So Addicted!

I AM BAAAACKK!! Look at me! whooo.
OK, so really. I NEED to tell you how addicted I am to this Extra Fruit Sensations Gum. LOVE! lately I have been into the "fruit gum" thing, and OMGosh, this Extra really does it for me. Please go out and try it ASAP. It makes you salivate like crazy, and apparently that is good for you. It says right on the side of the pack, "The 'ADA Council on Scientific Affairs' (that's big time!) Acceptance of Extra is based on its finding that the physical action of chewing Extra sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after eating, stimulates (exciting word) saliva flow, which helps to prevent cavities by reducing plaque acids and strengthening teeth.
Basically, chewing this, is like going to the gym for your teeth. Ta, da.

ps: I am still a huge orbitz fan, but this Extra keeps the flavor & stays softer longer.

Check!

I had a good night last night.
I have a list of little projects I want to do around the house.
I got to check one off.
Why does it feel SOOOO good to check something off a list. Ahhh...

Today

Today I am sleepy. Today I am wanting to be at home. Today I am feeling lazy.
Today I wish I had glasses like this to wear at work. Today I wish I could sleep sitting up with my hands on the keyboard.

new blog

This is another blog that I read about in Parent's Magazine. I love those fun moms out there who have blogs and write about real life and the funny stuff that happens with us as women and if you have kids.

http://mom-101.blogspot.com/

Highlights from my morning:

1. I pulled into Fantasy's this morning to get gas since my tank was getting low. It said I could still go 28 miles.. but Jim gets on my case about that so...
I was so excited to see that gas was $1.99! Wo hoo!
2. I ran into the gas station to get some coffee and saw some yummy fruit sitting in a basket on the counter. Hmm.. produce from the gas station.. not sure..
But I got to work and the banana and orange were delish! I was so shocked. Thank you Fantasy. I will now be buying all my produce from the corner market at Fantasy.

Todays TOC

So today the boys TOC (toy of choice) is none other than....my stinkin Laundry baskets. With the holiday season coming and the toy commercials already peeking their heads in between every show....I wonder....do I really need to spend hundreds of dollars on toys for the boys when they are entertained for hours with a $5 laundry basket? What do yout think....

some politics

Wanna bet they bring back Tina Fey to do a sketch on Sarah Palin? he he..

seriously though.. I am not into politics AT ALL.. but for the first time in my life.. I kinda care. I love this Sarah Palin lady! How cool is she.. and she is not like a typical politician at all. John McCain did an excellent job picking her. I was going to vote for him anyways.. but now I am a little more excited about it.

How does everyone else feel??

No more exucuses

So on the Today show today they were talking about recent findings that maybe some men are genetically predisposed to cheat on their wives and girlfriends.. that it is not their fault.. they were made that way and they can't help it...

This is a bunch of crap. I throw this in with all the other crap about alcoholism and obesity.. God did not make us to have certain genes that make us fat.. make us drink.. or make us cheat on our spouses.. This is soooo freakin ridiculous I can hardly stand it. Let's just give everyone a way out so they never have to be responsible for their behavior.. " I have obesity in my family so I might as well give up and just eat and never exercise.. blah blah... "

ok. I am done. What are your thoughts?

Going Green

I was reading an old issue of Domino Magazine last night and it was a "green" issue.. talking about all these ways to be green in your life. Most of them were about wearing clothes made out of natural products...

1. Who has the money to wear a $1000 hemp skirt? Do they even sell a lot of this stuff in Omaha? Why is this stuff so expensive!

2.I recently bought some laundry detergent from Costco that was environmentally good or whatever. and apparently it is more concentrated and I don't have to use as much. When I was reading the magazine last night they wrote about another laundry detergent that is apparently so awesome and concentrated that it could replace 3 bottles of regular laundry detergent. (It is called Shaklee. www.shaklee.com. Its $14.95 a bottle, but rated the best out of all the ones they tried for stain removal.)I know this.. and yet I am scared to only put the little amount it. I can't fully trust that it is going to get the clothes as clean. Does anything else feel this way? I am still thinking.. "more is better"...

3. My next door neighbor only eats organic food and she says that organic apples don't turn yellow like regular ones. Does anyone know about this?

4. They talked about using cloth napkins instead of papertowels and napkins.. and I have some and I like that.. but they are white and I would need to use bleach to clean them. Do you guys know which bleach is good for the environment and works just as good?

What other products do you use?
What other products do you guys use?

