Man, was it hot out today. Madison and I were stuck here at the house with no car so we couldn't go anywhere. So, I filled up her little plastic pool with water and we hung out outside for as long as we could stand it...

Suntanning and laying out by the pool and paint our toenails. Girly stuff like that.Yes, her toes are much cuter than mine! Then about 3:00 we went out for our 3 mile walk. I don't know why I would take us out on our walk at that time of the day because I honestly don't think I ever have sweated that much in my lifetime! It was HOT! At least I got my walk in. I wanted to go tonight when I usually go...about 7:30 pm or so but my calf (the one that I had my kite injury with) was/is a little sore and I didn't think that I should push it. I wonder when that thing is really going to heal. Probley the next time I really take a break from my walking which will probley be in the winter time unless I join a gym by then.

We have been eating dinner outside everynight. It's been so nice. I am on a salad kick. Only salads this week for me for dinner time. I suppose I'll have to cook the family something one of these days. Maybe tomorrow. Then Steve set off some fireworks outside, which were pretty cool and we came in to go to bed.

Kinda a boring day, but it was kind of nice to stay at the house. I feel like we run so much. We were suppose to go to a friend's pool today but we didn't have our car. My friend has a daughter who's about 6 or 7 so it's a fun age for them to play together.

Anways, I took my nighty night pill and it should start knocking me out pretty soon! Night!

I love this layout of madison at jimmy and alexis's farm. We still don't know when we are going to get down to the farm and get the truck because Steve has meetings and stuff the rest of the week and then on Saturday I want to go watch Kayla and Haylie at her swim meet. Then after that we have a graduation party to go to. So, the next possible time would have to be Sunday.

Today Madison and I went to the Shakopee pool and meet Auntie Lynnie there. Boy, I am telling you this sticker thing really works. Works like a charm. I am careful not to abuse the word "sticker" or she'll resent it and protest by doing what she shouldn't do. But when she starts getting to the point of being fussy I tell her that I really want to help her get her sticker and she straightens out! Oh, then we went ice skating today. Okay...so she didn't cry at all but she basically laid down in the middle of the rink and didn't move for almost the whole time. Her old teacher brought her in today and I said, sorry....and she laughed and said that her current teacher said, "I thought you said she ice skated before" and the old teacher said, "SHE DID". I think my child is regressing and not progressing. It's because of the time of day that ice skating lessons are. 3:30 -4:00 is NOT a good time for little children to be trying to do anything other than laying around or napping.

Here is a picture of Nikki and Grandma "homie" Gracie. Ha, I laughed so hard at this picture.
Look at this cool picture of Steve looking outside a window of Jimmy and Alexis's farmhouse. I LOVE this picuture of him. Below are some layouts I did of Madison down at their farm on Saturday....

Our truck is still down at the farm. If you wondering why is our truck down there, it's because the truck jammed up (the key) and won't start. Actually after I drove down there and we got back to our house, Steve looked up on the internet to see if other's have gone through this with their Dodge and by golly, yes they have. It was suggested to take a rubber mallot and hit the key in the ignition a few times and it will start. Guess what? It started. NOW we have to drive all the way down there to go get the truck. Glad we don't have to pay to get it fixed at least.

I got to go out with some girlfriends for breakfast/brunch on Saturday after we got back from the farm. It was fun. I never go out with them, so it was good to catch up.

Oh, it was fun at Grandma Gracie's house. Madison was really good up there. Oh, I guess that is because her behavior chart is working like a charm! Who knew!

Anyways, I had to get up early and go drive Steve into work this morning. I like being up early. GETTING up early is different than liking to be up early. I think we are going to go to the beach today since it is so nice out again. Today is usually the day that we would have a playdate with Indio and Kari, but I called her last night to let her know that I didn't know if I would have the car or not. Anways, I think we are just going to go to the shakopee pool today. Then she has ice skating lessons. Oh, I hope so much that she BEHAVES today and wants to actually skate. She's been a little crabby apples this morning (but not too bad) so who knows how it's going to end up. We'll see I guess.

Can't think what else I was going to blog about. It seems like there is a ton of stuff but now I can't remember anything! Too early in the morning for me still, I guess!

