"The Man Plan"

From the book "The Man Plan" Here are a few ways to spark up your marriage!

"There is a chemical release in your brain that you can actually re create to get that new feeling in a relationship! (also known as the Honeymoon phase!)

*Novelty is Key to a marriage.

Go to a new restaurant, or if you can't do that, cook new meals or try new fruit!

Change your music. If you like country, try some new Arabic music! New music brings new moods into the home!

Chocolate is the ONLY knows aphrodisiac.

Change your sheets to spark up your love life. If you sleep on flannel, try Sateen for a month.

Change your perfume!!! He will think there is a new woman in the home! Vanilla and Grapefruit are scents that attract men. Grapefruit is a scent that gives men the impression that a woman is thinner and younger!

Go on a vacation. One summer trip a year WITHOUT kids! Even if it is a hotel down the street.

Have a One Night Stand with your husband. Bring something fun and new to the bedroom. Put some chocolate, or body oil in the nightstand! 98 % of men like "it" with the lights on.

Things I Lie To My Child About:

1. If you don't take your nap- then we can't go to the park, it will close.
2. If you don't eat your vegetables, you wont grow up!
3. If you eat too much Ice Cream, your butt will get big. (ok- that's true!)
4. If you grab things off the shelf (at the grocery store) the man in the back will come and yell at you!
5. If you don't eat your dinner (in a restaurant) the man in the back will come and yell at you!
6. If you cross the street without holding a parents hand, a car will squish you. (mostly true)
7. Shamu has the sneezies.
8. Playwerx is closed today. They called and told me that you shouldn't have hit Mommy!!!
9. *Ring, Ring* (pretend phone rings!) "Hello Mrs. Hansen" (her teacher) "What? You want Paisley to eat all her dinner so she can watch a movie?! Okay!!! "
10. If you leave any of your toys on the floor, I will throw them away (ok- totally true.)

In Tha' Hood....... MotherHOOD That Is!

One thing that I keep hearing lately is Mothers pushing themselves to the edge? Why do we not allow ourself to relax or put the house cleaning off for a day? (Well I dunno about you all- but sometimes I put my house cleaning off for 2 days! ) Why don't we spend more time with the things that matter, our kids and husbands? I have heard it in 3 different places this week. One of the places was on Oprah. Did you guys see the show on "The Secret Lives of Motherhood"? It was awesome!!! It was all about how Mothers sometimes don't like what they do- and that it is okay to feel that way. That sometimes we "hate" where our lives have gone and all the things we have given up to get here. Some Moms admitted to lying to their children to avoid conflict. We all do one or more of the things I just mentioned, we're just afraid to admit it!!! I'm breaking the ice and opening up! :)

Take last night for example; I had a spontaneous moment and thought it would be fun to go to Sea World. I had glanced at the website and saw that Summer Hours were now in effect. I told Paisley we could go to Sea World after we dropped her Daddy off at the airport and she was ecstatic!!! I figured we could get in a solid 2 hours of fun before closing. So, I got dressed and then got her dressed and ready. Just as I shut down my computer, I noticed it said "Orlando" in the top left hand corner of my screen. My computer screen went black and I thought to myself " Hmmm.... was I just on Orlandos webpage? Orlando and San Diego park hours can't be that different, can they?" Being the smart Mommy that I am, I re logged on, and checked San Diego's Sea World park hours. To my surprise, they closed at 7:30pm. It was 7:00.

I quickly panicked and imagined the meltdown that was about to happen. I walked up to Paisley and told her that Shamu was sick, and that he had the sneezies! WHAT???!!! The "Sneezies"? What kind of lie was that? Whatever it was, it worked! She said she felt bad for Shamu, and that he needed to take his medicine so he could feel better. She told me that is was okay, and that we would see him another time! *WHEW* That was easier than I though! :) Am I going to Hell? Or am I getting a Mommy Award? Mothers tell lies all the time. Sometimes it is what you gotta do to get through the day!

I love being a Mother. It is the best, but hardest job there is. I have worked as a server, as a nanny, as an activity coordinator, I worked at a yogurt shop, a paper goods store- I have yet to find a job harder or one that does not include anything in my day to day tasks of being a mother. Have I let go of some of the things that once made "Me" ? Yes. Have I lost close friends due to a difference in life paths? Yes. Have I stopped shopping at Urban Outfitters and Nordstroms ? Yes. Everything I have lost or given up is what makes me the Mom I am today, and I guess at the end of the day, all that matters is that I love my little girl, and she loves me.

