Some things are really organized and some things are really not

I just did my monthly (or so) clean-up of my "Favorites" folder on my computer. I must favorite about 20 things a day - even if it's something I think I may only need once ever again and it was easy to find when I searched it in the first place. I have been favoriting digiscrap sites like crazy lately, especially the ones with the really great freebies. Some of the designers are totally my style - realistic looking designs - the elements look like the real thing ... while other designers are much too cartoony for me. I favorite them anyway, though!

I have a ton of folders, and they are all named crazy things. "So so sites" ... "Things to read when I'm bored" ... "Wacky Blogs" ... just to name a few. So now it is all nice and organized and I can find my wacky blogs whenever I so choose.

What is not organized in my life right now is my inventory! You know - the things you need to keep a house (and family) running on a daily basis. Like toliet paper. And razors. I am down to two rolls of the former and using a throwaway worthy version of the latter. As in it needs to be thrownaway. My favorite soap is all gone (Dove) so I am using Andy's Lever 2000 which does NOT leave my skin feeling sliky smooth. It leaves my skin feeling like a rubber tire. I have the feeling he uses my Dove - which is why I feel like I buy it all the time but never have any at all - and then pulls out the L2000 when there's nothing else left. If you like the Dove, use the Dove! Let's stop buying the rubber soap!

Andy works late every night (tax season) and we have a Stop'n'Shop close by, so he'll call me before he leaves (9:30pm-ish) to see if we need bananas and milk - staples for the little ladies. I never remember to tell him we need about a dozen other things, too.

So I am going to do inventory today, just like when I worked at The Disney Store, and send a list over to Mr. Andy Man. Except LOST is on tonight, so he won't go to the store until tomorrow.

One more day of rubber skin.

"We're back online, sir."

So glad my comments are working again!

(I tried to write to my resourceful recycler Songbirdtiff, but her comments weren't working, either. So if you are reading this Tiff - I have lots to say!)

Comments not working?

For some reason my comment section is being screwed up by the word verification - so I am going to take it off for now. I have been experiencing the same thing on other blogs, and it usually fixes itself if I enter some random letters and hit enter. It gives me an error message and lets me try again, which usually fixes it.

Let's see! :)

A-Z on Mondays: F is for "F" and G is for "Godchildren"

Well - I missed last week's F - so I wanted to catch up!

1. F is for F. Don't be confused - I am talking about the sign for the letter F! I taught the girls a bit of sign language from when they were baby babies. I used it when I was talking to them and I had a great picture book I read to them a couple times a day that went over some basic signs, too. We learned a whole bunch of signs like book, house, thank you, please (we still use those two), and a bunch of animals. Also, I would sing and sign the alphabet to them at every meal. The book said they would pick the signs up quickly, and they were right!

We don't do signs as much as we used to - but if I quiz them they still know a lot of them - including the whole alphabet. For some reason, Katie has an affinity for the sign for the letter "F" - which is basically the "OK" sign.

"F" is a bit like her imaginary friend. She puts "F" into all types of situations. And then she tells me what "F" is doing.

"F is a ballderina, Mommy!"

"F is sliding!"

"F is eading the cookie."

"I love F, mommy." (I think I need to start dressing her in something beside this light green shirt ... those were all from different days!)

2. "G" is for Godchildren. When I was in my 20s, I thought I would never have any Godchildren. I had no sisters - and I figured my brothers' future wives would choose Godmothers from their side of the family. Then BANG - over the next few years I was asked to be Godmother to FIVE of the most beautiful children in the world! (I tried to get the most current pictures I could find ...)

First we have Carolina ... her parents are my cousins and his wife. I was so excited! (When she was a baby she looked just like Boo from Monsters, Inc.) And my theory was blown through the roof because my cousin is the guy.

Second is Grace ... her mom was one of my college roommates, and Andy became good friends with her husband, too. I was so surprised about this one! She calls me her Fairy Godmother. Her mom, Jana, is Maddie's Godmother.

Third is the one and only boy, Dominic, - so I can say he is my favorite Godson! I was jumping for joy at this point! His parents are another one of my guy cousins and his wife. (I am really close to her and Carolina's mom, too.)

