My accident prone Angel...

I am not allowed to take a picture of the actual burn, but on that exact beautiful cheek there is a golf ball sized burn from a light bulb right next to her mouth. It has already blistered and is in the healing stages but it looks crazy!

Apparently Stevi and Cierra where playing hacky sack in her computer room and the lamp was on the floor, she bent over to pick up the hacky sack which had been kicked behind something and her cheek touched the light bulb. It has already blistered and popped and now it is in the red dry rash stage. Thankfully I have some prescription antibiotics from the dermatologist for my face, so we have been putting that on it twice a day, it seems to be expediting the healing process. Poor girl, first her hair, now her face. What will she look like by the time 7th grade starts?!

Menu for the week.......

Organizing junkie suggested this in her saving money and budgeting section and it really works.  So now I am back on track.  First step is to go through your fridge and pantry and see what meals you can make out of what you already have on hand......then whatever days I need to fill in, I hit the sales ad and start clipping coupons.  This week with snacks lunch stuff and what I had to get to fill in for dinners, I only spent $90 for the whole week.  That is pretty good for us, half of my budget, before I did the menu plan, I would pretty much shop blindly and end up with too much food, throwing a lot of the fresh produce away eventually.  Try it, it works!

• MONDAY:   Pancakes with blueberries and bacon
• TUESDAY:   Salami and cheese sandwiches with fresh corn on the cob
• WEDNESDAY:   Turkey bolognese with fresh baked 7-up bread
• THURSDAY: Fettuccine Alfredo with sauteed jumbo shrimp sauteed in salt, pepper, tarragon and oregano, with fresh pressed garlic toast.
• FRIDAY  :  Spaghetti with mixed veggies in marinara sauce.
• SATURDAY: Grilled pork chops, roasted potatoes and mixed veggies.
• SUNDAY:  On your own, left overs, lets clean out the fridge!

Off into the Sunset.......

Short but sweet, too bad we couldn't stay longer, but thank God I checked my calendar, I had forgotten that Cierra was coming to stay with us for a few days while her parents went out of town for some important matters.  The good thing is, when Jack took a nap yesterday, so did I, then we woke up when we heard his sweet angelic voice and headed for the park for some more serious bonding time.  It was really hot and muggy up in Bend so we only got around 2 hours of walking and playing in.  When we got back around 6pm, we grabbed out bags to hit the road.  The saddest moment was when Jack got into the back seat of my car and wanted to go with us.  I would have taken him in a heartbeat, but I think I may have had to fight Kevin and Chrissi for him.  Our trip was wonderful and relaxing.  Chrissi and her family have always made us feel like part of the family and we have really enjoyed hanging out with all of them.  I am definitely going to try to squeeze more travel time into my schedule so we can see that little guy as much as possible.

We started out journey home at 6:20ish after getting gas in Bend, stopped in Klammoth Falls for a 4 shot espresso drink at Dutch Bros. and literally hauled butt.

  Stopped in Alturas at 10 on the dot for more gas and made it home at 12:30 am.  I love traveling at night like that.....nobody gets in my way.......Yes Mom, I drove like a man, but I made it home in record time, stayed up till 2 amped up on espresso and woke up at 8 to start my exercise regime to prepare for the next bout of eating.....The Family Reunion.  4th-9th of August coming up! We love you Jack!  And to Chrissi, Kevin, Tutu, Laura, Nick, Will, Pippa and Oliver (missed you Jess) be prepared, I am getting my next dinner menu set up now!

Mmmm TOO MUCH FOOD!

I'm still full.

Not kidding, we need to get up now that we hear movement in the house.  Yesterday Stevi and I went shopping to make dinner and we marinaded 4 lbs. of strip steak in Worchestshire sauce with green onions, lemon zest and rock salt with pepper, roasted potatoes in olive oil , salt and pepper and fresh rosemary, thyme and sage, sauteed asparagus in butter with salt and pepper and then shredded Gouda cheese on top.

Before that, Jack helped me start dessert in the ice cream maker, Stevi chose peanut butter ice cream which is made with heavy and light whipping cream, sugar and creamy peanut butter.  It was, as Pippa would say..."The best ice cream 

I have had in my entire life!"  See her jumping for joy in the picture?

