Martha Stewart, I am not.

So, I will not be making any of the nut wreaths for friends and family. That was a wee bit of an interesting fiasco.....but I did finish it.

The first issue came when I sat down to begin the wreath. I poured all of my walnuts and pecans into a bowl, plugged in the hot glue gun and got out the wreath form. Oh wait...I also have acorns to add to that bowl!! They were in the little pouch attached to the stroller which was in my car...remember, I collected them on some walks with the boys? Anyways, I emptied the acorns into the bowl and there was a little something extra....larvae!!!!!!

God, I almost threw up. There were about 4 fat, white larvae of some sort squirming around in the bowl. Then I found 2 more in the pouch...I now want to burn the stroller and my car. After scooping them out and disposing of them I noticed little holes in some of the acorns....what the hell was in there??????

Well, I got past that incident and continued on with the wreath. I glued nuts to the flat side of the form and was pretty happy with the results. Then, I started adding to the side...not so happy with the results. Damn you Martha!!! Nuts don't stay glued on the side...attached to some thin rim of wood!! I must have re-glued 15 nuts!

Once the rim is covered in nuts I tie the ribbon and proceed to hang it on a wreath hanger...HELLO AMY???? You can't hang that kind of wreath on a hanger without RUINING what is attached!! Nuts started falling...left and right. I would bend down to pick them up and the ones already in my hand would fall back to the ground. It was almost comical.

So, how does this story end? I hung it on a nail inside the house, with a few nuts missing and a strategically placed ribbon hiding a bald spot, all the while hoping the few acorns that remain are vacant.

What's next you ask? Cross stitching ornaments for the boys.

Giveaway

Check out my friend Jill's blog! She is hosting a giveaway which includes free Perricone skincare!

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving?

Has anyone seen this on their guide? I thought it came on every year but I don't see it...I am in a state of panic (even though I have it on DVD).

I Love Martha

Funny that a girl with no crafting abilities, who doesn't cook very often and is usually barefoot when she throws a party, is a Martha Stewart fan. I love her magazine and her show. I also love Ana Gasteyer's impersonation of her on SNL..hilarious!!!

As I savored the pages of my November issue the other night I came across a great idea. On page 67 is a little snippet titled "leaves of thanks". It's so simple surely I can't screw it up. All you do is fold some fall colored card stock and cut out leaves. I am going to have my family write down some things they are thankful for on the leaves and then read them during dinner! And a new tradition begins!!

After that simple project I will be moving on to a more difficult one for my level....that being the level at which I can not draw a straight line or step outside of the box.

I am going to make a wreath out of nuts. Yep...you'll see!! I already started collecting acorns on my walks with the boys and I had my husband collect some walnuts and pecans at Kroger's while picking up milk. I bought the wreath form at Michael's and have a hot glue gun that has never been used.

I have high hopes for this wreath....I expect it to last until my boys go to college. You see, when I was a kid in Alabama my dad collected pine cones from our backyard and made the most beautiful, giant wreath. It hung every year above our fireplace. It made it through moves to Texas, Massachusetts, Florida and California...with a few touch ups here and there.

A few years ago my dad threw it away...such a sentimental old guy! I can't believe he did it!!! My mom said it had fallen apart and was not worth repairing! I am sad. Now a wreath from Lowe's stares down at you in my parents living room...sigh. So, it is my goal to create a wreath that will hold memories for my boys and hang somewhere in our home till the last nut is standing!

Stayed tuned to see if my wreath turns out like this:

Irritants

1. Hearing bass from someones party when I am relaxing in my home. A house on some land behind my neighborhood decided to rent out their space for parties...now I have to hear it every freakin Saturday!

2. Leaving comments on a blog and never once hearing a reply. It's like saying Hi to someone and they look at you and keep walking. How Rude!

3. A cool fall day followed by a hot humid Houston day! What a tease!

4. People who are not honest about themselves. There are alot of people out there who have the general public and even friends fooled.

5. I have gained weight SINCE my babies were born...not so much during my pregnancy but AFTER! What the hell!!!?

6. Finding the time to sneak away from the house, alone, to go have a bowl of my favorite potato soup loaded with cheese, only to find out they JUST sold the last bowl to the man behind me!! Seriously?? Hey, I think I just found the reason for #5.

7. Having expectations of people and being told I shouldn't have expectations...easier said than done. Some times I expect a little reciprocation or gratitude.

8. People (mostly celebrities) who deny having fertility treatments. Why in the world would you lie about it? Do they think it makes their babies any less theirs? Or make them any less of a woman? To each her own...but it irritates me!

9. People who get rid of their animals when they have kids...animals get attached people!!!! They are part of the family!! Now you have kids so screw the animal? (if the animal is causing harm to your child then that is a different story)

10. The freakin mosquito's!!!! I can't go outside without getting swarmed by them. It's November!!! Die mosquito's!!!

11. People who are rude to old people. Don't even get me started on this one.

12. Laying out all of my scrap booking supplies and 42 Halloween pictures and not having a clue where to start or what to do!

