Carlee in a Box

From cute...

...to grumpy!

Come on People!

Racial? Really?

This photo has been tagged as "perpetuating racial stereotypes". Lebron James is likened to King Kong and model Gisele Bundchen is likened to Fay Wray. They say it makes him look dangerous and domineering but it's really just his game face. I get tired of people who look for controversy. Are they really that bored? Quit making mountains out of molehills people! The photo was meant to be fun and was even prided for being the first African American male on the cover of Vogue. I don't even read Vogue but I saw this and just thought it was plain ridiculous.

Just a little highway humor.

To get me in a better mood I thought I'd share what one of the local DJ's posted on thier website. I'm glad I'm not the only one that sees heads on the highway!

This is what he wrote:

"Have you noticed when you're driving away from the sun, your car creates a shadow that looks like Shrek? The side mirrors become the ears and the two people in the front seat become the eyes? hmm... maybe it's just me but once you see it, you can't un-see it." John Riggs

Now everyone who reads this will see Shrek heads on the highway!

Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired!!

I'm sitting here with a massive headache, sore throat, about to lose my breakfast nauseated, feeling beyond tired, coughing, ears throbbing sickness on top of feeling weak, dizzy, and in pain. I have to tell you-I'M SICK OF IT!!! You know the old saying, "At least you have your health?" Well, that usually doesn't apply to me. I'm lucky to have a couple days a month of normalcy. Something is always going on in my body: chronic infections, stomach problems, sickness, or just the pain and weakness of lupus. I know having an auto-immune disorder makes me catch everything easier, but come on, I need a break. I tease my mom for passing along her bad genes to me. I pray that I don't continue passing along the bad genes to my kids. I would rather have it twice as bad in me if only my kids would be spared. My poor Carlee is still sick with the flu and is really struggling to get better. I really worry that she's going to be the one with the weak immune system. It seems she already is. Plus the poor girl is plagued with her eczema which makes her miserable every day. I hope she gets better soon!

***

Alright I guess I'll quit my whining now. I just needed to vent a little. I'm usually pretty good at remembering my personal motto, "There is always someone worse off than you." It keeps me in check as I try to move forward. I also wonder if my poor health is just God's way of telling me to slow down and appreciate what I do have. Instead of thinking, "At least I have my health", I'll think, "At least I have two beautiful children." I couldn't ask for anything better than that!

Happy Easter!

I haven't blogged for quite awhile now. Unfortunately we've all been sick alot this month. Once one of us would be over something someone else would start it all over again. It's been very frustrating. So for Easter the kids were sick with fevers and coughs. Luckily they were still able to have some fun. Collin loved coloring the eggs and going on an Easter egg hunt. Little miss Carlee was only happy when she discovered candy. Go figure. Anyways, here are a few pics and a video of our Easter morning.

*Collin stirring up the food coloring*

*Collin with his egg and a pic of the rest*


*The knuckleheads with their baskets*

"Ode to Mom"

*Mom with the giant cupcake pan we gave her*

Today is my mom's birthday and I just started thinking about how amazing she is.

Here's what's special about my mom:

1. She cares for each of her kids and would (and has!) bend over backwards for them.
   
2. She has suffered with rheumatoid arthritis yet still manages to make beautiful cakes and cookies. Something incredible for someone who has plastic knuckles and some crooked fingers!


3. She cares for everyone around her.


4. She absolutely adores her grandchildren and graciously tends them while I'm at work.


5. She's creative.
   
6. She is kind and caring.


7. She has a good sense of humor.


8. She plays Dance Dance Revolution and Rock Band on the x-box, and loves it! It's something that we can do together and have a fun time. She even requested we play it after her b-day dinner.


9. She is and always has been my best friend.


10. She is an all-around good person!

Happy birthday mom!

Dr. Carlee

Little Miss Carlee absolutely loved seeing the game "Operation" for the first time. I loved this game as a kid and I thought they would too. I was only half right. As you can see from the video, Carlee loved it! Collin on the other hand didn't want anything to do with it. The buzzing scared him too much. I personally think they tamed the game down a bit since I was a child. I remember it being more of a shock instead of a buzz. Carlee was entertained for quite awhile but Collin was begging us to get her to stop.

