Party!!!

Our Back-To-School Bash

Making going back to school fun, especially after a summer of best friends, activities and sleeping in, is important for me.  I want my kids to look forward to school, not dread it. So each year, I throw a party.

Party Poppers!

The finished product. We made rings too :)

Making magnets to hang school art/work on fridge :)



Our new plaque-A little reminder :)  



 Courtesy of Matt. We always find a reason to have fireworks.

Random neighbor kids showed up. The boy on the end (the one with no shirt) is a sweetheart. LOL.

We had a great time. School starts on Tuesday.

I am excited about....watching Maddie bring home art and assignments that she is proud of, going to school parties, carnivals, concerts, holiday programs and other fun activities and watching my two kids grow, mature and make new friends.

Am I ready to wake up at 6 am?! NO!
Am I worried about how Ashlin will do with her best friend (her sis) gone at school all day long? YES! I will have to have lots of play dates for her-especially if I am going to be working from home.

Happy New School Year Everyone! ~S

Life...

One of my favorite quotes:

"Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it."
— Mother Teresa

Top 5 Fav's

These are my five Must Have products right now.



I Love Clinique, especially their lip gloss.




Three Barrel Curling Iron. Gives you beautiful beach comber waves and is super easy to use. I got mine at Fred Meyer for $30.



Mineral Eye Shadow. I got mine at Costco. It comes with four beautiful colors and a creme that makes the shadow stay on all day. Best part, it was only ten bucks!! The brushes alone are worth that.

I know I review a ton of soap...but this is my favorite right now. I use the fragrance free one (not pictured) purchased at Whole Food for $2.  So far, it is the BEST I have tried.

Coconut Yogurt. Yum. I am a coconut addict. Also found at Whole Foods :)

~S

Grumpy!!

Ya know when you are in so much pain that you just get down right grumpy? Well, that was me the last few days.

I have not been sleeping due to itching and the days are miserable-especially since Portland has been in the 90's.

Most people who don't have chronic pain do not understand that you cannot take a day off-you have to push through it. I still have to work, my kids still need to be taken care of and I still have to be a wife, friend, daughter and sister.

So, I graded 60 papers in two days, edited many reports and took care of a sick kid...all while in pain. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.

I decided that I needed a date night and we all needed a family day. So last night my sweet friend watched the girls while we went out to dinner at my favorite place-Swagath-and then did a little shopping. However, I didn't last long as walking was painful.

Today, we went to the beach for a few hours and tomorrow, after I work, we are going to pick berries and I am going to make some pies. Yum.

Daily I have to fight the desire to crawl up in a ball, cry, and give up. But, I must remind myself that I have three important reasons to go on....Jaiden, Madeleine and Ashlin.

I have to do things I think I can't-otherwise, I will do nothing. ~S

Working From Home

How My Day was Today.....and Most Days :)

Wake Up after being up with a sick (the flu) child all night
Make lemon blueberry muffins & coffee
Clean downstairs
Grade Papers
Get kids a bath, give Maddie medicine
Edit
Throw a load of laundry in
Dance silly to make Maddie laugh
Have Jaiden take Ash to a park
Grade papers
Paint girls nails
Grade papers
Paint my nails
Make lunch
Put movie in for girls
Grade papers
Make butterflies with girls to hang above kitchen table
Grade papers
Finish laundry
Grade papers
Clean upstairs
Come down stairs to find Nerds (the candy) spilled all over the wood floor-vacuum them up
Make myself lunch
Grade papers
Water indoor plants
Grade papers
Make kids a snack
Eat dinner
Go to the office to finish editing
Come home, watch TV with hubby
CRASH.

And these are the days we DON'T have playdates planned...which is rare. LOL.

~S