Okay...I think I am done for the night! Just had to get a few things off my chest and what better place to do it? This way no one had to hear me rant and find things to say back! Like my poor husband who hears it all the time...over and over.

Time Does Fly

Today, well 58 minutes ago, my boys turned 5 months old! I can't freakin believe how fast that went by. Everyone warned me, but I didn't believe it. I thought for sure they would be 4 weeks old forever, surely they were never going to sleep through the night and no doubt post partum depression was something I was going to have to live with forever!



My how things have changed. Once I started getting some sleep and started Zoloft the depression went away...thank God....6 weeks of that felt like a lifetime! The boys also quit waking up every 3 hours...I was convinced it wouldn't happen. At about 3.5 months old they started sleeping 10 hours. Now they go to bed at 7 pm and wake up at 7 am.....HALLELUJAH!!



They have now eaten banana's, applesauce, pears, peaches and sweet potatoes...we will be trying out carrots tomorrow. Who knew we would be so excited about fruits and veggies. But MAN, it is so nice to mix things up now and not just feed a bottle. It's so cool to see their expressions when they try something new and open their mouths frantically, wanting more.



They laugh and smile which makes everyday so sweet. Don't get me wrong, I am not one to sugarcoat and paint a fake picture, they still scream and cry and make us crazy! It is especially nerve wracking between 5:00-6:30...then we starts baths, feed bottles and they go right to sleep in their cribs. But Damn! When they get going at the same time I want to drop them off at the local fire station, isn't it a no questions asked policy...JUST KIDDING!



So, here we are...5 months down the road and I love being a mommy! I can't wait to see all their accomplishments in the next 5 months!

Me with the boys when they were 5 DAYS old! I was leaving the hospital that day and they had to stay...I sobbed like a baby after that picture was taken.

I brought the boys to meet the miracle worker...my fertility Dr. They were a week shy of 5 MONTHS old!

Another Anniversary

A year ago today I found out I was pregnant! It seems like a few months ago and seems like 10 years ago all at the same time. I will never, ever, ever forget that day...what I did, the feelings I had, it was un freakin believable..literally unbelievable.

I had been feeling crampy for a few days before my scheduled blood test and had fully convinced myself that this was yet ANOTHER failed attempt. I woke up at 7 am which was WAY too early for me and got to the Dr. at 8. I sat in the waiting room, filled with husbands and wives at their own stages of the game, and shook my legs continually....I could not sit still. And, of course there was a wait that day! I thought I was going to have a heart attack...my blood pressure must have been through the roof.

Finally I was called in, I sat down to give blood for the 100th time in this process and the nurse asked me if I already knew...if I had taken a test. Nope. I can't believe I had the will power to not do it but I waited for the blood test. Heck, after 6 years and several peed on sticks with 1 line I was in no rush to see another failed stick.

I went home to wait the grueling 2 hours it would take to get the results. I climbed into bed and watched a Little House on the Prairie marathon...I LOVE that show! My husband came home 5 minutes before we were supposed to get the call. He was standing next to the bed talking to me and my phone rang....it was the Dr....my stomach dropped, I was shaking, it was hard to breath....I answered.

I said Hello....nurse Jana said "Hi". I said "Hi".....pause..."you're pregnant" I hear. "WHAT?? SHUT UP?? Are you serious? **sobbing** Shut Up!!! Oh My God...I can't believe it", etc, etc. I was a mess. Then she tells me my progesterone level and informs me that it is high and could very well be twins...WHAT????

I hang up the phone...my husband and I stare at each other grinning ear to ear and then start calling and texting everyone. The phones were going crazy!! It was like a dream. I couldn't believe I finally got that moment! That chance to tell the news. My mom cried, friends and family screamed..it was awesome.

My husband had to go back to work so we ran to Panera for a sandwich where we sat in silence for long stretches just smiling and looking bewildered, then we would start planning and imagining. It was so wild to sit there and know that a baby or babies were inside of me. It didn't seem real.

After lunch I went to Kohl's to buy a baby outfit. I was so sick of buying baby gifts over the years for everybody else but me..poor me. I got to the baby section and stood there all confused. Am I really getting something for MY baby...what do I get...what size/color!!?? I picked out a sleeper with ducks...I will keep it forever.

