Two Sparrows

Someday, I will actually get around to showing you pictures of the office in all its gray glory.  It's so happy not to be that shameful green anymore.

And someday I will blog everyday like I said I would.  Just kidding.  I would totally do it if  these people (my children) could just stop needing me (to locate their stuff).  And needing food.  And so on.  Also, if I wasn't so easily distracted. that would be helpful too.

Back to the office:  We found our old CD collection.  90's and early 2000's CD's.  It's hilarious and awesome and aweful all at the same time.  I've been listening to Garth Brooks non-stop in the mini van (because it's the only place we have a functional CD player thanks to my love of the ipod.)  When I moved on to Tanya Tucker's Love Songs I thought *maybe* I might need some sort of intervention with the CD's.  Today it was the Dixie Chicks.  I think I've finally forgiven them for speaking ill of my favorite president.  The destruction of their careers was probably enough punishment.  I am, of course kidding.  Not about George W though.  I heart him.

Also.  I'm not quite sure why I like American Honkey Tonk Bar Association so much.  But I do.  I feel like Weird Al could totally remake it for church.

This is how my mind works.

I will leave you with a Tanya Tucker love song that I used to listen to as a teenager.  Turns out, IT WAS ABOUT ME.

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Time

I've been thinking about time.  And how bad I am at it.

I am not the best manager of time.  I'm just not.  Every night I go to bed thinking, "big fat fail today, but TOMORROW, tomorrow I will use my time better!"  And then I don't.

I procrastinate and procrastinate and then hurry-like-crazy.  Even when I am functioning is a sort-of-not-waste-of-time manner, I feel like I'm wasting time.  To plod along like I believe normal people do, you know:  Time Managers, seems totally do-able.  But then it's not.  

In reality, although I do waste a lot of time, I know that much of what I do only feels like time wasted, and IS REALLY NOT TIME WASTED.  *yelling*  Just kidding.  Not yelling.

I thoroughly enjoy planning ways to manage my time well.  I've got printable schedules and itemized to-do lists, all in pretty colors.  In case pretty colors will help me with my time problems.  Umm, they do not.

But anyways.  It's part of who I am.  Maybe God will redeem it.  Maybe it's who I will always be.  Either way, now it's written down so that when I am old and can't remember my husband, he will read me my blog and remind me who I am.  Or was.  And then we will die when we are old, at the very same moment.  They should really make a movie like that...

Just kidding.

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Don't Bother...

This morning my husband asked me what I blogged yesterday.  And then I had to slap my forehead with my hand because I totally forgot about it yesterday.

My bad.  It was bound to happen.

I read some interesting stuff on the internet today.  Some made me laugh, some made me sad.  Some made me think that there is scary junk out there. Ebola.

Lot's of it made me think that people are pretty...dumb.  Or blind.  Or both.   I think I will not be reading things on the internet for a few days.  And then I write nonsense on the internet.  Irony is the spice of life.  

I'm just gonna sign off now, and still count this as a post.  

*high-five*

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Currently...

Currently...

1. listening: To my washing machine, because it                           is 8:23 and all my children are still asleep.  Thank you Jesus.

2.  eating:  Black coffee.  It counts.

3.  drinking: Black coffee.

4. wearing: bermudas, blue v-neck, gray cardi & glasses.  Neither of which I wore yesterday or slept in so I call that a Summer Success.

5.  feeling:  Laid-back & caught-up.  

6. weather: Blue skies and a nice breeze and the humidity is pretty perfect today.  Iowa had redeemed itself.

7. wanting:  to paint the living room & office.  White.  It's happening this weekend.  Boo yah.  

8. needing:  to buy the boys shoes to wear to my nephew's wedding next weekend.  

9. thinking:  A lot of life happens in one little day.  

10. enjoying:   The quiet.  This post is finished and my kids are still sleeping.  Even the dog is still sleeping.  Best Day Ever.

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Killing May

May is sort of killing me.  It's like a million different things going on all the time.  

One of my favorite quotes is by John Owen  "Be killing sin or it will be killing you."  There's more to that quote, I cut the first part off.  Whatever, it's May and I have to hurry.

