HAPPY EASTER!!!

The eggs have been dyed... and only ONE suffered a cracked shell during dyeing!!! I used the old food coloring and vinegar method from childhood... the colors came out pretty vivid... although I can't figure out the reason for the "striping" effect ...

Hope EVERYONE has a WONDERFUL EASTER!!!

Something to Celebrate...

Twenty-three Years.... 4 months... and 6 days... CONGRATULATIONS HONEY!!!

Missing an old "FRIEND"...

My "three a day" (yes... 3 24ozs. a day) habit is no longer... on March 9th I woke up and made the decision to say "Goodbye" to an old friend...

It wasn't easy... halfway through the first day "the headache" started... and continued... and continued... I knew that if I could get through at least 4 days the headache would start to ease and I would/could successfully "kick" my "DEW"... by the end of the 4th day... my headache started to ease, and I was feeling more "normal"...

So... I haven't had ANY "soda type" beverage since March 9th!!! Do I miss it??? I DID... in the beginning... but... I've lost 6 pounds... and dropped a size !!!

So... "Goodbye Old Friend"... I WILL MISS YOU!!! I might drop in for a little visit ocassionally... but for now I'm doin' ok without you... so far!

WANNA WIN SUMTHIN'???...

Well... go visit my DEAR FRIEND JENN... she's runnin' a little contest on her blog... she not only has a "way with words"... but is also SUPER DUPER FABULOUS with a needle and thread!!!

Don't Forget!!!!... "Spring Ahead"

Well... as the snow CONTINUES to fall here... and has since YESTERDAY... just thought I would put out a "reminder" to everyone to "Spring Ahead"... Tonight we turn the clocks AHEAD ONE HOUR... it's suppose to be done at like 2AM (or some insanely early hour) if you want to get really technical about it... but we just turn them ahead before we go to bed...

MAYBE... and it's a BIG MAYBE... by turning the clocks AHEAD tonight it will make the snow STOP quicker??? Hey... don't fault a girl for dreamin'!!!

THIS is just WRONG!!!...

OK... on SO MANY LEVELS... THIS is just WRONG to my DESPERATELY SEEKING SPRING mind... YESTERDAY was "mild" (by our locations standards) AND SUNNY (yep... BELIEVE THAT!)... so "mild" in fact that Lilley-Kate and I hung the Easter Eggs on the front bushes... then today... about 10AM... the white stuff started to fall... and fall.... and fall... (and is STILL FALLING as I type this!)... as we pulled in from school Lilley-Kate made the comment "Mommy, the eggs look pretty with snow on them"... and I thought to myself... I guess that is ONE WAY to look at it!

We are under a Winter Weather Advisory until SUNDAY MORNING! I am SERIOUSLY wondering if this will EVER END!!!...

Sharing a Lunchpacking TIP...

Lilley-Kate takes her lunch to school everyday... one of the things she likes most is her "fancy napkins"... I typically will by a small pack of beverage napkins (at the local mass retailer or Dollar Store) relating to the SEASON or HOLIDAY for the month... and then include the napkins in her lunchbox every day... it's a fun and easy way to familiarize younger children with HOLIDAYS and Seasons...

Just Plain BITCHY...

OK... so I am in a BITCHY mood... go figure... LOL... I just don't feel like being all "nicey nice" right now... which in all actuality really bothers me... because I try really hard to keep my BITCHINESS in "check" MOST of the time... to not "speak my mind"... or give my OPINION (unless it is asked for... but even THAT can be tricky)... I have learned over the years (the biggest "revelation" coming in my early 30s) that there ARE things and PEOPLE that I am NEVER going to be able to change... nomatter how much I may desire the change... Not everything is BLACK and WHITE... sometimes it's GREY... and once I realized that... it was like a weight being lifted off my shoulders... but LATELY... LATELY... I have felt that weight on my shoulders again... I don't know if it is my struggle with being 40 (and just let me say... I have STRUGGLED with being 40)... or the fact that I have felt "stiffled" in situations (where in the past I would've just stood up and expressed my UNSOLICITED OPINION or FEELINGS and be damned what ANYONE ELSE thought)... I just don't know... but I DO KNOW... that in MY MIND... the BITCH that "everyone" THINKS I am... is QUIETLY comtemplating HERSELF...

BLAH BLAH BLAAAAAAAAAAH...

If my "Aunt Flo" doesn't get here SOON for her "monthly visit" I think my head just may EXPLODE... I've taken more TYLENOL than is probably legal... and if my Husband looks sideways at me ONE MORE TIME... I think I just MIGHT punch him in the head!!!

Weekend Wrap Up...

Another weekend that FLEW by!!!

Saturday we had Lilley-Kate's"official" Birthday party...
it was a Butterfly theme this year... out of the 5
little girls I invited... 2 showed up (the 2 who's Mothers DID RSVP)... so it was a SMALL party (3 girls total)... which was fine... the girls had a GREAT time... we played games... did a craft... and everyone enjoyed the cake...

After the party my friend Mrs. Hardt and I decided to run to Boardman to do a bit of shopping... which was fun... I got a few things for Lilley-Kate for Spring...

Nick was home from school this weekend... of course... under "false" pretenses... I was under the impression he was coming to see Lilley-Kate for her birthday weekend... LOL... NOPE... he wanted some laundry done and to attend a local card tourney... OH WELL... still... it was GREAT to see him... his Spring Break starts on Wednesday... so he'll be home for a couple of weeks!!!

Michael was a HUGE help as always this weekend... he played videographer at the party... and the girls LOVED that he did the craft with them too!