  For the ice cream party we sliced bananas, had chopped nuts, chocolate chips, chocolate syrup, whipped cream and chocolate dipped cones as well as waffle bowls.  It was fantastic, as Stevi and I brought Jack for his evening wagon ride, I guess the topic of conversation at the house was when are they getting an ice cream maker.  It makes for a fun evening and there is no ice cream like

 home made ice cream.  Time to get up and walk the 3 miles to get coffee, I need to walk off dinner from last night!

A Bend on the Road......

The trip up to Bend seemed long, only because we hit 3 different construction zones that were down to one lane with a pilot car.  Stevi and I started by stopping and using a buy one get one free entree at Q'Doba then we hit the road for 4 hours and our next stretch stop was at Harold's Frosty Freeze in Alturas for an ice cream.  We didn't need gas until we got to Klammoth Falls and as you can see, Stevi was the cutest bug washer in all of Oregon.  When we finally arrived in Bend it was almost 9 so of course we could only visit for a few minutes because it was bed time.  Jack woke up in the morning, still a little shy but now he is all kisses and tickles.  We opened his birthday presents first thing.....as an ice-breaker and he loved his semi-truck that Great Grandma Harrington got him and had fun putting his new 'Cars' cars in the compartments.  Jack and Stevi are on the couch watching "Cars" as I figure out tonight's menu.  All the Reese's are coming over to hang out and we will be having an ice-cream party making peanut butter ice-cream with a selection of toppings.....banana's, chocolate chips, fudge, whipped cream and nuts!  Mmmmm I will be giving Grandma Tutu a call in a bit and see if she would like to go shopping with us, she has the other grandchildren at the Museum today so it will be an  afternoon trip.  Dinner is grilled Strip Steak with Scallions, sauteed asparagus with Gouda cheese shreds and roasted potatoes.  Tutu will bring a salad and it will be a blast.  Chrissi is such a sweetheart to allow us to crash in her house.....it's the least we can do.  I will post more pictures later!  

Ace in the Hole

I had hoped to leave for Bend yesterday, however, Stevi's softball team got to go watch the Aces defeat the Portland Beavers 7-4.  It was a fun night, before the game they announced the 2009 State Champion Reno Predators and the girls got to run out onto the field as they announced the players with the positions they played.  It was really neat to see Stevi and Jessica run out onto the field with the first Baseman, his name was Brandon and he ended up hitting two incredible out of the park home runs.  Stevi said he was so nice to them when they ran out with them an told them how great it was that they were State Champions!  Afterwards we stayed and they got autographs, #10 Trent Oultjen, who all the girls were screaming for at the top of their lungs signed the free Ace's Buddies shirt they all got.....I didn't get to see him up close but apparently he is the "Big Deal" to all the girls.  They were screaming so loud every time he did anything that one of the girls' brother was on the other side of the stadium and came over laughing to tell them he could hear them all the way on the other side.  Trent and one other guy stayed after the game to sign autographs so I am pretty sure he heard them as well.  The team was very gracious to the girls and it was a nice evening.  Since the team was so humble and kind, it made me want to go back and see more games.  Good times.  Now

OFF TO BEND TO SEE MY BABY BOY JACK JACK!

Weird how things have a way of working themselves out.....

My intentions were to help a friend in need.  Being a hairdresser, you develop very strong bonds with some clients, those clients usually become friends.  I have made a few in my career.  I wasn't sure if I should write this in a "Tales from the Chair Chapter" or not, but because it effected me on a personal level more than anything else, I decided to not.

As you know, I've lost a few friends over the last years to various illness' and unexpected accidents, two of my closest friends lost their brave fights with breast cancer in the last year.  My friend, one of my best, was full of life.  Loved to laugh, live and just enjoy being alive.  Her husband bravely stayed by her side until the very end.  It wasn't easy for him, they were soul mates.

I have another friend who I have become extremely attached to over the last couple of years, she is a wonderful, caring, loving, kind and generous lady.  Beautiful on the outside but even more so on the inside.  She lost her husband 3 1/2 years ago to a sudden, unexpected heart attack.  They were soul mates as well.  When my good friend's husband needed to talk, occasionally he would stop by.  I never knew what to say to make things easier for him.  Just seeing the pain on his face was enough to kill me.  He came by one day and we made a "talk" date.  That same afternoon, my other friend who had lost her husband came in and we began to talk.  I told her I didn't know what to say or how to help him......it's a hard thing to do. She offered her phone # and knew she could understand what he is going thru and could give him an ear and a shoulder.  So I told him about her and we decided to go for a motorcycle ride, since we all have Harley's.  We ended up out to dinner at the Outback and they bantered back and forth as if they had known each other their whole lives.

