Up to my ears in Easter Eggs!

This year I was asked if I wanted to organize the Annual neighborhood HOA Easter Egg hunt and get paid for it! My answer.....heck yes.

So, with 4 more days til the big event I have found myself buried in plastic Easter eggs! 1400 of them to be exact. It has taken me a week to fill them all with candy and toys. Needless to say, I'm sick of looking at them and trying to find a spot to hide them all!

Oh and guess what I found? I found a hint of spring......FINALLY. Yes, I found some of my Tulips peeking out through the snow yesterday and today (here comes even bigger news) we broke a record high temp!!! Yes folks, it was 78 degrees today and we all have sun burns. I will gladly take it after last weeks snow dump.

Join in on Wordful Wednesday it fun! If not, head on over to Angie's blog Seven Clown Circus and see what all of the fuss is about.

Trying to enjoy the snow.............C'mon Spring!

Pico De Gallo and Snow

Yes, it's snowing. Again. Can you just hear the excitement oozing out of that last sentence? Needless to say, I'm ready for Summer. Heck, I'd be happy if Spring would just get here! I am hoping that this will be our last storm of the year, but considering that we live here in good old Colorado......it's very hard to say. There have been times that it has snowed in June. Very rare, but it has happened.

To keep myself sane I went ahead and made the food that I've been craving; in the middle of our snow storm I made myself a batch of Pico and it turned out really good. I cannot wait until summer when all of the veggies are at their best!

Here's how: Grab some tomatoes, red onion, green pepper, a squeezed lime, fresh garlic and some cilantro. Chop it all up and season it with some salt and pepper. Grab a bag of the closest tortilla chips or some tacos (our dinner) and enjoy!

So lets get in the mood for some warmer weather, good food, fun with friends and family! start off with a drink and some scenery!

Mmmm, that's better, now head on over to the next blog and lets have a VGNO blog hoppin party. If you haven't been over to Ann's blog, go check her out!

Wordful Wednesday- Predator

First off.....Happy St. Patricks Day!!! Enjoy the green beer and have fun celebrating.

Our neighbors were taking care of this wild animal for thier friends and the boys got an up close and personal look at one of our many predators. Pretty cool huh?! We were told that she was about 7 years old and they only live to be 8 or 9 in the wild. She was killed by a hunter using a cross bow. I personally do not like hunting but it is what it is huh? What's your view on hunting?

For more wordful Wednesday visit Angie at Seven Clown Circus.

Fire Station and Giveaway Winner

We had a fun day at the Firehouse on our preschool field trip yesterday and it turned out to me a really nice day.

Look how little they look!


Ok the winner of the Paula Deen bowls is.................The Domesticated Gal! If you have never been to her blog....go. She is funny and witty and a great writer.

Thank you everyone for playing and have a wonderful weekend.

Giveaway for Wordful Wednesday!

I have partnered up with CSN online stores to give away a 3 piece set of Paula Deen blue speckled enamel on steel mixing bowls!

You can go to that link and find up to 200 different stores with everything from home decor to school and office supply. I highly recommend checking out some of thier great deals! It's going to be a quick and painless entry. Just leave me a comment for one entry, blog about it and send me the link for another entry, and for a 3rd follow me. Winner will be drawn Friday evening and I will contact you if you're the lucky one. So if you dont have a blog, leave me your email address or a way to contact you!

Now for Wordful Wednesday pictures!

On our trip to Phoenix last week I went to the xeriscape botanical garden and got lots of pictures of the many different Cactus or Cacti. I'm soooo ready for some hot summer weather and I'm really missing that warm Arizona sun.

For more Wordful Wednesday posts visit Angie at 7 Clown Circus and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Growing up and out of his bed

My oldest son is growing up so fast (as we have already established) and I'm thinking it's time for him to have a new bed, a big kid bed. He has a set of bunk beds in his room which is fine I suppose, especailly when we have sleep overs, but I just feel like it's time for something new! I think it's just me actually......I'm always in the mood for change. So I started looking at different beds and came across this site for kids beds and found some really nice ones that I think would work nicely! Now I just need to come up with the money and space :) So what do you think? Should I stay with the bunk beds or go with something like this......


Also.... I'm in one of my moods again and I'm giving away a prize.......but you have to wait. Just a hint, if you like Paula Deen you will also like this!

Come back Wednesday to find out what it is and how to enter.

See you then!

