Party planning

Some party planning things:

1) I got selected to host a "house party" from houseparty.com. I was pretty surprised. I had hosted a Reds Ale back in July but I didn't think I took good enough photos to get picked again but I got chosen for the Loreal/Redbook party! Eek! I'm stoked to try these fun products and create a gun girls night.

I think I'm going to put out the ingredients of a homemade facial scrub and mask for the girls. Maybe a premade mask. I'm not sure. I plan to do some light snacks.. Cheeses. Fruit. Cute desserts. Low key and easy so I can have fun too.

I'll throw some girlie movies out, have board games and maybe pull out some paper and create a grown up version of mash ;)

2) Keeping with the party trend, I'm also hosting our mom group Halloween party. To be honest I'm really nervous about it. I've never been into Halloween. Never got all excited for it aside from trick or treating as a kid. I stayed home got costume parties in my 20s. I finally went to one when I was pregnant. It was with friends at their home so I wasn't too intimidated. I just never got the whole "let's dress like sluts" thing.  I digress.

I've been pinning my little heart out for Halloween ideas. I've been scouring my local yard sale fb sites to find decor. I've scored a couple little things but have so much more to get. I'm going to goodwills too but they even price holiday stuff higher than they should. Oh well. I have time ton pick through and get cool things.

I think for the inside, I'm going to throw cheesecloth and white sheets over most furniture. For the bathroom I'm going to do the fake bloody hand print towel and vampire teeth in a cup thing. I might do the black monster shadow on the toilet. I'm going to look for some black lights to replace the regular bulbs in some lamps and throw some dolls heads in glass jars.

My backyard will host the party. Gosh I hope it's cool enough. Arizona is still hot in October.
I'm going to do the body bag out of trash bags, floating glow hands in the pool, glow sticks in toilet paper rolls for eyes watching you, and a few more tricks.

I have a few games up my sleeve and am going to keep pinning my heart out. If you follow me, sorry in advance.

Ok-- back to Mommyland.

Netflix has ruined me

You guys! I have been obsessed with Netflix. It is ruining my life and I can't quit it. No one told me I'd get addicted and want to watch a season in one sitting.

I just had my one month anniversary and I've watched (every episode Netflix had of):
Orange is the New Black
Scandal
The Carrie Diaries
Hart of Dixie
Plus 3 movies and one episode of Dexter (I didn't HAVE to watch the next ep so I was done).

My name is Tish and I'm a netflix-aholic. *hangs head in tv watching shame*

OITNB plus 4 more ;)

Five on Friday

  

{1} Summer time is lots of popsicles and lots of pool and plash pad time around here. Little man loves both so much. He wakes up wanting a pop. I have to convince him that breakfast is first... and maybe lunch then pop. He doesn't like that order ;)


{2} Today is the anniversary of my Father In Law's passing. He was such a sweet man and my husband just isn't the same without him. I grieve for my sweet husband and his loss. I lost my dad almost 19 years ago and still find moments that I want to run to him. I remember the pain and agony at year 2 and don't wish it on my worst enemy.


{3} While Arizona is beautiful and has many upsides, the biggest downside to ME is the fact that my son almost stepped on a scorpion in our kitchen this morning. I thought it was a piece of our carpet and went to pick it up-- and it started scurrying along. I grabbed what was closest to me-- a spatula-- and killed it. And broke my spatula. We get our house sprayed every month but those suckers are just invaders.


{4}We got Netflix. I know that I am years behind the times. I think my husband may want to cancel it already because I temporarily lost my mind and was so sucked into Orange Is the New Black that I watched both seasons in like 3 days. I really could not do anything else. I need a new show to suck me in... and maybe him too so he doesn't cancel it ;) HA.


{5} I have been going to the Goodwill and picking up books lately. I don't prefer real books anymore though sadly. I want the ebooks. I am trying though. I have a stack by my bed that I am determined to read. Such a first world problem. Can I get an AMEN.




