Before:
After:
What do you think?? The girls kept saying all day, 'You look like a new mommy!' It was so cute :)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Guess who got a haircut?!
FINALLY!!!!!
Before:
After:
What do you think?? The girls kept saying all day, 'You look like a new mommy!' It was so cute :)
Before:
After:
What do you think?? The girls kept saying all day, 'You look like a new mommy!' It was so cute :)
Friday, September 26, 2008
FlyLady
Our house is out of control. Since going back to work, I am struggling to stay on top of cleaning, meals, laundry, bills, shopping, etc etc. I would cringe if someone knocked on the door...
A few years ago, I heard about a program called Flylady that several other triplet moms used to get themselves organized. It is a free website where you sign up and receive emails with daily tips. But also - they have a comprehensive website that has helped me create things such as packing lists, grocery lists, things to do before vacation, and things like that. I never officially 'joined' to receive the emails, but visited their website occasionally and learned a lot. Well, now I am at a point that we need to do SOMETHING DRASTIC, so I have decided to move forward and learn more about the Flylady program.
I am posting this here, hoping that you will all be my cheerleaders and hold me accountable for coming up with a program that works. It is my goal to be organized by the holidays. Remember, I am very list-oriented. I like things to be structured, scheduled, with a system in place. So - that's my plan!
To get started, I found a list for the first 31 days HERE on FlyLady's website.
Check out that link to see the complete info - I have just listed a basic overview here. I will continue to post helpful hints and lists that I find on their site.
Day 1 - Go shine your sink
Day 2 - Get dressed to lace up shoes (hair & makeup)
Day 3 - Do what we have already done
Day 4 - Write these things down
Day 5 - Write down what you hear (negative thoughts)
Day 6 - Hot Spots! A Hot Spot is an area, when left unattended will gradually take over. When you walk into a room, the hot spot is the first thing you see. CLUTTER ATTRACTS CLUTTER. Do you have areas like this that continue to grow if left alone? Does the rest of the family see this as a place to put things when they do not want to put them where they belong? Get rid of that pile, find the surface underneath, and stop the Hot Spot from becoming a raging Clutter inferno!
Day 7 - Pick out your clothes - Tonight before you hop in bed; I want you to pick out what clothes you are going to wear tomorrow.
Day 8 - Get a 3-ring binder and put paper in it - Today I want you to find an old three ring binder and just put some paper in it. Then at the top of one page write Morning Routine and on the top of another page write Before Bed Routine all in pencil. This is a working document; do not allow your perfectionism to interfere with the process. Now you can write your simple routines on each page.
Day 9 - Declutter a few minutes at a time
Take 15 minutes each day to declutter an area, You cannot organize clutter - you can only organize the things you love!
I've included my tips on how to declutter. Put your home on a diet.
When to Declutter: Decide how often you are going to declutter a zone. Do a little every day - use a timer. But be warned - this can become compulsive! Once you get started you will want to clean like a banshee! Don't burn yourself out! Only do small amount at a time. The house did not get dirty overnight and it will not get clean overnight. When you set the timer you can only do two sessions at a time. This goal may seem unattainable right now, but you can do it in little pieces. In a couple of months, the whole house will be decluttered.
Decluttering Equipment: You will need garbage bags, boxes, magic markers, and a dust rag. Label the boxes "Give Away", "Throw Away", and "Put Away". Line the "Throw Away" box with a plastic garbage bag.
Set your timer: for 1 hour (or 30, 15, or 10 minutes - it doesn't matter how long). Just do the job as fast as you can and do not pull out more stuff than you can put away in that length of time. This means just one drawer, one closet (or even one shelf in one closet), one magazine rack, or digging under just the furniture in the zone. Not all of them at once!
Start at the entrance to the room: Then, work your way around the room clockwise. Do not skip a spot. Whatever happens to be next, just do it.
Declutter Away! With boxes at your feet and dust rag in your waistband, start off by cleaning out and getting rid of the things that do not belong in this room. Put garbage in the "Throw Away" box, donations in the "Give Away" box, and stuff that goes somewhere else in the "Put Away" box. Don't worry that you do not have a place for everything right now. By the time you finish you will. That's a promise from FlyLady!
What to declutter? Things to ask yourself as you get rid of your clutter:
Do I love this item?
Have I used it in the past year?
Is it really garbage?
Do I have another one that is better?
Should I really keep two?
Does it have sentimental value that causes me to love it?
Or does it give me guilt and make me sad when I see the item?
Cleanse this room of everything that does not make you SMILE.
Get rid of the garbage! When the "Throw Away" box gets full, pull out the garbage bag, close it, and put it in the trash can, the pickup truck, or wherever you keep your garbage. Put a new garbage bag in the "Throw Away" box and keep on Flying until the timer goes off.
Donations: When the "Give Away" box gets full, seal it off, and put it in your car. The next time you are out, you can donate to the area thrift shop. Do not save your clutter for a yard or garage sale, you will be blessed by giving it away. The value can be deducted on your income tax. Remember you are trying to get rid of clutter - not relocate it somewhere else in your home. Now, grab another box, label it "Give Away", and get back to work.
