Change..

They say change is good...

I'd say should change involve work (and a ton of it)...it may not be so good! I guess only time will tell.

In a moment of weakness, we (and I say that lightly) decided to rip all the carpet from the stairs..I know what you're thinking..Oh, to save money before new carpet arrives? Nope, not that smart, this dummy ripped it up because all of a sudden painted stairs sounded fun! Why do I read blogs??? It's like a drug!

Well fun it is not. Because as easy as it was to rip up the carpet and the padding and even the staples, it is not fun having sanding dust in and on EVERYTHING!!! No matter how well you try to protect the rest of the house, it's on everything.

So, here I sit at 6:30 on a Sunday morning, unable to sleep after a long night of work because all I can think of is the task at hand.

This better be the best DIY project ever or I'm never reading another blog!! Yeah..ok, it's the lack of sleep talking!

I'll post pictures soon...well after I clean about 1,000 pounds of dust up!

Happy Sunday morning to you!!!

Updates and such...

Sad times...


When the family of bunnies  left for the storm they left one behind. We didn't know until mid storm when we noticed the water up to his neck. After digging him out of the mud hole with a shovel, we gave him a safe place to wait out the storm. Unfortunately he isn't doing so well. We've cleaned him up, made him a new home, and tried to give him food and water but I think we were WAY to late. 


He's the saddest thing...he's trying to get up but cannot. We tried calling the humane society and the PO nature center but there lines are not working. 


Stupid Irene! 







Hi everybody, Happy Friday!!

I wanted to start by giving an update on the 1st week of high school. Things have been really good, she seems to like it a lot. She's been pretty good at sharing her day so far, but the moody teenager came out today when I asked...so the sharing may be short lived. 

Here's a picture of her from the 1st official day of school. Please note the annoyed look as I insisted on the picture. She's lucky she's cute!

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Bunnies!

Last week we were in the back yard and saw this little critter come through the fence. It was super cute but a bit slimy. Shortly after, its brother/sister came out to play. 

As cute as we thought they were...oh my...they are so cute now...they're growing up so fast!

I <3 them now!

Isn't he/she adorable? I want it and its family to stay forever. 

Bobby on the other hand...wants them gone like yesterday! 

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IRENE:

So, Irene is coming to visit but she wasn't invited. Please go away soon and leave everyone unharmed. Oh, and please be gentle to our bunnies and make sure my sump pump works! 

Side note: I'm not at all impressed with this whole sump pump thing..it's too much for me to handle!

Take care everyone....be safe!

Nik

Big Changes!

I know it's been a while since I've written which sucks because I have so much to share:

• Family information
• House updates
• Day trips
• Critters
• Craft projects

I'm super excited to share this with you all and I will very soon.
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Getting old? 


Do you ever think...Man I'm getting old? Well at this moment, I KNOW I'm getting old. How do I know (besides the obvious signs), because tomorrow my baby is going to High School!


High School: Four years of crazy stories that you don't want to share with your kids. Not that I was wild or out of control or anything. But it's a time of making poor choices and not thinking about the consequences. Luckily I have this defect of being obsessed with not breaking any rules...but if no rules were set...then none to break. Which is why we have a crap load of rules in our house.


Tomorrow my baby will begin four  years of making her own choices and stories. Stories that she probably won't want to share with her kids or her Mom! So, here's to hoping that she'll continue to come home and do a complete dump of her day (which is my FAVORITE part). And Punky (if you read this)...should you ever decide that you no longer want to share...I'm not proud..I'll bribe you, how about non skim milk?? huh?? huh?? you know your interested!!


Until then.. may you enjoy your first day of High School...I can't wait to hear all about it!

I love you more than life,


Mom

Welcome to my crazy life!!!

A few weeks ago when the renewal packet showed up on the door of the place we are leasing we had a big shock! Really...$2,200+ to rent a 3 bedroom apartment!!! So reality set in and we decided it was time to put our big kid pants on and look into purchasing a place of our own.

Bobby's job brought us to Maryland in 2003 and we kept thinking "this is temporary", but after all this time, we have come to the realization that it's more permanent!

So we met with our friend/realtor Jen and started on a grand adventure of looking at every type of townhouse that Piney Orchard has to offer. Yes, we have chosen a townhouse because I'd rather not be poor. And for those of you in SD, we don't have "regular" homes like yours (this is the 1st question I get asked)...so a townhouse it is.  

We looked at over 25 places and though we had a blast in the process, it was stressful. We found a place that I LOVED...and put in an offer. Unfortunately, the owners were jerks so..they still have a for sale sign in their yard.   Even if it's not in the picture, I can assure you it's there!

We kept looking and ended up choosing Bobby's favorite place... I'm actually not bitter! It's basically the exact same model as the one I loved but not as many upgrades. Bobby liked it because the current owners used one of the storage rooms in the basement as a bike/skateboard work station (we will not be doing this). 