Cheers!
Tish

My day my life turned into a crime show

It was a normal Monday night. Dinner and dishes were done. Bath time was done and I was hanging out channel surfing while the boys played. I looked at my phone and email, when a message from Walgreens popped up saying that my photos were done. I asked my hub if he had ordered pics and he said no. Hmmm, odd. I quickly glanced at my account- saw the photos were of Maddox and promptly freaked out.

I called Walgreens, hoping I would be told it was so glitch or mistake. As I waited, I was quickly changing my password. The photo department chick got on the phone and I asked her if photos under my name had been processed. Yes, she said. I asked if she was sure. Yes.

My voice started trembling. I asked if the photos were picked up yet. Yes.

I asked when. She said actually just a little bit ago.  I asked by who. She said she didn't know.

Full fledged hysterics happened after I hung up the phone. This person had access to tons of private family photos AND our home address. I didn't know what to do. What could I do? Call the police? Demand camera footage looked at and put on the news to try to catch the person? What? I noticed a customer care number on the website, so I called.

A man answered and I said my name and that photos of my....insert sobbing....child were just ordered and picked up at a store and could he possibly have any info on who might have hacked my account.

He tried to calm me down. He was really nice. Thank you Walgreens customer care guy. He said no one had ordered or printed anything. He said he was going to talk to the store and lady who said they were picked up.  I held on the line. My heart racing. Thoughts of moving to Alaska on my mind. Going somewhere no one would know my baby. I started mentally checking off all the social media I was going to cancel.

He came back on the line. He said the lady was crazy and didn't read the date. It was April 16th. Not June 16th. No one had ordered or picked up photos. Walgreens site was undergoing construction and the email was a glitch. He said I could unlock the closet door I was probably hiding in with my baby and live life. He was trying to be sweet and funny. I appreciated it through all my tears.

I barely slept Monday night. All the what if's going through my head. I was never anxious before becoming a mom. I never worried so much. I never knew what my mom was talking about when she said some nights she didn't sleep because she was thinking and worrying.

The life of a mom. My child is safe. Life is being lived

Tish

Dear Son

Maddox,

You are such a funny and sweet little 2 year old. Goodness you have such a strong will, sass and determination though. Where did that come from? We nicknamed you after a little Jewish woman because sometimes you stomp around, hand on hip and just are the sassiest thing ever. Estelle or Hilda comes out in full force. I try to not laugh but Lordie, it just is so hard to keep a straight face.

You are going to kill me one day but I have to document this now while I have the memory fresh. You are not potty training yet. You think you want to, but you are scared. One night while naked, I said that if you needed to go, you had to go on the big potty and tell mama. You decided that you had to, so you got your toilet seat, put it on the big potty and asked mama to hold your hand. When you didn’t start going peepee, you told me that your penis was broken. I told you it wasn’t, but you were so serious and sad and you held your penis and showed me the hole and insisted that yours was indeed broken. Oh I laughed so much as I turned away. I tried to keep a straight face, but you kept just repeating that your penis was broken.  By the way, we call it your penis. Your dad wanted to call it a weenie or a peepee, but I said no.

You knew the sound of a duck as your first animal. Quack Quack you would say. In the past week or so though, you have changed that. Now when we see ducks and you tell us what a duck says, you say “Mack Mack or MackyMack” –we find this to be incredibly cute and therefore we ask you what a duck says all the time J

You LOVE to dance. You want to dance all the time in the car. Your little hips just shake and sway with all the beats. When you want music you actually ask for “Dance”. I hope you always have rhythm and find joy in dancing.

Your favorite show right now, hands down, is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and you affectionately refer to it as Toodles.  You want to watch it on repeat. Every. Single. Day. Your favorite movies are Frozen, How to Train Your Dragon and Ratatouille. You also like Toy Story because you love Buzz Lightyear. We took your to Disneyland for your 2^nd birthday and you were terrified of every single character. We took you to breakfast with the characters and you were a screaming mess. We had to stand around the table and ask them to pass us by. Even Mickey. You were terrified of Mickey though you want to watch him on tv every chance you get. You sing the intro to MMC so cutely. You belt out the HOTDOG song at the end and dance. You are so full of life my little love.