"Put Away" Stuff: When the "Put Away" box gets full, take the box in your arms and run around the house (good thing you have shoes on - right?) and put the items in the room where they belong. If they have a place, put them there, if not put them in the room where they logically belong. By the time you have finished you will have a place for everything and everything will be in it's place.
Timer Goes Off: When the timer goes off, you have to put away all the boxes, but first you have to empty them all. Go as fast as you can.
Day 10 - You can do anything for 15 minutes - This is all about getting started and giving ourselves permission to stop when the timer goes off. You cannot restart the timer either. This is not a race to finish in 15 minutes either! The timer helps to keep us focused on what we are doing.
Day 11 - Add an inspirational page to your control journal - writing down some of your favorite inspirational phrases. Write them down when you see something that touches your heart.
Day 12 - Delete all the emails from FlyLady
Day 13 - Pick one of Kelly's missions and do it - Hunting dust bunnies, diving for treasures between your sofa cushions, "unmentionables" from under beds, closets, and dressers. Each day during the week, Kelly will add a new mission for whatever zone we are working in.
Day 14 - Read an essay that Kelly wrote (on website)
Day 15 - Make your bed - every morning when you wake up
Day 16 - Read an email from FlyLady - look in your inbox for an email from me. It can be a Morning Musing, a testimonial or an essay. Just take a few minutes and read over it. You never know what I am going to discuss.
Day 17 - Set a specific bedtime and stick to it
Day 18 - Read FlyLady's 11 Commandments (print & write in Control Journal)
1. Keep your sink clean and shiny.
2. Get dressed every morning, even if you don’t feel like it. Don’t forget your lace-up shoes.
3. Do your morning and before bedtime routine everyday.
4. Don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked by the computer.
5. Pick up after yourself. If you get it out, put it away.
6. Don’t try to do two projects at once. ONE JOB AT A TIME.
7. Don’t pull out more than you can put back in one hour.
8. Do something for yourself everyday, maybe every morning and night.
9. Work as fast as you can to get the job done. This will give you more time to play later.
10. Smile even when you don’t feel like it. Its contagious. Make your mind up to be happy and you will be.
11. Don’t forget to laugh everyday. Pamper yourself, you deserve it.
Day 19 - Read the Testimonial (from website)
Day 20 - Include laundry in your routines - Laundry doesn’t take long to do when we don’t procrastinate about one of the five steps: Sort, wash, dry, fold and put away. It only takes a few short minutes. When you include laundry in your routines everyone is blessed.
Day 21 - Check out Ask FlyLady - Each day(Monday-Friday) our WebDude Lee puts up an Ask FlyLady Question and I answer it.
Day 22 - Where is your Control Journal? I want you to realize that a Control Journal is just a place to put your routines, basic weekly plan, your zones and other information. With a Control Journal you have a place to keep important items without them getting lost in your numerous hot spots Steps to build it
Day 23 - Set your afternoon routine
Day 24 - Swish and swipe - Morning Routine:Swish and a Swipe. I swish the toilet with a toilet bowl brush and I wipe down the counter tops and sink with a rag and put away all the things I have gotten out. This takes all of two minutes to keep our bathroom ready for anyone.
Day 25 - Learn how the routines developed
Day 26 - Look at the bottom of any FlyLady email
Day 27 - What's for dinner? You can do it as part of your before bed routine for tomorrow or as part of your morning routine for today. Write this in your Control Journal.
Day 28 - Eat good food, drink water, get plenty of rest
Day 29 - Set time to enjoy the Weekly Pamper Mission
Day 30 - Check your calendar for next month's events (create basic weekly plan)
Day 31 - I am so proud of you!
OK, so its a start - what do you think?
A few years ago, I heard about a program called Flylady that several other triplet moms used to get themselves organized. It is a free website where you sign up and receive emails with daily tips. But also - they have a comprehensive website that has helped me create things such as packing lists, grocery lists, things to do before vacation, and things like that. I never officially 'joined' to receive the emails, but visited their website occasionally and learned a lot. Well, now I am at a point that we need to do SOMETHING DRASTIC, so I have decided to move forward and learn more about the Flylady program.
I am posting this here, hoping that you will all be my cheerleaders and hold me accountable for coming up with a program that works. It is my goal to be organized by the holidays. Remember, I am very list-oriented. I like things to be structured, scheduled, with a system in place. So - that's my plan!
To get started, I found a list for the first 31 days HERE on FlyLady's website.
Check out that link to see the complete info - I have just listed a basic overview here. I will continue to post helpful hints and lists that I find on their site.
Day 1 - Go shine your sink
Day 2 - Get dressed to lace up shoes (hair & makeup)
Day 3 - Do what we have already done
Day 4 - Write these things down
Day 5 - Write down what you hear (negative thoughts)
Day 6 - Hot Spots! A Hot Spot is an area, when left unattended will gradually take over. When you walk into a room, the hot spot is the first thing you see. CLUTTER ATTRACTS CLUTTER. Do you have areas like this that continue to grow if left alone? Does the rest of the family see this as a place to put things when they do not want to put them where they belong? Get rid of that pile, find the surface underneath, and stop the Hot Spot from becoming a raging Clutter inferno!