Seems like forever since I have blogged. I have a really bad headache right now so I am not going to really blog other than put some photos up. Lots have happened in the last few days so I will try to blog when I feel a bit better. Shoot...I tried to upload pictures and it said that there are some internal errors so I'll also have to do that at a later time. Check back tomorrow *which is probley today for everyone.
Have a great day.

Well, tomorrow Madison and I are heading out to Grandma Gracies for the next 3 days. Steve is going down to Jimmy's farm with his bike. He said he wouldn't go but that doesn't make for a happy guy so I gave in and told him to just go. I am not bitching about this....I am just stating it as it is. Then next weekend he'll be home but the weekend after that he'll be down there again. I will just take it in stride, hopefully and deal with it. I still am not kidding anyone that I am happy about this. I could say no but where will that get me? It's just easier if he goes and then try to deal with it. So anyways....I didn't want to stay home alone so we are heading out to grandma gracies until Saturday night.

I am kinda tired. I slept through the night last night which is a first in a long, long time. We'll see what happens tonight.

Today we went to the beach with Auntie Lynnie. It was fun. She was a little naughty and Lynnie talked me into doing a star chart for her for when she is a good girl for the am/afternoon hours and for the night hours. She actually got a star tonight. She didn't get one for the afternoon though. I won't get into that. After so many stars she gets to pick a prize out of our prize bucket that we bought today. So far this is working....it made her stop and think about what she was doing and knowing that she is getting rewarded for good behavior. Ahhhh, the threats a parent makes. hee hee. She seems excited by this. And I am happy that this isn't a snackie reward. She eats too many snacks and crap.

I think I am pms'ing cuz I just am tired out by the parenting and marraige issues and all the compromising and working. It's hard work these last two days. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade this for anything but it just seems like some hard work these last few days. Whew. I need a vacation. ha. I went on my 3 mile walk by myself these last 2 days just to "get away". It worked abit. Turned up the volume on my headphones and lost myself for an hour while I walked. It was a good get away. Just enough time to recoup and get back to family life.

Well, I had best get to bed right now. I have some laundry I have to get done tomorrow morning before we go to Grandma Gracies and I will try to get up early tomorrow. NOT that this is going to be done, mind you. But I should because Steve wants me to mow the lawn and get the basement ready for Jimmy and Alexis who are coming tomorrow night. I can only do what I can and can't promise anything is what I told him. I am just so blah feeling that I can't even push myself to do it. I usually LOVE mowing the lawn because it's a bit of a physical outlet for me but it just seems like a lot of work. Yes....I think I just need to get a good night of sleep and get out of this funk that I am in. Good night. Don't let the bed bugs bite.

I can't sleep. It's 4:22 am and I am so tired, yet I can't sleep. Dang it. I hate this. Anyways, I made 2 layouts. How do you like my flowers that I made the other day? Well, I will go try to sleep now....wish me luck.

Mom, btw (that means by the way), I am going to come stay over night on Thursday and Friday night. Steve is going to go ride his bike and I thought I'd come stay a few nights. I'll try to call you tomorrow sometime. If I don't, try me, okay? My blog has become my personal secretary now...

Well, Steve and I went fishing today (he took the day off) and I caught the big one. It was the hugest bass Steve has ever seen. Man, it was sooo awesome catching that thing! Fun stuff I am telling you. Here is a layout I did of my fishie that I caught...

Notice the rubber glove on my hand. There was no way I was going to touch that thing bare handed. In fact, I dropped it after a second or two becuase I was so grossed out by touching it at all. Yuck. Steve wanted to cook our fish for dinner but for some reason I am grossed out by eating something that I caught. Kinda wierd, I know, but for some reason I am just grossed out by it. I told him that him and Madison can eat it for dinner and I'd be just fine. BTW, he decided we'd have hamburgers instead. I was fine by that! He makes these really good meatloaf burgers. While we were over in South Dakota, Steve cooked us his famous ribs. I think Nana and Papa thought they were just as good as I did. mmmmm. Damn...I am hooked on those things now. Can't believe how good ribs taste.

