Tuesday Planning

So this past weekend I officially started scrapping the last Disney trip from June. I usually do an album for each daughter so this will take awhile. I also skipped around a little & started (finally) using my Feb Kit from Scrapbook Bakery (sorry I don't think it's available anymore). This kit has so much FUN stuff to play with & Heather really packed it full! Laura was the guest designer & she came up with some BEAUTIFUL LO's as well as a fun & pretty garland. I have to admit that I totally just lifted her work----she makes life so easy with her un-complicated designs! She knows I idolize her--hey it's better than stalking!! LOL!

Today as much as I wanted to stay home & scrap I was offered the opportunity to go to lunch with my hubby. Basically he offered & I said yes. It's nice to be able to have a meal with him without having a power stuggle for his attention with the girls around. Of course being that he was working we had to make it quick so we went to Hooter's. I'm not complaining one bit I actually enjoyed my food & especially his company. Didn't care for the waitress who kept calling him "honey" though. After my dirty looks & my frosty attitude to her I think she tried to fix her goof cause then she started calling me "honey". She's not our usual waitress who is a doll & I'm not thrilled with today's waitress at all (my claws are out chickie!!)

Tomorrow we're going out to Cheesecake Factory for my birthday. My sister Chet offered/was asked to babysit but I'd like to be with the girls on my birthday. She can sit another night when we can take advantage & go to dinner and a movie. Love her!! Besides she's watching the girls this Sat. so we can go to the neighborhood "Cabin Fever" party. It's like a block party only it's grown ups, we do it every year & have a good time. Sat afternoon we're going to the circus & I'm looking forward to that since I've never seen Ringling Bros.

Sun afternoon my cousin Ciro is arriving from Italy. So we'll all be at my mom's house to visit. That's gonna be a late night since he's arriving at JFK. By the time he goes through Customs & gets his bags & my other sister Marie drives him to my mom's it'll be at least 6pm. Then you know we'll all be chattering loudly & of course eating a big dinner that my mom's gonna make so you know the kids will be tired & cranky come Mon. morning. I'm physic like that. Not that I'm complaining. I haven't seen my cousin since our family visit to Italy in 1984 so we'll have fun.

Basically this birthday girl is getting her wish to not have a party & be fussed over. There's just no free time this weekend & if we pushed it to the following weekend it'll just be --I don't know--over. My older sister Marie did offer to have us up to her house Fri. night for cake but I'm not sure how concrete that plan is. Birthdays just kinda suck when you get older. But I guess getting older is better than not so I'll just leave it with that.

Spoiled!

Let me just start off by showing you the cute quickly decorated cupcakes I made Joe for his birthday. I made his favorite-French Vanilla cupcakes. Notice I used my cake stand/chip & dip holder from Target?? I found these marshmallow hearts at the supermarket & thought they'd look cute on cupcakes. Guess what? I was right--they DO look cute! But that's all they do is LOOK cute they smell & taste AWFUL! So after Joe tried one I pulled off the marshmallows & tossed them out. Oh well. On Wed I got a special delivery (that I knew was coming). Joe knew my Thursday was going to be hectic (& it was) so asked the florist to deliver these a day early. He spoils us all!!!

Sorry it's a terrible pic but the snow was bright outside. I could've faced the other direction to take the pic but my kitchen was a mess so I opted for the dark pic!! LOL!!

He finally understands that while yes red roses are beautiful & symbolize love they are not my favorite. So he modified his order & sent my favorite--purple!!!
This is from Gianna's class party that another mom (whom I don't know her name) kindly offered to take my pic with the girls. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
Right after the party we bolted outta there to get to Joe's shop. He bought tickets to take us to see "Hannah Montana's" 3D concert movie. The girls were super excited!!! I must say that I think she's adorable & I like the music so I had fun too! I had Gianna sitting on my lap towards the end & she was bopping to the music while I bounced her on my knee so to those of you sitting behind us-Hope you liked the extra little show!! Afterwards for dinner we were short of options on where to go eat without waiting an eternity, so we figured we'd get seated quickly if we went to Hooter's & we were right. Sure it's not romantic but I'm easy to please!

When we finally got home we exchanged cards & gifts & then snapped some pics -- of course! Marissa took this one pretty good. I kept nudging Joe in the back to smile & he made this face! Love him!
Here's my tired but happy family before getting sent to bed. I just love them!!
Tomorrow we're having family & friends over for cake & coffee to celebrate Joe's birthday. I'm off to clean my messy house but not before I register my girls' new Webkinz! Talk about Priorities!!

We're getting there...

As I said yesterday I had lots of stuff I wanted to do. I procrastinate a lot but I made some progress. Yesterday I tackled some laundry & made a pot of sauce with meatballs. I started straightening up the house so I can take pics of the decorations which seems never-ending but we're getting there.

Today we got all the outside decorations down & put away. We were quite a team. I footed the ladder while Joe climbed up & took down the wreathes off the eaves of the house. Then while he pulled the reindeer off the frozen lawn I took down the lights & garlands off the porch. Where were the girls you ask? They played their part by happily riding their bikes & skooter all over the driveway!

After all that Joe & I agreed that we were hungry so we decided to go to Hooter's. Yes I said Hooter's. I was in the mood for some hot wings & what man will ever argue about going to Hooter's? We shared loaded cheesy gooey nachos....yummmmm. Then I had some hot strips which I like better than wings because it's easier to eat without all those messy bones to gnaw through. Double yummmmmmm....the only thing missing was the beer but that I could do without---who needs all those EXTRA calories??? LOL!!!!

When we got home I needed a nap. I didn't intend on laying down but the bed called to me & who am I to argue? I kept dozing in & out of sleep with the girls occasionally coming to check on me. Marissa covered me with a blanket & I felt so toasty warm -- it was easy to just lie there. Luckily Joe kept the girls happy & watched some movies with the girls downstairs. Gotta love that man...feeds me AND lets me nap...hmmmm....If I didn't know any better it almost sounds like I'm preggers or something....but I'm NOT!!

Tomorrow Marissa has a birthday party to go to in the morning & I'll come back home to de-Christmas the house more. Like I said we're getting there.

NOW I'm REALLY done...

I went out today to return a few things & came back with LOTS of bags full of STUFF!! I could have SWORN I was DONE shopping!! NOW I've got even MORE things to wrap! Crap! I had to buy a frame for a gift for my F-I-L but when I went to put the pics in it I realized I bought the wrong size frame...CRAP! NOW I need to go back out there again...BUT I'm gonna have will power this time...partially due to spending all my money today!!

Tonight was Joe's company X-Mas party....at Hooter's. Why Hooter's you ask? Well being that he owns the company & he likes hot wings & there are no female employees--they have it at Hooter's! And not for nothing but I like hot wings too & we as a family actually go there for dinner...please don't judge...it's a night without cooking for me!!

So I took advantage of this hubby free night & put the girls to bed early & barricaded myself in our bedroom. I spent my time going through my purchases & started wrapping them. The reason for the barricading? Let me put it this way...the back of our house has lots of windows & they don't have any blinds or window treatments on them because it would take away the look of the windows. So that means when Joe's not home I get spooked TOO easily & hightail my butt upstairs. This way I don't get freaked out everytime some animal trips the motion sensor lights that are all over the back of the house. I'm a big chicken...but I'm not on the Hooter's menu!!