A very short vacation

Well, I'm back after a very short but relaxing vacation. The hubby and I went to Phoenix for 4 days, where he was taking a class for work.

From 8-5 he was stuck in a classroom and I had the car to go and explore. Can I just say, that place is huge!! I was able to find a few things to do, but I didn't want to go very far and end up lost or something. Luckily we stayed at the Hampton Inn and it was right across the street from a huge shopping, dining and entertainment mega complex called the Westgate City Center.

Oh man, if I had the money and time, I would have been a shopping, dining fool! Not only that, but 2 blocks away was the University of Phoenix Stadium where the Cardinals play and the Jobbing.com Arena where the Coyote's play hockey. If you are going to be visiting, this is the place to go! You don't even need a car, it's all within walking distance. The only reason we rented one, was to avoid cab fares (which were OUTRAGEOUS) to and from the airport and his class. Well worth the money!!!

I would have had a blast except I think I got my sons stomach bug right after getting there! It was no fun, and I wasn't really sick, just enough not to feel good. Total bummer, but oh well, I still got to spend some time just hanging out with my hubby and relaxing with some peace and quiet!

I did manage to make my way out to the Saguaro Ranch , home to an 1800's ranch and old home surrounded by palm trees, orange and lemon groves and rose gardens. The Library/ Xeriscape Botanical Garden that had a beautiful veterans memorial that was made out of copper, every thing from the trees to the benches. It was beautiful! Throughout this giant area ( the ranch, library and paths) there were peacocks, chickens and roosters running all over the place! I'm a little sketchy of birds, but got up close and personal with them (they followed me every where).

On Vacation in glendale AZ

Yes I am!!! The hubby and I got to get away for a weekend or week day x3 from the kids and every day life. He is taking a training class for work and I got to tag along. 3 days of peace, quiet and warm weather! Woo hoo. I plan on spending my time taking some pictures and reading my books all while soaking up some vitamin D. I'm actually sitting in the hotel business center at this very moment. It's sooo nice and quiet, actually, it's kind of wierd.

Were already missing the kids (and I dont think they have even noticed that were gone) 5 hours after leaving home.

Thanks to my mom and dad for watching after them while were gone!

If anyone has any sight seeing ideas for me, pass them along. I will be on my own for most of the day while the hubby sits in a classroom :)

Have a wonderful week!

Another School Shooting......Only this time it's way to close to home.

Picture courtesy of 9 news.

Yup, today's school shooting happened about 5 blocks from my home. It's all very surreal too. I'm very surprised that I didn't hear anything, considering I was walking out of the preschool (you can see the middle school from it), with my two youngest children right around or a minute or two before it was happening. I didn't know about it until my oldest called and told me that his school was on lock down because of a shooting. Let me tell you, that is a scary phone call to get! I didn't get all that concerned because originally I was thinking that it was something that happened at a home around the neighborhood. But then he called me back to say he was with a friend and his mom, and in the background I could hear someone say it was at the middle school. That's when I began to feel sick.

My 8th grade cousin stood about 10 feet from the shooter, she saw him and yelled that he had a gun, then she was able to run and hide before he started shooting. Thank God, there were only 2 kids that were hurt and they both have non life threatening injuries.

Remember the last post when I mentioned that whole home schooling thing??? Well, here's another reason to add to my pro vs con list. What is this world coming to? I just don't get it and I really don't want my kids growing up like this? What are we going to do though?

To read the whole story click here.

What's even scarier is that from what it looks like right now, it was a totally random thing. An adult male (32 yrs. old) walks into the school and back out again, asks some students if they go to school there and then starts shooting?? My question is this.....did he stand out on the street and ask himself which school to go to? The elementary school or the middle school? Why shoot kids for no apparent reason? He has NO connections to the school what so ever. He's not a parent, he doesn't work there or get fired from there. Just a total whack job! They just released his name......wait for it......Bruko Strong Eagle Eastwood. My hubby said maybe he's mad at his parents for naming him. LOL, hey we have to find something funny about this.

All I know is that those Dr. Benke and all of the other teachers are freaking amazing and total hero's. They were able to tackle and subdue him until the police got there, and they were there within minutes!

