elSAGE LOVES LOVES LOVES

I have a confesssion to make. I am in love with this new designer/artist. She has her own store on Etsy. She makes beautiful art, and headbands and clips for women and their daughters, and TuTu's for little girls. She also happens to love the earth, so she uses what she calls upcycled materials, men's old shirts, vintage lace etc. She also happens to be an old friend who I shared a love of music and one man with. :) (Her brother was also a good friend of mine in high school and beyond.) Anyway here is the deal AS IF she isn't cool enough, she is running a contest for 30 dollars in store credit for anything you want in her store!! I have ordered twice and had her make a custom TuTu for Kendyll's 4th birthday. Everything comes WAY cuter than it looked online and packaged cute, she even throws in little extras if you become a REAL REGULAR!! :) Anyway I just wanted to share something I love with all of you, so you can become fans of elSage on Etsy too!! Happy Shopping

http://elsagedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/04/april-giveaway-free-money-is-good-thing.html

OH YES I DID, added the link!

Thank you to Jeanette for teaching me how to add links! To the right you see the YES I DID button! Be ready, cause I am asking all my friends to give me all their YES I DID's this coming Friday! Thanks Jeanette!

• Husband GONE
• Kids GONE
• QUIET house CHECK
• Magazines and Chick Flicks DOUBLE CHECK!

Have a Great rest of the weekend everyone and I will see you on Monday!

Yes I did!! Friday(LATE)

YES I DID FRIDAY!!! If I knew how to, I totally would give credit to the person who came up with this. Her name is Jeanette, I don't know her but I love her idea, and I have read her entertaining blog a few times! My friend Lindsey has been doing this also as well as a few other blogs I read so I just HAVE to do it too! I would put up the button or whatever it is, but again I don't know how. I don't even know how to add spaces to my posts I leave like LOTS O SPACES in between sentences and it doesn't work when they post. So anyway if anyone knows how to do that please let me know! Anyway YES I DID, is like HA-HA! YES I DID IT and what are you gonna do about it? A kind of confession for the week of something you might and maybe should feel a little bit guilty about but just really don't! :) So here goes mine(I just left a really big space while typing this Did it work? when I post we will see?!?)

• First-Every night this week I told the kids "maybe tomorrow night," when they asked if we could carve pumpkins, (I've been SOOOO busy reading), YES I DID THAT, and guess what? they still aren't done!!

• I made breakfast for dinner on Thursday night cause I ran out of time to make anything else, I was, again busy reading(see below)

• Instead of doing anything fun or special with my children this week since they were out early because of conferences, I spent any free time, RE-reading the books, Twilight and New Moon in anticipation of the movie coming out on Nov.20th. I let those kids that call me Mom watch lots of cartoons and movies while I did this (it gets worse..... keep reading............down there.......................

• I also perused the internet obsessively trying to find leaked clips of said movie and then proceeded to watch EVERY SINGLE entertainment news show(ET, Access Hollywood, the insider) on between the hours of 7 and 8 PM, MON THRU FRI, also watching for any mention or peek of AgAiN said MoViE. (it might get a little crazier?....)

• I also listened to the brand new soundtrack for that "said" movie, that "dropped" this week, while re-reading and perusing the internet, all at the same time! (still more....)

• I also rushed right out and got the 4 new Twilight journals that come in this really CUTE keepsake tin. The 4 journals represent each of the 4 books in the Twilight series. They have matching covers from the books and favorite quotes from each book decorating each corresponding journal's pages. Instead of trying to write while I drove home, I did wait until I got there before I tore(gently) into the tin and started journaling about my obsession with said books and movies, and how maybe, just maybe, I might have a problem! Wow!When I put it like that ~I'd say its reached epic proportions on the obsess much front! BUT YES I DID, YES I DID!!!

School, Sports, and Super Busy time of year

I'm tired! It has been an incredibly busy last month, and I am afraid it is just going to get busier! Dylan started 3rd grade, and another season of flag football. His first game was Saturday at the same time as Cade's first soccer game, so I don't have any pictures, but he scored an entire length of the field touchdown. He also grabbed every flag on the other team while he was on defense. They call him Mr Defense, and since the score was 28 to 0, I'd say he really lived up to his nickname! Nick was so proud and said Dylan has just grown so much, and is really talented out there on the football field!

Cade started 1st grade and has made leaps and bounds over last year. He has the same teacher as last year, she moved up with her class, so he has many of the same kids in there too. He comes home and says he loves school and it was so much fun, just a complete 180 from last year. He is an amazing speller and actually doesn't fight me on doing homework! Mom is SUPER excited about this.

