Return to Normalcy?!

So, after 4 solid months of nonstop cheerleading, the season has finally come to an end. Four days per week coaching cheer practice, 18 regular season cheerleaders ranging in age from 4 to 7, a competition squad of 8 (6 girls who were 4 years old and 2 who were 5!) and a full time job has meant that I have had ZERO life. However, with that being said, I wouldn't trade it for the world. My cheerleaders are my babies, including my own two girls.

These experiences with them are memories that we will share for always. When my girls are adults with children of their own, they will recall that their own mother (me) actually spent time with them, shared activities with them, cheered them on and had an established place in their activities. Not just dropped them off at activities or signed them up or just took vacations with them. Sacrificed time and money and an adult life in order to bond with them and have common memories. A mom who their friends love as well. What is more priceless than that?

I hope that my sacrifices are noticed. I hope that my children take these times and learn from them. Learn how to be a better parents, learn how to give instead of receive, learn what it means to be a role model and mentor.

And though the season has just now ended, I am already making plans for next year. I <3> my cheerleader babies.

Croc Titanium Flat Iron

Ahhh, yes, the dreaded flat iron. If you are like me....with a head full of thick, wavy, and heavy hair....you dread the application of any styling tool. Why? Just as an example, it takes me almost an hour just to blow dry my hair. And that's not even fully dry! Curlers? Heaven help me. Most days, I brush and go. I wash my hair at night and let it air dry. I'm not a "gotta fix my hair every day" kind of girl.

However, I came across a fabulous styling tool. Miss Lauren Deakle at Nouveau styled my hair for my 30th birthday party. When she went to flat iron my hair, she bypassed the familiar Chi iron for this new secret...the Croc Titanium. "Lauren," I asked, "whatever are you doing?" Ignoring me, she set to work. Within 5 minutes....yes, I said FIVE...my hair was done. The hair that causes stylists to gasp and moan over the amount of hair on my head took all of 5 minutes to flat iron every single piece into silky, shimmering, super straight luxury strands. I have never seen my hair look better! Not only that, but this flat iron (unlike all those other pricey ones) seals the cuticle so that regardless of the weather (hot, humid, rainy, windy), your hair looks just as fabulous as when first done until you wash it. It was the storm of the century the night of my party. Pouring rain, 20 mph winds, and steaming humidity. But after a long night of ducking in and out of the rain and having my hair whipped around for ferocious winds, it looked the exact same as when I stepped out of the salon chair. It even looked just as good the next day after sleeping on it!! By sealing the cuticle, the Croc also gives hair a softness that can't be matched even by silkening products!! I was in LOVE.

Luckily for me, Miss Lauren divulged a secret. While the salon sells these products for over $200, there is a website where you can get this iron for less than half. Really?! I set about searching for this website and lo and behold, I found it! For $93, I was able to purchase this one of a kind product. Now, I am not normally the type of person to spend money of any amount on things like styling tools and products. I refuse to even buy clothes that aren't on major sale and clearance. $50 for a pair of shoes? I think not. So for me to spend $100 on a flat iron, you know it has to be wonderful and amazing!

You must run to this website http://www.sleekhair.com/ and check out the TurboIon Croc Titanium Flat Iron. It generates heat from 230 degrees all the way up to 450 degrees for difficult or hard to straighten hair. No other iron can boast that claim. It seals your cuticules, leaving hair soft and silky which also limits damage. Take that, Chi! Take a look at the photos. They speak for themselves!! (Just ignore my face in the after one...I was already toasted!)

Before

After

Kennedy's 3rd birthday

Raegan The invite

The group

Give me cake already!

My birthday girl!!!

So....I waited until two weeks before her party date (2/28) to book the pavillion at the park. I waited so that I could check the 15 day weather forecast on accuweather.com. When I scheduled the party, the weather was to be "partly cloudy and 78". Starting Friday afternoon, it was windy and rainy. The party was scheduled for noon on Saturday, and between 7am Friday morning and 11:30am Saturday morning, I got nonstop text messages and phone calls "you know it's raining". Thanks for the heads up. I have no windows to look outside. *insert eye roll here*

I just prayed and prayed. We arrived at the park at 11:15 and went ahead and set up the party (luckily the tables are positioned under covered pavillions). Lo and behold, at 11:50 a.m., the rain abruptly stopped! Yippee!! I had the foresight to bring towels, and sent Raegan and Robert out to wipe off all the playground equipment. There were 3 or 4 other parties going on at the same time, and I got several "thank yous" for this. LOL

The kids had a BLAST!!! We combined our party with the girls' cousin's (Caden) party, as it was his 1st and we didn't want the family to have to choose between whose to attend. So there were quite a few people in attendance!! Cousin Megan (Caden's mom) made the cakes: a small blue one for Caden, a small pink one for Kiki, and a sheet cake decorated half in Cinderella and half in Cars. It was too cute and so delicious! Way to go, Megan!!