(putting a dress on KAte, taking her jammies off)
Jill: Kate, can you go put your jammies in the laundry room?
Kate: Sure I will...(walks to the laundry room) I'm just like Cinderella..

This Morning..

Jill: Ok, let's get going, we have to get to school. Lets wear your brand new Crocs (fake, generic crocs) that Aunt Kristin got you! They are pink and match your pretty pink dress!

Kate: ok. (we put them on, Kate looks at them and immediately starts to shreak)

Kate: No No No, I don't want to wear these shoes! Take them off!

Jill: Why? They are so pretty! We have to go!

Kate: But Mommy, none of my friends can see that my toes are painted! I need to wear my flip flops!

Jill: Oh.. ok.

Bouncing Baby

Everyone take a look at the awesome headband that I got from Erica! Can't you just picture Kate saying, "Hey everyone! Look at my cool headband!" I think that is what she was doing in the picture.
Get these babies on Etsy!

Marriage

At church we have been going through Corinthians lately and talking about marriage etc.,. Its been amazing. Anyways, this last Sunday Todd was talking about this study that some guy did on married couples and what people want. It's pretty interesting.. and totally dead on I think.


A Woman’s Top 5 Needs in a Marriage
1. Affection
2. 2. Conversational Support
3. Honest and Open Communication
4. Financial Support
5. Maintain Family Commitment
(no cheating)

A Man’s Top 5 Needs in a Marriage
1. Sexual Fulfillment
2. Recreational Companionship
(sit and watch ESPN with him)
3. An attractive Spouse
4. Domestic Support
5. Admiration and Praise from his Wife

Four ingredients for an Affair
1. Out of the Word
2. Out of accountability
3. Out of discipline – too much free time
4. Out of the groove

Storm

This is the tornado that hit the boyscout camp! How freaky is this.. Mother Nature is crazy!

You know what job would NOT be fun... putting sunscreen on a whole class of 2 yr olds before they go out for recess...
Thank you to Kate's teachers for protecting her against skin cancer! :)
And don't you love that smell... sunscreen on little kids.. ahh the scents of summer.

If I were to enter a lip synching contest I would sing this song. ... and I would probably win.

News

1. I have little sprouts in my garden - garlic and edemome! Woo hoo!
2. Low Fat Ben and Jerry's - Half Baked ice cream is NOT as good as the regular. Just a warning to everyone.

GArden

Jim made me a nice garden last weekend and I planted some seedlings on Monday and Tuesday night. This Sunday.. mother's day.. I looked out the window to show Janelle my nice garden and stared in horror as all my little plants had been eaten already by stupid rabbits! AHHHH!
So Jim and his mom ran to Lowe's and we spent Mother's Day afternoon building a chicken wire fence and drinking momosis and having a nice time. What do you think of that silly rabbit. Tricks are NOT for kids!

Arkansas Traveler

Did anyone play that song on the piano? I had to play it at a Piano Recital once when I was about..10yrs old. And I got up and told everyone I was playing "Arkansas Traveler" but I pronounced it Ar-Kansas, like the state.. Kansas. stupid grown ups not telling me how to say it.

Anyhoo, since Nici and Brian are moving there I thought I would google the town on Bentonville and see what it has to offer for the Spanglers.

1. In 2005, the population of the city was 29,538, ranking it as the state's 13th largest city, behind Texarkana

2. Jim Walton, the world's 23rd richest man, lives in Bentonville

3. Karri Turner, actress on the adventure/drama television show JAG, grew up in Bentonville

4. They have a nice Farmer's Market in downtown

5. You can go to the famous Walton 5 and dime Museum to see how Walmart started as a little Mom and Pop store and grew to its size now

6. Bentonville square has some of the best shopping in the area

7. Chicken is the main thing to eat: try Slim Chickens.

8. Go to the Crystal Bridges Museum

If we had our own reality TV show.....

So, I'm kinda of addicted to "reality" tv shows (since most of my favorite shows still aren't on since the writers strike) and as I was watching the real housewives of New York City (not as good as Orange County) I began to think about what our reality show would be like...here's what I see...Nici is the high-power exec who spends loads on fashion, drives fantastic cars, buys her friends nice cars and is always in on the fun, Jill is the social gal who loves to throw poolside dinner parties has 14 dogs as well as their own "dog nanny" and chairs some sort of fancy organization(maybe a"go green" organization) and owns her own magazine company, Jami is the completely stylish mom who is dressed to the nines(whatever that means) hair always done up, house looking spectacular, seems like she always has it all together and loves to contruibute and help out anytime her gal pals need it. She and Erica do a little interior design business on the side and she was also voted Best Nurse of 2008 in the New York Times, Erica is the remarkably fit super-woman who makes designer clothes, has her own childrens fashion line, as well as dabbles a bit in interior design with Jami. Now me...hmmm, I guess the Photographer of the group who does photo shoots for Vogue, Cosmo and People. We could call it, "the real housewives of Douglas County" What do you think?