Day 7 - Pick out your clothes - Tonight before you hop in bed; I want you to pick out what clothes you are going to wear tomorrow.
Day 8 - Get a 3-ring binder and put paper in it - Today I want you to find an old three ring binder and just put some paper in it. Then at the top of one page write Morning Routine and on the top of another page write Before Bed Routine all in pencil. This is a working document; do not allow your perfectionism to interfere with the process. Now you can write your simple routines on each page.
Day 9 - Declutter a few minutes at a time
Take 15 minutes each day to declutter an area, You cannot organize clutter - you can only organize the things you love!
I've included my tips on how to declutter. Put your home on a diet.
When to Declutter: Decide how often you are going to declutter a zone. Do a little every day - use a timer. But be warned - this can become compulsive! Once you get started you will want to clean like a banshee! Don't burn yourself out! Only do small amount at a time. The house did not get dirty overnight and it will not get clean overnight. When you set the timer you can only do two sessions at a time. This goal may seem unattainable right now, but you can do it in little pieces. In a couple of months, the whole house will be decluttered.
Decluttering Equipment: You will need garbage bags, boxes, magic markers, and a dust rag. Label the boxes "Give Away", "Throw Away", and "Put Away". Line the "Throw Away" box with a plastic garbage bag.
Set your timer: for 1 hour (or 30, 15, or 10 minutes - it doesn't matter how long). Just do the job as fast as you can and do not pull out more stuff than you can put away in that length of time. This means just one drawer, one closet (or even one shelf in one closet), one magazine rack, or digging under just the furniture in the zone. Not all of them at once!
Start at the entrance to the room: Then, work your way around the room clockwise. Do not skip a spot. Whatever happens to be next, just do it.
Declutter Away! With boxes at your feet and dust rag in your waistband, start off by cleaning out and getting rid of the things that do not belong in this room. Put garbage in the "Throw Away" box, donations in the "Give Away" box, and stuff that goes somewhere else in the "Put Away" box. Don't worry that you do not have a place for everything right now. By the time you finish you will. That's a promise from FlyLady!
What to declutter? Things to ask yourself as you get rid of your clutter:
Do I love this item?
Have I used it in the past year?
Is it really garbage?
Do I have another one that is better?
Should I really keep two?
Does it have sentimental value that causes me to love it?
Or does it give me guilt and make me sad when I see the item?
Cleanse this room of everything that does not make you SMILE.
Get rid of the garbage! When the "Throw Away" box gets full, pull out the garbage bag, close it, and put it in the trash can, the pickup truck, or wherever you keep your garbage. Put a new garbage bag in the "Throw Away" box and keep on Flying until the timer goes off.
Donations: When the "Give Away" box gets full, seal it off, and put it in your car. The next time you are out, you can donate to the area thrift shop. Do not save your clutter for a yard or garage sale, you will be blessed by giving it away. The value can be deducted on your income tax. Remember you are trying to get rid of clutter - not relocate it somewhere else in your home. Now, grab another box, label it "Give Away", and get back to work.
"Put Away" Stuff: When the "Put Away" box gets full, take the box in your arms and run around the house (good thing you have shoes on - right?) and put the items in the room where they belong. If they have a place, put them there, if not put them in the room where they logically belong. By the time you have finished you will have a place for everything and everything will be in it's place.
Timer Goes Off: When the timer goes off, you have to put away all the boxes, but first you have to empty them all. Go as fast as you can.
Day 10 - You can do anything for 15 minutes - This is all about getting started and giving ourselves permission to stop when the timer goes off. You cannot restart the timer either. This is not a race to finish in 15 minutes either! The timer helps to keep us focused on what we are doing.
Day 11 - Add an inspirational page to your control journal - writing down some of your favorite inspirational phrases. Write them down when you see something that touches your heart.
Day 12 - Delete all the emails from FlyLady
Day 13 - Pick one of Kelly's missions and do it - Hunting dust bunnies, diving for treasures between your sofa cushions, "unmentionables" from under beds, closets, and dressers. Each day during the week, Kelly will add a new mission for whatever zone we are working in.
Day 14 - Read an essay that Kelly wrote (on website)
Day 15 - Make your bed - every morning when you wake up
Day 16 - Read an email from FlyLady - look in your inbox for an email from me. It can be a Morning Musing, a testimonial or an essay. Just take a few minutes and read over it. You never know what I am going to discuss.
Day 17 - Set a specific bedtime and stick to it
Day 18 - Read FlyLady's 11 Commandments (print & write in Control Journal)
1. Keep your sink clean and shiny.
2. Get dressed every morning, even if you don’t feel like it. Don’t forget your lace-up shoes.
3. Do your morning and before bedtime routine everyday.
4. Don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked by the computer.
5. Pick up after yourself. If you get it out, put it away.
6. Don’t try to do two projects at once. ONE JOB AT A TIME.
7. Don’t pull out more than you can put back in one hour.
8. Do something for yourself everyday, maybe every morning and night.
9. Work as fast as you can to get the job done. This will give you more time to play later.
10. Smile even when you don’t feel like it. Its contagious. Make your mind up to be happy and you will be.
11. Don’t forget to laugh everyday. Pamper yourself, you deserve it.
Day 19 - Read the Testimonial (from website)
Day 20 - Include laundry in your routines - Laundry doesn’t take long to do when we don’t procrastinate about one of the five steps: Sort, wash, dry, fold and put away. It only takes a few short minutes. When you include laundry in your routines everyone is blessed.