In lieu of goody bags, I brought a huge bag of bird seed and gave the kids little baggies full of bird seed to go feed the ducks (with strict instructions to do so far away from the pavillion!). They played, laughed, pitched several fits over nothing, ate grilled chili dogs and baked beans and chips, had cake and ice cream cones, and tons and tons of KoolAid Koolers and sodas.

Kennedy racked up on clothes, and also got several toys, and a new bedding set from Aunt Julie! After the party, we loaded up, headed for home, and everyone took a long nap (even though it was 4 in the afternoon).

Thankfully, God heard my prayers, the rain stopped and a good time was had by all!!

It's my life

So I was driving home yesterday and I stop at a light about a mile from my house. The light turns green, I press the gas. Nothing. The truck wasn't dead, it just wasn't getting any gas. I manage to steer it towards the turn lane, and then it dies. So here I am, 5 o'clock traffic, half in and half out of the turn lane on one of the busiest streets in Mobile. Nice. I tried for 15 minutes alternately to call dh and to keep trying to crank it. The screen on dh's cell is broken so since he can't see who is calling, he generally doesn't answer. Finally, I left a message that he better effin call me. LOL I'm still blocking traffic, but I have my hazards on. I'm watching people in the rearview mirror speeding towards me, only to slam on the brakes about 10 feet from my car when they finally look up from their daze and realize I'm there. I was scared shitless. Not a single effin person stopped to even ask if I needed help, had a cell phone, anything. I was dressed for work, so in business attire. I don't look crazy or psycho or serial killer. There is no reason that someone shouldn't at least have rolled their window down to yell at me. :(" src="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn40/conzycute/smileys/14.gif" border=0>Dh finally gets there, and pushes it to the gas station (luckily, that was about 5 feet up the road). We spent over an hour in the station parking lot trying to get it fixed. We ended up having to tow it home with the car. It'll crank just fine, but the second you give it gas, it dies a really tragic death (we're talking it shakes with earthquake like proportions LOL). We can't exactly work on it until we have daylight, which means Saturday at the earliest. I was able to bum a ride to work this morning from a neighbor, but no idea how I'm getting home today, or how I'm getting to work tomorrow. We were going to be able to pay off one bill with taxes, but I'm going to be really upset if we can't get it fixed and I have to take that $3K to find a cheapy car instead. Which seems pointless because if a car is $3,000, it probably wouldn't last long either. Faith (who gave me a ride this morning) said she used to have the exact same vehicle and she asked me if it was doing the shakes, dying when you tried to give it gas, etc. I told her yes and that dh thinks it's either a vaccuum hose or the fuel filter (both easily fixable). She said the one she had did the exact same thing, they changed out both of those items, and it still didn't work. So now she has me worried and freaking out. *sigh*

Fabulous Weekend of Shopping

Thinking I found some great deals at clothing stores, boutiques, etc.? Nope, I'm referring to grocery shopping. It was fab!! I got together all the ads, circled the sale items that I wanted, googled for internet coupons that matched my sale items. I went to Walgreens first and got a free tube of Aquafresh toothpaste....99 cents and I had a dollar off coupon. Then hit Rite Aid for their Pull-Ups. On sale for $9.99, had a $2 off coupon. :) Food World was Friday. Went in, got just what was on my list. Found out in line that they double coupons up to 55 cents every day. Walked out of there with TWO buggies full of bags for a grand total of $63. I added up the original prices on my receipt when I got home and I had gotten $243 worth of food for $63. Yeah for me!! I decided to hit Winn Dixie up yesterday. They don't double coupons but I had a bunch to use. Bought another full basket of groceries, but this time it was meats, for $55!! Their whole chickens were BOGO, roast was BOGO, pork chops were BOGO. I shouldn't have to go shopping for food for awhile now....but I'm still going to be hitting up the drugstore ads. You can totally get stuff for free by matching their sales!

Weight

I am really tired of my weight. I've always been one of those eat whatever I wanted stay the same weight kind of people. Which technically I still am, only my weight number has gone up from having kids. I have a good 20 lbs I want to lose, but there are so many diet plans out there. How the heck do you know which ones are the best?? Not to mention, with 4 kids under 6, finding time to be active is a challenge. The Wii is a good start, but I need to find other things to do as well. I guess here's to the beginning of my weight loss lifestyle. Yeah, me! LOL

Men

I'm sitting here at 4:30 on a Friday. My boss told me I could leave an hour ago, but I'm still here. Why, you ask? Because my HUSBAND said he was going to meet me here at 4 so that we could walk to the new bank we just joined. He has his paycheck to deposit and wants to meet the bankers. Why, I don't know. He never met any of the old ones. I'm guessing it's because I have a personal relationship with our bankers specifically because my job uses them for business purposes. I see them all the time. That probably pisses him off and makes him think I can find out whatever I want at any time. Who gives a shit?! Granted, I can, but still....who cares?! So now, he keeps texting me with excuses as to why he hasn't left work yet. Bullshit, buddy. You didn't want to give me your check to deposit since you wanted to "do it yourself and meet the bankers". Better get on the effin, ball.

I don't get men. I really don't.