Some of your cute words:

You call poop- poo-poon

Tyes is yes. Where is him? Where ah you? Heddo is Hello. Motes are the tv remotes. All golf clubs and hockey sticks are “coyotes”. Your baseball mitt is a pitch, though you now call it a mitt too. You also use gardening gloves as your batting gloves. You always want Chaw-kate –chocolate. You ask Whatcha Doin? And when you think something is silly you say “Oh  daa-aaad or oh Moommm”.

You call your daddy HONEY. You rarely say Dad or Daddy. You call him honey. It is hilarious. You also call him Steve sometimes. Once you said, “C’mon Steve, I have soccer”. We about died in shock and laughter.

Every time we go to Target and the movies, you feel like you must have popcorn. Or Poporn as you say. Even at home, if a movie is on, you want poporn.

You are so independent. You feel like you have to turn on and off every switch, and every fan. If someone else touches them you have a fit. You want to let the dogs out, you want to feed them, you want to get your own cups and water, and silverware. You push the chair over to the sink to wash your own hands after you eat. You have to climb in the cars, and you have to buckle yourself. You want to pick out your clothes, you want to do everything… You are such a little individual.

You LOVE sports. You love baseball the most. Everyone comments on how athletic you are.  You can hit the ball like crazy and daddy doesn’t even go easy on you. You are a showboat though. You love to have mommy watching you and cheering for you. The louder the better.  When you play basketball, you bring us a foam finger and demand we wave it for you because you are the best of course.

More soon my love. We love you to the moon and really couldn’t imagine a day without you. You are the light in our world and we cherish you so.

6-14-14

Five cleaning irks

Five cleaning irks:

You ever just have things that irk you? Of course you do. I read some of the perfect bloggers and it seems nothing is ever bothering them or irking them... Ever. I wish I could say the same ;)

{1} A dirty microwave kills me. Like little pieces of my soul. Just think about how clean that persons house is, if they let a place they cook food be disgusting. Did that sink in? Gross huh?

{2} On that note: you can't have dirty pot holders. YUCK. Wash them! You are handling food with those mitts. I don't want to see dinner from 6 months ago.

{3} Wipe your washer and dryer down. Can't have clean clothes around dirty appliances.
 I also get irk'ed having to put the laundry away lol. Ha the never ending cycle.

{4} It may be the door in the garage, but that door needs to be cleaned y'all. You pull into your garage and what do you see? That door. I just noticed it was time to scrub mine as I saw little dirty hand prints and foot prints all over it. I only really clean it when I notice it looks dingy.

{5} The teenage and early 20's me would laugh, but the 30+ me likes a made bed. I don't always do first thing when I wake, but when I head back in after coffee, it's time to smooth things and make it look like a grown up that cares for baby humans lives here.


Happy Friday!  What irks you? Can be cleaning related or in general... Get it out! :)

Crafty 5 on Friday

Linking to 5 of Friday

 

{1} I have been feeling crafty lately.  I want to make things. It is so hard to actually get said crafts done because a certain two year old is whirlwind of sweet outta control-ness ;)

{2} A friend invited me and Maddox over to craft and play.  We set out and made these super cute wreaths for the patriotic holidays. I can't wait to hang up my wreath in July! It was pretty easy, but time consuming. All we needed was a styrofoam wreath, straight pins and felt.  You can follow my pinterest boards for the exact tutorial. My notes on this: the lady doing it had a smaller wreath than me. I used an 18 inch and found that I needed slightly over 1/4 yard per color. Luckily my friend had lots extra bc she couldn't remember what I told her ;) I also subsequently used about 350 pins. I haven't add the stars yet, but I'm still pleased!

{3} I am getting pin-spired to do a few other wreaths. I'm sure my hub will be over the moon. Do you sense my sarcasm? I like this simple wreath. It would be pretty in bright summer colors. 