Today was leisure... we FINALLY saw some SUNSHINE today (later in the afternoon)... Michael and Lilley-Kate took Nick back to school... I made a Wallies run later in the afternoon... Got things ready for the coming week... (this will be Michael's last FULL week of work beofre he takes his "Terminal Leave" towards retirement!)

I have to watch BB9... I was chatting it up earlier on the phone and had to TIVO it... so I'll do that... My auctions are doing GREAT on eBay... everything has SOLD... hopefully I'll get more bids before they end late tomorrow night...

Hope EVERYONE had a GREAT weekend!!!

Wish I May... Wish I Might...

We FINALLY saw a little bit of SUNLIGHT!!! How EXCITING... for the whole 40 MINUTES it lasted!!! But Hey... "beggars can't be choosers" right?...

DESPERATE!!!!!...

We have been TEASED... by Mother Nature... fleeting moments of sunshine... in between squalls of snow... for the past week... and it is getting OLD... (according to our local paper we have seen a total of THREE days of sunshine since Jan..1... THAT is just WRONG!!!)

In our area... it is a "Hot Topic"... How DESPERATE everyone is to see the sun... Everyone includes ME... I am DESPERATE...

I have felt myself slowly being "drained" of any motivation... grumpy (although that is not entirely due to a lack of sunlight)... absent minded... distracted... just BLAH...

CLOUDY... SNOWY... COLD... CLOUDY... SNOWY... COLD...

I'm becoming DESPERATE for some SUN SUN SUN to warm my bones and brighten my mood...

A YUMMY Birthday Celebration...

We had a little Birthday Celebration tonight... Lilley-Kate chose to have CHEESEBURGERS at Wendy's... so we had an "impromptu" little party with our friends (the Hardts)... it was a fun time... CHEESEBURGERS all around and girlie pink cupcakes for dessert (along with FREE Frostys for everyone-compliments of the Managment)... everyone in the place sang Happy Birthday and clapped after Lilley-Kate blew out her candles... she was THRILLED... doesn't take much to make a 6 year old happy!!! Good Friends... YUMMY CHEESEBURGERS... all for our FAVORITE GIRL!!!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY Lilley-Kate!!

(BTW... I actually had the PANCO BREADED FISH SANDWICH... and can I just say YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it!!!)

A VERY SPECIAL DAY...

6 years ago TODAY (at 8:57AM) a dream came true... after MANY YEARS of hoping and wishing... we were THRILLED to welcome our "Little Sack of Sugar" (she weighed just over 5 lbs. at birth)... Lilley-Katherine...

Every day since has been an ABSOLUTE JOY...

To our "Favorite Girl"... WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!!!

HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY!!!

Love, Daddy... Mommy... Nick... and Abbie too!

Time To Move Along...

Well... ANOTHER morning waking up to MORE of the "white stuff"... we have received about 3 1/2" MORE overnight and are expected to get 2-4" throughout today... We are under a Winter Weather Advisory/Watch until 6AM TOMORROW... UGH... I've had quite ENOUGH of this...

So Mr. Winter... you've got my permission to... GO... SKEEDADDLE... I need SUNSHINE (the 2 days we had over the weekend just weren't enough)... I'm not a "cold-weather" kinda gal... I need HEAT... so PLEASE... MOVE ALONG!!!

Weekend Wrap-Up...

WHEW... this weekend FLEW by!!! It seems like I blinked and it was Sunday evening already! Saturday Michael worked... and then had a dinner meeting in the evening... Lilley-Kate had a friend (Kylee) over Saturday evening... Kylee's big sister Lauren was having a birthday party... so it was the general concensus that Kylee should spend the evening here with us... the girls had fun... they played games... we danced to MIKA... and they played "Prom Queen"... it's so funny to just kinda "eavesdrop" on little kids... listen to the things they say to each other... Sunday arrived SUNNY but COLD... I had Michael take the cars to get rinsed off (I can't STAND how dirty they get... from all the slush and salt on the roads)... we were rather liesure getting started today... we made a trip to Wallies and got Lilley-Kate her birthday present... a FISHTANK! She has wanted one... she picked out everything for it and she and Daddy set it up in her room... it has to run for a couple of days (according to the directions I made Michael read)... then we will get her some fish... I'm thinking Tetras or Guppies... we'll see... Made pancakes/sausage for dinner tonight... watched BB9... got another auction ready for listing on Wednesday... This week will be busy as I'll be getting ready for Lilley-Kate's birthday party on Saturday (I CANNOT believe she is going to be 6!!!)... Going to run the vaccum and get things set for tomorrow... Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Seven Random Things... TAG

WOW... I've been TAGGED by JAYME for Seven RANDOM Things... here they are... and THANKS Jayme!

1. I am the ONLY left-handed person in my family (including my parents/grandparents/aunts-uncles/cousins/siblings/spouse/children/in-laws)


2. I am NOT a "cold-climate" kinda gal... for me... the HOTTER... the BETTER!!!
3. I pride myself on my PUNCTUALITY
4. I HATE clutter
5. I'm not as "cold-hearted" as people think I am
6. I LOVE watching TV
7. I consider myself to be more "spiritual" than "religious"

I really don't know 7 other bloggers to TAG... so if you would like just play along!

A Special Day....

Twenty-One years ago today I made the BEST decision of my life... Happy Anniversary Honey!

Weekend Wrap-Up...