Day 21 - Check out Ask FlyLady - Each day(Monday-Friday) our WebDude Lee puts up an Ask FlyLady Question and I answer it.
Day 22 - Where is your Control Journal? I want you to realize that a Control Journal is just a place to put your routines, basic weekly plan, your zones and other information. With a Control Journal you have a place to keep important items without them getting lost in your numerous hot spots Steps to build it
Day 23 - Set your afternoon routine
Day 24 - Swish and swipe - Morning Routine:Swish and a Swipe. I swish the toilet with a toilet bowl brush and I wipe down the counter tops and sink with a rag and put away all the things I have gotten out. This takes all of two minutes to keep our bathroom ready for anyone.
Day 25 - Learn how the routines developed
Day 26 - Look at the bottom of any FlyLady email
Day 27 - What's for dinner? You can do it as part of your before bed routine for tomorrow or as part of your morning routine for today. Write this in your Control Journal.
Day 28 - Eat good food, drink water, get plenty of rest
Day 29 - Set time to enjoy the Weekly Pamper Mission
Day 30 - Check your calendar for next month's events (create basic weekly plan)
Day 31 - I am so proud of you!
OK, so its a start - what do you think?
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Are you normal?
While watching one of my favorite shows the other night 'Jon & Kate plus 8', I was in tears toward the end. It was the episode called 'Labor Day' where they go back to visit the hospital where the sextuplets were born. They went into the room where the babies were delivered, then they walked through the NICU. At the end, Kate remembered back to when their lives were 'normal'. That's what triggered this post. I have been thinking a lot about this since watching that show.
The reason this episode was so emotional for me is because it hit so close to home. Sometimes it's hard to put into words, especially when speaking with people who have 'never been there'. But higher order multiples completely changes your life. From the pregnancy.... all the way through to today. It sounds terrible to say that you mourn the life you used to have - when things were 'normal'. However, that is exactly how it feels sometimes. Of course I would never give up one of my girls and if given the opportunity now, I would never change a thing. We are so blessed and I thank God every single day for the awesome gift he has granted us with our four beautiful daughters.
But that brings the question: What is normal? Is it normal to have so many children? Including three-at-once? Or for Jon & Kate, six-at-once? At what point does it become 'abnormal'? Or what about people who never want children, is that normal? Or those that want them so badly, but cannot have them? How about parents with an only child? Or step children? Foster children? Children with special needs?
That makes me think about marriage also - at this point, with the divorce rate as it is... Is it normal to be divorced? Or married 20+ years? How about being married multiple times? Some are on their third, fourth, fifth marriages. Normal to get married young to your first love, or wait and not marry until you are older and 'more mature'?
Another place where the question of 'What is normal?' becomes so apparent is with students in school. As you know, I work with a child with 'special needs'. Certain behaviors are considered normal for him and a successful day could be if he didn't hurt anyone or himself. However, for the regular education students, there is a whole other set of expectations. So, which child is normal? Sometimes I see students all around me, who are considered 'normal', but are acting worse than the child I work with. Is that normal?
How about wealthy people? Their normal is very different than ours. They think nothing of hopping into a private jet, flying to Europe, staying in the best hotels, eating at the fanciest restaurants, etc. In the town we live, it is 'normal' to have a housekeeper/maid/cleaning person. Most people that we meet assume that everyone lives with this luxury. So does that make us abnormal?
This is really just a random post of thoughts that have been going through my mind the last few days. Of course, these are rhetorical questions, but I would love to hear your thoughts. Are you normal??
The reason this episode was so emotional for me is because it hit so close to home. Sometimes it's hard to put into words, especially when speaking with people who have 'never been there'. But higher order multiples completely changes your life. From the pregnancy.... all the way through to today. It sounds terrible to say that you mourn the life you used to have - when things were 'normal'. However, that is exactly how it feels sometimes. Of course I would never give up one of my girls and if given the opportunity now, I would never change a thing. We are so blessed and I thank God every single day for the awesome gift he has granted us with our four beautiful daughters.
But that brings the question: What is normal? Is it normal to have so many children? Including three-at-once? Or for Jon & Kate, six-at-once? At what point does it become 'abnormal'? Or what about people who never want children, is that normal? Or those that want them so badly, but cannot have them? How about parents with an only child? Or step children? Foster children? Children with special needs?
That makes me think about marriage also - at this point, with the divorce rate as it is... Is it normal to be divorced? Or married 20+ years? How about being married multiple times? Some are on their third, fourth, fifth marriages. Normal to get married young to your first love, or wait and not marry until you are older and 'more mature'?
Another place where the question of 'What is normal?' becomes so apparent is with students in school. As you know, I work with a child with 'special needs'. Certain behaviors are considered normal for him and a successful day could be if he didn't hurt anyone or himself. However, for the regular education students, there is a whole other set of expectations. So, which child is normal? Sometimes I see students all around me, who are considered 'normal', but are acting worse than the child I work with. Is that normal?
