Reflecting Back

Today is the last day for the year 2008, and what a year it has been.

No one I was closed to died this year. I lost Gracie in 2005, my Mom in 2006, and my uncle in 2007. All I have to say about 2008 is...it's about damn time!

We were blessed with our beautiful, amazing, daughter Josslyn Faith. She's so perfect and I'm so glad to have her in my life.


Rich was promoted to Tech this year.


I'm so proud of him. I still think it sucks that Air Force has to test to make rank but he studied hard and made that step up. He's so smart and he's not too bad on the eyes either. :-P



We moved out of Maryland where we had lived for 8 years, and settled in sunny Florida.


We bought our first home!


We completed our beautiful family and celebrated 6 years of marriage.


Here is to another fabulous year!!!

Wordless Wednesday

My sweet baby girl resting so peacefully. Unaware that the stomach bug was coming her way and in just a few short hours she would saturate her beautiful crib in vomit. Unbenounced to her, Jacob was about to do the same thing to his crib, except with poop! Lord help me. It's madness in this house. STOP THE MADNESS!

The Santa Experience

We took the kids to see the big jolly fat guy last night. I wasn't sure if Jacob would get on his lap. Justyn didn't want anything to do with sitting on Santa at 2 years old. Jacob had NOOOOOOOOO problems with it. Josslyn was so good and Justyn asked for ALL the Star Wars. Poor Santa. Jacob looks like a hot mess in this picture. His pants were jacked up too high and he is in desperate need of a hair cut. I should have put a bow on Josslyn but we were in such a rush to get out the door that I forgot it. MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!

I Lurve Sheldon

One of my faaaaaavorite shows is The Big Bang Theory. If you don't watch this show, YOU SHOULD! If you don't know anything about this HIGH-LARIOUS show, lemme bring you up to date.

"Leonard and Sheldon are brilliant physicists, the kind of "beautiful minds" that understand how the universe works. But none of that genius helps them interact with people, especially women. All this begins to change when a free-spirited beauty named Penny moves in next door. Sheldon, Leonard's roommate, is quite content spending his nights playing Klingon Boggle with their socially dysfunctional friends, fellow CalTech scientists Wolowitz and Koothrappali. However, Leonard sees in Penny a whole new universe of possibilities... including love."

With that said, last weeks episode was frackin' funny and I had to share the hilarity with you!

Why is this so funny to me? Because Sheldon doesn't like Penny. He didn't even want her to get him a Christmas gift. His reaction to the napkin is classic and will go down as the BEST and funniest episode of anything I've ever watched on TV.

Not Me, Monday

It has definitely not been forever since I've been brutally honest with myself and everyone in the bloggy world.

I did not go to the beach the other day in mid December in a tank top and flip flops and put my feet in the water.

I did not just see one of my Christmas gifts Rich got me. Not my fault it said it very large across the box.

I did not just eat some cream of wheat with a sweatshirt on and pretend it was 20 degrees outside when in fact it was 57.

I did NOT sleep until 10:30 this morning. No way! Because who does that with 3 kids?!

I did not, not do Christmas cards this year because I'm melancholy over the warm weather here.


For more Not Me, Monday head on over to MckMama's blog and play along.


**Oh and I most certainly did NOT see a couple having sex on the beach the other day, and they also did not proceed to do oral while my children were right there! GRRR!

Two Years Feels Like Yesterday

It's been 2 years today since my mom passed away from colon/lung cancer. It feels like it was just yesterday. I seem to miss her more and more everyday instead of healing more and more. I look at Jacob and Josslyn and think of how much she would have loved and spoiled them. Will Justyn ever remember her and how much she adored him? I miss calling her to vent about issues in my life and our girls' weekends. I miss listening to REO Speedwagon on road trips and listening to her sing Heart and Pat Benetar. I miss her so much, every day.

My mom & Justyn

Wordless Wednesday & Other Nonsense

It's been awhile since I've blogged, but with good reason. My bestie is in town with her daughter and we've been hangin' out, keepin' it fresh. Then yesterday I got the stomach flu. Booo. So much for keepin' it fresh. Thankfully today I feel tons better.

I've decided to start doing photo sessions for people other than my children, LOL. So to practice I took Jess and Berlyn to St. Pete where we did a little session on the beach. Here are a couple pics, they will also serve as my WW.










I'll be back to my regular blogging on Friday. Hope everyone is having a good week. :-D

I Miss Him So

Rich has been in Nebraska since Sunday night. I hate when he's away. You'd think being a military wife I'd be used to it. Not so much. I sleep like crap when he's not next to me. I have to sleep with my booty on him for comfort. I've been so lax on the housework since he's been gone. I'm pretty sure if he saw the kitchen right now he'd stroke out. He helps me out so much with housework and the kids. I just can't keep up with these kids and the house and the rhinovirus. As much as I miss him though, I'm going to miss the things I can do while he's away, LOL. "What is that?" You ask. Well, I shall tell you.