We had a fairly quiet weekend here at According to Lala... FINALLY we had SUNSHINE (I was beginning to wonder if I was seeing things when we woke up Saturday morning to wonderful rays of sunlight shining through the curtains!)... Michael continued the painting process in our bedroom... and spent some time outside with Lilley-Kate (and snapped the FABULOUS picture in the previous post)... I worked on some eBay paperwork... got a towel order done... and kinda lazed around (my bones have been hurting more than usual lately)... Sunday we woke up to MILD temperatures and RAIN... washing away a lot of the snow... Michael continued painting our room (2nd coat)... Lilley-Kate colored... we read some books... played Barbies and had a picnic in the family room... I got a Sock Monkey order done for a customer... and got my auctions ready for my Wednesday listing... had a late dinner (leftover chili) and watched Big Brother... Michael is watching "We Are Marshall" on TV... I think I'll browse eBay for a bit and then head up to bed... Hope everyone had a WONDERFUL weekend!

"Making" a New Friend...

A Sweet Wish...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Snow Day...

Well... today was the kids second SNOW DAY... we caught the edge of a "major" snowstorm that went through our area and ended up with about 7" total in the last two days... My husband decided to take the day off (and SURPRISE... the rest of the week) and avoid the TREACHEROUS commute this morning... He and Lilley-Kate spent about 2 hours outside this afternoon playing in the snow (after all the shoveling was done)... Being an "indoor kinda gal"... I watched from the kitchen window... LOL... We are hoping for school tomorrow!

Tuesday Night "Tele"...

While the snow and ice fell outside... we were cozy and warm inside watching our "Tuesday Night Shows"

The Biggest Loser... I have always LOVED this show... but am finding myself a bit "disappointed" in this season... remembering past seasons... it doesn't SEEM that the contestants are "dropping" weight like in previous seasons... and none of them have shown a noticable face "transformation" (in past seasons by this time in the show someone would always "thin out" in the face and their appearance would significantly change)... I still love the show... just don't feel it is "up to par" with seasons past...

Big Brother 9... I have watched EVERY show/season of this reality show since it started... This looks like it will be an interesting season... I'm a bit disappointed though that BB seems to concentrate on casting a "younger" house... I would like to see a more "realistic" representation in the house... I LOVE the fact that there is a TMZ reporter in there!!! It'll take me a couple of episodes to get everyone's names down... one of the things I like best is that BB is on numerous times a week!

Change of Scenery...

One of my DEAREST FRIENDS has recently become a BLOGGER! She "suggested" that I update my "look"... so I have upgraded my BLOGGER status and will slowly be changing things around a bit... I'm not a huge one for change (of any kind really)... when I find something I like... I typically stick with it... but change IS good right? Time will tell!

Money Making Monday...

FABULOUS!!! I had 100% in sales!!! ALL my auctions SOLD... I am SO EXCITED!

Last week I helped a friend start her eBay selling adventure... and for her first ever auction cycle she did FABULOUS selling 9 out of 10 auctions!

eBay is going to make some changes soon... increasing selling fees and final value fees... hopefully though is won't effect my "bottom line" too terribly...

One step CLOSER to my GOAL!!!

WaCkY Wednesday...

WHEW... am I GLAD today is OVER!!! What a WACKY day... started off my MOTHER ringing me up (that is the WACKY in Wacky Wednesday)... had a nice chat with her... then my friend Mrs. Hardt rang me up (I had no sooner hung up from my Mother when the phone rang again)... chatted it up with her for a bit... then my SIL rang me up (again... no sooner had I hung up with Mrs. Hardt and the phone rang AGAIN)... typical chat with my SIL... the "potstirer"... THEN off to Lilley-Kate's school to volunteer at the Scholastic book fair... that was fun... THEN a conference with the Reading/Language teacher over Lilley-Kate's DIBEL scores... and a MID-YEAR conference with her Kindy teacher... WHEW... THEN finally back home... to fix dinner... Pancakes and SAUSAGE (and yes... my MOTHER DID remind me about the dietary restictions on ASH WEDNESDAY... and I TOTALLY forgot!!!)... Michael had calss tonight (winding down his Master's Classes... I watched a show that I had TiVod last night... Listed on eBay (took last week off to help a friend start her eBay experience)... and NOW am TUCKERED OUT!!! WHEW...

Tomorrow is another FULL day... but we are expecting some bad weather overnight... so I may have to adjust my schedule if we wake up to snow!

Hope everyone is having a good week so far!!!

Dear Coach BELICHICK...

Hello... let me take this opportunity to first tell you I DO NOT consider myself a "football fan"... I don't have a "favorite team" (although there is ONE TEAM in particular that I DO NOT "cheer" for)... and quite honestly much to my husband's frustration... when I DO watch football I usually "cheer" for the team that has the "prettiest" uniforms (you know with "us women"... it's a VISUAL THING)... anyway...

I just wanted to ask you a question... SERIOUSLY... WHAT ARE YOU 12??? I mean HONESTLY Coach BELICHICK... how DISRESPECTFUL could you have been... not only to the NY GIANTS... not only to your OWN TEAM... not only to the FANS... but to the game of FOOTBALL itself??? How difficult would it have been for you to stay ON THE FIELD... WITH YOUR TEAM... until the game had OFFICIALLY been determined to be OVER??? I mean I understand nobody likes to LOSE... but to storm off the field like a 5 YEAR OLD who wasn't allowed to win a game of CANDYLAND... leaving YOUR TEAM to stand out there essentially "ALONE" showed me personally just what you thought of THEM, the FANS, your OPPONENTS, AND the game of FOOTBALL itself... a GAME which essentially ALLOWED you to CHEAT (yes Coach BELICHICK... my husband, who IS a Football Fan told me ALL ABOUT it... you KNOW... the SPYGATE thing) AND keep a "perfect" season intact, would at least garner a BIT of RESPECT from you... Because quite HONESTLY Coach Belichick... you should be VERY GRATEFUL that I was not/am not the "head honcho" in Football... because IF I was/had been... YOU would be FINED for leaving the field before the game OFFICIALLY ended... AND... your "perfect record" would never have been... because I would've FORFEITED ANY GAME that you had "SPIED" on... but... LUCKY YOU... I am NOT in charge... I wish I was though... Because I would DEFINITELY make the uniforms PRETTIER!

