Catie's 7th Birthday

I used Sweet Treats to create the cupcakes. Even read the cartridge directions! Never would have figured it out if I did not!

Sam's 3rd Birthday

Sam's Drawings

Sam has started drawing faces, all on his own. A few weeks ago, I asked him to draw a NOSE on the face. He replied, "I don't know how to draw noses!". Today, I asked him who each 'face' is. The one on the bottom left is an alien. The one in the middle is a boy. Maybe the top left is the cupcake. He lost interest after that! I should compare them to the ones Catie and Max drew at his age. I'm sure they look very similar!

Materials used to create the AUTUMN banner:

1. Creative Memories Ovals.

2. Zig glue pen for glitter affect.

3. Martha Stewart glitter.

4. Ribbon.

5. Crop-a-dile (love it!) to add eyelets. I couldn't find the color I wanted.

6. Paper came from Michaels.

7. Cricut Expression to create the letters.

It took a long time to finish this, possibly close to 18 months. I'm not entirely sure! I will definitely put it up next fall!

Sam Likes Gourmet Dog Treats

I listed 2 Cricut cartridges on Craigslist, never having luck on this site! Late Saturday night, I received an email inquiry on one of them, asking me to meet her 1/2 way between Leonard and Rochester. I told her that I'd be happy to meet her downtown, gets me out of the house and near retail shopping!! We decided to meet on Sunday afternoon. Being the POLITE person I am, I decided to ask Aaron and the kids to join me, secretly crossing my fingers that they would decline. I also wanted to hit Rochester Village Mall. It's never a good idea to take THREE kids with you, as I have learned in the past. To my surprise, Aaron said YES!! We met SHARI in the parking lot of the RAC (Rochester Athletic Center) parking lot. She was super nice and about my age. I told Aaron that is someone I would be friends with!! Anyway, we went to Rochester Village Mall. I went to ATL (Ann Taylor Loft), my one and only store I can shop at. I had $20 bonus cash, $15 birthday card money from ATL, 20% off coupon and two HUGE giftcards to spend. I usually buy on sale, unless I absolutely LOVE it and can't live without it. Sunday, I found THREE things I could NOT live without, so I paid full TAG price, but it didn't cost ME personally. I got the BOYFRIEND JEANS, never appealed to me in the past, but had a change of heart when I saw them again. They didn't have my size, disappointed, until one of the employees told me she bought the size 4 the day before, but they did NOT fit her - YIPPPEEE...that's the pair I needed! In the meantime, Catie was FREAKING out on Aaron because she was starving to death....I did NOT get to go to Victorias Secret for a MUCH need new bra or Children's Place, just because I love to look there too! I was totall satisfied with my ATL purchase, I didn't mind missing the other stores I intended to HIT while I was supposed to be ALONE!! On the way home, we stopped at URBAN DOG, a dog store in the newer plaza at the corner of Teinken & Rochester Rd....We bought 3 gourmet treats for Dottie - pink bones, like chocolate for dogs...They are made out of things that can be consumed by humans. Sam was holding the bag on the way home. He opened it and started EATING the bones...I tried one, it was OK but I wouldn't have eaten more than a NIBBLE! Sam was memerized by TOY STORY (playing on the DVD player) and ate 2 of the bones (I had the 3rd on in my coat pocket - keeping it safe). I asked Sam, "What are we going to give Dottie now?" He said, "NUFFIN"....

Puppy Obedience Class

Fantasy: puppy obedience class would be a SINCH. Stressfree. Not much work. The kids will get along. I will be calm and happy. The MINUTE I let Dottie out of the car she went crazy! Sam went crazy! He wanted to WALK her thru the parking lot and into the store! I could barely control the dog let a lone a near 3 year old. Dottie continued to pull us through the store making my life MISERABLE. Sam was yelling at me that he is MAD AT ME for not letting him walk the dog. I was HOPING that we'd be the only ones in the class, sure would have made the hour much easier. NOPE. Another couple and their grown daughter brought in their german sheppard/coon hound. It was excited, but listed better than my dog. All my dog wanted to do was jump on top of it. I spent the hour fighting the dog and the kids who wanted to hold the leash. The couple with us, well, that was interesting. They were probably in their 60s. They sat their large ASSES on little tiny circular chairs while the daughter worked with the dog. I bet they both sit at home in worn out Lazy Boy chairs, eating and watching TV all day long. The only excercise they get is walking to and from the fridge and the bathroom. It's mind boggling that two sedintary people would get a dog that needs energetic people. Then, they started chewing up the hour with their stupid questions on how to get the dog NOT to jump their fenced in yard. The trainer goes off on little tangents about her 4 dogs. COME ON!! She told Sam to sit on a chair in the corner by himself and if he didn't get up, she'd give him a sucker. WELL, he sat their picking his nose like a good little boy. I felt bad for him, so I told him to go look at the cats with Catie. He asked her for his sucker (which she didn't have any to beging with), she said NOPE, you got up....He doesn't forget!! Home now, it's only 8:11pm and I have 2 more days as a single parent. I am going to LOSE MY MIND.