Point:  My new quote is "Be killing May or it will be killing you."

Seriously.

And what do you do, if you're me, and it's already a crazy/busy month?  You decide to paint things that don't actually have to be painted.

My theory is, if life is crazy, just go ahead and make it crazier.  Go big or go home.

Barstools...


And the front door.  It's navy...and hard to get a good pic of.



And we planted some flowers...

Jake had a spring concert so we dressed him up snazzy (in his Easter clothes) and he was adorable.

This is my extra annoyed fake smile because he wouldn't stop being so "adorable."

And this is my new favorite neon polka dotted shirt that I found on sale at the J Crew Factory store (online.)  If I could wear it every day I would.  I'm kidding.  I can wear it everyday and I will.  If something is dotted or striped or glittered it is automatically in my love pile.  

Did I mention that I am super happy that neon is back again.  It's like 7th grade all over again.  I'll try to avoid it from head to toe this time...but I make no promises.

We have our closing Bible Club program tonight (kids ministry) and then I will have officially "killed" May 8th.

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Life in Random

Let's Random, shall we?

• It's March 11th and we have, yet again, another snow day.  It hurts.  Is it possible to overdose on Vitamin D supplements? In my head I keep chanting, spring is coming spring is coming spring is coming.  Because it has to.
• Lucy is going to be three next month.  Wow.  She loves Dora, Strawberry Shortcake and most recently:  Spiderman.  I love being home with her...even on the days that she makes me crazy.  
• I have a new baby niece named Ella.  She is the cutest.

• We have been watching The Bible on the History channel on Sunday nights.  The boys love it.  It's been a great opportunity for dialogue with them.  They get annoyed with us pausing it all the time to tell them background info or to explain that certain parts of the movie didn't really happen like that.  But it's the perfect opportunity to see the Bible come to life and fill in truth in their lives.  
• 
  

Spring is coming.  Right?

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Bet Ya Didn't Know...

This summer was quite possibly the fastest summer ever.  My kids go back to school in 12 days.  


Yeah.


I'm a little bi-polar about that.  Happy, sad, happy, sad.  Ultimately though...it's gotta happen.


We have sucked the life out of summer this year.  Ate it up, completely and entirely.  I think we can thank The Summer List for that.


I documented it all; in my head.  And with pictures.  But somehow, it never managed to make it to the blog.  #kickmyself.  But it's stuff I don't want to forget, so I'm going to attempt to go back through the last month (or so) and catch up.  


But just for kicks, let's start with today.

• We have a drought going on.  Four years ago we had a flood, and now we have a drought.  It gives us something to talk to each other about at the post office, gas station, and any other awkward opportunity for conversation.  
• Julie is BACK.  I picked her up from the airport the other night.  But that is gonna get it's own blog post...
• I think I have hermit tendencies.  It's more fun and friendly to say I'm a "home-body"  but really I think I could live as a hermit...if people would just leave me alone.  *wink*   Now don't get me wrong.  I said hermit, and not hoarder.  I thoroughly enjoy throwing things away.  
• Next week we are taking Lucy's pacifier away.  God help us all. 
• I'm utterly addicted to the Olympics.  Gabby Douglas, she trained in Iowa.  That's right, for two Olympic's in a row, Iowa has produced two gold medalists.  Take that Russia.  

Now for the playing catch-up posts to begin...


And, if you would like, you can leave me a comment and we can discuss ever-so-awkwardly how the weather has been in real life...and it will be just like you saw me in person.  At the gas station...where I frequent often for fountain pop and fried cheese curds.  


Oh, one last thing:  I'm cooking with the convection mode on my oven tonight.    This is the exciting information you've missed out on for the past month.  Exciting.  

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Today I...

Today I...