Very Truly Yours- Lala

Not Enough FORTHOUGHT...

Well... CONGRATULATIONS to the NEW YORK GIANTS for winning the SUPER BOWL!!! The best part of the SuperBowl is the commercials IMO... anyway... someone wasn't "thinking" ahead... Why didn't the VICTORIA'S SECRET commercial feature Giselle Bunchen??? THAT would've been HILARIOUS!!! Given the fact that the EVER-POPULAR Tom Brady was QBing the game for the Patriots...

OH WELL... hope everyone had a great evening!!!

"The" RATTY Gray Sweater...

I think... no... I'm pretty sure I KNOW that I have an unnaturally freakish attachment to THIS sweater... it's "known" in this house as "Mom's ratty gray sweater"... nothing fancy really (it was actually a Christmas present that SAT in a closet for about 5 years before I even wore it!)... just a lightweight wool blend sweater that has started losing it's buttons and has a small hole starting under one armpit... but can I tell you... I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT... LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! ANTIME of the the day... AND even night... I may be seen in this sweater... SPRING, SUMMER, WINTER, FALL... doesn't matter... if I'm chilly... feeling tense (I KNOW... THAT is the freakish aspect)... I will don my ratty gray sweater... and I INSTANTLY feel warmer/less tense (DARE I say CALM???)... I have even been known to anxiously watch the dryer timer on washday... like a child waiting for their favorite blanket... counting the minutes until my beloved sweater is "mine" again (smelling all fresh and clean)... I think it's pretty hilarious (and maybe pathetic in a hilarious kinda way too)... if I've been so achey that I have to lay on the couch for a bit... Lilley-Kate will appear and cover me with my sweater saying "Here Mommy, Your sweater will help your bones feel better"... if it's late into the evening and my husband presents me with my nightly cup of green tea... he may also have MY SWEATER draped over his arm... KNOWING that my tea ALWAYS tastes better when I'm wearing my sweater... I've never understood parents who INSIST on taking/weening their CHILDREN from a "favorite thing"... soft doll... stuffed animal... old receiving blanket... favorite shirt/dress/nightgown... because SECRETLY (ok... maybe not so secretly) I KNOW what it is like... to have someTHING "special" that makes most everything "better"... it's my "soft doll", "stuffed animal", old receiving blanket, favorite shirt/dress/nightgown... it is MY RATTY GRAY SWEATER...

An interesting NOTE... ONE of my MOST FAVORITE things was given to me by two of my LEAST FAVORITE people... go figure!

WELCOME February...

Well... February has arrived... and encased everything in a blanket of ICE... we woke up this morning to slippery surfaces and slushy streets... all the schools in the area were either CLOSED for the day or on a 2 HOUR DELAY (that would be us)... by the time we headed off to school the temps had risen an bit and the ice/rain mix had turned to all rain...

February will be a FUN month... Valentine's Day... our Wedding Anniversary... and Lilley-Kate's birthday... and it's a LEAP year too!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

A Proud Reader...

Today was an EXCITING day for Lilley-Kate in school! She was chosen to read out loud to the classroom... and did such a good job she received a Reading Celebration certificate! She was so proud of herself and couldn't wait to tell me when I picked her up this afternoon!

She has definitely "inherited" the family "love of reading"... both my husband and I LOVE to read... and big brother Nick is a voracious reader (and has been since he was a little boy)...

Way to Go Lilley-Kate... We are SO PROUD of you!!!

*** Just a little "note"... we have been using the "BOB BOOK" series from Scholastic at home and the series has worked wonderfully for Lilley-Kate... you might want to check it out for your beginner reader too!!! ***

Harrowing Site...

As a parent it only takes a split second to send our hearts into our throats... the one second when you turn the corner to enter the school parking lot and are confronted with ambulances and fire/rescue vehicles parked at the front entrance of the school... well... that happened to me today... the site that I was confronted with when I went to pick up Lilley-Kate from kindy...

I usually don't "freak out" about such sites... I intellectually know that it could be any of 1, 000 reasons to see those vehicles there... something as minor as a fall... or as major as what was occuring... but my "gut" told me it wasn't just a minor bump... I rushed to park my car and enter the gymnasium... immediately one of the other Mom's approached me to tell me the "incident" was occuring IN my daughter's classroom... I went to the office... and was told that the teacher had removed the students from the classroom... as the incident unfolded... Lilley-Kate was in the care of one of the staff in the Nurses Office...

She was brought to me in tears... white as a sheet and wide eyed... the staff member was holding her hand and carrying her stuff... apparently the little boy that sits next to her had had a seizure... and had grabbed onto Lilley-Kate as the seizure started pulling her to the ground as he fell... (which of course totally spooked Lilley-Kate)...

She has been very "anxious" this afternoon/evening... and has expressed apprehension about going to school tomorrow... She keeps asking "What happens if "N" loses his breath again?"... I have told her that "N"'s Mommy will probably keep him home tomorrow so he can rest and get better...

I sure hope I'm right....

Money Makin' MONDAY...