Movies Make Me Cry

I watched "Marley & Me" last night, it was wonderful. It was a good thing I had just dropped Tommy off at the airport because it would have been over before it started. Plus, I cried like a baby!!! Being the dog person I am, and knowing how the end was going to turn out, I should have turned it off when they couldn't find him. But being the self torturer that I am- I kept watching. Ohhh lordy...... I had a lump so big in my throat it hurt, and the tears.... ohhhhhh the tears. I guess it is the 2009 version of Ol' Yeller ( I have never seen it- and never will thanks to Marley!)

A whole lot of nothin'

Thanks to my friend Sarah, I am going to a Padre Game tonight. We haven't had a girls night out in a long time.... so I am pretty excited!!! Things have been super busy on my end lately.... and I like it. :)

Hmmm... let's see.

I just shot a wedding this past weekend, booked myself another one for June. The June wedding allows me to travel to Virginia for a few days. The bride was one of my roommates in college. I am so excited to be there, and photograph it for her!!! Hopefully while I am there, I will get to see two of my other college friends. I also get to hang with Joslyn, my cousin, and maybe even possibly see my other cousin (her brother) and his wife and new baby (OMG- he's almost a year!) WOW- what a mouthful that was. :) Let's not even mention the new business venture I may be starting. Along with my Photography and being a Wife/Mommy. I am going to do more! Yes, I am crazy! :)

So anyways- please forgive me for not calling back, or writing back, or blogging for that matter. I barely have time to sit down and grab a bite to eat! Oh- that reminds me- I have gone to the gym every day (except once) the past 10 days!!! I am on this weight loss mission like a fly is on Sh@#.

Green Is The New Black... Thumb That Is.

Unlike one of my closest, dearest friends black thumb, I, a once black thumb gone green, am growing some vegetables!!! I have 9 Zucchinis and about 7 Yellow (Straight & Crook Neck) Squash. I have about 4 radish plants sprouting over 15 red radishes, 3 lettuce plants, and 3 spinaches. We also have 2 soon-to-be red tomato's. THEN..... we have had 3 juicy strawberries and there are about 5 about to turn red! My carrots and cucumbers are so far the slowest. THey are the ones we grew from seeds- and so far they are still alive and growing, but no vegetable life is seen. I'm kinda excited. I just want to bite into that big tomato and eat some home grown veggies!!! Spray on some zero butter, add some spike..... there is nothing better! :)

Yesterday I planted 3 containers of Marigolds. Paisley loves them. She thinks they are happy flowers. I put some in pots for my front door and the rest went into our flower bed. I am having so much fun planting.... I need to try and hold off the urge to re do our front entry area b/c we wont be living here at Christmas time. I don't want to invest even more time and money into a home we wont be living in. Ya know what I mean?

I {heart} Tofu

It is good. Like really good. I've always liked it, I just never had any recipes for it. Now I do. :) I have changed my eating habits dramatically and I love it. I now use red peppers in just about everything. The flavors, OMG! I also use these great wraps from Costco called "FlatOut" They are AWESOME!!! I have had less cravings and snacks now that I am journaling what I eat, when and how much. I pay attention to when I want to snack- and why. Is it boredom? Loneliness? Or because I am actually hungry?

I have been to the gym every day this week. RIght now I am walking over 2 miles a day. Then doing a core workout. I'm not doing weights yet.... I want to ease my body into it. :) I will let you know on Monday how much I've lost. Here's hoping!!

Fit & Fun

Sitting in front of the computer, Listening to my favorite music. Excited to go to the gym in 25 min. :) Starting a new week, I have almost exactly 3 months to get to my goal weight. YAY! I love feeling the pressure, and knowing that I CAN do it. :) Eating lots of great healthy foods.... drinking tons of water.... getting my body in the best shape I can!!!