So offer has been accepted, contracts signed and tomorrow Bobby (and Jen, if she's well) will be there for the home and chimney inspections. I am not attending this event because I will freak out over every detail.

I will update with more later but at this time...please wish us luck and keep us in your thoughts. If this doesn't workout...were headed to someones basement since our lease is up on 8/9/11. 

No worries...it'll be fine! I'm putting my order in and I'm asking to be moved into this house on 7/29/11!

Much luv...

NIK

NKOTBSB.....REALLY!!

Sunday evening Sabrina and I attended our first girls night out on the town. I have to say much as I hate being reminded of how old I am (with a 14 yr old),  I LOVE having a 14 yr old. We got dressed, did our hair and makeup and set our sights on Baltimore.

This in itself is an accomplishment for me as I'm a nervous nellie in downtown traffic. One way signs, train tracks, people walking out in front of you....phew...way too much for me! Anyway..back to the concert-

When tickets for New Kids on the Block (and Backstreet Boys) first went on sale I thought I HAVE TO GO....then I saw how much  they were and just couldn't do it. So I was ok with the fact that everyone would be talking about how fun it was and I'd just have to put my big girl pants on and realize that you can't keep up with the Joneses (they're probably broke anyway). But alas...my favorite website EVER Groupon allowed me to see the boy band of my youth for only $42. I was SUPER excited not only to see them but to share the event with my girl.

The fear of the Groupon was that I had no idea where our seats would be. But they were awesome! We sat 5 rows from the floor and right in front of the 2nd stage! We were so lucky! You cannot tell by our camera shots due to the high tech lighting they used but at one point Joey came right to the ledge in front of us and sang!

So..how were they??? Um...the first thing that comes to mind is Older! They were still pretty attractive and could reach the super high notes that they used to but I have to admit it was weird. A couple times I felt like I was watching the "Situation" on the Jersey Shore. A few of them felt it was necessary to lift up or rip their shirts in order to show off their abs. STILL.....SUPER FUN! I felt like I was in 7th grade all over again. Side note: this guy in the picture....hilarious and his "lady friend" even better! The people of Walmart in real life (sorry..that was mean!).

I tend to be reserved (almost to a fault)..you won't see me sing or dance in public but Bri and I were shaking our butts off! I had a blast feeling like a kid again...even if only for a couple hours!

So having time to think about it, I totally would have paid full price to spend that night with Bri reliving old memories and singing along with the boys! She looked at me like I was crazy a couple times but what else is new. She's not the type of girl who would write Sabrina Bieber on her folder (neither was I) but she really didn't get my excitement!

If you were an obsessed pre-teen that had a mad obsession for one of these boys, I'd totally suggest going. Especially if you have a 14 year old that would enjoy the experience with you.

Much Much Love!!!

Nik!

PS-this event lead me to find the New Kids on the Block station on Pandora..not much of their music but a great station!Try it out sometime!

Week in review..

This week has been super busy for me. On the 11th, I was voted in as the Secretary of the Arundel Instrumental Music Association...I keep asking myself..WHY???? The simple answer is..I'd do anything to give my girl the best opportunity possible..even if I might want to shoot myself in the process! 

 I spent my nights this week in meetings (Monday-Thursday from 7pm-10:30pm at the latest) with various people trying to get a better  understanding as to what I've gotten myself into.  Some were informative and some super fun! But by Thursday morning,  I though I was going to cry I was so tired. I actually had to  warn everyone at work that  I was tired and emotional so just ignore me. 

My family wasn't all that pleased with my time away from home!

We began a Walking and Movement Challenge at work..yeah, let's add something else you don't have time for! I am struggling with finding the time to get in the required minutes  to stay even close to those on the team! I HATE to lose at anything...but I'm definitely losing this one! It has been fun trying to find 30-60 minutes to get some movement in...I had to be creative..thanks to a gigantic exercise ball, I got a few extra minutes on Friday bouncing away at my desk.

We've had a ton of rain this week which has ruined any chances for Sabrina to play softball. This was a bummer for her, but kind of a good thing for me since I would have missed  it. She has been so excited lately as she was invited to spend the weekend with one of her best friends (that moved pretty far away). Whenever I talk to her (and read her FB posts), its obvious she is having an AMAZING time! It's so good to hear her have fun. She stays so busy with team sports that she never has a chance to have fun. Sometimes, I think she has forgotten how..which makes me sad. Hearing her this weekend adds a warmness to my heart! I love to hear the happiness in her voice!

The rain has also put a damper on Bobby's riding time. Without time on his bike, Bobby can be a bear to live with. But alas Friday and Saturday has allowed him to get some riding time in (phew!). He is training to ride in the Kelly Bike Jam race this Saturday. Good luck Bob...please be safe! Side note: As I am typing, we are watching the Tour de California..cycling all the time! We are almost unable to use our DVR as it is full with past years races that he watches over and over and over!