***

I love that my kids have such different personalities. Collin is:

1. Tender-hearted
2. People oriented
3. A scaredy cat
4. Goofy
5. Boyish, but with a sensitive side
6. Mommy's helper
7. Fun-loving
8. Outgoing
9. Concerned with other people's feelings
10. Thinks ahead

Carlee on the other hand is:

1. Adventurous
2. Not afraid of anything
3. Very opinionated
4. Likes to do her own thing
5. Shy around strangers
6. Loud!
7. Mad if she doesn't get her way
8. So sweet when she gives big squeezes
9. Can wrestle with the best of them
10. Tries to take mommy's jewlery and shoes already

Of course these clashing personalities also bring alot of fights around the house. I'm constantly getting after them to quit pushing each others buttons. I do hope that in the future they'll put their differences aside and become the best of friends.

Happy Birthday To Me!

I had a really fun birthday this year thanks to my family. My mom made me a beautiful cake that was strawberry with a strawberry filling in the middle. Yum!



We also had my favorite dinner: Mexican food! I ate a burrito, tostada, taco, and taco soup. I was really full after that but I still had to stuff a bunch of cake down my belly. I can remember when I used to be able to eat 12 tacos in one sitting and still could eat more. Not so these days!

Larry, Tina, Eric, and mom and dad surprised me by getting me the game rock band for the x-box. I am definitely not a huge x-box person but I absolutely love music and dancing games.

The kids were very excited to get it too and can't wait to try it out!

Carlee started singing into the microphone which was so cute! Not to be upstaged Collin grabbed it next and favored us with "Twinkle, twinkle, little star". By the way Collin loves to sing that song for Carlee while I put her to bed. He also loves to sing her "Jingle Bells".

After getting the game out both of the kids had to play with the box. Like their grandpa Larry says, "A box is the best toy". I think he's right. Thanks to all my family for making my birthday memorable. I love you all!

More shoes!

This year is my big three-o birthday so Eric took me shopping for guess what...shoes! He picked out the brown heels and the sketchers and I had to get the white heels too since they were on sale. Okay so I have to admit, maybe I do have a shoe fetish.

Collin's Banana Bread

Collin saw my bananas getting brown so he said, "Do we get to make banana bread?" He wanted to make it by himself (for the most part) so he could send some to his sweet aunt Mandy. Watch your mailbox Mandy!

1. First you have to peel the bananas.

2. Then you squish them up really good.

3. Then you add the flour and have your mom add the other stuff because you'll be too busy.

4. Pour the squishy bananas into all the other stuff.

5. Stir it all together. The flour looks like dirt and the bananas are like lava.

6. Spread the flour that fell on the counter all over just because.

7. Put it in the oven to bake, but don't touch the sides!

8. Eat banana bread for breakfast.

9. You can even share with your sister.

Middle Name Meme

Holly tagged me to post a middle name meme. The funny thing is that we both have the same middle name! Small world.

1. You must post the rules on your post before you answer the questions.
2. You need to list one fact about yourself using each letter of your middle name. If you don't have a middle name use your maiden name instead.
3. When you are finished with your answers, you tag one person for each letter of your name.

A: Always try to see the best in people. Every person has a story and why they act the way they do. I find that if you take the time to get to know someone you can find something good in them.

N: Never stop eating. You'd think I'd weigh 300 lbs. by now but I really cannot go two hours without stuffing something in my mouth.

N: New things! I love to try new things, new recipes, new experiences. I guess it's the adventurous side of me but I want to visit every state, every country, every continent. (Just wish I had money to do it!) I want to try different hobbies, new sports, and read new novels. I'm not afraid of change.

I tag the following: Mandy, Mom, Tina, and even though I'm only supposed to tag three I have to tag dad too since he hasn't blogged anything yet!

Crazy Hair Carlee

Everytime Carlee gets into the big blow up clown upstairs her hair gets major static!

This is what Carlee usually looks like in the morning!

Wii Would Like to Play

This weekend my brother Mark came home for a visit with his new Wii. This is the first time we've played it and now we want one! The Wii Bowling game was what we had the most fun with. Collin even beat out his dad twice. Yep in the video my living room is a disaster and Collin had on mismatched clothes so no need to comment about that, but at least Wii had alot of fun!