Paisley is dressing up in anything and everything she can get her hands on. She has a wardrobe change every 15 minutes. :) She makes me smile. I love her. How did I get a blue eyed, blonde haired beauty? Someone pinch me! :)

I'm excited that the summer is almost here. I can't wait to have sand filled, sunscreen days! THere is nothing better in the summer than cold watermelon, sand between your toes, and the smell of sunscreen. YUMMY

Cook Yourself Thin

There is a new show on Lifetime called "Cook Yourself Thin" and one of my High School friends is one of the three hosts. Her name is Candice, and she is as sweet as can be! :) Be sure to check out the show, it's pretty neat. It's about not "dieting" but learning how to cook with less calories! Let me know what you think! :)


Cook Yourself Thin

Going Green without Going Crazy!

****Hey everyone!!! Sorry I've been so M.I.A lately, I've been battling a cold the past few days, and been trying to get back on schedule from our WONDERFUL trip to see Liz and the Girls. I leave again tomorrow to go to Palm Springs for the week with my Mom and Paisley. So much for trying to get back on a regular schedule! ****



The past few weeks, I have been trying to "Go Green" more and more. I already do Green things here and there, but it wasn't until recent Oprah shows that I realized that I need/want to step it up a notch. The problem is, how do I do it all without losing my mind? I am not ready to install solar panels on my roof, or get a solar oven. I'm definitely not ready to ride a bicycle to make the toaster work (did you see that on Oprah?) I buy mostly organic foods, I buy local foods, I grow my OWN foods, I use the re-usable grocery bags, I use energy saving light bulbs, I turn off all lights when not in the room, I water less, I recycle EVERYTHING, I only run the dishwasher when it is about to over flow, I drive in a route where I can save gas, meaning save the emissions that my SUV emit, I am going to downsize my car when my lease is up..... but I want to do more!!!

Right now it is the cool thing, to "Be Green". But that is not why I am doing it. I am doing it for Paisley. I am doing it so she can have kids that will be able to grow up in a relatively "normal" world. I just get so frustrated because it feels so expensive to do the "right" thing. (am I abusing the quotation marks yet?) Today I actually drove approximately 50 miles, roundtrip, to go to our local Whole Foods Market. Thank God that a new one opens up in Encinitas by the end of the summer because driving 50 miles kinda defeats the purpose of trying to buy healthier foods! *sigh* I just don't get this world sometimes. It costs 99 cents to buy a greasy fat-filled burger at a drive though, but it cost $4.99 to buy a veggie Burger. What's a girl to do?

AHHHHH!!!!!!!

OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG,OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG,OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG,OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG,

DOS DIAS!!!

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!

I can't believe it has been over a year since I have seen one of my closest, best friends! I can't believe I get to hold her EIGHT month old baby girl for the first time, I can't believe I get to stay in her first bough home. I can't believe someone is going to cook for me! I can't believe how much I have missed seeing our girls do their all time famous "Tackle-Hug". I can't believe that we get to sit on her porch (who cares if she doesn't have a porch, in my mind, she does) and drink a Coke Zero together. I can't believe it....... 3 days!!!!

YAY!!!!

Mama and Baby Hummingbirds

* It's amazing how 3 little things have touched my life in such a huge way. I have always been a fan of Hummingbirds, but never as much as today. About 5 weeks ago I found a hummingbird nest in my backyard. I have never been so excited! I knew that this was my once in a lifetime chance to witness Mother Nature at her best! I am so happy to be able to share this with all of you... please enjoy!!!

Sitting tight in her Nest!


Here is The Mama Bird getting a quick drink!


Two lil' eggs, just a tad bigger than a tic tac.


15 DAYS LATER, WE HAVE BABIES!!! Aren't they cute? (Day one)


My "Mamas" She is so sweet and purty!!! This is where she likes to sit when not on her nest.


Lil' Snuggle Buddies (Day Five)


They wanted me to feed them (Day Nine)


Getting Feathers w/ Color ( Day Thirteen)


Getting too big for the nest :( (Day Seventeen)


Almost ready to leave the nest (Day Twenty)


We had a minor tragedy yesterday, The gardeners came and I showed them the nest, and told them to not cut the bushes. When I went to show them, I noticed one baby hummingbird half out of the nest. She had fallen out, and was like the letter "V" between a branch and her nest. The only things holding her up was the tip of her beak, and tail feathers! So I decided to push her up gently with my finger. When I got her back in the nest, it startled the other one- who then flew away. When she flew away, it startled the other one, and she flew away. SOoooo..... My Babies have left the nest! I am so happy that I got to experience this. I will never look at another hummingbird the same!!!