• Before I even opened my eyes this morning, I was already praying for God's help in areas I knew I was destined to fail at as soon as my feet hit the floor.  I need His help turning opportunities and conversations and   pretty much EVERYTHING into spiritual opportunities.  Because I am missing them.  Missing them as is in:  Doing it myself and can't seem to locate them, kind of deal.    
• Can't shake this book I'm reading.  I'm half way through it, and then I'll let ya in on it so you can read it and let it mess with you too.  Good stuff.  It's got me thinking about how even as a believer in Christ, I often live as though this life on earth is the real deal and Heaven is real, but not "real, real."  Clear as mud?  I say that spiritual life is eternal, that Jesus is really the only thing that matters...and then I get distracted by some shiny object and pretend that all this stuff on earth actually matters.  Someone kick me.  Oh wait, that book just did.
• Ran hills this morning, even though I just ran hills on Sunday night and my butt still hurts.  But lately, the pain of running feels good...and it's been awhile since it felt good.  I'll take it.
• Fed Lucy three sticks of string cheese.  I'll likely need to follow that up with feeding her three glasses of prune juice tomorrow.  You do what ya gotta do.
• I'm watching the puppy chew on my shoe.   Normally I'd get up...but my backside hurts too much.  I don't really like the shoe that much anyways.  It's your lucky day, puppy.
• On Facebook there are these For Sale Groups, you all have these?  Anyways, in the past two days I've scored a sweet retro-ish sectional couch ($75)  and little brown UGG boots for Lucy for $20.  I will show you them soon.  Yay me!  Side note:  Do you see how that is in the SAME POST as bullet point #2? Ironic is my middle name.  
• I am so uber excited about The Olympics that I can hardly stand it.  July 27th.  Yippee!  I should have a party, since I'm gonna have a sectional couch now.  And then there's that new big addition.   But I'll have to have them promise to be quiet so I can watch every.single.minute.  The bios, the commercials, the background sad sob stories.  Oh I love it all.  I'm a terribly un-fun hostess.  Not even Pinterest can help me.
• I just stopped writing because I realized I hadn't checked on Lucy for a bit.  Bad idea.  I found her dumping water out of the kitchen sink and onto the floor.  Seriously, she's a destructive force.  I can't take my eyes off her for a minute.  You'd think I would learn...
• Also, I'm pretty sure I've declared that it's grilled cheese for supper.  "Make your own"  grilled cheese for supper.  And yes, I say supper and not dinner, because I'm all Midwestern like that.

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Lately...

I love Summer.  I do.  It's relaxed and crazy, all at the same time.  We're settling in to our non-routine pretty nicely.  Except when we're not.  And so goes life.

• Jake, #3 son, baby of the boys, turned seven this week.  We started out his day with Strawberry shakes and cupcakes for breakfast.  His big brothers had a Little League game the night of his birthday, so in order to try to make it special for him I gave him ten bucks for the concession stand.  Nachos, suckers, Snickers, Gatorade, sugary strips of some sort of candy, you name it and he bought and ate it.  I still can't believe he didn't get sick.  We call that a birthday success.  
• I've been sewing and crafting again lately.  It's been beautiful outside, and I should really be out enjoying it...but when the urge to create strikes, I think one should just go with it.  
• I came to a conclusion this week: When I have PMS, there are certain people that I just should.not.speak.with.  Ya know what I mean?  Like...I can handle them three weeks out of the month and then *BAM*  PMS week happens and my brain switches to zero-tolerance.  
• Noah (11) has $60 to his name.  According to him he is a "60 dollionaire"  
• Lucy has been waking up in the morning with a dry diaper.  It probably means she's ready to be potty-trained.  If only I were ready to potty train her.  
• I started back to running again after a two week hiatus.  If only running and I could get past our love-hate relationship that we've had going on since...well, forever.  
• I went to a home party thing last week, where they sell designer denim. I bought a pair of capris that have bling on the butt.  I kid you not.  I tried to find the least blingy ones, but there is still some bling.  They're comfy and I like them, but the bling is still not me.  I picked some of it off.  Don't tell.  
• This post would be better with pictures...if only I had them uploaded them.
• Right now, my 11 year old has asked me THREE times if I'm sure it's Friday and not Saturday.  I'M SURE.  Sheesh.
• Four years ago today, our tiny town flooded.  But today, it's better than ev-ah.  I have pictures to prove it.  And when I upload them, I'll show ya. ;)
• I miss blogging regularly.  I could blame the four kids, puppy, husband, house, ministry for sucking up all my time...but really, there's time to squeeze out yet...I just need to DO IT.  
• I'm off to upload some pictures so that my next post is less boring.  I'm kidding...it will still be boring but at least their will be visuals to assist it.
• Happy FRIDAY!  Even though my child still doesn't believe me that it's Friday....*insert eye roll*

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Around Here...