Well, we just got back from South Dakota a few hours ago and I don't really feel like blogging much but I thought I'd post a few pictures. It is sooo hot that we acutally put on our air conditioner. We had alot of fun in SD. We got to go golfing a few times (that makes the vacation right there!), and saw a parade and saw some mud volleyball. What's a vacation without mud volleyball?

Here are some photos of this long weekend...

Here we are at the parade. It was a very long parade. Fun stuff. Man, did Madison ever get the candy. She has a big bag of it (put nicely in the "save the world" green economically correct canvas bag from nana). Much more than she would get for halloween. We'll have to toss 1/2 of it! Here is a lovely picture of Nana and Papa. Don't they look lovely?

Here is the little witches costume that I bought for Madison at a garage sale. This will now be her latest obsession. Man, was she ever a crabby apples up at Nana and Papa's house. Really bad. Now of course she's as happy as can be which is her normal self.

We went to the beach today with Auntie Lynnie. It was fun, but geez...when it was time to go she screamed and screamed. I think for a minute, the entire beach stopped. Slightly embarssing. Just want I want...attention drawn to me in my swimsuit! She quickly got over it. Now we are waiting for ice skating lessons to start. We'll start getting ready in the next 1/2 hour or so. Not much else is new. We are going to go to South Dakota for the 4th of July. Fun! There is usually a parade and then the local bar has a outdoor band which is really fun. Madison will have a good time seeing Nana and Papa. She's been talking about them! We are going to leave on Thursday after we take her to go get her blood drawn. Did I say already that she is acutally off her medication that she's taken since the day she was born? They'll see what her blood levels are and then she may not have to go back on them. They'll take her blood for the next 3 months before they decide if she can be off of it for good. Thank God Steve is coming with this time. I'll have him take her in to get her blood drawn. I can't bear to watch her go through the drama. Poor baby.

We went out on the boat today and did some fishing. They were really hard to catch today...kept getting off the line. Madison was kinda naughty today. Whoa, does that girl have a temper. She got so mad at me today that she was shaking. It was over putting her pull up on her and she didn't want it on. I felt so sorry for her that she was that mad. I asked her if she was so angry because she didn't get her way and she finally said yes and then wanted a hug. My poor little angry and naughty child. But she was sooo angry!
Not much more to say. Oh, I am on day 6 of walking. Only 24 more days to get to the end of my challenge that I set up for myself. Yeah me. Go me. Hooray for me!
Gotta get myself to bed. Good night.

Well people...he finally did it. He got his dirtbike. Not too sure how I really feel about it. I'll tell you how I feel....nothing but bad is going to come of this. Who am I kidding? I know excatly how I feel about it. Yet...it's what he wants, so it's what he got. He's going to really hurt himself on this thing. I don't show too much enthusaism about it but I don't show that I hate it really either. Well, not too much anyways. Anyways, here's the child on his machine.

hmmmm, just am not really happy about the whole ordeal. There's only one place that he's going to ride it which is down at Jimmy and Alexis's farm so I guess that's where he'll be spending his weekends. There's many different levels on why I am not really happy about this. They have all the equipment down there for him to wear. I am just going to hold back when "I told him so". Again, on many different levels. Let's just put it this way... this bike is going to cause problems. He says it won't....I say differently. I'll try just to not think about it. I just talked myself into hating it even more while I blogged about it. I better stop talking about it and pretend it doesn't exist. Am I kidding anyone here thinking that I am okay with this? Alright...I am done.
We played around with the camera today. Madison WANTED her picture taken. I love it when she does that. She modeled for me abit and I made these 2 layouts.

And this one....

Oh, guess what we did today? We took Madison to go see her first movie ever. Big mistake...she is too young. She was more interested that she was IN a movie theater than seeing the movie. We saw KungFu Panda. It may of also been the wrong movie for her to watch though because if it's a musical, she'll sit there for an hour straight without saying anything and not even move. The next time I try the movie thing it'll be for "High School Musical 3".

Oh, Tyler called and said that he got a part in his Grease play as one of the T-Birds! Bummer that he didn't get a bigger part but I think he has some singing parts in it. What a fun play! We are going to try to take Madison for this play. I just pray that she sits through some of it. Maybe we'll stay up there over night this time. I guess we'll have to if we bring Madison. We could almost see it 2 nights (one night Steve can see it and the next night I can see it), and then drive back late at night. Oh, who knows what we'll do.

