And the prize is......

Its a trip to fabulous Las Vegas!! I'm so excited! I didn't actually win it, and I probably dont deserve it for any particlar reason, but we booked it yesterday. Mark is the best, he loves to do spur of the moment quickie trips and this was perfect. How can you pass up 50 bucks for a night at Excalibur??? Nope, ya can't. We dont' really gamble in vegas, we go to eat. Well, let me rephrase, Mark goes to eat, I tag along and eat some stuff too. We have been known to spend 2+ hours at a good buffet. This time around it will be seafood. YUMMO! I'm just hoping I get a chance to wear my awesome lepoard print pumps with a peep toe. They are HOT. I'm working hard to fit into the jeans that go with them. I'm just excited that I get to go somewhere, even if its only for 36 hours. Anyway, we are going Monday morning till tuesday night, thats what Mark has off so it works perfect for a cheap trip. Between today and tomorrow I will have earned all the money for the trip by doing hair...go ME!!

I went to spinning again today, it was pretty good. Eating was so-so, I threw together a spur-of-the-moment "WOO HOO LAST DAY OF SCHOOL" party for the kids and a couple of their friends. We had some junk food (stuff I never buy) and I had a little, but nothing horrible. I was too busy doing hair to really eat.

Anyhow, school is out, hopefully I won't kill any children over the next 2 months. The gym is gonna save me!!!

I've been hacked

Well this sucks the big one. My bank card has beeen compromised AGAIN. This is the 3rd time in 4 months. I've gotten new cards, new accounts, but someone keeps doing it. Obviously someone has me flagged as a target and is going to hack into anything I have, so that sucks. I just hope its not someone I know. It just too much in a short period of time for it not to be someone who knows me. But then I think....OK If they knew me they would know I have no money...so why bother?? Steal from someone who actually has something to steal, ya know? I got a couple of credit card application rejection notices in the mail, that I didn't apply for, so I'm sure my whole identity is stolen if they are doing that too. I know it all has to be stemming from losing that stupid folder with all my important papers in it. I really think someone came in the house and stole it. They have my ss# (and of the kids, too, but not Marks, his is here thank goodness)so I have to do checks into all of us. I realized it was missing right about the time my account got hacked the first time. I'm not sure how you make a connection to the SS cards and my checkcard, though. Thats where I think its someone who knows me. Especially since I've changed cards 3 times and it keeps happening. I would think it would be my online banking, but that really dosen't connect to my actual card. Its so wierd. I don't buy anything online, and this new card has a whole new account, and I haven't even had it long enough to pay bills with or anything, and it still got used by someone else. The whole thing is so frustrating.

Solution: Old school. No bank account, the few things I have to do through the bank Mark will take over, and I'm going cash only. If someone wants to steal my money they will have to do it the old fashioned way and pry it out of my fists. I'm really pissed because it is so convenient to do bill pay and paymnts over the phone, but I have to go back to the old way I guess. Does anyone have any advice, who has been through this before? It sure sucks.

Fitness update

I'm trying to get back in the groove here. It seems like I've avoided blogging about any fitness stuff because I haven't been doing very well. Well, I haven't. Life has been really crazy though and I do need to be a mom first. OK thats sort of an excuse but now its gonna be summer vacation so I will have LOTS of time on my hands. Also, I just found out that my gym is starting a new dance class on thrusday nights. Its a fusion of hip hop, 80's, african, pop, etc. and I am SO FREAKIN EXCITED~!! It will be starting in 3 or 4 weeks, the teachers are training for it right now. Can I get a collective YEAH BABY!!! I'm SURE that my buddies Jill and Maddy will be there with me....right????? :D ANyway, I did a good spinning class yesterday and then my friend Kristi came over today and we did a Turbo Jam DVD. It was fun. I'm usually pretty bad about working out at home, but I couldn't go to the gym because I was babysitting so it was good. I have to somehow figure out HOW I am gonna start eating on plan again. HOW???? HOW??? I can not continue to subject other people at the pool to my nasty fat body, and I must go to the pool, so I guess I gotta change the body. Its amazing how cottage cheesy I get when I eat bad. It only takes a few weeks of eating good and drinking my water for more than half of the lumpiness to go away. Its wierd. I have to admit it is inspiring to see some of the other fit moms. I can do this!! I do still have some upper body muscle, its just the lower pudge. I at least have to trim off some sludge before my sisters wedding. Hmmmm. I suddenly have the urge to go thaw out some chicken breasts. :D

OH yeah.........and last night started my all time favoriteist favorite show....So You Think You can Dance!!!