Well... I sold 12 out of 16 auctions... MUCH BETTER than last week! My GOAL was 13/16... so I wasn't off by much... one step closer to my GOAL!!!

One thing that ANNOYS the dickens outta me... WHY don't people READ the auctions... NOW... let me say I do NOT have an auction novella to read... just basic description... payment and shipping terms... I also invite questions (before bidding) multiple times throughout the auction... and what ends up happening??? Someone bids without reading the ENTIRE auction... or ASKING before they bid... UGH... well... hopefully it'll all work out... but NOW I will have to ADD two more "terms" to payment and shipping... OH WELL...

Another thing... it is ironic that whenever I list SHOES... they sell... and I mean they sell WELL... I did have multiple purchases this cycle also...

I am going to take this week off from listing... get a couple of projects done and then resume listing next week...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY "ZHIBBIE"...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little sister "Zhibbie"...

As a kid my sister couldn't pronounce her middle name ELIZABETH and it came out "ZhibZhib"... so ever since we were kids I have called her "Zhibbie"... my sister... my confidant... my FRIEND...

We have been close throughout our lives... although not always in miles... but always in our hearts... my sister has become a mother now... having had TWINS right before Thanksgiving... so our relationship has taken on another facet since we are now BOTH MOTHERS...

I always have said... even if she wasn't my sister... I would still want her as a friend...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZHIBBIE... I LOVE YOU!!!

I've Had Enough...

So... for the THIRD day in a row it has been SNOWING... and I have had quite enough... I am READY for Spring... or at least MILDER TEMPS... I can't remember the last time the sun was shining for more than 5 minutes... I MISS THE SUNSHINE!!!


Today was basically a quiet day... I worked on a towel order... played Barbie's with Lilley-Kate... and got some light reading done... Michael played with Lilley-Kate on the computer... ran a couple of errands and worked on his Master Thesis... Lilley Kate played Barbies with me... Played computer with Daddy... and watched Blue Hawaii (she's a huge Elvis Fan at the moment)... fairly quiet weekend


We have been planning to join COSTCO... but it's about 35 minutes away and the weather hasn't cooperated much (plus I HATE going out in the COLD)... I volunteer tomorrow at school with the Literacy Program... I'm hoping for some sunshine... because there is no way I can chat my husband into a quick CABO weekend... LOL...


Hope everyone had a good weekend!!!

A FAVORITE Thing...

If you notice those little "crow's feet" creeping up around your eyes... or already have them... one of my FAVORITE "Beauty/Anti-Aging" product is THIS... I use it faithfully morning and night... applying it around the eye (concentrating on the corners)... I wouldn't say it REMOVES wrinkles/crow's feet... BUT... it DEFINITELY smooths them out... and every little bit helps!!!

The entire regenerist line of products can be found at your local drugstore/mass retailer and are moderately priced...

Whenever I find something I like... and works... I like to pass the info along!

6/13... Money Making Monday

Well... 6 out of 13 auctions SOLD... Not bad... but not great either... I wanted to sell 10/13... but that is alright... I am going to start getting my Spring/Summer stuff listed... and get some SAMPLES listed also... so hopefully things will pick up! One step closer to my GOAL!!!

Success in a Weekend...

After about 6 hours on Saturday... methodically removing/ resetting/shimming/bracing each riser and tread... then spackling, priming and painting the risers... the stairs are now SAFE and SOUND!!!

My husband rated this project a 5 out of 10 on "our" Home Improvement scale (I think it was more like a 3... but I was mostly supervising... LOL)... I think too he was mad that he dropped his drill and torpedo level under the steps (so whoever fixes the steps next will find a couple of tools)

Anyway... this project is done... and I feel better about the steps!

"Baby It's...

COLD OUTSIDE"!!! A FRIGID 9* to be exact... nothing better on a night like this than a bowl of YUMMY Venison Chili!!!

Hope EVERYONE is keeping WARM!!!

Weekend Project...

This weekend we will be working on our stairs... the "issue" started shortly after we moved in 3 years ago... of course I wanted to immediately rip up the carpeting and FIX the problem... but my husband didn't seem overly concerned about the sagging steps... and continued to seem unconcerned as the sagging worsened over time... WELL... NOW what would've been a "small project" has turned into a not so small project... that will be tackled this weekend... we will be resetting risers and treads on the entire staircase... (when I removed the carpeting we found "bandaide repairs" to the stairs that had obviously been made previously... My husband "gently" reminded me that I was the one that wanted a house with "character" (and LOTS of "issues")... "Yes Honey... I KNOW I was the one that wanted "Character"... thanks for the reminder"...

Tuesday's "TIP"...

Today is "TIP Day" at According to Lala...

We all want our children to grow up to be the BEST they can be... ONE of the easiest ways to "teach" children is to be an EXAMPLE...

Do you want your children to "mind their manners"?... Well... Mind YOUR manners
Do you want your children to be more compassionate towards others?... Well... Show YOUR compassion towards others
Do you want your children to learn to be financially responsible?... Well... Practice financial responsibility YOURSELF...

Lead/Teach by EXAMPLE...

Happy Tuesday EVERYONE!!!

SLOW Sunday....

It's a pretty slow day here... raining/snowing on and off... windy... just SLOW... Nick was taken back to school this morning... My husband is working on his Master Thesis... Lilley-Kate is engrossed in playing with her newest Polly Pocket Set... and I am just kinda "here"... not doing this... or that... but I SHOULD be doing something... like...