Well, gotta go to bed now. I am tired and worn out from today. This is one of those hard days where there really isn't anything that is hard about it, but it's the little things like madison calling out "Mommy" about 100 times. Do all kids think you cater to them? I always yell out to her to "come here" but for some reason it's ME who's coming to her. I know I am the parent and she is the child, but is there some law written that she can't walk her 2 little leggies over to me? Poor child....her mommy is just pooped today.

Man, it feels like forever since I have blogged. Not sure when the last time was but I don't think too much has been going on. I think the heat got to me the other day cuz I have had 2 days worth of headaches. Not bad. Definetly not a migraine, but the kind where you just can't enjoy anything cuz you have an annoying pain in your head. Maybe that is what most people describe a headache. I have never understood it when people say that they have a headache but then can participate in normal life. Usually mine are debilitating. Anyways, finally today me and Madison ended up going to the beach. After paying the 27 bucks to park (season pass) it was fun. Here are a few photos from the day.

Look at these funny pictures that steve took....I was in the living room at the same time madison was in her bedroom and we were both laying down eating suckers. He must of liked that cuz he took the camera and said, "maybe someone should take a photo of me washing the dishes or doing laundry"....I said he should hop on one of those activities cuz I was busy eating a sucker. ha!

Well, I am acutally tired now. I cleaned off my desk and found my medication to help me fall asleep. Popped one about 1/2 hr ago and it's working it's magic now. So good night. Hope everyone has a great weekend. I think we are going to try to go fishing again tomorrow depending on the weather. The weather people are always wrong so we can't go by what they say.

I am making this really cute premade album for people who want to a 8x8 shutterfly book. It's really clean and simple lines in the design. Here's a page of it. I am done with 12 of the pages so far. Here's a preview of the 12. I am going to make it 24 pgs, so I am 1/2 done. Cute simple layouts, huh?

Kari and Indio came over for a playdate again today. It was fun, but really hot out. Here are some photos of today. Aren't they cute?

Anways, I am sweating to death right now. It's kinda late but I am not tired. I am going in a non sleep streak these last few days. Somewhere buried under all this crap on my desk is my medication to help me sleep. I seriously can't find it. Not that I have looked too hard, but I just can't find the time to clean off this desk. See what I am talking about?

Good morning everyone! Today Madison and I are going on a walk after she finishes watching "charlie and the chocolate factory" and finishes her toast, no jelly, only butter, with no crust. And I have to get down my whole pot of coffee before we go. I am going to commit myself to walking everyday for the next month. 7 days a week of walking 3 miles a day. Nice and healthy. I decided I need to get in shape because we are probley going to go to Vegas in the fall time with our lovely stimulas check that we just got! Whoo hoo! I had wanted to go to Cancun really bad but then Steve talked about Vegas and I thought about how fun sin city would be. We have always had such a great time when we have gone out there. I guess we have a great time together where ever we go because we like all the same things. One day we'll get to Cancun or somewhere else. I'd like to revisit Jamica. Oh would he love it there. Ever been there before? It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I am happy with the travels I have been to....Jamica, Cancun, peurto varta, and the bahamas on a cruise. I would like to go to some different places, but overall I am happy that I have gotten to visit those places. I think I really would like to go to Hawaii someday. Maybe we can go there on our 10th anniversary or something. Fun stuff.

I just love this photo.

What a FUN weekend! Boy, did it ever seem like summer this weekend. On Friday I brought Madison down to the beach/pool (shakopee's pool is made with sand on the bottom of the pool, so it is more of a beach/lake than a pool) with Auntie Lynnie and Barbie and cousins Nikki, Kylee and Logan. She had sooo much fun. Here is a picture of her waiting for her aunties and cousins to arrive.... for some reason, this is one of my favorite pictures. Maybe it's Lynnie's red porch but I just love this photo!...

I wish i would of gotten a group picture of all of us together~I am sure we are all thrilled to be photographed in our bathing suits!