Fourth is Sydney ... her mom is my partner in crime forever, Carol. We became friends through work and realized that although people would say we are totally different, we lived through many of the same experiences and it brought us really close. We were pregnant at the same time - and we waddled around NJ together. (Sydney is two months older than my girls.) She just turned 3 last month ...

The littlest one is Sofia - she is Grace's younger sister. I am the go-to Godmother for that family! Jana asked me again and I was just as excited as when she asked me to be Gracie's. Sofia is the spitting image of her father.

I love being a Godmother to all these children - and secretly hope there are more to come!

Come back next Monday for "H" and visit Jen over at Unglazed for more "A-Z on Mondays" participators!

Layouts and Misspellings

I am attempting to change the layout of Twice as Nice all by myself. Basically I'm too cheap to hire someone and I knew I could do it if I just had some instruction! I found a site that took me step by step on how to create a three column layout - and have both columns to the side. (I am trying this all on a test site that I made up - that's why you don't see it here.)

It worked out great and I really like it! Now I am trying to put up a background that I also made myself and I am stuck. I can't get the background to fill the entire screen - only the middle - so there is white on the sides. I have been fooling around with it for a week and it is driving me crazy. I have one site that I am going to send a question to, and hopefully they can shed some light on what I am doing wrong.

On a different subject, we got all the paperwork together for the girls' preschool registration - and I don't know what the issue is with my name - but parts of it are spelled wrong everywhere! Andy got their birth certificates yesterday and my maiden name is spelled wrong - and it is a pretty common name. Nothing crazy. Just a plain old' Mc- name. So now I have to call town hall to see if the clerk who typed it up made the mistake or if it there is a mistake on the form they have on file.

Then, when I picked up their Baptism certificates - my first name is spelled wrong. "Rose Marie" - two words - wrong. So I'll call them, too. You know, because my days are so empty and I have nothing else to do.

It's so funny because if we have another girl (one day) I have the name all picked out - and I was tempted to go with a slightly different than normal spelling because it's so pretty that way. I've changed my mind. No need to put her through that torture.

Where did Rosie go?

Here I am!

What a lovely shot ... just keeping it real. "Look, Ma, no cavities!" Which is true.

I've been away. For no other reason other than this blog got away from me. I had a ton of things to do and when I had a free moment I was more in the mood to eat Pizza Combos and watch TV or buy digiscrap supplies.

Then I would feel bad about being away - and even worse about not visiting my friends and leaving lots of lovely comments. It's like when you forget to write a thank you card, and the longer time goes by the weirder you feel about writing it. If you had just written it the first time you remembered that you forgot ... all would be well.

Right now I am in the midst of getting all the paperwork together to register the girls for preschool this September. I already went and filled out the paperwork and payed the $100 (!) registration fee - but I guess I was the only dunderhead who didn't bring their birth certificates, health records, and Baptism certificates (Catholic school). Then we realized we never even got their birth certificates! So Andy is going to town hall on his lunch tomorrow to pick them up - I am going to Church on Thursday to get their Catholic certifications, and Dr. B's office is faxing over the health records. Whew.

I am also preparing for company this weekend! Andy's brother Matt and his wife Jenny are visiting us from Mississippi and I am excited for them to see the girls. I have to start a-cleanin'!

I finally visited my friend Rosanna and her new baby, Colin! He is the cutest thing and I started crying when I first held him. Just so precious. It definitely made me sure that I wanted another one. Rosanna's hubby, Brian, has a brother who is a professional photographer and he took the most amazing pictures of this baby. She emailed them out and I made this ...

(I smudged out his birthday and stuff for privacy.)

I absolutely loved making it and I am going to print and frame it and give it to them as a present at the Baptism. I want to do them for all the babies in my life!

OK - so I owe you all an "A-Z on Monday: F is for ..." - I think I am going to do both F & G this upcoming Monday to keep them all on the same schedule. THANKS to Jen (creater of said "A-Z" who emailed me to make sure everything was OK. And to everyone who left me comments on my last blog post. I love my blog friends. :)

Look for comments on Wednesday!

It either rains or it pours!