The remodel project is coming along!  

And upstairs...

...just little sneak peaks. :)  I promise a whole walk through once it's done.


Right now I should be painting...


Anyways.  


My organization spree continues.  Again.


I started using a plain old planner from Target this fall.  Just to see if I would actually use it.  And I did *insert clapping for myself*


So, when I found a coupon for this planner that I've been dreaming about.  I jumped on it.


Thank you www.erincondren.com 

The. Cutest. Planner. Ever.


On another note...

• I went to vacuum out my van today, but then decided it was too windy.
  I'd likely get a ticket for littering once I opened the van doors and the wind got a hold of all the garbage in there.  Now, instead, it can just blow out when I pick the boys up from school.  Nice.
• Priming drywall is hard work.  And I am a wimp.  
• I stood in Target for several minutes trying to find the best deal on ground coffee (by the pound.)  Because lately, I've been a little picky.  And cheap.  I finally decided on one that was $7.99 (Archer Farms Caramel.)  Oddly, I didn't think twice about the almost $5 I paid for ONE grande iced caramel macchiato that I giddily bought from Starbucks on my way out Target's door.  At least I'm aware of my discrepancies.
• Lucy thinks Curious George is a dog.    
• I watched The Bodyguard twice this weekend.  Once, on Lifetime, while there were ten hours of commercials...but I did get my whole ironing pile done.  Then last night, DVR'd, so I could skip commercials.  I have no shame.   

Happy Monday!

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Today and Yesterday...

Here's some random:

• I'm trying to make a menu for the week, but I can't seem to get past BLT's.  I guess we'll eat them every night.
• I'm in desperate need of a blog makeover.  I've said that before...but THIS time I'm doing something about it.
• This weekend I get to go on a little girls getaway.  YAY.  When we planned it, we didn't realize it was also Father's Day weekend.  Oops.  But what better way to help celebrate than to let our husbands have the kids ALL to themselves?  
• I've been painting lots of things turquoise:

 

You get the idea.  I've recently bought orange and grey spray paint, but haven't quite decided what to paint.

• My oldest is away at camp for the week.  It's his first time away...he was thrilled.  Letting go is hard.  And feels weird.  
• Ben and I had a date night on Saturday.  You know you're in a building project when date night involves looking at cabinets and flooring at Lowes.  Floor plans and details make my head hurt.  Starbucks helped make it better.
• I made a quilt this weekend. Well, sorta.  My mother in law cut the squares for me, because I have a TERRIBLE time cutting things evenly.  I still have to sew the back on, but here it is:

This little chicklet helped.  She liked to push the foot pedal to the sewing machine every single time I turned around to iron.   But with that smile, what can you do?!?

Side Note:  I now cannot stand the material I put on the chairs awhile back.  I'm not sure what I was thinking at the time.  Bleh.  I'm on the lookout for new material that fits in with my new "vision"...new cheap material ;)

• I have a new favorite skirt that I can't wait to share with you, but I have to take a picture first.  
• I love love love Summer.  
• I really have to go get groceries now.  Bye!

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Eaglet

I've been watching this video for weeks.  My kids have been watching it at school and at home.  The whole state of Iowa (and beyond) can't seem to get enough of this bird.

One  of the little baby Eagles  is scheduled to hatch today.  TODAY.

God's design for life is simply amazing...



Video clips at Ustream

Don't worry about getting anything done today...there's an eagle about to be born...who can miss that?!?

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Let's Chat...

There's so many new blogs I've been visiting because they offer so many ideas, inspirations, tips, and projects they've been working on that after all their genius I feel a little....boring, with a capital B.

It's a good thing I'm super cool with being boring.

But I do know some things.  A few.  A couple.