Then on Friday night we went to go watch Tyler in his play, "Jesus Christ Superstar". Grandma Gracie went with. Oh, it was sooo good. Tyler was just so great in this play. I know everyone thinks we think that, but this play was very challenging. If you have ever seen it, you will know how challenging his role was. For those of you who don't know, he played Jesus. It was just very, very good. Here is a photo of him from the play. I sure wish I had photographs of him with the mohawk that he had and all dressed up in rock and roll grub that he was in before the "death" scene....here is is after the "death" scene....

We ended up driving home that same night and woke up early and went out on the boat fishing.

Here's a picture of Steve catching another great catch. Grandma Gracie caught a few fish too but I didn't get her photo with the fish. Bummer. I also caught some fishies, but nothing great. Steve wins the award for the biggest catch of the day! It was really fun out there. Madison was pretty tired though because she had stayed up all night the previous night while Nikki, Kylee and Blaine (Nikki's boyfriend) were babysitting. She got nice and clingly with grandma gracie...Then when we got back from fishing Steve and I went golfing. Man, we both golfed a pretty good game. This was our 2nd time out this year. I think I have my tee-off swing down. So far it is working for me. Steve got quite a few pars on this last game. I haven't done that yet, but hopefully soon. I had some really good tee-off's though! And acutally I am putting quite nice. Nice and straight anyways but of course always just a bit short (or too much). Gotta work on the speed portion. One day it's all going to come together for me! Steve always does good.

Then Steve made us his famous ribs for dinner. Now, I am not usually a meat type of gal. I can take it or leave it, but I have to rave about my husbands ribs. Pretty damn good. He has perfected his ribs. He has a secret. But he can't tell. I think he did tell grandma gracie though. Anways, it was a great dinner. THEN me and grandma gracie went to the casino. We lost. But not too bad. What a bummer because winning would of made the entire great day that we had. It was a really, really fun summer day I gotta tell you. Then grandma gracie slept over night and the next morning we went to perkins to eat breakfast and then I drove her home. Lynnie came with and we visited over a kim's for a short time before we headed back home. Madison took this picture of me and grandma gracie. She's getting good with the camera!

I'll leave you with another fav. picture of mine of madison and grandma gracie on the boat. It was a really good and action packed fun weekend.

Look at how pretty our rosebush is. I can't believe how big this bush is. I suppose we should cut it back, but why really.
I made a "vegas" paper pack for inkededges and was trying to do a layout with it. The only photos I have are the ones of me with Kurt Russell and the other boyz (David Arquette, Kevin Costner and I can't remember the name of the other guy....hmmmm, what was his name?). I am sure everyone has heard this story a million times from me so I'll make the story really short for those of you who don't know....I was down in Vegas in 2000 and they were filming the movie, "vegas 3000" and somehow...don't ask me how really...I was invited by the body gaurds of the "boyz" to sit in while they were filming in one of the casinos. Anyways, it was pretty cool...Kurt Russell was trying to gamble for me by throwing his money in the machine...I sat there and told him how I thought him and goldie needed to get married (can you hear me doing this?), we took photos together. I got some more pics of them all which was pretty cool. I got the star treatment and their body guards told me what ever I wanted I could have...I said "go get my roommate but I am not sure what room we are in", they said no problem. My friend thought that I had gotten into trouble and she came into the part while they were filming and saw me talking to all the guys. She about died. That's my claim to fame story and it was pretty cool. Still am not really sure how it happened except the producer of the show kept running into me and saying hi so I am sure it had something to do with that, although I didn't see the producer the rest of the time while I was watching them film. It was cool.
It is so hot out right now. I don't think I am going to be able to sleep. But I shall try. Tomorrow we are going to the beach so I can do the "hand off" of Madison to lynnie and nikki. Then we are going to go up and pick up grandma gracie and run up to moorhead to see TyTy in his play. Then on Saturday we are going to go on the boat and do some fishing. I think we might try to get a round of golf in before we go fishing. Sounds like a good time, huh? I think so!
Oh, I thought everyone should know that I went out and bought NEW icees/freezes that only have 25 calories in them. That's better but there has to be some that are 10 or less. Are there not sugarfree ones? I will have to spend abit more energy into finding these. There has to be some out there! Anyone know? comment below please if you do!

