Regret

I know I'm going to regret saying this in a few months, but I am SO sick of this heat and ready for a nice cool down! Not that cool....not winter....not snow, but a nice LONG fall would be perfect. Knowing my luck, we'll get snow next week and it'll last until April!!!

FINALLY!!!

I don't know how many of you have noticed but on the left side of my blog you can link to my Etsy shop. If you have done this you may have noticed that I haven't sold a thing! Not one thing! I'm okay with it though because I know some of the colors in my duvets may not be many people's cup of tea. If they don't sell I'll just use them myself and I like all of them, so it's all good!
Finally today though I got a custom order for a duvet! I've had a couple people email me inquiring about custom orders but no one has followed through until today. I have ordered the fabric requested and it should be an easy project! I won't make a ton of money off of it, but it will keep me busy and I'm just happy to chalk up 1 sale on my shop!! I have another customer interested in a custom order as well and if she gives me some more information and likes my pricing then I might be able to log 2 sales!! Yeah for me!!

True Love

I could not be more in love with my son than I am tonight!! Samantha had to go to bed earlier because she hasn't napped for days and days and Alex took a monster nap so he got to stay up later. I love it when we get time just with him alone. This is a video of him reading his favorite book. Okay, not really reading, but repeating from memory which, I think, is just as impressive. He got almost every word right (I know most of you won't be able to understand him, so you'll have to trust me) except the last 2 words are supposed to be Beep, Beep, which he changes to Honk, Honk because he likes it better. Isn't he the cutest little boy ever??!! I sure think so. AND he smelled AMAZING tonight so I sat on the couch while he was watching a little show and I just kissed and smelled his head forever. You non-parents out there think I'm crazy, but you parents know just what I'm saying!!

My favorite thing about Fall.

I like television. That's all there is to it! Some people don't, and that's okay, but I really like watching television. And Fall brings new shows for me to enjoy. In particular, Sunday begins a new season of The Amazing Race!! It's an amazing show that takes place in amazing places around the world and is flat out amazing to watch!!! Do you get the feeling it's amazing?? So, if you catch yourself bored on a Sunday night, tune in! It might be the only reason I wake up Sunday mornings!!!
Andy and I would really love to apply to the show and we are quite sure we would CRUSH the competition, but then we remember I'm a cripple with screws in my back and messed up knees. Andy is fantastic with maps and directions and I'll eat just about anything (which sometimes they are forced to do - YUCK) so we make a great team! We travel really well together but the physical aspect of it is what we lack. Plus, I don't know that I could leave my kids for a few weeks. No one is brave enough to take them for that long either!!

Our Summer!

My fantastic brother-in-law Chad took a lot of pictures on all of our adventures this summer and put them together for us. Here is a sampling of the fun we had this summer.

Richele and I with adorable Nicole on the boat.
All the grandkids at the State Fair with the chickens! Doesn't get much better than chicken pictures!
All of us wanted to take home this adorable baby bunny from the Fair.
Andy and I taking the kids down the potato sack slide at the Fair. They really didn't love it.
Samantha and I trying to keep warm together on the beach at Bear Lake. It was chilly!
Greg was throwing Cameron up in the pool and having him smack the ball. It was awesome! Cameron got high!
The original Loveridge family of 5 hanging out in Bear Lake. Aren't we cute??

Bad Dream

Samantha said this just now....
"Mom, I had a bad dream last night. It was about golf. And sports."

I really had no idea sports were so traumatic!!

Times are changing!

What did you get for your 3rd birthday?? Anyone remember?? I imagine it was along the lines of a bike, toys, books possibly. Well, you know that times are changing because for my son's 3rd birthday he got an Ipod!! And a game for the Nintendo Wii!! He also got a Spiderman bike, Star Wars toy, Diego toy and other great gifts, but I couldn't help laugh at the electronics. I was the one who mentioned the Ipod idea to Andy's parents so it's not like I'm against it or anything. Samantha inherited my very old Ipod and we filled it with kids music and church songs and Alex has been a little jealous of it. So we thought it would be fun if he could have an Ipod of his own. He got one of the little Shuffles in the color green and it is just perfect for him. I'm not too good with I-tunes so he only has a few songs on there now, but he is in heaven!! He was so excited for it and loves the fact that it clips onto his shirt. He is outside right now picking grape tomatoes off the vine, eating them and listening to his music. What a kid!! Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for the great birthday gift. And thank you to everyone else who gave gifts as well. He is loving them all!