How about wealthy people? Their normal is very different than ours. They think nothing of hopping into a private jet, flying to Europe, staying in the best hotels, eating at the fanciest restaurants, etc. In the town we live, it is 'normal' to have a housekeeper/maid/cleaning person. Most people that we meet assume that everyone lives with this luxury. So does that make us abnormal?
This is really just a random post of thoughts that have been going through my mind the last few days. Of course, these are rhetorical questions, but I would love to hear your thoughts. Are you normal??
Fall TV!!
With all of the craziness in my life right now and the stress on a daily basis, one of the things I look forward to is becoming a couch potato for at least an hour each night. Watching... what else? Reality TV! LOL My DVR is all set up!
Here is a run-down of the ones I most look forward to...
Sunday - Amazing Race premiers Sunday Sept 28th at 8pm on CBS
Check it out HERE or HERE...
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. Contestants strive to arrive first at "pit stops" at the end of each leg of the race to win prizes and avoid coming in last, which carries the possibility of elimination or a significant disadvantage in the following leg. Contestants travel to and within multiple countries in a variety of transportation modes. The clues in each leg point the teams to the next destination or direct them to perform a task, either together or by a single member. The team which arrives first in the final leg is awarded a large cash grand prize, usually one million U.S. dollars.
What I like most: I love to see all different parts of the world on The Amazing Race. And its interesting to 'get to know' the different teams. Sometimes they are funny, or extremely annoying, but always entertaining.
Mon - Dancing with the Stars premiered Monday, Sept 22 at 8pm on ABC
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
The show pairs a celebrity with a professional ballroom dancer. The professional dancer is responsible for teaching the celebrity how to perform specific dances, which the pair perform live on the show each week. The dancers are scored by a panel of three professional dance judges. Additionally, viewers of the program may vote by phone, text message, or online methods. The team which receives the lowest total score (a combination of the judges' scores and viewer votes) each week is eliminated from the competition.
What I like most: Seeing the short recorded part before each performance that shows the stars practicing (mistakes and all!) I really like Tom Bergeron (host) and the judges are interesting as well. The dancing itself is ok (Ballroom-style is beautiful to watch, but can get boring after a few weeks), but the outfits are fantastic! I much prefer the show 'So You Think You Can Dance' which is a summer series on FOX.
Tues - Biggest Loser premiered last week. Airs Tuesdays 8pm on NBC
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
The basic premise of the show is that overweight contestants are competing to win $250,000 by losing the highest percentage of their starting body weight. At the start of each season, contestants are grouped into teams and each team is assigned a personal trainer. The trainers are responsible for designing and teaching to the contestants comprehensive workout plans and nutrition plans. The season starts with a weigh-in to determine the contestants' starting weights. Each week culminates in another weigh-in to determine which team has lost the most weight for that week, in percentage of total weight lost. The team that has lost the lower percentage during that week must vote off one member of the team.
What I like most: This show gives good tips for eating better and creative forms of exercise. It is also very inspiring each week - especially at the end when you see how dramatically each contestant has changed.
Wed - Private Practice premiers Wednesday Oct 1 9pm ABC
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
Private Practice is a medical drama spin-off of the popular television show, Grey's Anatomy. The series chronicles the life of Dr. Addison Montgomery as she leaves Seattle Grace Hospital for Los Angeles in order to join a private practice.
What I like most: This is one of the few dramas that I watch. I enjoy the characters and the different storylines each week.
Thur - Survivor premiers TONIGHT!! Thursday Sept 25 at 8pm on CBS
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
Survivor is a popular reality television game show format produced in many countries throughout the world. In the show, contestants are isolated in the wilderness and compete for cash and other prizes. The show uses a progressive elimination, allowing the contestants to vote off a tribe member, until only one final contestant remains and wins the title of "Sole Survivor".
What I like most: Even after all of these seasons, this still remains one of my favorite shows! Seeing all of those people live together in those conditions gets amusing. I enjoy the challenges. And love the back-stabbing at tribal council each week.
Grey's Anatomy premiers TONIGHT!! Thursday Sept 25 at 9pm on ABC.
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
Medical drama with a really cool cast of characters.
What I like most: I just started watching Grey's this year and its one of those shows you can get into right away. Great funny cast and diverse storylines. Although I hear that some of the romances become monotonous (but its all still new for me!)
American Idol
Not sure when this will premier - usually not until January. But I wanted to list it because it's definitely one I look forward to!
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
Here is a run-down of the ones I most look forward to...
Sunday - Amazing Race premiers Sunday Sept 28th at 8pm on CBS
Check it out HERE or HERE...
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. Contestants strive to arrive first at "pit stops" at the end of each leg of the race to win prizes and avoid coming in last, which carries the possibility of elimination or a significant disadvantage in the following leg. Contestants travel to and within multiple countries in a variety of transportation modes. The clues in each leg point the teams to the next destination or direct them to perform a task, either together or by a single member. The team which arrives first in the final leg is awarded a large cash grand prize, usually one million U.S. dollars.
What I like most: I love to see all different parts of the world on The Amazing Race. And its interesting to 'get to know' the different teams. Sometimes they are funny, or extremely annoying, but always entertaining.