{4} I saw an easy way to make some homemade flowers too that I can incorporate on wreaths and also gift wrapping and the cute mason jars. I love a mason jar. I mean before it was a craze we drank out of them. It is kind of a southern thing I think. I'm in Arizona now but my roots are in Missouri after all. I have a friend currently obsessed with all things burlap so this would make a cute, homemade gift for a birthday don't you think?

{5} Another fun craft I have been wanting to try is the sharpie on a mug. Seems so easy! have you guys tried this? I have read that the oil based sharpie works better than the regular sharpie-- but I don't know first hand. I think a trip to HomeGoods and Dollar Tree might be in order for me to test this out. I have so many brand new regular sharpies that I hate to think I can't use! I will test those out first on one mug. Here is a fun one I found off Pinterest!

Tish



Five on Friday

{1} My favorite way to eat an at home sandwich is with a dribble of Italian dressing or red-wine vinegar  over a skinny spread of mayo, fresh tomatoes and s&p. It makes everything a bit more fancy.

{2} I saw a pin and was texted this pin about using vinegar to help whiten clothes vs using bleach.  I'm terrified of using bleach. Am I alone in this? I always think it will linger in my machine and ruin subsequent loads. No?  This says use 5 cups water to 1 cup bleach, boil, add clothes, soak overnight and wash as normal. I am testing it out as we speak with a dingy hand towel.

{3} Making menus each week is my saving grace. I panic, overspend and/or order takeout if I don't know what's for dinner. I may swap Tuesdays dinner or Thursdays but at least I know what I'm having and that I have everything to make it!

{4} Speaking of dinner: tonight is semi-homemade pizzas! It's about 50/50 as to whether I make my own dough or buy pizza crusts. I do not like the canned crust for pizzas though. We like to add fresh spinach, fresh basil(a lot of it!), garlic, pepperoni and lots of cheese! Yummy!

{5} I'm still having major issues with photos and my blog. As in they won't upload. It's really frustrating bc I love adding pictures. You can follow me on twitter or Instagram instead for now.
 Le sigh.

Food choices & dinner

Today my food choices have been excellent. Granted, I've only been awake for 90 minutes but still....
Coffee. Of course. I mean, I don't trust people who can just wake up and be productive. Ha. My husband is one of those people, he just wakes up. He goes to work, or he works in the yard. What ever he has planned, no coffee needed. Ugh. My baby even knows, mama needs coffee. He waits till I make and drink it every morning before asking to play.

After coffee, I had half a broiled grapefruit with some strawberries and half a banana. Have you had broiled grapefruit before? It's so yummy.  I cut them in half, use paring knife to cut around the edges and then spread honey on top and sprinkle with cinnamon. Then you pop into a pan and into the oven on broil for 3-4 minutes, watching closely. I love grapefruit this way. If I don't have time to broil, I will sprinkle some Splenda or sugar on top and eat. Yummy.

Tonight's dinner is semi homemade pizza. I got thin pizza crusts from the store and will add sauce, basil, cheese, spinach, pepperoni and sausage. I am already thinking about it!

Xo,
Tish

Bare Minerals De-mystified

I love Bare Minerals makeup. A friend actually purchased the starter kit for me as a birthday gift MANY years ago and I just fell in love. I love the coverage, the ease of application. I love that it is jus ta brush, not my fingers or a sponge. I like that it isn't a messy streak. the coverage cab get much more full with a few strokes. Easy peasy.




However, what I hate is that I can never get those last few applications out of the jar! You know what I am talking about? The powder never falls all the way through the shaker holes. The frugalista in me has saved about 6 or 8 of those jars. Just waiting.




I finally found the answer! A coin and some time. That is it! Several months ago I had pinned this little tutorial and never knew if it would work. Guess what? It does. You are welcome.


Take a coin and turn the makeup container over, and pop the bottom off using the coin in the ridges.
Done!




OH! Sidenote: the bottoms don't really stay on securely so maybe do one tub that you want to apply at a time till you are done with them all :)