Happy Birthday Buddy!!

Dear Alex,
Today you turn 3 years old! I can't believe my baby is 3! When I look at pictures of you when you were a baby I get very sad. You were such a pleasant, fun-loving baby and I don't think I took enough time to enjoy you. Almost every picture I have of you is with a smile. Even still, when you are doing something you like you are smiling! All summer in the pool; smiles. At gymnastics; smiles. Your smile is possibly my most favorite thing in the whole world!! You have this tiny dimple in the corner of your mouth that melts me! Not to mention your big blue eyes! Basically you are the cutest kid ever!

I think you might end up being a comedian someday. You are hilarious! The silly voices that you do are great as well. You have more personality in your tiny finger than most adults that I know!!! Another word that would perfectly describe you is STUBBORN!! Which is so wonderful when you are trying to learn new things, but SO difficult when I am trying to teach you NOT to do things. You never give up. You were a little afraid of heights in gymnastics but you never gave up and kept trying and now you have no trouble at all. I really admire you for that.

I think you are just very fun to be around! I really enjoy your company. When you are playing alone you have this very concentrated look on your face and it makes me want to stare at you for hours! You LOVE to be tickled and tortured which is super fun for the rest of us! You pretend you want us to stop but as soon as we do, you ask us to "do it again"! I think your most ticklish spot is your shoulders. But I'll get you wherever I can that will make you laugh.

You have a very sweet spirit. You are very concerned for others and you always want to include everyone in the fun. You are a big mama's boy but I love that recently you have been loving daddy too and wanting to be around him. We bought you a Nerf football for your birthday so you and daddy can play catch. Never forget that daddy loves you (and that football is the greatest sport). I think remembering that your parents love you will get you through a lot in life.

I love you so much Alex!! You are a true joy to me and I honestly hope that we will be best friends our whole lives! Thank you for being my baby boy!

Love,
Mama

Pimpin' my other sister

Here are some more photos that my sister took of the kids and me. She would be happy to speak to anyone interested in using her as a photographer. You can see more of her stuff at thecrazycookies.blogspot.com or email her at gregandshell@gmail.com.

Estrogen was in the air!

Last night we had a girls night at my house with my sisters and my mom. It was a great time. We ordered some dinner and sat around and talked then started in on our projects. Kami (ever the crafty girl) brought some supplies to make necklaces and earrings and glitter for glitter toes. We all picked out our favorite paper and made Scrabble pendants and then made some bell flower earrings and pendants. Of course there was a lot of girly talk about kids and neighbors and family and husbands and of course, sex. No girls night would be complete without that topic, right? Don't worry husbands, we were very complimentary!

Pimpin' my sister

This lady has put Kami on her website and is doing a giveaway for one of Kami's jewelry pieces. So enter if you like!
http://www.lifeislikechampagneblog.com/
Congrats Kami!!

Wrong?? Or oh so right??

Is it terribly wrong of me to be in love with a fictional character?? I just LOVE Jim from The Office!! I was watching it last night and was just reminded of how cute and sweet and funny he is. I do want to do something about his hair, however. NASTY! But all men need a little makeover once they get saddled with a female companion. Andy required a few adjustments from the first time I met him, but look at him now!! He dresses great, his hair is shorter and his glasses are MUCH more stylish. Don't even get me started on his jeans!! I knew he had major babe potential. He was just a fixer-upper. (I love you Andy!!)

But let's get back to Jim. Maybe I was just especially noticing him because Andy is out of town and I get a little lonely/randy when I don't have someone to hug and kiss. But I love his sense of humor and how sweet he is. I guess I should probably be after the writer and not the actor, but I doubt the writer is as good looking. But hopefully he has better hair.

Worst. Product Photo. Ever.

If you hurry now, you might be able to pick up a pair of shorts at Banana Republic for 40% off!!! Click HERE to check them out.

A $10 gift card to the location of your choice (that I can have shipped to you online, because I'm lazy like that)will be sent to the person with the best comment/caption. Except for Banana Republic - I am now boycotting them after this hideous ad. Feel free to enter more than once.