Mon - Dancing with the Stars premiered Monday, Sept 22 at 8pm on ABC
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
The show pairs a celebrity with a professional ballroom dancer. The professional dancer is responsible for teaching the celebrity how to perform specific dances, which the pair perform live on the show each week. The dancers are scored by a panel of three professional dance judges. Additionally, viewers of the program may vote by phone, text message, or online methods. The team which receives the lowest total score (a combination of the judges' scores and viewer votes) each week is eliminated from the competition.
What I like most: Seeing the short recorded part before each performance that shows the stars practicing (mistakes and all!) I really like Tom Bergeron (host) and the judges are interesting as well. The dancing itself is ok (Ballroom-style is beautiful to watch, but can get boring after a few weeks), but the outfits are fantastic! I much prefer the show 'So You Think You Can Dance' which is a summer series on FOX.
Tues - Biggest Loser premiered last week. Airs Tuesdays 8pm on NBC
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
The basic premise of the show is that overweight contestants are competing to win $250,000 by losing the highest percentage of their starting body weight. At the start of each season, contestants are grouped into teams and each team is assigned a personal trainer. The trainers are responsible for designing and teaching to the contestants comprehensive workout plans and nutrition plans. The season starts with a weigh-in to determine the contestants' starting weights. Each week culminates in another weigh-in to determine which team has lost the most weight for that week, in percentage of total weight lost. The team that has lost the lower percentage during that week must vote off one member of the team.
What I like most: This show gives good tips for eating better and creative forms of exercise. It is also very inspiring each week - especially at the end when you see how dramatically each contestant has changed.
Wed - Private Practice premiers Wednesday Oct 1 9pm ABC
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
Private Practice is a medical drama spin-off of the popular television show, Grey's Anatomy. The series chronicles the life of Dr. Addison Montgomery as she leaves Seattle Grace Hospital for Los Angeles in order to join a private practice.
What I like most: This is one of the few dramas that I watch. I enjoy the characters and the different storylines each week.
Thur - Survivor premiers TONIGHT!! Thursday Sept 25 at 8pm on CBS
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
Survivor is a popular reality television game show format produced in many countries throughout the world. In the show, contestants are isolated in the wilderness and compete for cash and other prizes. The show uses a progressive elimination, allowing the contestants to vote off a tribe member, until only one final contestant remains and wins the title of "Sole Survivor".
What I like most: Even after all of these seasons, this still remains one of my favorite shows! Seeing all of those people live together in those conditions gets amusing. I enjoy the challenges. And love the back-stabbing at tribal council each week.
Grey's Anatomy premiers TONIGHT!! Thursday Sept 25 at 9pm on ABC.
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
Medical drama with a really cool cast of characters.
What I like most: I just started watching Grey's this year and its one of those shows you can get into right away. Great funny cast and diverse storylines. Although I hear that some of the romances become monotonous (but its all still new for me!)
American Idol
Not sure when this will premier - usually not until January. But I wanted to list it because it's definitely one I look forward to!
Check it out HERE or HERE ...
Monday, September 22, 2008
Fall is here
Whether I like it or not, summer is officially over :(
This means that Fall has arrived... which brings its own benefits.
Some of the reasons I enjoy Fall:
- Trees turn beautiful colors
- Cooler temperatures
- Crisp Fall smells in the air
- Hayrides on the boardwalk
- Watching kids jump in the leaves
- Less bugs
- Girls in school
- Windows open = fresh air (finally A/C off)
- Fall pictures - great colors, clothes, backdrops
- Warm Baked Apple Pie (or Cherry, Blueberry, etc yummy!)
- Candles in Fall scents (Cinnamon, Spices)
And some things that I dont like about Fall:
- It gets dark earlier = less daylight
- Raking ALL those leaves
- Marks the end of summer fun (swim, boat, beach, etc)
- Homework every night
So I guess that's a decent balance to the positive! Sometimes it helps to get those thoughts out and realize that it's not ALL bad! LOL
Happy Fall everyone!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Final Paris pictures
Here are a few Paris pics from the email Tim just sent me this afternoon. This will be his last batch because.... HE'S COMING HOME TOMORROW NIGHT!! Yippee! Now let's keep our fingers crossed that his plans dont change, because I am VERY READY for him to be home!!
Enjoy :)
Enjoy :)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Obama or McCain?
If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I really dont care for politics very much. However, as this huge election gets closer, I am trying to get informed and make an educated decision when I vote in November.
My brother, Sean, sent me a link to a website that he checks on a regular basis.
Click here to check it out. Apparently, it is a non-partisan site where you can get all your info about both candidates. I found it interesting when I randomly checked it out tonight, to see how the national polls are going. I posted the info below:
General Election: McCain vs. Obama
RCP Average 09/09 - 09/17 Obama +1.9
Gallup Tracking 09/15 - 09/17 Obama +4
Rasmussen Tracking 09/15 - 09/17 Tie
Hotline/FD Tracking 09/15 - 09/17 Obama +4
Battleground Tracking* 09/10 - 09/17 McCain +2
CBS News/NY Times 09/12 - 09/16 Obama +5
Quinnipiac 09/11 - 09/16 Obama +4
Pew Research 09/09 - 09/14 Tie
Reuters/Zogby 09/11 - 09/13 Obama +2
Newsweek 09/10 - 09/11 Tie
If these polls are any indication, we may be in for a Democratic president again in just a few months...