Things I Can Do When The Spouse Is Away

1. Use the bathroom with the door open.
2. Be flatulent.
3. Let the dishes sit over night.
4. Lay in the middle of the bed.
5. Sleep with the AC set on 72.

Things I Cannot Do When The Spouse Is Away.

1. SLEEP!
2. Snuggle him.
3. Get back massages.
4. Go to the store alone.
5. Run

I can't wait for him to come home! I'm dreading the longer deployments. Booo Hisssss!

O: FA - Day 3

Oy...I have been a bad bad girl. With Rich being out of town I have been eating like crap. I'm not about to take 3 kids up in the grocery store. Our trip to CVS was bad enough. I've been eating fast food. I know! I know! Bad! I have been getting happy meals instead of my super fatty value meals though. I get iced tea unsweet instead of Diet Coke. Still not able to run but chasing 3 kids and doing MOUNDS of laundry I think I'm ok. Tonight I ordered some Chili's take out. I only ate half of the grilled chicken sandwich I got and just a few fries. I kept walking back to the table to eat more but then I'd ask myself, "Are you really hungry, or are you bored?" Then I'd walk away. So, things should be getting better when Rich gets home. Regular meals, excercising, the good stuff!

Wordless Wednesday

This is how I feel today, LOL!

OK, on to my real WW.

My dear Jacob

I walked in to the living room to find this. My lil photog.

O:FA - Day 1 & 2

DAY 1: Well yesterday I skipped my morning Coke Zero and had some Special K protein water. YUMMY! That stuff is so good. I buy the packets so I can add it to my water. Didn't eat breakfast because I rarely ever do. Lunch I had half a thing of Campbell's Clam Chowda! Man was it hard to only eat half of it. I only used 5 crackers in it also. Normally I load up on the crackers. Fought the urge to drink a soda and just finished off my water from breakfast. Then I made Jacob a lunch of fish sticks and tater tots. He didn't eat all of it so I had 2 small fish sticks and 4 tater tots. Wish I wouldn't have done that, but man I love me some fish sticks and tarter sauce! For dinner I had a little bit of red beans & rice w/ smoked sausage in it and more water. Almost gave into my temptation for the soda but didn't. Later I had a couple more bites of the red beans and rice so I could take some Motrin. I think I'm getting sick.

Rich is out of town so running isn't much of an option right now. Unless there is a new law letting you leaving your kids home alone I'm unaware of? No? Ok, well then, running shall wait. Well that was my day 1. Nothing too spectacular and don't feel any thinner, LOL.


DAY 2: This morning I went to Dunkin Donuts for a bagel and iced tea. I only ate half the bagel and scraped off all the cream cheese, leaving a thin layer for taste. I'll eat the other half for lunch. I neeeeeeeeeeeeded the iced tea. No sugar in it, I just needed the caffeine. Yesterday's lack-of-caffeine headache was killer. I don't want that again today. Josslyn slept like crap last night so if I didn't get something to get my blood moving around I may have passed out, LOL. It's supposed to be 84 today so I might take the kids on a walk later so I can work off some of that bagel from this morning! I'll update this more tonight.

Operation: Fat Ass

Yes folks, it's time for me to stop being a big fat fatty! I know I'm not obese or anything, but to me I'm not thin and I hate it. When I met Rich I was 110lbs. My first prenatal appt (at 16 weeks) with Justyn, I was 117lbs. When I delivered his 9lbs 4oz fluffy butt, I was 165lbs. I thought I could eat whatever I wanted to eat, and when I gave birth the pounds would just come right off. Why should I think any different, that's exactly how it happened for my mom. She was always so thin. I come from a thin family so I had nothing to worry about, right? PFFFFT! Jokes on me I guess. I went from a size 3 to...well...the double digits! I have to be honest with you...I'm not lovin' it! I weigh the most I've ever weighed in my life not pregnant. So instead of feeling shitastic about it, getting depressed, and shoving a rice crispy treat down my throat...I'm going to do something about it. I'm nursing so there isn't a diet pill I can take. Really the only one I would take is Alli. So it's going to be au natural. Bummer! You'd think with 3 damn kids I'd never have time to gain weight! It doesn't help my boobs together weigh roughly the same as a preschooler! OK, maybe a little bit of an exaggeration there, but not much. These suckers are HUGE!

My main concern is the back fat (the other other white meat). I swear if I just look at a slice of pizza I get another roll back there. For some reason my legs and arms don't gain weight. So it pretty much has to distribute itself in my mid section. Yummo! I look like a potato on toothpicks. Sexy!

Anyway, for 30 days I'm going without. Without soda, fast food, & junk food. I'm going to drink water like a fish, and try to run everyday for atleast a mile. In this 30 days I will not step on a scale. Wish me lots of luck! I will try to blog about my efforts everyday. Anyone else wanna join me on this crazy quest?!

