybe, just maybe it'd be worth keeping that puzzle with the two missing pieces...or the dinosaur that is tail-less. But then I think about unpacking all that into a new place at our next duty station and I'm back to feeling that cleansing sensation I had when I started that post.

With weeks left, I'm finally seeing an end to the donate piles and whatever is left in the house is basically coming with us or is just waiting to be tossed. What a feeling though...and it shouldn't be for just us military families that move every 3-4 years. If you have stuff taking up room in the garage that hasn't been touched for years, it might be a nice opportunity for you take it out, sell it or donate it...it's nice to purge every once and a while...I highly suggest it.

Just For Laughs

I have often complained about entertainment and it would be that with only weeks left here in Tampa...that I would discover the high entertainment factor a place like the Tampa Improv would offer an adult of legal drinking age.

A couple weeks ago, two friends and I went to see DeRay Davis. (I don't have pictures of that evening, unfortunately.) We didn't know who he was, we just knew we wanted some laughs. Mission accomplished. I realized that I thoroughly enjoyed leaving all the stresses of moving, of motherhood and just reality at the door for a couple hours of belly laughing. I had not one lick of alcohol and sore abs the next day, as proof of how much fun I had.

So it came as no surprise that I was totally on board for an almost last-minute girls night out to see Jim Breuer. (My picture, taken with the iPhone, didn't turn out as well as my friend, Lisa's did...so if I ever get it from her, I'll post that one!) It was hysterical. It was nice to have the chance to meet him and take a picture...funny guy, great comedy, must see.

And now that I've found my little niche of entertainment (that doesn't include fart sounds from a 3-year-old, scratch-your-head-in-confusement questions from a 7-year-old and just everyday entertainment from a 32-year-old husband...), I'm hoping to take advantage of the various comedy clubs I might be close to when we move. I know of one in Pittsburgh that I'm hoping to get to before we leave there!

But, if you have never gone or don't think you'd enjoy it, trust me, you just have to give it a go. Be open for laughs. Try not to get offended. And just enjoy yourself. I know I did and I wish I had more time with my friends to see more of the upcoming shows...

Devastated at Seven.

You can't blame her for being emo. (That's short for emotional.) She's been at this elementary school since Kindergarten and is leaving before the end of the year.

Hence, the crying herself to sleep two nights ago...

Riley and I have been through an emotional rollercoaster together. We disagree just like most mother/daughters do. We go through spats. We crave time together. We are both emotional. And so it was that when I walked into her room on Sunday night to give her a kiss and talk to her before bed, she broke down, with her hands cupping her face, wailing:

"I'm so stressed! What if I don't make friends at my new school? Why do we have to move?"

I wasn't quite prepared to have that talk with her. Last time we moved, we both cried, but she was only 4 and not completely aware of what was happening. She left her friends and was upset, but somehow, we were able to get through it once we made it to another state. This time, not so easy.

She's attached. She has BFFs. Her BFFs are also moving (they are military too). It's just an all-around traumatizing event surrounding us. I tried my hardest to comfort her. What can you say when you know this is part of the life you live and that we have to do our best to adjust to that situation?

I told her I'd be going through the same thing with her and that we'd have to stick together and make new friends together. She wants to know more about where we are living and what's around -- so I'm going to get her more involved...but beyond that, I'm sort of lost.

We are throwing a "going-away" party for her and Ronan...getting them together with their closest friends and I'm hoping that helps a little. I plan on having an album there for all the kids to sign and put their addresses and with a polaroid camera (I still have to procure), I'm hoping to take pictures right then and there and throw them in the book for the kids to sign.

I'm hoping that helps. It won't cure it. It's just a band-aid, really...but I need to get through the rest of this month...

Who would have thought this was going to be so hard. I know I'll miss my friends, too...but I know how to cope with it. I guess I just never put myself in the shoes of a little 7-year-old who has whole-heartedly invested herself in school and her friends...I fear the next move, 4 years from now! What are we going to do then?!

If you have suggestions of what we can do to ease the situation, I'd love to hear it...

Freezer Burn

...narrows down the dinner options, that's for sure!

With only a few weeks left (days are dwindling down for sure!), we've had to push ourselves to eat at home (for the most part) and most of that requires a long stare into the freezer.

With an overabundance of chicken nuggets, tater tots, and frozen veggies...our dinner outlook is starting to look like a kids version of those Hungryman meals my dad used to buy for us as kids. I love me some chicken tenders dipped in buffalo sauce, but I don't know how much of it I can handle. We had some last night and I'm actually dreading dinner tonight, because I have no desire to eat that and what's left in our pantry isn't too appealing right now either...