My brother, Sean, sent me a link to a website that he checks on a regular basis.
Click here to check it out. Apparently, it is a non-partisan site where you can get all your info about both candidates. I found it interesting when I randomly checked it out tonight, to see how the national polls are going. I posted the info below:
General Election: McCain vs. Obama
RCP Average 09/09 - 09/17 Obama +1.9
Gallup Tracking 09/15 - 09/17 Obama +4
Rasmussen Tracking 09/15 - 09/17 Tie
Hotline/FD Tracking 09/15 - 09/17 Obama +4
Battleground Tracking* 09/10 - 09/17 McCain +2
CBS News/NY Times 09/12 - 09/16 Obama +5
Quinnipiac 09/11 - 09/16 Obama +4
Pew Research 09/09 - 09/14 Tie
Reuters/Zogby 09/11 - 09/13 Obama +2
Newsweek 09/10 - 09/11 Tie
If these polls are any indication, we may be in for a Democratic president again in just a few months...
11th Day of School
But who's counting?! haha
The triplets are doing really well with their all-day Pre-K class. And they get homework every night, can you believe that?! Its actually a nice thing to see what they're working on (obviously usually just a simple sheet or story to read), but it gets kind of crazy here right after school now. We all sit around the kitchen table and do our work together. It seems they each are forming separate friendships, which I'm thankful for since this is the first year all three are together in one class.
Kaitlyn loves second grade! She does have a pretty cool teacher, who loves to sing a lot. Apparently she does musical theater (thought you'd like that, Korn!) and she turns everything into a song. It seems to work well because she said the kids all sing along nice and loud. Apparently Kaitlyn is still adjusting to the recess protocol because some days she comes home upset to say she just walked around by herself the whole time. Of course that breaks my heart. So I am trying to talk with her each morning to come up with a plan for her recess, like who to play with and what she wants to play. Also, I am setting up a few playdates with her 'new' friends in this class so maybe that will help her feel a bit more comfortable.
As for me, I am really enjoying my job. The little guy I work with is quite a handful and he definitely keeps me on my toes. But its nothing new to me so far, I've seen it all before. And we are getting a nice plan in place for him to lead him to success. The hours are perfect and I absolutely love working in the school with my girls. I am able to see them all several times throughout the day - and also get my mommy hugs and kisses!! I honestly could not ask for anything better and am so thankful for this opportunity! Plus I sleep VERY well at night now... talk about exhaustion!! ;)
OK... 11 days down, 169 days to go!!
The triplets are doing really well with their all-day Pre-K class. And they get homework every night, can you believe that?! Its actually a nice thing to see what they're working on (obviously usually just a simple sheet or story to read), but it gets kind of crazy here right after school now. We all sit around the kitchen table and do our work together. It seems they each are forming separate friendships, which I'm thankful for since this is the first year all three are together in one class.
Kaitlyn loves second grade! She does have a pretty cool teacher, who loves to sing a lot. Apparently she does musical theater (thought you'd like that, Korn!) and she turns everything into a song. It seems to work well because she said the kids all sing along nice and loud. Apparently Kaitlyn is still adjusting to the recess protocol because some days she comes home upset to say she just walked around by herself the whole time. Of course that breaks my heart. So I am trying to talk with her each morning to come up with a plan for her recess, like who to play with and what she wants to play. Also, I am setting up a few playdates with her 'new' friends in this class so maybe that will help her feel a bit more comfortable.
As for me, I am really enjoying my job. The little guy I work with is quite a handful and he definitely keeps me on my toes. But its nothing new to me so far, I've seen it all before. And we are getting a nice plan in place for him to lead him to success. The hours are perfect and I absolutely love working in the school with my girls. I am able to see them all several times throughout the day - and also get my mommy hugs and kisses!! I honestly could not ask for anything better and am so thankful for this opportunity! Plus I sleep VERY well at night now... talk about exhaustion!! ;)
OK... 11 days down, 169 days to go!!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Sad morning...
We woke up this morning to an awful sight.... Our little cat SpiceCake was laying on the kitchen floor. He didnt look good. Then when we looked closer, we could tell he had died :( We are so sad.
He was fine last week, then went out one night and didnt come home for two days. When he finally did come home (Thursday evening), he was not looking good. He was very thin and acted sickly. Definitely not himself. We tried to get him to eat but to no avail.
Yesterday he was sleeping a lot and not active at all. We had gone to a party in the afternoon, but my mom was here with him. I intended to take him to the vet tomorrow after work, I never thought he was that bad...
SpiceCake was by far, the best cat we ever had. He was so loving and always wanted to be around people. He let the girls pick him up (sometimes by his legs!) and never complained. Megan was the closest to him and she would carry him around like a baby. In fact, he slept in the girls rooms at night.