Last night, Bobby and I had a date night. We went to see the latest Pirates movie (very good), had dinner at my favorite place Nando's Peri Peri, and went to Lush to see my friends. Not a fancy night, no need to dress up, dinner didn't break the bank but it was "super yummy"! We had a blast! Great time with fabulous company!

 I have so much more to ramble about but I gotta get some movement in!! 

Much love!

For those of you reading, I'm selfishly glad you made it through the "rapture" with me!

Rapture diet is over...salad and grain is my future!

Happy Mothers Day!

It's Mothers Day and a fantastic time for me to remember that I couldn't be more blessed.

I have such a cool husband that truly adores me (cause I said so!), either that or he just wants to keep me from complaining. Although, he's super cute when he's truly trying to make me happy!


I have a daughter that is absolutely amazing. I know I keep saying that but she truly is! I mean don't get me wrong, I think it's her life's mission to make my life difficult! But then there's the times when she sneaks up behind me and hugs me real tight and tells me how much she loves me! And it's so easy to forget all of the other stuff!


With all that said, you should know that they are VERY alike in that they are SUPER selfish...but not for the Mothers Day/Birthday Weekend. Yesterday the 2 people that have mastered the "it's all about me" attitude  gave me the freedom of choosing our day. It was a BLAST!!

Sabrina and I started our morning with a 2 mile walk to the community yard sale. It was very cool to just talk (and sometimes BEG her to talk to me...I could punch the person who invented headphones)! It was a beautiful day and if I'm remembering correctly, we made the entire trip without a single argument (this is HUGE).


Then we headed into Baltimore for a day at the Flowermart. We walked in the sun and rain to see vendors, shows, etc. It was beautiful down there...makes me kinda sad that we never go there. Bri and I got a few bracelets, Bob got a chocolate dipped belgian waffle on a stick (I KNOW!!!), and then we got some amazing Jalapeno infused olive oil. I can't wait to try that on...something!?!

(WOW...I'm getting old...I will be 34 tomorrow..but seriously!!!)

So normally, I'd be thinking well enjoy that ride cause your day of fun is over...but no, they let me continue to navigate! SO I took over, we headed to Whole Foods and Costco! LUCKY DAY!


In the evening, Bob went to a friends house to watch a fight...this is when the real fun began!

It was girls night!!

We went to the batting cages, played miniature golf (where Bri totally cheated), and had sugar free smoothies and bean dip for dinner! Then spent many hours sitting on the couch just talking about stuff...friends, boys, and life! It was the best day EVER!!!


This day may not be all that impressive to some, I understand its not like receiving a trip to some exotic location, not a car (or scooter) wrapped in a huge red ribbon, there wasn't even a famous blue box involved. But it was just as special if not even more than all of those things to me!  I love my family to pieces! The only thing that could have made this day any more special would have been to have more family around. I wish that I was closer (in location) to the rest of you!


May all of you have a best day ever in your future! Happy Mothers Day!


Much love!!


Nik

Cinco De Mayo...

Cinco de Mayo is funny to me. People spend hours waiting in line at the local Mexican restaurant for the same food they could have gotten yesterday or the day before or even the day before that...heck we can have it tomorrow-minus the crowds! Ever heard of Fajita Friday?


Why do we do all of this? Who knows....


For the first time (that I can remember) Bobby and I went out for this adventure. We waited for a table for well over an hour. The restaurant was crowded, the food... mediocre at best, the Mariachi guy...amusing, and the bill...CRAZY for a burrito, tacos, and a slice of tres leche cake!! I keep thinking what our meal would have cost at Cotijas (yummy taco shop in LG...I dream of american guacamole).


However, on the flip side, the company was good...I mean..I was there right????...Well maybe not just cause I was there.  


And so now as I read how negative this sounds I have to ask myself...will you ever do this again????  


Yeah Probably!!


Happy Cinco De Mayo to you and yours!! Enjoy your tacos and burritos!

My life in 3 bullets!

For the past 15ish years I have given all of my time and attention to the ones that I love...and I love them dearly. Have you met them? They're awesome right? Well since this is MY blog...I'll give you some notes from my personal notebook:

• Bobby- He's an amazing husband and friend. Bobby is funny...all the time (even when I don't want him to be). He's the type of person that is ALWAYS on... He's like the energizer bunny who keeps going and going and going...but when those batteries die....watch out we are all in trouble!! But he gives the best hugs!
• Sabrina- This child is amazing! She is beautiful and smart and insecure basically a typical teenager...who makes me laugh and cry and scream and crave chewy cookies and...well you've probably met a teenager so I'm sure you can imagine...I LOVE HER WITH ALL I HAVE!
• Jersey- See this one is odd. Remember when you were a teenager (maybe to much information) and you had that teddy bear that you couldn't live without? The one that never turned it's back on you, you could squeeze it and hug it and cry on it... that  is just like Jers. He's the most amazing dog on the face of the earth..with a ton of fans..I'm not making this up!

I am pretty lucky...they love me too even though...I'm a bit crazy!