...so lies the cons of moving. Who wants to take a major grocery shopping trip when you know you don't need all that food...

Take-out anyone?

First/Last Trip to Busch Gardens, Tampa.

(Here are the nuggets on the tram on the way to the car from the park...)

I am a Disney Snob. What else can I say? I guess I was expecting something different...something more conducive for little ones and I should have known better than to think it was anything like Disney. Because it's not.

Great for teens. Great for adults. Not so great for kids that aren't exactly close in age, or kids that one likes coasters and the other doesn't. And not so great when the one that likes the coaster just so happens to be the younger and shorter one.

They were able to ride one ride together. Then, we stood in line to find out that Riley was too tall...got in another and found out Ronan was too short.

Oh well...hopefully they will have more fun at Kennywood, in Pittsburgh...I'm pretty sure it was more family friendly there...

O.N.G.

Kids are parrots. They repeat everything. Hence, Riley's first words being, "oh shit." Yeah, I know...Mother Of The Year. Hey, who would have thought that all those days of me holding her and dropping stuff, it would actually affect her vocabulary...although for her memory's sake, she'll just know she said "momma" first.

And now that Ronan is Mr. Chatty Chuck, he's repeating the most random things. He recites parts of television commercials, songs from his favorite shows and his latest, saavy texting vocab.

You can imagine the smile on my face when he was annoyed at my offering to him of healthy foods when he exclaimed:

O.N.G., Momma. No fank-you. No Ban-ya. I want some-fing wike diff-went. Some-fing in the cwoset.

Translation: Omg. Mom. No thanks. Why would I want to eat a banana when I can have chocolate chip cookies that are perched on the top shelf of the pantry.

23 Days.

That's right. 23 more days in Tampa. I'm mentally checked out and ready to go. I'm so looking forward to seeing my friends back home, spending quality time with them, going on a real honeymoon with my husband and moving to our new home.

I'm sorry I've been slagging on the blogging. We've done a couple fun things here and there, but with all there is to do around here (laundry. laundry. and more laundry.), I have been putting the big blog posts off.

I'll eventually get back into it...so please don't give up on me if you are a loyal reader. I promise, I'll post more updates. Soon.

Modge Podge Blog Post: Catch-All

With so much going on in life, I haven't had much time to blog...so here is catch-up for everyone!

A few weeks ago, my dad came in from Pittsburgh to visit us. My mom was staying with us, so it was a nice family reunion. My brother came into town and we hung out for the 36 hours my dad was able to be here. Ronan spent the greater part of his Pa's visit trying to impress him with his batting skills...and he did.
Riley enjoyed scooting around and getting out early from school to spend time with her Uncle Mike and Pa...

Then, came Ryan's big 3-2 birthday. With my mom visiting, we were able to get out and go on a date... I don't know about you, but I think he looks great, for 32! Happy Birthday, Ryan!

Along the way, we celebrated 9 glorious years of marriage. Truly, it has flown by so quickly and lucky for both of us...we are still in love with each other and are looking forward to many more years! We didn't go crazy with a celebration, we did do dinner...but we plan to do it big next year. 10 years is going to be a BIG deal!

But, the big news. On April 1st, Ryan advanced and made Chief! He's officially Chief Egal! I'm so proud of his accomplishment and having been in a little less than 14 years...I feel like it's a huge deal. I was so honored to be a part of his day and held back tears when I heard all the nice things that were being said about my husband...

This is the pinning part...Ryan had asked me to do it, but being the nervous wreck I am in front of crowds, I politely declined and watched with my kids.

They read what his certificates said...

And then Chief Egal was asked to say a few words...

He held back his tears when he talked about his Grandfather and how he wished that he was there to share this moment with him...it was so emotional, but a great side to see of someone who is usually so strong...

And then here we all are...

I'll have to scan in his bootcamp picture at some point, but I swear, he just gets better looking every year.

Congrats to my husband on achieving what he has and looking forward to sharing many more of those moments with him in the future. I truly appreciate everything he has done for our family and the choices he has made to keep our family stable...love you, Ryan.

Ah yes, and then Easter. Well...we didn't do as big of an Easter as we have in the past. Mainly because our kids have so much and we thought about what else we could possibly do that would add to their stash of stuff. With Ronan's food allergies, it seriously limited our selection of candy...so I opted to not do baskets like I've done in the past and give each of the kids a few books. We did a cheap-y egg hunt at home...which they were totally entertained by...and just enjoyed each other's company...

We only have a few more weeks left in Tampa before we make the big move...so I'll make sure I try hard to keep the blog updated... We've still got some things going on here and I'll need to document those!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!