He would sleep on the back of the couch, right behind my mom and rest his head on her shoulder. And sometimes at night when Tim would lay on the floor with his laptop, SpiceCake would walk across his keyboard, trying to get his attention. It was so funny. I will miss him soooo much :(
Here are a few pictures taken of SpiceCake the last few months - our other cat Milkshake (the white one in the first pic) ran away a few months ago. So we are going to go through a rough time adjusting to life without our furry friends.
He was fine last week, then went out one night and didnt come home for two days. When he finally did come home (Thursday evening), he was not looking good. He was very thin and acted sickly. Definitely not himself. We tried to get him to eat but to no avail.
Yesterday he was sleeping a lot and not active at all. We had gone to a party in the afternoon, but my mom was here with him. I intended to take him to the vet tomorrow after work, I never thought he was that bad...
SpiceCake was by far, the best cat we ever had. He was so loving and always wanted to be around people. He let the girls pick him up (sometimes by his legs!) and never complained. Megan was the closest to him and she would carry him around like a baby. In fact, he slept in the girls rooms at night.
He would sleep on the back of the couch, right behind my mom and rest his head on her shoulder. And sometimes at night when Tim would lay on the floor with his laptop, SpiceCake would walk across his keyboard, trying to get his attention. It was so funny. I will miss him soooo much :(
Here are a few pictures taken of SpiceCake the last few months - our other cat Milkshake (the white one in the first pic) ran away a few months ago. So we are going to go through a rough time adjusting to life without our furry friends.
Pics from Italy!
Tim was finally able to email me a few pictures this morning! He is now leaving Italy and going to Paris, France for the duration of his trip. So I am looking forward to more fun pictures next week!!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stoneby J.K. Rowling
Published in 1998. 320 pages.
Amazon link
Scholastic site
Author's website
Genre: Fiction, Children's Lit
My overall score: 4.75/5
What its about (from amazon.com): Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand, and jellybeans that come in every flavor, including strawberry, curry, grass, and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! This is exactly what happens to young Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling's enchanting, funny debut novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig... and that's where the real adventure--humorous, haunting, and suspenseful--begins. This magical, gripping, brilliant book will be a future classic for sure.
What I thought: Many friends have suggested I read the Harry Potter series, so I finally broke down to read the first book. I had started it a few times before and just couldn't get into it. But I stuck with it this time and I am so glad I did! It was worth every bit of praise it has received over the last ten years. I did not feel like I was reading a book meant for 9-12 year olds at all. Very interesting characters, gripping storyline. If this tells you anything, according to amazon.com, out of almost 5,500 reviewers, 95% gave this book 4 or 5 stars (85% gave 5 stars, 10% gave 4 stars), incredible!
Date finished: September 3, 2008
Currently Reading: The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (being made into a movie to be released 2010!)
Back to School
Its hard to believe that the first week of school is over already! There are 180 days of school total, 7 down 173 to go! heehee
Kaitlyn is in 2nd grade - her teacher's name is Miss Buchholz, who is wonderful. She has a few friends in her class that she knew from last year, so she's happy about that. So far, her fave subject is still Math and her favorite special is Art.
Megan, Morgan & Madison are in all-day Pre-Kindergarten at the same school and they love it. I was fearful how they would do being in school all day (8:30-3pm is a long time). Also they eat lunch in school now, which is something new but very exciting for them. Their teacher's name is Miss Brooke Yochim, which was Madison's teacher last year. So Megan & Morgan are having a bit of adjustment to their new teacher, but so far so good.
Ironically enough, both Miss Yochim and Miss Buchholz are getting married this November! So both of their names will change very soon.
I went to back to school night last night at the school. We learned about the new Language Arts program at Seaview, then we went to our teacher's classrooms. It was also announced that Seaview earned the prestigious award of a Blue Ribbon School. And Here are the List of schools that won this award.
Now for some pictures from the first day of school...
It was Mommy's first day of school also! Kaitlyn took this picture (can you tell from the angle, not the most flattering!)
Daddy failed to get good individual shots of the triplets, but thank goodness at least we have these!
Here's to a great school year!
Kaitlyn is in 2nd grade - her teacher's name is Miss Buchholz, who is wonderful. She has a few friends in her class that she knew from last year, so she's happy about that. So far, her fave subject is still Math and her favorite special is Art.
Megan, Morgan & Madison are in all-day Pre-Kindergarten at the same school and they love it. I was fearful how they would do being in school all day (8:30-3pm is a long time). Also they eat lunch in school now, which is something new but very exciting for them. Their teacher's name is Miss Brooke Yochim, which was Madison's teacher last year. So Megan & Morgan are having a bit of adjustment to their new teacher, but so far so good.
Ironically enough, both Miss Yochim and Miss Buchholz are getting married this November! So both of their names will change very soon.
I went to back to school night last night at the school. We learned about the new Language Arts program at Seaview, then we went to our teacher's classrooms. It was also announced that Seaview earned the prestigious award of a Blue Ribbon School. And Here are the List of schools that won this award.
Now for some pictures from the first day of school...
It was Mommy's first day of school also! Kaitlyn took this picture (can you tell from the angle, not the most flattering!)
Daddy failed to get good individual shots of the triplets, but thank goodness at least we have these!
Here's to a great school year!
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