This made me cry the first time I watched it....and I havent' seen it in a few months so um yep I was cryin again. PLEASE tell me this season could be as awesome as last season, because I can't even imagine that. I love this clip because it is of Benji and his cousin Heidi (who are members of our church in CA) and it is the firsrt time the judges/producers are seeing these 2 dance together. In fact Benji is doing a last chance audition here because they arent sure if they should cut him from the show or not. HA! He showed them, huh??


Well I guess I have to stop procrastinating my mopping and get busy. Dang.

I've been tagged

SO ...the rules are..
Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!


Here are 7 little known facts about me: read on if you dare ;D

1. I'm really lazy when it comes to stuff I don't want to do. I mean...REALLY LAZY

2. I love it when Mark calls me Franchesca(I know there is a cooler way to spell it...but I can't remember it)

3. I'm (normally) an awesome speller...I can spell anything (except Franchesca :P)

4. I have horrible spider veins on my legs and I've always been worried that I would develop varicose veins. So far, it hasn't gotten too bad, which is wierd considering all my pregnancies. If I had the $$ I'd get everything lasered.

5. I have never once bought bath towels.

6. I love being my mom's right hand girl for my sisters wedding. Its fun. But I'm a total daddy's girl too. That can be tricky sometimes.

7. I am not an animal lover. Dogs are gross,cats are annoying, and nothing else has enough personality to be interesting. Its just more mess to clean up after and be responsible for. I would never have a pet as my "child". Even if I didn't have any of my own kids, I'd still never get a pet. I think its great for other people, I applaud you.The pets need someone to take care of them. Its just not for me.


I tag these 7 people:

1.Jill
2.Maddy
3.Casey Krassow
4.Casey Pearce
5.Doidle
6.Carole(BB)

A little of what I've been up to lately...

I keep trying not to remind myself that so many of my friends are on a WEEK LONG body for life cruise right now..........waaaaaaaaaaa! I wanna be in the bahamas and the grand turks and the turks with them!! boo hoo poor me. OH well, thats life.

Heres what I've been doing instead:


Mothers Day-Yikes looks like I needed some more lipstick. SCARY!






FOOTBALL: Cade with his cousin and best friend. Are they cute little mini-studs or what????









Talent shows:

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos














My Sadie girl turned 9 yesterday.....Isn't her cake cute?? We made it together.I sorta forgot her birthday....but I made it up to her. She ended up loving it...whew! :D I cannot believe how grown up she is getting. I never thought it would happen.






1 more week of school!!!! Yay! and BOO!!! LOL

CAUTION: fun and relaxation ahead

Yes, I can't believe that I am looking FORWARD to this weekend!! It is the Father and Sons campout weekend for church, where all the menfolk go off for an overnight and do whatever it is they do (and us moms don't even wanna think about what goes on with the dads in charge)I'm sure its all the dirt-diggin, nose-pickin, fire-pokin fun on the planet and no kid (or dad) ever wants to miss it! Some wildfires have impeded on the site where it was supposed to be but it has been moved to another locale. Mark has to work friday night but my brother Nick (bless his heart) is gonna go and be with the boys after Mark has to leave. Mark is taking them up a little early to spend some extra time since he will have to cut it short so of course the boys are thrilled they get to miss school friday. And Mark gets to miss sleep on friday. Yipes. The best part is that it will be just me and my girl Sadie friday and Saturday (with the exception of friday morning when I have to babysit and late friday night/saturday morning I have to babysit my neice.....DANG IT!!)but at least we will have a few hours to do girl stuff like go to a nice dinner and mabye a movie (I'm thinking Shrek 3). I hate it that we always have tag alongs on the weekends but oh well, what can I do?? I'm not dwelling on that part, just the really fun part. So tonight I can get everything put together for the campout and so I don't have to do any housework while they are gone. We are all so excited!

I think things got worked out for the most with Cade and school, luckily it is the end of the year, and also we have pinpointed a couple of things that he could do different to help the situation next year. Still don't really care for his teacher though. I can't put my finger on it, its just more of an aloof, I dunno, I can't explain it. She's like a crabby 65 year old woman in a 26 year olds body. I wanna say something like "Hey, YOU have 5 kids and go through what I have and then you can give me attitude" 2 more weeks.

OVERWHELMED

Thats it, just OVERWHELMED. Theres no simplifying my life, short of selling off a couple kids, and obviously thats not an option. Threr are so many things I want to change about my life, but those changes are not feasible at this stage of my life, I have to learn to live with stuff. Or, continue to live with the challenges I've always had. I think in my next post I better start listing all my blessing or something, that would be good.