It seems like my life runs in cycles. I either have all the time in the world to blog and can't think of a thing to write, or I am busier than rooster in a hen house, but have a ton of things to say.

Right now I am in the second phenomenom - minus the poultry.

So here are some Random Rosies ...

1. I have great pictures of the girls playing outside in the beautiful weather yesterday!

2. My new digiscrap hobby is going well - but I can't find the time to do that, either!

3. I have more laundry than is humanly possible for four people to make. It goes against physics.

4. I miss my Blogger friends. :( I am going to try to make the rounds this afternoon and leave lots of lovely comments!


I have no shows to watch tonight, so I will try to submit a more proper post for your enjoyment! Check back!!!

A-Z on Mondays: E is for Ears Pierced

I love this A-Z on Mondays! I get to delve back into my files and post about this that happened before I started this blog.

OK - so I knew I wanted the girls' ears pierced when they were a few months old. My pediatrician was going to do it, he just wanted to wait for them to be 3 month or so. We ended up doing it in September 2006 when they were 5 months old.

Dr. B took us in on Monday night as his last appointment so he wouldn't be rushed. There was only one choice of earring - the little gold ball. Some of my friends had a whole tray of earrings to choose from - even birthstones. I probably would have picked the little gold balls anyway - it's what a first earring should be.

I can't remember who went first, but I remember having both bottle and ... ahem ... mommy ... ready to feed them as soon as the pinch was over. There was crying, yes - but overall I don't remember it being this horrific experience. We knew what to expect.

He drew dots on each ear (which took about 5 minutes per kid - per ear - I kid you not) and then click clicked away.

When we got home, I took pictures of the sides of their heads to get each ear.

Here is Katie ... right ...

... and left. Happy girl!


Now here is Maddie ... left ...

... and right. Wait ... no right?

Nope. No right. When Dr. B did her right ear, I looked at it and said, very sheepishly, as to not hurt his feelings, "I think it's off center." He and the nurse both looked - and sort of agreed. I started FREAKING OUT inside my head. He is a very quiet man and nothing rattles him - but I didn't really know that about him yet, so his quietness was also freaking me out.

Then he said, very matter of factly, "We can do it over."

Aaaaaah - wave of relief flooded through me. He told me to look at it again when we got home and she was calmer and if I still didn't like it, take it out, clean it - let it heal for two weeks and he would do it again. Which is exactly what we did - hence Maddie the Pirate for two weeks in September.

There were lots of "Ahoy, matie"s and "Yo ho ho"s that month.

For more "A-Z on Mondays" visit Jen over at Unglazed!

See you next Monday for "F"!

Crazy Birthday

Yesterday was a day of craziness. First I wake up super early to shower because the contractors are coming to work in the living room and I want to look like a human being.

Then, I start to do my hair and pick up my hot air curling brush - it looks like this ...

I turned it on and nothing - not a sound. Broken. Grrrr ... so I had to use a brush and my regular blowdryer, with which I am not coordinated at all. But, if I don't put some sort of curl/body into my hair, it looks like this ...


So I get dressed, go downstairs and proceed to break apart two little girls who have reached the wrestling stage of their lives. I say, "It's Mommy's birthday!" to which Katie replies, "Id's not Mommy birday - nooooo ... id's Daddy's birday" all sullen-like. Then I tickle her and she cracks up.

Not only did I have two men working in my living room all day (who are doing a fantabulous job, by the way ... a whole post on that is coming soon) - but the Water Meter Reader guy was coming by, too, to install some thing-a-ma-job that lets them read water from the street. And he smelled soooo badly like cigars I could have sworn he was smoking one in my basement. I actually went down and checked a couple of times to be sure he wasn't chewing on one.

Maddie wasn't in the mood - so Katie and I made cupcakes just before lunch. She did such a great job! She emptied the bag of cake mix, she poured the water and the oil, (I did the eggs), and she stirred it all up - even held the mixer (with Mommy's help). She held the tray as I poured the mix into each little cupcake paper, which she layed out herself. I could totally see the pride all over her face - it was awesome.

(Aargh - I have no picture of this!)