1 - I buy Lucy's diapers on Amazon.  They have this amazing Subscribe & Save program (which is free) and you can have all sorts of different things shipped to you for FREE and as regularly as you'd like.  I do once a month.  And for signing up, you get two different discounts to use all the time, which saves you 30%, and today I had a coupon for an extra $10 off.  Cha-ching.  Plus, I never run out and I don't have to add it to my Target list.

2 - I'm getting back into the blogging groove.  This month marks THREE years of blogging.  That's crazy.  This is off subject, but I just saw a man ride by on his bicycle with a trailor thing attached to it that had some sort of barrel on it.  Oh the things I see from my dining room window...

Anyways.

What else can we discuss here?  What are your burning questions?  Let's discuss...and by that, I mean leave me a comment.

Happy Thursday...and yes, I have been taking pictures of my outfits.  Sadly, I still look like a girl who doesn't have anywhere to go. ;)

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Out With the Old

I've composed approximately 250 posts (in my head) since my last post.  If only they typed themselves out...someday they will, those apple people come up with all sorts of great stuff. ;)

But until then, (by which I mean, until they steal my idea) let me summarize:

• The last post felt good.  Really good.  Writing without my filter, made me aware that somewhere along the way I had started over filtering without even realizing it.  Filters are not bad.  They're necessary.  But too much filtering takes out the good stuff too.
• Your comments made me smile.  And encouraged me.  You're all ridiculously wonderful. :)
• Ridiculous is the word I'm now overusing.  
• I'm getting a sewing machine and I'm going to start making cute stuff.  Why not?  Back several years ago, I started reading a friends blog and I thought to myself: Self, you could never do that. You need to be gifted in that area first. But then time went by and I read more blogs and thought: Eh, anybody can blog, just do it.  And, as it goes, it's turned out just fine.  Which, in essence is the same with sewing...or at least that's what I'm telling myself.  ;)  
• I do know how to use a sewing machine.  I think.  I'm sure it's like riding a bike. *cough*
• My first project if going to be a baby blanket, because my expert friends tell me this is a good place to start.  Don't worry, I'll take pictures...and we can all laugh together.
• Until then, I'm working on the aftermath of all of us switching bedrooms.  I thought about taking pictures, but that just seemed like one more thing to do and so I purposely skipped it.  Next time.  *cough*
• I also need to clear out my scrapbook stuff (my previous hobby that bit the dust a couple years ago) to make room for my new sewing hobby...because that's how I roll.

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To My Long Lost Readers...

I haven't blogged since last Monday. Yikes. It was a busy week...throw in some sleep deprivation from a newborn and ya get no blogging.

And because no amount of coffee is going to lift that fog, I give you bullet points.

• Our internet went down yesterday. I spent quite a long time on the phone with our service provider in hopes that they could fix it. They couldn't. She told me to consult my computer professional. Which would be my brother Ryan. And THEN (after texting Ryan about my dire circumstance) I went over to see if the wireless router was plugged into the wall...and it WAS NOT! And then I fixed it. YAY me! Note to Qwest: the next time I call, you should in fact treat me like an idiot and ask if it is plugged into the wall. Problem solved.
• Little Lucy is a little bit naughty at night-time. Apparently the Moses Basket that she spends countless hours a day napping in, is not good enough at night time. She wants to snuggle in my arms. Which is precious. And annoying all at the same time. But man, is she cute.
• The adorable pictures at the top were taken by my friend Sarah. So the "Captured by Sarah" is not me. I wish it were...I also wish the PICTURES WERE BIGGER AND THAT BLOGGER WOULD JUST COOPERATE WITH ME! She took so many good ones, and I'll work on getting them posted soon, because you really will want to see them...in a size that you don't need a magnifying glass for. Blogger better get it's act together in the mean time...or else. ;)
• It's hair cut day today. I had debated letting it grow out a little more, because it's already several inches longer than it was (thanks to hormones and preggo vitamins.) And then I remembered that I really don't like my hair that long and so today, the inches are coming off. If only a haircut could also take away about 30 pregnancy pounds with it...
• I've had lots of emails asking how nursing is going...remember that post? I'm happy (and amazed) top report that it's going really well!! Lucy is a natural at it...and thanks to you and your comments (and my nurse-friend Stephanie) I'm much better prepared this time around. But...
• Lucy will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. I'm gonna wait another week and start mostly walking/jogging. I'm so anxious to get back to running, I miss it terribly. But, the thought of running with "these nursing machines" I currently have makes me cringe in pain a little. Any tips other than binding my sports bra even tighter with massive amounts of duct tape?!? Seriously. Help me.