I'm feeling terrible right now because I found out that Cade has been being bullied at school, apparently there is a "don't hang out with Cade" rule going around right now. So they are not physically bullying him, but ostracizing him. It really kills me. This is like my worst nightmare, that is no joke. Luckily we've had lots of good ocnversations, the school is on his side and is doing something about it, but it still hurts my feelings like nothing else. It hurts me this bad, I can't imagine what he must be going through. Every day when I drop him off the dread he must feel. I almost started crying this morning dropping him off and watching him walk over to line up. Its really horrible. He has friends in other classes, but they don't have lunch or recess with those other classes, so it does him no good. I'm pissed that the teacher didn't clue in, she dosen't really like him for whatever reason, so mabye it wouldn't have helped. Luckily he knows he's an awesome kid (Lambs are renowned for their confidence) and we just have to finish this year, and I will make sure he is in class with his friends next year. If the principal wont make that happen, I will be checking into other schools.

Anyway, not everything is bad, but its been a tough week.

Happy Mothers Day update

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to everyone out there! My day has been nice so far, it started going down hill a bit but I pulled it around. I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY today! Heres the recap of how it went downand a little lesson for us all that there IS a master plan out there, we just don't always get the memo-

So I got up on time, made yummy breakfast, got my kids out the door by 8:15 all on my own, we are rockin and rollin. Got church done, it was really busy but fun, get home....and the little "mothers day entitlement" starts creeping in. I make the mistake some years of thinking I'm gonna get pampered or treated special or something but thats just not how it goes around here (especially when Mark has worked all night and hasn't been to sleep yet...can't blame him)So of course I'm dead tired from working my tail off this week (illustrated by the fact that I lost 3 pounds and wan't even really dieting or working out that dilligently) and just wanted a nap. I'm not kidding the little turkeys were in my room bugging me and in the process disturbing Mark every 20 minutes for an hour. I had to get up finally and I was NOT HAPPY. So I told them since they wouldn't let me sleep we were going to work instead of relax and I put them to task bigtime. Rooms, dishes, backyard, anything I could think of. Major punishments. JUST as I was finishing up the vacuuming guess who surprises me at the door..........my LANDLORD comes by for a pop-in because I'd called him earlier to come look at some stuff and he just happened to be going by. HA! BOY was I relieved that I hadn't been asleep all afternoon, the place would have been thrashed and I would have been SO stressed out. He came at the perfect time, it worked out great. What a huge blessing that my kids were total whiny brats today. Now I can relax and enjoy the rest of my day now that Mark is awake and I don't have to stress about them being quiet. Plus, some stuff is gonna get fixed around here. Woo hoo!!

That is my mothers day miracle story. *sigh*

OK OK

I have been neglecting my blog, I know. I just feel so bad sitting here typing becuase my office is SUCH A DISASTER! I'm seriously taking pictures before I clean it, it will be the biggest transformation EVER! LOL So right now my kids are all gone at playgroup (thanks, Maddy :D) and instead of being procductive I am spending time with Mark (we went winow shopping at Lowe's) and out to lunch. That is our weekly "date" time together since he works all weekend evenings. So now he's ont he phone and I'm here, but hey, I'm relaxed. I guess you could call spending time with my spouse productive.

I really crashed this weekend, I literally laid in bed or on the couch in my room from about 1-6 pm. I needed a recharge BADLY. I'm ready to tackle some projects now. Some of this stuff I'd like to get done before school gets out, thats my deadline. I have some major stuff in the works. Heres a short list:

*My OFFICE completely gutted and redone
*my garage completely gutted, hosed out and redone
*my backyard completely redone (this includes my garden)
*all closets completely gutted and rearranged
*laundry room comletely gutted and redone

Heres one little dilemma- do I get rid of the VHS tapes?? I'm SO tempted. Its not like we have a lot but mabye 2-3 rubbermaids full. I could use the containers and the space. We do have a TV/VCR combo in Sadies room, which she likes but never usues it because she dosen't really like the VHS movies we have. What should I do? Let her keep her 5 favorites?

OK on the fitness front: I didn't make it to the gym fri or Sat, that is bad. But there was literally NO time, thats no joke. I could have gotten up at 5 to do it, but I was already sleep deprived from the week, and to get less could have been dangerous. I'm just looking forward to this coming week,and have done my workout today, and eaten great. I'm already seen improvements in how I feel and look (slightly) so I'm gonna keep on keepin on. I did have to get a couple things to wear, nothing exciting, but stretchy cute stuff that will last me now till 10 pounds down from now.


I'm having a few worries about my overall program etc., but I'll have save my deep thoughts for later. Later, peeps!