How Many Have Visited....

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Makeup and Kitchenmakeover


(Aunt Julie, her little boy, Jack and Parker this summer at a family friends house! )

I just have to brag for a minute about a famous Makeup Artist whom I am related to!
My baby sister, Julie is a makeup artist in Grand Rapids, MI! She's worked for a big cosmetic company (hint: starts with "Cha" and ends with "nel") as a regional artist for several years now. Aside from that, she's freelancing and becoming more involved in the fashion industry and has some exciting jobs coming up. She was recently invited to work an event as the lead makeup artist for a designer that shows at NY Fashion Week! Anyway, I'm so proud of her! Check out her website: http://www.juliestrating.com/
I am very proud of you Julie and excited to see how God is using your artistic ability!
She definitely has an eye and is the one who helped me come up with my ideas for my Kitchen Makeover too!
And that's the other excitement.....
The kitchen is FINALLY getting painted TODAY! Here is the kitchen in progress! Looking forward to showing off the final product, new draperies & decorations soon! I have fallen in love with green and very happy with the way it will look!
I was a bit nervous about this shade-but Julie convinced me the bright color with the contrasting chocolate brown/green paisley print draperies will look sharp! She also said I could get away with it since there is so much edging and not allot of wall space! On top of all this , I am very grateful a friend could do it for us for a great deal!~Thanks Dave!



I will post the final product soon!
Jenn :)











Friday, January 09, 2009

Panic Attack ...take 2 & A Great Date!

How can a mom have a panic attack and a great date all in one day? Well ,it all really happened today! (And all in matter of 5 hours!)
I was cleaning the upstairs, getting ready for our sitter, Hannah!
Parker was happily entertaining himself by opening and closing the guest bedroom door. (He does this frequently around here! So, I didn't think anything of it-He was happy and I was getting MUCH done!)
I hear him in the room and I go to open up the door!!
"OH-NO! OH-NO!" It is LOCKED!! I can't get the door open! I begin to say "Peek-a-boo"
Instant Panic begins to take over my body!
Jennifer-"Think!"
I look at the door and I call Mike-NO ANSWER!
(I knew Mike was about to leave work-he was coming home by 5:30 so we could go on a date at 6:00!) However-it was only 4:45, and I still had to get Parker out of the room, feed him, get myself ready, and get everything ready for Hannah!!!
Onto my next thought-Our neighbor Rick-aka "Uncle Rick!" He was home and came to the rescue immediately!
Rick was able to take the door handle off and we got Parker out!
Thanksfully-Parker had NO CLUE!!!
(I have only begun the journey to being a mother of a BOY! How he got that room locked has me clueless- but he can reach the handles!)
I know I could have gotten him out myself, but I was in an instant state of panic and couldn't think!
THANKS UNCLE RICK!!!




After we got Parker out, I fed him dinner and Mike was home, Hannah arrived shortly after and
we were out for our date, FINALLY!
We really just wanted our local grocery store sub! A date out alone doesn't have to be fancy for us! We LOVE Publix Subs! It is not too often that we get to eat there by ourselves. We always get the subs to go! So, we enjoyed the delicious Turkey sub on my favorite 5 grain Italian bread! AND WE got a free upgrade- We paid the lower price for regular meet and got the luxury meat!! BIG DEAL to us!

During our dinner we battled over what movie we'd go see! I honestly didn't really care (I was just so excited to have a night out and go to a movie with Mike!) Last movie we saw together at the theater was Oceans 13!) Since Parker's arrival-we have taken nights out with friends... or waited for the movies to come out on Redbox!

So, we finally agreed to go see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I was not to keen on a 3 hour movie...but Mike is all over 4 & 5 star ratings! We got to the theater at 7:20 and movie started at 7:40! We got the best seats in the house (middle row /center) and anxious for this drama/romance to begin. We were instantly captured by the movie's plot!
As it thickened (2 hours in) the VOLUME DIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Picture was great-but we can't read lips! Instantly the audience is going ballistic!!! We are in the middle of the row. So, we stay in our seats (still trying to figure out what Brad Pitt is saying) and wonder if we will hear the last hour of the movie ,We soon get an announcement that we can leave and get a refund!
Well we jumped in line.......and here is what happened with our night;



Price of Publix Boars Head Turkey Sub...($7.49) (We paid $1.00 less!!)
Price of Movie Tickets..............................($20.00)
Price of Babysitter....................................($30.00)
Cost of Night............................................. ($56.49)
Time spent together..................................(Flowers from Mike-Great Subs-"Upgraded",Free Movie Tickets, and a Full Refund........................(PRICELESS!)

If you do the math (adding in our free movie tickets and full refund back)
we actually spent out of pocket...$18.49

That is one great date for us!
Now what movie to see next?

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Is a sick day allowed in mommyhood?

Last week Mike was ill and this week I am ill!
Mike went to our family Dr, last Friday and found out he had a sinus infection! He had his down time and was completely knocked out (after taking cough medicine with co dine)! Now, he is doing much better and I started feeling "icky" on Sunday! I went to my Allergy/Asthma Dr. this AM (Mike stayed home with Parker-THANK YOU for a flexible job that allows him to work from home sometimes!).
I felt like I was coming down with Bronchitis (I tend to get it yearly)-but the good news is, no infection in the lungs! I actually have a respiratory virus that last 7-10 days, sore throat-laryngitis, weak lungs,( got a steroid for that and the horrible cough) and just feeling crappy! My allergist is actually getting over it too! I am so thankful he did not just prescribe an antibiotic just because-he knew my body and is very aware of what is best!
So, Parker just took a good 2 & 1/2 hour nap and I got a good hour in of resting. Wish I could have a sick day!
I wish there was a form you could feel out and have the day off of being a "mommy!" But -thankfully Mike came home early Monday, and allowed me a night out with my BUNKO girls, and stayed with Parker this AM!
I will be grateful to have this behind me...hopefully next week!
Praying I can sleep tonight!