1. Changing the Santa tablecloth on the kitchen table. OR...
2. Finishing the panels for the new curtains in the Dining Room OR...
3. Organizing my fabric... I DO have about 5 projects I would like to get done

But... for the LIFE of me I just don't feel like it... so here I sit... sipping green tea... occassionally gazing outside... "bloghopping"... and browsing eBay... on a slow Sunday afternoon

WACKY WINDY Wednesday...

Thank goodness I married a WONDERFULLY TALENTED and HANDY man... who is as "tight" with the pursestrings as I am... LOL...

After a harrowing night of HOWLING WIND on Tuesday... we woke Wednesday morning to our PEELED BACK and BUCKLED roof (which happens to be where our bedroom is located)... causing us to get an immediate estimate on repairs (since we were forecasted for RAIN later in the day)... well... needless to say... my husband ended up coming home from work to repair the roof with the help of our teenage son... SAVING US over $800.00!!!

Funny how he can get 20' up on the roof and fix the damage... but CAN'T seem to remember to put the toilet seat down...

Tuesday's TIP..."Being Prepared"...

HAPPY TUESDAY Everyone!!! It's "Tip Day" here at According to Lala...

Another FABULOUS "tip" from my Mrs. Superorganizedmotheroffive friend... God I really admire her "forethought" and organization... her home runs like a well oiled machine...

I know none of us like it when our kiddies are under the weather... and I know many of us have been woken out of a sound sleep in the middle of the night by a sick child... or a child who has been sick in their room/bed/hallway... we stumble around half asleep trying to calm and clean up the child... clean up the mess... change sheets... change pjs... clean the floor/carpet/walls in a state somewhere between half sleep and half wake...

Introducing "THE SICK BASKET"... a "cheapie" laundry basket that holds all the "emergency" essentials you may need in case your kiddie(s) get sick in the middle of the night... change of sheets (old sheets... or 2 flat sheets that can just be tucked in quickly)... clorox wipes (for floors or walls)... paper towels (clean up)... baby wipes (kiddie clean up)... cheapie trash can (to either give to sick child in case they become sick during clean up OR to put clean up trash in)... plastic bags (I have WALLIES bags (bag yucky jammies... use for trash)... old towels (I have 3 old beach towels)... tissues... Lysol... a small can of GingerAle... a plastic sippie cup... and some crackers (my FABULOUS friend has to restock these at least once a week as her 2 year old finds them and eats them... LOL)

So... when your kiddie(s) get sick in the middle of the night all you have to do is grab the basket (I took my FABULOUS friend's advice and am now storing mine in the bottom of the linen closet) and you'll have the ESSENTIALS you need to quickly clean up!

Have a WONDERFUL Tuesay Everyone!!!

Money Making Monday...

Well... 11/16 auctions SOLD... not TOO BAD... I wanted to sell 12/16 but things are still kinda slow (I think everyone is still recouping from Christmas... and I know all the Christmas bills are starting to roll in)... I ran a .99 cycle... with just a couple of "high priced" items... funny... 2 of the auctions that DIDN'T sell were .99... LOL... I guess at that price it still wasn't a good enough deal... Anyway... not a bad weeks worth of "work"...

One of the fun things when the auctions end is seeing WHERE my buyers are located... can I tell ya... INDIANA LOVES ME... probably 75% of my business is with buyers from INDIANA... funny thing tonight though... I had 2 seperate buyers from the SAME TOWN in COLORADO!!!

Anyway... I have selling goals... and am on my way to meeting them!!!

RIBBIT... RIBBIT...

While "blogsurfing" one day I came across THE PURL BEE and spent quite a while perusing the blog... then came across the FREE PURL FROG pattern...

My sister had recently had TWINS (in November)... and my BIL is a big "frog fan"... so what a PERFECT little something to give as a gift!

I had INTENDED to give them as part of a baby shower gift basket... didn't happen (although I DID have them cut out at that point)... I then INTENDED to give them as a little Christmas Present... didn't happen (although I DID have them sewn up at that point)... well... now I intend to give them as a Valentine's present... which WILL HAPPEN... as they are now complete!

I did "modify/alter" the instructions a bit... I EMBROIDERED eyes on the frogs instead of using buttons or beads (for saftey's sake)... and I embroidered each baby's name on the chambray side of the frog... Lilley-Kate loved helping fill them with lentils...

A fun little sewing project!

Out With The Old...

Blame it on my OCD tendencies... Blame it on growing up with a Mother that saved EVERYTHING... Blame it on in the past living in a house JUST BIG ENOUGH (and with very little storage)... but I have always lived by the saying...

Something NEW comes in... Something OLD goes out...

Today was spent PURGING... things to throw out (2 FULL trash bags)... things to donate (4 trash bags)... things to give away (2 FULL trash bags)... all OUT of my house!

Funny the things we'll get excited about...

Happy New Year!!!...

Happy 2008 Everyone!!!

We rung in the New Year here at According to Lala watching the ball drop on Time Square (followed by the "traditional" New Year's smooch)... eating shrimp cocktail... and listening to/watching the fireworks outside... not nearly as "glamor-filled" as it use to be... but glamorous enough for us...

I hope 2008 is everything you hope it to be and more...


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Favorite "FOTO" Friday...

Today is Favorite "Foto" Friday at According to Lala...

This is one of my favorite "fotos" ... Lilley-Kate's first Christmas... First visit with Santa... Nick was 14 at the time and even though he was WELL BEYOND the whole "SANTA Thing"... he agreed to being in the picture... I LOVED this Santa... so nice... I remember he actually chatted with Nick and cooed with Lilley-Kate so long one of his "elves" had to remind him there were other kids waiting!!! LOL...

