off to portland

whew - last night was the blue & gold banquet for scouts. we had a great turnout - all 67 people who rsvp came! i was pleased that we had some extra chicken but pretty much that was it. jake was so excited to be there & thought he had progressed from being a little boy to a big boy. i am glad to have that behind me so i can start getting ready for portland.

when we travel for work - we don't like to mix family & work - we have learned it is much better to either focus on work or focus on family fun. portland is always hard because my 2 brothers & their families live there. the past couple years, we have made the 12-hour drive with the kids but we knew this year with 3 kids in haul (1 which doesn't sit still for 5 minutes very well) was not sounding like a fun trip for anyone involved. we decided to let jake fly with us to portland so he could play with his cousin layton - he is very excited!
i am very excited about the portland show as it is one of my most favorite shows of the year. we will have all the brand new basicgrey there (which nobody has yet). Lisa from Simply Swank will be there in our booth - demoing soldering. AND we will be testing out a new booth there - latest & greatest. So, we are excited! i'll keep you posted on how it all goes! now, off to pay bills, run errands, pack & hopefully do something fun with the kids tonight before we leave in the morning!

brock was tagged

yes, brock was tagged about 2 weeks ago by his cousin will & we are just now getting around to it. we just LOVE this little guy - he is always happy & full of energy! our life must of been so boring before (NOT?!)

brock loves:
food (everyone is blown away at how much Brock can put away)
baby einstein
zoe (his 120# dog)
playing hide & seek with jake
his mama (total mamas boy)
his baths
giving open mouth slobber kisses (we love them too)
getting into the pantry (did i say he loves food?)
going to the gym with dad
the wind (he just giggles when it is windy & it hits his face)
music & dancing with keegan
going bye-bye (it doesn't matter where)
swimming
people (he got so spoiled when he traveled with us for 10 months)
watching football & yelling at the tv (like his dad)
going to bed (is it the sleep or the bottle? either one he loves bedtime)
getting cups/bowls out & stategetically placing them everywhere
golden coral all-you-can-eat (a favorite when mom is working)
lotion (especially on his face)

brock doesn't like:
being told NO
someone going somewhere without him
being quiet - he is so LOUD (i am not sure where he gets it from?)
getting his haircut (he has had it cut 7x already)
sitting still (very difficult for all involved)
being short (he drags a stool around so he can reach more stuff)
not getting 100% of the attention
having his snot wiped (which he has had alot lately)
church (it is the sitting still & being quiet thing)
green beans (the ONLY food he doesn't like)

back from california

we're back from california to freezing tempertures & snow/ice still everywhere. it is nice to be home in my own bed & to be with the kids but california sure was GREAT! thanks to everyone who made it a fun weekend - it was so good to see so many of you that i hadn't seen in a while! lots to do now that we're back.
make today a great day!!!

bad day turned into a great day

today was the day i had dreaded for weeks - i had to leave for california. i dreaded it ONLY because i got way behind on things being sick & knew how much i HAD to get done before going. the last couple days i worked 18 our days & had a great team getting things done! the day before i had to leave, i kept saying - nothing unexpected has happened YET & i am feeling pretty good about things. wrapping up all the details before i headed out i felt like we were in good shape. i hated leaving without steve. we had decided that i would go to Anaheim for CHA show a few days early & then the gang would al come on thursday morning. steve & i decided that it was best if he stayed with the kids so we both wouldn't be gone for 5 days. being so independent, i never thought twice about it but i really didn't want to go without steve. i am not sure if it was because i left some unfinished business he needed to wrap up or if it was more that i hadn't traveling without him in a long time?!
anyway, my flight was delayed...stuck in vegas for 2+ hours...rental car place ran out of cars- took 1 hour to get car...stuck in CA traffic at 4pm...hotel room was a handicap room (i SO need my bathtubs). i planned on getting in & having 1/2 day at the show. by the time i got my bags to my room it was 5:20. big bummer!
i laid on the bed & almost ordered room service & thought i could just get caught up on my computer work. then, i though NO - i have nothing pressing to do, no kids, no husband, nobody to worry about ... i'm going to have some "ME" time - pedicure & manicure, then the mall to get new shoes. usually when i go shopping it is a chore because i have X i have to get & it is never an enjoyable lesiure expereince for me. i was in nordstorm & decided to go by the mac kisok - had a makeover & bought lots of new make-up. went to victoria secrets (after brock & nursing & not nursing - my bras just weren't fitting as good as they once did) then went to my favorite store chicos. i ordered takeout at chessecake factory & then had a good night sleep in one of those heavenly beds. i am off & running for a marathon day at cha.

great day

don't you just love those days that you wish you could have every day? the memories you made, the smiles on the kids faces, the things kids say that make you laugh & just having a great time as a family. well, to be honest - i really did not have time for what i had planned (i have alot of deadlines & things i have to get done before i go out of town - important things) anyways, i have been not feeling great & stressed so it was the perfect fix. we took the kids to the circus - great circus last year, not so great this year. but, we had a blast & the kids had no clue how lame it was this year so we just laughed it off. then, we went to the high school basketball game. i love basketball & jake is just like his dad & loves ALL sports. brock was happy as long as he was eating so he ate the whole time :) keegan performed during halftime - she was so proud of herself. she had a mini meltdown this morning when i told her she could wear her hair all down to school but i had to put it up for the performance. so, when i "forgot" & didn't put her hair up she was thrilled because her hair was down & she could swish it all around during her routine. she is such a mess. 

password?

you know it has been too long since you blogged when you can't remember your password OR is it that my head is about to explode ... probably BOTH.

so i am alive - barely. i got a sinus infection 2 weeks ago (bad timing by the way - no time to rest) & then it got into my lungs. i finally went to the DR & that is a big step for me & have been doing breathing treatments which have helped ALOT. have you ever felt like you couldn't breath?? it is a HORRIBLE experience. so, i have been sick & so have the kids. brock was sick first so we can all blame him for those slopper kisses spreading the germs. actually, it was the first time he has been sick. then i got a call from school that jake was sick. then keegan woke up last night with 102 temp & has been on fire all day. i just pray steve doesn't get sick cuz i am not sure what we'd do without him. 

my head is about to explode as i am finalizing new projects, new kits, new product, new promotions, new STUFF ... it is all coming VERY SOON!!! i am so excited about everything & am confident this is gonna be a GREAT year! i can't wait until i can share some of the things that are coming out... it is so hard to keep it all inside this little head of mine. Soon my friends - very soon!

anyways, i have lots to say but not much time right now but did want to let you know that those things your dad use to tell you about boys & kissing spreading germs IS TRUE!!!

i love my little brock!