Earth Day

crap. I forgot about National Earth Day whatever.. where we were suppose to be turning off everything for an hour on Saturday night at 8pm. There I was.. watching a DVD.. i think making microwave popcorn.. and maybe blow drying my hair.
Did anyone else do this?

Dear Summer,
I had corn on the cob for dinner tonight and thought about you... Please come soon. I can't wait to see you.

Sincerely,
Jill

Some thoughts from this weekend

• It bothers me when two different colors of play-doh mix together. It apparently doesnt bother Jim... since there were two mixed together and Jim was the last one playing with it with Kate.
  
• Regarding painting - I like trimming way better than rolling. Thank goodness Jim likes to roll. When I trim I feel like a real painter.. like Picasso or something. I also wear a baret usually..
• When its sleeting outside, its not a good idea to wear glasses. It makes it hard to see..
• I LOVE netflix. I have been watching past seasons of Laguna Beach.. so awesome.
  
• When we painted this weekend we used these furniture slider things. they are wonderful and made moving our huge dressers a piece of cake
• I went shopping at Costco this weekend. I haven't gone bulk shopping in a long time.. i love it! But again am reminded of.. where the heck do i put all this stuff!!
• I hate winter
  

Another Reason I LOVE Chipotle!

So, I just read that Chipotle only uses "naturally raised" meat! This is their exact remark, "We use the term "naturally raised" to describe meat which comes from animals that are never given antibiotics or hormones (or drugs that act like hormones) at any time during their lives. They eat a pure vegetarian diet, are never fed animal by-products and are raised humanely, never in confinement." When I read this I was thrilled! Not only is the stuff so freakin' tasty it is actually good for you too!! Also, avocados and black beans are two of highest fiber content foods I you can eat. A serious bonus for my "situation!" I think maybe I should buy stock in this place!!

?????

Where is everyone's "List"?! Slackers. ;)

I might have a crush

on that young kid from American IDol... did everyone see him Tuesday night?
Check out this link to listen. He will for sure win I think.
http://www.americanidol.com/videos/?vid=966&pcs=499

It was such a wonderful surprise to check the mail the other day.. when it was about 2 degrees out and windy... to find my new Miracle Bra swimsuit had arrived from Victoria Secret. It was great trying it on..imaging myself on the beach.. drinking a daqueri.. in about 2 weeks. :)
on a side note.. I got this miracle bra top.. and for some reason in my mind i was expecting it to make me look like Pamela Anderson or something..
but it just made me a cup size bigger - a whole B :)

My List

So Jill's last post talked bout her "List". I only have one guy, as a lot of those Hollywood types do nothing for me. He is Michael Mantenuto from the 'Miracle' movie, about the 1980 gold-medal winning olympic hockey team. The movie casted real college-aged hockey players, as they thought it would be easier teaching hockey players to act convincingly rather than vice versa. Jay even approves. He read up about him and likes where he played, is a Massachusets boy, worked on a fishing boat, yadda, yadda. I lurve him. He resembles Jay, so Jay can't be too mad at me, right?!

I also saw Enrique Inglesias on the Today show, and might add him. Now, the Latin Lovers do NOTHING for me, but he always seems so genuine in interviews, is never cocky, is always polite, doesn't do that stupid Hollywood scene, and was so sweet to his fans while he was singing. And I think he's a cutie. He's grown on me over the years. AND, his tunes are catchy. Anna Kornikova is a lucky girl!

Who's on your List? It's a challenge. Get it done, girls...let's go!