She hadn't been ready to meet anyone but was finally ready to put herself out there........they became fast friends and have been able to laugh, cry and talk to each other.  I never thought about why they both came in within minutes of each other until having more conversations with her, she was not sure if he should  be ready to open up, but they were developing feelings for each other, it took her 3 years for her to let her walls down, but with him, he had been preparing for years, this was his wife's second and final bout with cancer.  I know my friend, and she would have told him that life goes on and not to dwell.  All she would want is his happiness.......so finally after 3 months of their special friendship.......she let him hold her hand........they are taking it slow but God works in mysterious ways and I know my friend who has gone on to better things is smiling down on her husband........and my other friend's husband is smiling down on her.  When she came in today we had another heart felt talk, and I got chills and almost cried.....happily. 

I never intended to "set them up"  it just worked itself out on it's own.  They have so much in common, it seems so right for things to have fallen into place the way they have.  I will pray for them both, they have both had that one love of a life time and like she told me.......The four of them can make this work.  Who knows what will happen, but for now, lots of support and laughter and smiling in a time that may have gone completely different.

 

I love you both and God is smiling down on you as well.........good luck.

Feels good!

One thing I have been doing to save money, which I have always done, but recently had to try harder to not withdraw from, is to put the first check of the day at work into my savings.  Whether it is $5 or $500, it goes into savings.  I have needed to take money out far too frequently to cover bills and other expenses but I am trying to leave it in there until I have enough to pay off a bill.  Today, I had enough to pay off Stevi's braces.....that knocks $167.69 off our monthly bills, which isn't a lot, but it will help.  It is so hard, we are going into collections for so many bills and I am fighting filing for bankruptcy.  I don't mind losing my bike, it would suck but I CAN'T  take Jay's Harley from him, or let them take it.  He was sober on the 14th for 2 years and needs some sort of outlet.  Well, it's a small start, but it's a start.  I also paid US Bank a portion of what we owe, we are so behind that our monthly payment due is $1026.00 yes, you read it correctly.  I sent them $327.00 which is a third of what they asked for, but I am sure they will see it as good faith and realize that I have full intentions of paying the bills we have.  In the mean time, Stevi's braces are paid off, everyone clap your hands!

I also read in Organizing Life's blog about money management and the envelope system.  I recommend that you read it.  I am going to start implementing this system.  It will be hard, but I feel it will help with the free spending of cash.  Right now Jay and I have a $60 a week allowance for "things"  , cigars, Starbucks, snacks, lunch etc.  but when clients pay me cash, I think we spend a lot more freely.  So my goal today is to ride my bike (getting in my exercise) to CVS ( I have great coupons that expire today)  and get an accordion  file that I use for bills and start sorting cash into appropriate spending budgets.  Groceries ($180 week), allowance($35 for Stevi $60 for Jay and Me), gas/vehicle repairs( 100 a week), dinner out ($15 a week, so if we want more than fast food it must build) date night (same as dinner out), trip money (15) clothing expenses which includes under garments and work/school clothes (25) Pet/Car washes (5) gift expenses (5), toiletries (1) Stevi expenses/sports (50).

If you can think of any "other" expenses that could be put into these categories or if I could cut back on any of these, please suggest, (even you Tutu and Jess!)  Any input would help.  I understand I may not be able to afford to "stash" in some of these categories, so I will prioritize accordingly.  I will begin the process today but not stashing until I return from seeing the most handsome boy in the whole wide world.  I am hoping this will help me save to take more weekend trips to go see Handsome Jack Sparrow more often!  Anyone else like to try this?  Read her article, it sounds controlling but may help us see where we are over spending.  Have a great day!

Today was an entertaining day.

I started my day planning on relaxing and doing nothing......wrong!

My mom called at around 10:30 and had just finished a fabulous shopping spree and JC Penny's and insisted that she come pick us up so we can take advantage of the great door busters.  Not only that but we can get a scratch off to save additional, she saved an additional 15% O K I will check it out.

My scratch off gave me 30% off to be used all day, I got bath towels, sheets for $26.49 (originally $100!) a humidifier, soothing sound machine and then Stevi got 8 tops, they were buy one get one for $1, plus the 30% off so the extras were .70!  