Just Me & The Littles

Rich had to go to Nebraska for training so it's just me and the kids this week. AAHHHHH! Just kidding. Luckily I have good kids that don't wear on my nerves too much. I just fixed up a gourmet dinner of chicken nuggets and tater tots. I know, I know...I should be on that Food Network. Anywho, since Rich isn't here for me to annoy, I did the next best thing...I annoyed the kids. Well, I annoyed the littles. Justyn was outside with his friends the whole day.

Shake Ya Funny Make-Uh.. If They Bottled That Kinda Funny, I'd Buy It.

...shake it, shake it hard! OK, I hate commercials. That's really why I DVR most everything I watch. Simply to forward through all the crap they are trying to sell me that I can't buy. But, every once in a while there is a commercial that cracks my $hit up! Today, that one is the new AT&T commercial. Hands down one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I can't see it without cracking up. It's insanium in the cranium! So, for your viewing pleasure, I bring you...

My Grown Up Christmas List

My mom used to say my name was Amanda "I Want" K***. Rich says I want something new everyday, LOL. Neither of them realized it's ok to want. Doesn't mean I want it RIGHT now. Anyway, I do have a lot of wants right now, but it's Christmastime. It's acceptable. Here is a little of my Christmas List to Santa.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens

Shoot Sac
Holds cameras and lenses fashionably.

Red Dell Laptop.
We are a computer lovin' family.
My husband is a computer nerd, I blame him.
The H2O mop!

I'm probably dreaming on the laptop, but the others would be very nice, Santa. I've been a good girl this year.

Wordless Wednesday

Where does the time go??? Wasn't it just yesterday I was posting her birth story?

Frackin' Annoyed!

So I was catching up on my favorite blogs today. I've been a little behind since we were out of town. Anyway, I won't call out the blog because I don't want any drama started over there as it was not her, that irritated me, but a comment.

I know that moms can be super sensitive when it comes to parenting styles. I'm NOT a crunchy mom. I'm not a bad mom. I don't have a certain parenting style I follow. I do what is best for us and mine. If you don't like it, I don't care. You parent the way you want and I will the way I want. But there is nothing more annoying than when other mothers make such broad judgmental statements when it comes to breast vs bottle, cloth vs disposable, CIO vs Not, and of course the ever popular to cut or not to cut.

In regards to the comment I read to a mother who's dealing with a baby who cries when she's put down. Now it could be reflux or something genuinely could be wrong with her but for someone to reply with, "Some would say "let her cry". They probably don't have children! I could never let mine cry. I feel for you:(" This PISSES ME OFF! Not only do I have kids...I HAVE THREE! And you bet your ass I let them cry. Now, with that said, I am a mother. I was blessed with a little thing known as Mothers Instinct. It's a beautiful thing. If I feel they are hurting or something isn't right I will rush to my baby. BUT, BUT, BUT...if there isn't anything wrong, and I have shit to do...you can bet your life savings I'm going to let them cry. If I need to do dishes, I will set Josslyn in her high chair, give her some toys, and let her be. If she wants to bitch, cry, and moan...she can do that. As long as she's making noises I know she's ok. 9 times out of 10 she falls asleep, or she just stops crying. I HATE when people ASSume shit. I spent this past week listening to people praise how FABULOUS my children are. How Josslyn never cries. You are damn right she doesn't. She knows she can't pull one over on mommy. Now, I do snuggle my babies. I don't just ignore them all the time. Just when I know there isn't anything truely wrong with them and I have stuff to do. I have 3 kids and a house to take care of. I do have a sling and when she was smaller I would sling her while cleaning. I also have my chichi girls that are heavy enough without a baby on me.

Well, I think I've wasted enough time on here complaining, LOL. I just get so irritated at judgmental people. Rant over.

Shame On You Price Gouger!

Shame on all of you who are buying up all the hot toys this year and selling them for 2-3 times more than you paid! Maybe I should send you a picture of my little boy's sad face on Christmas morning because he couldn't have a certain toy he wanted. All because you had to make a profit for yourself! I hope you are left with crap you don't need after the holiday season. Maybe I shouldn't have waited till the last minute to buy their stuff, but that doesn't give you the right to cheat my children out of getting what they want.

Golden Boy

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, nooooooooooo! Where does the time go? My little baby boy is 2 today. He is celebrating his golden birthday. It is so bittersweet to see him so grown up. He has been such a breezy kid. He even made the L&D simple. only 3.5 hours from admittance to baby! Now here we are 2 years later and he's such a blessing. We celebrated his birthday in Alabama with the family there. He had a great time and loved all his loot. When we were all singing to him he got scared and reached for daddy, LOL! He went to town on the cupcake.