I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL and SAFE HOLIDAY!!!
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Tuesday's "TIP"...

Today is "TIP" Day at According to Lala...

When Lilley-Kate was 4 I tried and tried to figure out a way to "teach" patience... teach her that sometimes you have to WAIT for something and not everything happens immediately... I racked my brain to think of a way to "teach" patience...

I finally came up with the "timer" method... a few times a day... whenever Lilley-Kate would ask for something (snack... toy... help) I would tell her "to be patient" and would set the timer for 3 minutes... I told her when the timer "beeped" I would give her what she asked for... once she got use to the 3 minute "delay"... I increased it by 1 minute, until we were at 7 minutes... I would say within the month... she had "learned patience"... so if we had to wait in line... she could wait quietly... if I had to get things together before heading out... she could patiently wait... and even to this day I will occassionally set the timer just as a "reinforcement" of the original lesson...

Try it with your little ones... start with 2 minutes... and work up to what you are comfortable with...

Have a GREAT Tuesday!!!

A Fun Day with Friends...

Yesterday as the snow fell outside it was nothing but FUN inside at our house!!! My friend Mrs. Hardt (Melissa) and her two girls came over (Lilley-Kate and Kylee went to Pre-School together and are BFFs) for a Gingerbread House Decorating Party... it was lots of fun for the girls... Melissa and I pre-constructed the houses using the gingerbread graham crackers and sticks... we had LOTS of fun... we've already decided we are doing it again next year AND Melissa and I will decorate a house too!

Award Worthy...

Well... the weatherman finally got it right!!! We were forecasted for some "major" snow beginning at 3pm this afternoon... at 2:50 I looked outside and said to my husband... here comes the snow (just a few flakes at that time)... BUT... by 3pm as forecasted it was snowing so hard we couldn't see the back fence in our yard! By 7:30 we had a generous 2"... and measured just over 4" at 10:15 with the snow still falling! This storm is suppose to net us 8"... seeing how accurate the weatherman was with its' arrival I'm thinking we'll get that 8"!!! Lilley-Kate was so excited and played outside while Michael did some shoveling!

Merry Christmas Neighbor...

Lilley-Kate and "Daddy" spent the morning making Christmas Cookies (I was out running some errands and getting some final shopping done for the holidays)... This is the first year that Lilley-Kate has really been "into" the whole Christmas "thing"... so cookies it was... LOTS of cookies... so many cookies that I packaged some up for our "immediate neighbors" (the one's on each side and directly across the street) and Lilley-Kate and Michael "delivered" them just as the snow was starting... I watched out the windows as Lilley-Kate PROUDLY held the cookies as she and Michael approached each house... she was so excited and told me that each of the neighbors said "Merry Christmas" when she gave them the cookies!

Full House...

Well... Christmas/Winter break has started for the college kids...we have a full house tonight... Nick's friends are "camping out" here tonight... My husband/Nick will shuttle everyone into the city bright and early tomorrow morning (leaving NLT 3:30AM!!!) to get to the train station and airport in time to catch transportation home for Christmas/Winter break... we will be picking everyone back up as they come in once classes get ready to resume after the New Year...

Right now everyone is piled into the Family Room and they are watching "slasher" movies... (EEEEEEwwwww... NOT my idea of a good movie night)... they have all said they will be staying up until the "bus" pulls out at 3:30AM... LOL... yea... we'll see how many have to be woken up once the alarm goes off!!!

I'm going to make some gnoshing stuff for them and then head up to bed...

IRRITATED...

Well... go figure... second "MAN DAY" in a row (UGH)... and NOW I am IRRITATED... and even more than usual after my 19 yo reminded me that I am ALWAYS irritated to some degree... I acted all offended and hurt when he said it... but truth be told he IS probably right... as the "Holiday" ( I referred to it last night as "HELLiday" and my husband busted out laughing) draws nearer I am starting to feel like I am drowning... nothing "new"... I keep looking at my closet door longingly... OH just to be able to "closet" myself until Jan. 3rd... but alas... I am not really the type to go running into the closet screaming like a banchee... I'll just put on the "happy face" and plow forward... as usual...

Tuesday's "TIP"...

Today is "TIP Day" at According to Lala...

In this day and age I take every opportunity to "exercise the brain"... technology today has enabled us to become "non-thinkers"... and with our children growing up in an age of "exploding technology" sometimes "old school" is the best approach...

It has become time for starting to teach Lilley-Kate (5 1/2) to "tell time"... therefore... the THREE DIGITAL CLOCKS we have in our home have been put away for a bit (the microwave clock is covered with a sticker, the ones in our bedroom replaced with "Baby Ben"s)... and I have purchases 3 inexpensive "basic" ANALOG CLOCKS and placed them in each room that doesn't have a clock... one of them being IN Lilley-Kate's room...

I used this method with Nick (19) when he was little... he learned to ACCURATELY tell time in about a month... a friend recently confessed that her FOURTH GRADER could not tell time on an ANALOG CLOCK... I suggested it to her and it worked great (took about two weeks)

So... put away the digitals... and teach "telling time" the "old school" way!!!

One of THOSE Days...

It's only 9:44am... and I already know I'm having a "MAN DAY" (OK... I REALLY knew at about 7am when I woke up)... yep... for those of you who DON'T know about "MAN DAYS"... you can only imagine... for those of you that DO know... you KNOW what I'm talking about... if I crawled into my closet and didn't come out for a bit do you think ANYONE would notice? Because THAT is becoming a definite possibility...

Favorite "FOTO" Friday...

It's Favorite "FOTO" Friday here at According to Lala...