This one is pretty funny too.. from Ikea

Aren't these sheet sets/duvets cool? They are on sale now at CB2.. Kinda want one. I wish the first one was in brown or a wine color.. that is more our color scheme in our room.

and also.. the voice of Prince Eric is.. the guy who played Greg in "The Brady Movie". what? he is not handsome and sexy like PRince Eric!! I Thought it was the guy who did the voice of Alladin.. the same guy who was DJ's boyfriend in Full House - Steve. but it wasn't. it was the brady bunch guy. :(
remember STeve? he was always eating.. and Danny Tanner was like, "Steve.. do your parents feed you? Stop kissing my daughter. "

hmm...

so... we recently watched Freedom WRiters (loved it) and Hilary Swank's character has the kids read the Diary of Ann Frank.. blah blah blah.. they find out the lady who housed Ann and her family is still alive in Germany.. they bring her to California.. she speaks to the kids.. whatever.
So tonight I was looking online to see who does the voices for Little Mermaid (we have been watching it the last couple days.. I HEART Little Mermaid..) and the voice of Ursella.. is... the lady from FReedom Writers.. who I thought was a REAL German lady.. who REALLY housed Ann Frank. but she was just an actress.. who also was the voice of Ursella. ..
I feel duped.

I wish Carrie and Aiden would have gotten together.. no offense to Mr. Big.. :(

Vegetables

I felt like doing a little research on the weird affects vegetables have on our body. Here is what I found.

1. Why does asparagus make my pee smell?
-22 percent of survey respondents experience asparagus pee.
-due to a metabolite called methanethiol.
- as your body metabolizes asparagus, it produces this smelly chemical, which your discriminating kidneys see fit to dump into the bladder.

2. Why does brocoli give me gas?
- Raffinose
Beans contain large amounts of this complex sugar. Smaller amounts are found in cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli

Jill's Critic's Corner

Jim and I watched Freedom Writers this weekend - starring Hilary SWank. This movie was fantastic! Even Jim almost cried.. I suggest you all go watch it if you haven't already. How sad that kids are really still living in these conditions/fear in LA and other project areas in the US. Will it ever be a world where it doesnt matter if we are black, white, mexican etc. How sad that we got rid of slaves.. gave rights to women and african americans to vote etc.. yet we still hold on to those prejudices and treat each other that way.
Anyways, the movie is really good. Hilary Swank does a great job.. go rent it. you will love it.

Oh, this is ladies night.....

I know, I'm a bad blogger, but I finally uploaded some pictures and here's a few cute ones from all our nights out in January! Ok, well it's not letting me put pictures on right now!

This kid cracks me up!

(look at me blogging a video!! I am almost as cool as Jill!)

So cool...

Whether you are a Billy Joel fan or not, you probably remember his song, "We Didn't Start the Fire." Here it is, set to pictures... very, very cool! Had to share this one. It's a flashback through the past half century. Turn up volume, sit back and enjoy a review of 50 years of history in less than 3 minutes! Thanks to Billy Joel and some guy from the University of Chicago with lots of time and the help of Google!
http://yeli.us/Flash/Fire.html

Look How Photogenic My Kid Is!!

Here's some pretty awesome pics of Antonia. I know you're all jealous and wish you could look as stellar as she does...we can't all be supermodels. Sigh.

A Few Minutes on My Environmentally Friendly Soapbox..

So I have been thinking for about six months now of buying reusable grocery bags so I wouldn't have to use plastic bags anymore. I hadn't found the "perfect bag"...they were either too small, or too expensive (I don't feel like paying $3.50 for one when I need eight or so). I went to recycle my glass and pick up a few things at Whole Foods this afternoon. Lo and behold, they had super cool, nice sized, cute, and cheap bags made from 80% recyled pop bottles for only 99 cents!! I bought my eight! I'll just keep them in my car and take them in with me when I get loose and do my monthly shopping at Wal-Mart, and every other time I shop. They will even replace the bags for free if they get holes or tears. The life of one of these bags will save you from using 1000 plastic bags. Per bag. Too cool. You can't beat that! Here are some other plastic bag facts I found on the internet:

-Plastic bags can take 400-1000 years to break down in a landfill.
-Only 1-3% of bags ever get recycled.
-The use of plastic bags worldwide is 1,000,000 a minute. (Yep. Crazy but true.)
-There are approximately 1,000,000 ocean creatures that die every year from getting entangled in plastic bags that are improperly discarded. (Okay, we're probably not the direct cause of this one, but you get my point.)

So get your bags, look cute, have a guilt-free concious, and recycle, Baby! (Everyone's doing it...)

IDOL in Omaha!

Even if you are not a huge American Idol fan I thought you may want to watch this coming Tuesday's episode anyway. That is the day they will be showing the auditions from Omaha! It will be fun to see what kind of people they chose from around here. I am sure we will see some corn fields, cows, and people with corn cob hats and their heads, but hopefully they will find some great talent from Omaha. Simon Cowell made a statement that he "loves Omaha." Just thought you may want to tune in!

Tuesday January, 27th at 7pm.

To share another blog...