Afterwards we went to Claire's and were entertained by the shoplifters who were getting arrested and not co-operating with the mall security, it was amazing, I thought the "tough" one was going to try to beat someone up....and she was the one who was caught shoplifting, un-believable! 

 We got our shopping done

 for Jack's 2nd and Sage's 3rd birthday, they grow up so fast I can't believe it!

Jay had poker night with the guys so Stevi and I invited my mom out for girls night out and we went to Silver Peak for dinner and then went and saw "The Hangover".  If you haven't seen it, you have to go!  It is hilarious, obnoxious and wrong but will make you laugh.......it could and has happened.  We have all had one of those "next days"  where we are doing the "Walk of Shame"  the next day and can't remember what the hell happened!  Awesome!

Still going to Oregon...change in direction...

Well, Nationals are off.....the team can't go because not all the families can afford it.  Bad.......BUT GOOD!  Stevi and I are going to stay with Jack and Chrissi for a few days and get some serious sugar from Jack!  I can't believe he will be 2 in a month and I still am not sure what to  get him but we will figure it out.  I am so excited, we haven't seen him in 4 months and it feels like forever.  Juniper pool here we come......and the Pancake house maybe we can take him on a little day trip somewhere, even thought Chrissi does daycare out of her home now, I am sure taking that little Angel away from him for a few hours will help.  I am so excited.......and Tutu (Jacks Maternal Grandma) is in town so maybe we can take the kids somewhere together!  Thanks Chrissi, see you Wednesday evening!  Muah!

12 step program..............plus 5 hours......

Wow..talk about eating "Humble Pie"....I broke all my own rules and used Stevi as a Guinea Pig because the girls on the team wanted to put blue in there hair for the National Tournament.  Glad I did, but wish I didn't.

1. Highlight hair and add blue chunks.
2. Very carefully rinse each foil individually careful not to contaminate the blonde with the blue.
3. Shampoo and start shitting Twinkies as the suds get bluer and bluer
4. Condition while hair is turning green
5. Laugh hysterically (nervous laughter) because you don't know what the hell you're going to do to fix it.
6. Do a bleach wash which isn't working so put her under the dryer for 7-10 mins.
7. Wash and condition again, and turn hair aqua green again.
8. Re-foil whole head and bleach over what should be blonde with conditioner and 10 volume and put red over blue to nuetralize.
9. Take foils out, sigh of relief as it looks clean and somewhat normal
10. Shampoo and Condition hair and watch the blue come back into the suds,,,,,,What the F!
11. Hair is breaking so time for deep conditioner
12. Tone with Strawberry Blonde Flash Toner by Paul Mitchell, looking good......
13. Wash and deep condition.......Here comes the F'ing Blue again, What the hell, won't you go away!
14. Cut hair fairly short, it needs it.......oh my god what have I done.........
15. Put darkest red brown on hair to try to at least cover hair to a normal color.....
16. Drive home, rinse and condition........It still has a bluish green tinge.

I used to be a color educator?  Nice.  My beautiful baby girl was crying, she hates her hair, I wish I could take it all back, there is nothing I can do.  My heart is completely broken, I know how it feels to have messed up hair, it does grow......but she starts Middle School at a new school in 6 weeks, I have my work cut our for me.  I slept with her last night and held her all night, I am crying as I write this and my heart is broken.  She is still my beautiful baby, but I ruined her hair, her gorgeous blonde girl next door and turned her into a dark goth.  She keeps telling me it is ok.

It's not.  But it will be, with time and patience......

State Champs!

Whoo Weee, what a weekend.  Saturday we won two games in a row so we got to go home at noon.  Sunday started the State Championships and it started kind of rough.  We were a little nervous and stressed out I think because the Carson Sharks beat us 14-0

The Good thing about that I guess is they got pretty cocky and we got in some practice.  Our next game was immediately after and that was against the North Valley Nightmare.  The coach for that team is non other than Shane, Stevi's favorite soccer coach, not only did she know Elaina, Shane's daughter, but it turns out THEIR first baseman is our next door neighbor Hannah.  Elaina caught Stevi's amazing smash into center field and got her out, but we still beat them 7-4.

Back to the Carson Sharks who are dominating the tournament.  No rest at all for these girls.  I think they were shocked when we held them 0-0 until the 4th inning and by the 7th inning, we beat them 3-0.  Not so cocky anymore are ya?