On a lighter note, it's Wordful Wednesday! I was cleaning this week, while trying to conquer the ever growing laundry pile, I made my way into Shays room to put some clean clothes away; Well, one thing led to another and I came across his stash.......you know that spot they throw everything in even if it doesn't belong there. The one where they put everything and then proceed to tell you that their room is clean. yeah, that one and let me tell you, it was not pretty! On another wall I found some little tiny dirty piggy's that had been left behind by my Jax when he shared that room, how cute is that (and kind of gross)!

Well, that's my week up until now. So everyone have a wonderful day! Go say hi to Angie and her beautiful family.

Wordful Wednesday Double Digits!

My oldest boy turned 10 last week. Were into the double digits and it's really scary for me!!!!

We had his party on thursday night with no school the next day. We went bowling first and that was just a little chaotic with 7 boys in tow. Thank goodness the hubby was off that night, cuz I dont think I would have been able to do it alone. They were soooo wild! Five 10 year old boys are worse than girls, I think. They were full of farts and burps and even more energy! One of them went home and couldnt stay the night but we ended up back at the house for cake and presents and what I thought would be the Wii. I was wrong. They played on their cell phones all night texting girls........and talking about them too! Staying up until past 1 in the morning, laughing and giggling the whole time. It was exhausting!!!

Shaymus was the only one who didnt have a cell phone and I know he hates me for not getting him one but I have my reasons. He is just not responsible enough to own one and there is really no need for one! When the kids left the next day, one of their moms gave me just another one to add to my list. Are you sitting down? I'll tell you what she told me. They monitor his texting and a few weeks ago found 2 very disturbing ones from.......2 seperate girls. Mind you these are 10 year old girls. The first text was asking the boy if he wanted to "hump" her and the second was from a seperate girl wanting to know if he thought she was "sexy"..........................WTF???? If I EVER catch my kid sending or getting texts like that, someone had better watch out, cuz I will be on the phone faster than he could ever imagine. But, that wont be happening since he doesnt have a phone. What the hell is happening to kids these days? Or maybe it's the parents.

Seriously? When I was 10 I dont think I even knew about sex, I was still playing with freakin Barbies and my friends. We were building forts, playing hide and seek and riding bikes. The thought probably crossed my mind but not like that!

I'm sooo not ready for my kids to grow up.

For more Wordful Wednesday posts head on over to 7 Clown Circus and give Angie a shout!

Winter Olympics

As a child or even a young adult I don't remember having much interest in the Olympics. Now, well that's a totally different story!

I'm not an athletic person and I have never really participated in any sport, even when I was in school. With the exception of when I was in 9th grade I tried out for the swim team......I have no freaking idea why either! I wasn't and am still, not a great swimmer and back then I didn't even weigh a hundred pounds.....wet. So going up against girls that were seriously like twice my size and who had been swimming since they were children was just a STUPID idea on my part. I hated every minute of it and was elated when I got pneumonia mid season and had to quit.

My parents never forced me to get into extra curricular activities or a sport and so I had no interest in it at all. Looking back, I think they probably should have! I don't remember them even putting the idea in my head. My brother played baseball through junior high, but quit before highschool.

Now that I'm a parent I'm glad that my boys are very interested in athletics and sports of all kinds. Shaymus has been playing baseball since he was 3 years old and is now starting a new season in 10 year old kid pitch. I'm very excited for the season to begin and to see how much they progress this year! Jaxson and Riley will be starting pee wee baseball or soccer this year as well. They are very excited about it.

Anyway, about the Olympics, I LOVE watching speed skating. Short track or long track I don't care. It amazes me when they are all in sync and how they just float across the ice; It's so graceful, even when in the heat of the moment when they are fighting for first place! It's just a total rush to me!!!! So Jaxson (my 4 year old) and I were watching them the other night and he was fascinated by it and stated that he wanted to do that. It got me thinking that if he does have any interest in it, I should get him started young. Wouldn't that be awesome for your/my child to end up being one of those amazing athletes that make it all the way to the Olympics?! I cant even imagine.

I wanted to share a very exciting race with you, but I cannot embed it right now so you will just have to go to this link! Short track speed skating is soooooo exciting!

Sooo, I have decided that not only do my kids need to play an organized team sport, I think it would be good for them to find an interest in an individual sport as well. As a teenager, I never even thought about how far a sport could take you in life, even if you didn't plan on ever having it as a career but just something to keep you disciplined and on the right path.

I have been looking into lessons for all of them, especially ice skating :)

Unfortunately, I did not take these pictues, they are courtesy of a Bing search!