At the end of last year we had Cade tested for Autism and Aspergers Syndrome. The lady who did his observation said it is highly probable that Cade suffers from Aspergers Syndrome which is a mild form of Autism. We have to go in for a formal diagnosis, which is quite a large sum of money out of pocket. We are hoping the school will be able to help us and he can get some help through them. As for what it means for us as a family, it changes nothing. We have always thought Cade was special and so great, and we adore him just the way he is! He is so smart, he thinks so outside the box and is such a fantastic kid, the only real challenges we see him facing are school related. It takes him a little longer to finish tasks and it is supposed to make it harder for peers to relate to him. This may be true as he gets older, but for right now, Cade has more friends and GIRLFRIENDS than we can count. I worry about him a lot less this year than I did last year. Like I said he is a new boy, full of excitement for school and soccer!! This is Cade's first year playing organized soccer. He loves it! He likes having something to go do, like his big brother! His first game was Saturday and it was pretty funny to watch! My parents called it Swarm Soccer, cause all the kids just swarm to the ball! It is a great thing for Cade, he has an activity that is all his own that he can be proud of ! I can't wait to see how his team grows over the next games!!!

Miss Kendyll started Preschool and OH BOY do I feel bad for those teachers! Kendyll is going to be 4 next month but she is 4 going on 14. She rules that classroom. She is bossy and in charge at all times. She fished around for one of the boys to take her on a date and then when he didn't get the hint she outright asked him on date over to the reading corner! Both teachers told me I am going to have my hands full with her as a teenager! AWESOME! I can't wait for that, especially with all the boys that will be around because of her 2 older brothers! SERIOUSLY! Not to be outdone Kendyll wants to start dance or cheerleading so she has something to go to!~ Especially since we have so much time for a third activity! SO we are looking into that for Miss Kendyll! So just an FYI if you don't hear from me until next summer you will know where I am! TaTa for now!!

HOT HOT HOT

OH MY GOODNESS! I am so hot! My kids are so hot! My poor daughter is so burnt, and I can't keep her inside! The baby SPF 50 is not cutting it anymore! I know it has been so long since my last post, we have been fairly busy! The most upsetting news is we lost our beloved dog Dozer. He has been with us for 10 years(Nick had him for about 6 months before we got together) so he really was a member of our family. I, the terrible person I am, didn't see him and ran over his leg as I was backing out of the garage on the day after the 4th of July. His leg was so broken and he was in so much pain that the most humane thing we could do was put him to sleep. Nick made the decision, I couldn't stay at the hospital with him any longer, it was too painful! The entire time he was at the vet hospital he was wagging and licking the vet and nurses. It is so heartbreaking because we will never find a dog like him ever again. He really was special. For me and the kids, it was the first time losing a pet. Nick has had many dogs growing up and has been around when his dogs died, but this was my first pet. I still get upset when I think of him or expect to see him on the back porch. Nick and I were in the same parking lot as a pet store and I got all upset and started crying. Who knew I could be so sappy about a damn dog!

We were lucky enough that Nick's Dad came and got Dozer after he was put to sleep and buried him on their 20 acres. When we recently went over there, He had stenciled on his headstone DOZER AKA DUMB DOG, one of the first things Dylan learned to say as a toddler. At least we will be able to visit Dozer whenever we would like!

KENDYLL Wedding Rehearsal

Dylan turns 8 tomorrow! 8! To think I was about to pop with him when it was this hot out! I don't know how I survived! It is amazing to me how quickly time passes when you are a parent. I remember Dylan's first birthday party, how excited he was. I remember various people that were there bringing him lots of noisy presents since all he liked to do was bang on pots and pans with wooden spoons. I believe he got a drum and a tambourine. Now he plays Wii and Nintendo DS better than even his parents, and can ride both a quad and a dirtbike. He is as BOY as a BOY can get. He is like a mixture of Nick and his two grandpas put together. Ask him about any car you see on the road and he can tell you what it is and what kind of motor is in it. Give him any large piece of machinery and he knows how to run it! He thinks my car is his car and tells people to check it out. Boy do I have my hands full. I miss the little baby that had his days and nights confused and would cry all night long, and made me hold him all day while he slept. I want to give him a magic pill that will keep him and Cade and Kendyll small for the rest of time! Dylan has a heart as big as the ocean. He is thoughtful and caring, loving and kind when even I am not. He is wise beyond his years but still goofy and silly like a boy his age should be. He worries about Nick and I, and stresses out about things that are far beyond his years. I know every mom says their child is the best, but Dylan really is a very special person. Happy Birthday Dylan Wayne, I adore you!

DYLAN AND CADE RINGBEARERS AT MY COUSIN STACY'S WEDDING PRETTY HANDSOME!!!

PLAY BALL

I hope this works!! Nick got tickets to the Mariners Game on April 15th the day after opening day. He and D were just sitting there and some lady came up and asked if he wanted to say "play ball" like they say before every game. Of course always too cool Dylan said "sure." He got a cool necklace pass, and got to hang in the "green room" playing video games before he made is entrance. He was standing down there on the field with Edgar Martinzez, cool as a cucumber!! Turn your volumes WAY UP!!

Snowy Seahawk Sunday

In the midst of my January funk, I forgot about the Jets/Seahawks game we went to on Dec. 21st. It was snowing the entire time, LIKE SNOWING, not the little wet crappy snow we usually get here in Washington but huge crystally snowflakes. It was magical. We had an absolute blast, we were not under cover, and we were freezing but it was just unlike anything I had ever seen. We won which was totally cool, but all the fans were happy and it was just a memorable experience(can you tell we had a really good time)? These are pics from my cellphone so they aren't great but Nick looks so pleased (he loves snow) with his beer!! Cheers