Directly following we had to play the Sharks again, since they had already beaten us, we had to beat them twice.  It was a close game.  They were battling and you would never know they had just played 4 games in a row, they didn't even seem tired...............final score in the 7th, 10-9.......way to go Predators......next is Nationals in 2 weeks in Newberg.  Judging by the spirit of the team and determination, I would say we 

have a pretty good chance of placing.  It is double

 elimination so if you lose 2 you're done.  No more practice swings for our girls, we need to come out kicking and screaming!

9 hrs. and 10 mins to Newberg........

That's how long it will take to get Nationals.

1:  Start out going NORTHEAST on HENRY ORR PKWY toward KILEY LINKS DR.  0.2 mi Map 2:  Turn RIGHT onto VISTA DEL RANCHO PKWY.  0.7 mi Map  Avoid 3:  Turn RIGHT onto VISTA BLVD.  0.5 mi Map  Avoid 4:  Turn RIGHT onto LOS ALTOS PKWY.  1.6 mi Map  Avoid 5:  Turn LEFT onto PYRAMID WAY/PYRAMID LAKE HWY/NV-445. Continue to follow PYRAMID WAY/NV-445.  2.0 mi Map  Avoid 6:  Turn RIGHT onto N MCCARRAN BLVD.  1.8 mi Map  Avoid 7:  Merge onto US-395 N toward SUSANVILLE (Crossing into CALIFORNIA).  69.6 mi Map  Avoid 8:  Turn RIGHT onto STANDISH BUNTINGVILLE RD/CR-A3.  8.5 mi Map  Avoid 9:  Turn RIGHT onto US-395.  90.7 mi Map  Avoid 10:  Turn LEFT onto W 12TH ST/CA-299. Continue to follow CA-299.  18.8 mi Map  Avoid 11:  Turn SLIGHT RIGHT.  0.2 mi Map  Avoid 12:  Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto CA-139 (Crossing into OREGON).  55.0 mi Map  Avoid 13:  CA-139 becomes OR-39 N.  21.2 mi Map  Avoid 14:  Turn RIGHT onto OR-39/EAST SIDE BYP. Continue to follow OR-39 N.  4.7 mi Map  Avoid 15:  OR-39 N becomes THE DALLES-CALIFORNIA HWY/US-97 N.  77.4 mi Map  Avoid 16:  Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto OR-58 W/WILLAMETTE HWY.  86.0 mi Map  Avoid 17:  Merge onto I-5 N toward EUGENE.  90.5 mi Map  Avoid 18:  Take EXIT 278 toward AURORA NAT'L. HISTORIC DIST./DONALD.  0.2 mi Map  Avoid 19:  Turn LEFT onto EHLEN RD NE.  2.6 mi Map  Avoid 20:  EHLEN RD NE becomes YERGEN RD NE.  1.0 mi Map  Avoid 21:  YERGEN RD NE becomes MCKAY RD NE.  3.4 mi Map  Avoid 22:  Turn RIGHT onto RIVER RD NE/OR-219. Continue to follow OR-219.  4.3 mi Map  Avoid 23:  Turn RIGHT onto VILLA RD/OR-219.  0.1 mi Map  Avoid 24:  Turn LEFT onto PORTLAND RD/OR-99W/OR-219/PACIFIC HWY W. Continue to follow OR-99W/OR-219/PACIFIC HWY W.  0.3 mi Map  Avoid 25:  Keep RIGHT at the fork to go on OR-219 N/OR-99W S/PACIFIC HWY W.  0.2 mi Map  Avoid 26:  Turn LEFT onto N COLLEGE ST/OR-219.  0.1 mi Map  Avoid 27:  Turn LEFT onto E 1ST ST/OR-219 S/OR-99W N/PACIFIC HWY W.  0.0 mi Map  Avoid 28:  End at Newberg, OR.  0.0 mi Map

Newberg, OR

 

At least it's not 10 hours, so IF the team doesn't have enough girls that are able to go,and I have already scheduled the time off, that will be perfect timing to bring Jack up his birthday present and spend time with him, that is if it's ok with the Wonderful, Most Beautiful Mama in the world Chrissi?........I should know after the games today.......I think we have to have 9 players in, maybe 10....oh and by the way, thanks for letting me vent last night!