I had to blog this. This is from another blog that is on my hometown newspaper's website. It's just dad's that can blog on this...I found this one particularly amusing. Just another thing that cracks me up about kids...so innocent.

The truest gifts
My wife and I have made it a practice, for at least the last two years, of not spending a great deal of money on Christmas presents for each other.
It's not that we don't want to be gifted (we do still treat each other to sundries via our stockings). It's just that we'd rather spend the majority of our Christmas allotment on our kids. Just feels right.
And as usual, the kids had a great holiday. But it was actually one of my stocking stuffers that entertained me the most -- or more specifically, what was done with it after I got it.
As a gag, my wife bought me the book pictured at right. (And yes, the gag is that the book is comprised entirely of blank pages.)
So our 6-year-old decided to start filling the book with the things HE knows about women. To help me figure it out, of course.
Here are a few excerpts from his entries so far (listed here as they were written):
"Men no that wimen have long haer."
"And wimen whar deodorant. And women whaer lotion. And women have pony tails. And women doro (draw) beautiful pictures."
And here's the one that floored me:
"And whimen have breasts."
Yes, they do. Apparently he had to ask how to spell the word, but he knew what he wanted to say.
This'll turn out to be my guidebook on male-female relationships. I can feel it.

I wish my kid was English...

barf

we have had 3 people at work in the past week have the stomach flu.. the kind that leaves you weak, miserable and pukey and poopy for days. I will be really pissed if I get sick. I HATE throwing up.. I cry every time.
As I was getting dinner ready tonight.. and putting some canned pears on Kate's plate I suddenly remembered my mom would always have us drink pear juice after throwing up. She said it would coat our stomachs and it would help get the bad taste out of our mouth. Did anyone else's mom do that? I have heard of a couple other people saying their mom's did it too.. Every time I am sick I instantly want my mom to be there with me. Jim is wonderful and takes care of me too.. but there is something about your mom being there.. rubbing your back... holding you.. that makes you feel better.
I really don't want to get sick..

2007.... looking back

I am sitting at the computer, eating some mac and cheese, drinking a beer, and working on finishing my 2007 scrapbook online at shutterfly.com.. trying to get it done before the 15th so I can get 30%.. and I am thinking back over 2007.
I can't believe the year is over. We have all been through a lot this passed year.. births... deaths...anniversary.. birthdays... plus all the bunko and yummy food!
You girls are such great friends and I am so thankful to have such supportive, loving, thoughtful, fun, beautiful women who I can trust and rely on no matter what.
I hope everyone's 2008 is off to a good start... Saturday will be great... and I can't wait to see what happens this year!
Now I have to go.. Jim has been in Lincoln working and is on his way home and stopping to pick up PF Changs.. I am full from the mac and cheese but you know I can put down some lettuce wraps!

A first

I did something for the first time this week.. I ironed a pair of jeans. Jim put then in the wash with too many clothes.. they came out of the dryer all twisted up. I almost couldn't do it.. but I actually ironed them. I am embarassed to admit it. .. I pee in the shower, I pick my nose.. and I ironed my jeans once. what a mess.

It's... a plaintain!.. no.. lateral!.. no ethanol!

Happy New Year ladies!

stupid boys.. not playing with us.
we are hot.... and standing in descending height!
Pictionary Time!
the girls had some kick ass drawings!

Xmas and Chapstick

I think Kate's favorite present this year was chapstick. She is obsessed with it. There are only a couple pictures where she isn't putting it on. She got a new robe.. with a handy pocket for her chapstick...

I have no idea how Jim's mom wrapped this..
a tricked out pink jeep with rims! Sweet!
Again.. Kate and Claire.. happily putting on chapstick
putting on her chapstick as grandma and Aunt Kristin put together her new basketball hoop. She is thrilled.. can't you tell? I guess chapped lips are serious business..

Ugly Xmas Sweater Party

Here are the pictures from Colleen's kick ass Ugly Sweater party. it was fantastic!

John is pretty hot in this picture.. showing off his rock hard abs... and his sweatshirt that is too small. :)

Jami and her hot baby!
The boys
The Mullen family
The hot host and her friend. :)

peeeee u

I almost fumigated myself last night. We made asparagus for dinner... I cleaned up and went upstairs to take a shower. While in the shower I had to pee... so I peed. totally forgetting I had eaten asparagus a little bit earlier. I about passed out from the smell.
Just thought I would share.

and yes.. if I am taking a shower and I have to pee.. i pee, i don't get out of the shower. I know you all have done it!