Meant for each other

If ever there is a question that Andy and I belong together let this story prove that we are meant for each other.
We were watching a movie last night when the credits started rolling and a very random song came on that neither of us knew. We decided to call it a night and went upstairs. I got in the shower and realized I was singing a very strange song. It was the George Michael song "Last Christmas". I thought it was weird that I had that song stuck in my head and was wondering where it came from. I knew I wouldn't be able to fall asleep with that song stuck in my head so I asked Andy to go downstairs and get my Ipod so I could listen to a few songs before bed. Here is how the conversation went:

"Andy, could you please go get my Ipod from the kitchen? I have a horrible Christmas song stuck in my head."

"That's weird, so do I. But there's no way you have this same song stuck in your head."

"What song is it?"

"It's a George Michael song."

MY EYES ABOUT POPPED OUT OF MY HEAD and we both started singing, "Last Christmas I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away.". We decided that the random song at the end of the movie sounded a lot like this Christmas song and that is how we both got stuck singing it. If that ain't a sign from heaven that we should be together, I don't know what is!!!
For your enjoyment......click here.

Question

Here is a question I posed to Andy today:
Since when did I become that mother that drives a minivan, picks up carpool and shops at Walmart during the day when her child is in school?? I don't feel like I'm old enough to be "that mom"!! I'm freakin' out!

Eyeglasses

A couple of years ago I ran across a blog called Glassy Eyes. The original post that started it all is well worth a read if you wear glasses or contacts. Basically it describes how you can get prescription glasses online for cheap. And when I mean cheap, I'm talking 25 bucks for a pair of prescription sunglasses with all of the antic-scratch, anti-glare stuff, etc. To give you an idea of what a deal that really is, with my eye insurance, the anti-glare coating is usually $45. I've bought 2 pair online, and I'm planning to pick up another one by the end of the year, probably for about 50 bucks. The frames that I'm looking at are usually $350, plus the lenses.

Anyways, I thought I'd share in case anyone else wants/needs another pair of glasses. The prices on these sites are ridiculously low, compared to what you usually pay for glasses, even from Costco. To be fair, the $25 pair feel cheap, but it's nice to be able to keep a pair of sunglasses in Kristi's car instead of hauling mind back and forth.

9/11

The first time I ever heard about Andy was on September 11th. I had just started at Neovest and they called to tell me that I didn't need to come into work. A couple of days later I heard that one of our employees was in New York on 9/11 and was still stuck there. I commented on how his wife must be worried sick. Turns out he was single.
Andy was supposed to be taking the train to the World Trade Center around 8 am to see a client but last minute decided to stay in Jersey City with a co-worker and visit a different client. From across the Hudson River Andy saw smoke and heard rumors and was soon evacuated from the building. He went back to the corporate apartment and spent a few days there waiting for a flight home. He could even hear the buildings fall. A lot of our friends in New York have far worse experiences and stories but I am grateful that Andy decided to stay in Jersey City that day. And I'm grateful I didn't know him at that point so I didn't have to worry!!! I left that up to his wife .

I fall for Fall

This could be a very expensive time of year for me. I adore sweaters and tweed pants and most especially, jackets! I went to the mall tonight and wandered into Banana Republic which combined with this time of year is very dangerous. I found many, many, many things that I wanted but unfortunately (or fortunately for Andy's wallet) they were too pricey for me. I went to the sale rack and found a very cute sweater dress which, of course they didn't have in my size. I think I have a lot of cute things from last year still stacked in my closet so that's a good thing. Let's just hope I'm the same size I was last year.

PS: Andy wants me to say that everyone should watch Wipeout. We are laughing. A lot. And aggravating Andy's cough. He should be studying. But instead he's watching people fall in mud. Totally worth it. Good night, and big balls.

Gymnastics

Samantha and Alex are taking a gymnastics class together and although they've only been 1 time so far I think they really enjoyed it. Alex proves far better than Samantha when it comes to tumbling but she was more willing to do the scary, tricky stuff than he was. He is a little afraid of heights. They were both adorable and I am looking forward to seeing how they progress.

I see you like to chew

Maybe you should chew ... ON MY FIST!!



This movie has earned a spot on my top 10 favorite list. Obviously, that's not a very exclusive list.