This is my newest favorite "foto"... taken this past Wednesday... Lilley-Kate was so anxious to get home from kindie and play outside... well... me not being much of an outdoorsie Mommy... Nick offered to go out and play with Lilley-Kate... and NICK suggested the snapshot!!! Big Brother and Little Sister... even though there are 14 years seperating them... they are the best of friends...

Have a nice weekend everyone!!!

SURVIVOR CHINA... Recap

As the snow fell last night here... I was snugglie and warm on the couch... it was SURVIVOR night... for those of you that missed the show... here is the RECAP...

HAE DE FONG... Show opens with the return from Tribal and the blindsiding of James... Everyone is glad that it worked because noone would've wanted to return to camp if it hadn't for fear of James...

RAIN RAIN and more RAIN... everyone is huddled in the little cave... TODD talks about being homesick and his alliance of AMANDA, COURTNEY and DENISE (hoping they stick together and follow the plan)... says they need to get rid of ERIK and PG... BUT... if they were SMART (the other three in the alliance) they would take the opportunity to get rid of HIM (Todd)...

REWARD CHALLENGE... Blindfolded while walking a maze... get to the center with your partner and you win... Partners would be FAMILY MEMBERS!!! All the family memebers were revealed... everyone cried when their family memebers came out... COURTNEY'S Dad is English and "LOOKED" English (pressed trousers and dress shirt)... AMANDA'S sister looked ALOT like her (AMANDA)... DENISE'S HUSBAND was revealed (you could tell they love each other a LOT)... so... then TODD'S sister comes out... they hug... TODD asks about his OTHER SISTER... and TODD'S sister reveals she had a miscarriage and lost the baby... GAMETIME... so everyone starts through the maze... they finally figure out the marco polo method and the game picks up.... AMANDA and her sister were using bird calls to locate each other... HILARIOUS... COURTNEY'S Dad complained a bit... DENISE and her HUSBAND get to the center and WIN REWARD!!!... She gets to pick 2 other SURVIVORS and family to go on the reward... she chooses AMANDA and TODD (PG is livid b/c she chose Denise for a previous reward)... so they go out on a boat for a big meal and some visiting and then get to go back to camp to spend the night...

Back at camp PG, COURTNEY and ERIK all doubt TODD'S story about his sister... COURTNEY does a less than award worthy immitation of TODD... Reward winners and family return back to camp... PG doesn't want to be around DENISE and is still mad... Guests spend the night and leave the next morning... DENISE pretty much immediately approaches PG and explains that she didn't have a choice on who to pick for reward sharing... PG says she understands but is still mad

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE... Tethered obstacle to raise flag... answer 3 questions right... use the keys to open the locks... raise your flag and win IMMUNITY... game starts out and quickly PG an dTODD are leading.. comes down to PG and TODD... Todd answers a question wrong and PG WINS IMMUNITY (her 2nd inividual immunity win)...

Back at camp after the challenge PG is actually stunned she won and considers herself the underdog in the TRIBE... TODD becomes nervous about AMANDA... AMANDA reveals to ERIK that she (AMANDA) didn't believe TODD's story either... PG tells ERIK that she will vote for TODD but she doesn't think he has much of a chance at staying... DENISE becomes the SEING VOTE and she is confused as to what to do...which makes TODD nervous...

TRIBAL COUNCIL... Jeff asks about the 4 vs. 2 split in the Tribe... PG says someone could change up the game with their vote and possibly go from 4th to 3rd... giving them a better chance to win... TODD says he trusts people but doesn't know how much he trusts them... It is time to vote... ERIK GOES...

*** Jamie fidgeted teh entire TRIBAL COUNCIL and at one point looked like she was laughing... it seemed very distracting...

NEXT WEEK should be GOOD!!!

Tuesday's "TIP"...

It's "TIP" day at According to Lala...

I can remember as a child watching The Carol Burnette Show (Oh I just SO dated myself... LOL) and one of the neatest things was her little "signal" at the end of the show where she would tug on her earlobe... I always wondered what that meant and WHO she was signaling... over the years I have heard a couple of different stories as to the meaning behind the "tug"... anyway... I always thought it was a neat thing...

So... When our son Nick (19) was little I thought it would be nice to have a "signal" with him... and I use the same "signal" with Lilley-Kate... it is the "sign"... I LOVE YOU... we use this at different times... at night before bed... just when she is going into her classroom at school and looks back at me down the hallway... when she is going into Ballet class... when she was up on the stage during her school program... just our little way of saying "Hi" to each other...

When we took Nick to school for his first year of college and left him in his dorm... we looked up at his window as we were leaving and there he was sending me the "signal" that had been "ours" since he was little... a memory I will always treasure...

So "adopt" a little signal between you and your little ones... something simple... it'll be something that continues throughout the years... and maybe someday you'll see the "signal" being sent from a college dorm window...

Have a great day!!!

Today's Weather...

SNOW SNOW and more SNOW!!!

We woke up to a generous 2" this morning... COLD and WINDY...

I'm still not use to these Northern Winters... Nope...

Not our first snowfall of the season... we saw the first snowflakes of the season in these parts on OCTOBER 16th!!!

Just Wondering...

If maybe the big drug companies are working on a vaccine against THIS?... Would it be a ONE-TIME only vaccine?... Or a series of vaccines over time?... Would a BOOSTER be needed later in life?... Would it be seasonal like the flu-shot?... Would there be children more recommended to receive the vaccine than others? I always referred to it as ENTITLEMENT SYNDROME... but I like the "ring" of AFFLUENZA better...