Well, I think that's more than enough information to process for one day. :)

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They Think I'm Stupid...

Well, this is random, but...

Today in the mail, we got a letter from the car dealer where we purchased our mini van five years ago.

The letter informed us that they have a high demand for 2003 Dodge Caravans, and they'd love for us to come in and trade ours. Along with the offer was a $500 dollar incentive.

Are you kidding me?

Do they really think I'm dumb enough to think that people are flocking through their doors begging for a 2003 minivan that's been driven by a mama to 3 boys for the past five years?

Get real.

And a measly $500 incentive? They're gonna have to do better than that to get me to give up my minivan that I'm strangely attached to.

They'll also need to send me an apology for insulting my intelligence. *wink*

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It's Magic

I'm a smells person. Good or bad, I'll be able to smell it.

Starbucks = good

My hair after I've colored it = bad

New paint = good

Odie = bad. Very bad.

Rain and mud = good

Fresh cut grass = close to heavenly.

Babies = Best

The list could go on forever.

One of my all time favorites I've recently stockpiled:

I just can't get enough of it.

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Because I'm Human...

I have to tell you, your comments yesterday completely brought a smile to my face.

After I read my own list, and before hitting publish, I thought to myself...wow, pretty pathetic. And smiled. And then after reading your comments I smiled some more, because the truth of it is, most of the stuff that annoys us is also stuff we love dearly.

Because being annoyed occasionally, is not being ungrateful. It's being human. So a big thanks to all of you for sharing in my humaness.

Ok, couple of things:

1. I had mentioned the other day that I would share with you the story of a girl calling our house. But, upon further thought, I decided that my son would rather me not share it. I will say, that the next day at school the teacher ended up telling (some) of the girls in the class that they needed to stop telling the boys they "loved" them...that the boys didn't want to be loved by them till Junior High or so. She said all of the boys looked relieved. :) In the mean time, I will be working much harder to perfect my scariness so that any and all girls decide my cute son is just not worth dealing with his mom.
2. Cute, cheap shoes from Target:

Happiness.

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It's a Two-Week Addiction...

I tried to stay away from the topic of the Olympics. I really have. Because once the flood gate opens, I may not be able to stop myself.

I love the Olympics dearly. I've recorded all of it...even the boring stuff. Sometimes I watch it super fast, but I still feel the need to watch it none the less.

It's my American duty.

I'm amazed at their commitment. And the winter Olympians, they are a special kind of crazy. Fearless. Inspiring.

Our whole family has gotten into it. Noah, our 8 year old is desperate to buy a snowboard after watching Shaun White. In the mean time, he's been sliding down the snow pile in the yard, while standing on his red sled. It's snowboarding tiny-town style. I need to video it.

Ben and I have become expert judges in all events, thanks to the information the commentators give us.

Snowboarding was the most entertaining. Downhill skiing and their crazy crashes they walk away from left me with my mouth open. Speed skating keeps me on the edge of my seat. The Luge and skeleton thingy makes me half cover my eyes in fear. And the Figure skating/ice dancing brings out my best judging abilities. *cough*

And the behind-the-scenes stories...suck. me. in.

Good times.

Last night though...last night was something new. Did you see the 2-man American bobsledding team?!? Did you? The one guy looks like a linebacker. Not the average Olympian physique...which made me want him to win all the more!

I'm gonna stop myself now. But don't you just love the Olympics?!? :)

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It Looks Like This:

I haven't much time...I'm watching Nacho Libre while Christmas baking.

It's like the movie that goes with every occasion.

Oh, there's some kiddos running around as well.

My kitchen looks like this:

My (21 week) belly (in my MOST favoritist tshirt that I just got on clearance for CHEAP) looks like this:

And my new hair cut like this:

And outside, well it looks like this:

Now if I could stop eating all the treats I'm making, there might actually be some to give away.

Merry Monday Everyone!

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