They ate, had a nice long nap - and my mom and brothers came over for Chinese food - and Andy managed an early night from work, too. I haven't seen my brother Jeffery in years - YEARS! We talked on the phone all the time - but it's not the same. He hadn't seen the girls since they were about 3 months old. He just recently moved back from Vermont and I am so excited that the girls can get to know their granola-crunchy uncle better!

After my brothers left, my mom stayed so Andy and I could make a run to CVS to buy me a new hot air curling brush. I was in sweats, he was in these LL Bean nylon rain pants - and he all of the sudden is in the mood for "a pint" - you know, because we live in the middle of London and all. I look at him and can tell he is totally into it - but all I can think of is how it's 9:30 on a Friday night - how the bars and restaurants are hoppin' - and how much I DO NOT want to walk into a place with no make up on and sweats that are too long on me. Thankfully, he came to that conclusion, too - so we booked my mom for next Friday night so we can go out for a nice dinner. In clothes.

(pic from our honeymoon in WDW)

We went to bed at a nice reasonable hour (for us) and were woken to the sounds of Maddie crying at about 12:30am. Maddie NEVER cries at night - not even when she was a baby. Only is she's sick. She started sleeping through the night very early on and has been a great sleeper ever since. I think it has to do with the fact that she sucks her thumb - very soothing. So ... Maddie woke up and I always go right to her - in case she's about to heave up the contents of her stomach or something. Then Katie heard me and popped straight up in her crib, too - so now I have two screaming girls to calm down. Andy is still dead asleep. He finally wakes up and goes to get them some milk. We plopped them on our bed - gave them the milk - and put them back down. They blissfully fell back to sleep.

This morning I had to wake up early to shower again because we had a birthday party. I get ready to open up my brandy new hair appliance and decide to take ONE LAST LOOK at the old one. I click it on and off - nothing. Then it dawns on me. I look at the plug and push in the reset button. It's all fixed now.

My turn!

Hey everyone! It's my birthday! I've never been shy about my birthday - I love it!

OK - so - my goal for this year is to look like this again ...

This was at our rehearsal a week before our wedding in July 2003. I was not super skinny by any means, but I was at a nice size where I didn't have to starve myself! So ... off to make a plan!

Have a great day everyone!

Happy Birthday, Andy!

Dear Andy,

Happy Birthday, oh husband of mine! Today you are 35!

Sorry the girls wouldn't sing to you this morning. But since you feed them breakfast every morning you know how cranky they are when they wake up.
Sorry you had to do the mundane tasks of going to the dry cleaners and getting your car's oil changed.

Sorry we spent all our money on a soon-to-be finished living room so there's none left for presents.

Sorry you have to work past 9pm every night until April ... auditing companies who don't know how to keep their data organized.

But I am glad that you are my hubby and that we get to celebrate our birthdays together every year!

Love, Your darling wife

(PS - Today we are both 35, my dear - I don't turn 36 for one more day!)

Another Digiscrap Layout

My second attempt ... I entered this in a challenge where the theme is "Kisses" ...

(Credits for paper and embellishments: A Changed Heart Designs, Creative Digital Scraps by Chiara, and Gail Cook/3scrapateers. Check out their sites - they have amazing designs.)

A great giveaway from Katy

You must check out the great giveaway happening over at Fun with the Baker 5.

Katy just became a consultant for Scentsy and is giving away a warmer and those melty things that go on top! There are two designs and 3 scents to choose from.

Thank you, Katy - and good luck to all who enter!

A-Z on Mondays: D is for Daddy

I could not have hoped for a better father for my children than Andy. He lives for them. He loves nothing more than to be on the floor playing with them - usually in some sort of building way. Blocks are his favorite and he has constructed MANY a tall skyscraper with them.

He never hesitates to do the daily tasks - feeding, diapers, putting them to bed. He has done all of this from Day One and is very proud of it all. He gives me time to myself almost every weekend - "Leave!" he says as he sees me start to melt down, "We'll be fine." And I know they will.

Here is a little slideshow of him with the girls - looking at these pictures always makes me smile. (If you can't see the slideshow, click my header above. It's in a separate post.)

Come back next Monday for E - and to see more "A-Z on Mondays" visit Jen over at Unglazed!

Daddy and his girls