Isn't this picture cute of Papa and Madison walking? I have been going through my old pictures and coming across some that I forgot. I love this one.
Well, we went to the beach with auntie Lynnie today. We had so much fun. It was a great day weather wise and fun all around. Then we went back to Lynnies and Maddie got to jump on the trampoline with Barrett! We are both tired from being out in the sun all day. We'll sleep good tonight I bet. Here are some photos from today.

So, want to know what my complaint of the day is? The calories in the freezes/icees that I bought Madison to eat. Of COURSE it's me eating them innocently thinking they have to be about 10 calories each. NOPE...60 calories, thank you. Oh...I have been eating these things one after another thinking that I am "safe". Hell, I got 5 wrappers sitting here on my desk right in front of me. I am just shocked at the calories because I am the calorie queen. I know the amount of calories in everything. Apparently everything but freezez/icees. I am losing my touch people.

Tonight it was pretty funny because Steve was watching "ghost hunters" and I had to leave the room because I was getting too scared. Anyways, a while after I left there was this HUGE bang. Something in our closet fell over. Or GOT PUSHED OVER. It's not that I really believe in ghosts but I kinda do. I just don't welcome them or want them around but Steve is probley egging them on to come because he just does not believe in the type of thing. I am SURE that's what was going on in the closet. Freaky. Now I am too afraid to stay up after he does, so that means in 10 mintues I will be going to bed. He goes at 10pm on the dot. For him not being someone who follows a plan or schedule, he sure has his own.

Like this little notebook I made? Does it look realistic enough? I like it! Okay...enough of my digital crap...we are going to the beach today! whoo hoo! First time at the beach this year. It's really summer out! We are going with Auntie Lynnie. Then on Friday we are going again but Nikki and her boyfriend are coming with! FUN! I'll only be there a little bit on Friday because I have to get back early because we are leaving to go see Ty in his play. Nikki (and Auntie Lynnie) are babysitting for us. Isn't that nice? It's so damn hard to find babysitters.
Yesterday Indio couldn't be here for his and Madison's playdate because he got sick in the morning. Madison was very bummed. I felt sorry for her when she said she was going to take her breakfast and go sit out on the front steps and wait for Indio to get here. I had to gently break the news that he wasn't coming. She took it like the little trooper she is.
Steve came home from work early last night and trimmed up all the bushes in our front and back yard. They needed to be trimmed badly. It was almost embarssing! I moved the grass. We played quite the yard team yesterday. Looks nice. We love our yard.

This is kinda a boring layout (not to say that alexis is boring...lol) but I was just trying out some elements that I extracted. Everything is from our yard except the ribbon. Kinda cool, huh? Even the paper is our fence around the pond.

I have to stop making layouts with this paper. I have too many. But I just love the vibrant colors. It's just fun! This is one of my favorite pictures of Ty and Maddie. I have it hanging up by our door.

We are waiting for Kari and Indio to get here for another playdate! Madison wants to sit out on the front steps and wait for Indio. It's so cute. But I told her no because we aren't sure excatly when they are getting here.

Oh...steve and I went golfing last night. Got ourselves a babysitter and went on a date! It was really fun. This is our first time out this year and we actually did pretty good. I have my tee off swing down now. It's kinda funny because I stand there and swing my hips 3 times and then swing. It looks funny but it works. There were so many people out there on the course that it took us 2 hours to do the short par 3 course. Usually we can get it done in an hour. Anyways, it was really fun.

And YES, I went to go see "sex and the city" all by myself. I acutally did it! Whoo hoo for me. I LOVED the movie big time. I always tell Steve that he is my "mr. big". I can/could relate so much (not the ranchy parts) to that show when I was watching it on dvd's. I was in my 30's and not married at the time. I told Steve at that time too that he reminded me of "mr. big". Now they are 40 and have kids and married, etc. and I can still relate! What a fantastic show. I thought they did a great job on the movie too. They just went straight through forward with not hanging on any part to the story which was really smart. It was just well done I thought. Speaking of movies, does anyone know when HighSchool Musical 3 is going to get finished? We decided we are going to take Madison to her first movie when that comes out. We were thinking of maybe Kungfu Panda too. Once she gets movies down then she can go see Ty in some of his shows.