47 Questions

1. WAS I NAMED AFTER ANYONE? A song that my dad like.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME I CRIED? It's been awhile....all I can think of is tears from laughter on Halloween night.
3. DO I LIKE MY HANDWRITING? I hate it!! It sucks...I start out ok and then get lazy and messy.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Boars Head Roasted or Honey Turkey very thinly sliced.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 2 baby boys, 2 dogs and 3 cats
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yep...I think I am kinda fun to be around.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Not alot...every now and then...constant sarcasm gets old real fast!
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yep
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Hell no!!!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Fruity Pebbles and Capt Crunch Berry
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? nope...too lazy
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Baskin Robbins mint choc chip and choc chip in a cup
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? teeth/smile
15. RED OR PINK? red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my hands and thighs
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my friend Cathy in Miami
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE ELSE TO PUT THIS ON THEIR BLOG? Sure, I think it would be fun to read everyone's answers. And plus I love stuff like this.
19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? barefoot...just got a pedi...don't need to cover it :-)
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? mini 3 musketeers
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? the Texas game and a screeching baby
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? green
23. FAVORITE SMELL? desserts baking and men's cologne
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My BF Nikki
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? got it off someone else's blog
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? College football...well, Alabama football!
27. Hair Color? light brown
28. EYE COLOR? green
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes
30. FAVORITE FOOD? desserts
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Oh happy endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Couples Retreat...not very good
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? a white wife beater...classy
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? I guess winter..its hard to say. 100% fall and spring.
35. HUGS OR KISSES? I like both
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? wedding cake
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? You!
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I guess who ever doesn't like answering these type of things.
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? cookbooks
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? nothing
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? DVR'ed shows. The Big Bang Theory, Gossip Girl, How I met your Mother and Eastwick
42. FAVORITE SOUND? clapping and horses hooves on gravel or pavement
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? I personally don't care of either, but if I had to pick i would say the Rolling Stones
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Mexico
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? amateur photographer
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Birmingham, AL
47. WHOSE ANSWERS AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO READING? Yours!

Soooo Much Fun!!

My last post talks about how wonderful my Halloween was for so many reasons. Well, there was one more reason why this Halloween will always be remembered...and I have my neighbors to thank for that!

My husband and I sat in the driveway this year to hand out candy so the doorbell and dogs would not wake up the boys. After the trick or treaters died down my neighbor Laura walked over followed by the swamp thing...aka, her hubby. He is a hunter and has this outfit called a Gilley (I had never heard of or seen one of these before). It was the craziest looking thing! I laughed so hard some grandpa-like wheezing noise came out of my throat and I peed a little.

This outfit could not be wasted. It must be put to use on Halloween. So, Danny (the mossy, swampy-like creature) stood camouflaged next to some bushes in my yard and waited patiently for a victim. This guy sat so still for so long, I would have started whining 30 seconds into it. We didn't want to scare any little kids so we had to wait and wait.

Then, my neighbor came walking up with his daughter so we told him to come back over after he dropped her off at home. He came over and I pulled a typical Amy move and told him to stand next to my husband for a picture. All the while the swamp thing is sneaking up behind him, which you can see in a picture below. He scared the crap out of our neighbor and we all had a good laugh.

Well, it can't stop now. This is too much fun. Who else can we get? My next door neighbors teenage son drove up with about 6 of his friends. I asked them to come over for a minute...they were very confused. Why are these old people asking us to come over? They walked over slowly and Danny jumped out from the bushes running after them. It was CLASSIC!!! They screamed, turned and ran. God, I wish I had that moment on video!! Hey, there's an idea...let's set up the camera and pick out another victim.

Unfortunately, the camera did not capture the victim who was actually not very scared. But I do have Danny running across the screen in his suit and lots of commotion and laughter...good enough for me. That victim (Dave) was another neighbor (I love my street) who ended up hanging out with us for awhile. I was having so much fun and was so hyper I started making Dave and the swamp thing pose for funny pictures...what a good sport Danny was...he had to be uncomfortable wearing that suit for so long.

Well, we scared one more neighbor to cap off the night. He is a very conservative church going man and when Danny jumped out at him he balled up his fist and lunged...but didn't make contact thank goodness! He and his family had a good laugh...I hope they don't hate us!

Can't wait for next Halloween and the Gilley suit!!!

1st Halloween

I loved Halloween more this year than any other year I can remember....especially when compared to Halloween 7 years ago. That day was the first time I found out I was not pregnant after trying to conceive.



My husband and I started trying to have a baby in October, 6 months after we got married. I honestly thought it was going to work the first time. Surely it will work...why wouldn't it? I even threw up one day and called my mom with excitement thinking it was morning sickness. WRONG! I was getting candy poured into a bowl...so excited about my first Halloween in our first house...the thought of a baby possibly growing inside of me making me feel all the more "cozy" and then it hit me. I went to the bathroom and there was my period. I cried. Silly girl...crying the first month! You will have PLENTY more months to cry don't ruin Halloween night.



Last Halloween was the day before my embryo transfer. And this Halloween, 7 years after that 1st letdown, I sat and carved pumpkins with my babies. I took them to a Halloween party next door. I made cupcakes and caramel apples. We watched It's the Great Pumpkin twice. What an freakin' awesome day!!

Watching daddy carve pumpkins

The boys first pumpkins!

The cupcakes I made. It was a box cake mix but I made homemade buttercream and used french vanilla extract...yummy!

Carving pumpkins with Chasey

Carving pumpkins with Parks

The boys with one of their Halloween presents that Granny brought them

The caramel apples I made. This will be a tradition that I will continue every Halloween

Parker the kitty...sitting with his Aunt

Chase the skeleton..he looks like a thug :-)

Sunday, November 1, 2009

This Day a Year Ago.....

....I had 2 little embryo's implanted inside of me.They found a cozy spot and began to grow! Now I have 2 baby boys! I can't believe it's been a year! You can read my post from this day a year ago here.

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